Lineage (Chinese: 传承) is not a mere collection of external signs of religiosity and tradition. Rituals, religious uniforms, artistic and architectural features, liturgical expressions, monastery or temple ground, and the like do not in themselves define what lineage is. Externalities are secondary.
What is primary and essential is the inner stream of blessings of authentically realized gurus — in the form of wisdom energy and blissful inspiration of their teaching transmissions over successive generations — that can potentially purify, transform, and liberate the afflicted mind. Deep authentic realisations of the gurus flow into and are crystallized in the words, meanings, sounds, and images of the teachings being transmitted in, through, and as the lineage.
In short, lineage is primarily and essentially this inner mindstream of transformative and liberating potentials carried through the orally transmitted teachings, processes, and practices that disciplic heirs of the lineage receive and embody.
Our Awarezen Lineage (Chinese: 圆觉禅传承) is unique. This special and uncommon transmission has its roots in Gotama Buddha and Adiyogi Shiva that ultimately traces to the cosmotheandric Christ who is incarnate as Jesus of Nazareth (Yeshua) and supremely emanated as the Buddha and Shiva. Essentially, there is no difference between "incarnation" and "emanation" even though these terms have varied semantic nuances in their respective historical and religious contexts. In the cosmotheandric paradigm of the Awarezen Lineage, there is no definitive difference between incarnation and emanation, except that the Buddha and Shiva are not mere enlightened emanations out of the ultimate expanse of truth body (dharmakaya) but actual supreme emanation bodies (parama-nirmanakayas). They are emanations of the highest order with particular spiritual missions unique to them and which only they could enact and accomplish. Likewise with Jesus (Yeshua), acting in the particular Judea-Galilean religious and cultural context of his time. Ordinary emanation bodies can include all manner of animate and inanimate entities in our cosmos, with the generic purpose of benefitting sentient beings by freeing them from cyclical suffering and leading them towards enlightenment. Like the Buddha and Shiva, Jesus of Nazareth or Yeshua — the incarnate logos and Son in Triune Reality — is a supreme emanation body. The Order of Awarezen Mitras (OAM) is the custodian and holder of this wondrous and special Lineage of the Buddha, Shiva, and Yeshua — all nondual effulgent emanations of the cosmotheandric Christ beyond words and concepts.
In a nutshell, the Awarezen Lineage comprises major transmissions of the Buddha Dharma across Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana traditions. It is an uncommon integration of all the trainings and transmissions I have received over nearly five decades of Dharma study and practice from highly qualified and authentic teachers (gurus). The Early Buddhist Tradition (EBT) rooted in the Pali suttas and Chinese agamas forms the foundation upon which later Buddhist traditions are built and which teachings form the shared common core of all Buddhist schools. Direct transmission of this EBT comes from Acariya Godwin Samararatne (1932-2000), Bhante Shravasti Dhammika, and Luang Por Ajahn Kalyano. The Mahayana Chinese Chan tradition with its pithy wisdom and direct immediate methods of meditative practice is transmitted through eminent Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh (1926-2022) and Chinese Chan master Shengyen Shifu (1931-2009).
The Vajrayana Indo-Tibetan tradition with its expansive and profound teachings systematized into a coherent graduated pathway of study and practice (e.g. Gelug school's Lamrim or Nyingma school's Nine Yanas) is transmitted through Gyurme Khensur Rinpoche Geshe Tashi Tsering (Sutra and Tantra in the lineage of Je Tsong Khapa), Lama Alan Wallace (Dzogchen in the close lineage of Dudjom Lingpa), Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche (1938-2018) (Dzogchen in the lineage of Rigdzin Changchub Dorje), Kyabje Choden Rinpoche (1930-2015) (Gelug/Kagyu tradition of Mahamudra), Kyabje Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche (1926-2006) (Kalachakra Tantra in the Gelug tradition), Lama Zopa Rinpoche (1946-2023) (Sutra and Tantra in the lineage of Je Tsong Khapa), His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama (Sutra and Tantra in the lineage of Je Tsong Khapa), and Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche (Empowerment of Guru Rinpoche in the Nyingma tradition).
In addition to the blessings and transmissions of the Buddha Dharma, the Awarezen Lineage also contains the spiritual intensity and ambience of two major lineages of Indic Tantra, both Northern and Southern. North Indic Tantra is transmitted through Shrii Shrii Anandamurti (1921-1990) while South Indic Tantra is received from Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev. A careful selection of processes and practices of Sahaja Rajadhiraja Yoga (North Indic Tantra) and Isha Yoga (South Indic Tantra) which are publicly accessible are incorporated into the practice pathway of the Awarezen Lineage. Taken together, these various streams of wisdom energy and blissful inspiration pulsating in the lineages of Buddha Dharma and Indic Tantra coalesce into the river of The Great Christic Consummation Path of Total Awakening — the signature training pathway of the Order of Awarezen Mitras (OAM).
Lineage in its true and pristine form is immeasurably precious for it holds tremendous possibilities for transformation and liberation. Engaging with the Lineage will inevitably change those who invest themselves in this river of enlightening potentials. We are all different in our predispositions and backgrounds, and we engage with the Lineage each in our particularity and uniqueness. Intellect, intuition, devotion, and action are diverse yet integral ways of engaging the Lineage. For some, intellect and intuition may predominate. For others, it is devotion or action. Yet for others, all ways of engagement are equally valid and integrated in a holistic practice that expresses their specific resonances.
Whether it is Jnana Yoga (intellect), Raja Yoga (intuition), Bhakti Yoga (devotion), or Karma Yoga (action), or a dynamic integration of all of these modes of Yoga, they are all to be valued and cherished notwithstanding differing degrees of predominance of each of these modes at different times, embraced as part of the fluid organic nature of spiritual evolution. An authentic Lineage is alive and vibrant, sparkling and fresh, imbued with an electrifying field of energy that can touch a receptive heart and mind in wholesome and liberating ways. Awarezen Lineage embraces all modes of Yoga described above in nondual synergy. All variants of nonduality — unitive, cessative, manifestive, and active — are equally valorized in the all pervasive embrace of devotional nonduality where mutuality and intimacy of love is not eclipsed but heightened by nondual vision. Seen thus, Awarezen Lineage cuts across the binary of laity and clergy and upholds a new “third way” of contemplatively profound living beyond robes and suits, religious and secular.
May all beings encounter the Path, be empowered and supported by an authentic wisdom Lineage, and be radically liberated from delusion and suffering in their genuine realization of the highest bliss of Nibbana. Sarva mangalam.
