A Practice of Patience and Faith
What I have previously written in books is just an introduction to make the Tantric practice easier to understand prior to the teaching of the external practice. In the future, I will teach the internal practice, starting with the psychic heat yoga, which awakens the kundalini via the steps of "lowering, raising, holding, and dispersing."
When I reach fifty, I will help students ignite the inner fire and open up the middle channel. However, even before I taught the external practice, many students had already given up their aspirations and left before I had the chance to teach them. The deal was called off! [audience laughter] I had not even started, yet many of them felt that they had already learned everything. How strange! There are many methods I intend to share and teach which cannot be hurried, but some students become impatient. They start having these diseases in their minds and bodies, these odd feelings that they have already learned everything.
Some students even commented, "Master Lu practices the same old thing every day inside the Tantric shrine, gesticulating and mumbling. Can Enlightenment be so simple? This must be a false Dharma. Can one really reach Enlightenment by practicing this way each day?" I have been asked this question and am deeply grieved. The point to understand is that I must assess the qualities and character of all of the students during their practice to determine whether they could engage the True Buddha Tantric Dharma practice. With this foundation it would then be possible to teach them the next higher level of practice.
But before I could give a complete explanation of the first level of the external practice, many students already lost the will to cultivate and the "deal was off." A student who leaves is gone, and I cannot bring them back.
In reality, spiritual cultivation is a process that requires repeated tempering. Opportunists will not accomplish anything lasting because they lack a firm faith! Shallow people fall down when a casual breeze comes along. Frankly, our school has too many students and there is a need to cull the unworthy. At the end, only the pure, golden ones will remain for intensive training to reach Enlightenment. That is in fact the method employed by a Buddha to liberate the living beings.
If one lacks a strong faith, then no amount of argument will convince such a person. This is a matter of affinity. Perhaps this person, in his previous lifetimes, has not eaten any of the meals I have offered! [audience laughter] Therefore he or she does not have to pay anything back. Perhaps they want to make my life easier — fewer students means less trouble and more tranquility! Sometimes I feel very sad when I offer such a good thing to people and they don't want it. It is such a precious thing and still they don't want it. I am offering it free, and yet they refuse to accept it. This makes me want to cry my heart out, and it is the reason behind my grief.
I have attained self-mastery and am liberated and happy. All subconscious worries and anxieties are completely released by realization which merges the mind into the Universe, anextraordinary and transcendental state. There is no longer any phenomenon in the universe that can unbalance me. Now all I have is this warm and sincere desire to help sentient beings achieve liberation. It is due to this that I grieve and shed tears. What else is there to cause me to worry or for me to grasp onto? Today I ask everyone to reflect on what is there that one cannot let go of? Is it one's family, spouse, children, money, prestige, career, or health? All these things are only mundane and belong to the earth. Only spiritual cultivation can lead one to Enlightenment and Liberation.
Only when one comes upon the great Dharma and works diligently to reach the state of eternal life (of non-birth and non-extinction), will one be truly liberated from cares and worries. The One Mind transcends birth and death. What is the purpose of human life? Spiritual realization manifests as infinite bliss, and this is the greatest meaning of human life!
A Free and Democratic School
Yesterday at dinner I discussed a view I used to have. I used to think that I had to have a son who would inherit yfamily line from me, so that the Lu family would continue. This is a very traditional Chinese view. But when one brings one's son to America, all traditional hope is finished! He does not really attach the same kind of importance to his family name as his parents do. He will start a new root in America. He might marry a wife with blond hair and blue eyes and hi children might have blond hair and blue eyes. They will not be able to write the family name "Lu" in Chinese, as it will be written in English. Can one expect one's son to attach the same kind of value to the preservation of the family name from generation to generation? No, not anymore. Here in America, he would not feel that it is an honor to be a descendant of the Lu family. Here, there is absolutely no such thing. Nor would he place any hopes on the younger generation with the same last name as his. No! This kind of traditional ideas will probably be gone in the first couple of generations after transplanting to America. They probably will not know from where their ancestors
originally came. The importance attached to passing from one generation to another is deeply rooted in traditional Chinese belief, as is evidenced by the recordkeeping of one's clan or family tree. However, when one brings one's son to America, the book of one's family tree might as well be thrown into the fireplace. In America, one cannot hold one's children against their will, as they can go to court and press charges against one. [audience laughter] Try to lock them up or hit them once, they will report it to their teacher, who will report it to the school, which will press charges against the parents and that would be terrible! [audience laughter]
Therefore one really cannot place any high expectations on one's children. I only hope that they will live well, and I think it would be very nice if they don't bring me any troubles. Take Fo Ching, my daughter, as an example. Sometimes I do worry about her. Why? Because her grades are too good. It is a nuisance because she wants to maintain a 4.0 grade point average. She has always gotten a 4.0 for her classes, which is a perfect record. She's never received even a 3.9. She said shewanted to trade in her old car for a new jeep. [audience laughter] I told her that she would have to meet one condition first: her grade point average would have to drop below 4.0, then I would buy the jeep for her. [audience laughter] "Don't maintain that 4.0 forever," I told her. "I get mad seeing that 4.0." [audience laughter] She works so hard in high school and joins so many clubs and organizations, volunteering for so many activities. In the evenings, she has to write essays, prepare study notes, and do math. Because she is taking many courses and studying so hard, she feels a serious lack of time. That was why I took pity on her and told her that she did not have to maintain the 4.0, nor apply to Stanford, Harvard, or Yale! Well, she doesn't have to go to the "Ah Lu," which is Yale in Taiwanese! [audience laughter] She wants to go to Yale, Harvard, or Stanford, but I told her not to. I told her that going to the B.C.C., the Bellevue Community College, would be sufficient. [audience laughter] There is no need to go to a premier university.
As for Fo Chi, my son, this is what I told him. [Grand Master turns to Master Lian-hsiang and asks.] "Would it be all right to talk about it here?" [Audience uproar of laughter] I told him that just graduating from high school was enough. [audience laughter] I want this child to live normally, and ask only that he support himself. One should not place too high hopes on him. Actually from my standpoint, I just want my children to develop naturally, without putting any limitations on them. I just hope they will live happily and normally This would be fine.
As parents, our minds should be relatively at ease when these conditions are met. We should not demand our children to achieve high honors to bring glorification to our family line. Such expectations are impossible, aren't they? Children growing up in America have their own ideas about life, and we should not try to control them.
By the same token, our school is also a free and democratic school. I seldom put any limitations on students, and they can come and go as they wish. I just want to say that Tantric practice is a way of life and technique for inner evolution. The True Buddha Tantric Dharma is very precious, and, when one comes in search of teaching, I will definitely teach the true, great Dharma that suits one's spiritual maturity. It is a matter of levels. For example, when one obtains a yogic response in the first level practice, then I definitely teach the second level practice. When one obtains a yogic response in the second level practice, then I certainly teach the third level practice.
The most important key to the meaning of human life lies in spiritual cultivation. With the availability of such an effective Tantric Dharma, I, of course, hope that everyone can accept it and practice it with perseverance. If a student claims a need for self-direction and freedom, I will not interfere, since I also advocate democracy and freedom. I am also a "naturalist" and yield to nature. Indeed, any individual' s development unfolds by natural law. In teaching everyone this Way, I have truly opened up my heart and soul, just as I have to the children. So, being a "naturalist," my final conclusion is that those who have an affinity with the Dharma will come to hear the teaching, while those who lack such affinity will not. Similarly, those who practice seriously have strong affinity while those who practice perfunctorily have casual affinity. That is only natural. But I do emphasize that the True Buddha Tantric Dharma is a correct Dharma that is authentic, precious, and powerful.
Tomorrow I shall discuss how to enter into Samadhi. I also will talk about the Epilogue portion of the Liturgy, as the entire Liturgy is divided into Prologue, Main Body, and Epilogue. I also will discuss ritual implements. If there is sufficient time, I will discuss how these ritual implements, such as the vajra, bell, and the damaru are employed. The most important ritual implements in Tantrayana are the vajra, bell, mala, and the damaru, and these are quite sufficient for a Tantric practitioner. That concludes today' s teaching.
Om Mani Padme Hum.
Basics [19]. 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
What I have previously written in books is just an introduction to make the Tantric practice easier to understand prior to the teaching of the external practice. In the future, I will teach the internal practice, starting with the psychic heat yoga, which awakens the kundalini via the steps of "lowering, raising, holding, and dispersing."
When I reach fifty, I will help students ignite the inner fire and open up the middle channel. However, even before I taught the external practice, many students had already given up their aspirations and left before I had the chance to teach them. The deal was called off! [audience laughter] I had not even started, yet many of them felt that they had already learned everything. How strange! There are many methods I intend to share and teach which cannot be hurried, but some students become impatient. They start having these diseases in their minds and bodies, these odd feelings that they have already learned everything.
Some students even commented, "Master Lu practices the same old thing every day inside the Tantric shrine, gesticulating and mumbling. Can Enlightenment be so simple? This must be a false Dharma. Can one really reach Enlightenment by practicing this way each day?" I have been asked this question and am deeply grieved. The point to understand is that I must assess the qualities and character of all of the students during their practice to determine whether they could engage the True Buddha Tantric Dharma practice. With this foundation it would then be possible to teach them the next higher level of practice.
But before I could give a complete explanation of the first level of the external practice, many students already lost the will to cultivate and the "deal was off." A student who leaves is gone, and I cannot bring them back.
In reality, spiritual cultivation is a process that requires repeated tempering. Opportunists will not accomplish anything lasting because they lack a firm faith! Shallow people fall down when a casual breeze comes along. Frankly, our school has too many students and there is a need to cull the unworthy. At the end, only the pure, golden ones will remain for intensive training to reach Enlightenment. That is in fact the method employed by a Buddha to liberate the living beings.
If one lacks a strong faith, then no amount of argument will convince such a person. This is a matter of affinity. Perhaps this person, in his previous lifetimes, has not eaten any of the meals I have offered! [audience laughter] Therefore he or she does not have to pay anything back. Perhaps they want to make my life easier — fewer students means less trouble and more tranquility! Sometimes I feel very sad when I offer such a good thing to people and they don't want it. It is such a precious thing and still they don't want it. I am offering it free, and yet they refuse to accept it. This makes me want to cry my heart out, and it is the reason behind my grief.
I have attained self-mastery and am liberated and happy. All subconscious worries and anxieties are completely released by realization which merges the mind into the Universe, anextraordinary and transcendental state. There is no longer any phenomenon in the universe that can unbalance me. Now all I have is this warm and sincere desire to help sentient beings achieve liberation. It is due to this that I grieve and shed tears. What else is there to cause me to worry or for me to grasp onto? Today I ask everyone to reflect on what is there that one cannot let go of? Is it one's family, spouse, children, money, prestige, career, or health? All these things are only mundane and belong to the earth. Only spiritual cultivation can lead one to Enlightenment and Liberation.
Only when one comes upon the great Dharma and works diligently to reach the state of eternal life (of non-birth and non-extinction), will one be truly liberated from cares and worries. The One Mind transcends birth and death. What is the purpose of human life? Spiritual realization manifests as infinite bliss, and this is the greatest meaning of human life!
A Free and Democratic School
Yesterday at dinner I discussed a view I used to have. I used to think that I had to have a son who would inherit yfamily line from me, so that the Lu family would continue. This is a very traditional Chinese view. But when one brings one's son to America, all traditional hope is finished! He does not really attach the same kind of importance to his family name as his parents do. He will start a new root in America. He might marry a wife with blond hair and blue eyes and hi children might have blond hair and blue eyes. They will not be able to write the family name "Lu" in Chinese, as it will be written in English. Can one expect one's son to attach the same kind of value to the preservation of the family name from generation to generation? No, not anymore. Here in America, he would not feel that it is an honor to be a descendant of the Lu family. Here, there is absolutely no such thing. Nor would he place any hopes on the younger generation with the same last name as his. No! This kind of traditional ideas will probably be gone in the first couple of generations after transplanting to America. They probably will not know from where their ancestors
originally came. The importance attached to passing from one generation to another is deeply rooted in traditional Chinese belief, as is evidenced by the recordkeeping of one's clan or family tree. However, when one brings one's son to America, the book of one's family tree might as well be thrown into the fireplace. In America, one cannot hold one's children against their will, as they can go to court and press charges against one. [audience laughter] Try to lock them up or hit them once, they will report it to their teacher, who will report it to the school, which will press charges against the parents and that would be terrible! [audience laughter]
Therefore one really cannot place any high expectations on one's children. I only hope that they will live well, and I think it would be very nice if they don't bring me any troubles. Take Fo Ching, my daughter, as an example. Sometimes I do worry about her. Why? Because her grades are too good. It is a nuisance because she wants to maintain a 4.0 grade point average. She has always gotten a 4.0 for her classes, which is a perfect record. She's never received even a 3.9. She said shewanted to trade in her old car for a new jeep. [audience laughter] I told her that she would have to meet one condition first: her grade point average would have to drop below 4.0, then I would buy the jeep for her. [audience laughter] "Don't maintain that 4.0 forever," I told her. "I get mad seeing that 4.0." [audience laughter] She works so hard in high school and joins so many clubs and organizations, volunteering for so many activities. In the evenings, she has to write essays, prepare study notes, and do math. Because she is taking many courses and studying so hard, she feels a serious lack of time. That was why I took pity on her and told her that she did not have to maintain the 4.0, nor apply to Stanford, Harvard, or Yale! Well, she doesn't have to go to the "Ah Lu," which is Yale in Taiwanese! [audience laughter] She wants to go to Yale, Harvard, or Stanford, but I told her not to. I told her that going to the B.C.C., the Bellevue Community College, would be sufficient. [audience laughter] There is no need to go to a premier university.
As for Fo Chi, my son, this is what I told him. [Grand Master turns to Master Lian-hsiang and asks.] "Would it be all right to talk about it here?" [Audience uproar of laughter] I told him that just graduating from high school was enough. [audience laughter] I want this child to live normally, and ask only that he support himself. One should not place too high hopes on him. Actually from my standpoint, I just want my children to develop naturally, without putting any limitations on them. I just hope they will live happily and normally This would be fine.
As parents, our minds should be relatively at ease when these conditions are met. We should not demand our children to achieve high honors to bring glorification to our family line. Such expectations are impossible, aren't they? Children growing up in America have their own ideas about life, and we should not try to control them.
By the same token, our school is also a free and democratic school. I seldom put any limitations on students, and they can come and go as they wish. I just want to say that Tantric practice is a way of life and technique for inner evolution. The True Buddha Tantric Dharma is very precious, and, when one comes in search of teaching, I will definitely teach the true, great Dharma that suits one's spiritual maturity. It is a matter of levels. For example, when one obtains a yogic response in the first level practice, then I definitely teach the second level practice. When one obtains a yogic response in the second level practice, then I certainly teach the third level practice.
The most important key to the meaning of human life lies in spiritual cultivation. With the availability of such an effective Tantric Dharma, I, of course, hope that everyone can accept it and practice it with perseverance. If a student claims a need for self-direction and freedom, I will not interfere, since I also advocate democracy and freedom. I am also a "naturalist" and yield to nature. Indeed, any individual' s development unfolds by natural law. In teaching everyone this Way, I have truly opened up my heart and soul, just as I have to the children. So, being a "naturalist," my final conclusion is that those who have an affinity with the Dharma will come to hear the teaching, while those who lack such affinity will not. Similarly, those who practice seriously have strong affinity while those who practice perfunctorily have casual affinity. That is only natural. But I do emphasize that the True Buddha Tantric Dharma is a correct Dharma that is authentic, precious, and powerful.
Tomorrow I shall discuss how to enter into Samadhi. I also will talk about the Epilogue portion of the Liturgy, as the entire Liturgy is divided into Prologue, Main Body, and Epilogue. I also will discuss ritual implements. If there is sufficient time, I will discuss how these ritual implements, such as the vajra, bell, and the damaru are employed. The most important ritual implements in Tantrayana are the vajra, bell, mala, and the damaru, and these are quite sufficient for a Tantric practitioner. That concludes today' s teaching.
Om Mani Padme Hum.
Basics [19]. 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
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