Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra 

By Master Sheng-yen Lu
Translated by Cheng Yew Chung, Edited by Dance Smith

This was translated from Grandmaster Lu's 51st book, 無上密與大手印.

CHAPTER 25 - The Yoga of Great Secret Accomplishment

A Russian asked a friend to write me a letter on his behalf, expressing his wish to learn Tantric teachings. I gave it much thought before deciding to turn him down. First of all, he lives in the outskirts of Russia, and is unable to personally receive the necessary empowerment. He speaks only Russian, posing a communication gap between us, for every dharma transmission would have to rely upon the help of a third party. Secondly, no disciple of mine lives in his vicinity, and thus no one is able to transmit the teachings to him on my behalf. Thus, there is little good in accepting a disciple in name only.

I personally teach the western students in America, where I am able to demonstrate the Tantric movements. Some specific Buddhist terms have been translated by disciples with Doctorate degrees, which will be communicated to my students at the appropriate time. All western students have received empowerment personally. Now that my reputation has traveled to Russia, there would be many difficulties where the language barrier is concerned when a Russian wants to learn the Tantric practices.

Mr. Haruki Kadokawa, the Japanese entrepreneur who owes the big publishing company called Kadokawa Shoten Publishing, read the Japanese book A Modern Chinese Saint, and has expressed interest in publishing all my works. He also wishes to take up the study of Tantric teachings. However, my Japanese language skill is only average. I would have to rely on my father as a translator, and he would have to fly from Taiwan to Japan while I would have to fly from the United States and meet Mr. Kadokawa in Japan before I could properly transmit the secret teachings him.

I did not agree to teach Tantric practices to the Russian, but he persistently wrote to request them through his friend. Finally, I decided to transmit a mantra and a mudra to him so that he could cultivate. The mantra was translated from the Tibetan phonetics into Chinese, from Chinese into English, and finally into Russian. I illustrated the mudra and taught him how to use it for practice.

The method which I taught to him is the practice of great secret accomplishment, the Yoga of Bodhisattva Vajracakra

I once said that the according to Tantric rules, every official student of Vajrayana is required to take refuge and receive empowerment. All mudras and mantras must be received through a guru`s transmission, and should not be practiced after simply learning from a book. If one has not entered the mandala to receive the appropriate empowerment, and casually forms the mudra or performs the practice, it is tantamount to an act of dharma embezzlement, and there will be no accomplishment in whatever practices are performed.

The word secret is involved with the teachings of Tantrayana, the Secret Sect, in which a lengthy period of time is required to properly teach and elucidate the recitations and sadhanas in stages. Most people who are without great wisdom capacity are unable to accept and uphold the vastness of these sadhanas. This is why initiates must take refuge, receive the appropriate empowerment and receive proper guidance from the master.

However, the Russian region has no master, and the place is too distant. In addition, there is a communication barrier. Sakyamuni Buddha had specially transmitted a Tantric method for the sake of these sentient beings, which is the Yoga of Cakravajradhara (Mahacakravajra). This practice is stated as follows:

Enshrine a statue of Sakyamuni Buddha. Prostrate before the Buddha. Make offerings of all that is precious. Form the Mudra of Cakravajradhara (Mudra of Mahacakravajra): The fingers of both hands are crossed and interlocked inwardly, except for the index fingers which stand erect, and the two middle fingers which are wrapped around the top section of the index fingers. The thumbs are straight and lean on the index fingers.

When forming the mudra, clearly visualize Sakyamuni Buddha approaching with a vase to give you an empowerment. Recite the Mantra of Cakravajradhara 21 times (Mantra of Mahacakravajra):

NAMAH STRIYA-DHIVIKANAM TATHAGATANAM OM VIRAJI VIRAJI MAHACAKRA-VAJRI SATA SATA SARATE SARATE TRAYI TRAYI VIDHAMANI SAMBHANJANI TRAMATI SIDDHA-GRIYA TRAM SVAHA

When sitting in meditation, visualize yourself entering into the heart of Sakyamuni Buddha.

Once this practice is applied, one gains accomplishment in one`s practice of all Tantric teachings, and enters into all mandalas. If one lives in a remote and inconvenient place where no master can be found, where communication is hindered by language barriers and where empowerment cannot take place, this Yoga of Great Secret Accomplishment is useful. This is indeed the most secretly transmitted of the expedient approaches.

However, when a master is available, where there is no language barrier, where you can conveniently seek empowerment from the master to receive the dharma transmission, where there is no justification to using this method, if you resort to this method and refuse to seek the dharma from a master and take refuge in him, then none of your practices will gain spiritual responses.

Someone has said to me, `Master Lu, you have revealed the most secret Tantric practice, which is the Five Secret Heart Essence. This is indeed remarkable. Even the unspeakable Cakravajradhara Practice has been revealed. Revelation of such Tantric practices will certainly cause people to awaken their faith when they come to know about them. But why is it that people still disbelieve you and slander you?`

`Ha! Ha!? I laughed, and said, ` There is nothing surprising about people who doubt and slander me. This is like the woodpecker which is only aware of the food it is after when it pecks the wood, and the maggot which knows no joy except wriggling through feces. People who crave to be government officials find no happiness other than the political life they lead. Thus, the deaf cannot hear the dharma sound, and the blind cannot see the wonderful dharma I write. It is the same with those who doubt and slander me.`

While writing this book on Mahamudra, I have literally revealed sixty percent of the realization and experiences attained in my cultivation. Other scriptures rarely go into such detailed elucidation of Mahamudra practices, which makes this book extremely special. As I write this book on the practices of Mahamudra, all the bodhisattvas extend their respect to me, and one buddha actually said, ` When one accepts and upholds the Mahamudra teachings, it is as good as being close to me and being one with me. This is the purest dharma seal in the universe.`

This is the Highest Yoga Tantra, the Formless Gate which has no boundaries. I remember a verse from the Avatamsaka Sutra which speaks on how this level of great dharma is difficult for most people to believe. Perhaps it is exactly due to its greatness that most mundane mortals find difficulty believing and understanding it.

The verse goes like this:

Striving for the Great Vehicle is still easy 
Compared to the greater difficulty of believing this teaching. 
Even more difficult it is to retain, recite, and explain it to others, 
To practise according to the teaching and truly understand it. 
To hold a galaxy on one`s head 
Without moving, for one eon, 
Is not considered difficult 
Compared to believing this teaching. 
To pick up ten buddha-lands in your hand 
And stand in space through an eon 
Is not to be considered hard 
Compared to believing this teaching. 
If one provides comforts for an eon 
To the homes of beings as numerous as the atoms in ten lands, 
One's merit is not to be considered as supreme as
One who believes this teaching is the most excellent. 
Even spending an eon serving 
As many buddhas as there are atoms in ten lands, 
One's merit will be greater, more supreme, 
If one can recite and uphold this book.

There is another version of the Mantra of Cakravajradhara: NAMA STRIYA-DHVIKANAM SARVA TATHAGATANAM OM VAJRAGNA AKARSAYA SVAHA

Between these two versions, you can choose to recite either of them.

We may visualize a spot located four fingers below the navel chakra, which gives rise to the fire of wisdom, burning away all discursive thoughts. When all impurities are cleansed, the mind is like space, where the purified self is merged with the pure dharma realm. By approaching our cultivation in this way, one is able to gain a response with every practice.

Someone asked me, `Lian-sheng, are you really the king of mantra?`

I said, `I do not wish to be addressed by the title `king`, simply because the king of the world finds his place in the mundane world, and is thus subjected to the laws of birth and death. He is bound by his territories, and is faced with hindrances in his path. Though he may have the features of royalty, he is not free from obstacles in his life.` I continued by saying, `The practice of Mahamudra is involved with the great samadhi of spiritual powers, where one is able to penetrate freely throughout all religious teachings and dogmas. Such is the state of non-hindrance, which separates the true reality from the gross reality. Mahamudra is the ultimate of all dharmas, the king of all kings, but this should not be viewed in the context of a worldly king.`

The dharma of all dharmas, the king of all kings is established on the pure realm of Emptiness.

It is truth' itself.

The primordial consciousness of the universe can never be contaminated by the grossness of the five elements.

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