T294 蓮生活佛英文文集51－無上密與大手印 Spiritual State of Immovability４
- 詳細內容
- 分類：大燈新書上市
Spiritual State of Immovability
●Book 51─Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra
●Written by Master Sheng-yen Lu
●Chapter thirteenth
For more information, please call +1(510)473-4818 or fax +1(510)437-1987.
Contact Address: 3440 Foothill Blvd. Oakland CA 94601, U.S.A.
Once, while abiding in the state of profound meditation, he saw himself transforming into a being that was endowed with the thirty-two glorious marks of a buddha. In his vision, he was seated on a white lotus, expounding the dharma to sentient beings. His left hand held the corner of his dharma robe, while his right thumb and ring finger joined together to form a mudra. He gasped at finding out that he was the Buddha!
There are thirty-two major characteristics of a Buddha described in the Yogacarabhumi Sastra, which are:
1) feet with level sole; 2) thousand-spoked wheel on the soles of the feet; 3) long, slender fingers; 4) flexible hands and feet; 5) finely webbed fingers and toes; 6) full-sized heels; 7) high ankles; 8) thick calf muscles like an antelope; 9) hands that extend below the knees; 10) well-retracted and concealed male organ; 11) stretchy arms that are equal in length; 12) dark colored hair roots; 13) graceful and curly body hair; 14) golden-hued body; 15) ten-foot aura all around; 16) soft, smooth skin; 17) well-rounded soles, palms, shoulders, and crown at the head; 18) armpits with no hollow areas; 19) lion-shaped body; 20) erect and upright body; 21) full, round shoulders; 22) forty teeth; 23) white and even teeth without gaps; 24) four pure white canine teeth; 25) full cheeks like a lion; 26) saliva that improves the taste of all food; 27) long and broad tongue; 28) deep and resonant voice; 29) bluish-black eyes; 30) eyelashes of a royal bull; 31) cotton-wool soft wisp of hair between the eyebrows; and 32) fleshy protuberance on the crown of the head.
In the two main Vajrayana mandalas, Sakyamuni Buddha is revered as the main deity in the Garbhadhatu Mandala, and he is aligned with Amoghasiddhi Buddha in the Vajradhatu Mandala. Because Sakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment in samsara, buddhists in general regard him to be the founder of Buddhism in samsara. [Upon seeing this vision], the Vajrayana adept who was a student of the lay Buddhist Daxin, was immediately filled with joy. Someone even witnessed brilliant lights emitting from his crown, which validated his spiritual attainment as a Tibetan tulku.
After receiving the verification, the adept was confident that he was the reincarnation of Sakyamuni Buddha. He wanted to see the vision of his past dharma reincarnation each meditation session. In his vision, he also saw Bhargava, Arada Kalama, Ksantyrsi and Utpala [teachers of Sakyamuni Buddha] during the time of Sakyamuni, and he discussed and exchanged practice methods with them.
During his meditation, he also felt that he had expounded the dharma for forty-nine years just as Sakyamuni Buddha did. By the time that a guru noticed the adept's odd complexion, the adept was already deeply attached to feeling superior. He had fallen prey to the mara realms. This was indeed a terrible scene. Even at his death bed, the adept still strongly believed that he was Sakyamuni Buddha when, in fact, he was kept in a mental hospital for seven years due to his delusion.
Mahamudra teaches practitioners to think like a child that is at an art exhibition during this spiritual state. A child adores a painting in great detail, looking at one painting after another. However, he or she does not know what the painting is all about. This means that an illusion is unavoidable but the practitioner who has the heart of a child will not be deluded. Though illusions may come, we can choose to ignore them so that their existence has no significance.
In the state of tranquility and extinction, spontaneous delusions may arise from one's subconscious. These manifestations are the result of past karmic obscurations brought to the forefront by our [defiled] thoughts in the present life. At this time, the adept's heart should remain still, dwelling in a state of immovability. The adept should not be affected by any emotional or physical interferences, and he should not attach to any illusions. Otherwise he will be trapped in the mara realms. This method is the same as a child looking at a painting without the mind of attachment. Yet, this level of realization is still not enlightenment. One has to perfect the proficiency of immovability, acquire the undeluded mind in Mahamudra, and merge into it while not being entrapped by delusion. Only then can this be considered as reaching the spiritual state of enlightenment.
–To Be Continued–
T293 蓮生活佛英文文集51－無上密與大手印 Spiritual State of Immovability３
- 詳細內容
- 分類：大燈新書上市
Spiritual State of Immovability
●Book 51─Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra
●Written by Master Sheng-yen Lu
●Chapter thirteenth
For more information, please call +1(510)473-4818 or fax +1(510)437-1987.
Contact Address: 3440 Foothill Blvd. Oakland CA 94601, U.S.A.
There was once a Tantric guru who saw a vision of his death during deep meditation. He saw two strings of red pearls hanging from his nostrils, and five arches of rainbows appearing in the sky. His corpse emitted rays of red and yellow lights, and all of his bones displayed multiple colors. His heart remained intact and undestroyed, turning into relics (sariras). He left huge amounts of other relics, around five to six hundred of them, which could fill a big sack. He also saw his disciples cheering at the sight of his many relics. They were all elated.
After this experience, the guru longed to see the entire illusory scene again whenever he entered into meditation because this vision filled him with a great sense of pride. When this desire arose, he found himself experiencing the vision of his own cremation during each meditation session. Finally, when he sensed that something was wrong, it was already too late to erase the illusion. It was pitiful.
On another account, there was an adept who studied Vajrayana from a disciple of the famous Master Atisha. His master had studied dharma at the Tholing Monastery, and he had achieved union with his own inner mandala. He also learned the Three Cycles on Relaxation of the Great Perfection [Dzogpa Chenpo Gyuma Ngalso] and the Profound Quintessence of the Great Perfection [Dzogs Pa Chen Po Klong Chen Snying Thig]. One time, he encountered the following vision during deep meditative absorption:
“Who are you, pretty woman?” the adept asked.
“I am a Tibetan Princess.”
“Why are you here?” the adept asked.
“I am here to continue our past affinity.” The beautiful lady pointed to another dimension as she spoke.
A vision appeared in another dimension, in which he saw himself incarnating as a senior lama from the Nyingma School. He had practiced the consort practice with the Tibetan princess. Their practice began from the initial level reaching to the deep level, proceeding from the wonderful stage to the mystical stage. He lost his righteous thoughts of enlightenment and was overtaken by lust. His defiled thoughts blocked him from seeing through the illusion of the beautiful woman, who was none other than a pile of skeletons. Being caught off guard, he was led astray into a sexual fantasy. Ever since then, he was unable to pull himself out of it.
Every time the adept entered meditation, he saw the beautiful woman and they were sexually intimate. Initially, he felt that there was nothing wrong with that. However, it was only much later that he realized the vision was a camouflage of the three poisons, five dusts, and six robberies. The adept had lost the aura of light rewarded from the Great Perfection. All his radiance had been transformed into discriminating thoughts of love and disdain. When the beautiful woman failed to arrive, he was afflicted to an extreme. Subsequently, the adept could no longer cultivate, and his proper thought in enlightenment and endeavors in cultivation had become futile. He was worse than a mundane mortal. What a pity!
Here is a verse that I wrote in regards to this incident:
The practice of union is a supreme path,
Absence of grasping is the pith teaching,
Illusion and reality have no difference in truth,
A smiling beauty is also a laughing skeleton.
There was another adept who studied the Vajrayana teachings with a lay Buddhist known as Daxin. He professed to hold the lineage transmission of Mahamudra from Guru Tilopa and Guru Naropa. He had also obtained the quintessence from Guru Gampopa, and learned the Heart Essence of the Most Supreme Light of the Nine Vehicles. He completed a two-year dark retreat and was very proud of his supernatural powers.
–To Be Continued–
T292 蓮生活佛英文文集51－無上密與大手印 Spiritual State of Immovability２
- 詳細內容
- 分類：大燈新書上市
●Book 51─Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra
●Written by Master Sheng-yen Lu
●Chapter thirteenth
For more information, please call +1(510)473-4818 or fax +1(510)437-1987.
Contact Address: 3440 Foothill Blvd. Oakland CA 94601, U.S.A.
Perhaps someone might say, “Why have you disclosed the Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra, yet you discourage people to practice the teachings? Aren't you being contradictory?”
My reply is that it is my wish that people know about this rare-to-encounter, supreme dharma. If the affinity is not ripe, people will toss away the book. If the affinity is mature, please quickly seek a true vajra guru and ask for transmission. The reason that I write this book is to preserve the teachings in this world. Someone who receives the genuine transmission and pith instructions from a guru may engage in practice, and he or she will gain phenomenal results in their spiritual realization. On the other hand, if an individual practices Mahamudra superficially, without proper transmission from a vajra master, then he or she is likely to fall into the mara states. So, watch out!
My American disciples have wanted to translate Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra into English, in order to preserve the secrets and pith instructions in the West forever. I have foreseen into the future that a competent individual will incarnate in the West. Upon encountering this book, he or she will help to spread these teachings so that they will flourish and blossom. This is the main reason that I wrote this book.
In the Supreme Bliss state, the most challenging test is none other than the temptation of sexual desire. The seed of sexual desire is inborn, derived from the genes of our parents. An adept without strong stability is an easy prey to sexual desire. As the psychic heat warms up, an adept will see the beautiful woman that he desires gradually appear in an illusion. Being enticed by her seductive gestures and provocative dances from her naked figure, the adept totally fails the sexual test. Practitioners who do not give into sexual temptations are truly rare. When a practitioner succumbs to sexual desire, he is doomed.
A female practitioner will see an attractive man appearing in her mind. He will tempt her into sexual union. After being persuaded, she will be consumed by sexual pleasure. Thus, the result is the same and she will fall into the hands of mara.
Some overestimate their will power, taking no precautions for sexual temptation. That is because they have not encountered such a vicious challenge. Confucius described men and women on earth as “men and women of food and drink.” He also added that “food and sex are part of human nature.” There is truth in the sage's statement. I feel that no one can defy sexual temptation, except for a few adepts who have acquired strong capabilities in stillness and stability.
If a practitioner holds any slightest fear, that fear will magnify into a monster born from his own fear during the supreme stage. The single-horned fearsome monster stands several stories tall, glaring at the practitioner, with its eyes as big as the size of bronze bells. It roars and extends his huge tongue, showing its razor-sharp, knife-like teeth. Sometimes a single mara appears, and at times a legion of maras numbering in the tens of thousands come to terrify the practitioner, hindering him from entering into meditative absorption. Even after he enters meditation, the maras still do not give up on distracting him. Eventually, he can no longer eat and sleep properly. His mind simply breaks down. There are many situations where adepts fall into the mara realms due to their fears. Such occurrences are numerous indeed.
During the illusory visions, many events of joy and sadness manifest themselves. For example, one may witness the death of loved ones or see them tormented in hell. One may see one's spouse leave one or run to embrace another person, and so forth. These are examples of sad visions. On the other hand, joyful occurrences are also just as plentiful, and they include visions of seeing oneself as a king, as Sakyamuni Buddha, as the richest man on earth, or one may be approached from the person that one is most fond of.could fill a big sack. He also saw his disciples cheering at the sight of his many relics. They were all elated.
–To Be Continued–
