Dharma Talk by Living Buddha Lian Sheng on 11/07/96

Let me continue with the talk on `How to get rid of improper thoughts`.

Someone asked me: `Why are you so familiar with the methods taught by Shakyamuni Buddha?`

Frankly speaking I am a superman who has transcended space and time!

`What do you mean by that?`

`I live in ancient time.`

`But you are still around?`

`As I know everything about my past lives, I come from ancient time. And I know about my present and my future, I live in modern time.`

When Shakyamuni Buddha was expounding the Sutras, I was there listening. That`s why I know it so well. Shakyamuni Buddha and all his chief disciples may not have cultivated Tantra outwardly, but the truth is that they did, although Tantrayana was never in the limelight at that time.

Did Shakyamuni Buddha teach Tantrayana? If he did not, then how did those Arhats attain `Flame Samadhi`? `Flame Samadhi` which was mentioned frequently in Sutra teachings, is a concrete proof that Tantrayana was well and alive during Shakyamuni`s era.

Therefore, it is a mistake to say only Vairocana Buddha taught Tantrayana to this world. Shakyamuni Buddha also did his part. He taught us `Rainbow Light Great Mudra` as well as `Rainbow Light Great Attainment`. During Shakyamuni`s time, many of his disciples cultivated Tantrayana and they were able to attain the spiritual level known as `Flame Samadhi`.

After cultivation, one will have achieved a secret accomplishment known to oneself.

After listing to Shakyamuni`s Dharma talk, every disciple returned to his own place to meditate - using his own method to enter into deep contemplation.

Once in a while Shakyamuni Buddha would come around and teach his disciples. He would write a few sentences to guide his disciples and these guides were later compiled into Dharmapada Sutra. If he wrote, `You must loosen up!` his disciple must have been too tense. On the other hand if he wrote, `You must tighten up `, his disciple must have been too relaxed. For instance those who always fell asleep would be asked to adopt a more graceful posture. Shakyamuni Buddha used to write short sentences to teach his disciples.

`Rainbow Light Great Attainment` stresses a lot on inner cultivation. What is inner cultivation? It is a training to ensure we have adequate Qi (inner wind) in our body. -This is the key to success in inner cultivation. A Tantric cultivator will never appear to be short of breath.

I mentioned about `Treasure Vase Breathing Practice` before, you could buy the videotapes from Seattle`s Lei Zang Si and watch them.

`Psychic heat` also known as `Pristine Fire` is another Dharma from the inner cultivation. I have explained it in great detail. You can also obtain the videotapes from the same source.

Although it will be a repetition, I still want to spend some time explaining them to you.

As you know, by cultivating `Treasure Vase Breathing Practice`, we will have adequate Qi. When the Qi is circulating in our body without blockage and hindrance, we will be strong and robust.

This is the great difference between Tantrayana and other forms of cultivation. After cultivating Tantrayana, we need not learn other forms of Qi-gong, as it has encompassed all of them.

`Treasure Vase Breathing Practice` is a Qi-gong in the form of a teapot/calabash. Once we have adequate Qi, and they flow freely in our body, we have mastered the art of `Treasure Vase Breathing Practice`. And this is the foundation of inner cultivation.

Then we must learn to use our psychic heat to ignite inner fire. As you know, our body has such elements as earth, water, fire, and wind. We must use the elements of water and fire to cultivate. The water element concentrates at our brow-point whereas the fire element converges at four finger lengths below our Dan Tian. We must ignite the fire and splash it with water. A psychic heat will arise once water mixed with fire - this is also known as `Pristine fire` Dharma.

During Shakyamuni`s time, all the accomplished Arhats were able to immerse in `Flame Samadhi`.

This is a situation where one`s upper body ejects water and lower body ignites fire. Having a meditative stabilization in fire and water is a Dharma taught by Tantrayana.

Simply put, it is a phenomena caused by adequate Qi in our body. When our veins are unhindered, our energy will converge at one point, and generate heat. Fire will be ignited and eventually lights will be radiated. When lights emit from our body, we will look like an indestructible Vajra.

In short, by cultivating Tantrayana, we are able to feel, experience the existence of Dharma and mystic powers. An accomplished Tantric cultivator will never fall sick. He will be as strong and solid as a Superman.

The Dharma and mystic powers that we derive from Tantrayana cultivation are not merely lip services or illusions. They are very real; we can experience them and verify them. That`s all for today.

Om Mani Padme Hum