I'm further reminded of the value of Termas in general...

The shorter the lineage, the more powerful, for the simple
reason that fewer generations of people have been involved
and the risks that they were not perfect practitioners...

Therefore, best case is to receive directly from the terton
him or herself. Next best case, one of the terton's direct
disciples. in that way the risk of damaged samaya hasn't
impacted the power of the lineage. This was Guru Rinpoche's
solution to the challenge of lineage.

Thanks for all the great replies.

And, as always, thanks to KT for his generous teachings and genuinely Middle Path approach.

The following key book reference is from my post
sanfrancisco.tribe.net/listin...830ef8b

The empowerments mentioned are all Nyingma or Nyingma-derived.
Note that I reference both Nyingma and Kagyu teachers.
The basic book reference is from the Kagyu tradition.
It is excellent for all Mahayana practitioners, of whatever nationality or lineage.

Over a thousand people have read this article in less than a month.
So all these issues are being cleared up all over the map, and on scores of tribes.

I refer here in particular to the following "issue":

Hey "Celestial" - listen up!
If you have Padmasambhava or Vajrasattva or Tara empowerments with a bunch of different Lamas, it does Not "divert" your path, and Won't make things more "difficult" for your root teacher. All of these are based on Mahayana vows. All of these empowerments from authentic Mahayana teachers serve to strengthen Mahayana vows, when approached responsibly.

Notice has been Posted.

Nuff said.

KT

May All Beings Benefit, and in particular, may all claimed Buddhists become familiar with the Mahayana worldview and principles of Mahayana practice, which is demonstrably not Catholic or Pauline Christian, Communist, Jewish, Sufi, Republican, Mormon etc. You have been helped. Again.

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Foundational Buddhist Principles for Newcomers

The following small book, "Heartfelt Advice", is a key text for newcomers to Buddhism. It is written by a Sanskrit scholar, retreatant and tantric abbot, Lama Dudjom Dorjee, and he conveys the essential Great Way / Mahayana and tantric Buddhist worldview very directly to all.

"Heartfelt Advice" is a great book because it saves a lot of time and prevents a lot of confusion. The text provides a self-contained, clear, extremely accessible and functional gateway to understanding the overall Buddhist teaching in terms of core classical principles for personal practice.

This book is based entirely on classical teaching of many centuries, and speaks straight to the point, without any casual sidetracks, dilutions or digressions. It is very concentrated and useful long term as a set of continuing reminders for self-managing Buddhists of any Mahayana Buddhist approach in an unsupportive, non-meditative, non-Buddhist muggle culture.

Thus, this book of wise counsel is extraordinarily useful for contemporary western readers. Lama Dudjom Dorje, direct representative of His Holiness the Karmapa, has been teaching in the West for many years, and he ably covers a broad array of topics for all Buddhist practitioners in the simplest and most direct terms.

As a tantric Buddhist guru here in the West, this is now the main text I recommend as a starting point for new practitioners and interested outsiders. It is also strongly recommended by major Buddhist teachers guiding many practitioners in the West. All that is required to benefit is straightforward English and a willingness to reflect on oneself, on life, and on karma.

Heartfelt Advice [Paperback]
Lama Dudjom Dorjee (Author)
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Snow Lion; 1 edition (March 16, 2010)
ISBN-10: 1559393467

www.amazon.com/Heartfelt-...1559393467/

"A terrific example of the traditional genre of shal-dam, or life advice, written for contemporary North Americans. This small book touches lightly on profound topics, gently suggesting ways of viewing the world and one's existence in it in a radically new way. The ninety-five short sections—many less than a single page—address foundational ideas of the Buddhist path such as renunciation, impermanence, and cause and effect."—Alexander Gardner, Buddhadharma: The Practitioner's Quarterly

"Heartfelt Advice, from the uniquely qualified scholar and meditation master Ven. Lama Dudjom Dorjee, is a wonderful treasure for Western Dharma practitioners. Anyone who comes into contact with this comprehensive collection of key Buddhist teachings will receive the gift of priceless wisdom." —Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, author of Mind beyond Death [ and tantric Buddhist guru of the Kagyu lineage ]

"Whoever reads this book will receive blessings and benefit. . . . [Lama Dudjom Dorjee] is both scholarly and a highly accomplished practitioner." —Ven. Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche [ tantric Buddhist abbot of the Kagyu lineage ]

"Heartfelt Advice provides a brilliant picture of the depth and breadth of Buddhist meditation. This book is a masterful integration of Buddhist teachings and how they can be applied in difficult life situations. This book provides a unique view formed from his experiences as a Tibetan refuge, Lama scholar, father, and husband. After thirty years of teaching around the world, Heartfelt Advice is a gift to behold." —Dr. William Bradshaw, PhD, professor at University of Tennessee

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