YOU CAN’T FIND ANYTHING NOW!

You can’t find anything now!

 When you see it – it’s gone
When you taste it – it’s gone
When you smell it – it’s gone
When you touch it – it’s gone
When you hear it – it’s gone.

The moment we experience any thing, it is a memory. We never actually experience any thing now. Whilst holding onto what is seen, in milli-moments the thing has moved on. This happens so quickly that we do not notice the illusion in front of us. It’s like watching a film.

Phenomena is experienced through the senses, then goes through the wiring in the brain, is perceived by the mind, goes to memory for identification, judged for good bad or neutral, then reacted to. Everything takes place in the mind. The real experience is in awareness itself, not the thing it is aware of.

 The only reality is aware of awareness,
and in that nothing is found.
That is pure awareness.
That is essence…it’s not that far away!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

DEALING WITH NEGATIVITY

Dealing with negativity.

 There are two aspects to this negativity: against ourselves, and against others. We oscillate between openness and closedness – clarity and confusion. Most of the time we are closed, and therefore we find fault with others: that’s why we are unenlightened!

 There seems to be two of us in this mind-body setup: pure being, and a created, obscuring personality. The very recognition of this obscuring personality frees us, and we are no longer mind controlled!

 Throughout history, demons are mentioned: are they real or not? We attract both positive and negative energies. We…do…this. Just observe, when finding fault, how it encourages others to do likewise. The law of attraction works both ways, both on negative energies – Demons/Mara/Archons, and positive energies – Enlightened Beings.

I asked my teacher, “What can I do about mara?” He reply was, “Remain in emptiness.”
I asked my teacher, “What can I do about death?” He reply was, “Remain in emptiness.”

 

 In emptiness there is nothing to touch.
Inner peace is emptiness-clarity.
It includes everything and everyone
and is therefore compassionate.

 

 Experiments were done at Berkeley University, showing how power and wealth corrupts people, and how they maintain their corruption: “I deserve it.” That’s how demons work! If we wish to hit the wealthy and powerful, we merely contribute to Demon/Archon/Mara activity.

 It is in recognition that liberation is possible –
negative energy loses its grip.
In the moment of seeing, awareness is self liberated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

CAPACITY

Capacity

 The maximum amount something can contain.
Our capacity will depend on how full of concepts
or how empty we are.

 The more we are open,
the more knowledge we receive,
and the more knowledge flows.

 The tap of compassion
keeps knowledge flowing,
automatically refilling
with more knowledge.

 A tap turned off:
knowledge becomes concepts.
A tap turned on:
nothing held onto.

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

BEFORE AND AFTER PRACTICE

Before and After practice.

 The word ‘merit’ is used quite often in Buddhism. It is a word that represents meritous actions… which create good karma…which creates fortunate circumstances in which to practise…which deepens our practice. However, one cannot hold onto this merit, as that very holding creates bad karma.

Before any practice, it is beneficial to remember to appreciate the precious teachings on the nature of mind, the author of those teachings, and the community that upholds the teachings. These are known as the “three jewels”. Without them, one’s true nature would not be known: it would remain hidden. This inspire us to be part of these awakened lineages.

Then after the practice, we dedicate all merit acquired to the benefit of all sentient beings, reminding us of compassion for those who are suffering.

(By doing this, one is appreciating the Dharma, and wishing that all beings find liberation from their suffering. However, when it comes to using formal words…it can sound like a religion, and this may feel uncomfortable for some. Word are only symbolic of what the heart feels. Some may take ritual as their main support, and there can be an inner conflict when you encounter this. This is merely their way.)

Different traditions use different words. What is important is the right intention. For years, I just wished people well. Whatever practices we do, we never forget compassion – that is the safe guard to personal pride.

Here is a simple example of an aspirational prayer:

We commence with:
In the Buddha, the Dharma and Sangha
I take refuge until enlightenment.
By the merit of practising the paramitas (the six perfections)
May I attain buddhahood for the benefit of all beings.

And end with a dedication:
By this merit may we obtain omniscience.
Having defeated the enemy, wrongdoings,
May we liberated all beings from the ocean of existence,
With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

NB. At the back of our mind we may think, “Well, if I give all my merit away, what does that leave me with?!” A. Compassion!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

BEING DISSATISFIED IS THE CAUSE FOR LIBERATION

Being dissatisfied is the cause for liberation!

 This is the first noble truth: recognising suffering.

It’s possible that being ‘over-enthusiastic’ with positivity, which inflates itself and make everything sugary. We then come across a negative situations and find it difficult to handle. I meet many people like this. This type of positivity is fear-based, and a cover-up – but those people are at the stage they’re at, and one can’t criticise it: one can just accept it with compassion. We are all following our own path through our confusion, and at some time, we will arrive at our destination….sooner or later!

True positivity is clarity. With this clarity comes confidence. With confidence comes a sense of relief and joy (bliss even!). Once this has a firm foundation, there is no longer any conflict. Everything is seen as one taste, as there is just awareness of awareness. Whether the experience is rough or smooth – awareness is just aware. That is empty essence, and from this expression manifests as essence-love.

From a Buddhist perspective, there are two aspects to enlightenment: one is to recognise one’s true nature and attain stability in that, and the other is the exhaustion of all karma, whether good or bad (just to clarify: the exhaustion of good karma means that when pleasant things happen to us, we are in danger of complacency, this too has to be dissolved). But here we are talking about a very refined state of being, and not the normal, everyday human existence.

From this point of view, compassion is dynamic. In Buddhism, there are four enlightened activities: pacifying, magnetising, enriching and destroying – these are all deal with ego (just to clarify: ego is just our consciousness clinging to an idea. It doesn’t actually exist – our biggest problem is attachment).

Being in stillness does not require us to become vegetables. It’s OK to experience anger – it is aggression that is destructive. In Buddhist terms, anger is mirror-like wisdom …something is seen that is not correct – that is a pure reflection in the mirror-mind. However in ordinary life that quickly turns to arguing and anger (all the negative emotions have a wisdom aspect). As you can see, the emotions have a secret life.

Being dissatisfied is the cause for liberation!

.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 3 Comments

TWO ILLUSIONS MAKE A DELUSION

Two illusions make a delusion.

 We mistakenly believe our thoughts and emotions to be ‘me’.
Others make us believe that they have power over us,
but are only using our mistaken belief
in our self identity against us.
We are complying to our own standards of reality.

 

There are two truths:
pure awareness, non-duality
and
pure awareness believing that what it is aware of as being real, duality.

 

 

 

 NB. We all get caught up in seeing phenomena as being real, but no thing lasts, so how can they be real? They only seem real. It doesn’t matter in what dimension things appear to exist, the only reality is pure awareness. Those who use this knowledge to deceive others also live in this delusion!

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

CLARITY

Clarity
…continuing from yesterday.

 Because of stillness, clarity comes to the fore, or rather, our mental contaminations drop away. This clarity illumines questions with which our mind is concerned. Clarity answers its own questions: it scans the mind for data – sometimes we might not have enough specific data, and so it returns to stillness.

 Buddhism strips down a question into its components, and uses what could be termed ‘lateral thinking’, where one asks the basic question, “What do the elements consist of?” An example might be asking the question, “What is my purpose in life?”: one would break down what was meant by “my”, “purpose” and “life”.

 Once empty essence is recognised, everything else is understood. This does not mean we can change the world. However, our view changes, and by seeing nothing as permanent, we are less attached. In this way, we do not add to the karmic theatre, but give it space to run itself out, thereby not creating fresh karma.

 Quite often, silence is golden, as anything said may not even be heard.

 Many a time, I’ve gone to see a Lama with questions, and he didn’t really say anything, but I came away feeling…everything is alright…what a relief! That is the power of clarity’s presence.

 That non-reaction is the enlightened compassionate activity of: Pacifying, Magnetising, Enriching and Destroying…it can happen all at once!

 

Uncontaminated clarity which is empty essence,
creates compassion.
Every action done out of selfless compassion
has tremendous power,
because it comes from clarity.

 

 

NB. We all have this clarity, but don’t notice its significance because we become involved in our physical and mental states.  

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

SAME THEME – DIFFERENT APPROACH

Same theme – different approach.

 A Bhakti Yoga teacher (the way of devotion) once said:

 “When I pray, I speak and God listens.
When I meditate, God speaks and I listen.”

 A Buddhist teacher (the way of knowledge) might say:

 “Mind questions, essence is aware.
Mind become still, essence expresses.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

TEACHER/GURU

Teacher/Guru

 A teacher/guru gives guidance and inspires. They cannot make the journey for us…we have to do that once we understand what to look for.

The concept of teacher is not easy for the modern mind to accept or understand. From an authentic, qualified teacher/guru, one can receive blessings. It is not just a matter of receiving the spoken word from text and commentaries: it is a matter of presence – word of mouth. It’s a listening transmission. Of course, one has to find a teacher who suits one’s temperament.

The Buddha said, “Place no head above your own.” He warned us that the spiritual path has to be travelled by ourselves and not to merely rely on books and hearsay. We must experience for ourselves the truth of any teaching. Others’ views, though inspiring, have absolutely no value, unless we make the journey ourself. But this does not mean we need to make the journey alone.

“Place no head above your own,” may be misleading when taken out of context. Our problem, in this modern “self-help” world, is that ‘my way’ is what has been preventing spiritual advancement.

We have to remember that pride and conceit (thinking we know better rather than “the wisdom of enlightened beings”) are negative karmic driving forces. A spiritual guide constantly reminds us of egocentric activity.

There are four demonic activities which pervert the four enlightened activities:

THE FOUR ENLIGHTENED ACTIVITIES

The enlightened activity of pacifying accommodates everything. It reveals that there are no problems, and that aggression from the ego is unnecessary.

The enlightened activity of enriching brings to light the process of growth, and allows wisdom through knowledge.

The enlightened activity of magnetising bypasses conventional reality. In conventional reality, we continually try to draw desired situations towards ourselves and fend off undesirable ones. A realised person simply remains as he or she is, without this ego intervention, attracting naturally.

The enlightened activity of destroying is connected to compassion, aimed at ego’s manipulations.

THE FOUR SELFISH ACTIVITIES

We fall into selfish activity of:

Selfish pacifying
This attempts to make peace by using pleasure and security, to eliminate what is unpleasant. It is an imitation of genuine pacifying, which is beyond any self-serving strategy (… “There, there – it will be all right. Trust me.”).

Selfish enriching
Ego takes natural growth and turns it into its own ground. It takes the richness, and claims it, turning it into my wealth (… “See how clever I am.”).

Selfish magnetising
One attempts to attract in order to feed one’s ego with what is desirable, based on the possessive emotions (…“I enjoy praying for others.” ).

Selfish destroying
Instead of destroying what needs to be destroyed – ego’s manipulations – we dismiss everything. Trungpa Rinpoche wrote, “It begins to get inspired in the wrong way, and uproots the whole tree…and that is the karmic quality of destruction gone wild, unnecessarily” (… “You are talking total rubbish!”).

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

DON’T WORRY – BE HAPPY – BE CONTENT

Don’t worry – Be happy – Be content.

 Of course this is easier said than done, but on analysis the answer is right under our nose. We have a difficult-to-achieve human body with faculties, and we are sitting by a computer, able to read and understand. We have a roof over our head, clothing and food. And, in small ways, we are able to help others. Above all, we are aware of awareness, when it is pointed out. This means we know how it feels to be caught up in the world, and can know our true nature. In our heart of hearts, we have empathy and compassion …although it is not always easy to manifest 😉

 We are facing in the right direction. Be happy, be content with that. Enlightenment takes time and familiarisation.

 Of course, unfortunate things do happen: the body becomes ill, the computer isn’t fast enough, we need more time, corporations keep mucking about with the food, but through all this, we still have that unchanging awareness. Sentient beings are suffering throughout the universes because of the choices they made – we all make mistakes. This is the lot of every sentient creature in samsara.

Of course things are not perfect. Things never will be – they are impermanent. One could say, “Things are perfect in their impermanence, as nothing lasts.” The beauty of a flower is seeing its various stages! If it stayed fixed, we probably would not notice it.

Our spiritual journey is realising happiness within suffering – absolute reality in relative reality. Then, we start to realise that everything is perfect, although it may not be to our taste. It is precisely because things are not to our taste that we suffer. If we hit our finger with a hammer it will hurt…the finger, not the awareness! We want it perfect, when it is perfect already, in realising one taste – pure unconditional awareness.

Some days are smooth, some days are rough. Sometimes the mind is agitated, and sometimes it’s dull – one taste is recognising throughout all this, pure uncontaminated awareness. It is always perfect…in an imperfect world.

Not everyone will agree with us.
Be happy and content in your own understanding.
The more we see, the more we see.
The more we experience, the more we experience.

Due to different capacities
not everyone will see what you see
and experience what you experience.

 Non aggression is recognising
happiness and contentment.
We are not going to change the world.
All we can do is recognise our perfect selves
in our imperfect selves –
and that’s perfect.

This is the unity of the two truths.

.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

WE LIVE IN A DREAM

We live in a dream

 

We live in a dream,
and the dream doesn’t even exist.
So how do we end this non-existent dream?

 In a dream, all things can appear to happen: the trick is to recognise that all appearances come and go. If we hold onto the appearances, the dream is maintains.

The law of karma is unfailing. If we react, it only serves to make the dream seem real. Our reactions leave an imprint in the mind, creating our view of the world and our personality within it.

 The concepts we hold dear about ourselves and the world around us are trapped in what is called, in Sanskrit, the alaya – the eighth consciousness. The contents of the alaya are known as the alaya-vijnana (the imprints of karmic reactions).

 The alaya-vijnana weaves the fabric of the dream-state. When the alaya-vijnana is exhausted, the alaya itself collapses. The result: enlightenment – we wake up – end of the dream.

 Until then,
we smile and bear it.
The karmic show we created
has to play itself out.
A karmic coil to be unwound.

 

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Advice from Padmasambhava – cutting through good and evil karma

Advice from Padmasambhava –
cutting through good and evil karma.

 Master Padma said: When practicing the Dharma, it is necessary to cut through the complexity of virtuous and evil deeds. ( NB Surprisingly all karma good and evil have to be exhausted).

 When conceptual thoughts that hold the notion of an ego are exhausted, there is no Dharma, no evil deeds, no karma, and no ripening of karma. Then you have cut through the complexity of virtue and evil deed. (NB. Ego is consciousness clinging to concepts, therefore attached to ideas.)

 This being so, until you bring an end to the thoughts that hold the notion of an ego, unvirtuous actions will accumulate karma and yield results. Virtuous actions will also accumulate karma and bring results.

 When conceptual thoughts are exhausted, there will be no accumulation of good or evil deeds and no results whatsoever will be brought about. This is called “The exhaustion of causes and conditions,” it is also called “Ultimate truth.”

 In the future, during the 500 years of degeneration, some people will indulge in coarse negative emotions, because of not recognising ego-clinging and fail to diminish their conceptual thoughts.

 Professing to hold the ultimate view, they will claim that being careful about the effects of virtuous and evil actions is a low view.

 Belittling the law of karma, they will claim that their minds are enlightened.

 There will be some people who act in a frivolous and unrestricted manner.

 Their conduct is perverted and will lead both themselves and others in the wrong direction.

 Do not follow their example for an instant!

 

 

(NB. We have three aspects to our being: empty essence and cognisant nature being the first two. They must work together. If we were just empty – then we would be ‘spaced out’ nothing would matter. The effect would be nihilism. If we were just cognisant/aware then we would see everything as solid and real. The effect would be eternalism. The middle way is seeing them as a unity. From these two our third aspect arises…compassion!

Pure perception has no clinging ego. It is fully aware and efficient, it just does not attach itself to anything…well, maybe other’s well being!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

TRANSFORMING NEGATIVE EMOTIONS

Transforming negative emotions.

 We are an enlightened potentiality caught in a demonic potentiality.

The three main negative emotions that cause us suffering are desire, aversion and ignorance. We are captured by these three negative emotions (which are said to compound into 84,000 other emotions), based around…’me’. One can use antidotes such as generosity to combat desire, but that is a temporary fix – the desire will come back.

If we truly want to love and have compassion, we must transform these negative emotions: without this, we will live in a loveless, compassionless world. We may have wishful thinking, but that is merely a confusion of potentialities.

84,000 negative emotions to transform. How!? Well, there is only one…ignorance…thank goodness!

We are ignorant of our true nature (enlightened potential). Simply put, we are empty essence – pure uncontaminated intelligent space – crystal clear. At some moment (and now it’s maintained all the time) this essence became attracted to ‘being’, and a duality arose – an “I” was created. Non-meditation became meditation, as an “I” was present. Pure uncontaminated intelligent space started to fill with desire. Once desire was manifested, judgment started, which created aversion/fear, and “This is better than that”.

That is how it all starts, and we merely maintain it!

How to transform this? Know that desire and aversion happen within pure awareness: if it was not for this awareness, these things would not happen. And through recognition of that awareness, being truly empty, we return to crystal clear, pure, uncontaminated, intelligent space…hooray!

 All it takes is recognition,
and the world turns from loveless
to love.

 This is the second half of the equation.
Through love,
we exhaust both good and bad karma.

(Advice from Padmasambhava on good and bad karma to follow!)

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 3 Comments

A GOOD HEART

A Good Heart.

 

A good heart
Does good
Does no harm
Tames the mind.

 

 

 

 

.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

DE-PROGRAMMING YOURSELF

De-programming yourself.

 This universe is based on three factors – ignorance, desire and hate, or we can call it attraction, aversion and indifference. This is how our consciousness is programmed. This is what drives us. This is not our true nature. It is precisely because we ignore our true nature that we suffer.

 The question is: Who does this programming? A. Well, we do!

There are those that know this process that use it against us. But it is only achieved by our compliance. So what is the cause? A. Our self image.

 We all want to say that this universe is based on Love…it isn’t. Love only comes about when we transform ignorance, desire and hatred.

 We gave up love, when we decided to love our own image of ourselves. And, there are those that would help us puff this image up!

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Practice makes perfect.

 

Words can only take us so far,
they point in the right direction.
The words are not the experience.
The experience comes from practise.

 This is how we deepen our understanding,
and gain true confidence.
Then, no one can ever pull the wool over our eyes again.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

SIMPLE HEART, COMPLEX MIND

Simple heart, Complex mind.

 We are both.
A simple heart is our still centre,
and a complex mind is its manifestation.

 In recognising this still centre,
if we moved into complexity
we can always return to stillness.

 In not recognising this still centre,
when we have moved into complexity
we remain stuck there.

 Manifestation may be
beneficial or detrimental
to our and other’s well-being.

 Our essence heart is empty awareness,
pure and simple.

 When this pure empty space
fills with love,
it purifies everything.

 When this pure empty space
fills with desire and hatred,
it contaminates everything.

 Recognition is simultaneous
with compassion.

 Non-recognition is simultaneous
with suffering.

 

The mind says, “There are many ways to skin a cat.”
The heart says, “Why would you want to?”

 

 

 

 

.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

ADVICE FROM PADMASAMBHAVA

Advice from Padmasambhava.
Enlightenment is unavoidable!

 Master Padma said: When you recognise the co-emergent wisdom that is present within yourself, there is no way to avoid attaining enlightenment.

When you recognise the characteristic of samsara to be a continuous misery and turn your mind away from it, there is no way to avoid being liberated.

When you hold no prejudice towards philosophical schools, there is no way you can avoid gaining boundless learning.

When you have not separated yourself from grasping and fixation, there is no way to avoid falling back into samsara.

Since wisdom does not posses any concrete form, when you know how to clear the five poisons spontaneously, there is no way you can end up in the hells.

If one does not possess these methods, one will be wandering in samsara for a long time.

.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

IT’S A CONTAMINATED WORLD.

It’s a contaminated world.

 How many harmful chemicals are entering our system everyday?
How many pills are taken every day?

 The Food Industries and the Medical professions know.

A contaminated world
is profitable.

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 2 Comments

FROM “FLIGHT OF THE GARUDA” BY SHABKAR LAMA

From “Flight of the Garuda” By Shabkar Lama
Translated by Keith Dowman

 The nature of mind in its purity
is like a stainless crystal:
it’s essence is emptiness, it’s nature is clarity,
and it’s responsiveness is a continuum.

 In no way whatever is the nature of mind
affected by samsara’s negativity.
From the first it (the pure mind) is Buddha.
Trust in this!

 The primal awareness of Knowledge
is mirror-like awareness because of the
manifest clarity of its unobstructed essence.
It is awareness of sameness because it is all-pervasive.

 It is discriminating awareness because the entire
gamut of diverse appearances is manifest from its creativity.
It is the awareness that accomplishes all actions
because it fulfills all our ambition.

 It is awareness of the reality-continuum,
the dharmadhatu, because the single essence
of all these aspects of awareness is primal purity.
Not so much as an atom exists apart from these,
which are the creativity of intrinsic knowledge.

 When a pointed finger introduces you directly
essence, nature and responsiveness -and the Five Buddhas
and the five aspects of awareness, all together,
then what is experienced is brilliant, awakened Knowledge
unaffected by circumstance and uninfluenced by clinging thought;
it is cognition of the here and now, unstructured and unaffected.

 All the Buddhas of the three aspects of time
arise from this Knowledge.
Constantly identify yourselves with it,
beloved sons and daughters, because this is the
spirituality of all the Buddhas of the three aspects of time.

 Knowledge is the unstructured,
natural radiance of your own mind,
so how can you say that you cannot see the Buddha?

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

TERMS OF REALITY

Terms of Reality.

 Certain terms used for reality
are of comfort to people.
This need not be separate us,
as reality is beyond terminology.

 This where we have to know the difference between expedient and literal language…and at some time, these became muddled up. A very subtle idea may have been placed in peoples’ mind’s which changes their whole view of themselves, and thereby they lost their power. It makes one wonder if this was intentional!

The terms we use to describe reality should not divide us, but they do. We may call it absolute truth, Essence, Emptiness, Dharamakaya, Self, God, Source, Heart, Transcendent Knowledge, Wisdom, I am… etc, but what is important is the meaning behind the words. We find what suits our understanding, but this need not separate us from others. Unfortunately it does, and so true spirituality is mixed up with terminology, which creates ‘religion’, and so people hate and separate.

 Somewhere along our time-line our pure nature became separated from us, and we gave our power away to either an imagined self or an external being. When we become dogmatic, we create ‘religion/separation’.

 This is a brief account from Ramana Mahashi – he uses the different names for reality. Ramana Mahashi was regarded as enlightened: whether he was or not will depend on your own awareness …the Buddha in the mud!

 The nature of the Self

The essence of Sri Ramana’s teachings is conveyed in his frequent assertions that there is a single immanent reality, directly experienced by everyone, which is simultaneously the source, the substance and the real nature of everything that exists. He gave it a number of different names, each one signifying a different aspect of the same indivisible reality. The following classification includes all of his more common synonyms and explains the implications of the various terms used.

 The Self This is the term that he used the most frequently. He defined it by saying that the real Self or real `I’ is, contrary to perceptible experience, not an experience of individuality but a non-personal, all-inclusive awareness. It is not to be confused with the individual self which he said was essentially non-existent, being a fabrication of the mind which obscures the true experience of the real Self. He maintained that the real Self is always present and always experienced but he emphasized that one is only consciously aware of it as it really is when the self-limiting tendencies of the mind have ceased. Permanent and continuous Self-awareness is known as Self-realization.

Sat-chit-ananda This is a Sanskrit term which translates as being-consciousness-bliss. Sri Ramana taught that the Self is pure being, a subjective awareness of `I am’ which is completely devoid of the feeling `I am this’ or `I am that’. There are no subjects or objects in the Self, there is only an awareness of being. Because this awareness is conscious it is also known as consciousness. The direct experience of this consciousness is, according to Sri Ramana, a state of unbroken happiness and so the term ananda or bliss is also used to describe it. These three aspects, being, consciousness and bliss, are experienced as a unitary whole and not as separate attributes of the Self. They are inseparable in the same way that wetness, transparency and liquidity are inseparable properties of water.

 God Sri Ramana maintained that the universe is sustained by the power of the Self. Since theists normally attribute this power to God he often used the word God as a synonym for the Self. He also used the words Brahman, the supreme being of Hinduism, and Siva, a Hindu name for God, in the same way. Sri Ramana’s God is not a personal God, he is the formless being which sustains the universe. He is not the creator of the universe, the universe is merely a manifestation of his inherent power; he is inseparable from it, but he is not affected by its appearance or its disappearance.

The Heart Sri Ramana frequently used the Sanskrit word hridayam when he was talking about the Self. It is usually translated as `the Heart’ but a more literal translation would be `this is the centre’. In using this particular term he was not implying that there was a particular location or centre for the Self, he was merely indicating that the Self was the source from which all appearances manifested.

Jnana The experience of the Self is sometimes called jnana or knowledge. This term should not be taken to mean that there is a person who has knowledge of the Self, because in the state of Self-awareness there is no localized knower and there is nothing that is separate from the Self that can be known. True knowledge, or jnana, is not an object of experience, nor is it an understanding of a state which is different and apart from the subject knower; it is a direct and knowing awareness of the one reality in which subjects and objects have ceased to exist. One who is established in this state is known as a jnani.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

GLYPHOSATE

Glyphosate

This blog is about the causes of sentient suffering, and where to look to transcend it.

There are chemicals that affect our bodies and brains and can have a distracting detrimental effect on our minds. This chemical has just been brought to my attention, and it is a product in pesticides. You will have to do your own research, as anything I say will be biased due to hearsay. Why would anyone use such a product? Knowledge is neutral, and it can be used by the ignorant or the wise. Better to be wise than sorry.

Here is a starting point:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/07/30/glyphosate-toxicity.aspx

By Dr. Mercola

The true toxicity of glyphosate—the active ingredient in Monsanto’s broad-spectrum herbicide Roundup—is becoming increasingly clear as study after study is published demonstrating its devastating effects. In June, groundbreaking research was published detailing a newfound mechanism of harm for Roundup.

This was immediately followed by tests showing that people in 18 countries across Europe have glyphosate in their bodies,1 while yet another study revealed that the chemical has estrogenic properties and drives breast cancer proliferation in the parts-per-trillion range.2

This finding might help explain why rats fed Monsanto’s maize developed massive breast tumors in the first-ever lifetime feeding study published last year. Other recently published studies demonstrate glyphosate’s toxicity to cell lines, aquatic life, food animals, and humans.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 1 Comment

THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG IN THE WORLD

There is something wrong in the world.

 We are being deceived.
Once we recognise that our perception is deceiving us,
we then realise that everyone else’s perception is deceiving them.

 Once pure perception recognises this deception,
perception is no longer deceived.

 There are powers in this world that are deceiving us.
Look closely and you won’t see it.
Stand back and you will.

 When perception is distracted,
deception can take place.

This is from a Buddhist point of view.
Ordinary perception is our sixth consciousness. The first five are the senses. The seventh consciousness is judgment. The eighth consciousness is our karmic storehouse (our habitual reference library). These eight consciousnesses constitute relative truth…these are observable.

The ninth consciousness is essence, pure awareness, absolute truth…this cannot be observed, as it is that which is observing.

 Ordinary perception is easily distracted as it habitually refers to the seventh and eighth consciousnesses to relate to the world… relative truth. An object is experienced through the senses to perception. Unnoticed this information goes immediately to the eighth consciousness for reference, then down to the seventh for judgement. And, that is where we get caught in a habitual pattern. (The evil magicians know this.)

 When essence is recognised,
ordinary perception
becomes pure perception
and
absolute truth
becomes absolute reality.

..and you are free.

 How does one recognise essence?
Practise.

.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

WHERE DOES LOVE ACTUALLY COME FROM?

Where does love actually come from?

 Love comes from joy.
Joy comes from confidence.
Confidence comes from knowing.
Knowing comes from awareness.
Awareness comes from recognising
pure essence.

 Love is our Nirmanakaya aspect – manifestation.
Awareness is our Sambhogakaya aspect – clarity.
Essence is our Dharmakaya aspect – emptiness.

 Love is recognising the true aspects of one’s being.
Then recognising that in others.
Then recognising what is unnoticed in others
and clarifying.
That is unconditional love.

 

 

 

 (anything else is just jumpy groins!)

 

 

 

.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

WISE GUYS

WISE GUYS

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

DUALITY

Duality

 The emotions are produced by a feeling of duality – subject and object – pure awareness and something else – being, and being something else. The ordinary mind caught by this something else believes that something else to be reality.

This believing in something else is not continuous, as there is a flicker of pure awareness present all the time, but it’s hardly noticed. There is a sort of oscillation – now you see it, now you don’t…very fast!

 We cut through this flicker by recognising naked awareness in the gaps. It is not achieved by effort; our true nature is already free, the path and liberation comes from just resting at ease with whatever happens.

We cannot make any contrived effort because that produces a something else. Just know that everything arises from confusion, we reverse that by resting in an uncontrived state. 

Until enlightenment we will have a sense of duality. Gradually, the flickering slows down, so we are not caught and held so much.

 Experience moments of reality
all those moments join up.
Experience moments of meditation
all those moments join up.
Experience moments of happiness
all those moments join up.
Experience moments of compassion
all those moments join up…

…but don’t do anything
as there was no duality in the first place!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

LOVE…REALLY?

Love…really?

 Real love is challenging.
It is more than
not wanting something in return.

 It is more than
spiritual sugar,
temporarily sweetening a situation.

 Love is feeling
how another feels,
and empathising.

 Love is
others first, you last.
That is love.

 Tough isn’t it?
Love…
…really!

 We talk about love and non-attachment – it makes us feel good. But when it comes down to it, we still hold back. We have to recognise this holding back and admit it. Even though we are attacked by guilt, pride, jealousy, fear, desire and ignorance we still try, then that is love.

 Until we see through our silly emotions
we will never know love or enlightenment.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

MEDITATION IS LIKE WATCHING A FILM

Meditation is like watching a film.

 For a film to be projected it needs,
a film, light and a screen.

 The light is our essence.
The film is the projection of our karma, our storehouse of reactions.
The screen is the phenomenal world
onto which we project
react, and acquire more library film.

 Meditation is the recognition of the pure light of essence, allowing everything to be seen and played out. Gradually the film wears thin; it becomes transparent, and finally runs out altogether, as we stop reacting to phenomenal world.

 The result:
perception has clarified
awareness has clarified
essence is recognised
as naturally clarity.

 Clinging to the film only creates re-runs.

 

 

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Tsoknyi Rinpoche on Western “Lung”

In the west we have become speedy people, and so our inner wind “Lung” rises.

This practice is very important for westerns, as we are very alert and conscious
…and busy! The practice is simple.

Be aware of the tension in the body, take a gently breath
and hold it down to below the navel for a few seconds.
Then exhale gently leaving a little of this breath at the navel.

Of course our breath does not go down there, but the energy does.
Then we feel relaxed and lighter.

It’s worth a try. Do it until you feel more relaxed.
And, do it when you meet someone who pushes your button
and you feel tension arising…just a couple of breathes stop any reaction.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

Aquaponics

“MORE OUT OF LESS.”

This is a short TED lecture by Charlie Price.

Aquaponics a closed system of growing plants, sustained by fish poo!
This system turns fish ammonia via bacteria into nitrates for the plants,
and the converted rotted vegetation to feed back to the fish.

We can grow our own, and no one need go hungry.
Using the fish as food is optional.
They can just be decorative, like you and me.

And…
hopefully you will have more time to meditate
as you don’t have to earn so much money!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

THE EIGHT WORDLY CONCERNS

The Eight Worldly Concerns

 Attachment… to gain, pleasure, praise and fame.
Aversion… to loss, pain, blame and bad reputation.

 In a relative world we want to do the right thing, be successful, use our intelligence, and be a decent human being. This is fair enough: we certainly don’t want to cause harm to others, or to ourselves.

 But this is samsara, and we become too involved. From a spiritual point of view, this involvement involves attachment and aversion based on ignorance. We have to decide what is beneficial, and then let go. This is a very subtle business, and a personal dilemma.

 All that glitters is not gold.
All that smells is not without recognition.

 When attachment and aversion are present
everything gets very sticky…sticky…sticky…!?

 

 

 

.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 1 Comment

MIND TRAINING

Mind Training.

 The sentient mind
is easily distracted and wanders.
Precise mind training is focused
and does not moving away.
With mind training clarity increases.
We become immobile in body, speech and mind.

 Over millennia we have wandered and wandered,
having experiences after experiences
and forgetting.

 Mind training
remember, don’t forget.

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

HAPPINESS

Happiness

 Happiness is recognition.
It is recognition of pure awareness
that manifests as unconditional compassion.

 No outside force can disturb this happiness.
The world around can be disturbed
but our true nature cannot.

 Know this
know this
know this.

This is the root of the tree of all knowledge.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“GOD CREATED THE EARTH IS SEVEN DAYS.”

“God created the Earth is seven days.”

 

What was the length of a day
before the Earth was formed?

 

 

. 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

DARWINISM OR CREATIONISM

Darwinism or Creationism.

 Darwinism or Creationism…
…or something else?

 A Chimp sat in a library with two books in front of him. One was the Bible, and the other was Darwin’s Origin of Species. Puzzled, looking from one book to the other he wondered, “Am I my keeper’s brother, or my brother’s keeper?”

 There has been confusion about creation that can never be resolved, because the arguments come from different points of view. Rather than, “Did we come from this or that?” it’s a question of what is meant by…we!

 Darwin says ‘we’ evolved from lower life. He is talking about this physical body, meaning that we are only this physical body. The Bible says ‘we’ came from God, referring to spirit/consciousness, meaning that we are not just this physical body.

 The body and consciousness will be seen as the same or different things, depending on the point of view, but this consciousness will be unique to this body. If we are confident and happy in our view, then we should allow others to be confident and happy in their view. True, our view may be clouded, but if we use intelligence, we may refine our understanding – or , unfortunately, cloud it even more.

 The questions are: Are these views so different, and is there another factor?

 Evolution is cause and effect: life adapts and changes. Mankind can now accelerate this by Genetically Modifying the DNA of plants, animals and the human body. Bodies are the result of DNA, which may be changed by chemicals, or even by consciousness.

 Theists might say, “Well, God created everything.” But it is our consciousness that has created everything in the world: even to use chemicals, one needs consciousness!

 One might then ask, “What created nature and the planets?” Planets are also formed by causes and conditions, in the same way as plants and cells. Theists will reply, “God created the heavens and the earth.” Was that God, or God consciousness – or was it just consciousness – a collective consciousness?

 Collectively we create.
Collectively we destroy.
Collectively we desire
Collectively we hate.
Collectively we ignore
our true nature….
pure awareness.
That is the other factor!

 Here comes the tricky part of using language: we have to switch context. Awareness is not the same as consciousness. We are pure awareness and have consciousness – this is the faculty of the conceptual, thinking mind. Consciousness has perception, but is not pure perception. This is a very subtle difference.

 It is that which is known as consciousness (the mind creator) that may be called Universal principle, or God. But this only manifests through sentient consciousness: without our awareness, nothing would be known….consciousness would not be known.

 There are infinite conscious beings and atoms in the universe, obeying the universal laws of attraction, aversion and inertia. This is the law behind this relative, illusory world where nothing lasts. Creation and creating is a wonderful thing when it benefits the well-being of all inhabitants. But when creation creates wars, famine, poverty, bad health, suffering then it is not beneficial to well-being of its inhabitants.

 Creation is in our own hands, created by our consciousness. We might say, “Well, I didn’t create that war.” Subtly, we consent to it by not looking at the build up, or blindly believing what we were told. To do nothing, when something is plainly wrong, is to consent. Wars are a collective effort where the decisions of the few kills the many.

 We can speculate and argue about how we got here, until the chimp understands its true nature, but it’s what we are doing now that counts.

 We are neither body nor consciousness.
We have a body and we have consciousness.
Sitting in this body,
aware of consciousness,
we will find nothing but pure awareness

 This pure awareness
will always be there unnoticed,
while the Darwinists and Creationists argue.

 

 

 

.

 

 

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF A MUDDLE IN A MUDDY MIND!

I am in the middle of a muddle in a muddy mind!

 There are:
mud-pie
mud-baths
mud-bricks
mud-flats
mud-guards
mud-packs
mud-fever
mud-skippers
mud-slingers
mud-banks
mud-larks
mud-worts
and
muddlers…
…all getting in a mood in the mud.

 Instead of*
we become Mahamoodies.

 Once we recognise Mahamudra-Dzogchen*
we recognise our true nature.

  (*same thing but different approaches: Mahamudra finds the view in the meditation, while Dzogchen find the meditation in the view. In Mahamudra one practises until the view is recognised, and in Dzogchen the view is pointed out and the meditation is sustaining that.)

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

THOUGHTLESSNESS

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.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

PARANOIA, MK-ULTRA AND THE GOD COMPLEX ON CONSPIRACY FORUMS

 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.

 

 

 

 

. 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

GURU YOGA

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.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

RESISTANCE TO PRACTICE?

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.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

I think this video was deleted from the internet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

DZOGCHEN IS US

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.”

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

A WORLD OF DECEPTION = SUFFERING

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.)

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

I, OBSCURE MY MIND

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.

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

BEING INFORMED IS NOT BEING ENLIGHTENED

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

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche Introduction to Dzogchen

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’…)

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

Hand Mudras for Offerings

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

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

WHAT TO TRUST WHEN THE MIND GETS MUDDLED

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)

 

 

.

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

SOFTENING THE HEART

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 .

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

COUNT YOURSELF FORTUNATE

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.

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment