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Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

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have lustful thoughts?" If a selfish thought arises, think,<br />

"Would a Buddha still have selfish thoughts?" When<br />

evil thought is cut off, evil action cannot take place. In<br />

this way one not only accomplishes bodily<br />

transformation, but also achieves a Buddha-mind. How<br />

practical is the anuttarayoga!<br />

We may pursue the distinction between human pride<br />

<strong>and</strong> the Holy Pride of Buddhahood. Human pride is a<br />

sorrow. If a good person is proud of the numerous<br />

merits he has accumulated, he or she could be born in<br />

the asura realm, but not in the heavens. It is human<br />

pride when the false guru dem<strong>and</strong>s, "You are a great<br />

sinner <strong>and</strong> I am the only Buddha in this world. You<br />

must offer me your wife, daughters, <strong>and</strong> maidservants as<br />

my dakinis; <strong>and</strong> your l<strong>and</strong>, houses, fields, <strong>and</strong> gardens<br />

as my property." Human pride always accompanies lust,<br />

anger, ignorance, <strong>and</strong> egotism, while Buddha-Pride<br />

accompanies selflessness, sunyata, compassion, <strong>and</strong><br />

precept-keeping. The two must be clearly distinguished.<br />

As I have said, the yogi's surroundings—the m<strong>and</strong>ala of<br />

the Buddha-body—should also be visualized in accord<br />

with the above three conditions. In addition, the<br />

symbolism of each part of the m<strong>and</strong>ala should be<br />

understood. Just as one's body has been personified in<br />

Buddhahood, one's hermitage should be sublimated into<br />

the Buddha's m<strong>and</strong>ala. The diamond of wisdom is its<br />

foundation; the eight divisions of the Path are its pillars;<br />

the Four Noble Truths are the four precious gates;<br />

817

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