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"The White Padmakumara emitted the Dharma Realm Light." What is the "Dharma realm light?" As we know, [in Buddhism] the whole Universe is categorized into a hierarchy of Four Holy Realms and Six Ordinary Realms. The Four Holy Realms include the realms of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Solitary-Buddhas, and Sound Hearers [Arhats]. The Six Ordinary Realms consist of devas, humans, asuras, hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals. The "Dharma realm light" manifested by White Padmakumara shines not only in the Maha Twin Lotus Ponds, but also throughout the Four Holy Realms all the way to the realm of the Buddhas, and extends below all the way to the realms of the hell beings, animals, and hungry ghosts. Thus, all "ten Dharma realms" are bright and transparent under the equal illumination of this "Dharma realm light." This "Dharma realm light" is very formidable as it literally shatters all boundaries and transforms the "ten Dharma realms" into "one Dharma realm." "The Green Padmakumara emitted the Ten Thousand Treasure Light." What is the "ten thousand treasure light?" As soon as one hears the "ten thousand treasure light," one's interest immediately peaks. You must be wondering if I am going to talk about emerald treasures, sapphire treasures, ruby treasures, diamond treasures, etc., thinking that their sum total would be the "ten thousand treasure light." Actually that is not what it means. This "ten thousand treasure light" refers to the "Dharma treasure." As we know, all the Dharma treasure contained in the Buddhist Tripitaka [Buddhist Canon], to which we have access in the human world, is just a tiny fleck found on the peak of the iceberg. I have said before that the Dharma treasure transmitted to us by Shakyamuni Buddha is boundless and can be used to load up lines and lines of endless railway cars. Now, where has all this "Dharma treasure" gone? It is said that sky horses and ocean dragons have been used to haul it to the Dragon King Palace. These Dharma treasures are now stored inside the Dragon King Palace. Let us give this some consideration: there are many Dharma treasures inside the Dragon King Palace. In the past, Nagarjuna Bodhisattva of India went to the Dragon King Palace to read the Buddhist scriptures. After he returned, he wrote down, based on his memory, what he had read in the Dragon King Palace. What he wrote, however, was only a chunk of the iceberg. "The Green Padmakumara emitted the ten thousand treasure light" means that the Green Padmakumara is capable of totally manifesting the ten thousand Dharma treasures and their light. The Green Padmakumara is very great and must be a transformation of Nagarjuna. Since green is a predominant color near the ocean floor, there is an inter-relationship between "the ten thousand treasure light of the Green Padmakumara" and the billions of Dharma treasures stored in the Dragon King Palace. Next, "the Black Padmakumara emitted the Subjugation Light." What kind of light is this "subjugation light"? "Subjugation light" is a black-colored light. Generally, "subjugation" brings to one's mind the Vajra [Ferocious Deity] Practices. Some people say, "Since Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are such compassionate beings, we can take advantage of them." Buddhas and Bodhisattvas practice goodness and tolerance. Some people are unwilling to take up the Buddhist practice because they feel that to be a Buddhist is to remain silent and passive even when they are being abused by others. If one fights back verbally or physically, one will be challenged, "Aren't you a Buddhist?" From this perspective it seems that to be a Buddhist is to be a loser. When I was in Taiwan I used to think that the practice of Buddhism would eventually turn one into a "cultivator weakling." If one emulates the Bodhisattva, one has to be tolerant of everything, act in a gentle manner and not volley back with any words. It seemed to me then that such a life was quite uninteresting! But, in this Universe there exists another kind of god, the Vajra Dharma Protector, whose role is to render support and protection to the order of Buddhism.. One should not be perpetually mistreated by others, so someone must act as a "Dharma protector." These Dharma protectors are beings with wrathful and ferocious appearances. I feel that "subjugation" as used here is tantamount to the administering of warnings. For example, in school, if a student gets bad grades and behaves in an unruly way, the administration will give him warnings. Perhaps a minor written warning will be given first, followed by a major one, then a detention. The intent of wishing one well is implicit in "subjugation." In other words, although I seem to be punishing you on the surface, in reality, I am giving you a well-meant warning. After this, I will again draw you to me, hoping that you will take heed of words of goodness, stay away from evil acts, and participate in wholesome deeds. This is the meaning of subjugation. That is why, when a vajra master engages in an occasional "subjugation practice," he only does it for one or two days because he will take pity on you. After performing only two days of subjugation practice on you, you have already become ill or injured! Perhaps you have fallen off a bicycle or gotten yourself scraped. You should note this as a warning. Most vajra masters, after performing a subjugation practice, will perform in your service a purification practice. They will first perform the subjugation and let you savor the taste of warning, then they will help you resolve the calamity with a purification practice. When I was living in Ballard, Washington, I taught several masters this Vajra Practice for the first time. One of them, right after he had learned this practice, exclaimed, "Wow, good, I can use this method to finish many people off." Actually, when we do a subjugation practice, we must also engage in a purification practice afterwards for that person. Only this way can there be a balance and a recovering of the original condition. Only this way may a heart of true subjugation and magnetization be attained. The light manifested by subjugation practices is a stream of black colored light. People suffering under subjugation spells are easily discernible because their faces will display an unwholesome energy. "Red Padmakumara emitted the Vow Light." As I have said before, every good and kind-hearted person who performs charities, who generates a great vow to help others, who practices alms-giving and entirely donates his or her time, money, and deeds to the welfare of other people will have a kind of "red vow light" emitting from his or her crown. I have often contemplated this quotation from the Bible: It is more blessed to give than to receive. Why? It is indeed true! I realize that, in the past, I have not done that much charity work, and I have recently started to do a little more. I have learned that, when we give away things to other people, or do alms-giving or other good deeds, we feel an extraordinary happiness and peacefulness in our hearts. This kind of happiness reaches an even higher level when you give to other people the object you are most fond of, the item you cherish most, or something you are most reluctant to part with. We have to shatter the concept of ownership, that "this is mine and this is yours." If you want to transcend the idea of ownership, you have to enact your vows. By integrating your vows and your actions, you can transcend the view that "this is mine and that is yours." Give this some thought! If, in the future, it occurs to you that "what I have is what all beings have," your crown will manifest the red vow light. If everyday you still indulge in thinking that "what's mine is mine, what's yours is mine, and what's everyone else's is also mine," then you will have a black light above your crown. To become a Buddha or a Bodhisattva or to engage in spirituality is to do away with these words: This is mine. In fact, in all the world, there is not one thing that is yours. Therefore, when you reach the realization that "there is not a single thing in this world that belongs to me," the red vow light will appear above your crown. Your heart will expand and become as immense as heaven and earth, and you will have a heart of infinite kindness to help others. Such people will in the future be the Red Padmakumaras.
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