Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

teacher's own instructions.)
Regarding the instructions in the mudra, in this book we
cannot draw all these finger positions, and even if we
could there would be considerable danger of mistakes
occurring. Words also cannot properly describe the
mudra and, like the mantras, they can only be obtained
directly from a teacher.
However, the most important part of these meditations
is the visualization, not the mudra and mantra. The
visualization practices are completely based upon the
philosophy of the Tantra (see Appendix I, Part One, A,
2).
If a person has not yet met with a guru, he will be
without the mudra and mantra and will only be
acquainted with the meditations given in this book. Now,
we recognize that mind is the essence, so such a person
should proceed in practice according to our book of
meditations. Hence, we have left aside the practices
concerning body and speech and concentrate here upon
those involving the mind. We should realize, however,
that in the lower Tantras, the three karmic meditations
dealing with the three secret conditions of body, speech,
and mind are always mentioned and are therefore
important. But by instructions given in the highest
Tantra of Tibet, the former two are not so important as
the third one—the mind.
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