We Like Doing Things

We want things to do.
In pure awareness, pure consciousness,
there is nothing to do.
That is Rigpa.

Tsoknyi Rinpoche:

“Rigpa: the king that is the single most sufficient factor”. When you are resting in rigpa, no matter what thought arises, it arises and is liberated naturally. It is purification that does not involve purifying. If it is effortless purification, that is rigpa.

“No antidote is needed”: it is very subtle. By our nature, we like things to do; we like using antidotes. We feel that has a chance of working. It has an aspect of satisfaction and we hold on to it as there is a sense of relief, satisfaction. In rigpa, there is no relief as part of the package.

Do use antidotes if you need them – be honest with yourself, and use them if there are times when things aren’t naturally arising and liberating. Use whatever works. Then drop and return to the main practice of non-practice, non-doing.

If thoughts and emotions arise and liberate naturally, you don’t need to use any other method to liberate – stay with the boring rigpa! When you can trust in the practice as being sufficient, don’t use antidotes as that would downgrade rigpa.”

Doing something that is pleasing may be beneficial to our practice as it inspires, gives us something to focus on, and steadies the mind: “Use whatever works.”

The moment we stop, we fall into non-doing = rigpa: “Then drop and return to the main practice of non-practice”.

If we obsess about our practice, we may become addicted to the placebo effect which may be of psychological benefit, but lacks deep rest and realisation.

Placebo: procedure prescribed for the psychological benefit to the patient rather than for any physiological effect.
ORIGIN late 18th cent.: from Latin,‘being acceptable or pleasing’, from placere ‘to please’.

The effect of a placebo is to offer reassurance and confidence, but it’s not the actual experience: speaking personally, when I have had private interview with teachers, I always left feeling that everything was OK just the way it was – until the doubts arose again and I had to go back 😀

The antidotal effect of a placebo is a temporary measure.
The recognition of rigpa is the real thing that heals everything:
“The single most sufficient factor.”