Question asked by Anonymous
Hi pastor, I have trust issues and I want to practice Tibetan Buddhism but what are requirements? do I have to devote my entire life to it??? do I have to practice tantra eventually?? after death, where do we go??? I am a bit skeptical of pure lands cause I don't know…. I don't wanna be taken to a realm I've never seen or been before. I'm scared, can u help
Dear Anonymous,
Thank you for your question. The way to get over your fear is to learn more about Tibetan Buddhism, its beliefs, the benefits of the practice, etc. When we come to practise something new we can either be skeptical/fearful of it, or on the other hand, we can be over enthusiastic about it. Either way has it’s detriments. So the best thing for you to do before you decide if you really want to practice Tibetan Buddhism is to learn more about it.
You can do the following to find out more before making your decision.
1. Here is a list of must read books for anyone interested in Tibetan Buddhism or practising Tibetan Buddhism. These books have all been recommended by Tsem Rinpoche, our spiritual guide : https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/books-that-are-a-must-read.html
2. You can slowly read through the articles on this blog. Tsem Rinpoche created this virtual space to be a repository of information so that people can learn. The best category for you to learn more and in the process answer your questions in the Buddhism category (you can find this at the menu on the top of the page)
3. If you are not much of a reader, you can watch the teachings by Tsem Rinpoche on his YouTube channel. There are many videos there, ranging from a couple of minutes to a couple of hours : https://www.youtube.com/@tsemrinpoche
The questions you have asked are too broad for me to answer properly here, best you learn about Tibetan Buddhism slowly and decide for yourself if you want to practice or not. I hope this helps.