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23244 |
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Date: August 01, 2021 at 11:26:52
From: pamela, [DNS_Address]
Subject: A Commentary on the Book of THE REVELATION |
URL: https://www.edgarcayce.org/uploadedFiles/member_section/Circulating_files/Circulating_Files_PDFs/Non-Medical_Circulating_Files/21876_BookofRevelation_Commentary.pdf |
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A Commentary on the Book of
THE REVELATION
Based on a Study of Twenty-Three Psychic Discourses
by Edgar Cayce
pdf file
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Responses:
[23247] [23245] [23248] [23246] [23250] [23251] [23252] [23253] [23257] [23254] [23256] [23255] |
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23247 |
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Date: August 02, 2021 at 10:43:28
From: kay.so.or, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: A Commentary on the Book of THE REVELATION |
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thanks pam..will check it out.....hugs, kay
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23245 |
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Date: August 02, 2021 at 04:42:28
From: Johnl, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: A Commentary on the Book of THE REVELATION |
URL: https://www.brettlarkin.com/chakras-kundalini-energy-flow/ |
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This Edgar Cayce document seems to be more from a
kundalini spirit than from the bible. This links to an
article about activating the kundalini serpent through
the chakras, by using yoga.
https://www.brettlarkin.com/chakras-kundalini-energy-
flow/
(excerpt)
“This kundalini energy, or kundalini shakti,
finally reaches the crown chakra at the top of the
head. There she waits, according to ancient yogic texts
and philosophy, to find Shiva, who represents a
divine consciousness or enlightenment or bliss.
And then Shiva descends to meet her.
So when Shiva and Shakti are united together, that’s
when you begin to feel connected to something bigger
than yourself. That’s the great feeling that yoga and
meditation give you (and why some consider yoga to be a
religion).”
This Edgar Cayce reading is similar to his other
readings re the Book of Revelation. Notice how he
changes the 4 angels bound to the Euphrates river into
a kind of kundalini experience (that is the possessed
person’s imaginations and not an actual river or actual
angels)?
(from Reading 281-32)
(Q-1) What is meant by the 4 angels bound in the river
Euphrates in connection with the sounding of the 6th
angel? [Gen. 2:14; Rev. 9:14; 16:12]
(A-1) As has been given, each reference in the
Revelation is to some portion of the body [chakras] as
in its relative position to the emotions physical,
mental, material; and their activities through portions
of the system, as places that represent conditions in
some phase of manifestation or development of the
entity. ….
(Q-3) What is meant by the symbol of the Euphrates
in relation to the body, if it may be connected?
(A-3) As just been given, it represents that as a
boundary of its beginnings, or a beginning, or an end,
from the material standpoint. [that is, a material
analogy of the movement of the serpent energy through
the chakras from beginning to end, where the last
chakra might meet Shiva]
In a way it’s hilarious how Cayce’s interpretations of
Revelation, such as angels, dragons, mystery babylon,
the beast, catastrophes -- all gravitate back to a
person’s emotions, experiences, chakras, etc. It kind
of helps me to understand how Adam and Eve were
deceived by the serpent in the garden to eat the
forbidden fruit of sin and disobedience -- they
believed a kind of kundalini lie. Notice how Cayce
(while being channeled) combines a lot of scripture and
christian phrases such as “the blood of the Lamb,” just
as the serpent did to Adam and Eve.
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Responses:
[23248] [23246] [23250] [23251] [23252] [23253] [23257] [23254] [23256] [23255] |
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23248 |
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Date: August 02, 2021 at 12:44:25
From: pamela, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: A Commentary on the Book of THE REVELATION |
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In regards to your reference of Kundalina;
Did you read this?
A COMMENTARY ON THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION
Edgar Cayce Readings copyright 1971, 1993-2015 by the
Edgar Cayce Foundation
70
Extract from Reading 2475-1, 3/27/41 – regarding
experiments in Yoga
exercises and breathing:
These exercises are excellent, yet it is necessary
that special preparation
be made - or that a perfect understanding be had by
the body as to what takes
place when such exercises are used.
For, BREATH is the basis of the living organism's
activity. Thus, such
exercises may be beneficial or detrimental in their
effect upon a body….
It would be very well for the body to study very
carefully the information
which we have given through these sources as
respecting Meditation….
. . . in the physical body there ARE those influences,
then, through which
each of these phases of an entity may or does become
an active influence.
There may be brought about an awareness of this by the
exercising of the
mind, through the manner of directing the breathing.
For, in the body there is that center in which the
soul is expressive, creative
in its nature, - the Leydig center.
By this breathing, this may be made to expand - as it
moves along the path
that is taken in its first inception, at conception,
and opens the seven centers of
the body that radiate or are active upon the organisms
of the body.
This in its direction may be held or made to be a
helpful influence for
specific conditions, at times - by those who have
taught, or who through
experience have found as it were the key, or that
which one may do and yet must
not do; owing to whatever preparation has been made or
may be made by the
body for the use of this ability, this expression
through the body-forces.
As this life-force is expanded, it moves first from
the Leydig center through
the adrenals, in what may be termed an upward trend,
to the pineal and to the
centers in control of the emotions - or reflexes
through the nerve forces of the
body.
Thus an entity puts itself, through such an activity,
into association or in
conjunction with all it has EVER been or may be. For,
it loosens the physical
consciousness to the universal consciousness.
To allow self in a universal state to be controlled,
or to be dominated, may
become harmful.
But to know, to feel, to comprehend as to WHO or as to
WHAT is the
directing influence when the self-consciousness has
been released and the real
ego allowed to rise to expression, is to be in that
state of the universal
consciousness, - which is indicated in this body here,
Edgar Cayce, through
which there is given this interpretation….
So, in analyzing all this, - first study the
variations of what has been the
body-temperament, in thought, in food. For, the body-
physical becomes that
which it assimilates from material nature. The body-
mental becomes that it
assimilates from both the physical-mental and the
spiritual-mental. The soul is
ALL of that the entity is, has been or may be.
Then, WHO and WHAT would the entity have to direct
self in such
experiences?
To be loosed without a governor, or a director, may
easily become harmful.
But as we would give, from here, let not such a
director be that of an entity.
Rather so surround self with the universal
consciousness of the CHRIST, as to
be directed by that influence as may be committed to
thee.
Thus the entity may use constructively that which has
been attained….
Thus ye may constructively use that ability of
spiritual attunement, which is
the birthright of each soul; ye may use it as a
helpful influence in thy experiences
in the earth.
But make haste SLOWLY! Prepare the body. Prepare the
mind, before ye
attempt to loosen it in such measures or manners that
it may be taken hold upon
by those influences which constantly seek expressions
of self rather than of a
living, constructive influence of a CRUCIFIED Savior.
Then, crucify desire in self; that ye may be awakened
to the real abilities of
helpfulness that lie within thy grasp.
. . . without preparation, desires of EVERY nature may
become so
accentuated as to destroy - or to overexercise as to
bring detrimental forces;
unless the desire and purpose is acknowledged and set
IN the influence of self
as to its direction - when loosened by the kundaline
activities through the body.
. . . this opening of the centers or the raising of
the life force may be brought
about by certain characters of breathing, - for, as
indicated, the breath is power in
itself; and this power may be directed to certain
portions of the body. But for
what purpose? As yet it has been only to see what will
happen!
Remember what curiosity did to the cat!
Remember what curiosity did to Galileo, and what it
did to Watt - but they
used it in quite different directions in each case!
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23246 |
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Date: August 02, 2021 at 10:06:22
From: Elaine, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Fun fact |
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Edgar Cayce started reading the bible as a boy, and wanted to read it cover to cover for every year of his life. He always had it in his heart to help people. The only book he advocated others to read was the holy bible.
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[23250] [23251] [23252] [23253] [23257] [23254] [23256] [23255] |
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23250 |
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Date: August 04, 2021 at 14:16:04
From: Dan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: Fun fact |
URL: https://biblehub.com/bsb/john/17.htm |
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After reading Edgar Cayce books and readings, I came to
a much needed greater understanding of what
Christianity actually is.
One telling comment from Cayce was that Christianity
existed before the birth of Jesus.
The Book of John gives us a clue. We are to elevate
ourselves spiritually to become one with God.
Jesus is the example, the pattern in doing so.
John 17 20-22
I am not asking on behalf of them alone, but also on
behalf of those who will believe in Me through their
message, 21that all of them may be one, as You, Father,
are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so
that the world may believe that You sent Me.
22I have given them the glory You gave Me, so that they
may be one as We are one— 23I in them and You in Me—
that they may be perfectly united, so that the world
may know that You sent Me and have loved them just as
You have loved Me.
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23251 |
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Date: August 04, 2021 at 17:22:23
From: ryan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: Fun fact |
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gurdjieff said the same thing...that the tenets of christianity came from ancient egypt...
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23252 |
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Date: August 05, 2021 at 10:18:18
From: Akira, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: Fun fact |
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... which was where it was possibly influenced by/adapted from Buddhism
(at least the good parts).
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23253 |
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Date: August 05, 2021 at 10:20:37
From: Akira, [DNS_Address]
Subject: The Buddhist Influence in Christian Origins |
URL: http://www.jesusneverexisted.com/buddha.html |
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Buddhist monks in Egypt?
"There are records from Alexandria that indicate the arrival of a steady
stream of Buddhist monks and philosophers. They would surely have
contributed to the philosophical speculations and syncretism for which the
city was noted.
In particular, it seems the original Therapeutae were sent by Asoka on an
embassy to Pharaoh Ptolemy II in 250 BC.
The word 'Therapeutae' is itself of Buddhist origin, being a Hellenization of
the Pali 'Thera-putta' (literally 'son of the elder.')
Philo Judaeus, a 1st century AD contemporary of Josephus, described the
Therapeutae in his tract 'De Vita Contemplativa'. It appears they were a
religious brotherhood without precedent in the Jewish world. Reclusive
ascetics, devoted to poverty, celibacy, good deeds and compassion, they
were just like Buddhist monks in fact.
From the Therapeutae it is quite possible a Buddhist influence spread to
both the Essenes (a similar monkish order in Palestine) and to the Gnostics –
adepts of philosophical speculations."
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23257 |
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Date: August 05, 2021 at 12:35:38
From: ryan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: The Buddhist Influence in Christian Origins |
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i'm thinking it was the egyptian influence that spread to the buddhists...
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23254 |
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Date: August 05, 2021 at 10:32:41
From: Akira, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Beelzebub's Buddhas |
URL: https://www.endlesssearch.co.uk/philo_buddhist_influences_tirado.htm |
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excerpt:
"REV. JOSÉ TIRADO
José M. Tirado is a poet, Buddhist priest and political activist. His articles
and poetry have been published in CounterPunch, The Endless Search,
Gurdjieff Internet Guide, Dissident Voice and Op-Ed News among others. He
is a Buddhist meditation teacher and is currently finishing a second Masters
Degree (his first in Buddhist Studies) in Psychology. He intends on pursuing
a PhD in the same field, exploring the nexus between The Fourth Way and
Buddhism and he has developed a Buddhist meditation-based counseling
program which he has conducted in Iceland where he currently lives.
Other material by José can be found on Gurdjieff Internet Guide...
BEELZEBUB´S BUDDHAS: The Influence Of Buddhism and it´s Tibetan
Variants In Gurdjieff´s Fourth Way
INTRODUCTION
Good morning everyone. Today we sit near the birthplace of Western
philosophical thought to ruminate on the potential Eastern influences on one
of the West’s most enigmatic figures. Specifically, whether Tibetan
Buddhism, influenced Gurdjieff´s ideas and system. Gurdjieff´s influence in
Western society today is not all that well known nor acknowledged.
However, I believe that his influence upon what the esteemed historian of
psychology, Eugene Taylor calls “folk psychology” is considerable and that
as a result, Gurdjieff´s sub rosa influence on modern psychology in general
is significant and a theme that will inspire a worthy PhD dissertation or book.
Mine preferably!
While a number of scholars have attempted to document and explain his
system and its various components, few have made a careful examination of
the similarities between aspects of his ideas and Tibetan Buddhism. This
seemed odd for me since the similarities leapt out from every thing I’d
studied about the Fourth Way indicating such. For our purposes today this
concentrates on the barely disguised presence of Padmasambhava, the 8th
century tantric yogi who successfully reintroduced Buddhism into Tibet, and
of course, a truncated and oddly distorted picture of Siddhartha Gautama,
the historical Buddha whose dates are approximately 583 BCE to 463BCE.
The inclusion of these figures indicate for me, not only an homage to ideas
Gurdjieff considered valuable, but point more deeply to their influence on his
system, further displayed elsewhere throughout his teachings.
The paper I present today is an expansion of some preliminary work I did for
an article entitled, “Gurdjieff´s Possible Buddhist Influences,” first published
on Gurdjieff Internet Guide a few years ago. Over the years, as I have
studied Gurdjieff´s writings more thoroughly, the conclusion I reached then,
that Buddhism has exerted an influence on Gurdjieff´s system wider and
more deep than typically acknowledged, remains. At the same time, this
influence was not exclusively a positive one and that, while Gurdjieff
retained an obvious admiration for much of Buddhism’s teachings, he
definitely presented an inaccurate picture of Buddhism. This is particularly
true in the text we study today and the chapter in that text we are focusing
on.
Lastly, this effort is by no means complete and remains itself a preliminary
one subject to further expansion and revision as I personally continue my
own journey and studies.
There are three main approaches to Beelzebub’s Tales.
The academic, which attempts to extract from names, places or ideas, an
origin to the 4th Way or something that might help explain it.
The mythical, which seeks a similar goal of understanding, while absorbing
the Essence of this absorbing tale as a potential map to greater Meaning.
And the Work task, which (at best) combines the methodology of science,
the extraction of Meaning in the mythical approach, and returns again and
again to this great book to add new and original chapters to our own great
book of Life.
All these approaches are valuable and to be honored. None are mutually
exclusive. Each has a place.
For this paper, however, I have chosen the first method, the academic, as I
refer to it, to extract some background information about one aspect of the
Tales that might be helpful as we endeavor to use the other 2 methods. The
focus will therefore be on several concepts and passages taken from
Beelzebub’s Tales and secondarily from the corpus of Fourth Way teachings
that has followed.
We need to dissect several elements in these narratives in order to give this
topic the attention I believe it deserves. First, is Gurdjieff´s presentation of
Saint Buddha and Saint Lama, their teachings and influences in Beelzebub’s
Tales. Second, we need to revisit the very specific reasons Gurdjieff gives
for the ultimate failure of these two figures. This will include the role
monasticism, suffering and kundalini played in their doctrines. Third, we
should examine in brief some of the Fourth Way teachings imparted by
Gurdjieff to his students and this will include ideas about the attainment of a
higher consciousness. Lastly, we need to look carefully at the core beliefs
and structure of Tibetan Buddhism, in particular the Kagyu sect, and see for
ourselves whether there are similarities between Gurdjieff´s doctrines and
this very powerful still influential lineage.
I. TWO BUDDHISMS: ACCORDING TO BEELZEBUB; AND ACCORDING TO
THE BUDDHA
In Beelzebub’s Tales, Buddhism is presented as one of the five remaining
religions from which all teachings nowadays are descended, and the one
which gets Reason attributed to it as a central characteristic of its teacher’s
style and message. In fact, there are two Buddhisms presented in that list of
five religions: the “Buddhistic” and what he calls, the “Lamaist.” (The use of
the latter term, completely discredited in academic circles, betrays either a
profound ignorance of the subject, or a deliberate mischaracterization for
some as of yet undisclosed purpose. I will have more to say about that later.)
Gurdjieff interestingly places these two religions into his reckoning
demonstrating, in my opinion, either his belief as to their large numbers of
adherents, or to these religions´ particular power which he found of great
value yet ultimately wanting. For now, let us review the “Buddhism” as
described in Chapters 21 and 22, as well as elsewhere in Beelzebub’s Tales
to get a sense of what Gurdjieff was trying to say.
As Gurdjieff mentioned in Chapter 21, the teachings of the Buddha, whose
use of Reason was said to be his hallmark, did not last. This was partly due
to the inevitable division of the faith into sects, and the corruption of the
idea of suffering. This eventually led, in Tibetan Buddhism, (Chapter 22) to
practices repugnant to Beelzebub, namely the isolation cells where selected
monks were said to spend their lives, receiving from the outside only bread
and water. The teachings themselves over time were said to have
degenerated so much that “from the Truths indicated by Saint Buddha
Himself absolutely nothing has survived.” (page 249) The incorrect and
errant manipulation of the word kundalini was also said to be a factor.
Let us examine briefly those three concepts then, monasticism, kundalini
and suffering.
Monasticism
The Buddha first developed the institution of monasticism, that is, the
organized separation from the world of groups of religious practitioners
whose connection to the populace at large was one of both patronage and
support. Its purpose was to provide a supportive environment whereby
individuals might seek full time the fruits of spiritual progress through
exposure to a disciplined life overseen by the Buddha or his immediate
disciples. He made it one of the three Refuges in which Buddhists to this
day daily pledge their lives to: The Buddha, as the exemplar of the
teachings, the Dharma or the collected teachings themselves, and the
Sangha, or community. In northern India and surrounding areas, the lay
communities willingly provided for the needs of these monastics in societies
where spiritual mendicants were viewed favorably and helping them out
provided one with considerable spiritual merit.
In Beelzebub’s Tales, however, Gurdjieff sees monasticism as a distortion of
Buddhist teachings, referring to monastics as “the sect of Self-Tamers”
engaged in what he disdainfully calls “suffering in solitude.” (page 256) We
may presume that immersion in regular, daily life with others was considered
more ideal for what spiritual practices Gurdjieff had in mind.
Suffering
In Buddhism, the Pali word dukkha has a primary place for the system the
Buddha described. Suffering, a wholly inadequate translation of dukkha,
was the Buddha’s characterization of the inherent dis-satisfaction built into
all things impermanent. Our general predisposition he said, was to cling onto
those things we cherished while pushing away those things we find
repugnant. Either way, we become dissatisfied through the inevitable
contact with the unpleasant and the pain of seeing the pleasant dissipate,
as all things eventually do. For the Buddha, the errant way we view Life and
the things around us inevitably lead to this dis-ease, which, he felt, we could
successfully and completely overcome through diligent practice of his
Middle Way, the Noble Eightfold Path.
The Buddha made plain his disgust for extreme asceticism, which he had
tried for six years and found inadequate and inappropriate for spiritual
awakening. As well, he rejected the materialist hedonism into which he had
been born. Both were summarily dismissed and instead, a Middle Way was
proposed, between these two extremes.
Kundalini
Laying out the bare facts of both kundalini and its relationship, or non-
relationship to Buddhism seems in order then for us now to discern the truth
of this enigmatic aspect of Gurdjieff´s teachings.
Gurdjieff in chapter 21, pages 249-251 gave a detailed explanation of
kundalini based on word origins and its relationship to the word,
kundabuffer. This explanation is completely fanciful. In addition, to use the
word “kundalini” and apply it to Buddhism in any context is an automatic tip
off that something is incorrect. For it is a word not used in normative
Buddhism. In the cases where reference to the Buddhist application of heat
generation, or the manipulation of inner heat through special tantric
exercises is needed, then the word chandali, or tummo (“inner heat”) must
be more accurately employed. (Chandali means “ever-present energy”)
(Trungpa, 1992, Lion´s Roar, pps. 130, 141) This is a main practice of the
Kagyu sect, as one of the Six Yogas of Naropa.
Thus, there are three possibilities here. One, a total misunderstanding of the
difference between Hindu and Buddhist ideas about this power, either
because of bad or incomplete translations. Two, a deliberate
misrepresentation of Buddhist teachings by Gurdjieff for a specific, if
unrevealed purpose. Or three, a partial knowledge of and exposure to
Tibetan tummo practices, but without adequate Buddhist explanations
available, and thus reliance on Hindu texts, which would ultimately distort
the Tibetan views and teachings. I tend to believe this latter explanation. So,
what exactly is kundalini and what is its significance here?
The word kundalini is a feminine form of the word, kundala which means,
“[she who is] coiled,” traditionally implying “like a serpent,” but it also can
refer to hair that is coiled upon the head, as the forest yogis wear it. As I
said, it is a feminine word containing the ending -ini, which can be seen in
other words such as yogini (a female yoga practitioner) and dakini (from
daka, originally a demon but later referred to as a “sky dancer,” [Tib.
khadroma] a female figure who “moves on the highest level of reality”).
Kundalini then, refers to the dormant (or “coiled”) energy said to reside at
the base of the spine in the lower energy center or chakra. During special
practices, this energy can unwind and rise upwards, through the other
centers in the body (totaling 7 in the Hindu system, 5 in the Buddhist
system) bringing about a number of extraordinary experiences and abilities.
The only place in Buddhism where analogous to Hindu kundalini practices
are to be found is in the practice of tummo, the generation of intense bodily
heat. It is a practice most associated with the Kagyu sect, which includes it
as one of the Six Yogas of Naropa (the others are, experiencing one’s own
body as illusory, gyulu; the dream state, milam; perception of the “clear
light”, ösel; the teaching of the in-between states, bardo; and the
transference of consciousness, phowa.) Many accounts have been told of
monks being required to test their abilities in tummo by drying out
successive numbers of wet sheets placed upon their naked bodies while
seated in the snow. This in Tibet, where the average elevation is 14,000 feet
above sea level.
Let us now leave these concepts and move into the realm of historicity
describing Buddhism as-it-is and the Buddha as he really was. The idea of
developing a “higher consciousness” will also be touched on.
The Buddha
Now, “Buddha,” is not a name, but a title. It refers to a person whose being
was completely covered in a quality we might call, awake-ness. We in the
West have a very simplified, and, I believe distorted picture of the Buddha
and his teachings. Most of what we hear about the Buddha and Buddhism is
the remarkable emphasis meditation played in his teachings. But while
meditation forms a very important part of the Buddhist path, it is only one
step in what he called the Noble Eightfold Path.
Awareness, is the heart of Buddhism.
The Buddha spent 40 years of his life wandering throughout northern India
teaching, mediating between conflicts and helping people out. If a
meditative tradition giving peace of mind were the only thing he taught, very
few farmers or businessmen would have been interested in his message.
And yet for a period, Buddhism was the preeminent religion of all India, Sri
Lanka, China, Mongolia, Korea, Southeast Asia, much of what is now Russia
and parts of the independent countries that border its underbelly, all the
way to European Kalmykia. In short, most of the ancient world at one time
was once Buddhist. So calming and quiet meditation wasn’t the only thing
that attracted the masses.
It was that quality again.
A remarkable quality he brought to every situation and every discussion,
every face and every friend or foe. He was simply, completely awake. And
that’s the name they gave him, the Buddha, the Awakened One.
Most of you know the basics of his story, born a prince in what is now Nepal,
he grew dissatisfied with his life of luxury and ease and, after seeing
firsthand old age, disease, death and a renunciant (a sannyasin), he decided
to abandon that life and seek out a way beyond all suffering. After six years
of extreme self denial, trying various systems and teachers (much like the
later Gurdjieff) he decided to abandon them and continue his search alone,
relying on his own Life and understanding. Finally, on the full moon of the
fifth lunar month, he attained Enlightenment.
For the Buddha, development of a wide, panoramic awareness, a deep, clear
attentiveness to everything in and around us would enable us to, as he put
it, see things as they truly are (yatham bhutam). It is this ability that makes
one “awakened”, a Buddha.
“ Seeing things as they are” is usually treated as the result of what, in
English is called, mindfulness, but this word is awful! It is awful because it
sticks us right where we spend way too much of our time—in our heads. The
word the Buddha used is sati, which literally means, “the bare attention to
the actual fact”. That is, the quality of being attentive. Students of the
Fourth Way should make note of this important concept.
Now this word attention in English is excellent because it better describes
what the Buddha was referring to. In Pali, the language of the Buddha, the
word was sati and sati, has a quality of the heart, but in the West, we
typically separate out head from heart. In many Eastern languages, this is
not the case. So, this word mindfulness (mind-full-ness) is actually the
exact opposite of what he meant. It is not to be full of one’s mind, or the
thoughts in there; it IS, however, to be attentive to things both within and
around us. And attend, in English, has a root, which is the word tend, which
means to care for or take care of. So, at-tend refers to this quality of taking
care to notice the world around us as well as inside of us.
Padmasambhava
The second figure we should speak about is Padmasambhava, who I believe
is the model for Gurdjieff´s “Saint Lama.” Padmasambhava presents us with
a different set of fascinating difficulties. The historical material is far scantier
than that available regarding the Buddha and much of it consists of magical
feats and remarkable displays of spiritual prowess. But several very
interesting things are known about him.
First, that he is widely known by the epithet, Guru Rinpoche which, as I have
mentioned before, can be translated as “Saint Lama”.
Second, while his dates and origin are uncertain, (the middle of the 8th
century CE is about as accurate as we can establish) they contain
enormously interesting seeds of knowledge for those curious. He was said
to be from Oddiyana, a supposedly magical kingdom that has been variously
located in what is now Iran, Kashmir, the Swat valley in Pakistan or possibly
even somewhere in Afghanistan. In his story, he was miraculously born from
a lotus in the middle of a lake, already a child of eight years old and
possessed of enormous gifts. (The name Padmasambhava means, “Lotus
Born being.”) Reared in a kingly environment he determined to renounce life
but was prevented by his father. (Here the parallels to the historical Buddha
are obvious.) So in order to leave, he conjures a set of magical apparitions
that turn out to be deadly and accidentally kills someone. Banished, he
retreats to the mountains and becomes an enormously successful tantric
practitioner accomplishing what it is said no one else could. His magical
prowess becomes legendary in the region and eventually he is invited to
reintroduce Buddhism into Tibet where he meets with typical scorn from the
Bön priestly class and anger from the local demons and spirits whom it is
said, prevented Buddhism’s entry earlier. He subdues all opposition and his
high religious teachings and feats of spiritual magic are recorded in a
wonderful biography written by his consort Yeshe Tsogyal.
Third, Herbert Guenther, the late Tibetan Buddhist scholar points out the
odd fact that as Padmasambhava was possibly from the
Iran/Pakistan/Afghanistan region, he is what might be considered, a
Westerner who brought tantric Indian teachings into Tibet. This possibility
might have been recognized by Gurdjieff, adding to Padmasambhava´s
allure.
And fourth, supporting the above, elements in his teachings, mainly the
highest Dzogchen teachings, suggest possible Nestorian and Zoroastrian
influences. These influences include a tripartite cosmos and creativity
principle, the “little man of Light” also mentioned in Sethian Gnosticism, and
some prosaic descriptions of the process of Awakening. These facts make
his inclusion into Gurdjieff´s pantheon even more intriguing than before,
suggesting a more complicated origin for those Fourth Way teachings from
Tibet than this present work can delve into.
Higher consciousness
We may say that the basic premise of most “esoteric” systems is the
creation of either a higher self, or a higher self-consciousness. But creation
of a “higher self” is precisely one of the kinds of yearning the Buddha
counseled against. That is, it is the constant striving for identity, any identity,
higher or otherwise, that locks us into the process of suffering since, as the
Buddha continually taught, grasping or thirst for being is the prima facie
cause of all suffering. Therefore, to say that a “Higher” consciousness is a
more sought after and worthwhile goal is to deny this very basic assumption
taught by the Buddha. While sati consciousness equates awareness, one
should not mistake this for a different consciousness on the part of the
practitioner. From the Buddha’s perspective, it is merely the proper method
to view one and the psycho-physiological processes one participates in.
From this point, it becomes possible to discern the inherent suffering within
any grasping at all, for a higher consciousness or any at all for that matter.
But then…paradoxically, later Buddhism allows for teachings on
development of such a “higher” being consciousness, however it is
described mainly within the context of other Buddhas in the development of
Mahayana, or the “Greater” Vehicle. Briefly, the teachings went like this: a
Buddha like Siddhartha Gautama, is a historical figure, one who possesses a
body like ours and lives and dies amongst us. However, Mahayana
Buddhism developed the notion of three bodies, the first, physical one just
mentioned is a Nirmanakaya or Transformation Body Buddha.
But within dreams, the imaginal realm, or, upon completion of extraordinary
deeds, an embodied Buddha could, after physical death create a Pure Land,
a realm defined to his or her own specifications and designed to assist in the
furtherance of their own particular way of benefiting beings. Afterwards,
they are then reborn and conduct their ministry from this “higher” realm of
existence. This being is then known as the Sambhogakaya, the Reward Body
Buddha. The most famous of these is Amitabha whose name means “Infinite
Light” and his Pure Land, Sukhavati, is known as the Land of Bliss. His name
is said to possess the ability to grant devotees a swift rebirth there
whereupon they might proceed towards standard Buddhist practices for
Enlightenment.
And then there is the Dharmakaya, the Dharma Body, said to be analogous
to Emptiness, ultimate reality itself, the indescribable Source from which all
things and all Buddhas emanate.
Thus, Buddhism evolved over time, embracing the ideal of Buddhahood over
the dispassionately controlled solitary arhat and creating a mythic
component of extraordinarily sublime beauty and nearly incomprehensible
dimensions. This Buddhism, vast and full of Infinite manifestations of
Wisdom and Compassion opened itself up to those who couldn’t retreat
from the world in the dogged pursuit of self-perfection. And by so doing, it
allowed for the possibility of extraordinary results on the spiritual path being
achieved by even the most “ordinary” of people.
So we have this ostensibly irreconcilable view of Buddhism, one, that any
effort to make something that will survive death is part of the problem, that
it is, in short, the very problem in this life. And on the other hand, we have
this later development that speaks to this, under very limited circumstances.
As well, we have two other Buddhisms to contend with, one historically
rooted and documented, teaching a doctrine of awakening, utilizing many
different techniques, and centered upon the over coming of suffering and
development of Wisdom and Compassion. Then we have this other, non-
historical Buddhism with the Buddha there speaking in a Gurdjieffan
language and part of his pantheon of awakened souls, listed, one may
believe, as being a part of Gurdjieff´s own lineage. What shall we make of
this apparent discrepancy? Is it all in good humor, a terrible
misunderstanding, and a mix up due to poor translations and erroneous
interpretations or is it something else?
What is clear, is that the Buddha and the Buddhism presented in
Beelzebub’s Tales exists only there, with little resemblance to the Buddhism
as practiced in Tibet or by the historical founder of this now worldwide
religion. Let us look at Tibetan Buddhism and its similarities and ask what all
this may mean to the Fourth Way and its adherents.
II. BUDDHISM IN TIBET
The Five Schools"
CONTINUES...
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[23256] [23255] |
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23256 |
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Date: August 05, 2021 at 11:27:31
From: ryan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: Beelzebub's Buddhas |
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Responses:
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23255 |
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Date: August 05, 2021 at 10:40:54
From: Akira, [DNS_Address]
Subject: The Fourth Way & Tibetan Buddhism |
URL: https://www.endlesssearch.co.uk/philo_buddhist_influences_tirado.htm |
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further down:
"III. CORRESPONDENCES BETWEEN THE FOURTH WAY AND TIBETAN
BUDDHISM
We may now suggest that a number of correspondences exist between the
Fourth Way and Tibetan Buddhism.
1. Importance of practicing attentiveness to one’s self and environment
simultaneously, “mindfulness” or “attentiveness” in Buddhism (sati), self-
remembering and self-observation in Gurdjieff´s system.
2. Importance of using practices to “accelerate” or “speed up” normal
spiritual development.
3. Importance of practice reminders in form of sayings (cf. Atisha, 982 CE,
The Root Text of The Seven Points of Training The Mind, Kadampa slogan
cards – preserved and practiced through the Kagyu tradition.)
4. Importance of using Death as a Reminder, perhaps the greatest reminder,
for engaging in practice. Gurdjieff once said, "Constant awareness of the
inevitability of death is the only means to acquire the urgency to override
the robot." The second and third “Reminders” of the Kagyu focus on
contemplating death, it’s inevitability and unpredictability.
5. Importance of gaps or intervals between events to reveal opportunities
for awakening or change.
6. Importance of dance to convey larger ideas. (the Kagyu SURMANG
monasteries emphasize ritual dances and may be compared to the
Movements of Gurdjieff.) We should also note the remarkable similarity in
the name Surmang with Gurdjieff´s Sarmung.
7. Importance of transforming or transmuting negative energies into “food”
for spiritual development.
8. Importance of reading key teachings three times (In Kagyu Buddhism this
is described as related to a three-level way of learning: hearing,
contemplating and practice.)
9. Importance of development (for extraordinary beings) a second body, the
Sambhogakaya, or Reward Body, to benefit beings which consists of,
10. Importance of undertaking enormous sacrifices, in other words,
“voluntary suffering,” which these beings, (and we to a much lesser degree)
as bodhisattvas undertake for aeons it is said before they are able to create
their own Pure Land.
I believe these items point to a correspondence beyond coincidence and
indicate an influential relationship, derivative from Tibetan Buddhism and
incorporated into Gurdjieff´s system.
Postscript: One of the main Kagyu practices (also used by the Nyingma) is
the visualization, above ones head of Vajrayogini, a female deity who is said
to then receive teachings of the highest level into herself, all of which is then
visualized as being absorbed into oneself. I recall a picture of Mme. de
Salzmann meeting with the late Nyingma teacher, HH Dudjom Rinpoche and
hearing stories of her receiving teachings about opening the top of head to
receive guidance from above. We might assume an influence.
IV. CONCLUSION
Gurdjieff´s ultimate motivations for almost any of his many activities will
forever remain his and his alone. Thus, why he chose Buddhism, and its
Tibetan version to be listed as two separate religions out of only five
remaining ones in Beelzebub’s Tales, may never be fully understood. But I
believe Gurdjieff was making a series of points that he thought necessary
for those he was teaching, one of which was to remain fully within a
“Western” fold and avoid the allure of authentic Eastern beliefs, particularly
Buddhism and its Tibetan forms, despite his own apparent admiration for
both. He wanted to utilize “suffering” as it is conventionally understood in
the West, in order to strengthen the Fourth Way practitioners´ inner
development, rather than, as in Buddhism, work to eliminate it altogether, a
feat Gurdjieff perhaps had great skepticism about. He also wanted, I believe,
to steer his followers away from the elaborate and detailed tantric teachings
around kundalini, a teaching that has only a minimal place in Buddhism
anyway. (Thus, this may have been a prescient warning to Westerners to
also avoid Hinduism, which he may have thought would be appealing to
Westerners in later years.)
As well, he imparted a distorted picture of both Buddhism and tantric
kundalini teachings, which may have had the initial effect of dissuading his
students from pursuing such disciplines. Later, his followers, including Mme.
de Salzmann, appear to have taken a far less oppositional perspective. One
may speculate about the value or nature of the passive receipt of spiritual
influences from the top of one’s head, but one cannot deny their crucial role
in Tibetan Buddhist visualization practices and thus drawing the tentative
conclusion that the influence from Tibetan Buddhism appears solid.
While we can with certainty point to Gurdjieff´s influences from esoteric
Christianity, Sufism and Hermetic thought we can as well almost certainty
direct the interested Fourth Way seeker (and veteran seekers as well) to
Tibetan Buddhism. I believe he had exposure to the Kagyu sect in particular.
His mention of the meditation cells suggests knowledge of the extended 3-
year retreats made a major part of Kagyu practices. His utilization of
slogans, descriptions of accelerated spiritual development, spiritual practice
while remaining immersed in the world and others, some mentioned above
and others to be detailed later, all reveal a probable exposure to the Kagyu
sect. This influence showed itself in his system in both positive (the
incorporation of a number of ideas as demonstrated above) and negative
ways (the distorted picture of both Buddhism and its two main personalities,
the Buddha and Padmasambhava in Beelzebub’s Tales). While Beelzebub’s
Tales contains what in Gurdjieff´s own words is the depth of his years of
teaching, it also should be noted that it contains a wealth of errors in its
presentation of Eastern thought. Whether deliberate or a case of mistaken
assumption is not for this writer, or this presentation to say. What can now
be concluded however is that, while Gurdjieff´s influences were wide,
Tibetan Buddhism most probably played an important, unacknowledged
role."
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