A
Completed and Detailed Exposition on the True Buddha Tantric Dharma
By Living Buddha Sheng-yen Lu
Translated by Janny Chow
The
Great Homage
After invocation, we then proceed to the third step. What is the
third step? Ordinarily, one does the Great Homage as the third step,
followed by the Mandala Offering, and the Fourfold Refuge, in this
order. However, there are some people who will recite the Fourfold
Refuge Mantra or do the Mandala Offering right after the invocation. The
sequence of these three rituals is however flexible. Tantric practice,
the whole liturgy can be divided into three parts: the Prologue, the
Main Body, and the Epilogue. The Great Homage, Mandala Offering, and
Fourfold Refuge are part of the Prologue and I remember that, in the
past, I used to teach them in the order of Great Homage, Fourfold
Refuge, and Mandala Offering. Sometimes people start out with the
Mandala Offering, feeling that, since the divine beings have descended
following one's invocation of them, one might as well make offerings to
them right away. As long as one has a reason for doing these rituals in
a certain sequence, it will be all right. Just make sure that one does
not miss any of the steps. Though actually, even if a step is missed,
there are remedies for it. The Hundred Syllable Mantra is, for example,
such a remedy.
The Hundred Syllable Mantra
The Hundred Syllable Mantra of Vajrasattva is a very great mantra
because it has three significant meanings. First, it serves as a
repentance mantra. Why is this a repentance mantra? Because this mantra
teaches one to see into the nonessentiality of all things in the
phenomenal world. Inherent in the Hundred Syllable is the meaning of
Emptiness, as vast as the Void. Therefore, when one recites the Hundred
Syllable Mantra and repents, one can transmute the transgressions
committed through the body, mind, and speech into Emptiness.
Second, the chanting of the mantra results in blessings from the Five
Dhyani Buddhas. Vajrasattva is the Sixth Vajradhara, a manifestation of
the sum total of the Five Dhyani Buddhas or Vajradharas. That is why
chanting the Vajrasattva's mantra is equivalent to receiving blessings
from the Five Dhyani Buddhas.
Third, as I have just explained, this mantra can serve to transmute
all errors into Emptiness. Therefore, any mistakes, transgressions, and
obscurations which occur during the practice, such as insincerity, vague
visualization, idle thoughts, unkind thoughts, or the unintentional
skipping of a certain step (e.g. forgetting to do the Mandala Offering)
can be remedies by chanting the Hundred Syllable Mantra at the end of
the practice.
Therefore, the Hundred Syllable Mantra serves three purposes: 1)
repentance; 2) bestowal of blessings from the Five Dhyani Buddhas; 3)
the remedy of all oversights and errors.
The Mudras for Great Homage
Next I will discuss with you the third step, which is the Great
Homage. In Tibetan Tantric Buddhism, one customarily prostrates
completely on the floor and this is considered a form of sincere
devotion. After joining the palms together, one touches the crown, then
sometimes the back of the head, and then the throat and heart before
prostrating on the floor. Tibetans usually just join their palms
together and rarely employ other mudras in doing prostrations. So, where
do our prostration mudras, such as the Shrine Mudra, Lotus Mudra, and
Vajra Handclasp Mudra, come from? These mudras belong to the Tien-tai
Esoteric Sect and the Eastern Esoteric School [the Shingon Sect of
Japan]. Tibetans do have their own mudras, but these are less widely
used. The Japanese Esoteric Schools, compared to the Tibetan Esoteric
Schools, sue more mudras in their practice. Our True Buddha School
mudras that are used to pay homage to the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and
Vajra Protectors come from the Eastern Esoteric School.
Since we start our practice sitting down, it would be very
interruptive to get up at this point to do a physical prostration. This
is why we remain seated from beginning to end, until a complete set of
the True Buddha practice is finished.
The Visualized Great Homage is my creation. Other people would get up
at this point to do a physical prostration, but I feel that remaining
seated provides greater continuity. Also, when we are doing group
practice, a limited space can accommodate more people if actual physical
prostration is not carried out. Based on these factors, I created the
Visualized Great Homage.
Why do some Tibetans touch the back of their heads with their hands
while performing prostrations? It has to do with Chi Kung. The human
brain is covered by the skull except at the back and at the temples.
Touching the temples does not directly exercise the brain. At the back
of the neck near the base of the brain is the cerebellum which regulates
the circulation of chi in one? body. You might not be aware of this, nor
have I taught you to do this in the past.
Descending of Divine Beings to Teach Chi Kung
Lately, when I practice Chi Kung to do inner healing for my internal
organs, I have been shown to touch this spot. [Grand Master touches the
back of this neck] At first I could not figure out why. I thought that
touching here at the brow-point was being very reverential to the divine
beings; how strange it was to touch the back! Why were they teaching me
to do this?
Now, each day after I finish my writing assignment, I set aside a
time to do Chi Kung. At the beginning of my exercise, I invoke as
follows: "Namo the Primordial Great Western Golden Mother, Namo
Amitabha of Sukhavati, Namo Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, the ruler of the
Nether World." Of course, this invocation is done in Taiwanese, and
not in Mandarin. It is like this in Taiwanese, don't laugh at me! I
invoke them to descend to my Chi Kung practice. I just chant their names
very quietly, like this, and in an instant, their frequencies and my
frequency make a connection and they come very quickly. I very sincerely
sing out the invocations, which are words from my heart, and they come
very rapidly.
What happened was, as soon as they divine beings arrived and I joined
my two palms together, my hands would be maneuvered to press against the
back of my head. When I asked for an explanation, one divine beings told
me that this particular area of the body correlates with regulation of
the internal organs. With stimulation to certain spots at this area,
certain organs will become rejuvenated and will return to their normal
functions. Very soon, one becomes "thirty-something" again and
newly invigorated! So it turns out that stimulation at this area can
have many advantages. No wonder the Tibetans hit themselves here! I had
not thought of this before and that is why I have not taught you to
touch here at the back of the head. I was afraid that you might hit it
too hard and break your neck! [audience laughter] This is what I have
learned. The divine beings, Golden Mother of the Primordial Pond,
Amitabha, and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, taught me that this is a secret
to longevity.
After touching here at the back, one goes on to touch the crown and
visualize the white beam of light here. Remember at this point, the
Personal Deity has been invoked and is now sitting in the Empty Space
above, facing one. As one touches here, the white light from the
forehead of the Personal Deity will shine on one's forehead. Next, one
touches the throat and visualizes red light entering one's throat. Then
one touches the heart and visualizes a blue light entering the heart.
This is followed by the release of the mudra. It is the same with paying
homage to the Bodhisattvas and Vajra Protectors - one follows the same
sequence of white light, red light, blue light, and release of mudra.
Then the Half Bow is performed. All these are done with visualization.
When the three lights are shining on one, one also has to visualize
oneself prostrating on the floor, then getting up before releasing the
mudra. This visualization step is very important.
Throughout this process, when the Personal Deity radiates light on
one and one takes this light in, the phenomenon of "immersion"
occurs. What is "immersion"? It is actually the shining and
entering of light into one? body. If, however, one is like a steel plate
which does not absorb much light and reflects most of the light away,
then there is no immersion. By visualization of the light, one is
purifying the body, speech, and mind. When the white light shines on
one, one should feel as if a lamp is shining on one, and one becomes
saturated with the white light. It is the same with the red and blue
lights: one's whole body is completely immersed in that particular
light. This is the visualization that accompanies the Great Homage.
Invocation of the Three Main Deities
Someone asked me, "Grand Master, why do you invoke the Golden
Mother of the Primordial Pond, Amitabha, and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva
everytime you do an invocation? Can we also follow your example and
invoke them?" I can? make a rule to govern whom one should invoke,
I only know why I always invoke these three deities. I learned, at the
beginning of my practice, that these three divine beings are the
Principal Rulers in the spiritual realms.
The Golden Mother of the Primordial Pond is a Ruler of the Immortals,
and her Primordial Pond at Mount Kunlun is an assembly place for the
immortal beings. As a ruler of the immortal beings, the Golden Mother of
the Primordial Pond has existed form the beginning.
I consider Amitabha Buddha the King of Buddhas. Why? Because, whether
one practices exoteric or esoteric Buddhism, Amitabha is the Buddha who
extends the widest salvation. In China and Southeast Asia, every
Buddhist monks chant Amitabha's name; the Taoists also chant his name.
The Taoists chant the name of the Immeasurable Life Buddha, which is
another epithet for Amitabha. Amitabha is also known as the Immeasurable
Light Buddha and the Transcendent Sun Moon Lamp Buddha. That is why
Amitabha Buddha provides the greatest salvation. The other four Dhyani
Buddhas give salvation, too, but Amitabha? vows are the most
encompassing. That is why he is the King of Buddhas.
Although Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is referred to as the Ruler of the
Nether World, he does not only save beings lost there. He also aids
beings in all six realms, including devas, humans, asuras, hell
inhabitants, hungry ghosts, and animals. In fact, it is because he has
expanded his salvation to the realms of hells, hungry ghosts, and
animals that he is reverently referred to as the King of the Nether
World.
Because of my own vows and my initiation into spiritual cultivation
by the Golden Mother of the Primordial Pond, I feel indebted to the
kindness of the Ruler of the Immortals. How can I forget the graces she
has bestowed on me? I cannot sever my ties to her just because I have
become a Buddhist. As a human being, one has to remember the kindness
and favors bestowed upon one. "One cannot ignore the traces on the
surface after a boat cuts through the water, nore should one throw away
the walking stick after crossing the bridge." That is why, in my
invocation, the Golden Mother of the Primordial Pond is always the first
deity I call upon. Whether or not one wants to call upon the Golden
Mother of the Primordial Pond first is a personal choice. And I always
invoke Amitabha next and then the Ksitigarba Bodhisattva. In fact, there
is a very subtle connection between my invocation of the Ksitigarbha
Bodisattva and his coming to teach me this mudra (touching the back of
my head during the practice of the Chi Kung).
Guidance of the Thousand-armed Thousand-eyed Kuan Yin Bodhisattva
Recently I have been diligently practicing the Chi Kung every day.
Many different divine beings, including the Thousand-armed Thousand-eyed
Kuan Yin Bodhisattva, have come to teach me steps that are made up of
variety of very unusual postures. Each of these postures corresponds to
the adjustment of an internal organ. For example, this posture regulates
one? spleen, this posture regulates one's kidneys, this one regulates
the heart while this one regulates the liver. In the future, I shall
create a set of Fist Exercises called the Internal Organs Fist Exercises
[audience laughter] which will consist of a set of movements to help
strengthen the chi. When the strengthened chi circulates throughout the
body, it will open up blockages, stimulate the organs' functions, and
prevent degeneration.
These are what the Internal Organs Fist Exercises can do. This kind
of Chi Kung exercise should always have been in existence; perhaps it
was lost in the past. When a cultivator reaches a certain level of
spiritual maturity, he or she will have access to this kind of
knowledge. Although I had not encountered this practice before, the
Thousand-armed Thousand-eyed Kuan Yin Bodhisattva, Cundi Bodhisattva,
Yamantaka, and Trailokya-vijaya-raja came, each teaching me a different
posture. Well, the postures they taught me were quite remarkable! How
should I describe them? Like the "rhinoceros admires the moon? It
is like this! [audience laughter] The whole body reclines at an angle,
while the head turns under and backward like this. There is also a
posture called the Immortal Pointing the Road and another called the
White Snake Spitting. There are many kinds of postures!
Everytime the Thousand-armed Thousand-eyed Kuan Yin comes, he asks me
to extend my arms like this. Then he demonstrates with his thousand arms
how to raise my arms, this way, to the highest. Then he shows me how to
"lower" them, how to "raise" them, how to
"sustain" them, and how to "release" them. This is a
very mysterious exercise. These kinds of body movements, like a
language, can be translated into the exercise of the chi. Isn't body
language a popular term nowa-days? So the Bodhisattva first teaches me
the body movements, then he further teaches me what these movements are
accomplishing. In fact, it is all an exercise for strengthening the chi,
opening up the channels and meridians, and sustaining the light drops.
It has to do completely with the Yoga of Energy.
Great Homage Visualization
The Great Homage also requires certain skills. When Tibetans perform
the Great Homage, they touch the back of their heads. This is followed
by the visualization of the white, red, and blue lights. The actual
prostration comes next. This is also a way of strengthening the body.
Are there any other visualizations besides the white, red and blue
lights? Of course, there are. In general, the exoteric schools practice
the Great Homage while facing the shrine, and without doing any
visualization. In Tantric or esoteric schools, visualization is
required. I once wrote a verse about the Great Homage which described
how, in this ritual, one is paying universal homage to all beings.
Besides very clearly visualizing the Golden Mother of the Primordial
Pond, Amitabha, and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva appearing in the front, one
also has to visualize all Buddhas in the Ten Directions and Three Times
and all Bodhisattvas and Mahasattvas in the Universe appearing in the
background.
How is this visualization done? Many people have asked this question.
How can one visualize all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas appearing in
front of one? How can one ever finish visualizing? Of course, one can
never finish visualizing all the divine beings in the Universe. Many
people can't even successfully visualize one single Buddha. Perhaps
after half a day of visualization, the ears are still missing. Sometimes
after visualizing the head, the body is gone. Sometimes after
visualizing the clothes, the head disappears. Some people just have a
very difficult time in doing the visualization.
The Detailed Visualization
Actually there is a method to do detailed visualization: one first
visualizes the brows, then the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, shape of head,
the body, the limbs, and the celestial garments. Then, as soon as the
visualization is done, let it disappear. The image does not need to be
fixed in the mind and not allowed to disappear. This isn't the answer at
all. When I visualize Amitabha, he immediately appears. Standing on a
lotus, he wears a very wonderful celestial garment, his ears are very
long, and on top of his head is the crown protrusion. One of his hands
holds the Wish Bestowing Mudra, and the other holds a lotus. As soon as
one finishes clearly visualizing all this, one may immediately release
the image and let it disappear. After practicing for a long time one
will find that, as soon as one focuses one's attention, the Buddha
immediately and vividly appears in front. This takes a long time to
perfect. In the beginning, even I was not able to produce such a vivid
image of the Buddha.
For example, this morning at the True Buddha Tantric Quarter, I was
making an outdoor offering at the external shrine - some people actually
witnessed this - I noticed that several people were turning their heads
to look at me. I had visualized myself transforming into Amitabha, a
very tall and golden Amitabha who reached all the way up to the clouds.
I also visualized the sweet nectar I was holding transforming into
millions of drops of sweet nectar that filled up all spaces. I was using
the detailed method of visualization. Even as I am talking to you now, I
can achieve a very vivid visualization. Remember, however, one is not
required to continue visualizing the image for an extended period of
time. It is not necessary to continually visualize Amitabha in the same
spot forever!
An All - Encompassing Great Homage
How does one visualize all the Buddhas in the past, present, future,
and in the Ten Directions? One uses the image of star lights. For
example, one visualizes the Principal Deity at the front, and behind is
a boundless expanse of twinkling stars. This is a way to pay universal
homage to all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Mahasattvas in all dimensions.
In performing the Great Homage, one immediately visualizes the stars and
the Principal Deity in front of the stars, and then proceeds to
visualize oneself bowing to the Buddhas. This visualization will produce
great merits. During this third step of the Great Homage, by using this
visualization, one is paying an all-encompassing homage to all Buddhas
in the Universe.
In general, the exoteric schools do not have this kind of
visualization when they do prostration, nor do they visualize the
blessing of lights. This is a technique found only in the esoteric
schools. Merits generated by this kind of all-encompassing Tantric
homage is very great. In the exoteric schools, one prostrates to just
one Buddha or several Buddhas at a time, while in the esoteric schools,
one prostrates to trillions of Buddhas at one time. One all-encompassing
great homage in Tantrayana is equivalent to several years of
prostrations in Sutrayana. That is why Tantric cultivation can enable
one to achieve Buddhahood in this life, whereas the exoteric schools
teach that one can only attain Buddhahood in the future, three great
kalpas away. It is possible to attain Buddhahood in this life through
Tantra because inherent in Tantra is the supreme wisdom, supreme
methods, supreme liturgy which brings about transcendental
accomplishments. Simply put, the Great Homage in Tantrayana is a method
of paying an all-encompassing homage with one single prostration.
The Tantric rite of homa (fire offering) also accomplishes great
merits. In the Sutric schools, one lights one or three incense at a time
whereas, in the Tantric fire offerings, one burns tens of thousands of
incenses at one time. The offering of incense in one Tantric fire puja
is equivalent to several years worth of incense offering in the Sutric
schools. Fire offering is not found in Sutric schools, only in Tantra.
The Tantric fire offering is one of the greatest offerings one can make
to generate merits and spiritual accomplishment.
A Sincere Prostration - Repentance
Inherent in one Tantric Great Homage prostration is tens of thousands
of prostrations. One must not underestimate this ritual of the Great
Homage, as it completely teaches one how to subjugate both one's ego and
pride. By prostrating in front of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, one
repents and submits one's body, mind, and speech completely to the
Buddhas and the Personal Deity. One prostration is all prostrations. In
one prostration, one pays homage to all Buddhas. This is a unique ritual
in Tantra and its merits are truly great, so one should not slight it.
During group practices, many people do the Great Homage like this,
very quickly. [Grand Master demonstrates to audience laughter] There is
hardly any energy involved in it; also it does not look very dignified.
One has to know that dignity has to come from within, from the heart.
One uses visualization to create this sense of grandeur and dignity.
Some people might superficially feel that, after participating in a
couple group practices, they are able to learn all the steps, including
how to form the mudras. It seems so easy and simple. Little do they know
there is a great art involved in it!
That is why a detailed exposition of the practice is necessary. With
this knowledge, one learns to appreciate the profundity of the Tantric
Dharma and, therefore, to go beyond a superficial involvement with it.
During group practices, some people finish very quickly; the whole
session may take only twenty minutes. If one asks them if they have
acquired any expansion of awareness or perceptions during the practice,
they reply, "No, but who cares as long as I have done all the
steps? Grand Master asked me to do two hundred sessions of the practice,
and I am able to do several sessions in one day. [audience laughter]
Pretty soon, they will be all done. But, how come I still have so many
problems? How come my impediments are still so great?" [audience
laughter] Of course, their obscurations would still be great! They have
not really immersed themselves into the practice, and they have not
ennobled their hearts and minds during the process. The Great Homage is
a very dignified event wherein one engenders a noble state of mind to
pay homage to all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the universe. The
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are very majestic and noble. The Supreme
Consciousness of the Universe is extremely great and lofty. When one
repents and humbles oneself by paying homage to the Universal
Consciousness, one is striving towards spiritual maturity. This is not a
casual step to be done perfunctorily.
Therefore, I hope all of you will have a tacit understanding of this
third step, the Great Homage. That is also why each of the Four
Preliminary Practices - the Fourfold Refuge, the Great Homage, the
Mandala Offering, and the Vajrasattva Practice - is a separate practice
on its own. Just give this some thought: why is it necessary to set
aside a separate time to practice the Great Homage? The merits generated
are infinitely great! Every day, before one begins meditation practice,
one should do the Great Homage. Physically it strengthens one's body,
while spiritually it induces a reverent devotion. At the same time, the
lights of the trillions of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will shine on one,
and one will be completely moved by this kind of blessing. Compared to
ordinary prostrations, a Great Homage accompanied by this kind of
visualization gives very different results.
While doing the Great Homage, one can transcend the ego if one is
able to completely let go of the body and mind to receive and hold the
lights from the trillions of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. By accepting the
light shining on one and the grace of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, one
willingly releases all the negative energy and transgressions one has
committed. Only a Great Homage performed in this fashion is this
excellent and can generate such vast power.
Today I have talked about the first three steps in the True Buddha
Dharma Practice. Tomorrow we will pick up from here and continue, so
that the whole liturgy will be covered in the next several days. What do
you think?
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