When Thoughts Become an Echo

 When we (pure essence) cling to ideas, this clinging is known as ego – ego-clinging. The pure essence of light has turned into darkness. This ego-centric activity clouds pure essence which forgets its true nature, and that of everyone else. And so we argue about this and that.

 We all know that ego clinging is what keeps us trapped, and that detachment is beneficial. However, we are still trapped! Most of the time we fixate on ideas about ourselves and the world we choose to live in: we are driven by desires. We cling so strongly to these ideas that they become a personality…a jolly good fellow – the life of the party! We become trapped in a social “I”, caught up in the sticky tangle of others’ projections.

 When essence gets attached to ideas, essence becomes ego. Instead of seeing clearly, we “see through a glass darkly”. Essence is still clear, but it is focusing on something other! It’s like dirt in water: the water is clear but muddied … we just have to separate them again…or do we?!

 If we look closely, we find that thoughts are clattering around in the mind all the time…they are echoes from previous experiences…a bit like dreams. A residue, a remnant, an echo. We may mistake thoughts being in the mind as clinging: it is not. Thoughts merely come and go – sometimes not even complete thoughts (there is sometimes an abstract feeling before the thought actually forms). They are a background noise. However, when we talk to another person, see how quickly we (and they) latch on to the half-baked ideas 🙂

 To an enlightened mind, thoughts come and go – they come to pass. With enlightened clarity at essence’s disposal, a thought is appreciated as soon as it arises (or before) and is left to pass on. Gradually, through practice or familiarisation, thoughts become more transparent, not so solid, faint echoes. There are still flare-ups, but that is not a bad thing…that flare-up is light!

 Emotions are now seen as wisdom: they brighten the mind for a moment. The ordinary mind will get carried away, whereas the enlightened mind merely appreciates and re-cognises to return to emptiness. This is spontaneous.

 This bring us to…“or do they?”

 When mind and essence are clear, if thoughts now arise they are inseparable from essence. A dot on this screen . is there by virtue of the empty screen. The two cannot be separated!

 One’s being is not troubled by trivia, and so whatever arises has significance. Every thing is empty essence. From a Dzogchen perspective, empty essence is us, so we are Dzogchen. There is nothing to do but recognise this fact.

 From a Dzogchen point of view, there are three other aspects to essence: expression, display and ornament. Essence becomes essence expression…essence love. Then essence becomes effulgent, radiating joy or goodness…essence display. Finally it (we) become ‘ornament’ – brilliant clarity…the sanskrit word is Dharmakaya – complete emptiness.

 It’s good to know where you are!
The echo is a mere reflection of Dharmakaya, our true nature.