Vajrayana Teaching Part 12

Part three: Transforming Problems into Spiritual Path

a) THE PRINCIPALS AND THE APPLICATION OF BUDDHIST MIND-TRAINING METHODS TO DAILY LIFE

Now that we understand the essential points of the three principal aspects of the path, seek solitude, enhance the power of diligence and strive to accomplish ultimate goal the buddhahood as quickly as possible.  Indirectly, it is an advice to all of us who learn, listen, contemplate and meditate.

The Path to enlightenment begins with cutting off yearning for samsaric joy and cultivate the mind (tame the mind) of renunciation.  However, renunciation without bodhicitta will not bring maximum benefit to ourselves and others. Realising that all sentient beings are suffering in samsara and the best way to help them is to train ourselves to attain buddhahood is generating bodhicitta mind.

Even if we have generated renunciation and bodhicitta but if we have not realized the wisdom understanding the nature of emptiness ie of dependent origination, we cannot cut the root of samsaric existence.

Renunciation, bodhicitta and wisdom realizing emptiness for the Three Principal Aspects of the Path (to Enlightenment).

Reflection

1) Impermanence:  The Buddha said all produced phenomena are impermanent. ie. things that come about from causes and conditions do not last.

2) Hardships help us to renounce suffering and the things that led to clinging to sorrow.  When face with problem, reflect on karma, we planted the cause, so no need to blame others and dont repeat the mistake.  We may have committed the mistake through any of the three doors: body, speech or mind.  But until the seed ripens the results can be avoided.  Minimise the negative actions by doing more positive actions.

3) Karma :  Karma is impermanent; its a dependent arising. Karma is within our control but take time and effort.  Therefore, negative karma can be neutralized by purification and good karma can be burned by hatred before it gives the result.  Some good karma that we create may not necessarily give us the results because they have been wasted by hatred. Negative karma gives you a negative life, but the suffering caused by negative karma also purifies the karma that provided the miserable conditions. Those are recognition which brings regret. Regret  makes you not repeat.  Finally you apply the remedy.

Karmic-Broom: The Buddha have constant, continuous good things happening to them because that is the constant continuation of positive karma.  When you reach the third stage of the second path, the stage of patience, you cease to produce the negative karma that brings rebirth in the lower realms.  On the third path, the path of seeing, when you see reality and everything you do becomes uncontaminated, positive karma.  Enlightenment is the result of positive karma and suffering is the result of negative karma.  So everything is a karmic result.

b) Tonglen: is Tibetan for 'Giving & Taking (or Sending & Receiving).  It refersto a meditation practice. One visualizes taking onto oneself the suffering of others on the in-breath and on the out-breath giving happiness and success to all sentient beings.  As such it is a training in altruism (selflessness).

Function of practice is to:

1) reduce selfish attachment

2) increase a sense of Renunciation

3) create positive Karma by giving & helping

4) develop & expand loving-kindness & bodhicitta.

The practice of tonglen involves all the 6-Perfections:

1) Giving (Dana)

2) Morality/Ethics

3) Joyous Effort

4) Patience, tolerance, acceptance

5) Concentration

6) Wisdom

These are the practices of a Bodhisattva.

HH Dalai Lama said this technique: whether meditation really helps others or not, it gives us peace of mind.

How can we help all sentient beings?

To attain the Buddhahood, a practitioner motivated by Bodhicitta need to train himself properly in the Mahayana path, otherwise it is impossible to attain Buddhahood.  Attainment of Buddhahood (complete & supreme attainment) is the greatest benefit one can achieve through correct usage of this precious human birth.

Because when we achieve that state of complete enlightenment (Buddhahood) we will enjoy infinite wisdom, infinite miraculous feats, infinite energy and accomplishments.