Comments on: To my Buddhist (and semi-Buddhist) readers http://www.allconsidering.com/2008/buddhism/ Considering life, spiritual growth and more ponderings Sat, 20 Mar 2010 21:59:09 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Katinka Hesselink - All Condering http://www.allconsidering.com/2008/buddhism/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Katinka Hesselink - All Condering Sat, 06 Sep 2008 07:38:45 +0000 http://www.allconsidering.com/?p=47#comment-35 Yes, I know the whole line of reasoning. But the question is: did the Panchen Lama really know what he was approving? Did he know enough English? Or did he approve the way the Dalai Lama will approve a lot of books by writing a preface for them - probably more as an appreciation of pure motivation than as a 'this is Tibetan Buddhism' - which many of those books aren't, after all. <p>The reason I put forward D.T. Suzuki is that he is an exponent of Mahayana Buddhism that we KNOW knew English (and very well). He was very learned in the Japanese traditions as well. <p>As theosophists of course we'd prefer to trust the Panchen Lama on this one: if he really read and understood the Voice of the Silence and approved it as the esoteric Tibetan Buddhist teachings, and in fact a translation of certain precepts in the inner sanctuary of his tradition - that would mean Blavatsky was proven right in her claims to that effect. Unfortunately there is not enough reason to believe that this is what the Panchen Lama meant to say. Yes, I know the whole line of reasoning. But the question is: did the Panchen Lama really know what he was approving? Did he know enough English? Or did he approve the way the Dalai Lama will approve a lot of books by writing a preface for them – probably more as an appreciation of pure motivation than as a ‘this is Tibetan Buddhism’ – which many of those books aren’t, after all.

The reason I put forward D.T. Suzuki is that he is an exponent of Mahayana Buddhism that we KNOW knew English (and very well). He was very learned in the Japanese traditions as well.

As theosophists of course we’d prefer to trust the Panchen Lama on this one: if he really read and understood the Voice of the Silence and approved it as the esoteric Tibetan Buddhist teachings, and in fact a translation of certain precepts in the inner sanctuary of his tradition – that would mean Blavatsky was proven right in her claims to that effect. Unfortunately there is not enough reason to believe that this is what the Panchen Lama meant to say.

]]> By: Alex http://www.allconsidering.com/2008/buddhism/comment-page-1/#comment-34 Alex Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:11:48 +0000 http://www.allconsidering.com/?p=47#comment-34 H.H. The 9th Panchen Lama wrote a few lines about the path of liberation for the "The Peking Edition" of the Voice. I think this is the main stamp of approval since the Tashi Lamas focus on the esoteric side of Buddhism and the Dalai Lamas focus on the exoteric. H.H. The 9th Panchen Lama wrote a few lines about the path of liberation
for the “The Peking Edition” of the Voice.
I think this is the main stamp of approval since the Tashi Lamas focus on the esoteric side of Buddhism and the Dalai Lamas focus on the exoteric.

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