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 27 - A Brief Introduction to the Many Practices of Tantrayana

How many practices are there in Tantric Buddhism? I would say there are countless and endless practices. Traditionally, the Buddha has symbolically categorized all practices into 84,000 dharma gates, which, in reality, are as numerous as the sands of Ganges.

Many people have asked me how they should begin their cultivation in this ocean of Tantric teachings. My answer is that it would be best to focus on and master one practice, and cultivate oneself through the stages, one at a time, beginning with the lowest and continuing to the deepest. Stay focused in every practice. When you are focused, you are bound to gain spiritual responses.

Someone once asked me, `Master Lu, do you understand all of the 84,000 dharma gates?`

I replied by saying that the Holy Red Crown Vajra Guru has been cultivating for many lifetimes, and having attained realization, he is aware of all Tantric teachings. Thus, there is no Tantric teaching which is beyond my understanding. This is especially true when I perform a practice, when I am able to ascertain its truth and gain attainment. The supreme cosmic consciousness becomes one with me and I become the supreme cosmic consciousness, for there is no difference between us. Therefore, I can say that all teachings have flowed from my heart into the world, and all teachings trace their origins to me. How can I not understand them?

The Tantric teachings are widespread. In Tibet you can find the Four Tibetan Schools, namely Nyingmapa, Gelugpa, Kagyupa and Sakyapa. The Tantric Buddhism propagated from Mount Tiantai during the Tang Dynasty is known as Chinese Tantrayana. The Tantric Buddhism propagated by Kukai of Japan is known as Japanese Tantrayana (Shingon Buddhism).

Anyone who wishes to practise Tantric Buddhism must first take refuge and receive empowerment from a master. Only with this reliance can one begin the cultivation of Tantrayana.

The Master who transmits the teaching of True Buddha School is the Holy Red Crown Enlightened Vajra Acharya. His system of practice is briefly stated as follows:

The Four Preliminaries 
The Yoga of Padmakumara (Guru Yoga) 
Deity Yoga. The personal deity is the deity for whom the individual has the greatest affinity in his cultivation. 
The Five Vajra Practices or the Practices of the Eight Vidyarajas. 
Highest Yoga Tantra and Meditative Absorption Practice of Mahamudra

Among the Tantric dharma gates, the Nyingma School has the greatest collection of practices. The Holy Red Crown Vajra Guru has integrated the various teachings of Nyingmapa, Gelugpa, Kagyupa, Sakyapa, Chinese Tantrayana and Japanese Tantrayana. I shall briefly introduce the Tantric practices which I have been cultivating:

The Four Preliminaries: the Fourfold Refuge, the Great Mandala Offering, the Great Homage and the Vajrasattva Practice.

The Yoga of Padmakumara (this practice of True Buddha School must be cultivated by every True Buddha disciple).

I have practised many types of Deity Yoga, such as the Deity Yoga of Sakyamuni, the Sitatapatra Sadhana, the Most Secret, Well-Established Dharani Practice of the Vast, Gem-Encrusted Tower (mahamani-vipula-vimana-visva-supratisthita-guhya-parama-rahasya-kalpa-raja-dharani), the Guru Yoga of Padmasambhava, the Medicine Buddha Practice, the Manjusri Practice, the Avalokitesvara Practice, the White Tara Practice, the Green Tara Practice, the Practice of the Twenty-one Taras, the Amitabha Practice, the Arhat Practice, the Maitreya Practice, the Tathagata Vairocana Practice, the Aksobhya Buddha Practice, the Tathagata Ratnasambhava Practice, the Tathagata Amoghasiddhi Practice, the Buddha Locani Practice, the Cundi Practice, the Mahamayura Practice , the Akasagarbbha Practice, the Mahamati Practice, the Tathagata Dipamkara Practice, the Tathagata Prabhutaratna Practice, the Mahasthamaprapta Practice, the Samantabhadra Practice, the Ksitigarbha Practice, the Suryaprabha Practice, the Candraprabha Practice, the Mahapratisara Practice, the Bhaisajyaraja Practice, and so forth.

The Five Vajra Practices and Eight Practices of Vidyarajas, such as the Practice of Yamantaka, Hevajra, Cakrasamvara, Ucchusma,, Kalachakra, Acala, Vajrahumkara, Kundah, Vidyottama, Ragaraja, Mahamayura Vidyaraja, Hayagriva, Aparajitah, the Five Vidyarajas of Great Power, Atavaka, Trailokyavijaya, Padanaksipa, Vajrahasa, Mahachakra, and so forth.

The practices of the Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra, such as the Yoga of Phowa, the Yoga of Psychic Heat (Tummo), the Yoga of Drops, the Practice of Ekagrata, the Meditation of Tranquillity and Insight, the Yoga of Ultimate Bliss, the Practice of Immovability, the Yoga of Clear Light, The Practice of Consciousness Transference (out of the body), the Yoga of Forceful Projection (into a body), the Yoga of Deathless Rainbow Light, the Practice of Eternity, Bliss, True Self and Purity, and so forth.

Among these dharma gates are many other special practices, such as: the Practice of Bardo Deliverance, the Practice of Food Offerings, External Practices, The Five Parts Esoteric Practices of Maitreya, the Great Perfection, the Great Perfection Profound Wisdom, Practice of Vajrakilaya, The Seven Treasures of Longchenpa, the Heart Essence of Son and Mother, the Harmonious Combination and Turning Practice, The Practice of the Nine Vehicles of Great Round Light, the Black Robe Vajra Practice, the Great Homa Puja, Internal Practices, the Great Compassionate Mother Tara Practice, the Gathering of Light at the Crown Practice, the Wish-Fulfilling Lotus Mani Pearl Turning Practice, the Great Compassion and Wisdom of Emptiness Practice, the Practice of Salendraraja and so forth.

As to the practices of the heavenly deities and their retinues, these are listed as follows: The Four Heavenly Kings, Devanam Indra, Brahma, Sri Mahadeva, Marici, Sarasvati, the Paranirmitavasavartins, the Yamadevas, Aditya, Candra, Prihivi, Varuna, Agni, Vaju, Mahakala, Dharmapala, Mahesvara, Nandikesvara and many other deities, whose practices are simply countless. Other practices belonging to the retinues of the buddhas, the bodhisattvas, the arhats, the devas and the dharma protectors are unique unto themselves.

The Tantric practices which I mention here are the more common ones, and do not constitute all the practices I know. However, they are practices which a Tantric master should know. There are still many other secret heart teachings which I have practised but have not completely disclosed in writing. You must be wondering how a forty year old person like me could possibly have involved myself in the study of so many Tantric practices. Could it be possible at all? Do not be surprised! I have already been practising the Tantric teachings for many, many lifetimes. Without such a foundation, how would I dare profess that I am the Holy Red Crown Vajra Guru Tantric Master?

Besides knowing the proper Tantric practices, I am versed with the evil practices of the Black Sect, such as the practice of Moon in Water, the Art of Killing by the Power of Thought, the Art of Destroying Boundary of Protection, the Dark Ether Method, the Erotic Art, the Magic of Black Water, the Art of Spreading Malaria Overnight, the Devious Wisdom Practice, the Five Poisons Method, the Art of Sexual Union, the Art of Lustful Bliss, the Flood Method, the Art of Creating a Hailstorm, the Art of Creating a Solar Eclipse, the Art of Creating a Lunar Eclipse, the Art of Flying through Space, the Art of Transforming into an Evil Spirit, the Art of Substitution, the Art of Love Spells, and so forth.

I feel that a Tantric Adept who takes on the responsibility of a master who transmits the dharma must shoulder great responsibilities, undertake great cultivation, and undergo great mara tests, for without such training, how could one ever hope to attain great accomplishment?

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