S T E p S A L O N G T H WA Y 3. D / 曰眦 the countless ill deeds of body, speech, and mind you have perpetrated with an intent tO harm others. Regret having done them, and intend to abstain 伝 01 れ them in the future. 4. A れ from the depths of the heart your own virtues and those of others. Take joy ⅲ the good things メ ou have done in this and previous lives, thinking, "I really did something good. ' Take joy in the virtues of others, including those of Buddhas and B 0 dhi s attvas. 5. 石れれ the Buddhas who have become completely enlightened but have not yet taught, to teach for the sake of those who suffer. 6. 蟶 4 the Buddhas not to pass away. 7. Dedicate these six practices tO attaining highest enlightenment. Then undertake the central part of the ritual for aspiring tO enlightenment: 1. With a strong determination to attain Buddhahood in order tO serve Other beings, imagine a Buddha in front Ofyou, or your spiritual teacher as a represen- tative of Buddha. 2 1 8

A S P I R I N G T O E N L I G H T E N M E N T 6. S 叩 the Buddhas not to pass away. 7. D 記 / ca these six practices to attalning highest enlightenment. Then undertake the central part of the ritual for aspiring tO enlightenment: I. With a strong determination to attain Buddhahood in order tO serve Other beings, imagine a Buddha in front Ofyou, or your spiritual teacher as a represen- tative of Buddha. 2. Recite three times as if you are repeating after him or her: Until I reach enlightenment I seek refuge in Buddha, the doctrine, and the supreme spiritual C01 れ 1 れ unlty. Through the collections 0 「 merit of my giving, morality, patience, effort, concentration, and wisdom, may I achieve Buddhahood in order to help all beings. TO maintaln and strengthen this profound altruism in this li perform the following: 1 1 1

P R A C T I C I N G 、 1 0 R A L I T Y COMMITTING TO HELP Now you are ready for the actual ritual 0f aspiring t0 enlightenment for the care Of Others. lt comes in tWO parts, the first Of which is the recitation Of a short statement 0f refuge: "Until I reach enlightenment I seek refuge in Buddha, the doctrine, and the supreme spiritual C01 れ muni りゞ ln itS most compassionate form refuge is the un10n Of three attitudes: 1. Concern for the state of suffering of a11 beings, not just for yourself. Concern, t00 , that they not seek mere solitary relief 伝 om suffering but aspire tO the altruistic enlightenment of Buddhah00d. 2. Faith in the Buddha, the states of realization, and the spiritual community, malntaming the convic- tion that through them a11 beings will find freedom from 砠 suffering. 3. Compassion, which means not being able t0 stand the enslavement Of Others tO suffering 、 vithout dOing something about it. Know that the Buddha is the teacher of refuge, that the true paths and true cessations are the actual refuge, 1 0 0

A S P I R I N G T 0 N L I G H T モ N M 石 N T and that the Bodhisattvas who have directly realized the true nature Of phenomena are our spiritual C01 れ 1 れ ' , leading 引 1 sentient beings to refuge. With that knowledge, aspire to highest enlighten- ment by reciting. "Through the collections 0f merit 0f 1 れ y giving, morality, patience, effort, concentration, and wisdom, may I achieve Buddhah00d ⅲ order to help 砠 beings. '' As you do, think to yourself, "Through the force of these, may I achieve Buddhahood not to help myself but tO be Of service tO 1 sentient beings in order tO help them reach Buddhahood. " This is called generation Of a compassionate intention tO become enlightened in the form of a wish. This brings us to the central part of the ritual. With a strong wish tO attain Buddhahood in order tO serve other beings, imagine before you a Buddha or your own spiritual teacher as a representative Of him. 1. Recite the following as ifyou were repeating it after the Buddha: UntiI I reach enlightenment I seek refuge in Buddha, the doctrine, and the supreme spiritual C0n11 第 unl り ( 1 0 1

P RA C T I C I N G 、 4 0 R A L I T Y SUMMARY FOR DAILY PRACTICE First take the seven preliminary steps: 1. ア川 to S hakyamuni Buddha surrounded by innumerable Bodhisattvas, " h01 Ⅱメ ou imagine filling the sky before you. 2. Offer all wonderful things—whether you own them or not—including your bOdy, your resources, and your own virtue, to the Buddhas and B0dhisattvas. 3. D / 曰眦 the countless ill deeds of body, speech, and mind you have perpetrated with an intent tO harm Others. Regret having done them, and resolve tO abstain 伝 om them in the future. 4. A れ仔 om the depths of the heart your own virtues and those of others. Take joy ⅲ the good things you have done in this and previous lives, thinking, "I have done something good. " Take joy in the virtues of others, including those of Buddhas and B0dhisattvas. 5. 朝れ the Buddhas who have become completely enlightened but have not yet taught, to teach for the sake ofthose who suffer. 1 1 0

P RA C T I C I N G W I S D 0 M combination with Tantra, I will cite the Mag た al A ″ Ta れ 4 which is a section in the R ″ / 0 れ 2 「 the Na 川 of Ma 可 / 川 : The perfect Buddhas arise from A. A is the supreme Of letters. From among the four meanings listed above, I will give a れ explanation Of this statement. The letter A IS a negative particle in Sanskrit. lt indicates emptiness, 、 iS the absence, negation, 0f inherent existence. When the MagicaI Array 川 says that "The perfect Buddhas arise fro m A, " thi s me ans that the B uddhas da 、伝 01 れ within the noumenal sphere of emptiness; or, put another way, the Buddhas dawn om meditating on the emptiness Of inherent existence. Through medi- tation, defilements are extlnguished in the noumenal sphere Of reality (the emptiness Of inherent existence). Emptiness, symbolized by A, is the supreme topic, and therefore the Magical A なな says, is the supreme Of letters. so , 伝 om the viewpoint of Highest Yoga Tantra, the letter A refers to the indestructible drop within which a Buddha body is achieved. ln Highest Yoga 174

S T E ? S A L 0 N G T H E WAY that is designated in dependence upon the continuum of the mind. From what are you proceeding.> You are moving away 伝 01 れ cyclic existence, that state Of being under the influence Of contaminated actions and coun- terproductive emotions. TO what are you proceeding? You are proceeding to Buddhah00d endowed with a Truth Body, forever free of suffering and the sources of suffering (afflictive emotions) , as 、 as the predisposi- tions established by afflictive emotions. ・ Upon what causes and conditions dO you depend as you proceed.> You are proceeding in dependence on a path that is a union Of compassion and 、 MiSdOt れ . Buddha is telling trainees to go t0 the other shore. Fror れ the viewpoint Of the tralnee, cyclic existence IS on the near side, it is close at hand. On the far shore, a dis- tant place, is nirvana—the state 0f having passed beyond suffering. THE FIVE PATHS when Buddha says, 。町 4 地 gate ga 2 硴 4 4 ("lt is thus: proceed, proceed, proceed 60 朋 / 5 Ⅷ " beyond, thoroughly proceed beyond, be founded in 2 0 2

A S P I R I N G T O E N L I G H T N M E N T below, they all involve paying devotion to those special beings WhO teach compassion. 1. Ho 川寒巳 lmagine Shakyamuni Buddha surrounded by innumerable Bodhisattvas, filling the sky in front of you, and pay homage with your body, speech, and mind. put your palms together, and feel intensely that you are respectfully taking refuge in the Buddhas and B0dhisattvas. Say out loud, "Homage to Shakyamuni Buddha and the Bodhisattvas. ' 2. Q 広げ g. spread out offerings, such as fruit or incense. lmagine everything that might be suitable to be offered—whether you own it or not—including your bOdy, your resources, and your O は 1 Virtue. Then imagine Offering these in their entirety tO the B uddhas and B odhisattvas. 3. Disclosing 覦 6 ム We have all been responsible for countless ill deeds of body, speech, and mind motivated by the desire to d0 harm. ln the spirit of full disclosure, develop a sense of regret for having done them, as if through those actions you had eaten POison. Generate, t00 , an intention tO abstain from these actions in the future as if tO

D E I T Y YO G A How does sexual intercourse help in the path? There are many different levels Of consciousness. The poten- tial of grosser levels is very limited, but the deeper, more subtle levels are much more po ℃ r 丘 11. ・ we need tO access these subtler levels ofmind. But in order tO dO SO, ℃ need tO weaken and temporarily StOP grosser sciousness. TO accomplish this it is necessary tO bring about dramatic changes in the flOW Of inner energles. Even though brief versions of the deeper levels of mind occur during sneezing and yawning, they obviously cannot be prolonged. AISO, previous experience with manifesting the deeper levels is required tO make use Of their occurrence in deep Sleep. ThiS iS Where sex comes in. Through special techniques of concentration during sex, competent practitioners can prolong very deep, subtle, and powerful states and put them tO use tO realize emptiness. However, if you engage in sexual intercourse within an ordinary mental context, there IS no benefit. A Buddha has no use for sexual intercourse. Deities depicted in a mandala are Often in union With 2 sort, but this does not suggest that Buddhas have tO rely on sexual intercourse for their bliss. Buddhas have 丘 1 Ⅱ bliss within themselves. Deities in union sponta- 195

A S P I R I N G T 0 E N L I G H T E N M を N T able by circumstance—that the welfare 0f so many Others is far greater than your own. Think, "Now when I have such a great opportunity, what COt11d be 1 れ ore important than striving for the benefit Of others! From now on, tO the full extent of my ability, I will stop concentrating on my own welfare and will commit myself deeply to the advancement of a11 beings. TO accomplish thiS' I will achieve unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. R. ecite: Until I reach enlightenment I seek refuge in Buddha, the doctrine, and the supreme spiritual C01 れ 1 れ unl ( Through the collections of merit 0f my giving, mor 引 i り patience, effort, concentration' and wisdom, may I achieve Buddhah00d in order t0 help a11 beings. This concludes the ritual. Through it you plant and nur- ture the seeds Of strong and unwavering compassion. 103