Emptiness and Appearances

 Emptiness and appearances are indivisible.

Because mind is naturally empty, appearances arise.
Appearances do not obstruct the mind.
Although they manifest, their nature is empty.

Like this text on an empty screen:
The empty screen allows anything to manifest.
The manifestations are created by virtue of
impermanent causes and conditions.
They have no inherent existence of their own.
They come and go, but the screen remain clear.

 Text and screen cannot be separated.
Appearances and emptiness cannot be separated.
Waves and ocean cannot be separated.

To an ordinary mind, there are only appearances.
To a yogin, appearances are emptiness.

 An ordinary mind gets involved in this and that,
creating more of this and that – appearances.
A yogin merely watches this and that play itself out,
gradually exhausting karma – non-reaction to appearances.

Through understanding appearances as being empty,
compassion arises for others’ appearances,
which they must too resolve, in their own time.

 We need to see this for ourselves.
If we doubt, we need inference.
If we still doubt, we need trust.

 To have trust, we need devotion.

 The Secret of Devotion to follow…