The oirat text, “A guide to refuge practice” (psychotechnic technique of visualization of objects of worship)

Abstract

This article deals with the content of the Oirat text “A Guide to Refuge Practice” that contains instructions on psychotechnical practice of the Buddhist creed. According to Buddhist tradition, entering the path of Buddhist salvation begins with taking refuge. The text of the “Refuge” prayer is a symbol of the Buddhist faith and consists of a synthesis of layman's vows', bodhisattva vows and the fundamental provisions of Buddhist teachings. The practice of the creed requires combining the recitation of the creed with a special psychotechnical practice because reading the text of this prayer without meditative concentration has no practical meaning. There were special texts with instructions to make psychotechnical practice effective; these offered techniques for detailed visualization of objects of worship. There are different levels of refuge practice. For ordinary believers, the main goal is to gain rebirth in the good realms. The main motivation of a spiritually developed personality relates to the desire to break the chain of births in samsara for oneself. For the highest personality, that is, a bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism, it is the desire to save all living beings of samsara. Therefore, the refuge mind of the practitioner should be focused on the determination to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings of Samsara. The knowledge gained in the process of such an experience allows one to overcome ignorance, develop detachment from being in everyday life, and change one's attitude to reality. Therefore, the present article is useful in providing a further understanding of the religious tradition of Buddhism and the Buddhist cultures in Russia.