Chpater 6 - Three Bowls

White Tara said:

“You should use your life to protect your vows and precepts! You should use your life to protect your vows and precepts! You should use your life to protect your vows and precepts!”

White Tara said this three times.

I was very surprised that she repeated this three times. 

White Tara replied:

“There is no need to be surprised! Vows and precepts are the root of liberation, and liberation is more important than one’s life. So no matter what you do, it has to be in accord with Dharma, in harmony with one’s vows and precepts, and only in this way can one accumulate ‘resources,’ ‘merit,’ and ‘wisdom.’”

White Tara said:

“There are three categories of people who will never be able to attain liberation. The first category of people, are those who do not even want to be liberated. The second category of people, are those who keep doing things that are not in accord with Dharma. The third category of people, are those whose hearts are filled with the Five Poisons.”

This sentence alarmed me, and reminded me of the analogy of the “three bowls”: 

• A covered or upturned bowl - this bowl is covered or upside down. A person in this category does not believe in the existence of buddhas, reincarnation, or karma. Such a person simply does not believe in anything. Even if dharma milk is poured onto this bowl, it would not fill. A person in this category simply has no affinity. (Buddhas are unable to deliver those without affinity.) 


• A broken bowl - this bowl has already been broken, or is chipped with a hole or crack. This represents that this person’s vows and precepts have already been damaged. Dharma milk was going to fill this bowl to the brim, but in the end it was all lost through leakage. This kind of bowl will never become full. People in this category are unable to attain liberation.


• A dirty bowl - this bowl is not broken or cracked. The only problem is that the bowl is dirty. It is not pure. When a dirty bowl is used to hold dharma milk, the result is that the dharma milk becomes contaminated. This represents a filthy heart for people in this category. They are full of cravings, anger, ignorance, doubt, and arrogance. If one is unclean, one will be unable to attain liberation.

White Tara said: 

“Take refuge anew, immediately repent, and receive the precepts and vows once more. This is the dharma gate of the Redemptive Practice.”

A bowl that faces upward.
A new bowl.
A bowl that has been washed clean.

(Only then will this be a suitable dharma vessel.)

***

I, Grandmaster Lu, deeply understand White Tara’s painstaking efforts, continuously helping me to deliver sentient beings. 

White Tara has a heart with boundless compassion.

She hopes that those who have been listed in the “Highly Confidential Register of Those Fallen into the Three Lower Realms”, will quickly reflect on their actions.

And go on the right path afresh. 

Nothing holds greater importance in one's life than the journey towards achieving buddhahood and the dedicated efforts to benefit all beings. All other pursuits are ultimately devoid of true meaning.

Do not be attached to worldly concerns.
Worldly matters are the root of rebirth.
First practice in accord with Dharma –
Cultivate until one’s illusory body manifests.
Cultivate until the rainbow light manifests.
Be fearless regarding death and the annihilation of the universe.
Know how to merge into the pure light.
Know how to realize the four holy states.
Know how to accomplish the perfect fruition of buddhahood.
Know how to become unfettered and at ease, and how to abide in spontaneous accomplishment.

***

My vow is: not to forsake a single sentient being. Naturally, I am accompanied by countless dharma companions. It is inconceivable. Regardless of whether this assembly consists of five million, one million, a hundred thousand, or even just two individuals, I know undeniably, that we are interconnected as a single entity.

I would like to help my dharma companions, to share this inner awakening:

The practice of non-leakage.
The practice of the arising of the inner fire.
The practice of light-drops.

(The accomplishment of great bliss, the accomplishment of pure light, the accomplishment of the illusory body, the accomplishment of rainbow light, the accomplishment of no-death, the accomplishment of no-birth, the accomplishment of unfettered ease, spontaneous accomplishment, the accomplishment of Dzogchen, the Great Perfection.)