Hey Steve, interesting history lesson. do you have any specific references/literature you'd recommend about the tibetan buddhist history?
I think that's what Chris was sharing. If you get a Mahayana teacher that is putting Hinayana down (even using the term Hinayana), it may suggest the teacher isn't really over themselves completely. Tao Shei Fei On Mon, Mar 14, 2011 at 4:36 PM, SteveW <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > --- In [email protected], Chris Austin-Lane <chris@...> wrote: > > > > "Learned teachers who have meditation experience and are not so involved > in > > ceremonial issues or politics are the safest guides." > > > > The Tibetan tulku Shamar Rinpoche speaking to Tricycle on how to find a > > Tibetan teacher. Seems true for finding a Zen teacher as well. > > Hi Chris. Yes. But political issues are frequently tied to dogmatic > differences of opinion, as well. For example, in Tibetan Buddhism the > majority Geluk-Pa managed to reach an understanding with the Nyingma people, > but still regard the Shentong as heretics. Centuries ago they burned > Shentong monasteries down and destroyed their documents. And of course > followers of the Theravada are not going to recognize the > Mahayana as being entirely authentic. When reading the vast Mahayana > literature, any objective scholar can see that there are real differences of > opinion and polemics directed back and forth. The story goes among the > Tibetans that centuries ago there was a big debate with the Chan people in > Tibet. Supposedly, the Chan people lost the debate and were booted out of > the country. Of course, this is just political b.s., but it is tied to > doctrinal differences. > Steve > > > > >
