Meditation on the Buddha of Limitless Light

We feel the formless stream of air at the tips of our noses and let thoughts and
feelings pass without evaluation.
Then we focus on the four basic thoughts which turn mind towards liberation and
enlightenment.
• We recognize our precious opportunity in this life, that we can benefit
countless beings through the methods of the Buddha. Few ever meet beyond-
dualistic teachings and even fewer are able to use them.
• We remember the impermanence of everything composite. Only the unlimited
clear space of mind is lasting and nobody knows how long conditions will
remain for recognizing that.
• We understand causality. That it is up to us what will come. Former thoughts,
words and actions became our present state and right now we are sowing the
seeds for our future.
• Finally, we see the reasons for working with mind: enlightenment is timeless
highest bliss and we cannot benefit others while confused and suffering
ourselves.
Not experiencing the world the way we wish, we now open up to those who have that
power. For the good of all beings we take refuge in our goal, Buddha, the full
development of mind; in the teachings which bring us there; in our friends and
helpers on the way; and especially in the Lama, our teacher. In the Karma Kagyu
lineage he always represents the Karmapa. Uniting blessing, methods and protection,
he is needed for our fast development.
Above our head and at a reachable altitude there now arises a fully open lotus flower;
a flat disc of the moon is resting inside it. Facing in the same direction as we, here
sits the Buddha of Limitless Light (Opagme, Amitabha). He is athletic and luminous,
shines like a mountain of rubies in the light of a thousand suns. Radiant and beautiful
beyond all concepts, his state is the fulfillment of any possible wish.
Being in essence the Karmapa and our root lama, he is seated in the position of
meditation. His hands hold a bowl of lapis lazuli in his lap with the nectar of highest
bliss. To his right, above our right shoulder and smaller than the Buddha of Limitless
Light, stands the united compassion of all Buddhas, the white four-armed form of
Loving Eyes (Chenrezig, Avalokitesvara). To his left and above our left shoulder
stands Diamond in Hand (Channa Dorje, Vajrapani), the united power of all Buddhas
in his peaceful light blue form. He holds a bell to his heart and a dorje towards
Limitless Light. The three central forms are surrounded by the lamas of all Phowa
lineages. Repeating the mantra as much as possible, we hold our awareness with the
pure land above, and strongly wish to enter the heart of the red Buddha.
OM AMI DEWA HRI
When we finish the repetitions, the lamas and the pure land above melt into the white
and the blue Bodhisattva.
These dissolve into the Buddha of Limitless Light and become one with him. Like
water flowing into water, there is no separation. Then, he becomes light and streams
down into us. The world is a pure land. Beings appear everywhere, all having the
buddha-nature and we are the Buddha of Long Life (Tsepagme, Amitayus), our
preferred Buddha, or our habitual form, now without weakness or disease. We decide
to keep this awareness in all situations of life.
Now we wish that all the good which happened may become limitless. That it may
remove all suffering and bring beings to the state of highest bliss, to the recognition
of their own mind.