Gentle Whispers Page 2

Through the perspective gained by having these truly amazing qualities, a historical Buddha displays remarkable compassion. Seeing all sentient beings in the same way that a mother looks at her only child, the Buddha Shakymuni gave teachings on each of the different paths of the Dharma, compassionately designed according to the various predispositions of karmic capacities of each individual sentient beings. Of these several different paths, such as the path of the bodhisattva, the 'pratyekabuddha', or the arhat ( to name a few), all were manifested by the generosity of Lord Buddha's compassion towards sentient beings. While all sentient beings differ in the degree of their positive and negative accumulations, in general they may be grouped into three categories: excellent, average, and inferior.

For sentient beings of the excellent or average type, the Buddha Shakyanuni taught the path of the yidam. The yidam practice allows those of excellent capacities and of great meritorious accumulations to attain complete realization in this very lifetime. Through the practice of this same yidam path, those of mediocre or average capacities and moderate merit accumulations may attain complete liberation at the time of death, or in the period after death. Designed especially for those beings having the qualities to practice it, this path comprises the pith teachings. The yidam deities are called transcendent deities. This means that they are deities through whom one may attain the ten levels of accomplished bodhisattva and the ultimate level of buddhahood.

They were emanated by the Buddha Shakyamuni to help speed those of excellent capacity towards the goal of final liberation.

 The fact that all the yidams are emanated by Buddha Shakyamuni does not mean they are all identical. Instead, they have different appearances, physical characteristics, ornamentation, colors, and attributes. There is a reason for this. In much the same way that a restaurant menu has a wide variety of choices because not everybody eats the same thing, sentient beings have many different desires or requirements. Each person discriminates and has obvious preferences, be it food, clothes, music, or approach to spirituality. Acknowledging varying types of sentient discrimination the Buddha Shakyamuni emanated myriad yidam deities.

To understand why the path of yidam practice is important, let me now refresh the discussion of the nature and function of three yanas. As you recall, the three yanas are the hinayana(or the lesser vehicle)), the mahayana(or the greater vehicle), and thirdly, the secret vajrayana(or supreme vehicle).We can think of these three as being a process, in that one starts with the lesser vehicle, increases gradually by attaining more superior levels, and finally reaches the secret mantra level. These can also be considered three different vehicles, each of which may be approached in its own right.

A fuller explanation of the nature of the three yanas has already been given, but let us now briefly review them. Basically, the hinayana is that path which emphasizes outer activity, wherein on completely abandons all manner of causing harm to others. With the development of pure conduct underway, on absorbs the mind into one-pointed samadhi in which one can recognize the emptiness of self and thus, come to realize the state of an arhat.

The recognition that not only the self but all phenomena are empty is the basis for the path of mahayana. This path views all phenomenal appearances as mental projections that are empty of any independently existent characteristics. Furthermore, one recognizes this emptiness and see that all sentient beings are foolishly real. They cling to that which is suffering as being pleasure, and cling to that which is impermanent as being something permanent. Aware of the total erroneous viewpoint to which sentient beings clings, those practicing the mahayana path experience very intense compassion. The development of compassion and emptiness based on the practice of the path of the six perfections ( the six paramitas) is said to be the two wings of this path. By using these wings, those practicing mahayana will attain the fully enlightened state, having passed successfully through all the bodhisattva stages.

This is the path of mahayana.

 In the Vajrayana, or the secret mantrayana, the view held is that the mind itself is emptiness, and that all appearance is emptiness. This recognition of mind and all appearance as being innately empty is termed 'wisdom'. All appearance of form, sight, sound and all kinds of sensory appearances are termed 'skillful' means. Thus inVajrayana, the whole of samsara and nirvana is recognized as being the union of wisdom and skillful means.

For example, consider the use of the organ of the eye to see. With our eyes we see the realm of form; we perceived form and actually believe that there is something that we are seeing. This demonstrates quality of unimpeded luminosity, which is again, termed skillful means.

However, the mind that sees is emptiness. And thus, these two- the emptiness of mind itself, and the actual manifestations of appearance that we think we are seeing- are totally the union of means and wisdom. Similarly, when we hear sound with the organ of the ear, we seem to be hearing something. It is as though there is really something that is being heard. This is also considered to be skillful means. At the time, however, both the one that is hearing and the sound itself are completely empty and have no substantial existence. This phenomenon is the union of means and wisdom as well.

When considering the total of all the five sense organs and their objects of sensory consciousness- such as eye consciousness, the eye itself, and the vision of form (and similarly throughout the remaining senses of hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling- know that these are none other than dharmata itself. Remembering that the basis of all this is the nature of mind itself, if we call to mind the view or imagination of perhaps a mountain, possibly a lake, or something less distant like the physical appearance of our parents, can we not recognize our ability to do so instantaneously?

Being able to see anything again what is referred to as means. Recognizing that these images themselves are emptiness- that there is actually nothing there, that there is no substantial existence, and that mind itself is devoid of any substantial existence- is what is referred to as wisdom. Thus, quit simple, all appearances, all phenomena are the union of means and wisdom. Even in a single lifetime, one is able to manifest completely as an enlightened being and attain true liberation without any obstacle on the path when one realizes the actuality of the union of skillful means and wisdom.

In order to attain this realization, one performs the yidam practice; therein lies an easy method to recognize all appearances as the union of skillful means and wisdom. It is the yidam itself that has the power and blessing to bring about this very realization. In previous time, this approach to practice, this tradition of mantrayana, was extremely secret. The practices of the yidam were very closely guarded and were not generally available. Rather, only those with a certain degree of understanding and with the good quality of capacity actually received these teachings.

Nowadays, we lamas give these secret precepts and yidam practices to whomever attends the teaching or initiation. We understand that without the karmic accumulation to be initiated into such practices, then you would not be reading this book or hearing this lecture, or even be fascinated enough to inquire about this path.

In this kalpa of one thousand historical Buddhas, only three will publicly teach this vehicle of secret mantrayana, which is also know as vajrayana. Buddha Shakyamuni, our historical Buddha who is the fourth of this kalpa, is one of these three. This is essentially why vajrayana teachings are being offered to the general public without there first being an extremely long association between the teacher and the student.

In the lifetimes of historical Buddhas who will not give vajrayana teachings to the public, these teachings will be given only to a few close and selected students. Therefore, it is extremely auspicious that you have the karma to receive these teachings and that you are instilled with the desire to use the insights of vajrayana to gain the liberated awareness of mind's true nature.

Let me return for a moment to continue an earlier discussion on the various capabilities of sentient beings, namely, that within the human realm there are inferior, average, and excellent types of human beings. Such distinctions have nothing to do with any sexual gender, racial, religious, or economic considerations; rather, these are levels of positive and negative accumulations. We find that the inferior type of human rebirth, which consists of those who have a natural inclination to cause harm and to destroy, etc., is extremely abundant. Such beings have no actual faith in the Dharma or any type of morality, and furthermore lack the ability to gain faith in the Dharma. This is called an inferior human existence, because once these humans die, they are again subjected to the experience of constant suffering in the painful lower realms.

Average human existence refers to those beings who are not particularly moved by any type of inspiration and who spend their human life-span in distraction, doing various things of little account. They are not developing positive trends. As a result their next rebirth will not be in any way superior to that experienced in this lifetime.

The excellent human existence is also called the precious human existence. It belongs to those beings who have interest in the Dharma, who listen to the Dharma, and who, in gaining an inspiration from it, wish to establish positive karmic trends. In comparison to the other kinds of human existence, the level of precious human existence is extremely rare. In illustration, if you were to take a great number of people, perhaps more than a thousand, in that number there may be only a handful, perhaps five at most, who have this preciousness.

Primary to having a human body are the bases of consciousnesses associated with the organs of sense, i.e., eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness,etc. In the Tibetan tradition, the consciousnesses are seen as subtle organs shaped as described. The basis of visual consciousness is like a flower. That of the olfactory consiousness is like two copper tubes. The basis of auditory consciousness is like the rolled bark of a tree. The basis of the gustatory consciousness is like a crescent moon. The basis of tactile consciousness is like the very fine down of a baby bird. And the organ of mind is like a clear mirror.

We Tibetans also liken the five or six sense functions as similar to windows in a house. Here the consciousness associated with each organ is thought of as being an individual , making five or six beings in that house, each with its individual sense consciousness. It is by the means of the sense organs, each with its associated consciousness, that the spere of sensation is experienced. It is from the eye organ and visual consciousness that the experience of the realm of form is derived. Similarly, the other organs and their associated consciousnesses allow the experience of the sensation of phenomenal existence. Perhaps it would be possible to consider that the six consciousnesses experiencing this realm through the six sense organs are indeed separate consciousnesses, in that each has some degree of distinction or separation because each has a different function. In essence and in meaning, however, together these comprise one consciousness, that of our human experience.

That which is perceiving the realm of form through the sensory organs is the base consciousness of pure and impure alaya. With a constant, habitual tendency of clinging to the experience of the sense consciousnesses as being something real, one could well form(and so on, with each of the other organs). In fact, this is not the case. The view that leads us to this conclusion is illustrated by examining the mind's experience of the state of dreams while asleep. During the dream time, the mind will project all the different consciousnesses very clearly, so that one will perceive form, will hear sounds, and will experience pleasure, pain, and a whole array of phenomenal concepts, including the whole environment contained in the dream. At the time of the dream, these are perceived as being absolutely real. When one wakes up, however, they have completely vanished.

You will recall that this very moment( in which you are open to the entire possible range of human sensory experience) is the experience of the body of karmic fruition. During the dream-state, by means of the body of habitual tendencies, you are open to the realm of the dream's sensory experiences. Further, in the after-death bardo-state, you will undergo the realm of bardo's sensory experiences by means of the mental body.

In cycles of one following the other, you ( and very other sentient being) have these bodies going through these various states. With the various bodies, every sentient being endlessly wanders in samsara. Certainly, this is a dilemma; but it is one that is resolved in recognizing the mahayana view as valid and useful. Resolving the issue of duality- of self and other, and of self-phenomena and the totality of other phenomena - one employs emptiness to gain liberation. Through meditating, one gains some experience of the emptiness (or non -self) of the individual personality, and the non-self( or emptiness) of phenomena, and by actually seeing the indivisibility of these two non-selves, one attains great realization. Then, just like Jetsun Milarepa, one can manifest many miracles, similar to those given in various examples in the book of his own one hundred thousand songs.

Yours in the Dharma

TO be continued....