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.

Spiritual progress.

 There has to be spiritual progress, otherwise there is no point in practising. We have to get switched on – inspired. Apart from being more contented and having less desire, there are three main signs of progress – an increase in intelligence, devotion and compassion.

Intelligence, here, means having some understanding of the nature of mind. From this, devotion and compassion arise. We may have devotion and compassion but what gives them strength and stability is intelligent understanding.

Spiritual progress is not a matter of knowing lots of words and rituals: parrots and monkeys can do that. Is it a matter of recognising awareness, and that awareness looks in on itself, and finds it is empty of any contamination. That is pure awareness. That is truly satisfying, and confidence arises.

Then a deep sense of appreciation arises, and that is devotion. This is a contentment from being one with enlightened activity, and this blessing gives power to our practice. From that, compassion arises as it is a natural expression of love.

The recognition of spiritual progress may take a little time. We have to look back at how we were a few years ago, and see if there is any change. Personally, I was on the wrong paths (for me) for many years, because I was either just studying, just practising devotion or just engendering compassion: what was missing, for me, was intelligence – wisdom! You may have to look around to find what suits you…or it may just appear at the right time!

No path is a waste. We just find ourselves…where we find ourselves. Years of ‘idiot meditation’ (so my teacher informed me…wasn’t too pleased about that!) actually served to focus me more, when I found what I was looking for. That is so strange! We are looking for something we intrinsically know about. It is possible that we were engaged upon certain practices in a previous incarnation, and now we remember!

We may practise for years, either because we enjoy it, or because we hope it’s doing us good. This is excellent, as we know we are facing the ‘right’ direction. However, a time will come when we will need to upgrade our understanding.

This Kali Yuga is an excellent moment, as those juicy emotions are staring us in the face!

Politics…

…is creating problems not to be resolved.

We know but do not see.

There is only one party:

some move to the left and some to the right,

and have a debate.

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You see the debate, but do not see.

A move one way and then the other,

in a prearranged code.

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The left creates a problem for the right to resolve

creating the next problem –

which is not meant to be resolved.

These plans are meant to create wealth for themselves

…from our wealth.

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Where do we come in?

We just comply.

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It is all about control of perception.

Has anything ever improved?

Yes!

Their wealth.

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How does this affect my life?

You work too much.

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How else does this affect my life?

It makes you feel guilty.

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How else does it affect my life?

You are constantly distracted.

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Recognise the war game.

Being responsible.

 There comes a time when one realises that one’s practice is working. One recognises that there is not so much reaction, and less desire. There is more clarity, confidence, joy, and also there is a sense of …responsibility. One’s conduct has to be constantly reviewed.

 We recognise a power that, if misused, could cause harm. So following the path of a bodhisattvas is not without wisdom and safety. That is the practice of working for the benefit of others, and is called bodhichitta.

 The bodhisattva vow is not to be taken lightly, as one’s now practises for the benefit of all. This includes what are called ‘demons’. These demons are in turmoil, and need peace, so we can include them in our practices.

 If you were a demon or a ‘lost’ sentient being, in the form or formless realm, wouldn’t you be attracted to someone who just practiced perfect peace…without any attitude? Of course, you might hate them at the same time, but still be drawn to them.

 While resting in empty essence, we can afford to be generous. Being generous is fearlessness. When we recognise that our power is coming from the practice itself, we feel gratitude, deep appreciation and devotion, and so our wish to practise increases. Otherwise, we too may become one of those demons!

 That is why responsibility is like walking on a sharp knife edge. The more we practise, the deeper we go. The more we practise, the more careful we are. Of course, sometimes we may wish to go back into being careless – ignorance was bliss – but this state was not without its suffering. Now there is no turning back.

 Be very careful what you wish for!

 People around us may find themselves getting irritated with these views, and this is where we have to be very skilful and kind. Personally, I’m still coming to grips with this can of worms!

 Being responsible is being able to respond to a situation, thus bringing it back to balance.

Depression.

Feeling weighed down?

Heavy hearted?

These are not physical attributes:

they are the result of a disturbed consciousness.

If we try and make our lives perfect

and protect ourselves in every way,

we have taken the pill

to numb ourselves,

to fit into this *!*!*! up world.

All this achieves is keeping the pill-makers rich.

We are supposed to be depressed and dissatisfied!

That is the catalyst

to look for the cause of our suffering.

Having admitted we are suffering, we are on the road to recovery!

Hooray!

 The four noble truths:

1. Recognise suffering

2. Find the cause of that suffering (this ‘I’ thing)

3. Find the path that leads away from that suffering.

4. Tread that path.

The difference between Stillness and Emptiness.

This is not easy to comprehend unless one meditates, and possibly one may not accept that there are many consciousnesses. This will depend on what tradition you follow. In some traditions and cultures, Consciousness will mean Awareness, or even higher Awareness, and so, for them, the word Consciousness is very important. In Tibetan Buddhism, it is meant as a conceptual state.

Words can really get us into trouble!

As mentioned before, there are eight consciousnesses; five of the senses and three of the mind. The 6^th is perception, the 7^th is judgement and the 8^th is the storehouse of memories. It’s the 8^th we are concerned with here. This has two aspects to it (as in hardware and software), called Alaya and Alaya vijnana.

The 6^th 7^th 8^th consciousnesses are in the conceptual realm. It is possible, when meditating, that we arrive, or rest, in a state of stillness, in the feeling of now. We are aware of non thought. And that is the point: ‘We are aware of stillness’! There is still a duality, this state is not to be belittled, as it is a profound state. It’s like trying to hit a gong, and just missing it.

At this point, merely be aware of that which is aware of this stillness, and let be. That moment is Emptiness. It may only last a moment, but there is a glimpse, before we go back into stillness again. No matter. It is good to practise short moments many times. This was the teaching of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche.

Emptiness is sometimes called the 9^th consciousness, and encompasses stillness – stillness within emptiness. If we become stuck in stillness, we sometimes feel we have to have a perfect place in which to rest – and it’s limiting. Emptiness can be experienced while moving around, talking, living – because everything is allowed to arise with emptiness.

Interestingly, feelings are stored in the ‘subtle body’, but we will come back to that.

Stop at Nothing.

 When every thing is exhausted

we arrived at nothing.

There is nothing more.

The path was our confusion.

Liberated from that confusion,

we now know nothing.

Our confusion dawned as wisdom.

There are no more enemies

to fight.

Love is dealing with

others confusion,

with a sense of knowing nothing.

Life is a lesson.

        1. You are here to learn specific lessons – because of your specific mental imprints*.

2. There are lessons at every moment – there is no getting away from it.

3. There are only lessons – at some time you will learn from your mistakes.

4. Lessons will be presented – when you have just enough understanding to deal with them.

5. There is no end to lessons – as there is no end to wisdom.

6. There is nowhere better than here – your imprints are the creator of the lessons.

7. Others are your own reflection – like it or not, good or bad.

8. What you make of life is up to you – know the choices.

9. The answer is always within you – it is nowhere else.

10. Whether you like it or not – the lessons are always perfect.

*Imprint: our actions and reactions that we hold onto create images and concepts that are stored in the mind. They become a filter through which we view everything, and they are our obscurations/demons. The lessons serve to disassemble these obscurations so we can realise our perfect true nature that has been here all the time. Imprints create karmic reactions in our dream. It’s like a home made film (all our acquired images and concepts) running in a projector – take the film out and all there is is light!

Ordinary thought and Essence Expression.

 Here we have to be honest about this experience. One leaves a residue (karma) the other does not.

We have to be honest with our capacity, and understand how the ordinary mind is driven by the emotions creating reactions and actions…and causing suffering.

 There are stages when we use anti-dotes, and there are stages when we go beyond anti-dotes. Anti-dotes only have a temporary effect, the emotions will still arise. If one knows what one is aiming for, then we are more willing to understand, experience and recognise the previous stages. We have to walk before we can run…or fly! We may even recognise the value of just sitting doing nothing.

 This is advanced stuff, but I feel people should have an inkling of where they are going, and in doing so be prepared to do the basic work.

 When resting in the nature of mind, that is rigpa essence (empty essence) and without moving from that essence, expression rigpa (essence love) naturally arises. The 5 wisdoms manifest as expression and the 5 main afflictive emotions being the nature of the wisdoms are also allowed to arise, otherwise we couldn’t be able to develop the full aspect of rigpa (empty essence) which is the expression aspect.

 When the mind is resting in essence rigpa, there lies the root of the three poisons, – desire, aversion and ignorance, which if not recognised as the three wisdom qualities of empty essence, cognisant nature, and unconfined compassion, create the 840000 afflictions (negative emotions). However these are no more than the display for one’s own mind and when they arise we should just let them be, and not get carried away. We shouldn’t be careless.

 Liberation cannot be done through an antidote, the emotions are primordially free and that is how they are liberated – just by the presence of empty essence. Therefore if we are able to release them as soon as they arise they do not generate karma.

 There are 3 moments:

1st space for emotions to arise – don’t block it

2nd emotions arises

3rd released – recognising the essence of that emotion.

 Otherwise there is an opportunity for the afflictions to generate karma.

 When the thought arises, we shouldn’t react to it (like applying an antidote that blocks it). This is not appropriate because the thought is an expression of rigpa and will not be able to develop its full potential which is expression rigpa. We deal with it by the 3 moments. The 3 moment have different levels of liberation: Like a knot in a snake- unties itself, like writing on water, like a thief entering an empty house.

 When the mind rests in empty cognisance and it is sustained without meditating and without distraction and without making observations, that is how the view is sustained. That empty cognisance, uncontaminated by the grasping subject or the object – that is the mind of the Buddha.

 So when the mind is open and the heart and full of devotion, inspiring thoughts can arise – the expression!

 On the opposite side, there are the demons – negative conceptual thoughts and the displeasure we experience towards these negative conceptual thoughts. We then experience suffering of accepting what we see as good and rejecting what we see as bad. Hope for what we see as good and fear of what we see as bad.

 There should be neither accepting or rejecting. Whatever comes, comes. This is just karma playing itself out.

 Don’t feel anxiety. Don’t feel fear – not even the smallest speck of dust of fear or anxiety. Whatever arises, as long as everything arises from within empty essence, you recognise as the same taste – mere appearances. Only good can come from that.

 Whatever harm appears in the world is a result of our ego clinging so combat that with loving compassion (relative Bodhicitta). Through developing relative Bodhicitta we destroy the self cherishing mind. Remember here we are talking about spiritual development, not putting the world to right. We are putting ourselves right first! We have to begin by being healthy human beings.

 With Absolute Bodhicitta we are dealing with the clinging to an I, and the dissolving of that fixation.

 We should always be on the look out for sticky rigpa (empty essence), claiming creates karma.

Oneness.

On an ordinary level

we all judge.

At the level of a yogi,

this is not beneficial.

Condemning someone for judging

is a fools game

it’s part of being sentient.

Feeling superior,

we abandon any sense

of oneness.

Oneness cannot be

that we all think the same.

That will never happen.

Oneness is the unity

of the two truths.

When our relative view

reflects our ultimate view,

and our ultimate view,

is expressed in our relative view,

we will be at one.

Our expression will be unique,

to meet the needs of

a unique part

of the universe.

Condemn no one,

just be aware of differences.

 This is just a personal view. People talk about “Oneness” thinking that we are all one really, and we’ve somehow separated off from a“Source”. Until I can see the expression of oneness manifest, I have to say that it does not exist, and never will….in that form. 

 The Buddha and Christ will both have an essence love, but it will manifest differently, and that attracts a certain type.

 Personally, I have been part of many organisations, and have been on many retreats and there has never been even a sense of oneness! There’s a “joining-in-ness”, a “following-ness”, a “learning-the-set-pattern-ness”…but never a “one-ness”! In fact, at one of these retreats, the lama was asked if we are all one, and he replied that we are not: we all keep our uniqueness. If we were all one, it would e pretty boring!

 But we can have is unity in diversity. We can have harmony. We are all progressing in our own way, so one man’s meat is another man’s poison. And, one man’s poison is another man’s wisdom.

 Some people have the intention of personal realisation and enlightenment: others are more concerned about the welfare and enlightenment of others. One is not better than another, it’s just the way we naturally are…at that moment. So much depends on our natural intention. We just find ourselves looking from a certain viewpoint, which is different from the viewpoint of others. That’s all!

 We may be a simple ‘soul’ or a scholar, but to truly understand anything, all you need is an open mind and an open heart.

 However, there is a kind of oneness that comes from a kind of selflessness. On meeting someone, one offers no resistance or confrontation, and remains in open space to allow a meeting of minds to occur, a unity can be experienced for a moment or two. Of course if one were enlightened I’m sure this would be ‘different’!

 What we are talking about is empathy: remembering all the suffering we have experienced, we can walk in the shoes of others for a while.

Ultimate oneness is the recognition of the unity of the two truths. 

(All we have to do is bring down the view and raise our conduct.)

Softening the heart

Endeavouring to be correct hardens the heart

When dealing with others.

It imprisons us in a dark dungeon of ignorance.

A moment of a softened heart melts everything

And is the mark of a true warrior.

The heart softens by recognition of the hardness we are holding on to.

And seeing this is quite a shock.

I was once in a teaching when the lama related the story of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche taking food from his mouth and handing it to another lama. We were asked, in turn, to say what we thought happened next. I – and everyone else in the room – was desperate to give the “right” answer! We all gave plausible suggestions, all revolving around pride – which, of course, was the answer. But the actual teaching was to recognise our own pride that wanted to have the right answer, and how that separated us from everyone else…teachers are really irritating!

There are no words to described a melted heart.

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Prayer

May the precious Bodhicitta arise where it has not arisen

And where it has arisen may it not decay

But increase further and further.

May the precious view of emptiness arise where it has not arisen

And where it has arisen may it not decay

But increase further and further.

May the precious conduct of non-violence arise where it has not arisen

And where it has arisen may it not decay

But increase further and further.

Prayer is not only a devotional supplication to enlightened beings: it can also serve as a powerful reminder, and that is why repetition is so important. This prayer mentions 3 words: bodhicitta, emptiness and non-violence.

Bodhicitta is working for the benefit of all sentient beings. This also means accepting all suffering, and thereby being able to empathise with others.

Emptiness is our absolute essence.

Non-violence is causing no harm, or over-reacting.

We may think we understand these already, but I can’t emphasise enough how profound these aspects are, within every moment of our lives. It’s remembering to rest in empty clarity, which can encompass everything and everyone. Of course, we fall short of this, but it’s like a ruled line, where one can wander off from side to side, but return to the main guide when we remember. Any prayer you choose can have the same effect: we are sentient, and governed by the three negative emotions of desire, aversion and ignorance, and so need some strong medicine.

The more sensitive we become, the more everything becomes more meaningful. However, it also makes us more vulnerable, but in that vulnerability, we can either lose our way, or return to our essence. We can become over-sensitive, and turn the illusion into a solid reality, when all we have to do is let go. This is just our habitual pattern that we have to recognise – and that’s why daily repetition of prayer is so important.

We may think we have got rid of our emotions, but they will always be there at some point. Those demons are our guides!

We have to do the work.

Don’t place your trust in something someone has said – find it out for yourself.

The teachings say that mind doesn’t exist: that is something you have to determine for yourself.

One has to make a choice: do I go with what I see on the relative level and be satisfied with that, or examine further. We have to first separate ultimate and relative truth and then find the inseparability of ultimate and relative truth.

How Do We Know No Self?

(I have no idea!)

A self creates

desire, aversion and ignorance.

No self has

No desire.

No aversion.

No ignorance.

But there is

Knowing desire.

Knowing aversion.

Knowing ignorance.

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Knowing desire is Emptiness – Dharmakaya – Ultimate truth

Knowing aversion is Awareness – Sambogakaya – Relative truth

Knowing ignorance is Compassion – Nirmanakaya – Union of the two

Thought is Emptiness – Dharmakaya.

By virtue of Emptiness thought is known,

like a reflection in a mirror.

We do not have an original thought!

(part two)

This is a huge and complex subject, and I will try to keep it simple. The dharma says that it is our concepts, emotions and ego clinging that are the elements obscuring our clear view. This is correct: however, it does not recognise the insidious nature of those who use the dharma elements against us. This is a very subtle subject, and you will have to prove it or not to your own satisfaction. The Dharma recognises inner demons which have no true existence, but the teaching does not talk about worldly beings who use the principles of the three poisons (desire, aversion and ignorance) against us. They are the cause of much physical and mental suffering in the world.

What I can say is that, even though this may sound very scary, it will in fact enhance our practice. NO challenge, NO progress! Tibetans will sit in a cemetery all night to be scared, putting the dharma into practice in order to dissolve fear. They really do believe in ghosts…we don’t!

We have something much scarier: the idea that there are too many of us on this earth.

Our minds are like transmitters and receivers. The brain is the wiring, memory, and reaction system. We are neither the mind or the brain, but merely the awareness of listening and viewing.

We receive information via the five senses…and subliminally directly to the mind. All information is fed to us – we do not have an original thought in our heads! However, we do have free will to ‘join up the dots’, to use this information, experience knowledge and recognise wisdom…or otherwise…

Unfortunately there are two sources of this information in the universe – one dark, and the other light. You will have to decide which is which!

From childhood, we are bombarded with ‘media’ information, which is reinforced by our parents, and their parents, and the world around us. All life is…is work, work, better ourselves and then die. Getting out of this mental jungle is simple, but not easy.

We are constantly being fed false information via the media, to distract us from recognising our true nature. “You really need this!” and “You will feel much better if you have that!” Why? To answer that question, you will have to understand that corporate marketing is now so sophisticated that it practically controls the whole planet. I kid you not! Smoking, cola and mobile phones can be found in every village in the world…and the rest! We have been made reliant on ‘them’ – and they on us, to give them our wealth – but it seems that we’re not all needed any more (see Agenda 21). And actually we have no wealth, as they have the gold, whereas we have meaningless digits on a screen.

Basically, we have become part of the ‘corporate’ ideal of putting us to work, and into debt, for our whole life. Politicians are part of it, but they are only there for a short while, the corporations behind the corporations aren’t. Their wealth is greater than countries. This has been going on for generations. Whatever you do, you are working for the corporation – just look up the committee of 300. Have you noticed how large corporations have taken over every high street? The true names of the parent companies, we will probably never know. Independence is disappearing!

Large corporations influence the globe through their banking systems, and also through the use of psychological tools. One of the these tools is fear: look at the actions taken in the name of preventing terrorism: these are based on ‘what if’ and not ‘what is’. Look at the tension and killing in the world. Do you think it’s “just one of those things”? Or is it social engineering? More than two million people in America are in private jails…for-profit incarceration?!

This control and manipulation of consciousness has been going on for generations: here is just one insight.

There two methods of control: violence, and subtle influence. These two methods are described in George Orwell’s 1984 and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. You may think that these are just novels until you realise that they both came from the same organisation, the Fabian Society, with its symbol of a wolf in sheep’s clothing! I984 depicts mind control through violence and “doublethink”, so changing people’s perception of reality. Brave New World is about indoctrination through the media and use of chemicals, from foetus to old age – and “drugs” includes foodstuffs and liquids.

They know all about human desires and aversion…and the tendency of humans to ignored what is taking place. These are the three main negative emotions, according to Buddhism. I’ve spoken to Buddhists about this, and their response is, “Oh, that’s just conspiracy theory stuff!” But these are not theories, and people are suffering because of them. If we have compassion, we need to be aware of both the enemy within, and the enemy without.

May all sentients being find happiness.

The Dharma really does work in all circumstances.

NO CHALLENGE, NO PROGRESS.

These corporation may be clever but not wise.

They actually help us to not be attached!

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No challenge, no progress.

(part one)

I am going to write a couple of articles to illustrate the spiritual realm working in the daily worldly realm. This may be read on many levels, but it is not for the faint hearted.

The root of everything is ego clinging – it is the mind that clings to concepts about itself, and desperately holds everything together. Seeing this can be painful! Although, primordially, clarity (awareness) and emptiness are indivisible, due to not being recognised, clarity grasps at objects outside. The mind that grasps (or ‘ego clings’) becomes more gross: the clarity aspect becomes aggressive and the emptiness aspect becomes passionate. The union of these two aspects of aggression and passion is ignorance. It is said that out of that, the 84000 obscurations arise, and the expression of these (even though they don’t have a true existence) manifests as infinite variety of forms arising in one’s own mind. These are called demons, and despite the fact that they are in our own mind, they are known as obstructing spirits.

What is the immediate cause of these mara (demons) influencing us? Ego clinging. But what is the underlying cause? Surprisingly, it is our perseverance, our diligence. Why? If there is no effort, then the demons don’t have a reason to be. Laziness is a demon in itself. For all the Bodhisattvas, the demons come. We should understand that their activity comes about because of the perseverance of the Bodhisattvas (how ironic…laugh!).

It is said that from time without beginning, we have been having this continuous ego clinging, even though there is no intrinsic identity. Because of that there are many subtle events that can happen and cause reactions within us. There must be an opportunity for us to refine – because if we leave the continuity of ego clinging, that creates a equal opportunity for the demons to interfere. Remember, we are not enlightened…yet!

If there is a hole, there is a chance for wind to get in. If there is no hole, the wind can’t enter. For a yogi, if they have a hole within themselves (an ego of some sort), that creates a chance for the mara to enter. This hole comes from the constant pressure of ego clinging and that creates an opportunity for mara to penetrate.

No worries: this is merely part of the process!

For the highest practitioner, the best way to remove this is to go back to the main principle of the Dharma, which states that all phenomena arise from our own mind. The antidote is that you have to understand (intellectually) or recognise (experience) that all these forces or appearances do not truly exist – they are manifestations of our own mind…and our mind does not truly exist either. Within that realisation of the nature of mind, all these false structures completely collapse, and the train of conceptual thought of hope and fear ceases. When all this happens, negativity changes into positivity: on the basis of the bad, we experience the good. If you can deal with this, your practice will be upgraded.

If understood, the symbolic teacher, which is life itself in this relative realm, reflects the empty nature of everything. No challenge, no progress. Without this, our practice will be very flat.

Just a note: Emptiness is called Rigpa or Mahamudra (different traditions have their own names). However, there are four aspects to this: Rigpa, Rigpa expression, Rigpa display and Rigpa ornament. Rigpa itself is dry, and depending on the practitioner, could be anything from a “baby” Rigpa to something little more constant. Rigpa expression is the juice: it’s love and compassion being expressed (though a little ego is present). Rigpa display is similar, but more advanced. Rigpa ornament is constant Dharmakaya – the real deal!

Worry

is turning what is into what if,

anticipating something unfortunate

happening in the future,

as opposed to what is actually happening

now.

There are no advanced levels of spirituality

we merely return to the beginning.

Our task is deconstruction!

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Worry.

Worry isolate us.

Worry is dis-ease.

If we are ill-at-ease

Our minds are disturbed.

Being at ease is natural.

Worry…Anxiety…Fear…Depression…depleted immune system…poor physical and mental health…all these arise from dis-ease.

This is our ‘lot’. This human realm is governed by desire and frustration, and these very words describe addiction. Whatever situation we find ourselves in was our creation! Our job, family, home, life style, are a product from our past…with a little help from the ‘corporations’.

As this is our creation, we have to allow it to dwell for a while and then dissolve, without creating new creations! If we maintain our desire for things to be perfect, this will only make things worse. The search for happiness is the cause of suffering. You are already happy but fail to recognise it.

I have a noisy neighbour one one side of my terraced house: she is noisy because she is hard of hearing. And when the other neighbour’s family comes to stay, it’s like a chicken gathering! It never lasts long, so there is no point in complaining. Other neighbours, a long way away, are bombing one another, and I cannot do anything about that…so again, there is no point in complaining. If we can do something about a situation, we do something, without making things worse.

How we react reveals our level of understanding and capacity, so we have to tread carefully. On a coarse, human level, we fight and retaliate. We read this day in and day out on forums, where people are trying to wind one another up, in order to prove a point (and their superiority).

I once had a discuss with a Tibetan Lama about another lama whose behaviour was…well, to put it in my teachers words, “Enthusiastic.” We could have used more colourful words, but the point was that my teacher did not want to disturb his own mind, my mind or anyone else’s mind. When you are working at that level, every moment is significant.

Worrying is pointless: we just get stuck in a loop, and are not thinking constructively. We merely have be aware of what is going on, and the causes of that. Then, where possible, we find a solution, and act on it. We are not going to change the world, only ourselves.

It is natural to be dissatisfied.

That is the cause for change.

Worry takes us in one direction,

Acceptance in another.

Neither accept nor reject,

But merely be aware of what take place in the mind.

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Love is absent minded.

Love is spontaneous and carefree.

It’s nothing you do, but are.

Love does not seek recognition,

it is absent minded.

Dignity with no expectation.

Repetition.

Throughout life we practise our karmic behaviour.

If not countered, we merely repeat.

The meaning of pray, chant and reciting

are positive antidotes.

At death or in turmoil they will come to fore.

A set routine sets a good foundation,

sets a good foundation for those around.

Finding fault.

Finding fault with others.

Corrupts one’s own mind.

However, a mistaken view

does not go unnoticed.

In that very moment

look into one’s own mind,

to see that cloud first.

Harsh words.

Harsh words disturb other’s mind.

They create a reaction,

sending back arrows of destruction.

Precise words of clarity.

Precise words of clarity.

shock the mind into stillness,

cutting the arrows of destruction.

Creation.

We competitively accumulate and create endlessly,

therefore this has to be maintained and protected.

Love is to let go of everything,

therefore there is nothing to maintain or protect.

The tap of inspiration.

If we turn off love,

the well runs dry.

Open the tap,

and blessings flow.

The whole universe is waiting for us.

To ask for help,

so we can also help.

Pass it on.

I like me.

When I found that I didn’t have fit

into others’ expectations,

I was free.

Why bother?

You don’t, that’s why you’re still not bothering.

Spirituality does not exist.

It only exists when we are still in the mental realm.

When we are in it, nothing exists.

Spirituality is reality.

When we are in it, it exists.

When we go beyond,

it neither exists, nor

not exists.

Reality.

Is neither real nor not real.

It is the constant play of

one in another.

Using truth as poison.

Truth can be a two edged sword.

It is either something that you want,

or something that you are.

The poison is

being led to believe truth is

somewhere else.

Living the dream.

Living the dream is always

living someone else’s dream.

Ours dreams are nightmares

wanting to wake up.

We put up with it because

we know no better.

Once we become aware,

we will know better.

The jabber clatter.

Everywhere we go there is jabber clatter,

music, noise, conversations, are the

jabbering cluttering-chatter,

of distraction.

Its vibrational sound

dulls the mind.

Digital god.

We seek the answer

from the digital god

the mobile.

It is an addictive religion.

I’m too busy to stop.

We spend our life either

vacant, occupied or asleep.

And never find the time

to know who we truly are,

or wake up.

Cruelty.

There will always be

vigorous carelessness in the world.

People justify their actions with

selfish righteousness.

Maybe it’s their first

human incarnation.

They seem to like uniforms and rules.

Precious human life.

Our time here is so precious,

to realise our true essence.

and what do we do with it?

We only know we have choice,

when we have a choice.

Class.

I am better than you,

but he is better than me.

He thinks he is bette than us,

but we know we are better than him.

She’s just as bad!

We divide ourselves to appear to be better.

Appearance isn’t everything.

Nothing ever happens.

Because these bodies do not permanently exist,

they cannot be said to have done anything.

Because this mind cannot be said to exist,

it too cannot be said to exist.

Therefore, nothing ever happened.

Crazy!

Crazy wisdom.

Crazy wisdom is said to put one’s mind into neutral.

At the dining table a teacher took the food out of his mouth

and handed it to a student.

The student ‘was’ disgusted.

Then took it, to swallow his pride.

Don’t try this at home!

The right time, the right place to the right person.

The pointing out instruction of the nature of mind

has to given at the right moment.

For some it is a word, for others a gesture.

You may or may not ‘get’ it.

But the seed will be sown.

Joy.

If you have joy in other achievements,

that joy is real, as pride has totally gone.

Exaggeration.

Don’t!

It only deceives you and those around you.

Cliches

Are not worth the paper they are printed on,

unless put into practice.

Apathy and Empathy.

 Apathy is self destroying.

Empathy is destroying the self.

There is a personal drama unfolding.

Apathy does not understand Empathy.

Empathy understands Apathy.

Waking up means toughening up

All we need is to lose the separation.

Compassion is love.

Love heals all.

How does one prove the existence of ‘being’?

 One of the reasons I keep writing is because we have to keep looking at truth from all angles, and maybe a phrase will truly hit home. There could be an crazy absurd moment where everything looks upside down, and we don’t know where we are…and there we are! This is not one of them!

Our usual answer to ‘being’ is, “I know I am,” or “I think, therefore I am.” But this is maybe just an expression of being: it is not ‘being’ itself.

There are teachings in Buddhism called Madhyamika, which negate everything: when nothing is left, even that nothing is negated. This teaching really blows your mind, which is great if you want to become a lawyer, or a scholar. In ancient teachings there is a saying, “Not this. Not this (to all appearances). Thou Art That.” And, then one says, “Not this. Not this”to that also.

We still need proof. How does one prove to a conceptual thinking mind that it does not exist? One cannot outsmart a concept with a concept.

So where are we?

Our mind wants to express itself in words, and that’s ok – this is still workable, and that is what we have to use. But do you notice that we say, “My mind”? We have a subject and an object! We keep falling into the same old trap. We keep failing to notice that there is that which is aware of the mind!

In the practice of sitting still, and observing, we become aware of the awareness itself. The moment we think about it, we are back in the mind again. Practice is needed in order to keep letting go, and to allow awareness…to be. Just say, “Thinking.” When there is mere awareness, it becomes pure awareness, empty of any contamination…that is ‘being’.

Inner ‘being’ knows all this but gets fixated on the thinking mind, which creates an inner conflict. This inner conflict is part of the process. All we need to do is expand our inner awareness to encompass all.

We divide ourselves.

Being divided, we suffer.

As sentient beings, we can work in space.

This space is our true reality.

Crazy!

.

What is spirituality? What isn’t spirituality?!

 Sometimes we use the word spirituality in a general way, and so experience, experiencing and experiencer get a bit muddled up, and we end up just sniffing incense! But to be more specific I suppose we are are talking about the spirituality psychology. Ordinary psychology deals with the human/primitive mind, and how to get along in a society… ‘functioning well’!

 Spirituality psychology is more like being a spiritual engineer, ie if that doesn’t work, try this.

 This is also the area that the mind can be influenced to conform to …’functioning well’ in society! This is pseudo spirituality psychology – polishing up the ego – achieving an enlightened ego – making us feel good in society. It’s spiritual materialism.

 This is why we have to test information, and the teacher. The Buddha said, “Weigh my teachings as if testing for the purity of gold.” Spirituality itself is beyond description in silent experience.

 Every experience is spiritual!

Whenever there is an appearance in the mind, there is that which is aware of it. That awareness can then note its own awareness, without manipulation….that is pure awareness. Sometimes it is called Emptiness, or “God”.

 For me, the right brain is feelings and pattern, and the left brain translates these feelings and patterns. I spent most my life in the right brain, without able to explain it, and it’s only in the past couple of years that it seems my left brain has finally kicked in!

 Someone asked on a forum about meditating on a symbol.

This is to do with visualisation practice, be it a letter, sound, symbol or figure. Sometimes we are drawn to an image or a sound and have a feeling for it which cannot be explained: maybe it is a feeling of longing or a sense of satisfaction. Then we find out what it means, and it makes more sense, but…that longing, that satisfied feeling was right all along, and that was what it was all about. Personally, I find this with the mantra OM MANI PEME HUM.

 This image or sound could have stirred a forgotten memory from a previous life – “Hmm… this seems familiar, it doesn’t seem strange.”

 Sometimes we hear a teaching and understand it (left brain), and then all we need is a symbol to remind us (right brain).

 Our final teacher is every interaction within the whole of phenomena: this is known as the symbolic teacher. To repeat, everything that arises has an impermanent appearance…especially our emotions!

 However, in whatever happens, there is always that which knows.

So everything is a reminder of that….our true nature.

THE KEY IS THE REPTILIAN BRAIN.

 The reptilian brain is a name for our basic primitive brain, with its basic function to survive – fight, flight or freeze. The term reptilian brain can be misleading, and can become a bogey man. The primitive brain functions as “Might is Right”. Primitive does not mean unsophisticated, when embedded into the human mind.

 Interestingly, in history, this basic brain has been connected to the Serpent, the Devil and Evil. Now I would like to investigate another connection. Firstly, I have to say that everything is a figment of our imagination – our collective imagination. Things exist at a relative level, but we exaggerate – and some people/cultures do this more than others.

 This primitive brain has three instincts: FIGHT, FLIGHT AND FREEZE. The three basic negative emotions in our consciousness are DESIRE, AVERSION AND IGNORANCE, or to use other words – HOPE, FEAR AND INDIFFERENCE. This is what drives us, day in and day out. You can see the connection: they are a control mechanism for personal “I” survival.

 These three principles not only help us survive in a coarse physical form, but they also keep us imprisoned in a mental state, of not knowing our true identity. These three basic negative emotions obscure our connection to higher functions, and limit our potential. That is why they are the devil…and by the way, the devil does not exist!

 What we can now see is The Corporate ‘Reptilian’ Brain at work. Psychologists are finely aware of our likes, dislikes and don’t care attitudes, and use them against us, for their own profit. In order to make profit, the more control you have, the more wealth you create. Simple! The corporate primitive brain is based on “might is right”. They may appear to be sophisticated but use no higher functions, especially empathy and compassion!

 If you fight against the corporate ‘primitive brain world,’ you are using your ‘primitive brain’. The same applies if you run away, or if you do nothing – you are complying with primitive brain orientations.

 The way to breaking out of this prison is to know how your mind works and recognise your true nature. I won’t go into it now, but the secret of nature of these three poisons (desire, aversion and ignorance) is wisdom.

Reptilian Brain

Innermost in our brain is what is called the reptilian brain, its oldest and most primitive part. The reptilian brain appears to be largely unchanged by evolution and we share it with all other animals which have a backbone. 
At this level of evolution, behaviour relating to survival of the species, such as sexual behaviour, is instinctive and responses are automatic. Territory is acquired by force and defended. Might is right, based on fight, flight or freeze.


Mammalian Brain

Next to evolve from the reptilian brain was the mammalian brain. An enormous change took place as mammals evolved from reptiles, the mammalian brain containing organs for some conscious feelings about events (amygdala).

To this extent the mammal is more consciously aware of itself in relation to the environment. Millions of neural pathways connect the hippocampus and amygdala structures to the reptilian brain and behaviour is less rigidly controlled by instincts. It seems that feelings such as attachment, anger and fear have emerged with associated behavioural response patterns of care, fight, flight or freeze


Human Brain

 And the mammalian brain became the human brain by adding the massive grey matter (neocortex) which envelopes most of the earlier brain and amounts to about 85 per cent of the human brain mass. 
This massive addition consists mostly of two hemispheres which are covered by an outer layer and interconnected by a string of nerve fibres.
The brain is actually divided into left and right ’hemispheres’ .

The aim of The Corporate ‘Primitive’ Brain is to disconnect – as much as possible – the functions of these two parts of the brain. We can be manipulated through the right brain, while only being conscious of the left. This is neurosymbolic programming.

 Thoughts, responses, and images are planted in the right brain, through symbolism and subliminal imagery while imprisoning the human consciousness in the left brain – the thinking hemisphere.

 This is why the media system is designed to talk to the left brain via the right brain. The Corporate Primitive brain can enter the human brain through the right side, undetected, and these images and subliminal messages then enter the left brain as consciousness to be decoded. People therefore think that their thoughts and actions are their own: this is subtle neurolinguistic programming.

 They know that by going through the right brain with suggestion, they can enter our mind and tell our left brain how to decode it into conscious language eg “I want to buy that car”: notice how all car advertising is done through imagery and sound, with no mention of the superior mechanics of that particular model.

 The ‘media’ creates a make-believe fantasy world in endless forms: the “reptilian devil” was created in the very same way, and forums play their part too. Its aim is to open up the right brain and allow the ‘primitive’ brain to justify reactions in the left brain. This keep consciousness embedded in a mental prison.

Know the enemy.

Know your own mind.

Know how to be free.

.

Ego.

Ego is just our mind desperately clinging to a self identity, that’s all.

It shouts and screams,

obscuring pure perception.

Pure perception sees through ego’s games.

“There I go again!”

Little devil…

.

Exchanging negative energy for positive energy.

To combat negative energy with more negative energy is foolish: this just makes a bad situation worse. Fighting a concept with another concept results in the the mind never breaking free. Rather, it merely goes into turmoil, justifying itself with many after-thoughts. One may even find one cannot sleep that night due to the residue of circling thoughts!

Positive energy is seeing through the games being played (kindly), and bringing the negative energies back to normal – and that’s all! Positive energy is not used as a weapon to win an argument: it is there for the sake of clarity and kindness. This is compassion, and not something sentimental. Once the situation is freed, we can then drop the positive energy, otherwise it smothers. Holding on to it creates pride. Positive action produces no justifying thoughts – as everything is dropped.

Compassion has power. It can neutralise a situation, support a situation, add knowledge to a situation, or destroy a situation. Remember that negativity is all to do with ego’s games (ego is our consciousness clinging to ideas, which ends up creating suffering).

Compassion works on many levels. This depends on the depth of one’s understanding…which can always do with a little improvement ;-)-! We all over-do it, get too involved, want everything to work out nicely – but it doesn’t happen that way. As soon as we have done our bit for a situation, upon walking away, it all seems to collapse! That is just part of the process.

The individuals involved in each situation have their own evolving to do. All we can do is sow a “compassion seed” by merely creating space. Maybe sometime in the future, that seed will grow… when enough manure has done its job!

In a funny old way, this crazy world is actually helping us

To evolve in the fastest possible way

 Because this crazy darkness is uncovering the darkness in our own minds.

 That’s the special quality of the Kali Yuga.

We are pure awareness.

Sacred clarity.

Everything arises within this, and the awareness stays pure.

When fixation on appearances within this sacred clarity

Obscures pure awareness,

Darkness rule.

We have two potentials – light and darkness.

The expression of darkness is doubt and fear

which can be used as a weapon.

The recognition of that activity is liberation.

Recognising the darkness reveals the light.

It is the light recognising itself.

That is pure awareness.

Be aware of the mind’s emotional dark corners.

Satan is necessary

 Mara is the Buddhist equivalent of Satan. It is also part of us, and we need it to find the Buddha (‘bud’ means awake, and ‘dha’ means pure, with all karma exhausted).

The Buddha describes Mara as ‘the maker of limits’. Psychologically, if I’m in a state of anger or attachment, I’m limited. I’m trapped in Mara’s snares. Mara is that which blocks our way, limiting our capacity to realise our true potential – Enlightenment.

In the traditional story of the Buddha’s Enlightenment, Mara tried and failed to tempt the Buddha back to worldliness. Mara was defeated. But that does not mean he has gone away.

If we take Mara out of the picture, we lose sight of that part of the Buddha with which we can identify – our negativity. Remember that the nature of negativity is wisdom. We can appreciate and see ourselves in Mara much more easily than we can in the Buddha: until enlightenment, we won’t know what true Buddha qualities really are.

If can bring these two parts together, we can see the unity of the two truths: the Buddha in humanity, and Mara in enlightenment!

In this sense, Mara is not just a problem – Mara is necessary for Enlightenment to happen. Mara is the problem without which there would be no solution.

Satanism is reflected in our own negative emotions of: hatred, pride, jealousy, desire (hope), aversion (fear) all because we do not recognise (ignorance) our true nature.

The way we can practically achieve this, is to understand the true nature of our negative emotions -which is wisdom.
We need to deepen our understanding.

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody 2.

Everybody said, Nobody should meditate.

Somebody asked if Everybody knew if Anybody meditated.

Anybody assumed Nobody meditate.

And so Nobody did.

Somebody asked did Everybody ‘know’,

Everybody thought Somebody ‘knew’.

Anybody could have ‘known’, but didn’t.

And Nobody did.

Everybody thought that Somebody must be enlightened.

Somebody thought that Anybody could be enlightened.

Anybody could have been enlightened.

And Nobody was.

Nobody, everybody, somebody and anybody.

I am nobody,

Nobody is perfect.

Everybody is perfect,

But Nobody knows.

Somebody knows,

That Anybody could be perfect,

But Nobody was.

I am Nobody,

You are too

Stop the killing!

Finding yourself, is an impossibility.

Not finding a self, is possible.

If you find a self, kill it.

That which seeks to find, is already found,

That which keeps looking will never be found.

If you find a self, kill it.

Do you have a soul?

Are there two of you?

If you find a self, kill it.

Do you have a higher self?

Are there two of you?

If you find a self, kill it.

You are not your body.

You are not your thoughts.

You are not anything.

You are just…pure awareness.

Nothing more, nothing less.

When you realise this,

The killing can stop 🙂

Reaction and karma.

 Just to clarify.

If we merely react in a negative way, we deepen the imprint in the mind, and deepen our bad karma.

 If we do nothing and ignore the situation, we create an imprint in the mind, and create bad karma.

 If we do nothing and note the situation, there is no imprint in the mind, we do not create karma.

 If we redress the situation to bring about balance, we create an imprint in the mind, and create good karma.

 If we do nothing and note the situation, but our mere presents is enough to change the situation, there is no imprint in the mind, we do not create karma.

 ( This last one is interesting. It is like a tough boss who is about to join an organisation, and some people on hearing this appointment, just leave the organisation automatically without even meeting the boss..! When knowing is present, not knowing disappears.)

 Not reacting does not mean we do nothing, that’s why I write and share.

Tony

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Unconditional love.

 We can spend our precious life looking outside for answers about our true identity, where none will be found. Even if one goes to teachings, but still we have to do the real work ourselves. The answer is always within, buried under many layers. Each layer has an element of truth about it, but each is but a stepping stone to a more refined layer. All we have to do is make the decision to look and recognise. In making that decision, a new world opens up to us: all that entails is being open.

 And, to tell you the truth, inspired knowledge comes from goodness knows where!

If we look outside for answers, we are going to be distracted from looking within. Part of us maybe thinking, “But I want something really interesting!” This is exactly what the world and our infested minds want – and gets – looking elsewhere for the truth about our true nature!

The human mistaken mind will always create new ideas and gadgets…this is merely entertainment to pass the time away: it is never ending, and constantly misses opportunities of going deeper.

The decision to refine our view is a great turning point in our lives. It means we are dissatisfied with the games being played. This may express itself in depression, boredom, fed-upness, a feeling of pointlessness, or just admitting experiencing some sort of suffering

In Buddhism, there are nine vehicles/yanas/levels in which the same words are used, but the meaning is different. The meaning is true at each level: it satisfies for a while, and then we refine our questioning and understanding.

There are also nine levels of bodhisattvas – beings who work for the benefit of all sentient beings – the tenth level is Buddhahood…we are still on street level! But hey! We all have to start from somewhere 😉

A few days ago I heard someone say, “I have unconditional love for my children.” That sounds good, and it is good. But, like everything, there are deeper meanings to the phrase ‘unconditional love’. Of course, this may have been a figure of speech – and there’s the rub, as we often don’t look at what we are really saying. Again, this is the sort of world we are living in, where we talk the talk, but don’t actually walk the walk.

Unconditional love has no conditions attached to it. It is a love that does not rely on any conditions. It is just unconditional love for all sentient beings. We can go from street level to Enlightenment with this very phrase, with its various meanings.

We have to be very honest about this. “Unconditional love for my children” is in fact conditional love. It is just love as we all have at a street level, where we chose whom we love. Unconditional love is the outcome of knowing one’s true nature – Pure Awareness. Pure Awareness is beyond conditions.

Proof that there are aliens on Earth.

 …….it’s us 😉 !

 If we can agree that Essence, and this temporary body, are not the same thing, and that rebirth does take place –     then we must have come from somewhere. We just cannot remember where!

 People talk about the Annunaki, Nordic, Pleiadians, Reptilians, and many other species, as if they were separate from us. Well, we have been all of them, if they exist! From a buddhist point of view, we have infinite reincarnations, so therefore every sentient being has been our mother. That is why we should remember their love.

Of course, they don’t tell you that every sentient being has also married your sister, eaten you, and run off with your watch! Now that is something for which we can have empathy and compassion, as it’s happened to everyone else too!

Aliens are no big deal. There is stuff going on in the universe that we will never know about –  or remember – until we are enlightened.

Daisy posted a query about being judgemental.

Being able to judge if something is correct or not is part of being sentient.

 We all have a longing for things to be perfect. I know I do, for if everyone was nicer, it would make my life easier! Still, we all feel the same way: this could be a better world.

 We live in a conventional, relative existence, so we have to deal with what we have…it’s called samsara – the vicious cycle of existence. We seek happiness, usually in conventional things. If we find a form of happiness, we have to then maintain it and protect it, and then we get frustrated that it does not last. This leads to anger, and then we embark on another hunt for happiness somewhere else. Exhausting isn’t it? We can see that the search for happiness actually causes us suffering.

 Recognising that is the first noble truth – the recognition that we suffer. The other three noble truths are: realising the cause of suffering, finding the path/method to dissolve that suffering, and then treading that path.

 And so it is that we are judgemental about people, which creates emotions in our minds. When we recognise that life cannot be perfect – when we truly recognise this – we can start to relax…and give up trying. We are all on our own paths or journeys to find our way home: some travel faster, and some more slowly. The term “path” refers to the confusion surrounding us, which has to be dismantled, or recognised as not truly existing.

 As we are not enlightened yet, judgements will always arise. Judgement is a response to a situation..but it was not the first response! It was the third response:

there are eight consciousnesses – the five of the senses, and then the 6^th,7^th and 8^th of the mind (the 6^th is perception, 7^th judgement 8^th memory). When we perceive something through the senses, that is the 6^th consciousness. That perception almost immediately goes to the 8^th consciousness for recognition, then down to the 7^th for judgement, to see whether we like it or not. That is our usual loop of operation as sentient beings. It just happens – it’s our survival mode.

 We just have to accept that judgements will arise. This is just our karmic reaction – it is a product from our past, so we do not have to feel guilty. If we react based on that judgement, we merely deepen our karmic reaction (habit), thus creating more karma. However, if we do not re-enact, a gap takes place in the mind: a space occurs, and no karma is created. Then we are free to choose whether to respond or not.

 If we will respond for the benefit of others, good karma is created. If we remain silent, this crates no karma. Although good karma eases our path, both bad and good karma finally have to be exhausted.

 I know this is a long answer, but there may be others reading who want to know some details. Basically, the mind will judge – merely note it. Gradually, all judgements will reduce in power. As with the emotions, their immediate presence shows a sharp mind, and merely reflects what is seen.

 We should always check that what we judge is not in ourselves also. However, sometimes we may have to bark…but not bite! This takes us onto the four enlightened activities of: pacifying, magnetise, enriching and destroying…but I’ll leave that to another day!

All the best,

Tony