A Lojong Syncretization

Upon suggestion by my mentor, I have undertaken a Jedi Study of the Tibetan Buddhist practice known as Lojong. As a form of Mind Training, Lojong is a series of aphorisms or maxims meant to serve as antidotes to delusional thinking and practice. Developed by a succession of adepts starting with Dharmaraksita and Atisha, to Langri Tangpa and Geshe Chekawa, to Je Tsongkhapa and Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. The idea came to me after I came across a donated copy of Kelsang Gyatso's (small but concise) book, "Universal Compassion". After I looked through it, I saw how it was organized and saw that it covered the entirety of the Buddhamarga, and it struck me as being clear and succinct enough for me to syncretize it for my own Jedi studies into the Force. This will be a on-going project that I hope to expand further on.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I am

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1. The instructions of the practice of training (the Mind) has 9 parts:
2. The noble lineage and its (illuminated/accomplished) adepts.
3. The Preliminary Training Regimen (Standard Jedi Training Practices).
4. The Main Practice
5. Transforming the Darkside
(tie in to #4: Enlightenment of the Darkside: Integrity of the Path* (*footnote: Relates the Jedi Vow to Jedi Training/Practice)
6. Measurements of Success
7. The Jedi Vow
8. The Jedi Precepts/Code
9. Conclusion

Pt. 1- THEORY
1. The Order: The Ancient and Noble Lineage of the Lightside
2. Preliminary Regimen: Standard Jedi Training
3. Core Regimen: (Twofold) Force Training- (“The Two Bodhicittas”, or, Nonduality and the Force)
4. Training in the LF: Formal and Informal Meditation
i. On the interdependence of Self and Other: Dangers of self-cherishing vs. the benefits of cherishing others.
ii. On taking/giving or Exchanging of Self/Other: Taking by means of Compassion and giving by means of Love.
iii. Meditation on the LS (Interdependence of the Self and Other).

*Informal Meditation is Pathless/full

Training in the UF: Formal and Informal Meditation.
i. On the emptiness of Phenomena (Others).
ii. On the emptiness of Self/I/Mind.
iii. On the emptiness of the Force.

4. Transmuting/forming (Enlightenment of) the Darkside: By Orientation and Training
Enlightenment of the DS by Orientation or, “a special line of thought”* (*Footnote: I see this as a ‘paradigm’, POV, Darhsana, or Marga- all implying some sort of orientation.) . It is twofold:
i. Enlightenment by Method (practice)
ii. Enlightenment by Wisdom (realization)

Enlightenment of the DS by preparation (Training). It is twofold:
i. Cultivating Openness
A. Giving what is needed
ii. Purifying the Negative
B. Providing Offerings (Service, and/or Offering Protection)

Pt. 2- PRACTICE
5. Integrating the Path: Daily Practice
a. Force Training Before Death
i. Cultivate the power of intention/motivation
ii. Realize Equality between self/other, LF/UF
iii. Develop Virtue
iv. Refine Obstacles/Perseverance
v. Dedicated Actualization (of the Path)

b. Force Training after Death
i. Remember the Motivation
ii. See the Equipoise
iii. Remain Generous
iv. Abide in Peace
v. Hope for the Best

6. Measurements of Success
a. All things are One/Unified
b. All things are Conditioned
c. Naturally be Yourself
d. Act with Integrity
e. Reliance on/ Rememberance of Training in the face of adversity

Pt. 3- Addenda/Supplement

7. Commitments- After careful comparison, deliberation, and meditation, I feel like these 18 commitments can be subsumed under the spirit of the 3 Pure Precepts, and that these Pure Precepts can/should inform a type of “Jedi Vow”, i.e., something that can be made at the beginning of training that “makes one a Jedi” from the outset, while also remaining relevant to each degree of training while also not being in conflict with any other vows made previously.* (*footnote: Somehow this must be tied to the Code.)

8. Precepts- Also after careful rumination, I believe these 22 precepts can be shortened to (at least) the 10 precepts or even to the tantric samaya to be adopted during one’s training; i.e., the Initiate Precepts.* (*Footnote: Somehow this must be tied to the Code as well- I am not sure how, but I wanted to get these “onto paper” instead of floating around in my head. Perhaps the Vow could inform the “Theory” aspect or Training, while the “Precepts” could be implemented during training. I see these as viable because the Theory takes a 2-fold or 3-fold form (depending on how you see it) while the practice takes a 4/5-fold form, and I think they could translate well. I’m still working on the presentation and wording of these, so any suggestions are welcomed.)

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Still working on the Conclusion, but I figured it would be nice to get some feedback at this point.

MTFBWY

Quite a task!!! Good luck with it. Here is a short and sweet bit which appealed to me;

That my mind may turn towards the Force,
that my Light may progress along the path,
that my path may clarify confusion,
that confusion may dawn as wisdom.

A modified version of "The Four Dharmas of Gampopa", I broke the pattern of the original by making the association that the mind and the Force together constitute the 'light' side of the Force, which I think is interesting but am still unsure if its the best way to do it.

Dude YES!!!!

I think it works- the mind is the light of awareness right? And what about the the 'essence, nature, and energy' of the Ground? Luminous is one of its qualities right?

I think Yoda mentioned something about '...luminous beings are we...'

Also- what if confusion was the Darkside?? How does that read??

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

J. K. Barger wrote: Dude YES!!!!

I think it works- the mind is the light of awareness right? And what about the the 'essence, nature, and energy' of the Ground? Luminous is one of its qualities right?

I think Yoda mentioned something about '...luminous beings are we...'

Also- what if confusion was the Darkside?? How does that read??
:

Yea good idea, something like 'that darkness may dawn as wisdom.'!!?! I'll have to go digging some more about the ground but yea primordial wisdom manifest in a non-contextual experience fits well with luminosity IMO and from what I can remember!!

I'd be tempted to translate those essences of ground up to the Trikāya, which perhaps then could be linked to specific sets of trainings such as dharmakaya with emptiness meditations and contemplations, sambhogakaya with luminosity visualizations, and nirmanakaya as perhaps deity type yogas. Compassion work in the last two as well, perhaps sambhogakaya could be inner focus of it, and nirmanakaya outer focus.... just throwing ideas around though!!