Question asked by ckg
Dear Pastors, Is scholarly knowledge of dharma bad? I have heard scholars can go to the lower realms too? Why do dharma practitioners take rebirth as spirits for instance there is a story in the LamRim of how a monk engaging in the Yamantaka retreat reincarnated as a spirit resembling Yamantaka ? Since hearing dharma or being able to reiterate our teachers doesn't prevent entry to lower realms, what does prevent poor rebirths?
Dear ckg,
Scholarly knowledge of Dharma is not bad. On the contrary, we need to have dharma knowledge and understanding in order to have a firm foundation for our Dharma practice. We need to study the Dharma because it has many benefits. In the Lamrim, the benefits are given in the section “How to Study and Teach the Dharma” which is found in the chapter on “The Greatness of the Dharma”. In this section, Pabongka Rinpoche said that study is like the lamp that dispels the darkness of ignorance. Therefore, we must study to be able to gain knowledge and wisdom.
However, just hearing the Dharma and having the knowledge is not enough. One must internalise the teachings through meditation and practice. In “Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand”, Pabongka Rinpoche gave an example of a yogi in the Yamantaka tantra who was reborn as a hungry ghost that resembled the deity. This story illustrates the danger of not modifying one’s behaviour according to the law of cause and effect. This means that in order to avoid going to the lower realms, one must abandon the ten non-virtues and replace them with the antidotes – the virtues. Besides this, one must also purify one’s negative karma with the four opponent powers. You can learn about this from the Lamrim, in the chapter on “Observing the Law of Cause and Effect”. In this blog, you can also learn about the different karma paths in H.E. Tsem Rinpoche’s teaching: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/discovering-yourself-a-teaching-on-karma-mindstream.html.