FIVE JINA BUDDHAS PURIFICATION FROM THE AFFLICTED STATE OF SAMSRA

Milan Shakya The Lord Sakyamuni Buddha, out of compassion, taught three vehicles, Sravakayna, Pratyekabuddhayna and Samyak Sambuddhayna. Samyak Sambuddhayna is also called Mahyna. It leads all sentient beings from the suffering of samsra to perfect Buddhahood. Mahyna is further subdivided in two ways, the vehicle of perfections (pramityna) and the Mantra vehicle (mantrayna). Pramityna is a causal vehicle (hetuyna) and Mantrayna is a resultant vehicle (phalayna). The indivisibilty of method and wisdom is called Vajrayna. Vajrayna utilizes skilful means to transform the five poisons, viz. desire (rga), hatred (dvesa), delusion (moha), pride (mada) and envy (mtsarya) into wisdoms. This is mentioned in the Guhyasamja Tantra, Teachings that transform desire, hatred and ignorance are the vehicle of Vajrayna. Central to the principles of Vajrayna Buddhism is the mandala of the Buddhas of Five Families (Skt: pacakula; Tib. rigs-lnga), which are mistakenly called Dhyni Buddhas or sometimes even Imaginary Buddhas. They are the real Buddhas, but in Vajrayna, they are visualized and meditated upon in their Sambhogakaya and Dharmakaya forms. So, the Five Buddhas represent the transformation of five poisons or delusions into purified state of five wisdoms. Vairocana Buddha Vairocana is one of the five Tathagatas symbolizing all pervasive wisdom (skt. suvisuddha dharma dhatujnana). This wisdom is like a torch which illuminates the uncovered reality of wisdom dispelling the thick darkness of ignorance (moha). So Buddhas teaching is a great illuminator (vairocana) which instantly dispels the darkness of ignorance . Vairocana Buddha always resides in the Akanistha heaven. He is white in color and is shown in Bodhyanga mudra. His vehicle is a pair of lions symbolizing lions roar of dharmadhatujnana which terrifies all wrong views. He can be recognized through white disc or dharmacakra which cuts all wrong views. He also represents the purified form (rupa) of five aggregates. In Vairocana abhisambodhi stra, Vairocana was none other than Sakyamuni Buddha himself, who manifested in such a form to teach Vajrayana Buddhism in Akanistha heaven.

Aksobhya Buddha Aksobhya Tathagata symbolizes Mirror like Wisdom (skt. adarsajnana) which means the wisdom like space, all pervasive, without periphery and without characteristics. He is the essence of purified form of hatred and consciousness (vijnana) of five aggregates. Just as a mirror reflects every visible object impartially so the nature of our mind reflects every knowable (Skt: jneya; Tib: shes bya) free of any construct and partiality. The image of Aksobhya Buddha is generally placed in the East in the Stpa because he resides in the eastern Buddha field called Abhirati. According to Aksobhya Buddhaksetravyuhalankara sutra, he also spent many kalpas practicing perfections until he became known as the Buddha Aksobhya with his own Buddhafied called Abhirati in the east. Aksobhya Buddha is blue which symbolizes permanence that is changeless just as the sky. This signifies the changelessness of Dharmakya wisdom. He shows earth-touching gesture (Skt. bhumisparsa mudra) and rides on the throne of an elephant symbolizing the steadfast nature of his Bodhisattva vows. Ratnasambhava Buddha Ratnasambhava symbolizes wisdom of equality (Skt. samatajnana). In Suvarnaprabhasa sutra, among the four Buddhas who descended on earth from the four Buddhafields at four cardinal directions, like east, south, west and north. The Buddha from the south was Buddha Ratnaketu, later called Ratnasambhava. He is yellow in color. He belongs to the Buddha family of Jewel. He is placed in the Stpa facing south. He shows varada mudra with his right hand. He holds wishfulfilling jewel in his left hand kept on his lap. He also represents the purified form of the defilement pride . He rides on the horse throne symbolizing that he ferries over the suffering sentient beings with full vigor. He resides in the pure abode of Ratnavati Buddha field. Amitabha Buddha Amitabha Buddha stands for the wisdom of discriminating awareness (Skt. pratyaveksanajnana). With discriminating wisdom we realize non-production or non-origination of all things. He also represents purified form of desire and perception (samjna) aggregate. Amitabha Buddha is red in color. He is represented in the stpa facing west. He rides on peacock symbolizing that he can take away the suffering of others just as the peacock eats poisonous plants and yet his tail shines forth.

Amitabha in Sanskrit means immeasurable light or limitless light. He resides in the western land of unlimited bliss (Skt. Sukhavati). He is assisted by two bodhisattvas' viz. Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamprapta. When he was a Bodhisattva he was called Bhikshu Dharmakara, he made 48 vows to build an adorned land of unlimited bliss. Buddha presides over the Bhadrakalpa i.e. Fortunate Aeon. He always exhibits Dhyana mudra. He belongs to the Lotus family. This symbolizes that Buddhas welfare activities are untainted by the afflicted world just as a lotus grows in muddy water while its blossoms remain stainless. With his extensive vows and great compassion this Buddha has ferried over innumerable sentient beings. The recitation of the name of Amitabha Buddha is a common practice in China and Japan. In Tibet too, devotees recite very often the prayer to be reborn in the land of Amitabha Buddha. Amoghasiddhi Buddha Amoghsiddhi Buddha represents the All Accomplishing Wisdom (Skt. krtyanusthan jnana). He also represents the purified form of jealousy. When one realizes All Accomplishing Wisdom one can perform every Buddha activity spontaneously without any conceptual construct. Green in color, Amoghsiddhi is represented in the Stpa facing north. In Suvarnaprabhasvara sutra he is named Dunduvisvara Tathgata from the northern Buddhafield. He rides on Garuda symbolizing that he can spot the serpent-like delusion from a far-away distance. A serpent with seven hoods and an umbrella is depicted on the backdrop. He exhibits abhayamudra showing that by following the Bodhisattva path fearlessness is gained. Afterword: The Practice of Vajrayna or Tantra is secret and hidden, requiring a perfectly qualified guru and his empowerment reinforced by the authentic unbroken lineage. So it must be understood that by just going through books on Vajrayna and literally understanding their meaning cannot make you a Vajrayna practitioner. Furthermore, practices for achieving activities of pacification, increase, control and fierceness are taught in Vajrayna in a secret way because those practitioners with impure motivation would harm both themselves and others. If the mental continuum has not been ripened by the practices common both to Stra and Tantra Mahyna-realization of suffering, impermanence, refuge, love, compassion, Bodhicittotpda, and emptiness of inherent existence-- the practice of the Vajrayna can be harmful through one's false assumption of an advanced practice inappropriate to ones capacity. Furthermore, without knowing much about Vajrayana or even conventional Mahayana (paramitayana), during these days, people just say whatever they like, disparaging the Mahayana Vajrayana practice. This is a very dangerious practice. By so doing, unknowingly, one incurs a heavy sin. So it is suggested

strongly here that even if one is following Sravakaya yana or Theravada Buddhism, he or she must not speak ill about Mahayana or Vajrayana Buddhism because he knows nothing about it. It is only due to their own preconceived ideas about these two forms of pure Buddha's teaching which they develop after hearing the unfounded talks of others or seeing some Mahayana or Vajrayana followers' behaviour. May this dangerous sin not be committed by the people. May all beings be happy.