Cities of Lightning

The Iconography of Thunder-Beings in the Oriental Traditions

Samudranath

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ISBN: 0-9660203-0-8, 360 pages, 6 x 9, paper, $24.95
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Cities of Lightning is the first full and accurate presentation on the mystical revelation and Tantra of the Thunder-beings in the Oriental traditions. The Thunder-Beings are the Lords and Mothers of Enlightenment. The essence of the Oriental traditions is the experience of enlightenment, of perfect tranquility and bliss. This experience is fully attained through the Thunder-Beings, through their clear-light blessings, and through their power and wisdom.

The Thunder-Beings awaken the earth through sound and light (thunder and lightning). Likewise, through sound and light (name and image) they extend themselves to awaken the mind. Their names and images are used in visualization-based meditations and form the basis of the Oriental traditions of Tantra. Through the proper use of these images and sacred sound in meditation, we can fully liberate our minds from suffering and become a Thunder-Being ourselves, capable of flawlessly guiding all sentient beings to the enlightened state. Through the grace of the Enlightened Ones we can at present become a lamp of crystal clear wisdom-light to directly purify our mind, to alleviate the suffering of beings, to create a climate of health and harmony, to pacify harmful influences, to precipitate world peace, and to create a continuous rain of blessings to nourish the hearts of all sentient beings.

Cities of Lightning is an exposition on the clear-light imagery and its use in the three Oriental traditions, Buddha Dharma, Sanatan Dharma, and Taoism, as well as an exposition on these three traditions and the Thunder-Beings who originated their Truth.

Table of Contents

BOOK I
CITIES OF LIGHTNING
VAJRAYANA: The Lightning-bolt Vehicle

BOOK II
SHIVA: The Primordial Thunder Lord of Infinite Consciousness

BOOK III
LEI KUNG: The Primordial Thunder-bird

Conclusion: Prophecy and the Spontaneous Play of the Lightning-bolt
Works Cited
About the Author

Excerpt

An Introduction to the Thunder-beings

Quite often when people hear about the Thunder-beings it is in the context of shamanic traditions, the traditions of indigenous peoples who supplicated Deities of the Storm to sustain their crops, to bring beneficial rains and avert harmful storms, to heal and drive away negative forces. Since beginningless time people have worshiped Thunder-beings. The early cultures were initiated by Thunder-beings, and their belief systems were established by Thunder-beings. Thunder-beings created the universe, the world and all life; they gave people food, shelter, fire, the first language, law, wisdom, the arts, spiritual sciences, and all knowledge. They cared for the people as parents care for their children. And the people worshiped them with jeweled hearts, as Father-Mother, as creator, sustainer and destroyer, not through primitive rites, but in simple yet sophisticated and Holy ways.

The Thunder-beings are behind all pure religious transmission, both ancient and new. If you look into the worlds religious traditions, if you look into their origins, you will discover that the tradition, the view or set of beliefs about the universe, spirit, nature, life, etc., come from Thunder-beings. We know this because tradition relates it, that Omniscient Wisdom-beings taught the early people, either directly or in profound dreams and mystical visions of thunder and lightning.

The God of virtually all God-centered traditions across the globe is a Thunder-being, or multiple Thunder-beings. It is a universal belief that the God and Goddess, the Omniscient Wisdom-beings who stand as the Crown Jewel of all wisdom-traditions, are Thunder-beings. Their theophany or mystical visitation is universally one of storm-display. This means not only that he-she functions this way in the atmosphere, but that everything they do, all activity, manifestation, revelation, has Wisdom-thunder-power behind it. It means that all people are related to Thunder-beings, that the most sacred beliefs of all traditions come from the hearts of Thunder-beings. If we pray to them we might experience the truth of this as perfected masters of the past did, we might prove the existence of sublime Wisdom-beings for ourself. They are invisible, yet out of compassion they reveal themselves; everyone can experience them in nature; they are manifest in the storms, lightning, rainbows, in the stars, the sky, stones, oceans, animals, people, and elements. We live with them. We participate in their majestic dance or play. They are within the body-mind-heart of all beings. They manifest as creative thoughts. We know them through love within our hearts. They are our inherent perfection, our pure positive qualities and activities, our health and harmony. Know this is how close Thunder-beings are to us. Because they are within our mind we might experience them directly and instantaneously, like lightning, to receive guidance, inspiration, insight, wisdom, love - to help self and others.

They are perfect and free of suffering; there is no more sublime Source of Refuge. Because they are fully within our mind we can attain the same state free of suffering. We can achieve this while on earth in this body. In fact in Oriental traditions, this body is imperative, this life is taken to provide a means of attaining the highest wisdom and perfection. Thunder-beings have provided the perfect means to attain perfection for all beings.

Lightning Bolt Press, 2000


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