The Vajra Bridge of the Great Perfection: Methods of Practice

II. Taking Dharma as the Path

(Section C2) Taking Dharma as the Path is divided into two parts: (D1) Methods of Practice and (D2) Stages of Practice

(D1) Methods of Practice comprises four sections: (E1) The Foundation of All Noble Paths—Taking Refuge (E2) Entering the Supreme Mahāyāna—Generating the Extraordinary Bodhicitta (E3) Accumulating Favourable Conditions Through Mandala Offering (E4) Purifying Adverse Conditions and Obscurations—Practising Vajrasattva

When you take the Dharma as the entirety of your life and make it your ultimate goal, that is taking Dharma as the path. Since beginningless time, we have been attached to various things, leading to endless cycles of birth and death. Now, we must turn our worldly attachments towards the Dharma. Moreover, even if our minds have turned to the Dharma and we wish to attain the ultimate happiness of liberation, without finding the path to liberation and genuine practice, we cannot achieve Buddhahood. Therefore, we shall now discuss how to practise and how to take Dharma as the path through the uncommon preliminary practices.

(E1) The Foundation of All Noble Paths—Taking Refuge

Taking refuge is the foundation of Buddhist practice and the gateway to the Dharma. The first thing we must get right in Buddhist practice is taking refuge, including both the attitude and method of taking refuge. If we misunderstand the view and method of taking refuge, everything that follows will be wrong, even if we are practising tantric methods or even the Great Perfection. Without proper refuge, liberation is impossible. It is like getting on a motorway—if you take the wrong entrance and are heading south when you meant to go to Taipei, you cannot simply turn back but must travel quite far before you can change direction. Similarly, if you enter incorrectly, your view will be wrong; if your understanding of Dharma is wrong, your practice will certainly be wrong; if your practice is wrong, your conduct will be confused and improper; if your conduct is wrong, there will be no positive results. Therefore, view and entrance are most important. In terms of thought and concept, one should take faith, renunciation, and bodhicitta as the view, whilst the entrance to Buddhism is proper refuge.

(E2) Entering the Supreme Mahāyāna—Generating the Extraordinary Bodhicitta

Generating bodhicitta is the entrance to the Mahāyāna. Without the foundation of bodhicitta, the qualities of the paths and grounds of the bodhisattva vehicle cannot arise, thus bodhicitta is extremely important. Virtuous actions performed with bodhicitta have greater and more powerful force. Any virtuous actions of the bodhisattva path or merit accumulated through practice based on bodhicitta will be limitless and inexhaustible until the attainment of Buddhahood, and the power to benefit sentient beings will also be endless. Therefore, bodhicitta must never be lacking.

(E3) Accumulating Favourable Conditions Through Mandala Offering

All favourable conditions and good fortune arise from the accumulation of merit. Therefore, there are two indispensable aspects of the bodhisattva path: the method for purifying karmic obscurations—confession; and the method for accumulating merit. As Naropa said, these two are like the wheels on either side of a vehicle—if either fails, the vehicle will break down or have an accident. Thus, there is no difference in importance between them; both are crucial.

In this ritual by Rinchen Tsewang Norbu, there is no Chöd practice for cutting through the four demons, but Rinchen Tsewang Norbu has a separate treasure teaching—the body offering practice of the dakinis' heart blood.

(E4) Purifying Adverse Conditions and Obscurations—Practising Vajrasattva

There are two indispensable practices on the bodhisattva path: one is the accumulation of merit mentioned earlier, and the other is purifying karmic obscurations. We are not Buddhas, and at every stage of the bodhisattva path, we encounter different obstacles. Some obstacles come from outside, some from within, but regardless, the main source of all obstacles is self-grasping. When there is self-grasping, it attracts all outer, inner, and secret obstacles, just as a magnet attracts anything containing metal. Though these things appear to come from outside, in reality, all faults, failures, misfortunes, and the sufferings of samsara all come from our own minds. Therefore, we must purify these temporary stains. Among the methods of purification, the most extraordinary is Vajrasattva practice. When Vajrasattva was practising the bodhisattva path, he made aspirations to purify all obscurations, and now that he has achieved perfect enlightenment, his aspirations will certainly be fulfilled.

Whether practising the main practice or preliminary practices, as long as we have not achieved complete Buddhahood, we still have obscurations. Even tenth-level bodhisattvas still have subtle cognitive obscurations. Therefore, when we have obscurations now, we should not be overly distressed or think, "What shall I do about these obscurations? I have committed such grave negative karma; I will certainly fall into the hell realms!" Mere self-recrimination and regret are insufficient—these alone cannot purify negative karma or change anything. Only confession complete with the four powers of remedy will be effective. Moreover, bodhisattvas must be courageous. Having generated bodhicitta and entered the Mahāyāna gate, we are all bodhisattvas. As stated in "The Way of the Bodhisattva": "When beings bound throughout the realms of samsara generate even a moment of bodhicitta, they are instantly called children of the Buddhas, worthy of reverence by both gods and humans of the world." Therefore, we cannot remain stuck in a state of regret and self-blame. Though we must acknowledge our mistakes and feel remorse, this is only the first step. We must also have the power of commitment and engagement, and maintain confidence that "I have the methods, I can achieve liberation, I can purify obscurations."

In summary, what was discussed earlier were the common outer preliminary practices, whilst this section covers the uncommon inner preliminary practices: taking refuge, generating bodhicitta, mandala offering, and Vajrasattva practice—these four are the uncommon inner preliminary practices, commonly known as the "four preliminaries."