(1) The power of regret
(2) The power of reliance
(3) The power of the opponent force
(4) The power of promise
For our practice of purification to be complete, all four powers must be present.
The power of regret This is the power of our regret for the harmful actions we have committed. We develop regret by remembering all the dangers of our negativity. Indirectly regret destroys both the potentialities of our non-virtuous actions and our wish to repeat such actions in the future. For this reason it is also known as ‘the power of destruction’. The stronger our regret, the stronger our restraint. If for example we were to discover that we had swallowed deadly poison we would feel deep regret. How much greater our regret should be for our negative actions, which poison all our future lives!
The power of reliance There are two main objects of our negative actions, the Three Jewels and living beings. Most of our negative actions are committed against other living beings. Motivated by attachment, anger or ignorance, we kill, steal, lie and so forth. We have also committed many negative actions against holy beings such as Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Spiritual Guides. Driven by delusion we have created heavy negative karma by engaging in actions such as abandoning Dharma, denying the existence of enlightened beings or showing disrespect towards the Sangha. Therefore, going for refuge by relying upon the Three Jewels, and generating compassion or bodhichitta by relying upon all living beings as our object, are powerful methods for purifying the negative actions that we have committed against them. This is what is meant by the power of reliance.
The power of the opponent force This is the power of any virtuous action we perform as an opponent to whatever non-virtuous action we wish to purify. The opponent can be any virtuous action performed with sincere regret for our negativity. For example, we can make prostrations, recite mantras, recite the names of Buddhas, read the scriptures, meditate on emptiness, make offerings or practise giving. This remedial action is the actual means of directly destroying non-virtuous potentialities.
The power of promise This is the power of promising to refrain from negative actions. When we make a promise we need to know for how long we are able to keep it. We can avoid some negative actions for the rest of our life and others for only a short while. When it comes to those we cannot avoid completely, we can promise to avoid them for a short time and then gradually extend the duration as our capacity increases. Eventually we will be able to promise to refrain for the rest of our life. Even those whose livelihood depends upon negative actions such as killing animals can practise like this.
rejoicing
Whenever we rejoice in the virtues and accomplishments of those whose attainments are higher than our own we increase our merit abundantly. Such an action endows us with merit half as great as the merit of those in whom we rejoice, and it increases our own potentiality to gain the same attainments.
Buddha Shakyamuni said that we should practise rejoicing in the virtues of five kinds of person: Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Solitary Realizers, Hearers and ordinary beings. It is helpful to read the life stories of Spiritual Guides, Yogis and Buddhas. By contemplating the Buddhas’ qualities of body, speech and mind and the virtuous actions they performed before and after their attainment of enlightenment, and by considering how many beings they have benefited, we will develop appreciation and rejoice in their attainments, thinking ‘How wonderful it will be if I become a Buddha.’ By contemplating how Bodhisattvas develop bodhichitta and successively attain the five Mahayana paths and ten grounds we will appreciate and rejoice in their deeds and develop the thought ‘How wonderful it will be if I become a Bodhisattva.’ By contemplating how Solitary Realizers attain a realization of emptiness and attain a middling enlightenment, and how Hearers attain a realization of emptiness and attain liberation, we will rejoice in their practice of the three higher trainings and increase our own potentiality to gain the same realizations. If we also rejoice in those who, like ourself, have not yet entered a spiritual path but who are practising sincerely, we will eliminate our jealousy and accumulate great merit. We should rejoice whenever others practise giving, moral discipline or any other virtue, and whenever they put effort into studying and meditating on Dharma.
There was once a king called King Prasenajit who invited Buddha Shakyamuni and his disciples to lunch. A beggar called Tepa stood at the king’s gate and rejoiced in the king’s generosity, thinking ‘How fortunate King Prasenajit is!’ When he had finished his meal Buddha dedicated the merit of the beggar for the sake of all beings. King Prasenajit asked, ‘I am the one who has provided this food, so why have you dedicated that beggar’s merit and not mine?’ Buddha replied ‘Today that beggar has performed a more virtuous action and gained more merit.’ Buddha knew that the king’s motivation for giving him a meal was mixed with worldly concerns whereas the beggar’s act of rejoicing was entirely pure.
Our practice of rejoicing will be especially powerful if we can rejoice in the virtues of people whom we dislike or who dislike us. If we can rejoice equally in the virtuous actions, happiness and prosperity of all beings, we will overcome jealousy and hatred, and we will easily attain the realizations of compassion and love.
If we also rejoice in our own virtuous actions we will increase their power and overcome depression and discouragement. We sometimes make ourself depressed by dwelling on the thought ‘I have been practising for a long time but I do not seem to have achieved anything.’ By indulging in such thoughts we can become so discouraged that we feel like abandoning our practice. At times like this we should meditate on our own virtue. There is no doubt that we have practised virtue in the past because we now have a precious human life with all the necessary freedoms and endowments and we have the opportunity to learn and practise Dharma. This good fortune comes only as a result of practising moral discipline, giving, patience and stainless prayer.
Just as our virtue of the past is the cause of our present good fortune, so our virtuous actions of this life will bring future good fortune. Therefore it is entirely appropriate to rejoice in them. We can recall how many times we have listened to Dharma or read Dharma books, how many times we have practised meditation, or how many virtuous actions we have performed. If we remember these and appreciate them without pride we will be able to rejoice purely and thus greatly increase our virtue. Rejoicing in this way protects us from the great danger of abandoning Dharma. If we give up Dharma through discouragement we create the cause to go for many lifetimes without making contact with Dharma and to dislike Dharma whenever we meet it again.
The practice of rejoicing does not require great exertion. Gungtang Tenpai Drolma said:
If you want to practise great virtue even while you are relaxing you should practise rejoicing.
By cultivating this habit of mind we accumulate a vast amount of merit. Je Tsongkhapa said:
It is taught by Buddha that rejoicing is the supreme virtue.
beseeching the buddhas and spiritual guides not to pass away
Although the actual body of Buddha, the Truth Body, never passes away, the bodies that Buddha emanates to guide living beings do pass away. If there are no emanations of Buddha teaching spiritual practices in a particular world, that world is called a ‘barbaric land’. In such a place it is impossible to hear even one word of Dharma. Therefore we should entreat the emanations of Buddha to abide in this world for a long time to bring benefit to all living beings. Beseeching the Buddhas and Spiritual Guides in this way creates great merit.
requesting the buddhas and spiritual guides to turn the wheel of dharma
Forty-nine days after Buddha Shakyamuni attained enlightenment the gods Brahma and Indra requested him to give teachings, saying:
O Buddha, Treasure of Compassion, living beings are like blind men