[Buddha-l] swearing and body

[Alex Wilding]

A couple of late thoughts:
On the folk etymology of "mantra" as "mind protector", I seem to recall the
late Dr Guenther pointing out that this etymology, false as it may be, has
been used to explain the word for so long that it may tell us more about how
the word was being understood and used than some more scientifically correct
etymology might do. Seemed like a fair point.
Mike mentioned the use of "Konchog sum" (three jewels), which I have also
heard. It can be "spat" off the tongue quite nicely. I have also heard of
"Yidzhin Norbu" (Wish Fulfilling Jewel, an epithet of the Dalai Lama) being
widely used. I was told (although I wonder whether this was ironic fantasy
on the part of my informant) that this is particularly popular amongst those
Tibetans who have travelled 1000 miles to get, say, a Kalachakra empowerment
from His Holiness but who would never consider actually doing any practice!
The same informant told me - though this has less of a Buddhist connection -
that Khampas will swear with "Aro" to mean "father's corpse", and have
another more elaborate version (I won't even *attempt* a phonetic version,
but it comes to about four syllables) meaning something like "I'll eat your
father's corpse". Well, at least it's vivid!

I know this is another thread, and it may be that I wasn't reading closely
enough, but I don't think that anybody mentioned in the "body" thread that
some of the tantric techniques (which were mentioned) involving channels,
winds and drops are by no means simply symbolic, and involve some *very*
physical exercises.
All the best
Alex W