Finding Grace in the Bardos - Concepts of Humanity in Tillich and Rinpoche

A detailed Summary of Finding Grace in the Bardos - Concepts of Humanity in Tillich and Rinpoche

Concepts of Humanity in Tillich and Rinpoche

In the books The Shaking of the Foundations and The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, Paul Tillich and Sogyal Rinpoche lay out parallel visions of the human condition and the path to overcome it. The books have very similar themes and vocabularies and contain remarkably few substantive differences. The authors define the state of humanity as a state of separation. Man's separation has three distinct facets: separation from others, self, and the Eternal. Each work contains a path to achieve unity with all three.

Tillich holds that the state of separation is due to the fact that man lives in a state of sin, "To be in the state of sin is to be in the state of separation" (Tillich 154). Sin is not a singular act against God; it is the fundamental condition that humans live in, "Sin is the great, all-pervading problem of our life" (Tillich 154). Sin penetrates all things, effects all things, and touches all things. Sin is a process in which man "actively participate(s)" (Tillich 155). Thus, man shares in the guilt of sin, and a sinful nature is the fate of humanity. "Separation that is fate and guilt constitutes the meaning of the word 'sin'" (Till

Regardless, the transformation wrought by grace and enlightenment is the same; it is perfect unity with others, the self, and the Eternal. Unity with the Eternal is what leads to unity with self and others. The authors' concepts of the Eternal are very similar. Tillich calls the Eternal, "the Ground of being" (Tillich 159); Rinpoche calls it, "the ground of truth" (Rinpoche 36). It is the nature that all of humanity is a part of, "Christians and Jews call it 'God'..., and Buddhists call it 'buddha nature'" (Rinpoche 47). In both books, the unity with the Eternal has the same feeling: love of life, acceptance of self, a feeling of wholeness, and a recognition of the meaning of life - Tillich (163); fearlessness to negotiate life and death, unmasking of the self, unity with the nature of the mind, and the realization of true life - Rinpoche (55,57 & 53). Both authors are trying to help their readers reach this stage; it is the goal of life. Man has the chance to elevate himself in this lifetime; may he find grace in the bardos.

We are in great pain and restlessness... It strikes us when we feel that our separation is deeper than usual... It strikes us when, year after year, the longed-for perfection of life does not appear..., when despair destroys all joy and courage. (Rinpoche 161-162)

2. Tillich, Paul; The Shaking of the Foundations, Scribner's Sons Inc., New York, NY, 1948.

Man has two key misperceptions about the world around him: he does not see its impermanent nature, and he does not see the interdependence of all things. Man does not recognize that "there is nothing that is permanent" (Rinpoche 25) and that everything changes. In personal relationships, man struggles to hold onto the other person and to ensure that the relationship never changes. This manner of relating causes great pain for both people, especially when the relationship changes dramatically. Rinpoche writes:

It is fear that increases man's separation from himself. Rinpoche explains, "Without our familiar props, we are faced with just ourselves, a person we do not know... Isn't that why we have tried to fill every moment of time with noise and activity?" (Rinpoche 16) Instead of facing his fears, man buries his head and continues grasping for security. "And this is the tragedy and the irony of (his) struggle to hold on: not only is it impossible, but it brings (him) the very pain (he is) seeking to avoid" (Rinpoche 33).

Even if a man succeeds in gathering much wealth and status, his despair only increases. He knows that he will not be able to do that which he most desires, retain these things forever. If he does not lose them before, man knows that he will lose all of his possessions and positions to death (Rinpoche 16). Therefore, man lives in an intense state of fear and despair. He has not only succeeded in further separating himself from others; he has also increased his separation from himself.

Meditation is "bringing the mind home" (Rinpoche 56). It is a process of purification that focuses the mind upon its essential nature, Rigpa. When mediating, man tries to achieve egolessness. This happens when Sem is completely eliminated and Rigpa is realized. There are times when man's chance to be transformed is heightened; "these are moments when you can go through a powerful experience, and your whole worldview can change quickly" (Rinpoche 32). "Bardo" is the term for one of these opportunities (Rinpoche 11). The purpose of meditation is to prepare the mind to be transformed at one of these moments. When this happens "it is as if all our lives we have been flying in an airplane through dark clouds and turbulence, when suddenly the plane soars above the clouds into the clear, boundless sky" (Rinpoche 40).

So often it is only when people suddenly feel they are losing their partner that they realize that they love them. Then they cling on even tighter. But the more they grasp, the more the other person escapes t

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Approximate Word count = 3130
Approximate Pages = 13 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History