Vajrayana Part 2

Buddha preached the teachings of 3 Vehicles: Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana.  Although it does create misunderstanding, especially to one who is newly initiated in the Dharma it is mostly due to 'lack of understanding'.

The distinction of these vehicles does not exist in the Dharma itself, but in the differentiation of people's mind.  The 3 vehicles are not meant to be separated at all.  We can practise all of them simultaneously. We need to apply the Buddha's teaching into our daily lives to gain experiential realisation of the teachings.

Here, we have the opportunity to learn about the 3rd vehicle, Vajrayana/Tibetan Buddhism - which has four major orders of Tibetan Buddhism:

1) Nyingma - literally means 'old order'

2) Kagyu - literally means 'teaching lineage'

3) Sakya - literally means 'gray earth'

4) Gelug - literally means 'system of  virtue' 

The Extraordinary or Inner Preliminaries Practice (Basis of Buddhist Commitments)

1) Taking Refuge in the 3 Jewels - the foundation stone of all paths.

2) Develop Bodhicitta - mind of enlightenment, the root of the Great vehicle (loving kindness & compassion for all beings like a mother and her child).

3) Meditating & reciting on the teacher 'Vajrasattva' to cleanse all obscurations.

4) Offering Mandala to accumulate merit and wisdom.

5) Guru Yoga, entrance - way for blessings, the ultimate method for arousing the wisdom of realization. 

   
For countless lives until the Buddha attained enlightenment, he relied on Gurus to learn and progress on the Path.  Recite Mantra (Mind Protection).  This is a tool to transform the human MIND.

These are methods (antidotes) to weaken ones defilements of ignorance, emotional tendencies (8 - fears, pride, anger, jealousy, wrong view, miserliness, attachment & doubt).  We practice Mindfulness/awareness to identify each emotion arising eg anger, fear...And we practice Sadhana to overcome them.  Sadhanas are chanted practices like Mantra of  specific meditational dieties in order to benefit others. 

  

1) Oral lineage (pass on from a realised spiritual  teacher to student) - There are many teachings on Sadhana practice for practitioners who have the necessary blessings and permission from teacher to engage in the practice.  Each level of practice builds on the previous ones for those who have the wisdom to see it.

2) Terma (spiritual treasures) - Pure Vision teachings hidden in the earth & minds of disciples to be revealed at appropriate time.

Quote from H H the 14th Dalai Lama: Vajrayana provides a detailed guide to the Methods by which an ordinary person can transform his Consciousness and set off on the Path to Buddhahood - state of Awake and Freedom.

To be a Buddhist is to take Responsibility for One's Life Choices. Our lives are a learning process in which we 'out grow' some Old thoughts and feelings as one increase one's Wisdom.  Mistakes we make are really experiences to learn from.  Let go.