The Really Uncomfortable Truth
Pure consciousness in Dzogchen is called the The Great Perfection. Our essence is the Great Perfection; we are the Great Perfection. To want to look at this subject, we have to have had some blessings from the enlightened ones. We looked, and then we see. We seek and find. We attract attention. We are receiving blessing all the time but, unfortunately, we choose distractions.
If we’re not interested in our essential nature of pure consciousness, then that Great Perfection becomes obscured by The Great Imperfection, and we have been blessed by demons.
Demons arise due to ego-clinging – which is fixation on ideas – and they also attract attention. Demonic atmosphere is anything that obscures the Great Perfection, our Great Happiness. This demonic activity comes in the guise of desire, fear and indifference.
The length of time we can stay in or remember our perfect nature without distraction determines our progress to full realisation. We don’t realise that this has always been our choice. The world around us isn’t interested in perfect truth, but only ‘righteous’ distractions. It is uncomfortable to realise that we are so easily pulled in other directions. That very recognition is our salvation however, as we are truly free in the moment that we see this happening. It’s that simple.
If we really want a shock to motivate us, then we can just look at everyone around us. What motivates them? They are controlled by desires and fears, and indifference to their true reality, and very few are living examples of impartial, pure consciousness.
People want to be happy but they do not recognise their true essence is already the Great Happiness, and so they remain slightly (to say the least … :D) demonic.
To ease the demonic pain of others, we apply compassion as we know both unhappiness and true happiness.
Simply resting in silence eases the pain of demonic mind as the atmosphere is charged with selfless kindness. Demonic mind needs to find rest, and can either be attracted to the stillness of meditation or wander off, trying to find satisfaction by feeding off others’ demonic minds. We can also act either as the enlightened or as demons. We all have this choice: to be attracted to the wisdom of pure consciousness or to something else.
When someone asks a question about truth, doesn’t it attract our attention? If someone wants to gossip, doesn’t that also attract our attention? Our propensity will determine whether our own actions are beneficial or harmful.
