修學藏傳佛教的在家人遇上生活
(Tibetan Buddhist Lay Practitioners in Their Daily Lives)
黎日光上師
前言
香港的出家僧眾不算多，但信佛和學佛的在家人，估計人數以數十萬計。隨著歐、美國家興起熱潮，近年扎根香港、傳播藏傳佛教的團體如雨後春筍，修學藏傳佛教的人士亦復不少，修法者基本上對佛教認識的程度各異。作為現代社會的城市人，為了生計，過著平凡人的生活，他們會遇上了怎樣的問題呢?佛法又如何為他們解決這些煩惱？他們能否把佛教的道理應用在生活上呢？又在修行上如何能夠學以致用？有沒有學佛的路線圖呢？藏傳佛教大圓滿教法，是如何容讓在家人入世生活而取得成就呢？
讓現代佛教徒困惑的問題很多，譬如說：佛法的修行有階級界限嗎？藏傳佛教是有錢人或達官貴人才能修的嗎？女性能修行得好嗎？西藏的修行人不吃素，影響修行嗎？工作和修行如何協調？面對逆境，佛法能幫忙救度嗎？這都是修行人面對的問題。
從歷史上看，藏傳佛教甯瑪派的祖師因渣菩提是一位印度國王，享受盡人間的福報，他亦是一位密宗的大修行人、大成就者。噶居派開宗立派的祖師帝洛巴(988-1096年)在未證得大成就之前，以榨芝麻及零工為生，「帝洛巴」的字面意思就是「榨芝麻的人」。從二者的成就而言，可見與出身和階級沒有什麼關係。
眾所周知，佛祖釋迦牟尼本身是一位王子，享受著尊貴的生活，後來出家修行，亦是為了生、老、病、死的痛苦所引發，冀能尋求解脫的方法。我們也被生、老、病、死所逼迫，只是沒有像佛陀般覺醒吧！
此外，西藏「斷派」的祖師，瑪吉拉尊便是以女身成就。在在說明了修行是不分貧富、身份、性別和年齡的。佛教的平等性是不言而喻的！只要我們把佛教融入生活，好好修行。
戒殺與持素
佛法修行的重點是作出自我的反省，修正自己的不正確行為。現時有些人學佛，知道了一些義理，便用來品評別人，指出錯誤，或者提出這樣那樣的要求和說法，不知道這樣做反而會使人對佛教生出誤解。
舉一個例來說，家庭本來是在家學佛人修行的道場。大乘佛法從慈悲心的角度提出戒殺放生的要求，在自我的修正上展現出來便是不吃眾生肉。但是如果學了佛便要全家人不吃肉，如果家人沒有這樣的覺醒，很可能令他們不高興。原先沒學佛，一家本來很和睦，學了佛之後，家裡天天為了飲食的習慣吵架，搞得家宅不寧，這便不好。
首先，我們要讓家人知道，素食能夠長養慈悲心，有助於佛法的修行。能夠這樣做來樹立典範，可以讓家人效法，引發慈悲心，其次可告訴家人，配合得當的素食可以養生。現代肉類的毒素很多，引來奇怪的疾病。從萬法唯心而言，人心裡的貪、瞋、癡、慢、妄想、分別、執著是一切疾病的根源，飲食是緣；有業因，加上業緣，就得病了，一切病痛是果報。
在決定持素時，這個行為的內裡有一些事實還是要了解的。從歷史來看，漢傳佛教的僧侶要持素出於兩個原因：當年梁武帝好佛，讀到佛經中說要持素，便下旨命令中國佛教的出家人要持素、不可殺生。這個習慣令佛教傳教者承傳下來成為定制。後來的居士亦認同這個做法，所以不少人自願地短期或者長期地持素。
度化家人
同樣地，學佛人發菩提心，出來做做義務工作本來是好事，倘若因此把家裡的事不管不顧，做成家庭問題，這樣對陌生人慈悲對家人不慈悲的做法是不對的。要知道，佛陀出家證道以後便回到家鄉去度化家人和族人。因為釋尊在離家前向父親說過，有朝一日證悟了大道，便會回來度化他們的。佛陀特別注意孝道，當父親駕崩時，佛陀親自回家抬父親的棺材。又把佛法帶回家裡。故此，我們在生活上應把佛教精神展現，讓家人也信佛及修行。
面對逆境
在家的學佛人在生活上的逆境又應如何自處呢？有些人在工作時不好好地用心工作，說是在唸佛、是在修行。修行佛法，不應該是妨礙到工作的藉口；盡心工作才是修行的一種體驗。修行佛法更不是疏離人與人之間關係的藉口。
對於別人的攻擊，應該如何面對？
有一次羅睺羅跟舍利弗在王舍城乞食，一個流氓將沙子投進舍利弗的缽內，並用木棒子打破了羅睺羅的頭。舍利弗安慰他說要嚴守忍辱，世間沒有比忍辱更勇敢的人，任何力量也戰勝不過忍辱，能忍辱內心就很平靜。
佛陀說：「有智慧的人，能見到深遠的因果，克服嗔心，多行忍辱。能忍惡行，才能平安，才能消除災難之禍。忍是大海中的舟舫，能度一切苦難；忍是病者良藥，能救垂危的病人。我能成佛，獨步三界，主要是心地安穩，知道忍辱德行的可貴。」
「怨憎會」是人生中八苦之一，常會碰到。遇上以後，能否安忍，一方面是講個人的修養，另一方面，從佛法開示的因果律來看，知道是過往生不良人際關係的業力作用。仇恨會使到自己很痛苦，不過，被仇恨者，可能是自在地生活，沒有感到痛苦！放過仇恨他人其實可能最終是放過自己。在現實生活中用安忍對付逆境是最好的方法。
「自淨其意，是諸佛教」，佛法是守護心的法門。《史念原始佛法》說：要修慈悲的時候，首先要學會對自己慈悲，就像母親對待孩子一樣，耐心地對待自己的心，把它保護好的時候，如實知道自己的心，才能夠懂得對別人施以真正的慈悲。對自心的保護，佛法的道理都是一樣的。現代人常說有危就有機，逆境中的磨鍊，是智慧的開展。逆緣是一種加持。在逆境中向佛陀、菩薩求助，也有幫助。
當下生活配合修行
另一個常見的問題，是否要退休後才可以修行？修行佛法應該是愈早愈好的，體力和精神好一點，學習上也容易一點。藏傳佛教的修行要求在行住坐臥中守持正念，成就本尊的佛慢。密宗講的佛慢堅固，就是說在修習本尊法，將自己觀成為一位佛或菩薩，在行住坐臥有佛或菩薩的觀想。把自己當作是一位佛或菩薩，那麼，行事立身自然是不會有邪見和錯誤的行為了。
這個做法對工作的影響不大，你只是以本尊聖者的心態來處事做人。亦只有這樣修才有成就即身成佛的可能。所以說在忙中亦可以修行佛法，不用等到退休，或是得個空閒才做修行的。
藏傳佛教的密法講他力亦講自力。密宗修行人自成本尊、又有空行、護法等可以求取協助。有息災、增益、財富、懷愛等世界法的修習，以增加助緣，都要有師父傳法。今人學佛每每喜歡自己研讀經論而不去尋找有傳承的好老師，要能真正開悟，是很難的！《六祖壇經》也說，「無師自通，威音王以前即得」，威音王是天地初開，也就是說並無此事。
對於在家修行密法的行人，《入佛子行論》提出資糧道、加行道、見道、修道和究竟道五道成佛的說法，是一個漸修的路線圖，修到一個階段，可以頓然明白其中的道理。藏密要求皈依了佛教的信徒在見道前先要發心、積聚資糧、消除道障。要發的是出離心和菩提心。
出離心與菩提心
出離心是出離三界，從業力和輪迴這個困局中解脫出來之心。佛教有四眾：僧伽，尼師，男居士和女居士，在佛陀時代，印度人年老便會出家直至死亡。追求真理的人亦會出家遊歷。佛法的傳承者和傳教者亦然。不過，佛經中亦介紹了在大成就的男居士如維摩詰和女居士勝蔓夫人。
中國禪宗的龐居士一家都得到大成就。藏傳佛教的密乘祖師蓮花生大士以在家相示現於世。又在藏王郎達瑪滅佛之後，在二百年的時間，西藏佛法的傳承是由在家居士所住持，故此有在家僧伽和出家僧伽並存的現象。紅、白、花三派的祖師都是在家人的身份而有出世的成就。
禪宗的六祖慧能向五祖求法時是居士身。到他修行成就要出山傳法才剃度出家以應時人對傳法師的要求。他說的很清楚：「佛法在世間，不離世間覺；離世覓菩提，恰如求兔角」。無論是在家人、出家人，最重要 是心胸開放，眼光廣闊，見地上是：放下、自在、看破，在行為上契合佛教的義理。學佛的第一個重點是前面說的出離之心。而不是尋求一個出家人的身份。
第二個心是菩提心，菩提便是覺，佛是覺者。菩提心，意即「覺悟的心識」。它有兩個面向：一是為了一切眾生，二是智慧的開展。我們在日常生活中應該分秒都保持覺性。
第一個面向是對一切眾生無分別的悲心，佛陀成道是觀察了來損惱他的一眾魔軍的宿生因緣，現在誰在對他起惡心和以後因此而生的果報，從中發現了四聖諦、十二因緣的道理和解脫輪迴，消滅眾生苦惱的方法，自利利他。心中常存悲願，每一事，即使只是供一盞燈或念一句咒，都希望須能利益有情。
但是，孔子說：「好仁不好學，其弊也愚」，要真正幫助所有眾生，單有悲心還是不夠。有個故事說：雙手癱瘓的母親無助地望著孩子被洪水沖走；她是有心無力。一位母親，給錢讓兒子買毒品頂癮，是愛之反而害之！第二個面向是要淨心和證悟「空」性。
五道成佛生活化
前面說的大乘五道，第一個是「資糧道」。資糧有二種：福德資糧和智慧資糧。比如世人要出遠門，總要有錢和有行程上食、住、的安排、地圖、導遊的指引。行程中道路上的障礙亦要清除。我們在日常生活中，應盡量多做會供、佈施，放生等善業積集福德資糧，讀經、聞法，學習佛教的道理，拜師求學是積集智慧資糧；禮拜、懺悔是清除修行道路上的障礙。
學佛，明白和體證是兩個不同的層次。有如看足球比賽，很容易看出比賽隊伍的佈局優劣，球員的技術。但是親身下場比賽，便不成了！沒有實力，便會輸球。學佛不能說明白了義理便算。
資糧道之後是「加行道」。比如煮飯，在街市買好材料，回家便要加工了。是趨向進入成為聖者的道路。在日常生活中多修習禪定，淨化身心。從明白「空」性，進而念修觀想「空」是甚麼。禪修「止」、「觀」是專心入定從而觀察事物本體、人我和法我「空」的性質。
藏密的生起次第和圓滿次第便是直接地體會到「空」性的修法。可以「見道」，觸證真如、登上菩薩聖者之地位。真正地在行住坐臥、二六時中修行，做到「境來心應，境去心無。」成就大圓鏡智。
在「修道」方面藏密寧瑪派，要求從見地上做功夫，與生活相配合而修行。首先修轉心四法等前行，外觀世界變幻，生死無常，內則如實觀心，將他人的苦難，感同身受。對無常苦、輪迴苦、惑業苦等作出深刻的體會；明白因果報應不爽，引發深信；觸證業因緣起、相依緣起、相對緣起等般若正見；調伏內心、言語和與行為，發大菩提心。
次為不共前行，依三法印而修：積集福慧資糧是諸惡莫作，眾善奉行；懺悔罪障是自淨其意！
觀想在生活中所喜所愛之事物，上供諸佛菩薩，下布施六道有情。凡能令已喜悅起貪慾之一切物事，隨有所見，皆當起念供養上師三寶。自身此生安樂、名聞、利得等，凡有所得，亦皆上師三寶悲愍所賜，故當敬禮上師三寶。所修善根，亦當供獻上師三寶，為利益一切有情，普皆迴向六道眾生。
如是前四道圓滿六度萬行，究竟成佛，即為五道中最終極之「究竟道」。
結論
在密修上，大瑜伽，依本尊佛慢，成就化佛之身語意，於日常生活中，言行舉止，與佛菩薩無二無別！活於佛菩薩的淨土，所見的眾生依顯宗說法：「眾生皆有佛性」視之為未來佛；一切音聲皆是咒音，與《佛說阿彌陀經》所說的「皆悉念佛、念法、念僧」融通。阿努瑜伽，修氣、脈、明點。照了色空，成就佛菩薩的光蘊加持，音聲救苦等事業功德。進而阿的瑜伽，須臾不離菩提心，常在定中，知逆緣是加持，正妄念之本源為智慧。自在放下。在家出家無分別，都可得到大成就！
The Third World Buddhist Forum
Tibetan Buddhist Lay Practitioners in Their Daily Lives
Sunny Yat-Kwong Lai
Introduction
There are not many Buddhist monks and nuns in Hong Kong but Buddhism followers and Practitioners are estimated to be of several hundred thousand. Influenced by the popularity of Tibetan Buddhism in Europe and United States many people in Hong Kong become interested in Tibetan Buddhism, thus a lot of centres have sprung up. The level of understanding of the teachings by these people varies. People living in the modern society face a lot of problems and difficulties in life and when these occured can Buddhism philosophy and teachings help them to resolve their grievouses? Can Buddhism teachings and practice be useful and applied in their daily life? Is there a particular path to follow? Do Dzongchen practices by layman practitioners be able to achieve enlightenment?
There are a lot of questions confronting modern days Buddhists. For example are there any social boudaries? Is Tibetan Buddhism for the rich and the privilege only? Can women practitioners be able to do as well as men practitioners? Practitioners in Tibet are not vegetarian and will their diet affect the practice? How do people balance their daily life and spiritual practice? Can Buddhism help to overcome ones’ obstacles?
Looking back at history, Indrabodhi, an Indian King, was one of the great masters of the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism; though enjoying all the luxury in life as a king Indrabodhi was a great accomplished practitioner. While Tilopa (988-1069 AD) on the other hand was a worker in producing sesame oil before he became the founder of the Kagyu sect and a great accomplished practitioner. There is no such thing as the rich can practice Tibetan Buddhism and the poor cannot. As we all know Buddha Sakyamuni was a prince living a respectable life, confronted by the sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death he became a monk to seek liberation. Though we are all facing such sufferings we lack the reflective virtue of Buddha. Further more, Machig Labdron, founder of the Chod tradition in Tibetan Buddhism, was a woman accomplished practitioner. Thus, Buddhism can be practiced and attained accomplishment by everyone irrespective of social status, gender or age.
Refrain from killing and taking vegetarian diet
The essence of Buddhist practice is self-reflection, to fix our inappropriate behavior. Nowadays some people use to judge others with their limited knowledge in Buddhism, not realizing that such criticisms might generate more misunderstandings on Buddhism among others. Adopting a vegetarian diet is an example. We have to realize that the family can be taken as a place for practice to the lay Buddhists. Mahayana Buddhism requires non-killing from the starting point of compassion, which is translated into the ethics of not eating the fresh of living beings. However, if one is a Buddhist and ask your family members, who are not yet Buddhists, not to eat meat, they might get upset. There are no points creating disputes because one begins practicing Buddhism.
On the contrary, we have to let those around you know the very motive of taking vegetarian diet is to nurture compassion. By setting an example to your family, your family members could gradually follow your practice and develop a compassionate mind. The vegetarian diet is also good to our health. There are many toxins in meat which may lead to various diseases. From the mind-only perspective, the root of all disease is our greed, hatred, ignorance, jealousy and attachment. Inappropriate diet can be a source of our illnesses.
When deciding whether to be a vegetarian, we have to understand some of the facts too. From a historical point of view, there are two main reasons for Chinese Buddhist monks to be vegetarians. First, the Emperor Liang Wu was very interested in Buddhism, as he read a scripture and found the benefits of being a vegetarian, he ordered all monks to become vegetarians and not to kill any animals. From then on, this became a rule among monks. Lay persons took this practice too, so many people voluntarily became vegetarians, whether both short-term or long-term.
Influencing family members
Similarly, it is something nice for lay Buddhists to become volunteer workers out of bodhicitta, but if by doing so, one has no time to take care of the family and create family problems, this kind of behaviors (having compassion to outsiders but not to the family members) is inappropriate. After Buddha Sakyamuni was enlightened, he went back to his home town to teach his own tribe and in fact before he left home to become a monk, he told his father that he would come back and teach him once he gets enlightened.
Lord Buddha showed great respect to his seniors. When his father passed away, he deliberately went back home, taking care of the funeral. As we actualize Buddhist teachings in our daily life, we let our family members believe in Buddhism.
Facing adversity
How should lay Buddhists face adversity of life? Some people claim that they are too indulged in Buddhist practice and don’t care too much about their duties in the workplace when they should. Practicing the Dharma should not be an excuse for affecting their duties. Devotion in work is a kind of practice. Again, indulgence in Buddhism practices should not be an excuse for alienation with others.
How should we handle the attacks from others? Here is a story. When Rahula and Sariputta were begging in Rajagaha, a rascal filled Sariputta’s bowl with sand, and hit Rahula’s head with a wooden stick. Sariputta comforted Rahula and told him to endure humiliation. People who can tolerate the insult are the bravest, as there is no power greater than this behavior. He stayed calm after hearing this. Upon knowing this account, Lord Buddha said, “a person with wisdom understands the karma, overcome their anger even being insulted. This is the way one can find peace and avoid disasters. Forbearance is a boat in the sea, which can go through all the difficulties. Forbearance is a good medicine of the illness, which can help and save the patients. The reason why I get enlightened and can walk through the Three Realms is that I realize the virtue of forbearance.”
”Acquaintance with those whom you dislike” is one of the eight sufferings in the human realm. It is common to encounter this situation. On the one hand, whether one can handle it depends on one’s own practice and on the other hand, we can also see this from the law of karma that such a circumstance is in fact a result of the poor interpersonal relationships we created in our previous lives. Hatred will bring us painful experiences, however, people who are being hated won’t sympathize our pain! Therefore, letting go these foes is in fact letting go oneself.
”To purify one’s mind is the teaching of the Buddhas”. The Buddhist dharma is in fact a way to protect one’s mind. In Theravada Buddhism, it is taught that in order to practice kindness, one should learn to be kind to oneself. Like mothers caring their children, one should truthfully understand and protect one’s mind. People nowadays always say that there are opportunities in crises. Going through the difficulties is the development of wisdom and is a kind of blessing. It is also helpful to ask for help from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas when we are in difficulties.
Aligning with daily life
Another common question is whether one can leave their practice after they have retired. It is always good to start doing Buddhist practice early, the sooner the better. It is easier to learn when you have a good physical and mental health. Tibetan Buddhism requires practitioners to hold the enlightened mind in every moment in daily life, maintaining firmly the Buddha pride, i.e. visualizing clearly oneself as the same as the Buddha or a certain Buddhisattva. If one can keep this, how can one have wrong views or wrong deeds?
Such a practice in fact won’t affect one’s work since you are conducting your life as usual but with an enlightened mind. Only by doing so, one can attain enlightenment in this very life. That’s why practice is possible for busy people and there is no need to wait till retirement.
Self effort is also stressed in Tibetan Buddhism. The practitioner visualizes oneself as the yidam and can seek the help from dakinis or dharma protectors. There are different kinds of activity practices like pacifying, enriching and magnetizing. However, all these need the transmission of a Guru. Nowadays, some people are fond of learning Buddhism from books, in fact it is very difficult to get enlightenment without having a qualified Guru. Just like what is said in the Platform Sutra, only before Bhismagarjitasvararaja Buddha, enlightenment without a Guru is possible. The Bhismagarjitasvararaja Buddha symbolises the beginning of time. In other words, enlightenment without a Guru is simply impossible.
The path, comprising the stages of accumulation, reinforcement, seeing, practicing and ultimate accomplishment was portrayed in the Deeds of the Bodhisattva. It is a road map to enlightenment. In Tibetan Buddhism, one is required to generate the mind, accumulate merit and remove obscurations before seeing the path. The ‘minds’ to be generated are renunciation and bodhicitta.
Renunciation and bodhicitta
Renunciation is the urge to leave samsara, the cycle of existence and sufferings. In the days of the Buddha, Indians will become monk when they get old until their death. Those who look for ultimate truths or Buddhist preachers are all monks. However, there are great sages like Vimalakirti and Madam Excellent Garland were lay persons. In Zen Buddhism, Mr Pan in the Tang dynasty, again a layman, was highly respected. In Tibetan Buddhism, the great master Padmasambhava showed himself as a layman too. After the reign of King gLang darma, Tibetan Buddhism was inherited by lay practitioners. So we see monks and laymen cooexist in the Tibetan Buddhist sangha. There were a lot of great masters who are lay person, whether in Nyingma, Kagyu or Sakya sects of Tibetan Buddhism.
When the Sixth Patriarch in Zen Buddhism requested teaching from the Fifth, he showed as a lay person. He was formally ordained as monk only after he began to preach. He said clearly that, “the Dharma exists in this world, it does not go beyond worldly awareness, looking for enlightenment other than this world is like searching for horns in rabbits”. Regardless your status, the most important thing is to keep an open mind, free from attachment and aligning with the Buddhist teachings in one’s behaviors. What comes first is renunciation rather than seeking for an identity of a monk.
Second is about bodhicitta. Bodhi means enlightenment. Buddha is the enlightened one. Bodhicitta means ‘enlightened mind’. It has two aspects: work for benefits of all sentient beings, and the unfolding of wisdom.
The first aspect is to treat everyone the same with compassion non-discriminatively. The enlightenment of the Buddha came about as he observed the army of the demons and realize that this is the result of his own past actions. From this, he realized the Four Noble Truths, the Twelve Nidanas, and liberated from the cycle of existence. He realized the way to benefit oneself and others. With compassion, even small actions like offering lamps to the Buddha or chanting a mantra are all beneficial. But as Confucius said, “Inclined to benevolence but not to learning, clumsiness would be the failure”, having compassion alone is not sufficient to really help sentient beings. Just like a disabled mother who watched her child swept away by the flood helplessly, who is powerless even though she has the compassion. Another mother, who gave money to her son to buy drugs to fulfill his addiction, it is more harm than love. Therefore, the second aspect is to clear our own mind and realize emptiness.
The path of five stages in real life
As for the accumulation stage in Mahayana, there are two kinds of accumulation, the accumulation of merits and the accumulation of wisdom. For example, when we go for a trip, we will need to prepare for money and the arrangement (e.g., food, housing, map, tour guide) during the trip as well. We may need to clear up some of the obstacles during the trip. We should perform more pujas, alms giving and setting free of fish to accumulate merit. The accumulation of wisdom includes studying Buddhist scriptures, hearing and learning Buddhist teachings and approaching a spiritual master. Doing prostrations and repentance practices are ways to clear the obstacles in the path.
Understanding and actualizing Buddhist teachers are very different levels. Like soccer, commenting a match and actually playing the game are different. If we do not have strength and effort, we are bound to lose. Therefore, understanding alone is not sufficient in Buddhism.
Accumulation is follows by the reinforcement stage. Just like cooking, after buying the ingredients from the market, we have to go home and cook. It is a path of the saints. In daily life, we should practice meditation to purify our heart continuously. After understanding emptiness, we have to start doing various meditation and contemplation practices. Only by doing so, one can realize the suchness of all phenomena.
In Tibetan Buddhism, emptiness is directly tackled in both the Generation and Completion stages. This let one proceed to the seeing stage, reaching different stages of the Bodhisattva. In there, one can attain Great Mirror Wisdom in all time during the day and night, no matter one is walking, standing, sitting or sleeping
In the practicing stage, Tibetan Buddhism, the Nyingma sect in particular, base its practices in the above view, and merge with daily experience. It starts with the Four Thoughts that Change the Mind, contemplating the impermanence of all phenomena, looking into one’s own mind and empathy of others. Having a deep experience of impermanence and suffering, realizing the karmic laws, taming one’s mind, speeches and behaviours, bodhicitta is thus generated.
What follows is the extraordinary preliminary practice which includes accumulation and purification practices. In particular, when one meet desirable objects, including comfort, fame, fortune, in daily life, we offer them to the Guru, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, at the same time, offer to all sentient beings. All the merits thus obtained are offered too.
Conclusion
In Tibetan Buddhist practice, Buddha Pride is maintained in body, speech and mind. All deeds during daily life are held with no difference with Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. We realize that we are living in the pure land of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. As said in the Sustra that every sentient beings possesses the Buddha nature, we see all sentient being as future Buddhas, and like what is said in the Amitabha Sustra, every sound is in fact chanting Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. In Anuyoga, prana, nadis and bindus are practiced, being blessed by the light of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, relieving all sufferings. And as one proceeds to Atiyoga, one won’t part from Bodhicitta even for an instance. In this meditational stage, one realizes that adversity is a blessing, the origin of all thoughts is wisdom. Letting go , one can attain great accomplishment whether or not one stays in a monastery or at home!
