Ep337: Guru Ghostwriting & Tantric Retreat - Dr Ben Joffe

In this interview I am once again joined by Dr Ben Joffe, anthropologist, occultist, and scholar practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism.
Ben reveals the industry convention of guru ghostwriting in which spiritual teachers employ one or a team of writers to produce their dharma books, explains his collaborative process with Nida Chenagtsang on their latest Vajrayana book, and sheds light on his own editorial process.
Ben discusses whether a scholar should have practice experience before translating religious texts, considers whether historical inaccuracies debunk the spiritual value of Buddhist scriptures, and raises questions about the origin of terma treasure texts.
Ben also compares the Yuthok Nyinthig retreat format to the Abramelin Ritual of Western Occultism, details the signs of success in tantric practice, and shares Yuthok’s promise to appear in bodily form to practitioners with sufficient devotion and attainment.
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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/podcast/ep337-guru-ghostwriting-tantric-retreat-dr-ben-joffe
Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.
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Topics include:
00:00 - Intro
01:12 - Ghostwriting for gurus
08:03 - Lamas often don’t write their books
10:24 - Ben’s editorial process
18:32 - Is guru ghostwriting a dirty secret?
19:17 - Vajrayana jargon vs a felt sense
29:56 - What is a scholar practitioner?
37:39 - Ben’s retreat experiences
41:13 - Did Yuthok the Elder really exist?
50:06 - Anachronisms and retroactive attribution in Tibetan historiography
51:57 - Origins of the Tibetan medical tantras (rgyud bzhi)
58:08 - Terma treasure texts: mystical revelation or an editorial process?
01:02:08 - Why have Western scholars been hesitant to question terma texts?
01:05:04 - Does critical scholarship debunk Buddhism?
01:10:55 - Medicine Buddha ex machina
01:12:45 - Referring out
01:13:24 - Encountering Yuthok vs the Holy Guardian Angel in the Abramelin Ritual
01:20:10 - Special 7-day Yuthok ngondro
01:24:10 - Is Yuthok Nyingthig the best tantric system?
01:28:27 - The power of aspiration prayers
01:30:53 - How long does it take to become fully enlightened?
01:33:51 - Practice according to number, time, or signs
01:34:54 - Mythic resonance of lineage
01:36:33 - Signs of spiritual progress
01:41:35 - Ben comments on the Abramelin Ritual
01:43:59 - Sumton’s Yeshe Zung’s devotional prayer
01:46:50 - Yuthok as a Mighty Dead
01:48:47 - Do Yuthok’s promises cause ego inflation and delusion?
01:52:09 - Verifying dreams and spiritual signs
01:58:26 - How to connect with spiritual blessings
02:05:09 - What are blessings?
02:06:32 - Spiritual signs in the Jesuit tradition
02:08:49 - Ngondro as a hazing
02:10:55 - Do people expect to encounter Yuthok at Dr Nida’s retreats?
02:15:38 - Dr Nida’s approach vs traditional contexts
02:21:00 - Typical student profile and outcomes
02:29:28 - Permissive approach to tantric vows
02:32:37 - Pros and cons of laissez-faire tantric practice
02:33:28 - Charismatic founder stage 
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Previous episodes with Dr Ben Joffe:
- https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=joffe
Previous episodes with Dr Nida Chenagtsang:
- https://www.guruviking.com/search?q=nida

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To find out more about Dr Ben Joffe, visit:
- https://perfumedskull.com/
- http://www.skypressbooks.com/
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For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- https://www.guruviking.com
Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James