According to Buddhism it is helpful to follow a path because of the universal tendency to get lost. However when a teacher explains the path to us we need to make sure that we understand properly what we are being taught and how to put it into practice.
This illustrated book tells the story of a student's misunderstanding that fed into his overweening ambition and many disasters that ensued on an epic and cosmic scale.
Me First! is an ancient Tibetan Buddhist account of how a teacher's liberating instructions on the path to freedom were misunderstood by one of his disciples. The proud young student called Masterful goes to a Buddhist teacher called Resolute who points out to him that since his mind is always and already intrinsically free, there is therefore no need for him to involve himself in meditations and other practices to improve what is already perfect.
Masterful, however, hears this as a permission to be uncontrolled and do whatever he likes. Instead of awakening to the simple purity of his own awareness he feeds his egotistical ambition and sets out to take whatever he wants without limit, exploiting others without any concern for their capacity and welfare. This leads to universal devastation until finally the accumulated negative karma leads to Masterful manifesting as a demon, and known as Rudra. In this form he creates havoc until after many outrages the peaceful Buddhas gather together and decide that they need to adopt a new tactic.
Manifesting their powerful controlling energy, all the Buddhas transform the teacher Resolute into an all-conquering force of virtue. After many intense adventures the demonic force of Masterful is bound into the service of the true path of freedom, cleansed of his bad karma and bound into the service of the dharma, with the new name, Mahakala, Great Black One. The people return in peace to the land.
This story points to the dangers of unconstrained power and the associated temptation to follow the path of dictatorship. It highlights how important is the creative collaboration among the forces of good in order to constrain the power of delinquent self-assertion.
The illustrations bring the key points of this story to dramatic life and invite the reader to share in the excitements of this heroic engagement.
The text is based on the Padma bKa'-Thang by Padmasambhava which was revealed by the terton, Urgyen gLing-Pa.
For James Low's full translation of the original Tibetan text see Facet 4 (Getting Lost Invites Trouble), in This is it: revealing the great completion. James Low. (Simply Being, UK, 2020) ISBN: 978-0956923974.
Low, James: - Contributor's Biography James Low is a disciple of the late Chimed Rigdzin Lama and he teaches in the Byangter and Khordong lineages according to the instructions of his Guru. He began studying and practising Tibetan Buddhism in India in the 1970's and received teachings from Kalu Rinpoche, Chatral Rinpoche, Kanjur Rinpoche and Dudjom Rinpoche. Having met his root teacher, he lived in his home in West Bengal, India for many years, serving him as required and being taught many aspects of the tradition. On his return to Europe he also had teachings and guidance from Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. James translated many tantric texts and sadhanas with C. R. Lama who wanted texts from his Byangter and Khordong lineages to be available in English so that they can be used as practice texts. James trained in many and various models of psychotherapy. He has taught on many psychotherapy trainings in Britain and has now retired from his London work as a Consultant Psychotherapist leading the clinic that trained and treated in Cognitive Analytic Therapy in Guy's and St Thomas' National Health Service hospital. He has a website www.simplybeing.co.uk where his Buddhist teachings can be accessed in various media.
