Question asked by Anonymous
Hello, I thank you for reading through my questions!!
(1) Since Buddhas are all powerful, aren't they beyond things like the law of karma? Doesn't this imply that there are "greater" things than the Buddhas (2) Couldn't the great omniscent, high, and advanced Lamas from Gaden Monastery determine and essily find Tsem Rinpoche's rebirth? (3) In The DS Kawang, I know that we can visualize the wrathful offerings, but what about the royal emblems? Precious Jewel, queen, king, etc.. along with the other offerings?? (4) How can someone support Rime yet disagree with combining teachings? For example, is it wrong for me to use the Sakya Trinzin DS prayer SOLELY because of the fact to keep the Gelug lineage "pure"? (5) Are there 84,000 teachings of the Buddha on the dot? Or is it an estimation. (6) Does the 84k teachings imply that there are 84,000 schools of Buddhism? I'm sorry if those questions seemed like I'm trying to criticize something, but I really hope you can answer them for me ♡♡
Dear Anonymous,
(1) Yes, they are beyond the law of karma and the entire cycle of samsara. Since they are out of samsara completely, I don’t fully understand how it implies that there is something “greater” than the Buddhas. If you can help to provide more of your reasoning, then I may be able to understand your question better.
(2) Yes, there are highly attained lamas of our lineage who can help to find Tsem Rinpoche’s rebirth. But you must remember that there are always causes and conditions for things to happen, this includes finding the reincarnation of a high lama. The students need to maintain their Samaya with their teacher, continue his work and instructions, and create the merit necessary for the teacher to come back to that specific place and group of people. That’s why it is necessary to generate a lot of merit, in fact building the stupas of the high lamas is supposed to help to create that merit and the causes for the teacher to come back. Since they are highly attained, they can take any form in any realm to help beings there. So, it depends on the students to create the causes and merit. When those have been created, then they can find the rebirth of their lamas. Hope that makes sense.
(3) You can read more about the Kawang practice here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/kawang-a-dorje-shugden-confessional-practice.html
(4) There is a common misunderstanding of what Rime means these days. Rime doesn’t mean that you practise teachings from all traditions, this would be against the grain of practice of any tradition. It actually means that you respect and learn about all the teachings, but if your own practice, you stick to one practice. If fact if you learn about the Gelug tradition, especially the life of Lama Tsongkhapa, you actually realise that the practices descend into the Gelug school from other lineages. So if you use the Sakya Trizin prayer to DS that’s perfectly fine, because that prayer was incorporated into the Gelug prayers to Dorje Shugden anyway. As you may be aware the practice was originally a Sakya practice to begin with. It’s not about keeping to a ‘pure
Gelug or being Rime on the other hand.
(6) The 84,000 teachings of the Buddha refer to the methods that Buddha Shakymuni taught to lead people to liberation/enlightenment. It does not refer to the number of schools or lineages. Even within a school or lineage, you will have many, many different methods to achieve enlightenment.
Also, please do not apologise, your questions do not come across as trying to criticise at all. To ask genuine questions, like you have, is part and parcel of the Buddhist path. Buddha Shakyamuni after all taught that when you don’t know something, to ask to get more knowledge. In fact, in Buddhism a teaching is not given unless asked for or requested by someone. Hope all these answers helps. Thanks.