Red Jambhala, Ganesha and me

Some personal history and request for guidance..

I am new to TBS.  My pre TBS background includes non-practice oriented Japanese Jodo Shinshu Buddhism and a 30+ year interest in Hinduism.  Over the last several years I have been drawn towards Ganesha/Ganapati, whom I thought of as a primarily Hindu god, although I knew he made appearances all over otherwise Buddhist countries.  My house, office, car and license are populated with Ganesha images and murtis, but I had never engaged in formal devotional practice.  I show respect and affection with the traditional Hindu Ganesha mantras I know, and have enshrined Ganesha in a shrine of my own device, not following any rules.

When, not so long ago, I first stepped into the TBS temple in Redmond, I was astounded at the magnificence and grandeur  ::) , and made comfortable by the eye-level greeting of familiar Lord Ganesha.  :D Warm friendliness but limited English from the monks there to greet me encouraged my participation, but left me unclear of the role Ganesha played in the temple.   ???

I have pieced together a little bit along the way, but lack any comprehensive understanding.  
The image I thought of as Ganesha most people there think of as Red Jambhala, but there is a sign there labeling him as Ganesha as well.  How much of what I know about Ganesha can be transferred to knowing Red Jambhala?  Much to learn here, I am sure somewhere in 150 books there may be enlightening discourses!  Maybe even in translated books!

My real question is how to incorporate where I am coming from into where I am arriving.  As I am understanding, initial TBS practice involves 4 preliminary practices and does not include Personal Deity Yoga, which comes at some later time.  Jambhala is one of the eight TBS personal deities, so maybe somehow later Ganesha can be incorporated into my cultivation practice.  Or maybe not – I am not sure.  

So what do I do meanwhile?  Continue my previous relationship with Ganesha independent from my cultivation?  Put things on hold until I receive guidance on personal deity yoga?  Etc.

Thank you for being who you are,
Lian Hua Dance
Happy to be here   :)

:) HI Lian Hua dance
I hope I may be able to help you some what.

Within the TBS ganesh is seen as the red jamabala, regarding your question as to where do you stand; in TBS Yellow jambala is one of the eight prinicpal deities. (not red jambala)

Secondly Becuase you have already been praying to Red Jambala (ganesh) prior to taking refuge when you finish practicing your cultivation you may in addition chant his mantra either 7,21,49 or 108x(prior that you have recieved his empowerment) if not you may make offerings to him in the usual way. its not that he wont understand that you are concentrating on you preliminaires. actually because you have entered the door of vajrayana GM has already explained that one will recieve the deities blessing when one practicies or recits ones root guru's mantra. (meaning the deities will naturally be by oneside to lend help as long as one is ever mindful & respectful to ones guru). :D
p.s. if you make offerings to him make sure you offer the carrots with leaves on them ;)
I hope it has helped you a little.
palms closed Om Guru Lian Shen Siddi Hum!

Thank you lotuschild

Yes, that helps.  I don't understand a lot about the Jambhala part yet, though.  I was thinking maybe different colors were seen as different manifestations of one Jambhala energy.  I will learn more.  


:)

lotus too

No, there are many Jambhalas and they are not the manifestations of one single entity.

Hello.

I found this as a definition for you:
Jambhala God of Wealth representing abundance. There are five Jambhalas:white, red, yellow, green, and black. The yellow Jambhala is a Principal Deity in the True Buddha School and is seen as an eighth level Bodhisattva. When the term Jambhala is used without specification of color it typically refers to theYellow Jambhala. The Jambhalas grant abundance to those practicing his Dharma, allowing the individual to practice the Buddhadharma and to help others.


Also the book, in English, Dharma Talks by a living Buddha explains the different Jambahala's in good detail.

Brenda

i dont have any formal instruction with Jambhalas but i think i might understand a few things that might help...
   he obviously has a great like for Ganesha and im sure that Ganesha is aware of this... is empowerment truely needed in a case like this? maybe it might help but seems to me him and Ganesh are already friends and well aquainted...
   Jambhalas also desire to become buddhas... their vows are focussed around helping beings to achieve buddhahood too... this type of helping falls under granting wealth to those who need it to continue their cultivation and in turn they recieve great merits...
   maybe im completely wrong but this is how it seems to me to be...
   

Hello Lian-Hua Dance,
Obviously you have close affinity with Ganesha, the Red Jambhala. Tantric practices, including the Great Prostration and Great Offering are offered to all the deities, so you can certainly include Ganesha. As for the Red Jambhala tantra itself, you'd need empowerment. Depending on which deity, one can start to chant the mantra prior to receiving an empowerment, to get ready for it.

However, our root guru says--in his writings and his talks--that we should follow TB tantra step by step, from the Four Preliminary/Foundation Practices, Root Guru, Personal Deity, onto the Inner Tantra and Highest Tantra practices.

GM stressed that the Four Preliminary Practice is a peerless practice, it is to strengthen our foundation, without which, we could easily topple and falter. Our own ego and karma alone are two monstrous obstructors. The Great Prostration is to eliminate our pride & ego, the Fourfold Refuge is to strengthen our spiritual commitment, the Great Offering is to accumulate merit, and the Vajrasattva parctice is to eradicate our transgressions. You're lucky, since PLS just released a complete Vajrasattva Practice.

And we should not forget to chant the root guru mantra. You could chant it after your Vajrasattva practice, 108x preferably, or more if you could. Recently, there're articles on the importance of lineage. Practicing the root guru yoga or chanting the root guru mantra is to strengthen the lineage. It is crucial that we don't neglect the root guru practice, no matter which stage we're in, since all Tantric attainments spring forth the root guru.

But, you may ask, there're so many mantras, so many practices, and they are all good. What should I do? I don't want to let go of my Ganesha either... Well, from my experience, we've just got to set the priority straight, keep focus, and fit it in. By focusing, it is like converging the sunshine to a point, it can start a fire.

GM often told us that he, himself followed these step-by-step stages to arrive at his enlightenment. He never took time off, not even a day. He has great patience and his resolve never wavers. I suppose even droplets of water can become an ocean one day, as long as we keep at it. I, for one, still struggling at this attempt... Om Guru Lian-Shen Siddhi Hom.

Hope this helps, good luck.  And say Hi to Ganesha...

Hello and Welcome Ha.
That was a great answer.  
Thank you.
Where did you find the articles on the importance of lineage?


Thank you.

Brenda

ok im posting this for Brenda's question...
    "Where did you find the articles on the importance of lineage?"

i wasnt the one asked but heres what i found so im posting it here... it comes from TBSN english pages under teachings... enjoy!!  

Today we shall talk about Tantric lineage.

We must ensure that the Tantra we learn has proper lineage. Generally, we will obtain the teacher's basic lineage if we have take refuge in him. The other guideline is that before we start to cultivate certain Dharma, we must receive its accompanying empowerment. This is a Tantric process, a cultivation sequence that all Tantric cultivators must follow.

Why is lineage so important in Tantrayana? The word Mi in Tantrayana (Mi Jiao in Chinese) means secret. As all the Tantric Dharma are supposed to be top secrets, there is an implication that they can only be transmitted selectively- unlike all other forms of general Dharma that can be disseminated without proper selection of the pupils. A Tantric teacher must judge himself whether his disciple has the capacity to learn such secretive and profound Dharma.

It is an unwritten law that a teacher is considered transgressing a Tantric precept if he tries to teach a disciple who does not have the capacity to learn. On the other hand, he is also considered transgressing a Tantric precept if he does not teach a disciple who has the intelligence to learn.

The crux of the problem lies in whether the disciple is the right one to receive the treasured teachings. Should the teacher teach him the Dharma? This is the reason why lineage is so important in Tantrayana.

Teaching may be wrong, non-teaching may also be wrong. Much depends on the intellectual capacity of the disciple in question. As these profound Dharma cannot be taught to everyone, I have to take a bit longer trying to explain to you so that you can understand the topic better.

You can easily see how I form a Mudra (Grandmaster demonstrated). Here is another Mudra (Grandmaster demonstrated again). You may think these Mudras are easy to form, and you can learn them shortly. This is not true; there are many secrets in forming Mudra in particular Xin Zhong Xin Yin (Heart of Heart Mudra) which can be used to move the heart of a Buddha. You can only learn this kind of Mudra (and its accompanying movement) from a teacher personally. When the Heart of Heart Mudra of a particular deity is used, he will have to show his presence. Imagine what would happen when I teach these Mudras to the public. Very soon, children will play with them and invoke all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. They will be very upset when they have to be present for nothing important! The five Dharma realms will be chaotic, if I start to teach everyone the Heart of Heart Mudra. And all the cosmos-consciousness in the universe will be topsy-turvy too.

Not many people in this world are smart. Whenever a poultry epidemic strikes, a few chickens may die. The owner would try to use the Heart of Heart Mudra to invoke Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva to help him. The deity would be saddened by the fact that he was asked to render help on such a trivial issue.

Jilted by his girl friend, a boy may use the heart of heart Mudra to invoke the four heavenly kings. When they receive the request, they may be nervous and come with their weapons. Only to find that someone's girl friend has left him, or his wife has beaten him. We should not ask for help on such unimportant affairs.

This is a simple and valid reason why this particular Dharma cannot be taught indiscriminately.

Think for a while, can we teach this Dharma to any Tom, Dick and Harry? The Heart of Heart Mudra must be taught to the selected few who are really cultivating and doing propagation work.

Let me talk about the techniques in Vajra boxing. You must learn them from a teacher and not just from a book. Your teacher can teach you step by step under you can master them. He can tell you all the oral traditions and his personal experiences.

Vajra boxing can be used to move the Qi (Inner energy) in our body. We can use it to clear the wheel (chakra) so that our bright spot can move easily. Although it is an external form of exercise, it is no different from the movement of Qi, Mai and Ming Dian.

If we are able to lower the water from our brow-point through our throat and open up our heart. And let it reach navel and secret chakras, we will be very strong. There are many secretive techniques used in the process. It is not so simple as displaying a few set-patterns, rubbing our body a few times or simply twisting and turning our body. It is an inner Tantric Dharma that we need to learn from a teacher.

Tantrayana stresses a lot on Vajra boxing, as outer Tantra must be in harmony with Inner Tantra. The ultimate aim is to turn our body into a rainbow and attain Buddhahood. -- This itself is also a top secret.

There are many salient points in Tantra, Vajra boxing, Inner Tantra ----------- descend, ascend, hold, loosen…not to mention oral traditions, many specialized movements, techniques, Dharma etc that must be taught individually and patiently.

Certain movements must be carried out in certain hours --- you can't learn all this from a book. That is why learning from a teacher, that is having a lineage, is very important.

That's all for today.

Om Mani Padme Hum