Phap Quan Phowa cua Kim Cang Thua

.

Marketa on Buddhism -- a Personal Perspective of a Czech (European) in Saigon, v.02
[Edited for use at Giac Ngo Buddhist English Club, Saigon, Vietnam]

.

.
Regarding Buddhism, we have actually been meditating for a couple years now. I try to give it at least one hour a day. I do not sit in the full lotus position, just a half lotus. That is much easier and I think sitting posture is not that important except for keeping your back straight. Of course it is important for the energy flow and stuff, but the "state of mind" itself is more important. But the lamas always remind us at all times: relaxed and straight at the same time, this is important, so I try…
.

I would like to tell you about our lama, Lama Ole Nydahl, who is lama of Karma Kagju lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, vajra-yana buddhism– the main head of the lineage is Karmapa, now 17th conscious incarnation of Karmapa.
.

I first met lama Ole about 3 years ago. Karel first met him about 8 years ago. And he is so cool! You would love him too, I think. He's not very scholarly. I think it is because he represents the Vajra-yana Buddhism and mainly because he isn`t a monk, but yogi, lay practicioner. Vajra-yana Buddhism is mainly about experience and practice, so not too many books are needed – just books with the teachings of methods such as: books to learn about nature of mind, about working with disturbing emotions, about the main and highest view which is called Mahamudra. But the main transmission of principles and techniques is done directly between the teachers and the disciples.
.

He's from Denmark. He's about 60 years old, but he still drives fast motorbikes and jumps out of the air-planes with a parachute. And he used to be a hippy in youth, probably a very big idealist from the beginning.
.
Back in 1969, I think, he went to Tibet with his wife Hannah for a honeymoon. There they met the highest lama there, the 16th Karmapa Ranjung Rigpai Dorje, who's previous incarnation would have taught the previous incarnation of the Dalai Lama to meditate (I think 3rd Karmapa was teacher of 1st Dalai Lama).
.

The 16th Karmapa said he wanted them to bring Buddhism to Europe and, ever since, they have been establishing Buddhist centers all around the world. He asked Ole&Hannah to learn more about Buddhism first, practice, go for meditation-retreats, receive many transmissions from high Tibetan Buddhist lineages and “High-realized” teachers and after that they both received the title Lama. There are sooooo many Buddhist centers-gompas at this point. Only in the Czech Republic, we have around forty.
.
I've heard that in one of Buddhism's ancient books there is a prediction from Guru Rimpoche (Padmasambava) that when iron birds fly on the sky (airplanes) and smoking buffalos ride on the ground, Buddhism will move from the East to the West and Buddhists will spread around the planet like ants. And I think it is happening, already.
.

Look here in Vietnam. Not so many people who call themselves Buddhists meditate, probably in temples some monks have time and some of them also have the inspiration to meditate longer and continuously – some of them look quite powerful and fresh. But most Buddhists I have met just burn joss sticks.
.

It's like Western Christians practice. It’s mostly a cultural issue nowadays. And the same happens in Japan and China because Buddhism has been around here so long people consider it more of a mere tradition than what it really is – nobody uses the methods much. Another problem is people mixing Buddhist methods with other stuff… or religions… for example, following a Buddha who helps them to have full nets of fish…they don’t consider all the bad karma from killing a lot of fish.
.

So what is the main idea? We all want to be happy, we use many ways - sometimes also stupid ones, because we don`t know how to reach real happiness. There is no happiness in the world around us which is continuous, which is unlimited by time and space. If we want to find the best way and unlimited happiness we must understand the truth about this world, to know what exactly what is going on around us, why this world is the way it is, because once we know we will not be confused anymore. Once we find out that this world is not as real as we think and our problems and fears are just illusions, then we can be really happy, stop hurting others and, instead, help others to also understand that everything around is just a very nice collective dream. Then everything will be full of bliss.
.

But to really understand what is going on, you have to go inside you, inside your mind. That is what meditation is for. It's difficult to calm your mind and to do it every day, right? But it is necessary because we have been listening to our distracting emotions for countless lives and so they are not easy to disolve. To recognize the nature of mind, the Buddha nature in one’s mind, it is like an eye which is used to look around then trying to see itself. Quite difficult, but possible. There are many ways and one of them is vajra-yana, probably the fastest one.
.

The good part of hanging out with the lineage and the lama is that if you meditate on their forms and say their mantras (or forms and mantras of Buddhas which they used for meditation and realization) it helps you develop much faster because the space is information, it is everywhere around, and the enlightened beings do help.
.

Are you still following or is it too much for you? :-]]]]]
Anyway I want to tell you one more thing. I want to tell you about this conscious dying meditation. It is called a Phowa and thousands and thousands of people around the world have done it. I have been to about four conscious dying sessions so far.
.

Lama Ole first explains what exactly is happening during the death of your body. If you are interested, I can send you a link where you can read about this. [Ed. – one link sent later was http://phowa.dwbuk.org/]
.

Lama Ole Nydahl at a mediation course in Spain
.

And, guess what, after this 4-day course everyone has a small drop of blood on the top of their head. The consciousness went out through their scull! I had that drop of blood each of the four times I attended. Amazing, right?
.

But what is more amazing is the way you feel after the course. You are simply at one with everything and you feel this energy running through your body. It is amazing. During the course the tent with the people in meditation is full of laughter.
.

Well I have written a lot. I hope it's interesting for you.
.

But let me tell you one more thing. It really changes you, the meditation. I have changed so much since I have started about 3 years ago. Well I know, these are not necessarily changes, just all the useless and annoying habits and distracting emotions like anger and jealousy are slowly leaving me and I am feeling much better. Actually everything about your life changes. When I started to meditate, suddenly all these great jobs appeared out of nowhere, and I met Karel. The world around you changes with you, totally.
.

Anyway, I think I should finish now. I hope your head doesn't explode while reading this. Let me know if this is interesting for you so that I can send you some links.
.

Cheers, a.
Marketa
.

Notes: WHAT IS PHOWA The Karma Kagyu school also employs methods, which help us to work with our inner energies, the existence of which is seldom experienced by people who do not aspire to recognise the nature of their own mind. These practices are called The Six Teachings of Naropa; one of them is Phowa, the practice of “conscious dying”. Through this practice, we learn to transfer our consciousness into the state of unlimited joy personified by the Buddha Limitless Light (Opagme in Tibetan, Amitabha in Sanskrit), the state that can never be lost again. One of the results of practising Phowa is that we loose all our fears. Phowa is not only a preparation for the last moments of our life and the lives of others but the transformation of our view towards death leads us to experience life from the position of new possibilities and develop our inner richness for the benefit of all beings.
.

INTERVIEW WITH LAMA OLE NYDAHL ABOUT PHOWA

.

What does it mean “Phowa”, where does it come from and why are you going to teach it in Tenovice? Hearing the word Phowa a Tibetan would associate a bird caught under a roof, finding a way into freedom. The practice was given by Buddha 2500 years ago and kept alive till now by a probably thin transmission of accomplishers. There exist several versions but the one we use is most frequently used. My wife Hannah and I received the practice at New Year of 1972 from Ayang Tulku, a master of the transmission. I was asked to pass it on in 1987 by our highest lamas and have given about 200 courses worldwide till today.
.

It is a Buddhist practice. How you happened to become a holder of this teaching? I'm a Buddhist, and a lama. Also, Hannah and I were the first western students of our Karma Kagyu. That gives certain advantages. In the late sixties and the early seventies amazing teachings were easy to get. All the great old meditation-masters were then still alive and most generous.
.

If somebody wants to take a part on this course, is it necessary for him/her to be a Buddhist?

.

Several will start the practice without a formal Buddhist Refuge and a Tibetan name but all end with the full blessing of a Diamond Way practice. It is built into the meditations and therefore repeated at the beginning of every session. The question is rather whether one wants a Tibetan name in that connection or not.
.

It is said that Phowa is quite advanced practice. How is it possible that a beginner or somebody completely new to Buddhism can successfully accomplish such a meditation? If you meditate 8 hours a day inside the Diamond Way Kagyu lineage, preferably in a retreat-like situation, you will get to the Phowa after about two years. Luckily it is possible to extract that practice, as well as a simple clear light meditation, from the series of teachings which Marpa received from Naropa in India 950 years ago. It is clear we should also do that. People can die any time and with success in Phowa and keeping the connection to the teacher and the practice, they will go to the Pure Land at death. As the power of the transmission is so strong and people mature knowing they may die any moment, hook and ring come together and they have fine results. Of the 60.000 people I've taught the meditation since 1987, only about 200 have had to do a second – free – course to get a completely clear outer sign on the top of their heads.
.

Is there anything one can do before the course to get prepared in the right way? If you want to lubricate your own way to Pure Lands and lighten the load of the lama, please do 100.000 OM AMIDEWA HRIH mantras with the meditation on the Red Buddha over your heads as given in our centres. Any other practice, especially of the Diamond Way, is also needful.
.

This practice is closely connected with death. Is it not dangerous? :-) So far one man from a mental institution stripped and ran around the tent at our first Polish Phowa, howling like a wolf. Also a couple of very sensitive people had passing depressions after a course. The rest, tens of thousands of people, were held by the power-field, generated and had great benefit. So far, nobody died.
.