The Oral Transmission of Practical Instructions for Meditation on the Syllable 𑖀 (A)

Taishō no. 2432

Recorded by Jitsue

Translated into English by Shaku Shingan (23rd August, 2024)

Before meditating on this syllable, sit in a place where the surroundings do not press in too tightly, neither too bright nor too dark. If it's too dark, delusional thoughts arise, and if it's too bright, the mind becomes distracted. Place a lamp behind the meditation seat at night to protect it from the wind. Sit cross-legged or half-cross-legged on a cushion. Form the mudrā of the Dharmadhātu Samādhi. Keep your eyes neither fully open nor fully closed. If they are too open, the mind scatters; if they are too close, it becomes dull. Gaze softly without blinking, focusing both pupils on the bridge of your nose. Rest your tongue on the palate, and naturally calm your breath. Keep your waist neither bent nor arched, but sit straight to aid blood flow. A deviation in the flow of blood causes illness and mental confusion.

First, bring your palms together in the Vajra Mudrā and recite the Five Great Vows. Then, chant the seed syllables of the five elements of the womb one hundred times. Afterwards, begin the meditation. Start by meditating on the syllable itself and then reflect on its meaning. The syllable 𑖀 (A) is visualised as residing on a moon disc in the chest, like the clear moon of an autumn night. The moon disc is the seed syllable 𑖀 (A). The light of the moon disc and the syllable 𑖀 (A) are entirely one. Visualise this in your chest, realising that your very self has become the syllable 𑖀 (A). The syllable 𑖀 (A) is your mind. Thus, the mind and its object are not two, and the conceptual thoughts cease. Since the nature of the moon disc is inherently pure, it can remove the stains of desire. The moon disc is cool and can alleviate the heat of anger. The brightness of the moon disc can dispel the darkness of ignorance. In this way, the three poisons are naturally purified and dissolved. With this meditation, you will find peace and be free from worldly suffering, called liberation. When this meditation deepens, you can master life and death, which is the realisation of Buddhahood in this very body.

Begin by visualising the moon disc as small as an elbow span. Gradually, extend this visualisation to encompass the entire cosmos of three thousand great thousand worlds and, finally, the whole Dharmadhātu.

Next, contemplate the meaning of the syllable 𑖀 (A). The syllable has three meanings: emptiness, non-arising, and permanence. Emptiness means that all phenomena are devoid of self-nature, entirely empty. However, due to causes and conditions, phenomena appear and exist clearly. Like a wish-fulfilling jewel containing all kinds of treasures, it manifests them according to conditions. Break open the gem; nothing is inside, yet treasures arise according to conditions. Thus, emptiness and existence are the same. This is called permanence, which is all things' non-arising and non-ceasing nature. Therefore, the syllable 𑖀 (A) embodies the great emptiness and the ultimate truth. When we meditate on this syllable within our chest, we naturally realise these three meanings. Realising these three meanings is to realise the Dharma body of Vairocana. Entering this meditation path, even beginners will completely sever the cycle of birth and death. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, the contemplation of the syllable 𑖀 (A) is never abandoned. It is easy to practise and quickly leads to sudden awakening.

When seated, use the full cross-legged posture (not half) and the mudrā of the Dharmadhātu Samādhi. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, always think of the syllable 𑖀 (A). The syllable 𑖀 (A) arises in the chest and passes through the throat, tongue, teeth, and lips, issuing from these five places as the sound of the Buddhas of the Five Families of the Vajradhātu proclaiming the Dharma. When the tongue, throat, and lips pronounce syllables, it is the Three Families of the Womb Realm. Understanding this, one avoids using harsh speech, slander, lying, and frivolous talk, as these arise from the five places within the three internal domains. Thus, the syllable 𑖀 (A) is the king of the true words of the Samādhi of the Ocean Seal (sāgara-mudrā-samādhi), embodying the sound of the Dharma. Ignorance of this principle leads to evil karma and rebirth in the lower realms to experience suffering.

The Lotus Samādhi Sūtra says:

The maṇḍalas of the Two Realms sit within the chest, revolving and manifesting divine transformations. Among them, the Buddha of Infinite Life in the West upholds the seat of teaching and the virtues of the Dharma. He constantly preaches the Dharma, and its sound issues forth from my mouth, becoming the sound of liberation from the objects of the senses, benefiting all.

Yet, ordinary beings, ignorant of this, think that their own words arise from their attachment to things, not realising the infinite virtues, secret names, and Dharma gateways. They mistakenly believe that their speech is only the cause of evil karma leading to rebirth in the lower realms. This is truly lamentable. This natural principle is the essence of dhāraṇī, the ocean of the nature of fruition and the ultimate truth of non-arising. Like the ocean encompassing all rivers, all roots of goodness are gathered into this single syllable, which is why it is called the Ocean Seal Samādhi Mantra.

By meditating on this syllable even once, the merit is superior to reciting the eighty thousand teachings of the Buddha simultaneously. 

Oral Instructions on the Secret Meditation

Although there are many paths in the Mantrayāna, the essential points are nothing more than two: brief and extensive meditation. 

1. The Brief Meditation

The Mahāvairocana Sūtra says:

What is bodhi? It is the realisation of one's own mind.

This passage refers to Vairocana answering Vajrasattva's question about realising one's own mind. The Commentary says:

When one sees non-arising, that is, the limit of non-arising, this is the realisation of one's own mind. The realisation of one's own mind is omniscience.

Therefore, the Mahāvairocana Sūtra teaches that seeing the limit of non-arising is omniscience. Omniscience is Vairocana. Therefore, the Mantra teaching of attaining Buddhahood in this very body is to see the limit of non-arising. The limit of non-arising means that all dharmas, from the beginning, are neither born nor destroyed, inherently existing and eternally abiding. Afflictions are inherently unborn, and bodhi is inherently unborn. Understanding this is called omniscience.

However, we easily understand the birth and death of things that come and go, but we do not understand what is neither born nor destroyed. The inherent non-arising and non-destruction of all phenomena is extensively discussed in the Exoteric teachings. However, the term 'non-arising and non-destruction' is not commonly addressed in the Esoteric teachings. The foundation of the Esoteric teachings is to directly reveal and teach the seed syllable and the form of the Samaya, allowing us to see and understand them. This is unknown in the Exoteric teachings.

The essence of the non-arising nature is symbolised by the seed syllable 𑖀 (A) in the form of the Samaya, seated on an eight-petalled lotus. This eight-petalled lotus is the 𑖮𑖴𑖝 (hṛta) of the Mahāvairocana Sūtra. The 𑖮𑖴𑖝 (hṛta) is the eight-petalled heart-lotus of sentient beings. The Commentary says: 

The internal heart-lotus is the subtle white lotus of the original mind of sentient beings, the secret banner of the subtle Dharma.

The eight petals of the lotus are fully equal and complete, like the form of a perfectly blooming lotus. This lotus seat is the natural wisdom of the ultimate reality. The petals of the lotus represent the skilful means of great compassion. This lotus, known as the Maṇḍala of the Great Compassionate Womb World, is the essence of this [sūtra]. The remaining three circles of petals represent the outflowing of the virtues of self-realisation and entry into the gate of the Dharma realm by all good spiritual friends.

This maṇḍala, though of the smallest size, measures sixteen fingers in width but can extend indefinitely. In this text, the internal subtle white heart-lotus is the 𑖮𑖴𑖝 (hṛta) of the subtle Dharma of the original mind of sentient beings. This subtle white heart-lotus should be visualised. Observing an eight-petalled lotus in the heart is the way to visualise it. The lotus shape should be like a natural lotus, and only this shape of the lotus should be observed.

The eight-petalled lotus is the 𑖮𑖴𑖝 (hṛta) heart. The 𑖭𑖰𑖝 (sita) heart resides on this lotus. These two hearts are never separated. The moon disc should be visualised on top of the lotus. The moon disc is the 𑖭𑖰𑖝 (sita) heart. [On top of the lotus] 𑖮𑖴𑖝 (hṛta) heart. This is how the moon disc appears. The moon disc is round like a crystal ball. The seed syllable 𑖀 (A) is seated on the lotus; the syllable 𑖀 (A) should be visualised on top of the moon disc. The syllable 𑖀 (A) is as it is usually written, expanding in the four directions. While the form of writing is usually one dimension, with neither height nor depth, the shape of all Sanskrit syllables extends in four directions, which can be understood with the syllable 𑖀 (A). Now, the syllable 𑖀 (A) is seated on the moon disc in the lotus. Whether you observe the lotus, the moon disc, or the syllable 𑖀 (A), remain focused on your meditation. The moon disc should be at least an elbow's span wide. This size should not be reduced.

There are two aspects to the brief meditation: 

First, visualise the eight-petalled lotus an elbow's span wide, observing it in detail. Then, the previously visualised lotus, an elbow's span wide should be absorbed into your body. This is like the usual practice of "entering the self; the self-entering." 

First, one visualises the lotus at an elbow's span. After meditating on it like this for years, diligently practising without retreat, one will reach a point where one can see the lotus [etc.] even with one's eyes closed. After meditating, one can absorb it into one's own body.

Question: 

This lotus and syllable 𑖀 (A) represent the real essence of the limit of non-arising. When meditating, should one consider the meaning of the seed syllable and its three meanings (emptiness, non-arising, and permanence)?

Answer: 

During meditation, do not think about the meaning of the syllable or the three forms. Simply observe the shape and colour with clarity, as they are. Additionally, people often think that the syllable 𑖀 (A) is something ordinary because it is frequently written in the world. This is a major mistake. The syllable 𑖀 (A) is the real essence of pure bodhicitta and the heart of the realisation of Buddhahood in this very body.

2. The Extensive Meditation

After finishing the brief meditation, the next step is the extensive meditation. The Commentary says: 

If the practitioner sees all dharmas arising from conditions as the Dharmakāya of Vairocana, then at that time, all ten directions will become one Buddha-land.

This means that when one sees all conditioned dharmas, one sees the Dharmakāya of Vairocana, as all dharmas are nothing but the two dharmas of form and mind. The two dharmas of form and mind are the six elements. The six elements are the Dharmakāya of Vairocana. At that time, all ten directions will become one Buddha land, meaning that all the pure lands and the six realms of defilement are no different from the single palace of the Dharmadhātu.

When the mind is calm, practise the brief meditation. When it is distracted, practise the extensive meditation. These two paths of meditation are the utmost secrets. Never be negligent in your practice, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down. Diligent practice will quickly reveal the pure bodhicitta. This concludes the secret meditation.