Buddha’s Dark Blue ray

Dark blue refers to a shade of blue so intense that it is almost black. In scriptural descriptions, when the Buddha radiate this ray, darkness seemed to envelope the subject and it felt like nightfall accompanied by a dreadful and complete silence.

The feeling is akin to feeling frightened when one is alone in a dark cemetery. One is suddenly forced to face oneself in totality without distractions.

This dark blue ray is seldom radiated because it is a “wrathful” method / energy that only benefit specific people at a specific place and time.

One story narrates how a group of drunken courtesan were brought to their senses by this wrathful ray. They were merry making while entering the monastery and disturbing a sermon. Buddha emitted this dark blue ray and each of them were woken from their drunken misbehavior. This resulted in them receiving teachings from Buddha with the right frame of mind.

It is important for us to know that Buddha did not radiate this ray out of anger or irritation. Buddha is compassionate and his actions are meant to benefit others.

Separately, an energetic and forceful will to correct a discursive mind from wrong view, wrong understanding and wrong habit is also known as wrathful mind. Likewise, the will to refrain the mind from wrong thoughts and emotion also belongs to this category.

In meditation, the energetic effort to stop the mind from wandering or rouse it from stupor is also a wrathful energy. There is no anger but there is an energetic force. So strong that meditator liken it to a clap of lighting or a blazing fire burning away impurities.

Buddhist practitioners are not just soft and pliant in our mind. We also need zeal, determination and strong will to excel in our practice.

For example, the will to be kind. Although kindness gives us the impression of being soft and fluffy. Our conviction to uphold kindness regardless of situation is a strong willed fierceness.

Therefore, if we have the correct application. Fierceness in our mind can also aid us in our practice. But if we misplace fierceness or misuse it, then we generate bad karma and might even harm ourselves or others unwittingly.

Remember, although determination is good; a misplaced fierceness makes one a zealot,

May all be well and happy.