[Buddha-l] Tibetan Buddhist meditation

[Margaret Gouin]

On Tue, June 12, 2007 6:13 am, Joy Vriens wrote:
>>Question: from what I hear, Tibetan meditation systems involve a great
>>deal of complexity, not to mention struggle. Is that so?
>
> I don't know what you mean exactly, but is very complex indeed and the
> struggle that I experienced comes from contradictions that are inherent to
> its complexity and to its compatibility with the modern Wester world. And
> that compatibility higly depends on what the hierarchy decides it to be.
> Contradicitions are of course top material for spiritual exercices, but I
> don't think we need a complex religious system for that on top of the
> already complex world we are living in.

There are many, many Tibetan meditation systems. Some are highly complex.
Some are very simple. Likewise with all the teachings and practices (in
Tibetan Buddhism). I've known some Westerners who absolutely revel in
complexity and complication and love that aspect of their Vajrayana
practice. I know others who have very simple and direct Vajrayana
practice. You can take your pick.

I don't really know what 'compatibility with the modern Western world'
means. The 'modern Western world' is not monolithic. Nor is it simple (as
in not-complex). But as with Vajrayana, you can simplify your bit of
it--if you want.

-- 
Margaret Gouin
PhD Candidate
Centre for Buddhist Studies
Department of Theology and Religious Studies
University of Bristol (UK)