Sex: pleasure slavery vs. polyandry in Tibet

Sexual slavery, grooming, and human trafficking in democratic Athens, Greece?

(Bernard) What it's like to be in an arranged marriage to multiple brothers as their "shared wife"?

• polyamory (group sexual relationship)
• polygamy (marrying to more than one)
• polygyny (male with multiple wives)

Pres. Bush: CIA has your back on China, Dolly

Polyandry is a polygamous marital arrangement in which a female has several husbands. In Vajrayana Buddhist Tibet, those husbands are often brothers, which results in "fraternal polyandry."

Concern over which children are fathered by which brother falls on the wife alone. She may or may not say who the father is because she does not want to create conflict in the family or is unsure who the biological father is [1].

Historically the social system compelled marriage within one social class.

We liberated the serfs of oligarcal, imperial Tibet

When the People's Republic of China annexed (invaded, occupied, and destroyed) Tibet, political systems in many regions of the former Empire of Tibet remained unchanged until, between 1959 and 1960, political reforms changed the land ownership and taxation systems [2].

Since 1981, the government of the Tibet Autonomous Region no longer permits new polyandric marriages under family law. It is currently illegal.

Rationale behind polyandry in Tibet

As elucidated further below, the primary reason for polyandrous marriage among Tibetans appears to be economic: to prevent land, herds, and other assets from being divided and/or to increase the amount of labor available to support one single family rather than two or three. More

Sex slaves? A Caravan by Otto Pilny | OilPaintings.com

Sex and pleasure slavery in ancient Greece

(Bernard) Why it sucks to be a Pleasure Slave (in Athens, Ancient Greece)

• If I don't do what my patriarch pimp (Ancient Greek, Πορνοβοσκός, pornoboscos) says, I might have to become an unprotected working street girl (chamaitypai) — and that's going to suck!

Ancient Greek, aphrodisiac, Athens, brothel, colorism, drinking alcohol, entertainers, flesh, forced labor, Geisha, Hellenistic Greece, hostess, labor exploitation, Odyssey, prostitution, rape, selling, sex abuse, sex trafficking, sodomy, child abuse

Tibetan Milarepa was a bad wizard?

The Tibetan Book of the Dead (video)

Visit Hemis Gompa, the Buddhist monastery where Jesus Christ studied, Ladakh

One week in Ladakh, India (formerly Tibet): How and what to do (Talk Travel)

Dead Man's Guide to Afterlife: Bardo Thodol

(The Mystery Library) Could a 1,300-year-old Vajrayana Buddhist manuscript from Ladakh (once Tibet, now India) hold the secret to reincarnation (rebirth), the afterlife, and the nature of consciousness?

Let's travel through the Bardo, the intermediate state between lives where consciousness goes after the death of the body, and where it seeks the path to the light or ends up reincarnating.

The Bardo Thodol, or "The Tibetan Book of the Dead," offers great insights into how the ancients viewed consciousness.

Still in use today to guide the deceased through their voyage into the afterlife in remote parts of Tibet and India, notably in the Himalayan region of Ladakh, the teachings in The Bardo Thodol resonate with recent discoveries in the field of quantum physics.

• Researchers investigate possible transitional phase between life and death

It may be the ultimate piece of the puzzle to the mystery that is consciousness. (Matter, it seems, is derivative, and consciousness is primary, says theoretical physicist and Nobel Laureate Max Planck, and the Buddhist Abhidharma or "Dharma [Explained] in Ultimate Terms" would seem to agree).

CHAPTERS

• 00:00 An old man is dying
• 01:35 The Chikhai Bardo
• 03:05 The Chonyid Bardo
• 03:58 The Sidpa Bardo
• 05:33 Carl Jung
• 06:15 Max Planck
• 07:17 Perceptual studies

Embark on this spiritual exploration to together discover the ancient wisdom that has captivated minds for centuries. 

• Earth has six continents not seven, radical new study claims

Subscribe to The Mystery Library for more insightful content. Remember to leave a like to support this work and click the bell icon to receive notifications on latest uploads. #BardoThodol #Reincarnation #TibetanBookOfTheDead #AfterlifeJourney #BuddhistPhilosophy #CycleOfRebirth #SpiritualEnlightenment #KarmaRebirth #TibetanBuddhism #LifeAfterDeath #SpiritualAwakening #MeditationLife #AncientWisdom #QuantumConsciousness #PastLifeMemories #EnlightenmentPath #ChonyidBardo #SidpaBardo #NearDeathExperience #MysticalExperiences

• The Mystery Library, March 8, 2024; Dhr. Seven, Pat Macpherson, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Hidden Tibetan Buddhist Monastery: Zanskar

BBC via Danny Bull, Feb. 11, 2023; CC Liu, Sheldon S. (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Hidden Tibetan Buddhist monastery | Our World: Return to Zanskar | BBC full doc

(Danny Bull) This is a journey into the heart of the Zanskar Valley, following two travelers who are returning after 30 years. It is a region lost in time with centuries-old monasteries built into rock faces and caves. This film looks at the unique Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhist culture of Zanskar and how the local people are dealing with change following road construction into their once isolated valley. Viewers end up at one of the most stunning Buddhist monasteries on the Zanskar river, Phuktal Gompa, sometimes spelled Phugtal, where there was a unique prayer ceremony in progress and an opportunity to speak to monks (lamas) who have lived there for decades.

#zanskar #zanskarvalley #tibet #tibetanmusic #tibetanbuddhism #buddhism #philosophy

The last Buddhist kingdom: Bhutan (video)

THIS IS LIFE IN BHUTAN: The most isolated country in the world?

(Lifeder En) June 10, 2023. This video embarks on a journey full of charm and mystery through Bhutan, a majestic kingdom located in the heart of the Himalayas. See its culture, preserved in its purest state due to its geographical isolation and its strong devotion to Buddhist traditions. Get to know what life in Bhutan is like, from the serenity of its ancient Vajrayana Buddhist monasteries to the joy of its colorful festivals. Discover the impressive fortresses called dzongs, silent witnesses of Bhutan's rich history. Understand the monarchy, which stepped aside for the sake of progress and modernity, an integral part of the country's history, ethnic groups, what the people are like, and much more. 

Own-created or licensed content. Other materials used: pastebin.com/L7EWuHRa

Native Americans and Tibetans are too similar

Regular contributor Hendon Harris (Chinese Discover America, 2/13/23); Dalai Lama; Marcia Keegan, Tibetans and Native Americans; Dhr. Seven, Xochitl (eds.), March 4th, Wisdom Quarterly

Tibetan Goloks from Amdo: Tibetan cowboys and Indian,s hats, fashions (pinterest.com)

Meeting Hopi tribal elders in Calgary, Dalai Lama (thegreatgathering.org)

Cowboy hat given to welcome the 14th Dalai Lama to Native lands (tibetoffice.com.au)

Were Anasazi Native Americans Buddhists

Buddhism arrived in America before Columbus

Q: If two different societies thousands of miles apart and separated by the vast Pacific Ocean have an irregular surplus number of similar beliefs and customs, one must at some point at least admit that these two groups of people -- even though far apart -- certainly appear to have had an ancient connection, right?

A: Right. Unless it's all a coincidence.

Q: True, one similarity could be a coincidence, but could all of these?

A: Not likely. There must be an underlying connection.

• [EDITOR'S NOTE: In modern Ladakh/old Tibet, near Hemis Gompa, I saw unbelievable black-and-white photographs of Native Americans or indigenous Mexicans -- with characteristic features of our American Indians: dark skin, Asiatic features, turquoise jewelry, bolo ties, braided black shiny hair, sunbeaten and weathered faces, white cotton clothes, cowboy hats... What were these doing here? How could Natives be known in faraway Asia? These were no Americans but Tibetan cowboys and "Indians" dressed as cowpokes. The similarities were shocking and painfully striking. I had seen the girls at Boudhanath (Eyes of Buddha) Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, nearly riot around a wandering salesman. I went over on my motorcycle. As the crowd separated and gave way to the bike, to my great disbelief and dismay I saw the cause of the commotion -- Madonna posters, yes, that Desperately Seeking Susan star dressed like a virgin. Any Western token, the Himalayans wanted in! So that they would have been into old Western photographs of cowboys and Injuns would not have been out of the questions. But these were parallel peoples of the Southwest, living in Pueblos like the great Potala Palace and revolving their lives around buffalo, hairy cows and bulls of the plateau and Plains, genetic bison. Above, the 14th Dalai Lama dons a cowboy hat, which looks ridiculous to us, all part of his charming humor, but would not be at all out of place in rural Tibet.]

Tibetans and Native Americans: From the Roof of the World to the Land of Enchantment

Neutered Kokopelli

A book by Marcia Keegan (author and illustrator), Valerie Shepherd (editor), Debra Snyderman (editor), and Carol O'Shea (editor) points to a strong Tibetan connection.

Here is a short list of connections, each of which would require a lifetime of work by anthropologists. Even then, few have made the connection and tied these customs together:

• Tibetan Buddhists and Four Corners Puebloan peoples use masks in religious ceremonies
• Use of phallic symbols (Kokopelli)
• Celebration of the Ghost Dance
• Celebration of the Rain Dance
• Origin and use of mandalas (circles, geometric patterns)
• Origin and use of the ancient swastika (manji)
• [Is the swastika a Native American symbol?]
• [Whirling Log of Native Americans is a swastika]
• [Ancient symbol hijacked by evil - BBC Culture]

Buddhist missionaries visited America.

[Indian historian Dr. Ranajit Pal made the connection between the Buddha and modern Afghanistan, ancient Scythia/Shakya Land or Kapilavastu, more likely Kabul and Bamiyan and Mes Aynak, because young Prince Siddhartha who would become the Buddha was raised in three seasonal capitals, the Buddha's birthplace. So Buddhist missionary monks coming from Afghanistan and neighboring China to America before Christopher Columbus, born Cristoforo Colombo, is not as odd as it may first sound.]

History of Buddhism in America (Rick Fields)

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then Marcia Keegan's latest book is a chronicle of the similarities between two ancient cultures -- Buddhist and Native American -- that have sustained the human legacy through epochs of change.

While our current worldview has been shaped by the Renaissance in Europe and the Industrial Revolution there and here, the Native American and Tibetan cultures were thriving in a world of isolation from modernity, maintaining their own traditions handed down through their elders.

Kokopelli is a very phallic figure.

Native American stories of emergence, world cycles, and ceremonies are as alive today as they were in prehistoric times.

Tibetan Buddhist (and pre-Buddhist Bon) rituals date back to a root culture called the Shang Shung (Zhangzhung), pre-dating 10,000 years ago. It is the indigenous culture of the Tibetan Plateau in what the Chinese now call China (which amounts to half the landmass of Beijing's conquered empire/occupied territory).

"Tibet" is a massive part of "China," and the ruling Han Chinese know it (John Oliver/HBO).

.

Both cultures have co-evolved without any recorded contact between each other until 1979, during the 14th Dalai Lama's first historic visit to North America.

Marcia Keegan was there to arrange the initial meeting between a Hopi elder and the Dalai Lama's delegation.

The Hopi greeting of the Dalai Lama, welcoming home, signified the fulfillment of one of their great prophecies.

In response, the Dalai Lama asked, Where did you get your turquoise [jewelry]? This question signified a recognition of their shared values and aesthetic.

The subsequent dialog between the two leaders explored many commonalities, which revealed their basic human and cultural values that have sustained the spiritual, economic, and governance of the two cultures through centuries of change in the world.

 H.H. Tenzin Gyatso is one of us.

These have been codified in cosmologies that respect the dignity of the individual, the sacredness of nature, and the importance of ceremony as a condition of living.

Although their ceremonies and detailed spiritual beliefs differ, the core human values are the same. They are defined by their land [great plains full of bison/yaks], Puebloan architecture, decorations, cultural practices, customs, mountains, valleys, spirits, mandalas, sand paintings, ritual dances, petroglyphs (rock carvings and art), creation myths, prophecies, and gatherings.

This book, rich in images, captivates readers and offers them a rare glimpse of the heritage of their common human legacies.

Southwest Indian Cookbook (Marcia Keegan)

.

Author Marcia Keegan, through her insightful text and photographs, allows us to draw our own conclusions as to what is important, questioning our values in relationship to two ancient and dynamic cultures that have contributed to humankind in metaphysical (non-material) ways.

The conclusions we draw are our own. The choices we make have their own results for the world we live in. Enjoy this book, ponder the comparison of similarities not only of two ancient cultures but also of the world you live in. It is never finite and always subject to change. From the roof of the world to the land of enchantment

Last Week Tonight w/John Oliver: Dalai Lama

Dalai Lama, LastWeekTonight, 1/23/23; Seth Auberon, Ashley Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Who is the current {14th) Vajrayana Buddhist "pope-king" of Tibet? (dalailama.com)

The Dalai Lama | The 50 best travellers in the world (Conde Nast Traveller)

Q: Why does Wisdom Quarterly like John Oliver so much? A: He's got cajones with the Dalai Lama.

Season 10 trailer: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

(LastWeekTonight) Funnyman John Oliver returns on February 19, 2023, with the HBO show that bravely explores the greatest issues of our time -- like what types of horses are hottest, and why.

Who cares about the British Monarchy (and the future royal Antichrist)?

Connect with Last Week Tonight with John Oliver [and the Dalai Lama] online by subscribing to the YouTube channel for more almost news as it almost happens, on Facebook like your mom would, on Twitter for news about jokes and jokes about news, or just visit the official site for all that other stuff at once.

Shock News of the Day

HH the 14th Dalai Lama - International Campaign for Tibet (savetibet.org)

• The Richest Man in the World Takes on Elon Musk
• The Dalai Lama's gold Rolex: He likes his watches | British GQ (gq-magazine.co.uk)
• 'Stonehenge of the North', built in 3500 to 2500 BC, opens up to the public
• Fossil brain undoes 350 million years of scientific understanding
• Archeologists find ancient Roman engraved gems in UK bathhouse drain
• ‘UFO Ball’ identified by Pentagon as Spy Balloon Allegedly Belongs to the Chinese Government
• Neil deGrasse Tyson on UFOs and aliens in space | Watch
• Suspected Bigfoot Spotted Crossing Snowy Field in Utah
• Frankenfish monsters: Alligator-Catfish Hybrids Are Being Spawned in an Alabama Lab
• China clones 'super cows,' uddering in Cold Milk War. America must respond
• Christians: “You’ve Gone too Far”. (msn.com)
• Archeologists find 5,000-year-old tavern in Iraq, refrigerator still intact
• Instead of Predicting Length of Winter, Groundhog Simply Dies

Nepal: What is Newar Buddhism? (video)

Eds., Wisdom Quarterly Wiki edit Newar Buddhism; Zero Degree Nepal, 7/16/20

Vajrayana Buddhism of the Newar, Nepal

(Zero Degree Nepal) Nepal is known as the "Land of the Himalayas." According to Hindu myth, the great Himalayas are believed to be the abode of the gods and goddesses (devis and devas).

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva transformed into Kwan Yin

Nepal is a multiethnic, multilingual, and multireligious country, where two of the world’s dominant religion, Buddhism and Hinduism coexist in harmony. Buddhism includes a wide variety of beliefs and spiritual practices. 

The two traditions, Mahayana and Theravada, are the main branches of Buddhism. However, everyone follows the basic principles of the teaching of the historical Buddha -- though Mahayana seems to ignore him otherwise in favor of devotion to "Cosmic Buddhas" like Amitabha and Vairocana.

The teaching of universal friendliness (metta) and compassion (karuna) are common, but practices vary among schools and disciplines. The Vajrayana tradition, also known as Newar Buddhism, is classified as part of Mahayana.

It includes practices using tantras, mantras (magical incantations), mudras (hand poses), and mandalas (sacred geometry circles) and the visualization of the Buddha and other deities. Vajrayana is popularly known as Tantric Buddhism that developed over 2,000 years ago in ancient Nepal.

Newari Buddhist chariot at the Temple of Annapurna, Machindranath Jatra (wiki)

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It is strongly influenced by Hinduism and Brahmanism. Newar Buddhists still perform their duties and rituals (dharma), passing along ancient knowledge and scriptures from generation to generation. Most people are only familiar with Tibetan Buddhism, due to its media attraction in the Western world.

For many, the idea of Buddhism only means monks with shaved heads and their saffron, yellow-, and maroon-colored robes. When visitors come in contact with the Newar Buddhist community of Nepal, they are amazed by the sight of the common lay Buddhists practicing this ancient tradition.

Most Nepali Newars follow Hindu traditions. However, the Shakya, Bajracharyas, and many other Newar Buddhist castes follow Buddhism.

The Newar Buddhist community practices Vajrayana Buddhism with unique customs and rituals. Newars are the original inhabitants of Nepal's Kathmandu Valley.

They have a distinct way of life, cultural customs, and spiritual traditions. The rich history, knowledge, rituals, and art of the Newari has turned the Kathmandu Valley into a living museum that attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world.

Religious and cultural festivals play a major part in the lives of the Newari people of Kathmandu.

Video: Suman Track. Art & Music: Mela. Location: Swayambhu. Copyright: Zero Degree Travel & Tours. #nepalnow #spiritual #buddhism #culture #heritage #PromoteNepal #PauseNow #traveltomorrow #artandmusicmela #zerodegreetravels #omsingingbowl

• Buddhism in Nepal

Buddhism of the Newar people

Newar Vajracharya priest (Kamal Ratna Tuladhar)

Newar Buddhism is the form of Vajrayana Buddhism practiced by the Newar people of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal [1, 2].

It has developed unique socio-religious elements, which include a non-monastic Buddhist society based on the Newar caste system and patrilineality.

The ritual priestly (guruju) caste, vajracharya (who perform rituals for others) and shakya (who perform rituals mostly within their own families) form the non-celibate religious clergy caste, while other Buddhist Newar castes like the Urāy act as patrons.

Uray also patronize Tibetan Vajrayana, Theravada, and even Japanese clerics [3]. It is the oldest known sect of the Vajrayana tradition outdating the Tibetan school of Vajrayana by more than 600 years.

Although there was a vibrant regional tradition of Buddhism in the Kathmandu Valley during the first millennium, the transformation into a distinctive cultural and linguistic form of Buddhism appears to have taken place in the 15th century, at about the same time that similar regional forms of Indic Buddhism such as those of Kashmir and Indonesia were on the wane.

As a result, Newar Buddhism seems to preserve some aspects of Indian Buddhism that were not preserved in Vajrayana schools elsewhere. More

Shambhala, the spiritual Buddhist kingdom

Holly Gary, grunge.com, Aug. 2, 2022; Pat Macpherson (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

Helena Roerich translated The Secret Doctrine by Madame Blavatsky (Atlas Obscura).

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Inside the story behind Shambhala, the spiritual Buddhist kingdom that was never discovered

Madame Blavatsky and Theosophists in Asia

It may be part of human nature to imagine there's a place out there free from strife and full of knowledge. Certainly, more than one culture has this concept.

One such place is the Buddhist Kingdom of Shambhala in Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain mythology.

Shambhala is Sanskrit and means "place of peace" or "place of silence" (IndiaDivine.org). This myth dates back more than a thousand years and varies depending on the source.

However, Buddhists, Hindus, and Jains agree that Shambhala is both a physical and a spiritual place (Atlas Obscura). While there is debate on where the physical Shambhala is located, according to ThoughtCo., it is between the Himalayan mountains and the Gobi Desert.

All the citizens of Shambhala have achieved enlightenment, so it represents a Buddhist ideal. The tantalizing myth of Shambhala has led quite a few people into the Himalayas to try to find it. It has attracted the attention of everyone from hippies and spiritualists to Christian missionaries to the NAZIs and Soviets.

In the 1920s, a Russian couple named Nicholas and Helena Roerich made one such expedition. They had escaped Russia just before the revolution of 1917 and were living in the United States.

Helena Roerich (pictured above) had translated The Secret Doctrine by Madame Helena Blavatsky, a Russian spiritualist (Atlas Obscura).

The book mentioned Shambhala, claiming that finding it was a shortcut to enlightenment. The Roerichs began to seriously believe in Shambhala, and Helena Roerich claimed to have received a message from an otherworldly being telling her to go there. More

Magnificent History of Bhutan's Royal Family

The Magnificent History of Bhutan's Royal Family

(Real Royalty, Asia's Monarchies, March 20, 2021) Sponsored by Foxy Games, see more at bit.ly/3toNDjS. Bhutan's governing party pledged recently to follow the policies of the absolute monarchy it is replacing, after it won a landslide in the country's first parliamentary elections. This remote, beautiful country truly is in the throes of a noble experiment. What makes this experiment unique is that this move towards democracy has been initiated by the ruling monarch himself. From Elizabeth II to Cleopatra, Real Royalty peels back the curtain to give a glimpse into the lives of some of the most influential families in the world, with new full-length documentaries posted every week covering the monarchies of today and all throughout history.

Content licensed from Off The Fence to Little Dot Studios. Any queries, please contact us at: owned-enquiries@littledotstudios.com.

Tibet's secret Buddhist temple (video)

David Bickerstaff (NOWNESS, 11/16/15); CC Liu, Ashley Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

CIA operative and media creation against China?

Let's go on a visual journey to the fifth Dalai Lama’s private meditation chamber. The current Dalai Lama incarnation, Tenzin Gyatso, is the fourteenth in line, the spiritual and temporal leader (pope-king) of the Yellow Hats, a Tibetan Buddhist sect which holds sway only in Tibet except among the dominant Han Chinese who occupy the country. Read the full feature on NOWNESS: bit.ly/1RYQy9F.

• bit.ly/facebook-nowness
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Dalai Lama to drop new album 7/6 (video)

14th Dalai Lama (dalailama.com, June 8, 2020); Ashley Wells, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Dalai Lama: Inner World, "Compassion"

The Dalai Lama jumps on Zoom, June 7, 2020

Coming soon, a sacred offering from the current Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso) of mantras and teachings set to music. Listen to “Compassion” (innerworld.lnk.to/Compassion), which is taken from the album Inner World that drops July 6th, coinciding with the Dalai Lama’s 85th birthday. Newsletter available at fanlink.to/InnerWorld_Newsletter.

• fanlink.to/InnerWorld_Instagram
• fanlink.to/InnerWorld_Facebook
• fanlink.to/InnerWorld_Twitter
• fanlink.to/InnerWorld_YouTube...
• fanlink.to/InnerWorld_Website

What u think, Adam? - Interesting, your holiness

Dalai Lama recorded by Junelle Kunin with music by Abraham Kunin. Executive produced by Junelle Kunin and Charles Goldstuck. Produced by Abraham Kunin. Mixed by Aaron Nevezie at The Bunker Studio. Mastered by Randy Merrill at Sterling Sound.

Artwork by Ella Brewer and Tiffany Singh. Animation by Kajsa Råsten.

Correction: the Tibetan text in the video should read འཕགས་པ་སྤྱན་རས་གཟིགས། but was incorrect due to unfortunate issues with software to present it accurately. Music in this video licensed to YouTube by Create Music Group, Inc. (on behalf of Gaden Phodrang Foundation of the Dalai Lama and Khandro Limited).

Potala Palace: If Buddhism has a pope, which it does not, this is his "Vatican." Tibet's capital, Lhasa, now occupied by Han Chinese, would be his Holy See. Like Rome, it was the center of an empire.