December 16, 1993

Vajrasattva initiation motivation: The four opponent powers

The four opponent powers are the power of dependence, the power of regret, the power of the remedy and the power of resolve. Reflecting on the shortcomings of creating negative karma is the power of regret, and the remedy that purifies that negative karma is creating virtue, such as reciting the Vajrasattva mantra, doing meditation and so forth—but generally any virtue. The power of resolve is [to determine] not to create that negative karma again. That is a very important one.

Among these four powers, by feeling regret at having accumulated negative karma, the stronger the regret we can generate by reflecting on the shortcomings of negative karma, the thinner our negative karma becomes. Just feeling regret so strongly makes the negative karma that much thinner, so that’s the most important one. How much negative karma gets purified depends so much on this—the power of feeling regret for having created negative karma by reflecting on its shortcomings.

The power of resolve means we determine to abstain from the negative karma, but just saying we will never commit the nonvirtue again is difficult for most of us, because our mind is under the control of karma and delusions. It means we can never do the act again, so that would be telling a lie. A good way to use the power of resolve is this: we remember that the guru on our crown is inseparable from Vajrasattva, and we make the vow that from now on we won’t commit those nonvirtues that we can refrain from committing. For the ones that are difficult to keep, the subtle ones, we vow to abstain from committing them for a certain time, for a day, an hour, a minute, or even for just a few seconds. If we make a commitment like this, it becomes more sincere; it protects us from telling a lie. This is what the lineage lamas of the past advised.

[Rinpoche gives the Vajrasattva initiation]

Dedications

In emptiness, there is no I creator, there is no action creating, there is no negative karma that is created.

[Long pause]

Intensely meditate on emptiness.

[Long pause]

With the continuation of this mindfulness, dedicate the merits.

“In emptiness there is no I, there is no action, dedicating, there is no merit to be dedicated. In emptiness there is no enlightenment, in emptiness there are no sentient beings to dedicate the merits for. All these are completely empty of existing from their own side. What they are is nothing except what is merely labeled by the mind. They all exist, but what they are is just mere name.”

While practicing this mindfulness, think that we label all this.

“Due to all the three-time merits accumulated by me and by the buddhas and bodhisattvas, due to all this, may I achieve Guru Shakyamuni Buddha’s enlightenment and lead all sentient beings to that enlightenment as quickly as possible by myself alone.”

Then, dedicate the merit thinking that from now on and in all our future lives, we will never transgress the samaya vows, the commitment of Vajradhara, and, in this way, we will achieve enlightenment quickly.

“Due to all the three-time merits accumulated by me, by the buddhas and bodhisattvas, from now on may any action I do with my body, speech and mind never bring the slightest harm for other sentient beings, but instead may it only be the cause of the greatest benefit, which is for all sentient beings to become enlightened as quickly as possible.

“Due to all the three-time merits accumulated by me, and by the buddhas and bodhisattvas, may I and everybody who is here, all the students, be able to actualize the pure sutra and tantra teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa in this very lifetime. May the general organization and individual meditation centers work for the benefit of all sentient beings and for the teachings of the Buddha. May all the centers succeed immediately and receive all the necessary conditions immediately. May all the members, the students, who have sacrificed their lives to benefit others and the teachings of the Buddha through this organization have a long and healthy life, and may all their actions become Dharma. May all their actions become most pleasing to the holy mind of the virtuous friend, and in all their future lives may they be guided by the perfectly qualified Mahayana virtuous friend, with the pleased holy mind. May all the students have a long and healthy life, and may all their wishes succeed according to the holy Dharma.