Secrecy - UGH!

jax wrote:

The traditions of "secrecy" go back to the earliest
times.... And Lamas teach and actually BELIEVE that grave
illnesses can come about from violating the secrecy injunctions.
This applies mostly to Thogel and certain other advanced teachings...

Secrecy is no longer necessary, in my view. It just slows things way
down and creates priest castes and hierarchies. Good for raising
money, however (smile), like your tulkus, jax - and similar to the
way the Catholic church used to sell indulgences, annulments,
bishoprics, etc. Probably still does!

In my view, much much more emotional instability is caused by the
billions who are caught up in samskara suffering than by what would
be caused by allowing open access to the so-called whispered teachings.
Example: the breath-of-fire technique now used by rebirthing and
holotropic work once was considered 'too dangerous' to share. But
we took it up as Patanjali's "bhastrika pranayama" on the commune
in 1966 and found it very helpful, despite the occasional over-
enthusiast who might pop an eardrum.

Of course there also are those historic tantric techniques that are so
repulsive/strange that perhaps are better kept under wraps -- and hopefully
no longer practiced. See, for example, Victor and Victoria Trimondi's
THE SHADOW OF THE DALAI LAMA -- Sexuality, Magic and Politics
in Tibetan Buddhism and the annex area to the book itself that lists
many critics of the Tibetan paradigm:

Critical Forum for the Investigation of the
Kalachakra Tantra and the Shambhala Myth
In Sanskrit, Kalachakra means "The Wheel of Time ", but it is
also the name of the supreme Tibetan "Time God". The
Kalachakra Tantra is held to be the last and the most recent
(10th century) of all the tantra texts that have been revealed,
and is considered by the lamas to be "the pinnacle of all
Buddhist systems."

Over more than 25 years, many hundreds of thousands have
been “initiated” through the Kalachakra Tantra by the XIV
Dalai Lama. Of these, large numbers are illiterate people
from India. But even the "educated" participants from
the West barely know anything about what this ritual
actually entails, since alongside its public aspect it
also has a strongly guarded secret side. In public, the
XIV Dalai Lama performs only the seven lowest initiations;
the subsequent eight of the total of 15 initiations continue
to remain top secret.

There is no talk of these eight secret rites in the pamphlets,
advertisements or brochures, and especially not in the
numerous affirmations of the XIV Dalai Lama. Here, the
Kalachakra Tantra appears as a dignified and uplifting
contribution to world peace, which fosters compassion with
all living beings, interreligious dialog, interracial and
intersubjective tolerance, ecological awareness, sexual
equality, inner peace, spiritual development and bliss for
the third millennium ("Kalachakra for World Peace"). The
motto for the whole show is quoted from the XIV Dalai Lama:
"Because we all share this small planet earth, we have to
learn to live in harmony and peace with each other and with
nature." The highly focused, extremely tantric initiation of
Tibetan Lamaism thus garners the kudos of a "transcultural
and interreligious meeting for world peace".

But are the Kalachakra Tantra and the Shambhala myth truly
pacifist? Do they really encourage harmony and cooperation
among people? Do they make any real contribution to freedom
and justice, equality of the sexes, religious tolerance or
ethnic reconciliation? Are they a comprehensive, politically
humanist, democratic and nonviolent contribution to world peace?

Over the past few years, increasing criticism has been leveled
at Tibetan Buddhism, the history of Lamaism, conditions
among the Tibetans in exile and the XIV Dalai Lama himself,
criticism which is not from the Chinese quarter.
Historians from the USA have begun questioning the
widespread glorifying whitewash of Tibetan history (Melvin
C. Goldstein, A. Tom Grundfeld). Critical Tibetologists have
raised accusations of deliberate manipulation by official
Tibetology (Donald S. Lopez Jr.). Tibet researchers have
investigated the "dreams of power" that are activated and
exacerbated by the "Tibet myth" nurtured by Lamaists
(Peter Bishop). Prominent politicians have had to admit
the evidence of their own eyes that the Chinese are not
committing "genocide" in Tibet, as the Tibetans in exile
continue to claim (Antje Vollmar, Mary Robinson). Former
female Buddhists have condemned, on the basis of personal
experience and with great expertise, the systematic and
sophisticated oppression and abuse of women in Tibetan
Buddhism (June Campbell). Psychologists and psychoanalysts
have investigated the aggressive and morbid character
of Lamaist culture (Robert A. Paul, Fokke Sierksma,
Colin Goldner). From within the Dalai Lama’s own ranks,
overwhelming evidence of his intolerant, superstitious
and autocratic nature has been amassed since 1997
(Shugden Affair). Lamaism’s rituals have also been
subjected to strong criticism. The humanistic, peace-
loving, tolerant and ecumenical intentions of the
Kalachakra Tantra and the Shambhala myth it contains
have been interrogated in a comprehensive study
(Victor and Victoria Trimondi). Biting criticism of
the XIV Dalai Lama and his system founded on magic
has also been broadcast in German, Swiss and Austrian
television (Panorama, 10 nach 10, Treffpunkt Kultur).
In Munich, on the occasion of a visit by the Tibetan
religious potentate (in May 2000), there was even a
split in the SPD, whose "pro-Dalai Lama" wing had
invited the Tibetan "God-King" to a gala event. The
media as a whole has been equally divided: the Dalai
Lama has been accused of, among other things, having
an undemocratic and autocratic leadership style,
suppressing any political opposition, acting to
repress religious minorities; letting policy be
determined by possessed oracles rather than through
dialog and debate, deliberate falsification of
the history of Tibet, maintaining uncritical relation-
ships with former members of the SS and neo-nazis,
defaming critics and conducting misogynist rituals.

As a graduate of the Open Land/Open Gate hippie commune movement,
and also heeding Stewart Brand's comment "Information Wants To
Be Free," secret practices always raise a red flag for me. After
all, secrecy is what our world governments practice to hide their
horrible deeds. Secret torture centers are hidden away in eastern
Europe, secret spying on citizens, secret plans for a shadow
government and martial law in the USA.

Just what use can anyone think of for secrecy that does not
carry a heavy negative spin? I can't think of any. I think
it was designed by various patriarchies as a method to
accumulate power. I'd also include Scientology amongst these,
where you must pay as you go for more information.

Threatening grave illnesses on those who violate secrecy
injunctions does not sound like something the Buddha would
have approved of. Did the Buddha make use of whispered
teachings? Not to my understanding!

We need a new 'open source' paradigm to deal with current
realities, and not just drag the whole caravan load of
ancient customs along under the mistaken assumption that
they're all still necessary. Of course we can reverse-
engineer some of these secret methods (and I think I've
latched onto a few over the years) but it's time-consuming,
and what we need these days is a good, no-nonsense method
to dissolve into the dharmakaya that's easily accessible
to the vast unwashed hordes. Of course, being an hippie
optimist,I remain of the view that Nirvana will be available
in a pill form in ten years or so.

Go gettum, Kaya-persons!
YEE-HAW!