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.

Samsara within Samsara.

Part three.

It’s important to be aware of what is going on out there – and within. Funny enough, this is still a spiritual question. We are not beings of this body, but over generations, we have been made to believe that we are these temporary bodies…which is idiotic in itself! This distraction of consciousness could be termed as using spirituality as a weapon.

This is why we have to know our own mind: we need be aware that what is in there may not be of our own making. Neurolinguistic programming is very subtle!

Now for the good news 🙂 When all this is pointed out, it’s suddenly so bloody obvious! The Kali Yuga is the age of intense emotions: this intensity makes them easier to spot. These teaching on the secret life on emotions may not be available in future generations. It is here that we can make fast progress, as this so-called turmoil that we are in actually enhances recognition and practice.

To understand the Dharma we need:

Intense emotions.

Intense intelligence.

Intense compassion.

This is a perfect time

Although it may not feel comfortable.

Giving up.

 Inferior giving up: business as usual.

Middling giving up: mindfully letting go.

Superior giving up: nothing to give up.

Why do Shamata practice?

 Shamata meditation is focusing the mind on an object, usually the breath: this is called Shamata with support.

We then start to notice a gap between the breaths and the thoughts, and that gap expands as we rest in stillness, or nowness. That is Shamata without support (we still keep breathing!)

Although our essence is Buddha nature, most of the time we are pre-occupied. The mind is in turmoil about this and that. So, resting in awareness – let alone pure awareness – is a bit of a leap. However, it’s not a gigantic leap: Shamata is but a short step away from Emptiness.

Once Shamata has become stillness, we are aware of the present moment. The point is, there is still an I present: “I am aware of stillness in this present moment.” That is awareness. Then, this awareness merely looks in on itself and becomes aware that there is just awareness. It finds nothing to hang onto, self identity dissolves and that is Emptiness.

Of course this needs practice, as we will oscillate between clarity and finding things         to do!

The strange thing is that,  in emptiness, thoughts are allowed to arise, but now there is space to let them be. We just do not follow them. So, empty essence isn’t too far away,    is it?

This is why Shamata is so good. I used to think it was a basic practice to be undertaken for years and years, wondering was there something more interesting…or was this it?! But Shamata is the foundation and doorway! It is all about refining the view.

Now for the tricky bit – exhausting karma!

Karma is our habitual patterning and behaviour. This too has to be looked at very carefully, as our patterning is also part of our unique qualities and means of expression.

The trick is to avoid reacting to situations in our habitual way, taking ‘self’ out of the picture, while working for the benefit of others…tricky! This is all about compassion in action.

Dzogchen and Guru Yoga.

 The purpose of this blog is to help others understand the essence of the Buddha’s teachings. So, when you look for a teacher, a spiritual centre, or read a book, you may have an inkling for what is meant – rather like cracking a code!

 Quite often, in centres, we get bound up in procedures and stories. We get a nice feeling, but when we get home, the core essence may seem vague, or even be missed. One can practise for years, and either become adept in a ‘practice,’ or even start making up one’s own dharma. Either way, people get touchy because they can describe what they are doing, but not the meaning behind the actions.

 Why this happens, I’m not sure. In the past, it might have been due to differences in language and culture, and so we just follow along, feeling ‘buddhist’. Maybe we enjoy the exotic more than the esoteric…who knows? I used to go around asking people what does this or that meant: the answers were not at all satisfying. People just seemed to enjoy being there…which is not without merit on their part.

 The Dharma is all about Empty essence, Cognisant nature and unconfined Compassion: these are called the three Kayas. Empty essence is the Dzogchen teachings. There is no practice – it is merely recognising Emptiness. This will include the understanding of awareness and compassionate conduct.

 Everything else is either symbolic of this, or serves to lead up to it. The realisation of the three Kayas is wisdom, and there is also ‘method’ or ‘skilful means’. Basically, we need to warm up a little in order to become healthy human beings, and to be able to open to these more subtle teachings. So, meditating on the breath is important, as is study, loving kindness, and not being subject to emotions such as pride.

 These basics are very important, and we should incorporate them into our daily practices, keeping our heads and hearts on straight!

 This bring us to Guru Yoga. Most modern westerners find this difficult – or even, a big no-no!

 Once one gets a ‘taste’ of the Dharma, appreciating its value, and how it works in all situations, we feel, “Wow! Without this, I was floundering like a fish on hot dried sand!” So we feel grateful to those who are the holders of knowledge – the Sangha – spending their precious time explaining the teaching for our benefit. This is a unbroken lineage by word of mouth from the time of the Buddha.

 This is why, every day until enlightenment, we go for refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

 As the teacher represents the Buddha’s teachings, we start to see the teacher as a symbol of the Buddha, and therefore respect their presence. The principle of Guru Yoga is calling on the lineages, and all those who are enlightened, for blessings.

 At the beginning of the devotional practices we invoke the three Kayas (resting in natural empty awareness). We then go through a very complex visualisation stage, called development stage, ending with the completion stage – back to resting in natural empty awareness, which was actually present throughout. The point of the completion stage is to drop any attachment to the practice, although straight after that, one reunites with that deity and embodies it for the rest of the day and night. Like the compassionate qualities of Avolekishvara (Chenrizig), the lord of compassion…this practice helps us to remember our own compassion.

 So you can see how Dzogchen (in some traditions called Mahamudra, or Vidya) works with devotion. It is all for our benefit, not the benefit of the teacher.

 Yes, in this modern slick world there are many ‘teachers’ that come our way, and we just have to test them to see if they suit us. Maybe we need many teachers, like stepping stones! The search for truth is down to our own intentions. If you want a quick fix, you can get it. If you want a strong foundation, you can get that too.

Ego

Identification with self-me-I,

which does not exist.

~

Somebody said that Nobody had an ego.

Nobody thought that Everybody had an ego.

Everybody asked if Anybody had an ego.

Nobody knew that nobody did.

.

That very, very old ego.

Unfortunately this is a subject that we don’t want to talk about. But we have to! It’s why we are here!

Everything we do is probably ‘ego maintenance’. Ego is just our consciousness clinging to ideas about an artificial self, and the world it inhabits. It can even try to polish itself up by chanting OM MANI PEME HUM!

It can be uncomfortable to acknowledge this. Not to worry…that is precisely part of the process …feeling uncomfortable! That very feeling is the doorway to stepping out into the open – the real Dharma …or closing that door again, again!

Some translate ego activity as grasping, but I’m not too keen on that word. It can produce a feeling of guilt and worthlessness. Ego activity is merely mistaken identity.

We spend much of our time covering up our feelings, by projecting an even bigger, artificial, self image. Again, not to worry. Here we have to be relaxed about this: if we over-react to the suggestion of ego-clinging, that is still ego maintenance. Of course, we have an ego! We’re not enlightened yet.

The mere acknowledgement of what is happening is awareness. Let any reaction drop, and rest – that is pure awareness. It’s that simple! There nothing to protect. There will a residue ‘feeling’ which may feel uncomfortable, but that is in the subtle body (video to follow!).

In one instance of switching on the light, a room that has been in darkness for thousands of years is illuminated. All we have to do is remember…don’t forget!

Quote from Tsoknyi Rinpoche’s book: Fearless Simplicity. This came from The Pundarika website.

Two accumulations can be perfected.

Vajrayana practitioners should not belittle the emotions. Emotions are like smoke, and if there is smoke, there is also fire. In other words, when you look at somebody who has very strong emotions, that person may also have a lot of wisdom. Who knows? Such a person may perhaps, through skillful methods, be able to realize the original wakefulness within the emotions.

 Right now, however, as we have the opportunity, rather than suppressing negative emotions, to realize their natural purity. To apply this, and to truly understand Vajrayana, you must have a strong intelligence, otherwise you cannot pick up the methods.

You need a very sharp innate intelligence in order to eliminate or break free of the conceptual frame of mind. Conceptual mind wants to make you stay within the boundaries of concepts.

 Through the profound methods of Vajrayana, the two accumulations can be perfected on a tremendous scale. By utilizing certain skillful means to further enhance the recognition of mind essence, we can develop even more quickly, reaching progressively deeper levels. Let me mention some of these methods.

 The first entrance to the Buddhist path, which is taking refuge, involves regarding the Buddha as your teacher, the Dharma as your path, and the Sangha as your companions on the path and using all three of these as support. In other words, you could say, ‘I place my trust in you, the outer Three Jewels, in order to recognize and actualize the inner Three Jewels.’

No matter what Buddhist practice we apply, we should always remember that the two accumulations must be perfected. This holds true from the beginning level of shravaka training all the way up to and including Ati Yoga.

Fearless Simplicity, p. 34

The Bell

(The importance of the clanger!)

Self = the clanger

Empty Essence = dropping the clanger.

Over lifetimes of indifference, the clanger now fills the entire bell.

The bell is therefore no longer working!

We have created a solid entity – an Ego.

So we practise, and the clanger dissolves. However we still do not have a working bell!                                                                                                                                                                                                    

We need the union of both the mere clanger and the bell, to ring nicely.

Some say, 

“Those who know, do (no clanger). Those who do not know, teach (mere clanger).”

Thank goodness not everyone loses their clanger!

.

Living in a world of fear.

 Everything goes in cycles, so nothing lasts. We are living in an age called the ‘The Age of Strife’ ,The Kali Yuga – The Iron Age. There was a Golden age, a Silver age, and a Bronze age, and we’re probably at the bottom of the Iron age, so don’t expect things to run smoothly! This process will move in reverse, back to a Golden age at some time.

The world in which we live is full of self serving deceit: war engineering, financial engineering, social engineering, health engineering, law engineering, education engineering, surveillance, control engineering… they use naturally occurring situations to control the world. And, remember those who instigate these deceits will also fall victim to them. It’s strange they do not see this!

Fear is expectations about the future, and so fear is in the mind. Of course, there are situations in the present moment that have to be dealt with, and we can either do something about these, or we can’t.

The problem is fear-mongers: those who keep up the hype, which creates tension and therefore more strife. There are two aspects to this; intentional and unintentional.

There are those who know the inclinations of sentient beings, and the ways in which we are governed by our hopes, fears and indifferences – the three poisons. They use these traits intentionally order to control us, feeding a little information here or there, and the virus spreads like wild fire. And so, the unintentional jump on the ‘bandwagon’ and actually make things worse, believing and disbelieving anything that comes along. They are confused and easily swayed to create more fear. The unintentional work for the intentional!

Fear is fear of ourselves – “I don’t think I can deal with that.” Fear, hope and ignorance are the natural survival instinct of our primitive (reptilian) brain. But we are not that brain.

This is why spiritual transcendent knowledge is so important. Fear is not our true nature – fearlessness is! Spirituality is not about appearing to be meek and mild: it’s about taming our minds, causing no harm, and benefitting others.

So what can we do?

We can become informed about the practical things that are happening in order to be aware of subtle changes that could create reactions in us. We are then in a position to inform others in an intelligently manner. They may not want to believe us now, but there will come a time when the dots will join up for them. It is the same with the process of understanding spiritual knowledge! Everyone learns in their own good time – nothing is a do-or-die situation.

Know your own mind, and tame it (through meditation on clear view)  so that others cannot control it for you.

Remember fear is a perception in the mind.

Pure perception is that which is aware of all this – our Empty Essence.

THE FIVE BUDDHA FAMLIES.

Wisdoms.

Buddha………….all encompassing.

Varjra…………….mirror.

Ratna……………..equanimity.

Padma……………discriminating.

Karma…………….all accomplishing .

Enlightened style.

Buddha……………spacious, accommodation.

Varjra………………clarity, precision.

Ratna……………….generosity, richness.

Padma……………..selfless appreciation, love.

Karma……………..efficiency without ambition.

Neurotic style.

Buddha…………..spaced-out, stupid.

Varjra……………..aggressive, irritable.

Ratna………………territorial, suffocating.

Padma…………….clinging, grasping, poverty stricken.

Karma……………..competitive, pugnacious.

Unconditional happiness within ordinary happiness.

 I used to think that unconditional happiness was “up there” somewhere, and ordinary happiness was where we are…not so!

 “Unconditional happiness is that which does not rely on any conditions: it is our true nature. No outside force can disturb it (yes, the mind can be disturbed, but not our essence).                          Ordinary happiness relies on conditions, so if we take that condition away, the happiness goes. In fact, the searching and maintaining of ordinary happiness is the cause of our suffering!”

 This is pretty straightforward. However, on closer inspection, maybe there is another way of looking at this.

 If we look at ordinary happiness, it is desire, because it relies on a condition of wanting something. However, as we now know, desire has a wisdom aspect, which is the wisdom of discrimination – and it is very precise. This is one of the five qualities of pure awareness. These five wisdoms are known as the five buddha families.

( see the previous piece, The Five Buddha Families )

 So how do we find unconditional happiness in ordinary happiness? It is in the very first instance!

 Let’s say, you fancy a cup of coffee. In the very first instant of tasting, it is totally satisfying: it’s got to your brain – satisfied! You can then finish the cup – or not. It’s the same with a meal: we just have to know when enough is enough…and it’s actually the same with sex! We can enjoy, but we do not have to over indulge all the time. Have you noticed how huge cups of coffee are nowadays?! They’ve  even changed the name of sizes, and “small” is now called “regular”….do we really need such massive coffees?

 The body has needs, but does it really need such large portions? That’s advertising for you. And men…do we really always have to exhaust ourselves with ejaculating every time? We can enjoy a gentle coasting: over indulgence pays a toll on the body, and subtle energy is lost.

 This all down to personal choice, but one can notice in sex that there is a moment of satisfaction, just before the ‘point of no return’. There are no hard and fast rules, but it can help just to be aware of the body. Coasting can keep the mind alert and bright, whereas when we over indulge, it can dull the mind, and that is what the modern world is all about!

 Unconditional happiness within ordinary happiness is equivalent to unconditional love within ordinary love. The unconditional part creates space…it is not sticky!

Live long and prosper!

Spiritual progress.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Politics…

…is creating problems not to be resolved.

We know but do not see.

There is only one party:

some move to the left and some to the right,

and have a debate.

≈

You see the debate, but do not see.

A move one way and then the other,

in a prearranged code.

≈

The left creates a problem for the right to resolve

creating the next problem –

which is not meant to be resolved.

These plans are meant to create wealth for themselves

…from our wealth.

≈

Where do we come in?

We just comply.

≈

It is all about control of perception.

Has anything ever improved?

Yes!

Their wealth.

≈

How does this affect my life?

You work too much.

≈

How else does this affect my life?

It makes you feel guilty.

≈

How else does it affect my life?

You are constantly distracted.

≈

Recognise the war game.

Being responsible.

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Be very careful what you wish for!

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

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

Depression.

Feeling weighed down?

Heavy hearted?

These are not physical attributes:

they are the result of a disturbed consciousness.

If we try and make our lives perfect

and protect ourselves in every way,

we have taken the pill

to numb ourselves,

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

All this achieves is keeping the pill-makers rich.

We are supposed to be depressed and dissatisfied!

That is the catalyst

to look for the cause of our suffering.

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

Hooray!

 The four noble truths:

1. Recognise suffering

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

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

4. Tread that path.

The difference between Stillness and Emptiness.

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

Words can really get us into trouble!

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

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

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

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

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

Stop at Nothing.

 When every thing is exhausted

we arrived at nothing.

There is nothing more.

The path was our confusion.

Liberated from that confusion,

we now know nothing.

Our confusion dawned as wisdom.

There are no more enemies

to fight.

Love is dealing with

others confusion,

with a sense of knowing nothing.

Life is a lesson.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ordinary thought and Essence Expression.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 There are 3 moments:

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

2nd emotions arises

3rd released – recognising the essence of that emotion.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oneness.

On an ordinary level

we all judge.

At the level of a yogi,

this is not beneficial.

Condemning someone for judging

is a fools game

it’s part of being sentient.

Feeling superior,

we abandon any sense

of oneness.

Oneness cannot be

that we all think the same.

That will never happen.

Oneness is the unity

of the two truths.

When our relative view

reflects our ultimate view,

and our ultimate view,

is expressed in our relative view,

we will be at one.

Our expression will be unique,

to meet the needs of

a unique part

of the universe.

Condemn no one,

just be aware of differences.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Softening the heart

Endeavouring to be correct hardens the heart

When dealing with others.

It imprisons us in a dark dungeon of ignorance.

A moment of a softened heart melts everything

And is the mark of a true warrior.

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

And seeing this is quite a shock.

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

There are no words to described a melted heart.

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Prayer

May the precious Bodhicitta arise where it has not arisen

And where it has arisen may it not decay

But increase further and further.

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

And where it has arisen may it not decay

But increase further and further.

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

And where it has arisen may it not decay

But increase further and further.

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

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

Emptiness is our absolute essence.

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

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

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

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

We have to do the work.

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

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

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

How Do We Know No Self?

(I have no idea!)

A self creates

desire, aversion and ignorance.

No self has

No desire.

No aversion.

No ignorance.

But there is

Knowing desire.

Knowing aversion.

Knowing ignorance.

≈

Knowing desire is Emptiness – Dharmakaya – Ultimate truth

Knowing aversion is Awareness – Sambogakaya – Relative truth

Knowing ignorance is Compassion – Nirmanakaya – Union of the two

Thought is Emptiness – Dharmakaya.

By virtue of Emptiness thought is known,

like a reflection in a mirror.

We do not have an original thought!

(part two)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

May all sentients being find happiness.

The Dharma really does work in all circumstances.

NO CHALLENGE, NO PROGRESS.

These corporation may be clever but not wise.

They actually help us to not be attached!

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No challenge, no progress.

(part one)

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

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

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

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

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

No worries: this is merely part of the process!

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

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

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