a tumblr of Soma

“…We have already discussed the role of a “safe” and reliable teacher as spiritual friend (kalayana mitra) which is associated with the idea of peer sharing found in traditional yoga as well as in Mahayana Buddhism. There is also another type of teacher (called in vajrayana Buddhism a vajra charya), one who teaches in subtle and hidden ways often upsetting the student’s personal life and order. This is akin to the teachings of the coyote trickster figure in Native American spirituality, the Crazy Wisdom teachings in Tantric Buddhism, Soto Zen, and similar. Another name for the vajra acharya is the “dangerous teacher”. Dangerous to whom, one may ask. The answer is dangerous to our delusions, illusions, petty clinging, pet beliefs, bad habits, false identifications, fixations, and stagnant tendencies.

Here the teacher and teachings operate outside of conventional mores, standards, and reality — they exist to the least part on the “edge of the known world”. On the official path of Vajrayana tantric Buddhism one has to have complete confidence in the vajra acharya as one’s mindstream’s meet as one. It is said in this path that the contradictions between where one is stuck and where one is going will collide head on, but through the guru’s grace and intercession, there will be a rapid spiritual transformation.

Such fast track methods of teachings have always been considered dangerous even in traditional monastic settings. Even more so in the Western milieu, where there is a great amount of pre-existing mental insecurity and disturbance, what can be said to be safe anyway (each individual’s definition of safety may vary considerably). For one person “safety” means predictable, sterile, insulated, and imprisoned; while for another safety means lasting happiness, Reality, and Truth. With the vajracharya method one must have complete confidence in the teacher/teachings — here one’s rational mind is purposely subverted and utterly destroyed by the vajra master whose purpose is to liberate the student from all narcissistic vestiges while catalyzing rapid transformation without recidivism.”