By Maha Acarya Feng Da An

The Esoteric Teachings or the Dharani Dharma-door has always been the responsibility of Vajrapani Bodhisattva. As the doctrines are exceptionally profound and secretive, they are called Esoteric teachings. The actual practice based on these teachings is called the Esoteric Ritual Practice. Practitioners who have attained the essence of Oneyana will understand the doctrines without further explanation. For those who have not yet achieved accomplishment any explanation will be beyond their comprehension. However, with the use of analogy they could also understand the main principle of the doctrines. The essential element lies in experiencing the Buddhas Energy and its further strengthening.

Various Buddhas’ Energy and Sentient Beings’ Field of Energy penetrate into people's bodies and mind together ceaselessly. The Buddha’s Energy is subtle (as it reveals the true nature of Dharmadhtu) and delicate, so its use is pure. Sentient Beings’ Field of Energy is turbid (as it is formed by delusions), so its use is polluted. Sentient beings cannot experience Buddha’s Energy because their Field of Energy has veiled it. Within the Field of Energy, the farther an object, the weaker is the Field of Energy. The strong Field of Energy can cover the weak one. As a result, the objects that sentient beings can see, hear and touch are all those close to them. As for sound, the further the distance, the weaker they become and it will die out when it is very far away. But if there is one method to raise the strength of the wavelength, the sound in the distance can also be heard or even louder than those of closer objects as in the case of the radio. The TV set and fax machine also have similar function in making people see far-away objects in their full colors; the enhanced Field of Energy of a distant object can overcome that of a closer object. Likewise, the Buddha’s Energy could also be strengthened with wonderful methods to make it stronger than the Sentient Beings’ Field of Energy.

There are broadcasting facilities to raise the voice. Then, how to strengthen the Buddha’s Energy? There are three miraculous usage:

Various Mudras to bring forth the seed of enlightenment.

Various Mantras to moist and develop the seed of enlightenment.

Various pure contemplations to experience the corresponding states.

If practitioners have practiced the Three Mysteries diligently, over time, the various Buddha’s Energy will penetrate their mind with increasing forces, thereby overcoming the Sentient Beings’ Field of Energy. Eventually the sublime state of Buddha will surface. This is the highest state of accomplishment.

Like radio each station has its own wavelength. If one intends to listen to the broadcast in London, he must tune in; otherwise, he cannot receive the transmission. The same is true with cultivating one’s reception of Buddha’s Energy. The practitioner must use the Three Mysteries of Buddha Amitayus (Buddha of Infinite Life) in practicing the rituals of the Chief Deity of Devotion Amitayus and the Three Mysteries of the Buddha Bhaisajyaguru (Medicinal Master) when practicing the ritual of the Chief Deity of Devotion.

How can worldly people identify the Three Mysteries of various Buddhas? For practice to be effective practitioners have to receive them from their Gurus the undistorted oral transmission passed down from previous generations. Although the Three Mysteries taught by the Guru are authentic, and if the Guru hasn’t attained the highest state of practice, strong Dharma seeds can not be planted in the practitioner. The resultant effect will be minimal. This is the reason why the Esoteric School has attached great importance to the choice of a qualified Guru.

For those who had reached a high stage of practice in the Three Mysteries in their previous lives, though their knowledge and experience of the previous practice have been concealed by rebirth, if they have a chance to receive Esoteric initiation, the merits accumulated in the past will be revived. Even if they receive the Three Mysteries from ordinary Gurus, they can also have great results in practice.

When Buddha Shakyamuni preached the doctrines, he would use the Three Mysteries to teach those people who have practiced Buddhism in accordance with Buddhist teachings but couldn’t achieve success through their own power. Their states of accomplishment can be divided into three stages depending on the internal realization. Practitioners who broke off the Discriminating Attachment to Ego and the Discriminating Attachment to Things as Realities have reached the lowest stage. People who severed the Innate Attachment to Ego have realized the second stage while those who severed the Innate Attachment to Things as Realities have attained the highest stage. However, this highest stage is only the first stage of Bodhisattva in the Vajradhatu. The sublime state of reaching Buddhahood in the Vajradhatu can only be realized when practitioners have severed the Source of Ignorance. It is the perfect Dharmakaya of Buddha Vairocana instead of Buddha Shakyamuni who preaches such doctrines.