Guru Rinpoche

Guru Rinpoche

Guru Rinpoche is the lotus heart of the boundless luminosity of the absolute, the eternal enlightened mind, the primordial wisdom, the Bodhicitta –the heart of enlightened mind.  

Guru Rinpoche’s spiritual reality transcends time and space.  He is the quintessence of all spiritual practice, beyond all dualities, whose body and mind are not separate.  

Guru Rinpoche is the eternal Mind Stream, the universal compassion, the blessings and wisdom of Buddhas of past, present and future.  

Guru Rinpoche is the single vast expanse of timeless awareness.  His essence is non-substantial definite nature of reality.  His presence is ever present.  His presence is not subject to any corporeal form.  

Guru Rinpoche is the embodiment of all the Buddhas of past, present and future, the primordial wisdom itself, a fully awakened one, a precious Guru -master.  

Guru Rinpoche’s body, speech, mind, qualities, and activities, pervades as far as the reaches of space to benefit beings for as long as Samsara exists.

In Maha Parinirvana Sutra, Lord Buddha says, “Eight years from my Parinirvana, a remarkable being with the name Padmasambhava will appear in the centre of a lotus who will give teaching on ultimate state of the true nature, benefiting all sentient beings.”

As the time approached on the tenth day of the waxing moon of monkey month of the earth monkey year, Buddha Amitabha, the Buddha of wisdom and compassion, the embodiment of Buddha Nature, with his unimpeded, omniscient vision, saw that the time had come to advance the Dharma.  

Moved by compassion at the suffering of the sentient beings, Buddha Amitabha sent out from his heart a golden Vajra.  The Vajra descended on a lotus blossom in the lake of Dhanakosha in the kingdom of Oddiyana and transformed into exquisitely amazing eight year old boy.  

The king Indrabhuti of Oddiyana received the boy to whom he declared:

"My father is the self-arisen Samantabhadra.

My mother is the sphere of reality, Samantabhadri.

My caste is the union of primordial wisdom and the Dharmadhatu.

And my name is the glorious Padmasambhava."

This is how Guru Rinpoche manifested on this earth in the form of Padmasambhava, also known by the names Padmakara and Tsokye Dorjee, as the emanation of Buddha Amitabha.  Rightly Padmasambhava grew up to the being of Guru Rinpoche in form. 

As Guru Padmasambhava, Guru Rinpoche unfolded the teaching on Vajrayana encouraging us to take a deeper look at our perception, to understand the primordial nature and learn to maintain mind at that state.  

Indeed, Guru Padmasambhava is the mind emanation of Buddha Amitabha.  He is Guru Rinpoche.

Guru Padmasambhava is the essence of Buddha Amitabha, all-pervading lord of the Three Jewels and Three Roots, inseparable from Dharmakaya Samantabhadra.

Guru Padmasambhava appeared in different form with different names at different time and place.  In doing so the eight aspects of Guru Rimpoche were manifested collectively affirming his ability to appear according to the needs of the circumstances.  The eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche are: (1) Padma Gyalpo, (2) Loden Chokse, (3) Nyima Ozer, (4) Padmasambhava, (5) Shakya Senge, (6) Senge Dradok, (7) Padma Jungne, and (8) Dorji Drolo. 

The eight names of the Guru Rinpoche are collectively called Guru Tsen Gye.  Each manifestation demonstrates a different principle that unveils the innermost nature of mind. 

Guru Padmasambhava travelled to Tibet where he stayed for fifty five and half years.  Under the supervision of Guru Padmasambhava, Vimalamitra, Santaraktsita and Kamalashila, 108 young Tibetan monks were trained in translating the teachings from Sanskrit to Tibetan Tsokey, among whom Vairoccana was the best translator.  They translated the Sutras and Tantras that today form the Tibetan Buddhist cannon. 

In Tibet, Guru Padmasambhava established two kinds of traditions: (1) Celibate monastic tradition, and (2) Non-celibate, non-monastic tradition.  To both the dress codes were specified.  To the practitioners of non-celibate, non-monastic tradition, the white dress was specified.  The tradition is called the Ngakpa order and the practitioners stay with their families in the villages.  With the introduction of second type of tradition, Dharma flourished among ordinary people far and wide.  

Guru Padmasambhava had five spiritual consorts.  Indeed they were the five wisdom Dakinis, the emanation Goddess Vajravarahi, the Matrika –the emanation of supreme Divine Mother, for protection from evils from all direction.  They were: (1) Mandarva –body of Vajravarahi, (2) Kalasiddhi –quality of Vajravarahi, (3) Sakya Devi –mind of Vajravarahi, (4) Yeshe Tsogyal –speech of Vajravarahi, (5) Mangala –Tashi Kyedren, the activity of Vajravarahi. 

Collectively the five spiritual consorts of Guru Padmasambhava represent awareness –knowledge, wisdom –skilful action, and mindfulness with which they protect all sentient beings from suffering.  

Guru Padmasambhava is the lord of all Mandalas –universe, the Vidhyadhara –fountain of knowledge and wisdom, and the ultimate refuge.  

Guru Padmasambhava is the manifestation of non-conceptual compassion, the perceiver of all to be known, the ocean of virtue, the victorious one who transcends both Samsara and Nirvana.

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If I have made mistake, may I be forgiven by three roots?  May I benefit from your compassion to demystify my ignorance?

Sunyata and Buddha Nature –An excerpt

The underlying essence of phenomenal existence is Sunyata -the non-substantial undifferentiated state of being. 

Sunyata is the cause of all causes but itself has no cause.  That Sunyata is the cause by itself –the Dharma Dhatu, the potential from which both Samsara and Nirvana is possible. 

Sunyata is monistic absolute undifferentiated state.  Sunyata does not mean empty or refer emptiness.  And it is not independent of phenomenal existence. 

Sunyata is the underlying essence of every phenomenal existence.  It is undifferentiated –Sunya, and it is non-substance.  It is the essence of the Buddha Nature and as well of Ahankara -Ego. 

It is from Sunyata rolls out the phenomenal existence.  Once the phenomenal existence comes into being its existence is sustained by Pratitya Samutpada –the dependent co-arising. 

Sunyata is Alaya –infinity, the consciousness beyond conceptual mind.  That Alaya Sunyata is in every being.  Within that Alaya Sunyata there exist Buddha Swabhava; the Buddha Nature; an active principle, the potential for being enlightened.  Without the Buddha Nature, the sentient being would neither arouse aversion to Samsara nor desire for Nirvana. 

Buddha Nature is Pure Self, the Self Awareness, the purity of mind, and the potential for getting liberation from suffering and attaining eternal happiness, and bliss.

Buddha Nature is pure consciousness.  Perceiving life through and with pure consciousness unfolds pure awareness, and realising that pure awareness means living an enlightened life. 

Buddha Nature is the True Self.  It is Absolute.  It is not arisen from dependent co-arising and not subject to change.  Anything that has been caused by dependent co-arising and subject to change is not True Self, not absolute, and therefore not Buddha Nature. 

Buddha Nature is intrinsic and inherently existing within but it is not recognized by the ordinary beings because their mind is constantly deluded by Ego.  A deluded mind cannot recognise the Buddha Nature. 

Buddha Nature is a state of non-discrimination, non-substantial and imageless.  In that perspective Buddha Nature is Sunyata.  But it is not correct to say Sunyata is Buddha Nature, because Sunyata encompass all other potentialities and natures.

Buddha Nature is Sunyata in its nature.  It is real.  It is Nirvana itself.  It is where no false discrimination takes place, and no wrong perception takes place. 

Realizing Buddha Nature means realizing the Primordial Purity; the Bodhi Citta –the heart of enlightened mind.

With Buddha Nature the fear, the fear of being in hopeless state is cast away.  The cause of the fear is Ego, and when Ego is renounced, the Buddha Nature shines forth. 

Lord Buddha’s teaching on Tathagatagarbha –the womb of Buddha Nature, consolidates confidence that there is a way out from Dukkha, by setting life objectives on all positive attributes: Subha -the pure, Sukha -the happiness, and Nitya -the eternal. 

The teaching creates affinity to: (1) purity of mind (2) renounce arrogance: pride, anger, hatred, and aversion, (3) get rid of ignorance; (4) get rid of Ego that creates delusion with wrong perception which give rise to worldly desire, hatred, happiness, distress, fear and worry, and (5) severe attachment to belief on Atta or Atma, the substantial self; and instead cherish Buddha Nature.

When the Ego is renounced, the spur of (1) Purity of mind, (2) Prajna –wisdom, (3) Jnana –awareness, (4) Karuna –compassion, and (5) Reverence; and all other positive Karmic potentials begin to unfold. 

Discovering Buddha Nature is wisdom, while living with Ego is ignorance, the cause of illusion and suffering.

Buddha Nature is the wisdom aspect, while Ego is the ignorance aspect of existence.  Ego manifests and develops naturally, and dominates the life of a man while Buddha Nature has to be discovered, and nurtured. 

In Tathagata Garbha Sutra, Maha Parinirvana Sutra, Anuatyapurna Atvanirdesa Sutra, Srimala Devi Simhananda Sutra, Lankavatara Sutra, Ratna Gotra Vibhaga, Buddha Nature Treatise and others; Lord Buddha says; “Purity of mind is the manifestation of Buddha Nature.”

In Anguttara Nikaya (1:5), Lord Buddha says: “O Bhikkus! The mind is pure.  It is defiled by adventitious defilements.  O Bhikkus!  The mind is pure.  It obtains liberation from the adventitious defilements.”

When mind is not pure, the wrong perception prevails.  Any perception that is perceived by an impure mind can only be an error.  The Buddha Nature cannot be recognized with an impure mind. 

The root of suffering is the impure mind that yields wrong perception.  Searching happiness outwardly in sense pleasure is a mistake caused by wrong perception.  No one can correct that wrong perception but by oneself.  Do not think what is suffering is happiness.  That is a mistake. 

When one understands the nature of phenomenal existence, one understands Sunyata.  When Sunyata is understood, the purity of mind develops. 

Considering Anatma –not self as Atma –True Self, is a big mistake.  It had distorted the mind of the people and it had been the cause of suffering.  To correct this erroneous notion, Lord Buddha gave his teaching on Anatma or Anatta –not self. 

The doctrine of Anatta denies substantial existence of independently and eternally existing substantial Atma, neither in the physical mass nor in any of the fields of activities in the body.  It neither exists substantially in five sense organs, the five sense objects, the five sense consciousness i.e. seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling and touching; the mind which is constantly perceiving and having either right or wrong perception, nor in the six emotional feelings, the living symptoms including desire, hatred, happiness, distress, fear and worry. 

Denying the existence of independently self-existing substantial Atma within the aggregate body of man or existing externally, Lord Buddha gave his sublime teaching on Buddha Swabhava –Buddha Nature. 

“Do not do what you do not want others to do on to you.” 

May you be Well.  May you be Happy…………….

Durga Puja –An occasion of Spiritual Journey

In Durga Puja the Goddess Durga is worshiped for nine days for spiritual cleansing, upliftment and enlightenment.  Worshiping Goddess Durga in spiritual sense is to attain Moktsa –liberation from Samsara, and in mundane sense Durga Puja is an occasion to draw inspiration from Goddess Durga, have right understanding and perception, and aspire to attain excellence.  

Goddess Durga, is primeval, absolute and complete.  Devi Kavacha, an auxiliary of Devi Mahatmaya describes nine aspects of Goddes Durga and her three primary aspects.  The three primary aspects of Goddess Durga are Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. In Durga Puja all the three are revered, which makes Durga Puja unique and of immense importance.

Durga Puja is an occasion to awake, rise and realize the goal of life.  It is an occasion of spiritual journey to: (i) self-purification, (ii) self-transformation and (iii) self-realization. 

The first three days are devoted to self-purification, the next three days for self-transformation, and the last day for self-knowledge.

Self-purification

During the first three days, Goddess Durga is worshiped in her forms that destroy all imperfections and faults in us and purify us such that we are ready as receptacle for her divine blessing.  To gain noble virtues, it is imperative that all evil tendencies in our mind and heart are destroyed. 

Goddess Durga is “Durgati Nasini –She who removes our sorrows.”  She is invoked to eradicate Tamo-Guna –the negative tendencies that haunt us as demons obstructing our way to peace and prosperity. 

Self-transformation

In the next three days, Goddess Durga, in her prosperity bestowing form of Goddess Laximi, is worshiped for positive attributes and divinities in our mind and heart.  Goddess Laxmi, not only bestow material prosperity but also grant spiritual values.  For her blessing in the form of mental preparedness and knowledge to dawn within us, we have to prepare our minds.  Our mind must be pure, concentrated, and single pointed. 

Blessing of Goddess Laxmi enables us to re-orient our consciousness, and cultivate and preserve moral, ethical, and spiritual values.  The spiritual values of self-discipline, self-control, calmness of mind, self-withdrawal, single-pointedness, forbearance, loving kindness and compassion are the real values with which Goddess Laximi is embodied. 

Self-Knowledge

During the last three days, Goddess Gurga is worshiped in her form as Goddess Saraswati -the true light of knowledge, understanding and wisdom.  The real wisdom is to know ourselves and have the Self-knowledge and remain aware of it –self awareness.  When we know ourselves inwardly, at the deepest level of our inner consciousness and remain aware of it, our outer consciousness –the ego, dictating our mind and heart are purified and transformed. 

Saraswati, as Goddess of Learning, embodies knowledge, skills, intelligence, creativity, splendor, harmony and wisdom.  She gives the Sara -knowledge of our own Sva- Self.  Goddess Sarasvati is Brahma-Jnana, the knowledge and Wisdom forever victorious over ignorance and delusion. 

Goddess Saraswati bestows us self-realization which sets us free from illusion and ignorance.  Goddess Saraswati manifest as one of the forms that confront Mahishasura, at the time of its annihilation.  Goddess Saraswati does not actually destroy, but the moment she manifests in the glory and brilliance of her light, all the demons, manifesting the evil thoughts and actions get destroyed as the root causes of evil thoughts and actions are dispelled, the darkness of ignorance annihilated. 

Nine aspects of Goddess Durga

Goddess Durga has nine aspects and all other goddesses are manifestations of one or another aspect of her.  In Navaratri Durga Puja, the nine aspects of Goddess Durga are worshipped in the following sequential order. 

1…Shailaputri

Shailputri is the first aspect of Goddess Durga.  She is the embodiment of primeval purity.  She is Citta Shakti, who is unborn and resides deep in our inner consciousness. 

The human consciousness is characterized by constantly outward flowing energy.  With deep dedication and concentration on Sailputri Durga, the out flow of our energy turns inward in search of perfection in our inner consciousness and eventually stilled. 

With veneration of Sailputri Durga, the devotees are able awaken her and with her begins our spiritual energy and progress through successive steps in pursuit of eternal peace and happiness. 

2…Brahmacharini

Brahmacharini is the second aspect of Goddess Durga.  Brahmacharini Durga is the embodiment of purity of mind which is the cumulative energy resulting from practicing of stillness and silence with continuous effort. 

Parvati as Brahmacharini did super natural austere penance.  As she attained the ultimate level of her austere penance, the whole universe was shaken.  With the blessing of Brahmachaini Durga our mind remains unshaken and do not deviate from the path of duty even in the most critical periods of physical and mental pressures.  By worshipping Brahmacharini Durga we cultivate self-confidence, ethical conduct and resolute determination.

Brahmacharini Durga bestows her devotees with purity of mind devoid of Ego and we are able accept things or situations as they are with humility.  She is the giver of spiritual wisdom for moving into the boundless space of pure awareness.  She personifies love and loyalty, and provides knowledge and wisdom. 

3…Chandraghanta

Chandraghanta is the third aspect of Goddess Durga.  Chandraghanta Durga is the embodiment of inner vibrations of the accumulated energies.  She signifies the inner call for entering into the poised mental state of pure consciousness.

Chandraghanta Durga provides peace and her worship is instantly fruitful.  As soon as a devotee invokes Chandraghanta Durga, she immediately takes her devotees in her refuse.  She bestows her devotees with bravery and fearlessness attributes along with serenity and humility.

Chandraghanta Durga provides justice, protects from evil forces, removes obstacles on the spiritual path, and enables to cultivate courage and fearlessness.  By contemplating on her divinity, her devotees are able to purify their body, speech, mind and actions, and get rid of worldly sorrows. 

4…Kushmanda

Kushmanda is the fourth aspect of Goddess Durga.  Kusmanda Durga is the core of our inner consciousness, referred as Surya Loka.  She is our deepest inner consciousness.  She embodies our Sankalpa, the mental projection, and the underlying energy with which the universe is created, and the phenomenons that continue without end.

Kusmanda Durga gets rid of ailments and sorrows and bestows with long life, good health, name and fame, and strength. 

5…Skandamata

Skandamata is the fourth aspect of Goddess Durga.  She is the embodiment of liberation, the energy that accelerates the single-pointed yearning for liberation.  It is in this manifestation Parvati gives birth to Skanda or Kartikeya, who destroys the formidable demon Tarakasura -the impeder of liberation.

With her blessing our mind becomes pure bereft of thought waves.  At the purest state of mind, the actions, both internal and external, are completely stopped and her devotees are liberated from illusion and begin to experience supreme joy –Sat-Citta-Ananda. 

6…Katyayani

Katyayani is the sixth aspect of Goddess Durga.  Katyayani Durga is the embodiment of faith and confidence.  She is the Citta-Shakti –power of our inner consciousness. 

With spiritual vision of Katyayani Durga, we receive blessing for being confident in our own ‘self’ and decisive in our actions.  Being confident in our own ‘self’ and decisive in our actions, we get rid of fear and doubt, the root causes of defeat and failure and become fearless and confident of successes. 

One who worships Katyayani Durga becomes immune to suffering caused by fear and doubt.  She signifies inner looking awareness and she is worshiped for self confidence and victory. 

7…Kalaratri

Kalratri or Kali is the seventh aspect of Goddess Durga.  Kalaratri is the most wrathful form of Goddess Durga and she takes this wrathful form to eliminate evils which are otherwise difficult to destroy.  Goddess Durga in this form of Kalratri Durga destroys the demon Raktabij, who is the embodiment of fleeting thoughts and desire that remains dissatisfied even after fulfilling it. 

In wrathful form Kalratri Durga provides protection and enables our ability to discern between the underlying truth and surface illusion as she is the embodiment of discerning wisdom.  The eminence of wrathful form of Kalratri Durga is to care, thus she is bountiful and benevolent. 

Kalratri Durga is the destroyers of most powerful demon entities residing in us.  With Kalratri Durga invoked, our Ego enters the dark space of our attention -the inner consciousness, where it experiences self-destruction.  With the vision of Kalratri Durga, the devotee becomes fit to earn all kinds of virtues. 

Kalratri Durga is the embodiment of spiritual energy that supports our mind –the outer consciousness, in facing the innermost deepest level of consciousness to which everything dissolves.  This event is referred to as Kal -death, and that is why she is referred as Kalratri –dark night.

Goddess Durga in her manifestation as Kalratri Durga destroys nescience in order to bestow knowledge.  She destroys darkness –the nescience so that we realize light, the spiritual knowledge and Sanskar –the human values.  She destroys Dukha -sorrow, misery, earthly travails and tribulations.  She destroys all those factors that bind us to Samsara.

8…Mahagauri

Mahagauri Durga is the embodiment of the purity of our inner consciousness and inherently resides in our heart.  She is the eternal light of Supreme Being.  Mahagauri Durga is also the embodiment of great vows Parvati had taken in this form.  Her power is unfailing and instantly fruitful.  

Mahagauri Durga signifies soaking our mind in the eternal light of Supreme Being after crossing over the utter darkness of the deepest level of our unconsciousness where our Ego in all its denominations, are considered dead. 

With blessing of Mahagauri Durga we are purified in all respects and become fit for inexhaustible virtues.  It was in this form Goddess Parvati married Lord Shiva as her eternal husband.  At the moment Lord Shiva adored Goddess Parvati in the form of Mahagauri, all gods had chanted:

“Sarva Mangala Mangalyae, Shiva Sarwartha Sadhike;

Saranyai Trei-Ambikae-Gauri Narayani Namustutey.”

‘Salutation to all auspicious Goddess Gauri,

eternal consort of Shiva and his principle.  You are Narayani. 

We take refuse unto you.’

9…Siddhidhatri

Siddhidhatri is the ninth aspect of Goddess Durga.  She is the ultimate form of Durga.  She is the embodiment of success.  She is the purest and absolute Vidya –knowledge.

Siddhidhatri Durga is the wish fulfilling Goddess and giver of all forms of successes.  She is the giver of Siddhi –perfections, and Riddhi –supernatural powers.  As giver of Siddhi, she is depicted as being always worshipped equally by Gods, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Yaktsas, and Raktsas -demon.  With the Siddhi bestowed by her,  the devotees realize equanimity across all beings and the universal oneness.

With Siddhis and Riddhis bestowed by Siddhidatri Durga, her devotees transcend all material desires and necessities.  They are completely out of lust and enjoyment.  The absolute nearness of the perfect Supreme Being becomes the only aim of her devotees.  After attaining all Siddhis and Riddhis there remains nothing to require.

Siddhidhatri Durga signifies that with continuously merging into the light of Supreme Being with Yoga Sadhana, we attain absolute ground of existence.  At that state, the only intension that remains is to help and free others from illusion and influence of negative Karmic forces.