Exotic Can Create Confusion

I love Tibetan Buddhism; it’s profound, logical and enlightening (in the senses of understanding). It takes everything apart and leaves you with nothing! It is very colourful, and full of imagery in the form of deities; this is the Vajrayana aspect of guru devotion.

The rituals are complex to say the least: meditation, mudras, mandalas, dances, instruments, mantras, chanting, prayers, sadhanas, thanka paintings, prostrations, monasteries, stupas, statues, prayer, prayer wheels, robes, headdresses, protection cords, yantras, circumambulations, shrines, thrones…and, of course, thousands of texts of teachings, lung readings (hearing transmissions), bonkings on the head (ceremony of touching the head of participants with a relic or statue) ….

These are all a reminder a symbolism, of pure awareness. If we don’t get that, then it is all pointless. If we rest in pure awareness, then all the above are unnecessary.

But, we do need reminders of some sort. ‘Space’ is a good reminder, and it’s cheap!

Space/Pure awareness: “Don’t leave home without it”!