Question: Shoden Session # 8 opens with a distinction between one’s “personal will” and the Unborn Will; curious as to why there needs to be any such distinction since we are already united with the Unborn Will as such…
Vajragoni: Your statement is incorrect. One is not initially united with Unborn Will just as one is not automatically in union with Buddhahood, contrary to the popular conventional conceit that claims otherwise. Indeed, one’s inclination is towards identification with personal will since it’s closely tied with all skandhic determinants and hence is subject to the laws of dependent arising and passing away; in this sense, personal will is anatta, or not Self and therefore is not allied with the Unborn essence. Also, personal will is akin to grasping as we discussed earlier and in this sense becomes an ongoing habitual mechanism that keeps the samsaric wheel in motion.
Question: How is that?
Vajragoni: The thrust of total identification with personal will usually remain until the very moment of death, which then activates a new planting cycle from within the Alaya-vijnana whose seeds once again take root in the karmic fields of rebirth; that’s why it’s essential to surrender personal will to the Unborn Will thus severing the incessant thirst for phenomenal activity that produces the karmic intercourse of Perpetual Regenesis.
Question: So how does one make contact with the Unborn Will?
Vajragoni: This particular Dhyana Technique, Dharmasota Ho, provides the key and that is through attuning one’s spiritual hearing to the inner Dharma Ear of the Dharmatā Buddha.
Question: Who is this Dharmatā Buddha and what about this “Dharma Ear”?
Vajragoni: The Dharmatā Buddha represents the Unborn Essence ITself, or the Dharmakaya in its absolute aspect; as the Lankavatara Sutra states, “it is the doing of the Dharmatā Buddha to establish the exalted state of self-realization which transcends the phenomena of the empirical mind.” So, the Dharmatā Buddha initiates the power of self-realization upon those who are ready to awaken fully from the dream of Samsara and who know through faith and reason in the Unborn that the dreaming phenomenal world is nothing apart from Mind itself. Hence, personal will abdicates its authority to the Unborn Will whose deathless suchness nullifies the former incessant chatter of conventional discrimination that habitually seeks to reproduce karmic afflictions and associations and attachments.
It’s through the deathless inner sound of the Dharma Ear, or Dharmasota, that one is transcendentally summoned to embrace the Unborn Will and in doing so is blessed by the Dharmatā Buddha with the insight of the Ariyan Mind to “turn about” from the false light of conventional reasoning that only beckons one into another diurnal round of spatial constriction. Insight is key here as revealed through the following passage from the Samyutta Nikaya, XII, 53:
“Suppose, monks, the light of an oil lamp is burning, generated by oil and wick, but as time goes by one cessates from pouring in new oil that keeps the wick alight; then, monks, as the old fuel is used up and is not replaced by a new supply, the lamp will go out. Likewise, dear monks, in one who dwells in the insight concerning the transitory nature of the chains of phenomenal existence, thirst is annihilated; through the annihilation of thirst, grasping is annihilated; through the annihilation of grasping, becoming is annihilated; through the annihilation of becoming, birth is annihilated; through the annihilation of birth, old age, sickness, death, pain, lamentation, suffering, sorrow and despair are annihilated. Such is the annihilation of the whole chain of suffering.”
Question: Hmmm, that reminds me of those who have had near-death experiences and who claim to have encountered a long narrow passage that leads to a brilliant “light”…a light that beckons them forward…it seems that your reflection here along with that passage from the Buddha would encourage one to avoid that light at all costs…
Vajragoni: Wonderful insight there, my friend! Yes, that “light” of which you refer leads to further “becoming” and is readily embraced by those worldlings whose appetite for conventional reasoning only leads them into another spatial guise of existence; any dependence upon sensate gazing as a means of weighing the value of a transcendent encounter needs to be shunned since it’s only a reflection of the dreaming mind that once again is tricked into believing its own animated projections. The lamplight from the projector needs to be extinguished so that any further animations cease to be projected.
Question: Well, wouldn’t this be equally true concerning “hearing” the deathless sound? I mean doesn’t the sensation of hearing come into play with this?
Vajragoni: No. The Parato ghosa, or the deathless sound, is not “heard” in the conventional sense of hearing, but rather is an inward self-realization that is fostered through the Dharmasota, or Dharma Ear of the Dharmatā Buddha…and is fully represented by the insight of neti, neti, or neither this nor that. Hence, when one hears the wonderful voice of the Sugata, one is actually being filled with the compassionate and primordial wisdom that reflects the inner sacred sound of suchness (tathata) ITself.
Question: Perhaps if we walk through the Dhyana Technique itself I will be more attuned to this inner self-realization of which you speak…
Vajragoni: Of course! Firstly, one needs to focus attention on the Primordial Dragon Chakra with the hands held in the gassho position; this is symbolic of one invoking the aid of Primordial Wisdom, or Prajna, from the very depths of primordial energy. After a few minutes, one lowers the hands and cups them slightly above the Primordial Dragon Chakra and slowly begins to move the hands upward (still cupped) in circular motion to release the rising and expanding primordial UBLR energy; this action instills one with the inward sense of Prajna that permeates the entire Chakra system through the rising of the energy.
Secondly, one’s hands are returned to the gassho position and one focuses the attention on the Dharmasota Chakra (throat); this is symbolic of opening the seat of self-expression of the Dharmatā Buddha (or once again, the inner Essence of the Unborn that is realized through one’s inmost Self)…and is the beginning of surrendering personal will to the Unborn Will. After a few minutes, one’s dominant hand is slowly lowered and placed slightly above the Primordial Dragon Chakra (palm upwards), while the other hand is placed gently about the throat (Dharmasota Chakra); this action needs to be maintained for at least 5 minutes as proper bodhiflow is occurring between the two Chakras…the dominant primordial “juice” of the former thus empowering the latter.
Thirdly, as one’s hands maintain this position, one begins to gently intone the sacred mantra of Vairocana (Om Vairocana Hum); this Right Action invokes the higher vibrations of Primordial Light that is represented through the mantra, as Vairocana is the Buddha of Illumination…thus one is Enlightened with the insight that all other sensate forms of “light” pale in comparison to the sacred hue of Unborn Light whose wavelength supersedes ordinary consciousness and is beyond the ken of discriminatory association and recognition. The mantra is intoned for at least ten minutes as the dharmatic “shift” begins to occur from the personal will to the Unborn Will THAT RECOLLECTS IT’s DEATHLESS SUCHNESS.
Fourthly, the hand positions shift as the dominant hand is now placed on the Dharmasota Chakra and the other rests slightly above the Primordial Dragon Chakra while at the same time the tone of the Vairocana Mantra is slowly reduced until there’s just a whisper; again this position needs to be maintained for at least 10 minutes as this action is symbolic of the transformation of the personal will into the Unborn Will as the fading sound of the mantra reflects total surrender to the latter. Next, the arms are raised high above the head with the palms turned inward and the fingers splayed thus returning any excess dissonant energy of the personal will to the Source…this position needs to be maintained for at least 5 minutes, thus sealing the transformation as the UBLR energy permeates your entire torso.
Lastly, one’s hands are placed again in the gassho position as one focuses on the Dantian and slowly breathes in rhythmic fashion for at least five minutes, or until the gentle bodhi-breath (UBLR) of the Suchchild reflects the compassionate and soothing voice of the Sugata; this final action now completes the once blinded partial mind with the full self-realization of primordial wisdom that reflects the inner sacred sound of suchness (tathata).
Question: Thank you for elaborating on the Dharmasota technique, but I’m just not comfortable with this one…I’m sorry!
Vajragoni: That’s not something to be overly concerned about; it can be a scary thing to trust solely in the Unborn and to abandon one’s personal will, because the latter is so deeply ingrained into the psyche and refuses to release its dominion and is scared to be rendered void and obsolete in favor of the Unborn Will. If you remain faithful to this Dharmasota Ho technique, then gradually the Unborn Will shall supersede the personal will which is uncomfortable in losing its foothold.
Question: I will try…
Vajragoni: NO! Remember, there is no “I” here…that is merely an attempt of the personal will to prevent your growth in the Unborn and it would enjoy to see you fail so that its discriminatory obstructions continue to rule the roost in samsara. This is all about liberation from the chains of dependent origination, my friend, and the first thing that needs to be dispelled is that “I” of the personal will.
Shoden Session #8: Dharmasota Ho
Fine-Tuning the inner Dharma Ear that instills the sound (Parato ghosa) of deathlessness within the Dharmasota Chakra: Awakening the seat of self-expression of the Dharmatā Buddha thereby surrendering personal will to the Unborn Will as one makes a choice between faith in the Unborn Recollective Resolve or the conditioned torments that reside in the clouded, discriminatory mind.
Dhyana Technique: In order to supplant the incessant chatter of conventional discrimination with the compassionate voice of the Sugata practice the following:
Dharmasota Ho: This Dhyana Technique fosters creative deathless expression as one’s Dharma Ear is fine-tuned to receive the frequency (Parato ghosa) of Dharmatā THAT instills right reliance in the way of deathlessness. In effect, one’s personal will (that is conditioned with conventional deceit) is abrogated by the Unborn Will whose deathless suchness renders void all former afflictions and associations and attachments as the gentle breath (Unborn Light Reiki) of the Suchchild calms the vicissitudes of transient phenomena. This technique is properly administered by invoking the sacred name of Vairocana (The Primordial, Radiant Buddha of Illumination), Om Vairocana Hum, which is slowly and gently chanted until one gradually lowers the pitch to a finer sound, until there is only silence.
- Sit and gassho. This helps to quieten the mind and awaken the Recollective Resolve. Gently close your eyes.
- Keeping your hands in the gassho position, focus your attention on the Primordial Dragon Chakra. After a few minutes slowly lower your hands and place them “cupped” together slightly above the Primordial Dragon Chakra; slowly begin to move both hands in circular motion and then allow your hands to guide the energy in an upward expanding motion, thus sensing the rising primordial energy of Reikian Unborn Light.
- Return your hands to the gassho position and focus your attention on the Dharmasota Chakra (throat). After a few minutes slowly lower your dominant hand and rest it slightly above the Primordial Dragon Chakra (palm upward) while at the same time placing your non-dominant hand gently on the Dharmasota Chakra (fingers gently cupped about the throat). Remain in this position for five minutes, thus effecting proper bodhiflow between the two chakras. Remember, the Primordial Dragon Chakra is providing the “juice” of Primordial Buddhas (in this instance, Vairocana Buddha) to the Dharmasota Chakra.
- Keeping your hands in this position, gently begin to intone the sacred name of Vairocana Buddha (Om Vairocana Hum); keep intoning this Vairocana mantra for ten minutes, thus developing a nice and gentle rhythm.
- Next, slowly “shift” your hands (dominant hand on Dharmasota Chakra, and non-dominant hand slightly above the Primordial Dragon Chakra) and gradually reduce the tone of the mantra until there’s only a gentle whisper: again, approximately ten minutes.
- Now slowly bring your hands together and raise your arms high above your head; with your hands turned inward now (fingers splayed and facing each other) return any excess or dissonant energy to the Source. Remain in this position for five minutes or until you feel the radiant Unborn Light energy tingling throughout your entire torso.
- Bring your hands back into the gassho position. Focus on your Dantian and begin to breathe slowly and deeply in rhythmic fashion. Continue in this fashion for five minutes or until you sense the gentle bodhi-breath (UBLR) of the Suchchild reflecting the compassionate and soothing voice of the Sugata.
- While keeping your hands in the gassho position, give thanks to your Unborn Spirit.
