Tibetan Mind Training
Tibetan mind training develops the ability to focus the attention very intensely for long periods of time. According to adepts, this ability is necessary to progress along the path of Tibetan Buddhism. Four of the primary Tibetan methods of mind training are mantra, mudra, yantra and asana, which utilize voice, hands, eyes and bodily postures, respectively. These techniques work together to focus the consciousness on the object of meditation. A fifth, all-encompassing method is known as chöd. All of these techniques, properly utilized in conjunction with one another, assist the meditator in moving toward ecstasy, or, more evocatively, ekstasis, the Greek term meaning "standing outside of oneself." For a meditator, the point at which this is accomplished is synonymous with the realization of the illusory nature of the self.
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Mantra
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A mantra is a word or phrase that is repeated as a means of focusing and calming the mind, allowing greater access to meditative absorption. The most commonly used mantra in Tibet is "om mani padme hum," which is written, carved, embroidered and repeated endlessly throughout the nation. It is generally translated as something resembling "hail to the jewel in the lotus," and is variously interpreted as a phrase celebrating the Buddha, Avalokiteshvara or the Dalai Lama.
Mudra
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The mudra can be seen as a bodily equivalent of the mantra. Mudras are essentially hand gestures and formations designed to represent various spiritual states and to aid in meditation. Monks and laypeople use mudras in meditation in imitation of the Buddha, who is often depicted with his hands making mudras. The three most common are the gestures of manifesting enlightenment, giving teachings and contemplation.
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Yantra
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The yantra, like the mantra and the mudra, is primarily a spiritual tool designed to aid in meditation and concentration. Unlike the other two, it exists outside of the body proper, in the form of drawn diagrams that are pondered with the eye. The most well-known yantra is called the sri yantra. In the article "Tantric Imagery: Affinities with Twentieth Century Abstract Art," which appeared in Studio International in March 1971, Virginia Whiles writes that "Yantras are 'power diagrams' of an abstract, geometrical or figurative nature, which reveal the underlying structure of the universe."
Asanas
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Asanas are body postures designed to aid in meditation, and can be seen as the full-body equivalent of a mudra. More generally associated with yoga, asanas also exist in Tibetan Buddhism, most commonly in the practice of prostrations, which many monks engage in as an expression of humility and respect for Buddhist teachings.
Chöd
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The most dramatic form of mind training in Tibetan Buddhism is in a meditation rite known as chöd, a tantric ritual in which the initiate visualizes his body being torn and eaten by animals and demons. These visualizations are simultaneously a thanksgiving for the gift of the body and a karmic resolution for past misdeeds. Chöd is a powerful means of realizing the insubstantial nature of the separate ego.
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- Photo Credit ON THE EVE OF DIWALI SHRI YANTRA image by mkb from Fotolia.com
