The Pointing Out Instruction And The Realisation

(Previous pointing out instruction at https://buddhainthemud.com/?s=the+pointing+out+instruction)

The way we hear this will depend on our being mentally uncluttered, having the right intention, and being totally confused (which means we aren’t holding on to any ideas. 🙂 )

Maybe it’s a matter of luck, good fortune, right karma that we get it. 🙂

We either get it, allow it to permeate our being or, as happened to me … “Is that all!?” 😀 “Oh, that’s all!” I then spent the next twenty years contemplating it, and the past 11 years writing about it on this blog. 

It is we who have to see, and test it. This has nothing to do with religion; after all, the Buddha wasn’t Buddhist.

It’s all about re-cognising what we already know and what we already are, which we have ignored. It’s what we’ve been looking and longing for. We are what we seek. Different people come at this in different ways.

However, we mustn’t be greedy in thinking that this is a short cut, or get angry or disappointed if we find this is too simple. This entire eleven-year-old blog is about the pointing out instruction, but it’s for the reader to relax and live with.

In front of you is space. Whatever takes place in that space, space doesn’t change. We spend our entire lives enthralled by things in space, while ignoring space. Now look at the mind which is trying to figure it all out. Again, we are enthralled by our thoughts and ideas, while ignoring awareness of these thoughts. Awareness of this commotion in the mind doesn’t change. That unchanging awareness is consciousness. It’s what we are. We’re not all the same consciousness, but we can be at one with each another, and in harmony. 

Being only aware of things in space or the mind is a materialistic view of life. 
Being aware of awareness is the spiritual view of life; this isn’t being religious.

Now the point. 
While consciously aware, we come to realise that there is nothing else. 
Consciousness is empty of thought; that is pure consciousness. 
The true essence of mind is pure consciousness. This is what we are. 
In Sanskrit, it is called ‘shunyata’ – emptiness – which is fully aware because of the presence of clarity. 

The hallmark of realisation is genuine, unconditional, empathetic compassion for others who do not realise this.

I’ve received this instruction many times, the first about twenty years ago. It is something that increases in value, as we see the ramifications of ignorance of this reality in society.

Rather than believing anyone, it’s all about personal practice of pure seeing.