Preface

Question 1

1. What is the main subject of this book?

Answer 1

Training in the stages of the path of HYT.

Question 2

2. What is meditation?

Answer 2

A mental awareness that concentrates on a virtuous object.

Question 3

2. Why is meditation mental awareness?

Answer 3

The sense awarenesses of a Buddha are virtuous whereas the sense awarenesses of sentient beings are always neutral. As meditation is necessarily a virtuous mind, it follows that we cannot meditate with our sense awarenesses (only mental awareness).

Question 4

3. What is another reason why we cannot meditate with our senses awarenesses?

Answer 4

For us the direct object of meditation is the generic image of an object, and our sense awarenesses cannot perceive generic images.

Question 5

3. A third reason why meditation is mental awareness?

Answer 5

Since meditation involves remembering, or holding with mindfulness, the object for an extended period of time, the only type of awareness that we can meditate with is mental awareness.

Question 6

4. What is the purpose of meditation?

Answer 6

Meditation causes us to experience mental peace.

Question 7

4. Why is mental peace important?

Answer 7

If our mind is not at peace we will not be happy, even in the best external conditions.

Question 8

5. If meditation is the source of all mental peace and happiness, how can people who do not meditate and even animals experience peace of mind?

Answer 8

This is only as a result of the virtuous mental karma they created through meditation in previous lives.

Question 9

6. Why do we need to attain enlightenment?

Answer 9

So that we can benefit all living beings.

Question 10

6. What is our mind like at present?

Answer 10

It is obscured by the inner darkness of ignorance, which prevents us from seeing the true nature of all phenomena.

Question 11

6. How can completely remove this inner darkness?

Answer 11

By training in wisdom and compassion. Once we have done this, our very subtle body, speech and mind become inner light, the nature of omniscient wisdom.

Question 12

6. What abilities do we have as a Buddha?

Answer 12

We can see all phenomena of the past, present and future directly and simultaneously. We are then in a position to benefit all living beings without exception by bestowing blessings, emanating whatever they need, and guiding them along spiritual paths.

Question 13

7. What are the three special characteristics of our human life?

Answer 13

(i) its freedom and endowment
(ii) its rarity
(iii) its great meaning.

Question 14

7. Explain freedom and endowment

Answer 14

Due to the limitations of body and mind, those who have taken rebirth as animals have no opportunity to understand or practise the path to liberation. Only humans are free from such hindrances and have all the necessary conditions (‘endowments’) to engage in spiritual paths.

Question 15

8. Explain rarity

Answer 15

Although there are many humans in this world, each one of us has only one life. When we lose this life, it will be very difficult to find another similarly qualified life in the future.

Question 16

9. Explain great meaning

Answer 16

• Accomplish spiritual realizations;
• Realize our potential and become a fully enlightened being
• Have the power to benefit all living beings without exception.
• Solve all our human problems and fulfil all our own and others’ wishes.

Question 17

10. What is the contemplation in italics?

Answer 17

“I will not waste my human life because it is so precious, so rare and so meaningful. Instead, I will use it in the most beneficial way.”

Question 18

11. What is the essential meaning of a human life?

Answer 18

Finding good external conditions cannot be its essential meaning (even animals can do this).

The real meaning of human life is to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all living beings. We can extract the full meaning of our human life by receiving the empowerment and commentary to Heruka body mandala and then putting the instructions into practice.

Question 19

12. Whether or not we attain enlightenment depends upon three things:

Answer 19

(i) Our faith
(ii) motivation
(iii) understanding

In particular, gaining the realizations of Heruka body mandala depends upon our having strong faith in the instructions and a clear understanding of their meaning.