Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

APPENDIX II
THE FOUR FOUNDATIONS OF VAJRAYANA
MEDITATION
We have discussed meditation from the standpoints of
philosophy, tradition, and practice, but here the practical
aspect is the most important. Both the old and the new
schools in Tibet agree on these invaluable preparations
for Tantric practice. The subject is divided into five
sections: the four foundations considered individually,
and the interrelationships between them.
A. Taking Refuge
In the whole system of Buddhist meditation, to take
refuge is the beginning of practice, following the two
wisdoms of hearing (or reading) and thinking. The fault
of most Eastern Buddhists is that they take the refuges
first, before developing these two wisdoms.
The Buddha did not receive a disciple unless that person
first knew something of his teachings. In fact, he
personally instructed those who came to him before
admitting them as disciples and always asked them to
study and thoroughly understand what he taught. He did
not favor blind faith; in the Dhammapada we find many
instructions concerning this. The Buddha mentioned
two sorts of people who take Dharma-instructions: one
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