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Wangmo

Taking An Initiation

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Good evening :)

 

I would like to know a little bit more about taking initiations - if there is a specific special Initiation I would like to take, I guess the advice and/or blessing of my root Lama is crucial? What to do if I feel a special connection to that deity, but my root Lama doesn't give me "green light" to take the Initiation? Can I seek a "second opinion" from another Lama? What happens if I go and take that Initiation - can it be harmful in some way? Or is it just not as effective?

 

Thank you. :)

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Guest lodreu

Dear members,

 

I would like to know a little bit more about taking initiations - if there is a specific special Initiation I would like to take, I guess the advice and/or blessing of my root Lama is crucial? What to do if I feel a special connection to that deity, but my root Lama doesn't give me "green light" to take the Initiation?
Regarding initiations, we have to first realize that they are not an outside object, like a new car, or something we can acquire, and which would lead us somewhere by its own power.

To receive an initiation and develop through its practice benefit and realizations, there is a very clear and codified inner development to follow. If not doing so one experiences just the opposite. At the best nothing, at the worst obstacles.

 

The first very important requirement, the one without which all others do not count, is to have established a clean and real relationship with a lama. The Lama should have the complete Lama qualities as explained in the Lam Rim, and the disciple as well.

In case you do not remember them ;) i paste them at the bottom of the message.

When this relationship is established formally then of course one has to follow the advises of the Guru. Otherwise one breaks this relationship. The more precise and clear the advise, the most negative the karma of non respecting it. Lama Zopa Rinpoche made this point very clear:

 

"There is another important piece of advice that I thought of telling you some weeks ago, in regards to taking teachings and initiations from a lama in a guru and disciple relationship. This is the most crucial thing, so one has to be most careful on this point. It’s important, because if you are not careful, you can create huge negative karma with the guru. This negative karma comes from non-devotional thoughts, from disturbing the holy mind, from harming the holy body, and from disregarding the advice of the guru. These heavy actions create great obstacles to happiness in this life, the next life, up to liberation from samsara and the peerless happiness of enlightenment. This is the greatest obstacle to having realizations on the path to enlightenment, besides causing intense suffering in the lower realms for an immense length of time. "

 

It can happen that pride, and negative karma blocks this devotion to come out, and that negative thoughts, called heresy, manifest. In that case watch the mind and do not move, or as little as possible, toward the object of delusion. Wait and when the mind comes back to its more appeased state, practice more :-) to purify the negativity created and develop more stability.

 

Can I seek a "second opinion" from another Lama? What happens if I go and take that Initiation - can it be harmful in some way? Or is it just not as effective?
After burning your car you can always go to buy petrol from another person, it will not make it start again :// The only way is to realize what you have done and try to repair the car as much as you can before to die or before the negative karma of doing it ripens.

 

Creating a relationship to the guru is like getting the best car ever. By developing devotion, correct attitude, you polish it and make it better, faster, stronger, such a car will lead you everywhere at very high speed, you will not need to stop for petrol anymore because your attitude refills it. There are stories of disciples having accumulated one great's eon merits in only seven years. But every time we generate a wrong thought or attitude we can break it and damage it to the point of hard heavy repair.

 

Another quote from Lama Zopa Rinpoche:

" It is good the way you have been thinking, trying to protect yourself and not just listening to anyone who says to come and listen to different lamas’ teachings and initiations, making a of guru-disciple connection. You said that you didn’t want any “headaches.†Already many people have had such headaches, taking teachings and initiations from this lama and that lama. Worse, after having headaches, there is the danger of giving up the guru as well as one’s faith in the Dharma. That behavior leads to the heaviest hell realm, therefore it is something to be abandoned, even at the risk of your life. Just losing this life doesn’t necessarily mean you are reborn in the lower realms. You can still have a good rebirth, and even be born in the pure realms.

 

So, your term “headache†is perfect. There is the danger of getting involved in many things when one makes a connection by taking teachings and initiations from any lama one hears about. Then, you really do get many headaches, and so much confusion. For us ordinary beings, it becomes very complicated when we don’t know how to handle these situations. Many people I meet have gone through these problems. You can study the teachings on guru devotion. "

 

There is a very special highway, it's call tantra, to enter it you need to pass the toll, and at this toll, whatever you pretend, you need this special car. Without it no highway.

Without Guru relationship no Tantra. Without the blessing of the Lama you have created a relation with no Tantra, without respecting his advise no Tantra. Going to see other Lamas to get another answer, the one pleasing your ego, is just like trying to put petrol in a burned car. You have the petrol, it is useless.

 

" This is the greatest obstacle to having realizations on the path to enlightenment, besides causing intense suffering in the lower realms for an immense length of time."

 

Best regards,

Lodreu.

 

 

________________________________________________________________________________

 

1. Discipline as a result of his mastery of the training in the higher discipline of moral self-control;

2. Mental quiescence from his training in higher concentration;

3. Pacification of all delusions and obstacles from his training in higher wisdom;

4. More knowledge than his disciple in the subject to be taught;

5. Enthusiastic perseverance and joy in teaching;

6. A treasury of scriptural knowledge;

7. Insight into and understanding of emptiness;

8. Skill in presenting the teachings;

9. Great compassion; and

10. No reluctance to teach and work for his disciples regardless of their level of intelligence.)

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