PREFACE
In Search of True Happiness “Life is so hard!” One often stops to think: Business is not going well; it’s hard to make a livelihood; one gets broken-hearted; one gets lonely. Furthermore, there is the inevitability of aging, sickness and death. “Why is my life so full of suffering? It seems as if I were born to suffer.” I am sure many of you have had similar thoughts. But can these thoughts remove the suffering? Probably not. Most people go through life fooling themselves while they bear the pain. I could not make such a compromise. I surely had my own suffering, but I could not fool myself because I was simply too inept to do it. An ordinary person might have thought he had no choice but to commit suicide. I will tell you what I did. I, in desperation, plunged myself into the so-called spiritual world in search of true happiness. Fortunately, I am inquisitive by nature and have the tendency to lose myself once I get interested in something. The search turned out to be extremely difficult, for I was doing something that nobody knew about. I literally groped in the dark for several years. I fell at the very bottom of my life, and suffered many hardships along the way. What I had undertaken, in order to get rid of suffering, brought on even more suffering. It was indeed “jumping out of the trying pan into the fire”. Hard though it was, I did not give up my search for true happiness for I was beginning to see some results from my effort. I encountered Yoga. Now I was convinced 2
that I would be able to transcend life and death and seize true happiness through “enlightenment’’. I devoted myself single-mindedly to the practice of Yoga with Yogic Sutras as a recourse. Yoga is interesting in that “psychic powers” are used as a means to evaluate one’s spiritual progress. In other words, one can clearly know which stage one is at from the psychic powers one has acquired. As a matter of course, I gradually developed psychic powers of my own, and eventually became known as a psychic. Psychic powers, however, were merely by products of the practice; my final goal was to attain enlightenment. In due course, I reached what was described as the “final stage” in the Yogic sutras, but it was different from the enlightenment which I had been looking for. It was, in fact, one of the intermediary stages prior to true enlightenment. When I realized this, I felt as if I had been thrown into the dark again. “What should I do now? What should I practice to attain a higher stage?” My practice remained stagnant for a while. Then one day, I felt India, the birthplace of Yoga, call me. I did not have any free time in those days, but I decided to go to India, feeling that 1 would get some inspiration for my practice. I must have been desparate because I made a very silly mistake. I met a considerably well-known Yogi, who said to me, “I have attained enlightenment. I know how to get there.” I took his word for it and became his disciple. I looked up to him as my guru (spiritual teacher) and made a large offering for his teaching. However, he did not teach me anything. He was, instead, making every effort, honestly or 3
dishonestly, to maintain his expensive way of life. Nevertheless, the two-month stay in India brought me to enlightenment. What I really needed was to be alone. (I was at the stage called “retreat” and “detachment”, which will be explained in detail in Chapter I.) In the holy Himalayas, I could practice in isolation, which had never been possible for me in Japan. This must have been why I had to come to India. Thus after many twists and turns, I finally achieved enlightenment. As I had expected, it was wonderful. “The state of absolute freedom, happiness and joy where one’s suffering is extinguished and life and death are transcended.” There was no exaggeration in this description, not in the least. The great Buddha Sakyamuni also attained this state. When I reached this stage, I realized for the first time that “the Origination of the Twelve Conditions” which Buddha Sakyamuni taught, was, in fact, the way to attain enlightenment. It was the same practice as my self-taught method. I wished I had known it earlier, but I could not help it, since even Buddhist scholars did not know it. I am happy that now I am able to present to you the secret way. It is in accordance with my own experience and the teaching of “the Origination of the Twelve Conditions.” I would like you to read this book before anything else. Your soul must be eager to see it. The Master
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The most valuable treasure not only in this world but throughout the whole universe is wisdom.
CONTENTS PREFACE In Search of True Happiness .......................................... 2 PART 1 FINDING THE KEY TO THE ULTIMATE HAPPINESS The Origination of the Twelve Conditions ....................................... 9 Chapter 1: To Those Who Seek True Happiness .................. 10 • Kundalini Beckons Happiness ....................................................... 10 • I Have Found It! ............................................................................................... 10 • Welcome to the Spiritual World .................................................... 11 • The Path to Enlightenment Which Buddha Sakyamuni Left ............................................................................................ 12 • Everything Begins with the Awakening of Kundalini ........ 14 • Chakras, Which Control One’s Spiritual Level and Supernatural Powers ................................................................... 15 Chapter 2: Ease Begins with Suffering ....................................... 17 • The Origination of the Twelve Conditions Is Everything! ....................................................................... 17 • There Is Suffering; Hence There Is Faith ............................... 19 • The Awakening of Kundalini .............................................................. 20 • Kundalini Brings Incredible Ecstasy ........................................ 21 6
• Arousing the Nectar of Immortality .............................................. 23 • Scriptures Describe Only Up to Ecstasy ............................... 23 • Ultimate Happiness - the Stage of Joy ................................. 25 • Calmness Is the Key to Meditation ........................................... 28 • Ease - the Source of Infinite Energy ........................................ 29 Chapter 3: Samadhi, Which Makes Everything Possible ....................................................................... 31 • What is Samadhi? .................................................................................... 31 • The Heat Yoga - The Inner Fire ....................................................... 32 • The Bardo Yoga - The Experience of Death ........................ 33 • The Moment of Death ........................................................................... 34 • The Termination of Past Life Karma ........................................ 37 • The Death of the Practitioner ........................................................... 38 • Jump into the Light! .................................................................................. 39 • One’s Previous Karma Determines One’s Rebirth .................................................................................................. 42 • What Bardo Yoga Makes Us Realize ....................................... 43 • The Dream Yoga You Are the Creator of the World ................................................... 43 • The Yoga of Illusory Body Transcending Time and Space ....................................................... 45 • The Light Yoga ............................................................................................... 46 • The Akashik Records .............................................................................. 46 • The Disintegration of the Ajna Chakra .................................... 47 • Everything Is Made of Light ............................................................. 50
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Chapter 4 Toward Enlightenment ...................................................... 52 • Omniscience - Knowing the Truth ............................................. 52 • Retreat and Detachment .................................................................... 53 • Enlightenment Is the Passport to Nirvana ............................ 53 • The Yoga of Transferring Consciousness – Pho-wa ........ 55 Experience of a practitioner (an Attainer of Light) ...... 56
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PART 1 FINDING THE KEY TO THE ULTIMATE HAPPINESS
9
CHAPTER 1
To Those Who Seek True Happiness
Kundalini Beckons Happiness Kundalini - have you ever heard this word before? If you are leading an ordinary life, you have probably never heard of such a word. But in one particular world, it is not only the first word you hear, but also the most important word. I would like to talk to you about this Kundalini and its world from here on. You will be very surprised and wonder if such a thing can really exist in this world. But these things do exist. They are within you; they are around you. From the fathomless past this fact has never changed and it never will through all eternity. Kundalini is the only truth in this world of illusions. When one’s body and spirit as well as one’s ethereal body (subtle body) are purified, the truth will reveal itself out of the chaotic admixture of worldly phenomena. The people who successfully see the truth will unfailingly be immersed in eternal happiness. I Have Found It! I was able to find the way to get there. Of course, it was not easy. After eight years of unflagging endeavor, I discovered it at last. I believe I am the only one in 10
my country, or for that matter, in the whole wide world, who knows it. Ordinarily, a person would keep it all to himself, but I am not like that. I wish everyone in the world to be happy. This is why I have taken up a pen, and made it available to the public. Before I begin, I will have to ask you one thing: are you happy now or do you have doubts and worries about life? You will have to forgive me for asking such a question of someone who has kindly picked up my book. This book has the power to change the life of the reader completely this is why I have to ask you this question before you start reading it. I would like to present this book to those who are not satisfied with themselves or with their lives. I would like them to know what true happiness is. But if you are happy and satisfied with your life, it will not be a good idea to read it because it will most probably take your ordinary happiness and satisfaction away from you. Welcome to the Spiritual World Now let us start our journey to the wonderful world with those who are dissatisfied with the present situation and eager to seek the way. This wonderful world is the spiritual world. The term “spiritual world” may be too vague. Let me give you some examples: Tantra Yoga is included in it, its practices are included in it; and its final goal is to attain enlightenment. Enlightenment means the realization 11
which Buddha Sakyamuni attained. It is the state in which a human being stops being a human being, the state which transcends life and death, the state of absolute freedom. Only those who are able to achieve this stage can be immersed in true happiness. Buddha Sakyamuni was truly a great being. He attained enlightenment after many years of ascetic practices. His noble teachings have travelled through a great lapse of time to be handed down to the present generation, to give spiritual support for many people. We should not, however, regard his enlightenment as something special because anyone can attain enlightenment. Anyone who practices the path can reach the state of absolute freedom and bliss. Enlightenment has been considered difficult because a specific method of practice has not been known. I myself believed so until several years ago. I thought enlightenment was merely a wild dream. Nevertheless, I had a strong longing for enlightenment. It was because my life was nothing but suffering in those days. “The only way to get out of this suffering is to attain enlightenment.” I threw away everything and plunged into the practice. There was no one to guide me. My path was indeed “trial after trial and error after error.” The Path to Enlightenment Which Buddha Sakyamuni Left After a long and arduous eight years of practice, I finally attained enlightenment. At the same time, I was 12
shocked. I discovered that Buddha Sakyamuni had left the path to enlightenment for future practitioners. It was called “the Origination of the Twelve Conditions.” Many of you may have heard of this teaching for it is quite famous. It is the central teaching of the Agama Sutras, which the leading disciples of Buddha Sakyamuni compiled shortly after the Buddha died, entering Parinirvana. These sutras (scriptures or texts) are therefore considered the most faithful rendition of the original teachings of Buddha Sakyamuni. But the problem was that nobody was able to understand the profound meaning of its teaching. There have been some translations, but they are only superficial. However, the moment I attained enlightenment I was able to understand what this great teacher really wanted to convey. Buddha Sakyamuni left a concrete method of practice with which anybody could attain enlightenment. Unfortunately, no one was able to understand it. Now, I understand it. I must be the only one in the world. “Since this has come to pass, I will present this teaching of the Origination of the Twelve Conditions afresh to the world. I will spread the true meaning of this teaching!” My aspiration grew stronger. If I could disclose the meaning of “the Origination of the Twelve Conditions” and explain it with my own experience, it would be a precious gift for those who aspire to attain enlightenment. I feel that it is my mission to accomplish this task.
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Everything Begins with the Awakening of Kundalini I mentioned earlier that Kundalini is the most important thing. Now let me explain Kundalini. Kundalini is a spiritual energy which raises the human spirit to higher dimensions. Every one of us has this energy within us, but it is dormant in an ordinary person. If you wish to attain enlightenment, the first thing you should do is to awaken it. This is called “the awakening of Kundalini.” Buddha Sakyamuni attained enlightenment by continuing his practice after he awakened his Kundalini. It was the same with me. Her awakening Kundalini, one attains the final enlightenment when one has perfected the six kinds of Yoga. These six kinds of Yoga are: 1. Heat Yoga 2. Bardo Yoga 3. Dream Yoga 4. Illusory Body Yoga 5. Light Yoga 6. Consciousness Transferring Yoga (Pho-wa). The Six Yogas correspond to the six Chakras, and then higher the stage of the Yoga, the higher the corresponding Chakra is. I have come to this understanding as a result of practicing with Indian Yogic scriptures. In other words, my understanding is based on my empirical knowledge. To my surprise, I learned later that the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism also has the same idea. Tibetan Buddhism is said to have produced the most spiritual achievers. 14
Does this fact imply that all paths to the ultimate goal of enlightenment are one and the same in the end? Chakras, Which Control One’s Spiritual Level and Supernatural Powers Let me explain the word “Chakra” for the benefit of those who are unfamiliar with it. Chakras are spiritual centers located at particular places in the body. There are seven main Chakras, but they are dormant or inactive under normal circumstances. What develops these Chakras is the ascent of Kundalini induced by spiritual practice. The higher the location of the Chakra, the higher its level. Siddhi, or the supernatural powers which Yogis have, are controlled by the Chakras. The following chart shows how each of the Six Yogas corresponds to each Chakra. 1. Heat Yoga - Svadhishthana Chakra 2. Bardo Yoga - Manipura Chakra 3. Dream Yoga - Anahata Chakra 4. Illusory Body Yoga - Visuddha Chakra 5. Light Yoga - Ajna Chakra 6. Consciousness Transferring Yoga - Sahasrara Chakra For example, when Heat Yoga is completed, Kundalini has gone up to the Svadhishthana Chakra and has activated it. The higher the Chakra that Kundalini activates, the higher one’s spiritual stage is. 15
Buddha Sakyamuni’s Six Divine Powers are also related to the Six Yogas. When he attained enlightenment, Buddha Sakyamuni had perfected the Six Yogas and had his Chakras under control. I will discuss this later in detail. Types of Yoga
Corresponding Chakras
The Five Bodies
Supernatural Powers
Heat Yoga
Svadhisthana Chakra
—
Source of all Supernatural Powers
Bardo Yoga
Manipura Chakra
The Body of Incarnation
(Psychokinesys)
Dream Yoga
Anahata Chakra
The Body of Dharma
Divine Mind Reading
Illusory Body Yoga
Visuddha Chakra
The Body of Reward
Divine Ears
Light Yoga
Ajna Chakra
The Body of Nature
Divine Eyes
Consciousness Transferring Yoga
Sahasrara Chakra
The Body of Adamant
Extinction of Flux
Will Power
Six Yogas, Chakras and Supernatural Powers 16
CHAPTER 2 Ease Begins with Suffering
The Origination of the Twelve Conditions Is Everything! The principal teaching of the Origination of the Twelve Conditions is that the first step to enlightenment is to feel the entirety of life as suffering. I shall go into the details later but let me first explain the outline of the whole process. When one feds suffering, a strong wish to attain enlightenment arises from a feeling of desperation. This is called faith. When one has faith, one starts the practice leading to enlightenment. With the practice Kundalini awakens. With the awakening of Kundalini, ecstasy is born. When ecstasy reaches the Sahasrara Chakra, joy arises. When joy fills the Sahasrara Chakra, calmness is produced. When calmness fills the body, ease arises. When one is filled with ease both physically and mentally, one obtains strong concentration, which enables one to enter samadhi. By samadhi one is able to know everything perfectly. This is called the thoroughly knowledgeable view. When one understands everything, one realizes that this life is an illusion and negates this life. When one negates this life, one detaches oneself from every attachment. When one is detached from every attachment, one attains enlightenment. Simultaneously, the conviction is born that one is enlightened. 17
THE ORIGINATION OF THE TWELVE CONDITIONS Anti-Mystic Power
THE PROCESS FROM SUFFERING TO ENLIGHTENMENT
Formation of Experience Detachment from Attachment
Discrimination Mental Element & Form-Appearance
Negation of This Life
Six Sense Elements and Their Objects
Thoroughly Knowledgable View
Touch
Samadhi
Sensation
Ease
Craving
Calmness
Grasping
Joy
Being
Ecstasy
Birth
Faith
Suffering 18
THE ORIGINWTION OF THE TWELVE CONDITIONS
Enlightenment
This is the gist of the path to enlightenment which Buddha Sakyamuni left. When presented like this, it seems simple indeed, but in reality, it is not that easy. To make it more comprehensible, let me discuss it using my own experience. There Is Suffering; Hence There Is Faith “The first condition of enlightenment is for one to feel that life is suffering,” Buddha Sakyamuni said. This was exactly the case for me: I was in the midst of suffering when I entered the path of spiritual practice. It all started nine years ago. I was leading an ordinary life up to that time. I am not sure how long, there had always been gnawing doubts in me. These were doubts about my life. When I tried to ignore the existence of such doubts, I was thrown into a conflict between self-confidence and an inferiority complex. Gradually, I got exhausted and became mentally unstable. One day I stopped fooling myself altogether and thought: “What am I living for? Is there anything absolute, does true happiness really exist in this world? If so, can I get it?” I did not realize at this point that what my soul was looking for was enlightenment. But I couldn’t sit still. Urged by such restlessness, I started a blind search. It was an intense feeling; it was a faith. Needless to say, my life changed completely. I put my work aside and began to study divination. I guess I wanted to know my fate. I believed that I could change my bad fate and become happy by some divinatory manipulation. 19
I was immersed in the study of various Chinese methods of divination: Chi, Sichu-suimei, Daneki, Rikujin, Kimon-Tonko, etc. This was due to my characteristic tendency to become absorbed in anything at least once. I went to the heart of each method and mastered them all. But to my disappointment, none of them were as effective as I had expected. The Awakening of Kundalini But I did not give up. After the study of divination, I directed my attention to Taoism. This was the beginning of my real practice. For some reason I had believed that one could attain perennial youth and immortality, as well as some psychic powers, by the practice of Taoism. I was feeling a lack of life energy in those days, so I started the practice with high hopes that it might lead to a breakthrough in the situation. Even though I ended up studying Yoga, my Kundalini was awakened, to my surprise, through the practice of Taoism. I mastered the stages called “micro-cosmic orbit” and “macro-cosmic orbit.” The former is a technique in which one regards one’s body as the universe and circulates Chi (life energy) from the back to the front of the body. This enables one to build a strong body. With the latter technique one makes the life energy or Chi shoot up from the Muladhara Chakra, which is situated at the coccyx, to the crown of one’s head. This awakens the Kundalini. 20
Thus I awakened Kundalini without a teacher and marked the first step to enlightenment. At the same time I obtained some supernatural powers. It should be mentioned here that although I was able to awaken my Kundalini through the practice of Taoism, I will teach you the Yogic method. The Yogic method is much faster. In those days I had no teachers (I don’t have any even now), who knew Yoga and was just groping in the dark. Yoga is better, by far. It took me four years to awaken Kundalini by using Taoism. If I had known Yoga, it would have been a matter of a few months. In fact, my disciples have successfully awakened their Kundalini in a very short period of time, though it is true that I help them with my Shaktipat. Shaktipat is a technique I use to pour my high-level spiritual energy directly into a recipient. It is quite effective in awakening one’s Kundalini. Now let me tell you what changes take place after one has awakened Kundalini according to the Origination of the Twelve Conditions. Kundalini Brings Incredible Ecstasy If one continues to practice after the awakening of Kundalini, one reaches the state called ecstasy. With the ascent of Kundalini, incredible ecstasy is brought about. Properly speaking, meditation is indispensable in order to reach this state. However, I did not like meditation so much. I had already switched to Yoga at this point, but I was meditating for only one or two hours a day at most. 21
What was I doing then? I was practicing Asanas (physical exercises to tone the flow of vital energy), Pranayamas (breathing exercises to tone up the vital energy), and Mudras (techniques for spiritual awakening). I thought that it would not get me anywhere just to sit and meditate, that the practices to stimulate the nervous system, hormones and brain would be much more effective. This was why I had not entered the state of ecstasy yet. I was indeed ignorant but I could not help it. There was no one to teach me. I was also under the false impression that science was all powerful. I went into ecstasy shortly after that, but in a very awkward manner. If I had been meditating sufficiently, I would have experienced it during my meditation. However, since I devoted so little time to meditation, my Kundalini must have had trouble finding a place to go. For instance, my Kundalini suddenly went up and I went into ecstasy when I was practicing a Mudra. It happened when I was standing or walking. Whenever it happened, it was always accompanied by the contraction of the anus and sexual organ, and Kundalini went up making my whole body shiver. I would say the sensation is the highest ecstasy one can feel in this world. How should I describe it? It is totally different from sexual ecstasy. It is gentle and soft; one feels as if one is melting away. And when one is in ecstasy, the ecstatic feeling only becomes stronger; it never weakens. It is also accompanied by numbness, and that again is good. The entire ecstatic sensation lasts for a few minutes while one is immersed in it. 22
These days, I take a considerable amount of time for meditation. As a result, it has become possible for me to maintain the ecstatic state for many hours. Arousing the Nectar of Immortality This stage has an important meaning. Kundalini goes up to the Sahasrara Chakra at the crown of the head and lets drip the Nectar of Immortality (Amrta, Kanro) hidden in the Sahasrara. This nectar is also called bindu, and is able to arouse tremendous joy in one's mind. As one advances further in the practice and the whole body is filled with this nectar, one's consciousness becomes clear and unbroken it continues during sleep and after death as well. This is why it is called the Nectar of Immortality. Scriptures Describe Only Up to Ecstasy As I said earlier, I realized the relationship between Kundalini and the Origination of the Twelve Conditions when I attained enlightenment for the first time. Therefore, I did not know anything about the stage of Joy then, which I am going to describe now, which could not be helped because none of the literature I had read had a description of that stage. It was the same with the Yoga texts; they only had descriptions up to the stage of Ecstasy, the stage prior to Joy. Bagwan Shree Rajneesh, a well-known religionist from India, has also written no further than the stage of 23
Ecstasy in his books; he regards Ecstasy as the final goal. Judging from this, I suppose that there have been few, if any, practitioners who attained the stages beyond Ecstasy. Anyway, I continued my practice without knowing what waited ahead. Finally, I arrived at the stage which nobody had ever described. It was the state aroused by the Nectar of Immortality which drips when Kundalini stimulates the Sahasrara Chakra. Incidentally, there is an interesting description of the moment when Kundalini reaches the Sahasrara Chakra in a Yogic text. It says: everything is completed when Lady Shakti (Kundalini) is united with Lord Shiva (the Sahasrara). This description agrees with Bagwan’s statement that the whole process ends here. The truth is, however, as I said, that there are stages beyond Ecstasy. Now that you know that even the authentic scriptures are at such a level, you can understand what difficulties I went through towards the goal of enlightenment. I was not relying on the Origination of the Twelve Conditions then, which explains all the stages of the path, because I did not understand it until I attained enlightenment. Similarly, I discovered after the attainment that there was a description of Joy in the writings of Bonji Kawazura, a practitioner of Ancient Shintoism. The state was expressed as the Seven Torii (Shinto shrine gates), but the visions were exactly those of Joy. The Taoist Cho Sampo, also described this stage in one of his books. He says, “When you reach this state, you become a superhuman.” But in both cases, explanations are given only up to this stage and no further. 24
In short, this stage is that high. This is obvious from the fact that Yogic texts do not contain descriptions of the stage of Joy, and that Shintoism and Taoism also finish there. It is an interesting thing, however, that each practice, with its different starting point and different contents, follows the same path, which I believe has its own significance. This is the reason I incorporate other kinds of practices into my Yoga. Ultimate Happiness - the Stage of Joy I have digressed a little. Let me go back to the main point. The Nectar of Immortality which drips from the top of the Sahasrara Chakra, first fills this very chakra. Then it goes down to the Vishuddha Chakra and fills it. It then drips down to the Anahata Chakra; then to the Manipura Chakra, and so on. This process is the same as what is called “Chundali” in Tibetan Buddhism. Tibetan Scriptures have descriptions up to here; anything further than this is kept in strict secrecy and handed down to only a handful of select practitioners. I learned this from Milarepa, a legendary practitioner, when I was in the Astral world. The reason for such secrecy is a mental one, not a technical one, in order to transmit the particular teachings. Thus, the guru has to involve himself closely with each disciple. Now the Nectar of Immortality, which has filled each chakra, fills the last chakra, the Svadhishthana Chakra and generates a strong vibration there. Induced by the vibration, Kundalini goes up from the Muladhara Chakra again accompanied by Ecstasy. When Kundalini reaches 25
THE CHAKRAS
26
the Sahasrara Chakra, it causes the Nectar of Immortality to drip down again. While this process is repeated many times, Joy, the contentment of mind, is produced in addition to Ecstasy, increasing its intensity by degrees. It is indeed a supreme kind of contentment. But it also has its shortcomings: this state is very unstable. It can be easily disturbed by a minor mental disharmony or a big sound. Therefore, we have to consider the external environment when entering this state. When a practitioner reaches this state, it becomes necessary for him or her to choose one of two ways of living: to live away from all obstacles and lead the life of a hermit, or to try to improve the environment to maintain this attained state. In my case, I have chosen the latter. I have decided to improve my environment by spreading the teachings of a true religion. Those who can enter the state of Joy are greatly needed by others. They have extraordinary brightness. It is the brightness born out of a completely contented and liberated mind which gives great comfort to others. They can increase other people’s happiness and eliminate their suffering. If there is someone who has just lost love, they can take away his or her sadness. Just by being there, they can bring a positive influence. So those who have reached the state of Joy no longer belong to themselves alone. They are shared by many people because they are needed by many people. For this very reason, they now deserve oblations and they will receive money, goods, fame and so forth. However, one has to be careful here, for if one becomes satisfied with and attached to 27
such oblations, one will be degraded and all the efforts one has made to reach this stage will come to nothing. This is petty satisfaction and happiness compared to enlightenment. Enlightenment is the true happiness which can be attained when one has transcended everything. Fortunately, as I had experienced enlightenment in my former lives, I was not tempted here. It also becomes possible for us at this stage to acquire intense concentration. When the mind is contented, idle thoughts do not arise. Calmness Is the Key to Meditation Perhaps you have wondered how it is possible for someone to sit for such a long time, even for the purpose of meditation? Although they are small in number, there are Yogis who can sit comfortably for many days without any interruption. Buddha Sakyamuni is said to have done seven days of meditation seven times. I used to wonder why myself because I could not sit for a long time, either. Actually, it was very painful for me to sit. My legs would go to sleep; my back would hurt; my whole body would feel heavy and my mind would wander aimlessly here and there. I would become irritated and pay frequent visits to the bathroom. One day I thought, “Oh, how wonderful. I could sit for a long time today!” When I looked at the clock with joy, I found to my surprise and disappointment, that only fifteen minutes had passed! Long hours of meditation were, to me, an amazing achievement. 28
However, once I reached the stage of Calmness, the mystery was solved automatically. When you reach this stage, you do not feel any physical pain at all, which makes it possible for long hours of meditation, which is indispensable for the attainment of enlightenment. Another noteworthy thing about this stage is that your whole body becomes light. It becomes so light that you feel as if you are floating when walking. Now why do these things happen? Please recall the state of Joy, which is the state of great contentment of the mind. This mental condition has a wonderful effect on the body. This is Calmness. Many of you know and have actually experienced that one’s physical condition is influenced by one’s mental condition. A TV news show once reported an experiment about the relationship between music and blood pressure. It demonstrated that while the subject was listening to the music he or she liked, the blood pressure stayed normal whereas when the subject listened to the music he/she disliked, the blood pressure changed. This shows that our taste in music, which is a mental activity, can directly influence our physical condition, as is clearly shown by scientific methods. Likewise, Joy acts on the physical body and produces the state of Calmness. Ease - the Source of Infinite Energy What comes after Calmness is Ease. This state gives you a tremendous amount of energy. Ever since I attained 29
this stage, it has become possible for me to practice 16 to 17 hours a day. No one can catch up with me anymore no matter how much confidence he has in his physical strength. This is because my whole body is filled with the energy created by Ease. Consciousness stops deviating and goes only toward what has to be done. This prevents loss of energy, and instead fills the body with energy. In comparison to the contentment of Joy, Ease is a stable state, and one stops reacting to outer stimuli. A Yogi who attained a high level of spirituality once said, “It is necessary to meditate at least six consecutive hours to attain enlightenment.” When you go into the state of Ease, a great change takes place: not only does one not feel pain, but sitting becomes the easiest thing to do. This is an important preparation for the next stage Samadhi. Therefore, no one can attain enlightenment unless he/she goes through this stage.
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CHAPTER 3 Samadhi, Which Makes Everything Possible
What is Samadhi? It is difficult even for me to explain what Samadhi is. I looked up the word Sanmai in a dictionary. It said: “Being concentrated on one particular thing and having no other thoughts; to devote oneself completely to doing something.” “The term must have originated in Buddhism but these meanings do not sound like it,” I thought. In truth, Sanmai or Samadhi is the state produced as a result of concentration. Then what is Samadhi? In short, it is the union of the subject and the object. The subject means ‘you’ ‘yourself ‘ and the object means another person or a thing you fix your attention to. The union means to become one with the object, to fuse into a person or a thing by means of concentration. For instance, you concentrate your mind on a tree and fix your gaze on it. If you can continue the concentration for thirty minutes, which means your practice has advanced to the level of Samadhi, you are able to fuse into the tree and become one with it. Moreover, by becoming one with it, you are able to know everything about the tree. This is Samadhi. If you concentrate on the mind of a person, you will be able to unite with it and know his or her thoughts and feelings. If you concentrate on a god, you will be able to unite with the god. 31
There are two kinds of Samadhi, an external one and an internal one. The former is to unite with external objects, and the latter, with internal objects, such as one’s Chakras, mind, organs and so on. The ultimate internal Samadhi is to unite with one’s True Self. When practicing Samadhi, it is best to start with the external method, as I did, for it is easier to concentrate on external objects. After mastering this, you can turn your concentration on internal objects. And if you practice further, you will be able to attain the next stage called Omniscience. Now I am going to tell you the stories about the Samadhi I have experienced. They are related to the Six Yogas I mentioned earlier. The stage of Samadhi is very important; five Yogas out of these Six Yogas are included in it. I discovered later that the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism had the same view as mine, but in those days I was going through the process without realizing what these Yogas really were. The Heat Yoga - The Inner Fire I concentrated on my Svadhishthana Chakra. Then an intense heat was generated in my abdomen, which went up along my spine. I decided to practice this process repeatedly everyday. What had influenced my decision was the practice called “meditation on the fire element”, a practice known in esoteric Buddhism. This meditation is said to consume 32
one’s worldly passions, and I suspected that this practice and the process of heat might be the same. “Both the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous systems are located in the spine where the heat goes up,” I thought, “If some kind of mutation takes place due to the heat, I might be able to become a superman.” I practiced very hard, and though I did not become a superman, some notable changes occurred. First, I began to feel warm all over my back and became able to tolerate any kind of cold; I could stay naked even in subzero temperature. I also found myself limitless in energy. I decided to call this practice “the Yoga of Heat”. The Bardo Yoga - The Experience of Death Next I concentrated my mind on the Manipura Chakra, which gave me the experience of Bardo (death). Every person wonders at some point, “How will one feel at the moment of death?” or “What will happen to one after death?” We all live with some vague answers of our own, which may not agree with the real death experiences. For example, there are some who might think, “Upon death, one will return to dust.” There are some who might think, “I will go to Heaven.” There may be unfortunate lovers who may vow, “We shall be married in the next life.” It is, in fact, uneasy and fearful that we cannot know the truth unless we die. Furthermore, after we die, no matter how strongly we wish, we have no way of telling the people we have left, “This is what it’s really like after you die.” It is an 33
inconvenient fact when every living being has to die sooner or later. However, by concentrating on my Manipura Chakra, through the practice of Bardo Yoga, I was able to experience the process of death and rebirth over and over again. Every one of you will be able to experience the same process when you have mastered the art of Samadhi. But for those of you who have just begun practice, let me share my experience here with you. The Moment of Death Let me start from the moment of death. All your sense organs stop working just before you die. We sometimes watch a scene on TV in which a person says on his death bed, “Please put on the light. It’s dark in here,” when the room is well lit. This is true in actual death. You first lose your hearing, and then you lose your sight. It is then followed by the loss of smell, taste, and touch. This may be surprising to you, but next, while you are still alive what has made up your body begins to decompose and is reduced to “the fundamental elements”. The fundamental elements are the basic materials which compose this world, and they consist of four elements: Earth, Water, Fire and Wind. First, your body is reduced into the Earth element. When this happened to me, my body felt flabby or mushy, a somewhat strange feeling. What or who was feeling this sensation was not what had been myself; it was another 34
self; it was my soul that was feeling all this. You will also be seeing a mixture of black and yellow throughout this process. Secondly, the blood and the body fluids are reduced to the Water element. Your nose runs, your body swells, and the blood stops flowing at this time. I saw flashes of light when this process was going on, which reminded me of the white moon reflected on the surface of the water. Thirdly, the body temperature is reduced to the Fire element. You feel cold in your abdomen. The cold feeling then goes up your body, and as your whole body becomes cold, its motion becomes awkward as well. Perhaps a stiffening was taking place, it felt hard, just like iron. You see vermilion (bright red) while this process is under way. Finally, your breath is decomposed into the Wind element. When this takes place, it becomes difficult to breathe. “I want to breathe. I want to breathe and stay alive,” an uncontrollable clinging to life surfaces all of a sudden. “I don’t want to get separated from my loved ones. I’m afraid of dying!” One has already stopped feeling any physical pain or suffering at this point, but one must still go through this terrible fear of dying. I experienced it and did not like it, but death proceeded against my will. I was seeing bluish-green throughout this process. Then the moment I noticed my breathing becoming fast, I exhaled a long breath and everything was over. This is how I died.
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The Termination of Past Life Karma After one has died, one’s soul remains at the heart for a little while to go through “the liquidation” of this life. As the liquidation begins, a pure white light comes down from above. This light has somewhat of a sweet taste. The sweetness of the light cannot be felt while one is alive, but after one has died, one is able to feel it. This light is the symbol of the semen of one’s father. Following this, redblack energy goes upward from the navel. It is carrying one’s various worldly desires with it and it symbolizes the mentrual blood of one’s mother. The white light and the red-black energy are both absorbed into the Anahata Chakra in the chest. I consider this the process for karma related to the genes, which one has inherited from one’s parents, to be separated into the fundamental elements. If we consider the moment a sperm unites with an ovum (egg) to be the time of one’s birth, the time of one’s death is the moment when one has finished returning that which one inherited by separating it into its fundamental elements. There is yet one more thing to be returned: the karma which one had at birth, that is, the karma one made in one’s past lives. One lives this life according to the karma of one’s past lives, which has to be returned to its fundamental elements at the time of true death, This is the last procedure one has to undergo. From Hie realm of gods, a path made of jet-black light descends. It is the symbol of the human realm, one of the low realms of the phenomenal world. 37
Thus, when the karma one has inherited from one’s parents and the karma of one’s pail lives have been separated into their fundamental elements, one severs his connection with this world completely. The soul separates itself from the body and begins the preparation for its next rebirth according to the karma which it has accumulated in this world. The Death of the Practitioner The soul flies into a clear and bright world after death. The soul of a qualified practitioner can enter Nirvana at this point. The qualification is that he must have virtually perfected his practice before death. If one is perfectly enlightened, one goes through a totally different process. Let me briefly explain it. An enlightened person can control his death at will. He can choose the time of his death. He can leave his body as he wishes when he has accomplished his role in this lifetime. He does not have to go through the process of death which I described earlier, for his karma has been extinguished through his practice, which makes it easy for the soul to leave the body. The process is completed by a simple transference of his consciousness from the physical body to that of death. This is an application of “the Yoga of Transferring Consciousness (Pho-wa)”, which I will discuss later. Thus the soul of an enlightened person can fly directly into the bright world after death. From there it is able to enter Nirvana, or if he wishes, it is able to gain 38
rebirth in the human realm or into other realms. The soul is free after death. Jump into the Light! Then what happens to ordinary people who have not practiced during their lifetimes when they enter the world after death? At first, they will see a dazzlingly clear light shine onto them. The light is horrifyingly beautiful and so intense that it makes most souls too frightened to move. If they could jump into this light, they would be able to go into the dimension called “the Realm of Non-Form”, which is the next wonderful dimension below Nirvana. Only those souls who have purified their minds and have had perfectly-cultivated religious minds during this life time can enter this dimension. This world is made only of light and is highly spiritual. Life in this world is said to last for several hundred billions of years. In Buddhism, it is called “the Realm of Dharma”. I often visit this world and learn Buddhist theories from Sariputta, one of the best disciples of Buddha Sakyamuni. This light continues for half a day to one whole day. Then for the souls who have not been able to jump into this first light, another light will shine down. This light is the whitesilver light which is almost transparent. If a soul can jump into this light, it can be reincarnated in “the Realm of Form”, which is also called “the Realm of Reward” in Buddhism. It is made of exquisite substances, and the beings in this realm live on light; their clothes are also made of light. Of 39
course, for ordinary beings, this light is also too bright to enter. Only the beings who have earned great merit can enter this realm. By and by, the white-silver light will disappear and a beautiful red-purple light will shine onto the soul. Though this color is similar to that of the energy rising from the Muladhara Chakra which symbolizes one’s sexual power, it is different in nature and is very beautiful. The beings or souls who are able to enter this light are those who have great love and compassion for all sentient beings. This realm is inhabited by incarnation bodies, and is one of the higher sub-divisions of the realm of gods. It is called “the Corresponding Realm” in Buddhism. “The Tushita” (the fourth of the six heavens in the Realm of Desire) is in the center of this realm and is known as the place where Maitreya lives. Buddha Sakyamuni came down to the human realm from this heaven. His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the leader of Tibetan Buddhism, also descended from here. To tell you the truth, it is where I came from, too. Incidentally, if one is reincarnated in this heaven, one can become a heavenly dragon, or a heavenly maiden who gives encouragement to practitioners. When I was practicing in the Himalayas before attaining enlightenment, every time I was about to give up, Lady Parvati appeared to encourage me. She lived in the Corresponding Realm and came down to me on a redpurple beam. She was a gentle and kind goddess.
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One’s Previous Karma Determines One’s Rebirth Ordinary people would not be able to enter the Corresponding Realm, either. They have to wait for the next light to shine down. What appears before them gradually changes from lights to concrete visions, and each soul jumps into the realm for which he is most fit. The last realm appears on the 49th day after death. When jumping into this world, a being falls as if he were absorbed. In most cases, one sees a vision of sexual intercourse and jumps into it unconsciously, to find oneself nestled in a womb or an egg. Thus one gains rebirth in a new realm, at the latest, in 49 days after death. In connection to rebirth, there is one thing I’d like you to be aware of: even though one was a human being before death, it does not necessarily mean that one’s next incarnation will be in the human realm. The level of the realms gradually deteriorates from the first day on, and the human realm appears around the 43rd day, being one of the lower realms in the Realm of Desire. Around the 45th day, the animal realm appears, and on the last day, the 49th day, Hell appears. We often say that a soul “goes to Hell” but in reality, a soul does not go directly to Hell, it is reincarnated in Hell. I have experienced reincarnation in all realms through Bardo Yoga. Since there are numerous experiences, I cannot explain them all at this time. Instead I will mention only those which have not been revealed in other literature. I will leave out what you can find in other books. For those of you who are interested, I recommend that you read the 42
Tibetan Book of the Dead. I cannot think of anything else, for most books on the subject are full of false information about life after death. Frankly speaking, there are too many religious organizations which preach: “You only need faith to be happy after death.” It is, in fact, not that easy. But it is nothing more than your own negative karma that leads you to believe in such teachings. What Bardo Yoga Makes Us Realize The Bardo Yoga brings us the following Jesuits: 1. We can confirm the existence of the world after death. 2. We learn the secret of rebirth. 3. We understand the need for spiritual practice and accumulating merit. 4. We learn that everything, except accumulating merit and spiritual practice, is meaningless. Realizing these things, we come to feel everything in this world is illusory. As a result, we detach ourselves from clinging or attachments, which is an important preparation for enlightenment. The Dream Yoga - You Are the Creator of the World After Bardo Yoga, I entered the stage called Dream Yoga. The first thing you do with this Yoga is to concentrate your 43
mind on the Anahata Chakra and to keep visualizing. As you continue this, you become able to create another world and play in it. Everyone is a hero in this world of creation. You can see, hear, smell, taste and touch as you ordinarily do in this world in which you live now; you can even think. Don’t you think that it is wonderful to be able to do whatever you wish to do by creating a world of your own? This experience is definitely different from an ordinary dream. It is also different from what we call “indirect experience” such as TV programs or books. The experience you have in this world of image is as real as the one you have in this world. As in the real world, you can have real experiences in the world you create with your images. If this is so, the world we believe as “real” may also be created by our imagination. The practitioner who has reached the stage at which he or she is able to go into the imaginary world eventually realizes this unmistakable fact. It might be difficult for people who have not experienced it, but one is able to let oneself exist in the imaginary world and in the Astral world, just as one does in this world. One can go freely in and out of all these worlds. Furthermore, when one’s practice is advanced, one can control everything at will in these worlds of images while staying in this world. In other words, there is no gap between this world and other worlds. This world is an illusion just as the other worlds are illusions - this is what one realizes through the practice of Dream Yoga. Then is there any world which is not illusory? Yes, there is only one - Nirvana. 44
The Yoga of Illusory Body Transcending Time and Space When I had completed Dream Yoga, I began to practice a Mudra called Viparitakarani to develop my Visuddha Chakra. I practiced it for three hours a day for five months. When about four months had passed, some changes began to appear. One is supposed to do a posture called Savasana for a certain length of time after this Mudra, and while meditating in this posture, I began to hear a sound like the hum of bees after a couple of hours. Soon my surroundings changed completely and I found myself moving beyond time and space to another place. Sometimes I went to the house where I grew up; I moved from downstairs to upstairs inside my house; I also flew to Lord Shiva’s palace. This phenomenon is called teleportation. It was not an illusion or a product of my imagination. Soon there appeared somebody who actually saw me while I was teleported. One day, Ms. R said she saw me at a bus stop. She called out to say hello, but I did not answer her. I did not seem to notice her at all even though she was right in front of me. I started to walk and she tried to follow me, but I walked so fast that she soon lost sight of me. When this happened, I had fallen unconscious by overdoing Viparitakarani. I was, so to speak, in a deep meditative state (a kind of Samadhi). It seems that I had unconsciously teleported myself during the meditation. In those days, everyone would say as soon as they 45
saw me, “Your face looks different today,” or “You are awfully tall today.” My physical appearance would change momentarily. Through these experiences I began to think that time, space and even I were nothing but illusions. I named this practice “the Yoga of Illusory Body”. The Light Yoga Before long, one reaches the level called “Light Yoga”, which is the last Yoga in the stage of Samadhi. Through this Yoga, one realizes the meaning of the lights which compose this world and the worlds in other dimensions. This concept is rather difficult to grasp, so examples should be helpful. Let me explain it step by step as it had happened to me. I was practicing in the Himalayas when all of these things happened. The Akashik Records I concentrated my mind on the Ajna Chakra at my forehead and saw “the Divine Element of the Universe”. The Divine Element of the Universe is a transmission from the heart of the universe which is also called “the Akashik Records”. It was a gigantic ball of light, into which I had melted. To be exact, it felt as if I had melted, for I discovered after my practice had advanced further that I was connected to the ball of light with two 46
streams of red-purple light; one emanated from the Brahmarandhra (the crown of the head), and the other emanated from the heart. The ball was so huge that it was difficult to gauge its shape at one look. The following description is the result of my having melted into the ball many times after that. Its center is transparent; the colors change, mixing from blue to violet or to purple, as they go further away from the center, until they become red on the periphery. There are countless minute dots in motion in the clear part in the center; the nearer to the center the dots are, the whiter they are; the further they are, the blacker they are. Each of these dots is a piece of information. The white dots in the center are information on a universal level, while the dots further away from the center carry more individualized information. I draw my information from the Akashik Records whenever someone asks me to make a prediction. The Disintegration of the Ajna Chakra After a few days had passed from the time, I first experienced the lights of the Divine Element of the Universe, my practice advanced a step further. I was able to constantly stay in the light without concentrating on my Ajna Chakra. The disintegration of the Ajna Chakra was a necessary step for that. When it happened, I was taking the Savasana posture. When I woke up, I found that I had twisted my body from 47
the cold. I remembered what a Yogi had told me some time ago and said to myself, “This is the condition in which one’s head is hot and one’s feet are cold.” As I straightened my body, the Kundalini ascended with great force and stopped at the Ajna Chakra. After I concentrated on the Ajna Chakra, I found that I was playing a drama in my Astral body for a while. When it was over, four midgets began to make a fuss around me. My consciousness in my Astral body thought, “Don’t be so noisy. I cannot concentrate.” “I am here,” thought another consciousness which usually arose during my meditation without leaving my physical body. In other words, I had two consciousnesses simultaneously at that moment. Incidentally, human beings have four consciousnesses. In addition to the two consciousnesses which I was using, there is a consciousness which we use in our daily activities and another consciousness which we use while we are in a deep sleep. Then the next moment, my Ajna Chakra was put under a tremendous pressure. It was so strong that I was afraid that it might hurt my eyes and even damage my brain. But at the same time another thought arose: “I have been waiting for my forehead to be bored for hundreds of years. I am going to bear it.” I kept on concentrating. Then my Ajna Chakra exploded with a big bang. My Yoga of Light completed at this moment.
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Everything Is Made of Light Now, I was always in light. My Ajna Chakra shone brightly like a fire. On one occasion I saw the Space element during my meditation. It was made of blue light and was round in shape with a slit in one place. Rotating counterclockwise, it wound its way toward my Ajna Chakra. When it was closer, I saw that it had been tugging something along on its right. It was then absorbed into my Ajna Chakra. At that moment I knew that what the Space element was tugging along was the inner vision in my heart. This inner vision in the heart is the source of life called the Causal Body which is situated in the heart. The Causal Body consists of six orbs of light. They are: the True Self, Chitta (Mind-Stuff), Ego, Subtle Vital Energy, Subtle Nature, and Brahman the Absolute. The True Self is transparent diamond-like light which looks as if it is reflected on the surface of the lake. Chitta is light blue; Ego, bluish-green; Subtle Vital Energy, rose-pink; Subtle Nature, orange; and the orb of Brahman is white. Here the description of the Causal Body is limited only to its colors because I want to mention it only briefly. I will explain it in detail some other time. One day I noticed that one’s feelings could also be expressed by lights. Through my clairvoyant power, I saw “the Orb of Will” and “the Orb of Image” in the Brahmarandhra (situated at the crown of the head) change their colors in accordance with one’s feelings. For example, when one is sexually aroused, the orb becomes dark-red in color and makes a wavy motion. 50
Ultimately you realize that light is the highest of all the elements composing the universe. (The entire universe is composed of light, vibration of sound, and gross substance.) I shall end my explanation of the Five Yogas, which should be practiced in the stage of Samadhi. All of these Yogas are important steps toward the goal of enlightenment. What one uses at one’s last moment is the Yoga of Transferring Consciousness, which I will deal with in the section on Enlightenment. (My apologies: there is not enough space to explain all about the four Yogas - the Bardo Yoga, the Dream Yoga, the Yoga of Illusory Body and the Yoga of Light - in this book. Their profound meaning cannot be covered in a few pages.)
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CHAPTER 4 Toward Enlightenment Omniscience - Knowing the Truth After you have mastered Samadhi, you enter the stage called Omniscience. Before going on to describe it, let me tell you about the realization I reached through Samadhi. It can be summarized as follows: 1. Everything is in flux. Everything in the whole universe and in all dimensions undergoes change and never keeps its original form. 2. No concept or idea belongs to one’s True Self: No fixed or common ideas in this society belong to one’s True Self. 3. Existence itself is the source of negative deeds: For all beings, including human beings, their very existence itself induces the cause for negative deeds. For instance, we kill or lie so that we may live. Hence, I have reached the conclusion: “Everything is suffering.” This is Omniscience. One obtains Omniscience by knowing everything through Samadhi. You will also come to this inevitable conclusion when you have achieved this stage.
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Retreat and Detachment Now, when you have come to this stage called “Retreat”, you should leave your daily social activities, even if it is only for a short time. You will also have to separate yourself from your disciples and friends. It is because by this time, you see and feel the world differently from other people, and find it very difficult to get along with them. If such a case happens repeatedly, you may develop a mental disorder and come to avoid people. This period is also important to establish for yourself because, having gone through the aforementioned process, you have become a completely different person. You have to establish this new self by detaching yourself from worldly influences. I spent this stage practicing in the solitude of the Himalayas and other similar places. This has been the only time since then that I could devote myself completely to the practice without being disturbed by anyone. The absence of the telephone was such a blessing! In order to establish your new self, you proceed to the stage of “Detachment”. In this stage, you practice some particular meditations, in which you offer everything to your guru - your body, your mind, material objects - everything. Enlightenment Is the Passport to Nirvana When your mind ceases to manifest after this practice of Detachment, and your True Self is unaffected by any stimuli, you will come to the state called “the Independent 53
Existence of True Self. This is the state in which you are free from all existent sufferings. Now you can leave your body and enter Nirvana whenever you wish. However, once you have entered Nirvana, you will never be able to come back to this world, so you have to choose the time very carefully. After you have entered Nirvana, both your body and your consciousness become immortal. In other words, the four major human sufferings - birth, old age, sickness and death-no longer exist. Furthermore, your True Self is eternally immersed in ultimate joy. There is true happiness. I have attained enlightenment, but my intention is not to enter Nirvana. After this lifetime is over, I will be reincarnated into the human realm again. I will be born and born again, for it is my mission to send all sentient beings to Nirvana. This is why I did not go into Nirvana despite the fact that I had attained enlightenment in my past lives. If I should leave my physical body now, I would automatically enter Nirvana. This is when “the Yoga of Transferring Consciousness” becomes necessary. This Yoga is, in short, the training to reincarnate oneself at will. It is not only I who has to practice this Yoga. It is necessary for every Mahayana Buddha to master this Yoga, because Mahayana Buddhas have been saving other beings by reincarnating themselves again and again.
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The Yoga of Transferring Consciousness – Pho-wa The final practice is Pho-wa - the Yoga of Transferring Consciousness, by which we go into the state of Samadhi and experience every possible reincarnation by transferring consciousness. This practice makes it possible for you to reincarnate into any realm you wish at the moment of death. The reason why I have a thorough knowledge of the world after death is because I have practiced this Yoga.
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Experience of a practicioner (an Attainer of Light) December 20 - I went into the intensive training to attain Kundalini Yoga. What a program! Hinayana Chundali, Guru Yoga, Apankriya...the program centers around esoteric meditations and Pranayamas. The Master has prepared the shortest way to the attainment for us. “I will do my best. I will do my best at the practice the Guru has given us.” I had promised to the Guru. I will do my best by all means. I will make the attainment no matter what happens! My practice advanced quickly as I had expected. No, more quickly than I had expected thanks to the esoteric meditations conferred directly from the Master and his empowerment. The Nectar of Immortality fell during the meditation and I experienced levitation. I did not mean to float but my body floated in the air by itself. “If it gets higher and higher I will be able to conduct the perfect levitation...,” I thought. I had especially rich experiences of light. Clear sparkles of light twinkled before my eyes during meditation. Large rainbow-colored beads of light slowly descended from above and enveloped me. At another time, after I saw a white spiral of light ascend, it enveloped me from below and I was in a whirlpool of white light. One of the most impressive experiences was that of a future vision. It was during the Meditation of Completion. The Master came in the room after we had received the initiations of bread and a rice cake. “What is this? This is the space of appetite!” he shouted at all of us and red the amount of the initiations by half. The following day, much 56
to my surprise, the same thing happened. I saw a future incident in the Astral World during the meditation The last experience was the unforgettable Samadhi. It was January 13. My practice had progressed steadily and just as I was about to start Mahayana Chundali, the Master told me to go into the underground Samadhi, which was the last practice for attaining Kundalini Yoga. Having received a powerful empowerment from the Master, I went into a three-cubic-meter chamber buried underground. January 14 - I went into a meditation in the Astral World and experienced an intense state of joy which I had never experienced before. I was supposed to be chanting a mantra and I knew that I had to quit because it was a waste of time, but I did not want to quit as it felt so good. When four hours had passed regretfully I forced myself to come back to the physical body. January 16 - Pain has surfaced suddenly. I feel pain throughout my body. It is not just the pain from sitting in the Full Lotus posture. My entire body aches. I cannot continue my meditation. Suddenly there was a phone call from the Master - unbelievable timing. “Your body aches because the wind is rising. You have pain because your Nadi’s are narrow. Concentrate on the chant.” I pulled myself together with the Master’s advice. It is really true that Guru knows the conditions of his disciples no matter how far away they are. I had another chance to experience Master’s divine powers. When I tried to concentrate on the chant, I felt the strong presence of death. I concentrated intently on the 57
feeling. The fear of death disappeared suddenly. I feel that I am not afraid anymore. January 17 - All my desires have subsided. No thoughts arise. All is calm - a state I have never experienced. Soon after this, all worldly desires were torn off and fell. White chunks of worldly desires were torn off and fell just like rice cakes. (Somehow the desires were recognized as chunks.) My pride, appetite, sexual desire - everything fell in chunks. It was very bright around me, lit by the light from within. I was sitting in that bright space. A strong sense of gratitude to Guru, Great Lord Shiva and all the True Victors (Tathagatas) welled up. Shortly after this I recognized that my breathing had come to a complete halt. I was in Samadhi.... After the four-day underground Samadhi, I became an attainer of Kundalini Yoga. The oxygen consumption in the chamber measured by an accurate instrument showed a far smaller figure compared to that of an ordinary person. Buddhism teaches that one’s breathing corresponds to one’s worldly desires. The less one’s worldly desires are, the less one breathes. My practice had reduced my worldly desires and when I entered Samadhi, the ultimate state of meditation, my breathing stopped. Additionally, I did not eat or drink during these four days, but this was not painful at all. I was also fully awake and did not sleep at all. Of course, these things have their own values, but the 58
most wonderful thing is the state of mental quiescence. The state in which there is no suffering from afflictive worldly desires - it is difficult to describe it. I suppose only those who have attained it can understand it. I was an ordinary businessman before entering the path of practice. I did not have any particular talents. But thanks to the Master’s wisdom, love and perfect supernatural powers, I could reach this stage on the path. I still have a long way to go. If it is possible, I sincerely hope to follow the great Guru in my future life as well.
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