Question asked by Jake
So I'm a practicing buddhist and homosexual and I also recently got the chakrasamvara empowerment from Kensur Lobsang Tsephel rinpoche. During the actual self generation when mother and father join it is usually in the context of a straight or heterosexual union this of course is used to combat the demon of desire and all that other good stuff. But since i'm a homosexual and a man would it not be logical to visualize Vajrayogini as a man in order to gain the same benefits and experiences of regular practitioners… Accodering to the chapter 25 of Damchö Pema Karpo'i do/ དམ་ཆོས་པད་མ་དཀར་པོའི་མདོit says that
"Bodhisattva Inexhaustible Intent said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One, Bodhisattva Perceiver of the World's Sounds– how does he come and go in this saha world? How does he preach the Law for the sake of living beings? How does the power of expedient means apply in this case?"
The Buddha said to Bodhisattva Inexhaustible Intent: "Good man, if there are living beings in the land who need someone in the body of a Buddha in order to be saved, Bodhisattva Perceiver of the World's Sounds immediately manifests himself in a Buddha body and preaches the Law for them. If they need someone in a pratyekabuddha's body in order to be saved, immediately he manifests a pratyekabuddha's body and preaches the Law to them. If the need a voice-hearer to be saved, immediately he becomes a voice-hearer and preaches the Law for them. If they need King Brahma to be saved, immediately he becomes King Brahma and preaches the Law for them. If they need the lord Shakra to be saved, immediately he becomes the lord Shakra and preaches the Law for them. If they need the heavenly beiang Freedom to be saved, immediately he becomes the heavenly being Freedom and preaches the Law for them. If they need a great general of heaven to be saved, immediately he becomes a great general of heaven and preaches the Law for them. If they need Vaishravana to be saved, immediately he becomes Vaishravana and preaches the Law for them. If they need a petty king to be saved, immediately he becomes a petty king and preaches the law for them.
If they need a rich man to be saved, immediately he becomes a rich man and preaches the Law for them. If they need a householder to be saved, immediately he becomes a householder and preaches the Law for them. If they need a chief minister to be saved, immediately he becomes a chief minister and preaches the Law for them. If they need a Brahman to be saved, immediately he becomes a Brahman and preaches the Law for them. If they need a monk, a nun, a layman believer, or a laywoman believer and preaches the Law for them. If they need the wife of a rich man, of a householder, a chief minister, or a Brahman to be saved, immediately he becomes those wives and preaches the Law for them. If they need a young boy or a young girl and preaches the Law for them. If they need a heavenly being, a dragon, a yaksha, a gandharva, an asura, a garuda, a kimnara, a mahoraga, a human or a nonhuman being to be saved, immediately he becomes all of these and preaches the Law for them. If they need a vajra-bearing god and preaches the Law for them." So based on this very fact does it not make sense it practice in this way…. similarly according to the Chakrasmavara tantra there is a practice of the donkey headed chakrasamvara and vajrayogini is this not used to combat "other desires" (please read in between the lines).
Dear Jake,
I am not qualified to instruct you on highest tantric practices but I do know that the visualization of the father-mother Heruka in union is a method towards gaining realization. It does not mean you have to be ‘pre-disposed’ towards heterosexual acts in order to reap the benefit. The visualization also does not alter your preference in any way.
Since the visualization has been taught by highly attained beings based on their own visionary experiences and that it had brought results for many great masters and practitioners, I would advice you not to alter it. Yes, you quote an explanation about how enlightened beings can appear in ways that suit the sentient being. But you do not have the attainments to change the instructions at this point. So, I would advice you to stick to the instructions given by your teacher as there is a purpose in doing so. I hope this helps you. Thank you.