The mysteries of Tantra have engrossed countless meditators for centuries. Since the time of Buddha, these secrets have been passed down from accomplished master to disciple largely by word of mouth.
Now drawing from his own experience and the works of Je Tsongkhapa and other great Tibetan Yogis, Geshe Kelsang clearly sets out all the stages of the four classes of Tantra, giving a full explanation of generation and completion stages. Tantra is revealed as the gateway to a blissful new world.
The book represents a significant milestone in revealing these profound mysteries to the contemporary world.
Excerpt from this book:
The good qualities of secret mantra
We can understand the nature, functions, and good qualities of Secret Mantra by considering the various names that Buddha gave to it: Secret Vehicle, Mantra Vehicle, Effect Vehicle, Vajra Vehicle, Method Vehicle, and Tantric Vehicle. These will now be explained.
SECRET VEHICLE
Because Tantra is the very essence of Buddha's teachings, it is like a rare and precious treasure. People generally keep their most valuable possessions hidden, showing them only to their closest relatives and friends. If we owned a priceless diamond, for example, we would be very unwise to display it on our mantelpiece for anyone to see, for this would only attract thieves. In the same way, it is unwise to reveal Tantric teachings to those without empowerments or without deep faith in Buddhadharma, for this invites many obstacles. Therefore, we should practise Tantra discreetly.
Secret Mantra is unique to Buddhism. Although there are certain non-Buddhist teachings that superficially resemble Secret Mantra, in reality they are completely different. Furthermore, Secret Mantra is exclusively a Mahayana practice and, of Mahayanists, only those with great faith, merit, and wisdom can practise it. Although Secret Mantra is extremely precious and profound, it is not suitable for those who lack these qualities. Vajradhara compared Secret Mantra to the milk of a snow lion. If this milk is stored in a golden vessel it remains sweet and invigorating, but if it is put into a vessel made of an inferior substance it immediately turns sour. In the same way, if a person with little faith studies Tantric teachings and tries to practise them, without relying upon a qualified Vajra Master, he or she is likely to develop harmful misunderstandings.
MANTRA VEHICLE
`Mantra' means `mind protection'. Through the power of practising Secret Mantra, our mind is protected from ordinary appearances and ordinary conceptions. According to Tantra, ordinary appearances and ordinary conceptions are the root of samsara and the foundation of all suffering. Ordinary appearance is any appearance that is due to an impure mind, and ordinary conception is any mind that conceives something due to ordinary appearance. Because phenomena appear to us as ordinary, and we conceive them as ordinary, we create contaminated karma and wander in samsara. Ordinary conceptions are obstructions to liberation and ordinary appearances are obstructions to omniscience.
When we cling to being an ordinary person, thinking `I am Peter', `I am Sarah', etc., we are developing ordinary conceptions. Because we cling to an ordinary identity, if someone attacks us we feel fear, or if we run out of money we become anxious. If instead of clinging to an ordinary identity we were to overcome ordinary conceptions by developing the divine pride of being Heruka or Vajrayogini, we would not develop fear, anxiety, or any other negative state of mind. How can anyone harm Heruka? How can Vajrayogini run out of money?
Why do we develop the ordinary thought of being Peter, Sarah, etc.? Ordinary conceptions depend upon ordinary appearances. We think of ourself as an ordinary person in dependence upon ordinary aggregates appearing to our mind. Because a gross, impure body and gross, impure states of mind appear to us, we develop the thought `I', and conceive ourself to be an ordinary being. Through acting under the influence of such ordinary conceptions, we create contaminated karma and thereby sow the seeds for the appearance of an ordinary body, mind, and world to arise again in the future. If we then assent to these ordinary appearances and relate to ourself and our world in an ordinary way, we shall simply perpetuate this cycle of ordinary experience. To break this cycle, we need to overcome ordinary appearances by visualizing ourself as a Deity and overcome ordinary conceptions by generating divine pride of being the Deity. Most Tantric paths are methods for overcoming ordinary appearances and conceptions.
Ordinary conceptions are not necessarily delusions because they are not necessarily wrong awarenesses, but they are obstructions to liberation. For Tantric practitioners, the main objects to be abandoned are not the delusions, but ordinary appearances and ordinary conceptions, because, when these manifest strongly, Tantric practice does not work. Qualified Tantric practitioners are not afraid of delusions. Indeed, in some Tantras, Buddha gives Tantric practitioners permission to develop desirous attachment, and in other Tantras he gives them permission to develop anger and jealousy. However, there is a debate about whether or not Buddha gives permission to develop ignorance. Some scholars argue that he does not, because there can never be any benefit from developing ignorance. They say that whereas attachment can be used to generate bliss, and anger can be transformed into a force for benefiting others, ignorance can never be put to a good use. Other scholars say that by giving permission to develop anger and attachment, Buddha implicitly gives permission to develop ignorance, which is the root of all delusions. It should be noted, however, that although Tantric practitioners do not regard delusions as their principal objects to be abandoned, they nevertheless do have the intention to abandon them eventually. In fact, when practitioners reduce or abandon ordinary appearances and ordinary conceptions, they automatically reduce or abandon their delusions.
SECRET VEHICLE
Because Tantra is the very essence of Buddha's teachings, it is like a rare and precious treasure. People generally keep their most valuable possessions hidden, showing them only to their closest relatives and friends. If we owned a priceless diamond, for example, we would be very unwise to display it on our mantelpiece for anyone to see, for this would only attract thieves. In the same way, it is unwise to reveal Tantric teachings to those without empowerments or without deep faith in Buddhadharma, for this invites many obstacles. Therefore, we should practise Tantra discreetly.
Secret Mantra is unique to Buddhism. Although there are certain non-Buddhist teachings that superficially resemble Secret Mantra, in reality they are completely different. Furthermore, Secret Mantra is exclusively a Mahayana practice and, of Mahayanists, only those with great faith, merit, and wisdom can practise it. Although Secret Mantra is extremely precious and profound, it is not suitable for those who lack these qualities. Vajradhara compared Secret Mantra to the milk of a snow lion. If this milk is stored in a golden vessel it remains sweet and invigorating, but if it is put into a vessel made of an inferior substance it immediately turns sour. In the same way, if a person with little faith studies Tantric teachings and tries to practise them, without relying upon a qualified Vajra Master, he or she is likely to develop harmful misunderstandings.
MANTRA VEHICLE
`Mantra' means `mind protection'. Through the power of practising Secret Mantra, our mind is protected from ordinary appearances and ordinary conceptions. According to Tantra, ordinary appearances and ordinary conceptions are the root of samsara and the foundation of all suffering. Ordinary appearance is any appearance that is due to an impure mind, and ordinary conception is any mind that conceives something due to ordinary appearance. Because phenomena appear to us as ordinary, and we conceive them as ordinary, we create contaminated karma and wander in samsara. Ordinary conceptions are obstructions to liberation and ordinary appearances are obstructions to omniscience.
When we cling to being an ordinary person, thinking `I am Peter', `I am Sarah', etc., we are developing ordinary conceptions. Because we cling to an ordinary identity, if someone attacks us we feel fear, or if we run out of money we become anxious. If instead of clinging to an ordinary identity we were to overcome ordinary conceptions by developing the divine pride of being Heruka or Vajrayogini, we would not develop fear, anxiety, or any other negative state of mind. How can anyone harm Heruka? How can Vajrayogini run out of money?
Why do we develop the ordinary thought of being Peter, Sarah, etc.? Ordinary conceptions depend upon ordinary appearances. We think of ourself as an ordinary person in dependence upon ordinary aggregates appearing to our mind. Because a gross, impure body and gross, impure states of mind appear to us, we develop the thought `I', and conceive ourself to be an ordinary being. Through acting under the influence of such ordinary conceptions, we create contaminated karma and thereby sow the seeds for the appearance of an ordinary body, mind, and world to arise again in the future. If we then assent to these ordinary appearances and relate to ourself and our world in an ordinary way, we shall simply perpetuate this cycle of ordinary experience. To break this cycle, we need to overcome ordinary appearances by visualizing ourself as a Deity and overcome ordinary conceptions by generating divine pride of being the Deity. Most Tantric paths are methods for overcoming ordinary appearances and conceptions.
Ordinary conceptions are not necessarily delusions because they are not necessarily wrong awarenesses, but they are obstructions to liberation. For Tantric practitioners, the main objects to be abandoned are not the delusions, but ordinary appearances and ordinary conceptions, because, when these manifest strongly, Tantric practice does not work. Qualified Tantric practitioners are not afraid of delusions. Indeed, in some Tantras, Buddha gives Tantric practitioners permission to develop desirous attachment, and in other Tantras he gives them permission to develop anger and jealousy. However, there is a debate about whether or not Buddha gives permission to develop ignorance. Some scholars argue that he does not, because there can never be any benefit from developing ignorance. They say that whereas attachment can be used to generate bliss, and anger can be transformed into a force for benefiting others, ignorance can never be put to a good use. Other scholars say that by giving permission to develop anger and attachment, Buddha implicitly gives permission to develop ignorance, which is the root of all delusions. It should be noted, however, that although Tantric practitioners do not regard delusions as their principal objects to be abandoned, they nevertheless do have the intention to abandon them eventually. In fact, when practitioners reduce or abandon ordinary appearances and ordinary conceptions, they automatically reduce or abandon their delusions.
