My Dharma is Against the Stream

Buddha said: my dharma is against the stream.
This old fool says: I have no dharma but Buddha's,
And even that, I practice poorly and incorrectly.


Were I to have my own dharma, it is certain that it would be New Age, even though most of my practice would bee similar to Chinese Pure Land Buddhism.

Since I only have an intellectual understanding of Tibetan Buddhism, it boggles my mind to consider practicing any of it on my own without a Vajrayana guru to guide me.

That is, if I could afford the cost of going for Vajrayana.

However, I see Vajrayana through Buddha eyes too. From what they could see, Tibetan Buddhism is similar to Shingon School of Japanese Buddhism.

What this means is mysticism combined with something called mikkyo, which consists of chanting dharanis and mantras.

Hopefully that that's all done in Shingon for the same reason why I chanting: to prepare myself for rebirth in the Pure Land of Bliss.

The Four Universal Vows

However innumerable all beings are, I vow to save them all

However inexhaustible my delusions are, I vow to overcome them all

However immeasurable the Dharma Teachings are, I vow to fathom them all

The Buddha's Path is endless, I vow to follow it to its very end.


Commentary: these vows are the Bodhisattva Vows. The following reference for the Four Universal Vows contain the Buddhist dharanis for burning off evil karma and promoting good karma.

---

The Four Universal Vows: http://www.terebess.hu/zen/szoto/szertartas.html

A close look at the vows: http://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Fac/Adler/Reln260/Mahayana.htm

Originally posted: October 11, 2003 at 0321H
Updated: February 8, 2013 at 1049