Counsels from My Heart

The Three Supreme Methods

~ DudjomTersarNgondro

Whatever practices we do, whether the common ones of taking refuge and making prostrations, the various trainings in bodhichitta, the methods for purifying the defilements of body and speech, or the uncommon practices of the Secret Mantra (the visualization and recitation of Vajrasattva, guru yoga, or meditation on the yidam deity), all that we do—and this is very important—should be accompanied by the three “supreme methods.”

The first of these methods is the attitude of bodhichitta. All beings possess the tathagatagarbha, the seed of Buddhahood, but this is obscured and veiled. As a result, they wander in samsara. The first method is therefore to be determined to liberate them from this ocean of suffering. The second supreme method is to have a mind free from conceptualization, which means to practice without distraction. Even if we make only a single prostration, we should not just go through the motions mechanically, with our thoughts and words elsewhere. On the contrary, we should practice with a concentrated mind, and never be carried away by distraction. The third supreme method is to conclude with dedication. Whatever merit has been generated must be dedicated for the sake of beings, who are as many as the sky is vast. In fact, if we forget to round off our practice with the excellent attitude of bodhichitta, dedicating the merit to others, this merit could be destroyed in a moment of strong anger or defilement. For this reason, all positive actions should immediately be followed by an act of dedication for the welfare of all beings. The benefits of this supreme method are immense; dedication renders merit inexhaustible and causes it to increase constantly.

What is the sign that someone has received the teachings of the supreme Dharma and is practicing them? Whoever has heard and absorbed the teachings becomes serene and self-possessed. Ours is not a tradition that inculcates anger and encourages us to fight; it does not encourage us to get involved with our defiled emotions. On the contrary, the Buddha has taught us to get rid of our defilements as much as possible. The point is that having received the Dharma teachings, we should find when we examine ourselves, that, even though we may not have been able to eradicate our defilements totally, our anger has at least diminished a little. We should find that, even if we do get angry, we are less involved and are able to keep ourselves in check. This is the sort of sign we should be looking for. The sign that we are assimilating the teachings is an increase in serenity and self-control. It is said that if practitioners do not examine themselves frequently, and if they fail to practice correctly, the Dharma itself will lead them to the lower realms. Some people claim to have received the teachings, but they don’t practice them. On the other hand, it is obviously impossible to eradicate defiled emotion just by listening to the teachings. We have been in samsara from beginningless time and are immersed in the habits of defilement. These cannot be whisked away by the mere act of listening to something. So, turn inward and examine your minds. You should at least have a glimmer of understanding!

In addition, we have all entered the Vajrayana. We have received profound empowerments and instructions of the Secret Mantra. This is said to be very beneficial, but it is also very dangerous. Even if we are unable to bring our practice to accomplishment, if we keep our samaya unbroken, it is said that liberation will be achieved in seven lifetimes. After crossing the threshold of the Secret Mantra, however, if we ruin our samaya by displeasing the Lama, causing havoc among our fellow Dharma practitioners and so on, the only possible destiny for us is the vajra hell. The saying goes that practitioners of Secret Mantra either attain Buddhahood or go to hell. There is no third alternative. It’s like a snake inside a cane: it must go either up or down. There’s no way out halfway! Think carefully about the benefits and hazards of samaya and observe it purely and perfectly. To do this, it is crucial to keep a close watch on your mind, a practice in which all the essential points of the teachings are condensed. It is vital to examine and watch your mind. You have all received instructions through the kindness of your teachers. This is what your Dharma practice should be like.

Counsels from My Heart
Translated by Padmakara Translation Group
Shambhala Publishing

The Three Supreme Methods

~ DudjomTersarNgondro

Whatever practices we do, whether the common ones of taking refuge and making prostrations, the various trainings in bodhichitta, the methods for purifying the defilements of body and speech, or the uncommon practices of the Secret Mantra (the visualization and recitation of Vajrasattva, guru yoga, or meditation on the yidam deity), all that we do — and this is very important—should be accompanied by the three “supreme methods.”

The first of these methods is the attitude of bodhichitta. All beings possess the tathagatagarbha, the seed of buddhahood, but this is obscured and veiled. As a result, they wander in samsara. The first method is therefore to be determined to liberate them from this ocean of suffering.

The second supreme method is to have a mind free from conceptualization, which means to practice without distraction. Even if we make only a single prostration, we should not just go through the motions mechanically, with our thoughts and words elsewhere. On the contrary, we should practice with a concentrated mind, and never be carried away by distraction.

The third supreme method is to conclude with dedication. Whatever merit has been generated must be dedicated for the sake of beings, who are as many as the sky is vast. In fact, if we forget to round off our practice with the excellent attitude of bodhichitta, dedicating the merit to others, this merit could be destroyed in a moment of strong anger or defilement.

For this reason, all positive actions should immediately be followed by an act of dedication for the welfare of all beings. The benefits of this supreme method are immense; dedication renders merit inexhaustible and causes it to increase constantly.

~ Dudjom Rinpoche
Counsels from My Heart
Padmakara Translation Group
photographer unknown

Download Dedication of Merit

The Secret Mantra of the Vajrayana

~ DudjomTersarNgondro

It is thanks to the Lama, our spiritual friend, that we have been able to cross the threshold of the profound teachings of the sacred Dharma. We did not have the good fortune, defiled and impure as we were, to meet the Buddha in person while he was alive. But we have had the good fortune to encounter the Dharma, his teachings, and this is actually better than meeting him in person. These instructions, which reveal to us that we must do and what we must refrain from doing, have been given to us by our teacher. It is crucial to understand that we are incredibly fortunate to have been accepted by a spiritual friend. It is the Lama who opens our eyes to what we must do and what we must avoid. It is he who points out the defilements we must abandon, and in so doing, he fulfills the activity of the Buddha himself. If we truly assimilate and carry out all that he says with regard to actions to be done and actions to be avoided, we will attain our objective, namely liberation.

It is important to understand how to practice the Buddhadharma properly. We have to do it well, condensing all the hundreds of methods into a single point. If we do this, our practice will become easy and very effective. What is more, the teachings of Secret Mantra, the Vajrayana, have not yet vanished from the world. They still exist. To have entered them and to abide in them is our supreme good fortune. We are amazingly lucky.

Why, you may ask, are the Mantra teachings to be kept secret? It is not because of their profundity, but rather to preserve them from people of limited and narrow attitudes. The path of Secret Mantra has unusual features such as ease, rapidity, great subtlety, and skillful techniques. In other words, it is endowed with many methods, it is without difficulty, it is for those with sharp mental faculties, and its practice is very subtle. Those who are naturally fitted to the Secret Mantra will by this means attain the fruit of buddhahood easily and quickly. Indeed, the very word mantra combines the notions of ease and swiftness.

The difference between the view and practice of Secret Mantra and that of the other paths is often illustrated by the image of a field in which a poisonous plant has sprouted. People of little courage, narrow minds, and limited resourcefulness think that if they eat the poisonous plant, they will certainly die. So they cut down the plant and throw it far away. And fearing that new shoots might grow from the plant’s root, they dig it up. This is what people without much courage do.

The poison in this image represents ignorance. And since even the tiniest fragment of the poisonous root must be removed from the soil and thrown away, it is evident that such people must go to a lot of trouble to extract it.

This is comparable to the way in which the fruit of liberation is attained by practicing according to the view of the shravakas and the pratyekabuddhas.

Now suppose an ingenious, stout-hearted person comes along and asks the people what they are up to. They will say that if the poisonous plant is allowed to grow, it will be very dangerous. Not only must they cut it down, they must uproot it so that no trace of it is left in the soil. Now, what will be the approach of the clever person? He will agree that the plant must be properly disposed of, but he will know that it is not necessary to go to such lengths to make sure that the plant stops growing. He will point out that the plant can be killed easily by pouring boiling water over its roots. His approach is similar to the way defilements are dealt with according to the Bodhisattvayana. To remove defilements, it is not necessary to go through the same difficulties as the shravakas at the level of adoption and abandonment of actions. Nevertheless, in the Bodhisattvayana, it is still necessary to use antidotes. Meditating on love, for example, is a remedy for anger. Antidotes are certainly adopted with the understanding that they are different and separate from the defilements they are intended to cure.

What if a doctor were to come along and ask the people what they were doing? On being told that they were getting rid of the dangerous plant, he would say, “Ah, but I’m a doctor. I know how to make medicine from this plant. I can use this plant to make an excellent remedy to the very poison that it contains. Indeed, I have been looking for it for a long time. Give it to me. I’ll take care of it.” This doctor is like a practitioner of Secret Mantra. He can concoct powerful medicines from the poison. Such a practitioner does not need to go through the trouble of avoiding defilements, considering them distinct from the remedy. Defilements themselves can be transformed into wisdom. This is the path of Secret Mantra.

Finally, imagine that a peacock comes upon the poisonous plant. Without a moment’s hesitation, it will eat it with great relish and its plumage will become even more ravishing. For the peacock, which represents the practitioners of the Great Perfection of the Secret Mantra, poisonous plants are not something to be shunned at all. Practitioners of the Great Perfection are aware that there is no such thing as a real, solid defilement to be abandoned. Just as the peacock consumes the poison, with the result that its feathers become more and more beautiful, the practitioner of Secret Mantra does not reject defilements but brings to perfection the enlightened qualities of the kayas and wisdoms. This gives us an idea of the differences between the greater and lesser paths.

Only a peacock is able to nourish itself on poison. In the same way, the teachings of the Great Perfection of the Secret Mantra are found in no other spiritual tradition. On the other hand, different people belong by their character to different paths, and these may be greater or lesser. It is essential for them to train according to their capacity, otherwise they will be in great danger. In order to be able to practice the Great Perfection, it is essential to be completely convinced, to be absolutely certain, of the view. For this reason, I am going to say a few words about it: the view of the Great Perfection of the Secret Mantra of the Mahayana.

Counsels from My Heart 
Dudjom Rinpoche 
Translated by Padmakara Translation Group