Minds in danger

"Minds in Danger" (illustration by The Statesman)

From the point of view of the unity of opposites, the sacred cannot be an absolute reality that transcends the world (‘the profane’), because ‘the sacred’ is defined in relation to the ‘profane’, and created through ‘consecrations’ by means of precepts, rites, methods, substances, etc. within the domain of the profane. Yet, “the sacred” is considered as other than and superior to the profane. It is sacred merely through the joint decision of a community and that constitutes the bond (samaya) of that community. In fact, what is actually "sacred" is that very bond, without which ‘the sacred’ collapses. That bond is the weakest and strongest point of ‘the sacred’. There is no sacred without profane, as there is no light without darkness. The 'sacred’ will exist as long as the bond is maintained by a community. Any divine Light, God’s truth, absolute truth etc. does not exist independently from the community believing in it and living it out..

The hidden children of Ruinerworld Farm, documentary by Jessica Villerius

I recently watched a moving documentary by Jessica Villerius, called “The hidden children of Ruinerworld Farm” (De kinderen van Ruinerwold, in Dutch language, VPN required) and read the book “Wij waren, ik ben: weg uit Ruinerwold” written by Israel van Dorsten, one of the survivors, who gives a precious inside perspective and analysis.

The discovery of the 6 hidden children of 67-year old Gert-Jan van Dorsten in a Dutch farm was world news in 2019. Three older children had already escaped earlier, but without alerting the Dutch authorities. The six youngest children, unknown and not registered by the Dutch authorities, remained in the grip of their father, a former member of the Moon sect, who thought himself to be a Messiah directly appointed by God. The documentary tells the gradual liberation of the older children from the influence of their father, and from his indoctrination. Since Gert-Jan van Dorsten had suffered a stroke in 2016 that left him partially paralyzed and unable to speak, he was declared unfit to stand trial.

Without going into the complex details (the unimaginable mental and physical abuse) of the case, I will mainly focus on the role of the mother and - after her death in 2003 - of the children as spirit mediums, and vessels for spirits from the 'spirit world'. The 'Prime Father', as he claimed to be called, used the bodies and minds of his wife and children as vessels for spirits, with whom he then 'communicated'. Israel van Dorsten, the author of the above mentioned book, explains how at one time he was the 'host' of a hundred different spirits that took the place of his own core identity. When a child was hosting a spirit, he (after the mother only two male children served as mediums) spoke and acted as that spirit, and was addressed by his father, brothers and sisters as effectively being that spirit. If the child medium thought himself to be his ordinary self and acted as such, he would expose himself to brutal punishment. The other children exposed themselves to punishment too, if they forgot to treat their mother and brother(s) as the spirit, at various periods. The mother was the first medium and after her death, the second son became the second medium. The eldest son was rejected straight away as a bad influence and had to live apart from the rest of the family in the same house. After the escape of the second son, the third son and author of the book became the spirit medium.  

In the father’s mind, and consequently through his continuous indoctrination in that of the children, punishment (long cold baths, severe beating, strangling aka “killing a ghost”, being locked up with the dog in a shed for months in a row) was not seen as punishment, but as a sort of “purification”, in order for the children to become clean again and to serve as a medium. To be clean, they should not be ‘under’, i.e. under the influence of someone else, a spirit, or simply the evil outside world, including the school the three oldest children went to, because they were registered children. Their minds were purified by intensive praying. When their mother was still alive and served as the medium, she got the same treatment (abuse) from the “Prime father”. When she was hosting a spirit in her body, she would sit on a chair, and was to be treated by the rest of the family as that specific spirit and not as their mother.

All “communications” with spirits and direct “instructions received from God” were written down by the “Prime father”. Many exchanges with his family were recorded and filmed, so that the children could listen to them and watch them again later for their further education... Some of this footage has been used in the documentary. Since the six youngest children were unknown to the Dutch authorities, they were kept at home and didn’t go to school. They were educated and indoctrinated by their father and Messiah. The “Prime Father” also had some disciples with whom he exchanged via Myspace, Facebook etc. and who made donations to him, allowing the family to continue living their hidden life.

Was Gert-Jan van Dorsten insane or suffering from theomania? He surely was a self-proclaimed sect leader that didn’t make it into a recognised religious leader. He was very disappointed that Rev. Sun Myung Moon, whose teachings he followed until then, didn’t recognize his special status as a Messiah. Was Rev. Sun Myung Moon suffering from theomania? Or those following any self-proclaimed Messiah? At what point can religious beliefs be considered theomania? The superiority of the Heavenly realms and the inferiority of the Earth, the existence of a Spirit World separate from the Physical World, The different nature of Soul, Mind and Body, a Soul entering and leaving a Body, ascending beyond the limits of the universe, and being reborn again into a new body are all common and acceptable religious beliefs. Having thoughts, emotions and beliefs is something all humans share naturally. To fully live by specifically selected or culturally inherited beliefs can already be more problematic, and within private circles ruled by sacred bonds, it is bound to turn into a disaster and DARVO behavior.

In religious, spiritual or esoteric circles, it is not considered insane to believe in a body serving as a medium for a spirit. It is not insane to believe in exorcism/purification as a means to efficiently expel a spirit that took possession of a body. Is it insane to punish/”purify”/correct a child for not following religious precepts? Not really, it often is even considered as part of a good or tough but necessary education.

I already wrote[1] about the phenomenon of children used as mediums in Tibetan Buddhism. Young children can be recognised as avatars born into a mortal human body with the mission to bring new Revelations or updates of former Revelations (gter ma). The Tibetan Nyingma tradition defined rules for children to qualify as an authentic Revealer (gter ston). These rules can be found in the Lungten Kagyama (The Command Seal of Prophecies), a Revelation attributed to Padmasambhava and rediscovered by tertön Sangye Lingpa (1340–1396[2]). The age of thirteen seems to be the time for a child recognised as a Revealer to be properly consecrated.

Tertön Mingyur Dorje (1645 - 1667) is an interesting example, because, since he died at a very young age, his hagiography (The All Pervading Melodious Sound of Thunder, the Outer Liberation Story of Terton Migyur Dorje, TBRC W1KG1934) was written by his tutor and “impresario” Karma Chakme (karma chags med, 1613–1678)[3]. The hagiography is mainly a collection of justifications for Mingyur Dorje’s status as a Revealer (tertön).

“In stories of Terton Migyur Dorje’s past lives and in his liberation stories, I [Karma Chakme] have almost always been connected with him. In this life I am also the successor of his Namcho teachings; the terton is the deity on whom my flower fell. His teachings are my fortune. Serving this special being and his special teachings makes my life meaningful. This is my motivation for writing. I believe I am performing a service by writing this liberation story, and I have no aspiration to worldly position or any other aspirations. I am not writing out of a desire for fame, thinking that if the terton becomes famous I will become well-known in the process. Nor have I any desire to become a scholar, wishing to become renowned by writing many volumes. I have no desire to amass wealth; nor do I hope to benefit in a worldly way if the terton attracts many followers.” All Pervading Melodious Sound of Thunder, p. 7

Karma Chakme explains how in the Buddha’s heart, Akaniṣṭha, there are a billion Padmasambhava/Guru Rinpoche, how the Guru Rinpoche we know will have one billion emanations, and that one of these was Tertön Mingyur Dorje, who was also thought to be the tulku of Kathog Wangdrag Gyatso. Moreover, a Tibetan Revealer must also be physically born in a clan descending from the legendary king Trisong Deutsen, an emanation of Mañjuśrī. Karma Chakme gives a great deal of attention to Migyur Dorje’s alleged blood connections with Tibetan dharma kings[4].

Mingyur Dorje was living with his "sinful" maternal grandfather, who was a hunter and a drunk. Since it was dangerous[5] for Mingyur Dorje to remain “unrecognized”, Karma Chagme decided to go and see Mingyur Dorje’s father. When Mingyur Dorje arrives in Karma Chakme’s residence, he investigates his birthmarks in accordance with the statements made by Guru Rinpoche in the Lungten Kagyama.

“When [Karma Chakme] asked the terton whether he remembered his past life, he replied, “I am Lama Tsultrim Dorje. When I was younger I had many things to tell, but now I have forgotten and have nothing to say.”

Karma Chakme conferred initiations and teachings to Mingyur Dorje, although Mingyur Dorje was thought to have already received them in previous lives[6]. After these preparations Karma Chakme started his retreat together with the 11-year old Mingyur Dorje, who initially was said to be very restless[7]. Then the future tertön started having visions of various deities. Mingyur Dorje would roll out thankas of specific deities and subsequently had visions of that specific deity. He would then roll up the thanka, and roll out one of another deity, had visions of the latter, etc. Karma Chakme tells how Mingyur Dorje once prevented a lunar eclipse by practicing prāṇāyāma, so that the “poor moon” would not be swallowed by Rahula…[8]

Karma Chakme never left Mingyur Dorje alone and they even slept in the same bed[9]. After having overcome specific obstacles to Mingyur Dorje’s Revealer activity, the tertön was finally ready for the transmission of the Namchö Revelations. Various deities appeared to him, starting with Dharmakaya Samantabhadra, followed by the Great Compassionate One and the Great Padmasambhava in person. Finally the Great Compassionate One also transmitted the Dzogchen teachings.

“The Namcho teachings contain so many tantras, sadhanas, empowerments and yogic activities, and the attributes of so many deities that we have never known and cannot differentiate that even a person with a sharp intellect cannot recall them. No other treasure teachings have this quality, which is a wonder of wonders.”

Karma Chakme takes on criticism about his claim that Mingyur Dorje stayed for three years with Guru Rinpoche in Chamaradvipa (p. 86), and blames it on the lack of faith of the critics. He quotes from Ratna Lingpa’s treasure teaching called the Middle Length Prophecy:

“My manifestations will be unfathomable
Every morning and every night I will benefit beings of Tibet
In particular, I will personally come on the morning of the tenth day of every Tibetan month;
To those with deep faith in me, I will come in actuality.”

In the same Prophecy, Guru Rinpoche prophecies Mingyur Dorje as a Revealer. At the end of their 3-year retreat, Mingyur Dorje urged Karma Chakme to ask him for anything else he may need, before leaving the retreat, because

“When the Namcho treasures are completely revealed, there will be no more visions,” he said; even if he had some, he would have no opportunity to ask the deities.” (p. 92)

It is interesting to see the parallels between both situations. Children trained, indoctrinated and used as mediums, locked up from the outside world in order to keep potential negative influences at bay. This can create a paranoiac mindset, where one feels threatened, both by enemies from the “physical world” and the “spirit world”. In the case of Karma Chakme and Mingyur Dorje, since there was only the both of them in retreat, their fusion was almost total. Karma Chakme feeds Mingyur Dorje’s mind with data, stories, images (thankas), initiations, rituals for all purposes, day in day out, and, as a result, Mingyur Dorje starts dreaming about it, having visions, daydreams, and finally Mingyur Dorje, somehow identifying with entities from Akaniṣṭha (the Divine light), gives the Revelations he receives in his mind to Karma Chakme. Mingyur Dorje may not have fully understood the revelations, but Karma Chakme noted them down and interpreted them according to the proper Doctrine.

What is particularly interesting in the experience of Israel van Dorsten (and his brothers and sisters), is - after having lived together 24/7 for many years - how well they had learned to “read” their father/Messiah. They knew all his whims and mood swings. Through the continuous threat of mental and physical abuse the children managed to intuit the “right” answers their father expected, or that would most likely satisfy him. In the last year before he ran away from home, Israel finally managed to “talk directly” with God, wrote down God’s words and showed them to his father, who initially acknowledged they were indeed God’s words. Israel felt that two minds were living simultaneously in his body. Just like the Rev. Sun Myung Moon taught in English, and his father’s instructions were given in English, God too talked in English to Israel, while using the proper jargon:

‘Now God wants to rebuild the ideal world. This is the task of the people in Eden. But the evil side is still trying to expand their evil and therefore tries to block the people of Eden from building the ideal world under God. ’

‘The main goal of the attacks of the evil side is to disconnect the people in Eden from God. So the first task for Eden's defense is to stay connected to God because otherwise the war against the evil ones can never be won and the enemy will take control.’

‘How must Eden be protected against these attacks? All people and beings are in different stages of restoration, some beings are closer to God and more pure and other beings are very evil and far away from God... In and around Eden the people further away from God protect the ones closer to God. If this principle is kept there can be made a good system of defense and all other tasks for the defense of Eden can be fulfilled.’

These are the main tasks for the defense of Eden.’

Israel spent his days praying, reading his father’s books, noting down all the ideas he received. He kept files of the 100 spirits hosted in his body, and ended up exhausted by the continuous presence of two voices in his head. He found it difficult to fall asleep.

“After a few months, I notice how gruelling this new way of life is. Doing what God's voice in my head wants all day is deadly exhausting. It is a constant dialogue between the two characters in my head.

The moments before bed are the worst. Sleeping without God is bad. Then you can come under a bad influence. The only way to make sure this doesn't happen is to go to bed praying. So that's what I do, every night. But with two chattering voices in your head, you can't really sleep. Often it is practically impossible. I get more and more tired[10].”

Simultaneously Israel, who already had some doubts, started having access to the Internet, thus coming under various bad influences… When the father finally suggested that Israel’s “God” could be a Gnostic demiurge and not the real God, Israel started doubting everything he believed in until then, including the existence of God[11]. It ended with Israel leaving Ruinerwold Farm and abandoning the faith of his father altogether, like his brothers and sisters.

Karma Chakme’s hagiography explains how Mingyur Dorje “revealed profound and visionary concealed teachings, mind treasures from the space of his mind”.

“Terton Migyur Dorje then told me that if he wished he could write instructions that had never before been recorded. He wrote down a few, and I asked whether his deity had spoken them. He answered that he had heard nothing from his deity. Did he then compose them in his mind? I asked. He responded by asking me how he could possibly know such a style of composition. Next, I asked whether he had written down whatever appeared in his spiritual experience, such as songs arisen from spiritual experiences. He replied that these instructions could not appear as spiritual songs. I again asked whether he wrote down whatever appeared in his mind without any forethought, and he said there would not be much benefit in doing that.

So I asked exactly how he wrote them down, and he responded that just as he could see very clearly whatever objects did or didn’t exist in the house, he could in the same way see all the specific wisdom deities and mundane protectors, their complexions, their implements, and their mantras, as well as the methods required to accomplish them, regardless of whatever their respective collective domain of activities might be.

He could also see that major deities and spirits have life force mantras that can be practiced and he saw the specific activities that can be accomplished. He saw that some cannot accomplish any activities, and that some minor deities and spirits lack life force mantras. He knew whether or not they could benefit others if propitiated, even if they could not accomplish the methods for yogic accomplishment. He saw how specific mantras, substances and auspicious remedies could help cure different diseases but that these methods are not inexhaustible, and do not occur according to one’s wishes. Some deities have rich yogic methods for accomplishment while others have only limited powers. Few instructions on this topic have been written in short form.” (p. 113)

After his retreat and the receiving of the Namchö Revelations, Mingyur Dorje became a celebrated tertön, subjugating demons and opening “sacred places”, future places of worship and circumambulation[12], in remote areas.

“Some unintelligent people who have not studied the teachings may doubt the veracity of reports that a sacred place exists in some out of the way area and that whoever circumambulates it will gather countless merit. To such individuals, I [Karma Chakme] say that the buddhas’ virtuous activities and methods to benefit beings are unfathomable, appearing as ships, bridges, rocks, earth, water, fire, wind and so on, whatever can benefit beings and tame them according to their mental capacities. The sutras and tantras show this in detail.” (p. 110-111)

Mingyur Dorje died prematurely at the age of 23.

“Karma Chakme immediately commenced necessary prayers and rituals and made arrangements for the funeral. Rumors arose that Mingyur Dorje had been poisoned, but the accusation did not gain credibility.” (Treasury of Lives)

Children used as spirit mediums have a long history. Starting in Egypt.

“In one such spell in the London-Leiden Papyrus, the magician is to take a bronze bowl engraved with a figure of Anubis, fill it with water and cover the water with a film of oil. The child medium is to be made to lie on four bricks with a cloth over his head. The magician lights a lamp on one side of the child and a censer on the other. He is then to burn exotic incense and chant an invocation to Anubis over and over again. It is hardly surprising that a child who was susceptible to influence would begin to see pictures in the oil. This was a private rite, of a type disapproved of by the Roman government. In earlier times, when magic was more socially acceptable, large groups of people might come together to achieve a visionary frenzy through music, dance and song.” Geraldine Pinch - Magic in Ancient Egypt, British Museum Press (1994), p. 88-89

In Gnostic and Hermetic circles.

“T. - Why do you say that, O Trismegistus?

H. - Look at the soul of a child, my son, that has not yet accepted its own separation. Its body is not yet grown and has not fully developed. How beautiful it is to behold in every way! Not yet soiled by the experiences of the body, still virtually depending upon the soul of the cosmos. But when the body has grown large and drags the soul down to its grossness, the soul separates itself, forgets and does not partake of beauty and goodness. Forgetting becomes her corruption.” The Corpus Hermeticum: Book 10, The Way Of Hermes, Clement Salaman, 2020

In Buddhist Tantrism in China.

In the "Sūtra of the Yogin” (Yuqi jing, T. 867), translated into Chinese by Vajrabodhi , the following procedure is explained.

"If with a spell (dhāraṇī) you charge girls and boys with power,
You can bring about the āveśa [the 'possession'],
Of the things of the three worlds and the three ages,
Thus you can learn good or bad omen."

And:

"Take virgin boys and girls,
Bathe them, dress them in fresh clothes,
Make them take the Bodhisattva vow,
And place them on a bed of white flowers,
Recite incantations over them, cover their faces,
And recite again, a thousand and eight times,
Then they will know the āveśa directly,
Sometimes their bodies will hang in the air,
Of all things past, present and to come,
They shall have full knowledge[13]." Michel Strickmann, Mantras et mandarins p.220

Times have changed. What once may have been acceptable as a religious tradition no longer is, as we can see in the Ruinerwold Farm case. Gert-Jan van Dorsten’s private cult was fed by well known religious ideas, its basic frame being that of Moon’s Unification Church, to which van Dorsten added Christian, Gnostic and Shamanist beliefs. I am not aware of the origin of his particular ‘spirit medium’ method.

It is particularly shocking that children are secluded and withheld from participating in society and going to school; that they are fed paranoiac ideas about an evil world; that they are fed ideas about a “spirit world” and its superiority; that they have to treat their father as a Messiah and his words as God’s words; that they are forbidden to see and treat their “spirit medium” mother as their mother and their “spirit medium” brothers as their brothers; that they are severely punished physically, verbally, mentally and spiritually if they don’t execute the orders given by their father; that they are forced to renounce their own identity and serve as vessels for spirits.

In other words, it is shocking when children are asked to fear and reject “the physical world”, including their own this-worldly identity and develop a “sacred outlook”, in order to give full priority to the restoration/advent of “Eden”. Not as a simple “belief”, but most concretely so, and in a totalitarian way, always and everywhere… Imposing on children such a religion or a cult, whether a “world religion” or a clandestine cult, is not acceptable.

***

[1] Le Franchissement du pic dans la lignée Kagyu 13/12/2014
Transmissions célestes 03/10/2017

[2] Guru Chowang (1212 - 1270) was a early Revealer, who set down some rules for future Revealers.

“Chokyi Wangchuk was also instrumental in establishing the notion that treasure revelation requires the practice of sexual yoga. He claimed that he could not understand one of his own revelations, the Kabgye Sangwa Yongdzok (bka' brgyad gsang ba yongs rdzogs) until after he had opened his yogic central channel via sexual yoga. His consort was Jomo Menmo (jo mo sman mo), an established treasure revealer herself.” Treasury of Lives

[3] “Someone might say that Migyur Dorje should have written his own liberation story, and ask why I deserve to write it. In fact, various Buddhist traditions have many examples of vajra masters writing their noble disciples’ liberation stories and eulogies. Lord Buddha praised the shravakas’ good qualities in the vinaya and the sutras. Je Mikyodpa wrote a liberation story of Shamar Kunchog Bang as well as an instruction manual on it. Norbu Gyenpa wrote Jatson Nyingpo’s liberation story, being both his teacher and his disciple. Similar cases abound, as most liberation stories have been compiled by the master’s main personal disciples. Thus, I, Karma Chagme, am a suitable person to compile this liberation story.” All Pervading Melodious Sound of Thunder, p. 4

[4] “Despite being born in a lineage of Tibet’s great dharma kings, Terton Migyur Dorje had no domain, so someone might ask, “What is the point of being born in that lineage?” Indicating Guru Rinpoche’s particular compassion towards the lineage of Tibetan dharma kings, the Leu Dunma (Seven Chapter Supplication to Guru Rinpoche) states:

Beginning with King Trisong Deutsen
As long as the lineage of the dharma kings does not perish
Pray to me without any doubt or a divided mind
I will look upon you with unchanging compassion.

When Migyur Dorje and others who hold King Trisongs lineage read that specific stanza while reciting the Seven Chapter Supplication, tears fall from their eyes and they weep openly.” All Pervading Melodious Sound of Thunder, p. 21

[5] "In a similar way, since Terton Migyur Dorje went unrecognized for a long time, his benefit to beings was limited, and many dakinis came to call him to the pure land". All Pervading Melodious Sound of Thunder, p. 32

[6] “Terton Migyur Dorje himself said: “Though I have previously received all empowerments and oral transmissions, and there is nothing that I do not know, I pretend to receive empowerments and oral transmissions and to study the scriptures.” p. 50

[7] “I thought the time had come for Terton Migyur Dorje to spend some time with me in retreat. Although it would have been beneficial for him to practice for a while on the two phases of sadhana, approach and accomplishment, he would not remain in one place for even an instant, but was always running, jumping and shouting to the sky. Exasperated, I wondered why he could not stay still in retreat.”
“One day the terton drew a picture of two lamas in retreat; one carried a bamboo stick and made the gesture of issuing an order while the other sat quietly and obediently. He told me to draw a picture of his home with people spinning hand prayer wheels. I did what he asked and from then on, the terton sat on his seat all the time, not even opening his meditation belt. Needing no reminder, he regularly performed the long-life practice, and recited the liturgies of dedicating torma and water torma.”
p. 53

[8] “Most scholars agreed that a full lunar eclipse would occur on the 15th day of the first Tibetan month. The annual calendar published by scholars of astrology said the same thing. Traditionally, people stayed outside when an eclipse was due to occur, making tea and reciting mantras to save the moon from being swallowed by Rahulai. Terton Migyur Dorje and 1 also did this, and talked about whether the moon suffered pain when Rahula swallowed it. He asked, uIs this true or false?” and I replied, “There are different opinions but the Moon Sutra says that the moon suffers when trapped by Rahula.” The terton questioned further, “Who could subdue this planetary spirit?” I answered that Vajrapani and Guru Rinpoche could subdue Rahula. He persisted, asking whether there was any way to stop the sun and moon from being trapped. “If a practitioner can hold his wind energy and prevent the white seminal fluid from entering the central channel then he can stop it,” I replied, recounting the story of how Tserlung Drungpa had performed this feat.

The terton said sadly, “This poor moon, what a pity!” and he prayed to Guru Rinpoche and Vajrapani, pleading repeatedly: “May the moon never be trapped!” Full of emotion and about to weep, he declared, “If Drungpa could do it, then maybe I can also succeed.” He controlled his wind energy for a long time and that night the moon was not trapped.” p. 54

[9] “Yet, because he was a young boy and the retreat place was dark and infested with rats, I did not find this a safe place for him to sleep and had to let him sleep with me.”
“I always shared my bed with the terton and followed him everywhere, whether he was sitting, standing, or bathing.”

[10] “Na een aantal maanden merk ik hoe slopend deze nieuwe manier van leven is. De hele dag doen wat Gods stem in mijn hoofd wil, is dodelijk vermoeiend. Het is een constante dialoog tussen de twee personages in mijn hoofd.

De momenten voor het slapengaan zijn het ergst. Slapen zonder God is slecht. Dan kun je onder slechte invloed komen. De enige manier om ervoor te zorgen dat dit niet gebeurt, is door biddend naar bed te gaan. Dus dat doe ik, iedere avond opnieuw. Maar met twee kletsende stemmen in je hoofd kun je niet echt slapen. Vaak is het praktisch onmogelijk. Ik raak steeds vermoeider.”

[11] "Meanwhile, Father is becoming increasingly convinced that there is also a cosmic false god masquerading as the real God and that very many important people of the past have been deceived by this fraudster. This discovery has profound implications for me. I am beginning to doubt my 'God'. Maybe that is the impostor Father is talking about. [...] All this time, I have been a tool of an evil spirit, a subject of a devil masquerading as God. I am an instrument for the dark powers. Will this ever work out? Can I ever get it right? I don't know anymore, I really don't know."

“Ondertussen raakt vader er steeds meer van overtuigd dat er ook een kosmische valse god bestaat die zich voordoet als de echte God en dat heel veel belangrijke mensen uit het verleden misleid zijn door deze oplichter. Deze ontdekking heeft ingrijpende gevolgen voor mij. Ik begin te twijfelen aan mijn ‘God’. Misschien is dat wel de bedrieger waar vader het over heeft. [...] Al die tijd ben ik een werktuig geweest van een slechte geest, een onderdaan van een duivel die zich als God voordoet. Ik ben een instrument voor de donkere machten. Gaat dit ooit nog goed komen? Kan ik het ooit goed doen? Ik weet het niet meer, ik weet het echt niet meer.”

[12] The benefits are explained in the “Sutra that Shows the Verses of Circumambulations” quoted by Karma Chakme.

“Those who circumambulate sacred places
Will be free from being bom in the eight unfree states of rebirth.

Those who circumambulate sacred places
Will be mindful, wise,
Good complexioned, intelligent,
And will be respected everywhere by everyone.

Those who circumambulate sacred places,
Will be bom in human and god realms
With long lives
And will achieve great fame, etc.”

[13] Dans le « Livre du yogin de tous les yoga du pavillon au faîte de diamant » (T. 867), traduit en chinois par Vajrabodhi, la procédure à suivre est expliquée.

« Si d’une incantation (dhāraṇī) tu charges de puissance filles et garçons,
Tu peux provoquer l’āveśa [la ‘possession’],
Des choses des trois mondes et des trois âges,
Tu peux apprendre le bon ou le mauvais présage. »

Et :

« Prends des garçons et des filles vierges,
Baigne-les, habille-les de frais,
Fais leur prêter le vœu de bodhisattva,
Et installe-les sur un lit de fleurs blanches,
Récite des incantations sur eux, couvre leur visage,
Et récite encore, mille huit fois,
Alors ils connaîtront directement l’āveśa,
Parfois leur corps sera suspendu dans les airs,
De toutes les choses passées, présentes et à venir,
Ils auront une totale connaissance. » [Michel Strickmann, Mantras et mandarins, p.220]

La Terre pure comme modèle

Potala terrestre

C’est sous le règne du Vème Dalaï-Lama (1617-1682) qu’est véritablement né, dans le cadre de la (ré)unification tibétaine, le concept de la théocratie tibétaine (tib. chos srid gnyis ‘brel), un règne à la fois séculier et spirituel, présenté comme un renouveau du système de la période impériale, du moins tel que l’on se l’imaginait au XVIIème siècle.[1]

Dési Sangyé Gyatso (1653-1705)

Le théoricien de ce concept fut le ministre Dési Sangyé Gyatso (1653-1705), le régent (1679-1703) du Vème Dalaï-Lama après la mort de ce dernier, et l’auteur de son hagiographie, où il tissait la généalogie séculière et spirituelle de son maître à partir des lignées du mahāyāna, des lignées royales tibétaines et des lignées de maîtres visionnaires découvreurs de Révélations (tib. gter ston). Le Vème Dalaï-Lama y est présenté comme une émanation d’Avalokiteśvara, qui retourne à la Terre pure du Poṭala, après chaque mission terrestre, pour ensuite y retourner et poursuivre son activité, tout comme les premiers empereurs tibétains remontèrent au ciel après leur règne.  Dési Sangyé Gyatso fut aussi responsable pour la construction du palais du Poṭala à Lhasa (photo ci-dessus). Dési Sangyé Gyatso fut lui-même un visionnaire reconnu par l’école nyingmapa. C’est une rencontre avec une femme nāgā qui lui aurait inspiré le temple secret du Pavillon des nāgās (tib. klu khang) et ses fresques dzogchen[2]. Ce temple est situé sur une petite île au milieu d’un lac derrière le palais du Poṭala.[3]

Karma Chagmé (Rāgāsya, 1613-1678) et Mingyour Dordjé (1645-1667), qui serait le descendant d’un ministre de Trisong Detsen), vécurent à la même époque, et leur œuvre, très visionnaire, semble souscrire aux mêmes prérogatives de l’unification tibétaine. Les doctrines de la Terre pure sont prises comme un modèle pour instaurer une paix durable au Tibet autour d’émanations d’Avalokiteśvara et de ses régents. Une combinaison du ritualisme du vajrayāna, de la sotériologie du mahāyāna et de l’idéalisme de la Terre pure servait à raviver la mémoire impériale et la conscience politique tibétaine au XVIIème siècle (article de Kalkias). Et cette combinaison se retrouve aussi dans le cycle des Dharma célestes de notre duo, qui fait l’union entre les courants de la mahāmudrā et du dzogchen visionnaire (Thugs rje chen po’i dmar khrid phyag rdzogs zung ‘jung thos ba don ldan).

Comme tous les maîtres visionnaires découvreurs de Révélations, Mingyour Dordjé fut reconnu comme l’émanation d'un disciple de Padmasambhava (dans son cas l'émanaton combinée de Pa gor Vairocana et de Shud bu dpal) et confié à l’âge de cinq ans aux bons soins de Karma Chagmé. Ce dernier l’éduqua selon les prescriptions de Gourou Cheuwang (chos kyi dbang phyug, 1212-1270), qui avait établi une sorte de charte pour la tradition des découvreurs de trésors. Ainsi, un découvreur de trésor devait d’abord « ouvrir son canal médian » par la pratique du yoga sexuel, avant d’être opérationnel en tant que terteun. Cela fut chose faite dès que Mingyour Dordjé en était capable. Karma Chagmé raconte comment Mingyour Dordjé, dès la première fois, fit cesser une éclipse lunaire en faisant remonter sa semence (tib. khams dkar po) et força la force vitale de remonter par le canal médian.[4] À en croire le colophon de la prière Chags med bde smon, c’est dès l’âge de treize ans que Mingyour Dordjé eut des visions… Georgios Halkias voit l’œuvre de Karma Chagmé et de Mingyour Dordjé comme une tentative réussie d’intégrer les instructions siddhiques (notamment de yoga sexuel) dans la lignée monastique de dpal yul.

Dans son article, Georgios Halkias développe davantage le mariage entre Terre Pure et vajrayāna, à commencer par le rapprochement de « bde (ba) can » (Sukhavātī) et « bde (ba) chen (po) » (mahāsukha), qui n’est pas fortuite, comme on peut le déduire du titre de la prière composée par Karma Chagmé : « rnam dag bde chen zhing gi smon lam », où Sukhavātī semble habilement remplacé par mahāsukha. Il mentionne une série de pratiques ésotériques qui se rapportent à la Terre pure, et que l’on trouve toutes dans le cycle de Karma Chagmé.

Les rites alchimiques de longévité autour d’Amitāyus (tib. tshe sgrub), le yoga du rêve (tib. rmi lam rnal ‘byor) visant des "voyages astraux" vers la Terre pure, pour y recevoir des instructions, les rites de crémation (tib. ro sreg) et des prescriptions funéraires à l’aide d’une carte d’effigie (tib. byang chog), des offrandes aux divinités de la Terre pure (tib. tshogs mchod), des cartes astrologiques pour déterminer les jours fastes à la pratique des sādhanas d’Amitabha (tib. dpe’u ris dus) ainsi que les rituels de pratique des protecteurs de la Terre pure (tib. zhing skyong).

En ce qui concerne justement la pratique (sādhana) d’Amitābha avec sa consécration (sgrub dang dbang las chog), reçue par le jeune Mingyour Dordjé, elle comprend en outre la pratique du yoga du rêve, des pratiques de longévité et le transfert de la conscience (tib. ‘pho ba).

Il est clair que ce travail prolonge l’œuvre de Karma Lingpa, qui avait pour objectif de développer un monde imaginal auquel furent associées des pratiques yogiques et théistes de type Tariki (force extérieure), où la foi, le culte et la grâce jouent un rôle essentiel. La Terre pure y est mise à pied d’égalité avec le monde imaginal de l’état intermédiaire de la réalité transcendante (tib. chos nyid bar do). Ce monde imaginal est la cible des pratiques visionnaires du Pic de franchissement, (tib. thod brgal) le deuxième pan du dzogchen.

Ces pratiques accordent une place importante aux moines, yogis, visionnaires et prêtres en tant que représentants et intermédiaires du monde imaginal dans la société théocratique tibétaine, et les idées qui les encadrent justifient son hiérarchie par des sources canoniques de sūtras et de tantras.

Extrait du Commentaire des Distiques de Saraha par Advayavajra :

« C'est seulement dans l'imagination que l'on a inventé la légende des douze actes du Bouddha, dans l'espoir que l'imitation de ceux-ci conduise à la délivrance. Pour donner un exemple, les gens non-instruits ne voient pas le palais céleste de Śakra. Alors ils s'en font un modèle qui n'est pas une reproduction conforme[5]. De la même façon, ne voyant pas que le bouddha est intérieur, [les gens non-instruits imaginent que le bouddha est :]
།གང་ཞིག་གང་ལ་གནས་པ་ནི།
Quelqu'un quelque part

[Le bouddha] est présent au sein de l’identité de la conscience individuelle (sct. svacitta) [298], on ne peut pas le voir correctement sous une forme matérielle[6]. Tout comme on ne voit pas [sa propre ombre] dans l'obscurité. Mais en présence du soleil, de la lune ou d'une lampe, [l'ombre] devient visible. De la même façon, on ne voit pas l'élément réel (sct. dharmadhātu) qui est du domaine de l'inconcevable.
།དེ་ནི་དེ་རུ་མ་མཐོང་བ་སྟེ།
Ce n'est pas comme cela qu'on peut voir [le Bouddha]

Celui qui le voit est expert en le bien souverain. Ceux qui ne le voient pas, [le cherchent] dans les mots et les définitions des écritures, des traités.[7] 

***

Des phénomènes similaires chez les théosophes...

[1] Voir : Pure-lands and other visions in seventeenth-century tibet: a gnam chos sādhana for the pure-land sukhāvatī revealed in 1658 by gnam chos mi ‘gyur rdo rje (1645-1667), Georgios Halkias

[2] Georgios Halkias

[3] Wikipedia  Voir aussi Baker

[4] Note de Halkias : « Guru bkra shis 1990: 626. Tsering (1988: 49) recounts the same event without  going into any details. I am grateful to Geshe Gelek Jinpa, who while conducting his own research at the Oriental Institute in Oxford, has been generous with his knowledge during the writing of this article related to my D.Phil. thesis on Buddhist Paradises and Tantric Territories: the Gnam chos Propagation of Amitbha’s Pure-Land in Seventeenthcentury Tibet. »

[5] Et même si la reproduction était conforme, ce ne serait pas le véritable palais céleste qui ne serait pas accessible à travers ce modèle.

[6] gzugs yang dag par rjes su ma mthong ngo/

[7] rang la gnas pa sangs rgyas kyi dgongs pa ni ma mthong/ rnam rtog 'ba' zhig la sangs rgyas kyi mdzad pa bcu gnyis kyi sgrung dang lad mo byas pas thar ba thob tu re ba ni dper na byis pa rnams kyis rnam par rgyal ba'i gzhal yas khang ni ma mthong ltad mo byas pas thog tu ma pheb bzhin du/ sangs rgyas ni rang la gnas pa ma mthong ba yin pas/ gang zhig gang la gnas pa ni/ yang na rang sems mnyam pa nyid kyi ngang la gnas pa ni/ gzugs yang dag par rjes su ma mthong ngo/

Chasser l’ennui en accommodant sa vie et l’au-delà

Gyadangpa (rgya ldang pa bde chen rdo rje) est l'auteur de l'hagiographie la plus ancienne (env. 1258-66) de Réchungpa (ras chung rdo rje grags pa 1083/4-1161), un disciple de Milarepa. Celle-ci raconte comment Réchungpa voyage avec un groupe de gens parmi lesquels figure le maître Dzogchen Kyis ston qui avait un grand nombre de disciples laïques. Quand le groupe loge dans la vallée de Katmandu, peut-être à Thamel Vihara, le maître donne une série d'enseignements sur le Dzogchen, que Réchungpa suit. Réchungpa aperçoit à cette occasion une jeune femme Newar, qui est initialement intéressée par les propos du lama, puis qui commence à s'ennuyer et ne l'écoute plus. Elle dit alors à Réchungpa que le Dzogchen est une pratique que l'on trouve uniquement parmi les yogis tibétains et que c'est une pratique erronée, car elle nie l'existence des dieux et des démons qui sont la source de tous les siddhi… ou alternativement de tous les ennuis.

Réchungpa demande alors à Bharima, car c'est son nom, quelle est sa propre pratique secrète. Elle est choquée qu'il ose même la lui demander et refuse de répondre. Réchungpa se tourne alors vers sa servante qui lui donne une indication en mimant Vajrayoginī. Ladite Bharima s'avérera plus tard être une disciple de Tipupa, un ancien élève de Nāropa, qui transmettra plus tard à Réchungpa le Cycle des neuf cycles de la ḍākinī incorporelle (T. lus med mkha' 'gro skor dgu S. ḍāka-niṣkāya-dharma). Il s'agit des instructions que Tilopa/Tillipa aurait reçues directement de Vajravarāhī. Il les aurait ensuite transmis à Nāropa, qui en aurait transmis quatre à Marpa et le cycle entier à Tipupa. C'est grâce à Réchungpa que le cycle a pu être (ré)intégré dans son intégralité dans la lignée Kagyupa. Il s’agit ici d’une transmission aurale (T. snyan brgyud), qui sonne le retour des « dieux et des démons qui sont la source de tous les siddhi ». Il faut entendre « siddhi » dans le sens de réussites relatives à la fortune, la santé, la longévité, le charisme…

Le Dzogchen « ennuyeux » qu’enseigna Kyis ston était sans doute un cycle d’instructions sur la Pensée éveillée comme celui qui sera rétroactivement nommé « Section de la Pensée » (T. sems sde) et qui appartient à la même catégorie que le Discours du Roi pancréateur (kun byed rgyal po). Certains, comme Keith Dowman, appellent ce type de Dzogchen, le Dzogchen radical. Le message de ce Dzogchen, comme d’ailleurs celui de la Mahāmudrā « radicale », est toujours le même, depuis Saraha qui dit dans ses distiques inlassablement repéter la même chose. Et il est vrai que le Dzogchen et la mahāmudrā « radicaux » se soucient peu des réussites (siddhi), et de ceux qui sont censé les accorder en échange de sacrifices. Milarepa et d’autres ascètes de cette époque, en cela en accord avec les préceptes de l’école Kadampa, iront même jusqu’à dire que l’infortune, la maladie etc. SONT les véritables siddhi… Milarepa ne veut pas des siddhi d’un Bari lotsāva. Mais celui-ci et les méthodes susceptibles de donner accès à toutes les réussites étaient de plus en plus populaires et continuaient d’affluer du Népal, de l’Inde et ailleurs. Les tibétains en redemandaient, encore et encore.

La Percée (Durchbruch)[0] que permettent le Dzogchen et la Mahāmudrā « radicaux » «étaient désormais considérées comme une bonne entrée en matière pour « éradiquer la rigidité » (T. khregs chod), pour déchirer le voile et pour avoir accès à la lumière. La lumière justement, parlons-en. Elle est au centre des discussions, tous les voisins théistes (shivaïstes, soufis, taoistes) en parlent : prakāśa, ābhāsavāda, la théorie de l’illumination de Sohrawardī et ses Terres de lumière… Elle est d’origine divine. La Terre, sublunaire, est couverte d’ombres ; la vraie lumière extirpée de la matière, la Claire Lumière, se trouve là-haut. Là-haut, où vivent également les dieux, sources des siddhi. Après l’interlude ennuyeux du Dzogchen et de la Mahāmudrā « radicaux », on voit apparaître ou ré-apparaître toutes sortes d’instructions pour « monter là-haut », macro et microcosmiquement, afin d’y rencontrer les dieux et de recevoir des siddhi d’eux. Pour garder le tout dans un cadre canoniquement bouddhiste, on se basera sur « la luminosité naturelle de la Pensée », parole de Bouddha ![1]

Dans un premier temps les instructions nouvelles se présenteront comme des transmissions aurales, puis elles arriveront par des visionnaires ayant voyagé dans les terres pures, sous forme de trésors redécouverts (T. gter ma), par des visions ou des rêves, et finalement tout simplement par inspiration dans des êtres considérés comme avatars.

Les instructions qui arrivent par ce biais se présentent souvent comme une nouveauté, une nouvelle méthode, souvent de type yogique ou alchimique, pour réussir ceci ou cela, que l’on trouva peut-être chez les voisins, mais pas encore dans le bouddhisme, ou qui sont présentée sous une forme plus adaptée. Tout cela est possible grâce aux Terres de lumière et les dieux qui y résident. On est désormais affranchi de l’obligation de l’authenticité d’une instruction en prouvant par a+b qu’elle dérive du Bouddha ou d’un autre être terrien éveillé ou céleste.

Cela a pour avantage apparent de pouvoir fédérer des bouddhistes ou candidats-bouddhistes aux tendances théistes naturelles, qui ont besoin d’un coup de main de là-haut pour réussir, avec des bouddhistes qui voient cela plutôt comme des moyens habiles (upāya), en interprétant symboliquement le plérôme et/ou en le justifiant par la luminosité naturelle de la Pensée. Cet intermonde illuminé a pour autre avantage de fournir une explication pour l’apport continu de nouvelles instructions et de nouveaux sauveurs. Par ailleurs, parfaitement adapté à notre société de consommation.

Vous voulez quelques exemples concrets ? Regardez la production des instructions (T. gnam chos) du jeune médium Mingyour Dordjé, qui partagéa la retraite de Karma Chagmé, qui intégra les instructions illuminantes du Franchissement du Pic (T. thod brgal) dans la lignée kagyupa.

i) offrandes rituelles (offrandes de fumée pour les dieux (bsang), offrandes aux mânes et aux preta (chab gtor), fabrication d’un vase de trésor (bum gter) ;
ii) rituels de purification pour les morts (byang chog);
iii) initiations pour obtenir longue vie (tshe dbang), santé (sman lha dbang) fortune (nor dbang);
iv) rituels pour la fabrication de cordes de protection et d’amulettes (mdos, srung ba);
v) cultes de dieux protecteurs (chos skyong), génies (zhing skyong S. kṣetrapala), gardiens de trésor (gter srung), démons (btsan, gnod sbyin, bdud), dieux célestes (lha), dieux des montagnes et des plaines (spom ri, thang lha), nāgas (klu) et esprits telluriques (sa bdag);
vi) diverses type de divination et astrologie (rde’u dkar mo, spar kha, rtsis);
vii) pratiques préliminaires des tantras (sngon ’gro);
viii) pratiques tantriques (rmi lam, 'pho ba, gtum mo, phur ba, gcod) et leurs commentaires (rgyud ’grel);
ix) Pratique de Terres pures (zhing khams sgrub) des centaines de pratiques de divinités paisibles et courroucées (zhi khro),
x) Des instructions de Dzogchen (khrid)

On ne s’y ennuie pas en effet. Karma Chagmé, rappela que les pratiques de la Section des Instructions (T. man ngag sde), alias tantras de la Lumière, alias les cycles Nyingthik, alias le Franchissement du Pic (T. thod bgral) sont indispensables et supérieures aux autres yāna, même si la Percée est nécessaire pour l’aborder correctement.

« Sans trancher la rigidité, pas de franchissement du pic.
Sans franchissement du pic, pas de trancher la rigidité. »[2]

Le même message est toujours de mise de nos jours, où Urgyen Tulku Rinpoché (le père du tulkou de Mingyour Dordjé) déclara qu’en dernière analyse le Dzogchen est supérieur à toutes les autres méthodes par le Franchissement du Pic. Supérieur à la mahāmudrā, dont seul le troisième type, la mahāmudrā essentielle (snying po'i lugs), est égale au Dzogchen (« radical »). Mais en comprenant bien que le Dzogchen consiste en quatre sections et que seule la section du Franchissement du pic (T. thod rgal) est supérieure à tous les yāna.

Le Dzogchen est aimé de nos jours, même par des athées comme Sam Harris. Mais ceux qui font les louanges du Dzogchen semblent le plus souvent s’arrêter au Dzogchen « radical », actuellement considéré comme incomplet par les maîtres de Dzogchen, sans s’encombrer de la deuxième phase proprement religieuse des Terres de lumière, avec des êtres et des pouvoirs surnaturels. Ce Dzogchen incomplet et imparfait est celui de Kyiteun (kyis ston), le maître Dzogchen de Réchungpa, qui faisait bailler Bharima, et « qui nie l’existence des dieux et démons, source de tous les siddhi ». Ou encore le Dzogchen qu'avait appris Milarepa. C’est pourtant le Dzogchen dénudé qui se laisse aborder, admirer et aimer le plus facilement à cause de sa grande ouverture. En comparaison, le seizième Karmapa disait que de toutes les méditations, la Mahāmudrā sera la plus profitable aux occidentaux, parce qu'elle approche la conscience directement et que de ce fait elle est accessible à toutes les cultures.

On pourrait dire généralement pour le bouddhisme tibétain qu’il comporte une partie spirituelle, qui est le socle commun du bouddhisme, et qui concerne des pratiques de la stabilisation mentale (śamatha), de la perspicacité (vipaśyanā), la culture mentale (mettabhāvana, entraînement spirituel –blo sbyong), Dzogchen et mahāmudrā « radicaux », bien que ces derniers dérivent des tantras qui ont leur cadre mythologique et rituel. Et une partie proprement religieuse avec des Terres de lumière, des êtres de lumière, qui peuvent accorder des siddhi comme la longévité, la santé, les richesses, le charisme, ainsi que l’immortalité/résurection en échange de sacrifices. C’est cette dernière partie qui permet d’affirmer sans hésitation que le bouddhisme tibétain est une religion. On pourrait sans doute affirmer la même chose pour le Dzogchen et la mahāmudrā « radicaux », mais il est tout à fait possible d’imaginer leur pratique sans cadre religieux.

Surtout qu’à la lecture des textes jusqu’au 12ème siècle environ, on a l’impression d’un dzogchen et mahāmudrā « moins religieux ». Au cours des siècles suivants, le discours changea à plusieurs niveaux. Il y eut un retour très net d’un plérôme avec ses hiérarchies de sauveurs, dieux et démons et les siddhi qui vont avec, ainsi que du rôle des clercs qui servaient d’intermédiaire et qui conduisaient les rituels. Il y avait une fascination pour le glorieux passé impérial, avec la volonté généalogique de se rattacher à ses lignées royales. Ces deux éléments sont inextricablement mêlés avec les pratiques visionnaires de catégorie religieuse. Avec la singularité tibétaine, jusqu’à récemment, que les pouvoirs temporel et religieux se trouvaient souvent entre les mêmes mains. L’invasion chinoise de 1959 a changé cela. Quel que soit le futur du Tibet, cette société théocratique ne reviendra pas.

C’est aux tibétains de décider de leur sort en matière religieuse, moderniser ou pas, réformer ou pas ? Mais nous occidentaux, récipiendaires du package « Dzogchen » et d’autres packages similaires, avons notre mot à dire sur ce qui est acceptable et assimilable, et sur le bouddhisme que nous souhaitons, sans mettre cela automatiquement sur le compte d’un fort égo et d’un orgueil déplacé. Avec tout le respect pour les dynasties tibétaines, même de dharmarajas, ce ne sont pas les nôtres. De même pour les dieux et démons du Tibet, nous avons déjà quoi faire avec nos propres démons et idoles. Le seizième Karmapa (ci-desus) avait dit de la Mahāmudrā (« radicale ») qu’elle était adaptée aux occidentaux. Et il se trouve que le Dzogchen et la Mahāmudrā avaient une forme plus dénudée à leurs débuts. Il ne s’agit pas tant de se séparer des pratiques religieuses, visionnaires, yoguiques et alchimiques mais, au moins, de ne plus déclarer qu’elles sont supérieures et inclusives des « yāna inférieurs ». En théorie, peut-être, dans la pratique, rien n'est moins sûr...

Ces pratiques religieuses sont censées correspondre à l’éveil en pratique. C’est évidemment nécessaire que l’éveil soit en action, mais au lieu de s’exprimer en des actes religieux non nécessairement dépourvus de pensée magique et de croyances, ou en des récitations de souhaits, il pourrait s’exprimer en des actions altruistes concrètes.

Certains n’on pas attendu de plaider la cause de l’altruisme, des animaux, de l’environnement… Ce ne sont pas les causes qui manquent.

***

[0] Pour un essai comparatif entre Maître Eckhart et bouddhisme Zen

[1] Dans l’Anguttara Nikaya (A.I.8-10) l’Éveillé déclare : "la pensée est naturellement lumineuse (cittam prabhāsvaram), mais peut être souillée (kliṣṭa) par les passions (kleśa), ou libérée (vipramukta) des passions."

[2] Sanghaforum