Remembering Rama - Dr Frederick Lenz

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One Monk's Response to The Test
by A.

[The Test referred to in the title above was part of a test for certification as Buddhist Monks which Rama's students filled out in the early 90's.

"TEST FOR CERTIFICATION AS BUDDHIST MONKS

The following test will serve as a legal document (microfilmed and stored). The test is 'open book', but you cannot directly quote Rama or paraphrase a book for your answers. The answers should be in your own words. The recommended length of the answers should be 10 to 20 pages in total for all questions. The paper should be typed, double spaced, with either a header or a footer for each page showing your name and a page number. Do not staple or paper clip the pages. Insert the loose pages into a 2 pocket folder and bring it to the December ASI Seminars. If you are unable to attend the December Seminars please pass it through someone else or mail it to the World Trade Center Address.

Begin the test by stating the following 5 facts at the top of the page:

1. Your name.

2. How long have you studied with Rama?

3. How many hours have you meditated in this lifetime?

4. How many classes in meditation have you attended? (do not include the dinners we have had with him recently. All intensive seminars and Lakshmi seminars, etc. should be included.)

5. If you have any other spiritual training or meditation training such as TM, Zen, etc. please list the number of years and training or certification you may have received.

_________

7 test questions:

1. What are the 'Four Noble Truths?' Explain them.

2. What is meditation and how is it achieved? (different meditation techniques can be described to explain this if desired.)

3. What is Tantric Buddhism and how is it practiced?

4. Describe the relationship between the teacher of Enlightenment and the student.

5. What is the Holy Dharma? (the esoteric and exoteric definitions)

6A. Describe the cosmology of the rebirth process and karma, what is evolution, how the soul works.

6B. How does it apply to the practioner of Buddhism?

7. How should a Buddhist monk conduct themselves? (or said differently: What is the code of conduct and ethics for a Buddhist Monk? What is the integrity of a Buddhist Monk?)"]

One Monk's Response to The Test
by A.

I'll leave out the Section I personal information, although suffice to say actually having to sit down and figure out the thousands of hours one had meditated and the thousand classes one had attended did help us to start to realize we had been doing this a while. Most of us were terribly nervous to go out and teach anyone, and this was Rama's way of forcing us to realize we did have something to say in response to his 7 questions. Neither Rama nor any of the other monks are responsible in any way for what I wrote, and I daresay I wouldn't write the same essay today. For purposes of the game, here it is, and perhaps others will share also, if only to correct my insufficient realizations!

"Section II

Question 1.

The 'Four Noble Truths' were explained by the Sakyamuni Buddha, and they have been repeated by other teachers of Buddhism.

1. All living beings experience pain.

2. Their pain comes from their desires and aversions.

3. All desires and aversions come from attachment.

4. Attachments can be dissolved by following the 8-fold path: Right Belief, Right Intentions, Right Speech, Right Actions, Right Livelihood, Right Endeavoring, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration.

What I understand at the present time is that the right thing happens to the happy person and that Buddhism offers ways to get yourself into higher states of mind no matter what you've done or what you're feeling at the moment. Buddhism is very practical and has pragmatic methods of conserving, storing, increasing and sharing energy. Buddhism has a lot of compassion for the suffering of others and this compassion is sometimes described as 'the tear in the eye of the Buddha that no one sees.' Such compassion has caused the Enlightened Teachers to share knowledge and methods so others may be freed from their suffering. Buddhism is about freedom in your mind and in your life.

To be very honest, I don't think about the Four Noble Truths on a very regular basis. I had to look them up in a book. My interest in Enlightenment comes from meeting someone (Rama) who is Enlightened and from listening to him direct our attention toward it. He glows with beautiful gold light when he meditates and I never met anybody else who does that. Once in the desert he was doing a miracle of walking on thin air and it was like every cell in his body was praising God. It was a very beautiful stillness.

It appears stillness requires you to get very refined, hence all the "Right" things of the 8-fold path because the Light only comes through a pure being. Since we are in the Kali yuga which is a Dark Age, meaning the people who study about Light are in a minority, it is very hard to maintain purity. Thus, the curious thing is that people who are interested in Self-Discovery must be very tough and an Enlightened Teacher in the West must be fiercely tough to fight to maintain a perfect attention. It requires a lot of work to just raise the question what is the right thing. In this age, the Right Livelihood issue is pretty important because it consumes so much of your day and because in the West you must have money to maintain your independence. Therefore, making money as a yoga, or the Tao of Materialism, is how Enlightenment has been revealed at this time.

Although I have heard Rama give the classic preaching about the 4 Noble Truths, he smiles when he summarizes them as make money, make money, make money, and make more money. The Right Livelihood issue has been the hot one to work on and has involved the most change for me.

Question 2.

Meditation is a love for silence outwardly and inwardly. Meditation is something I am drawn to without really knowing why. Even if I stopped studying with Rama, I would still be drawn to meditation. Rama meditates the best of anybody I have ever met. When he meditates, I see a lot of gold light.

Meditation is about getting very quiet inside, so quiet that your thoughts slow down and then stop. I can probably stop my thoughts for 1/2 second by myself. If I meditate with Rama, they stop for longer.

There are many ways to approach meditation. Unfortunately, they all recommend meditating in the morning as best. Since some people are reluctant to even be alive in the morning, this makes for humor and challenge.

First, you have to get out of bed and then take a shower or at the very least, wash your face. Water is purifying. No matter what you have dreamed about, you are supposed to ignore it and go sit in a special place in your room or outside.

Usually, you have a meditation spot in your room, maybe a little rug or table and flowers or inspiring pictures and a small object to focus your eyes on. If you are lucky enough to be able to sit in a lotus posture, that is good or a Zen Japanese kneeling pose is OK, too. A chair is OK, but it is best if your back is naturally straight without touching the chair. However, your posture should be comfortable.

Sometimes you might stretch or drink coffee or juice before you start. It is very important to not let meditating become a routine, so sometimes you change it around for variety. For example, sometimes you might chant some OM's or SRING's to get started. OM is a big cosmic word that settles you down and SRING is a word for the energy of beauty and prosperity. Or you might read a little inspiring quote, like 'Daily Word' or the 'Gita' or something that inspires you.

Usually you gaze at your little object for a period of time. Having the eyes be single-focus slows the mind down. The object might be a flower or a little stone or a piece of wood or the center dot in a yantra or maybe something your Teacher gives you. Anything will do. If you are traveling, you could meditate staring at your thumb. If you are in jail, you can use your cup. The eyes concentrate on the object and your mind narrows its attention. You may or may not experience phenomena, like seeing gold light. It doesn't matter. What you are doing is developing the discipline of concentrating. This is helping you draw the power to stop your thoughts.

The period of the gaze is usually recommended by the Teacher. For someone just starting, it might be 5-10 minutes. For someone else, it might be longer, maybe 20 minutes or 30 minutes. The Teacher gives various time recommendations depending on the student.

Next, you might have a period of closing the eyes and inwardly concentrating on 1 of 3 places or 'chakras', the 3rd eye area (on the forehead, between the eyes), the heart area, or the area about 2 inches below your belly button (the naval chakra). Unless your Teacher has specially instructed, it is best to rotate among these 3 each day for balance, 1 per day.

The 3rd eye area helps develop knowledge, insight, 'seeing'. The heart area helps develop psychic abilities and love and compassion. The naval center helps develop power, stamina, fighting ability. All of these qualities are important for meditating.

You may or may not feel something in the area you have chosen to focus on. The time period for this usually equals the time spent during the object gazing. You may have stretched before starting the second part or in some other way broken it up so it is a separate segment. For people who are learning, it is good to approach the different segments separately so as to ensure each segment being sharp and clear.

In the beginning, you might just do these 2 segments to start. Eventually, you do a third segment, which is sitting quietly, no special focus, stopping your thoughts.

Although this sounds terribly simple, it is ridiculously powerful because you are unleashing the real energies of the Universe, sort of like how smashing an atom causes a powerful reaction in the physical. Because the energies released are so strong and so real, usually the Teacher recommends various ways for the student to strengthen their life so the energies will flow in a way beneficial to the student.

It is very important to understand these energies are real and that your life will probably not remain the same once you start to meditate because the energy is very dynamic and thus, it is a good idea to head the advice of the Teacher and make plans for positive change and take pragmatic steps in those directions.

Meditation is not like what you think it is. It is very experiential and somebody is either drawn to it or they're not. Not everybody would like meditation, but probably more people would like it if they gave it a sincere chance.

Meditation has nothing to do with mind-control or satanic rituals. Meditation is very ancient and radical because it helps people think for themselves. The Chinese Communists killed the Buddhist monks and Taoist priests because the Communists knew the members of the religious orders had real power and would teach people to be free.

Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, American Indian shaman ways, Zen and other paths to Enlightenment all use meditation. Meditation requires purity and humility. Without humility, there is no spiritual progress. Without purity, the being is too polluted to get quiet. Thus, just to meditate means addressing all the areas of your life over and over to refine them more truly with purity and humility.

People who meditate usually are hard-workers because they have to do something during the day with all this energy they've released. They might do selfless-giving or have a career or be students but whatever their vocation, they generally succeed with it.

Question 3.

Tantric Buddhism is a peculiar branch of Buddhism that is for people who are a little bit out there to begin with, meaning it is an intense path, for passionate people who are throwing themselves into a path of radical, transformational change and are not holding back any area of their life from their practice. This is a faster path than some others, meaning people who follow it must develop greater self-control faster.

Tantric Buddhism works best under the guidance of a Teacher because the Teacher empowers the student with extra energy so that the student can change faster than they would on their own and because the Teacher supervises the students to make sure the changes are progressive.

As an action path, Tantric Buddhism is based on meditation and practical methods for using everything in one's life towards one's liberation. Thus, Tantric Buddhism sees obstacles as energies which can provide great assistance toward change if one uses them creatively. All energies of life are seen has having potential to assist one on the path to greater freedom. As one changes, the particular methods the Teacher recommends may vary, for the Tantric Teacher makes suggestions which apply at that moment to the student and the culture.

Thus, in the West, the Tantric Teacher may advise a student to develop a strong career and make enough money to live in a nice neighborhood and to "buy" the freedom to have time to meditate. The student may need to work in the business world as part of their yoga and to develop the strength necessary to deal with all the demands of a career, i.e., dress, interviews, resumes, technical knowledge, meetings, commute, deadlines, and so on.

Being an energetic path, Tantric Buddhism usually requires a strong body, so the Teacher may advise students as to exercise. In the West, martial arts is practical on many levels but some people may prefer swimming or aerobics or other work-outs. Tantric Buddhism is not for passive people or for people who wish to withdraw from life. It takes persistence and humor to undergo continuous change at an accelerated rate.

Although rapid change is possible, the Teacher will make recommendations so as to enable the student to stay 'grounded' and 'sensible' while re-doing their life. A Teacher may encourage a student through a series of small steps which one day result in a seemingly 'sudden' large leap. The persistent, daily application of Tantric principles build to moments in which doorways are opened and the student has inner experiences they could not even imagine.

Question 4.

The relationship beteen a Teacher of Enlightenment and a student is often multi-lifetime and involves a commitment by the Teacher to the student's success that is simply staggering. The Enlightened Teacher always has the best interests of the student at heart.

Sometimes the Teacher waits a long time for a student.

The Teacher has a lot of patience and compassion.

The Teacher's energy can be with the student from lifetime to lifetime even without the physical presence of the Teacher. Thus, even when the student thinks they are the most alone, the Teacher is there.

The Teacher has the keys to the other worlds and imparts knowledge at precise times and places to be of most assistance to the student. The student places total trust in the Teacher and has faith that doing what the Teacher says will bring the student up to the next level to be taught more.

Students proceed at varying paces and a Teacher never holds a student if the student wishes to leave or take a break. The Teacher sometimes tests students to give the students opportunities for self-discovery and to assess their success in completing tasks.

The Teacher-student relationship is always individual. Even if the Teacher outwardly ignores a student for years, inner transactions are transpiring and the Teacher is always much more aware than a student can imagine of the student's level and progression.

A Teacher may burn off karmas for a student. This is a very wearing thing to do and only tremendous love motivates it. The Teacher may not discuss love outwardly, but the Teacher-student relationship is a very deep love. Because it is so real is why it is discussed so seldom; it goes beyond words.

The student is expected to give the Teacher utter respect at all times. Even during funny moments, the student retains respect for the awesomeness of the Teacher.

The student is totally dependent on the Teacher for the moments in their life, meaning the Teacher's vibration sets up the student's life completely. If the student is behaving well and interfacing with the Teacher properly, they experience beneficial states of mind. If the student is sloppy and misbehaved, the Teacher will insist on corrections and the improper interaction with the Teacher will drive a student's attention down. This is not malicious on the part of the Teacher and indeed a Teacher goes to great lengths to shield a student, but sometimes the Teacher cannot interfere with the results a student's choices have created.

The Teacher's example is most inspiring to the student. A magical moment is when the student begins to share what has been received and someone else wants to know how the student can be so patient with them and the student can honestly say, 'Because someone once did this for me.' The student touches something bigger that the Teacher has been pointing them toward.

Question 5.

In 'The Tantric Mysticism of Tibet', John Blofeld quotes Buddha's own definition of true Dharma as follows (p. 36):

'Of whatsoever teachings you can assure yourself thus: These doctrines conduce not to passions but to dispassion; not to bondage, but to detachment; not to the increase of worldly gains but to their decrease; not to greed but to frugality; not to discontent but to content; not company but to solitude; not to sluggishness but to energy; not to delight in evil but to delight in good; of such teachings you may with certainty affirm These are the Norm, these are the Disciplines.'

The Holy Dharma is Truth, the Teachings that lead one to freedom and enlightenment.

Sometimes there can be different levels to the Dharma, meaning one student could ask a Teacher a question and receive one answer and another student might appear to ask the same Teacher the same question and yet receive a different answer, but both answers might be the proper Dharma for the respective student. The Teacher's answer will be what is correct for the level of the student, their intent with the question and many other factors which the Teacher sees.

Sometimes a level of Dharma that is correct for all to hear in a general way is called exoteric, meaning the information may be disseminated to the general public. Other levels of Dharma may be called esoteric, meaning their revelation is only appropriate at certain times, in certain settings, to certain people. A Teacher may require certain teachings to be kept secret, not because the Teacher is trying to withhold knowledge but because a level of Dharma that is inappropriate for a person can actually be dangerous because the person could misunderstand and become confused; thus, actually slowing their spiritual progress.

There can be a Dharma for an age, a nation, a group of people, or an individual. Since Dharma can be different for different people, it is important to meditate and ask the Teacher questions and ponder what is correct Dharma. Since the Dharma can change with situations, one can wonder what is the correct Dharma for this situation at this time. The Dharma can sometimes be very surprising or appear to be difficult but following the Dharma feels better inside than not doing the Dharma.

Sometimes a Teacher takes on the task of sharing or spreading the Dharma to as many people as possible. Then it is the task and privilege for the student to assist the Teacher in any way possible, including with time or funds or bringing people. Assisting in the spread of the Dharma is a very high and purifying endeavor.

Question 6.

The rebirth process is something rather extraordinary. At the moment of death, the 'glue' which holds the consciousness of the being together dissolves and the being travels in various stages of the bardo--worlds of light or hallucinations of their own fears or desires. Depending on their previous states of mind during their life, their karma or the law of return will be activated to draw them toward states of mind and configuration suitable for their current level of evolution. The being is literally reborn into circumstances appropriate for their next set of karmic lessons.

However, in Buddhism, one does not always wait for death to make such a transit in attention. When still alive, a student may experience the loosening of the 'glue' and may actively make choices to determine another set of possibilities while within the same incarnation. To do this requires tremendous power for the 'glue' does not simply loosen at will for most people. Usually a student receives assistance from the Teacher who may take the student to a place of power or give the student special tasks so as to faciliate this process. To prepare, the student's whole life must be attended to. The more diligence the student has given to day-to-day activities, regular meditation, regular practices, the more likely the student will make a strong, positive transit.

A soul evolves through a series of lifetimes of various experiences, both good and bad, if the soul makes choices to following a path toward light. Through experience the soul learns lessons. There are many paths to enlightenment and the soul must consciously choose its directional various spiritual crossroads.

Positive evolution is not a guaranteed thing, but intelligent choices will lead the soul in that direction.

A soul accumulates impressions from various lifetimes. Patterns that are repeated through several lifetimes make deeper impressions. In an individual life, the soul works to clear the conditioning from that life and then works on becoming free from the deeper patterns or samskaras.

In the Buddhist cosmology, there are many worlds a soul may incarnate in. Positive evolution will eventually lead a soul toward higher worlds. The worlds or lokas can be heavenly or hellish or a mixture. This world is a mixture which makes it a powerful place for lessons, as the soul can get vivid results in both directions.

Despite all the awareness of past lives in Buddhism and concern for future lives, the current life is the one for the student to focus on and perfect. The practitioner is advised regardless of past karmas, each moment is an opportunity for choice and these choices can bring the soul closer to freedom. Thus, Buddhism is optimistic and hopeful always.

Question 7.

A Buddhist monk should keep their room clean and pay their bills. Their physical affairs should be kept in good order, obeying the laws of their country (unless there was a serious reason to disobey for matters of conscience), and keeping a low profile.

They should meditate daily, follow the recommendations of their Teacher and go about their business with a smile on their face, doing their best with their work. They should offer up their whole day to Eternity, no matter how it's gone.

They should study the Scripture or read religious books and keep up with advances in their career field. They should think well of others, particularly of their Teacher, their fellow students and themselves. They should be willing to spread the Dharma, whether through helping their Teacher or through openings with people that Eternity presents. They should be working on purity, humility and balance and keep a good sense of humor. They should spend some time in Nature and respect life in all forms. They should do some form of exercise regularly and many monks do martial arts.

They should be hard-workers and not complain about pain. They should be optimistic and quick to inspire others if they see they are having a tough time. They should dress nicely and speak well and have good posture. As the years go by, they should glow more and become more graceful and more funny.

They should enjoy solitude and have a private life. They should be sociable with others but not dominate or seek attention. They should be able to do teamwork projects and have a good time and get quality work done.

They should be successful in their endeavors and have a winner's attitude. They should be willing to always start over, experience new beginnings and not be attached to anything.

They should bring passion and enthusiasm to their practice of meditation and Buddhism and they should love to see their Teacher and throw themselves into whatever the Teacher indicates interest in with trust and heart.

They should accept criticism from their Teacher with meekness and respect and quickly make changes if they have been making mistakes. They do not indulge in guilt, but simply correct the problem.

They pay money back if they borrow it, particularly from other students. They are comfortable with sexuality and while many of them may be celibate, they consider these things to be an individual matter and only the business of the people involved. They do not care what is written or said about them in the world, if it is truth or lies, because they are focusing on other worlds of light.

They know they are on a multi-lifetime path and they rejoice to be taught about the Dharma and to be reawakened to the path. They do not let people walk all over them or take advantage of them, but they do give to people when they can and endure hardships when it is the right thing.

Their purpose is to study enlightenment and to go into higher levels of attention.

They belong to an ancient order, a fellowship and this gives them strength. They know that all the Buddhas of the past, present and future are wishing them well and helping them. They are happy people and quiet people. They like to laugh and are inspired by things that ennoble the spirit.

They have moments of inner beauty when they remember they are eternal and innocent. They celebrate beauty and the Spirit and their victories and they fight hard when they have to.

They have a beautiful life and experience things that are just amazing. They are very lucky and they know it.

They try hard to keep their relationship with their Teacher respectful, clean and happy and to keep their community spirit upbeat and inspired. They bring their best to their times with the Teacher and try to be a sincere example of Buddhism as they go through the world.

They are courageous, self-reliant, and help each other. They are creative, talented and like to make things that are useful and beautiful. They are fascinated by the example of the Teacher and try to protect the Teacher and take care of the Teacher.

They are complicated people who are very tolerant toward others, polite, intelligent, sensitive and deep.

They like the world and they love Light. They have a bounce in their walk and a lightness in their spirit. It has been my great good fortune to participate in a Buddhist community of such monks, led by an enlightened Teacher.

For this question, I did not use books. Instead, I reflected on the highest moments I have seen in the monks I have known and tried to bring that to this answer.

Finally, since this is to be a legal document, I wish to record as a statement of fact, that a Buddhist monk may be female or male, that an enlightened Teacher may be female or male. There has been some confusion in the literature on these matters. I have belonged to a coed community, led by a Teacher who has been enlightened in both female and male lifetimes.

And frogs have been our friends."