THE FIVE DHYANI BUDDHAS

MAKING THE FIVE DHYANI BUDDHAS CONSCIOUS

Tantric Buddhism explains the attainment of wisdom as a form of meditation on the five Dhyani Buddhas. The five Dhyani Buddhas are the five aspects of wisdom, they are the all-encompassing wisdom, mirror-like wisdom, wisdom of equality, discriminating wisdom and all-accomplishing wisdom.

The path to spiritual salvation is not envisioned as some lofty abstract journey, rather it an attainment of enlightenment that involves a profound transformation in our innermost being.

The transformation lies within the very inherent negative traits which keep us spiritually imprisoned and unfulfilled. It is said that the same negative emotions that feeds the poisonous delusions, when worked upon consciously, empowers and enlightens the mind.

The negative delusions plaguing the human mind are of five categories: they are ignorance, anger, pride, attachment, and jealousy. These emotions are said to keep us away from enlightenment. But there is this belief that the human mind holds within itself the potential to transform these negative traits into positive attributes. These transformed emotions are visualized as five different, beautiful Buddhas. They are considered to be the victory over our unenlightened minds.

Each of these buddhas are depicted with a different hand mudra, with a particular direction, riding a different animal and have a different color on their body. Each of the five buddhas identify a specific negative attribute of the mind and help to transform it into its positive attribute, bringing about the spiritual evolvement required for enlightenment.

Making the five Dhyani Buddhas conscious within us helps us to achieve transformation into higher consciousness.

These are the five Dhyani Buddhas and their corresponding directions, colors, animal and mantras.

1. The first Buddha is - Vairochana - the mantra is "OM" - this Buddha represents the color "white" and the direction "center", representing the "space" element, this Buddha's vehicle is the dragon. Meditating / repeating the mantra "Om Vairochana Om" brings illumination to ignorance, dispels ignorance and anchors all-encompassing wisdom.

2. The Second Buddha is - Akshobhya - the mantra is "HUM" - this Buddha represents the color "blue" and the direction "east", representing the "water" element, this Buddha's vehicle is the elephant. Meditating / repeating the mantra "Om Akshobhya Hum" transforms anger into clear mirror-like wisdom. With this wisdom, we see things just as they are, impartially and unaffectedly. No reflection in a mirror sticks to it, and none repels it. The mirror always stands imperturbable and immutable, just as we should, whether the circumstances be favorable or unfavorable to us.

3. The Third Buddha is - Ratnasambhava - the mantra is "TRAM" - this Buddha represents the color "yellow" and the direction "South" representing the "earth" element, this Buddha's vehicle is the horse or lion. Meditation / repeating the mantra " Om Ratnasambhava Tram" transforms pride into the wisdom of equality. It makes us see the oneness of all created beings.

4. The Fourth Buddha is - Amitabha - the mantra is "HRIH" - this Buddha represents the color "red" and the direction "West" representing the "fire" element, this Buddha's vehicle is the peacock. Meditation/ repeating the mantra "Om Amitabha Hrih" transforms the negative emotion of lust to compassion uniting us with the Universal Consciousness.

5. The Fifth Buddha is - Amogasiddhi - the mantra is "AH" - this Buddha represents the color "green" and the direction "North" representing the "air" element, this Buddha's vehicle is Garuda (half man, half eagle). Meditating / repeating the mantra "Om Amogasiddhi Ah" brings the transformation of negative emotion of jealousy into the positive wisdom of accomplishment.

The five Dhyani Buddhas represent the perfected form of base human emotions of ignorance, anger, pride, attachment, and jealousy. I like the way that each one of these Buddhas represent the negative qualities not as weaknesses to be denied or suppressed but to be recognized and worked upon, consciously choosing to transform them into their glorious wisdom. Meditating on the Dhyani Buddhas help us to understand the illusory nature of the negative emotions and that they are pointers for one to seek wisdom and attain enlightenment.

Let us choose to seek our own enlightenment for the sake of all beings.

Blessings!

Premlatha Rajkumar