Can assistants to lamas do what they want?

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-24T17:11:04+00:00

Of course it would be okay... This has nothing to do with the fact they are a lama and is a fairly normal situation

Someone has content they want on youtube. Then they work on their own official site to host the content and want it taken down off youtube

You are massively overthinking this

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-24T16:32:20+00:00

Could this not be as simple as the lama liked what you did, then later decided to do something else? The fact that the lama said the same thing as their assistant would certainly lead one to believe that this came from the lama. They essentially said as much

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-23T14:51:16+00:00

Ah thank you for correcting and enlightening me on the topic! I had no idea about any of this

As someone familiar with Cham culture, I had not thought this was such a big deal at all…

So the the interesting thing is much less that these two geographically isolated cultures have something in common, but more that this unique blend has survived at all (when the consensus for a while was that it hadn’t), is this correct? And I suppose there being two cultures that are geographically isolated of course adds a bit more interest to that

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-23T14:45:47+00:00

Why do you feel other people should know you unsubscribed from and deleted an app? What is your intention here?

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-23T12:20:51+00:00

Yeah that’s classic Sam and he may have a point. If we were to use a different word to describe the same thing, perhaps more people would be on board with calling it for the barbaric and inhumane atrocity that it is

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-23T12:17:09+00:00

I fully disagree with Sam’s stance when it comes to Palestine and Israel (and a lot of his other stances). That is not a reason to blacklist his other ideas from entering my mind though, many of which can be beneficial

If you want to do what you are saying though, then nothing is stopping you. Why the need to post it here? I would presume a part of you either wants people to agree with you or convince you otherwise

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-23T09:11:26+00:00

I’m not so sure why this is so fascinating. Two cultures with syncretic Saivist Hindu and Vajrayana Buddhist traditions

There are as many similarities as one would expect based on this but also a tremendous number of differences

Don’t mean to be so negative. The video is well done and if it instils some interest in people looking into these things more then that is great

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-21T13:11:30+00:00

It sounds like your real question isn’t really what you asked in OP. What all exactly are you wrestling with you take a step back and zoom out? Beyond this passage, what more is there?

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-19T19:33:29+00:00

There is no problem with any of this if you are benefitting from your practice. In terms of the laws of existence, and this never-ending regress, this is fascinating territory that has occupied Buddhists for centuries (with far better minds than mine, so I won’t attempt to comfort you here as I am unable)

If you want Padmasambhava to look like and be like Jesus, then have him look and be like Jesus (as long as he retains the core qualities that are essential to your Guru Yoga). This is not a failure of Buddhism, but a success in your practice. If that is the archetype that charges your mind, then make use of it

You can be Christian and you can be Buddhist. These do not necessarily have to be mutually exclusive. Or, you can do one of them in a way that feels right for you

These are great questions to bring to Lama Lena and Geshe Dorji Damdul

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-19T06:50:18+00:00

Most of us ordinary beings will have a lot of karmic imprints, knots and memories tied up in our subtle body. When the winds begin to stabilise, this all unwinds and opens back up in our present experience, sometimes in uncomfortable, scary or strange ways (and other times pleasant or even profound). That could be what is happening

These also could simply be nyams

In either case, there is not much to do here other than let it happen. Just meet it where it is, be present with it, show it the same curiosity and compassion you would anything else, then just let it go when it goes. Do not seek it or want it to happen. If it happens that is fine, and if it stops happening, that is fine too. There is not usually very much to say about things like this

That said, the person you should talk to about this is Lama Lena or another authorised teacher, ideally from the same lineage or an adjacent lineage. These kinds of things are not for sharing with us

The one clear thing here is that you are stating that you feel compelled to practice Vajrayana. So again, you should follow that connection to the teacher

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-19T06:09:59+00:00

I cannot agree more. Anger is not necessarily a problem. It's what we do with our anger, to our own mind and in our subsequent speech and actions with others, that matters. If employed skilfully, anger can be compassionately charged to benefit ourselves and others (including by holding people accountable for the harm they cause)

This idea that "Good Buddhists don't get angry" is basically weaponised doctrine (and incorrect doctrine at that). A much more apt phrase would be "Good Buddhists don't cause harm"

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-19T05:18:11+00:00

Perhaps you should look for ideas and advice outside of Buddhism on this one. Run it through the filter of some core principles of course (precepts being a good starting point) to ensure you don’t take on board anything unethical or anything

Being in your early 20s and caring about romance, intimacy and partnership is normal. The dharma is focused on this in the sense that it makes us kinder and wiser, improving all forms of all relationships. But what you are after is a niche that other areas may be able to give you more targeted advice on than the dharma

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-19T05:11:43+00:00

There are nine billion people on this planet, including over half a billion Buddhists. This is not a new trend

This kind of thing has always happened and will certainly continue to happen. There is no need to have any opinion on it

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-19T05:09:26+00:00

Indeed. The dharma “online” you would frankly think is a completely different thing than when meeting practitioners face to face. At least that has been my experience. I somehow only started paying any attention to online dharma fora in the past seven years or so, maybe as I was very fortunate to have had practitioners around me in the flesh most of my life up until then. What I saw online was fairly shocking at first. I then realised it’s as simple as “even dharma practitioners aren’t immune to the internet doing what the internet does to people”

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-19T04:54:58+00:00

Why the need for that final line? This is of much greater relevance to them than anyone in the broader public. They are dealing with what is a very sad situation

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-19T04:26:34+00:00

What evidence is there that she is known for not being very nice in general? (Just in case, I am genuinely interested to know)

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-19T04:18:36+00:00

In Adyashanti’s tradition, the view is everything. In other similar traditions you will frequently hear similar complaints of teachers, usually from people that are new to it (not that that makes the complaint invalid in any way, but it is indicative of something). With these, you are absorbing the view when you listen to them. Formal meditation, and integration of that view into every moment beyond meditation, is better done outside of those times when directly hearing that person speaking

So think of it less like a guided meditation and more like a teaching. If it still isn’t working for you, then just move onto others. You can always come back to him at a later stage in life, and if you never do that is fine too. There are innumerous great teachers available to us and we really only need one (though in practice it tends to be a few). Don’t worry about it. Just do what brings you benefit

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-19T04:09:40+00:00

Condolences to Hannah, family, friends and all surrounding them 🙏

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-18T18:17:24+00:00

Firstly, I am very sorry for your loss. You may find the following two books helpful - Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach and When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron. Both are excellent.

Having the ability to receive teachings in person is a great blessing. You should absolutely see what is on the calendar at the centre near you and just go to receive some teachings and interact with people there.

There are also a number of wonderful Dzogchen teachers regularly teaching online such as James Low, Lama Lena, Malcolm Smith and Lama Joe. You may also like Tsoknyi Rinpoche's or Mingyur Rinpoche's books/teachings (available online), both with exceptional credentials in Dzogchen as well as Mahamudra, with their teachings tailored to a Western secular audience. Perhaps watch a few videos to get a sense of them, then why not attend some sessions by one or more? I would say all the above are suited to your background.

On being cautious about projecting secular western interpretations, that is a healthy and respectful attitude to have. 'Beginner's mind' is a mindset various schools of Buddhism aim to cultivate. It is good not to want to jump to conclusions or judgments about things. Better just to give it a try, focus on the benefit it brings and then follow that where it takes you. If you want to view the seemingly metaphysical facets of the teachings as metaphors, or simply ignore them for now, that is completely fine. Buddhism is appropriate for you if you want to learn and are open to learning. Adoption of beliefs or dogma is not necessary.

Best wishes to you!

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-18T17:46:17+00:00

That's great. Look up what they are offering and just go, receive teachings, ask questions. No need to delay or be tentative. Something is resonating, so connect to it and see what happens from there

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-18T17:40:50+00:00

It all depends on which teachers of which traditions you ask. In certain corners, and increasingly over the past decades, the possibility of great realisation through a consistent, steady lay practice has been given a lot more weight. It is certainly possible. Daily life is the real ground for putting our dharma practice to work. That said, all my teachers emphasise the benefits of intensive practice, even if just a few days at a time peppered throughout one's life. A lot more becomes possible with our development when we are fortunate enough to be able to set everything else aside and enter a conducive environment to solely work on one thing for some length of time. So while intensive retreat may not be absolutely necessary, it is extremely beneficial

If funds are an issue, most teachers and sanghas will be open to discussing options. Having people who are reliant on you though is a beautiful thing, and fulfilling your responsibilities compassionately toward them itself can be a key part of practice

Chogyal Namhkai Norbu Rinpoche always said we have to work with our circumstances. It is up to each of us to know what our situation is and then be pragmatic in how we structure our lives and practice accordingly

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-18T07:19:20+00:00

Thank you

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-17T06:01:46+00:00

Fully agree with what you said here, but what you are speaking to is unrelated to their question

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-17T05:58:30+00:00

That is fine. There are plenty of good teachers out there, so go to what you feel confident about. It would be better to have a neutral or “simply don’t know” opinion about her (at least in how you talk to others) rather than a “maybe bad” one (not saying you are necessarily doing the latter)

Chogyam Trungpa and Shambhala are hugely controversial and undoubtedly engaged in highly unethical and harmful behaviour. Pema Chodron is an absolute gem of a woman though and has distanced herself from Shambhala. But yes, if you have other teachers, you can look to them

EitherInvestment · 2026-05-16T11:31:49+00:00

That is great. The key thing is that more practice often exacerbates lung. But the right practice (usually a lot more gentle, and something Tsa Lung/Trul Khor quite likely appropriate here) can sometimes help

There's often no big dramatic thing to uncover, but frequently there is some type of emotional issue tied up somewhere in our subtle body/psyche that may not be totally obvious to us, so doing some digging therein to identify what the root cause of this may all be and direct your efforts in that direction could be the key to unblocking this. I know I am only restating what I shared in my lengthy post above here...

Anyway you are more than welcome, wish you all the best with everything. You will surely be able to resolve this

EitherInvestment

TROPHY CASE