The profound mystical Dharma of Tantra Buddhism is to coordinate mutually and
harmoniously the triple activities of the mouth reciting the True Word, the
hands posting the symbol of a manta, and the mind entering into profound
meditation on mandalas with Form and without Form. During the practice, when
the benevolent power of Shakyamuni Buddha's three pure mystical elements
(Mudra, Manta and Dhyana) flows into the activities of the body, mouth and
mind of the practitioner and as a result of the integration of his divine power
and one's self-power and with the body, mouth and mind all in the
inconceivable state, the practitioner is at one with him and of one substance
with him, the karmic seeds of the Eighth Consciousness are turned karma-free
at once and return to their original state (karma-free seeds are fundamentally
inherent in everything and while we open our eyes to Buddha wisdom, the mind
turns to be the pure and illuminating Bodhi). However, except those
well-trained adepts, the excellent Tantric practice is not easily
comprehensible.
23.2 Red Hats Sect and Yellow Hats
Sect
In History, the Lotus Bodhisattva founded the 'Red Hats' Sect and
its teaching is based on the Lotus of Good Law of the Tantric Lotus
Division, emphasizing the Tathagata Ambitabha's profound-Observing
Wisdom to be the fundamental Wisdom. The lotus Division covers a wide
range of cultivation and practices vary according to the substance
and form of the Tathagata. However, the objective of the various Practices
is all the same. The cultivation of the Red Hats Sect is considered
to be the most complete because of its great working efficacy, but
if it is passed into the wrong hands, it will be abused and become
corrupted.
At later time, the 'Yellow Hats' Sect was founded and set up by Tsong Ka Pa,
with the view of reforming the teaching of Tantric Buddhism. In fact, there
is no essential difference between the two sects, as the Dharma of the Yellow
Hats Sect is also based on the Lotus Division in line with the teaching of
Nargajuna; moreover, both sects hold that the fundamental objective of
cultivation is Pure Bodhi. However, the latter sect puts more emphasis on
Discipline, which, as expounded in the Lotus Division, is considered to be
necessary for achieving the self-realization of Purity and Enlightenment.
After all, what is said in the above is but a cursory view of the basic issue
of the Tantric Buddhism.
23.3 Four Division in Tantric
Practices
Tantric practices may be classified into four divisions:
Activities to prevent calamities and to increase blessings;
Preliminary meditative practice for beginners;
Yogic practice to coordinate the triple mystic element with the triple
activities of the practitioner; and
Advanced Yoga, the most advanced of the four. The last division may be
graded at three levels;
Great Response (Mahayoga), to enter the profound luminous state by holding
on to the True Word;
Intermediate Response (Annuyoga), the profound and luminous state is no
other than the meditator himself; and
the Great Complete and Perfect Response (Atiyoga), this includes the
advanced practice of the "Essentials of the Great and Perfect" and "Heart of
Hearts" method, and the fundamental thing of this practice is to realize the
Truth that all things are embraced by the mind, and that mind and Buddha are
identical and not two, and ultimately, nothing is to be attainable.
As a rule, as those various mystical Tantric practices with their respective
mudras and mantras are only known to the guru and the initiated, it is utterly
impossible for us to present them fully here at all.
23.4 Yogic Practice - Vijrayana Sect
However, the yogic practice of the Mind pertaining to the Formless
Path of the Vijrayana Sect may be singled out and concisely presented
here as it may be of interest to those readers who are inclined to
take up that practice. This yogic practice consists of six mudras
and one mantra, each mudra to take eight sittings and each sitting
to take two full hours. After completing the six mudras, it calls
for specific and intensive practices of the fourth and the second
mudras (the fourth helps the initiated to be born in the buddhaland
of Supreme Happiness), and all the rituals involved in the practice
are very simple. During the two-hour practice, the initiate keeps
on reciting the mantra, with the hand holding on to the mudra and
the mind intensely concentrated on the mantra and completely indifferent
to any external influence or rising thought. Because of its holding
on to the manta and the mudra, the mind is not Non-Being (void); because
of the nature of non-interpretation and non-conceptualization of mantas
and mudras, it is not Being. Neither Being nor Non-Being, it is detached
from thoughts, and in this way it wipes them out as soon as they arise;
this may carry on until it is completely free from thought and then
the state of Samadhi will be realized. After four or five hundred
sittings in this manner, when those of superior root are able to realize
the fundamental Dharma of the mind, they can make use of the profound
wisdom to good effect. For those, weak in concentration, who may find
it too difficult to do the Ch'an practice or the Name-reciting method,
it may be advisable and feasible to take up this yogic practice, for
during the two-hour sitting the persistent and intense discipline
may quickly and effectively do away with those timeless dormant habits,
and concentration and wisdom would be highly developed. The Buddha's
Heart Sutra says: "If one holds on to the Heart of Hearts, 'Recognition of Non-arising'
will be quickly realized". The celebrated Tantric Master Naropa
once said that the Formless Dharma is superb and unexcelled. Deplorable
to say, those who take up this yogic practice are exceedingly few,
for the opportunity of obtaining such initiation largely depends on
the question of causes and conditions, which always vary from person
to person.
In History, the Lotus Bodhisattva founded the 'Red Hats' Sect and
its teaching is based on the Lotus of Good Law of the Tantric Lotus
Division, emphasizing the Tathagata Ambitabha's profound-Observing
Wisdom to be the fundamental Wisdom. The lotus Division covers a wide
range of cultivation and practices vary according to the substance
and form of the Tathagata. However, the objective of the various Practices
is all the same. The cultivation of the Red Hats Sect is considered
to be the most complete because of its great working efficacy, but
if it is passed into the wrong hands, it will be abused and become
corrupted.
However, the yogic practice of the Mind pertaining to the Formless
Path of the Vijrayana Sect may be singled out and concisely presented
here as it may be of interest to those readers who are inclined to
take up that practice. This yogic practice consists of six mudras
and one mantra, each mudra to take eight sittings and each sitting
to take two full hours. After completing the six mudras, it calls
for specific and intensive practices of the fourth and the second
mudras (the fourth helps the initiated to be born in the buddhaland
of Supreme Happiness), and all the rituals involved in the practice
are very simple. During the two-hour practice, the initiate keeps
on reciting the mantra, with the hand holding on to the mudra and
the mind intensely concentrated on the mantra and completely indifferent
to any external influence or rising thought. Because of its holding
on to the manta and the mudra, the mind is not Non-Being (void); because
of the nature of non-interpretation and non-conceptualization of mantas
and mudras, it is not Being. Neither Being nor Non-Being, it is detached
from thoughts, and in this way it wipes them out as soon as they arise;
this may carry on until it is completely free from thought and then
the state of Samadhi will be realized. After four or five hundred
sittings in this manner, when those of superior root are able to realize
the fundamental Dharma of the mind, they can make use of the profound
wisdom to good effect. For those, weak in concentration, who may find
it too difficult to do the Ch'an practice or the Name-reciting method,
it may be advisable and feasible to take up this yogic practice, for
during the two-hour sitting the persistent and intense discipline
may quickly and effectively do away with those timeless dormant habits,
and concentration and wisdom would be highly developed. The Buddha's
Heart Sutra says: "If one holds on to the Heart of Hearts, 'Recognition of Non-arising'
will be quickly realized". The celebrated Tantric Master Naropa
once said that the Formless Dharma is superb and unexcelled. Deplorable
to say, those who take up this yogic practice are exceedingly few,
for the opportunity of obtaining such initiation largely depends on
the question of causes and conditions, which always vary from person
to person.