Our beliefs sentence us.

 Our beliefs sentence us to see the world in a certain way, and that in turn has an effect on us. This is the law of interdependence: situations are created by a series of links comprising of causes and conditions. This means that the links in this chain of events can be broken! Once this is understood, we see everything as an illusion, as everything is created by causes and conditions. However, if we dismiss this relative truth, we can end up in the extreme of nihilism, and a fake ’emptiness’. We really do have to understand how relative and absolute truth work together.

 We mustn’t be careless, otherwise we will create more karma – a mental store house through which we see everything – and in turn, this will have an effect on us. That is the vicious cycle of interdependent existence – Samsara. Crudely speaking, we get back what we give. I’m sure that is the real meaning of, “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” Translations can be a manipulative art!

 Our fellow ‘convicts’ have also sentenced themselves through a set of beliefs. Wherever we, as sentient beings, find ourselves – in the world, family, work or leisure – we will always find conflict. Whatever harm appears in the world is a result of our own ego-clinging. The ego-clinging-demons are in our own mind – that’s hell. Our true nature – pure awareness – is heaven. However, if we cling to either of these, this clinging turns purity into impurity. We have both natures, and the ‘impure dark’ will help us right up to the very last moment!

 As we progress, we see more. We become more accurate in translating what is experienced. It isn’t easy to develop the right vocabulary to express real experience. We all need help!

 This is where devotion and blessings come in to play. If we try to express ourselves using the conceptual mind, it is always bound by ego (consciousness clinging to fixated ideas about itself). So we stay in prison of our mental beliefs, and it’s hell!

 If we can get the feeling of pure awareness – just being – then through devotion, blessings come: this is spiritual influence. Then, whatever thought arises is merely an expression of pure awareness. It is here that we have to be very careful, and not careless. Neither accept nor reject: what comes, comes.

 We recognise essence as primordial purity – one taste. When this one taste is directed to the benefit of all sentient beings, inspiration arises – spiritual influence. Any clinging will attract those demons, which are our own likes and dislikes.

Drubwang Tsoknyi Rinpoche 1st.

Don’t wander, don’t wander, place mindfulness on guard:

Along the road of distraction, Mara lies in ambush.

Mara is this mind, clinging to like and dislike.

So look into the essence of this magic, free from dualistic fixation.

Realise that your mind is unfabricated primal purity.

There is no buddha elsewhere; look at your own face.

There is nothing else to search for; rest in your own place.

Non-meditation is spontaneous perfection, so capture the royal seat.