Well it's about time, after scouring the web for ways to practice Chod, I will be receiving my first lung from Vajrayana, and I'm so happy. AT LAST! AT FINALLY LAST!
To be the annoying one, I don't think you'll find a way online to perform chöd, or if you do that it should be trusted. As a training chöpa of two years, everything I read can only support what I've learnt, no book or site has ever been correct or clear on how to do it, but some offer explanations to the why or more details on the how. I think chöd is an absolutely beautiful (and terrifying) path, but one to be approached under and with a qualified lama.
Oh gods, the vows. If/when you do go for any empowerment, make sure you know what the vows entail. Some of them are nice and simple (don't hurt people, yay!) others are more abstract and require a lot more effort (mantras every day for the rest of you life, never give up hope of the enlightenment of others).
If you're really interested in chöd, I do hope you find a lama to study under. Unfortunately it is technically a completion level teaching, so some lamas refuse to take it until you've done your 3 year retreat and related training. Not all though, I've never done a retreat nearly that long, and found one (with a pure lineage) who was willing to teach cause he believed the message of Machik was more important to spread than adhering to dogma.
To be the annoying one, I don't think you'll find a way online to perform chöd, or if you do that it should be trusted. As a training chöpa of two years, everything I read can only support what I've learnt, no book or site has ever been correct or clear on how to do it, but some offer explanations to the why or more details on the how. I think chöd is an absolutely beautiful (and terrifying) path, but one to be approached under and with a qualified lama.
ReplyDeleteWhich lung are you receiving?
:( I think I'll pass. I didn't have Boddhisatva Vows and I'll think of a way to study under a lama.
DeleteSorry for the late reply
Oh gods, the vows. If/when you do go for any empowerment, make sure you know what the vows entail. Some of them are nice and simple (don't hurt people, yay!) others are more abstract and require a lot more effort (mantras every day for the rest of you life, never give up hope of the enlightenment of others).
ReplyDeleteIf you're really interested in chöd, I do hope you find a lama to study under. Unfortunately it is technically a completion level teaching, so some lamas refuse to take it until you've done your 3 year retreat and related training. Not all though, I've never done a retreat nearly that long, and found one (with a pure lineage) who was willing to teach cause he believed the message of Machik was more important to spread than adhering to dogma.