The Wish Fulfilling Goldern Sun of The Mahayana Thought Training3.pdf

THE WISH~FULFILLING

GOLDEN SUN

OF THE

MAHAYANA

THOUGHT TRAINING

Thubten Zopa

(The greatest simpleton amongst

all the followers of Guru Shakyamuni)

MEDITATION

1. We should check within before checking externally

People the world over believe that happiness depends on and is derived from

external factors. The Dharma teaches that everything is created by mind and that to

understand and solve problems we should check within our minds before checking

externally. To do so correctly, we need the various experiences of the Graduated Path

to Enlightenment.

We should look in a mirror to see if our face is clean or not. Then we should

use an effective method, such as soap and water, to clean the dirty face, and not try

to do it by breaking or enlarging the mirror. Since infinite time we have been trying

to resolve problems through external instead of mental methods: it is impossible to

find relief in this way.

2. The posture during meditation

There are seven physical disciplines to be observed while we meditate in the

sitting position. By placing the body in this posture as taught by the great Guru

Marpa, we leave a deep impression on the mind, and this prepares us for the

achievement of Enlightenment in the essence of the Dhyana Buddha, Vairocana

( Nam.nang )—the Buddha of the fully-purified skandha of form.

a. The best way to sit is in the full-lotus position (vajrasana).

The buttocks are on a flat cushion and the legs crossed, with the dorsum

of each foot lying on the opposite thigh. If this is impossible, then the

half-lotus position (padmasana)—left foot on the floor and right foot on

left thigh—should be assumed, and if this cannot be done then Green

Tara’s posture—both feet on the floor—is acceptable. In all cases the

right leg is crossed in front of the left.

If we can manage none of these then we should just cross the legs as

comfortably as possible, but our posture should always be respectful as

we are in the presence of the Buddha. Leaning back against the wall, for

instance, is disrespectful.

b. The hands rest lightly in front of the body, the left lying palm upward on

the lap and the back of the right on the upturned left palm. The hands

are open and the fingers together; The thumb-tips meet above the palm.

The arms are relaxed and slightly rounded, and held a little way away

from the body.

c. The back must be kept straight—this is very important. Not only does it

prevent back-ache but also the mind becomes clearer and more alert;

there are less distractions and it is easier to meditate. This is because the

nadis are also kept straight.

d. The eyes should be half-closed, and the gaze should be directed down the

line of the nose towards its tip. If the eyes are completely closed we may

become sleepy and sluggish, but we can close them if it is disturbing not

to do so.

e. The jaw is relaxed and the teeth slightly apart. The lips are together.

f. The tip of the tongue touches the back of the upper teeth. This becomes

very useful later in our practice—as the mind is held in concentration the

flow of saliva increases, so with the tongue in this position there is no

need to swallow frequently.

g. The neck is slightly bent forward. But, if bent too much, sinking and

sluggishness will arise, and if kept straight, there may be scattering,

agitation and distraction.

3. The mind during meditation

a. The agitated mind

Sometimes our mind is scattered, unable to hold the object of

concentration and distracted by superstitions (delusions) in the form of

disturbing thoughts and images. To cheat and relax this restless mind we

can use one of two methods.

i. Suppressing all other thoughts, we concentrate fully on our breath:

We breathe in through the right nostril and out through the left,

three times.

We breathe in through the left nostril and out through the right,

three times.

We breathe in and out through both nostrils together, three times.

Having quieted our mind in this way we commence the meditation.

ii. We visualise that our mind is enclosed within a round seed, the size

of a mustard seed (o), which is divided into two hemispheres, the

upper white and lower red, and situated in the central nadi at the

height of the navel. We concentrate on this until our mind is quiet,

and can then commence the meditation.

This is a method used by Tibetan yogis.

b. The drowsy mind

When our mind is sluggish and we experience sinking, unclear or dark

visualisation or lack of energy to concentrate, we can visualise that our

mind is enclosed within a small bean in the central nadi at the height of

the navel. This is then shot upwards through the central nadi, which is

seen as a transparent glass tube, and, like an arrow, is ejected from the

body through the crown of the head. The bean opens and our mind is

released to become one with all-encompassing space. We concentrate on

this for some time and can then return to the meditation.

This is a special technique used by the great Tibetan yogi P’a.d’am.pa

sang.gyä .

4. Since we always desire to profit and never desire to lose we should understand

the extreme importance of being motivated by the right impulse.

Before trying to perform any virtuous action we should check our mind.

Virtuous actions create Enlightenment and invirtuous actions create samsara: such

actions are created by the mind; therefore, Enlightenment and samsara are also

mentally dependent.

What sort of mind is responsible for invirtuous actions? It is the negative

mind, that which is greedy, ignorant or angry, attached to the happiness of the

temporal life. And so it is this mind that only ties us to continual samsaric suffering

and causes us to fall into the suffering of the three lower realms.

But the mind that is not greedy, ignorant or angry is detached from temporal

happiness, is pure and virtuous. This mind is the creator of supreme happiness, the

utmost, right and perfect Enlightenment; any action it creates is virtuous and the

fundamental Dharma practice.

Many of us have no idea of these vital points in the practice of Dharma, and

the way we practise is by thinking, “I am a yogi, I am Holy, I am perfect.” This is like

being burnt in a fire and running around in it instead of escaping.

For our practice to become a Mahayana practice, it is not enough that the

Teaching is a Mahayana Teaching and that our actions are virtuous ones. We

practitioners must become Mahayanists, and this means our mind must be possessed

by the Mahayana thought—cherishing others while giving up ourselves. If our basic

impulse is involved with the self-cherishing thought, even though it may be one of

detachment from samsaric pleasure, it is still a lower, Hinayana thought.

The benefits of the Mahayana thought (Bodhicitta) are infinite. If this

impulse motivates us to give just one bowl of food to a single animal, the benefits are

incomparably greater than those derived from offering worlds full of jewels to each

and every sentient being with a mind devoid of such motivation.

Therefore, we should check within our mind. If we find we are attached to

and concerned with the comfort of the temporal life, then we should think as follows:

“Since beginningless time this evil thought has been cheating me and causing

me to suffer in the circle of samsara. But now, for once, I have been born human and

have received the perfect human rebirth; I have met the Mahayana Teachings and a

Guru showing them. If I follow this evil thought I shall waste this present precious

chance, and it will continuously cheat me and cause me to suffer in future lifetimes.

Therefore, I should destroy this evil thought completely, making it absolutely

non-existent, and finish with spiteful, deluded, distracted minds forever. I must

make the definite decision that never again shall I allow myself to be controlled by

such evil thoughts.”

Then, breathing out through the right nostril, we visualise that these evil

thoughts are expelled from our body in the form of black fog, passing beyond the

farthest ocean and disappearing completely.

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