About
Phowa
The practice of Conscious
Dying, or Phowa, is one of the profound teachings of Diamond Way
Buddhism (Vajrayana). In the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism
it is taught in the context of the Six Yogas of Naropa.
During Phowa practice,
one learns to direct one's mind towards Buddha Amitabha and transfer
one's consciousness into the Pure Land of Great Bliss. Thus it
is possible to establish a definite connection with the Buddha
Amitabha and to arrive at a direct experience of this extremely
pure and joyful state.
This is especially
useful at the time of death. Instead of being driven through the
intermediate state (Tibetan Bardo) into a new rebirth in the cycle
of existence, one goes directly into the state of highest bliss.
Being in the state of the Buddha himself, one receives further
teachings and develops very quickly towards the state of full
enlightenment.
However, through this
kind of practice it is even possible to realize more and more
the pure nature of one's mind, which means to manifest the pure
land here and now. In this case one does not need to send one's
energy and awareness to the Pure Land and one need not wait for
the result to come when one builds up the causes.
Instead, one can develop,
in this lifetime, a huge capacity to benefit others and to liberate
them from all suffering. This is the actual meaning of the Phowa
practice. It is a great gift, and the most powerful of all the
different forms of Amitabha practice.
THE
TEACHING OF PHOWA
>
A short
history of the Karma Kagyu Lineage.
http://www.karma-kagyu.org/history_kag_lineage/kagyu_lineage.htm
The
Heart of the Prajna Paramita Sutra
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The free seeing Bodhisattva
of compassion, while in profound contemplation of Prajna Paramita,
beheld five skandhas as empty in their being and thus crossed
over all sufferings.
O-oh Sariputra, what
is seen does not differ from what is empty, nor does what is empty
differ from what is seen; what is seen is empty, what is empty
is seen.
It is the same for
sense perception, imagination, mental function and judgment.
Ooh Sariputra, all
the empty forms of these dharmas neither come to be nor pass away
and are not created or annihilated, not impure or pure, and cannot
be increased or decreased.
Since in emptiness
nothing can be seen, there is no perception, imagination, mental
function or judgment.
There is no eye, ear,
nose, tongue, body or consciousness. Nor are there sights, sounds,
odors, tastes, objects or dharmas. There is no visual world, world
of consciousness or other world.
There is no ignorance
or extinction of ignorance and so forth down to no aging and death
and also no extinction of aging and death. There is neither suffering,
causation, annihilation nor path.
There is no knowing
or unknowing. Since nothing can be known, Bodhisattvas rely upon
Prajna Paramita and so their minds are unhindered.
Because there is no
hindrance, no fear exists and they are far from inverted and illusory
thought and thereby attain nirvana.
All the Buddhas in
the three periods of time fully accomplish the an-nut-ta-ra-sam-yak
sambod-hi by relying upon Prajna Paramita.
Therefore, Prajna Paramita
is known as the most divine mantra, the great enlightening mantra,
the utmost mantra, the incomparable mantra, destroyer of all suffering!
Since what is true is not in vain, listen to the mantra of the
Prajna Paramita, it goes like this:
GATE GATE PA-RA
GATE PARASAM GATE BOD-HI SVA-HA!
