Alex Wilding

Many of the talks that were described as teachings were basically inspirational in nature. They were entertaining and encouraging, but it can't be said that they were terribly informative.

Many of the talks that were described as teachings were basically inspirational in nature. They were entertaining and encouraging, but it can't be said that they were terribly informative.

In the end, perhaps that was a good thing because I realised that if I was ever going to have an idea of what I was trying to do, I was going to have to find it out for myself, leading up to what some might say is the rather excessive library of Buddhist books I've collected over the years.

In the end, perhaps that was a good thing because I realised that if I was ever going to have an idea of what I was trying to do, I was going to have to find it out for myself, leading up to what some might say is the rather excessive library of Buddhist books I've collected over the years.

To begin, so that you have at least a vague hook on which to hang your understanding, we should note that the word Tsok literally means multitudes.

To begin, so that you have at least a vague hook on which to hang your understanding, we should note that the word Tsok literally means multitudes.

In an ideal Tsok Puja, lots of Dharma brothers and sisters come together with their teacher and make mountains of offerings to the Buddhas, the deities, the lamas of the lineage, along with confession prayers and in combination with eating and drinking, singing and having a jolly time. The practice, however, can vary an awful lot.

In an ideal Tsok Puja, lots of Dharma brothers and sisters come together with their teacher and make mountains of offerings to the Buddhas, the deities, the lamas of the lineage, along with confession prayers and in combination with eating and drinking, singing and having a jolly time. The practice, however, can vary an awful lot.

The scope of a tsok puja, such as you'll find in real life, varies enormously. The liturgy, in some cases, can be boiled down to just a few lines, but it can also be expanded to many, many pages of prayers and offerings for this and that, taking an hour or, to be quite honest, even some hours to get through it.

The scope of a tsok puja, such as you'll find in real life, varies enormously. The liturgy, in some cases, can be boiled down to just a few lines, but it can also be expanded to many, many pages of prayers and offerings for this and that, taking an hour or, to be quite honest, even some hours to get through it.

It is a joyful celebration, at least it should be joyful, in which we, the yogis and yoginis, that is the male and female practitioners respectively, come together to celebrate and renew their vows in the presence of their Lama.

It is a joyful celebration, at least it should be joyful, in which we, the yogis and yoginis, that is the male and female practitioners respectively, come together to celebrate and renew their vows in the presence of their Lama.

Normally the Lama is present as the head of this assembly, but let me remind you of the broad meaning that Lama can have in these contexts which I talked about in an earlier episode. In a sense here, the Lama represents the tantric equivalent of the Buddha, while the yogis and yoginis are the tantric equivalent of the Sangha, that is to say, the community of Buddhist practitioners.

Normally the Lama is present as the head of this assembly, but let me remind you of the broad meaning that Lama can have in these contexts which I talked about in an earlier episode. In a sense here, the Lama represents the tantric equivalent of the Buddha, while the yogis and yoginis are the tantric equivalent of the Sangha, that is to say, the community of Buddhist practitioners.

The other prominent figures in the tantric landscape, the protectors, the dakinis and so on, are also visualised and held to be present. This practice originated in India more than a thousand years ago, amongst communities who were at least to some extent on the edge of society.

The other prominent figures in the tantric landscape, the protectors, the dakinis and so on, are also visualised and held to be present. This practice originated in India more than a thousand years ago, amongst communities who were at least to some extent on the edge of society.

It does appear likely that not only the singing and dancing, but the consumption of plenty of intoxicants, along with the food, the singing, the dancing and lovemaking, were performed as written. A veritable orgy, in other words. Do not, however, expect or fear that that is what you will find at a Tibetan Buddhist centre these days.

It does appear likely that not only the singing and dancing, but the consumption of plenty of intoxicants, along with the food, the singing, the dancing and lovemaking, were performed as written. A veritable orgy, in other words. Do not, however, expect or fear that that is what you will find at a Tibetan Buddhist centre these days.

Probably that kind of transgressive activity had a liberating effect breaking through the stiff and oppressive social structures of the time. But circumstances changed, both in the course of the transmission to Tibet and, believe it or not, in the course of the experience of many centuries.

Probably that kind of transgressive activity had a liberating effect breaking through the stiff and oppressive social structures of the time. But circumstances changed, both in the course of the transmission to Tibet and, believe it or not, in the course of the experience of many centuries.