The article attempts to present an accurate, faithful reproduction of Deity Yoga teachings culled from precious, holy Teachers of the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition. It is not some shallow, wasteful attempts to prove the superiority of any one of Lord Buddha's teachings as being superior to any other. It is, as stated earlier, a simple, clumsy though scrupulous duplication of our holy Teachers' instructions, listened to at their holy feet, scribbled and recorded feverishly with hurried trembling fingers into old yellow exercise books, akin to enthusiastic ramblings of talkative, pretty parrots, only for accurate depiction of Deity Yoga as it is, as positioned in the traditional context.
Are we revealing "secrets" ??!!
His Holiness the present Dalai Lama has commented on numerous
occasions that the partial lifting of secrets for purpose of clarification
and understanding is of infinitely greater value and sense than
wholesale ignorance due to antiquated code on seals of guarded
confidentiality. Let His Holiness, then, be the article's justification
and shield !!
How will the article help ??
The article attempts to reveal an accurate peek into the enchanting
practice of Deity Yoga for the uninitiated lay person.
In addition, it hopes to throw greater light for and offer further
guidance to those students already embarked upon this precious
path.
How the article functions:
All deity yoga practices follow the basic structure or outline
as given. Therefore, through understanding the skeletal framework
given below for the representative deity, one will be able to
gain valuable insight into the functioning and practice of Deity
Yoga.
The indispensable backdrop:
According to Je Tzongkhapa [ who is the first Ganden Tripa and
Root Teacher of the first Dalai Lama ], it is of paramount importance
that all Deity Yoga practices be unshakably rooted in the following
3 principles:
A) Renunciation -
Enfolded within this point are the 4 Noble Truths, the 12 Links
of Interdependent Origination and other tenets of fundamental
Buddhist teachings which can be further detailed into simplified
points as
a1) understanding of the precious human rebirth
a2) understanding of the complex workings of karma
a3) understanding of impermanence
a4) the viciousness of samsara
B) Bodhicitta -
"Thought wishing to gain Buddhahood for the good and liberation
of all sentient beings"
Seeing that all beings are embroiled in endless torture in samsara,
one must find a best way to liberate them all. The best way is,
from the point of view of the Mahayana tradition, the attainment
of Buddhahood.
Bodhicitta is itself divided into further sub-divisions of relative
and ultimate bodhicittas, aspiring and application bodhicittas,
common and uncommon bodhicittas amongst others.
C) At least an intellectual, proper understanding
of the concept of Emptiness:
There are 16 main methods of establishing and explaining this
concept according to the traditional scholastic conventions.
The idea of Emptiness is defined by Shariputra to Assaji through
inspiration of Lord Buddha in the following way: all phenomena
lack inherent, independent and permanent existence because it
arises and dissolves not through any intrinsic existence in itself
but simply through the incredible churn and flux of causes and
conditions that permeates and influences it. In other words, phenomena
are merely the frivolous pageantry of causes and conditions. Phenomena
do not possess any "real", inherent existence of its
own.
Detailed information on these essential foundations for Deity Yoga can be accessed from the "Worth a Read" section of: http://members.tripodasia.com.sg/cas
"Initiation":
After listening carefully to, seriously contemplating upon and
then integrating practices of the above 3 principles into one's
life, thereby deeply internalizing them, before one then plunges
into any Deity Yoga, one should now definitely seek "Initiation"
into a particular Deity whom one has strong karmic affinity from
an authentic Master representing a valid, lineal tradition. For
example, one may seek initiation into the Deity Yoga practices
of the famous deity, Kalachakra, if one has the karmic link to
it, say from the Dalai Lama, or any other great Teachers, who
are legitimate representatives of a pure lineage.
After taking the initiation, one should view the Master whom one
receives the initiation as a Buddha. According to the traditional
teachings, there are many points as to why we should and how we
can view this or these Master/s as an enlightened Buddha/s. As
the topic is massive, the article will not enter into elaboration
of it.
Super Method:
There are many traditional sources given to show that Deity Yoga
is an uniquely great practice.
The article will provide only one of the main points: how Deity
Yoga allows for the SIMULTANEOUS accumulation of Wisdom and Method,
climaxing in the attainment of Buddhahood, in the swiftest possible
time, for the good and liberation of all sentient beings.
The rigorous, common path
When absorbed in contemplation of Method, the first and second
principles A and B, one generates what the third Gyalwa Karmapa
terms in His Mahamudra Aspiration, an "unbearable compassion"
of wanting to attain Buddhahood so that we are then able to competently
liberate all father and mother sentient beings from their sufferings.
When absorbed in meditation on Emptiness, the third principle
C, as given above, one gains realization and insights into how
all phenomena including sentient beings are non-existent. At this
moment, we will not even have a concept of sentient beings to
liberate from suffering !!
At this juncture, we run into some contradiction. When we are
absorbed in meditation on Emptiness, we do not perceive sentient
beings for us to help and liberate. When we are meditating on
the Method aspect, we perceive that there are sentient beings
for us to help and liberate.
It is said that students not using Deity Yoga practices will have
to continue to practise Emptiness and Method SEPARATELY, painstakingly
accumulating these two aspects for an incalculably length of time,
before culminating in the union of these two, that of perfect
Buddhahood, or that of the Truth Body and Form Body of Buddhahood
respectively.
Students at this level give rise to the common Bodhicitta: "May
I, even if for an infinitely long time, practise the 6 Perfections,
be it through losing my lives again and again and again, persevere
hard always, until I attain Buddhahood for the good and liberation
of all !!"
The uncommon Deity Yoga path
Seeing that one needs to use an infinite amount of time before
one can attain Buddhahood for all, one feels very sad that one
is unable to help all anytime sooner.
The student then seeks for an alternative method and gives rise
to the uncommon Bodhicitta: "May I, IMMEDIATELY, through
any paths whatsoever, gain Buddhahood, so that I can right away,
help and liberate all beings from their suffering !!"
Students of Deity Yoga, right at the very beginning, arises in
the form of a Buddha-Deity, out of the purest Bodhicitta motivation,
so that he or she can immediately enact the activities of Buddhahood
for the sake of all beings, while AT THE VERY SAME TIME, absorbed
in the illusory, emptiness nature of beings and phenomena. In
other words, the practitioner is powerfully engaged in holy activities
of liberating all beings, while at the same time, abiding in the
awareness that there is no being to liberate, no action of liberating
and no liberator !!
In this way, Deity Yoga allows for a most rapid SIMULTANEOUS accumulation
of Wisdom and Method. If practiced properly and with the sincerest
wishes, one is supposed to attain Buddhahood in this very life.
Sample structure of a Deity Yoga practice text - a Sadhana
1) Accumulation of the Method Aspect
1.1 ) Refuge - the basis of all and
1.2) Generation of Bodhicitta or the wish to attain Buddhahood
so that we will then have the ability to liberate all beings
In the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha,
I take refuge until Enlightenment is reached,
Through Deeds of Giving and other Perfections,
May I attain Buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings
The first 2 lines refer to taking
of refuge in the
i) Three Jewels ( Buddha, Dharma, Sangha ) and the
ii) Three Roots: ( Guru - representing all sources of refuge,
the Deity or Yidam - representing qualities of Buddhahood, Dakinis
or Protectors - representing activities of Buddhahood ).
At this point, there
are 3 main ways of visualizing, in each case, the Deity representing
all the sources of Refuge:
i) one line of the same Deities, each representing a particular
lineage Teacher that the particular Deity's practice has passed
through, above the student's head - this gives rise to auspiciousness
to the teachings staying long in the world;
ii) one Deity above the student's head [ the Deity's Body, Speech
and Mind representing all the Sangha, Dharma and Buddhas respectively
] - this gives rise to auspiciousness to accessible understanding
to the teachings
iii) a whole assembly of the same Deities or a whole assembly
of Three Jewels and /or Three Roots surrounding the Deity above
the student's head - this gives rise to auspiciousness to flourishing
of all good qualities and flourishing of the teachings
The last 2 lines are for generating Bodhicitta - the wish to attain Buddhahood so that we may then have the ability to liberate all father and mother sentient beings from the turmoil and disasters of samsara
Two of the main ways to generate common
Bodhicitta:
i) Think of the kindness of our mother in this present life. She
has sacrificed much for us. In fact, according to the Teachings,
each and every single being has also been our mothers in all past
lives. They have all died and sacrificed much for us countless
times throughout all past lives. Generate a sense of infinite
gratitude and love towards all mother beings. I myself will take
responsibility of relieving all mothers from all their sufferings.
They will not be free from sufferings permanently until they are
liberated from samsara. To gain liberation from samsara, they
will need the dharma. Now, I have no ability to help them in a
maximal capacity through teaching the dharma. I will only have
the highest ability to help them if I attain Buddhahood. Therefore,
to attain Buddhahood, I will now practise this Deity Yoga.
ii) Recognizing the absolute sameness of oneself and others. We
all wish only to have happiness and not to have suffering. In
addition, we all actually have the same right to be happy and
the same right not to have suffering. In terms of number, all
beings are infinite and so have infinitely more "right"
to be happy whereas I am only one and so only have one "right".
Therefore, it is perfectly appropriate that I give up my right
to fulfill all their "rights" to be happy. I can only
do that in a maximal level if I attain Buddhahood. Therefore,
to attain Buddhahood, I will now practise this Deity Yoga.
To generate uncommon Bodhicitta:
i) Moreover, I can try to attain Buddhahood through accumulating
the Six Perfections for infinite eons. However, while I am doing
so, all beings will continue to suffer in samsara.
ii) I cannot bear the thought of them suffering in the meantime.
I must practise this Deity Yoga so that, immediately or at the
earliest possible time, I can attain Buddhahood for their sake.
1.3) Arising as the Deity:
Keeping in mind that one must immediately attain the state of
Buddhahood for the good and liberation of all mother beings, one
instantaneously visualize oneself arising in the form of a Deity.
To arise in the form of a deity, one must first be ready to give
up one's own self-cherishing, self-grasping ego, to assume that
of a visualized Deity, representative of Buddhahood, resplendent
with all unbelievable qualities !!
At this point, one's arising as a Deity, creates cause for one
to accumulate the relevant karmic propensity to truly take birth
in the Form Body of a Buddha.
The Deity, whether peaceful or wrathful, is usually adorned with
6 types of ornaments, representing the complete actualization
of the 6 Perfections:
1) Generosity 4) Joyful Energy
2) Morality 5) Meditation
3) Patience 6) Wisdom
The Deity is usually seated upon a sun and / or moon disc
atop a lotus. The sun and moon respectively symbolizing that the
Deity is upheld through ultimate and relative bodhicitta, or compassion
and wisdom. The lotus means that the Deity forever abides within
the turmoil of samsara for the good of all beings while being
totally undefiled by the smudges of it just as the lotus grows
out of and blossoms brilliantly from muddy water but is however
unblemished by any blotches of impurity.
Every single detail of the Deity - the number of hands, legs heads;
their respective colours; their varied hand implements; their
different postures - in effect, every single, specific detail
will correspond significantly to precise aspects of Buddhahood.
Wrathful deities are sometimes depicted trampling upon "demons".
The "demons" are representations of one's very own defilements
that one should triumph over and vanquished before one can attain
Buddhahood rather than any externally lurking evil spirits. These
"demons" usually represent "fundamental ignorance"
or mistaken grasping at true existence of phenomena from which
arises all the myriad hordes of defilements on the ultimate level
or the selfish, self-grasping, self-gratifying or self-grasping
attitude, at the relative level.
One good example is that of the main implement, the Phurba, held
by the famous deity, Vajrakilaya. The Phurba is a sharp, dagger-like
object with 3 blades, each blade corresponding to destruction
of our three main demonic defilements of greed, anger and ignorance.
The 3 blades taper down and end in a singular point. This point
corresponds, as the above example, to the destruction of "fundamental
ignorance" on the ultimate level and / or the destruction
of self-cherishing attitude on the relative level.
Another example will be that of say the 9 fiery heads of another
popular deity symbolizing the 9 categories of the dharma, its
34 arms plus its body, speech and mind, making up 37, corresponding
to the 37 facets of Enlightenment, its 16 legs representing the
16 types of Emptiness and so on and so forth, its embraced consort-partner,
representing the absolute inseparability of Wisdom and Method
on a general level, the dissolving of distracted, discursive "winds"
or consciousness, on another level. In effect, the entire deity
awesomely sublimated into Buddhahood itself.
One crucial point here is that whilst oneself appears in the
form of the deity, one remains absolutely aware of its illusory-like,
"empty" quality.
1.4) The 7-Limbs and / or others
At this point, one usually generates the Teacher and the
Three Jewels in the form of one's Deity in the sky above oneself.
Oneself, also, in the form of the deity, performs the 7-Limbs
towards "real" Deity, in front of oneself.
The 7-Limb Prayer is extracted from Samantabhadra's Aspiration
Prayers of the Avatamsaka Sutra. Practising this 7-Limb is said
to be the supreme way of accumulating merit.
Limb One
Prostrating, taking heart-felt Refuge in the Enlightened
Beings -
The reasons for taking refuge:
i) Out of fear ( most basic level ) -
Seek protection for oneself from the treacheries of
samsara
ii) Out of divinely great Compassion ( the Mahayana level ) -
Seek protection from the Three Jewels not for oneself but for
others in the sense that one can then, with refuge, be of competence
to help all beings
Limb Two
Making total and complete offerings to the Enlightened
Objects -
One needs to absolutely offer everything, at least with
the sincerest wishes, as it is usually not possible to offer in
actual, real life, one's body, one's life, one's heart, all the
gold and silver in one's banks, one's beauty, strength and all,
so that we can swiftly accumulate merit for the attainment of
Buddhahood for the good and liberation of all. If one holds anything
back, this is a sign of not possessing total renunciation of one's
self-grasping at one's samsaric objects of attachments. This will
lead to further wandering in samsara. If one offers with absolute
sincerity, one paves the way to letting go of self-grasping and
the way to liberation so that we can be a Buddha for all.
Limb Three
Why Confession?
Committing defilements cause sufferings for oneself and others
while
not committing defilements and cultivation of positive activities
results in happiness for oneself and others.
This is in-line with the Mind-Training teachings that cherishing
others
is the door to all happiness while selfishly cherishing oneself
only is the door to all sufferings.
Confession -
the 4 powers of confession:
i) Regret committing defilements as it is negative and produces
only suffering for oneself and others
ii) Sincere commitment never to engage in defilements again -
this
is the clever way not have suffering again in the
future
iii) Do the "opposite" - in place of anger, we'll have
love; in place
of lies, we'll have honesty and truth; in place of
killing, we'll
protect lives
iv) Doing purification practices through Vajrasattva, the 35
Confession Buddhas and / or other practices.
Limb Four
Rejoicing -
Feel the greatest happiness in all deeds and activities done for
good and liberation of all, be it from your own organization,
other organizations, Buddhist or otherwise. Always pledge and
dedicate all your support with the purest and best of all best
wishes for the unbridled success of these activities.
Think also that rejoicing reaps great merit while feeling jealous
reaps great problems !!
Limb Five
Stay on Forever !!
Making the sincerest wishes that all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas,
Teachers upholding the Teachings, whether you know them or not,
and not just your own Teacher, to please stay on forever in this
world for the good of all.
If one Buddha decides to pass away, we lost one illuminating lamp.
If one Buddha decides to live on, the lamp persists in its brilliance
for the joy of the world.
Limb Six
Teach us please !!
Making the sincerest of all wishes to the Teachers to please always
"Turn the Wheel of Dharma" so that we may all learn
about the teachings and so gain liberation from suffering.
If the Buddhas and Teachers don't teach, we will not be able to
attain happiness. If they teach and we learn, transcendence from
suffering and actualization of all happiness is at hand.
Limb Seven
Full-hearted Dedication and Sharing
Dedicate the incredible merit you have thus far accumulated, especially
merit accumulated through this 7-Limb, to all unenlightened mother
beings.
Think of their respective sufferings in samsara.
Remember always and empathise deeply with their problems, difficulties
and sufferings.
Generate the greatest wish of wanting to help all beings with
your total love and compassion, dedicating and sharing your merits
with all these beings, all of whom having been our very parents,
loved ones throughout all infinite lifetimes, again and again,
having died for us, wept for us and sacrificed for us.
We completely offer and share entirely our hearts and love with
the world with all its creatures in it always.
Other notes
Throughout the 7-Limbs, ourselves visualized already as
the deity, will emanate goddesses to perform all the works.
For example, we may visualize infinite goddesses emanated from
our hearts making full-hearted prostrations to the 3 Jewels in
all universes while full-heartedly taking refuge in them for the
first limb. For the second limb, we may visualize unbelievably
number of goddesses offering unbelievably holy and great offerings
to the 3 Jewels.
Further notes on Offering
In certain texts, one offers the following to the Teacher
and 3 Jewels manifesting in the form of the deity:
i) people or things whom one feels strong attachment to - friends,
parents, lovers, our new sports car,
[ this is the reflection of one of our main defilements - attachment
]
ii) people or things whom one feels indifferent towards - the
starving baby dying of Aids in far-flung Africa, our neighbourhood's
stray cockroaches ingesting poisoned pills planted for them
[ this is the reflection of the second of our monstrous defilements
- ignorance ]
iii) people or things whom one hates and dislikes - back-stabbers
at work, the malicious liar
[ this is the reflection of the third main monstrous defilement
- anger ]
Offering these three gory reflections of our defilements and
understanding in depth the functionings of their manifestation
loosens and finally squashes them through completely offering
and surrendering them to the Teacher and 3 Jewels.
On Wrathful Offerings
Sadhanas of wrathful deities sometimes mentioned of offerings
of turbulent oceans of boiling blood, stinking, putrid human flesh,
towering mountains of bones and the utter destruction of the universe
and all "enemies" in it to the Teacher and 3 Jewels
manifesting in the form of the wrathful deity.
The idea behind:
Offering of blood enacts surrendering
of desires and attachments of oneself and all beings
Offering of fleshes enacts sublimation
of ignorance
Offering of bones enacts renunciation
of anger
With these offerings, one surrenders and conquers our 3 main
most wicked defilements.
Offering of the destruction of the entire universe with all "enemies"
in it symbolizes the vanquishing of samsara for all beings and
the "enemies", of course, with our own miserable defilements.
1.5) Teaching and liberating all beings
At this point in the sadhana, one, as always, out of infinite
love and compassion for all precious father and mother beings,
prays with endless devotion to the deity, manifestation of the
3 Jewels and in essence, one's holy, precious Teacher, to integrate
and merge as one so that one may then bring goodness and joy to
all.
One's Teacher, in the form of the deity, then dissolves into oneself
and merges inseparably, becoming one.
Sometimes, in certain sadhanas, one also visualizes all Buddhas
now coming to give one initiation from holy vases and then all
the Buddhas dissolving into oneself.
Next, one recites the mantra of the deity. The mantra appears
in the center of one's heart and shoots off blazing lights to
all beings in the world. The light touches all beings and transforms
them all into the deity, bringing them joy and everything good,
liberating them from samsara and transforming them all into Buddhas
who in turn, blazes forth the mantras and sharing you in your
holy activity of liberating all beings.
In some sadhanas, you as the deity, emanate countless Buddhas,
with infinite compassion, filling up the entire universe, "just
as pods are completely filled with sesame seeds", teaching
tirelessly and working endlessly for all, liberating all beings.
Further notes on mantra recitation
While reciting the mantra, oneself may also visualize goddesses
or different coloured lights issuing forth from one's heart to
i) enact the 7-limb as given above;
ii) perform the 4 Activities of:
- Peace [ White light - healing, blessinng ];
- Increase [ Golden-yellow light - enricching, prosperity of inner
and outer wealth ];
- Attractive or Power [ Red light - channging the minds of beings
to only do good deeds, attracting beings to dharma practices ]
and
- Wrathful or Protective [ Blue-black liight - protecting beings
and smashing, squashing obstacles ]
iii) all individual beings of the 6 realms, completely relieving
them of their sufferings;
iv) One continuously remain and abide in the awareness of the
ultimate nature of the absence of liberator, the act of liberating
and the liberated throughout
2) Accumulation of the Wisdom Aspect
This is the most crucial part in the sadhanas as this is the actual place where death, intermediate-state or "bardo" and re-birth is purified, where one finally obtains liberation from samsara for the good of all
i) Light shines from you as the deity to all the universe
and dissolves all into light and then re-dissolving all these
masses of light back into you
ii) Oneself as the deity further dissolves into light
iii) One now "rehearses" death through visualizing the
different scenarios one will experience when death comes. One
gets extremely familiar with all these signs and recognizes the
significance of each scenario. These detailed, specific signs
must be rehearsed until one is absolutely familiar with them.
They are extremely clearly elucidated in Yangchen Gayi Lodro's
text.
It culminates in the manifestation of the most subtle innate
Clear Light Mind where one then either abides in deep
awareness of or then using this most subtle mind in
contemplation of Emptiness.
iv) One, in the form of absolute "Emptiness", now identifies
this state as the Truth Body of Buddhahood. One now thinks: I
cannot stay in this state of Dharmakaya because I cannot help
sentient beings if I am here. Only other Buddhas can see me. Out
of compassion, I must come out of this state.
[ this stage corresponds to purification of the actual Death State
]
v) Instantly, you are turned into a sphere of light, arm span
in length. Think: I am now in Enjoyment Body or Sambogakaya of
Buddhahood. Only 10-Stage Bodhisattvas can see me. All other beings
cannot even see me. How can I help them ??!! I must immediately
take birth so I can help all my beloved mother beings.
[ this stage corresponds to purification of Intermediate-State
or Bardo ]
vi) Instantly, "like a fish leaping out of water", one
transforms into one's personal deity in all its glory possessed
of infinite mercy and love for the world. Think: I have now taken
birth. I am now in Nirmanakaya of Buddhahood.
[ this stage corresponds to purification of Birth ]
Through knowing, familiarizing and then finally harnessing of the death, bardo and birth processes, one is able to achieve liberation from the pitiful, endless cycle of samsara.
Last Note
Every sadhana goes through
i) Birth of the Buddha - this corresponds to the point in the
sadhana where one arises in the form of the deity
ii) Attaining of Enlightenment of the Buddha - this corresponds
to the rigorous 7-Limb practices climaxing in the Buddhas giving
one initiation and dissolving into oneself
iii) Turning of the Wheel of Dharma of the Buddha - this corresponds
to the part where one recites the mantras and liberates all
iv) Showing of Nirvana of the Buddha has a last lesson to the
students - this refers to the part where one dissolves all phenomena
into light and into oneself and oneself in turn dissolving into
Emptiness
v) Oneself again arises in the form of the deity showing that
Buddhas are never truly in nirvana but are forever manifesting
in the world in whatever form is appropriate and helpful for all
beings.
In retreats, one practices a sadhana of a deity at least 4 times a day in four separate sessions. Through utter mastery of the sadhana through the deity yoga practices, one gains Buddhahood that one may then liberate all from samsara.
Deity Yoga too includes Completion Stage practices of the Wind, Channels and Drops. The topic is gigantic and will not be covered in this article.
Dedication
The sadhana has at this point concluded. We now dedicate fully
all merits to all sentient beings everywhere and pray that this
merit may stay on forever in this world so long as there are sentient
beings whom the merit can be of help.
"Due to this Merit,
May I soon attain the Enlighten-State of Guru-Buddha,
So that I may be able to bring all beings without exception
To that very Enlighten-State"
"May the precious Bodhi mind,
not yet born arise and grow;
May that born have no decline,
but increase forever more"
Post-Sadhana