Rime Movement

malalu wrote:You all seem much more experienced than myself in these matters, and I was hoping to ask a question or two (Sherab, Dorje, Drolma, Dhar, ect.). I have just begun my journey recently doing daily Vajarayana meditation which was instructed to me in a class. I was given a short introduction of the meditation as well as an oral transmission of the mantra by the teacher.
Was this just an instruction and permission to perform this meditation/mantra?

I have not taken refuge vows and wish to do so in the future. Is this better to be done by someone that I can communicate regularly with if need be and do I then have "samaya" or life-time(s) bond with them? Or Am I mistaking this for vows taken further down the road? Is it best to keep to one tradition or school with this?

If someone could shed some light on this, I would appreciate it. I know it is important to find a good teacher to proceed on the path, and I don't want to rush in to anything. What do you say from your experiences?

malalu wrote:You all seem much more experienced than myself in these matters, and I was hoping to ask a question or two (Sherab, Dorje, Drolma, Dhar, ect.). I have just begun my journey recently doing daily Vajarayana meditation which was instructed to me in a class. I was given a short introduction of the meditation as well as an oral transmission of the mantra by the teacher.
Was this just an instruction and permission to perform this meditation/mantra?

I have not taken refuge vows and wish to do so in the future. Is this better to be done by someone that I can communicate regularly with if need be and do I then have "samaya" or life-time(s) bond with them? Or Am I mistaking this for vows taken further down the road? Is it best to keep to one tradition or school with this?

If someone could shed some light on this, I would appreciate it. I know it is important to find a good teacher to proceed on the path, and I don't want to rush in to anything. What do you say from your experiences?

dorje wrote:If you have received any empowerment (more specifically in a blessing empowerment, jenang, or a full empowerment, wangchen), you would have taken Refuge, Bodhisattva, and Samaya vows. Therefore you have samaya.

Drolma wrote:Sherab,

I received Green Tara twice, from two different lamas. The mantra and practice was transmitted once, and the mantra was transmitted the second time. But I don't have samaya with those lamas as I do with my vajra guru, right?

Would this be correct? :whistle:

dorje wrote:Do you mind explaining what you have learned, and from who?

sherab zangpo wrote:

Drolma wrote:Sherab,

I received Green Tara twice, from two different lamas. The mantra and practice was transmitted once, and the mantra was transmitted the second time. But I don't have samaya with those lamas as I do with my vajra guru, right?

Would this be correct? :whistle:

know that for tantra
the basic pledges are four
to have correct view of the conventional
not to forsake the three jewels
to safeguard the awakened mind
and not to reject the true initiation.

simply.

You have pledges in action and conduct tantra,( to have correct view of the conventional, not to forsake the three jewels,
to safeguard the awakened mind) Then you have samaya with root teacher, (and not to reject the true initiation) If you understand the last then you have samaya with all.

dorje wrote:Do you mind explaining what you have learned, and from who?

Why is the Rime movement important?

Traditionally, Tibetan Buddhist practitioners place a strong emphasis on the view and instructions passed on through their own lineages, which is crucial in maintaining the authenticity of the teachings. Furthermore, many practitioners would spend their entire lives in one monastery and devote much time and effort to a thorough training in one tradition (receiving transmissions, empowerments and pith instructions), that they would not have time to explore others. Because of these circumstances, there is a danger that some practitioners are less open to the views and good qualities of other traditions. There are several amusing stories, for example, of Geshes from the Gelug tradition, who would secretly practice Dzogchen and then receive criticism when it was found they were following following Nyingma texts.

Another reason why Rime is important is that communication between monasteries can be rather limited and some monasteries tend to function somewhat independently. For instance, unlike in Western countries, there is often limited transportation, no telephone, no television and no newspapers. Hence, there are often limited opportunities to be exposed to, and gain respect for, other traditions.

In addition, there have been many learned scholars who criticised the views of other traditions with the good intention of helping their students appreciate their teachings. However, this can occasionally become a bit extreme and some students may harbour the attitude that other traditions are in some way inferior. My personal view is that some Tibetan scholars have fallen in love with the approach of the great Indian masters and then try to emulate them by being critical of other traditions. However, the genuine critical attitude of the Indian masters must be seen in the context of the great debates that occurred between Hindus and Buddhists, with the defeated side willing to adopt the other’s position. In Tibet, as everyone holds the same Buddhist view, it seems unnecessary to over-emphasise subtle differences, which are really just different ways of describing to others the same experiential understanding.

Drolma wrote:

dorje wrote:Do you mind explaining what you have learned, and from who?

I'm sure dojra means me!

When I first received Green Tara a couple of years ago, I became confused about whether or not I had made a committment to that particular Lama. Though I thought he was wonderful, at that time I was not prepared for such a committment. I had a long, ongoing discussion with a spiritual friend who advised me that I had agreed to follow his advice, but that he was not my teacher in a formal way. He advised me to just be joyful for having received the permissions and practice, and to not worry about having sudden huge ties to Lama la.

This is it in a nutshell, though down the road a different Lama explained to me also that the empowerments I had received did not carry the same weight and committments that the higher tantras would.

I hope this explains somewhat