Homage to the Lineage Holders of Mahamudra(上) 頂禮禪定大手印歷代祖師

(Grand Master Lu’s Book 51 -“Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra”)
True Buddha Translation Teams (TBTTs)
　　Can you guess how long I have been practicing the Vajrayana Buddhism for in secret? To be honest, if the readers are paying attention, the hint about my experiences in Tantric cultivation can be found on line 1 of page 3 in my first [Chinese] spiritual book, Encounters with the World of Spirits. This [Chinese] book has been published for more than ten years. Thus, I have been practicing Vajrayana Buddhism for at least ten years.
　　Readers who come across this book, Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra, have great affinity because it contains the most supreme Tantric Dharma in the world. It was secretly guarded and was not supposed to be taught openly. Now that you are able to read it, you are definitely blessed with immense affinity. Therefore, you must first pay homage and express gratitude to all lineage holders of the supreme meditative Mahamudra. Let us prostrate to the lineage holders in the heavenly realms!
　　In ancient India, during the Song Dynasty (988 – 1069 CE), the primordial buddha, Vajradhara, transmitted Mahamudra to Tilopa. Tilopa then passed the lineage to Naropa. From Naropa, the line was handed to Marpa, then to Milarepa, Gampopa, Karmapa and so forth. The pith teachings of the meditative Mahamudra were transmitted by these lineage holders
　　In modern times, His Holiness the Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa (1924 – 1981 CE) transmitted the Mahamudra teaching to the Holy Red Crown Vajra Guru, Master Sheng-yen Lu. Now that Vajrayana has reached from the East to the West, the secret pith teachings have finally taken root in the West. As a result, students of Master Lian-sheng, Sheng-yen Lu can now receive the true lineage of Vajrayana in the West and gain the wonderful wisdom for attaining buddhahood. Hence, westerners are given the opportunity to reach the realm of liberation and be freed from samsara.
　　One time during deep meditation, I found myself wearing the five-buddha crown and I ascended on a jeweled-lotus throne towards the Tushita Heaven. I was accompanied by many holy sages, and upon arriving I met Maitreya Bodhisattva as well as the other lineage holders. They each pressed their palms on my forehead and urged me to take on the heavy responsibility of delivering sentient beings in the human world.
　　They instructed me to announce the following message: when we prostrate to the Mahamudra lineage holders, we should repent with all sincerity. It is an inconceivable meritorious act that the bodhisattvas have turned the dharma wheel to expound the proper teachings of the Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra. The rare dharma affinity that represents the buddhas’ great compassion has ripened. Therefore, the major Vajrayana teachings are now revealed to all sentient beings of the ten directions. One who believes in the teachings, takes refuge and cultivates this practice will have the opportunity to attain buddhahood.
　　The lineage holders gathered at the residence of Maitreya Bodhisattva and requested me to write a book about the vital points of Mahamudra. Meditative Mahamudra are the highest Vajrayana teachings, which are able to purify the bodies, speech and minds of sentient beings. By practicing Mahamudra, they will be able to link with the highest cosmic consciousness and unite with the ultimate nature. Thus, many sentient beings will be delivered. I shall be the first to give the comprehensive teachings of Mahamudra.
　　[During deep meditation], the light of the Mirror-like Wisdom was beaming from me, and the lineage holders were seated above my head in multiple layers. At the highest position, there was Vajradhara, followed by Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa, Gampopa and Karmapa. Karmapa was immediately above me and I, Vajra Master Lian-sheng, was the present lineage holder. I have realized all Buddha-dharma and have attained buddhahood in this very body.
　　Tibetan Buddhism entered Tibet around 747 CE and honors Guru Padmasambhava as the founding teacher. During that time, when Vajrayana Buddhism entered Tibet and when Subhakarasimha, Vajrabodhi, and Amoghavajra brought Vajrayana Buddhism into China, many difficulties were encountered especially regarding language barriers that hindered communication. Thubten Dargye, my guru from the Gelug order, once told me that the essential instructions of Tibetan Buddhism were not easily available because there were too many hindrances.
　　Moreover, in the past, the essential instructions of Vajrayana Buddhism were passed orally from masters to students. These key points are the quintessence of Mahamudra, allowing one to attain buddhahood in this very body. Therefore, they were only transmitted within the lineage to individuals with supreme faculties. That is why the transmission of Vajrayana Buddhism was rare and not widespread. I hope that those who come across this book and wish to practice the teachings will take refuge in a guru, seek his blessings, and receive the true key points from him. Only then is it possible to assure that the practice is done accurately and guarantees that one achieves spiritual union.
　　In the past if one wanted to practice Vajrayana Buddhism, one had to first study the exoteric scriptures for a number of years. Then one had to pass the examinations of a Geshe to prove one’s proficiency in Sutrayana, before being admitted into the Tantric monasteries. Only after that could one learn Tantric Dharma from the guru. The Vajrayana teachings are the ultimate dharma gate of Mahayana. They represent the highest order of teachings, which were hidden from the public and transmitted in secrecy between the teachers and students. This form of transmission constitutes the fundamental principle of Vajrayana Buddhism.
(to be continued)