Summery:

Purifying defilements of body, speech, mind, and the three together equals transcending their conditioning equals seeing their real non-dual nature; inseparability of each with emptiness, inseparability of the three together; the three aspects: space, luminosity, unimpeded activity of the Buddha.

It is about purifying the actions of body, speech and mind, not only by abandoning the ten unwholesome actions, or by opting for the ten wholesome ones, but by uniting method and wisdom on the path. This is about gradually getting closer and closer to our real Buddha-nature, to the real non-dual nature of everything.

The goal of developing virtues, of accumulating merit, is to be in a position out of the influence of conditioning, in order then to be able to see its real nature, and be able to transcend it definitively. This is done gradually from gross to subtle, to very subtle, and by combining it with the accumulation of wisdom. That is like a gradual purification of the body, speech and mind, by seeing their real nature. It is working because while doing it we get closer and closer to the real nature of our own mind and of everything, thus not going against it and suffering the consequences. That is like a gradual de-conditioning, deprogramming, from a very bad habit based on eons of ignorance and accumulation of errors.

It is about purifying appearances of body, speech and mind / the objects of the three worlds - seeing their real nature with their two inseparable aspects, seeing the inseparability of the three.

1. The unity of appearance [body] and emptiness

2. The unity of sound [speech] and emptiness

3. The unity of awareness [mind] and emptiness

4. The inseparability of the Trikaya [body, speech and mind]

It is about gradually seeking, and directly seeing the real nature of our own mind -- the three occasions as defined in Chapter Four.

· The three worlds, the three occasions, the three empowerments, the three lights, the three impure body speech and mind, the three pure kaya, OM AH HUM, the three inseparability’s, 

· And the inseparability of the three

· The four types of enlightened activities / four kinds of activity

· The three gems, the three roots

· The four jewels, the four aspects of sadhana, 

· The three worlds are three occasions of the mind: 

Ø With conditioning and producing conditioning, 

Ø With conditioning without producing more conditioning,

Ø Without the influence of conditioning and without producing more conditioning.

· Or as exemplified by body, speech / abstractions and pure mind.

· They correspond to three stages of purification of the mind with the practice of the eight Dhyanas, or going to sleep, or dying.

Ø The seven consciousnesses / desire realm - The mind under the influence of conditioning, and producing more conditioning. The objects of meditation are material and limited objects, objects of the senses, associated with the body. By the coarsened vice and virtue of conceptual desire alaya supports the seeds of constructing what is desired (desire realm). When the five objects are grasped and fixated, affirmed and denied, and objects are coarsely conceived in the seven consciousnesses, that is what is called the seven consciousnesses. In the realm of desire the seven consciousnesses dominate.

Ø The alaya Vijnana / form realm - The mind in the four Dhyanas, not producing karma, but still subject to karma seeds. The objects of meditation are immaterial, limited objects, associated with the speech. Luminous non-thought is reconstructed as form (form realm). When there is no fixation of luminous appearance that is the motionless, clear, and luminous alaya-consciousness. In the realm of pure form it is the alaya-consciousness that dominates.

Ø The alaya / formless realm - The mind in the highest formless Dhyana, not producing karma, not subject to karma seeds. The objects of meditation are immaterial, limitless objects, associated with the mind. Depending on these seeds there is one-pointed, formless non-thought (formless realm). When awareness is undistracted, being without all thoughts, One pointed without the grasping of apparent objects, That is the time of apprehending the neutral alaya. In the formless realm there is only the non-thought of alaya. The other two samsaric styles are merely latent. 

Ø The natural state/ ultimate realm - Dharmadhatu - Union of the Two Truths: The mind fully liberated, transcending all conditioning. The real nature of the mind: inseparability of space (emptiness) and luminosity (dependent origination).

· The three stages are defined by considering the influence and the production of conditioning or karma. It could apply to what we call individual sentient beings, or to a group, or a society, or any level higher or lower. 

Ø At one level there is apparent assimilation, suffering, accommodation, adaptation, complexification. 

Ø At the next level there is only assimilation, with no acting or thinking. 

Ø At the next not assimilation or accommodation, like conditioned death or a perfect state with no need.

Ø There is also the state of Buddhahood where everything is compassion activities and wisdom.

· About the purification of the body, speech and mind corresponding to the three worlds: 

Ø The purification of the body permits to go beyond ordinary realism, and to see the alaya Vijnana, the mind interpreting the world without actually producing more karma. 

Ø The purification of the speech permits to go beyond simple idealism, beyond the acquired karma, the scheme of assimilation, by creating an artificial situation where there is nothing concrete to assimilate, or to filter using the karma seeds. What is seen then is the alaya, the very subtle mind without the influence of the karma seeds. 

Ø The purification of the mind is to go beyond this artificial state of pure mind; not thinking there is this duality of an impure mind, and a pure mind; and thinking that one is preferable than the other. 

Ø Purifying the three together is to see their inseparability, not falling into monism either. This is done while perfecting Dhyanas by combining them with Vipashyana. It is then seen that a mind with or without thoughts is not different, not the same; that appearances and mind are inseparable; that appearances and emptiness are inseparable; that mind and body are inseparable. So the real nature of everything is gradually seen as being: not existence / realism (empty), not non-existence / idealism / nihilism (still dependently arisen and functions), not both / dualism (inseparability), not neither / monism (non-dual: not one, not two). Those are the stages of the progressive purification along the path.)

See also

· The four Empowerments in Chapter Six)

h) Adopting pure and respectful conduct

Further, regarding conduct:

When they see the teacher they arise and prostrate.
They offer the teacher a seat or whatever else is needed.
Joining their palms they praise the teacher with pleasant speech.
Everyone arises as the teacher is departing.
To face in the teacher's direction as a way of showing respect.

They spread out the guru's seat and praise him and join their palms, and when he enters and departs they rise and go to meet him and see him off. This is said in the Vinaya of Holy Dharma.

As soon as the preceptor [6] is seen, they should rise from their seats. If they do not rise, they will be born as serpents or creeping things for five hundred generations. This is said in hundreds of places. If they rise and serve him even moderately well they will attain the major and minor marks.

The commentary to the Abhisamayalankara says:

By going to meet the guru, seeing him off, and so forth, they will possess the marks such as the palms of the hands and soles of the feet being marked with wheels.

As for practicing mindfulness and careful attention

i) When they are with the guru:

Always mindful, very careful, fully aware
With apprehensive awe they stay devotedly,
As shy before the teacher as a new bride with her husband.
Uplifted and not disturbed by an agitated mind,
Not biased and partial, Not seeking profit or fame.
They are not deceitful nor are they dishonest.
By the same token they are not hypocritical.
They do not act differently in private and in public.
They are not pleasant to those who are close, disparaging others.

In the guru's presence, they are completely mindful. They control infractions of body, speech, and mind. Their minds watch their minds, keeping careful control so that they do not become lost in the power of the kleshas. Tamed and peaceful like a new bride or a new monk, their wishes will be established. The Bodhicaryavatara says:

As for the drunken elephant of mind,
To the great pillar of contemplating Dharma
Tie it so that it does not escape.
With such an effort examine everything.

Keep mind one-pointed any way you can [7]
Not losing it for even the space of an instant,
Analyze just what the mind is like;
Thus the mind will be discriminated.

And also:

As for those who wish to guard the mind,
As for being mindful and aware,
May I guard them even if I die! [8]
Thus I join my palms in supplication.

Even alone in one's own house, one should not behave carelessly. One should keep mindful and aware. The Buddhas who have the divine eye see us even when we are hidden. The same text says:

The Buddhas and their sons the bodhisattvas
Have unobstructed vision of everything.
In the five eyes [9] of these I shall remain.

Thinking that, I feel shame, and reverence,
As well as fear, and these remain with me.

Even at other times and occasions the mind should not move from virtue. The same text says:

As for frivolous talk, there are various kinds.
There are many kinds of wondrous shows. [10]
If we enter into every one
Desire for that will surely be abandoned.

[There is no footnote number eleven (11)]

Uselessly digging the ground will cut the roots [12]
If questions and so forth furrow up the earth,
Having remembered the precepts of the Sugata,
We will surely let them go from fear. [13]

When we want to fidget and move around
Also if we have a desire to talk,
First having examined our own minds,
We should be stable in the proper way. [14]

When the mind has any kind of wishes
Or it wants to be angry, at that time,
We should not act and should not speak at all.
We should stay there like a piece of wood.

When we have wildness and discursiveness [15]
If we have pride and self-infatuation,
And secret negative thoughts are cultivated,
Or if there is an deceptiveness [16] and cunning.

When we become preoccupied with self-praise,
Or there is disparagement of others,
When we become regretful [17] of such abuse,
We should stay there like a piece of wood.

If we desire possessions, rank, and fame,
If we aspires to servants and retinue,
Or when the mind desires to be served, we should stay there like a piece of wood.

Wishing decrease or rejection of others' good
And cultivation of our benefit,
When a thought of speaking out arises,
We should stay there like a piece of wood.

When there is fear of impatience or laziness
Similarly of shamelessness, or nonsense,
Or mind attached to partialities,
We should stay there like a piece of wood.

Having examined thoroughly the mind
Of bitter kleshas and useless meaningless struggle,
Then heroically by the antidote,
One should hold the mind completely steady. [18]

Completely certain and completely faithful,
Trustworthy, [19] devoted, and respectful.
Having shame and modesty and fear, [20]
Try to be peaceful, bringing joy to others.

Not saddened at the mutual discord
Of the desires of children and of fools,
Think, "Produced by kleshas these arise."
Then we feel kindness for these people.

Having in our mouths no senseless thing
Able to handle oneself and sentient beings,
We should always firmly keep the mind. [21]
As if it were a selfless emanation. [22]

"After so long this is the highest freedom,"
Thinking again and again of that attainment,
Such a mind, remaining like Mount Meru,
Should hold to that completely motionless.

Adharma should not move us from this even for an instant. Since one is devoted to the practice of Dharma because of the guru, one's companions, the khenpo's instructions, fear of the lower realms, and the misery of samsara; by one's effort, mindfulness, awareness, conscientiousness, and many virtues will arise. The same text says:

Through association with the guru,
And all that has been taught by the preceptor
And devotion coming from the good fortune of fear,
Mindfulness will easily arise.

Having produced virtue and veneration for the guru, and eliminated partiality, desire for wealth and fame, hypocrisy, deceitfulness, and saying different things when people are near and far away, one will always be the same to everyone. Therefore one will perfect the accumulations and purify the obscurations without distinction.

j) Showing reverence by the three pleasings:

 

If they are wealthy, they make offerings to the guru
Otherwise serving with body and speech, respect and reverence.
They abandon this life's values and please the teacher with practice.

The best is to serve with practice. The intermediate with body and speech, and the lesser with material things. One should truly do any of these that are appropriate.

They reverse the strayings of others though skillful means:  

If others insult the guru, they refute their words.
If they cannot, they think of his virtues again and again.
They cover their ears, but try to benefit these with compassion.
They will not gladly speak any words that do not support him.

If anyone says something bad, they reverse it through skillful means. If they do not have the power to do so, they think of the guru's virtues, and covering their ears with their fingers, they will not attend, listen, or ask about it. The Tantra of the Arising of Amrita says:

If people should insult the vajra master,
By peaceful or wrathful action they reverse it.
If they do not have the power to do so,
They will cover their ears with mindfulness.
They do not pay attention or talk with them.
If they ask any questions about these things,
They will be boiled in the lower realms.

As for telling the benefits of having done this

These are the benefits:  

Thus they accomplish benefits in all their lives.
They meet with holy persons and hear the highest Dharma.
They are perfectly filled with the wealth of various qualities
Of the paths and bhumis, dharanis, and samádhis,
Providing beings with a feast of happiness and peace.

The Gandavyuha Sutra says:

Kye, son of noble family, because one is supported by the spiritual friend, one always feels reverence, and therefore there is mindfulness. For the host of sentient beings benefit and happiness is produced. Spiritual friends are encountered. The holy bhumis, paths, and samádhis are accomplished.

D. Beings to be avoided, along with those associated with them

There are six sections.

· 1. The instruction to abandon evil spiritual friends

· 2. Abandoning friends and associates who are evil-doers

· 3. The benefits of abandoning evil spiritual friends and companions

· 4. The summary

· 5. The instruction to attend on spiritual companions

· 6. The explanation of the virtues of properly relying on them

1. The instruction to abandon evil spiritual friends.

Now there is the instruction to abandon evil spiritual friends together with those associated with them:

 

Thus by proper relationship with holy persons,
Abandon all evil people and evil spiritual friends.
A teacher without the qualities described above
Gone wrong because of faults, breaking vows and samayas,
With little kindness, compassion, prajña or learned knowledge,
Is indolent and lazy, unaware and ignorant.
Proud and arrogant, with harsh and vicious disdain,
They are coarsened by kleshas and venomous with the five poisons.
Concerned with this life only, they throw the next away.
Although they may seem to be teachers of the holy Dharma,
In fact they are of the deceitful family of adharma.
As bees are driven far away by a heap of filth,
Such gurus drive students, however many, far away.
Trusting them leads on perverted paths to the lower realms.

Whoever wants liberation should not rely on them.

Such persons break their vows and samayas and have little compassion or learning. They are as lazy as they are proud. Their jealous disdain and five poisons are rude and coarse. They seek retinue, possessions, and fame in this life. Even when they stay alone, a rain of distracting activities and kleshas falls around them everywhere. They throw concern with the next life far away. They disparage everyone but themselves, and all dharmas but their own. Their language is that of the Dharma, and they make a display of being extremely skillful, but in reality, no one's mind is benefited. Therefore, both their words and sense are in error. Theirs is the family of charlatans. Like someone piling up a dung heap, they collect a numerous retinue like bees. However since they lead those who have faith and want liberation to the lower realms, give them a wide berth. The Sutra of the Treasury of Buddhahood says:

Worldly enemies only rob us of our lives. We only lose our bodies, and do not also fall into the lower realms. Ignorant persons who dwell on wrong paths lead those who aspire to virtue into hell for a thousand kalpas. Why so? Because practicing a Dharma of things and characteristics, they teach a mistaken Dharma.

They take the lives of all sentient beings, and when they teach their mistaken Dharma, they do great evil.

 

2. Abandoning friends and associates who are evil-doers

Following that is the instruction to abandon evil friends:

 

Evildoer companions should also be abandoned.
The more we are their companions the farther evil spreads.
The wholesome is obscured, and kleshas fall like rain.
The upper realms are blocked and the lower cultivated.
Holy ones are reviled with hatred for white Dharmas.
Evil is praised and there is reliance on black Dharmas.
They praise those who are equal to them in the fortune of evil.
They always lead on perverted paths to the lower realms.

Those who have sense and vision should keep them far away.


To the extent one deals with them, evil deeds increase, and evildoers are supported and praised. Since these people have left virtue far behind, they will fall into the lower realms, and so they must be abandoned. The Edifice of the Three Jewels says:

What are evil companions? They are those who decrease virtue and are joined to non- virtue. One should not associate with them. One should not attend on them. One should not even see them.

Also it says there:

The shravakas are those who benefit themselves.
In benefiting themselves they abandon others' benefit.
Attending them will lead to materialistic gathering.
This will never produce accumulation of Dharma.
Those are bad spiritual friends and their students bad companions.
One should abandon them, and keep them far away.

 

3. The benefits of abandoning evil spiritual friends and companions

Here are the benefits of abandoning and not associating with them:

By abandoning evil companions and evil spiritual friends,
Happy and virtuous qualities are established here and hereafter.
Happiness never diminishes, but always increases farther.
The path of profundity, liberation, is completed.
We will never see any persons who are evil.
But instead will see the lord Sugatas, with their retinue of their sons.
Thinking of us considerately, they will give us blessings.
When we live a wholesome, life we go to the higher realms.
Having such qualities as thought cannot encompass.

The Instruction in 8,000 Lines says:

Subhuti, the virtues of abandoning evil companions are beyond the scope of thought.

Virtue will always be performed. Tathágatas will be seen. Happiness will be produced during our lives. Afterwards we shall be born in the higher celestial realms. In all our lives, we will never be separated from apprehension of bodhicitta. Unsurpassable, complete, perfect enlightenment will manifest continually.

 

4. The summary:

We should always relate with virtuous and holy friends.
Because of them our wholesome karma will increase.
Karma and kleshas diminish and evil will be stopped.
We reach the end of samsara, and higher things manifest.
Then what is good and true will come to be established.
In this life there is happiness, and afterwards fruition.
We are ever-successful leaders of gods and human beings.

The Vinaya says:

Conduct like that of Brahma is holy association. One reaches the activity of Brahma.
By the increase of virtuous roots, there will be a cause according with complete liberation.
There will be respect from those who possess life.

And along with that:

One should attend them with fear.

The Sutra on Going to Mindfulness of Dharma says:

By relying on spiritual friends, mindfulness and awareness will be completely pure.
The virtuous roots will be completely perfected.

 

5. The instruction to attend on spiritual companions:

By relying on wholesome companions and wholesome spiritual friends,
Wholesomeness increases and wholesome fruitions are gained.
One is not afraid of samsara, having measureless benefits.
The limitless wealth of beings' two benefits is established.
A leader is emanated by the victorious one,
Having such an appearance in this time of the dark age.
Therefore, until we attain the essence of enlightenment,
We should rely on holy persons, such as these.

The Sutra on Supreme Ultimate Samadhi

O son of noble family, Moreover, in later lives, at a later time, I myself, will emanate as spiritual friends and display these samádhis. Therefore, since the spiritual friend is your teacher, until being within the complete essence of enlightenment, one should rely on the spiritual friend, offering respect and due ceremony.

 

6. The explanation of the virtues of properly relying on them

As for the virtues of this:

 

By that unbiased sacred outlook will arise.
We will be versed in kindness, compassion and bodhicitta.
There will be increase of the nyams and realization.
Whatever measureless benefits for others one can think of
Will thereby be accomplished in the proper way.

The Sutra requested by Jewel-Crown says:

O son of the gods, by attending on the spiritual friend and showing him veneration, all the Buddha fields will be seen. The holy samádhi of the great compassion will be attained. One will become inseparable from the Prajñápáramitá. One will completely ripen sentient beings.
One will attain complete accomplishment of all hopes.

By these teaching one should know how to rely on the nature of the guru.

 

E. Knowing what is to be abandoned and accepted, and how the siddhis are received 

There are five sections:

· 1. How to practice

· 2. How to propitiate

· 3. The accumulation of action

Ø 1) Pacifying

Ø 2) Enriching

Ø 3) Magnetizing

Ø 4) Destroying

Ø 5) In particular

Ø 6) Afterward

Ø 7) How by meditating in this way signs of with the individual karmas arise

 

· 4. The particular details

Emanating the Buddha field

Increasing and purifying the substances

Inviting the guests

The dedication

The virtues of this inner feast offering of the kusulu yogins

The reason

· 5. The benefits

Since the guru is the ground of all virtues, there is the admonishment rely on him

The instruction to do as was done formerly

1. How to practice.

How, after this is known, the siddhis are received:

 

Here is how to supplicate and meditate:

We should constantly gather the two accumulations.
(i.e. Using both method and wisdom, in accord with the real nature of everything, in accord with Liberation.)

Also the two obscurations should constantly be cleansed.

By day on top of the head, at night within the heart, (i.e. Inviting the guru-Buddha.)
Mentally offer and make supplications to the root guru, (i.e. Guru Puja, Tsog Offerings...)
Ornamented with all the major and minor marks,
As being non-dual with the yidam [Buddha aspect] that you venerate
And with the assembly of the dakinis.
Surrounded by lineage gurus, dakas, and dakinis.

The Embodiment of Everything Precious Tantra says:

More than one who for a hundred thousand kalpas
Meditates on a hundred thousand deities
It is better to think of the guru just a little.
The merit of this is utterly limitless.

The great master Padmasambhava bestowed this teaching as an oral instruction. As to how this should be done, if one continually supplicates,
the unity of guru, yidam, and Dakini will be established.

· The guru there blesses.

· The yidam ([Buddha aspect] bestows supreme siddhi.

· The dakinis remove obstacles and are the chief establishers of the ordinary siddhis.

[Visualization:]

Sitting on a comfortable seat, after taking refuge and arousing bodhicitta,

From emptiness visualize yourself vividly as your yidam [Buddha aspect].

[Visualize the field of merit] Adorning the crown of the head, on a lion, sun, and moon throne, is the root guru, blazing with radiance and splendor, surrounded by the gurus of the ultimate lineage and all who have a Dharma connection with it. Visualize that heaps of clouds of dakinis gather. When one has rejoiced in the elaborations, invite the jnanasattvas, make offerings and praises, and confess evil deeds.

In brief [Prayers]:

 

Guru, you who are the precious Buddha
Yidam, with the host of dakinis,
(i.e. the "three roots" of the Vajrayâna - lama, yidam and protector)

Devotedly we prostrate and go for refuge.
We make the outer, inner, and secret offerings.
We confess our evil deeds without remainder.
We rejoice in all the host of virtues,
We ask the turning of the wheel of dharma.
We ask the gurus not to pass into nirvana.
And to bestow the supreme and worldly siddhis.
Clear away geks and agents of perversion.
May complete enlightenment be established.
(i.e. The Seven Limbs Puja)

-- Say that three times.

(i.e. Looks like the inseparability of the guru, yidam and protectors is equivalent to the inseparability of the Trikaya. And the dakinis are like the five wisdoms. And the purification of the environment is like the Buddha-fields. All about purification of appearances (objects of the three worlds), seeing their real nature, their inseparable two aspects: dependent origination and emptiness.)

(i.e. About The Field Of Merit (From External To Internal):

In Tibetan Buddhism, where tantra forms part of most daily practices, the master-disciple relationship is considered the basis for all realizations. The lama, because of his essential role in transmitting the Buddha's doctrine to disciples is considered as no different from the Buddha. The core of many practices is meditation on the merit field, in which the practitioner visualizes his root lama surrounded by meditational deities, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Arhats, Heroes (pawos), Sky-farers (khandros) and protectors and prays to them as a source of inspiration and merit for attaining enlightenment. The term 'merit field' means a field where merit is planted, where it grows and flourishes in the disciples' mind-stream. The deities in the merit field are all aspects of the lama. At the end of the practice, the practitioner dissolves them back into the lama, knowing that they are his manifestations. In order for this practice to be successful, faith in the lama must be unshakable, for the disciple cannot proceed confidently on the path when burdened with doubts concerning the main object of guidance and inspiration. It is not a question of how important or how knowledgeable the lama is, but the fact that he is the personal link with all the beings in the merit field that makes him essential.

-- Lama, Yidam, Khandro, Chokyong; From Cho Yang  - "The Voice of Tibetan Religion and Culture"

The field of merit also represent the inseparability of the three aspects; one, then separated, then all in one; body, speech and mind; or the three worlds; the three occasions of the mind... 

· The guru is the mind -- the intuitive level

· The Yidam is the speech -- the conceptual level

· The protectors are the body -- the sense world

· The Buddha is the inseparability -- omniscience

The simulations of gradually emanating the field of merit from emptiness at the start of the practice, and dissolving it into emptiness at the end, represent the way our own mind works as described in chapter 4. 

We start with an external field of merit, and then gradually replace this with the internal field of merit: our own min with its three inseparable aspects.

The Guru

The lama (bla ma), guru or spiritual mentor, is first mentioned in the refuge recitation because he relates to his disciples the teachings passed on in a direct and unbroken lineage from the time of the Buddha. Therefore, if you really practice, the lama should be regarded no differently from the Buddha. Reverence for the lama is based on these reasons and though both

· The direct lama, that is the one who bestows the teachings and

· The indirect lamas, those in the lineage between the Buddha and the direct lama

Are objects of respect, special attention is paid towards the direct lama!

The Yidams (Buddha aspects)

The Yidam (yi dam) is a meditational deity. It is an aspect of the Buddha, and of the lama. Tantra is a quick path, which allows the ripe disciple to attain enlightenment in one lifetime. Empowerment is a means to ripen the disciple's continuum and is a preliminary for tantric practice. During an empowerment, the Buddha, personified as the lama takes the form of a meditational deity, places the disciples in that deity's mandala and confers the initiation upon them. The meditation deity is thus an indirect personification of the Buddha adopted in order to confer the initiation on the disciple.

During the initiation, the lama or vajra master generates himself as the deity with clear vision and divine pride. He instructs the disciples what to visualize and mentally places them in a mandala, or deity's abode, symbolized by a painted or a sand mandala. The lama then visualizes the meditational deity before him. He prays for the disciples to receive accomplishments and bestows on them the empowerment.

Having receiving the initiation, the disciple is allowed to practice the tantra on the basis of the deity or yidam whose initiation he or she has received. When practicing the self-generation of the deity, the disciple must first meditates on emptiness, out of which they deity arises. Therefore, in order to practice tantra successfully one must have at least a firm conviction that all phenomena are empty of inherent existence. Visualization of the deity must be very clear therefore meditative stabilization is necessary.

· Clarity of visualization is the antidote to ordinary appearances.

· The strong identification with the deity known as divine pride is the antidote to grasping onto ordinary appearances.

Meditational deities are Buddhas by nature. They are beyond the cycle of rebirth and in the context of the merit field; they are places on the four highest levels of the tree. Lama and yidam, mentor and deity, should be revered equally and seen as indivisible from one another. Anyone who claims that yidams are superior to lamas will not attain realization. Those who consider them equally will gain high spiritual attainments.

... It is essential to consider the lama and yidam as of the same nature, inseparable from each other. When you practice tantra, you have to visualize the lama as of one entity with Vajradhara. If you practice on the basis that the lama and yidam are of one single entity, there is hope for spiritual achievement.

   There are four kinds of yidams or meditational deities belonging to the four classes tantra: Action, Performance, Yoga and Highest Yoga Tantra.

   The ability or facility to practice with a particular yidam comes from past life connections. Some may find it easier to achieve realization meditating on Heruka, others on Yamantaka.

   Yidam can have peaceful aspects. such as Tara and Avalokiteshvara, slightly wrathful aspects, such as Vajra-yogini or Guhyasamaja or a extremely wrathful aspects, such as Yamantaka or Vajrakila. It is said that yidams take on a fearful appearance in order to scare away the interfering forces that create obstacles for practitioners. These interferences can be internal, such as disturbing emotions, or external, and cannot be tamed through peaceful means. The yidams themselves are not actually angry. Their apparent anger is motivated by love and compassion. They are aware that the beings afflicted by disturbing emotions or the interfering spirits harming practitioners are accumulating negative karma and will suffer greatly in future. Therefore, yidams take on this frightful aspect to lessen their suffering.

   Wrathful deities can be compared to parents, who have children with different dispositions. Although they love them all equally, they must treat them differently for their own good. They reward those who behave well, but may need to punish deal sternly with the unruly. They do not act out of anger, but out of concern.

   All yidams assist the practitioner in overcoming the principal disturbing emotions: anger, desire and ignorance. However, some have particular methods for taming particular disturbing emotions. By these means the practitioner can transform them into the path by doing the practice of that particular deity. In the case of Yamantaka, anger is brought into the path. The anger, which arises in the practitioner's continuum, is used to eliminate anger. In the practice of Guhyasamaja, desire is generated which can eradicate desire. Like the termite born in the wood that eats the wood away, the anger or desire, which are generated eat away the practitioner's anger or desire.

-- Lama, Yidam, Khandro, Chokyong; From Cho Yang  - "The Voice of Tibetan Religion and Culture"

Khandros and Pawos

The literal meaning of Khandro (mKha' 'gro) or dakini is skyfarer. 

(The term Dakini is Sanskrit. It's Tibetan equivalent is Khadro, kha meaning sky and dro meaning to go. Taking it together, Khadro means one who can move through the sky.)

There are several accounts of their origin. One holds that in the country of Orgyen, said to be situated in the Swat valley of present day Pakistan, there lived harmful beings like ogres, which were called pawos (dpa' bo) and ogresses, which were called khandros. As the tantric path developed and flourished in the area, these ogres and ogresses became Buddhist practitioners who attained high levels of realization. Thus they became differentiated from the worldly demons who harm sentient beings.

Khandros and pawos, sky-farers and heroes, have attained at least the path of seeing, at which stage they are free from rebirth in cyclic existence.

Another account of Khandros and pawos has it that they were harmful beings appointed by Shiva and his consort Uma to guard the twenty-four important sites. Because they brought harm to the beings there they were eventually conquered by Heruka and tamed. Reaching high levels of realization, they became beneficial guardians of these sites. The pawos and khandros represented in the merit field are of this latter type. They have attained liberation from cyclic existence and are considered objects of refuge, members of the Sangha. The main abode of the pawos and khandros is the Dagpo Khacho (bdag pa mkha' spyod), the Sky-farers' Pure Land and abode of Vajra-yogini. These deities take various forms to help sentient beings, especially tantric practitioners, to progress upon the path.

-- Lama, Yidam, Khandro, Chokyong; From Cho Yang  - "The Voice of Tibetan Religion and Culture"

Protectors

When the Buddha was teaching, he instructed some of his disciples to remain as Dharma Protectors (chos skyong), to ensure the long duration of the doctrine, to shield practitioners from harm, and to remove obstacles to their practice. Among them were the King of the Four Directions, who are represented guarding the doors of most Mahayana Buddhist temples throughout Asia.

   There are many types of protectors, such as those appropriate to the beings of the three motivations: small, middling and great. 

· Yama, the lord of death is the guardian of beings of small capacity, whose chief motivation is to avoid the sufferings of the lower realms of animals, hungry ghosts and hells. Yama distinguishes beings according to their accumulation of virtuous or unwholesome actions. In this way, he is the protector of virtuous beings, who are sent for rebirth in a higher realm.

· Vaishravana is the protector of the beings of middling capacity, whose wish is to be freed from rebirth in cyclic existence and who adhere to ethics in the form of vows of individual liberation.

· Mahakala is the emanation of Avalokiteshvara and because he is the essence of compassion, he is the protector of the doctrine of the Great Vehicle.

Dharma Protectors listen to those who command them and hold to their purpose which is to protect the doctrine. They help the holders of the doctrine, those who study it and those who practice it. Dharma Protectors came into being at many different times, some were instigated by great Indian adepts and later, in Tibet, by Guru Padmasambhava.

There are two kinds of protectors: worldly and transcendental. 

· Such protectors as Palden Lhamo and Mahakala are considered transcendental and have a place in the merit field. They belong to the Sangha and are objects of refuge. 

· Some of those introduced by Guru Padmasambhava were considered worldly at that time, although they were virtuous beings and totally committed to their pledges. Some say that having continually practiced since the time of Padmasambhava, they have attained high levels of realizations and are now beyond cyclic existence. In any case, because they were not so when they were appointed, they are not represented in the merit field.

It is considered wrong to view worldly protectors as objects of refuge. They are not to be prostrated to and must not be the main object of devotion. In Tibetan society, some protectors manifest themselves to human through oracles. They have their mediums and are consulted about matters beyond human knowledge. People often pray to them for worldly purposes because they feel that they are more accessible than higher deities. However, they should only be considered as helpers or friends. A true practitioner would only request their assistance for well-motivated purposes, something which will benefit others and be a source for accumulating virtue. It is believed that because of their pledges to help the doctrine, this is what will please them most.

Yidams, pawos, khandros and Dharma protectors are all aspects of the lama within the merit field.

· The lama correctly teaches the Buddhist doctrine to beings.

· The yidam is a form through which the Buddha tames beings and confers on them the necessary initiations to practice tantra.

· Protectors are those who, instigated by the Buddha's command, protect the doctrine and those beings who practice it correctly.

-- Lama, Yidam, Khandro, Chokyong; From Cho Yang  - "The Voice of Tibetan Religion and Culture"

Thereupon, the Buddha said to the Licchavi Vimalakirti,

"Noble son, when you would see the Tathágata, how do you view him?"

Thus addressed, the Licchavi Vimalakirti said to the Buddha,

"Lord, when I would see the Tathágata, I view him by not seeing any Tathágata. Why?
I see him as not born from the past, not passing on to the future, and not abiding in the present time. Why?

He is the essence, which is the reality of matter, but he is not matter.
He is the essence, which is the reality of sensation, but he is not sensation.
He is the essence, which is the reality of intellect, but he is not intellect.
He is the essence, which is the reality of motivation, yet he is not motivation.
He is the essence, which is the reality of consciousness, yet he is not consciousness.
Like the element of space, he does not abide in any of the four elements.
Transcending the scope of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, he is not produced in the six sense-media.
He is not involved in the three worlds,

is free of the three defilements,
is associated with the triple liberation,
is endowed with the three knowledge’s,
and has truly attained the unattainable.

"The Tathágata has reached the extreme of detachment in regard to all things, yet he is not a reality-limit.
He abides in ultimate reality, yet there is no relationship between it and him.
He is not produced from causes, nor does he depend on conditions.
He is not without any characteristic, nor has he any characteristic.
He has no single nature or any diversity of natures.
He is not a conception, not a mental construction, nor is he a non-conception.
He is neither the other shore, nor this shore, nor that between.
He is neither here, nor there, nor anywhere else.
He is neither this nor that.
He cannot be discovered by consciousness, nor is he inherent in consciousness.
He is neither darkness nor light.
He is neither name nor sign.
He is neither weak nor strong.
He lives in no country or direction.
He is neither good nor evil.
He is neither compounded nor uncompounded.
He cannot be explained as having any meaning whatsoever.

"The Tathágata is neither generosity nor avarice,

Neither morality nor immorality,
neither tolerance or malice,
neither effort or sloth,
neither concentration nor distraction,
neither wisdom nor foolishness.

He is inexpressible.
He is neither truth nor falsehood;

Neither escape from the world nor failure to escape from the world;
neither cause of involvement in the world nor not a cause of involvement in the world;
he is the cessation of all theory and all practice.

He is neither a field of merit nor not a field of merit;

He is neither worthy of offerings nor unworthy of offerings.

He is not an object, and cannot be contacted.
He is not a whole, nor a conglomeration.
He surpasses all calculations.
He is utterly unequaled, yet equal to the ultimate reality of things.
He is matchless, especially in effort.
He surpasses all measure.
He does not go, does not stay, does not pass beyond.
He is neither seen, heard, distinguished, nor known.
He is without any complexity, having attained the equanimity of omniscient gnosis.
Equal toward all things, he does not discriminate between them.
He is without reproach, without excess, without corruption, without conception, and without intellectualization.
He is without activity, without birth, without occurrence, without origin, without production, and without non-production.
He is without fear and without sub-consciousness; without sorrow, without joy, and without strain.
No verbal teaching can express him.

"Such is the body of the Tathágata and thus should he be seen.
Who sees thus, truly sees. Who sees otherwise, sees falsely."

-- Vimalakirti Sutra - 12.1 - The Tathágatas

 

(i.e.  About The Three Roots (from external to internal):

Among the "three roots" of the Vajrayâna - lama, yidam and protector - it is the lama who is the most important; yidam and protector are manifestations of the lama. (i.e. Like the inseparability of the Trikaya.) 

The mind of the lama is the Dharmakaya, the emptiness of space.

The yidams appear out of it as an expression of the mind's inherent compassion and clarity (i.e. Like the Sambhogakaya). Thus they do not have the kind of true existence as is attributed to worldly gods.

The reason that the yidams appear in manifold forms, for example peaceful and wrathful, is that the disciples have different attitudes, views and aspirations. In order to meet these different wishes, there are different appearances of the yidams as an expression of the compassion of the lama. The yidams also appear in so many different ways in order to symbolize that the whole spectrum of our clinging to impure appearances is purified.

Now, we have a dualistic perception and are always thinking in dualistic categories. Therefore, we are not able to relate to the ultimate yidam and we need something, which represents him. The many forms of the yidams, which we know from pictures are in that form symbols for the ultimate yidam. The meditation on the yidam deities is divided into two phases, the so called developing phase (Tib.: Kjerim) and the completion phase (Tib.: Dsogrim). The meaning of it is as follows. 

All appearances arise in a mutual dependence. Something arises at a certain time, stays for a while and disappears again. The two phases of meditation are used in order to symbolize that the principle of arising and disappearing is carried on to a pure level. The arising of a deity symbolizes that the clinging to the arising of the commonly experienced world is purified. The developing phases have different elements: first one visualizes oneself as the deity, then one visualizes the deity in the space in front of oneself, one makes offerings and praises, etc. The reason that one visualizes oneself first as the yidam is the following: we all consider ourselves as being very important. If now somebody tells us, "You are not really existent," then this is difficult for us to understand and to accept. In the developing phase one deals with it in a way that one does not think about whether one exists or not, but one simply disregards this question and visualizes oneself in the form of the deity. If one visualizes oneself as the deity, while being aware that the yidam is an expression of complete purity, the clinging to an "I" disappears naturally. 

The visualization of the yidam in space in front of oneself works in a similar way. Now we cling to all the outer objects we perceive. In the developing phase one imagines the whole outer world as the palace of the yidam. The yidam is in the middle of the palace, and all beings appear in the form of the yidam. By visualizing the impure appearances in their pure form one overcomes the clinging to them.

Therefore, it is important to understand that all the elements of the developing phase have a symbolic content. Without this understanding, for example believing the deity to be truly existent, one just confuses oneself in the meditation and even increases the illusion. If one uses the various developing and completion phases of the yidams, it is important to know the meaning of their different forms. Why, for example, does one visualize 16 arms, four legs, etc., if two are actually enough? To believe that we must visualize this because the yidams actually look like this would be a misconception. To believe in the true existence of the yidam is a little bit ridiculous and very confusing. Instead of that, one should understand that there is something, which is purified and something, which is a method of purification. The visualization of an yidam with four arms, for example, is a symbol of purifying our general way of experiencing things in so-called fourfold categories. For example the four elements and everything else we believe to appear in a fourfold manner. The three eyes of a yidam symbolize the overcoming of our way of thinking in threefold categories. For example, the three times. The same applies to all the other details of the deity; all of them have the meaning to purify our common clinging to the world of our experiences. 

Without this understanding, one ends up in the meditation full of misconceptions. One either holds things to be true or to be not existent at all. That is how one enters an entirely wrong path, which does not have anything to do with Vajrayâna or Buddhism as such. To believe the yidams to be truly existent and not understand that they are symbols of the purification of our conceptual ideas about the experienced world only increases concepts further. It has the effect that the illusions, which one already has, become stronger, which can then lead to the experience of fear during the meditation or to the appearance of thoughts which one does not know how to deal with. Therefore, it is so important in the meditation practice, especially in the Vajrayâna, to acquire the right view. 

How does this right view look? It is the understanding that the relative appearance of things and their ultimate reality are a unity, that they are not separate from each other and not contradicting each other.

Ø The developing phases of the yidam-deities correspond to the relative truth, the way things appear.

Ø The completion phases correspond to the principle that ultimately things are not truly existent.

Ø At the same time one needs the understanding that both form a unity. 

Ø The completion phases are used to avoid falling into the extreme view of believing things to be truly existent.

Ø The developing phases avert the extreme view of believing things to not exist at all, to only be empty.

Ø The understanding that both form a unity gives rise to the understanding that everything is the union of joy and emptiness. (i.e. against the extremes of dualism and monism)

By meditating in this way, through the application of the yidam practice, the relative and the ultimate achievements can be obtained. In that sense, the yidam is called "the root of accomplishments."

The protectors, "the root of activity", can bee seen as the manifold expression of the yidams, which again are the expression of the Dharmadhatu mind of the lama. (i.e. Like the Nirmanakaya) The meaning of the protectors, since the Vajrayâna is a very profound path, is to protect one from the many conflicting circumstances and hindrances, which may appear while being on that path. One relies on the protectors to pacify and eliminate these hindrances.

-- Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Yidams - the Source of Accomplishments)

All elements, which are used on the Vajrayâna path have a profound meaning.

· The body of the yidam is the unity of appearance and emptiness, 

· The mantra is the unity of sound and emptiness, 

· And the mind is the unity of awareness and emptiness. 

If one applies these elements to one's own practice, by abiding completely in this awareness, one can let the pride of the deity arise in oneself. But in order to do so one has to understand the real meaning of these things. It is not about simply visualizing oneself as the deity, because by the mere visualization one does not achieve this understanding.

 

Practitioners have to understand three things. 

· The view is that both kinds of reality make up an inseparable unity. 

· For the path, the understanding that method and wisdom are a unity is important. 

· Concerning the fruit, one needs the understanding that the two kayas, which are achieved are a unity. 

Especially when practicing Mahamudra or Maha Ati, the understanding of these three elements is very important. Otherwise, one cannot realize the fruit through this practice.

 

What about the so-called "ultimate yidam" Chenrezig (Loving Eyes) for example appears in a very specific form, with four arms, etc. Nevertheless, this is not the ultimate aspect of this yidam; it is just the way he appears. 

· The ultimate yidam is the awareness that Chenrezig's expression is the compassion of all Buddhas. 

The form Dorje Phagmo (Diamond Sow) has is a symbolic form. The ultimate Dorje Phagmo is that the space of phenomena is the highest transcendent wisdom, the mother of all Buddhas which gives rise to all Buddhas. She is the paramita of wisdom. 

-- Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Yidams - the Source of Accomplishments)

More on the dakinis:

... There are enlightened dakinis and unenlightened dakinis.

· The unenlightened dakinis are termed worldly dakinis because they are still caught in the cyclic world of samsara. Worldly dakinis are found in human form as well as in astral form and could have a form of a beautiful fairy-like being or a demonic flesh-eating being. An example of a worldly Dakini are the Five evil Tseringma sisters Padma Sambhava tamed into protectors. Another example of a worldly Dakini is a celestial messenger falling into the category of a protector bodhisattva performing beneficial actions. Another example might be a great human practitioner that has accomplished some insight but who is not yet released from suffering.

· The enlightened dakinis are the Wisdom Dakinis. They have passed beyond samsara into liberation and an example of an enlightened Dakini would be any one of the female yidam or one of the female consorts to the Five Dhyana Buddhas.

There are five families of Worldly and Wisdom Dakinis:

· Vajra Dakinis, Ratna Dakinis, Padma Dakinis, Karma Dakinis, and Buddha Dakinis. 

... Dakinis in general can be a guiding light along the path removing physical and spiritual hindrances. They can play a great part in an individual's attainment of enlightenment. They are the forces that awaken dormant qualities of spiritual impulses hidden in the subconscious. It is the Dakini's inspirational influence that can open one and remove obstacles. But, it is the Wisdom Dakinis that we should be interested in learning about and who we can rely on to truly release us from samsara.

... They are included as a source of refuge. ... The inner sources of refuge are known as the Three Roots and this is where the Dakini comes in. 

· We take refuge in the lama as the root of blessings because it is he or she that imparts the knowledge, methods and wisdom that will enable us to obtain liberation. 

· We take refuge in the yidam as the root of accomplishment because it will be through our practice of the yidam that we will be able to realize the nature of our mind. 

· And, we take refuge in the dakas and dakinis as the principle of wisdom as the root of all Buddha Activity.

The femininity of a Dakini is linked with the symbolism of space. It's the ability to give birth to or actualize the full range of potentialities. It is in the space of becoming, where the full range of the four kinds of enlightened activity occur.

The four kinds of activity being:

1. Pacifying, 

2. Enriching, 

3. Magnetizing 

4. And destroying.

On a relative level, 

1. Pacifying energy allays one's fears and sufferings. 

2. Enriching energy increases one's merit, long life and health. 

3. Magnetizing energy draws together the necessary circumstances supporting spiritual development. 

4. And destroying energy is wrathful intervention to quickly cut through obstacles faced on the path.

Each of these activities has a profound ultimate function as well. 

1. Ultimate pacification is the pacification of the mind's poisons. 

2. Ultimate enrichment brings accumulation of merit and wisdom to its fullest potential. 

3. Ultimate magnetizing involves the overcoming of all confusion and superficial thought patterns and thus awakening the true nature. 

4. And, ultimate destroying annihilates all the ways we invest things into solidity.

In the symbolism of the feminine aspect of a Dakini, the ultimate Dakini embodies the inseparability of emptiness and wisdom. Only when that Dakini takes form in the Five Buddha Families does she represent the differentiating patterns of experience that are the mental and physical constituents making up human personality. Seeing the universe in these different arrangements is a way the Buddha families are used to transform relative states of consciousness into the understanding of the ultimate mind. In their neurotic expression the Buddha Families are styles of imprisonment. In their enlightened expression they are styles of freedom. A particular neurosis of each family is associated with a particular type of wisdom or enlightened form it can be transmuted into.

Yogic practices purify both the male and female principles within the human body. 

· It is through a practice that seeds of the vital force of the five senses, the male aspect represented by the Five Buddhas and the forces of wisdom, 

· The female aspect of the Buddha Nature represented by their Five Consorts are purified. 

It is through the path of Vajrayâna that one is able to attain enlightenment in just one lifetime by making full use of the very poisons and illusions that cause delusion.

By consciously invoking a Wisdom Dakini we can begin to develop a sensitivity to the energy itself. When looking at the iconography of the Dakini we should bear in mind that through understanding her symbolism we can identify with her and thus we are identifying with out own energy. That the feminine principle of the wisdom Dakini is a root of auspicious circumstances and enlightened activity. 

... Now, sentient beings are constantly operating from these grounds of these Five Buddha Families and manifesting in it's natural manner in any given situation the energies present within themselves with a reference point that can either be confused or enlightened. There are polarities and pulls of all kinds occurring in a pattern. A basic force that relates to this basic patterning is a kind of clarity. It is a space where the two polarities can exist and maintain themselves. This space is a totally awake situation where emotions and thoughts can arise but from an unconditional quality. If we can realize this very fact when our emotions are happening, we can instead of being caught up in the emotion or thought can release it in the midst of this space instead and it will dissolve into its true nature of clarity.

Experiences cannot occur without pain or pleasure. Any form of experience contains a sense of reference point that is a basis for its reflection. The Five Buddha Families are the five aspects of a total situation from five different angles. All these qualities relate with each other and have their basis quality as completely vast space. This space (or Akasha) is the medium for the movement and all of our experiences are colored by these five energies.

To live as a Dakini means to be aware of this space. This is the true meaning of a Dakini as being one who can move through space. It is a space behind the poisons and thought patterns. Such an awareness, however, is hard to maintain. Our mind is totally unstable and most of us have no real control it. It flutters from one thing to another. Recognizing and training the mind is the only way to gain stability. If we really had stability, we could maintain recognition of our mind's essence in Dharmakaya on a continual basis no matter what was presented to us through our emotions or thoughts. It isn't long before we are carried away by our numerous mind's distractions.

Vajrayâna Buddhism uses different methods for developing the mind.

· In the Development Stage of practice, for example, one imagines an outer world that is perfect in every way, a Buddha-field. With everything in the world being made up of the five elements, visualizing our outer world as a Buddha-field allows us to regard the body, speech and mind in its pure form. 

· In a Completion Stage the wisdom aspect of the Buddha Nature itself is recognized. One of the taming processes used in Vajrayâna Buddhism is Shamatha and Vipasyana meditation. It is beneficial because the mind must be held down and not left to it's own devices where in it's own natural way it likes to get involved in anger and aversion and other bad things. Such things like this is what the mind is used to and it is with real training and effort, such as through Shamatha and Vipasyana meditation, that one can amend the habits of one's mind.

Dakinis can transform energy directly through experiences and for this reason it is the Dakini who is associated with Tantric teachings and working with the energies of the body, speech and mind. Meditation on a Dakini such as Vajra-yogini or the Five Buddha Family Wisdom Dakinis is one way of establishing awareness of Dakini energy in all its forms.

Buddha's transcendent qualities are active principles with one type of energy not being separate from all of the other energies. This is the key point. While ego naturally evolves because of its psychological components, if one is able to dissolves the projections of the mind, one can replace it with the five factors of enlightenment. Thus, if one depends on the Dakinis one can move toward transforming one's mind through the experiences one comes across in one's life.

-- The Dakini Principle,)

When we find the reference of yab and yum (masculine/feminine consort or father/mother consort) applied to deities, we shouldn't make the obvious mistake of assuming that this has to do with male/female in the physical sense. The deities are not male and female beings, but masculine and feminine energies. The bipolar imagery of the masculine and feminine 

· Illustrates the primordial union of appearance (or form) and emptiness.

One of the descriptions of this imagery is that 

· The masculine aspect, the yab aspect, refers to phenomenal appearance while

· The yum, the feminine aspect, is the expression of emptiness.

So the way in which the deities manifest is simply a direct expression of the fundamental nature of reality as it is. 

-- Guru Yoga, Palyul Ling

2. The manner of propitiation (i).

(i.e. Propitiate: To conciliate (an offended power); appease: propitiate the gods with a sacrifice.)

Then When One Recites the Mantra:

 

First say O_ and then the guru's Sanskrit name.
Next say AH H__, followed by what it is you want.

(i.e. Making requests to the Field of Merit, the gurus.)

OM AH H__, are the primordial, spontaneous presence of the essence of the body, speech, and mind of all the Buddhas. After inserting this into your meditation, recite it. If you know how to translate the guru's name into Sanskrit, do so. If you do not know, having inserted the name itself, afterward say what you wish for.

 

For pacifying say SHANTI_ KU RU YE SVAHA; 
for enriching PUSTI_ KURU YE SVAHA; 
for magnetizing, VASHA_ KURU YE SVAHA; 
for destroying MARAYA PHAT.

For example, for guru Padmasambhava and enriching you would say: OM VAJRA Guru Padmasambhava A H__ KARMA PUSTI_ KURU YE SVAHA.

Moreover

· Practice externally for peaceful;

· Innerly for semi-wrathful,

· And secretly for wrathful practice.

· The intention is Nirmanakaya, Sambhogakaya, and Dharmakaya.
(i.e. Yidam can have peaceful aspects. such as Tara and Avalokiteshvara, slightly wrathful aspects, such as Vajra-yogini or Guhyasamaja or a extremely wrathful aspects, such as Yamantaka or Vajrakila. -- see above)

3. The [four Enlightened] activity practices (iv) [for Enlightenment purpose]

Within the activity practices are

1. Pacifying,

2. Cultivating and enriching,

3. Magnetizing and drawing in,

4. And destroying,

With their visualizations, post-meditation, and signs of accomplishment.

· 1) Pacifying

· 2) Enriching

· 3) Magnetizing

· 4) Destroying

· 5) In particular

· 6) Afterward

· 7) How by meditating in this way signs of with the individual karmas arise

(i.e. About The Four Activities)

The four kind of rays correspond to the purification of the four obstacles [body, speech, mind, transcendent level / Union], the four empowerments, the four bodies of a Buddha.

There are four types of Enlightened Activities:

Tara has 21 primary emanations, which perform different activities such as pacification, increase and so forth. The different colors of these 21 Tara’s correspond to the 4 different types of enlightened activity, as explained by Ven. Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche: 

Tara is the female Buddha of Enlightened Activity (Tib: trinley), of which there are 4 types: pacifying, increasing, overpowering and wrathful. Each of these is represented by a different color:
 

White represents the Enlightened activity of pacifying, for example overcoming sickness, causes of untimely death and obstacles to success in one's life or one's practice.

· Like Tara 2. Saraswati / "The Great Pacifier" (white / pacifying)

· Tara 4. The All Victorious / "Tara of Life Force" (white / pacifying)

· Tara 9. The Savior of the Scented Forest / "Tara who embodies the Three Jewels" (white / pacifying)

· Tara 10. The Conqueror of the Three Worldly Realms / "The Great Subduer" (white / pacifying)

· Tara 15.  The Very Peaceful / "The Great Pacifier" (white / pacifying)

· Tara 18. The Peahen / "Tara Who Eliminates Poisons" (white / pacifying)

· Tara 19. The Invincible Queen / "Tara Who Eliminates Conflicts and bad Dreams" (white / pacifying)

· Tara 21. Rays of Light / "Tara Who Accomplishes All Enlightened Activities" (white / pacifying)

Yellow represents the Enlightened activity of increasing the positive qualities conducive to a long life, peace, happiness and success in one's Dharma practice.

· Like Tara 3. The Giver of Supreme Virtue / "Tara who Increases" (yellow / increasing the positive qualities)

· T5. The Giver of Intelligence (Rig.je.ma) -- red/yellow. Also known as "Tara who Resonates with HUM."

· T11. The Giver of Wealth (Nor.ter.ma) -- red/yellow. A.k.a. "Tara who Eliminates Poverty."

· T12. The Auspicious (Ta.shi.dön.je.ma) -- red/yellow. A.k.a. "Tara Who Bestows Auspicious Conditions."

· T20. The Mountain-dwelling Mendicant (Ri.tö.ma) -- red/yellow. A.k.a. "Tara Who Eliminates Diseases."

Red represents the Enlightened activity of power, or overpowering external forces that cannot be tamed through the first two activities, for example, removing obstacles to sickness, untimely death, etc., and forcefully accumulating conducive conditions for one's Dharma practice.

· Like Tara 1. The Swift Heroine (red / overpowering external forces)

· Tara 6. The Terrifier / "Tara who is Victorious over the Three Worlds" (red / overpowering external forces)

· T8. The Conqueror of Others (Shen.le.nam.par.gyal.ma) -- red/black. A.k.a. "Tara the Pulverizer of the Maras."

· Tara 13.  The Destroyer of Opposing Forces / "Tara Who Blazes in Flames" (red / overpowering external forces)

· Tara 16.  The Blazing Light / "Tara Who Saves by Means of HUM" (red / overpowering external forces)

· T17. The Subduer of Countless Harmful Forces (Pag.me.nön.ma) -- red/yellow. A.k.a. "Tara Who Causes the Three Worlds to Tremble."

Blue-Black represents the Enlightened activity of wrath, which involves using forceful methods for accomplishing activities for Enlightened purposes that cannot be accomplished through other means.

· Like Tara 7. The Invincible / "Tara who Crushes Others' Forces" (black / using forceful methods)

· T14. The Wrathful (To.nyer.chen) -- red/black. A.k.a. "Tara of Wrathful Gaze." 

The four kinds of activity being:

1. Pacifying, 

2. Enriching, 

3. Magnetizing 

4. And destroying.

On a relative level, 

1. Pacifying energy allays one's fears and sufferings. 

2. Enriching energy increases one's merit, long life and health. 

3. Magnetizing energy draws together the necessary circumstances supporting spiritual development. 

4. And destroying energy is wrathful intervention to quickly cut through obstacles faced on the path.

Each of these activities has a profound ultimate function as well.  (i.e. corresponding to the four stages of Mahamudra see Chöd bellow.)

1. Ultimate pacification is the pacification of the mind's poisons. (i.e. Like "Stable Shamatha")

2. Ultimate enrichment brings accumulation of merit and wisdom to its fullest potential. (i.e. Like "Simplicity beyond elaboration")

3. Ultimate magnetizing involves the overcoming of all confusion and superficial thought patterns and thus awakening the true nature. (i.e. Like "One taste")

4. And, ultimate destroying annihilates all the ways we invest things into solidity. (i.e. Like "No meditation")

-- The Dakini Principle, 

A further important classification of Dakini is the fourfold personification of the Guru's karmas (or functions). These four activities (iv) may be conceived as the functions of the Dakinis in enlightening the initiate, in which case they may be performed by karma Dakinis (mundane or human Dakinis - 'jig-rten-kyi mkha'-'gro), or they may be seen as the personifications of the Guru's enlightening skilful means. These four activities are pacifying, enriching, controlling and destroying. These karmas are employed only for the conversion of sentient beings, in their spiritual evolution, and for spreading the tantric doctrines. 

· Pacification (zhi-ba) implies the calming of aggression or anger.

· Enrichment (rgyas-pa), or growth, development, potentiating, etc., is a function of a woman's motherliness, and its effects are a sense of security, optimism, strength and confidence. 

· Then control (dbang-ba) is the function of the wrathful Dakini who firmly restrains futile emotivity and ratiocination.

· Destruction (drag-pa) may be performed by an aggressive woman who can undermine a yogin's conception of an objective reality, destroy his fixed beliefs, eradicate his pride and even crush his ego so that his way of being is radically and irrevocably changed. Destruction can also imply death. 

But these powers are all relative siddhis; the functions of the Dakini pall into irrelevance when compared to the intuition of her essential nature, which leads to the ultimate siddhi, Buddhahood itself.

-- Woman and the Dakini, Published as a commentary in Sky Dancer, Keith Dowman

The actual way in which you carry out the meditation of guru yoga is to visualize yourself in the form of a deity, in this case the feminine deity Vajra-yogini. Meditate that in the space above your head, about a cubit in length above your crown (it would be about the length of your forearm), there is a seat formed of three lotuses, one above the other - a white, red and dark blue lotus. Resting upon this threefold lotus seat, you visualize the flat disk of the full moon. Above this you meditate the form of Guru Rinpoche, considering him to be the quintessence of all of the blessings of all Buddhas and bodhisattvas united in this single form. Even though the manifestation of Guru Rinpoche's form takes on a certain appearance with specific posture, gestures, ornaments and garments, his essence is inseparable from the essence of your root lama. Praying with this conviction is the basis for guru yoga practice. ...

In addition, you meditate that the form of Guru Rinpoche above your head is seated in the full vajra posture with the left leg on the right thigh and the right leg on the left thigh. Meditate that the form is radiating brilliant rays of light in all directions.

The inexhaustible adornment of Guru Rinpoche's form is the essence of the Sangha principle; that of his speech, the dharma principle; that of his mind, the principle of Buddha as a source of refuge. The qualities of Guru Rinpoche embody the chosen deity principle of Vajrayâna; his activity, that of the dakinis and Dharmapalas (the dharma protectors.) In brief, what appears initially to be simply the form of Guru Rinpoche is understood on a more ultimate level to be the very essence of all Buddhas, yidams, dakas and dakinis, dharma protectors and the entire vast array of the three jewels and the three roots all subsumed within a single manifestation. 

Returning to the actual meditation of guru yoga: Having visualized the form of Guru Rinpoche as the union of all Buddhas and all sources of refuge above the crown of your head, you meditate that the form is marked 

· At the forehead with a white om syllable, 

· At the throat with a red ah syllable, 

· At the heart center with a dark blue hung syllable 

· And at the navel center with a green hri syllable.

In addition you meditate that on the palms and soles of Guru Rinpoche's form are the four syllables ha ri ni sa. Rays of light shining from these syllables in all directions invoke the blessings of all sources of refuge, which return and are absorbed into his form above the crown of your head. With one-pointed focus you begin the actual practice of guru yoga, which involves supplication to the lama and recitation of the vajra guru mantra, the mantra of Guru Rinpoche. 

· Following the main body of the practice, you meditate first that from the white om syllable in the forehead center of Guru Rinpoche there comes a white ray of light, like a shooting star, that enters into your own forehead and completely fills your body. The white light purifies you on the physical level of the effects of obscurations and harmful actions, imbuing your form with the blessings of enlightened form.

· By a similar process you meditate that from the throat center of Guru Rinpoche, from the red ah syllable, there comes a red ray of light that enters your own throat center purifying your speech. 

· From the heart center of Guru Rinpoche, from the dark blue hung syllable, there comes a thread or filament of light like a wafting of incense smoke that is absorbed into your own heart center purifying your mind. 

· And finally, you meditate that from all of the centers of Guru Rinpoche's form come rainbow rays of light of five colors, white, red, yellow, green and blue, all of which are absorbed into your own chakras purifying the last traces of obscuration and conferring the fourth level of empowerment. 

In this way you receive the four levels of empowerment, the vase, secret, wisdom awareness and the fourth empowerment. This establishes the potential for your own realization respectively, of Nirmanakaya, Sambhogakaya, Dharmakaya and svabhavikakaya, the totality of the three kayas. 

When you come to actually finish the session, you meditate that the form of Guru Rinpoche above the crown of your head dissolves into light. This light is absorbed into you and at that point you enter into the formless completion stage of the practice. You meditate that Guru Rinpoche's enlightened form, speech and mind are in no way separate from your own body, speech and mind. There is complete non-dual union. You meditate in a formless state of mind, without any frame of reference, without any conceptual elaboration, simply allowing your mind to rest in that state of non-dual union for as long as possible. Following that, you conclude with the prayers of dedication and aspiration. 

-- Guru Yoga, Palyul Ling

"Probably, there are no enlightened people; there is only enlightened activity." -- Dharma Talk: Six Principles of Enlightened Living: The Six Paramitas and the Three Trainings, Lama Surya Das

"There is no such thing as enlightened people; there is only enlightened activity. That is perfectly congruent with the teaching of anattá, no-self or emptiness/openness."

The perfection of paramitas is doing the activity and knowing the emptiness of the three: the subject, the object, the activity.

The Chöd practice has various tunes that a person can sing and involves a principle of aspects of activities, which are pacifying, enriching, magnetizing and destroying. -- Chöd - Cutting through duality

Chöd is an extremely effective method for recognizing the emptiness of an inherently existent self, and for cutting off the innate self-grasping that is the root cause of all samsaric suffering. -- Thubten Chodak

See also: Padampa Sangye / Kamalashila -- Machik Lapdron Drolma / Machig Labron / 

Chöd / Chö (to cut): Cutting Through the Four Maras, By The Venerable Tenga Rinpoche, Shenpen Osel

· The meaning of Chöd: The basic message of the intermediate dharma-chakra was that all appearances, all relative truths, are in their nature emptiness, which is the absolute truth, and that therefore, these two truths - the relative and the absolute - are actually a unity, only distinguished for the sake of clarity. The application of this view to working with one’s mind came to be called chöd or cutting through in Tibet. It has had various other names. (ex. equal taste)

· The term chöd refers to cutting through the four Maras.

1. The substantial Mara: anything that can actually be experienced with the senses -- a reaction to an external appearance of some kind, a reaction to some kind of external experience or stimulus.

2. The insubstantial Mara: thoughts, kleshas --when kleshas arise in your mind independent of what is going on outside of you

3. The Mara of elation: a kind of intoxicating pride

4. The Mara of fixation: the fixation on a self

· Because that which accumulates karma is the mind, and because that which experiences the results of karma is the mind, the main practice for the purification or eradication of this habit is coming to recognize the mind’s nature, which means the practice of shamatha (tranquility) and vipashyana (insight).

· Shamatha, the Practice of Tranquility:

Ø The threefold isolation, which refers to physical, verbal and mental isolation.

Ø The one usually taught at the beginning, is following the breath - focus on the breath.

Ø A second shamatha technique - with focus: visualization of the Buddha.

Ø The other type of shamatha practice is shamatha without a focus

Ø Warning: Shamatha cannot be viewed as an end in itself. You need to go to vipashyana.

Vipashyana - direct experience of your mind’s nature (which is beyond any description).

Ø When you begin actually to cultivate insight or vipashyana, you begin the actual practice of Mahamudra itself.

Ø i.e. Not dwelling in the past, future or present. Just watching the thoughts, looking at them directly.

Ø Receiving the blessing of your root guru.

Ø If you can practice shamatha and vipashyana properly, then you do not need visualizations, because shamatha and vipashyana are the actual, the main, or ultimate practice of working with the mind itself in the completion stage.

The four stages of Mahamudra:

 

1. The first of these four is called one-pointed-ness. That kind of stable shamatha is the gateway to the preparation for vipashyana or insight.

2. The second is called simplicity or beyond elaboration. The meaning of this is that when you experience your mind’s nature there is nothing substantial or nothing there that you are experiencing. But nevertheless, that nature itself is the cognitive capacity which allows for all experience - both experience in the state of bewilderment, which we call samsara, and experience in the state free of bewilderment, which we call nirvana, and which consists of the experience of the kayas and qualities and realms of Buddhahood.

3. The third is called one taste. It is the point at which in your experience appearances and mind are mixed. They are no longer experienced as two separate things. The meaning of one taste is that, at that point, you realize in your direct experience that all external appearances arise as the display or appearance of your own mind, and that therefore, they are the display of your own habits. When this is a decisive realization in direct experience, then there is no longer a split or division in your experience between experienced appearances and the experiencing mind. They are perceived or experienced as having the same fundamental flavor. -- When you are actually able to realize the inseparability of appearance and mind.

4. The fourth and final stage of Mahamudra is called no meditation. Then there is no longer the conceptualization or the experience of an object of meditation or a meditator. Therefore, you rest without effort throughout the day and night, throughout waking and sleeping, in the Dharmakaya, in Mahamudra. At that point all of your bewilderment or confusion has been purified. -- What he is saying is that at this stage, when you look at your own mind, you experience the full force or full presence of Buddhahood or awakening, but nevertheless, you continue to abide within an illusory body for the duration of your physical life for the benefit of others. At this stage of full realization, for your own benefit you have attained the Dharmakaya, and for the benefit of others you begin to display the Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya.)

Questions:

· Is there a real link between the four activities and the four stages of Mahamudra as described in the Chöd article.

· What is the link between the four activities and the four impure body, speech, mind and the three together; and with the four pure kayas?

· Are the four activities the same related to the four last of the ten paramitas, the four secondary perfections?)

1) Pacifying

As for the first, now from the teachings of applying the four karmas (i.e. body, speech, mind, and the three of them together?), as for the first:

 

To pacify sickness and döns, obscurations and evil deeds,
Visualize that you emanate white light rays everywhere.
Think that the desired siddhi has been attained,
While everything that is contrary has been pacified.

At the time of pacifying, from white gurus, from all points emanate white light rays. Gurus and yidams fill the sky. By the murmur of mantra, think that the siddhi of pacifying is attained.

2) Enriching:

For the karma that increases splendor, life, and wealth,
Visualize yellow rain that falls as all you desire.

(i.e. Empowerment by the three lights; planting the seeds for the four kayas. Purification of body, speech and mind.)

Think of everything as yellow. A rain of wealth, life, and so forth falls. Thinking that our dwelling places and bodies are pervaded, do the recitation.

3) Magnetizing:

 

As for the powers that can summon and magnetize,
Visualize rays of a vivid red in the shape of hooks.

For subjugating, drawing in, making enter, and all such powers of magnetizing, light rays of karma like hooks invite whatever one desires. Thinking that they are beneath one's feet, recite the mantra.

 

4) Destroying:

For the action of destroying geks and harm,
Visualize blue-black rays, that emanate as weapons
Or a conquering wheel of fire that has a thousand spokes.

If obstructions of döns, geks and so forth arise, blue-black light rays emanating everywhere as a collection of weapons make the döns and geks into dust. Where you are, in the space of the sky visualize a wheel of fire with a thousand radiating spokes. Having heaped up and drawn in the harmful spirits, it pulverizes them into dust.

5) In particular:

Visualize that the billion worlds are in trembling motion,
Quaking with the vibration of the recitation of mantra.
Perform the appropriate practice of the developing stage,
To facilitate and accomplish these various desired karmas.

Visualize that by the self-existing vibration of the sound of mantra roaring like fire or water all the worlds tremble and are disrupted. This should accord with the particular complete visualization of the developing stage for the individual one of the four karmas being practiced.

6) Afterward:

At the end collect the details in conception-less emptiness. (i.e. Dissolving everything in emptiness.)
Then you should relax for just a little while,
Dedicating the merit to enlightenment.

The external world is gathered into the form of the deity. That is gathered into oneself. Oneself is gathered into the guru on top of the head. That too rests in the conception-less state of the mere completion stage.

After that the merit is dedicated to enlightenment.

At night, one meditates within the essence, so that afterwards the confused dreams of sleep will arise as luminosity.

7) How by meditating in this way signs of with the individual karmas arise:

For each of the karmas, there are particular signs of success.
This is the path of profundity, ocean of mahasukha.

· The signs of sickness and döns being pacified are dreams of bathing, dripping pus and blood, wearing white clothes, and so forth.

· The signs of enriched life are heaps of grain, good harvests, the sun and moon rising, and so forth.

· The signs of increasing enjoyment are a rain of jewels, symbols of birth, harvest and so forth.

· The signs of magnetizing are many people prostrating, praises and so forth.

· The signs of pacifying harm are great blazing fires, sentient beings being killed and boiled, victory in battle, and so forth.

In reality, what accords with what one wants actually arises. (i.e. All merely imputed by the mind.)

4. The particular details.

There are six sections.

Ø Emanating the Buddha field

Ø Increasing and purifying the substances

Ø Inviting the guests

Ø The dedication

Ø The virtues of this inner feast offering of the kusulu yogins

Ø The reason

a. Emanating the Buddha field.

Now from the explanation of the particular details, in particular, when sickness, döns, obstacles, and premonitions of death arise:

In particular, when you encounter sickness and döns,
When obstacles arise or premonitions of death,
Visualize the guru in the space in front,
Inseparable from the Buddha, with a radiantly smiling face.
Seated on a lotus throne supported by lions,
Which arouses within one a state of fearlessness,
The guru is surrounded by the teachers of the lineage,
As well as by the dakinis and bodhisattvas.
Below the affectionate and compassionate lord guru
Are the various the samsaric beings within the six realms,
Who throughout the three times have been ones fathers and mothers.

When one sees one's death or when strong attacks of sickness or döns occur, visualize the guru in the space in front of you, inseparable from the Buddha, surrounded by the lineage gurus and hosts of dakas and dakinis.

Below them are the beings of the six realms who have been one's fathers and mothers, together with the harmful döns and geks. Invite the jqanasattvas. Perform abbreviated offerings and praises.

b. Increasing and purifying the substances:

 

A syllable H__ at the crown of the head is one's own mind.
From it there emerges the body of a heruka.
Holding in his hands a razor-knife and a skull cup.
He cuts off one's skull, beginning with the forehead,
By the little tuft of hair that grows between the brows.
It is placed on a hearth that is made of a tripod of skulls,
And then it is filled with one's body's flesh and blood and bones.
From above falls a rain of amrita; below a fire blazes.
The skull fills up with amrita that equals the billion worlds.

Visualize that from a white syllable H__ at the top of the head, which is one's own mind, emerges a white heruka. In his right hand is a sword, [23] and in his left a skull cup. With the sword, he cuts one's body in two, starting from between the eyes. The skull is placed on a hearth made from a tripod of skulls and filled with the body's flesh and blood. Below, from YA_, wind stirs. From RA_ fire blazes so that the contents of the skull boil.

From above, amrita continuously falls, equaling the billion worlds.

c. Inviting the guests:

 

One's own mind by emanating countless herukas,
Distributes amrita to all at once, from out of the skull.

When the enlightened guests have all been satisfied,
The accumulations are perfect and siddhi is attained.

When the samsaric guests have all been satisfied,
The beginning-less production of samsara is pacified.

In particular when the harmful döns are satisfied,
The blockage of obstacles will be pacified.

As all-satisfying light rays penetrate into oneself,
Sickness and döns are pacified, and obstacles, just as they are.

One thinks that death is thwarted, and siddhi is attained.

(i.e. Section about Toglen ... It is very much like the multiple offering section of the Chöd practice in which you give out to sentient beings exactly whatever they need, exactly whatever they wish for. For those who wish for food you give food. To those who wish for pleasant environment you give pleasant environments, to those who wish for houses you give houses and so forth. You transform the roots of your virtues into whatever is needed. -- Venerable Ribur Rinpoche, Three Principals of the Path)

Visualize that one emanates as many graceful hands as there are guests, and by making offerings to all of them at once they enjoy it. The Buddhas and so forth beyond the world are pleased, and siddhi is attained. The six lokas are pleased and karmic debts are paid. Döns are pleased and their afflictions cease. By the light rays of the enjoyment of all these beings penetrating oneself, all sickness, döns, and obstacles are pacified.

d. The dedication:

Afterwards rest the mind in objectless meditation (i.e. Dissolving everything in emptiness.)
In Dharmadhatu, the state of mind without conception,
Let things go into their natural purity as illusion.

The guests, the offerings, and the one who offers are all one's own mind. Just so, when one knows that all dharmas are not other than the simplicity of one's own mind, one should meditate and let all dharmas go into [24] to their illusion-like state.

(i.e. About Purity and The Profound Meaning:

The special methods of the Vajrayâna aim at bringing the appearances, which we generally experience as impure, to a pure level. The central point of this transformation is the understanding that only on the relative level do all phenomena appear as we experience them. On the absolute level, they don't have any real existence - they are nothing but a dream, an illusion. If one understands the true essence of all things, this in itself becomes the experience of their purity. 

One cannot transform impure experiences into pure ones just by reciting a mantra in order to change phenomena. It is also not through some special substances possessing such powers, or through offerings to some gods who in return help us. All this has nothing to do with what is happening in the Vajrayâna. What it is all about is developing the understanding that the world of appearances does not present itself as confusion; it is our clinging to things, which brings up confusion. In order to experience the purity of all things, there is nothing more to do than to understand that on the relative level things appear due to various conditions and due to dependent occurrence, but on the absolute level they are not truly existent. These two aspects are not separate from each other. 

What is meant by "impure appearances" or "pure appearances?" "Impure" refers to our belief that things are real and exist independently from each other. The belief that things are truly existent is an extreme view, which is not correct because the true nature of all things is emptiness. If one wants to recognize the emptiness of all phenomena one cannot just accept what one is told. In fact, it would be very difficult to understand the true nature of things simply by talking or hearing about it.

It is not the mere appearance of things, which brings about confusion; it is the way we relate to things and cling to them as being real. Because things in themselves are empty, they are beyond the categories of arising and ceasing. The fact that they appear is the aspect of unobstructed self-expression. The various methods of the Vajrayâna are used in order to understand that. 

-- Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Yidams - the Source of Accomplishments)

All elements, which are used on the Vajrayâna path, have a profound meaning.

· The body of the yidam is the unity of appearance and emptiness, 

· The speech is the unity of sound and emptiness, 

· And the mind is the unity of awareness and emptiness. 

If one applies these elements to one's own practice, by abiding completely in this awareness, one can let the pride of the deity arise in oneself. But in order to do so one has to understand the real meaning of these things. It is not about simply visualizing oneself as the deity, because by the mere visualization one does not achieve this understanding.

How does this right view look? It is the understanding that the relative appearance of things and their ultimate reality are a unity, that they are not separate from each other and not contradicting each other.

· The developing phases of the yidam-deities correspond to the relative truth, the way things appear.

· The completion phases correspond to the principle that ultimately things are not truly existent.

· At the same time one needs the understanding that both form a unity. 

· The completion phases are used to avoid falling into the extreme view of believing things to be truly existent. (i.e. realism)

· The developing phases avert the extreme view of believing things to not exist at all, to only be empty. (i.e. idealism / nihilism)

· The understanding that both form a unity gives rise to the understanding that everything is the union of joy and emptiness. (i.e. against the extremes of dualism and monism)

By meditating in this way, through the application of the yidam practice, the relative and the ultimate achievements can be obtained. In that sense, the yidam is called "the root of accomplishments."

-- Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Yidams - the Source of Accomplishments)

Practitioners have to understand three things. 

· The view is that both kinds of reality make up an inseparable unity. 

· For the path, the understanding that method and wisdom are a unity is important. 

· Concerning the fruit, one needs the understanding that the two kayas, which are achieved, are a unity. 

Especially when practicing Mahamudra or Maha Ati, the understanding of these three elements is very important. Otherwise, one cannot realize the fruit through this practice.

What about the so-called "ultimate yidam"? Chenrezig (Loving Eyes) for example appears in a very specific form, with four arms, etc. Nevertheless, this is not the ultimate aspect of this yidam; it is just the way he appears. 

· The ultimate yidam is the awareness that Chenrezig's expression is the compassion of all Buddhas. 

The form Dorje Phagmo (Diamond Sow) has is a symbolic form. The ultimate Dorje Phagmo is that the space of phenomena is the highest transcendent wisdom, the mother of all Buddhas which gives rise to all Buddhas. She is the paramita of wisdom. 

-- Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Yidams - the Source of Accomplishments)

Cultivating the ultimate state of love and compassion
is inseparable from realization.
This understanding is what is realized.
On this basis, there is joy and peace.

(i.e. The path consist of bringing the result into the path, acting wholesomely because this is in accord with the real nature of everything. That is what is to be seen with the path: the inseparability of compassion and emptiness; inseparability of dependent origination and emptiness; inseparability of the Two Truths. So we have to use a path based on this, while not getting attached to this path.)

-- Devotion, Khenpo Palden Sherab

e. The virtues of this inner feast offering of the kusulu yogins:

By this unfavorable conditions are pacified.
We perfect the accumulations, and remove the obscurations.
Limitless blessings and realizations are born within us.
With no grasping ego, the mind renounces and focuses
Everything that one has wished for has been accomplished.
Now the phenomenal world arises as the guru.
With sickness annihilated, there is clear luminosity
The realized state of the moment of death has been established.
One is liberated within the Bardo-state,
And the wealth of the two benefits have been perfected.
Therefore, wholeheartedly try to establish this realm of the guru.

That is the instruction. As for other benefits, all violations are appeased. The supreme divine offering occurs. Since the mind of ego grasping is removed, the destruction of the confusions of dualistic grasping is immeasurable.

f. The reason,

Now, to set forth the reason for these great benefits:

It has been said that remembering the guru for a moment,
Is better than a kalpa of the developing stage.

The Play of the Perfected Sphere says:

Though some person for ten million kalpas
Meditates on the bodies of deities,
One who remembers the guru, the master of all,
Is still better, so it is explained.

5. The benefits,

Since the guru is the ground of all virtues, there is the admonishment rely on him

The instruction to do as was done formerly

a. Since the guru is the ground of all virtues, there is the admonishment rely on him

This is the instruction to rely on such a guru:

This is the actual basis of splendor and of wealth,
From which arise clouds of benefit and happiness.
Whoever wants amrita-rain throughout the three levels,
Should rely on those who are compassionate.

The omniscient Buddhas are the true glory of themselves and others. By the deathless wealth of Dharma they protect beings, and they possess limitless good qualities. From these numerous clouds of benefit and happiness in the three realms falls the rain of the three turnings of the wheel of Dharma. Those who wish to obtain this should rely on the spiritual friend. The Middle Length Prajñápáramitá says:

Subhuti, Those who wish to attain omniscience should rely on the spiritual friend.

The Prajnaparamitasamgatha says:

Why should one always rely on competent gurus?
The qualities of competence rise from them.

As for the three turnings, the Buddha Bhagavat taught these dharmas after seven weeks of seven days. The first week he merely sat in cross-legged posture. The second, he saw the field of the essence, enlightenment. The third he trod nearby upon Jambuling. The fourth, he trod far away on the billion worlds. The fifth, he went to the dwelling of the king of nagas, Grasping and Rejecting. The sixth he remained in the grove of the field to be liberated.

Uncompounded, profound, peaceful, simple, and clear.
This amrita-like dharma I have obtained.
There is no one who will understand it.
Not speaking, I shall remain alone in the forest.

So he said and remained there. Brahma offered him a melon and honey, but he did not take the vessel. Four kings offered four stone begging bowls at one time, and were blessed. After he ate, he spoke only words of auspiciousness. On the seventh day, Brahma and Indra supplicated him, and then when he had gone to Varanasi, for the five excellent disciples he turned the wheel of the four noble truths together with the instructions on the divine eight-fold path. At last in the dwellings of the gods and nagas, and the cities Kumuda Saljin and so forth he turned the wheel of the dharma of true meaning.

These three turnings were taught at various uncertain places. They were intended for those of lesser, intermediate and greater powers; or for those first entering the path, while they remained on it, and those who had the final goal, the essence. The three Pitakas were taught in the style of the expressor and the three trainings of disciplines, samádhi, and prajña are the three subjects of learning expressed.

Some teachers say he turned the three wheels of dharma at one time, and in different appearances to different individual beings. That the sutras of existence and non-existence were explained in separate years is not right. The particular great treasury of explanation is maintained to have continued until he was eighty years old.

The Buddha' parinirvana or passing is claimed to have been at the age of eighty years and three months. The Chörten Gyepa [25] says:

Three months after he was supplicated by Tsunda
I prostrated to the nirvana-made chörten.

Some other teachers maintain that it was at eighty-two. That really it was three months and eighty years is taught in many sutras. As for the eighty, the Treasury of Explanation says:

The places of the turnings,
The city of Vaishali,
Sakarchen [26] and the heavens,
Jipasön [27] and Kaushambhi,
In verdant Highland pastures,
By stupas and in mountains,
At Radiant Grove and Drarche [28]
The city of Kapilavastu.
In these Buddha Shakyamuni, the most excellent of beings
Dwelt from year to year.
Two in the Blazing Cave,
Three in the Medicine Grove.
Five in the royal court.
Six in ascetic practice.
Twenty-three in Shravasti.
Twenty-nine in elegance.
After eighty years,
The Victorious One, the Sage,
The Supreme One went beyond suffering.
To those places of merit
The dwellings of omniscience,
Ceaselessly offering bows
In body, speech and mind,
Devotedly I prostrate.

b. The instruction to do as was done formerly:

To pacify the kleshas in the space of mind,
Accustomed to their torment from beginning-less time,
we should seek the dharma, as formerly was done by Sadaprarudita and Sudhana.
Abandoning sorrow and weariness rely on spiritual friends.

Until we are without karma and the kleshas, in order to pacify these we need to attend on a guru better than ourselves. This is because we need higher qualities. As to how this is done, in the city "Arising Place of Happiness," was a master merchant Nor Rabtu Ten [29] who had a son Sudhana who from his southern lineage went to all southern places. By his always seeking the Dharma, it was prophesied that he would become the Prince of Jambuling and so forth, and so he was blessed by fifty-four gurus. Afterwards he was taught by fifty- four more gurus, so he relied on a hundred and eight.

The bodhisattva Sadaprarudita when he was seeking the Prajñápáramitá squeezed his body. He stayed in a chariot with five hundred merchants' daughters. When they had come to the eastern city of Possessing Incense he made offerings to the bodhisattva Noble Dharma. We should do such reverence.

 

F. The dedication of the merit to sentient beings

Wearied by the misfortune of following paths that are wrong,
Worse than those of good fortune falling to the amrita
Of the thousand stringed instrument of the lord of the gods,
Calling us to enjoyment of heavenly delights,
May the mind today come to rest in its such-ness.

As for the well-arranged garland arising from the teaching-lineage of true spiritual friends who practice the true meaning, the host of beings for a long time have attended bad and defective spiritual friends, and are worn out by samsara. In the pleasure grove of the Buddha Bhagavat, the guru of gods and human beings, by wishing clouds may their weariness be cured.

Attending these spiritual friends who are not genuine,
May the numerous throng who have long gone wrong in samsara.
These many beings who long have wearied their own minds,
Rely on mahasukha, the level of the Conqueror.

Possessing a glorious body like the moon in its fullness,
Beautiful in a wreath of deities stars and planets,
With a beneficial white light clearing the kleshas' torment,
May all beings come to rely on that perfect glory.

 

OM TARE TUTTARE TURE MAMA ARYU PUNI GYANYA PUNDING GURUYE SOHA


White Tara's Long Life Mantra

 

 

The Four Activities

OM
Pacifying

AH
Enriching

HUM
Magnetizing / Control

OM AH HUM
Destroying

 

 

Karma to pacify sickness and döns, obscurations and evil deeds

Karma that increases splendor, life, and wealth

Karma / powers that can summon and magnetize

Karma / the action of destroying geks and harm

White light rays

Yellow rain

Vivid red rays in the shape of hooks

Blue-black rays as weapons or as a conquering wheel of fire that has a thousand spokes

Pacifying energy allays one's fears and sufferings

Enriching energy increases one's merit, long life and health.

Magnetizing energy draws together the necessary circumstances supporting spiritual development. 

Destroying energy is wrathful intervention to quickly cut through obstacles faced on the path

Ultimate pacification is the pacification of the mind's poisons.

Ultimate enrichment brings accumulation of merit and wisdom to its fullest potential.

Ultimate magnetizing involves the overcoming of all confusion and superficial thought patterns and thus awakening the true nature.

Ultimate destroying annihilates all the ways we invest things into solidity.
- The ultimate Dakini embodies the inseparability of emptiness and wisdom

Is there a link between the four activities and the four kayas, or the four Mahamudra stages…

 

Protectors and dakinis
- the root of all activity

Yidams (Buddha aspects)
- the root of all attainment

Guru - 
- the root of all blessing

Buddha - Samantabhadra
- inseparability of compassion and emptiness

Our spiritual guide / Nirmanakaya

Vajradhara / Sambhogakaya

Seed syllable Houm / Dharmakaya

 

The outer aspect, Je Tsongkhapa

The inner aspect, Buddha Shakyamuni

The secret aspect, Conqueror Vajradhara

Mahamudra, the union of bliss and emptiness

Merit - Vase initiation -
the vase empowerment

 

See Also the Five Initiations Below:

Merit - Secret initiation -
the secret empowerment

Merit - Wisdom initiation -
the wisdom-mudra empowerment

Wisdom - Word initiation or oral empowerment - the word empowerment

The union of bliss and emptiness,

The union of the two truths

The union of body and mind

Akshobhya - water initiation, [The first wisdom is the mirror-like wisdom, vs. anger -- Akshobhya, Vajra, Sambhogakaya -- consciousness, water, white, east]

Ratnasambhava - crown initiation, [the second is equalization wisdom, vs. pride -- Ratnasambhava, Ratna, Nirmanakaya -- feelings, earth, yellow, south]

Amitabha - vajra initiation, [the third is discriminating wisdom, vs. attachment -- Amitabha, Padma, inseparability of the three bodies -- perception, fire, red, west]

Amoghasiddhi - bell initiation [the fourth, the wisdom of achievement, vs. jealousy -- Amoghavajra/Amoghasiddhi, Karma, vajra holder body -- karmic formations, air, green, north]

Vairochana - name initiation. [And the fifth is the wisdom of the universe of Dharmakaya, vs. ignorance / confusion -- Vairocana, Buddha, Dharmakaya -- form, space, blue, center]

[The ultimate empowerment; leads to Vajra kaya; the empowerment of Dharmadhatu wisdom; helping other sentient beings] 

Not existence
Not realism

Not non-existence
Not idealism / nihilism

Not both existence and non-existence
Not dualism

Not neither existence nor non-existence
Not monism

The substantial Mara: anything that can actually be experienced with the senses -- a reaction to an external appearance of some kind, a reaction to some kind of external experience or stimulus. -- The first of the four Maras (Chöd)

The insubstantial Mara: thoughts, kleshas -- when kleshas arise in your mind independent of what is going on outside of you

The Mara of elation: a kind of intoxicating pride

The Mara of fixation: the fixation on a self 

Sense realm - 
physical, perceptible, desire realm
with conditioning and producing conditioning
The seven consciousnesses

The consciousnesses of the five gates

The mental consciousness

The Klesha-mind

Form realm -
abstract, conceptual, symbolic, form realm
with conditioning without producing more conditioning
Alaya Vijnana / alaya-consciousness

Non-form realm -
intuitive, formless realm
without the influence of conditioning and without producing more conditioning
Alaya / the neutral alaya of the various habitual patterns

The natural state - Dharmadhatu - Union of the Two Truths -
the ultimate realm, omniscience, Buddhahood

"Stable Shamatha"
-- First stage of Mahamudra (Chöd)

"Simplicity beyond elaboration"

"One taste"

"No meditation"

When joy eliminates jealousy, there is Nirmanakaya. The holy all-accomplishing wisdom (task-posed-and-accomplished original awareness) is attained. Nirmanakaya is nothing fixed, but of various forms. This self-existing kaya is spontaneous Buddha activity.

When perfect enjoyment of kindness is without aggression, Then the mirror-like wisdom (mirror-like original awareness) will have been fully attained, As Sambhogakaya adorned with the major and minor marks.

When compassion is desire-less, there is Dharmakaya, Producing the manifestation of discriminating wisdom (specificity -initiating original awareness). Its dharmas like the ten powers are utterly distinct.

When equanimity has eliminated pride As well as stupidity, there is the essence of things Through equality Dharmadhatu wisdom (compatibility original awareness) will manifest. The simplicity of dharmata is svabhavikakaya.

Purification of the Body -
At the forehead with a white om syllable.
The white light purifies you on the physical level of the effects of obscurations and harmful actions, imbuing your form with the blessings of enlightened form.


Nirmanakaya

By transforming fixation, the consciousness of the five gates, we attain the empowerment of the pure Buddha fields.

By transforming the mind-consciousness we attain mastery of the four modes of genuine individual awareness, and by attaining the empowerment of perfect Buddha activity, we ripen sentient beings. This is the ninth bhumi.

By transforming the klesha-mind we attain the empowerment of complete non-thought.

Purification of the Speech -
At the throat with a red ah syllable.
Purifying your speech.
Sambhogakaya

By transforming alaya Vijnana, the basis of arising of concepts and the mind consciousness, within the tenth bhumi, we attain the empowerment of the mirror-like wisdom. By the great Buddha activity, Buddhahood and the Buddha activity existing in the sphere of activity become reconcilable.

Purification of the Mind


At the heart center with a dark blue hung syllable.
Purifying your mind.
Dharmakaya

Purification of Body, speech and mind -
At the navel center with a green hri syllable.
Purifying the last traces of obscuration and conferring the fourth level of empowerment.
Svabhavikakaya

The body of the yidam is unity of appearance [body] and emptiness.

The meaning of the vase empowerment is to understand that appearances (perception / physical / body) and emptiness are inseparable.

The mantra of the yidam is the unity of sound [speech] and emptiness.

The meaning of the speech-secret empowerment is that sound (concepts) and emptiness are inseparable. All sounds and all mantras are in essence empty.

The mind of the yidam is the unity of awareness [mind] and emptiness

The ultimate yidam is the awareness that Chenrezig's expression is the compassion of all Buddhas.

The meaning of "prajnajnana abhishekas" is the nature of such-ness itself.

Inseparability of the Trikaya [body, speech and mind]

External / Outer Offerings -
the shrine objects
the universe transformed into Pure Land

Inner (mental) Offerings - 
the five hooks, five lamps and so forth
our body transformed into a Pure Land

Sacred / Secret Offerings -
voluptuous, illusion-like consorts, a host of messenger Dakinis
the offering of the unity of bliss and emptiness transformed into a mandala in the usual aspect (Because the mandala is the nature of bliss it is a secret offering, and because it is the nature of emptiness it is a such-ness offering.)

Suchness Offerings -
supreme ultimate Bodhicitta
the offering of the recognition of the ultimate nature itself

Ordinary rebirth - basic emanation body

Ordinary intermediate stage - basic enjoyment body

Ordinary death - basic Truth body

The separation of body and mind

The yoga of the great seal of body, bringing the ordinary rebirth into the path of the Emanation body

The yoga of the speech of mantra, bringing the ordinary intermediate state into the path of the Enjoyment body, while coming out of the previous meditation on Ultimate example clear light of isolated mind

The yoga of the mind of the Truth Body, bringing the ordinary death into the path of the Truth body, the internal and external methods to loosen the heart channel knots completely in Isolated mind

The seal of enlightened actions

First producing on the path: emanations of the illusory body (path emanation body)

First producing on the path: illusory body (path enjoyment body)

First producing on the path: Clear light (path Truth Body)

First producing on the path: Meaning clear light and the Pure Illusory Body / the union that needs learning

Finally producing: Emanation Body, Nirmanakaya

Finally producing: Enjoyment Body, Sambhogakaya

Finally producing: Truth Body, Dharmakaya, the Nature Truth Body: the emptiness or ultimate nature of the mind -- the ultimate true cessation

Finally producing: the Union of No More Learning; the Wisdom Truth Body: the Buddha's omniscient mind -- the source of all good qualities and the sole gateway to all benefit and happiness

 

 

Vajra Family Ratna Family Lotus Family Karma Family Buddha Family

Name

Skt.
Tib. Akshobhya 
Mikyöpa Ratnasambhava 
Rinchen Djungdän Amitabha 
Öpame Amoghasiddhi 
Dönyödrubpa Vairocana 
Namparnangdze

Direction  East  South  West  North  Center 

Gesture (mudra)  Earth Touching  Giving  Meditating  Protecting  Teaching 

Attribute  Vajra  Jewel  Lotus  Crossed Vajra  Wheel or Sun 

Throne (animal)  Elephant  Horse  Peacock  Garuda  Lion 

Color  Blue  Yellow  Red  Green  White 

Purified Skandha  Form  Feeling  Discrimination  Mental Factors  Consciousness 

Element  Water  Earth  Fire  Wind  Space 

Wisdom  Mirror-like  Sameness  Discriminating  All Accomplishing  Dharmadhatu

Consort

Skt.
Tib. Buddhalokana
Gyema  Mamaki
Mamaki  Pandaravasini
Karmo  Samaya - Tara
Damzig - Drölma  Akashadatesvari
Yongtsugma 

Bodhisattvas  Maitreya
Kshitigarbha  Akashagarba
Samantabhadra  Avalokiteshvara
Manjushri  Vajrapani
Sarvanivarana - Vishkambin  x

Yoginis  Lasya and Puspa  Mala and Dhupa  Gita and Aloka  Gandha and Naivedya  x

Pure Land

Skt.
Tib. Abhirati
Ngön Gä Shing 
Palden Shing  Sukhavati
Dewachen 
Lä Rab Dzog  Akanishta
Tugpo Kö

Seed Syllable  HUNG  TRAM  SHRI  AH  OM

Transformed
Disturbing Emotion  anger  pride  desire  envy / jealousy  ignorance

 

Calling the Lama from Afar

Lama, think of me.
Lama, think of me.
Lama think of me.

Glorious Lama dispelling the darkness of ignorance;
Glorious Lama revealing the path of liberation;
Glorious Lama liberating from the waters of cyclic existence;
Glorious Lama dispelling the diseases of the five poisons;
Glorious Lama, wish-fulfilling gem.

Glorious Lama, please bless me to recall death and impermanence sincerely.
Glorious Lama, please bless me to generate contentment within myself.
Glorious Lama, please bless me to dwell in isolation in one-pointed practice.
Glorious Lama, please bless me to be free of any interruption to my practice.

Glorious Lama, please bless me so that all bad conditions appear as helpers.
Glorious Lama, please bless me to spontaneously achieve my own and other's welfare.

Please bless me now quickly.
Please bless me very quickly.

Please bless me on this very cushion.
Please bless me in this very session!

From: "A Remarkably Extensive and Detailed Approach to Looking at the Mind - The Very Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche" Osel Issue 11

The preliminaries to Mahamudra include

Ø The usual preliminaries, which we refer to as ngöndro,

Ø And also some extraordinary preliminaries.

Ø You no doubt have all received instruction on the usual preliminaries in the traditions of Kalu Rinpoche, Trungpa Rinpoche, or His Holiness the Karmapa. And so I have nothing really to add to the instructions you have already received on those practices.

Ø I am going to begin by talking about the four special preliminaries, which are called the four conditions.

These four special preliminaries are unique to Mahamudra practice. They are unlike the ngöndro, in that they are not separate practices that need to be done separately. They are four things you need to understand and keep in mind about the environment or circumstances surrounding the practice of meditation. If you understand these four things, which are called the four conditions for practice, then you will greatly enhance your practice of both the shamatha and the vipashyana aspects of Mahamudra.

The first of the four conditions is revulsion. Revulsion here is called the causal condition, because it is the fundamental condition that must be present for meditation to occur.

The second of the four conditions is called the principal condition. The principal condition refers to reliance upon the guru. The guru here refers to four different aspects of the guru.

· The first is the guru of the lineage, who is an individual or a person. The reason one needs to rely upon another person who can function as a teacher or guru, and who holds an authentic lineage, is that, whereas in the case of mundane activities there are no doubt some things that one can figure out on one’s own, in the case of the samádhis of shamatha and vipashyana, which are beyond the conventions of this world, one definitely needs the authoritative instruction of an individual with experience of these things. Therefore, one needs to rely upon a personal teacher or root guru. This root guru must hold an unbroken lineage of practical experience passed from one experienced individual to another. In short, the basic instructions of meditation cannot be gained simply through reading books, or [by figuring it out by oneself, or from unqualified teachers without authentic lineage.]

· However, while relying upon the root guru, the personal guru who holds the lineage, one comes also to rely upon the second guru, which is the dictates of the Sugatas, or the teachings of the Buddha [and other realized beings]. While one bases one’s practice upon the oral instructions of one’s root guru, one augments this by studying the teachings of the Buddha, the commentaries on his teachings by the great mahasiddhas, and the texts of instruction of the lineage of practice and accomplishment. Through augmenting the oral instructions of one’s guru in this way, one clarifies and reinforces them by relying upon the written teachings of other Buddhas and bodhisattvas. It is therefore important to actively pursue the study of dharma texts. In this connection, people often ask, "Which of the many books that there are should we read?" You should principally study texts that talk about the practice of meditation, especially those that come from a lineage of experiential instruction and unbroken transmission of experience. Through doing this you will both clarify the instructions that you have previously received, so that things that you may not have understood will become clear to you, and also you will remind yourself of aspects of the teachings or instructions that you may have forgotten. Therefore, the second type of guru is the dictates of the Sugatas.
With regard to this type of study, which is reliance upon the second aspect of the guru, if one studies out of mere curiosity, the desire to know more and more about dharma, then this is, in general, okay, but it is not really the appropriate approach to study for a meditator. In general, the way in which a practitioner should study is to search for instructions that will remedy specific problems one is experiencing with meditation. If one’s meditation is afflicted by lack of clarity, one should look for and study that which will enhance the clarity of one’s meditation. If one’s meditation is afflicted by lack of stability, one should look for and study that which will enhance the stability of one’s meditation. If one feels that one lacks faith and devotion, one should look for and study methods that will help to generate further faith and devotion. If one feels that one lacks adequate revulsion, one should look for and study that which will generate further revulsion. You study in order to improve your practice, not in order to acquire knowledge that you can then repeat to others, or use as a basis for debate with others. In short, if you study in order to learn more about how to practice properly, then there will be great benefit in it. That is the proper reliance upon the second aspect of the guru, which are the dictates of the Sugatas.

· The third aspect of the guru is the guru of dharmata or absolute truth. This is what one comes to realize through relying upon the first two aspects of the guru. Through the oral instructions of one’s personal guru and the information one acquires from the guru, which are the teachings of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, one comes to be able to realize the nature of things or dharmata. This nature of things, which can be realized and which are to be realized, is this third aspect of the guru. In general, it can be called dharmata, the nature of all things, or in the specific context of Mahamudra, the nature of the mind itself. In any case, this, which is to be realized is the third aspect of the guru, the absolute guru of dharmata.

· The fourth guru is the sign guru of appearances or experiences, which is the arising of what appears to you as signs or indications of dharma. By appearances or experiences we mean, first of all, those things which appear to us as external objects - visible forms, sounds, smells, tastes and tactile sensations - all of which are, in absolute truth, emptiness, but which nevertheless appear un-impeded as relative truths. By appearances and experiences we also mean the thoughts that arise in your mind: thoughts of pleasure and displeasure, of suffering and joy, and so on. This unimpeded variety of internal thoughts and external appearances is what is referred to as appearances or experience. Appearances in themselves, because they demonstrate the nature of things, are always a sign or an indication of that nature, and are therefore called the sign guru of appearances. Of course, if you fixate on appearances, then these appearances become a condition that casts you further into samsara. But if you look at them in a different way, without fixation, then appearances themselves become the guru, because the impermanence of appearances is a reminder of impermanence. And the emptiness of appearances is an indication of emptiness. Appearances and their change and their variety can inspire devotion and so on. It is not the case that appearances in and of themselves teach you dharma per se; they rather demonstrate it, or embody it. Therefore, if you understand appearances, if you recognize them to be as they are, then they are always signs of dharma, signs of the illusory nature of appearances, signs of the dreamlike nature of things, and so on. Therefore, the recognition of appearances is the fourth guru, the sign guru of appearances.

The reliance upon these four aspects of the guru is the second condition, the principal condition.

 

Prostration

From Guru Puja in Great Treasury of Merit p. ... / Offering The Practice Of The Seven Limbs

III. Prostration

(Note: To prostrate is to show respect. Should be done while remembering the good qualities of the object of prostration. Knowing the qualities is a reason to the development of faith. There are three prostrations: body (bow with hands together), speech (saying it) and mind (focusing on the qualities). Of these three, the most important is mental prostrations because faith is the root of all good qualities and all spiritual attainments. Generating faith and respect by contemplating our Guru's good qualities and remembering his kindness is not only mental prostrations, it is also sublime offering because it is untainted by worldly concerns.)

Prostration to the Guru as Sambhogakaya (as the Enjoyment Body)

(Note: Here, we focus on the Enjoyment Body aspect of our Guru represented by Conqueror Vajradhara at the heart of Tsong Khapa, and make prostrations. The important point is to have faith that our Guru is, in reality, Vajradhara. The sphere of Great Bliss refers to the fact that the Three Bodies are completely pure because they arise from the inseparable union of bliss and emptiness. By relying upon our Guru we can attain this union in one short life - referred here as "in an instant". That is why we develop deep faith and respect and prostrate to him with body, speech, and mind. When we say, "I prostrate" we are saying that we want to cleanse ourselves of all faults and defilements and attain all the good qualities of our Guru.


We prostrate at your lotus feet, O Vajradhara-Gurus,
Your jewel-like bodies, through compassion,
Bestow in an instant even the supreme attainment
Of the Three Bodies, the sphere of Great Bliss.

Prostration to the Guru as Nirmanakaya (as one of the other Emanation Bodies visible by the disciples)

(Note: It is by manifesting an ordinary form like a Spiritual Guide that the Buddhas can help best the disciples. By demonstrating a perfect example, and guiding sentient beings by giving Dharma teachings. Contemplating this, we realize that there is no one kinder than our Spiritual Guide, who appears in an ordinary form, sets an immaculate example for us to follow, and leads us on the path to liberation and enlightenment by giving flawless teachings.)


We prostrate at your feet, O holy Refuge-Protectors.
You are the pristine awareness of all infinite Buddhas
Playing the role of a saffron-robed monk
As a supreme skillful means to appear in whichever way suits your disciples.

Prostration to the Guru as Dharmakaya (Truth Body / the Definitive Guru)

(Note: The Truth Body (its main cause is the collection of wisdom) (a mind free from the two types of obstructions: the delusion-obstructions and the obstructions to omniscience)

Ø The Wisdom Truth Body: the Buddha's omniscient mind (lines 2 and 4) -- the source of all good qualities and the sole gateway to all benefit and happiness

Ø The Nature Truth Body: the emptiness or ultimate nature of the mind / the ultimate true cessation.

According to the Secret Mantra, the definitive Guru is the indivisible bliss and emptiness of the Truth Body, and the Guru that appears to us in various forms is the interpretative Guru. The definitive Guru is in reality the synthesis of all phenomena, because all phenomena are manifestations of bliss and emptiness. This is explained in the yoga of the complete purity of all phenomena in the Heruka and Vajra-yogini Tantras. -- i.e. seeing everything as a perfect teaching or seeing everything pure / with perfect equanimity / as nirvana. Bliss brings emptiness, emptiness bring bliss, they are inseparable.)

20.
We prostrate at your feet, O venerable Gurus,
Sole source of benefit and bliss without exception.
You eliminate the root of all faults and their instincts.
And are a treasury of myriad jewel-like qualities.

Prostration to the Guru as the Manifestation of the Triple Gem
(as the synthesis of all Three Jewels; the fourth body)

(Note: In Heruka Tantra it says

The Guru is Buddha,
The Guru is Dharma,
The Guru is also Sangha.
The Guru is the creator of all (pure, uncontaminated happiness);
To all Gurus I prostrate.

We should regard our Guru's mind as Buddha, his speech as Dharma, and his body as Sangha, and make offerings and prostrations to him accordingly.)


We prostrate to you, O benevolent Gurus.
You are in reality all Buddhas,
Teachers of all, including the gods;
The source of eighty-four thousand pure Dharmas,
You tower above the whole host of Aryas.

Prostration to the Guru as the Manifestation of all the Buddhas of the Ten Directions
(as the lineage Gurus and the Three Jewels: the supreme bodhicitta; the fourth body)

(Note: a very important verse. It explains to whom we should prostrate, with what motivation we should prostrate, and how we should prostrate -- by developing a mind of faith and respect, by making verbal prostrations by imagining a melodious chorus of praise resounding throughout the universe, and physically by imagining that from every pore of our body we manifest another body, and that each of these bodies in turn manifests countless other bodies, and then until the whole universe is filled with our bodies, and then we imagine that they all make prostrations.)

With faith, esteem and a sea of lyric praise,
Manifesting with bodies as many as the atoms of the world.
We prostrate to you, the Gurus of the three times and ten directions,
To the Three Supreme Jewels and to all who are worthy of homage.

The Qualities Of The Guru

From Guru Puja in Great Treasury of Merit... / Guru Puja --VI. Requests

There are four ways of making requests to the Guru:

Ø i. Requesting by reciting the name mantra

Ø ii. Requesting by remembering his good qualities and his kindness

Ø iii. Requesting by expressing his good qualities

Ø iv. Single-pointed request

i) Requesting by reciting the name mantra: the nine lines Migtsema

Ø You are Buddha Shakyamuni and Vajradhara, the source of all attainments,

Ø Avalokiteshvara, great treasure of immeasurable (unobservable) compassion,

Ø Manjushri, Lord of the stainless wisdom, Vajrapani, destroyer of Mara's forces without exception, (Vajradhara equals power)

Ø Tsong-khapa, crown jewel of the sages of the Land of the Snow, (he embodies all three of these deities equals the combination of all Buddhas' wisdom, power and compassion)

Ø O Venerable Guru-Buddha, synthesis of all Three Jewels

Ø With my body, speech, and mind, respectfully I make request:

Ø Please grant your blessings to ripen and liberate myself and others

Ø And bestow the common and supreme attainments.

(Repeat seven times, or twenty-one times, or one hundred times)

(After reciting the prayer as many times as we wish, we imagine that lights and nectars descend from our Guru and dissolve into our body and mind. These blessings purify all the negativities we have created since beginning-less time - especially all the negative actions we have created towards our Guru, such as showing disrespect, going against his advice, or disturbing his mind. We imagine that all these negativities leave through our lower doors in the aspect of black smoke, and that our body becomes as clear as crystal and our mind like clear light. We concentrate for a while on this feeling of complete purity. This creates the cause for us to receive Mahamudra realizations swiftly.)

ii. Requesting by thinking of the Guru's good qualities

His good qualities according to the Vinaya


We make our requests to you, O Holders of the Elders' Vinaya,
O Masters, second Buddhas clad in saffron:
You brim with a treasury of the jewels of much hearing
And are a source of excellence, an immense ocean of moral discipline.

According to the Vinaya, a qualified Teacher must be an elder, which means that he must have been ordained for at least ten years without breaking any of his vows, and he must possess fifteen good qualities. These include:

Ø Great moral discipline,

Ø Extensive understanding of the three sets of doctrine,

Ø Expertise in the rules of the Vinaya,

Ø Loving compassion for his disciples and for sick people,

Ø Freedom from any worldly relationships,

Ø And skill in teaching Dharma at the appropriate time.

Because our Spiritual Guide possesses all these qualities he is like a second Buddha for us, showing us the path and leading us to liberation and enlightenment. Contemplating these excellent qualities, we develop deep faith in our Spiritual Guide and request his blessings.

His good qualities according to the common Mahayana teachings


We make our requests to you, O Mahayana Gurus, Lords of Dharma,
Representing the Victorious Ones without exception;
You possess the ten qualities that render you suitable guides
Along the path of Those Who Have Gone to Bliss.

As a fully qualified Mahayana Spiritual Guide, our Guru possesses the ten qualities explained by Maitreya in "Ornament for Mahayana Sutras":

1. A mind that is controlled by the practice of moral discipline.

2. A mind that has become peaceful and undistracted through the practice of concentration

3. Reduced self-grasping through the practice of wisdom

4. Greater knowledge than the disciple

5. Delight in teaching Dharma

6. A wealth of spiritual knowledge

7. A deep and stable realization of emptiness

8. Great skill in explaining Dharma

9. Compassion and love for his disciples

10. Enthusiasm for teaching Dharma, being free from discouragement or laziness

His qualities according to the Vajrayâna teachings


We make our requests to you, O foremost Holders of the Vajra:
You are skilled in explaining and composing,
Are endowed with both sets of ten qualities
And a knowledge of tantra and its rituals;
You are honorable, without pretense of guile,
Patient, broad-minded, with your three doors well subdued.

Our Spiritual Master is also a full-qualified Tantric Master. A Tantric Master must have many special qualities in addition to those required by a Mahayana Spiritual Guide. Needless to say he must have received all the relevant empowerments and transmissions, and have completed the close retreats of those practices.

In addition, he must have thirteen good qualities, which are indicated by the present verse. He must possess:

1. Actions of body, speech, and mind that are fully controlled through the practice of moral discipline.

2. Great wisdom.

3. The three types of patience.

4. Straightforwardness; not pretending to have qualities he does not possess.

5. Honesty; not deceiving others.

6. Knowledge of all the rituals and practices explained in the Tantric texts.

7. Great compassion.

8. Extensive understanding of the three sets of doctrine.

9. The ten outer and ten inner qualities.

10. Expertise in constructing and visualizing mandalas.

11. Skill in explaining Secret Mantra.

12. Great experience of Secret Mantra.

13. A mind controlled by the three higher trainings.

The ten outer qualities referred to here are:

1. Expertise in drawing and constructing mandalas.

2. Skill in visualizing mandalas.

3. The concentration of the preparatory practice of the Deity. This is a very precise practice of self-generation, the first of the "three concentrations" explained in the Heruka and Guhyasamaja Tantras. Any practice that involves these three concentrations is an extensive self-generation sadhana.

4. The concentration of emanating Mudras from the heart. This is the second concentration and involves more elaborate visualizations than the first.

5. The concentration of the ritual of the mandala. This is the third concentration and is the most complex.

6. Skill in granting empowerments.

7. Skill in performing the "Earth Dance", which is a ritual for purifying a site before constructing a mandala.

8. Skill in performing offering dances.

9. Skill in reciting mantras.

10. Skill in reabsorbing mandalas at the conclusion of a session.

The ten inner qualities are:

11. Expertise in visualizing protection circle to eliminate obstacles.

12. Competence in drawing and blessing wheels to be worn as amulets.

13. Experience in conferring the vase empowerment and the secret empowerment.

14. Experience in conferring the wisdom-mudra empowerment and the word empowerment.

15. The ability to perform wrathful actions when they are required.

16. Expertise in making authentic tormas.

17. The ability to use the ritual dagger, or curved knife.

18. Skill in reciting mantras.

19. Skill in bestowing blessings.

20. Skill in constructing and offering mandalas.

 

Requesting by remembering the Guru's kindness

The Guru is kinder than all the Buddhas

We make our requests to you, O Compassionate Refuge-Protectors:
With precision you impart the good way of Those Gone to bliss
To the unruly beings of this degenerate age
Who are difficult to curb and were not tamed
By the countless Buddhas of past.

Although countless Buddhas have already appeared in this world, we did not have the good fortune to be their disciples, and so we are sill in samsara. Even after Buddha Shakyamuni passed away, countless realized beings such as Nargarjuna and Asanga appeared, but again we were not among their disciples. Even though all these holy beings had great compassion and wished to help all living beings, we did not have the faith or the merit to receive their help. Now we have met our precious Spiritual Guide who reveals to us exactly the same path that all the previous Buddhas have revealed. Therefore, for us, our Spiritual Guide is kinder than all the other Buddhas because it is he who is helping us directly. Moreover, unlike during the golden age when Buddha Shakyamuni was teaching, during these degenerate times it is very difficult to help disciples because they have so little merit and such strong delusions; and yet our Spiritual Guide is working continuously to help us by patiently teaching us Dharma, setting a good example for us to follow, and constantly encouraging us. Who could be kinder than this?

He is even kinder than Shakyamuni Buddha


We make our requests to you, O compassionate Refuge-Protectors;
You enact the deeds of the Victorious Ones
For the many beings who lack a Protector-Refuge
At this time when the sun-like teachings of the Sage are setting,

Buddha Shakyamuni manifested as a Supreme Emanation Body and performed the twelve principal deeds. Now he has passed away it is as if spiritually the sun has set, but because our kind Spiritual Guide has manifested to help sentient beings, the world has not yet been plunged into spiritual darkness. For all the beings with little merit who did not have the good fortune to meet Buddha Shakyamuni directly, and who would otherwise be without protection and refuge, our Spiritual Guide performs exactly the same deeds as Buddha Shakyamuni himself. During these degenerate times he brings us the precious Dharma Jewel, which is the real refuge and protection. Therefore, for us, he is kinder even than Buddha Shakyamuni.

Even his relatives, animals, etc. are a higher object of offering than all the Buddhas

(Requesting by remembering that he is a Supreme Field of Merit)

 

We make our requests to you, O compassionate Refuge-Protectors:
Even a single hair from your pores
Is for us a Field of Merit more highly praised
Than all the Victorious Buddhas of the three times and ten directions.

In general, all Buddhas are a Field of Merit to whom we can make offerings and prostrations but in the Guhyasamaja Tantra it says that our Spiritual Guide is the supreme Field of Merit and that making offerings to just one hair pore of his body yields far greater results than making offerings to all the other Buddhas.

As explained above, our Spiritual Guide's body is like a temple in which all the Buddhas of the three times and the ten directions dwell, and when we make offerings or prostrations to him we also make offerings and prostrations to all the other Buddhas. Therefore, for us, he is the kindest of all Buddhas. When we place offerings on the shrine we receive the merit of making offerings, but we do not receive the merit of our offerings being directly accepted. When we make offerings to our Spiritual Guide, however, we do receive this merit. Moreover, even though the Buddhas have given teachings, these can be of direct benefit to us only if they are brought into focus and presented in a way in which we can understand them and apply them, and it is our Spiritual Guide who does this for us. ... If we think about this deeply we will realize that our Spiritual Guide is kinder than all the other Buddhas.

Requesting by expressing the Guru's outer, inner, secret and such-ness qualities (iii)

His outer qualities


We make our requests to you, O compassionate Refuge-Protectors;
From an intricate lattice of mirage-like skillful means
Emblazoned with the Three Body Wheels of those Gone to bliss
You manifest in an ordinary guise to lead all beings.

His inner qualities

(Internally his body is a temple.)

We make our requests to you, O supreme Gurus,
The essence of the Three Jewels of Refuge;
Your aggregates, elements, sensory bases and limbs
Are in nature the fathers, mothers, male and female Bodhisattvas,
And the wrathful protectors of the five Buddha-families.

 

His secret qualities

(He is Vajradhara.)


We make our requests to you, O Protectors of Primordial Unity,
Foremost Holders of the Vajra, All-pervading Lords of hundreds of Buddha families:
Unfolding from the play of omniscient pristine awareness,
You are the quintessence of ten million mandala cycles.

His such-ness qualities

(He is the Truth Body. p. 189)


We make our requests to you Immaculate Samantabhadra, who are in reality ultimate Bodhicitta,
Free of beginning or end,
The nature of all things, pervading everything in motion and at rest,
Inseparable from simultaneous Bliss in play without obstruction.

Special One-Pointed Request

You are our Gurus; you are our Yidams; you are our Dakinis and Dharma Protectors.
From this moment until our Enlightenment, we need seek no refuge other than you.
In this life, the Bardo and all future lives,
Hold us with your hook of compassion.
Free us from samsara and Nirvana's fears, grant all attainments,
Be our unfailing friend and guard us from interferences (Repeat three times)

· "The Prayer of the Graduated Path," the first stance is:

Bestow on me your blessings to be devoted to my Master
With the purest thoughts and actions gaining confidence that you
O Compassionate holy Master, are the basis of temporary and everlasting bliss
For you elucidate the true Path free from all deception and embody the totality of refuges past number.

· Guru Puja, in the "Reviewing the Stages of the Path," the first stance is:


Through the power of having made offerings and respectful requests
To you, O holy and venerable Gurus, supreme Field of Merit,
We seek your blessings O Protectors and root of well-being and bliss
That we may come under your joyful care,

· The Mountain of Blessings, Tsong-Kha-Pa, the first stance is:

The source of all my good
Is my kind Lama, my Lord;
Bless me first to see
That taking myself to him
In the proper way
Is the very root
Of the path, and grant me then
To serve and follow him
With all my strength and reverence.

· "Lama Chöpa Sadhana -- The Way to Receive Blessings," the first stance is:

A. The way to devote oneself to one's Guru as the Root of the Path to Enlightenment:
O holy and venerable Gurus, supreme fields of merit,
By the power of my offering and respectfully requesting to you,
May you protector, root of (all) well-being,
Be pleased to care for me - bless me thus!

· "Les 37 Pratiques du Chemin des Bodhisattva, HHDL"

Ø Sixth Practice: To rely on a spiritual friend who has eliminated all illusions, whose competence in the teachings and practice is complete, and whose qualities increase like the crescent moon; to cherish this perfect guru more than one's own body is a practice of the bodhisattva.

 

The Importance of the Guru

By Lama Yeshe [Buddha Village]

Ø 'Guru’ has two different levels of meaning

§ The relative, objective guru is the teacher who, by communicating with us in different ways, shows us how to act so that we can discover our own totality.

§ But on a deeper, more subjective level, our guru is none other than our own inner wisdom, our own fundamental clarity of mind.

The more in touch they are with their own internal guru, the more profound their understanding of the teachings will be.

§ Practically speaking, there is only so much the relative, external guru can do for us; he or she cannot guarantee that we gain insight and realizations.

§ But our inner guru, our own clear wisdom, can accomplish everything.
The practice of guru-yoga, therefore, is primarily a method for learning how to listen to this inner guru.

§ Ordinarily, even though we do posses this inner voice of wisdom, we do not listen to it. We do not even hear it! We are too busy listening to the garbage conversation of our gross dualistic minds. We are so accustomed to this that even when wisdom does arise, as an intuitive insight, we often reject it. By practicing guru-yoga we are able progressively to cut through our superficial ways of relating to the world and make contact with the innate wisdom at the heart of our being. When we have done this, then we can communicate deeply with the outer guru as well. But as long as we are out of touch with out inner guru, no matter how profound the teachings of the outer guru may be, we will never be able to integrate them.

§ But we should not interpret this to mean that the external, relative guru is unimportant.

For the teachings of enlightened beings to reach us and for their insights to make an impression on our mind, there should be an unbroken lineage of successive gurus and disciples carrying these living insights down to the present day. As a member of this lineage, the spiritual guide who makes the Four Noble Truths come alive for you does so through his or her inspiration or blessings. Familiar with your character and aptitudes, such a guide can make these noble truths so clean clear for you that your mind itself becomes the path of realization. This is what is meant by inspiration or blessing, just this. And the practice of guru-yoga, or guru devotion, is nothing more than opening ourselves to this inspiration.

· Prolonging the Life of the Guru, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, FPMT

Ø Most important is to remember with feeling the Guru's kindness, to follow his advice then remember one's mistakes and confess.

· Gathering for the Guru, By Ven. Thubten Dondrub, Buddha Village

Ø The Spiritual Master - the source of all happiness, benefit and progress
all success in this path comes from correct devotion to the Spiritual Master.

§ One way of doing this is through repeated meditation on the qualities and kindness of the Guru as outlined in the lam Rim.

§ Another is through ritual ceremonies that are designed to produce the same result through a less intellectual process.

§ The most profound of these ritual ceremonies is the Lama Chopa Tsog Offering ...

§ The Lama Chopa ceremony also involves the Tsog offering

· When the Teacher Calls From Afar, A Teaching from Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo

Ø In Vajrayâna, the teacher is considered to be the door to liberation

Ø The lama, who is necessary for empowerment, transmission and teaching, is considered to be the blessing that is inherent in the Path.

Ø Devotional yoga is meant to benefit the student. The teacher is not "pleased" by devotional yoga. Rather, the teacher is pleased by movement and the softening, the gentling and the change that occurs within the student.

Ø When the student calls the lama, it's because the student has realized certain things.

Ø But what is it that the teacher experiences as the teacher begins to call the student? ... What begins to happen is that there is a quality of intention, of loving kindness, of compassion that begins to ripen in the teacher's mind, and it sets up a vibrational field, almost like a sound or song that will reach out and touch particular students, and their minds will respond to it. Students, literally, will appear from nowhere.

Ø From the lama's point of view there is simply the display of that compassionate intention.

Ø The teacher is only acting from the point of view of compassion. If the teacher is considered to be a bodhisattva or a tulku, then what you're seeing , really, is the display of compassion, and what you're seeing is your own face.

Ø You must remember that all you are truly seeing when you meet your root guru is the compassionate extension of the Buddha's miraculous activity

· Lama - The Source of Blessing, also Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche

Ø If we open ourselves to the lama filled with trust, and therefore get his blessing, our mind will be guided to maturity. This means that through the power of blessing we are able to recognize the true nature of our mind. Thus the lama - the source of blessing - is so important in the Vajrayâna and is called "the first root."

Ø In order to get the blessing, several things are necessary. On the one hand, one needs to develop full trust and complete devotion toward the lama.

Ø Only if one receives the authentic blessing is one in the position to realize the authentic fruit, the ultimate accomplishments, the highest siddhis.

Ø When one talks about reaching the highest accomplishments, it is not something outer or something new one attains. It is the realization of the nature of ones own mind. One has attained the highest accomplishments when one is free of all momentary changing states and conditions, and when one has realized the mind as it really is.

Ø Blessing is the ability to bring the mind of other sentient beings to maturity and to liberate them. Blessing does not have any form, nor any specific symbol of expression. Although during empowerments different symbolic objects are used, the actual blessing is that one becomes free of the idea that someone receives a blessing and is given a blessing. This is the ultimate empowerment and the real blessing. Everything else is just symbols and examples for the receiving of blessing.

· The Teacher: Learning from Both the Foolish and the Wise, Lama Surya Das

Ø Guru Yoga - as a way of realizing our own innate luminosity or light of Dharmakaya, Buddha-nature, which the image or personification of the Buddha reflects back to us, mirroring our highest, deepest nature.

Ø A guru is a mirror that reflects our highest nature. It is said that the guru or highest spiritual teacher is a door to the infinite, to the absolute, to realization, to enlightenment.

Ø It says in the Vajrayâna tradition, to recognize the guru as like Buddha, for if we see the guru as a Buddha, we get the blessings of Buddha. We can learn from the Buddha. The Buddha-energy will course through us, and eventually to others through us. We can get blessings and become Buddha. ..

Ø ... Whomever you are most grateful. That is your root lama.

Ø One can have more than one guru. I have had many gurus.

Ø "See all teachers as emanations of your root guru." So there is no need to get confused. You can get teachings from anyone, actually; even from the foolish. Eventually, it is not just seeing your guru as Buddha and everybody else as a turd; you come to see the Buddha, the light, the love in everyone.

Ø Can we see anybody as a Buddha? So let's start with the Buddha or the guru. Then maybe we can extend it to recognize the Buddha in everyone, even in yourself. That would be radical! That is where the guru yoga and pure perception practice leads. ... Like striving to recognize everything as a magical display of the guru-energy or the Buddha-nature.

Ø Spiritual teachers can be in different forms. You might meet your teacher as a human being in ordinary form; or as a Bodhisattva living on a high level of spirituality, a Dalai Lama-like person; or as a Nirmanakaya, like a Buddha, or as in the Sambhogakaya, like in a vision, you might meet Tara or Avalokiteshvara in a visionary form-that might become your teacher.

Ø the Buddha himself said, "Don't rely on the teacher-person, but rely on the teachings. Don't rely on the words of the teachings, but on the spirit of the words, their meaning."

Ø So do we need a teacher? Only you know.

Ø Chuang Tzu said that we can learn as much from the fools as from the wise. From the fools we learn what not to do; from the wise we learn what to do.

Ø His Holiness the Dalai Lama said that we should check out the teacher for twelve years, or as long as reasonably possible.

Ø see the guru as Buddha -- what does that really mean? That all the gurus are Buddhas, fully enlightened, completed beings? Is that true? That's not what we are being asked to do. It's just a practice: going in the direction of recognizing everything as Buddha-energy or the Great Perfection. So we can understand the principle. We don't have to get lost in the words. We don't have to remain like babes lost in the woods.

Ø I consider my teachers "enlightened enough." I don't know if they are fully Buddha-ized, but they are enlightened enough for me.

Ø Do we need a teacher? That's up to each of us. Do we need to be part of a group? That's up to each of us. Check it out. It is very difficult to do it ourselves, but not impossible.

Summary of this chapter

· The inseparability of the guru (the root of the path) and emptiness; using both method and wisdom.

· Thus the unerring cause and effect of the excellent path Arises from relating to the holy ones.

· By relating with holy ones, we ourselves become holy. By keeping to bad company, we ourselves go bad.

· They are the equals of all the Buddhas of the world. // The Buddha-guru is a fourth to the three jewels. // Even better than the Buddha, for beings to be tamed.

· The root of all the siddhis is the vajra master himself.

· By pleasing him, let us serve the truth itself.

· We should always relate with virtuous and holy friends. Because of them our wholesome karma will increase. Karma and kleshas diminish and evil will be stopped. We reach the end of samsara, and higher things manifest. Then what is good and true will come to be established. In this life there is happiness, and afterwards fruition. We are ever-successful leaders of gods and human beings.

· This is the actual basis of splendor and of wealth, from which arise clouds of benefit and happiness. Whoever wants amrita-rain throughout the three levels, Should rely on those who are compassionate.

· The qualities of competence rise from them.

· How to: Remembering his kindness, respect, faith, mindfulness, guarding the vows and samaya, confession, offerings, service, practicing the teachings, effort -- guru Puja, tsog offerings, guru mantra.

· Remembering the guru for a moment, Is better than a kalpa of the developing stage

· The best is to serve with practice.

· Afterwards rest the mind in objectless meditation in Dharmadhatu, the state of mind without conception, Let things go into their natural purity as illusion.