When the Ironbird
Flies
An Interview with His Holiness the Fourteenth
Dalai Lama
Interview by Mike Hellbach.
Translated by Sherpa Tulku. Prepared by Glenn H. Mullin. From Second
Dharma Celebration, November 5th-8th 1982, New Delhi, India. First
published by Tushita Mahayana Meditation Centre, New Delhi, 1982
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Question: Your Holiness, here in Dharamsala and also on your visits to
the West you have had considerable contact with western people, who at
present are showing a deep interest in the Tibetan spiritual traditions.
Whenever the Buddhadharma has been absorbed into a new society, it has
always been modified so as to have the greatest impact on the minds or the
people. What can and what cannot be modified, particularly in context to
Dharma in the West?
Answer: The fundamentals of the principal practices of Dharma ought not to
be changed. For example, the bases of Bodhicitta (the altruistic attitude
of` striving for Buddhahood as a means of benefiting all beings) and
Sunyata (Emptiness, the ultimate nature of mind and of all things) will
always be required by practitioners. However, in order to get at the
essence of these practices, their secondary details-such as the sequential
order of the ways in which they are approached, the specifics of the
visualizations involved in them and so forth-might well be modified to
accord with the differing mentalities of given people.
There were certain differences in the practices of ancient India and
Tibet, yet the essential factors of Bodhicitta, the core of the Mahayana,
were identical. The differences were only in how Bodhicitta was
actualized. Even in India there were a number of approaches to it, such as
The Exchange of Self- cherishing for the Cherishing of Others, taught in
Santideva's Venturing into the Deeds of a Bodhisattva
(Bodhisattvacaryavatara) and The Method of Six Causes to One Effect,
taught in Atisha's Light on the Path (Bodhipathapradipa). These different
techniques were meant to suit different circumstances; both aimed at
developing the same Bodhicitta and at outlining the practices of the Six
Perfections.
Therefore, the details of various practices can differ to suit the western
mentality; and not only to suit the western mentality in general but also
to suit the individual practitioner's disposition.
Question: All the great masters have stressed the importance of having a
spiritual teacher in order to avoid misunderstanding either the teachings
or one's meditational experiences. Unfortunately, at present there are few
teachers and many who wish to learn. It is advisable for such a person to
just read a meditation manual then practise from it?
Answer: This is possible. Certain advanced meditations are dangerous if
practised without the guidance of an experienced teacher but simple
meditations, such as those on impermanence, love, compassion or the
development of samadhi are good.
Without a teacher, it is best to limit oneself to small and simple
meditations.
Question: Many people wish to take up a spiritual practice but feel
committed to devoting most of their time to job, family, etc. Is it
possible to transform these concerns into sources of spirituality?
Answer: The major attitudes one needs to do this are kindness and
Bodhicitta.
It is difficult to explain Bodhicitta in brief and still be correct.
Perhaps we can say that it is the motivation to help oneself so as to be
able to help others. This profoundly kind attitude. Bodhicitta, is the
basis of all Mahayana teachings.
To make ordinary activities spiritual, this attitude of kindness must be
incorporated within every action of daily life. Certain meditations cannot
be practised while you are working, for example in a factory, but
meditation upon kindness and compassion can. If you sincerely try. Dharma
can always be practised.
Question: The Buddhadharma as practised by Tibetans involves meditation
upon a vast array of symbols and deities. Does Your Holiness see this as
presenting any problems to the western mind with its monotheistic
background?
Answer: This depends on the individual's character. Some people like these
deities very much ... (laughter).
Each person must think about what suits him best.
Question: Some say that these symbols and deities should he altered so
as to correspond with those of our own culture.
Answer: This cannot be. If you follow Buddhadharma, the deities meditated
upon should have a sound reference to the teachings of Buddha Vajradhara.
They cannot be arbitrarily created nor can they be blended with those of
other methods. It is best to follow with diligence the path most suited to
you. If you choose Buddhadharma, practise it purely. Then, if you achieve
its results, fine: if you mix practices and achieve nothing, you shouldn't
blame Dharma.
Of the various Buddhist meditational deities, the best is Buddha. If you
like others, practice them: if you don't, simply take Buddha.
Question: Is this 'liking' due to one's karmic dispositions?
Answer: It has to do with karmic dispositions. Buddhism speaks of
idiosyncrasies, latent admirations and underlying tendencies, which
together with one's intellect, circumstances and so forth constitute one's
karmic dispositions. These are major factors determining which path one
should follow.
Question: Many occidental translators of Tibetan texts lay great
emphasis upon the external rather than the inner aspects of spiritual
magic. How was this problem avoided in Tibet when the tantric texts were
translated from Sanskrit into Tibetan?
Answer: This does not seem to have been an excessively great problem in
Tibet. However, there undoubtedly have been certain people who did not
incorporate Dharma into their mental attitudes. In actuality, anyone who
practices tantric methods for such purposes as to destroy an enemy is not
really a spiritual person. Whether or not a person is actually a spiritual
practitioner is determined by the long-term benefits that his practice
brings, not by the methods he uses.
Buddha Vajradhara taught Tantra to help beings attain Enlightenment, not
to give them an instrument for harming others. He always emphasized that
Tantra is a secret doctrine, for in the hands of someone without the
background of Bodhicitta and other qualifications it can be dangerous and
not at all beneficial.
In a commentary to the Root Text of Manjushri (Manjushri Mula Tantra) is a
story of a Brahmin by the name of Kanaka, who was a practitioner of the
Yamantaka Tantra. Although he was an extremely strong meditator with
tremendous concentration and power, he fell into hell. His practice, meant
to bring him Enlightenment, only harmed him. In a commentary to the Root
Text of Guhyasamaja (Guhyasamaja Mula Tantra) the same point is stressed.
Anything that has happened in Tibet along these lines is not good and any
such interest elsewhere is the same.
The true tantric practitioner has taken a commitment to not show whatever
magical powers he may possess. According to the Vinaya rules, even if you
are an Arhant you should not openly reveal your attainments to others. It
is the same in Tantra: if you with little reason expose your powers, even
though you have certain qualifications, the basis of your practice will
degenerate.
Question: Of all Buddhist practices those of the Tantrayana have
attracted the most attention among Westerners and not the preliminary
tantric practices, but the very advanced, 'Completion Stage' practices
involving meditation on cakras, nadis, consorts and so forth. What are the
advantages and disadvantages of this interest and what are the
preliminaries of tantric practice?
Answer: It is very good that Westerners have this interest in the
Completion Stage. However, to perform these is only of little value
without first becoming proficient in the practices of the Development
Stage (where samadhi is developed and one's attitude towards Tantra
matured by means of meditation upon the mystic mandala). Furthermore, this
interest should be based on the motivation to benefit all beings: a
difficult prerequisite. Interest motivated by mere idle curiosity lacks
the proper foundation.
Meditation upon the Completion Stage of Tantra can be extremely dangerous,
perhaps bringing many types of sickness and even death to the unqualified
practitioner. Medicines cannot cure a sickness arising from performing
these practices incorrectly; the only antidote is the proper application
of a specific meditation.
Question: In brief, what is the difference between Hindu and Buddhist
Tantra?
Answer: To fully understand their differences is extremely difficult.
However, in brief, there are differences in both action and philosophy. In
terms of action, the Buddhist Tantra is based on the Bodhicitta motivation
which the Hindu Tantra lacks. In terms of philosophy, Buddhist Tantra is
based on the theory of anatma, or selflessness, whereas the Hindu is based
on the theory of a truly-existent self. Other yogas, such as breathing
exercises, cakra and nadi practices, have many similarities but subtle
differences.
Question: As self-cherishing and ego-holding are forces which have been
active since beginingless time, is it possible to set out upon a spiritual
path without developing a negative egoism toward it, leading to
sectarianism?
To avoid that it is necessary to take care that your Dharma practice is
really a Dharma practice. This way, although the power of familiarity with
ego is great, its effects are not overwhelming. If you study Dharma but do
not actually apply it, your so-called spiritual activities can easily
become directed at material gain, fame and so forth. In which case only
egoism and such negativities as anger, attachment, sectarianism, etc. are
developed. However, if each word of Dharma that you hear is used to
cultivate your mind then every single word brings only benefit, and no
matter how much Dharma learning you amass your learning will never go to
the development of egoism.
The most important point is to be very careful in the beginning with your
motivation in receiving a teaching or doing a practice. If this is done
well, there is little danger.
Question: Buddha Shakyamuni once said in a Sutra that sectarianism has
a karmic consequence more severe than killing a thousand Buddhas. Why is
this so?
Answer: The essential purpose of the Buddhas giving teachings is to
eliminate both mistaken states of mind and the experience of suffering.
This is also the reason that they have worked to achieve enlightenment.
The Buddhas' only motivation is to benefit others, which they fulfill by
teaching; so despising any of their teachings is worse than despising
them. This is the implication of following one Dharma Tradition while
disparaging other Traditions.
Furthermore, the Buddhas themselves respect all the Traditions of the
Teachings, so for us not to do so is to despise all the Buddhas.
There are many ways to look at this Sutra quotation. What is the duty, so
to speak, of a Buddha? Only to teach Dharma. And it is Dharma which has
brought that Buddha to his state of attainment. Now, in Buddhadharma we do
not accept the theory of a Creator; everything depends on oneself. The
Buddhas cannot directly fulfill their wish to help beings, they can only
do so through the media of their teachings. We might say that they are
handicapped. Therefore, the teachings that they give are more precious and
important than they themselves are. Because of the varying capacities and
inclinations of beings the Buddhas have taught various methods of practice
and philosophy. If we follow one of these and yet belittle others, we
abandon the Dharma and consequently the Buddhas as well.
Question: Does Your Holiness think that the various world religions
were founded by emanations of the Buddhas manifesting in accordance with
the mentalities of the specific societies?
Answer: This is highly possible. The founder of any religion could be an
emanation of a particular Buddha. It is for this very reason that we
should treat all religions with deep respect.
Question: Then why do these different religions so often fight with one
another?
Answer: This is a different matter. For a truly religious person there is
never any basis for quarrel or dispute. Yet it is a fact that there have
been so-called religious wars. However, the people involved in these were
not practising religion but were merely using religion as an instrument of
power. The actual motivation was selfish, not spiritual. Religious wars
are not a question of contradictions between religions at all.
Leaving aside the disparities between the doctrines of different
religions, there are many ostensible contradictions within the teachings
of Buddha. For example, for certain reasons some people he taught that
there is no truly-existent self, whereas others he taught that there is.
So what is a Buddha's purpose in teaching? It is neither to boast nor to
demonstrate how much he knows, but to benefit others. Also, he is not
concerned with those of his generation alone but with many generations and
different kinds of people. Therefore, his teachings must have many
different levels of meaning, some often seemingly contradictory. Knowing
this, there is never a valid reason for religious quarrels and disputes.
Question: Lama Je Tzong Kha Pa, founder of the Ge-lug Tradition,
studied under forty-five gurus representing all the Buddhist lineages of
Tibet. Does this mean that within the Ge-lug Tradition we can find all the
practices of all the Schools of Tibetan Buddhism and, if not, what was his
criterion in selecting lineages?
Answer: Basically, what he did was select the dearest lineage from amongst
those available. For example, from the Kagyü he took Guhyasamaja and The
Six Doctrines of Naropa, from the Nying-ma he took the lineages held by
Lama Lho-dak Nam-kha Gyal-tzen and from the Sa-kya he took the lineages of
Vajrayogini, Hevajra, etc.
An extraordinary characteristic of Je Rinpoche's (Je Tzong Kha Pa)
teachings is that he relates the explanation that he is giving, such as in
his Commentary to Guhyasamaja, to many different traditions, such as the
texts on Elucidation of Valid Perception (Pramanavartika), Discipline
(Vinaya), The Middle View (Madhyamaka) and so forth. Also, he gives brief
explanations of simple points and elaborates on those that are more
difficult.
Question: Is this a general characteristic of the Ge-lug Tradition?
Answer: No, I am speaking only of Je Rinpoche. In a way, he is the Ge-lug
Tradition, for the Eighteen Volumes of his written works constitute their
foundation. Many teachings given by his followers we do not accept.
The same situation exists between the founders and followers in all the
Four Tibetan Traditions. There is no difference in the profundity of the
teachings of any of the Four Founders, yet within the teachings of the
groups of their followers there are endless conflicts.
The First Panchen Lama once wrote, 'Although individual oral traditions
have different names, such as The Great Completion, The Great Seal, The
Middle Way and so forth, when an experienced yogi with deep understanding
of scriptural knowledge and logic examines them he sees them as non-
contradictory.'
Question: The traditional scriptures speak of the Three Vehicles. Why
did the Buddha teach these three?
Answer: Although the scriptures do speak of Three Vehicles-the Hearer's
Vehicle, the Solitary Realizer's Vehicle and the Bodhisattva Vehicle-the
first two of these are counted as one, the Hinayana. The Bodhisattva
Vehicle, or Mahayana, is subdivided into the Causal Vehicle of the
Practice of the Perfections and the Resultant Vehicle of the Practice of
Tantra. Thus in Tibet we usually speak of the two vehicles, the Hinayana
and the Mahayana.
There are many different ways to look at these two. First we'll consider
them from the point of view of practice.
It is very important to have as an external basis the observance of the
Vinaya, i.e. maintaining one of the four ordinations of a monk or nun, or
either of the two ordinations of a lay person.
For a monk, the three foundations of practice should be followed: Rainy
Season Retreat, Monthly Declarations and The Ceremony ending Rainy Season
Retreat. These are all Hinayana practices.
In addition to the above, one should take up the practices of compassion,
Bodhicitta and the conducts of the Six Perfections, which are Causal
Mahayana.
One person can perform all these practices for the attainment of
Enlightenment; they do not obstruct one another nor cause any
constrictions within the practitioner. Therefore, one person can practice
all of them without contradiction. With this approach there can be no
basis for Hinayana disparaging Mahayana, Mahayana disparaging Hinayana,
Sutrayana disparaging Tantra and so forth. Such is the relationship of the
vehicles from the point of view of action.
>From the point of view of philosophy, Buddhadharma can be divided into
the Four Schools (Vaibasika, Sautrantrika, Yogacara and Madhyamaka) which
all come from India. In one way these seem to be mutually exclusive.
However, the purpose of seemingly conflicting teachings within the
framework of Buddhist Philosophy is to provide a graduated approach to the
higher philosophies, leading to an ever greater, and eventually ultimate,
understanding. Therefore, none of the four schools of philosophy is to be
abandoned.
In Tibet there are four major Traditions: Nying-ma, Sa-kya, Ka-gyü and
Ge-lug. From the point of view of practice, they are all Mahayanists
following the unity of Sutrayana and Tantrayana, as described above, on
the basis of Hinayana. From the point of view of philosophy, they are all
Madhyamikas (who train in accordance with the graduated philosophical
stages explained above). They do not differ from the points of view of
action or philosophy. Their differences are due to the time of their
coming to Tibet, the different lineages of Lamas who have introduced them,
the different emphasis on the various aspects of practice and the
terminologies by which their teachings are transmitted. All four lead to
Buddhahood. Therefore, it is absolutely wrong to say one is better than
another, or to disparage any of them.
Question: Would you please Elucidate the difference between Buddhist
chanting and, for example, Christian prayer? Also, what is the difference
between worshipping Gods and worshipping Buddhas and Bodhisattvas?
Answer: Most of the prayers that we recite contain meanings to be
reflected upon. This type of chanting is not done to request or invoke the
compassion of the Buddhas but is a method of meditation, the content of
the chant being the object of meditation.
However, there is a type of chant which is done to invoke the
compassionate attention of the Buddhas. The difference between this and
worshipping a god is determined by the motivation and the recognition of
what one is doing. Whenever a Mahayana Buddhist makes an offering or a
prayer to the Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, he is asking guidance and aid to
attain Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.
Question: In conclusion, does Your Holiness have any general advice for
practitioners in the West?
Answer: It is important to think very well before entering a particular
spiritual tradition. Once you have entered one you should stick to it. Do
not be like the man who tastes food in all the different restaurants but
never actually gets down to eating a meal. Think carefully before adopting
a practice; then follow it through. This way you will get some results
from even dedicating a little time each day. Alternatively, if you try to
follow all the various paths you will not get anywhere.
Also, patience in practice is required. In this age of machines everything
seems to be automatic. You may think that it is the same with Dharma-that
by merely turning on a switch you will gain realization. Be patient. The
development of mind takes time!
You should try to maintain a steady effort in practice. It is useless to
try very hard for a few months, then give up this kind of application and
then try very hard again. It is best to exert yourself in a constant and
steady way. This is extremely important.
If you have adopted Buddhism you should not consider yourself a 'great
Buddhist' and immediately start to do everything differently. A Tibetan
proverb states, 'Change your mind but leave your appearance as usual.'
In all of Buddhism and especially in the Mahayana, the benefiting of
others is heavily stressed. In this context Shantideva says in Venturing
into the Deeds of a Bodhisattva, 'First investigate what is acceptable and
what is unacceptable to the people (of the society in which you live);
then avoid that which is unacceptable.' Of course, you must consider
whether or not what is acceptable and unacceptable is in contradiction
with the Dharma. If the social norm does not contradict Dharma you should
try to live in accordance with it. In this way people will respect you.
This is not done out of vanity but in order to bring the maximum benefit
to all.
In Dharma practice it is necessary to always keep an attitude of love
toward others, for this is the basis of Bodhicitta. Love is a simple
practice, yet it is very beneficial for the individual who practices it as
well as for the community in which he lives, for the nation and for the
whole world. Love and kindness are always appropriate. Whether or not you
believe in rebirth, you will need love in this life. If we have love,
there is hope to have real families, real brotherhood, real equanimity,
real peace. If the mind of love is lost, if you continue to see other
beings as enemies, then no matter how much knowledge or education you
have, no matter how much material progress is made, only suffering and
confusion will ensue. Beings will continue to deceive and overpower one
another. Basically, everyone exists in the very nature of suffering, so to
abuse or mistreat each other is futile. The foundation of all spiritual
practice is love. That you practice, this well is my only request. Of
course, to be able to do so in all situations will take time, but you
should not lose courage. If we wish happiness for mankind, it is the only
way.
Source:
http://www.lamayeshe.com
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Update: 01-07-2003