The Merits and Methods of Practicing the Six Character Mantra - Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche Enlightenment (2009-03-15 18:19:11)Reprinted
The Essentials of the Enlightened One's Heart Treasure - The Merits of Holding the Six Character Mantra!
Section Summary
Guanyin Bodhisattva is a fully enlightened Buddha who manifests the bodhisattva body for the benefit of all sentient beings. All Buddhas have the same nature, and the embodiment of their compassion is Guanshiyin Bodhisattva. As the embodiment of all Buddhas' compassion, Kwun Shih Yin is also the source of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, because compassion is the fundamental basis of enlightenment, and Kwun Shih Yin is the original form of compassion. Guanyin is the Buddha, Guanyin is the Dharma, Guanyin is the Sangha; Guanyin is the Guru, Guanyin is the Honored One, Guanyin is the Empty Being; Guanyin is the Dharma Body, Guanyin is the Retribution Body, Guanyin is the Incarnation Body; Guanyin is the Amitabha Buddha, Guanyin is the Lotus Teacher, Guanyin is the Holy Rescuing Mother (AryaTara); in a word, Guanyin is the fundamental Guru of us. Like a hundred rivers flowing under one bridge, Kuan Shih Yin is the sum total of all Buddhas. To receive his blessings is to receive the blessings of the Buddhas; to realize his nature is to realize the nature of the Buddhas.
In this dark age, Guanshiyin Bodhisattva manifested as the Lotus Master. Because he has vowed to especially benefit the sentient beings of this age, his wisdom, compassion, and power are more rapid than any other Buddha. Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's incarnations are countless: kings, adepts, mortals, wild animals, even mountains, trees, bridges, etc., any form that can fulfill the needs of sentient beings. Even a cool breeze blowing through in hot weather or a moment of relief in sickness is a manifestation of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's compassion.
Similarly, the Six Character Mantra of Guanyin, OM MANI PADMEHUM, is a manifestation of the sound of the Buddha's compassion and wisdom. It contains the essence of the 84,000 dharma teachings taught by the Buddha. Of the many different mantras, such as mantras, dharanis, and tantric mantras, none is more powerful than the Six Character Great Brightness Mantra of Guan Shiyin Bodhisattva. The great benefits of reciting this mantra, commonly known as the mani mantra, are mentioned again and again in the sutras and tantras. It is said that reciting the mani mantra just once is equivalent to reciting the twelve teachings of the Buddha. The recitation of the Six Character Mantra and the consummation of the Six Degrees of the Bodhisattva and solidly eliminates any possibility of being reborn in one of the Six Paths. It is a simple practice that is easy to understand, can be practiced by all, and contains the essentials of the Buddha's teachings. If you use the Mantra of Asana as a place of conversion in times of pleasure and pain, then Kuan Shih Yin Bodhisattva will always be with you. You will become more and more devout without pretense, and naturally rise to all the realizations of the Mahayana path.
According to the Karandavyuha-sutra, if you recite the Kama Mantra 100 million times, the countless living organisms in your body will be empowered by Kuan Shih Yin Bodhisattva; and even the smoke from the vipassana of the corpse will protect the inhaler from being reborn in the three evil paths after death.
Even a single word of this mantra - Buzz, Mani, or Nana - has the incredible power to empower and liberate living beings. It is said that the Buddha possesses an extraordinary ability that surpasses that of any other living being, such as being able to correctly tell how many raindrops there are in a storm that has been raining for twelve consecutive years***, but even the Buddha could not fully describe the merits of reciting the mantra of Mangalam once. If the Buddha were to begin to do so, even if the forests of the earth were to be made into paper, it would not be enough to write down even the tiniest portion of the merit.
Nothing in the world can truly frighten away death, but the warmth and light of Kuan Shih Yin's compassionate heart can completely dispel the fear that anyone feels when death is near. This is the so-called "Place of Conversion without Deception". Guanyin Bodhisattva is not bound by the cycle of rebirth and is always ready to help all sentient beings. Even the smallest gesture - a gesture or a blink of an eye - has the power to help us free ourselves from the cycle of rebirth. When we pray to him by reciting the Mani Mantra, we should not think that he is in a distant Pure Land and cannot hear us, because Guanyin Bodhisattva is always near those who have faith in him. Due to our own obstacles, we are unable to go to Mt. Putuo in Amitabha's Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss to see Guanyin Bodhisattva in person. As a matter of fact, his compassion does not forsake any sentient being, and he continually manifests himself in whatever form that best benefits them, especially in the form of great good knowledge. Therefore we should firmly believe that Guanshiyin Bodhisattva is the supreme savior who manifests liberation to all sentient beings and is in fact our fundamental guru.
The sweet rains of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva's sorrowful heart are sprinkled all over the realm of living beings without distinction. But the crop of happiness does not grow where the seeds of faith wither. To lack faith is to be self-enclosed under the warm sun of his blessings, as if shutting yourself up in a dark room. If you have faith, there is no distance or delay between you and the blessings of Guanyin Bodhisattva.
The Six Character Mantra is the essence of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva, the form of the mantra for the Bodhisattva's six degrees. When you hold this mantra, the Six Paramitas will arise naturally, and the practice of bodhicitta is reached at the same time.
The highest practice of all the sutras and tantras can be condensed into devotion to the Guru, and these teachings are also included in the practice of reciting the Mantra. Remember that devotion to the Guru is the source of all enlightenment, and that the essence of Guru Yoga - merging your mind with the nature of Guru Shakyamuni - is the most profound of all practices. Please chant the Six Character Mantra.
Vajra Language
Reciting and practicing the descending mantra is all theatrics;
Melding all the six words is the sound of the Dharma.
All sounds are the same as Kuan Shi Yin;
Sound and space are not the same as the mantra.
Mantra is one of the elements of Vajrayana practice. Mantra is a Sanskrit word, and in the category of sound, it is as important as the category of form, which is the realization of the Buddha. There are many different categories of mantras, including explicit mantras, tantric mantras, dharani mantras, but also mantras ofapproach, mantras of fulfillment, and mantras of accomplishment of the four causes.
But no mantra is considered superior to the Mani Mantra. It not only includes the functions of all the mantras, but also covers all the powers and empowerments of the other mantras. Learned sages of the past, such as the great Karma Chagme, could not find a single mantra in the scriptures that was more beneficial, more essential, or easier to practice than the Mani Mantra, and so they made the Mani Mantra their main practice. Even by hearing the mantra alone, one can be freed from the cycle of rebirth. For example, there is a story that says:
Five hundred worms were struggling in a stinking pit, and Kuan Shih Yin felt their suffering, so he transformed himself into a golden wasp, and flew over the pit with the sound of the Mantra of Mangalam, and as soon as they heard the sound of the Six Character Mantra of Mantra of Mangalam, the worms were completely relieved of their suffering, and were reborn into the heavenly realm.
The Mani Mantra is not an ordinary string of words, it contains all the compassion and blessings of Guanyin; in fact, the Mani Mantra is the form of the sound of Guanyin. Nowadays, due to our karmic obstacles, we cannot really see Guanyin in his Pure Land, but what we can do is to listen to his mantra, chant it, read it, and write it down beautifully in golden characters. Because the mantra is the mind of the Honored One. There is no difference with the Honored One, so these aforementioned actions bring with them benefits. The Six Character Mantra is a manifestation of the Six Degrees of Guanyin Bodhisattva, and as Guanyin Bodhisattva said, whoever recites the Six Character Mantra will perfect the Six Degrees of the Bodhisattva and purify all karmic obstacles.
In order to recite this mantra, first visualize Guanyin as clearly and vividly as possible, as mentioned above. There is a six-petaled lotus flower in the heart of Guanyin, with a full moon wheel in the center of which is the word "What", surrounded by the six words "Buzzing, Chanting, and Meeing," like a string of pearls, clockwise, and the mantra garland emits ten thousand rays of light, which are offered to the world of Ultimate Bliss, the Pure Land of the Tantras, and all the countless other Pure Lands. Each ray of light carried many offerings, such as the eight auspicious objects, the eight precious jewels, the seven jewels of the Wheel King, the wish-fulfilling tree, the precious vase, and so on. Vast clouds of offerings fill the emptiness, making offerings to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in each Pure Land, and as the Buddhas accept the offerings, you accumulate merit and wisdom.
All the light returns, bringing back in the form of nectar the empowerment of the Buddhas' bodies, speech, and mind and the accompanying wisdom, power, and loving-kindness, and together they merge into the mantra garland in the heart of Guanshiyin Bodhisattva. Guanshiyin Bodhisattva becomes even more radiant, like gold washed with saffron water.
Once again, countless rays of light emanated from the Mantra Garland, leaving behind the suffering of all beings in the six paths: the scorching heat and bone-chilling cold of the hells; the insatiable hunger and thirst of the Hungry Ghost Path; the ignorance, slavery and abuse of the Animal Path; the birth, aging, sickness and death of the Human Path; the jealousy and old grudges of the Asura Path; and the intense suffering of the Heavenly Path, from the joyful and enchanting worlds, to the final descent into the three evil paths. All these sufferings are dispelled by the light emitted by the Mantra Garland, just as the sunrise melts the frost on the winter grass, and all beings are transformed into the Bodhisattva Guanyin: starting from your surroundings, and eventually the whole universe becomes the Pure Land of Mount Putuo.
After benefiting all sentient beings in this way, all the light is collected back into your own body, Guanyin. Every pore in your body contains countless pure lands, and in each of these pure lands echoes the sound of the Six Character Dhammapada Mantra. Its sound pervades the void, like the Om sound of millions of bees swarming out of a broken hive. The sound of the Mani Mantra dispels ignorance and subdues all devils; the sound of the Mantra awakens the sound-hearers from meditation and leads them to the Mahayana path; the sound of the Mantra makes offerings to Bodhisattvas, exhorting them to continue to benefit sentient beings; and the sound of the Mantra instructs the Dharma Protectors to safeguard the Dharma and to enhance all benefits and pleasures.
The sound of the wind, the sound of running water, the cracking of fire, the cries of animals, the songs of birds, the voices of people - all the sounds of the universe - are the Dharma sounds that naturally rise up from the vibrations of the Six Character Mantra of Great Brightness, the sound of the sound of the air and the soundless Dharma body, and the reverberation of the soundless Dharma body, which, through the practice of Vajrayogini Yoga, you will be able to realize. Through the practice of Vajrayogini Yoga, you will effortlessly realize **** and non-*** attainment.
As the saying goes, there is no greater evil than anger and no greater good than patience. A single thought of anger is enough to destroy the merits of immeasurable kalpas and lead to untold suffering in the Hell Path; enduring those who harm you and sincerely wishing them happiness will take you swiftly on the path of Buddhas' attainment.
Knowing that your enemies have been your beloved parents in the past, there is no better way to treat them than to love them dearly; there is no better way to raise your loved ones and care for others than to practice the Dharma and return its merits to all sentient beings; and there is no better and more fruitful harvest of merit and wisdom than to sow seeds in the land of faith and devotion, where they can ripen.
As the saying goes, "Only mercy can subdue evil." Therefore, in the face of all the difficulties in the world, reciting the Mani Mantra, I wish that all people and non-people, who are overwhelmed by resentment and who only want to harm, kill and destroy, will be induced by compassion to initiate supreme bodhicitta.
Often hearing praise, good news, or beautiful music brings us joy; on the other hand, whenever we hear criticism of ourselves, false accusations, bad news about a favorite person, or harsh noise, we immediately feel frustrated or irritated. It is not the sounds themselves that create such emotions, but the mind of attachment. The Bodhisattva understands that the nature of the mind is lifeless, and that it is all sounds that are mantras, whether good or bad; praise does not make him proud, nor can evil words stir up his anger, but only increase its patience and compassion. If you regard all sounds as mantras, good or bad news will not disturb you as the wind does not disturb a mountain. In fact, when you hear bad news and get angry, you are only making yourself miserable, and you can neither bring back the dead nor bring back lost possessions.
Like everything else, sound is the result of many causes and effects, and cannot exist on its own. The beautiful sound of the zither depends on the harmony of the strings; if one string is broken or out of tune, the sound produced will not be harmonious or pleasing to the ear. Examine any sound carefully and y; the sounds of the sky, the wind, the thunder, the soughing of the leaves, the howling of the animals, the human voice, the singing, are all the basic elements that make up the sound, and the nature of all these sounds is emptiness.
The seed word "A" symbolizes the nature of non-existence, is the root of all sounds, and contains the essence of the Wisdom Buddha. Especially from "A" comes the Six Character Mantra. When reciting this mantra, realize that all sounds are born from emptiness, the endless manifestation of the words of the Buddhas - the mantra. If this is the case, just a little recitation will also breed fruition. This is the practice of bringing all sounds into the path of cultivation.
General idle chatter is a manifestation of greed and anger, and only makes the wheel of delusion spin faster and faster. But chanting the mantra protects your mind and guides you to realize the wisdom nature of the word. So chant the Six Character Mantra at all times until it becomes one with your breath.
When you are able to visualize the body of the Buddha with clarity and steadiness, and also recite the mantra as described in the Vajrayogini passage, you will be able to enhance your practice. The first word of the Guanyin Mantra, "Buzz", symbolizes the Five Wisdoms and is an auspicious word. Most mantras begin with the word "Buzz". The word "Mani" means treasure, "Chanting" represents the lotus flower, and the word "Un" is the word for proclaiming and welcoming the omniscience of Guan Shiyin Bodhisattva. The whole mantra can be translated as: "You, the Lotus Treasure, bestow the omniscience." Through the constant repetition of the Six Character Mantra, you remember and invoke the infinite merits of Guanyin, as if calling him from afar. He will respond with compassion and fulfill all your wishes.
In order to empower sentient beings, Kuan Shih Yin gives the Six Character Mantra a power equal to his own, which is the echo of lifeless emptiness. The written Six Character Mantra liberates beings who see it; the recitation of the Six Character Mantra liberates beings who hear it; if you recall it in your mind, you can also be liberated by remembering it; and if you put him on your body, you can be liberated by touching it. If you are accustomed to seeing all sounds as mantras, you will not feel fear when you hear horrible sounds while in the Bardo. By means of this mantra, Guanyin Bodhisattva exercises vast and infinite compassionate endeavors. Therefore, with intense devotion, take all word-zoe sounds you hear as the vibration of the mantra, and hold the Six Character Mantra of Great Brightness.
Guanyin Bodhisattva is the essence of the Buddha, the Buddha-nature, and through the recitation of his Six Character Dhammapada Mantra, all the virtues of the Dharma body will be carried out effortlessly.
One Buddha collects all the Kuan Shih Yin,
One Mantra collects all the Mantras,
One Dharma collects all the Bodhicitta,
One Enlightened Liberation collects all the Mantras.
One Mantra is the essence of the Dharma.
Shakyamuni Buddha is one of the incarnations of Guanyin; the Dharma, which guides us on what to avoid and what to cultivate, is perfectly contained in the Six Character Mantra; and the Sangha, the Bodhisattvas, who help us on the path, is also an incarnation of Guanyin. Therefore, Guanyin Bodhisattva is the three treasures in one. Just as a cistern collects countless raindrops, so the compassion of Guanyin Bodhisattva encompasses all the wisdom of Manjushri Bodhisattva and all the power of Vajrapani Bodhisattva. It is this one book, mantra, and practice that you can accomplish everything.
Many of the Dzogchen have countless forms: silent or wrathful, with one, three or more heads, with two, four, six or more arms, each symbolizing a different virtue. However, you can believe that they are all embodied in the body of Guanyin. Similarly, since all the benefits of the countless other mantras are contained in the Six Character Mantra of Great Brightness, you can wholeheartedly recite only this mantra. Your body, speech, and mind are the same as the body, speech, and mind of Guanyin Bodhisattva's enlightenment, and this is the essence of the practice that you should know.
At the same time, of all the ways to reach the ultimate goal on the path to Buddhahood, the most important is to continue and grow in bodhicitta. According to the oral teachings of the great Kadam masters, the nature of the mind - the ultimate bodhicitta - is first introduced to you, and then you cultivate compassion for all sentient beings - "relative bodhicitta" .
Flowing thoughts are in reality lifeless, neither abiding nor perishable. Without this realization, it is difficult to control the wild mind. With this realization, when thoughts arise, one does not chase after them, and rests in the mind's original state of continuity, which is known as "ultimate bodhicitta.
Once you have glimpsed the nature of the mind in this way, your realization of the true bodhicitta is deepened by the practice of the two relative bodhicittas: vows to achieve the fruition of Buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings, and action bodhicitta, which is the true realization of this wish. As mentioned earlier, it is not enough to wish to help others; you must truly act to benefit all sentient beings, just as Kuan Shih Yin Bodhisattva does. To achieve this goal, you visualize Guanyin, chant his mantras, and meditate on his wisdom nature. As you continue to practice in this way, delusion will diminish. When wisdom blooms in you, it enables you to fulfill the needs of self and others, both here and now.
When people get together to talk, most of what they say is not true. Their conversations are mainly motivated by greed and antipathy, which only enhance their worries. These meaningless conversations disturb our minds and make our thoughts flutter like paper flags in the wind.
A proverb says, "The mouth is the door to evil sin." Chatter, lies, bad mouths, and winding tongues all lead to endless distractions and internalized injustice, and even eloquence and loquaciousness often only cause us to waste time and cause trouble. This is why it is said in Mantra Yoga that it is more beneficial to spend a month in mantra and abstain from speaking than to spend a whole year in mantra and still mix in daily conversation. When practiced correctly, as in the former case, and without the intrusion of any other talk, the mantra retains its full power, and in the end it leads to the clear vision of the turth that transcends words, because the mantra is a natural ****ing sound that does not fall into the realm of words. If you use the mantra to eliminate the endless chatter of daily life and recite only the Six Character Mantra, your practice will progress rapidly.
Even a few moments of chanting or practicing the Mani Mantra will give you access to more of the treasures of the heart of the Jnani. Realizing that worldly wealth does not bring us true benefit in this life or the next, recite the Six Character Mantra with devotion, piety and joy.
Don't forget that life passes as quickly as a flash of summer lightning or a wave of the hand. Now that you have the opportunity to learn Buddhism, don't waste a single moment of your time on other things; use all your energy to chant the Six Character Mantra.
The Six Character Mantra has the power to cure all troubles and bring incredible benefits, but it cannot be fully effective if you do not chant it with proper concentration. If you are often distracted by things like bodily sensations, looking at other things, gossiping with others, or delusions of grandeur while chanting, the power of the mantra will be like a piece of dusty gold whose luster will never be noticed.
Even if you could rattle your rosary beads between your fingers as fast as you could, what would be the use of such a vain practice? The point is not just to accumulate a large number of recitations at any cost, but also to gain a deeper understanding of the practice and its purpose.
In order to get the full effect of chanting the mantra, it is important to maintain the correct posture of the body without swaying; to abstain from speaking and to chant only the Six Character Mantra without uttering a single word; and to keep the mind focused on contemplation without being distracted by memories of the past or by plans for the future.
Make a wish to follow the example of His Holiness Milarepa, to give up all the busyness and unnecessary distractions of daily life, to drive away idleness and worry from your heart, and to devote yourself fully to the practice of Dharma. If you can practice in this way, you will undoubtedly receive the blessings of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in your mind's continuum.
The practice of the Dharma can take you to the point where you can dwell in the same consciousness both on and off the throne. This is the essence of all teachings, without which no matter how many mantras or prayers you recite, how many thousands of obeisances you make, or how many pagodas you circumambulate, as long as your mind remains disturbed, it will not help you in any way to remove the obstacles of worry. Never forget this most important point, the Six Character Mantra.
Note:
The above is an excerpt from the book by H.H. Dilgo Khyentse, the Great Perfection Achiever, explaining Hwazig (Patrul) Rinpoche's (1807-1887) "The Treasure of the Enlightened One's Heart". For a complete reference, please refer to the original book, which is a book to be treasured and studied by those who practice the Six Character Truth. For the original book, please refer to "Buzzing Mani Chanting Me Hum - The Treasure of the Enlightened One's Heart". (Welcome to reproduce it for the benefit of all Buddhists)