What Is the Meaning of Life?

Dharma practitioners must reflect on this: Where does birth come from? Where does death lead us?
What is the meaning of life? What is the purpose of our existence?

【Reported by Master Liandian in Taichung, Translated by Lynn Ang, Edited by Victor Hazen and DJ Chang】On March 18, 2017, H.H. Living Buddha Lian-sheng presided over an Adharma Buddha Homa Ceremony and bestowed empowerment for the Adharma Buddha Uncommon Practice. This was followed by the discourse on ''Lamdre.''

Following the homa, Living Buddha Lian-sheng announced that on March 22 the empowerment of the ''Nine Phoenix Eradicating Defilements Practice'' will be bestowed at Liansheng Cultivation Association in Taipei. This practice can purify one's home and altar. In addition, consuming the ''Nine Phoenix Eradicating Defilements'' talisman along with reciting its mantra can expel defilements from one's body.

Furthermore, two grand ceremonies will be held in the near future. They include the March 26 debut transmission of the Humsvaranadinitara Dharma at Kaohsiung Exhibition Center South Hall organized by Dayi Cultivation Association. Humsvaranadinitara is the fifth deity of the 21 Taras and the syllable ''Hum'' has the powers of purification, enhancement, harmonizing and subjugation. She is therefore very important.

Moreover, for the first time, on April 16, a White Tara Ceremony will be held in Xinzhu. Grandmaster will explain the important and profound key formulas of the White Tara Dharma that are extremely essential.

Next, Living Buddha Lian-sheng discoursed on the practice of making offerings. Anything fine and pleasant can be offered, and one can offer one's talents as well. The Buddhas and bodhisattvas will be joyous as long as one sincerely offers what one is capable of offering within one's means.

There was once a Catholic monk who performed circus juggling as his offering to the Virgin Mother Mary. Due to his sincerity in making offerings through his performances, Mother Mary appeared and blessed him by touching his head. Therefore, as long as one sincerely and wholeheartedly makes an offering of one's talents regardless of their type, the buddhas and bodhisattvas will joyously accept it.

Grandmaster encouraged the True Buddha School (TBS) to attract and nurture new talents and youth. In particular, Grandmaster hopes that every TBS chapter will motivate their members and disciples to participate in TBS Life Camps.

Grandmaster mentioned that Master Liandeng owed his attainments in spiritual cultivation to Master Lianmiao who had given him enormous support which made it possible for him to cultivate diligently and see through the cycle of birth and death. Because of Master Liandeng's enormous faith and confidence in Root Guru, he was completely fearless when ill. The strength of his faith enabled him to cut through the cycle of birth and death. It is crucial to understand that there is no birth, consequently, there will be no death - which is the foundation of spiritual attainment! Therefore, we must all break free from the cycle of birth and death. A practitioner must always contemplate: Where does birth come from, where does death lead one to, where was one before one was born, what is the purpose of life, and what gives our existence the most meaning!

The Principal Deity of today's ceremony is the first buddha, the Primordial Buddha. Adharma Buddha has many emanations. He emanated the Five Buddhas and the Dharma Prince of the Five Buddhas is Vajrasattva, the founder of Vajrayana. The lineage of Adharma Buddha is the greatest! The Practices of Mahamudra, the Great Perfection, the Great Perfection of Profound Wisdom, and Yamantaka were all transmitted by Adharma Buddha, who is also Vajradhara.

Adharma Buddha represents expedient means while Mahesvara Buddha Mother represents wisdom. The integration of wisdom and expedient means gives rise to the most perfect sacred wisdom of the universe.

Living Buddha Lian-sheng continued with a discourse on Lamdre. There are four levels of masters that correspond with the four types of empowerments. Masters at level one have attained accomplishments through ''hearing principles,'' ''contemplating principles'' and ''cultivating principles diligently.'' Masters at level two, three and four, on the other hand, have all attained their respective accomplishments through ''seeing,'' which means one truly sees ''qi.'' When one actually senses it, it is ''seeing.''

As such, one truly ''sees'' these accomplishments, i.e. one's inner fire rising, one's water falling, the unblocking of one's central channel, the opening of one's five major chakras, and finally seeing light. One must truly see these before obtaining the respective empowerment of the tantric inner cultivation practice, Highest Yoga Tantra, and the Great Perfection Dzogchen. It is only when a practitioner truly sees one's qi, and experiences the unblocking and opening of one's central channel that the level two empowerment is granted to that practitioner.

Next, when a practitioner ''sees'' one's inner psychic fire rising and one's water falling along with the accomplishment of non-leakage, one is then granted the third level empowerment. One is granted the fourth level empowerment when one sees light emitting from oneself.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Grandmaster emphasized that in his discourse of the Lamdre, not a single word is to be missed or omitted. He stressed that the explanation on teachings has to be very accurate and precise.

Video link:
https://youtu.be/rMftIosimxU
https://youtu.be/6poJ5ih3zTc
https://youtu.be/-epCeJGbXPM
《抵達.上香》https://youtu.be/R3rzhGJtRFE

------------------------------------------------

【Adharma Buddha Mudra :】

Interlace the fingers inward. Straighten the thumbs and keep them touching.

【Adharma Buddha Seed Syllable :】


White Ah Blue Hum Wen

【Adharma Buddha Mantra :】

「Om。bie-zha。。ah-da-er-ma。da-du。so-ha。」

【Adharma Buddha Dharmalakṣaṇa Brief Introduction】

Blue Adharma Buddha has one face and two arms, and each hand holds a vajra scepter. He is adorned with precious ornaments and he is sitting in the full-lotus posture. He and Mahesvara Buddha Mother are embracing each other adorned with five-color jewelled crowns, earrings, necklaces, bracelets and precious hair garlands.They are solemn with the complete eight types of treasures. Their representation demonstrates the nine kinds of subtle and tranquil appearances.

White Mahesvara Buddha Mother is a sixteen years old youthful girl. She is slender. Her four limbs appear very soft and gentle. Her body is well-rounded, and her waist is thin. She is very distinct, splendid, dignified, and joyous.

Within each ray of light emitted by the Buddha Mother and Buddha Father there is a buddha. There is infinite light and an infinite number of buddhas. It is solemn and magnificent.

【Living Buddha Lian-sheng Sheng-yen Lu Dharma Talk - Adharma Buddha Background and Magnificence】

Adharma Buddha is supreme, the most venerable, the highest and the most sacred. He is the Ultimate Dharma Lord of all buddhas!

Adharma Buddha is the origin of all. In Sutrayana, he is called ''Samantabhadra Tathagata.'' In Vajrayana he is called ''Dorje Chang.'' In the Nyingma School he is called ''Adharma Buddha.'' In the Kagyu School he is called ''Vajradhara.''

Adharma Buddha is the very first primordial buddha, the earliest buddha, and the sixteenth ground buddha. He is the buddha of buddhas.

He is primordial and original. In Buddhism he is supreme, the most venerable, the highest and the most sacred. He is the most saintly and the greatest.

Adharma Buddha is the same as Mahottara Heruka because Mahottara Heruka is the wrathful emanation of Adharma Buddha. These two deities have the same identity.

Adharma Buddha has many emanations. He emanated the Five Buddhas and the dharma prince of the Five Buddhas is Vajrasattva, the founder of Vajrayana. The lineage of Adharma Buddha is the greatest!

The Practices of Mahamudra, Great Perfection, Great Perfection Profound Wisdom, and Yamantaka were all transmitted by Adharma Buddha, who is also Vajradhara.

Adharma Buddha is originally without form. However, when he has form he is blue. Because the void is colored blue, we use the blue color of the void to symbolize the bodily form of Adharma Buddha and Vajradhara. All buddhas' dignities are on this primordial buddha.

What is special about the Adharma Buddha is that at the end point of every ray of light he emits there is a buddha. Buddhas emanate in the light emitted by him, that is, there is a buddha appearing within every ray of light he emits. All buddhas, all bodhisattvas, all deities, dakinis and protectors are emanations of Adharma Buddha. There are 84,000 individual rays, and within each ray of light there is a buddha.This is really the greatest visualization.

One of Adharma Buddha's mantra syllables is extremely important. There are very few people who know Adharma Buddha's mantra syllables.

Originally there is transformation from the syllable ''Ah.'' But within Adharma Buddha's heart there is a syllable which is the syllable ''Wen,'' which is the syllable I always recite at every dharma ceremony. By doing so, I am actually reciting ''Adharma Buddha.''

Adharma Buddha's mantra is ''Om。bie-zha。ah-da-er-ma。da-du。so-ha。'' We often hear ''bie-zha'' meaning the greatest wisdom. ''Ah-da-er-ma'' is the buddha's name. The mantra syllables ''da-du'' mean ''No. 1.'' Vairocana Buddha and Adharma Buddha are the only Buddhas using ''da-du.''

As for the mudra of Adharma Buddha, one represents yang and the other, yin. Or, one represents wisdom and the other, expedient means. Wisdom and expedient means are integrated. Hence, Adharma Buddha is always depicted in yab-yum form which symbolizes the integration of ''wisdom and expedient means.'' The yab-yum form also represents the integration of ''emptiness and bliss'' or ''wisdom and compassion.''

The fundamental meaning of Adharma Buddha is expressed in the name ''Pure Light Secret Buddha,'' the first buddha mentioned in the High King Sutra. This Pure Light Secret Buddha is namely Adharma Buddha. ''Pure Light'' means light. ''Secret'' means ''emptiness,'' which, in fact, is the buddha nature. The No. 1 buddha, the ''Da-du'' buddha, the integration of light and emptiness, turns out to be ''Pure Light Secret Buddha.''

A buddha functions as radiant light. ''Secret'' and ''empty'' is the noumenon of a buddha, the buddha nature. One who understands this comprehends the meaning of ''Pure Light Secret Buddha.''

''Pure Light Secret Buddha'' reveals an important point: the ultimate goal of cultivation is to see the buddha nature. It is not easy, however, to see the buddha nature. Some will never see the buddha nature in their entire lifetime. Sentient beings transmigrating in the Six Realms cannot see it because of their karma. Karma must be eliminated before the buddha nature can be seen.

Actually, in every thangka there is a round heaven and a square earth. There is a saying in Chinese ''Round heaven and square earth, nine levels of them, I chant today, this lifetime will be peaceful and healthy,'' This ''circle within a square'' is the emblem of Adharma Buddha. There is a circle within a square and in the very middle there is a ''dot.'' The outer circle is the ''round heaven'' and there is a square outside the circle. This is ''round heaven and square earth, nine levels of them I practice today and will return to the center.'' (Editor's note: Please reference ''Miraculous Talismans from Guru Lian-sheng,'' Sheng-yen Lu's Book 247, for the essence and the key meaning of Adharma Buddha)

Living Buddha Lian-sheng has said during his dharma talk that as long as one receives Adharma Buddha's empowerment, learns his practice, and attains spiritual union with him, one will never again reincarnate into the three evil realms. One is also sure to attain buddhahood within seven lifetimes. He is the highest. There is none higher than him.

On Mar. 7, 2015, at Taiwan Lei Tsang Temple, Living Buddha Lian-sheng debuted the transmission of the essential meaning of Adharma Buddha's ''16 Grounds.''

Adharma Buddha is the ''Buddha of the 16th Ground.'' The meaning of the sixteen grounds is:
【Two Grounds of Empowerment】The original, primordial void is composed of ''no-thing.'' The ''one dot'' represents the outward flow from the primordial buddha, and having flowed outward, it flows back again, then outward, then back once again. This continuous cycle of flowing outward and inward, inward and outward is the ''two grounds.''

Practitioners receive empowerment in an instant. As long as you practice diligently, when you visualize the personal deity the personal deity will give you the blessing of an empowerment. Regardless of whether the blessing comes from one's external or internal personal deity, it is all empowerment. The dharma flow into Vajrayana disciples is thus continuous and unending!

【Two Grounds of Dharma King】:
Adharma Buddha is the Ultimate Dharma Lord of All Dharmas. He is seen as supreme in the universe. The ''beginning and end'' are equal, one and the same. Adharma Buddha is the entirety of the universe.

【Two Grounds of Child Innocence】
All children have child innocence. The totality of the dharma realms in all ten-directions is Adharma Buddha.

The entire universe as a whole is evolution. The realms of hell, hungry ghosts and animals are all emanations of Adharma Buddha. Everything finally ends up in tranquility and enters the great void. Everything is equal, equal.

【Two Grounds of Never Fall Back】
Adharma Buddha exists from the beginning. He does not fall back and he does not change. His body and mind are non-dual and don't fall back; neither do they increase or decrease.

【Two Grounds of Righteous Mind】
Non-manifestation is emptiness. Manifestation is mind. Whether manifest or non-manifest it is still the great perfection of Adharma Buddha. ''Life'' and ''death'' are both just fine, both good. ''Life'' and ''death'' are the ''Two Grounds of Righteous Mind.''

【Two Grounds of Expedient Means】If manifest it is ''expedient means.'' If non-manifest, it is also ''expedient means.'' This is the ''Two Grounds of Expedient Means.''

【Two Grounds of Wisdom】
Righteousness is wisdom and unrighteousness is also wisdom. One should therefore possess all-encompassing wisdom, righteous wisdom and unrighteous wisdom as well. Hence, buddha and devil are one and the same.

【Two Grounds of Secret】
The ''secret,'' whether manifest or non-manifest, is the same.

Taken as a whole the above sixteen grounds are: Awakening! Enlightenment!


!!Please be aware that before engaging in any True Buddha Vajrayana practices, one must first take refuge and receive the respective empowerment.!!

「一生一咒」800萬遍上師心咒活動,從今年師尊的佛誕日正式啟動,請參加者到TBSN官網以下鏈接登記資料: 每持滿十萬遍上師心咒者,宗委會將把名單呈給師尊加持。每持滿一百萬遍者,將列名護摩法會功德主,資料請師尊主壇護摩法會時下護摩爐。