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The Aura of Wisdom
- Book 154: The Aura of Wisdom
- Chapter 42: Ajikan, the Visualization of the Seed Syllable AH
- Written by Sheng-yen Lu
- Translated and edited by True Buddha Foundation
- Translation Team (Cheng Yew Chung, Victor Hazen, Dance Smith)
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Once, my Master told me, `There is a very important visualization exercise.` I asked my Master what it was, to which he replied, `It is the visualization of the seed syllable AH. It encompasses the three secrets of forming the mudra, chanting the mantra, and contemplating on the unborn state of the seed syllable AH.
`What do you mean that the seed syllable AH is unborn?` I asked. My Master replied, `It means liberation from life and death, where one no longer needs to be reborn in the three realms and the six realms of transmigration, abiding in the state of non-creation and non-annihilation belonging to the realm of Maha Nirvana.`
The practitioner sits properly in a straight posture and faces a scroll on which is painted a white illuminating moon disc. Inside the disc is an eight-petalled lotus. Resting on the lotus is the syllable AH in either Sanskrit or Tibetan script. The practitioner inhales and exhales the syllable AH in his or her every breath, and chants the AH syllable. When he cultivates in this fashion over a period of time, he should see results. As his cultivation ripens, he should be able to see the moon disc with the syllable AH distinctively, whether he opens or closes his eyes. He would need to draw the AH syllable moon disc into himself, and at this point, the external syllable AH moon disc merges with the syllable AH moon disc within him.
When one gains success with this visualization exercise, one instantly attains Buddhahood in this very body, and cuts the mistaken view that a duality exists between the concepts of affliction and bodhi, Samsara and Nirvana.
My Master said, `The epithet of Amitabha ranks supreme among all the buddhas of the three times and ten directions because of the syllable AH. This syllable is the common seed syllable of all buddhas and bodhisattvas. Thus, if one aspires to be reborn in the Western Pure Land, one only needs to cultivate the visualization of the syllable AH to ensure rebirth.`
From what I know, Sakyamuni Buddha said that all sentient beings have the Buddha Nature within their heart, pointing to the existence of a seed of buddhahood. But the Tathagata did not reveal what this seed is. In Tantric Buddhism, this seed is the syllable AH. Should the practitioner visualize the syllable AH with one mind, he would undoubtedly speed his way to buddhahood at a pace that allows him to attain it in this very body. It would far exceed the pace of attaining buddhahood through studying thousands of sutras.
Here lies the very essence and secret of Tantrayana, where the great union of Yoga can be found, through which the very taste of buddhahood is experienced.
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