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:
1. We recognize our precious opportunity in this life,
that we can benefit countless beings through the methods of a buddha.
Few people ever meet beyond-dualistic teachings like Diamond Way teachings
and even fewer are able to use them.
2. We remember the impermanence of everything composite.
Only the unlimited clear space of mind is lasting
and it is uncertain how long conditions will remain for recognizing it.
3. We understand causality. That it is up to us what will happen.
Former thoughts, words and actions became our present state
and right now we are sowing the seeds for our future.
4. Finally, we see the reasons for working with mind.
Enlightenment is timeless highest bliss,
and we cannot benefit others while confused or disturbed ourselves.
Therefore we now open up to those who can teach us.
For the good of all beings we take refuge.
In the Buddha, mind’s full development;
In his Teachings which bring us there, the Dharma;
In the realized Sangha, our friends on the way;
And most especially we take refuge in the Lama.
He unites blessing, methods and protection and is needed for our fast development.
Here he appears in his compassionate form as Loving Eyes
(Tib. Chenrezig, Skt. Avalokitesvara).
Above our head and the heads of all beings,
mind’s natural purity expresses itself as a fully open lotus flower.
It is transparent and slightly rainbow colored.
Within each lotus, the basic intelligence of beings manifests
as a radiant disc of the moon lying flat.
At the center of each moon disc, enlightened love now condenses
as a white Tibetan letter HRIH (or H-R-I-H written
from the top and down).
From this syllable, transparent rainbow light
shines out to the countless buddhas throughout space.
The light also touches unenlightened beings everywhere and dissolves all their suffering.
Now the rainbow light is charged with the blessing of the buddhas
and the happiness of all beings.
It returns to the HRIH syllables above our heads.
In an instant, they become forms of the four-armed Loving Eyes.
He sits in full meditation posture and is radiant like moonstone.
These light-forms sit above all beings.
A radiant moon-disc supports Loving Eyes’ back.
He wears the ornaments of a bodhisattva.
His outer right hand is at shoulder level.
It holds a crystal mala that lifts all beings out of the conditioned world.
His two middle hands hold the jewel of enlightenment to his heart.
His outer left hand holds a lotus flower that opens at his left ear.
It shows his absolute purity. Loving Eyes smiles kindly on all beings.
A deerskin is draped over his left shoulder,
signifying that he possesses the kindness of this animal
and that he will never harm anyone.
The five-colored cloth around his hips represents all levels of initiation.
His meditation posture signifies
that he works between confusion and liberation to benefit beings.
Above the head of each form of Loving Eyes
sits the red Buddha of Limitless Light (Tib. Opagme, Skt. Amitabha).
Both look with compassion on all beings,
expressing the non-discriminating love of all buddhas.
During the classical invocation to awaken the power of Loving Eyes,
we say, “You noble one with the faultless white body,
the perfect Buddha is seated above your head.
With eyes of compassion you see all beings; Loving Eyes, we take refuge in you.”
Now Loving Eyes empowers us.
From his forehead a clear light shines out in an arc into our forehead
and gives us the Vase Initiation.
From his throat a red light comes in an arc into our throat
and gives us the Secret Initiation.
From his heart a blue light then falls in an arc into our heart
and gives us the Wisdom-Awareness Initiation.
Finally, all three lights enter us at the same time
and we receive the Ultimate Initiation of the Great Seal. (MahaMudra)
After this transmission the light-forms of Loving Eyes
melt down into all beings and ourselves.
In an instant, we become Loving Eyes.
The world is his pure land, radiant with meaning.
Every sound is the vibration of his mantra and every thought is highest wisdom,
simply because they can occur.
At heart-level in the middle of our transparent light-form
rests an open lotus flower with six petals.
Each holds one of the six syllables of his mantra
arranged clockwise with OM towards the front.
Upon the center of the flower lies a flat disc of the moon.
In the middle of the moon-disc stands the Tibetan letter HRIH.
While all beings and ourselves repeat the mantra
for as long as we wish,
vivid rainbow-light shines from the mantra in the hearts of all beings
and fills space completely.
Recite Om mani peme hung now for as long as you wish
When we stop saying the mantra,
all the pure lands are absorbed into the forms of Loving Eyes.
These then dissolve into light and radiate from all directions
into our own four-armed transparent form, which disappears completely.
Then the petals of the lotus flower at heart-level
and their mantra syllables return to space in a clockwise direction.
Next, the center of the flower dissolves.
Finally the HRIH letter disappears from the bottom upwards
until only one tiny point is left.
Nothing else remains of the conditioned world.
In a flash, this point of light vanishes
and there is now only awareness without center or limit.
We stay as consciously as possible in this basic state.
Pause
Then, like a fish jumping from water, again a pure world appears.
All beings and ourselves have buddha-nature.
All sounds are the mantra of Loving Eyes
and all thoughts highest wisdom.
We decide to keep this understanding in all life’s situations
and wish that the good impressions that just appeared become limitless.
May they bring all beings the only lasting joy,
that of knowing mind.