Oral transmission of how to use the mind in the meditation on the letter 狣

Translated by Chris Bogert

No. 2432

Oral transmission of how to use the mind in the meditation on the letter 狣

First for those who desire to visualize the letter, Sit in a place situated with the ceiling aligned to the

four directions, a strong place but not oppressive, that is not too dark, and not too bright. In darkness

deluded thoughts arise, in brightness the mind becomes distracted. At night the lamp may have to

contend with the wind, after that the fire for your padded cushion seat may go out. Sit in the lotus

position, although some sit in the half lotus position. Bind the dharma-realm meditation mudra1, with

the eyes not open, but not closed. If they are open your eyes will move around, if they are closed you

will sink into sleep. Only slightly being able to see and not blinking, and both eyes should watch the tip

of your nose. Your tongue should be touching the roof of your mouth, your breathing should be quiet

and your lower back not pushed out or held in. Sit up straight to help your circulation. Bad blood

circulation can lead to sicknesses arising, also the mind becomes confused. Like this use the mind, first

bind the Vajra hand clasp2 and recite the five great vows.3 After that recite the Womb Five Word

mantra4 one hundred times. Then visualize first the syllable visualization which will be explained in

detail.

Next I will explain the principal way to think which will in turn explain the syllable. Within your chest

there is a moon disk, like a pure autumn moon. Within that there is a letter 狣5. The 狣 is the moon

disk's seed syllable. The moon disk and 狣 are bright, the moon disk encompasses the letter 狣

entirely, and visualize that within your chest. Your body becomes the letter 狣, the letter 狣 becomes

one's own mind and like that your mind (and the 狣) become as one. Then the bringing of perceptual

referents into thought is ended, cut off. The moon disk is your original purity, therefore it is able to free

one from the desire of craving impurities. The moon disk is pure and serene therefore the fever of

hatred and anger leaves. The moon disk is radiant therefore it illuminates the foolish darkness of

delusion. Like this the three poisons are spontaneously purified and dispersed. Filled is this way, no

suffering enters into the practitioner's visualization. Obtaining peace of mind, separate from the

suffering of the mundane world, is what's called liberation. How much more penetration of

contemplation for freedom from birth and death? This causes the attainment of buddhahood within this

very body. Begin the visualization with the moon disk about 18 inches across.

After that gradually stretch out the moon disk in every direction as big as a great chiliocosm6 right up to

the palace of the Dharma realm.

Next the principle is explained. The 狣 syllable exists, is emptiness and is unproduced; a threefold

meaning. Emptiness is all phenomena arranged of many things yet lacking self-nature. That is all

things are completely empty, and in this way supporting causes and conditions, the truth of

provisionality, manifests all phenomena as separately existing. Compare this to the wish fulfilling

jewel, the deep seven treasures, the ten thousand jewels and the jewel that overcomes according

conditions. Refute these jewels and see within that not even one thing exists. Although accordingly

1 This mudra is created by placing the hands right on left in your lap and joining the thumbs creating a triangular shape.

2 This mudra is created by placing the hands at your chest palms together with all of your fingers intertwined at the first

joints. Right thumb covering left and so on.

3The Five Great Vows: Living beings are innumerable; I vow to save them all. Merit and knowledge are innumerable; I

vow to accumulate them all. The teachings of the Dharma are innumerable; I vow to master them all. The Tathagatas are

innumerable; I vow to serve them all. Enlightenment is unsurpassed; I vow to attain it.

4Womb Five Word mantra: Om a-vi-ra-hum-kham. (100 times) (Om, non-arising, untainted, delightful, truthful, and

cosmological one)

5 This is the letter “A” in the Siddham alphabet. This Sanskrit script is only used in Buddhist context in China and Japan.

6 Derived from the Greek chilioi thousand and kosmos world. Thousand worlds.

produced by causal conditions the jewel doesn't not exist, by means of this know that emptiness and

existence are of the single body7 and that is said to eternally abide. Eternally abiding then neither

arising nor ceasing and that is called the 狣 syllable great emptiness essence highest principal. In this

way within our chest we visualize the syllable spontaneously endowed with the threefold meaning.

Those endowed with the threefold meaning become Mahavairocana's dharmakaya8 and the practitioner

enters this practice of observing the mind. Even if with the mind of a beginner, the cyclic existence of

birth and death are permanently severed. Walking, standing, sitting, lying down, at all times meditate

on the 狣 syllable and you will easily progress and change. With repeated practice and you will with

alacrity suddenly awaken, and if when you become proficient at sitting, you must not sit in the half

lotus position with the dharma-realm meditation mudra. Walk, stand, sit, lay down, in all these things

contemplate the 狣 syllable. As our voice arises, open the mouth, at first from within our chest follow

the 狣 as it arises and should continue up the throat, to the roof of the mouth to the tongue to the teeth

and then the lips, then emerging and going to the five places9 The five groups of the Vajradhatu10, the

voice of all the Buddhas explaining the dharma.

The throat, tongue and lips when speaking are the three groups of the Garbhadhātu. With this wisdom,

follows a negation of insult, treachery, false speech, and smooth fancy talk used to conceal the truth.

All the sutras, the five places and the three within emerge with the sound. Then say the Mahavairocana

tathagata ocean-seal samadhi king mantra.11 If this principle is not known, all that create evil karma fall

into negative rebirth and feel vast amounts of suffering. To know and take part, and not know, there is a

distinction and the Lotus Samadhi sutra says: Within the chest are the mandalas of both realms sitting

virtuously each divulging supernatural transformation, that within the four directions is a Tathagata of

Immeasurable life. To keep the exposition of the teachings, and to discuss the meaning of them is

meritorious. Always expounding the teachings of the dharma, the sound that emerges from one's own

mouth becomes the voice efficiently liberating, and in this way the worldling not knowing their self,

speech or thoughts, incurs to grasp at their own things, clinging to discrimination (are liberated). As

numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges are the myriad attributes of the uncountable dharani.

Each letter is a meritorious dharma gate as the energy of voice. Simply for a follower to accomplish

the karma of disadvantageous rebirths causal situation incurs sincere lamentation. Thus by itself, in

this way the principle dharani is the extent of the sphere of the Buddha's doctrine, the originally

unproduced non-arising highest principle and like the ocean containing a hundred rivers, all wholesome

roots collect in this single letter, therefore, says the Ocean seal Samadhi mantra and, with the support of

this one letter meditation you can cross over to the shore of liberation. At the same time superior to the

width of merit gained by reciting the sutras of the eighty-thousand Buddhist teachings, grasp this secret

spiritual meditation using the mouth to speak. This mantra meditation gate, even if many roads, to

obtain what's important does not go beyond the width of grasping the two meditations. First grasp the

meditation. The Dainichi sutra12 part one reads, Vajrasattva says,”What is enlightenment?

Mahavairocana replies in the text replies saying, “To accurately know one's own mind.” Vajrasattva

asks Mahavairocana, the knowing of one's mind and he provides the answer. Also commentary seven

says, If one sees the ultimate truth of non-production, then that is the true knowledge of one's own

mind. The true knowledge of one's own mind then that is omniscience. Therefore the scripture's

explanation of the knowledge of one's own mind is seeing the root of non-arising and the ultimate truth

of non-production creates omniscience, one's omniscience is then Mahavairocana and therefore the

7 The single body: Though externally differing, in nature the same; the fundamental unity of the universe.

8 The Dharmakaya or reality body is the unmanifested aspect of Buddhas, which all phenomena arise and return in

dissolution. In other words, “The ultimate nature or essence of the enlightened mind.” Represented by Mahavairocana.

9 Five places: The forehead, both shoulders, the heart and throat.

10 I believe this to mean the five buddhas which represent the five wisdoms.

11 This seems to be referring to the letter “A” as the Ocean Seal Samadhi mantra.

12 A charya tantra. The title in Sanskrit is Mahavairocanabhisambodhi tantra (sutra).

mantra teachings are then becoming a buddha is this very body. Seeing the original non-arising and the

ultimate truth of non-production, all dharmas follow this root, since neither arising nor ceasing,

originally existent, eternally abiding and afflictions root are non-arising afflictions. Enlightenment is

originally non-arising enlightenment and this knowledge is called omniscience. In this way we arise,

cease, go and come, but should eye simple knowledge. Non-arising, non-ceasing, no knowledge and

like this all dharmas are originally non-arising, non-ceasing objects. This is expressed clearly in the

teaching's abundant discourses on (emptiness) therefore this non-arising, non-ceasing is called the non-

esoteric teachings, uncommon discourse. In this way now the secret teachings are structured.

Worldlings are not aware via, seeing hearing, cognition and knowing, the non-arising, non-ceasing

body. To correctly clearly express the seed syllable's samaya form causes one see the knowledge of

emptiness, and the practice of it also. This is the manifest teaching of the unknown. To say the root is

non-arising body, the seed-syllable samaya form is the eight petaled lotus. This eight petaled lotus is

explained in the Dainichi-sutra as the 岝凹13 mind and the 岝凹 mind is then sentient beings eight

limbs of the physical body. The same commentary section five says,Iin the mind is the marvelous

white lotus, that therein is sentient beings original mind of the wonderful dharma pundarika14 secret

banner. The lotus dais complete with eight petals equally etc.. like the form of a truly spreading flower.

This is the lotus pedestal that is the true form of things as they are, spontaneous wisdom. The lotus

petals are the skillful means of great compassion and truly by this womb creates the body of the

mandala of the great compassionate womb-store's remaining three layers. Hear that from this self-

authenticating flow of merit emerges many good and virtuous friends that enter into the dharma-realm

gate. There are very few of these mandalas. Adjust the sixteen fingers, great and infinite and now

within this text is the mind of the marvelous white lotus. This therein is sentient beings original mind,

the wonderful dharma pundarika's 岝凹 mind. Observe this mind lotus and contemplate this form. In

the mind visualize that there is an eight petaled lotus, the shape of the lotus like that of the mundane

lotus form. Observe only this arranged lotus and the eight petaled lotus, this is the 岝凹 mind and 帆

凹15 mind abides in this lotus. These two minds at that time are unseparated, therefore above the lotus

observe a moon disk. The moon disk is the 帆凹 mind and 岝凹 mind shape is truly like the moon

disk shape. The moon disk shape is perfectly shaped, like a crystal pearl etc.. again the lotus seed

syllable is the 狣 syllable and therefore within the moon disk observe the 狣 syllable. The shape of

the 狣 syllable is as if the shape is permanently written, it can be turned in the four directions and

permanently written arranged in one direction, not above or below this shape. All the Siddham letter's

shape in the four directions (is the same). By means of the 狣 syllable it infers the meaning of the

moon disk. Now this 狣 syllable and lotus flower is within the moon disk, if the lotus flower is

arranged for visualization, or if the lotus flower and moon disk is visualized, or if the lotus 狣 syllable

is contemplated, it may abide in the practitioners thoughts and the moon disk is about one hasta16 across

and cannot be less than this measurement. Then attach to this grasping the visualization of the two

forms. First an eight petaled lotus one hasta across. Like this one for the other the same characteristics

apply. Separately visualize each, after that in front about one hasta visualize a lotus17. Summon it to

enter into your body, this is like the permanent entering the self. This is the self entering visualization.

First in front of you visualize a lotus one hasta across, visualize and contemplate without turning back.

13 Pronounced “hrta”

14 Pundarika: Sanskrit for white lotus flower

15 Pronounced “sita”

16 One Hasta: Eighteen inches

17 To clarify I believe he means to say that about 18 inches in front of you visualize the lotus etc.. to be about 18inces in

size. First separately visualize the components, then again visualize the lotus at that distance of the same size and bring

it into your body.

The sutra says to strive to practice for a year or month visualizing the lotus flower etc.. Close your eyes

to where you can only see a little, visualize (the lotus etc..) in front of your body and bring it into

yourself.

Question: This 狣 syllable and lotus flower are the substance of the ultimate truth of non-production

clearly expressed and when creating this visualization, how do we meditate on this seed syllable's

samaya form?

Reply: When contemplating phenomena do not consider to distinguish the reason, only the shape and

form. According to the dharma separately visualize the arrangement and again I say, this 狣 syllable is

mundane and written many places, therefore think of human beings impermanent nature, the great

perverse place and this 狣 syllable is the substance of pure enlightenment, essentially the attainment of

buddhahood within this very body, and grasping that sense of the 狣 syllable, finish the above

meditation.

Next the width of the meditation, an Explication: If the practitioner sees all that follows as dependent

arising, all is the dharma-body of Vairocana. At that time Buddha-lands are created in the ten

directions. This is called the ultimate pure enlightenment. Now this explanation of thought, I reply

that all dharmas are dependent arising. All are the illuminated dharma body of Vairocana. That

therefore all dharmas do not emerge in form or mind, as two dharmas. Form and mind are two

dharmas, they are the six great elements and the six great elements then are Vairocana's dharma body

and at that time Buddha-lands are created in the ten directions. Since in spite of the fact that all

dharmas are dependently arising they are the dharma body of Vairocana, therefore, in the ten directions

pure lands and the six defiled destinies lack distinction. They are the same, all are the one palace of the

dharma realm and while abiding in mental quiescence holding the visualization, then distractions may

abide in the width of the meditation. The two meditation gates are very secret and walking, standing,

sitting, lying down without laziness, make an effort to practice. You will quickly attain pure

enlightenment and with the above finished, that is the secret meditation.

阿字觀用心口決阿字觀用心口決阿字觀用心口決阿字觀用心口決

先欲觀此字者。天井四方強不迫處。不暗不明坐。暗妄念起。明心散亂。夜ハ燈ヲ風ニ挑。

火向後座蒲團敷。結跏趺坐或半跏坐。法界定印結。眼不開不閉。開散動閉眠沈。唯細見不瞬。而

兩方瞳可守鼻柱。舌付腭息自靜也。腰不反不伏。直坐助脈道。血脈道差病起。

又心狂亂。如此用心。先金剛合掌。五大願唱。後胎五字明百遍誦。其後觀。先能詮字觀。次所詮

理思。能詮字者。自身胸中有月輪。如秋夜月晴。其中有狣字。狣字月輪種子。

月輪狣字光。月輪與阿字全一也。胸中觀之。自身成阿字。阿字即自心也。如是心境不二。

而縁慮亡絶。月輪自性清淨故。能離貪慾垢。月輪清涼故。去瞋恚熱。月輪光明故。照愚癡闇。如

此三毒自然清淨離散。湛然自苦事無之。入此觀者。得安樂離世間苦惱。是名解脱。何況觀達。於

生死可自在。是爲即身成佛。始一肘量月輪分齊觀。後漸漸舒遍三千世界乃至法界宮。次所詮理

者。此阿字有空有不生三義。空者森羅萬法皆無自性。是全空也。然依因縁假諦現。萬法歴然有之。

譬如意珠湛七珍萬寶。而如隨縁降寶。

破玉見中一物無之。雖然隨縁生寶非無是以知。空有全一體也。是云常住。常住則不生不滅也。

是名阿字大空當體極理。然我等胸中此字觀。自然具足此三義。具此三義者。即大日法身也。入此

觀門行者。雖初心生死輪迴永絶。行住坐臥無離皆是阿字觀也。易行易修。而速疾頓悟也。若既坐

逹。必非半跏法界定印。行住坐臥。悉阿字事思。我等聲生起事。開口最初。胸中從阿生而當喉腭

舌齒脣。出此五處。金剛界五部諸佛説法聲。喉舌脣云時。胎藏三部也。如此知。徒事無之。惡口

兩舌妄語綺語。皆經五處三内出音。即大日如來海印三昧王眞言也。此理不知。皆成惡業墮惡趣

受諸苦。知與不知差別也。蓮華三昧經云。胸中兩部曼荼羅坐烈。各下轉神變。其中西方無量壽如

來。守説法談義徳。常恒説法。其音自我口出。成聲塵解脱利益也。然凡夫不知之我語思。被封我

物執情。恒沙萬徳無量密號。名字功徳法門氣聲。只徒成惡趣業因事誠可悲。是則自然道理陀羅

尼性海果分法門本不生極理也。如海攝百川。一切善根收此一字故。云海印三昧眞言也。依之一

度觀此字。八萬佛教同時勝讀誦功徳廣略祕觀御口云。眞言觀門雖多途。取要不過廣略二觀。先

略觀者。大日經第一云。祕密主云何菩提。謂如實知自心。此文對大日。金剛薩埵問。大日知自心

答給也。疏七云。若見本不生際者。即是如實知自心。如實知自心。即是一切智智。故經所説如實

知自心者。見本不生際也。見本不生際。爲一切智智。一切智智者。即大日也。故眞言教即身成佛

者。見本不生也。本不生際者。一切諸法從本以來。不生不滅本有常住也。煩惱本不生煩惱。

菩提本不生菩提也。如此知名一切智智。然我等生滅去來。當眼易知。不生不滅所不知也。如此諸

法本來不生不滅義。顯教盛談之故。此不生不滅名言。不密教不共談。然今密教規模者。所不及凡

夫見聞覺知。不生不滅體。直顯種子三摩耶形令見知之令修之。是顯教都所不知也。所言本不生

體者。種子阿字三摩耶形八葉蓮華。此八葉蓮華者。大日經所説岝凹心也。 岝凹心者。即是衆生

八分肉團也。同疏五云。内心妙白蓮者。此是衆生本心妙法芬陀利華祕密幖幟。華臺八葉圓滿均

等。如正開敷之形。此蓮華臺。是實相自然智慧。蓮華葉者。是大悲方便也。正以此藏爲大悲胎藏

曼荼羅之體。其餘三重。是從此自證功徳流出諸善知識入法界門耳。

此曼荼羅極少之量。齊十六指。大則無限也。今此文内心妙白蓮者。此是衆生本心妙法芬陀利華

之 岝凹心也。此心蓮可觀也。其觀想樣。心中可觀有八葉蓮華。

蓮華形世間如蓮華形。唯此蓮華計可觀也。八葉蓮華者。 岝凹心是也。帆凹心住此蓮華。

此二心暫時不離故。蓮華上可觀月輪。月輪者帆凹心也。 岝凹心形。實如月輪形也。月輪形圓形

事。如水精珠等。又蓮華種子阿字也。故月輪中可觀阿字。阿字形如常書形。

迴四方可有也。常書是一方計也。上下無其形。一切梵字形四方事。以阿字可准知之。

今此阿字蓮華月輪之中。若蓮華計觀。若蓮華月輪觀。若蓮華阿字可觀。可住行者意也。

月輪勢一肘也。不可減此量。又付此略觀有二樣。一先一肘觀八葉蓮華。如此彼此相對。歴然觀之。

其後前一肘所觀蓮華。可召入自身中。是如常入我我入觀也。一先前一肘觀蓮華。觀念無退轉。

經年月勤修之所觀蓮華等。閉目見程。觀後自身可召入之。問。此阿字蓮華者。

本不生際實體顯事也。作此觀時。此種子三形義理觀之乎。口云。觀法時別不思惟義理。唯其形色。

如法歴然觀之計也。又云。此阿字世間多書置之故。人輕之常事樣思。是大僻按也。此阿字即淨菩

提心實體。即身成佛肝心者也。以上略觀畢次廣觀者。義釋云。若行者見一切從縁起法。皆是毘盧

遮那法界身。爾時十方通同爲一佛國。是名究竟淨菩提心文今此釋意。對一切縁起諸法。皆照毘盧

遮那法身。其故一 切諸法不出色心二法。色心二法。即是六大 也。

六大即是毘盧遮那法界身也。爾時十方通同爲一佛國者。既押一切縁起諸法。

直照毘盧遮那法身故。十方淨土六道穢所無有差別。同一法界宮也。心寂靜時住略觀。

散亂時可住廣觀此二觀門是極祕也。行住坐臥無懈。精進修行。速可開顯淨菩提心者也。

已上祕觀也