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The Aura of Wisdom
- Book 154: The Aura of Wisdom
- Chapter 53: The Key Instructions of Entering, Abiding and Absorbing
- 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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The cultivation practice of Tantric Buddhism is basically divided into two parts. The first part involves the cultivation practice of the responses of the Three Secrets. The second part involves the cultivation practice of winds, channels and drops.
From what I know, the cultivation of these two parts shares the key instruction of `entering, abiding and absorbing` This key is of vital importance to one`s cultivation.
In the part that involves the response of the Three Secrets, the practitioner invites the principal deity to `enter` into his or her body and `abide` in it. Following which, the principal deity and the practitioner are mutually `absorbed` into each other. When the absorption is reached, countless numbers of bodhisattvas from the ten directions, as well as all protectors, will instantly gather and encircle the practitioner. Adorned with vajras, lights of great brilliance are emitted from the heart, and infinite streams of light rays are emitted from every pore, illuminating the worlds of ten directions.
As long as the practitioner gains purification of his body, speech and mind, receives response with the Three Secrets, and cultivates according to the right instructions to `enter, abide and absorb`, he shall attain Primordial Wisdom and enter the primordial ground. In joy, he proceeds gradually in stages, until he finally attains the unrestricted Dharmakaya of the Tathagata.
The second part involves the cultivation of winds, channels and drops:
Inhale a breath of air (wind) and let it `enter` into the dan-tien (lower abdomen) area of the practitioner.
This breath of air should constantly `abide` in the dan-tien.
This breath of air is absorbed into all the meridians and channels, and reaches every pore.
(This is the secret key to breath or wind as it `enters, abides and absorbs` in the body.)
When the air enters, it must go right into the dan-tien. When the breath abides, the longer you can hold it, the better. To my knowledge, when this breath of air abides long enough, it will better find its way into the central channel. The final secret key is to `inhale first, then release`, which means when you can no longer hold your breath, instead of releasing it, inhale another new breath of air which presses downwards, forcing all the winds into the central channel. Then direct the breath of air or wind throughout all meridians and channels, and let it be absorbed into every pore.
Upon comparing the first and second part of the cultivation, you can imagine how important it is to work on `entering, abiding and absorbing`. Now you know why Padmasambhava said, `All the merits of Tantrayana arise from the practice of Treasure Vase Breathing.`
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