Employment of Dharma Implements
I would like to spend a little time here discussing the general employment of Dharma implements. This is the vajra. It is symbol for firmness, compassion, the uprooting of suffering, and that which is indestructible, imperturbable, and immovable. This is the bell. It is symbol for wisdom, joy, laughter, and the propagation of the Truth. When the vajra and bell are maneuvered together like this [Grand Master demonstrates], it represents the dual employment of compassion and wisdom - a means to liberate the sentient beings from suffering.
Wisdom and compassion, joy and indestructibility - these are the qualities of the bell and vajra. When does one ring the bell? During the practice of the True Buddha Tantra, one may ring the bell at the end of each step to evoke joy in one's heart. One also rings the bell when one performs karma yoga. Nowadays many Dharma masters ring the bell whenever they feel like it without any specific reason. When the vajra is raised it represents stability. The bell represents wisdom. One now should know the vajra and bell are to be employed.
Regarding the mala, everyone knows that it is used for the recitation of mantras. How about the damaru drum? The drum should be held by the right hand like this, with three fingers below the drum and the two remaining fingers holding it up. The bell and drum can be used simultaneously. [Grand Master demonstrates] The drum is swung to accompany the singing of praises. For example, one may swing the drum, and at the same time sing, "Kuan Yin Bodhisattva [Avalokitesvara], full of compassion! Manjusri Bodhisattva, full of wisdom! Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, full of great actions! Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, full of great vows!" This is how the Tibetan lamas and tulkus use the drum. They swing the drum and sing praises to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The next time you come across a damaru drum, you can buy it to take home and use for singing praises to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. Just make sure that it does not fall into the hands of children and get turn into a toy. [audience laughter]
When the lamas sing praises to the compassion of the Boddhisattvas, they sing and say their bodied to the swinging of the drums - they are relaxed and having a good time! This kind of chatting of praises is excellent. When the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas hear the swinging sound of the damaru drum, they will descend in appreciation. So, it does have its own significance.
How about the single-point vajra? I have discussed before how this is used. Whether it is the single-point vajra Hayagriva or of any other Fierce Protector, it is used during certain rituals of karma yoga and can be used to pierce and anchor traingult plates enshrined on one's altar. The vajra is then regarded as a Fierce Protector and one pays homage and makes offerings to it. Students who have learned the Achala Yoga should pay homage and make offerings to Achala, as the Tibetan tulkus also make such offerings to Fierce Protectors during ordinary times. Therefore, Dharma implements are used for karma yogas, singing praises, and recitations.
The Level of Tulkus
As matter of fact, to my knowledge there are only a few people among the Chinese practitioners who can explain the Tantric practice in such completeness and detail; even among the Tibetans, few would know how to employ the vajra and bell in the manner I just demonstrated. Are there any Tibetan tulkus who completely understand Tantric external practice? Of course they are. Many advanced Tibetan Lamas have a thorough knowledge and lucid understanding of the external practice, and they also engage in the practice of internal yoga and Highest Tantric Yoga. However, only a few of them can explain the external practice in such complete manner that others might gain full comprehension. As far as I know, very few of them actually have completely penetrated the Tantric practice.
The number of practitioners who started at the Generation Stage practice and have arrived at the Completion stage practice is fewer, because this requires a progression from external practice through internal practice, esoteric practice, and inner esoteric practice. Very few people have gone through the progression and reached the highest level. Very few people know of the formulae and secrets for these practices, as they are seldom written down in books. One should still be able to find teachings of the internal practice in books, but this is not so for teachings of the Highest Tantra Yoga. It is even harder to learn the formulae to the inner esoteric practice. But I do have a thorough and lucid understanding of the whole Tantric practice, including the proper employment of the implements. This is why I have decided to explain to everyone the complete liturgy of Tantric practice starting with the external practice.
Why did I say that even some of the Tibetan tulkus do not have a total knowledge and understanding of the complete Tantric practice? Because I know there are many different ranks of Tibetan tulkus, Do not exceedingly awed just because you have met a Tibetan tulku. Do not automatically assume that he has cultivated to the level of Great Perfection or Completion Stage practice. Upon meeting a Tibetan tulku, some people immediately prostrate themselves and empty their pockets to make offerings, so they might hear some profound teachings, but the tulku is usually gone before any profound teachings have been delivered. In many cases, the most one learns are the Four Preliminary Practices! Sometimes, after a sincere offering is made, the tulku might give a high level empowerment such as Kalachakra empowerment. Well, after the Kalachakra initiation, does one know how to visualize the Kalachakra or chant the mantra. The visualization of Kalachakra is very complicated. It involves visualizing ten different colors in the formation of a mantra syllable. This kind of practice is very difficult and not every Tibetan tulku has this kind of knowledge.
It is my understanding that among the Tibetan tulkus, leaders who are both spiritual as well as temporal, such as the Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas are of the highest rank. Designated rulers who hold temporal power in the absence of a Dalai Lama or Panchen Lama are of the second rank. The third ranks of tulkus are the abbots of the three great Tibetan monasteries. The fourth rank of tulkus includes Dharma Leader at the three monasteries, as well as lineage holders of the four [Tibetan Buddhist] schools, such as the Karmapa of the Kagyu School, and the leaders of the Sakya, Nyingmapa, and Gelugpa School.
What about the fifth rank tulkus? These include abbots other that those of the three great monasteries. The sixth rank of tulkus is teachers of Tantric practices under the abbots of the monasteries, and the move around freely. There are also tulkus of the seventh rank. In the past, these were people who had been lamas for a long time without earning the title of tulkus. However, they were quite well off and able to trade some of their lands, or yaks and goats, for money. They offered the money to the Tibetan government in exchange for a tulku title. This type of tulku is called "tulku by donation".
So there are at least seven ranks of tulkus. Not every tulku has the power to recharge one's body with the life force, no matter how much one prostrates or make offerings. [audience laughter] Some tulkus have earned their title by donation; others have strived for a long time and slowly risen from a lama to become an abbot. The Tibetan term "mKan-po" refers to "abbots". This is how the system of tulkus works. Of note is the Gelugpa School which does have a relatively well established system.
Once someone asked the Dalai Lama, "I have met this tulku who gave this teaching to me. I wonder if it is correct and whether he is authentic tulku?" The Dalai Lama asked for the tulku's name and then remarked that he did not recognize the name. When the inquirer showed his surprise at the Dalai Lama's answer, he offered this explanation, "There are so many tulkus that it has gotten to the point that it is impossible to have an accurate number, or to know who is authentic, as every one of these tulkus calls himself the Rinpoche". A rinpoche is a tulku. How many of these tulkus really know the authentic Tantric practice? How many of them practice the Dharma at a deep level consciousness? One should pay at attention to these questions. A tulku in title should at least know the complete liturgy of the external Tantric practice and have engaged in the actual practice himself. A true tulku is someone who has also practices in the internal Tantra and has achieved Liberation and Enlightenment.
How many of the Tibetan tulkus nowadays have attained Liberation and Enlightenment? Not that many. Therefore, if one wants to seek authentic teachings from a tulku, one should first ascertain if this tulku indeed knows Tantric practices! If he is able to explain the different levels of practices from the Generation Stage to the Completion Stage, he is quite accomplished. He at least can be a teacher, although he might not have engaged in all these practices himself. He can explain to one how a certain practice is done and tell how far along one has advanced on the path. These are qualifications of a true guru. Therefore, one may sometimes judge if a Tibetan tulku is a true tulku or not by his knowledge and understanding of the Generation Stage and Completion Stage practices.
Basics [35]. More to come.....
Readers can write to purekarmaservices@gmail.com for a .pdf or .doc copy of this book.
Om Guru Lian Sheng Siddhi Hom
Lama Lotuschef
I would like to spend a little time here discussing the general employment of Dharma implements. This is the vajra. It is symbol for firmness, compassion, the uprooting of suffering, and that which is indestructible, imperturbable, and immovable. This is the bell. It is symbol for wisdom, joy, laughter, and the propagation of the Truth. When the vajra and bell are maneuvered together like this [Grand Master demonstrates], it represents the dual employment of compassion and wisdom - a means to liberate the sentient beings from suffering.
Wisdom and compassion, joy and indestructibility - these are the qualities of the bell and vajra. When does one ring the bell? During the practice of the True Buddha Tantra, one may ring the bell at the end of each step to evoke joy in one's heart. One also rings the bell when one performs karma yoga. Nowadays many Dharma masters ring the bell whenever they feel like it without any specific reason. When the vajra is raised it represents stability. The bell represents wisdom. One now should know the vajra and bell are to be employed.
Regarding the mala, everyone knows that it is used for the recitation of mantras. How about the damaru drum? The drum should be held by the right hand like this, with three fingers below the drum and the two remaining fingers holding it up. The bell and drum can be used simultaneously. [Grand Master demonstrates] The drum is swung to accompany the singing of praises. For example, one may swing the drum, and at the same time sing, "Kuan Yin Bodhisattva [Avalokitesvara], full of compassion! Manjusri Bodhisattva, full of wisdom! Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, full of great actions! Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, full of great vows!" This is how the Tibetan lamas and tulkus use the drum. They swing the drum and sing praises to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The next time you come across a damaru drum, you can buy it to take home and use for singing praises to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. Just make sure that it does not fall into the hands of children and get turn into a toy. [audience laughter]
When the lamas sing praises to the compassion of the Boddhisattvas, they sing and say their bodied to the swinging of the drums - they are relaxed and having a good time! This kind of chatting of praises is excellent. When the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas hear the swinging sound of the damaru drum, they will descend in appreciation. So, it does have its own significance.
How about the single-point vajra? I have discussed before how this is used. Whether it is the single-point vajra Hayagriva or of any other Fierce Protector, it is used during certain rituals of karma yoga and can be used to pierce and anchor traingult plates enshrined on one's altar. The vajra is then regarded as a Fierce Protector and one pays homage and makes offerings to it. Students who have learned the Achala Yoga should pay homage and make offerings to Achala, as the Tibetan tulkus also make such offerings to Fierce Protectors during ordinary times. Therefore, Dharma implements are used for karma yogas, singing praises, and recitations.
The Level of Tulkus
As matter of fact, to my knowledge there are only a few people among the Chinese practitioners who can explain the Tantric practice in such completeness and detail; even among the Tibetans, few would know how to employ the vajra and bell in the manner I just demonstrated. Are there any Tibetan tulkus who completely understand Tantric external practice? Of course they are. Many advanced Tibetan Lamas have a thorough knowledge and lucid understanding of the external practice, and they also engage in the practice of internal yoga and Highest Tantric Yoga. However, only a few of them can explain the external practice in such complete manner that others might gain full comprehension. As far as I know, very few of them actually have completely penetrated the Tantric practice.
The number of practitioners who started at the Generation Stage practice and have arrived at the Completion stage practice is fewer, because this requires a progression from external practice through internal practice, esoteric practice, and inner esoteric practice. Very few people have gone through the progression and reached the highest level. Very few people know of the formulae and secrets for these practices, as they are seldom written down in books. One should still be able to find teachings of the internal practice in books, but this is not so for teachings of the Highest Tantra Yoga. It is even harder to learn the formulae to the inner esoteric practice. But I do have a thorough and lucid understanding of the whole Tantric practice, including the proper employment of the implements. This is why I have decided to explain to everyone the complete liturgy of Tantric practice starting with the external practice.
Why did I say that even some of the Tibetan tulkus do not have a total knowledge and understanding of the complete Tantric practice? Because I know there are many different ranks of Tibetan tulkus, Do not exceedingly awed just because you have met a Tibetan tulku. Do not automatically assume that he has cultivated to the level of Great Perfection or Completion Stage practice. Upon meeting a Tibetan tulku, some people immediately prostrate themselves and empty their pockets to make offerings, so they might hear some profound teachings, but the tulku is usually gone before any profound teachings have been delivered. In many cases, the most one learns are the Four Preliminary Practices! Sometimes, after a sincere offering is made, the tulku might give a high level empowerment such as Kalachakra empowerment. Well, after the Kalachakra initiation, does one know how to visualize the Kalachakra or chant the mantra. The visualization of Kalachakra is very complicated. It involves visualizing ten different colors in the formation of a mantra syllable. This kind of practice is very difficult and not every Tibetan tulku has this kind of knowledge.
It is my understanding that among the Tibetan tulkus, leaders who are both spiritual as well as temporal, such as the Dalai Lamas and Panchen Lamas are of the highest rank. Designated rulers who hold temporal power in the absence of a Dalai Lama or Panchen Lama are of the second rank. The third ranks of tulkus are the abbots of the three great Tibetan monasteries. The fourth rank of tulkus includes Dharma Leader at the three monasteries, as well as lineage holders of the four [Tibetan Buddhist] schools, such as the Karmapa of the Kagyu School, and the leaders of the Sakya, Nyingmapa, and Gelugpa School.
What about the fifth rank tulkus? These include abbots other that those of the three great monasteries. The sixth rank of tulkus is teachers of Tantric practices under the abbots of the monasteries, and the move around freely. There are also tulkus of the seventh rank. In the past, these were people who had been lamas for a long time without earning the title of tulkus. However, they were quite well off and able to trade some of their lands, or yaks and goats, for money. They offered the money to the Tibetan government in exchange for a tulku title. This type of tulku is called "tulku by donation".
So there are at least seven ranks of tulkus. Not every tulku has the power to recharge one's body with the life force, no matter how much one prostrates or make offerings. [audience laughter] Some tulkus have earned their title by donation; others have strived for a long time and slowly risen from a lama to become an abbot. The Tibetan term "mKan-po" refers to "abbots". This is how the system of tulkus works. Of note is the Gelugpa School which does have a relatively well established system.
Once someone asked the Dalai Lama, "I have met this tulku who gave this teaching to me. I wonder if it is correct and whether he is authentic tulku?" The Dalai Lama asked for the tulku's name and then remarked that he did not recognize the name. When the inquirer showed his surprise at the Dalai Lama's answer, he offered this explanation, "There are so many tulkus that it has gotten to the point that it is impossible to have an accurate number, or to know who is authentic, as every one of these tulkus calls himself the Rinpoche". A rinpoche is a tulku. How many of these tulkus really know the authentic Tantric practice? How many of them practice the Dharma at a deep level consciousness? One should pay at attention to these questions. A tulku in title should at least know the complete liturgy of the external Tantric practice and have engaged in the actual practice himself. A true tulku is someone who has also practices in the internal Tantra and has achieved Liberation and Enlightenment.
How many of the Tibetan tulkus nowadays have attained Liberation and Enlightenment? Not that many. Therefore, if one wants to seek authentic teachings from a tulku, one should first ascertain if this tulku indeed knows Tantric practices! If he is able to explain the different levels of practices from the Generation Stage to the Completion Stage, he is quite accomplished. He at least can be a teacher, although he might not have engaged in all these practices himself. He can explain to one how a certain practice is done and tell how far along one has advanced on the path. These are qualifications of a true guru. Therefore, one may sometimes judge if a Tibetan tulku is a true tulku or not by his knowledge and understanding of the Generation Stage and Completion Stage practices.
Basics [35]. More to come.....
Readers can write to purekarmaservices@gmail.com for a .pdf or .doc copy of this book.
Om Guru Lian Sheng Siddhi Hom
Lama Lotuschef
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