A Slight Overview of Three Visions

Aum Swasti Siddham
With devotion I bow down at the feet of the holy Preceptors,
Revered and endowed with great compassion.
May the master, the jewel of the sky, who, having
Mounted the chariot of the two virtuous accumulations,
Ascends high into the vast sky of cognizable things,
And is skilled in diffusing the rays of his boundless deeds,
Keep watch over me.

May the incomparable Victorious Ones, who,
Have cleansed all illusory, impure visions
Through the vision of meditative experience,
Keep watch over all these living beings
By their unceasing, all-pervasive, pure vision.

Reverently I salute the feet of that Lord of Yogis (Virupa),
Ever reveling in the wine of the great bliss of nectar,
Who stopped the great flood of worldly existence, the afflictions,
And arrested in space the immaculate sun.

Give heed, for this is the exposition of his words on basic
Practice which are the essence of all sutras and tantras,
Comprising the sole path traversed by the enlightened ones
And the method followed by the holy sages of Sakya.

The Cause of Taking Refuge

To begin, the three causes of seeking refuge are fear, faith, and compassion. Seeking refuge through fear means that, being alarmed by the miseries of worldly existence experienced by others or oneself, one seeks refuge from them. One undertakes to rely upon this refuge, which completely saves oneself and all others who are afflicted by the sufferings of worldly existence.

Seeking refuge through faith means that in seeking refuge one is motivated by any of the three kinds of faith. Faith of clear appreciation signifies that one discerns clearly the value of refuge, which has the ability to shield one from those fears of suffer; faith of aspiration signifies that one wishes to attain the stage of the refuge itself; and faith of confidence means that one trusts in the profound teaching of interdependent origination.

Seeking refuge through compassion refers to a person who has awakened into the Mahayana race. Being moved by unbearable compassion for others who are afflicted by sufferings, which one infers from one's own sufferings, one seeks refuge in order to shelter them entirely.

In brief, it is most important to seek refuge with a clear recollection of the causes just described, for the action of taking refuge without reflection does not achieve any merit. As it was said in the Bodhicayavatara:

"The Omniscient One has taught that, though they be practiced for a long time, all repetitions of austerities and mantras are useless if the mind be distracted elsewhere."

"The Preliminaries" have already been covered as far as time allows tonight and I'll continue on to a rather concise discussion on "The Main Teaching".

The Three Visions are: The Impure Vision, The Vision of Experience to Produce Noble Aspirations, and The Pure Vision to Produce Enthusiasm.

The first, The Impure Vision will be the main topic tonight....

For sentient beings with afflictions (us), is the impure vision. The purpose of the instruction is to produce renunciation, or letting go of one's attachment to the impure visions, or samsaric manifestations that is the wind that turns the wheel of life. Instruction on the impure vision to produce renunciation has 3 main areas: ....

1, the faults of worldly existence; 2, the difficulty of obtaining the prerequisites to evoke diligence; and 3, virtuous and nonvirtuous deeds and their results.

The instructions on the faults of worldly existence involves recognizing the suffering of sentient beings in all realms and manifestations. The suffering of suffering includes instruction on the hell realms, the realms of the hungry ghosts, and the animal realms. These realms can been seen and experienced in all of us and serve through METAPHOR to point out ours and other's suffering. To take these instructions literally would negate the effect of producing renunciation by distancing us from the recognition that these realms are present to some degree in all our lives.

As an example of the suffering experienced in the hell realms is a quote from the text:....

"One is impaled with a blazing iron trident which is pushed through the anus and two buttocks up to the crown and two shoulders. Having been pierced, blood, fat and flames emerge from one's mouth and ears."

The realm of the hungry ghosts is easily recognized in our small and large addictions to behaviors and substances, etc.... a hungry ghost is constantly hungering for more and more, never sated. A Hungry Ghost is seen as a being with a tiny mouth and very large stomach. From the text:...

"While his mouth is about the size of a needle's eye, his great belly is pained since it is many leagues in size. Even though he drinks the great ocean's water, it does not enter into the throat's wide cavity, and even a drop of water is dried up by the poison of his breath."

Smokers, drug addicts, alcoholics, sex addicts, and yes, even 'on-line' addicts will be able to recognize the truth of the suffering of the hungry ghost realm.

As to the suffering of the animal realm the text says:

"Even in the animal realm, those without the virtues which bring peace, experience various unbearable sufferings, such as eating one another, killing, binding, and the like."

It is not difficult to see this animal realm both within and without ourselves, just watch the news, or read the paper, or...... look at our own actions, and thoughts.

In all cases one may develop renunciation of these cyclic suffering existences (realms) by meditating upon the extreme negativity resultant of finding oneself or others in one or all of these realms. From the basis of developing a conviction to not fall into these lower realms, one is able to strive to develop virtue for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Besides the suffering of suffering is the suffering of change. There are general sufferings of change, like losing a job, relationship break ups, or any other change in one's everyday life. Then there is the suffering of human change, which is highlighted by the four great rivers of suffering which all beings are subject to:

The suffering of birth, old age, disease, and death. All beings are born, which subjects them to contract diseases, grow old and die, changes that occur throughout an individual's life and causes many degrees of suffering.

Also, there is the suffering of the god's and demi-gods change. Here it is noted that even a high degree of understanding and peace can cause a being to become too comfortable, complacent, or corrupt ... these effects will eventually cause them to fall once again into the lower realms.

The antidote to these sufferings is an acceptance and understanding of the impermanence of all things.

Lastly, there is the suffering of conditional phenomena: This includes, 1, the suffering that activities are never ending... (dragging to work every day, the never ending need for food, etc.), 2, the suffering of not being satisfied by desire (never get that barbie doll or tonka truck you wanted so badly?), and 3, the suffering of never being wearied of birth and death.

The second part of the impure vision consists of instructions on the difficulty of obtaining the prerequisites to evoke diligence. There are three different points of difficulty.

1, From the viewpoint of cause: Without accumulating virtue and avoidance of negative karmic actions, it is very difficult to gain human birth. It is said that human birth is as difficult to attain as "trying to drop an elephant through the eye of a needle in a great ocean".

2, From the viewpoint of number all we need do is compare the multitude of all beings in the universe as compared to the relatively small number of human beings. (Consider that ant hill in your back yard). One is very fortunate to have attained human birth.

3, From the viewpoint of nature one is very fortunate to obtain a healthy body.

By meditating upon the good fortune of obtaining human birth one can easily embrace the benefit one's body and use it for the benefit of all sentient beings, while at all times remaining mindful of the fact that these conditions WILL NOT LAST. The truth of impermanence is always nipping at one's heels. Although death is certain, impermanence does give the benefit of checking attachment for things, is a goad that stimulates vigor, is an antidote to suffering, and is a helper in realizing emptiness, the ultimate truth.

The third part of the impure vision consists of the instructions on virtuous and nonvirtuous deeds and their results, in order to clarify what is to be accepted and what is to be rejected. By meditating upon the results of nonvirtuous actions one should develop a desire to discard nonvirtue and by meditating upon the results of virtuous deeds one should develop a desire to act in a virtuous manner. Since neutral deeds are fruitless, ie., have no results, one should reflect upon them and transform them into virtuous deeds...

An example of what might be considered a neutral deed would be watching a sitcom on TV, doing the couch potato thing. There are many ways to transform a couch potato into a mover and shaker of virtuous actions.... perhaps you are reflecting upon the possibilities at this very moment?

The second vision consists of the instructions on the vision of experience to produce noble aspirations. The way in which this may be accomplished is through meditation upon the three different categories until the common experience arises in one's mindstream. The 3 categories are:

1, Loving kindness, the desire to benefit other beings, 2, compassion, the desire to destroy the suffering of others, and 3, the enlightenment thought, the desire to gain Buddhahood for the sake of others.

For meditating upon loving kindness, one uses one's mother as the focus. No words will ever be able to describe the love and care the mother undertakes for the child. One should strive to develop great love and tearful appreciation of one's mother's kindness: The pain of labor to birth the child, her great kindness in teaching what is acceptable and what is not, the great care she takes for the child in its feeble dependent state or through an illness, the great selflessness of motherhood, the hardships she faced in bringing the child up. Further, think of the need to repay one's mother and all who were one's mother in previous life times. Even your worst enemy could have been your kind mother in a previous existence. (If you have seen the film Seven Years In Tibet this point was referred to in the 'worm scene'.) There is no ocean large enough to hold the tears of loving kindness for one's mother. (I have seen whole rooms of people break down in tears during this part of the teaching... many run to phones to immediately call their mother because their heart is full of the recognition of her selflessness in regard to her child.)

In gradual steps one should then spread that same loving kindness and appreciation to one's father, other relatives, neighbors, enemies and finally all beings until one's loving kindness sprays forth like endless rays of light.

The second category is compassion. As Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Greatest Compassion said, "O Vanquisher, one who desires to gain Buddhahood does not need to be trained in many teachings, but should be trained in one teaching: Great Compassion." There are 3 types of compassion endowed with such benefits:...

1, Compassion in sentient beings, where one directs one's mindstream to suffering beings and having done so, one wishes to separate them from their suffering. "One who completely protects suffering sentient beings is called 'greatly compassionate'."

2, Compassion in reference to Dharma, where one directs one's mind to the suffering and ignorance of sentient beings and meditates in a manner of desiring to free them of suffering caused by ignorance.

3, Compassion to no object. One meditates in a manner of desiring to free sentient beings from suffering and self-grasping.

The third category is the 'enlightenment thought': the desire to gain Buddhahood for the sake of others, has 3 distinctions:

1, The wishing enlightenment thought, the essence of which is the thought which desires perfect enlightenment for the sake of others.

2, The entering enlightenment thought is the training on the path for the sake of the result. To gain perfect enlightenment, one enters the path for the sake of others. For some of us who were here for previous chats where the practice of Tong Len was mentioned, this is where that practice of exchanging self with others would be found, training in the general conduct of the Bodhisattvas.

3, The ultimate enlightenment thought is the combination of calm abiding and insight wisdom. This consists of instructions upon the Mahamudra (the great seal, or great gesture), and would make for a wonderful future discussion on its own.

The third vision is the Pure Vision, which consists of the ornamental wheel of inexhaustible body, voice, and mind. This is transmitted from teacher to student through empowerment / initiation, being an esoteric exercise I will not go into this subject here.

Dedication of Merit

Through the merits of this sharing, may all living beings and I be endowed with longevity and the holy teachings in this life time and be free from illness. After death, may we be reborn in the Pure Land of Sukhavati and quickly attain the stage of Avalokiteshvara. may we never part from the practice of perceiving our bodies, voices and minds to be the divine Form, Mantram and Wisdom. May we act with compassion for the welfare of beings and accomplish the work of Bodhisattvas. In every situation on this life and the next, and in the Bardo also, may the Master Amitabha, our excellent guide, never release us from his hook of compassion but protect us from the faults of worldliness and Nirvanic quiescence.