Thoughtlessness
No consideration for the consequences of one’s actions or needs of others.
Or
Pure mind.
One could then argue
(if you were that type)
that resting in pure mind
also has
no consideration for the consequences of one’s actions or needs of others.
The answer to that would be:
A pure mind is a clear mind,
a compassionate mind.
Any consequential action then taking place
would be of benefit to others.
Paranoia, MK-Ultra and the god complex on conspiracy forums.
The only reason I write this is because of predictions made about the Kali Yuga and there are those on the peripherals of true spirituality (followers of the new age) who may get sucked in to this madness. This concerns consciousness, and its clarity or perversion.
The ancient Sanskrit text the Linga Purana, describes our current Age of Confusion, the Kali Yuga:
“People will prefer to choose false ideas.
Base (low-minded) men who have gained a certain amount of learning (without having the virtues necessary for its use) will be esteemed as sages.
Thieves will become kings, and kings will be the thieves.
Rulers will confiscate property (this could include teachings) and use it badly. They will cease to protect the people.”
Many on these forums believe they are being infiltrated by MK-Ultra mind control. They think they are being watched for what they have found out. This a simplistic, naïve view of what is going on.
Worldly information and speculation, mixed up with spirituality, is being served up to confuse people. It is so easy to lose our common sense. We learn a few spiritual phrases, and may even meditate, but then we claim these words and experiences as our own, and develop a paranoid ‘god complex’. Some believe that they have the Power…this is the beginning of demon infiltration! Demons feel the same way about themselves – that they too have the power – but this only exists by others’ consent.
This is not MK-Ultra activity. This is demon activity, based on egocentricity. Egocentricity holds groups together…even MK-Ultra!
Those false prophets without virtue who wish to rule the world need control. This is achieved by the use of guns and propaganda, but they also use consciousness itself. Forum enthusiasts excite themselves (their egos), and make claims about themselves…playing god. Meanwhile, visitors to these forums become addicted to this foolishness, and are caught up, like the latest TV soap-opera.
We, as ordinary sentient beings, are easily distracted: we already live in a fantasy of our own construct, and this is why we are not enlightened. We are influenced by our own self centred-ness, which is demon activity of “I like,” and “I dislike.”
Forums allow people’s beliefs free rein, and also permit enhancement of their make-believe god powers. This is demon food – the devil’s fruit cake, full of nuts! Gradually, this puffed-up ego become the demon, hating anything truly pure…that’s how it works!
The god complex
is a demon complex.
It complicates.
Truth is simply shunyata
Emptiness.
Mind empty of contamination.
.
Guru Yoga.
No one has become enlightened unless they have practised Guru Yoga in some form or another. This is not Guru worship, or person worship: it is a spiritual attitude towards the teachings the Guru represents.
Sometimes we become caught up in how we think a Guru should be, and this is why Guru yoga is an individual thing. Finding someone who gives you a sense of relief is a relief! A feeling of “Thank goodness.” A sense of connectedness. Personally, I look for ordinariness, openness, naturalness rather than artifice…and they don’t have to have long beards and smile a lot!
We need a power greater than our own to pull us through – something that truly inspires us to get over our obstacles. This means totally giving up, letting go, surrendering pride.
A Guru/teacher represents all the enlightened ones. There are many forms of Guru Yoga practice: in fact, all practice is Guru Yoga. If we see a teacher as an ordinary person, we get ordinary blessings. If we see a teacher as a clever person, we get clever blessings. If we see the teacher as the Buddha, we get Buddha blessings.
So you see,
it all still comes from us.
We may not always like our teacher. Teachers can be irritating: they are always in your mind…irritating it! That’s until you do not ‘mind’ anymore… 😉
This doesn’t mean you cannot change teachers, or have many teachers…it’s all one anyway. Some have different flavours in their fridge which we might need to taste!
Try not to dismiss the power of Guru Yoga.
Resistance to practice?
We are sentient creatures, and therefore easily distracted, and resistant to changing our habits. We just have to remember we have chosen our path of recognising our truth nature. No one made you do it!
There are many reasons why we find ourselves reluctant to practise.
Unsuitable practice.
Not clear why you are doing it.
Insufficient instruction.
We have forgotten why we are practising.
The mind is habitually dull.
The mind is too active.
We are lazy.
We cannot find the time.
Pride.
Need sleep.
(I experience all the above…10 is quite popular!)
These are the classical reasons used, and any one of them may be significant – but there is more to it than that.
Merely being aware that the mind is resistant reveals awareness itself, and that is practice itself. It is not what we are doing that is important: it is the awareness that is important. Being spontaneously present, open and not doubting.
Sometimes we just try too hard. We came to the Dharma because we wanted to know the truth, so at least we have the right intention. Sometimes, we may feel that we are practising by rote – mechanically. This is ok: just do not give up. Stick to the allotted time: it’s best to have a sacred routine. This is a matter of maintaining the uncovering of knowing. After all, this knowingness is our true nature.
We are merely practising being ourselves,
and not the imitation we have become used to.
Meditation is merely becoming familiar
with reality.
There is no need to beat ourselves up.
That which is aware
– awareness –
is doubting itself and trying to beat up
that which isn’t aware.
That doesn’t make sense.
There is no need!
When knowing is present
not knowing disappears.
When the light is switched on in a room
that has been in darkness for a thousand years
instantly everything is seen.
Meditation, rituals, chanting
can be enjoyable and relaxing.
Give yourself some precious time
just to be.
Best to sit and do nothing.
There is a need for that.
Dzogchen is us.
All teachings and practices culminate in Dzogchen-Maha Ati. Dzogchen is just a word for our true nature – emptiness, awareness and unconfined compassion. There is no description, no rules, no meditation, nothing to do but recognise. This, of course, has to be pointed out symbolically, and this is called The Pointing Out Instruction….but you are then responsible. When we discover something, there is nothing to change…just effortlessly maintaining.
Buddha said:
“Your realisation depends on you.”
He did not say,
“Your realisation depends on me.”
You may well ask, why do all that other stuff? Well, we have different capacities and experiences, and to receive, the instruction, we have to be ripe. If you were told about sweetness, but had never tasted it, you would not recognise it. Only those that have had a taste would re-cognise it!
So we all start from where we are. Some of us need to build a firm foundation, some like to sing in the rooms, some will just want to fly away, and some will remain to sweep the floors to keep them nice and clean and clear.
In the lower paths we practise renunciation.
In Dzogchen there is nothing to renounce.
Dzogchen is self liberation.
It is good to know the different levels:
one is not better than another.
If we are hooked only on our own progress,
we will miss the opportunity
to be of benefit to others.
We are not all of the same capacity
but we are of the same potential.
To some, one can say, “Be aware of awareness.”
To others, “Just relax.”
A World of Deception = Suffering
Our consciousness was driven to Earth and into a human body by our karma, because we ignored the three principles of this relative universe: desire, aversion and ignorance. Every thing, from atom to planet, obeys this principle.
We are not supposed to be here!
We should be at home
in a Buddha realm 🙂
with our enlightened family.
Once we realise the true nature of these three negative energies, they not longer control us: we take the control back. This is our positive potentiality – knowing.
For now, we are subject to self deception and misunderstanding, and therefore we suffer. If we have achieved a nice cosy nest for ourself, then we have acquired a double deception – delusion. We have just made our delusion real. It is a real delusion! This is our other potentiality: ignorance – not knowing.
Buddha said:
“Your realisation depends on you.”
He did not say,
“Your realisation depends on me.”
However, there is another aspect to our lives. We live in a world of deception. As well as our personal delusions, there are the delusions of those around us. More importantly – and this is not discussed in Buddhist circles – there are those who take advantage of our delusion to feather their own nests, creating strife in the world, dividing people, and acquire more feathers! They have Mara potentiality – demonic potentiality.
This demonic potentiality is turning the world into a toilet,
and humans are being flushed down it.
In these modern times,
saving the planet doesn’t mean
saving the people on it!
There are two ways to deal with this insidious situation. One is on a personal level: we maintain inner peace so that clarity may be manifest. The other level is to help others become aware of the situation they live under. As practitioner, we cannot ignore the suffering of others, but whether they recognise this situation is up to them.
Buddha said:
“Your realisation depends on you.”
He did not say,
“Your realisation depends on me.”
(In Tibetan Buddhism, one may do Yidam/Deity practice to dispel demons. If one has an angry personality (like myself) one uses wrathful deity practice to dispel wrong views. I have done this for several years…and it works! However, I did have a problem with believing in Mara activity, until I realised what was going on in the world.)
I, obscure my mind.
If we look outside our mind for the answer,
we will not find the answer.
The answer will only come
from within our own mind.
Anything outside the mind
will deteriorate and vanish.
The essence of mind is already enlightened,
but there is an obstacle blocking our view.
When this obscuration is cleared, we re-enlighten.
We may ask, “Where did this obscuration come from?”
It comes every moment we identify with an imagined “I”.
I am the obstacle.
I is the obstacle.
Being informed is not being enlightened.
There is a problem in our language.
The dictionary explains the word enlightened to mean informed.
Many feel that if they are informed that they are enlightened.
…and that’s it.
Being informed is merely the first step to discovering our true nature.
First we are informed that we are suffering.
Then we have to see if this is so
and then do something about it.
May information become knowledge
May knowledge become wisdom
May wisdom become enlightenment
The video starts at 2 minutes.
This is an excellent explanation of the Buddha’s teaching.
Dzogchen discussion starts around 1.06.
(Some words may sound muffled on this recording, look out for words ‘existence’ ‘capacity’ and ‘vehicle’…)
This is how to use the Vajra and Bell.
It is very precise and meaningful…
…and it’s nice to know!
Thank you to Ven. Thupten Donyo
What to trust when the mind gets muddled?
People may worry about getting old and the mind being unable to remember, or that they are under the influence of mind controllers. Know that whatever happens to the mind, essence never changes: it is always clear. Essence only seems unclear when it identifies with the mind. So if the mind is muddled…essence seems muddled.
Most people identify with their bodies and mind so strongly that when the body gets old – they get old! Telling them that they are timeless beings is of no use, as they have spent their lives believing they are their body and mind.
As we get older, it seem that nouns are the first to go – we forget the names of things. It’s probably to do with some brain cells falling off the end of the conveyor belt! This happens to me, but awareness is still present, and that itself remind me of essence.
This is why it is so important to practise during the brighter part of one’s life, and instil a good habit or discipline of repetition of prayer, chanting and meditation.
There is mind control going on all the time, through the media – all media. If we do not discriminate, we just fill our minds with trivia. I actually heard this morning on the radio, “People aspire for better things!” Gadgets! If we live like that, intelligence will not develop: we merely become part of the corporate ideal. Intelligence is being able to discern.
We are pure essence
that has awareness,
which is compassionate.
This is the purpose of intelligence.
This is what we can trust.
Pure compassionate awareness
is never muddled.
My teacher Tsoknyi Rinpoche
explained the process of teachings this way…
75% is provable.
20% is inference
and 5% is trust.
More or less.
( I often walk into a room and wonder what I came in for….!)
( For those of a serious nature…pure compassionate awareness is the three Kayas)
.
Softening the Heart.
We like to feel that we express from the heart, but in doing so we may become ‘heavy-hearted’. I did for years! We get carried away with passion. Passion is not at all a bad thing as it is energy, but misplaced energy can become destructive…or at the least, annoying! We might find ourselves wanting to subdue our ‘perceived’ enemies, which only serves to create more problems.
Softening the heart doesn’t make us weak, but gives an unbreakable diamond quality to our being. We no longer have to win, as there is no competition. We compassionately allow what takes place to take place – karma has to play itself out, without us creating more.
In softening the heart, we become bodhisattvas. This is the path of altruism: disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others, at one’s own expense.
This modern world is full of strife, aggression, and killing.
This IS the Kali Yuga.
It is here that we sow the seeds for the next Yuga.
It is in the Kali Yuga that we can make the fastest progress.
It is in the Kali Yuga that we should not add to the confusion.
It is in the Kali Yuga that we soften and bend with these karmic storms, but do not break.
It is obvious by now that the Kali Yuga is being manipulated by those ‘hard-hearts’ that profit from strife, aggression and killing. Unfortunately, this karmic storm will truly carry them away to a hell worse than the one they are compounding, and feathering their bunkers is no escape.
In a relative world, we are not all one. There are natural divisions. In the Kali Yuga, everything is exaggerated: divisions are magnified by those who would profit from them, resulting in more strife, aggression and killing. War is profitable for war makers.
Opposing this process only serves to harden us. By recognising the process, we no longer consent to it, and thus it becomes transparent and seen by all. It will wear itself out. The law of karma never fails: that is exactly why we are here. Ignorance creates our karma. The Kali Yuga is collective ignorance.
A softened heart
is a compassionate heart
without limits, without fear.
Compassionate fearlessness
is the way of the warrior.
The unbreakable warrior
knows the unbreakable truth.
The relative exists
by virtue of the absolute.
The relative, recognising its true nature,
softens, melts and becomes enlightened.
.
Count yourself fortunate!
Unfortunately, truth isn’t everyone’s cup of tea,
as their interests lie in other directions.
It is rare that someone can see the distinction
between relative truth
and absolute truth,
and therefore see Truth itself.
Life has just become truly amazing!
You don’t have to be Buddhist to understand this…but if you do understand this, then you are Buddhist! Bud-dha is a word that means awake and pure. Simply put, there is a constant recognition of one’s true nature, exhaustion of all karma, an absence of a self identity and unconditional compassion for all.
There are infinite sentient beings
in the universe
who do not have this inclination to realise the truth.
Therefore, count yourself very fortunate.
Knowledge of absolute truth is wisdom. Wisdom is the real you: empty essence, pure essence – the real Dharma: Dzogchen. Infinite sentient beings are suffering because they do not know. You do! Count yourself extremely fortunate.
Oh, fortunate one.
With wisdom comes responsibility.
With responsibility comes challenges.
With challenges comes progress.
With progress comes more wisdom.
Knowing not knowing.
We are pure embodied beings
of luminous consciousness
imprisoned in a karmic creation
of
our own ignorance.
There are two forces in this relative universe: good – knowing and evil – not knowing. In absolute terms, there is neither, as absolute is beyond opposites. We are dealing with our absolute nature in a relative existence, which is our path to realisation. Firstly, there is a need to understand our absolute nature before we can understand our relative nature – knowing the not knowing.
The way we approach this will depend on our temperament and capacity. Sometimes we need rigid guidelines, and sometimes we need nothingness. However, we have to be careful, as we can get rigid about nothingness…and then it’s not nothingness!
When knowing
gets glimpses of not knowing,
then knowing knows
..simple!
We have two potentials: Buddha nature and Demon nature. Compassion or lack of compassion.
If we get hooked by the three poisons – desire, aversion and ignorance – we find our demonic nature.
If we get hooked by the enlightened qualities of those same poisons, we find our Buddha nature.
The law of attraction
always works.
Knowing attracts knowing.
Not knowing attracts not knowing.
Every Demon knows there is a Buddha in the mud
and that’s what makes us grumpy.
You’ve got to laugh
because you’ve known all along!
Self Criticism.
That is so ridiculous! All you have done is forgotten what you are … and now you remember – problem solved! You – as pure awareness, as absolute nature – forgot what you are, and criticised your imagined, fluffed-up self, which had no true inherent existence to begin with.
We become so involved in our confused relative existence (I know I do) that we tie ourselves into knots, acquiring a good-looking identity for others to admire. Daft isn’t it? Of course, we have to play our social part as sentient creatures, but we don’t have to believe that it has any permanent reality.
When we are actually complaining about ourselves, that is our imaginary self – we are merely complaining about a temporary arrangement of atoms and ideas. Ridiculous! After we are dead, those we were trying to impress have long forgotten us…actually, they forgot us the moment we left the room!
If we spend our precious time criticising ourself and others, we become more locked in to a mistaken reality. However, we need discrimination: that’s how we learn.
If we spend our time
pulling ourselves apart,
we are merely rearranging the illusion.
If we recognise the illusion,
this, in itself,
pulls our selves apart…naturally.
Over time, we have made a few mistakes
(actually, it’s one mistake, merely repeated),
but now
we are facing the right direction.
.
Understanding & practice must match up.
How tense are the muscles in your face at this moment?…!
.
Wanting advanced teachings.
The truth is in the basics – mindfulness of breath and actions, loving kindness, and remembering the enlightened ones (for inspiration).
Refined, this is awareness, compassion and guru yoga (supplicating and receiving blessings). Refined, this is barely resting in emptiness.
All teachings lead to emptiness. Knowing one, all is known.
I, too, wanted to know all the advanced teachings, such as the Six Doctrines of Naropa, melting snow by the heat of the body, flying, leaving foot impressions in rocks, and much more. But this will only drive one crazy! It all comes down to awareness of emptiness, peace in one’s heart and compassion for all.
Some are fortunate to do such advanced practices, but maybe they are the right people at the right time in the right place. We have to be satisfied with what we have…perhaps we don’t need such stuff! To tell you the truth, I’ve met people who have done such practices and…well…I’m happy the way I am!
Perhaps some practices were more effective in previous era. Who knows?
I’ve been practising for over forty years, and have realised – the simpler the better. A genuine good heart encompasses everything. Remember, at every level, the same words are used but the meaning changes…they refine. The meaning doesn’t get more complicated!
If you do want ‘advanced’, it’s understanding the relationship between the two truths.
Now that is the truth!
.
Psychology, Psychiatry, Spirituality and Buddhism.
Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind and its behaviour.
Psychiatry is the study and treatment of mental illness, emotional disturbance and abnormal behaviour.
Spirituality is related to the human spirit beyond this material life.
Buddhism investigates the causes and cessation of suffering.
Spirituality and religion are not necessarily the same, as there are theistic (believing in an external God) and non theistic (not believing in external God) religions. Psychiatry and Psychology have their variations. I practice the Buddhist methods (Dharma), but do not see it as a religion: others do.
Psychology deals with behaviour.
Psychiatry deals with abnormal behaviour.
Spirituality deals with belief.
Buddhist spiritual psychology deals with the causes and cessation of belief and behaviour.
Psychology, Psychiatry, Spirituality and Buddhism are all to do with mental welfare, and have different approaches. Knowledge is neutral: its use, however, may either expand or limit understanding.
All humans have the ability to use reason and logic, and to achieve enlightenment. In a way, we are all Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Spiritualists and Buddhists if we first look at ourselves! What is important is looking at the whole picture which we can prove, and not merely a part of it which relies on another’s interpretation.
Life is a mixed blessing.
We always have the choice of
suffering or wisdom.
Suffering is the result of our
…emotions.
Wisdom is the result of our
…emotions.
Before we can understand
the true nature of emotions
– wisdom –
we must understand
the true nature of ourselves
– wisdom –
The very first instance of an emotion
is wisdom
– pure perception –
containing no I.
The second instance of an emotion
is suffering
– impure perception –
containing an imagined I.
These are the two truth in action.
Relative truth – impure .
Absolute truth – pure.
In Absolute truth,
the second instance of impure perception
never existed in the first place!
Uncontaminated Atmosphere.
A good atmosphere is what meditation is all about.
Some sit in front of a shrine.
Some chant.
Some read texts.
Some just meditate.
The whole point of an uncontaminated atmosphere is recognising:
You are that uncontaminated atmosphere
– emptiness –
.
Words are magic spells.
When we weave words, we weave spells.
Either hypnosis takes place,
or freedom from the dream!
Words have the power to send us to sleep, perchance to dream, or to awaken us, addressing the suffering of outrageous fortune. Much depends on the intention both behind the words, and of the listener. Repeating wise words mechanically (without listening) may neutralise them, actually creating the opposite effect.
Generally, our speech is neurolinguistic programming: we repeat what we hear as if in an hypnotic state. We talk through habitual programming because we are not listening. It’s dream talk, maintaining the status quo. Even chanting spiritual text half heartedly can leave us feeling good, but dozy.
Enlightened speech is conscious speech entailing conscious listening. Words have a tremendous power: they can shake us out of complacency, arousing amazement – or a feeling of being very uncomfortable.
We may hear beautiful words, but did they hit the spot? Most of the time we merely chit-chat. Chit-chat is fine if it puts someone at ease, but we can lose sight of the bigger picture, and just continue dreaming in a soothing …ah…zzzz!
Speech has the power to alienate, be discordant, put us on edge, make us feel guilty – or stir up any of the other emotions. On the other hand, speech can inspire, uplift, exhilarate, motivate…and you may find you are off to war!
Speech has to be conscious,
but that comes from conscious listening.
That will have a conscious effect!
Deeper magic.
Much depends on our true intention, of whether we are open or only appear to be open. Someone may say something which we find irritating, and a strong emotion will arise. This is a wonderful – and very uncomfortable – moment: if we do not react, a space occurs. A gap appears in the situation (my wife and I have many of these moments…). If one is open, then this irritation will teach us something, maybe about a new direction we should take. Doubt clears and confidence grows. Sometimes, this feeling is far beyond my intelligence and I can hardly cope: but a crack appears and suddenly one grows into that crack – the space!
In that moment, something changes. We are not the same old us. We may look the same and sound the same to others (because of their patterning), but we are no longer the same. Something is different.
Conscious prayer and conscious listening.
When we pray
enlightened ones listen.
When we meditate
enlighten ones speak in silence
and we listen.
Silent essence
becomes blessings
of expression essence.
If we do not understand the problem,
then we are the problem!
This has two aspects to this: our inner life and our worldly life.
The worldly problem is solved by our inner problem.
If we do not recognise awareness, then we are totally involved with the outer world. If we do not recognise the control the outer world has on us then, simply put, we are controlled by the outer world.
Our outer world is controlled by major corporations – they affect every part of our lives. If we are not aware of this, we are part of the corporate pyramid.
Corporations exert control, by enhancing our ego-centred feeling that we are better than others. Becoming involved in this oneupmanship, we only look at our outer status, and never our inner status.
Essence cannot be controlled.
Our beliefs can.
Our self-centeredness is the target, and the problem.
No centre, no target, no problem.
Know that knower and the thing known
have no true existence.
Knowing is recognition of awareness.
Awareness is pure essence.
When we understand our true nature,
there is nothing to point to.
Therefore,
no problem.
Dealing with others’ assumptions.
First, we have to realise that we have a few assumptions of our own…just accept that others come from different planets 🙂 – even Buddhists in the same tradition, studying with the same teacher.
We can agree to a certain extent, but then we have to feel our own way in the darkness.
The Dharma is a guide, a map, a travel brochure, and is very important. But there comes a time when we have to put our boots on and actually feel the journey for ourselves (the trouble with metaphors is that they can lead us into the wrong assumptions – it’s a journey to nowhere of course!).
There is an assumption that we should all get on, but the closer we look, the more we see the differences. And that’s OK. It’s OK because we appreciate and respect these differences, and that’s down to confidence.
We wear two hats – student and teacher.
We learn and teach,
something that is obvious in every conversation.
As students, we act as philosophers,
challenging one another.
As teachers, we act as siddhis,
reflecting one another.
We may not be at one,
but there can still be harmony in diversity.
That’s empathy and compassion in action.
PS I’m making an assumption that anyone is reading this…!
Wanting to know more than the truth.
If we want more than the truth, then we will keep on searching, endlessly. We can say more about what is untrue (which is everything!) than we can say about truth. Truth is the simple – Zero/Shunyata/Emptiness/Pure Knowing/Pure Being/Pure Consciousness. It’s nothing at all, but Pure Awareness.
If we want to know
everything in the universe,
we must first be enlightened.
That entails recognising the truth!
Before we can see,
we need a pure mind and heart.
Running around with a relative, contaminated mind, looking for Aliens, Black-operations, The Occult, The Powers That Be…you will never find the truth. Between you and me…they will never find truth either! They never have done, and never will.
Why? Precisely because they get nothing out of it!
Whatever we react to
– beautiful or ugly –
Whatever we create
– beautiful or ugly –
Merely generates karma:
the cloud of confusion.
Everything comes to pass
except
Pure, compassionate awareness.
Ω
Every time we are distracted
by the beautiful or the ugly,
we forget
pure compassionate awareness
Ω
The untruth is endless.
The truth of our pure nature is endless.
One day, we will stop.
Look, see, recognise and drop everything.
Why not do this?
Now!
.
Obscured by Spiritual Jargon.
Teachings are meant to clarify understanding, not to make one feel inadequate.
Slogans like “Monkey Mind” may be a phrase used to describe the next door neighbour’s kids, but it’s not for spiritual seekers. It’s a phrase that can make us think we are stupid: it keeps us in infancy, clouding natural intelligence.
These phrases suggest that we are not good enough. They can also be used to make us feel superior: both obscure pure perception. That is so sad. All we achieve is bowing lower, creating inverted pride. This is not the way of a spiritual warrior – or a spiritual engineer. Humility does not mean pretending to be weak.
This is why Dzogchen is so powerful, as it is direct seeing – pure awareness. That which is calling itself “Monkey Mind” is awareness…that’s enough! We don’t have to keep beating ourselves up…essence is already knows. It’s like saying, “Oo, there’s a truck coming!” Essence is already aware of that.
Concentrate on Buddha Mind, not monkey mind.
Terminology,
however clever and wise,
is not the actual experience.
We have to work within our culture.
Fitting ourself into the culture of others
may be more painful than you think.
( I’ve got a slogan: watch out for slogans!)
We live in a mad world.
Mad
. mentally ill; insane
. of behaviour or an idea extremely foolish; not sensible:
. in a frenzied mental or physical state
M.A.D. Mutual Assured Destruction.
The world is mad, and run by mad people, for mad people. Once we can understand that, then we have a chance of a cure. Today, 10th September 2013, we could be on the brink of World War 3. We can clearly see how this has been manipulated over the past years, and if we look back we can see how all wars have been manipulated.
The only people who want wars are politicians and those who make armaments, for fame and fortune…or greed and power. Ordinary people just want to get on with lives, but are persuaded to be patriotic against an unknown enemy. The enemy, in fact, is the people themselves, for they are the ones to lose their lives – not the politicians, or the military complex.
It is all about the creation of fear, and therefore the control of people’s minds. This is the work of MARA – demonic selfish forces – which utilise our own desires and aversions…with our compliance.
The madness is that we comply. Because we ignore our true nature, we are subject to the three poisons of ignorance, desire and aversion. Recognising this is the beginning of the cure for this madness.
Instead of M.A.D.
– Mutual Assured Destruction –
we need Compassionate Understanding,
and Awareness of our True Nature.
A.C.E.
Awareness, Compassion and Emptiness.
Playing with ego.
Essence, seeing its reflection through the reactions of emotions, believes that to be itself, and clings to this view. This is the creation of a duality. So, there are two of us: one is real, and the other is a reflection – just a mistaken concept.
When we are enlightened, this mistaken view dissolves. In the meantime, we remain sentient. However, being sentient students (and not taking this reflection – this second self – too seriously) we can be aware of both views…we oscillate.
Even though we practise spiritual stuff, and at times get glimpses of pure awareness – pure perception – it’s essential to accept our habitual, sentient side. This sentient side is a residue of karma, which pops its head up more often than not. And it’s okay!
Compassion starts here, with our own residue. Ego is nothing to feel guilty about: it’s our teacher. It’s our shadow, and there’s no need to feel blue about it:
“Me and my shadow
Strolling down the avenue
Oh, me and my shadow
Not a soul to tell our troubles to
And when it’s twelve o’clock
we climb the stairs
We never knock ’cause nobody’s there
Just me and my shadow
All alone and feeling blue…”
Personally, I write and practise resting in the view of ‘Rigpa’, but I also have the residue of an ordinary, daft side. This mainly entails singing the wrong words to old songs, which drives my wife mad, as she keeps blaming me for songs stuck in her head 😉
Rigpa – pure awareness –
is not something we do.
It’s what we are.
We just let it be.
E MA HO = Amazing!
There are two aspects to consider with regard to our being: pure awareness, and the dynamic expression of that pure awareness.
The essence of pure awareness is simple, naked and uncontaminated, emphasising the emptiness aspect.
When we become stable in pure awareness, the lucid quality of dynamic expression of pure awareness may be introduced. However, I feel that this is something that is a natural manifestation, and may not be taught as it arises spontaneously.
We are first introduced to the essence of pure awareness, because if we don’t recognise that, we can’t deal with the dynamic aspect of thoughts and emotions.
Once we have realised that emptiness aspect of pure awareness, we can then be free of the effect of thoughts and emotions, which can then express the dynamic aspect of pure awareness.
Recognition of pure awareness that cuts through appearances in the mind is known as Trekcho. The lucid, dynamic expression that frees the thoughts and emotions is known as Togyal.
There is more to us than meets the “I”.
There is less of us than meets the “I”.
E Ma Ho!
We are truly amazing.
Not limited to time or space,
being free from thoughts and emotions,
we transcend this dullness of duplicity.
Empty of creation, we may then create.
E Ma Ho = Wow!
Truth – Pure awareness, Space and Number.
Truth is reality, that which is constant.
Comings and goings are merely
temporary events, and only a seeming reality.
This seeming reality is just toys.
There are three non-things that are constant.
Pure awareness, Space and Number.
Space is constant.
Whatever takes place in space, space never changes.
Like pure awareness, space can never not be.
Number is formula – proportions.
Before anything can be created,
there has to be a recipe – causes and conditions.
Although things (like a cookie) have no true reality,
the formula to create one always works,
if the right causes and conditions are present.
A good ‘magician’ creates for the benefit of others.
A bad ‘magician’ will create,
but only from their narcissistic tendencies.
The difference between a good ‘magician’ and a bad ‘magician’
is that a good ‘magician’ recognises pure awareness,
and so has compassion for others.
A bad ‘magician’ only wants to play God.
(incidentally, music and mantra is number,
creating a good atmosphere…or bad one!)
Never say, “I do not know.”
Never say, “I do not know.”
You are that which says,
“I does not know.”
You are the knowing.
When this is known,
not knowing ceases.
Never say, “I cannot do.”
There is nothing to do
but recognise.
You are the recognition.
When this is recognised
…!
Believe nothing.
Whatever we understand is our path to realising non-duality – our true nature. Our path is to clarify our confusion. Our confusion created a duality when it took its reflection as being real. Whatever we understand must to stand up to logic and common sense, which gradually refines.
Teachings are only maps, we have to tread the path to see for ourselves…
“Believe nothing,
no matter where you read it,
or who said it,
no matter if I have said it,
unless it agrees with your own reason
and your own common sense”
Shakyamuni Buddha.
…otherwise you will not be leading a truthful life.
How to Live in an Illusion.
Well, accept it for what it is…an illusion! Simply put, everything is an illusion precisely because nothing lasts. If it were real, then it would always exist. But because we still believe in just this life, we fail to recognise that everything deteriorates and returns to subtle matter. And so, we jog along nicely, still pretending that ‘the show must go on’!
If we don’t see the illusion, we will be subject to its ups and downs, living an emotionally distraught life and blaming circumstances.
Of course, being Dharma enthusiasts, we know this, don’t we? Well, we sort of ‘know’ it, but we are still caught up in the illusion, even though we can say it’s a illusion. The more we recognise the illusion, the more we can let go. However, because we are letting go, we have to remember that others cannot, and in that understanding, compassion resides.
So how do we live in an illusion? There are two aspects to this: one is the illusion of our own making, and the other is the illusion of those around us, maintaining a collective illusion. We need to be able to step outside both.
One way to do this is to use the illusion (relative truth) as our symbolic teacher – every thing can remind us of its true nature, which is emptiness. Phenomena’s true nature is emptiness, lacking true existence. Also, we become aware that awareness is present, in order to be able to see this. So recognising the symbolic teacher is recognising pure perception!
Our karma will still bring up some nasties, but that is just our work – non reaction/exhausting karma. We may see suffering being caused, and all we do is recognise. Of course, this does not ease others’ suffering: maybe our clarity can help, but the work is up to them!
Another way to see this (and this took me some time to realise) is that all appearances are deities, all sounds are mantra and all thoughts are wisdom. This is Yidam/Tantric practice, and is a finely tuning understanding.. To a non-practitioner, this may not sound relevant, but is still worthwhile considering.
Pure Light is white, but splits into rainbow colours. Deities are enlightened beings of Light, in the form of coloured lights (one can read about this in the Bardo practices). Without Light, nothing can be seen. All manifestations, at a very subtle level, are Light: we are Light but sentient, and so manifest ignorance, creating desire and aversion. Enlightened beings are Light, and manifest compassion to benefit all sentient beings: they are called Nirmanakaya Buddhas – Tulkus (the word Tulku may sometimes be used expediently.)
Mantras are sacred sounds, based on OM. OM is the natural sound of opening the throat and sounding AH, slowly closing the the mouth producing U, and Mmm resonating when the mouth is closed. All speech is within that, and may be used to benefit others, or to enhance an “I”.
Thoughts are wisdom. When resting in emptiness all thought occurrence is an expression of our true nature. They arise in emptiness and dissolve back into emptiness. Their appearance in emptiness is clearly seen, reminding us of emptiness, reflecting emptiness – so the appearance and emptiness cannot be separated. On a relative level, thoughts fill empty space, making it feel solid and real – that is the illusory state. That is ignorance precisely!
Gradually we open.
Gradually we awaken.
Gradually we recognise the illusion.
Gradually there is only Light.
All appearances are seen by virtue of Light.
All phenomena arise in Light.
All illusory phenomena are created by Light.
Buddhism – Means and Wisdom.
This phrase describes the Buddhist path. Means are the methods to achieving enlightenment and Wisdom is the recognition of one’s true nature. If one looks up ‘Means and Wisdom’ it will sound quite complex. Actually it is simplicity itself!
Recognise pure awareness
Rest in pure awareness
Conduct in pure awareness.
NB. Conduct is resting in the continuity of pure awareness, in everything we do.
The light of wisdom
To the light of wisdom,
appearances are merely projections.
Attachment to appearances
creates a mistaken reality,
dulling the light,
and causing a rope to appear as a snake.
Attachment, like Desire,
creates more thirst, more projections.
Appearances, good or bad,
dis-appear in the clear light of wisdom,
on an individual level.
On a collective level,
appearances are collective projections.
This collective dullness compounds itself,
when the collective gossips.
A negative world is created.
The individual light of wisdom,
through practice and understanding,
passes on the light, candle to candle,
gradually illuminating the collective.
We are all individuals of light.
More or less…!
.
The point of no return.
In our spiritual discoveries
there are ups and downs
and much confusion.
Usually this is due to terminology.
Attending teaching is wonderful
to sit just and listen to commentaries.
But there comes a time when we feel
we are just following and living terminologies.
It becomes addictive
sitting there letting it all wash over you.
This addiction becomes an obstacle
as the teaching is beyond terminologies.
Once one gets a taste of this,
this is the point of no return.
There is no longer fall back.
One becomes the Dharma
Then, something has been learnt in this life time.
Accepting oneself ‘warts ‘n’ all’
We are perfect the way we are, ‘warts ‘n’ all’, precisely because these ‘warts ‘n’ all’ comes from our past reactions. We just have to accept that, and use those reactions internally to transform them into wisdom. This, of course, is perfect relative truth at work. Ultimately, we are perfect – enlightened. It’s a sort of win-win situation.
There is absolutely no point in feeling guilty, or blaming anyone else for our ‘warts ‘n’ all’. If we re-enact, those ‘warts ‘n’ all’ will be our future!
Through resting in empty awareness, the ‘warts ‘n’ all’ dissolve, because empty space is present. The moment we come out of empty awareness, they are there again. That’s why antidotes don’t work long term.
It takes effortless effort to sustain empty space, by merely recognising. This space enlightens the space intruders – the ‘warts ‘n’ all’. In the meantime, our reactions leave a residue in the mind and subtle body, and these serve as a reminder until enlightenment just happens.
When we can accept our ‘warts ‘n’ all’,
we can then accept others’ ‘warts ‘n’ all’.
That moment of recognition
melts the heart
with empathy and compassion.
Everything relaxes.
All ego activity is
pacified
magnetised
enriched
destroyed
..more or less!
.
Illuminati, Occult, Reptilians and Pleiadians
Whatever others are doing, life is far too short to find out exactly what that is. If we worry what’s happening over there, we will never have time to know what is going on where we are.
Millions of people die each year, without knowing. Time spent worrying about such ‘things’ is wasted: at the moment of death, it will be filling our minds. And that will have a bad effect on us.
The only thing that is important is realising your true nature. Everything else is illusory.
The effect of filling the mind with the Illuminati, Occult, Reptilians and Pleiadians is neurolinguistic self-programming. We are hypnotising ourselves and causing trauma.
This salacious gossip is merely a distraction from freeing our own mind. There are things going on that are causing suffering on a day to day level, which we can see, be prepared for and do something about. And that brings us back to awareness, and not creating more suffering for others.
The human mind is very sensitive, and can be made to believe anything. Selfish, inhumane things will always happen, because sentient beings are unenlightened. Don’t expect unenlightened being not to behave badly…they cannot help themselves!
Be careful how you fill your mind,
as someone may be filling your mind for you!
Don’t surrounding yourself with hopelessness.
We really do have to be careful with whom we mix, until we are genuinely no longer affected. Mixing with others who are fearful, negative, over-positive, fixed in their knowledge, or spiritually mechanical can have a subtly detrimental effect on us.
I once had a conversation with a psychologist/therapist/Buddhist about referring to ultimate truth ‘ordinariness’: he could not get his head around what I meant by this. He just saw the word ‘ordinary’ in an ordinary sense, and could get past this. Maybe the problem was that he was American and I am English: we are known as two peoples separated by a common language!
After that, we could never speak again, as we now knew that we saw things differently, even though we were on the same path, with the same teacher. There comes a time when this recognition is truly helpful…just a nod and a smile! (incidentally, I questioned a teacher called Ringu Tulku about calling the ultimate nature “ordinariness”: he paused, considered, and replied, “Yes.”)
There is no way on earth that people will be ‘one’. Near enough is good enough.
Like the food we eat, what we digest mentally from our environment can cause us indigestion. That is why yogis live in caves! We can be town yogis, but we have to watch our step and be honest with ourselves.
When mixing with others,
we can sometimes lose our confidence,
and doubt ourselves.
We have to be true to our understanding and capacity
until something comes along
that can upgrade us.
Until then, stick with what you know,
otherwise you will be living someone else’s life.
Being positive in a negative world.
Being positive is not pretending that everything is alright when it isn’t! It is seeing things as they truly are, and dealing with them with confidence beyond doubt.
Being positive is not wishful thinking: that is just wishful thinking! If we are talking from a spiritual point of view, then we have to be tough and meet all challenges with an open heart – most of which involves…not reacting.
When meeting a challenging situation – this is normally dealing with others’ irrational behaviour – not reacting provides space. The ‘irrational mind’ needs time to calm down, and then communication may take place.
We cannot live others’ lives for them. We can only dealing with our own responses, which incidentally, also need space. It is surprising how space can sort things out all by itself. This is a very interesting area of investigation: there are two spaces happening at the same time. We are talking here about dealing with a person face to face. Allowing an outer space to exist, the other person has time – and space – to be aware of their own mind. However, simultaneously, if one is truly present, and resting in intelligent inner space, there is an added focus, which permits an wisdom energy to be present.
We lead busy lives. We can get so busy that we become angry if someone makes demands on us. We never seem to get time and space for…us. Well, not reacting actually gives us that time and space – as it does for others. Hooray!
If you feel that you have no time, here is a little tip. If you are focused, the mind is clear and you know what you are doing, this can be a little disconcerting for others. That being the case, they will not want to be in the light too long…it’s a bit uncomfortable. This doesn’t mean you do not care: it’s rather that you just don’t play ego games. They know you are there for them, but they just don’t want things made that clear…because it means they know they have to change, and they may not be ready for that! 🙂
Being positive is accepting things as they are.
We are not going to change the world:
it is going to muddle along very nicely without us.
But we can face situations head on.
Some things we can do something about.
Some things we cannot.
So there is no point in being frustrated or angry.
As his Holiness the Dalai Lama said,
“If you feel angry, go home and punch a pillow!”
If life is approached from a relative perspective,
it will never ever be satisfying,
and one just has to accept that.
If life is approached from an absolute perspective,
it will always be satisfying…
but sad.
That sadness is merely joy’s compassion.
Near enoughness!
Near enoughness is
good enoughness.
There can only be oneness
if all parties are enlightened.
We are not,
so near enoughness is good enough.
We can have a meeting of minds for a moment,
but we will not always agree.
In general,
near enoughness is pretty good.
Demanding oneness with everyone and everything
is too much pressure, and will not happen.
It’s wishful thinking.
Wishing everyone to be perfect creates stress
and leads to disappointment.
Good enough is good enough…
then we are all happy!
Sometimes there is a oneness in a glance,
and that’s enough.
Exoteric and Esoteric – ordinary and o r d i n a r y.
exoteric
intended for or likely to be understood by the general public
esoteric
intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with
specialised knowledge or interest
The object of this blog is to give an Exoteric understanding, so that, when entering a Dharma centre, the essence of the teachings will be more easily understood. It’s actually about being ordinary!
ordinary
with no special or distinctive features – normal
The word ‘ordinary’ may be understood from two perspectives of Exoteric and Esoteric. This describes the two truths perfectly: Relative truth – understood by the general public. Absolute truth – understood by a small number of people
… “with no special or distinctive features – normal” expresses our ultimate nature, our
original essential nature. If that is our natural/normal state, then anything else would
be ‘abnormal’ from an ultimate point of view.
abnormal
deviating from what is normal, typically in a way that is undesirable or worrying:
‘the illness is recognisable from the patient’s abnormal behaviour. ‘
We may think we are normal.
That’s what thinking does.
🙂
We may want to walk on water,
but all secrets are in the mind.
.
The Problem with the World.
By the year 2013
the world should have worked out all its problems.
But it’s a mess.
Why?
Keeping it a mess is good for business.
The problems have been worked out many times,
but when a new person is given charge
they take an alternative view
to make ‘their’ mark
….pity!
Confusion is business as usual.
.
(Over populated? No, just badly organised on purpose.)
.
When Failure is Success.
When you fail to find yourself,
you have arrived at your very nature!
.
All Appearances.
All appearances, without exception,
are our own manifestation.
All phenomena, without exception,
manifest like reflections in a mirror.
Is this not so?
Relax completely and confirm it.
Recognise the nature of
mind.
Look, look, and look again!
.
Empty but not Nothing.
The emptiness of the mind
is not a blank nothingness.
It is, without doubt,
the primordial awareness
of integral knowledge.
To prove it – just look!
.
Electro magnetic fields are causing “Lack of vitality”….diseases with no names.
These SMART METERS are also a surveillance
device.
One major problem is your neighbours meters
might have an effect on you.
The point is, what else are we being lied to about….!?
Remembering.
We spend all our precious time being distracted, so that we forget we are real beings, and not dream beings. Every moment we spend enjoying our dream, or even complaining about it, we forget it is still a dream.
It’s obvious that it doesn’t seem like a dream, because we are so familiar with this mistaken reality. It’s like sitting in a cinema watching the same film one’s entire life, and believing it to be real. Then, in the next incarnation, we enter another cinema and watch that film for another life time. If we are really thick, we may be watch the same film….as we did in our last incarnation!
The problem is that we are beings of light, caught up in flesh and bones. But to those who believe we are flesh and bones, light beings will seem like a dream, and usually does. Once we understand that everything – EVERYTHING! – is impermanent, we realise that everything has no actual reality.
The only thing (not a ‘thing’) that knows this is our awareness, our pure light awareness that illumines everything!
Anything and everything becomes a symbol, and whatever we can do to remember, to use as a reminder, will be truly worthwhile: turning on a light switch, walking through a doorway, seeing space…otherwise we will never be free.
Repetition, repetition, repetition. Repetition is so, so, so important! Remember what you really are.
To everything that occurs say,
“Not this, not this.”
And to that which says,
“Not this, not this,” say
“Not this, not this,”
to that also.
If we know we are always forgetting, that means we are always remembering, and that’s good!
If we don’t know we are forgetting, we cannot remember, and that’s bad!
.
Washing the mud off the mind.
We need to wash from our mind the mud that covers our pure empty essence. Our pure empty essence is enlightened. However, this pure empty essence is occupied by the muddy confusion of concepts, and so it does not recognise itself.
You are enlightened.
You are not powerless.
You have unfortunately accepted a mistaken view,
because others have.
You have become a muddy copy.
You have covered yourself in mud, thinking that it is delicious chocolate…
it’s actually stinking mud!
Once we get the message, “Our pure essence is enlightened already!” we will want to get clean, and not attract more mud. Every instance of acting out negative emotions adds more layers of mud. Every instance of recognition dissolves the mud.
Be very careful of following others into the mud…
“Mud, mud, glorious mud!
Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood.
So follow me, follow,
down to the hollow,
and there we can wallow
in glorious mud!”
The Hippopotamus Song
by Flanders and Swan
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. 