Theos-Talk Archives (January 2002 Message tt00296)

<<<The above is based on research by Donald Lopez, Jr. and presented here for the sake of discussion on this list.>>>

Quite accurate too. HH is indeed, a living Bodhistattva. I am only going to comment on one point:


<<<As a proponent of the Prasangika-Madhyamika school of Buddhist philosophy, the Dalai Lama takes the position that it is impossible to be liberated from rebirth without understanding the doctrine of 
emptiness as it is presented by that school; even other Buddhist philosophical schools (and hence all non-Buddhist traditions) are incapable of providing the insight required for liberation.>>>

As I have already discussed Theosophy and Buddhism ad neausum, I will be brief. Theosophists who believe in a Higher Self or Monadic Self are equivalent to the Mind Only school. The Prasangika-Madhyamika (Consequence Middle Way School, of which HH the Dali Lama's Gelgpas, founded by Tzongkhapa, are part), believe that even this Higher Self is a reification, and that only non-dual pure naked luminous awareness lies at the core of ultimate reality. They teach that self (of any kind) and not-self are illusions on all planes and levels.

The usual analogy here is that our mind is a mirror, and that maya is dirt or dust that has collected on the mirror's surface. The Path is cleaning the mirror, and enlightenment is a clean spotless mirror surface. The Monadic Self is itself just another spot of dust on the mirror.

Jerry S.
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