Modern Buddhism
Also by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
Meaningful to Behold
Clear Light of Bliss
Universal Compassion
Joyful Path of Good Fortune
The Bodhisattva Vow
Heart Jewel
Great Treasury of Merit
Introduction to Buddhism
Understanding the Mind
Tantric Grounds and Paths
Ocean of Nectar
Essence of Vajrayana
Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully
Eight Steps to Happiness
Transform Your Life
The New Meditation Handbook
How to Solve Our Human Problems
Mahamudra Tantra
The New Heart of Wisdom
The New Guide to Dakini Land
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GESHE KELSANG GYATSO
Modern Buddhism
THE PATH OF COMPASSION
AND WISDOM
THARPA PUBLICATIONS
UK • US • CANADA
AUSTRALIA • ASIA
First published in 2011
Second edition 2013
The right of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
to be identiied as author of this work
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© New Kadampa Tradition-International Kadampa Buddhist Union 2010,
2013
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Contents
Illustrations
Preface
viii
ix
PART ONE: SUTRA
Preliminary Explanation
What is Buddhism?
Buddhist Faith
What is the Mind?
Who are the Kadampas?
The Preciousness of Kadam Lamrim
The Path of a Person of Initial Scope
The Preciousness of our Human Life
What Does our Death Mean?
The Dangers of Lower Rebirth
Going for Refuge
What is Karma?
The Path of a Person of Middling Scope
What We Should Know
What We Should Abandon
What We Should Practise
What We Should Attain
v
3
7
10
12
22
29
34
36
39
42
45
60
62
65
The Path of a Person of Great Scope
67
The Supreme Good Heart – Bodhichitta
69
Training in Affectionate Love
70
Training in Cherishing Love
74
Training in Wishing Love
81
Training in Universal Compassion
83
Training in Actual Bodhichitta
84
Training in the Path of Bodhichitta
Training in the Six Perfections
87
Training in Taking in Conjunction with the
Practice of the Six Perfections
91
Training in Giving in Conjunction with the
Practice of the Six Perfections
Training in Ultimate Bodhichitta
96
101
What is Emptiness?
102
The Emptiness of our Body
104
The Emptiness of our Mind
113
The Emptiness of our I
114
The Emptiness Which is Empty of Eight Extremes
120
Conventional and Ultimate Truths
125
The Union of the Two Truths
131
The Practice of Emptiness in our Daily Activities
136
A Simple Training in Ultimate Bodhichitta
139
Examination of our Lamrim practice
145
PART TWO: TANTRA
The Preciousness of Tantra
149
The Tantra of Generation Stage
157
The Tantra of Completion Stage
The Central Channel
163
The Indestructible Drop
165
The Indestructible Wind and Mind
166
vi
How to Meditate on the Central Channel
How to Meditate on the Indestructible Drop
How to Meditate on the Indestructible Wind and Mind
The Completion Stage of Mahamudra
Great Bliss
The Practice of Heruka Body Mandala
The Lineage of these Instructions
What is the Heruka Body Mandala?
The Preliminary Practices
Training in the Generation Stage of Heruka
Body Mandala
Training in Completion Stage
The Instructions of Vajrayogini
The Yogas of Sleeping, Rising and Experiencing
Nectar
The Remaining Eight Yogas
241
247
Dedication
252
Appendix I – Liberating Prayer
Appendix II – Prayers for Meditation
Appendix III – An Explanation of Channels
Appendix IV – An Explanation of Inner Winds
Appendix V – The Yoga of Buddha Heruka
Appendix VI – Blissful Journey
Appendix VII – Quick Path to Great Bliss
Appendix VIII – The Blissful Path
Appendix IX – The nada
253
255
265
271
277
295
319
367
377
Glossary
Bibliography
Study Programmes of Kadampa Buddhism
Tharpa Ofices Worldwide
Index
Further Reading
379
395
401
407
409
435
vii
169
170
171
181
185
197
204
208
227
238
Illustrations
Buddha Shakyamuni
Atisha
Je Tsongkhapa
Buddha of Compassion
Arya Tara
Wisdom Dharma Protector
Twelve-armed Heruka
Ghantapa
Guru Sumati Buddha Heruka
Buddha Vajradhara
Buddha Vajradharma
Venerable Vajrayogini
Mandala of Vajrayogini
Naropa
Tantric commitment objects: inner offering
in kapala, vajra, bell, damaru, mala
Je Phabongkhapa
Dorjechang Trijang Rinpoche
Guru Vajradharma
Venerable Vajrayogini
viii
2
28
68
100
144
148
156
182
214
222
228
240
248
264
278
280
296
368
372
Preface
The instructions given in this book are scientiic methods for
improving our human nature and qualities through developing
the capacity of our mind. In recent years our knowledge of
modern technology has increased considerably, and as a result
we have witnessed remarkable material progress, but there has
not been a corresponding increase in human happiness. There
is no less suffering in the world today, and there are no fewer
problems. Indeed, it might be said that there are now more
problems and greater dangers than ever before. This shows
that the cause of happiness and the solution to our problems
do not lie in knowledge of material things. Happiness and
suffering are states of mind and so their main causes are not to
be found outside the mind. If we want to be truly happy and
free from suffering, we must learn how to control our mind.
When things go wrong in our life and we encounter dificult
situations, we tend to regard the situation itself as our problem,
but in reality whatever problems we experience come from the
side of the mind. If we were to respond to dificult situations
with a positive or peaceful mind they would not be problems
for us; indeed, we may even come to regard them as challenges
ix
MODERN BUDDHISM
or opportunities for growth and development. Problems arise
only if we respond to dificulties with a negative state of mind.
Therefore, if we want to be free from problems, we must transform our mind.
Buddha taught that the mind has the power to create all
pleasant and unpleasant objects. The world is the result of the
karma, or actions, of the beings who inhabit it. A pure world
is the result of pure actions and an impure world is the result
of impure actions. Since all actions are created by mind, ultimately everything, including the world itself, is created by
mind. There is no creator other than the mind.
Normally we say ‘I created such and such’, or ‘He or she
created such and such’, but the actual creator of everything is
the mind because everything is a mere imputation by mind.
This is clearly explained in detail in the chapter Training in
Ultimate Bodhichitta. We are like servants of our mind; whenever
it wants to do something, we have to do it without any choice.
Since beginningless time until now we have been under the
control of our mind, without any freedom; but if we sincerely
practise the instructions given in this book we can reverse this
situation and gain control over our mind. Only then shall we
have real freedom.
Through studying many Buddhist texts we may become a
renowned scholar; but if we do not put Buddha’s teachings
into practice, our understanding of Buddhism will remain
hollow, with no power to solve our own or others’ problems.
Expecting intellectual understanding of Buddhist texts alone
to solve our problems is like a sick person hoping to cure his
or her illness through merely reading medical instructions
without actually taking the medicine. As Buddhist Master
Shantideva says:
x
PREFACE
We need to put Buddha’s teachings, the Dharma, into
practice
Because nothing can be accomplished just by reading
words.
A sick man will never be cured of his illness
Through merely reading medical instructions!
Each and every living being has the sincere wish to avoid all
suffering and problems permanently. Normally we try to do
this by using external methods, but no matter how successful
we are from a worldly point of view – no matter how materially
wealthy, powerful or highly respected we become – we shall
never ind permanent liberation from suffering and problems.
In reality, all the problems we experience day to day come from
our self-cherishing and self-grasping – misconceptions that
exaggerate our own importance. However, because we do not
understand this, we usually blame others for our problems,
and this just makes them worse. From these two basic misconceptions arise all our other delusions, such as anger and
attachment, causing us to experience endless problems.
I pray that everyone who reads this book may experience
deep inner peace, or peace of mind, and accomplish the real
meaning of human life. I particularly would like to encourage
everyone to read speciically the chapter Training in Ultimate
Bodhichitta. Through carefully reading and contemplating this
chapter again and again with a positive mind, you will gain
very profound knowledge, or wisdom, which will bring great
meaning to your life.
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
xi
PART ONE:
Sutra
Buddha Shakyamuni
Preliminary Explanation
WHAT IS BUDDHISM?
Buddhism is the practice of Buddha’s teachings, also called
‘Dharma’, which means ‘protection’. By practising Buddha’s
teachings, living beings are permanently protected from
suffering. The founder of Buddhism is Buddha Shakyamuni,
who showed the manner of accomplishing the ultimate goal of
living beings, the attainment of enlightenment, at Bodh Gaya
in India in 589 BC. At the request of the gods Indra and Brahma,
Buddha then began to expound his profound teachings, or
‘turned the Wheel of Dharma’. Buddha gave eighty-four
thousand teachings, and from these precious teachings
Buddhism developed in this world.
Today we can see many different forms of Buddhism, such
as Zen and Theravada Buddhism. All these different aspects are
practices of Buddha’s teachings, and all are equally precious;
they are just different presentations. In this book I shall explain
about Buddhism according to the Kadampa tradition, which
I have studied and practised. This explanation is not given
for the purpose of intellectual understanding, but for gaining
3
MODERN BUDDHISM
profound realizations through which we can solve our daily
problems of delusions and accomplish the real meaning of our
human life.
There are two stages to the practice of Buddha’s teachings –
the practices of Sutra and Tantra – both of which are explained
in this book. Although the instructions presented here come
from Buddha Shakyamuni, and Buddhist Masters such as
Atisha, Je Tsongkhapa and our present Teachers, this book is
called Modern Buddhism because its presentation of Dharma
is designed especially for the people of the modern world.
My intention in writing this book is to give the reader strong
encouragement to develop and maintain compassion and wisdom. If everyone sincerely practises the path of compassion
and wisdom all their problems will be solved and never arise
again; I guarantee this.
We need to practise Buddha’s teachings because there is
no other real method to solve human problems. For example,
because modern technology often causes more suffering and
dangers, it cannot be a real method to solve human problems.
Although we want to be happy all the time we do not know
how to do this, and we are always destroying our own
happiness by developing anger, negative views and negative
intentions. We are always trying to escape from problems, even
in our dreams, but we do not know how to liberate ourself
from suffering and problems. Because we do not understand
the real nature of things, we are always creating our own
suffering and problems by performing inappropriate or nonvirtuous actions.
The source of all our daily problems and suffering is our
uncontrolled desire, also known as ‘attachment’. Since
beginningless time, because we have had uncontrolled desire
for the fulfilment of our own wishes, we have performed
4
PRELIMINARY EXPLANATION
various kinds of non-virtuous actions – actions that harm
others. As a result, we continually experience various kinds
of suffering and miserable conditions in life after life without
end. When our wishes are not fulilled we usually experience
unpleasant feelings, such as unhappiness or depression; this is
our own problem because we are so attached to the fulilment
of our wishes. When we lose a close friend we experience pain
and unhappiness, but this is only because we have no ability
to control our desire. When we lose our possessions and the
things that we like, we experience unhappiness and we become
upset and angry. This is because we have uncontrolled desire
for these things. If we were able to control our desire there
would be no basis to experience these problems. Many people
are engaged in ighting, criminal actions and even warfare;
all these actions arise from their uncontrolled desire for the
fulilment of their own wishes. In this way, we can see that
there is not a single problem experienced by living beings that
does not come from their uncontrolled desire. This proves that
unless we control our desire our problems will never cease.
Therefore, anyone – whether Buddhist or non-Buddhist – who
does not wish to experience problems and suffering should
learn to control their desire through training in the particular
meditations that are presented in Buddha’s teachings.
We should understand that our problems do not exist outside
of ourself, but are part of our mind that experiences unpleasant
feelings. When our computer, for example, has a problem we
usually say ‘I have a problem’, but in reality it is the computer’s
problem and not our problem. The computer’s problem is an
outer problem, and our problem, which is our own unpleasant
feeling, is an inner problem. These two problems are completely
different. We need to solve the computer’s problem by repairing
it, and we need to solve our own problem by controlling our
5
MODERN BUDDHISM
desire for the computer’s problem to be solved. Even if we keep
solving the computer’s problems, if we are unable to control
our desire for the computer we shall continually experience
new problems related to the computer. It is the same with our
house, our money, our relationships and so forth. Because
of mistakenly believing that outer problems are their own
problems, most people seek ultimate refuge in the wrong
objects. As a result, their suffering and problems never end.
For as long as we are unable to control our delusions such as
our uncontrolled desire, we shall have to experience suffering
and problems continually, throughout this life and in life after
life without end. Because we are bound tightly by the rope of
uncontrolled desire to the enjoyments of samsara, the cycle
of impure life, it is impossible for us to be free from suffering
and problems unless we practise Buddha’s teachings, Dharma.
Understanding this, we should develop and maintain the
strong wish to abandon the root of suffering – uncontrolled
desire. This wish is called ‘renunciation’, and arises from our
wisdom.
Buddha’s teachings are scientific methods to solve the
problems of all living beings permanently. By putting his
teachings into practice we shall be able to control our desire
and because of this we shall be permanently free from all our
suffering and problems. From this alone we can understand
how precious and important his teachings, the Dharma, are for
everyone. As mentioned above, because all our problems come
from uncontrolled desire, and there is no method to control our
desire other than Dharma, Buddha’s teachings, it is clear that
only Dharma is the actual method to solve our daily problems.
By practising Buddha’s teachings on the profound view
of emptiness, which are presented in the chapter Training
in Ultimate Bodhichitta, we can permanently solve our daily
6
PRELIMINARY EXPLANATION
problems that arise from attachment, anger and the ignorance
of self-grasping.
The root of uncontrolled desire and of all our suffering
is self-grasping ignorance, ignorance about the way things
actually exist. Without relying upon Buddha’s teachings
we cannot recognize this ignorance; and without practising
Buddha’s teachings on emptiness we cannot abandon it. Thus
we shall have no opportunity to attain liberation from suffering
and problems. Through this explanation we can understand
that, since all living beings, whether human or non-human,
Buddhist or non-Buddhist, wish to be free from suffering and
problems, they all need to practise Dharma. There is no other
method to accomplish this aim.
BUDDHIST FAITH
For Buddhists, faith in Buddha Shakyamuni is their spiritual
life; it is the root of all Dharma realizations. If we have deep
faith in Buddha we shall naturally develop the strong wish to
practise his teachings. With this wish we shall deinitely apply
effort in our Dharma practice, and with strong effort we shall
accomplish permanent liberation from the suffering of this life
and countless future lives.
The attainment of permanent liberation from suffering
depends upon effort in our Dharma practice, which depends
upon the strong wish to practise Dharma, which in turn
depends upon deep faith in Buddha. Therefore we can understand that if we truly want to experience great beneit from our
practice of Buddhism we need to develop and maintain deep
faith in Buddha.
How do we develop and maintain this faith? First, we
should know why we need to attain permanent liberation
7
MODERN BUDDHISM
from suffering. It is not enough just to experience temporary
liberation from a particular suffering; all living beings,
including animals, experience temporary liberation from
particular sufferings. Animals experience temporary liberation
from human suffering, and humans experience temporary
liberation from animal suffering. At the moment we may be
free from physical suffering and mental pain, but this is only
temporary. Later in this life and in our countless future lives
we shall have to experience unbearable physical suffering
and mental pain, again and again without end. In the cycle
of impure life, samsara, no one has permanent liberation;
everyone has to experience continually the sufferings of
sickness, ageing, death and uncontrolled rebirth, in life after
life without end.
Within this cycle of impure life there are various realms or
impure worlds into which we can be reborn: the three lower
realms – the animal, hungry ghost and hell realms – and the
three higher realms – the god, demi-god and human realms. Of
all impure worlds, hell is the worst; it is the world that appears
to the very worst kind of mind. The world of an animal is
less impure, and the world that appears to human beings is
less impure than the world that appears to animals. However,
there is suffering within every realm. When we take rebirth
as a human being we have to experience human suffering,
when we take rebirth as an animal we have to experience
animal suffering, and when we take rebirth as a hell being
we have to experience the suffering of a hell being. Through
contemplating this we shall realize that just experiencing a
temporary liberation from particular sufferings is not good
enough; we deinitely need to attain permanent liberation
from the sufferings of this life and all our countless future
lives.
8
PRELIMINARY EXPLANATION
How can we accomplish this? Only by putting Buddha’s
teachings into practice. This is because only Buddha’s teachings
are the actual methods to abandon our self-grasping ignorance,
the source of all our suffering. In his teaching called King of
Concentration Sutra Buddha says:
A magician creates various things
Such as horses, elephants and so forth.
His creations do not actually exist;
You should know all things in the same way.
This teaching alone has the power to liberate all living beings
permanently from their suffering. Through practising and realizing this teaching, which is explained more fully in the chapter
Training in Ultimate Bodhichitta, we can permanently eradicate
the root of all our suffering, our self-grasping ignorance. When
this happens we shall experience the supreme permanent
peace of mind, known as ‘nirvana’, permanent liberation from
suffering, which is our deepest wish and the real meaning of
human life. This is the main purpose of Buddha’s teachings.
Through understanding this we shall deeply appreciate the
great kindness of Buddha to all living beings in giving profound methods to achieve permanent freedom from the cycle
of suffering of sickness, ageing, death and rebirth. Even our
mother does not have the compassion that wishes to liberate us
from these sufferings; only Buddha has this compassion for all
living beings without exception. Buddha is actually liberating
us by revealing the wisdom path that leads us to the ultimate
goal of human life. We should contemplate this point again and
again until we develop deep faith in Buddha. This faith is the
object of our meditation; we should transform our mind into
faith in Buddha and maintain it single-pointedly for as long
as possible. By continually practising this contemplation and
9
MODERN BUDDHISM
meditation we shall maintain deep faith in Buddha day and
night, throughout our life.
One of Buddha’s main functions is to bestow mental peace
upon each and every living being by giving blessings. By
themselves living beings are unable to cultivate a peaceful
mind; it is only through receiving Buddha’s blessings upon
their mental continuum that living beings, including even
animals, can experience peace of mind. When their minds are
peaceful and calm they are really happy; but if their minds
are not peaceful they are not happy, even if their external
conditions are perfect. This proves that happiness depends
upon mental peace, and since this depends upon receiving
Buddha’s blessings, Buddha is therefore the source of all
happiness. Understanding and contemplating this we should
develop and maintain deep faith in Buddha, and generate the
strong wish to practise his teachings in general and Kadam
Lamrim in particular.
WHAT IS THE MIND?
Although we often talk about our mind, if someone were to
ask us, ‘What is the mind?’, we would have no clear answer.
Some people say that our brain is the mind, but this is incorrect. The brain cannot be the mind because it is simply a part
of the body; we can see it directly with our eyes and it can
even be photographed. On the other hand, the mind is not a
part of the body; we cannot see it with our eyes and it cannot
be photographed. Therefore it is clear that the brain is not the
mind. We can ind a clear answer to the question, ‘What is the
mind?’ only from Buddha’s teachings.
Buddha gave clear and detailed explanations about the mind
as follows. The mind is something whose nature is empty like
10
PRELIMINARY EXPLANATION
space, which has never possessed form, shape or colour, and
whose function is to perceive and understand objects. There
are three different levels of mind: gross, subtle and very subtle.
During our dreams, we have dream awareness through which
the various kinds of dream things appear to us; this awareness
is a subtle mind because it is dificult to recognize. During deep
sleep we have only one mental awareness, which perceives
emptiness alone. This awareness is called the ‘clear light of
sleep’, and is the very subtle mind because it is extremely dificult to recognize.
During the waking day we have waking awareness through
which various kinds of waking things appear to us. This awareness is a gross mind because it is not dificult to recognize.
When we fall asleep our gross mind, or waking awareness,
dissolves into our subtle mind of sleep. At the same time, all
our appearances of the waking world become non-existent;
and when we experience deep sleep, our subtle mind of sleep
dissolves into our very subtle mind of sleep, the clear light of
sleep. At this stage, we have become like a person who has
died. Then, because of our maintaining a karmic connection
with this life, from our clear light of sleep our gross mind, or
waking awareness, will arise again and various kinds of waking things appear to us again.
The process of sleeping is very similar to the process of
dying. The difference between these two is that when we are
dying our gross and subtle minds will dissolve into our very
subtle mind of death, known as the ‘clear light of death’. Then,
because of our karmic connection with this life ceasing, our
very subtle mind leaves this body, goes to the next life and
enters a new body, and then all the various kinds of things of
the next life will appear to us. Everything will be completely
new.
11
MODERN BUDDHISM
From this explanation about the mind we can understand
clearly the existence of our future lives, so that we can prepare now for the happiness and freedom of our countless
future lives through practising Buddha’s teachings, Dharma.
There is no greater meaning than this. Our present life is only
one single life but our futures lives are countless. Therefore,
there is no doubt that future lives are more important than
this life.
WHO ARE THE KADAMPAS?
‘Ka’ refers to Buddha’s teachings and ‘dam’ refers to Atisha’s
instructions on Lamrim (the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment,
also known as Kadam Lamrim). ‘Kadam’ therefore refers to the
union of Buddha’s teachings and Atisha’s instructions, and
sincere practitioners of Kadam Lamrim are called ‘Kadampas’.
There are two Kadampa traditions, the ancient and the new.
Practitioners of the ancient Kadampa tradition appeared to
emphasize the practice of Kadam Lamrim of Sutra more than
the practice of Tantra. Later, Je Tsongkhapa and his disciples
emphasized the practice of Kadam Lamrim of both Sutra and
Tantra equally. This new tradition founded by Je Tsongkhapa
is called the new Kadampa tradition.
Kadampas sincerely rely upon Buddha Shakyamuni because
Buddha is the source of Kadam Lamrim; they sincerely rely
upon Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion, and upon
the Wisdom Dharma Protector, indicating that their main practice is compassion and wisdom; and they sincerely rely upon
Arya Tara because she promised Atisha that she would take
special care of Kadampa practitioners in the future. For this
reason, these four enlightened holy beings are called the ‘Four
Kadampa Guru Deities’.
12
PRELIMINARY EXPLANATION
The founder of the Kadampa tradition is the great Buddhist
Master and scholar, Atisha. Atisha was born in AD 982 as a
prince in East Bengal, India. His father’s name was Kalyanashri
(Glorious Virtue) and his mother’s name was Prabhavarti
Shrimati (Glorious Radiance). He was the second of three sons
and when he was born he was given the name Chandragarbha
(Moon Essence). The name Atisha, which means Peace, was
given to him later by the Tibetan king Jangchub Ö because he
was always calm and peaceful.
When he was still a child Chandragarbha’s parents took
him to visit a temple. All along the way thousands of people
gathered to see if they could catch a glimpse of the prince.
When he saw them Chandragarbha asked ‘Who are these
people?’ and his parents replied ‘They are all our subjects.’
Compassion arose spontaneously in the prince’s heart and he
prayed ‘May all these people enjoy good fortune as great as
my own.’ Whenever he met anyone the wish arose naturally
in his mind, ‘May this person ind happiness and be free from
suffering.’
Even as a small boy Chandragarbha received visions of
Arya Tara, a female enlightened being. Sometimes, while he
was on his mother’s lap, blue upali lowers would fall from
the sky and he would begin to speak, as if to the lowers.
Yogis later explained to his mother that the blue lowers she
had seen were a sign that Tara was appearing to her son and
speaking to him.
When the prince was older his parents wanted to arrange
a marriage for him, but Tara advised him ‘If you become
attached to your kingdom you will be like an elephant when
he sinks into mud and cannot lift himself out again because he
is so huge and heavy. Do not become attached to this life. Study
and practise Dharma. You have been a Spiritual Guide in many
13
MODERN BUDDHISM
of your previous lives and in this life also you will become
a Spiritual Guide.’ Inspired by these words Chandragarbha
developed a very strong interest in studying and practising
Dharma and he became determined to attain all the realizations of Buddha’s teachings. He knew that to accomplish his
aim he would need to ind a fully qualiied Spiritual Guide. At
irst he approached a famous Buddhist Teacher called Jetari,
who lived nearby, and requested Dharma instructions on how
to ind release from samsara. Jetari gave him instructions on
refuge and bodhichitta, and then told him that if he wanted
to practise purely he should go to Nalanda and learn from the
Spiritual Guide Bodhibhadra.
When he met Bodhibhadra the prince said ‘I realize that
samsara is meaningless and that only liberation and full
enlightenment are really worthwhile. Please give Dharma
instructions that will lead me quickly to the state beyond
sorrow, nirvana.’ Bodhibhadra gave him brief instructions
on generating bodhichitta and then advised ‘If you wish to
practise Dharma purely you should seek the Spiritual Guide
Vidyakokila.’ Bodhibhadra knew that Vidyakokila was a great
meditator who had gained a perfect realization of emptiness
and was very skilful in teaching the stages of the profound
path.
Vidyakokila gave Chandragarbha complete instructions on
both the profound path and the vast path and then sent him
to study with the Spiritual Guide Avadhutipa. Avadhutipa
did not give guidance immediately but told the prince to go
to Rahulagupta to receive instructions on Hevajra and Heruka
Tantras and then to return to him to receive more detailed
instructions on Tantra, or Secret Mantra. Rahulagupta gave
Chandragarbha the secret name Janavajra (Indestructible
Wisdom) and his first empowerment, which was into the
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PRELIMINARY EXPLANATION
practice of Hevajra. Then he told him to go home and obtain
the consent of his parents.
Although the prince was not attached to worldly life it
was still important for him to have his parents’ permission to
practise in the way he wished. Thus he returned to his parents
and said ‘If I practise Dharma purely, then, as Arya Tara has
predicted, I shall be able to repay your kindness and the
kindness of all living beings. If I can do this my human life will
not have been wasted. Otherwise, even though I may spend
all my time in a glorious palace, my life will be meaningless.
Please give me your consent to leave the kingdom and dedicate
my whole life to the practice of Dharma.’ Chandragarbha’s
father was unhappy to hear this and wanted to prevent his son
from giving up his prospects as future king, but his mother
was delighted to hear that her son wished to dedicate his life
to Dharma. She remembered that at his birth there had been
marvellous signs, such as rainbows, and she remembered
miracles like the blue upali lowers falling from the sky. She
knew that her son was no ordinary prince and she gave her
permission without hesitation. In time, the king also granted
his son’s wish.
Chandragarbha returned to Avadhutipa and for seven
years he received instructions on Secret Mantra. He became
so accomplished that on one occasion he developed pride,
thinking ‘Probably I know more about Secret Mantra than
anyone else in the whole world.’ That night in his dream
Dakinis came and showed him rare scriptures that he had never
seen before. They asked him ‘What do these texts mean?’, but
he had no idea. When he awoke, his pride was gone.
Later, Chandragarbha began to think that he should emulate
Avadhutipa’s way of practising and strive as a layman to attain
enlightenment quickly by practising Mahamudra depending
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MODERN BUDDHISM
upon an action mudra; but he received a vision of Heruka who
told him that if he were to take ordination he would be able to
help countless beings and spread Dharma far and wide. That
night he dreamt that he was following a procession of monks
in the presence of Buddha Shakyamuni, who was wondering
why Chandragarbha had not yet taken ordination. When he
awoke from his dream he resolved to become a monk. He
received ordination from Shilarakshita, and was given the
name Dhipamkara Shrijana.
From the Spiritual Guide Dharmarakshita, Dhipamkara
Shrijana received extensive instructions on the Seven Sets of
Abhidharma and the Ocean of Great Explanation – texts written
from the point of view of the Vaibhashika system. In this way
he mastered the Hinayana teachings.
Still not satisied, Dhipamkara Shrijana went to receive
detailed instructions at Bodh Gaya. One day he overheard a
conversation between two ladies who were in fact emanations
of Arya Tara. The younger asked the elder ‘What is the
principal method for attaining enlightenment quickly?’ and
the elder replied ‘It is bodhichitta.’ Hearing this, Dhipamkara
Shrijana became determined to attain the precious bodhichitta.
Later, while he was circumambulating the great stupa at Bodh
Gaya, a statue of Buddha Shakyamuni spoke to him, saying
‘If you wish to attain enlightenment quickly you must gain
experience of compassion, love and the precious bodhichitta.’
His desire to realize bodhichitta then became intense. He heard
that the Spiritual Guide Serlingpa, who was living far away in
a place called Serling, in Sumatra, had attained a very special
experience of bodhichitta and was able to give instructions on
the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras.
It took Dhipamkara Shrijana thirteen months to sail to
Sumatra. When he arrived there he offered Serlingpa a
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PRELIMINARY EXPLANATION
mandala and made his requests. Serlingpa told him that the
instructions would take twelve years to transmit. Dhipamkara
Shrijana stayed in Sumatra for twelve years and inally gained
the precious realization of bodhichitta. Then he returned to
India.
By relying upon his Spiritual Guides, Atisha gained special
knowledge of the three sets of Buddha’s teachings – the set of
moral discipline, the set of discourses and the set of wisdom;
and of the four classes of Tantra. He also mastered arts and
sciences such as poetry, rhetoric and astrology, was an excellent
physician, and was very skilled in crafts and technology.
Atisha also gained all the realizations of the three higher
trainings: training in higher moral discipline, training in higher
concentration and training in higher wisdom. Since all the
stages of Sutra, such as the six perfections, the ive paths, the
ten grounds; and all the stages of Tantra, such as generation
stage and completion stage, are included within the three
higher trainings, Atisha therefore gained all the realizations of
the stages of the path.
There are three types of higher moral discipline: the
higher moral discipline of the Pratimoksha vows, or vows
of individual liberation; the higher moral discipline of the
Bodhisattva vow; and the higher moral discipline of the
Tantric vows. The vows to abandon two hundred and iftythree downfalls, undertaken by a fully ordained monk, are
amongst the Pratimoksha vows. Atisha never broke any one of
these. This shows that he possessed very strong mindfulness
and very great conscientiousness. He also kept purely the
Bodhisattva vow to avoid eighteen root downfalls and forty-six
secondary downfalls, and he kept purely all his Tantric vows.
The attainments of higher concentration and higher
wisdom are divided into common and uncommon. A common
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MODERN BUDDHISM
attainment is one that is gained by practitioners of both Sutra
and Tantra, and an uncommon attainment is one that is
gained only by practitioners of Tantra. By training in higher
concentration Atisha gained the common concentration of
tranquil abiding and, based on that, clairvoyance, miracle
powers and the common virtues. He also attained uncommon
concentrations such as the concentrations of generation stage
and completion stage of Secret Mantra. By training in higher
wisdom Atisha gained the common realization of emptiness,
and the uncommon realizations of example clear light and
meaning clear light of Secret Mantra.
Atisha mastered the teachings of both Hinayana and
Mahayana and was held in respect by Teachers of both traditions. He was like a king, the crown ornament of Indian
Buddhists, and was regarded as a second Buddha.
Before Atisha’s time the thirty-seventh king of Tibet, Trisong
Detsen (circa AD 754-97), had invited Padmasambhava,
Shantarakshita and other Buddhist Teachers from India to
Tibet, and through their inluence pure Dharma had lourished;
but some years later a Tibetan king called Lang Darma (circa
AD 836) destroyed the pure Dharma in Tibet and abolished the
Sangha. Until that time most of the kings had been religious,
but it was a dark age in Tibet during Lang Darma’s evil reign.
About seventy years after his death Dharma began to lourish
once again in the upper part of Tibet through the efforts of
great Teachers such as the translator Rinchen Sangpo, and it
also began to lourish in the lower part of Tibet through the
efforts of a great Teacher called Gongpa Rabsel. Gradually,
Dharma spread to central Tibet.
At that time there was no pure practice of the union of Sutra
and Tantra. The two were thought to be contradictory, like
ire and water. When people practised Sutra they abandoned
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PRELIMINARY EXPLANATION
Tantra, and when they practised Tantra they abandoned Sutra,
including even the rules of the Vinaya. False teachers came
from India wishing to procure some of Tibet’s plentiful gold.
Pretending to be Spiritual Guides and Yogis they introduced
perversions such as black magic, creating apparitions, sexual
practices and ritual murder. These malpractices became quite
widespread.
A king called Yeshe Ö and his nephew Jangchub Ö, who
lived in Ngari in western Tibet, were greatly concerned
about what was happening to the Dharma in their country.
The king wept when he thought of the purity of Dharma
in former times compared with the impure Dharma now
being practised. He was grieved to see how hardened and
uncontrolled the minds of the people had become. He
thought ‘How wonderful it would be if pure Dharma were to
lourish once again in Tibet to tame the minds of our people.’
To fulil this wish he sent Tibetans to India to learn Sanskrit
and train in Dharma, but many of these people were unable
to endure the hot climate. The few who survived learnt
Sanskrit and trained very well in Dharma. Amongst them
was the translator Rinchen Sangpo, who received many
instructions and then returned to Tibet.
Since this plan had not met with much success Yeshe Ö
decided to invite an authentic Teacher from India. He sent a
group of Tibetans to India with a large quantity of gold, and
gave them the task of seeking out the most qualiied Spiritual
Guide in India. He advised them all to study Dharma and
gain perfect knowledge of Sanskrit. These Tibetans suffered
all the hardships of climate and travel in order to accomplish
his wishes. Some of them became famous translators. They
translated many scriptures and sent them to the king, to his
great delight.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
When these Tibetans returned to Tibet they informed Yeshe
Ö, ‘In India there are many very learned Buddhist Teachers,
but the most distinguished and sublime of all is Dhipamkara
Shrijana. We would like to invite him to Tibet, but he has
thousands of disciples in India.’ When Yeshe Ö heard the
name ‘Dhipamkara Shrijana’ he was pleased, and became
determined to invite this Master to Tibet. Since he had already
used most of his gold and more was now needed to invite
Dhipamkara Shrijana to Tibet, the king set off on an expedition
to search for more gold. When he arrived at one of the borders
a hostile non-Buddhist king captured him and threw him into
prison. When the news reached Jangchub Ö he considered
‘I am powerful enough to wage war on this king, but if I do
so many people will suffer and I shall have to commit many
harmful, destructive actions.’ He decided to make an appeal
for his uncle’s release, but the king responded by saying ‘I
shall release your uncle only if you either become my subject
or bring me a quantity of gold as heavy as your uncle’s body.’
With great dificulty Jangchub Ö managed to gather gold equal
in weight to his uncle’s body, less the weight of his head. Since
the king demanded the extra amount, Jangchub Ö prepared
to go in search of more gold, but before he set out he visited
his uncle. He found Yeshe Ö physically weak but in a good
state of mind. Jangchub Ö spoke through the bars of the prison
‘Soon I shall be able to release you for I have managed to collect
almost all the gold.’ Yeshe Ö replied ‘Please do not treat me as
if I were important. You must not give the gold to this hostile
king. Send it all to India and offer it to Dhipamkara Shrijana.
This is my greatest wish. I shall give my life joyfully for the
sake of restoring pure Dharma in Tibet. Please deliver this
message to Dhipamkara Shrijana. Let him know that I have
given my life to invite him to Tibet. Since he has compassion
20
PRELIMINARY EXPLANATION
for the Tibetan people, when he receives this message he will
accept our invitation.’
Jangchub Ö sent the translator Nagtso together with
some companions to India with the gold. When they met
Dhipamkara Shrijana they told him what was happening in
Tibet and how the people wanted to invite a Spiritual Guide
from India. They told him how much gold the king had sent
as an offering and how many Tibetans had died for the sake
of restoring pure Dharma. They told him how Yeshe Ö had
sacriiced his life to bring him to Tibet. When they had made
their request Dhipamkara Shrijana considered what they had
said and accepted their invitation. Although he had many disciples in India and was working very hard there for the sake
of Dharma, he knew that there was no pure Dharma in Tibet.
He had also received a prediction from Arya Tara that if he
were to go to Tibet he would beneit countless living beings.
Compassion arose in his heart when he thought how many
Tibetans had died in India, and he was especially moved by
the sacriice of Yeshe Ö.
Dhipamkara Shrijana had to make his way to Tibet in secret,
for had his Indian disciples known that he was leaving India
they would have prevented him. He said that he was making
a pilgrimage to Nepal, but from Nepal he passed into Tibet.
When his Indian disciples eventually realized that he was not
going to return they protested that the Tibetans were thieves
who had stolen their Spiritual Guide!
Since it was customary in those days, as it is today, to greet
an honoured guest in style, Jangchub Ö sent an entourage of
three hundred horsemen with many eminent Tibetans to the
border to welcome Atisha and offer him a horse to ease the
dificult journey to Ngari. Atisha rode at the centre of the three
hundred horsemen, and by means of his miracle powers he sat
21
MODERN BUDDHISM
one cubit above his horse’s back. When they saw him, those
who previously had no respect for him developed very strong
faith, and everyone said that the second Buddha had arrived
in Tibet.
When Atisha reached Ngari, Jangchub Ö requested him,
‘O Compassionate Atisha, please give instructions to help the
Tibetan people. Please give advice that everyone can follow.
Please give us special instructions so that we can practise all
the paths of Sutra and Tantra together.’ To fulil this wish
Atisha composed and taught Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment,
the irst text written on the stages of the path, Lamrim. He
gave these instructions irst in Ngari and then in central Tibet.
Many disciples who heard these teachings developed great
wisdom.
THE PRECIOUSNESS OF KADAM LAMRIM
Atisha wrote the original Kadam Lamrim based on Ornament of
Clear Realization by Buddha Maitreya, which is a commentary
to the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras that Buddha Shakyamuni
taught on Massed Vultures Mountain in Rajagriha, India.
Later, Je Tsongkhapa wrote his extensive, middling and
condensed Kadam Lamrim texts as commentaries to
Atisha’s Kadam Lamrim instructions, and through this the
precious Buddhadharma of Kadam Lamrim flourished in
many countries in the East and now in the West. The Kadam
Lamrim instructions, the union of Buddha’s teachings and
Atisha’s special instructions, are presented in three stages:
the instructions on the stages of the path of a person of initial
scope; the instructions on the stages of the path of a person of
middling scope; and the instructions on the stages of the path
of a person of great scope.
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PRELIMINARY EXPLANATION
All Buddha’s teachings, both Sutra and Tantra, are included
within these three sets of instructions. Buddha’s teachings are
the supreme medicine that permanently cures both physical
sickness and the sickness of delusions. Just as doctors give
different medicine for different sicknesses, so Buddha gave
different Dharma medicine according to people’s different
capacities. He gave simple teachings to those of initial scope,
profound teachings to those of middling scope, and very
profound teachings to those of great scope. In practice, all
these teachings are part of Kadam Lamrim, which is the main
body of Buddha’s teachings; there is not a single teaching of
Buddha that is not included within Kadam Lamrim. For this
reason, Je Tsongkhapa said that when we listen to the entire
Lamrim we are listening to all Buddha’s teachings and when
we practise the entire Lamrim we are practising all Buddha’s
teachings. Kadam Lamrim is the condensation of all Buddha’s
teachings; it is very practical and suitable for everyone and its
presentation is superior to other instructions.
Through gaining experience of Lamrim we shall understand
that none of Buddha’s teachings are contradictory, we shall
put all Buddha’s teachings into practice, we shall easily realize
Buddha’s ultimate view and intention, and we shall become
free from all mistaken views and intentions. Everyone, both
Buddhist and non-Buddhist, needs permanent liberation from
suffering, and pure and everlasting happiness. This wish will
be fulilled through Lamrim practice; therefore it is the real
wishfulilling jewel.
In general, all Buddha’s teachings, the Dharma, are very
precious, but Kadam Dharma or Lamrim is a very special
Buddhadharma that is suitable for everyone without exception.
The great Master Dromtonpa said, ‘Kadam Dharma is like
a mala made of gold.’ Just as everyone, even those who do
23
MODERN BUDDHISM
not use a mala (or prayer beads), would be happy to accept
a gift of a gold mala because it is made of gold, in a similar
way, everyone, even non-Buddhists, can receive beneit from
Kadam Dharma. This is because there is no difference between
Kadam Dharma and people’s everyday experiences. Even
without studying or listening to Dharma, some people often
come to similar conclusions as those explained in Kadam
Dharma teachings through looking at newspapers or television
and understanding the world situation. This is because
Kadam Dharma accords with people’s daily experience; it
cannot be separated from daily life. Everyone needs it to make
their lives happy and meaningful, to solve temporarily their
human problems, and to enable them ultimately to ind pure
and everlasting happiness through controlling their anger,
attachment, jealousy, and especially ignorance.
In this spiritually degenerate time there are ive impurities
that are increasing throughout the world: (1) our environment
is becoming increasingly impure because of pollution; (2) our
water, air and food are becoming increasingly impure, also
because of pollution; (3) our body is becoming increasingly
impure because sickness and disease are now more prevalent;
(4) our mind is becoming increasingly impure because our
delusions are getting stronger and stronger; and (5) our actions
are becoming increasingly impure because we have no control
over our delusions.
Because of these ive impurities, suffering, problems and
dangers are increasing everywhere. However, through Lamrim
practice we can transform our experience of all these impurities
into the spiritual path that leads us to the pure and everlasting
happiness of liberation and enlightenment. We can use all the
dificulties that we see in the world as spiritual teachings that
encourage us to develop renunciation, the wish to liberate
24
PRELIMINARY EXPLANATION
ourself from the cycle of impure life; compassion, the wish that
others may be liberated permanently from the cycle of impure
life; and the wisdom that realizes that all these impurities are
the results of our non-virtuous actions. In this way, through
Lamrim practice we can transform all adverse conditions into
opportunities for developing realizations of the spiritual path
that will bring us pure and everlasting happiness.
Whenever Lamrim practitioners experience dificulties and
suffering they think, ‘Countless other living beings experience
greater suffering and dificulties than I do’, and in this way
they develop or increase their compassion for all living beings,
which leads them quickly to the supreme happiness of enlightenment. Kadam Lamrim is the supreme medicine that can
permanently cure all the sufferings of sickness, ageing, death
and rebirth; it is the scientiic method to improve our human
nature and qualities, and to solve our daily problems. Kadam
Lamrim is the great mirror of Dharma in which we can see
the way things really are; and through which we can see what
we should know, what we should abandon, what we should
practise and what we should attain. And it is only by using this
mirror that we can see the great kindness of all living beings.
Kadampa practitioners emphasize training in meditation.
What is meditation? Meditation is an action of mind whose
nature is single-pointed concentration and whose function is to
make the mind peaceful and calm. We want to be happy all the
time, even during our dreams. How can we do this? We can do
this through training in meditation because meditation makes
our mind become peaceful, and when our mind is peaceful we
are happy all the time, even if our external conditions are poor.
On the other hand, when our mind is not peaceful we are not
happy, even if our external conditions are excellent. We can
understand this through our own experience. Since the actual
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MODERN BUDDHISM
method to make our mind peaceful is training in meditation,
we should apply effort to training in meditation. Whenever we
meditate, we are performing an action or karma that causes us
to experience peace of mind in the future. From this we can
understand the importance of meditation practice.
The objects of our meditation should be those that are
meaningful objects (these will be explained extensively
below), so that through training in meditation we can free
ourself permanently from all the sufferings of this life and our
countless future lives, and we can attain the supreme happiness
of enlightenment, as Buddha showed. This is the best example
for us. However, at the beginning we can use our breathing as
the object of our meditation and practise breathing meditation,
which is quite simple.
How do we practise breathing meditation? First we should
relax both physically and mentally, and stop thinking about
anything. Then we should gently and naturally inhale and
exhale through the nostrils, not through the mouth, and singlepointedly concentrate on the sensation of the breath as it enters
and leaves the nostrils. We should remain concentrated on this
sensation for as long as possible. If after doing this our mind
is still not peaceful we should repeat this breathing meditation
again and again until our mind becomes completely peaceful.
Then we should apply effort to remaining continually peaceful
day and night. In this way we can make ourself as well as our
friends and family happy all the time.
26
Atisha
he Path of a Person of Initial Scope
In this context, a ‘person of initial scope’ refers to someone who
has an initial capacity for developing spiritual understanding
and realizations.
THE PRECIOUSNESS OF OUR HUMAN LIFE
The purpose of understanding the preciousness of our human
life is to encourage ourself to take the real meaning of our
human life and not to waste it in meaningless activities. Our
human life is very precious and meaningful, but only if we use
it to attain permanent liberation and the supreme happiness
of enlightenment. We should encourage ourself to accomplish
the real meaning of our human life through understanding and
contemplating the following explanation.
Many people believe that material development is the real
meaning of human life, but we can see that no matter how
much material development there is in the world it never
reduces human suffering and problems. Instead, it often causes
suffering and problems to increase; therefore it is not the real
meaning of human life. We should know that at present we
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MODERN BUDDHISM
have reached the human world for just a brief moment from
our former lives, and we have the opportunity to attain the
supreme happiness of enlightenment through practising
Dharma. This is our extraordinary good fortune. When we
attain enlightenment we shall have fulilled our own wishes,
and we can fulil the wishes of all other living beings; we shall
have liberated ourself permanently from the sufferings of this
life and countless future lives, and we can directly beneit each
and every living being every day. The attainment of enlightenment is therefore the real meaning of human life.
Enlightenment is the inner light of wisdom that is permanently
free from all mistaken appearance, and whose function is to
bestow mental peace upon each and every living being every
day. Right now we have obtained a human rebirth and have the
opportunity to attain enlightenment through Dharma practice,
so if we waste this precious opportunity in meaningless activities
there is no greater loss and no greater foolishness. This is because
in future such a precious opportunity will be extremely hard to
ind. In one Sutra Buddha illustrates this by giving the following
analogy. He asks his disciples, ‘Suppose there existed a vast and
deep ocean the size of this world, and on its surface there loated
a golden yoke, and at the bottom of the ocean there lived a blind
turtle who surfaced only once in every one hundred thousand
years. How often would that turtle raise its head through the
middle of the yoke?’ His disciple, Ananda, answers that, indeed,
it would be extremely rare.
In this context, the vast and deep ocean refers to samsara
– the cycle of impure life that we have experienced since
beginningless time, continually in life after life without end –
the golden yoke refers to Buddhadharma, and the blind turtle
refers to us. Although we are not physically a turtle, mentally
we are not much different; and although our physical eyes may
30
THE PATH OF A PERSON OF INITIAL SCOPE
not be blind, our wisdom eyes are. For most of our countless
previous lives we have remained at the bottom of the ocean of
samsara, in the three lower realms – the animal, hungry ghost
and hell realms – surfacing only once in every one hundred
thousand years or so as a human being. Even when we briely
reach the upper realm of samsara’s ocean as a human being, it
is extremely rare to meet the golden yoke of Buddhadharma:
the ocean of samsara is extremely vast, the golden yoke of
Buddhadharma does not remain in one place but moves from
place to place, and our wisdom eyes are always blind. For these
reasons, Buddha says that in the future, even if we obtain a
human rebirth, it will be extremely rare to meet Buddhadharma
again; meeting Kadam Dharma is even more rare than this. We
can see that the great majority of human beings in the world,
even though they have briely reached the upper realm of
samsara as human beings, have not met Buddhadharma. This
is because their wisdom eyes have not opened.
What does ‘meeting Buddhadharma’ mean? It means entering into Buddhism by sincerely seeking refuge in Buddha,
Dharma and Sangha, and thus having the opportunity to enter
and make progress on the path to enlightenment. If we do not
meet Buddhadharma we have no opportunity to do this, and
therefore we have no opportunity to accomplish the pure and
everlasting happiness of enlightenment, the real meaning of
human life. In conclusion, we should think:
At present I have briely reached the human world and have
the opportunity to attain permanent liberation from suffering
and the supreme happiness of enlightenment through putting
Dharma into practice. If I waste this precious opportunity in
meaningless activities there is no greater loss and no greater
foolishness.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
With this thought we make the strong determination to practise the Dharma of Buddha’s teachings on renunciation, universal
compassion and the profound view of emptiness now, while we
have the opportunity. We then meditate on this determination
again and again. We should practise this contemplation and
meditation every day in many sessions, and in this way encourage ourself to take the real meaning of our human life.
We should ask ourself what we consider to be most important
– what do we wish for, strive for, or daydream about? For some
people it is material possessions, such as a large house with
all the latest luxuries, a fast car or a well-paid job. For others
it is reputation, good looks, power, excitement or adventure.
Many try to ind the meaning of their life in relationships with
their family and circle of friends. All these things can make us
supericially happy for a short while but they will also cause
us much worry and suffering. They will never give us the real
happiness that all of us, in our hearts, long for. Since we cannot
take them with us when we die, if we have made them the
principal meaning of our life they will eventually let us down.
As an end in themselves worldly attainments are hollow; they
are not the real meaning of human life.
With our human life we can attain the supreme permanent
peace of mind, known as ‘nirvana’, and enlightenment by
putting Dharma into practice. Since these attainments are
non-deceptive and ultimate states of happiness they are the
real meaning of human life. However, because our desire for
worldly enjoyment is so strong, we have little or no interest
in Dharma practice. From a spiritual point of view, this lack
of interest in Dharma practice is a type of laziness called the
‘laziness of attachment’. For as long as we have this laziness,
the door to liberation will be closed to us, and consequently we
shall continue to experience misery and suffering in this life and
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THE PATH OF A PERSON OF INITIAL SCOPE
in countless future lives. The way to overcome this laziness, the
main obstacle to our Dharma practice, is to meditate on death.
We need to contemplate and meditate on our death again
and again until we gain a deep realization of death. Although
on an intellectual level we all know that eventually we are
going to die, our awareness of death remains supericial. Since
our intellectual knowledge of death does not touch our hearts,
each and every day we continue to think ‘I shall not die today,
I shall not die today.’ Even on the day of our death, we are still
thinking about what we shall do tomorrow or next week. This
mind that thinks every day ‘I shall not die today’ is deceptive – it leads us in the wrong direction and causes our human
life to become empty. On the other hand, through meditating
on death we shall gradually replace the deceptive thought ‘I
shall not die today’ with the non-deceptive thought ‘I may die
today.’ The mind that spontaneously thinks each and every day
‘I may die today’ is the realization of death. It is this realization
that directly eliminates our laziness of attachment and opens
the door to the spiritual path.
In general, we may die today or we may not die today – we
do not know. However, if we think each day ‘I may not die
today’, this thought will deceive us because it comes from our
ignorance; whereas if instead we think each day ‘I may die
today’, this thought will not deceive us because it comes from
our wisdom. This beneicial thought will prevent our laziness
of attachment, and will encourage us to prepare for the welfare
of our countless future lives or to put great effort into entering
the path to liberation and enlightenment. In this way, we shall
make our present human life meaningful. Until now we have
wasted our countless former lives without any meaning; we
have brought nothing with us from our former lives except
delusions and suffering.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
WHAT DOES OUR DEATH MEAN?
Our death is the permanent separation of our body and mind.
We may experience many temporary separations of our body
and mind, but these are not our death. For example, when
those who have completed their training in the practice known
as ‘transference of consciousness’ engage in meditation, their
mind separates from their body. Their body remains where
they are meditating, and their mind goes to a Pure Land and
then returns to their body. At night, during dreams, our body
remains in bed but our mind goes to various places of the
dream world and then returns to our body. These separations
of our body and mind are not our death because they are only
temporary.
At death our mind separates from our body permanently.
Our body remains at the place of this life but our mind goes to
various places of our future lives, like a bird leaving one nest
and lying to another. This clearly shows the existence of our
countless future lives, and that the nature and function of our
body and mind are very different. Our body is a visual form
that possesses colour and shape, but our mind is a formless
continuum that always lacks colour and shape. The nature of
our mind is empty like space, and its function is to perceive or
understand objects. Through this we can understand that our
brain is not our mind. The brain is simply a part of our body
that, for example, can be photographed, whereas our mind
cannot.
We may not be happy to hear about our death, but contemplating and meditating on death is very important for the
effectiveness of our Dharma practice. This is because it prevents the main obstacle to our Dharma practice – the laziness
of attachment to the things of this life – and it encourages us to
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THE PATH OF A PERSON OF INITIAL SCOPE
practise pure Dharma right now. If we do this we shall accomplish the real meaning of human life before our death.
HOW TO MEDITATE ON DEATH
First we engage in the following contemplation:
I shall deinitely die. There is no way to prevent my body from
inally decaying. Day by day, moment by moment, my life
is slipping away. I have no idea when I shall die; the time of
death is completely uncertain. Many young people die before
their parents, some die the moment they are born – there is no
certainty in this world. Furthermore, there are so many causes
of untimely death. The lives of many strong and healthy people
are destroyed by accidents. There is no guarantee that I shall
not die today.
Having repeatedly contemplated these points, we mentally repeat over and over again ‘I may die today, I may die
today’, and concentrate on the feeling it evokes. We transform
our mind into this feeling ‘I may die today’ and remain on it
single-pointedly for as long as possible. We should practise this
meditation repeatedly until we spontaneously believe each
and every day ‘I may die today’. Eventually we shall come
to a conclusion: ‘Since I shall soon have to depart from this
world, there is no sense in my becoming attached to the things
of this life. Instead, from now on I will devote my whole life to
practising Dharma purely and sincerely.’ We then maintain this
determination day and night.
During the meditation break, without laziness we should
apply effort to our Dharma practice. Realizing that worldly
pleasures are deceptive, and that they distract us from using
our life in a meaningful way, we should abandon attachment
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to them. In this way, we can eliminate the main obstacle to pure
Dharma practice.
THE DANGERS OF LOWER REBIRTH
The purpose of this explanation is to encourage us to prepare
protection from the dangers of lower rebirth. If we do not do
this now, while we have a human life with its freedoms and
endowments and we have the opportunity to do so, it will be too
late once we have taken any of the three lower rebirths; and it will
be extremely dificult to obtain such a precious human life again.
It is said to be easier for human beings to attain enlightenment
than it is for beings such as animals to attain a precious human
rebirth. Understanding this will encourage us to abandon nonvirtue, or negative actions, to practise virtue, or positive actions,
and to seek refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha (the supreme
spiritual friends); this is our actual protection.
Performing non-virtuous actions is the main cause of taking
lower rebirth, whereas practising virtue and seeking refuge in
Buddha, Dharma and Sangha are the main causes of taking
a precious human rebirth – a rebirth in which we have the
opportunity to attain permanent liberation from all suffering.
Heavy non-virtuous actions are the main cause of rebirth as a
hell being, middling non-virtuous actions are the main cause
of rebirth as a hungry ghost, and lesser non-virtuous actions
are the main cause of rebirth as an animal. There are many
examples given in Buddhist scriptures of how non-virtuous
actions lead to rebirth in the three lower realms.
There was once a hunter whose wife came from a family of animal farmers. After he died he took rebirth as a cow
belonging to his wife’s family. A butcher then bought this cow,
slaughtered it and sold the meat. The hunter was reborn seven
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THE PATH OF A PERSON OF INITIAL SCOPE
times as a cow belonging to the same family, and in this way
became food for other people.
In Tibet there is a lake called Yamdroktso, where many
people from the nearby town used to spend their whole lives
ishing. At one time a great Yogi with clairvoyance visited the
town and said, ‘I see the people of this town and the ish in
this lake are continually switching their positions.’ What he
meant was that the people of the town who enjoyed ishing
were reborn as the ish, the food of other people, and the ish
in the lake were reborn as the people who enjoyed ishing. In
this way, changing their physical aspect, they were continually
killing and eating each other. This cycle of misery continued
from generation to generation.
HOW TO MEDITATE ON THE DANGERS OF
LOWER REBIRTH
First we engage in the following contemplation:
When the oil of an oil lamp is exhausted, the lame goes out because
the lame is produced from the oil; but when our body dies our
consciousness is not extinguished, because consciousness is not
produced from the body. When we die our mind has to leave this
present body, which is just a temporary abode, and ind another
body, rather like a bird leaving one nest to ly to another. Our
mind has no freedom to remain and no choice about where to go.
We are blown to the place of our next rebirth by the winds of our
actions or karma (our good fortune or misfortune). If the karma
that ripens at our death time is negative, we shall deinitely take
a lower rebirth. Heavy negative karma causes rebirth in hell,
middling negative karma causes rebirth as a hungry ghost, and
lesser negative karma causes rebirth as an animal.
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It is very easy to commit heavy negative karma. For example,
simply by swatting a mosquito out of anger we create the cause
to be reborn in hell. Throughout this and all our countless
previous lives we have committed many heavy negative
actions. Unless we have already puriied these actions by
practising sincere confession, their potentialities remain in our
mental continuum, and any one of these negative potentialities
could ripen when we die. Bearing this in mind, we should ask
ourself, ‘If I die today, where shall I be tomorrow? It is quite
possible that I shall ind myself in the animal realm, among the
hungry ghosts, or in hell. If someone were to call me a stupid
cow today, I would ind it dificult to bear, but what shall I do
if I actually become a cow, a pig, or a ish – the food of human
beings?’
Having repeatedly contemplated these points and understood how beings in the lower realms, such as animals,
experience suffering, we generate a strong fear of taking rebirth
in the lower realms. This feeling of fear is the object of our
meditation. We then hold this without forgetting it; our mind
should remain on this feeling of fear single-pointedly for as
long as possible. If we lose the object of our meditation we
renew the feeling of fear by immediately remembering it or by
repeating the contemplation.
During the meditation break we try never to forget our feeling of fear of taking rebirth in the lower realms. In general fear
is meaningless, but the fear generated through the above contemplation and meditation has immense meaning, as it arises
from wisdom and not from ignorance. This fear is the main
cause of seeking refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, which
is the actual protection from such dangers, and helps us to be
mindful and conscientious in avoiding non-virtuous actions.
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THE PATH OF A PERSON OF INITIAL SCOPE
GOING FOR REFUGE
In this context, ‘going for refuge’ means seeking refuge in
Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. The purpose of this practice is
to protect ourself permanently from taking lower rebirth. At
present, because we are human, we are free from rebirth as an
animal, hungry ghost or hell being, but this is only temporary.
We are like a prisoner who gets permission to stay at home for
a week, but then has to return to prison. We need permanent
liberation from the sufferings of this life and countless future
lives. This depends upon entering, making progress on and
completing the Buddhist path to liberation, which in turn
depends upon entering Buddhism.
We enter Buddhism through the practice of going for refuge.
For our practice of refuge to be qualiied, while visualizing
Buddha in front of us we should verbally or mentally make
the promise to seek refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha
throughout our life. This promise is our refuge vow, and is
the gateway through which we enter Buddhism. For as long
as we keep this promise we are inside Buddhism, but if we
break this promise we are outside. By entering and remaining inside Buddhism we have the opportunity to begin, make
progress on and complete the Buddhist path to liberation and
enlightenment.
We should never give up our promise to seek refuge in
Buddha, Dharma and Sangha throughout our life. Going for
refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha means that we apply
effort to receiving Buddha’s blessings, to putting Dharma into
practice and to receiving help from Sangha. These are the three
principal commitments of the refuge vow. Through maintaining and sincerely practising these three principal commitments
of refuge we can fulil our inal goal.
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The main reason why we need to make the determination
and promise to seek refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha
throughout our life is that we need to attain permanent
liberation from suffering. At present we may be free from
physical suffering and mental pain, but as mentioned earlier
this freedom is only temporary. Later in this life and in our
countless future lives we shall have to experience unbearable
physical suffering and mental pain continually, in life after life
without end.
When our life is in danger or we are threatened by someone,
we usually seek refuge in the police. Of course, sometimes
the police can protect us from a particular danger, but they
cannot give us permanent liberation from death. When we are
seriously ill we seek refuge in doctors. Sometimes doctors can
cure a particular illness, but no doctor can give us permanent
liberation from sickness. What we really need is permanent
liberation from all sufferings, and as human beings we can
achieve this by seeking refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
Buddhas are ‘awakened’, which means that they have
awakened from the sleep of ignorance and are free from
the dreams of samsara, the cycle of impure life. They are
completely pure beings who are permanently free from all
delusions and mistaken appearance. As mentioned earlier,
Buddha’s function is to bestow mental peace on each and every
living being every day by giving blessings. We know that we
are happy when our mind is peaceful, and unhappy when it is
not. It is therefore clear that our happiness depends upon our
having a peaceful mind and not on good external conditions.
Even if our external conditions are poor, if we maintain a
peaceful mind all the time we shall always be happy. Through
continually receiving Buddha’s blessings we can maintain a
peaceful mind all the time. Buddha is therefore the source of
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THE PATH OF A PERSON OF INITIAL SCOPE
our happiness. Dharma is the actual protection through which
we are permanently released from the sufferings of sickness,
ageing, death and rebirth; and Sangha are the supreme spiritual
friends who guide us to correct spiritual paths. Through these
three precious wishfulilling jewels, Buddha, Dharma and
Sangha – known as the ‘Three Jewels’ – we can fulil our own
wishes as well as the wishes of all living beings.
Every day from the depths of our heart we should recite
requesting prayers to the enlightened Buddhas, while maintaining deep faith in them. This is a simple method for us to
receive the Buddhas’ blessings continually. We should also
join group prayers, known as ‘pujas’, organized at Buddhist
Temples or Prayer Halls, which are powerful methods to
receive the Buddhas’ blessings and protection.
HOW TO MEDITATE ON GOING FOR REFUGE
First we engage in the following contemplation:
I want to protect and liberate myself permanently from
the sufferings of this life and countless future lives. I can
accomplish this only by receiving Buddha’s blessings, putting
Dharma into practice and receiving help from Sangha – the
supreme spiritual friends.
Thinking deeply in this way, we first make the strong
determination and then the promise to seek refuge sincerely
in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha throughout our life. We
should meditate on this determination every day and
maintain our promise continually for the rest of our life. As
the commitments of our refuge vow we should always apply
effort to receiving Buddha’s blessings, to putting Dharma
into practice and to receiving help from Sangha, our pure
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MODERN BUDDHISM
spiritual friends including our Spiritual Teacher. This is how
we go for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Through
this we shall accomplish our aim – permanent liberation from
all the sufferings of this life and countless future lives, the real
meaning of our human life.
To maintain our promise to go for refuge to Buddha,
Dharma and Sangha throughout our life, and so that we
and all living beings may receive Buddha’s blessings and
protection, we recite the following refuge prayer every day
with strong faith:
I and all sentient beings, until we achieve enlightenment,
Go for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
WHAT IS KARMA?
The purpose of understanding and believing in karma is to
prevent future suffering and to establish the basic foundation
for the path to liberation and enlightenment. Generally, karma
means ‘action’. From non-virtuous actions comes suffering
and from virtuous actions comes happiness: if we believe this,
we believe in karma. Buddha gave extensive teachings that
prove the truth of this statement, and many different examples
that show the special connection between the actions of our
former lives and our experiences of this life, some of which are
explained in Joyful Path of Good Fortune.
In our previous lives we performed various kinds of nonvirtuous actions that caused others suffering. As a result
of these non-virtuous actions, various kinds of miserable
conditions and situations arise and we experience endless
human suffering and problems. This is the same for all other
living beings.
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THE PATH OF A PERSON OF INITIAL SCOPE
We should judge whether or not we believe that the main
cause of suffering is our non-virtuous actions and the main
cause of happiness is our virtuous actions. If we do not believe
this we shall never apply effort to accumulating virtuous
actions, or merit, and we shall never purify our non-virtuous
actions, and because of this we shall experience suffering and
dificulties continually, in life after life without end.
Every action we perform leaves an imprint on our very
subtle mind, and each imprint eventually gives rise to its
own effect. Our mind is like a ield, and performing actions is
like sowing seeds in that ield. Virtuous actions sow seeds of
future happiness and non-virtuous actions sow seeds of future
suffering. These seeds remain dormant in our mind until the
conditions for them to ripen occur, and then they produce their
effect. In some cases, this can happen many lifetimes after the
original action was performed.
The seeds that ripen when we die are very important because
they determine what kind of rebirth we shall take in our next
life. Which particular seed ripens at death depends upon the
state of mind in which we die. If we die with a peaceful mind,
this will stimulate a virtuous seed and we shall experience a
fortunate rebirth. However, if we die with an unpeaceful mind,
such as in a state of anger, this will stimulate a non-virtuous
seed and we shall experience an unfortunate rebirth. This is
similar to the way in which nightmares are triggered by our
being in an agitated state of mind just before falling asleep.
All inappropriate actions, including killing, stealing,
sexual misconduct, lying, divisive speech, hurtful speech, idle
chatter, covetousness, malice and holding wrong views, are
non-virtuous actions. When we abandon non-virtuous actions
and apply effort to purifying our previous non-virtuous
actions we are practising moral discipline. This will prevent
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us from experiencing future suffering and from taking a lower
rebirth. Examples of virtuous actions are training in all the
meditations and other spiritual practices presented in this
book. Meditation is a virtuous mental action that is the main
cause for experiencing mental peace in the future. Whenever
we practise meditation, whether or not our meditation is
clear, we are performing a virtuous mental action that is
a cause of our future happiness and peace of mind. We are
normally concerned mainly about bodily and verbal actions,
but in reality mental actions are more important. Our bodily
and verbal actions depend upon our mental action – upon our
mentally making a decision.
Whenever we perform virtuous actions such as meditation
or other spiritual practices we should have the following mental determination:
While riding the horse of virtuous actions
I will guide it into the path of liberation with the reins of
renunciation;
And through urging this horse onward with the whip of
effort,
I will quickly reach the Pure Land of liberation and
enlightenment.
Having contemplated the above explanation, we should
think:
Since I myself never wish to suffer and always want to be
happy, I must abandon and purify my non-virtuous actions
and sincerely perform virtuous actions.
We should meditate on this determination every day, and put
our determination into practice.
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he Path of a Person of
Middling Scope
In this context, a ‘person of middling scope’ refers to someone
who has a middling capacity for developing spiritual understanding and realizations.
WHAT WE SHOULD KNOW
In Sutra of the Four Noble Truths Buddha says, ‘You should
know sufferings.’ In saying this Buddha is advising us that
we should know about the unbearable sufferings that we shall
experience in our countless future lives, and therefore develop
renunciation, the determination to liberate ourself permanently
from these sufferings.
In general, everyone who has physical or mental pain, even
animals, understands their own suffering; but when Buddha
says ‘You should know sufferings’ he means that we should
know the sufferings of our future lives. Through knowing
these, we shall develop a strong wish to liberate ourself from
them. This practical advice is important for everybody because,
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if we have the wish to liberate ourself from the sufferings of
future lives, we shall deinitely use our present human life for
the freedom and happiness of our countless future lives. There
is no greater meaning than this.
If we do not have this wish, we shall waste our precious
human life only for the freedom and happiness of this one
short life. This would be foolish because our intention and
actions would be no different from the intention and actions of
animals who are only concerned with this life alone. The great
Yogi Milarepa once said to a hunter called Gonpo Dorje:
Your body is human but your mind is that of an animal.
You, a human being, who possess an animal’s mind, please
listen to my song.
Normally we believe that solving the suffering and problems
of our present life is most important, and we dedicate our whole
life for this purpose. In reality, the duration of the suffering and
problems of this life is very short; if we die tomorrow, they will
end tomorrow. However, since the duration of the suffering
and problems of future lives is endless, the freedom and
happiness of our future lives is vastly more important than the
freedom and happiness of this one short life. With the words
‘You should know sufferings’ Buddha encourages us to use our
present human life to prepare for the freedom and happiness
of our countless future lives. Those who do this are truly wise.
In future lives, when we are born as an animal, such as a cow
or a ish, we shall become the food of other living beings, and
we shall have to experience many other kinds of animal suffering. Animals have no freedom, and are used by human beings
for food, work and enjoyment. They have no opportunity to
improve themselves; even if they hear precious Dharma words
it is as meaningless to them as hearing the wind blowing.
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THE PATH OF A PERSON OF MIDDLING SCOPE
When we are born as a hungry ghost we shall not have even
a tiny drop of water to drink; our only water will be our tears.
We shall have to experience the unbearable sufferings of thirst
and hunger for many hundreds of years. When we are born as
a hell being in the hot hells our body will become inseparable
from ire, and others will be able to distinguish between our
body and ire only by hearing our suffering cries. We shall
have to experience the unbearable torment of our body being
burned for millions of years. Like all other phenomena, the hell
realms do not exist inherently but exist as mere appearances to
mind, like dreams.
When we are born as a desire realm god we experience
great conlict and dissatisfaction. Even if we experience some
supericial enjoyment, still our desires grow stronger, and we
have even more mental suffering than human beings. When
we are born as a demi-god we are always jealous of the gods’
glory and because of this we have great mental suffering.
Our jealousy is like a thorn piercing our mind, causing us to
experience both mental and physical suffering for long periods
of time. When we are born as a human being we shall have
to experience various kinds of human suffering, including the
sufferings of birth, sickness, ageing and death.
BIRTH
When our consciousness irst enters the union of our father’s
sperm and our mother’s ovum, our body is a very hot, watery
substance like white yoghurt tinted red. In the irst moments
after conception we have no gross feelings, but as soon as these
develop we begin to experience pain. Our body gradually
becomes harder and harder, and as our limbs grow it feels as if
our body is being stretched out on a rack. Inside our mother’s
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womb it is hot and dark. Our home for nine months is this
small, tightly compressed space full of unclean substances. It
is like being squashed inside a small water tank full of ilthy
liquid with the lid tightly shut so that no air or light can come
through.
While we are in our mother’s womb we experience much
pain and fear all on our own. We are extremely sensitive to
everything our mother does. When she walks quickly it feels
as if we are falling from a high mountain and we are terriied.
If she has sexual intercourse it feels as if we are being crushed
and suffocated between two huge weights and we panic. If our
mother makes just a small jump it feels as if we are being dashed
against the ground from a great height. If she drinks anything
hot it feels like boiling water scalding our skin, and if she drinks
anything cold it feels like an ice-cold shower in midwinter.
When we are emerging from our mother’s womb it feels
as if we are being forced through a narrow crevice between
two hard rocks, and when we are newly born our body is so
delicate that any kind of contact is painful. Even if someone
holds us very tenderly, his or her hands feel like thorn bushes
piercing our lesh, and the most delicate fabrics feel rough and
abrasive. By comparison with the softness and smoothness of
our mother’s womb, every tactile sensation is harsh and painful. If someone picks us up it feels as if we are being swung
over a huge precipice, and we feel frightened and insecure. We
have forgotten all that we knew in our previous life; we bring
only pain and confusion from our mother’s womb. Whatever
we hear is as meaningless as the sound of wind, and we cannot
comprehend anything we perceive. In the irst few weeks we
are like someone who is blind, deaf and dumb, and suffering
from profound amnesia. When we are hungry we cannot say
‘I need food’, and when we are in pain we cannot say ‘This
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THE PATH OF A PERSON OF MIDDLING SCOPE
is hurting me.’ The only signs we can make are hot tears and
furious gestures. Our mother often has no idea what pains and
discomforts we are experiencing. We are completely helpless
and have to be taught everything – how to eat, how to sit, how
to walk, how to talk.
Although we are most vulnerable in the irst few weeks of
our life, our pains do not cease as we grow up. We continue
to experience various kinds of suffering throughout our life.
Just as when we light a ire in a large house, the heat from the
ire pervades the whole house and all the heat in the house
comes from the ire, so when we are born in samsara, suffering
pervades our whole life, and all the miseries we experience
arise because we took a contaminated rebirth.
Our human rebirth, contaminated by the poisonous delusion of self-grasping, is the basis of our human suffering;
without this basis, there are no human problems. The pains
of birth gradually turn into the pains of sickness, ageing and
death – they are one continuum.
SICKNESS
Our birth also gives rise to the suffering of sickness. Just as
the wind and snow of winter take away the glory of green
meadows, trees, forests and lowers, so sickness takes away
the youthful splendour of our body, destroying its strength
and the power of our senses. If we are usually it and well,
when we become sick we are suddenly unable to engage in all
our normal physical activities. Even a champion boxer who
is usually able to knock out all his opponents becomes completely helpless when sickness strikes. Sickness makes all our
experiences of daily enjoyments disappear and causes us to
experience unpleasant feelings day and night.
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When we fall ill, we are like a bird that has been soaring in
the sky and is suddenly shot down. When a bird is shot, it falls
straight to the ground like a lump of lead, and all its glory and
power are immediately destroyed. In a similar way, when we
become ill we are suddenly incapacitated. If we are seriously
ill we may become completely dependent upon others and
lose even the ability to control our bodily functions. This
transformation is hard to bear, especially for those who pride
themselves on their independence and physical well-being.
When we are ill, we feel frustrated as we cannot do our
usual work or complete all the tasks we have set ourself. We
easily become impatient with our illness and depressed about
all the things we cannot do. We cannot enjoy the things that
usually give us pleasure, such as sport, dancing, drinking,
eating rich foods, or the company of our friends. All these
limitations make us feel even more miserable; and, to add to
our unhappiness, we have to endure all the physical pains the
illness brings.
When we are sick, not only do we have to experience all
the unwanted pains of the illness itself, but we also have to
experience all sorts of other unwished for things. For example,
we have to take whatever cure is prescribed, whether it be a
foul-tasting medicine, a series of injections, a major operation,
or abstinence from something we like very much. If we are to
have an operation, we have to go to hospital and accept all the
conditions there. We may have to eat food we do not like and
stay in bed all day long with nothing to do, and we may feel
anxiety about the operation. Our doctor may not explain to
us exactly what the problem is and whether or not he or she
expects us to survive.
If we learn that our sickness is incurable, and we have no
spiritual experience, we shall suffer anxiety, fear and regret. We
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THE PATH OF A PERSON OF MIDDLING SCOPE
may become depressed and give up hope, or we may become
angry with our illness, feeling that it is an enemy that has
maliciously deprived us of all joy.
AGEING
Our birth also gives rise to the pains of ageing. Ageing steals
our beauty, our health, our good igure, our ine complexion,
our vitality and our comfort. Ageing turns us into objects of
contempt. It brings many unwanted pains and takes us swiftly
to our death.
As we grow old we lose all the beauty of our youth, and
our strong, healthy body becomes weak and burdened with
illness. Our once irm and well-proportioned igure becomes
bent and disigured, and our muscles and lesh shrink so that
our limbs become like thin sticks and our bones poke out. Our
hair loses its colour and shine, and our complexion loses its
lustre. Our face becomes wrinkled and our features grow distorted. Milarepa said:
How do old people get up? They get up as if they were
heaving a stake out of the ground. How do old people
walk about? Once they are on their feet they have to walk
gingerly, like bird-catchers. How do old people sit down?
They crash down like heavy luggage whose harness has
snapped.
We can contemplate the following poem on the sufferings of
growing old, written by the scholar Gungtang:
When we are old, our hair becomes white,
But not because we have washed it clean;
It is a sign we shall soon encounter the Lord of Death.
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We have wrinkles on our forehead,
But not because we have too much lesh;
It is a warning from the Lord of Death: ‘You are about to
die.’
Our teeth fall out,
But not to make room for new ones;
It is a sign we shall soon lose the ability to eat human
food.
Our faces are ugly and unpleasant,
But not because we are wearing masks;
It is a sign we have lost the mask of youth.
Our heads shake to and fro,
But not because we are in disagreement;
It is the Lord of Death striking our head with the stick
he holds in his right hand.
We walk bent and gazing at the ground,
But not because we are searching for lost needles;
It is a sign we are searching for our lost beauty and
memories.
We get up from the ground using all four limbs,
But not because we are imitating animals;
It is a sign our legs are too weak to support our body.
We sit down as if we had suddenly fallen,
But not because we are angry;
It is a sign our body has lost its strength.
Our body sways as we walk,
But not because we think we are important;
It is a sign our legs cannot carry our body.
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Our hands shake,
But not because they are itching to steal;
It is a sign the Lord of Death’s itchy ingers are stealing
our possessions.
We eat very little,
But not because we are miserly;
It is a sign we cannot digest our food.
We wheeze frequently,
But not because we are whispering mantras to the sick;
It is a sign our breathing will soon disappear.
When we are young we can travel around the whole
world, but when we are old we can hardly make it to our own
front gate. We become too weak to engage in many worldly
activities, and our spiritual activities are often curtailed. For
example, we have little physical strength to perform virtuous
actions, and little mental energy to memorize, contemplate and
meditate. We cannot attend teachings that are given in places
that are hard to reach or uncomfortable to inhabit. We cannot
help others in ways that require physical strength and good
health. Deprivations such as these often make old people very
sad.
When we grow old, we become like someone who is blind
and deaf. We cannot see clearly, and we need stronger and
stronger glasses until we can no longer read. We cannot hear
clearly, and so it becomes more and more dificult to listen
to music or to the television, or to hear what others are saying. Our memory fades. All activities, worldly and spiritual,
become more dificult. If we practise meditation it becomes
harder for us to gain realizations because our memory and
concentration are too weak. We cannot apply ourself to study.
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Thus, if we have not learnt and trained in spiritual practices
when we were younger, the only thing to do when we grow
old is to develop regret and wait for the Lord of Death to
come.
When we are old we cannot derive the same enjoyment from
the things we used to enjoy, such as food, drink and sex. We
are too weak to play games and we are often too exhausted
even for entertainments. As our lifespan runs out we cannot
join young people in their activities. When they travel about
we have to stay behind. No one wants to take us with them
when we are old, and no one wants to visit us. Even our own
grandchildren do not want to stay with us for very long. Old
people often think to themselves, ‘How wonderful it would be
if young people would stay with me. We could go out for walks
and I could show them things’; but young people do not want
to be included in their plans. As their life draws to an end, old
people experience the sorrow of abandonment and loneliness.
They have many special sorrows.
DEATH
Our birth also gives rise to the sufferings of death. If during
our life we have worked hard to acquire possessions, and if we
have become very attached to them, we shall experience great
suffering at the time of death, thinking ‘Now I have to leave all
my precious possessions behind.’ Even now we ind it dificult
to lend one of our most treasured possessions to someone else,
let alone to give it away. No wonder we become so miserable
when we realize that in the hands of death we must abandon
everything.
When we die we have to part from even our closest friends.
We have to leave our partner, even though we may have been
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together for years and never spent a day apart. If we are very
attached to our friends we shall experience great misery at the
time of death, but all we shall be able to do is hold their hands.
We shall not be able to halt the process of death, even if they
plead with us not to die. Usually when we are very attached to
someone we feel jealous if he or she leaves us on our own and
spends time with someone else, but when we die we shall have
to leave our friends with others forever. We shall have to leave
everyone, including our family and all the people who have
helped us in this life.
When we die, this body that we have cherished and cared
for in so many ways will have to be left behind. It will become
mindless like a stone, and will be buried in the ground or
cremated. If we do not have the inner protection of spiritual
experience, at the time of death we shall experience fear and
distress, as well as physical pain.
When our consciousness departs from our body at death,
all the potentialities we have accumulated in our mind by
performing virtuous and non-virtuous actions will go with it.
Other than these we cannot take anything out of this world.
All other things deceive us. Death ends all our activities – our
conversation, our eating, our meeting with friends, our sleep.
Everything draws to a close on the day of our death and we
must leave all things behind, even the rings on our ingers. In
Tibet beggars carry a stick to defend themselves against dogs.
To understand the complete deprivation of death we should
remember that at the time of death beggars have to leave even
this old stick, the most meagre of human possessions. All over
the world we can see that names carved on stone are the only
possessions of the dead.
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OTHER TYPES OF SUFFERING
We also have to experience the sufferings of separation, having
to encounter what we do not like and not fulilling our wishes
– which include the sufferings of poverty, and of being harmed
by humans and non-humans and by water, ire, wind and
earth. Before the inal separation at the time of death we often
have to experience temporary separation from the people and
things we like, which causes us mental pain. We may have to
leave our country where all our friends and relatives live, or we
may have to leave the job we like. We may lose our reputation.
Many times in this life we have to experience the misery of
departing from the people we like, or forsaking and losing the
things we ind pleasant and attractive; but when we die we
have to part forever from all our companions and enjoyments,
and from all the outer and inner conditions for our Dharma
practice, of this life.
We often have to meet and live with people whom we do
not like, or encounter situations that we find unpleasant.
Sometimes we may ind ourself in a very dangerous situation
such as in a ire or a lood, or where there is violence such as in
a riot or a battle. Our lives are full of less extreme situations that
we ind annoying. Sometimes we are prevented from doing the
things we want to do. On a sunny day we may set off for the
beach but ind ourself stuck in a trafic jam. We continually
experience interference from our inner demon of delusions,
which disturbs our mind and our spiritual practices. There are
countless conditions that frustrate our plans and prevent us
from doing what we want. It is as if we are naked and living in
a thorn bush – whenever we try to move, we are wounded by
circumstances. People and things are like thorns piercing our
lesh and no situation ever feels entirely comfortable. The more
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desires and plans we have, the more frustrations we experience.
The more we want certain situations, the more we ind ourself
stuck in situations we do not want. Every desire seems to invite
its own obstacle. Undesired situations befall us without our
looking for them. In fact, the only things that come effortlessly
are the things we do not want. No one wants to die, but death
comes effortlessly. No one wants to be sick, but sickness comes
effortlessly. Because we have taken rebirth without freedom
or control, we have an impure body and inhabit an impure
environment, and so undesirable things pour in upon us. In
samsara, this kind of experience is entirely natural.
We have countless desires, but no matter how much effort
we make we never feel that we have satisied them. Even
when we get what we want, we do not get it in the way we
want. We possess the object but we do not derive satisfaction
from possessing it. For example, we may dream of becoming
wealthy, but if we actually become wealthy our life is not the
way we imagined it would be, and we do not feel that we
have fulilled our desire. This is because our desires do not
decrease as our wealth increases. The more wealth we have,
the more we desire. The wealth we seek is unindable because
we seek an amount that will satiate our desires, and no amount
of wealth can do that. To make things worse, in obtaining the
object of our desire we create new occasions for discontent.
With every object we desire come other objects we do not
want. For example, with wealth come taxes, insecurity and
complicated inancial affairs. These unwished for accessories
prevent us from ever feeling fully satisied. Similarly, we may
dream of having a holiday in the South Seas, and we may
actually go there on holiday, but the experience is never quite
what we expect, and with our holiday come other things such
as sunburn and great expense.
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If we examine our desires we shall see that they are excessive.
We want all the best things in samsara – the best job, the best
partner, the best reputation, the best house, the best car, the
best holiday. Anything that is not the best leaves us with a
feeling of disappointment – still searching for but not inding
what we want. No worldly enjoyment, however, can give us
the complete and perfect satisfaction we desire. Better things
are always being produced. Everywhere, new advertisements
announce that the very best thing has just arrived on the
market, but a few days later another best thing arrives that is
better than the best thing of a few days ago. There is no end of
new things to captivate our desires.
Children at school can never satisfy their own or their
parents’ ambitions. Even if they come top of their class they feel
they cannot be content unless they do the same the following
year. If they go on to be successful in their jobs, their ambitions
will be as strong as ever. There is no point at which they can
rest, feeling that they are completely satisied with what they
have done.
We may think that at least people who lead a simple life in
the country must be content, but if we look at their situation
we shall ind that even farmers search for but do not ind what
they want. Their lives are full of problems and anxieties, and
they do not enjoy real peace and satisfaction. Their livelihoods
depend upon many uncertain factors beyond their control,
such as the weather. Farmers have no more freedom from
discontent than businessmen who live and work in the city.
Businessmen look smart and eficient as they set off to work
each morning carrying their briefcases but, although they
look so smooth on the outside, in their hearts they carry many
dissatisfactions. They are still searching for but not inding
what they want.
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If we relect on this situation we may decide that we can ind
what we are searching for by abandoning all our possessions.
We can see, however, that even poor people are looking for
but not inding what they seek, and many poor people have
dificulty in inding even the most basic necessities of life;
millions of people in the world experience the sufferings of
extreme poverty.
We cannot avoid the suffering of dissatisfaction by frequently
changing our situation. We may think that if we keep getting
a new partner or a new job, or keep travelling about, we shall
eventually ind what we want; but even if we were to travel to
every place on the globe, and have a new lover in every town,
we would still be seeking another place and another lover. In
samsara there is no real fulilment of our desires.
Whenever we see anyone in a high or low position, male
or female, they differ only in appearance, dress, behaviour
and status. In essence they are all equal – they all experience
problems in their lives. Whenever we have a problem, it is
easy to think that it is caused by our particular circumstances,
and that if we were to change our circumstances our problem
would disappear. We blame other people, our friends,
our food, our government, our times, the weather, society,
history and so forth. However, external circumstances such
as these are not the main causes of our problems. We need to
recognize that all the physical suffering and mental pain we
experience are the consequences of our taking a rebirth that is
contaminated by the inner poison of delusions. Human beings
have to experience various kinds of human suffering because
they have taken a contaminated human rebirth; animals have
to experience animal suffering because they have taken a
contaminated animal rebirth; and hungry ghosts and hell
beings have to experience their own sufferings because they
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have taken contaminated rebirth as hungry ghosts and hell
beings. Even gods are not free from suffering because they too
have taken a contaminated rebirth. Just as a person trapped
inside a raging ire develops intense fear, so we should develop
intense fear of the unbearable sufferings of the endless cycle of
impure life. This fear is real renunciation and arises from our
wisdom.
In conclusion, having contemplated the above explanation
we should think:
There is no beneit in denying the sufferings of future lives;
when they actually descend upon me it will be too late to
protect myself from them. Therefore I deinitely need to prepare
protection now, while I have this human life that gives me the
opportunity to liberate myself permanently from the sufferings
of my countless future lives. If I do not apply effort to accomplish
this, but allow my human life to become empty of meaning,
there is no greater deception and no greater foolishness. I must
put effort now into liberating myself permanently from the
sufferings of my countless future lives.
We meditate on this determination continually until we
develop the spontaneous wish to liberate ourself permanently
from the sufferings of countless future lives. This is the actual
realization of renunciation. The moment we develop this
realization we enter the path to liberation. In this context, liberation refers to the supreme permanent peace of mind known
as ‘nirvana’, which gives us pure and everlasting happiness.
WHAT WE SHOULD ABANDON
In Sutra of the Four Noble Truths Buddha says, ‘You should
abandon origins.’ In saying this Buddha is advising us that if
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we wish to liberate ourself permanently from the sufferings of
our countless future lives we should abandon origins. ‘Origins’
means our delusions, principally our delusion of self-grasping.
Self-grasping is called an ‘origin’ because it is the source of all
our suffering and problems, and is also known as the ‘inner
demon’. Delusions are wrong awarenesses whose function is
to destroy mental peace, the source of happiness; they have no
function other than to harm us. Delusions such as self-grasping
abide at our heart and continually harm us day and night
without rest by destroying our peace of mind. In samsara, the
cycle of impure life, no one has the opportunity to experience
real happiness because their mental peace, the source of
happiness, is continually being destroyed by the inner demon
of self-grasping.
Our self-grasping ignorance is a mind that mistakenly
believes that our self, our body and all the other things that
we normally see actually exist. Because of this ignorance
we develop attachment to the things we like and anger at
the things we do not like. We then perform various kinds of
non-virtuous action, and as a result of these actions we experience various kinds of suffering and problems in this life and in
life after life.
Self-grasping ignorance is an inner poison that causes far
greater harm than any outer poison. Because of being polluted
by this inner poison, our mind sees everything in a mistaken
way, and as a result we experience hallucination-like sufferings
and problems. In reality, our self, our body and all the other
things that we normally see do not exist. Self-grasping
can be likened to a poisonous tree, all other delusions to its
branches, and all our suffering and problems to its fruit; it is
the fundamental source of all our other delusions and of all
our suffering and problems. Through this we can understand
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that if we abandon our self-grasping permanently, all our
suffering and problems of this life and of countless future lives
will cease permanently. The great Yogi Saraha said: ‘If your
mind is released permanently from self-grasping, there is no
doubt that you will be released permanently from suffering.’
Understanding this and having contemplated the above
explanations, we should think:
I must apply great effort to recognizing, reducing and inally
abandoning my ignorance of self-grasping completely.
We should meditate on this determination continually, and put
our determination into practice.
WHAT WE SHOULD PRACTISE
In Sutra of the Four Noble Truths Buddha says, ‘You should practise the path.’ In this context, ‘path’ does not mean an external
path that leads from one place to another, but an inner path,
a spiritual realization that leads us to the pure happiness of
liberation and enlightenment.
The practice of the stages of the path to liberation can be
condensed into the three trainings of higher moral discipline,
higher concentration and higher wisdom. These trainings are
called ‘higher’ because they are motivated by renunciation.
They are therefore the actual path to liberation that we need
to practise.
The nature of moral discipline is a virtuous determination
to abandon inappropriate actions. When we practise moral
discipline we abandon inappropriate actions, maintain pure
behaviour and perform every action correctly with a virtuous
motivation. Moral discipline is most important for everybody
in order to prevent future problems for ourself and for others.
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It makes us pure because it makes our actions pure. We need
to be clean and pure ourself; just having a clean body is not
enough, since our body is not our self. Moral discipline is like
a great earth that supports and nurtures the crops of spiritual
realizations. Without practising moral discipline, it is very
dificult to make progress in spiritual training. Training in
higher moral discipline is learning to be deeply familiar with
the practice of moral discipline, motivated by renunciation.
The second higher training is training in higher
concentration. The nature of concentration is a single-pointed
virtuous mind. For as long as we remain with this mind we
shall experience mental peace, and thus we shall be happy.
When we practise concentration we prevent distractions and
concentrate on virtuous objects. It is very important to train
in concentration, as with distractions we cannot accomplish
anything. Training in higher concentration is learning to
be deeply familiar with the ability to stop distractions
and concentrate on virtuous objects, with a motivation of
renunciation. With regard to any Dharma practice, if our
concentration is clear and strong it is very easy to make
progress. Normally, distraction is the main obstacle to our
Dharma practice. The practice of moral discipline prevents
gross distractions, and concentration prevents subtle
distractions; together they give rise to quick results in our
Dharma practice.
The third higher training is training in higher wisdom. The
nature of wisdom is a virtuous intelligent mind that functions
to understand meaningful objects such as the existence of
past and future lives, karma and emptiness. Understanding
these objects brings great meaning to this life and countless
future lives. Many people are very intelligent in destroying
their enemies, caring for their families, inding what they
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want and so forth, but this is not wisdom. Even animals have
such intelligence. Worldly intelligence is deceptive, whereas
wisdom will never deceive us. It is our inner Spiritual
Guide who leads us to correct paths, and it is the divine
eye through which we can see past and future lives, and
the special connection between our actions in past lives and
our experiences in this life, known as ‘karma’. The subject of
karma is very extensive and subtle, and we can understand it
only through wisdom. Training in higher wisdom is learning
to develop and increase our wisdom realizing emptiness
through contemplating and meditating on emptiness, with
a motivation of renunciation. This wisdom is extremely
profound. Its object, emptiness, is not nothingness but is
the real nature of all phenomena. A detailed explanation
of emptiness is given in the chapter Training in Ultimate
Bodhichitta.
The three higher trainings are the actual method to attain
permanent liberation from the suffering of this life and
countless future lives. This can be understood by the following
analogy. When we cut down a tree using a saw, the saw alone
cannot cut the tree without the use of our hands, which in turn
depend upon our body. Training in higher moral discipline
is like our body, training in higher concentration is like our
hands, and training in higher wisdom is like the saw. By using
these three together, we can cut down the poisonous tree
of our self-grasping ignorance, and automatically all other
delusions – its branches – and all our suffering and problems
– its fruits – will cease completely. Then we shall have attained
the permanent cessation of the suffering of this life and future
lives – the supreme permanent peace of mind known as
‘nirvana’, or liberation. We shall have solved all our human
problems and accomplished the real meaning of our life.
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Contemplating the above explanation we should think:
Since the three higher trainings are the actual method to attain
permanent liberation from the suffering of this life and countless
future lives, I must put great effort into practising them.
We should meditate on this determination continually, and put
our determination into practice.
WHAT WE SHOULD ATTAIN
In Sutra of the Four Noble Truths Buddha says, ‘You should attain
cessations.’ In this context, ‘cessation’ means the permanent
cessation of suffering and its root, self-grasping ignorance. In
saying this, Buddha is advising us not to be satisied with a
temporary liberation from particular sufferings, but that we
should have the intention to accomplish the ultimate goal of
human life, the supreme permanent peace of mind (nirvana),
and the pure and everlasting happiness of enlightenment.
Every living being without exception has to experience the
cycle of the sufferings of sickness, ageing, death and rebirth,
in life after life, endlessly. Following Buddha’s example, we
should develop strong renunciation for this endless cycle.
When he was living in the palace with his family, Buddha saw
how his people were constantly experiencing these sufferings
and he made the strong determination to attain enlightenment,
great liberation, and to lead every living being to this state.
Buddha did not encourage us to abandon daily activities
that provide necessary conditions for living, or that prevent
poverty, environmental problems, particular diseases and
so forth. However, no matter how successful we are in these
activities, we shall never achieve permanent cessation of
such problems. We shall still have to experience them in our
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countless future lives and, even in this life, although we work
very hard to prevent these problems, the sufferings of poverty,
environmental pollution and disease are increasing throughout
the world. Furthermore, because of the power of modern
technology there are now many great dangers developing in
the world that have never been experienced before. Therefore,
we should not be satisied with merely temporary freedom
from particular sufferings, but apply great effort to attaining
permanent freedom while we have this opportunity.
We should remember the preciousness of our human life.
Because of their previous deluded views denying the value of
spiritual practice, those who have taken rebirth as animals, for
example, have no opportunity to engage in spiritual practice,
which alone gives rise to a meaningful life. Since it is impossible
for them to listen to, understand, contemplate and meditate
on spiritual instructions, their present animal rebirth itself is
an obstacle. As mentioned earlier, only human beings are free
from such obstacles and have all the necessary conditions for
engaging in spiritual paths, which alone lead to everlasting
peace and happiness. This combination of freedom and the
possession of necessary conditions is the special characteristic
that makes our human life so precious.
In conclusion, we should think:
I should not be satisied with a merely temporary cessation of
particular sufferings, which even animals can experience. I
must attain the permanent cessation of self-grasping ignorance
– the root of suffering – through sincerely practising the three
higher trainings.
We should meditate on this determination every day, and put
our determination into practice. In this way we guide ourself
to the liberating path.
66
he Path of a Person of Great Scope
In this context, a ‘person of great scope’ refers to someone who
has a great capacity for developing spiritual understanding
and realizations.
Because this subject is extensive and profound, containing
both Sutra and Tantra, a detailed explanation of it will be given
in the following chapters.
67
Je Tsongkhapa
he Supreme Good Heart –
Bodhichitta
We should maintain renunciation – the sincere wish to attain
permanent liberation – day and night. It is the door to liberation – the supreme permanent peace of mind – and the basis
of more advanced realizations. However, we should not be
content with seeking merely our own liberation; we need
also to consider the welfare of other living beings. There are
countless beings drowning in samsara’s ocean experiencing
unbearable suffering. Whereas each one of us is just one single
person, other living beings are countless in number; therefore
the happiness and freedom of others are much more important
than our own. For this reason we must enter the Bodhisattva’s
path, which leads us to the state of full enlightenment.
The gateway through which we enter the Bodhisattva’s path
is bodhichitta. ‘Bodhi’ means enlightenment and ‘chitta’ means
mind. Bodhichitta is a mind that spontaneously wishes to attain
enlightenment to beneit each and every living being directly.
The moment we develop this precious mind of bodhichitta we
become a Bodhisattva – a person who spontaneously wishes to
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attain enlightenment for the beneit of all living beings – and
we become a Son or Daughter of the Conqueror Buddhas.
This supreme good heart of bodhichitta cannot be developed without training. Je Tsongkhapa said:
Through watering the ground of affectionate love with
cherishing love,
And then sowing the seeds of wishing love and
compassion,
The medicinal tree of bodhichitta will grow.
This implies that there are ive stages of training in bodhichitta:
1. training in affectionate love; 2. training in cherishing love;
3. training in wishing love; 4. training in universal compassion;
and 5. training in actual bodhichitta.
TRAINING IN AFFECTIONATE LOVE
In this training we learn to develop and maintain a warm heart
and a feeling of being close to all living beings without exception. This affectionate love makes our mind pure and balanced,
and prepares the foundation for generating cherishing love for all
living beings. Normally our mind is unbalanced; we feel either
too close to someone out of attachment or too distant from others
out of anger. It is impossible to develop the supreme good heart
of bodhichitta with such an unbalanced mind. This unbalanced
mind is the source of all our daily problems. We may think that
some people are our enemies because they are harming us, so
how can we develop and maintain a warm heart and a feeling of
being close to such people? This way of thinking is incorrect. The
people who we believe are our enemies are in reality our mothers
of former lives. Our mothers of former lives and our mother of
this present life are all our mothers and are all equally kind to us.
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THE SUPREME GOOD HEART – BODHICHITTA
It is incorrect to reason that our mothers of former lives are
no longer our mothers just because a long time has passed
since they actually cared for us. If our present mother were to
die today, would she cease to be our mother? No, we would
still regard her as our mother and pray for her happiness. The
same is true of all our previous mothers – they died, yet they
remain our mothers. It is only because of the changes in our
external appearance that we do not recognize each other.
In our daily life, we see many different living beings, both
human and non-human. We regard some as friends, some as
enemies, and most as strangers. These distinctions are made
by our mistaken minds; they are not veriied by valid minds.
Rather than following such mistaken minds, we should
recognize and believe that all living beings are our mothers.
Whoever we meet, we should think ‘This person is my mother.’
In this way, we shall generate a warm heart and a feeling of
being equally close to all living beings. Our belief that all living
beings are our mothers is wisdom because it understands a
meaningful object, which is that all living beings are our
mothers. Through this understanding we shall experience
great meaning in this life and in countless future lives. We
should never abandon this beneicial belief or view.
We should contemplate as follows:
Since it is impossible to ind a beginning to my mental
continuum, it follows that I have taken countless rebirths in
the past, and, if I have had countless rebirths, I must have had
countless mothers. Where are all these mothers now? They are
all the living beings alive today.
Having repeatedly contemplated this point we strongly believe
that all living beings are our mothers, and we meditate on this
belief.
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THE KINDNESS OF LIVING BEINGS
Having become convinced that all living beings are our
mothers, we contemplate the immense kindness we have
received from each of them when they were our mother, as
well as the kindness they have shown us at other times.
When we were conceived, had our mother not wanted to
keep us in her womb she could have had an abortion. If she
had done so, we would not now have this human life. Through
her kindness she allowed us to stay in her womb, and so we
now enjoy a human life and experience all its advantages.
When we were a baby, had we not received her constant care
and attention we would certainly have had an accident and
could now be disabled or blind. Fortunately, our mother did
not neglect us. Day and night, she gave us her loving care,
regarding us as more important than herself. She saved our
life many times each day. During the night she allowed her
sleep to be interrupted, and during the day she forfeited
her usual pleasures. She had to leave her job, and when her
friends went out to enjoy themselves she had to stay behind.
She spent all her money on us, giving us the best food and the
best clothes she could afford. She taught us how to eat, how
to walk, how to talk. Thinking of our future welfare, she did
her best to ensure that we received a good education. Due to
her kindness, we are now able to study whatever we choose.
It is principally through the kindness of our mother that we
now have the opportunity to practise Dharma and eventually
to attain enlightenment.
Since there is no one who has not been our mother at some
time in our previous lives, and since when we were their child
they treated us with the same kindness as our present mother
has treated us in this life, all living beings are very kind.
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The kindness of living beings is not limited to the times
when they have been our mother. All the time, our day-today needs are provided through the kindness of others. We
brought nothing with us from our former life, yet, as soon
as we were born, we were given a home, food, clothes, and
everything we needed – all provided through the kindness of
others. Everything we now enjoy has been provided through
the kindness of other beings, past or present.
We are able to make use of many things with very little effort
on our own part. If we consider facilities such as roads, cars,
trains, aeroplanes, ships, houses, restaurants, hotels, libraries,
hospitals, shops, money and so on, it is clear that many people
worked very hard to provide these things. Even though we
make little or no contribution towards the provision of these
facilities, they are all available for us to use. This shows the
great kindness of others.
Both our general education and our spiritual training are
provided by others. All our Dharma realizations, from our
very irst insights up to our eventual attainment of liberation
and enlightenment, will be attained in dependence upon the
kindness of others. As human beings we generally have the
opportunity to attain the supreme happiness of enlightenment.
This is because we have the opportunity to enter and follow
the path to enlightenment, a spiritual path motivated by
compassion for all living beings. The gateway through which
we enter the path to enlightenment is therefore compassion
for all living beings – universal compassion – and we develop
this compassion only by relying upon all living beings as
the objects of our compassion. This shows that it is through
the great kindness of all living beings acting as the objects
of our compassion that we have the opportunity to enter the
path to enlightenment and attain the supreme happiness of
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enlightenment. It is therefore clear that for us all living beings
are supremely kind and precious.
From the depths of our heart we should think:
Each and every living being is supremely kind and precious to
me. They provide me with the opportunity to attain the pure
and everlasting happiness of enlightenment – the ultimate goal
of human life.
Understanding and thinking in this way, we generate a warm
heart and a feeling of being equally close to all living beings
without exception. We transform our mind into this feeling,
and we remain on it single-pointedly for as long as possible.
Through continually contemplating and meditating in this way
we shall maintain a warm heart and a feeling of being close
to each and every living being all the time, in every situation.
Having understood the eight beneits of maintaining affectionate love that are listed below in the section Wishing Love, we
should apply continual effort in this practice.
TRAINING IN CHERISHING LOVE
This training has two stages: 1. equalizing self and others; and
2. exchanging self with others.
EQUALIZING SELF AND OTHERS
This practice is called ‘equalizing self and others’ because
we are learning to believe that the happiness and freedom
of ourself and all other living beings are equally important.
Learning to cherish others is the best solution to our daily
problems, and it is the source of all our future happiness and
good fortune.
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There are two levels of cherishing others: (1) cherishing
others as we cherish a close friend or relative; and (2) cherishing others as we cherish ourself. The second level is more
profound. Through cherishing all living beings as we cherish
ourself we shall develop the profound universal compassion
that functions as the quick path to enlightenment. This is one
of the essential points of Kadam Lamrim.
To train in equalizing self and others we engage in the
following contemplation, thinking:
I must believe that the happiness and freedom of myself and
all other living beings are equally important because:
(1) All living beings have shown me great kindness in both
this and previous lives.
(2) Just as I wish to be free from suffering and experience
only happiness, so do all other beings. In this respect, I am no
different from any other being; we are all equal.
(3) I am only one, whereas others are countless, so how
can I be concerned for myself alone while I neglect others?
My happiness and suffering are insigniicant when compared
with the happiness and suffering of countless other living
beings.
Having repeatedly contemplated these points, we strongly
believe that the happiness and freedom of ourself and all
other living beings are equally important. We then remain on
this belief single-pointedly for as long as possible. We should
continually practise this contemplation and meditation until
we spontaneously believe that the happiness and freedom of
ourself and all other living beings are equally important, which
is the realization of equalizing self and others.
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EXCHANGING SELF WITH OTHERS
This training has three stages: 1. contemplating the disadvantages of self-cherishing; 2. contemplating the advantages of
cherishing others; and 3. the actual training in exchanging
self with others.
CONTEMPLATING THE DISADVANTAGES OF
SELF-CHERISHING
What exactly is self-cherishing? Self-cherishing is our mind
that thinks ’I am important’ while neglecting others. When we
think ‘I’ and ‘mine’ we perceive an inherently existent I, and
we cherish it and believe that its happiness and freedom are
the most important. This is self-cherishing. Caring for ourself is
not self-cherishing. We need to care for ourself to maintain this
human life so that we can continually apply effort to accomplishing its real meaning.
Self-cherishing and self-grasping are different aspects of
one mind. Self-grasping grasps at an inherently existent ‘I’,
and self-cherishing believes that such an ‘I’ is precious and
that its happiness and freedom are supremely important. Selfcherishing is our normal view that believes ‘I am important’
and ‘My happiness and freedom are important’, and that
neglects others’ happiness and freedom. It is part of our ignorance because in reality there is no inherently existent I. Our
self-cherishing mind nevertheless cherishes this I and believes
it to be the most important. It is a foolish and deceptive mind
that always interferes with our inner peace, and it is a great
obstacle to our accomplishing the real meaning of our human
life. We have had this self-cherishing mind in life after life since
beginningless time, even while asleep and dreaming.
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In Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life Shantideva says:
… all the suffering there is in this world
Arises from wishing ourself to be happy.
Sufferings are not given to us as a punishment. They all come
from our self-cherishing mind, which wishes ourself to be
happy while neglecting the happiness of others. There are
two ways to understand this. First, the self-cherishing mind
is the creator of all our suffering and problems; and second,
self-cherishing is the basis for experiencing all our suffering
and problems.
We suffer because in our previous lives we performed
actions that caused others to experience suffering, motivated by selish intention – our self-cherishing. As a result of
these actions, we now experience our present suffering and
problems. Therefore, the real creator of all our suffering and
problems is our self-cherishing mind.
Our present experience of particular suffering and problems
has a special connection with particular actions we performed
in our previous lives. This is very subtle. We cannot see this
hidden connection with our eyes, but as already explained we
can understand it through using our wisdom, and in particular
through relying upon Buddha’s teachings on karma. In general,
everyone knows that if they perform bad actions they will
experience bad results and if they perform good actions they
will experience good results.
The self-cherishing mind is also the basis for experiencing
all our suffering and problems. For example, when people
are unable to fulil their wishes, many experience depression,
discouragement, unhappiness and mental pain, and some even
want to kill themselves. This is because their self-cherishing
believes that their own wishes are so important. It is therefore
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their self-cherishing that is mainly responsible for their
problems. Without self-cherishing, there would be no basis for
experiencing such suffering.
When we are seriously ill we ind it dificult to bear our
suffering, but illness harms us only because we cherish
ourself. If another person is experiencing a similar illness, we
have no problem. Why? Because we do not cherish him or
her. However, if we cherished others as we cherish ourself,
we would find it difficult to bear their suffering. This is
compassion. As Shantideva says:
The suffering I experience
Does not harm others,
But I ind it hard to bear
Because I cherish myself.
Likewise, the suffering of others
Does not harm me,
But, if I cherish others,
I shall ind their suffering hard to bear.
In life after life, since beginningless time, we have tried to
fulil the wishes of our self-cherishing mind, believing its view
to be true. We have put great effort into seeking happiness
from external sources, but have nothing to show for it now.
Because self-cherishing has deceived us we have wasted
countless previous lives. It has driven us to work for our own
purpose, but we have gained nothing. This foolish mind has
made all our previous lives empty – when we took this human
rebirth we brought nothing with us but delusions. In every
moment of every day, this self-cherishing mind continues to
deceive us.
Having contemplated these points, we think:
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Nothing causes me greater harm than the demon of my selfcherishing. It is the source of all my negativity, misfortune,
problems and suffering. Therefore I must abandon my selfcherishing.
We should meditate on this determination every day, and put
our determination into practice.
CONTEMPLATING THE ADVANTAGES OF
CHERISHING OTHERS
When we deeply think that others are important, and that
their happiness and freedom are important, we are cherishing
others. If we cherish others like this, we shall always have good
relationships and live in harmony with others, and our daily
life will be peaceful and happy. We can begin this practice with
our family, friends and those around us, and then gradually we
shall develop and maintain cherishing love for all living beings
without exception.
In Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, Shantideva says:
All the happiness there is in this world
Arises from wishing others to be happy
If we think carefully about this, we shall realize that all our
present and future happiness depends upon our cherishing
others – upon our wanting others to be happy. In our past lives,
because we cherished others, we practised virtuous actions
such as refraining from killing or harming others and abandoning stealing from and cheating them. We gave them material
help and protection, and practised patience. As a result of these
virtuous actions, we have now obtained this precious human
life with the opportunity to experience human enjoyments.
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The immediate effect of cherishing others will be that
many of our daily problems, such as those that arise from
anger, jealousy and selfish behaviour, will disappear, and
our mind will become calm and peaceful. Since we shall act
in considerate ways, we shall please others and not become
involved in quarrels or disputes. If we cherish others we shall
be concerned to help rather than to harm them, so we shall
naturally avoid non-virtuous actions. Instead, we shall practise
virtuous actions, such as compassion, love, patience, and
giving material help and protection, and thus create the cause
to attain pure and everlasting happiness in the future.
In particular, if we cherish all other living beings as we
cherish ourself we shall ind their suffering hard to bear. Our
feeling that it is hard to bear the suffering of all other living
beings is universal compassion, and this will lead us quickly
to the pure and everlasting happiness of enlightenment. Just
like all the previous Buddhas, we shall be born an enlightened
Buddha from the mother, universal compassion. This is why
our cherishing all living beings will enable us to attain enlightenment very quickly.
Contemplating all these beneits, we think:
The precious mind that cherishes all living beings protects both
myself and others from suffering, brings pure and everlasting
happiness and fulils the wishes of both myself and others.
Therefore I must always cherish all living beings without
exception.
We should meditate on this determination every day, and out
of meditation put our determination into practice. This means
that we should actually cherish each and every living being,
including animals.
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THE ACTUAL TRAINING IN EXCHANGING
SELF WITH OTHERS
Exchanging self with others means that we change the object
of our cherishing from ourself to all other living beings. This
is impossible without training. How do we train in exchanging self with others? With an understanding of the great
disadvantages of cherishing ourself and the great advantages of cherishing all living beings, as explained above,
and remembering that we have made the determination to
abandon our self-cherishing and always cherish all living
beings without exception, we think from the depths of our
heart:
I must give up cherishing myself and instead cherish all other
living beings without exception.
We then meditate on this determination. We should continually practise this meditation until we spontaneously believe
that the happiness and freedom of each and every other living
being are far more important than our own. This belief is the
realization of exchanging self with others.
TRAINING IN WISHING LOVE
With the understanding and belief that the happiness
and freedom of each and every living being are far more
important than our own, we generate wishing love for all
living beings, thinking:
How wonderful it would be if all living beings attained the
pure and everlasting happiness of enlightenment! May they
attain this happiness. I myself will work for this aim.
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We remain single-pointedly on this precious mind of wishing
love for all living beings for as long as possible. We repeat this
meditation again and again until we spontaneously wish that
each and every living being may experience the happiness of
enlightenment. This spontaneous wish is the actual realization
of wishing love.
Wishing love is also called ‘immeasurable love’ because
merely through meditating on wishing love we shall receive
immeasurable beneits in this life and in countless future lives.
Based on Buddha’s teachings, the great scholar Nagarjuna
listed eight beneits of affectionate love and wishing love: (1)
By meditating on affectionate love and wishing love for just
one moment we accumulate greater merit than we would
do by giving food three times every day to all those who are
hungry in the world.
When we give food to those who are hungry we are not giving real happiness. This is because the happiness that comes
from eating food is not real happiness, but just a temporary
reduction in the suffering of hunger. However, meditation
on affectionate love and wishing love leads us and all living
beings to the pure and everlasting happiness of enlightenment.
The remaining seven beneits of meditating on affectionate love and wishing love are that in the future: (2) we shall
receive great loving kindness from humans and non-humans;
(3) we shall be protected in various ways by humans and
non-humans; (4) we shall be mentally happy all the time; (5)
we shall be physically healthy all the time; (6) we shall not be
harmed by weapons, poison and other harmful conditions; (7)
we shall obtain all necessary conditions without effort; and (8)
we shall be born in the superior heaven of a Buddha Land.
Having contemplated these beneits we should apply effort
in meditating on wishing love many times every day.
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TRAINING IN UNIVERSAL COMPASSION
Universal compassion is a mind that sincerely wishes to
liberate all living beings from suffering permanently. If, on the
basis of cherishing all living beings, we contemplate the fact
that they experience the cycle of physical suffering and mental
pain in life after life without end, their inability to liberate
themselves from suffering, their lack of freedom and how, by
engaging in negative actions, they create the causes of future
suffering, we shall develop deep compassion for them. We
need to empathize with them and feel their pain as keenly as
we feel our own.
No one wants to suffer, yet out of ignorance living beings
create suffering by performing non-virtuous actions. We
should therefore feel equal compassion for all living beings
without exception; there is no single living being who is not a
suitable object of our compassion.
All living beings suffer because they take contaminated
rebirths. Human beings have no choice but to experience
immense human sufferings because they have taken human
rebirth, which is contaminated by the inner poison of delusions. Similarly, animals have to experience animal suffering,
and hungry ghosts and hell beings have to experience all the
sufferings of their respective realms. If living beings were to
experience all this suffering for just one single life, it would
not be so bad, but the cycle of suffering continues life after life,
endlessly.
To develop renunciation, we previously contemplated how
in our countless future lives we shall have to experience the
unbearable sufferings of animals, hungry ghosts, hell beings,
humans, demi-gods and gods. Now, at this point, to develop
compassion for all living beings who are our mothers, we
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contemplate how in their countless future lives they will have
to experience the unbearable sufferings of animals, hungry
ghosts, hell beings, humans, demi-gods and gods.
Having contemplated this we should think:
I cannot bear the suffering of these countless mother beings.
Drowning in the vast and deep ocean of samsara, the cycle
of contaminated rebirth, they have to experience unbearable
physical suffering and mental pain in this life and in countless
future lives. I must permanently liberate all these living beings
from their suffering.
We should meditate continually on this determination, which
is universal compassion, and apply great effort to fulilling its
aim.
TRAINING IN ACTUAL BODHICHITTA
The moment we develop bodhichitta we become a Bodhisattva,
a person who spontaneously wishes to attain enlightenment
for the benefit of all living beings. Initially we shall be a
Bodhisattva on the path of accumulation. Then, by following
the path to enlightenment with the vehicle of bodhichitta,
we can progress from being a Bodhisattva on the path of
accumulation to being a Bodhisattva on the path of preparation,
a Bodhisattva on the path of seeing, and then a Bodhisattva on
the path of meditation. From there we shall reach the Path of
No More Learning, which is the actual state of enlightenment.
As already mentioned, enlightenment is the inner light of
wisdom that is permanently free from all mistaken appearance,
and whose function is to bestow mental peace upon each and
every living being every day. When we attain a Buddha’s
enlightenment we shall be able to beneit each and every living
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being directly through bestowing blessings and through our
countless emanations.
In Sutra teachings, Buddha says:
In this impure life of samsara
No one experiences real happiness;
The actions they perform
Will always be the causes of suffering.
The happiness that we normally experience through having
good conditions, such as a good reputation, a good position, a
good job, good relationships, seeing attractive forms, hearing
good news or beautiful music, eating, drinking and sex is not
real happiness, but changing suffering – a reduction in our
previous suffering. Out of ignorance, however, we believe
that only these things bring happiness, and because of this we
never wish to attain real happiness, the pure and everlasting
happiness of liberation and enlightenment, even for our own
beneit. We are always searching for happiness in this impure
life of samsara, like the thief who searched for gold in Milarepa’s
empty cave and found nothing. The great Yogi Milarepa heard
a thief rummaging around his cave one night and called out to
him, ‘How do you expect to ind anything valuable here at night,
when I cannot ind anything valuable here during the day?’
When, through training, we develop the precious mind of
enlightenment, bodhichitta, we spontaneously think:
How wonderful it would be if I and all living beings attained
real happiness, the pure and everlasting happiness of
enlightenment! May we attain this happiness. I myself will
work for this aim.
We need to have this precious mind of bodhichitta in our
heart. It is our inner Spiritual Guide, who leads us directly to
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the state of supreme happiness of enlightenment; and it is the
real wishfulilling jewel through which we can fulil our own
and others’ wishes. There is no greater beneicial intention than
this precious mind.
Having contemplated the above explanation, we think from
the depths of our heart:
I am one single person but other living beings are countless,
and they are all my kind mothers. These countless mother
beings have to experience unbearable physical suffering and
mental pain in this life and in their countless future lives.
Compared with the suffering of these countless living beings,
my own suffering is insigniicant. I must liberate all living
beings from suffering permanently, and for this purpose I must
attain a Buddha’s enlightenment.
We meditate on this determination, which is bodhichitta,
single-pointedly. We should practise this contemplation and
meditation continually until we develop the spontaneous wish
to attain enlightenment to beneit each and every living being
directly, and then we should apply great effort to fulilling our
bodhichitta wish.
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Training in the Path of Bodhichitta
There are three stages of training in the path of bodhichitta:
1. training in the six perfections; 2. training in taking in
conjunction with the practice of the six perfections; and
3. training in giving in conjunction with the practice of the six
perfections.
TRAINING IN THE SIX PERFECTIONS
The six perfections are the actual path to enlightenment, and
they are also the path of bodhichitta and the Bodhisattva’s
path. Through following this path with the vehicle of bodhichitta we shall deinitely reach the state of enlightenment.
Our bodhichitta wish is to attain enlightenment to beneit
each and every living being directly. To fulil this wish, in
front of our Spiritual Guide or an image of Buddha regarded
as the living Buddha, we should promise to engage in the
Bodhisattva’s path or training while reciting the following
ritual prayer three times. This promise is the Bodhisattva’s
vow.
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Just as all the previous Sugatas, the Buddhas,
Generated the mind of enlightenment, bodhichitta,
And accomplished all the stages
Of the Bodhisattva’s training,
So will I too, for the sake of all beings,
Generate the mind of enlightenment
And accomplish all the stages
Of the Bodhisattva’s training.
When we take the Bodhisattva’s vow we are taking the
commitment to engage in the path to enlightenment, the
Bodhisattva’s training, which is the practice of the six perfections. Normally, when we start a job, we commit ourself to
fulilling our employer’s wishes; otherwise we shall quickly
lose our job. In the same way, having generated bodhichitta
– the determination to attain enlightenment to beneit each
and every living being directly – we need to commit ourself
to engaging in the practice of the six perfections. If we do not
make this commitment by taking the Bodhisattva’s vow, we
shall lose our opportunity to attain enlightenment. Through
contemplating this we should encourage ourself to take the
Bodhisattva’s vow and sincerely practise the six perfections.
The six perfections are the practices of giving, moral discipline, patience, effort, concentration and wisdom, motivated by
bodhichitta. We should recognize that the six perfections are
our daily practice.
In the practice of giving we should practise: (1) giving
material help to those in poverty, including giving food to
animals; (2) giving practical help to those sick or physically
weak; (3) giving protection by always trying to save others’
lives, including those of insects; (4) giving love – learning
to cherish all living beings by always believing that their
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happiness and freedom are important; and (5) giving Dharma,
helping others to solve their problems of anger, attachment and
ignorance by giving Dharma teachings or meaningful advice.
In the practice of moral discipline we should abandon
any inappropriate actions including those that cause others
suffering. We should especially abandon breaking our
commitments of the Bodhisattva’s vow. This is the basic
foundation upon which we can make progress on the
Bodhisattva’s path. By doing this our actions of body, speech
and mind will be pure, so that we become a pure being.
In the practice of patience we should never allow ourself to
become angry or discouraged, by temporarily accepting any
dificulties or harm from others. When we practise patience we
are wearing the supreme inner armour that directly protects
us from physical sufferings, mental pain and other problems.
Anger destroys our merit, or good fortune, so that we shall
continually experience many obstacles, and because of lacking
good fortune it will be dificult to fulil our wishes, especially
our spiritual aims. There is no greater evil than anger. With the
practice of patience we can accomplish any spiritual aim; there
is no greater virtue than patience.
In the practice of effort we should rely upon irreversible
effort to accumulate the great collections of merit and wisdom,
which are the main causes of attaining Buddha’s Form Body
(Rupakaya), and Truth Body (Dharmakaya); and especially
we should emphasize contemplation and meditation on
emptiness, the way things really are. By doing this we can
easily make progress on the path to enlightenment. With effort
we can accomplish our aim, whereas with laziness we cannot
achieve anything.
In the practice of concentration, at this stage we should
emphasize accomplishing the concentration of tranquil abiding
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observing emptiness. An explanation is given below in the
section A Simple Training in Ultimate Bodhichitta. When, through
the power of this concentration, we experience a special
wisdom called ‘superior seeing’ that realizes the emptiness
of all phenomena very clearly, we shall have progressed from
being a Bodhisattva on the path of accumulation to being a
Bodhisattva on the path of preparation.
In the practice of wisdom, at this stage we need to emphasize
increasing the power of our wisdom of superior seeing by
continually meditating on the emptiness of all phenomena
with bodhichitta motivation. Through this, when our superior
seeing transforms into the path of seeing, which is the direct
realization of the emptiness of all phenomena, we shall have
progressed from being a Bodhisattva on the path of preparation
to being a Bodhisattva on the path of seeing. The moment we
attain the path of seeing we are a Superior Bodhisattva and no
longer experience samsara’s sufferings. Even if someone cuts
our body piece by piece with a knife we have no pain because
we have the direct realization of the way things really are.
Having completed the path of seeing, to make further progress we need to engage continually in the meditation on the
emptiness of all phenomena with bodhichitta motivation. This
meditation is called the ‘path of meditation’. When we reach
this stage we shall have progressed from being a Bodhisattva
on the path of seeing to being a Bodhisattva on the path of
meditation.
Having completed the path of meditation, when our wisdom
of the path of meditation transforms into an omniscient wisdom
that is permanently free from all mistaken appearances, this
omniscient wisdom is called the ‘Path of No More Learning’,
which is actual enlightenment. When we reach this stage we
shall have progressed from being a Bodhisattva on the path of
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meditation to being an enlightened being, a Buddha. We shall
have completed the ultimate goal of living beings.
The Bodhisattva’s initial training in accumulating merit
or wisdom is the Bodhisattva’s path of accumulation; the
Bodhisattva’s training in accumulating merit or wisdom that is a
preparation for attaining the path of seeing is the Bodhisattva’s
path of preparation; the Bodhisattva’s training that is the initial
direct realization of emptiness is the Bodhisattva’s path of
seeing; after completing the path of seeing the Bodhisattva’s
training that meditates continually on emptiness is the
Bodhisattva’s path of meditation; and Buddha’s omniscient
wisdom that is attained through completing all the trainings
of Sutra and Tantra is the Path of No More Learning, the state
of enlightenment.
TRAINING IN TAKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE
PRACTICE OF THE SIX PERFECTIONS
There are four main beneits of the meditations on taking and
giving: they are powerful methods (1) to purify the potentialities of non-virtuous actions that cause us to experience serious
diseases such as cancer; (2) to accumulate a great collection of
merit; (3) to ripen our potentiality to be able to beneit all living
beings; and (4) to purify our mind.
There was once a Lamrim practitioner called Kharak
Gomchen who was seriously aflicted by leprosy. The treatments
given by his doctors did not work, and each year his condition
grew worse. Finally, his doctors told him that there was nothing
they could do to cure his disease. Believing that he would soon
die, Gomchen left his home and went to a cemetery to prepare
for death. While staying in the cemetery, he concentrated day
and night on practising the meditations on taking and giving
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with strong compassion for all living beings. Through this practice he was completely cured and returned home healthy and
with a happy mind. There are many other similar examples.
At the moment we are unable to beneit all living beings
but we have the potential for this ability, which is part of our
Buddha nature. Through practising the meditations on taking
and giving with strong compassion for all living beings, the
potential to be able to beneit all living beings will ripen, and
when this happens we shall become an enlightened being, a
Buddha. When we purify our mind through the practices of
taking and giving, every spiritual realization will grow easily
in our mind. Through contemplating the four main beneits of
meditating on taking and giving, we should encourage ourself
to practise these meditations sincerely.
‘Taking’ in this context means taking others’ sufferings upon
ourself through meditation. When we meditate on taking our
motivation should be compassion, thinking:
I must permanently liberate all living beings from their
suffering and fears in this life and countless future lives.
In this way, by giving protection we are practising the perfection of giving; by abandoning self-cherishing we are practising
the perfection of moral discipline; by willingly accepting any
adverse conditions obstructing our practice of taking we are
practising the perfection of patience; by applying effort to
practising this meditation continually, free from laziness, we
are practising the perfection of effort; by concentrating singlepointedly on the meditation on taking, free from distraction, we
are practising the perfection of concentration; and by realizing
that we ourself, all living beings, and their suffering all exist
as mere names and do not inherently exist we are practising
the perfection of wisdom. This is how we should train in the
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meditation on taking in conjunction with practising the six
perfections. This is a very profound method of practising the
six perfections. We should apply this same method to all other
meditations, such as the meditation on death, so that we can
quickly make progress along the path to enlightenment.
There are two stages to the meditation on taking: 1. meditation on taking focusing on all living beings; and 2. meditation
on taking focusing on particular living beings.
MEDITATION ON TAKING FOCUSING ON
ALL LIVING BEINGS
In this irst stage we focus on the assembly of all living beings
without exception, and then think from the depths of our heart:
In their countless future lives these living beings will
continually experience without choice the sufferings of
humans, animals, hungry ghosts, hell beings, demi-gods and
gods. How wonderful it would be if all these living beings were
permanently freed from the suffering and fears in this life and
countless future lives! May they achieve this. I myself will
work for them to achieve this. I must do this.
Thinking in this way, we imagine that the sufferings of all
living beings gather together in the aspect of black smoke. This
dissolves into our ignorance of self-grasping and self-cherishing
at our heart. We then strongly believe that all living beings are
permanently freed from suffering, and that our ignorance of
self-grasping and self-cherishing is completely destroyed. We
meditate on this belief single-pointedly for as long as possible.
With compassion for all living beings we should continually
practise this meditation until we experience signs that indicate
our mind has been puriied. These signs can include the curing
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of any sickness we may have, the reducing of our delusions,
our having a more peaceful and happy mind, the increasing
of our faith, correct intention and correct view, and especially
the strengthening of our experience of universal compassion.
MEDITATION ON TAKING FOCUSING ON
PARTICULAR LIVING BEINGS
In this meditation we can focus, for example, on the assembly
of living beings who experience the suffering of sickness. We
then think:
These living beings experience the suffering of sickness in
this life and in their countless future lives without end. How
wonderful it would be if these living beings were permanently
freed from sickness! May they achieve this. I myself will work
for them to achieve this. I must do this.
Thinking in this way, we imagine that the suffering of
sickness of all living beings gathers together in the aspect of
black smoke. This dissolves into our ignorance of self-grasping
and self-cherishing at our heart. We then strongly believe that
all these living beings are permanently freed from sickness,
and that our ignorance of self-grasping and self-cherishing
is completely destroyed. We meditate on this belief singlepointedly for as long as possible.
In the same way, we can practise the meditation on taking
while focusing on a particular individual or group of living
beings who are experiencing other sufferings such as poverty,
ighting and famine.
We should apply particular effort to developing deep
familiarity with the meditation on taking focusing on all living
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beings. This meditation makes our mind pure, which in turn
makes our actions pure so that we become a pure being. If
we die with strong compassion for all living beings we shall
deinitely be born in the Pure Land of a Buddha. This is because
our compassion that manifests when we are dying will directly
cause our potential for taking rebirth in the Pure Land of a
Buddha to ripen. This is the good result of a good heart. The
result of maintaining the good heart of sincerely wishing to
liberate permanently all living beings from suffering is that we
ourself shall experience permanent liberation from suffering by
taking rebirth in the Pure Land of a Buddha.
For example, when Geshe Chekhawa was dying he
developed the sincere wish to be reborn in hell in order to help
hell beings directly, but he received clear visions that he would
be reborn in Sukhavati, the Pure Land of Buddha Amitabha. He
told his assistant, ‘Unfortunately my wish will not be fulilled.’
The assistant asked him, ‘What is your wish?’, and Geshe
Chekhawa replied, ‘My wish is to take rebirth in hell so that I
can help hell beings directly, but I have seen clear signs that I
shall be born in the Pure Land of Buddha Amitabha.’ Although
Geshe Chekhawa wanted to take rebirth in hell, his compassion
for all living beings prevented him from taking a lower rebirth;
he had no choice but to go to a Buddha’s Pure Land where he
experienced permanent liberation from suffering. However,
although Geshe Chekhawa took rebirth in a Pure Land, he was
able to help hell beings through his emanations.
We may think our belief that living beings have attained
permanent liberation from suffering through our meditation is
incorrect, because living beings have not actually attained this.
Although it is true that living beings have not actually attained
permanent liberation, our belief is still correct because it arises
from our compassion and wisdom. Meditating on this belief
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will cause our potentiality of being able to liberate all living
beings permanently from suffering to ripen quickly, so that
we shall attain enlightenment quickly. Therefore we should
never abandon such a beneicial belief, which is the nature of
wisdom. Meditation on taking is the quick path to enlightenment, and has a similar function to Tantric practice. It is said
that Tantric realizations can be achieved simply through relying upon correct belief and imagination. This practice is very
simple; all we need to do is to become deeply familiar with
meditation on correct belief and imagination as presented in
Tantra, by applying continual effort.
TRAINING IN GIVING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE
PRACTICE OF THE SIX PERFECTIONS
‘Giving’ in this context means giving our own happiness to
others through meditation. In general, in the cycle of impure life,
samsara, there is no real happiness at all. As mentioned previously, the happiness that we normally experience through eating,
drinking, sex and so forth is not real happiness, but merely a
reduction of a previous problem or dissatisfaction. For example,
if the happiness we experience from sex is real happiness, then it
would follow that sex itself would be a real cause of happiness. If
this were true, then the more we had sex, the more our happiness
would increase, but actually the opposite would happen; instead
of happiness increasing, our suffering would increase. In Four
Hundred Verses the Buddhist Master Aryadeva says:
The experience of suffering will never be changed by the
same cause,
But we can see the experience of happiness will be
changed by the same cause.
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This means that, for example, the suffering caused by ire will
never be changed into happiness by that ire, but we can see
that the happiness caused, for example, by eating will change
into suffering just through eating.
How do we meditate on giving? In Guide to the Bodhisattva’s
Way of Life Shantideva says:
... to accomplish the welfare of all living beings
I will transform my body into an enlightened
wishfulilling jewel.
We should regard our continuously residing body, our very
subtle body, as the real wishfulilling jewel; this is our Buddha
nature through which the wishes of ourself and all other living
beings will be fulilled. We then think:
All living beings wish to be happy all the time, but they do not
know how to do this. They never experience real happiness,
because out of ignorance they destroy their own happiness
by developing delusions such as anger and performing nonvirtuous actions. How wonderful it would be if all these living
beings experienced the pure and everlasting happiness of
enlightenment! May they experience this happiness. I will now
give my own future happiness of enlightenment to each and
every living being.
Thinking in this way we imagine that from our continuously
residing body at our heart we emanate ininite rays of light,
which are in nature our future happiness of enlightenment.
These reach all living beings of the six realms, and we strongly
believe that each and every living being experiences the pure
and everlasting happiness of enlightenment. We meditate on
this belief single-pointedly for as long as possible. We should
continually practise this meditation until we spontaneously
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believe that all living beings have actually received our future
happiness of enlightenment now. Through this practice we are
like a Bodhisattva who practises shepherd-like bodhichitta.
Just as a shepherd wishes to provide protection and necessary
conditions for his lock before he himself relaxes, a Bodhisattva
who practises shepherd-like bodhichitta wishes to prepare
protection and ultimate happiness for all beings before accomplishing it for himself.
This meditation has four main beneits: (1) it increases our
wishing love for all living beings; (2) it ripens our potential
ability to beneit all living beings; (3) it accumulates a great
collection of merit, or good fortune; and (4) it causes our
ordinary appearances and conceptions to cease.
Our future happiness of enlightenment is the result of our
generating compassion for all living beings. The meditation on
giving brings this future result into the path, and is therefore
a quick path to enlightenment that has a similar function to
Tantric practice. We should apply great effort to practise this
meditation so that we can quickly make progress on the path
to enlightenment.
When we are meditating on giving, our motivation should
be wishing love. By giving love in this way we are practising
the perfection of giving; by abandoning self-cherishing we
are practising the perfection of moral discipline; by willingly
accepting any adverse conditions obstructing our practice
of giving we are practising the perfection of patience; by
applying effort to practising this meditation continually,
free from laziness, we are practising the perfection of effort;
by concentrating single-pointedly on the meditation on
giving, free from distraction, we are practising the perfection
of concentration; and by realizing that we ourself, all living
beings, and their happiness all exist as mere names and do not
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inherently exist we are practising the perfection of wisdom.
This is how we should train in the meditation on giving in
conjunction with practising the six perfections.
Training in giving is a special meditation on wishing
love that sincerely wishes all living beings to attain real
happiness – the pure and everlasting happiness of liberation
and enlightenment. As mentioned above, meditation on
wishing love is also called ‘immeasurable love’ because just by
meditating on wishing love we receive immeasurable beneits
in this life and in countless future lives.
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Training in Ultimate Bodhichitta
When we meditate on emptiness to develop or increase ultimate bodhichitta, we are training in ultimate bodhichitta.
Actual ultimate bodhichitta is a wisdom that directly realizes
emptiness motivated by bodhichitta. It is called ‘ultimate bodhichitta’ because its object is ultimate truth, emptiness, and it is
one of the main paths to enlightenment. The bodhichitta that
has been explained so far is conventional bodhichitta, and this
is the nature of compassion, whereas ultimate bodhichitta is
the nature of wisdom. These two bodhichittas are like the two
wings of a bird with which we can ly to the enlightened world.
If we do not know the meaning of emptiness there is no
basis for training in ultimate bodhichitta, because emptiness is
the object of ultimate bodhichitta. Je Tsongkhapa said:
The knowledge of emptiness is superior to any other
knowledge,
The Teacher who teaches emptiness unmistakenly is
superior to any other teacher,
And the realization of emptiness is the very essence of
Buddhadharma.
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WHAT IS EMPTINESS?
Emptiness is the way things really are. It is the way things
exist as opposed to the way they appear. We naturally believe
that the things we see around us, such as tables, chairs and
houses, are truly existent, because we believe that they exist
in exactly the way that they appear. However, the way things
appear to our senses is deceptive and completely contradictory
to the way in which they actually exist. Things appear to exist
from their own side, without depending upon our mind. This
book that appears to our mind, for example, seems to have its
own independent, objective existence. It seems to be ‘outside’
whereas our mind seems to be ‘inside’. We feel that the book
can exist without our mind; we do not feel that our mind is in
any way involved in bringing the book into existence. This way
of existing independent of our mind is variously called ‘true
existence’, ‘inherent existence’, ‘existence from its own side’,
and ‘existence from the side of the object’.
Although things appear directly to our senses to be truly, or
inherently, existent, in reality all phenomena lack, or are empty
of, true existence. This book, our body, our friends, we ourself,
and the entire universe are in reality just appearances to mind,
like things seen in a dream. If we dream of an elephant, the
elephant appears vividly in all its detail – we can see it, hear
it, smell it and touch it – but when we wake up we realize that
it was just an appearance to mind. We do not wonder ‘Where
is the elephant now?’, because we understand that it was
simply a projection of our mind and had no existence outside
our mind. When the dream awareness that apprehended the
elephant ceased, the elephant did not go anywhere – it simply
disappeared, for it was just an appearance to the mind and did
not exist separately from the mind. Buddha said that the same
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is true for all phenomena; they are mere appearances to mind,
totally dependent upon the minds that perceive them.
The world we experience when we are awake and the world
we experience when we are dreaming are both mere appearances to mind that arise from our mistaken conceptions. If we
want to say that the dream world is false, we also have to say
that the waking world is false; and if we want to say that the
waking world is true, we also have to say that the dream world
is true. The only difference between them is that the dream
world is an appearance to our subtle dreaming mind whereas
the waking world is an appearance to our gross waking mind.
The dream world exists only for as long as the dream awareness to which it appears exists, and the waking world exists
only for as long as the waking awareness to which it appears
exists. Buddha said: ‘You should know that all phenomena are
like dreams.’ When we die, our gross waking minds dissolve
into our very subtle mind and the world we experienced when
we were alive simply disappears. The world as others perceive
it will continue, but our personal world will disappear as completely and irrevocably as the world of last night’s dream.
Buddha also said that all phenomena are like illusions.
There are many different types of illusion, such as mirages,
rainbows or drug-induced hallucinations. In ancient times,
there used to be magicians who would cast a spell over
their audience, causing them to see objects, such as a piece
of wood, as something else, such as a tiger. Those deceived
by the spell would see what appeared to be a real tiger and
develop fear, but those who arrived after the spell had been
cast would simply see a piece of wood. What all illusions have
in common is that the way they appear does not coincide with
the way they exist. Buddha likened all phenomena to illusions
because, through the force of the imprints of self-grasping
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ignorance accumulated since beginningless time, whatever
appears to our mind naturally appears to be truly existent
and we instinctively assent to this appearance, but in reality
everything is totally empty of true existence. Like a mirage
that appears to be water but is not in fact water, things appear
in a deceptive way. Not understanding their real nature we
are fooled by appearances, and grasp at books and tables,
bodies and worlds as truly existent. The result of grasping
at phenomena in this way is that we develop self-cherishing,
attachment, hatred, jealousy and other delusions, our mind
becomes agitated and unbalanced, and our peace of mind
is destroyed. We are like travellers in a desert who exhaust
themselves running after mirages, or like someone walking
down a road at night mistaking the shadows of the trees for
criminals or wild animals waiting to attack.
THE EMPTINESS OF OUR BODY
To understand how phenomena are empty of true, or inherent,
existence we should consider our own body. Once we have
understood how our body lacks true existence we can easily
apply the same reasoning to other objects.
In Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life Bodhisattva
Shantideva says:
Therefore, there is no body,
But, because of ignorance, we see a body within the
hands and so forth,
Just like a mind mistakenly apprehending a person
When observing the shape of a pile of stones at dusk.
On one level we know our body very well – we know whether
it is healthy or unhealthy, beautiful or ugly, and so forth.
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However, we never examine it more deeply, asking ourself:
‘What precisely is my body? Where is my body? What is its real
nature?’ If we did examine our body in this way we would not
be able to ind it – instead of inding our body the result of this
examination would be that our body disappears. The meaning
of the irst part of Shantideva’s verse, ‘Therefore, there is no
body’, is that if we search for our ‘real’ body, there is no body;
our body exists only if we do not search for a real body behind
its mere appearance.
There are two ways of searching for an object. An example
of the irst way, which we can call a ‘conventional search’, is
searching for our car in a car park. The conclusion of this type
of search is that we ind the car, in the sense that we see the
thing that everyone agrees is our car. However, having located
our car in the car park, suppose we are still not satisied with
the mere appearance of the car and we want to determine
exactly what the car is. We might then engage in what we can
call an ‘ultimate search’ for the car, in which we look within the
object itself to ind something that is the object. To do this we
ask ourself: ‘Are any of the individual parts of the car, the car?
Are the wheels the car? Is the engine the car? Is the chassis the
car?’ and so forth. When conducting an ultimate search for our
car we are not satisied with just pointing to the bonnet, wheels
and so forth, and then saying ‘car’; we want to know what the
car really is. Instead of just using the word ‘car’ as ordinary
people do, we want to know what the word really refers to. We
want to mentally separate the car from all that is not car, so that
we can say ‘This is what the car really is.’ We want to ind a car,
but in truth there is no car; we can ind nothing. In Condensed
Perfection of Wisdom Sutra Buddha says: ‘If you search for your
body with wisdom you cannot ind it.’ This also applies to our
car, our house and all other phenomena.
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In Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life Shantideva says:
When examined in this way,
Who is living and who is it who will die?
What is the future and what is the past?
Who are our friends and who are our relatives?
I beseech you who are just like me,
Please know that all things are empty, like space.
The essential meaning of these words is that when we search
for things with wisdom, there is no person who is living
or dying, there is no past or future, and there is no present,
including our friends and relatives. We should know that all
phenomena are empty, like space, which means we should
know that all phenomena are not other than emptiness.
To understand Shantideva’s claim that in reality there is no
body, we need to conduct an ultimate search for our body. If
we are ordinary beings, all objects, including our body, appear
to exist inherently. As mentioned above, objects seem to be
independent of our mind and independent of other phenomena.
The universe appears to consist of discrete objects that have an
existence from their own side. These objects appear to exist in
themselves as stars, planets, mountains, people and so forth,
‘waiting’ to be experienced by conscious beings. Normally it
does not occur to us that we are involved in any way in the
existence of these phenomena. For example, we feel that our
body exists from its own side and does not depend upon our
mind, or anyone else’s, to bring it into existence. However, if
our body did exist in the way that we instinctively grasp it – as
an external object rather than just a projection of mind – we
should be able to point to our body without pointing to any
phenomenon that is not our body. We should be able to ind
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it amongst its parts or outside its parts. Since there is no third
possibility, if our body cannot be found either amongst its parts
or outside its parts we must conclude that our body that we
normally see does not exist.
It is not dificult to understand that the individual parts of
our body are not our body – it is absurd to say that our back,
our legs, or our head are our body. If one of the parts, say our
back, is our body, then the other parts are equally our body,
and it would follow that we have many bodies. Furthermore,
our back, legs and so forth cannot be our body because they
are parts of our body. The body is the part-possessor, and the
back, legs and so forth are the possessed parts; and possessor
and possessed cannot be one and the same.
Some people believe that although none of the individual
parts of the body is the body, the collection of all the parts
assembled together is the body. According to them, it is
possible to ind our body when we search for it analytically
because the collection of all the parts of our body is our body.
However, this assertion can be refuted with many valid
reasons. The force of these reasons may not be immediately
obvious to us, but if we contemplate them carefully with a
calm and positive mind we shall come to appreciate their
validity.
Since none of the individual parts of our body is our body,
how can the collection of all the parts be our body? For example,
a collection of dogs cannot be a human being, because none of
the individual dogs is human. As each individual member is
‘non-human’, how can this collection of non-humans magically
transform into a human? Similarly, since the collection of the
parts of our body is a collection of things that are not our
body, it cannot be our body. Just as the collection of dogs
remains simply dogs, so the collection of all the parts of our
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body remains simply parts of our body – it does not magically
transform into the part-possessor, our body.
We may ind this point dificult to understand, but if we
think about it for a long time with a calm and positive mind,
and discuss it with more experienced practitioners, it will
gradually become clearer. We can also consult authentic books
on the subject, such as The New Heart of Wisdom and Ocean of
Nectar.
There is another way in which we can know that the collection of the parts of our body is not our body. If we can point
to the collection of the parts of our body and say that this is,
in itself, our body, then the collection of the parts of our body
must exist independently of all phenomena that are not our
body. Thus it would follow that the collection of the parts of
our body exists independently of the parts themselves. This is
clearly absurd – if it were true, we could remove all the parts of
our body and the collection of the parts would remain. We can
therefore conclude that the collection of the parts of our body
is not our body.
Since the body cannot be found within its parts, either as
an individual part or as the collection, the only possibility that
remains is that it exists separately from its parts. If this is the
case, it should be possible mentally or physically to remove all
the parts of our body and still be left with the body. However,
if we remove our arms, our legs, our head, our trunk and all the
other parts of our body, no body is left. This proves that there is
no body separate from its parts. It is because of ignorance that
whenever we point to our body we are pointing only to a part
of our body, which is not our body.
We have now searched in every possible place and have
been unable to find our body either amongst its parts or
anywhere else. We can ind nothing that corresponds to the
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vividly appearing body that we normally grasp at. We are
forced to agree with Shantideva that, when we search for our
body, there is no body to be found. This clearly proves that our
body that we normally see does not exist. It is almost as if our
body does not exist at all. Indeed, the only sense in which we
can say that our body does exist is if we are satisied with the
mere name ‘body’ and do not expect to ind a real body behind
the name. If we try to ind, or point to, a real body to which the
name ‘body’ refers, we shall not ind anything at all. Instead
of inding a truly existent body, we shall perceive the mere
absence of our body that we normally see. This mere absence
of our body that we normally see is the way our body actually
exists. We shall realize that the body we normally perceive,
grasp at and cherish does not exist at all. This non-existence of
the body we normally grasp at is the emptiness of our body, the
true nature of our body.
The term ‘true nature’ is very meaningful. Not being
satisfied with the mere appearance and name ‘body’ we
examined our body to discover its true nature. The result of this
examination was a deinite non-inding of our body. Where we
expected to ind a truly existent body, we discovered the utter
non-existence of that truly existent body. This non-existence,
or emptiness, is the true nature of our body. Apart from the
mere absence of a truly existent body, there is no other true
nature of our body – every other attribute of the body is just
part of its deceptive nature. Since this is the case, why do we
spend so much time focusing on the deceptive nature of our
body? At present we ignore the true nature of our body and
other phenomena, and concentrate only on their deceptive
nature; yet the result of concentrating all the time on deceptive
objects is that our mind becomes disturbed and we remain in
the miserable life of samsara. If we wish to experience pure
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happiness, we must acquaint our mind with the truth. Instead
of wasting our energy focusing only on meaningless, deceptive
objects, we should focus on the true nature of things.
Although it is impossible to ind our body when we search
for it analytically, when we do not engage in analysis our body
appears very clearly. Why is this? Shantideva says that because
of ignorance we see our body within the hands and other
parts of our body. In reality, our body does not exist within its
parts. Just as at dusk we might see a pile of stones as a man
even though there is no man within the stones, so in the same
way our ignorant mind sees a body within the collection of
arms, legs and so forth, even though no body exists there. The
body we see within the collection of arms and legs is simply a
hallucination of our ignorant mind. Not recognizing it as such,
however, we grasp at it very strongly, cherish it, and exhaust
ourself in trying to protect it from any discomfort.
The way to familiarize our mind with the true nature of the
body is to use the above reasoning to search for our body and
then, when we have searched in every possible place and not
found it, to concentrate on the space-like emptiness that is the
mere absence of the body that we normally see. This space-like
emptiness is the true nature of our body. Although it resembles
empty space, it is a meaningful emptiness. Its meaning is the
utter non-existence of the body that we normally see, the body
that we grasp at so strongly and have cherished all our life.
Through becoming familiar with the experience of the spacelike ultimate nature of the body, our grasping at our body will
be reduced. As a result we shall experience far less suffering,
anxiety and frustration in relation to our body. Our physical
tension will diminish and our health will improve, and even
when we do become sick our physical discomfort will not
disturb our mind. Those who have a direct experience of
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emptiness do not feel any pain even if they are beaten or shot.
Knowing that the real nature of their body is like space, for them
being beaten is like space being beaten and being shot is like
space being shot. Moreover, good and bad external conditions
no longer have the power to disturb their mind, because they
realize them to be like a magician’s illusion, with no existence
separate from the mind. Instead of being pulled about by
changing conditions like a puppet on a string, their minds
remain free and tranquil in the knowledge of the equal and
unchanging ultimate nature of all things. In this way, a person
who directly realizes emptiness, the true nature of phenomena,
experiences peace and happiness day and night, life after life.
We need to distinguish between the conventionally existent body that does exist and the inherently existent body that
does not exist; but we must take care not to be misled by the
words into thinking that the conventionally existent body is
anything more than a mere appearance to mind. It is perhaps
less confusing simply to say that for a mind that directly sees
the truth, or emptiness, there is no body. A body exists only for
an ordinary mind to which a body appears.
Shantideva advises us that unless we wish to understand
emptiness we should not examine conventional truths such
as our body, possessions, places and friends, but instead be
satisied with their mere names, as are worldly people. Once a
worldly person knows an object’s name and purpose he is satisied that he knows the object and does not investigate further.
We must do the same, unless we want to meditate on emptiness.
However, we should remember that if we did examine objects
more closely we would not ind them, for they would simply
disappear, just as a mirage disappears if we try to look for it.
The same reasoning that we have used to prove the lack
of true existence of our body can be applied to all other
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phenomena. This book, for example, seems to exist from its
own side, somewhere within its parts; but when we examine
the book more precisely we discover that none of the individual
pages nor the collection of the pages is the book, yet without
them there is no book. Instead of inding a truly existent book
we are left beholding an emptiness that is the non-existence of
the book we previously held to exist. Because of our ignorance
the book appears to exist separately from our mind, as if our
mind were inside and the book outside, but through analyzing
the book we discover that this appearance is completely false.
There is no book outside the mind. There is no book ‘out there’,
within the pages. The only way the book exists is as a mere
appearance to mind, a mere projection of the mind.
All phenomena exist by way of convention; nothing is
inherently existent. This applies to mind, to Buddha, and
even to emptiness itself. Everything is merely imputed by
mind. All phenomena have parts – physical phenomena have
physical parts, and non-physical phenomena have various
parts, or attributes, that can be distinguished by thought.
Using the same type of reasoning as above, we can realize that
any phenomenon is not one of its parts, not the collection of
its parts, and not separate from its parts. In this way we can
realize the emptiness of all phenomena, the mere absence of all
phenomena that we normally see or perceive.
It is particularly helpful to meditate on the emptiness of
objects that arouse in us strong delusions like attachment or
anger. By analyzing correctly we shall realize that the object we
desire, or the object we dislike, does not exist from its own side.
Its beauty or ugliness, and even its very existence, are imputed
by mind. By thinking in this way we shall discover that there
is no basis for attachment or anger.
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THE EMPTINESS OF OUR MIND
In Training the Mind in Seven Points, after outlining how to
engage in analytical meditation on the emptiness of inherent existence of outer phenomena such as our body, Geshe
Chekhawa continues by saying that we should then analyze
our own mind to understand how it lacks inherent existence.
Our mind is not an independent entity, but an ever-changing
continuum that depends upon many factors, such as its previous
moments, its objects, and the inner energy winds upon which our
minds are mounted. Like everything else, our mind is imputed
upon a collection of many factors and therefore lacks inherent
existence. A primary mind, or consciousness, for example, has
ive parts or ‘mental factors’: feeling, discrimination, intention,
contact and attention. Neither the individual mental factors
nor the collection of these mental factors is the primary mind
itself, because they are mental factors and therefore parts of
the primary mind. However, there is no primary mind that is
separate from these mental factors. A primary mind is merely
imputed upon the mental factors that are its basis of imputation,
and therefore it does not exist from its own side.
Having identiied the nature of our primary mind, which
is an empty like space that perceives or understands objects,
we then search for it within its parts – feeling, discrimination,
intention, contact and attention – until finally we realize
its unindability. This unindability is its ultimate nature, or
emptiness. We then think:
All phenomena that appear to my mind are the nature of my
mind. My mind is the nature of emptiness.
In this way we feel that everything dissolves into emptiness.
We perceive only the emptiness of all phenomena and we
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meditate on this emptiness. This way of meditating on emptiness is more profound than the meditation on the emptiness of
our body. Gradually our experience of emptiness will become
clearer and clearer until inally we gain an undeiled wisdom
that directly realizes the emptiness of all phenomena.
THE EMPTINESS OF OUR I
The object we grasp at most strongly is our self or I. Due to
the imprints of self-grasping ignorance accumulated over time
without beginning, our I appears to us as inherently existent,
and our self-grasping mind automatically grasps at it in this
way. Although we grasp at an inherently existent I all the time,
even during sleep, it is not easy to identify how it appears to
our mind. To identify it clearly, we must begin by allowing it
to manifest strongly by contemplating situations in which we
have an exaggerated sense of I, such as when we are embarrassed, ashamed, afraid or indignant. We recall or imagine
such a situation and then, without any comment or analysis,
try to gain a clear mental image of how the I naturally appears
at such times. We have to be patient at this stage because it may
take many sessions before we gain a clear image. Eventually
we shall see that the I appears to be completely solid and real,
existing from its own side without depending upon the body
or the mind. This vividly appearing I is the inherently existent
I that we cherish so strongly. It is the I that we defend when we
are criticized and that we are so proud of when we are praised.
Once we have an image of how the I appears in these
extreme circumstances, we should try to identify how it
appears normally, in less extreme situations. For example, we
can observe the I that is presently reading this book and try to
discover how it appears to our mind. Eventually we shall see
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that although in this case there is not such an inlated sense
of I, nevertheless the I still appears to be inherently existent,
existing from its own side without depending upon the body
or the mind. Once we have an image of the inherently existent
I, we focus on it for a while with single-pointed concentration.
Then in meditation we proceed to the next stage, which is to
contemplate valid reasons to prove that the inherently existent I
we are grasping at does not in fact exist. The inherently existent
I and our self that we normally see are the same; we should
know that neither exists, both are objects negated by emptiness.
If the I exists in the way that it appears, it must exist in one
of four ways: as the body, as the mind, as the collection of the
body and mind, or as something separate from the body and
mind; there is no other possibility. We contemplate this carefully until we become convinced that this is the case and then
we proceed to examine each of the four possibilities:
(1) If our I is our body, there is no sense in saying ‘my
body’, because the possessor and the possessed are
identical.
If our I is our body, there is no future rebirth
because the I ceases when the body dies.
If our I and our body are identical, then since we
are capable of developing faith, dreaming, solving
mathematical puzzles and so on, it follows that
lesh, blood and bones can do the same.
Since none of this is true, it follows that our I is
not our body.
(2) If our I is our mind, there is no sense in saying ‘my
mind’, because the possessor and the possessed are
identical; but usually when we focus on our mind
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we say ‘my mind’. This clearly indicates that our I is
not our mind.
If our I is our mind, then since we have many
types of mind, such as the six consciousnesses,
conceptual minds and non-conceptual minds, it
follows that we have just as many I’s. Since this is
absurd, our I cannot be our mind.
(3) Since our body is not our I and our mind is not our
I, the collection of our body and mind cannot be our
I. The collection of our body and mind is a collection
of things that are not our I, so how can the collection
itself be our I? For example, in a herd of cows none
of the animals is a sheep, therefore the herd itself is
not sheep. In the same way, in the collection of our
body and mind, neither our body nor our mind is
our I, therefore the collection itself is not our I.
(4) If our I is not our body, not our mind, and not
the collection of our body and mind, the only
possibility that remains is that it is something
separate from our body and mind. If this is the case,
we must be able to apprehend our I without either
our body or our mind appearing, but if we imagine
that our body and our mind were completely to
disappear there would be nothing remaining that
could be called our I. Therefore it follows that
our I is not separate from our body and mind.
We should imagine that our body gradually
dissolves into thin air, and then our mind dissolves,
our thoughts scatter with the wind, our feelings,
wishes and awareness melt into nothingness. Is
there anything left that is our I? There is nothing.
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Clearly, our I is not something separate from our
body and mind.
We have now examined all four possibilities and have
failed to ind our I or self. Since we have already decided that
there is no ifth possibility, we must conclude that our I that
we normally grasp at and cherish does not exist at all. Where
there previously appeared an inherently existent I, there now
appears an absence of that I. This absence of an inherently
existent I is emptiness, ultimate truth.
We contemplate in this way until there appears to us a
generic, or mental, image of the absence of our self that we
normally see. This image is our object of placement meditation.
We try to become completely familiar with it by continually
meditating on it single-pointedly for as long as possible.
Because we have grasped at our inherently existent I since
beginningless time, and have cherished it more dearly than anything else, the experience of failing to ind our self in meditation
can be quite shocking at irst. Some people develop fear, thinking ‘I have become completely non-existent.’ Others feel great
joy, as if the source of all their problems were vanishing. Both
reactions are good signs and indicate correct meditation. After a
while these initial reactions will subside and our mind will settle
into a more balanced state. Then we shall be able to meditate on
the emptiness of our self in a calm, controlled manner.
We should allow our mind to become absorbed in space-like
emptiness for as long as possible. It is important to remember that our object is emptiness, the mere absence of our self
that we normally see, not mere nothingness. Occasionally we
should check our meditation with alertness. If our mind has
wandered to another object, or if we have lost the meaning of
emptiness and are focusing on mere nothingness, we should
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return to the contemplations to bring the emptiness of our self
clearly to mind once again.
We may wonder: ‘If my self that I normally see does not exist,
then who is meditating? Who will get up from meditation,
speak to others, and reply when my name is called?’ Although
our self that we normally see does not exist, this does not mean
that our self does not exist at all. We exist as a mere imputation.
So long as we are satisied with the mere imputation of our
‘self’, there is no problem. We can think ‘I exist’, ‘I am going to
town’, and so on. The problem arises only when we look for our
self other than the mere conceptual imputation ‘I’, our ‘self’.
Our mind grasps at an I that ultimately exists, independently of
conceptual imputation, as if there were a ‘real’ I existing behind
the label. If such an I existed, we would be able to ind it, but
we have seen that our I cannot be found upon investigation.
The conclusion of our search was a deinite non-inding of
our self. This unindability of our self is the emptiness of our
self, the ultimate nature of our self. Our self that exists as mere
imputation is our existent self. In the same way, phenomena
that exist as mere imputation are existent phenomena. There
are no self and other phenomena that exist other than mere
imputation. In truth, our self and other phenomena that exist
as mere imputation is the ultimate nature of our self and
other phenomena, not the conventional nature. At irst these
explanations are dificult to understand, but please be patient.
We should apply effort to receive the powerful blessings of
Wisdom Buddha Je Tsongkhapa through sincerely engaging
in the practice of Heart Jewel.
When we irst realize emptiness we do so conceptually, by
means of a generic image. By continuing to meditate on emptiness over and over again, the generic image gradually becomes
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more and more transparent until it disappears entirely and we
see emptiness directly. This direct realization of emptiness will
be our irst completely non-mistaken awareness, or undeiled
mind. Until we realize emptiness directly, all our minds are
mistaken awarenesses because, due to the imprints of selfgrasping or true-grasping ignorance, their objects appear as
inherently existent.
Most people veer towards the extreme of existence,
thinking that if something exists it must exist inherently, thus
exaggerating the way in which things exist without being
satisied with them as mere name. Others may veer towards
the extreme of non-existence, thinking that if phenomena do
not exist inherently they do not exist at all, thus exaggerating
their lack of inherent existence. We need to realize that although
phenomena lack any trace of existence from their own side,
they do exist conventionally as mere appearances to a valid
mind.
The conceptual minds grasping at our I and other
phenomena as being truly existent are wrong awarenesses
and should therefore be abandoned, but I am not saying that
all conceptual thoughts are wrong awarenesses and should
therefore be abandoned. There are many correct conceptual
minds that are useful in our day-to-day lives, such as the
conceptual mind remembering what we did yesterday or the
conceptual mind understanding what we will do tomorrow.
There are also many conceptual minds that need to be cultivated
on the spiritual path. For example, conventional bodhichitta
in the mental continuum of a Bodhisattva is a conceptual
mind because it apprehends its object, great enlightenment,
by means of a generic image. Moreover, before we can realize
emptiness directly with a non-conceptual mind, we need to
realize it by means of a subsequent valid cognizer, which is
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a conceptual mind. Through contemplating the reasons that
refute inherent existence, there appears to our mind a generic
image of the absence, or empty, of inherent existence. This is
the only way that emptiness can initially appear to our mind.
We then meditate on this image with stronger and stronger
concentration until inally we perceive emptiness directly.
There are some people who say that the way to meditate
on emptiness is simply to empty our mind of all conceptual
thoughts, arguing that just as white clouds obscure the sun as
much as black clouds, so positive conceptual thoughts obscure
our mind as much as negative conceptual thoughts. This
view is completely mistaken, for if we make no effort to gain
a conceptual understanding of emptiness, but try instead to
suppress all conceptual thoughts, actual emptiness will never
appear to our mind. We may achieve a vivid experience of a
space-like vacuity, but this is just the absence of conceptual
thought – it is not emptiness, the true nature of phenomena.
Meditation on this vacuity may temporarily calm our mind,
but it will never destroy our delusions nor liberate us from
samsara and its sufferings.
THE EMPTINESS WHICH IS EMPTY OF EIGHT EXTREMES
If all the necessary atmospheric causes and conditions come
together, clouds will appear. If these are absent, clouds cannot
form. The clouds are completely dependent upon causes and
conditions for their development; without these they have no
power to develop. The same is true for mountains, planets,
bodies, minds and all other produced phenomena. Because
they depend upon factors outside themselves for their existence, they are empty of inherent, or independent, existence and
are mere imputations of the mind.
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Contemplating the teachings on karma – actions and their
effects – can help us to understand this. Where do all our good
and bad experiences come from? According to Buddhism they
are the result of the positive and negative karma we created in
the past. As a result of positive karma, attractive and agreeable
people appear in our life, pleasant material conditions arise and
we live in a beautiful environment; but as a result of negative
karma, unpleasant people and things appear. This world is the
effect of the collective karma created by the beings who inhabit
it. Because karma originates in the mind – speciically in our
mental intentions – we can see that all worlds arise from the
mind. This is similar to the way in which appearances arise
in a dream. Everything we perceive when we are dreaming is
the result of the ripening of karmic potentials in our mind and
has no existence outside of our mind. When our mind is calm
and pure, positive karmic imprints ripen and pleasant dream
appearances arise; but when our mind is agitated and impure,
negative karmic imprints ripen and unpleasant, nightmarish
appearances arise. In a similar way, all the appearances of our
waking world are simply the ripening of positive, negative, or
neutral karmic imprints in our mind.
Once we understand how things arise from their inner
and outer causes and conditions and have no independent
existence, then just seeing or thinking about the production
of phenomena will remind us of their emptiness. Instead of
reinforcing our sense of the solidity and objectivity of things,
we shall begin to see things as manifestations of their emptiness, with no more concrete existence than a rainbow arising
out of an empty sky.
Just as the production of things depends upon causes and
conditions, so too does the disintegration of things. Therefore,
neither production nor disintegration can be truly existent. For
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example, if our new car were destroyed we would feel unhappy
because we grasp at both the car and the disintegration of
the car as truly existent; but if we understood that our car is
merely an appearance to our mind, like a car in a dream, its
destruction would not disturb us. This is true for all objects
of our attachment: if we realize that both objects and their
cessations lack true existence, there is no basis for becoming
upset if we are separated from them.
All functioning things – our environments, enjoyments,
body, mind and our self – change from moment to moment.
They are impermanent in the sense that they do not last for a
second moment. The book you are reading in this moment is
not the same book that you were reading a moment ago, and it
could only come into existence because the book of a moment
ago ceased to exist. When we understand subtle impermanence
– that our body, our mind, our self and so forth do not abide for
a second moment – it is not dificult to understand that they are
empty of inherent existence.
Even though we may agree that impermanent phenomena
are empty of inherent existence, we might think that because
permanent phenomena are unchanging and do not arise from
causes and conditions, they must exist inherently. However,
even permanent phenomena such as emptiness and unproduced
space – the mere absence of physical obstruction – are dependent-related phenomena because they depend upon their parts,
their bases and the minds that impute them; and therefore they
are not inherently existent. Although emptiness is ultimate
reality, it is not independent or inherently existent for it too
depends upon its parts, its bases and the minds that impute it.
Just as a gold coin does not exist separately from its gold, so the
emptiness of our body does not exist separately from our body,
because it is simply our body’s lack of inherent existence.
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Whenever we go anywhere we develop the thought ‘I am
going’, and grasp at an inherently existent act of going. In a
similar way, when someone comes to visit us we think ‘They
are coming’, and we grasp at an inherently existent act of
coming. Both these conceptions are self-grasping and wrong
awarenesses. When someone goes away we feel that a truly
existent person has truly left, and when they come back we
feel that a truly existent person has truly returned. However,
the coming and going of people is like the appearance and
disappearance of a rainbow in the sky. When the causes and
conditions for a rainbow to appear are assembled a rainbow
appears, and when the causes and conditions for the continued
appearance of the rainbow disperse the rainbow disappears;
but the rainbow does not come from anywhere, nor does it go
anywhere.
When we observe one object, such as our I, we strongly feel
that it is a single, indivisible entity, and that its singularity is
inherently existent. In reality, however, our I has many parts,
such as the parts that look, listen, walk and think, or the parts
that are, for example, a teacher, a mother, a daughter and a
wife. Our I is imputed upon the collection of all these parts.
As with each individual phenomenon it is a singularity, but
its singularity is merely imputed, like an army that is merely
imputed upon a collection of soldiers, or a forest that is
imputed upon a collection of trees.
When we see more than one object, we regard the
multiplicity of these objects to be inherently existent. However,
just as singularity is merely imputed, likewise plurality is just
an imputation by mind and does not exist from the side of the
object. For example, instead of looking at a collection of soldiers
or trees from the point of view of the individual soldiers or
trees, we could look at them as an army or a forest, that is,
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as a singular collection or whole, in which case we would be
looking at a singularity rather than a plurality.
In summary, singularity does not exist from its own side
because it is just imputed upon a plurality – its parts. In the
same way, plurality does not exist from its own side because it
is just imputed upon a singularity – the collection of its parts.
Therefore singularity and plurality are mere imputations by
conceptual mind and they lack true existence. If we realize this
clearly, there is no basis for developing attachment and anger
towards objects, either singular or plural. We tend to project
the faults or qualities of the few onto the many, and then
develop hatred or attachment on the basis of, for example, race,
religion or country. Contemplating the emptiness of singularity
and plurality can be helpful in reducing such hatred and
attachment.
Although production, disintegration and so forth do exist,
they do not exist inherently. It is our conceptual minds of selfgrasping ignorance that grasp them as inherently existent.
These conceptions grasp at the eight extremes: inherently
existent production, inherently existent disintegration,
inherently existent impermanence, inherently existent
permanence, inherently existent going, inherently existent
coming, inherently existent singularity and inherently existent
plurality. Although these extremes do not exist, due to our
ignorance we are always grasping them. The conceptions of
these extremes lie at the root of all other delusions, and because
delusions give rise to our performing contaminated actions that
keep us trapped in the prison of samsara, these conceptions are
the root of samsara, the cycle of impure life.
Inherently existent production is the same as the production
that we normally see, and we should know that in reality
neither of these exists. This is the same for the remaining seven
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extremes. For example, inherently existent disintegration and
destruction and the disintegration and destruction that we
normally see are the same, and we should know that neither
of these exists. Our minds that grasp at these eight extremes
are different aspects of our self-grasping ignorance. Because
it is our self-grasping ignorance that causes us to experience
endless suffering and problems, when this ignorance ceases
permanently through meditation on the emptiness of all
phenomena, all our suffering of this life and countless future
lives will cease permanently and we shall accomplish the real
meaning of human life.
The subject of the eight extremes is profound and requires
detailed explanation and lengthy study. Buddha explains them
in detail in the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras; and in Fundamental
Wisdom, a commentary to the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras,
Nagarjuna also uses many profound and powerful reasons to
prove that the eight extremes do not exist by showing how
all phenomena are empty of inherent existence. Through
analyzing conventional truths he establishes their ultimate
nature, and shows why it is necessary to understand both
the conventional and ultimate natures of an object in order to
understand that object fully.
CONVENTIONAL AND ULTIMATE TRUTHS
Whatever exists is either a conventional truth or an ultimate
truth, and, since ultimate truth refers just to emptiness, everything except emptiness is a conventional truth. For example,
things such as houses, cars and tables are all conventional
truths.
All conventional truths are false objects because the way
they appear and the way they exist do not correspond. If
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someone appears to be friendly and kind but his real intention
is to gain our conidence in order to rob us, we would say that
he is false or deceptive because there is a discrepancy between
the way he appears and his real nature. Similarly, objects
such as forms and sounds are false or deceptive because they
appear to exist inherently but in reality are completely devoid
of inherent existence. Because the way they appear does not
coincide with the way they exist, conventional truths are
known as ‘deceptive phenomena’. A cup, for instance, appears
to exist independently of its parts, its causes and the mind
that apprehends it, but in reality it totally depends upon these
things. Because the way the cup appears to our mind and the
way it exists do not correspond, the cup is a false object.
Although conventional truths are false objects, nevertheless they actually exist because a mind directly perceiving a
conventional truth is a valid mind, a completely reliable mind.
For instance, an eye consciousness directly perceiving a cup
on the table is a valid mind because it will not deceive us – if
we reach out to pick up the cup we shall ind it where our
eye consciousness sees it. In this respect, an eye consciousness
perceiving a cup on the table is different from an eye consciousness mistaking a cup relected in a mirror for a real cup, or an
eye consciousness seeing a mirage as water. Even though a cup
is a false object, for practical purposes the eye consciousness
that directly perceives it is a valid, reliable mind. However,
although it is a valid mind it is nevertheless a mistaken awareness insofar as the cup appears to that mind to be truly existent.
It is valid and non-deceptive with respect to the conventional
characteristics of the cup – its position, size, colour and so forth
– but mistaken with respect to its appearance.
To summarize, conventional objects are false because,
although they appear to exist from their own side, in reality
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they are mere appearances to mind, like things seen in a dream.
Within the context of a dream, however, dream objects have a
relative validity, and this distinguishes them from things that
do not exist at all. Suppose in a dream we steal a diamond
and someone then asks us whether it was we who stole it.
Even though the dream is merely a creation of our mind, if
we answer ‘yes’ we are telling the truth whereas if we answer
‘no’ we are telling a lie. In the same way, even though in reality
the whole universe is just an appearance to mind, within the
context of the experience of ordinary beings we can distinguish
between relative truths and relative falsities.
Conventional truths can be divided into gross conventional
truths and subtle conventional truths. We can understand how
all phenomena have these two levels of conventional truth
by considering the example of a car. The car itself, the car
depending on its causes, and the car depending on its parts
are all gross conventional truths of the car. They are called
‘gross’ because they are relatively easy to understand. The
car depending on its basis of imputation is quite subtle and
is not easy to understand, but it is still a gross conventional
truth. The basis of imputation of the car is the parts of the
car. To apprehend car, the parts of the car must appear to our
mind; without the parts appearing, there is no way to develop
the thought ‘car’. For this reason, the parts are the basis of
imputation of the car. We say ‘I see a car’, but strictly speaking
all we ever see is parts of the car. However, when we develop
the thought ‘car’ by seeing its parts, we see the car. There is no
car other than its parts, there is no body other than its parts,
and so on. The car existing merely as an imputation by thought
is the subtle conventional truth of the car. We have understood
this when we realize that the car is nothing more than a mere
imputation by a valid mind. We cannot understand subtle
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conventional truths unless we have understood emptiness.
When we thoroughly realize subtle conventional truth we have
realized both conventional truth and ultimate truth.
Strictly speaking, truth, ultimate truth and emptiness are
synonymous because conventional truths are not real truths
but false objects. They are true only for the minds of those who
have not realized emptiness. Only emptiness is true because
only emptiness exists in the way that it appears. When the
mind of any sentient being directly perceives conventional
truths, such as forms, they appear to exist from their own
side. When the mind of a Superior being directly perceives
emptiness, however, nothing appears other than emptiness;
this mind is totally mixed with the mere absence of inherently
existent phenomena. The way in which emptiness appears to
the mind of a non-conceptual direct perceiver corresponds
exactly to the way in which emptiness exists.
It should be noted that although emptiness is ultimate
truth it is not inherently existent. Emptiness is not a separate
reality existing behind conventional appearances, but the real
nature of those appearances. We cannot talk about emptiness
in isolation, for emptiness is always the mere lack of inherent
existence of something. For example, the emptiness of our body
is the lack of inherent existence of our body, and without our
body as its basis this emptiness cannot exist. Because emptiness
necessarily depends upon a basis, it lacks inherent existence.
In Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life Shantideva
deines ultimate truth as a phenomenon that is true for the
uncontaminated mind of a Superior being. An uncontaminated
mind is a mind that realizes emptiness directly. This mind is
the only unmistaken awareness and is possessed exclusively
by Superior beings. Because uncontaminated minds are
completely unmistaken, anything directly perceived by them
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to be true is necessarily an ultimate truth. In contrast, anything
that is directly perceived to be true by the mind of an ordinary
being is necessarily not an ultimate truth, because all minds of
ordinary beings are mistaken, and mistaken minds can never
directly perceive the truth.
Because of the imprints of conceptual thoughts that grasp
at the eight extremes, everything that appears to the minds
of ordinary beings appears to be inherently existent. Only
the wisdom of meditative equipoise that directly realizes
emptiness is undeiled by the imprints, or stains, of these conceptual thoughts. This is the only wisdom that has no mistaken
appearance.
When a Superior Bodhisattva meditates on emptiness
his or her mind mixes with emptiness completely, with no
appearance of inherent existence. He develops a completely
pure, uncontaminated wisdom that is ultimate bodhichitta.
When he arises from meditative equipoise, however, due
to the imprints of true-grasping, conventional phenomena
again appear to his mind as inherently existent, and his
uncontaminated wisdom temporarily becomes non-manifest.
Only a Buddha can manifest uncontaminated wisdom at
the same time as directly perceiving conventional truths. An
uncommon quality of a Buddha is that a single moment of a
Buddha’s mind realizes both conventional truth and ultimate
truth directly and simultaneously. There are many levels of
ultimate bodhichitta. For instance, the ultimate bodhichitta
attained through Tantric practice is more profound than that
developed through Sutra practice alone, and the supreme
ultimate bodhichitta is that of a Buddha.
If through valid reasoning we realize the mere absence of
the irst extreme, the extreme of production, we shall easily
be able to realize the mere absence of the remaining seven
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extremes. Once we have realized the mere absence of the eight
extremes we have realized the emptiness of all phenomena.
Having gained this realization, we continue to contemplate
and meditate on the emptiness of produced phenomena
and so forth, and as our meditations deepen we shall feel all
phenomena dissolving into emptiness. We shall then be able
to maintain a single-pointed concentration on the emptiness
of all phenomena.
To meditate on the emptiness of produced phenomena we
can think:
My self who was born, through causes and conditions, as a
human being is unindable when I search for it with wisdom
within my body and my mind, or separate from my body and
mind. This proves that my self that I normally see does not
exist at all.
Having contemplated in this way we feel our self that we
normally see disappears and we perceive a space-like emptiness that is the mere absence of our self that we normally see.
We feel that our mind enters into this space-like emptiness
and remains there single-pointedly. This meditation is called
‘space-like meditative equipoise on emptiness’.
Just as eagles soar through the vast expanse of the sky
without meeting any obstructions, needing only minimal effort
to maintain their light, so advanced meditators concentrating
on emptiness can meditate on emptiness for a long time with
little effort. Their minds soar through space-like emptiness,
undistracted by any other phenomenon. When we meditate
on emptiness we should try to emulate these meditators. Once
we have found our object of meditation, the mere absence of
our self that we normally see, we should refrain from further
analysis and simply rest our mind in the experience of this
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emptiness. From time to time we should check to make sure
that we have lost neither the clear appearance of emptiness
nor the recognition of its meaning, but we should not check too
forcefully as this will disturb our concentration. Our meditation
should not be like the light of a small bird, which never stops
lapping its wings and is always changing direction, but like
the light of an eagle, which soars gently with only occasional
adjustments to its wings. Through meditating in this way we
shall feel our mind dissolving into and becoming one with
emptiness.
If we are successful in doing this, then during our meditation
we are free from manifest self-grasping. If, on the other hand,
we spend all our time checking and analyzing, never allowing
our mind to relax into the space of emptiness, we shall never
gain this experience and our meditation will not serve to
reduce our self-grasping.
In general we need to improve our understanding of
emptiness through extensive study, approaching it from many
angles and using many different lines of reasoning. It is also
important to become thoroughly familiar with one complete
meditation on emptiness through continuous contemplation,
understanding exactly how to use the reasoning to lead to an
experience of emptiness. We can then concentrate on emptiness
single-pointedly and try to mix our mind with it, like water
mixing with water.
THE UNION OF THE TWO TRUTHS
The union of the two truths means that conventional truths,
such as our body, and ultimate truths, such as the emptiness
of our body, are the same nature. When something such as our
body appears to us, both the body and the inherently existent
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body appear simultaneously. This is dualistic appearance,
which is subtle mistaken appearance. Only Buddhas are
free from such mistaken appearances. The main purpose of
understanding and meditating on the union of the two truths
is to prevent dualistic appearances – appearances of inherent
existence to the mind that is meditating on emptiness – and
thereby enable our mind to dissolve into emptiness. Once we
can do this, our meditation on emptiness will be very powerful
in eliminating our delusions. If we correctly identify and
negate the inherently existent body, the body that we normally
see, and meditate on the mere absence of such a body with
strong concentration, we shall feel our normal body dissolving
into emptiness. We shall understand that the real nature of our
body is emptiness and that our body is merely a manifestation
of emptiness.
Emptiness is like the sky and our body is like the blue of
the sky. Just as the blue is a manifestation of the sky itself and
cannot be separated from it, so our blue-like body is simply
a manifestation of the sky of its emptiness and cannot be
separated from it. If we realize this, when we focus on the
emptiness of our body we feel that our body itself dissolves
into its ultimate nature. In this way, we can easily overcome the
conventional appearance of the body in our meditations, and
our mind naturally mixes with emptiness.
In the Heart Sutra, Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara says: ‘Form
is not other than emptiness.’ This means that conventional
phenomena, such as our body, do not exist separately from
their emptiness. When we meditate on the emptiness of our
body with this understanding, we know that the emptiness
appearing to our mind is the very nature of our body, and that
apart from this emptiness there is no body. Meditating in this
way will greatly weaken our self-grasping mind. If we really
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believed that our body and its emptiness were the same nature,
our self-grasping would deinitely become weaker.
Although we can divide emptinesses from the point of view
of their bases, and speak of the emptiness of the body, the
emptiness of the I and so forth, in truth all emptinesses are the
same nature. If we look at ten bottles, we can distinguish ten
different spaces inside the bottles, but in reality these spaces
are the same nature; and if we break the bottles, the spaces
become indistinguishable. In the same way, although we can
speak of the emptiness of the body, the mind, the I and so forth,
in reality they are the same nature and indistinguishable. The
only way in which they can be distinguished is by their conventional bases.
There are two principal beneits of understanding that all
emptinesses are the same nature: in the meditation session our
mind will mix with emptiness more easily, and in the meditation break we shall be able to see all appearances as equal
manifestations of their emptiness.
For as long as we feel that there is a gap between our mind
and emptiness – that our mind is ‘here’ and emptiness is
‘there’ – our mind will not mix with emptiness. Knowing that
all emptinesses are the same nature helps to close this gap. In
ordinary life we experience many different objects – good, bad,
attractive, unattractive – and our feelings towards them differ.
Because we feel that the differences exist from the side of the
objects, our mind is unbalanced and we develop attachment
to attractive objects, aversion to unattractive objects and
indifference to neutral objects. It is very dificult to mix such an
uneven mind with emptiness. To mix our mind with emptiness
we need to know that, although phenomena appear in many
different aspects, in essence they are all empty. The differences
we see are just appearances to mistaken minds; from the
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point of view of ultimate truth all phenomena are equal in
emptiness. For a qualiied meditator single-pointedly absorbed
in emptiness, there is no difference between production and
disintegration, impermanence and permanence, going and
coming, singularity and plurality – everything is equal in
emptiness and all problems of attachment, anger and selfgrasping ignorance are solved. In this experience, everything
becomes very peaceful and comfortable, balanced and
harmonious, joyful and wonderful. There is no heat, no cold, no
lower, no higher, no here, no there, no self, no other, no samsara
– everything is equal in the peace of emptiness. This realization
is called the ‘yoga of equalizing samsara and nirvana’, and is
explained in detail in both the Sutras and Tantras.
Since all emptinesses are the same nature, the ultimate nature
of a mind that is meditating on emptiness is the same nature
as the ultimate nature of its object. When we irst meditate on
emptiness our mind and emptiness appear to be two separate
phenomena, but when we understand that all emptinesses are
the same nature we shall know that this feeling of separation
is simply the experience of a mistaken mind. In reality our
mind and emptiness are ultimately of one taste. If we apply
this knowledge in our meditations, it will help to prevent the
appearance of the conventional nature of our mind and allow
our mind to dissolve into emptiness.
Having mixed our mind with emptiness, when we arise
from meditation we shall experience all phenomena equally
as manifestations of their emptiness. Instead of feeling that the
attractive, unattractive and neutral objects we see are inherently different, we shall know that in essence they are the
same nature. Just as both the gentlest and most violent waves
in an ocean are equally water, likewise both attractive forms
and repulsive forms are equally manifestations of emptiness.
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Realizing this, our mind will become balanced and peaceful.
We shall recognize all conventional appearances as the magical
play of the mind, and we shall not grasp strongly at their
apparent differences.
When Milarepa once taught emptiness to a woman, he
compared emptiness to the sky and conventional truths to
clouds and told her to meditate on the sky. She followed his
instructions with great success, but she had one problem
– when she meditated on the sky of emptiness everything
disappeared, and she could not understand how phenomena
could exist conventionally. She said to Milarepa: ‘I ind it easy to
meditate on the sky but dificult to establish the clouds. Please
teach me how to meditate on the clouds.’ Milarepa replied: ‘If
your meditation on the sky is going well, the clouds will not be
a problem. Clouds simply appear in the sky – they arise from
the sky and dissolve back into the sky. As your experience of
the sky improves, you will naturally come to understand the
clouds.’
In Tibetan, the word for both sky and space is ‘namkha’,
although space is different from sky. There are two types of
space, produced space and unproduced space. Produced space
is the visible space we can see inside a room or in the sky. This
space may become dark at night and light during the day,
and as it undergoes change in this way it is an impermanent
phenomenon. The characteristic property of produced space
is that it does not obstruct objects – if there is space in a room
we can place objects there without obstruction. Similarly, birds
are able to ly through the space of the sky because it lacks
obstruction, whereas they cannot ly through a mountain!
Therefore it is clear that produced space lacks, or is empty of,
obstructive contact. This mere lack, or empty, of obstructive
contact is unproduced space.
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Because unproduced space is the mere absence of obstructive contact it does not undergo momentary change and is
therefore a permanent phenomenon. Whereas produced space
is visible and quite easy to understand, unproduced space is a
mere absence of obstructive contact and is rather more subtle.
However, once we understand unproduced space we shall ind
it easier to understand emptiness.
The only difference between emptiness and unproduced
space is their object of negation. The object of negation of
unproduced space is obstructive contact whereas the object
of negation of emptiness is inherent existence. Because
unproduced space is the best analogy for understanding
emptiness, it is used in the Sutras and in many scriptures.
Unproduced space is a non-afirming negative phenomenon
– a phenomenon that is realized by a mind that merely
eliminates its negated object without realizing another positive
phenomenon. Produced space is an afirmative, or positive,
phenomenon – a phenomenon that is realized without the
mind explicitly eliminating a negated object. More details on
these two types of phenomenon can be found in The New Heart
of Wisdom and Ocean of Nectar.
THE PRACTICE OF EMPTINESS IN OUR DAILY ACTIVITIES
In our daily activities, we should believe that all appearances
are illusory. Although things appear to us as inherently existent
we should remember that these appearances are deceptive and
that in reality the things that we normally see do not exist. As
mentioned earlier, in King of Concentration Sutra Buddha says:
A magician creates various things
Such as horses, elephants and so forth.
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His creations do not actually exist;
You should know all things in the same way.
The last two lines of this verse mean that just as we know
that the horses and elephants created by the magician do not
exist, in the same way we should know that all the things that
we normally see do not actually exist. This chapter Training
in Ultimate Bodhichitta has extensively explained how all the
things that we normally see do not exist.
When a magician creates an illusory horse, a horse appears
very clearly to his mind but he knows that it is just an illusion.
Indeed, the very appearance of the horse reminds him that
there is no horse in front of him. In the same way, when we
are very familiar with emptiness, the very fact that things
appear to be inherently existent will remind us that they are
not inherently existent. We should therefore recognize that
whatever appears to us in our daily life is like an illusion
and lacks inherent existence. In this way our wisdom will
increase day by day, and our self-grasping ignorance and other
delusions will naturally diminish.
Between meditation sessions we should be like an actor.
When an actor plays the part of a king, he dresses, speaks
and acts like a king, but he knows all the time that he is not a
real king. In the same way we should live and function in the
conventional world yet always remember that we ourself, our
environment and the people around us that we normally see
do not exist at all.
If we think like this we shall be able to live in the conventional
world without grasping at it. We shall treat it lightly, and
have the lexibility of mind to respond to every situation in a
constructive way. Knowing that whatever appears to our mind
is mere appearance, when attractive objects appear we shall not
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grasp at them and develop attachment, and when unattractive
objects appear we shall not grasp at them and develop aversion
or anger.
In Training the Mind in Seven Points, Geshe Chekhawa says:
‘Think that all phenomena are like dreams.’ Some of the things
we see in our dreams are beautiful and some are ugly, but they
are all mere appearances to our dreaming mind. They do not
exist from their own side, and are empty of inherent existence.
It is the same with the objects we perceive when we are awake
– they too are mere appearances to mind and lack inherent
existence.
All phenomena lack inherent existence. When we look at a
rainbow it appears to occupy a particular location in space, and
it seems that if we searched we would be able to ind where
the rainbow touches the ground. However, we know that no
matter how hard we search we shall never be able to ind the
end of the rainbow, for as soon as we arrive at the place where
we saw the rainbow touch the ground, the rainbow will have
disappeared. If we do not search for it, the rainbow appears
clearly; but when we look for it, it is not there. All phenomena
are like this. If we do not analyze them they appear clearly, but
when we search for them analytically, trying to isolate them
from everything else, they are not there.
If something did exist inherently, and we investigated it by
separating it from all other phenomena, we would be able to
ind it. However, all phenomena are like rainbows – if we search
for them we shall never ind them. At irst we might ind this
idea very uncomfortable and dificult to accept, but this is quite
natural. With greater familiarity we shall ind this reasoning
more acceptable, and eventually we shall realize that it is true.
It is important to understand that emptiness does not mean
nothingness. Although things do not exist from their own side,
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independent of the mind, they do exist in the sense that they
are understood by a valid mind. The world we experience
when we are awake is similar to the world we experience when
we are dreaming. We cannot say that dream things do not exist,
but if we believe that they exist as more than mere appearances
to the mind, existing ‘out there’, then we are mistaken, as we
shall discover when we wake up.
As mentioned before, there is no greater method for experiencing peace of mind and happiness than to understand and
meditate on emptiness. Since it is our self-grasping that keeps
us bound to the prison of samsara and is the source of all our
suffering, meditation on emptiness is the universal solution to
all our problems. It is the medicine that cures all mental and
physical diseases, and the nectar that bestows the everlasting
happiness of nirvana and enlightenment.
A SIMPLE TRAINING IN ULTIMATE BODHICHITTA
We begin by thinking:
I must attain enlightenment to beneit directly each and every
living being every day. For this purpose I shall attain a direct
realization of the way things really are.
With this bodhichitta motivation, we contemplate:
Normally I see my body within its parts – the hands, back and
so forth – but neither the individual parts nor the collection of
the parts are my body because they are the parts of my body and
not the body itself. However, there is no ‘my body’ other than
its parts. Through searching with wisdom for my body in this
way, I realize that my body is unindable. This is a valid reason
to prove that my body that I normally see does not exist at all.
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Through contemplating this point we try to perceive the mere
absence of the body that we normally see. This mere absence
of the body that we normally see is the emptiness of our body,
and we meditate on this emptiness single-pointedly for as long
as possible.
We should continually practise this contemplation and
meditation, and then move to the next stage, meditation on the
emptiness of our self. We should contemplate and think:
Normally I see my self within my body and mind, but neither
my body, nor my mind, nor the collection of my body and mind
are my self, because these are my possessions and my self is
the possessor; and possessor and possessions cannot be the
same. However, there is no ‘my self’ other than my body and
mind. Through searching with wisdom for my self in this way,
I realize that my self is unindable. This is a valid reason to
prove that my self that I normally see does not exist at all.
Through contemplating this point we try to perceive the mere
absence of our self that we normally see. This mere absence of
our self that we normally see is the emptiness of our self, and
we meditate on this emptiness single-pointedly for as long as
possible.
We should continually practise this contemplation and
meditation, and then move to the next stage, meditation on the
emptiness of all phenomena. We should contemplate and think:
As with my body and my self, all other phenomena are
unindable when I search for them with wisdom. This is a
valid reason to prove that all phenomena that I normally see or
perceive do not exist at all.
Through contemplating this point we try to perceive the mere
absence of all phenomena that we normally see or perceive. This
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mere absence of all phenomena that we normally see or perceive
is the emptiness of all phenomena. We meditate continually on
this emptiness of all phenomena with bodhichitta motivation
until we are able to maintain our concentration clearly for one
minute every time we meditate on it. Our concentration that
has this ability is called ‘concentration of placing the mind’.
In the second stage, with the concentration of placing
the mind, we meditate continually on the emptiness of all
phenomena until we are able to maintain our concentration
clearly for ive minutes every time we meditate on it. Our
concentration that has this ability is called ‘concentration of
continual placement’. In the third stage, with the concentration
of continual placement we meditate continually on the
emptiness of all phenomena until we are able to immediately
remember our object of meditation – the mere absence of all
phenomena that we normally see or perceive – whenever
we lose it during meditation. Our concentration that has this
ability is called ‘concentration of replacement’. In the fourth
stage, with the concentration of replacement we meditate
continually on the emptiness of all phenomena until we are
able to maintain our concentration clearly during the entire
meditation session without forgetting the object of meditation.
Our concentration that has this ability is called ‘concentration
of close placement’. At this stage we have very stable and clear
concentration focused on the emptiness of all phenomena.
Then, with the concentration of close placement, we
meditate continually on the emptiness of all phenomena until
inally we attain the concentration of tranquil abiding focused
on emptiness, which causes us to experience special physical
and mental suppleness and bliss. With this concentration of
tranquil abiding we shall develop a special wisdom that realizes
the emptiness of all phenomena very clearly. This wisdom is
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called ‘superior seeing’. Through continually meditating on
the concentration of tranquil abiding associated with superior
seeing, our wisdom of superior seeing will transform into the
wisdom that directly realizes the emptiness of all phenomena.
This direct realization of emptiness is the actual ultimate
bodhichitta. The moment we attain the wisdom of ultimate
bodhichitta we become a Superior Bodhisattva. As mentioned
before, conventional bodhichitta is the nature of compassion
and ultimate bodhichitta is the nature of wisdom. These two
bodhichittas are like the two wings of a bird with which we can
ly and very quickly reach the enlightened world.
In Advice from Atisha’s Heart Atisha says:
Friends, until you attain enlightenment, the Spiritual
Teacher is indispensable, therefore rely upon the holy
Spiritual Guide.
We need to rely upon our Spiritual Guide until we attain
enlightenment. The reason for this is very simple. The ultimate
goal of human life is to attain enlightenment, and this depends
upon continually receiving the special blessings of Buddha
through our Spiritual Guide. Buddha attained enlightenment
with the sole intention of leading all living beings along the
stages of the path to enlightenment through his emanations.
Who is his emanation who is leading us along the stages of
the path to enlightenment? It is clearly our present Spiritual
Teacher who is sincerely and correctly leading us along the
paths of renunciation, bodhichitta and the correct view of
emptiness by giving these teachings and showing a practical
example of someone who is sincerely practising them. With this
understanding we should strongly believe that our Spiritual
Guide is an emanation of Buddha, and develop and maintain
deep faith in him or her.
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Atisha also says:
Until you realize ultimate truth, listening is indispensable,
therefore listen to the instructions of the Spiritual Guide.
Even if we were mistakenly to see two moons in the sky, this
mistaken appearance would remind us that in fact there are not
two moons, but only one. In a similar way, if seeing inherently
existent things reminds us there are no inherently existent
things, this indicates that our understanding of emptiness,
ultimate truth, is correct. Until our understanding of emptiness
is perfect, and to prevent ourself from falling into one of the
two extremes – the extreme of existence and the extreme of
non-existence – we should listen to, read and contemplate
the instructions of our Spiritual Guide. A more detailed
explanation of relying upon our Spiritual Guide can be found
in Joyful Path of Good Fortune.
All the contemplations and meditations presented in Part
One of this book, from The Preciousness of our Human Life to
A Simple Training in Ultimate Bodhichitta should be practised
in conjunction with the preliminary practices for meditation
presented in Appendix II: Prayers for Meditation. These
preliminary practices will enable us to purify our mind,
accumulate merit and receive the blessings of the enlightened
beings, thus ensuring that our meditation practice is successful.
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Arya Tara
Examination of our Lamrim Practice
Through practising the stages of the paths of persons of initial
scope, middling scope and great scope we may have developed
some experience of renunciation, bodhichitta and the correct
view of emptiness, which are known as the ‘three principal
paths’. We should now examine ourself to see whether or not
our experiences of renunciation, bodhichitta and the correct
view of emptiness are qualiied. Through judging our mind,
if we realize that our attachment to the things of this life still
remains, this is the sign that our renunciation is unqualiied;
if our self-cherishing that believes our own happiness and
freedom are important, while neglecting others’ happiness
and freedom, still remains, this is the sign that our bodhichitta is unqualiied; and if our self-grasping that grasps at
ourself, our body and all other things that we normally see still
remains, this is the sign that our understanding of emptiness
is unqualiied.
We therefore need to apply great effort to become deeply
familiar with the trainings in renunciation, bodhichitta and
the correct view of emptiness. We need to practise these trainings continually until our attachment, self-cherishing and
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self-grasping reduce and we are able to control these delusions. When we have accomplished this, we have ‘passed our
examination’ and we have the ‘position’ of being a great Yogi
or Yogini.
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PART TWO:
Tantra
Wisdom Dharma Protector
he Preciousness of Tantra
In his Sutra teachings Buddha gives us great encouragement to
accomplish the ultimate goal of human life. This goal will be
accomplished quickly through the practice of Tantra. Tantra,
also known as ‘Secret Mantra’ or ‘Vajrayana’, is a special
method to purify our world, our self, our enjoyments and our
activities; and if we put this method into practice we shall very
quickly attain enlightenment. As explained in Part One, our
world does not exist from its own side; like a dream world, it
is a mere appearance to our mind. In dreams we can see and
touch our dream world, but when we wake up we realize that
it was simply a projection of our mind and had no existence
outside our mind. In the same way, the world we see when
we are awake is simply a projection of our mind and has no
existence outside our mind. Milarepa said:
You should know that all appearances are the nature of
mind, and mind is the nature of emptiness.
Because our world, our self, our enjoyments and our activities
are the nature of our mind, when our mind is impure they are
impure, and when our mind becomes pure through puriication
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practice they become pure. There are many different levels of
purifying our mind. The subtle mistaken appearance of our
mind cannot be puriied through the practice of Sutra alone;
we need to engage in the practice of Highest Yoga Tantra. When
we completely purify our mind through Tantric practice, our
world, our self, our enjoyments and our activities also become
completely pure – this is the state of enlightenment. Attaining
enlightenment is therefore very simple; all we need to do is
apply effort to purifying our mind.
We know that when our mind is impure because we are feeling angry with our friend, we see him as bad; but when our
mind is pure because we are feeling affectionate love for the
same friend, we see him as good. Therefore, it is because of
changing our own mind from pure to impure or from impure
to pure that for us our friend changes from good to bad or
from bad to good. This indicates that everything that is good,
bad or neutral for us is a projection of our mind and has no
existence outside our mind. Through practising Tantra we shall
completely purify our mind and thus experience the complete
purity of our world, our self, our enjoyments and our activities
– the ‘four complete purities’.
Although Tantra is very popular, not many people
understand its real meaning. Some people deny Buddha’s
Tantric teachings, whereas others misuse them for worldly
attainments; and many people are confused about the union
of Sutra and Tantra practice, mistakenly believing that Sutra
and Tantra are contradictory. In Condensed Heruka Root Tantra
Buddha says:
You should never abandon Highest Yoga Tantra,
But realize that it has inconceivable meaning
And is the very essence of Buddhadharma.
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THE PRECIOUSNESS OF TANTRA
When we understand the real meaning of Tantra there will
be no basis for misusing it, and we shall see that there are no
contradictions at all between Sutra and Tantra. Practising Sutra
teachings is the basic foundation for practising Tantric teachings, and the practice of Tantra is the quick method to fulil
the ultimate goal of Sutra teachings. For example, in his Sutra
teachings Buddha encourages us to abandon attachment, and
in Tantra he encourages us to transform our attachment into
the spiritual path. Some people may think this a contradiction,
but it is not, because Buddha’s Tantric instructions on how
to transform attachment into the spiritual path are the quick
method for abandoning attachment! In this way, they are the
method to fulil the aims of Sutra teachings.
We should take care not to misunderstand the meaning of
transforming attachment into the spiritual path. Attachment
itself cannot be transformed directly into the spiritual path; it
is a delusion, an inner poison, and an object to be abandoned
in both Sutra and Tantra. Transforming attachment into the
path means that we transform the causes of attachment – our
experiences of worldly pleasure – into the spiritual path. There
are many methods for doing this that are explained in Tantric
teachings.
The universal compassion accomplished through the practice of Sutra teachings, and the wisdom of Mahamudra Tantra
accomplished through the practice of Tantric teachings, are
like the two wings of a bird. Just as both wings are equally
important for a bird to ly, so both Sutra and Tantra are equally
important for practitioners seeking enlightenment.
Tantra is defined as an inner realization that functions
to prevent ordinary appearances and conceptions and to
accomplish the four complete purities. Although Buddha’s
Tantric scriptures are sometimes called ‘Tantra’ because
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they reveal Tantric practices, actual Tantra is necessarily an
inner realization that protects living beings from ordinary
appearances and conceptions, which are the root of samsara’s
sufferings. Ordinary appearance is our perception of all the
things that we normally see, such as our self and body. This
appearance is subtle mistaken appearance. It is mistaken
because our self, our body and all other things that we normally
see do not exist, even though we always mistakenly see them;
and it is subtle because for us it is dificult to understand that
this appearance is mistaken. Our subtle mistaken appearance
is the root of self-grasping, which is the root of all other
delusions and suffering. We can abandon this subtle mistaken
appearance completely only through the practice of Highest
Yoga Tantra. When we do this we shall have accomplished the
four complete purities mentioned above.
In general, our experience of worldly pleasure or enjoyments
gives rise to attachment, which is the source of all suffering.
However, through practising Tantra we can transform our
experience of worldly pleasure into a profound spiritual path
that leads us very quickly to the supreme happiness of enlightenment. The instructions of Tantra are therefore superior to all
other instructions.
For living beings, the experience of worldly pleasures is the
main cause of increasing their attachment, and therefore the
main cause of increasing their problems. To stop attachment
arising from the experience of worldly pleasures, Buddha
taught Tantra as a method to transform worldly pleasures into
the path to enlightenment. In accordance with the different
levels of transforming worldly pleasures into the path,
Buddha taught four levels or classes of Tantra: Action Tantra,
Performance Tantra, Yoga Tantra and Highest Yoga Tantra.
The irst three are called the ‘lower Tantras’. In Highest Yoga
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THE PRECIOUSNESS OF TANTRA
Tantra, Buddha taught the most profound instructions for
transforming sexual bliss into the quick path to enlightenment.
Since the effectiveness of this practice depends upon gathering
and dissolving the inner winds into the central channel through
the power of meditation, these instructions were not explained
by Buddha in the lower Tantras. In the lower Tantras, Buddha
taught instructions on how to transform worldly pleasures –
other than sexual bliss – into the path to enlightenment through
imagination, which is a simpler practice of Tantra.
The gateway through which we enter Tantra is receiving a
Tantric empowerment. An empowerment bestows upon us
special blessings that heal our mental continuum and awaken
our Buddha nature. When we receive a Tantric empowerment
we are sowing the special seeds of the four bodies of a Buddha
upon our mental continuum. These four bodies are the Nature
Truth Body, the Wisdom Truth Body, the Enjoyment Body
and the Emanation Body. Ordinary beings do not possess
more than one body, whereas Buddhas possess four bodies
simultaneously. A Buddha’s Emanation Body is his or her gross
body, which can be seen by ordinary beings; the Enjoyment
Body is his subtle body, which can be seen only by practitioners
who have gained higher realizations; and the Nature and
Wisdom Truth Bodies are his very subtle bodies that only
Buddhas themselves can see.
In Tantra, the principal objects to be abandoned are ordinary
conceptions and ordinary appearances. The terms ‘ordinary
conceptions’ and ‘ordinary appearances’ are best explained by
the following example. Suppose there is a Heruka practitioner
called John. Normally he appears to himself as John that
he normally sees, and his environment, enjoyments, body
and mind appear as those of John that he normally sees.
These appearances are ordinary appearances. The mind that
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assents to these ordinary appearances by holding them to be
true is ordinary conception. The appearances we have of an
inherently existent ‘I’, ‘mine’ and other phenomena are also
ordinary appearances; self-grasping and all other delusions are
ordinary conceptions. Ordinary conceptions are obstructions
to liberation, and ordinary appearances are obstructions
to enlightenment. In general, all sentient beings, except
Bodhisattvas who have attained the vajra-like concentration of
the path of meditation, have ordinary appearances.
Now if John were to meditate on the generation stage of
Heruka, strongly regarding himself as Heruka and believing
his surroundings, experiences, body and mind to be those
of Heruka, at that time he would have the divine pride that
prevents ordinary conceptions. If he were also to attain clear
appearance of himself as Heruka, with the environment,
enjoyments, body and mind of Heruka, at that time he would
have the clear appearance that prevents him from developing
ordinary appearances.
At the beginning, ordinary conceptions are more harmful
than ordinary appearances. How this is so is illustrated by the
following analogy. Suppose a magician conjures up an illusion
of a tiger in front of an audience. The tiger appears to both the
audience and the magician, but whereas the audience believe
that the tiger actually exists, and consequently become afraid,
the magician does not assent to the appearance of the tiger
and so remains calm. The problem for the audience is not so
much that a tiger appears to them, as their conception that
the tiger actually exists. It is this conception rather than the
mere appearance of the tiger that causes them to experience
fear. If like the magician they had no conception that the tiger
existed, then even though they still had an appearance of a
tiger they would not be afraid. In the same way, even though
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things appear to us as ordinary, if we do not conceptually grasp
them as ordinary this will not be so harmful. Similarly, it is
less damaging to our spiritual development that our Spiritual
Guide appears to us as ordinary and yet we hold him or her
to be in essence a Buddha, than it is for our Spiritual Guide to
appear to us as ordinary and for us to believe that he or she is
ordinary. The conviction that our Spiritual Guide is a Buddha,
even though he or she may appear to us as an ordinary person,
helps our spiritual practice to progress rapidly.
To reduce ordinary appearances and conceptions Buddha
taught the Tantra of generation stage; and to abandon these
two obstructions completely Buddha taught the Tantra
of completion stage, especially Mahamudra Tantra. By
completing our training in these Tantras we shall become
a Tantric enlightened being, such as Heruka, with the four
complete purities.
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he Tantra of Generation Stage
The following chapters present the instructions on the
practices of Heruka and Vajrayogini, which are the very
essence of Highest Yoga Tantra. The practice of Highest Yoga
Tantra can be divided into two stages: generation stage and
completion stage. In generation stage, through the power of
correct imagination arising from wisdom, Tantric practitioners
generate themselves as Tantric enlightened Deities such
as Heruka, and their environment, body, enjoyments and
activities as those of Heruka. This imagined new world of
Heruka is their object of meditation and they meditate on this
new generation with single-pointed concentration. Through
continually training in this meditation, Heruka practitioners
will gain deep realizations of themselves as Heruka, and their
environment, body, enjoyments and activities as those of
Heruka. This inner realization is generation stage Tantra.
Generation stage Tantra is deined as an inner realization of
a creative yoga that is attained through training in divine pride
and clear appearance of being an enlightened Deity. It is called
a ‘creative yoga’ because the object of meditation is created
by imagination and wisdom. The main function of generation
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stage Tantra is to purify ordinary death, intermediate state and
rebirth, and to accomplish a Buddha’s Truth Body, Enjoyment
Body and Emanation Body. It is the quick method to ripen our
Buddha nature.
Heruka is an enlightened Deity of Highest Yoga Tantra who
is the manifestation of the compassion of all Buddhas. In generation stage Heruka practice, practitioners emphasize training
in divine pride and clear appearance of being Heruka. Before
training in divine pride, practitioners need to learn to perceive
their body and mind as Heruka’s body and mind. Having
accomplished this, they then use their imagined Heruka’s
body and mind as the basis of imputation for their ‘I’ or ‘self’
and develop the thought ‘I am Buddha Heruka.’ They then
meditate on this divine pride with single-pointed concentration. Through training in this meditation they will gain a deep
realization of divine pride, which spontaneously believes that
they are Heruka. At this time they have changed the basis of
imputation for their I.
From beginningless time, in life after life, the basis of
imputation for our self or I has been only a contaminated
body and mind. Because our self or I is imputed upon a
contaminated body and mind, whenever we develop the
thought ‘I’ we simultaneously develop self-grasping ignorance,
a mind grasping at an inherently existent ‘I’ and ‘mine’, which
is the root of all our suffering. However, for qualiied Heruka
practitioners, their deep realization of divine pride prevents
self-grasping ignorance from arising so there is no basis
for their experiencing suffering; they will enjoy their pure
environment, enjoyments, body and mind of Heruka.
We may ask how, if these practitioners are not yet actually
Buddha Heruka, they can believe that they are; and how it is
possible for them to gain the realization of divine pride if their
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view that believes themselves to be Heruka is a mistaken view?
Although these practitioners are not actually Buddha Heruka,
nevertheless they can believe that they are because they have
changed their basis of imputation from their contaminated
aggregates to the uncontaminated aggregates of Heruka. Their
view that believes they are Buddha Heruka is not a mistaken
view because it is non-deceptive and arises from the wisdom
realizing that the inherently existent ‘I’ and ‘mine’ do not exist.
Their realization of divine pride that spontaneously believes
themselves to be Heruka therefore has the power to prevent
self-grasping ignorance, the root of samsara, from arising.
As explained earlier, things do not exist from their own
side. There are no inherently existent ‘I’, ‘mine’ and other
phenomena; all phenomena exist as mere imputations. Things
are imputed upon their basis of imputation by thought. What
does ‘basis of imputation’ mean? For example, the parts of a car
are the basis of imputation for the car. The parts of a car are not
the car, but there is no car other than its parts. Car is imputed
upon its parts by thought. How? Through perceiving any of
the parts of the car we naturally develop the thought ‘This is
the car’. Similarly, our body and mind are not our self but are
the basis of imputation for our self. Our self is imputed upon
our body or mind by thought. Through perceiving our body or
mind we naturally develop the thought ‘I’ or ‘mine’. Without
a basis of imputation things cannot exist; everything depends
upon its basis of imputation.
Why is it necessary to change the basis of imputation for our
self? As mentioned above, since beginningless time, in life after
life until now, the basis of imputation for our self has only been
the contaminated aggregates of body and mind. Because the
basis of imputation for our self is contaminated by the poison
of self-grasping ignorance, we experience the endless cycle of
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suffering. To free ourself from suffering permanently we therefore need to change our basis of imputation from contaminated
aggregates to uncontaminated aggregates.
How can we change our basis of imputation? In general, we
have changed our basis of imputation countless times. In our
previous lives we took countless rebirths, and each time the
basis of imputation for our self was different. When we took a
human rebirth our basis of imputation was a human body and
mind, and when we took an animal rebirth our basis of imputation was an animal’s body and mind. Even in this life, when
we were a baby our basis of imputation was a baby’s body and
mind, when we were a teenager our basis of imputation was
a teenager’s body and mind, and when we grow old our basis
of imputation will be an old person’s body and mind. All these
countless bases of imputation are contaminated aggregates.
We have never changed our basis of imputation from contaminated to uncontaminated aggregates. Only through relying
upon Buddha’s Tantric teachings can we accomplish this.
We change our basis of imputation from contaminated to
uncontaminated aggregates by training in clear appearance
and divine pride of being Heruka. As Buddha explained in
his Tantric teachings, irst we learn to purify our body and
mind by meditating on the emptiness of the body, mind and
all other phenomena. Perceiving only emptiness, we then
generate ourself as an enlightened Deity such as Heruka. We
then learn to perceive clearly our body and mind as Heruka’s
body and mind, our world as Heruka’s Pure Land, and all
those around us as enlightened Heroes and Heroines. This is
called ‘training in clear appearance’. Perceiving our body and
mind as the uncontaminated aggregates of Heruka’s body and
mind, we develop the thought ‘I am Buddha Heruka’. We then
meditate on this divine pride continually with single-pointed
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concentration, until we gain a deep realization of divine
pride that spontaneously believes we are Buddha Heruka.
At this time we have changed our basis of imputation from
contaminated to uncontaminated aggregates.
If we are normally called John, for example, we should
never believe that John is Buddha Heruka, but feel that John
disappeared into emptiness before we generated as Buddha
Heruka. We then believe that our I, which is imputed upon
Heruka’s body and mind, is Buddha Heruka. This belief is not
a mistaken view, because it arises from wisdom, whereas mistaken views necessarily arise from ignorance. The realization
of divine pride arises from wisdom and is a powerful method
for accumulating great merit and wisdom.
Even if we have the realization that spontaneously believes
that we are Buddha Heruka we should never indicate or
declare this to others, as such behaviour is inappropriate in
normal society. People will still see us as John and not Heruka,
and we also know that John is not Heruka. The realizations of
divine pride and clear appearance are inner experiences that
have the power to control our delusions, and from which pure
actions will naturally develop. There is therefore no basis for us
to show inappropriate behaviour; we must continue to engage
in our daily activities and communicate with others as normal.
As mentioned before, Tantric realizations can be achieved
simply through relying upon correct belief and imagination.
This practice is very simple: all we need to do is to become
deeply familiar with meditation on correct belief and
imagination as presented in Tantra, by applying continual
effort. Understanding this we should be conident in our ability
to accomplish generation stage realizations of Highest Yoga
Tantra. Also, because our world and our self that we normally
see do not exist, we have the precious opportunity to generate
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our new world and our self that are completely pure; this is
generation stage. If our world and our self that we normally
see existed it would be impossible to generate our world and
our self as completely pure. When the strong perception of
our world and our self that we normally see ceases through
training in generation stage, we shall naturally experience our
world and our self as completely pure. It is most important
that our motivation for training in generation stage is the
compassionate mind of bodhichitta.
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he Tantra of Completion Stage
Generation stage is like drawing the basic outline of a picture
and completion stage is like completing the picture. Whereas
the principal objects of generation stage meditation – the
mandala and Deities – are generated by correct imagination,
the principal objects of completion stage meditation – the
channels, drops and winds – already exist within our body
and there is no need to generate them through the power of
imagination. For this reason completion stage is not a creative
yoga.
Completion stage Tantra is deined as an inner realization
of learning developed in dependence upon the inner winds
entering, abiding and dissolving within the central channel
through the force of meditations. The objects of these
meditations are the central channel, the indestructible drop,
and the indestructible wind and mind.
THE CENTRAL CHANNEL
The central channel is located exactly midway between the
left and right halves of the body, but is closer to the back than
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the front. Immediately in front of the spine is the life channel,
which is quite thick, and in front of this is the central channel.
It begins at the point between the eyebrows, from where it
ascends in an arch to the crown of the head, and then descends
in a straight line to the tip of the sex organ.
The central channel is pale blue on the outside and has four
attributes: (1) it is very straight, like the trunk of a plantain tree;
(2) inside it is an oily red colour, like pure blood; (3) it is very
clear and transparent, like a candle lame; and (4) it is very soft
and lexible, like a lotus petal.
At either side of the central channel, with no intervening
space, are the right and left channels. The right channel is red
in colour and the left is white. The right channel begins at the
tip of the right nostril and the left channel at the tip of the left
nostril. From there, they both ascend in an arch to the crown of
the head, at either side of the central channel. From the crown
of the head down to the navel, these three main channels
are straight and adjacent to one another. As the left channel
continues down below the level of the navel, it curves a little
to the right, separating slightly from the central channel and
rejoining it at the tip of the sex organ. There it functions to
hold and release sperm, blood and urine. As the right channel
continues down below the level of the navel, it curves a little to
the left and terminates at the tip of the anus, where it functions
to hold and release faeces and so forth.
The right and left channels coil around the central channel at
various places, thereby forming the so-called ‘channel knots’.
The four places at which these knots occur are, in ascending
order: the navel channel wheel, or navel chakra, the heart channel wheel, the throat channel wheel and the crown channel
wheel. At each of these places, except at the heart, there is a
twofold knot formed by a single coil of the right channel and
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THE TANTRA OF COMPLETION STAGE
a single coil of the left. As the right and left channels ascend
to these places, they coil around the central channel by crossing in front and then looping around it. They then continue
upward to the level of the next knot. At the heart level, the
same thing happens, except that here there is a sixfold knot
formed by three overlapping loops of each of the lanking
channels. The channels are the paths through which the inner
winds and drops low. To begin with, it is suficient simply to
become familiar with the description and visualization of the
three channels. A more detailed explanation of channels can be
found in Appendix III.
THE INDESTRUCTIBLE DROP
There are two types of drop in the body: white drops and red
drops. The former are the pure essence of white seminal luid
or sperm, and the latter are the pure essence of blood. Both
have gross and subtle forms. It is easy to recognize gross drops,
but it is more dificult to recognize subtle drops.
The principal seat of the white drop (also known as ‘white
bodhichitta’) is the crown channel wheel, and it is from here
that the white seminal luid originates. The principal seat of
the red drop (also known as ‘red bodhichitta’) is the navel
channel wheel, and it is from here that the blood originates.
The red drop at the navel is also the foundation of the warmth
of the body and the basis for attaining inner ire, or tummo,
realizations. When the drops melt and flow through the
channels, they give rise to an experience of bliss.
As just explained, at the heart channel wheel there is a sixfold
knot formed by the right and left channels coiling around the
central channel and constricting it. This is the most dificult
knot to loosen, but when it is loosened through meditation
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we shall develop great power – the realization of clear light.
Because the central channel at the heart is constricted by this
sixfold knot, it is blocked like a tube of bamboo. Inside the
central channel, at the very centre of this sixfold knot, is a small
vacuole, and inside this is a drop called the ‘indestructible
drop’. It is the size of a small pea, with the upper half white
in colour and the lower half red. The substance of the white
half is the very clear essence of sperm, and the substance of the
red half is the very clear essence of blood. This drop, which is
very pure and subtle, is the very essence of all drops. All the
ordinary red and white drops throughout the body originally
come from this drop.
The indestructible drop is like a small pea that has been cut
in half, slightly hollowed out, and then rejoined. It is called
the ‘indestructible drop’ because its two halves never separate
until death. When we die, all the inner winds dissolve into the
indestructible drop, and this causes the drop to open. As the
two halves separate, our consciousness immediately leaves our
body and goes to the next life.
THE INDESTRUCTIBLE WIND AND MIND
The nature of the indestructible wind is a very subtle ‘inner
wind’. Inner winds are energy winds that low through the
channels of the body, and they are much more subtle than outer
winds. They are associated with, and act as mounts for, various
minds. Without these winds our mind cannot move from one
object to another. It is said that inner winds are like someone
who is blind but who has legs, because they cannot perceive
anything but can move from one place to another. Minds are
like someone who has eyes but no legs, because minds can
see but cannot move without their mount, the inner winds.
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THE TANTRA OF COMPLETION STAGE
Because minds are always mounted upon their associated
inner winds, they can both see and move.
Inner winds that low through the left and right channels are
impure and harmful because they act as mounts for the minds
of self-grasping, self-cherishing and other delusions. We need
to make great effort to bring and dissolve these inner winds
into the central channel so that we can prevent these delusions
from arising.
For ordinary beings, inner winds enter, abide and dissolve
within the central channel only during the death process and
deep sleep. At these times the indestructible wind and mind
manifest, but ordinary beings cannot recognize them because
their memory or mindfulness is unable to function then.
Completion stage Tantric practitioners can cause their inner
winds to enter, abide and dissolve within the central channel at any time through the power of their meditation on the
channels, drops and winds. They can therefore accomplish the
realizations of the ive stages of completion stage Tantra: (1) the
initial realization of spontaneous great bliss (isolated body and
speech of completion stage); (2) ultimate example clear light;
(3) illusory body; (4) meaning clear light; and (5) the union of
meaning clear light and the pure illusory body. From the ifth
stage, practitioners will attain actual enlightenment within a
few months.
There are ive root and ive branch winds. The root winds
are: (1) the life-supporting wind; (2) the downward-voiding
wind; (3) the upward-moving wind; (4) the equally-abiding
wind; and (5) the pervading wind. The ive branch winds are:
(1) the moving wind; (2) the intensely-moving wind; (3) the
perfectly-moving wind; (4) the strongly-moving wind; and (5)
the deinitely-moving wind. A detailed explanation of inner
winds can be found in Appendix IV.
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The indestructible wind is the very subtle wind that is
associated with, and acts as the mount for, the very subtle
mind. It is called the ‘continuously residing body’ because we
have had this body continuously in life after life. Although our
mind of self-cherishing believes that our present body is our
own body and cherishes it, in reality our present body is a part
of others’ bodies because it is part of our parents’ bodies. Our
self imputed upon our present body and mind will cease at
the end of the death process, whereas our self imputed upon
our continuously residing body and mind will never cease,
but goes from one life to the next. It is this person or I that
will inally become an enlightened being. Through this we
can understand that, according to Highest Yoga Tantra, in
the mental continuum of each and every living being there
is a deathless person or I who possesses a deathless body.
However, without relying upon the profound instructions of
Highest Yoga Tantra we cannot recognize our own deathless
body and deathless I, our actual self. A Yogi once said:
First, due to fear of death, I ran towards Dharma.
Then I trained in the state of deathlessness.
Finally I realized there is no death and I relaxed!
Inside the indestructible drop resides the indestructible wind
and mind, the union of our very subtle wind and very subtle
mind. The very subtle wind is our own body, or continuously
residing body. The very subtle mind, or indestructible mind, is
our own mind, or continuously residing mind, and is mounted
upon the very subtle wind. Because the union of our very
subtle wind and very subtle mind never ceases, it is called the
‘indestructible wind and mind’. Our indestructible wind and
mind have never separated since beginningless time, and they
will never separate in the future. The potential to communicate
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THE TANTRA OF COMPLETION STAGE
possessed by the combination of our very subtle body and
mind is our very subtle speech, which is our own speech, or
continuously residing speech. This will become a Buddha’s
speech in the future. In short, inside the indestructible drop
is our own body, speech and mind, which in the future will
become the enlightened body, speech and mind of a Buddha.
These three, our very subtle body, speech and mind, are our
real Buddha nature.
Having gained some experience of generation stage Tantra,
which is like drawing the basic outline of a picture, we need
to engage in the meditations on completion stage Tantra in
order to complete the picture. These are the meditations on
the central channel, indestructible drop, and indestructible
wind and mind, known as the ‘yogas of the channel, drop
and wind’.
HOW TO MEDITATE ON THE CENTRAL CHANNEL
First, we should learn to perceive what our central channel
looks like, contemplating as follows:
My central channel is located exactly midway between the
left and right halves of my body, but is closer to the back than
the front. Immediately in front of the spine, there is the life
channel, which is quite thick, and in front of this is the central
channel. It begins at the point between my eyebrows, from
where it ascends in an arch to the crown of my head, and then
descends in a straight line to the tip of my sex organ. It is
pale blue in colour on the outside, and it is an oily red colour
on the inside. It is clear and transparent, and very soft and
lexible.
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At the very beginning we can, if we wish, visualize the central
channel as being fairly wide, and then gradually visualize it as
being thinner and thinner until inally we are able to visualize it as being the width of a drinking straw. We contemplate
like this repeatedly until we perceive a generic image of our
central channel. Then, while believing that our mind is inside
the central channel at our heart, we focus single-pointedly on
the central channel at the level of our heart and meditate on
this. We should train continually in this way until we gain deep
experience of this meditation.
HOW TO MEDITATE ON THE INDESTRUCTIBLE DROP
To perceive our indestructible drop, we contemplate as
follows:
Inside my central channel at the level of my heart there is a
small vacuole. Inside this is my indestructible drop. It is the
size of a small pea, with the upper half white in colour and
the lower half red. It is like a pea that has been cut in half,
slightly hollowed out, and then rejoined. It is the very essence
of all drops and is very pure and subtle. Even though it is the
substance of blood and sperm, it has a very clear nature, like a
tiny ball of crystal that radiates ive-coloured rays of light.
We contemplate like this repeatedly until we perceive a clear
generic image of our indestructible drop at our heart inside
our central channel. With the feeling that our mind is inside
our indestructible drop at our heart, we meditate on this drop
single-pointedly without distraction.
This meditation is a powerful method for causing our inner
winds to enter, abide and dissolve within the central channel.
Master Ghantapa said:
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We should meditate single-pointedly
On the indestructible drop that always abides at our heart.
Those who are familiar with this meditation
Will deinitely develop exalted wisdom.
Here ‘exalted wisdom’ means the wisdom of the clear light of
bliss experienced when the knots at the heart channel wheel
are loosened. Of all the knots in the central channel, these
are the most dificult to loosen; but if from the beginning of
our completion stage practice we concentrate on our heart
channel wheel, this will help us to loosen these knots. This
meditation, therefore, is a powerful method for gaining qualiied completion stage realizations.
HOW TO MEDITATE ON THE INDESTRUCTIBLE
WIND AND MIND
To gain deeper experience of the wisdom of the clear light
of bliss, we engage in meditation on the indestructible wind
and mind. First we ind the object of this meditation, that is,
the clear perception of our indestructible wind and mind, by
contemplating as follows:
Inside my indestructible drop is the union of my indestructible
wind and mind in the aspect of a tiny nada, which symbolizes
Heruka’s mind of clear light. It is reddish-white in colour and
radiates ive-coloured rays of light. My indestructible drop,
located inside my central channel at my heart, is like a cave,
and the union of my indestructible wind and mind is like
someone living inside this cave.
An illustration of the nada appears in Appendix IX. We
contemplate repeatedly in this way until we perceive the nada,
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which is the nature of the union of our indestructible wind and
mind. With the strong recognition that the nada is the union
of our very subtle wind and mind, and feeling that our mind
has entered into this nada, we meditate single-pointedly on the
nada without forgetting it.
Through gaining deep experience of the meditations on the
central channel, the indestructible drop and the union of the
indestructible wind and mind, our inner winds will enter,
abide and dissolve within the central channel, and we shall
experience special signs. We can tell whether or not the winds
have entered the central channel by checking our breathing.
Normally there are imbalances in our breath – more air is
exhaled through one nostril than through the other, and the
air begins to leave one nostril before the other. However, when
the winds have entered the central channel as a result of the
meditations explained above, the pressure and the timing of
the breath will be the same for both nostrils during inhalation
and exhalation. Therefore, the irst sign to be noticed is that
we will be breathing evenly through both nostrils. Another
noticeable imbalance in the normal breath is that the inhalation
is stronger than the exhalation, or vice versa. The second sign
that the winds have entered the central channel is that the
pressure of the inhalation will be exactly equal to that of the
exhalation.
There are also two signs indicating that the winds are
abiding in the central channel: (1) our breathing becomes
weaker and weaker, eventually ceasing completely, and (2)
all abdominal movement normally associated with the breath
stops. In the normal course of events, if our breathing were
to stop we would be illed with panic and think that we were
close to death, but if we are able to stop breathing through the
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force of meditation, far from panicking our mind will become
even more conident, comfortable and lexible.
When the winds are abiding within the central channel, we
no longer have to rely upon gross air to survive. Normally
our breathing stops only at the time of death. During sleep
our breathing becomes much more subtle, but it never stops
completely. During completion stage meditation, however,
our breath can come to a complete halt without our becoming
unconscious. After the winds have been abiding in the central
channel for ive or ten minutes, it is possible that they will
escape again into the right and left channels. If this happens,
we shall resume breathing. Air lowing through the nostrils is
an indication that the winds are not abiding within the central
channel.
What are the signs that the winds have dissolved within
the central channel? There are seven winds that must dissolve,
and each has a speciic sign indicating that its dissolution has
been completed. The seven winds are: (1) the earth element
wind; (2) the water element wind; (3) the ire element wind;
(4) the wind element wind; (5) the wind mounted by the mind
of white appearance; (6) the wind mounted by the mind of
red increase; and (7) the wind mounted by the mind of black
near-attainment. The irst four of these winds are gross and
the last three are subtle. These seven winds dissolve gradually
in sequence, and with each dissolution there is a particular
appearance.
The earth element wind supports and increases everything
that is associated with the earth element in our body, such as
our bones, cartilage and ingernails. When this wind dissolves
within the central channel, we perceive an appearance known
as the ‘mirage-like appearance’. This is like the appearance
of shimmering water that is sometimes seen on the loor of
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a desert. There are three levels on which this mirage-like
appearance is perceived, depending upon the degree to which
the earth element wind has dissolved within the central
channel. If the dissolution is only slight the appearance will
be vague, the least clear, and very dificult to recognize; if
the dissolution is almost complete the appearance will be
clearer and more vivid; and if the wind dissolves completely
the appearance will be unmistakably clear and vivid, and
impossible not to perceive. When the earth element wind has
dissolved and the mirage-like appearance has been perceived,
the next wind will dissolve and a different appearance will
manifest. The more completely the irst wind dissolves, the
more vivid will be our perception of this next appearance.
The second wind to dissolve is the water element wind,
which supports and increases the liquid elements of the
body such as the blood. The appearance associated with
this dissolution is called the ‘smoke-like appearance’. Some
texts say that this appearance is like smoke billowing from
a chimney, but this is not the actual appearance. There is an
appearance like billowing smoke, but this occurs just prior to
the actual dissolution of the water element wind. It is not until
this initial appearance has subsided that the actual smoke-like
appearance is perceived. This is like thin wisps of wafting blue
smoke drifting in the air in a slowly swirling haze. As before,
there are three levels on which this appearance is perceived,
depending upon the degree to which the water element wind
has dissolved.
Next comes the dissolution of the ire element wind. This
wind supports and increases the ire element in the body and
is responsible for bodily heat and so forth. The sign that this
wind has dissolved is the ‘sparkling-irelies-like appearance’.
This appearance is sometimes described in terms of an open
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crackling ire seen at night, with the mass of ascending sparks
swirling above the fire resembling the sparkling-fireflieslike appearance. Once again, there are three levels on which
this appearance is perceived, depending upon the degree of
dissolution.
Following this, the wind element wind dissolves. This is the
wind mounted by gross conceptual thought. It powers gross
dualistic appearances and the gross conceptual thoughts that
result from holding these appearances to be true. The sign
that the fourth of the gross winds has started to dissolve is
the ‘candle-lame-like appearance’. This is like the steady, erect
lame of a candle in a draughtless room. Once again there are
three levels on which this appearance is perceived.
When the earth element wind has dissolved within the
central channel and the power of the earth element is thereby
diminished, it may seem as though the water element has
increased because, as the power of the former element
diminishes, the latter is perceived more clearly. For this reason,
the dissolution of the earth element wind into the central
channel is often described as ‘the earth element dissolving
into the water element’. For similar reasons, the subsequent
dissolutions are referred to as ‘the water element dissolving
into the ire element’, ‘the ire element dissolving into the wind
element’, and ‘the wind element dissolving into consciousness’.
After the candle-lame-like appearance, all gross conceptual
minds have ceased functioning because the winds upon which
they are mounted have dissolved and disappeared. When the
meditator has completed the dissolution of the fourth wind,
the irst subtle mind – the mind of white appearance – arises.
With this mind, the meditator perceives an appearance of
whiteness, like the bright light of the moon pervading an
empty sky on a clear autumn night. As before, there are three
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levels of clarity to this appearance depending upon the ability
of the meditator.
At this point the mind is completely free from gross
conceptions, such as the eighty indicative conceptions listed
in Clear Light of Bliss, and the only perception is that of white,
empty space. Ordinary beings also perceive this appearance, for
example, at the time of death, but they are unable to recognize it
or to prolong it because at this stage the ordinary gross level of
mindfulness has ceased to function. However, even though there
is no gross mindfulness at this stage, those who have trained
properly according to the practices of completion stage Tantra are
able to use the subtle mindfulness they have developed during
meditation to recognize and prolong the white appearance,
something that ordinary beings are unable to do.
When the subtle wind mounted by the mind of white appearance dissolves, the mind of red increase arises. This mind and
its mounted wind are more subtle than the mind and wind of
white appearance. The sign that occurs when this mind arises is
an appearance like red sunlight pervading an empty sky. Once
again, there are three levels of clarity to this appearance.
When the subtle wind mounted by the mind of red increase
dissolves, the mind of black near-attainment arises. This mind
and its mounted wind are even more subtle than the mind
and wind of red increase. The mind of black near-attainment
has two levels: the upper part and the lower part. The upper
part of the mind of black near-attainment still possesses subtle
mindfulness, but the lower part has no mindfulness at all. It is
experienced as an overwhelming unconsciousness, like that of
a very deep faint. At this point, we would appear to others to
be dead.
The sign that occurs when the mind of black near-attainment
arises is an appearance like a very black, empty sky. This
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appearance comes with the upper part of the mind of black
near-attainment, immediately after the cessation of the mind
of red increase. As the experience of black near-attainment
progresses and we approach complete unconsciousness,
our subtle mindfulness ceases. The more strongly the wind
dissolves into the central channel, the more deeply unconscious
we become during the mind of black near-attainment; and the
more deeply unconscious we become at this time, the more
vividly we shall perceive the subsequent appearance of clear
light. This is similar to the experience of someone who stays
in a dark room for a long time; the longer he stays there, the
brighter the outside world will appear when he eventually
emerges. Thus, the degree of brightness experienced depends
upon the depth and duration of the previous darkness.
When the subtle wind mounted by the mind of black nearattainment dissolves, the mind of clear light arises. This mind
and its mounted wind are the most subtle of all. The sign that
occurs when this mind arises is an appearance like an autumn
sky at dawn – perfectly clear and empty.
When the mind of clear light arises, a very subtle mindfulness
is restored, according to the meditator’s level of development.
The very subtle wind and the very subtle mind that is mounted
upon it, reside in the indestructible drop in the centre of the
heart channel wheel. Normally the very subtle mind does
not function, but at the time of the clear light it manifests
and becomes active. If we have trained in the techniques of
completion stage Tantra, and have become proicient in them,
we shall be able to perceive and maintain the appearance of clear
light. Eventually, by learning to use the very subtle mindfulness
developed at this stage, we shall be able to focus our very subtle
mind on emptiness, and in this way use the mind of clear light
as the means for attaining a Buddha’s Truth Body.
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Our mind cannot become more subtle than the mind of clear
light. During the irst four appearances (mirage-like, smokelike, sparkling-irelies-like and candle-lame-like) the gross
winds dissolve; and during the next three (white appearance,
red increase and black near-attainment) the subtle winds
dissolve. Then, with the appearance of the clear light, the
very subtle mind and its mounted wind manifest and become
active. These cannot dissolve because they are indestructible.
After death, they simply pass to the next life.
Of the three subtle winds mounted by the three subtle
minds, the least subtle is that mounted by the mind of white
appearance. This mind is called ‘white appearance’ because
all that is perceived is an appearance of white, empty space.
It is also called ‘empty’ because the mind of white appearance
perceives this white space as empty. At this stage the appearance
of white and the appearance of empty are of equal strength.
When the wind mounted by the mind of white appearance
dissolves, the second of the three subtle minds – the mind of red
increase – arises. The mounted wind of this mind is more subtle
than that mounted by the mind of white appearance. This mind
is called ‘red increase’ because the appearance of red space is
increasing. It is also called ‘very empty’ because the appearance
of empty is stronger than that of the previous mind. At this stage
the appearance of empty is stronger than the appearance of red.
When the wind of the mind of red increase dissolves, the
third subtle mind – the mind of black near-attainment – arises.
This mind is called ‘near-attainment’ because the experience of
clear light is now close at hand. It is also called ‘great empty’
because the appearance of empty is even greater than that of
the previous mind.
When the third subtle wind, that mounted by the mind of
black near-attainment, dissolves, the mind of clear light arises.
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This mind is called ‘clear light’ because its nature is very lucid
and clear, and because it perceives an appearance like the light
of an autumn dawn. It is also called ‘all-empty’ because it is
empty of all gross and subtle winds and perceives only an
empty appearance. The object of the mind of clear light is very
similar in appearance to the object perceived by a Superior
being in meditative equipoise on emptiness. Collectively, the
four minds – the mind of white appearance, the mind of red
increase, the mind of black near-attainment and the mind of
clear light – are referred to as the ‘four empties’.
If a completion stage meditator is highly accomplished, he
or she will have a very vivid experience of clear light and will
be able to maintain that experience for a long time. Just how
vivid our experience of clear light is depends upon how vivid
the previous seven appearances were, and this in turn depends
upon how strongly the winds dissolve within the central channel. If the winds dissolve very strongly, the meditator will have
a vivid experience of all the appearances and will be able to
prolong the experience of each one. The longer we are able to
remain with the experience of each appearance, the longer we
shall be able to remain with the clear light itself.
If a person dies a violent death, he or she progresses through
these appearances very rapidly, but if the death is slow or natural the appearances from mirage-like to clear light will be
experienced more gradually and for longer. If we have developed the realization of ultimate example clear light, we shall be
able to have exactly the same experience of these appearances
while in deep concentration that we would have if we were
actually dying. Moreover, if we have trained well in the meditations explained above, we shall be able to meditate on emptiness
throughout all four empties, except during the time spent in the
swoon, or faint, of the mind of black near-attainment.
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To be able to perceive the four empties clearly, exactly as in
the death process, we must be able to dissolve all the winds
into the indestructible drop in the centre of the heart channel
wheel. If they dissolve into another channel wheel of the
central channel, such as the navel channel wheel, we shall
experience similar appearances, but they will be artiicial – not
the true appearances that occur when the winds dissolve into
the indestructible drop, as they do at the time of death.
Although an accomplished meditator can abide within the
clear light for a long time, he or she must eventually move on.
When we arise from the clear light, the irst thing we experience
is the mind of black near-attainment of reverse order. Then
we experience in sequence the mind of red increase, the mind
of white appearance, the eighty gross conceptual minds, the
minds of the candle-lame-like appearance and so forth, as the
minds evolve in an order that is the reverse of that in which
they previously dissolved.
Thus the mind of clear light is the foundation of all other
minds. When the gross and subtle minds and their mounted
winds dissolve into the indestructible drop at the heart, we
remain with only the clear light, and then it is from this clear
light that all the other minds evolve, each one grosser than the
previous one.
These sequences of serial and reverse order are experienced
by ordinary beings during sleep and the initial stages of waking
up, during death and the initial stages of their next rebirth, and
by qualiied completion stage practitioners during meditation.
Because enlightened beings have attained permanent cessation
of the seven winds listed above, they experience only the
very subtle mind of clear light – even their compassion and
bodhichitta are part of their mind of clear light.
180
he Completion Stage of Mahamudra
The term ‘Mahamudra’ is Sanskrit. ‘Maha’ means ‘great’ and
refers to great bliss, and ‘mudra’ here means ‘non-deceptive’
and refers to emptiness. Mahamudra is the union of great bliss
and emptiness. Mahamudra Tantra is deined as a mind of fully
qualiied clear light that experiences great bliss and realizes
emptiness directly. Because emptiness is explained in detail in
Buddha’s Sutra teachings and is a part of Mahamudra, some
texts say that it is Sutra Mahamudra; but actual Mahamudra is
necessarily a realization of Highest Yoga Tantra.
The instructions on Mahamudra Tantra given by the
Wisdom Buddha Je Tsongkhapa Losang Dragpa are superior
to those given by other scholars. As the scholar Gungtang says
in Prayer for the Flourishing of the Doctrine of Je Tsongkhapa:
The emptiness that is explained in Buddha’s Sutra
teachings,
And the great bliss that is explained in Buddha’s
Tantric teachings –
The union of these two is the very essence of Buddha’s
eighty-four thousand teachings.
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Ghantapa
THE COMPLETION STAGE OF MAHAMUDRA
May the doctrine of Conqueror Losang Dragpa lourish
for evermore.
The nature of Mahamudra is a fully qualiied clear light. As
mentioned previously there are many different levels of the
experience of clear light depending upon the degree of dissolution of the inner winds into the central channel. The realization
of great bliss developed in dependence upon the inner winds
entering, abiding and dissolving within the central channel,
prior to attaining the fully qualiied clear light, is the irst of
the ive stages of completion stage. It is called ‘isolated body
and speech of completion stage’, which means that at this stage
the practitioner is free, or isolated, from gross ordinary appearances and conceptions of body and speech.
A fully qualiied clear light mind experiencing great bliss
that realizes emptiness with a generic image is called ‘ultimate example clear light’. This realization is called ‘ultimate’
because it is a fully qualiied clear light. It is called ‘example’
because by using this realization as an example, practitioners
understand that they can accomplish a fully qualiied clear
light mind experiencing great bliss that realizes emptiness
directly, which is called ‘meaning clear light’. The realization
of ultimate example clear light is the second of the ive stages
of completion stage. It is also called ‘isolated mind’ because at
this stage practitioners are free, or isolated, from gross ordinary
appearances and conceptions of mind.
When practitioners arise from the concentration of
ultimate example clear light, their indestructible wind – their
continuously residing body – transforms into the illusory
body. This is a divine body, which in nature is wisdom light
having the aspect of the divine body of an enlightened Deity
such as Heruka. The colour of the illusory body is white. The
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realization of this illusory body is the third of the ive stages
of completion stage, and is called ‘illusory body of the third
stage’.
Practitioners who have attained the illusory body of the third
stage meditate on emptiness again and again with their clear
light mind of bliss until they directly realize the emptiness of all
phenomena. When they accomplish this they attain ‘meaning
clear light’, a fully qualiied clear light mind experiencing great
bliss that realizes the emptiness of all phenomena directly. This
realization of meaning clear light is the fourth of the ive stages
of completion stage, and is called ‘meaning clear light of the
fourth stage’. ‘Meaning clear light’ and ‘Mahamudra Tantra’
are synonymous.
When practitioners arise from the concentration of
meaning clear light they attain the pure illusory body and
completely abandon ordinary conceptions and all other
delusions. When these practitioners manifest meaning clear
light again, they will attain the union of meaning clear light
and pure illusory body. The realization of this union is the
ifth of the ive stages of completion stage, and is called ‘union
of the ifth stage’. From this ifth stage practitioners will attain
actual enlightenment – the Path of No More Learning, or
Buddhahood.
As mentioned above, Mahamudra is the union of great
bliss and emptiness. This means that Mahamudra Tantra is a
single mind that is both bliss and wisdom: it experiences great
bliss and realizes emptiness directly. Mahamudra Tantra is a
collection of merit that is the main cause of a Buddha’s Form
Body, and a collection of wisdom that is the main cause of a
Buddha’s Truth Body, or Dharmakaya. When training in the
meditations of Mahamudra Tantra we are transforming our
continuously residing body and mind into a Buddha’s Form
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THE COMPLETION STAGE OF MAHAMUDRA
Body and Truth Body. Mahamudra Tantra, therefore, gives
inconceivable meaning to our life.
GREAT BLISS
The bliss explained by Buddha in completion stage Tantra
is unequalled among all other types of bliss and is therefore
called ‘great bliss’.
In general, there are many different types of bliss. For
example, ordinary beings sometimes experience some
artificial bliss when they engage in sexual activity, and
qualiied meditators experience a special bliss of suppleness
during deep meditation due to their pure concentration,
especially when they attain tranquil abiding and accomplish
the concentration of the absorption of cessation. Moreover
when Dharma practitioners, through training in higher moral
discipline, higher concentration and higher wisdom, attain
permanent inner peace by abandoning self-grasping, they
experience a profound bliss of inner peace day and night in
life after life. These types of bliss are mentioned in Buddha’s
Sutra teachings. The bliss of completion stage, however, is
quite different from all of these, and is vastly superior. The
bliss of completion stage – great bliss – is a bliss that possesses
two special characteristics: (1) its nature is a bliss arisen from
the melting of the drops inside the central channel; and (2) its
function is to prevent subtle mistaken appearance. No other
form of bliss possesses these two characteristics.
A bliss possessing these two characteristics can be
experienced only by those who are engaged in Highest Yoga
Tantra practice, and by Buddhas. Even many high Bodhisattvas
abiding in Pure Lands have no opportunity to experience it
because, although they have very high realizations, their bodies
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lack the necessary physical conditions for generating bliss
possessing the two characteristics. What are these conditions?
They are the three elements of lesh, skin and blood that come
from the mother; and the three elements of bone, marrow
and sperm that come from the father. These six elements
are essential for accomplishing this bliss, which is the quick
path to Buddhahood. It was because humans possessed these
conditions that Buddha explained Tantric teachings to us in
the irst place. Therefore, from this point of view, we are more
fortunate than many high Bodhisattvas abiding in Pure Lands
who are experiencing great enjoyments. It is said that these
Bodhisattvas pray to be born in the human world so that they
can meet a qualiied Vajrayana Spiritual Guide and practise
the quick path to enlightenment. In Song of the Spring Queen, Je
Tsongkhapa says that without experiencing this bliss there is
no possibility of attaining liberation in this life. It goes without
saying, therefore, that without this bliss there is no possibility
of attaining full enlightenment in this life.
If we develop and maintain this bliss through the practice
of completion stage meditation, we can transform our
attachment into a special method for completing the quick path
to enlightenment. Before we attain this bliss, our attachment
causes us to be reborn in samsara, but once we have this
bliss our attachment causes us to be released from samsara.
Moreover, once we attain this bliss we shall be able to stop
our samsaric rebirths very quickly. The cause of samsara is our
mind of self-grasping. According to the teachings of Highest
Yoga Tantra, self-grasping depends upon its mounted wind,
which lows through the right and left channels. For human
beings, without this wind self-grasping cannot develop. By
gaining the bliss of completion stage, we can gradually reduce
the inner winds of the right and left channels until inally they
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THE COMPLETION STAGE OF MAHAMUDRA
cease completely. When they cease, our self-grasping ceases,
and we experience liberation from samsara.
From this we can see that in Sutra alone there is no
liberation, not to mention full enlightenment. The Highest
Yoga Tantra teachings are Buddha’s ultimate intention, and
the Sutra teachings are like the basic foundation. Although
there are many explanations of how to attain liberation or
nirvana in the Sutra teachings, if we check precisely it is very
dificult to understand from Sutra teachings how nirvana can
be attained. ‘Nirvana’ means ‘the state beyond sorrow’ – the
permanent cessation of self-grasping and its mounted wind
– and its nature is emptiness. If we have never heard Highest
Yoga Tantra teachings and someone asks us precisely how
we attain such a nirvana, we cannot give a perfect answer.
As Je Tsongkhapa said, the inal answer can be found only in
teachings on Highest Yoga Tantra.
The bliss that arises from the melting of drops inside
channels other than the central channel has no special qualities.
When ordinary beings engage in sexual intercourse, for
example, this causes their downward-voiding wind to move
upwards, and this in turn causes their ordinary inner heat, or
tummo, to increase in their right and left channels, principally
in the left. As a result the red drops of the woman and the white
drops of the man melt and low through the left channel. This
lowing of the drops causes them to experience some bliss, but
it is very short-lived and the drops are soon released. Having
had this brief experience of bliss, they are not left with any
good results, except maybe a baby!
By contrast, when a qualiied Tantric practitioner practises
the completion stage meditations that are explained above,
he or she will cause his inner winds to gather, abide and
dissolve within the central channel. This will cause the
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downward-voiding wind located just below the navel to
move upwards. Normally this wind functions to release the
drops, but because it is now rising within the central channel,
the inner heat located at the navel will increase inside the
central channel, thereby causing the drops to melt and low
also inside the central channel.
For the practitioner of a male Deity, the white drop begins
to low down from the crown and, when it reaches the throat,
the practitioner experiences a very special bliss possessing the
two characteristics, or qualities. As the drop lows down to
the heart, the bliss becomes stronger and more qualiied; as
it lows down to the navel, the bliss becomes even stronger
and more qualiied; and inally, as it lows down to the tip
of the sex organ, the practitioner experiences spontaneous
great bliss – the great bliss of completion stage. Because the
downward-voiding wind is reversed, the drop is not released
at this point but lows up again through the central channel,
causing the practitioner to experience even greater bliss. For
such a practitioner, the drops are never released and so they
low up and down the central channel for a very long time,
giving rise to unceasing bliss. The practitioner can cause such
bliss to manifest at any time simply by penetrating the central
channel with concentration.
The stronger this bliss becomes, the more subtle our mind
becomes. Gradually our mind becomes very peaceful, all
conceptual distractions disappear, and we experience very
special suppleness. This mind is ininitely superior to the
experience of tranquil abiding explained in Sutra teachings.
Moreover, as our mind becomes more subtle our subtle
mistaken appearance is reduced, and eventually our mind
becomes the very subtle mind of the clear light of bliss.
This is a very high realization. When the clear light of bliss
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concentrates on emptiness it mixes with emptiness very
easily because subtle mistaken appearance is greatly reduced.
Finally it realizes emptiness directly, and whereas previously
it felt as if our bliss and emptiness were two things, now they
have become one nature. This mind is the union of great bliss
and emptiness, or meaning clear light.
The initial realization of the union of great bliss and
emptiness is the path of seeing of Highest Yoga Tantra.
However, even though it is only the path of seeing, it has the
power to eliminate both the intellectually-formed delusions
and innate delusions together. When the practitioner rises from
this concentration of the union of bliss and emptiness, he or she
has abandoned all the delusions and has attained liberation. At
the same time, he or she has attained the pure illusory body.
From that moment, the practitioner’s body is a vajra body,
which means a deathless body, and he or she will never again
experience ageing, sickness or contaminated rebirth.
As mentioned above, previously when the practitioner was
ordinary, he or she was using a body taken from others – from
his or her parents. We normally say ‘My body, my body’ as if
our present gross body is our real body, but this is not our actual
body because originally it was part of our parents’ bodies.
When a Tantric practitioner attains a vajra body, however, he
has manifested his own body, the continuously residing body.
When he perceives this vajra body he develops the thoughts
‘I’ and ‘mine’. Such a practitioner has now become a deathless
person.
We have had our very subtle body, very subtle speech and
very subtle mind since beginningless time. These are the
continuously residing body, the continuously residing speech
and the continuously residing mind, and they are our actual
Buddha nature. The Buddha nature explained in Sutra is not
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actual Buddha nature because it is a gross object that will cease;
actual Buddha nature is explained only in Highest Yoga Tantra.
Normally, for ordinary beings, the only times their very subtle
body, speech and mind become manifest are during deep
sleep and death. However, even though they are not normally
manifest, our very subtle body is the seed of a Buddha’s body,
our very subtle speech is the seed of a Buddha’s speech, and
our very subtle mind is the seed of a Buddha’s mind.
As already mentioned, the very subtle body is the very
subtle wind upon which the very subtle mind is mounted. This
very subtle body and very subtle mind are always together.
Since they are the same nature, and are never separated, they
are called the ‘indestructible wind’ and the ‘indestructible
mind’. The union of the indestructible wind and mind is
normally located inside the indestructible drop, inside the
central channel at the heart.
Our very subtle mind manifests only when all our inner
winds dissolve within our central channel. When this happens
we gradually experience the eight signs described previously,
as we pass through the different levels of dissolution. Finally,
with the last level of dissolution, the very subtle mind of clear
light becomes manifest. At the same time, the very subtle body
also becomes manifest.
During death, the inner winds dissolve naturally and fully
within the central channel and the very subtle mind and
very subtle body naturally become manifest, but we cannot
recognize them. However, by practising the completion stage
meditations explained above, we can cause our very subtle
mind and body to become manifest during meditation. Until
we attain the realization of illusory body, our very subtle
body will not maintain a deinite shape or colour. When we
attain the union of bliss and emptiness, our very subtle mind
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THE COMPLETION STAGE OF MAHAMUDRA
transforms into meaning clear light and, when we rise from
that meditation, our very subtle body transforms into the vajra
body, or pure illusory body, which does have deinite shape,
colour and so forth.
For example, if we are a Heruka practitioner, whenever
we do self-generation as Heruka with a blue-coloured body,
four faces, twelve arms and so on, we are building the basic
foundation for the illusory body. In the future, when our very
subtle body transforms into the illusory body it will look like
real Heruka. Previously it was merely an imagined body, but
at this time it will become real. This is a very good reason for
now practising generation stage very sincerely.
When we attain the pure illusory body, we shall no longer
think of our gross body as our body. The basis for imputing
our I will have completely changed, and we shall now impute
I in dependence upon our subtle body. When we have reached
this attainment, we shall have become deathless because our
body and mind will never separate. Death is the permanent
separation of body and mind, but the body and mind of those
who have attained the illusory body never separate because
they are indestructible. Finally, our pure illusory body will
transform into Buddha’s Form Body and our union of bliss and
emptiness will transform into Buddha’s Truth Body, and we
shall experience the union of Buddha’s Form Body and Truth
Body, the Union of No More Learning.
In the section on the beneits of bodhichitta in Guide to the
Bodhisattva’s Way of Life Shantideva says:
Just like the supreme elixir that transmutes into gold,
Bodhichitta can transform this impure body we have taken
Into the priceless jewel of a Buddha’s form;
Therefore, irmly maintain bodhichitta.
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Here, ‘elixir’ refers to a special substance that can transform iron
into gold, like that used by great Masters such as Nagarjuna.
This verse says that bodhichitta is a special method that, like
a supreme elixir, has the power to transform our impure body
into a Buddha’s Form Body. How can it do this? According
to Sutra, a practitioner cannot attain enlightenment in one life
but must practise for many lives until inally he or she is born
into Akanishta Pure Land with a pure body. It is only with this
pure body that he or she can attain Buddhahood. There is no
method in either Sutra or Tantra for transforming our present
impure body into a Buddha’s body. This impure body must
eventually die; it must be left behind. Even the holy Buddha
Shakyamuni himself left behind the gross body that came
from his parents when he passed away. Thus, if we ask how
bodhichitta can transform this impure body into a Buddha’s
body, there is no correct answer within Sutra teachings. This
is because, according to Sutra teachings, the gross body is the
real body; the Sutras never mention the continuously residing
body, the vajra body, or the deathless body.
By following the Tantric view, however, we can answer this
question as follows. The body referred to by Shantideva is not
the gross body, but our own body, our continuously residing
body, which is the very subtle wind upon which our very subtle mind is mounted. At present this is an impure body because
it is obscured by delusions and other obstructions, like a blue
sky covered by clouds. These deilements are not the nature of
our subtle body, but are temporary deilements. The method
for transforming this impure body into a Buddha’s Form Body
is not conventional bodhichitta, but the ultimate bodhichitta
of Highest Yoga Tantra, the union of great bliss and emptiness.
This ultimate bodhichitta can directly transform our impure
continuously residing body irst into the pure illusory body
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and inally into the Form Body of a Buddha. Since Shantideva
himself was a sincere Tantric practitioner, we can be certain
that this was his intended meaning.
As mentioned previously, to generate the bliss that possesses
two special qualities we need to gather and dissolve our inner
winds within our central channel. There are two ways to do
this: by penetrating our own body or by penetrating another’s
body.
We begin by penetrating our own body. Here, the term
‘our own body’ refers to our channels, drops and winds, and
‘penetrate’ to concentrating on our central channel, drops and
winds, as already explained. Meditation on the central channel
is called the ‘yoga of the central channel’, meditation on the
drops is called the ‘yoga of the drop’, and meditation on the
winds is called the ‘yoga of wind’.
Penetrating another’s body means relying upon an action
mudra, or consort, and engaging in sexual intercourse.
However, just penetrating another’s body will not bring our
inner winds into our central channel if we do not already have
deep experience of and familiarity with the yoga of the central
channel, the yoga of the drop and the yoga of wind. This means
that we must have gained the experience of dissolving some of
our inner winds within the central channel at the heart channel
wheel and, through this practice, be able to perceive clearly
the eight signs of dissolution from the mirage-like appearance
to the clear light. Only when we have such experience is it the
right time to rely upon an action mudra. This order of practice
is very important.
There are only ten doors through which the winds can enter
the central channel. They are located along the central channel
as follows: (1) the upper tip of the central channel: the point
between the eyebrows; (2) the lower tip: the tip of the sex
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organ; (3) the centre of the crown channel wheel: located in
the apex of the cranium; (4) the centre of the throat channel
wheel: located near the back of the throat; (5) the centre of
the heart channel wheel: located between the two breasts;
(6) the centre of the navel channel wheel; (7) the centre of
the secret place channel wheel: four inger-widths below the
navel; (8) the centre of the jewel channel wheel: located in the
centre of the sex organ, near its tip; (9) the wheel of wind: the
centre of the forehead channel wheel; and (10) the wheel of
ire: the centre of the channel wheel located midway between
the throat and the heart channel wheels. Just as we can enter a
house through any of the doors leading in from the outside, so
the winds can enter the central channel through any of these
ten doors.
The central channel is in reality one single channel, but it
is divided into different sections: the central channel of the
crown channel wheel, the central channel of the throat channel
wheel, the central channel of the heart channel wheel, the central channel of the navel channel wheel, and so forth. Because
there are these different locations, when a practitioner wants
to bring his or her winds into the central channel, he or she
must choose one of these points at which to concentrate.
In Clear Light of Bliss, I explain how to bring the inner
winds into the central channel through the sixth of the ten
doors, the centre of the navel channel wheel. We do this by
visualizing our inner heat, known as tummo, inside our
central channel at the navel in the aspect of a short- AH and
meditating on this. This common practice, known as ‘tummo
meditation’, accords with the tradition of the Six Yogas of
Naropa. It was originally explained in Hevajra Root Tantra
by Buddha Vajradhara, and since then has been used by
many practitioners such as Milarepa and his disciples, and
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later by practitioners in Je Tsongkhapa’s tradition. However,
the instructions of the Ganden Oral Lineage present an
uncommon Mahamudra Tantra practice. This is a very special
practice of Mahamudra that Je Tsongkhapa received directly
from Manjushri, who had received it directly from Buddha.
The lineage of this instruction, the Ganden Oral Lineage,
which is a close lineage, was then passed to Togden Jampel
Gyatso, Baso Chokyi Gyaltsen, Mahasiddha Dharmavajra,
and so on. A full list of the lineage Gurus of this special
instruction is given in Clear Light of Bliss. These Spiritual
Guides are the close lineage Gurus.
In this Mahamudra Tantra practice, we choose the centre of
the heart channel wheel from among the ten doors to bring the
winds into the central channel. This practice is indicated in the
following verse from the sadhana Offering to the Spiritual Guide,
which is the uncommon preliminary practice of Mahamudra
Tantra according to Je Tsongkhapa’s tradition:
I seek your blessings, O Protector, that you may place
your feet
On the centre of the eight-petalled lotus at my heart,
So that I may manifest within this life
The paths of illusory body, clear light, and union.
These words actually reveal that penetrating the central
channel of the heart channel wheel, the indestructible drop
and the indestructible wind – the three yogas explained
above – are meditations on isolated body. These lead to the
meditations on isolated speech and isolated mind, which in
turn lead to the meditations on illusory body, meaning clear
light and union.
Because penetrating and concentrating on the indestructible
drop at the heart is a powerful method for attaining the
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realizations of completion stage, Buddha Vajradhara praises
this method in Ambhidana Tantra, where he says:
Those who meditate on the drop
That always abides at the heart,
Single-pointedly and without change,
Will deinitely attain realizations.
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he Practice of Heruka Body Mandala
THE LINEAGE OF THESE INSTRUCTIONS
As mentioned above, Heruka – also known as Chakrasambara
– is an enlightened Deity of Highest Yoga Tantra who is the
manifestation of the compassion of all Buddhas.
To lead living beings to the supreme happiness of enlightenment, all the Buddhas’ compassion appears in the form of
Heruka who has a blue-coloured body, four faces and twelve
arms, and embraces the consort Vajravarahi. Every part of
Heruka’s body is the nature of wisdom light. Although each
aspect of Heruka’s body has great meaning, as explained in the
commentary to Heruka body mandala practice called Essence
of Vajrayana, at first we should be satisfied with the mere
name Heruka. There is no need to search closely for Heruka’s
body, because like a rainbow the closer we search for it the
more it will disappear. The name Heruka has three parts, ‘He’
‘ru’ and ‘ka’. ‘He’ refers to the emptiness of all phenomena,
‘ru’ refers to great bliss and ‘ka’ refers to the union of great
bliss and emptiness. This indicates that through relying upon
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Heruka with faith we shall attain the realization of the union
of great bliss and emptiness, which is the actual quick path to
enlightenment.
Heruka imputed upon Buddha’s Enjoyment Body is
‘Enjoyment Body Heruka’, and Heruka imputed upon
Buddha’s Emanation Body is ‘Emanation Body Heruka’;
together they are called ‘interpretative Heruka’. Emanation
Body Heruka can be seen even by ordinary beings who
have a special pure mind. When, through training, we are
able to believe spontaneously that our Spiritual Guide is an
emanation of Heruka, we shall see Emanation Body Heruka.
Heruka imputed upon Buddha’s Truth Body, or Dharmakaya,
is called ‘deinitive Heruka’, and always lacks form, shape
and colour. Because its basis of imputation, Buddha’s Truth
Body, is extremely subtle, deinitive Heruka can be seen only
by Buddhas and not by other beings. It is also called ‘wisdom
being Buddha Heruka’. Deinitive Heruka pervades the entire
universe; there is no single place where deinitive Heruka is
absent.
Buddha expounded extensive, middling and condensed
Heruka root Tantras. The Condensed Root Tantra and many of
its commentaries written by Indian Buddhist Tantric scholars,
including the great Yogis Ghantapa and Naropa, were translated from Sanskrit into Tibetan. Later, many Tibetan Tantric
scholars, including the great translator Marpa, the founder of
the Kagyu tradition, and Je Tsongkhapa, the founder of the
Gelug tradition, wrote commentaries to the practice of Heruka
Tantra. In this present age, the great Lama Je Phabongkhapa
wrote special commentaries to the practices of Heruka body
mandala and Vajrayogini. He also wrote many profound ritual
prayers, or sadhanas, and gave extensive teachings on these.
It is through the great kindness of Je Phabongkhapa and his
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heart disciple, Dorjechang Trijang Rinpoche, that even in these
times of extreme spiritual degeneration the profound practices
of Heruka body mandala and Vajrayogini are lourishing both
in the East and the West.
Je Phabongkhapa had direct visions of Heruka. At one time
Heruka told him: ‘For seven generations, the practitioners of
your instructions of Heruka and Vajrayogini will have the
special good fortune to accomplish easily the realizations of
these practices.’ Whenever I contemplate this I think ‘How
fortunate we are’. It is said that as the general level of spirituality decreases, it becomes increasingly dificult for practitioners
to receive the blessings of other Deities, such as Guhyasamaja
and Yamantaka; but the opposite is the case with Heruka and
Vajrayogini – the more times degenerate the more easily practitioners can receive their blessings. This is because the people of
this world have a special karmic connection with Heruka and
Vajrayogini, and the emanations of Heruka and Vajrayogini
and their places – the Pure Lands of Keajra – pervade everywhere throughout this world.
The irst lineage holder of these instructions on Heruka
body mandala is the great Yogi Ghantapa. He received the
empowerment and instructions of Heruka body mandala direct
from Heruka. Ghantapa lived deep in a forest in Odivisha,
(present-day Orissa), in India, where he engaged in intensive
meditation on Heruka and Vajrayogini. Since he was living in
such an isolated place his diet was poor and his body became
emaciated. One day the king of Odivisha was out hunting in
the forest when he came across Ghantapa. Seeing how thin
and weak he was, the king asked Ghantapa why he lived in
the forest on such a poor diet, and encouraged him to return
with him to the city where he would give him food and shelter.
Ghantapa replied that just as a great elephant could not be led
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from the forest by a ine thread, so he could not be tempted to
leave the forest by the riches of a king. Angered by Ghantapa’s
refusal, the king returned to his palace threatening revenge.
Such was the king’s anger that he summoned a number of
women from the city and told them about the arrogant monk
in the forest. He offered great wealth to any one of them who
could seduce him and force him to break his vows of celibacy.
One woman, a wine-seller, boasted that she could do this
and she set out for the forest to look for Ghantapa. When
eventually she found him she asked if she could become his
servant. Ghantapa had no need of a servant, but he realized
that they had a strong relationship from previous lives and so
he allowed her to stay. Ghantapa gave her spiritual instructions
and empowerments and they engaged sincerely in meditation.
After twelve years they both attained the Union of No More
Learning, full enlightenment.
One day Ghantapa and the former wine-seller decided to
encourage the people of the city to develop a greater interest in Dharma. Accordingly, the woman returned to the king
and reported that she had seduced the monk. At irst the king
doubted the truth of her story, but when she explained that she
and Ghantapa now had two children, a son and a daughter,
the king was delighted with the news and told her to bring
Ghantapa to the city on a particular day. He then issued a
proclamation disparaging Ghantapa, and ordered his subjects
to assemble on the appointed day to insult and humiliate the
monk.
When the day came, Ghantapa and the woman left the
forest with their children, the son on Ghantapa’s right and the
daughter on his left. As they entered the city Ghantapa was
walking as if he were drunk, holding a bowl into which the
woman was pouring wine. All the people who had gathered
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laughed and jeered, hurling abuse and insults at him. ‘Long
ago’, they taunted him, ‘our king invited you to the city but
you arrogantly refused his invitation. Now you come drunk
and with a wine-seller. What a bad example of a Buddhist
and a monk!’ When they had inished, Ghantapa appeared to
become angry and threw his bowl to the ground. The bowl
sank into the earth, splitting the ground and causing a spring
of water to appear. Ghantapa immediately transformed into
Heruka and the woman into Vajrayogini. The boy transformed
into a vajra which Ghantapa held in his right hand, and the
girl into a bell which he held in his left hand. Ghantapa and his
consort then embraced and lew into the sky.
The people were astonished and immediately developed
deep regret for their disrespect. They prostrated to Ghantapa,
begging him and the emanation of Vajrayogini to return.
Ghantapa and his consort refused, but told the people that
if their regret was sincere they should make confession to
Mahakaruna, the embodiment of Buddha’s great compassion.
Through the deep remorse of the people of Odivisha and the
force of their prayers a statue of Mahakaruna arose from the
spring water. The people of Odivisha became very devoted
Dharma practitioners and many of them gained realizations.
The statue of Mahakaruna can still be seen today.
Because of Ghantapa’s pure practice of Heruka and
Vajrayogini in the forest, Vajrayogini saw that it was the right
time for him to receive her blessings and so she manifested as
the wine-seller. Through living with her Ghantapa attained the
state of full enlightenment.
In this modern age, people ind it dificult to believe that
human beings are able to ly, but such things were very common in ancient times when people had strong potentialities for
spiritual attainments. Milarepa, who was a great practitioner of
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Heruka and Vajrayogini, at one time – as explained in his life
story – told a large assembly of his disciples how he had gained
the ability to fly. Through various methods, including his
tummo meditation, he had released the central channel knots
at his heart, navel and below the navel, and because of this he
developed a very special physical suppleness that pervaded his
body. This made his body extremely light, like a soft feather. At
irst he could only levitate but gradually he was able to move
through space until inally he was able to ly like an eagle. One
day Milarepa was lying above a small town called Longda,
near where a father and son were ploughing a ield. The son
irst saw Milarepa lying and said, ‘Father, look in the sky.
There’s a man lying!’ The father looked carefully and, realizing
that it was Milarepa, told his son, ‘This man is called Milarepa.
He is an evil person who killed many people through his black
magic.’ However, the son deeply appreciated what he saw and
said ‘There is no sight more amazing than a human being lying through the sky.’ Milarepa attained the enlightened state of
Buddha Heruka through the practice of Heruka body mandala,
and many of his disciples including Rechungpa attained the
Pure Land of Keajra without abandoning their human body.
We can understand this from his collection of songs called ‘gur
bum’ in Tibetan. Shortly before he intended passing away,
Milarepa gave advice to his assembled disciples, inally saying
‘We will meet in the Pure Land of Keajra.’ The actual method
to attain the Pure Land of Keajra is qualiied meditation on the
self-generation of Heruka and Vajrayogini.
Milarepa and his root Guru Marpa, and Je Tsongkhapa and
his heart disciple Khedrubje have a special connection. It is said
that Marpa is one of Je Tsongkhapa’s former incarnations and
Milarepa is one of Khedrubje’s former incarnations. Through
this we can understand the great kindness of these holy beings
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who, by changing their physical aspect, continually beneit the
people of this world from generation to generation.
The Pure Land of Keajra is the Pure Land of Heruka. It is
sometimes also called ‘Akanishta’, which means the ‘Highest’
Pure Land, and ‘Dakini Land’ indicating that it is also the Pure
Land of Vajrayogini. In general, when an ordinary person
takes rebirth in any of the Pure Lands of Buddha he or she
is permanently freed from all sufferings and will never again
take rebirth within samsara, a contaminated rebirth. Therefore
taking rebirth in the Pure Land of Buddha is like attaining
liberation or nirvana. For this reason, when an ordinary
person takes rebirth in a Pure Land of Buddha through the
practice of transference of consciousness, or powa, it is called
‘attaining enlightenment in one moment’. However, this is only
similar to the attainment of enlightenment and is not the actual
attainment.
The Pure Land of Keajra is unequalled among all the other
Pure Lands of Buddhas. Living beings who abide in other
Pure Lands, such as Sukhavati and Tushita, do not have the
opportunity to practise completion stage Tantra. Because their
bodies have no channels, drops and inner ire (tummo), they are
unable to meditate on the central channel, drops and inner ire.
However, living beings who dwell in the Pure Land of Keajra
have bodies that possess channels, drops and inner ire. These
have the nature of light, but they function in the same way as
the channels, drops and inner ire of human beings. They can
therefore meditate on the central channel, indestructible drop
and indestructible wind and mind, and in this way they can
accomplish the realizations of meaning clear light and pure
illusory body, and attain enlightenment within one single life.
This is the special good fortune of living beings who dwell in
the Pure Land of Keajra. This shows the special power of the
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instructions on the practices of Heruka and Vajrayogini. It is
through practising these instructions that living beings who
dwell in the Pure Land of Keajra have this special good fortune.
The extensive sadhana of Heruka body mandala lists thirtynine lineage holder Teachers, or ‘lineage Gurus’, from Ghantapa
to Heruka Losang Yeshe, Trijang Rinpoche. All these spiritual
Teachers and many of their disciples attained the realization of
Highest Yoga Tantra through practising Heruka body mandala
and Vajrayogini. We should therefore engage with conidence in
our practice of Heruka body mandala and Vajrayogini.
WHAT IS THE HERUKA BODY MANDALA?
In this context, ‘body’ refers to our subtle body – our channels
and drops; and ‘mandala’ means an assembly of enlightened
Deities. Our channels and drops are called our ‘subtle
body’ because they are parts of our body that are not easy
to recognize. The Heruka body mandala is the assembly of
the imagined Heruka (ourself) with the consort Vajravarahi
(who is the same as Vajrayogini) – the nature of our puriied
indestructible white and red drops – and our imagined retinue
(the Heroes and Heroines) – the nature of our puriied channels
and drops – in the imagined Pure Land of Keajra. Generally,
‘mandala’ refers to either a ‘supporting’ mandala, which means
the world, environment and palace of an enlightened Deity or
Deities, or a ‘supported’ mandala, which means an assembly
of enlightened Deities.
The purpose of meditating on Heruka body mandala is
to receive the powerful blessings of Buddha Heruka and
his retinue within our channels and drops. Through these
blessings we can be freed from any obstacles within our
channels and drops, and our meditation on the central channel,
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indestructible drop and indestructible wind and mind will be
successful. Because of this we shall easily develop and make
progress in the ive stages of completion stage mentioned
above, and through this fulil our inal goal.
The explanation of how to generate the Heruka body
mandala and how to meditate on it given in this book is simple
but presents the very essence. I have prepared this for those
who are unable to practise the extensive sadhana of Heruka
body mandala. In this practice, we need to visualize thirty-six
channels of our body, which are the twenty-four channels of the
twenty-four places of our body, the four channels of our heart
channel wheel, and the eight channels of our eight sense doors.
We also visualize the white indestructible drop and the red
indestructible drop at our heart, and the twenty-four drops that
are contained within the twenty-four channels of the twentyfour places of our body. We then need to receive the powerful
blessings of Heruka Father and Mother and his retinue of
Heroes and Heroines within these channels and drops.
The twenty-four places of our body represent the twentyfour places of Heruka in the world. The twenty-four places of
our body are: (1) the hairline; (2) the crown; (3) the right ear; (4)
the back of the neck; (5) the left ear; (6) the point between the
eyebrows; (7) the two eyes; (8) the two shoulders; (9) the two
armpits; (10) the two breasts; (11) the navel; (12) the tip of the
nose; (13) the mouth; (14) the throat; (15) the heart; (16) the two
testicles; (17) the tip of the sex organ; (18) the anus; (19) the two
thighs; (20) the two calves; (21) the eight ingers and eight toes;
(22) the tops of the feet; (23) the two thumbs and two big toes;
and (24) the two knees.
When we meditate on Heruka body mandala we meditate
on ourself as Heruka with our consort Vajravarahi, surrounded
in concentric circles by the four Yoginis of the great bliss wheel,
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the eight Heroes and Heroines of the heart wheel, the eight
Heroes and Heroines of the speech wheel, the eight Heroes
and Heroines of the body wheel, and the eight Heroines
of the commitment wheel. In this way we meditate on the
assembly of sixty-two enlightened Deities. Ourself Heruka,
and Vajravarahi, are included within the Deities of the great
bliss wheel, and are the principal Deities.
While meditating on the assembly of sixty-two enlightened
Deities we should believe that ourself Heruka is the nature
of our puriied indestructible white drop and Vajravarahi is
the nature of our puriied indestructible red drop. The four
Yoginis of the great bliss wheel are the nature of our puriied
four channels in the cardinal directions of the heart channel
wheel. The twenty-four Heroines of the heart, speech and body
wheels are the nature of our puriied twenty-four channels of
the twenty-four places of our body. The twenty-four Heroes
of the heart, speech and body wheels are the nature of our
purified twenty-four drops that are contained inside the
twenty-four channels of the twenty-four places of our body.
The eight Heroines of the commitment wheel are the nature of
our puriied eight channels of the eight sense doors.
If we continually meditate in this way on this assembly
of the sixty-two enlightened Deities every day with strong
faith and conviction, we shall deinitely receive the powerful
blessings of these enlightened Deities within our channels
and drops, we shall be free from obstacles of the channels and
drops, and our meditations on completion stage will therefore
be effective. This means that through these meditations we
shall attain meaning clear light, pure illusory body and inally
enlightenment in this short life.
Many completion stage practitioners experience dificulties
in gathering and dissolving their inner winds into the central
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channel through meditation, and in developing qualiied clear
light and bliss. This is because their channels and drops do
not function correctly, and may even give rise to physical pain.
Through sincerely practising the meditations on Heruka body
mandala we shall be freed from all these obstacles.
Within the sixty-two enlightened Deities, Heruka and
Vajravarahi are the principal and the others are their retinue.
The four Yoginis of the great bliss wheel are Dakini, Lama,
Khandarohi and Rupini; and their function is to bestow
upon us spontaneous great bliss. The eight Heroes and
Heroines of the heart wheel are Khandakapala and Partzandi,
Mahakankala and Tzändriakiya, Kankala and Parbhawatiya,
Vikatadamshtri and Mahanasa, Suraberi and Biramatiya,
Amitabha and Karwariya, Vajraprabha and Lamkeshöriya,
Vajradeha and Drumatzaya; and their function is to bestow
upon us the attainment of Buddha’s holy mind. The eight
Heroes and Heroines of the speech wheel are Ankuraka and
Airawatiya, Vajrajatila and Mahabhairawi, Mahavira and
Bayubega, Vajrahumkara and Surabhakiya, Subhadra and
Shamadewi, Vajrabhadra and Suwatre, Mahabhairawa and
Hayakarne, Virupaksha and Khaganane; and their function is
to bestow upon us the attainment of Buddha’s holy speech. The
eight Heroes and Heroines of the body wheel are Mahabala
and Tzatrabega, Ratnavajra and Khandarohi, Hayagriva and
Shaundini, Akashagarbha and Tzatrawarmini, Shri Heruka
and Subira, Pämanarteshvara and Mahabala, Vairochana and
Tzatrawartini, Vajrasattva and Mahabire; and their function is
to bestow upon us the attainment of Buddha’s holy body. Our
present body, speech and mind are contaminated by the poison
of delusions, so they act as the basis of all suffering. We therefore
need to attain a Buddha’s holy body, speech and mind. The
eight Heroines of the commitment wheel are Kakase, Ulukase,
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Shönase, Shukarase, Yamadhathi, Yamaduti, Yamadangtrini
and Yamamatani; and their function and commitment is to
pacify our obstacles. The Heroes and Heroines of the ive
wheels are so called because they are victorious over the
enemies of ordinary appearance and conceptions.
THE PRELIMINARY PRACTICES
The following explanation of how to practise Heruka body
mandala is based on the instructions of the Ganden Oral
Lineage. It is simple but very profound. Following these
instructions we should practise Heruka body mandala in
conjunction with the sadhana, or ritual prayer, called The Yoga
of Buddha Heruka (see Appendix V). As this sadhana implies,
there are six stages to practising Heruka body mandala: 1.
training in going for refuge; 2. training in renunciation; 3. training in bodhichitta; 4. training in Guru yoga; 5. training in the
generation stage of Heruka body mandala, and 6. training in
completion stage.
The irst four trainings are preliminary practices and the
remaining two are the actual practice of Heruka body mandala.
Just as a vehicle depends upon its four wheels, so the precious
vehicle of Heruka body mandala practice depends upon the
four wheels of training in going for refuge, renunciation,
bodhichitta and Guru yoga. Training in going for refuge is the
gateway through which we enter Buddhism; renunciation is
the gateway through which we enter the path to liberation;
bodhichitta is the gateway through which we enter the path to
enlightenment; and Guru yoga is the gateway through which
the blessings of all the Buddhas will enter our mind. These are
the basic foundations that make the practice of Heruka body
mandala effective.
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TRAINING IN GOING FOR REFUGE
In this training we should remember and contemplate the
following, as explained in Part One:
I want to protect and liberate myself permanently from
the sufferings of this life and countless future lives. I can
accomplish this only by receiving Buddha’s blessings, putting
Dharma into practice and receiving help from Sangha – the
supreme spiritual friends.
Thinking deeply in this way, we first make the strong
determination and then the promise to seek refuge sincerely in
Buddha, Dharma and Sangha throughout our life. We should
meditate on this determination every day and maintain our
promise continually for the rest of our life. As the principal
commitment of our refuge vow we should always apply
effort to receive Buddha’s blessings, to put Dharma into
practice and to receive help from Sangha, our pure spiritual
friends including our Spiritual Teacher. This is how we go
for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Through this we
shall accomplish our aim – permanent liberation from all
the sufferings of this life and countless future lives, the real
meaning of our human life.
To maintain our promise to go for refuge to Buddha, Dharma
and Sangha throughout our life, and so that we and all living
beings may receive Buddha’s blessings and protection, we
recite the following refuge prayer from the sadhana The Yoga of
Buddha Heruka every day with strong faith:
I and all sentient beings, until we achieve enlightenment,
Go for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
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TRAINING IN RENUNCIATION
In this training we remember and contemplate how we shall
experience unbearable suffering in our countless future lives,
as explained in detail in Part One. Then, from the depths of our
heart, we should think:
There is no beneit in denying the sufferings of future lives;
when they actually descend upon me it will be too late to
protect myself from them. Therefore I deinitely need to prepare
protection now, while I have this human life that gives me the
opportunity to liberate myself permanently from the sufferings
of my countless future lives. If I do not apply effort to accomplish
this, but allow my human life to become empty of meaning,
there is no greater deception and no greater foolishness. I must
put effort now into liberating myself permanently from the
sufferings of my countless future lives.
We meditate on this determination continually until we
develop the spontaneous wish to liberate ourself permanently
from the sufferings of countless future lives.
TRAINING IN BODHICHITTA
In this training we should maintain the practice of the ive
stages of training in bodhichitta that was explained in detail in
Part One. In conclusion, we think:
I should not be content with seeking merely my own liberation;
I must consider the welfare of other living beings. They are all
my mothers, and they are drowning in the vast and deep ocean
of samsara, experiencing unbearable suffering in life after life,
without end. While I am just one single person, other living
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beings are countless in number; the happiness and freedom of
others are therefore far more important than my own. I cannot
bear that my countless mothers are experiencing unbearable
physical suffering and mental pain in this life and in their
countless future lives; I must permanently liberate them all
from their suffering, and for this purpose I will make great
effort to become an enlightened Buddha.
We should maintain this supreme good heart of bodhichitta,
continually day and night. All our meditations on generation
and completion stages should be motivated by this supreme
good heart, and we should always remember that all our meditations on generation and completion stages are methods to
fulil our bodhichitta wishes. To generate bodhichitta we recite
from the sadhana:
Through the virtues I collect by giving and other perfections,
May I become a Buddha for the beneit of all.
TRAINING IN GURU YOGA
The term ‘Guru’ is a Sanskrit word that means ‘Spiritual
Guide’. A Spiritual Guide can be eastern, western, male,
female, ordained or lay. Our Spiritual Guide is any Spiritual
Teacher who leads us into correct paths to liberation and
enlightenment by giving teachings and showing a good
example. Guru yoga is a special training in relying upon
our Spiritual Guide; in this context, ‘yoga’ means training
in spiritual paths, not physical training. The sadhana The
Yoga of Buddha Heruka in Appendix V presents the Guru
yoga of Je Tsongkhapa inseparable from our root Guru,
Buddha Shakyamuni and Heruka, who is known as Guru
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Sumati Buddha Heruka. In this context, ‘root Guru’ refers
to our Spiritual Guide from whom we have received the
instructions, transmission and empowerment of Heruka body
mandala. The name Guru Sumati Buddha Heruka implies
that our root Guru, Je Tsongkhapa (or Sumati Kirti, Sanskrit
for Je Tsongkhapa’s ordained name), Buddha Shakyamuni and
Heruka are one person but have different aspects. We need
to maintain this recognition at all times for our practice of
Heruka body mandala to be effective. To beneit each and
every living being directly every day, definitive Heruka
emanated Buddha Shakyamuni, who in turn emanated Je
Tsongkhapa, who in turn emanated our Spiritual Guide; they
are like one actor showing different aspects at different times.
The purpose of this Guru yoga practice is:
(1) To accumulate a great collection of merit, or good
fortune. Because of our lack of merit it is dificult
for us to fulil our wishes and we experience many
obstacles to accomplishing spiritual attainments.
(2) To purify negativity, or non-virtuous actions.
When we purify the countless potentialities of our
non-virtuous actions we purify our mind. As mentioned above, by purifying our mind we shall attain
full enlightenment.
(3) To receive the powerful blessings of all the Buddhas.
We have the seed of the realizations of Highest
Yoga Tantra in general and Heruka body mandala
in particular, which is part of our Buddha nature.
However, without receiving the powerful blessings
of all Buddhas through our Spiritual Guide, who is
their representative, our seed of the realization of
Highest Yoga Tantra will never ripen.
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(4) To generate the experience of great bliss and emptiness. This practice is a powerful method to ripen
our seed of the realization of Mahamudra Tantra.
Through accomplishing these four necessary conditions we
can easily make progress in the main practice of this sadhana,
which is training in generation and completion stages.
Je Sherab Senge, one of Je Tsongkhapa’s heart disciples,
received the special instructions of the Guru yoga of Je
Tsongkhapa from Je Tsongkhapa himself. This is called the
‘Guru yoga of the Segyu lineage’, now known as the Guru yoga
of Heart Jewel. The instructions of the Guru yoga of Heart Jewel
were originally only given as oral instructions. Later the great
Yogi Palden Sangpo composed a sadhana based on these oral
instructions, and since then it has been practised publicly. The
Guru yoga of Heart Jewel can be practised either according to
Sutra tradition or according to Highest Yoga Tantra tradition.
The sadhana, The Yoga of Buddha Heruka, presents the practice of
the Guru yoga of Heart Jewel according to Highest Yoga Tantra.
Those who have the commitment to practise Heart Jewel can
add prayers to Dorje Shugden just before the dedication verses
of The Yoga of Buddha Heruka.
The practice of this Guru yoga has ive stages: 1. visualization
and meditation; 2. inviting the wisdom beings; 3. the practice of
the seven limbs; 4. making special requests; and 5. generating
the experience of great bliss and emptiness.
VISUALIZATION AND MEDITATION
We recite the following from the sadhana, while concentrating
on its meaning:
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THE PRACTICE OF HERUKA BODY MANDALA
In the space before me is Guru Sumati Buddha Heruka –
Je Tsongkhapa inseparable from my root Guru, Buddha
Shakyamuni and Heruka – surrounded by all the Buddhas of
the ten directions.
While we visualize this we think and contemplate:
Je Tsongkhapa attained enlightenment to lead all living
beings to the liberating path through his emanations. Who
is his emanation now leading me to the liberating path? It
is deinitely my Spiritual Guide from whom I have received
instructions, transmission and empowerment of Heruka body
mandala, and who shows a qualiied example.
Thinking in this way we should strongly believe that our
Spiritual Guide is an emanation of Je Tsongkhapa, and then
meditate on this belief single-pointedly. We should practise this
meditation continually.
INVITING THE WISDOM BEINGS
We recite the following verse from the sadhana, while concentrating on its meaning:
From the heart of the Protector of the hundreds of Deities
of the Joyful Land,
To the peak of a cloud which is like a cluster of fresh,
white curd,
All-knowing Losang Dragpa, King of the Dharma,
Please come to this place together with your Sons.
The ‘Protector of the hundreds of Deities of the Joyful Land’
refers to Buddha Maitreya. We believe that wisdom being
Je Tsongkhapa together with his retinue dissolves into the
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assembly of Guru Sumati Buddha Heruka visualized in front
of us, and they become non-dual.
We also recite the following request from the sadhana:
In the space before me on a lion throne, lotus and moon,
The venerable Gurus smile with delight.
O Supreme Field of Merit for my mind of faith,
Please remain for a hundred aeons to spread the doctrine.
THE PRACTICE OF THE SEVEN LIMBS
With strong faith in our Spiritual Guide, Guru Sumati Buddha
Heruka, we should sincerely engage every day in the practice
of the seven limbs. These are: 1. prostration; 2. offerings; 3.
puriication; 4. rejoicing; 5. requesting the turning of the Wheel
of Dharma; 6. beseeching the Spiritual Guides to remain for a
long time; and 7. dedication. In this context, the actual practice
of Heruka body mandala is like the main body, and the seven
limbs are like the limbs that support the main body. Just as our
body is able to function in dependence upon its limbs, so the
effectiveness of our training in Heruka body mandala depends
upon our practice of the seven limbs.
PROSTRATION
Making prostrations to enlightened beings is a powerful
method for purifying negative karma, sickness and obstacles,
and for increasing our merit, our happiness and our Dharma
realizations. Temporarily prostrations improve our physical
health and make our mind happy, and ultimately they cause
us to attain a Buddha’s Form Body. Generating faith in the
holy beings is mental prostration, reciting praises to them is
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verbal prostration, and showing respect to them with our body
is physical prostration. We can make physical prostrations by
respectfully prostrating our entire body on the ground; by
respectfully touching our knees, palms and forehead to the
ground; or by respectfully placing our palms together at the
level of our heart.
To make powerful prostrations to the holy beings, we
imagine that from every pore of our body we emanate another
body, and from every pore of these bodies we emanate yet more
bodies, until our emanated bodies ill the entire world. Then,
while reciting the following verse, we strongly believe that
all these countless bodies make prostrations to Guru Sumati
Buddha Heruka and all the Buddhas of the ten directions:
Your mind of wisdom realizes the full extent of objects of
knowledge,
Your eloquent speech is the ear-ornament of the fortunate,
Your beautiful body is ablaze with the glory of renown,
I prostrate to you, whom to see, to hear and to remember is so
meaningful.
We should do this practice of prostration every day. As a
preliminary guide for our actual practice of Heruka body
mandala, we can collect a hundred thousand prostrations,
either throughout our daily life or in retreat.
OFFERINGS
From the depths of our heart we make the following
determination:
To liberate all living beings from suffering permanently
I make excellent offerings to the supreme holy being
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Guru Sumati Buddha Heruka,
And to all the other holy beings.
However many lowers and fruits there are,
And all the different types of medicine;
All the jewels there are in the world,
And all the pure, refreshing waters;
Mountains of jewels, forest groves,
And quiet and joyful places;
Heavenly trees adorned with lowers,
And trees whose branches hang with delicious fruits;
Scents that come from the celestial realms,
Incense, wish-granting trees, and jewelled trees;
Harvests that need no cultivation,
And all ornaments that are suitable to be offered;
Lakes and pools adorned with lotuses,
And the beautiful call of wild geese;
Everything that is unowned
Throughout all worlds as extensive as space –
Holding these in my mind, I offer them well
To you, the supreme beings, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
O Compassionate Ones, holy objects of offering,
Think of me kindly and accept what I offer.
Eternally I will offer all my bodies
To you, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Out of respect, I will become your servant;
Please accept me, O Supreme Heroes.
While we imagine making all of these offerings, we can recite
the following short verse:
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Pleasing water offerings, various lowers,
Sweet-smelling incense, lights, scented water and so forth,
A vast cloud of offerings both set out and imagined,
I offer to you, O Supreme Field of Merit.
In Buddhism an offering is anything that delights the
enlightened beings. Our main offering is our practice of
compassion, as this gives enlightened beings the greatest
delight. Therefore, our motivation for making offerings should
be compassion for all living beings – our sincere wish to liberate
all living beings from suffering permanently.
In summary, we should always regard all our daily
Dharma practices as unsurpassed offerings to Guru Sumati
Buddha Heruka – the synthesis of our Spiritual Guide, Je
Tsongkhapa, Buddha Shakyamuni and Heruka – and to all
the other enlightened beings. In this way we can accumulate
immeasurable merit, or good fortune.
PURIFICATION
Puriication is the supreme method to prevent future suffering
and to remove obstacles to our Dharma practice, especially
to the practice of Heruka body mandala. It makes our actions
pure so that we ourselves become pure. Since our body is not
our self, cleaning our body alone is not enough; we need to
clean our self through puriication practice.
What is it that we need to purify? We need to purify our
non-virtuous and inappropriate actions. In our countless
previous lives we performed many actions that caused other
living beings to experience suffering and problems and, as
a result of these non-virtuous actions, we now experience
suffering and many different problems. Although the actions
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themselves have ceased, their potential to give rise to suffering
and problems still remains on our subtle consciousness, and
will remain for life after life until it ripens. Therefore, on
our root consciousness there are ininite negative potentials,
which function to lead us into wrong paths and cause us to
experience endless suffering. These are serious obstacles to
our Dharma practice in general, and to our practice of Heruka
body mandala in particular.
We can understand how our non-virtuous potentials are the
main obstacle to our Dharma practice through contemplating
the following:
In our previous lives we performed actions that rejected
holy Dharma, and denied rebirth, karma and the attainment
of liberation and enlightenment. As a result of this we now
experience: (1) dificulties in developing the intention to
practise Dharma, (2) dificulties in believing Dharma teachings, such as karma, and (3) dificulties in making progress in
our Dharma practice.
Puriication practice is very simple. All we need to do is contemplate the great disadvantages of the non-virtuous actions
that we have performed since beginningless time. Then with
strong regret we confess all these non-virtuous actions, as
well as transgressions of our vows and commitments, to Guru
Sumati Buddha Heruka, and to all the other holy beings, while
reciting the following verse:
Whatever non-virtues of body, speech and mind
I have accumulated since time without beginning,
Especially transgressions of my three vows,
With great remorse I confess each one from the depths of my
heart.
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We should repeat this practice many times. At the end of
each session we make a strong determination not to perform
any non-virtuous action or to transgress any of our vows and
commitments. As the great preliminary guide for our Heruka
body mandala practice, we can collect a hundred thousand
recitations of this verse – concentrating strongly on its meaning.
Alternatively we can collect a hundred thousand recitations of
Vajrasattva’s mantra.
REJOICING
We should learn to rejoice in others’ virtuous actions, happiness,
good qualities and good fortune. Normally we do the opposite
and develop jealousy. Jealousy is very harmful for individuals
and society. In an instant it can destroy our own and others’
happiness and harmony, and lead to ighting, or even war. In
everyday life we can see how people react with jealousy in
regard to relationships, business, position and religious views,
causing suffering to so many people. Our problems of jealousy
can be solved simply by learning to rejoice in others’ happiness
and goodness. This can be practised even while we are lying
down, relaxing, or going about our daily activities.
With very little effort we can accumulate immeasurable
good fortune simply by rejoicing in the excellent deeds of
Buddhas such as Je Tsongkhapa. We can do this while reciting
the following verse with strong concentration on the meaning:
In this degenerate age you strove for much learning and
accomplishment.
Abandoning the eight worldly concerns, you made your
freedom and endowment meaningful.
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THE PRACTICE OF HERUKA BODY MANDALA
O Protector, from the very depths of my heart,
I rejoice in the great wave of your deeds.
REQUESTING THE TURNING OF THE
WHEEL OF DHARMA
We begin this practice by thinking:
I have the opportunity to listen to, understand and practise
holy Dharma, and therefore the good fortune to enter, make
progress on and complete the path to enlightenment. How
wonderful it would be if all other living beings could enjoy the
same good fortune!
From the depths of our heart we then repeatedly request
Guru Sumati Buddha Heruka to emanate countless Spiritual
Teachers to teach holy Dharma and guide all living beings to
the state of ultimate happiness, enlightenment, while reciting
the following verse:
From the billowing clouds of wisdom and compassion
In the space of your Truth Body, O Venerable and holy Gurus,
Please send down a rain of vast and profound Dharma
Appropriate to the disciples of this world.
BESEECHING THE SPIRITUAL GUIDES
TO REMAIN FOR A LONG TIME
In this practice we think:
If the Spiritual Teachers who have been emanated by holy
beings remain in this world for many aeons, all living beings
will gradually have the opportunity to listen to, understand
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and practise Dharma. In this way, eventually all living beings
without exception will attain enlightenment.
We then request Guru Sumati Buddha Heruka that his emanations who are teaching Dharma will remain in this world until
samsara ends, while reciting the following verse:
From your actual deathless body, born from meaning clear
light,
Please send countless emanations throughout the world
To spread the oral lineage of the Ganden doctrine;
And may they remain for a very long time.
DEDICATION
Whenever we perform any virtuous actions, we should
dedicate them to the attainment of enlightenment and to the
lourishing of Buddha’s doctrine, which beneits all living
beings. The great Master Atisha said:
Dedicate your virtues throughout the day and the night,
and always watch your mind.
If we dedicate our virtuous actions in this way, their
potentialities will never be destroyed by anger and wrong
views but instead will increase in strength. The practice of
dedication makes our virtuous actions effective. We can engage
in this practice while reciting the following verse:
Through the virtues I have accumulated here,
May the doctrine and all living beings receive every beneit.
Especially may the essence of the doctrine
Of Venerable Losang Dragpa shine forever.
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In summary, while practising each of the seven limbs we should
apply effort to making the sun of our faith shine continually
on the snow mountain of our Spiritual Guide – Guru Sumati
Buddha Heruka – and make strong requests. Through this, the
blessing waters of all the Buddhas of the ten directions will
low down, our very subtle body will receive a special power
that transforms it into an enlightened body, and our very subtle
mind will receive a special power that transforms it into an
enlightened mind.
MAKING SPECIAL REQUESTS
To make this special request, we irst offer the entire universe,
regarding it as the Pure Land of Buddha, to Guru Sumati
Buddha Heruka and all the Buddhas of the ten directions. This
offering is called a ‘mandala offering’, a detailed explanation
of which can be found in The New Guide to Dakini Land. Then,
while concentrating on its meaning, we recite three times the
following request prayer from the sadhana:
O Guru Sumati Buddha Heruka, from now until I attain
enlightenment,
I shall seek no refuge other than you.
Please pacify my obstacles and bestow upon me
The two attainments of liberating and ripening.
Please bless me so that I will become deinitive Heruka,
In which state I shall experience all phenomena as puriied
and gathered into emptiness, inseparable from great bliss.
This prayer has the same meaning as the essence mantra of
Heruka. Through completing the meditations on generation
and completion stages, we abandon all our subtle mistaken
appearances; this abandonment is the attainment of ‘liberating’.
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And, due to ripening our Buddha nature completely,
we experience ourself as a real Buddha, and our world,
enjoyments and activities as those of a Buddha; this experience
is the attainment of ‘ripening’. By accomplishing these two
attainments we become deinitive Heruka; that is, Heruka
imputed upon Buddha’s Truth Body, or Dharmakaya. At the
same time we experience all phenomena as puriied, which
means that we have puriied the subtle mistaken appearance
of all phenomena; and we experience all phenomena gathered
into emptiness, which means we realize that all phenomena are
not other than emptiness. These two experiences of ‘puriied’
and ‘gathered’ imply that we have realized the union of the
two truths directly and simultaneously; this realization is
actual enlightenment. With this prayer we are requesting Guru
Sumati Buddha Heruka to bestow all these attainments upon
us.
As ordinary beings we have only one body that we can use,
and this in reality is part of our parents’ bodies. Buddhas, however, possess four bodies simultaneously: the two Truth Bodies,
which are the Wisdom Truth Body and Nature Truth Body;
and the two Form Bodies, which are the Enjoyment Body and
Emanation Body. Buddha’s mind is the Wisdom Truth Body
and the emptiness of Buddha’s mind is the Nature Truth Body;
together they are called the ‘Truth Body’ or ‘Dharmakaya’.
Buddha’s bodies that possess form are called Form Bodies.
Buddha’s subtle Form Body is called the Enjoyment Body,
and Buddha’s gross Form Body is called the Emanation Body.
A Buddha’s Truth Body is extremely subtle and therefore
can be seen only by Buddhas and not by others. A Buddha’s
Enjoyment Body can be seen by Superior Bodhisattvas, and a
Buddha’s Emanation Body can be seen by ordinary beings who
have a pure mind.
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GENERATING THE EXPERIENCE OF GREAT BLISS
AND EMPTINESS
After we have recited the special request prayer three times
sincerely from our heart, we then think and imagine:
Due to my making requests in this way, all the Buddhas of the
ten directions dissolve into Je Tsongkhapa who is inseparable
from my root Guru, he dissolves into Buddha Shakyamuni
at his heart, and Buddha Shakyamuni dissolves into Heruka
at his heart. With delight, Guru Heruka, who is the nature
of the union of great bliss and emptiness, enters my body
through my crown, and dissolves into my mind at my heart.
Because Heruka, who is the nature of the union of great bliss
and emptiness, becomes inseparable from my mind, my mind
transforms into the union of great bliss and emptiness of all
phenomena.
We meditate on this belief single-pointedly. This meditation
is called ’training in deinitive Guru yoga’. We should repeat
this practice of special request and meditation again and again
until we spontaneously believe that our mind has transformed
into the union of great bliss and emptiness.
TRAINING IN THE GENERATION STAGE OF
HERUKA BODY MANDALA
There are ive stages to training in the generation stage of
Heruka body mandala, the actual self-generation practice of
Heruka body mandala: 1. generating the body mandala of
Heruka; 2. training in clear appearance; 3. training in divine
pride; 4. training in non-dual appearance and emptiness; and
5. training in mantra recitation.
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THE PRACTICE OF HERUKA BODY MANDALA
GENERATING THE BODY MANDALA OF HERUKA
While meditating on the emptiness of all phenomena, perceiving nothing other than emptiness, we think and imagine:
In the vast space of emptiness of all phenomena, the nature of
my puriied mistaken appearance of all phenomena – which
is the Pure Land of Keajra – I appear as Buddha Heruka with
a blue-coloured body, four faces and twelve arms, the nature
of my puriied white indestructible drop. I am embracing
Vajravarahi, the nature of my puriied red indestructible drop.
I am surrounded by the Heroes and Heroines of the ive wheels,
who are the nature of my puriied subtle body – the channels
and drops. I reside in the mandala, the celestial mansion,
which is the nature of my puriied gross body. Although I
have this appearance it is not other than the emptiness of all
phenomena.
At this point, (1) while experiencing great bliss and emptiness, (2) we meditate on the clear appearance of the mandala
and Deities with divine pride, while (3) recognizing that the
Deities are the nature of our puriied channels and drops,
which are our subtle body, and that the mandala is the nature
of our puriied gross body.
In this way we train sincerely in one single meditation
on generation stage possessing these three characteristics.
Holding the third characteristic – recognizing the Deities as
the nature of our puriied subtle body, and the mandala as the
nature of our puriied gross body – makes this concentration
an actual body mandala meditation.
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TRAINING IN CLEAR APPEARANCE
For our meditation on the body mandala of Heruka to be
qualiied we need to train in clear appearance. We think and
imagine deeply, as above:
In the vast space of emptiness of all phenomena, the nature of
my puriied mistaken appearance of all phenomena – which is
the Pure Land of Keajra – I appear as Buddha Heruka with
a blue-coloured body, four faces and twelve arms, the nature
of my puriied white indestructible drop. I am embracing
Vajravarahi, the nature of my puriied red indestructible drop.
I am surrounded by the Heroes and Heroines of the ive wheels,
who are the nature of my puriied subtle body – the channels
and drops. I reside in the mandala, the celestial mansion, which
is the nature of my puriied gross body. Although I have this
appearance it is not other than the emptiness of all phenomena.
We mentally repeat this contemplation again and again until
we perceive clearly the object of our meditation – the Heruka
body mandala, which is the assembly of imagined Heruka
(ourself) with consort Vajravarahi, the nature of our puriied
white and red indestructible drops, and our imagined retinue
of Heroes and Heroines, who are the nature of our puriied
channels and drops, in the imagined Pure Land of Keajra.
When we perceive the assembly of this supporting mandala
and supported Deities – the Heruka body mandala – we hold
it without forgetting and remain on it single-pointedly for as
long as possible.
We should repeat this meditation again and again, until we
are able to maintain our concentration clearly for one minute
every time we meditate on it. Our concentration that has this
ability is called ‘concentration of placing the mind’. In the
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second stage, with the concentration of placing the mind, we
meditate on the Heruka body mandala continually until we
are able to maintain our concentration clearly for ive minutes
every time we meditate on it. Our concentration that has this
ability is called ‘concentration of continual placement’. In the
third stage, with the concentration of continual placement, we
meditate on the Heruka body mandala continually until we
are able to remember immediately our object of meditation
– the Heruka body mandala – whenever we lose it during
meditation. Our concentration that has this ability is called
‘concentration of replacement’. In the fourth stage, with the
concentration of replacement, we meditate on the Heruka
body mandala continually until we are able to maintain our
concentration clearly throughout our whole meditation
session without forgetting every time we meditate on it. Our
concentration that has this ability is called ‘concentration of
close placement’. At this stage we have very stable and clear
concentration focused on the Heruka body mandala.
Then, with the concentration of close placement, we meditate on the Heruka body mandala continually until inally we
attain the concentration of tranquil abiding focused on the
Heruka body mandala, which causes us to experience special
physical and mental suppleness and bliss. Through this concentration of tranquil abiding focused on the Heruka body
mandala, we shall certainly attain the Pure Land of Keajra in
this life or in our next life.
TRAINING IN DIVINE PRIDE
Through perceiving our imagined Heruka’s body and mind
we develop the thought ‘I am Heruka’; this thought is divine
pride. It is a correct thought or belief because it arises from
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wisdom that realizes correct reasons. Generally, if we improve
our clear appearance of perceiving the Heruka body mandala
through the practice of concentration mentioned above, this
makes it easier for us to develop and increase divine pride.
This is because clear appearance reduces our ordinary appearance, and this makes it easier for us to develop and increase the
thought ‘I am Heruka’. However, we can train in divine pride
by contemplating correct reasons why it is necessary for us to
change the basis of imputation for our self from a contaminated body and mind to the uncontaminated body and mind of
Heruka. How we can do this has already been explained in the
chapter The Tantra of Generation Stage.
TRAINING IN NON-DUAL APPEARANCE AND EMPTINESS
This is a very profound practice of generation stage. The
explanation of this practice presented in this book is based on
the instructions of the Ganden Oral Lineage. With respect to
the term ‘non-dual appearance and emptiness’: ‘appearance’
refers to the Heruka body mandala, which is the assembly of
the supporting mandala and supported Deities of Heruka body
mandala, the nature of our puriied gross and subtle bodies;
‘emptiness’ refers to the emptiness of all phenomena; and ‘nondual’ means that the Heruka body mandala and emptiness are
one object but have different names. When we perceive and
realize this non-dual Heruka body mandala and emptiness we
have found the object of our meditation; we should hold this
object without forgetting, and remain on it single-pointedly
for as long as possible. We should practise this meditation
continually and sincerely, without distraction. By doing
this, initially we shall realize appearance (the Heruka body
mandala), which is the conventional truth, and emptiness,
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which is the ultimate truth, simultaneously with our gross
mind. Finally we shall realize these two truths directly and
simultaneously with our very subtle mind. Our very subtle
mind that realizes these two truths directly and simultaneously
is the state of enlightenment.
When we irst meditate on Heruka body mandala we have
a strong perception of the Heruka body mandala that we
normally perceive. This perception is our mistaken appearance
of the Heruka body mandala. It is mistaken because the Heruka
body mandala that we normally perceive does not exist,
even if we perceive it. The strong perception of the Heruka
body mandala that we normally perceive directly interferes
with our understanding that the Heruka body mandala and
the emptiness of all phenomena are non-dual. However,
through meditating on the emptiness of all phenomena with
strong concentration, the strong perception of the Heruka
body mandala that we normally perceive will cease during
meditation. Automatically we shall then realize that the
Heruka body mandala and the emptiness of all phenomena
are non-dual. This can be illustrated by the analogy of seeing
two empty glasses in front of us. At irst we would perceive
the spaces inside the two glasses as different, but if we were to
break the two glasses we would realize that the spaces inside
them were non-dual.
In the sadhana the words ‘Although I have this appearance it is not other than the emptiness of all phenomena’
reveal the training in non-dual appearance and emptiness. If
we understand clearly the meaning of the union of the two
truths (explained in detail in the chapter on Training in Ultimate
Bodhichitta in Part One) it will not be dificult to understand
the meaning of non-dual appearance and emptiness that is
explained in this section.
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THE ACTUAL MEDITATION ON NON-DUAL APPEARANCE
AND EMPTINESS
Having accomplished clear appearance and divine pride
through training in them as explained above, we then think
and contemplate:
As all phenomena that I normally perceive do not exist, the
Heruka body mandala that I normally perceive does not exist.
Heruka body mandala is a mere name, which means that it is
not other than the emptiness of all phenomena. The emptiness
of all phenomena and Heruka body mandala are non-dual;
they are not two different objects but one object with different
names.
Thinking in this way, when we perceive as non-dual the
assembly of the supporting mandala and supported Deities
of the Heruka body mandala existing as mere name, and the
emptiness of all phenomena, we meditate on this non-dual
Heruka body mandala and emptiness single-pointedly with
the experience of great bliss. As mentioned above, through
continually practising this meditation, initially we shall realize
the Heruka body mandala, which is the conventional truth, and
emptiness, which is the ultimate truth, simultaneously with our
gross mind. Finally we shall realize these two truths directly
and simultaneously with our very subtle mind. Our very subtle
mind that realizes these two truths directly and simultaneously
is actual enlightenment. It is a wisdom that is permanently
free from the mistaken appearance of all phenomena; such
a wisdom is possessed only by fully enlightened Buddhas.
Through this we can understand that this training in non-dual
appearance and emptiness is a powerful method to attain
enlightenment very quickly and easily. This training is the very
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essence practice of the instructions of the Ganden Oral Lineage.
Through this training Gyalwa Ensapa and many of his disciples
began, made progress on and completed the Vajrayana path;
and in this way they attained enlightenment within three years.
TRAINING IN MANTRA RECITATION
The Sanskrit word ‘mantra’ means protection of mind. Through
reciting the mantras of Heruka Father and Mother and their
retinue with strong faith we can protect ourself from being
harmed by inanimate objects such as earthquakes, loods,
hurricanes and ire, and by animate objects such as humans and
non-humans; we can pacify our sickness, untimely death and
other adverse conditions; we can increase our good fortune,
lifespan, and especially our internal qualities of faith, correct
view, correct intention and other spiritual realizations; we are
able to control our delusions such as anger; we can beneit
others through performing various kinds of actions including
wrathful actions; and especially we can lead ourself and others
to the supreme happiness of enlightenment.
We recite the following mantras as a request to bestow these
attainments upon us, while recognizing and believing that the
wisdom beings of Heruka Father and Mother and their retinues
are inseparable from the imagined Heruka (ourself) and
consort Vajravarahi, and our retinue of Heroes and Heroines.
THE ESSENCE MANTRA OF HERUKA
We recite the following, while concentrating on the meaning:
At my heart is wisdom being Buddha Heruka, deinitive
Heruka.
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O Glorious Vajra Heruka, you who enjoy
The divine illusory body and mind of clear light,
Please pacify my obstacles and bestow upon me
The two attainments of liberating and ripening.
Please bless me so that I will become deinitive Heruka,
In which state I shall experience all phenomena as puriied and
gathered into emptiness, inseparable from great bliss.
OM SHRI VAJRA HE HE RU RU KAM HUM HUM PHAT DAKINI
DZALA SHAMBARAM SÖHA
We can recite this mantra twenty-one times, a hundred times
or as many times as we wish.
THE THREE-OM MANTRA OF VAJRAYOGINI
We recite the following, while concentrating on the meaning:
At the heart of imagined Vajrayogini (Vajravarahi) is wisdom
being Buddha Vajrayogini, deinitive Vajrayogini.
OM OM OM SARWA BUDDHA DAKINIYE VAJRA WARNANIYE
VAJRA BEROTZANIYE HUM HUM HUM PHAT PHAT PHAT
SÖHA
We should recite at least as many three-OM mantras as we
promised to recite when we received a Vajrayogini
empowerment.
The ‘three-OM’ mantra is the union of the essence and close
essence mantras of Vajravarahi. The meaning of this mantra
is as follows. With OM OM OM we are calling Vajrayogini
– the principal Deity – and her retinue of Heroines of the
three wheels (the body, speech and mind wheels). SARWA
BUDDHA DAKINIYE means that Vajrayogini is the synthesis
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THE PRACTICE OF HERUKA BODY MANDALA
of the minds of all Buddhas, VAJRA WARNANIYE means that
she is the synthesis of the speech of all Buddhas, and VAJRA
BEROTZANIYE means that she is the synthesis of the bodies of all
Buddhas. With HUM HUM HUM we are requesting Vajrayogini
and her retinues to bestow upon us the attainments of the
body, speech and mind of all the Buddhas. With PHAT PHAT
PHAT we are requesting them to pacify our main obstacle – the
subtle mistaken appearance of our body, speech and mind; and
SÖHA means ‘please build within me the basic foundation for
all these attainments’.
As mentioned above, because our present body, speech and
mind are contaminated by the poison of delusions they act as
the basis of all suffering. We therefore need to attain a Buddha’s
holy body, speech and mind.
THE CONDENSED MANTRA OF THE SIXTY-TWO DEITIES
OF HERUKA BODY MANDALA
We recite the following, while concentrating on the meaning:
At the heart of each of the sixty-two Deities is their individual
wisdom being, their own deinitive Deity.
OM HUM BAM RIM RIM LIM LIM, KAM KHAM GAM GHAM
NGAM, TSAM TSHAM DZAM DZHAM NYAM, TrAM THrAM
DrAM DHrAM NAM, TAM THAM DAM DHAM NAM, PAM
PHAM BAM BHAM, YAM RAM LAM WAM, SHAM KAM SAM
HAM HUM HUM PHAT
We can recite this mantra seven times, twenty-one times, one
hundred times or more.
When we recite this mantra we are making requests to
wisdom being Buddha Heruka with Vajravarahi, and his
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retinue of Heroes and Heroines of the ive wheels, to pacify our
obstacle of subtle mistaken appearance and to bestow upon us
the attainments of outer and inner Dakini Land. Outer Dakini
Land is the Pure Land of Keajra and inner Dakini Land is
meaning clear light. The moment our mind is free from subtle
mistaken appearance, we open the door through which we can
directly see all enlightened Deities. For as long as our mind
remains polluted by subtle mistaken appearance this door
is closed. The meaning of subtle mistaken appearance has
already been explained.
After mantra recitation, we conclude our practice of The
Yoga of Buddha Heruka sadhana by reciting dedication and
auspicious prayers.
Those who wish to perform a close retreat of Heruka body
mandala can do so in conjunction with the sadhana Blissful
Journey: How to Engage in a Close Retreat of Heruka Body Mandala
found in Appendix VI.
TRAINING IN COMPLETION STAGE
Training in completion stage is the method for releasing our
mind completely from subtle mistaken appearance. We shall
inally attain enlightenment by completely abandoning the
subtle mistaken appearance of all phenomena through our
realization of completion stage. Developing the realization
of completion stage depends upon the inner winds entering,
abiding and dissolving within the central channel through
the force of meditation. The objects of these meditations are
the central channel, indestructible drop and the indestructible
wind and mind. Therefore, in this context, training in completion stage means training in meditation on the central channel,
indestructible drop and the indestructible wind and mind.
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THE PRACTICE OF HERUKA BODY MANDALA
In the scriptures it is said that meditation on the central
channel is like a wishfulilling cow. Just as a wishfulilling
cow provides milk unceasingly, so meditation on the central
channel will enable us to experience great bliss unceasingly,
and the meditations on the indestructible drop and on the
indestructible wind and mind will enable us to experience
the fully qualiied clear light of bliss, which has the function
of releasing our mind permanently from subtle mistaken
appearance. A detailed explanation of the channels, drops and
winds, how to meditate on the central channel, indestructible
drop, and indestructible wind and mind, and how to make
progress in realizing the ive stages of completion stage has
already been given.
239
Venerable Vajrayogini
he Instructions of Vajrayogini
THE YOGAS OF SLEEPING, RISING AND
EXPERIENCING NECTAR
Vajrayogini is a female enlightened Deity of Highest Yoga
Tantra who is the manifestation of the wisdom of all Buddhas.
Her function is to guide all living beings to the Pure Land of
Keajra, or Pure Dakini Land. The instructions of Vajrayogini
were taught by Buddha in Root Tantra of Heruka. The great Yogi
Naropa received these instructions directly from Vajrayogini,
and passed them to Pamtingpa – one of his heart disciples.
Pamtingpa then passed these instructions to the Tibetan translator Sherab Tseg, and from Sherab Tseg these instructions have
been passed down in an unbroken lineage to Je Phabongkhapa,
and then to the most venerable Dorjechang Trijang Rinpoche,
holder of the lineage. It is from this great master that I, the
author of this book, received these precious instructions.
Highest Yoga Tantra can be divided into Father Tantra and
Mother Tantra. Mother Tantras principally reveal the training
in clear light, which is the main cause to attain Buddha’s
holy mind; and Father Tantras such as Guhyasamaja Tantra
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principally reveal the training in the illusory body, which is the
main cause to attain Buddha’s holy body. Because Vajrayogini
Tantra is Mother Tantra, the main body of Vajrayogini practice
is training in clear light. This main body has eleven limbs,
which are called the ‘eleven yogas’. In this context, ‘yoga’ means
training in spiritual paths. For example, training in a spiritual
path in conjunction with sleep is called the ‘yoga of sleeping’.
When the eleven yogas are listed in the scriptures, the irst
is the yoga of sleeping. This indicates that we should begin the
practice of Vajrayogini with the yoga of sleeping. As already
mentioned, the main body of Vajrayogini practice is training
in clear light. Clear light naturally manifests during sleep; we
therefore have the opportunity to train in recognizing it during
sleep. When we recognize and realize clear light directly, we
shall have attained meaning clear light, the realization of the
fourth of the ive stages of completion stage.
What is clear light? It is the very subtle mind that manifests
when the inner winds enter, abide and dissolve within the central
channel. Clear light is the eighth sign of the dissolution of inner
winds within the central channel, and it perceives emptiness. There
are three different types of clear light: (1) the clear light of sleep, (2)
the clear light of death, and (3) the realization of clear light.
During sleep our very subtle mind manifests because our
inner winds naturally enter and dissolve within our central
channel. This very subtle mind is the clear light of sleep. It
perceives emptiness, but we cannot recognize the clear light
itself or emptiness because our memory cannot function during
sleep. In a similar way, during our death, our very subtle mind
manifests because our inner winds enter and dissolve within the
central channel. This very subtle mind is the clear light of death. It
perceives emptiness, but we cannot recognize the clear light itself
or emptiness because our memory cannot function during death.
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THE INSTRUCTIONS OF VAJRAYOGINI
During waking, if we are able to cause our inner winds to
enter, abide and dissolve within the central channel through
the power of meditation, we experience a deep dissolution
of our inner winds into the central channel, and through this
our very subtle mind will manifest. This very subtle mind
is the realization of clear light. Its nature is a bliss arisen
from the melting of the drops inside the central channel,
and its function is to prevent mistaken appearance. It is also
the realization of the clear light of bliss, which is the very
essence of Highest Yoga Tantra and the actual quick path to
enlightenment.
In conclusion, the main body of Vajrayogini practice is
training in clear light of bliss. This can be divided into two: (1)
training in bliss; and (2) training in clear light. Before training
in bliss we should know what it is. This bliss is not sexual
bliss; we do not need to train in sexual bliss as anyone, even
an animal, can experience this without training. The bliss that
we are training in is the bliss that Buddha explains in Highest
Yoga Tantra. It is called ‘great bliss’, and possesses two special
characteristics: (1) its nature is a bliss arisen from the melting
of the drops inside the central channel; and (2) its function is to
prevent subtle mistaken appearance. Ordinary beings cannot
experience such bliss. As mentioned earlier, the sexual bliss of
ordinary beings arises from the melting of the drops inside the
left channel, and not the central channel.
In the Condensed Heruka Root Tantra Buddha says:
The supreme secret of great bliss
Arises through melting the drops inside the central
channel;
Thus it is hard to ind in the world
A person who experiences such bliss.
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Such a great bliss is experienced only by someone who is able
to cause their inner winds to enter, abide and dissolve within
their central channel through the power of meditation. Because
this great bliss prevents subtle mistaken appearance, when we
experience this bliss our ignorance of self-grasping and all
distracting conceptual thoughts cease, and we experience a
deep inner peace, which is superior to the supreme inner peace
of nirvana explained by Buddha in Sutra teachings.
HOW TO PRACTISE THE YOGA OF SLEEPING
Every night when we are about to sleep we should think:
To beneit all living beings
I shall become the enlightened Buddha Vajrayogini.
For this purpose I will accomplish the realization of the clear
light of bliss.
We then recollect that our body, our self and all other
phenomena that we normally perceive do not exist. We try to
perceive the mere absence of all phenomena that we normally
see, the emptiness of all phenomena, and we meditate on this
emptiness. Then we think and imagine:
In the vast space of emptiness of all phenomena – the Pure
Land of Keajra – I appear as Vajrayogini surrounded by
the enlightened Heroines and Heroes. Although I have this
appearance it is not other than the emptiness of all phenomena.
We meditate on this self-generation.
We should train in this profound self-generation meditation
while we are sleeping, but not in deep sleep. Through training
in this practice each and every night with continual effort,
gradually our memory will be able to function during sleep.
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THE INSTRUCTIONS OF VAJRAYOGINI
Because of this, when our very subtle mind manifests during
sleep we shall be able to recognize or realize it. Through
further training we shall realize our very subtle mind directly.
When this happens our mind will mix with the emptiness of
all phenomena, like water mixing with water. Because of this
our subtle mistaken appearance will quickly and permanently
cease, and we shall become an enlightened being, a Buddha.
As Buddha said: ‘If you realize your own mind you will
become a Buddha; you should not seek Buddhahood
elsewhere’. With regard to this accomplishment our sleep has
so much meaning.
HOW TO PRACTISE THE YOGA OF RISING
We should try to practise the yoga of sleeping throughout the
night, and throughout the day we should try to practise the
yoga of rising. Every day, in the early morning, we should irst
meditate on the mere absence of all phenomena that we normally see or perceive, the emptiness of all phenomena. Then
we think and imagine:
In the vast space of emptiness of all phenomena – the Pure
Land of Keajra – I appear as Vajrayogini surrounded by
the enlightened Heroines and Heroes. Although I have this
appearance it is not other than the emptiness of all phenomena.
We meditate on this self-generation.
We should repeat this meditation practice again and again,
throughout the day. This is the yoga of rising. Then at night
we again practise the yoga of sleeping. Through continually
practising the cycle of the yogas of sleeping and rising, our
ordinary appearances and conceptions, which are the root of
our suffering, will cease.
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HOW TO PRACTISE THE YOGA OF
EXPERIENCING NECTAR
Whenever we eat or drink, we should irst understand and
think:
For enlightened beings all food and drink are supreme nectar,
which possesses three special qualities: (1) it is medicine nectar
that cures sickness; (2) it is life nectar that prevents death; and
(3) it is wisdom nectar that paciies delusions.
With this recognition, whenever we eat or drink we should
offer our pleasure in these objects of desire to ourself, the selfgenerated Vajrayogini. Through practising in this way we can
transform our daily experience of eating and drinking into
a spiritual path that accumulates a great collection of merit,
or good fortune. In the same way, whenever we enjoy seeing
attractive forms or beautiful things, enjoy hearing beautiful
sounds such as music or songs, enjoy smelling beautiful scents
and enjoy touching tangible objects, we should offer our
pleasure in these objects of desire to ourself, the self-generated
Vajrayogini. In this way we can transform all our daily
experiences of objects of desire into a spiritual path that leads
us to the attainment of the enlightened state of Vajrayogini.
In summary, we should recognize that in the vast space of
emptiness of all phenomena – the Pure Land of Keajra – is
ourself Vajrayogini surrounded by the enlightened Heroines
and Heroes. We should maintain this recognition throughout
the day and night, except when we are concentrating
on common paths, such as going for refuge, training in
renunciation and bodhichitta, and engaging in puriication
practices.
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THE INSTRUCTIONS OF VAJRAYOGINI
This way of practising the yogas of sleeping, rising and
experiencing nectar is simple but very profound. There are also
other ways of practising these yogas, an explanation of which
can be found in The New Guide to Dakini Land.
THE REMAINING EIGHT YOGAS
The remaining eight yogas from the yoga of immeasurables
to the yoga of daily actions should be practised in conjunction
with the sadhana Quick Path to Great Bliss composed by Je
Phabongkhapa (see Appendix VII). This sadhana is very
blessed and precious. A detailed explanation of how to practise
each yoga can be found in The New Guide to Dakini Land, but the
following is a brief explanation of their essence.
THE YOGA OF IMMEASURABLES
Going for refuge, generating bodhichitta, and meditation and
recitation of Vajrasattva are called the ‘yoga of immeasurables’
because they are trainings in spiritual paths that will bring us
immeasurable beneit in this life and countless future lives.
The meditation and recitation of Vajrasattva gives us the
great opportunity to purify our mind quickly, so that we can
more quickly attain enlightenment. As mentioned above,
attaining enlightenment is very simple; all we need to do is
apply effort to purifying our mind.
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Mandala of Vajrayogini
THE INSTRUCTIONS OF VAJRAYOGINI
THE YOGA OF THE GURU
In this Guru yoga practice, to receive the blessings of all the
Buddhas’ speech we visualize our root Guru in the aspect of
Buddha Vajradharma. Vajradharma, Vajradhara, Vajrasattva
and Heruka are different aspects of one enlightened being. The
function of Buddha Vajradharma is to bestow the blessings of
all the Buddhas’ speech. Through receiving these blessings, our
speech will be very powerful whenever we explain Dharma
instructions. In this way we can fulil the wishes of countless
living beings and purify or heal their mental continuums
through the nectar of our speech.
This Guru yoga contains a practice called ‘kusali tsog offering’,
which has the same function as the ‘chod’ or ‘cutting’ practice.
It also contains a practice of receiving the blessings of the four
empowerments, which will give us great conidence in accomplishing the realizations of generation and completion stages.
THE YOGA OF SELF-GENERATION
This yoga includes the practices of bringing death, the intermediate state (bardo) and rebirth into the paths of the Truth
Body, Enjoyment Body and Emanation Body.
In this practice, the supporting mandala is visualized in the
aspect of a double tetrahedron, which symbolizes the emptiness of all phenomena; and the supported Deities are ourself,
the imagined Vajrayogini, and our retinue of Heroines.
THE YOGA OF PURIFYING MIGRATORS
In this practice, having generated ourself as the enlightened
Buddha Vajrayogini, we imagine ourself giving blessings
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that liberate all living beings from suffering and negativities
and transform them into the state of Vajrayogini – the state
of ultimate happiness. This is a special practice of taking and
giving according to Highest Yoga Tantra. It causes our potential
to beneit directly each and every living being to ripen, and
it also fulils the commitment we made when we took the
Highest Yoga Tantra empowerment in which we promised to
beneit all living beings.
THE YOGA OF BEING BLESSED BY HEROES AND HEROINES
In this practice, through meditating on the body mandala of
Vajrayogini, our channels and drops will receive powerful
blessings directly from the thirty-seven Heroines – the female
enlightened Deities of the Vajrayogini body mandala – and
indirectly from their consorts, the Heroes. Also, through
inviting all Heroines and Heroes (female and male enlightened
beings) from the ten directions in the aspect of Vajrayogini and
dissolving them into us, we shall receive the blessings of all
Heroes and Heroines.
The meditation on Vajrayogini’s body mandala is very
profound. Although it is a generation stage practice it functions
to cause the inner winds to enter, abide and dissolve within the
central channel. Je Phabongkhapa highly praised the practice
of Vajrayogini body mandala.
THE YOGA OF VERBAL AND MENTAL RECITATION
By concentrating on verbal recitation of the Vajrayogini mantra
(the ‘three-OM mantra’) we can accomplish the pacifying,
increasing, controlling, wrathful and supreme attainments,
which are mentioned in the section Training in Mantra Recitation.
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THE INSTRUCTIONS OF VAJRAYOGINI
The practice of mental recitation presents two completion stage
meditations, both of which are the very essence of Vajrayogini
practice. These two meditations are clearly explained in The
New Guide to Dakini Land.
THE YOGA OF INCONCEIVABILITY
As described in the sadhana Quick Path to Great Bliss (see
Appendix VII), having dissolved everything from the formless realm to the nada into emptiness, we imagine that we
experience the clear light of bliss, and with this experience we
meditate on the emptiness of all phenomena – the mere absence
of all phenomena that we normally perceive. This meditation is
training in the clear light of bliss, the main body of Vajrayogini
practice. Through continually practising this meditation, gradually we shall experience meaning clear light – the union of
great bliss and emptiness – which is the actual inconceivability.
In this context, ‘inconceivability’ means that it cannot be
experienced by those who have not attained meaning clear
light.
THE YOGA OF DAILY ACTIONS
The yoga of daily actions is a method for transforming all our
daily actions such as eating, sleeping, working and talking into
profound spiritual paths, and thus extracting great meaning
from every moment of our life.
251
Dedication
Through the great collection of virtue that I have accumulated
by composing this book, may each and every living being have
the opportunity to listen to and practise the precious teachings
of Sutra and Tantra, and thereby experience the pure and everlasting happiness of enlightenment.
252
Appendix I
Liberating Prayer
PRAISE TO BUDDHA SHAKYAMUNI
O Blessed One, Shakyamuni Buddha,
Precious treasury of compassion,
Bestower of supreme inner peace,
You, who love all beings without exception,
Are the source of happiness and goodness;
And you guide us to the liberating path.
Your body is a wishfulilling jewel,
Your speech is supreme, purifying nectar,
And your mind is refuge for all living beings.
With folded hands I turn to you,
Supreme unchanging friend,
I request from the depths of my heart:
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Please give me the light of your wisdom
To dispel the darkness of my mind
And to heal my mental continuum.
Please nourish me with your goodness,
That I in turn may nourish all beings
With an unceasing banquet of delight.
Through your compassionate intention,
Your blessings and virtuous deeds,
And my strong wish to rely upon you,
May all suffering quickly cease
And all happiness and joy be fulilled;
And may holy Dharma lourish for evermore.
Colophon: This prayer was composed by Venerable Geshe
Kelsang Gyatso and is recited at the beginning of teachings,
meditations and prayers in Kadampa Buddhist Centres
throughout the world.
254
Appendix II
Prayers for Meditation
BRIEF PREPARATORY PRAYERS FOR MEDITATION
Introduction
We all have the potential to gain realizations of all the stages
of the path to enlightenment. These potentials are like seeds
in the field of our mind, and our meditation practice is like
cultivating these seeds. However, our meditation practice will be successful only if we make good preparations
beforehand.
If we want to cultivate external crops, we begin by making
careful preparations. First, we remove from the soil anything
that might obstruct their growth, such as stones and weeds.
Second, we enrich the soil with compost or fertilizer to give
it the strength to sustain growth. Third, we provide warm,
moist conditions to enable the seeds to germinate and the
plants to grow. In the same way, to cultivate our inner crops
of Dharma realizations we must also begin by making careful
preparations.
First, we must purify our mind to eliminate the negative
karma we have accumulated in the past, because if we do not
purify this karma it will obstruct the growth of Dharma realizations. Second, we need to give our mind the strength to support
the growth of Dharma realizations by accumulating merit.
Third, we need to activate and sustain the growth of Dharma
realizations by receiving the blessings of the holy beings.
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The brief prayers that follow contain the essence of these
three preparations. For more information on them, see The
New Meditation Handbook or Joyful Path of Good Fortune.
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
1987
258
Prayers for Meditation
Going for refuge
I and all sentient beings, until we achieve enlightenment,
Go for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
(3x, 7x, 100x, or more)
Generating bodhichitta
Through the virtues I collect by giving and other perfections,
May I become a Buddha for the beneit of all.
(3x)
Generating the four immeasurables
May everyone be happy,
May everyone be free from misery,
May no one ever be separated from their happiness,
May everyone have equanimity, free from hatred and attachment.
Visualizing the Field for Accumulating Merit
In the space before me is the living Buddha Shakyamuni
surrounded by all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, like the
full moon surrounded by stars.
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Prayer of seven limbs
With my body, speech and mind, humbly I prostrate,
And make offerings both set out and imagined.
I confess my wrong deeds from all time,
And rejoice in the virtues of all.
Please stay until samsara ceases,
And turn the Wheel of Dharma for us.
I dedicate all virtues to great enlightenment.
Offering the mandala
The ground sprinkled with perfume and spread with lowers,
The Great Mountain, four lands, sun and moon,
Seen as a Buddha Land and offered thus,
May all beings enjoy such Pure Lands.
I offer without any sense of loss
The objects that give rise to my attachment, hatred and
confusion,
My friends, enemies and strangers, our bodies and
enjoyments;
Please accept these and bless me to be released directly from
the three poisons.
IDAM GURU RATNA MANDALAKAM NIRYATAYAMI
Prayer of the Stages of the Path
The path begins with strong reliance
On my kind Teacher, source of all good;
O Bless me with this understanding
To follow him with great devotion.
This human life with all its freedoms,
Extremely rare, with so much meaning;
O Bless me with this understanding
All day and night to seize its essence.
260
PRAYERS FOR MEDITATION
My body, like a water bubble,
Decays and dies so very quickly;
After death come results of karma,
Just like the shadow of a body.
With this irm knowledge and remembrance
Bless me to be extremely cautious,
Always avoiding harmful actions
And gathering abundant virtue.
Samsara’s pleasures are deceptive,
Give no contentment, only torment;
So please bless me to strive sincerely
To gain the bliss of perfect freedom.
O Bless me so that from this pure thought
Come mindfulness and greatest caution,
To keep as my essential practice
The doctrine’s root, the Pratimoksha.
Just like myself all my kind mothers
Are drowning in samsara’s ocean;
O So that I may soon release them,
Bless me to train in bodhichitta.
But I cannot become a Buddha
By this alone without three ethics;
So bless me with the strength to practise
The Bodhisattva’s ordination.
By pacifying my distractions
And analyzing perfect meanings,
Bless me to quickly gain the union
Of special insight and quiescence.
When I become a pure container
Through common paths, bless me to enter
The essence practice of good fortune,
The supreme vehicle, Vajrayana.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
The two attainments both depend on
My sacred vows and my commitments;
Bless me to understand this clearly
And keep them at the cost of my life.
By constant practice in four sessions,
The way explained by holy Teachers,
O Bless me to gain both the stages,
Which are the essence of the Tantras.
May those who guide me on the good path,
And my companions all have long lives;
Bless me to pacify completely
All obstacles, outer and inner.
May I always ind perfect Teachers,
And take delight in holy Dharma,
Accomplish all grounds and paths swiftly,
And gain the state of Vajradhara.
Receiving blessings and purifying
From the hearts of all the holy beings, streams of light
and nectar low down, granting blessings and purifying.
At this point, we begin the actual contemplation and meditation.
After the meditation, we dedicate our merit while reciting the
following prayers:
Dedication prayers
Through the virtues I have collected
By practising the stages of the path,
May all living beings ind the opportunity
To practise in the same way.
262
PRAYERS FOR MEDITATION
May everyone experience
The happiness of humans and gods,
And quickly attain enlightenment,
So that samsara is inally extinguished.
Prayers for the Virtuous Tradition
So that the tradition of Je Tsongkhapa,
The King of the Dharma, may lourish,
May all obstacles be paciied
And may all favourable conditions abound.
Through the two collections of myself and others
Gathered throughout the three times,
May the doctrine of Conqueror Losang Dragpa
Flourish for evermore.
The nine-line Migtsema prayer
Tsongkhapa, crown ornament of the scholars of the Land of the
Snows,
You are Buddha Shakyamuni and Vajradhara, the source of all
attainments,
Avalokiteshvara, the treasury of unobservable compassion,
Manjushri, the supreme stainless wisdom,
And Vajrapani, the destroyer of the hosts of maras.
O Venerable Guru-Buddha, synthesis of all Three Jewels,
With my body, speech and mind, respectfully I make requests:
Please grant your blessings to ripen and liberate myself and
others,
And bestow the common and supreme attainments.
(3x)
Colophon: This sadhana or ritual prayer for spiritual
attainments was compiled from traditional sources
by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.
263
Naropa
Appendix III
An Explanation of Channels
There are three main channels: the central channel, the right
channel and the left channel. The central channel is like the pole
of an umbrella, running through the centre of each of the channel
wheels, and the other two run either side of it. The central channel is pale blue and has four attributes: (1) it is very straight, like
the trunk of a plantain tree; (2) inside it has an oily red colour,
like pure blood; (3) it is very clear and transparent, like a candle
lame; and (4) it is very soft and lexible, like a lotus petal.
The central channel is located exactly midway between the
left and right halves of the body, but is closer to the back than
the front. Immediately in front of the spine, there is the life
channel, which is quite thick; and in front of this is the central
channel. As mentioned before, it begins at the point between
the eyebrows, from where it ascends in an arch to the crown of
the head and then descends in a straight line to the tip of the sex
organ. Although its most common name is the central channel, it
is also known as the ‘two abandonments’ because gathering the
265
MODERN BUDDHISM
winds into this channel causes the negative activity associated
with the winds of the right and left channels to be abandoned. It
is also known as the ‘mind channel’ and as ‘Rahu’.
Either side of the central channel, with no intervening
space, are the right and left channels. The right channel is red
in colour and the left is white. The right channel begins at the
tip of the right nostril and the left channel at the tip of the left
nostril. From there they both ascend in an arch to the crown
of the head, either side of the central channel. From the crown
of the head down to the navel, these three major channels
are straight and adjacent to one another. As the left channel
continues down below the level of the navel, it curves a little
to the right, separating slightly from the central channel and
rejoining it at the tip of the sex organ. There it functions to
hold and release sperm, blood and urine. As the right channel
continues down below the level of the navel, it curves a little to
the left and terminates at the tip of the anus, where it functions
to hold and release faeces and so forth.
Other names for the right channel are the ‘sun channel’, the
‘speech channel’ and the ‘channel of the subjective holder’.
This last title indicates that the winds lowing through this
channel cause the generation of conceptions developed in
terms of the subjective mind. Other names for the left channel
are the ‘moon channel’, the ‘body channel’ and the ‘channel
of the held object’, with the last title indicating that the winds
lowing through this channel cause the generation of conceptions developed in terms of the object.
The right and left channels coil around the central channel at
various places, thereby forming the so-called ‘channel knots’.
The four places at which these knots occur are, in ascending
order, the navel channel wheel, the heart channel wheel, the
throat channel wheel and the crown channel wheel. At each
266
AN EXPLANATION OF CHANNELS
of these places, except at the heart level, there is one two-fold
knot formed by a single coil of the right channel and a single
coil of the left. As the right and left channels ascend to these
places, they coil around the central channel by crossing in
front and then looping around it. They then continue upward
to the level of the next knot. At the heart level, the same thing
happens, except that here there is a six-fold knot formed by
three overlapping loops of each of the lanking channels.
The four places where these knots occur are four of the six
major channel wheels. At each of the six major channel wheels,
a different number of spokes, or petals, branch off from the
central channel in the same way that the ribs of an umbrella
appear to branch off from the central pole. Thus, at the crown
channel wheel (known as the ‘great bliss wheel’) there are
thirty-two such petals or channel spokes, all of them white in
colour. The centre is triangular with the apex facing forwards.
(This refers to the shape of the coiled knot through which
the spokes emanate, as seen from the top.) These thirty-two
spokes arch downwards, like the ribs of an upright umbrella.
A description of this and the three other major channel wheels
where knots occur is given in Chart 1.
Chart 1 The Four Major Channel Wheels
location
name
shape of
centre
number of
spokes
colour
direction of
arching
crown
great bliss
wheel
triangular
thirty-two
white
downwards
throat
enjoyment circular
wheel
sixteen
red
upwards
heart
Dharma
wheel
eight
white
downwards
navel
emanation triangular
wheel
sixty-four
red
upwards
circular
267
MODERN BUDDHISM
These four channel wheels contain a total of one hundred
and twenty spokes. As for the remaining two major channel
wheels, the channel wheel at the secret place has thirty-two
red-coloured spokes arching downwards and the jewel channel
wheel has eight white spokes arching upwards. It should also
be noted that according to some texts the spokes at the crown,
navel and secret place can be visualized as having various
colours.
Since the heart channel wheel is of particular importance, it
will now be described in more detail. Its eight spokes, or petals,
are arranged in the cardinal and intermediate directions with
the front being the east. In each spoke, there lows mainly the
supporting wind of a particular element as indicated in Chart 2.
Chart 2 The Spokes of the Heart Channel Wheel
direction
supporting wind
east
of the earth element
north
of the wind element
west
of the ire element
south
of the water element
south-east
of the element of form
south-west
of the element of smell
north-west
of the element of taste
north-east
of the element of touch
From each of these eight petals or channel spokes of the heart,
three channels split off, making twenty-four channels in all.
These are the channels of the twenty-four places. They are all
included in three groups of eight: the channels of the mind
wheel, which are blue and contain mainly winds; the channels
of the speech wheel, which are red and contain mostly red
drops; and the channels of the body wheel, which are white
268
AN EXPLANATION OF CHANNELS
and contain mostly white drops. Each channel goes to a
different place in the body. These places are the twenty-four
inner places. When we practise the extensive Heruka sadhana,
we visualize the Deities of the body mandala at these places.
The outer tips of the eight channels of the mind wheel
terminate at: (1) the hairline; (2) the crown; (3) the right ear;
(4) the back of the neck; (5) the left ear; (6) the brow (the place
between the eyebrows); (7) the two eyes; and (8) the two
shoulders. Those of the speech wheel terminate at: (9) the two
armpits; (10) the two breasts; (11) the navel; (12) the tip of the
nose; (13) the mouth; (14) the throat; (15) the heart (the area
midway between the two breasts); and (16) the two testicles
or the two sides of the vagina. Finally, those of the body wheel
terminate at: (17) the tip of the sex organ; (18) the anus; (19) the
two thighs; (20) the two calves; (21) the eight ingers and eight
lesser toes; (22) the tops of the feet; (23) the two thumbs and the
two big toes; and (24) the two knees.
Each of these twenty-four channels splits into three
branches, which are distinguished by the principal elements
– winds, red drops and white drops – that low through them.
Each of these seventy-two channels then splits into a thousand,
making seventy-two thousand channels in all. It is important
for a Highest Yoga Tantric practitioner to be familiar with the
arrangement of the channels since it is through gaining control
over the winds and drops lowing through these channels
that the union of spontaneous great bliss and emptiness is
accomplished.
The winds in the body of an ordinary person low through
most of these channels except the central channel. Because
these winds are impure, the various minds that they support
are also impure, and so for as long as these winds continue
to low through the peripheral channels they will continue to
269
MODERN BUDDHISM
support the various negative conceptions that keep us trapped
in samsara. Through the force of meditation, however, these
winds can be brought into the central channel, where they are
no longer able to support the development of gross conceptions
of dualistic appearance. With a mind free from dualistic
appearances, we shall be able to gain a direct realization of
ultimate truth, emptiness.
Corresponding to the twenty-four inner places of the Heruka
body mandala are the ‘twenty-four outer places’, which are
located at various points throughout this world. Practitioners
with pure karma can see these outer places of Heruka as
Pure Lands, but people with impure karma see them only as
ordinary places.
270
Appendix IV
An Explanation of Inner Winds
The deinition of wind is any of the four elements that is light
in weight and moving. Winds can be divided into external and
internal winds, and into gross and subtle winds. Gross external
wind is the wind we experience on a windy day. Subtle external wind is much more dificult to detect. It is the energy that
makes plants grow and exists even inside rocks and mountains.
It is with the help of subtle winds that plants draw up water,
grow new leaves, and so forth. Such winds are the life-force
of plants. Indeed, in some Tantric texts wind is called ‘life’ or
‘life-force’. Thus, although it is incorrect to say that plants are
alive in the sense of being conjoined with consciousness, we
can say that they are alive in this sense.
Internal winds are the winds in the continuum of a person
that low through the channels of the body. The main function
of internal winds is to move the mind to its object. The function
of the mind is to apprehend objects, but without a wind to act
as its mount it cannot move towards, or establish connection
271
MODERN BUDDHISM
with, its object. Mind is sometimes likened to a lame person
who can see, and wind to a blind person with legs. It is only
by operating together with internal winds that minds can
function.
There are many different winds lowing through the channels of the body, but all are included within the ive root winds
and the ive branch winds. The ive root winds are: (1) the
life-supporting wind; (2) the downward-voiding wind; (3) the
upward-moving wind; (4) the equally-abiding wind; and (5)
the pervading wind.
Each of the ive root winds has six characteristics by which
it can be recognized: (1) its colour; (2) its associated Buddha
family; (3) an element for which it serves as the support; (4) its
principal seat or fundamental location; (5) its function; and (6)
its direction (how it leaves the nostrils upon exhalation). These
are summarized in Chart 1 on page 274.
The life-supporting wind is called the ‘Akshobya wind’
because, when it is completely puriied, it transforms into the
nature of Akshobya. At the moment, our life-supporting wind
is like the seed of Akshobya’s Form Body, but not Akshobya
himself. The main function of the life-supporting wind is to
support life by maintaining the connection between body
and mind. The stronger the life-supporting wind, the longer
we shall live. Another function of this wind is to support the
water element of our body and to cause it to increase. The lifesupporting wind is white in colour and its principal location
is at the heart. When we exhale, it leaves from both nostrils,
lowing gently downwards.
The downward-voiding wind is the seed of Ratnasambhava’s
Form Body and is associated with the earth element. It is
yellow in colour and it functions to release urine, faeces, sperm
and menstrual blood. Its principal locations are at the anus and
272
AN EXPLANATION OF INNER WINDS
the sex organ, and when we exhale, it leaves horizontally from
both nostrils, lowing heavily forwards.
The upward-moving wind is the seed of Amitabha’s Form
Body and is associated with the ire element. It is red in colour
and it functions to enable us to swallow food and drink, to
speak, to cough and so forth. Its principal location is at the
throat, and when we exhale it leaves from the right nostril,
lowing violently upwards.
The equally-abiding wind is the seed of Amoghasiddhi’s
Form Body and is associated with the wind element. It is
greenish-yellow in colour and it functions to cause the inner
ire to blaze, and to digest food and drink by separating the
nutrients from waste matter. Its principal location is at the
navel, and when we exhale it leaves from the left nostril,
moving to the left and the right from the edge of the nostril.
The pervading wind is the seed of Vairochana’s Form Body
and is associated with the space element. It is pale blue in
colour and, as its name suggests, it pervades the entire body,
particularly the three hundred and sixty joints. It functions
to enable the body to move. Without this wind we would be
completely immobile, like a stone. This wind does not low
through the nostrils except at the moment of death.
Generally speaking, at any one time, one of the winds is
lowing more strongly through the nostrils than the other winds.
If, for example, the life-supporting wind is lowing strongly, the
other winds (except the pervading wind) are lowing gently.
Unless we observe our breath very carefully, it is dificult to
notice the different movements of the four winds, but they
deinitely low through our nostrils whenever we breathe.
The ive branch winds are: (1) the moving wind; (2) the
intensely-moving wind; (3) the perfectly-moving wind; (4) the
strongly-moving wind; and (5) the deinitely-moving wind.
273
Chart 1 The Root Winds
downward-voiding
upward-moving
equally-abiding
pervading
colour
white
yellow
red
green/yellow
pale blue
Buddha family
Akshobya
Ratnasambhava
Amitabha
Amoghasiddhi
Vairochana
element
water
earth
ire
wind
space
seat
heart
the two lower
doors: the anus
and the sex
organ
throat
navel
both the upper
and lower parts
of the body,
mainly the 360
joints
function
to support and
maintain life
to retain and
release urine,
faeces, semen,
blood, etc.
to speak,
swallow, etc.
to cause the
inner ire to
blaze, to digest
food and
drink, etc.
to enable the
body to come
and go; to allow
movement, lifting and placing
direction
from both
nostrils, gently
downwards
from both nostrils, from the right
horizontally
nostril, violently
heavily forwards upwards
from the left
nostril, moving
to the left and
the right from
the edge of this
nostril
this wind does
not low through
the nostrils
except at the
moment of death
MODERN BUDDHISM
274
life-supporting
AN EXPLANATION OF INNER WINDS
The ive branch winds are so called because they branch
off from the life-supporting wind, which resides in the heart
centre. The main location of these winds is in the four channel
spokes of the heart channel wheel, from where they flow
through our channels to the ive doors of the sense powers.
Because they function to enable sense awarenesses to develop,
the ive branch winds are also called the ‘ive winds of the
sense powers’. The colour and function of each branch wind
are summarized in Chart 2.
Chart 2 The Branch Winds
name
colour
function
the moving wind
red
to enable the eye
awareness to move
to visual forms
the intensely-moving wind blue
to enable the ear
awareness to move
to sounds
the perfectly-moving wind yellow
to enable the nose
awareness to move
to smells
the strongly-moving wind
to enable the
tongue awareness
to move to tastes
white
the deinitely-moving wind green
to enable the body
awareness to move
to tactile objects
The first wind, the moving wind, flows from the heart
through the door of the eyes to enable the eye awareness to
move to its object, visual forms. Without the moving wind, eye
awareness would be powerless to contact visual forms. The
reason we cannot see when we are asleep is that the moving
wind has withdrawn from the door of the eye sense power
back to its seat at the heart.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
The intensely-moving wind lows from the heart to the ears,
enabling the ear awareness to move to sounds; the perfectlymoving wind lows from the heart to the nostrils, enabling
the nose awareness to move to smells; the strongly-moving
wind lows from the heart to the tongue, enabling the tongue
awareness to move to tastes; and the deinitely-moving wind
lows from the heart all over the body, enabling the body
awareness to move to tactile objects.
The downward-voiding wind, the upward-moving wind,
the equally-abiding wind, the pervading wind, and the ive
branch winds are all gross internal winds. The life-supporting
wind has three levels: gross, subtle and very subtle. Most
mounted winds of conceptual thoughts are gross lifesupporting winds; the mounted winds of the minds of white
appearance, red increase and black near-attainment are subtle
life-supporting winds; and the mounted wind of the mind of
clear light is a very subtle life-supporting wind.
The life-supporting wind is very extensive. If a deiled lifesupporting wind manifests, negative conceptual thoughts will
develop, but if the life-supporting wind is puriied, negative
conceptual thoughts will be paciied. All meditations use the
mental awareness, and the mounted wind of mental awareness
is necessarily a life-supporting wind.
Each of the ive winds of the sense powers and the gross
life-supporting wind has two parts: a wind that develops the
speciic type of awareness, and a wind that moves the awareness
towards its object. These twelve winds normally low through
the right and left channels, and are the principal objects to be
puriied by means of vajra recitation, as explained in Tantric
Grounds and Paths and Essence of Vajrayana. If we want to overcome distractions, it is very important to cause these twelve
winds to enter, abide and dissolve within the central channel.
276
Appendix V
he Yoga of Buddha Heruka
THE ESSENTIAL SELF-GENERATION SADHANA OF
HERUKA BODY MANDALA
& CONDENSED SIX-SESSION YOGA
Tantric commitments objects:
inner offering in kapala, vajra, bell, damaru, mala
Introduction
Those who have received the empowerment of Heruka body
mandala, but who are unable to practise the extensive sadhana,
Essence of Vajrayana, can practise this short sadhana, which
contains the very essence of Heruka body mandala practice.
It is very important to improve our understanding of and
faith in this precious practice through sincerely studying its
commentary as presented in the chapter The Practice of Heruka Body
Mandala. Having understood the meaning clearly and with strong
faith we can enter, make progress on and complete the quick path
to the enlightened state of Buddha Heruka.
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
April 2010
279
Je Phabongkhapa
The Yoga of Buddha Heruka
PRELIMINARIES
Going for refuge
I and all sentient beings, until we achieve enlightenment,
Go for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
(3x)
Generating the supreme good heart, bodhichitta
Through the virtues I collect by giving and other perfections,
May I become a Buddha for the beneit of all.
(3x)
Guru yoga
VISUALIZATION AND MEDITATION
In the space before me is Guru Sumati Buddha Heruka –
Je Tsongkhapa inseparable from my root Guru, Buddha
Shakyamuni and Heruka – surrounded by all the Buddhas
of the ten directions.
281
MODERN BUDDHISM
INVITING THE WISDOM BEINGS
From the heart of the Protector of the hundreds of Deities
of the Joyful Land,
To the peak of a cloud which is like a cluster of fresh,
white curd,
All-knowing Losang Dragpa, King of the Dharma,
Please come to this place together with your Sons.
At this point we imagine that wisdom being Je Tsongkhapa
together with his retinue dissolves into the assembly of Guru
Sumati Buddha Heruka, and they become non-dual.
THE PRACTICE OF THE SEVEN LIMBS
In the space before me on a lion throne, lotus and moon,
The venerable Gurus smile with delight.
O Supreme Field of Merit for my mind of faith,
Please remain for a hundred aeons to spread the doctrine.
Your mind of wisdom realizes the full extent of objects of
knowledge,
Your eloquent speech is the ear-ornament of the fortunate,
Your beautiful body is ablaze with the glory of renown,
I prostrate to you, whom to see, to hear and to remember is
so meaningful.
Pleasing water offerings, various lowers,
Sweet-smelling incense, lights, scented water and so forth,
A vast cloud of offerings both set out and imagined,
I offer to you, O Supreme Field of Merit.
Whatever non-virtues of body, speech and mind
I have accumulated since time without beginning,
Especially transgressions of my three vows,
With great remorse I confess each one from the depths of
my heart.
282
THE YOGA OF BUDDHA HERUKA
In this degenerate age you strove for much learning and
accomplishment.
Abandoning the eight worldly concerns, you made your
freedom and endowment meaningful.
O Protector, from the very depths of my heart,
I rejoice in the great wave of your deeds.
From the billowing clouds of wisdom and compassion
In the space of your Truth Body, O Venerable and holy Gurus,
Please send down a rain of vast and profound Dharma
Appropriate to the disciples of this world.
From your actual deathless body, born from meaning clear
light,
Please send countless emanations throughout the world
To spread the oral lineage of the Ganden doctrine;
And may they remain for a very long time.
Through the virtues I have accumulated here,
May the doctrine and all living beings receive every beneit.
Especially may the essence of the doctrine
Of Venerable Losang Dragpa shine forever.
OFFERING THE MANDALA
The ground sprinkled with perfume and spread with lowers,
The Great Mountain, four lands, sun and moon,
Seen as a Buddha Land and offered thus,
May all beings enjoy such Pure Lands.
I offer without any sense of loss
The objects that give rise to my attachment, hatred and
confusion,
My friends, enemies and strangers, our bodies and
enjoyments;
Please accept these and bless me to be released directly from
the three poisons.
IDAM GURU RATNA MANDALAKAM NIRYATAYAMI
283
MODERN BUDDHISM
MAKING SPECIAL REQUESTS
O Guru Sumati Buddha Heruka, from now until I attain
enlightenment,
I shall seek no refuge other than you.
Please pacify my obstacles and bestow upon me
The two attainments of liberating and ripening.
Please bless me so that I will become deinitive Heruka,
In which state I shall experience all phenomena as puriied
and gathered into emptiness, inseparable from great bliss.
(3x)
GENERATING THE EXPERIENCE OF GREAT BLISS AND EMPTINESS
Due to my making requests in this way, all the Buddhas of the
ten directions dissolve into Je Tsongkhapa who is inseparable
from my root Guru, he dissolves into Buddha Shakyamuni at
his heart, and Buddha Shakyamuni dissolves into Heruka at his
heart. With delight, Guru Heruka, who is the nature of the union
of great bliss and emptiness, enters my body through my crown,
and dissolves into my mind at my heart. Because Heruka, who
is the nature of the union of great bliss and emptiness, becomes
inseparable from my mind, my mind transforms into the union
of great bliss and emptiness.
We meditate on this belief single-pointedly. This meditation is
called ’training in deinitive Guru yoga’. We should repeat this
practice of special request and meditation again and again until
we spontaneously believe that our mind has transformed into the
union of great bliss and emptiness.
THE ACTUAL SELF GENERATION
In the vast space of emptiness of all phenomena, the nature of
my puriied mistaken appearance of all phenomena – which
is the Pure Land of Keajra – I appear as Buddha Heruka with
a blue-coloured body, four faces and twelve arms, the nature
284
THE YOGA OF BUDDHA HERUKA
of my puriied white indestructible drop. I am embracing
Vajravarahi, the nature of my puriied red indestructible drop. I
am surrounded by the Heroes and Heroines of the ive wheels,
who are the nature of my puriied subtle body – the channels
and drops. I reside in the mandala, the celestial mansion, which
is the nature of my puriied gross body. Although I have this
appearance it is not other than the emptiness of all phenomena.
At this point, (1) while experiencing great bliss and emptiness, (2)
we meditate on the clear appearance of the mandala and Deities
with divine pride, while (3) recognizing that the Deities are the
nature of our puriied channels and drops, which are our subtle
body, and that the mandala is the nature of our puriied gross
body.
In this way we train sincerely in one single meditation on
generation stage possessing these three characteristics. Holding the
third characteristic – recognizing the Deities as the nature of our
puriied subtle body, and the mandala as the nature of our puriied
gross body – makes this concentration an actual body mandala
meditation.
If we wish to practise completion stage meditation, we should
change ourself through imagination from Heruka with four faces
and twelve arms into Heruka with one face and two arms. We then
engage in the meditations on the central channel, indestructible
drop, indestructible wind, tummo and so forth.
Then, when we need to rest from meditation, we can practise
mantra recitation.
285
MODERN BUDDHISM
Reciting the mantras
THE ESSENCE MANTRA OF HERUKA
At my heart is wisdom being Buddha Heruka, deinitive
Heruka.
O Glorious Vajra Heruka, you who enjoy
The divine illusory body and mind of clear light,
Please pacify my obstacles and bestow upon me
The two attainments of liberating and ripening.
Please bless me so that I will become deinitive Heruka,
In which state I shall experience all phenomena as puriied
and gathered into emptiness, inseparable from great bliss.
OM SHRI VAJRA HE HE RU RU KAM HUM HUM PHAT DAKINI
DZALA SHAMBARAM SÖHA
(21x, 100x, etc.)
THE THREE-OM MANTRA OF VAJRAYOGINI
At the heart of imagined Vajrayogini (Vajravarahi) is wisdom
being Buddha Vajrayogini, deinitive Vajrayogini.
OM OM OM SARWA BUDDHA DAKINIYE VAJRA WARNANIYE
VAJRA BEROTZANIYE HUM HUM HUM PHAT PHAT PHAT
SÖHA
Recite at least as many mantras as you have promised.
The ‘three-OM’ mantra is the union of the essence and close essence
mantras of Vajravarahi. The meaning of this mantra is as follows.
With OM OM OM we are calling Vajrayogini – the principal Deity
– and her retinue of Heroines of the three wheels. SARWA BUDDHA
DAKINIYE means that Vajrayogini is the synthesis of the minds of
all Buddhas, VAJRA WARNANIYE means that she is the synthesis
of the speech of all Buddhas, and VAJRA BEROTZANIYE means that
she is the synthesis of the bodies of all Buddhas. With HUM HUM
HUM we are requesting Vajrayogini and her retinues to bestow
286
THE YOGA OF BUDDHA HERUKA
upon us the attainments of the body, speech and mind of all the
Buddhas. With PHAT PHAT PHAT we are requesting them to pacify
our main obstacle – the subtle mistaken appearance of our body,
speech and mind; and SÖHA means ‘please build within me the
basic foundation for all these attainments’.
THE CONDENSED MANTRA OF THE SIXTY-TWO DEITIES OF
HERUKA BODY MANDALA
At the heart of each of the sixty-two Deities is their individual
wisdom being, their own deinitive Deity.
OM HUM BAM RIM RIM LIM LIM, KAM KHAM GAM GHAM
NGAM, TSAM TSHAM DZAM DZHAM NYAM, TrAM THrAM
DrAM DHrAM NAM, TAM THAM DAM DHAM NAM, PAM
PHAM BAM BHAM, YAM RAM LAM WAM, SHAM KAM SAM
HAM HUM HUM PHAT
(7x, 21x, 100x, etc.)
When we recite this mantra we are making requests to wisdom
being Buddha Heruka with Vajravarahi, and his retinue of Heroes
and Heroines of the ive wheels, to pacify our obstacle of subtle
mistaken appearance and to bestow upon us the attainments of
outer and inner Dakini Land. Outer Dakini Land is the Pure
Land of Keajra and inner Dakini Land is meaning clear light. The
moment our mind is free from subtle mistaken appearance we open
the door through which we can directly see all enlightened Deities.
For as long as our mind remains polluted by subtle mistaken
appearance this door is closed.
287
MODERN BUDDHISM
Dedication
Thus, through my virtues from correctly performing the
offerings, praises, recitations and meditations
Of the generation stage of Glorious Heruka,
May I complete all the stages
Of the common and uncommon paths.
For the sake of all living beings
May I become Heruka;
And then lead every living being
To Heruka’s supreme state.
And if I do not attain this supreme state in this life,
At my deathtime may I be met by the venerable Father and
Mother and their retinue,
With clouds of breathtaking offerings, heavenly music,
And many excellent, auspicious signs.
Then, at the end of the clear light of death,
May I be led to the Pure Land of Keajra,
The abode of the Knowledge Holders who practise the
supreme path;
And there may I swiftly complete this profound path.
May the most profound practice and instruction of Heruka,
Practised by millions of powerful Yogis, greatly increase;
And may it remain for a very long time without
degenerating,
As the main gateway for those seeking liberation.
May the Heroes, Dakinis and their retinues
Abiding in the twenty-four supreme places of this world,
Who possess unobstructed power for accomplishing this
method,
Never waver from always assisting practitioners.
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THE YOGA OF BUDDHA HERUKA
Auspicious prayers
May there be the auspiciousness of a great treasury of
blessings
Arising from the excellent deeds of all the root and lineage
Gurus,
Who have accomplished the supreme attainment of Buddha
Heruka
By relying upon the excellent, secret path of the King of Tantras.
May there be the auspiciousness of the great excellent deeds of
the Three Jewels –
The holy Buddha Jewel, the pervading nature Heruka,
deinitive Heruka;
The ultimate, great, secret Dharma Jewel, the scriptures and
realizations of Heruka Tantra;
And the supreme Sangha Jewel, the assemblies of Heruka’s
retinue Deities.
Through all the great good fortune there is
In the precious, celestial mansions as extensive as the three
thousand worlds,
Adorned with ornaments like the rays of the sun and the
moon,
May all worlds and their beings have happiness, goodness,
glory and prosperity.
Prayers for the Virtuous Tradition
So that the tradition of Je Tsongkhapa,
The King of the Dharma, may lourish,
May all obstacles be paciied
And may all favourable conditions abound.
Through the two collections of myself and others
Gathered throughout the three times,
May the doctrine of Conqueror Losang Dragpa
Flourish for evermore.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
The nine-line Migtsema prayer
Tsongkhapa, crown ornament of the scholars of the Land of the
Snows,
You are Buddha Shakyamuni and Vajradhara, the source of all
attainments,
Avalokiteshvara, the treasury of unobservable compassion,
Manjushri, the supreme stainless wisdom,
And Vajrapani, the destroyer of the hosts of maras.
O Venerable Guru-Buddha, synthesis of all Three Jewels,
With my body, speech and mind, respectfully I make requests:
Please grant your blessings to ripen and liberate myself and
others,
And bestow the common and supreme attainments.
(3x)
290
Condensed Six-session Yoga
Everyone who has received a Highest Yoga Tantra empowerment
has a commitment to practise six-session yoga. If we are very busy,
we can fulil our six-session commitment by doing the following
practice six times each day. First we recall the nineteen commitments of the ive Buddha families that are listed below, and then,
with a strong determination to keep these commitments purely, we
recite the Condensed Six-session Yoga that follows.
THE NINETEEN COMMITMENTS OF THE FIVE
BUDDHA FAMILIES
The six commitments of the family of Buddha Vairochana:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
To go for refuge to Buddha
To go for refuge to Dharma
To go for refuge to Sangha
To refrain from non-virtue
To practise virtue
To beneit others
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MODERN BUDDHISM
The four commitments of the family of Buddha Akshobya:
(1) To keep a vajra to remind us to emphasize the
development of great bliss through meditation on the
central channel
(2) To keep a bell to remind us to emphasize meditation
on emptiness
(3) To generate ourself as the Deity while realizing all
things that we normally see do not exist
(4) To rely sincerely upon our Spiritual Guide, who leads
us to the practice of the pure moral discipline of the
Pratimoksha, Bodhisattva and Tantric vows
The four commitments of the family of Buddha Ratnasambhava:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
To give material help
To give Dharma
To give fearlessness
To give love
The three commitments of the family of Buddha Amitabha:
(1) To rely upon the teachings of Sutra
(2) To rely upon the teachings of the two lower classes of
Tantra
(3) To rely upon the teachings of the two higher classes
of Tantra
The two commitments of the family of Buddha Amoghasiddhi:
(1) To make offerings to our Spiritual Guide
(2) To strive to maintain purely all the vows we have
taken
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CONDENSED SIX-SESSION YOGA
CONDENSED SIX-SESSION YOGA
I go for refuge to the Guru and Three Jewels.
Holding vajra and bell I generate as the Deity and make
offerings.
I rely upon the Dharmas of Sutra and Tantra and refrain from all
non-virtuous actions.
Gathering all virtuous Dharmas, I help all living beings through
the practice of the four givings.
All nineteen commitments are referred to in this verse. The words,
‘I go for refuge to the . . . Three Jewels’, refer to the irst three
commitments of the family of Buddha Vairochana – to go for refuge
to Buddha, to go for refuge to Dharma and to go for refuge to
Sangha. The word, ‘Guru’, refers to the fourth commitment of the
family of Buddha Akshobya – to rely sincerely upon our Spiritual
Guide.
The words, ‘Holding vajra and bell I generate as the Deity’,
refer to the first three commitments of the family of Buddha
Akshobya – to keep a vajra to remind us of great bliss, to keep a
bell to remind us of emptiness and to generate ourself as the Deity.
The words, ‘and make offerings’, refer to the irst commitment
of the family of Buddha Amoghasiddhi – to make offerings to our
Spiritual Guide.
The words, ‘I rely upon the Dharmas of Sutra and Tantra’,
refer to the three commitments of Buddha Amitabha – to rely upon
the teachings of Sutra, to rely upon the teachings of the two lower
classes of Tantra, and to rely upon the teachings of the two higher
classes of Tantra. The words, ‘and refrain from all non-virtuous
actions’, refer to the fourth commitment of the family of Buddha
Vairochana – to refrain from non-virtue.
The words, ‘Gathering all virtuous Dharmas’, refer to the
ifth commitment of the family of Buddha Vairochana – to practise
virtue. The words, ‘I help all living beings’, refer to the sixth
commitment of the family of Buddha Vairochana – to beneit others.
The words, ‘through the practice of the four givings’, refer to
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MODERN BUDDHISM
the four commitments of the family of Buddha Ratnasambhava – to
give material help, to give Dharma, to give fearlessness and to give
love.
Finally, the entire verse refers to the second commitment of the
family of Buddha Amoghasiddhi – to strive to maintain purely all
the vows we have taken.
More detail on the vows and commitments of Secret Mantra can
be found in the book Tantric Grounds and Paths.
Colophon: This sadhana or ritual prayer for the spiritual
attainments of Buddha Heruka was compiled from traditional
sources by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, June 2009,
revised April 2010 and December 2012
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Appendix VI
Blissful Journey
HOW TO ENGAGE IN A CLOSE RETREAT OF
HERUKA BODY MANDALA
Dorjechang Trijang Rinpoche
Introduction
Sincere practitioners of The Yoga of Buddha Heruka sadhana can
perform a close retreat of Heruka body mandala in accordance
with the following instructions.
Having set out ritual objects, and torma and other offerings,
in either a traditional or simple manner, in the evening of the
irst day on which the retreat begins you should engage in the
practice of The Yoga of Buddha Heruka from Going for refuge up to
and including Reciting the mantras; then perform torma and tsog
offerings as presented below. The session should be concluded by
reciting the Dedication and remaining prayers from the sadhana.
Beginning on the second day, if you intend to do four sessions
of retreat each day, in the irst three sessions you should engage
in the practice of The Yoga of Buddha Heruka from Going for refuge
up to and including reciting the Dedication and remaining prayers,
without any additions. In the fourth or last session you should
engage in the practice of The Yoga of Buddha Heruka from Going for
refuge up to and including Reciting the mantras, and then perform
the torma offerings as presented below; the session should be
concluded by reciting the Dedication and remaining prayers from
the sadhana.
Having collected 100,000 recitations of the essence mantra of
Heruka, 100,000 recitations of the three-OM mantra of Vajrayogini,
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MODERN BUDDHISM
and 10,000 recitations of the condensed mantra of the sixty-two
Deities of Heruka body mandala you then need to perform a ire
puja, or burning offering. This practice and its explanation can
be found in the book Essence of Vajrayana. In this way your close
retreat of Heruka body mandala will be completed. Until the ire
puja is completed you should engage in at least two sessions of
The Yoga of Buddha Heruka each day, making torma offerings in the
last session.
Once you have completed the close retreat of Heruka body
mandala you can engage in the practice of Heruka body mandala
self-initiation, which can be found in the sadhana Union of No
More Learning. It is most important that whenever you recite the
sadhana The Yoga of Buddha Heruka you should strongly concentrate on its meaning, free from distraction and impure motivation.
Between sessions you should carefully read the commentary to
this sadhana presented in the chapter The Practice of Heruka Body
Mandala.
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
April 2010
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Blissful Journey
TORMA OFFERING
Having engaged in the practice of The Yoga of Buddha Heruka
from Going for refuge up to and including Reciting the
mantras, now perform the torma offering.
Blessing the inner offering
OM KHANDAROHI HUM HUM PHAT
OM SÖBHAWA SHUDDHA SARWA DHARMA SÖBHAWA
SHUDDHO HAM
Everything becomes emptiness.
From the state of emptiness, from YAM comes wind, from
RAM comes ire, from AH a grate of three human heads.
Upon this from AH appears a broad and expansive skullcup.
Inside from OM, KHAM, AM, TRAM, HUM come the ive
nectars; from LAM, MAM, PAM, TAM, BAM come the ive
meats, each marked by these letters. The wind blows, the
ire blazes, and the substances inside the skullcup melt.
Above them from HUM there arises a white, upside-down
khatanga, which falls into the skullcup and melts whereby
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MODERN BUDDHISM
the substances take on the colour of mercury. Above them
three rows of vowels and consonants, standing one above
the other, transform into OM AH HUM. From these, light
rays draw the nectar of exalted wisdom from the hearts of
all the Tathagatas, Heroes and Yoginis of the ten directions.
When this is added the contents increase and become vast.
OM AH HUM
(3x)
Blessing the outer offerings
OM KHANDAROHI HUM HUM PHAT
OM SÖBHAWA SHUDDHA SARWA DHARMA SÖBHAWA
SHUDDHO HAM
Everything becomes emptiness.
From the state of emptiness, from KAMs come broad and
expansive skullcups, inside which from HUMs come water
for drinking, water for bathing, water for the mouth,
lowers, incense, lights, perfume, food and music. By
nature emptiness, they have the aspect of the individual
offering substances, and function as objects of enjoyment
of the six senses to bestow special, uncontaminated bliss.
OM AHRGHAM AH HUM
OM PADÄM AH HUM
OM ÄNTZAMANAM AH HUM
OM VAJRA PUPE AH HUM
OM VAJRA DHUPE AH HUM
OM VAJRA DIWE AH HUM
OM VAJRA GÄNDHE AH HUM
OM VAJRA NEWIDE AH HUM
OM VAJRA SHAPTA AH HUM
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BLISSFUL JOURNEY
Blessing the tormas
OM KHANDAROHI HUM HUM PHAT
OM SÖBHAWA SHUDDHA SARWA DHARMA SÖBHAWA
SHUDDHO HAM
Everything becomes emptiness.
From the state of emptiness, from YAM comes wind, from
RAM comes ire, from AH a grate of three human heads.
Upon this from AH appears a broad and expansive skullcup.
Inside from OM, KHAM, AM, TRAM, HUM come the ive
nectars; from LAM, MAM, PAM, TAM, BAM come the ive
meats, each marked by these letters. The wind blows, the
ire blazes, and the substances inside the skullcup melt.
Above them from HUM there arises a white, upside-down
khatanga, which falls into the skullcup and melts whereby
the substances take on the colour of mercury. Above them
three rows of vowels and consonants, standing one above
the other, transform into OM AH HUM. From these, light
rays draw the nectar of exalted wisdom from the hearts of
all the Tathagatas, Heroes and Yoginis of the ten directions.
When this is added the contents increase and become vast.
OM AH HUM
(3x)
Inviting the guests of the tormas
PHAIM
Light rays radiate from the letter HUM on the sun seat
at my heart and invite to the space before me the entire
assembly of the Deities of Chakrasambara together with
his mundane retinues, such as the directional guardians
who reside in the eight charnel grounds.
OM AHRGHAM PARTITZA SÖHA
OM PADÄM PARTITZA SÖHA
OM VAJRA PUPE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA DHUPE AH HUM SÖHA
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MODERN BUDDHISM
OM VAJRA DIWE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA GÄNDHE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA NEWIDE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA SHAPTA AH HUM SÖHA
From a white HUM in the tongue of each guest, there
arises a white, three-pronged vajra, through which they
partake of the essence of the torma by drawing it through
straws of light the thickness of only a grain of barley.
Offering the principal torma
OM VAJRA AH RA LI HO: DZA HUM BAM HO: VAJRA DAKINI
(3x)
SAMAYA TÖN TRISHAYA HO
With the irst recitation, offer the torma to the Principal Father, with
the second to the Principal Mother, and with the third to the four
Yoginis, beginning in the east and offering counter-clockwise.
Offering the torma to the Deities of the heart wheel, speech
wheel and body wheel
OM KARA KARA, KURU KURU, BÄNDHA BÄNDHA, TRASAYA
TrASAYA, KYOMBHAYA KYOMBHAYA, HROM HROM, HRAH
HRAH, PHAIM PHAIM, PHAT PHAT, DAHA DAHA, PATSA
PATSA, BHAKYA BHAKYA BASA RUDHI ÄNTRA MALA
WALAMBINE, GRIHANA GRIHANA SAPTA PATALA GATA
BHUDZAMGAM SARWAMPA TARDZAYA TARDZAYA,
AKANDYA AKANDYA, HRIM HRIM, GYÖN GYÖN, KYAMA
KYAMA, HAM HAM, HIM HIM, HUM HUM, KILI KILI, SILI
SILI, HILI HILI, DHILI DHILI, HUM HUM PHAT
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BLISSFUL JOURNEY
Offering the torma to the Deities of the commitment wheel
OM VAJRA AH RA LI HO: DZA HUM BAM HO: VAJRA DAKINI
(2x)
SAMAYA TÖN TRISHAYA HO
Outer offerings
OM AHRGHAM PARTITZA SÖHA
OM PADÄM PARTITZA SÖHA
OM VAJRA PUPE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA DHUPE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA DIWE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA GÄNDHE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA NEWIDE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA SHAPTA AH HUM SÖHA
OM AH VAJRA ADARSHE HUM
OM AH VAJRA WINI HUM
OM AH VAJRA GÄNDHE HUM
OM AH VAJRA RASE HUM
OM AH VAJRA PARSHE HUM
OM AH VAJRA DHARME HUM
Inner offering
OM HUM BAM RIM RIM LIM LIM, KAM KHAM GAM GHAM
NGAM, TSAM TSHAM DZAM DZHAM NYAM, TrAM THrAM
DrAM DHrAM NAM, TAM THAM DAM DHAM NAM, PAM
PHAM BAM BHAM, YAM RAM LAM WAM, SHAM KAM SAM
HAM HUM HUM PHAT OM AH HUM
Secret and thatness offerings
Through Father and Mother uniting in embrace, all the
principal and retinue Deities enjoy a special experience
of great bliss and emptiness.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
Eight lines of praise to the Father
OM I prostrate to the Blessed One, Lord of the Heroes
HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you with a brilliance equal to the ire of the great aeon
HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you with an inexhaustible topknot HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you with a fearsome face and bared fangs HUM
HUM PHAT
OM To you whose thousand arms blaze with light HUM
HUM PHAT
OM To you who hold an axe, an uplifted noose, a spear
and a khatanga HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you who wear a tiger-skin garment HUM HUM PHAT
OM I bow to you whose great smoke-coloured body dispels
obstructions HUM HUM PHAT
Eight lines of praise to the Mother
OM I prostrate to Vajravarahi, the Blessed Mother HUM
HUM PHAT
OM To the Superior and powerful Knowledge Lady
unconquered by the three realms HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you who destroy all fears of evil spirits with your
great vajra HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you with controlling eyes who remain as the vajra
seat unconquered by others HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you whose wrathful ierce form desiccates Brahma
HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you who terrify and dry up demons, conquering
those in other directions HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you who conquer all those who make us dull, rigid
and confused HUM HUM PHAT
OM I bow to Vajravarahi, the Great Mother, the Dakini
consort who fulils all desires HUM HUM PHAT
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BLISSFUL JOURNEY
Requesting the fulilment of wishes
You who have destroyed equally attachment to samsara
and solitary peace, as well as all conceptualizations,
Who see all things that exist throughout space;
O Protector endowed with strong compassion, may I be
blessed by the waters of your compassion,
And may the Dakinis take me into their loving care.
Offering the torma to the mundane Deities
The directional guardians, regional guardians, nagas and
so forth, who reside in the eight great charnel grounds,
instantly enter into the clear light, and arise in the form of
the Deities of Heruka in the aspect of Father and Mother.
From a white HUM in the tongue of each guest, there
arises a white, three-pronged vajra, through which they
partake of the essence of the torma by drawing it through
straws of light the thickness of only a grain of barley.
OM KHA KHA, KHAHI KHAHI, SARWA YAKYA RAKYASA,
BHUTA, TRETA, PISHATSA, UNATA, APAMARA, VAJRA
DAKA, DAKI NÄDAYA, IMAM BALING GRIHANTU, SAMAYA
RAKYANTU, MAMA SARWA SIDDHI METRA YATZANTU,
YATIPAM, YATETAM, BHUDZATA, PIWATA, DZITRATA,
MATI TRAMATA, MAMA SARWA KATAYA, SÄDSUKHAM
BISHUDHAYE, SAHAYEKA BHAWÄNTU, HUM HUM PHAT
(2x)
PHAT SÖHA
With the first recitation, offer the torma to the guests in the
cardinal directions, and with the second to the guests in the
intermediate directions.
Outer offerings
OM AHRGHAM PARTITZA SÖHA
OM PADÄM PARTITZA SÖHA
OM VAJRA PUPE AH HUM SÖHA
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MODERN BUDDHISM
OM VAJRA DHUPE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA DIWE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA GÄNDHE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA NEWIDE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA SHAPTA AH HUM SÖHA
Inner offering
To the mouths of the directional guardians, regional
guardians, nagas and so forth, OM AH HUM
Requests
You the entire gathering of gods,
The entire gathering of nagas,
The entire gathering of givers of harm,
The entire gathering of cannibals,
The entire gathering of evil spirits,
The entire gathering of hungry ghosts,
The entire gathering of lesh-eaters,
The entire gathering of crazy-makers,
The entire gathering of forgetful-makers,
The entire gathering of dakas,
The entire gathering of female spirits,
All of you without exception
Please come here and listen to me.
O Glorious attendants, swift as thought,
Who have taken oaths and heart commitments
To guard the doctrine and beneit living beings,
Who subdue the malevolent and destroy the dark forces
With terrifying forms and inexhaustible wrath,
Who grant results to yogic actions,
And who have inconceivable powers and blessings,
To you eight types of guest I prostrate.
I request all of you together with your consorts, children
and servants
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To grant me the fortune of all the attainments.
May I and other practitioners
Have good health, long life, power,
Glory, fame, fortune,
And extensive enjoyments.
Please grant me the attainments
Of pacifying, increasing, controlling and wrathful actions.
O Guardians, always assist me.
Eradicate all untimely death, sicknesses,
Harm from spirits and hindrances.
Eliminate bad dreams,
Ill omens and bad actions.
May there be happiness in the world, may the years be good,
May crops increase, and may Dharma lourish.
May all goodness and happiness come about,
And may all wishes be accomplished.
At this point you can, if you wish, make the tsog offering. This
starts on page 309.
Purifying any mistakes made during this practice with the
hundred-letter mantra of Heruka
OM VAJRA HERUKA SAMAYA, MANU PALAYA, HERUKA
TENO PATITA, DRIDHO ME BHAWA, SUTO KAYO ME BHAWA,
SUPO KAYO ME BHAWA, ANURAKTO ME BHAWA, SARWA
SIDDHI ME PRAYATZA, SARWA KARMA SUTZA ME, TZITAM
SHRIYAM KURU HUM, HA HA HA HA HO BHAGAWÄN,
VAJRA HERUKA MA ME MUNTSA, HERUKA BHAWA, MAHA
SAMAYA SATTÖ AH HUM PHAT
OM YOGA SHUDDHA SARWA DHARMA YOGA SHUDDHO HAM
VAJRA MU
The mundane beings return to their own places, and the
assembly of the Deities of the in-front-generation dissolve
into me.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
Dissolution and generating the action Deities
The charnel grounds and protection circle dissolve into the
celestial mansion. The celestial mansion dissolves into the
Deities of the commitment wheel. They dissolve into the
Deities of the body wheel. They dissolve into the Deities
of the speech wheel. They dissolve into the Deities of the
heart wheel. They dissolve into the four Yoginis of the
great bliss wheel. They dissolve into me, the Principal
Deity Father and Mother, the nature of the white and red
indestructible drop. I, the Principal Deity Father and Mother,
also melt into light and dissolve into the letter HUM at my
heart, in nature the emptiness of the Dharmakaya.
From the state of emptiness our world arises as Heruka’s
Pure Land, Keajra. I and all sentient beings arise as the
Blessed One Heruka, with a blue-coloured body, one face,
and two arms embracing Vajravarahi.
The session should be concluded by reciting the Dedication
and remaining prayers from the sadhana The Yoga of Buddha
Heruka.
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BLISSFUL JOURNEY
THE TSOG OFFERING TO HERUKA BODY MANDALA
Blessing the outer and inner offerings, the environment
and beings, and the substances of the tsog offering
OM AH HUM
(3x)
By nature exalted wisdom, having the aspect of the inner
offering and the individual offering substances, and
functioning as objects of enjoyment of the six senses to
generate a special, exalted wisdom of bliss and emptiness,
inconceivable clouds of outer, inner and secret offerings,
commitment substances and attractive offerings, cover all
the ground and ill the whole of space.
EH MA HO Great manifestation of exalted wisdom.
All realms are vajra realms
And all places are great vajra palaces
Endowed with vast clouds of Samantabhadra’s offerings,
An abundance of all desired enjoyments.
All beings are actual Heroes and Heroines.
Everything is immaculately pure,
Without even the name of mistaken impure appearance.
HUM All elaborations are completely paciied in the state
of the Truth Body. The wind blows and the ire blazes.
Above, on a grate of three human heads, AH within a
qualiied skullcup, OM the individual substances blaze.
Above these stand OM AH HUM, each ablaze with its
brilliant colour. Through the wind blowing and the ire
blazing, the substances melt. Boiling, they swirl in a great
vapour. Masses of light rays from the three letters radiate
to the ten directions and invite the three vajras together
with nectars. These dissolve separately into the three
letters. Melting into nectar, they blend with the mixture.
Puriied, transformed and increased,
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EH MA HO They become a blazing ocean of magniicent
delights.
OM AH HUM
(3x)
Inviting the guests of the tsog offering
PHAIM
From the sacred palace of the Dharmakaya,
Great Master, holder of the supreme lineage of the Vajrayana,
Who fulil our hopes for all the attainments,
O Assembly of root and lineage Gurus, please come to this
place.
From the twenty-four holy places throughout the world,
O Glorious Heruka, whose nature is the compassion of all
the Buddhas,
And all the Heroes and Heroines of these places,
Please come here to bestow the attainments that we long for.
From the pure and impure lands of the ten directions,
O Assembly of Yidams, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Dharma
Protectors,
And all the beings of samsara and nirvana,
Please come here as guests of this tsog offering.
OM GURU VAJRADHARA CHAKRASAMBARA SÄMANDALA
DEWA SARWA BUDDHA BODHISATTÖ SAPARIWARA EH
HAYE HI VAJRA SAMAYA DZA DZA
PÄMA KAMALAYE TÖN
Making the tsog offering
HO This ocean of tsog offering of uncontaminated nectar,
Blessed by concentration, mantra and mudra,
I offer to please my kind root Guru, Guru Sumati Buddha
Heruka.
OM AH HUM
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BLISSFUL JOURNEY
Delighted by enjoying these magniicent objects of desire,
EH MA HO
Please bless me so that I may attain outer and inner
Dakini Land.
HO This ocean of tsog offering of uncontaminated nectar,
Blessed by concentration, mantra and mudra,
I offer to please the four Yoginis of the great bliss wheel.
OM AH HUM
Delighted by enjoying these magniicent objects of desire,
EH MA HO
Please bless me so that I may attain spontaneous great bliss.
HO This ocean of tsog offering of uncontaminated nectar,
Blessed by concentration, mantra and mudra,
I offer to please the Heroes and Heroines of the vajra mind.
OM AH HUM
Delighted by enjoying these magniicent objects of desire,
EH MA HO
Please bless me so that I may experience delight with the
messengers of the vajra mind family.
HO This ocean of tsog offering of uncontaminated nectar,
Blessed by concentration, mantra and mudra,
I offer to please the Heroes and Heroines of the vajra speech.
OM AH HUM
Delighted by enjoying these magniicent objects of desire,
EH MA HO
Please bless me so that I may experience delight with the
messengers of the vajra speech family.
HO This ocean of tsog offering of uncontaminated nectar,
Blessed by concentration, mantra and mudra,
I offer to please the Heroes and Heroines of the vajra body.
OM AH HUM
Delighted by enjoying these magniicent objects of desire,
EH MA HO
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MODERN BUDDHISM
Please bless me so that I may experience delight with the
messengers of the vajra body family.
HO This ocean of tsog offering of uncontaminated nectar,
Blessed by concentration, mantra and mudra,
I offer to please the Deities of the commitment wheel.
OM AH HUM
Delighted by enjoying these magniicent objects of desire,
EH MA HO
Please bless me so that I may pacify all obstacles.
HO This ocean of tsog offering of uncontaminated nectar,
Blessed by concentration, mantra and mudra,
I offer to please all other Yidams, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas
and Dharma Protectors.
OM AH HUM
Delighted by enjoying these magniicent objects of desire,
EH MA HO
Please bless me so that I may attain all the realizations of
Sutra and Tantra.
HO This ocean of tsog offering of uncontaminated nectar,
Blessed by concentration, mantra and mudra,
I offer to please the assembly of mother sentient beings.
OM AH HUM
Delighted by enjoying these magniicent objects of desire,
EH MA HO
May suffering and mistaken appearance be paciied.
Outer offerings
OM AHRGHAM PARTITZA SÖHA
OM PADÄM PARTITZA SÖHA
OM VAJRA PUPE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA DHUPE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA DIWE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA GÄNDHE AH HUM SÖHA
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OM VAJRA NEWIDE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA SHAPTA AH HUM SÖHA
Inner offering
OM HUM BAM RIM RIM LIM LIM, KAM KHAM GAM GHAM
NGAM, TSAM TSHAM DZAM DZHAM NYAM, TrAM THrAM
DrAM DHrAM NAM, TAM THAM DAM DHAM NAM, PAM
PHAM BAM BHAM, YAM RAM LAM WAM, SHAM KAM SAM
HAM HUM HUM PHAT OM AH HUM
Secret and thatness offerings
Through Father and Mother uniting in embrace, all the
principal and retinue Deities enjoy a special experience
of great bliss and emptiness.
Eight lines of praise to the Father
OM I prostrate to the Blessed One, Lord of the Heroes
HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you with a brilliance equal to the ire of the great
aeon HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you with an inexhaustible topknot HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you with a fearsome face and bared fangs HUM
HUM PHAT
OM To you whose thousand arms blaze with light HUM
HUM PHAT
OM To you who hold an axe, an uplifted noose, a spear
and a khatanga HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you who wear a tiger-skin garment HUM HUM PHAT
OM I bow to you whose great smoke-coloured body dispels
obstructions HUM HUM PHAT
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Eight lines of praise to the Mother
OM I prostrate to Vajravarahi, the Blessed Mother HUM
HUM PHAT
OM To the Superior and powerful Knowledge Lady
unconquered by the three realms HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you who destroy all fears of evil spirits with your
great vajra HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you with controlling eyes who remain as the vajra
seat unconquered by others HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you whose wrathful ierce form desiccates Brahma
HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you who terrify and dry up demons, conquering
those in other directions HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you who conquer all those who make us dull, rigid
and confused HUM HUM PHAT
OM I bow to Vajravarahi, the Great Mother, the Dakini
consort who fulils all desires HUM HUM PHAT
Making the tsog offering to the Vajrayana Spiritual Guide
EH MA HO Great circle of tsog!
O Great Hero we understand
That, following in the path of the Sugatas of the three times,
You are the source of all attainments.
Forsaking all minds of conceptualization
Please continuously enjoy this circle of tsog.
AH LA LA HO
The Vajrayana Spiritual Guide’s reply
OM With a nature inseparable from the three vajras
I generate as the Guru-Deity.
AH This nectar of uncontaminated exalted wisdom and bliss,
HUM Without stirring from bodhichitta,
I partake to delight the Deities dwelling in my body.
AH HO MAHA SUKHA
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Song of the Spring Queen
HUM All you Tathagatas,
Heroes, Yoginis,
Dakas and Dakinis,
To all of you I make this request:
O Heruka who delight in great bliss,
You engage in the Union of spontaneous bliss,
By attending the Lady intoxicated with bliss
And enjoying in accordance with the rituals.
AH LA LA, LA LA HO, AH I AH, AH RA LI HO
May the assembly of stainless Dakinis
Look with loving affection and accomplish all deeds.
HUM All you Tathagatas,
Heroes, Yoginis,
Dakas and Dakinis,
To all of you I make this request:
With a mind completely aroused by great bliss
And a body in a dance of constant motion,
I offer to the hosts of Dakinis
The great bliss from enjoying the lotus of the mudra.
AH LA LA, LA LA HO, AH I AH, AH RA LI HO
May the assembly of stainless Dakinis
Look with loving affection and accomplish all deeds.
HUM All you Tathagatas,
Heroes, Yoginis,
Dakas and Dakinis,
To all of you I make this request:
You who dance with a beautiful and peaceful manner,
O Blissful Protector and the hosts of Dakinis,
Please come here before me and grant me your blessings,
And bestow upon me spontaneous great bliss.
AH LA LA, LA LA HO, AH I AH, AH RA LI HO
May the assembly of stainless Dakinis
Look with loving affection and accomplish all deeds.
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HUM All you Tathagatas,
Heroes, Yoginis,
Dakas and Dakinis,
To all of you I make this request:
You who have the characteristic of the liberation of great bliss,
Do not say that deliverance can be gained in one lifetime
Through various ascetic practices having abandoned great
bliss,
But that great bliss resides in the centre of the supreme lotus.
AH LA LA, LA LA HO, AH I AH, AH RA LI HO
May the assembly of stainless Dakinis
Look with loving affection and accomplish all deeds.
HUM All you Tathagatas,
Heroes, Yoginis,
Dakas and Dakinis,
To all of you I make this request:
Like a lotus born from the centre of a swamp,
This method, though born from attachment, is unstained by the
faults of attachment.
O Supreme Dakini, through the bliss of your lotus,
Please quickly bring liberation from the bonds of samsara.
AH LA LA, LA LA HO, AH I AH, AH RA LI HO
May the assembly of stainless Dakinis
Look with loving affection and accomplish all deeds.
HUM All you Tathagatas,
Heroes, Yoginis,
Dakas and Dakinis,
To all of you I make this request:
Just as the essence of honey in the honey source
Is drunk by swarms of bees from all directions,
So through your broad lotus with six characteristics
Please bring satisfaction with the taste of great bliss.
AH LA LA, LA LA HO, AH I AH, AH RA LI HO
May the assembly of stainless Dakinis
Look with loving affection and accomplish all deeds.
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Blessing the remaining tsog offering
HUM Impure mistaken appearances are puriied in emptiness,
AH Great nectar accomplished from exalted wisdom,
OM It becomes a vast ocean of desired enjoyment.
OM AH HUM
(3x)
Giving the remaining tsog offering to the spirits
HO This ocean of remaining tsog offering of
uncontaminated nectar,
Blessed by concentration, mantra and mudra,
I offer to please the assembly of oath-bound guardians.
OM AH HUM
Delighted by enjoying these magniicent objects of desire,
EH MA HO
Please perform perfect actions to help practitioners.
Send out the remainder of the tsog offering to the spirits.
HO
O Guests of the remainder together with your retinues
Please enjoy this ocean of remaining tsog offering.
May those who spread the precious doctrine,
The holders of the doctrine, their benefactors and others,
And especially I and other practitioners
Have good health, long life, power,
Glory, fame, fortune,
And extensive enjoyments.
Please grant me the attainments
Of pacifying, increasing, controlling and wrathful actions.
You who are bound by oaths please protect me
And help me to accomplish all the attainments.
Eradicate all untimely death, sicknesses,
Harm from spirits and hindrances.
Eliminate bad dreams,
Ill omens and bad actions.
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May there be happiness in the world, may the years be good,
May crops increase, and may Dharma lourish.
May all goodness and happiness come about,
And may all wishes be accomplished.
By the force of this bountiful giving
May I become a Buddha for the sake of living beings;
And through my generosity may I liberate
All those not liberated by previous Buddhas.
Colophon: This sadhana or ritual prayer for the spiritual
attainments of Buddha Heruka was compiled from traditional
sources by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, April 2010.
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Appendix VII
Quick Path to Great Bliss
THE EXTENSIVE SELF-GENERATION
SADHANA OF VAJRAYOGINI
by Je Phabongkhapa
Introduction
The instructions on the Highest Yoga Tantra practice of Venerable
Vajrayogini were taught by Buddha Vajradhara in the fortyseventh and forty-eighth chapters of the Condensed Root Tantra of
Heruka. This particular lineage of instructions, the Narokhacho
lineage, was passed directly from Vajrayogini to Naropa, and from
him through an unbroken lineage of realized practitioners to the
present-day Teachers.
After Buddha Vajradharma had taught the practice he left
the mandalas of Heruka and Vajrayogini intact in twenty-four
auspicious places in this world. Thus even to this day there are
countless manifestations of Vajrayogini in this world who help
sincere practitioners to gain realizations by blessing their mental
continuum.
In many respects the practice of Vajrayogini is ideally suited
to the present day. By relying upon this practice sincerely, with a
good heart and a mind of faith, it is deinitely possible to attain full
enlightenment; but to accomplish such results we must practise
the extensive sadhana regularly.
This particular sadhana, Quick Path to Great Bliss, was
composed by the great Lama Phabongkha Rinpoche. Compared to
other sadhanas it is not very long, but it contains all the essential
practices of Secret Mantra. To practise the sadhana successfully
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we should irst receive the empowerment of Vajrayogini, and then
study authentic instructions on the practice such as those found
in the commentary The New Guide to Dakini Land. This sadhana is
suitable both for our regular daily practice and for retreat; and we
can practise it alone or in a group.
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
1985
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Quick Path to Great Bliss
THE YOGA OF IMMEASURABLES
Going for refuge
In the space before me appear Guru Chakrasambara Father
and Mother, surrounded by the assembly of root and lineage
Gurus, Yidams, Three Jewels, Attendants and Protectors.
Imagining yourself and all sentient beings going for refuge, recite
three times:
I and all sentient beings, the migrators as extensive as
space, from this time forth until we reach the essence
of enlightenment,
Go for refuge to the glorious, sacred Gurus,
Go for refuge to the complete Buddhas, the Blessed Ones,
Go for refuge to the sacred Dharmas,
Go for refuge to the superior Sanghas.
(3x)
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Generating bodhichitta
Generate bodhichitta and the four immeasurables while reciting
three times:
Once I have attained the state of a complete Buddha, I shall
free all sentient beings from the ocean of samsara’s suffering
and lead them to the bliss of full enlightenment. For this
purpose I shall practise the stages of Vajrayogini’s path.
(3x)
Receiving blessings
Now with your palms pressed together, recite:
I prostrate and go for refuge to the Gurus and Three Precious
Jewels. Please bless my mental continuum.
Due to reciting this:
The objects of refuge before me melt into the form of white,
red and dark blue rays of light. These dissolve into me and
I receive their blessings of body, speech and mind.
Instantaneous self-generation
In an instant I become Venerable Vajrayogini.
Blessing the inner offering
Purify the inner offering either with the mantra emanating from
the four mouths or with the following:
OM KHANDAROHI HUM HUM PHAT
OM SÖBHAWA SHUDDHA SARWA DHARMA SÖBHAWA
SHUDDHO HAM
Everything becomes emptiness.
From the state of emptiness, from YAM comes wind, from
RAM comes ire, from AH a grate of three human heads.
Upon this from AH appears a broad and expansive skullcup.
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Inside from OM, KHAM, AM, TRAM, HUM come the ive
nectars; from LAM, MAM, PAM, TAM, BAM come the ive
meats, each marked by these letters. The wind blows, the
ire blazes, and the substances inside the skullcup melt.
Above them from HUM there arises a white, upside-down
khatanga, which falls into the skullcup and melts whereby
the substances take on the colour of mercury. Above them three
rows of vowels and consonants, standing one above
the other, transform into OM AH HUM. From these, light
rays draw the nectar of exalted wisdom from the hearts of
all the Tathagatas, Heroes and Yoginis of the ten directions.
When this is added the contents increase and become vast.
OM AH HUM
(3x)
Blessing the outer offerings
Now bless the two waters, lowers, incense, lights, perfume, food
and music.
OM KHANDAROHI HUM HUM PHAT
OM SÖBHAWA SHUDDHA SARWA DHARMA SÖBHAWA
SHUDDHO HAM
Everything becomes emptiness.
From the state of emptiness, from KAM come skullcup
vessels inside which from HUM come offering substances.
By nature emptiness, they have the aspect of the individual
offering substances, and function as objects of enjoyment
of the six senses to bestow special, uncontaminated bliss.
OM AHRGHAM AH HUM
OM PADÄM AH HUM
OM VAJRA PUPE AH HUM
OM VAJRA DHUPE AH HUM
OM VAJRA DIWE AH HUM
OM VAJRA GÄNDHE AH HUM
OM VAJRA NEWIDE AH HUM
OM VAJRA SHAPTA AH HUM
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Meditation and recitation of Vajrasattva
On my crown, on a lotus and moon seat, sit Vajrasattva
Father and Mother embracing each other. They have
white-coloured bodies, one face and two hands, and hold
vajra and bell and curved knife and skullcup. The Father
is adorned with six mudras, the Mother with ive. They sit
in the vajra and lotus postures. On a moon in his heart is a
HUM encircled by the mantra rosary. From this a stream of
white nectar descends, cleansing all sickness, spirits,
negativities and obstructions.
OM VAJRA HERUKA SAMAYA, MANU PALAYA, HERUKA
TENO PATITA, DRIDHO ME BHAWA, SUTO KAYO ME BHAWA,
SUPO KAYO ME BHAWA, ANURAKTO ME BHAWA, SARWA
SIDDHI ME PRAYATZA, SARWA KARMA SUTZA ME, TZITAM
SHRIYAM KURU HUM, HA HA HA HA HO BHAGAWÄN,
VAJRA HERUKA MA ME MUNTSA, HERUKA BHAWA, MAHA
SAMAYA SATTÖ AH HUM PHAT
Recite the mantra twenty-one times and then contemplate:
Vajrasattva Father and Mother dissolve into me and my
three doors become inseparable from the body, speech
and mind of Vajrasattva.
THE YOGA OF THE GURU
Visualization
In the space before me arising from the appearance of the
exalted wisdom of non-dual purity and clarity is a celestial
mansion which is square with four doorways, ornaments
and archways, and complete with all the essential features.
In the centre on a jewelled throne supported by eight great
lions, on a seat of a lotus of various colours, a sun and a
moon, sits my kind root Guru in the aspect of Buddha
Vajradharma. He has a red-coloured body, one face, and
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two hands which are crossed at his heart and hold a vajra
and bell. His hair is tied up in a topknot and he sits with
his legs crossed in the vajra posture. He assumes the form
of a sixteen-year-old in the prime of his youth, adorned
with silks and all the bone and jewelled ornaments.
Beginning in front of him and circling counter-clockwise
are all the lineage Gurus from Buddha Vajradhara to my
root Guru. They are in the aspect of Hero Vajradharma
with red-coloured bodies, one face and two hands. Their
right hands play damarus which reverberate with the
sound of bliss and emptiness. Their left hands hold at their
hearts skullcups illed with nectar, and their left elbows
hold khatangas. They sit with their legs crossed in the
vajra posture. In the prime of their youth, they are
adorned with six bone ornaments.
The Principal and all of his retinue have at their foreheads
OM, at their throats AH, and at their hearts HUM. From the
HUM at their hearts light rays radiate and invite from their
natural abodes the Gurus, Yidams, hosts of mandala Deities,
and the assembly of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Heroes, Dakinis,
Dharmapalas and Protectors.
OM VAJRA SAMADZA DZA HUM BAM HO
Each becomes a nature which is the synthesis of all objects
of refuge.
Prostration
With your palms pressed together, recite:
Vajra Holder, my jewel-like Guru,
Through whose kindness I can accomplish
The state of great bliss in an instant,
At your lotus feet humbly I bow.
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Offering goddesses emanate from my heart and perform
the offerings.
Outer offerings
OM AHRGHAM PARTITZA SÖHA
OM PADÄM PARTITZA SÖHA
OM VAJRA PUPE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA DHUPE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA DIWE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA GÄNDHE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA NEWIDE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA SHAPTA AH HUM SÖHA
OM AH VAJRA ADARSHE HUM
OM AH VAJRA WINI HUM
OM AH VAJRA GÄNDHE HUM
OM AH VAJRA RASE HUM
OM AH VAJRA PARSHE HUM
OM AH VAJRA DHARME HUM
Inner offering
OM GURU VAJRA DHARMA SAPARIWARA OM AH HUM
Secret offering
Contemplate that innumerable knowledge goddesses such as
Pemachen emanate from your heart and assume the form of
Vajrayogini. Guru Father and Mother embrace and experience
uncontaminated bliss.
And I offer most attractive illusory mudras,
A host of messengers born in places, born from mantra
and spontaneously born,
With slender bodies, skilled in the sixty-four arts of love,
And possessing the splendour of youthful beauty.
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Thatness offering
Remember that the three circles of the offering are indivisible bliss
and emptiness.
I offer you the supreme, ultimate bodhichitta,
A great, exalted wisdom of spontaneous bliss free from
obstructions,
Inseparable from the nature of all phenomena, the sphere
of freedom from elaboration,
Effortless, and beyond words, thoughts and expressions.
Offering our spiritual practice
I go for refuge to the Three Jewels
And confess individually all negative actions.
I rejoice in the virtues of all beings
And promise to accomplish a Buddha’s enlightenment.
I go for refuge until I am enlightened
To Buddha, Dharma and the Supreme Assembly,
And to accomplish the aims of myself and others
I shall generate the mind of enlightenment.
Having generated the mind of supreme enlightenment,
I shall invite all sentient beings to be my guests
And engage in the pleasing, supreme practices of
enlightenment.
May I attain Buddhahood to beneit migrators.
Kusali tsog offering
My own mind, the powerful Lady of Dakini Land, the size
of only a thumb, leaves through the crown of my head and
comes face to face with my root Guru. Once again I return
and, slicing the skull from my old body, place it upon a grate
of three human heads which has arisen instantaneously. I
chop up the rest of my lesh, blood and bones, and heap it
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inside. By staring with wide open eyes I purify, transform
and increase it into an ocean of nectar.
OM AH HUM HA HO HRIH
(3x)
Innumerable offering goddesses holding skullcups emanate
from my heart. With the skullcups they scoop up nectar
and offer it to the guests, who partake by drawing it
through their tongues which are straws of vajra-light.
I offer this nectar of commitment substance
To my root Guru, the nature of the four [Buddha] bodies;
May you be pleased.
OM AH HUM
(7x)
I offer this nectar of commitment substance
To the lineage Gurus, the source of attainments;
May you be pleased.
OM AH HUM
I offer this nectar of commitment substance
To the assembly of Gurus, Yidams, Three Jewels and
Protectors;
May you be pleased.
OM AH HUM
I offer this nectar of commitment substance
To the guardians who reside in the local places and
in the regions;
May you assist me.
OM AH HUM
I offer this nectar of commitment substance
To all sentient beings in the six realms and the
intermediate state;
May you be freed.
OM AH HUM
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Through this offering all the guests are satiated with an
uncontaminated bliss
And the sentient beings attain the Truth Body free from
obstructions.
The three circles of the offering are the nature of non-dual
bliss and emptiness,
Beyond words, thoughts and expressions.
Offering the mandala
OM VAJRA BHUMI AH HUM
Great and powerful golden ground,
OM VAJRA REKHE AH HUM
At the edge the iron fence stands around the outer circle.
In the centre Mount Meru the king of mountains,
Around which are four continents:
In the east, Purvavideha, in the south, Jambudipa,
In the west, Aparagodaniya, in the north, Uttarakuru.
Each has two sub-continents:
Deha and Videha, Tsamara and Abatsamara,
Satha and Uttaramantrina, Kurava and Kaurava.
The mountain of jewels, the wish-granting tree,
The wish-granting cow, and the harvest unsown.
The precious wheel, the precious jewel,
The precious queen, the precious minister,
The precious elephant, the precious supreme horse,
The precious general, and the great treasure vase.
The goddess of beauty, the goddess of garlands,
The goddess of song, the goddess of dance,
The goddess of lowers, the goddess of incense,
The goddess of light, and the goddess of scent.
The sun and the moon, the precious umbrella,
The banner of victory in every direction.
In the centre all treasures of both gods and men,
An excellent collection with nothing left out.
I offer this to you my kind root Guru and lineage Gurus,
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MODERN BUDDHISM
To all of you sacred and glorious Gurus;
Please accept with compassion for migrating beings,
And having accepted please grant us your blessings.
O Treasure of Compassion, my Refuge and Protector,
I offer you the mountain, continents, precious objects,
treasure vase, sun and moon,
Which have arisen from my aggregates, sources and
elements
As aspects of the exalted wisdom of spontaneous bliss
and emptiness.
I offer without any sense of loss
The objects that give rise to my attachment, hatred and
confusion,
My friends, enemies and strangers, our bodies and
enjoyments;
Please accept these and bless me to be released directly
from the three poisons.
IDAM GURU RATNA MANDALAKAM NIRYATAYAMI
Requesting the lineage Gurus
Vajradharma, Lord of the family of the ocean of
Conquerors,
Vajrayogini, supreme Mother of the Conquerors,
Naropa, powerful Son of the Conquerors,
I request you, please bestow the spontaneously born
exalted wisdom.
Pamtingpa, holder of the explanations of the great secrets
for disciples,
Sherab Tseg, you are a treasure of all the precious secrets,
Malgyur Lotsawa, lord of the ocean of Secret Mantra,
I request you, please bestow the spontaneously born
exalted wisdom.
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QUICK PATH TO GREAT BLISS
Great Sakya Lama, you are powerful Vajradhara,
Venerable Sonam Tsemo, supreme vajra son,
Dragpa Gyaltsen, crown ornament of the vajra holders,
I request you, please bestow the spontaneously born
exalted wisdom.
Great Sakya Pandita, master scholar of the Land of the
Snows,
Drogon Chogyal Pagpa, crown ornament of all beings of
the three grounds,
Shangton Choje, holder of the Sakya doctrine,
I request you, please bestow the spontaneously born
exalted wisdom.
Nasa Dragpugpa, powerful accomplished one,
Sonam Gyaltsen, navigator of scholars and supremely
accomplished ones,
Yarlungpa, lord of the whispered lineage of the family of
accomplished ones,
I request you, please bestow the spontaneously born
exalted wisdom.
Gyalwa Chog, refuge and protector of all migrators, both
myself and others,
Jamyang Namka, you are a great being,
Lodro Gyaltsen, great being and lord of the Dharma,
I request you, please bestow the spontaneously born
exalted wisdom.
Jetsun Doringpa, you are unequalled in kindness,
Tenzin Losel, you have practised in accordance with the
[Guru’s] words,
Kyentse, the expounder of the great, secret lineage of
words,
I request you, please bestow the spontaneously born
exalted wisdom.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
Labsum Gyaltsen, holder of the mantra families,
Glorious Wangchug Rabten, all-pervading lord of the
hundred families,
Jetsun Kangyurpa, principal of the families,
I request you, please bestow the spontaneously born
exalted wisdom.
Shaluwa, all-pervading lord of the ocean of mandalas,
Kyenrabje, principal of all the mandalas,
Morchenpa, lord of the circle of mandalas,
I request you, please bestow the spontaneously born
exalted wisdom.
Nesarpa, navigator of the ocean of whispered lineages,
Losel Phuntsog, lord of the whispered lineages,
Tenzin Trinlay, scholar who furthered the whispered lineages,
I request you, please bestow the spontaneously born
exalted wisdom.
Kangyurpa, all-pervading lord upholding the Ganden
doctrine,
Ganden Dargyay, friend of migrators in degenerate times,
Dharmabhadra, holder of the Ganden tradition,
I request you, please bestow the spontaneously born
exalted wisdom.
Losang Chopel, lord of the Sutras and Tantras,
You have completed the essence of the paths of all the Sutras
and Tantras.
Jigme Wangpo, scholar who furthered the Sutras and
Tantras,
I request you, please bestow the spontaneously born
exalted wisdom.
Dechen Nyingpo, you have the blessings of Naropa
To explain perfectly in accordance with Naropa
The essence of the excellent ripening and liberating paths
of the Naro Dakini,
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QUICK PATH TO GREAT BLISS
I request you, please bestow the spontaneously born
exalted wisdom.
Losang Yeshe, Vajradhara,
You are a treasury of instructions on the ripening and
liberating [paths] of the Vajra Queen,
The supreme, quick path for attaining the vajra state,
I request you, please bestow the spontaneously born
exalted wisdom.
Kelsang Gyatso, you have completed all the profound
and essential exalted states,
You are the compassionate Refuge and Protector of
mother sentient beings,
You reveal the unmistaken path,
I request you, please bestow the spontaneously born
exalted wisdom.
My kind root Guru, Vajradharma,
You are the embodiment of all the Conquerors,
Who grant the blessings of all Buddhas’ speech,
I request you, please bestow the spontaneously born
exalted wisdom.
Please bless me so that through the force of meditation
On the Dakini yoga of the profound generation stage,
And the central channel yoga of completion stage,
I may generate the exalted wisdom of spontaneous
great bliss and attain the enlightened Dakini state.
Receiving the blessings of the four empowerments
I request you O Guru incorporating all objects of refuge,
Please grant me your blessings,
Please grant me the four empowerments completely,
And bestow on me, please, the state of the four bodies.
(3x)
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MODERN BUDDHISM
Contemplate that as a result of your requests:
White light rays and nectars radiate from the OM at the
forehead of my Guru.
They dissolve into my forehead, purifying the negativities
and obstructions of my body.
I receive the vase empowerment, and the blessings of my
Guru’s body enter my body.
Red light rays and nectars radiate from the AH at the
throat of my Guru.
They dissolve into my throat, purifying the negativities
and obstructions of my speech.
I receive the secret empowerment, and the blessings of my
Guru’s speech enter my speech.
Blue light rays and nectars radiate from the HUM at the
heart of my Guru.
They dissolve into my heart, purifying the negativities
and obstructions of my mind.
I receive the wisdom-mudra empowerment, and the
blessings of my Guru’s mind enter my mind.
White, red and blue light rays and nectars radiate from
the letters at my Guru’s three places.
They dissolve into my three places, purifying the
negativities and obstructions of my body, speech
and mind.
I receive the fourth empowerment, the precious word
empowerment, and the blessings of my Guru’s body,
speech and mind enter my body, speech and mind.
Brief request
I request you my precious Guru, the essence of all Buddhas
of the three times, please bless my mental continuum.
(3x)
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Absorbing the Gurus
Requested in this way, the encircling lineage Gurus
dissolve into my root Guru in the centre. My root Guru
too, out of affection for me, melts into the form of red
light and, entering through the crown of my head, mixes
inseparably with my mind in the aspect of a red letter
BAM at my heart.
THE YOGA OF SELF-GENERATION
Bringing death into the path of the Truth Body
This very letter BAM expands and spreads to the ends
of space whereby all worlds and their beings become the
nature of bliss and emptiness. Once again, contracting
gradually from the edges, it becomes an extremely minute
letter BAM which dissolves in stages from the bottom up
into the nada. Then even the nada disappears and becomes
the Truth Body of inseparable bliss and emptiness.
OM SHUNYATA GYANA VAJRA SÖBHAWA ÄMAKO HAM
Bringing the intermediate state into the path of the
Enjoyment Body
From the state of emptiness where all appearance has
gathered like this there appears a red letter BAM standing
upright in space, in essence an aspect of my own mind,
the exalted wisdom of non-dual bliss and emptiness.
Bringing rebirth into the path of the Emanation Body
From the state of emptiness, from EH EH comes a red
phenomena source, a double tetrahedron. Inside from AH
comes a moon mandala, white with a shade of red. Upon
this standing in a circle counter-clockwise rests the mantra
OM OM OM SARWA BUDDHA DAKINIYE VAJRA WARNANIYE
VAJRA BEROTZANIYE HUM HUM HUM PHAT PHAT PHAT SÖHA.
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I, the letter BAM in space, see the moon and, motivated to
take rebirth in its centre, enter the centre of the moon.
Light rays radiate from the moon, letter BAM, and mantra
rosary making all worlds and beings of samsara and
nirvana into the nature of Venerable Vajrayogini. These
gather back and dissolve into the letter BAM and mantra
rosary which change completely into the supported and
supporting mandala, fully and all at once.
Checking meditation on the mandala and the beings
within it
Furthermore, there is the vajra ground, fence, tent and
canopy, outside of which a mass of ive-coloured ires
blaze, swirling counter-clockwise. Inside these is the circle
of the eight great charnel grounds, the Ferocious One and
so forth. In the centre of these is a red phenomena source,
a double tetrahedron, with its broad neck facing upwards
and its ine tip pointing downwards. Except for the front
and back, each of the other four corners is marked by a
pink joy swirl whirling counter-clockwise.
Inside the phenomena source, in the centre of an eightpetalled lotus of various colours, is a sun mandala. Upon
this I arise in the form of Venerable Vajrayogini. My
outstretched right leg treads on the breast of red Kalarati.
My bent left leg treads on the head of black Bhairawa,
which is bent backwards. I have a red-coloured body which
shines with a brilliance like that of the ire of the aeon. I
have one face, two hands and three eyes looking towards
the Pure Land of the Dakinis. My right hand, outstretched
and pointing downwards, holds a curved knife marked
with a vajra. My left holds up a skullcup illed with blood
which I partake of with my upturned mouth. My left
shoulder holds a khatanga marked with a vajra from
which hang a damaru, bell and triple banner. My black
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hair hanging straight covers my back down to my waist.
In the prime of my youth, my desirous breasts are full and
I show the manner of generating bliss. My head is adorned
with ive human skulls and I wear a necklace of ifty
human skulls. Naked, I am adorned with ive mudras
and stand in the centre of a blazing ire of exalted wisdom.
THE YOGA OF PURIFYING MIGRATORS
At my heart inside a red phenomena source, a double
tetrahedron, is a moon mandala. In the centre of this is
a letter BAM encircled by a mantra rosary. From these
light rays radiate, leaving through the pores of my skin.
Touching all sentient beings of the six realms, they purify
their negativities and obstructions together with their
imprints and transform them all into the form of
Vajrayogini.
THE YOGA OF BEING BLESSED BY
HEROES AND HEROINES
Meditation on the body mandala
At my heart, in the centre of a phenomena source and moon
seat, is a letter BAM which is the nature of the four elements.
By splitting it changes into the four letters YA, RA, LA, WA
which are the seeds of the four elements. They are the nature
of the heart channel petals of the four directions such as the
Desirous One. These transform starting from the left into
Lama, Khandarohi, Rupini and Dakini. In the centre, the
crescent moon, drop, and nada of the letter BAM, whose
nature is the union of my very subtle red and white drops,
transform into Venerable Vajrayogini.
Outside these in sequence are the channels such as the
Unchanging One of the twenty-four places of the body,
such as the hairline and crown, and the twenty-four
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elements from which come the nails, teeth, and so forth.
These channels and elements, which are by nature
inseparable, become the nature of the twenty-four letters
of the mantra, OM OM and so forth, standing in a circle
counter-clockwise from the east. These transform into
the eight Heroines of the heart family: Partzandi,
Tzändriakiya, Parbhawatiya, Mahanasa, Biramatiya,
Karwariya, Lamkeshöriya and Drumatzaya; the eight
Heroines of the speech family: Airawatiya, Mahabhairawi,
Bayubega, Surabhakiya, Shamadewi, Suwatre, Hayakarne
and Khaganane; and the eight Heroines of the body family:
Tzatrabega, Khandarohi, Shaundini, Tzatrawarmini, Subira,
Mahabala, Tzatrawartini and Mahabire. These are the actual
Yoginis who are non-dual with the Heroes of the twenty-four
external places such as Puliramalaya. The channels and
elements of the eight doors such as the mouth, by nature
inseparable from the eight letters HUM HUM and so forth,
transform into Kakase, Ulukase, Shönase, Shukarase,
Yamadhathi, Yamaduti, Yamadangtrini and Yamamatani.
They all have the bodily form of the Venerable Lady,
complete with ornaments and details.
Absorbing the wisdom beings and mixing the three
messengers
Perform the blazing mudra and recite:
PHAIM
Light rays radiate from the letter BAM at my heart and,
leaving from between my eyebrows, go to the ten
directions. They invite all the Tathagatas, Heroes and
Yoginis of the ten directions in the aspect of Vajrayogini.
DZA HUM BAM HO
The wisdom beings are summoned, dissolve, remain irm and are
delighted. Now with the lotus-turning mudra followed by the
embracing mudra, recite:
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OM YOGA SHUDDHA SARWA DHARMA YOGA SHUDDHO
HAM
I am the nature of the yoga of the complete purity of all
phenomena.
Contemplate divine pride.
Putting on the armour
At places in my body arise moon mandalas upon which
at my navel is red OM BAM, Vajravarahi; at my heart blue
HAM YOM, Yamani; at my throat white HRIM MOM, Mohani;
at my forehead yellow HRIM HRIM, Sachalani; at my crown
green HUM HUM, Samtrasani; at all my limbs smoke-coloured
PHAT PHAT, essence of Chandika.
Granting empowerment and adorning the crown
PHAIM
Light rays radiate from the letter BAM at my heart and invite
the empowering Deities, the supported and supporting
mandala of Glorious Chakrasambara.
O, all you Tathagatas, please grant the empowerment.
Requested in this way, the eight Goddesses of the doorways
drive away hindrances, the Heroes recite auspicious verses,
the Heroines sing vajra songs, and the Rupavajras and so
forth make offerings. The Principal mentally resolves to
grant the empowerment and the four Mothers together with
Varahi, holding jewelled vases illed with the ive nectars,
confer the empowerment through the crown of my head.
’Just as all the Tathagatas granted ablution
At the moment of [Buddha’s] birth,
Likewise do we now grant ablution
With the pure water of the gods.
OM SARWA TATHAGATA ABHIKEKATA SAMAYA SHRIYE HUM’
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Saying this, they grant the empowerment. My whole body
is illed, all stains are puriied, and the excess water
remaining on my crown changes into Vairochana-Heruka,
together with the Mother, who adorn my crown.
Offerings to the self-generation
If you are doing self-generation in conjunction with self-initiation
it is necessary to bless the outer offerings at this point.
Offering goddesses emanate from my heart and perform the
offerings.
Outer offerings
OM AHRGHAM PARTITZA SÖHA
OM PADÄM PARTITZA SÖHA
OM VAJRA PUPE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA DHUPE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA DIWE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA GÄNDHE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA NEWIDE AH HUM SÖHA
OM VAJRA SHAPTA AH HUM SÖHA
OM AH VAJRA ADARSHE HUM
OM AH VAJRA WINI HUM
OM AH VAJRA GÄNDHE HUM
OM AH VAJRA RASE HUM
OM AH VAJRA PARSHE HUM
OM AH VAJRA DHARME HUM
Inner offering
OM OM OM SARWA BUDDHA DAKINIYE VAJRA WARNANIYE
VAJRA BEROTZANIYE HUM HUM HUM PHAT PHAT PHAT
SÖHA OM AH HUM
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Secret and thatness offerings
To perform the secret and thatness offerings either imagine:
I, Vajrayogini, stand in union with Chakrasambara, who
has transformed from my khatanga, and generate
spontaneous bliss and emptiness.
or imagine that as Vajrayogini you transform into Heruka and
with divine pride perform the secret and thatness offerings:
With the clarity of Vajrayogini I give up my breasts and
develop a penis. In the perfect place in the centre of my
vagina the two walls transform into two bell-like testicles
and the stamen into the penis itself. Thus I take on the
form of Great Joy Heruka together with the Secret Mother
Vajrayogini who is by nature the synthesis of all Dakinis.
From the sphere of the unobservability of the secret place
of the Father, from a white HUM there arises a white,
ive-pronged vajra, and from a red BÄ there arises a red
jewel with a yellow BÄ marking its tip.
From the sphere of the unobservability of the secret place of
the Mother, from an AH there arises a red, three-petalled
lotus, and from a white DÄ there arises a white stamen,
signifying white bodhichitta, with a yellow DÄ marking
its tip.
OM SHRI MAHA SUKHA VAJRA HE HE RU RU KAM AH
HUM HUM PHAT SÖHA
Through Father and Mother being absorbed in union, the
bodhichitta melts. When from my crown it reaches my
throat [I experience] joy. When from my throat it reaches
my heart [I experience] supreme joy. When from my heart
it reaches my navel [I experience] extraordinary joy. When
from my navel it reaches the tip of my jewel I generate a
spontaneous exalted wisdom whereby I remain absorbed
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in the concentration of inseparable bliss and emptiness.
Thus, through this bliss inseparably joined with emptiness
remaining in single-pointed absorption on the thatness
that is the lack of inherent existence of the three circles of
the offering, I delight in the secret and thatness offerings.
Then contemplate:
Once again I become Venerable Vajrayogini.
Eight lines of praise to the Mother
OM NAMO BHAGAWATI VAJRA VARAHI BAM HUM HUM
PHAT
OM NAMO ARYA APARADZITE TRE LOKYA MATI BIYE SHÖRI
HUM HUM PHAT
OM NAMA SARWA BUTA BHAYA WAHI MAHA VAJRE HUM
HUM PHAT
OM NAMO VAJRA SANI ADZITE APARADZITE WASHAM
KARANITRA HUM HUM PHAT
OM NAMO BHRAMANI SHOKANI ROKANI KROTE KARALENI
HUM HUM PHAT
OM NAMA DRASANI MARANI PRABHE DANI PARADZAYE
HUM HUM PHAT
OM NAMO BIDZAYE DZAMBHANI TAMBHANI MOHANI
HUM HUM PHAT
OM NAMO VAJRA VARAHI MAHA YOGINI KAME SHÖRI KHAGE
HUM HUM PHAT
THE YOGA OF VERBAL AND MENTAL RECITATION
Verbal recitation
At my heart inside a red phenomena source, a double
tetrahedron, in the centre of a moon mandala, is a letter
BAM encircled by a red-coloured mantra rosary standing
counter-clockwise. From these, immeasurable rays of red
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light radiate. They purify the negativities and obstructions
of all sentient beings and make offerings to all the Buddhas.
All the power and force of their blessings is invoked in the
form of rays of red light, which dissolve into the letter
BAM and mantra rosary, blessing my mental continuum.
OM OM OM SARWA BUDDHA DAKINIYE VAJRA WARNANIYE
VAJRA BEROTZANIYE HUM HUM HUM PHAT PHAT PHAT
SÖHA
Recite at least as many mantras as you have promised to.
Mental recitation
(1) Sit in the sevenfold posture and bring the phenomena source,
moon and mantra letters from the heart down to the secret place if
you want to generate bliss, or to the navel if you want to generate
a non-conceptual mind, and enclose them with the winds. As
if mentally reading the mantra rosary, which stands counterclockwise in a circle, collect just three, ive, or seven recitations.
Then, while holding your breath, focus your mind on the pink
joy swirls spinning counter-clockwise in the four corners of the
phenomena source other than the front and the back, and especially
on the nada of the BAM in the centre, which is about to blaze.
(2) The red joy swirl at the upper tip of the central channel and the
white joy swirl at the lower tip, each the size of only a grain of barley,
travel to the heart while spinning furiously counter-clockwise. At
the heart they mix and gradually diminish into emptiness. Place
your mind in absorption on bliss and emptiness.
THE YOGA OF INCONCEIVABILITY
From the letter BAM and the mantra rosary at my heart, light
rays radiate and pervade all three realms. The formless realm
dissolves into the upper part of my body in the aspect of
rays of blue light. The form realm dissolves into the middle
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part of my body in the aspect of rays of red light. The desire
realm dissolves into the lower part of my body in the aspect
of rays of white light. I, in turn, gradually melt into light
from below and above and dissolve into the phenomena
source. That dissolves into the moon. That dissolves into the
thirty-two Yoginis. They dissolve into the four Yoginis, and
they dissolve into the Principal Lady of the body mandala.
The Principal Lady, in turn, gradually melts into light from
below and above and dissolves into the phenomena source.
That dissolves into the moon. That dissolves into the mantra
rosary. That dissolves into the letter BAM. That dissolves into
the head of the BAM. That dissolves into the crescent moon.
That dissolves into the drop. That dissolves into the nada,
and that, becoming smaller and smaller, dissolves into clear
light emptiness.
THE YOGA OF DAILY ACTIONS
From the state of emptiness in an instant I become Venerable
Vajrayogini. At places in my body arise moon mandalas upon
which at my navel is red OM BAM, Vajravarahi; at my heart
blue HAM YOM, Yamani; at my throat white HRIM MOM,
Mohani; at my forehead yellow HRIM HRIM, Sachalani; at my
crown green HUM HUM, Samtrasani; at all my limbs smokecoloured PHAT PHAT, essence of Chandika.
To protect the main directions and intermediate directions recite
twice:
OM SUMBHANI SUMBHA HUM HUM PHAT
OM GRIHANA GRIHANA HUM HUM PHAT
OM GRIHANA PAYA GRIHANA PAYA HUM HUM PHAT
OM ANAYA HO BHAGAWÄN VAJRA HUM HUM PHAT
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The yoga of the tormas
Set up offerings in the traditional manner and then purify them in
the following way:
OM KHANDAROHI HUM HUM PHAT
OM SÖBHAWA SHUDDHA SARWA DHARMA SÖBHAWA
SHUDDHO HAM
Everything becomes emptiness.
From the state of emptiness, from KAM come skullcup
vessels inside which from HUM come offering substances.
By nature emptiness, they have the aspect of the individual
offering substances and function as objects of enjoyment
of the six senses to bestow special, uncontaminated bliss.
OM AHRGHAM AH HUM
OM PADÄM AH HUM
OM VAJRA PUPE AH HUM
OM VAJRA DHUPE AH HUM
OM VAJRA DIWE AH HUM
OM VAJRA GÄNDHE AH HUM
OM VAJRA NEWIDE AH HUM
OM VAJRA SHAPTA AH HUM
Blessing the tormas
OM KHANDAROHI HUM HUM PHAT
OM SÖBHAWA SHUDDHA SARWA DHARMA SÖBHAWA
SHUDDHO HAM
Everything becomes emptiness.
From the state of emptiness, from YAM comes wind, from
RAM comes ire, from AH a grate of three human heads.
Upon this from AH appears a broad and expansive skullcup.
Inside from OM, KHAM, AM, TRAM, HUM come the ive
nectars; from LAM, MAM, PAM, TAM, BAM come the ive
meats, each marked by these letters. The wind blows, the
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ire blazes, and the substances inside the skullcup melt.
Above them from HUM there arises a white, upside-down
khatanga, which falls into the skullcup and melts whereby
the substances take on the colour of mercury. Above them three
rows of vowels and consonants, standing one above
the other, transform into OM AH HUM. From these, light
rays draw the nectar of exalted wisdom from the hearts of
all the Tathagatas, Heroes and Yoginis of the ten directions.
When this is added the contents increase and become vast.
OM AH HUM
(3x)
Inviting the guests of the torma
PHAIM
Light rays radiate from the letter BAM at my heart and invite
Venerable Vajrayogini surrounded by the assembly of Gurus,
Yidams, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Heroes, Dakinis, and both
Dharma and mundane Protectors to come from Akanishta
to the space before me. From a HUM in the tongue of each
guest there arises a three-pronged vajra through which
they partake of the essence of the torma by drawing it
through straws of light the thickness of only a grain of barley.
Offering the principal torma
Offer the torma while reciting three or seven times:
OM VAJRA AH RA LI HO: DZA HUM BAM HO: VAJRA DAKINI
SAMAYA TÖN TRISHAYA HO
Offering the torma to the mundane Dakinis
Offer the torma while reciting twice:
OM KHA KHA, KHAHI KHAHI, SARWA YAKYA RAKYASA, BHUTA,
TRETA, PISHATSA, UNATA, APAMARA, VAJRA DAKA, DAKI
NÄDAYA, IMAM BALING GRIHANTU, SAMAYA RAKYANTU,
MAMA SARWA SIDDHI METRA YATZANTU, YATIPAM, YATETAM,
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BHUDZATA, PIWATA, DZITRATA, MATI TRAMATA, MAMA SARWA
KATAYA, SÄDSUKHAM BISHUDHAYE, SAHAYEKA BHAWÄNTU,
HUM HUM PHAT PHAT SÖHA
Outer offerings
OM VAJRA YOGINI SAPARIWARA AHRGHAM, PADÄM, PUPE,
DHUPE, ALOKE, GÄNDHE, NEWIDE, SHAPTA AH HUM
Inner offering
OM VAJRA YOGINI SAPARIWARA OM AH HUM
Praise
O Glorious Vajrayogini,
Chakravatin Dakini Queen,
Who have ive wisdoms and three bodies,
To you Saviour of all I prostrate.
To the many Vajra Dakinis,
Who as Ladies of worldly actions,
Cut our bondage to preconceptions,
To all of you Ladies I prostrate.
Prayer to Behold the Beautiful Face of Vajrayogini
Bliss and emptiness of ininite Conquerors who, as if in
a drama,
Appear as so many different visions in samsara and nirvana;
From among these you are now the beautiful, powerful
Lady of Dakini Land,
I remember you from my heart, please care for me with
your playful embrace.
You are the spontaneously born Mother of the Conquerors
in the land of Akanishta,
You are the ield-born Dakinis in the twenty-four places,
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You are the action mudras covering the whole earth,
O Venerable Lady, you are the supreme refuge of myself, the
Yogi.
You who are the manifestation of the emptiness of the mind
itself,
Are the actual BAM, the sphere of EH, in the city of the vajra.
In the land of illusion you show yourself as a fearsome
cannibal
And as a smiling, vibrant, fair young maiden.
But no matter how much I searched, O Noble Lady,
I could ind no certainty of your being truly existent.
Then the youth of my mind, exhausted by its elaborations,
Came to rest in the forest hut which is beyond expression.
How wonderful, please arise from the sphere of the
Dharmakaya
And care for me by the truth of what it says
In the Glorious Heruka, King of Tantras,
That attainments come from reciting the supreme close essence
mantra of the Vajra Queen.
In the isolated forest of Odivisha
You cared for Vajra Ghantapa, the powerful Siddha,
With the bliss of your kiss and embrace and he came to enjoy the
supreme embrace;
O, please care for me in the same way.
Just as the venerable Kusali was led directly
From an island in the Ganges to the sphere of space,
And just as you cared for the glorious Naropa,
Please lead me also to the city of the joyful Dakini.
Through the force of the compassion of my supreme root and
lineage Gurus,
The especially profound and quick path of the ultimate, secret,
great Tantra,
And the pure superior intention of myself, the Yogi,
May I soon behold your smiling face, O Joyful Dakini Lady.
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Requesting fulilment of wishes
O Venerable Vajrayogini, please lead me and all sentient beings
to the Pure Land of the Dakinis. Please bestow on us every single
mundane and supramundane attainment. (3x)
If you wish to make a tsog offering you should include it at this
point. The tsog offering starts on page 359.
Offering the torma to the general Dharma Protectors
OM AH HUM HA HO HRIH
(3x)
HUM
From your pure palace of great bliss in Akanishta,
Great powerful one emanating from Vairochana’s heart,
Dorje Gur, chief of all the Protectors of the doctrine,
O Glorious Mahakala come here please and partake of this
offering and torma.
From Yongdui Tsel and Yama’s palace
And from the supreme place of Devikoti in Jambudipa,
Namdru Remati, chief Lady of the desire realm,
O Palden Lhamo come here please and partake of this offering
and torma.
From the mandala of the bhaga sphere of appearance and
existence,
Mother Yingchugma, principal Lady of all samsara and nirvana,
Chief of Dakinis and demons, ierce female protector of the
mantras,
O Great Mother Ralchigma come here please and partake of this
offering and torma.
From Silwa Tsel and Haha Gopa,
From Singaling and the Ti Se snow mountain,
And from Darlungnay and Kaui Dragdzong,
O Zhingkyong Wangpo come here please and partake of this
offering and torma.
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From the eight charnel grounds and Risul in the south,
From Bodhgaya and glorious Samye,
And from Nalatse and glorious Sakya,
O Legon Pomo come here please and partake of this offering
and torma.
From the charnel grounds of Marutse in the north-east,
From the red, rocky hills of Bangso in India,
And from the supreme places of Darlung Dagram and so forth,
O Yakya Chamdrel come here please and partake of this offering
and torma.
Especially from Odiyana, Land of the Dakinis,
And from your natural abode,
Completely encircled by mundane and supramundane Dakinis,
O Father-Mother Lord of the Charnel Grounds come here please
and partake of this offering and torma.
From the supreme places such as Tushita, Keajra, and so
forth,
Great Protector of the doctrine of the second Conqueror,
Dorje Shugden, ive lineages, together with your retinues,
Come here please and partake of this offering and torma.
I request you, I make offerings to you, O Host of Protectors of
the Conqueror’s doctrine,
I propitiate you and rely upon you, O Great Protectors of the
Guru’s words,
I cry out to you and beseech you, O Host of Destroyers of the
obstructors of Yogis,
Please come here quickly and partake of this offering and
torma.
I offer a torma adorned with red lesh and blood.
I offer drinks of alcohol, medicine nectars, and blood.
I offer the sound of large drums, thigh-bone trumpets, and
cymbals.
I offer large, black silk pennants that billow like clouds.
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I offer breathtaking attractions equal to space.
I offer loud chants that are powerful and melodious.
I offer an ocean of outer, inner and secret commitment
substances.
I offer the play of the exalted wisdom of inseparable bliss and
emptiness.
May you protect the precious doctrine of Buddha.
May you increase the renown of the Three Jewels.
May you further the deeds of the glorious Gurus,
And may you fulil whatever requests I make of you.
Requesting forbearance
Now recite the hundred-letter mantra of Heruka:
OM VAJRA HERUKA SAMAYA, MANU PALAYA, HERUKA TENO
PATITA, DRIDHO ME BHAWA, SUTO KAYO ME BHAWA, SUPO
KAYO ME BHAWA, ANURAKTO ME BHAWA, SARWA SIDDHI ME
PRAYATZA, SARWA KARMA SUTZA ME, TZITAM SHRIYAM KURU
HUM, HA HA HA HA HO BHAGAWÄN, VAJRA HERUKA MA ME
MUNTSA, HERUKA BHAWA, MAHA SAMAYA SATTÖ AH HUM
PHAT
Request forbearance by reciting:
Whatever mistakes I have made
Through not inding, not understanding,
Or not having the ability,
Please, O Protector, be patient with all of these.
OM VAJRA MU The wisdom beings, guests of the torma,
dissolve into me and the worldly beings return to their own
places.
Dedication prayers
By this virtue may I quickly
Accomplish the actual Dakini,
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And then lead every living being
Without exception to that ground.
At my deathtime may the Protectors, Heroes, Heroines and so
forth,
Bearing lowers, parasols and victory banners,
And offering the sweet music of cymbals and so forth,
Lead me to the Land of the Dakinis.
By the truth of the valid Goddesses,
Their valid commitments,
And the supremely valid words they have spoken,
May [my virtues] be the cause for me to be cared for by the
Goddesses.
Extensive dedication
If you have the time and the wish you can inish with these prayers,
which were composed by Tsarpa Dorjechang:
In the great ship of freedom and endowment,
Flying the white sail of mindfulness of impermanence,
And blown by the favourable wind of accepting and
abandoning actions and effects,
May I be delivered from the fearsome ocean of samsara.
Relying upon the crown-jewel of the non-deceptive objects of
refuge,
Taking to heart the great purpose of migrators, my mothers,
And cleansing my stains and faults with the nectar of
Vajrasattva,
May I be cared for by the compassionate, venerable Gurus.
The beautiful Mother of the Conquerors is the outer Yogini,
The letter BAM is the supreme inner Vajra Queen,
The clarity and emptiness of the mind itself is the secret Dakini
Mother;
May I enjoy the sport of seeing the self-nature of each.
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QUICK PATH TO GREAT BLISS
The worldly environment is the celestial mansion of the letter
EH,
And its inhabitants, the sentient beings, are the Yoginis of the
letter BAM;
Through the concentration of the great bliss of their union,
May whatever appearance arises be pure appearance.
Thus, through the yogas [numbering] the directions and the
moon,
May I eventually be led directly to the city of Knowledge
Holders
By the coral-coloured Lady of joy
With freely hanging vermilion hair and orange, darting eyes.
Having practised in a place of corpses with sindhura and a
langali stem,
And having wandered throughout the land,
May the beautiful Lady to whom the swirl at my forehead
transfers
Lead me to the Land of the Dakinis.
When the inner Varahi has destroyed the creeping vine of
apprehender and apprehended,
And the dancing Lady residing in my supreme central
channel
Has emerged through the door of Brahma into the sphere of the
pathway of clouds,
May she embrace and sport with the Hero, Drinker of Blood.
Through the yoga of unifying [the two winds], meditating
single-pointedly
On the tiny seed of the ive winds at the lotus of my navel,
May my mental continuum be satiated by a supreme bliss
From the fragrant drops pervading the channels of my
body-mind.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
When, through the laughing and smiling play of the
beautiful Lady
Of blazing light tummo within my central channel,
The youthful letter HAM has been completely softened,
May I attain the ground of the great bliss of union.
When the reddish-black RAM residing in the centre of the
three channels at my navel
Has been set ablaze by my upper and lower winds,
And its cleansing ire has burned away the seventy-two
thousand impure elements,
May my central channel be completely illed with pure
drops.
When the ive-coloured drop between my eyebrows has
gone to my crown,
And the stream of moon-liquid originating from it
Has reached the stamen of my secret lotus,
May I be satiated by the four joys of descending and
ascending.
When, through being struck by the rays of ive lights
radiating from that drop,
All stable and moving phenomena, my body and so forth,
Have been transformed into a mass of brilliant, clear
rainbows,
May I once again enter the natural abode, the sphere of
bliss and emptiness.
When the Yogini of my own mind, the union beyond intellect,
The primordial state of inexpressible emptiness and clarity,
The original nature free from arising, ceasing and abiding,
Recognizes its own entity, may I be forever nourished.
When my channels, winds and drops have dissolved into
the sphere of EVAM,
And the mind itself has attained the glory of the Truth Body
of great bliss,
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QUICK PATH TO GREAT BLISS
May I care for these migrators as extensive as space
With immeasurable manifestations of countless Form Bodies.
Through the blessings of the Conquerors and their
marvellous Sons,
The truth of non-deceptive dependent relationship,
And the power and force of my pure, superior intention,
May all the points of my sincere prayers be fulilled.
Auspicious prayers
May there be the auspiciousness of swiftly receiving the
blessings
Of the hosts of glorious, sacred Gurus,
Vajradhara, Pandit Naropa, and so forth,
The glorious Lords of all virtue and excellence.
May there be the auspiciousness of the Dakini Truth Body,
Perfection of wisdom, the supreme Mother of the Conquerors,
The natural clear light, free from elaboration from the
beginning,
The Lady who emanates and gathers all things stable and
moving.
May there be the auspiciousness of the Complete Enjoyment
Body, spontaneously born,
A body, radiant and beautiful, ablaze with the glory of the
major and minor marks,
A speech proclaiming the supreme vehicle with sixty
melodies,
And a mind of non-conceptual bliss and clarity possessing
the ive exalted wisdoms.
May there be the auspiciousness of the Emanation Body,
born in the places,
Ladies who with various Form Bodies, in various places,
Fulil by various means the aims of various ones to be tamed
In accordance with their various wishes.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
May there be the auspiciousness of the supreme Dakini,
mantra-born,
A venerable Lady with a colour similar to that of a ruby,
With a smiling, wrathful manner, one face, two hands
holding curved knife and skullcup,
And two legs in bent and outstretched positions.
May there be the auspiciousness of your countless
millions of emanations
And the hosts of the seventy-two thousand [Dakinis]
Eliminating all the obstructions of practitioners
And bestowing the attainments that are longed for.
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QUICK PATH TO GREAT BLISS
THE TSOG OFFERING
Blessing the tsog offering
OM KHANDAROHI HUM HUM PHAT
OM SÖBHAWA SHUDDHA SARWA DHARMA SÖBHAWA
SHUDDHO HAM
Everything becomes emptiness.
From the state of emptiness, from AH comes a broad and
expansive skullcup inside which the ive meats, the ive
nectars, and the ive exalted wisdoms melt and there
arises a vast ocean of the nectar of exalted wisdom.
OM AH HUM HA HO HRIH
(3x)
Contemplate that it becomes an inexhaustible ocean of exalted
wisdom nectar.
Offering medicine nectars
I offer this supreme nectar
That far transcends vulgar objects;
The supreme commitment of all the Conquerors,
And the foundation of all attainments.
May you be pleased with the great bliss
Of the unsurpassed bodhichitta,
Puriied of all stains of obstructions,
And completely free from all conceptions.
Making the tsog offering
HO This ocean of tsog offering of uncontaminated nectar,
Blessed by concentration, mantra and mudra,
I offer to please the assembly of root and lineage Gurus.
OM AH HUM
Delighted by enjoying these magniicent objects of desire,
359
MODERN BUDDHISM
EH MA HO
Please bestow a great rain of blessings.
HO This ocean of tsog offering of uncontaminated nectar,
Blessed by concentration, mantra and mudra,
I offer to please the divine assembly of powerful Dakinis.
OM AH HUM
Delighted by enjoying these magniicent objects of desire,
EH MA HO
Please bestow the Dakini attainment.
HO This ocean of tsog offering of uncontaminated nectar,
Blessed by concentration, mantra and mudra,
I offer to please the divine assembly of Yidams and their
retinues.
OM AH HUM
Delighted by enjoying these magniicent objects of desire,
EH MA HO
Please bestow a great rain of attainments.
HO This ocean of tsog offering of uncontaminated nectar,
Blessed by concentration, mantra and mudra,
I offer to please the assembly of Three Precious Jewels.
OM AH HUM
Delighted by enjoying these magniicent objects of desire,
EH MA HO
Please bestow a great rain of sacred Dharmas.
HO This ocean of tsog offering of uncontaminated nectar,
Blessed by concentration, mantra and mudra,
I offer to please the assembly of Dakinis and Dharma
Protectors.
OM AH HUM
Delighted by enjoying these magniicent objects of desire,
EH MA HO
Please bestow a great rain of virtuous deeds.
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QUICK PATH TO GREAT BLISS
HO This ocean of tsog offering of uncontaminated nectar,
Blessed by concentration, mantra and mudra,
I offer to please the assembly of mother sentient beings.
OM AH HUM
Delighted by enjoying these magniicent objects of desire,
EH MA HO
May suffering and mistaken appearance be paciied.
Outer offerings
OM VAJRA YOGINI SAPARIWARA AHRGHAM, PADÄM, PUPE,
DHUPE, ALOKE, GÄNDHE, NEWIDE, SHAPTA AH HUM
Inner offering
OM VAJRA YOGINI SAPARIWARA OM AH HUM
Eight lines of praise to the Mother
OM I prostrate to Vajravarahi, the Blessed Mother HUM
HUM PHAT
OM To the Superior and powerful Knowledge Lady
unconquered by the three realms HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you who destroy all fears of evil spirits with your
great vajra HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you with controlling eyes who remain as the vajra
seat unconquered by others HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you whose wrathful ierce form desiccates Brahma
HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you who terrify and dry up demons, conquering
those in other directions HUM HUM PHAT
OM To you who conquer all those who make us dull,
rigid and confused HUM HUM PHAT
OM I bow to Vajravarahi, the Great Mother, the Dakini
consort who fulils all desires HUM HUM PHAT
361
MODERN BUDDHISM
Making the tsog offering to the Vajrayana Spiritual Guide
Vajra Holder please listen to me,
This special tsog offering of mine,
I offer to you with a mind of faith;
Please partake as is your pleasure.
EH MA, great peace.
This great, blazing tsog offering burns up delusions
And in that way brings great bliss.
AH HO Everything is great bliss.
AH HO MAHA SUKHA HO
Concerning this, all phenomena are seen as pure,
Of this the assembly should have no doubt.
Since brahmins, outcasts, pigs and dogs
Are of one nature, please enjoy.
The Dharma of the Sugatas is priceless,
Free from the stains of attachment and so forth,
The abandonment of apprehender and apprehended;
Respectfully I prostrate to thatness.
AH HO MAHA SUKHA HO
Song of the Spring Queen
HUM All you Tathagatas,
Heroes, Yoginis,
Dakas and Dakinis,
To all of you I make this request:
O Heruka who delight in great bliss,
You engage in the Union of spontaneous bliss,
By attending the Lady intoxicated with bliss
And enjoying in accordance with the rituals.
AH LA LA, LA LA HO, AH I AH, AH RA LI HO
May the assembly of stainless Dakinis
Look with loving affection and accomplish all deeds.
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QUICK PATH TO GREAT BLISS
HUM All you Tathagatas,
Heroes, Yoginis,
Dakas and Dakinis,
To all of you I make this request:
With a mind completely aroused by great bliss
And a body in a dance of constant motion,
I offer to the hosts of Dakinis
The great bliss from enjoying the lotus of the mudra.
AH LA LA, LA LA HO, AH I AH, AH RA LI HO
May the assembly of stainless Dakinis
Look with loving affection and accomplish all deeds.
HUM All you Tathagatas,
Heroes, Yoginis,
Dakas and Dakinis,
To all of you I make this request:
You who dance with a beautiful and peaceful manner,
O Blissful Protector and the hosts of Dakinis,
Please come here before me and grant me your blessings,
And bestow upon me spontaneous great bliss.
AH LA LA, LA LA HO, AH I AH, AH RA LI HO
May the assembly of stainless Dakinis
Look with loving affection and accomplish all deeds.
HUM All you Tathagatas,
Heroes, Yoginis,
Dakas and Dakinis,
To all of you I make this request:
You who have the characteristic of the liberation of great bliss,
Do not say that deliverance can be gained in one lifetime
Through various ascetic practices having abandoned great
bliss,
But that great bliss resides in the centre of the supreme lotus.
AH LA LA, LA LA HO, AH I AH, AH RA LI HO
May the assembly of stainless Dakinis
Look with loving affection and accomplish all deeds.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
HUM All you Tathagatas,
Heroes, Yoginis,
Dakas and Dakinis,
To all of you I make this request:
Like a lotus born from the centre of a swamp,
This method, though born from attachment, is unstained
by the faults of attachment.
O Supreme Dakini, through the bliss of your lotus,
Please quickly bring liberation from the bonds of samsara.
AH LA LA, LA LA HO, AH I AH, AH RA LI HO
May the assembly of stainless Dakinis
Look with loving affection and accomplish all deeds.
HUM All you Tathagatas,
Heroes, Yoginis,
Dakas and Dakinis,
To all of you I make this request:
Just as the essence of honey in the honey source
Is drunk by swarms of bees from all directions,
So through your broad lotus with six characteristics
Please bring satisfaction with the taste of great bliss.
AH LA LA, LA LA HO, AH I AH, AH RA LI HO
May the assembly of stainless Dakinis
Look with loving affection and accomplish all deeds.
Blessing the offerings to the spirits
OM KHANDAROHI HUM HUM PHAT
OM SÖBHAWA SHUDDHA SARWA DHARMA SÖBHAWA
SHUDDHO HAM
Everything becomes emptiness.
From the state of emptiness, from AH comes a broad and
expansive skullcup inside which the ive meats, the ive
nectars, and the ive exalted wisdoms melt and there
arises a vast ocean of the nectar of exalted wisdom.
OM AH HUM HA HO HRIH
(3x)
364
QUICK PATH TO GREAT BLISS
Actual offering to the spirits
PHAIM
UTSIKTRA BALINGTA BHAKYÄSI SÖHA
HO This ocean of remaining tsog offering of
uncontaminated nectar,
Blessed by concentration, mantra and mudra,
I offer to please the assembly of oath-bound guardians.
OM AH HUM
Delighted by enjoying these magniicent objects of desire,
EH MA HO
Please perform perfect actions to help practitioners.
Send out the remainder of the tsog offering to the accompaniment
of music.
May I and other practitioners
Have good health, long life, power,
Glory, fame, fortune,
And extensive enjoyments.
Please grant me the attainments
Of pacifying, increasing, controlling and wrathful actions.
You who are bound by oaths please protect me
And help me to accomplish all the attainments.
Eradicate all untimely death, sicknesses,
Harm from spirits and hindrances.
Eliminate bad dreams,
Ill omens and bad actions.
May there be happiness in the world, may the years be good,
May crops increase, and may Dharma lourish.
May all goodness and happiness come about,
And may all wishes be accomplished.
By the force of this bountiful giving
May I become a Buddha for the sake of living beings;
And through my generosity may I liberate
All those not liberated by previous Buddhas.
365
MODERN BUDDHISM
Prayers for the Virtuous Tradition
So that the tradition of Je Tsongkhapa,
The King of the Dharma, may lourish,
May all obstacles be paciied
And may all favourable conditions abound.
Through the two collections of myself and others
Gathered throughout the three times,
May the doctrine of Conqueror Losang Dragpa
Flourish for evermore.
The nine-line Migtsema prayer
Tsongkhapa, crown ornament of the scholars of the Land of the
Snows,
You are Buddha Shakyamuni and Vajradhara, the source of all
attainments,
Avalokiteshvara, the treasury of unobservable compassion,
Manjushri, the supreme stainless wisdom,
And Vajrapani, the destroyer of the hosts of maras.
O Venerable Guru-Buddha, synthesis of all Three Jewels,
With my body, speech, and mind, respectfully I make
requests:
Please grant your blessings to ripen and liberate myself and
others,
And bestow the common and supreme attainments. (3x)
Colophon: This sadhana or ritual prayer for the spiritual
attainments of Venerable Vajrayogini was translated under the
compassionate guidance of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.
The verse to Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso in Requesting the
lineage Gurus was composed by the glorious Dharma Protector,
Duldzin Dorje Shugden, and included in the sadhana at the
request of Geshe Kelsang’s faithful disciples. The verse to Dorje
Shugden in Offering the torma to the general Dharma Protectors was
composed by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and included in
the sadhana at the request of his faithful disciples.
366
Appendix VIII
he Blissful Path
THE CONDENSED SELF-GENERATION
SADHANA OF VAJRAYOGINI
Compiled by
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
Guru Vajradharma
he Blissful Path
THE CONDENSED SELF-GENERATION
SADHANA OF VAJRAYOGINI
Those who wish to train in the self-generation of Vajrayogini as a
daily practice, but who have insuficient time or ability to practise
either the extensive or the middling sadhana, can fulil their aim by
practising this short sadhana with strong faith.
THE ACTUAL SADHANA
Visualizing the objects of refuge
In the space before me appears my root Guru in the aspect
of Buddha Vajradharma, the manifestation of all Buddhas’
speech, with Chakrasambara Father and Mother at his heart,
surrounded by the assembly of lineage Gurus; Yidams – the
enlightened Deities; Three Precious Jewels – Buddha, Dharma
and Sangha; and Dharma Protectors.
We meditate on this great assembly of enlightened holy beings
with strong faith. By visualizing our root Guru in this way we
will receive the special blessings of the speech of all Buddhas.
Through this we can quickly attain the realizations of speech – the
369
MODERN BUDDHISM
realizations of the Dharma instructions of Sutra and Tantra. Only
through Dharma realizations can we cease our samsaric problems
in general and human problems in particular.
Training in going for refuge, the gateway through which
we enter Buddhism
While imagining ourself and all sentient beings going for refuge
together, we recite the following refuge prayer three times:
I and all sentient beings as extensive as space, from now until
we attain enlightenment,
Go for refuge to the Gurus, the supreme Spiritual Guides,
Go for refuge to the Buddhas, the fully enlightened beings,
Go for refuge to Dharma, the precious teachings of Buddha,
Go for refuge to Sangha, the pure spiritual friends.
(3x)
If we sincerely go for refuge to the Gurus, Buddhas, Dharma and
Sangha this will lead us to the correct path, the liberating path
that directly protects us from suffering and fear. In this practice,
principally we should improve our experience of renunciation
through continually contemplating and meditating on the
instructions of renunciation given in Modern Buddhism. In this
way we should lead ourself to the correct path, such as the realization
of renunciation. The realization of renunciation is actual Dharma.
Generating the supreme good heart, bodhichitta, the
gateway through which we enter the path to great
enlightenment
We should make the following determination:
Once I have attained the state of complete enlightenment,
Buddhahood, I shall free all sentient beings from the ocean
of samsara’s suffering and lead them to the bliss of full
enlightenment. For this purpose I shall practise the stages of
Vajrayogini’s path.
(3x)
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THE BLISSFUL PATH
In this practice, principally we should improve our experience of
learning to cherish others and compassion for all living beings
through continually contemplating and meditating on the
instructions of these trainings given in Modern Buddhism.
In this way we should lead ourself to the path to great
enlightenment.
At this point we can add long or short mandala offering prayers.
Receiving blessings
Now, from the depths of our heart, we recite:
I prostrate and go for refuge to the Gurus and Three Precious
Jewels. Please bless my mental continuum.
(3x)
Due to requesting in this way, the great assembly of enlightened
holy beings before me melts into the form of white, red and
dark blue rays of light. These dissolve into me and I receive
the special blessings of all Buddhas upon my very subtle body,
speech and mind.
We meditate on this belief for a short time.
Training in the three bringings
We should engage in the following contemplations and meditations
completely free from distractions so that we can easily make
progress.
Bringing death into the path to the Truth Body, Buddha’s
very subtle body
The entire world and its inhabitants melt into light and dissolve
into my body. My body also melts into light and slowly
diminishes in size until inally it dissolves into emptiness. This
resembles the way in which all the appearances of this life
dissolve at death. I experience the clear light of death, which
in nature is bliss, and my mind the clear light of bliss becomes
inseparably one with emptiness, the mere absence of all the
371
Venerable Vajrayogini
THE BLISSFUL PATH
things that I normally see. I perceive nothing other than
emptiness, ultimate truth. I am Truth Body Vajrayogini.
We meditate single-pointedly on this divine pride for as long as
possible. If we do this meditation at the time of our death this
will prevent us from taking samsaric rebirth and lead us to take
rebirth in the Pure Land of Keajra. Thus we will attain permanent
liberation from all suffering. Vajrayogini imputed upon a Buddha’s
Truth Body is Truth Body Vajrayogini, deinitive Vajrayogini.
Bringing the intermediate state into the path to the
Enjoyment Body, Buddha’s subtle Form Body
From the emptiness of the Truth Body, the Dharmakaya, I
instantaneously transform into Enjoyment Body Vajrayogini in
the form of an oval of red light about twelve inches high and six
inches wide, standing vertically on an eight-petalled lotus and
a sun cushion. This resembles the way in which the body of an
intermediate state being arises out of the clear light of death. I
am Enjoyment Body Vajrayogini.
We meditate on this divine pride for a short time. Vajrayogini
imputed upon a Buddha’s subtle Form Body is Enjoyment Body
Vajrayogini.
Bringing rebirth into the path to the Emanation Body,
Buddha’s gross Form Body
In the vast space of emptiness of all phenomena, the nature
of my puriied mistaken appearance of all phenomena, which
is the Pure Land of Keajra, I appear as Vajrayogini who is the
manifestation of the wisdom of the clear light of all Buddhas.
I have a red-coloured body of light, with one face and two
hands, and I assume the form of a sixteen-year-old in the prime
of my youth. Although I have this appearance it is not other
than the emptiness of all phenomena. I am Emanation Body
Vajrayogini.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
We meditate on this self-generation for as long as possible with the
recognition that ourself as Vajrayogini, the appearance, and emptiness of all phenomena is one entity not two. Our meditation on
self-generation has the power to reduce and cease our self-grasping.
In this practice we should improve our experience of training in
divine pride and training in clear appearance through continually
contemplating and meditating on the instructions of these trainings given in Guide to Dakini Land.
We can train in a special tummo meditation at this point. A
clear and detailed explanation on how to do this can be found in
Guide to Dakini Land.
Reciting the mantra
At my heart is wisdom being Vajrayogini, deinitive Vajrayogini,
who is the synthesis of the body, speech and mind of all
Buddhas.
O My Guru Deity Vajrayogini,
Please bestow upon me and all sentient beings
The attainments of the enlightened body, speech and mind.
Please pacify our outer, inner and secret obstacles.
Please build within us the basic foundation for all these
attainments.
For this request we recite the three-OM mantra at least as many
times as we have promised.
OM OM OM SARWA BUDDHA DAKINIYE VAJRA WARNANIYE
VAJRA BEROTZANIYE HUM HUM HUM PHAT PHAT PHAT
SÖHA.
Outer obstacles are harm received from humans and non-humans,
as well as from inanimate objects such as ire, water and so forth,
inner obstacles are our delusions such as anger, attachment and
ignorance, and the secret obstacle is our subtle mistaken appearance of all phenomena.
374
THE BLISSFUL PATH
At this point, if we wish, we can make a tsog offering. The ritual
prayer for making a tsog offering can be found on page 359.
Dedication
Through the virtues I have accumulated by meditation and
recitation of Vajrayogini,
May I receive the special care of Venerable Vajrayogini and her
emanation Dakinis,
And through receiving their powerful blessings upon my very
subtle body, speech and mind
May I attain enlightenment quickly to liberate all living
beings.
Prayers for the Virtuous Tradition
So that the tradition of Je Tsongkhapa,
The King of the Dharma, may lourish,
May all obstacles be paciied
And may all favourable conditions abound.
Through the two collections of myself and others
Gathered throughout the three times,
May the doctrine of Conqueror Losang Dragpa
Flourish for evermore.
The nine-line Migtsema prayer
Tsongkhapa, crown ornament of the scholars of the Land of the
Snows,
You are Buddha Shakyamuni and Vajradhara, the source of all
attainments,
Avalokiteshvara, the treasury of unobservable compassion,
Manjushri, the supreme stainless wisdom,
And Vajrapani, the destroyer of the hosts of maras.
O Venerable Guru-Buddha, synthesis of all Three Jewels,
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MODERN BUDDHISM
With my body, speech and mind, respectfully I make requests:
Please grant your blessings to ripen and liberate myself and
others,
And bestow the common and supreme attainments.
(3x)
Colophon: This sadhana or ritual prayer for the spiritual
attainment of Venerable Vajrayogini was compiled from traditional
sources by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, 2012.
376
Appendix IX
The nada
(Please note that the nada should be visualized
to the size of a small pea)
Glossary
Absorption of cessation An uncontaminated wisdom focused
single-pointedly on emptiness in dependence upon the actual
absorption of peak of samsara. See Ocean of Nectar.
Action mudra A Highest Yoga Tantra consort who assists in
developing great bliss. See Clear Light of Bliss and Tantric Grounds
and Paths.
Afirming negative See Negative phenomenon.
Aggregate In general, all functioning things are aggregates
because they are an aggregation of their parts. In particular, a
person of the desire realm or form realm has ive aggregates:
the aggregates of form, feeling, discrimination, compositional
factors and consciousness. A being of the formless realm lacks
the aggregate of form but has the other four. A person’s form
aggregate is his or her body. The remaining four aggregates are
aspects of his mind. See also Contaminated aggregate. See The New
Heart of Wisdom.
Akshobya The manifestation of the aggregate of consciousness of
all Buddhas. He has a blue-coloured body.
Alertness A mental factor that is a type of wisdom which examines
our activity of body, speech and mind, and knows whether or not
faults are developing. See Understanding the Mind and Meaningful
to Behold.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
Amitabha The manifestation of the aggregate of discrimination
of all Buddhas. He has a red-coloured body. See Eight Steps to
Happiness.
Amoghasiddhi The manifestation of the aggregate of compositional
factors of all Buddhas. He has a green-coloured body.
Aryadeva A third century AD Indian Buddhist scholar and
meditation master, who was a disciple of Nagarjuna.
Arya Tara/Tara A female Buddha who is a manifestation of the
ultimate wisdom of all the Buddhas. ‘Arya’ means ‘Superior’ and
‘Tara’ means ‘Liberator’. Because she is a wisdom Buddha, and
a manifestation of the completely puriied wind element, Tara is
able to help us very quickly.
Attachment A deluded mental factor that observes its contaminated object, regards it as a cause of happiness and wishes for it.
See Understanding the Mind and Joyful Path of Good Fortune.
Attention A mental factor that functions to focus the mind on a
particular attribute of an object. See Understanding the Mind.
Bardo See Intermediate state.
Basis of imputation All phenomena are imputed upon their parts,
therefore any of the individual parts, or the entire collection of the
parts, of any phenomenon is its basis of imputation. A phenomenon is
imputed by mind in dependence upon its basis of imputation appearing
to that mind. See The New Heart of Wisdom and Ocean of Nectar.
Beginningless time According to the Buddhist world view, there
is no beginning to mind, and so no beginning to time. Therefore,
all living beings have taken countless previous rebirths.
Blessing The transformation of our mind from a negative state to
a positive state, from an unhappy state to a happy state, or from a
state of weakness to a state of strength, through the inspiration of
holy beings such as our Spiritual Guide, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Bodh Gaya The place where Buddha Shakyamuni showed the
manner of attaining enlightenment; near the modern city of Gaya
in the north Indian state of Bihar.
380
GLOSSARY
Brahma A worldly god who resides in the irst form realm. See
Ocean of Nectar.
Changing suffering For beings within samsara every experience
of happiness or pleasure that arises from samsara’s enjoyments
is changing suffering. This is because these experiences are
contaminated and have the nature of suffering.
Commitments Promises and pledges taken when engaging in
certain spiritual practices.
Compositional factors The aggregate of compositional factors
comprises all mental factors except feeling and discrimination,
as well as non-associated compounded phenomena. See The New
Heart of Wisdom and Understanding the Mind.
Concentration A mental factor that makes its primary mind
remain on its object single-pointedly. See Joyful Path of Good
Fortune, Understanding the Mind and Meaningful to Behold.
Conqueror Buddha Buddhas are called ‘Conquerors’ because they
have conquered all the obstructions to attaining liberation and
enlightenment, or maras. See also Mara.
Conscientiousness A mental factor that, in dependence upon effort,
cherishes what is virtuous and guards the mind from delusion and
non-virtue. See Meaningful to Behold and Understanding the Mind.
Consciousness The six consciousnesses, or primary minds, are
the eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness,
tongue consciousness, body consciousness and mental consciousness. See Understanding the Mind.
Contact A mental factor that functions to perceive its object as
pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. See Understanding the Mind.
Contaminated aggregate Any of the aggregates of form, feeling,
discrimination, compositional factors and consciousness of a
samsaric being. See also Aggregate. See The New Heart of Wisdom.
Dakini Land The Pure Land of Heruka and Vajrayogini. In
Sanskrit it is called ‘Keajra’ and in Tibetan ‘Dagpa Khacho’. See
The New Guide to Dakini Land.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
Dakinis Female Tantric Buddhas and those women who have
attained the realization of meaning clear light. Dakas are the male
equivalent. See The New Guide to Dakini Land.
Damaru A small hand-drum used in Tantric rituals. Playing the
damaru symbolizes the gathering of the outer Dakinis into our
body, and the manifestation of the inner Dakini (the mind of clear
light) within our mind through the blazing of inner ire. It is also
used as a music offering to the Buddhas.
Deity ‘Yidam’ in Tibetan. A Tantric enlightened being.
Delusion A mental factor that arises from inappropriate attention
and functions to make the mind unpeaceful and uncontrolled.
There are three main delusions: ignorance, desirous attachment
and anger. From these arise all the other delusions, such as
jealousy, pride and deluded doubt. See also Innate delusions and
Intellectually-formed delusions. See Joyful Path of Good Fortune and
Understanding the Mind.
Demi-god A being of the demi-god realm, the second highest of
the six realms of samsara. Demi-gods are similar to gods but their
bodies, possessions and environments are inferior. See Joyful Path
of Good Fortune.
Desire realm The environment of hell beings, hungry ghosts,
animals, human beings and demi-gods, and the gods who enjoy
the ive objects of desire.
Dharma Protector An emanation of a Buddha or a Bodhisattva
whose main functions are to avert the inner and outer obstacles
that prevent Dharma practitioners from gaining spiritual
realizations, and to arrange all the necessary conditions for their
practice. Also called ‘Dharmapala’ in Sanskrit. See Heart Jewel.
Discrimination A mental factor that functions to apprehend the
uncommon sign of an object. See Understanding the Mind.
Dorje Shugden A Dharma Protector who is an emanation of the
Wisdom Buddha Manjushri. His main functions are to avert the
inner and outer obstacles that prevent practitioners from gaining
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GLOSSARY
spiritual realizations, and to arrange all the necessary conditions
for their spiritual development. See Heart Jewel.
Dorjechang Trijang Rinpoche (AD 1901-1981) A special Tibetan
Lama of the twentieth century who was an emanation of Buddha
Shakyamuni, Heruka, Atisha, Amitabha and Je Tsongkhapa. Also
known as ‘Kyabje Trijang Dorjechang’ and ‘Losang Yeshe’.
Dromtonpa (AD 1004-1064) Atisha’s foremost disciple. See Joyful
Path of Good Fortune.
Elements, four Earth, water, ire and wind. These elements are not
the same as the earth of a ield, the water of a river, and so forth.
Rather, the elements of earth, water, ire and wind in broad terms are
the properties of solidity, liquidity, heat and movement respectively.
Example clear light A mind of clear light that realizes emptiness
by means of a generic image. See Clear Light of Bliss and Tantric
Grounds and Paths.
Faith A naturally virtuous mind that functions mainly to oppose
the perception of faults in its observed object. There are three
types of faith: believing faith, admiring faith and wishing faith.
See Transform Your Life, Joyful Path of Good Fortune and Understanding the Mind.
Feeling A mental factor that functions to experience pleasant,
unpleasant or neutral objects. See Understanding the Mind.
Field of Merit Generally, this refers to the Three Jewels. Just as
external seeds grow in a ield of soil, so the virtuous internal
seeds produced by virtuous actions grow in dependence upon
Buddha Jewel, Dharma Jewel and Sangha Jewel. Also known as
‘Field for Accumulating Merit’.
Form aggregate Includes all the objects of the ive sense awarenesses
– all colours and shapes (visual form), sounds, smells, tastes and
tactile objects. A person’s form aggregate is his or her body.
Form realm The environment of the gods who possess form and
who are superior to desire realm gods. So-called because the gods
who inhabit it have subtle form. See Ocean of Nectar.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
Functioning thing A phenomenon that is produced and
disintegrates within a moment. Synonymous with impermanent
phenomenon, thing and product.
Gelug The tradition established by Je Tsongkhapa. The name
‘Gelug’ means ‘Virtuous Tradition’. A Gelugpa is a practitioner
who follows this tradition. The Gelugpas are sometimes referred
to as the ‘new Kadampas’. See Heart Jewel.
Generic image The appearing object of a conceptual mind. A
generic image, or mental image, of an object is like a relection
of that object. Conceptual minds know their object through the
appearance of a generic image of that object, not by seeing the
object directly. See The New Heart of Wisdom and Understanding
the Mind.
Geshe A title given by Kadampa monasteries to accomplished
Buddhist scholars. Contracted form of the Tibetan ‘ge wai she
nyen’, literally meaning ‘virtuous friend’.
Geshe Chekhawa (AD 1102-1176) A great Kadampa Bodhisattva
who composed the text Training the Mind in Seven Points, a
commentary to Bodhisattva Langri Tangpa’s Eight Verses of
Training the Mind. He spread the study and practice of training
the mind throughout Tibet. See Universal Compassion.
Ghantapa A great Indian Mahasiddha and a lineage Guru in the
Highest Yoga Tantra practices of Heruka and Vajrayogini. See The
New Guide to Dakini Land.
Gods Beings of the god realm, the highest of the six realms of
samsara. There are many different types of god. Some are desire
realm gods, while others are form or formless realm gods. See
Joyful Path of Good Fortune.
Gungtang Gungtang Konchog Tenpai Dronme (AD 1762-1823), a
Gelug scholar and meditator famous for his spiritual poems and
philosophical writings.
Guru Sanskrit word for ‘Spiritual Guide’.
Heart Jewel The Guru yoga of Je Tsongkhapa combined with the
condensed sadhana of his Dharma Protector. See Heart Jewel.
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GLOSSARY
Heroes and Heroines A Hero is a male Tantric Deity embodying
method. A Heroine is a female Tantric Deity embodying wisdom.
See The New Guide to Dakini Land.
Hevajra A principal Deity of Mother Tantra. See Great Treasury of
Merit.
Hinayana Sanskrit term for ‘Lesser Vehicle’. The Hinayana
goal is to attain merely one’s own liberation from suffering by
completely abandoning delusions. See Joyful Path of Good Fortune.
Hungry ghosts Beings of the hungry ghost realm, the second
lowest of the six realms of samsara. Also known as ‘hungry
spirits’. See Joyful Path of Good Fortune.
Imprint/s There are two types of imprint: imprints of actions
and imprints of delusions. Every action we perform leaves an
imprint on the mental consciousness, and these imprints are
karmic potentialities to experience certain effects in the future.
The imprints left by delusions remain even after the delusions
themselves have been abandoned, like the smell of garlic lingers
in a container after the garlic has been removed. Imprints of
delusions are obstructions to omniscience, and are completely
abandoned only by Buddhas.
Imputation, mere According to the highest school of Buddhist
philosophy, the Madhyamika-Prasangika school, all phenomena
are merely imputed by conception in dependence upon their
basis of imputation. Therefore, they are mere imputations and do
not exist from their own side in the least. See The New Heart of
Wisdom and Ocean of Nectar.
Imputed object An object imputed by the mind in dependence
upon its basis of imputation. See The New Heart of Wisdom and
Ocean of Nectar.
Indra A worldly god. See The New Heart of Wisdom.
Inner ire ‘Tummo’ in Tibetan. An inner heat located at the centre
of the navel channel wheel. See Clear Light of Bliss.
Innate delusions Delusions that are not the product of intellectual
speculation, but that arise naturally. See Understanding the Mind.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
Intellectually-formed delusions Delusions that arise as a result of
relying upon incorrect reasoning or mistaken tenets. See Understanding the Mind.
Intention A mental factor that functions to move its primary
mind to the object. It functions to engage the mind in virtuous,
non-virtuous and neutral objects. All bodily and verbal actions
are initiated by the mental factor intention. See Understanding the
Mind.
Intermediate state ‘Bardo’ in Tibetan. The state between death
and rebirth. It begins the moment the consciousness leaves the
body, and ceases the moment the consciousness enters the body
of the next life. See Joyful Path of Good Fortune and Clear Light of
Bliss.
Je Phabongkhapa (AD 1878-1941) A great Tibetan Lama who was
an emanation of Heruka. Phabongkha Rinpoche was the holder
of many lineages of Sutra and Secret Mantra. He was the root
Guru of Dorjechang Trijang Rinpoche (Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche).
Je Tsongkhapa (AD 1357-1419) An emanation of the Wisdom
Buddha Manjushri, whose appearance in fourteenth-century
Tibet as a monk, and the holder of the lineage of pure view and
pure deeds, was prophesied by Buddha. He spread a very pure
Buddhadharma throughout Tibet, showing how to combine the
practices of Sutra and Tantra, and how to practise pure Dharma
during degenerate times. His tradition later became known as the
‘Gelug’, or ‘Ganden Tradition’. See Heart Jewel and Great Treasury
of Merit.
Kapala A skullcup used or visualized in Tantric meditation, symbolizing the indivisible union of great bliss and emptiness.
Lineage A line of instruction that has been passed down from
Spiritual Guide to disciple, with each Spiritual Guide in the
line having gained personal experience of the instruction before
passing it on to others.
Living being Synonymous with sentient being. Any being who
possesses a mind that is contaminated by delusions or their
386
GLOSSARY
imprints. Both ‘living being’ and ‘sentient being’ are terms used
to distinguish beings whose minds are contaminated by either
of these two obstructions from Buddhas, whose minds are
completely free from these obstructions.
Lord of Death Although the mara, or demon, of uncontrolled
death is not a sentient being, it is personiied as the Lord of Death,
or ‘Yama’. The Lord of Death is depicted in the diagram of the
Wheel of Life clutching the wheel between his claws and teeth.
See Joyful Path of Good Fortune.
Losang Dragpa ‘Sumati Kirti’ in Sanskrit. The ordained name of
Je Tsongkhapa. See Great Treasury of Merit.
Mahamudra A Sanskrit term, literally meaning ‘great seal’.
According to Sutra, this refers to the profound view of emptiness.
Since emptiness is the nature of all phenomena, it is called a
‘seal’, and since a direct realization of emptiness enables us to
accomplish the great purpose – complete liberation from the
sufferings of samsara – it is also called ‘great’. According to
Tantra, or Vajrayana, Mahamudra is the union of spontaneous
great bliss and emptiness. See Mahamudra Tantra, Great Treasury of
Merit and Clear Light of Bliss.
Mahayana Sanskrit term for ‘Great Vehicle’, the spiritual path to
great enlightenment. The Mahayana goal is to attain Buddhahood
for the beneit of all sentient beings by completely abandoning
delusions and their imprints. See Joyful Path of Good Fortune and
Meaningful to Behold.
Maitreya The embodiment of the loving kindness of all the
Buddhas. At the time of Buddha Shakyamuni he manifested as a
Bodhisattva disciple in order to show Buddha’s disciples how to
be perfect Mahayana disciples. In the future, he will manifest as
the ifth founding Buddha.
Mala A set of prayer beads used to count recitations of prayers or
mantras, usually with one hundred and eight beads. See The New
Guide to Dakini Land.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
Mandala offering An offering of the entire universe visualized as
a Pure Land, with all its inhabitants as pure beings. See The New
Guide to Dakini Land and Great Treasury of Merit.
Mara A Sanskrit term for ‘demon’, and referring to anything that
obstructs the attainment of liberation or enlightenment. There are
four principal types of mara: the mara of the delusions, the mara
of contaminated aggregates, the mara of uncontrolled death, and
the Devaputra maras. Of these, only the last are actual sentient
beings. The principal Devaputra mara is wrathful Ishvara,
the highest of the desire realm gods, who inhabits the Land
of Controlling Emanations. A Buddha is called a ‘Conqueror’
because he or she has conquered all four types of mara. See The
New Heart of Wisdom.
Marpa (AD 1012-1096) Marpa Lotsawa, or Marpa the translator,
was a great lay Tantric Yogi and the Spiritual Guide of Milarepa.
See Joyful Path of Good Fortune.
Meaning clear light A mind of clear light that realizes emptiness
directly without a generic image. Synonymous with inner Dakini
Land and with Mahamudra Tantra. See Clear Light of Bliss.
Meditation A mind that concentrates on a virtuous object, and is
a mental action that is the main cause of mental peace. There are
two types of meditation – analytical meditation and placement
meditation. When we use our imagination, mindfulness and
powers of reasoning to ind our object of meditation, this is
analytical meditation. When we ind our object and hold it singlepointedly, this is placement meditation. There are different types
of object. Some, such as impermanence or emptiness, are objects
apprehended by the mind. Others, such as love, compassion and
renunciation, are actual states of mind. We engage in analytical
meditation until the speciic object that we seek appears clearly
to our mind or until the particular state of mind that we wish
to generate arises. This object or state of mind is our object of
placement meditation. See The New Meditation Handbook.
Meditation break See Subsequent attainment.
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GLOSSARY
Mental continuum The continuum of a person’s mind, or mindstream, that has no beginning and no end.
Mental factor A cognizer that principally apprehends a particular
attribute of an object. There are ifty-one speciic mental factors.
Each moment of mind comprises a primary mind and various
mental factors. See Understanding the Mind.
Mental image See Generic image.
Mere appearance All phenomena are mere appearance because
they are imputed by mind in dependence upon a suitable basis
of imputation appearing to mind. The word ‘mere’ excludes any
possibility of inherent existence. See Ocean of Nectar.
Merit The good fortune created by virtuous actions. It is the
potential power to increase our good qualities and produce
happiness.
Migrator A being within samsara who migrates from one uncontrolled rebirth to another. See also Living being.
Milarepa (AD 1040-1123) A great Tibetan Buddhist meditator and
disciple of Marpa, celebrated for his beautiful songs of realization.
Mindfulness A mental factor that functions not to forget the
object realized by the primary mind. See Understanding the Mind,
Meaningful to Behold and Clear Light of Bliss.
Nagarjuna A great Indian Buddhist scholar and meditation
master who revived the Mahayana in the irst century AD by
bringing to light the teachings on the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras.
See Ocean of Nectar.
Nalanda Monastery A great seat of Buddhist learning and practice in ancient India.
Naropa (AD 1016-1100) An Indian Mahasiddha and a lineage
Guru in the Highest Yoga Tantra practice of Vajrayogini. See The
New Guide to Dakini Land.
Negative phenomenon An object that is realized through the
mind explicitly eliminating a negated object. There are two types
of negative phenomenon: afirming negatives and non-afirming
389
MODERN BUDDHISM
negatives. An afirming negative is a negative phenomenon
realized by a mind that eliminates its negated object while
realizing another phenomenon. A non-afirming negative is a
negative phenomenon realized by a mind that merely eliminates
its negated object without realizing another phenomenon. See
Ocean of Nectar.
Non-afirming negative See Negative phenomenon.
Object of negation An object explicitly negated by a mind
realizing a negative phenomenon. In meditation on emptiness,
or lack of inherent existence, it refers to inherent existence. Also
known as ‘negated object’.
Obstructions to liberation Obstructions that prevent the
attainment of liberation. All delusions, such as ignorance,
attachment and anger, together with their seeds, are obstructions
to liberation. Also called ‘delusion-obstructions’.
Obstructions to enlightenment The imprints of delusions, which
prevent simultaneous and direct realization of all phenomena.
Also known as ‘obstructions to omniscience’. Only Buddhas have
overcome these obstructions.
Offering That which delights the holy beings.
Phabongkha Rinpoche See Je Phabongkhapa.
Perfection of Wisdom Sutras Sutras of the second turning of the
Wheel of Dharma, in which Buddha revealed his inal view of
the ultimate nature of all phenomena – emptiness of inherent
existence. See The New Heart of Wisdom and Ocean of Nectar.
Pratimoksha vow ‘Pratimoksha’ is the Sanskrit term for ‘personal
liberation’, and so a Pratimoksha vow is a vow that is motivated
mainly by the wish to attain personal liberation. There are eight
types of Pratimoksha vow. See The Bodhisattva Vow.
Primary mind A cognizer that principally apprehends the mere
entity of an object. Synonymous with consciousness. There
are six primary minds: eye consciousness, ear consciousness,
nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness
and mental consciousness. Each moment of mind comprises a
390
GLOSSARY
primary mind and various mental factors. A primary mind and
its accompanying mental factors are the same entity but have
different functions. See Understanding the Mind.
Pure Land A pure environment in which there are no true
sufferings. There are many Pure Lands. For example, Tushita is
the Pure Land of Buddha Maitreya, Sukhavati is the Pure Land of
Buddha Amitabha, and Dakini Land, or Keajra, is the Pure Land
of Buddha Vajrayogini and Buddha Heruka. See Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully.
Ratnasambhava The manifestation of the aggregate of feeling of
all Buddhas. He has a yellow-coloured body.
Realization A stable and non-mistaken experience of a virtuous
object that directly protects us from suffering.
Sadhana A ritual prayer that is a special method for attaining
spiritual realizations, usually associated with a Tantric Deity.
Saraha One of the irst Mahasiddhas, and the Teacher of
Nagarjuna. See Essence of Vajrayana.
Shantideva (AD 687-763) A great Indian Buddhist scholar and
meditation master. He composed Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way
of Life. See Meaningful to Behold and Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way
of Life.
Shepherd-like bodhichitta The wish to lead all living beings to
Buddhahood in the way that a shepherd leads his sheep to safety.
Just as shepherds irst supply all the needs of their lock and attend
to their own needs last of all, so some Bodhisattvas want to lead all
living beings to Buddhahood irst and then attain enlightenment
for themselves last of all. See Joyful Path of Good Fortune.
Stupa A symbolic representation of Buddha’s mind.
Subsequent attainment The period between meditation sessions;
also known as ‘meditation break’. See Joyful Path of Good Fortune.
Subsequent valid cognizer A completely reliable cognizer whose
object is realized in direct dependence upon a conclusive reason.
Also called an ’inferential cognizer’. See Understanding the Mind.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
Superior being ‘Arya’ in Sanskrit. A being who has a direct
realization of emptiness. There are Hinayana Superiors and
Mahayana Superiors.
Sutra The teachings of Buddha that are open to everyone to
practise without the need for empowerment. These include
Buddha’s teachings of the three turnings of the Wheel of Dharma.
Torma offering A special food offering made according to either
Sutra or Tantra. See Essence of Vajrayana and The New Guide to
Dakini Land.
Tranquil abiding A concentration that possesses the special bliss
of physical and mental suppleness that is attained in dependence
upon completing the nine mental abidings. See Joyful Path of Good
Fortune and Meaningful to Behold.
Transference of consciousness ‘Powa’ in Tibetan. A practice for
transferring the consciousness to a Pure Land at the time of death.
See Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully and Great Treasury of Merit.
Tsog offering An offering made by an assembly of Heroes and
Heroines. See Essence of Vajrayana and The New Guide to Dakini
Land.
Vaibhashika The lower of the two schools of Hinayana tenets.
This school does not accept self-cognizers and asserts external
objects to be truly existent. See Meaningful to Behold and Ocean of
Nectar.
Vairochana The manifestation of the aggregate of form of all
Buddhas. He has a white-coloured body.
Vajra and bell A vajra is a ritual object resembling a sceptre and
symbolizing great bliss, and a bell is a ritual hand-bell symbolizing
emptiness. See The New Guide to Dakini Land and Tantric Grounds
and Paths.
Vajradhara The founder of Vajrayana, or Tantra. He appears
directly only to highly realized Bodhisattvas to whom he gives
Tantric teachings. To beneit other living beings with less merit,
he manifested in the more visible form of Buddha Shakyamuni.
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GLOSSARY
He also said that in degenerate times he would appear in an
ordinary form as a Spiritual Guide. See Great Treasury of Merit.
Vajradharma The manifestation of the speech of all Buddhas.
He looks like Conqueror Vajradhara, except that his body is
red. There are three ways in which we can visualize him: in his
outer aspect as Hero Vajradharma, in his inner aspect as Buddha
Vajradharma, or in his secret aspect as Buddha Vajradharma with
consort. See The New Guide to Dakini Land.
Vajrasattva Buddha Vajrasattva is the aggregate of consciousness
of all the Buddhas, appearing in the aspect of a white-coloured
Deity speciically in order to purify the negativity of living beings.
He is the same nature as Buddha Vajradhara, differing only in
aspect. The practice of meditation and recitation of Vajrasattva
is a very powerful method for purifying our impure mind and
actions. See The New Guide to Dakini Land.
Vinaya The moral discipline of the Pratimoksha, and in particular
the moral discipline of the ordained Sangha.
Vow A virtuous determination to abandon particular faults that is
generated in conjunction with a traditional ritual. The three sets
of vows are the Pratimoksha vows of individual liberation, the
Bodhisattva’s vows, and the Secret Mantra or Tantric vows. See
The Bodhisattva Vow and Tantric Grounds and Paths.
Wheel of Dharma A collection of Buddha’s teachings. Dharma
is compared to the precious wheel, one of the possessions of a
legendary chakravatin king. This wheel could transport the king
across great distances in a very short time, and it is said that
wherever the precious wheel travelled the king reigned. In a
similar way, when Buddha revealed the path to enlightenment
he was said to have ‘turned the Wheel of Dharma’ because,
wherever these teachings are present, deluded minds are brought
under control.
Wisdom A virtuous, intelligent mind that makes its primary mind
realize its object thoroughly. A wisdom is a spiritual path that
functions to release our mind from delusions or their imprints.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
An example of wisdom is the correct view of emptiness. See The
New Heart of Wisdom, Ocean of Nectar and Understanding the Mind.
Wisdom being An actual Buddha, especially one who is invited to
unite with a visualized commitment being.
Wrong awareness A cognizer that is mistaken with respect to its
engaged, or apprehended, object. See Understanding the Mind.
Yidam See Deity.
Yoga A term used for various spiritual practices that entail
maintaining a special view, such as Guru yoga and the yogas
of sleeping, rising and experiencing nectar. ‘Yoga’ also refers to
‘union’, such as the union of tranquil abiding and superior seeing.
See The New Guide to Dakini Land.
Yogi/Yogini Sanskrit terms usually referring to a male or a female
meditator who has attained the union of tranquil abiding and
superior seeing.
394
Bibliography
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso is a highly respected meditation master
and scholar of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition founded by Je
Tsongkhapa. Since arriving in the West in 1977, Geshe Kelsang has
worked tirelessly to establish pure Buddhadharma throughout
the world. Over this period he has given extensive teachings on
the major scriptures of the Mahayana. These teachings provide
a comprehensive presentation of the essential Sutra and Tantra
practices of Mahayana Buddhism.
Books
The following books by Geshe Kelsang are all published by
Tharpa Publications:
The Bodhisattva Vow A practical guide to helping others. (2nd.
edn., 1995)
Clear Light of Bliss A Tantric meditation manual. (2nd. edn.,
1992)
Eight Steps to Happiness The Buddhist way of loving kindness.
(2nd. edn., 2012)
Essence of Vajrayana The Highest Yoga Tantra practice of
Heruka body mandala. (1997)
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MODERN BUDDHISM
Great Treasury of Merit How to rely upon a Spiritual Guide.
(1992)
Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life How to enjoy a life of
great meaning and altruism. (A translation of Shantideva’s
famous verse masterpiece.) (2002)
Heart Jewel The essential practices of Kadampa Buddhism.
(2nd. edn., 1997)
How to Solve Our Human Problems The four noble truths.
(2005)
Introduction to Buddhism An explanation of the Buddhist way
of life. (2nd. edn., 2001)
Joyful Path of Good Fortune The complete Buddhist path to
enlightenment. (2nd. edn., 1995)
Living Meaningfully, Dying Joyfully The profound practice of
transference of consciousness. (1999)
Mahamudra Tantra The supreme Heart Jewel nectar. (2005)
Meaningful to Behold Becoming a friend of the world. (5th.
edn., 2007)
Modern Buddhism The Path of Compassion and Wisdom. (2nd.
edn., 2013)
The New Guide to Dakini Land The Highest Yoga Tantra
practice of Buddha Vajrayogini. (3rd. edn., 2012)
The New Heart of Wisdom Profound teachings from Buddha’s
heart (An explanation of the Heart Sutra). (5th. edn., 2012)
The New Meditation Handbook Meditations to make our life
happy and meaningful. (5th. edn., 2013)
Ocean of Nectar The true nature of all things. (1995)
Tantric Grounds and Paths How to enter, progress on and
complete the Vajrayana path. (1994)
Transform Your Life A blissful journey. (2001)
Understanding the Mind The nature and power of the mind.
(3rd. edn., 2002)
Universal Compassion Inspiring solutions for dificult times.
(4th. edn., 2002)
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sadhanas and Other Booklets
Geshe Kelsang has also supervised the translation of a collection
of essential sadhanas, or prayer booklets.
Avalokiteshvara Sadhana Prayers and requests to the Buddha
of Compassion.
The Blissful Path The condensed self-generation sadhana of
Vajrayogini.
The Bodhisattva’s Confession of Moral Downfalls The
puriication practice of the Mahayana Sutra of the Three Superior
Heaps.
Condensed Essence of Vajrayana Condensed Heruka body
mandala self-generation sadhana.
Dakini Yoga The middling self-generation sadhana of
Vajrayogini.
Drop of Essential Nectar A special fasting and puriication
practice in conjunction with Eleven-faced Avalokiteshvara.
Essence of Good Fortune Prayers for the six preparatory
practices for meditation on the stages of the path to
enlightenment.
Essence of Vajrayana Heruka body mandala self-generation
sadhana according to the system of Mahasiddha Ghantapa.
Feast of Great Bliss Vajrayogini self-initiation sadhana.
Great Liberation of the Father Preliminary prayers for
Mahamudra meditation in conjunction with Heruka
practice.
Great Liberation of the Mother Preliminary prayers for
Mahamudra meditation in conjunction with Vajrayogini
practice.
The Great Mother A method to overcome hindrances and
obstacles by reciting the Essence of Wisdom Sutra (the Heart
Sutra).
A Handbook for the Daily Practice of Bodhisattva and Tantric
Vows.
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MODERN BUDDHISM
Heartfelt Prayers Funeral service for cremations and burials.
Heart Jewel The Guru yoga of Je Tsongkhapa combined with
the condensed sadhana of his Dharma Protector.
The Kadampa Way of Life The essential practice of Kadam
Lamrim.
Liberation from Sorrow Praises and requests to the Twenty-one
Taras.
Mahayana Refuge Ceremony and Bodhisattva Vow
Ceremony.
Medicine Buddha Prayer A method for beneiting others.
Medicine Buddha Sadhana A method for accomplishing the
attainments of Medicine Buddha.
Meditation and Recitation of Solitary Vajrasattva.
Melodious Drum Victorious in all Directions The extensive
fulilling and restoring ritual of the Dharma Protector, the
great king Dorje Shugden, in conjunction with Mahakala,
Kalarupa, Kalindewi and other Dharma Protectors.
Offering to the Spiritual Guide (Lama Chopa) A special way of
relying upon a Spiritual Guide.
Path of Compassion for the Deceased Powa sadhana for the
beneit of the deceased.
Pathway to the Pure Land Training in powa – the transference
of consciousness.
Powa Ceremony Transference of consciousness for the
deceased.
Prayers for Meditation Brief preparatory prayers for
meditation.
Prayers for World Peace.
A Pure Life The practice of taking and keeping the eight
Mahayana precepts.
Quick Path to Great Bliss The extensive self-generation
sadhana of Vajrayogini.
The Root Tantra of Heruka and Vajrayogini Chapters One &
Fifty-one of the Condensed Heruka Root Tantra.
The Root Text: Eight Verses of Training the Mind.
398
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Treasury of Wisdom The sadhana of Venerable Manjushri.
The Uncommon Yoga of Inconceivability The special instruction
of how to reach the Pure Land of Keajra with this human
body.
Union of No More Learning Heruka body mandala selfinitiation sadhana.
Vajra Hero Yoga The brief practice of Heruka body mandala
self-generation.
The Vows and Commitments of Kadampa Buddhism.
Wishfulilling Jewel The Guru yoga of Je Tsongkhapa combined
with the sadhana of his Dharma Protector.
The Yoga of Buddha Amitayus A special method for increasing
lifespan, wisdom and merit.
The Yoga of Buddha Heruka The essential self-generation
sadhana of Heruka body mandala & Condensed six-session
yoga.
The Yoga of Buddha Maitreya Self-generation sadhana.
The Yoga of Buddha Vajrapani Self-generation sadhana.
The Yoga of Enlightened Mother Arya Tara Self-generation
sadhana.
The Yoga of Great Mother Prajnaparamita Self-generation
sadhana.
The Yoga of Thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara Self-generation
sadhana.
The Yoga of White Tara, Buddha of Long Life.
To order any of our publications, or to request a catalogue, please
visit www.tharpa.com or contact your nearest Tharpa ofice listed
on page 407.
399
Study Programmes of
Kadampa Buddhism
Kadampa Buddhism is a Mahayana Buddhist school founded
by the great Indian Buddhist Master Atisha (AD 982-1054).
His followers are known as ’Kadampas’. ’Ka’ means ’word’
and refers to Buddha’s teachings, and ’dam’ refers to Atisha’s
special Lamrim instructions known as ’the stages of the path to
enlightenment’. By integrating their knowledge of all Buddha’s
teachings into their practice of Lamrim, and by integrating this
into their everyday lives, Kadampa Buddhists are encouraged
to use Buddha’s teachings as practical methods for transforming
daily activities into the path to enlightenment. The great Kadampa
Teachers are famous not only for being great scholars but also for
being spiritual practitioners of immense purity and sincerity.
The lineage of these teachings, both their oral transmission and
blessings, was then passed from Teacher to disciple, spreading
throughout much of Asia, and now to many countries throughout the modern world. Buddha’s teachings, which are known
as ’Dharma’, are likened to a wheel that moves from country to
country in accordance with changing conditions and people’s
karmic inclinations. The external forms of presenting Buddhism
may change as it meets with different cultures and societies, but
its essential authenticity is ensured through the continuation of
an unbroken lineage of realized practitioners.
401
MODERN BUDDHISM
Kadampa Buddhism was irst introduced into the West in 1977
by the renowned Buddhist Master, Venerable Geshe Kelsang
Gyatso. Since that time, he has worked tirelessly to spread Kadampa
Buddhism throughout the world by giving extensive teachings,
writing many profound texts on Kadampa Buddhism, and
founding the New Kadampa Tradition – International Kadampa
Buddhist Union (NKT-IKBU), which now has over a thousand
Kadampa Buddhist Centres and groups worldwide. Each Centre
offers study programmes on Buddhist psychology, philosophy
and meditation instruction, as well as retreats for all levels of
practitioner. The emphasis is on integrating Buddha’s teachings
into daily life to solve our human problems and to spread lasting
peace and happiness throughout the world.
The Kadampa Buddhism of the NKT-IKBU is an entirely
independent Buddhist tradition and has no political afiliations. It
is an association of Buddhist Centres and practitioners that derive
their inspiration and guidance from the example of the ancient
Kadampa Buddhist Masters and their teachings, as presented by
Geshe Kelsang.
There are three reasons why we need to study and practise
the teachings of Buddha: to develop our wisdom, to cultivate a
good heart and to maintain a peaceful state of mind. If we do not
strive to develop our wisdom, we will always remain ignorant
of ultimate truth – the true nature of reality. Although we wish
for happiness, our ignorance leads us to engage in non-virtuous
actions, which are the main cause of all our suffering. If we do not
cultivate a good heart, our selish motivation destroys harmony
and good relationships with others. We have no peace, and no
chance to gain pure happiness. Without inner peace, outer peace
is impossible. If we do not maintain a peaceful state of mind, we
are not happy even if we have ideal conditions. On the other hand,
when our mind is peaceful, we are happy, even if our external
conditions are unpleasant. Therefore, the development of these
qualities is of utmost importance for our daily happiness.
402
STUDY PROGRAMMES OF KADAMPA BUDDHISM
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, or ’Geshe-la’ as he is affectionately
called by his students, has designed three special spiritual
programmes for the systematic study and practice of Kadampa
Buddhism that are especially suited to the modern world: the
General Programme (GP), the Foundation Programme (FP) and
the Teacher Training Programme (TTP).
GENERAL PROGRAMME
The General Programme provides a basic introduction to Buddhist
view, meditation and practice that is suitable for beginners. It also
includes advanced teachings and practice from both Sutra and
Tantra.
FOUNDATION PROGRAMME
The Foundation Programme provides an opportunity to deepen
our understanding and experience of Buddhism through a
systematic study of six texts:
1 Joyful Path of Good Fortune – a commentary to Atisha’s
Lamrim instructions, the stages of the path to
enlightenment.
2 Universal Compassion – a commentary to Bodhisattva
Chekhawa’s Training the Mind in Seven Points.
3 Eight Steps to Happiness – a commentary to Bodhisattva
Langri Tangpa’s Eight Verses of Training the Mind.
4 The New Heart of Wisdom – a commentary to the Heart
Sutra.
5 Meaningful to Behold – a commentary to Venerable
Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life.
6 Understanding the Mind – a detailed explanation of the
mind, based on the works of the Buddhist scholars
Dharmakirti and Dignaga.
403
MODERN BUDDHISM
The beneits of studying and practising these texts are as follows:
(1) Joyful Path of Good Fortune – we gain the ability to put all
Buddha’s teachings of both Sutra and Tantra into practice. We can
easily make progress on, and complete, the stages of the path to
the supreme happiness of enlightenment. From a practical point
of view, Lamrim is the main body of Buddha’s teachings, and the
other teachings are like its limbs.
(2) and (3) Universal Compassion and Eight Steps to Happiness – we
gain the ability to integrate Buddha’s teachings into our daily life
and solve all our human problems.
(4) The New Heart of Wisdom – we gain a realization of the
ultimate nature of reality. By gaining this realization, we can
eliminate the ignorance of self-grasping, which is the root of all
our suffering.
(5) Meaningful to Behold – we transform our daily activities into
the Bodhisattva’s way of life, thereby making every moment of
our human life meaningful.
(6) Understanding the Mind – we understand the relationship
between our mind and its external objects. If we understand that
objects depend upon the subjective mind, we can change the way
objects appear to us by changing our own mind. Gradually, we
will gain the ability to control our mind and in this way solve all
our problems.
TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMME
The Teacher Training Programme is designed for people who
wish to train as authentic Dharma Teachers. In addition to
completing the study of fourteen texts of Sutra and Tantra, which
include the six texts mentioned above, the student is required to
observe certain commitments with regard to behaviour and way
of life, and to complete a number of meditation retreats.
404
STUDY PROGRAMMES OF KADAMPA BUDDHISM
A Special Teacher Training Programme is also held at
Kadampa Meditation Centres in certain city commercial spaces.
This includes a special meditation and study programme that
focuses on the following ive books: Modern Buddhism, The New
Heart of Wisdom, The New Guide to Dakini Land, Joyful Path of Good
Fortune and Meaningful to Behold, the commentary to Shantideva’s
Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life.
All Kadampa Buddhist Centres are open to the public. Every year
we celebrate Festivals in many countries throughout the world,
including two in England, where people gather from around the
world to receive special teachings and empowerments, and to
enjoy a spiritual holiday. Please feel free to visit us at any time!
For further information about NKT-IKBU study programmes or
to ind your nearest centre, visit www.kadampa.org, or contact:
NKT-IKBU Central Ofice
Conishead Priory,
Ulverston, Cumbria,
LA12 9QQ, UK
Tel: +44 (0)1229 588533
Fax: +44 (0)1229 580080
Email: info@kadampa.org
Website: www.kadampa.org
US NKT-IKBU Ofice
Kadampa Meditation Center
47 Sweeney Road
Glen Spey, NY 12737, USA
Tel: +1 845-856-9000
Fax: +1 845-856-2110
Email: info@nkt-kmc-newyork.org
Website: www.nkt-kmc-newyork.org
405
harpa Oices Worldwide
Tharpa books are currently published in English (UK and US),
Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish.
Most languages are available from any Tharpa ofice listed below.
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407
MODERN BUDDHISM
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408
Index
A
absorption of cessation 185, g
action mudra 16, 193, g
actions 44. See also inappropriate actions; non-virtuous
actions; virtuous actions
bad/good 77
contaminated 124
impure 24
pure 62–63, 95
adverse conditions
accepting 92, 98
pacifying 235
transforming 25
Advice from Atisha’s Heart 142
affectionate love 70–71, 150
eight beneits of 82
afirmative phenomenon 136
ageing. See also suffering, of
ageing
freedom from 189
aggregates, g
contaminated g/uncontam-
inated 159–161
Akanishta. See Pure Land
Akshobya 272, g
alertness 117, g
Ambhidana Tantra 196
Amitabha 95, 273, g
Amoghasiddhi 273, g
analogies
actor 137
bird leaving nest 34
blind turtle 30
cutting down tree 64
eagles soaring 130
ire in house 49
magician’s illusion 9, 103,
111, 136–137, 154
poisonous tree 61
seeing two moons 143
sky and clouds 135
sun shining on snow
mountain 225
thorn bush 56
two empty glasses 233
two wings of a bird 142, 151
409
MODERN BUDDHISM
Ananda 30
anger 4, 5, 61, 70, 150, 235
controlling 24, 235
destroying merit 89
overcoming through meditating on emptiness 112, 134
solving daily problems of 80
animals 8, 10, 36, 46, 64, 80,
243
rebirth as 36, 39, 59, 66
suffering of 8, 46, 83
appearance 71. See also
mistaken appearance; mere
appearance; clear appearance
deceptive 102, 104, 126, 136
dream 121, 149
illusory 136
nature of mind 149
of waking world 121
to mind 102, 127
Aryadeva 96, g
Arya Tara 15, 21, 144, g
emanations of 16
reliance upon 12
Atisha 4, 28, 403
life story of 13–22
quotes by 143, 224
attachment 4, 61, 70, 104, 145, g
controlling 24
laziness of 32, 33
overcoming through meditating on emptiness 112,
122, 124, 134, 138
transforming into spiritual
path 151–153, 186
attainments 250
common/uncommon 18
ive 235, 250
non-deceptive 32
of liberating/ripening 225–226
request to bestow 235, 237
worldly 32, 150
attention 113, g
Avadhutipa 14, 15
Avalokiteshvara 12, 132
B
basis of imputation, g
for car 127, 159
for Heruka 158, 160–161, 232
for I 158–160, 168, 191
for mind 113
meaning of 159
Baso Chokyi Gyaltsen 195
beginningless time 4, 30, 76,
117, 158, 168, 189, 220, g
beseeching the Spiritual
Guides to remain 223–224
birth 49. See also rebirth;
suffering, of birth
black near-attainment.
See subtle minds, black
near-attainment
blessings 10, 39, 40, 41, 42, 85,
142, 153, g
applying effort to receive 39,
41, 209
Guru yoga as gateway to
receiving 208
of all Buddhas 212, 225
of all Heroes and Heroines
250
receiving in degenerate times
199
410
INDEX
receiving within our channels
and drops 204, 206
bliss. See also clear light, of bliss;
great bliss; spontaneous
great bliss; union of great
bliss and emptiness
sexual 153, 243
types of 185
Blissful Journey 238, 295–318
Bodh Gaya 3, 16, g
Bodhibhadra 14
bodhichitta 14, 16, 17, 191,
211, 246. See also ultimate
bodhichitta
as gateway to enlightenment
208
conventional 101, 142, 192
deinition of 69
etymology of 69
ive stages of training 70–86
meditation on 210–211
part of clear light 180
qualiied 145
shepherd-like 98, g
training in actual 84–86
training in the path of
87–100
Bodhisattva 84, 98, 119, 154,
185
meaning of 69–70
Superior 90, 142, 226
Bodhisattva’s path 69, 87
Bodhisattva’s vow 17, 87–89
body. See also emptiness, of
body; inherent existence, of
body; vajra body; very
subtle body
at the time of death 55
continuously residing 97,
168, 183, 184, 189, 192
obscured by delusions 192
conventionally existent 111
deceptive nature of 109–110
divine 183
from parents 189
gross 189, 191, 192
impure 24, 57
manifestation of emptiness
132
parts of 107
pure 192
true/ultimate nature of
109–111
body wheel 206
Brahma 3, g
brain 10, 34
breathing meditation 26
Buddha 31, 65, 80, 87, 213. See
also refuge; Shakyamuni,
Buddha
attainments of ripening and
liberating 226
awakened one 40
compassion of 9
existing by convention 112
faith in 7, 9, 10
function of 10, 40
kindness of 9
quotes by 85, 150, 245
all phenomena are like
dreams 103
blind turtle 30
from Sutra of the Four Noble
Truths 45, 60, 62, 65
magician’s creations 9, 136
rarity of experiencing great
bliss 243
411
MODERN BUDDHISM
searching for body with
wisdom 105
source of all happiness 10, 40
uncommon quality of 129
Buddhadharma 22, 23, 30, 31,
101, 150. See also Buddha’s
teachings
meeting 31
Buddha nature 92, 153, 158, 189
according to Highest Yoga
Tantra 212
complete ripening of 226
our real 169
very subtle body 97
Buddha of Compassion 100
Buddha’s body 192, 207
seed of 190
Buddha’s mind 207
emptiness of 226
seed of 190
Buddha’s speech 207, 249
seed of 190
Buddha’s teachings 3–7, 9,
12, 22, 32, 77, 181. See
also Buddhadharma;
Dharma
method to solve human
problems 4
scientiic method 6
supreme medicine 23
three sets of 17
two stages of 4
Buddha’s teachings 12
Buddhism 121, 219
entering 31, 39, 208
founder of 3
What is 3–7
Buddhist 5, 7, 23
Buddhist faith 7–10. See also
faith
Buddhist path 39
C
cancer 91
car 32, 58, 122, 127, 159
emptiness of 105
central channel 153, 163–165,
166, 167, 177, 187, 188, 190,
250, 265–267, 270. See also
channels
four attributes of 164, 265
meditation on 169–170
like a wishfulilling cow
239
penetrating
of another’s body 193
of our own body 193, 195
ten doors 193–194
cessation 65
Chakrasambara 197. See also
Heruka
Chandragarbha. See Atisha
channel knots 164, 266
at heart 166, 171
channels 204, 205, 206. See also
central channel
explanation of 265–270
free from obstacles 204, 206
life 164, 265
right and left 164, 165, 167,
173, 186, 266–267, 276
ordinary inner heat increasing in 187
other names for 266
channel spokes 267
412
INDEX
channel wheel/s 164–165, 267
chart of four major 267
crown 188, 194, 266
heart 188, 193, 194, 205, 206,
266, 267, 275
chart of spokes of 268
dissolving winds into 177,
180
importance of 171, 195, 268
jewel 194, 268
navel 180, 188, 194, 266
secret place 194, 268
throat 188, 194, 266
wheel of ire 194
wheel of wind 194
cherishing love 70
training in 74–82
cherishing others 83, 88
advantages of 79–80
two levels of 75
clairvoyance 18, 37
clear appearance 154, 157, 158,
160, 232
training in 230–231
clear light 177, 178–179, 190,
193, 195, 241, 242, 243. See
also example clear light;
meaning clear light;
ultimate example clear light
foundation of all other minds
180
fully qualiied 181, 184
levels of experience of 183
mounted wind of 276
nature of 179
of bliss 171, 184, 188, 243, 251
of death 11, 242
of sleep 11, 242
realization of 243
three types of 242
training in 243
what is 242
Clear Light of Bliss 176, 194, 195
commitments of ive Buddha
families, nineteen 291-292
compassion 4, 12, 25, 70, 78, 98
as gateway to path to
enlightenment 73
as main offering 219
as nature of conventional
bodhichitta 101
dying with mind of 95
Heruka, manifestation of 158
meditation on taking with
92–96
of Buddha 9
part of clear light 180
training in universal 25, 83–84
completion stage 17, 155, 157,
203
completing 225
deinition of 163
effective meditation on 206,
211
ive stages of 167, 183–184, 205
of Mahamudra 181–196
principal objects of 163
The Tantra of 163–180
training in 238–239
computer 5–6
concentration 25, 53, 179, g. See
also three higher trainings
bliss of suppleness of 185
nature of 63
of absorption of cessation 185, g
of close placement 141, 231
of continual placement 141,
231
413
MODERN BUDDHISM
of placing the mind 141, 230
of replacement 141, 231
penetrating central channel
with 188
perfection of 88, 89–90, 92, 98
conceptual minds 119, 124,
175
conceptual thought 120
imprints of 129
mounted winds of 276
Condensed Heruka Root Tantra
150, 243
Condensed Perfection of Wisdom
Sutra 105
Condensed Root Tantra 198
Condensed Six-session Yoga
291–294
conscientiousness 17, 38, g
consciousness 113, 220, 271, g
at birth 47
at death 55, 166
consort 193. See also action
mudra
contact 113, g
continuously residing body.
See body, continuously
residing
continuously residing mind.
See mind, continuously
residing
continuously residing speech
189
conventional nature 118, 134.
See also conventional truth
conventional search 105
conventional truth 111, 232.
See also union of the two
truths
and ultimate truth 125–131
deceptive phenomena 126
gross and subtle 127
conventional world 137
convention, existing by way
of 112
correct belief 95–96, 161, 231
covetousness 43
creative yoga 157, 163
cycle of impure life 25, 30, 60.
See also samsara
D
daily life 71, 79
Dakini Land 203, g
outer/inner 238
Dakinis 15, g
death 11, 33–36, 40, 91, 93, 168,
190. See also suffering, of
death
meditation on 35
permanent separation of
body and mind 191
realization of 33
state of mind at 43
deathless body 168, 189, 192.
See also body, continuously
residing; vajra body
deathless person 168, 189, 191
deceptive phenomena 126
dedication 224–225, 252
Deity/Deities 157, 158, 183,
197, 204, 241, g
of Heruka’s body mandala
206–207
deluded views 66
delusions 24, 64, 78, 104, 120,
154, 192, g
abandonment of 184, 189
414
INDEX
conceptions of eight extremes
root of 124
controlling 6, 146, 235
function of 61
innate 189, g
intellectually-formed 189, g
meditate on emptiness to
overcome 112
reducing 94, 137
root of 152
sickness of 23
source of daily problems 4
demi-gods, g
rebirth as 8
suffering of 47, 83
depression 5, 77
desire/s 57–58
transforming experience of
objects of 246
Dharma 3, 4, 30, 403. See also
Buddhadharma; Buddha’s
teachings; Kadam Dharma;
refuge
actual protection 41
giving 89
great mirror of 25
necessity of practising 7
Dharmakaya 198, 226. See also
Truth body
Dharma practice 7, 30, 32, 33,
34, 35, 56, 63, 72
as offering 219
eliminating main obstacle
to 36
obstacles to 220
Dharmarakshita 16
Dhipamkara Shrijana. See
Atisha
discrimination 113, g
dissatisfaction 58, 59, 96
distractions 92, 188
overcoming 276
prevention of 63
divine pride 154, 157–161
training in 231–232
doctor 23, 40, 50, 91
Dorje Shugden 213, g
Dorjechang Trijang Rinpoche
199, 204, 241, 296, g
dream awareness 11
dream/s 4, 34, 47, 122
appearances 11, 121
elephant 102
mere appearance to mind
138, 139
of samsara 40
phenomena as like 103
relative validity of 127
world 103, 149
Dromtonpa 23, g
drops 165, 193. See also
indestructible drop
lowing in central channel
185, 188
lowing in left and right
channels 187
free from obstacles 206
melting of 185, 187, 188
red and white 165, 187, 204,
205, 269
dualistic appearance 132, 270
E
effort 7, 33, 35
perfection of 88, 89, 92, 98
to receive Buddha’s blessings
39, 41, 209
415
MODERN BUDDHISM
eighteen root downfalls 17
eight extremes 124, 129, 134
emptiness which is empty of
120–125
mere absence of 129–130
eighty indicative conceptions
176
elements 271, g
earth 173, 272
ire 173, 273
six, needed to experience
bliss 186
space 273
water 174, 272
wind 173, 273
Emanation Body 153, 158, 226,
249
emanations 85, 95, 142
of Arya Tara 16
of deinitive Heruka 212
of Guru Sumati Buddha
Heruka 224
of Heruka 198
of Heruka and Vajrayogini 199
empowerment/s 153
four 249
of Heruka body mandala
212
of Highest Yoga Tantra
commitment of 250
emptiness/es 6, 102–103, 111,
187
all same nature 133–135
application in meditation
break 133
and clear light 181–184
basis for training in ultimate
bodhichitta 101
416
conventional bases of 133
correct view of, qualiied 145
direct realization of 90, 101,
111, 119, 129, 142, 181, 183,
270
existing by convention 112
generic image of 117, 118, 183
manifestations of 121, 133, 134
non-deceptive 181
non-mistaken awareness of
119
object of negation of 115, 136
of all phenomena 90, 102,
113, 130, 140, 197, 233, 244,
245, 246, 251
of body 104–112, 114, 122,
132, 140
of book 112
of car 105
of coming and going 123
of emptiness 122, 128
of I 114–121, 130, 140
of impermanent phenomena
122
of mind 113–114
of obstructive contact 136
of permanent phenomena
122
of produced phenomena
how to meditate on 130–131
of production and disinte
gration 120–121
of singularity and plurality
123–124
phenomena not other than
106, 226
practice of, in our daily
activities 136–139
INDEX
profound view of 32
real nature of phenomena 64
signs of correct meditation
on 117
solution to problems 6–7,
139
space-like 110, 117, 130
space-like meditative
equipoise on 130
studying 131
synonyms of 128
which is empty of eight
extremes 120–125
yoga of equalizing samsara
and nirvana 134
Enjoyment Body 153, 158, 198,
226, 249
enlightened beings 180, 219.
See also Buddha;
Shakyamuni, Buddha
enlightenment 36, 91, 97
actual 234
as realization of union of two
truths 226
attaining within one single
life 203
attaining within three years
235
attainment of 184, 238
bodhichitta wish to attain
69, 85, 86, 87
deinition of 30, 84
depending upon great bliss
186
depending upon kindness of
others 73
depending upon receiving
blessings 142
led to by Spiritual Guide 211
meaning and goal of human
life 29, 30, 32, 142
path to 87
principal method to attain 16
pure and everlasting happiness of 31, 65, 86
quick path to 75, 80, 98, 149,
198, 243
showing the manner of
accomplishing 3
state of 150, 233
environment
impure 24, 57
equalizing self and others 74–75
Essence of Vajrayana 197, 276,
279
example clear light 18, g. See also
ultimate example clear light
exchanging self with others
76–82
existence from its own side/
side of the object 106, 114,
119, 126, 128, 133, 138. See
also inherent existence
existent self and phenomena
118
extremes of existence/nonexistence 119, 143
F
faith 41, 94, 142, 216, 225, 235,
g. See also Buddhist faith
as spiritual life 7
false objects 125, 128
fear 48, 50, 55, 60, 103, 117, 154
of death 168
of lower rebirth 38
feeling 5, 113, g
417
MODERN BUDDHISM
ive impurities 24
Form Body 89, 192, 193, 216,
226. See also Emanation
Body; Enjoyment Body
cause of 191
subtle/gross 226
former lives 70, 219
wasted 33, 78
fortunate rebirth 43. See also
rebirth
forty-six secondary downfalls
17
four complete purities 150,
151, 152
four empties 178–179, 180
Four Hundred Verses 96
Four Kadampa Guru Deities
12
functioning thing 122, g
Fundamental Wisdom 125
future lives 39, 247
happiness and freedom of 46
preparing for 12, 33
showing the existence of 12, 34
suffering of 8, 40, 42, 45, 210
cessation of 125
liberation from 7, 60, 62, 64
G
Ganden Oral Lineage 195,
208, 232, 235
essence practice of 235
Gelug tradition 198, g
generation stage 17, 154, 155,
157–162, 169, 191
completing 225
deinition of 157
function of 158
motivated by bodhichitta
162, 211
principal objects of 163
The Tantra of 157–162
training in non-dual appearance and emptiness of
232–233
generic image 117, 118, 120,
183, g
Geshe Chekhawa 95, 113, 138, g
Ghantapa 170, 182, 198, 204, g
story of 199–201
giving 80. See also taking and
giving
beneits of meditation on 98
in conjunction with six
perfections 96–100
perfection of 88–89
gods, g
rebirth as 8, 60
suffering of 47, 83
great bliss 181, 197. See also
spontaneous great bliss
training in 243
two characteristics of 185,
188, 193, 243
great bliss and emptiness 213
generating experience of 227
great bliss wheel 205–206
great scope 22, 67, 145
path of a person of 69–251
Guhyasamaja 199
Guhyasamaja Tantra 241
Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way
of Life 77, 78, 79, 97, 104,
106, 128, 191
Gungtang 51, 181, g
Guru 195, g. See also Guru
418
INDEX
yoga; lineage Gurus;
Spiritual Guide
meaning of 211
root 211–212, 215, 227
Guru Sumati Buddha Heruka
211–212, 216, 219, 220, 223,
224, 227, 310
making requests to 225–226
visualization and meditation
on 213–215
Guru yoga
deinitive 227
gateway to receiving blessings 208
of Heart Jewel according to
Highest Yoga Tantra 213
of Segyu lineage 213
training in 211–227
Gyalwa Ensapa 235
H
happiness
cause of 43
depends upon 10, 40, 79
from virtuous actions 42
in samsara, no real 61, 96
of future lives 46
pure and everlasting 25, 60,
85, 97
hatred. See also anger
overcoming through meditating on emptiness 124
heart 93, 94
good 70, 95, 211
warm 70, 71, 74
heart channel wheel. See
channel wheel/s, heart
Heart Jewel 118, 213, g
Heart Sutra 132
hell beings 95
rebirth as 36, 39, 95
suffering of 8, 47, 59, 83
Heroes and Heroines 160,
204–208, 230, g
of the heart, speech and body
wheels 206
Heroines of the commitment
wheel 206
Heruka 16, 156, 183, 211, 249,
270
basis of imputation for 198
deinitive 198, 212, 226
etymology of 197
generation stage of 154,
157–161
interpretative 198
meaning of 197
nature of 227
Pure Land of 199, 203
Heruka body mandala 197–239,
270
close retreat of 238
lineage of these instructions
197–204
mistaken appearance of 233
obstacles to 220
preliminary practices of
208–227
training in completion stage
of 238–239
training in generation stage
of 227–238
ive stages of 227
three characteristics of 229
what is the 204–208
Heruka Losang Yeshe. See
Dorjechang Trijang Rinpoche
419
MODERN BUDDHISM
Hevajra 15, g
Hevajra and Heruka Tantras 14
Hevajra Root Tantra 194
Highest Yoga Tantra 150, 152,
168, 181, 185, 187, 192
division of 241
explanation of Buddha
nature 190
path of seeing of 189
realization of 204
seed of realizations of 212
two stages of 157
very essence of 157, 243
Hinayana 18, g
human beings
basis of suffering of 49
rebirth as 8, 59, 78, 83
causes of 36
opportunity of 31
suffering of 8, 29, 47, 83
human life 72
accomplish real meaning of
4, 29, 30, 35, 42, 64
as result of virtuous actions
79
freedoms and endowments
of 36, 66
inconceivable meaning of
185
preciousness of our 29–33,
36, 66
meditation on 31
solving problems of 64
ultimate goal and meaning
of 9, 46, 65, 142
obstacle to realizing 76
wasting 46
hungry ghosts, g
rebirth as 8, 36, 39
suffering of 47, 59, 83
I
I. See also emptiness, of I;
inherent existence, of I
basis of imputation of 123
self that we normally see
115, 118, 161, 162
ultimate nature of 118
ignorance 83, 85, 108. See also
self-grasping
controlling 24
sleep of 40
illusions, magician’s. See
analogies
illusory body 167, 183, 190,
195, 242
of the third stage 184
pure 184, 189, 191, 192, 203
imagination 96, 153, 157, 161,
163
impermanence, subtle 122
impermanent phenomena 135
emptiness of 122
imprints 43, g
karmic 121
of conceptual thoughts 129
imputation 112, 127, g. See also
basis of imputation
of our I 118
upon our subtle body 191
inappropriate actions 43, 89,
161
abandoning 62
puriication of 219
indestructible drop 163,
165–166, 180, 195
attributes of 166
inside indestructible wind
and mind 168, 177, 190
420
INDEX
meditation on 170–171
red and white 204, 206
indestructible mind 190
indestructible red drop 206
indestructible white drop 206
indestructible wind 183, 190, 195
indestructible wind and mind
163, 166–169, 190
meditation on 171–172
Indra 3, g
inferential cognizer 119
inherent existence 106, 112,
137, 138
appearance of 126, 136
eight extremes of 124
object of negation of 115, 136
of body 106, 111, 132
of body we normally see 132
of I 117, 154, 158
identifying 114–115
self-cherishing, relationship
to 76
we normally see 115
synonyms of 102
initial scope 22, 23, 145
path of a person of 29–44
inner ire/heat, g. See tummo
inner peace 76, 244
intention 4, 94, 113, 121, 126,
235, g
intermediate state g
bringing into path 249
purifying 158
isolated body 195
isolated body and speech of
completion stage 167, 183
isolated mind 183, 195
isolated speech 195
J
Jangchub Ö 13, 19, 20, 21,
21–22
jealousy 47, 80, 104
controlling 24
problems of 221
Je Phabongkhapa 198, 241,
247, 250, 280, g
Je Sherab Senge 213
Jetari 14
Je Tsongkhapa 4, 22, 23, 68,
118, 195, 202, g
founder of Gelug tradition
198
founder of new Kadampa
tradition 12
instructions on Mahamudra
Tantra given by 181
ordained name of 181
quotes by 70, 101, 186, 187
Joyful Path of Good Fortune 38,
143
K
Kadam Dharma 24–25, 31.
See also Buddhadharma;
Buddha’s teachings; Dharma;
Kadam Lamrim 12, 75
as great mirror 25
as scientiic method 25
as supreme medicine 25
preciousness of 22–25
Kadampa Buddhism 403–404
Kadampas 12–21, 25
Kadampa Teachers/Geshes
403
Kadampa tradition 3
421
MODERN BUDDHISM
Kagyu tradition 198
karma 42–44, 63, 77, 121
collective 121
meaning of 42
meditation on 44
pure/impure 270
purifying 216
karmic connection 11, 199
karmic imprints 121
Keajra. See Pure Land
Kharak Gomchen 91
Khedrubje 202
killing 43, 79
kindness 15, 82
of Buddha 9
of living beings 72–74, 76
meditation on 74
King of Concentration Sutra 9,
136
kusali tsog offering 249
L
Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment 22
Lamrim 91, 403. See also
Kadam Lamrim
Examination of our practice
of 145–146
pre-eminent attributes of 23
laziness 35, 89, 92, 98
of attachment 32–33, 34
leprosy 91
Liberating Prayer 253–254
liberation 60
attainment of 189
how to attain 9
path to 60, 62. See also three
higher trainings
permanent 7, 23, 36, 42, 64,
95
temporary 8, 65
why we need to attain 7–8
lineage Gurus 195, 204, g
listening to Dharma instructions 24, 143
living beings 10, 25, 30, 40, 69,
81, 84, g
as our mothers 71
cherishing love for 79
countless 21
in Pure Land Keajra 203
kindness of 25
repaying kindness of 15
love 80, 88. See also affectionate
love; cherishing others;
wishing love
lower rebirth. See also rebirth;
three lower realms
cause of 36
dangers of 36–38
fear of 38
prevention of 95
protection from 39
M
magician’s illusions. See
analogies
Mahakaruna 201
Mahamudra 15, 151, 155, 185, g.
See also meaning clear light;
union of great bliss and
emptiness
as collection of merit and
wisdom 184
completion stage of 181–196
deinition of 181
422
INDEX
etymology 181
meaning of 184
nature of 183
ripening seed of the realization of 213
Sutra 181
synonyms of 184
uncommon 195
Mahasiddha Dharmavajra 195
Mahayana 18, g
Maitreya 22, 215, g
malice 43
mandala 204. See also Heruka
body mandala; Vajrayogini,
body mandala of
mandala offering 225, g
Manjushri 195
mantra
meaning of 235
of Heruka, essence 235–236
of sixty-two Deities of
Heruka body mandala,
condensed 237–238
of Vajrayogini, three-OM
236–237, 250
recitation, training in 235
Marpa 198, 202, g
meaning clear light 18, 167,
183–184, 189, 195, 203, g.
See also Mahamudra
as actual inconceivability
251
inner Dakini Land 238
of the fourth stage 184
synonyms of 184
meditation 25–26, 153, 276, g
breathing 26
deinition of 25, 44
objects 26
preparing for 257–258
meditative equipoise 129
mental awareness 276
mental factors 113, g
mental pain 8, 45, 56, 59, 77,
83, 89
mental peace 30, 40, 44, 61,
63, 84
happiness depends upon 10
mental recitation 250
mere absence 112, 122, 128,
132, 136. See also emptiness
of all phenomena we normally
see 141, 245, 251
of the body we normally see
109, 110, 140
of the self we normally see
117, 130, 140
mere appearance 105, 109, 154, g
existing conventionally as
111, 119
part of conventional truth 127
to waking/dreaming mind
103, 138, 149
using to solve problems 122,
137
mere imputation 118, 120, 159.
See also basis of imputation;
imputation
of singularity/plurality 123
mere name 92, 98, 109, 111, 119
merit 43, 82, 91, 161, 216, 219, g
cause of Form Body 89
collection of 98, 184, 212, 246
destroying 89
middling scope 22, 23, 145
path of a person of 45–66
Milarepa 46, 51, 194, 201–203, g
empty cave 85
423
MODERN BUDDHISM
quote from 149
teaching on emptiness 135
mind 10–12, 69, 121, 134, 166,
188, 189. See also emptiness,
of mind; peace of mind;
subtle minds; very subtle
mind
appearances as nature of 149
appearances to 11, 102, 111,
112, 127
at death 34, 43
basis of imputation of 113
conceptual/non-conceptual
119
continuously residing 168,
184, 189
creator of world 120–121
deceptive 76
depending upon 103
different from brain 10
existing by convention 112
gross 11, 180
impure 24, 121, 149–150
depending upon impure
winds 269
imputed by 112
levels of 11
like a ield 43
mistaken 71
nature and function of 10,
34, 271
projections of 102, 106, 112,
149–150
pure 149–150
subtle 11
uncontaminated, deinition
of 128
valid 71, 119
very subtle 11
mindfulness 17, 38, 167, 176, g
subtle 176
very subtle 177
miracle powers 18
mirage 103, 104, 111, 126
mirror of Dharma 25
mistaken appearance 30, 84,
90, 126, 243
Buddhas free from 40, 129
subtle 132, 150, 185, 188, 237
abandoning 225, 238, 245
preventing 243
root of self-grasping 152
two moons reminding us of
143
wisdom free from 234
mistaken awareness 126
due to imprints of selfgrasping 119
mistaken view 159, 161
modern technology 4, 66
modern world 4
monk 16, 17, 201
moral discipline 43, 63. See
also three higher trainings
nature of 62
necessary to progress in
spiritual training 63
perfection of 88, 89, 92, 98
three types of 17
three types of higher 17
mother 9, 83
kindness of 72
recognizing livings beings as
70–71
424
INDEX
N
O
nada 171, 172, 251, 379
Nagarjuna 82, 125, 192, g
Naropa 198, 241, 264, g
negated object. See object of
negation
New Guide to Dakini Land, The
225
New Heart of Wisdom, The 108,
136
new Kadampa tradition 12
New Kadampa Tradition 404
nirvana 9, 32, 60, 65, 139, 203,
244. See also liberation
attainment of 64
meaning and nature of 187
non-afirming negative
phenomenon 136, g
non-Buddhist 5, 7, 20, 23
non-conceptual direct
perceiver 128
non-conceptual mind 119
non-dual appearance and
emptiness 232–235
non-virtuous actions 5, 25,
42–43, 55, 83
arising from ignorance 4, 61
avoiding 38, 80
main cause of lower rebirth
36
puriication of 91, 212,
219–221
nothingness 64, 116, 117, 138
object of negation 115, 136, g
obstructions to enlightenment
154, g
obstructions to liberation 154, g
Ocean of Great Explanation 16
Ocean of Nectar 108, 136
offerings 217–219, g
deinition of 219
Offering to the Spiritual Guide
195
omniscient wisdom 90, 91
ordinary appearances 98, 151,
208, 232, 245
freedom from gross 183
meaning of 153–155
ordinary beings 106, 127, 153,
176, 198
appearances to 129
experiencing only ordinary
bliss 243
very subtle body, speech and
mind manifesting at sleep/
death for 190
ordinary conceptions 98, 151,
208, 245
abandoning of 184
gross 183
meaning of 153–155
ordinary death, intermediate
state and rebirth 158
ordination 16
origins 60
meaning of 61
Ornament of Clear Realization
22
425
MODERN BUDDHISM
P
Padmasambhava 18
Palden Sangpo 213
Pamtingpa 241
past lives. See former lives
path of accumulation 84, 90, 91
path of bodhichitta
training in 87–99
path of meditation 84, 90, 91,
154
path of No More Learning 84,
90, 91
path of preparation 84, 90, 91
path of seeing 84, 90, 91
of Highest Yoga Tantra 189
path/s. See also spiritual path
bringing future result into 98
correct 64, 211
liberating 66
meaning of 62
Vajrayana 235
vast and profound 14
wrong 220
path to enlightenment 31, 73,
84, 88, 98, 101
patience 79
perfection of 88, 89, 92, 98
peace of mind 44
depends upon 10, 26, 40
destroying 61, 104
dying with 43
happiness depends upon 10,
40
method to experience 139
permanent 9, 60, 64, 69
Perfection of Wisdom Sutras 16,
22, 125, g
permanent phenomena 122, 136
emptiness of 122
person 106, 271. See also initial
scope; middling scope;
great scope
phenomena. See also emptiness, of all phenomena
existing as mere imputations
159
existing conventionally 112,
119
gathered into emptiness 226
like dreams 47, 103, 138
like illusions 103
like rainbows 138
not other than emptiness 106
real nature of all 64
poison 61
police 40
potential 96, 168, 220, 224
for taking rebirth in a Pure
Land 95
to beneit livings beings 91,
92, 98, 250
poverty 56, 59, 65, 88
powa 203. See also transference of consciousness
Pratimoksha vows 17, g
Prayer for the Flourishing of the
Doctrine of Je Tsongkhapa 181
prayers 41, 201
Prayers for Meditation 255–263
preliminary guides 217, 221
preliminary practices 208–227.
See also Prayers for
Meditation
uncommon 195
pride 15
426
INDEX
primary mind 113, g
problems 4–7, 24, 59
inner and outer 5–6
solving 5, 25, 74
source of 4, 70
universal solution to 139
produced phenomena 120–121
emptiness of 130
produced space 135
promise 39, 41, 42, 87
prostration 216–217
puja 41
Pure Land 34, 95, 185, 225, g
Akanishta 192, 203
Dakini Land 203
Keajra 199, 202, 203–204, 246
attainment of 231
outer Dakini Land 238
outer places of Heruka as
270
rebirth in 95, 203
Sukhavati 95, 203
Tushita 203
puriication 43, 91, 212, 216,
219–221, 246, 247
of our world 149
signs of 93
Q
Quick Path to Great Bliss 247,
251, 319–366
R
Rahulagupta 14
rainbow 103, 121, 123, 138, 197
Ratnasambhava 272, g
realizations 7, 62, 63, 73, 92,
216, 235, g
common/uncommon 18
development of 25
Tantric 96, 161
real nature of things 4
rebirth 180, 249. See also lower
rebirth; suffering, of rebirth
contaminated 49, 59, 83
freedom from 189
fortunate/unfortunate 43
in a Pure Land 95, 203
various realms of 8
what determines our 43
red increase. See subtle minds,
red increase
refuge 14, 31, 36, 38, 40, 246
gateway to entering
Buddhism 39, 208
going for 39–42
meditation on 41–42, 209
vow, commitments of 39, 41,
209
regret 50, 54
for non-virtuous actions 220
rejoicing 221–223
relative truths and relative
falsities 127
renunciation 6, 32, 45, 65, 142,
246
development of 24, 60
gateway to liberation 69, 208
motivation for three higher
trainings 63
qualiied 145
realization of 60
training in 60, 210
requesting the turning of the
Wheel of Dharma 223
Rinchen Sangpo 18, 19
Root Tantra of Heruka 241
427
MODERN BUDDHISM
Rupakaya 89. See also Form
Body
S
samsara 6, 8, 31, 49, 57, 69,
109, 120, 134, 270
free from 90, 203
no real happiness in 61, 85
root of 124, 152, 159
Sangha 39, 41, 209. See also
refuge
Saraha 62, g
satisfaction 58
scientiic method 6, 25
Secret Mantra 149. See also
Tantra
self-cherishing 104, 145, 168
abandoning 92
and self-grasping 76
destroying 93, 94
disadvantages of 76–79, 81
what is 76
self-generation 191, 202, 244,
245, 246, 249
self-grasping 49, 61, 93, 94,
118, 145, 158, 159.
abandonment of 9
profound bliss of 185
and self-cherishing 76
cessation of 187
dependent on mounted wind
186
different aspects of 125
imprints of 114, 119, 129
inner poison 61
poisonous tree of 64
reducing 132
root of 152
source of all delusions and
suffering 9, 61, 65
sense awareness 275
sense powers 275
Serlingpa 16
seven limbs 216–226
Seven Sets of Abhidharma 16
sexual intercourse 187, 193
sexual misconduct 43
Shakyamuni, Buddha 2, 7, 16,
22, 192, 211
founder of Buddhism 3
reliance upon 12
Shantideva 78, 106, 109, 110,
111, 191, 192, 193, g. See also
Guide to the Bodhisattva’s
Way of Life
Sherab Tseg 241
Shilarakshita 16
sickness 24, 40, 94, 235. See
also suffering, of sickness
freedom from 189
six perfections 17
as our daily practice 88
training in 87–99
Six-session Yoga, Condensed
291–294
Six Yogas of Naropa 194
Song of the Spring Queen 186
special request prayer 225–226
speech wheel 206
spiritual experience 50, 55
Spiritual Guide 13, 19, 21, 87,
195, 198, 225. See also Guru
as Buddha 155
as emanation of Buddha 142
as emanation of Heruka 198
inner 64, 85
428
INDEX
reliance upon 142–143, 211.
See also Guru yoga
who is our 211
spiritual path 24, 33, 41, 73,
247
necessary conditions for 66
training in 242
transforming daily actions
into 251
transforming daily
experiences into 246
transforming worldly
pleasure into 151, 152
spiritual practice 44, 54, 56,
66, 155
Spiritual Teacher 42, 142, 209,
211
spontaneous great bliss 167,
188, 207. See also great bliss
Stages of the Path to Enlightenment 12
stealing 43, 79, 127
subsequent valid cognizer 119, g
subtle body 191, 204
subtle minds 11, 175, 178, 180
black near-attainment 176,
177, 178, 179
of reverse order 180
red increase 176, 178, 179
of reverse order 180
white appearance 175, 176,
178, 179
of reverse order 180
suffering 4, 8, 9. See also future
lives, suffering of; human
beings, suffering of
changing 85, 97, g
conceptions of eight
extremes, root of 125
developing fear of 60
from non-virtuous actions
42
from self-cherishing 77
future, prevention of 219
human, basis of 49
liberation from 9, 40
of ageing 8, 41, 51–54, 65
of birth 47–49
of death 8, 25, 41, 54–55
of others 80, 83
of rebirth 8, 57, 65, 83
of sickness 8, 25, 41, 49–51,
65
of this life 46
other types of 56–60
permanent liberation from
65–66, 203
protection from 3
root of 7
Sukhavati. See
Superior being 128, 179, g
superior seeing 90, 142
suppleness 188, 202, 231
Sutra 1–142, 149, 151, 188, 192,
244, g
as basic foundation 187
Buddha nature in 189
gross body is the real body,
according to 192
types of bliss 185
Sutra and Tantra 4, 12, 18, 22,
91
no contradiction between
151
union of 150
Sutra of the Four Noble Truths
45, 60, 62, 65
429
MODERN BUDDHISM
T
taking
in conjunction with six
perfections 91–96
meditations on 93–94
taking and giving 87
beneits of 91
in conjunction with six
perfections 91–99
in Highest Yoga Tantra 250
Tantra 147–252. See also
completion stage; generation
stage; Mahamudra
as Buddha’s ultimate
intention 187
deinition of 151
divisions of 241
four classes of 152
preciousness of 149–156
principal objects abandoned
in 153–155
synonyms of 149
uncommon attainment of 18
Tantric commitment objects
278
Tantric Grounds and Paths 276,
294
Tantric practitioner 157, 193
Tantric vows 17
Temples 41
ten grounds 17
Theravada 3
The Yoga of Buddha Heruka 211,
213, 277–294
things that we normally see
61, 136, 137, 145, 152. See
also inherent existence
three higher realms 8
three higher trainings 17,
62–65, 185. See also
concentration; moral
discipline; wisdom
meditation on 65
Three Jewels 41
three lower realms 8, 31, 36.
See also lower rebirth; rebirth
Togden Jampel Gyatso 195
Training the Mind in Seven
Points 113, 138
tranquil abiding 18, 89, 141,
185, 188, 231, g
transference of consciousness
34, 203, g
transmission 212
Trisong Detsen 18
true existence 102, 104, 109,
111, 112, 121, 126. See also
inherent existence
true-grasping ignorance 119.
See also self-grasping
true nature. See ultimate
nature; ultimate truth
of body 109, 110
of phenomena 111, 120
truth 111. See also conventional
truth; ultimate truth; union
of two truths
synonyms of 128
Truth Body 89, 158, 177, 198,
249
cause of 191
Heruka imputed upon 226
Nature 153, 226
Wisdom 153, 226
tummo 165, 187, 194, 202, 203
Tushita. See Pure Land.
430
INDEX
twenty-four places 268
inner places 269, 270
of Heruka 205
of our body 205
outer places 270
two abandonments 265–266.
See also central channel
U
ultimate bodhichitta 129, 142,
192
deinition of 101
levels of 129
simple training in 139–143
training in 101–143
ultimate example clear light
167, 179. See also example
clear light
meaning of 183
ultimate nature 110, 111, 125,
132. See also ultimate truth
of I 118
of mind 113
of self and other phenomena
118
ultimate search 105, 106
ultimate truth 101, 233. See also
emptiness; ultimate nature;
union of the two truths
conventional truth and
125–131
deinition of 128
synonyms of 128
uncontaminated mind
deinition of 128
uncontrolled desire 4–7
root of 7
unindability 111, 138
of body 109
of I 117, 118
of mind 113
union of great bliss and emptiness 184, 189, 190, 192, 198,
227, 227–228. See also
Mahamudra; meaning clear
light
as the actual inconceivability
251
union of meaning clear light
and pure illusory body
167, 184
Union of No More Learning
191, 200
union of our very subtle wind
and very subtle mind 168,
172
union of spontaneous great
bliss and emptiness 269
union of Sutra and Tantra
150–151
no pure practice of 18
union of the indestructible
wind and mind 190
union of the two truths
131–136
realization of 226
universal compassion 32, 73, 80,
94, 151. See also compassion
quick path to enlightenment
75
training in 83–84
unmistaken awareness 128
unproduced space 122, 135
431
MODERN BUDDHISM
V
Vaibhashika 16, g
Vairochana 273, g
vajra body 189, 191, 192
Vajradhara 194, 196, 222, 249, g
Vajradharma 249, g
vajra-like concentration 154
vajra recitation 276
Vajrasattva 221, 247–249, g
Vajravarahi 197, 204, 205, 206,
207
Vajrayana 149. See also Tantra
Vajrayana path 235
Vajrayana Spiritual Guide 186
Vajrayogini 198, 199, 201, 202,
204, 240
body mandala of 250
instructions of 241–251
valid mind 126, 127, 139
very subtle body 97, 189, 191,
225. See also body,
continuously residing
manifesting at sleep and
death 190
very subtle mind 11, 43, 103,
168, 189, 225, 233. See also
mind, continuously
residing
and emptiness 177
imprint on 43
manifesting at sleep and
death 190, 242
manifesting during sleep 11,
245
mounted upon very subtle
wind 177
perceiving emptiness 242
realization of clear light 243
realizing two truths 234
very subtle speech 169, 189
manifesting at sleep and
death 190
very subtle wind. See winds,
very subtle
Vidyakokila 14
Vinaya 19, g
virtue/non-virtue 36
virtuous actions 42, 43, 44, 53,
55, 79
dedication of 224
rejoicing in 221
W
waking awareness 11
war 221
Wheel of Dharma 3, 223, 403,g
white appearance. See subtle
minds, white appearance
wind/s 166–168
called ’life-force’ 271
deinition of 271
different elements, of the
173–175
dissolving at death 179–180,
190
downward-voiding 167, 187,
188, 272, 276
entering, abiding and
dissolving 163, 167, 170,
194, 242
degree of dissolution 183
into indestructible drop
180
signs of 172–180, 190
through body mandala of
Vajrayogini 250
432
INDEX
equally-abiding 167, 272,
273, 276
explanation of inner 271–276
ive branch 167, 273, 275–276
chart of 275
function of 271
gross 173, 178, 276
impure 167, 269
life-supporting 167, 272, 275
three levels of 276
mounted by mind of black
near-attainment 176, 177,
178
mounted by mind of red
increase 176, 178
mounted by mind of white
appearance 175, 176, 178
mounts for minds 166, 271
of self-grasping 167, 186
pervading 167, 272, 273, 276
root
six characteristics of 272
seven, permanent cessation
of 180
subtle 173, 178, 271
upward-moving 167, 272,
273, 276
very subtle 168, 177, 190
wisdom 4, 71, 157, 159, 161, g.
See also three higher trainings
cause of Truth Body 89
increasing 137
inner light of 30, 84
manifestation of 241
nature and function of 63
of meditative equipoise 129
perfection of 88, 90–91, 92, 99
possessed by Buddhas 234
uncontaminated 129
wisdom being/s 235, 237, g
inviting 215–216
Wisdom Dharma Protector 12,
148
wishfulilling jewel 23, 86, 97
wishing love 70, 98, 99
eight beneits of 82
training in 81–82
world 55, 157, 162, 270
as karmic appearance 121
conventional 137
created by mind 121, 149,
162
dream 34, 103, 139, 149
impure 8
material development in 29
modern 4
waking 103, 121, 138, 139
worldly
intelligence 64
people 111
pleasure 35, 58
transforming 151, 152–153
wrathful actions 235
wrong awarenesses 61, 119,
123, g
wrong views 43
Y
Yamantaka 199
Yeshe Ö 19, 20, 21
yoga, meaning of 242, g
yoga of being blessed by
Heroes and Heroines 250
yoga of daily actions 251
yoga of equalizing samsara
and nirvana 134
433
MODERN BUDDHISM
yoga of experiencing nectar
246
yoga of immeasurables 247
yoga of inconceivability 251
yoga of purifying migrators
249–250
yoga of rising 245, 247
yoga of self-generation 249
yoga of sleeping 242, 244–245,
247
yoga of the Guru 249–251
yoga of verbal and mental
recitation 250
yogas of the channel, drop and
wind 169, 193
Yogi 146, g
Yogini/s 146, g
of the great bliss wheel
205–206
Z
Zen 3
434
Further Reading
If you have enjoyed reading this book and would like to ind
out more about Buddhist thought and practice, here are some
other books by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso that you might like to
read. They are all available from Tharpa Publications.
INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHISM
An explanation of the Buddhist way of life
An ideal guide for everyone interested in Buddhism and
meditation. This book presents the central principles behind the
Buddhist way of life, such as meditation and karma, as tools for
developing qualities such as inner peace, love and patience.
‘A brilliantly clear and concise introduction to this vast subject.
Very highly recommended.’ Yoga & Health Magazine
TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE
A blissful journey
By following the practical advice given in this book, we can
transform our mind and our life, fulil our human potential,
and ind everlasting peace and happiness.
‘We all enjoy limitless possibility for happiness and fulilment;
this book can help us attain it … a work of deep spiritual
insight.’ The Napra Review
435
MODERN BUDDHISM
THE NEW MEDITATION HANDBOOK
A practical guide to Buddhist meditation
This popular and practical manual allows us to discover for
ourselves the inner peace and lightness of mind that comes
from meditation. The author explains twenty-one step-by-step
meditations that lead to increasingly beneicial states of mind,
and that together form the entire Buddhist path to enlightenment.
‘This manual provides a succinct and inspiring overview of the
many ways in which Buddhism can be applied to the situations
and activities of daily life.’ Spirituality and Health
HOW TO SOLVE OUR HUMAN PROBLEMS
The Four Noble Truths
This book shows how Buddha’s popular teaching on the Four
Noble Truths can help us to solve basic human problems such as
dissatisfaction and anger, and provides a profound illumination
of our human experience and our potential for deep inner
freedom. Also available as an eBook.
‘This book offers peace of mind in these troubled times.’ Publishing
News
‘Geshe Kelsang Gyatso has a unique gift for addressing everyday
dificulties.’ Booklist
MAHAMUDRA TANTRA
The supreme heart jewel nectar
Tantra is very popular, but very few understand its real meaning.
This book explains how we can attain the sublime union of bliss
and emptiness, known as Mahamudra, which is the very essence
of Buddhist Tantric meditation.
‘This book renders everything so clearly that I would propose
this book as both an excellent introduction to Buddhist practice
and for those seeking to complete the training.’ Amazon Reviewer,
Madrid, Spain
To order any of our publications, or to request a catalogue, please
visit www.tharpa.com or contact your nearest Tharpa ofice listed
on page 407.
436