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Neverheless, the Vajradhatu version of Mahayana (Trungpa's version)may be at risk of converting the "great vehicle" into a self serving mechanism for supporting Vajradhatu,' Butterfield writes. Such risk is inherant in meditation itself, and in the anture of organizations, but it is aggravated by the guru principle.' (which was central to the tradition in which Chogyam Trunpa and his successors taught--and teach Corboy)
Buttefield again: "Political engagement, for the most part is left up to the individual (Buddhist practitioner). At times it has been overtly discouraged. Even on the pressing iBuddhist issue of opposing the Chinese destruction of Tibet, the Vajradhatu press was late to speak out or take a position, although its coverage of Budhists in Asian countries improved in the late 1980s. Ozel Tendzin (Chogyam Trungpas successor, chosen by Trunpa himself)was scornful of the "liberal conscience" of American Buddhists who opposed teh corrupt, shortsighted policies of the Reagan Administration in Central America. And Trungpa in his Seminary talks from the 1970s, often referred perjoratively to political demonstrations and acts of civil disobedience, using them as examples of a false, aggressive heroism whose purpose was more to affirm the ego of the demonstrator than to do anything constructive abou tthe problem.
Speaking of Trungpa, Butterfield continues: 'While he may have been right in some cases, his views always reflected his dislike of democracy' Butterfield noted. 'Proposals for membership control of his own organization were squashed; he once referred to them as "democratic farts" and walked out of a meeting in disgust when a student suggested that the audience vote on how late he could keep them up."
Butterfield, page 77.
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'The curriculum is presented through a hierarchy of forms that intensifies the mixed message behind seeking what you already have: enlighenment credentials are meaningless, said Trungpa, but you should definitely respect mine and here is a graded process for acquiring them. Although he deflated and his students scorned, the ego's desire for a higher, more spiritual more transcendental life, the whole Tibetan style lured me on with a promise of a higher more spiritual, more transcendental life.
'The system of the three yanas has an inherently elitist appeal. It triggers our desire to join the big shots, do the secret rituals, and find out what the masters really know. In my first contact with him, Trunpa undercut this elitism, he presented enlightenment as something anyone can have, right now. His message was too simple for intellectual analysis, you can do it, dont be a coward, cheer up.
Any sensible country school girl could have said the same thing.
'Yet he wore expensive suits and jewels, rode in a chauffered Mercedes, had servants, designed and awarded pins to symbolize levels of attainment in his programs, and was known to offer secret tantric instruction to selected disciples.
'Since he was telling me the truth about my own motives, I believed that if he did offer something transcendental, it would be real thing, not a plastic manipulation.
'But the ego, which supposedly did not exist, was both deflated and fully engaged. Teh impetus behind the journey came as much from the desire to earn one of his pins and hold a title in his organization as from a genuine longing to wake up, or an altruistic wish to benefit sentient beings.'
The Double Mirror, Stephen Butterfield, page 43
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helpme2times
Wow, Steven Sashen no longer lists "The Work" or Byron Katie on his website!
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another thing about RandomStu Stuart Resnick.
And these other so-called "Zen" people along these same lines.
Their pattern is to try to use their methods of Dharma Combat on people.
The problem is, its not done with intellectual integrity, as mentioned by many people.
Its literally being poisoned from the Poker-Chess concepts being used. Even RandomStu's speech on YouTube starts with a poker metaphor.
What is chess?
Chess is a complex game of technical strategy, who's goal is the CHECKMATE defeat of your opponent. (Byron Katie says The Work is a checkmate).
In chess, you can't really cheat, unless you can find a way to DISRUPT a player's concentration, maybe by sucking your teeth, mumbling, or some such sleazy tactic of DISTRACTION.
What is poker?
Poker is only partly a game of technical card strategy, and betting strategy.
At least half of the game of poker, is based on BLUFFING, deceit, lies, and acting ability.
Poker is at least 50% a mindgame, except with experienced players.
The more inexperienced the other players, the easier they are to deceive with bluffs, lies, and cheap tricks. Anything goes.
In fact, a good way to win at poker, is to pretend you are a naive chump at first, or acting drunk, when in fact your are experienced and sober.
In poker, if they are able to DUPE a naive player into losing the entire pot on a BLUFF...do they feel remorse that they duped them into losing everything?
Do two experienced crooked players in cahoots with eachother, feel remorse for secretly working together, and walking away with all the money on the table?
Of course not!! They celebrate how wonderful it was to be able to easily dupe those naive suckers.
Its all about winning the money.
The reality is this is very much the same game these guys try to play in the real world.
Except they do it with their so-called "Zen".
They know that playing with experienced players is too risky, as they will get their asses-kicked, so they choose the easiest "marks" they can find.
And they feel no remorse when they win the entire poker pot, win all the money, on a bluff and a lie.
They don't feel remorse when they can con people into handing their businesses countless thousands of dollars, or even millions.
They won the poker jackpot!!
They feel FANTASTIC, and celebrate and party, and count the money.