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 8 - Ekagrata Meditation The 16th Gyalwa Karmapa told me, `Most people who practise meditative absorption find that they cannot still their minds, which wander ceaselessly. This seems to be the biggest problem. Thus, we should adopt the seven point Vairocana posture, regulate our breathing, and practice the Ekagrata or One-Pointedness Meditation. This approach helps to focus the mind, so that it does not stray away. Thus it helps one enter into absorption easily.` The approach of the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa includes three other steps: Contemplation on the statue of the Buddha with our eyes - The buddha image is the most adorned form of purity, be it carved or painted. As the Buddha is displayed in golden brilliance, made magnificent by all his actions, his face emanates only compassion; his body, seen dressed in the three robes and adorned with pearl and jade necklaces, is encircled with wheels of light. When we single-mindedly contemplate on the magnificence of the Buddhas image, we are practising ekagrata or one-pointed focusing on the Buddhas form. When we do this repeatedly over time, the image of the Buddha stays constantly in our mind. And in no time we attain the Purity of One-Pointedness. Contemplation on the moon disc with our eyes - The crown of the buddha image is often seen with the aura of a moon disc. We can focus on this light, for the moon disc symbolizes the gradual elimination of the hindrances of ignorance. The moon waxes and wanes, changing from a crescent to a full moon, which represents the clearing of all dark karma. On the moon disc is usually inscribed the Sanskrit syllable HUM, which represents our self and buddha nature. The light of the moon disc is emitted from the syllable HUM. When we focus our eyes on the light of the moon disc, we constantly imagine this light shining on us, entering us through the crown chakra and filling us with the pure light. As we constantly contemplate on this light, we attain the Purity of One-Pointedness in no time. Contemplation on the seed with our eyes - Most living buddhas who enter into nirvana are found to leave behind many relics after their cremation. These relics, which are bean-like, oval-shaped limestone objects in the form of an egg, come in different hues. The Tibetan tulkus, or living buddhas, consider these objects as seeds. The Tibetans are convinced that such objects are evidence of someone attaining the holy power and realizing his true nature. They are symbolic proof of the appearance of the Truth Body Dharmakaya from the Emanation Body Nirmanakaya. When we place this colored relic before us and contemplate its radiance, emitting pure lights entering into our hearts, over time we shall attain the Purity of One-Pointedness. These three kinds of contemplation are: The holy contemplation practice I have been practising Mahamudra for many years, and once I met a teacher who taught me a method of practice. In this practice, the tantric practitioner installs a large mirror in the most suitable place in front of where he usually sits in meditation. The mirror should reflect his whole body so that the practitioner can closely examine himself. For example, when we meet with a joyous occasion, we would observe our smile and the happiness on our faces. However, should we receive insults and slander, our faces would naturally reflect our unhappiness. These expressions of joy, anger, sadness and happiness can be observed closely in the mirror. When we examine our features closely, we are able to discern the varied facial features and the changes in expression as they develop each day. In principle, this contemplation is a form of self-reflection, which is taught in Confucianism as sitting still to constantly reflect on ones misdeeds. Except in this case a mirror is hung in front of us so we can examine our faults closely. This is similar to how others see us, and hence how we may look at ourselves. In this respect, when we constantly reflect upon ourselves and observe ourselves, we shall understand the delusion of how others perceive us, and how others attach themselves to us. In this way, we achieve the goal of breaking the foolish habit of holding to our illusory physical body. This approach of installing a mirror to observe ourselves helps us recognize the fact that we ourselves are products of illusion, products which are no different from clouds and smoke, the reflection of moon in water, an illusory dream or a reflection of a flower in a mirror. When we achieve this state of Ekagrata or one-pointedness, we attain the three contemplations of Void, Unreal and Mean. When I was studying Taoism, my teacher Grand Taoist Master Qing-zhen of the Qing-cheng Sect secretly taught me a method which involves a person sitting on a hassock. Two sticks of incense, placed two and a half feet away, are lit directly in front of his left and right eyes. His eyes almost shut, leaving only a slight slit, he stares at the red burning tips of the incense. He creates a mental image of the red light through visualization and holds the image in his spiritual eye (the inner vision centered in our forehead). I personally feel that this method is very efficient, as the red spots on the two incense sticks glow brightly, and once our eyes lock onto them, they merge into one spot which centers in the spiritual eye. At this stage, a tingling sensation is felt around the spiritual eye, and this sensation consolidates into a sense of firmness. All our senses become concentrated at the spiritual eye, which corresponds with the secret of the major practice of meditation on attaining realization through the spiritual eye. I have been practising this method of concentration for many years, and it is a wonderful approach to focusing the mind. Ekagrata Meditation can be performed according to ones wish. If you feel that a certain approach suits you better, then work with that practice, so long as you achieve the goal of focusing the mind with self control. If a person does not practice One-Pointedness Meditation, it would be a fallacy for him to claim that he has attained the Tao. If an individual has not cultivated One-Pointedness Meditation, his mind would be acted upon by his impure consciousness, and his mind would fluctuate like waves in the great ocean without a moment of peace or tranquility. His mind would be like a pail of water contaminated with colour pigments and sewage which can never become clear. Thus, if a person cultivates the way of Tao with a defiled mind, he shall never attain anything. The difference between a mundane mind and a spiritual mind is that a mundane mind tends to fluctuate, whereas the spiritual mind is tranquil. The mundane mind is constantly engaged in discursive thoughts, craving only for wealth and sex. In this way, the individual is constantly losing spirit and vitality until old age and death, when he or she is consumed with negative karma, which draws him or her to the hell realm, the hungry ghost realm and the animal realm. Mahamudra, on the other hand, helps one realize ones self nature. It raises the psychic heat, holds the mind in contemplation and stills the thoughts. Hence, it is a supreme major tantric practice which constantly turns the dharma wheel. When a cultivator practices Ekagrata Meditation, he eventually achieves a state where the light of original nature reveals its presence, presenting itself as clearly as the water reflecting the moon, untouched by all things, and uncontaminated. When one arrives at a point where all outer conditions are let go, one achieves the state of the non-arising of thoughts. At that time, there is no contamination arising from the six organs of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind, where ones self nature is untouched by the senses of sight, sound, smell, taste, touch and thought. A cultivator may be in the world, but he is not of it. Thus, he is removed from perceptions of a self, a being, a life, or a soul. When he reaches this spiritual state, what is seen as the sun, the moon, and the stars are non-existent to him, and what are experienced as human emotions are non-existent as well. When all phenomena cease to exist, he is close to attaining the great state of absorption. When a cultivator practises One-Pointedness Meditation, he works on the focus of his mind and, as he concentrates on one-point, the circulation of the chi or energy in his channels travels like an electrical current which is experienced as a pulsation. This is called Qi Ling or the awakening of spirit [translators note: also known commonly as Kundalini Awakening]. If we learn to gain control over this process, this spiritual current will definitely help to strengthen our body and cure us of illness. It certainly benefits us greatly. However, if we cannot achieve self-control, we will easily be subject to outside influences, and be drawn into a psychotic state of mind. Therefore it is my wish that anyone who practises this method should keep to a normal diet and have sufficient sleep. If you practise the awakening of spirit to strengthen your physical body, keep to a daily routine of one session lasting no more than twenty minutes. Do not over-exert yourself and do not crave for spiritual powers. Then you shall have few worries. When practising Ekagrata Meditation, as we keep to one focus, some spiritual experiences are likely to occur. If we do not experience the awakening of spirit, we may experience various illusory visions and states in our absorption. These visions may arise non-stop. The Tantric practitioner may report these illusory visions to his guru, and the guru who is well versed with such conditions will properly guide him in the ways to handle them. You may also choose to completely ignore these visions, and focus solely on absorption, remaining unaffected by the visions. When you are unafraid, unworried, and unattached to these visions, you will naturally have no problem. If you are drawn and led by these illusory visions, it is highly probable that you will stray into the Mara realms. When a person sits too long in the seven point Vairocana posture practising Mahamudra, his body and mind may become fatigued, and he may tend to doze off and enter into the dream state. If he knows how to awaken his spirit, he may set his body moving automatically to counter the sleepiness. If he does not know the art of awakening his spirit, he should spend time climbing, enjoying the ocean, or looking at some picturesque scenery to allow his body and mind to recuperate from the fatigue. When our mind is comfortable, it is easier to enter into absorption. These are important points to take note of. Ekagrata, or one-pointedness, can help one reach the bliss of oneness of mind. Thus, it is a state of immovability which reaches into the realm of Nirvana. The teachings in my book, The Illuminated Way of Meditation, are within the scope of Ekagrata Meditation. This is a major practice that takes one out of this Samsaric world, for the practice of meditation on attaining illumination through the spiritual eye delivers one out of the heavenly realm and beyond the three realms, and places one in a state of birthlessness and deathlessness. It is certainly powerful. Mahamudra is thus a unified practice, combining all practices. It is cultivated in stages before one reaches great attainment. By practising Ekagrata, one attains purity of body, purity of speech and purity of mind, which together constitute the supreme state of meditative absorption. |
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