Buddhist Meditation
Systematic and Practical

CW35 (PDF)
Table of Contents

A Talk by the Buddhist Yogi C. M. Chen
Written Down by Rev. B. KANTIPALO

1967 First Edition
1976 Second Printing
1980 Second Edition
1989 Second Printing

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Foreword

Foreword to the 1980 Edition
A Note to the Readers
Foreword to the 1989 printing
Foreword to 2011 Revised Edition

Introduction

A Outward Biography
B Inward Biography
C Secret Biography
D Most Secret Biography

a The Attainment of Cause
b The Attainment of Tao (The Path or Course)
c The Attainment of Consequence: a Certainty of Enlightenment

Chapter I
REASONS FOR WESTERN INTEREST IN THE PRACTICE OF MEDITATION

A Remote cause by reason of the Dharma-nature
B By reason of Dharma-conditions

1 Foretold by sages
2 Effect of Bodhisattvas
3 All religions have the same basis
4 Correspondences between religions

C By reason of the decline of Christianity

1 The scientific spirit
2 Post-Renaissance scepticism
3 Decline of Christian faith
4 Evolution

D Immediate cause by reason of stresses in western daily life

Summary

Chapter II
WHAT IS THE REAL AND ULTIMATE PURPOSE OF PRACTICING BUDDHIST MEDITATIONS?

A Mistakes in meditation

1 No foundation of renunciation
2 Use for evil
3 Lack of a guru
4 Only psychological even conditions for posture
5 Mixing traditions
6 Attraction of gaining powers
7 Thinking that Buddhism is utter atheism
8 Confusion about "no-soul"
9 Chan and the law of cause and effect
10 Ignorance of the highest purpose

B The real purpose of meditation practice

1 A good foundation in Buddhist philosophy
2 Achieve the power of asamskrta
3 Realization of the Dharmakaya
4 Pleasure of the Sambhogakaya
5 Attainment of Nirmanakaya
6 Attainment of Svabhavikakaya
7 Attainment of Mahasukhakaya

Chapter III
THE EXACT DEFINITION OF SOME BUDDHIST TERMS CONCERNING MEDITATION

Dedication of chapters

A Some terms concerning the philosophy of meditation

1 XIN
2 KONG

B Some terms concerning the process of meditation
C Some terms concerning the content of meditation

1 Triyana meditations
2 Three groups of samadhi

a Worldly states of dhyana
b Beyond the world
c Utterly beyond the world

D Some terms concerning illnesses of dhyana

1 Restlessness
2 Distraction
3 Sloth

E Some terms concerning the realization of meditation

1 Three sorts of insight in the Idealist School
2 Three kinds of spiritual qualities in Yogacara
3 Four categories of insight in Vajrayana
4 Three ranks of insight in Tibetan Tantra

F The definition of Buddhist meditation

Chapter IV
SHOULD MEDITATION BE PRACTICED DIRECTLY WITHOUT PREPARATIONS?

A Doubt among meditators on this matter
B Preparations for meditation in Buddhism as taught by the Buddha

1 The three wisdoms
2 The three knowledges
3 The four noble truths
4 The thirty-seven wings of Enlightenment

a Four kinds of mindfulness
b Four diligences
c Four bases of psychic power
d Five spiritual faculties
e Five powers
f Seven bodhyangas
g Eightfold noble path

5 The six paramitas
6 The four yogas of the Vajrayana

C Preparations according to the patriarchs' teachings

1 Gampopa
2 Tsong Khapa
3 Zhi Yi

D Preparations in other religions

1 Hinduism
2 Jainism
3 Confucianism
4 Christianity

E Preparations in worldly matter
F Summary and some practical conditions

1 Personal conditions of preparation
2 Conditions for a hermitage
3 Four general conditions
4 Special conditions for westerners

G Homage
H Conclusion

Chapter V
WHAT IS THE RELATION OF DIFFERENT BUDDHIST PRINCIPLES AND HOW DO THEY CENTER UPON MEDITATION?

A The Homage
B Explanation of diagram
C How these principles center upon meditation

1 Hearing wisdom

a Faults of a Dharma-instrument
b Mindfulness

2 Thinking wisdom
3 Practicing wisdom

a Five kinds of Bodhicitta
b Morality
c Repetition and other good deeds
d The reason for recurring factors in the lists

4 Realization

a Human yana
b Heavenly yana
c Sravakayana
d Pratyekabuddhayana
e Bodhisattvayana
f The four yogas

5 Meditation about great compassion

a Buddhas and sentient beings regarded as one
b Without condition

6 Nirvana

a The Idealist School
b The Great Nirvana Sutra
c The Abhidharma Vibhasa Sastra
d Conclusion dvantages of meditation

Chapter VI
WHY EMPHASIZE THE WHOLE SYSTEM OF MEDITATION IN THE THREE-YANAS-IN-ONE?

A The dedication

1 What does Dharma mean?

B The why and wherefore of three-in-one (Triyana)

1 Arguments between yanas and schools

a Hinayana versus Mahayana
b Exoteric versus esoteric
c The Japanese Tantra versus the Tibetan Anuttarayoga
d Conflicts in Tibet
e Conflicts in China

2 Development of the Buddha's doctrine

a Historical sequence
b Inherent nature of the teachings
c The sequence of meditations

i Hinayana
ii Mahayana
iii Vajrayana

Chapter VII
SAMATHA MUST BE PRACTICED TO OBTAIN THE RESULT OF SAMAPATTI

A Homage

1 Why we pay homage to the gods

B Re-appraisal of Christianity
C Why samatha should be practiced before samapatti
D Summary of preparations given in previous chapters
E Some conditions of mental preparation

1 The nine Prayogas
2 The four arisings of resolve

F The physical foundations of samatha

1 The five benefits of full lotus sitting
2 Exercises to facilitate lotus sitting

G Nine steps and six conditions for samatha
H To clarify samatha from samapatti

1 Order of practice

I Mistakes in practice and their cures

1 The six defects
2 The eight cures
3 Avoiding extremes

a Causes of distraction

J The eight dhyanas
K Realization of samatha

1 The four steps leading up to the first dhyana
2 The eight touches and the ten merits
3 The eighteen conditions

Chapter VIII
THE FIVE FUNDAMENTAL MEDITATIONS TO CURE THE FIVE POISONS

A The triple dedication
B Differences between samatha and samapatti
C Why Hinayana meditations must be practiced before the Mahayana

1 Historical role of the Hinayana
2 The contemporary need for Hinayana

D Why we discuss only these five meditations
E Why do we not discuss "pure dhyana"?
F A note on the five dull drivers
G The five meditations themselves and how they help achieve a settled mind

1 The meditation on impurity
2 The merciful meditation
3 The meditation on dependent origination
4 The meditation on the discrimination of the six elements
5 The meditation on mindfulness of breathing

H Should all five meditations be practiced?

1 A program for practice of these meditations

I The exact realization of these meditations?

1 Impurity
2 Merciful mind
3 Resolution of the elements
4 Dependent origination
5 Breathing

Chapter IX
THE FOUR FOUNDATIONS OF MINDFULNESS: A GOOD BRIDGE TO MAHAYANA MEDITATION

A The homage
B Two purposes for samapatti
C A notice on the five sharp drivers

1 Satkayadrsti
2 Antaragraha
3 Mithya
4 Drstiparamarsa
5 Sila-vrata-paramarsa

D Why the four mindfulnesses stress elimination of the five sharp drivers
E The practical method of the four mindfulnesses

1 As practiced separately: the practical method

a Samapatti of bodily impurity
b Every feeling is painful
c The mind is impermanent
d All dharmas are without self

2 Why follow the above sequence?
3 The four mindfulnesses as a totality
4 How to meditate diligently on these
5 What perversion each meditation cures

F What realization can these four meditations bring?

1 Main realizations
2 Realizations related to the three liberations (vimoksa)
3 Other realizations

G Why among all the Hinayana meditations do we only take these nine? How are the others included in them?
H Why will the mindful meditations be a bridge across to the Mahayana?
I How do they correspond with the Vajrayana?

1 With the Japanese Tantra
2 Correspondences with Tibetan Tantra
3 Breathing meditations

J Does the Vajrayana also include the Hinayana doctrines?
K What are the criteria for choosing meditations from among the three yanas?

Chapter X

PART ONE:
ALL THE MAHAYANA MEDITATIONS ARE SUBLIMATED BY SUNYATA

A Our homage
B What is the distinction between Mahayana and Hinayana?
C Mahayana is not negativism, and the six paramitas are not merit-accumulations for going to heaven
D The practical methods of Mahayana sunyata meditations

1 Meditations of sunyata

a The four phrases
b The eight negatives
c The four voidnesses
d Mind in the three times

2 Meditations on the dependent conditions of sunyata

a The six similes of the Diamond Sutra
b The ten mystic gates of Hua Yan

3 Meditations on the karma of great compassion coming out of sunyata

a Victorious significance of the Bodhicitta
b All three wheels of action are void

4 Meditations on breathing and sunyata

a Breathing with action of Bodhicitta
b Breathing is sunyata

PART TWO:
SUPPLEMENTARY DETAILS OF THE SUNYATA MEDITATIONS

A Commentary
B Daily meditations for both hermit and ordinary meditator
C Why do we say that Mahayana meditations are sublimated by sunyata?

1 Five negative errors corrected
2 Five positive virtues gained
3 Systematic progress

D How to transmute these into Vajrayana meditations in the position of consequence
E About the five poisons
F What are the realizations of Mahayana meditations?
G Why are the ten stages so named?
H Why are there so many stages in sunyata?
I What is the realization of the various stages in detail?
J What realization should we have before entering the Vajrayana?

Chapter XI
MEDITATIONS OF THE CHINESE MAHAYANA SCHOOLS

A Our homage
B Meditations of the Hua Yan School

1 Individual meditations
2 How are all these gates of mystic practice possible?
3 Total meditations

B Meditations of the Tian Tai School

1 The practice of samatha
2 The practice of samapatti
3 Five kinds of meditation
4 Criticism

C Meditation in the Pure Land School

1 Sixteen meditations
2 Differences from Vajrayana practices

D Idealist School (Vijnavada-Yogacara) meditation
E Conclusion

Chapter XII
MEDITATION IN THE LOWER THREE TANTRAS OF THE EASTERN VAJRAYANA TRADITION

A Our homage
B Why do we not speak directly about the meditations of Tibetan Tantra?

1 Need for the Lower Tantras
2 As a foundation
3 Philosophic background
4 The five signs

C Common and special preparations for tantric practice

1 Common preparations
2 Special conditions for the practice of the Lower Tantras

D Reasons why there are many preparations for the third Tantra

1 Demons
2 Becoming close to the Buddha
3 Service
4 Devas
5 Purification
6 Shortened time

E Meditation on the Six-element Yoga

1 Enter into the Buddha's samaya
2 Be born in the Dharmadhatu
3 Visualize the pagoda-diagram
4 A double visualization
5 Turning the Dharma wheel

F Meditation on the five signs of a Buddha-body in the Vajradhatu

1 Preliminary meditations
2 The five signs

G How to practice these meditations daily
H Realization
I Additional talk

Chapter XIII

PART ONE:
MEDITATIONS IN ANUTTARAYOGA TANTRA FOUND ONLY IN THE WESTERN VAJRAYANA TRADITION

A The homage
B How esoteric meditations excel exoteric doctrines

1 No comparison
2 Position and initiations
3 Philosophy
4 Direct knowledge
5 Breathing meditations
6 Positions of teacher and audience
7 Salvation

C How Anuttarayoga excels the lower yogas

1 The Eastern tradition
2 Method
3 The Elements
4 Heavenly union
5 Wisdom-energy
6 Other methods
7 Realization

D Meditations of the first initiation

1 Comparison of initiations
2 Three important conditions

a Clarity
b Firmness
c The holy pride of Buddhahood

3 Three kinds of samatha-samapatti in the Growing Yoga
4 Visualization of the surroundings (Mandala)

a Explanation of the Mandala
b Symbolic significances

5 Degrees of realization

E Second initiation meditations

1 Practice
2 Realization

PART TWO
MEDITATIONS OF THE THIRD AND FOURTH INITIATIONS OF ANUTTARAYOGA

A Meditations in the Third Initiation

1 Why is the Heruka-form used?
2 On Vajrayana precepts
3 The four sunyatas in the Vajrayana
4 Lines from the ode, "Always Remember"
5 Conclusion

B Meditations of the Fourth Initiation

1 The main practice
2 Subsidiary meditations

a Dream
b Bardo
c Phowa

Chapter XIV
THE HIGHEST MEDITATIONS IN THE TANTRA--MAHAMUDRA AND THE GREAT PERFECTION

A Mahamudra Meditation

1 Concentrated yoga of Mahamudra--the first Yoga

a Division
b Objects of meditation

2 Practice
3 Yoga of renouncing false theory

a Doctrine
b Terminology
c Instructions
d Cut away subtle grasping

4 Yoga of identification

a Identification
b Similes

5 Yoga of nonpractice

B Meditations of the Great Perfection

1 Right views
2 Torga instruction
3 Summary

Chapter XV
IS CHAN A MEDITATION?

A Daily life practice

Chapter XVI
HOW TO RECOGNIZE AND TREAT ALL SORTS OF MEDITATION TROUBLES AND HOW TO KNOW FALSE REALIZATIONS

A Brief introduction
B Troubles and treatments

1 Temptations

a Impurity
b Anger
c Elements
d Ignorance
e Breath

2 Bad conditions
3 Distress caused by demons
4 Ghosts
5 Disease
6 Particular obstacles to meditation
7 Conclusion to all troubles

C False realizations

1 General insights
2 Lights
3 False realizations of Nirvana
4 False realizations in Mahamudra and Great Perfection
5 Fallings in the Chan School
6 The four forbidden things
7 Conclusion of false realization

a Transformation of philosophy
b Transformation of mind
c Transformation of the physical body

Chapter XVII
CONCLUSION

A Mr. Chen's thanks
B The whole process of meditation in our three-in-one system related to the five poisons

1 First meditation
2 Second meditation
3 Third meditation
4 Fourth meditation

C Good wishes

Appendix I

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Part One
THE QUESTIONS OF BHIKSU KANTIPALO

A Questions stemming from the sorrow of pride

1 On lacking a guru, and possible substitutes
2 As the last, with regard to the Vajrayana
3 Necessity of taking refuges and precepts
4 The necessity of ethics
5 The benefits of prostration
6 Relation between puja and meditation
7 Position with regard to non-Buddhist gods

B Questions arising from the sorrow of lust

1 The benefits of meditation
2 Can one do too much meditation?
3 Warning signs of breakdown
4 Renunciation

C Questions derived from the sorrow of ignorance

1 Effect of meditation on the diaphragm
2 Necessity of samatha before vipasyana
3 Transference of merits
4 Practical points on first three paramitas
5 Karma and a savior
6 Precautions regarding local gods
7 The problem of time
8 Ensuring a happy rebirth
9 Ability to choose one's rebirth

Part Two
THE QUESTIONS OF BHADANTA SANGHARAKSHITA STHAVIRA

A Problems of philosophy

1 Christianity as a foundation for Buddhism
2 Hinduism vs Buddhism
3 Regarding "No need to practice, already Enlightened."
4 Significance of Great Pride, Great Lust, etc.
5 Causation by six elements in Vajrayana
6 The various meanings of xin

B Problems of tradition

1 Identity of the two Nagarjunas
2 The four initiations and the four yogas
3 Leaving no physical body at death
4 The Lower Tantras "derived from the two great Sutras"
5 Preparation for the Six Element meditation

C Problems of practice

1 Formulation of vows
2 The five signs of a Buddha-body
3 Does Vajrayana correspond to the tenth bhumi?
4 Completely closing the eyes while meditating
5 Does Hinayana samadhi equal Chenian samatha?
6 Visualization of deities
7 Selection of the yidam
8 Meditation on yidam and other deities
9 The form of the yidam
10 Does one keep to one yidam?
11 Types of meditation for different yidams
12 True and false gurus

Appendix II

THE FOUR FOUNDATIONS OF VAJRAYANA MEDITATION

A Taking refuge

1 Preparations for taking refuge
2 Stages of taking refuge

B Prostrations
C Offering the mandala

1 The purpose of offering
2 Practice
3 The great mandala
4 The middle mandala
5 The small mandala
6 The offered objects

D The one-hundred-syllable incantation of confession

1 The four kinds of misdeeds to confess
2 The four kinds of power in confession
3 The ritual of confession
4 How to determine whether the sin is fully confessed
5 Practice of confession

E The interrelation of all four foundations

1 Refuge
2 Mandala
3 Prostration
4 Confession

Appendix III

THE YOGA OF DAILY LIFE

A Principle
B Practice

1 Waking up
2 Opening the eyes
3 Sitting up
4 Dressing
5 Putting on one's shoes
6 Washing
7 Brushing the teeth
8 Shaving
9 In the bathroom
10 Walking
11 Ascending and descending
12 Sweeping
13 Drinking tea
14 Eating rice
15 Giving alms
16 Travelling
17 In a city
18 Meeting old people
19 Meeting the sick
20 Seeing good done
21 Using words
22 Doing good
23 Stopping killing
24 Beauties of nature
25 Quarrels
26 Meeting the opposite sex
27 Passing a slaughterhouse
28 Passing a graveyard
29 Seeing birds
30 Seeing affection in animals
31 Seeing bees
32 Seeing pigs
33 Going to bed
34 Going to sleep
35 Dreaming
36 Sleeping

C Realization

1 Mindfulness
2 Progress
3 Habit

D Daily life in Chan
E Conclusion

Appendix IV

HOW TO TRANSFORM A HUMAN BODY INTO A BUDDHA-BODY

Part One

The five forms of the Accomplishment of the Buddha-body

Part Two

A Kriy ayoga
B Cary ayoga
C Yogic yoga
D Evolutional yoga

1 Clarity
2 Firmness
3 The holy pride of Buddhahood

E The perfect yoga

1 Second initiation

a Breathing
b The holy nerves
c The wisdom-drops

2 Third initiation
3 Fourth initiation

F The great perfect yoga
G Supplement concerning the human body

1 Refuge
2 Impermanence meditation
3 Corpse meditations
4 Impurity meditations
5 The Dhutas
6 Almsgiving
7 Patience
8 Voidness
9 Ego
10 Vajrayana
11 Mantra
12 Wisdom-fire
13 Yidam
14 Offering the body
15 In sleep
16 In dreams
17 At death
18 Preventing low rebirth

Appendix V

HOW TO TRANSMUTE THE HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS INTO BUDDHA-WISDOM

A Distinguishing good from evil and practicing good

1 The eleven good dharmas
2 The twenty-six evil dharmas
3 The four intermediate dharmas
4 The precepts and the ten virtues

B Distinguishing right from wrong

1 The eightfold path

C Distinguishing the concentrated mind from the disturbed mind and training the sixth consciousness

1. Samatha

D How to know the consciousness thoroughly and distinguish its true nature from the false
E The fivefold samapatti
F Distinguishing the truth of nonegoism in sunyata from the ego of possession

1 Meditating on sunyata

a Meditation on the four negatives
b Meditation on the eight negatives

2 Meditating on sunyata conditions

a The ten mystic gates

F Distinguishing the six paramitas from the ten virtues and diligently practicing the former

1 Liberated charity
2 Liberated holding of the precepts
3 Liberated patience
4 Liberated diligence
5 Liberated concentration
6 Liberated wisdom

G Distinguishing the sunyata identified with Bodhicitta from "dry" sunyata without it

1 Bodhicitta of will
2 Bodhicitta of deeds
3 Bodhicitta of victorious significance
4 Bodhicitta of samadhi
5 Bodhicitta of kundalini

H Distinguishing esoteric from exoteric doctrines

1 Tantra
2 Mahamudra
3 The Great Perfection

I Distinguishing sacred and ultimate fulfillment from a profane or temporary one

1 Excellent fulfillment
2 Sacred fulfillment
3 Enlightened forbidden fulfillment
4 Mad-like fulfillment
5 Victorious conqueror fulfillment

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Foreword

The enquiry into absolute reality has been a fervent pursuit of many people through the ages. Out of the multitude, only a few had discovered the right path and among those few, even fewer attained the absolute truth. The accomplished ones usually had no words to say when asked about their achievement for absolute reality is cognizable only through experience. By trial and error a seeker may discover the right path at last, but this process may be shortened or omitted if one has an experienced guide who is free from both sidesaying or keeping silence.

Now we are fortunate to have found such an experienced guide in the distinguished Buddhist Yogi C. M. Chen who, out of compassion, has enabled the Ven. Sangharakshita and Ven. Khantipalo to write down this systematic and practical guidebook for the benefit of the serious students in Buddhist meditation in the English-speaking world.

It is hoped that sincere readers will read, reflect, and practice accordingly. Gautama Buddha's teaching does not tell us just to believe blindly. It invites us to come and achieve results ourselves.

The Buddhist Yogi C. M. Chen has some other useful works in manuscript awaiting for publication. Interested people are welcomed to contribute for the cost of printing them for free distribution so that more phases of the Dharma may be presented to the Western World.

May all attain the Peace Profound.
Upasaka Khoo Poh Kong
MALAYSIA, 11.6.1966 (2993)

Foreword to the 1980 Edition

This book is unusual among the numerous publications available on Buddhist meditation. It is based upon the experiences of a well-known Buddhist yogi, Chien-ming Chen, (commonly known as Yogi C. M. Chen) who practiced meditation alone in Kalimpong, India at the foot of the Himalaya Mountains for over 28 years. This book presents both doctrinal and practical aspects of the subject. Furthermore, it explains and correlates the Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana traditions of Buddhist meditation and offers detailed instructions on undertaking the Vajrayana method for a Western student. The main text is augmented by several appendices which give more detailed information and instruction.

The manner in which this meditation manual was first written in 1962 in Kalimpong, West Bengal, India, is described in the beginning of the Introduction of the 1966 edition and 1976 reprint: "In this book, the words of our Buddhist yogi, C. M. Chen, have first been noted down and particular care taken to preserve something of his original expressions and peculiar style. So that nothing is missed, two persons met him every week. One listened, that is Venerable Sangharakshita Sthavira, and another was the recorder, that is the writer (Khantipalo Bhikkhu). The next day, the subject still being fresh in mind, these notes were converted into a rough draft after which they were given to the Ven. Sthavira for his comments. After revising as he suggested they were typed and then taken along to the next meeting with Yogi Chen. He then read them carefully, adding or deleting material where necessary, resulting in a final manuscript which is certainly well-checked and we hope, an accurate presentation of the Buddha Teachings and Yogi Chen's practical experience of these."

The final draft was published as a book in 1966 by Upasaka Khoo Poh Kong of Malaysia for free distribution to all who may be interested in Buddhist meditation. When that edition became out of print but still in demand, I had 1000 copies of it reprinted in the United States in 1976 for free distribution from my office in New York City. The reprint edition was photo-printed from the 1966 edition to which Yogi Chen added two interesting appendices: "How To Transform The Human Body Into The Buddha Body" and "How To Transmute the Human Consciousness Into The Buddha's Wisdom"

It became apparent that there was a great public demand for this book soon after its reprinting in 1976. It was also apparent at that time that certain revisions to the book were necessary. Sanskrit transliterations needed standardization and some passages required clarification. It was felt, however, that the basic style should be left intact as long as clarity of meaning could be maintained. In this way it was hoped that the reader will have a greater sense of contact with Yogi Chen himself. To accomplish this The Institute for Advanced Studies of World Religions, New York, obtained the permission of Yogi Chen and proceeded to organize a team headed by Dr. Christopher S. George. Miss Vicki Brown was then dispatched to Berkeley, California where she worked with Yogi Chen for over eight months revising the text. The present edition is the result of the joint effort made by the members of the team which included Teresa Szu, Alice Romanelli Hower, Larry Hower, Vasiliki Sarantakos and Janet Gyatso.

For more than 30 years Yogi Chen wrote and printed many Buddhist books both in English and Chinese. He made a vow that none of his works should be printed for sale. He lives such a humble life that one can hardly find any difference between his one room apartment in Berkeley, California and his small hut in Kalimpong, India. By putting Yogi Chen's words to print, we are attempting to put you, the reader, in spiritual communication with him and enable you to visualize the kind of man Yogi Chen is.

C. T. Shen

A Note to the Readers

This book assumes that most of its readers have some basic knowledge of the Buddha's Teachings and in particular are acquainted with the tradition of Buddhist Meditation and Wisdom. A number of books exist where this subject is treated for the instruction of beginners but the special merit of this book is that it takes the whole range of Buddhist thought in its three vehicles (yana) and shows how these complement each other to form a unified three-in-one systematic way to Buddhahood. The meditations of the Hinayana are comparatively well-known in western lands but knowledge regarding those of the Mahayana, especially the practice applications of the perfection of wisdom, is very scanty indeed, while the West knows almost nothing of Vajrayana techniques for Full Enlightenment in this very life. It must be emphasized, as our wise and learned author has often done, that each one of these chapters could be expanded into a book, or into many books and that here, as one might expect in a book of this size, only a selection can be given of the very vast range of material dealing with Meditation in Buddhism..

Readers who come new to this subject are therefore advised to read first the biography of our yogi as he says, "to get some interest," and then to turn to the conclusion where a brief summary appears of the contents of this work concisely presenting our Three-ways-in-one. They will also find it instructive to read the answers given by our yogi-author to a number of questions on practical matters connected with meditation which form an appendix to this book. Having thus gone in full circle around the work, they will be ready to spiral inwards, to the inner chapters containing the explanatory diagrams and a digest of meditations to be practiced in the various vehicles taught by Lord Buddha for carrying all beings to the Unexcelled Perfect Enlightenment..

Triyana Vardhana Vihara,
Kalimpong, West Bengal,
India.

The writer, Khantipalo Bhikkhu.
On Full Moon Day of December
in the Buddhist Era
2989 (1962 CE).

Foreword to the 1989 Printing

This is a photocopy of the 1980 edition. The photo from the 1967 edition that shows Yogi Chen giving this talk to the two monks has been reinstated. A set of images of the Four Guardian Kings who are the protectors of this book has been reinstated onto the backcover. These reinstatements are made in accordance with my late Guru Yogi Chen's wish.

The Second Lineage Holder of Adi Buddha Mandala
Yutang Lin
July 4,1989
El Cerrito, California
U. S. A.

 

Foreword to 2011 Revised Edition

The printed version was scanned long ago and then converted by software into Word Perfect 5 files. Then we converted those into Word 2003 files. A Buddhist tried to correct the Sanskrit terms contained in it, but did not finished the work after long years.

Then in 2009 a Buddhist by the name of Dhammacari Shantavira contacted me via our websites and volunteered to review and revised the Sanskrit terms, and he also offered many findings on typos and mistaken references. All his results in Word 2003 files finally reached me by the end of March 2010.

The fonts used showed Sanskrit properly but looks ugly. Nowadays one can easily find references to Sanskrit terms on-line using only English letters. So I decided to use Times New Roman as the font, and get rid of all those Sanskrit alphabets.

From August 2010 to May 2011 I worked on reviewing and revising these files and showed my revisions in green highlights. Many mistaken references had been corrected and all Chinese terms are given in Pin Yin now. As soon as each chapter or appendix is done, I released it to all on my email list. And disciples who are maintaining our websites updated and posted them immediately.

May Guru Chen's teachings spread and benefit many sentient beings!

 

Yutang Lin
May 9, 2011
El Cerrito, California

 

Ten Fundamental Vows of the Buddhist Yogi C. M. Chen

(1) May I abide in the highest mystic Buddha stage to reward with gratitude the four benefactors (the Guru, the Buddha, parents, and patrons-sometimes the last one is all sentient beings).

(2) May I abide in the No-self Dharma nature to save all the beings in the three evil realms of existence (hell beings, animals, and ghosts).

(3) May I gather the victorious significance of the perfect light and a transparent body.

(4) May I from life to life accumulate the voice of Dharani of Anuttarayoga.

(5) May I life by life accumulate the highest will of Buddhahood.

(6) May I with my meditative wisdom-light lure all the demons and outsiders into the Dharma-gate.

(7) Those persons who have no connecting conditions either good or bad with past Buddhas, may I establish good connections with them as they are the most difficult to save, and through their connection with me, may I save them. (This is a very special vow.)

(8) May I inherit the merits of the past Buddhas and by this force enable myself to discover the Dharmakaya of sentient beings.

(9) May I establish on my ground of Wisdom, Right Dharma accumulating the merits and abilities of Buddhahood for universal salvation.

(10) May I, in this lifetime, gather all the realizations of the Vajrayana to have enough experiences to teach all followers.

Nine Vows of Non-death of the Buddhist Yogi C. M. Chen

(1) Before I accumulate all the realizations of TANTRA, I would be non-death.

(2) Before I fulfill all the wills of my GURUS, I would be non-death.

(3) Before I get all the attainment of my YIDAM, I would be non-death.

(4) Before I offer pleasure and satisfy all the desires of the DAKINIS, I would be non-death.

(5) Before I fulfill all the oaths of all my PROTECTORS, I would be non-death.

(6) Before I pilgrimage to all the Buddha lands, worship all the Buddhas, and promote all the Buddha's teachings I would be non-death.

(7) Before I fulfill all the vows of all Bodhisattvas, I would be non-death.

(8) Before I convert all the Arhats into Mahayana, I would be non-death.

(9) Before I save all the sentient beings in or out of my body, I would be non-death.

 

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