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Homage to Buddha Shakyamuni
Homage to Wisdom Warrior Manjushri
Homage to the loving lineage masters!
The unsurpassable profound Dharma
In hundreds of millions of eons is difficult to encounter,
I now see and hear it, receive and uphold it,
And I vow to fathom the Tathagata's true and actual meaning.
In order to liberate all sentient beings, please generate the unsurpassable supreme Bodhichitta!
Today we will continue with the explanation of the Seven Line Prayer.
As I have explained to you earlier,
the Seven Line Prayer has many layers of meanings--inner, outer and secret.
This time I will be giving you a commentary on the outer meaning.
These are applicable also to Sutrayana.
But what I am about to talk about today
involves the ¡°four aspects of approach and accomplishment¡±of Vajrayana Buddhism.
When we were studying the Great Web of Magical Illusion,
and some generation and perfection stages of Tantric practice, I talked about the four aspects of approach and accomplishment.
Generally speaking, in Vajrayana study
it is necessary to have some understanding of the generation and perfection stages.
I think there are many more specific explanations of this.
But among those of you here, and those who are watching the video
maybe some have not received empowerment yet,
while some are not very convinced by the Vajrayana doctrine.
For those who do not have much conviction, the following part is a rather profound practice,
so it is okay for you to skip this part, or this lesson.
If you have strong conviction towards Vajrayana, [you can stay].
When I make the literal commentary, I will use an approach to explain this practice
in a way that is similar to the practice of Sutrayana
so that there won't be too much fault.
It seems to be inappropriate to skip this part.
Now I will explain the Seven-Line Prayer in accordance with the four aspects of approach and accomplishment.
¡°Visualize the supreme Lotus King clearly and steadily in the sky in front of ourselves
seated on a spotless lotus flower in the lake of Dhanakosha in the land of Orgyen.¡±
The Supreme Lotus King is Guru Rinpoche.
¡°He is accompanied by his retinue of dakas and dakinis as numerous as the seeds in a pod of sesam.
This constitutes the approach phase.¡±
It means that we visualize in front of us
Guru Rinpoche as we know him from pictures of him
or pictures of the field of refuge, or other images of him.
We visualize that in the sky in front of us is a lotus flower on a sea,
and above the lotus flower sits Padmasambhava.
This is the so-called ¡°Approach phase¡± taught in Vajrayana Buddhism.
¡°To pray devotedly to Guru Rinpoche
with the aspiration to accomplish the three vajras within our body, speech and mind
so that they become no different from the body, speech and mind of Guru Rinpoche.¡±
In fact, the main purpose of practicing a yidam deity
is so that our defiled three gates become no different from those of the Guru and the yidam deity.
This is called the ¡°close approach¡±.
The approach phase is the subject of our visualization.
For example, if you want to do business with someone, first you have to find this person.
Then you communicate with him, this is the ¡°close approach.¡±
¡°These two practices of approach and close approach
constitute the generation stage of Vajrayana.¡±
In these two practices, you mainly visualize the yidam deity.
¡°In conclusion, like iron fragments drawn toward a lodestone,
infinite Buddhas and Bodhisattvas dwelling in the ten directions
come and dissolve into us. This constitutes the ¡®phase of accomplishment¡¯.¡±
A similar practice of praying while reciting the Vajra Guru mantra
can be found in Mipham Rinpoche¡¯s liturgy -- Illuminating the Path to Liberation.
Also by Mipham Rinpoche
is a sadhana of Padmasambhava¡¯s guru yoga practice.
Towards the end of the practice, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of ten directions
dissolve into Guru Padmasambhava and his retinue at the center.
The latter then melt into light, which then dissolves into us.
This is called the ¡°accomplishment phase¡±.
This ¡°accomplishment phase¡±is mostly the unique practice of Vajrayana.
In certain practices of Sutrayana,
it is not uncommon to find the Buddha or the stupa emanating light.
For example in the Pure Land School¡¯s Meditation Sutra,
the Buddha of Immeasurable Light has immeasurable (or 84,000) wonderful signs of enlightenment.
Each of these signs of enlightenment contains 84,000 minor signs.
Each of these minor signs emanate immeasurable light,
and it shines on all sentient beings who recite the Buddha¡¯s name, blessing them, and not abandoning them.
From the physical body of the Buddha
emanates immeasurable light, caring for those who have a karmic connection with him.
Therefore, such practices exists in Sutrayana as well.
So why does Vajrayana require empowerment and preliminary practices?
This is because Vajrayana practice is more profound and can be misinterpreted by some people.
So in Vajrayana,
the practices of the generation and perfection stages, the Great Perfection, and the practice of pure perception
cannot be accepted by just anyone.
As we mentioned just now, visualizing Padmasambhava and all buddhas and bodhisattvas
dissolving into oneself is a practice that,
generally speaking, is rather rare in Sutrayana.
In the Esoteric Buddhism of the Tang Dynasty, people visualized a Buddha-figure in front of themselves,
and the Buddha-figure emanates light and dissolves into themselves, thereby gaining their blessing.
In Kriya, Carya and
Yoga tantras, not only do the support to whom we pray emanate light,
they also dissolve into our bodies, merging into one with ourselves.
This is a very advanced practice.
The theoretical support for such practice, why we visualize thusly, what benefits such practice brings
can be found in great detail in the works of Rongzom Ch?kyi Zangpo, Mipham Rinpoche, and the Omniscient Longchenpa
regarding the theory and pith instructions of Vajrayana Buddhism.
You should gradually gain more understanding about the theories of Vajrayana Buddhism.
It is important not only to understand, but to have a good command of the knowledge.
During all these years of Dharma study,
first we understood how extraordinary Buddhadharma is in comparison to other religions.
As I have previously explained,
from the Four Noble Truths to the entirety of Buddhadharma, Buddhism is extremely precious.
On top of this, you have to also learn about the gradual steps of Buddhadharma.
Among these steps, the pith instructions of Vajrayana are the most extraordinary.
I shared many talks with scholars and monks.
They said they did not acknowledge Vajrayana, which is fine.
Some felt this way because they were not informed,
some because they were very attached to the views of their own doctrine,
and others because they were not convinced and so on.
Those who have sufficient grounds
and sound reasoning
in their refusal to acknowledge Vajrayana:
I have yet to meet such people.
Certain views of Vajrayana can be found in
the Sutrayana doctrine.
For example, sentient beings are buddhas;
all sentient beings possess a tathagatagarbha;
or mental affliction is bodhi itself. But why is mental affliction bodhi?
The theories and pith instructions for these are not expounded in the Sutrayana doctrine.
When the mind is pure, the realm is pure. But why is that?
To us ordinary beings, the world
appear to be a crowded and disorderly place.
How can it be the same as the Land of Great Bliss of Buddha Amitabha?
The Sutrayana sutras and shastras downplayed the answer to this question.
In fact, you can¡¯t find more elaborated explanations of this problem in the Sutrayana doctrine.
Therefore, while we study and practice the Dharma, we must understand that
actually, Padmasambhava is one¡¯s own mind.
So are Buddha Amitabha and Buddha Shakyamuni.
But until we reach a certain level of attainment,
we need to keep this pith instruction to ourselves.
If we tell other people, not everybody can accept it. As a result, they will easily abandon Vajrayana teachings.
This is why we need to maintain secrecy.
When you have not reached a certain level of realization,
when your conditions have not yet ripened,
certain profound views, practices and actions must be kept secret.
This is the reason.
Therefore, the ¡°phase of accomplishment¡± requires that we visualize the support dissolving into ourselves.
¡°The ultimate mode of being, the ground wherein both we and the yidam deity are primordially inseparable--namely, the self-arisen primordial wisdom,
which is subject to no movement or discursive thought. This is referred to as Guru.¡±
The following text is an explanation of the ¡°the great accomplishment phase¡±
with ¡°guru padma siddhi hung¡±of the Seven Line Prayer.
We have talked about the approaching phase, the close approach, the phase of accomplishment of the four aspects of approach and accomplishment.
So what is ¡°the great accomplishment phase¡±?
An explanation through ¡°guru padma siddhi hung¡±is a rather profound explanation.
Padmasambhava and buddhas and bodhisattvas dissolve into your own heart.
Actually, buddhas and bodhisattvas are inseparable from you.
It's not just words.
As it is said in the Lamp of Indisputable Knowledge that
you are not visualizing a mundane phenomenon, a bottle for example, into something pure,
the bottle is a pure object to begin with. It's just that people are not able to understand this fact.
Through such practice,
you will finally realize Padmasambhava in ultimate reality.
The latter part of this text explains the Seven Line Prayer
entirely through the path of liberation and the path of skillful means.
So why do we skip this part this time?
It's because I'm afraid that many of you might not yet be able to
accept the contents of this section.
Why inseparable?
Because the self-arisen primordial wisdom of Padmasambhava, buddhas and bodhisattvas and I
have never been separated. They were initially not tainted by conceptual thoughts.
This is called ¡°guru¡±. ¡°guru¡±also means spiritual teacher.
It means that our wisdom and the guru's wisdom are originally inseparable.
This is the case for each and every sentient being.
We are not perceiving a defiled object into something pure.
That's what ¡°guru¡±stands for.
¡°Because deluded perceptions are themselves primordially pure,
the path is free from all striving and the fruit is present spontaneously like a lotus in full flower.¡±
¡°Therefore [the path itself] is referred to as Padma, or lotus.¡±Why Padma?
If, in the striving of the path, the mind has been inseparable from the guru's mind,
then we would've long since been enlightened.
All the tainted phenomena that we perceive at the moment,
desire, hatred, ignorance, and the world with its mountains, rivers, and the great earth are the spontaneous presentation of the fruition.
The lotus flower is untainted.
Our minds are never separate from Padmasambhava, buddhas and bodhisattvas.
They are as perfect as the lotus flower.
This is what ¡°padma¡±or lotus flower stands for.
¡°For this fruit is not something that occurs at a later stage as a result of the practice.¡±
¡°In the ultimate expanse, which is self-arisen and spontaneously present, the primordial wisdom of self-awareness is clearly [and already] manifest.
This is referred to as ¡°Siddhi¡±, or accomplishment.
Such accomplishment is not attained through practice
by a mundane human being.
Of course, it is like this in appearance.
But in terms of ultimate reality, the fruits of self-awareness of
all sentient beings are manifest in the spontaneously present ultimate expanse,
namely our wisdom, and the ultimate expanse.
The fruit is already manifest, we are already accomplished.
Why do we say mental affliction is bodhi?
Many people of the Sutrayana tradition have not yet grasped this concept.
In the end, if you do not rely on the pith instructions of Tantrayana, you will remain so.
Why are sentient beings Buddhas?
Although, there are some Sutrayana scriptures that explains the Third Turning of the Wheel of Dharma which says
sentient beings are but defiled by desire, hatred, ignorance and so on.
But they are in fact Buddhas.
But the Sutrayana's theory of ¡°buddhas transformed from ordinary beings¡±
are very different from Tantrayana's ¡°ordinary beings ARE buddhas¡±.
So which one is the most ultimate, most appropriate theory? It's the latter.
So if you want to understand the secret meanings of Buddha Shakyamuni's sutras conveying the ultimate meaning
you have to rely on Vajrayana's pith instructions,
theories and practice.
This is what ¡°siddhi¡±, or accomplishment stands for.
Such accomplishment is a unique method.
¡°And,although in conceptual distinctions
the self-arisen primordial wisdom may be classified as ground, path and fruit,
these are three not different in nature. This is directly perceived by self-cognizant awareness
and this is indicated by the syllable Hung.¡±
¡°Hung¡±is the ultimate expanse and wisdom as we have talked about just now, or the ground, path and fruit.
These are all established on the basis of language, or our conceptual distinctions,
or from a different angle.
A ¡°bottle¡±, when observed from different angles, can be established as an ¡°impermanent¡±, ¡°contrived¡±, and ¡°conditioned¡± phenomenon, and so on.
A ¡°bottle¡±can be categorized as such.
In fact, all the sentient beings on the level of ground, the bodhisattvas on the level of path, and buddhas on the level of fruit
or the two truths of the ground, the two kinds of accumulations of the path, and the two kayas of the fruit -
these are no different from the three levels of space in nature.
Space has the first level, second level and the third level.
From the perspective of our conceptual distinguishing thoughts, space can be divided into three levels.
But in terms of their nature, such a distinction is absolutely impossible.
So ¡°hung¡±is to understand this.
The above is the explanation through ¡°guru padma siddhi hung¡±.
This refers to the great accomplishment phase of practice.
Why inseparable? I will briefly tell you why.
Basically, there are some faults to
verbalizing these concepts. Om vajrasattva hung.
The ¡°phase of accomplishment¡± and ¡°great accomplishment¡±belong to the perfection stage.
Actually, when we pray, we should
combine the practices of generation stage and the perfection stage.
This is of great importance to pray in this way.
If you can practice by applying the profound methods of Vajrayana,
I believe those of you with conviction
will receive certain signs of accomplishment, or some response to your practice.
Such an advanced level of practice -
combining the generation and perfection stages -
brings better potency to your supplication. The blessing and accomplishment will be swifter.
The first five lines of the prayer is the subject of our clear visualization:
Padmasambhava and the solitary place of his birth.
During this teaching of the Seven Line Prayer,
although I kept the more profound contents from you,
through the relatively straightforward contents of the first part
you should feel that the Seven Line Prayer is not easily come by.
Considering its historical background, its content, it is not easily come by in many ways.
Some people who do not know the value of the vajra words
might not think so much of the Seven Line Prayer.
¡°I can do an eight line prayer!¡± they might think.
But this is not something that can be contrived by our distinguishing thoughts.
¡°The first five lines describe the visualization and thus continue the phase of approach.¡±
¡°The sixth line expresses trust and confidence in Guru Rinpoche¡±
the conviction of practicing after the footsteps of Padmasambhava,
¡°and is thus the phase of close approach.¡±
¡°Then, with the seventh line, we mingle inseparably with the Guru,¡±
thus he befalls and blesses me, ¡°and this is the accomplishment phase.¡±
¡°As we recite the mantra ¡°guru padma siddhi hung¡±
¡°with our minds indivisible from the Guru, we behold the countenance of the great dharmakaya.¡±
¡°This is the phase of great accomplishment.¡±
¡°Therefore, all four phases of approach and accomplishment are complete within this very prayer.¡±
In terms of the duration, the Seven Line Prayer also has four phases.
When you pray with devoted faith, singlemindedly, continuously,
during this time,
this kind of single-minded prayer is called ¡°the phase of approach¡±
Once you are gaining the signs of accomplishment...
When we practice a yidam-deity and recite his mantras,
constant recitation is very important. If you can recite constantly,
then the blessing will naturally merge into your heart.
For example, you are currently reciting the mantra of Padmasambhava.
you feel or sense that Padmasambhava is blessing you.
Such causal origination within your heart will manifest itself externally as well.
In fact, many hindrances and conditions during your Dharma practice will change.
In the Precious Treasury of Pith Instructions, it is said
that inner origination is bound to manifest externally.
This means, if you are praying to Padmasambhava for example, and you pray to him often,
or if you often pray to Manjushri,
then this yidam-deity will constantly bestow his blessings upon you.
If you are indifferent towards all yidam deities,
even though buddhas and bodhisattvas have incredible power of blessings and extraordinary qualities,
because you are a defiled vessel for receiving Dharma,
the blessings of the buddhas, as wonderful as moonshine,
cannot enter the vessel that is you.
Therefore, you must know that receiving the blessings of the buddhas
requires a certain kind of causal origination.
Some of you here are very motivated to practice the Dharma.
If I am giving a teaching on a certain Buddha-figure,
such as the practice of reciting the Vajra Mantra of Padmasambhava, you have great conviction.
You never give rise to the wrongful views towards Padmasambhava. You can maintain sincere faith.
If you practice Buddha Amitabha, it is also with great conviction.
Such devoted supplication is called the approaching phase.
In the end, you will receive a sensation, even in your dreams,
that buddhas and bodhisattvas are really blessing you. They are always with you.
Even though it's invisible to our bare eyes,
we continue to experience such blessings.
This is the phase of close approach.
When, on receiving signs of realization, whether in waking life, in meditation or in dreams,
we continue to strive in the recitation of the prayer, this is the accomplishment phase.
The Guru truly appears in front of you, and talks to you face to face.
This can happen in dreams, in meditation, or in a state that is
neither awake nor in dreams, the Guru appears.
This is called the accomplishment phase.
Finally, when our body, speech and mind are blessed and we realize that the Guru and our minds are inseparable,
this is the great accomplishment categorized based on the time of practice.
There are many practitioners like this.
I used to see a Buddhist center in Taiwan called ¡°Padmasambhava Buddhist Association¡±.
In 2007, a Rinpoche there
told a story about a modern day practitioner in Bhutan, who reached enlightenment through the practice of Padmasambhava.
This practitioner of Vajra Guru mantra is called Druptop.
He grew up in a family of farmers and he was illiterate.
Later, he lost his eyesight.
He used to practice the Bon religion,
so he was prejudiced and held wrong views against Padmasambhava and the Nyingma tradition.
He often slandered, and committed horrible negative karma.
Later on, his bitter enemy put him under some curses
that caused him to lose his eyesight, making him very miserable.
He looked everywhere for a doctor that could cure him.
But all his efforts availed to nothing.
Later on, due a very special circumstance, he encountered a spiritual master.
This spiritual master advised him to abandon the Bon religion,
and also that he should practice on Padmasambhava.
As a result, now that the right causes and conditions had gathered, he practiced single mindedly.
As a blind person, he had nothing else to do anyway.
So he practiced non-stop, through days and nights.
Day in and day out, he recited the mantra of Padmasambhava.
Later, when he accumulated 100,000,000 times' recitation of the Vajra Guru mantra,
he experienced some signs of accomplishment.
When he turned the mantra wheel, strangely, ambrosia water fell from it.
As you all know, you fill a mantra wheel with rolled up paper, which is dry.
There is no liquid inside.
But as witnessed by everybody, ambrosia water did drop from it.
Not at all attached to such a miraculous sign, he continued with his recitation.
When he reached the number 300,000,000, he saw some real signs:
he saw Padmasambhava in the flesh.
We, with our ordinary eyes, have not seen Padmasambhava.
But he did see Guru Rinpoche.
When Guru Rinpoche made his appearance, he made a prophecy:
You have to continue your practice in this way,
and in seven years, if you can still live another seven years, you will regain your sight.
The reason you went blind is because of your wrongful views, and because you slandered the holy ones.
This is karmic retribution.
Guru Rinpoche asked him to purify his negative karma and continue his diligent practice.
He also gave Druptop a special blessing:
Guru Rinpoche asked him to make a lotus hat, the crown of Dharma.
So Guru Rinpoche gave him such a special assignment of making such a hat.
So he did. He molded one with copper sheets.
, It’s a special lotus hat, a source of powerful blessing.
Later, those who were able to see, hear, touch or know of it benefited from it to different degrees.
After that, he didn't stop practicing.
Also, Guru Padmasambhava gave him a very special pith instruction--a practice of repel and restraint.
There are some great terchen masters
who can make torma offerings according to some of their sadhanas,
and they are the only people who know how to make them.
There used to be many terchens like this.
They made these torma offerings to people who were seriously ill
or people who had urgent distresses that needed to be dealt with right away.
When they asked Druptop to do a practice of repel and restraint,
he made a torma offering,
and practiced according to the sadhanas he made.
This sadhana is very unique.
After he finished making the torma,
he would take his torma to a crossroad, all the while completely naked.
After finishing his uncommon ritual,
the people who were seriously ill would start to heal,
urgent distresses were averted.
At that time, local people received incredible benefit from this.
Many people gave rise to great faith towards Buddhadharma and towards the practice of Padmasambhava.
Then seven years or so later (it wasn't very clearly stated then),
he regained his eyesight.
After he recited the mantra 600,000,000 times
he was living in a monastery.
Because he was blind, he came to a village
and earned his living through begging.
He basically ate everything
that people put in his skull-cup, which he never washed.
Many people offered him money, things and food,
but he kept nothing but food, returning everything else back to the almsgiver.
He would bless the money and objects by reciting mantras,
and asked them to carry these on them, so that they would benefit from its power of blessing and protection.
Afterwards, seven days before his parinirvana,
he told a Lama Orgyen, an abbot in the monastery he stayed,
that in seven days, he was about to abandon this defiled world
for the pure realm to meet Guru Rinpoche.
At that time, Lama Orgyen did not take his words seriously
Druptop then said to another monk,
¡°Orgyen Lama does not have freedom over birth and death, but I do.
He will not understand my meaning¡
Nevertheless, I am about to abandon this physical body, and go to a pure buddhafield.¡±
That monk did believe his words.
Seven days later, he did leave this world.
At the moment of his passing, a gentle tremor in the earth could be felt.
In Bhutan, this was very famous.
Druptop passed away in 2006.
It is a true story.
In this day and age, there are still many practitioners who single-mindedly practice on Padmasambhava.
There are many cases like this.
I once read an article from a forum called Sedeng
about a man from Lithang who practiced on Padmasambhava
in a cave near Migyur Monastery.
He practiced in solitary retreat all his life.
He practiced on Guru Rinpoche.
He constantly recited the mantra of Padmasambhava. According to some records
he recited the mantra more than 1 billion times.
Later, a spring bubbled up by the cave of his retreat,
and the water from this makes a noise that
sounds just like the mantra of Padmasambhava.
It can be heard by anyone standing near it. It is indeed a rarity.
When he passed away, there were many auspicious signs.
These are all undeniable facts.
Therefore, judged from appearance, people don't seem that different from one another.
But some people can recite a mantra a billion times,
while some find it difficult to recite the same mantra 100,000 times.
Indeed, just as it is said in Tao Te Ching,
although we live in the same world, we are greatly different.
Some are powerful, some are in pitiable conditions;
Some people are strong, some are weak.
Some are skilled, some are not.
People are very different from one another.
This is due to causes and conditions from previous lives
as well as our own diligence in this life.
They are both relevant factors.
So sometimes I think that in our short lives
there are many things to be done.
We really need to practice many extraordinary practices.
If we do not grasp the chance to practice within this short lifetime,
I think it's a very pitiful thing.
Let alone some profound practices,
when it comes to simple recitation of mantras, like the mantra of Avalokiteshvara, or the Vajra Guru mantra,
it's not very hard to reach a certain state.
Actually, in the text explaining the merit of the Vajra Guru mantra, it is said that
if you can recite more than 100,000 times, 1,000,000 times or 10,000,000 times
then you will be able to tame evil spirits, and not be conditioned by the three worlds of samsara,
and accrue many other merits.
To ask of us to recite one or several billion mantras
like truly accomplished beings is probably not realistic for some people.
Especially in our day and age, people's minds are troubled.
Many people squander their lives away in meaningless things.
People in the cities watch TV every day.
Most of their free time is passed in this way.
Some sleep in, some are busy with work.
They devote all their efforts in working, until one day they die.
When they do, they will have accumulated no merit,
only mountains of negative karma.
Sometimes I see that
in our sacred Bodhimanda of Larung,
most people are very diligent, and I rejoice for them.
Sometimes, I see some of our Dharma brothers,
and I feel a sense of shame.
Sometimes I remember at the time of Kashyapa Buddha
a princess once dreamed that
a monkey was sitting in the teacher's seat and giving Dharma teachings, while many lions were listening around him.
Someone analyzed this dream and said that in the age when Buddha Shakyamuni's Dharma is in decline,
the so-called spiritual teachers have no inner or outer merit,
just like a monkey sitting in the teacher's seat,
while the listeners
are like the snow lions, endowed with all qualities.
If such a prophecy has been made, then I think now the prophecy has come true.
Many practitioners around me are practicing day and night.
Quite a number of people practice with great diligence.
But there are also some people who aren't as diligent.
Just like dragons and fish cohabit in the ocean.
Sometimes, when I chance upon some who aren't as diligent as myself,
I wonder why these people became monks or nuns, why do these laypeople stay here?
They won't get any fame or fortune by staying here.
They listen to music, or radio;
they sing and continue doing what they used to do.
Sometimes I see very few
who, judged from an objective point of view,
are not very good practitioners.
Although our Academy is an extraordinary Bodhimanda, it is impossible to avoid such people.
This is true anywhere in the world. Even by the side of Buddha Shakyamuni,
five hundred bhiksus renounced the monastic life.
So it is even less likely that everything in our institute is immaculately pure.
Many people nowadays think that in a monastery, there should be no negative emotions.
Sometimes they wonder why people act in such a way in a monastery.
It is not surprising that some people do not understand why Buddhists can act in such a way.
They do not understand the history of Buddhism, and the objective problems of the individuals.
But generally speaking,
as a Dharma practitioner in such a pure Bodhimanda,
Dharma practice should be your prerogative. You should occupy yourself with things that are worthy.
Some people are not well-mannered by ordinary standards:
Everyday, they indulge in meaningless things.
Most of the lay practitioners in cities are not doing so bad.
They have stress coming from their work and family. They face many problems.
While juggling all these problems,
it is very good that they can still manage to find time for Dharma study and practice
But some people are full of excuses.
They consider listening to Dharma teachings a very ordinary activity.
Actually, we all hope from the bottom of our hearts that
we can make this short life worthwhile,
by doing things that help our Dharma practice and study.
There are also many things we can do to help sentient beings.
Therefore, we should choose meaningful things to do.
Try to do fewer insignificant things.
I can't say avoid them completely.
Some people have strong habitual tendencies.
Right after listening to one Dharma lesson, they can still more or less control their negative emotions for a day or two.
Bad habits have many causes and ¡°favorable conditions¡±.
But there are very few causes and favorable conditions for wholesome deeds like Dharma practice and study.
This is the case most of the time.
¡°The merit of the Seven Line Prayer, analyzed through the ¡°four aspects of approach and accomplishment¡±
can be found in the treasure text discovered by Ngari Rigdzin
called the outer Sadhana of the Vidyadhara that Embodies the Eight Herukas,¡±
¡°An all-sufficing sovereign is this prayer in seven lines. By the power of aspiration you will see the Guru¡¯s face directly.¡±
¡°For seven days or twenty-one recite this prayer. Accomplishments and blessings will rain down on you; From every obstacle you will be freed.¡±
The Seven Line Prayer is to all sadhanas as the all-sufficing sovereign to all human beings.
It is the king of prayers.
This is why in many Tibetan monasteries,
the practice of any Buddha-figure begins with
reciting the Seven Line Prayer.
By the power of aspiration of Padmasambhava and buddhas and bodhisattvas
and through such supplication, there are people who really saw Padmasambhava and other Buddha-figures.
It is best to practice this in solitary for seven or twenty-one days.
I once went to a monastery in Rongdrak County.
This monastery required all people of its parish
including the monks
to practice seven days every autumn.
For seven days, they continuously recite the Seven Line Prayer
from morning to evening.
In Tibet, there are many monasteries or regions who specialize in this practice.
So do some people.
Spare seven or twenty-one days in a concentrated practice on Padmasambhava.
This makes you sow a karmic origination
at the beginning of practicing a certain yidam-deity,
like His Holiness Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche did with many practices
including the practice of Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara and so on.
If you look at the past achievements of His Holiness,
at the beginning of his practice, he would concentrate his energy into practicing a certain yidam-deity,
after this, he would recite the mantras.
For example, at first you can practice in a seven day retreat.
During this time, make a plan to recite a certain number of the Seven Line Prayer or the Vajra Guru mantra.
In the future, you can recite them whenever you see fit.
To put it in ordinary context, when I meet someone for the first time, I invite him to a meal,
so that we may become formally acquainted with each other.
This is the social etiquette indicating that from now on we are friends.
In the future, if I want to tell you something,
I can just give you a call, and there would be no problem.
So when you have an obstacle, just ¡°give Guru Rinpoche a ¡°call¡±.
A couple of days ago, somebody said that
last year when there were some disturbances in a city,
his whole family gathered together and recited
hung orgyen yul gyi nubjang tsam, pema gesar dongpo la
yatsen chok gi ng?drub ny¨¦, pema jungn¨¦ shy¨¦ su drak...
This is the way to go. In many places, when praying to Guru Rinpoche,
people say ¡°Lama Khyen¡±, or ¡°Guru Rinpoche Khyen¡±.
It means Guru Rinpoche knows, or Guru Rinpoche, please care for me!
In many regions of Tibet, old people and Buddhist practitioners
would utter these words whenever they encounter any dangers on road.
But nowadays, young Tibetans aren't like this.
People used to pray to Guru Rinpoche even when they encountered minor mishaps.
When I was herding yaks,
if suddenly I saw wolves wandering about, I would say ¡°Guru Rinpoche Khyen!¡±
This is a tradition we have.
If you continue praying like this, in the long run, when you die,
Amitabha and Padmasambhava will come to your aid.
By the power of aspiration, accomplishment will rain down on you and free you from all obstacles.
And Guru Rinpoche promised in his own words,
¡°If with yearning melody you sing these seven lines, invoking me intensely with the skull-drum¡¯s beat,¡±
¡°From Ngayab¡¯s glorious mountain, I will bless you, I of Orgyen, like a mother helpless to resist her darling baby¡¯s tears.¡±
¡°This I pledge or else I go to hell!¡±
If you can sing the Seven Line Prayer with melodious sound,
and pray while sounding the skull-drum,
I, Padmasambhava, will come to you from the continent of Ngayab.
This is just like when a child cries and calls for his mother,
she will not be able to resist.
She will immediately come to him.
It's the same reason for Guru Rinpoche.
He made such a pledge to all sentient beings.
Therefore, we should constantly pray to him.
If we have instruments like a skull-drum, we can use them.
If not,
we should join our palms together and sing the prayer with devotion.
Then he will without a doubt come to you, and bless your body, speech and mind.
He will remove all obstacles caused by men and non-humans.
I think many will believe in these vajra words.
In The Guru as the Gathering of Secrets, Guru Rinpoche says,
¡°Upon that day of days, the tenth day of the monkey month, the monkey year, and all the tenth day of the moon--such times of power as these,¡±
¡°Sending emanations, I will fill the world, supreme and common siddhis richly to bestow.¡±
¡°If you spend your life accomplishing the Teacher,¡±
¡°When the time of dissolution comes, you'll melt into the heart of me the Orgyen Guru.¡±
This is an important teaching as well.
The tenth day of the monkey month, the monkey year is a very important day.
It's the day when he left Tibet for the continent of Ngayab.
That day was the tenth day of the monkey month of the monkey year.
As you all know, every twelve years, there's a monkey year.
This year is the year of earth cow. So the year of monkey is in seven years.
If His Holiness did not pass away that year,
we would've hosted a very special Dharma assembly the next year in Larung.
Our Larung Five Sciences Academy of Buddhist Teachings was founded in 1980 by His Holiness Jigme Phuntsok
on the tenth day of the monkey month of the monkey year.
This is a very important day in Tibet.
Important because it's the day that Guru Rinpoche left Tibet.
He said to all his ministers and subjects
that in the future, when this day comes, he will be visiting the human realm
and he will bless us.
And every tenth day of the lunar month is the ¡°king of all time¡±.
The king of all time is the tenth day of each lunar month.
Why?
Guru Padmasambhava said in his biography
that certain days of each month
are the special origination for benefiting sentient beings and taming spirits.
For example, on the tenth day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar,
Guru Rinpoche gave up his sovereignty and left for the cool charnel grounds.
He tamed countless dakas and evil spirits, and turned the wheel of Dharma for them.
So the tenth day of the first month is a special day.
On the tenth day of the second month, he received ordination from his master Prabhahasti.
Some accounts claim that he received ordination from Ananda on the tenth of February.
On the tenth day of the third month, in the kingdom of Zahor,
the king of Zahor prepared to burn Guru Padmasambhava alive.
But he transformed the whole place into a large lake.
So on the tenth day of the third month, he showed us his supernatural powers.
On the tenth day of April,
in the Kingdom of Orgyen, Guru Rinpoche and
his consort Dakini Mandarava were burned for seven days and seven nights.
But not only did they came out intact,
they showed various magical powers, and tamed all the aggressive beings.
Later, the king of Orgyen appointed Guru Rinpoche as the imperial preceptor.
On the tenth day of the fifth month, he conquered five hundred tirthikas
and let out the lion's roar of Buddhadharma.
On the tenth day of the sixth month, Padmasambhava was born onto the lake of Dhanakosha.
On the the tenth day of the seventh month, in Tamradvipa
their king listened to the slanderous talk of some people,
and forced Guru Rinpoche into a box made of red copper,
sealed the box with nails, and was ready to have him killed.
But Guru Rinpoche showed magical power: he transformed himself into a very large river.
He emanated light from mid-air, and showed his powerful transformations.
The river grew larger and larger, and was about to flood the royal palace.
Extremely scared, the king and his subjects apologized to Guru Rinpoche.
On the tenth day of the eighth month, tirthikas tried to make Guru Rinpoche drink poison,
but not only did the poison not harm him at all,
it added an extra glow to his body.
On the tenth day of the ninth month, in Yan-le-shod in Nepal,
Guru Rinpoche conquered many evil spirits of Tibet and Nepal
with his vajrakilaya, and accomplished the attainment of Mahamudra.
The tenth day of the tenth month was the day Guru Rinpoche came to Tibet.
Having subdued the hostile gods and demons of Tibet
he started to spread Buddhadharma, and laid the foundation for spreading Dharma.
On the tenth day of the eleventh month, starting from Samye Monastery, he concealed treasure texts all over Tibet.
He put all the local deities under oath
and made them his Dharma protectors
so that they would be the guardians of these treasure texts.
On the tenth day of the twelfth month,
at a place called Mangy¨¹l Gungthang, Guru Padmasambhava left for Ngayab Ling.
He left many teachings to us.
He said, ¡°On the Tenth Day of each month, I myself will appear to those who call me.
On the tenth day of each month, for those who practice on me, I will come and bless you.¡±
Nowadays, generally speaking, many monasteries
hold a sacred feast offering on the tenth lunar day, and practice on Padmasambhava.
When I was young, old people used to tell me
that I should recite the Vajra Guru mantra on the tenth lunar day.
I don't know if nowadays Tibetans still revere this day.
The tenth lunar day is a very special day.
Those of you here
should constantly remind yourself to perform a feast offering on each tenth lunar day,
wherever you are.
You should especially recite the Seven Line Prayer and Vajra Guru mantra.
Because it is said here, ¡°Sending emanations, I will fill the world.¡±
All around the world, the Jambudvipa, Guru Rinpoche will manifest tens of thousands of emanations.
As he has pledged, on the tenth day, he will go to all places to benefit sentient beings.
This is absolutely going to happen, because he pledged to do so.
His Holiness Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche used to say quite often that
the tenth lunar day of the monkey month of the monkey year is extremely important.
You must make a large-scale feast offering then, a grand Buddhist ritual.
And on the tenth day of each month, try your best to perform a feast offering.
Pray to Guru Rinpoche:
then difficulties will be solved, wishes will be fulfilled, liberation will be attained.
Whatever your heart desires, you should visualize him first, then supplicate him.
If you do so, then Guru Padmasambhava will grant you ordinary and extraordinary siddhis.
For anyone who practices on Padmasambhava throughout his life,
at the end of their life, they will melt into Padmasambhava's heart.
In reality, Padmasambhava and Amitabha are inseparable.
Practicing Padmasambhava and practicing Amitabha are not different in nature.
But we must practice. It's a great shame
to encounter such extraordinary Dharma and not practice it.
In The Secret Guide to Accomplishing the Guru, it is said
¡°When in the generation stage of whichever sadhana, you clearly meditate, there I am before you.¡±
As I have said before, if you can practice on Padmasambhava,
he will be there whenever you meditate, pray or recite mantras.
¡°When you make the mandala and set out torma and the substances of offering, do not doubt it; I will come to you.¡±
We should put some offerings in front of a statue of Guru Rinpoche which we place in the altar.
If we pray while making these offerings, he is bound to come to us.
The same text also says, ¡°Meditate on Padmasambhava embodied in a form of light and not of flesh,and have great confidence.
Padmasambhava doesn't have a body of flesh, his body is a form of light.
Visualize thus, and he will constantly bless us.
We must give rise to such Buddha pride.
¡°I shall come, unable to resist, when with devotion and strength,
you pray fervently to me, the Lotus-Born of Orgyen. I will come to you.¡±
Guru Padmasambhava will come to whomever prays with strong conviction.
Actually, Padmasambhava has such ability.
Sometimes, in order to destroy the arrogance of some people,
some Buddhist masters in China used to
display their signs of accomplishment.
We often talked about Fu Dashi.
Along with Bodhidharma, Master Zhigong, he was one of the three Buddhist masters of the Liang Dynasty:
He said he was Master Shanhui,
the one who attains liberation under the Shuang Lin tree.
He called himself Master Shanhui.
Indeed, some of his practice and accomplishment
are similar to those of Padmasambhava of Tibet.
I told you this before. In China, at first
he saw that many illiterate people
were unable to read the tripitaka.
So he made mantra wheels in many places.
His activities were very unique.
Actually, he used to be a fisherman. But the way he fished was very particular.
After he caught a fish, he told the fish
those who want to stay, stay; those who want to leave, leave.
Many fish who had no fortunate bond with him swam away.
Those who had a karmic bond with him from previous lives stayed. And he ate them.
Once, when he was fishing,
a monk from India came to him and said,
We used to make aspirations together in front of Vipasyn Buddha.
Don't you remember?
He was stupefied. He couldn't remember.
So the monk said to him, look at your own reflections in the water.
So he looked. In the water, his reflection had a precious umbrella above his head, and divine light radiated from his back.
Because of this, he remembered his previous aspirations.
After that, he practiced diligently in Shuangshu.
After seven years of practice, Buddha Shakyamuni, Dipamkara Buddha, and Golden Stain Buddha -
these three buddhas dissolved into his body, and he received their blessings.
Then he sold his wife and son, and hosted a Dharma assembly of impartial equality.
So some of his actions are very similar to Tibetan yogis.
He wore the shoes of Confucianism,
the robe of Chinese monks, and the hat of Taoism.
So he went to Emperor Wu of Liang. I don't remember what Emperor Wu said.
Later, Nan Huai Jin said that this is a characteristic of Chinese Zen Buddhism.
Confucianism is the basis, Taoism comes first, and Buddhism is the core.
This is his explanation.
So to the eyes of some people today
some practices of Vajrayana might seem strange.
So as soon as they hear Padmasambhava saying that he was an enlightened being,
they start slandering.
This is because they don't know that there are people with extremely high states of attainment.
The actions of some Zen masters are sometimes incomprehensible.
There are also some in the Pure Land school.
The fifth patriarch Shao Kang was mute when he was a child.
When he was seven years old, his mother took him to a monastery.
When he saw a Buddha statue, his mother asked him whether he recognized who this was.
He said he did, it was Buddha Shakyamuni. From then on
his mother was so delighted that she let him be a monk in this monastery.
Later, each time he uttered the name of the Buddha,
an image of Amitabha appeared from his mouth.
Like a child blowing water bubbles, plop, plop, there it was.
People nowadays might not comprehend this.
When Master Zhigong painted the twelve faced Avalokiteshvara, and he couldn't continue,
he appeared in the form of Avalokiteshvara, and asked the best painter to paint him.
We talked about Sechungpa, also known as Sechung£¬and Sechen.
He also transformed his body into Heruka.
I think you should know more about these things.
Ok. That's it for today.
I wanted to continue, but our time's up.