文／蓮生活佛 盧勝彥
密教常常被人指責是「外道」，其因素當然很多，然而，這些因素都是由於「不明教理」及各種不實的攻訐所致的。
例如，把密教說成是婆羅門教，這是有人以為，密教廣攝諸天，與婆羅門教相似。其實密教度眾生脫離生死苦海，超出三界，與大乘佛教的理趣完全一樣。
也有人以為，密教崇尚神通，以神力問吉凶禍福，三世因果，禱雨治病，占星地理，這種現象與靈鬼作用相去不遠，因此密教是外道邪說。
原則上說來，密教被講成占算相命、占星地理、禱雨治病，這只是密教「雜密」的皮毛。真正的純密是金剛戒力，菩提道心，了生脫死，即身成佛。也即是斷惑證真的，和一些假上師大行歛財騙色是大不相同的。
有人說，密教做「護摩」，是波斯祅教的火供作法，不可以修護摩法。據我所知，密教護摩，總持印契，所作皆驗。結壇作法，全在運心。這護摩法不離一個「心」字，因此祖師宗喀巴認為護摩是三大成就之一。
又有人說，密教「圓滿次第」內密的修行，是「氣脈明點」的修行，「氣脈明點」是命修，也就是肉身修行，這是偏離了心的，因此是外道。我說，密教修氣，主張「心氣」合一，氣即是心，心即是氣，氣不離心是也，由修氣來印證心，並未離了心。到了最後，以「氣脈明點」印證「祕密莊嚴心」，這是密教的心地，豈可批評是偏離了心！
我認為，今得逢密教，是三生之幸，這是罕有的殊勝緣分，千萬勿信口譭謗！
Seen in the Context of Heresy
Written by Lian-shen Linving Buddha Sheng-yen Lu
Translated by Cheng Yew Chung edited by Victor Hazen
True Buddha Foundation Translation Team
Tantric Buddhism often finds itself the target of criticism, accused of being heretical. Naturally there are many reasons contributing to this, but most accusations are founded on a lack of understanding of the Tantric doctrines, as well as on false allegations.
For example, some have painted Tantric Buddhism as Brahmanism, as they feel that Tantric Buddhism’s wide inclusion of every spectrum of celestial beings is similar to Brahmanism. The truth is, Tantric Buddhism is no different from Mahayana Buddhism when it comes to delivering sentient beings out of the ocean of suffering, away from the three lower realms.
Some have made the remark that Tantric Buddhism promotes spiritual powers and uses the power of gods to perform divination, check the records of past lives, pray for rain, give healing, use chart astrology and perform geomancy. These phenomena are similar in nature to the activities of ghosts and the occult, and based on this assumption, they call Tantrayana a heresy.
Fundamentally speaking, the talk on Tantric Buddhism being associated with divination, astrology, geomancy, praying for rain and healing barely scratches the surface of the mixed aspects of Tantric Buddhism. The true Tantric teachings involve the doctrines of vajra disciplinary rules, the bodhi mind, liberation from samsara, and attaining Buddhahood in this very body. Therefore Tantric Buddhism cuts away all illusions and realizes what is true and real. It is very different from the way that some pseudo masters are practicing - by amassing wealth and by womanizing.
Some have said that the homa rituals performed in Tantric Buddhism are similar to the fire offering rituals of
Zoroastrianism from Persia. Thus, there should not be any homa practice. To my knowledge, the Tantric homa practice involves the use of mudra, and therefore will achieve results. It utilizes a shrine to work its powers, moving the forces with the mind. This homa practice anchors on the mind itself. This is why Guru Tsongkhapa considered homa to be one of the three accomplishments.
Then there are remarks about the Completion stage of the Inner Tantra being the cultivation of winds, channels and drops. As the Completion Stage focuses only on the building of physical health, which is the cultivation of the physical body, it has already deviated from the path of mind training. Therefore, it is a heresy. I want to clarify that the Tantric practice of chi or winds advocates the blending of mind and chi - that mind is chi, and chi cannot exist without the mind. Through the training of chi or winds, we can verify the mind. There is no separation from mind. And eventually, through the practice of winds, channels and drops, we can verify the presence of the Secret Adorned Mind. This is the spiritual ground of Tantrayana. There is no ground for accusing that Tantric practice has deviated from the mind!
I feel that it is our great privilege and blessing to find the Tantric teachings, offered to us as a rare and special affinity. We must never slander its doctrines!
