No Other Books Allowed

[michaela]

Dear Forum Readers

It's interesting.  Why Geshe Kelsang Gyatso only allow his books in his monastery Center?

http://dorjeshugden.com/wp/?p=8474

I read some of his books which are very impressive.  I saw many referral to other great Buddhist Philosophers in his books.  But why restricting other Buddhist books in his center?

[gomchen]

Hi Michaela,

That documentary is terrible, it is far from an accurate account of the Dorje Shugden/Dalai Lama issue or the NKT.

Other books are allowed in NKT centres, there is no restriction to what people can read.

As  Dharma centres presenting the Dharma as passed on by Venerable Geshe-la, we only teach what he has taught us. Geshe Kelsang has based his books on Tsongkhapas works as passed on to him by Trijang Dorje Chang. What he has given us is what we need to be able to practice the three scopes and attain Great Enlightenment, we dont need to study or teach anything else. Of course in our own time/practice we are free to read whatever we like. For Christmas my teacher gave me the fantastic book of the 7th Dalai Lamas poems, so beautiful.

Geshe Kelsang has established the three study programmes that make up the basis of the NKT. The more I study and practice within these programmes the more I understand his great kindness and skill towards the modern world.

Here is a helpful link to Emptymountains site and a quote from Gen-la Kyenrab:
http://www.dharmaprotector.org/only-nkt-books.html

Hope this helps.
Gomchen Ratna

[michaela]

Dear Gomchen Ratna

Thank you for clarifying this matter.

[Big Uncle]

I do not belong to Geshe Kelsang's center but I do read his books. I found it to be easy-to-read and of the highest quality. I was told by an English speaking monk that the contents of his books are very accurate and are translated from the actual Tibetan textbooks used in the monastery with Geshe-like accuracy. He also said that all the basic to the highest teachings are already presented with his collection of books.

Hence, it is very comprehensive to learn from them. Hence, one do not need to read other books especially those of other traditions as the presentation of other teachers and other traditions may be very different and this could lead to confusion. This is especially true for newer practitioners who do not know enough Dharma and may be led astray.

[michaela]

Hence, it is very comprehensive to learn from them. Hence, one do not need to read other books especially those of other traditions as the presentation of other teachers and other traditions may be very different and this could lead to confusion. This is especially true for newer practitioners who do not know enough Dharma and may be led astray.

Dear Big Uncle

While I agree with you that Geshe Kelsang Gyatso's work are very comprehensive and I learned so much from them.  I do not agree with your suggestions that it is not necessary to read other books as it may lead to confusion.

In my experience, I found many other books that actually complement the work of Geshe Kelsang and enhance my understanding because some masters actually presented their explanations in other ways that hit certain group of readers better.  I can name some works that actually really good, "Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand" by Pabongkha Rinpoche, "The Words of My Perfect Teacher" by Patrul Rinpoche, Books by Ajahn Brahm and Master Cheng Yen, etc.  These people come from different traditions.

What I found is there are almost no contradiction with each other and actually enrich the knowledge.  It's not good to underestimate people's judgement  although he or she is a newbie.

What can be done to address your concern is to suggest the research of the authors' backgrounds, where they come from, what the authors have actually done, and what are the results before actually relying on the information from the books. 

[Zach]

I find other works complementory to Geshe-la's as well still there is wisdom in having only one set of books as per the study programes, Its not like other books are banned from centres for peoples personal use.

[dsdisciple]

Hi M,

I have to agree with you and commend you for having an open and inquiring mind for dharma knowledge.

In the 50 verses of guru devotion it explicitly states that one should check the teacher and the teacher the student before entering into a guru disciple relationship.

So why do we not do this if we want to check out another teachers books (this is good practice).

As students we should also take responsibilty for our own study of the dharma (not always waiting for our spiritual guide to teach us or think that one method or one teaching is best), the Buddha clearly states that we should test his teachings, put into practice what we accept and that benefits us and leave aside what doesn't NOT follow blindly.

If someone has been in dharma a long time or a newbie is irrelevant, what may differ is the karmic potential for dharma seeds to open and for dharma to go in fast.

A newbie could quite possibly have the potential of a super nova and the dharma long time student the potential of a turtle to understand the dharma and transform.

I humbly request we respect all individuals on this forum:

1) Do you really know who you could be speaking to? (lay or ordained).
2) Respect our fellow DS practitioners.
2) Respect all gurus/spiritual guides/teachers (keep good samaya or for that matter common courtesy).

Another thought to add to the discussion, Why did Lama's from different Lineages request teachings from different lineage Lama's like Pabongkha Rinpoche and  Trijang Rinpoche previous incarnations?

So many stories of great masters tested by other masters in debate and when their logic was found to be irrefutable and with the signs of teaching from attainments (moved these masters to become students and request teachings).

I love the interchangeability of Lamas becoming students of other Lamas, this keeps the dharma that they in turn teach have the power to change minds and engage hearts, dharma is alive and engaging to transform and benefit so many more people. For example, Pabongkha Rinpoches Lamrim teaching translated by Trijang Rinpoche "Liberation in the Palm of your Hand".

How lucky are we to have such a text due to the kindness and years of practice, study and hardships to bring the dharma to others.

Lastly can we please keep the politics of NKT (0r other organisations) off this forum whether indirectly or directly and focus on the issues pertaining to the HHDL/DS ban.

xo

[michaela]

Lastly can we please keep the politics of NKT (0r other organisations) off this forum whether indirectly or directly and focus on the issues pertaining to the HHDL/DS ban.

xo

Hi DSDisciple

The reason for raising this question in the first place is to inquire about why a well known DS Lama limit the reading of his students, which turn out not to be true.  Not specifically to comment on the politics of the organization.   

[lightning]

In some centers, they do enforce or stress to their students not to read outside books to protect them from outside pollution. There are in fact a lot of Buddhism theories spread by various Buddhist Masters are inaccurate and by reading will shaken the new student faith which may lead to astray in the actual Spiritual path.
If you are fed with food from reliable source, you will not end up with food poisoning, but there is no gurantee with outside food source.
Unless you have the ability to distinguish the truth from false teachings, it is okay for you to read up. If not, you will most probably ended up with poisoning of your mind from outside books. Hence, I do strongly support Venerable GKG idea of not reading outside books.

[Ensapa]

Sometimes a certain topic can be talked about and brought up from different angles and viewpoints. While sometimes it may enhance our knowledge, such reading can also confuse the reader as different traditions have different goals as well. It would be extremely hard for an ordinary reader to reconcile the different goals altogether.

For example, each tradition in Tibetan Buddhism have their own version of the Lamrim, but they all have a different flavor and is geared towards a different direction. Words of my Perfect Teacher caters for the more faith based students as its main goal is to increase faith and most of the explanations in there are not scholarly in nature. Jewel Ornament of Liberation actually starts with generating bodhicitta and everything else in the lamrim is practiced on this basis. Lamdre focuses on the 3 views, from the point of view of a layman, a practitioner, and a Buddha. Tsongkhapa's version is an extended of Atisha's version which is more balanced, complete, not angled towards a certain view and is more scholarly and logical in explanation compared to the rest.

While it is fun to read all of the versions, it can be very confusing as the direction of where the text wants to steer you to differs and it can be very hard to reconcile between the information and it can also appear that one text is wrong on the basis of another. Therefore to avoid these confusions its easier to stick to just one text or tradition.