[Buddha-l] Re: Magic

[Joy Vriens]

Vicente,

>Are there some texts with rules for Tantrics to avoid black magic?. 

No need I think. Since tantra has been reformed by Abhinavagupta, Naropa, Advayavajra and others the more disturbing elements have become symbolised or interiorised. Blood and semen have been replaced by light, vibrations, strings of mantras and syllables and other more consensual material. Sacrifices of animals were replaced by offering cakes (gtor ma, bali etc.).As for the term "black magic", it's always the same question, is it "good" to kill or harm "bad guys"? Does the end justifies the means? If you can convince yourself it is or can be, then I guess you don't consider your magic to be black.

The rules for Buddhist tantrics to avoid "black magic" are the general vows of pratimoksa and mahayana, which one normally has taken when one arrives at the stage of tantra. 

I talk a lot about magic, but my interest only purports to the human aspects, beliefs and creativity behind it. I see it as art. One of the best art exhibitions I have ever seen was about voodoo. And the French expressionists showed a great interest in Voodoo and sponsored voodoo artists.
 
>These days I'm sharing some talks with a young man who recently leave 
>an strange group who are mixing Tibetan Buddhism with black magic of a 
>probable Brazilian origin. They are not Tibetans but they use Tibetan 
>Buddhism to guess their own practices. 
>This man is quite confused about what he did. Besides the emotional 
>part, another problem is that he doesn't know what practices were 
>truly part of Tantric Buddhists or not. He know some obvious things 
>like  the use of chickens. However, other things performed by that people 
>(visualizations of light doors, etc..) are not clear to him. 
>It will be great knowing some reading so he can be aware of what was a 
>real Buddhist Tantric practice or not. Also specially some to underlay 
>the right behavior in a Tibetan Tantric context of master and disciple. 

The World of Tibetan Buddhism by the Dalai Lama gives quite a good and complete overview IMO.

Joy