Mind’s Hidden Faults Part 3
by Patrul Rinpoche

“There are some meditators who don’t feel confident that their mind is empty, but who speculate about whether or not it is so, and remain in doubt. The fault lies in not having understood the real meaning. There is no reason to doubt. Since your mind is empty from the very beginning, rest in that empty state, and that is exactly it. If you feel doubt then let go directly into the one that feels doubt, and that is exactly it.

“There are some meditators who don’t look into the thinker, the mind itself, but who constantly look at the object of their thoughts; their belongings, utensils, the earth and the rocks. This is not the correct view – it is a dualistic view. Let go into the thinker itself, and see.

“There are some meditators who don’t regard perception and mind as inseparable, but who chase after and pursue that which is perceived. That is not the correct view; it is a dualistic view. Don’t chase after the perceived externally. Don’t hold on to a concrete thing internally. Rest in perception and mind as being inseparable.

“There are some meditators who don’t rest naturally in themselves, but who watch every occurring thought like a cat waiting for a mouse. Just rest directly in the thought when it occurs, and the absence of thought when there is no occurrence.

“There are some meditators who don’t know how to let the mind rest in itself. They keep watch and chase after what is being thought. That is not the correct view; it is chasing thoughts. Don’t chase after thoughts, but rest directly in the one who is chasing.

“There are some meditators who don’t let their minds rest directly, as long as it can remain in whatever occurs. They hanker for a ‘good’ meditation, and they press and force and stare intensely. This is not the correct view; it is a fabricated state of mind. Don’t fabricate your mind in any way whatsoever. No matter what takes place, let it rest by itself in the continuity of whatever happens.”

NB It is obvious that Patrul Rinpoche is saying, “Be ordinary. Be natural. Don’t project and add to whatever takes place”. Of course, we notice that we are constantly trying to make it better than that: the only way to improve things is to be more relaxed and completely at ease. We don’t have to be religious, or become clever scholars.