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H.E. Garchen Rinpoche’s teaching on the significance of self-empowerment.

2019-01-09

★ ★ H.E. Garchen Rinpoche’s teaching on the significance of self-empowerment.
 
★ “If you understand the nature of the deity and generate bodhicitta, you may take a self-empowerment and engage in the practice.”
 
★ “The guru’s body is the nirmanakāya, the speech is the sambhogakāya, and the mind is the dharmakāya. On the level of the nirmanakāya body, we are the same, so you can empower yourself. The samādhi empowerment is meant for those who understand this.”
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Dear Dharma Friends,
 
In order for the disciples to gain a deeper understanding on receiving empowerments, H.E. Garchen Rinpoche specially gave an introduction to “self-empowerment.”
 
Rinpoche said, “If you understand the nature of the deity and generate bodhicitta, you may take a self-empowerment and engage in the practice.”
 
For this purpose, Rinpoche specially introduces The Samadhi Empowerment written by Lord Jigten Sumgon. Disciples may take a self-empowerment by practicing this sadhana at home.
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★ Watch the video online:
 
★ Text file of Rinpoche’s teaching:
 
★ The Samadhi Empowerment from the Profound Dharma of Kyobpa Rinpoche Jigten Sumgon:
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■ Empowerment: Introduction to bodhicitta of all the buddhas.
 
In general, the visualization of an empowerment introduces us to the bodhicitta mind of all the buddhas. Once we have been introduced, we understand its meaning of practice.
 
An empowerment shows us how we should engage in practice. It introduces us to the fact that we can ripen. If you connect with bodhicitta, then your body and mind can ripen into the buddhas’ three kāyas. Your body is the nirmanakāya, your speech is the sambhogakāya, and your mind is the dharmakāya. Your body, speech, and mind can ripen into the three kāyas. Thus it is referred to as the “ripening empowerment.”
 
The empowerment is an introduction. Then the liberating instructions explain how to engage in practice. Once you have received the ripening empowerment and the liberating instructions, you know how to engage in practice. Then you must liberate yourself by actually engaging in practice.
 
■ Understanding the nature of the deity, you may take a self-empowerment.
 
Once you completely understand the meaning of the empowerment, you can empower yourself. How so? The dharmakāya of all the deities pervades like space. The sambhogakāya, which is like a rainbow, comes to anyone who supplicates them, without any bias. They actually come to whoever has faith in them.
 
If you understand the nature of the deity, you can take a self-empowerment. This is because the mental basis of the deity that is practiced and that of the practitioner are the same. As it is said, “Since former times, you and I are one.” The deity’s mind and my mind are a single continuum, just like an electric cord. Our two bodies appear like two light bulbs. If you have faith and give rise to bodhicitta, you can give the empowerment to yourself. If you understand this, you know the buddhas of the three times are included in one guru.
 
Then you might wonder, “If that is possible, then why do we have to rely on a guru? Can’t we just visualize the guru?” When you take refuge in the guru, do you take refuge in his body, speech, or mind? The guru’s body is human. If you become attached to it, you are ordinary. It is said, “If you see the guru as a human, then the blessings you will receive are like the blessings from a dog.” It’s not the body, but the speech and the mind of the guru that are important.
 
Where are the guru’s speech and mind? They are here. The guru’s dharmakāya nature abides like space, and his sambhogakāya like a rainbow. The guru’s body is the nirmanakāya, the speech is the sambhogakāya, and the mind is the dharmakāya. On the level of the nirmanakāya body, we are the same, so you can empower yourself. The samādhi empowerment is meant for those who understand this.
 
May all benefit.
 
Garchen Dharma Institute, Taiwan
 
www.garchen.tw