A Complete and Detailed Exposition on the True Buddha Tantric Dharma

By Living Buddha Sheng-yen Lu
Translated by Janny Chow

The Armor Protection

       Next I will discuss the Armor Protection. In performing the Armor Protection, one forms the Vajra Handclasp Mudra and chants seven times the mantra "Om, bo ru lan ze lee." The mudra is brought to touch the brow point, the throat, heart, left shoulder, right shoulder, and then back to the crown before it is released. At the moment of releasing the mudra, one visualizes the Vajrasattva or the Dharma Protector at one's shrine transforming into four bodies, guarding oneself in front and behind, and to the right and left sides. This is to protect one from evil forces. This step gives one the power of protection.
       This Armor Protection might appear to be very simple, as it only involves bringing the Vajra Handclasp Mudra to press upon the brow point, then the throat, heart, left shoulder, right shoulder, and finally the crown before releasing it. Or does the right shoulder come before the left shoulder? [Audience replies, "Left shoulder first."] Sometimes I forget the sequence, after having practiced it for so long. [Grand Master laughs.] One does not have any problem during regular practice but, with the video camera running now and recording everything, I am afraid that if! make a mistake with the order of the shoulders, many questions will arise and! will later get many letters asking for clarification.
       In general, Tantric practices consist of the three elements of mudra, mantra, and visualization. Mudra is the secret used to purify body, mantra is the secret used to purify speech, and visualization is the secret used to purify mind or habitual consciousness. The purification of body, mind, and speech is an inherent secret of Mahavairocana Buddha, the Great Sun Buddha. Utilizing this secret of the Tathagata, a tantrika can integrate the three secrets and purify karmic traces associated with the three existences of body, mind, and speech. Put more simply, by replacing the karmic traces of body, mind, and speech with the corresponding three secrets of mudra, mantra, and visualization, an ordinary person transmutes into a Tathagata. This method of purification of body, mind, and speech forms the entire basis of all Tantric practices.
       Armor Protection is found only in Tantrayana and not in Sutrayana practices. There are many kinds of Armor Protection methods. For example, I have already taught you the Dream Mahamudra. In that particular method, one practices this skill of protection before one falls asleep: one assumes the Lion Posture, chants a mantra, and visualizes the Root Guru or Personal Deity appearing to emit light on one; then, from one's throat a red light is emitted and transformed into a red tent over oneself, providing a sacred space for Clear Light meditation during the sleep state. This is a protective force of the Dream Mahamudra. 
       During meditation practices, one performs the mudra, mantra, and visualizes the Dharma Protector to keep guard around one in each of the four directions, protecting one throughout the practice. When one forms the mudra correctly, chants the mantra well, and enters deeply into the visualization, one definitely receives protection from the Dharma Protectors.

Other Circumstances When Armor Protection Is Needed

       There are also other circumstances when there is a need to perform the Armor Protection. Meditation is not the only situation where there is a possibility of subtle interfering forces. For example, one has to exercise caution when one visits a hospital. Many patients in the hospital have "attached spirits". Why are these patients sick? Many of the illnesses are caused by attached spirits and ghosts. When one visits patients in the hospital, one should first perform the Armor Protection. Otherwise, it is possible that some of these attached spirits might follow one home and become one's own attached spirits. Then it will take some effort to have these attached spirits delivered through a Deliverance Ceremony. Therefore, before visiting a hospital, one should perform the Armor Protection.
       Slaughterhouses also have many angry spirits. Why? Because these are places where many lives are taken and many embittered spirits are engendered. Therefore, one needs to perform the Armor Protection before visiting slaughterhouses; otherwise, there will be many harassment when one becomes entangled by a rancorous spirit.
       Before visiting a cinema, one should perform the Armor Protection. Why are there ghosts inside cinemas ? [audience laughter] One might not know that many roaming ghosts like to converge inside cinemas. Therefore, there is a need to perform the Armor Protection.
       Weddings and funerals also require the Armor Protection. When one gets married, one's ancestor spirits come to participate and celebrate as they care very much about such major events in the lives of their descendants. When one dies, the spirits come to have a party to welcome one's birth into their world. Therefore, it is necessary to perform the Armor Protection in both these circumstances.
       It is best not to visit any places where pornography or sex is sold. If one does go to such a place, one should perform the Armor Protection. [audience laughter] What kind of ghost is most populous there? The lust ghosts! [audience laughter] One might have a Pure Dharma Body [audience laughter] but, when a lust ghost attaches itself to one, one's thoughts will have a difficult time remaining unperturbed. One falls down when one's mind is tainted with lust. Because of the presence of lust ghosts in such places, one has to perform the Armor Protection.
       In general, when one visits such places, in addition to performing the Armor Protection, one sometimes also needs to recite the Hundred Syllable Mantra. When one chants the Hundred Syllable Mantra in the vicinity of these places, it brings great benefits to oneself as well as to other sentient beings, including the spirits.
       Therefore there are several circumstances when the Armor Protection has to be performed. A student has asked me if I could teach a special method as a substitute for the Dream Mahamudra. He says that the Dream Mahamudra, which is equivalent to the Armor Protection, is too long. He is usually quite fatigued when he goes to bed, and so he falls asleep half way through the Dream Mahamudra. [audience laughter] He works very hard during the day and, by the time he goes to bed, he is bone-tired and yet still has to practice the Dream Mahamudra! Why does the True Buddha Tantric Dharma have to be so tiresome! [audience laughter] Sleeptime is sleeptime, why be bothered with the Dream Mahamudra! 
       One might not be aware of this but, during the state of sleep, it is most difficult for one to remain mindful. I can assure you that I am continuously in the state of mindfulness during the nighttime as well as the daytime; but can you assure that for yourself? Even if one is capable of uninterrupted mindfulness during the day, one might not be able to maintain such a presence at night. In order to be mindful during sleep, one must have some protective force guarding one. If demons come to steal one's chi or vital energy during sleep, then the longer one sleeps, the more tired one becomes. One might wonder why one is lucid and capable of noble and lofty discussions with others during the daytime but, as soon as one falls asleep, one is overtaken by confusion and chaos. One racks one's brain wondering why, but the same situation recurs each night. Such a condition indeed exists, which is why nighttime is when it is easiest to lose one's mind. 
       There is a simple way to do the Armor Protection and today I will teach you this Dharma Treasure. [audience applause] In contemporary society, people prefer something that is simple and easy over anything that is too long and cumbersome.

Protection Power of The Vajra

When one is lying in bed, regardless of one's sleeping posture, first visualize one's two big toes joined together and extending out until they are very long. Then visualize the area at the top of the crown also start to protrude and become long and extended. Doesn't it seem to turn one into a kind of unicorn? Well, let's not worry about it. Next the kneecaps start to transform into the five prongs of a vajra, and the area between the kneecaps and the neck becomes the mid-section of a vajra, while one's head becomes another set of five prongs. What has one become? One has become a vajra. The five prongs knot at each end tapers out to a point, while the body transforms into the mid-section of a vajra. After such visualization, one chants the tri-syllable mantra, "Lang, Yang, Kang." One chants this twenty-one times, or forty-nine times, or one hundred eight times, or until one falls asleep. 
       One's visualization has to be very clear before one chants the mantra, then what is sleeping on the bed will be a vajra. When the demons come and take a look, all they see is a sacred weapon that can destroy them! [audience laughter] They leave one alone because one has chanted the tri-syllable mantra. The final syllable "Kong" means strong and sturdy. By chanting the tri-syllable mantra repeatedly, one becomes strong and sturdy, and transformed into a vajra lying there on the bed. The demons would not have the nerve to assault one. This is the simplest and easiest way of protection. 
       An additional benefit of doing this practice is that one's life-span will be lengthened. So this is a very good method in developing strength and longevity.

Other Applications of Armor Protection

       We have to learn to apply the Armor Protection in our daily lives. One of these applications is to chant seven times the mantra, "Om bo ru lan ze lee," while holding the clothes one is to put on and visualizing them transforming into armor. Chant another seven times the mantra "Om bo ru lan ze lee" while holding one's hat and transform it into a warrior's helmet. The clothes become body armor and the hat becomes a steel helmet. This is the way to practice Armor Protection. 
       One has to learn diverse uses of the Armor Protection due to the power of demonic forces. When one performs the Armor Protection and has the vajra gods guarding over one, cultivation will be free of negative interference. Every spiritual cultivator requires such inner protection. 
       One can visualize the vajra as golden in color. 
       "Lang, Yang, Kang." All of you here today who have heard this method can practice it when you go home. You will generate a kind of power. When you repose at night as a vajra, negative forces will leave you alone. This is the most effective method of protection. 
       Today I have discussed three liturgical steps: the Mandala Offering, Fourfold Refuge, and Armor Protection. Actually there are numerous alternative forms of Armor Protection methods, such as the Four Animal Spirits Armor Protection mentioned in one of my books, but this Vajrasattva Armor Protection is sufficient. When one performs, in addition, the Vajra Transformation at night, I believe one can become very firm and strong and will be able to attain very high spiritual power. 
       Om Mani Padme Hum.

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