Chapter 17 - Tantric Practice of Meditation (3)

One day I visited a lay Buddhist Jiang at his place and he asked me to teach him the Dharma. Afterwards, in our chat, Jiang told me: "Grand Master Lu's teaching of the Dharma is like that of Mahavairocana, illuminating the whole land of endurance. These teachings can save both humans and the world, can deliver both oneself and others from misery, and benefit both ghosts and men. You are really superior to those priests."

I hastened to show my modesty: "I'm afraid I don't deserve all that. I feel flattered."

Jiang then said: "As a human being, of course life and death are matters of primary importance. However, if you want to spread the Dharma, you need the aid of money. Money is also one of the rare treasures in the world. Do you agree to that, Grand Master Lu?

"Yes, I do. In the merit of alms-giving, there is the money-giving. To handle all these services well, you also need money. But to Buddhist practitioners, this money must come by proper means, and used properly, with no waste, no greed, no obsession."

"Grand Master is right," Jiang said. "But the earthly people don't think that way. In today's world, money comes before anything else. For example, those rich people who have not even received primary education are given honorary Ph.D. degrees by certain universities. The rich are always the chairmen or presidents certain universities. The rich are always the chairmen or presidents of all kinds of committees, though everybody knows their money came by tricks or by force. The rich can easily catch the attention of the Government. They are invited to attend the most important meetings, though they have no learning to speak of. The rich can spend huge sums of money on election campaigns, like buying the committee membership or congress membership. As long as you have money, you can bring a dead person back to life-- those in jail can be reinstated with money."

"You are quite right," I agreed. "This is a time when the rich hooligans are in the seats of honor."

"Why don't you make a lot of money to build monasteries and temples, Grand Master?"

"I'm building the Ling Xian Attic in the States."

"That's peanuts. Other people are building temples all over a mountain, and yours is just a tile-roofed little hut. Your teachings are well-known the world over, but without a mountain of monasteries to back it up, the brilliance of your teachings can not be brought to the full."

"What you say is certainly reasonable, but my interest is not there. There will be people who are build temples and monasteries, but I am not one of them. I am to write spiritual books and propagate the Dharma. I don't know whether those who put up temples and monasteries have true Dharmas, but when there are places for practice, there will be cultivators. Big monasteries don't guarantee great teachings; it is the people who have realized that really count. The earthly people often attend to trifles to the neglect of essentials. Their line of argument is not worth debating."

"Grand Master, I know you are not interested in money or wealth, and have lived a thrifty life. But, may I make bold to ask: Are there methods to amass wealth?"

I burst into laughter and Jiang was flushed. Then I told Jiang that there are such methods which also belong to Jambhala's practices in Tantric Buddhism. The practitioner has to worship two Wealth Deities. If these wealthy Deities are properly worshipped, your wealth will flow in continuously. Once you are rich, you can raise your head and speak louder; you will be respected, put in the seat of honor, and even when you fart, everyone will say it is "fragrant!"

The first Wealth Deity is the Yellow Jambhala, whose body is yellow, sitting in a half-lotus position, with the left leg bent, and right leg dangling. There is a conch lotus vase on the Dharma seat (to represent fulfillment). The Deity has one head and two arms, with a fine-Buddha crown covered with precious stones, three necklaces of pearls. He looks wealthy and important, with a slight angry touch on his face (wealthy people are always awe-inspiring). He holds an S-shaped ornamental object (in Chinese it means "as you wish") in his right hand and in his left a mongoose that spits out treasures. He is dressed in Heavenly clothing of colors, with jade bracelets on hands and feet. This is the Dharma form of the Yellow Jambhala in Tantric Buddhism.

The second Wealth Deity is the Black Jambhala, in a standing position, the right leg bent, and the left straight. he has one head and two arms, the right hand holds the top of a skull in front of his chest as a blood container, and the left hand holds a mongoose too. On his head is a crown of five skulls in the shape of the five-Buddha crown; around his neck is a string of 50 pray beads made of human skulls. Dressed in tiger's skin, with five-color snakes as bracelets on hands, feet and neck, he shows anger on his black face. This is Dharma-form of the Black Jambhala.

In Tantric Buddhism, there are other Wealth Deity practices such as Red Raksasa Practice, Dakini Practice, Bag Jambhala Practice, and the Five-Jamabhala Practices. All these can be used to accumulate money and wealth. Here I shall discuss only the Yellow Jambhala Practice and the Black Jambhala Practice. As long as the proper procedures are followed, wealth will come as one wishes.

I have said that to amass money and wealth, one should worship the Yellow and Black Jambhalas whose statues look as described in the above paragraphs. According to Tantric teachings, the Yellow Jambhala has his right big toe hurting a lot. As long as the practitioner requests from the Buddha some secret nectar to relieve the pain of his right big toe, the Yellow Jambhala will become compassionate and his mongoose will spit out jewels and gold coins in a shower, and endless bank notes.

As far as I know, the Black Jambhala has an affliction in his chest which is very hot and he is perplexed by having too much money. As long as the practitioner requests from the Buddhas some nectar to pour into his chest to cool him off, he will feel pleased and his mongoose will also spit out silver, gold, and treasures, whose dazzle will make the earthly people burst out "Long live the Wealth Deities!"

First, recite the invocation mantra:

"Om, bie-cha-sha-ma-ya, cha," three times.

Sit quietly and visualize the Jambhalas ascending and visualize the Dharma form of the Jambhala as the case may be (that is the Yellow Jambhala if one worships the Yellow Jambhala). Remember, the Yellow Jambhala radiates yellow light and the Black Jambhala black light. Both look angry. If you worship the Yellow Jambhala, recite his heart mantra:

"Om, Jambhala, cha-leng-cha-na-ye, sa-he," 108 times.

After that, recite the response mantra of Wealth Deities:

"Om, zhen-long-moo, sa-he," 21 times.

Now, you stand up, hold a cup of water for offering, form the three-mountain mudra with your left hand, and the sword mudra with your right hand. Then recite the nectar mantra:

"Om, sa-er-wa-se-die, hum," three times.

Visualize that your Jambhala is standing before you.

• If you are worshipping the yellow Jambhala, sprinkle the nectar on the big toe of his right foot.
• If you are worshipping the Black Jambhala, sprinkle the nectar onto his chest.

Now recite the verse of praise to the Wealth Deities:

"I express my reverence to all Wealth Deities who vow to bring benefit to all. You give us money, wealth, and treasures to relieve sentient beings of poverty and suffering. Your merits are extensive and perfect, beings both in Heaven and on Earth sing you high praise."

In Wealth Deity practices remember the following two most important points:

First, in worshipping Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, your mind offenses will be overlooked by most of them, for this is their great compassion for sentient beings-- as long as the offenses are unintentional, they tolerate them with a smile, and no anger rises. In worshipping Vajra gods, however, no mistake is allowed and everything must be done according to the rituals. Wealth Deities belong to Vajra gods and no negligence is to be tolerated in your worshipping. Otherwise, instead of bringing you some benefit, they may bring you misfortune. If the worshipping is not properly done, or if you show any indolence, calamities may occur. Remember this by all means!

Secondly, to the Yellow Jambhala and the Black Jambhala, make offerings of grape wine, fruit, incense, tea, flat cakes, and biscuits. Other offerings include gold and silver containers, jewels, plants and other things. But remember, grape wine must be offered. Make your offerings every day without stop. In Wealth Deity practices, you have to practice the "four preliminaries" first, which include prostration, mandala offering, the hundred-syllable-mantra, and the Vajra heart. All these should proceed according to the rules.

Jiang is a professor in Washington University and has a second job outside, but the family's income is just about the average. Everybody has his abilities as well as limitations. Jiang cannot hope to match those high priests who can afford to build big monasteries. Good Gracious! University professors can never make as much as high priests. So Jiang wants to change his profession. I performed the Black Jambhala empowerment for him. He is going to start a restaurant in the States, determined to make a lot of money!

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