Auspicious Dreams
O Subahuh! The reciting of the mantra must not be too slow, too fast, too loud or too soft and must not be interrupted by talking or listening to others. One must concentrate to avoid making any mistakes. The cultivation of Dharani and the performance of good deeds through making offerings, paying homage, reciting hymns and adorations should be done continuously day and night like the continuous flow of water. When disturbing thoughts arise, refocus right away on the mantra, on the Buddha statue or form the Mudra. The follower of Vipas-yana focuses on the tip of his nose or in the middle of his eyebrows to gradually train the mind to be calm under adverse situations.
This is called the achievement of the Virtue of observation. The Yogi practices the same way. If he is able to be at peace under adversities, he is said to achieve the Clear Mind. Therefore to achieve enlightenment, one must focus on one condition. When the mind is so trained, happiness naturally results. Happiness lightens the spirit, pacifies the heart and induces feelings of safety. From this feeling of security one can recite Dharani with absolute faith and doing so erases all bad karmas. This in turn induces serenity that leads to Achievement of the Dharani. The Buddha said: “All the victorious Dharmas for happiness are in the celestial and human realms.
If the Dharma fails to be victorious, it is because the mind is polluted, which leads to the sufferings in the three jails, and to the miseries of poverty. If the mind is truly pure, one would be separated from the elements of earth, water, air, fire, birth, ageing, sickness and death; his mind is not bound by duality and he can enter the quiet realm of liberation. And as his mind is now quiet, he can practice the Dharani doctrine successfully. One will be able to avoid the temporary and ever-changing happiness.
All doctrines are born from the mind; they are not born from time, from nature or from the ego. They are not self-created or born without cause. Because of ignorance, human beings are kept in the wheel of reincarnation. The life we see is made up of illusory combinations of the four elements called Forms. We are not Forms and Forms are not us. Therefore the four remaining aggregations are also empty (sensation, perception, impression and consciousness). The impermanent Form is like a bubble;
Sensation is like a reflection in the water, Perception is like hot air. Impression is like the banana on the tree and Consciousness is like delusion. This is how all things should be viewed. Any other view of the doctrine is wrong”. Subahuh, in addition, if one recites Dharanis enough times one should know that the achievement of an Arhat rank is close. Why so? Because in the dreams, one will see one or many of the following transformations: Walking up the steps of a tall, beautiful palace; or up the top of a high mountain; or climbs up on a big tree; or rides a white horse, a white tiger, a rhinoceros, a white elephant, a white buffalo or a yellow buffalo.
One hears loud sounds of thunder from the vast emptiness, or voices preaching the Dharma. Receiving money and wealth, garlands of flowers, beautiful clothes in five colors, wine and meat, all kinds of juicy fruits, lotus of blue, yellow, red and white colors, images and relics of the Buddha, scriptures of the Great Vehicle Buddhism, camel, young calf, a full cart of materials, a feather whisk, sandals, swords and knives, fan made by the peacock's feather, gold and gem necklaces, beautiful and virtuous women.
In his dreams, he is sitting and eating in an assembly of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and saints, meeting with his parents and receiving jewels, or lying down on an ivory bed with white clean mattress and sheets, crossing an ocean, or washing up in a big river, large ponds and lakes. He is entering a temple, a tower or a monk’s room. He is in an assembly listening to the Buddha Dharma, seeing Buddha sitting on a jewel seat, lecturing to the human and celestial beings in the eightfold division, seeing Prateyka Buddhas lecturing on the doctrine of the twelve linked causations, or a saint talking about the four fruits of practice, or a Bodhisattva preaching the doctrine of the six Perfections, or the Great Energy Celestial King preaching the doctrine of bliss in heaven, or Upasaka preaching the doctrine of detachment of the world, or Upasaki preaching the doctrine of detachment from woman's attraction. In his dreams, he sees a king, or powerful Atula, or a virtuous Brahman, or a noble handsome gentleman or noble virtuous ladies, or a righteous kind and wealthy person.
One sees his family and himself being reunited. He sees a saintly ascetic and other saints reciting Dharanis or displaying their magic. One is swallowing the sun, the moon and floating in the ocean while living beings drift into one's belly. One is drinking the water of the four seas and riding a Dragon, which spouts water all over the four great continents, or is flying up and sitting on Mt. Merou where he receives homage from the Dragon Kings of four continents. He is walking in the middle of a blazing fire, or seeing a woman hiding herself in his body. O Subahuh!
When the virtues of the practitioner are almost completed, there will be such wonderful dreams to indicate that his achievement will be in the next fifteen days to a month. It is impossible to tell all the numerous dreams of the Dharani practitioner, I can only briefly summarize as such. If one is persistent in the cultivation, the very high realm will be realized (Subahuh Sutra).
The Fruits of Cultivation
If one successfully practices this secret art, all his wishes will be fulfilled. His faith will be strong. He will realize the ultimate and marvelous doctrines that lead to the mind of no attachment and discrimination. He will know everything about a person up to three generations. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will appear and initiate him into the fundamental doctrine that creates all Dharmas, and clarifies the true nature of the Ego doctrine. At this stage the yogi can transform himself into many appearances. He may appear as Ucchusma, (Diamond King of Great Anger) who subdues all that is hard to subdue. He may appear in great brilliant aura to save beings and to benefit them greatly. He will thoroughly know all Dharanis, Mudras, and Mandalas. He will become the Victorious Great Dharani King.
He will have eloquence in debating on all dharmas. All the fierce yaksas, the ghosts and their relatives will be his invisible bodyguards at all places, day and night leaving no chance for any beings to harm him. The Dharani practitioner based the actions of his body, speech, and mind on the right doctrine, and by having no ego. As such he has the compassion and support of the Buddhas. All Brahmadevas, Sakra Devanam Indras, and all the Devas in this world as well as the guardian Devas of the ten directions will constantly keep guard day and night to secure him in his walking, standing, lying, or sitting postures (The Buddha's lecture on the Ultimate Wonderful Basic Supreme Wisdom Of All The Titles And Meanings Of The Secret Samadhi Doctrine).
Nine Ranks of Achievement from Dharani Practice Upon successful cultivation, one will achieve one of the following nine ranks:
a. Lowest: Ability to subdue all people, germs, wild beasts and evil spirits. Fulfillment of wishes. Heaven Dragons often visit the person. b. Average: Ability to command the eight fold divisions of Heaven Dragons. Freedom to go in and out of Asuras and Dragon’s palace. c. Superior: Achievement of the Immortal Way (Rishi.). Ability to fly and be at ease in the sky or on the ground. Achievement of all things in or out of this world.
a. Lowest: One becomes a king as mentioned in the Dharani of the Immortals. One’s blessings, merits and intelligence are unsurpassed in the three realms of heaven. b. Average: One has supernatural power to come and go in different worlds and becomes Tchakravartin King whose longevity is one lifecycle.
c. Superior: One is recognized to attain the 1st position of the Bodhisattva and up.
a. Low: Achievement of the fifth position of Bodhisattva and upwards.
b. Average: Achievement of the eighth position of Bodhisattva and upwards.
c. Superior: At this stage, the Three Secrets become the Three Bodies - Achievement of the Supreme Enlightenment in one’s lifetime. This is the summary of the nine possible ranks achieved through cultivation by secret teachings.