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Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

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feel it is their duty to help one who declares that his aim<br />

is nothing less than Full Enlightenment.<br />

So do you think that there is no need for their help? If<br />

you think this, you suffer a great loss by your own<br />

conceit!<br />

The question talks about "subduing" but this does not<br />

apply to gods—only to demons. Gods will obey <strong>and</strong><br />

help anyone bound for Enlightenment, while demons<br />

hinder. Demons' powers are used only to further evil<br />

purposes <strong>and</strong> it may occasionally be necessary to use<br />

some method to quell them.<br />

A <strong>Buddhist</strong> never honors an absolute God but he does<br />

revere some of the conditional gods, <strong>and</strong> for this<br />

purpose there are many rituals prescribed in the<br />

Vajrayana. Among these gods, the four great kings are<br />

very important. As guardians of the four quarters, they<br />

truly protect the Dharma <strong>and</strong> as a result, have their place<br />

in the vestibule of every Tibetan temple. It was the great<br />

Guru Padmasambhava who recognized their mighty<br />

power <strong>and</strong> established them in this high position.<br />

Even if one has not seen any gods, still this does not<br />

mean that they do not exist. Whether we talk in this way<br />

or not, the gods see us.<br />

Said Mr. Chen, "They have already seen this book<br />

for it appeared in the light of my meditation lying on<br />

my shrine to the four great kings (see Ch. VII,<br />

631

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