To the Abode of Bliss ...

in Alexandra David-Neel, angkur, art, esoterica, Initiations and Initiates in Tibet, lama, photography, psychic teachings, student, The Magic of Smoke, Tibet

'Pass thy way, traveler;

stay not here. 

Many are the pleasant dwellings both in this world 

and 

in the others. 

Live a virtuous life and follow the precepts of the [Buddhist] law.

Easy and full of charm are the ways that lead 

 to the abodes of bliss. 

Behind this door

 is a steep and rugged path, 
enveloped in gloom.

Obstacles, painful to surmount, elusive mirages, exhausting struggles 

are to be encountered at every step.

Is thy foothold sufficiently sure to scale those heights? ...

Are thou bold enough to face any danger, however perilous? ...

Art thou wise enough to have destroyed all illusions? 

Hast thou overcome attachment to life 

and

dost thou feel capable of kindling within thyself the torch 

which must shed light upon the path ? ... '

(*Traditional speech given by a Tibetan Lama to a student receiving a sacred 'angkur' - the 'transmission of a power, a force, by psychic process.')

Citations: 

1. David-Neel, Alexandra. Initiations and Initiates in Tibet. London: Rider & Company, 1931.

2. Smoke photography courtesy of The Magic of Smoke.
3. Andrews, Annette. Temple Door (Shigatze, Tibet). 2006. Vancouver, Canada.