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The Aura of Wisdom
- Book 154: The Aura of Wisdom
- Chapter 56: Cultivation through the Use of the Four Elements
- 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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Tantric Buddhism views all creations, including the mountains, the rivers and the good earth, as matrixes formed from the four elements of earth, water, fire and wind. And this world is known as the material world.
Humans are part of the material world, as the human structure is a matrix formed by the four elements of earth, water, fire and wind. To my knowledge, the cultivation practices of Tantrayana make use of the individual nature of these four elements to conceive the true nature of the Paramita, the Unexcelled Perfect Enlightenment, the Vairocana Great Ocean of Light, and attain the root wisdom of the Tathagata.
I shall elucidate on how the four elements are applied to cultivate the winds, channels and drops:
Earth - Channels
Water - Drops
Fire - Inner fire
Wind - Chi
The practice of cultivating winds, channels and drops is based on the very principle and fundamental essence that once the practitioner has reached a certain level with his cultivation of chi, he may enter into the Vajrayogini Inner Fire Meditation, igniting the fire with his breath of chi to arouse the inner fire. When the inner fire rises through the central channel, reaches the top of the crown and touches the thousand-petalled lotus, the white drop begins to drip, resulting in `blazing and dripping`.
`Blazing and dripping` is the event where water is above fire, and as water drips downwards and the fire rises, clear light is produced. It also clears the other five chakras along the central channel, as well as opening the rest of the meridians and minor channels.
When the central channel is cleared and the heart chakra is opened, the light of the heart shall naturally illuminate. All discursive thoughts naturally subside, and one`s nature is constantly pure. With afflictions removed, what is visible will be the clear and bright Buddha Nature and the Buddha Pure Land. The individual shall instantly attain buddhahood in this very body.
I have detailed the practice of winds, channels and drops into sub categories of treasure vase breathing, inner fire practice, the practice of drops, the non-leakage practice, the opening of the central channel, the opening of the five chakras and so forth. Every one of these practices must be accomplished accordingly in stages, for there are many key instructions to these practices that require oral transmission from the Guru. Otherwise, one should never attempt to practice them blindly.
Upon accomplishment of this practice, the establishment of a siddhi is a certainty. The Guru holds the secret keys that are reliable and proven.
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