The Six Primary Elements are composed of three aspects:
Essence: The common nature of the cosmos
Form: The forms or shapes of objects and living beings
Usage: Languages, movements, and the use of all things.

Everything in the universe has Essence, Form and Usage. Our mind divides things into these three aspects when in reality they do not exist separately. Without one, the other two cannot exist. Therefore, by examining one aspect we can understand all three. Even though there exists countless creatures under countless forms and qualities in the universe they all have the same essence or life force, the core of all things. Without the Forms, the Essence cannot manifest itself. The Essence and the Forms represents inaction and action of the unique existence.

C. Dharma Mandala: Broadly speaking, it is all the sounds, speeches, images, makes and symbols in the universe. More specifically, it is the seed syllable or the Dharani of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The seed-syllable is a letter of the alphabet that represents the essence of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The seed syllable of Mahavairocana is “A”- the seed of Vajrapani is “Hum”. A Dharani is the secret formula and the titles of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas; it also represents all the written text in the Sutra.

HUM

D. Karma Mandala: Karma means action toward a goal. Thus, broadly speaking, it is all the actions of all living things. Its narrow meaning is all the actions of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for the salvation of humanity.
These four Mandalas exist simultaneously. They are within the Buddhas and human beings. The four Mandalas of the Buddhas do not separate from the four Mandalas of human beings, and vice versa. That is why it is mentioned in the Sutra as the Four Inseparable Mandalas.

This practice has two major stages:
The first stage is called the “upholding of the granted Three Secrets”. When the practitioner has his body, speech, and mind under control, his mind will become clear and still like water, and he will then be able to receive Mahavairocana’s holy bright light shining into his heart. This is called “granting the spiritual force”. By feeling the spiritual force in his heart, the devotee is receiving and keeping it. This expresses the unity of the Buddha’s great compassion and the faith of the practitioner.
The second stage is the “Yoga meditation on the Three Secrets”. The bestowal of the force is like the sunlight from the Buddha’s radiance shining on the water-like mind of the practitioner, and the receiving of empowerment is the feeling of the sunlight from the Buddha. When the practitioner has mastered the first stage, the light from Mahavairocana and the one from the practitioner will be totally fused together. (Yoga = union). This is the end stage of successful practice.
The philosophy of Shingon pays much importance to the Three Secrets. All things have body, speech and mind. We tend to think that only human beings can talk. However, in this world, other living beings can also talk. We may not have heard them and we do not seek to hear them, but they are not voiceless. We cannot hear them because we do not know how to listen to them. Shingon’s idea is that the body, speech and mind of all beings are the Three Secrets of the universe.
Trees, plants, grass, flowers, and vegetation do communicate. The rustling and the cracking sounds of leaves and branches sometimes sound like people singing, debating or shouting in anger. When we have a chance to sit quietly in a deep forest and listen closely, the trees sound as though they are speaking with each other, and soliciting in many ways. For the poet and the spiritual person the ripple of mountain streams sounds like a soft melody, complete with tones and images. For us, sitting on the beach, the waves seem to uproar or bustle noisily as they slap against the shore.
Birds seem to be happy through their chirping and singing. Thus nature is not silent and human language is simply one of the many languages in the universe.
By cultivating ourselves and keeping the precepts properly, we will have a pure heart and we will be able to understand the sounds of all things. We will also be able to see and hear the Deities, Saints, and Celestial Beings. A pure and peaceful heart is required to open up the centers of consciousness in the body in order to receive the hidden secrets of the universe.

Most people prefer to learn from textbook only. Such learning leads to a superficial knowledge of nature as it leaves aside hidden metaphysical principles and mystical realms. It conceals the ultimate out of reach goal, as people are not able to see or to even think about it. In fact, this is exactly what people should know. Everything has a mind and language beside their forms. It is the mind that gives life to all things, expressing itself through the form, sign and language. Therefore nothing is silent. Silence is the language inside the mind that sometimes provides perfect communication. From now on, we should not discriminate or have contempt between living beings and living things.
Anyone who thoroughly penetrates the body, speech, and mind Secrets will immediately reach the Buddha’s rank. It does take a long time to carefully observe and learn from nature to realize its myteries.

1) Abnormal birth – the Goat’s mind.
The lowest stage of consciousness and behavior is impulsive and instinctual. Here the person lives blindly, acting like sheep, and devoid of moral and spiritual values, being barely distinguishable from animals. This realm is not much different than beings in the realms of hell, ghosts and beasts. His nature is different from other good people. In India, they are called goats, the most dumb and stupid animal.
The mind at its first stage is compared the lotus’s germ buried in the mud.

2) The common mind-The follower (the Human vehicle)
The second stage is characterized by an emergent ethical awareness coupled with naivety and ignorance. Individuals at this level have sensitivity towards others and practice simple precepts without understanding much of the doctrine. It is the common stage for humans.
The Buddhist observes the 5 precepts (not to kill, not to steal, not to indulge in sexual misconduct, not to lie, and not to drink) to avoid karma of speech and body. The Confucian lives by the teaching on the three relations guiding the behavior between the king and its subject, between father and son, and between husband and wife, and by the five ethics (benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and fidelity).
At this stage, the Shingon follower begins the practice of meditation on the Three Secrets. This step is similar to the lotus flower getting its fragile stem out of the mud.

3) The fearless mind (Divinity Vehicle)
This is the stage for people in the heaven realm, where they strive for extraordinary power. This is the realm of the young man that has no more fears as he has passed the worrying stages. He has successfully avoided the realms of hells, animals and hungry ghosts and is having a glimpse of the heaven realm. He may avoid downfall by keeping the precepts and by staying close to the sage. Belonging to this stage are the genuine Taoist and Brahman followers. True practitioners of Shingon at this stage have made good progress in their meditation on the Three Secrets.
This is the picture of the lotus with its stem above the water and into the sunlight.

4) The altruistic mind- Skandaism (Intellectual vehicle)
At the fourth stage a human being understands the no-soul
doctrine and realizes that the temporary ego consists merely of the five skandhas or aggregates: form, feeling, ideas, actions and consciousness. Such an individual is a shravaka (a Hearer of the Word).
This is the higher spiritual life of the practitioner in the Theravada School, Kou-Cha-Shu and Jo-Jitsou-Shu sects. At this level, one forgets his ego and is looking for the truth. They realize that a strong sense of ego is the cause of delusion as ego itself is also a delusion and therefore must be abandoned. This stage is similar to the lotus’ bud, waiting for the sunshine to blossom into a beautiful flower.

5) The Human mind – (Prateyka or the Self-Enlightened)
People at this level understand the cause of suffering, or thirst for embodied existence, and seek on the one hand, to eliminate the creation of new karma and strive on the other for nirvana. Such are the Pratyeka Buddhas, who know how to win enlightenment for themselves, but lack the upaya or skillful means to help others towards the same goal. This is considered a selfish attitude. A Prateyka Buddha is one who, through realization of the causes and conditions of greed, can get rid of them. There are 12 linked conditioned causes, the first one being ignorance. In the Shingon system, the fourth and fifth stages are the realm of one who meditates upon the unreal and realizes that all things are reflections of images on a mirror. The rellection of the moon and the lotus, no matter how clear it appears in the water, are also unreal. Life is also a dream that ends quickly.

6) The Great Vehicle mind – Benefiting others
The sixth stage witnesses the translation of wisdom into compassion, the first step in the Mahayana or Great Vehicle. These three stages represent a fundamental turning of consciousness away from the distractions of a transient world, which pretends to permanence, towards the seemingly less certain but more real world of spiritual striving.
At this stage, the Buddhist of the Great Vehicle system is a philanthropist. According to the teaching of Hosso-Shu (Jap.) or Fa-Shiang-School (ch.), although life is unreal, thought is not. Thoughts create all things. A person’s appearance is the result of his thoughts, which dictate his life destiny to be either good or bad. A person with bad thoughts can never have a noble and pure life. By keeping the knowledge of the secret principle of liberation for ourselves, we will not become Buddha. Helping others is also helping ourselvess. If the Buddha does not use the doctrine to save people from their miseries he does not deserve to be called Buddha, The Great Compassionate One.
This is similar to the lotus’ stems being held under water by grasses. Other lotuses joined their stems together to set it free and let it rise above the water.

7) The mind of nothingness. Enlightenment
In the seventh stage an individual realizes that the mind is unborn, without beginning or ending. The person has reached the philosophy of “True Emptiness” meaning that things are not real and not unreal. This is the stage of the Middle Way doctrine (Madhyamika) of the Three Treatises School (Sanronshu-Jap.). Persistent meditation on the eightfold negation: No life, no death, no coming, no going, no similarity, no difference, no existence, and no emptiness elevates the mind from the common to the supreme and peaceful heavenly realm of the Middle Way Thought. The cultivators of the 6th and 7th levels of the Shingon Sect reach Samadhi (Yoga: Unity with God) freely and easily.
This stage is compared to the lotus flower rising above the water. The lotus is not completely real but it is not a mere reflection either.

8) The Unique Way Mind.
The eighth stage is a subtle shift in consciousness, which is represented by the Tendai School and its view of Buddha as Omnipresent Reality. Tendai considers one religion as the foundation of all. All things are equal. They all have Buddha nature in them and all things can become Buddha. This is compared to the beautiful lake full of lotuses bathing in the sun.

9) The Non-Self Mind.
The ninth stage is the epitome of Secret Thought according to Kukai, for The Kegon School embodies this stage.
The ninth stage goes with the doctrine of Avatamsaka (Hoa Yen), the highest principle of Hinayana Buddhism. Here one recognizes the interdependent origination of the realm of truth and law, beyond which lies full realization and enlightenment. It explains that the absolute is the same as the relative and that’s why the mind does not keep its own character. This level of thought is compared to the lotus flower at its brightest and most beautiful stage as if it has in itself infinite subtle compassions.

10) The Dignified Mind. (The Diamond Vehicle)
The tenth stage –is a transcendence of all stages. It is the complete comprehension of Shingon, the True Word, which means the union of the individual’s mind and body with the mind and body of Mahavairocana. At this level, one becomes Buddha, as he understands the Three Secrets of body, speech and mind.
It is not enough to enjoy the lotus, or to watch it grow from a seed to a full flower. We must see the internal dynamic and the wonderful activities behind its appearance. We must know that the lotus has a Buddha Nature identical to ours.

The Tathagata of the Five Directions Garbhakosa:
– Central – Mahavairocana Buddha.
– East – Ratnaketu Buddha (Precious Pennant Tathagata)
– South – Samkusumitarajaha Buddha (The Flower Spreading King Tathagata)
– West – Amitabha Buddha (Infinite Light Buddha)
– North – Divyadundubhimeganirghosa Buddha (Thunderous Sound of the Heavenly Drum)

The Tathagatas in the Five Directions Vjaradhatu:
– Central – Mahavairocana Buddha.
– East – Aksobhya Buddha.
– South – Ratnasambhava Buddha.
– West – Amitabha Buddha.
– North – Amoghasiddhi.

The philosophy of Garbhakosa begins with the Great Fulfillment Realm and ends with the Dharma Realm of Wisdom. It is the other way around with the Vajradhatu Mandala.

The next bija Ā means Bodhi virtue. It belongs to Samkusumitarajaha Buddha -The Flower Spreading King Tathagata). He resides in the areas south of the Eight-Petal Dais; He is compared to a fully blossomed wisdom flower. The wisdom flower can only fully blossom when it has both the Bodhi-citta and the practice of the ten virtues. The bija “Am” means achievement of the Bodhi-citta. It belongs to Amitabha Buddha in the west. Amitabha is the Bliss Body, representing the fruit of successful practice of Buddhahood, which is the enjoyment of incomparable true happiness.

The bija “Ah” means entering nirvana. It also means a way. It belongs to Divyadundubhimeganirghosa Buddha. He resides in the areas north of the Eight-Petal Dais. Following enlightenment, instead of enjoying its result, the Buddha used the Wisdom of Perfect Action to create skillful means to save sentient beings. He also used the same means to enter Nirvana when his task was done. The Essay on Bodhi-citta said: “Amitabha Buddha, enjoying the fruits of Buddhahood following his successful practice of the Bodhi-citta” has the same meaning as “Divyadundubhimeganirghosa Buddha entering Nirvana following the completion of his tasks”.

The bija “ĀH” (Or O) means having all the skillful means. This belongs to Mahavairocana. He resided in the center. Only the Buddhas can understand the sublime transcendent essence and the Eight-Petal Flower of Mahavairocana’s world. Because of his vow, Mahavairocana had opened the Sutra of Great Compassion to guide living beings into the Buddha’s mind. He used Adhistana to express himself in the body, speech, and mind of the people in this samsara (world of life and death).

Vairocana symbolizes the nature of the Dharma Realm. The bija of Vairocana is “Om”. It represents the limitless universal experiences. Om, like other bijas, carries the force of creation.
The Mandala carries the theory of the creation of the original Word, and the theory of world vibrations. Of the five skandas, Universal Consciousness is related to Vairocana. One person’s consciousness becomes the Universal Consciousness when the limitless Dharma nature is experienced. The Universal Consciousness is represented by the blue color (both deep and dark blue) of limitless space. It is the first and foremost condition of existence, because it conserves all without discrimination. Space in this case has to do with the sum of spiritual experiences and of the five aggregates as a whole. It is not reserved for the aggregate of form in the mathematics of space.

In this Mandala, Mahavairocana is at the center. His body is pure white. He sits on a lion throne. His Mudra is the gesture of setting the wheel of Dharma in motion (Dharma Cakra Mudra). Aksobhya Buddha symbolizes the intelligence of the Great Fulfillment Realm. His seed-syllable is “Hum”, which symbolizes the unification of essence and achievement. “Om” and “Hum” have complementary values of experience and as metaphysical symbols. “Om” is liberation and “Hum” is salvation. “Om” goes into the All, the Infinite, and “Hum” from the Infinite to the deepest part of the soul. The human factor and the sentiment of “Hum” transform Buddha to Bodhisattva, a lower rank, but of greater help. “Hum” is the infinity in the finite, the timeless in the time, the eternity in the moment, the formlessness in the form (Form is emptiness; emptiness is form).

Aksobhya is the mystic Buddha in the five Dhyani Buddhas. He represents two aspects of Emptiness and Form. In the Diamond Vehicle School tradition, Mahavairocana and Aksobhya could exchange their position freely depending on how they feel at the moment while they meditate on Emptiness or form, liberation or salvation.
In the Mandala of Vajradhatu, Aksobhya Buddha appears majestically with his dark blue body, and holding a diamond in his hand, sitting on two white elephants in the east at sunrise. His aura is pure and clear like the primary element of water. His Mudra is the Bhumi Sparca.

Ratnasambhava Buddha symbolizes the wisdom of equality of all beings. His seed-syllable is “Trah”. It symbolizes the enlightenment of consciousness of an indiscriminate mind. Enlightenment is a change in spirit that is not different from the past or contrary to the present in terms of reasoning. Instead it is a change in feelings, according to the aggregate of sensation. The spirit is lively with compassion and forgiving virtue. He resides in the south. His body is bright yellow like the color of the warm light of the sun at noon, symbolizing the fullness of the spiritual life. The symbolic color of the element earth and of equality is also yellow. His Mudra is Dana Mudra with the palm of his right hand upward and the fingers touching the ground. It symbolizes the giving of the Three Jewels (Buddha, doctrine, sangha) to sentient beings enabling them to lean upon, to follow, and to reach the emptiness nature of Aksobhya and the selflessness nature of Ratna Sambhava. This will aid them in their progress to the intimate union. In this Mandala, Ratna Sambhava is depicted sitting on the horse throne.

Amitabha Buddha or Infinite Light Buddha symbolizes the wisdom of observation. His seed-syllable is “Hrih” and his Dharani is “Om Amitabha Hrih”. Hrih is the nature of fiery burning fire, ejecting red sparks in all directions. The bright light of fire of Amitabha appears in the West. His body is also deep red like the color of sunset. Twilight at sunset is the time for meditation, thus he uses the Dhyana Mudra (meditation Mudra). The blossomed lotus in his hand represents contemplation. His aggregate is perception. From the discriminating mind perception becomes transcendental observation. Transcendental observation is the superior, discriminating and enlightened mind that is attained in the process of going from abstract to form.

The eyes represent observation. Amitabha’s throne is on the back of a peacock with its feathers full of eyes. The analysis of observation is completely intuitive and not from reasoning, because it is based on the mind of equality, having combined all the correlations of the universe. On the plane of the individual and action, the seed-syllable “Hrih” becomes alive, and expands in the Dharani “Om Ma Ni Pad Me Hum”. This is the magical force of timeless reaction, the voice of innermost feelings, and of the Bodhi Dharma (Enlightenment doctrine), which come out directly, forcefully and automatically. Hrih is the seed of the Bodhisattva virtue, and of altruistic actions toward humanity salvation. It is the enlightened mind of Vajra-Prajna-Paramita Sutra.

Amoghasiddhi represents the intelligence of perfect action. His bija is “Ah”, symbolizing action. If “Om” is the Way of Universality, and “Hum” is the Way of Integration, the achievement of life, then “Ah” is perfect action. The prayer flags in the Tibetan monasteries have “Om Ah Hum” which represents essence, speech, and nature. He is the Lord of the primary element Wind, the principle of motions, of living breath, and of life force. He is the incarnate body of Amitabha, and is also the Lord of great transformation. He connects the inner mind to the outer world and the visible to the invisible. He transforms the spiritual into physical and the physical into the model for the spirit. He bridges the noble to the common Truth.

Amoghasidi represents the fulfillment and realization of the Bodhisattva path. It is the world of achievement, of magical powers (Sidhi), and of salvation, he is the most mysterious of the five Buddhas whose vehicle is the Garuda, a man-bird, representing Transformation and Wind. His aggregate is Impression. It is the will, the spiritual power, or the most active part of the soul that transforms intelligence into perfect action. The mind of perfect action is the wisdom that brings about results. It changes bad karma into good conditions, idealizes the dynamic action behind each notion, converts eternity into a single moment, and brings asceticism to liberation. The wisdom of perfect action changes the dull notion of the six elements into dynamic principles. Earth is potential energy (Einstein), water is electric energy, fire is luminous energy, wind is kinetic energy, space is energy of time (Kuzyref), and consciousness is the energy of the soul (Carl Jung). Thus the Mind of Perfect Action brings about liberation.

In the realm of Forms, Amoghasidhi displays courage besides compassion and wisdom to perfect his mission. His courage stems from the firm belief that “the mind creates all doctrines”. It is symbolized by Abhya Mudra and by his incarnate body Sakyamuni Buddha and Maitreya, the future Buddha.
The spirit of fearlessness in Buddhism expresses itself in the readiness to endure all sufferings to liberate sentient beings through self-liberation. This is the mystical action of Secret Buddhism. It is to save people by saving oneself because of one’s Great Vow.
In the Mandala, Amoghasiddhi is in the North, the spiritual realm where the wind is cold, and the sun appears at midnight. His aura is green, deriving from the blue of Vairocana’s realm, and the yellow of Ratna Sambhava’s compassion.