The Earth is run by Calculators!
We need to distinguish between Rigpa (carefree, naked awareness) and conventional mind (always wanting more). These are the two aspects of the human mind…Carefree and Calculating.
The absolute nature of mind is carefree empty essence – naked without adornments. When this carefree empty essence is forgotten, then mind becomes a calculator. Calculators cannot love – they’re too busy calculating!
Every sentient being has become part of the calculating machinery, and therefore we live in a collective calculator…more or less.
Left to our natural state, humans are carefree; we love, and everything we do expresses this love. We care for the Earth. However, society divides itself into groups, creating an ‘us and them’ mentality, and thus we become part of the calculation, always wanting to create more.
When we stand back, we see groups everywhere, but if we take in the ‘big picture’, a simpler grouping is evident: an elite that claims to rule the earth, and the rest of us, who are merely cash cows – costing us the earth! The elite are involved in ‘big calculations’: they get richer, while inventing limiting rules called laws that we have to live by. Because their understanding is incomplete – or incompetent – there is a constant need for more and more rules (commercial laws), and we’re fined for potential ‘wrongs’. The result is a joyless world, where the rules are more important than the people.
Carefree is living within our natural nature – if we do a wrong, we take responsibility and put it right. We don’t leave this responsibility to others, but unfortunately, life has been made ‘easy’ so we find ourselves relying on others’ rules. This takes away our dignity.
In carefree dignity, we are happy to be what we are. Tsoknyi Rinpoche has written two books entitled ‘Carefree Dignity’ and ‘Fearless Simplicity’ which are well worth a read.
BUDDHA IN THE MUD is a blog - a living book based on the Dzogchen teachings. Our teacher is life, and life is karma. We are all Buddhas in the mud of concepts. 
Another insightful take on things, Tony! Thanks. Just a thought…I wonder if we calculate when we feel we are lacking something. When there is a feeling – conscious or unconscious – that something is missing from our lives, we are compelled to fill that vacuum and that leads to calculating a way to do that.
I’m reminded of a few people I’ve known in this lifetime who have been classic “calculators”: nothing is ever enough and given half the chance, they drag all around them into their whirling vortex of misplaced energy.
Would you say that in order to manifest our carefreeness, we need to do a some calculations?
Love
Daisy
Dear Daisy
Perhaps our calculations should be in the area of subtraction! Yes, we need to calculate what we value in life: really, this is in the realm of discrimination and discernment. We evaluate situations naturally – as the Buddha said, not too tight, not too loose. I’m staggered how wise the Buddha was 2500 years ago ;-).
Tony