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Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

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Fundamentally, esoteric doctrines <strong>and</strong> those of the<br />

exoteric schools should not be compared as they are not<br />

on the same level.<br />

"One is higher, one lower," said Mr. Chen. He went<br />

on:<br />

Comparing them is the same mistake people make about<br />

Hinayana <strong>and</strong> Mahayana—although they are both<br />

exoteric schools, still one is built upon the foundations<br />

of the other, <strong>and</strong> so they should not be compared as<br />

equals. This applies also to our present subject. How did<br />

this controversy of high <strong>and</strong> low arise in the first place?<br />

Believers in the exoteric schools have doubted that the<br />

esoteric traditions are higher than the exoteric. But in<br />

our system of three-yanas-in-one, the Tantras obviously<br />

st<strong>and</strong> highest—of this there is no doubt. The Mahayana<br />

is their foundation, <strong>and</strong> all its excellent points are<br />

included in the Vajrayana. It is wrong to compare these<br />

yanas as though they were opposites; this I do not allow!<br />

As Mahayanists who lack good advice may not accept<br />

this explanation, so we should give another reason.<br />

2. Position <strong>and</strong> Initiations<br />

Tantric doctrine is a yana in the position of consequence,<br />

but the Great Vehicle is a yana of cause. As an example:<br />

A Tantrika is like a man born into the palace of a king,<br />

upon whose throne he will sit one day. The Mahayanist<br />

resembles more the soldier working his way up through<br />

446

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