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The Preliminary Practices of Tibetan Buddhism

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The Preliminary Practices of Tibetan Buddhism The Preliminary Practices of Tibetan Buddhism: A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO VISUALIZATION Dr. Miles Neale THE NALANDA INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPLATIVE SCIENCE Prologue We begin our journey with an excerpt from the Jewel Tree of Tibet by Professor Robert Thurman (2006), recalling his early encounter with the world of Tibetan Buddhism, specifically through a sacred text known as the Mentor Devotion (lama chopa). His own Mongolian mentor Geshe Wangyal, a living embodiment and exemplar of the transformation proclaimed within its ancient passages revealed the text to him. “…Yet there I also met my teacher and went to work with philosophers from all the world’s spiritual traditions. I beheld him in the Jersey Pine Barrens, in a Russian Mongolian the shinning tree of jewels, decked with living jewel beings. refugee community. Through him I met the path to en- I recognized the jewel tree as the world tree Yggdrasil, the lightenment. I met a true mentor. I had come home to great ash tree extending over the entire earth, growing from myself and my soul – through this great teacher and the a well of wisdom, where Odin, the highest God, had cast one jewel tree text he revealed to me. eye as a sacrifice in order to receive the eye of wisdom from And it was not just the text and the teachings that affected the goddess of the tree. The jewel tree is the tree of life, the me so deeply. It was the special context in which Tibetans tree of wisdom, and it is also the giant fig tree under which meditate and use their teachings. I learned to look up with the Buddha attained perfect enlightenment, the Bodhi tree. my inner eye of imagination, which lies in the middle of our It grows from earth to heaven and is filled with the wish- foreheads and opens a channel of vision into a subtle realm of granting jewels that make up the family of living mentors reality. In this inner sky revealed by my third eye, I discovered who have reached immortal life and can share their bliss mystical beings, Buddhas, bodhisattvas (persons who strive with you, protect you, bless you, and help you open up your for enlightenment in order to help others on their quest for own inner door-way to peace and fulfillment. The Jewel Tree their highest development), historical lama mentors, angles, opens its loving embrace to everyone and promotes happi- deities mild and fierce, and all the saints and teachers and ness – which is our natural state and birthright.” (p. 3–4) Introduction The Six Preliminary Practices (jorchö) of Tibetan I was so amazed and grateful to have met Joe in the late Buddhism presented in this handout are based upon the 1990’s, working out of the Department of Psychiatry at teachings of Je Tsongkhapa (1357–1419), the awakened Columbia Presbyterian hospital, equipped with Tibetan scholar-yogi-monk of 13th century Tibet, founder of the bells, texts translated from the Tibetan and Sanskrit, Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism and root teacher and leading a group of patients through a visualization to the lineage of the Dalai Lamas. Je Tsongkhapa was of the healing mother White Tara. Joe, Bob, and many author of the Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path other great teachers from His Holiness the Dalia Lama to Enlightenment (lam rim chen mo), one of the great- up to Je Tsongkhapa and Shakyamuni Buddha form my est jewels of world spiritual literature, which illuminates personal Jewel Tree Refuge of blessing and inspiration, the entire evolutionary path of human development and I am grateful to them all. It is my hope that by from misery to liberation. Also influential were comm- defining and presenting the pith instruction contained entaries on this practice from the modern scholar Geshe within this set of ancient preparatory practices that you Rabten (1921–1986) who was a graduate of highest too may derive the benefit, as I have, of their healing order from Sera May Monastic Collage in Lhasa, Tibet and transformative potential. and beginning in 1969 taught many Westerns at the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamsala, India. Finally, I drew inspiration from my two Western mentors, Buddhist scholar Robert Thurman, PhD and contemplative psychiatrist Joseph Loizzo, MD, PhD. It is through his unbridled passion and creative genius that Bob Thurman translated these practices, making them accessible to a wider Western audience without loosing their philosophical essence, particularly through his book Jewel Tree of Tibet. Finally, and perhaps most significantly due to our personal relationship over the years, is the influence of Joe Loizzo, who brilliantly integrated these practices with current neuroscience, psychotherapy and health research, making them accessible to those within clinical and medical context. Joe Loizzo, Bob Thurman, and Miles Neale DR. MILES NEALE / THE NALANDA INSTITUTE 1 THE PRELIMINARY PRACTICES OF TIBETAN BUDDHISM The Six Preliminary Practices I Purify Space and Time II Make Offerings III Posture, Four Thoughts, Refuge and Bodhicitta IV Evoke the Mentor and Jewel-Tree Refuge V Eliminate Negativities and Accumulating Virtue VI Offer Mandala and Request Inspiration APPENDIX Traditional Tibetan Buddhist Prayers The Six Preliminary Practices of Tibetan Buddhism The six steps comprise what are known as the comprise a comprehensive meditation system for “ordinary preliminaries” that prepare one’s mind for psychological development. They provide a structure more advanced practices including the “extraordinary and set sequence of daily practices, visualizations, and preliminaries” (ngondro) and finally the two stages contemplative themes that one rehearses in a similar of the esoteric system of tantra. As such, the pre- way to a sequence of yoga poses flowing gracefully liminaries are a very suitable system of meditation from one to the next. The aim of the preliminaries is for beginners and offer more benefit than a simple to create the neuropsychological conditions necessary practice of mindfulness meditation. One may practice for achieving happiness and liberation. This process all six preliminaries straight through or pause between allows one to decondition negative mental habits, steps 5.5 and 5.6 to insert additional specific meditation rewire positive tendencies, prime a compassionate techniques such as tranquility (shamata), compassion motivation, establish a realistic view of reality and (tonglen), analytic insight (vipassana), or even study a internalize the inspiring qualities of a spiritual mentor. sacred text, listen to Dharma or practice yoga poses. Each step is indispensible and build’s upon the last. DR. MILES NEALE / THE NALANDA INSTITUTE 2 THE PRELIMINARY PRACTICES OF TIBETAN BUDDHISM THE FIRST PRELIMINARY Purify Space and Time Purify Space and Time Designate a quite space in your home for regular meditation. Clean and tidy the space, as this will help put your mind at ease. As you tidy your surroundings, imagine you are cleansing your mind of negative im- prints that obscure your natural clarity and compel you to fall prey to erroneous perceptions. The physical act of cleaning a space has the secondary benefit of helping to waken and arouse your sense, especially when done first thing in the morning. Time is a manifestation of space, so think about ‘cleaning up’ your time as well. You do this by clarifying your intention to practice – now in the present moment – as opposed to doing things mindlessly, ritualistically or on automatic pilot. Then commit to your meditation period with single pointed focus and determination. Space and time are purified with our respect. Take nothing for granted. DR. MILES NEALE / THE NALANDA INSTITUTE 4 THE PRELIMINARY PRACTICES OF TIBETAN BUDDHISM THE SECOND PRELIMINARY Make Offerings Make Offerings Begin by physically transforming your Multiply your offerings, creating the feeling meditation space. Make the space pleasing to of abundance. One flower becomes a pleasure the senses, mean-ingful or sacred by setting up garden, an offering bowl of water becomes a an altar, arranging flowers, lighting candles and tranquil stream, a single candle becomes a clear incense, setting up pictures or statues of inspiring sky illuminated by rainbows, and a cool breeze is people or places and making other gestures perfumed by incense and sweet fragrance. The of gratitude. Creating a special environment sound of the gong becomes a deep primordial requires attentiveness, and helps train your mind hum reminding you of your imminent liberation. to differentiate ‘meditative’ or conscious activity All your senses are recruited for the purpose of from ‘ordinary’ or compulsive activity. creating delight and wonder. Now mentally transform the space. Return Then imagine that the space is well-protected to the active imagination of a child, relaxing by a force-field of awareness created by any beyond limits of what you think is real or spiritual mentors and guides of your tradition possible. Imagine that you are in a safe-healing or lineage. They hold you in their tender em- environment of your choosing. Rather than brace, watching carefully over you. They are a bedroom or corner of your house, imagine delighted by your activities. The force-field you are in a sanctuary, temple, palace or acts as a filter for any stresses and toxic ele- other inspirational place. Active imagination ments, thereby sanctifying your surroundings. leverages the potential of your brain and Allow yourself to feel safe enough to disarm, nervous system to activate positive responses and relaxed enough to enjoy. such as physiological relaxation, psychological receptivity and neurological regeneration. DR. MILES NEALE / THE NALANDA INSTITUTE 6 THE PRELIMINARY PRACTICES OF TIBETAN BUDDHISM Make Offerings EXAMPLE: ALTAR SET UP WITH OFFERINGS • Images or representations of the sacred body, speech 1. Picture of the Mentor (Guru) and mind of a Buddha, or an Awakened One in a 2.
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