Kalachakra 2011: Day 9. Empowerment

Prior to Empowerment, HH continued Teachings.

[What follows is my incomplete and probably incorrect interpretation]

On the Vajrayana approach to meditation

Common to all Tantra teachings is visualization. In order to invoke subtle mind, the grosser mind should cease. Meditation is a means to perceive ultimate reality and understand its emptiness (voidness). There is no difference between Sutra and Tantra as far as the nature of reality is concerned. The difference comes at the level of subjective experience: one meditates on imagining oneself in a form of a deity. This is only possible by invoking the subtle mind. This is very different from meditating on the nature, let's say, a flower. Even though the ultimate nature of reality (emptiness/clear-light on the external level) is the same, the objects of meditation in the Pali tradition (Theravada) and and in the Tantric tradition (Vajrayana) are different. Both meditate on the void/empty nature of reality but the methods they use differ significantly.

How is Kalachakra Tantra is different from other higher-level Tantras

In the higher-level Tantra there are father-tantra, mother-tantra, and non-dual tantra. Depending on classification, father- and mother-tantras are either considered a subset of non-dual tantra or the latter constitutes its own separate class. [One commentator] establishes correspondence between Kalachakra initiations (empowerments) and the classes of tantra: 2nd initiation relates to father-tantra; 3rd initiation, to mother-tantra; and 4th initiation, with non-dual tantra.

Kalachakra is referred to as explicit (or clear) Tantra, as opposed to obscure (or oblique) ones. The clarity refers to the 4th initiation: in the Kalachakra Tantra, the 4th empowerment is presented explicitly, while in others it is said that it is based on the 3rd, without further elaboration. In other Tantras there are references to rainbow or other subtle bodies but in the Kalachakra Tantra the approach is different: it uses the subtle energy, the clear light. Only in the Kalachakra Tantra the practice involves clear (subtle) Bodhicitta drops (red and white), and from the merge of the two and their dissolving comes the dissolution of the temporal body.

We can distinguish two kinds of emptiness:

• without aspect, and
• with aspect (empty form).

Through the cultivation of the empty form one can achieve 3 kinds of bliss:

1. based on the sexual energy;
2. mutable (changeable) — via imagining interaction with wisdom, and 
3. immutable — great seal of empty form.

Through the practice of great seal of empty form one can visualize 21,600 drops arising, which corresponds to 21,600 times we breathe in a 24-hour period.

In other higher-level Tantra practices there are similar practices but what is specific to Kalachakra is that the clear light itself is being used, as oppose to the grosser level of mind.

On the Dzogchen approach

In the Dzogchen approach, using clear mind does not require that the grosser mind ceased its activity. This is an advanced technique, based on fundamental awareness. This is not an easy approach, and practicing it is only possible with a highly qualified Dzogchen teacher/guru.

On authenticity of Vajrayana and Kalachakra

HH then returned to the topic of authenticity of Tantrayana he had partially addressed on Monday, July 11 (Day 6). There are all kinds of questions about Tantric tradition in general and Kalachakra Tantra in particular: Kalachakra is a later text, it could not possibly emanate from the Buddha, where, exactly, Shambala was located, etc. The point, however, is not to take the text literally. Other Buddhist texts mention “pure land” or “copper mountain,” but these are not being interpreted literally. Historical analysis is not a criterion of veracity of teaching. Even in the Sutras the metaphorical interpretation is often required.

Some Indian and Tibetan masters did question the authenticity and validity of Kalachakra Tantra. However, they did so after having themselves practiced the Kalachakra Tantra and having had visualizations based on it.

The Sakya approach speaks of the following sequence:
authentic scriptures --> tradition --> experience.
In practice, the sequence is often the opposite:
experience --> tradition --> authentic scriptures

There are ordinary experiences and extraordinary experiences. In the Tantric (esoteric) tradition you do have extraordinary experiences. You have to trust your teacher, and through your personal experience develop admiration for the great masters of the past. HH reminisced about his conversation, when he was still in Tibet, with a Chinese communist official about whether there is reincarnation. The official said there was not but he admitted he could no prove that. Absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence, so in some circumstances one cannot rely only on reason and needs to have a belief, a conviction. HH then relayed a story about a Kagyu lama who spent time in a Chinese prison and then came to India and participated in the Kalachakra initiation. During empowerment he had a vision of all the masters of his lineage being in one room. There was no reason for that lama to tell untruth, he had nothing to gain. Extraordinary experiences are possible.

HH then said that he has students who gained a great level of insight as a result of Kalachakra empowerment and surpassed himself (“The son is greater than the father,” as an old Tibetan saying goes.)

Ultimately though, one needs to familiarize oneself with different Tantric systems and judge for oneself how effective the Kalachakra Tantra is based on the personal experience.

Evening dharma talk: Robert Thurman

Professor Thurman gave a great talk. He is an engaging speaker with encyclopedic knowledge and volcanic temperament. However, he put forth so much politics that it turned me off, somewhat—even though I agree wholeheartedly with most of what he said. Temperamentally, I feel more comfortable with Dr. Berzin.

Kalachakra 2011: Day 8. Preliminary Empowerment of Students

HH continued his commentary on Kamalashila's The Stages of Meditation.

[What follows is my incomplete and probably incorrect interpretation]

Shamata and vipassana

Explaining sections on meditating on Calm Abiding (shamata) and Special Insight (vipassana) (pp. 43–45), he said that the key to shamata is to find a proper balance: if your mind is scattered and too agitated you have to calm it down but if you feel too low or depressed you have to lift your mind up by some joyous thoughts. Normally shamata meditation precedes vipassana meditation. Initially you'll be able to concentrate only for a few minutes but if you practice you'll be sustain your concentration for several hours. Higher-level meditators are able to practice shamata and vipassana meditations at the same time.

In regard to the section on Actualizing Special Insight (p.46, last paragraph). “Self” here is used in the sense of self-existence. Some schools of thought maintain that selflessness relates only to individuals while other schools say that selflessness relates to all phenomena.

In any case, the essence of Buddhism is:

• infinite altruism [method] +
• recognizing the nature of ultimate reality (whether objective or subjective) which is devoid of its own self [wisdom]

Understanding this give a person a sense of inner strength.

What is specific to Vajrayana (Tantrayana) is the possibility for its follower to unite and perceive method and wisdom in a single mental state (a single cognitive event) and then arise in the form of a deity during the meditation. More precisely, it is the ability for the meditator not only to perceive a deity but to identify with it.

In general, the highest-level Tantras are characterized by indivisible unity of

• form and manifestation;
• body and mind;
• method and wisdom

these are two aspects of the same entity.

There are grosser and subtler levels of mind (or energy). In order to quiet the activity of the grosser mind and access the subtle mind one can employ techniques, such as meditating on pranas (energy channels).

On Vajrayana

The concepts of four types of nirvana (natural, with a residue, without a residue, and non-abiding), as well as the concepts of three kayas (Buddha bodies) can be explained only in the Tantric tradition. By introducing a notion of a clear light mind (basis tantra) Vajrayana brings out the hidden meaning of Buddhist sutras and fosters understanding of the Buddha's enlightened mind.


Evening dharma talk: Bodhicitta

HE Mindrolling Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche gave a talk on Bodhicitta. She is a wonderfully engaging speaker. Below are just a few points I jotted down.

Bodhicitta is awakening mind/loving kindness. The method is to reduce obstacles and increase conditions for happiness.

1. Inner wakefulness (reflection) —not dependent on external circumstances.
2. Strength of virtuous attitude (cultivate virtues).
3. Strength of meditation/contemplation.
4. The presence of a spiritual teacher.

• Unconditional love: requires practice and repetition, has to be built up to be sustained.
• Strong sense of awareness (of self-centeredness, selfishness).
• Undiminishing aspiration to end suffering of other people.
• Strong desire to reach enlightenment.
• Devotion to mindfulness.

Meditation allows one to get in touch with inherent goodness of human beings. We have an ability to do something in order to achieve happiness.

Thoughts and actions:

• Maintain aspiration
• Realize the magnitude of suffering, see it, open yourself up.
• Be joyful: find something good in another person rather than being critical. Cultivate an ability to glimpse something positive and maintain a positive attitude. Accept the world as it is, and not how it should be (in your view)
• Maintained unbiased attitude. Curb your aggression and ambition.

Kalachakra 2011: Day 6. Preliminary Teachings

Teachings on Acharya Kamalashila's Stages of Meditation (Gomrim Barpa), Gyalse Ngulchu Thogme's Thirty-seven Practices of a Bodhisattva (Lagden Sodunma), and Geshe Langri Thangpa's The Eight Verses of Mind Traininng. Day 3

The afternoon began with the recitation of sutras in Japanese and Vietnamese.



[What follows is my incomplete and probably incorrect interpretation]

As was noted on the first day of teaching, internal essence (“self”) has no beginning and no end. Similarly, external phenomena have no beginning or end either. For example, there is no reason to think that there was only one big bang, it stands to reason that there were and there will be an infinite number of big bangs.

Liberation from suffering

One has to look beyond appearances and recognize reality. Appearances are illusions; once this is understood the attachment/clinging/grasping, as well as resulting negative emotions (anger, fear, jealousy, etc.) are dispelled.

The liberation from suffering is possible because the basic nature of the mind is pure. Practically, to effect this change, one has to:

1. avert acts of destruction;
2. let go of grasping to your identity;
3. let go of clinging to external things.

As was noted yesterday, there are two kinds of suffering. Avoiding 10 non-virtues, which is common to all great religions, is to free yourself from the first kind of suffering. This avoiding de-merit, avoiding negative actions can be achieved by modifying your behavior.

On wisdom

The main obstacle to liberation though is distorted ignorance (“mis-knowing”). All negative emotions are caused by it, i.e., by self-clinging, self-attachment. To overcome that, one needs to dispel distorted ignorance, i.e., one needs wisdom.

There are three levels of wisdom:

1. sensory-based;
2. reason-based; and
3. internalized.

Wisdom is achieved through meditation. To achieve concentration, one needs quietness, noiselessness (which is difficult to find in a big city). The meditation should be single-pointed, which implies introspection, mindfulness, and concentrating on an object. Mind has to be sharp but relaxed. Meditation skill allows us to perform self-observation, to check whether our actions are right.

samadhi (meditation) = morality + meditation + wisdom

This is common to all three Buddhist traditions. The differences are contextual, they are only distinction of emphasis.

On the role of Tantric tradition in Buddhism

HH then addressed the issues that are sometimes being raised related to “legitimacy” of the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions. Some question whether Mahayana was taught by the Buddha. Others say that if the Buddha came to Tibet and observed the Tantric tradition he wouldn't recognize his own teaching.

Mahayana tradition is based on Theravada, and developed it further using the notion of infinite altruism (Bodhicitta). As far as Vajrayana is concerned, there is a source and foundation of the Tantric principle in the Sanskrit tradition. The contribution of the Tantric tradition is the notion of subtle energy. Without that notion it is difficult to explain the nature of achieving Buddhahood. The important consideration here is not to be bound by the conventional notion of time: the historic Buddha may not have taught Tantra directly but Buddha is eternal. The whole point of Buddhism is that the physical death of the historical Buddha was not the end. (Here HH relayed a story about a Theravada monk who had a visual experience of the Buddha.)

On altruism

Thus one of the main precepts of Mahayana and Vajrayana is altruism.
One has to practice selflessness, which can be of two kinds:

1. intuitive altruism; and
2. recognition of interdependent existence.
   

(An aside: In Buddhism there are no absolutes. Even an absolute devotion to god may become a hindrance on the path of liberation.)

Altruism is not hard to understand but difficult to experience. There are two methods of practicing altruism:

1. treat others like people we love;
2. eliminate self-centeredness, recognize that there is no “I”

The second method will banish anger, hatred, jelousy, and rid you of fear. It will fill you with self-confidence and bring you more friends. Egoism make one stiff.

As soon as selfishness is gone there is no hypocrisy, and all moral principles, like 10 Commandments are observed willingly, and not out of fear.

On strength of keeping your mind calm

Stanza (14). If your enemy has succeeded in provoking your anger, if he has made you lose your temper then the enemy has defeated you. But if your mind remains calm then the enemy has failed. (Here HH relayed a story from his childhood about an old Tibetan official who was famous for his humility: the angrier his adversary was the more serene he became. And then he struck back, at the right moment. That's a sign of strength.) Keep your mind peaceful; then it is not impossible that your worst enemy will become your best friend.

Remaining stanzas of The Thirty-seven practices

Stanzas (18–19). When one goes through the hard period on is in danger of losing optimism/hope. If one's life is very successful then he is in danger of becoming arrogant/conceited.

Stanza (22). Meditation on emptiness.

Stanzas (23–24). In the after-meditation state one has to cultivate awareness of illusion.

Stanza (25). Practice of six perfections, beginning with generosity.

Stanza (31). You have to continually examine your own confusion, check whether we follow the right path. That requires self-discipline and involves watching over verbal, physical, and mental actions.

That was the end of exegesis on The Thirty-seven practices of a Bodhisattva by Gyalse Ngulchu Thogme.


The Eight Verses of Mind Training

HH then turned to The Eight Verses of Mind Training by Geshe Langri Thangpa (p.53) that he has known by heart since childhood. (He said that he doesn't get frustrated when there are flight delays: he occupies his mind with these verses.)

Modalities of perception of the world

There are two kinds of awakening mind, conventional and ultimate. As far as ultimate awakening mind is concerned, one can distinguish three kinds.

1. Non-conceptual (sensory). This one is non-selective, immediate: it engages with whatever is in the field of vision.
2. Conceptual (reasoning). This one is selective — does not engage with the object directly.
3. Highly selective. This one operates on the mental level and chooses its objects. However, it tends to conflate time, e.g., “Is this the same thing I saw yesterday?”

On meditation

HH then spoke about meditation. Normally attainment of shamata (calmness) precedes vipassana (insight); however, in higher Tantras there are practices to meditate on both:

• union of bliss an emptiness (Gelug);
• union of samsara and nirvana (Sakya).

Coming back to Kamalashila's The Stages of Meditation (p 44, column 1, last paragraph), HH stressed the importance of the correct posture and said that breathing meditation can be helpful if your mind is distracted or agitated.

The object you concentrate on should be in your mind's eye. Visualize it. The image will become bright. Then you visualize yourself as a deity (Vajrayana) or as a chakra (Mahayana). Do not think about past or future. You should feel empty, no external stimuli or internal feelings.

Perception is not mirroring, it is taking one aspect of an object and constructing “knowing,” or understanding. There are different views on the nature of perception: is it a unitary moment or a multi-aspect/multi-stage process?

When we stop thinking of past and future this is a moment of nothingness. Prolong that and experience luminosity, the ultimate reality of the mind. Concentrate on that for as long as you can. Then take *that* and investigate; meditate on what is mind.

Your own breathing is a useful object of meditation. Concentrate on breathing. (Here HH engaged the audience in a breathing exercise.)

Chanting is a form of mediation too. One can visualize each word and continue doing so for many hours. This can train and discipline your mind, so that then you go to a subtler objects.

[This last day teaching felt special: HH talked about both rather abstract and rather personal matters.]


Evening dharma talk: Buddhism, Empowerments, and Everyday Life

The venerable Thubten Chodron gave a talk on Buddhism, Empowerments, and Everyday Life. She made several really great points. For example, when you realize that clinging to your constructed or imposed identities really makes your life unnecessarily difficult renouncing those identities can be truly liberating and can make your life much easier. Imagining yourself as a deity, e.g., Kalachakra, makes you free of fear so that you can aspire to act and think as an enlightened being would.