Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra By Master
Sheng-yen Lu This was translated from Grandmaster Lu's 51st book, 無上密與大手印. CHAPTER 4 - Psychic Heat, Drops and Inner Fire Seattle is situated in the State of Washington in the United States of America. Washington lies in the north-west region of America, and shares a border with Canada. This state is five times the size of Taiwan, and has a population of four million [translators note: as of 1984]. As it is located in the north, its winter is freezing cold. In the winter of 1983, a heavy snow reduced the temperature to minus thirty degrees Celsius at night, with a daytime temperature of around minus ten degrees. The rivers were frozen into ice, and so were the lakes. The dew that rested on the windows was turned into ice. None-the-less, I continued with my meditation. I want to tell my readers that I had no heater in my home. In the severe cold winter, I had to rely on the heat generated through Mahamudra to counter the freezing cold. In my home, the cold air had consolidated into ice, yet my body was sweating lightly, like a stove, experiencing a certain warmth all over. This is the psychic heat produced by Mahamudra practice. Here is the method for producing psychic heat: We stabilize ourselves with the seven point Vairocana meditation posture and regulate our breathing. Visualize a spot about four fingers beneath the navel. It is a place where the three channels, the left channel, the right channel and the middle channel, converge, known to the Taoists as the Dan-tian. In this spot is positioned the Sanskrit syllable short AH which is hair-breath in thickness and appears red. This short AH trembles and vibrates like the flame that trembles in the stove. In your visualization, feel that the little flame that resides at the junction of the three channels is rather warm. Still seated, breathe in using the complete inhalation approach, so that the chi enters the left and right channels (One may review this breathing method in my book, The Realization of the Master). When this breath of wind reaches the meeting point of the three channels, it fans the fire and increases the temperature of the red fiery flame. The hair-breath thickness of the short AH thickens, and becomes even redder. While performing complete breathing, one needs to visualize the exhalation of blue smoke. Thus, with every complete inhalation and complete exhalation synchronized with their respective visualizations, one continues this cycle of breathing. Every inhalation and exhalation performed is called a breathing cycle. By performing ten such breathing cycles, the flame should reach the navel chakra. With the next ten breathing cycles, the navel chakra and its surrounding area should be filled with heated wind. The subsequent ten breathing cycles should cause the lower body to experience warmth all over. Another ten breathing cycles thereafter should raise the flame to the heart chakra. Another ten breathing cycles should move it further upwards to the throat chakra. Then, the next ten breathing cycles should raise the flame towards the brow chakra. Another ten breathing cycles should lead it to the crown chakra. Once I heard that a monk who was spiritually developed would place a teapot of cold water upon his head every time he sat for meditation. When the monk entered into meditative absorption, his body would remain very still. An hour later, the cold water in the teapot would turn hot and began steaming. Such a feat is the yoga of psychic heat, which is the practice of drops and inner fire. Those who are less adept in this practice may achieve a warm sensation around the region of the Dan-tian. Even ones pubic region feels like a stove, where one finds the area hot when felt with ones hand. When one gains mastery over the yoga of psychic heat, even the most subtle spots such as the cold tips of the fingers and toes can be penetrated by the heat of the chi, or wind. The whole body experiences a hot sensation. This is the reason I could keep myself warm during the freezing cold winter. When the psychic heat reaches the crown chakra, the white bodhicitta (white drops) at the crown chakra melts and drips downwards via the path of the tongue that is pressing against the upper palate. This fluid is known in the Taoist teaching as the heavenly court water, and is called nectar in the Buddhist teaching. The fluid has the characteristic of cooling, and when mixed with the psychic heat produces a nurturing effect. This is known as the mixing of water and fire. On the practice of psychic heat and the practice of inner fire and drops, I would like to elucidate the main points one more time: 1. The first experience that marks progress on the path to attainment of Buddhahood through Mahamudra is psychic heat. When the psychic heat is ignited, it signals success in the most elementary achievement. Without this, all is but empty talk. Some practitioners have gone astray with their practices, since they have lost their glow and their limbs have become cold. These symptoms are an indication of a practice gone wrong. 2. The initial practice of the Mahamudra of psychic heat requires one to meditate six times daily, and only after the ignition of psychic heat can one reduce the practice to three or four times a day. Each session requires at least seventy breathing cycles. One round of inhaling and exhaling constitutes one breathing cycle. 3. The syllable AH is Sanskrit, and the short AH that is as thin as a hair breath resembles the Chinese character Na with the right portion removed. During visualization, pay special attention to the blazing red syllable getting redder and redder, and therefore thicker, with a growing flame that gets hotter as the practice progresses. 4. Inhale through complete breathing. Keep it slow and drawn out, so that the breath reaches the meeting point at the Dan-tian. With the wind fanning the fire, the fire blazes upwards fiercely, moving through one chakra every ten breathing cycles. In total, seventy breaths are needed every meditation session for the seven chakras. Some practise 108 breathing cycles, penetrating all the meridians in the body. 5. When the psychic heat blazes through the crown chakra, the white bodhicitta (nectar) melts and drips downwards. This is an example of the method of mixing water and fire. This is a great secret kept within heaven and earth, a major celestial secret indeed. The truth of attainment in the Buddhist teaching is found within this practice, and so is the truth of the formation of relics. 6. Exhale through complete breathing as well. Keep the breath slow and drawn out, and visualize blue smoke leaving your body similar to how smoke from the fire in a stove leaves through the chimney. 7. There is a sensation associated with cultivation of psychic heat. The coldness of the limbs is removed and those with health problems find relief when the fire of psychic heat burns inwardly. The circulation of the inner fire of psychic heat clears the meridians of blockages and those who gain mastery over its application may find themselves free from illnesses. This is certainly a first class method for balancing the spiritual energies of body and mind. 8. Due to the arousal of psychic heat, the body feels warm all over and the individual finds himself bathed in a sensation of lightness. The body feels a sense of lightness whereas the mind enjoys a state of freedom. Discursive thoughts cease, leaving the person in a state of extreme tranquility and joy. Generally speaking, as one moves further into the practice, many states of phenomena may be experienced, experiencing visions during meditation such as the projection of past lives, images of beautiful women and dream-like illusory imageries. Irrespective of the nature of these illusory visions, be they good or bad, we should not be attached to them. We should instead strive for active, diligent cultivation, for that shall lead us naturally to attaining Samadhi. Someone once asked me what psychic heat and inner fire were. The true meaning of psychic heat is the breath of life (prana). The true meaning of inner fire is the fire of life. The survival of man hinges on psychic heat and inner fire. What exactly is the central channel? The central channel is an invisible channel, a pathway that facilitates the travel of psychic heat through the body. In principle, it exists and moves through the centre of the spine, and some of its secondary veins fan out from the spine. Some have said that the central channel is the governing centre of all spiritual veins. It is close to the Ming Men, the gate of life, which is the source of life itself. The Indians called it the Muladhara, the seat of all drops of psychic heat. These drops are the very life drops of man, and the human body is born from these drops. Today, the teaching of Mahamudra has clearly elucidated the very source of the life of man, and explains in detail the way to produce psychic heat and inner fire. My exposition of all these teachings is geared towards the deliverance of all sentient beings. Through fearless expedient means, I lead individuals through my teachings so that they may be liberated from the suffering of this world and receive the cause and condition of Buddhahood to attain the path of liberation. What a great dharma affinity and secret this is! The practice of psychic heat takes perseverance, moving from simple to deep levels, and from deep levels one enters into the wonderful realms. From the wonderful realms one enters into the mystical, through which realization can be attained. Many are aware that I am afraid of hot weather, but not cold weather, for I have long achieved the cultivation of psychic heat and the cultivation of drops and inner fire. Many are also aware that Sheng-yen Lu has great supernatural powers, though some have called me a con man who has absolutely no ability of any sort! Yet the fact that I can write about the practice of Mahamudra is evidence of true knowing. There is nothing mystical about this, for it is the fruit of my actual practice. I have walked past this secret gate and truly mastered its secrets. |
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