Chanting Deity/Buddha names and The Cosmic Doctrine

[JustARandomPanda]

Popping in to say Hi to a bunch of old timer Dao Bums. Also to give an update on some things I've been learning after a LONG time of self work.

 

A lot of my growth I credit to assorted teachers I either follow online via Youtube such as Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and from assorted books such as Master Nan Huai-Chin and Bill Bodri.

 

I think...(this is so amazing) I have a new appreciation of the power of chanting a Buddha or Hindu deity name and what it is doing on an energetic level. I began this practice after a particularly convincing, long essay on this practice by Master Nan Huai-Chin. I was blown away by his explanation of why this is THE premier method for many masters in the Kali Yuga age. Just to hammer it home Master Nan said this was his own method he eventually settled on for himself! After decades of so many other practices that he did...he finally reached such an incredible level he became aware of the power of this one practice and finally settled on it over anything else. Or as Sadhguru once quipped, "you can loot each other's loot bags" (ie. storehouse of prajna-wisdom and capabilities). Well that was enough to convince me to give it a try and WOW! At least in my instance, he wasn't kidding. I have had super fast progress using this method like no other.

 

And it's because of Sadhguru I think I understand why this practice works so well. Sadhguru says that earth (and the cosmos) has had many stupendously high level Masters but the vast majority never have public teaching careers nor have lots of disciples. The karma that taking on the responsibility of public teaching and of lots of disciples is pretty far reaching. So most masters don't go this route. Nonetheless he says such beings don't leave the planet without wishing to contribute something for the betterment of humanity. They leave their contribution in the form of shakti. The karma is so much less by giving their teachings in this way as opposed to the way Sadhguru is doing it. Their names (and maybe other patterns such as sitting a certain way at a certain location) encode everything they themselves have learned and mastered and they leave it for people to discover (or chant if their name is known). By encountering their 'energy signature' you are downloading everything they themselves learned and mastered. And I do mean - *everything*.

 

On a second front:

 

I've encountered an early 20th century Dion Fortune book called The Cosmic Doctrine. I'm finally convinced Ms. Fortune had a higher Plane guru/guide because so much of that book aligns with things I've heard Sadhguru also give talks about. Cosmic Doctrine is a detailed Kriya Yoga/Nei Gong book! Yes it's talking about the shakti at a cosmos level but the laws that govern the cosmos are the same laws that occur inside us as Sadhguru is always saying. So when I started to read it I was like - Holy Moly! The West finally has it's own authentic contribution to human consciousness evolution alongside China, the Middle East and India! The Cosmic Doctrine is a gem that needs to be translated into other languages if it isn't already and be taught the world over imo. It's also in the public domain now and can be freely downloaded in pdf form.

 

It's VERY detailed and you can read it quite successfully as a Nei Gong/Kriya Shakti book. I finally figured out the real Sri Yantra is best "built" inside the human body as is the Shiva Yantra or any other "yantra" depending on the results one is aiming for. Finally had that "aha" moment from understanding what The Cosmic Doctrine is teaching combined with several Sadhguru videos. I'm guessing it's easiest to get such operational yantras inside your own body by chanting a Buddha or Deity name that's associated with the benefits associated with those 2 yantras (or whichever other yantra appeals to you). And so much more. Just from chanting a name (or names)! It's the difference between driving at high speed on a constantly well-maintained highway vs. having to pave the road yourself before you can get anywhere. Here's a link that tells various names of various Buddhas of the past and what you can "download" just from chanting his/her name. Pick one that sounds appealing and give it a shot.

 

My results have been so amazing from just this one practice. It sounds so corny but you download SO much! And the Cosmic Doctrine explains the mechanics of WHY and HOW that happens.

 

 

p.s. The name I chant regularly is Bei-Shah-Jei Lapis Lazuli Medicine Buddha and according to Master Nan Huai-Chin he works at the alaya level (8th consciousness) of karmic greed - ie. transforms it into incredible generosity. He also increases one's affinity to good health and healing. You'll also have much more beautiful, healthful bodies upon rebirth from chanting his name. I started receiving noticeable changes on the Second DAY!  For me at least name chanting is a fabulous, super fast Nei-Gong/Yoga practice. I can feel the shakti changes taking place inside my body when I name chant. So excited I feel like a little puppy running around with a wagging tail at discovering how joyful and bountiful life is with this one simple practice.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 8, 2020 by JustARandomPanda
added links, fixed typos and added post script

[JustARandomPanda]

Wanted to add I have discovered it's helpful to add a second or even third name to chant (or some other complimentary practice) because name chanting works at the alaya level for purification and advancement according to Master Nan Huai-Chin. Which I suppose is why for many people the results start showing up pretty fast. It will start bringing forward all the karmic seeds from alaya - both those the Name you're chanting is busy purifying and those that it doesn't.

 

So my tactic was to notice what kind of thoughts were surfacing (without judgment) that I wanted to "improve" or turn around. Both the Buddha and Sadhguru say that what one thinks will be what one becomes in the future (whether this life or a future one). So my thoughts gave me a clue as to what needs most addressing because it's ripening along with the things Bei Shah Jei's Shakti is working on.

 

I used this 5 Dhyani Buddhas document to help me figure out a second name to chant and the Tattva/Bhuta it addresses. I guess I'll let the cat out of the bag (crossing fingers this is not a dumb thing to admit online) I chose Ratnasambhava as my second name. I am not as far along as many other Dao Bum practitioners. I've never experienced Kundalini Awakening to give an example. So I'm very much a beginner if one wants to use Kundalini as a yardstick for progress. I noticed thoughts of "self-pride" were beginning to increase to a disturbingly noticeable degree after I began chanting Bei Shah Jei whereas before they were more rare.

 

According to that webpage 'self-pride' is a sign that the earth element is particularly afflicted. From a chinese nei-gong standpoint it means the spleen is particularly afflicted as is one's sense of smell and one having skin problems (in my case having a hard time detecting odors, lots of allergies and dry, itchy skin) and is the result of excessive monkey-mind chattering and leads to soft, flabby muscles (aka poor muscle tone) all over the body. The last I got from another website and nearly fell out of my chair in shock because 'overly soft, flabby muscles' has indeed been a huge health problem all my life that even lifting weights has not been able to fully address! I had no idea afflicted earth/spleen has the knockon effect of such lack of muscle tone but apparently it does.

 

Anyway, my typical practice to address self-pride or one-upsmanship vis-a-vis others was to use a Tibetan Buddhist practice of immediately using logic rationales (which are also thoughts) to demonstrate to myself how I'm NOT superior to other people - especially to people whom are so "worldling" or "muggle"-ish they disdain and discount any spiritual practice or teaching (*cough* my own family *cough* cough*).

 

Chanting Bei Shah Jei is working very fast and its now letting me see I need much stronger medicine to address self-pride than the Tibetan practice I was using. I've been using some sort of self-deflating rationale work since I was a child but the Tibetan practice ramps that up. According to the 5 Dhyani Buddhas page and longer pdf lesson/essay Ratnasambhava is medicine for someone with a lot of self-pride and will crank up the purification process in that area into overdrive beyond even the Tibetan practice. It also just so happens that according to the Ksitigarbha sutra chanting his name grants (and I quote):

 

Quote

"Additionally, in the past, as many kalpas ago as all of the sands in innumerable Ganges Rivers, there was a Buddha in the world named Ratnasambhava Tathagata.  If there are men or women who hear this Buddha's name, they shall ultimately not fall into the realms of suffering.  They shall often be born into heaven and receive blessings."

 

So not only will his name energy help people in their current life with an afflicted earth element/spleen like me. You are also downloading the shakti energy that will let you have rebirths in a higher heaven where you can receive teachings from Buddhist or Hindu Deities as well!

Edited February 17, 2020 by JustARandomPanda
typos and adding links to pdfs

[SirPalomides]

On a related note I’ve been learning about a Daoist deity, Taiyi Jiuku, who also gives many benefits in connection with calling his name. I translated a scripture relating to him here: 

 

[JustARandomPanda]

Wow. Chanting Names is utterly amazing.

 

I wish like crazy now I could go back in time and just do Name chanting when I first started to get serious. It blows all the other practices I've been doing all these years out of the water. And I first began around 2006. Joined DaoBums the next year.

 

Nothing else - at least for me - has remotely come close to the power and speed of this practice. It's weird how I can 'feel' the 'me' disappearing (only to come roaring back as I type this but now that I've had a taste of what it's like I want more)! Does that make sense? Unfortunately it's rather difficult to use English without pronouns but the closest I can get would be 'the chanting is chanting itself'. That's the best description I can give of what it's like.

 

Now my SF novel luvin no-self wonders what it's gonna be like when the experience of activity dissipates too.   Then the Buddha says 'turn your awareness back on itself' - and see where that goes. I suspect it will be really freaky!

 

This Name Chanting Nei-Gong that works on the alaya level as the starting point is amazing! At least for me it is lightening fast.

Edited February 12, 2020 by JustARandomPanda
typos

[doc benway]

Chanting can be extremely powerful when your mind, energy, and body are ready. Sometimes even when they’re not ready!

I’ve been doing a variety of mantras from my tradition, one of which is practice of the 5 warrior seed syllables and the mantras associated with long life and the Bön goddess of wisdom and love. Great stuff!

[doc benway]

On 2/12/2020 at 1:18 AM, JustARandomPanda said:

It's weird how I can 'feel' the 'me' disappearing (only to come roaring back as I type this but now that I've had a taste of what it's like I want more)! Does that make sense? Unfortunately it's rather difficult to use English without pronouns but the closest I can get would be 'the chanting is chanting itself'. That's the best description I can give of what it's like.

 

Makes sense to me.

This is known as the path of the secret mantrayana and is used to transform into the deity in the generation stages of tantric Buddhism. 

 

On 2/12/2020 at 1:18 AM, JustARandomPanda said:

Now my SF novel luvin no-self wonders what it's gonna be like when the experience of activity dissipates too.   Then the Buddha says 'turn your awareness back on itself' - and see where that goes. I suspect it will be really freaky!

No worries, the space and awareness will be there for “you” - the experience won’t dissipate as much as the experiencer and the illusion of separation between experience and experiencer. Trust the dissolution, trust the mantra, trust the deity, and more than anything, trust the space and awareness.

[ronko]

thanks for that cosmic doctrine link , had a quick look through and gonna take a more detailed look later ,

can you explain how this  incorporates nei gong in its teaching ?

Edited February 18, 2020 by ronko
typo

[JustARandomPanda]

I see similarities but YMMV.

[dwai]

My first mantra initiation happened when I had my Upanayanam (thread ceremony which seems the individual twice-born(Dvija) - first in human form and then in knowledge).

 

Fast forward a few years, and while going through a really rough patch for several months in a row,  in desperation I prayed,  “Lord, if you are real...if there is a power out there who can help me, please help me find a way to overcome these challenges that life is throwing at me nonstop!”.

 

A yogi visited me in my dream and initiated me to a powerful and yet very common Hindu mantra. Told me how to chant it. I started chanting it, and it became such an integral part of my practice that I would often find myself chanting in dreams, in my sleep etc. 

 

During that period the personality was being tormented in the waking realm due to lack of employment. Within two weeks of starting my practice I got a job I didn’t t even apply for. A good one. But something that had been eluding me for 8-9 months. 
 

Around the same time I was getting  dream  ‘visitations’ by a being(s) who would come to me in the form of close family members and torment me. I somehow knew how to vanquish/banish these demons using the sword finger and the mantra. I’ve used this mantra many times over the years to protect myself and my family and friends. 
 

So yes, mantras are real. Deities are real and powerful. And if we empty our cups, they can help us and guide us.  

 

[JustARandomPanda]

Just as an example of how useful The Cosmic Doctrine can be Curious Readers should read the first chapter and it's discussion of how space begins moving in a circle for eons and eons of time prior to anything coming from it. Only later is a second ring - at a right angle from the first - begins moving counter to the first and it comes into being because the "nothing' at the perimeter of the first movement creates a kind of 'drag' on the first ring and the movement of both of these Rings (she calls them Ring-Cosmos and Ring-Chaos) creates the largest one - The Rings-Pass-Not. At this description I was reminded of how many Buddhist sutras talk about how the universe is filled with "buddhas" each with a gathering circle of mahasattvas and bodhisattvas on downward in a great-chain-of-being.

 

In Fortune's day the word Cosmos was used for what Astronomers now typically call Galaxies although I think Fortune is using "Cosmos" in a more metaphorical sense, not a rigorously scientific one in Cosmic Doctrine. Anyway - It's a track-in-space and things in motion stay in motion until they either 1. hit something that blocks it completely or 2. create so much friction that the movement eventually dies. At the center is vortex of "nothing" (I understand science today hypothesizes many galaxies might have black holes at their center) but that 'nothing' allows movement. Angles and rays come from the primary vortex and each of these primaries set up secondary vortices and angles which in turn set up tertiary angles and vortices and so on. The topside of each vortex spins one way. The bottom side of each vortex spins the opposite. Each traveling across the primary rays that flow influences in and out. Each more complex than the prior.

 

[So by now my mind is thinking 'meridians!' , 'chakras' and 'cosmic yantras!']

 

Each one replicates fractal-wise what the Triune Grand Cosmos movement-tracks-in-space are doing. [Yes, Cos.Doc. has a chapter on a grand Trinity that revolves from the central 'nothing' - so now my mind was fairly shouting, "Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva" and at another point I began picturing the Yin-Yang in 3D etc. etc etc.]. In fact as I read a later chapter I remember thinking "Holy Moly! These are the Gunas at a cosmic level that Advaita often talks about."

 

Dear Curious Reader:

 

After completely reading that first chapter go back and read any book on Meditation. Say a meditation book from someone like Master Nan Huai-Chin or maybe Vivekananda. See if The Cosmic Doctrine doesn't give a new appreciation or insight into the spiritual growth process.

 

As I read Cos.Doc. I started to just sit in awe as the realization hit page after page of just how profound an achievement Agastyamuni's Tantric Hatha-Yoga system really is [the real one, not the watered-down version sold in western 'yoga' studios] because it takes what Cos. Doc. teaches and shows you how to apply it to 'create yourself' to be anything you want to be - both in the here and now and in future incarnations too - all by knowing inside your own body the things Cosmic Doctrine teaches.

 

 

p.s. I now understand why Sadhguru said if you learn all the Hatha-Yoga poses but only master, truly master just one, Quote: "everything in here (points to the body) will be in alignment with everything out there (points skyward)."

Edited April 12, 2020 by JustARandomPanda
typos and some clarification

[JustARandomPanda]

For those who want to know more about it.

 

Check out my thread to a Cosmic Doctrine online study group.

[Omiiran]

On 2/8/2020 at 10:10 AM, JustARandomPanda said:

I began this practice after a particularly convincing, long essay on this practice by Master Nan Huai-Chin. I was blown away by his explanation of why this is THE premier method for many masters in the Kali Yuga age. Just to hammer it home Master Nan said this was his own method he eventually settled on for himself! After decades of so many other practices that he did...he finally reached such an incredible level he became aware of the power of this one practice and finally settled on it over anything else.

 

Wonderful essay, whenever I read Nan Huaijin I always find myself understanding a bit more of what he's talking about. I agree that Buddha-recitation dharma door is a very powerful ones and it is one that I am pursuing a little bit on and off. Currently am using pure land dharma/nianfo to use it as a safety net for myself and as something simple that I can carry on without being too invested? but honestly so far I found myself able to get deeper into nianfo without feeling forced.

 

On 2/8/2020 at 8:02 PM, JustARandomPanda said:

according to Master Nan Huai-Chin. Which I suppose is why for many people the results start showing up pretty fast. It will start bringing forward all the karmic seeds from alaya - both those the Name you're chanting is busy purifying and those that it doesn't.

 

I agree! I honestly found Cundi/Zhunti Dharani, Usnisa Vijaya Dharani to be the most effective/powerful in term of karmic purification, there's always this friction between oneself and the dharani that it make it worth pursuing.

 

I am more of a lurker, but I felt compelled to post this time because your thread made realization click for me that what Nan Huaijin calls "karmic sickness" turned out to be a very real thing brought up by me chanting Amitabha's name. Your post made me realize something that I had a gut feeling about but couldn't articulate very well, thank you.

[Omiiran]

I have a matter in regard to Buddha-recitation cultivation dharma door that I wanted some clarification about. I am currently pursuing pure land dharma door, reciting amitabha name while walking, with rosary, etc. I wanted to deepen my practice and I had a pureland handbook by YongHua and the technique could be questionable(probably not?), he recommend reciting amitabha's name at the navel, as he say "just recite the Buddha’s name as you place your attention on your navel."

 

 

What made me wonder about it was Nan talking about it in Guan Yin Dharma door essay translated by seriousbuddhism "When chanting the Buddha’s name, do not use the mouth to inhale, use the nose to inhale until it reaches the dan-tian (T/N: behind the navel) until the entire body’s hair-pores. Internally, continue this, with each thought pure, and naturally there will be good news." and in Hsuan Hua's chan handbook "if you can breathe through your nose, when you inhale, bring the breath down to just behind the navel, not below it." In Essentials of meditation Zhiyi(Translated by Bhikshu Dharmamitra) mentions something similar "This refers to anchoring the mind at such locations as the tip of the nose or the navel in order to prevent the mind from becoming scattered. Accordingly, a sutra states, "One anchors the mind and refrains from falling into neglectfulness.""

 

 

All of these texts seems to indicate that there's no danger or something harmful(I think so?) with anchoring one's attention at the navel while doing nianfo/recitation of amitabha's name. My doubt was aroused by a video of nan Huaijin lecturing on the danger of recklessly focusing on the Dan-Tien [ https://youtu.be/Is1hHJ41Bu4 ] which made me a bit apprehensive(?) of practicing focusing/being attentive to the navel. Yet I feel great results from testing/using this method, that why I am torn between the danger of focusing on it and doing the practice. Maybe for someone with better reading comprehension and understanding can clarify this for me? I think there could be a misunderstanding on my part...

 

Thank you 🙏

 

 

[JustARandomPanda]

Hi Omiiran

 

I am going to make this a 2-part post. The first is to show how I've been dealing with your question myself. The 2nd post will be to fill-out why I've been going the route I have.

 

1. Each person has to decide how much they're willing to risk his/her own health and peace of mind in going the DIY route. For me, I hit some bumps here and there and the more I learn the more I realize just HOW little mastery and direct perception I have. Just simply having the ability to have a stress-free enough breath when chanting a Buddha name is itself a separate goal that some people would benefit from training separately from the goal of chanting a Buddha name.

 

 

2. There's also the separate goals of learning how to consciously practice and honestly assess yourself. So there's the part of "don't do practices mechanically". Or in modern sports training what's known as Intentional Practice. If it's not that kind of practice you're adding to the hurdles instead of adding to one's freedom. When I switched to the Intentional Practice perspective along with the self-assessment it gave a good idea of how much a beginner I am. I sometimes wonder how many Intermediates would still call themselves Intermediates if they took that kind of approach?

 

 

3. You could try treating it as a research project. Give yourself 2 weeks of Intentional Practice[separate skillset] of Buddha name chanting[separate skillset] using Master Nan's breath instructions[separate skillset] exactly (and I do mean EXACTLY) as he gives them. Do not try to get clever and "innovate" or "improve" upon Master Nan's instructions. At the end of each day do a self-assessment separate from the practice session itself. I know Master Nan scolded about dropping a Buddha name practice once one has begun but he also was saying that to his direct students, not to the general public. If anything comes up that you can't endure you need to consider dropping that practice pronto and switching to something else at a more basic, beginner level or even taking time off from anything "spiritual". If nothing else and you do need to take a break you can always focus on Karma Yoga (sila) - doing some kind of charitable service simply because you see someone else has a need that needs addressing (which does count as a separate legit path all by itself). But as long as you're getting decent results I would encourage you to continue.

 

 

My next post will go into answering your other question: Be forewarned - it will be long but it's necessary to help contextualize things. Also, I repeat I am not a guru. I am sharing what I myself have learned through research as well the school of hard knocks from the bumps and occasional hair-raising booboos I've made. If you choose to go DIY for now the need for ruthless self-honesty ramps up accordingly. And after all the warnings I do want to point out that the majority of people have great results from following instructions from books and videos and finally look for a guru when the desire for one starts ramping up (that means their practices worked and they're getting excited and delighted with the results and are now looking to take it to the next level by working with a coach - aka guru).

Edited April 10, 2020 by JustARandomPanda

[JustARandomPanda]

Hello Omiiran!

 

The following is background information to help explain my other post.

I started with the breath and pain. Specifically a lot of the small aches and pains I feel in my body daily. That was my initial interest that led me to do research. Upon reading about the various nadis/meridians and chakras the kind of breath pattern and where the breath intent flows activates different qualities in your body and mind. I'm pretty sure you already knew that but it was brought home to me just how much it matters when I started digging around for info on the Sri Chakra/Sri Yantra and Shiva Chakra/Shiva Yantra.

Meridians meet in triangles inside the body and the kind of energy (pancha bhuta as just one example) flowing in and around the still point (bindu) determines how you are building yourself up and what kind of garbage you are tossing out. That's exactly what's happening to us every day. Most of us are doing it unconsciously. The goal of any kind of practice ultimately is to make that whole process under full conscious control. Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev says scientists today can duplicate a true vacuum in special chambers and when they introduce energy to the vacuum different kinds of "virtual particles" (his words) pop out. That's what's happening inside of everyone reading this post - right now.

Since different people are unconsciously building up and tearing down different things in their body and mind it makes it difficult to give blanket instructions. Invariably there's gonna be that subset who don't respond well to what the majority benefit from.

 

As a side note:

 

The above process is what Agastyamuni's yoga tantra teaches one to do. That's why you don't need props, no mantras, no divinatory tools, with his system, etc. Why use intermediaries when his system teaches you those things directly using your own body as the teacher? Those poses taught alongside different kinds of breathwork are acting inside you just like the scientist's experiment with energy in a vacuum. Which meridian, the angle, the speed, the obstructions, the pressure, the rhythm, etc and which general triangular section around the still point in your body you've chosen for all that to converge at changes what you're busy becoming. As an example, I found out recently that there's a small triangular section right around Manipura chakra's bindu that's related to improving one's health and grants you the ability to help improve OTHER people's health problems too if one is so inclined to become a nurse or physician.

 

So...that's what Buddha name chanting is actually doing. The Buddha name is a recipe or to use another analogy - canned code. You aren't being an engineer from the get-go. The engineering has already been done for you. All you need to do is follow the recipe and the result will happen on its own. That's why you don't need to appeal for a response or constantly looking for a response from a Buddha or Bodhisattva for results (something Master Nan particularly warned against and said 100% guarantees problems down the line for the chanter if they do one or both of those things. Well, yeah - because it's an uncounted for addition to the recipe).

 

That's why when I read the Cosmic Doctrine I was thunderstruck by just how profound an achievement Agastyamuni's system truly is. If your goal is to gain 100% control over every single one of your internal energies then this is what your training regimen needs to look into eventually.  Judicious use of Buddha name chanting can greatly speed that process up but now you have a basic idea of why and how karmic sickness happens at all and why a Buddha name will address some problems while leaving others untouched. [p.s. Sri Rohit Arya has made the following point - As with everything in life there is a point of diminishing returns. Simply piling on Buddha name or mantra after Buddha name or mantra eventually creates a major Shakti traffic jam inside the body so that's why simpler is often better when it comes to Buddha name chanting or mantra use.]

 

Now...if you want to be a Kriya Yogi and want to cultivate the ability to craft your own new recipes then eventually you'll need additional skills in addition to Buddha name chanting. You'll also need to find the right kind of Coach - aka Guru who can train you for that Profession - the Kriya Yogi Profession.

Edited April 10, 2020 by JustARandomPanda
added p.s. for additional info

[JustARandomPanda]

The following is to inspire you to keep going but to strive to do what you're doing with ever increasing perception.

 

This is the power of the Still Point at a human scale. This lady found the Still Point of these rocks and look at what it achieved. Realize this is what Buddha name chanting is helping you to achieve inside yourself. 

 

 

 

 

 

p.s. There was a great quote from one character to another - of all things! - in the Netflix show Altered Carbon.

 

 

 

 

"To the mind that is still, the universe surrenders."

Edited April 10, 2020 by JustARandomPanda

[Omiiran]

Hi @JustARandomPanda,

 

Wow that's really thoughtful of you, and honestly I couldn't just reply to your post instantly, it was so packed, sincere, and full of useful advices that I couldn't do anything but to read it more in a span of a week and contemplate how to reply to you.

 

On your first point, I agree taking a DIY approach have a lot of bumps on it's road. Seeing oneself as someone who have little mastery and seeing oneself as a beginner is a good sign(?) of atleast for me of an honest cultivator. Your posts on this forum always ring of truth and I couldn't help but remember something from Liao-Fan's four lessons. 

Quote

"The law of heaven takes from those who are arrogant and benefits those who are humble. The law of
earth will not allow those who are conceited or self-content to always remain that way, but will bring change
to them. The humble will not wither, but shall be replenished, just as flowing water fills lower places on the
ground as it passes by. The law of spirits and gods brings harm to those who are arrogant and good fortune to those
who are humble. Even the laws of people despise the arrogant and like the humble. " (page 88, Fourth Lesson of Liao-Fan)

 

 

 

On 4/10/2020 at 9:55 PM, JustARandomPanda said:

So there's the part of "don't do practices mechanically". Or in modern sports training what's known as Intentional Practice. If it's not that kind of practice you're adding to the hurdles instead of adding to one's freedom. When I switched to the Intentional Practice perspective along with the self-assessment it gave a good idea of how much a beginner I am.

 

That's a very interesting concept, I guess I would need to journal and reflect on my practice continuously. I will keep it  in my mind and try to apply it to my practice.

 

On 4/10/2020 at 9:55 PM, JustARandomPanda said:

If anything comes up that you can't endure you need to consider dropping that practice pronto and switching to something else at a more basic, beginner level or even taking time off from anything "spiritual". If nothing else and you do need to take a break you can always focus on Karma Yoga (sila) - doing some kind of charitable service simply because you see someone else has a need that needs addressing (which does count as a separate legit path all by itself). But as long as you're getting decent results I would encourage you to continue.

 

I sort of agree with dropping the practice if it is above one's level and going with something more basic. The more I work on merit and virtue accumulation and following Liao-Fan's Ledger of merit and demerit  the more I understand the importance of Sila/moral foundation basis of cultivation. Benefits of a ledger of merit and demerit and moral cultivation is far-reaching in one's life,  even when one wane off and "retrogress"(?) from cultivating the benefit of the ledger kept coming for more than 6 months period.  Something Liu Yiming that really hit the point for me the importance of merit and virtue cultivation, he said  "Great virtue can overcome ghosts and spirits, can move heaven and earth , can affect people and animals.". I found my sweet spot with Buddha-recitation by mixing formal sitting of buddha-recitation with mini walking meditations throughout the day and it is kinda giving more decent results for now.

 

The Canned code/recipe analogy is an interesting way to explain it.

 

I guess I should've said this, but I have been practicing the navel recitation for a while now and seeing good results with it. I try to be light, relaxed, and natural, focusing without fixation on my navel.

 

Thanks for taking the time to answer me tho.🙏

 

[skyblue]

Just wanted to post this. I have been reading about my self being seperate from my body and my mind, and even though I have reached the third stage of Thusness, the experiences of being everything and nothing seemingly only brought me into those moments of trance. 

 

Now today, I had been chanting the Avalokiteshwara Bodhisattva mantra, without any expectations. I only hoped that it would help me retain my awareness in sleep. I really wanted fly around in my dreams..

Anyway, I don't exactly remember as to what I saw in my dream but now that I think of it, it feels as though some profound realization just crossed my mind. I was there, looking at an anime character doing cross talks with a girl, and as I looked at this guy, I went into a trance and started thinking that I was him. This was so, that when he was happy, I was happy. When he was sad, I was sad. When he was acting funny, I thought I was the one acting funny. This continued on for a long time since neither the guy, nor the girl he was talking to seemed to realize my existence.

 

Then, I realized that there had been an additional character all along. It was a girl in purple. I had ignored her until now, but the moment I focused at her, she looked at me (the real me and not the anime character). She told me to breath in a particular way (don't remember any of it). Finally, she wished me goodbye, saying that my dream was about to end. I calmly listened as though it was the most normal think in the universe.

 

Now that I am awake, I understand that I had always been like that. I read and listened to the enlightened beings, flashlights flashed in my head but then, when I involved myself with the world around me, things seemed to get a bit out of control. I knew I wasn't the body or the mind, but it was still completely blurry and unclear. It still is, but I now know that I can wipe it clean. Somehow, someday, I will do it.

 

Was it a divine providence? My own subconscious? Who cares! I am going to continue with the recitation no matter what!

[skyblue]

What about the Hindu gods? Are the benefits from chanting their names recorded in some spiritual text?

[dwai]

9 hours ago, CataclysmicSky said:

What about the Hindu gods? Are the benefits from chanting their names recorded in some spiritual text?

@Moderator team should this Buddhist Deity thread should really be in the Buddhist sub-forum?  

 

But yes, there are literally thousands of texts which extol the benefits of chanting Hindu Deity names. Here are a few --

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lalita_Sahasranama

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali-Saṇṭāraṇa_Upaniṣad

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu_Sahasranāma#Merits_of_recitation

 

I've experienced very profound effects of chanting a sacred Vishnu mantra given to me by a Yogi in a dream 18 years back -- both spiritually as well as in my everyday life. 

[Jadespear]

I too have had extraordinary experiences while chanting in my mind.  Thinking is more powerful than speaking in the "spiritual" sphere...thats what I found.  I was shown a way stemming from hindu beliefs, and yes the hindu pantheon has many many deities that correlate to specific energies and elemental quantities.  

 

The greatest experiences I had were basically all some aspect of blissful immersion in ecstatic ways = blissful aromas surrounding me, blissful feelings inside me, blissful voices speaking to me through ESP.....   the hindu way I learned is basically geared towards that more than anything, they just love the bliss more than anything, and I do too.  

 

Oddly enough, a true master is so developed in absolute reality immersion all the time that nothing could ever impact his bliss.  Funny to me how nearly every oriental philosophy has the underlying premise of doing nothing at all and enjoying one's existence as the ultimate aim of every path and things learned along them... spirituality from their view is so much easier than basically all other schools of thought and it actually works.  

 

Chanting is just the tool to build more and more of the energy of the divine in yourself... eventually the goal is to not have to chant anymore because you've become so well developed in states of being that happened as effects of chanting.  Which is one reason why I believe chanting should also be balanced by not doing it. ( my yin and yang method ) 

 

Of even more importance to be aware of; as you chant you literally make your mind more powerful in all ways because you are repeating and strengthening the idea you are fixated on- this has a side effect as well - that of the fact that all other thoughts thought by you also now carry more power of attraction in the "mental" plane or aspect of your existence and everything your mind is connected to.... all places, people, and everything you basically know about anywhere in your mind.  I'm not joking.  So your thoughts will exert an influence further throughout your life than before...... hence the importance to always be a moral person in your mind.  More important than anything actually.  You cannot allow yourself to think ill of anything or anyone ever, because if you do you will risk the incursion of serious consequences.

[JustARandomPanda]

On 3/29/2020 at 11:13 AM, Omiiran said:

I have a matter in regard to Buddha-recitation cultivation dharma door that I wanted some clarification about. I am currently pursuing pure land dharma door, reciting amitabha name while walking, with rosary, etc. I wanted to deepen my practice and I had a pureland handbook by YongHua and the technique could be questionable(probably not?), he recommend reciting amitabha's name at the navel, as he say "just recite the Buddha’s name as you place your attention on your navel."

 

 

What made me wonder about it was Nan talking about it in Guan Yin Dharma door essay translated by seriousbuddhism "When chanting the Buddha’s name, do not use the mouth to inhale, use the nose to inhale until it reaches the dan-tian (T/N: behind the navel) until the entire body’s hair-pores. Internally, continue this, with each thought pure, and naturally there will be good news." and in Hsuan Hua's chan handbook "if you can breathe through your nose, when you inhale, bring the breath down to just behind the navel, not below it." In Essentials of meditation Zhiyi(Translated by Bhikshu Dharmamitra) mentions something similar "This refers to anchoring the mind at such locations as the tip of the nose or the navel in order to prevent the mind from becoming scattered. Accordingly, a sutra states, "One anchors the mind and refrains from falling into neglectfulness.""

 

 

 

Revisiting this thread because I learned something interesting about why one ordinarily shouldn't draw the breath too far below the navel. I'm uncertain about the exact cut off point but Sadhguru says if the breath is drawn too far below the navel the practice turns Tamasic. It increases inertia in the body and dullness of the mind. Or in Daoist terms - the practitioner's store of Chi is busy converting back to Jing and their store of Jing is converting back to...well I'm not sure what the Chinese term is but I figure readers will get the idea.

 

Which I guess defeats the entire purpose of doing one of these practices. I'm guessing exceptions to the above general guideline should only be done under the advisement of a guru. As a general rule I would probably stick with the navel or possibly 1-1.5 finger-widths below it at most. Master Nan Huai-Chin's advice seems like a good guideline. But people's bodies vary so what might work for me might end up being wrong for someone else. I'm not qualified to say more on this but thought readers might find the above extra info interesting to consider. Especially if they're doing a breath practice learned from a book or video.

Edited January 16, 2023 by JustARandomPanda
typos

[Cobie]

32 minutes ago, JustARandomPanda said:

… Jing is converting back to...well I'm not sure what the Chinese term is but I figure readers will get the idea.

 

I’m one of the “readers” but did not “get the idea”. Could you please elucidate?

 

 

Edited January 16, 2023 by Cobie

[JustARandomPanda]

42 minutes ago, Cobie said:

 

I’m one of the “readers” but did not “get the idea”. Could you please elucidate?

 

 

 

 

The subtler aspects of one's Being / Soul is busy converting back to one or more of the physical elements though I don't know the group Chinese term for such. An analogy would be like a multi-cellular animal devolving back down to a single celled one. Simpler life, fewer possibilities. Evolving from single-celled to multi-cellular gave Life new opportunities and arrangements to radiate out from its earliest life-forms and now displays diverse possibilities all over the planet in every kind of environment. The same thing would be happening to you (that is, devolving into fewer future possibilities for ones life trajectory and expression) if you draw the breath too deep below the navel.

Edited January 16, 2023 by JustARandomPanda

[Cobie]

@JustARandomPanda Thank you for elucidating. 
 

“Mine is the mind of a fool—ignorant and stupid!” (DDJ ch 20, Henricks translation)  

 

 

Edited January 17, 2023 by Cobie