[Buddha-l] [Fwd: [skepnet] Documentaire: Jesus Camp (2006)]

[Christopher Fynn]

Joy Vriens wrote:

> Hi Chris,

>> These days very few Tibetans even monks have anything but a vague 
>> notion of the Kalacakra teachings, doctrines, myth & symbology. They 
>> go along and take the 'initiation' when the Dalai Lama gives it for the  
>> 'blessings' and because these occasions are for them major cultural & 
>> group events. 

> I know what you mean, but at the same time this strikes me as kind of 
> strange, since the Tibetant government in exile has been expressing its 
> worry about the imminent disappearance of the Tibetan culture lately. 
> Wouldn't it be time to start teaching culture carriers such as monks 
> what their culture is about? And if such is not the business of the 
> government, then whose business is it? Do they have a Ministry of 
> Culture or Cult?

According to: <http://www.tibet.com/Govt/long.html> the Tibetan Govenment in 
Exile does have a Department of Religion and Culture. << This Department was set 
up in 1959 to preserve and promote understanding of Tibetan religion and 
culture. It undertakes activities to preserve the lineages of both Buddhist and 
Bonpo traditions and to re-establish their monasteries in exile. It also 
organizes various exchange programmes and produces religious and cultural 
publications. >>

As you know the Tibetans have organized nearly 30 large Kalachakra
empowerments by the Dalai Lama both in India and the west and many of these 
these are attended on the scale of large rock festivals.  There can be few 
Tibetans living in India or overseas who have not attended at least one of 
these. (The only one I went to was held at Bodh Gaya in 1974)
The Dalai Lama does give a description of the visualization for the
initiation, the "history" of these teachings and some basic teachings - it
would take years to go into the doctrines and practices in any depth.

While most Tibetans have attended these gatherings I guess there are only a 
small handful from amongst the many thousands who attending any one of  these 
gatherings who seriously take up the study and practice - IOW a tiny minority.
There will be a somewhat larger number who take up reading the short Kalacakra 
sadhana daily.


>> The symbolism and myth (at least in written form) is probably far 
>> more available to western followers of Tibetan Buddhism through 
>> all the books websites and so on on the subject in the English 
>> language. 
> 
> Every monastery has a collection of Kangyur and Tengyur. 
> I know, they are objects of worship rather than study. 
> I think it is not the means that are lacking.

But were the Kalacakra teachings themselves ever much more than
the practice and study of an elite? - an important elite perhaps,
but fairly distant from concerns and culture of the ordinary
Tibetan.

For a start Kalacakra was a comparatively late import into Tibetan
Buddhism - and the Jonangpas, the tradition which held these
teachings as central, were suppressed almost to the point of
extinction.

Kalacakra does seem to have had more resonance amongst the
Mongolians and the two largest Geluk monasteries in Amdo,
where many Mongolian monks went to study, had colleges devoted
to the study of Kalacakra and performance of elaborate rituals.

There are a of course few lamas in different Tibetan traditions
who have specialized in these teachings - but I think these are
a fairly small and select group who don't have that many serious
students. (Unusually Ju Mipham (a Nyingmapa) seems to have been
particularly interested in Kalacakra and wrote a very extensive
commentary.)

With Tibet under Chinese occupation the myth of the armies
of Shambhala eventually defeating the barbarians undoubtedly
does now strike a chord in the minds of members of the Tibetan
diaspora. Kalacakra also seems to be very attractive to western
followers of Tibetan Buddhism - maybe because these teachings
portrayed as the "highest" Tantric teaching & initiation and
because it is so closely associated with the Dalai Lama.

As for Tibetans reading the texts - there hundreds of thousands of
rarely read Tibetan texts - why should Kalacakra texts, which form
a only small part of these, receive particular attention?

Being such a particularly complex set of teachings I suspect
even the more literate Tibetans would find a difficulties
making much sense of them without years and years of study.

BTW on popular Buddhist 'cults' one which is
currently gaining a large and very devoted following
amongst lay Buddhist practitioners here in Bhutan is
the practice of chod from Dudjom Lingpa's tradition
centered on the deity Troma Nagmo- who is identified
with Yeshe Tsogyal.  There are large groups of lay
practitioners in almost every district of of Bhutan
who meet regularly to do this practice - everyone dressing
up in red robes with their own bell, drum and thigh bone trumpet.

A couple of weekends ago I went to Dra Karpo in Paro
and there was a group of well over 600 there (all from
the Paro area) performing this practice - quite impressive.

Monks in the large (Kagyu) monasteries here seem to look
down on this  practice - suggesting it is something only lay
people and nuns would bother with.

- Chris

> Joy 
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