Opening the Wisdom Door of the Outer Tantras: Refining Awareness Through Ascetic Ritual and Purification Practice

According to the Outer Tantras, one's own awareness-known as "self-suchness"-is ultimately beyond all the aggregates, beyond conceptuality, and beyond self-identity. It is free from all dualistic notions. This is the basis of visualizing oneself as the deity. If we don't maintain such a view in our practice of the tantras, we are simply imagining ourselves to be putting on the ornaments, or façade, of the deity. In other words, we are holding on to our sense of self as well as our strong emotions and limited conceptions. This means our practice is not really coming along. By harmonizing our practice of all the precious Dharma teachings, rather than focusing on their differences, the Outer Tantra techniques will activate and ignite our visualization and meditation practice of the Inner Tantras. The Samten Chima, or Grand Samadhi Tantra, is among the most important of all the Outer Tantras in general and the Kriya Tantras in particular. It is called "grand" because it describes in detail exact instructions on how to practice with mantras according to the Secret Vajrayana. When we study, contemplate, and meditate on these teachings, we should always recognize that what we are discussing does not just apply to Kriyatantra-it also applies to Upatantra, Yogatantra, and each of the Inner Tantras. Since the Samten Chima includes pith instructions on all the tantra teachings, it establishes the foundation of both the Outer and Inner Tantras. Padma Samye Ling Shedra Series: Year Five (2007) Paperback; 267 pgs