Meditation on the Buddha of Limitless Light (Amitabha-Öpagme)

Nothing is more important than mastering one's death, and meditations on the red Buddha of Limitless light (Tib. Öpagme, Skt. Amitabha) permit one to transform this process into selfliberating joy.

We sit comfortably, whether on a cushion or on a chair. Our hands resting our lap, the right on top of the left, palms up, and thumbs slightly touching.We keep our back straight without tightness and our chin pulled in a little. This allows the energy to flow smoothly along the chakras. Burning   incense is good as it purifies the environment, and also helps in relaxing the mind.

Relax your body and mind, and bring your awareness to the present by mindfully watching your breathing.We feel the formless stream of air at the tips of our noses and let thoughts and feelings pass without evaluation.

Then we focus on the four basic thoughts which turn mind towards liberation and enlightenment.

• We recognize our precious opportunity in this life, that we can benefit countless beings through the methods of the Buddha. Few ever meet beyond-dualistic teachings and even fewer are able to use them.
• We remember the impermanence of everything composite. Only the unlimited clear space of mind is lasting and nobody knows how long conditions will remain for recognizing that.
• We understand causality. That it is up to us what will come. Former thoughts, words and actions became our present state and right now we are sowing the seeds for our future.
• Finally, we see the reasons for working with mind: enlightenment is timeless highest bliss and we cannot benefit others while confused and suffering ourselves.

Not experiencing the world the way we wish, we now open up to those who have that power. For the good of all beings we take refuge in our goal, Buddha, the full development of mind; in the teachings which bring us there; in our friends and helpers on the way; and especially in the Lama, our teacher. In the Karma Kagyu lineage he always represents the Karmapa, now Thaye Dorje. Uniting blessing, methods and protection, he is needed for our fast development.

Above our head and at a reachable altitude there now arises a fully open lotus flower; a flat disc of the moon is resting inside it. Facing in the same direction as we, here sits the Buddha of Limitless Light (Öpagme, Amitabha). He is athletic and luminous, shines like a mountain of rubies in the light of a thousand suns. Radiant and beautiful beyond all concepts, his state is the fulfillment of any possible wish.

Being in essence the Karmapa and our root lama, he is seated in the position of meditation. His hands hold a bowl of lapis lazuli in his lap with the nectar of highest bliss. To his right, above our right shoulder and smaller than the Buddha of Limitless Light, stands the united compassion of all Buddhas, the white four-armed form of Loving Eyes (Chenrezig, Avalokitesvara). To his left and above our left shoulder stands Diamond in Hand (Channa Dorje, Vajrapani), the united power of all Buddhas in his peaceful light blue form. He holds a bell to his heart and a dorje towards Limitless Light. The three central forms are surrounded by the lamas of all Phowa lineages. Repeating the mantra as much as possible, we hold our awareness with the pure land above, and strongly wish to enter the heart of the red Buddha.

OM AMI DEWA HRI

When we finish the repetitions, the lamas and the pure land above melt into the white and the blue Bodhisattva.

These dissolve into the Buddha of Limitless Light and become one with him. Like water flowing into water, there is no separation. Then, he becomes light and streams down into us. The world is a pure land. Beings appear everywhere, all having the buddha-nature and we are the Buddha of Long Life (Tsepagme, Amitayus), our preferred Buddha, or our habitual form, now without weakness or disease. We decide to keep this awareness in all situations of life.

Now we wish that all the good which happened may become limitless. That it may remove all suffering and bring beings to the state of highest bliss, to the recognition of their own mind.

See also "Amitabha Practises" and Bardo Thödol - The Tibetan Book of the Dead