The Three Pillars of Tathagatagarbha Zen:
Great obeisance to the blessed Ârya-prajñâ-pâramitâ (perfection of Noble Wisdom)
Buddhagnosis: Being fully attuned with prior-to cognitive abilities and discernment as procured from Sutra-Study and Dharma-teachings received from teachers/sages who are well-versed in the Buddhadharma, and who have been prior-anointed with the Seed of Buddhaic Light originating from the Luminous hands of countless Tathagatas.
Samadhi: Cultivation of Dhyāna-techniques culminating in a decisive one-pointedness of Contemplative-Union (Deep Samādhis) with the Unborn Mind. One is now aligned, through the developing mystical dharma-child, with the Undivided Spirit of Bodhi and is unaffected by phenomenal paralysis.
Bodhiprajñā: The untainted and Undivided Awakened Wisdom of the Tathagatas; procured after many years of disciplined Sutra-Study and countless hours of being yoked with the Tathatic-Spirit in the dharma-womb of the Tathagatas via Deep-Samādhis. This Premier-Noble Wisdom is issued directly from the Other Shore of Deathless Suchness, and is fully conferred upon the garbha-child that grows to spiritual maturity (Bodhisattva).
A student of the way focuses on these four stages until the day comes final mahasamadhi is initiated and the last body of samsara is left behind before physical death occurs.
1. Inception.
2. Gestation
3. Spiritual Birth.
4. Liberation
Explanation;
1. Inception as in the profound planting of the gotra through the great experience of Right View (Kensho). By this spiritual breakthrough a deathless and unbreakable bond with countless Buddhas and bodhisattvas on the other shore is thus established as a direct lineage to the shining ones and ones future Buddhahood amongst them.
2. Gestation of the garbha (Buddha-embryo) of suchness (tathata) until its fruition. A long period (sometimes decades) of spiritual tribulations and wonders all serving to keep the beast (Mara) at bay until it is beaten by the victorious one (the fully awakened Buddha)
3. As in birth of the true spiritual bodhisattva, risen from such enlightenment. The Buddha to-be. In the sutras this is depicted in the mystical birth of Siddharta Gautama through Queen Mayas right side.
Here only the one imbued with the light of noble wisdom (by means of samadhi with the Unbon), is capable of fully realizing the incomparable beauty residing deeply behind the veil of samsara, in this glorious mystery behind all things.
4. As in Liberation from all forms of suffering. No worldly knowledge, however profound, can liberate sentient beings from suffering. Thus the virtuous abandon the former and seeks refuge in what canprovide such nirvana, namely the undivided light of the Unborn Mind. Tis Nirvana now reverberating in the born body of the bodhisattva, like a born sun offers a light that removes countless kalpas of defilements and habit energy (vasana). The way becomes now much, much easier as the heavy presence of the psychophysical body doesnt interfere in the spiritual school ground (sambhokaya) of the bodhisattva. With the Dharmakaya well in sight each day and each night, liberation is assured and hence the joy of nirvana rules in a Mind and heart , where before Mara ruled by desire and fear (of loosing such desire). These main poisons and the countless others spawn from them used to arise through division of the Minds Unborn Light forming the poisonous and painful consciousness field of samsara.
In dharma
Tozen
“As in birth of the true spiritual bodhisattva, risen from such enlightenment. The Buddha to-be. In the sutras this is depicted in the mystical birth of Siddharta Gautama through Queen Mayas right side.
Here only the one imbued with the light of noble wisdom (by means of samadhi with the Unbon), is capable of fully realizing the incomparable beauty residing deeply behind the veil of samsara, in this glorious mystery behind all things”.
I would suggest that it is best to be cautious how certain words and/or their meanings are conveyed and/or employed. There is no “birth” in the Unborn—Spiritual or otherwise. This could be misconstrued as some kind of “spiritual entity” taking “birth”. For instance, when Siddharta symbolically emerged from Queen Mayas right side, the “mystical birth” metaphorically depicts a Supernal-Action that transcends all forms of “birth” …in a very real sense this conveyed and foreshadowed Gautama’s eventual triumph over all manifestations in the samsaric field of birth and death. In this vein it was a Supra-Natural occurrence.
Spiritual birth in the Unborn is imageless. That is its beauty and mystery. You can of course refute this as unsuitable in terms of proper terminology, but when it comes to its reality, once it takes place in the adept of the way, I can assure you, this “birth” of the spiritual light being (bodhi-sattva) is something profound and irefutable to the one undergoing it.
In any case I think you have accomplished something nice with this blog. Its content will serve many unhappy/spiritually dissatisfied beings once they find their way to this place.
regards
Tozen