Ordinary thought and Essence Expression.

 Here we have to be honest about this experience. One leaves a residue (karma) the other does not.

We have to be honest with our capacity, and understand how the ordinary mind is driven by the emotions creating reactions and actions…and causing suffering.

 There are stages when we use anti-dotes, and there are stages when we go beyond anti-dotes. Anti-dotes only have a temporary effect, the emotions will still arise. If one knows what one is aiming for, then we are more willing to understand, experience and recognise the previous stages. We have to walk before we can run…or fly! We may even recognise the value of just sitting doing nothing.

 This is advanced stuff, but I feel people should have an inkling of where they are going, and in doing so be prepared to do the basic work.

 When resting in the nature of mind, that is rigpa essence (empty essence) and without moving from that essence, expression rigpa (essence love) naturally arises. The 5 wisdoms manifest as expression and the 5 main afflictive emotions being the nature of the wisdoms are also allowed to arise, otherwise we couldn’t be able to develop the full aspect of rigpa (empty essence) which is the expression aspect.

 When the mind is resting in essence rigpa, there lies the root of the three poisons, – desire, aversion and ignorance, which if not recognised as the three wisdom qualities of empty essence, cognisant nature, and unconfined compassion, create the 840000 afflictions (negative emotions). However these are no more than the display for one’s own mind and when they arise we should just let them be, and not get carried away. We shouldn’t be careless.

 Liberation cannot be done through an antidote, the emotions are primordially free and that is how they are liberated – just by the presence of empty essence. Therefore if we are able to release them as soon as they arise they do not generate karma.

 There are 3 moments:

1st space for emotions to arise – don’t block it

2nd emotions arises

3rd released – recognising the essence of that emotion.

 Otherwise there is an opportunity for the afflictions to generate karma.

 When the thought arises, we shouldn’t react to it (like applying an antidote that blocks it). This is not appropriate because the thought is an expression of rigpa and will not be able to develop its full potential which is expression rigpa. We deal with it by the 3 moments. The 3 moment have different levels of liberation: Like a knot in a snake- unties itself, like writing on water, like a thief entering an empty house.

 When the mind rests in empty cognisance and it is sustained without meditating and without distraction and without making observations, that is how the view is sustained. That empty cognisance, uncontaminated by the grasping subject or the object – that is the mind of the Buddha.

 So when the mind is open and the heart and full of devotion, inspiring thoughts can arise – the expression!

 On the opposite side, there are the demons – negative conceptual thoughts and the displeasure we experience towards these negative conceptual thoughts. We then experience suffering of accepting what we see as good and rejecting what we see as bad. Hope for what we see as good and fear of what we see as bad.

 There should be neither accepting or rejecting. Whatever comes, comes. This is just karma playing itself out.

 Don’t feel anxiety. Don’t feel fear – not even the smallest speck of dust of fear or anxiety. Whatever arises, as long as everything arises from within empty essence, you recognise as the same taste – mere appearances. Only good can come from that.

 Whatever harm appears in the world is a result of our ego clinging so combat that with loving compassion (relative Bodhicitta). Through developing relative Bodhicitta we destroy the self cherishing mind. Remember here we are talking about spiritual development, not putting the world to right. We are putting ourselves right first! We have to begin by being healthy human beings.

 With Absolute Bodhicitta we are dealing with the clinging to an I, and the dissolving of that fixation.

 We should always be on the look out for sticky rigpa (empty essence), claiming creates karma.