The Aura of Wisdom 

By Living Buddha Sheng-yen Lu
Translated by True Buddha Foundation Translation Team

This was translated from Grandmaster Lu's 154th book, 智慧的光環.

CHAPTER 34 - The Guru's Power of Blessing

A certain story is widespread in Tibet:

A lama climbed up a huge tree where a beehive was found. The bees were buzzing around the lama, but the lama whispered to the bees, saying, `Don't sting me!` And interestingly, the bees ignored the lama and did not sting him at all!

Another lama who saw this was very puzzled, and wanted to know the secret of avoiding being stung by the bees. The lama who was not stung by the bees revealed that there was no secret to this except that he just told the bees not to sting him. The curious lama then climbed up the tree and spoke the same words `don't sting me!` to the bees, but the bees ignored his words and swarmed towards the curious lama and stung him fiercely. The poor lama screamed and begged for his life.

Why is it that the same words would bring different results? It is said that the first lama prayed to his guru for a blessing before climbing the tree, resulting in the bees listening to him, whereas the second lama followed the instruction without first seeking a blessing from the Guru, thus ending up being stung.

The Buddha epithets mentioned in the sutras of the Sutric tradition are available for recitation to anyone who comes to know them. There is little restriction over this chanting. But Tantric Buddhism approaches this differently. The practice texts of Tantric Buddhism are printed with the words, `Please do not refer to the text without first receiving the proper empowerment.` It is required that before the recitation of Tantric mantras, one must first receive the proper empowerment and blessing from one's guru. Otherwise, all chanting is void and fruitless, as it is tantamount to an act of fraud, a breach of the Samaya Pledge. Under this circumstance, no Dharma power would ever be invoked through the cultivation of mantra chanting.

Hence, it is only by taking refuge, receiving empowerment, and gaining the blessings of one's guru that cultivation can be authorized. Only then can the inherent Buddha Nature emerge from delusions, topsy-turvy events, discursive thoughts and attachments.

The Guru's power of blessing is the very key to attaining accomplishment through Tantric cultivation!

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01 - Spiritual Conviction
02 - Vanity
03 - Adopting a Monistic Life
04 - Manifestations
05 - Spiritual Response
06 - Purification of One's Mind
07 - Right View
08 - The True Acharya
09 - Self Importance
10 - The Four Levels of Empowerment
11 - Making Offerings
12 - Making Offerings (2)
13 - Spiritual Authentication
14 - Keeping the Codes and Precepts
15 - The Spirit of Upholding the Precepts
16 - The True Buddha School
17 - True Practice
18 - Respect the Guru
19 - The Most Comprehensive System of Buddhist Practice
20 - Do Not Slander the Tantric Teachings
21 - Ignorance
22 - Liberal Authentication
23 - The Sutra and Tantra Traditions
24 - Dharma Epithet
25 - The Secret Referred to in the Secret Teachings
26 - Mahabodhicitta, the Mind of Perfect Enlightenment
27 - Perfect Penetration of the Sutra and Tantra Teachings
28 - The Mandala
29 - Attaining Budddhahood in this Very Body
30 - Refrain from Killing
31 - Taking Meat or Vegetarian Meals
32 - Offering Wine and Meat to the Buddha
33 - Why Practice Buddhism and Do Cultivation?
34 - The Guru's Power of Blessing
35 - The Precious Teachings of Tantric Buddhism
36 - The Jambhala or Wealth Deity Practice
37 - The Wrathful Guardian Deities
38 - Yab-Yum, the Consort Practice
39 - Fundamental Rationale of Tantric Buddhism
40 - The Heart Essence and the Orally Transmitted Secrets
41 - Cultivating with Contemplation and Visualization
42 - Aijikan, the Visualization of the Seed Syllable AH
43 - Choosing One`s Principal Deity (Yidam)
44 - The Fourfold and Sixfold Refuge
45 - Radiating Light Blessing
46 - Radiating Light Invocation
47 - The Importance of the Four Preliminaries
48 - The Secret of Contemplating on Emptiness
49 - Elucidation on the Three Powers
50 - Reverence for the High King Sutra
51 - A Buddha Manifestation of Great Authority
52 - Merging as One
53 - The Key Instructions of Entering, Abiding and Absorbing
54 - Seen in the Context of Heresy
55 - The Importance of Cultivating Chi