The Tibetan Yogini - Machig Labdron

International Women Day March 08,2018. It is to commemorate the movement for honoring the women's rights, as well as women who inspired and influence in our  society. [Featuring The Tibetan Yogini, Maichig Labdron] 

                           

Confess your hidden faults.
Approach what you find repulsive.
Help those you think you cannot help.
Anything you are attached to, give that.
Go to the places that scare you.

[The famous slogans of Machig Labdron]

As long as there is an ego, there are demons.

When there is no more ego,
There are no more demons either.
[The Chod teachings of Machig Labdron]

The Buddhist teachings that came from India were considered authentic and it was believed there were none that originated in Tibet. All the Dharmas originated in India, and later spread to Tibet. 

Only Machig Labdron's teaching and practice that made its way back to India from Tibet, it is an extremely effective and quick tantric method for attaining realizations of the path to enlightenment.

Machig Labdron ,In Tibetan is “ma gcig lab sgron” literally means “unique Mother” was a renowned 11th-century Tibetan Tantric Buddhist practitioner, teacher and Yogini who originated several Tibetan lineages of the Vajrayana practice of Chod.

Machig Labdron is often depicted with the attributes of a Dakini, a representation of enlightened female energy. She holds a drum in her right hand and a bell in her left. Her right leg is often lifted and the standing left leg is bent in motion. 

Machig Labdron is white in color with three eyes and wears the Six Bone Ornaments of the charnel grounds, which is traditional for a practicing Yogini. The different between Yogini and Dakini, the Yogini wears the six bones Ornaments and the Dakini wears five bones Ornaments and both are the wisdom beings.

As a child and young woman, Machig Labdron made a living as a liturgy reader. She was fortunate to be educated and patrons would hire her to read the Prajnaparamita Sutra or 'The Perfection of Wisdom', a Mahayana sutra text, in their homes as a form of blessing and to gain spiritual merit. 

Machig Labdron was known to be a very fast reader and so was in much demand as this meant that she could complete the entire text quickly and her patrons would have to pay for fewer meals for her while she read.

Even though Machig Labdron spent some time living with monastic, she was not a celibate nun; she partnered and had both daughters and sons who became lineage holders. One of her sons, even started out as a thief. Machig Labdron was eventually able to bring him to the Dharma and became his teacher.

Machig Labdron famous teachings to her son:-

You may think that the Gods are the one's who give you benefits and Demons cause damage; but it may be the other way round. Those who cause pain teach you to be patient, and those who give you presents may keep you from practicing the Dharma. So it depends on their effect on you if they are Gods or Demons. 

The Chod - The cutting through lineage
This is a field of merit from the Chod (cutting through) lineage. It features the Yogini namely Machig Labdron in the center of this Tangka printing. 

She is surrounded by other lineage masters and as well surrounded by the other semi-wrathful divine beings, the Dharma protectors from this lineage and the great kings appearing and the Buddhas of the three times are indicated above of Machig Labdron. With great Mother of Prajnaparamita and gifts bearing gods and goddesses are shown in this Tangka printing.

* Footnote

Please consult your Guru or a qualified lineage master for Vajrayana practice! Should a devotee even want to start studying and contemplating the Vajrayana practice, then it is truly necessary to first have completed the preliminaries and to be certain and sure that bodhicitta has arisen and developed in one’s mind.

Vajrayana features countless skillful and powerful methods which, if they are practiced in the proper way, can make the process of accumulation and purification incredibly swift and direct. It is absolutely necessary to have the pure motivation and to know that Vajrayana practice is not carried out to increase one’s own ego, power and self-interests.

Do you earnestly cherish our devoted work? Assuming this is the case, we are delighted that you are finding our blog useful and valuable. Would you consider making a donation for our Buddhist research and development?  

We need your help to secure the future of scholarly interaction with Buddhism. Since our very first publication of Dharma works and activities in the year 2008, we had been effortlessly providing free distribution of Dharma posts and articles throughout the previous 10 years.  We have exceptionally constrained supports and do not receive subsidized or funding from people in general. 

Please help us and to develop our Dharma activities that will not only benefit you, but to all Dharma readers on the planet. Please consider showing your support. Your generosity will certainly help us to enhance our work and to accomplish for a better and brighter prospect to come. 

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease

But increase further and further.

Nagarjuna's Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migrators from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note
I do not own or infringe any copyright of the picture(s).
Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and or studios.
Picture(s) is/are intended for editorial use only.

The Living Journal – Walking the path for ourselves.

I can only show you the way to enlightenment, 

We must walk the path for ourselves.

Quoted by the Buddha.

If you are determined to be drowned, no one can save you.

Quoted by Vladimir Putin 

Life is too short and tries not to wake up the next morning with many regrets. So love the people who treat you right and forget the one who don't.

We must believe that everything happens with a reason, if you happen to get a chance, take it. If it's going to change your life, then let it. In life we must make choices, to take chances; otherwise our life will never make any changes. 

Your happiness is a choice and your life isn't about pleasing everybody. But is about creating yourself. Stay true to yourself and being honest may not get you a lot of friends, but it will always get you the right one. 

Always remember this; don't judge my path if you haven't walked my journey. Stop letting people who do a little thing for you, and controlling so much of your mind, feelings and emotions. Yes, other people may be there to help us, teach us, guide us along our path, but the lesson to be learned is always ours. 

Life is simple so don't make it so complicated. Life is blessed and stop complaining that life is entirely too short-- but what they don't realize is that for the unfortunate, life is entirely too long. 

Enjoy the little things in life. For one day, you will look back and realize they were the big things. 

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease

But increase further and further.

Nagarjuna's Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migrators from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note

I do not own or infringe any copyright of these pictures.

Pictures courtesy and credit to the rightful owner.

Why Praises of The Twenty-one Taras?

Refuge and Bodhichitta to the Arya Taras 

Namo kon chok kun ngo jet sun mar,

Dag sog dro kun kyap su chi,

Jang chup mon pei sim kye neh,

Zap moy lam la juk par gyl.

Om Jet Sun Mar, Phagma dromala chhag-tshal lo 

(Om Homage to the Venerable Arya Tara)

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA. 

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA. 

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA.

The practice of Tara is said to have many different extraordinary powers of blessing, and is particularly effective in a wide variety of situations. For example, it is said that at the end of an aeon or cycle of time, when hardships and calamities may increase, the mantra and puja rituals of Tara are very crucial. Anyone can recite the prayers of Tara and it brings great benefit.

The Buddha Mahavairochana was the Guru, the spiritual guide, of Tara. Buddha Vairochana blessed Tara and prophesied to her that at the end of the aeon, in those lands and worlds where pujas, prayers, and rituals of Tara are recited, as a result of these prayers, the many diseases, troubles, and disturbances caused by evil spirits and by human beings would be pacified and resolved. I believe that the practice of Tara is one the most important and critical of all practices in such times.

The prayers of Tara, is said that not only diseases and disturbances caused by evil spirits, but also hostility, wars, conflicts and the eight obscurations and sufferings may as well be pacified and resolved by the power of her practice. 

The eight obscurations and sufferings that listed by the First Dalai Lama as follows:-

• The suffering of hatred, which symbolize like the fire,
• The suffering of ignorance, which symbolize like a elephant,
• The suffering of jealousy, which symbolize like a snake,
• The suffering of pride, which symbolize like a lion,
• The suffering of miserliness, which symbolize like a chain,
• The suffering of wrong view, which symbolize like a thief,
• The suffering of doubt, which symbolize like a spirit,
• The suffering of lust/attachment, which symbolize like the floods

All such obstacles and related difficulties can be removed through the blessing of the prayers and mantras of these goddesses.  It is said that these puja prayer rituals and mantra recitations are particularly important when we come to the end of an age or cycle of time. For such times, is widely recommended the practices of Guru Rinpoche, praises of Taras are also extremely important.

In times of the threat of wars, epidemics, conflict, and so on, it is very important that the mantras of Tara be put on prayer flags and hung in the air, as much as people are able to do this. People from all walks of life should do this and say this mantra as much as possible. Along with the prayers of Guru Rinpoche, these practices are the most effective in such times and situations.

One who offers praises to Tara is truly intellectual. Whether early in the morning or late at night, if one offers the praises to the twenty-one Taras, such as offering two, three, and then seven repetitions of the prayer, totaling twelve recitations of the praises to the twenty-one Taras, all wishes can be fulfilled. This is how it is in the Four Mandalas' Ritual of Holy Tara "The Illuminating Lamp". In this puja one repeats the praise twice, then three times, then seven times.

When it is said that all one's wishes will be fulfilled, it means that if you need a child, you'll get one. If you have financial needs, these will be met. Whatever wishes you have, all of them can be fulfilled through praises to Tara.

You only need to recite and practice it, in order to dispel your obstacles. All of your obstacles and difficulties, however many there are, can all be removed and relieved through offering praises to Tara. Through praying to Tara, all potential obstacles are powerless to cause you harm; they are naturally pacified. Nothing can get to you or harm you in any way; you become impossible to pass through.

Certain practices have that strongly emphasized. For Green Tara practice that is the reason why you are not supposed to be eating meat or drinking alcohol before you do the practice. For that reason those practices were tend to be done very early in the morning, before breakfast, before you eat anything , you do the Tara before, that’s the reason why it’s mostly done in the morning. But if you are a vegetarian, then you can do Tara practice any time, all day long, you don’t have to think that Tara should only be done in the morning. 

There is no doubt that Tara is very swift in dispelling obstacles. All the activities of the Buddhas are embodied in Tara, contained in her, complete in her. If you have been empowered by your Guru or teacher to meditate yourself in the form of Green Tara. Your body, speech can be transformed into mantra, your thoughts into wisdom. You are no longer an ordinary being; your body, speech, and mind have been completely raised into the exalted state of Tara herself, into the form, mantra, and wisdom of Tara.

The words of the praises to the twenty-one Taras are not the intellectual composition of scholars. They are spoken directly by Buddha Mahavairochana and Buddha Shakyamuni themselves. Please recite the praise to Tara as much as you are able to in the course of your everyday life. 

If you are unable at any time to recite the praise, try to recite the mantra of Tara:-

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA.

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA.

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA.

For (Donations for our Buddhist research and development) 

Do you earnestly cherish our devoted work? Assuming this is the case, we are delighted that you are finding our blog useful and valuable. Would you consider making a donation for our Buddhist research and development?  

We need your help to secure the future of scholarly interaction with Buddhism. Since our very first publication of Dharma works and activities in the year 2008, we had been effortlessly providing free distribution of Dharma posts and articles throughout the previous 13 years.  We have exceptionally constrained supports and do not receive subsidized or funding from people in general. 

Please help us and to develop our Dharma activities that will not only benefit you, but to all Dharma readers on the planet. Please consider showing your support. Your generosity will certainly help us to enhance our work and to accomplish for a better and brighter prospect to come. 

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the precious Buddha’s precious Dharma and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease

But increase further and further.

Nagarjuna's Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migrators from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note

I do not own or infringe any copyright of these pictures.

Pictures courtesy and credit to the rightful owners.

The Living Journal – Vaishravana, The Chief Guardian Of The Four Heavenly Gates.

Vaishravana is the Sanskrit term and in Tibetan’s language, He is known as “Namthose” and widely being practiced by many Tibetan practitioners. Vaishravana occupies the highest position of the Four Guardian Kings and specifically protects Shakyamuni Buddha’s teachings, protecting those who practice self-discipline. 

Because his breath is harmful He keeps His mouth tightly closed. He confers spiritual and material wealth on practitioners of the Dharma, symbolized by the jewel-producing mongoose in his left hand.

From their looks you might think they are evils and the demonic terrifying appearances. But Dharmapalas are wrathful bodhisattvas who protect Buddhists and the Dharma. Their terrifying appearance is meant to frighten forces of evil. The eight Dharmapalas listed blow are considered the principal Dharmapalas.

Vaisravana is an adaptation of Kubera (Black Jambhala) , the Deity of Wealth. In Vajrayana Buddhism, Vaisravana is thought to bestow prosperity, which gives people freedom to pursue spiritual goals. In art, He is usually corpulent and covered in jewels. 

Vaishravana or Namthose is often depicted on the outer walls of the monasteries and temples, as a safeguard harmful interference.
His symbols are a lemon and a mongoose, and He also is one of the Dharmapala in the Eight Dharmapala families.  Vaishravana is the Chief Guardian of the Four Great heavenly Kings and leader of the Yakshas. Vaishravana and the others guarded on the four directions of the heavenly Gates is to safeguard harmful interference and specifically protect Shakyamuni Buddha’s precious Dharma teachings. 

The Guardian of the Four Heavenly Gates:-

• Eastern Heavenly Gate  – Chief Dhritarashtra , leader of the Ganhabbas. (guitar)
• Southern Heavenly Gate – Chief Virudhaka , leader of the Kumbhandas. (sword)
• Western Heavenly Gate  – Chief Virupaksha , leader of the Dragons. (snake)
• Northern Heavenly Gate – Chief Vaishravana amongst of the Four Guardians. Leader of the Yakshas.
• One celestial day of the Four heavenly realms are = 50 years on earth.
• The lifespan of the Four Heavenly Chiefs are said to be about 500 celestial years. 

By making connection through various means like paying homage to Vaishravana or Namthose, by reciting His *mantra and offering the following to praise Him :-

• Flowers
• Lights (candle)
• Incenses
• Music
• Jewels
• Water-nectar
• Black tea
• Fruits
• Grains
• Medicine herbs

There are so many inner obstacles to the development of our minds and these inner obstacles create many outer obstacles. Therefore, for the success of our Dharma practices, of our actualizing the graduated path to enlightenment, we must rely upon a special Yidam or Buddha such as the Compassionate Goddess of Mother Tara, and Vaishravana etc.

The consequence of all these is to ultimately actualize everlasting bliss and enlightenment. Further, one will always gain great in Dharma wealth and material wealth, encounter true and helpful companions and assistants. 

All practices on the path to Buddha hood are methods for gathering the accumulations of merit and wisdom and for purifying our obscurations. These two processes of accumulation and purification go hand in hand; as we accumulate more merit and wisdom, our obscurations automatically diminish.

You will get support in both worldly and spiritual activities from your family and friends, gain protection and secure wealth and merits and all goodness and inspirations.   

Tibetan consider Vaishravana sentiment regarding wealth to be providing freedom by way of bestowing prosperity, so that one may focus on the path or spirituality rather than on the materiality and temporality of that wealth.  

*Footnote

In Vajrayana features countless skilful and powerful methods which, if they are practiced in the proper way, can make the process of accumulation and purification incredibly swift and direct. 

Recitation of mantras, which require empowerment, so always to be guided by your teacher or Lama and lineage master. Please consult your Guru or a qualified lineage master for Dharmapala practices! Should a devotee even want to start studying and contemplating the Tantric, then it is truly necessary to first have completed the preliminaries and to be certain and sure that Bodhicitta has arisen and developed in one’s mind. 

It is absolutely necessary to have the pure motivation and to know that Dharmapala practice is not carried out to increase one’s own ego, power and profit. Negative intentions of any kind may not be.

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the precious Buddha’s precious Dharma and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease

But increase further and further.

Nagarjuna's Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migrators from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note

I do not own or infringe any copyright of these pictures.

Pictures courtesy and credit to the rightful owners.