Yogi Chen Teachings
Yogi Chen Teachings
Yogi Chen Teachings
A Talk by
Rev. B. KANTIPALO
www.yogichen.org
www.yogilin.org
www.yogilin.net
www.originalpurity.org
Table of Contents
Foreword.......................................................................... i
Foreword to the 1980 Edition...... iii
A Note to the Readers...... vi
Foreword to the 1989 printing......... viii
Foreword to the 2011 Revised Edition..... ix
Introduction...... 1
A Outward Biography
B Inward Biography
C Secret Biography
D Most Secret Biography
a The Attainment of Cause
b The Attainment of Tao (The Path or Course)
c The Attainment of Consequence: a Certainty of
Enlightenment
Chapter I....... 25
REASONS FOR WESTERN INTEREST IN THE
PRACTICE OF MEDITATION
A Remote cause by reason of the Dharma-nature
B By reason of Dharma-conditions
1 Foretold by sages
2 Effect of Bodhisattvas
3 All religions have the same basis
4 Correspondences between religions
C By reason of the decline of Christianity
1 The scientific spirit
2 Post-Renaissance scepticism
3 Decline of Christian faith
4 Evolution
D Immediate causeby reason of stresses in western daily
life
Summary
I
Chapter II..... 47
WHAT IS THE REAL AND ULTIMATE PURPOSE OF
PRACTICING BUDDHIST MEDITATIONS?
A Mistakes in meditation
1 No foundation of renunciation
2 Use for evil
3 Lack of a guru
4 Only psychologicalseven conditions for posture
5 Mixing traditions
6 Attraction of gaining powers
7 Thinking that Buddhism is utter atheism
8 Confusion about "no-soul"
9 Chan and the law of cause and effect
10 Ignorance of the highest purpose
B The real purpose of meditation practice
1 A good foundation in Buddhist philosophy
2 Achieve the power of asamskrta
3 Realization of the Dharmakaya
4 Pleasure of the Sambhogakaya
5 Attainment of Nirmanakaya
6 Attainment of Svabhavikakaya
7 Attainment of Mahasukhakaya
Chapter III...... 65
THE EXACT DEFINITION OF SOME BUDDHIST
TERMS CONCERNING MEDITATION
Dedication of chapters
A Some terms concerning the philosophy of meditation
1 XIN
2 KONG
B Some terms concerning the process of meditation
C Some terms concerning the content of meditation
1 Triyana meditations
2 Three groups of samadhi
a Worldly states of dhyana
II
E
F
G
H
3 Zhi Yi
Preparations in other religions
1 Hinduism
2 Jainism
3 Confucianism
4 Christianity
Preparations in worldly matters
Summary and some practical conditions
1 Personal conditions of preparation
2 Conditions for a hermitage
3 Four general conditions
4 Special conditions for westerners
Homage
Conclusion
d Pratyekabuddhayana
e Bodhisattvayana
f The four yogas
5 Meditation about great compassion
a Buddhas and sentient beings regarded as one
b Without condition
6 Nirvana
a The Idealist School
b The Great Nirvana Sutra
c The Abhidharma Vibhasa Sastra
d Conclusionadvantages of meditation
Chapter VI.. 161
WHY EMPHASIZE THE WHOLE SYSTEM OF
MEDITATION IN THE THREE-YANAS-IN-ONE?
A The dedication
1 What does Dharma mean?
B The why and wherefore of three-in-one (Triyana)
1 Arguments between yanas and schools
a Hinayana versus Mahayana
b Exoteric versus esoteric
c The Japanese Tantra versus the Tibetan
Anuttarayoga
d Conflicts in Tibet
e Conflicts in China
2 Development of the Buddha's doctrine
a Historical sequence
b Inherent nature of the teachings
c The sequence of meditations
i Hinayana
ii Mahayana
iii Vajrayana
Chapter VII. 189
V
D
E
F
G
H
I
G
H
I
J
K
Chapter X 311
PART ONE: ALL THE MAHAYANA MEDITATIONS
ARE SUBLIMATED BY SUNYATA
A Our homage
B What is the distinction between Mahayana and
Hinayana?
C Mahayana is not negativism, and the six paramitas are
not merit-accumulations for going to heaven
VIII
Vajrayana?
Chapter XI 372
MEDITATIONS OF THE CHINESE MAHAYANA
SCHOOLS
A Our homage
B Meditations of the Hua Yan School
1 Individual meditations
2 How are all these gates of mystic practice possible?
3 Total meditations
B Meditations of the Tian Tai School
1 The practice of samatha
2 The practice of samapatti
3 Five kinds of meditation
4 Criticism
C Meditation in the Pure Land School
1 Sixteen meditations
2 Differences from Vajrayana practices
D Idealist School (Vijnavada-Yogacara) meditation
E Conclusion
Chapter XII... 405
MEDITATION IN THE LOWER THREE TANTRAS OF
THE EASTERN VAJRAYANA TRADITION
A Our homage
B Why do we not speak directly about the meditations of
Tibetan Tantra?
1 Need for the Lower Tantras
2 As a foundation
3 Philosophic background
4 The five signs
C Common and special preparations for tantric practice
1 Common preparations
2 Special conditions for the practice of the Lower
Tantra
X
a Dream
b Bardo
c Phowa
Chapter XIV. 514
THE HIGHEST MEDITATIONS IN THE TANTRA
MAHAMUDRA AND THE GREAT PERFECTION
A Mahamudra Meditation
1 Concentrated yoga of Mahamudrathe first Yoga
a Division
b Objects of meditation
2 Practice
3 Yoga of renouncing false theory
a Doctrine
b Terminology
c Instructions
d Cut away subtle grasping
4 Yoga of identification
a Identification
b Similes
5 Yoga of nonpractice
B Meditations of the Great Perfection
1 Right views
2 Torga instruction
3 Summary
Chapter XV 539
IS CHAN A MEDITATION?
A Daily life practice
Chapter XVI..... 551
HOW TO RECOGNIZE AND TREAT ALL SORTS OF
MEDITATION TROUBLES AND HOW TO KNOW
FALSE REALIZATIONS
A Brief introduction
XIII
C Good wishes
Appendix I 605
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Part One
THE QUESTIONS OF BHIKSU KANTIPALO
A Questions stemming from the sorrow of pride
1 On lacking a guru, and possible substitutes
2 As the last, with regard to the Vajrayana
3 Necessity of taking refuges and precepts
4 The necessity of ethics
5 The benefits of prostration
6 Relation between puja and meditation
7 Position with regard to non-Buddhist gods
B Questions arising from the sorrow of lust
1 The benefits of meditation
2 Can one do too much meditation?
3 Warning signs of breakdown
4 Renunciation
C Questions derived from the sorrow of ignorance
1 Effect of meditation on the diaphragm
2 Necessity of samatha before vipasyana
3 Transference of merits
4 Practical points on first three paramitas
5 Karma and a savior
6 Precautions regarding local gods
7 The problem of time
8 Ensuring a happy rebirth
9 Ability to choose one's rebirth
Part Two
THE QUESTIONS OF BHADANTA SANGHARAKSHITA
STHAVIRA
A Problems of philosophy
1 Christianity as a foundation for Buddhism
XV
2 Hinduism vs Buddhism
3 Regarding "No need to practice, already
Enlightened."
4 Significance of Great Pride, Great Lust, etc.
5 Causation by six elements in Vajrayana
6 The various meanings of xin
B Problems of tradition
1 Identity of the two Nagarjunas
2 The four initiations and the four yogas
3 Leaving no physical body at death
4 The Lower Tantras "derived from the two great
Sutras"
5 Preparation for the Six Element meditation
C Problems of practice
1 Formulation of vows
2 The five signs of a Buddha-body
3 Does Vajrayana correspond to the tenth bhumi?
4 Completely closing the eyes while meditating
5 Does Hinayana samadhi equal Chenian samatha?
6 Visualization of deities
7 Selection of the yidam
8 Meditation on yidam and other deities
9 The form of the yidam
10 Does one keep to one yidam?
11 Types of meditation for different yidams
12 True and false gurus
Appendix II... 726
THE FOUR FOUNDATIONS OF VAJRAYANA
MEDITATION
A Taking refuge
1 Preparations for taking refuge
2 Stages of taking refuge
B Prostrations
C Offering the mandala
XVI
14 Eating rice
15 Giving alms
16 Travelling
17 In a city
18 Meeting old people
19 Meeting the sick
20 Seeing good done
21 Using words
22 Doing good
23 Stopping killing
24 Beauties of nature
25 Quarrels
26 Meeting the opposite sex
27 Passing a slaughterhouse
28 Passing a graveyard
29 Seeing birds
30 Seeing affection in animals
31 Seeing bees
32 Seeing pigs
33 Going to bed
34 Going to sleep
35 Dreaming
36 Sleeping
C Realization
1 Mindfulness
2 Progress
3 Habit
D Daily life in Chan
E Conclusion
Appendix IV. 795
HOW TO TRANSFORM A HUMAN BODY INTO A
BUDDHA-BODY
Part One
The five forms of the Accomplishment of the Buddha-body
XVIII
Part Two
A Kriyayoga
B Caryayoga
C Yogic yoga
D Evolutional yoga
1 Clarity
2 Firmness
3 The holy pride of Buddhahood
E The perfect yoga
1 Second initiation
a Breathing
b The holy nerves
c The wisdom-drops
2 Third initiation
3 Fourth initiation
F The great perfect yoga
H Supplement concerning the human body
1 Refuge
2 Impermanence meditation
3 Corpse meditations
4 Impurity meditations
5 The Dhutas
6 Almsgiving
7 Patience
8 Voidness
9 Ego
10 Vajrayana
11 Mantra
12 Wisdom-fire
13 Yidam
14 Offering the body
15 In sleep
16 In dreams
17 At death
18 Preventing low rebirth
XIX
XXI
Foreword
The enquiry into absolute reality has been a fervent
pursuit of many people through the ages. Out of the
multitude, only a few had discovered the right path and
among those few, even fewer attained the absolute truth.
The accomplished ones usually had no words to say
when asked about their achievement for absolute reality
is cognizable only through experience. By trial and error
a seeker may discover the right path at last, but this
process may be shortened or omitted if one has an
experienced guide who is free from both sidessaying
or keeping silence.
Now we are fortunate to have found such an experienced
guide in the distinguished Buddhist Yogi C. M. Chen
who, out of compassion, has enabled the Ven.
Sangharakshita and Ven. Khantipalo to write down this
systematic and practical guidebook for the benefit of the
serious students in Buddhist meditation in the
English-speaking world.
It is hoped that sincere readers will read, reflect, and
practice accordingly. Gautama Buddha's teaching does
not tell us just to believe blindly. It invites us to come and
achieve results ourselves.
The Buddhist Yogi C. M. Chen has some other useful
works in manuscript awaiting for publication. Interested
people are welcomed to contribute for the cost of printing
them for free distribution so that more phases of the
Dharma may be presented to the Western World.
i
ii
vii
viii
ix
Yutang Lin
May 9, 2011
El Cerrito, California
Through giving up, one only gains, and through the help
of Wei Tuo I never hungered.
b) The Attainment of Tao (The Path or Course)
This has certain steps for which I have composed the
following Chain of Similes. At this stage, where
Mahayana teachings are used, the realization of
impermanence of all things is most necessary. It follows
that we are able to understand this when our renunciation
is well developed, when we no longer cling to things, but
recognize transient nature. The realization of this is as
precious as money; our money is time, which even poor
men have. We must make good use of the precious
money of time and not waste it. The steps of our
path-attained are then:
i) to have the necessary money comes from the idea of
impermanence
ii) to buy with it the land of renunciation
iii)which should be walled about with vinaya-observance
iv) when we can safely sow the seed of Bodhicitta
v) to be irrigated with the water of compassion
vi) and richly manured by meditation
vii) giving the blooming of the wisdom-flower
viii) and the ripening of the Buddha-fruit
So that this might all be accomplished I have practiced all
of Milarepa's three kinds of hermit life, even a fourth one
which he did not mention. For eighteen years, including
the period of my residence in Kalimpong, I have lived
upon mountains and previously spent some months
21
22
24
OF
THE
DECLINE
OF
36
39
OF
45
SUMMARY
Because of the first reason, the ubiquity of
Dharma-nature, there is no limitation of space or time to
our practice and realization. This situation is like an
empty building plot which has an excellent, strong
foundation already laid in it (the Dharmakaya).
The Dharma-conditions may be compared to a house
built upon this. However, the rooms of the house are
bare, and the whole building quite deserted (since the
decline of Christianity).
Therefore, many may enter in and take shelter there
(from the strains of modern life) by taking refuge in the
Triple Gem.
We have discussed the objective supports for Buddhist
meditation, especially in relation to Western lands. In
our next talk we come to the subjective reasons for the
practice of meditation, as well as its ultimate purpose.
Then Mr. Chen, as he was seeing us out, said,
"Please complete this, as you know it all much
better than I." To this we protested. Bhadanta
Sangharaksita saying that after all, Vimalakirti's
sermon was much better than Manjusri's preaching.
46
ULTIMATE
BUDDHIST
even say that the law itself is untrue. In this they attempt
to imitate some Chinese Chan masters who have
disliked this law and denied its validity, but there is a
difference between what a Chan master says and the
proper attitude of a worldly student. One monk who
thought he was a master denied the truth of this law and,
for giving his questioner a misleading answer, suffered
birth as a fox five hundred times. For ordinary persons,
the law is true, and to deny its truth is simply to confuse
them. The highest truth known and preached by the
truly attained masters is that neither is there dependent
origination nor is there not dependent origination. We
have to be careful not to misunderstand their words by
not knowing whether they are speaking on the level of
conditioned truths or from the standpoint of final truth.
Furthermore, care is necessary in interpreting words of
some sutras and sastras. We should not take quotations
from them out of context and distort the intended
meaning. It is also not correct to take the words of sutras
too literally.
10. This is the fundamental mistake: ignorance of the
highest purpose of Buddhist meditation. This topic will
now be discussed at length.
B. THE REAL PURPOSE OF MEDITATION
PRACTICE
All the above mistakes, in gradation of gross to subtle,
58
63
64
THE
THE
82
THE
"self"), but it is still not real insight as with the first type.
However, it is possible to transform it into true insight.
We must be able to distinguish these three well, always
knowing which is real and which false. The first should
be desired, the second renounced, and the third
transmuted.
2. There are three kinds of spiritual qualities described
in Yogacara:
a. Quality of direct reasoning in theory and quality of
direct insight in practice, (pratyaksa). The latter is direct
knowledge in concentration. This is real.
b. Comparative quality (by examples) in theory, and the
second-moon-like insight in trance. It is not quite real,
but can be transmuted into reality.
c. False quality. It is entirely unreal in practice.
However, in theory, this third one is called the "quality
of the Buddhas' instructions."
These three kinds of qualities always correspond with
the three insights mentioned above, but the former three
are practical whereas the latter are both practical and
logical (or theoretical). The meditator cannot be covered
by the false insight or by the false quality in his
concentration, provided that he is able to recognize
them very well.
90
OF
BUDDHIST
93
HOMAGE TO MAHABODHISATTVAS
KSITIGARBHA AND SARVASOKA
MONIRGHATAMATI
Chapter IV
SHOULD
MEDITATION
BE
PRACTICED
DIRECTLY WITHOUT PREPARATION?
Through an open window we saw Mr. Chen sitting
on his low stool with his back towards us. Sitting
opposite him was a young man listening to the
yogi's words. When we too were received and seated,
Mr. Chen explained that he was answering some
questions raised by the young man who, we
discovered, was Chinese and a Confucian school
teacher. For a few minutes, our host continued his
Dharma-talk in Chinese to his questioner, who was
obviously deeply interested, pointing out to him
passages in a little book which contained the life
and some of the teachings of the Buddha illustrated
with traditional drawings. When he finished, he
gave two of these books to the schoolmaster, and
after more greetings, ushered him out. Returning,
Mr. Chen explained that he had been answering
questions on the seven wings of Bodhi, the Four
Noble Truths, and the Noble Eight-fold Path.
"Now," he said, "we must come to the subject of our
talk today, as it is also very long." He picked up his
94
100
TO THE
AND
116
SOME
PRACTICAL
119
leather or cloth.
d. It is common sense not to wear nylon clothes or to
have curtains of this material as it catches fire easily.
e. For heating, where this is necessary, and for cooking,
use coal, charcoal, or wood, but not electric or kerosene
stoves. These latter are unsuitable since they produce
only the pure heat element. With wood and coal, heat is
combined with earth, wood, and water elements, thus
producing a balanced heat (which in experience does
not give rise to fevers, a hindrance to practice).
f. Cooking and eating utensils should not be of
aluminum, though iron, brass, porcelain, and
earthenware are good. Aluminum tends to be affected
by acids in the food and may cause mineral poisoning in
the body.
g. No canned food should be eaten, and food should all
be as fresh as possible. It is best not to take food
possibly contaminated by poisonous sprays and other
harmful artificial products. Besides, a meditator should
have pity for beings and not encourage the killing of
them done by farmers and upheld by governments just
out of greed for more money.
h. Clothes to be worn while meditating must be loose,
without causing any constriction, and allow complete
relaxation of all muscles for the easy attainment of
123
128
representing
the
desired.
v. The Buddha is thought of as a very good person who
has just given us alms, not material wealth, but the gift
of the Dharma to maintain us.
vi. The last of the conditions for mindfulness is to think,
"May this Right Dharma long remain in the world!"
All these six must be maintained with the aid of
meditation. Without meditation, these thoughts will not
even arise.
The first four are related to the practice of the Four
Noble Truths. By meditating on the first truth, that of
Duhkha, one knows how people seek the cure for their
illness; this is connected with the first point above.
Meditation on the second Truth, the Arising of Duhkha,
shows one why people experience suffering and how
they come to a teacher who can prescribe a course of
treatment for that suffering; the second condition of
mindfulness is referred to here. The Cessation of
Duhkha meditation is essential for the third condition,
as the Dharma is the healing medicine.
Meditations upon the Path to this Cessation are the
practice of Dharma, which is like taking the medicine as
prescribed.
The fifth condition of mindfulness requires meditation
135
the world in the present age, ten more for the Final
Enlightenment of myself and others, and nine for the
attainment of non-death, in order to perform the endless
Bodhi-karmas. Even to keep the ancient vows one must
have concentration. It is better, though, for us to think
deeply about the painful world and so develop our
aspiration.
ii. Bodhicitta of No Passions. With no concentration
force, how can we subdue the passions? It is always
difficult to do so, but impossible to perfect this stage of
Bodhicitta without the necessary developed and
concentrated attention.
iii. Recognition of Bodhicitta. This is also not easy,
whether at super-mundane or even mundane levels. To
accomplish it on the heights of the former, we must
know the Dharmakaya Truth. Even at the mundane level
we must first practice the path of the Six Paramitas.
Well-developed concentration and meditation bring
sufficient wisdom to recognize the Wisdom heart.
iv. Reaching out Bodhicitta. It is not enough to be able
to find and maintain Bodhicitta in inward concentration.
At this fourth stage one compassionately extends it
outwards to other beings, reaching out to bless and
convert them. To reach this stage, one must bring one's
meditation to a very fine excellence. The attainment of
the first five super-normal knowledges is also necessary.
142
146
147
151
a. Human yana
One does not meditate but practices some good during
life (such as the Five Precepts of Buddhist lay people)
and as a result receives human rebirth.
b. Heavenly yana
This is of two kinds: first, with the practice of many
good deeds and a little meditation (such as practicing
the Eight Special Laypeople's Precepts) one attains after
death to the heavenly pleasure realm (kamavacara), a
state only somewhat superior to man; second, by
practice of the dhyanas, one reaches at death to the
corresponding spontaneous rebirth among the devas of
form and formlessness (rupavacara and arupavacara).
c. Sravakayana
This is the way to attain the Arhat level, which can only
be realized by the meditation on the Four Noble Truths.
d. Pratyekabuddhayana
To become a Solitary Buddha, it is necessary to
penetrate with insight the meaning of the Twelve Links
of Dependent Origination.
e. Bodhisattvayana
152
158
160
170
something in common.)
However, the Buddha first preached to those of
undeveloped faith and therefore encouraged his hearers
to prove his doctrines of sunyata by analysis until there
remained only particles regarded as unbreakable. Only
later was he able to teach the full voidness teachings to
those who could understand them in their own nature
and without recourse to analysis.
In his lifetime among men, comparatively long though it
was, the Buddha could not complete the preaching of
the Dharma. It was necessary for others, by the power of
the Tathagata, to reveal to the world the more advanced
teachings when the time was ripe. Such teachers were,
for instance, Asvaghosa, Nagarjuna, and all the other
great sages upon whom he has in the past and may in
the future bestow his Dharma as he wishes.
Though so poor in Enlightenment, I myself have
received many doctrines bestowed by the Dharmakaya
in the holy light of meditation. Among all of my
Dharma-treasures seen in the holy light, there were only
a few mudras (sacred hand gestures) that have been
proved by my Chinese guru. He imparted to me some
mudras from the Japanese Tantra by correspondence
after I had seen them among my Dharma-treasures in
the holy light and most of them have never yet been
proved by my gums from Tibet, as some had died while
others were not with me in my hermitage. These mudras
174
185
iii. Vajrayana
Defilementsboth jneya and klesaare of two kinds,
acquired (already destroyed in Mahayana meditations)
and innate, and the latter are very hard to meditate away.
While the former are psychical, the latter pertain to the
body, and it is very difficult to still the subtle
movements they cause in the mind with their ultra-fine
energies. By the Mahayana teachings it will indeed take
a long time to do this; it is possible however, by the
methods of practice given in the Third Initiation of
Anuttarayoga, to rid oneself completely of these very
subtle obstacles. This is done by the discovery of the
innate wisdom, only possible in the Vajrayana.
188
consorts).
Here is a case in practice illustrating the repeated
message of this book, the necessity of advancing
step by step. A learned Theravada bhiksu, who did
not know the Mahayana or the Vajrayana was
suddenly confronted with art works of these latter
two traditions and, being unprepared, was unable to
grasp the meaning of what he saw.
"Today," said Mr. Chen, "we come to the body of
this book, or at least," he added looking downwards,
"to its feet. This body, beginning at the feet, is a talk
on samatha, the principal and most necessary
practice of the neophyte. We should first, however,
say something on the dedication.
A. Homage
The neophyte in his practice should be well-protected
by gods and from this come two benefits: he easily gets
rid of obstacles, and is thus aided to the quick
attainment of samatha. We should, then, revere all the
gods and ask them for their help and protection.
We must know clearly the distinct difference between
paying homage to the gods and taking refuge, which
should not be confused.
Our refuge is only in Lord Buddha and the Three Gems.
191
192
193
199
Preparation in each
Chapter
A personal example of
preparation
The preparation of
Buddhist knowledge in
the West
The mistakes occurring
from lack of
preparation, and the real
Biography
I
II
207
purpose of meditation,
to develop right desire
for it
The perspective of ideal
meditation and the aim
of preparation as
mentioned in the
definitions
The common
preparations; at least to
know them, if not to
accomplish them
The advantages of
preparation and the
importance of
meditation
All the meditations in
the whole system; how
the former meditations
are the preparation for
the latter ones
III
IV
VI
210
211
If one performs the nine steps, then one must have the
six conditions applying to them.
a. The hearing instruction: without this, one cannot
practice.
b. Right thinking: all thinking returns to the object of
concentration.
c. The condition of remembrance.
d. Rightly recognizing.
e. Diligence.
f. The force of habitual practice.
Hence, in addition, one should choose an object of
concentration suitable in color to one's character. For a
person with a distracted mind, an object, (stone, painted
surface, etc.), circular in shape and deep of color (blue,
black, etc.) should be taken. For the person inclined to
sleepiness, the concentration object should be light,
such as white or yellow. Such are the directions given
for developing the samatha based on outward objects.
For inward samatha development, any point centered in
the body may be used, particularly the area between the
eyes, the heart region, or the navel. If one is sleepy, one
should choose a higher point, but if the obstacle is
disturbance, a lower one is best. One's concentration
point should not always be changed but should be
varied according to circumstances. If it is fixed in the
quiet mind, it should be kept as long as possible.
217
two
become
twofold
a. samapatti of samatha
b. samatha of samatha
c. samapatti of samapatti
d. samatha of samapatti
steadfast understanding.
If the mind contemplates some image or stone, this is
the samapatti of investigation (a), and this should not be
confused with the final stage, here called "the samapatti
of truth."
By distinguishing these four we shall not confuse an
intellectual concentration for true understanding, which
can only arise from developed samatha.
I. Mistakes in Practice and their Cures
For the practice of samatha there are six mistakes and
eight cures listed by Venerable Bodhisattva Maitreya in
his treatise, the Sastra of the Center and Circumference
(Madhyanta-Vibhaga-Sastra). The six defects described
are:
1. The Six Defects
a. Laziness
b. Forgetting the instruction
c. Lethargy
d. Excitement when the mind is lifted up
e. Negligence in not acting at the proper time
f. Too much zeal or enthusiasm
2. The Eight Cures
219
Next is given the list of eight cures for them. The cures
for laziness are:
a. Faith
b. Maintaining the desire for Enlightenment (If you
understand fully the importance of meditation, you will
always pursue it.)
c. Diligence
d. Comfortably abiding; not giving pain to yourself by
extreme asceticism. With these four medicines we shall
not be lazy.
For forgetfulness:
e. The medicine of mindfulness
For sleepiness and excitability:
f. Right recognition (Awake quickly to the trouble and
cure it. Think upon painful things and see that there is
no time to waste.)
To cure negligence:
g. Right thinking (Think of what may result from apathy
or negligence; one must think in this way or obstacles
will overcome one, then one will not act, and will fall
asleep.)
As cure for over-zealousness:
h. Renunciation of likes and dislikes (this leads one to
equanimity).
220
221
Category
Food
Food
Food
Drink
Weather
Weather
Season
(Chinese)
Light
Clothes
Colors
Eyes
Breath
Circulation
Pulse
Action
Mental poison
Body
Conditions
Leading to Sleepy
Mind
too much
earth-element
(potato, bread,
etc.)
too much meat
milk
hot
rain
spring, autumn
Conditions
Leading to
Disturbed Mind
too little
fire-element
(chili and
pungent food)
only vegetables
coffee, tea
cold
strong sun
summer, winter
weak or darkness
too many
green, blue, black
very strong
too few
red, orange,
yellow
open wide
only through
right nostril
excited
strong
awake
greed, hatred
thin
closed
only through left
nostril
quiet
weak
tired
ignorance
fat
there. The same applies to the other senses, but the eye
is chief.
Confucius said: "To see others' minds, see others' eyes."
They are a good indication of the mental state. The
senses should all be kept concentrated upon one point.
ii. External distractions. To avoid these, see Chapter IV
on preparation and note the advice given there for
choosing a silent place for retreat.
iii. Internal distractions. For disturbing feelings from
within the body, employ two weapons of renunciation:
impermanence and impurity.
iv. Egoistic distractions. Distractions caused by ideas of
"I" and mine" should be overcome by meditation on
sunyata.
v. Confusion arising regarding the different yanas of
Buddhism and their respective teachings. The cure is to
know clearly a systematic and practical approach to all
aspects of Dharma, such as is found in this book.
If these five have gone, then there will be good samatha.
J. The Eight Dhyanas
A supplementary note on one of the Tian Tai lists may
be added here. The eight dhyanas are also known as
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and empty.
c. The samatha of the Desire Realm. Even though the
meditator feels pure and light and can prolong samatha,
still he experiences body and mind.
d. Not-yet-reached samatha. The body becomes like the
sky, as inside one does not see the body and outside one
sees nothing. Still, the practitioner has some natural
obstacles, so that the first dhyana cannot yet be attained.
There is no body and no mind, but this is not true
sunyata. It is only the experience of akasa, as the
samapatti of sunyata has not yet been practiced.
2. The Eight Touches and the Ten Merits
With constant samatha practice, will come after some
time the ability to perceive the eight internal touches,
accompanied by the ten merits. This state is the
complete first dhyana, concentration. These Eight are
accompanied by Ten, as below:
a. Eight internal touches
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
smoothness
feeling empty
brightness
steadfastness
wisdom
virtuous
pliancy
gross pleasure
subtle joy
liberation
insight
229
230
232
236
242
243
244
etc.
Picnics, snacks, airplane
meals, and now even
special meals taken in
space
Taking animals' lives for
food, even cooking
animals alive, and
generally over-eating
Costly clothes of silk and
wool in the latest fashion
Wardrobes full of clothes
of the greatest variety,
using furs and skins, even
for covering the floor
Living with family and
friends, surrounded with
a well-built house full of
comfortable furniture
Living surrounded by
every luxury, with
gardens and pools
Living in a pleasant
cottage with all comforts
Staying in the highest
buildings, with climate
controlled by central
heating and air
conditioning
249
will come. Think upon death thus, and fear it; you then
have no time to sleep. This is a good cure.
a. Having considered these preliminaries, we should
now proceed with our pattern of eight sections, the first
of which is the self-nature of the meditation on
impurity.
Samapatti in this meditation uses the various stages of
decomposition of the body listed in Buddhist meditation
manuals. The Sanskrit list has the following:
vyadhmataka (tumefaction): vinilaka (bluish color);
vipadumaka (decay); vilohitaka (bloody); vipuyaka
(discharging pus from rotten flesh); vikhaditaka
(devoured by birds and beasts); viksiptaka
(dismembered); asthi (only bones), and vidagdhaka
(rotted to powdered bones).
By scholars of the Buddhist tradition, these nine stages
have been aligned with six renunciations. The qualities
to be renounced and the meditations to accomplish this
are:
i. Meditate on death. When one thinks of this, desires
for a fine manner and flowery speech are abandoned.
Said Mr. Chen, getting up, "One of my patrons was
so proud." And he imitated this gentleman's
imperial manner of walking. Laughing about this
while at the same time quite serious about the
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258
259
261
263
264
265
267
271
Hindrances
Doubts
Doubts
arising
about
from the practice
passions
Five
Doubts
Doubts
sharp
about the about
drivers truth
view
273
Egoism
of
person
(klesavarana)
Egoism (Jneyavarana)
of
dharmas
274
Of the Body
Itself
dead outer skin
growing inner
skin
blood
flesh
muscles
nerves
bones
marrow
fat
kidneys
heart
lungs
fresh food
receptacle
partially digested
food receptacle
phlegm of the
lungs
nasal mucous
urine
lymph
grease on the
skin
sweat
brain
membranes
liver
gall bladder
bowels
stomach
spleen
arises.
iv. With more progress, we come to the special
pleasures of the Vajrayana, which are enlarged
sixteenfold in the third initiation.
"We are talking here of Dharma beyond the pure
Hinayana tradition," reminded the yogi, "so it will
be helpful to understand these correspondences
through our new diagram."
In correspondence with breathing: on the exhalation
consider the cause or object of pain, and on the
inhalation, the result of pain.
As pain and pleasure are opposite and one-sided views
arise concerning either, if one meditates on them as
empty, thus these views (antagraha) are converted.
c. The mind is impermanent. Of the mind in the past,
nothing remains; it is already gone, and even if you
want to pursue it, this is impossible as nothing can be
found. Regarding the future mind, we have no idea what
we shall think in time to come. Where will these minds
come from? What will be their objects of thought? At
present, no mind stays the same even for one moment;
this has been the law in the past, is certainly so now, and
there is no reason to doubt that it will continue so in the
future. No real mind can be found which abides in any
time.
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284
and not love the body. If the body can be neither loved
nor hated, then we demolish the second perverse view
of seizing upon extremes (antagraha). This we should
accomplish by truly knowing all feelings, both of love
and hate, as sunyata.
Then Mr. Chen made a simile for the progression of
body-mindfulness inwards:
It is as if one pursues a thief into the street. When he
sees you after him, he hides in a house doorway
(feelings mindfulness). When you pursue him further,
he hides in a room inside the house. Thus we now come
from mindfulness of feelings to mindfulness of the mind.
As the mind is impermanentsometimes joyful and
sometimes sad, so one should meditate on its
impermanence.
Following this one should ask: who is the subject of
mind? Here one pursues the thief into the inmost part of
the house: philosophically, one mindfully regards the
dharmas to find that in them, also, there is no self.
Centering upon mind and form with these four mindful
meditations, nowhere is a self to be found. When the
perverted views are thoroughly uprooted with one's
mindfulness investigations, then this part of the process
is finished. For these reasons, then, our sequence is as
we have described, progressing from gross to subtle.
289
tranquility
joy
equanimity
morality
investigation
diligence
wisdom
faith
the
four
mindful
meditations
themselves,
particularly the third one
samatha
samatha
samatha
preliminary stages
samapatti
sub-realization
sub-realization
sub-realization
295
meditation
the meditation
itself
process
297
298
299
wisdom of Buddhahood.
b. Second: practicing the meditation of tummo will
result in always feeling some ultimate joy in the
Buddha-body.
c. Third: the third mindfulness corresponds with the
transformation of the mind into the light of wisdom.
d. Fourth: the fourth meditation has its correspondence
when all dharmas are sublimated and become the
mandala of the Buddha.
The group above only corresponds with the first and
second initiations of the anuttara-yoga. Taking the third
initiation into account as well, the four voidnesses and
the four blisses should be added to correspond with the
mindful meditations. (See Ch. XIII, Part Two, Chart.)
3. Breathing Meditations
"We seem," said Mr. Chen, "to have left aside the
breathing meditations."
In the yanas of cause, breath concentration is only an
aid to samatha, but in the yana of consequence, the
Vajrayana, breath occupies an even more important
place than mind. Why? In the exoteric yanas' doctrine,
the training of the mind is always mentioned, and the
energy (especially bodily energy) is neglected. In the
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Know breathing in
Know breathing out
Know whether the breath is long or short
Know the breath pervading the whole body
Get rid of breath-movements in the body
Experience some happiness
Experience some bliss
Experience good mental feelings
The mind generates some happiness
The mind draws inside itself, becoming concentrated
The mind experiences some liberations
Samapatti on impermanence
Samapatti on renunciation
Samapatti on nonattachment
Samapatti on distinguishing the Four Noble Truths
Samapatti on thorough and perfect renunciation
J. Does the Vajrayana Also Include the Hinayana
Doctrines?
The answer is yes, definitely yes. In the Tibetan
Vajrayana schools, many books and ritual instructions
mention the four outward foundations, and these are all
taken from the Hinayana. They are:
1. That enough leisure for study and practice as well as
a perfect body are both very difficult to obtain. Here
there is a correspondence with the mindfulness of the
body.
306
308
310
Chapter X
325
329
331
338
Part Two
SUPPLEMENTARY DETAILS OF THE SUNYATA
MEDITATIONS
Before meeting our Yogi at the "Five Leguminous
Tree Hermitage" the listener had been manifesting
considerable Buddhist activity in Kalimpong while
the writer had been sitting quietly inspired by
reading the late Venerable Xu Yun's "Song of the
Skin Bag," just published in a Buddhist magazine.
Upon arrival at the Hermitage, both were ready to
hear Mr. Chen's words. He spoke as follows:
A. Commentary
Already we have talked upon four practical sections of
the sunyata meditations. Now we come to some
supplementary details of the nature of a commentary on
the above.
1. All the meditations we have spoken of belong to the
meditations classified as Utterly Beyond the World (see
Ch. III, C, 2, c).
2. We should know with regard to our definition of
Buddhist meditation (Ch. III, Conclusion): "... and
transform it from being abstract perception into a
concrete inner realization whereby liberation from
sorrows and false views (and the) embodiment of
339
Correspondence
Meditations
of
Hinayana
and
Mahayana
neither from sympathy nor from pain but from this kind
of bodhicitta in sunyata. After Full Enlightenment, the
Buddha himself recognized that every sentient being
occupied the Dharmakaya, but their minds not being in
this sunyata meditation, they failed to recognize this fact.
So there emerges from the bodhicitta a great
compassion for them. All this is within the first
ring-wave of sunyata.
b. Second Circle. From the bodhicitta as source and
with the realization of sunyata comes out a wave, a
wave of the great compassion of the same entity. This
compassion is only great and only produced in those
who attain to sunyata; otherwise it is only the merciful
mind with reference to specific beings. The attainment
represented by this circle may be held while in sitting
practice, but not when one is going about one's activities.
This is the second becoming of sunyata.
c. Third Circle. Acting out in one's life the first three
paramitas in perfect relation to the three wheels of
sunyata is possible for the nirmanakaya Buddhas alone.
But the bodhisattva, who must do everything for beings,
indeed should practice over a very long time. Hence the
bodhisattva takes a very long time to reach the final
attainment. Even a wisdom-being good at meditation
practice, and already upon the third and fourth stages
(bhumissee end of chapter) must do everything for
everyone wellaccompanied by patience, and from so
much activity, naturally, many obstructions are
343
"concrete realization."
6. If one recognizes all these meditations very well; that
is, if one only gets some knowledge, some good right
view, even apart from accomplishment, then just this
alone is a very rare thing, very precious.
But one must hold these teachings in the mind so that
the balancing forces of mercy and wisdom are identified.
Most people are one-sided: if they lack wisdom, they
may be merciful; whereas the wise may be weak in
compassion. In our meditations on the bodhicitta good
nature or compassion is balanced with the clever or wise
aspect.
Elizabeth Wordsworth has a little poem to illustrate our
point.
The writer here disentangled the following lines of
this English jingle from amid the complexities of a
page of Mr. Chen's notebook packed with Chinese
characters:
"If all the good people were clever,
And all the clever people were good,
The world would be nicer than ever
We thought that it possibly could.
But somehow 'tis seldom or never,
The two hit it off as they should;
The good are so harsh to the clever,
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347
357
of
Mahayana
361
next chapter).
8. Achala (Immovable). Because one does not hold to
form and retain in every form, and acts without force,
not moved by the sorrows, thus this stage is called the
Immovable. The sunyata of the patience of the unborn is
obtained at this stage.
9. Sadhumati (Good Thoughts). In this stage, one may
preach freely to everyone and rid oneself of all
obstacles.
10. Dharmamegha (Dharma-cloud). At this time, the
bodhisattva's gross, heavy body becomes as wide as the
sky. The Dharma-body is perfected and just as there
may be many "clouds" in the sky, so he or she becomes
one of these and endlessly rains down Dharma.
After the Tenth Stage comes the time of Full
Enlightenment of Buddhahood when the two veils of
passion and of knowledge are altogether gone.
H. Why Are There So Many Stages in Sunyata?
Someone might object: you say that sunyata means
voidness, so how can there be different degrees of it?
This depends on the depth of wisdom, which may be
shallow or deep, and the realization varies accordingly.
So now we shall give a list of realizations of the ten
bhumis together with what remains to be done.
363
l. Be Dharma-lord of Jambudvipa.
These are the twelve merits of the first stage of a
bodhisattva.
2. In the second stage the attainment is 1,000-fold of the
first.
3. 100,000-fold of the first.
4. Million-fold of the first.
5. 1,000 million-fold.
6. 100,000 million-fold.
7. 100,000 million nayutas-fold.
8. 100 million times the amount of dust-particles from
3000 great chiliocosms multiplied by the attainments of
the first stage, plus being the Dharma-lord of 100
worlds.
9. As above, but Dharma-lord of 2,000 worlds and
receive samadhis to the number of all the dust contained
in 100 million asamkhyeyas of countries.
10. Ineffable-fold. This word "ineffable" is not an
objective word with the usual meaning but a proper
name of a vast number in Buddhism. It is said that a
bodhisattva at this tenth stage can obtain samadhis of
the enormous number of all the dust-particles in
100,000,000,000 nayutas of Buddhas' realms.
J. What Realization Should We Have before
Entering the Vajrayana?
In my opinion, in following the Mahayana Path, before
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Dharmadhatu.
3. He or she should recognize Gong An (koans) in the
Chan School.
4. One should know how expedient means of Bodhi
come from sunyata wisdom.
5. One neither hates samsara, nor loves nirvana.
6. After practicing sunyata meditation, one's body has
become somehow superfluous, and one no longer
always identifies the body with "himself" or "herself"
and so is not attached to it.
7. In his or her dreams things are seen covered only by a
paper shell, inside which there is nothing. Or again, he
or she may be always flying in dreams as the body has
become very light after sunyata realization.
8. One experiences the merciful mind arising from the
sunyata wisdom.
9. There is no doubt on the profound view from which
one may gather the widest good conduct. One knows
sunyata and merits without the doubts illustrated by the
good bhiksu in our story.
10. All the first three paramitas become very easy to
perform.
369
370
371
meditation
the
Dharma
Assembly
of
the
Saddharma-Pundarika Sutra appear. "The assembly of
the Lotus Sutra is still here, and has not disappeared,"
he exclaimed, though his guru warned him that his
experience was only preliminary to a thorough
realization of the Dharma-Lotus samadhi in which Lord
Buddha preached this sutra. This assembly is assuredly
still present, to be seen by those who practice these
meditations earnestly. All of us should have a reverence
for this august assembly that we too may have direct
knowledge of it.
Other Dharma-assemblies (such as the one in the
Amitayus Sutra) have inspired other sages; this we may
find from their biographies. Here we should only
recognize that every Dharma-assembly always remains
in the meditation of yogis who know the doctrine taught
in the Avatamsaka Sutra.
In these three Dharma-assemblies we may see parallels
with our system of the three-yanas-in-one.
The assembly of the Amitayur Samapatti Sutra
corresponds to the Hinayana. How? To come to know
this assembly through one's meditations, the world has
to be renounced, so that one can get to Sukhavati (the
Western Pure Land). The importance of renunciation
both in the Hinayana and in this meditation makes this
correspondence clear.
374
and six.
Now six points remain, and these are quite enough for
the purposes of meditation. They all have very profound
meanings which can only be properly realized through
practicing these meditations. As we have already seen,
in almost every ritual of the tantra, the Bodhisattva
Samantabhadra's practice is mentioned and we too
should follow his example. It is said in the sutra that he
visualized countless seated Buddhas. Each of their lands
contained innumerable specks of dust and in each one of
these he saw a Buddha preaching in his pure land.
2. How Are All These Gates of Mystic Practice
Possible?
The ancients give these ten reasons, as follows:
a. First, because all beings and things are manifested
from the Tathagatagarbha (the "womb" of the
Tathagatas).
b. Second, because all beings and all things lack a
determinate nature; all move freely, selflessness being
the ultimate truth.
c. Third, because causation (the conditions of dharma) is
interdependent and interrelated.
d. Fourth, because dharma-nature (dharmata) or the
380
385
2, (1)(6)).
Under walking, he first examines the sila involved and
this clearly is not a part of meditation, simply a
self-examination. After this comes a sentence
mentioning "concentrate the mind on the pure activity"
and this indicates samatha practice while walking. Later
in the same passage, it is said that this mental walking
action "and all that eventuates from its activity have no
reality that can be taken hold of. When this is fully
understood..." and we have come now to a samapatti on
walking. But all this, sila, samatha, and samapatti are
included under a heading which Zhi Yi calls "stopping
(samatha) under conditions of action." Readers and
meditators should with care discriminate his advice into
these categories, so that they are not led astray by his
unfortunate tendency to mix up subjects.
"It seems," said Mr. Chen consulting his Chinese
text of Zhi Yi's book, "that something has been
changed in the translation; at any rate, my reading
of the text on walking would be like this:
'When walking in a natural manner, one goes
straight, not looking here and there, nor allowing
any delusion to arise; such is walking samatha.'"
After dealing with the practice of tranquility, Zhi Yi
applies samapatti to develop insight on each of these
actions. Standing, sitting, and reclining are treated
391
392
They are:
a. Visualization of the sunset, as the Pure Land of
Amitabha Buddha is situated in the West. This practice
causes the idea of impermanence to arisea good
connection with the Hinayana meditations.
b. Visualization of water. This is changed into ice,
which in turn is transformed into a covering of white
gems over the ground.
c. Ground. Visualizing this results in one seeing the
golden ground of the Pure Land.
d. Visualizing the jewel-trees of Sukhavati as described
in this sutra.
e. Seeing the precious pools of clear water possessing
eight virtues.
f. The gem-studded storied palaces and pavilions.
g. The lotus-seats.
h. The figure of Amitabha Buddha appearing in
bhiksu-robes (representing the nirmanakaya).
i. His sambhogakaya (with a crown, necklace and
ornaments, all jeweled), and the Dharmakaya (formless
in exoteric Buddhist practice).
393
Mahasattva
Guan
Yin
394
School
(Vijnanavada-Yogacara)
397
meditation.
There are two good foundations employed in Pure Land
meditation: Hinayana renunciation and Mahayana
bodhicitta. To gain good results in these practices, one
must cultivate a mind of renunciation freed from
attachment to things of daily life. If one is without
repulsion for this world, one will never get to that one
(Sukhavati). At least the renunciation must be
established firmly in the mind, even if not manifested
outwardly.
Because of this strong emphasis on giving up and also
the decided tendency to think of obtaining nirvana
without returning to this world, this school has been
labeled by some as "Hinayana." This is quite wrong, but
we see here that the second foundation is needed. The
followers of the Pure Land School should have good
bodhicitta and so desire to come back to this world.
Without bodhicitta and realization in sunyata, a person
cannot in any case receive birth there. (We say "birth"
but the Pure Land is not within the three realms; it is in
sunyata and one can get there only if one thoroughly
practices the voidness meditations.) Further, Amitabha
is a Buddha of goodwill and it is only possible to see
him if one has a well-developed bodhicitta. Notice that
all this is based upon the Mahayana. Nowadays, many
persons who seek for birth there have not practiced
bodhicitta sufficiently. In fact, this school has often
been taken too lightlyas an easy way. What has been
401
404
416
Samatha
Samapatti
Sun
Moon
Middle
Fire
Fore
Air
Thumb
Space
Mindfulness
(smrti)
Tranquility
(samatha)
Wisdom (prajna)
La (Ram
Sanskrit)
Hum
in
Kom (Kam in
Sanskrit)
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438
Chapter XIII
HOMAGE TO PADMASAMBHAVA WITH HIS
CONSORT YESHE TSOGYAL IN HERUKA
FORM,
TO
THE
FIVE
GREAT
VAJRA-HERUKAS, AND TO THE ADI-BUDDHA
SAMANTABHADRA
Part One
MEDITATIONS IN ANUTTARAYOGA TANTRA
FOUND
ONLY
IN
THE WESTERN
VAJRAYANATRADITION
The writer arrived at the hermitage accompanied by
a photographer. Inside they found that Mr. Chen
had arranged his table as a small shrine with two
Tibetan paintings, one of Amitayus Buddha alone,
and the other of Amitayus embraced by White Tara,
showing Ushnishavijaya in the heart of her
wisdom-body. In front were offerings of fruit and
flowers all carefully arranged by Mr. Chen. All
these deities are associated with long life; this was
thoughtfully planned by the yogi since the writer's
thirtieth birthday had just passed. The previous
week's flowers looked fresh, and Mr. Chen said it
was a good sign of long life for the writer.
Very soon, Bhadanta Sangharakshita arrived and,
not wishing to keep the photographer waiting, the
439
but that the one who was truly devoted would come to
him. At that moment, Yeshe Tsogyal prostrated herself
before the teacher and out of love for him renounced all
the riches of queenly life to follow him.
This story contrasts with the way that Mandarava came
to Padmasambhava: He just flew in through a window
of the king's palace and took her. Still, we should never
criticize holy persons as though their actions were
mundane and evil, even though when judged by
conventional standards, they may seem unwholesome.
In this case Guru Rinpoche knew from his insight that
she was a dakini and, as it was impossible to gain her in
any other way, he simply took her as his yogic consort.
Similarly Marpa, Milarepa's guru, had nine consorts but
he helped them all, one by one, attain the wisdom-light
body of Buddhahood. There are many such stories in the
Tibetan Tripitaka.
Padmasambhava and his two dakinis were all perfectly
Enlightened as a result of their practice. Moreover, the
Guru is worshipped in many different forms as shown in
thangkas. Here we show and venerate them in the
highest form of heruka.
All the three objects of our homage are, in addition, to
be found in Padmasambhava. Not only that, the guru
may be shown in the forms of nirmanakaya,
sambhogakaya, dharmakaya, svabhavikakaya, and
mahasukhaprajnakaya; all these are him, from the
443
Meditations
1. No Comparison
445
Excel
Exoteric
448
452
453
457
a. Clarity. This means that not only must the form and
color of the deity be clearly seen, but every hair of the
eyebrows, the eyelashes and all the hairs on the
anthropomorphic body should be visualized clearly. As
we do not speak of art, our subject being meditation, so
besides form and color, there must also be clarity of
philosophy. It is essential that a good understanding and
a deep realization of sunyata accompany these
meditations; otherwise, they will not be effective.
Therefore, besides clearly seeing the deity's form as a
reflection, or as a bubble, translucent and made of light,
it is also most important to realize deeply sunyata
philosophy. I have written a paper on this, as it seems to
me that the venerable Tsong-khapa's otherwise excellent
Ngag-rim (Great Stages of the Tantric Path), is deficient
in its emphasis on the practical value of realization of
the void.
b. Firmness. In common books on this subject, it is said
that the visualized form must not move or change. Their
instructions are that after the form is seen clearly, the
practitioner should make the anthropomorphic body
firm and unmoving, while his own flesh body is not
perceived even for a momentnot even in a dream. For
instance, if the practitioner visualizes himself as a great,
holy, powerful vajra deity with two horns, then when
one passes through a door, one should bow the head so
that the horns do not catch in the doorway.
I should like to add that firmness not only of form, but
458
samapatti).
The five elements: In their treatment, we may see a
continuous evolution from the Japanese Tantra. There,
considered only on the mental side, they are symbolized
very simply in the pagoda-form; here, they are built into
the exact and complex structure of the mandala, and
their material aspect is included. They constitute the
Buddhas' surroundings in the Pure Land and are very
exactly arranged: This differs again from the Amitayur
Samapatti Sutra where such complete descriptions are
not given. When one visualizes these different parts of
the mandala, their meanings must be kept in mind.
The wall of vajras: This represents one's strict
observance of the sila, and its purpose is to keep out
demons and prevent them from disturbing the precious
land within. If the moral precepts are maintained pure
and unbroken, then this vajra-wall will be strong and
will effectively protect against demons. Without pure
morality, the vajra-wall will be weak.
The lotus-wall and the skull-wall: These symbolize
respectively renunciation and sunyata.
Under the crossed-vajra, a thousand-petalled lotus
symbolizes the lotus world, and is also a symbol of
renunciation in the Hinayana. Why? The lotus grows up
fair and pure from foul-smelling mud, unstained by the
muck and filth. Similarly, renunciation must be pure and
465
unstained by worldliness.
The other lotus on the precious palace floor: This is the
actual seat of the yidam. This lotus has the meaning of
renunciation even of dharmas, accomplished during the
sublimation process in the Mahayana. If one's
renunciation is not complete, one should still try to
visualize these lotuses in their proper positions, after
which, renunciation may become perfect. This is an
example of a method in the position of consequence.
We repeatedly notice the close correspondence of all
these details with the attainment of Buddhahood. For
example, there are four gates of the palace and different
books say that they mean the four Noble Truths, the
four boundless minds, or the four mindfulnesses. We
should make this point certain. When the yidam is a
nirmanakaya form such as Sakyamuni, then the gates
stand for the four Noble Truths. When Avalokitesvara is
the yidam, then their meaning is the four boundless
minds; and if the center of the mandala is occupied by a
yidam of wisdom (as Manjusri), then the gates must
correspond to the character of the yidam.
In the palace, the roof is held up by eight pillars: They
stand for the factors of the Noble Eightfold Path.
"Even if we talk for a month," said the yogi, "we
cannot finish explaining all the symbolic meanings
of the parts of the various mandalas, for we must
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473
Part Two
MEDITATIONS OF THE THIRD AND FOURTH
INITIATIONS OF ANUTTARAYOGA
474
Four Anandas
Four Sunyatas
ANANDA
(bliss)
SUNYATA
(voidness)
PARAMANANDA
(transcendental bliss)
ATISUNYATA
(vast voidness)
VIRAMANANDA
(wonderful bliss)
MAHASUNYATA
(great voidness)
SAHAJANANDA
(simultaneously-born
bliss)
SARVASUNYATA
(all voidness
simultaneously
wisdom)
Four
Cakras
FROM
HEAD TO
THROAT
FROM
THROAT
TO
HEART
FROM
HEART
TO
NAVEL
FROM
NAVEL
TO
REPRODUCTIVE
ORGANS
Four Moments
of Feeling
VICITRA
(stimulus)
VIPAKSA
(elaborated
reflex)
VIMARDA
(final)
response)
VILAKSANA
(after
consummation
with awareness
of all
potentialities)
may then enter the lotus of the dakini, and at that time
one's power of meditation must be maintained. If one
cannot maintain the spiritual power during vajra-love,
then whatever is done at that time is not this meditation.
These are the various reasons why this practice is called
a holy and "purified Dharma," and this, according to the
precept, we "should not doubt."
b. The eight precepts. This second group of Tantric silas
also are not often discussed in Tibet, and for the same
reason, as they concern vajra-love. To break these is not
so serious that one will go straight to hell as a result,
which is the case with the fourteen precepts. (The latter,
if broken, send one to the vajra-hell, from which one
can hardly ever return to more pleasant states).
Outwardly, the eight precepts may not seem connected
with our subject, but their inner meaning relates to this
third initiation. For instance, one of the precepts reads:
"If a person with faith asks you a question about the
Dharma and you refuse to reply or tell the questioner
not to ask, then this is a great sin." In this precept, the
request seems just to concern the Dharma and nothing
particular is said about the Dharma of vajra-love. That
the question in the precept really refers to this, is kept
secret. Sometimes this is so great a secret that even
certain gurus do not know the true meaning here.
c. When one may and may not practice.
489
broken.
Let us take another example, this time from the
Mahayana. In the bodhisattva silas, it says: "Neither
hurt your enemies nor love your friends." But the yogi
practicing the third initiation is bound to love his friends
(the dakinis). How is it, then, that he does not break this
Mahayana precept? In the yogi's meditation, love has
already been identified with sunyata and is therefore not
common, human love. As his love is not selfish or
human, the precept is not broken.
On the other hand, common persons who try to practice
vajra-love lack the absolutely essential basis of
sunyata-realization. They have never tried practicing the
three wheels of sunyata (see Ch. X, Part One, D, 3, b):
Their application here would be to thoroughly
understand the voidness of the yogi, the voidness of the
dakini, and the void-nature of the whole vajra-love
process. Because they have not understood these aspects
of voidness, they are called "common persons." Because
they are common persons, they are still full of lust.
Because they are still full of lust, they break this precept
by having selfish love for friends.
In my book every precept on the subject is examined
thus. Having seen apparent contradictions between the
Vajrayana spirit and the words of precepts in the two
lower yanas, we now examine a case where two Tantric
precepts appear to clash.
496
504
513
Chapter XIV
THE HIGHEST MEDITATIONS IN THE
TANTRAMAHAMUDRA AND THE GREAT
PERFECTION
Do single thing
At single time
No other mean.
In single mind
At single time
Do single thing
No other mean.
At single time
Do single thing
In single mind
No other mean.
Fourth, the yoga of non-practice.
I have written a book in Chinese called "Distinguished
Determinations of Mahamudra," which corrects certain
misconceptions in original Tibetan Mahamudra books
which have been translated into Chinese, including the
works which Evans-Wentz edited, which have been
translated from English into Chinese. A common
mistake among many of these books is to assume that
the first of the above steps is the same as samatha, while
the second is samapatti. This is quite wrong. The
Tantric Mahamudra distinctly differs from the exoteric
meditations of the Mahayana, but people with false
ideas try to make these two resemble each other as
though they were two eggs!
517
518
521
concrete (see Ch. X, Parts One & Two), but the final
realization is still very far away. In esoteric Buddhism,
however, there are many powerful methods in the
position of consequence. These, by the grace of the guru,
show one very exactly an outline of the Enlightened
Entity. Even if it is not perfect, still it fills the entire
Dharmadhatu.
"Concentration" as used in a Mahamudra text, means on
this Enlightened Entity, not upon breathing or
non-breathing objects. We have to remember that even
at the beginning, Mahamudra is not a simple samatha
but begins with the identification of samatha and
samapatti. Therefore, if the division is made into two (as
though the first were samatha and the second samapatti),
then the teaching is exoteric, where samatha and
samapatti are always distinguished, and not Mahamudra
at all.
If one cannot obtain the Enlightened Entity, then be
diligent in prayer and meditation and humbly serve
one's teacher. Two things are necessary to obtain this
teaching: first, the guru must be enlightened; and second,
the disciple must do everything to please him.
3. Yoga of Renouncing False Theory
a. Doctrine. In Tibetan Yoga this yoga is at paragraph
77 entitled "the Yoga of the Uncreated," but this is not
the exact meaning; it should be understood as we
524
1. Right Views
Readers should here distinguish five different right
views in Buddhism:
a. Right view of the non-self of living beings. This is the
Hinayana doctrine of the Four Noble Truths and the
twelvefold links of the causal chain. Those with this
view think all dharmas exist as realities, so for such
people complete realization is impossible.
b. Right view of consciousness-only. This is held by the
Idealist school (Vijnanavada) and with their view they
can reject both the Hinayanists and non-Buddhists. The
reality of mental dharmas and the reality of material
form (held by Hinayanists) is rejected by the Idealists,
who claim that the real is mind. However, they cling to
an
ultimate
consciousness
(the
eighth
or
store-consciousness). Even the final consciousness must
be renounced and seen to be sunyata.
c. Right view of the middle way (Madhyamika). This is
sometimes called the "view of the non-born." Those
who have realized it surpass both the Hinayana and
Vijnanavada adherents. By sunyata introspection, every
dharma of mentality and materiality is revealed as
naturally non-born. This right view is quite perfect
regarding sunyata.
d. Right view of the Dharmakaya (or the spontaneously
532
537
538
Chapter XV
IS CHAN A MEDITATION?
Mr. Chen was still in his hermitage, but only one
monk entered his door (the listener had a tooth-ache
and was confined to his room where cold winds
could not aggravate it). The transcriber was greeted
cheerfully by Mr. Chen.
Mr. Chen first insisted upon wrapping the writer's
knees with a thick, yellow towel which he used
himself during meditation. He began:
Is Chan a meditation? No! It is the highest realization of
the Buddha-entity-body (the three Buddha-bodies
(kayas) identified as one).
Again it was asked, "Why are there so many
mistakes made on this subject?" Mr. Chen answered,
"It is because people do not know the essence of
Chan."
Chan must be imparted by a fully-accomplished guru,
and without one, there is no Chan. When the teacher is
himself Fully Enlightened, then his disciple may receive
a realization of the Truth. No instruction, no realization,
no meditation, neither samatha nor samapattithere are
none of these things in Chan. For these reasons one
cannot treat it as a common meditation. It is itself the
539
541
543
Lin Ji opened his eyes, saw his guru, and went to sleep
again, not heeding the master's presence. Huang Bo then
knocked on the mattress three times and turned away.
When he reached his senior disciple's place, Huang Bo
found him sitting erect in meditation. He then said, "Oh,
over there is a young disciple who really knows how to
practice Chan, while you," addressing the old monk,
"only create delusion for yourself."
Chan is not merely sitting and practicing.
A monk once asked the patriarch Yuan An, "Making
offerings to 100,000 Buddhas is not better than giving to
a person who does not practice. Then what is the error
of the Buddha?" The guru said, "It is just like a white
cloud covering the mouth of a valley, so that many,
many birds do not know their nests."
Mr. Chen interpreted:
The white cloud is like common practice, but Chan is
not common, and without a cloud the birds can go back
to their nests!
Chan is truth itself and every meditation is aimed at this:
Chan. It is within every meditation but transcends them
all. That is why it always occupies the outer circle of
our diagrams. Therefore, to treat Chan as very easy in
daily life is quite foolish. It is the highest deception, and
those who believe that they possess such ability should
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550
Chapter XVI
HOW TO RECOGNIZE AND TREAT ALL SORTS
OF MEDITATION TROUBLES AND HOW TO
KNOW FALSE REALIZATIONS
557
11 P.M.1 A.M.
13 A.M.
35 A.M.
57 A.M.
79 A.M.
911 A.M.
11 A.M.1 P.M.
13 P.M.
35 P.M.
57 P.M.
79 P.M.
911 P.M.
Bija (seed-mantra)
HUM
OM
RAM
BOM
Mantra
GO LAI YA JA
SHE LA LA WA
RAM BA MA YA
OM AH HUM KOM
5. Disease
Two sorts of physical diseases may be distinguished.
a. Imbalance of the Four Elements. It is said that there
are 101 diseases connected with each element, so
altogether 404 physical diseases may arise in this way.
Thus one should be careful to take wholesome food,
pure water, breathe clean air, etc., just as modern
science and medicine recommend.
Do not think that you can cure yourself by your
meditation. The Buddha himself told his disciples to use
the correct medicines for their illnesses, so one should
not hesitate to apply modern methods if they will result
in a cure. Some meditators in China had too much faith
in the power of mantras or conceit about their own
attainment in meditation, and so refused to take tablets
or to have injections. Such an attitude is indeed foolish
unless one's accomplishment in meditation is very great.
It is sensible to use mantras, too, and practice one's
meditation, taking prescribed medicines as well. Besides
Gautama Buddha's good advice to his disciples on this
subject, we should also remember the Buddha of
Medicine who can certainly help us (the Tathagata
Bhaisajyaguru).
b. The second kind of disease is that of the specific
organs, in China classified into five types. This subject
is not essential to our present inquiry, so we will not
572
discuss it.
c. Diseases Caused by Past Karma. National Teacher
Wu Da, who was extremely learned and sometimes
practiced meditation, was, because of his great
accomplishments, offered a golden throne by the
emperor. Seated upon this, he became a little proud.
Consequently, a spirit took advantage of his weakness
and entered his body, causing a face-shaped carbuncle
on his right knee. The spirit told him, "For seven lives
you have practiced Chan very nicely and all that time I
have waited for my chance." In excruciating pain, the
teacher consulted many doctors, but to no avail. Then he
prayed earnestly to Guan Yin, who appeared to him and
told him to treat the disorder with a special river water.
She explained to the teacher that in a past life he had
killed what was now a spirit, who had waited to take
revenge. From this treatment the teacher was cured, and
after that he compiled a work in two large volumes
known as the "Confession with Water," in which he
gathered from the full extent of Buddhist literature all
the misdeeds and their cures, with detailed instructions
on how to make confession in these different cases.
The karma causing diseases which are not caused by a
derangement of the four elements should be confessed,
and some spiritual remedy sought in addition to medical
treatments. Such diseases are difficult to cure by a
doctor's advice and very frequently they present rare
symptoms. One of my friends had a small hole at the
573
ancient sages.
e. The Obstacle of Avoiding Obstacles
At one of our last meetings, Mr. Chen added
another obstacle. The transcriber intended to go to
Thailand to practice meditation where, he thought,
conditions were more favorable. The yogi exclaimed,
"There is another obstacle: The obstacle of avoiding
obstacles! If you always seek quiet places for
meditation then you will become attached to
quietness. Then, how can you ever succeed in
meditating where there is noise?" Bhante pointed
out, "There are always sounds in the quietest place,
even if it is only the birds in the trees or jackals
howling in the distance. Unless you have an
underground room, complete silence is impossible
to find." Mr. Chen disapproved of going
underground to escape from noise and then
continued: "A silent place may be helpful to the
neophyte but it may prove a hindrance to further
development."
To give another example, he told the following story:
There was once a monk in China who kept the Vinaya
very strictly. He never let his eyes wander toward girls
and women. Whenever any visiting patron brought with
him a wife or daughter, the monk kept his gaze fixed on
the ground in front of him. Because he was so mindfully
579
580
be abandoned.
b. If one says, "I shall be the same as a white bull (the
Dharmakaya)," this is falling into uniformity.
c. If one does not take food, this is the fall of false
nobility (being too much concerned with the
Dharmakaya). One must take food and attain the
functions of the Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya.
6. The Four Forbidden Things
a. Do not go the way of mentality (mind-only).
b. Do not wear the cloth of nature (talk about "natural
holiness" or purity, etc.).
c. Have no concern for the bare instant (becoming
involved in the three times).
d. Never take advantage for meditation of the moment
of the unborn. (In false Chan one is instructed not to
think, and that when the mind is cleared of thought, one
attains Chan. This is no-Chan or dead Chan.)
Commented Mr. Chen: "See my 'Lighthouse in the
Ocean of Chan' for some examples of this."
7. Conclusion of False Realization
588
589
591
Chapter XVII
CONCLUSION
A. Mr. Chen's Thanks
"First, I should like to thank you both," said Mr.
Chen, addressing the listener and the transcriber,
"for your cooperation in writing this book." Mr.
Chen got up from his seat and took from the top of
his cupboard a clockwork monkey with dumb-bells
in its hands. Winding up the toy, he said: "In a
traveling showman's troupe, there is always a
monkey who dances, does tricks, and amuses the
people, earning money for the actors. I am like this
monkey," said Mr. Chen, laughing and watching the
toy diligently exercise itself. "And you hold the rope
and play the music: just as there may be two actors,
one the younger and the other the older brother, so
it is with you." Turning to the transcriber, Mr. Chen
said, "You are the younger brother, with much work
to do for our company." And to Bhante
Sangharakshita: "You are the elder brother; you
have corrected my poor English, given us the
correct Sanskrit words, and put my poems into good
meter and style."
"To both of you I am very grateful and offer my
thanks. Further, the parts we have played in the
writing of this book are like the different yanas:
593
true Way.
B. The Whole Process of Meditation in Our
Three-in-One System Related to the Five Poisons
As a fitting conclusion to our book, we give a simplified
account of the whole system, showing how through
purification of the gross poisons effected by the five
meditations in the Hinayana, these passions (now subtle)
are sublimated in the voidness meditations of the
Mahayana, and finally transmuted into the functions of
Buddhahood in the Vajrayana. One by one, we will take
each of the five Hinayana meditations (see Ch. VIII)
and show the gradual processing of the poisons in the
different yanas.
1. First Meditation
This is on the impurity of the body. Everyone is born
from the craving for a body of flesh. Craving for this
physical body, one has impure lusts and passions.
Therefore, the first thing that is necessary to bring about
cessation of the pain (duhkha, experienced because of
the passions), is quite simple: RENUNCIATION. If one
does not renounce the objects, both mental and physical,
upon which the passions arise, how will one get rid of
either these cravings or their accompanying sufferings?
After renunciation comes purification, which is
threefold: of the whole physical body, of its thirty-six
595
Enlightenment!
Furthermore, we hope that all learned and studious
persons may pick up this book and by reading its
contents come to know the whole system of meditation
in the "three-yanas-in-one" and then decide to practice
what they have learned in theory.
Finally, it is my earnest wish that the entire world may
turn away from the blind path of materialism towards
the glorious bliss of bestowing the teachings of the
Buddha. May these Noble Teachings spread everywhere
throughout the world,
and may this Dharma of Enlightenment
preached by the Enlightened One
remain in this world for a
very, very, long time!
SARVA MANGALAM!
604
Appendices
APPENDIX I
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
PART ONE
THE QUESTIONS OF BHIKSU KHANTIPALO
(pratityasamutpada).
Also, we should remember that in Buddhism, there is a
wisdom called "non-guru Wisdom"; that is, wisdom not
gained by contact with teachers, either human on
non-human. If there is a guru, that is very good, and
desirable for most people, but even if one is not
available then the exoteric meditations may still be
practiced.
As to choosing suitable meditations, those in whom
wisdom is very highly developed may choose a subject
from Chan. After reading many Hua Tou in books on
Chan, they may select one for their practice. The
question here is not really about the selection of a
meditation, but as to how it will be practiced. If a truly
wise man takes a Hua Tou but only devotes a short time
to it each day, then it will do him no good. A Hua Tou
(or Gong An) requires full-time practice coupled with
perfect renunciation. If one only reads Chan books and
then practices a Hua Tou for one hour a day, even in
one's whole life it would not be possible to succeed. It is
not bad to start by reading a book or two, but one cannot
make progress by continuing in this way. Read a book,
get the method, and practice with complete renunciation
and with the whole mindthis is the order to follow.
Those who take up practice in this way (and very few
can do so) have for their guru the Dharmakaya, for
Chan is just this. If they practice earnestly and their time
of mature comprehension has comethen, a Chan guru
607
pride.
If one has no guru and cannot find any bhiksu from
whom to take the refuges and precepts, then as an
expedient means, one may use an image or picture of
the Buddha. Prostrating oneself with reverence and
humility, one should recite the formulas in front of this
representation of the Buddha. However, this is just
temporary. Afterwards, when one meets a Buddhist
monk, then one should request him to administer them
out of compassion.
This is another way to limit the sorrow of pride and
obtain good meditation.
4. Can one progress in Vajrayana or Chan without
pure silas? Why do people think that one can
progress without moral observance? What, for
instance, might be the result (in this life or in the
future) of many initiations but broken precepts?
Another question on precepts, and again stemming from
pride.
The Mahayana and Vajrayana, besides having as a basis
observance of the Hinayana precepts, have sets of silas
of their own. It is only foolish people who can ignore
both these facts. Throughout the different yanas of
Buddhism, morality (silas) is the foundation for
meditation. The three trainings (trisiksa) always apply:
614
615
620
622
The third sort of puja is the "secret" one. Here the puja
is held while in union with one's yogic consort in the
third initiation. This is a very wonderful vajra-love
accomplishment, but is not possible unless one is very
well practiced. Suppose that one is performing with a
dakini the puja of the Buddha of Long Life. One should
then visualize in the female reproductive organ (the
lotus), a mandala. In this mandala is seated White Tara,
the object of worship. In one's own body in the
head-wheel is a mandala with Amitayus, the Buddha of
Long Life, at its center. This Buddha pours out from the
vessel he holds many streams of nectar which pass
down the median nerve to the male organ (in the Tantras
called the vajra) and in the action of vajra-love this
offering of nectar is sent to White Tara. This secret puja
may be performed for the benefit of the yogi and yogini
or its merits may be transferred to a patron.
The puja called "most secret" is the fourth. This occurs
on the occasion of a meeting between an Enlightened
Chan Master and his disciple. At this time, if the
disciple sees by the guru's grace the Hua Tou (or Gong
An) on which he has been working, then this puja is
well-performed. Full Enlightenment is the highest puja
here.
Do not think that puja is just like a boy playing, though
even the outward puja may be done with a noble
purpose while unaccompanied by samatha. The other
three kinds are certainly worthy of our attention and
627
feel it is their duty to help one who declares that his aim
is nothing less than Full Enlightenment.
So do you think that there is no need for their help? If
you think this, you suffer a great loss by your own
conceit!
The question talks about "subduing" but this does not
apply to godsonly to demons. Gods will obey and
help anyone bound for Enlightenment, while demons
hinder. Demons' powers are used only to further evil
purposes and it may occasionally be necessary to use
some method to quell them.
A Buddhist never honors an absolute God but he does
revere some of the conditional gods, and for this
purpose there are many rituals prescribed in the
Vajrayana. Among these gods, the four great kings are
very important. As guardians of the four quarters, they
truly protect the Dharma and as a result, have their place
in the vestibule of every Tibetan temple. It was the great
Guru Padmasambhava who recognized their mighty
power and established them in this high position.
Even if one has not seen any gods, still this does not
mean that they do not exist. Whether we talk in this way
or not, the gods see us.
Said Mr. Chen, "They have already seen this book
for it appeared in the light of my meditation lying on
my shrine to the four great kings (see Ch. VII,
631
641
656
659
PART TWO
THE
QUESTIONS
OF
SANGHARAKSHITA STHAVIRA
BHADANTA
669
672
in human love.
c. The merit of realization through the identification of
these two groups of four is the Full Enlightenment of
Buddhahood, so the result is "Great." When the pleasure
passes from one wheel (cakra) to another in the body,
great merits result.
d. To have the company of a dakini is to be with a great
and holy person, quite different from a human wife, and
so we say "Great Lust."
2. Great Anger
In the sense of tummo, one has a great will to burn all
sins through straightening and clearing the median
channel. It is said that where human anger exists this
channel is never untangled with the "demon channel"
and that men who commit many sins have their median
channels tied up with sorrow. A straight mind is our
temple or mandala and untwists our channels, but a
crooked mind tangles them.
Thus, Great Anger is for destroying sins and for
vanquishing demons, quite opposite to human anger,
which only creates sins. The latter is like a fire which
burns down a forest of merits, while Great Anger
destroys only demerits. Why are some Buddhas shown
in a wrathful manner? This is the Great Anger of
Buddhahood destroying the demons who persecute
680
682
this and that organ to the earth one. The elements are
only treated in relation to analyses, such as: for analysis
of the "person" into the five skandhas, for
impermanence meditation, for diseases caused by
imbalance of four out of the six elements, the first two
of the Four Noble Truths (suffering and the arising of
suffering), for the fourth (mind and form) and the fifth
(the six sense-bases) links of conditioned co-production,
or for the analysis into the twelve ayatanas (six
sense-bases plus their sense-objects); but all these are
only thought about for the purpose of analysis. No
Hinayana doctrine really takes the opportunity to utilize
the four great elements.
b. In Mahayana, there are two great schools:
i. The Idealists (Vijnanavada), who do not allow any
elements outside the mind, for all phenomena are, they
say, consciousness.
ii. The Middle Way followers (Madhyamika) who do
not say that all the elements are consciousness. In their
philosophy of bhutatathata they seem to include all the
elements, though again, they do not take advantage of
them.
While the Idealist school lays more stress on
consciousness, the Middle Way School emphasizes
suchness, and both seem to be monistic systems.
684
distinguished.
In my opinion, even though there were two persons, by
their thought they might be made one. Though the
records do seem to be of different persons living many
years apart, still Nagarjuna by tradition lived a very long
time. (Western scholarship usually distinguishes
Nagarjuna the philosopher living about 150 C.E. and the
Siddha Nagarjuna living about 700-800 years later.)
Also Nagarjuna is recorded as having passed away in
the moon samadhi which is the symbol of sunyata in
Mahayana and of the bodhicitta in Vajrayana. It is also
well-known that the first Nagarjuna taught Mahayana
sunyata philosophy while the second instructed in the
lower Tantras. So we see that the teachings of these two
are not opposed but are a progressive course of training.
In fact, when we review the philosophy, realization and
long life, they seem to belong to one and not to two
people, for the scholar and the practical meditator are
complementary.
Another reason we might give is that Nagarjuna went to
the Palace of the Dragons and got the Avatamsaka Sutra,
a canon which is called esoteric-in-exoteric work. We
see here the actual marriage of outer and hidden
doctrines within a single sutra connected with
Nagarjuna's name. It is therefore difficult to say that
different Nagarjunas founded the Madhyamika and
Vajrayana schools.
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on experience.
4. Is there any objection to completely closing the
eyes while meditating? (See Ch. II, A, 4.)
The Tian Tai School stress very much that the neophyte
must close them, but in my opinion this is not certain. If
a person's mind is more disturbed than sleepy, then he
should close or half-close them, to be rid of disturbance.
Again, if a meditator chooses an inside point for his
concentration, such as the navel or at the tip of the nose,
then he should close his eyes. If the tendency to
sleepiness is more than that of disturbance, then open
them fully. When sleepiness is so persistent that it is
hard to dispel, then stare, stretching the eyes open.
When the body is tired the eyes should be half-open.
This matter is not fixed, therefore, and the meditator
should do whatever is necessary for the good of his
samatha-practice.
If one is practicing the samapatti on Mahamudra and
one wishes to abide in the Enlightened Entity, then
closed eyes are never recommended. Why? Because the
inner light, the channels of which are two special
channels coming to the eyes; and the outer light of the
sun, together with the light of the samapatti of
voidnessall these three lights must be identified in
voidness. If there is no wind, go outside and sit upon a
mountain, opening eyes widely and leaning back a little
to gain the maximum light from the blue sky. This is a
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RUPA DHYANAS
Pure states of samatha
Only stopping and never
thinking of philosophy
ARUPA DHYANAS
Some samapatti present
Some visualization and
thinking of these spheres
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APPENDIX II
THE FOUR FOUNDATIONS OF VAJRAYANA
MEDITATION
otherwise.
The objects of the outward refuges are the Guru,
Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.
b. Inwardly. Offer all thoughts to the Four Gems and
keep no selfish volitions. One's thoughts should be
occupied by the instructions of the guru.
Object: taking refuge in the oral instructions of sila,
samadhi, and prajnaall according to the guru's method
of practice.
c. Secretly. By the guru's grace one is always in the
refuge of sunyata and ananda (bliss).
Object: taking refuge in the yidam, channels, energy,
and wisdom-essence, all under the guidance of a
heruka-guru (a teacher with his dakini, or yogic
consort).
d. Most Secretly. In Mahamudra, the Great Perfection,
and Chan, the objective of taking refuge is to:
"Enter into Chan,
Renounce Chan,
Use Chan, and
(Attain) the ultimate Chan."
Although there are four kinds of refuges, the refuge
formula is the same for all:
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into two:
i. Outwardly: offerings for the lower three
yogasno meat should be given.
ii. Inwardly: offerings for the highest yogameats
and spirits are both used.
c. Secretly. The offering is accompanied by all the
dakinis of the five Buddha-families, the three holy
places of the dakini, and the twenty-four mandalas
dedicated to them, and those of the Akanistha Pure Land
itself, to make both female and male Buddhas happy.
Even worldly women who nevertheless have some
dakini naturein fact all beautiful women of character
and wisdomshould all be visualized as dancing,
singing, and in the sixteen kinds of action mentioned in
the Vajrayana.
d. Most Secretly. This offering is of all the good things
gained through the samadhissuch as wisdom-light,
equanimity, joy, or Chan.
D. The One-Hundred-Syllable
Confession
Incantation
of
her felt tired and dropped the fan, letting it fall on her
face. She became very angry and died in this state,
cursing her servant's carelessness. Because of this, her
next birth was as a snake. However, during her life as
the queen, she and her husband the King had done much
good for Buddhism, so although she was in the form of
a snake, the former queen remembered her royal life. By
the power she possessed, she was able to appear before
the king in a dream, telling him what had happened and
asking him to gain the services of some good monk to
release her from the evil birth into which she had fallen.
The National Teacher of that time then made this ritual
of confession, and employed it, securing the queen's
rebirth in heaven. This particular ritual has been very
influential since that time. It is in any case good to
confess to Guan Yin, as she is so merciful.
b. Inwardly. This is the Ritual of Water composed by a
master of the Chan School. It is quite different from the
first ritual. Here the names of all the misdeeds are
gathered together and the whole composition must be
repeated before the Buddhas. It is not often used
because of its great length.
Separately, one may use the rites of the thirty-five
Buddhas themselves as was the practice of the
Venerable Tsong Khapa. He only repeated their names
and did not concentrate on their special qualities. In
meditation he saw them all, but headless, and was much
distressed by this. However, he soon found the cure to
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and samaya.
2. MANUPALAYAPlease let me not forget my pure
nature.
3. VAJRASATTVA TVENOPATISTAPlease bestow
upon me Buddhahood.
4. DRITHO ME BHAVAPlease make my
sunyata-nature firm.
5. SUTOSYA ME BHAVAPlease may I not depart
from my original joy.
6. SUPOSYA ME BHAVAPlease may I not depart
from my sunyata-nature.
7. ANURAKTO ME BHAVAPlease may I not be
without the nature of pleasure.
8. SARVA SIDDHI ME PRAYACCHAPlease
bestow upon me full achievement.
9. SARVA KARMA SUCA MEPlease give me the
freedom of every good karma.
10. CITTAM SREYAN KURU HUMPlease give me
great boldness of mind.
11. HA HA HA HA HOPlease lead me to obtain the
five wisdoms and their functions.
12. BHAGAVAN SARVA TATHAGATA VAJRAMA
ME MUNCAMay all Tathagatas and Vajrasattvas not
leave me.
13. VAJRA BHAVAMay I not be apart from your
Vajra-nature.
14. MAHA SAMAYASATTVALet me abide in the
great samaya of Vajrasattva.
15. AH HUM PHATPlease subdue my sorrows.
Only one line is actually used for confession; that is, the
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3. Prostration
a. The object of worship is the same object as that of
taking refuge.
b. One worships with all the sinners of the six realms,
thus gathering merit as with the mandala.
c. When one makes prostration, pride is then eliminated,
as in confession.
4. Confession
a. Before one confesses, one has, of course, the object:
the refuges.
b. When one confesses, one must make prostration, thus
in both ways cutting down pride.
c. When one confesses specific
appropriate offering should be made:
misdeeds
the
APPENDIX III
THE YOGA OF DAILY LIFE
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Buddhahood!"
11. Ascending and Descending
Whether it is stairs, steps, a ladder, or a mountain, with
a mind full of good will think while ascending, "May all
sentient beings, whatever stage of the bodhisattva path
they are on, never fall down!" While descending, think,
"May all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas never forget
sentient beings! May they descend from their
transcendental spheres and heavens to save them!"
12. Sweeping
Think of all the dirt in the world: "May it be swept away,
and no one gather the dirt of the poisons!"
13. Drinking Tea
Say before drinking: "OM AH HUM," and take a drop
of it on the fingers, offer it to the Buddhas, and then
flick it off. By the mantra, the remainder which one
drinks has become nectar.
14. Eating Rice
One should offer some of it first. Then meditate: "Today
I hold this rice-bowl but even tomorrow I may not be
able to do so." In this way, develop the idea of
impermanence. Also renounce delicious tastes and
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C. Realization
1. Mindfulness
With so many miscellaneous events in life, it is easy to
forget their identity with the principles of daily life
meditation. It is essential, therefore, to maintain
mindfulness to integrate one's endeavors with whatever
main meditations one practices.
2. Progress
It shows very good progress when the daily life
meditations are always mindfully integrated with
whatever one is doing.
3. Habit
The yogi must guard against the disease of
over-familiarity. In this mental attitude, the noble
aspirations and the mantras just flow on without any
attention being paid to them, without their having any
real relationship with one's actions. Without
mindfulness, the mind flies off to other things, while the
mantra, etc., may go on being repeated like a cracked
record on a record player. For real daily life practice,
mindfulness is essential while maintaining a high degree
of samatha, or it will not be effective. I have written an
essay on this illness and have suggested there many
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APPENDIX IV
HOW TO TRANSFORM A HUMAN BODY INTO
A BUDDHA-BODY
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PART ONE
The terms "human body" and "Buddha-body" occur
frequently in Buddhist texts dealing with various stages
of mental development and different methods of bodily
sublimation. The Theravada teaches disciples to purify
the human body, in which there are thirty-six impurities.
The Mahayanists and the Vajrayanists stress the
sublimation of voidness and the function of
wisdom-energy. All three have their merits and
correspond in a certain order with definite aspects of
truth.
In order to transform the human body into a
Buddha-body, the former must be purified. For this
reason, most disciples who rebuke the doctrine of the
Theravada have difficulty attaining satisfactory results
in the Mahayana or Vajrayana practices.
The philosophy behind the sublimation of voidness in
the tathata and the function of wisdom-energy in the
position of Buddhahood requires voluminous writing
which cannot be presented in detail here.
The Tang Dynasty Tantra and the Japanese Tantra have
a system of concentrated cultivation called "The Five
Forms of the Accomplishment of the Buddha-Body."
Many disciples often neglect the philosophy governing
this system, which will be touched upon briefly in this
appendix.
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Nos. 17, 19 and 72, which give many good reasons for
the practice of vajra-love.)
Besides the theoretical reasons, one should learn the
secret practice from the guru personally. Such
instruction is not printed, but given only orally. One
should locate a guru who himself has had actual
experiences; in addition, a guru may, from his own
diligent practices, discover some new methods suitable
for this modern age.
By seeing the beautiful appearance of the dakini, one
practices non-duality of form and sunyata. By listening
to the articulate speech of the dakini, one practices the
non-duality of sound and sunyata. By smelling the
musky perfume of the dakini's lotus, one practices the
non-duality of scent and sunyata. By taking nectar
through kissing the dakini one practices the non-duality
of tastes and sunyata. By embracing, kissing, rubbing,
and squeezing every part of the dakini's body, one
practices the non-duality of touch and sunyata. If
non-duality of sunyata samadhi is lost in some degree,
sexual intercourse should be shunnedpleasure and
sunyata must balance each other.
The great pleasure wisdom-channel of a dakini is called
the "wisdom conch channel," and it is located in the
lotus. This is the ending of her median channel. Its tip is
very small and short, but there are various medicines to
extend it until it is capable of being inserted into the
urethra of the vajra. When the two median channels
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Because one dislikes one's own body, one does not seek
beautiful, melodious, fragrant, sweet, or soft things; and
for the sake of Dharma practice, one endures bodily
suffering. Thus the twelve dhuta disciplines are taught
and should be observed:
a. Wearing only garments of cast-off rags.
b. Possessing only three garments or robes.
c. Eating only food acquired by begging.
d. Eating only breakfast and lunch.
e. Not eating between breakfast and lunch.
f. Taking only a limited amount of food.
g. Dwelling like a hermit.
h. Dwelling among tombs.
i. Dwelling under a tree.
j. Living under the open sky.
k. Staying anywhere.
l. Sitting, but never lying down.
In such a way one seeks only the Buddha-body, which
is apart from worldly things. Ordinary people
shamelessly pursue delicious dishes, beautiful clothing,
expensive dwellings, good concubines, and huge farms.
A practitioner should only have pity on them.
6. Almsgiving
When one practices the Mahayana meditations, one
should offer as alms one's body, partially or fully. Many
bodhisattvas have set good examples by sacrificing
themselves. Some have offered their ears, blood, arms,
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APPENDIX V
HOW
TO
TRANSMUTE
THE
HUMAN
CONSCIOUSNESS INTO BUDDHA-WISDOM
841
a. Anger
b. Enmity
c. Affliction
d. Concealment
e. Deception
f. Flattery
k. Shamelessness
l. Non-shyness
m. Unbelief
n. Low-spiritedness
o. Restlessness
p. Sloth
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g. Pride
h. Injury
i. Envy
j. Parsimony
q. Negligence
r. Distraction
s. Forgetfulness
t. Non-discernment
virtues are:
a. Non-killing
b. Non-stealing
c. Non-adultery
d. Non-lying
e. Non-duplicity
f. Non-coarseness in language
g. Non-use of filthy language
h. Non-covetousness
i. Non-hatred
j. Non-ignorance.
The Buddha said:
There is one way for the bodhisattva to annihilate all
sufferings of evil existence. It is this: day and night,
constantly remember the good dharmas, think about
them, and observe them, so that their impression
becomes stronger and stronger in the mind and not the
least evil has a chance of mingling therein. Such a
practice will enable one to free oneself forever from evil
deeds, to complete the work of good dharmas, and
frequently to have opportunities to be in the presence of
Buddhas.
B. Distinguishing Right from Wrong
1. The Eightfold Right Path
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occur.
b. All the outside objects are held by subjective views,
becoming very confined. The dharmas of form, called
"material objects," appear to the human being as
outward things. Actually, without mentality, there is
nothing at all. It is as Confucius said: "When the mind is
not present, we look and do not see; we hear and do not
understand; we eat and do not know the taste of what
we eat."
c. When forms are pursued and the beloved object
cannot be acquired, or the disliked object cannot be
abandoned, humans not only feel sorrow, but also take
action. This sows seeds of good or evil into the field of
consciousness. When those seeds mature and sprout,
they become either good or evil conduct, bringing
appropriate karmic resultsthus the seeds of
transmigration have no end.
7. The Fivefold Samapatti
It must be emphasized that the only cure for the bad
seeds and the only way to stop the cycle of
transmigration is the practice of the fivefold samapatti
of the real nature of consciousness, which destroys the
delusion.
a. The first stage of this fivefold meditation is getting
rid of the delusions from outside objects and keeping
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No unity, no diversity;
No coming, no going."
After one meditates on the first pair, one knows that the
original nature of every dharma is sunyata. One then
meditates on the appearance of a dharmait seems to
exist stably, but actually changes every moment. There
is no permanent dharma, and since each dharma is
impermanent, it is also not annihilated (second pair).
After one meditates on a single dharma, as above, then
one should try to meditate on two. Are they united or
diverse? As the nature of them both is sunyata, their
totality, taken together, is also sunyata. Unity and
diversity, then, are both impossible (third pair).
For instance, the birth and death of a woman is neither
the production of her parents nor an extinction caused
by yama, for if her consciousness did not enter the
womb of her mother, she could not have been conceived,
even if the father's semen had met the mother's ovum.
Yama is always waiting there, but the woman's life
might be maintained by some other conditions; before
the conditions vanish, Yama cannot take her life away.
A woman's beauty changes daily, and she will grow old
and lose it. Many examples of such change may be seen
in one's surroundings. When a woman marries, she
seems to be united with her husband; but when they are
divorced, they seem to be diverse. Even on a couple's
honeymoon, at times they seem to love each other
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of Buddhahood.
Buddha taught it in the Dragon-palace with the
following stanza:
"Give all things till the ego remains;
Give the ego till others remain;
Give others till dharmas remain;
Give dharmas till Buddha you attain."
2. Liberated Holding of the Precepts
All silas, vinayas, or commandments should be kept
with wisdom, as Buddha once taught:
"Holding the silas, do not depend upon
Body, speech, or mind; or depend upon
Three periods, two sides; or depend upon
Delusion or awareness; depend on none."
3. Liberated Patience
To be patient on the occasion of misery, with harmful
persons, or in difficult situations is good, but not
sufficient to be liberated by the paramita. One who
practices this should follow the main meaning of the
stanza taught by Buddha on the same occasion:
"Patience: never know there is I or you;
Neither keep the idea of mine and yours.
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2. Sacred Fulfilment
One lives with the dakini in a cave or under an old, lone
tree, and one's mind is occupied with sunyata, so that no
lustful actions occur between the two. Whenever there
is pleasure, there is found sunyata. One's sixth
consciousness is transmuted into the wisdom of
profound insight.
3. Enlightened Forbidden Fulfilment
Always naked and accompanied by the dakini, one
travels over every mountain and village, wearing
without shame any kind of skull ornament such as those
used by the heruka. Everyone he sees or meets seems to
be not different from himself. To such a yogi, there is
no "other" or "self' in his mind. His selfish ego, or the
seventh consciousness, has been transmuted into the
wisdom of equality.
4. Mad-Like Fulfilment
This yogi appears to be a madman, passing through
cities, markets, theaters, and brothels, always singing,
dancing, playing, laughing, without any shame. One
treats everyone like a reflection of oneself in the sunyata
mirror of brightness. Thus one's eighth consciousness is
transmuted into the wisdom of the great, round mirror.
5. Victorious Conqueror Fulfilment
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Buddhist Meditation
Systematic and Practical
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