Choosing and Visualizing the Yidam in Buddhist Meditation: Advice Zasep Rinpoche

[@middleway1885]

Om Ah Houm The pure state of just being in total bliss with the Yidam... No time, only the moment... Emptiness... Lol the mind is a beautiful mirror...

[@CoralColouredFlickerFeather]

Thank you , Rinpoche explains so well, thank you for sharing this with us🤗

[@Jason.1734]

Awesome

[@mariusbaltazarrozenberg-ho4942]

Thank you! WONDERFUL!

[@philmcdonald6088]

be here now do no harm help others be still close eyes listen to your breathing. sit in your cell as in paradise. repeat OM MANI PEME HUNG.

[@aquicommeusbotoes]

Obrigado por mais um vídeo legendado em português. Que todos vocês alunos e colaboradores de Sua Eminência Zasep Rinpoche sejam muito abençoados. E que Rinpoche tenha longa vida. Tashi Delek. 🥰🙏🌷📿

[@BuddhaWeekly]

Obrigado por assistir!🙏

[@aquicommeusbotoes]

@@BuddhaWeekly 🥰🙏🌷📿

[@easytiger3283]

Thank you❤ this was beautiful

[@BuddhaWeekly]

You are so welcome, thank you for watching.

[@MAHAKALAXXXV]

Thank you 🙏🏻

[@BuddhaWeekly]

You’re welcome 😊 Thank you for watching!

[@deskitangmo5297]

🙏💐

[@kubik6646]

Thanks for sharing! Best wishes from Austria! 🙏🌞🍀☺

[@BuddhaWeekly]

Thank you too! Hi from Canada!

[@jerry-mind-sky]

@@BuddhaWeekly Probably many contemporary people like changes and can not stick to one thing it mean to one Yidam. Probably ( rely on my memory , can not pin point a source ) Dalai Lama wrote in one book , that in old times, in buddhist India , Indian yogins did practice ONE yidam and were reaching enlightenment, but Tibetans typically are taking hundred initiations and no achiving enlightenment. In similar fashion like Tibetan buddhists , West buddhist are taking several deities initiations and last 40-50 years of presence of Tibetan buddhism on West , easy to see that regardless of number of taken initiations, there are not enlightened West buddhists . In this regard interesting advice was given few decades ago by XVI Karmapa who said that in order to achieve success in Dharma , practice of Great Three ( Chenresig, Manjusri and Vajrapani ) is recommended. Probably XVI Karmapa saw that West mind likes changes and daily meditation on three different qualities ( compassion, wisdom , skilful means ) can be suitable for liking changes West minds. Also interesting thing concerning yidam of previous Kalu Rinpoche I did read on net recently. One of his old disciple mentioned Kalu Rinpoche words that his ( Kalu Rinpoche ) main yidam practice was humble practice of Chenresig , not High Tantra deity like Heruka or Yamantaka. Thank you for your great vlogs on YT, I really enjoyed the one about 10 benefits of Amitabha Buddha mantra.

[@reverie.garden]

Do we need a guru to choose a Yidam? I am a Mahayana Buddhist but always feel resonated towards Green Tara for more than a decade and recites the 21 Homages. Just wondering if I can choose Tara as my Yidam and practise without a Guru.

[@BuddhaWeekly]

Need is a strong word:-) It depends on if you need guidance. If you're asking if you need permission, though, for Tara, you do not. She is open to all, Mother Tara. Many people don't have the circumstances to live near a teacher. Fortunately, today, a lot of teachings are online (most teachers do live streamed empowerments and teachings.) It seems like you've already chosen your Yidam. Yidam literally means "heart deity" so if Tara is in your heart, she is your Yidam. Tara does not "need" empowerment or permission, although when the opportunity arises, your karma permits, and your find close bond to a teacher, you will find your teacher in time. Finding a teacher depends on your needs, your karma and your circumstances. If you don't have access to a teacher who resonates with you, usually the advise is to keep practicing. Tara is accessible to all, no permissions are required. If a teacher specificially recommends a Yidam other than the one you feel close to, it's normally because She or He sees that you need help in a specific area. For permission-based practices you DO require teacher, but that's not something to worry about unless you're ready for that. Tara and karma will lead you to your teacher in time. In the meanwhile, turn to Tara if that's who you have affinity with. Later, when you find a teacher who resonates (perhaps through online KZbin teachings), you can gradually work towards building that relationship. There's a beautiful prayer to Tara, called the "Song of Longing" to Tara which I personally recite three a times and many people do. It's recited by Jason Espada in one of our videos here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e3WUXnl4opJ7eZo One line in this song is: "Since I can no longer trust friends of this degenerate age, you are my principal guru. Inspire me, Divine Mother, essence of love. Arouse the great power of your compassion and think of me." You can see from this that Tara can be your principle Guru if you have no other opportunity to receive teachings. Having said that, there are some channels, on KZbin, with beautiful teachings on Tara, for example, H.E. Garchen Rinpoche, who has many, many Tara teachings and empowerments. (Although he speaks Tibetan, he has a translator) and he is a living Bodhisattva: www.youtube.com/@GarchenBuddhistInstituteAZ Many wonderful Rinpoches have teachings online today. I encourage you to take your time, take in the wonderful Dharma teachings (of course, appreciated if you watch our videos as well:-) and you will in time find a teacher. But Tara is complete Refuge and a wonderful practice. Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha . In kindness BW.

[@reverie.garden]

@@BuddhaWeekly thank you for such a long and comprehensive reply ❤️ I will check out the links you shared and continue to chant the Tara Mantra and 21 Homages.

[@BuddhaWeekly]

Our pleasure. May all beings benefit. In kindness, BW 🙏🙏🙏

[@reverie.garden]

@@BuddhaWeekly Thank you. My 5 year old son is diagnosed with a severe epilepsy condition. I will pray to Mother Tara for help to heal him. 🙏

[@hokubluesky4989]

The idea of an immanent, omnipresent energy that have ALL characteristics (or none at all), call it God or the universe or whatever is intrinsic in Western culture, and imbue any expression of art, philosophy, literature, mentality itself. So for me the idea of divide, choose one characteristic over others sounds limiting the concept of immeasurable vastness, or absolute, so I never really came up with the concept of yidam. Maybe the Zen tradition goes in a different direction? I’d love to find my best answer

[@reverie.garden]

I thought of copying the TAM symbol many times and dedicate the merit to my son who has bad epilepsy. Will it help 😢? Some Buddhists copy scriptures.

[@BuddhaWeekly]

Dear Dharma Friend. This has to be a general answer, not advice by any means, since I'm sure you have professionals helping. If you have a Dharma teacher, seek his or her advice as well. As a general answer copying sutras and dedicating merit is always virtuous, and generates extensive merit. Again, no one who comments here, myself included is qualified to advise on this topic (especially not having met you or your son) , but I'm adding a link to Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa's Wisdom Archive, with past advice he had for Epilepsy, but bear in mind he would have known these students personally. But, hoping it will be helpful, here's the link (it's archival but there are three pages of responses to epilepsy questions): www.lamayeshe.com/advice/epilepsy In general terms I see 21 Taras, Black Manjushri, and Medicine Buddha most often recommended (certainly Medicine Buddha is very enriching for anyone) but that's not advice, it's based on what we see most often recommended in the past (every person is different) As for TAM syllable, of course copying it is virtuous as well -- especially if you are devoted to Mother Tara -- but TAM is Tara's seed syllable, especially if you draw it with that intention, so you have to bear in mind it is sacred and has to be treated as such. (The same, with copied Sutras of course!). Dharma practice generally, Sutra recitation, faith, and generating merit is all helpful for everyone, helping generate merit and extinguish negative karma. If you have strong faith in Tara or another Enlightened Buddha of Refuge, you will generate extensive merit, which, of course is helpful. And, of course, your care and love, and the care your health professionals. Much love, BW.🙏🙏🙏❤❤❤🙏🙏🙏

[@reverie.garden]

@@BuddhaWeekly Wow, thank you for being so resourceful to share the link with me! Thank you! I really appreciate your detailed replies to me and thanks for replying promptly.