raychin01/02/03 at 20:41:02#1Hi. My friend told me about a school that opened up his chakras. supposedly he tried healing another friend of an ear infection and it worked. all he has to do is do some breathing exercises to keep the chakras open. This school is not affiliated w/ any doctrines and maintains that it can be learned by anyone - even Buddhists and Taoists. this school started in taiwan. i was wondering what u thought - whether this school goes against True Buddha School doctrines and beliefs. i was willing to give the school a try if it didn't go against True Buddha School or create any unforeseen negative karmic effects.
Buddhafly01/02/03 at 21:33:04#2Re: opening chakras
Hello.
The only thing I can find is to refer back to is from
Grand Master Sheng-yen Lu's Book >
A Brief Introduction to True Buddha School
The Importance of Taking Refuge and Empowerment
Chapter Nine - The Importance of Taking Refuge and Empowerment
"1. There are many people who advocate that as long as we uphold good thought, believe in Buddhism, chant the mantra and do postration to the Buddhas, it is not necessary to take refuge with a Guru .What they do not realise is that the Dharma is only a visible external form of practice. To really practise Buddhism, one must practise the internal form as well. It is a kind of long term training; and must be under the guidance of a Guru. Only a true Guru has the experience of unification of the mind and the universe. This kind of experience can never be described in full by words; and only those who have taken refuge can receive the ¨mental Dharma?and learn to experience it likewise.
2. To the Esoteric school of Tantric Buddhism, empowerment has great merits. After receiving the empowerment, a lay person can be uplifted to be a child of the Buddha. His or her body, speech and mind will be like that of the Buddha. Although he or she is not a de facto Buddha yet, theoritically they are; at least they can be considered for becoming latent Buddhas.
3. Taking refuge is just like getting registered. After which, the Guru can then impart the Dharma to you. In Esoteric school of Tantric Buddhism, lineage is highly valued. So are the Guru`s lineage and energised power. Without these, there will be no spiritual response. It is even laid down as a rule that without taking refuge in the Guru, one should not practise the Esoteric Dharma, for the practice will be useless. The practitioner will be considered a Dharma thief, as they will have broken the Samaya commandments (sacred committment)- one of the most serious offences. A disciple must have full faith and trust in the Guru by taking refuge, in order to achieve direct lineage and empowerment, to achieve a positive spiritual response. Only when refuge has been taken, will they be considered to be a True Buddha School disciple, both by the school itself, and by the Buddhas and Boddhisattvas. After taking refuge, one will be considered to be a son or daughter of the Buddhas and Boddhisattvas, and will be looked after by them accordingly.
4. After taking refuge, a disciple of True Buddha School must not follow any other Guru other than Living Buddha Lian Shen - unless they have left the School altogether. The reason is simple. To follow any other Guru one will lose the lineage and the trust between the student and the master - which will result in an unsuccessful empowerment and guidance for the student. Although Living Buddha Lian Shen advocates that one can leave True Buddha School if they do not find the School suitable to their requirements, he states that as long as one remains a student, and is a disciple of his, one must, and should not, follow any other Guru during the time he is one`s master. Otherwise, it will be breaking another Samaya commandment - another serious offence. "
Last edited 01/02/03 at 21:33:53 by Buddhafly
Luljeta01/03/03 at 14:23:07#3Re: opening chakrasHi Ray,
Brenda made a good point by posting that article. Also, I would just like to say that your friend's school doesn't sound bad. It's just that the method of opening chakras is not a method of cultivation that can help us become liberated from rebirth in samsara.
Some schools focus on developing certain supernatural abilities, but can these abilities help one transcend their sufferings and eradicate their karma?
It sounds like an auxiliary method, or aiding condition. I believe GM said in his books that such methods are not the true path to cultivation. As long as we do our normal cultivation, such practices can be supplements, but our main cultivation should be the focus.
Om mani padme hum
Lu