Ajikan Meditation Of Shingon Buddhism 4cx2f

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7. AJIKAN MEDITATION OF

SHINGON BUDDHISM

Taiko Yamasaki

1. HISTORY Today I would like to talk about Ajikan meditation preserved in Shingon Esote­ ric Buddhism, perfected by Kobodaishi, Kukai (774-835) in 9th century Japan. Esoteric Buddhism appears in the history ofIndia from about the 4th century. It actively incorporates the Hindu homa and mantra with the spirit of Buddhism,

and is then developed into a practicing technique in order to attain enlighten­ ment. This form of Esoteric Buddhism spread to China and Southeast Asia, including Sri Lanka and Indonesia (Java, Sumatra), and then on to Tibet from the 8th century. In the beginning of the 9th century, the Japanese monk Kukai (later known as Koboclaishi) travelled to China to study this form of Buddhism. He then brought it back to Japan, and further developed and organized it into what we know today as Shingon Esoteric Buddhism.

2. PURPOSE

The purpose of practicing Shingon Mikkyo is to attain enlightenment using mantra recitation, mudra hand gesture, and the mind, which symbolize the three secrets - body, speech, and mind - and to become one with the main deity. This includes obtaining secular benefits for others.

3. MEDITATION TECHNIQUES Its meditation techniques are complex, and apply highly developed methods. Its foundation starts by practicing in a sacred hall apart from the secular world for

one hundred days after being initiated by the traditional acarya master, who handed down this practice method to his followers. While practicing, one studies as well.

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There are many meditation techniques using complex and varied methods. Contrary to these co mplex techniques, there are twO sim ple meditation techni­

ques that aim at deepening the state of samadhi and achieving enlightenment. One of them is known as the Morning Star meditation (Gumonji-ho), and the

other, the Ajikan meditation.

4. THE MORNING STAR (VENUS) MEDITATION The Morning Star me d i tation is known to increase one's memory. However, the ultimate purpose of this meditation technique is to experience becoming one with the universe through the main deity Akasagharbha bodhisattva. The cha­ racteristic of this meditation technique is to recite the mantra of the main deity Akasagharbha bodhisattva one million times over 50 days, and to c omple t e the

practice on the day of the sun or moon eclipse. Because Akasagharbha bodhisatt­ va manifests itself

as

the Morni n g Star, one must use mudra (hand gesture) and

mantra in order to attain enlightenment. This practice must take p lac e deep in the mountains away from the secular world. Kukai after having practiced this meditation technique, experienced being one with the great universe, and reacknowledged the dynamic life force filling the vast universe. This experience is what strengthened his decision to dedicate his life to Mikkyo (Esoteric Buddhism). I, myself, have practiced this secret meditation technique, and was able to experience the deep rela ti o ns h ip of the infinite universe and the self.

5. AH MEDITATION Ah meditation means contemplating

on

the Sanskrit letter Ah in order to realize

that one's own mind is originally unborn. Keeping the vow of the fundamental

l i fe force and living c reati vely is what formulates the meditation technique of Shingon Esoteric Buddhism. Although its prac ti c e is extremely simplified, its vast doctrinal teachings and complex meditation techniques are crystalized into this practical method. If one becomes truly experienced in this, one could reach the state of enlightenment. Because of its simplified techniques, I teach it to the uninitiated as well

as

to the professionals. However, unless one understands the

doctrinal teachings and correct practices, this meditation will not become that of Ajikan meditation of Esoteric Buddhism.

I would like to refer to the process of practicing Ajikan meditation which portrays the posit ive effect

on

developing

a

healthly body and mind, later on in

this presentation, and I would like to concentrate here on the doctrine of Ajikan meditation. The characteristic of Mikky o meditation lies in the process of trying

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to attain enlightenment directly, rather than in analyzing the confusion. In the fundamental text of Shingon Mikkyo known as Mahavirocana sutra, it states

that Sarvajnana - the highest level of enlightened wisdom - is "TO Kt"lOW ONE'S OWN MIND AS IT TRULY IS". This one's own mind is not that of a shallow mind

that reacts to every practical occasion in this mundane world, but is a mind that acknowledges the depth of the Self-mind. People create a world of false consciousness starting from the time of birth until this moment. Because the workings of the ego totally influences the 7th level of consciousness called mana consciousness through prejudice and false ego consciousness, people tend to live according to what the ego says. However, one must that the original mind is untainted and pure, and is present in every one. This pure mind is expressed in the Sanskrit letter Ah meaning "ORI­ GINALLY UNBORN", the greater Life force through our own lives.

The Sanskrit syllable Ah is the capital letter of Adyanutpada and is also the letter that produces all sounds. By breaking through the shell created by the small ego, one's own mind has the ability to expand to the extent of the univer­ se. With this one's own mind, one can experience enlightenment by having the infinite universe

as

a background. This can be shown by using the hand gesture

mudra dharmadhatu samadhi - when practicing Ajikan meditation. If one defines one's own mind

as

the mind that incorporates the ego, what can be said

about the mind that broke through the shell of ego? This is called "ONE'S ORIGI­ NALMIND".

The enlightened masters including Shakamuni, Kobodaishi Kukai, Zen master Dogen, and Saint Shinra all come from a different background and different period of time. Each portrays a personality quite diffe rent from the rest. Nevertheless, because their enlightenments were genuine, their teachings have the power to touch our minds today. When one's own mind breaks through the shell of ego, the true original mind is reestablished. This is what is known

as

the eternal orig inal self. How is this possi ble? The theoretical founda­

tion of this transformation can be explained by using the Mahavirocana sutra.

6. SOUND AH: THE MOTHER OF ALL SOUNDS In Mahavirocana sutra it states that the sound Ah is the mother of all sounds. All things are born from the original sound Ah. It came into existence at a time when there was no beginning nor end, no existence nor absence. Th is Ah created

12 vowels i, i, u,

u,

ri ru, Ii, Ii, e, ai, ,

0,

au.

Furthermore, by using these vowels, 25 consonants were formed. For exam­

ple, j ust

as

one practices the vow of bodhicitta in order to reach nirvana, these

25 consonants developed into 100 letters, and further expanded clockwise. This

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eventuall y materialized into the universe, where life forms are born and human bei ng s came about . Thi s line of thoug h t parallels the t he o ry forme d by Dr. Hawkins who stated that the un iv erse started with the Big B ang , and that all he avenly bodies scattered throughout the universe were formed by the same molecu lar material. Thus, it can be said tha t e ve rything in life d e ve l oped from

the sound Ah This soun d Ah that created v ibra tion s through o ut the universe is Mahavirocana - the king of man t ra Therefore, the sound Ah can be called h i s on e syllable mantra. This is noted in the commentary of M ahav i roc ana sutra .

.

written by Kukai.

In

J apan

,

the conc ep t of Ah and Hum - the beginning and the en d - is used

in relation to da ily life occurrences. For example, the first sound that a baby

makes when he/she is born is the sound Ah, and the voice of death, the sound

Hum. This can also be applied to explain the beginn i ng and end of the universe - the Big bang, the Ah, and the blac k holes, the Hum.

7. THE PRACfICE OF AH BREATHING MEDITATION By having the c or rec t posture and controlled breath i ng , and by re ci t i ng th e one sy llable mantra Ah

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the source of heaven and earth - one can directly commu

­

nicate with the infinite universe.

1

Body

When practicing Ah breathing m editat ion one sits in full or half lotus posi tion ,

with the spine st ra i ght

.

Then one m a kes the dharmadhatu samadhi mudra

below the lower abdomen by t urning up the p alm of the left hand and resting the r i ght hand on i t. The tips of th umb s should be facing each other as if it is touc h ing but not t ouchi ng one a n othe r Th i s m udra means t hat t h e four fin g e rs .

of the left hand starting from the little finger on, sy m boli ze earth, water, fire, and wind. Earth symbolizes one s ground which includes one's bones and mus­ '

cles. \'V'ater refers to one's body fluid. Fire means burning while maintaining the body temperature. And lastly, wi nd is as soci a ted with one's breat h ing The four ,

fi ngers of the righ t hand starting also with the l ittl e finger on, carry a special meaning Earth symbolizes land, the hard ob j e c ts of this material world, such as the gre at plains , the mountains, and rocks, etc. Water i mpl ie s the vast s eas and .

rivers. Fire represents the magma of the earth. And finally, wind is the wind itself. Thus, by laying both palms on top o f each othe r, one feels the oneness of the body wi th the exterior world. (In fact it actually is.) Alth oug ht the thumbs symbolize the void, when one makes the thumbs touch each other lightly, one realizes that it is a symbol of the body and the world outside living in per fe ct

h armony As for the actual practice, one sways the body forward and backward, .

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then left and right for two to three times in orde r to stab li li ze the center of body gravity Then one relaxes the shoulder muscles, straighte ns the backbone, and .

sits with a stable cente r, so that life s e n e rgy ( p rana) could be felt filling the '

lower a bd om en . 2

Breathing Control and Correct Visualization

During the meditation process t he soundless Ah begins to form itself in the lowe r a bdomen, rise s up to the chest, and finally exits th rough the throat and lips. At this stag e the soundless Ah becomes the audible Ah. This audible Ah ,

trave l s three feet, six feet, ten feet and fur the r on, a nd then transforms it sel f into

the soundless Ah. Then

as

one visualizes the sound Ah and reaches out to the

universe, one is able to become one with the soundless Ah vibration. When this

is compl eted

,

the whole universe becomes the vibration of the sound Ah.

Through this sound Ah meditation, one experiences the many mysteries of the unive rse and the solemn dharma world of the sound Ah. This can be done with ,

a group of meditators in one meditation hall.

8.

A)IKAN MEDITATION

We have come to understand the p ra ctice of this simple med itatio n through Ah breathing technique where one experiences the rela tionship between the self and universe. H av ing the infinite universe

following questions: Wh o

am

answer these q ue stions many ,

as

a background, we come to ask the

I? What exactly is one's own mind) In order to an c ien t

phi l osophers a nd relig ious thinkers have

accumulated the ir tho ughts and experiences. Indeed, every human bein g works very hard to enrich one's mind in this complex society. Therefore, if Mahaviroca­

na sutra is tr ansfo rmed into a form that can be usef ul in this present world, we must question the following: Where is one's own mind? What form does i t take? How big is it? These are some of the com mon questions asked by those

who practice this meditation. They are not in any way abstract, but are fairly conc rete questions. Mahavirocana surra not only contains many philosophical as

wel l as psychological i n de pt h doc trinal tea chings, but also teachings pertai nin g -

to reali ty itself. Where am I? Is this body that sees, hears, and thinks t ru ly my own body?

Today, it is understood that the bod y i nc l uding the h a i r , fingers, and nails, ev en the bones, are renew ed in seven to eigh t years through metabolic renewal processes. And yet, the consc ious state of the self remains the same. Then where

exactly is one's own mind? Every h u m a n being thinks with th is very own body as a med i um . Therefore, the presence of one's own mind must be related to the

p hy s i c al body If we say that one's mind exists with t he body that goes through .

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metabolic renewal, if one loses an arm or a leg, would one's mind change its shape and size? No, it certainly will not. Ajikan meditation is based on many texts such as Mahavirocana sutra (Dai-nichi Kyosho), commentary text on bodhicitta (Bodaishinron), and Shub­ hakarasimha (Mui Sanzo Zenyo). The oral tradition of Ajikan meditation was taught by Kobodaishi Kukai to his disciple Jichie and later became an indepen­ dent meditation technique in Japan for the flrst time. In this oral tradition, Ah, which represents Adyanutpada, means originally unborn, and equals the mind. The mind is divided into two categories: the citta meaning formless, and the hrdaya which is associated with our flesh and bones and sometimes the heart. The citra or the thinking mind is symbolized as the moon disk which means limitless or inflnite. The hrdaya takes the shape of a lotus flower which means the center, and is immobile.

This form was perfected in Japan in the text "Oral Transmission on Ajikan Meditation". This mind originally unborn and formless is identifled with the moon disk of the main deity on the hanging scroll which is approximentely 40 centimeters (13 inches) in diameter. The text states that this is one's own mind. This is quite interesting. It states that the formless, invisible mind is seen as a disk whose diameter is about the length of one's forearm. This mind that is fllled with virtue, has a perfect personality like that of a full moon. It is pure and shines brightly. This sacred mind is indeed the formless mind citta. One's own mind is not abstract in form, but is beating its heart by using its own body as a medium. This mind with a form called hrdaya is identifled as the lotus flower that remains pure even though it exists in the muddy water. In the same way, this one's own mind, despite the fact that it lives in a desire-fllled world of ego driven prejudices, remains pure and untainted like that of a lotus flower. This is the main deity.

9. POINTS OF CAUTION Because Ajikan meditation takes part in

contemplating

on the original

self-mind rather than in concentrating on the self in relation to the real world, some might think that it is a kind of selfhypnosis. However, the fundamental difference between self-hypnosis and samadhi contemplation is t hat in samadhi contemplation, the meditation process refers to the world of enlightenment. The teachings come from beyond the dharma gate. It is a method in which the enlightened talks about enlightenment itself. Therefore, one hears the voice of enlightenment for the flrst time by sitting in front of the main deity, the letter Ah. One contemplates on the normal samadhi state of the body and mind and then listens to the voice of enlightenment.

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Enlightenment is not a self-hypnotic state, but an awakened state of mind incorporating the entire body and soul. Its foundation lies in the state of samad­ hi. Therefore, one's posture should be kept in balance between the state of

relaxation and the state of ale rtness . To achieve this one must relax the shoulder ,

and arm muscles, keep the spine straight, and control the breathing by exhaling

longer than inhaling. The tongue should lightly touch the underside of the upper jaw. All these points should be observed strictly. As I have sta t ed earlier, the purpose of practicing Ajikan meditation is to attain enlightenment. However, l ooking at it from a physical as well as a psychological point of view, one will remain healthy by keeping the body and mind in good shape, since Ajikan meditation deals in training the body and mind in order to maintain a balance between the state of relaxation and alert­

ness. Since the foundation of Ajikan meditation is in b ecoming one with the universe, there will be no form of stress arising from the small ego. Moreover, one's intuitive power will increase and will enable one to deal with society a nd

never feel abandoned from it. Above all, one's personali ty will improve. As a result of becoming one with the universe, one can understand and relate to the creative will of the universe. Then ultimately one can amend the unjust occur­

rences of modern society, and will furthermore lead to the path of enlight en men t

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10. THE PRACTICE OF AJIKAN MEDITATION 1

Entering the Meditation Hall

The side of the meditation hall should not be too big nor too small. It should roughly be 10 to 15 square meters in size. When the meditation hall is too big, it makes it difficu lt for the practioner to relax. When the hall is too small, the

practicioner may feel oppressed Furthermore, the meditation hall should not be .

too brigh t nor too dark. It should be bright enough for the d eity on the hanging scroll to be clearly visible. Prior to entering the meditation hall for practice, purify the hands and mouth with water. Tight clothings should be avoided. Also, make sure that no

one disturbs you during the actual meditation since breaking the tranquility of the meditation state can be potentially dangerous.

2

Bowing in Front of the Ah Scroll

Have both palms together. While bowing, touch the temple, the mouth, and the chest three times.

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Seating Position

3

Sit three to four feet away from the mai n de i ty shown on the hang i ng scroll i n

full or half lo t us pos ition. You are allowed to use a th in cushion while medita­ ting A fter sit ting in the proper pos i tion sway left and right, t hen front and .

,

back thre e times in orde r to find the center of body gravity.

4

Mudra (Hand Gestures)

The mudra of the purification of three realms (the lot us mudra) consists of

holdin g bot h han ds pal m to pal m as if one has

a

b ud of a lotus flower between

one's palms Contemplate th at your body and mind are orig in ally pure like that .

of a lo tus flower which rises from the muddy water but remains pure.

5

Conjuring up the Bodhicitta Mind

From the vajrasattva mudra which is the mudra where the ri g ht hand and the left hand touches each other a nd the n slig htly shifts. This is an indication that

the prayer of the practicioner and that of Buddha are becoming on e This mean s .

that one is conj uring up the bodhicitta in his/her mind in order to attain en­ lightenment. Then recite " Bod h i ci t ta utp ad yami "

6

.

Precepts on Samaya

Use the same vajr as at tv a mudra, and r ecite the mantra "On samayas tv a m

"

seven

ti mes which rou gh ly means that I am a member of Buddha and I am a vajras­ ,

attva who will attain Budd ha s vow without fail. ( Budd h a enters me. I enter '

Bu ddha ) .

7

Five Great Vows

Recite the five letter illumination mantra once. "SHUjOMUHENSEIGANDO" "FUKUCHlMUHENSEIGANSHU" "lIOMONMUHENSEIGANGAKU" "NYORAIMUHE SEIGANjI" "BODAIMUjOSEIGANSHO"

8

Reciting the Mantra of Mahavirocana

Keep the same v a j ras attva mudra. Then recite "avira hum kham" seven times [or

the Gojimyonenju.

9

Breathing Control

Change the mudra into the dharmadatu mudra. Place the le ft palm over the lower abdomen. Then put the righ t palm on top of it. Keep the thumbs almost tou ch i ng but not exactly touch i ng . Keep the eyes closed. Exhale a couple of

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times through the month. After this, the breath ing should be done exclusi ve l y through the nose. Then concentrate the mind on exhaling , then on inhaling. Try to feel the calmness of the mi n d .

10

The Visualization

Form the dharmadatu mudra. Open your eyes light l y , and l ook at the Ajik an deity in front of you for five to seven seconds. Then close your eyes and see th e deity thro ugh the closed eyes. The moon disk behind the letter Ah should be seen like a mirror. When you can see the moon disk clearly w ith the eyes c lose d ,

bring the whole disk slowly to your chest. Feel the pu rity of the mind

as

the

moon disk is. Then bring it right back to the scroll. Once you bring the moon

disk to your chest, visualize it like

a

three dimensional sphere. When you can

see the moon d isk cl early , you are ready to vi sualize the lotus flower and the Sanskrit letter Ah simultaneously within the m oo n disk.

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Coming out of Samadhi

When you are done with the visualization stage, keep your eyes closed. Take three deep brea t hs . With both palms, follow the contour of your body in the lotus position from the head dow n to the feet, without tou ching your body . Feel

your breath and blood circulating throughout the body. Then quietly open your eyes. When your state of samadhi is deeper, it takes longer to come out of it. Protection of the Three Powers " " Recite once IGAKUDOKURIKI, NYORAIKAJIRIKI, GYUIHOKAIRIKI wh ich means

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my own power, the helping power from Budd ha, and the power of t he dharma world that connects us with the Buddha.

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Prayer

Feel gratefu l that you are alive. Deepen yourself in the spiritual light of the letter Ah. Make a vow to improve the wo rld . If you have a spe cifi c wish, say it quietly. Once you pray whol eheartedly , leave the rest up to Buddha.

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Wearing the Protechtive Armor

This is to be worn when using the mudra meaning wearing the armor of great

comion of thatagata in order to avoid destructions and human desires. Be ready to dedicate yourself to pur ify the world.

15

Exiting the Meditation Hall

Fill one's mind with comion for all sentient being. Bow lightly to the main deity once, then rise and exit.

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AND PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY ON MEDITATION

INCLOSING

Traditional religious and spiritual Buddhist techniques should be taken into in modern studies of psychology and physiology. This mutual study will further benefit the study of the bodymind relationship so that one can find a

common ground of microcosmic and macrocosmic points of view in order to

deal with life's realities.