The Tantric Viewpoint
In this teaching from Vancouver, Canada, 1980, Lama Yeshe discusses the importance of recognizing and appreciating our divine quality. This teaching is published in chapter 18 of Big Love: The Life and Teachings of Lama Yeshe.
We say we are transforming ourselves into the deity. How? Do my bones become green? Does my blood transform into green light? No! You have two bodies. One is physical and the other is the psychic, or consciousness, body. If you don’t understand this, you’re missing the point of practicing yoga tantra. When, in your everyday life, you change your inner attitude, you are a different manifestation. When you are angry, you’re a different manifestation from when you’re peaceful, aren’t you? But your head hasn’t changed, your hand hasn’t changed. This is what I am referring to, the transformation of consciousness. The consciousness body transforms into the green radiating light body, so you eradicate the ordinary conceptions of ego, the limited self-pitying one with which you usually identify yourself.
The difference between Buddhist and Western psychology is that in Buddhism the ego doesn’t have a good reputation. The ego shouldn’t receive any encouragement. However, we do speak of divine pride, recognizing your divine quality, your dignity. But you should not have ego. From the Buddhist philosophical viewpoint, the human ego is a hallucinated projection.
The tantric viewpoint is that any time you experience pleasure and bliss the tendency should be to increase wisdom, tranquility and satisfaction. That’s why tantra emphasizes having pleasure and bliss. If you are dissatisfied, the result is more dissatisfaction and misery. That is the interdependent characteristic of psychological phenomena.
Many people feel guilty when they have pleasure. Unbelievable! Completely stupid! I know many religious people who go on holiday and say, “I feel guilty. I had a good time but others are suffering so much.” I never think that! Be grateful! Then you are able to give pleasure to others and you feel worthwhile. It’s important to understand that if you have a good time, a quiet and peaceful time and enjoy yourself, that is the result of your good karma, your good attitude, good thinking. So, you recognize and appreciate, instead of feeling guilty.