[Buddha-l] Buddhist salvation

[Erik Hoogcarspel]

Bruce G. Seidner Ph.D. schreef:

> Erik, I am curious about your experience. Doctrinal issues aside, in 
> actual practice, is this not a distinction without a difference? What 
> percent of sentient beings paying attention to Buddhas of various ilk, 
> protectors, etc. make this distinction? Even for those who have the 
> language and theory to make this distinction, during practice what is 
> the affect that permeates the experience? How would the edification of 
> the practice be different? Just curious. I myself cycle though times 
> where I care a lot about organizational charts and times where it 
> matters little.
>
> Bruce
>
Well, in the Tibetan refugeformule I learned you take refuge in the yidam's (personal meditation deity), Buddha's Guru's and the protectors seperately. Secondly, as far as I can remember you don't identify with a protector, you just offer him/her all kinds of goodies and ask for a favour. This is also the case in most Tarapuja's and in the Bhaisajagurupuja. Because there's no identification these puja's are below the anuttara level. There may be exceptions, I remember vaguely a Garudapuja I learned from Namkhai Norbu Rch, where you had to identify with Garuda. But then again only enlightened beings are salvific and in those puja's there must be some transference of enlightment quality. So in general this means some kind of exchange, identification or otherwise. After identification with an enlightened being it seems logical to be able to merge into emptiness. This is also a quality dharmapaala's cannot give you (in theory). But there are so many puja's of all kinds that that I wouldn't be surprised if there would be many exceptions.

Erik


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