My Connection with the Esoteric Schools of Buddhism

I'm sure by now most of you have either seen or heard me at some point talk about my connections with this school of Buddhism. I think it's about time I give an introduction to some of these schools no?

The following I copied from Wikipedia:

Shingon Buddhism (眞言, 真言 "true words") is a major school of Japanese Buddhism, and is the other branch of Vajrayana Buddhism besides Tibetan Buddhism. It is often called "Japanese Esoteric Buddhism". The word shingon is the Japanese reading of the kanji for the Chinese word zhen yan, literally meaning "true words", which in turn is the Chinese translation of the Sanskritmantra. word

History

Shingon Buddhism arose in Japan's Heian period (794-1185) when the monk Kūkai went to China in 804 and studied tantric practices in the city of Xian and returned with many texts and art works. In time, he developed his own synthesis of esoteric practice and doctrine, centered on the universal Buddha Vairocana (or, more accurately, Mahavairocana Tathagata). In time, he established a monastery on Mount Koya, which became the head of the Shingon sect of Buddhism.

Shingon enjoyed immense popularity during the Heian Period, particularly among the Heian nobility, and contributed greatly to the art and literature of the time, as well as influencing other communities, such as the Tendai sect on Mt. Hiei.^[1]

Also, Shingon's emphasis on ritual found support in the Kyoto nobility, particularly the Fujiwara clan. This favor allotted Shingon several politically powerful temples in the capital, where rituals for the imperial family and nation were regularly performed. Many of these temples such as Toji, Ninnaji and Daigoji to the south of Kyoto became ritual centers establishing their own particular ritual lineages.

Schism

Like the Tendai School that branched into the Jōdo, Zen and Nichiren Schools in the Kamakura period, Shingon also divided into two major branches; Kogi Shingon, or "old Shingon," and ShingiKakuban and his faction of priests centered at the Denbōe and the leadership at Kongōbuji, the head of Mt. Kōya. Kakuban, who was originally ordained at Ninnaji in Kyoto, studied at several temple-centers (including the Tendai temple complex at Onjiyōji) before going to Mt. Kōya. Through his connections, he managed to gain the favor of high ranking nobles in Kyoto, which helped him to be appointed abbot of Mt. Kōya. The leadership at Kongōbuji, however, opposed the appointment on the premise that Kakuban had not originally been ordained on Mt. Kōya. After several conflicts Kakuban and his faction of priests left the mountain for Mt. Negoro to the northwest, where they constructed a new temple complex, now known as Negoroji. After the death of Kakuban in 1143, the Negoro faction returned to Mt. Kōya. However in 1288, the conflict between Kongōbuji and the Denbōe came to a head once again. Led by Raiyu, the Denbōe priests once again left Mt. Kōya, this time establishing their headquarters on Mt. Negoro. This exodus marked the beginning of the Shingi Shingon School at Mt. Negoro, which was the center of Shingi Shingon until sacked by Hideyoshi Toyotomi in 1585. Shingon, or "New Shingon." This division primarily arose out of a political dispute between

During the initial stages of his predication in Japan, the Catholic missionary Francis Xavier was welcomed by the Shingon monks since he used the word Dainichi for the Christian God. As Xavier learned more about the religious nuances of the word, he changed to Deusu from the Latin and Portuguese Deus. The monks also realized by that point that Xavier was preaching a rival religion.

Teachings

The teachings of Shingon are based on esoteric Vajrayana texts, the Mahavairocana Sutra and the Vajrasekhara Sutra (Diamond Sutra). These two mystical teachings are shown in the main two mandalas of Shingon, namely, the Womb Realm (Taizokai) mandala and the Diamond Realmenlightenment. According to Shingon, enlightenment is not a distant, foreign reality that can take aeons to approach but a real possibility within this very life, based on the spiritual potential of every living being, known generally as Buddha-nature. If cultivated, this luminous nature manifests as innate wisdom. With the help of a genuine teacher and through properly training the body, speech, and mind, we can reclaim and liberate this enlightened capacity for the benefit of ourselves and others. (Kongo Kai) mandala. Vajrayana Buddhism is concerned with the ritual and meditative practices leading to

Kūkai also systematized and categorised the teachings he inherited into ten stages or levels of spiritual realisation. He wrote at length on the difference between exoteric (both mainstream Buddhism and Mahayana) and esoteric (Vajrayana) Buddhism. The differences between exoteric and esoteric can be summarised as:

1. Esoteric teachings are preached by the Dharmakaya Buddha which Kūkai identifies with Mahavairocana. Exoteric teachings are preached by the Nirmanakaya Buddha, also known as Gautama Buddha, or one of the Sambhoghakaya Buddhas.
2. Exoteric Buddhism holds that the ultimate state of Buddhahood is ineffable, and that nothing can be said of it. Esoteric Buddhism holds that while nothing can be said of it verbally, it is readily communicated via esoteric rituals which involve the use of mantras, mudras, and mandalas.
3. Kūkai held that exoteric doctrines were merely provisional, skillful means (upaya) on the part of the Buddhas to help beings according to their capacity to understand the Truth. The esoteric doctrines by comparison are the Truth itself, and are a direct communication of the "inner experience of the Dharmakaya's enlightenment".
4. Some exoteric schools in late Nara and early Heian Japan held (or were portrayed by Shingon adherents as holding) that attaining Buddhahood is possible but requires a huge amount of time (three incalculable aeons) of practice to achieve, whereas esoteric Buddhism teaches that Buddhahood can be attained in this lifetime by anyone.

Kūkai held, along with the Huayan (Jp. Kegon) school that all phenomena could be expressed as 'letters' in a 'World-text'. Mantra, mudra, and mandala are special because they constitute the 'language' through which the Dharmakaya (i.e. Reality itself) communicates. Although portrayed through the use of anthropomorphic metaphors, Shingon does not see the Dharmakaya Buddha as a god, or creator. The Dharmakaya is in fact a symbol for the true nature of things which is impermanent and empty of any essence. The teachings were passed from Mahavairocana.

Mahavairocana Tathagata

In Shingon, Mahavairocana Tathagata is the universal or primordial Buddha that is the basis of all phenomena, present in each and all of them, and not existing independently or externally to them. The goal of Shingon is the realization that one's nature is identical with Mahavairocana, a goal that is achieved through initiation (for ordained followers), meditation and esoteric ritual practices. This realization depends on receiving the secret doctrine of Shingon, transmitted orally to initiates by the school's masters. Body, speech, and mind participate simultaneously in the subsequent process of revealing one's nature: the body through devotional gestures (mudra) and the use of ritual instruments, speech through sacred formulas (mantra), and mind through meditation.

Shingon places special emphasis on the Thirteen Buddhas^[2], a grouping of various Buddhas and boddhisattvas:

• Acala Bodhisattva (Fudō-Myōō)
• Akasagarbha Bodhisattva
• Akshobhya Buddha (Ashuku Nyorai)
• Amitabha Buddha (Amida Nyorai)
• Avalokitesvara Boddhisattva (Kannon)
• Bhaisajyaguru Buddha (Yakushirurikō Nyorai)
• Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva (Jizo)
• Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva (Seishi)
• Manjusri Bodhisattva (Monju)
• Maitreya Bodhisattva (Miroku)
• Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (Fugen)
• Shakyamuni Buddha (Shaka Nyorai)

Mahavairocana is the Universal Principle which underlies all Buddhist teachings, according to Shingon Buddhism, so other Buddhist figures can be thought of as manifestations with certain roles and attributes. Each Buddhist figure is symbolized by its own Sanskrit "seed" letter as well.

Practices and features

A typical Shingon shrine.

One feature that Shingon shares in common with the other surviving school of Esoteric Buddhism (Tendai) is the use of seed-syllables or bija (bīja) along with anthropomorphic and symbolic representations, to express Buddhist deities in their mandalas. There are four types of mandalas: mahā-maṇḍala (大曼荼羅, anthropomorphic representation), the seed-syllable mandala or dharma-maṇḍala (法曼荼羅), the samaya-maṇḍala (三昧耶曼荼羅, representations of the vows of the deities in the form of articles they hold or their mudras), and the karma-maṇḍala (羯磨曼荼羅 ) representing the activities of the deities in the three-dimensional form of statues, etc. An ancient Indian Sanskrit syllabary script known as siddham (Jap. shittanbonji 梵字) is used to write mantras. A core meditative practice of Shingon is ajikan (阿字觀), "Meditating on the Letter 'A'", which uses the siddham letter representing that sound as a. Other Shingon meditations are Gachirinkan (月輪觀, "full moon" visualization), GojigonjinganMahāvairocanābhisaṃbodhi-sūtra) and Gosōjōjingan (五相成身觀, pañcābhisaṃbodhi "series of five meditations to attain Buddhahood" from the Sarvatathāgatatattvasaṃgraha). 悉曇 or (五字嚴身觀, "visualization of the five elements arrayed in the body" from the

The essence of Shingon Mantrayana practice is to experience Reality by emulating the inner realization of the Dharmakaya through the meditative ritual use of mantra, mudra and visualization of mandala (ie. the three mysteries). All Shingon followers gradually develop a teacher-student relationship, whereby a teacher learns the disposition of the student and teaches practices accordingly. For lay practitioners, there is no initiation ceremony beyond the Kechien Kanjō (結縁潅頂), which is normally offered only at Mt. Koya, but is not required. In the case of disciples wishing to ordain as priests, the process is more complex and requires initiations in various mandalas, rituals and so on. In either case, the stress is on finding a qualified and willing mentor who will guide you through Shingon practice at a gradual pace.

Esoteric Buddhism is also practiced, in the Japanese Tendai School founded at around the same time as the Shingon School in the early 9th century (Heian period). The term used there is Mikkyo.

Branches of Shingon

Located in Kyoto, Japan, Daigo-ji is the head temple of the Daigo-ha branch of Shingon Buddhism.

• Kōyasan (高野山)
• Chisan-ha (智山派)
• Buzan-ha (豊山派)
• Daikakuji-ha (大覚寺派)
• Daigo-ha (醍醐派)
• Shingi
• Zentsuji-ha
• Omuro-ha
• Yamashina-ha
• Sennyūji-ha
• Sumadera-ha
• Kokubunji-ha
• Sanbōshū
• Nakayadera-ha
• Shigisan
• Inunaki-ha
• Tōji

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It's with the great compassion of Venerable Huei Hsuen that I was initiated into Shingon Buddhism--and now with the different practices I've been doing I feel that different things in my life are changing for the better. It's not suggested that I go into details of the practices but it's very similar to what you would see in the Esoteric School of Buddhism in Tibet. Which I am also initiated into. I'm thankful for all the past merits I have accumulated for my practice to become as it is now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_Buddhism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyingmapa

Awake!

When this is, that is;
This arising, that arises.

All things exist in a complex set of conditions that give rise to its coming to being. On the night of his awakening, Siddartha Gotama claimed to have observed the causes and conditions that gave rise to good rebirths as well as bad rebirths, linking the quality of our thoughts and actions with the quality of our lives in the present and the future. On that same night, Gotama’s observation led to his seeing and experiencing the entire round of birth, age, death, and rebirth in all things. On that night, Gotama probably focused on the rounds of mental states and actions that led to our dis-ease, anguish, and suffering and freed himself from this.

He later expressed it as 12 links in a chain: (1) ignorance of the causes and conditions of life, the complex matrix that we all exist in begets formation of volitional actions (karma). (2) Formation of volitional actions of the body, speech, and mind begets consciousness of feeling, perception, and mental formation. (3) Consciousness begets (6) Contact begets feelings of pleasure and pain (7) Feelings beget attachment. " class="wp-smiley" /> Attachment begets existence. (9) Existence begets becoming. (10) Becoming begets arising. (11) Arising begets (12) decaying and passing away. In short,

All experience is preceded by mind, led by mind, made by mind. Speak or act with a corrupted mind and suffering follows as the wagon wheel follows the hoof of the ox…Speak or act with a peaceful mind, and happiness follows like a never-departing shadow.

And while this formula seems linear, it does not have to be. Conditioned things are also conditioning other things into becoming. This wheel of cause-effect-cause rolls on incessantly. Whatever began this original wheel rolling is not of importance, what is of importance is freeing ourselves from it.

Outside of Gotama’s expression of what he saw, we see the interdependent arising in ourselves and in everyday life. As people, we are comprised of a complex set of interacting atoms, cells, organs, and biological processes. We think and act with our thoughts guided by culture, ideologies, philosophies, the way we were raised, our family and friends. We also imprint ourselves onto these same factors. When we are aware that we are not just ourselves, not just I, and see others in ourself and ourselves in others, compassion bursts forth.

When this is not, that is not
This ceasing, that ceases.

Whatever is dependent on something else cannot last forever, and everything that is conditioned is impermanent. Our happiness that arises from being with loved ones can be blissful yet we know it can’t last. While we can put the right conditions into place to be happy, it becomes impossible to maintain and our joy that depended on the right people and the right things go away. We learn to enjoy it while we can and to let go when we must.

For Gotama, this impermanence also meant that dis-ease, anguish, and suffering could end as well. Any break in the links meant an end to the entire rounds of birth, aging, and death. The traditions have simplified this to the end of ignorance/delusion, aversion/hatred, grasping/attachment and the arising of awareness/understanding, tolerance/compassion, giving/letting go.

On the night of his awakening, Gotama experienced all of this. It was not just an intellectual seeing and acknowledgment that all things are interdependent and impermanent. It was also beyond just an emotional or non-rational feeling of the same things. What he experienced passed through his very being and it affected the way he thought, sensed, felt, and saw himself and the world around him. It penetrated into his self and completely altered him in a way that he described as beyond words and expressions and accessible only through direct experience. This is what was awakened to and this is what needs to be cultivated.

Awakening Something

In an earlier post, I wrote that the Siddartha Gotama awoke to the arising and falling of things. Things come and things go, “this too shall pass.”

When this is, that is
This arising, that arises
When this is not, that is not
This ceasing, that ceases.

While this formula for what the Buddha awakened to seems simple enough, it’s implications for our lives are anything but simple. Enlightenment or awakening is both close to us and far away. It is close because the material for our awakening already lie within us: our day-to-day experiences, compulsions, habits, memories, attachments, intentions, attitudes, ways of thinking. We find this material all around us as every moment of awareness becomes a teachable moment. There is no shortage of teachers if we see one in every sunrise and sunset or every smile and hurtful cry.

But the path is also far away because the material for our awakening is difficult to discern. “What’s a sunrise but a sunrise? It just comes up every day and goes back down at the end of the day. So what?” If we adopt this attitude we lose the present moment beauty of a sunrise or the potential of another Spring day where the flowers bloom. But the sun sets and flowers wilt, so we can only recognize it and enjoy it while we can.

The process for our awakening can also be long and difficult. The material of our awakening can also be difficult to deal with. They are conditioned by events and people we may not remember or prefer not to remember. They may be disturbing, hurtful, traumatizing, and something we would rather avoid. But they always return to our lives somehow, either through a conversation, a dream, or triggered by an event, similar or not. Can we tolerate and be open to this? I have faith that we can if we accept this for what it was as well as see this in everyone else.

So awakening is both close at hand and far away. It’s closeness is encouraging because it is within our grasps. It is also chastening and humbling that we have not yet grasped it. But this is all strange in itself because there is nothing at all to grasp. How silly we are.

貫通顯密的佛法修行次第與法門

心道法師開示

很榮幸與大家探討一些佛法的問題，大家可以暢心地說。我如果能夠幫助大家解答一些問題，那當然很好；如果解答得不怎麼樣，你們也不要抱怨。哈哈。

其實，佛法有兩個層次嘛，一個是理念，一個是實修。把道理搞通了，再去做。做的時候，搞不通了，就去修，慢慢就悟出來了。把“行”跟“解”，配合起來。如果理解了不做，那等於是個妄念，不是真實的。你一定要去實踐它，才有證量。信解行證，是相當符合邏輯的。

大家要好好聊一聊，不要浪費和師父相見的時間，看看大家有什麼疑難雜症——應該是沒有，呵呵。好啦，謝謝大家！

《廣論》告訴了我們一個學佛的層次，到什麼層次，有什麼樣的見解；到什麼層次，具備什麼樣的見解，它講得蠻清楚的，不用摸著石頭過河。除了《廣論》之外，在紅教裏，有一個《功德藏》，在實修方面，和它有一樣的地方。

開始吃飯吧。我先吃？好吧，但是不知道從何吃起。哈哈。要不先做個供養，你們如果學《廣論》，就應該這個樣子：“供養上師，供養本尊，供養護法，供養般若波羅蜜多，供養般若波羅蜜多，供養般若波羅蜜多。”感謝大家。（眾曰：感謝師父）

問題：師父，我學禪修，已經學過很多法門了，……

開示：學禪修的法門只有一個，叫做觀照，……怎麼讓心的光明現前。

問題：生命無限的問題，除了從《廣論》上學習外，是否必須修證才能認識到？

開示：學法要理解，你不理解的時候叫觀。就是對每個事件，觀察它的本質，四念住嘛，慢慢心就脫落，苦集滅道。我們人為什麼會生死？生死是一個妄念，可是妄念又很真實，所以要去瞭解，妄念非真實，才能淨化。

這樣好了，我們從般若講。一切法都離不開般若，不管怎麼講，我們的佛法離開般若就不是佛法 了。般若有文字般若，這是一個理念；還有一個觀照般若，這是一個實踐；實相般若就是證悟。在理念方面，我們現在學《廣論》，大概就是這樣子，文字般若。再 做第二層，就是觀照般若，就是法本。大藏、密乘修的，就是六法，那洛六法，就是這六種要訣光明，夢修，如幻，拙火。（那洛六法：靈熱/拙火、幻觀/幻身、 夢觀、光明/淨光、中有/中陰、轉識/往生。）

密乘是這個樣子的，上來就修四加行，慢慢就修本尊，本尊修完了就修護法。大部分人修護法的時候，就有空性的道理出來。母系的地方，就講空性；父系的地方， 就講道理、思路、方便，這叫做摩訶瑜伽，也就是四相。阿努瑜伽，（密三乘：嘛哈/摩訶瑜伽、阿努瑜伽、阿底瑜伽。）就是修氣功，氣脈明點，這個就是觀照般 若的。再下來，就是大圓滿，這個就是心性，如何把氣脈、障礙明點觀清楚，慢慢就進入實相般若了，心性的修法，大手印，或者是大圓滿。就是這樣下來的。

問題：法師，關於理論的部分，也就是集的部分，學習也需要一定的時間。依您的經驗，是否在理論都學通了之後，再開始修的過程；還是說一邊學理論，一邊修？

開示：這要看你的時間。實際上，先學一個全貌，再去修。比如說“四加行”，這個是打基礎的，一定要去做。像我身邊有些人，忙得要死，他們還是在做“四加行”。“四加行”要做，這是最基礎的，要做。那麼下來，就可以修本尊了。

問題：是不是先要有個瞭解整體框架，再開始修“四加行”，因為它也是讓你調整意樂的過程。

開示：“四加行”首先讓你皈依、發心；然後是懺悔，四力懺悔、百字明；再下來是獻曼達， 與上師相應。這個東西，你就慢慢做下來。它的意義呢，就是讓你慢慢對佛有信心，拜久了，自己跟佛的關係，就密切了。你現在光想的話，與佛的關係密切是不夠 的。皈依的時候，他觀想，要時時的觀想，佛跟你的關係。那個百字明，金剛薩埵的十地觀想，來懺悔，是很真實的，不是方便。它也就是練你的信心。你把“四加 行”做完，大體上佛法的基礎，都有了。一個“四加行”修很多次，他覺得蠻好的，他又接下來修本尊啦，就很容易，基礎打好了。

上面的內容，我們是從密宗講的。那我們再從顯教這方面看，有很多法門，我們八大宗，都可以修，每一宗都有它的方法，主要是證悟心性，也沒有什麼大的差別。 比如說像禪宗，它不會經過這些階段，它從頓悟上慢慢進入，它就是大手印嘛，從實相上修。比如說參話頭，是一個不二的修法，在這個當中，又止又觀，又觀又 止，它是同時止觀雙運的。這就是禪宗的修法，止觀。剛開始是止，慢慢地把心拉得能夠專心，慢慢地把止弄好了，就開始觀。觀就是觀察、理解到真實，等到你對 心性有瞭解的時候。這個還是要下功夫的，還要下很長一段時間，然後才能夠契入這個心性，才能夠了脫生死的。坐脫立亡呀，生命是隨時可以掌控的，修不夠是沒 法掌控的。

佛法怎麼講呢？主要的是“三摩地”要出來。“三摩地”不出來的話，什麼都是想法，不太真實的，它是一個妄動的東西。

Awakened

During one of our meetings, a question was raised, “What is Buddhism to you in one word?”

We went around the room and came up with about three general answers: compassion, awareness, and awakening or enlightenment.

After that we went around explaining our answers. Compassion, although definitely a part of Buddhism, was thrown out as not being exclusive to practice. We can be compassionate and be Christian, atheist, or whatever faith we want to bring up. There really wasn’t such a thing as Buddhist compassion, as much as there was simple empathy for our neighbors.

The other two, awareness and awakening were generally agreed to be unique to Buddhism, but we were unsure exactly what it meant. I went with awareness, awareness of my actions, impulses, compulsions and how they affected myself and others. I was pretty satisfied with this answer for a while but felt that it still wasn’t complete. With such an awareness, I could choose to be more compassionate, although it was not necessary. Without the goal of compassionate living, a person can be very self-aware but still act maliciously. Awareness or awakening in itself was only part of the answer.

So now I’m wondering, aware of what? Awakened to what? What was it that the Buddha was awakened to, that led to his freedom from suffering, his turning of the wheel of dharma, and the beginning of his teachings that still persist 2500 years later?

I put off answering this question, but came up on something during my summer reading that could answer it. On the night of his awakening, the Siddartha Gautama awakened over the three watches of the night. In the first watch he gained knowledge of his past lives and of the cycle of death and rebirths. In the second watch, he awakened to karma and the effects it had on people’s rebirths. In the third watch he awakened to dependent origination. Since I don’t have much of a penchant for the supernatural, I only garner significance from the last two. Gautama, in the second and third watch of the night, became aware of the karmic conditions of suffering and to dependent arising, or dependent origination, or the contingency in everything. From there, Siddartha was awakened and declared himself the Tathagata.

These conditions of suffering came from the karmic result of our actions, of which the Buddha put emphasis on our intentions. He puts so much emphasis on intention that he equates it to karma. Awareness of our selves, of the mind, then becomes of prime significance to living a good life. Ethics and morality are centered more in the quality of our intentions, which we each can have control over, rather than in ritual deeds over which a priest-class has monopoly.

The third watch makes the most sense to me, not only because it is lacking any overtly supernatural cause, but because it puts the whole message of Buddhism in an understandable context. Karma, emptiness, impermanence, interdependence, the four noble truths, and other things make sense in light of the awakening in the third watch. They all seem to be ways of stating the doctrine of dependent origination which is nothing more than this:

When this is, that is
This arising, that arises
When this is not, that is not
This ceasing, that ceases.

What could be simpler than that? So this is what I think the Buddha awakened to. Of course, I could be overlooking something. But that’s what this blog and teachers are for.

Wheel of Life, Wheel of Dharma

I’ve always found the Tibetan Wheel of Life striking in it’s representation of many Buddhist ideas. Although there are many aspects of the wheel we could talk about, I feel the most important are the bodhisattvas in each realm of existence.

In each realm are bodhisattvas performing actions to help the beings move to higher stages of existence and eventually towards awakening. In the Hell Realm, characterized by self-caused pain, suffering, and torture, the bodhisattva holds up a mirror, showing each inhabitant the root of their anguish. The Animal Realm, characterized by an ignorant instinctual drive for gratification, the bodhisattva holds a book, representing the capacity for intellectual thought and reason. In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, characterized by beings with tight throats and bloated bellies, the bodhisattva brings nectar to soothe their throats and fill their stomachs.

In the Asura Realm, jealous gods have an aggressive, relentless ambition, usually directed with envy at the more pleasant Heavenly realm. The bodhisattva appears with a flaming sword, commanding the asuras to redirect their powerful energy towards breaking their delusions. In the Heavenly Realm, beings who have accumulated enough good karma live for eons in utter bliss. Still, the realm is within the jaws of Yama, the lord of death, and still subject to passing away. The bodhisattva plays a lute, reminding them to not simply rest on their laurels. In the last realm, the Human Realm, people are driven by ego and ignorance. The bodhisattva appears as a wandering mendicant with a begging bowl, giving each of us the opportunity for selflessness and compassion.

For me, each bodhisattva is a call to action, sensitive to, and tailored to the specific needs of each realm of existence, very similar to the many different manifestations of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva aka Guan Shi Yin Pusa--infact according to the Shingon teachings of Buddhism--there is a list of different manifestations of the Bodhisattva in each realm of existence. Living in each realm requires different methods of cultivation to transcend to the next realm, and eventually towards awakening. Talk of teachings and the Dharma are good initial tools if they engender compassionate existence. Beyond that, the Dharma goes from being words on a page to actions in a person.

什麼叫開光、中國燒香源流簡說

1. 什麼叫開光
如果說這一尊佛菩薩形像，請一位法師來給他開光，他就靈了，不開光他就不靈。因為有很多人找我去開光，給佛菩薩開光。我就老實告訴他，你不要供養佛菩薩 了，他問為什麼？我叫他靈就靈，叫他不靈就不靈，我比他還靈，你供養我就好了，你供養他幹什麼？你想想對不對？這叫迷信。所以我也可以去裝模作樣比劃比 劃，我幫他這一比劃，他就靈了，你們想想，我豈不是比他更靈嗎？連這一點都想不通，那你是愚癡迷惑到極處。一個頭腦冷靜聰明人一看就恍然大悟，就明白事實 真相。我說替佛菩薩開光，他就靈，這是欺騙眾生，你們未免也太愚癡、太糊塗了，那有這種道理！所以開光是宣說這個佛菩薩代表的意義。譬如說供養觀世音菩 薩，觀世音菩薩代表的是慈悲，把菩薩大慈大悲救度一切眾生這個本願宣說出來。我們供養佛菩薩，供養觀世音菩薩，就要效法佛菩薩大慈大悲、救苦救難的這一種 悲願。所以見到觀音菩薩的形像，聽到觀音菩薩的名號，就把我們大慈悲心引發出來。我們對於一切人、一切事、一切物，要以大慈大悲，真正去愛護、關懷、幫 助，這是這一尊名號，這一尊形像開發我們自性慈悲的光明，這叫做開光。所以是藉佛菩薩名號，開發我們自性的光明；藉佛菩薩的形像，啟發我們自性的光明，是 這個意思。決定不能搞錯，錯了，那你就迷信。迷，決定不能解決問題，唯有智才能解決問題。這個是學佛不能不知道的。

2. 中國燒香源流簡說
燒香是中國民俗生活中的一件大事，有三個特點極為引人注目：一是普遍性，漢人燒香，少數民族絕大多數也燒香，從南到北，從東到西，幾乎無處不燒。二是歷史 悠久，現存文獻《詩經》《尚書》已有記載，則其起源必早於詩書時代即西周。三是普及性，幾乎做什麼都要燒香：對祖宗要燒，對天地神佛各路仙家要燒，對動物 要燒，對山川樹木石頭要燒；在廟裏燒，在廁所也燒；過節要燒，平常也要燒；作為一種生活情調要燒，所謂對月焚香，對花焚香，對美人焚香，雅而韻，妙不可 言；作為一種門第身份，所謂沉水熏陸，宴客鬥香，以顯豪奢；虔敬時要燒，有焚香彈琴，有焚香讀書；肅殺時也要燒，辟邪祛妖，去穢除腥；有事要燒，無事也要 燒，燒本身就是事，而且還會上癮，稱為“香癖”，就仿佛現代人的抽煙飲茶一樣。
　　有趣的是，不特中國燒香，世界上好多民族和國家也燒。香的 英語寫作incense，查《簡明不列顛百科全書》（第八卷第５４３頁），載有如下內容：古埃及人從阿拉伯和索馬里沿海地區引進香料樹，把香當作宗教儀式 中的重要用品。巴比倫人在祈禱和占卜時往往焚香。以色列人在被擄往巴比倫（西元前５８６年－－前５３８年）以前引進了香，到了西元前５世紀，一些祭壇專供 奉香之用。印度教特別是濕婆派在正式禮拜和家常禮拜中都要焚香；佛教在節日禮拜、成年禮拜以及日常禮拜中都焚香。日本神道教也焚得。從西元前８世紀希臘人 就焚燒木頭和樹脂，以供奉神明和祛除惡魔。羅馬人先是焚燒香木，後來引進了香，焚香在公祭和私祭上以及崇奉皇帝時越來越顯得重要。
　　中國燒香的歷史，大體可分為三個時期。以漢武帝為界，前面為第一期，可稱初始期。其間，所燒的香有以下幾種：
　　柴，玉帛，牲體，香蒿，粟稷等。
　　燒香的作用是唯一的，用來祭祀。燒香行為由國家掌握，由祭司執行。
　　周人升煙以祭天，稱作“禋”或“禋祀”。《詩•周頌•維清》：“維清緝熙，文王之典，肇禋。”箋：“文王受命始祭天。”即是說，這種祭制始于周文王。
　　其具體祭法為：將犧牲和玉帛置柴上，燃柴升煙，表示告天。《周禮•春官•大宗伯》：“以禋祀祀昊天上帝，以實柴祀日月星辰，以熈燎祀司中司命。風師雨師。”注：“禋之言煙。”“三祀皆積柴實牲體焉，或有玉帛，燔燎而升煙，所以報陽也。”疏：“禋，芬芳之祭。”（用《十三經注疏》本，下同。）
　　可見，所謂禋祀，一是點火升煙，二是煙氣為香氣。以香煙祭神，那麼這就是後世所謂“燒香”了。
　 　這一期，香事有以下特點：一是香品原始，為未加工的自然物，還不是後世正規意義上的“香料”（樹脂加工而成）；二是自然升火，不用器具如後世的“香 爐”；三是專用於祭祀，而祭祀由國家掌握，即，燒香還沒有生活化，民間化。明周嘉胄《香乘》引丁謂《天香傳》謂：“香之為用，從上古矣。所以奉神明，可以 達蠲潔。三代禋祀，首惟馨之薦，而沉水熏陸無聞也。其用甚重，採制粗略。”
　　第二期，從漢武帝到三國，可稱引進期。漢武帝于中國香事的發展，有特殊重要的意義。
　　其一，武帝奉仙，為求長生，是神就敬，而打破了以往“香祭祭天”的壟斷。
　　其二，武帝時期香品漸走向實用化，如置椒房儲寵妃、郎官奏事口銜舌香等，打破了香必用祭的壟斷，使香進入生活日用。
　　其三，也是最重要的一點，武帝大規模開邊， 就在這一時期，產自西域的真正的“香料”傳入中國。 《說郛》卷３５引宋• 吳曾《能改齋漫錄》稱：“又按漢武故事亦雲，毗邪王殺休屠王，以其眾來降。得其金人之神，置甘泉宮。 金人者，皆長丈餘，其祭不用牛羊，唯燒香禮拜。 然則燒香自漢已然矣。”此外，武帝曾遣使至安息國（今伊朗境內），《香乘》卷二引《漢書》稱：“安息國去洛陽二萬五千里，北至康居，其香乃樹皮膠，燒之通 神明，辟眾惡。”樹皮膠，即樹脂，是為真正的香料。
　　由於有了真正的香料，使武帝時的香事變得格外繁盛起來，後世野史筆記屢稱不絕。什麼焚 “月支神香”解除長安瘟疫（《香乘》卷８），燔“百和之香”以候王母（《漢武外傳》），用東方朔“懷夢”香草在夢中與李夫人相見，直至燒“返魂香”使李夫 人還魂－－這個傳說還傳到日本（見《源氏物語》）第４８回）。
　　香事繁盛，香具應運而生，不久，中國第一個香爐也發明出來了，稱為“博山爐”。傳說上面還有劉向的銘文：“嘉此王氣，嶄岩若山。上貫太華，承以銅盤。中有蘭綺，宋火青煙。”（見《香乘》卷３８）。劉向為宣帝時人。從此，香品與香爐配，使中國的香事進入一個新階段。
　 　然而，從武帝時引入西域香料始，降及東漢三國，在這三百多年間，香的使用還僅限於宮庭和上層貴族之中，極為名貴，難得進入尋常百姓之家。《香乘》卷２引 《五色線》稱：“魏武與諸葛亮書雲：今奉雞舌香五斤，以表微意。”為饋贈之禮品。又《香乘》卷７引《三國志》稱：“魏武令雲：天下初定，吾便禁家內不得熏 香。”足見焚香即使在宮庭中也還是一種奢侈。
　　第三期，是普及期。香的走向普及，是隋唐以後的事。普及的原因有二：一是“西（域）香”由 “南（兩廣、海南）香”所取代。“迨煬帝除夜，火山燒沉甲煎不計其數，海南諸香畢至矣。”（《香乘》卷１）南香的大量湧入，使香的價格降低，為普及提供了 物質準備。二是佛道二教從六朝以來大發展，輪番躋身於國教的至尊地位；二教尚香，“返魂飛氣，出於道家；旃檀枷羅，盛於緇廬。”（顏氏《香史序》）從而， 信徒洶洶，風氣大展，造成燒香走向普及。只不過，這時固有儒教還與釋道二教時相對抗衝突，傳統士人抵制特別是佛教，而使繁盛的香事略為減色。
　 　 迨至宋代，三教融合，燒香之俗，也便禦風而行，為大家一致崇尚，士人拜祭孔子時也燒起香來。 這就出現了本文一開頭所講那種局面。明屠隆總結道：“香之為用，其利最薄。物外高隱，坐語道德，焚之可以清心悅神。四更殘月，興味蕭騷，焚之可以暢懷舒 嘯。晴窗塌帖，揮塵閔吟，溫燈夜讀，焚以遠辟睡魔。謂古伴月可也。紅袖在側，秘語談私，執手擁護，焚以熏心熱意。謂士助情可也。塵雨閉窗，午睡初足，就案 學書，啜茗味淡，一爐初熱，香藹馥馥撩人。更宜醉筵醒客。皓月清宵，冰弦曳指，長嘯空樓，蒼山極目，未殘爐熱，香霧隱隱繞簾。又可祛邪辟穢，隨其所適，無 施不可。”
　　香與美已融合為一，大量詩文專門寫香。茲舉北宋陳與義（字去非，與黃庭堅、陳師道齊名）的《焚香》 為例：
　　明窗延靜書，默坐消塵緣。
　　即將無限意，寓此一炷煙。
　　當時戒定慧，妙供均人天。
　　我豈不清友，於今心醒然。
　　爐香嫋孤碧，雲縷霏數千。
　　悠然淩空去，縹緲隨風還。
　　世事有過現，熏性無變遷。
　　應是水中月，波定還自圓。
無限心意情懷，寓寄一炷煙中，人生喜怒哀樂乃至形而上的追問與探求均在此找到出路，於是也就難怪世事變遷而熏性是不改的了。噫！香已經完全滲透內化到人的 精神之中；這種滲透是那樣的深，以至到了民國年間，林語堂還津津樂道，在《生活的藝術》中專門辟一章向美國人介紹中國的焚香，前面明代屠隆的一段話，就是 轉引自林氏這本書的第六章。

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