Whats wrong with saying you don't practice?

[DharmaDefender]

My view of Tripa is that he made a good political choice. And yet, he lied, either by words or acts, or by silence and inactivity. Whether he was a hypocrite depends on whether he actively said anything against his own practice. As to the question of what "practice style" is good or better, depends on what one's aims are. Tripa obviously did not aim at truthfullness. (And to those who like the idea of 'High Lamas' playing political games, I say that whatever is built on untruth, will not last, and even if it would last, it would not be worth a truth, or somethinglikethat.)

And as for being inspired... well, that depends on the person concerned. I peronally am not very inspired by liars, cowards or politicians.

You have a point ZP but some people feel it is better to live to fight another day, especially when it is more strategic to fight another day for a cause you believe in.

As a friend has pointed out, he didn't stay silent. In any case, I don't think it was a political choice for the Gaden Trisur because if it were, why not continue to remain the way he always was, to continue reaping the supposed benefits of being in the Dalai Lama and/or TGIE's administration's favour? We all know the TGIE and the anti-DS troop make life very difficult for DS practitioners in India...case in point Dagom Rinpoche, so why choose that kind of difficult living circumstances?

- To promote DS is wrong, because it would be proselytizising. It is enough for us all to oppose the "negative-content proselytization" of the DL. To do more, is bad form. We can of course openly tell that this is our practice and present it's history, benefits, and so forth, but if we step further, and start to think, or even worse proclaim, that DS will be the next global Über-Buddha, we have went too far (and in fact would be just like those mistaken ones who say that the DL is "the Leader of All Buddhists of this Earth" andwhatever.)

In a general way I agree with you. I just don´t understand how you can promote a tantric deity. When you know the requisites for being a recipient of the Tantra knowledge then this idea of promoting our holy Protector seems to me entirely alien to our system´s ways and procedures. On the other hand, I wouldn´t dare say that it is "wrong" in any absolute way. I can imagine that some Teacher could legitimately do this, given some circomstances.

So is the best way of opposing "negative-content proselytization" by the Dalai Lama, is by engaging in it ourselves? I don't think anyone's advocating that DS is the next Super Buddha - maybe promoting is not the right word, but educating. a friend's got it right - it's not absolutely wrong to promote practices because if it were, then websites like this would/should not exist.

I don't quite agree that promoting tantric deities is a bad idea, because if someone doesn't know about them, how does one create a connection to receive the practice in the future? I know of a few instances whereby people have read about Vajrayogini et al. online and found they have a deep connection with the deities in question, and it was all because someone engaged in bad form (hehe) and promoted them. Promoting Vajrayogini, for example, so people can see her holy form, will help them to create merits, will it not?

[a friend]

I´ve heard that the more you open up the secret Mantra the quicker it degenerates, practitioners won´t get results. I would be very careful with the use of images of our Venerable Mother. Anyway, the times already are degenerated so ... do as your good heart and your own Lama advice.

[Lineageholder]

If we start judging our Gurus, start to see fault in our Gurus, slowly we might even see fault in the Buddhas too. Actually isn't all we perceive of how someone should behave are just mere projections of what we think should and should not be?

Judging our teachers/lamas ought to stop after we have decided to take refuge with the particular lama. Once a Guru - Student relationship is created we start practicing Guru Devotion with the Nine Attitudes who are more extraordinary than all the Buddhas. 

The Dalai Lama is not my Guru, he's a conman politician.  My Guru is an extraordinary being who wouldn't cause a schism in the Sangha.

[dsnowlion]

I´ve heard that the more you open up the secret Mantra the quicker it degenerates, practitioners won´t get results. I would be very careful with the use of images of our Venerable Mother. Anyway, the times already are degenerated so ... do as your good heart and your own Lama advice.

Oh I've heard the opposite. Although I am no where near being a tantrika, but I've heard the opposite ... the more degenerate we become, the more the rise of desire on this planet, the stronger and more powerful the practice of Vajrayogini becomes. The more appropriate it is for us to practice. But I do agree with you a friend, that we cannot just simple show it to any tom, dick or harry without explanation and we must use our own discretion/wisdom to see if the person/friend can even except seeing such a sacred holy image, so as to not create a negative reaction in that new person's mind. So of course the best person to intorduce Vajrayogini is our Guru. However, with our Guru's permission of course, we can still plant seeds in people's minds (giving people pictures/images/statues/pendants) so that they create the affinity/connection with Mother Vajrayogini, so that in future they can meet a guru who will give them the practice, can we not?

I've got a statue of vajrayogini on my altar, it's just to create the causes that hopefully one day can be qualified to receive her practice

[a friend]

Dear Dsnowlion,

I think I didn´t express myself well. I´ve heard that the more you open up the Secret Mantra the more ineffectual it becomes, practitioners don´t ripe results as they would´ve if the secret teachings had stayed secret. This means: if you are a Tantric practitioner, you don´t talk about Tantra. It´s secret. Even being very cautious you can have a downfall, a slip of the tongue, so easily, and the breaking of Tantric vows should not be taken lightly.
What you are saying is: the more degenerated the times, the more Tantra becomes useful. Of course, you are right, it becomes very useful for those who have received the proper empowerments with the proper requirements and at least try to keep their vows.
If you are not a Tantric practitioner you don't have those vows to break but if I were you, out of respect for the highest teachings, I would refrain from talking about it, I would refrain from promoting Tantric Deities, particularly from the Anuttarayogatantra ... unless your Lama tells you otherwise, that is.

Forgive my ignorance that I cannot explain more. This is not out of secrecy, it´s out of, yes, ignorance.
But go for the sure path: in a general way, when it comes to sensitive matters, ask your Lama first.

[Gabby Potter]

I don't find anything wrong about it, but I don't understand why people are making a big fuss about this. We weren't supposed to reveal our practise to the world, and for what? We didn't practise Dorje Shugden to 'show' the world that we are doing His practise, it's a personal practise.