Touching the Earth: Prostrations
In Vajrayana, as the Lamas have often explained, everything is symbol. This segment is meant to elucidate just some of the deeper significance and symbolism embodied in the practice of buddhist Prostrations.
The extraordinary Ngondro, the very entryway to the Supreme Vehicle of Secret Mantra, is comprised of several keystone methods of spiritual cultivation: the Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind to Dharma, Refuge, Prostrations, Mandala, Vajrasattva and finally Guru Yoga. Prostrations are a profound and powerful practice which swiftly purify the negative, impure karmas of body, speech and mind.
In Dharma, things are often discussed in terms of the outer, inner and secret levels. At the outer level, prostrations are an act or reverence or devotion. They result in many health benefits and serve to strengthen the bones and muscles, tonifying the vital organs and overall well being of the physical body. The earth element, which gives a sense of solidity and support, is enriched by moving the four limbs and laying one’s body onto the earth in a full body prostration, laying a firm foundation for deeper levels of practice. This act of full body prostration, or chaktsal, while reciting refuge and visualizing the refuge field refines the three doors of body, speech and mind in a thoroughly integrated way, building integrity, coordination, upright posture and stamina.
The word “humility” comes from humus or earth and while doing prostrations, we not only touch the earth, but we also bow down our crown to the earth and lay out completely, frontally onto the earth as our support, connecting with and absorbing its quality of equanimity. In Thich Nhat Hanh’s traditions, they refer to prostrations as “touching the earth”.
In the Vajrayana Tantra’s view practiced correctly, Earth is the Dakini Locana. As Thinley Norbu Rinpoche says, “We are always stepping on you calling you earth.”, so in the practice of prostrations we are beginning to retrain and reorient how we relate to appearance altogether through Tantra’s sacred vision.
In Tantra we are purifying our vision to see beyond the ordinary and to see the extraordinary divine essence of all phenomena. This is not some fake thing we impute about experience, but it is in fact they way things are in reality when the mind is released from its dualistic habits and conditioning, though it can feel contrived in the beginning until one begins to actually have direct insight.
Of the five elements, the earth element gives the quality of support and solidity. It is our mother. Kuntuzangmo, the all good mother is basic space. Space comes in five qualities: openness, smoothness, solidity, warmth and movement. Tantra is based on this world view. This is symbolized by Kuntuzangmo as the Five Elemental Dakinis. They are all Space/Emptiness but various texturing of space. Warm space is Fire. Moving space is air. Solid space is earth. Open space is space. Flowing space is water, and phenomena are the magic dance of their interplay. A simple glimpse at the periodic table will show you that western science is not saying anything different, it is just missing the realization of Emptiness/basic space.
Grace is the virtue associated with the Earth element, so in this act we make ourselves a worthy receptacles of the grace and blessings of the Lama and the lineage in order to realize our true essence and full potential.
This practice purifies ego centrism and the poison of pride or arrogance, awakening a genuine humility and sweetness through connection with the earth element and its wisdom of equality. At the more inner, yogic level prostrations begin to awaken and charge up the channels, korlos or chakras, and bindus or life force drops, toning up the subtle body. Regular repetition of the practice helps to untangle the knots and tangles in the channels which obstruct the flow of energy and blessing. Because the winds of the mind travel through the channels, as the they begin to straighten out, the aspirant will experience deepening levels of outer and inner transformation and expanded capacity. Because the individual and the world are deeply intertwined in an interdependent loop, what seems to change inwardly will also be reflected in the outer environment. This practice shapes not only your body, speech and mind, but also your life into a field and container for deeper levels of practice and realization. Prostrations have been described as and excellent metaphor for the challenges in life, imbuing a resilience in which every time we fall down, we receive the strength to stand up again. Lama Ole said that after he and Hannah completed prostrations that they never encountered any physical challenge that they couldn’t handle.
At the secret level, visualizing the refuge field and cascading streams of light pouring forth forms a deep connection and bond with our innermost secret nature, that which is most holy, sublime beings and the blessing of the lineage. The frontal line of the body is called the “Vessel of Bonding” which develops during infancy when we bond with our maternal matrix at birth. When we touch our palms to this channel at the throat and heart, receiving light into these chakras, it creates and incredible, deep and profound bond which activates our ability to receive and absorb profound spiritual nourishment at the most subtle levels. Laying on the earth, we are boding with the earth and also the Yidam and field of refuge.
All to often nowadays prostrations have become viewed in a materialist way as some kind of spiritual workout, and the deeper layers of meaning are lost. This prayer from the Sakya lineage clearly demonstrates and elucidates how every gesture is extremely profound and is meant to become a direct expression of the view, meditation and conduct and motivation.
“The aspiration prayer to be chanted when one performs prostrations as taught by the Sakya Pandora.
By paying homage to the Three Sacred Jewels, may my own and all other beings’ wrongdoings and obscurations be purified! Through placing my two hands together, palm joined to palm, may I obtain the indivisible union of means and wisdom! By placing my clasped palms to the crown of my head may I travel to Ogmin Ganden, the blissful, unsurpassed Pure Land! By touching my palms between my eyebrows at the forehead may all the sins and obscurations of my body be purified! By touching my palms to my throat may all the sins and obscurations of my speech be purified! By touching my palms to my heart center, may all the sins and obscurations of my mind be purified! Through separating my joined palm, may the two form bodies, the Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya, work on behalf of all beings! Through planting the knees of my two legs on the ground, may I obtain the eleventh bhumi, the Buddha-stage of total luminosity! By stretching out and contracting all my tendons and (gross and subtle) channels, may I release every channel-knot without exception! By bending my spine and central channel may all loong winds without exception enter into the central channel! By touching the ground and rising up again may I not remain in samsara and go on to achieve the Path of Liberation! Through then prostrating downwards again many more times, may I not merely abide in peace but go on to lead all beings out of samsara!
Through the power and merit of offering such fully extended full-body prostrations for myself and others, my I and they have abundant and long lives free of illness! Upon death may we be reborn in the Blissful Pure Land of Dewachen and swiftly obtain the perfected state of a Buddha!
May all mother and father sentient beings have happiness! May all the lower realms of negative rebirth be forever empty! Wherever Bodhisattvas might reside may all their prayers be accomplished! SARVAMANGALAM!”