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"Duty is ours; results are God's."—John Quincy Adams
"The Buddhist teachings of the Dhyani Buddhas are necessarily inner teachings of the inner five secret rays. And thus we speak on these things, for these are the levels and the depths that you must enter in order to be free of the binding shackles of the human condition. "Sages have taught
these truths over many, many centuries, and you may say, 'What
is new, Ratnasambhava?' What is new is that I am a Buddha and
I am speaking through a Messenger, and therefore you have the
direct light from my heart to quicken and make alive the precepts
you may have read again and again." |
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"Explore the terrain that you now claim as yours in the Buddhic Mind and see where you yet have weaknesses, flaws in the diamond of self. These can be purged and transmuted only through an enlightened awareness of self and such profound determination to be the conquering one and to complete all those commitments you have made to divine Reality and to finish the course with that sense 'I have given my all and my best, and I know that my all and my best are an acceptable offering.'" |
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The names of the Five Dhyani Buddhas are Vairochana,
Akshobhya, Ratnasambhava, The Five Dhyani Buddhas are celestial Buddhas whom we visualize during meditation. The word Dhyani is derived from the Sanskrit dhyana, meaning "meditation." The Dhyani Buddhas are also called Jinas ("Victors" or "Conquerors"). They are not historical figures, like Gautama Buddha, but transcendent beings who symbolize universal divine principles or forces. The Dhyani Buddhas represent various aspects of the enlightened consciousness and are great healers of the mind and soul. They are our guides to spiritual transformation. Traditionally, each Dhyani Buddha is associated with certain attributes and symbols. Each one embodies one of the five wisdoms, which antidote the five deadly poisons that are of ultimate danger to man's spiritual progress and keep him tied to worldly existence. Buddhists teach that the Dhyani Buddhas are able to transmute the five poisons into their transcendent wisdoms. The Tibetan Book of the Dead recommends that the devotee meditate on the Dhyani Buddhas so that their wisdoms will replace the negative forces he has allowed to take hold within. Each Buddha rules over one of the directions of space and one of the cosmic realms of ether, water, earth, fire and air. The Dhyani Buddhas also personify the five skandhas, components that make up cosmic existence as well as human personality. These components are consciousness, form, feeling, perception and volition. In addition, each Dhyani Buddha is associated with a specific color, mudra (hand gesture), symbolic animal that supports his throne, sacred symbol and bija (seed syllable). The bija represents the essence of the Dhyani Buddha. You can use it with the sacred syllable Om and the Buddha's name to create a mantra. A mantra is defined as a series of mystic syllables that have an esoteric meaning. In Hinduism and Buddhism, disciples recite mantras to evoke the power and presence of a divine being. In some traditions, devotees use mantras in meditation to help them become one with the deity they are invoking. "By repeating the mantra and assuming the mudra of any Buddha," writes Buddhist monk and teacher Sangharakshita, "one can not only place oneself in correspondence or alignment with the particular order of reality which he personifies but also be infused with its transcendental power." <1> Buddhists often depict the Dhyani Buddhas in a mandala. Mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning "circle," translated in Tibetan texts as "center" or "what surrounds." Some say the word derives from manda, meaning "essence." The mandala as a circle denotes wholeness, completeness and the perfection of Buddhahood. The mandala is also a "circle of friends" —a gathering of Buddhas. Traditionally mandalas are painted on thangkas (scroll paintings framed in silk), drawn with colored sand, represented by heaps of rice, or constructed three-dimensionally, often in cast metal. A Dhyani Buddha is positioned in the center as well as on each of the cardinal points of the mandala. Mandalas were originally composed on the ground in front of the meditator and are therefore oriented toward the person who is contemplating them. The point nearest the contemplator, at the bottom of the mandala, is the east. The mandala continues clockwise, following the course of the sun, with south to the left of the contemplator, west at the top and north to the right. Lama Anagarika Govinda, one of the foremost
interpreters of Tibetan Buddhism to the A mandala is a sacred, consecrated space where no obstacles, impurities or distracting influences exist. Buddhists use it as an aid in meditation and visualization. "All mandalas," writes Tibetologist Detlef Lauf, "originate from the seed-syllables, or bija-mantras, of the deities. During meditation upon these mantras, an elemental radiance of light develops, from which comes the image of the Buddhas." <3> Mandalas are rich in symbolism. The series of
circles on the periphery of a mandala symbolizes protection from
external influences. The outermost circle of flames signifies
The central part of a mandala (signified by the square inside the circle) represents a palace or temple with four gates at the four cardinal points. Outside the palace walls, mandalas often show propitious and victorious symbols, such as the Eight Auspicious Symbols. These eight symbols commemorate the gifts Gautama Buddha received after he attained enlightenment. They are the precious parasol, banner of victory, golden wheel of the Teaching, white conch shell, two golden fish, knot of eternity, vase of great treasures and lotus flower. Buddhists believe these symbols bring good fortune. The four gates of the palace lead to the innermost circle, the focus of the mandala. "Mandalas appear as circles around a holy center," write authors Blanche Olschak and Geshe Thupten Wangyal. "These depictions are the ground plan of the visionary heavenly abodes, at whose center is manifested the holy power that is to be invoked. The entire mandala is a fortress built around this Buddha-force." <4> In his meditation the disciple circles the focus at the center of the mandala until he can finally integrate with that powerful nucleus. The disciple uses the mandala to find its elements within himself. "As soon as he has entered the mandala," writes religious historian Mircea Eliade, "he is in a sacred space, outside of time; the gods have already 'descended' into the . . . insignia. A series of meditations, for which the disciple has been prepared in advance, help him to find the gods in his own heart. In a vision, he sees them all emerge and spring from his heart; they fill cosmic space, then are reabsorbed in him . . . By mentally entering the mandala the yogi approaches his own 'center.' . . . The yogi, starting from this iconographic 'support,' can find the mandala in his own body." <5> Thus with all its symbolism, a mandala is no mere external image of heavenly power. Buddhists believe a mandala is the receptacle of the holy power it portrays. Its purpose, and the goal of every one of its symbolic images, is to help the meditator realize the divine power within himself and achieve his own inner perfection. "The whole external mandala is a
model of that spiritual pattern which the meditating individual
sees within himself and which he must endeavour to experience
in his own consciousness," says Lauf. "[The Dhyani]
Buddhas are looked upon as beings whose As renowned orientalist Giuseppe Tucci explains,
"The five Buddhas do not remain remote divine forms in distant
heavens, but descend into us. I am the cosmos and the Buddhas
are The Dalai Lama teaches: "Mandala, in general, means that which extracts the essence . . . The main meaning [of a mandala] is for oneself to enter into the mandala and extract an essence in the sense of receiving blessing. It is a place of gaining magnificence." <8> For the disciple who knows how to use it, a mandala is therefore a map of the progressive steps to self-transformation and mystic union. It represents the growth of the seed of Buddhahood within him. "The meditator," says Lama Govinda, "must imagine himself in the center of the mandala as an embodiment of the divine figure of perfect Buddhahood." And that Buddhahood, he says, "can only be found in the realization of all those qualities which, taken all together, form the richness of the mandala." <9>
Some of the most remarkable sculptures of the Five Dhyani Buddhas were created by Tibetan artists during the thirteenth to early fifteenth centuries. Because the Dhyani Buddhas are celestial not historical beings, they are often portrayed with jewels and a crown rather than the simple robes of a Buddha. To the Tibetan, creating a work of art is a religious act. At each stage, the artist or a monk or lama offers certain prayers and rituals. He will often place scrolls of religious texts, votive offerings and grains inside statues. When the work is completed, the monk or lama performs a ceremony of consecration. Tibetans use art as a method of bringing heaven to earth and raising man out of his earthly confines to a realm of peace and harmony. They believe that a statue of a Buddha, for instance, is the living presence of that Buddha, who becomes one with his icon. Tibetan sculptures of the Dhyani Buddhas convey
both elegance and power. This is the singular character, charm
and mission of Tibetan sacred art. The real is wed to the
Vairochana's wisdom is also referred to as the All-Pervading Wisdom of the Dharmakaya. The Dharmakaya is the Body of the Law, or the absolute Buddha nature. The Dharmakaya is the term for the Causal Body, which is the Body of First Cause, the Body of the Law and the Body of the Buddha nature. Vairochana's transcendent wisdom reveals the realm of highest reality and overcomes the poison of ignorance, or delusion. His wisdom is considered to be the origin of or the total of all the wisdoms of the Dhyani Buddhas. Vairochana is usually located in the center of the mandalas of the Dhyani Buddhas. According to some texts, he is positioned in the east. His color is white (or blue), symbolizing a pure consciousness. He rules over the element of ether and embodies the skandha of consciousness. In some systems, he is associated with the skandha of form. His symbol is the dharmachakra, the wheel of the Teaching, or the wheel of the Law. The wheel denotes the teaching of the Buddha. Its eight spokes represent the Noble Eightfold Path, which Gautama revealed in his first sermon after his enlightenment. Vairochana's lotus throne is supported by the lion, symbol of courage, boldness and an eager, advancing spirit. Vairochana's mudra is the dharmachakra mudra. It is the gesture of teaching, which is defined as turning the wheel of the Law. (There are many variations of this mudra. One form Tibetans use is to hold both hands at the level of the heart. The right palm faces outward and the left palm faces inward. One circle is formed by the thumb and index finger of the right hand and a second circle is formed by the thumb and index finger of the left hand. The two circles touch at the tips of the thumbs and index fingers.) Because he embodies the wisdom of all Buddhas, Vairochana's bija is the universal sound Om. His mantra is Om Vairochana Om.
In the mandala of the Five Dhyani Buddhas, Akshobhya
is usually positioned to the east (which is at the bottom) but
he is sometimes placed in the center. His color is blue. He His symbol is the vajra, also called thunderbolt or diamond scepter. The vajra denotes enlightenment, the indestructible, adamantine nature of pure consciousness, or the essence of Reality. In some traditions, the vajra signifies the union of man and the Buddha; one end of the vajra symbolizes the macrocosmic realm of the Buddha and the other end the microcosmic realm of man. Akshobhya's mudra is the bhumisparsha mudra. It is the earth-touching gesture and denotes unshakability. (The fingertips of the right hand touch the ground or hang over the right knee, with the palm turned inward.) This is the mudra Gautama Buddha used to summon the earth to witness to his right to attain enlightenment when he was challenged by the Evil One, Mara. Akshobhya's paradise is Abhirati, the Land of Exceeding Great Delight. Buddhists believe that whoever is reborn there cannot fall back to a lower level of consciousness. Akshobhya's bija is Hum and his mantra is Om Akshobhya Hum.
Ratnasambhava transmutes the poison of spiritual, intellectual and human pride into the Wisdom of Equality. Tibetan Buddhists teach that with the Wisdom of Equality one sees all things with divine impartiality and recognizes the divine equality of all beings. One sees all beings and the Buddha as having the same nature. This is a condition we need, says Tucci, "to spur our spiritual ascension and to acquire the trust to realize in ourselves the status of a Buddha." <11> Ratnasambhava is the Dhyani Buddha of the south. His color is yellow, the color of the sun in its zenith. He rules over the element of earth and embodies the skandha of feeling or sensation. Ratnasambhava is sometimes shown holding his symbol, the ratna (jewel) or chintamani (wish-fulfilling jewel that grants all right desires). The chintamani is a symbol of the liberated mind. The ratna is often depicted in a threefold form as the triratna, signifying the union of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. The animal that upholds Ratnasambhava's throne is the horse, denoting impetus and liberation. Ratnasambhava's mudra is the varada mudra. It is the gesture of giving, or charity, which portrays him offering compassion and protection to his disciples. (The right palm faces outward and the fingers are directed downward.) His bija is Tram and his mantra is Om Ratnasambhava Tram.
In the mandala of the Dhyani Buddhas, Amitabha is positioned to the west. His color is rose, the color of the setting sun. He rules over the element of fire and personifies the skandha of perception. Thus, the eye and the faculty of seeing are associated with Amitabha. The peacock, with "eyes" on its plumes, is his throne-bearer. The peacock symbolizes grace. Amitabha's symbol is the padma, or lotus. In Buddhism, the lotus can symbolize many things, including spiritual unfoldment, purity, the true nature of beings realized through enlightenment, and compassion, the purified form of passion. Devotees aspire to be reborn in Amitabha's Western Paradise, known as Sukhavati, where conditions are ideal for attaining enlightenment. His mudra is the dhyana (meditation) mudra. (Hands rest in the lap, palms up, with the right hand on top of the left.) Amitabha's bija is Hrih and his mantra is Om Amitabha Hrih. Some consider Amitabha to be synonymous with
Amitayus, the Buddha of Infinite Life. Others honor Amitayus as
a form of Amitabha or as a separate Buddha. Amitayus is usually
Amoghasiddhi represents the practical realization of the wisdoms of the other Dhyani Buddhas. He is described as the Dhyani Buddha of the realization of the Bodhisattva Path. A Bodhisattva is one who has forgone the bliss of nirvana with a vow to first liberate all beings. Amoghasiddhi is the Dhyani Buddha of the north. His color is green, signifying the sun at midnight. He rules over the element of air and embodies the skandha of volition, also called the skandha of mental phenomena or tendencies of mind. His symbol is the vishvavajra, or double vajra. It is made of two crossed vajras and symbolizes the highest comprehension of truth and the spiritual power of a Buddha. The throne of Amoghasiddhi is supported by garudas.
A garuda is a mythical figure, half man and half bird. In relation
to Amoghasiddhi, Lama Govinda says the garuda symbolizes "man
in transition towards a new dimension of consciousness, . . .
the transition from the human Amoghasiddhi's mudra is the abhaya mudra, the
gesture of fearlessness and protection. (Right hand is raised
to shoulder height with the palm turned outward and fingers upward.)
Amoghasiddhi's bija is Ah and his mantra is Om Amoghasiddhi Ah.
2. Lama Anagarika Govinda, Insights of a Himalayan
Pilgrim (Berkeley: Dharma 3. Detlef Ingo Lauf, Secret Doctrines of the Tibetan Books of the Dead, trans. Graham Parkes (Boston: Shambhala, 1989), p. 105. 4. Blanche Christine Olschak and Geshe Thupten
Wangyal, Mystic Art of Ancient Tibet 5. Mircea Eliade, Yoga: Immortality and Freedom, 2d ed., trans. Willard R. Trask, Bollingen Series, no. 56 (1969; reprint, Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1970), p. 225. 6. Detlef Ingo Lauf, Tibetan Sacred Art: The Heritage of Tantra (Berkeley: Shambhala, 1976), pp. 120, 122, 123. 7. Giuseppe Tucci, The Theory and Practice of
the Mandala, trans. Alan Houghton 8. The Fourteenth Dalai Lama His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, Kindness, Clarity, and Insight, ed. Jeffrey Hopkins and Elizabeth Napper (Ithaca, N.Y.: Snow Lion Publications, 1984), p. 82. 9. Lama Anagarika Govinda, Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism (1960; reprint, New York: Samuel Weiser, 1969), p. 181; Insights of a Himalayan Pilgrim, p. 178. 10. Indrabhuti, Jnanasiddhi, quoted in Govinda, Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism, p. 113. 11. Giuseppe Tucci, The Temples of Western Tibet and Their Artistic Symbolism, ed. Lokesh Chandra (New Delhi: Aditya Prakashan, 1988), p. 152. 12. Govinda, Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism, p. 262; Insights of a Himalayan Pilgrim, p. 84.
Mantras to the Five Dhyani Buddhas
Om Amoghasiddhi Ah! Om Vajrasattva Hum!
OM HUM TRAM HRIH AH HUM OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM Taken from Ashram Ritual 5, Sacred Ritual for
Transport and Holy Work, in Ashram |
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Call now to your Mighty I AM Presence and look up at the opening of the door whereby the Five Dhyani Buddhas take you to undefined heights of glory and oneness. Under-stand that in this life and in this world you can achieve much. But beyond this world you may also accelerate and bring to millions of souls of light all that God has prepared for you. Study, then, these teachings. Study them, beloved. The understanding of self-transcendence on this path is a manifestation that comes to some, but to very few. Others try to internalize this action. Know this, then, that the coming of the Five Dhyani Buddhas, or of one or three, is a signal that stars in the heavens descend to bring higher realms of consciousness to you. Therefore, know and understand that we who are the Dhyani Buddhas are here to hold the equilibrium of planet earth. This must be done, beloved, else what you will see happen will be exactly in the manner of what has already happened. In this moment of our tremendous activity of light, know also that many in the earth are dark and of the darkness. It is, then, very important that every single soul on the planet who understands the path of the Dhyani Buddhas enter that path and receive an intensity of light and a focus that will take them through the night. The night is long and yet the dawn will come. But ere this come to pass, you will see many things in the earth that ought not to be; for, beloved, the Dhyani Buddhas cannot do it all. Follow, then, the teachings of the Buddha. Look again at those teachings with profound reverence. And come to the realization that because so very few are able to become one with the Dhyani Buddhas, we must count on you and others throughout the world to bring to higher levels of consciousness those who truly must advance and advance again. [pause] - Know, then, that these are days of joy and darkness. These are days of turmoil; these are days when much will come to the surface. And you will know and understand what is to be done and ultimately what needs to be done if all who serve Saint Germain will take up the calling of the violet flame and move toward great heights of light. - Let light be your guard and strength. Let light be your coming into the oneness of Sanat Kumara, into the oneness of all those who come and go throughout the cosmos. - We are the Dhyani Buddhas and we are in your very presence. We seal you in the heart of God. And we seal the members of this community and all who have been a part of it. Therefore in so saying, we take our leave of you and move among the people of this world to see what mitigation can and must be practiced. - Therefore move on, beloved. Move on. For many, many, many souls are waiting in this very moment for you to do so. I seal you in the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit and the Divine Mother.
1. See Gautama Buddha, "Master One Petal,"
May 29, 1994, 1994 Pearls of Wisdom, |
| Meditation on the Thousand-Petaled Lotus |
Meditation
on the Five Secret Rays |
| Five Secret Rays | Eighth Ray Chakra |
| Translation
for 140 languages by ALS |
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