7. You will not fall into the lower realms, evil destinies, or perverted paths. The “three lower realms” refers to the hell, hungry ghost, and animal realms. “Evil destinies” refers to being reborn in places devoid of the Dharma, such as among primitive border tribes. “Perverted paths” refers to non-Buddhist philosophies. So in order to avoid falling into these, it is said that one should simply take refuge.
8. The final benefit is that of swiftly attaining the true and complete enlightenment. What need is there to mention other benefits!
It is said in the Mahayana teachings of Secret Mantra that one can attain enlightenment within this single body and lifetime. This means that without a doubt you will swiftly attain enlightenment. So it is necessary to cut the misconception of thinking that it is enough to take refuge just once in a while. You should take refuge again and again both day and night. Then you will definitely swiftly attain true and complete enlightenment.
Master Padma said: If you exert yourself in taking refuge, you do not need to practice many other teachings. There is no doubt that you will attain the fruition of enlightenment.
Lady Tsogyal again asked the master: What is the actual practice of taking refuge?
The master replied: The actual application of taking refuge is as follows: First, form the aspiration of thinking:
I will establish all sentient beings in complete enlightenment. In order to do that I will gather the accumulations, purify the obscurations, and clear away the hindrances. For this purpose I will take refuge from this very moment until reaching enlightenment!
Then, without being distracted, say three times:
In the supreme of all humans, all the buddhas of the ten directions, I and all the infinite sentient beings take refuge from this very moment until reaching supreme enlightenment.
In the supreme of all peace, devoid of attachment, the Dharma teachings of the ten directions, I and all the infinite sentient beings take refuge from this very moment until reaching supreme enlightenment.
In the supreme of all assemblies, the members of the noble Sangha who are beyond falling back and who dwell in the ten directions, I and all infinite sentient beings take refuge from this very moment until reaching supreme enlightenment.
Following that, repeat many times without being distracted:
I take refuge in the Buddha.
I take refuge in the Dharma.
I take refuge in the Sangha.
Then make this supplication three times:
Three Precious Ones, please protect me from the fears of this life.
Please protect me from the fears of the lower realms.
Please protect me from entering perverted paths!
When you are about to finish, say:
Through this, my roots of virtue, may I attain buddhahood in order to benefit beings!
You should make the dedication in this way.
Lady Tsogyal asked the nirmanakaya master Padmakara: What is the method of taking the refuge vow?
The master replied: “One should prostrate to and circumambulate a master who possesses the refuge vow, present him with flowers, and say as follows.
Master, please listen to me. Buddhas and bodhisattvas in the ten directions, please listen to me. From this very moment until attaining supreme enlightenment, I, ——,14 take refuge in the supreme of all humans, the billion truly perfected dharmakaya buddhas.
I take refuge in the supreme of all peace, devoid of attachment, the teachings of Mahayana.
I take refuge in the supreme of all assemblies, the Sangha of noble bodhisattvas who are beyond falling back.
At the third repetition of this you will have obtained the vow. Make prostrations and scatter flowers. Then practice the trainings explained above and exert yourself in taking refuge.
This was the explanation of the outer way of taking refuge along with its application.
Lady Tsogyal asked the master: How is one protected by having taken refuge?
The master replied: Whoever practices the trainings correctly, having taken refuge as explained above, will definitely be protected by the Three Jewels. Since this is so, if you fear straying into an errant path and pray to meet a genuine path, you will surely meet it. You will definitely also be protected from the fears of this life.
When all the qualities of taking refuge have arisen in your being, you should not be content to stop. Increase more and more the qualities that have arisen within you. You should use all the qualities that arise in your mind to gather the accumulations and purify the obscurations. When such exertion is generated, the full measure of ability has been produced.
All people who do not feel inclined to give rise to profound qualities such as [insight into] emptiness or the mandala of deities within their being can still purify their obscurations and gather the accumulations simply by taking refuge.
You may then argue, If one is protected by taking refuge in such a way, does that mean that the buddhas appear and lead all sentient beings? The reply is that the buddhas cannot take all sentient beings out of samsara with their hands. If they were able to do that, the buddhas with their great compassion and skillful means would have already freed all beings without a single exception.
Well then, you may ask, by what is one protected? The answer is that one is protected by the [practice of the] Dharma.
When taking refuge has arisen within your being, you do not need to practice other teachings. It is impossible that you will not be protected by the compassion of the Three Jewels. It is similar to the fact that you will definitely be fearless when you have an excellent escort.
Thus Master Padma explained the outer way of taking refuge to Lady Tsogyal.
THE INNER WAY OF TAKING REFUGE
The nirmanakaya master Padmakara was asked by Lady Tsogyal, the princess of Kharchen: To which inner objects does one take refuge? What kind of person takes refuge? Through which manner or method does one take refuge? Which particular attitude and what duration of time does it entail? What particular circumstance is required? What is the purpose and what are the qualities?
The master replied: Regarding the objects of refuge, you should take refuge in the guru, yidam, and dakini.
The person who takes refuge should be someone who has entered the gate of Secret Mantra.
The manner or method is to take refuge with devoted and respectful body, speech, and mind.
Regarding the particular attitude of taking refuge, you should take refuge by perceiving the guru as a buddha, not abandoning the yidam even at the cost of your life, and continuously making offerings to the dakini.
Regarding the duration of time, you should take refuge from the time of having generated bodhichitta in the empowerment ceremony until attaining the state of a vajra holder.
Regarding the circumstance, you should take refuge by feeling devotion to the Secret Mantra.
As for the purpose or virtues of taking refuge, it has the purpose of making you a suitable vessel for the Secret Mantra and for receiving extraordinary blessings.
Lady Tsogyal asked the master: Concerning the inner way of taking refuge, which trainings does one need to practice?
The master replied: There are eight trainings. First there are the three special trainings.
1. Having taken refuge in the guru, you should not feel ill will toward him or even the intention to deride him.
2. Having taken refuge in the yidam, you should not interrupt the meditation of the yidam’s form or its recitation.
3. Having taken refuge in the dakini, you should not break the periodical offering days.
The five general trainings are the following.
1. Consecrate as nectar the first part of whatever you eat or drink. Offer it, visualizing the guru above your head. Offer it, visualizing the yidam in your heart center and the dakini in your navel center. You should train in partaking of food in this way.
2. In whichever direction you go, supplicate the guru, yidam, and dakini. Visualize the guru above the cr
own of your head. Visualize yourself as the yidam, and visualize the dakini and the Dharma protectors as your escorts. This is the training in walking.
3. Even at the cost of your life or limb, you should train in regarding the guru to be as dear as your heart, the yidam as dear as your eyes, and the dakini as dear as your body.
4. No matter what happens, such as sickness, difficulty or ease, joy or sorrow, you should train in supplicating the guru, making offerings to the yidam, and giving feasts and torma to the dakini. Other than that, you should not pursue other means such as soothsaying and shamanistic rituals.
5. Recollecting the virtues of the guru, yidam, and dakini, you should take refuge again and again. By taking refuge in the guru, obstacles are cleared away. By taking refuge in the yidam, the body of Mahamudra15 will be attained. By taking refuge in the dakini, you will receive the siddhis.
Lady Tsogyal asked Master Padma: With which virtues is the inner way of taking refuge endowed?
Master Padma replied: By taking refuge in the guru, you are protected from the fetters of conceptual mind. The hindrances of ignorance and stupidity are cleared away. The accumulation of insight and awareness is perfected, and you will receive the accomplishment of spontaneous realization.
By taking refuge in the yidam, you are protected from ordinary perception, the accumulation of self-existing wisdom will be gathered, and the accomplishment of Mahamudra will be attained.
By taking refuge in the dakini, you will be protected from obstacles and evil spirits. The impediment of the poverty of hungry ghosts is cleared away, the accumulation of detachment and freedom from clinging will be perfected, and the accomplishment of the sambhogakaya of great bliss will be attained.
Lady Tsogyal asked Master Padma: What is the actual practice of the inner way of taking refuge?
The master replied: You should first arouse the aspiration toward unexcelled enlightenment. Then visualize the guru, yidam, and dakini upon seats of sun, moon, and lotus in the sky before you and say three times:
Root of the lineage, lord guru,
Source of the siddhis, yidam deity,
Bestower of excellent blessings, dakini,
I pay homage to the three roots.
Following that, focus your mind undistractedly upon the guru, yidam, and dakini and repeatedly say:
I take refuge in the guru, yidam, and dakini.
Then supplicate as follows:
All gurus, yidams, and dakinis, please bestow upon me the blessings of your body, speech, and mind!
Please confer the empowerments upon me! Please grant me the supreme and common siddhis! Please extend your kindness to me, your devoted child!
Following that, dissolve the guru into the top of your head, the yidam into your heart center, and the dakini into your navel center.
Lady Tsogyal asked the master: What is the method of taking the inner refuge vow?
The master replied: The ceremony of first taking the refuge vow is as follows. It is important to have received empowerment. Obtaining the empowerment itself is the receiving of refuge. If you do take refuge without receiving empowerment, then make prostrations to and circumambulate the guru, present him with flowers, and say:
Master, please listen to me. Assembly of yidam deities, gathering of mandala deities, dakinis and retinue, please listen to me. From this very moment until attaining the supreme vidyadhara level of Mahamudra, I, ——, take refuge in the root of the lineage, all the sublime and holy gurus.
I take refuge in the source of accomplishment, all the assemblies of yidam deities.
I take refuge in the bestowers of excellent blessings, all the dakinis.
The refuge vow is obtained after repeating this three times.
That was the ceremony of taking the vow. I have explained the inner way of taking refuge.
THE SECRET WAY OF TAKING REFUGE
Lady Tsogyal, the Princess of Kharchen, asked the master: Concerning the secret way of taking refuge, in what object does one take refuge? What type of person takes refuge? Through which manner or method does one take refuge? With what particular attitude does one take refuge? For what duration of time does one take refuge? By which circumstance does one take refuge? What purpose or virtue is entailed?
The master replied: As to the objects of the secret way of taking refuge, you should take refuge in the view, meditation, and action.
The type of person who takes this refuge should be someone of the highest faculties who desires to attain enlightenment.
As to the manner or method, you should take refuge by means of the view, meditation, action, and fruition. That is to say, you take refuge with the view possessing confidence, the meditation possessing experience, and the action possessing equal taste.
As to the particular attitude, the view free from craving means not to desire either to attain buddhahood or to cast away samsara. The meditation free from fixation on concreteness and without falling into partiality cannot be described by any ordinary words. The conduct free from accepting and rejecting is devoid of falling into any category whatsoever.
The duration of time is to take refuge until attaining enlightenment. The circumstance is to take refuge without desiring further rebirth. The purpose or virtue is to attain complete enlightenment within this very lifetime.
Lady Tsogyal asked: Concerning the secret way of taking refuge, in which trainings does one need to practice?
Master Padma replied: First there are the three special trainings:
1. Concerning the view possessing realization: You should train in gaining the confidence that there is no buddhahood elsewhere to achieve, since all sentient beings and buddhas have the same basis. You should train in gaining the confidence that appearance and emptiness are inseparable, through realizing that appearances and mind are without difference.
2. Concerning training in the meditation possessing experience: Do not place your mind facing outward, do not concentrate it inward, but train in letting it rest naturally, freely, and free from reference point.
3. As to the action: Train in uninterrupted experience. Although at all times of walking, moving around, lying down, and sitting there is nothing to be meditated upon, train in not being distracted for even an instant.
The following are the seven general trainings.
1. Do not abandon your master even though you realize your mind to be the Buddha.
2. Do not interrupt conditioned roots of virtue even though you realize appearances to be mind.
3. Shun even the most subtle evil deed, even though you have no fear for the hells.
4. Do not denigrate any of the teachings, even though you do not entertain any hope for enlightenment.
5. Do not be conceited or boastful even though you realize superior samadhis.
6. Do not cease feeling compassion for sentient beings, even though you understand self and other to be nondual.
7. Train by practicing in retreat places, even though you realize samsara and nirvana to be nondual.
Lady Tsogyal asked the nirmanakaya master: Concerning the secret way of taking refuge, in what manner does it protect and with what virtues is it endowed?
Master Padma replied: Having taken refuge in the view, you are protected from both eternalism and nihilism. The hindrances of wrong views and fixation are cleared away, the accumulation of the luminous dharmata is perfected, and the unceasing siddhis of body, speech, and mind will be attained.
Having taken refuge in the meditation, the view will also protect the meditation. The obstacles of deep clinging and habitual tendencies are cleared away, the accumulation of nondual unity gathered, and the siddhis of confidence and primordial liberation will be attained.
Having taken refuge in the action, you are protected from perverted conduct and the view of nihilism. The obstacles of hypocrisy and foolishness are cleared away, the accumulation of nonattachment during bustle is perfected, and the siddhi of turning whatever is experienced into realization will be attained.
&nb
sp; Lady Tsogyal asked Master Padma: What is the actual practice of the secret way of taking refuge?
The master replied: The view, in natural ease, should be free from craving and devoid of partiality and extremes.
The meditation should be free from fixating on concreteness and reference points. It cannot be expressed by any ordinary words whatsoever.
That is to say, do not place your mind facing outward, do not concentrate it inward, rest in naturalness free from reference point.
Rest undistractedly in the state of unceasing experience at the time of walking, moving around, lying, or sitting.
The feelings of fulfillment or exhilaration, feeling void, blissful, or clear, are all temporary experiences. They should never be regarded as marvelous.
When states of mind that are agitated, obscured, or drowsy occur, use these experiences as training. Whatever occurs, such as these, do not regard them as defects.
The Dzogchen Primer Page 19
