(1) Zen, Tantrayana, and Stability

To reach Enlightenment, a Zen practitioner works specifically with the “nature of the mind” to explore and experience its “empty nature.”

In contrast, a Tantrayana practitioner begins first with the “body.” The employment of mudras, mantras, and visualization, the engendering of light in one’s heart, inner fire and light drops, the opening of three channels and seven chakras, and the merging of oneself with the Light of the Universe are practices that work with the internal body. These are practices that will lead one to Enlightenment.

The Zen path to Enlightenment is comparatively more elusive. The path to Enlightenment in Tantrayana is more concrete. This is the major difference between the two.
But no matter to which world religion or particular sect within a certain religion one belongs, whether it be Zen, Tantrayana, or the Pure Land tradition within the Buddhist faith, the absolute requisite to accomplishing anything is the cultivation of stability. Without stability, there will be no Enlightenment. Without stability, a Tantric practitioner will not succeed in any of the Tantric practices. There will be no “accomplishment of inner fire” or “engendering of light in the heart.” And one will definitely not be able to “merge and become one with the Light of the Universe.”
Therefore, to realize Enlightenment, one must enter the state of “stability” or stillness. In the state of stability, all thoughts are gathered into “One.” From “One,” one enters into “Zero.” One has to enter the state of “Zero” to have Emptiness. Once the seeker is grounded in Emptiness, the Light of the Universe will immediately flow into one, and one’s heart will open to reveal the inherent light. Immediately the two lights will merge, and with this Merging and Immersion, there will be Enlightenment.

Stability is therefore very important.

However, if one craves fame, profit, power, the title of a master, and the ability to perform miracles, one will have many emotional afflictions. These afflictions will cause the heart to close. If the mind (heart) cannot release these emotional afflictions, how can one enter into stability?
During ordinary times, one has to develop an open mind and an open heart to be able to let go of attachments. Only when emotional afflictions are eliminated will one be able to enter into stability.
Therefore, our view of life, our methods of coping with daily stresses, and the coming and going of events have important bearings on our lives!

(2) What is a “Blessing”?

Is a “Blessing” merely the guru placing his hand on your head and patting you? What is the meaning of a Blessing? One can find an analogy for a Blessing in the batting of a baseball. A swing of the bat can send a ball flying through the air. If, at that precise moment, a gust of wind appears, carrying the ball farther than it would have otherwise traveled, this gust of wind is a “Blessing”!
If you had not hit the ball and sent it flying through the air, this gust of wind would not serve you any purpose.

(3) The Key to Mantra Chanting

When chanting mantras, you should use your mind power to transmit and instill the sound and its frequency into your heart chakra.

While you are chanting a mantra 108 times, do the following visualization:

Visualize a white lotus inside your heart gradually opening to full bloom. Upon the lotus sits the seed syllable Hum ( ). The Hum syllable emits a beam of strong white light that travels along your central channel from the heart chakra, through the throat chakra, to the crown chakra. (Chant the Guru’s Heart Mantra 108 times.)

(4) The Key to Entering Samadhi

During Samadhi, one quiets the mind to enter into stability. (Use visualization to guide the mind to enter the Great Luminosity of Samadhi.) Do the following visualization:

Visualize a white lotus in full bloom inside the heart chakra. The seed syllable Hum ( ) emits a white light which travels from the heart chakra all the way up to the crown chakra. (Pause slightly in this visualization.)

Visualize a small white lotus seat appearing above your crown. Living Buddha Lian-sheng (wearing the Five Buddha Crown with the two side strips and a yellow Dharma robe topped by a red cassock) holds the Padmakumara Mudra and sits on this white lotus seat resting directly on the crown opening. (Pause slightly.)

Living Buddha Lian-sheng transforms into a swirl of white light above your head. This white light becomes stronger and stronger, like the sun directly on top of one’s head. (Pause slightly.)

Visualize this swirl of white light entering your crown opening, descending down the central channel, passing through the throat, until it reaches the heart chakra. (Pause slightly.)

Living Buddha Lian-sheng now sits on the white lotus seat in the heart chakra emitting brilliant white light --- this is like having the sun inside your heart. (Pause slightly longer to help train the heart chakra to emit light.)

The Dharma Body of Living Buddha Lian-sheng in the heart gradually enlarges until It reaches the same size as one’s body and merges with it. (Pause slightly.)

There is now no difference between Living Buddha and yourself. You are Living Buddha Lian-sheng, wearing the Five Buddhas Crown with the two side strips, wearing a string of mantra beads, donning a yellow Dharma robe topped by a red cassock, holding the Padmakumara Mudra and sitting on a large lotus seat. Residing in the spiritual realm, you have the same perfect countenance and full majesty as that of a Buddha. All Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Dharma Protectors are sitting around you in circles. (Pause slightly.) (Merging of Self and Living Buddha Lian-sheng)

The heart chakra Hum ( ) in you, Living Buddha Lian-sheng, now emits strong white lights, radiating out to the ten directions of the Universe. (Pause slightly.)

All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas emit great white lights, illuminating the ten directions of the Universe. The whole Universe is filled with a great luminosity. (Pause slightly.)

Immerse yourself into this great luminosity. Becoming selfless, with neither thought nor thinking, immerse and abide in the Great Luminosity of the Ocean of Vairocana of Samadhi….

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