The initiations conferred have been the seven in the pattern of childhood. These authorize persons to hear, think about, and meditatively cultivate the stage of generation. Then, when students come to have the qualifications necessary to be a suitable vessel for cultivating the stage of completion, at that point the four high initiations and the fourth greatly high initiation are needed. Moreover, if someone not only cultivates the two stages – of generation and completion – which are the meaning of the Kālachakra Tantra, but also is to teach the entire tantra to others, that person also needs all four greatly high initiations as well as the initiation of a vajra master great lord. The initiations for the stage of completion are, for the time being, not needed; later, when such are appropriate in terms of students’ development, they can be considered.
Since you have attained initiation, or authorization, for the stage of generation, your focus should be on cultivating that stage in practice. Furthermore, as much as the stage of generation is cultivated in a vast way, so much more profound is the practice. The most condensed version of meditative cultivation of the stage of generation is self-generation in a mandala of exalted mind, but even this is difficult for some. Thus, a very short self-generation as Kālachakra can be done in connection with the six session yoga.
Taking the practice of the precepts of the Bodhisattva vows and the Mantra vows as the basis of your practice, you should cultivate the six session yoga. It is not absolutely necessary that you recite the words of the rite; it is sufficient to reflect on the meaning. The six session yoga is a compendium of all the practices that need to be performed three times during the day and three times during the night; you need to reflect on their meaning. This is like recharging a battery. If you leave it for a long time without recharging it, then on the day when you want to use it, it cannot help. Similarly, cultivation of the six session yoga does not necessarily bring about great progress but, at minimum, maintains what you have.
Thus, it will be good if you are able to recite and reflect on the six session yoga in connection with self-generation as Kālachakra. If, gradually, you ascertain the meaning of the topics, it is not absolutely necessary to recite the words; rather, you can do reflective meditation on the meaning of the topics, causing each of the topics to appear to your mind. Meditation that is a unification of stabilizing and analytical meditation is needed.
The main practice is deity yoga. When clear appearance as a deity and the “pride” of being that deity develop to the point where you are able to remain in such clear appearance and “pride” for four hours without interruption by other conceptions – given that you have no physical malady, etc. – you have developed the stage of generation well. At that point, on whatever object of observation in the body you set your mind, since wind and mind operate together, the winds gather at that place. Even now when we perform such imaginations in connection with the winds, the top of the head can start itching, and so forth.
When, in that way, the stage of generation is fully cultivated, you are to mix your mind entirely with cultivation of the stage of completion. The stage of completion in the Kālachakra Tantra is the six-branched yoga, which need not be explained here.
At the point of the sixth branch in the stage of completion, called the branch of meditative stabilization, one attains a union of immutable bliss and empty form. Twenty-one thousand six hundred periods of immutable bliss are gradually actualized, immediately after which the very subtle mind of clear light becomes an entity of an omniscient consciousness knowing all aspects of objects of knowledge. At that point, as the basis of immutable bliss, one has completed twenty-one thousand six hundred units of the essential constituent called the “mind of enlightenment”, and in dependence upon that, one has actualized twenty-one thousand six hundred periods of immutable bliss, through which twenty-one thousand six hundred karmic winds have ceased and twenty-one thousand six hundred material factors of the body have been consumed. In the next moment the state of the Four Bodies of a Buddha is actualized.
To practice such paths of the stage of generation and the stage of completion, it is necessary first to attain pure initiation. To attain pure initiation, it is necessary to have experience of the altruistic intention to become enlightened. Also, the view of emptiness is needed since, as explained during the initiation, it is involved throughout the beginning, middle, and end of the process of initiation. When the view of emptiness is conjoined with the altruistic intention to become enlightened, the view of emptiness can serve as an antidote to the obstructions to omniscience.
To have such an altruistic intention to become enlightened – that is to say, to develop a wish to set all sentient beings in the state of Buddhahood in which all suffering and its causes are extinguished – previously it is necessary to develop in full form compassion that takes cognizance of the sentient beings who are tortured by suffering as well as to have full knowledge of the types of suffering through which they are tortured. Since this is the case, you need initially to identify, in terms of yourself, the general and specific types of suffering in cyclic existence and thereby develop a state of not wanting these sufferings. In order to develop a strong awareness not wanting such general and specific sufferings of cyclic existence and wishing to be liberated from them, it is necessary, as inner divisions of that process – the one being coarser than the other – to overcome attraction to the appearances of this lifetime before overcoming attraction to the appearances of future lifetimes.
This being the case, mental training must be done step by step. These initiations have brought together factors for the dependent-arising of your cultivating such an entire series of paths.
The most important thing is our daily life. As I always express, we as human beings now have a very good opportunity; thus, we must be good, honest persons. This is most important. Then, as practitioners we must sincerely practice what we believe; if we implement these ideas in our daily life, we will get the benefit whereas if they remain as mere knowledge, we will not benefit. Therefore, it is very important to put these into practice.
Also, a beginner should not expect too much right from the beginning. Too much expectation will lead to failure. At the start, you must realize that inner development will take time; it is not at all easy. According to my own experience, it takes time.
Then, determination – constant effort – is extremely important. Whenever we face an unsatisfactory situation, we should not lose our will, our courage. If we have courage, we can overcome any obstacle. Therefore, our own will and determination are very important.
If there were another way through which real permanent peace could be brought, the practice of dharma would not be very important. However, if we cannot find another means to bring ultimate happiness, then there is no alternative other than the spiritual way. We must make a strong determination to practice.
At the same time, we must have deep respect for non-Buddhist religions. All religions essentially have the same message of compassion and human improvement. Since the human mind has so many varieties, for certain persons religions such as Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, and so forth will be more effective, more beneficial. Therefore, we must respect all religions, not feeling sectarian.
Then, among Buddhists ourselves, there are the Low Vehicle and the Great Vehicle, and within the latter there are minor differences, and within Tibetan Buddhism there are the so called Red Hats, Yellow Hats, Black Hats, and so forth. Actually, Shākyamuni Buddha had no hat, and thus his followers have become more concerned with fashion. If the real teaching were the hat, then Buddha would have had no teaching! We must realize that all Buddhists are followers of the same teacher, Shākyamuni Buddha.
Due to ignorance we sometimes develop feelings, “This is my tradition,” “This is my religion,” “This is my teacher.” Such is very, very unfortunate; we must remain genuinely non-sectarian. As practitioners, we must blame ourselves rather than others. When some unfavorable thing happens, we should point inward, not outward, “They did this,” “They did that.” To blame the outside is absolutely wrong. Is this clear?
As Buddha said, “You are your own master.” For instance, as far as I am concerned, my own future depends on myself. I cannot rely on others for my future; whether it is good or bad depends entirely on myself. If I do something wrong, I will face the ultimate consequences; Buddha cannot. Similarly, your future depends on yourself. Thus, we must be good, honest, sincere, truthful, courageous, and warm-hearted human beings. Through that, our future will be bright. If our minds become too weak, hesitant, and fearful, our future will be more difficult.
It is important not to expect too much right from the beginning but, in the meantime, to maintain great determination. With such an attitude, the future will improve.