How does upaya (skillful means) feature in Tibetan Buddhism?
score:1
We say that contaminated virtue perpetuates samsara. The intention mental factor in the retinue of contaminated virtue is a contaminated mental karma that gives rise to suffering in the aspect of pleasant feelings (suffering of change). An example of contaminated virtue is the virtuous intention to give - generosity - in the continuum of an ordinary being. An example of uncontaminated virtue, however, is the mind of generosity conjoined with a wisdom of emptiness.
Here, when generosity is conjoined with both the wisdom of emptiness and bodhicitta, it is a skillful means because it is a uncontaminated virtue in the continuum of a being that never forsakes the welfare of others. So, every virtue in the continuum of an arya bodhisattva is a skillful means, since it is conjoined with both wisdom and bodhicitta.
In the Ornament of Clear Realization, Maitreya/Asanga say:
The mind generation [i.e. bodhicitta] possessing skillful means, as the subject, is like a virtuous spiritual friend because by way of the four immeasurables, the method for not rejecting sentient beings, it never forsakes the welfare of sentient beings.
In his Commentary on Seventy Topics and Ornament for Clear Realizations by Geshe Jampa Gyatso:
“Skillful means” refers to the fact that a bodhisattva with this mind generation is able to transform every single virtue into a cause for enlightenment. A virtuous spiritual friend is one who guides sentient beings on the spiritual path; in particular, one who is fully qualified is able to guide his disciples appropriately. “Not rejecting sentient beings” refers to not rejecting even one sentient being which if done would create negative karma and break both the bodhisattva and tantra vows.
Upvote:1
Tenzin's was a very Gelugpa answer. Correct and itself an example of upaya but hard to see the forest behind the trees. In Nyingma/Kagyu tradition we are not as sophisticated and a lot more straightforward. Maybe because Eastern Tibet is far from the capital?
See my answer to this question. This is a typical example of skillful means in TB, leading from imitative and conceptual to actual experiential realization. Because the stress is always on real life realization, we don't create nearly as elaborate narrative forms as Gelugpas.
Leaving aside empowerments, yidam practice and the six yogas of Naropa, the favorite subjects of discourse in ETB are emptiness, suchness, and the nature of mind. In contrast to that, my teachers always pushed beyond discourse and into real life practice, ensuring good karma through non-attachment to concepts, ideals, and expectations, restoring basic sanity by cutting through bullshit, and leaving it up to personal intuition to connect the dots and attain real-life mastery.
In addition to all of that, Nyingma ngakpas have an entirely unique set of means collectively known as drupton nyönpa or drubnyon that uses strong language and nonconventional behavior to break through student's ego fixation, something I feel I have personal predilection for, but which obviously cannot be practiced in the format of this site.
More post
- 📝 SN 41:3,4 Where do these monks vanish to?
- 📝 How buddha came back to his human consciousness if consciousness and fabrication ceases after release
- 📝 Was Gautama Buddha's wife Yesodhara in any way instrumental in Him becoming a Buddha?
- 📝 Cause or how to get rid of ocd compulsions
- 📝 Craving vs Interest
- 📝 aswaha and katawaha in Buddhism
- 📝 What are the main schools of Tibetan Buddhism?
- 📝 How does Buddhism refute the inherent existence of sub-atomic particles?
- 📝 How do I relax thought-fabrication?
- 📝 Where does it say Siddhartha Gautama mastered all types of meditation?
- 📝 Why island and not light?
- 📝 Did the Buddha give any advice on how to manage economy?
- 📝 Madhyamaka, theravada and mahayana
- 📝 What do Buddhists believe in?
- 📝 whether tripitak talk about marananusati or maranassati?
- 📝 What is the difference between 'hard' and 'soft' Jhanas?
- 📝 Can the dharmakaya buddha be manifest as human?
- 📝 Help me to understand the concept of Svalakshan & Savikalpaka jnana intuitively
- 📝 Is this fake Buddha quote synonymous with Buddhas quote in Dhammapada?
- 📝 Can Right View be interpreted as scientific fervor?
- 📝 Jhana for rest and relaxation
- 📝 Which buddhist traditions use silent visual applause, instead of clapping, to show appreciation and what is the origin of this practice?
- 📝 Greed over meat
- 📝 Is self-immolation murder?
- 📝 Does Jukai imply a student commitment to the preceptor?
- 📝 Brahmcharyavas : starting, ending
- 📝 Thai Theravada Buddhism
- 📝 Source: direct literary origin of "three things a Buddha can not do"?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about boredom?
- 📝 Namarupa as 'mentality & materiality', why or why not?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 How does upaya (skillful means) feature in Tibetan Buddhism?
- 📝 How does Dating work in Buddhism
- 📝 How does Buddhism describe God?
- 📝 How does Buddhism explain consciousness if there is no self?
- 📝 How does Shambhala differ from traditional Vajrayana Buddhism as it is practiced in Asia?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about how to manage other people's anger?
- 📝 How does one practice Buddhism when experience is limited by the 6 senses?
- 📝 How Does Buddhism Handle Internal Conflict
- 📝 How does buddhism describe what exactly, or where exactly, or how exactly, consciousness exists?
- 📝 How does Buddhism refute the inherent existence of sub-atomic particles?
- 📝 How does Buddhism perceive swearing or vulgarities?
- 📝 How does Buddhism explain the creation of everything (universe)
- 📝 How does Buddhism define abortion?
- 📝 How does Buddhism explains rebirth and law of Karma?
- 📝 How does the practice of Buddhism look at preconceived ideas, assumptions or notions?
- 📝 Does all Tibetan Buddhism classify the sutras in the same way?
- 📝 How does teaching of Buddhism deal with waste? How does teaching of Buddhism deal with acceptance even it causes unhappiness?
- 📝 Does skillful means include meditation?
- 📝 How does Buddhism deal with failure?
- 📝 How does Buddhism see Required Military Service?
- 📝 How does Buddhism see Islam?
- 📝 How does Buddhism deal with psychopaths & serial killer
- 📝 How does Buddhism relate to other religions?
- 📝 How much does Buddhism affect most people's lifes in South East Asia?
- 📝 How does Buddhism reconcile evolution with reincarnation?
- 📝 How to explain what Buddhism is?
- 📝 How does stream entry occur?
- 📝 Does Zen Buddhism have canonical texts?
- 📝 Are Vajrayana and Tibetan Buddhism the same thing?
- 📝 Does studying mathematics or science lead to a practitioner of Buddhism acquiring wrong philosophical views and mental afflictions?