Path Tantra:

To persons whose minds have matured, who are rid of obscuration and possessed of a joyful frame
of mind, you reveal the foremost and perfect teaching. Putting effort into gaining clarity is a key
strategic action.

One of the central themes of tantric traditions is the importance of the Guru. The Malinivijayottara
Tantra gives a brief but important description of the ideal Guru.

‘He is one who knows all the principles of reality (tattva) as they really are, is equal to Shiva,
and can manifest the power of mantra. Those who are initiated by him are guided by Shiva himself.
They attain the fulfilment of their innermost desires and the ultimate state. The Guru is ever
established in union, and can be recognized by several signs, including his perfection in mantra
(mantrasiddhi), his/ her control over all his/ her senses; and his being free from the effect of
accumulated actions (prarabdha karma). Finally he/ she is gifted with poetry, and an understanding
of the meaning of all the scriptures.

Path tantra is about the body, the veins, the channels, the droplets and the winds that flow through
our nervous system: the elements or liquids that flow through those veins, and the energy with
which they circulate in the body vein mandala. Some people’s veins are crooked: other peoples’ are
clogged. This depends on the moods and characteristics they have leant themselves to.

The veins themselves are actually in the form of letters, or archetypal shapes and symbols; which are
affected by the way we think.

The communication between the body and the psychic level is very powerful and the purifactory
process is a meditation. A spiritual operation takes place during every single meditation, correcting
the veins and the nadis. If we feel pain in the body, we can focus on love and compassion, and send
those feelings to the painful part. Pain is cured through the river of veins.

The energy which makes up the intensive nature of all those essences is bodhicitta. When we
activate altruism; the contents of the veins changes: subtle changes in our chemistry take place
simultaneously. As a result, our feelings and experiences also change.

What causes the circulation is the subtle air. It is useful/ good to think of everything as air, nothing
tangible. A good meditator becomes air. Then he transcends ordinary matter and elements.
Therefore he is not subject to death and decay; nor does he need food constantly.

Radical transformation: A system changes when its perception of itself changes.

Everything is a mandala: if the centre is happy, the circumference is happy. If the centre is crooked,
the circumference is also crooked. We don’t wait for the experience in Vajrayana meditation: we
don’t have to climb step by step. We just become it. We simply visualize ourselves as the Buddha of
Compassion, rather than trying to be a little kinder to people.

The sutric kind of compassion involves attempting to build up love and compassion gradually at the
individual level. It is laborious and ineffective, whereas if we just turn ourselves into the
Compassionate Buddha, there is no discrimination amongst beings as to who is worthy; who is not;
who does/ doesn’t need our compassion. Hence we manipulate the ordinary ego by thinking of it as
totally perfect.

Everything is a reflection of the perceiver; so when we think of ourselves as imperfect, we will of

course, be imperfect. If a person thinks of himself as Mary/ John having distractions; she/ he will
always have the Mary/ John distractions coming in: the Mary/ John past will keep intruding. But one
who thinks of himself as Avalokiteshwara, will have only the past of Avalokiteshwara to deal with.

How to realize Emptiness?

First we empty ourselves. This is not a nihilistic concept. Nor is it easy to attain. It is a creative
emptiness which says that if we are zero, we can become any number. Imagination plays a major
role.

If we cannot imagine ourselves transcending distractions; distractions will weaken our

concentration. Whether or not the quality of meditation improves over time will depend entirely on
the courage of the meditator.

Vajrayana is a swift method. First Ego must be purified/ transcended.

Fear and greed make people act in cruel and selfish ways. Anger is a type of greed: it is simply
frustrated desire (wanting to have things your way) that can eventually become violent.

Other people’s anger need not alarm us, as long as we are not angered by it. If we respond with
anger, we are just the same as the angry person. Transforming a vision of hatred into compassion
using empathy avoids and loosens the habitual tendencies.

There is much creative satisfaction to be had from transforming familiar objects into their opposite.
The nature of the experience tells us a lot about the level we have reached.

A meditator’s mind becomes so pure, it can almost tell what’s going to happen next.

The essence of enlightenment is altering everyday perception into enlightened perception.

Sentient beings are the source of the cause and result of full awakening. All sentient have a portion
of Buddha’s Supreme Qualities. Every kind of trouble arises from neglecting sentient beings.

“Should you rely on sentient beings, you will gain the unsurpassable fully awakened state.”

A person of the low vehicle does not attain even a part of full awakening, because he neglects
sentient beings, whereas a follower of the Great Vehicle, since he is deeply concerned for others,
actualises unsurpassable Buddhahood.

“You should vigorously reject, as if it were poison, a lack of affection for sentient beings”
“How could those who examine the results of harming or helping others remain attached for a single
instant to their own welfare”

Samsara is the teaching vehicle. All is reflection. Indignation and self-righteousness puts an end to
love and compassion. Stabilize and help others grow. Pride (and over-excitement) will inevitably be
the cause of your downfall. It is a mental illness.

There is an unstoppable momentum to this cycle of purification. Do what you can to protect your
mind and be patient. No good ever comes of anger, for anger and loving kindness cannot co-exist. It
is always a false victory for the childish, the immature.

We experience the results of our own actions: not the results of others’ actions: this is the natural
law of karma that is partial to no one. Eating meat is the cause of harm to other sentient beings. Of
this, there can be no doubt. Only patience will gain you victory. Kindness always…

Those in the lower realms are suppressed by suffering; blinded by it; unable to see: so use a gentle
and caring tone; do not scold or be harsh.

In order to realise the most Excellent Emptiness, the sankhyas (heaps) of merit and wisdom must be
completed. Step by Step with Guidance from the Master is the way. Do not be arrogant enough to
think you have the correct view: for the consequences are serious and you will suffer greatly.

One needs to have done the preliminary practices before meditating on the View; having first
developed knowledge and understanding of selflessness (lack of inherent existence) of person and
phenomena (non-substantiality). For effective meditation, the karmic body has to be purified/
cultivated so as to reach convergence of Mind, Body and Breath.

Moral discipline; Purify the Mental Continuum through hearing/ learning; Through Critical Analysis
(logic and reasoning), understand meaning. Then and only then, can one meditate; after acquiring
the wisdom of concentration through analysis…

With genuine Great Compassion, all the other qualities follow: without it, there is no Bodhicitta, no
Bodhisattva, no Wisdom and no accumulation of Merit

Buddha is born from Bodhisattva only: and Bodhisattva is born from Great Compassion only