The Lotus Flower In The
Samadhi Of Fire-Light
■Book 103 - The Great Spiritual Response Of Tantrayana
■Written by master Sheng-yen Lu
The ”Samadhi Of Fire-Light” is considered the fourth level of meditation.
It is said in the ”Ben Xing Ji ”Sutra: ”At that time, Buddha entered into the samadhi of fire-light and his body was on big fire”.
When Ananda died: ”He lifted himself into the air, and entered into the samadhi of fire-light. Smoke and fire burned his body, and he passed away.”
Most of the arhats died the same way, using the samadhi of fire-light to burn themselves to death.
It was recorded in Chuan Fa Zhen Zong that ”when Shakyamuni Buddha passed away, Shakyamuni knew his demise was near ...................., using samadhi fire to burn his body. It is very bright everywhere”.
In the sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha taught Ananda the ”Samadhi of fire-light in detail. ”The Buddha told Ananda (original text in classical chinese).......”
As what I have told you before:
First, you must visualise yourself to be a white skeleton. With a clear mind, you think clearly with your head bent down.
Second, you must visualise the other person to be a white skeleton. With a clear mind, you see him clearly, his head bent down.
Third, you must visualise there are many white skeletons. With a clear mind you see all of them appearing clearly in front of you.
Then you carry on your visualisation. All the white skeletons collapsed, heads and bones are broken into pieces and scattered everywhere.
This form of visualisation will achieve three aims:
”No-self”
”No-others”
”No-sentient beings”
Then you can enter into the samadhi of Fire-light.
Suddenly, the fire starts to burn the scattered bones from all directions. You also start your internal fire to burn yourself, then the fire spreads to all sentient beings. The fire is as strong as an inferno.
This is what we call:
Fire and Void
Emptiness and True fire
Purity and self-nature
Omnipresent in the dharma realm
”The fire starts from four directions, my body is empty and quiet. The four aggregates are no longer the master. The big fire which starts from the air will turn my body and others’ bodies into emptiness.” This is the arhat’s visualisation of samadhi of fire-light as taught by Hinayana school.
In my opinion, the samadhi of fire-light as practised by Tantra is even more magnificent and valuable.
Tantra cultivates ”Internal fire and Bright spot.”
The internal fire is known by many names such as, inarticulate fire, samadhi fire, spiritual heat, spiritual power, spiritual energy, Dan Dian fire, warm fire, life material and life energy.
The cultivation of which is divided into different levels:
”Warmth dharma” 1st stage
”Smoke dharma” 2nd stage
”Fire dharma” 3th stage
”Light dharma” last stage
From the cultivation of samadhi of fire-light, you can turn your body to be bright and transparent; and be enlightened as a Buddha instantly. This level of spiritual achievement is not within the ken of the other two vehicles.
The red lotus flower had a word ”Hom” in its crescent.
The white lotus flower had a word ”Om” in its crescent.
How to produce lotus flowers with eight patels and thousand patels from the cultivation of samadhi of fire-light can only be taught clearly by a real vajra guru.
From my practical experience, I am able to tell you the truth, you can be enlightened by cultivating this dharma.
The samadhi of fire-light,
non-self and dharma are equal,
cultivate them properly,
you are able to have all kinds of wisdom,
●
I always use my other body to empower disciples who put in a lot of effort in their cultivation and those who have deep causation with me. This statement can be verified, it is not a lie.
I used all kinds of thing to do empowerment:
Rosary beads.
Vajra.
Touching their heads with my hand.
Using samadhi fire to burn the disciples.
I burn their bodies and hearts for five reasons.
First it is a sign of dignity. It is clean and pure. Using fire to burn the disciples’ hearts and bodies is asking them to be pure and have dignity.
Second, it is able to exterminate all the worries and unwholesome karma, and lead the disciples to brightness. Using fire in this instance is eradicate their worries and hindrance.
Third, it is a great love of equity and ”non-self”. It is a perfect brightness. It signifies ”Emptiness” in this case.
Fourth, it is non-self, non-others,and non-other sentient beings.
This is the truth to be found in all Buddhist dharma. Using fire to burn is to teach tem the wisdom of dharma nature.
Fifth, it enters directly into emptiness. It is a great bliss to us, and a truth constantly seen by others.
It is also in compliance with the three ways to liberations:
Away from self-nature-emptiness
Away from Cause-without form
Away from discrimination-perfection
These three ways represent the three vajras of clear body,wisdom of emptiness and clear self-nature. Thus you are able to obtain the samamdhi of fire-light.
After the burning, What is left will be formless and motionless. Likewise, everything can be reduced to emptiness the same way; and perfection will follow. This is also the most effective dharma in protecting us from mara hindrance.
