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Mahabodhi Temple:
On December 26, Gyalwang Karmapa spent one
session teaching on the Medicine Buddha sadhana, ‘A Sadhana of
Menlha, Compiled from the Clear Expanse of Mind, A Mind Treasure
Found Within the Sky of Dharma Texts called, “A Stream of
Vaidurya”.’
He began by emphasizing that bodhicitta is the most important factor
in one’s practice. Only by bodhicitta can one attain enlightenment,
and whether one’s practice is a Mahayana practice or not is
determined by one’s motivation of bodhicitta. Everything is
connected with bodhicitta; there is nothing that is not. May the
bodhicitta arise in those where it does not exist, and may it
increase more and more in those where it does exist.
Then, Gyalwang Karmapa talked about the origins and history of the
Medicine Buddha Sutra. Lord Buddha taught the Medicine Buddha Sutra
in Vaishali to a gathering of 80,000 monks, 36,000 bodhisattvas,
Chenrezig, Vajrapani, Manjushri, devas, humans and non-humans, and
his teachings were good in the beginning, middle and end. It was
Manjushri who stood up in the assembly and requested Shakyamuni
Buddha to teach the Medicine Buddha practice to those beings who
have inner and outer sufferings, and who live in the midst of
degenerate times.
Gyalwang Karmapa went on to discuss Tibetan Buddhist history from
the time of the first king, Yatri Senpo, when the Bon religion
existed in Tibet, and how Buddhism came to Tibet from India at the
time of the great King Srongtsen Gampo, and the pre-eminent
translator Thonmi Sambhota, who began to render texts into Tibetan
at that time.
Gyalwang Karmapa described the time of King Trisong Deutsen and the
construction of Tibet’s first monastery of Samye. There were no
monastics in Tibet at that time, but Shantarakshita who came from
East India brought the Sarvastivadin lineage to Tibet and began to
ordain a small number of virtuous people into the monkhood. This was
a test to see whether they could uphold monastic discipline.
It was also Shantarakshita who first promulgated and practised
Medicine Buddha in Tibet, to help the King. He offered the King the
short, middle and long practices, and the King chose the middle
length practice. After Shantarakshita, Atisha DIpankara, who founded
the Kadampa tradition, spread the Medicine Buddha practice, and it
was through him that the practices of the 16 Arhats and Medicine
Buddha spread throughout Tibet and became very important.
Gyalwang Karmapa explained that generally such practices as Medicine
Buddha belong to the Kriya Yoga class of Tantra, but some Kriya Yoga
practices are related to Anuttarayoga Tantra. This Gong-ter or Mind
Treasure Medicine Buddha sadhana, although based on Kriya Yoga, is
an Anuttarayoga Tantra practice and more specifically belongs to the
class of Ati Yoga practices. For this reason, an empowerment and
transmission are needed to practice it.
Next, Gyalwang Karmapa discussed the benefits of the practice. He
said that faith and trust in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha is the
seed of enlightenment or liberation, but he cautioned against blind
faith and the faith that just prays for and expects desired results
without having proper cause. Faith develops gradually, like making a
clay image which begins as a rough shape only. It is important to
understand the reasons why faith and trust can develop and become
genuine.
Atisha made strong prayers that whosoever would hear the name of
Medicine Buddha would be rid of the sufferings of the lower realms.
The name of Medicine Buddha is so powerful that it has the capacity
to clear the sufferings of beings, especially in this degenerate
age. The Medicine Buddha Sutra states that in the time when deadly
new diseases appear and are hard to cure, the power of Medicine
Buddha will become even stronger. It is said that the practice may
even have the power to revive people who have already died. Although
other mantras may lose their power in degenerate times, the Medicine
Buddha mantra becomes more powerful, and it is especially important
to recite it during these times.
Some diseases can benefit from medicine, but some cannot. In some
places there are hundreds of sick beings and very few doctors, so
there can be little treatment. In these cases, Medicine Buddha
practice can be dedicated to those suffering beings.
Gyalwang Karmapa said that the Medicine Buddha practice can be
included in either Sutra or Tantra, but Shantarakshita based the
practice in the Sutra tradition. Many sadhanas are based in Tantra,
and many Medicine Buddha practices are included in Kriya Yoga
Tantra, so it is also not out of place if it is included in the
Tantra. Gyalwang Karmapa also explained that, since the practice
comes from the Nyingma tradition, recitation of the words and
meditation upon the meaning should be done concurrently; meditation
should not follow the recitation.
Then, Gyalwang Karmapa briefly went through the sadhana itself and
described the sections beginning with refuge and the receiving of
blessings. He explained that the self visualization and front
visualization should be performed at the same time, but that as the
practice is primarily included in the Sutra tradition, visualization
does not need to be as precise and clear as in the Vajrayana. Then
followed the invitation, bestowing of offerings and praise sections.
During the mantra recitation, Gyalwang Karmapa said to focus the
mind on the mantra rosary in the hearts of the self and front
visualizations radiating light, and then to recite the mantra with
good concentration.
Finally he gave the lung for the practice.
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