An excerpt from a teaching called How Buddhists Think by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo
In America, as in few other countries, you can find a multitude of ways to be “a spiritual person.” When Tibetan Lamas first came to this country, they were appalled. They were saddened to see there are so many ways to think that you are being spiritual, that you are adopting a spiritual path. The Lamas saw this as the unfortunate, unbearable, bad karma of the American people.
Doesn’t that sound odd? Many of us might say: “No! It’s just the opposite! We can do anything we want, we can be spiritual in this place or that. We can choose to be traditionally spiritual or non-traditionally spiritual. This is the land of opportunity.”
But as the Lamas understand it, much of what is assumed to be spirituality was started less than 50 years ago. Essentially this means we don’t know if it can produce Enlightenment. Many Americans are diligently trying to cross the ocean of suffering in a boat that has never made it across a lake.
Even in the older religions in America, you can be confused about what goals to pursue. Some leaders of Christan churches admit that the original teachings Jesus gave are not found in the Bible. Many teachings have been lost, portions may have been deleted, and the true meaning may have been clouded over by layers of translations. Many of today’s Christian practitioners have no idea that they could become immersed in a mysticism that will actually change their perception. Very few understand that they could practice in a way that leads to Realization.
Lamas who came to this country understood that it would be difficult for Americans to be open to the Buddha’s teachings. So many things in America seem more flashy, seem to promise a great deal more. New Age ideas include promises of instant healing and even opportunities to talk to Masters from the Great Beyond. But has anything like that produced Enlightenment yet? Have we seen the signs?
Buddhist Lamas who came to America had seen miraculous signs. For instance, both my root gurus had seen Lamas fly through the air. A close student of one of my root gurus had seen him lift off the ground and hover for some time. Many of the Lamas had seen the miraculous appearance of the rainbow body after a Dharma practitioner died.
Not long ago, when a Buddhist Lama died, his body was cremated in a fire so hot that his very bones turned into a crispy substance, with a texture somewhere between ashes and potato chips. Yet his heart remained uncooked, raw!
Many Lamas, I among them, have relics of Lamas who died, relics that are “pearls” produced automatically by their bodies. When kept in a dark, quiet place, these pearls continue to reproduce themselves. Lamas I know have told of stupas with empowerments so strong that on one side would come a sweet nectar; on the other, a sour nectar. The flow was continual, and would never dry up. This has been happening for hundreds of years. There has been no explanation for it.
When a Buddhist speaks of “a True Path,” this is not meant as: “My religion is better than yours.” It is not intended to be haughty or prideful. Rather, we want to be on a path that has repeatedly produced results, and can be expected to do so in the future.
That is how I view the Buddha’s teachings. They did not come from any ordinary intellectual process or experience, or from a compilation of other people’s views. They arose from the mind of Enlightenment.
Some people call themselves “enlightened,” and when I hear this, I cease to believe them. The Buddha simply said, “I am awake.” He never made himself out to be a god; he never said he was different from anyone else. He simply said, “I’ve given you the Path. Now work out your own salvation.”
© Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo
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