On Esoteric or Tantric Buddhism
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ย. 2024
- An introductory discussion on what’s often referred to as esoteric Buddhism, covering the distinctions between sutra-based Buddhism and tantric Buddhism.
Practicum “Homework Assignments,” [*] wp.me/p32or0-9vV
[*] Practica. Not "homework assignments." Don't know why that was my first go-to descriptive late last night, other than an indicator that I'm a total nerd.
Mantra recitation audio recording at the closing of this video: "Namo Da Bei Guan Shi Yin pusa" (Hail, the Great Compassionate bodhisattva Kuan Yin).
Word List for Reference:
apsara 飛天
ashura 阿修羅
Bhadrakalpika Sūtra 賢劫經
Bön (Tibetan folk magic/shamanism) 苯教
Buddhist sects 佛教派別
Chinese esoteric Buddhism (Tang dynasty) 唐密
dharani 陀羅尼
Diamond Sutra 金剛經
Elder Mysteries (or Elder Arcana) 老密
Great Compassion Mantra 大悲呪
mandala 曼荼羅
mantra 咒
mara 天魔
New Mysteries (or New Arcana) 新密
Smoke Offering Ritual 煙供儀軌
Sutra (Buddhist sacred texts) 佛經
Sutra-based exoteric (Buddhism) 顯宗
Tantra-based esoteric (Buddhism) 密宗
Tibetan tantric Buddhism 西藏密宗
Vairocanābhisaṃbodhi Sūtra 大日經
Vairocanā Blessed Sand 金剛沙 or 金光明沙
Vajrasekhara Sūtra 金剛頂経
11:39 Addendum: Oops, I cut out too much of the raw video chat and omitted the part where I talked about where I was going with this. =) So if you were left confused, it’s not you, it’s me. =) Continuing from what I am saying at this timestamp, if tantric esoteric Buddhist cultivation is characterized as a “shortcut” to the destination but one that’s far more dangerous and riskier terrain, then endeavoring to take this route all but requires a highly skilled guide to help you navigate the tougher terrain. It’s not a route you’d want to go at on your own or, worse yet, with a guide falsely self-proclaimed as a lama or spiritual leader who will lead you astray, or who isn’t equipped to help you deal with mara. Thus, the framing of the question shouldn’t be “is it open or closed,” but rather as “what, really, would be the most assured path for you?” Can you fully trust someone else’s claim of endowing you with the empowerment you’re seeking?
🙏🙏🙏👍🏼👍🏼🐛⛩️🦋👌🦉🦉🦉
Condescending much?
Billions of bugs and small animals are killed from farming vegetables and grains. What do vegans say about that? Is fundamentalism a good, healthy path?
As someone raised in a pseudo tantric Tibetan tradition that was really a cult started by a white guy called Dennis (so he could assault young men on retreats) I appreciate this information. I felt like Buddhism had harmed me but I know what I was raised with was a distorted appropriation of it. I still see a lot of that distortion in contemporary Western Buddhist culture, Buddhism has a reputation for being less harmful but it's not for anyone to pick up and use without taking responsibility.
I'm so glad you picked up on what I was trying to convey at the tail end of this video! :-D I was trying to tread that conversation with care. :-)
@@BenebellWen it can be lonely having got out of an esoteric Buddhist culture because people assume Buddhism is serene and full of compasion. And yes, mostly it is. The way dharani can be misused and the types of men who are attracted to esoteric tantric magic over working on their issues can be terrifying. Being a child in that environment did as much damage as punitive hellfire preaching could have. Spiritual abuse can be committed anywhere a person is careless and selfish with their practice.
I'm so sorry that was your experience. It sounds like that group misappropriated Buddhism, applied evangelical Christian philosophy, and then hurt many innocents along the way.
I've long been troubled by the trend of white men cosplaying as tantric Buddhists. It's particularly prevalent in the pagan/witchy/New Age communities.
Thank you for the open perspective of this video.
Unfortunately, from a buddhist practitioner’s perspective, I must say that yes, as you say there are some bias, which are those of a exotericism and magic specialisation.
In fact, I find mandatory to say that the goal of Vajrayana is to reach liberation, not powers, and that an initiation from a qualified master is essential.
I mean, I see more a “magic” perspective, while we’re talking about a soul liberation practice, not for ourselves, but for the benefit of all sentient beings, to open our hearts to others without any attachment to any wordly attainment.
That said, thank you so much, all your videos are incredibly informative and insightful.
I hope this might help
Mahalo Benebell. I studied this on and off for years. Much is blended into Asian Martial Arts. So much so that there even exists a “Kunlun Sect of Mao Shan Taoism.🙏🙏🙏🕉️☸️☯️
It’s just astounding to me how much of Indian spirituality has seeped into and shaped East Asian spirituality. Gotta to be grateful to India for this. 🙏🙏
I definitely agree!
I would like to quibble with you a little bit...in Vajrayana tantric Buddhism, they start with the premise of emptiness, then arises as a Buddha. It works because we all have Buddha nature. It is who we are. I disagree with what you said about it elevating ego, and become god. It has nothing to do with gods or ego.
While this is pretty decent overview, there is an important point that you failed to even mention in passing: Mantrayana/Vajrayana/密教 being a form of Mahayana Buddhism...or rather, a set of 'technologies' employed by Mahayana practitioners, should never be used to merely obtain 'powers' (like many other so-called 'occult' practice traditions), but is always in service of liberation...and again, as this is the Mahayana Bodhisattva vehicle, in service of the liberation of ALL beings, not merely oneself. Sadly, as you DID mention, many, if not most people drawn to these practices both in contemporary times and ancient times (and many other 'esoteric' power-seeking traditions) are precisely the type of people who should NOT be practicing these things and only bring harm to themselves and others in their pursuits. Again, this being a type of BuddaDharma, if someone is incapable of following even the most basic practices of kindness, compassion and wisdom, they have no business, whatsoever in engaging in these things. IMHO, anyway.
Right 👍🏻👍🏻
really appreciate everything you said re: thoughts around “open and closed” tradition
so legit.
None of this sounds like the Vajrayana I have been familiar with most of my life. We aren't practicing in order to gain magical powers. We are practicing to wake up. Words like spirit and soul also have no meaning here.
The valuable information and research put into this channel - Thank You, Benebell!!
I really appreciate your videos I love them and learn so much
Hello benebell! Could you do a video on Zen buddhism? One of the questions that intrigues me the most is “does zen buddhism worships or venerates the vast pantheon of buddhas, bodhisattvas, devas of regular mahayana buddhism?”. Please and thank you! Nice video by the way, I always assumed that mi zong was just tibetan.
I think I would really have to think through what I would want to say about Zen/Chan that would be productive and meaningful. 😊
@@BenebellWen I appreciate it! Please it would be lovely!!
Love and blessings for miraculous and complete healing for you now. 🙏💗
A very clear distinction between sutra and tantra based Buddhisms. Congratulations and best wishes to you and your channel!
Yes!! Labels change over time. This is one of the reasons the Tao that is described is not the Tao, it is but a view over part of the Tao.
Thank you Benebell! Your videos help me so much!
Buddhist tantra is basically Kashmiri Shaivism and one can say that Tantra as a whole, whether Hindu or Buddha originated in the Himalayas as its own practice and later on became syncretised with either Hindu or Buddhist concepts. And then from there it spread to Southeast Asia, East Asia and ofc Tibet.
Also - whether invoking peaceful or wrathful deities in exorcism, the basis is ALL bodhicitta.
Tantric Buddhism isn’t closed but it’s based on samaya between guru and disciple. The tantric method is direct guru to student initiatory processes. No guru, no tantra. And for that reason alone, it can be seen as a closed system. A lot of people do deity practice thinking they’re practicing tantra but they’re actually still practicing Mahayana 🙏
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This was amazing. Thank you.
你好！ love your content. sounds like your mic is peaking though. check the levels when recording and make sure the levels don’t go over optimum levels. appreciate your amazing content and im looking forward to reading your book
Thank you for sharing your (well-informed) perspective, I'm sorry to see so much criticism for you in these comments; I really appreciate your dedication to tradition and intellectual integrity!
Thank you for this lecture
Well, this is enough Mara for today
Thanks for sharing this information 🙏🏽 ☯️
Misinformation
Thank you as always for all your time and effort into sharing your valuable knowledge with us Benebell ❤
I’d love to know more about Nicherin Buddhism if there’s anything you can share or guide me to finding out more?
Thank you ❤
Wonderful channel, I am enjoying your videos very much; Thank you. I often wonder whether there being 64 agama texts in kashmire trika shavism, is related to the i-ching, such beautiful philosophies both! The agama being those texts in which the godess (life force in humans) asks questions, and god replies.
I am most fascinated with Shingon Buddhism.
Thank you ✨✨🙏🙏
Your videos are very rich yet they don't leave me with indigestion, which makes me smile and for that i am grateful. The sewing analogy is quite beautiful. Please forgive the intrusion but who is your Sifu? Kind regards from Scotland.
Thanks for this video! In the past I had a hard time understanding the different sects of Buddhism, so this was a nice intro to it. As a kid, I was brought to mostly sutra based Buddhist practice sessions and on a few occasions tantric based Buddhist sessions. Obviously I didn't understand a single thing that was happening, but I always thought that the tantric one I went to felt a bit off. It felt like there was a lot of idolization of the Rinpoche. Seeing this video makes me wonder if that particular group could've possibly been a scam and fraud. Now I want to do some detective work, if only I could remember the name of the Rinpoche...
your present awareness is nirvana.
What is your book activation ritual in your grimoire????? Please tell me.
Please google Thai To Taoist Temple,in Caloocan City,Phillippines,very exotic architecture,was unused since it was constructed,maybe you want to contact it and buy it,use it for your Taoist community or organization ‘s activities,
tantric Buddhism sounds a lot like christian kabbalah, which doesn't make a lot of sense, in my opinion.
Daoism is much more valid, on this subject, in my understanding.
Tantric Buddhism in all fairness is probably difficult to generalize, especially in contemporary times, with so many new Westernized versions of tantric Buddhism popping up. :-)
"western" is a very broad term though -is Portugal the same as Britain? and yet a "tantric christian kabbalah" doesn't sound so absurd in our age. I am against it but still curious.
What is the difference between mind and spirit? Is the spirit the emotions, the energy, the spiritual power, or what is it?
I would define the scope of my mind as my thoughts and emotions.
The scope of my spirit would encompass the seed within connected to a collective divine consciousness, and also that which contains my hun and po per soul dualism.
It‘s so fascinating that the west and the east has such similar elements in their left hand path / right hand path outlooks while at the same time having totally different stories that are presented as absolute truth on the right hand path of things
Help healing the sick protection and battling demonic entities is where I fit..I so appriciate your knowledge and insights.💛
i love you
Aren't some Chinese martial arts and qigong referred to as MI or esoteric?
Yes, yes they are.
Hi Benebell love your videos, could you explain a little bit more about the reason why in mantra based buddhism you need to deal it with Mara earlier in the practice before you are actually ready?
I'm the active one.
You are an honest person along with your criteria.
Is the Esoteric Buddhism like in the second discourse of the Long Discourses of the Buddha in the Pali cannon (DN 2)?
I am nothing special.