Tibetan Buddhism - Venerated Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa (vegetarian), Part 1 of 2

We are pleased to present valuable guidance of Master Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa (vegetarian). In an address to disciples, He sets out a vision of nonsectarianism, in which He emphasizes the commonality of traditions and decries the divisiveness that periodically plagues Tibet and constitutes an act of forsaking the Dharma.

Advice on Nonsectarianism

“From the beginning, naturally pure wakefulness is the basic space of everything. Within it, all pure and impure phenomena are by nature non-arisen. At the same time, they are also self-arisen through the potency of unobstructed display. Among all, everything that is good and beneficial for the world— the appearing vessel together with its living contents, all sentient beings; arises from the inseparable wisdom and great compassion that is the wisdom activity of the perfect Buddhas. And the main, foundational activity consists in the propagation of the Dharma teachings. […]”

“Nowadays, merely having a different preceptor and monastery is tantamount to belonging to a different sect or lineage. People are partisan, biased towards their own monasteries, their own localities. They favor the masters and preceptors of their local community, […] and so it goes on. Even those who follow the same texts and the words of the same masters go their separate ways, blown apart on the breeze.

“Practitioners too have started identifying different masters and monasteries as ‘different lineages.’ They jealously eye each other’s dwellings, students, and renown. They run around everywhere, not content with mountain hermitages or isolated places. […] And yet, if I investigate closely, I do not find any view or school of thought that is superior to any other, or even particularly different.

“There are but slight variations in the way young monks debate about red and white colors, and māntrikas [reciters] place their vajra [thunderbolt] and bell. Great meditators also differ slightly in their understanding and perception of their experiences, but their ultimate goal and destination remain the same— the single final intent of the Victorious Ones, of all the sūtras and tantras, scriptures and commentaries. […]”

Therefore, since all doctrines are intermingled and no one teaching stands apart, there is no point in talking about different monasteries and lines of transmission; ultimately, all these distinctions are complete delusion. […]”