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?
Day 2
Goals of the True Buddha School
Second, I would like to discuss the goals of the True Buddha School. Since there are so many students now, it is not good if many are unclear on what are the goals of the school. The principal goal of our school is to attain "Liberation from birth and death." A person who has achieved mastery over his or her birth and death will have abolished the boundary between life and death and become a Living Buddha, which is almost the same as a Buddha.
One also has to achieve "Enlightenment - awakening to the One Mind and seeing one's Original Nature," and to be liberated from all klesa (troubles). These are the goals of our school which serve as the beacon towards which one can orient oneself. Anyone walking towards these goals will be on the correct path. There fore, the most important goals of practicing Buddhism are to "achieve self-mastery over birth and death, and awaken to one's Original Nature." When one realizes the One Mind, sees one's own Buddha Nature, master one's own birth and death, and finally enters into Nirvana and Stillness, (the state of No Birth and No Death,) one then attains the fruition of Buddhahood. These are the most important goals of our school. the neutralization of karmic hindrances and the eradication of klesa (troubles) can be considered as part of "self-mastery over birth and death."
In the present day, however, there are many kinds of Buddhist schools, and all kinds of Buddhist collateral branches. What are collateral branches? Collateral branches are derived from Buddhist teachings, yet they are not concerned with the main goals of Buddhism. For example, the painting of Buddhist pictures (tangkas) is a collateral branch of Buddhism, and so are the studies of Buddhist music and Buddhist Kung Fu. There are also the studies of art, vegetarian cooking, healing, Chi Kung, and human auras - these belong to the collateral branches which help the practice of Buddhism, but are not central to the goals of Buddhism. It is acceptable to learn Chi Kung because it helps to strengthen one's chi and health, but the true goals of the True Buddha School are "to transcend birth and death and awaken to one's Original Nature." One must not forget these goals. If one learns Chi Kung instead of practicing the Buddhadharma, one abandons these goals. If one devotes oneself principally to the study of the human aura as a healing practice, and disregards the practice of the Buddhadharma, then one is putting the cart before the horse. One becomes an expert in healing and not in Buddhist practice and cannot transcend life and death. Therefore, any study that leads one away from the goals of "transcending birth and death and awakening to one's Original Nature" is called a collateral branch. Is this clear?
Asceticism is not the Correct Way
There is one more point. In the past, there was a time when Tantric Buddhism was mistaken for a collateral branch of Buddhism. It was thought to emphasize only the body and the body's internal cultivation. In fact, the Buddhadharma advocates both cultivation of body and spirit (wisdom).
Some practitioners only concentrate on the cultivation of spirit (wisdom) and ignore their bodies. They subsist on small amounts of simple food and dress in ragged clothes. They do not pay attention to their bodies even when they are sick. They live under trees and prefer walking over any other kind of transportation that is serviced by others. They insist on serving themselves and carrying their own burdens and are not willing to shoulder other sentient being's negative karma.
This type of cultivation which focuses exclusively on the spiritual side can be likened to asceticism.
Basics [4]. More to come.....
Readers can write to asklotuschef@gmail.com for a .pdf or .doc copy of this book.
Om Guru Lian Sheng Siddhi Hom
Lama Lotuschef
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?
Goals of the True Buddha School
Second, I would like to discuss the goals of the True Buddha School. Since there are so many students now, it is not good if many are unclear on what are the goals of the school. The principal goal of our school is to attain "Liberation from birth and death." A person who has achieved mastery over his or her birth and death will have abolished the boundary between life and death and become a Living Buddha, which is almost the same as a Buddha.
One also has to achieve "Enlightenment - awakening to the One Mind and seeing one's Original Nature," and to be liberated from all klesa (troubles). These are the goals of our school which serve as the beacon towards which one can orient oneself. Anyone walking towards these goals will be on the correct path. There fore, the most important goals of practicing Buddhism are to "achieve self-mastery over birth and death, and awaken to one's Original Nature." When one realizes the One Mind, sees one's own Buddha Nature, master one's own birth and death, and finally enters into Nirvana and Stillness, (the state of No Birth and No Death,) one then attains the fruition of Buddhahood. These are the most important goals of our school. the neutralization of karmic hindrances and the eradication of klesa (troubles) can be considered as part of "self-mastery over birth and death."
In the present day, however, there are many kinds of Buddhist schools, and all kinds of Buddhist collateral branches. What are collateral branches? Collateral branches are derived from Buddhist teachings, yet they are not concerned with the main goals of Buddhism. For example, the painting of Buddhist pictures (tangkas) is a collateral branch of Buddhism, and so are the studies of Buddhist music and Buddhist Kung Fu. There are also the studies of art, vegetarian cooking, healing, Chi Kung, and human auras - these belong to the collateral branches which help the practice of Buddhism, but are not central to the goals of Buddhism. It is acceptable to learn Chi Kung because it helps to strengthen one's chi and health, but the true goals of the True Buddha School are "to transcend birth and death and awaken to one's Original Nature." One must not forget these goals. If one learns Chi Kung instead of practicing the Buddhadharma, one abandons these goals. If one devotes oneself principally to the study of the human aura as a healing practice, and disregards the practice of the Buddhadharma, then one is putting the cart before the horse. One becomes an expert in healing and not in Buddhist practice and cannot transcend life and death. Therefore, any study that leads one away from the goals of "transcending birth and death and awakening to one's Original Nature" is called a collateral branch. Is this clear?
There is one more point. In the past, there was a time when Tantric Buddhism was mistaken for a collateral branch of Buddhism. It was thought to emphasize only the body and the body's internal cultivation. In fact, the Buddhadharma advocates both cultivation of body and spirit (wisdom).
Some practitioners only concentrate on the cultivation of spirit (wisdom) and ignore their bodies. They subsist on small amounts of simple food and dress in ragged clothes. They do not pay attention to their bodies even when they are sick. They live under trees and prefer walking over any other kind of transportation that is serviced by others. They insist on serving themselves and carrying their own burdens and are not willing to shoulder other sentient being's negative karma.
This type of cultivation which focuses exclusively on the spiritual side can be likened to asceticism.
Sometimes, when the practitioners are ill, they still keep on meditation. It does not matter to them if they have a high fever and are severely ill, as they consider the physical body to be waste material that prevents them from being liberated. Therefore, they feel that their bodies first need to be mortified before they can obtain a different kind of spiritual and intellectual enlightenment.
In the past, many Buddhist and Taoist practitioners (though not Tantric practitioners) pursued this pathway. They looked down on the human body and called it "the vile skin-bag" and wanted to snuff the life out of it. Turning to self-mortification, they resorted to slicing their own bodies with knives, burning their own bodies with fire, and soaking their own bodies in water. Some of them sat among brief bushes to meditate, or hung themselves upside down. With all these actions, they hoped to mortify the flesh to achieve a single-minded concentration that would lead to the Supreme Wisdom, the kind of enlightened wisdom that is obtained through Samadhi. This type of cultivation only focuses on the spiritual aspect and ignores the physical existence.
However, Tantric Buddhism is different. From the beginning, Tantrayana has advocated the dual cultivation of spirit and body.
A good health and sufficiently long life provides one with a vehicle to understand the Truths of the Universe. This approach is very different from those Zen Buddhists or Taoist ascetics who totally disregarded "the vile skin-bags." But Tantrayana, besides cultivating spirituality, also pays attention to the physical cultivation of chi, the opening of subtle energy channels, and the conscious movement of light drops in the human body. This is called dual cultivation of spirit (wisdom) and body.
In the past, many Buddhist and Taoist practitioners (though not Tantric practitioners) pursued this pathway. They looked down on the human body and called it "the vile skin-bag" and wanted to snuff the life out of it. Turning to self-mortification, they resorted to slicing their own bodies with knives, burning their own bodies with fire, and soaking their own bodies in water. Some of them sat among brief bushes to meditate, or hung themselves upside down. With all these actions, they hoped to mortify the flesh to achieve a single-minded concentration that would lead to the Supreme Wisdom, the kind of enlightened wisdom that is obtained through Samadhi. This type of cultivation only focuses on the spiritual aspect and ignores the physical existence.
However, Tantric Buddhism is different. From the beginning, Tantrayana has advocated the dual cultivation of spirit and body.
A good health and sufficiently long life provides one with a vehicle to understand the Truths of the Universe. This approach is very different from those Zen Buddhists or Taoist ascetics who totally disregarded "the vile skin-bags." But Tantrayana, besides cultivating spirituality, also pays attention to the physical cultivation of chi, the opening of subtle energy channels, and the conscious movement of light drops in the human body. This is called dual cultivation of spirit (wisdom) and body.
I, myself, advocate the dual cultivation of spirit and body because good physical health facilitates the development of wisdom. A healthy body and sufficiently long life serve as the springboard from which one leaps to explore and realize the Truth of the Buddhadharma.
If one pursues the spiritual and slights the physical aspect to the point of losing ones life, can wisdom still be obtained? Without the physical body, the wisdom of the Buddhadharma is beyond reach.
Therefore, our True Buddha School stresses the dual cultivation of both the physical and spiritual. One has to achieve the Wisdom of Buddhahood, but one also has to maintain a very healthy body with full and vigorous energy. Furthermore, one has to cultivate one's inner fire, work on one's chi, channels, and light drops to directly transmute one's body to the state of Void.
There was a period of time when Tantrayana was looked upon as a heretic teaching. This was due to its emphasis on Energy Yoga, the physical cultivation that involved chi and channels. Fundamentally, however, any method that enables one to attain Buddhahood, to realize one's Original Nature, and to master one's birth and death is considered an authentic Buddhadharma. Otherwise, it can only be classified as a collateral branch that corroborates Buddhism.
Therefore, our True Buddha School stresses the dual cultivation of both the physical and spiritual. One has to achieve the Wisdom of Buddhahood, but one also has to maintain a very healthy body with full and vigorous energy. Furthermore, one has to cultivate one's inner fire, work on one's chi, channels, and light drops to directly transmute one's body to the state of Void.
There was a period of time when Tantrayana was looked upon as a heretic teaching. This was due to its emphasis on Energy Yoga, the physical cultivation that involved chi and channels. Fundamentally, however, any method that enables one to attain Buddhahood, to realize one's Original Nature, and to master one's birth and death is considered an authentic Buddhadharma. Otherwise, it can only be classified as a collateral branch that corroborates Buddhism.
I hope everyone can have a full understanding on this, and not put the peripheral before the fundamental.
Readers can write to asklotuschef@gmail.com for a .pdf or .doc copy of this book.
Om Guru Lian Sheng Siddhi Hom
Lama Lotuschef
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