by the Venerable Xiangge Qiongwa IV  [Translation revised July 15, 2011]:  

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Venerable Xiangge Qiongwa IV

In Tibetan Buddhism, there is a very famous kind of pill made from Buddha-dharma for curing illnesses and diseases. The pill is made from conducting a dharma with the Medicine Buddha as the yidam and using the practice of tummo as the cause. It is called the Daba Buqiong Pill. Another kind of pill made from a dharma with the Kuan Si Yin Bodhisattva, one of the five great Buddha Mothers, as the yidam is named the Kazhuo Ande  Pill (also called the Black Jewel Medicine Pill). These pills are made by two types of methods, the highest or most magnificent way or worldly ways. In today’s Buddhism world, worldly ways are commonly used. The process is basically mixing all and only the required ingredients of medicine that are blessed by chanting the mantra of the dharma and then rubbing the mixture into pills. The magnificent inner tantric way of making these pills is completely different. The practice of tummo concentration must be used as the affinity of the dharma. The ingredients of the medicine are exactly the same. The blessing power of the pills is supreme and most magnificent. However, because of the loss of Buddha -dharma, the process of making these pills with the most magnificent (non-worldly) methods has almost become extinct. The first difficulty is that it is hard to find a true great virtuous one to conduct tummo concentration.

Many people have heard about the dharma of tummo concentration but it is extremely difficult to see a true manifestation of tummo power. Today, in Tibet, India and other places, there are still many lamas who practice tummo concentration. However, when they walk out of the closed room at the end of the extended practice in seclusion, very few of them can actually raise their body temperature. The most they were able to do is symbolically wear a wet blanket while walking around the temple. Those who attained such initial level are now called holy and venerable ones. This is just an indication that tantric dharmas are being lost from generation to generation.

Tummo concentration is a high-class Buddha-dharma of meditation. It is a rare holy dharma indispensible for cultivating the life power of the body, mind-wind and bright spot, and the accomplishment of a rainbow-light body. Regardless of what illness or disease one has, practicing tummo can eliminate it completely. Therefore, this dharma is the dead enemy of the demon of illness. Tummo concentration is a great dharma in the division of supreme yoga. The perfect accomplishment in the practice of this dharma combined with Vajra Body Substitution Meditation can lead to the accomplishment of becoming a Bodhisattva at the twelfth stage or higher.

There are two types of practices of tummo concentration. One is Yoga Tummo from Tibetan Esoteric Buddhism. The other is the Corpse-Laying Tummo regarded as “the King of Tummo.” When practicing tummo, the higher the body temperature can be raised to, the higher the realization power of the practitioner. The normal body temperature of humans is between 98.6°F and 99.5°F (37°C and 37.5°C). When the body temperature reaches a level between 104°F and 105.8°F (40°C and 41°C), one is regarded as having a high fever. A temperature above 41°C (about 106°F) can cause danger to one’s life. However, practitioners of tummo concentration can attain much higher temperatures than that.

The realization power from tummo concentration is defined by four steps. The first step is called the Initial Warmth Step. At this step, body temperature can be raised to between 115°F and 130°F but the ability of curing illnesses is not strong yet. The second step is the Joy of Heat from Meditation Step, with the body temperature raised to between 130°F and 150°F. The heat of tummo can be released at certain locations of the body to provide a relatively strong ability of curing illnesses. However, there are five illnesses that cannot be cured by this ability. Anyway, one will rarely become ill with the accomplishment at this step. The third step is the Step of Emptiness and Existence at High Temperature. The body temperature can be raised to between 150°F and 200°F. The heat of tummo can be distributed to any part of the body to heal illness by oneself, with the exception of two illnesses. The practitioner can collect the dark karma generated daily due to ignorance and burn it away with tummo. One can also move the heat of tummo outside of his body to cure illness and eliminate hindrance for other people or to subdue demons and evil spirits. The fourth step is the magnificent Delight at Extreme Temperature. The temperature will exceed 200°F and the heat of tummo will spread to the entire body. Master Milerapa used his realization power of this step to ignite his own body to attain the accomplishment of sambhogakaya, and nirmanakaya.

Although the true realization power of tummo is hard to find through the history of over one thousand years, fortunately my fellow brother Kaichu Rinpoche is a great accomplished one in Xian Liang (meaning immediately measurable or “on the spot”) Great Perfection and Vajra Body Substitution Meditation. At the same time, he is also a great accomplished one in the true lineage of Body-Laying (Corpse Pose) Tummo Concentration from The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation. Therefore, due to a magnificent affinity, Kaichu Rinpoche conducted a round of tummo dharma in front of other people to make the pills of Daba Buqiong. A total of ten rinpoches including myself were his assistants. We all witnessed on the spot the process of making the pills of Daba Buqiong with the magnificent inner tantric method and also learned the truth about the Daba Buqiong Pill.

On that day, the wind was breezing smoothly and the sun was beautiful. There was not a trace of cloud in the entire sky. A pair of magpies flew into the open-air mandala encircled by blue-colored curtains. Their auspicious singing provided the opening music for the process of making the pills of Daba Buqiong with the magnificent inner tantric method. The mandala was completely surrounded by Buddhist disciples of seven categories. Kaichu Rinpoche took off his clothing to expose his upper body. He laid down on the dharma board in the corpse-laying pose. Longzhou Rinpoche washed the dharma ring with seed words and the silver pot for frying medicine with clean water, wiped them dry and then laid then on the belly of Kaichu Rinpoche. At this time, each of the rinpoches charged with the first-line dharma-protecting duty pressed one finger onto the silver pot to feel and test the level of temperature rising.

Within only a few minutes, Kaichu Rinpoche produced heat at the location of the tantric wheel below the belly button using the dharma of Corpse-Laying Tummo Concentration fromThe Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation. One rinpoche called, “It starts to get hot!”

I also felt that the silver pot was getting hot. I said loudly, “It is getting significantly hotter.”

The temperature rose quickly as Kaichu Rinpoche was conducting his tummo concentration. Rinpoches all called out their feelings from the temperature of the silver pot.

“It’s scalding my finger. Scalding. scalding …”

“Very scalding. Very scalding.”

“It is now too scalding. I can’t stand it.”

Rinpoches could no longer stand the high temperature of tummo. At the last moment, one by one, they had to throw the medicine powder for making the pills into the silver pot and quickly move their hands away, to avoid their fingers being burnt.

I tried to keep my mind calm and not to be distracted from the high temperature felt by my finger. However, soon my mental power of concentration was suddenly gone. It was irresistible. The hot temperature of the silver pot produced by the fire of samadi was very scalding to the finger. It was very hard to endure. The heat went directly to my heart. That kind of feeling was not endurable no matter how hard I tried. Holding it there any longer would cause my finger to be burnt by the silver pot. Eventually, I was forced to throw the medicine powder into the silver pot and move my finger right away. However, part of the flesh on my finger already got burnt.

A few days after this dharma assembly, another dharma assembly for making the pills of Kazhuo Ande was held. This time, it was by a great yoga master at the level of H. H. (his holiness) who does not want to reveal his identity. The name he used is Practitioner Mozhi. He is the first-place master of tummo concentration in Tibetan Esoteric Buddhism.  His body weight was reduced from 241.4 pounds (109.5 kg) to 124.6 pounds (56.5 kg) by practicing tummo concentration. He once practiced tummo concentration for seven months and three days, without eating and drinking. After that, all illnesses were eliminated. Mozhi Rinpoche had a contest of realization power in tummo concentration with all my fellow brothers who practice tummo concentration. With the exceptions of Kaichu Rinpoche and a rinpoche from the Office of H. H. Dorje Chang Buddha III who has the realization of vajra power at the level of causing great movement of a vajra pill in public, the rest of us, including dharna kings and venerable ones, were no match for him. So, in the end, it was decided to let him be the chief master to produce the heat of tummo. Other rinpoches would be his dharma-protecting assistants. He stated that the purpose of his coming here was not to compare his realization power with others and was not for making Kazhuo Ande pills. It was a coincidence that he met this cause. He regards it as his duty to do something for living beings. His wish was to use the rare merit from this practice to persuade H. H. Dorje Chang Buddha III to conduct an initiation on him for the dharma of Vajra Body Substitution Meditation.

However, H. H.  Dorje Chang Buddha III told him, “I am not able to conduct initiation of state practice. I have illnesses all over my body. I don’t have  good health. I would like to ask you to give me a treatment with the heat of tummo. I recommend you learn from the master of Kaichu Rinpoche, who is named King Rinpoche. Without using his belly, his fourth-step tummo power can use just one finger to get you burnt and leave a scar on you.”

Thus, Mozhi Rinpoche respectively visited King Rinpoche and stated his request. Upon listening to what he said, King Rinpoche immediately prostrated toward the visage of H. H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and said, “Good heavens! My Buddha Master over-praised me. What kind of being am I? You, as a yogi, do not adhere to continuing your journey of searching for treasure in the vast ocean and now come to a lake to look for a pearl instead. Your boat is going the wrong way. Go quickly to beseech the Buddha! With the small ability you have, how can you contest with others? You should go quickly to repent yourself and beseech the dharma.”

Mozhi Rinpoche said, “Isn’t the Buddha Master ill?”

King Rinpoche laughed heartily and said, “The illness of Holy Venerable Vimalakirti was more serious! I will pray for your receiving the dharma of Vajra Body Substitution Meditation early.”

Mozhi Rinpoche regrettably mentioned that the Buddha Master did not teach him the dharma of Vajra Body Substitution Meditation and he did not know what to do. However, he said, “I have made my iron-clad determination, just like having swallowed a sliding weight of a steelyard. I will not leave until I learn the dharma Vajra Body Substitution Meditation. I will just stay here shamelessly until I learn the dharma. I came here to learn the dharma for the benefit of living beings.”

At the dharma assembly, Mozhi Rinpoche lay on the dharma board and had his head covered up so people would not know who was practicing tummo concentration. This great holy virtuous one with true realization of power and abilities never wanted to boast or praise himself. Everyone attending the dharma assembly was greatly moved and felt ashamed by such holy and pure style of humble self-cultivation.

When the great holy virtuous one was conducting the dharma, a porcelain pot for frying the medicine was laid on his belly. The high-temperature heat of tummo was strong and vicious and directly penetrated the thick porcelain pot.  Rinpoches who used a finger to test the temperature were all scalded badly. They had to throw the medicine powder into the pot and get away quickly to protect their fingers from getting injured.

At these two dharma assemblies of making pills with the magnificent method, the heat from the Body-Laying (Corpse Pose) Tummo Concentration scalded rinpoches’ fingers so that they were red and swollen. Some had frowning eyebrows and were sweating all over their heads. Some had blisters form on their fingers. Some had the color of the swollen finger turned into white or black colors. Some had their whole finger scalded red and unable to bend. Some even had their face scorched red by the high heat of tummo.

I could not help from making a heart-felt praise: the true power of Corpse-Laying Tummo Concentration from The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberationis truly amazing!

Today, Kaichu Rinpoche attained the true realization power that is rare and hard to get among many thousands of noble monks and great virtuous ones in the history of several thousand years. The main reason is that, in addition to conventional Buddha-dharmas, he relies on and practices The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation taught by H. H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. He learned some of the dharmas of state practice in The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation. That raised his realization power to a higher level.

The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation is a supreme holiest Buddha dharma personally taught by H. H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, based on the cause and affinity of living beings in this world. This is a must-practice dharma and a must-travel road for all Buddhas in the Three Sphere through the process of going from living beings to Bodhisattvas and then to Buddhas. Compared to conventional Buddha-dharmas, in terms of producing the meritorious capital in fortune and wisdom, the power of accumulating merit, and the speediness of attaining accomplishment and liberation, The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation is better by a factor of from ten to over ten thousand times. One can imagine what kind of magnificent and precious wonderful dharma treasure The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation is for attaining accomplishment and liberation!

The practice of The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation can be generally divided into three aspects:

The first aspect is the dharma of not falling into evil and erroneous views. This is guidance for benefiting and increasing the correct knowledge and views and belongs to the dharma of setting up the basis of correct views.

The second is the dharma of exchanging bodhi with dark karma between ones self and others regarding bodhicitta and dark karma. This is the permanently unspoiled fundamental seed and belongs to the dharma of carrying out holy characters.

The third is the highest (magnificent) inner tantric dharma of state practice and enlightenment practice. This is a vigorous guide to realizing the true holy fruit and belongs to the dharma of holy realization and great enlightenment.

Without getting into the profound dharma essence of The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation, I will just talk about the dharma of setting up the basis of correct views that benefits cultivation. All Buddhist disciples cannot agree with or commit violations in the 128 evil and erroneous views mentioned. Any Buddhist, regardless of what sect he belongs to, if he falls into these 128 evil and erroneous views and does not repent and correct himself immediately, will not get reward and benefit from practicing any dharma and will permanently stay in samsara and may even devolve into the three lower realms. On the other hand, as long as one does not commit violations in the 128 evil and erroneous views, regardless of whether he learns Exoteric Buddhism or practices tantric dharma, he will not be going in the wrong direction. By cultivating according to the dharma, one will increase his fortune and wisdom and eventually attain accomplishment and liberation. With regard to the dharma in The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation, even if one does not receive an initiation and just cultivates and practices according to the dharma book, the increase in terms of the power of merit will still be ten times or more than practicing conventional Buddha-dharmas. If one has the opportunity of receiving an initiation of the highest inner tantric dharma of state practice, one can attain accomplishment and liberation immediately.

The pills of Daba Buqiong and Kazhuo Ande  made from the magnificent method are rare and hard to obtain. I have now received them and will put into use for benefiting living beings. I will teach living beings the dharma of the Medicine Buddha. Although these pills made from Buddha-dharma have very great blessing power, in order to receive the most magnificent and greatest blessing power, living beings must study well the teachings of H. H. Dorje Chang Buddha III to establish the correct knowledge and view without committing violations in the 128 evil and erroneous views. We should practice according to the dharma. When the cause and affinity become mature, the forward guiding sections and the main sections of The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation will be published in the world.  At that time, we will be able to cultivate and practice The Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation with the most sincere and pure three karmas of body, speech and mind. By cultivating ourselves in concrete steps as well as setting up dharma listening centers to introduce more living beings to listening to the true Buddha-dharma, we can be certain to increase our fortune and wisdom and will, quite likely, have the opportunity of receiving the initiation of the dharma of state practice. Attaining accomplishment and liberation will then be easy and a simple matter. This is the most important and the only path for all cultivators.

True stories recorded by Xiangge Qiongwa

See news story of Thai man whose life was saved after ingesting a Zazhuo Ande Pill.