Book 51 Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra《無上密與大手印》「靈熱與明點內火」
‧Written by Sheng-yen Lu‧
(continued from pg A7 , TBN issue # 1201)
When one gains mastery over the yoga of psychic heat, even the most subtle spots such as the cold tips of the fingers and toes can be penetrated by the heat of the winds. The whole body experiences a hot sensation. This is the reason why I could keep myself warm during the freezing cold winter.
When the psychic heat reaches the crown chakra, the white bodhicitta (white drops) at the crown chakra melts and drips downwards via the path of the tongue that is pressing against the upper palate. This fluid is known in Taoism as the heavenly court water, and is called nectar in Buddhism. The fluid has the characteristic of being cool and when it is mixed with the psychic heat, it produces a nurtur- ing effect. This is known as the “mixing of water and fire.”
On the practice of psychic heat and the practice of inner fire and drops, I would like to elucidate the main points one more time:
1. The first experience that marks progress on the path to at- tainment of buddhahood through Mahamudra is psychic heat. When the psychic heat is ignited, it signals success in the most elementary achievement. Without it, it is all empty talk. Some practitioners have gone astray with their practices. As a result, they have lost their glow and their limbs have become cold. These symptoms are an indication of a practice gone wrong.
2. The initial practice of the Mahamudra of psychic heat requires one to meditate six times daily, and only after the ignition of psychic heat can one reduce the practice to three or four times a day. Each session requires at least seventy breathing cycles. One round of inhaling and ex- haling constitutes one breathing cycle.
3. The syllable AH is Sanskrit, and the half AH that is as thin as a hair breath resembles the Chinese character Na with the right portion removed. During visualization, pay spe- cial attention to the blazing red syllable becoming more red and thicker, and as the flame grows, it gets hotter as the practice progresses.
4. Inhale through the complete breathing method. Keep the breath slow and drawn out, so that it reaches the meeting point at the dantian. With the winds fanning the fire, the fire blazes upwards fiercely, moving through one chakra every ten breathing cycles. In total, seventy breaths are needed every meditation session for the seven chakras. Some practice one hundred and eight breathing cycles, penetrating all the meridians in the body.
5. When the psychic heat blazes up to the crown chakra, the white bodhicitta (nectar) melts and drips downwards. This is a method of mixing water and fire. This is a great secret within heaven and earth, and a major celestial se- cret indeed. The truth of attainment in Buddhism is found within this practice, and it also contains the truth of the formation of relics (sariras).
6. One must exhale through complete breathing as well. Keep the breath slow and drawn out and visualize blue smoke leaving one’s body, which is similar to how smoke from a stove leaves the chimney.
(to be continued)
