Reasons for Specific Visualizations
We can improve the qualities of our mind by changing how we perceive things. That’s the reason we visualize the Buddha of Loving-Kindness in the form of light. Light softens the rigidity and harshness of our mind. It makes us soft and gentle. We see the Buddha as radiant and captivating in order to wake up from sleepiness, dullness, and indifference. Focusing on his various qualities gives us less scope to wander or indulge in unwholesome thoughts and introduces us to various enlightened qualities. We see his kind face and blossoming smile and feel his loving presence to turn our minds toward loving-kindness. We need an image that inspires us so that we will want to dedicate the precious hours of our life to training in virtuous qualities. Dwelling in loving-kindness purifies all our mental and emotional impurities. Receiving the blessings of his wisdom, love, and power awakens the enlightened wisdom, love, and power of our own mind.
Transforming Our Mind and Body in the Second Buddha Stage, the Inner Buddha
In the Second Buddha Stage, we work with transforming the body, using the breath, the sound of the mantra, and visualizations to fill it with waves of blissful heat of devotion and loving-kindness and turn every particle of it into particles of blessing light, light of wisdom, love, and power.
We additionally work with our surroundings, feeling that they are imbued with the energies of our loving-kindness—just as when the sun rises, the whole earth is pervaded by the sun’s light and warmth.
But actually, although we are wholeheartedly serving others, these meditations have the greatest impact on our own mind, for when we are perceiving our surroundings as loving-kindness or our body with energy waves of loving-kindness, it is our mind that is generating and enjoying the meditation. So in the second stage, our body and environment become a source of loving-kindness via the mind.
Loving-Kindness in the Third Buddha Stage, the Universal Buddha
In the Third Buddha Stage, we meditate on whatever we see, hear, and feel as the images, sounds, and feelings of loving-kindness, possessing its qualities of natural radiance—just as when the sun shines, the whole world turns into the world of daylight.
When our mind is transformed into a mind filled with the qualities of loving-kindness, all appearances that our mind perceives will naturally arise as a world with the qualities of loving-kindness. Everything we see, hear, and feel is actually an appearance projected by our mind. So if our mind is filled with loving-kindness, appearances will reflect the pure qualities of that mind. We will see the whole universe in the qualities of the Buddha of Loving-Kindness and his Pure Land.
The Progression of Loving-Kindness
Importantly, however, as long as we are still at the beginning of our journey in Third Buddha Stage, our experiences of loving-kindness might still be just glimpses that are neither powerful nor everlasting, since our meditation is not yet perfected. We will still be seeing and feeling phenomena in ordinary forms, such as earthly houses or the sounds of roaring traffic, with tight subjective and objective duality. Beings will not yet appear or function for us as Buddhas of Loving-Kindness. And the world will not yet appear for us as the Pure Land. So although we feel loving-kindness, our experience at this early part of the Third Buddha Stage will simply be seeing, hearing, and feeling with the qualities of loving-kindness, rather than the actual Buddha presence or actual Buddha qualities. (That is why I speak of “qualities” of loving-kindness in a number of places.)
To encourage or inspire ourselves to further our meditation, instead of looking at how far we still have to go, we should look back at how far we’ve come and rejoice over that repeatedly. It’s the same as when we are weary from traveling. We should rest and look toward where we came from, as that will cheer us up. Shantideva writes:
When you are resting,
Rest by facing back [toward where you came].106
When, as the result of vigorous continuous meditation, we reach higher levels of realization, then even ordinary beings might appear to us in the form of beings of love and wisdom, and the world may appear in the form of wisdom-light. We might even perceive them as the qualities of illusory appearances of wisdom, love, and power of the Buddha of Loving-Kindness in the state of nonduality.
It is unusual, however, to find people enjoying such high experiences, because meditators who have dedicated their lives deeply to practice are rare. Nevertheless, if we could enjoy even some limited qualities of loving-kindness in our heart, that will empower us to see the world as one of peace, joy, and love, and to serve others.
So, until we reach high stages of realization, we will still be perceiving all images dualistically in their ordinary forms as we did before—except now they will be refined and permeated by the peaceful, joyful qualities of loving-kindness. We will be able to perceive all images as sources for advancing our training in loving-kindness.
Likewise, we will still be hearing all sounds of nature and beings as ordinary sounds, as before—except now they will resound and be heard with virtuous qualities that inspire loving-kindness and the means of expressing it.
All our thoughts and feelings will still be arising in their ordinary way—dualistically and emotionally, as before—except now they will be permeated by positive perceptions and joyful experiences, the qualities of loving-kindness. So, even though we might not yet see everything as Buddha and Buddha Pure Land, the cycle of a peaceful and joyful life will have truly started to revolve.
If a trainee, a bodhisattva, has fully accomplished a meditation like loving-kindness or compassion, however, he or she will experience multiple spiritual attainments such as seeing all as the world of the Buddha of Loving-Kindness or as the Buddha’s qualities, and will realize loving-kindness free from concepts. A sutra says:
Bodhisattva107 Avalokiteshvara beseeched the Buddha: “O Blessed One, bodhisattvas should not train in many dharmas. If a bodhisattva takes one dharma and fully realizes it, O Blessed One, then all the dharmas of Buddhahood will be in his or her hand. What is that one dharma? It is the great compassion! O Blessed One, [by realizing] the great compassion, all the dharmas of the Buddha will be in that bodhisattva’s palm.”108
Rigdzin Godem109 says:
Lights are projected from the body [of the Buddha] and
All forms become divine forms—the union of emptiness and appearances:
The Great Compassionate One, the King of the Noble Ones.
Lights are projected from the mantra [of the Buddha], and all sounds such as the sound of the elements
Become the sounds of mantra—the union of emptiness and sound.
Recollections and thoughts remain in the state of freedom from arising, abiding, and cessation, and
Rest in the realization that transcends all thoughts, expressions, and designations.110
Further, if we are pursuing meditations on realizing the deities of compassion or loving-kindness as taught in esoteric (tantric) training, then whatever we are seeing— beings or nature—should arise as the deities and their pure lands; whatever sounds we are hearing should arise as the energy waves of mantras; and whatever thoughts we are thinking should arise as the awareness wisdom, the union of emptiness and loving-kindness. If we do this, our spiritual attainments will progress through the five paths and the ten stages.
Loving-Kindness in the Fourth Buddha Stage, the Ultimate Buddha
The focus here is on the perfection of the realized awareness of ultimate loving-kindness, the union of all—nondual and free from concepts.
We attain the Ultimate Buddha as a result of advancing through and perfecting the meditations of the Outer, Inner, and Universal Buddha. In the Fourth Stage, all arises, or is realized, as one in the true nature of loving-kindness—loving-kindness that is free from concepts, duality, emotions, and sensations. In this state, we enjoy total confidence in what we are seeing and feeling—the absolute loving-kindness, the fully opened and totally awakened state with its enlightened energies. All are united in one nature and qualit
y, the unstained and fully opened loving-kindness that encompasses all.
When we realize universal loving-kindness in the Third Buddha Stage, in order to elevate it to the final step, the Ultimate Buddha, we must dissolve all our mental concepts and emotional energies, positive or negative, and realize the fully opened awareness wisdom. We mustn’t let our mind start running after past thoughts and sensations through the key of our memories. We mustn’t let our minds bring in future dreams and ideas through the hook of our imagination. Nor must we let our mind grasp at present thoughts and sensations through our dualistic concepts and diehard habits. When we watch the present moment with the fully opened energy of loving-kindness without any trace of grasping—we will find no present thought that is standing anymore to hold on to, just as there is nothing to grasp on to in the sky, for the true nature of all is beyond existence.
If we can fully realize and maintain this meditation experience, then it will be possible for us to actually realize the true face of ultimate loving-kindness, as it is. That is called loving-kindness free from concepts. The true face or nature of loving-kindness does not exist in any form or character of this or that. It is free from conditions. It is beyond the four extremes—existence; non-existence; neither existence nor non-existence; and both existence and non-existence. It is beyond the cyclic operation of the three spheres—subject, object, and actions of the mind. It is the union of awareness and emptiness; of wisdom and loving-kindness—freedom from elaborations. It is the meaning of suchness, the ultimate truth. It is the state of ultimate loving-kindness, Buddhahood. So we must let go of all conceptualities and rest in the intrinsic awareness, the experience of boundless loving-kindness, as it is. Rigdzin Godem writes:
If one’s mind remains free from grasping, without thinking or conceptualizing anything, then it has been introduced to the state of indivisibility from the mind of the Buddha.111
In order to perfect this realization in the highest state of ultimate loving-kindness, we must train ourselves to maintain that experience by remaining in it.
When the state of ultimate loving-kindness is perfected, all forms or images will appear and function for us as the Buddha of Loving-Kindness and his Pure Land, in the nature of the union of appearances and emptiness, the union of loving-kindness and wisdom, and the union of Buddha wisdom and Buddha Pure Land. They will appear in their boundless nature, untouched by mental, emotional, dualistic, or sensory traps. All appearances will arise as the indivisible, infinite, and boundless power of loving-kindness that is free from conceptual configurations. This is emptiness or openness, as it is fully open and unbounded by any concept.
Then all sounds will resound for us as the union of sound and emptiness—boundless sound that is free from concepts. All thoughts will arise in the nature of the union of loving-kindness and emptiness—without even a trace of dualistic apprehensions, emotional clashes, or sensory thirst. All details will be seen in the nature of a single great unity and absolute freedom, like the apparitions of infinite images in a mirror without limits or afflictions.
According to Buddhism, all existents abide in loving-kindness free from concepts in their absolute nature. But the understanding and realization of that true nature have been covered over by the webs of our own mental, emotional, and intellectual obscurations.
Now, in order to uncover the true nature and its qualities, we must dispel the covering—our unhealthy concepts, emotions, and actions. Through the power of devotion and contemplation, we must uncover and see the true innate enlightened qualities—loving-kindness that is free from concepts—shining forever. Then all arisings will awaken and function as the Buddha and Buddha Pure Land forever.
Two Wings of the Bird: The Two Accumulations
By training in the Four Buddha Stages, we attain Buddhahood by perfecting the two accumulations: (1) creating merits and (2) realizing wisdom. According to Mahayana Buddhism, meditating on such qualities as devotion and loving-kindness, saying prayers, and serving others are ways to accumulate merits, also known as “skillful means.” Realizing the absolute wisdom, emptiness, and loving-kindness that is free from concepts is the way to accumulate wisdom. The perfection of these two accumulations is the attainment of Buddhahood.
Importantly, if all we do is stop our thoughts without having accomplished skillful means, we will not realize the wisdom that is the awakening of the true Buddha-nature of all.
So in order to liberate ourselves from samsaric bondage and realize ever-blossoming Buddhahood, we need to perfect the two accumulations. The two accumulations are like the wings of a bird. Both are needed for it to fly to its destiny. One without the other cannot free us from samsara, where we are currently trapped. That is why a sutra says:
[Discriminative] wisdom that is not integrated with skillful means is bondage; but wisdom that is integrated with skillful means is liberation. Skillful means that is not integrated with wisdom is bondage; but skillful means that is integrated with wisdom is liberation.112
PART TWO
PRACTICE
Meditations on Loving-Kindness
6
MEDITATION ON THE OUTER BUDDHA
WE NOW TURN TO HOW to do the meditations, starting with the Outer Buddha.
Preparation
SIT ON A COMFORTABLE SEAT, RELAX, AND BREATHE
Find a comfortable seat in a solitary or quiet place, and sit in the Sevenfold Vairochana Posture (see Glossary) or the half lotus posture. If this isn’t comfortable, you can sit on a chair or, if necessary, lie down. Whatever the position, try to keep your spine straight if possible. If your back is straight, your channels, arteries, and veins will be straight. If your channels are straight, your breathing—or energy waves—will be natural, with no blockages. When your energy waves are tamed, they will naturally support the mind’s ability to engage in analytical or contemplative meditations, as you desire.
If you feel any physical, mental, or spiritual dead energies, expel them through breathing exercises. That way, your mind and body can function harmoniously without stress or strain. You could use a simpler version of ninefold breathing exercises for purifying and healing:
Cycle one: Pressing your left index finger against your left nostril, exhale forcefully through your right nostril, thinking that all your sickness and karmas associated with fear and attachment are expelled fully in the form of a dark yellowish color. Repeat this two more times.
Cycle two: Then, pressing your right index finger against your right nostril, exhale forcefully from your left nostril, visualizing and feeling that all your sickness and karmas associated with anger and hatred are fully expelled in the form of a dark reddish color from your body. Repeat this two more times.
Cycle three: Then exhale three times through both nostrils simultaneously. While exhaling, see and feel that all your ills and karmas associated with confusion and ignorance are fully expelled in the form of darkness. Repeat this two more times.
FORM THE RIGHT INTENTION: BODHICHITTA
As you are getting ready to begin, make a commitment from the depth of your heart, thinking: “I am going to train myself in developing the precious bodhichitta, and pursue the ocean of trainings of the bodhisattva path such as loving-kindness and the Six Perfections, so that all my mother-beings will enjoy happiness for the time being, and ultimately attain Buddhahood.” This way, you won’t be meditating just for yourself, but you’ll be earnestly embarking on the practice of limitlessly offering yourself to the service of all infinite beings.
Visualization
In this meditation, we will be visualizing the Buddha. Visualization is a powerful tool to focus and discipline the mind. The more clearly we can visualize an image and the longer we can hold it in our mind’s eye, the greater our ability to concentrate on the meditation with firmness, calmness, and clarity. (See the color illustrations at the end of chapter 6 as an aid to visualization.)
In reality, we spend much of our time visualizing in our daily life. Most of our thoughts start
with images that we engage with. If we could visualize positive images like the Buddha, that would inspire us to fully open and deeply feel his enlightening qualities and loving-kindness, and receive the blessings of his wisdom, love, and power. So, carefully and gently, we must start to build our skill in visualizing for the purpose of meditation.
THE SKY, FLOWER, AND MOON CUSHION
Now, in the space before you, visualize a very clear, open, and beautiful sky. The sky is deep bright blue, as radiant as if it were made of rainbow light. This amazingly deep blue sky is brilliantly visible before your eyes, but free from any gross substance, as it is boundless empty space. It is vast, with no conceivable end or depth. It is naturally clean, clear, and bright, unpolluted by clouds or smoke. This boundless space is an immeasurable sphere that makes it possible for all beings to live, move, and function. It provides for the earth, nature, and all the materials of the universe.
With a relaxed mind, see and feel the sky’s positive qualities—its boundless openness, limitless freedom, immaculate purity, and luminous radiance from its depth— again and again.
When you see and enjoy the various amazing qualities of the sky, your mind starts feeling and becoming clear, radiant, boundless, and open, just like the sky. So, for a while, keep enjoying, opening to, and resting in the qualities of the sky—in your mind, heart, and body.
The Heart of Unconditional Love Page 7