Why are llamas significant?

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tiltbillings
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Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:25 am

Re: Why are llamas significant?

Post by tiltbillings »

Seth19930 wrote:Lama in Tibetan means weighty! I figured it out! Because the dharma is weighty!
lama (blama) literally means "none higher." It is not a direct translation into the Tibetan of guru (Sanskrit; garu in Pali), which means heavy or one with gravitas.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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Aloka
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Re: Why are llamas significant?

Post by Aloka »

tiltbillings wrote:
Seth19930 wrote:Lama in Tibetan means weighty! I figured it out! Because the dharma is weighty!
lama (blama) literally means "none higher." It is not a direct translation into the Tibetan of guru (Sanskrit; garu in Pali), which means heavy or one with gravitas.

From The Berzin Archives:
The Tibetans translated guru as lama (bla-ma). La means unsurpassable or sublime, while ma means mother.

Lamas resemble mothers in that they have given birth internally to what is sublime. In other words, lamas are people who are extraordinarily advanced in spiritual development. Moreover, lamas help others to give birth to their own achievements of similar states.

http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/ar ... er_02.html

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Raitanator
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Re: Why are llamas significant?

Post by Raitanator »

It actually depends on what you practice. At some point, lama might become essential for the path, especially if one is trying to engage to tantric practices. As they saying goes: "guru is the path". However, there's plenty of mahayana, and some similar to theravadin tradition, which doesn't require any commitment or guru-disciple relationship. In addition, guru doesn't necessarily have to be a monk or a nun. There are also gurus who are laypeople.
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