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TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 31

Illustrations by Megumi Yoshida.

one path of Buddhist practice. These When we add in the Mahayana, we pure perception to the best of one’s
are the Foundational vehicle of do not forget about nonviolence, ability.
individual liberation, the Mahayana but take it one step further with
vehicle of great compassion, and the the practice of bodhichitta. This is Many people misunderstand samaya
Vajrayana vehicle of indestructible the commitment to help all beings and think it refers only to seeing
wakefulness. This combination is become fully enlightened. the teacher as a buddha, a fully
one of the unique and beautiful awakened being. That is part of
aspects of Tibetan Buddhism, but it Finally, Vajrayana brings in the samaya, but it misses the key point.
doesn’t always make things simple. notion of pure perception. In Samaya is about seeing everyone
practicing the Vajrayana, we remain and everything through the lens of
Ethics in Tibetan Buddhism firmly grounded in nonviolence pure perception. The sole purpose of
In Tibetan Buddhism we practice and the altruistic motivation of viewing the teacher as a buddha is
the three yanas together, and that bodhichitta, but take the fruitional so we can see these same awakened
includes the practice of ethics. Let view. We treat everyone and qualities in ourselves, in others, and
me clarify. everything as the embodiment of in the world around us. It is a tool
awakening. We commit ourselves that helps us to gain confidence in
The most basic ethical principle in to seeing ourselves, others, and the the purity of our true nature.
the yana of individual liberation is world around us as fundamentally
nonviolence, the commitment to pure, complete, and perfect. Vajrayana practice is rooted in the
avoid harming others at all costs. ideals of nonviolence and great
This ideal of pure perception compassion. There is no Vajrayana
Vajrayana practice is embodied in the principle of without them. So how do we use
is rooted in the ideals samaya, the formal commitments these principles to guide us on
that a Vajrayana practitioner important issues like finding an
of nonviolence and great adheres to. There many details authentic teacher and working with
compassion. There is no about samaya, but simply put the the inevitable challenges that arise

Vajrayana without them. essence of samaya is to practice in the life of a community?