Tantric Techniques (44 page)

Second branch: Self-base

Imagining Yourself as a Deity: Meditation of the Six Deities

1. Ultimate Deity (also called emptiness deity or suchness deity): meditate on yourself and the deity as the same in being empty of inherent existence
   

   Ascertain what is being negated—inherent existence:
   

1. Imagine, for instance, that someone criticizes you for something you actually have not done, saying, “You ruined such and such,” pointing a finger at you.
   Watch your reaction. How does the “I” appear to your mind? In what way are you apprehending it?
   

1. Notice how that “I” seems to stand by itself, self-instituting, established by way of its own character.
   

   Ascertain the entailment of emptiness:
   

1. Analyze whether the “I” that is inherently self-established in the context of the mind-body complex could have a way of existing other than being part of or separate from mind and body.
   Take other phenomena, such as a cup and a table, or a house and a mountain, as examples. See that there is no third category of existence. They are either the same or different.
   

1. Decide that if the “I” inherently exists as it seems to, then it must be either one with or separate from mind and body.
   

   Ascertain that the “I” and the aggregates are not inherently the
   

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   same by considering the consequences if the “I” is the same as mind-body and if the “I” is established in and of itself in accordance with how it appears to your mind:
   

1. Since mind and body are plural, a person’s selves also would be plural!
   Since I am just one, mind and body also would be one!
   

   Ascertain that the “I” and the aggregates are not inherently different by considering the consequences if the “I” is inherently different from mind-body and if the “I” is established in and of itself in accordance with how it appears to your mind:
   

1. I and mind-body would have to be completely separate!
   In that case, I would have to be findable after clearing away mind and body!
   

1. I would not have the characteristics of being produced, abiding, and disintegrating!
   I would have to be just a figment of the imagination or permanent!
   

1. I would not have any physical or mental characteristics!
   

   Not finding yourself either of these ways, realize the absence of inherent existence of the “I” in space-like meditative equipoise.
   

   Reflect on the sameness of yourself and the deity in terms of your final nature:
   

1. Just as my own suchness is ultimately free from all the proliferations of inherent existence, so also is the deity’s suchness. Hence, in nonconceptual perception of the final mode of subsistence of phenomena, the suchness of myself and of the deity are undifferentiable, like a mixture of water and milk.
   

2. Sound Deity (also called tone deity)
   

1. From within emptiness my wisdom realizing the ultimate deity manifests as the tones of the mantra resounding in space.
   a
   

   O
   ṃ
   ma
   ṇ
   i padme h
   ūṃ
   .
   

2. Letter Deity
   

1. My mind having the aspect of realizing the undifferentiable suchness of myself and the deity becomes a moon disc. The mantra tones resounding in space are set upright on the edge of the moon disc in the aspect of written letters, like very pure
   

   

   a
   Alternatively, this step can include the appearance of a moon disk above which the tones of mantra resound.
   

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1. mercury adhering to or completely mixing with grains of gold.
   (The letters are not just color and shape but are fused with their respective sounds.)
   

2. Form Deity
   

1. The moon and mantra letters transform such that variegated rays of light are emitted from the moon and mantra letters. From the points of the light rays innumerable forms of the dei-ty emerge, pervading the entire sphere of space. Through emanating great clouds of offerings they make splendid offerings to all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Also, they emanate great clouds from which a rain of ambrosia descends, extinguishing the fires of the sufferings of all transmigrators, hell-beings and so forth, as well as satisfying beings with whatever they need— giving a good body to those who need it, coolness to those suffering from heat, the warmth of the sun to those suffering from cold, food and drink to the hungry and thirsty—emanating to each just what he or she needs, providing beings with the basis for practicing the spiritual path as well as teachers to instruct them in the four truths, the two truths, and so forth, whereby they ascend the five paths and ten Bodhisattva grounds and at-tain the final happiness of Buddhahood.
   Then, the divine bodies dissolve back into the rays of light with all their magnificent qualities of body, speech, and mind and re-turn and enter the moon disc and mantra letters, whereupon I emerge in the full form of Avalokiteshvara, the Supreme Superior, the Great Compassionate One, with white body bedecked with various jewel adornments, having one face with an affectionate smiling aspect and two eyes, with four arms—the two upper hands holding a wish-granting jewel at the heart, the other right hand holding a pearl rosary, and the other left hand holding a white lotus—with an antelope skin draped over the left shoulder, sitting in the adamantine cross-legged posture on a lotus seat.
   

2. Seal Deity
   

   Construct the pledge seal of the lotus lineage (seal 2) and bless into a magnificent state the heart, the point between the brows, the neck, and the shoulders
   a
   through touching them with the seal and
   

   

   a
   Or, alternatively, the crown protrusion, hair-treasury (a single coiled hair in the
   

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   repeating the pledge mantra:
   

   O
   ṃ
   padma-udbhavaye sv
   ā
   h
   ā
   .
   

   With the oblation seal (seal 28), offer oblation to yourself as the dei-ty, saying:
   

   Argha
   ṃ
   prat
   ī
   ccha sv
   ā
   h
   ā
   .
   

   With the foot-bath seal (seal 29), offer a foot-bath, saying:
   

   O
   ṃ
   pravarasatkara
   ṃ
   prat
   ī
   ccha sv
   ā
   h
   ā
   .
   

   With the seal of washing the body (seal 30), imagine washing the deity’s body with great clouds of perfumed water which have risen from many precious gold vases and so forth filled with fragrant perfumes; say:
   

   O
   ṃ
   sarvadevat
   ā
   -acinta-am
   ṛ
   ta sv
   ā
   h
   ā
   .
   

   Mentally offer clothing and adornments; offer music, and mentally raise up melodies of praise.
   

   With the perfume seal (seal 31), offer perfume, saying:
   

   Ā
   hara
   ā
   hara sarvavidy
   ā
   dhari p
   ū
   jite sv
   ā
   h
   ā
   .
   

   With the flower seal (seal 32), offer flowers, saying:
   

   Ā
   hara
   ā
   hara sarvavidy
   ā
   dhari p
   ū
   jite sv
   ā
   h
   ā
   .
   

   With the incense seal (seal 33), offer incense, saying:
   

   Ā
   hara
   ā
   hara sarvavidy
   ā
   dhari p
   ū
   jite sv
   ā
   h
   ā
   .
   

   With the seal of divine food (seal 34), offer food, saying:
   

   Ā
   hara
   ā
   hara sarvavidy
   ā
   dhari p
   ū
   jite sv
   ā
   h
   ā
   .
   

   With the lamp seal (seal 35), offer lamps, saying:
   

   Ā
   lok
   ā
   ya
   ā
   lok
   ā
   ya vidh
   ā
   dhare p
   ū
   jite sv
   ā
   h
   ā
   .
   

   Offer praise: