Theos-Talk Archives (February 1999 Message tt00075)

Hi all,

Jerry  wrote:
>>>From what I understand of most Tibetan Lamas they renounce Nirvana in
>advance and deliberately accumulate karma to avoid it....this would
>indicate that if they were to achieve liberation upon death they would
>have no way to cause incarnation again...as karma would be zero in
>theory.<<
>
>There is no need to "renounce" anything nor to "deliberately accumulate
>karma."  The desire to help others is sufficient to bring anyone back
>into a new life and it is this desire that separates the Mahayana from
>the Therevadin.
>
>Jerry S.
>

Jerry,

I agree with what you say - the idea that there is others is alone enough
to cause re-incarnation, I don't think it has to be just the desire to help
others. The Lamas know full well before hand that this incarnation won't
really achieve liberation, but they tell the laity that they are renouncing
Nirvana for their protective benefit. At least this is what Alexandra
David-Nell says in 'Initiates and Initiations in Tibet'. She seems to
beleive that the whole Tulku thing is very dicey indeed. 

Regards,

darren








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