Bless that bunny! You two are too cute. Also sometime could you go back and tackle that question of the complicated reasons why you would want to keep track of how many times you've done the mantra? Like, as long as you do 'a lot', why would it matter to hit a certain number? (Echoes of Goodhart rears its head - are you not then at risk of gamifying and rushing them?) And then further questions of definitions and boundaries arise: which ones do you count? Only the ones you sing, or the muttered sotto voce ones too? What about the earworm ones throughout the day, do they count, or is it only ones you intentionally vocalise? etc
> that question of the complicated reasons why you would want to keep track of how many times you've done the mantra?
Maybe we can address this on the retreat... I think the answer will be disappointing? But maybe Charlie can say something more interesting than me! I don't know what they'd say, and look forward to finding out :)
> Like, as long as you do 'a lot', why would it matter to hit a certain number?
This has to do with the literal-magic principle of mahayoga/anutaratantrayoga. For anuyoga, the answer is probably "it doesn't, really," and we do mantra from an anuyoga pov. Nevertheless, it seems helpful even if it doesn't "really" matter. Partly that's due to the embodied experience of moving the beads; partly it's motivating; ...
> which ones do you count? Only the ones you sing, or the muttered sotto voce ones too?
Oh, definitely the muttered ones, or even entirely in-your head ones.
> What about the earworm ones throughout the day, do they count,
Yeah, but only if you are actually counting them with a mala. In Tibet, lots of people just carry a mala at all times, and whenever they don't need to be doing something in particular, they're counting mantra. Which is part of why doing millions is quite feasible. (I have not done millions. Charlie has.)
What about the ones in prayer wheels? What about 'other' mantras? (Do you need a different mala for each mantra? Maybe even you should really only have one mantra at a time?) I'm not really trying to be facetious, and I don't *really* care about pinning down silly finicky details, but still, once you start addressing this kind of theme, the questions like this just keep coming! It's nice to address them, lightly, but also it won't matter if we don't at the retreat
I *think* the answers to questions like these would vary depending on lineage and local customs. But I don't know. I've only practiced mantra in a couple of lineages, similar to each other. I haven't read much about the details; what I know comes mainly from oral instructions from teachers. Practice manuals don't address this sort of thing; they just say "repeat the mantra X times" without saying what counts as "repeating." There's a lot of stuff about how if you say the mantra on astrologically special days it counts 10x, and so on. This sort of thing shades into folk religion rather than "high" Buddhist doctrine. You'd need to go to anthropological texts rather than theological ones for answers. Or, of course, ask an expert teacher (which I'm not).
I can answer these questions only in terms of experience with the Aro gTér (and my memories of what i was taught there may also be faulty, so don't rely on this):
> Do you need a different mala for each mantra?
Yes. Although (this is embarrassing) I was using a different mala for Gesar practice for a year, and wanted to keep the count for the other yidam, so I actually didn't keep the count for Gesar. I am a bad tantrika, and have no idea how many Gesar mantra I've done. (Other than in the past week since making the mala.)
> Maybe even you should really only have one mantra at a time?
In general, it seems people practice one yidam exclusively for significant periods, but I don't think this is a rule. As a practical matter, it seems that if you start on a yidam, it's good to do it exclusively for a while just to get the feeling dialed in solidly. (100,000 might be a good minimum, although more is traditional.) Then you can alternate, depending on what effect seems relevant for your current situation. But this sort of thing might be highly individual, and best discussed one-on-one with your personal teacher.
> once you start addressing this kind of theme, the questions like this just keep coming!
Yeah, this seems natural and good; it's a sign that you are more than casually interested :)
There was a period twenty years ago when I did carry a mala with me at all times and would say mantra whenever I wasn't doing something else. I am much less dedicated now. Did I mention that I'm a bad tantrika?
Yes! I was confused! (I had a vague sense of "this doesn't seem quite right" when I was writing it, but ignored that. Oops. Thanks! I’ve amended the text.)
I'm still confused! We use the "bum" counter to count 10,000s (right?? or am I mega-confused?).
Maybe this is the vague use of "bum" to mean "a whole lot" rather than specifically 100,000? Or is the point that mantras usually come in multiples of 100,000, and to count that high you need the bum counter, even though it only counts 10,000s?
Some practices suggest accumulating multiples of 100,000.
How one keeps track . . . ? whatever works. the little stringy counters work - so long as they don't slide. Set up in bunches of 4 - 100s, 1000s, 10,000s, 100,000s. Pen/paper backup.
As to doing "a whole bunch" versus doing --> "100,000 or 100k+," perhaps there is virtue in specificity?
I'm trying to send you a photo of the Kangling I made recently. I paddle whitewater and my buddy and I recently ran a section neither of us had done into a section we had both done; that we hadn't done was tougher. Everything went really well, but I had this ominous sense above the last rapid on the section we had both done. My buddy convinced me to run it anyway and I went into a hole and had to swim out. I ended up in this little pothole on river right and found this perfect little heart rock. Then I ferry over to River left - the take out, and I find a femur, believed to be from a juvenile black bear. So the Nagas gifted me a Kangling. I used goat rawhide and it turned out well, though I used rabbit to cut a template. Maybe you could send me an email and I can send you a photo/video?
Very cool. I have two that I engage with at all times: red yakbone and unadorned human skull (made only from the third eye portion of the skulls of practitioners who received sky burial).
Also. I Love your webpages...I just read your article about meeting Naropas dakoni at starbucks...and boyoboy that's the story of my life, except I went with her and refused to leave. In fact, I met her in her fiery-haired embodiment in front of Starbucks/Safeway at 3am, looking way too cool for local fare. She rocked my world then disappeared, as she had many times before, presumably to execute a wardrobe change for the purpose of vexing my one track heart into a state of happiness.
But what really sold me on your article was another interesting data point: As a youngster, my favorite stuffed animal was an Hedgehog (second only to my main squeeze, Bucky Beaver).
In closing: HEY VAJRI, COME ON, MY FACE WONT SMILE UNLESS I'M LOOKING AT YOU. LETS KICK KICK IT UP A NOTCH LIKE EH.MA.RIL LAGASI...BAM!)
In numerology, 9s are "pure" because they vanish in numerological addition.
Ex. 7+9 = 16 = 1+6 = 7. The 9 always vanishes like this. Therefore "empty" and "pure."
108 is a 9. (1+0+8=9) It's completely pure.
Hence magic!
I'm sure you already know this, but cannot resist.
I didn't know! Thank you!
Love the article. Thanks.
Bless that bunny! You two are too cute. Also sometime could you go back and tackle that question of the complicated reasons why you would want to keep track of how many times you've done the mantra? Like, as long as you do 'a lot', why would it matter to hit a certain number? (Echoes of Goodhart rears its head - are you not then at risk of gamifying and rushing them?) And then further questions of definitions and boundaries arise: which ones do you count? Only the ones you sing, or the muttered sotto voce ones too? What about the earworm ones throughout the day, do they count, or is it only ones you intentionally vocalise? etc
> that question of the complicated reasons why you would want to keep track of how many times you've done the mantra?
Maybe we can address this on the retreat... I think the answer will be disappointing? But maybe Charlie can say something more interesting than me! I don't know what they'd say, and look forward to finding out :)
> Like, as long as you do 'a lot', why would it matter to hit a certain number?
This has to do with the literal-magic principle of mahayoga/anutaratantrayoga. For anuyoga, the answer is probably "it doesn't, really," and we do mantra from an anuyoga pov. Nevertheless, it seems helpful even if it doesn't "really" matter. Partly that's due to the embodied experience of moving the beads; partly it's motivating; ...
> which ones do you count? Only the ones you sing, or the muttered sotto voce ones too?
Oh, definitely the muttered ones, or even entirely in-your head ones.
> What about the earworm ones throughout the day, do they count,
Yeah, but only if you are actually counting them with a mala. In Tibet, lots of people just carry a mala at all times, and whenever they don't need to be doing something in particular, they're counting mantra. Which is part of why doing millions is quite feasible. (I have not done millions. Charlie has.)
What about the ones in prayer wheels? What about 'other' mantras? (Do you need a different mala for each mantra? Maybe even you should really only have one mantra at a time?) I'm not really trying to be facetious, and I don't *really* care about pinning down silly finicky details, but still, once you start addressing this kind of theme, the questions like this just keep coming! It's nice to address them, lightly, but also it won't matter if we don't at the retreat
I *think* the answers to questions like these would vary depending on lineage and local customs. But I don't know. I've only practiced mantra in a couple of lineages, similar to each other. I haven't read much about the details; what I know comes mainly from oral instructions from teachers. Practice manuals don't address this sort of thing; they just say "repeat the mantra X times" without saying what counts as "repeating." There's a lot of stuff about how if you say the mantra on astrologically special days it counts 10x, and so on. This sort of thing shades into folk religion rather than "high" Buddhist doctrine. You'd need to go to anthropological texts rather than theological ones for answers. Or, of course, ask an expert teacher (which I'm not).
I can answer these questions only in terms of experience with the Aro gTér (and my memories of what i was taught there may also be faulty, so don't rely on this):
> Do you need a different mala for each mantra?
Yes. Although (this is embarrassing) I was using a different mala for Gesar practice for a year, and wanted to keep the count for the other yidam, so I actually didn't keep the count for Gesar. I am a bad tantrika, and have no idea how many Gesar mantra I've done. (Other than in the past week since making the mala.)
> Maybe even you should really only have one mantra at a time?
In general, it seems people practice one yidam exclusively for significant periods, but I don't think this is a rule. As a practical matter, it seems that if you start on a yidam, it's good to do it exclusively for a while just to get the feeling dialed in solidly. (100,000 might be a good minimum, although more is traditional.) Then you can alternate, depending on what effect seems relevant for your current situation. But this sort of thing might be highly individual, and best discussed one-on-one with your personal teacher.
> once you start addressing this kind of theme, the questions like this just keep coming!
Yeah, this seems natural and good; it's a sign that you are more than casually interested :)
CASUALLY INTERESTED?! Dude please
There was a period twenty years ago when I did carry a mala with me at all times and would say mantra whenever I wasn't doing something else. I am much less dedicated now. Did I mention that I'm a bad tantrika?
Very bad
Beautiful, thoughtful instructions and I’m all for going rogue with the bunny charm. It’s from your love, how could it not be perfect?
Isn't 'bum 100,000 ?
Yes! I was confused! (I had a vague sense of "this doesn't seem quite right" when I was writing it, but ignored that. Oops. Thanks! I’ve amended the text.)
I'm still confused! We use the "bum" counter to count 10,000s (right?? or am I mega-confused?).
Maybe this is the vague use of "bum" to mean "a whole lot" rather than specifically 100,000? Or is the point that mantras usually come in multiples of 100,000, and to count that high you need the bum counter, even though it only counts 10,000s?
afaik, doing 100,000 is the basic unit.
Some practices suggest accumulating multiples of 100,000.
How one keeps track . . . ? whatever works. the little stringy counters work - so long as they don't slide. Set up in bunches of 4 - 100s, 1000s, 10,000s, 100,000s. Pen/paper backup.
As to doing "a whole bunch" versus doing --> "100,000 or 100k+," perhaps there is virtue in specificity?
Not my strong suit, accumulating mantras. ADHD bigly.
Yeah, to be honest, not my strong suit either.
I'm trying to send you a photo of the Kangling I made recently. I paddle whitewater and my buddy and I recently ran a section neither of us had done into a section we had both done; that we hadn't done was tougher. Everything went really well, but I had this ominous sense above the last rapid on the section we had both done. My buddy convinced me to run it anyway and I went into a hole and had to swim out. I ended up in this little pothole on river right and found this perfect little heart rock. Then I ferry over to River left - the take out, and I find a femur, believed to be from a juvenile black bear. So the Nagas gifted me a Kangling. I used goat rawhide and it turned out well, though I used rabbit to cut a template. Maybe you could send me an email and I can send you a photo/video?
hansenw242@gmail.com
Hi! Great story! I’d enjoy seeing the picture. I’ve sent you my email address, thanks!
Very cool. I have two that I engage with at all times: red yakbone and unadorned human skull (made only from the third eye portion of the skulls of practitioners who received sky burial).
Also. I Love your webpages...I just read your article about meeting Naropas dakoni at starbucks...and boyoboy that's the story of my life, except I went with her and refused to leave. In fact, I met her in her fiery-haired embodiment in front of Starbucks/Safeway at 3am, looking way too cool for local fare. She rocked my world then disappeared, as she had many times before, presumably to execute a wardrobe change for the purpose of vexing my one track heart into a state of happiness.
But what really sold me on your article was another interesting data point: As a youngster, my favorite stuffed animal was an Hedgehog (second only to my main squeeze, Bucky Beaver).
In closing: HEY VAJRI, COME ON, MY FACE WONT SMILE UNLESS I'M LOOKING AT YOU. LETS KICK KICK IT UP A NOTCH LIKE EH.MA.RIL LAGASI...BAM!)
- MH13.33