Pearls of Wisdom

Vol. 42  No. 8 - Elizabeth Clare Prophet - February 21, 1999

 

Path to the Golden Age:
Anchoring the Light of the Great Central Sun
4
Meditation on Vajrasattva

 

      This afternoon I am delighted to bring to you a meditation on Vajrasattva and the Five Dhyani Buddhas adapted from the Tibetan tradition.

Vajrasattva represents the synthesis of the Five Dhyani Buddhas, a group of five non-historical celestial Buddhas who are visualized during meditation. They are to be distinguished from historical Buddhas, such as Gautama Buddha or Padma Sambhava.

Together with Vajrasattva, the Five Dhyani Buddhas are the central deities of esoteric Buddhism. They represent five different aspects of enlightened consciousness and are guides to our spiritual transformation. In Tibetan Buddhism, student meditators are introduced to the experience of meditation on the Five Dhyani Buddhas through the “sixth Dhyani Buddha,” Vajrasattva.

Meditative powers are secret-ray powers, and the Dhyani Buddhas hold the keys to the mastery of the five secret rays.

The Purpose of Our Meditation:
  To Find Oneness with the Buddhas

The purpose of our meditation on these celestial beings is to help us awaken to the potential of our own Buddha nature and to find oneness with the Buddhas. These Buddhas also reflect back to us how the components of our consciousness can be transformed into wisdom.

Vajrasattva’s name means “Diamond nature,” because he represents the essence of our own pure, diamond nature. He is the role model of the devotee and to become like him we must internalize the wisdoms of all the Dhyani Buddhas, for Vajrasattva has the attainment of all five.

Vajrasattva is invoked at the beginning of many Tibetan initiations. Here candidates meditate on him and recite his mantra to purify themselves and prepare for further advancement on their path to enlightenment. Ultimately, the devotee comes to realize that Vajrasattva is to be found in the center of his own being, seated on a lotus throne in the secret chamber of his heart.

“We Unlock Inner Doors”

In his first dictation to us in 1993, Vajrasattva, as spokesman for the Five Dhyani Buddhas, described how they assist us: “We excel in helping you unlock your inner being,” he said, “the secret chamber of the soul that has been sealed off to the soul by karma and inordinate desire. We unlock inner doors, and the right door, I tell you, is the open door to all the rest.

“Once the soul has the courage and you prompt her, support and direct her and bathe her in love and compassion, she will open that door and walk through. And because you have tended her needs, your soul will know her own Inner Christ and her own Inner Buddha.” <1>

Isn’t that what we all seek—the right door that we have to walk through next in order to realize more of our own inner nature? The inner manifestation of our own being is our own Inner Christ. With this in mind, let us prepare ourselves for the coming of the Dhyani Buddhas by meditating on their spokesman, Vajrasattva.

Meditation

Step 1:
A Shining, Golden Buddha Is before You

Please sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes and center in your heart.

[Meditation music begins]

See before you now a shining, golden Buddha—shining as though illumined by the dazzling rays of the sun. It is the beautiful Buddha Vajrasattva. He is seated in full lotus posture and he holds a vajra scepter in his right hand at the level of his heart. In his left hand, he holds a bell.

The vajra represents his compassion, and the bell represents his great wisdom. Compassion and wisdom are the twin virtues essential to the attainment of self-realization. On another level, the vajra and bell symbolize a Buddha’s enlightened mind and body in blissful union with ultimate reality.

Written around the heart of Vajrasattva are the letters of his bija mantra, HUM.             The  bija of a Buddha is the sacred sound, the sacred syllable that represents his essence. We meditate upon the essence of Buddha through his bija mantra. The letters H-U-M are white and they move clockwise around Vajrasattva’s heart, emitting sparkling rays of white light.

Vajrasattva is seated on a throne that is formed by a large, white, thousand-petaled lotus. He is smiling his smile of great compassion, and he is looking down upon you with tender love. As the whirling letters in his heart spin faster and faster, his whole body turns whiter and brighter until it appears to be all light. His body becomes transparent. You no longer see his form. You only see light, light, light.

Step 2:
Vajrasattva  Moves to a Position  above Your Head

Now see Vajrasattva take up a position above your head. Listen as he tells you the wish he made when he vowed to become a Buddha: “When I become a fully enlightened Buddha,” he said, “may all things be purified of their obscurations, their ignorance and their negative actions simply by hearing my name, seeing my form, remembering me, or reciting the mantra that contains my name.” <2>

Continue to visualize Vajrasattva seated on his white lotus throne above your head. And see the letters H–U-M spinning clockwise around his heart, blazing forth rays of scintillating light as we give his six-syllable mantra—Om Vajrasattva Hum! Let us chant this together in groups of threes.

 

Om Vajrasattva Hum!            Om Vajrasattva Hum!
Om Vajrasattva Hum!            Om Vajrasattva Hum!
Om Vajrasattva Hum!           
Om Vajrasattva Hum!

 

Step 3:
 See Vajrasattva’s Light Purifying Your Being

Now see Vajrasattva’s body growing brighter and brighter. See rays of light descend from his heart, like a waterfall of light, into your crown chakra, into your third-eye chakra, into your throat chakra, into your heart chakra, and then flow down through your whole body. Feel the light purifying your whole being, washing away the effects of all the wrong actions, thoughts and deeds that you have ever committed.

Please hold this visualization of Vajrasattva’s purifying light as I give this prayer:

 

      O beloved Vajrasattva, because of our past actions in this and all previous lives, we remain in this condition of samsara—of suffering and ignorance. Purify us, I beseech you, of the poisons of ignorance, all anger and hatred; all spiritual, intellectual and human pride; all cravings--covetousness, greed and lust; all envy and jealousy; all non-Will and non-Being, all fear, doubt and non-belief in God, the Great Guru.

      Vajrasattva, grant your blessings now to purify us, so that we may be free from the round of rebirth and may gain our liberation in this life.

      Now see your body become so purified inside and out that it is clear like crystal. And into this crystal Vajrasattva is pouring his pure white essence—the nectar of his very being. See this pure white essence flow forth from you to all those with whom you have had painful experiences, in this or past lives. Imagine that you are forgiving them and asking them to forgive you. See this white light healing all sources of division between you and all beings you have ever known.

Step 4:
Prayer to the Five Dhyani Buddhas

O Vajrasattva and the Five Dhyani Buddhas, we implore you to help us overcome the five poisons that endanger our spiritual ascent. Come to us and fill us with your light to transmute these deadly poisons into the wisdoms of the Buddhas.

Step 5:
Vairochana Is before You

Please visualize now before you the Dhyani Buddha Vairochana, the Radiating One. An intense fiery white light now emanates from his aura. Offer to him now all ignorance and delusion that you entertain that has clouded your integration with God. Offer Vairochana this prayer:

Om Vairochana Om! Flood us with the All-Pervading Wisdom of the Dharmakaya, the Mighty I AM Presence. By thy sacred fire consume in me the poison of ignorance!

 See your ignorance and delusion consumed instantly on contact with the fiery white light of his aura. And now receive from Vairochana his Wisdom of the Dharmakaya—the transcendent wisdom that reveals the realm of highest reality. Hold this visualization as we give together his mantra, Om Vairochana Om!

 

Let us chant this slowly.
Om Vairochana Om!             Om Vairochana Om!
Om Vairochana Om!             Om Vairochana Om!
Om Vairochana Om!             Om Vairochana Om!

Step 6:
Akshobhya Is Now before You

Now we turn to the Dhyani Buddha Akshobhya, the Unshakable One. His aura scintillates with intense blue fire. Bow before him and offer to him now the poison of anger. Turn over to Akshobhya all hatred and all anger—anger against others, anger against God, anger against yourself. Offer him this prayer:

 

      Om Akshobhya Hum! Flood us with Mirrorlike Wisdom. By thy sacred fire consume in me the poison of all anger and hate and hate creation!

       See the fiery blue flames of Akshobhya’s aura leap to instantly consume the anger and hatred. And now receive from Akshobhya his Mirrorlike Wisdom that reflects all things calmly and uncritically and reveals their true nature. Hold this visualization as we give together Akshobyha’s mantra, Om Akshobyha Hum!Together:

 

Om Akshobhya Hum!            Om Akshobhya Hum!
Om Akshobhya Hum!            Om Akshobhya Hum!
Om Akshobhya Hum!           
Om Akshobhya Hum!

 

Step 7:
Ratnasambhava Is Now before You

Now we turn toward the Dhyani Buddha Ratnasambhava, the Jewel-born One. Brilliant yellow flames enfold his being and beckon you closer. Bow before Ratnasambhava and surrender to him now the poison of pride. Turn over to Ratnasambhava all spiritual, intellectual and human pride, for it is not part of your real nature. Offer Ratnasambhava this prayer:

 

      Om Ratnasambhava Tram! Flood us with thy Wisdom of Equality. By thy sacred fire consume in me the poison of  spiritual, intellectual and human pride!

      See the yellow flames instantly dissolve the pride you have surrendered to the Buddha. And receive now Ratnasambhava’s Wisdom of Equality that sees all things with divine impartiality and recognizes the divine equality of all beings. Hold this visualization as we recite together his mantra, Om Ratnasambhava Tram!

 

Let us chant this together slowly.
Om Ratnasambhava Tram!  Om Ratnasambhava Tram!
Om Ratnasambhava Tram!  Om Ratnasambhava Tram!
Om Ratnasambhava Tram!  Om Ratnasambhava Tram!

Step 8:
Amitabha Appears before You

Now we turn to Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Light. Deep ruby and roseate flames dance in his aura. Bow before him and offer him the poison of the passions. Turn over to Amitabha all cravings, covetousness, greed and lust as you say to him:

Om Amitabha Hrih! Flood us with Discriminating Wisdom. By thy sacred fire consume in me the poison of craving, covetousness, greed and lust!

 See the ruby flames swallow up and dissolve these poisons—the craving, the covetousness, the greed, the lust. And receive now from Amitabha his Discriminating Wisdom that discerns all beings separately yet knows each being as an individual expression of the One. Hold this vision as we give together Amitabha’s mantra, Om Amitabha Hrih!

 

Together, slowly.
Om Amitabha Hrih!              Om Amitabha Hrih!
Om Amitabha Hrih!              Om Amitabha Hrih!
Om Amitabha Hrih!             
Om Amitabha Hrih!

Step 9:
Amoghasiddhi  Is before You

Now we turn to the Buddha Amoghasiddhi, the Almighty Conqueror. His form is shimmering with brilliant emerald-green flames. He comes to take from us the poison of envy and jealousy. Bow before Amoghasiddhi now and offer to him all envy and jealousy as you recite this prayer:

 

      Om Amoghasiddhi Ah! Flood us with the Wisdom of Perfected Action. By thy sacred fire consume in me the poison of envy and jealousy!

      See the green flames that surround Amoghasiddhi leap to consume the envy and jealousy. And receive now from Amoghasiddhi his Wisdom of Perfected Action—the wisdom that confers perseverance, infallible judgment and unerring action. Hold this visualization as we give together his mantra, Om Amoghasiddhi Ah!

 

Om Amoghasiddhi Ah!          Om Amoghasiddhi Ah!
Om Amoghasiddhi Ah!          Om Amoghasiddhi Ah!
Om Amoghasiddhi Ah!          Om Amoghasiddhi Ah!

      Now see all five Dhyani Buddhas seated in a circle around you. See them radiating to you their compassion, their wisdoms, their kindness, their power—all in the form of rainbow shafts of light that dissolve into your being.

Step 10:
 Prepare to Receive Vajrasattva

Now turn your attention to Vajrasattva, who is still seated above you. We are now ready to receive this glorious Buddha. Offer to him the poisons of non-Will and non-Being: all fear, doubt and non-belief in God, the Great Guru. Say to him:

 

      Om Vajrasattva Hum! Flood us with the Wisdom of the Diamond Will of God! By thy sacred fire consume in me the poisons of non-Will and non-Being: fear, doubt and non-belief in God, the Great Guru.

      Slowly and wonderfully, Vajrasattva descends into your body. See his light body merge into yours, consuming the remaining poisons. Welcome his Wisdom of the Diamond Will of God as we give his mantra, Om Vajrasattva Hum!

 

Om Vajrasattva Hum!            Om Vajrasattva Hum!
Om Vajrasattva Hum!            Om Vajrasattva Hum!
Om Vajrasattva Hum!            Om Vajrasattva Hum!

      Your body is now being transformed into the pure diamond body of a Buddha. Vajrasattva is you; you are Vajrasattva. Now see Vajrasattva take his place in the secret chamber of your heart.

See his bija mantra—HUM—written in your heart. The HUM begins to spin, then it rotates faster and faster, emitting scintillating rays of light in all directions.

Step 11:
We Are All Buddhas

Now see the whole world transformed into the paradises of the Buddhas: To the west is Sukhavati, the paradise of Amitabha. In the north appears the Pure Land of Amoghasiddhi. In the east, lies Abhirati, the Land of Exceeding Great Delight, the paradise of Akshobhya. In the south, that of Ratnasambhava. The whole world is made up of the paradises of the Buddhas. All beings in these paradises are Buddhas.

 - We are also Buddhas. To the north, to the south, to the east and the west, we see nothing but Buddhas. All beings are Buddhas. All sounds are mantras. And all thoughts are wisdom. We are all shining beings of light, living in the splendid Buddha worlds of infinite space.

 - We are suspended in a world of beauty and simplicity—one with all life. Our minds have become luminous through Vajrasattva’s wisdom of the Diamond Will of God. And we are at peace within and without.

Step 12:
Prayer of Gratitude to the Buddhas

 - Now we will offer a prayer of gratitude to Vajrasattva and the Dhyani Buddhas and send our blessings to all life—all sentient beings.

 

      O beloved Vajrasattva, we thank you for the purification of our beings by your shining rays of light. We send our gratitude to you and pray that all sentient beings swiftly achieve the enlightenment of Vajrasattva and the Buddhas.

      As we go about our day-to-day affairs, may we embody the wisdoms of the Dhyani Buddhas, may we remember our oneness with Vajrasattva and may we retain the awareness that in divine reality, all beings are Buddhas, all sounds are mantras and all thoughts are wisdom.

 - Gently now return to your bodies and meditate on Vajrasattva in the secret chamber of your heart as we prepare for our dictation.

 

 


 “The Summit Lighthouse Sheds Its Radiance o’er All the World to Manifest as Pearls of Wisdom.”

This Meditation on Vajrasattva was conducted by the Messenger of the Great White Brotherhood, Elizabeth Clare Prophet, on Saturday, January 2, 1999, at the five-day New Year’s Class Path to the Great Central Sun: Anchoring the Light of the Golden Age held December 29, 1998, through January 2, 1999, in Miami, Florida.

1. Vajrasattva, Spokesman for the Five Dhyani Buddhas, “Becoming the Gentle Ones,” September 15, 1993, 1993 Pearls of Wisdom, vol. 36, no. 40.

2. Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, The Excellent Path to Enlightenment, explained by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (Boulder, Colo.: Nalanda Translation Committee, 1987), p. 47.