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Let's continue to study the Prayer of Magnetizing Activity, or, the Prayer which Magnetizes All That Appears and All That Exists.
As I said yesterday, everyone is familiar with this prayer.
I can say that every lineage disciple of our academy knows this prayer,
but we still have to learn this prayer.
Definitely, you can learn it by other means in the future.
Due to the fact that I have not time to read many materials,
and to contrast the Chinese version with the Tibetan version,
I will just give a simple explanation this time.
However, it is normal that it has different translations.
I don't know whether it is translated by me or by other guru.
I am not sure about it. We study this prayer together this time.
The most crucial thing in our learning progress
is that we should understand this prayer after learning.
If we know this prayer,
we can visualize while reciting it.
Sometimes when we recite the hundred syllable mantra, we don't know its meaning and think it is just a prayer for confession
In fact, the hundred syllable mantra has its own commentary.
I want to teach it but I always have not time.
So it is very necessary to explain the merit
of the prayers and mantras which we often recite.
I will not say more.
Since everyone just has spent a whole day participating our Dharma assembly,
it is not easy for you to listen to this teaching now. Indeed, everyone is very good.
Besides, many Buddhists listen to this teaching by the Internet.
Originally, everyone is celebrating the new year recently and you may be very distracted and commit negative karma every day.
Especially those who lives in cities, they are quite distracted.
But when I see how many people listen to this teaching every day, I feel it is pretty good.
This way, I feel it is very good that we study Buddhadharma while participating the Dharma assembly every day.
We should know that learning Buddhadharma
is a very rare opportunity in our life.
It is indeed very rare that we can learn Buddhadharma in front of qualified teachers.
I have experienced many things in my life.
Among them, the most wonderful memory
is learning Buddhadharma in front of gurus.
I believe this experience is the best.
If I could learn them once again, I will do it in another way
because many instructions I learnt then was quite profound
and I couldn't memorize all of them. When I recalled that experience...
When we recited the Prayer of Magnetizing Activity in the morning,
I always was thinking that
His Holiness Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche taught many instructions about it in the past
but I didn't write them down or memorized them in my mind
because I thought Rinpoche would always mention these instructions.
Now I am going to teach everyone but I feel that I cannot completely understand this teaching.
I can remember some instructions Rinpoche taught but the memory is not so clear.
So sometimes I think, in terms of my experience of learning Buddhadharma,
if I could study them once again, I may be able to make better prepared.
However, it is impossible in this life.
That experience has passed in my life.
But it should have planted a very good virtuous roots in my continuum.
Bodhisattva Nagarjuna once said in a teaching
that,“Our body will not follow us in future lives
but the merit of learning Buddhadharma will”
Although all past experiences have passed,
the virtuous roots and merit which have been planted in our continuum
will definitely be with us in countless future lives. So with regard to this point,
we can not deny everything
because every phenomena is emptiness and illusionary.
Therefore, I am glad to see that everyone listens to this teaching while participating the Dharma assembly;
those who living in cities also carefully listen to this teaching although they are celebrating the new year.
Although I can not say anything profound, I do have faith in this teaching.
I have recited this prayer every day for at least twenty years
and my recitation times could be a larger number among others.
Besides this, I haven't any other merit. I believe it is a meaningful thing
in our life that we can study Buddhadharma together.
In previous class, we learnt the common merit of nine yidams:
their place - immeasurable palaces, their wisdom, their caste
as well as their luminosity of wisdom that can dispel evil thoughts and the darkness of ignorance.
We learnt these.
So today, we are going to learn who are nine yidams
and what is the characteristic of each yidam.
As a prayer... For example, if we pray for some worldly interest,
our praying objects should be capable of realizing our pray.
Otherwise, for example, if we were poor
and we pray for wealth to those who were also poor,
they can not give us anything.
Similarly, if our praying objects haven't accomplished
magnetizing activity that we pray for, can they give us accomplishment of magnetizing activity?
The nine yidams that we will learn today
are definitely capable of giving us any merit and accomplishment.
So let's start with...
With regard to the nine yidams,
I made a simple introduction to everyone yesterday.
The Dharma assembly we participate now in our academy is called Vidyadharas Dharma assembly.
Why it is called Vidyadharas Dharma assembly? As I said before,
that was in 1995,
when the Dharma hall of nuns was established and consecrated, ten thousands Vidyadharas from everywhere attended to the ceremony.
After that...
That Dharma assembly was called nine yidams Dharma assembly before.
I thought that Dharma assembly I participated for the first time was also the first nine yidams Dharma assembly.
But when I talked with several khenpos yesterday,
they said before that and it was about in 1984,
H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche gave everyone the empowerment of Four Heart Drops
they also had the nine yidams Dharma assembly then.
So our academy already had the nine yidams Dharma assembly before I came here.
The ritual of nine yidams was composed by Terton Lekrab Langpa, who was H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche's incarnation.
This is the thangka of nine yidams.
In terms of this thangka,
I hear that our circulation department still has it, doesn't it?
Did you give it to everyone? Yes.
It has not any now. It did have a few days ago, right?
This thangka should be owned by those who has genuine faith in Tantrayana.
Otherwise, those who has Sutrayana capacities may not be able to accept this thangka.
So if you have faith in it, we can give its thangka to you.
It is up to your faith.
This picture, or thangka was actually drew
by the ritual of Prayer of Magnetizing Activity.
If it was painted by the ritual of nine yidams, many yidams in this thangka would be seated in union.
But it has not any in this thangka.
I will introduce nine yidams by this picture.
“Dharmakaya Amitabha,” this is the first yidam. “And Vajradharma”, this is the second.
“Avalokitesvara, Lord of the World, the very manifestation of compassion,” this is red Avalokitesvara, the third one.
“Padma Gyalpo, all of samsara and nirvana beneath your control,” this is the fourth one, Padmasambhava.
“Powerful heruka, subjugator of all that appears and exists,” this is Hayagriva, the fifth one.
“Secret Wisdom (Guhyajnana),” this is Secret Wisdom Dakini, the sixth one.
“And Vajravarahi”, this is Vajravarahi, the seventh one.
“Dope Gyalpo, King of Desire, ecstasy supreme, source of the wisdom of great bliss,” this is Isvara.
This verse has two kinds of explanations. But according to my explanation,
this verse is Isvara, the eighth yidam.
“Kurukulla, who captivates the mind of every living being without exception,” this is Kurukulla Dakini, the ninth one.
In terms of these verses...
In summary, these verses are about nine yidams.
So firstly, the Dharmakaya Amitabha.
When H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche asked the artist paint this thangka, he ordered him paint Amitabha in the middle.
As I mentioned in previous class, the first one is Dharmakaya Amitabha;
the next one is Vajradharma;
the third one is Padmasambhava. This way,
there are Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya in the middle. And in this side, this is Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.
So I will make a simple introduction about these four yidams.
Firstly, the Dharmakaya Amitabha... Originally, the magnetizing activity belongs to the Lotus family.
In terms of the Lotus family, as we know,
Buddha Amitabha and Buddha Amitayus all belong to the Lotus family.
They also belong to the Lotus family of the five Buddha families in Han Tantrayana.
Why Buddha Amitabha belongs to the Lotus family? How many holy beings does the Lotus family have?
There are detailed explanations in Liberation by Hearing and Great Dellusory Net of Tibetan Tantrayana
while in Han Tantrayana, there are only some simple explanations.
You may not be able to find any detailed explanations.
The Lotus family has Trikaya: Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya.
Here, Amitabha is Dharmakaya. Generally speaking,
Dharmakaya is an indescribable accumulation of merit
that is beyond all kinds of thoughts, shapes and attachment, that the emptiness and wisdom are inseparable,
which is the indivisible with the secret meaning of all buddhas and bodhisattvas.
This Dharmakaya is Buddha Amitabha.
At the level of language, we call him as Dharmakaya Amitabha
and we can only use the figure of a buddha to express.
In terms of this buddha figure... This picture is wrong on this point.
The artist may mistake when painting it.
This Dharmakaya Amitabha has the cloths and ornaments of Nirmanakaya Buddha.
But in fact, he is like a red Buddha Samantabhadra
who is completely naked. What does it mean?
One feels ashamed if he or she doesn't wear any cloths.
But at the level of the nature of all phenomena, no cloths or ornaments is needed
because the nature of our mind is naked.
So at this level, no cloth or ornaments is needed.
Therefore, at the beginning of Liberation by wearing, it says that
“Primordial Buddha Amitabha,” It means this is Buddha Amitabha.
“red and yellow in color without any cloths and ornaments, seated in vajra posture and hands rest in meditation mudra.”
It means that he is naked without any ornaments and his color is red and yellow
and he is seated in vajra posture and his hands rest in meditation mudra. The beginning of the ritual says this way.
So here, Dharmakaya Amitabha is like Buddha Samantabhadra
but Buddha Samantabhadra is blue and Dharmakaya Amitabha is red and yellow.
Dharmakaya Amitabha is naked without any cloths and ornaments of Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya
or the ornament of a bodhisattva such as necklace and so forth.
Among these nine yidams, except Dharmakaya Amitabha
several dakinis are also naked with bone ornaments.
Therefore, when we see the naked buddha or bodhisattvas...
In fact, this is why Tantrayana Buddhism is only suitable for those who have sharp capacity.
If you have the attachment on cleanness and dirtiness,
or attachment on shame and shamelessness,
buddhas and bodhisattvas will appear in front of you with the cloths and ornaments that you can see in Sutrayana.
They will manifest as a very magnificent appearance.
Finally, when you dispel all attachment...
As said in Tantrayana,
when you realize the nature of mind, which is called as naked awareness
that is free from all conceptual thoughts,
you won't have any attachment then,
buddhas and bodhisattvas will manifest in another way in front of you.
You may feel that naked body is not good.
So this indicates that it is not suitable for you to study and practice Tantrayana.
This is the reason why we should not casually publish or show
the picture of union and naked body
as well as some Tantrayana practices in the Internet.
In fact, in Tantrayana, the naked body is the symbol of the naked awareness.
In terms of the union, in fact, in our understanding, the object is other and the mind is me.
So we have attachment between our mind and outer appearance.
This is man and this is woman; this is the yang and this is the yin.
this is white and that is red and so forth. However, when we can merge outer appearance into the wisdom
and dispel the attachment on objects and subject, this kind of realization is called as the union.
Therefore, generally speaking,
for example, some yidams mentioned later, such as Hayagriva and Vajravarahi...
Vajravarahi has a pig head,
which I will explain in detailed later.
In fact, her pig head means no discriminative thinking between cleanness and dirtiness.
As we know, the pig eats anything.
It has not this kind of attachment and it eats anything, no matter that is clean or dirty.
So this is just a symbol. It doesn't mean she has an ugly face.
It will be very ugly if someone really looks like a pig.
Now, we have attachment so we think the pig head is very dirty and ugly.
Someone may think, Vajravarahi would become much prettier if she looks like a goddess.
Some people may think this way.
We will understand its meaning by learning the Great Dellusory Net.
As we know,
there is nothing existed at the nature of mind.
Some buddhas and bodhisattvas directly show you the nature of mind by their body.
The nature of our mind is actually without any attachment.
In terms of the union, from the angle of worldly view,
it seems it is like a man and a woman embrace each other; but in fact, it means
the union of appearance and emptiness and the union of emptiness and bliss.
So our mind is always fettered by some conceptual thoughts.
However, in fact, the meaning of union is the outer appearance and our mind can be merged with each other
or the luminosity and emptiness... The nature of mind is luminosity and emptiness.
Luminosity and emptiness can be merged with each other.
So this is its meaning actually. But in our eyes,
when talking about something like the union, we think that two different things are united
or two people touch or embrace each other. This is completely wrong.
So the union is a supreme symbol in Tantrayana.
Due to the fact that most people even haven't realize the emptiness of the middle way,
they haven't understood the luminosity of tathagatagarbha in Sutrayana yet,
it is very hard for them to understand the union of luminosity and emptiness.
Therefore, in order to destroy our attachment
buddhas and bodhisattvas show us the nature of mind by the union.
Definitely, this is up to your capacity.
Some people can compulsively merge the innate wisdom into their body
by this kinds of buddha statues or yidams' statues.
This way, all the afflictive emotions such as desire or ***
will naturally transform into wisdom, the inseparable emptiness and bliss.
Therefore, these naked status or images have profound meanings. Nowadays,
many people want to study Tantrayana that people call it as“enthusiasm to study Tantrayana or Tibetan Tantrayana.”
Many foreigners like travelling in Tibetan area and people call them as “Adrift in Tibet”.
I heard these stories. They always visit here
but few really understand Tantrayana. Many of them just are curious about it.
When seeing the statue of a naked yidam, they must take a picture.
They may think that human body is so beautiful.
But in fact, it is not the case. Due to these reasons, it is excusable
that they hold wrong views against Tantrayana. I understand them very much. Most of them have Sutrayana capacity;
some of them may even don't understand Sutrayana as well.
So when encountering some profound Dharma or statue of Tantrayana, they slander them.
This phenomena have been common since ancient. It will also be the same in the future.
However, in fact, if one really has studied Tantrayana more or less
especially have some understanding in practices,
one will know that the appearances of some yidams
don't mean any worldly dirty activities.
Furthermore, in their eyes, these dirty activities are the poorest ***
which is the worst state of realization of those
who are restrained by all worldly concerns.
Tantrayana never advocates these things. Everyone knows this point.
Are the wisdom and bliss mentioned in every Tantra ritual
the worldly *** or desire?
Or do they share some common meaning with worldly desire or attachment?
It is easy to get the answer.
Therefore, I was saying that
this yidam in the middle is Dharmakaya Amitabha.
In fact, there is a very good dependent origination to practice this teaching.
H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche always said in the past,
“We all make aspiration to take rebirth in the Land of Great Bliss next life.
Reciting the prayer is creating a dependent origination
to take rebirth in the Land of Great Bliss and meet Buddha Amitabha.”
In the Infinite Life Sutra, Buddha Amitabha has
twelve different names such as Amitabha, Amitayuh and so forth.
Here it uses Buddha Amitabha among all names.
So the first yidam we pray is Buddha Amitabha.
This is the first one. The second one is Vajradharma.
With regard to Vajradharma, there are different explanations.
In Han Tantrayana, it says
there is a Bodhisattva Vajradharma in the Lotus family
and this Bodhisattva Vajradharma is also red,
stands in front of Buddha Amitabha and is one of his assembly.
While in Tibetan Tantrayana and some terma rituals,
he is a holy being who is different from Buddha Amitabha.
There are many scriptural authorities.
In fact, this Vajradharma is Buddha Vajradhara.
In other Tantra or Great Perfection teachings, Buddha Vajradhara is blue
crosses his two arms over his chest and hold the vajra and vajra bell respectively.
But here, he is red.
Many Dharma friends haven't seen red Vajradhara.
H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche said
that red Vajradhara is appeared in a ritual composed by Mipham Rinpoche.
Therefore H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche asked artist paint yidams' color
according to the teachings of Mipham Rinpoche.
I also asked some Dharma friend who learnt from H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche before.
Many Dharma friends were like me
that they forgot most things. But it was true that once Rinpoche said
this red Vajradhara is appeared in a ritual of Mipham Rinpoche.
Therefore, this yidam is Sambhogakaya.
It is better to explain him as Sambhogakaya. Definitely, there are different explaining methods.
Many practices has Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya. Also, H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche painted this thangka according to Mipham Rinpoche's ritual:
in the middle, Dharmakaya Amitabha is at the top, then the Sambhogakaya Vajradharma and Nirmanakaya Pedma Gyalpo.
This order is correct.
So this Buddha Vajradhara has cloths and ornaments of Sambhogakaya.
Some Tantra also says that Vajradharma is the manifestation of Buddha Amitabha.
Some Tantra says
that Buddha Amitabha's head emanated red lights and it became red Avalokitesvara;
his throat emanated red lights and it became Padmasambhava;
his heart emanated red lights and it became Hayagriva;
his nose end emanated red lights and it became Vajrapani.
Some master says Vajrapani mentioned here is Vajradharma.
However, since here also has Dharmakaya, in terms of Dharmakaya Samantabhadra...
In fact, Dharmakaya Samantabhadra is not separable and different from Dharmakaya Amitabha.
So in some rituals, it also has “Dharmakaya Amitabha”.
It is okay that Dharmakaya is Amitabha and Sambhogakaya is Vajradhara.
Sambhogakaya Vajradhara is body, mind speech emanation
of Buddha Amitabha.
Nowadays, someone claims that he is Vajradhara. He calls himself as Dorje Chang.
However, it is not easy for Sambhogakaya
appear in front of impure sentient beings.
Sometimes I doubt this kind of words.
So I hope everyone should have a clear mind about this issue.
I am not going to slander anyone.
In Tibetan language, Vajradharma is Dorje Chos and Vajradhara is Dorje Chang.
Definitely, it is okay you use it as your name.
Some very ugly people are also named as “goddess”. This is quite common in Tibet.
So it is okay if you have a such name.
But you have a yidam's name doesn't mean you are actually that yidam.
It is very hard for one
to not only be named as Vajradhara but also become Vajradhara.
Although there is Buddha Samantabhadra in Tantrayana,
I haven't heard about Samantabhadra Tulku
because it not convenient for a Dharmakaya emanate in this world.
It may be because entry procedures are too complicated. But there are many Nirmanakayas' emanations
such as the reincarnation of Buddha Shakyamuni, Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara and Manjushri.
If Sambhogakaya Vajradhara also appear in this world...
As time goes on, a few years later,
besides the Nirmanakayas' emanations, the emanations of Sambhogakaya may also appear in this world.
I don't know whether we can see the emanations of Dharmakaya in 21st century.
Let's wait and see.
Anyway, we should pray Vajradharma.
Vajradharma is Sambhogakaya and is red.
As I mentioned above, compared to blue Vajradhara, their difference is only the color.
H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche also painted this thangka this way.
Next is the third one. Strictly,
according to the order of Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya, the third one should be Nirmanakaya.
But in fact, due to this prayer belongs to Avalokitesvara teachings.
Praying nine yidams belongs to Avalokitesvara teachings.
With regard to this Dharma assembly, as I told everyone in microblog
that if you can not recite the mantra of nine yidams,
you can recite “Om Mani Padme Hum Hrih”. (mantra of Avalokitesvara)
You can create a karmic connection this way because this is Avalokitesvara teaching.
When I participated our Dharma assembly this morning,
a lay Buddhist near me loudly recited “Om Mani Padme Hum Hrih....”
This is okay.
It is very hard to recite the mantra of nine yidams so you can do this way.
Due to the fact that this prayer belongs to Avalokitesvara teaching, in terms of order,
there is a Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara between the Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya.
“Avalokitesvara, Lord of the World, the very manifestation of compassion,”
According the order of Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya, the following yidam should be Padmasambhava.
But due to we are in the human realm
and Dharmakaya and Sambhogakaya are actually the state of buddhas and bodhisattvas
so it is very hard for us to enter them. In order to get the blessing of Dharmakaya and Sambhogakaya
we must rely on Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. Therefore, we introduce Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara first
and then is the Nirmanakaya Padmasambhava.
It is may be due to this dependent origination. So here the third yidam we pray for
is Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara with great compassion who obtains all kinds of freedom
and always have mercy on all kinds of sentient beings.
As we know, in terms of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, there are four armed Avalokitesvara, two armed and one face Avalokitesvara
thousands hands Avalokitesvara and so forth. Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara has many emanations.
But this Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is different from ordinary ones.
In Han Buddhism, quite a few teachings also mention red Avalokitesvara.
But in Tibetan Buddhism,
red Avalokitesvara are quite many
in different Terton's termas,
including a ritual of gyalwa gyamtso which we recite for the deceased at the thirtieth day of a month.
Gyalwa gyamtso is a red Avalokitesvara with four arms and one face.
Reciting his name and mantra has extraordinary blessing in transferring dead people's consciousness.
Therefore, H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche asked the Sangha
to recite this ritual of red Avalokitesvara for all the dead people
who has connection with our academy at the thirtieth day of a month.
Therefore, there are many red Avalokitesvara teachings in Tibetan Buddhism.
As mentioned in other rituals of Mipham Rinpoche,
this red Avalokitesvara is like Tara who is green.
But here Avalokitesvara is red. His left hand holds a lotus and right hand rests in Varada mudra.
Such red Avalokitesvara is at this corner.
So this is red Avalokitesvara.
Red Avalokitesvara completely accepts sentient beings with his great compassion and loving kindness.
By the magnetizing of his great compassion,
sentient beings' afflictive emotions and suffering all naturally disappear.
Some Tantra also says that Buddha Amitabha emanated red light
and it became Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara which stands beside Buddha Amitabha.
Therefore, Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is actually manifested by Buddha Amitabha.
He is an emanation of Buddha Amitabha.
When we study the Pure Land teaching, it also says
that Buddha Amitabha emanated light and became Bodhisattva Mahastamaprapta and Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara
It has such scriptural authority.
Therefore, when we practice magnetizing activity, the blessing of Avalokitesvara teaching is great.
With regard to practicing magnetizing activity,
on one hand, we can let our mind and body liberated this life,
and we all obtain easiness in all aspects, let all wishes realized. So it has such blessing.
And on the other hand, after our death,
we can take rebirth in the pure land where we can meet Buddha Amitabha and Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.
Therefore, its entire practice contains Pure Land teaching,
so, it is a practice combines the Tantra with Pure Land teachings.
So when we recite this prayer...
Definitely, I just make a simple introduction here.
But in fact, it has very profound meanings
that it would take us a lot of time to explain them.
Indeed, this prayer has some very supreme profound points.
In terms of nine yidams, everyone who recites our ritual knows
that the ritual of nine yidams that we recite every day contains red Avalokitesvara
and red Avalokitesvara is the main yidam in that ritual.
Red Avalokitesvara is the main yidam in this Lekrab Langpa's terma.
And Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara embraces in union with Secret Wisdom Dakini. With regard to his emblems,
he holds an iron hook and lotus lasso in his hands.
The main yidam of the ritual of nine yidam is actually red Avalokitesvara.
But the main yidam of this prayer is Padmasambhava.
So they are different because one is a terma
and the other is a prayer composed by Mipham Rinpoche.
So they do have differences. I remember H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche once said
that strictly, Lekrab Langpa's ritual of nine yidams should contain Padmasambhava
but it doesn't.
I don't know what is the reason or dependent origination. H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche may explain it before.
Frankly, the ritual we recite every morning also doesn't contain Padmasambhava,
neither does the mantra of nine yidams.
But it is hard to count the nine yidams in that ritual
but it is easy to count in this prayer.
There are four Kurukullas in the ritual while there is only one in the prayer.
This way, in terms of Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya, they appear in a secretive way.
Buddha Amitabha appears at the head of Avalokitesvara as the Lord.
So his Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya are integrated into himself.
In this ritual, there are Vajravarahi
Kurukulla, Secret Wisdom Dakini,
Isvara and red Avalokitesvara so we can count nine yidams this way.
With regard to Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya, that ritual only contains Amitabha
because Buddha Amitabha can manifest different emanations in front of different sentient beings.
He will manifest as a Sambhogakaya Buddha in front of pure bodhisattvas
while in front of impure sentient beings, he will manifest as Nirmanakaya Padmasambhava.
We can understand this way. In this ritual, it contains a Lord Amitabha.
This is my understanding.
This is the third yidma, Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.
Next is the fourth one, right?
Are you hungry? Yes.
Have you eaten? No.
What will you eat later?
Cooking some vegetables.
I don't believe monks will cook food themselves later.
You are not so diligent.
You were lying.
“All of samsara and nirvana beneath your control”
means he has obtained complete enlightenment and all mundane and transmundane phenomena
beneath his control. So he can master
and control entire material and sentient world
as well as all mundane and transmundane phenomena of samsara and nirvana.
Such great master is Padmasambhava, Padma Gyalpo.
Padma Gyalpo is white in this thangka.
Why his color is white?
In fact, in the Guru Yoga of Mipham Rinpoche' the Luminous Path to Liberation
Padmasambhava is white and red.
Actually, red is less so he is white and red.
You can read the Luminous Path to Liberation at your convenience.
H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche also explained this way in the past.
When painting Padmasambhava, white color is more used.
So Padmasambhava is white touched with red.
Many people may not have seen this kind of Padmasambhava before.
This Padmasambhava is like Vajrasattva.
What is his difference from Vajrasattva? He has the khatvanga.
When painting this thangka, H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche asked the artist
not to paint the union and the khatvanga represents his consort.
Padmasambhava holds a vajra and a skull cup.
This one in middle is Nirmanakaya Padma Gyalpo(lotus king). In terms of this name, as we know,
when King Indrabhuti hunted for wish-fulfilling jewel in the ocean,
he encountered a lotus in a lake.
And there was a handsome boy in the lotus.
The king was very happy and took him back to his palace.
Later, he gave the king empowerment, blessing and taught him Tantras.
The king was very glad and called him Padma Gyalpo(lotus king) with delightful mind
because he was born in the lotus.
Furthermore, the king also learnt supreme Tantras himself
so he offered all his belongings to Padmasambhava.
Although Padmasambhava have many names,
in fact as we know,
Padmasambhava is Buddha Amitabha's emanation.
Aspiration to the Pure Land also says Buddha Amitabha's heart emanated light and became Padmasambhava.
This way, he belongs to the Lotus family.
So if we pray Padmasambhava,
all the unfavorable conditions or obstacles caused by demons
which we always suffer from
will be dispelled by Padmasambhava's incredible blessing.
So here we call him as Nirmanakaya Padmasambhava.
Padmasambhava has a lot of merits.
I made a detailed introduction about it
when we studied the seven-line prayer. Anyone who has studied these lessons
knows how Padmasambhava manifested in front of sentient beings.
No matter in India, Han or Tibetan area,
Padmasambhava's unbelievable manifestations benefitted countless sentient beings. Especially in the Tibetan area,
without the direct blessing of Padmasambhava,
we can not get any benefit from Tibetan Buddhism today.
Tibet was very remote in ancient.
Without the supreme blessing of Padmasambhava, Buddhism could not spread here.
Why Tibetan Buddhism is so prosperous
in today's world?
It is particularly because of Padmasambhava's aspirations.
Everyone knows this point clearly.
Why Tibetan Buddhism...
There are so many religions in this world,
in terms of counteracting afflictive emotions, why Tibetan Buddhism,
especially its Tantrayana teachings are more effective than any other methods or ideas?
Definitely, believers of other religions or atheist may not agree with it.
Although they don't agree,
this is my real feeling during my practice.
It is not unreasonable from the objective and impartial point of view.
For example, I have had a good meal today.
“I ate delicious food today.” Although others don't agree with me, it doesn't matter
because I did obtain benefit.
Padma Gyalpo is the fourth one of nine yidams.
The fifth is “Powerful heruka, subjugator of all that appears and exists,”
In this verse, “heruka” means Hayagriva, “appears” means material world and “exists” means sentient world.
It means that Hayagriva can subjugate everything in this world.
I mentioned Hayagriva above. Generally, Hayagriva is Buddha Amitabha's wrathful appearance.
He manifests as Hayagriva when he shows his wrathful appearance in front of sentient beings.
Some people say
that Hayagriva is also a supreme practice in Hinduism.
There is such version.
But the embodiments of Buddhas and bodhisattvas are incredible.
The practice of Hayagriva or other similar practices
are also found in the Mahavairocana Sutra or other materials in Han Buddhism.
But this kind of materials are not many.
In Tibetan Buddhism's terma...
The vast practice of Hayagriva in termas are quite many.
For example, during the era of Padmasambhava,
it was very common that this or that practitioner obtained enlightenment
by the practice of Hayagriva.
In Dudjom Rinpoche's History of Buddhism, it says
that many great masters accomplished the practice of Hayagriva.
Later, a horse head appeared in their head and that head neighed. There were many this kinds of sign of accomplishment,
such as Thangtong Gyalpo, who was the embodiment of both Buddha Amitabha and Hayagriva.
And his horse head neighed in different directions such as neighing up or down
left or right.
For instance, neighing up is subjugating all beings in god realm;
neighing down is subjugating all beings in naga realm;
neighing right is subjugating all male demons and non-Buddhists
and neighing right is subjugating all female demons and non-Buddhists
Therefore, practicing Hayagriva is very necessary in Dharma degenerating time.
Mipham Rinpoche composed some simple rituals about it and we should not have wrong views against them.
If you have simple Hayagriva ritual
and you can often recite it or its mantra, it has great merit.
I herded yaks every day when I was young.
I recited the Hayagriva mantra when I herded yaks every day,
“om vajra krodha hayagriva hulu hulu hum phat.”
I held a little black prayer wheels and herded yaks in mountains with bare feet.
So I could be a yogi of Hayagriva.
Due to I often recited the Hayagriva mantra...
When I was young, my family had several horses.
Many people believed that if we always recited the Hayagriva mantra,
our horses won't encounter or be harmed by any beasts.
So my dad always told me,
“I give you these horses. You should often recite the Hayagriva mantra.”
And I thought, “It is a tough work. So I have to recite it every day.”
My motivation was not pure but I do have habitual tendency of practicing Hayagriva.
In the following are Secret wisdom Dakini and Vajravarahi.
First is Secret wisdom Dakini.
who is also called as Guhyajnana or Wisdom Dakini.
This Secret Wisdom Dakini is like other dakinis.
However, in terms of this dakini...
H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche once said in Sky Doctrines tradition...
In Sky Doctrines tradition's ritual,
she is a one face and four armed dakini.
It says that two of her hands hold a curved knife and a skull-cup full of nectar
and the other two hands hold a khatvanga and a sword.
In fact, Secret Wisdom Dakini
is the consort of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara for the union practice.
In Tibetan Buddhism, there are many Tantras about Secret Wisdom Dakini.
This kind of Tantras are quite many.
And it says that in Sakya tradition,
the teaching of Secret Wisdom Dakini is their confidential teaching and they never teach it to practitioners from other traditions.
Only seven or twenty-one people teach this teaching.
So this teaching is always in secret.
Anyone who practices the teaching of Secret Wisdom Dakini
will soon obtain accomplishment.
This is why Longchen Nyingtik's the Word of my Perfect Teacher
asks the practitioner visualize oneself as Vajra Dakini (Secret Wisdom) when practicing Guru Yoga.
This is its reason. Many ancient masters said
that no matter practicing Cakrasamvara or Kalachakra or any other practices,
if it is very supreme,
in the beginning Nyingma and Sakya tradition would practice it secretively.
Till now, the teaching of Secret Wisdom Dakini has been rarely learnt by disciples from other tradition.
In the past, many people obtained accomplishment by only practicing this teaching.
There were many this kind of practitioners.
Later in history, practitioners of Gelugpa and other traditions started practicing it.
Most of the eighty-eight great accomplishers obtained enlightenment
by practicing this dakini.
Therefore, if we pray this wisdom yidam,
all the desire and other conceptual thoughts in our continuum
will soon transform into the wisdom of discernment and we will obtain accomplishment.
This is Secret Wisdom Dakini. Next is Vajravarahi.
Secret Wisdom Dakini has one face, two arms and three eyes.
Vajravarahi also has one face, two arms and three eyes.
The teaching of Vajravarahi is also very profound,
especially in Kagyu tradition
that the teaching of Vajravarahi is very confidential and supreme in their tradition.
There are many kinds of practices about Vajravarahi in Tibetan Buddhism,
such as the practice of red Vajravarahi, black Vajravarahi and so forth.
In the biography of Venerable Longchenpa,
I remember that Vajravarahi appeared several times in front of him.
One time, Venerable Longchenpa said, “I haven't prayed you, why do you appear in front of me?”
Similar stories are also found in the biography of Jigme Lingpa that Vajravarahi often appeared in front of him.
This is Vajravarahi. I have mentioned her importance before.
This is the seventh one, isn't it?
The eighth yidam is “Döpe Gyalpo, King of Desire, ecstasy supreme,
source of the wisdom of great bliss.” This is Isvara.
In Tulku Tenzin Gyatso's explanation,
“ecstasy supreme,” is Cakrasamvara, “Döpe Gyalpo, King of Desire,” is another worldly king of desire
and “source of the wisdom of great bliss,” is Isvara. He explains the verse by dividing it into three parts.
This is a kind of explanation. So there are eleven yidams in total.
But in my explanation,
this entire verse is explained as Isvara. Why?
Definitely, Tulku Tenzin's explanation is also correct.
He also says that his method is a way to explain it
and it is okay to explain the verse as a single yidam.
But in my opinion, we'd better explain the verse as a whole
because we are learning teaching of nine yidams this time.
The Mipham Rinpoche's purpose is that you can explain this verse in two ways.
So the king of desire with supreme ecstasy is Isvara,
that is to say, he is the source of the wisdom of great bliss. He has different names.
Why he is the source of the wisdom of great bliss?
Because he benefits sentient beings by the wisdom of inseparable emptiness and bliss.
Some people says Isvara is a worldly god.
For example, In Praise to the Buddha and Praise of Shakyamuni Buddha
describe him as a god who has strong desire.
If you go to India, you will see its religion
and it seems that this religion's symbol and doctrine is unacceptable.
But why does Isvara become our praying object in this prayer?
In fact, his two manifestations are not contradictory. Some Tantras and terma rituals says
Buddha Amitabha manifests as two kinds of holy beings:
in front of Buddhists, he manifests as Isvara who is a supreme yidam.
The practices of red Isvara are quite many among the magnetizing activity practices in Nyingmapa.
While in front of the non-Buddhist, he manifest as the Isvara they believe in.
So the Isvara in this prayer is the manifestation of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.
Also, some other sutras says
that Buddha Bhagavan Tathagata also manifested as Isvara.
Therefore, we should see him as the manifestation of buddhas and bodhisattvas here.
And we can benefit sentient beings and accomplish the magnetizing activity by relying on him.
So the Isvara in this prayer
also has one face and two arms. What does he hold?
A skull-cup and a khatvanga, right?
This is Isvara.
In ancient, there was a Terton called Guru Chö*** in Nyingmapa.
His biography says that he obtained enlightenment by having the vision of Isvara.
Therefore, some people are too extreme. Once talking about some worldly gods,
they say this is mundane knowledge that we should reject. This is wrong.
Many worldly gods are the emanations of buddhas and bodhisattvas and it is hard for us to distinguish.
Next is “Kurukulla, who captivates the mind of every living being without exception.”
In fact, the word “captivates” or “touches” are all suitable.
Due to Sarasvati is very beautiful and brilliant,
she can captivate or touch many people's heart. Sorry, it is not Sarasvati. I mean Kurukulla Dakini.
In this prayer, Kurukulla Dakini has one face and four arms
and her front two hands hold iron hook and lotus lasso while her back two hands hold the bow and arrow made of lotus.
In fact, Kurukulla Dakini is the embodiment of the wisdom of discernment of all buddhas and bodhisattvas.
Anyone who prays her will realize one's wishes.
Kurukulla Dakini has many uncommon merits.
For example, as a monastic people, if one wants to hold clean precepts
but has heavy desire, as long as one prays Kurukulla Dakini,
one's desire and attachment will completely transform into wisdom.
H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche once praised Kurukulla Dakini,
“In today's Dharma degenerating time, particular monastic people
abandon their precious precept for a moment's *** pleasure.
This is very shameful.
However, if you pray for Kurukulla Dakini, such unfavorable conditions will be dispelled.”
Also, if you can not find your significant other,
praying Kurukulla Dakini will be helpful.
Therefore, some masters call Kurukulla Dakini as Love Yidam.
They ask their disciples recite more “om kurukulle hrih svaha”.
As we know, there are many single people now.
Many men and women can not get marry.
And as we can see from the Internet that these single people are very worried about it.
So they go to find some help from many Rinpoches.
Rinpoches are very compassionate and teach them to praying to Kurukulla.
The merit and activity of buddhas and bodhisattvas are unbelievable.
Indeed, Kurukulla Dakini benefits sentient beings by all kinds of manifestations.
The marriages of many people are not so good
so praying to Kurukulla is very helpful.
I remember a story in which there was a king in Ancient India, and he had many queens.
One of his queens had been very pretty in the past, but she gradually became old.
So, the king didn't love her any more.
She was very heartbroken over this.
he asked her maidservant go to find some methods,
to make the king love her again.
That maidservant tried to find solutions but failed.
Later, in a silk market,
she met a very pretty woman who had red-colored skin.
Someone said this pretty woman was a *** while others said she was not.
Anyway, she was a pretty woman.
So she told her situation to that woman.
She told her the bitter story of the queen. That woman gave her a certain food,
and told her that, as long as the king ate the food,
the king would love her again.
So the maidservant returned and gave the food to the queen and said, “I encountered a very beautiful woman.
She said, you will get his affection back, as long as he eats this food.
He will love you very much.” But there are two versions about the following story.
One is that she didn't dare to give this food to the king, and another is that she had no chance to do so.
If she gave the king the stranger's food,
the king may become more unhappy, so she didn't dare to give it to him.
Because the king didn't love her anymore,
she was in dis-favour and couldn't see the king and give him food.
So she disposed of the food in a nearby lake
but the lake's naga was very glad to get it.
It manifested as the king, and made the queen pregnant.
The king was outraged
after knowing of her pregnancy. So she had to tell him the truth.
But the king didn't believe her, and asked her to find that pretty woman.
When she found that woman and invited her to the palace, they found she was not an ordinary person.
She taught the king and his queens the teaching of abandoning all desires,
and they realized that this woman was the emanation of Kurukulla Dakini.
The king and his queens practiced the teaching that transforms desire into Dharma practice.
Afterwards, the king attained enlightenment this way.
So did the queen who had fallen into dis-favour.
Some history book say that this king's name is Sahaja.
He should be the first person who spread Kurukulla practices in the human realm
because it was the first emanation of Kurukulla Dakini that appeared in human realm.
Anyway,
H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche composed many rituals and praises about Kurukulla Dakini.
When Rinpoche visited Chimpu, he also revealed a terma of Kurukulla Dakini.
Among all the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, and mainly in Nyingmapa,
there are indeed many practices and termas of Kurukulla Dakini
that composed by eminent monks and masters.
And these practices all have a strong blessing.
It is time to finish our class.
I wanted to teach a few verses in the following, but I may not be able to cover them today.
In summary, I introduced nine yidams today.
Every one of the nine yidams can give us blessing, effortlessly.
If you have any wishes...
H.H. Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche always said in the past,
“If you haven't any wealth, as long as you always pray,
and recite the Prayer of Magnetizing Activity, you will obtain wealth.
If you haven't any status, you can obtain it by doing so.
Rely on this prayer,
and you can obtain anything you want in this world.
In terms of some transmundane accomplishment,
such as the bodhichitta or the view of emptiness in your continuum,
we can not obtain it until our mind is capable
and liberated.
Once our mind is liberated, obtaining such accomplishments is ‘a piece of cake'.”
Therefore, no matter whether you have any transmundane or mundane wishes, as long as you pray these yidams,
the blessing of these yidams is extraordinary
and our wishes will be realized. I will make detailed explanation next time.
Let's end it here, today.