The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa: Volume 4 (4 page)

Mindfulness naturally leads to the development of awareness, which is a sense of expansion, being aware of the environment or space in which we are being mindful. Awareness brings tremendous interest in things, people, and the world altogether. We begin to develop sympathy and caring for others. The practice of awareness in Sanskrit is called
vipashyana
and in Tibetan,
lhakthong
(
lhag mthong
), which literally means “clear seeing.” Vipashyana is traditionally connected both with the practice of meditation and with the formal study of the teachings and postmeditation activities in general. Vipashyana provides a link between the insight that is developed in meditation practice and our everyday experience. It allows us to carry that meditative insight or awareness into our daily lives.

Through the insight that comes from vipashyana, we begin to make a further discovery of egolessness. We begin to develop a precise understanding of how mind functions and how confusion is generated. We are able to see how the belief in ego causes tremendous pain and suffering to ourselves and others.

From this comes the desire to renounce samsara, the wheel of confused existence—the world of ego. Renunciation is expressed as the desire to refrain from harming ourselves and others. As well, we begin to long for the path that will liberate us from confusion. We begin to develop confidence in the Buddha as the enlightened example; in the dharma, or teachings of Buddhism, which are the path; and in the sangha, the community of practitioners who follow this path. Renunciation is utterly and absolutely necessary if we wish to practice the teachings of the Buddha. This theme runs through the entire path, from beginning to end. At the vajrayana level, renunciation is connected with devotion to the teacher, the vajra master. Devotion to the teacher in the vajrayana demands the total surrender of ego, the complete renunciation of all clinging to self.

Because of the discovery of egolessness in shamatha and the development of interest and sympathy in vipashyana, we naturally begin to expand our sense of warmth and friendliness to others. We are less interested in “this,” “I,” “me,” and more interested in “that.” The mahayana path is based on this discovery that others are more important than ourselves. Because we have discovered egolessness, because we have discovered that
me
does not exist, we find that there is lots of room, lots of space, in which to help others. That is the basis of compassion, karuna. Compassion in the Buddhist tradition is not based on guilt; it is based on having greater vision, because we can afford to do so.

The mahayana teachings are profound and vast, and what I am presenting here is like a drop in the ocean of the mahayana dharma. Nevertheless, helping others is absolutely essential. This is true, not only in mahayana practice, but in vajrayana as well. Trying to practice vajrayana without compassion is like swimming in molten lead—it is deadly. All of the power and the magic of vajrayana is based on working for the benefit of others and surrendering ourselves—absolutely.

The vajrayana teachings are very precious; they are very close to my heart and they are my inheritance, so I do not pass them on lightly. Still, I am delighted that we can present tantra in the American world. What is presented here is like a map; it is an entirely different experience to actually make the journey. It requires a guide to make this journey, and as well, we must make the proper preparations: Our minds must be tamed and trained through the practice of meditation. Only then can we see the vajra world.

As I have said, presenting these talks originally was quite demanding, but it was equally worthwhile. For those who connected with what was being transmitted, the experience of hearing these lectures was one of discovering devotion and beginning to surrender ego. It is my hope that, in a similar fashion, this book will inspire others to step onto the path of dharma.

V
AJRACHARYA THE
V
ENERABLE

Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche

July 10, 1981

Boulder, Colorado

Intensifying Devotion in One’s Heart

T
HE
S
UPPLICATION
“C
RYING TO THE
G
URUS FROM
A
FAR
”

by
J
AMGÖN
K
ONGTRÜL
L
ODRÖ
T
HAYE

N
AMO
G
URAVE

T
HE PRACTICE OF
crying to the gurus from afar is well known to everyone. The key to invoking blessings is devotion, which is aroused by sadness and renunciation. This is not a mere platitude, but is born in the center of one’s heart and in the depths of one’s bones. With decisive conviction that there is no other buddha who is greater than the guru, recite this melodic tune.

Guru, think of me.

Kind root guru, think of me.

Essence of the buddha of the three times,

Source of the holy dharma—what has been told and what has been experienced—

Master of the sangha, the noble assembly,

Root guru, think of me.

Great treasure of blessings and compassion,

Source of the two siddhis,

Buddha activity that bestows whatever is desired,

Root guru, think of me.

Guru Amitābha, think of me.

Look upon me from the realm of dharmakāya, simplicity.

Lead us of evil karma who wander in saṃsāra

To the pure land of great bliss.

Guru Avalokiteśvara, think of me.

Look upon me from the realm of sambhogakāya, luminosity.

Pacify completely the suffering of the six realms.

Shake us from the depths of the three realms of saṃsāra.

Guru Padmākara, think of me.

Look upon me from the lotus light of Cāmara.
¹

The wretched Tibetan people who are without refuge in this dark age,

Quickly protect with your compassion.

Guru Yeshe Tsogyal,
²
think of me.

Look upon me from the celestial realm, the city of great bliss.

Help us who commit evil deeds to cross the ocean of saṃsāra

To the great city of liberation.

Gurus of the kama and terma lineages,
³
think of me.

Look upon me from the wisdom realm of unity.

Break through the dark dungeon of my confused mind.

Make the sun of realization arise.

Omniscient Trime Öser,
⁴
think of me.

Look upon me from the realm of the five spontaneous wisdom lights.

Help me to strengthen my primordially pure mind

And master the four stages of ati yoga.
⁵

Incomparable Lord Atīśa, father and son,
⁶
think of me.

Look upon me from amidst one hundred devas in Tuṣita.

Arouse in me bodhicitta,

The essence of emptiness and compassion.

Three supreme siddhas—Marpa, Mila, and Gampopa—think of me.

Look upon me from the vajra realm of great bliss.

May I attain the surpreme siddhi of mahāmudrā, bliss and emptiness,

And awaken dharmakāya in my heart.

Karmapa, lord of the world, think of me.

Look upon me from the space which tames all beings everywhere.

Help me to realize that all dharmas are insubstantial and illusory.

Make appearance and mind dawn as the three kāyas.

Kagyüs of the four great and eight lesser lineages, think of me.

Look upon me from the land of sacred outlook.

Help me to clear away my confusion in the fourth moment

And perfect my experience and realization.

Five Sakaya forefathers,
⁷
jetsüns, think of me.

Look upon me from the realm of inseparable saṃsāra and nirvāṇa.

Help me to unite the completely pure view, meditation, and action

And walk upon the supreme secret path.

Incomparable Shangpa Kagyü,
⁸
think of me.

Look upon me from the completely pure buddha land.

Help me to learn properly the practice that liberates through skillful means

And attain the unity of nonlearning.

Great siddha, Thangtong Gyalpo,
⁹
think of me.

Look upon me from the realm of effortless compassion.

Help me to practice the yogic action of realizing insubstantiality.

Help me to master prāṇa and mind.

Only father, Phadampa Sanggye,
¹⁰
think of me.

Look upon me from the realm of accomplishing the highest action.

May the blessings of your lineage enter my heart

And may auspicious coincidence arise in all directions.

Only mother, Machik Lapkyi Drönma, think of me.

Look upon me from the realm of Prajñāpāramitā.

Help me to uproot ego-fixation, the cause of pride.

And realize the truth of egolessness beyond conception.

Omniscient enlightened one of Tölpo,
¹¹
think of me.

Look upon me from the realm endowed with all the supreme aspects.

Help me to still the shifting breaths in the central channel

And attain the immovable vajra body.

Jetsün Tāranātha,
¹²
think of me.

Look upon me from the realm of the three mudrās.

May I tread the secret vajra path unhindered.

And attain the rainbow body in the celestial realm.

Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo,
¹³
think of me.

Look upon me from the wisdom realm of the two kinds of knowing.

Help me to remove the obscurations of my ignorance

And expand the vision of supreme knowledge.

Ösel Trülpe Dorje, think of me.

Look upon me from the realm of the five rainbow light rays.