The Coming of Maitreya Buddha - A New Vajrayana Practice - II

The Sacred Rila Mountain, Bulgaria, The Legendary Area of the Seven Lakes - the Birthplace of The New Rila Mysteries

The meditative work on the Zodiac-Mandala of the Heavenly Jerusalem is like a Vajrayana practice connected with many Divine Masters and Personification of the Divine Feminine. In Buddhism, Vajrayana, or the Diamond Vehicle, is an esoteric tradition, the initiation ceremonies of which involve entry into a Mandala, a mystic circle or symbolic map of the spiritual universe. With the Mandala of the Heavenly Jerusalem, we have something like a new Vajrayana which provides a basis for receiving the initiations of all world religions. At the same time the Mandala of the Heavenly Jerusalem serves as a basis for the integration of all religions showing their unique place and importance in the spiritual life of humankind.

As part of the new Vajrayana practice, in the previous Post I introduced two of the characteristics of the Initiations at the four cardinal points of the Mandala of the Heavenly Jerusalem - View of Earthly Life and Character and Direction of Transcendence. Now I will continue with two more characteristics - Element and Symbol of Initiation. Obviously, they could provide a good basis for reflection, contemplation and meditation.

Element

The five elements (including ether), in relation to the five initiations, have a deep 'alchemical' significance. In the context of the present Mandala, human consciousness has two levels of functioning: the level of ordinary human consciousness and the level of cosmic consciousness after illumination. Each element symbolises the type of transition from ordinary consciousness to the cosmic consciousness of the particular initiation.  In this their function, the elements are a focus of contemplation (in the context of all other characteristics of the initiation) in order to achieve the desired change of consciousness.

Ether as the element in the Babaji initiation symbolises the completely enlightened human consciousness which freely enjoys the spiritual essence of the world. This consciousness is on such an elevated level of spiritual illumination that a person easily overcomes the limitations of the material world and sees the true reality of Light. So, the perception of the true reality of Being as Light - beyond time, space and matter - where all living creatures dissolve without losing their individuality, is symbolised mythologically by Ether.

The element Water in the Buddhist initiation is a symbol of the mirror-like transparent nature of the human mind which, when freed of the lust for life, becomes still, unrippled, calm, clear and reflects the true reality. Then human consciousness merges with the impersonal, undifferentiated universal consciousness, which is the original absolute nature of existence, and as a result attains the state of Nirväna. It is this transformation of consciousness which, freed from egocentric drive and false identification, reveals its true universal nature as an impersonal phenomenon. So, as we come to understand the symbolism of the element Water in the Buddhist initiation, we have to try to experience this calmness and tranquillity of the mind.

Earth as a mythological element symbolises the crystallisation of the ego in the dense material world. Some metaphysical qualities of the element Earth are matter, restriction, density, hardness, division and individualisation and as such the element Earth is a subject for the  great alchemy of Love.  By pursuing the path of  self-sacrifice,  suffering and love, Christ melted the 'ego-stone' in  the  human  heart, liberated the human spirit and enlightened the  dark  side of  human  nature.  So, as an element, Earth relates to  the  Christ  initiation as   a  symbol  of  death  and  resurrection, of  the  fall  and  rise of  the  human  soul,  of  the  hardening of the ego and of the birth of the Christ Spirit within the human being.

The element Air in the initiation of the Master Beinsa Douno represents the expansion of human consciousness during the evolutionary process in the cosmic Spring and its new birth into the spiritual world.  Air is a symbol of departure from the narrow confines of earthly existence and entry into the great cosmic-spiritual life.  Air as a mythological element is an expression of the dynamic, all permeating Divine nature of the 'higher Self', who, as a collective spiritual being, merges with myriads of other creatures in the Universe without losing its individuality.

Fire as a mythological element of the initiation of the Holy Spirit symbolises the creative nature of the Spirit.  It represents the activation of the sacred fire, Kundalini, within the human being which enlightens the whole of Creation and sustains the flame of immortality.  The creative Fire of the Holy Spirit will transform humankind and the Earth with all kingdoms of life on it.

Symbol of Initiation

In a poetic and inspiring form the symbol of initiation describes the qualities of the illuminated human consciousness. At the same time it clarifies some of the main features of each initiation in relation to the cosmic-spiritual season when the initiation was given.

The symbol of the initiation given by Babaji is the Thousand-petalled lotus. The Thousand-petalled lotus is a figurative and symbolic name for the highest seventh chakra, Sahasrara, of Kundalini energy within the human being. The Thousand-petalled lotus is the psychophysical basis of complete fusion with the Spirit. When the Yoga disciples are ready, they open the seventh, Sahasrara, chakra and enter in samadhi. So, the blossoming of the Thousand-petalled lotus symbolises the ultimate goal of the Yoga path and the receiving of Yoga initiation. This symbol implicitly contains all the Divine knowledge about the Yoga path and the secrets of the Universe. The Thousand-petalled lotus represents this highest state  of  consciousness  when  the  human being starts to blossom as a cosmic-spiritual flower with Divine beauty and fragrance. It shines as a star with a dazzling white light which integrates all colours of the spiritual rainbow.

The enlightened Buddhist consciousness is symbolised by the Bodhi Tree. As the legend says, it was under the Bodhi Tree that Buddha attained Enlightenment. In principle, the Bodhi Tree is an ever-present attribute of all Buddhas from all times and all worlds. The term 'Bodhi' itself has seven essential characteristics - it signifies reflection, study of the dharma, courage, excitement, tranquillity, concentration and imperturbability. All characteristics associated with the Bodhi Tree render it a symbol of the Buddhist way of life and spiritual practice (the Eight-fold path) and of the oneness of Samsära and Nirväna. In fact, the symbolism of the Bodhi Tree represents the earthly basis for attaining Nirväna.

One of the most inspiring chapters of the Gospel of St. John, Chapter 15, describes the symbol of the Christ initiation - the True Vine. The initiation of the True Vine is the birth of the Christ Spirit in the human being. During the course of this initiation every thought, feeling and action in our spiritual body becomes illuminated by the light of the life-giving Christ Spirit; at the same time, all the cells of the physical body become revitalised and enlivened. Christ as the 'True Vine' is a symbol of the Light of the World, the Living Bread, the Living Water for Eternal Life, the Way, the Truth and the Life. This is why Christ says: 'Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you'. (John 14:4)

The path of the disciple in the Master Beinsa Douno's school and the blossoming of the human soul are symbolised by the Grain of Wheat. This is the seed sown by Christ which in fertile soil and with the help of the Master grows in the heavenly world. The Grain of Wheat is the emblem of the spiritual evolution of the human being who sprouts from the 'dark earth' into the celestial worlds. The esoteric meaning of this symbol is that we have to die (as an ego-personality) to the earthly life in order to be born into the celestial world where our souls will blossom and bear many fruits. In the lecture 'Blossoming of the Human Soul' the Master, in a deeply mystical and symbolic way, connects the two processes - the growth of the grain of wheat and the blossoming of the human soul. In many other lectures the Master also uses the grain of wheat as a symbol of self-sacrifice, humility, patience, over-coming difficulties, inner work, process of growth and organic transformation. It is very significant that Buddha, in the epoch of the spiritual Autumn, reaches enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree, while the Grain of Wheat, which is the emblem of the initiation of the disciple in the epoch of the spiritual Spring, grows out of the ground.

The symbol associated with the initiation of the Holy Spirit is the Dove. When human beings give birth to the Christ impulse within and sprout from the material world into the heavenly realms, they become able to fly as free Divine souls - celestial birds - all over the spiritual Universe. On the other hand, the initiation of the Holy Spirit occurs when human beings build themselves and their lives as Divine Temples. In these Temples the Spirit of God as a Divine Dove comes to live forever. It brings all the fruits of the Spirit such as 'love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, self-control' (Gal. 5:22), and many others. In the initiation of the Holy Spirit these fruits are crowned by holiness, Divine integrity and creativity.

The symbols of the initiations mark the highest points of the spiritual paths after which the human beings enter into a new state of consciousness enabling them to contemplate the universal body of their Divine Master and to realise the Ultimate Truth of Creation. This is why for this qualitatively new state of consciousness each spiritual tradition chooses a highly essential and inspiring symbolic image.