(Book 51 Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra《無上密與大手印》)
‧Written by Sheng-yen Lu‧
(continued from pg6, TBN issue # 1071)
In India, the act of pressing the tongue against the upper palate is called khechari. Aside from touching the tongue to the upper roof of the palate, the tongue must also be rolled far backwards towards the throat (slipping behind the nasopharynx) and press against either nasal opening. In this way, one achieves the balance between body and mind, and the disruptive flow of breath is calmed. Through this method, one’s lifespan can be extended and one’s essence is kept in place without depletion. By pressing the tongue against the upper palate, the tongue must also curl like a hook, which is then placed against the inner nostril. The Taoist views the tongue as a bridge between one’s shen or spirit that resides in the head, and one’s body and heart.
The next aspect of Vairocana meditation is the act of gazing at an object. Even though most Mahamudra practitioners sit cross-legged in the lotus posture, form the mudra beneath the navel (resting on the lap), lift their chests, and press the tongue against the upper palate, their minds may still wander and generate discursive thoughts. Thus, when we want to pacify our mind, we must first focus on one point. One begins training by taking an object, placing it within five and a half feet of one’s gaze, and concentrating on it without letting the gaze waver. In time, one should be able to gaze longer and once the focus becomes fixed, the mind will stabilize. Without focus, the mind will wander. When the mind drifts away, the gaze will lose focus and the person will become stupefied. Therefore, one must train the mind to focus on one point first. That is the key to pacifying the mind.
There are five families in Esoteric Buddhism, and the first is the tathagata family, also known as the buddha family. The principal buddha of the buddha family is Vairocana Buddha. The mother of the tathagata family is Buddha-Eye Bodhisattva (Locana). Vairocana is flanked by Golden-Wheel Vajra, wrathful Acala and Acala’s consort Aparajita-Vidyarajni. The heart of the tathagata family conceals the secret mantra, and the mandala is surrounded by many attendants. These constitute the divisions of the buddha family. When we begin the practice of Mahamudra, we must first learn the meditation posture of Vairocana, so that we may gain access into the buddha family and attain buddhahood in this very body.
Meditating in the full-lotus position allows the winds [qi] to flow and circulate in the lower body. Therefore, it is not just an aesthetic pose. This position facilitates the smooth circulation of the downward-moving wind.
Place the hands evenly [on your lap], with the tips of the middle fingers touching each other, and keep the thumbs close to the lower portion of the index fingers. This helps the body and mind to stay completely composed, and also improves the balance of the body temperature, the circulation of winds, and the blood circulation.
(to be continued)
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