Shri Hevajra: Discussion

Shri Hevajra is a complex meditation about sending a messenger to this universe of dualistic fixation. Its complexity is that one must come to understand over a 100 beings central to paradise (Buddha realms or Heaven) with different Sanskrit names from Hinduism to Buddhism and within Buddhism.

Sanskrit is a dynamic language and the different use of syllables words are a combination of the relationship between teaching and understanding.

As this is time consuming the Bible is a reduction of this complexity to the trinity of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Buddhism has similar bodies of teaching to attain simplicity as many people do not have the time to study the complete teachings in all religions.

Hevajra is a wrathful meditation where the image is frightening, a complex way of gently teaching and practicing with firmness. Gentleness and firmness have a sense of contradiction that causes confusion. This is why these complex practices are not given without a strong teacher student relationship requiring many years to develop.

The next two items on the main page are about the ten stages of perfection or Bhumi of a Bodhisattva plus three of a Buddha, usual taught in increasing levels. There are teachings that mention the order of progression as a tool rather than a rule. There are levels beyond these that involve bringing all being to enlightenment throughout the universe. Involved in these levels are utpattikrama (development stage) and sampannakrama (perfection stage) arising from the need to forewarn of further teachings that for now must be taken on faith. People generally take these preliminary teachings as the complete teachings and hence assume they are more developed than they are. Generally one tries to practice these two stages in a single session until one gains confidence that one has mastered the practice, an attainment that is impossible at this time due to the numbers of unenlightened beings. What does change is the order and focus of various aspects of the practices as one gains skill. An example is Aksobhya and Vairocana causing confusion. It takes a skilled practitioner to know an explain these two beings just as it does to know and explain loving kindness and compassion.

It is good to read these stages in a book Called “The Jewel Ornament of Liberation”. A recommendation is a book translated by Khenpo Konchog Gyaltsen Rinpoche.