Dharma Ocean Answers: What is Identity in Vajrayana Buddhism?
The possession of a coherent and meaningful identity has been an essential aspect of being human for as far back as we can see. In the past, identity has been given by place, the web of human relationships, meaningful work, religion, and community. However, over the past two centuries, most of these traditional “givens” have collapsed, leading to a modern crisis of identity. Now, many of us no longer know who we are or what our lives are for. And yet, in the midst of a changing and collapsing world, we humans need a safe and secure sense of who we are more than ever. In this article, the Dharma Ocean explains what identity is in Vajrayana Buddhism.
In our search for a coherent identity today, some have opted for a “me first” approach — the classical narcissistic distortion — in which we prioritize our own individual well-being and satisfaction. A second approach, that of “identity politics,” seeks our fundamental identity not as individuals but as members of one group or another, such as race, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, economic status, or class. But neither of these approaches solves our problem because identity in these senses is socially constructed, impermanent, and conceptual, having no real or substantial existence.
Traditional religions and spiritualities are often sensitive to the inherent problems of identity. Because they limit us, cause much mutual misunderstanding, and are the basis of human conflict and even warfare, they recommend we work to transcend the need for identity. Tibetan Buddhism, though, suggests a different approach: while acknowledging the deep, even essential human need for identity, it recommends that we look for it not in what is made up, ultimately fictitious, and impermanent, but in that part of ourselves that is eternal and boundless, always and everywhere. And it shows us how to experience this for ourselves and make it the basis of our lives.
Dr. Reginald “Reggie” Ray is the Director of the Dharma Ocean Foundation, dedicated to the evolution and flowering of the somatic teachings of the Practicing Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. He teaches in the lineage of Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche. The author of many books, audio courses, and online series, Reggie’s work, and teachings draw from his background as a Buddhist scholar and practitioner. With a Ph.D. is in the History of Religions from the Divinity School of the University of Chicago (1973), he was the first full-time faculty member and chair of the Buddhist Studies (later Religious Studies) Department at Naropa University. Over nearly four decades, he grew the department and played various leadership roles at Naropa, developing with Trungpa Rinpoche many of the initiatives and projects that became part of Naropa’s unique identity as a Buddhist-inspired university. He began explicitly working with dharma students in 1995 and now devotes all of his time to transmitting the teachings of the Vajra dharma of his teacher.
About Dharma Ocean
Dharma Ocean is a global educational foundation in the lineage of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, focusing on somatic meditation as a way to serve students of any secular or religious discipline who are genuinely pursuing their spiritual awakening. Dharma Ocean offers online courses, study resources, and guided meditation.
