The Magical Hands of Sheng-yen Lu:
Giving Myself Mo-ding to Uncover the Mind Terma

(Book 236 The Magical Hands of Sheng-yen Lu 《盧勝彥手的魔力》)
‧Written by Master Sheng-yen Lu‧

Recently I have often been placing my hand atop my head to empower my brain. The results have been amazing. The teachings of the Nine Stages of Great Perfection Dharma have been emerging in my mind-stream.
   
   After I finish a self-empowerment:
    A stream of smoke appears.
    Then drops of starlight appear.
    The drops converge to emit bright light.
    Amidst the light were words.
    I was greatly astonished by them. The teachings of the Nine Stages of Great Perfection Dharma then manifested one by one in my mind-stream.
    In a flash, I remembered that these were the words of the Buddhadharma I had known in previous lives. This was uncovering of the mind terma.
    Additionally, I received the “most profound pure awareness lineage.”
   
    In Nyingma I altogether inherited three lineages:
    Human gurus: Norlha Rinpoche > Reverend Liaoming > Living Buddha Lian-sheng.
    Mind terma: Padmasambhava > Trisong Detsen > Living Buddha Lian-sheng.
    And “most profound pure awareness lineage”: with this, when I meditate, not only am I able to uncover the terma hidden in my mind-stream, I also receive revelations from buddhas, bodhisattvas, and lineage gurus.
    They allow me to understand not just intellectually the Nine Stages of Great Perfection, but also teach me the mechanics of the actual practice.
    (During meditation, dreams, and visions, I receive instructions and guidance from various deities.)
    This kind of “most profound pure awareness lineage” happens to very few people in the world. And I am one of those few.
    It is very rare.
    It is very honorable.
   
    We know that:
    In shravakayana, practitioners work on the Four Noble Truths, “suffering, accumulation, cessation, and path” to attain arhathood.
    In pratyekabuddhayana, practitioners work on the “twelve links of interdependent origination” to attain the enlightenment of a “lone buddha.”
    In bodhisattvayana, practitioners work with the “six paramitas” to attain bodhisattvahood.
    (The above three yanas belong to the Sutrayana vehicles.)
    In kriya tantra, practitioners work on action tantra to attain buddhahood in seven human lifetimes.
    In charya tantra, practitioners work on performance tantra to attain buddhahood in five human lifetimes.
    In yoga tantra, practitioners work on One Taste to attain buddhahood in three human lifetimes.
    (The above three yanas belong to the Outer Tantras vehicles.)
   
    In mahayoga tantra, practitioners work on the generation stage practices to realize the manifestations of enlightenment in the physical world, the nirmanakaya.
    In anuyoga tantra, practitioners work on the completion stage practices to realize the reward-body, the sambhogakaya.
    In atiyoga tantra, practitioners work with mind, space, and pith-instructions to understand and glimpse into the nature of mind.
    (The above three yanas belong to the Inner Tantras vehicles.)
   
    Applying my hand to empower my own mind, I have completely mastered the Nine Stages of Great Perfection Dharma.
    Thus I declare:
    The three Sutrayana vehicles were spoken by Shakyamuni Buddha.
    The three Outer Tantras were spoken by Vajrasattva.
    The three Inner Tantras were spoken by Samantabhadra Tathagata.
   
    The highest realm of atiyoga is also what I, Living Buddha Lian-sheng, have often discussed in my discourses:
    “Cutting Through.” (trekcho)
    “Leaping Over.” (togel)
   
    In this essay, I primarily wish to explain how I came by my comprehension of the Nine Stages of Great Perfection Dharma. Also, I want to reveal the sources of my three great lineages:
        1. human gurus
        2. mind terma
        3. and the “most profound pure awareness lineage”
   
    My discourses on the Nine Stages of Great Perfection Dharma are not based on scriptures but rather experiences – the paths I personally have walked. I wish to describe all the scenery I have come across on the road of cultivation as this makes the teaching more wonderful.