By: Joe Hing Kwok Chu            

                (a) GENERAL CONCEPT

               This lecture is not designed to make you able to teach yourself Tantric Buddhism or Tibetan energy training or Qigong. To learn Tantric Buddhism or to learn Qigong orany mental energy exercise, you must have a knowledgeable teacher who is willing and able to teach you. If you try to

         experiment with it yourself, you might create serious mental or physical injuries. These lecture notes are designed to be used as a reference guide under the supervision of a knowledgeable teacher.

              The term Qigong (chi kung) is a Chinese term that refers to certain types of control and training in human biological signals delivered by electro-magnetic energy to improve health.

              The sources of Qigong in China includes the chi (qi) exercises of the masses, Tao Philosophy group, Taoist religion, Ch'an  (Zen) School Buddhism, Tien Tai School Buddhism, Pure

         Land School Buddhism, Tantric School (Tantric) Buddhism, other various sects of Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhism, Confucianism, and various types of martial arts etc.

               It is a general belief that when Buddhism was introduced to Tibet from India, it came with its energy exercises. These energy exercises were deemed to be the modified version of Yoga energy exercises of  Hinduism.  The energy exercises of Tantric Buddhism later incorporated the energy         training methods of the original religion of Tibet, the Bön religion. According to Tantric lamas Buddhist yoga is not the same as Hindu yoga. It was developed independently. Yoga was a term loosely referring to different types of training to harmonize the mind and body. Kundalini Yoga was one of the Yogas originating from the predecessor of Bön religion, an old Taoist philosophy that later was absorbed by the original Yoga training.

              The Bön religion was deemed by some scholars to have come from a branch of the Taoism of  the central part of China. This is why the methods of energy training of the Bön religion are very similar to the "Chun Siang"³ training method of  the Tao religion of the Six Dynasties Era⁴ and the "Nei Tan"⁵ training method of the Tao religion, which was popular during the Tang (618-906) and Sung (960-1279) dynasties. The Tantric School Buddhism incorporated the training techniques of the Bön religion.

              The tantra training of the Tantric Buddhism is heavily clouded by religious rituals. There are thousands of different sub sects and methods of tantric training within the Tantric sect of Buddhism.

                    (b)  THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF TANTRA

               The Tantra trainings are divided into four major  categories⁷: Action, Performance, Yoga, and Highest Yoga.

          I.   Action Tantra (Kriya-Tantra)

               Deities are visualized as external. Rituals and ceremonies are the main methods.

               Susiddhi Sutra is the main text. Methods used include mantras, seals, cleaning environment

               and own self.

          II.  Performance Tantra (Carya_Tantra)

               Deities are identical as adept. Rituals and internal methods are used, but rituals are being used more than internal methods. The training of "Body tantric, oral tantric, and mind tantric in harmony" is emphasized. Mahavairocana Sutra is the main text.

          III. Yoga Tantra

               Power of deities are recognized as arisen from non-duality. Rituals and internal methods are equally emphasized.

          IV.  Highest Yoga Tantra

               Only internal methods are used. The Nyingmapa sect divides highest yoga Tantra into 3 sub-

               categories:

               a. Mahayoga

                  Visualization of deity is gradual. Focuses on the development stage. Emphasizes the

                  clarity and precision of visualization as skillful means. Meditation on emptiness.

               b. Annuyoga

                  Emphasizes energy centers, wind and energy. Visualization on deity is generated instantly.

               c. Atiyoga

                  Emphasizes mind development.

                  1. Dzogchen

                     The word Dzogchen is derived from two Tibetan words: Dzogpa and chenpo. Dzogpa means "complete" or "end"; and chenpo means  "top". So Dzogchen means "Great Perfection." Some scholars deemed that the term

                     Mahayoga was derived from two Sanskrit words: Mahasandhi which means "quintessence" or "gathering all;" and Atiyoga, which means "summit or zenith of yoga." Actually Dzogchen existed in the Bön tradition before the introduction of Buddhism to Tibet.

                     Dzogchen is generally associated with the Nyingma sect. It has been practised by masters of all sects throughout the centuries.

                   2. Mahamudra (Chaggya Chenpo, or phyag rgya chen po) Mahamudra is generally associated with bKa-rgyud sect.  It is also practised by masters of all sects.  Actually, Mahamudra leads to the same goal as that of Dzogchen. It is considered as a later translation relative to Dzogchen,  which is considered  as old translation.^7.1  The treatise of Mahamudra is easier to read than that of Dzogchen because the text of Mahamudra is organized step by step, so deemed by many adepts.           Mahamudra differs from the classical training of  the Nyimapas in that it does not emphasize "three          tantrics in harmony" because it does not have "Oral Tantric."    Abhiseka (wong) is not necessary because in  abhisekas tutelary deities enter into the initiates during the rituals, and in Mahamudra or Dzogchen,  there is no tutelary deity involved.   The training of Mahamudra is very similar to the training of Ch'an (Zen) sect. The difference between Ch'an (Zen) sect and Mahamudra is that  Ch'an sect emphasizes sudden enlightenment while Mahamudra emphasizes gradual enlightenment through         dyana (ch'an) meditation. To learn Mahamudra one must have a qualified teacher because deviations     and accidents can happen if it is not practiced correctly. Mahamudra consists of two major types of training which can be categorized into four yoga stages:

                      (I). Yoga of Ordinary Practice:

                          (a) Concentration Yoga (Chuan Chu)

                             (1) Visualization

                                 Among different visualization methods, visualization on the syllable "Hum"is deemed to be complete and best.

                             (2) Adamantine (Ch'in Kang) Breath

                             (3) Treasure Pot (Pot Shape)

                          (b) Nondiscriminatory Yoga (Li Si)

                      (II). Yoga of Extra Ordinary Practice

                            (a) One-ness Yoga (Ie Wei)

                            (b) Nonpracticing Yoga (Wu Siu)

                     The Gelugpa usually do not use the term Atiyoga; instead they divide Anuyoga into: Father Tantra, Mother Tantra and Non-duality Tantra. The Non-duality Tantra corresponds to Atiyoga.

               During the period from King Songstsen Gampo ( 629-650), to the reign of King Lang Darma (838-842), there were only two categories of Tantra: Action and Performance. These two

         categories of Tantra are found in the religious writings of the Tibetan language and Han language.

         The early Tantric Buddhism, whether in Tibet or in the land of Hans^7.2, or the Eastern Tantric as practiced in Japan and Korea, was very similar to other sects of Mahayana Buddhism, including Ch'an (Zen). The only difference was that the Tantric sect emphasized rituals and ceremonies very heavily         relative to the exoteric sects.

               The former three categories of Tantra are also called the "Three External Vehicles of Secret Chants." Its contents are similar to the contents of Buddhist Yoga techniques introduced from India during the Tang dynasty.

               The Highest Yoga is also called the "Highest Internal Vehicle."  It was introduced during the later years after the Tang and Sung Era. Its training is the most strenuous and difficult, and it emphasizes the energy centers and energy wheel of the body. It also includes "double body training,"   which calls for training together with the opposite sex and also includes mental visualization of the male and female deities in postures of copulation. Its training methods are regarded as top secret and are only practiced by those  who have attained higher training in the energy training and by those high ranking monks with virtuous character and advanced achievement.

               Among the four types of training, the Highest Yoga is the best. If the Highest Yoga is the best, why should one study the other types of Tantra ? The Highest or Highest Yoga is reserved for those who deserve it because of their virtues  and accomplishment in Tantric Buddhism. Another reason is that different people are suited to study different types of Tantra. The lower types of yogas are also used as a foundation for Highest Yoga.

         CHAPTER V.    THE TRAINING METHODS OF TANTRIC BUDDHISM

                  (a)     EMPOWERMENT

         Empowerment (Abhiseka in Sanskrit or Wong in Tibetan) is a ceremony:

         1. to authorize the disciples to learn certain Tantric lessons.

         2. to cleanse obscurations

         3. to confer power to the disciples, and

         4. to establish relationship with certain deities in the mandala.

         The empowerment ceremonies are borrowed partly from the Bön religion and mainly from the Hindu ceremony of crowning a king where the rituals involved pouring holy water from the top of an elephant onto the head of the enthroning prince.  The initiation ritual of Tantric Buddhism is not a one-   time event. A disciple can go through many empowerment ceremonies for taking various steps of Tantric lessons and various authorizations, such as authorization to teach the Tantric methods, authorization to give empowerments, etc.

         These rituals can be elaborate or can be simple and symbolic and performed through visualization. Usually the Lama giving the empowerment constructs a mandala where different deities are arranged in a circle. Strips of fabric are distributed to the disciples taking the initiation. The disciples tie the strips over their foreheads, symbolizing the eyes are being obstructed.  

              After reciting mantras of empowerment, the master performs the watering ceremony where he or his representatives distribute some holy water.  The disciples drink some of it and pour some on their heads. Then each of the disciples is given a flower (or a petal of flower) to throw into the mandala. A tutelary deity ^7.2 is then selected by the master for each of the disciples who have thrown the        flower, or sometimes if the number of the initiates is toolarge, a symbolic throwing will be performed and  the master will select one deity for all of the disciples. Then some colored powder or water are distributed to the disciples to be applied  to the foreheads, throats, chests, and navel areas to activate the energy wheels.  Usually the rituals are accompanied by vajra bells, clapper drums, gongs, cymbals, trumpets, large drums, and chantings.  Besides mantras, the chantings include blessings consisting of beautiful verses of five or seven syllables.  The low tone chantings of the lamas, the  piercing sound of the vajra bells,  the bellows of the trumpets and occasionally  the exploding sound of the large drums create a serene and stunning effect for the initiates. Ceremonies may last more than three hours. At the end of the ceremonies the strips of fabrics are removed from the foreheads symbolizing the openning of the eyes so that the disciples can see clearly (spiritually). Usually after the ceremonies fruits and cookies are distributed to all of the participants of the ceremonies.

                   (b)  THE THREE SECRETS OF BODY, MOUTH AND MIND

              The Tantric Buddhism of Tibet and other western and south- western parts of China consists of "teachings" and "action". ^7.22  "Teachings" refers to theories of Buddhism. "Action" refers to training (gong) and techniques (fa).  From the point of Qigong, training is Qigong training and techniques are supernatural techniques.

              The fundamental training method is "Three Secrets (tantric) in Harmony": I. Body Tantric, II. Oral Tantric, and III. Mind Tantric; e.g. ,the three should be practised harmoniously together and correspond to the three tantrics of the Buddha. In general the method of basic training calls for the use the postures of deities (Buddhas, bodhisatvas), chanting of mantras, and mentally visualizing the physical shapes of the deities. This training concentrates on focusing the body, sound, mental activities to a single target, and through meditation and mental visualization, one enters a calm and serene mental state and leads the body into enjoying the pleasure of calmness, emptiness,  clearness and achievement of certain supernatural powers.

              If we compare the training methods of Tantric Buddhism with other exoteric sects of Mahayana Buddhism, we can find that  they have some kind of basic similarity except the Tantric sect also emphasizes the training of the physiological part of the body which most of the exoteric sects lack. ⁸

              The Tantric sect deems that the mental part of the body and physiological part of the body are inseparable. The Tantric Buddhism, especially the Highest Yoga differs somewhat with other Buddhist sects in that it emphasizes the training of essential energy⁹ converting the body and spirit, and to attain longevity. Its ultimate goal is to become Buddha (enlightened) and still be able to possess the physical body, while the Ch'an (Zen) sect maintains that  the heart (mind) is the Buddha. It is very similar to the philosophy of Nei Tan Taoism10 which emphasized the "Training of the spirit and life, bettering the soul and the body."

             The Highest Yoga of the Tantric Buddhism of Tibet has special understanding of energy centers¹¹ and life centers. Among the different popular theories, there is one that mentions "three channels and four wheels" ( also five wheels). The three channels refer to left, middle, and right channels.  The middle channel begins at the top of the head and runs down the the spine to the perineum. This is deemed to be the life center. The left and right channels run along the spine and are the supplements for the middle channel. The four wheels refer to "the four layers of the wheels of the

         channels. " They are situated at the top of the head, at the throat, at the heart, and at the navel. With the perineum,  the total number of wheels becomes five. Every wheel contains certain numbers of branch channels. The branch channels connect all the other channels.  The three channels        correspond to the Tu Mai¹² of the Nei Tan Taoism. The top, heart, navel, and bottom wheels correspond to the different Tan Tians. The Tibetan Highest Yoga of the Tantric  sect uses certain secret words on the Wheels and visualizes the secret words during meditation. This corresponds to the        "Ie Sian"13 of the Nei Tan Taoism. The Highest Yoga depends on absorbing the energy in the universe as the main method of training.

                     I. Body Tantra

              The Tantric sect believes that when the body is in harmony,  the energy circuit will be in harmony, and when the energy  circuit is in harmony, the chi energy will be in harmony,  and when the chi energy is in harmony, the mind is in harmony.  There are many postures used according to the different  requirements in various training methods. One of the fundamental postures is called the "seven branch sitting method."

         1. Seven Branch Sitting Method:

           A. Sit in cross -legged position with body balanced.

           B. Place Deng Tse Seal below the navel. A Deng Tse Seal is

                where the palms are extended in a relaxed way and the

                right palm is placed over the left palm with the thumbs

                touching each other lightly.

           C. Straighten the back bones and extend the shoulders

                sideways.

           D. Press the chin against the throat lightly.

           E. Touch the tongue to the palate and open the eyes

                slightly.

           F. Exhale the stale air through the mouth three to nine

                times.

           G. Calm the mind and do not think.

         2. Seal (mudra) of the hands

            Besides the above mentioned Deng Tse Seal, there are many other seals. They are used according to the requirements in different situations.

            The body is said to be "like a mountain." It should be well balanced and relaxed. The legs can be both folded or half folded or not folded at all. In the writing of Tsongkapa (15th century), the founder and grand master of the Gelug sect, it is suggested that if the legs are both folded, it would be a distraction. It is not advisable to do so. But if the adepts are accustomed to the postures of folding both legs (full lotus position), it is acceptable to do so. It is also acceptable to sit on a chair. But according to the treatise Mahamudra, which is generally associated with the bKa-rgyud sect, full lotus positions are also used.  13.01

                     II. Oral Tantra

            Oral Tantric refers to reciting mantra. Mantra means "clear"  or "tool of thinking."^13.02  Mantra can be used to clear the anxieties and sufferings of mankind.

         Recitations are done while inhaling. It is just opposite from the ordinary method of exhaling and reciting at the same time. Recitations are also done with visualizations.    

         There are five different methods of reciting mantras:

         1. Lotus recitation

            Chanting with sound.

         2. Adamantine recitation

            Using the tongue to chant; no sound

         3. Samadhi recitation

            Visualizing the syllables of the mantra; no sound

         4. Sound creating thought recitation

            Visualizing a lotus flower in the heart and white sea

            shells on the lotus flower and sound of mantra comes out

            from the white sea shells.

         5. Light visualization recitation

             Visualizing the chant of mantra and light is being

             emittted from the mouth.

                     III. Mind Tantra

              Mind Tantra is visualization. Objects of visualization can be the three channels and the four canon wheels (or five canon wheels). In any type of training, visualizing the tutelary deity (ben-tsun, or yidam) is the first step. After empowerment and under the guidance of the master, the disciple         throws a flower to a chart of deities (mandala). The picture of  the deity where the flower lands, will be the deity selected as  the patron deity.

             The throwing of the flower can also be symbolic. The disciple can just throw the flower in the air, and the master that conducts the empowerment can choose mentally a certain deity as the tutelary         deity. During meditation, the disciple visualizes the image of the deity. The image of the deity becomes clearer and closer. Eventually the deity and the disciple become one (in Caryayoga Tantra).

              The disciple has to have a clear picture of the tutelary deity.  He/she should scrutinize the image of the deity and create a clear  mental picture of the deity: the positions of the arms, legs,        expressions, and body postures etc..

              After getting a clear picture of the tutelary deity, the

         disciple should visualize that the deity enters into his body, and

         become one with the deity.

              The following trainings are deemed to be representative of the

         Tantric training:

            (c)     THE THREE PROCEDURES OF TANTRIC TRAINING

         I.   (a). Mind focusing

              (b). Breath Regulating.

         II.  (a). Nine Section Wind

              (b). Treasure Pot

              (c). Adamantine Chants (Tsin Kang Yung)

         III. gTum mo (Ming tien, Chuo Huo Ting, Psychic Heat)

         ad I. Mind focusing (ie-so) and Breath Regulating

              (a).  Focusing attention at one spot.

                   This method involves focusing attention toward an external object like a deity or crystal, wooden ball, butter lamp light, candle light, bead or a secret writing etc., or focusing attention at a certain part of the body to achieve mental concentration and to enter into a trance. First assume a training posture e.g. , the seven branch sitting postures and maintain certain seal (hand sign).                   Exhale nine times to get rid of the polluted air, and inhale three times to take in fresh air. Then visualize that there is a little white and bright spot as large as a sesame seed between the eyebrows. This training relaxes one's body and voice.13.1

             (b). Breath Regulating

                  While sitting in the prescribed position, breathe at the rate of 15 breaths per minute. The number of breaths can be lowered as the training becomes more proficient.

         2. Adamantine (Tsin Kang) breath counting method. ¹⁴

            This method uses breathing methods to control the functions of the body.

         ad II.    Nine Section Wind, Treasure Pot and Adamantine Chants

                 (a). The nine sections wind¹⁷

                First use the left index finger to press on the left nostril and use the right nostril to breathe three times.  Then use the right index finger to press on the right nostril and use the left nostril to breath three times.  Use both nostrils tobreathe  three times. When inhaling, visualize clean air of              rainbow colors passing through the whole body. When exhaling, visualize dark and polluted air being breathed out. Lastly, visualize the polluted air being purged from the body through all the pores.  

          (b). Treasure Pot (four breath methods)

               Treasure Pot is also called "Pot Shape Energy Training".  This method involves visualizing the body as a teapot. After expelling the stale air from the lungs by exhaling three times, visualize the energy or air  being absorbed into the body through the top of the head. After the whole body is filled with the energy from the universe, the diaphragm has to be lifted and the abdomen flattened. Breathe in through the nose and send the energy to one and a half inches below the navel (same as dan tian in Nei Tan Taoism). Hold the breath until unable to hold it any longer, then slowly exhale.       As training becomes better, the length of time of holding the breath can be longer. Eventually the breath almost becomes undetectable. Breathing is done as if through the middle channel. At this stage one can abstain from eating and drinking fluid many days without losing weight or feel hungry.

          (c). Adamantine Chants

               One of the mantras used is "Om Ah Hum.". "M"s in both "Om" and "Hum" are pronounced closer to "ng" than "m".  Mantras are not read but are chanted according to certain intonations               and rhythms.

         Ad III.  gTum Mo (Che Huo Ding Psychic Heat) ¹⁶

                 Che Huo Ding or gTum Mo is one of the Six Doctrines  (Six Yogas):

                 1.gtum-mo, 2.sgyu-lus, 3.rmi-lam, 4.hod-gsal, 5.bar-do,

                 6.hpho-ba.

                 Among the Six Doctrines, gtum-mo is considered as energy training, while others are considered as religious training.  Che Huo refers to a sudden burst of fire in the body. The                 sudden burst of fire can make the body  heat up. Ting  refers to deep trance achieved by advanced meditation.  The term "Treasure Pot" is sometime used instead of "Che Huo Ding." Actually, Treasure Pot is the foundation of Che Huo Ding.  The training method is to place a writing of half "A" or                 short "A" (Sanskrit) at the navel and visualize that the writing  is giving out a strong red light. The posture involves tilting the tail bone forward and drawing the anus upward. This method of energy exercise enables one to resist extremely cold temperatures and to improve one's essence of life and sexual energy.

Note: The transliteration of the Chinese words in the early writings used in this website are from the Merriam Webster Dictionary. Later writings  used in this website use the pinyin system of mainland China.