The Wisdom Seed of Akasagarbha

Those who cultivate the Vajrayana teachings have a great natural capacity and extraordinary wisdom. However, there are many others of much lesser capacity who enter this dharma path but find themselves unable to comprehend the secret significance of the teachings. They desire to practice but they don't know where to start, and they have difficulty immediately grasping the fundamental points of practice. Due to karmic obstacles carried over from previous lifetimes, their wisdom never deepens nor becomes full resulting in difficulties in cultivation.

I advise this type of disciple to cultivate the Wisdom Dharma of Akasagarbha. This practice will increase one's wisdom, improve one's memory, and when one reads or hears the Buddhist teachings, one will be able to easily retain and understand them, and never forget them.

Akasagarbha Bodhisattva has the secret name ''Treasury Vajra.'' This great bodhisattva usually resides in the ''World of Xiang Ji.'' The name ''Akasagarbha'' means that his wisdom is as deep and wide as infinite space. Akasagarbha's abode is the boundlessness of space. He knows the secret meaning of everything and saves all sentient beings with great compassion.

Akasagarbha resides in the mandalas of both the Garbhadhatu (Womb World) and Vajradhatu (Diamond World). In the Vajradhatu, he is the Vajra Jewel Bodhisattva and is one of the 16 Deities of the Auspicious Aeon positioned in the outer court of the southern direction. Within the Garbhadhatu, he holds the primary position in the Akasagarbha court.

The Akasagarbha Sutra states: ''If a person seeks wisdom, the love and respect of all, a wonderful singing voice, the position of King or Emperor or high ranking official, all forms of wealth and riches, a perfect and contented family, and at the same time wishes that his good name spreads far and wide after performing virtuous deeds, the person must constantly recite the mantra of the deity so that all of his desires shall be obtained.''

In appearance, Akasagarbha wears a Five Buddha Crown. He is white and sits on a turquoise lotus. His right arm is bent inward and he holds a sword that emits bright light. His left fist is positioned at his waist and holds a lotus topped by pearl-like jewels.

In the cultivation one first makes an offering to Akasagarbha Bodhisattva and then recites the following mantra in front of his image: 

''Namo。ah-kyah-seh-keh-poh-yeh。Om。ah-lee。kya-mah-lee。mu-lee。soha.'' One should recite this mantra one million times in front of the image of Akasagarbha.

Afterwards, one should pay special attention to days when there is either a solar or lunar eclipse. On days when an eclipse occurs, one should make offerings of incense, drinks, and food to Akasagarbha Bodhisattva, and then place a cup of water as an offering on the altar. While seated in meditation beforeAkasagarbha's image, one should then form Akasagarbha's mudra: The fingers of both hands are interlaced outwards. Place both index fingers upright with the tips touching each other to form an arc. The thumbs are then placed side by side against each other. 

Visualize as follows: Clearly visualize Akasagarbha appearing in the space before you. Visualize that the jeweled sword of Akasagarbha emits a white blazing light. The blazing light of the sword soars like a roaring flame in the shape of a rainbow arc, which then flies into the cup of water on the altar.

Then visualize that the pearl-like jewels atop the lotus in Akasagarbha's left hand emit a ray of white light which enters into the water offering on the altar.

The light emitted by Akasagarbha's jeweled sword is the ''Wisdom Sword Light,'' which penetrates through the karmic obstacles of ignorance accumulated over many lifetimes. The light emitted by the ''pearl-like jewels'' in Akasagarbha's left hand is the ''Wisdom Fruit Light,'' which increases the wisdom light of Tantric practitioners and strengthens one's wisdom and memory.

When having finished visualizing both lights one then recites the Akasagarbha mantra as follows: ''Namo。ah-kyah-seh-keh-poh-yeh。Om。ah-lee。kya-mah-lee。mu-lee。soha。'' 108 times.

When one has finished reciting the mantra, visualize that the eclipse of the sun and moon enters into the water offering on the table. This symbolizes that the ''Wisdom Sword Light,'' ''Wisdom Fruit Light,'' the ''Sunlight,'' and the ''Moonlight'' are now contained in the water. One then drinks this water and prays for spiritual union with Akasagarbha Bodhisattva. 

I was once approached by a person who prostrated on the ground for three days. He wanted me to transmit the Vajrayana teachings to him. I could see that his heart was sincere. However, he lacked wisdom and his facial features did not reflect high intelligence. His speech was rambling and disordered. However, feeling his sincerity I eventually took him in as my disciple.

I taught him the Akasagarbha Mantra syllable by syllable but he forgot the mantra as soon as he finished reciting it. It took him two full weeks just to memorize the mantra. Once he memorized the mantra, I instructed him to recite it 1,000 times every day. He put his heart into it and actually recited the mantra 3,000 to 5,000 times a day until he had recited it one million times. I then taught him the mudra, visualizations and so forth that were associated with the Akasagarbha Practice. Privately, I advised him on the practice for attaining enlightenment.

Strangely, after cultivating the Akasagarbha Bodhisattva Wisdom Seed Dharma Practice seven times, his face no longer had an unintelligent look. His eyes, which had once been dull, were now bright and shining. His previous foolish look had completely vanished and his countenance was now full of wisdom. Most strangely, his manner of speaking, which had been rambling and incoherent, was now clear and lucid. Especially his previous poor-memory had become very strong. It was as if he had undergone a miraculous rebirth.

I know there are many people who suffer from memory loss (failing memory.) And there are a lot of people who are just less intelligent by nature-they try hard but they lack the faculty of understanding and memory. They just can't grasp the teachings and have a poor memory. They work very hard, but their redoubled efforts only end up with half the results. A great deal of time slips away, but still they cannot learn well. This kind of person should cultivate the ''Akasagarbha Bodhisattva Wisdom Seed Practice'' to increase and widen their fundamental roots of wisdom.

I specially wrote the following verse:

The natural capacity of Vajrayana practitioners is not average

Therefore their glorious wisdom enables them to reach attainment

It needs the blazing light of the radiant sun, moon and sword

One shining light will see illumination