..续本文上一页ng that all living beings experience upon oneself. Why is this practiced

　　 In the Bodhicharyavatara, Shantideva wrote, “There is no better way to attain the state of perfection than by exchanging oneself with all living beings.” Shantideva continued, “If one were to give all treasures available in the entire universe to the buddhas, they would not be pleased. But if on gives others happiness and freedom from suffering, then the buddhas will be very pleased.”

　　Practicing “Pho-ba

　　”Pho-ba is practiced a few times in chod. It is practiced so that attachment to a self is vanquished, by realizing that the body and mind are empty of inherent existence. Nevertheless, inpiduals live their lives as though the mind exists throughout or in some hidden corner of their body. When mind and body separate at death, then the consciousness necessarily leaves the body. While dying, the mind feels like it is stuck in a dark and tiny room and has the strong urge to escape as fast as possible. The body consists of nine impure openings. Those persons who led a meaningless life and cling to negative impressions leave their body through one of the lower openings of the body when they die; this means that they will be reborn in one of the three lower realms of existence. Those persons who led a meaningful life and have wholesome impressions in their mind leave their body through one of the upper openings of the body when they die; this points to the fact that they will attain rebirth in one of the three higher realms of existence. 8 Those who leave the body through the small aperture at the top of the head means that they will attain a very favourable rebirth. It is only possible for the mind to leave the body through the top aperture at death if a practitioner has acquired very good impressions and practiced phowa during life. Machig Labdron said, “From among the hundreds of practices that have been transmitted, the best practice is to open the heavenly gate.”9

　　Celebrating a Chod-ganachakra

　　Chod-ganachakra, the fifth and last practice carried out in the main section of chod, is celebrating a great feast offering. Three offering are made, by mixing together three presents into one. What is called “the three mixings” are: (1) mixing one”s own mind with that of all other living beings, especially with the minds of demons, enemies, and foes, (2) in order to purify mind, mixing all minds that have become united with dharmadhatu and (3) mixing any leftovers from one”s chod offering with the imagined and invaluable ingredients of the ganachakra offering.

　　There are three types of ganachakra offerings. (1) Outer ganachakra refers to all external appearances that exist in the world and do not belong to oneself, like mountains, streams, meadows, and beautiful clouds. (2) Inner ganachakra is all personal possessions, all merit and luxuries one has collected in the past. (3) Secret ganachakra is any realizations and experiences one has attained through practicing the generation and completion phases of yidam meditation, Mahamudra, Dzogchen.

　　Offering the Mandala

　　The first paramita of generosity is a very decisive factor in the practice of bodhisattvas. One can give to those more fortunate as well as to those less fortunate than oneself. In Vajrayana, we learn that material offerings do not make the buddhas and lineage masters happy, rather the most precious present one can give to the buddhas and lineage masters is realizing the true nature of one”s own mind. Imagining all treasures of the universe in the form of a mandala is an extraordinary present, because a practitioner is free of being stingy or competitive while correctly arranging the mandala. In the practice of chod, surrendering one”s own body is understood to be most difficult but also …

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