(no subject)

[zana16]

I did prostrations for the first time, because I got to the Center early so was drafted into helping set up the altar. I think at the point I'm preparing the offerings to Dorje Shugdan, I can't claim noninvolvement in Dorje Shugdan practice.

I'd never done prostrations before. I often still feel like a total newbie at this Buddhism thing... Also I read in the Dalai Lama's How to Practice about how doing 10,000 prostrations is a preliminary practice. Sheesh. I had a hard time with just three.

Comments

[watergal.livejournal.com]

So, what I know of Buddhism is little more than how to use rightclick to fix the spelling of the word when I forget the h, but didn't/doesn't the Dalai Lama get several lifetimes? I can see how that would put a whole different spin on "preliminary."

[imaginarycircus.livejournal.com]

In order to become a Lama you have to meditate for three years in retreat. The preliminary practices are done 108,000 times and it takes about three months--14 hours a day. And once you finish the preliminaries you start again at the beginning and repeat them while adding in new prayers. But I only know this because I live with a Tibetan Buddhist.

[zana16.livejournal.com]

Well, according to Buddhist belief, we all get many lifetimes -- as many as it takes to reach enlightenment. But the Dalai Lama, because he's close to enlightenment, gets to choose his rebirth, and lately he chooses a human rebirth in Tibet.

I'm pretty sure he was talking about a monk's training in the passage I'm remembering. Which, well, I was thinking about becoming a Buddhist nun, kicking the idea around in my head, and then I read this, and I thought there's no way on earth I could sustain my meager faith enough to do 10,000 prostrations; I would be cursing the deities up and down by about #75. And shortly after that I decided not to become a nun... Probably one of the wider decisions I've ever come to!