Clarity of Mind v Clarity of Essence.

 To refine our understanding, we must know the distinction between mind and essence, otherwise we will be constantly caught up in a conceptual mental state. I can’t go too far in this discussion, as it would take a special retreat with a qualified authentic teacher who can give “the pointing out instruction”. Or, we could practise the gradual path of uncovering, which is Vipassana. Here, we are just facing in the right direction!

 There is conventional mind, and there is Empty Essence, called Dharmakaya. In the Nyingma tradition, this is referred to as Rigpa (these strange words are for those who wish to look them up. Other traditions have their own names for this.)

 A clear mind is not the same as clear essence. It’s part of the process.

Illustration: FLOWER>>>SENSES>>>BRAIN>>>MIND>>>ESSENCE! We are Essence, having a mind, brain, and body. We are not the mind, brain or body – they are our tools. We cannot be what we can see.

When we practice meditation, we usually start with Shamata in some form.

Shamata with support focuses either on the breath, image or sound eg the senses.

This leads to Shamata without support, where we experience the gap of nowness, of stillness and clarity of mind, and has to be experienced before we can move on.

First, we have to be a healthy human being, open and unbiased. In this type of meditation, we are resting in the 6^th consciousness of mind* – perception.

However, when dwelling in nowness, we are still trapped in conventional mind. There is subtle “I” dwelling in nowness. There may be no thought, but there is dullness and vacancy.

This is where we upgrade. When this subtle “I”- awareness – looks in on itself, and finds nothing, that is pure awareness. Uncontaminated clarity. That is Rigpa/Empty essence.

The word Rigpa is used to describe empty essence, but this may not be stable yet. It’s a “baby” empty essence, because it gets mixed with conventional mind. That’s why we need to practise letting go. When Rigpa/ Empty Essence is constant, that is Dharmakaya.

This is a very subtle business!

*https://buddhainthemud.com/2013/01/11/eight-consciousnesses-and-beyond/