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The Yoga of Immeasurables

This fourth yoga and the remaining seven yogas should be practised in conjunction with the precious sadhana called Quick Path to Great Bliss, which can be found in Appendix II. This sadhana was composed by Je Phabongkhapa who is a manifestation of Buddha Heruka. It contains the essential practices of all the Highest Yoga Tantra Deities in general and the practice of Je Tsongkhapa’s oral instructions of Sutra and Tantra in particular. We should rejoice in our great good fortune at having met this precious Buddhadharma.

The main practices of the yoga of immeasurables are going for refuge, generating bodhichitta, and meditation and recitation of Vajrasattva. Going for refuge is called ‘immeasurable’ because during this practice we concentrate on an immeasurable number of objects of refuge; cultivating the altruistic mind of bodhichitta is called ‘immeasurable’ because we focus our mind of compassion on immeasurable living beings; and meditation and recitation of Vajrasattva is called ‘immeasurable’ because it purifies the non-virtuous actions we have accumulated over an immeasurably long period of time.

The commentary to the yoga of immeasurables is presented under the following seven headings:

1 Going for refuge

2 Generating the supreme good heart, bodhichitta

3 Receiving blessings

4 Instantaneous self-generation as Vajrayogini

5 Blessing the inner offering

6 Blessing the outer offerings

7 Meditation and recitation of Vajrasattva

Venerable Vajrayogini

Within the eleven yogas, the fourth yoga – the yoga of immeasurables – and the fifth yoga – the yoga of the Guru – contain the practices of the four great preliminary guides: the great guide of going for refuge and generating bodhichitta, the great guide of meditation and recitation of Vajrasattva, the great guide of Guru yoga, and the great guide of making mandala offerings. The first two are included in the yoga of immeasurables and the second two are included in the yoga of the Guru.

These practices are called ‘guides’ because by engaging in them we are guided to the actual spiritual paths of Secret Mantra. We should know that training in generation stage and completion stage is the supreme inner vehicle by which we will quickly reach the enlightened world. The four wheels of this vehicle are the four great preliminary guides. Through this we can understand that practising the four great prelim­inary guides is extremely important for the effectiveness of our training in generation stage and completion stage.

Going for refuge is the gateway to Buddhism in general and generating bodhichitta is the gateway to Mahayana Buddhism in particular; meditation and recitation of Vajrasattva is the gateway to purifying negativities and downfalls; Guru yoga is the gateway to receiving blessings; and making mandala offerings is the gateway to accumulating a collection of merit.

GOING FOR REFUGE

This has two parts:

1 General explanation

2 The practice of refuge

GENERAL EXPLANATION

In this context, ‘going for refuge’ means seeking refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. The purpose of this practice is to protect ourself permanently from taking lower rebirth. At present, because we are human, we are free from rebirth as an animal, hungry ghost or hell being, but this is only temporary. We are like a prisoner who gets permission to stay at home for a week, but then has to return to prison. We need perm­anent liberation from the sufferings of this life and countless future lives. This depends upon entering, making progress on and completing the Buddhist path to liberation, which in turn depends upon entering Buddhism.

We enter Buddhism through the practice of going for refuge. For our practice of refuge to be qualified, while visualizing Buddha in front of us we should verbally or mentally make the promise to seek refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha throughout our life. This promise is our refuge vow, and is the gateway through which we enter Buddhism. For as long as we keep this promise we are inside Buddhism, but if we break this promise we are outside. By entering and remaining inside Buddhism we have the opportunity to begin, make progress on and complete the Buddhist path to liberation and enlightenment.

We should never give up our promise to seek refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha throughout our life. Going for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha means that we apply effort to receiving Buddha’s blessings, putting Dharma into practice and receiving help from Sangha, pure spiritual friends, mainly our Spiritual Teachers. These are the three principal commitments of the refuge vow. Through maintaining and sincerely practising these three principal commitments of refuge we can fulfil our final goal.

The main reason why we need to make the determination and promise to seek refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha throughout our life is that we need to attain permanent liber­ation from suffering. At present we may be free from physical suffering and mental pain, but this freedom is only temporary. Later in this life and in our countless future lives we will have to experience unbearable physical suffering and mental pain continually, in life after life without end.

When our life is in danger or we are threatened by someone, we usually seek refuge in the police. Of course, sometimes the police can protect us from a particular danger, but they cannot give us permanent liberation from death. When we are seriously ill we seek refuge in doctors. Sometimes doctors can cure a particular illness, but no doctor can give us permanent liberation from sickness. What we really need is permanent liberation from all sufferings, and as human beings we can achieve this by seeking refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

Buddhas are ‘awakened’, which means that they have awakened from the sleep of ignorance and are free from the dreams of samsara, the cycle of impure life. They are completely pure beings who are permanently free from all delusions and mistaken appearance. The function of Buddhas is to bestow mental peace on each and every living being every day by giving blessings. We know that we are happy when our mind is peaceful, and unhappy when it is not. It is therefore clear that our happiness depends upon our having a peaceful mind and not on good external conditions. Even if our external conditions are poor, if we maintain a peaceful mind all the time we will always be happy. Through continually receiving the Buddhas’ blessings we can maintain a peaceful mind all the time. Buddhas are therefore the source of our happiness. Dharma is the actual protection through which we are permanently released from the sufferings of sickness, ageing, death and rebirth; and Sangha are the supreme spiritual friends who guide us to correct spiritual paths. Through these three precious wishfulfilling jewels, Buddha, Dharma and Sangha – known as the ‘Three Jewels’ – we can fulfil our own wishes as well as the wishes of all living beings.

Every day from the depths of our heart we should recite requesting prayers to the enlightened Buddhas, while maintaining deep faith in them. This is a simple method for us to receive the Buddhas’ blessings continually. We should also join group prayers, known as ‘pujas’, organized at Buddhist Temples or prayer halls; which are powerful methods to receive the Buddhas’ blessings and protection.

In summary, first we engage in the following contemplation:

I want to protect and liberate myself permanently from the sufferings of this life and countless future lives. I can accomplish this only by receiving Buddha’s blessings, putting Dharma into practice and receiving help from Sangha – the supreme spiritual friends.

Thinking deeply in this way, we make the strong determination and then the promise to seek refuge sincerely in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha throughout our life. We should meditate on this determination every day and maintain our promise continually for the rest of our life. As the commitments of our refuge vow we should always apply effort to receiving Buddha’s blessings, putting Dharma into practice and receiving help from Sangha, our pure spiritual friends including our Spiritual Teachers. This is how we go for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Through this we will accomplish our aim – permanent liberation from all the sufferings of this life and countless future lives, the real meaning of our human life.

To maintain our promise to go for refuge to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha throughout our life, and so that we and all living beings may receive Buddha’s blessings and protection, we should recite refuge prayers every day with strong faith.

THE PRACTICE OF REFUGE

This has five parts:

1 Visualizing the objects of refuge

2 Developing renunciation

3 Developing compassion

4 Developing conviction in the power of the Three Jewels

5 Reciting the refuge prayer

VISUALIZING THE OBJECTS OF REFUGE

In the space in front of us, level with our eyebrows, we visualize a vast jewelled throne supported by eight snow lions. Completely covering the surface of the throne is a four-petalled lotus. The eastern petal, which is closest to us, is white; the northern petal, to our right, is green; the western petal is red; and the southern petal is yellow. The centre of the lotus is green. Upon this is a smaller throne and upon this is a moon cushion and a sun cushion, with the sun cushion uppermost.

Sitting on the sun cushion is our root Guru in the aspect of Buddha Vajradharma. He has a red-coloured body, one face, and two hands, which are crossed at his heart and hold a vajra and bell. At Guru Vajradharma’s heart, on a sun cushion, stand Father Heruka and Mother Vajrayogini. Heruka is blue with four faces and twelve arms. He embraces his consort Vajrayogini, who is red with one face and two arms. In the sadhana it says, ‘In the space before me appear Guru Chakrasambara Father and Mother.’ According to Je Phabongkhapa’s intention, ‘Guru’ here refers to Guru Vajradharma, and ‘Chakrasambara’ refers to the Deity Heruka embracing Vajrayogini at Guru Vajradharma’s heart.

Around Guru Vajradharma, on the yellow anthers of the lotus, are the Gurus of the Narokhachö lineage and all the other lineage Gurus of Sutra and Tantra. From the heart of Guru Vajradharma all the other objects of refuge emanate and fill the entire surface of the four-petalled lotus.

At the centre of the eastern petal stands Vajrayogini, surrounded by all the Deities of the four classes of Tantra. They are in four concentric circles with the Deities of Highest Yoga Tantra nearest the centre, surrounded by the Deities of Yoga Tantra, the Deities of Performance Tantra, and the Deities of Action Tantra respectively.

At the centre of the southern petal is Buddha Shakyamuni, surrounded by all the Emanation Bodies and Enjoyment Bodies of the Buddhas.

At the centre of the western petal are Dharma Jewels in the symbolic form of books composed by the Gurus, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. These include the Kangyur and Tengyur texts, such as the Tantric texts of Heruka, as well as countless other texts together with their commentaries composed by other Buddhas. We should imagine that these books appear in the aspect of light but are by nature the inner realizations of the Gurus, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Holy beings benefit all living beings by displaying their realizations in the form of books that can be studied and put into practice.

At the centre of the northern petal is Manjushri, surrounded by all the superior Bodhisattvas, Emanated Foe Destroyers, Heroes and Heroines. Around the outer edge of the four petals are the Dharma Protectors.

Each refuge being is either sitting or standing on a moon or sun cushion. We imagine that each one is a real living being, not lifeless like a statue or painting.

All the countless refuge objects on the throne in front of us are included within the Three Jewels – the Buddha Jewel, the Dharma Jewel and the Sangha Jewel. The Gurus, Yidams and Buddhas are all Buddha Jewels; the Bodhisattvas, Emanated Foe Destroyers, Heroes, Heroines and Dharma Protectors are all Sangha Jewels; and the Dharma books represent the Dharma Jewel. We should also regard all the refuge objects as manifestations of our root Guru, Guru Vajradharma. The Buddha Jewels are all manifestations of his mind, the Dharma Jewels manifestations of his speech, and the Sangha Jewels manifestations of his body.

We should not expect to be able to visualize the refuge assembly clearly from the beginning. To start with it is sufficient simply to imagine that they are in the space in front of us. The most important thing is to have strong conviction that they are actually present. Even though we may not be able to see them we can be certain that they are appearing before us in subtle forms and that we are actually in their presence. Gradually we will be able to bring to mind a rough mental image of the whole assembly, and as we become more familiar with the visualization we will naturally attain a more detailed image. However, we should not be concerned with detail at the beginning. For example, when we think of a friend we simply bring to mind a general image of him; we do not try to achieve a detailed image of all his features such as his face, his legs, and his arms. In the same way, when we begin to visualize the refuge assembly we should be satisfied with a general image of the holy beings and not try to see all their specific details.

DEVELOPING RENUNCIATION

When we practise the yoga of rising we wake with the divine pride of being Vajrayogini, but when we go for refuge or engage in practices such as Vajrasattva purification we should temporarily give up this divine pride.

To develop renunciation we should first remember the preciousness of our human life. Because of their previous deluded views denying the value of spiritual practice, those who have taken rebirth as animals, for example, have no opportunity to engage in spiritual practice, which alone gives rise to a meaningful life. Since it is impossible for them to listen to, understand, contemplate and meditate on spiritual instructions, their present animal rebirth itself is an obstacle. Only human beings are free from such obstacles and have all the necessary conditions for engaging in spiritual paths, which alone lead to everlasting peace and happiness. This combination of freedom and the possession of necessary conditions is the special characteristic that makes our human life so precious.

In conclusion, we should think:

I should not be satisfied with merely temporary freedom from particular sufferings, which even animals can experience. I must attain permanent freedom from self-grasping ignorance – the root of suffering – through sincerely practising the three higher trainings.

We should meditate on this determination every day, and put our determination into practice. In this way we guide ourself to the liberating path.

DEVELOPING COMPASSION

Next we contemplate the sufferings of all other living beings. We think:

I am not alone in having to experience suffering. There are countless living beings, all of whom have experiences and problems similar to my own, so how can I think of working solely for my own liberation? Every living being has at some time in the past been my dear mother. Again and again each one of them has had to experience the sufferings of birth, sickness, ageing, death, having to part with what they like, having to encounter what they do not like, and failing to satisfy their desires. At some time or other they all have to endure hunger, thirst, conflict, uncertainty, and the repeated loss of status and companions. Until now they have been unable to find security or satisfaction and have been forced to give up body after body, taking rebirth again and again. I cannot bear the misery of all these beings drowning in the ocean of samsara, each one having no choice but to experience immense suffering. I must work to liberate them all.

DEVELOPING CONVICTION IN THE POWER OF THE THREE JEWELS

Without the protection and guidance of enlightened beings it is impossible for confused living beings to escape from samsara, the cycle of miserable lives. If we think deeply we will come to realize that only the Three Jewels, Buddha, Dharma and Sangha have the complete power to guide and protect us. Buddhas can protect us because they have four special attributes: they are free from all fear and suffering, they have skill in liberating all living beings, they have great compassion for all living beings, and they are without partiality. The Dharma that is revealed by Buddha is the actual method for gaining release from samsara, and the Sangha help us to gain real­izations of Dharma. In summary, through receiving Buddha’s blessings and help from Sangha, and gaining Dharma realizations, we will be permanently free from suffering and fear. If we repeatedly contemplate these facts we will develop strong faith and conviction in the Three Jewels.

RECITING THE REFUGE PRAYER

First we visualize the refuge assembly and generate the causes of refuge: renunciation, compassion, and faith in the Three Jewels, and imagine that we are surrounded by the countless living beings of the six realms of samsara. We visualize them all in human form, but remember that in reality each one is experiencing the sufferings of his or her particular realm. Closest to us are our parents, family, and friends. We then imagine that we all recite the refuge prayer together. If we practise in this way, the benefit we receive from going for refuge will be equal to the number of all living beings.

With our prayer to the Gurus we request them to bestow their blessings upon us and to transform all our actions of body, speech and mind into spiritual paths; with our prayer to the Buddhas we request their guidance on the path to liberation and enlightenment; with our prayer to Dharma we remember the special qualities of the Dharma Jewel and generate a strong wish to gain Dharma realizations quickly; and with our prayer to the superior Sanghas we request their assistance on the spiritual path and the removal of all obstacles preventing our attainment of liberation and enlightenment.

If we are collecting a hundred thousand refuge prayers as the first of the four great preliminary guides we can count refuge prayers at this point. We can collect either the prayer from the sadhana or the following short prayer:

I go for refuge to the Gurus, Buddhas, Dharma and Sangha.

After reciting the prayer a hundred times, or as many times as we wish, we imagine that five-coloured lights and nectars descend from each of the refuge objects. These dissolve into us and purify all our negative actions, especially those committed against our Gurus, the Buddhas, Dharma and Sangha. We have committed many such negative actions. We may have been angry with our Gurus or the Buddhas, or behaved disrespectfully towards them. We may have lost our faith in them or broken the commitments and promises we made to them. We may have temporarily abandoned Dharma, or developed an aversion to listening to Dharma teachings or to practising Dharma. We may have been critical of Sangha, pure spiritual friends, or behaved disrespectfully towards them. As we recite the prayers and visualize the lights and nectars descending we imagine that all these non-virtuous actions, created in this and all our previous lives, are purified, and that our life span, merit and Dharma realizations increase.

GENERATING THE SUPREME GOOD HEART, BODHICHITTA

The practice of Mahayana refuge includes developing renunciation and compassion, both of which are essential causes of generating bodhichitta. The more we train in Mahayana refuge, the stronger our bodhichitta becomes.

The root of bodhichitta is compassion. The principal method for developing compassion is contemplating the suffering of others and developing a wish to free all living beings from their suffering. We need to develop this compassionate wish again and again until it arises spontaneously, and continuously influences all our thoughts and actions.

Compassion induces a superior intention. Realizing that simply wishing to free others from suffering is not sufficient, we make a definite decision to act to free them ourself. We then think, ‘To liberate all living beings from their suffering I must first attain enlightenment myself. Only then will I have the power to bring lasting happiness to all other living beings.’ This strong desire, rooted in compassion, to attain enlightenment to benefit all living beings is bodhichitta. When it arises spontaneously in our mind we enter the actual Mahayana paths. Je Tsongkhapa said that to enter the Mahayana it is not enough merely to study Mahayana teachings; the only gateway to the Mahayana paths is actually to generate the spontaneous mind of bodhichitta.

We should generate and enhance our mind of bodhichitta by reciting the bodhichitta prayer from the sadhana. This prayer contains the practices of aspiring bodhichitta, engaging bodhichitta and the four immeasurables. The phrase ‘Once I have attained the state of a complete Buddha’ refers to the practice of aspiring bodhichitta; the phrase ‘I shall free all sentient beings’ refers to immeasurable equanimity, indicating that our compassion embraces all living beings without partiality; the phrase ‘from the ocean of samsara’s suffering’ refers to immeasurable compassion; the phrase ‘and lead them to the bliss of full enlightenment’ refers to immeasurable love and immeasurable joy; and finally the phrase ‘For this purpose I shall practise the stages of Vajrayogini’s path’ refers to engaging bodhichitta. By practising the two stages of Vajrayogini’s path we are actively engaging in the methods to attain enlightenment for the benefit of others.

The purpose of reciting prayers is to remind ourself of their meaning. Because our mind is weak in Dharma under­standing we must rely upon the support of verbal prayers. Just as a feeble, old person needs a walking stick, so we need to recite prayers to remind us to improve our bodhichitta.

Before practising Secret Mantra we should train well in Lamrim, the stages of the path common to both Sutra and Tantra; and in particular we should become familiar with the methods for generating bodhichitta. The main foundation of successful practice of the two stages of Vajrayogini is to have developed the three principal realizations – the three principal aspects of the path: renunciation, bodhichitta and the correct view of emptiness. In addition to these we need to engage in the preliminary practices. Just as we need a firm foundation to build a good house, so we need the firm foundation of train­ing in the preliminaries and in the three principal aspects of the path if we are to be successful in our Secret Mantra practice. If our practice of the generation and completion stages of Secret Mantra has such a firm foundation it will become a quick method for attaining enlightenment.

Our present state of mind is not permanent. It can change into either a negative mind such as anger or a positive mind such as the altruistic wish to attain enlightenment. At present our bodhichitta may be artificial because it is generated with effort, but with practice we can transform our primary mind into a real bodhichitta that arises spontaneously. However, we cannot develop compassion and bodhichitta merely by listen­ing to teachings. We should be prepared to spend a long time training in the methods to develop them, both in and out of meditation. More detailed explanations of going for refuge, generating bodhichitta, and so forth can be found in Modern Buddhism and Joyful Path of Good Fortune.

Throughout our practice of the two stages of Vajrayogini we should continue to improve our bodhichitta. We should not discourage ourself by thinking that we cannot practise Secret Mantra because we have not yet developed bodhichitta; we can train in both simultaneously. If we practise Secret Mantra and Lamrim together we will eventually gain realizations of both simultaneously. For example, if we sow an apple seed and a pear seed at the same time and we water and nourish them equally, they will grow together and ripen together. Similarly, from now on we should begin to practise both Secret Mantra and Lamrim, and in the future we will accomplish their results together. These two practices are like friends who help and support each other. Both are indispensable if we are to progress to full enlightenment.

Tantric teachings explain special methods to improve our bodhichitta and our understanding of emptiness. For example, there is one practice called ‘generating the mind of all yogas’ which is explained during Highest Yoga Tantra empowerments. To generate this mind we first generate great compassion focusing on all suffering sentient beings and then develop a strong wish to attain Buddhahood for their sake. This is conventional bodhichitta. Without losing this wish we then remember that all phenomena lack inherent existence. This is ultimate bodhichitta. At our heart we visualize our conventional bodhichitta in the form of a very small moon cushion lying flat. At the centre of the moon cushion we visualize our ultimate bodhichitta in the form of a white five-pronged vajra standing vertically. Imagining the moon and vajra to be firm, stable and radiating light, we hold this visualization without distraction for as long as possible. We should recall this experience constantly throughout the day.

For skilful meditators the practices of generation stage and completion stage are the supreme methods for improving their conventional and ultimate bodhichitta.

RECEIVING BLESSINGS

As mentioned before, the Gurus, Yidams and Buddhas are emanations of Guru Vajradharma’s mind, the assembled Dharma Jewels are emanations of his speech, and the assembled Sangha Jewels are emanations of his body. With this in mind we recite from the sadhana the special request prayer to receive the blessings of the Three Jewels.

We imagine that as a result of making these requests with strong faith, the assembly of Sangha Jewels melts into white light. This light dissolves into our crown and our body receives the blessings of Guru Vajradharma’s body. The assembly of Dharma Jewels then melts into red light. This light dissolves into our throat and our speech receives the blessings of Guru Vajradharma’s speech. The Gurus, Yidams and Buddhas then melt into blue light. This light dissolves into our heart and our mind receives the blessings of Guru Vajradharma’s mind. By receiving these blessings all our faults and negative actions of body, speech and mind are purified, and our actions of body, speech and mind transform into spiritual paths.

INSTANTANEOUS SELF-GENERATION AS VAJRAYOGINI

After receiving the blessings of Guru Vajradharma’s body, speech and mind we imagine that the entire world and its inhabitants melt into light and dissolve into our body. Our body also melts into light and slowly diminishes in size until finally it dissolves into emptiness. This resembles the way in which all the appearances of this life dissolve at death. We meditate single-pointedly on emptiness without permitting any conventional appearance to arise. We imagine that our mind mixes completely with emptiness and we develop the recognition ‘I am Truth Body Vajrayogini.’ This practice is called ‘bringing death into the path to the Truth Body.’

From the Truth Body we instantly transform into an oval of red light about twelve inches high and six inches wide, stand­ing vertically on an eight-petalled lotus and a sun cushion. This resembles the way in which the body of the intermediate state being arises out of the clear light of death. We develop the recognition ‘I am Enjoyment Body Vajrayogini.’ This practice is called ‘bringing the intermediate state into the path to the Enjoyment Body.’

The red oval of light, in nature our own mind, now increases in size and transforms into the Emanation Body of Vajrayogini. We develop the divine pride ‘I am Emanation Body Vajrayogini.’ This resembles leaving the intermediate state and taking rebirth. This practice is called ‘bringing rebirth into the path to the Emanation Body.’

If we wish to practise Vajrayogini Tantra daily but have insufficient time or ability to practise either the extensive or the middling sadhana, we can fulfil the commitment taken during the Vajrayogini empowerment to generate ourself as the Deity by practising the following sequence. First we go for refuge, generate bodhichitta, and dissolve the objects of refuge, as explained earlier. We then meditate on bring­ing death, the intermediate state and rebirth into the path and generate as the Deity Vajrayogini, as just described. We then visualize that at our heart, inside a red phenomena source and on top of a moon cushion, there is a red letter BAM. Standing in a circle counter-clockwise around this is the mantra of Vajrayogini: OM OM OM SARWA BUDDHA DAKINIYE VAJRA WARNANIYE VAJRA BEROTZANIYE HUM HUM HUM PHAT PHAT PHAT SÖHA. With strong faith we concentrate on the BAM and mantra letters and recite the mantra as many times as possible, or at least as many times as we promised to when we received the Vajrayogini empowerment. Finally, we recite a short prayer of dedi­cation. A condensed self-generation sadhana, The Blissful Path, can be found in Appendix II.

It is also possible to do a middling self-generation practice in conjunction with the sadhana called Dakini Yoga, which can be found in Appendix II. However we should not be satisfied with only short practices. If we wish to attain Buddhahood by relying upon Vajrayogini we definitely need to practise the eleven yogas extensively.

BLESSING THE INNER OFFERING

This has five parts:

1 The benefits

2 The basis of the inner offering

3 The visual object of the inner offering

4 How to bless the inner offering

5 The significance of the inner offering

THE BENEFITS

The practice of inner offering is found only in Highest Yoga Tantra. Inner offering can be used as an offering to the holy beings, for ourself as in the yoga of experiencing nectar, or to avert external or internal obstacles. Blessing and tasting the inner offering is a cause of many levels of completion stage realization. Through this practice we can purify our five contam­inated aggregates and elements and transform them into the five Buddha families, and we can purify the five delusions and transform them into the five omniscient wisdoms. Making the inner offering is a cause of increasing our life span, accumulating merit and experiencing great bliss.

THE BASIS OF THE INNER OFFERING

The inner offering is so called because its basis is a collection of five meats and five nectars, all of which are inner substances, or substances derived from the bodies of sentient beings. Torma and tsog offerings are based upon external substances which are not obtained from the body and so they are called ‘outer offerings’. For the inner offering, the basis and the visual object are different, whereas for the outer offerings they are the same.

THE VISUAL OBJECT OF THE INNER OFFERING

We set up in front of us a skullcup, or a vessel of similar shape, or any small container that has a lid. Into this container we pour black tea or alcohol, and into this we put a nectar pill that has been blessed by our Spiritual Guide or received from a Dharma practitioner of the same lineage as ourself. This is the visual object. Focusing on this we proceed to bless the inner offering.

HOW TO BLESS THE INNER OFFERING

This has four parts:

1 Clearance

2 Purification

3 Generation

4 Transformation

CLEARANCE

Here, clearance means clearing or driving away obstacles such as harmful spirits who might interfere with the blessing of the inner offering. This is done by reciting the mantra OM KHANDAROHI HUM HUM PHAT. Among the many Deities of the Heruka mandala, the wrathful female Deity Khandarohi is the one responsible for dispelling obstacles and hindrances. She is also known as the ‘Goddess of Action’ and her mantra is called the ‘action mantra’. While reciting this mantra we imagine countless red Khandarohi Goddesses emanating from our heart. They disperse in all directions and drive away any negative forces that might obstruct the blessing of the inner offering. We then reabsorb the Goddesses into our heart.

PURIFICATION

In this context, purification means purifying our ordinary appearances and ordinary conceptions, including self-grasping, by means of meditation. We need to purify the ten substances before we can transform them into nectar. To do this we focus on the visual object of the inner offering and contemplate that it and all other phenomena, including our self that we normally perceive, do not exist. At the same time we recite the mantra: OM SÖBHAWA SHUDDHA SARWA DHARMA SÖBHAWA SHUDDHO HAM, followed by the phrase ‘Everything becomes emptiness.’ The mantra summarizes the meditation on emptiness – OM refers to the visual object of the inner offering, SARWA DHARMA means ‘all phenomena’, and SÖBHAWA SHUDDHO means ‘lack inherent existence’. The whole mantra, therefore, means: ‘All phenomena, including the visual object of the inner offering, lack inherent existence.’

After reciting ’Everything becomes emptiness’ we meditate briefly on emptiness, the mere absence of all phenomena that we normally perceive. We imagine that all conventional appearances have dissolved into emptiness, identify this emptiness as lack of inherent existence, and then try to mix our mind with this emptiness.

GENERATION

This has two parts:

1 Generating the container

2 Generating the contained substances

GENERATING THE CONTAINER

We visualize:

From the state of emptiness appears a blue letter YAM. This is the seed of the wind element and its nature is the wisdom of great bliss and emptiness. The YAM transforms into a huge wind mandala, which is blue, bow-shaped, and lies flat with its curved edge furthest from us. At both corners there is a white banner. The movement of the banners activates the wind mandala, causing the wind to blow.

Above the wind mandala appears a red letter RAM. This is the seed of the fire element and its nature is the wisdom of great bliss and emptiness. The RAM transforms into a triangular fire mandala, which is flat and red. One of its corners points towards us, directly above the straight edge of the wind mandala, and the other two corners are above the curved edge of the wind mandala. This red triangle, which is slightly smaller than the wind mandala, is the core of the fire mandala. When this core is fanned by the wind, red-hot flames blaze and cover the whole wind mandala.

Above the fire mandala appear three AH letters of different colours. The letter AH above the eastern point, the point closest to us, is white; the letter above the northern point, to our right, is red; and the letter above the southern point, to our left, is blue. These letters transform into three large human heads, which are the same colours as the letters from which they developed.

Above the centre of the three heads appears a large white letter AH, which symbolizes emptiness. The AH transforms into a vast skullcup, white outside and red inside, which rests on top of the heads.

GENERATING THE CONTAINED SUBSTANCES

To generate the contained substances we should visualize the following:

Inside the skullcup there instantly appear the ten letters OM, KHAM, AM, TRAM, HUM, LAM, MAM, PAM, TAM, BAM. Gradually these letters transform into the five meats and the five nectars. In the east, the part of the skullcup nearest to us, the white letter OM transforms into yellow excrement, which is marked by a radiant white OM, the seed-letter of Vairochana. In the north, to our right, the green letter KHAM transforms into white brains marked by a radiant green KHAM, the seed-letter of Amoghasiddhi. In the west the red letter AM transforms into white sperm marked by a radiant red AM, the seed-letter of Amitabha. In the south the yellow letter TRAM transforms into red blood marked by a radiant yellow TRAM, the seed-letter of Ratnasambhava. In the centre the blue letter HUM transforms into blue urine marked by a radiant blue HUM, the seed-letter of Akshobya.

In the south-east the white letter LAM transforms into the black corpse of a cow marked by a radiant white LAM, the seed-letter of Lochana. In the south-west the blue letter MAM transforms into the red corpse of a dog marked by a radiant blue MAM, the seed-letter of Mamaki. In the north-west the red letter PAM transforms into the white corpse of an elephant marked by a radiant red PAM, the seed-letter of Benzarahi. In the north-east the green letter TAM transforms into the green corpse of a horse marked by a radiant green TAM, the seed-letter of Tara. In the centre the red letter BAM transforms into a red human corpse marked by a radiant red BAM, the seed-letter of Vajravarahi.

All the corpses lie on their backs and are marked at the heart by their respective letters. The human corpse lies in the urine with its head pointing away from us. All the other corpses lie with their heads pointing towards the centre of the skullcup.

In summary, from inside the vast skullcup arise the ten letters – the seed-letters of the five Buddha Fathers and the five Buddha Mothers. These ten letters transform into the ten inner substances that constitute the basis of the inner offering.

Those with no understanding of emptiness should not try to visualize the ten substances too clearly or they might feel that they are visualizing real excrement and urine, and instead of being able to transform it into nectar they will feel disgusted!

TRANSFORMATION

This has three parts:

1 Purifying faults

2 Transforming into nectar

3 Increasing

PURIFYING FAULTS

We contemplate:

Light rays radiate from the letter BAM at our heart and strike the two banners of the wind mandala, causing them to flutter. This causes the wind mandala to blow, which in turn causes the fire mandala to blaze. The heat from the fire mandala causes the ten seed-letters that mark the substances and the ten substances themselves to boil. They all melt together into a hot, orange liquid. As the letters mix with the ten substances, the unpleasant colours, tastes, and smells of the substances are purified.

TRANSFORMING INTO NECTAR

We contemplate:

Above the orange liquid appears a white letter HUM, which is the nature of Heruka’s mind, the wisdom of indivisible great bliss and emptiness. The HUM transforms into a white upside-down khatanga. The substance of the khatanga is white bodhichitta and its nature is Heruka’s mind.

Due to the heat of the boiling liquid below, the white khatanga begins to melt and drip into the skullcup, as butter melts when it is held close to steam. The melted white khatanga swirls three times counter-clockwise inside the skullcup and then mixes completely with the liquid. The liquid becomes cool and sweet, and takes on the colour of mercury. Due to the mixing of the khatanga, the liquid transforms into nectar possessing three qualities: medicine nectar that prevents all diseases, life nectar that destroys death, and wisdom nectar that eradicates all delusions.

While we are imagining that the liquid is transforming into nectar with the three qualities we need very firm and strong concentration.

INCREASING

Directly above the nectar we visualize a row of Sanskrit vowels and consonants, which are white in colour. In the centre is the letter OM. Starting from the right of the OM and extending from right to left are the vowels in the following sequence: A AA I II U UU RI RII LI LII E AI O AU AM AH. Starting to the left of the OM and extending from left to right are all the consonants in the following sequence: KA KHA GA GHA NGA CHA CHHA JA JHA NYA DA THA TA DHA NA DRA THRA TRA DHRA NA BA PHA PA BHA MA YA RA LA WA SHA KA SA HA KYA.

Above this row of white letters is a similar row of red letters, and above this is a row of blue letters. The letters of each row are the same, differing only in colour. All three rows of letters are made of radiant light.

We imagine that the row of white vowels and consonants gradually dissolves from both ends towards the centre and transforms into a white OM. In the same way, the row of red letters transforms into a red AH, and the row of blue letters transforms into a blue HUM. Now there is a white letter OM, a red letter AH, and a blue letter HUM, one above the other, above the nectar.

These three letters radiate brilliant light rays to the Buddha Lands of the ten directions, invoking the enjoyments of all the Buddhas, Heroes and Yoginis, and drawing back all their wisdom nectars into the three letters. The blue HUM turns upside-down, descends, and dissolves into the nectar, followed in the same way by the red AH and the white OM. The three letters mix with the nectar, causing it to become inexhaustible. To stabilize the transformation of the nectar we recite OM AH HUM three times.

We do all these inner offering practices while reciting the appropriate words from the sadhana. At the conclusion of the blessing we should develop a strong conviction that in front of us there is a special wisdom nectar possessing the three qual­ities. This nectar can now be used either for our own purposes or to benefit others.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE INNER OFFERING

When advanced meditators bless their inner offering they visualize the various stages as external transformations, but at the same time internally they engage in completion stage practices that correspond to the stages of the blessing. Knowing the symbolism of the inner offering, they use the process of blessing it to greatly enhance their completion stage practice.

The wind mandala symbolizes the downward-voiding winds that are located below the navel. The triangular-shaped fire mandala symbolizes the inner fire, or tummo, at the navel. The three human heads symbolize the minds of white appearance, red increase and black near-attainment – the fifth, sixth and seventh of the eight signs that occur when the winds have dissolved within the central channel. The skullcup symbolizes the mind of clear light, the eighth sign. The skullcup is white outside and red inside, symbolizing emptiness and great bliss respectively. The skullcup itself symbolizes the indivisible union of bliss and emptiness. The five nectars inside the skullcup symbolize the five contaminated aggregates, and the five meats symbolize the five elements – earth, water, fire, wind and space, as well as the five principal delusions – confusion, miserliness, attachment, jealousy and self-grasping. The contaminated aggregates and elements are the principal basis to be purified during completion stage practice. Their generation inside the skullcup of bliss and emptiness symbolizes their purification and transformation.

In general, meat symbolizes the flesh of the four maras that are slain by Tantric practitioners with the weapon of their wisdom. Each of the five meats also has a special significance. Cows are very dull and stupid, so the meat of the cow symbolizes confusion. Dog meat symbolizes miserliness because dogs are very possessive and miserly. Although a dog usually cannot enjoy its owner’s possessions it will nevertheless guard them diligently and attack anyone who threatens them. Elephant meat symbolizes attachment. Horse meat sym­bolizes jealousy because horses are very competitive. When they run together and one horse moves ahead, the others jealously chase after it. Human flesh symbolizes self-grasping because most humans have an inflated sense of their own importance. These delusions must be purified because they are the main cause of developing both contaminated aggregates and contam­inated elements.

The fluttering of the banners on the wind mandala symbolizes the downward-voiding winds ascending. The blazing fire symbolizes the blazing of the inner fire. Through the blazing of the inner fire the winds gather and dissolve within the central channel, inducing the three signs symbolized by the three human heads on top of the fire mandala. When the energy winds have completely dissolved within the central channel the mind of clear light arises. This is symbolized by the skullcup on top of the three heads. Through meditating on the clear light the five contaminated aggregates are purified and transform into the five Buddha Fathers, and the five contaminated elements are purified and transform into the five Buddha Mothers. This is symbolized by the ten substances transforming into wisdom nectar.

In summary, blessing the inner offering indicates the basis that needs to be purified, the path that purifies and the results of purification – the basis, path and result of completion stage practice. When we have understood this and can combine our understanding with the practice of blessing the inner offeri­ng, we will begin to appreciate the real significance of this profound practice. Marpa Lotsawa said that tasting the nectar of his inner offering was more powerful than receiving a hundred initiations from other Lamas. This may seem to be a boastful statement, but when we thoroughly understand the special qualities of the inner offering we will realize the profound truth of Marpa’s words.

When we bless our inner offering, the basis of the offering is the ten inner substances, but the visual object of the offering is a nectar pill dissolved in alcohol or tea. When we bless torma and tsog offerings, the visual object of the offerings and the basis of the offerings are the same, both having the aspect of nectar for eating. Apart from these differences, the four stages of clearance, purification, generation and transformation are the same when blessing the inner offering, the tsog offerings and the torma offerings.

The procedure for making nectar pills that was mention­ed in the yoga of experiencing nectar is also similar to the procedure for blessing the inner offering. However, there are some differences with respect to the visualized basis upon which the pills are established, the substances that are used, and the number of OM AH HUM mantras that are recited during the blessing.

BLESSING THE OUTER OFFERINGS

This has two parts:

1 General explanation

2 How to bless the outer offerings

GENERAL EXPLANATION

Traditionally there are eight outer offerings, which are sometimes followed by a further six. Listed in the order in which they are offered, the eight offerings are: nectar for drinking, water for bathing the feet, flowers, incense, light, perfume, food and music. The purpose of making these offerings to the Gurus, Yidams, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is to increase our merit, or good fortune, and thereby create the cause for our wishes to be fulfilled. In particular, by offering food and nectar we will gain freedom from the suffering of poverty and obtain the enjoyments of the Buddhas. By offering bathing water and perfume we will become free from samsaric rebirths and attain the Form Body of a Buddha. By offering beautiful flowers we will become free from sickness, ageing, and other bodily ailments, and we will attain the special attributes of the body of a Buddha. By offering incense we create the cause to keep pure moral discipline and attain pure concentration. By offering lights we will become free from the inner darkness of ignorance and attain omniscient wisdom. By offering beautiful music we create the cause never to have to hear unpleasant sounds but only to hear pleasant sounds, especially the sound of Dharma; and to receive only good news. It is also a cause of attaining the speech of a Buddha. Knowing these benefits we should try to make outer offerings every day, at least mentally.

All Buddhist practitioners should keep a statue or a picture of Buddha Shakyamuni and regard this as the living Buddha. Practitioners of these special Vajrayogini instructions should also keep statues or pictures of Je Tsongkhapa and Vajrayogini and regard these as they would the living Je Tsongkhapa and Vajrayogini. In front of these representations of the Buddhas, Gurus and Yidams we arrange three rows of offering bowls. The first row, closest to the shrine, is for the Field for Accumulating Merit visualized in the practice of Guru yoga; the second row is for the in-front-generated Deity visualized during the torma offering; and the third row is for ourself generated as the Deity. We can arrange more than three rows if we wish. We can set out a hundred rows of offerings, or even more, if we have the time.

According to Mother Tantra, offerings are made starting from the left hand of the Deity. Thus, offerings to the self-generated Deity should be set out starting from our left and offerings to the in-front-generated Deities should be arranged starting from our right, and placed in the order already explain­ed. Traditionally we use water for the first two offerings and the sixth, but we regard it as nectar.

In front of us, on a small table, we place in a row from our right to our left a damaru, a bell, a vajra and the inner offering. The bell faces us with the vajra to its right, just touching it. The other ritual objects should be placed a little apart. The bell symbolizes emptiness and the vajra symbolizes great bliss; together they remind us that when we received the empowerment we made a commitment to train in great bliss and emptiness, and in the union of these two. ‘Great bliss’ refers to the bliss that arises through the melting of the drops inside the central channel through the power of meditation.

HOW TO BLESS THE OUTER OFFERINGS

This has four parts:

1 Clearance

2 Purification

3 Generation

4 Actual blessing

CLEARANCE

For the clearance stage of the blessing we recite OM KHANDAROHI HUM HUM PHAT and visualize either ten or countless wrathful Khandarohi Goddesses emanating from the letter BAM at our heart. These Goddesses drive away all spirits who try to interrupt us. We then reabsorb the Goddesses into our heart.

PURIFICATION

While reciting the mantra OM SÖBHAWA SHUDDHA SARWA DHARMA SÖBHAWA SHUDDHO HAM we meditate on the lack of inherent existence of the eight offering substances and of all phenomena. This practice purifies our ordinary appearances and ordinary conceptions.

GENERATION

We visualize the following:

From the state of emptiness eight KAM letters instantaneously appear in the space in front of us. These eight letters, which have the nature of great bliss and emptiness, transform into eight skullcups. Inside each skullcup a letter HUM appears. These letters, which are in nature indivisible bliss and emptiness, transform into the individual offerings: water for drinking, water for bathing the feet, and so on. Each offering has three attributes: its nature is the wisdom union of great bliss and emptiness, its aspect is that of the individual outer offering, and its function is to cause those who enjoy it to experience special, uncontaminated bliss.

ACTUAL BLESSING

Above each skullcup we visualize the three letters OM AH HUM, one above the other, and we then recite the appropriate blessing mantra. For each blessing mantra we insert the Sanskrit name of the offering between OM and AH HUM. The Sanskrit names of the eight outer offerings are: AHRGHAM, water for drinking; PADÄM, water for bathing the feet; VAJRA PUPE, flowers; VAJRA DHUPE, incense; VAJRA DIWE, light; VAJRA GÄNDHE, perfume; VAJRA NEWIDE, food; and VAJRA SHAPTA, music. Thus to bless the water for drinking, for example, we recite the blessing mantra OM AHRGHAM AH HUM.

After verbally blessing each offering in this way we imagine that the letter HUM above each skullcup dissolves into the offering, followed by the letters AH and then OM. In this way the offerings are blessed and transform into the nature of the wisdom union of great bliss and emptiness possessing the three attributes.

OM is the seed-letter of all Buddhas’ bodies, AH the seed-letter of all Buddhas’ speech, and HUM the seed-letter of all Buddhas’ minds. The letters OM AH HUM therefore symbolize the body, speech and mind of all the Buddhas. These three letters are the source of all the mantras of the Gurus, Buddhas, Yidams and Dharma Protectors, and when we recite this mantra we invoke the great power of all these holy beings. Despite its brevity, this is one of the most blessed and powerful of all mantras. If we recite it with conviction and strong faith we will receive the blessings of all the Buddhas.

While we recite the blessing mantra we can perform the accompanying hand gestures, or mudras, which symbolize and bless each offering. Illustrations of the various hand gestures can be found in Appendix III. As we recite the blessing mantra for the music offering we play the damaru and bell. We hold the bell in our left hand and play it at the level of our heart to symbolize the experience of clear light, which arises through the dissolution of the inner winds within the central channel at the heart. To attain the wisdom of clear light through meditation we need to ignite the inner fire and cause it to increase, and this is symbolized by playing the damaru. We hold the vajra and damaru in our right hand. We play the damaru at the level of the navel because we ignite the inner fire by concentrating on our navel channel wheel. We begin by playing the damaru and imagining that it ignites our inner fire, and then we accompany it by playing the bell briefly, signifying the subsequent experience of clear light. Playing the instruments in this way sows in our mind a special potential to accomplish these attainments in the future.

The six additional outer offerings are also known by their Sanskrit names. They are: VAJRA ADARSHE, indestructible form – we imagine that all visual forms arise as Rupavajra Goddesses; VAJRA WINI, indestructible sound – all sounds arise as Shaptavajra Goddesses; VAJRA GÄNDHE, indestruct­ible scents – all smells arise as Gändhavajra Goddesses; VAJRA RASE, indestructible tastes – all tastes arise as Rasavajra Goddesses; VAJRA PARSHE, indestructible objects of touch – all tactile objects arise as Parshavajra Goddesses; and VAJRA DHARME, indestructible phenomena – all other phenomena arise as Dharmadhatuvajra Goddesses.

MEDITATION AND RECITATION OF VAJRASATTVA

This has three parts:

1 Developing the intention to purify

2 Visualizing Vajrasattva

3 Reciting the mantra

DEVELOPING THE INTENTION TO PURIFY

Sometimes we feel that our relatives and friends cause our happiness and that our enemies cause our suffering and problems, but in fact all our happiness is the result of our own virtuous actions and all our suffering is the result of our own negative actions. Although, even in our dreams, it is our constant wish to be free from misery, suffering, fear and danger, we will never enjoy these freedoms until we have purified all the negative actions we have accumulated in this and previous lives.

Purification is very important for everyone, but it is especially important for Dharma practitioners who wish to gain realizations of Sutra and Tantra. The negative actions we have created in the past are the main obstacles to our gaining Dharma realizations and fulfilling our spiritual wishes.

Out of his compassion for living beings Buddha taught many methods for purifying negative actions. Among these, one supremely powerful method is meditation and recitation of Vajrasattva. In The Main Path of the Conquerors, the Root Text of the Mahamudra, the first Panchen Lama says:

And since the realization of the ultimate nature of the mind

Depends upon accumulating merit and purifying obstructions,

You should first recite the hundred-letter mantra a hundred thousand times

And make as many hundreds of prostrations as possible while reciting Confession of Moral Downfalls,

And then from the depths of your heart you should make requests again and again to your root Guru

Who is inseparable from all the Buddhas of the three times.

Powerful purification practices such as training in taking and giving motivated by compassion for all living beings will cause suffering in general, and the sufferings of sickness such as cancer in particular, to cease completely. This is because it will cause self-cherishing and self-grasping, the root of all these sufferings, to cease.

VISUALIZING VAJRASATTVA

We imagine that above our crown appears a white, thousand-petalled lotus and a moon cushion. Upon the moon cushion sit Vajrasattva Father and Mother. They have white-coloured bodies and are in nature one with Guru Heruka. The Father holds a vajra in his right hand and a bell in his left. His arms are crossed embracing his consort Vajramanani, and he sits in the vajra posture. He is adorned with six types of bone mudra-ornament: crown ornament, earrings, necklace, heart ornament, bracelets and anklets, and ashes of bone spread on his body. Vajramanani holds a curved knife in her right hand and a skullcup in her left. She is adorned with the first five mudra-ornaments, but not with the ashes. She sits in the lotus posture, so called because her legs make a shape similar to a lotus as she embraces Vajrasattva.

We should regard them as the real, living Vajrasattva and consort. Their bodies are the synthesis of all Sangha Jewels, their speech the synthesis of all Dharma Jewels, and their minds the synthesis of all Buddha Jewels. We should visualize them about three inches above our crown and ideally about six inches in height, but if we find this difficult we can visual­ize them whatever size is most comfortable.

RECITING THE MANTRA

This has three parts:

1 The mantra to be recited

2 How to combine recitation with purification

3 Conclusion

THE MANTRA TO BE RECITED

There are four kinds of hundred-letter mantra: the hundred-letter mantras of Heruka, Yamantaka, Vajrasattva, and the Pema lineage. All four mantras are the same for the most part, the main difference being the name of the Yidam at the beginning of the mantra. Thus, in the hundred-letter mantra of Heruka we recite OM VAJRA HERUKA SAMAYA . . . and so on; in the hundred-letter mantra of Yamantaka we recite OM YAMANTAKA SAMAYA . . . ; in the hundred-letter mantra of Vajrasattva we recite OM VAJRASATTÖ SAMAYA . . . ; and in the hundred-letter mantra of the Pema lineage we recite OM PÄMASATTÖ SAMAYA . . . . The remaining letters of the mantras are mostly the same. In the practices of Heruka and Vajrayogini we recite the hundred-letter mantra of Heruka.

In general, Vajrasattva and Vajradhara have the same nature, differing only in shape, colour and ornaments. This is like someone expressing different aspects of their nature by wear­ing different clothes. In Guhyasamaja Tantra Vajradhara says that there are one hundred Buddha families. These hundred families can be condensed into five, these can be condensed into three, and these in turn can be condensed into one – Vajradhara, or Vajrasattva. The hundred-letter mantra sym­bolizes the hundred Buddha families and has the same nature as these families.

HOW TO COMBINE RECITATION WITH PURIFICATION

This has two parts:

1 General explanation

2 Purification in seven rounds

GENERAL EXPLANATION

To combine the recitation of the mantra with purification we must first develop a strong sense of regret for all the negative actions we have created in this life and in countless previous lives.

As mentioned before, all unhappiness, problems, fears, dangers and unfulfilled wishes are the result of our harmful actions. In what way do negative actions produce suffering? We can take a single action of killing as an example. This action will result in four effects of great suffering. As its ripen­ed effect we will take rebirth in an unfortunate realm. As its environmental effect, when we are born human, for example, our birthplace and living environment will be very poor and barren, and we will meet many hazards and problems. As the experience similar to the cause, when we take a human form, for example, our body will be ugly and deformed, we will have to undergo much physical pain, and our life span will be short. Finally, as the tendency similar to the cause, in future lives we will have a natural tendency to kill, taking delight in hunting, warfare, and so forth. These impulses will lead us to create the causes to be reborn in the lower realms again and again. All non-virtuous actions, even the tiniest, produce these four great sufferings.

However much we may wish to advance spiritually, we will find it difficult to make any progress until we have purified these negative actions. Through contemplating the faults and dangers of negative actions we develop intense regret and make a firm determination not to commit negative actions in the future. We keep this regret and determination in our mind and then go for refuge to Guru Vajrasattva at our crown, regarding him as the synthesis of the Three Jewels. Remembering Shantideva’s words in Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life:

But I might die before I purify

All my negativities;

O Please protect me so that I

May swiftly and surely be freed from them.

we mentally supplicate Vajrasattva:

Please protect me and all living beings from the dangers of negative actions and their effects.

We then recite the mantra. We first visualize on a moon cushion at Father Vajrasattva’s heart a white letter HUM encircled by the white hundred-letter mantra standing counter-clockwise. All the letters radiate light and have the wisdom nature of Guru Vajrasattva. We remember that the hundred letters of the mantra are inseparable from the hundred Buddha families. While reciting the mantra we mentally request Vajrasattva to protect us and all living beings from the misery of our negative actions and their effects.

For this purification practice to be effective we must correctly apply the four opponent powers. Developing regret for the negative actions we have created in the past is the power of destruction, making the determination not to repeat these actions is the power of promise, going for refuge to Guru Vajrasattva is the power of reliance, and reciting the mantra is the power of the opponent force.

PURIFICATION IN SEVEN ROUNDS

We can combine mantra recitation with purification in seven rounds. These are:

1 Dispelling negativity from above

2 Dispelling negativity from below

3 Destroying negativity at the heart

4 Purification through receiving the vase empowerment

5 Purification through receiving the secret empowerment

6 Purification through receiving the wisdom-mudra empowerment

7 Purification through receiving the word empowerment

The first three rounds are general practices and the remaining four are practices unique to Highest Yoga Tantra.

DISPELLING NEGATIVITY FROM ABOVE

To practise the first round we begin by recollecting the feel­ing of regret and the determination not to commit negative actions in the future. We then focus our attention on the hundred-letter mantra at Guru Vajrasattva’s heart and generate strong conviction and faith in Guru Vajrasattva and the power of his mantra. We recite the mantra verbally or mentally seven times or more and then imagine that white wisdom lights and nectars descend from the mantra letters. These leave through the point of union of Guru Vajrasattva Father and Mother and enter our body through our crown. We visualize all our negative actions and delusions in the aspect of sooty liquid, all our ailments and sufferings in the aspect of pus, blood and mucus, and all hindrances from spirits in the aspect of poisonous snakes, spiders and scorpions. As our body fills with lights and nectars we imagine that all these impurities are pushed down from the upper part of our body and leave through our lower doors. They descend to the depths of the earth where they enter the mouth of the Lord of Death. We imagine that he is fully satiated. Our body fills with wisdom lights and nectars and transforms into a body of light, free from all faults of sickness, ageing and death. We meditate on this pure body of light single-pointedly.

DISPELLING NEGATIVITY FROM BELOW

We recollect our previously generated regret, determination and faith in the power of this practice to purify negativities, and we then recite the mantra seven times or more. As before, we visualize wisdom lights and nectars descending and filling our body. We imagine that this causes all our negative actions, sickness, sufferings and delusions in the form of smoke, pus, blood, mucus, snakes, spiders and scorpions to rise up from the lower part of our body and leave through our mouth and nostrils. These then disperse and disappear completely into space. This method is like cleaning the inside of a dirty bottle – as water is poured in from the top and the water level inside rises, the dirt floating on the surface is forced out through the mouth of the bottle, leaving it completely clean inside.

DESTROYING NEGATIVITY AT THE HEART

We visualize all our bad karma, sickness, sufferings and delusions in the form of a mass of black light at our heart and then recollect the three necessary conditions of regret, determination and faith. We recite the mantra seven times or more. We then visualize wisdom lights and nectars descending and entering our body through our crown. When these reach our heart all our negative actions, sicknesses and so forth are dispelled, disappearing all at once, just as darkness is instantly dispelled the moment a light is switched on.

PURIFICATION THROUGH RECEIVING

THE VASE EMPOWERMENT

To receive the vase empowerment and the blessings of Guru Vajrasattva’s body we first recollect the three conditions and recite the mantra for a short time. We then imagine that wisdom lights and nectars descend and fill our entire body, purifying all our negative actions of body such as killing, stealing, beating and other ways of physically harming others. We generate a feeling of great bliss and recognize that this feeling is the essence of the vase empowerment. This empowerment ripens the seeds of our generation stage realizations, as well as our potential to attain the Emanation Body of a Buddha.

PURIFICATION THROUGH RECEIVING

THE SECRET EMPOWERMENT

To receive the secret empowerment and the blessings of Guru Vajrasattva’s speech we first recollect the three conditions and recite the mantra as before. We then imagine that wisdom lights and nectars fill our body, purifying all our negative actions of speech such as harsh words, lying, criticism and verbal retaliation. This induces an experience of great bliss, which is the essence of the secret empowerment. This empowerment ripens the seeds of our attainment of the illusory body and our potential to attain the Enjoyment Body of a Buddha.

PURIFICATION THROUGH RECEIVING THE WISDOM-MUDRA EMPOWERMENT

To receive the wisdom-mudra empowerment we recollect the three conditions, recite the mantra, and then imagine that wisdom lights and nectars fill our body, purifying all our negative actions of mind such as harmful thoughts, wrong views, negative intentions, lack of faith, and disrespect to holy beings. The wisdom lights and nectars confer upon us the blessings of Guru Vajrasattva’s mind, inducing an experience of great bliss, which is the essence of the wisdom-mudra empowerment. This empowerment ripens the seeds of our realization of clear light and our potential to attain the Truth Body of a Buddha.

PURIFICATION THROUGH RECEIVING

THE WORD EMPOWERMENT

To receive the word empowerment we recollect the three conditions, recite the mantra, and then imagine that wisdom lights and nectars fill our body, purifying all our downfalls, broken commitments and transgressions of the Bodhisattva and Tantric vows. The wisdom lights and nectars confer upon us the blessings of Guru Vajrasattva’s body, speech and mind, inducing an experience of great bliss, which is the essence of the word empowerment. This empowerment ripens the seeds of our completion stage realizations of the union that needs learning and the Union of No More Learning.

Sometimes we can practise the first three rounds and at other times the remaining four rounds. For practitioners emphasizing meditation on gathering and dissolving the inner winds within the central channel it is not necessary to practise the first two rounds.

CONCLUSION

When we have finished the meditation and recitation we feel that Guru Vajrasattva is delighted with us. We imagine that he slowly diminishes in size, dissolves into light, and enters our body through our crown. When he reaches our heart he dissolves into our subtle mind, and our subtle body, speech and mind become one with Vajrasattva’s body, speech and mind.

We can do the meditation and recitation of Vajrasattva in conjunction with the short prayers from the Vajrayogini sadhana, or separately with the Vajrasattva sadhana. When we do this practice as one of the four great preliminary guides we collect a hundred thousand recitations of the hundred-letter mantra. If we have the opportunity we should try to do a long retreat on Vajrasattva. The most important thing is to do this practice every day until we perceive signs that our negative actions have actually been purified.

If our practice of purification is successful we may experience recurring dreams in which we are washing ourself or wearing new, clean clothes, or we may dream that we are flying, or that unclean substances are being expelled from our body. Other effects of having purified negative karma are that our mind becomes more and more peaceful, and it becomes increasingly easy for us to attain deep experience of Dharma.