The enquiry into absolute reality has been a fervent pursuit of many people through the ages. Out of the multitude, only a few had discovered the right path and among those few, even fewer attained the absolute truth. The accomplished ones usually had no words to say when asked about their achievement, for absolute reality is cognizable only through expedience. By trial and error a seeker may discover the right path at last, but this process may be shortened or omitted if one has an experienced guide who is free from both sides-saying or keeping silence. 

Now we are fortunate to have found such an experienced guide in the distinguished Buddhist Yogi C.M. Chen who, out of compassion, has enabled the Ven. Sangharakshita and Ven. Khantipalo to write down this systematic and practical guide book for the benefit of the serious students in Buddhist meditation in the English-speaking world. 

It is hoped that sincere readers will read, reflect, and practice accordingly. Gautama Buddha's teaching does not tell us just to believe blindly. It invites us to come and achieve results ourselves. 

The Buddhist Yogi C.M. Chen has some other useful works in manuscript awaiting for publication. Interested people are welcomed to contribute for the cost of printing them for free distribution so that more phases of the Dharma may be presented to the Western World. 

May all attain the Peace Profound. Upasaka Khoo Poh Kong MALAYSIA, 11.6.1966 (2993) 

This book is unusual among the numerous publications available on Buddhist meditation. It is based upon the experiences of a well-known Buddhist yogi, Chien-ming Chen. (commonly known as Yogi C.M. Chen) who practiced meditation alone in Kalimpong, India at the foot of the Himalayan Mountains for over 28 years. This book presents both doctrinal and practical aspects of the subject. Furthermore, it explains and correlates the Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana traditions of Buddhist meditation and offers detailed instructions on undertaking the Vajrayana method for a Western student. The main text is augmented by several appendices which give more detailed information and instruction. 

The manner in which this meditation manual was first written in 1962 in Kalimpong, West Bengal, India, is described in the beginning of the Introduction of the 1966 edition and 1976 reprint: "In this book, the words of our Buddhist yogi, C.M. Chen, have first been noted down and particular care taken to preserve something of his original expressions and peculiar style. So that nothing is missed, two persons met him every week. One listened, that is Venerable Sangharakshita Sthavira, and another was the recorder, that is the writer (Khantipalo Bhikkhu). The next day, the subject still being fresh in mind, these noted were converted into a rough draft after which they were given to the Ven. Sthavira for his comments. After revising as he suggested they were typed and then taken along to the next meeting with Yogi Chen. He then read them carefully, adding or deleting material where necessary, resulting in a final manuscript which is certainly well-checked and we hope, an accurate presentation of the Buddhas' Teachings and Yogi Chen's practical experience of these. 

The final draft was published as a book in 1966 by Upasaka Khoo Poh Kong of Malaysia for free distribution to all who may be interested in Buddhist meditation. When that edition became out of print but still in demand. I had 1000 copies of it reprinted in the United States in 1976 For free distribution from my office in New York City. The reprint edition was photo-printed from the 1966 edition to which Yogi Chen added two interesting appendices: "How To Transform The Human Body Into The Buddha Body" and "How To Transmute the Human Consciousness Into The Buddha's Wisdom''. 

It became apparent that there was a great public demand for this book soon after its reprinting in 1976. It was also apparent at that time that certain revisions to the book were necessary. Sanskrit transliterations needed standardization and some passages required clarification. It was felt, however, that the basic style should be left intact as long as clarity of meaning could be maintained. In this way, it was hoped that the reader will have a greater sense of contactwith Yogi Chen himself. To accomplish this The Institute for Advanced Studies of World Religions, New York, obtained the permission of Yogi Chen and proceeded to organize a team headed by Dr. Christopher S. George. Miss Vicki Brown was then dispatched to Berkeley, California where she worked with Yogi Chen for over eight months revising the text. The present edition is the result of the joint effort made by the members of the team which included Teresa Szu, Alice Romanelli Hower, Larry Hower, Vasiliki Sarantakos and Janet Gyatso. 

For more than 30 years Yogi Chen wrote and printed many Buddhist books both in English and Chinese. He made a vow that none of his works should be printed for sale. He lives such a humble life that one can hardly find any difference between his one room apartment in Berkeley, California and his small hut in Kalimpong. India. By putting Yogi Chen's words to print, we are attempting to put you, the reader, in spiritual communication with him and enable you to visualize the kind of man Yogi Chen is. 

C. T. Shen 

This book assumes that most of its readers have some basic knowledge of the Buddha's Teachings and in particular are acquainted with the tradition of Buddhist Meditation and Wisdom. A number of books exist where this subject is treated for the instruction of beginners but the special merit of this book is that it takes the whole range of Buddhist thought in its three vehicles (yana) and shows how these complement each other to form a unified three-in-one systematic way to Buddhahood. The meditations of the Hinayana are comparatively well-known in western lands but knowledge regarding those of the Mahayana, especially the practice applications of the perfection of wisdom, is very scanty indeed, while the West knows almost nothing of Vajrayana techniques for Full Enlightenment in this very life. It must be emphasized, as our wise and learned author has often done. That each one of these chapters could be expanded into a book. Or into many books and that here, as one might expect in a book of this size, only a selection can be given of the very vast range of material dealing with Meditation in Buddhism. 

Readers who come new to this subject are therefore advised to read first the biography of our yogi as he says, 'to get some interest,' and then to turn to the conclusion where a brief summary appears of the contents of this work concisely presenting our Three-ways-in-one. They will also find it instructive to read the answers given by our yogi author to a number of questions on practical matters connected with meditation which form an appendix to this book. Having thus gone in full circle around the work, they will be ready to spiral inwards, to the inner chapters containing the explanatory diagrams and a digest of meditations to be practiced in the various vehicles taught by Lord Buddha for carrying all beings to the Unexcelled Perfect Enlightenment. 

Triyana Vardhana Vihara, Kalimpong, West Bengal India. The writer, Khantipalo Bhikkhu. On Full Moon day of December in the Buddhist Era 2989 ( 1962 CE). 

Back to Contents

The sun shone down brilliantly upon the town of Kalimpong and seemed by its shining to approve the project that day begun. For this was also concerned with illumination. That is, a book not merely upon the theories of meditation, of which there are many already, but written on the practice of Buddhist sadhana. This is indeed an aspect covered much less thoroughly. In this book, the words of our Buddhist yogi, Chien Ming Chen, have first been noted down and particular care taken to preserve something of his original expressions and peculiar style. So that nothing is missed, two persons have met him every week, one listened, that is Venerable Sangharakshita Sthavira, and another recorded, that is the writer. The next day, the subject still being fresh in the mind, these notes were converted into a rough draft which then was given to the Ven. Sthavira for his comments. After revising as he suggested they were typed and then taken along to the next meeting with Mr. Chen. He read them carefully adding or deleting material where necessary, resulting in a final manuscript which is certainly well-checked and we hope, an accurate presentation of the Buddha's Teachings and Mr. Chen's practical experience of these. 

And now, having told the reader something about the origin of this book, let us in mind go back to that first meeting, not indeed the first between the cooperators producing this but first specifically concerning this work. To find Mr. Chen might be difficult enough unless one knew the way. Not that he lives now in some remote mountain cave or inaccessible hermitage, but because the crowded, narrow and rather steep streets of Kalimpong diving from one level to another would confuse most in their search. To reach our yogi one descends these streets to lower and lower levels and passing through a crowded neighbourhood predominantly inhabited by poor Tibetans, one comes to a row of prayer flags. In front of his hermitage is a large farm of the Agriculture Department which presents a beautiful landscape from his south window. As he says, poems already made by nature when viewed from this window have inspired him many times. 

When he arrived here, before the influx of Tibetan refugees into Kalimpong, his house was quite isolated and from the lower ground of the farm grew up to the height of his window five trees used as Bodhi tree substitute in China. Those were foreseen by our yogi in the light of his concentration, before he came to Kalimpong. Moreover, they were exactly the height of the Buddha, that is sixteen feet according to Chinese belief. They were more than an auspicious sign for him; their deep meaning being that just as the Panca Tathagata emanate from Vajrasattva, so these five Buddha-symbols stood below his hermitage. Therefore, he composed the following poem: 

Half straggling town-end, half extensive farm: Between, a hermitage we see appear. Who ranged Five Trees below of Buddha's height? I come, yet no new work awaits me here! 

And so the hermitage, so favourably situated, was called by our yogi, "The Five Leguminous Tree Hermitage". These trees have now suffered the destroying hand of man but in their place five bamboo poles fly their printed flags of prayers. Now we are there, a few steps climbed, a back door gently tapped and there is Mr. Chen, his face round and smiling welcoming us courteously with little bows. He motions us to sit in a small room, one of the two which he rents, and kindly provides us with a little refreshment before his talk begins. 

On this first occasion, it was decided that an outline of his biography would be a good introduction to his explanation of practice and realization. At five o'clock we began, the sounds of a Tibetan Bhikshu's puja in a nearby house drifts in through the window, a drum beaten a voice lowly chanting.... 

Let Mr. Chen introduce his own life story:

But one lives from day to day and traces remain; life is just a continuous mass of traces with nothing that can be held to either by you or by me. But just as the Bodhisattva went to Vimalakirti and there was nothing to talk on but you have come so far and all this is at command. Under such a glorified condition of you How could I keep in silence. 

Mr. Chen smiled and got up from his little wicker stool to take some letters handed by a young postman through the open window. He had helped the young man, a new neighbour of his, with some money and cooking utensils. Now, leaving his letters till later Mr. Chen sat down and resumed his tale: 

A. Outward Biography 

The outward biography concerns family, renunciation, and impermanence and about these I shall give a brief sketch not because it is about 'I' but from gratitude. As a blessing of the Buddhas that I was born in such circumstances. 

Before my birth, my mother during both day and night saw before her inner eye a large sun shining in her throat; but when a doctor was consulted, this symptom was not traced to any known disease and indeed my mother was perfectly healthy. The young Chen was born covered by an unbroken placenta and so undefiled by the mother's blood. Nor did he cry at birth as most children do. My mother noticed in my forehead a depression between or a little above the eyes an evil omen according to worldly astrology standards but favourable sign for Bodhisattva. After giving birth, my mother developed two extra breasts and I took milk from all four. My father joked with her that she was just like an old sow. 

There were eight in the family, four girls and four boys and I was the fourth. Even while I was young most of my brothers and sisters died and for them my mother was often crying. One day, blind, a wandering fortune-teller told my mother I too should have a short life and I over heard him say that although I was the last son yet I should die early. Seeing so much death and hearing this made me fear it very much. My mother loved me deeply because she had lost so many of her children and feared to see me die as well and still there were other troubles in our family. My father not only took a second wife but was always running after the wives of others. On women and drinking he spent the family's money. 

For these reasons I had two fears. Death and poverty. So while I was young. I saw that the world was very painful and remember once. After one of my parents' frequent quarrels, that my father brought out a knife threatening to kill my mother. 

See so much suffering in my youth, these words come from my heart knowing well the universality of duhkha and tears were in our yogi's eyes. 

During my young days I had the duty of looking after my old grandfather. He had a shop and very early in the morning I would get up and go some distance to open it. He became very fond of me because of my diligence but as he grew older practically everything had to be done for him when he became nearly blind, even to putting the lighting charcoal in his pipe. The old man was always coughing and spitting for he had sever consumption and, when I was ten, he died from this. 

As a young prince, the Buddha-to-be saw the four great sights in the city outside his home, but I saw three of them inside my own house. The fourth, a bhikshu, I did not see at that time. I had no need to read the Himayana books to be convinced of the first Noble Truth of Duhkha; it was my own early experience. But I could not give up the world in any case since I had still to care for my parents, for there was no one else to look after them. 

B. Inward Biography 

Here should begin the account of my inward biography dealing with mental training I received under the various teachers who guided me. 

At that time there were no regular schools organized in China but fortunately a rich man who lived locally who could afford to employ a teacher well-versed in the Confucian books. I was able to study with him and since my memory was very flourishing then, I was always placed first out of ten boys. We finished our study of four classics and afterward I went to the new primary school opened in the town by the government. While this school taught the usual range of subjects, young Chen liked the study and recited with a teacher by the name of Mr. Lu Po Win, poems of ancient Lo Hun San. He was a young man who had risen through the ancient system of examinations in the Empire to become the Chief Minister. After he had attained this he found his position unhappy and wished only to renounce it together with fame and power, and go to live as a hermit in the mountains. This he did, and his poems, teaching a mixture of Taoism and Buddhism with with mental training I received under the various teachers who guided me. 

At that time there were no regular schools organized in China but fortunately a rich man who lived locally who could afford to employ a teacher well-versed in the Confucian books. I was able to study with him and since my memory was very flourishing then, I was always placed first out of ten boys. We finished our study of four classics and afterward I went to the new primary school opened in the town by the government. While this school taught the usual range of subjects, young Chen liked the study and recited with a teacher by the name of Mr. Lu Po Win, poems of ancient Lo Hun San. He was a young man who had risen through the ancient system of examinations in the Empire to become the Chief Minister. After he had attained this he found his position unhappy and wished only to renounce it together with fame and power, and go to live as a hermit in the mountains. This he did, and his poems, teaching a mixture of Taoism and Buddhism with much of his renunciation, were well known and much appreciated. 

I wished very much to renounce everything and follow his example, but how could I? My mind was stirred, too, by masters at school, who said I was clever but weak and would die soon. But I was only eleven at that time and did not want to die so early. I studied very hard, sometimes getting up in the middle of the night to begin, and to overcome my sleepiness, I would smoke a village "cigarette" to wake me up. (But did not take it up as a habit.) In this way I was always first in the school. 

After attending the Primary and High Schools, I went for six years to the Nommal School in Changsa the capital of Hunan. Since I had the desire to learn everything, there was little I did not put my hands to, even to playing the piano. No lights were available in my room and so for long hours during the middle of the night I would study in the only place where one was continually burning (the latrines). This told upon my health and though my father said I should rest, I continued to work hard, I was able in this way to graduate well and obtain a post as teacher in the High School. 

A meeting of the provincial educational committee was called in order to select a Secretary. There were 72 districts in the province and each sent two candidates, thus 144 altogether competed for the job; but I had the good fortune to succeed. The Committee had the responsibility for maintaining the provincial library and museum. The library here was very extensive and I had the chance to read widely and to my liking were the Taoist authors. They promised many different ways of prolonging life the hope for which attracted me greatly. 

The puja-drum outside had ceased its rhythmic beat. Perhaps the Bhikshu was taking a draught of well-earned tea. Mr. Chen also paused before continuing while other sounds of his crowded neighbours, the cries of babies, the shouts of women and children sharply punctuated the quietness of his hermitage. Mr. Chen has himself said that once he was in Shanghai and attended a theatrical performance by the well-known artist Dr. Lai Lan Fung. While it was in progress he got a deep concentration, much better than he had obtained living in a cave. Although he has some neighbours living close to him their voices give him no trouble.......It is surely only one very well-practised in meditation who can ignore all this. 

When I had read a good many Taoist books, I went one day to one of their Divine Altars. The diviner in charge predicted that besides the mere attainment of long life, I should become immortal if I practiced their teachings. This was a turning point in my life, when my mind became less concerned with worldly things. 

The library also contained the works of Venerable Tai Hsu, the vigorous reformer of Chinese Buddhism and his works I read enthusiastically while knowing but little of the real meaning of Buddhism. Ven. Tai Hsu's writings were easy for the young and educated man to read as they contained a blend of the modern scientific approach with ancient wisdom. 

In the province of Hunan at that time there was no lay Buddhist organization and progressively minded Upasakas desired very much that Ven. Tai Hsu come to assist them in forming an association and give them also the benefits of his learning in lectures and advice. They urged me to write on their behalf to invite the Venerable One, but I did not want to do this since I knew little Buddhism. They persuaded me, however, and hesitatingly I wrote. It seems the Venerable Teacher like my letter and in his reply he gave me a Buddhist name-Fa Chen (Dharma-hero, Sovereign of the Dharma). He did me a great honour by presenting two scrolls in his calligraphy of Buddhist teaching and said that I should become his disciple. I was really converted to Buddhism by him when he came to our town a month or two later. I was privileged to work under him in the new Buddhist College of which he was the founder. 

Mr. Chen has very kindly amplified a portion of his life at this stage by sending a letter in which he says: 

During the period of my conversion, I began by studying the Avatmsake Sutra. I was especially interested in the chapter of that Sutra on pure conduct. This chapter sets forth how daily life should be well accompanied by the Bodhicitta (Wisdom & Mercy heart). To give two illustrations: when we walk we should think of the sentient beings all walking on the great path of Buddhism; when we sit we should wish that all sentient beings are sitting on the Vajrasana (Diamond Seat) as well as Lord Buddha and so all attaining final enlightenment. In this way almost every action of our daily life is well-accompanied by the Bodhicitta for the sentient beings. 

Once I had to print a certain book, and with a concentrated mind I wrote out the whole of this chapter in good and vigorous style so that many copies might be made for presentation to others. Since then I myself have always used and followed these same gathas in my own life, well preserving the precepts of the Bodhicitta and constantly accompanied by the Bodhicitta itself. As a result of this I never cheated a person, even as a little boy. In my dreams I was praised by a demon of disease, when I was cured of ringworm. He said that they feared me because I never cheated my own mind. 

To return to Mr. Chen in his little room. He said at this time: inspite of my studies I was still wandering between Taoism and Buddhism. I thought that the Hinayana was very good; but it could not prolong my life and though I had taken the Buddhist Refuge (Sarana), I really broke these when I met a Taoist Guru Li Lung Tyen, who I knew would give me instructions on how to lengthen my life. This teacher had a face like a little boy, although he was very old, he had taken no food for twenty years. I could not believe this when I was told; but after living with him for a few days, I saw for myself that it was true. He gave instructions which I practiced and from them obtained good results. 

After Ven. Tai Hsu's visit, the Buddhist Association in our capital became very flourishing. A temple was constructed for the laymen where the Pure Land tradition was followed. It was here that I read the Sa Che edition of the Tripitaka. At that time I knew only the Hinayana and Mahayana and my practice was to take only a vegetable diet while living apart from my wife. 

Mr. Chen here described how the old tradition of Vajrayana in China and which had flourished in the T'ang Dynasty had quickly died out since knowledge of it was restricted by Imperial Order. He then went on to say that the present traditions of Vajrayana in China are all derived from Tibetan sources. After this brief explanation, Mr. Chen was kind enough to tell us something about his Vajrayana Gurus: 

While I was working as secretary and teacher of the Middle School, I met a teacher of the Gelugpa tradition, Gelu Rimpoche. His teaching in accordance with his spiritual succession laid great emphasis upon Vinaya observance and the four foundations of practice. Since I could not accomplish these while living amongst my family, I went to live in the shrine of my teacher's temple. In the course of two or three years. I managed to complete the first three foundations. That is, l finished ten myriad prostrations, I went for Refuge ten myriad times, made ten myriad repetitions of the hundred-syllable-mantra of Vajrasattva as a confession of evil. To do all this I used to get up at three o'clock in the morning and practice until nine when it was time for me to teach. The fourth foundation of practice I did not have time to complete in that place for it involves the offering of the Mandala also ten myriad times. In that temple I only managed one myriad Mandala-offerings and am still engaged in finishing this practice. (Of course even when these practices are not yet complete it is usual to take up others more advanced in nature as Mr. Chen had done.) Because of the good foundations then established, there have been no obstacles for my practice later. 

My teacher had heard of a great Hermit-Suru living in Kang-Hsi province who followed the teachings of the ancient ones (Nyingmapa). The hermit's name was Lola Hutuktu who, despite an official position in the Tibetan government. Lived the solitary life. When Gelu-guru went to visit him, this hermit understood that although he seemed humble enough, pride was strong in his mind for he had many disciples in different parts of China. I thought he imparted some teachings to Gelu Rimpoche. The latter, on his return, kept silent and would not pass on to us what he had received. 

Seeing that I could not get further instructions from my father Gelugpa Guru, I decided to go and find Lola Hutuktu myself. This I did in spite of family difficulties. After I had left, taking with me a little money, my wife came weeping to my Gelu guru telling him of lack of money in the family but I felt worldly considerations of this sort must be put aside for the time being and that it was most important to get teaching from Ven. Lola. While I was with him, he gave me many instructions for the practice of meditation including the Atiyoga doctrines of Mahamudra and the great perfection. He could commonly tell events in the future and predicted that I would have a daughter, telling me also to live with my wife and take meat. He instructed as well that I should study Ch'an because its realization went very deep. 

When I came back from the hermitage of Lola Hutuktu, I was doubtful on the point of how causation might also be void and how evil action contains also the truth of voidness. I took advantage of three holy days during the schools spring vacation. For three days I confined myself in a room of my school, fasting for this time and also keeping my excrement in the room. I just meditated upon the truth. On the morning of the third day, I suddenly saw the Iron Pagoda in South-lndia. (The Siddha Nagarjuna took out from the iron pagoda the abode of Vajrasattva, the texts of Mahavairocana Sutra and Vajrasekhara Sutra, and received instructions from him) and at the same moment I determined that the truth is the "all is this no else talk." Since then I have had no doubts upon the Truth. So this is a little attainment of Right View (Sarhyak Drsti) 

Altogether I have had four kinds of gurus of which the first is called the outward. Examples of outward Gurus are my Confucian, and Taoist instructors. Secondly, I have had many inward gurus teaching exoteric doctrines the first of these being the Ven. Tai Hsu. With others I read the four different editions of the Tripitakas concentrating on the Mahayana works. Even when I first read the Diamond Sutra, I understood its meaning having an insight into unity of the opposites. Many of these Mahayana and Vajrayana Gurus were seen by me in dreams and meditations; such are predestined teachers linked to the pupil by thirty-seven but space does not permit me to describe them more, either their characters or their doctrines. 

Mr. Chen looked up as he said this. appearing to be a little thoughtful. Now, he said, we come on to the third type of Guru who gives one instruction in meditation and in dreams. They are called secret or unworldly Gurus, for instance, Mahakala has given me many instructions. Fourthly, there is the Guru of the Dharmakaya, which is the wisdom of non-guru. This guru is not a personality, but out from it I have obtained many teachings. Our yogi got up from his seat and went to a glass-fronted cupboard which was packed with books. Taking out a good pile of books, he brought them for us to see. In all there were twenty-two volumes, each page covered with closely written Chinese characters. They are examples of what the Tibetans call 'Mind-Treasure', (Dutun) that is newly discovered spiritual instructions. They contain teachings on a wide variety of subjects among which may be mentioned. Mudra, Yantra, exercises for opening Cakras, Nadis etc. and sometimes practices are given for maintaining bodily health, as well as Charms. These latter Mr. Chen says he has never imparted to others. 

Our yogi then told us about two of the teachings received in this way. The first concerned the initiation into meditation of the goddess Ekajata which he had received but without being given the necessary mudra. This was not described in any text, but was perceived by him in meditation. He then demonstrated it to Bhadanta Sangharaksita who was also empowered to practice this sadhana. The other mudra he showed on this occasion is one of great use in modern travel, known as the White Umbrella sign associated with the guardian deity Sitapatra Aparijita. It has been used successfully by Mr. Chen to ensure safe air passage. The first two sections of this biography are now complete and we come to the third division called 'secret' where inspiration concerning practical renunciation are the most important points, and it is necessary to understand that we must get perfect renunciation and that our desire to practice must always be strong. I will give an example of this. When I was a teacher during the long summer vacation, I was able to practice for two months as a hermit and again for one month during the winter holidays. This I did for many years When the time came to return to school I always wept for during my work at school there was little time for meditation. And yet I knew that I must earn money to support my aged parents and my family. So what could I do? We have many lives and therefore many parents and we should try to save them all, but in this life due to bad actions in the past I was not able to free myself from my family. Many times I tried to give up family life and be like the great Tibetan solitary Milarepa but there was nobody to support mother, father and family. Again I wanted very often to be a Bhikshu but could not leave home due to worldly obligations. 

C. Secret Biography 

At one time when I was half awake, the Dakini of Heruka came to me and said "Go to Szechuan." And so l went there, to get detailed teachings of the Vajrayana. I could only go if there was no source of income, so it was fortunate that I got a chance just on the date after I heard the Dakini's command. A secretary of General Government due to the war was evacuated there. I was promised to fill it. When l arrived there, he was absent for seven days, and I was without money, so I used this opportunity for solitary meditation. While I meditated, the five sisters, emanations of the Buddha Amitayus, told me to go to Sikang but without support how could I go? When my superior returned, I asked him if he would help me, and generously he gave me about $200 in Chinese money. With this I set out for Sikang where on the snow mountain I received instruction from the famous Ganga Guru. I stayed with him practicing his teachings constantly until my money ran out, in all one hundred days. In a dream experienced in this place Kammapa Rimpoche appeared to me and commanded me to come to him, but for this I would have tried to go to Tehge. For funds my guardian deity Wei-To, in Tibet identified with Vajrapani, who will be the last of a thousand Buddhas to appear in this auspicious aeon, promised me four myriad Chinese dollars. (Mr. Chen laughed heartily at the memory saying): What and where could I do with so much money? When I left there, I counted the income and goods; the expense were equal to such a sum. I should gratefully give thanks to him. Whenever got almsgiving, he would appear on a bank note which had been received. Before I arrived at Tehge I had a vision one night of Chintze Rimpoche who was the teacher of young Kammapa the king of Dhamma and I knew at once that he was an emanation of Mahakala. When we met later in Tehge I told him that I knew of his spiritual eminence and rather surprised he admitted that he was practicing in the meditation of Mahakala. He asked me how I knew and after I had told him, he was very pleased and said I was truly his disciple. Ven. Chintze instructed many other Rimpoches but he gave to me many special teachings, other than what he imparted to them. 

Before I finished this section of my life, I should like to make clear that it was necessary for me to go to Sikang to obtain the secret doctrines of the third initiation (dbang) which is not completely available in China. By this, one is empowered to practice the tantras requiring the participation of a female consort. These yogas have certainly been practiced by me both with my own wife and with other consorts. But I have not gone into detail of them out of respect for the position of the two Bhikshus present. Bhikshus being celibate members of the sangha only practice the third initiation of the Tantras if at all as interior practice, never of course using an external-consort. 

From this period I gathered numerous empowerments and other instructions from seven different schools of the Tantra, in Tibet: Gelugpa, Nyingmapa, Kargyutpa Shamba, Cholamba (Kilacakra), Dugpa (Kargyutpa branch) and Sakyapa. The practices have their corresponding texts which may only be read and learned by those empowered for the meditation which they described. Naturally such books are never published as their contents are only meaningful after the proper instruction has been given. 

It is also worth noting that many of the teachers of whom I was a pupil, were not famous or those with established reputations (though some were). The majority were little known often living in remote wild places with very few disciples, if any at all. Some were not Tulkus (Emanate Lamas) but might by their own efforts in this life found a spiritual line. Very often the deepest teaching are found among such sorts of Gurus. 

After staying in seclusion for this period, my gurus asked me to return to my own province to rescue my family from the Second World War. So I went, after I settled my family in a safe country, I lived in a cave for two years just before I came to India. Before I returned, I met my friend Chang Chien Chi, who asked me what we should do, I told him, "Go to India." But he said, "Why go there? Buddhism is finished in India." "Although Buddhism has gone, still the Holy places are there," I replied. I foretold that he and I would go, and it turned out that in spite of his disbelief, he did go to India on some government work. A rich patron of mine, Mr. Huang, wished to go to India on a pilgrimage and suggested that we should go together. This we did in 1947, myself, aided by the generous Mr. Huang, made the pilgrimage to all the Holy places. My kind patron returned when all this was completed, but I stayed to meditate for at least one week in each place to find out what would be a most suitable place for my practice. Finally Mr. Chang helped me to stay in India and so l came to this hermitage in Kalimpong. 

D. Most Secret Biography 

This fourth section of biography, entitled "Most-Secret," deals with Realization. Under this we may consider certain divisions which are very broadly related to the three yanas of Buddhism. 

a) The Attainment of Cause. 

In this section, renunciation is most important, a fact repeatedly taught in the Hinayana. In my life, there have been many times when I have practiced this; to give a few examples. Many times have I been tempted by higher positions and more money, as when I was secretary to the Educational Committees of Hunan province there was the chance of a good post as professor of Classical Chinese with many students and much money but I renounced this. During my practice of the four foundations of Tantra, a post as Secretary to a high government official was offered to me but for this I should have to be constantly on duty near the office telephone, and so I could not sleep and practice in the Shrine. This offer I therefore declined. Again, Ven. Tai Hsu said that I must go to his new Buddhist College and there teach the student monks and laymen; so being my guru I had to obey him. So I went, leaving my teaching job in Hunan to earn the small wage of College in Shih Kuan and all that it could give. Then after some time, I thought it was enough of this Professor's life, which is all giving. I then decided to be disciple and gain something, so this I renounced and went to study in Sikang. 

Here besides the studies, I was so fortunate as to be able to read four editions of the Tripitaka, while progressing with other studies of Vajrayana philosophy and Chan. Through giving up, one only gains, and through the help of Wei-To I never hungered. 

b) The Attainment of Tao (The Path or Course). 

This has certain steps for which I have composed the following Chain of Similies. At this stage, where Mahayana teaching are used, the realization of impermanence of all things is most necessary. It follows that we are able to understand this when our renunciation is well developed, when we no longer cling to things, but recognize transient nature. The realization of this is as precious as money, our money is time, which even poor men have. We must make good use of the precious money of time and not waste it. The steps of our path-attained are then: 

i) to have the necessarv money comes from the idea of impermanence, 

ii) to buy with it the land of renunciation 

iii) which should be walled about with Vinaya-observance 

iv) when we can safely sow the seed of Bodhicitta. 

v) to be irrigated with the water of compassion. 

vi) and richly manured by meditation 

vii) giving the blooming of the wisdom-flower 

viii) and the Opening of the Buddha-fruit. 

So that this might all be accomplished I have practiced all of Milarepa's three kinds of hermit life, even a fourth one which he did not mention, for eighteen years, including the Period of my residence in Kalimpong, I have lived upon mountains and previously spent some months dwelling among graves. The third kind mentioned is in caves where I have meditated for two years. My own and rather unique kind of hermit-life was experience of spiritual practice while taking a ten-day boat journey on a Chinese river. 

c) The Attainment of Consequence: a Certainty of Enlightenment. 

By the practice of Pure Land doctrines, I have clearly seen in my meditations the large silver lotus of one thousand petals which awaits me in Sukhavati. 

From practising Ch'an, I have gained many experiences of Truth through meditations. Please see my work of Ch'an: "Light House in the Ocean of Ch'an." 

In the six kinds of Tantra, I have had at least the low class of attainment. Which should be kept in secret as the commandment said. However there is no claim here to Full Enlightenment and the world also has no need of me at present. To this let me give a little poem: 

A little rain in a deep dark night, A little rock for a fishing jetty, A little lamp on the half cold boat, A little fish comes into the net. 

I am very regretful I have not completed what I imagined the four conditions of an ideal Buddhist. 

Outwardly, we must appear poor and be content with little. 

Inwardly, flourishes the Bodhicitta. 

Secretly, we must have a lot of great joy, in third initiation. 

And Most Secretly, the Ch'an Liberated attitude. 

As I have already said, there is no 'I' glorified here. These four points above are also related to the sections of this biography: the first is the grace of my parents but not of myself. The second is the grace of my Gurus. The third is that of the protectors and patrons, and the last one is the Blessing of the Buddha-there is nothing here of myself. 

To sum up all the above four sections: All are belonging to the outward one of my biography which may be a little introduction of our new readers. The real inward one should be a talk on my inspiration from practice of the two yanas. The real Secret one should be about the practical experiences from the third initiation of Vajrayana. The real Most Secret one should describe the practice of Mahamudra, Maha-perfection and Ch'an. There will be an introductions to the old readers which I will write after I get a little more realization. 

Our time was over, for it was now quite dark outside. We had heard a spiritual history, not a mere biography, and how much for reasons of brevity remained unsaid? The whole story is one of gradual unfolding, of slow but sure building, from the teachings early given by his Confucian Master, through the Taoist phase of search for Immortality or at least long life, to interest in the Buddha's Mahayana preachings as taught by the Venerable Tai Hsu, onward to the foundation of practice laid down under the Gelu Gum. Then, rising to even greater spiritual height in the practice of the various degrees or Tantra and the experience of Ch'an. Despite such achievements, rare enough in out age, here was Mr. Chen who had related all this without boasting or any trace of owning these attainments, here he was with little bows and a flashing torch showing us down the steps which he never treads, while saying again and again, "Thank you,Thank you.........." 

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We had brought with us a bagful of young sweet maize grown in the Vihara garden as a gift to Mr. Chen upon our second meeting. He accepted them smiling and with many thanks, immediately taking them to his shrine room as an offering to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. One fine piece he took out of the bag and, opening his back door, he placed it in a little box high up on the wall, as a gift to the Four Great Kings finely depicted there in miniature. They guard the entrance to every Tibetan Buddhist monastery just as they do the yogi's shrine. After answering a number of questions upon a previous topic, Mr. Chen excused himself and made a brief salutation to the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and guardian deities, for we were about to talk and write on Dharma, a serious matter. When he had completed this, we made a start on this chapter Mr. Chen seemed to be particularly exalted, as exalted as the nature of his opening section it was not easy to keep up with him as the information flowed out. It is hoped that everything he said has been caught here.

I am very thankful to you for your suggestion that I should speak on the reasons people are interested in practicing Buddhist meditation. You have come from afar to listen and write. Once when the Buddha was about to preach, he noted Vimalakirti's absence from the assembly, and although he could have preached much more thoroughly himself. Out of humility he sent his Prince of Dharma, Manjusri, to hear the words of the famed lay Bodhisattva. In the same way, you were born in the noble country of England, and although you know all this much better than I. still you have humbly come from a great distance and I must speak. 
Mr. Chen is pointing out here that it is the duty of not only the ordained Sangha to preach the Dharma, but it is also an obligation of the layman to do so if he is able.
The last time our talk was from the outside inward; today it will be the reverse, and in this chapter we shall go from the remote to the immediate cause of the interest of the West in practicing meditation. 

A. REMOTE CAUSE-BY REASON OF THE DHARMA NATURE 

The Dharma-nature is unlimited by either space or time, and neither East nor West imposes any limits upon it. The Buddha's Dharmakaya embraces the Dharmadhatu and neither East nor West is outside it. There is no correspondence between place and mind, and the dharmas of mind do not depend on direction, race, or geography. In the Abhidharma of the Idealist School, dharmas are divided into five groups, and this point is clearly stated in the fourth group, containing 24 elements dissociated from mind (citta-viprayukta-samskara). 

Everybody, therefore, may receive the blessings of the Dharmakaya (see the Sutra of Wei Lang, translated by Wong Mou Lam). It appears everywhere, in every time, and in every being; therefore, there is certainly no reason why a Westemer or any other person in any place would be unable to practice Buddhist meditation, as the foundation for it is everywhere present. At every point there is North, South East, and West, even to the sides of a finger (to demonstrate which Mr. Chen held up a rounded hand), and so there are many of these directions all relative to one another. How, then, is it possible for anyone not to receive the Dharmakaya's grace? 

(Note: we should not make the same mistake as some scholars, who have equated this Dharmakaya with the Creator-God of theistic religions. To do so is to confuse a God who knows he is God, and moreover knows (or rather imagines) that he has created all things at a particular time. which is a dualistic position, with the omnipresent and superpersonal Dharmakaya, neither creating nor destroying, void (sunya) in its nature and therefore nondual. The various "creators" are worshiped only by their followers. but the Dharmakaya is the funadamental nature of everything and of every person, throughout all time and quite beyond space-time limitations.)
B. BY REASON OF DHARMA-CONDITIONS 

By "Dharma-conditions" is meant all the predictions of the past, the events then, the basic possession by all religions of a common factor. and the correspondences between Westem religion and Buddhadharma. Let me explain these four points in detail. 

1. It has been foretold by many Buddhist sages that the Dharma would go to the West and flourish there. Among Tibetans there is a well-known saying, "When the iron bird flies evervwhere, then my Dharma will go to the West." This I heard from my esteemed guru Ganga Rimpoche, who quoted it as being the words of the Guru Rimpoche Padma-sambhava. 

More evidence comes from a holy place near Sikiang called Padmagong, the Lotus Mountain. This is not found on any map, nor is it controlled by any government, for the local people are fierce and no one dares to go there. Through that land one may only pass with the mantra of Padma-sambhava. The country is unusual in that, viewed from the mountains, the land looks like a lotus in bloom, but only two dimensional. The prophecy about it is that if this lotus should rise up, that is become three dimensional, then it is a sure sign that the Dharma is going West. According to some reports, this has happened and the prophecy is now being fulfilled. 

Furthermore, the Tibetan consort of Padma-sambhava, Yeshe Tsogyal, wrote down many secret teachings which were then hidden away in all sorts of places-caves, buildings, and stupas. Several of these have been taken out or discovered by great Lamas. One of these the Mahamayavajra initiation ritual, was once found by a sage of Sikiang. It next appeared in an old bookshop in New York, but how it got there is a mystery. Since the man who purchased it did not know Tibetan and was interested in publishing it, he asked my friend, Mr. Chen-Chi Chang to translate it. When Mr. Chang read the ritual describing certain secret practices not suitable for commercial publication, he noticed a colophon that foretold that when this Dharma was discovered, the true teachings would pass to Western lands. Not only has this happened and is still continuing, but the very manuscript has found its way there! It was also prophesied that after some time I should preach the Buddha's word to the Westem world, and now here you are both from England, wrting this book which will be read by many people there-so is it not true? 

Many other Tibetan books and teachers say the same thing regarding the Dharma and I shall not tire you with too many examples. 

2. It is the rule of Bodhisattvas always to remain in the world to preach the Dharma, and such wisdom-beings may be born in the East or in the West, location makes no difference. So you have come here, both so earnest as bhiksus and strong in your determination to practice the Buddha's teachings . . . 

As to past events, the West has now a long history, and just as there have been many saints in Christianity, so there will be many Buddhist sages born in that region. For where can the Dharma come from now? 

With his voice trembling and his eyes moist, the yogi's concern for afflicted Buddhadharma was plain to see. 

In India the true Dharma lasted long, but except for the work of a few in the present time, it would now be unknown. I appreciate very much Mahabhiksu Sangharaksita's efforts to restore it. Buddhism in China is now nearly gone after the Communist Revolution. With little remaining Dharma in either India or China, where can the Buddhist teaching flourish? 

These words were spoken with eyes full of tears.
Ancient sages have said that in every period there is a center of Dharma, sometimes in this country, sometimes elsewhere, and in different times and places this center will be predominantly teaching one of the great yanas. Now the Dharma center has long been established in the West and so has laid down very good foundations. 

Another point is this. The English were the rulers of India for a long time and often seemed to regard Tibet as though it were their possession also. But they also treated the Tibetans well on the whole and allowed them to come and go freely. The Dalai Lamas have usually liked the English better than the Chinese, who were their nominal rulers, and His Holiness, the thirteenth incarnation of the Dalai Lama, was very friendly towards England. Tibet became known as a holy land and was highly regarded by students of Oriental religion. Many scholars were able to visit the country and study the Dhamma there. In this way, quite a wide knowledge was gained of Buddhadharma. 

3. It is also a Dharma-condition that all religions have the same basis as Buddhism: they all possess its first yana. This called "heaven and man" Dharma, and we can see at once that it exists in every religion. It is the way to the deva-worlds preached in Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism; it is the Paradise of Islam and the Heaven of Christianity Therefore, this kind of foundation for Buddhism is established every where, and Buddhists of the West should not think of rejecting Christ's teaching because of this. (See Chapter 2 and Appendix III,41, A). 

In different countries Buddhism has had a different basis, in India it was Hinduism. Note the Lord Buddha's numerous preachings to many Brahmans about the way to the Brahma-worlds, when he used the same terms found in their systems but gave them quite different meanings. Similar methods were employed in China, where the teachings of Confucius and Lao-tzu were its foundations. Before a Buddha's preachings are heard in any country, some wise men are sent by the gods to make good preparation for it. 

This seemed a very good interpretation of the many religions in different lands, according to which other religions 

are "expedient reachings" until people are ripe for the Saddharma. Both listener and transcriber looked up and exchanged glances of appreciation. 

4. We now turn to the correspondences between Western religion and the Buddhadharma. The history of the East-West relationship opened at the time of Alexander the Great. Buddhist missionaries, aided by the slightly later efforts of Asoka, spread the Dharma even to Macedonia Cyrene, and Epirus, through the states of the Greek-Asiatic successors of the great conqueror. The Dharrna appears to have been quite well established in Egypt. Especially in the area of Alexandria. that center of spiritual ferment, early Christian writers speak, though rather vaguely, about the Buddha and the sramaneras, his monastic disciples. But we have very scant records of this because of later ages of destruction, first by the Chistians when they came to power and later by the Muslims who conquered them. 

It is possible that bhiksus from these Westem lands may have gone on pilgrimages to India or Ceylon, for in the chronicle of Ceylon (Mahavama XXX:39) there is mention of a place called Alasandra, thought by Some scholars to mean Alexandria in Egypt. 

A remarkable find was reported to have been made by a Russian explorer in the Himis Gompa (vihara) in Ladakh. This was supposed to be a manuscript giving a brief account of Jesus' life in India in or near Sindh, where he is said to have studied for six years. returning at the age of twenty-nine to Israel. The book that gives this knowledge, La Vie Inconnue de Jesus Christ, by Nicolas Notovich (Padis 1894), though rare now, is widely known in India in its English translation. (The manuscipt from which it was derived has not been found, nor is anything about its existence known to the Ven. Kushok Bakkula of Ladakh, so that this evidence must remain open to doubt.) 

There are, of course, a number of places where similes used in Buddhist works have close parallels with the parables of Jesus. It is a possibility that some connection exists between them, and that Jesus may have drawn upon material from the Far East to illustrate his meaning. The following are among the most striking, and as they have been fully commend upon elsewhere, they will receive only brief mention here. There are similarities between the following: the parable of the two sons (Luke 15:11-32) and the simile of the burning house (Saddharrnapuianka Sutra); the parable of the sower (Mark 4:2-25) and Farmer Bharadvaja (Sutra Nipata); the parable of the blind men (Matthew 15: 14) and the string of blind men (Tevijja Sutra 1:15); and lastly, the teaching of heavenly treasures (Matthew 6:19-20) is paralleled by a verse from the Khuddaka Patha. 

John the Baptist's life and some of the sayings of Jesus (on John see Mark 1:6, and on Jesus, Mark 6:8-9, Matthew 10:9-10, Luke 9:3) point to Far Eastern influence in Israel at that time which may have come in by way of the Essenes, definitely a sect with Oriental inspiration, though it would be difficult to say that this was specifically Buddhist. The spirit here is certainly different from the Old Testament prophets' teachings. 

At that time, men worshipped "heaven and men" Dharma and were not prepared for anything going beyond this, so we should give serious consideration to John 16:12, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now," which clearly indicates that Jesus knew much more than he could tell his disciples, and may point to the existence of an esoteric doctrine secretly transmitted, as claimed by followers of the Gnostc schools. Such "hidden teaching" could well have been derived from India, where at that time Buddhism was in its ascendance. 

Coming to modern times, many travders from the West have remarked how similar to Catholic rituals are the practices of Vajrayana Buddhism. Usually, though, such travelers' knowledge of the Dharma has been rather slight and their comparisons therefore superficial. 

Mr. Chen, absorbed in his appraisal of Christian and Buddhist resemblances, here looked from the transcriber to see the smiling young postman standing outside; he had only been waiting for a minute or less, but Mr. Chen profusely and warmly apologized for keeping him, and taking his letters, went on. 

Much good work was already done in the last century and a true flood of books was published, slowly making knowledge of the Dharma available to more and more people. But the flood of books then is only a trickle compared with the torrent today, many of these latter being reliable accounts of different sides of the Buddha's teachings. 

C. BY REASON OF THE DECLINE OF CHRISTIANITY 

Many examples may be given here to show that this decline in Western religion not only makes the practice of Buddhism possible (since dogmatic authority is now weakened), but also makes it necessary, as people are wandering without any true guidance. A few contributing factors may be mentioned that have helped to loosen the grip which chistian teachings had over people. 

1. The awakening of the scientific spirit with such men as Copernicus and Calileo did much to weaken Church authority, for they rejected the Church's absolute dogmas regarding "science." In particular, such men demolished the notion of the Earth and its highest being, man, as the center of the universe. This was a valuable step forward in mankind's thought, giving him a greater ability to judge his place in the universe more truly than had been possible with blind men-centered dogmas From that time on, when the Church's authority was thus challenged, it began to decline. 

2. The Renaissance led to sceptical disbelief in the definitions and, later, the origins of many things held by pious medieval Christians to be indisputable truths. Artists of that period wanted freedom from Church restraints in the arts generally, and particularly in literature. Escape from the control of the Church was aided by the revival of Greek literature among European scholars, thus giving them ideas as to how philosophers and playwriters thought and wrote before the era of Christianity and its elaboration in medieval scholastic philosophy. 

3. An outright rejection of the Church of Rome came in the Reformation, after which Catholics could no longer pretend to be the only authoritative religious body in Western Europe, even thougth they continue to claim that their teachings are the exclusive way to salvation. Among the Protestants there were early divisions, leading to the tendency to divide into many sects, each one claiming to possess some new revelation or superior truth. Since these claims are not based upon genuine religious experience, but merely upon differing views, the real meaning of religion has been forgotten and this sectarianism has only led to increasing degeneration. Now we find that members of the YMCA, for example, will only come to church by force of habit or worse, only if they are persuaded by some sensual attraction such as films, dances, or parties. This approach might be called "Come to church and have a good time"; but nothing is said about salvation or religion. All this means that currently there is little true religion, even of the "heaven-and-man" variety, in the West. 

4. To return to the science of this century, its development has been very rapid and in many fields it has rejected the traditional Christian teachings One outstanding example is the theory of evolution, first propounded by Darwin, which clearly rejects the mythical story of creation authorized by the Bible. The scientific method, far from finding evidence for the Creator, has been quite unable to give an absolute God any place in the universe that he is supposed to have created; indeed. he appears these days to exist precariously only in the scientifically uneducated reaches of his "creation." (God's creation of the world is a view which Buddhists recognize to be delusive, as the world is "create by avidya [ignorance] and trsna [craving], not by an omniscient deity.) 

A recent theory has also opposed the static ideas of Christianity: the dynamic concept of matter-energy propounded in the theory of relativity. With this teaching, Einstein has not only destroyed all notions of an eternally unchanging absolute creator, but has also prepared the way for the Buddhadharma with its stress on impermanence and a spirtual, dynamic relativity. 

Here, a story came to Mr. Chen's mind and this he told us at some length:
A Chinese professor of no strong religious faith, Dr. Tien-Ken Pan, studied this theory personally with Einstein. When he returned to China, he had the chance to read the Heart Sutra, where the Buddha has clearly preached relativity, though in a spiritual sense, much deeper than the scientific theory. He at once recognized the similarity between the two and so gained belief in the Buddha's teachings on relativity, but still he could not understand and believe in rebirth. Hearing of me, the professor tried several times to make contact, but at that time I was dwelling alone in a cave near Sikang and my friend and protector, the Provincial Governor, allowed no one to disturb me. 

During the Sino-Japanese War, the Central Government, which was in great danger, eventually called upon masters of yoga to help repel the invaders by invoking the power of whatever fierce deities they might be propitiating. 

Mr. Chen smiled gently at this and said:
I was also asked to help but replied that I must first go and consult my guru, Papung Khyentse Rimpoche. On the way to see my teacher we met the professor, who also by chance to be traveling that way. He was very pleased, and said, "Now I have an opportunity to ask you some questions, and you can resolve my doubts." He told me that he had been to many teachers in China (including Venerable Tai Hsu and Venerable Yun) with questions on rebirth but they had not been able to convince him by their answers. 

I told him that even in the present we are transmigrating, we go from birth to birth, even while we are awake, and this continues when we sleep. When after a lifetime of awakening and sleeping we come to death, how then should it be different? As there are dreams in the night following the experiences of the day, so at our death because of the store of deeds committed, our karma leads us on from life to life. 

Furthermore, rebirth is like this: when you are enjoying your wife then your mind is at the animal level; if she makes some mistake and you want to kill her, then you have sunk down into the hells, if a beggar comes and you give him alms, then that is heaven; but if you see someone else doing good deeds and are envious, you go to the migration of the asura-demons; if you do not do anything very good or bad then you keep the human state; if you are greedy and give your servant inadequate food and payment, you are in the realm of the hungry ghosts. Thus, there is nothing more real about this life than any other, since we find upon examining it that it is composed of many levels of existence. 

Many events of the daytime are stored in the subconscious and these are dreamed of at night; this goes on day and night until death. As the dream continues from the daytime, so life continues after death. 

The professor was quite convinced by this, but another doubt worried him. He had no belief in supernormal powers; he said, "When there are natural laws governing things, how can spiritual forces exist?" He questioned me further, saying. "I am sure you must have these powers, so please try and make some mischief for me." I strongly denied having any such ability and asked why I should want to harm him. However, I prayed heartily to all the Buddhas and Bodihisattvas and asked them to convince this man so that he might become a true Buddhist. At once he began to suffer from a severe headache. "It's all right," I assured him, and at the same moment the pain went. "You have power," he declared, which I denied again, telling him that it may have been the power of the Buddhas and had nothing at all to do with me. His doubts regarding supernormal power were then resolved and his faith in Buddhism strengthened. 

That night, at the inn where we were sleeping, he told me that he wantd to see the Buddha in a dream and asked me to help him. But at night, I told him I only invoke the guardian deities to protect us throutgh the hours of darkness, and not the Buddha, whose puja I do in the morning. I trusted that he might be fortunate, for our ways parted the next day. 

In the morning he awoke delighted, as he had very distinctly dreamed of a green horse. I told him to go to the Tzor Ching Gompa of Nyingmapaa. In that shrine he would see and image of the deity called Horse-headed Vajra, a green emanation of Amitabha Buddha, and them inguire whenther there was a good teacher in charge. I told him that if there were, he should take from him the Refuges (four: Vajrayana Guru, Dharma, and Sangha). He wanted to take these from me, as he now regarded me as his teacher, but I did not allow him to do so as I am not a guru and have never accepted any disciples. Since that time I have not seen him and do not know whether he is alive or dead. 

As more educated people like this professor hold only vague beliefs, so there is room in their hearts for knowledge of and faith in Buddhadharma. 

D. IMMEDIATE CAUSE-BY REASON OF STRESSES IN WESTERN DAILY LIFE 

Many people now believe only in science and its instruments, most of which seem to be used to increase desires. There are so many advertisements in newspapers and by the roadside tempting people to buy more and more things. Other disires are awakened by the yellow press, pornography, cheap and nasty entertainments over the radio and television, and bad music arousing sensual desires. None of this is strictly controlled by the government but it is all in the hands of the merchant with their selfish desire to make more money. It is often difficult to publish really good books, as only trashy literature brings in much money. From all these examples we can see that mammonism is alread very strong. 

The interest of the multitude is not in the evils of sinning, for they have already rejected God and so can easily neglect his commandments; their only interest is having freedom to do as they please. Unrestrained freedom is now the aim of many foolish people who do not realize that they will not get happiness from this, but instead will only increase their miseries. So we see men and women freely having improper relations with one another; the pursuit of fame; money gained by wrongful methods, and the exalting of physical beauty, as in the elections for Miss Europe, Miss World, etc., so easily leading to the degradation of the individuals taking part. 

Science has also developed many instruments of communication which also lead from one desire to the next, thus: a bicycle is not enough buy a car; even a car is not enough; go more quickly by plane. Now all barriers of distance are broken down and a person can easily be in contact with the whole world. In spite of being able to do everything so easily and quickly, people are not happy. For them every day becomes a struggle and tension mounts up in mind and body. We can see how common this is from the number of books dealing with "relaxation." People want to relax because they are tense, but such books do not get to the root of why they are tense; they only tell people very common things and there is nothing satisfying in them. There are no books of this sort in China. 

If you want more reasons for meditating and taking refuge in the Buddha, then think of all the terrors of modern so called civilization Medical science is now very well developed, so well, that people now have no fear of disease from casual sexual relationships. They can commit these immoral acts without fear of consequences, so they become more lustful. There need be no children from such unions, so people become even more unrestrained. Newspapers often print lust arousing news and pictures. That this gutter-press is extremely popular we can easily see by comparing their circulation figures with those of high quality newspapers. Then there is the scramble for power, material possessions money, position, fame-all resulting in greater worry, diseases of the body, insanity, and so forth. 

Besides greed, we should remember that another aspect is encouraged by our misnamed "civilized state." When people do not get what they want, they hate. They hate anything that stands in the way of the fulfillment of desire. There being many desires, naturally many will be frustrated and when this happens hatred is the result. Moreover, this hatred is fostered in many ways, by horror-comics films of war and violence, crime books, and, in time of war, by official mass propaganda. War itself increases hate, anger, violence, and crime books, and wars become ever bigger and more disastrous. the after-effect of wars is not "glorious victory" and "everlasting peace," but only murder, theft, looting, rape, sadistic violence, poverty, disease, starvation ... and thus more wars in revenge, and thus more hatred. 

Going along with greed and hatred, there is always fear, either of losing what is "mine"-my body, wife, family, house, car, work, fame, or influence-or of getting something painful and unwelcome-blame, disease, old age, decay, and death. Is it surprising that some people are afraid of losing their minds; or that abortion, illegitimacy, youth delinquency, drunkenness, drug addiction, and suicide are worst in those countries with the highest standards of living? 

All this is because people are blind and overcome by ignorance, and wander quite lost in this precious human life, not knowing what should be done with it. Instead they sink lower and lower and, blinded by delusion, become increasingly unlike men and more like animals. 

Wise men say that you must turn back from all this. What is the way back? By way of meditation. Where is meditation most fully and thoroughly taught? In Buddhadharma, This is the way to feedom which cannot be gained either through the liberties granted by govrnment or by doing simply as one wishes. Freedom gained by the control and concentration of the mind is there for everyone to have if they want it. The basis of real freedom is everywhere; the meditations to realize the Dharmakaya are open for all to practice. Happily, many people in the world are becoming aware of the cause of duhkha (suffering, unsatisfactoriness) and that this way preached by the Buddhas is the solution of their problems, and the way to peace, freedom, and happiness. 

SUMMARY 

Because of the first reason, the ubiquity of Dharma-nature, there is no limitation of space or time to our practice and realization. This situation is like an empty building plot which has an excellent, strong foundation already laid in it (the Dharmakaya). 

The Dharma-conditions may be compared to a house built upon this. 

However, the rooms of the house are bare, and the whole building quite deserted (since the decline of Christianity). 

Therefore, many may enter in and take shelter there (from the strains of modern life) by taking refuge in the Triple Gem. 

We have discussed the objective supports for Buddhist meditation, especially in relation to Western lands. In our next talk we come to the subjective reasons for the practice of meditation, as well as its ultimate purpose. 

Then Mr. Chen, as he was seeing us out, said, "Please complete this, as you know it all much better than I. " To this we protested, Bhadanta Sangharaksita saying that after all, Vimalakirti's sermon was much better than Manjusr's preaching.

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HOMAGE TO THE FIVE TATHAGATAS Chapter Two WHAT IS THE REAL AND ULTIMATE PURPOSE OF PRACTICING BUDDHIST MEDITATIONS?
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From the vihara to Mr. Chen's hermitage is about two and a half miles and nearly all downhill. We left in pleasant sunshine, but halfway there it began to rain, so with Protecting umbrellas and quick steps we made our way down the slippery streets. At our sides gutters roared and gushed with dirt-brown water Kalimpong at any rate would be washed thoroughly after this shower Seeing all this put the transcriber in mind of a simile. Just as men and women huddle for shelter in doorways to escape the rain's force, so many people go to unstable refuges: transient pleasures, useless austerities, petty godlings, saviors, and presumed creators of this world. With perverted minds they fear and scuttle away from the beneficent rain of the Dharma Few are those who go forward unafraid in this joyous teaching. May all beings be rid of false fears and enjoy this gentle rain so that the Dharma may wash away their impurities, leaving them as fragrant in mind as this town after its cleansing! 

Occupied with these thoughts, we soon arrived at the "Five Leguminous Trees hermitage." Mr. Chen stood there to welcome us in a loose, blue Chinese jacket and trousers, a skull-cap on his rounded head, and a whirling silver prayer-wheel in his hand. He commiserated with us about the rain, which we said was nothing. Despite this, he was truly concerned about our wet robes and tried wringing out the water from Bhante's. The yogi seemed particularly happy, not at all the somber saint that is often the Westem idea of a hermit. A broad and gentle smile comes easily to him, and his laugh, like his tears, is genuine, unforced, and from the heart. He began his third discourse thus:

As a hermit, I have not had direct contact with Western Buddhism but some European and American Buddhists have visited me, so l know some of their ideas. Also, I have corresponded with Buddhlsts in many parts of the world, so that by letter or by visit, I have met quite a few Western followers of the Buddha. First, let us classify the persons holding certain ideas regarding this subject, and then we should examine their mistakes. In my opinion there are three types: 

First, there are those who wear robes, members of the Sangha, the Sangha, the sramaneras. However, some of them still keep some professions, so they have not completely renounced. You are both mahabhiksus from the West and you practice the precepts (Vinaya), both of which facts are rare enough by themselves, but rarer still in combination. There are still very few bhiksus in Western lands, and most of them are content with the Hinayana. It is hard to find those who are not satisfied with only the Hinayana teachings but take up in addition the study of the Mahayana, and it is rarest of ail to see some like yourselves for whom the Mahayana is not sufficient and who therefore study and practice Vajrayana. 

Yet the Tripitakas of China contain many Mahayana teachings and the Vajrayana texts of Tibet are not yet translated completely; therefore our talks' on meditation in the three yanas may still be of some benefit. I shall try to cover the whole system of meditation in these three vehicles, and it will be just as though you had read the Tripitakas in their entirety for yourselves. 

There have been many books published on meditation, but they have not systematized the information on this subject, so it is difficult for ordinary people to grasp it properly. There are even many bhiksus wandering among the three yanas, doubtful of what should or should not be practiced, lost and not knowing the right way to go. 

Bhadanta Sangharakshita may be praised as one of the few who know thoroughly the system of the three yanas. Because of this he named his vihara "Triyana Vardhana" (the Monastery for the Growth of the Three Vehicles). 

Bhante here remarked that it was not actually named by him, but its existence and name were foretold by the Ven. Chetrul Sengve Dorje, a celebrated Nyingmapa lama. This teacher confirmed the ideas he had already that all the yanas are complementary and together form a whole. While many Tibetan teachers think in this way, few bhiksus outside these regions yet realize that this is so. thus confirming Mr. Chen's statement.
Mr. Chen, after this short digression, went on to speak of the second type, the Buddllist scholar of the West. 

As we mentioned briefly in the last chapler,Western scholars have written much and translated many Buddhist texts. but most of them so far have not been Buddhists, and their interest has been in the theory not in the practice of the Dharma. Even those who are Buddhists often lay little stress upon the practice of meditation. Buddhist meditation is not only theory-it requires practice. Therefore, these talks will be particularly useful to scholars. 

The third type is the ordinary layman. who may be Buddhist or non-Buddhist. Some may have tried to put the Buddha's teachings into practice. although even Buddhists can often blunder if they have wrong ideas and poor instruction. These laymen make up the majority of the populations so it is natural that they fall into the greatest number of errors. 

A. MISTAKES IN MEDITATION 

Now we must turn to examine the mistakes committed by the three groups of persons described. These are presented in order: 

1. The first mistake is not having a foundation of renunciation as a firm base for their practice of meditation (see Appendix lll,l,ll). Quite often I receive correspondence from America, and my friends of the third type there say that to renounce is easy for people in the East but very hard for Westerners. They complain that in the West there are so many things to give up so that it is made more difficult. To them I reply that the right thing to do is to lay even more stress on renunciation. If a boy finds mathematics difficult to study, the only way in which he can learn and progress in this subject, is to make even greater efforts. So it is with renunciation. If we find it difficult. we should struggle and put forth great effort in order to overcome our attachments and enable us to give them up completely. 

The second type mentioned above is not generally concerned with meditation. but renunciation is important for them too. They have scholarly eminence, a profession, name, and renown. all of which they should be able to renounce with nonattachment. 

In the first type there are also some bhiksus who have not given up worldly occupations: Mr. Chen here mentioned one name of an American. 

Bhante said that quite a number of Westem Buddhists have very vague ideas about the meaning of bhiksu life, some calling themselves "bhiksu" who are not celibate membersof the Sangha at all. Further, he said there are also many "bhiksus" in Ceylon who work in the teaching and medical professions, which ate not directly concerned with the Dharma; nor is it necessary to become a bhiksu to practice them. Regarding all such persons, of both East and West, the listener commented. If they cannot give up their jobs,they will certainly give up the Precepts. 

Chen then said that he did not wish to talk again upon renunciation, as that very important topic had already been mentioned at some length previously. For the benefit of all three types of people mentioned, he said: If they do not renounce, their meditation will not be good.

2. The second mistake is thinking that by meditation one can increase one's energy and strength, using them to commit evils, whereas the purpose of meditation is to wash away all evil. People like this become tense through living a wrong life in which they commit immoral acts, and then think of meditation. They practice this a little and so relax, again become strong, commit unwholesome deeds, experience strain, and so on. Meditation is not meant for this. 

3. The third is a mistake which seems to occur most among lay people. They often have no wise guru to guide them and so do not receive instructions, without which there is no proper experience. Instead of practicing with the help of a good teacher, these people just read books and try to get all the infommation from them. In this way meditation is not regarded as religious, but instead is often taken up with concern for bodily well-being. Without a guru, without instructions, and with wrong aims, such meditation is without foundation (see Appendix 111, 1, A). 

4. Other people think that meditation is only a psychological matter. With this idea they do not care for the development of correct sitting. Such as the crosslegged lotus position. and they know nothing of the seven conditions for posture in meditation. These are important, so I give them briefly in order from the bottom of the body to the top (see also Ch. VII, Vl): 

a. Legs crossed and folded in the lotus posture (padmasana): 

b. Hands placed in the lap, their position (tundra) varying according to the meditation practiced;  

c. Spinal column straight; 

d. Chin drawn inwards toward the neck and touching the glottis: 

e. Shoulders set well back. and open (then the lungs expand well); 

f. Tongue in its natural place; and 

g. Eyes half-open and fixed 16 widths of the meditator's fingers in front (see Appendix 111,11, C).

The mistake here is to neglect these seven. thinking that meditation is only for training the mind in quietness. It is also necessary to consider the effect of bodily posture and training upon the mind. Meditations in the Hinayana and Mahayana stress the psychological side. the calming of mental activities and the development of insight. But in the Vajrayana. meditation takes into account mind and body as mind and energy are both required for Tantric practice (here energy represents the body). it is necessary in the meditations of Mahayana and Vajrayana that the posture of the body, be well composed. 

5. Fifth, there are those who have read many books on meditation in the different religions of the world. Taking something trom one teaching and something else from another. they try to make a system from this mixture; or, they are distracted by the many methods they have read about and so try to practice first this and then that doctrine, frequently changing from one to another. People like this cannot go deeply into meditation, and their practice will not lead to attainment either in Buddhism, or of any goal outside it. (see Appendix 111. 1, A 3). 

6. The livelihood of many Westerners makes them tense and they feel the need to maintain their health and develop power, or to gain more money and become popular with friends. especially those of the opposite sex. The real purpose of meditation - the supramundane benefit of Enlightenment - is either not known to them or else forgotten. Under this type of mistake falls also the attraction of gaining supernormal powers. Even young bhiksus desire to gain this control. 

Then he mennoned the case of a sramanera who had come as a layman to Bhante with the ambition to be able to read the minds of others and hear them speak from a distance. 

Bhante remarked, "I still have the crystal ball he brought from England to help him gain these powers."

All aims of this sort in the practice of meditation are very mistaken. 

7. A seventh mistake is found in the minds of all who think that Buddhism is utter atheism. People with this idea do not believe in any deities who can protect them while they practice meditation or help rid them of obstacles. Such persons cannot help meeting demons, and then must stop meditating. Their mistake is in thinking that the Buddha denied the existence of all gods. He did reject the theory of a creator-god or an omnipotent, absolute godhead - these are false and ignorant ideas. Certainly the Buddha knew that millions of beings superior to ourselves in lifespan and happiness (the devas); exist in birth-and-death (sathsara) and to them he frequently preached. Many deities then became protectors of the Dharma; for instance, it is recorded that the great gods of Hinduism (Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva), all worshipped at the feet of the Supremely Enlightened One. Powerful forces such as these are available to protect the meditator and it is a great mistake totally to reject belief in them, and in the help they can give us. 

8. Some say, "Buddhists teach the extreme doctrine of no-soul," and so they reject the existence of a conditioned "soul" (the mind and its everyday functions) along with the absolute "soul" (atman) taught in other religions. But the Buddha, while denying the existence of the latter, did not preach that the former was untrue. It is a wrong view, he taught, to speculate about uniting the absolute "soul" wlth an absolute god, but a conditioned "soul" (understood as the conunulty of oneself as a person) was not rejected by him who always taught the Middle Way and avoided extremes. 

If we cannot meet this conditioned "soul," the eighth consciousness ego, how can we ever understand it, let alone reject it? In deep meditation we may meet this ego, which we must then uproot through the doctrine of sunyata (realization of its voidness); it would be difficult either to meet or destroy something which one believes does not exist at least in a conditioned way. 

Ordinary persons cannot go deeply into meditation because their minds become disturbed by impressions arising through the six types of sense consciousness. Only by going deeper into meditation is one able to experience the eighth consciousness (Alayavijnana). the impure store consclousness taken by most people to be their self or soul. Before we can transmute it by the sunyata teaching into the wisdom of Buddhahood, it has to be seen and recognized. (Note: according to the Idealist School (Vijnanavada) there is a pure alaya, but this is not the doctrine of the highest school, the Madhyamika.) 

It is necessary at least to have the idea of a conditioned "soul" before we can practice and so destroy it. Common people with unconcentrated minds cannot even find this self, so they should not make the mistake of denying its existence. 

9. This is a mistake in the understanding of Ch'an doctrine. Some Westerners have denied that the law of cause and effect (in Sanskrit hetu-phala) has any place in Ch'an teachings, and, if they follow that doctrine, may even say that the law itself is untrue. In this they attempt to imitate some Chinese Ch'an masters who have disliked this law and denied its validity, but there is a difference between what a Ch'an master says and the proper attitude of a worldly student. One monk who thought he was a master denied the truth of this law and, for giving his questioner a misleading answer, suffered birth as a fox five hundred times. For ordinary persons, the law is true, and to deny its truth is simply to confuse them. The highest truth known and preached by the truly attained masters is that neither is there dependent ongination nor is there not dependent origination. We have to be careful not to misunderstand their words by not knowing whether they are speaking on the level of conditioned truths or from the standpoint of final truth. 

Furthermore. care is necessary in interpreting words of some sutras and sastras. We should not take quotations from them out of context and distort the intended meaning. It is also not correct to take the words of sutras too literally. 

10. This is the fundamental mistake: ignorance of the highest purpose of Buddhist meditation. This topic will now be discussed at length. 

B. THE REAL PURPOSE OF MEDITATION PRACTICE 

All the above mistakes, in gradation of gross to subtle, are descriptions of negative purpose. Now we must examine briefly the positive. 

1. A man who desires to practice Buddhist meditation must first obtain a good foundation in Buddhist philosophy. Then, having a well establlshed knowledge of sutras and so forth, and by the practice of meditation, he receives the central thought of Buddhism; that is, his mind never strays from Buddhist philosophy in whatever situation he finds himself. Every action of body, speech, and thought is then guided by a Dharma-centered thought. This at least is necessary. 

Even if one renounces the world and takes up monastic life, many sorts of worldly thoughts may invade the mind: of money, reputation, lust-such worldly ideas mean that one has not yet developed the mind to center upon the Buddha's teachings (see Appendix 111, IB and Appendix 11, 1). 

Until this is done, perfect understanding of the Dharma (samyagdrsti) cannot develop very much, nor can it find expression in perfect livelihood (samyak ajiva). When this latter is really perfect then we do nothing unrelated to Dharma, and of course, nothing at all opposed to it. With a mind constantly dwelling only upon the Dharma (a difficult thing for laypeople, who have so many worldly activities), this central thought-core is developed and the true meaning of the Buddha's words becomes clear. 

As to the Budda's teachings regarding life and the universe, these are vast subjects and no attempt can be made to explain them bere. Readers are advised to read Mr. Chen's booklet No. 29 and to consult the many good books on this subject now available in English. 

2. Anyone who wants to gain attainment in Buddhism should achieve the power of asamskrta, that is, attain the transcendental knowledge of the sixth abhijna (the extinction of the four asrava (outflows): lust, sense-desire, ignorance, and wrong views,) and not worry about the other five superknowledges which are only worldly (magic power, heavenly ear, knowledge of others' thoughts, Memory of past lives, and the heavenly eye.) 

In Tibetan there is a very long story, said Mr. Chen smiling, and this I shall relate to refresh you. The transcriber, glad to listen, heard this:
A lama once came from Tibet to India to study with Buddhist gurus there. He had already developed the five supernormal powers but lacked the final one. He heard of a guru named Trikalajnana who, it was said, was already fully enlightened. The lama, who was conceited, wished to compare his attainments with those of the guru. When he arrived at the teacher's vihara, food was just being prepared, and he was surprised to see it would be a poor meal, as only water and tsampa (roasted barley flour) dumplings were cooking on the fire. He thought to himself, "This guru is supposed to be very great in power but he only takes this poor food. The Venerable Trikalajnana read his mind but said nothing, merely asking for a spoon to stir the pot. Three times he stirred. and then gave a bowl of the food to the lama. When the lama tasted it. he found eating it more delightful than any sensation he had known, even in his highest meditations. Thus his pride was diminished by half, but half remained. He asked the guru "May I request that you compare your supernormal powers with mine?" 

The gunu replied, "I am an old man, but I have many disciples here. Choose any of them you please for your contest." 

After looking around at Trikalajnana's pupils. the lama chose a very thin one whom he thought might not have much by way of extra ordinary attainment. The disciple asked, "What method will you use for proving these powers?" 

The lama decided that as there was deep snow on the mountains, one of them should sit high upon a mountain and dissolve the snow into steam. The disciple agreed to this and politely asked the lama to choose the upper or lower position. The lama. considered to himself: it would be better to sit lower on the mountain-then I can see whether he really has any power or not. When he told the disciple that, the latter respectfully said, "It is only by your command that I sit above you, for I should take my place below." Bowing to the lama, he climbed high upon the mountain. 

When both had taken up their seats, water immediately began to descend in a great torrent, rushing down the mountainside towards the conceited lama. However, it did not quite reach him, fomming a great suspended mass hanging over his head. The water was caused by the power of the venerable thin one, but he was prevented from drowning the lama by the grace of the guru. 

It is the rule that when one with the five powers meets anyone who has developed the sixth, then the five cannot operate in the presence of the perfected sixth power. Therefore, in this case, the lama could do nothing, and although his powers were really in abeyance, he still wondered, "Perhaps it is by my power that the waters are being held." 

Then the Venerable Trikalajnana guru appeared in the sky riding a on (the symbol of Manjusri, Bodhisattva of Wisdom), and advised the lama: "Do not have pride. I have come to save you, for what could you do against this disciple? Come into my vihara, and I shall give you good instructions. You will be my good disciple." 

Westemers who become interested in Buddhism are often curious about these supernormal powers but they should strive to attain the last one (asrava-ksaya) through all the methods given in this book and not worry about the first five. 

3. Whoever desires to achieve the purpose of meditation should realize the Dharmakaya to liberate himself and others. He must forever pursue the final truth until this, the Dharmakaya, is found. 

4. He must also desire the perfect and pure pleasure of the Sambhogakaya (the Buddha's body of enjoyment seen only by Bodhisattvas of high attainment in perfectly concentrated meditation). 

5. The attainment of Mahakaruna, the great compassion to save all sentient beings, must also be pursued; in this way an earnest practitioner gains the Nimanakaya (the outward, fleshly, or appearance body of the Buddhas seen by animals, men, and devas during the Buddhas' lives among them). 

6. It is essential to recognize the yoga of the six great elements (air, earth, water, fire, space, and consciousness), which may shorten one's time of attaining Full Enlightenment to sixteen lives only (see Chapter Xll, V, and Chapter XII, Vlll). By the meditation of this yoga one attains svabhavikakaya, the Buddha-entity body (not considered as a separate "body" but rather as a collective term for all the three preceeding ones). 

7. To shorten the attainment-period still further, he must pursue the meditative doctrines of the fourth yoga of the Vajrayana, particularly the practices concerned with the secret third initiation, and thereby attain in this very life to the Mahasukhakaya-the body of great happiness (Chapter Xlll, P. 11). This is the final and ultimate purpose of the practice of Buddhist meditation. 

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HOMAGE TO THE MAHABODHISATTVAS MANJUGHOSA AND MAITREYA Chapter Three THE EXACT DEFINITION OF SOME BUDDHIST TERMS CONCERNING MEDITATION
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Today we hurry, as we are a little late. Our time is short. The subject, we have been warned, is extensive and knowledge of it a necessity. It is very important to know the precise meaning of Buddhist terminology used in meditation, for three related reasons: so that one may initially understand meditation: so that one's practice progresses without needless obstacles; and, most vital, so that the practice bears good fruits of realization. 

As we approach the hermitage, a curtain moves, a face is seen behind, the curtain falls back in to place; Mr. Chen has seen us coming. An hour or so before, the yogi must have finished his last afternoon practice, a one and a half hour period of certain meditations and spiritual exercises usually completed upon the ringing of an alarm wrist-watch at five o'clock. Now he greeted us just outside his door and said, "I thought you were not coming." Bhante replies that we must come as today's talk is fundamental to the idea of meditation practice in Buddhism. 

Smiling broadly, Mr. Chen remarks that today there is no rain, and then inquires, "Did you get any disease from your wet robes?" He feels the hem of Bhante's robe but today it is dry. A new tin of a Chinese jasmine tea was produced and glasses of steaming green tea made ready.  

Bhante quoted someone as having written about four drinks characteristic of four great religions: wine is the drink of Christianity, coffee that of Islam; the Hindu's drink is milk, but Buddhists have tea. This observaton cannot be discussed here; suffice it to say that the Chinese tea of Buddhism is a clear, refreshing, astringent drink. These attributes of tea rather fit with the Buddha's teachings, for they too are clear; refreshing to those who drink them: and undisguised by the worldly sugaring, present the world as it truly is: a bitter drink but wholesome. For a long time Buddhist monks have used this tea for shaking off drowsiness during meditation.

Before we begin on today's subject we should notice the dedication to each chapter. Every chapter will be headed by the worship of some Buddha or Bodhisattva. The first is naturally dedicated to Sakyamuni and the Three Jewels, as these are not only fundamental to the doctrines of all the schools, but are also the basis of all the schools, and the basis of all their practices. The second chapter opens with the homage to the Five Tathagatas, for it is here that our real talk on meditation begins, and these Buddhas of meditation are the basis of psychology and experience in the Mahayana. In this talk, our dedication is to the two great Bodhisattvas, Manjughosa (He of Gentle Voice) and Maitreya (the Loving One), who represent the Dharma-nature (dharmata) and the Dharma-signs (dharmalaksana) respectively. 

Dharma-nature is associated with Manjughosa Bodhisattva since upon the first occasion of preaching the Mahayana, he was present and understood the fundamental and unparticularized nature of the Dharma. All the Buddha-Dharma is based, of course, upon the dharmata and upon the philosophic foundation of this chapter of our Dharma-book depend all the Succeeding ones. Hence our dedication to the first Bodhisattva The link with Maitreya is that he descended from the heavens to teach the doctrines of the Yogacara school, and in this chapter we are concerned with the particulars of Dharma or Dharma-signs, in the exact definition given to important terms. 

Then Mr. Chen began the talk proper.
What does this word "meditation" mean to most people? They think of sitting down in a quiet place (probably in a comfortable armchair with a cup of tea and a cigarette), and slowly turning things over in the mind. Their "meditation" is just discursive cogitating around certain ideas, plans, situations, etc. 

Then such people may read a religious book or two on meditation and so gradually their ideas of "meditation" become broader, eventually including everything in this one word. This is not precise. for many meanings should be distinguished. not only from the point of theory, but as a useful guide for one's own practice. 

With every problem that arises, one should first settle the meanings of the terms involved in it; when these are exactly defined, many difficulties disappear. At least the situation becomes easier to deal with, since then one has certain handles the defined terms on which to hold. 

I am sorry to says however, that the Chinese languages while it is able to express profound philosophy and may be used in a very poetic manner, lacks scientific precision. English, on the other hand, is much more exact and definite in its terminology. Although Chinese is very good for poetry but not for logic, we have to rely on it and on Tibetan for sutra translations no longer available in Sanskrit. Apart from these texts there are schools of philosophy and practice which developed in China, such as the T'ien-t'ai and Ch'an. They have of course taken many things from the Chinese Tripitaka and although its contents were very carefully translated from the Indian languages by boards of officials, each with his own carefully defined function, still the nature of the translations thus accomplished were limited by the Chinese tongue. Therefore, we have to learn to distinguish the precise meaning of a term, since under fhe Chinese word there may be grouped many meanings. The application of this principle is: first learn the exact meanings of the terms, then understand with discnmination the actual practice of meditation to which they apply. 

A. SOME TERMS CONCERNING THE PHILOSOPHY OF MEDITATION 

1. HSIN. The general meaning of this is "heart," but a dictionary gives no less than nine meanings: 

a. The physical heart of flesh. This is equivalent to "hrdaya" in Sanskrit . 

b. Think; a thought. "If someboay has a thought. I shall try to guess it," runs a Chinese dictionary citation from an ancient classic ode. 

c. Distinguish. Vijanavada says that here "discriminate" should be understood. 

d Center. Just as the heart is at the center of the body so the word is used to mean the center of any thing, place, circumstance. etc. 

e. The thorn of a tree. 

f. Name of one (Rohini Jyesthaghni) of the 28 constellations (Naksatra) according to Indian astronomy. 

g. The stone of a fruit. 

h. The original nature of everything, especially of humans. 

We see that some of these meanings are connected with Buddhism and some are not. lt would be a simple matter if all Buddhists accepted each term as having one Buddhist meaning, but we see that in Chinese this is not so, for followers of the Yogcara school understand the first definition as hrdaya, the second as citta (mind) and the third as manovijnana. But the situation is more complicated since other schools take the meanings of hsin quite differently. The Ch'an school uses this term to signify "nature, essence." Nor is that all, for apart from the schools and their uses, hsin may have quite distinct meanings in different yanas. After discussing different types of meditation, then we shall settle the various meanings of hsin according to context (see Appendix 11,11, A). 

Another complicating factor is that the Chinese language has been greatly influenced by Confucian teachings which have altered the connotation of many words from that which a Buddhist text tries to express. This is further confusing, leading to even worse mixtures of meanings unless great care is taken. 

How difficult indeed is the task of a translator from Chinese into English! He has always to watch that he selects the correct meaning of a term, gives it the precise shade of interpretation according to the individual schools' explanations; knows clearly with which yana he is dealing; and, finally, disentangles himself from Confucian influences. 

If such are the obstacles in the way of a scholar's correct understanding and interpretation, what will be the condition of the unlearned layman? He may even practice meditation, or at least read books upon it, but how great are the chances of his making bad mistakes? 

2. KUNG. Although Buddhists mean quite different things by sunyata and akasa, both these are translated into Chinese by "kung." Akasa, emptiness of space, space-element, should not of course be confused with sunyata, and for "kung" in this sense we may find at least four distinct meanings: 

a. What an ordinary person means by "empty," or "vacant," (as an empty house). This is sunyata in the sense of abhava, or privation. This meaning is not used in the context of meditation, although some deluded people imagine in their practice that since their minds are merely vacant or empty as space, they have then experienced the real meaning of sunyata. This is a great mistake. b. Sunyata thought of as outside or beyond form by some who practice meditation. They take it to be quite separate from the five skandhas (form, feeling, perception, habitual tendencies, and consciousness). These are grave delusions. c. Sunyata thought of as a substantial "thing." Some people think, "There must be such a thing upon which to meditate." This is another meaning, but again a wrong one. d. The real Buddhist philosophy of suyata. 

Mr Chen here leaned forward and became very animated, emphasizing his points with definite gestures of his hands, several times tapping on the arm of the chair to call attention to important items. He picked up a cocoa tin as an object of demonstration and a full flood of definitions regarding sunyata came from his lips, defnations he well knew, and not by bookish experience alone. The transcriber had diffculity in capturing all the following on paper and sometimes took the help Of an interposed word or two from the listener. Mr. Chen said:
We must understand that there is no void separate from form nor is there form apart from the void. In every form sunyata, voidness, is completely identified with form (and feelings, etc.; everything that I call "myself'): The five skandhas are neither the same as nor different from sunyata. 

In the "exterior" world, too, sunyata is everywhere and everything is sunyata. Some people have the idea that the void is got at by analysis, but real sunyata is not discovered in this way, and the results of such labors are only to know samskrta sunyata, the voidness of all conditioned or compounded things. This type of analysis is popular among the Yellow Sect (Gelugpa), but it is only for convenience of explanatlon. 

Wrong views come from thinking that sunyata is more than the sum of the parts of things (it is not more than the five skandhas), or that because things are sunyata, that it is less than them. No need to increase no need to reduce: sunyata is just here. 

He emphatically banged the cocoa tin, and beamed at us and went on: 

You should not look for sunyata after long periods of meditation; it may not appear at such a time. 

You should also not think that because one can see it more clearly or less clearly, that sunyata increases or becomes less. Some think that a knowledge of the changeability of all things is experience of the real void, but this is just an explanation of the void (viparinama-sunyata) and not its real essence. 

The idea is also widespread that there are some meditations which, if practiced, lead to the development of sunyata (or to its realization), but practices are not for this purpose and aim only at removing the obstacles standing in the way of the appearance of the void. I have no meditative power whereby suyata is caused to appear nor do I ever practice with this aim in mind. In all places, at all times, for all beings and all things, sunyata is there without any limitation at all. The Buddha can never increase sunyata, and we, even if we do not perceive it, have no less sunyata than he. 

Even in the Hinayana, all meditations must be based on sunyata, otherwise there is no liberation. No proper fruit can be obtained from any Buddhist practice unless it is founded very thoroughly upon the doctrine of the void. 

Although we know something of the sunyata of Buddhist philosophy, we should also learn its different aspects. Sunyata itself is always the same, but it takes on different forms in its appearance. In the esoteric philosophies of the first two yanas, classifications of 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 11, 30, 60, and 80 forms are mentioned as aids to help one fully realize true sunyata (see Chapter 10). Further, in the esoteric philosophy of the Vajrayana four kinds of voidness are given which correspond to the four states of bliss (ananda-see Chapter 13). These must not be mixed with the sunyata of the other vehicles. For instance, the mahasunyata of the Tantra is quite different from the void-category of the same name in the Mahayana. 

All this is very important. It must be deeply understood. 

(Note: Some Western scholars who were considered very skilled in the explanation of sunyata made erroneous comparisons between definitions which they imagined to be similar regarding the meanings of sunyata in Prajnaparamita and the esoteric meanings in Anuttarayoga. In this they were quite wrong. Please see my work entitled "Discriminations between Buddhist and Hindu Tantras.")
B. SOME TERMS CONCERNING THE PROCESS OF MEDITATION 

In the West. many words are used as translations of the technical Buddhist terminology. the most common being "concentration" and "meditation." Generally, in Chinese works, the equivalent of the first is used for "dhyana" and of the second, for "samadhi." In most people's minds there is no clear distinction between these two English words and with them are mixed "absorption" and "contemplation"; inaddition, they do not know the difference between dhyana and samadhi. 

Bhante here remarked that such confusion is not Suprising, as in Europe, every philosopher ascribes his own meaning to the terms he uses, which can be very confusing unless one distinguishes carefully. Now it is the same with translators and writers of books on Buddhism: there is not yet, as grew up in China and Tibet, a recognized list of equivalences, so they use their own terminology a difficulty for beginners who may be confused by this. In the Buddhist Sanskrit and Pali tradition, it is quite different, each term having exact and recognized meanings, making it much easier for those who want to study and practice.
1. Five terms of great iniportance are: samatha, samapatti, samapanna, dhyana, arid samadhi. The first one means the practice which calms the mind's disturbances; in this stage thinking is not admitted . This leads on to samapatti, which is investigating the truth using the force of samatha as one's instrument. If one uses the mind to think with at this stage then it is not true samapatti. (Note: Samapatti is used throughout this work as the equivalent of vipasyana, clear insight.) When one attains something close to the truth, this is called samapanna. At that time the mind is not wandering, and examination of truth has become very subtle, as object and subject are very nearly identified. States of consciousness known before the actual attainment of Full Enlightenment samadhi are collectively termed dhyana. They are all common or worldly concentrations experienced in connection with the first three of the terms used here. They range from the first dhyana of form up to attainment of Arhat. The latter must be included here since one has not yet experienced Full Enlightenment, and samadhi-states only commence with the possession of this in the Mahayana. Samadhi itself is when the subjective searcher and the objective truth of the Dharmakaya are completely identified-and this comes only with the Full Enlightenment of a Buddha. There are other definitions of samadhi given in different books, where it is said that it may be a worldly meditation or the same as the dhyanas. In these talks. however, we shall use the scheme laid down here (see Appendix III II,C).