This week's readings provide us with information on the Four Orders, important historical figures, and new vocabulary terms.

The Powers reading for this week introduced the Four Orders: the Nyingma, Sakya, Gelug, and Kagyu. The Nyingma is the oldest order, and it has the longest established history of any of the four major traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. Powers describes translation as an important distinction between the schools, especially with the Nyingma order: it relies on translations which are much older and less technically polished, but which better capture the

"spirit of the awakened experience" (Powers 367).

This feels like an important point given how much time we have spent discussing the oral traditions of Buddhism and the importance of translation. It also relates to the point about language being an insufficient medium to capture the true nature of the teachings. The introduction to The Life of Milarepa makes a similar point in saying that it is impossible for a book, even one that is carefully translated, to capture the

"atmosphere" of a tradition (Milarepa xviii).

That atmosphere is something that must be felt rather than explained. This is an idea that has come up in some way in almost every text we have read this semester, and it is certainly one of the key takeaways I will remember from this course.

In the Powers reading, we are also introduced to some important people, including Padmasambhava and Naropa. Padmasambhava's role was, in short, to disseminate Buddhism across cultures in the early period (Powers 371). His life story is an interesting one, and bears some comparisons to that of Milarepa. He was exiled to a cremation site after

"liberating" (killing) a minister's son with a trident,

where he then practiced the tantra to the point of becoming effectively immortal (372-3). Soon after, he returned from exile and impressed the king with his ability to defeat the demons of Tibet. The king then decided that Buddhism would become the country's religion. This story is impressive, and demonstrates Padmasambhava's ability to disseminate Buddhism on a political level.

The story of Naropa as we have it in the Powers reading is a sort of case study in the importance of having a lama, or teacher. He was one a foremost Buddhist scholar, but was one day approached by a hideous woman who pointed out his inadequacies. The woman was Tilopa, and he came to realize that her hideousness was a reflection of his own mind. Tilopa became his guide, and with her help he trained for 12 years to let go of his attachment to conceptual thought, eventually attaining supreme awakening (Powers 400). I liked the anecdote in which Tilopa told Naropa to jump off a roof, then told him that his injuries were proof of his attachment to conceptual thought. Such attachments are discussed across many Buddhist teachings, and letting go of them is one of the central prerequisites for spiritual transformation. It is fascinating to think that even such extreme injuries are simply manifestations of the mind which can be overcome with practice.

kick the ladder

Thurman echoes the sentiments of Powers by suggesting that attachment to anything can be detrimental (ETB 112). Along these lines, Powers writes at some length about how attachments to Buddhist teachings themselves can have a negative impact. He describes how religious conventions in any religion have the important job of helping people stay focused on the teachings, but at later stages of religious practice, they can actually become negative attachments (Powers 403). There is a sense that the teachings of Buddhism, and even the participation in a monastery (Powers 435), are sort of stepping-stones which must eventually be transcended if one hopes to attain true awakening. This could be a reason why exile is such a common shared experience of bodhisattvas and buddhas: only in a state of exile can you truly relinquish your attachments, especially to other people.

The discussion of terma was interesting but a bit confusing to me. Powers defines terma as anything precious or worthy of conservation (379). He goes on to explain that they are hidden treasures which are concealed and eventually revealed to bodhisattvas at a very specific moment. The bodhisattva who discovers a terma will be perfectly equipped to interpret and transmit the knowledge it contains. According to Powers, there are many terma which remain hidden to this day (383). In describing the significance of terma, Powers claims a historical importance, but I am not entirely sure what this significance is. What are some examples of information contained within terma which have been revealed to us by bodhisattvas?