Introduction to Amrita Mandala

Amrita Mandala (lit. Deathless Circle) is a meditative spiritual path centered around the timeless teachings of the ancient mahasiddhas. Founded by Guru Amrita Baba in 2008, our mission is to bring the highest teachings of yoga to modern seekers worldwide.

The foundation of our method is the view that all beings share enlightened nature, and that this nature is timelessly awake, alive, and unchanging. As such, first-hand recognition of our own true nature is the main focus of all our practices from beginning to end. Only through realizing the truth can we become free of the existential confusion and suffering that marks the human condition.

Our teachings are suitable for laypeople with families, work, and other normal responsibilities. We do not teach renunciation or withdrawal from the world, but fully embrace life with all its pains and pleasures, aiming to realize the ultimate truth of reality in the midst of everyday worldly affairs. 

Mahasiddha Dharma 

The term “mahasiddha” literally translates as “greatly perfected being”, and is commonly used in both Hindu and Buddhist traditions to refer to a highly influential group of ancient realized tantric yogic masters. It is important to note that the clear-cut distinction between “Buddhism” and “Hinduism” is a relatively modern invention, and as such would not have been recognized by the ancient mahasiddhas themselves. In other words, despite differences in philosophical views and practical approaches, to the realized masters the only distinction that matters is between the teachings that reveal reality as it is and the teachings that do not.

The Amrita Mandala method is a continuation of this common-sensical view, and our objective is to revitalize the ancient yogas in the context of modern society. As such, our method cannot strictly be categorized as belonging to buddha dharma, nor to sanātana (hindu) dharma or any other established tradition, but represents a unique approach to spiritual practice in and of itself. In honor of our spiritual ancestors, we call our approach Mahasiddha Dharma.

Pragmatism 

A key feature of Mahasiddha Dharma is that of pragmatism. That our teachings are pragmatic means that their sole function is to solve the existential dilemma; to put an end to the everyday discontentment of aimless existence. As such, we approach enlightenment, not as some abstract, philosophical, poetic, fantastical, or metaphorical concept, but as a living reality attainable by all living, breathing human beings. 

Furthermore, our path to realizing enlightenment emphasizes first-hand experience over religious or philosophical beliefs. Our entire theoretical framework, including our path maps, should therefore be viewed as hypotheses verifiable only through first-hand practice.   

To support individual spiritual maturation, we promote openness and transparency in the sense that we encourage spiritual practitioners to speak openly about their experiences and insights without secrecy, mystery, or taboo. While we recognize that teachers of other cultures might have found secrecy a necessity, in our modern culture we deem the absence of open dialogue as doing more harm than good. 

Similarly, we oppose any form of sectarianism. It is our view that as practitioners, we should not allow ourselves to become preoccupied with mere forms alone, but seek to understand the universal principles behind various different spiritual approaches. First and foremost among these principles is the direct insight into the nature of reality itself. 

The View 

Theory without practice is empty, practice without theory is blind.

-Anonymous

All methodologies, whether secular or spiritual, operate on the basis of a fundamental view. The view makes up the basic way of looking at, and approaching a particular field of study or art. It is the basic paradigm intended to guide the correct application of the method in question. It does so both by instilling practitioners with the necessary conceptual understanding of the method itself, as well as by acting as a map for the entire field in which the method is applied. As such, whereas a high-quality framework has the power to open up new possibilities in terms of actual results, a poor-quality view, on the other hand, can significantly limit the potential of any method. Therefore, in order to ensure our success in applying the Amrita Mandala method, we must first clarify the basic view of our spiritual approach.

The view of Amrita Mandala springs forth from the direct realization of the enlightened nature of being. It is not merely a set of beliefs or assumptions but is based on the direct insight that the nature of reality or mind is always already perfect. It is the view that the ordinary mind is by nature completely and clearly awake, radiant with kindness and love, and perfectly peaceful and stable. As these enlightened qualities represent the very nature of being, they are naturally inherent in all beings. As such, the view can be formulated in the statement that all beings share enlightened nature.

Amrita Baba says,

There is one thing I want to clarify to you. There is a perfectly awake and aware, and perfectly pure Buddha in you. That’s who you are. All this fluff and dirt floating on the surface, yes they are there for the time being but will not be there forever. Please have faith in the fact that ultimately you are your own refuge, that you are a fully enlightened and balanced being without pain and grudges. Don’t ever forget this! This is the view.

Across ages, cultures, and traditions, there have been countless names used to designate this enlightened nature. «True self», «Nature of Mind», «Natural State», «Nature of Reality», «Authentic Being», «Divine Being», «God», «Divine Father», «Divine Mother», «Great Perfection», and so on, are just a few examples of names used. 

It is important to understand that however lofty the impression these terms might give off, what they point to is not something external to us or transcendent, but our very own authentic selves. In other words, terms such as the Buddha, the Christ, or the Guru essentially refer to the very familiar sense of «me» inherent to all of us. This is the true nature of ourselves which does not change according to circumstances.

Baba says,

Recognize this basic wakefulness in you, this basic sense of me. Not the small me but the me that you have always been. That most familiar sense of who I am, and who you are, that you had throughout your life. The familiar sense of me that you had as a child, that you had as a youngster, that you had as a young adult, as an adult, middle-aged person, that you have now. The familiar sense of me.

If you inspect what that familiar sense of me is, you will discover that it has the three basic characteristics of the so-called natural state. There is clarity instead of blurriness or drowsiness. There is also softness - it is not hard or rigid or tense but very soft and loving - it has the energy of goodness. And finally, it is stable like a bedrock, completely and unshakably grounded.

Isn't it that this familiar sense of me has all three basic characteristics because it is, in technical terms, the Buddha nature that we are recognizing?

Two Perspectives: Absolute and Relative

The view that the basic reality of all beings is inherently enlightened is an expression of absolute truth or reality as it is. This view is the foundation of tantra (see below), and is expressed in the basic prayers of Amrita Mandala when we chant the absolute refuge - «I am the Guru, I’m in the Pure Land, I am the Buddha, the Dharma, and Sangha.» - as well as in the prayer of absolute bodhicitta: «All beings are free».

From the absolute perspective, there is no enlightenment and nothing to attain as the very nature of phenomena – of happiness and sadness, of relaxation and tension, of enlightenment and confusion - is directly seen as always already perfect.

Linji Yixuan, founder of Linji Chan (Rinzai Zen) says,

According to this mountain monk‘s view, there is no Buddha, no sentient being, no past, no present. One who attains it, attains it instantly. No time is required, no practice, no realization, no gain, no loss.

Similarly, Lady Sahajayoginicinta says,

”Activities that are graceful, heroic, terrifying, compassionate, furious, arrogant, possessive and envious all without exception are perfect forms of pure, self-illuminated wisdom.”

Such pointers are not mere philosophical statements meant to be intellectually internalized or believed. Taken in such a manner, they unavoidably become hindrances to actual first-hand realization. It is an undeniable fact that most of us do not experience ourselves as inherently perfect, nor our thoughts, emotions, and actions as completely pure and kind. Therefore, in order to avoid bypassing the very real existential problems most of us face in everyday life, any authentic view needs to acknowledge and include the relative perspective of our conditioned and confused minds. It is from this perspective that we as spiritual seekers continuously take refuge in Guru, His Pure Land, Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha as our spiritual ideals, as well as express our primary motivation to become fully enlightened through chanting “May all beings be free”. 

Only through experientially recognizing and investigating both modes of reality – the absolute and the relative view - putting them up against each other for contrast, and bringing the clear light of the former to illuminate the darkness of the latter, can we realize the view that is beyond any distinction, beyond absolute and relative, for ourselves.

Three Characteristics of the Enlightened Mind 

In Amrita Mandala, we introduce the enlightened mind by focusing in on three distinct qualities; basic wakefulness, basic aliveness, and basic groundedness. The first of these, basic wakefulness, points to the fact that at the foundation of all our experiences, there is an inherent knowing of the experience itself. This knowing should not be confused with conceptual notions such as “silent witness”, nor should we elevate it to something “special” reserved for a chosen few. Basic wakefulness is in no way separate from our ordinary everyday experience but rather is the very ground of experience itself.

In Buddhist teachings, basic wakefulness is often referred to as “emptiness” (Skt. shunyata). This is because this fundamental quality of being is not a thing that we can approach and study as an object. It does not have common attributes such as size, weight, density, color, and so on. Commonly likened to the vast openness of the sky, it is important to note that basic wakefulness is not three-dimensional, but zero-dimensional; completely boundless! Herein lies its true liberating power: when we recognize basic wakefulness as the essential nature of all phenomena - of “me”, of “other”, of all of our feelings and thoughts, our spiritual or mundane experiences, and so on - we see everything as an expression of enlightened mind; perfectly free of the constraints of separate existence or selfhood. 

The second characteristic, basic aliveness, points to the fact that experience itself has an inherent radiance or positivity to it. In the beginning, this aliveness is most easily recognized in our bodies, but as we become familiar with it we eventually come to realize that it is not bound to any particular aspect of our experience. As a fundamental quality of reality itself, aliveness extends to all of being. This basic aliveness encompasses all the positive energetic qualities of enlightenment; love, compassion, kindness, genuine care for all beings, and so on. Not to be confused with gross bliss or ecstasy, basic aliveness is the fundamental joy of life itself. 

Finally, basic groundedness signifies that the nature of reality is unchanging. Regardless of whether we are sitting still or moving around, whether we have no thoughts or a million racing thoughts, whether we are in a “good place in life” or a “bad place in life” the very essence of reality, of who we are does not change. In fact, the enlightened mind is the only constant throughout all of our lives. This means that recognizing our enlightened nature is the only thing that can bring true peace and contentment in life. When we recognize and fully embody our enlightened essence, there are no more surprises, there is nothing that can bring us out of balance anymore, not even sickness, old age, and death. 

Conditioned Mind: The Selfing Mechanism and Trauma

On the flip side of enlightened nature, we find the confused and conditioned mind. This is the mode from which most of humanity throughout history have lived, and continue to live their lives. It is a fact that most of us do not experience ourselves as perfectly awake, alive, or grounded. Instead, we suffer at the mercy of our confused and conditioned minds exactly because we are fundamentally ignorant of the nature of ourselves. 

The conditioned mind can be separated into two main categories: (1) the selfing mechanism, and (2) psychic wounds or trauma. 

The selfing mechanism is what constitutes the basic separation of reality into things or selves. It is the subconscious narrative that appropriates all our experiences and divides them into the basic categories of dualistic perception; that of  “me” and “other”. The selfing mechanism can be understood as having three distinct parts: (1) the subject self, (2) object selves, and (3) substrate consciousness. 

The subject self refers to the basic feeling of existing as a separate entity. It is the basic feeling of “me”, or “I” around which everything else revolves. In the sentence “I am angry”, for example, the subject self is the “I” who is supposedly suffering from the feeling of anger. Furthermore, the subject self is the “thinker” of thoughts, the “feeler” of emotions, and the “senser” of the various sensations we experience. Most people, when asked where this “I” is located within the body, will point to somewhere behind their eyes. 

It should be noted that the subject self is not the same as our personality. Rather, we are talking about an energetic tension or contraction of the mind that is mistakenly identified as our fundamental self. When left unexamined, it will automatically filter or arrange all of our experiences around itself, and in the process skew our perception of ourselves, others, and the world at large. When examined systematically, however, its magic tricks can easily be seen through. When that happens and the empty nature of the “I” is clearly seen, a shift in perception happens in the mind of the practitioner. In Amrita Mandala, we call this shift (initial) awakening or opening of the first bhumi, and it marks the opening of The Path of Clarity and Wisdom (see below). 

For practical instructions on awakening, please see Two-Part Formula for Awakening and Guidance to Awakening. 

Object selves, on the other hand, refer to the network of self-based thoughts, emotions, and feelings developed around the subject self. We are not talking about thoughts, emotions, and feelings in general, but the specific ones that carry the ability to contract our being. Most of us when experiencing anger, for example, find that this anger automatically contracts our minds, giving us “tunnel vision” and setting off a chain of habitual thoughts and emotions each carrying their own power to further narrow our experiential field. When experienced from the selfless enlightened perspective, however, anger does not have any inherent “substance” or power to contract our minds, and is thus experienced as a free and dynamic expression of our being, leaving no traces once it has played itself out.  

The deconstruction process of object selves happens through a series of awakenings, insights, or shifts of perception, where the contracted energy is released. As we progress through the various layers of our self-based mind (see 13 bhumi model), we move from grosser expressions of object selves to more subtle ones until they are all finally seen as empty of self.

The third part of the selfing mechanism, substrate consciousness, refers to subtle self-based states of being. Of the three aspects of the selfing mechanism, this is the hardest one to recognize and deconstruct due to the fact that it cannot easily be examined as an object. Rather it appears in the form of general “stickiness”, “fogginess”, or “dullness” of mind. A good example to illustrate substrate consciousness is that of depression. When we are depressed, the problem is not that we necessarily experience strong negative emotions, but rather that we are incapable of connecting to our emotions at all. What happens is that the veil of substrate consciousness becomes so thick that we lose touch with the normal faculties of our experience. 

Because of the intangible nature of substrate consciousness, we cannot rely on direct investigation alone to deconstruct it. Rather, we have to make use of more forceful ways of clearing it up. In Amrita Mandala, we use tantric methods for this purpose. 

For more information on our practices designed to deconstruct both object selves and substrate consciousness, please see Rainbow Body Yoga.

In addition to the selfing mechanism presented above, the other aspect of our conditioned being is that of trauma. Usually, when people speak of trauma, they are referring to psychological trauma, more specifically the trauma brought on by major traumatic events. However, the term also includes disruptions in normal functioning brought on by a combination of many different potential factors including long-term emotional neglect or other mental-emotional stressors, as well as poor diet, substance abuse, and so on. The term “trauma” itself simply means “wound”. 

Trauma wounds are closely related to the physical body and the nervous system (see below), and can lead to a variety of different reactions and behavioral patterns in humans. These include strong self-centeredness (narcissistic tendencies), controlling behaviors, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, avoidance behavior, perfectionism, chronic restlessness, dissociation, inability to connect with other beings, difficulty regulating emotions, toxic shame, codependency, and even physical illness. 

Unlike the selfing mechanism, trauma cannot be healed through insight or analytical meditation alone. Rather, these mental-emotional wounds have to be calmed down and healed through the cultivation of basic safety and positivity. This process is what constitutes the Path of Healing and Light in the Amrita Mandala teachings (see below). 

For information on the main practice for dealing with trauma, please see Amrita Kriya Yoga

Tantra: Bridging The Absolute and Relative

To the practitioner whose view is fully obscured by identification with mind objects, the enlightened nature and its qualities remain largely abstract ideas seemingly out of reach. The purpose of the tantric methodology is to act as a bridge between our conditioned mind of self-based confusion, and the selfless clarity of enlightenment. 

Tantra approaches this task by giving the seemingly abstract enlightened qualities concrete forms. We can call these enlightened forms. The Five Jewels of Amrita Mandala – Guru, Pure Land, Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha – are all examples of such enlightened forms. So are the main tools used in tantric practice such as sacred syllables (Skt. mantra), the visualization of sacred imagery (Skt. yantra), and sacred physical gestures (Skt. mudra).

It is important to understand that these forms are not mere representations of enlightenment. They are not just “the finger pointing at the moon”. Rather they are direct expressions of our enlightened nature and thus act as direct doorways from the realm of existential ignorance to the realm of existential knowledge. 

We can illustrate this by using the mantra as an example. The mantra can be understood on three levels; outer, inner, and secret. The outer mantra is the actual form; the words or syllables, sounds, and so on. Practicing the outer mantra correctly, through chanting, for example, can connect us with the inner mantra; the direct experience of the energetic charge of the mantra. In the case of compassion mantras, for example, the inner meaning of the mantra is the direct experience of compassion in our own body and mind. The correct recognition of the energetic charge of the mantra eventually leads us to recognition of the secret mantra; the enlightened nature of our very own minds. Going back to the example of the compassion mantra, the secret meaning of the mantra is the recognition that the compassion experienced is not external to us, but an inherent quality of our very own being. Seeing that these three levels are essentially one, the mantra is itself a direct expression of enlightened reality. 

As such, tantra can be viewed as an inner realm where the nature of being is uncovered through the study of enlightened forms and ideals, directly relating to qualities inherent to our own nature. One reason why this approach is so effective is that it is based on a deeper understanding of human psychology, more specifically our tendency to perceive the world as a collection of personalities over abstract things. Having evolved in highly social contexts, our ability to detect personality traits and patterns has evolved to the point where everything we surround ourselves with is experienced as “personalities”; our cars, our houses, our computers, and so on. And as modern psychology points out, our experience of the world as consisting of numerous personalities is primary, and as a collection of objects secondary.  

It is on this basis that the tantric yogi seeks to know compassion through befriending Avalokitesvara, the Lord of Compassion, or perfect clarity through connecting with Prajnaparamita, the Perfection of Wisdom. Similarly, in the practice of Guru Yoga we can come to know the enlightened state through cultivating relationships with living examples of perfectly realized beings. We can also make use of visualization of enlightened symbols such as the sacred Vajra. In short, the toolbox of tantra contains a number of tangible expressions of the absolute reality beyond form or formlessness.

Enlightened form: the Double Vajra of the Amrita Mandala flag

Two Paths

The Amrita Mandala teachings are divided into two main paths; The Path of Wisdom and Clarity, and The Path of Healing and Light. These two paths are not to be understood as completely separate, but rather as complementary sets of practices that both are required to realize our full spiritual potential. The basis for the division between the two paths is that they work with different areas of our psyche. 

The Path of Wisdom and Clarity aims at deconstructing existential confusion stored in the subtle body of chakras and nadis. This is the subtle body mapped out in the 13 bhumi model, in which the selfing mechanism revolving around the core feeling of being a separate “I” or “me” is located. The main principle of this path is that of vipashyana or “seeing clearly”. On the Path of Wisdom and Clarity, we aim at bringing clarity to the nature of all phenomena through direct investigation. Completion of this path means that the practitioner has fully realized the inherent emptiness (Skt. shunyata) of all mental phenomena such as, for example, thoughts and emotions. 

Our main practice sequence on The Path of Wisdom and Clarity is Rainbow Body Yoga.

The Path of Healing and Light aims at healing and activating the subtle body of meridians.  This is the part of our psyche in which traumas or emotional wounds are stored. The main principle of this path is that of samatha or embodied peacefulness. Closely related to the physical body, restoring the body of meridians to its natural state brings about great vitality and health. It reconnects us experientially with the basic light of being, the essence of life itself. 

Our main practice sequence on The Path of Healing and Light is Amrita Kriya Yoga.

Depending on the needs of the individual practitioner, these two paths can be practiced one at a time or together. It is important to understand, however, that both paths need to be completed to enjoy the ultimate fruit of spiritual practice. Completing the Path of Wisdom and Clarity and the Path of Healing and Light together is what leads to the grand finale of all spiritual practice; the attainment of The Body of Light, The Resurrection, The Rainbow Body, or The Body of Immortality.

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May all beings realize their inherent perfection!

May all beings become living Mahasiddhas!