Translated by Ina Bieler & Transcribed by Florence Lee

Guru Rinpoche Empowerment

Tashi delek my dharma friends. Today again from all over the world, we are seeing each other’s face directly and I am so happy about that. Nowadays in this world, we do experience a lot of suffering and difficulties. This is really a time where we do not have any other hope but the three Jewels. The Buddha himself also foretold the coming of the degenerate age and he said at that time Chenrezig must appear in the snowy land of Tibet in order to tame those sentient beings that are difficult to tame. Chenrezig accepted this comment. How did Chenrezig appear?

It is said that Chenrezig appeared from the right hand of Buddha Amitabha. And Tara appeared from Buddha Amitabha’s left hand. Guru Rinpoche appeared from Buddha Amitabha’s heart. And he came to Tibet in order to benefit all sentient beings in the six realms. For this purpose, the Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya exists. Dharmakaya is Buddha Amitabha, Sambhogakaya is the great compassionate one Chenrezig and the Nirmanakaya is Guru Padmasambhava. Guru Rinpoche came to Tibet and turned the wheel of dharma. He also concealed many treasure teachings (termas) for future generations. In future generations, these termas were discovered by the tertons and this was a way for the dharma that he taught not to degenerate. That is the kindness of Guru Rinpoche and also now the appearance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama at this time of degeneration to benefit sentient beings.

The Buddha spoke of five different degenerations and he said that this is the time when sentient beings are difficult to tame. Guru Rinpoche also said that in future times the secret mantra Vajrayana vehicle will be very important for those sentient beings that are difficult to tame in the degenerate age. The quote goes ‘In the last 500 years of the degenerate age, when the five poisons of sentient beings are extremely coarse, the Vajrayana teachings will be very profound.’ So, this is a time where Vajrayana teachings will be very beneficial.

This is a time where Vajrayana teachings will be very beneficial. And the Vajrayana teachings are the teachings where the afflictive emotions are liberated without having to abandon them. They are transformed into primordial wisdom through the skillful means of the secret mantra. So, that is the purpose of Guru Rinpoche and today we will receive the Guru Rinpoche empowerment. There is a short historical background to this empowerment and Rinpoche will read that now.

“According to the Noble Sutra of the fortunate eon and other sources, it is taught that there will be a thousand Buddhas appearing in this fortunate eon. Of these, we have encountered the teachings of the incomparable Lord of Shakyas the Buddha of our age. Twelve years after the Buddha had displayed his passing into Parinirvana, the embodiment of the enlightened activities of all Buddhas of the ten directions, the supreme Nirmanakaya Padmasambhava, the lake born Vajra was born within the heart of a lotus on an island in the great Sindhu river. Adopted by the King Indrabhuti, Padmasambhava granted the King the fortune of being his son. Later, he demonstrated yogic discipline and renounced his home to live the life of a homeless mendicant and perfectly observed the three types of vows.

Having trained in yogic discipline at the charnel grounds, he accomplished his own purpose, the perfect dharmakaya and displayed awakening through the five actualizations. In the noble land of India and at other various places, he subdued with his vajra-like wisdom the conceit of those who promote falsity. Such as the view of fixating on the true existence of the transitory collections and so forth. He showed them the authentic path and taught the myriad stages of the graduated path illuminating like the sun and moon the holy teachings of the Buddha.

At this time the emanation of the noble Manjushri, the Tibetan dharma King Trisong Detsen was constructing the changeless spontaneously arisen Samye Monastery. However, malevolent Gods and spirits were causing obstacles and no one was able to subdue them. Thus, the King invited the great master Padmasambhava, the crown jewel of all scholars and masters of the noble land of India to come to Tibet where he then widely propagated the teachings of the Buddha. Later, many of the other scholars and masters returned to India and other places.

But Padmasambhava remained and traveled to many of the holiest places in Tibet such as Chimpu. To benefit beings who will be deceived by fabricated false doctrines that appear to be dharma in the future age of strife. He concealed the essence of the sutras and tantras (the teachings of the Buddha) which are free from the stains of confusion in the form of countless profound termas, along with aspirations for them to be discovered in the future by those endowed with fortune and favorable karma.

After the King Trisong Detsen passed into nirvana, his son Mutik Tsenpo took on the kingdom. During his reign after Padmasambhava’s students have completed their training, the guru departed to the south west in order to tame the Rakshas. At his departure, he told the Tibetans out of great love for them that if they made offerings to him every morning and evening on the 10th day of the month in the lunar calendar, he would appear directly to those with pure karma and manifest in various other forms to inferior disciples. Though there are numerous guru sadhanas that Padmasambhava concealed as profound termas, this one was discovered by the great terton Pema Lingpa.

Padmasambhava’s qualities are even greater than the buddhas in three ways. And he propagated the teachings in Tibet where he brought about immense benefit for sentient beings. Thus, the Tibetan people are deeply indebted to him for his vast activities. His life story is told extensively in scriptures such as the Chronicles of Padma. This practice is the heart essence of all paths and the source of all spiritual accomplishments. The Buddhas have taught that to supplicate to the Guru is the single root of all dharmas.

And this is the brief lineage of the Peaceful Guru Rinpoche, Dharmakaya Amitabha, Sambhogakaya Lord Avalokiteshvara, supreme Nirmanakaya Padmasambhava, Daikini Yeshe Tsogyal, Princess Pema Sal, Terton Pema Lingpa, Mahasiddha Tsephel Sangpo, Lord of the Victorious Ones Chogyal Rinchen Phuntsog, Supreme guide of the degenerate age Dharmarajan Sampen Mangalam Sri Vajra, Vidyadhara Dharmakirti, Benchen Konchok Lundrup, Je Konchok Trinley Sangpo, and root guru Dharma King Konchok Trinley Dondrub from whom I Konchok Tenzin Drodul have received the empowerment.

Rinpoche said that he himself had received the empowerment from the Mahasiddha Chimee Dorje who was in the previous life the disciple of Gar Trinley Yongkhyap. The previous life of Garchen Rinpoche where at that time His Holiness Zhiwe Lodro came to Tibet. But aside from that, Rinpoche said he has received the empowerment many times. And so, this is the introduction of the empowerment to you disciples.

In the Gongchik ‘The Buddha’s Single Intent’, Lord Jigten Sumgon said that the difference between the Sutras and the Tantras is the empowerment. But there is no real difference in the dharma itself. So, in the sutra path or in the lower action like the Kriya tantras there are many different divisions of deities. It appears to us that there are so many and likewise it appears that there are limitless Buddhas in limitless eons. This is how it appears to us because we grasp at a duality of self and other. Actually, all the Buddhas of the three times are complete within the enlightened mind of a single Buddha. They are one in their body, speech mind and enlightened activities. As we always say, within the expanse of primordial wisdom, all the Buddhas are one. This is how it is but it remains hidden from us.

So how are they all one? They are one in their mind. Their mind is a mind of omniscient wisdom. The mind is Dharmakaya which is like space and from this appear the limitless infinite Sambhogakaya deities like sun rays emerging from the sun. And like rainbows emerging from the sun rays. Ultimately, they are one and the same; there is no difference. This is what we are introduced to during an empowerment; we are bringing it all to its single essence. So, in tantra we have the new and old tantric systems. And Guru Rinpoche brought the various classes of tantras of the new tantric system into one single essence, in the form of the 4 branches of approach and accomplishment which is a presentation of practice where we can go through all those stages in a single practice.

So, this is what he did which also corresponds to reality and accords with the words of the Buddha himself. It is just that sometimes this is not understood by sentient beings of the degenerate age. On one hand, we have sentient beings of the degenerate age and on the other hand we also have encountered the teachings of the Buddha Shakyamuni who turned the wheel of dharma. There are some who have trained in this and past lives and have practiced. Then, there are some who when they hear an empowerment don’t understand much. But it is said in a text that speaks about the benefits of receiving an empowerment. This text belongs to the new tantric system and it says that if one just encounters the blessings of an empowerment, but even if one doesn’t understand anything at all, the benefit from having received these blessings will ripen after seven lifetimes.

So, this is the benefit of receiving an empowerment and we are receiving the empowerment of Guru Rinpoche which is his outer form. Inside he is bodhicitta and when bodhicitta arises, then all obscurations are purified and cleared away. In the inner level, all sentient beings of the three realms of samsara are the same as one’s own mind. We recognize that when we purify our own mind. So, when the obscurations of your own mind become purified, you recognize that your own mind is actually Buddha. And that is what you are introduced to in the secret mantrayana. It is something that we recognize but no one has realized that.

During an empowerment, we are introduced to our true nature being a Buddha. That is the purpose of receiving the three levels of the body, speech and mind of an empowerment. The root of samsara of all sentient beings limitless as space is self-grasping. Because we grasp at a self, we grasp at a duality of self and other. And that leads to an attachment to a self and aversion against the other. This is what leads to the appearance of samsara. When we offer a mandala, we are offering all our self-grasping of all the sentient beings in the three realms of samsara.

Because when sentient beings are free of that, their buddha nature is actually pure. Buddha himself had said all sentient beings are actually Buddhas. They are only obscured by adventitious stains. This adventitious stain is the root of it which is this concept of ‘I’ and ‘me’. It is something that we cannot see but we cling to it. We cling to the existence of a self that does not exist and that is what we call the confusion of sentient beings in samsara. Due to this clinging of an “I’ that doesn’t exist, we develop many thoughts of attachment and aversion. And that is what creates existence in samsara.

Then, some beings appear as large as a mountain while others appear as tiny as a mustard seed. Some without any form at all. So, the three realms of samsara appear. But when sentient beings are free of self-grasping, they are all Buddhas in their natural state. So, knowing this we should now offer a mandala and recite the offering that comes from the guru yoga practice of Milarepa. Normally, we recite the short mandala offering ‘the ground is sprinkled with water and so forth.’ That one is also very precious because it originated at the time of the Tibetan Dharma King Trisong Detsen when he received the Choki Gyatso empowerment from Guru Rinpoche.

At that time, he offered a mandala to Guru Rinpoche and said those lines. So that is why it is so precious. There is the mandala offering in the Milarepa Guru Yoga and this particular mandala offering is clearer in meaning. So, when we read it then we will really understand the actual meaning of the mandala offering. It is very important to understand the meaning and that is what we have added it to our prayer book. Now after having offered the mandala, think that in an instant, in the space before you appear, principally Guru Rinpoche who is surrounded by the three roots and Buddha Shakyamuni who is the essence of the three jewels.

So, those three roots and three jewels (the assembly of Buddhas) appear in the space before you like massing clouds. Their intent is to benefit sentient beings; their mind is immeasurable love and compassion for sentient beings. And they appear so that sentient beings may realize bodhicitta. For that purpose, they appear and spread the Buddha’s teachings. Now, think that they are all in the space before you. You can think about this now but at any time when you are doing your personal practices well, think that the Buddhas are actually here.

In general, they are always present because their Dharmakaya nature is all-pervasive and indivisible from space. They appear in the form of Sambhogakayas like rainbows appearing in space. Appearing with brilliant clarity like sun rays emerging from the sun in the form of various deities. Peaceful and wrathful, male and female; whatever one’s mind desires. So, visualize in this way when we next come to the supplications to receive the empowerment. We are repeating this supplication three times for body, speech and mind.

Rinpoche had already recited it for body once so the next is for speech. Please repeat:

“Namo Guru who embodies all the Buddhas whose nature is the three jewels. I and all beings of the six realms take refuge until enlightenment is reached.” Next is for the mind and we repeat it again. After we have taken refuge in the three jewels then what do they tell us to do? Now you must give rise to and develop the mind of bodhicitta. Not thinking about yourself but thinking of benefitting all sentient beings.”

“I give rise to bodhicitta for the sake of all beings. I will accomplish the guru buddha and thereafter I vow to serve the needs of all beings of the six realms by engaging in enlightened activities.

Next, we will recite the offering of the seven branches which are the antidote to the six afflictive emotions. In the sutra path, they are described in the prayer for excellent conduct. Here in the tantric path, this is the essence of the 7 branches.

“Guru, Yidam and gathering of deities, please come here and be seated on this cushion of lotus, sun and moon. I prostrate respectfully with body, speech and mind and render outer, inner and secret offerings, all impaired and broken vows, evil deeds and obscurations. I lay bare and openly confess. I rejoice in the accomplishments of the secret mantra. Please turn the dharma wheel of the ripening and liberating secret mantra. And do not pass into nirvana but continue to remain for the benefit of others. I dedicate the heart essence for the benefit of all sentient beings. May they realize the authentic vajra nature.’

Instead of thinking “I” cultivate immeasurable love and a wish to benefit all sentient beings. And this mind becomes like a field for things to grow. Then from within this state, everything becomes empty with ‘Hung Hung”. All thoughts and grasping at a true existence of appearances, concept labels and so on are all dispersed. From within this state of emptiness, your mind appears as a red Hri syllable brilliant like a ruby. Visualize that and have your eyes closed and later when I ask you to again open your eyes and look at that image of Guru Rinpoche at that time.

And then in an instant have this form of Guru Rinpoche appear in your mind. Or you can just bring to mind the Hri syllable. That is sufficient in the beginning for the generation stage of the deity. But there are many of you who know how to practice the generation stage. So, visualize the Hri or Guru Rinpoche in this way and all the deities who belong to the lotus family have the same seed syllable “Hri’. But if you are more accustomed to the ‘Hung’ syllable then that is also fine. It doesn’t make a big difference because in brief what we must achieve is to be free from this sense of ‘me’ or ‘I”.

So, meditate in this way and close your eyes. Just imagine that from the sky the deities’ seed syllables appear like rainbows. “Om Ah Hung’ descend down and dissolves into the entire universe and all beings. Having dissolved think that the entire outer universe is transformed into the boundless palace of the deities. And all the inner sentient beings have transformed into the deity. All the males into Chenrezig and all the females into Tara.

If you have an image of Guru Rinpoche, then look at this image at once and have it appear in your mind. The moment you bring Guru Rinpoche or the Hri syllable to mind, in that instant there is no thought of a self or other. When Guru Rinpoche appears in your mind instantly then your mind is Guru Rinpoche. And there is not a single thought in your mind if it is grounded in bodhicitta that wishes to benefit all sentient beings. So, in an instant your mind becomes Guru Rinpoche, and in that moment, where bodhicitta is present, there is no difference between your mind and Guru Rinpoche’s mind.

However long bodhicitta remains in your mind then your mind is Guru Rinpoche’s mind.

“Namo Venerable Guru, root of the lineage, Yidam deity bestower of siddhis and dakini, dispeller of all obstacles please bestow upon me a fortunate one the blessings of the Guru and the three roots. The blessings today are bestowed based on the torma and when we practice sadhanas, there are many different tormas that we encounter. The torma is very precious because the torma, stupas and the vases are all representations of the Buddha’s mind. Within the torma millions of Buddhas can dwell; as the embodiments of loving kindness.

Today’s empowerment is conferred based on the torma and we should see the torma in four different ways. First, the torma is the boundless palace and it is like a large hotel where hundreds and thousands of deities can abide. Secondly, the torma is also the actual deity itself that has come due to our aspirations. Thirdly, within the torma through the power of the Buddhas aspiration prayers, the torma also represents an offering consisting of the seven royal attributes, the eight auspicious symbols, eight auspicious substances, five sense objects and whatever one may desire.

It is like this large hotel where everything is present. So, the torma is also an offering and fourth if we eat part of the torma dough then the torma also represents a blessing that is endowed with bodhicitta. Instead of that, we can also eat blessing or nectar pills because it is an antidote to self-grasping which is like an ice-block. It needs warmth or heat to melt and that antidote is bodhicitta. These blessing pills are naturally infused with this mind of bodhicitta and you may have received it from many different lineages. They are the nectar pills or Mani pills and they are called Jatsuk in the Drukpa Kagyu lineage and Rinchen pills in the Drikung lineage.

In any case, you have received the blessings from the four major lineages and they are all the same. The ingredients are also the same. We have seen the torma in four different ways and sometimes they are made in gold and silver. But what you actually eat instead of the torma is your Mani or nectar pills that you have prepared for the empowerment. So, you have received those pills many times and if you have prepared them for the empowerment then you should eat one of those pills. Also think that the blessings fall down like rain falling down and naturally dissolve into you and all beings.

That is also a skillful means of the secret mantra. These are the four ways of seeing the torma and actually it is said that if you simply have a torma present in your home, then just naturally all the Buddhas will come just like coming to a hotel and stay there. First ,from the torma white light radiates and think that it pervades the entire universe and all sentient beings. And they all become like rainbows appearing yet lacking any inherent existence or self nature. Appearing just like rainbows or clouds in the sky. So first meditate in this way.

It is just like a rainbow but we don’t recognize it as what it is in this universe. But this is what it is in reality and also how it is taught in the heart sutra. It is our clinging to this concrete existence of appearances which is the obscuration that causes harm. Next, visualize that from the AH in the torma red light radiates and pervades all the sounds in the entire universe and all sentient beings. Think that all the sounds have transformed into the self-resounding sound of the vajra guru mantra. That relates to speech and therefore we are now going to chant the mantra.

Think that all the sounds such as the sounds of trains, airplanes and so on has transformed into the vajra guru mantra. Then you will be able to transform all sound into mantra. Think that from the torma blue light like the sky radiates and dissolves into your heart. Then think that the dualistic grasping at the universe and all beings disappears and the mind becomes just like space. Look within and do not look outside at outer objects but meditate and look at your own mind. If you know how to practice Mahamudra, then meditate at this point. When you meditate, all thinking and grasping dissolves then you can understand the space-like nature of the mind. That is the actual mind empowerment.

For the form and speech empowerment, we have purified the grasping at form and sound. And when these obscurations become purified, you can see the nature of mind with clarity. Now meditate on the Hung. Rinpoche will ring the singing bowl and when hear this sound, the sound will gradually disappear. As it disappears, think that along with the sound all thoughts disappear. When thoughts have disappeared, you come to the natural state of the mind and you will see the nature of mind clearly.

This is how you should engage in your daily activities without discursive thinking within the state of meditation. When you go about your daily activities, just bring to mind ‘Hung’ in an instant then there will not be other thoughts in your mind. During all your activities, just remember the Hung. Now is the time where you should eat your Mani pills and think that inside the pill is a syllable Hung and swallow it as a whole. This is how you should always think when you are eating or drinking blessed substances. So, when you are eating think that you are eating Hung and when you are drinking think that you are drinking Hung.

After having received the empowerment of body, speech and mind then we receive a fourth empowerment. And it is the empowerment on the enlightened qualities and activities of Guru Rinpoche. Actually, the quality is your own buddha nature which is no different from Guru Rinpoche’s mind. When you actualize your own buddha nature, then all qualities that are inherent within will become actualized. And as a result, you will be able to benefit sentient beings in a very vast way for many lifetimes. So, this is like an auxiliary empowerment of the enlightened activities and qualities. But mainly this fourth empowerment is an empowerment of enlightened qualities.

Then having received the empowerment of Guru Rinpoche’s body, speech, mind, activities and qualities; whenever we receive an empowerment at the end the life-force of the empowerment is to keep the samaya. What is the samaya? It is mainly bodhicitta and bodhicitta which is the love that you have right now. For example, the love between you and your friends and so on. Or even the love that you feel for a tiny little animal. That is the samaya which is to sustain that love. That is what you have to uphold when you hold the samaya.

How you lose it is when the enemy of anger and jealousy arise. This is what causes the bodhicitta and your love to grow weaker. That is important because sometimes people think that keeping samaya means that you have to keep the samaya with just the Guru but it doesn’t matter with your companions and friends. So, we quarrel with them and so on but that is not how it is. Samaya really means to sustain love for all and the Buddha taught many different methods to increase our love.

When immeasurable love arises, then there is no more self-grasping. That is the adventitious stain that the Buddha mentioned. In order to remove the stain of self grasping, the Buddha taught the dharma. And even though you might receive a hundred empowerments, the root of all these empowerments is a single samaya which is to cultivate the precious bodhicitta. So that is the commitment that we have to keep to when we receive the empowerment. And that is the commitment which we are going to repeat next.

“May precious bodhicitta arise where it has not yet arisen. May it not decline where it has arisen and may it ever further increase.” So, the secret samaya is love and compassion and for the outer samaya, for instance now we are practicing the Guru Rinpoche Bhumstok which is extremely precious. On the smaller scale it is for the benefit of this entire world and on a larger scale it is for the benefit of sentient beings in the three realms of samsara.

Now, from all the different places in the world we are joining together to engage in this practice. To eliminate the difficulties that beings experience in the world. And the root of all these suffering, sickness and diseases are the afflictive emotions. Therefore, the antidote is bodhicitta and since the Bhum Tsok is a practice of bodhicitta, it is extremely important.

Guru Rinpoche Teachings

Today my dharma friends, I would like to greet you Tashi Delek wherever you are in the world. We are starting the Vajra Guru Rinpoche retreat today. You might think that you are far away and just following the retreat over live streaming. But actually, that is not the case because the body is just like a house. In that sense you might be far away but the mind is like space and like electric energy. So there really is no distance in that. For example, when you are making a phone call, it is just like this electric energy. So, the mind is just like that; it is connected to space. The body consists of the four elements; earth, water, fire and wind. In the body, the earth element is the flesh, the water element is the blood and the wind element is your breath. The heat of the body is the fire element and the mind is the space element.

Wherever there is space, there is the mind. Among the five buddha families, dharmakaya is like space. The dharmakaya, your mind and space are all one and the same thing. This understanding is referred to as the ultimate truth so we are really together here today. For those who have not seen the ultimate truth, this state is referred to as samsara. The only difference is seeing or not seeing the truth but the mind is still one and the same. The reason why we have not seen the truth is because we consider the body as the most important. Focusing on the body, we perceive a dualistic existence of self and other. This is what has caused the perception of a separate existence in the six realms of samsara. So that has created the karmic appearances, suffering and habitual imprints.

Where do these karmic appearances come from? They arise from our habitual imprints and these imprints arise due to our grasping at our thoughts and the concept labels that we assign to them. So, it is due to this fixation that we create habitual tendencies over and over again and these leaves an imprint in the mind. That is what we call a habitual imprint and this is what causes the water to freeze into ice. And what creates the appearance of a separate existence in the six realms of samsara. The basis of the mind of the Buddhas and the mind of sentient beings are one and the same. But the mind of the buddhas is like ocean water and the minds of sentient beings is like ice. An ice block has no freedom and suffers. It is like a rock but on the other hand ocean water has freedom. To melt that we receive the empowerment of the secret mantra in order to attain freedom and to become like water.

When one sees the truth and realizes the nature of the mind, then one realizes the non-dual existence of self and other. Not seeing the truth is a temporary state and due to that we perceive a dualistic existence of self and other that we cling to. And that clinging creates these karmic habitual imprints which leads to the appearance of a separate existence which causes the mind to become like a block of ice. We think that self and other really exists. Due to this perception, we regard the body as most important and focusing on the body we become confused. And this confusion is what we call samsara.

So, to turn this around, in the Vajrayana and Secret mantra, we receive an empowerment. Although there are many different deities, what is the ultimate empowerment that we receive? When we receive an empowerment, we receive the empowerment of the deity’s body, speech and mind. Of which we really must receive the mind empowerment and when we receive that, the dualistic grasping collapses. Again, where does this dualistic grasping arise from? It comes from the focus on the body and in order to turn that away, we receive the form empowerment of the deity which is the generation stage.  When we visualize the form of the deity over and over again, then the ordinary grasping at our illusory aggregate becomes purified. Eventually we forget about our ordinary body and arise in the form of the deity. So that is the purpose of the form empowerment of the generation stage or the visualization of the deity.

So, we need to understand what is the quality of receiving the form empowerment and what difficulties do we encounter if we do not receive it? When we receive the form empowerment of the generation stage, Lord Jigten Sumgon had said that cause and effect is the momentary manifestation of one’s thoughts. All the beings in the six realms of samsara, humans, animals, beings with a body and beings without a body.

Limitless beings all are a manifestation of their inner state of mind which begins with a dualistic grasping of self and other. It creates this dualistic imprint and whichever of the afflictive emotions is predominant then that determines the manifestation. For example, a poisonous snake is a natural manifestation of hatred and in a similar way, each of the afflictive emotions leads to a certain manifestation. And having created this body, we experience suffering because we have a body so we need food, clothing and we also need to take care of our health. We cherish our body and due to this we suffer our entire lives.

Even a little insect like ant; it runs around day and night. Because it has a body, it experiences fear and also the suffering of heat, cold, hunger and thirst. All of that is because it has a body. So, what kind of body do we get when the body attains freedom? It is when we separate from the belief in a true existence of our body and whatever labels we give it. When the body attains freedom, it becomes a form that is appearing yet empty of self nature. There are two kinds of illusory body; the pure and impure. The pure illusory body is the body of the deity which is appearance and emptiness that is devoid of all dualistic grasping. It is beyond birth and death; appearing like a rainbow.

Then, there is the impure illusory body which is our ordinary body. That is the body we have right now created by our dualistic grasping at self and other. We are an embodiment of our inner state of mind. For example, hell beings are an embodiment of hatred and hungry spirits are an embodiment of stinginess and so on. So, each being in the six realms of samsara is the natural manifestation of their own afflictive emotions and habitual imprints in the mind. So, they are like blocks of ice and therefore they experience suffering.

Nowadays in this world because of this new virus that is spreading, beings experience suffering. How much fear and restrictions are experienced because of this body. Even though bodhisattvas appear in the human world, their relation to the body is quite different. As it is said in the 37 bodhisattva practices, consciousness the guest will cast aside the guesthouse of the body. So, bodhisattvas see the body as nothing more than a hotel or a guesthouse. They don’t cherish or cling so much to their bodies and their attachment to the six sense consciousness is not so strong. They have purified their habitual patterns of attachment to the body and in having purified the ordinary body, their body has become a pure illusory form that transcends birth and death; just like a rainbow in the sky.

It becomes like that when you meditate on the yidam deity over and over again. In this way you will forget about your ordinary imprints with regards to the body. So, when you visualize the deity, the imprints and obscurations of the ordinary body become purified. When they become purified, your clinging to the body diminishes. If you do not cherish your body so much, then you will also experience fewer illnesses and less suffering. The moment you recognize that this body is just like a guesthouse, the suffering that you experience in relation to the body becomes lighter and the illness goes away. This is how you attain the freedom of the body. It is through the generation stage; the visualisation of the deity.

In the Vajrakilaya practice, it says ‘may the demon of the aggregate fully ripen into the form of the deity. So why is this ‘demon of the aggregate’ called a demon or a mara? We call it a demon because it leads to suffering and when it causes happiness, we call it a God. When the body becomes purified or ripens into the deity, it becomes a pure illusory body just like a rainbow transcending birth and death. In order realize that and to conquer this mara, we visualise the generation stage. There are 4 kinds of generation stage for this purpose. In this way, through the form empowerment we achieve the generation stage and thereby we attain freedom of the body.

So where does this form empowerment that we have received begin? It begins when we are shown this image and being told to visualize its form. That is why it is important that we also receive an image of the empowerment. But you might think that it is just a picture but it is not just a picture. Because it is an aspect of the Buddha’s compassionate nirmanakaya and this aspect is called the created nirmanakaya where you can see with your eyes. A nirmanakaya possesses the qualities of the three kayas and the first quality that it possesses is the omniscient wisdom. The nirmanakaya knows the subtle workings of karma, cause and effect.

For example, in the aspiration prayer of Dewachen, it says ‘it knows all the thoughts and minds of all sentient beings.’ So, the buddhas know whatever you are thinking and that is the omniscient wisdom. The second quality is the loving compassion and so when Buddhas look at sentient beings, they love them like they love their only child. They became Buddhas because they have completely cleared away all self-cherishing. It is said in the 37 practices, the perfect Buddhas arise from the altruistic mind.’ The term Buddha in Tibetan is ‘Sangye’ and ‘Sang’ means having cleared away all grasping at a self and ‘Gye’ means expansive or vast. So, through their love their minds have become vast and the ice has melted. When the ice block melts it becomes one with the entire ocean.

So, it begins with the four immeasurables. The Buddhas have cultivated immeasurable love, immeasurable compassion, immeasurable joy and immeasurable equanimity. In this way when self-grasping disappears, naturally the perception of self and other also disappears. Then the Buddhas saw sentient beings who have not realized this which led them to have immeasurable compassion for those sentient beings.

And thirdly the enlightened activity; Buddhas perform whatever activities necessary to benefit sentient beings. In this way, they appear as various forms in the six realms of samsara or as the five elements. In fact, the entire universe and all sentient beings really are nirmanakayas. So that is from the perspective of the relative truth. From the perspective of the ultimate truth, sentient beings in their unripe state are like the seed of a flower. Buddha himself had said that all sentient beings are actually Buddhas and that seed is buddha nature.

Those of us who meditate on the deity are nirmanakayas and the fully enlightened being is like the flower. And we as the practitioners are like the seeds of that flower. The deity loves all sentient beings just like a mother who loves her only child. So, when you look at the image of this deity, remember that this is the deity who loves all beings just like a mother who loves her child. And when you see this image with that thought, love arises. It really moves your mind and some people even start to cry. In fact, the further away you are, the more love there actually is. So, when you look at the image of the deity remember the love of the deity.

What we call devotion or faith in the deity or the compassion that these higher beings have for sentient beings is all one and the same thing. It is the same essence of love. When you understand that, you will connect to the deity. So, recognize the qualities and love of the deity when you look at this image. Then you close your eyes and have this image appear in your mind again and again. And when you habituate to that, sometimes the moment you close your eyes, the deity appears there even if it is not so clear. But the love of the deity is there and it is great.  That is the experience you gain from the practice and in this way, eventually you will never forget about the deity. It will never leave your mind and you will forget about your ordinary body just like old clothes. You will just take it off and you will naturally ripen into the form of the deity.

So, when the deity appears when you close your eyes, where does it appear? Is it outside of you or is it in your mind? It is actually in your mind; it is nowhere outside of you. When you close your eyes, the deity appears in your mind just like in a mirror. Your mind is just like a mirror. That is the experience you gain when you realize that the deity exists within your own mind. That is the first experience and feeling that arises from the deity practice. For that, you receive the form empowerment of the deity and thereafter you habituate to this over and over again.

The reason why we practice again and again for a long period of time is so that we gain this experience. So, when we practice the generation stage, the deity possesses the aspect of clarity, stability and purity. With regard to clarity or clear appearance, that is when the deity appears clearly in your mind. Stability refers to what we call divine pride or confidence being the deity.

But sometimes doubts arise when you meditate on the deity and you wonder if you are really the deity. You possess buddha nature but you are in an unripe state just like a seed of a flower. And what causes you to be in an unripe state is being obscured by self-grasping and the afflictive emotions. This is why your ordinary mind is like a block of ice. If you establish a foundation of bodhicitta and practice the deity, then that seed ripens. All deities are a manifestation of bodhicitta. Your mind and the deities’ mind are one and the same. Therefore, the deity inherently exists within your own mind. So, when you understand that, then you develop a confidence of really being the deity. Then whenever you remember the deity, you recognize that you really are the deity. But whenever you forget about the deity then you become ordinary again. This is then the divine pride or stability and confidence of being the deity.

Third is the recollection of purity which is to remember that the appearance of the deity’s form, ornaments and implements represent a certain quality within the deity’s mind; which is all a quality of bodhicitta. Even though there are many explanations on the different symbolic meaning of the deity’s appearance. For example, a certain part of the deity represents the 6 paramitas or the 5 wisdoms and so on. It is good if you know what they all mean but even if you don’t it is enough to know that the entire appearance of the deity is really a manifestation of bodhicitta and the 6 paramitas.

The 6 paramitas is the quality of bodhicitta. All the qualities of the Buddha are manifest in the form of the 6 paramitas which arise from bodhicitta naturally just like sun rays emanating from the sun. The different appearances of the deity are a quality of that. The quality from the ultimate perspective are the five wisdoms which are the manifestation or the radiance of ultimate bodhicitta and the six paramitas of the relative bodhicitta. So, if you just understand that, it is sufficient. Basically, if you never separate from relative bodhicitta, all the qualities of the deity will arise and the seed of the flower will ripen. So, these are the three aspects of the deity yoga practice. Clarity, stability and purity.

Second, we receive the speech empowerment of the mantra recitation and what is the purpose of that? Even though the form of the deity might appear to you very clearly, you will easily loose that the moment you start ordinary conversations. In the secret Vajrayana, there are different kinds of mantra.  There is the secret mantra, awareness mantra and the dharani mantra. This is a secret mantra and by reciting it, ordinary thoughts with regard to speech are cleared away. Normally it begins with a thought which leads us to say something. We wouldn’t engage in the conduct of speech without having a thought prior to that.

Therefore, the vajra recitation of the Om Ah Hung naturally becomes mantra. So, the Om Ah Hung that arises within your mind represents the enlightened body, speech and mind of all the buddhas. The Om in its enlightened form is appearance and empty. Then the speech and empty sound is the ‘Ah’ and the ‘Hung’ which is the empty mind or clarity and the great mind of compassion. You see that the outer form of the deity has become like a rainbow appearing in the sky. Appearing to act for the benefit sentient beings. So, the body speech and mind are represented by the Om Ah Hung.

With the body we have cleared away the outer grasping at forms. Even though we see beings we do not grasp at their true existence. Once we have recognized that we come to the speech empowerment where we clear away the grasping at the true existence of speech. Here there is the Guru Rinpoche mantra ‘Om Ah Hung Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hung’ where Vajra represents seeing the ultimate truth of non-duality. It is the vajra of emptiness that is unchanging and it is Vajradhara. Then ‘Guru’ is the guru’s mind and even though you have an outer guru, it is really the mind that is referred to here. The guru’s mind is also a mind of non-duality which is therefore connected to the ‘Vajra’ and ‘Vajra’ is connected to primordial wisdom. So, this is how ‘Guru’ and ‘Vajra’ are connected and it is the ultimate mind that is free of dualistic grasping.

By reciting the mantra, we are really supplicating and saying that all of us who grasp at a duality are confused by the appearances of our karmic imprints. Which have caused our minds to become like an ice block. So, help us melt this ice so it becomes water. This is what we are saying when we recite this mantra. Then ‘Pema’ or ‘Padma’ is the lotus flower and it also represents a freedom from attachment. The lotus grows from mud but at the same time it remains unstained by the mud. Likewise, although Bodhisattvas dwell in samsara, they are without attachment. They are just like a lotus flower; they see all of these samsaric appearances like an illusion. There is no grasping at a true existence of them.

’Siddhi hung’ means ‘May we realize the ultimate vajra of emptiness; which is the guru’s mind. 1.03.09 To become free of attachment to samsara and to liberate these imprints of attachment. So here when we recite the mantra ’siddhi hung’ it means to grant us the siddhis to attain the non-grasping at the true reality of things on the ultimate level. With this in mind and remembering the meaning we recite the mantra. The purpose of the mantra recitation is to release the grasping at the true existence of sound and to realize the empty nature of mantra. That is the real meaning of all mantra.

We recite the mantra slowly in its melody to bring the meaning to mind. That is the purpose of the speech empowerment. And again, it begins with first putting an imprint of that into your mind. It leads to the accomplishment where the meaning of it never leaves your mind. In this way we go through the different stages of practice until we reach great accomplishment. We go through the four branches of approach and accomplishment starting with the approach.  When we recite the mantra and place this imprints in our mind, the view of these four branches becomes accomplished. For this reason, the number of mantra recitations is not what is most important. What you need to look out for is the experience that arises from the mantra recitation. What we need to be able to accomplish is this release of the true existence of things. That is the experience to be gained.

In the new tantric system, it is referred to as the four classes of tantra. In that system you have separate rituals for each of those classes. According to the old Nyingma tantric system, we practice the four branches of approach and accomplishment. The first stage is where you first visualize the mantra garland. Then once you have stabilized this in the close approach, the mantra garland begins to rotate slowly in the second stage. Then in the third stage of accomplishment, from that rotating mantra garland light rays emanate. They make offerings to the Buddhas and they purify the obscurations of sentient beings.

When they are purified sentient beings realize the ultimate truth. Then the great accomplishment is where you realize that all these sentient beings only appear that way temporarily. Without those temporary obscurations all beings are actually buddhas. Therefore, no real sentient being actually exists. When all their ice block has melted, they all are the same ocean water. So, realizing that, the certainty is the great accomplishment before the final stage. Until that is achieved, we practice reciting the mantra and for the sake of that we receive the speech empowerment.

With regard to the benefit of the mantra garland, same benefits come about when you spin the prayer wheel. It is said that there are three continuations accomplished through the mantra garland. First it becomes a continuous offering to all the Buddhas and secondly it becomes a continuous purification of sentient beings’ obscurations. Third it becomes a continuous attainment of siddhis. A Siddhi in Tibetan means ’Ngodup’ which is an actual attainment. The term actual or manifest attainment is also significant because it is a real experience.

There are two kinds of siddhis; the common siddhi and the supreme siddhi. A common siddhi refers to the attainment of the various positive qualities in the higher realms. For example, the happiness in this human world and the accomplishment for the purpose of self and others. The accomplishment of one’s dharma activities and basically the accomplishment of anything one sets one’s mind to. How are they accomplished? They are accomplished due to relative bodhicitta. When you cultivate an altruistic mind and love for sentient beings, that itself becomes this continuous offering to all the Buddhas. Then you can generate a vast mind and this love becomes an immeasurable offering of Samantabhadra clouds.

If you want it to pervade the Purelands or sentient beings, then this love pervades all the Purelands and sentient beings. So, the nature is the same. When it is directed towards the Purelands, then it becomes devotion and faith. Then when it sees the suffering of sentient beings, it becomes the light rays of love and compassion. Which then purifies the obscuration of all sentient beings continuously. These light rays of love can melt the ice blocks of self grasping of all sentient beings. This is how their obscurations are continuously purified and how the continuous offering to the Buddhas is made. The common siddhis are the quality of relative bodhicitta and they are attained through mantra recitation.

This is also complete within a prayer wheel and however many mantras there are within that wheel, they are all sent outwards. We understand the mantra to be the deity, an offering and a siddhi. This is how we speak about the benefits of the mantra recitation. That is the second speech empowerment. The third empowerment is the actual mind empowerment where we realize the non-dual nature of the mind. Habituating this for a long time, we realize the ultimate bodhicitta. By cultivating love, self grasping diminishes naturally.

Then we come back to the ‘Om Ah Hung’ where Om represents the enlightened body, Ah the enlightened speech or the mantra and Hung is the ultimate mind empowerment… the nature of the mind of the deity. The mind of all the Buddhas is this omniscient and vast space-like mind. And if we were to meditate upon that, there is really nothing that we meditate upon. Because there is nothing to meditate upon in terms of the enlightened mind, all we need to bring to mind is the Hung syllable. If you know the nature of the mind, the moment you bring to mind the Hung ཧཱུྃ syllable, all dualistic thoughts of self and other disappears instantly. The mind becomes like space and that is the dharmakaya; where all the Buddhas are one.

It is also said that one’s own mind, the guru’s mind and the Buddhas mind are one and the same. So, this is what we realize during the mind empowerment and again it arises first from the relative bodhicitta which diminishes self grasping. Through the altruistic mind we realize that others do not inherently exist and the appearance of others is just a temporary illusory appearance. With this altruistic mind and the ultimate level, sentient beings are now liberated. Those who are not liberated are liberated, those who are not released are released and those who have no breath are given breath. So, there are these three levels whereby sentient beings are gradually liberated. First sentient beings living in the three lower realms are raised and liberated into the three higher realms. Then those in the three higher realms are established in the state of bodhisattvas. Those who are already bodhisattvas are established in the state of enlightenment.

This kind of benefit comes about with each mantra that you recite and you bring this to mind.

And the ultimate empowerment is when you receive the empowerment of the mind. You only visualize the syllable ‘Hung’ which is the ultimate visualization. In this way you attain freedom of body, speech and mind having received those three empowerments (or the three vajras). The vajra of the body is the appearances and the freedom of the body. The vajra of speech is the empty sound or the freedom of speech. And the vajra of the mind is the empty awareness or the freedom of the mind. That is the samadhi or this remaining in the non-dual primordial awareness. That is the ultimate vajra which destroys dualistic grasping. That is an actual manifest experience that will come about through receiving the empowerment and engaging in practice. Next, I will confer the actual empowerment.

Rinpoche just read the historical account and there are many different termas and mind accomplishments of Guru Rinpoche. This particular mind empowerment is a terma by Pema Lingpa and also in our monastery, we practice another terma by Nuden Dorje. According to the noble sutra of the fortunate eon and other sources, it is taught that there will be a thousand Buddhas appearing in this fortunate eon. Of these we have encountered the teachings of the incomparable Lord of Shakyas, the Buddha of our age. Twelve years after the Buddha had displayed his passing into parinrivana, the embodiment of the enlightened activities of all the Buddhas of the ten directions, the supreme nirmanakaya Padmasambhava, the lake-born vajra was born within the heart of a lotus on an island in the great Sindhu river. Adopted by the King Indraputi, Padmasambhava granted the King the fortune of being his son.

Later he demonstrated yogic discipline and renounced his home to live the life of a homeless mendicant and perfectly observed the three types of vows. Having trained in yogic discipline of the great charnel grounds, he accomplished his own purpose; the perfect dharmakaya and displayed awakening through the five manifest enlightenments. In the noble land of India and at various other places, he subdued with his vajra-like wisdom the conceit of those who promote falsity. Such as the view fixating on the true existence of the transitory collections and so forth. He showed them the authentic path and taught the myriad stages of graduated paths. Illuminating like the sun and moon the holy teachings of the Buddha.

At this time the emanation of the noble Manjushri, the tibetan King Trisong Detsen was constructing the changeless spontaneously arisen Samye Monastery. However vicious gods and spirits were causing obstacles and no one was able to subdue them. Thus, the King invited the great master Padmasambhava, the crown jewel of all scholars and masters of the noble land of India to Tibet where he widely propagated the teachings of the Buddha. Later many of the other scholars and masters returned to India and other places. But Padmasambhava remained and travelled to many of the holiest places of Tibet to benefit beings who will be deceived by fabricated false doctrines that appear to be dharma in the age of strive. He concealed the essence of sutras and tantras (teachings of the Buddha) which are free from the stains of confusion in the form of countless profound termas along with aspirations for them to be discovered in the future by those endowed with fortune and favourable karma.

After the King Trisong Detsen passed into Nirvana, his son Mutik Tsenpo took on the Kingdom. During his reign after Padmasambhava’s students had completed their training, the guru departed to the south west to tame the rakshas. At his departure, he told the tibetans out of great love for them that if they made offerings to him every morning and evening of the tenth day of the lunar calendar, he would appear directly to those with pure karma and manifest in various other forms to inferior disciples. There are numerous sadhanas that Padmasambhava concealed as profound termas, this particular one was discovered by the great terton Pema Lingpa.

Padmasambhava’s qualities was greater than even the Buddhas in three ways and he propagated the teachings in Tibet which brought about immense benefit to sentient beings. Thus, the Tibetan people are deeply indebted to him for his vast activities. His life story was told extensively in the scriptures such as the chronicles of Padma. This practice is the heart essence of all paths and the source of all spiritual accomplishments or siddhis. The Buddhas had taught that to supplicate the guru is the single root of all dharmas. As for the lineage of the peaceful Padmasambhava, the dharmakaya Amitabha, Sambhogakaya Lord Avalokiteshvara, the supreme Nirmanakaya Padmasambhava, the dakini Yeshe Tsogyal, Princess Pema Sal, Terton Pema Lingpa, Mahasiddha Tsepel Sangpo, the Lord of the victorious ones Chogyal Rinchen Phuntsok, the supreme guide of the degenerate age Dharmaraja, Samten Mangala Shri Vajra, the Vidyadhara Dharmakirti, Penchen Konchok Lundrup, Chey Konchog Trinley Sangpo and the root guru dharma king Konchok Trinley Dhondrup from whom I Konchok Tenzin Drodul have received the empowerment. Then it goes on to Rinpoche’s lineage of Chime Dorje to Tenzin Kunzang.

In terms of the lineage gurus, the greatest offering is the offering to the guru or the lama chopa. The guru is the embodiment of the three jewels, the three roots and the three kayas. In terms of the three roots for instance, the lama yidam and daikini, the guru’s body is the lama, the speech is the yidam and the mind is the dakini. In terms of the result, the three kayas are also embodied by the guru. That is his body is the nirmanakaya, his speech is the sambhogakaya and his mind is the dharmakaya. You should see that all of these qualities are embodied by the guru and it’s said that within the expanse of primordial wisdom, all the Buddhas are one. Therefore, whatever deity you practice, you should see that deity as the guru embodying them all. So, this is how you engage in practice.

The root of suffering of all sentient beings limitless as space is self-grasping. To purify this, we offer a mandala. So now we bring to mind the entire limitless outer universe and all its sentient beings. And also see that the entire outer universe is complete within your own body. Within your own mind all sentient beings are complete. You embody them all and so therefore make it a mandala offering. My dharma friends we are all together so don’t think that we are far apart. It is just the body that seems to be far apart but the body is just like a guesthouse. But what really keeps us together is the mind of love. If you have faith in those higher beings or if you have love for sentient beings then you are very close.

On the other hand, if you have no love and even if your bodies are together, it is really of no benefit. Therefore, bring to mind the four immeasurables. That is really most important whether we are alive or not. This is what pervades like space. Now visualize in the space before you the field of accumulation, the principal deity and consort in the centre. And surrounded by all the buddhas and bodhisattvas of the three times. Think that in their presence, you take refuge and cultivate the mind of bodhicitta.

Now, in the context of practicing according to the bodhisattva and secret mantra Vajrayana path, there is an important visualization that you have to bring to mind. You shouldn’t think that you are taking refuge to be protected. But rather you should think that all sentient beings limitless as space must be protected. That is the refuge of the Mahayana and it is very important to think in this way when we take refuge and receive empowerment.

‘Namo to the guru who embodies all sugatas and has the nature of the three jewels. I and all beings of the six realms take refuge until enlightenment is reached. I give rise to bodhicitta and having accomplished the guru-buddha I vow to liberate the beings of the six realms according to their needs with various enlightened activities. Guru, yidam and dakinis please come here and be seated on this cushion of lotus, sun and moon. I prostrate respectfully with body, speech and mind. And render outer inner and secret offerings all impaired and broken vows, evil deeds and obscurations. I lay bare and openly confess. I rejoice in the accomplishments of the secret mantra. Please turn the wheel of the ripening and liberating secret mantra teachings and do not pass into nirvana but continue to remain for the purpose of others. Most importantly, I dedicate for the purpose of sentient beings. May they realize the nature of the true vajra.

So, what is the purpose of taking refuge? This path arose due to the three jewels. The Buddha taught the path of dharma and from the dharma appeared the sangha. In the context of the mind generation of bodhicitta what is the sangha? Literally, a sangha is someone who aspires to virtue and what is that? There is something that is virtuous at the beginning, the middle and the end that leads to the temporary and the ultimate benefit and happiness. That cause is virtue which is the altruistic mind and a sangha is someone who possesses that in brief. It is someone who has the wish to benefit beings and once that has arisen in your mind, instantly think that this mind transforms into the syllable Hung. And if you know how to visualize you can also visualize a red Hri syllable. But they both are basically the same. Mostly we are also used to visualizing the Hung syllable.

But the crucial point is that you the disciples remain single pointed. As long as you are single pointed, you can visualize either the Hung or the Hrih.  Focus on that single pointedly and close your eyes. If you have an image of Guru Rinpoche, thhen hold it in your hands while you have your eyes closed. Later when I ask you to open your eyes, look at this image at once. And again, close your eyes. Your eyes become like a camera taking a picture, so this image again appears in your mind. So please practice in this way.

Now open your eyes and look at this image of Guru Rinpoche and again close your eyes. Have this image appear in your mind even if it is just the face of Guru Rinpoche.  The moment you think of Guru Rinpoche marks the beginning point of the generation stage practice which is very precious. Every time you think of or recite the Vajra guru mantra, instantly think of Guru Rinpoche’s form.

“Namo venerable guru root of the lineage, yidam deity originator of siddhis and dakini. Dispeller of all obstacles please bestow upon me a fortunate one the blessings of the guru and the three roots.” This empowerment is conferred based on the torma empowerment and through that we are authorized to engage in practice. There are four ways in which we see the benefits of the torma. Number one is that the torma represents the immeasurable and boundless palace. So just like in a large hotel, hundreds and thousands of deities all can dwell within the torma.

Secondly, the torma also represents the deity itself and it is like having very important guests coming to visit.  The three roots together with the retinue all are represented by the torma. Thirdly, the torma also represents an offering and within this hotel you have countless offering gods and goddesses who bring whatever one could desire. Form, sounds, scent, touch and so on. That is made as an offering to the deity which pleases him.

And then having conferred the empowerment, the fourth benefit is that the torma represents the siddhi or the attainment. Sometimes we will eat part of the dough from the torma or receive those mani blessing pills which all have the nature of bodhicitta. They really are the root of blessings. So, they all have been consecrated by the deity’s bodhicitta and it is just like a mother who loves her child. And through the power of her love, milk flows from her breasts. So, the milk is like the power of her love and similarly like the deity’s love when we receive their blessings. That is very important to note when we receive the torma empowerment. Again, the torma possesses those 4 qualities, the boundless palace which is the deity itself and an offering. And it also is a siddhi and an attainment.

Next there is a visualization for the torma itself. On top of the torma you have this image and this image is like a mirror that reflects the deity abiding in space. So, think that they are actually there in the form of Guru Rinpoche as you see here in the image. Then visualize that first inconceivable white light radiates and it touches all the inner sentient beings. Instantly they transform into the rainbow light form of Guru Rinpoche. Think that instantly they all become Guru Rinpoche and focus on that single pointedly.

So, with this you have received the form empowerment of the generation stage. Secondly visualize that from the torma a stream of nectar emerges from the red syllable ‘AH’ and enters the throat of all sentient beings. Then think that the speech emerging from the throat all transform into mantra. And also think that all the sounds in the universe become the sound of the mantra. So, visualise in this way.

Think that from space a rain shower of red nectar flows in the form of AH. This mantra Om Ah Hung Benza Guru Pema Siddhi Hung comes to circle around the Hung syllable; and think that now you have obtained this mantra garland around the ‘Hung’ and there it circles continuously. Giving off the sound of the mantra. For example, when an engine of an airplane turns very quickly, it gives off a natural sound which is effortless as it emerges naturally. So similarly think that from the turning mantra garland, the natural sound of mantra emerges. Then wherever you go, everything becomes the sound of mantra.

For example, when you hear the sound of an airplane or a train and so on. It is actually through the melodic chanting of the mantra that you are able to transform all sound into mantra. So, all sounds become the Vajra Guru mantra and when there is no grasping at the true existence of sound, it becomes empty. And sound does not place an imprint into your mind. So now you have received the speech empowerment.

Next, we come to the mind empowerment and again think that from the torma a dark blue Hung radiates and dissolves into your heart. Instantly as it touches your heart think that thoughts pertaining to the three times instantly come to an end. And the mind naturally becomes like space which is without any grasping whatsoever.

In the past you have all received those Mani blessing pills and you can take one of those pills in your home now. Eat it to represent the mind empowerment and think that within this pill is the syllable Hung. You swallow it whole and it is not just now that you are taking this pill but you should think that the Hung syllable is inside it every time. And when it reaches your belly, think that all your channels and elements become pervaded by ‘Hung’. Meditate at this point. It doesn’t matter which blessing pills you have received from which lineage. Any of the blessing pills like the Mani pills are all the same in being permeated by bodhicitta.

So today during the mind empowerment you should take one of those pills from home where you are and think that there is a Hung syllable inside it. And think that the moment you swallow it, the thought of the three times instantly stop. That is the receiving of the mind empowerment.

Then we come to the fourth empowerment is also called the wisdom empowerment where we visualize and meditate on the Hung. When you meditate on the Hung, you become free of grasping and see that there is no division between your own mind, the guru’s mind and the Buddha. If you know how to meditate in the state of Mahamudra, then meditate in that state. Or just meditate on the Hung. And when you meditate on Hung, your mind becomes just like space.

You come to the natural state of the mind; the basis which is referred to as the Buddha nature. It is the utterly clear and pure natural state of the mind that is free of all thoughts and concepts.

This pure mind is directly connected to the continuum of all the Buddha’s mind. And that is what we refer to as the single basis of samsara and nirvana. It is the state that is completely free of these temporary thoughts and concepts in the mind.

The Buddha said in the very beginning that all beings are actually Buddhas but they are only obscured by temporary adventitious stains. When these stains are removed all beings are actually buddhas. So, think about what are these adventitious stains again and again. They are the many thoughts in our mind and when you separate from them by exclaiming Hung or meditating on the Hung then there is nothing in the mind. There is no self, there is no other. All there is; is clarity and clear knowing.

Clear awareness is this primordial wisdom and when the mind is unclear that is a sentient being obscured by ignorance. And being obscured by ignorance beings are controlled by their afflictive emotions and by their thoughts. So, they have no self control. So clear awareness is clearly knowing, is conscious and is empty. The empty aspect is a thought free state that is why it is empty. But even though there is no thought, there is a clear knowing being conscious of this empty nature. And that is the mind of all the Buddhas.

Also, Dudjom Rinpoche had said that this is the innate state that you continuously have but yet you are just not aware of it. And as Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche had said ‘I am a Buddha but I don’t recognize that.” So, meditate on this over and over again and look at this mind which is clear and empty.

This mind which is like space and which is clear and empty is always there; and unchanging. It is never affected by any kind of feelings of happiness and suffering and so forth. It is ever unchanging beyond birth and death. And that is the 4th empowerment. Whenever you meditate, you should always abide within the 4th empowerment. So, through meditating again and again, this experience will arise. That is the result of the entire empowerment which is the 4th empowerment. It is the point of meditation as whenever you meditate, you come to this state of the 4th empowerment. So therefore, it is the ultimate result of the empowerment.

So now you have received the empowerment and lastly there is the samaya. It is said that the life-force of the empowerment is to keep the samaya. Although you might receive a hundred empowerments, there is only a single root samaya which has a relative and an ultimate aspect. On the relative level the samaya is to sustain a mind of immeasurable love which is a compassion that is infused with loving kindness. And on the ultimate level, the samaya is to abide in emptiness which is represented by the Hung. That is why we are printing the Hung syllable on various objects like on t-shirts and so forth. Because it serves as a reminder and every time, we see that we remember Hung and emptiness.

And whenever we remember it, we come to the ground or the fundamental nature of the mind. That is why we distribute the Hung syllable in various forms all over the world. So, it helps us to remember the ultimate samaya and the relative samaya of love begins with those individuals that you love. It goes on until all of those enemies that hate you and so forth. They all become friends that you love and even someone who triggers your anger is actually like a spiritual friend. Because they help you to bring up the anger within you. The anger is still there because when there is self-grasping, anger is there naturally. But it remains hidden in your mind. Through this person that dislikes you, the anger comes up and you see it. Therefore, this individual is a really precious friend who help you see your own anger. So, we can actually feel very grateful to them because they also help you to cultivate bodhicitta.

If you hold on to this samaya, then none of the other samayas can break. That is why this is the root samaya and we are printing the Hung syllable onto various t-shirts and so on. We are also now very fortunate because this is the month where our virtuous activities multiply by a hundred thousand times. So, it is good to engage in practice at this time. Now, all of the disciple practice in the various places at home supported by the compassionate prayers of the spiritual masters. This is a time of degeneration and it is said that during this time we experience an age of weapons, disease and famine. So now, we are experiencing a small age of disease and it occurs because love is too small within the minds of sentient beings. Their afflictive emotions are too many which leads to the experience of disease and suffering in this life.

And in future lives, it leads to the suffering of the three lower realms which are the natural reflection of one’s own afflictive emotions. So, this is how you should see it and the antidote to those afflictions is nothing else but love and compassion. Continuously at all times hold on to this root samaya and on that level we are always together. If you meditate and rest on the ultimate view, then we are never separate because self and other do not exist. The moment you remember that and give rise to love and compassion, you are actually one with the mind of all the Buddhas. Your mind of the four immeasurables and the four immeasurables of the Buddhas are all one and the same.

Within Buddhism, the power that we develop is developed by the virtue of the 3 powers. The first power that you need to possess is the power of your own intention which means you must possess immeasurable love. And if you have that, then you will also receive the second power which is the power of all the buddhas’ great compassion. Then that leads to the third power which is the power of dharmadhatu where you then realize that self and other, samsara and nirvana are indivisible.

For example, nowadays in this world, there is His Holiness who opens our eyes to this. He really is the regent of the Buddha Shakyamuni. So, remember this and also remember the uncertainty of this life. We don’t know when we are going to die; the timing and the circumstances of our death are uncertain.

Therefore, do not spend your time in laziness but apply your body, speech and mind to virtue. Tame your own mind; in particular of anger and of jealousy. And cultivate loving kindness and compassion which is the only cause of birth in the three higher realms. And the ultimate state of enlightenment. So that is really the essence of all virtuous companions. It is to hold on to love and loving kindness.

So, the samaya is love and that is really most precious. If you have that then in all future lifetimes, we will always be together. Because we will only change our bodies but we will not change our mind. Therefore, also in future lifetimes, dharma companions will meet again and we will support each other in our dharma activities. And we will take birth in the Purelands of Dewachen together. This is also said in the Aspiration Prayer that if you know that and hold on to this bond of love, then wherever we go, we go together. We assist each other and will experience happiness. This is the nature of things and through these aspirations we meet again and again together.

Likewise, for those who are angry, they meet together in hell. And for those who are stingy, they meet together as hungry spirits and so on. This is what leads to the long existence of the six realms in samsara where we meet again and again in certain circumstances. So, if you understand that and you hold only on to love, then even if you were to say “I don’t want to”, you will still never separate from the triple gems.  Many tashi delek.