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.

Meditation Is Our Natural State Of Being

When we are not in vacancy or thinking and talking, we are just being aware, open to the elements with the the senses fully experiencing, watchful, able to see clearly and at peace, that is meditation. In this natural state, we can do everything mindfully.

There is nothing religious about this. Nothing convoluted. There is no system, no outer worship, no beliefs – just naturally being aware. That is the innate presence of pure consciousness. It is home, our permanent being.

So what is unnatural, and why are we all confused?
Consciousness doesn’t know its natural state, and so becomes addicted to selected ideas which have no permanent reality.

When we are lost in vacancy, thinking or talking,
we are in our dream state of memories.

Merely notice that which is aware of this dream state,
and there you are, back in natural wakefulness.

We Are An Invention Of The Mind

We are an invention of the mind
… clones of others’ minds.

Are you doing or thinking anything original?

Our only originality is the essence of consciousness.
It’s original because it never changes.

If we understand that, we are on the path to full realisation of the nature of everything.
If we do not understand that, we are merely an figment of someone else’s imagination.

It’s shocking when we realise this! 🙂

Losing Losing Your Temper

Temper: an angry state of mind.
Temperamental: the tendency to behave angrily or emotionally.

The speed at which we lose our temper and become angry indicates the degree of volatility in the mind we are working with. When we lose our temper, we cause havoc. Losing our temper is over-reacting.

Losing that temper:
That temper isn’t us;
it is the state of our mind
– our mind-set.

We can actually lose that temper
by being aware of its effect.
That is precisely why it is our perfect teacher.

This is the work on the path to enlightenment.

When Life Becomes Overwhelming

Remember: nothing lasts, but that which is aware of being overwhelmed.
That – and not what happens – is the secret of life.
Pure consciousness is the only stable truth.

We may look at politics, religion, science to make sense out of life, but these will not satisfy as they all offer different commentaries and conclusions.

Nothing will please everyone, except that which is aware of being.
If we look for something more, we will be overwhelmed by speculation.

Overwhelming Negativity

Overwhelming negativity is due to a closed mind. The meaning of the word ‘negative’ is denial. This can become a cultural meme through the propaganda machine that sees to it that we stay trapped in the illusion of negativity. It’s an illusion, because negativity closes a natural, open mind of clarity.

Negativity creates a cultural dis-ease of living in an illusion of ever-changing ideas and concepts.
The very moment when we recognise this dis-ease, the mind opens to pure consciousness
– but just for that moment.

To stay focused and open, and be able to reason for ourselves, we need personal discipline of non-reaction, patience to allow space to occur and morality of knowing what is truly natural.

The more we notice our negativity, the more positive and naturally open-minded we become.
It stands to reason – it’s obvious.

Can we be overwhelmingly positive?

Being over-positive is having an obsession with ‘positive’ thinking, which becomes toxic when people put a spin on all experiences, in the belief that problems can be solved by dismissing negative emotions and focusing on the positive. This is just an antidote – a temporary measure – as negativity will return.

In truth, this is a negative approach as there is denial that the negative is present. In separating the extremes of positive and the negative, we will never see them as a unity.

In realising the connection between positive and negative,
we don’t become overwhelmed:
we see them as inseparable,
like dark and light or a mirror and its reflections.

Appearances and recognition are simultaneous.

The Qualities Of Pure Consciousness

The very essence of pure consciousness is the quality of clarity. One might say, “Is that all?”

Clarity: Middle English (in the sense ‘glory, divine splendour’): from Latin clarus ‘clear’.

Meditation is a method to open the mind to realise the clarity of pure awareness; when pure awareness is realised, the method is dropped. In pure awareness, there is nothing doing. There are none of the conventional qualities that we may have been led to expect or believe in by religions and the intellectualisation of philosophers. There is just clarity.

Once established in the clarity of pure awareness, the qualities naturally unveil themselves in daily life, and in our ability to relate to things. Pure conscious awareness is our ultimate being: this is absolute truth. When we start relating to things, this is relative truth – but now, these go hand in hand.

Having realised what we are, we also realise that every other sentient being is individual pure consciousness, but hasn’t yet realised it – or is ignoring it for something more interesting, for something ‘better’ to come.

Knowing this, we can have empathic compassion for their dilemma and, depending on our level of ability, we may be able to bring about a sense of balance.

Maybe!
Not everyone is ready,
because they are still living in a hope that divine splendour
has bells and whistles and other additional features.
🙂

The quality of pure consciousness is waking up to the laws of the universe.

Dharma Is Remembering That We Forgot What We Are

Meditation is remembering that we forgot what we are.
Enlightenment is never forgetting for an instant.

When we remember that we are pure consciousness, there is no Dharma, there is no meditation, there is no meditator. In one-pointed awareness, there is no time to identify as a meditator. Like space, pure consciousness is timeless.

Remembering is tiny moments, gradually joining up through practice.
The more we remember that we forgot what we are, the more we remember.

This is the inseparability of the two truths – the mirror and reflection. By virtue of one, the other is instantly known.

Note: no belief is necessary.

Meditation Is Total Relaxation Without Distraction

‘Without distraction’ is neither falling into vacancy nor circling thoughts.

Being aware of the dream states of both vacancy and thoughts shows us the state we are in, and that’s good. Merely recognising these states means we are back in awareness. Meditation isn’t mental gymnastics of trying to do something or to look good.

Don’t be disappointed if you fall into these alternative states.
Celebrate!
You noticed – you just woke up!

Too often, meditation groups represent meditators as positive, smiley people who ‘appear’ to have got it. This is the peaceful approach, which is prone to apathy, but there is also a wrathful approach of negative emotions that is more dynamic.

We can ascend through aversion as well as desire.
Strong emotions can awaken us by brightening the mind.

(According to Tibetan Buddhism, in deity practices and the Bardo of the experience after death, there are peaceful deities of clear light who come to invite us to their higher realms, together with beings of soft light who invite us to the lower realms. This happens – so text says – in the first week after death. In the second week, for those who have ignored the peaceful deities, they come again as wrathful deities – wrathful love 🙂 It all depends on our disposition, as in daily life; we usually ignore all appearances, and therefore reincarnate into some suitable form.)

In meditation, short moments many times stops us going to sleep, or drifting off into thoughts. It keeps it fresh. The result of meditation is more clarity in daily life, and being less reactionary.

Deeper meditation is realising that, if we are not vacant or lost in thoughts – and nothing else such as ‘experiencing’ is going on – that is non-duality, without a meditator. Just pure awareness, pure consciousness, pure knowingness, pure perception.

The Middle-East Matter

Is it a secular or spiritual matter?

Judaism is a religion of the old Bible. Followers of any religion have a right to practise non-violent contemplation. We may not agree with their ideas but, going into another’s church or temple, we naturally respect the place.

When spirituality (the very essence of our being) becomes a religion, it can be influenced by a political agenda creating a culture and a race of people.

My dad always said, “We are Jewish by race, not by religion.” I didn’t understand that at all. Was I supposed to develop a feeling of belonging, or was this spiritual? We did nothing special, so it was a sentimental connection to a piece of land called Israel. Our true home? Zionism? There had to be more to us.

Zionism is a recent invention.

(Theodor Herzl 1860-1904 was an Austro-Hungarian Jewish journalist and political activist who was the father of modern political Zionism, to promote Jewish immigration to Palestine in an effort to form a Jewish state.)

The ultimate truth of our being isn’t in books, temples or land. Once we realise we are common consciousness that has no identity, we can practise anywhere and everywhere, unknown to others. The problem in the world is people being encouraged to cling to books, temples and land.

True practitioners are only concerned with ultimate truth (as they see it) and the suffering caused by ignoring that truth, while practising under all conditions anywhere, whether pleasant and unpleasant.

So what’s the problem?
Politics.

Politics has nothing to do with spiritual teaching. A practitioner does not need politics; that is for secular people. When spirituality is organised, it becomes a religion, which can then be influenced by a hierarchy that becomes political, thus developing an ideology that creates a culture or race of characteristics. Religious and secular people each have their own ideologies, which may be far from our original reality.

Politics: from Ancient Greek politiká (affairs of the cities) governing decisions in a society.

Practising Jews and Muslims respect one another’s contemplations. Jews can practise in Muslim lands, and Muslims can practise in Israel. It is extremists who create division and whip up hatred – and once a bullet is fired, it will have consequences, and you cannot take it back.

The middle way is noting that there are secular, religious and spiritual people; each has their view, and each has a voice. This is the Dark Age of Conflict – people will not see eye-to-eye.

Politics and spirituality do not mix.
Politics can make use of spirituality as a consumer product.
Spirituality can use politics to keep the floor swept, and the cushions tidy.

Note: Christmas in the UK starts at the end of summer!

 Ignorance Versus Wisdom

Because we ignore our own reality of pure consciousness, pure mind, we create suffering for ourselves and others. This ignorance of the wisdom within solidifies the ideas of self and our world, and maintains the three poisons of attachment and aggression through ignorance.

Ethical living is important to end suffering, when we know what behaviour is self-serving, and what is beneficial to serve others.

The answer to unhappiness is wisdom. Wisdom arises when we understand our true reality, which is open and interdependent. This interdependency is the unity of appearances (reflections) and recognition (mirror-mind); realising this, we can relax the struggle to maintain the fictitious sense of self created by ignorance.

Ignoring wisdom maintains the suffering of circling thoughts.
When we realise we have been confused by ignoring that which sees,
confusion dawns as wisdom.

The result is a wise life.

Why Is Buddhism So Elaborate?

Why is Buddhism so elaborate?
Why is anything elaborated?

Every organisation, product or person tries to attract and charm with a smiling face. Once enticed to enter or buy, we then see if it’s worth it. Does it do what it says on the label?

Like all institutions
– and on an individual level –
we advertise.
😀

Elaborating absolute truth is counter-productive; that’s more of an obstacle than a help in the achieving the objective. Exotic jargon – words or expressions – can be difficult for others to understand.

Keep it simple.
There is nothing simpler than cognisant emptiness.
Advertising is mass hypnosis.

We need to try something in order to find out if it’s good or effective. We don’t know if it will work until we suck it and see. But take the wrapping off first!

Closed Mind = Stale Air

It doesn’t matter what philosophies or spiritual text we read, hear or believe in, they separate us. When we throw it all out, what is left is the truth. The ultimate truth is pure awareness, staring at it all – “Bye bye!”. Philosophies and spiritual text are all about what we are – pure, conscious awareness. It’s what we’ve always been, but we’ve ignored it.

Understanding isn’t a matter of acquiring knowledge; it’s about being the knowledge, and realising it.

Opening our mind allows pure consciousness fresh air.
The real practice is letting go … totally.

Book learning is holding on to third-hand (at least) information.
Knowing, and thinking we know, are not the same thing.

I still doubt.
It’s a habit of thinking, “Well, they may be right with their jargon and rituals” …
and anyway, I’m not enlightened yet. 🙂

We Live In A Prison Of Ideas

Ideas do not actually exist. The prison doesn’t actually exist either, but we live our life based on ideas, and so we sit in our cells and either complain or say how wonderful it all is.

We can be liberated at any moment, by just letting go of the ideas we’ve acquired from the other inmates whom we are trying to impress. We may get a glimpse of the state we live in but, through habit, we are back to our old tricks and routines in the next moment.

(There is a famous sweary and generous chef 😀 who goes to failing restaurants to help them succeed. He’s very tough, but shows them how to run their business properly. Unfortunately, most then fail because they return to their old habitual ways. It’s quite a lesson!)

Change takes honest effort of letting go; we start seeing clearly, rather than believing we are perfect. Once we realise that all the inmates ever talk about is their history and their future (which don’t exist) we are free not do the same. Change is then effortless.

I Didn’t Believe The Lama

“You didn’t believe the lama??!”

Well, we were supposed to see him as the Buddha. Not knowing what the Buddha was, I found this confusing. Also, we spent most of the time chanting long pujas, and doing the Ngondro (111,111 x 4 foundation practices).

The lama wanted to be modern, but never got to the point. I remained devoted for 11 years, and then he kicked me out. It was time to move on.

Been moving on ever since, thank goodness. 🙂

Why Is Simple Made So Complicated?

Why so much ado about emptiness? Emptiness is the essence of consciousness; it is the clarity of pure view. There is nothing to it, except the understanding of compassion for all who do not see this. If people merely adopt an idea, they can exaggerate it.

Tibetans adopted Buddhism via the Vedic tradition realised by the Buddha and other great masters. Tibetan Buddhism is very colourful, and based on the old Bon tradition which had a belief in certain things, like ghosts. There is nothing wrong with this – it’s their way.

One practice was to meditate in graveyards at night to conquer one’s fears. This may have worked for those who believe in ghosts, but if you don’t, the better alternative is to go to a centre full of religious people – where the scariness of complication is off the scale! 🙂 Why? People who adopt another’s culture exaggerate it.

Ghosts are disembodied beings;
beings are embodied ghosts.

We don’t have to become monks or nuns – we just need the right attitude and motivation to realise simple inner tranquility, especially when all around are confused. People can do such complex practices, and still not act naturally.

When we realise the simplicity of non-meditation,
all practices then become toys
– to be put away when not needed.

The Universe Is Created By Karma

The universe is created by karma
– the laws of cause and effect.

All beings (mental and physical) are created by karma due to the laws of cause and effect, attraction and repulsion. To bring an end to this cycle of gross existence, all we have to do is drop the habitual tendencies that maintain this state of affairs, by realising thatwe are not this body or mind; we are pure consciousness.

“So what?”
To realise true happiness, which is a sense of ultimate confidence, we have to understand how everything works and, by that, avoid the spanner-in-the-works – ego clinging.

Due to our ignorance of what we are, we constantly transform into ‘accommodating’ situations where we just go through a routine.

We ascend the levels of realisation by noticing and dropping our subtle habits of clinging to ideas and words. Words change their meaning as we become more liberated and alive. This is why, when speaking to others, we may not make sense according to their understanding. It’s part of the process.

Everything is karma – the result of previous actions.
If we don’t change, we don’t change.

When we realise this vicious cycle of existence,
change has already occurred. 🙂

Words Are Just Memories

Words are just memories, and words cause confusion. The words we select are due to our partial experience, while the realisation of silent observation is impartial and complete (actually, we cannot speak about realisation as it is pure experience; these words are only a generalisation).

This is why spiritual retreats are held in silence, because meditation is silent observance to see with impartiality.

Silent observation detects subtle abnormalities in our view. Our lives are consumed with interesting limitations, and if we don’t bring these interesting limitations to an end, the right moments – the silent gaps between words – will not happen.

Letting go of words doesn’t mean we do not talk, but we use words as accurately as we can. In the moment, the right words present themselves – and so do the wrong ones. 🙂

(It’s funny that, in one moment, we may say something, and the next moment the same thing is expressed differently; even though there is just pure observation, the abnormalities instigate a subtly different approach.)

Truth never changes, but in different periods, the expression changes. Each individual expresses truth in their own way. We may be one in essence, but individual in expression. Only with the essence of ancient text can we truly be at one. 🙂

The Constant Shock Of Realisation

Realisation is experiencing our true reality, which is pure consciousness, free of opinions. The constant shock is realising all the daft views I picked up from my ‘betters’ – people who are more important or who have a higher social position. 🙂

The shock is recognising the constant maintenance of ignorance
in thinking we are something other than what we are.

What is also shocking is trying to explain this, with so few people getting it; it’s just a bit of intellectual amusement to them. The ones who may be interested in the subject may join a group, a religion, or a tradition, becoming part of the indoctrination, rather than understanding the doctrine.

Indoctrination: accepting a set of beliefs uncritically.
Doctrine: from Latin doctrina ‘teaching, learning’.

We have to be critical in order to test the teaching to see if it is true or not. If we merely accept something because others do, we are truly daft. Been there, done that! 😀

That daftness is the shocking reminder to look before you leap.
That first look is pure consciousness.

Before we do or say anything, seeing comes first.

Don’t just read.
Practise, to see if it’s true or not.

What Creates Misery In The World?

There are two aspects to truth:
One is pure consciousness, common to all.
The other is personal belief that prevents realisation that is common to all
that creates misery in the world.

Absolute truth is knowing these two to be inseparable.

Space Is Basic To Everything

The emptiness of consciousness is basic to all sentient beings.
It is pure intelligence.

What more is there to understand?
Oh yes … ignoring this.

When we realise our natural purity is content, never forget it,
otherwise we will continually whirl around,
ignorant that we are this precious space.