Theos-Talk Archives (May 1996 Message tl00456)

Some responses to Rich:

Rich, I agree completely up until the following:

>I think HPB would have had a VERY difficult time explaining to the Victorian
>public exactly how to distinguish between LITERAL and METAPHORICAL sexual
>symbolism, and so probably thought it better to leave off discussion of the
>Tantras.  She was most certainly opposed to monks LITERALLY practicing sex
>according to Tantric symbolism, becuase it would not only break their vows
>but because of all the occult effects of sexual relations which she discusses
>in a few private documents.  This is also the position of the Gelug-pa school
>today, that the sexual symbolism in the Tantras CANNOT be practised
>physically by monks.

The "the occult effects of sexual relations" is flapdoodle.  Its *only* a bad
thing if
you have taken a vow of celibacy.  The vast majority of Tibetan Tantric
practitioners
endorse sex with what they call the karmamudra (action seal) or sexual
partner.  In fact, the general canon is that it is absolutely necessary in order
to generate the bliss that is needed to unite with emptiness.  This is usually
symbolized by meditation on the Buddhas and saints in sexual union with
their feminine consorts.
	However, a higher form of sexual magic is practiced called
jnanamudra or meditation seal, where the sexual partner is a visualization--
the anima in a psychological sense.  Herbert Guenther's THE TANTRIC
VIEW OF LIFE describes the karmamudra, jnanamudra, and mahamudra
quite well.
	Other that this differing view on sexual magic ala tantricism, I
enjoyed your post and agree with you.

	Jerry S.
	Member, TI



This is very disappointing to modern Westerners, who have rushed to the
stores to buy "tantric sex" books.  Forgive me, but I have only the most
nauseous reaction to this kind of materialization of the Tantras.  They were
never meant as a kind of "Kama-sutra" to titillate the public, but formed the
culmination of YEARS of straight Abhidharma and Mahayana study, reserved only
for the elite, initiated few.

This kind of materialization could only have been expected, however, and HPB
thus spoke of Tantras as little as possible, knowing that they would be made
public by the lama preservers soon enough.

At least, that's my take on it.