Theos-Talk Archives (December 1998 Message tt00112)

>I find much of this discussion about "kama-mudra" and tantrikaism
>utterly inconsequential to the real import of Theosophical facts
>and verities, I mean those that are suitable for us to use in our
>own lives, and which will have eternal importance - not just the
>excitement of a few hours, minutes or weeks.  Of course I am only
>speaking for myself in this, and may be challenged, as usual.
>

Yeah, I guess I do have to throw in a challenge here. As far as
I know, our discussion of Buddhism comes under our second
Objective not to mention that there is some reason to think
that HPB and a Master or two were Buddhist.

The idea of the karma-mudra has never been to establish
a few hours of excitement (I can't understand where you
got this idea). The teaching is that our spiritual body is
naturally blissful (the anandakaya or bliss body) and that
by proper yogic techniques we can raise consciousness
to that level and focus from within our spiritual body. One
of the goals of Tibetan yoga is to do this just as physical
death approaches in order to maintain continuity of
consciousness through the bardo.

Vajrayana teachings differ from other schools in that
emptiness is not considered enough. It has to be merged
with bliss. Why? Because when actually functioning in
our spiritual body, we will experience both emptiness and
bliss. Without bliss we are probably functioning in our
causal body and mistaking it for the spiritual (which I think
happens a good many times).

Jerry S.