1. The teaching is the “Doctrine of Dependent Origination.” 2. The training method is the “Seven Departments and Thirty-Seven Points of the Path” (also called the “Thirty-Seven Bodhi-Divisions”).
In later classifications, the “Doctrine of Dependent Origination” is called “Exoteric Buddhism.”
The Four Stages to Liberation
“The Four Stages to Liberation”
Anyone must go through these four stages to attain liberation.
And if you follow these four stages under the guidance of an excellent master,
anyone can attain liberation. Of course, that is true for you too.
The four stages are:
1. Sudhaon
2. Sidhagon
3. Anagon
4. Arhat
To explain,
Sudaon: A saint who has removed all impurities
Sidagon: A saint who has been enlightened
Anagon: A saint who has made a leap (above dimensions)
Arhat: A saint who has transcended (a great dimension) and reached perfection, also called “Buddha”.
So how does a practitioner walk through these four stages?
The method and system for attaining spiritual perfection
This is the training method for attaining spiritual perfection that Shaka left behind. This is called the “method of attaining Buddhahood”. Attaining Buddhahood means attaining spiritual perfection, and a person who has achieved this is called a “Buddha”. That is why I call this method the “method of attaining Buddhahood”.
It is a method and system for attaining Buddhahood consisting of seven systems and 37 types of curriculum. It is a Buddhist term.
I say this because, in addition to the historical fact that Shaka actually only preached the Agama Sutra,
there is no other “method of attaining Buddhahood” apart from the Agama Sutra. I cannot accept a scripture that does not contain the “method of attaining Buddhahood” as a true Buddhist scripture. Of course, it may have a certain reason or value for its existence, but it is not the mainstream. It should be called a side stream.
The Seven Subjects and Thirty-Seven Courses are as follows:
Four mindfulness methods—Body mindfulness method, Receiving mindfulness method, Mind mindfulness method, Dharma mindfulness method
Four correct severance methods—Severance method
Right severance method
Four divine feet methods—Desire divine feet method, Diligent divine feet method
Following severance method
Mind divine feet method
Cutting severance method
Contemplation divine feet method
Five root methods—Faith root method, Diligence root method, Mindfulness root method, Concentrated root method, Wisdom root method
Five power methods–Faith power method, Diligence power method, Mind power method, Concentrated power method, Wisdom power method
Seven enlightenment methods—Selection method enlightenment method, Diligence enlightenment method, Joy enlightenment method, Light and peaceful enlightenment method
Concentrated enlightenment method, Mind enlightenment method
Breaking enlightenment method
Right mindfulness method
That’s all.
These seven subjects and 37 types of curriculum can be classified into: 1. Meditation 2. Practice 3. Tapas (practice) The four mindfulness practices and five root practices are forms of meditation.
The Four Right Decisions, the Five Powers, the Seven Enlightenments, and the Eightfold Path are practice and meditation.
The Four Divine Feet are a special kind of tapas.
Divine Feet are supernatural powers (psychic abilities), and the Four Divine Feet are four types of training methods to obtain supernatural supernatural powers.
My tapas, which I mentioned before, belong to this category.
Of these seven subjects, the training is centered on tapas, incorporating meditation and practical subjects.
The holy teacher decides which subjects to incorporate and how to train. Each practitioner has different qualities and karma, so the guru decides based on that.
The guru plays a big role in this training. Let me tell you a little about the guru.
Spiritual Baptism
If you find a guru who has definitely revealed your spirituality, accept him or her, and train yourself, you can say that you have succeeded in training your strength to 80%. That is how important and difficult it is.
Without a guru, proper Buddhist training for spiritual awakening is impossible. It is different from ordinary Buddhist faith. It may be as simple as being taught how to have faith, how to have faith, or being lectured and interpreted on the scriptures, but Buddhist training for spiritual awakening is almost impossible without the help of a holy teacher with strong spiritual powers.
For example, when the modern Indian saint Ramana Maharishi performed an acceptance ceremony for a new disciple using the “method of gaze,” it is said that the brilliance and power of his eyes pierced the mind of the new disciple and cut off the flow of distracting thoughts. At times, it is said that the new disciple felt as if an electric current had flowed into his body.
Through such spiritual experiences, the disciple’s mind is first purified, and he begins to yearn for spiritual things and to have a desire for spiritual improvement.
