Kalu Rinpche - Foundation of Buddhist Meditation

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Te Foundation

o fBuddhist Medtaton

By

Ve. KauRphe

LY OF TBE WO ARCHI



Copyright 7: Libar of Tibean Wok and Archives

Fir publhe n 7 a a pamphlePublihed in Fur Essentia Buddhist Txts n

Reprnt

Reprin

ALL GS RESERVD

No poton of ths pubcaton may berepoduced, stoed n a retieval system,

or transmitted in any fom or by any meanswthout wrtten permsson of the pubsher.

Cover drawing: Naan Coph

BN 81-8510-619

Pubishd by t ibrary of tan Works and Aives,Dharamla and printed at Indraprastha Prss (CBT)4 Baaduah Zafar Mar Di- 1 .



Forord

The Foundatin f Budhist Meitatio by Ven. KaluRinpoche was first published as a pamphlet by us in 1973 In1981 it as ncluded n an anthology (Four Esential uhistexts) hch as reprinted in 198 Once again e arpleased to offer t independently with minor revisios inresponse to persistent demand

he Foundation of uddhist Meditation outlins the basic meditation practices common to all sects of betan Buddhsm.

Ven Kalu Rinpoche, the present head of the Shang-paKu tradition, is one of Tibet's foremost living meditationmasters and has guided hundreds of disciples through

three-year retreats in many countriesIt is hoped that this meditation manual will provi the

reader with a deeper insight into the complex scop of betan Buddhist thought and practice

Gyatsho Tsering Dirtor, LTWADecember, 1987



lntrduc�on

ths manua, the fur teachgs whch mtvate regus practce and the attrbutes f the Three Jewes are expan. f ne cmpetey understands the sgnance f a these thngs, ne w away frm the cyce f exstence and strve t prcure freedm, w beeve n actnand resut (kama), and w ether btan uddhahd nths fe r w bme free f ths cyce etc Mrever henmany pstve quates are cutvated, ne w cnsdate abass fr the hy Dhaa S pease, dnt just penetrate the sgnfcance f a three thngs, bu, n addtn, strve at Dhama practce

Ths b, was wtten by mysef, Kau npche (Karma

Dubgd Tendzn) fr the beneft f a wh practce the Dharma. Ken McLed f Canada dd the transatn frm the Tbetan nt Engsh, after whch Kung Lsang Lhaungpa checked and crrted the transatn manurt

May ths wrk dever many sentent bengs frm the cean f sferng, ths cyce f exstence; may they attan

the aste f BuddhaKlu Rinoche



Te F oundaon o f Buddhist Mediaion by The Vey Veneable al npoche

Now in oe to embak pon eigios pactice, ight om the stat, an awaeness of the difclties of meetng with the oppotnities and blessings of th life wl ancho the mind and lead one to ente eigion then thogh the contemlation of mpeanence, lazins wi be abandonedand one will stive at sch pactice belief in seed and estswill cae evil to be eject, vite to be taken p, and one to act with popiety and when the misey of the cycle of estence destood, becase of stong evsion one wll want to poce only feedom

Fist to ossess the eight oppotnities means not to be

bo in the eight nestfl eistences which a the hell,peta and animal ealms al tomented by sffeing eclsively pmitive tibes to which no eigion has appeaedthe ong iv gods adift on the cents of desie1 those hman beings who have ong views, believing neithe ineigion no in the law of action and eslt, those bo in adak aeon when ddha has not appeaed and those who

cannot ndestand the meaning of eligion de to etadation o defts in spech, eas o eyes

To possess the ten blessings means fst to have the five blessings which acce thogh oneself ie to obtain the body of a hman, to be bo in a centa conty which haseligion to have all ve senses intact, to evese the tde of kaa, and to have faith in the Thee ewes and secondly,

to ve the ve blessings whi�h acce thogh othes iethe appeaane of ddha, the teachng of eligion (Dhama),the stabiit of th Doctine, the eistence of many whofolow the tne, and thogh the kindness and faith of othes to have favoable cicmstances fo eligios pactie Togethe, the ve blessings, om oneself and the five thogh othes ompise the ten blessings Ths, to possess



6 Kl Re

these, eighteen opportunities and blessings, forms the human birth.

The difficlty of meeting with it is ilstrated in threeways: by considering the case, the numbers, and an example The karmic case is the cltivation of a completelypre ethical code. Sch individals are very rare Number means that while hell beings are as nmeros as the dustparticles of the earth, pretas as the nd of the Ganges (thesacred river in India), animas as snow flakes, those in the

celestial and anti-god reams as the stars at night, those whohave a precious hman irth with opportnities and blessigs are ike daytime stars For exampe, it taght that if althe world were water and a wooden yoke were therepon to be tossed by the winds, and a ind trtle srfaed onceevery hndred years, for that trtle to pt its neck in theyoke wold be easier than to obtain the prcios hman

ithThs, at this time when the precius hman brth has een obtained, not to set ot to follow the path to freedomand so, when completely free from the sering of the cycleof existence to obtain the permanen peace of Bddhahood,is more wastefl than, for exampe, a poor man who, ndingas many jewels wold ll a hose, makes no use and so

loses themSo now, resove to dismiss all worldly work, which isgreat activty for little prpose, and don't deceive oneself or pretend that one nderstands Dharma or that one can meditate Otain the nectar of religion from a qalified teacher or spirital fiend), and then after completely comprehndingthe significance of the Holy Dharma, never depart fr theresoltion to complete the practice of Dharma by accm

lated spiritual merits, eiminating mental imprities, andapplying throgh meditation transformation and spritalperfection

Sondly, if impermanence is contemplated, strong clinging to this life diinhes and one s able to cltivate virteWhat is imperanence? All gatherings of riches, enjoyment



Te ud udd 7

and sendor are n the end disersed; in the end buid

ings ruined; in the end those who have gathered together are searated in the end those bo die Thus ever thing is but imeanent

addtion the extea word which seems sold andfirm is imermanent and wil be destroed in stages b rewater and wind. The foe of the coming sring causes theearth to be soft and reddish-brown n coour; trees andants brng forth shoots and buds ut this is imermanent

for the force of the cong summer caes the earth to bemoist and bue-green in coor; grass trees and ants deveo eaves and etas The force of the coming autumncauses the earth to be rm and reddheow in coor;grass trees and ants rien in fit The force of the comingwinter causes the earth to be hard and gre in coor; grasstrees and ants become dry and britte; and so on season b

season. The sun and moon rising and setting are aso imermanent At da it is cear and bright; at night ac and darMoreover hours and mnutes are imermanent a assingmoment. Imermanent s ie a continua water fal something ese simiar arises

All sentient beings/ the inner contents of the exteaworld are imermanent Al those who came before have

died al that are now are dying all to come wi but dieOne's sef in eac ear month da hour and minute drawscoser to death. Though brave and great courageous onecannot tu bac death; though strong and feet of footthere is no eedom in ight though cever and eoquenterdite dicourse can do nought rave troos shar weaons ower and inuence cever hemes weath or richesa beautif girs bod all these will not tu it awa Whenthe sun goes behind the mountain there is no one who canossib dea or detain it.

Nor is this ife certan n its ength Death can come in themothers womb or at birth or when one can just begin tocraw or wa in the tme of outh or after od age the timeof death is not certain Also there are the causes of death re



8 Kl Re

and wate, wnd and lghtnng, eathqakes, aalanches,

fallng hose, weapons, poson, demons, bad food, etcWhch of these cases of death wll come s not cetan Thslfe s lke a btte lamp n a hcane, a bbble n wate, o a dop of dew on a blade of gass

Thee s no yeang fo o joy at the comng of death It s loathed Fo, afte one has set asde and and hose andfam, popety and possessons, elates and close fends,fathe and mothe, chlden, bothe and spouse, togethe

wth ones own bod one mst go poweless, alone andfendless to an nfamla ealm the tefyng Bado (the stage between death and bth) Snce wthot the slghtest excepton, the bass fo ths depate, whethe ealy o lates pat of eeythng, whenee one sees, heas o thnks of anothes death, one mst make t pat of oneself

Any man at all who has a sond body, good complexon,

and feels happy and comfotable has no thoght fo deathWhen the sckness of death stkes, hs bodys stength ebbsand he cannot een st n a coch: the glow of health wansand he looks lke a copse he sffs wth no means topeent the thons of pan medcne, tals, o ceemonesnone of these s of any beneft, and he knows he s to de hssffeng and fea ncease and he despas of leang eey

thng and hang to go alone As the last meal s takn andthe last wods ae tte thnk , I also do not pass byondths nate"

Once death has come, een a pson who loed hm ey mch does not want to kep hs cops long than aday o two eeyone s scken and looks on n fea The copse cas cay hm acoss th thshold and away tobe b n a cemete cematd, hdden n a cece o gen to bds o dogs etc Aft all that has taken place noeys wll ee se hm agan Thnk, I also wl come to te me end"

At that tme, the thee Pos Jewels3 and th ma a the ends wo can pod fge Snce t and c a



Te uda udds a 9

he only hings h bring bene or hrm, srive now ows pre nd per religios prie

Sine his body is mde rom he sion o vrios prsblk nd whie , sreions rom he moher ndher, he or eemens, spe onsiosness, e nd llompond hings re impermnen so is he body

ddiion, he high bome low he low high, mighybeome ppers or bome rih, enemies hne oiends, riends o enemies in ll hese hnges nohing

goes beyond is essenil nre o impermnene S hisholding o he impermnen s permnen is like exising inhe delsions o mdmn.

his preios hmn birh now obin n onveynd omprehend ides, hs ll omplimen o pbiliies, hs me spiril ehers nd iends, nd hs nder sood he impliions o religion i shold go o wse,

even er he serings o he ye hve been experienedinensely or ong ime, sh ondion s his bodymy no be obined gin. Ths sine he ime one hs olive is like he sn peeping hrogh lods, hink bopriing religion ompleey nd vow o do so diligenly

Conemplion o impermnene in his wy leds oomprehension o he impermnene o l omposie hings. Then mnies hmen o his lie dreses, he power o he demens (desire version, e is desroy; ihin religion inreses, nd one works wih diligene He whopries religion is never depressed or wery nd willnlly relize he mening o he nbo, ndying nre o mind nd obin he per omplishmen o he GrSymbol.

Thily, i is nesry o live mindlness o he

lings o he yle Alhogh here be deh nd impermnence i like re dying or wer evporing, nohinghppens erws i wold be esy b mind whosenre is emp never dies Th ggreges o mind ndbody whih hve ome rom srong linging nd is hemniesion o delsion breks p nd is dispersed. Then



10 Ku Rche

again, o varous otentals and auss suh as deleens kaa nlnatio e birth akes lae wherever arorte n any of the reals.

The ooston of the skandhas4 nororaes he es sental natur of he yle e sufferng W hen here is theexisene of the skandhas there the exsene of the oential sorrow that ervades foraions; when oenal sorrow through various auses hanges o he feeling of sorrowt he sorrow of hanges; he sorrow ha eally is exer

en s the sorrow of sorrows There is no freedo froany of hese hree sufferngs

Partiulaly, sentent bengs n the sx reas exerieneany differen sorrows Frs, he bengs of the eight hothells alled Revivng, lak Lne, Cshing and etuionCrying in Agon, Hot, Very Hot and Worst Toren assheir tie only suering o death, killing, hea and flaes

The length of tie sent and aount of suffeing nreaseby fators of four fro hell n eh of the four dirions,there are four other hes alled Fire and Hot Mud Trenh,Cessool of Rotting Corses, Road Full of azors, and River of Hot Ashes. These hel siuat four in eah of four dirtions of the great hells ake a total of sixteen neighborng hels. There, one s subjeted o sufferings suggested b

the eaning of the naes, and the life san indenite. Theeight old hes are aled literng Teeth Chatteg Sounding Ahoo Sounding Kyehu, Craks Lke a Flower, CraksLike a Lotus and Craks Like a rge Lotus In thesedwelling laes all the ountans and valleys are ie and snow, and it is as old as an be The length of e sen instering is given as follows: if fo eighty bushes of sesae seeds one seed were oved eah year, he tietaken to exhaust the seeds would be one lifesan there Theifesan nreases byfators of twenty suessively throughthe other od hels, as does he suffering Finall the oa sional hel ay be abve or below ground, n indentelaes Neither the suffeng nor lifesan stritly deterined, and the only reason for being there to suffer.



e Foundation of Buddht Mition 11

The preas: hose obsc uwaly d not se a dropof waer for welve years ad exeriec he orw of havg dry fo ol. Those nward od have mouhso arger ha he eye of a ee, eye as hi as a horse'shar, ars ad legs ke blades of grass, ad soachs as igas mouas, ad us, uable o seek food ad drn,experece e soro of o pung anyhng no her ouhs and roas For ose obsred in fo ad drk,food ad flud bco fh or oe ea Those wh

parcar bues hae ay preas vg ad eagher bodes ad eac oer ges bh o ve udredhdre, e Couay subjec o he sufferg of quarrelg, grabbg, ea, od, uger ad rs, ey e for ve udr years O day here as og as a moh for uas

he ama ras, ere are a os suh as agas,5

, wo dwe suso oea or uder hgoud ad ose sar ad g e pes of meaops, aores os, der, ss, os, e Szead sape of body ad fspa ar ura ad vareFoos ad spd, gy ad hrsy, hrough ha adod, fg ad pa-ske, eer ag oe aoer,ey suffer measuraby For a agas, seve ms every

day usuay, sorg sad fas ke ra ad fays he feso bo Fear of gada brds osay pagues heA ose amas oe a see w oes o eyes,we xaed aurae, be see o ave sorrowsw se easb O op of hs grea sufferg,hy bcoe subje o dsre ad aaes ad e oer deees, ad o varous uoesome as, suchas kg, e Se ey al ehr ko or real ee a

vesge of he roo of ru, e fah, copasso, e, oeshod have opasso ad sve a e meas o avodb here Tese are e rusaces of e ree oer reas

Of he hree gr reams ad er rumsas, e



1 Ku Rche

st t b xplain is that f hmans Th f gat srws bith ld ag sicknss and dath

ist is th sffing f bith Aft th pvis dy hasbn cast asid in th imagind ad by n pass th tim pwlss in fa and in pain Accing t th mnt f mrit pviusly accmlatd n ss fm afa a batifl hs a ht f gass lavs ak in a alland shs th Acding t whth n is t b mal fmal n fls attahmnt and avsi t th

mth and fath Thn th stins f th mth andlid m th fath and ns cnsisnss a mixdAt that tim all cnscis mmy is jmbld l th ncla dams f a thick slp

th fist wk in th mth's wmb th sffing islik bing rstd frid n ht cpp At that tim th appaanc s f sft ic this stag is namd M M n

th snd wk th AlTching Wind cass th f lmnts t manifst and th appaanc s lik cld btt and s call N N n th thid wk th Stig Up Windcass th f lmnts t manifst stngly nw th shap is lik an insct and is clld Ta Ta And s simila changs tak plac stag by stag ntil th svnth wk whn th Twisting Wind givs is t th f arms and lgsth sffing is lik having th limbs plld t by a stng psn and bing spad t by a stick y stags th shap fms and srrws cm in th ighth wk th Hl ming Wind cms and th nin rifics fm th is th additinal sffring as if a ng w pbing an pnwnd

Whn th mth taks smthing cld th is sffing k bing immsd ic whn sh ats a grat dal

th sffing is lik bing crshd b blds nly a littl is atn thn lik hanging in th air whn nning bing vry activ lik rlling dwn int a lag abyss and whnsh has intcs it is lik bing picd by in ndls

th thity-svnth wk aft nting th wmbth is th cgnitin that th wmb s ally lik a il



Te ud udd ed 13

dr and smelly and lth and comletely deressing

inducing the desire to eae In the thirtyeighth wee oneis moved in the direction of the gate of birth by the Flower Gathering Wind at which time there is suering lke beigsun on an iron wheel So from the first moment of concetion in the womb one was cooed as if in molten coerdisturbed by twenty-eight dierent winds and was stewedin the grav of the mother s blood until the body wascomletey nished Now the Mouth own Wind ts the

body uside down the hands stretch out and out onecomes At this time the suffering is lie being ulled througha net of iron When born at the time of coming out there isthe sorow of being thro into the centre of life At later times arious sorrows such as the sin being flayed whenrst washed) will come I these sorrows are thought aboutis there anyone who thins he is willing to enter the womb

again?The sufferings of old age also are immeasurable Where

as the bod was straight and firm before now it changes to being bent and stooed and needs a cane for suort thehair chnges in color; the face etc is no longer beautil; thesin which was ne and soft like Chinese silk becomes athick he of wrinles just as a eshly blooming lotus is

white and red but when old becomes dry wrinled andshivell The lift of the body is boen; both sitting andmoving are wearisome; the ower of the mind is destroyed;and there is lttle incliation to do anything. The caab tiesof the sense exhausted; the eye no longer see forms clearlythe ears dont hear sounds the nose doesn't sense odors thetongue doesnt taste flavors the touch of the body has littleleasure and mentally memories are unclear now remem bered now forgotten Because everything is disordered andchaotic one is unhay and contemtuous The wealthgathered before is exhausted and there is much suferingrom being owerless etc hus one is very deressedfter one see clearly that there is nothing else but deathone has to sit with he head bent don in sadness. When the



14 Kl Rche

prese me psses, e ed of fe s ree Te bre,

movg d ou, uses rspg soud Composegs ge ogeer dy ogeerTe suffergs of dsese re oe bear e rvges

of fever, or oe e e sk bed; e lower of ebody ber e upper, ere s o w o e or drkor power o do w oe ws; one s depede ondoors; propery d we re exus; oe s o berefully exmed eve f e dy psses, ere s sl eg, e Te me s pssed su sufferg

Te sufferg of de for ll ordr morls, s soos ey ome o e gre rossrods o e rod of e yle,e skess of de srkes; ey re u off d dvorefrom ppess d ormeed by dsese e mou spred; w s fmr ges; leg d s rsbou d oe rembes uorobly; spe, muous,

ue d soos defe e body oe brees orsely; edoors gve up mes re exused; srog d voledelusos rouse fer d p; e moveme of breeses; mou d ose gpe ope Ts word s s sde,e grea ge omes, ad oe moves o oer em,eers o gre drkess, fs o gre byss, s rredwy by gre oe, s sed by e wds of krm, d

wders w o xe m House, frm, felds, jewels,wel, propery, forue, power d spouse, ogeer we body so der: l are se sde

W ear rkg e me of deprure, frs er absorbed o waer d e rembg body fees s mou were reeessly rsg Te wer sorbed o re, d fud drbbles uorobly from emou, ose d so for; oe fees oe s beg rredwy food As re dsoves o wd, e mou adose beome dry d e eyes u upwrd; body ebegs o eave e mbs d s as ere were gre rerorg d bug sde oese As wd dsoves oosousess e bre sops d gre wd, gsg dwg, s fe w gre ppreeso d fer Te



FondaHon of Bddhst Mtaton 15

when coniusness, is absorb into ignorance, white brl-

liance, then r and then back are percev; all mentalactivty cees and one bomes oblvous. After a perod of between hree and four days, ental actvity s reviv andthe various manfestatons of the Bao arise Once aganthe foe of k brings birh in the appropriate place nthe six realms

However the four great sufferings are not the only ones There are also other sorrows One sometimes has to beseparat fm those one loves dearly one's parents brothers spouse etc. even when lvng aso one s completely separat from them by death There a no means to forgetths sorrow Then the sufferng caused by meetng angry enemes or beng aten, defeated kll struck, ad abusby poisons one to the point of not eating at day nor sleepngat night Aso there are the sorrows of seekng but not

ndng what one doen't have and the sorrow of benguable to keep what one does have Espally in thesedegenerate tmes one has to spend a the time, day andnght, sufferng from anety, depresson, attachment andaveon

Thus, be ever mndful of the failngs of desre's yea-ings and know that all the haas6 of the cycle of eisence

are at no tme stl jst le rpples on water; that t's as there wee nothing bt delsons appearng le magc or lke dreams. If reulson (for estence) an ontentment(wth one's materal stuaton) arse, one wll e ale to stquietly with the mnd happy and at ease

The sufferngs of the ttans are: althogh eqa to thegods n rches and possessions, generally the force of jealousy causes them to qarrel with outsiders nsiders, wtheveyone and there s espally violent suferng fromqarrelng with the gods

the desre realm, gods suer from quarrelling withthe ttans, from not satisfyng th yeaings of desre andom death and banshent At death e sgns appear thegod's clothes bome smelly hs garland and flowers wilt



16 Kl Rce

perspiration breaks out om hs armpits, hs body begns to

smell and his seat becomes uncomfortable. Al the other gods and goddesses r away and dying by himself hesuffers greatly and is panic-stricken seeing the place of hsnet birh. He must experience these sorrows for sevendays Although in he form and formless realms there are nosufferings ike these because death does come and one hasno power to stay there is he sorrow of fetching a worse

situationSo since hell beings sffer from heat and cold pretasom hunger and thrst and animas om stupidity foolshness and eating each other and humans suffer fm bthold age ickness and death titans om quarrelling andgods om death and their subsequent fal one must strieto be free from sinkig into the cycle f the ocean of sfferng and to atta the bissful saced and perfect Buddha

hood.Forthl one must uderstand karmic cause and result

Now the subjtion to the arios manifestations of delusions of comfort and dscomfort in the s worlds and hethree reals7 aries through the power of karma. First nonmeritorious actions are the ten ices etc. which orginateom a defiled mind. The ten ices are gien as folows.

Through the gae of the body there s taking life Takngfe out of desire means killing for the sake of meat skinbones usk etc or for oney or to protect onself or one'siends; out of anger eans that whch s done in enmity or quarrelling; and to take life for offering or gifts tinking it rtuous or the like is to kill from stupidity From theseactions the completely deeloped result is birth as a sen

tient beng in hell if bo as a human the result whichcorresponds with the cause of the act that one likes to takelife the result that grees with the eperience that one willhae a short life and much sickness and for a long succession of lies one will hae to face being killed the result inenironment is that one is born in a rock and steep landwhere there is much danger for life econdly there s takng



Th da ddhs da 7

that which s not given stealing forcell and iolntl

with ltte provocation clandestine stealing without beingseen and stealing deceptivel in contracts easures o b cheating The varous results successivel are brth thepretas if bo as a huan to be poor and unhapp to like tosteal and to be bo in a countr with uch snow and hailThirdl there are wrong desires which eans copulationwhen forbidden b relationship ie with one's thersister or daghter when forbidden b coitent ieanother an's wife or concubines o another an or kingetc or when forbidden b religion ie not even with one'swife in the vicnit of a Laa in a teple near a stpa i aplace where an are gathered when observing a teorar vow of chastit or when one's wife s pregnant Thefor reslts are birth in the pretas one's souse is unatracive and uarresoe like an ene one is alwas dissatis

ed with one's own souse and costantl thnks of othersand the countr of brth s ver d

Through the door of speech: frs there is ling Thevarious kinds are lg about one's spiitual attaientsling to cause har and telng ordinar lies The four rsts are to be born he anal real if bo as ahuan to reive uch slander to have haltosis to k o

le nd to be born in a cotr that is high and ow and hotand cold. Creating disharon eans to case two peopleto dsagree n the presence of eah other to cause a splt b speakng indirtl and to case a slt subversivel whenthe re separated The results successivl a brth aonghell beings if bo as a han to be divorced fro copanioship to like schiss and to be bo in a countr that is

steep and precipitous Harsh languag entails speakigviiousl to another to slander in various was toghokes and ests and to speak vel of another to his friendsand those near to hi The results again are birth in helland f bo as a huan to hear varios unpleasant wordsand sounds to alwa s like evil speech and to be bo wherethe land hot and dr wth crags ravines and brables.



18 Kl Rch

Idle tal means to repeat mantras wongly, to expain rip

tures incorrecty, to tak a ot with no purpose, and to explainreligion to those who have no respt for it The resuts,successively, are to be born as an animal; and if bo as ahuman, no one enjoy s one's speech, ones speh is inoble,and one is bo where summer and winter are onfsed.

Then there ae the vces of mind Coveting incldesbeing so very attached to one's ancesty, bod character,wealth or possessions that one thinks that shoud they graceanother it would not be right; or thinking that what is under anothers contro shoud be under ones own The results,successively, are to be bo in the pretas; bo as a human,not to accomplish what one thinks of, to have great desire,and to be bo a country where crops grow badly -

means to be so angry as to fight or go to war with anoher; tothink eanly om jealousy, or to think of harming someone

out of enmity The results, aain, are birth in the hells; and bo as a human, to be angry in naure, to be treated as anenemy for no reason,· and to be bo in a country that isharsh, mountainous and cut with deep gorges Wron iewsconsst of hoding the opinion that there is no tth in actionand resut, that the relative and ultimate tths are wron,or that Holy Ones are imperft Again the rests are brth

as an animal; and if bo as a human, to be so stupid that oneunderstnds nothing to have no incination whatsoever for studying and to be born i a poor and barren contry

he very worst acts amon the ten vices are: to take thelfe of ones father, or spirtua teacher; to take univenwealth from the hree Jewel; throuh seduction to causeanother to break vows of chastity or celbac; to deceie a

ama through lies; to belittle the One-Thus-Gone (athagata);to cauuse disharmony among the congregation of mons or religious friends; to speak harshly to ones mother, father, or an awakened saint; through ide tal to cause one whowishes to practice relgion to wander; to covet preciousobjects which are cosecrated to the Three Jewels; to enen



e da ddhs eda 9

der illwill potent enough to commit inexpible ction nd

to hve wrog view fom holding conflictg opinionU the defilement re conidered, nger greed tupidity,

deire jelouy nd ride led to birth hellbeing pretniml, mn, titn nd god repectively Committing mny bd ction led to birth hell-being committing moderte number birth pret nd few n nimlGood nd bd ction mixed together led to the multifri

ou live of the thre higher relm ie humn ndceletil being Accordingly, the one trngreed ginti high, low, or inbetween in ttion one i born hellbeing, niml or pret repectively It i tught tht long thee evil ct re not bndoned they grow ever lrger

Secondly, for meritoriou krm it rie from thecomponent of vire, unttched love helping mindmll wnt, contentment, etc When tking life i bn

doned, nd life protected the completely rpened reult birth god; nd, if nd when born humn, one lifei long nd free from ickne, one i rich nd for ocen of live will be hppy nd joyful with little thought for killingwhen ttchment to one country i bndoned nd one geneou, the power of king, etc will be ccmulted even bo n ordiny humn one will hve the very bet

welth nd poeion will tke joy in giving, nd will beborn in country with the bet in food nd riche Whenwrong deire re ndoned nd morl re protted, thereult re to be bo mong celetil eing nd if ndwhen bo humn to hve ne, beutiful poue withwhom one i in ccord to hve contentment in continuliendhip, nd to be in country both plent nd com

forbleA for peech, when lie re bndoned nd truth ipoken the reult re to be bo mong god or men, tohve everyone regrd one word true to like to givehonet view, nd to be in level country where uit ly ripening When creting dihrmony given upnd one i the gent for reconcilition, the reult re birth



2 l Rce

among gods or men, everything spoken will be regarded as

true and wll please eveyone, and one wil alway lieagreement; the country wil have ittle ha or sleet, and foodand wealth will be easily found when soght When harshlangage is abandoned and one speaks sotly or gently, thesults are to be bo among go or men, to rt in eveyone'spraise and to hear pleasing speh to enjoy gentle ta, andto be bo in a gentle country moderate in temperaure.

Wen idle talk is abandoned and one bears onl meaninglnews, the resuts are birth among men, ones ords arenoble and pleasing to others, one happy with ittle tagand the county is even in terrain and clte

hen covetousness is abandoned and there is contentment and few wants, he results ae birth among gods anden, o be b happy and to accomplish whatever onehinks of, o be always content with ones possessions, ando be bo n a pleasant place When ill-will is abandoneand one has a hepful mind, the resuts are to be bo amonggods or men, to be loved by all, to accomplh an uposethat one wishes, to desire to hep sentient beigs, and to beborn in a country where whatever is needed or wantdcomes When wong views are abandone, one boamong gods or men, is venerated and inheits the bet

inteligence an widom, enjoy stving at studying and isborn in a country with fertie land and wholesome od

Thirdly, the kama of stillness: when the see is thepractice f concentration in mitative trances the rsultobtaind i bith in such a state Geneally, these tran arebas on the practice of th ten virtuous deds From thatoverall background, there ar eight prparations whih pr

cede the actual concetration, and when at various tim inthe tranc, xanation, investigation, joy and bliss are apresent, the irst stage o absorption has been achiev.hen in the actual practice, there is no examinaon or investigation, yet joy or bliss, the second absoption isreachd. When joy ceases and there i just bliss, th thidabsorption is reached and when a four cease, the forth is



he da ddh eda 2

reacd Wen t asorption deepens beyond tese four,

one experiences te Infinit of Space If tis absorption spracticed, one is o in te peeption of te Infnity of Space. Beyond ts absorption, tere are te perceptions of te Infinity of Conosness, otingnes and Peak of Cyclic Existence In ts stat te stle dirmination ineiter tere nor not tere, and one can be o as celestial beings in tese states of peeption

As te mind arrves on eac scceeding level, tere issccessively more sparatio from attacment tus mind

bomes detacd and penetrates to te next stage. All teseeigt trances consist of a onepointed virtos mind

Accoingly, te agent wic prodces te sbstance of Samsara is no oter tan tese tree types of slled karma

In rief, i te cycle of existence te root is ignoranceom wic arises te clnging to dality ten om dis

criminating consciosness on te one and come te delements, om awareness on t oter come wsdom, faitcompassion and a elpfl disposition. From good or adkarma come te reslts of te iger and lower realms andteir corresponding appiness, and sufferig Wen tegood and bad karma is mxed, varios, ncertain sorrowsand comforts are experienced All te vared karm makes

te mltiplicity of tese beings, since from differng actionsdiffernt results will comeEven toug tis life generated as te karmic reslt of

virte wic was practiced in te mmediately prnglfe, tis life may pass in misery becase of oter karmiconditions suc as stealng from oters n a pat life for example, one wold ave to be bo as a poorman Evetog tis lfe is generated as te karmi reslt of evilpracticed in te mediatel predng lf, ts lfe mapass in great prsperity ecase of oter kamc conditios,sc, as generosity in previos lives an eample wold b aric sepentgod (naga). If ot generativ kama and overall kamc conditions ar viruos, te birt migt be sc asa Universal Monarc if bot are evil, ten as a ell eing.



K ce

Present karm whose resuls are experienced in hs

very life are such s: inexpiable action prepared and exued in reference o a Buddha (or Enighened Sage), fonstance, by Lha Jin8 who experienced the res of hell in thisfe; or it refers o pure hough and objt such as he manand wfe who gave Saripura a meal and laer harvesed earsof co of gold. Some resuls are called 'Those To Be Experienced Afer Birh: these include he ve inexpiable and theve nearly inexpiable actions/ whose resuls wll be experienced mmediaely afer hs ife Those o be experienced aanoher ime wl be experenced in hree or four laer births,whenever they come

One may accumulae karma hrough acions whichwoud be like worshippng the Jewes hrough faih, or king a man from anger Or one may accumulae karmawth no actions, such as rejoicing in the bad or good aions

of others Or one may no gaher anyhing hrough onesacions such as siing down o mediae bu leing the mindwander

Black hough joined to white acion would be like erecng a monasery or supa for te sake of fame, ec Whiehogh joined wih black acion would be like speakngroughly or beaing and sriking someone in order o help

hmCoective karma is he accumuation of similar karmaand so produces similar resuts, ie a senien beings perceive the universe he me way Paricular karma wil beexperienced from he karma of each ndividual sentientbeing and s the varied experience of happiness and sorrowbecuse of differences n individual environmen, bodies

and possessions Since afer he resuls from white karmaare finished, he resuls from black are experienced, happiness in early ife may u o misey in laer lfe

While proecing life resuls in long lfe, sriking andbeating cases much sickness Through generosiy, onecomes o have grea possessions, bu when he mnd is fullof harm, one will have many enemies Alhough one may



Te da ddhs eda

nd a beautiful, prfect spouse as a result o abandoning

adultery, dishamony created in one's past ie results indicord. Those who abandon harsh anguage wil be lovedby all; those who covet wil always destitute Athoughone is bo in a home with wealthy parents from havingmade oferings and beg generous, jealousy of othersgenerosity results in oneself becoming destitute in thi ifeThe results of smaller generosity have led to birth in a poor household but through service to all ones elders and parent, etc, one becomes respectd and praed and reveredby all Although bo ch because of preious generosity,etc, not liking relgion suls in becoming one with wrongviews Although previously one may have very powerfllypractid virtue, ie making offengs, gifts etc the power of ealously o other defiments distorts prayers; and while the birth one oined to great power, one perpetrates un

wholesome karma ey powerflly. Altough previous virtuous karma may be small, when one stands fast with faithat death one bo into a religious home When previouslyone practiced religion out of faith and compassion, at the present time amily, body and possessions are the very best,religion is imilarly practiced, and one travel onwards onthe path to enlightenment.

I one omes to believ in the inevitable results of interdependence and ause and effect, thn indeed one haspenetrated to the centre of the root of the teaching of Buddha

Revulion at the cycle and the urge to procure freedomare like the root of a tree; faith with compassion is like the trunk; practice of virtue and abandonment of unwholesome action are the branches the levels are virues beyond limit;the flowers are in posession of the essence of transformation and perfecton (according to esoterc teachings); and the uit is the attainment of the Castle of Full Enlightenment,Buddha.

When one has become disgusted with the cycle of existence (Samara), how does one practice religion? First, when



24 Kl Re

one knows he ribues of he Rre Jewels one goes for

refuge nd hen lerns he reson for clering wy oburions10 nd ghering ccumulions of spiulmeris hrough ones devoion, ec If one does no know hereson for wning o prcice religion he mehods of pice or he rsuls of religious prcice, i would be lieshooing n rrow in blck fog

herefor, he Awkened One (Buddh, s senienbeing firs produced he hough f Enlighenmen (Bodhichi) nd hen for hree immesurble eons gheredspiriu mers, cered oburion w perfeced enlighened deds s vs s n ocen, nd when he ve phsnd en sges were cossed, he ined Compleely Perfeced Awkening nighenmen Now he rel nure of Awkening is o possess hree quliies he gre cesionwhich is he complee removl of he wo oburions

ogeher wih heir ssocied hbis he gre lizion of wreness which is n ccure seeing, no confused by llhe phenomen of discriminion nd he gre brve mindwhih s civi rising coninuy nd persively fromsponneous compssion for he benefi of beings

When he menings re considered fer he wkeningfrom he sleep-like ignornce, mind is enlighened in he

wo knowledges of knowing how everyhg ppers hisse is clled Awkened Enlighenmen (Buddh)Ech cuse hs is own resul. hrough he possessin of

he Compssione hough nd from he successive perfecion of boh he ccumulions which re ghered by performing he six perfecions, he win mnifesions of Enlighenmen re obined Moreover, wen ll krm isccumuled hrough cions powered by compssion for hose lower nd by fih in scred objecs, meri s gheredwhose resul when compleely rpened s he ccompishmen of wo fom mnifesions hough he prcice of bsorpion in mediion devoid of concepulizion, wsdom s ccumued nd he flwless resu is he ccomplishmen of he Body of Dhrm



The uda uddh eda 25

The omniresent Body of Dharma pervades a amra

and Nirvana is beyond all intelletual postulation and isdevoid of arising existene and essation the Jogmin-gyi hing1 Buddha ield beyond the three

realms he Perft Manifestaton By arises before all the enth level BodhisattvasY This gathering of he Buddhasown apeaane and the aeaane of the Bodhsattvas isalled the Mutual Manifestation Body

uuing beings with exosition on various ats andiene is the killu Emanation ubdung beings in various foms suh as a king and a deer et is the BodilyEmanation Through the twelve great deeds benefit for allsenient beings is administered by the Perfet Emanation

Thus the twin form maniestations manifest from previous aspiaton and invation for manifestation in order tohel ran beings form the innate ower and blessings of the

Dharma Body the distintive manifestations the Dharma Body

apeas when the obsurations of naurate knowledgedare eared away; the Maniestation Body by learing awaythe obsurations of defilements; and the Emaation Body bythe learing away of the obsurations of karma

the great awareness of Buddha there is not any

Dhaa in amsara Nirvana or the ath that is not knownor seen It is as if everything were plaed in he palm of the hand The kama of the tree times the ast resent andftue the seeds of karma the result of karmaeverythngis known individually unonusedly and learly withoutany obsuration. This s he wareness of Knowledge. Greatsontaneous love going ou to all beings without dsrmi

nation with regard to distane or assoiation with a easeless flow of kindness is loving-kindness and omassionuntioning whih never eases and brooks no interutionhough funtioning in different ways aoing to the potential of individuals having onduive or adverse relationsyet opens the doors to temporal benefit to the higher realmsnd hen to nal eedom and ontinues to arise until all of



26 Kl Rpe

he le ha exi i empied i alled deed and funion

gWih he power of npiraion and bleing of he above

a enien beg hrough he ueie aring of faihdeoion rep love and omaion and underandingha all dharma (ubeie and objie phenomena) are emp in reali and realizing ha he are ke magdero all lnging o he reali of amra Aborbed

ompleel in Peaefl Tranquii and nigh an ronghe ie Pah and Ten age wih he ix and en perfion he i proeed from he grea fear and uffering of he le of exiene and guided o imae Enlighenmen Thi i he apabili of rege frm he power of amara

Thu he allnowing awarene loing kindne andompaion deed and funioning and power and apabli for proeion are he upreme qualie of wakenedEnlighenmen

Now hoe who have arrived a he eighh up o he enh leel poe en power: he power of lie whih he abili o oban and a in an exiene a will he power of mind whih i he abii o be aborbed exal inwhaever ae of mediaion i deired he power of nee

iie whih i he abili o rain down rihe and ewel andfood for all enien being he power over karma whih he abili o inpire oher o uliae good ama whihwill be experiened a anoher ime he power of bihwhih i h abili o be bo in he deire real wihougeing ained b impiie b aing in mediaion he power of reaion whih he abili o hange an of he

four elemen a will he power of mirale whih i he abili o demonrae innumerable mirale for he benefiof enen being he power of widom whih i o nowompleel he re igniane of all dharma (phenomenaand he power of Dharma whih i he abili o afompleel he mind of enien being of differen ongueand differen apabiliie b explaining he Dhama in i



Te Foudto o uddst Medto 27

assembly of wos and phrases one single eposiion

Wih respec o hese powers Buddhas are much greaer and more sacr addiion, he hiry aor perfions and eighy

minor perfions of he bd siy spial ones of haonious speh en forces four grunds for no fear eigheendiferences ec. and all he dsinc and compleely ripenedaribues number over a million If hrough some inconceivably grea miracle he fo were seen here would be nodsagreemen. Such s Precious Rare Awakened Enlighenmen (Buddha)

Speh, hidden and unencompasble by hough wihpure melody rains down he Dharma of he various vehicles Grea and Sma, accoing o faih capabili andrealm, smulaneously on gods, nagas, and men, boh kindand mean and animals, ec in heir own respive ongues

Moreover, even hough speaking o every sream of beingwhich is o be rained in places boh near and far he quaiy of he sound is perfecly suied lacking in all fauls such asspeaking oo quickly, suering, haling ec. and is sof,genle and melodios In all he Buddha realms, he oer worlds, and oher realms, unil all of Samra is empied,he Dharma noble in he beginning, middle and end, deep

and exensive, wors for he benefi of eings Such s hePrecious are Dharmahe, all who have praciced he Dharma he bs of all

speech successively Sravkas, Prayeas, Arhans3 and allhose on he spiriual sages om he rs o he enh andnal comprse he ranscenden Sangha he Sangha of individuals consiss of all hose who abide any of hehree vows ordnaion, Bodhiva or Vajrayana, whichever s applicable Such s he Precious are Sangha

hus one should go for refuge in he knoedge haBuddha is he permanen refge, Dharma he pah andSangha he companions

Fro he play of he dscipline of Buddha, he Accomplshed Conqueror beyond sorrow, who s he ver self of



8 Ku Rche

the five wsdoms and three bodies arse the assembly of

detes the Yda roots of attainment He who bestows thepth of the yogas of Transformation and Perfection of theseYdams at every stage of ripening liberation and nalattainment s the L, root of all blesing Depending onthat practice al action pacifying etending influencingand suuing are accomplished with the upport of Dainand Defenders of the Dharma the roots of all actvity Theseare the three root

The seeers of refuge are oneelf and all sntient bingThe objts in whih refuge i sought are al of the aboveThe real reason for refuge i to ee refuge from the eightand siteen fears and ultimately om the sorrow of thelower realms and the cycle (from now until the moment of enlightenment) To go for refge understanding thee threething s the root of the reigion of Buddha

one goe for refge n Buddha with clear faith beliving in and wanting to reach Budha one believe the harmathat he taught To practice its methods and to tae it to hearts to go for rege in Dharma By litening to the speech of allthe Awaened One and individuals who have studied themeaning of the Dharma and to practice and follow in their path is to go for rege n the Sangha If one goe for refge

n uch a way Buddha decre that in every life both thand later one will travel th path of freedom one will meetthe prcious Doctrine of Buddha and will not encounter evilcompanions and will not tay in thought and action nor wobstacles cause one to tumble one wil not be brn n lowr realm and with all vehicles having a foundation the cy cleof etence will come to an end

Thus magine that all the deitie of the Three ewel andThree Roots are really gathered in the sy radiant withbriliant light and with devoion protrate before thm withbody speech and mind; offer everything subtantial andmaginable that s beautifl or pleasing in form soundsmell taste and touch ith etreme regt confe al theobscuring unwholeome act that have been accumulated



The da ddhst edat 29

om te time tat as no beginning, and vo not to commit

tem in te ftureTes are blessings ic all tse objects of refge

ave in mind, te very being of knowledge, love and capability in speec, secret and inconceivable; in body, greatmerit and inconceivable qalities it all tese and onesown great fait devotion and inner togt te basis andinterdepndence of all te tts of te arising of conditions

and of emptiness, ie tat all daas are by teir essentialnature nondemonstrable fal togeter Ten as al foglikeobsurations and unolesome acts are tinned out andpurified, tere is Awakening; and as te acumuation of merit and sdom rise bit by bit, ike te sun, te wisdom of kowledge of a tat is and te ay it is, Enligtens; tus,te Enligtened State of Budda, Awakened Enigtenment,is attained Until ten, durng te intervening lves, all teappiness of te iger reams is eperienced, as ecelentfruit and grain grows from sound roots and stalks To go for refuge it great fait and to clear aay obscurations and togater accmulations are etremey important Have greatfait in te Sakya, Gelug, Kagyu and Nyina scools,since all are eactly te means of liberating all sentientbeings from Saara by training tem all n te religion of

Aakened EnligtenmentFor te sbstane of te practice of religion, one of te

middle capabiity pratices virtue abando rong actionand consolidates te five foundations wic are eac practiced one ndred tousand times Ten, one trains temind in concentration and purifiation, and sets ot tomeditate and realize a Yidam; and ten meditates on te Si

Yogas, especially Heat Yoga By gaining mastery over vaselike energy troug for pratices and wit varous eercises, and trog te projection, retention, distribution,and scattering of vital fuids, mind and body become full of blss te nity of warmt and bssful emptiness, ie teGreat Symbol (Maamudra) is realized. Someone of teigest capabilities, wen ripened in s stream of being by



30 Klu Re

initiation immediately ater the eplanation o Mahamdraor pertion meditate and wll cro diiely the ariopath and tage

Now i one able to comprehend well the meaning o althee teaching one will m away om clinging to the cycle and the reole to pee the beneit o reedom willbe bo. Faith wll be bo rom an ndertanding o the qalitie o the Prio One and compaion will

arie or all uering entient being Then i one deote toa L, and ater eeking the key intction meditateone will enitely come to obtain both ordinary and perectattainment



NOT'S

1 The three higher births a birth as a human, as a tin or as ag (or celesal ing)

2 ntient ing refers to any being that ssesses mind: ie ahell ing preta, anima, human, titan, or g.

3 The tree Pcious Jewels are the Buddha, the Dharma andthe Sangha. These will diusd ater.

4 Skandha is a Sanskt word meaning heap or pile A senentbeing may viewed as a heap of forms feelings, cognitions,olitions, and consciousness.

5 Nagas are a class of animas that might be termed serntgs, since they have a serent like b but may eryerfu or ric

6 Dharma, in this context fers to all subjective and objecvephenomena

7. The six words are as in note 2 The thr realms are the desirerealm (from the hell beings up to and including the first leeof gs), the for realm (the next entn eels of gs),and the formless real (the last four evels)

8 Lha Jin, or Devadatta was Buddha Shakyamuni's cousinmewhat enious of Buddhas station, he trid to harmBuddha on a numr of casions On one casion, hesucceeded in hurtng Buddha with a stone As a sult, he

came to suer extreme agony ater in his life9. The fie inexpiabe acts are to kil one's mother, father

spiritual teacher or a saint, or to harm a Buddha The fienearly inexpiable acts a to kil a noice or full monk, torin down a nun, utilate an image of Buddha or scriptures and to destroy a tempe or shrine.

10 Ouratons are mental impurities that hide the true natuof mind (inorance), om passions, and from karma

11 Jomn-yi-Shing is the Buddha field of the ceestia BuddhaVaradr (r Chang)

12 Bhittas re akened Sain who pursue enlighnment in order o irate a ntient ings from rro. Theen ees of itts fect the degr of aizaton ofeihen attained.

3 Te e ous class of accompished spiitual ings.



Foundation of Meditation

Kalu Rinpoche (1905-1989) of the Shangpa Kagyu tradition,was one of the leading Kagyu meditation masters of thiscentury. In The Foundation o f Buddhist Meditation Rinpoche

gives a concise explanation of the Buddhist path leading tothe supreme goal of enlightenment for the welfare of allliving beings.

ISBN: 81-85102-61-9

Kalu Rinpche - Foundation of Buddhist Meditation

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Transcript of Kalu Rinpche - Foundation of Buddhist Meditation