CHAPTER IV. THE TIBETAN TANTRA AND qigong
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(a) GENERAL CONCEPT
This lecture is not designed to make you able to teach
yourself Tantric Buddhism or Tibetan energy training or
Qigong. To learn Tantric Buddhism or to learn Qigong or
any mental energy exercise, you must have a knowledgeable
teacher who is willing and able to teach you. If you try to
experiment with it yourself, you might create serious mental or
physical injuries. These lecture notes are designed to be used
as a reference guide under the supervision of a knowledgeable
teacher.
The term Qigong (chi kung) is a Chinese term that
refers to certain types of control and training in human
biological signals delivered by electro-magnetic energy to
improve health.
The sources of Qigong in China includes the chi (qi)
exercises of the masses, Tao Philosophy group, Taoist religion,
Ch'an (Zen) School Buddhism, Tien Tai School Buddhism, Pure
Land School Buddhism, Tantric School (Tantric) Buddhism, other
various sects of Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhism, Confucianism,
and various types of martial arts etc.
It is a general belief that when Buddhism was introduced
to Tibet from India, it came with its energy exercises. These
energy exercises were deemed to be the modified version of
Yoga energy exercises of Hinduism. The energy
exercises of Tantric Buddhism later incorporated the energy
training methods of the original religion of Tibet, the Bon
religion. According to Tantric lamas Buddhist yoga is not the same as
Hindu yoga. It was developed independently. Yoga was a term loosely
referring to different types of training to harmonize the mind
and body. Kundalini Yoga was one of the Yogas originating from
the predecessor of Bon religion, an old Taoist philosophy
that later was absorbed by the original Yoga training.
The Bon religion was deemed by some scholars to have
come from a branch of the Taoism of the central part of
China. This is why the methods of energy training of the Bon
religion are very similar to the "Chun Siang"3 training method
of the Tao religion of the Six Dynasties Era4 and the "Nei Tan"5
training method of the Tao religion, which was popular during
the Tang (618-906) and Sung (960-1279) dynasties. The Tantric
School Buddhism incorporated the training techniques of
the Bon religion.
The tantra training of the Tantric Buddhism is heavily clouded
by religious rituals. There are thousands of different subsects
and methods of tantric training within the Tantric sect of
Buddhism.
(b) THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF TANTRA
The Tantra trainings are divided into four major
categories7: Action, Performance, Yoga, and Highest Yoga.
I. Action Tantra (Kriya-Tantra)
Deities are visualized as external.
Rituals and ceremonies are the main methods.
Susiddhi Sutra is the main text.
Methods used include mantras, seals, cleaning environment
and own self.
II. Performance Tantra (Carya_Tantra)
Deities are identical as adept.
Rituals and internal methods are used, but rituals are
being used more than internal methods.
The training of "Body tantric, oral tantric, and mind tantric in
harmony" is emphasized.
Mahavairocana Sutra is the main text.
III. Yoga Tantra
Power of deities are recognized as arisen from non-duality.
Rituals and internal methods are equally emphasized.
IV. Highest Yoga Tantra
Only internal methods are used.
The Nyingmapa sect divides highest yoga Tantra into 3 sub-
categories:
a. Mahayoga
Visualization of deity is gradual.
Focuses on the development stage. Emphasizes the
clarity and precision of visualization as skillful
means.
Meditation on emptiness.
b. Annuyoga
Emphasizes energy centers, wind and energy.
Visualization on deity is generated instantly.
c. Atiyoga
Emphasizes mind development.
1. Dzogchen
The word Dzogchen is derived from two Tibetan words:
Dzogpa and chenpo. Dzogpa means "complete" or "end";
and chenpo means "top". So Dzogchen means "Great
Perfection." Some scholars deemed that the term
Dzogchen was derived from two Sanskrit words:
Mahasandhi which means "quintessence" or "gathering
all;" and Atiyoga, which means "summit or zenith of
yoga." Actually Dzogchen existed in the Bon tradition
before the introduction of Buddhism to Tibet.
Dzogchen is generally associated with the Nyingma sect.
It has been practised by masters of all sects throughout
the centuries.
2. Mahamudra (Chaggya Chenpo, or phyag rgya chen po)
Mahamudra is generally associated with bKa-rgyud
sect.
It is also practised by masters of all sects.
Actually, Mahamudra leads to the same goal as
that of Dzogchen. It is considered as a later
translation relative to Dzogchen, which is considered
as old translation.7.1
The treatise of Mahamudra is easier to read than
that of Dzogchen because the text of Mahamudra is
organized step by step, so deemed by many adepts.
Mahamudra differs from the classical training of
the Nyimapas in that it does not emphasize "three
tantrics in harmony" because it does not have "Oral Tantric."
Abhiseka (wong) is not necessary because in
abhisekas tutelary deities enter into the initiates
during the rituals, and in Mahamudra or Dzogchen,
there is no tutelary deity involved.
The training of Mahamudra is very similar to the
training of Ch'an (Zen) sect. The difference
between Ch'an (Zen) sect and Mahamudra is that
Ch'an sect emphasizes sudden enlightenment while
Mahamudra emphasizes gradual enlightenment through
dyana (ch'an) meditation. To learn Mahamudra one
must have a qualified teacher because deviations
and accidents can happen if it is not practiced
correctly. Mahamudra consists of two major types
of training which can be categorized into four
yoga stages:
(I). Yoga of Ordinary Practice:
(a) Concentration Yoga (Chuan Chu)
(1) Visualization
Among different visualization methods,
visualization on the syllable "Hum"
is deemed to be complete and best.
(2) Adamantine (Ch'in Kang) Breath
(3) Treasure Pot (Pot Shape)
(b) Nondiscriminatory Yoga (Li Si)
(II). Yoga of Extra Ordinary Practice
(a) One-ness Yoga (Ie Wei)
(b) Nonpracticing Yoga (Wu Siu)
The Gelugpa usually do not use the term Atiyoga;
instead they divide Anuyoga into: Father Tantra, Mother
Tantra and Non-duality Tantra. The Non-duality
Tantra corresponds to Atiyoga.
During the period from King Songstsen Gampo ( 629-650),
to the reign of King Lang Darma (838-842), there were only two
categories of Tantra: Action and Performance. These two
categories of Tantra are found in the religious writings of
Tibetan language and Han language.
The early Tantric Buddhism, whether in Tibet or in the
land of Hans7.2, or the Eastern Tantric as practiced in Japan
and Korea, was very similar to other sects of Mahayana
Buddhism, including Ch'an (Zen). The only difference was that
the Tantric sect emphasized rituals and ceremonies very heavily
relative to the exoteric sects.
The former three categories of Tantra are also called the
"Three External Vehicles of Secret Chants." Its contents are
similar to the contents of Buddhist Yoga techniques introduced
from India during the Tang dynasty.
The Highest Yoga is also called the "Highest Internal
Vehicle." It was introduced during the later years after the
Tang and Sung Era. Its training is the most strenuous and
difficult, and it emphasizes the energy centers and energy
wheel of the body. It also includes "double body training,"
which calls for training together with the opposite sex and
also includes mental visualization of the male and female
deities in postures of copulation. Its training methods
are regarded as top secret and are only practiced by those
who have attained higher training in the energy training
and by those high ranking monks with virtuous character
and advanced achievement.
Among the four types of training, the Highest Yoga is
the best. If the Highest Yoga is the best, why should one
study the other types of Tantra ? The Highest or Highest Yoga
is reserved for those who deserve it because of their virtues
and accomplishment in Tantric Buddhism. Another reason is that
different people are suited to study different types of
Tantra. The lower types of yogas are also used as a foundation
for Highest Yoga.
CHAPTER V. THE TRAINING METHODS OF TANTRIC BUDDHISM
(a) EMPOWERMENT
Empowerment (Abhiseka in Sanskrit or Wong in Tibetan) is a
ceremony:
1. to authorize the disciples to learn certain Tantric lessons.
2. to cleanse obscurations
3. to confer power to the disciples, and
4. to establish relationship with certain deities in the mandala.
The empowerment ceremonies are borrowed partly from the Bon
religion and mainly from the Hindu ceremony of crowning a king
where the rituals involved pouring holy water from the top
of an elephant onto the head of the enthroning prince.
The initiation ritual of Tantric Buddhism is not a one-
time event. A disciple can go through many empowerment
ceremonies for taking various steps of Tantric lessons and
various authorizations, such as authorization to teach the
Tantric methods, authorization to give empowerments, etc.
These rituals can be elaborate or can be simple and symbolic
and performed through visualization.
Usually the Lama giving the empowerment constructs a
mandala where different deities are arranged in a circle.
Strips of fabric are distributed to the disciples
taking the initiation. The disciples tie the strips over
their foreheads, symbolizing the eyes are being obstructed.
After reciting mantras of empowerment, the master
performs the watering ceremony where he or his representatives
distribute some holy water. The disciples drink
some of it and pour some on their heads. Then each of the
disciples is given a flower (or a petal of flower) to throw
into the mandala. A tutelary deity 7.2 is then selected
by the master for each of the disciples who have thrown the
flower, or sometimes if the number of the initiates is too
large, a symbolic throwing will be performed and the master will
select one deity for all of the disciples. Then some colored
powder or water are distributed to the disciples to be applied
to the foreheads, throats, chests, and navel areas to activate
the energy wheels.
Usually the rituals are accompanied by vajra bells,
clapper drums, gongs, cymbals, trumpets, large drums, and
chantings.
Besides mantras, the chantings include blessings consisting of
beautiful verses of five or seven syllables.
The low tone chantings of the lamas, the piercing sound of
the vajra bells, the bellows of the trumpets and occasionally
the exploding sound of the large drums create a serene and stunning
effect for the initiates.
Ceremonies may last more than three hours. At the end of the
ceremonies the strips of fabrics are removed from the foreheads
symbolizing the openning of the eyes so that the disciples can
see clearly (spiritually). Usually after the ceremonies fruits
and cookies are distributed to all of the participants of the
ceremonies.
(b) THE THREE SECRETS OF BODY, MOUTH AND MIND
The Tantric Buddhism of Tibet and other western and south-
western parts of China consists of "teachings" and "action".
"Teachings" refers to theories of Buddhism. "Action"
refers to training (gong) and techniques (fa).
From the point of Qigong, training is Qigong training
and techniques are supernatural techniques.
The fundamental training method is "Three Secrets (tantric)
in Harmony": I. Body Tantric, II. Oral Tantric, and III. Mind Tantric;
e.g. ,the three should be practised harmoniously together
and correspond to the three tantrics of the Buddha.
In general the method of basic training calls for the
use the postures of deities (Buddhas, bodhisatvas), chanting
of mantras, and mentally visualizing the physical shapes of
the deities. This training concentrates on focusing the body,
sound, mental activities to a single target, and through
meditation and mental visualization, one enters a calm and
serene mental state and leads the body into enjoying the
pleasure of calmness, emptiness, clearness and achievement
of certain supernatural powers.
If we compare the training methods of Tantric Buddhism with
other exoteric sects of Mahayana Buddhism, we can find that
they have some kind of basic similarity except the Tantric sect
also emphasizes the training of the physiological part of the
body which most of the exoteric sects lack. 8
The Tantric sect deems that the mental part of the body and
physiological part of the body are inseparable.
The Tantric Buddhism, especially the Highest Yoga differs
somewhat with other Buddhist sects in that it emphasizes
the training of essential energy9 converting the body and
spirit, and to attain longevity. Its ultimate goal is to
become Buddha (enlightened) and still be able to possess
the physical body, while the Ch'an (Zen) sect maintains that
the heart (mind) is the Buddha.
It is very similar to the philosophy of Nei Tan
Taoism10 which emphasized the "Training of the spirit and
life, bettering the soul and the body."
The Highest Yoga of the Tantric Buddhism of Tibet has special
understanding of energy centers11 and life centers. Among
the different popular theories, there is one that mentions
"three channels and four wheels" ( also five wheels). The
three channels refer to left, middle, and right channels.
The middle channel begins at the top of the head and runs
down the the spine to the perineum. This is deemed to be the
life center. The left and right channels run along the spine
and are the supplements for the middle channel. The four
wheels refer to "the four layers of the wheels of the
channels. " They are situated at the top of the head, at the
throat, at the heart, and at the navel. With the perineum,
the total number of wheels becomes five. Every wheel contains
certain numbers of branch channels. The branch channels
connect all the other channels. The three channels
correspond to the Tu Mai12 of the Nei Tan Taoism. The
top, heart, navel, and bottom wheels correspond to the
different Tan Tians. The Tibetan Highest Yoga of the Tantric
sect uses certain secret words on the Wheels and visualizes
the secret words during meditation. This corresponds to the
"Ie Sian"13 of the Nei Tan Taoism. The Highest Yoga depends
on absorbing the energy in the universe as the main method
of training.
I. Body Tantra
The Tantric sect believes that when the body is in harmony,
the energy circuit will be in harmony, and when the energy
circuit is in harmony, the chi energy will be in harmony,
and when the chi energy is in harmony, the mind is in harmony.
There are many postures used according to the different
requirements in various training methods. One of the fundamental
postures is called the "seven branch sitting method."
1. Seven Branch Sitting Method:
A. Sit in cross -legged position with body balanced.
B. Place Deng Tse Seal below the navel. A Deng Tse Seal is
where the palms are extended in a relaxed way and the
right palm is placed over the left palm with the thumbs
touching each other lightly.
C. Straighten the back bones and extend the shoulders
sideways.
D. Press the chin against the throat lightly.
E. Touch the tongue to the palate and open the eyes
slightly.
F. Exhale the stale air through the mouth three to nine
times.
G. Calm the mind and do not think.
2. Seal (mudra) of the hands
Besides the above mentioned Deng Tse Seal, there are many
other seals.
They are used according to the requirements in different
situations.
The body is said to be "like a mountain." It should be
well balanced and relaxed. The legs can be both folded or
half folded or not folded at all. In the writing of Tsongkapa
(15th century), the founder and grand master of the Gelug sect,
it is suggested that if the legs are both folded, it would
be a distraction. It is not advisable to do so. But if the
