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Ethics of adapting "secret" practices for one's own use

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Hey,

I've been looking into information about Vajrayana practices of Deity Yoga. The last post led me to this site: http://dechenlingpress.org/ which has some very interesting looking material. Their store allows one to buy all kinds of "secret instructions" for various tantras. However, they specifically ask the people not purchase some of the books unless they have received official transmission from a tantric master. For example, the page for the book The Extremely Secret Dakini of Naropa says, "The material in this book is restricted. This book may be read only by those who have received a Highest Yoga Tantra empowerment."

I am less concerned about the superstitious aspect of the whole thing; the idea that somehow just reading the book could harm me if I don't have the okay from a lama. However, I am concerned about the ethics of taking sacred information through a means that is lacking in integrity. I don't want to feel as if I'm violating another spiritual tradition's practices. I'm not even planning to practice the specific tantras, but simply to read the instructions in order to get ideas for developing my own eclectic practice.

Also, I can't help but feel that the site is being a little cagey about the whole thing. If the writings were actually so secret, they would presumably not be making them available online for just whoever wanted to order them. Even putting "Extremely Secret" in the title has the air of a marketing pitch meant to generate interest. So I'm not sure how seriously to take the whole thing.

The other perspective is that for too long these traditions have been cloaked in secrecy. Daniel's book revealed many things about Theravada that are considered secrets in the traditional Buddhist world, and I believe it has done great good. Maybe it's time for Vajrayana to undergo a similar opening of the doors.

Any thoughts?

RE: Ethics of adapting "secret" practices for one's own use
Answer
3/14/14 4:18 PM as a reply to Avi Craimer.
Howdy Avi,
i like reading your thoughtful posts.

i have busied myself in the past with vajrayana practices. it was exactly the secret nature of it that eventually drove me towards the much more open style exibited here. it is diffficult to dissemble rationally all of the reasons for all of the secrecy in vajrayana. some is clearly political / factional and others based on real concerns for the welfare of the practitioners.

i always took the warnings about practicing (or even reading) some teachings without the proper prerequisite practices, blessings and ceremonies and teachers with a grain of salt. many are laden with threats like "eternitiy in the hell realms" if abused or insanity as the certain outcome of such unapproved practice.

as someone with vast experience with "the dark night" i think i can see well the downsides to practice. perhaps some of the more dire warnings come to fruition with the "deeper" diamond way practices but i doubt that.

more to your ethical question; i think its like a copyright. a warning which protects the current owner and not necessarily helping the tradition or the practitioner.

the site offering thi stuff: is it profiting from this distribution? if so, my opinion is that all moral or religious questions are dissolved with that fact alone.

just my thoughts

tom

RE: Ethics of adapting "secret" practices for one's own use
Answer
3/16/14 2:21 AM as a reply to Avi Craimer.
Hi Avi,

I agree with Tom's sentiment, as well as with your own last two paragraphs. If those selling such books really believed that terrible karma would result from unauthorized use, they would not be taking the suicidal risks involved in selling such books online.

If you had information (such as secret tantras) which you believed could reduce or even eliminate suffering, would you not want to spread this information far and wide? On what basis would you be offended if someone got access to this information without asking for your consent? These books aren't like nuclear launch codes: Seems to me that here the dangers of misuse, i.e. some people going crazy, are far outweighed by the potential benefits, i.e. far more people getting saner. While there certainly are benevolent motives for keeping secrets, one should not ignore the corruptions of power and the inertia of tradition (clinging), no matter how realized a being.

This coming from someone who is all too frequently second-guessing himself, but also from one with confidence in the spirit of science.

RE: Ethics of adapting "secret" practices for one's own use
Answer
3/16/14 3:00 AM as a reply to Avi Craimer.
I've had good results (up until now*) with deity visualization which wouldn't be possible with anything else. I never received transmission for this.

*Though I can see that it is a delicate balance and things can possibly go wrong. But I started on my own because I thought I had no other choice.

RE: Ethics of adapting "secret" practices for one's own use
Answer
3/16/14 9:15 AM as a reply to Change A..
Change A.:
I've had good results (up until now*) with deity visualization which wouldn't be possible with anything else. I never received transmission for this.


That's so good to hear. Which tantras do you use? How did you choose which tantras to use? Where did you get information about the practices? How specifically have they helped you?

As you can see I'm very curious about this : )

RE: Ethics of adapting "secret" practices for one's own use
Answer
3/16/14 12:06 PM as a reply to Avi Craimer.
Avi Craimer:
As you can see I'm very curious about this : )

Couple of thoughts about this...
Have you visited the "upper" realms in your shamanic practices? I'm sure you could find some spirits/deity that may wish to come into a relationship with you for the betterment of all. From my understanding these entities may teach you things. You may wish to ask your personal guides/helpers if this is to your benefit at this time before doing so.
Shinzen Young has some good perspective on deity practice...it was very interesting...it was the path that he took to enlightenment. I have no idea where I found it as it was years ago. maybe this The "Secret" of Archetypal Deity Yoga ~ Shinzen Young
Good luck,
~D

RE: Ethics of adapting "secret" practices for one's own use
Answer
3/16/14 2:08 PM as a reply to Avi Craimer.
Avi Craimer:
That's so good to hear. Which tantras do you use? How did you choose which tantras to use? Where did you get information about the practices? How specifically have they helped you?

As you can see I'm very curious about this : )


I gleaned the information about the visualization practices from the book "The Bliss of Inner Fire: Heart Practice of the Six Yogas of Naropa by Lama Yeshe".

I tried many deities for visualization and after some time, I could see which one I need to use.

I think it is really important that you have some experience with renunciation, bodhichitta and emptiness before embarking on this journey because otherwise the ride can will get rough.

RE: Ethics of adapting "secret" practices for one's own use
Answer
3/16/14 3:31 PM as a reply to Change A..
Two replies in one.
***
Thanks Dreamwalker for the Shinzen Video, that was a great summary of the essence of these practices and it helps to stay focused on the basic concept of the practice and not get lost in all the complexity and dire warnings. I haven't found the place where Shinzen describes getting enlightened through Deity Yoga. If anybody knows where he talks about that, I'd love to see it. It was also encouraging to see that he recommends Western deities for Western practitioners. That makes sense since the whole thing is based on a resonance and psychological power to mobilize archetypes.

Regarding the upper world journey idea. I have gone on many journeys to seek guidance on this, and I've gotten some tremendous information. The main reason for interest in the Vajrayana deity yoga practices is to get ideas for taking these big mythical revelations and integrating them into a regular meditation practice. There's obviously lots of material in almost all the world's religions on deity worship, and some of it is very inspiring, but it's also very mixed up with dogma and not clearly related to a set of practical techniques. I always respect the technical soundness of the Buddhist approaches. Buddhism is like the BJJ of the spirit world.

***
Change A.:
I gleaned the information about the visualization practices from the book "The Bliss of Inner Fire: Heart Practice of the Six Yogas of Naropa by Lama Yeshe".


Thanks Change A. for the reply. I'm definitely going to start with that book. I wouldn't mind learning to warm myself up either because I'm chronically cold emoticon

Change A.:
I think it is really important that you have some experience with renunciation, bodhichitta and emptiness before embarking on this journey because otherwise the ride can will get rough.


I do have a fair amount of experience with insight practices, and with rough rides. Thanks for the concern.

RE: Ethics of adapting "secret" practices for one's own use
Answer
3/16/14 6:10 PM as a reply to Avi Craimer.
Hi Avi!

I encountered Namkhai Norbu's Vajrayana and Dzogchen teachings over a decade ago on retreat in NYC. He was extremely generous with giving out powerful teachings (his group has a reputation for creating a pretty rugged path for many because of this). We walked away from the retreat with explanations and pamphlets for dozens of practices including visualzation/mantra practices as well as breathing/energy practices. He was very clear and straightforward about the risks and rewards but there was really a sense of, you need to take responsibility for your own path (which is why he transmitted and explained so many practices, so you would have a ton of stuff in your toolbox). I tried to employ a particular energetic/breathing practice without honestly having the experiential basis in terms of insight into empty impermanence but rather tried to deploy the method in a forceful, egoic way, and it resulted in an energetic disturbance that *seemed* to lead to a chronic physical condition (I say seemed... the physical condition was real, diagnosed, and problematic-- still is, 15yrs later-- but although the connection to the energetic practice and my experiences with it seems very plausible and synchronistic of course I have no way of knowing that...).

Anyhow, long story short, this is all just to say even with all the formal transmission and solid explanations from an accomplished teacher it's certainly possible to harm oneself with some of these practices. And conversely I am convinced that with the appropriate insight into empty impermanence to start with, one may engage these practices safely, with or without the formal empowerments etc.

One cool thing about Norbu though, as I said he was incredibly generous with these teachings and his explanations and pamphlets were very helpful-- and I didn't ever get the impression that he was selling anything. It was a six day retreat in Manhattan which cost me about $200 including a room to sleep in. Another $40 later I had probably 20 pamphlets containing and explaining various practices which he also explained and transmitted over the course of the retreat. And unlike many other Vajrayana teachers there were no complex committments expected of us (in fact, really none at all)-- other than to use the practices as and when they felt useful.

RE: Ethics of adapting "secret" practices for one's own use
Answer
3/18/14 6:44 AM as a reply to Avi Craimer.
Hi Avi!

I've been also worried about this same issue you mention here. Eventually I found Medicine Buddha practice which according to some sources I was reading at the time, does not require the empowerment/transmission. Problem solved!
I can also highly recommend a related book, Medicine Buddha Teachings by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche. It is the most detailed, easily accessible and profound book I have found relating to deity visualization. I have also the inner fire book somebody recommended but I personally prefer the Medicine Buddha Teachings over all other material I've read on the subject. Maybe it's a matter of personal preference, but still I wanted to share this with you! emoticon