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.

Do We Have The Leaders We Deserve?

We give them the authority.
Choose your teachers wisely.

Don’t Let Your Spirituality Take Away Your Warmth

This happen quite often.
People say prayers of compassion
but still lack warmth.

We see someone troubled and think, “Well, that’s their karma,”
not realising that, that person is within our vicinity* is our karma.

* from Latin vicinitas, from vicinus ‘neighbour’.

Treating Our Self

We spend our lives giving ourselves little treats,
manufactured by those who supply the treats.

Alternatively, we can treat our self
by healing its wounds that are covered up by treats! 😀

Meditation is the treatment
that releases us from the illusion of suffering
which arises from following others as if they know, and we don’t.

The real treat is realising that we don’t have to follow anyone.
We have all we need to become enlightened,
and that is this karmic self.

Karma is merely the product of previous actions and ignorance
that we have to live through now.

In proper meditation of self-analysis
– noting how we work –
we realise that we can help others through empathy.

And that is another treat!

Finding What We Are Looking For

It doesn’t matter what we read or hear,
what we are looking for has always been that which is
looking … seeing … realising emptiness …
– without identifying.
That’s it!

Understanding comes from realisation.
When we realise something, isn’t that happiness?
Happiness is relief from not knowing.

Are We Born With Predispositions?

Are we born with predispositions that came from a previous incarnation?

If no, we can do what we want, and our predispositions come to an end at death.
If yes, we know what will happen if we do what we want; that creates an opportunity for a predisposition to evolve.

The path to enlightenment is an evolution
from primitive instincts and gross thinking
to inspired intelligence leading to wisdom.

If we ignore this potential,
that is our choice.

Choose wisely, as your level of suffering and happiness depends on it.

Challenges or Obstacles?

Emotions are created when we deal with others, and this is our testing ground for the level of our practice. It’s all very well knowing the scriptures, chanting prayers and meditating, but the real test is in our interaction with others. This is the ultimate measure of our compassion and empathy through genuine realisation.

No empathy, no practitioner.
Know empathy, know the teaching.

Don’t Make Your Dharma Practice Serious

Dharma is light-hearted. Literally- light hearted.
What else is en-lighten-meant to be?
🙂

Light-heartedness is catching.
Heavy-heartedness is also catching;
it’s taking ourselves seriously,
and we pick that up from others.

A good teaching is light-hearted.
What is a good teaching?
The one that has a good effect.

Absolute Teaching Is Absolutely Simple

Know self; no attitude; know the teaching.
No intellectual understanding needed.
When we realise how self is a construct,
we no longer …

Belief Is Merely Imagination

Belief isn’t knowing. It is accepting something we’re told, without proof. We become so reliant on others for information that we never actually know anything. If we only believe what others tell us, then we live within their imagination. We will never know until we try it for ourselves. It’s easy to acquire the form – the facade – of knowing, but do we know the essence?

The essence of the Buddha’s teaching is compassionate understanding. To know that, we have to realise the essence of being. Eloquent speech does not mean we know; we are merely repeaters.

Others may tell us what they believe, but that’s all.
Truth is knowing, rather than what is known.

What Opens Minds?

It isn’t new information that opens minds; it is seeing afresh that does it, without drawing a conclusion. Conclusions are formed from memory, and memory is limited and based on previous assumptions.

Assumption: a thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof.

The mind opens in a moment of wonder or potential. We must be ready to see and, in seeing our assumptions, we can drop them, thereby achieving clarity. Assumption is no different from belief, and it is our assumptions that keep our minds closed.

Belief:  an acceptance that something exists or is true, especially one without proof.

Where do answers come from? Questions! Questions are moments of wondering, without jumping to a conclusion. Maybe the situation has a greater story that we first thought. To find evidence, we need clues, which don’t come from accepted assumptions or beliefs. We first have to look and see without jumping in, seeking personal ‘profit’ and ‘glory’.

The very moment that we drop the looking and seeing, we are left suspended, as in emptiness.

Suspend: temporarily prevent from being forced to judgement.

Stay silent. Take no side. Look beyond habitual tendencies.
Nothing changes mind as much as deep appreciation.

We Are So Used To Lies

We are so used to lies
that we cannot see the truth.

It is the truth that sets us free.

Belief isn’t exactly a lie, but it is accepting something as true without proof.
In this way, we spend our lives having beliefs while condemning others for their beliefs.

We can only know a lie when we know the truth – absolute truth, that is. We have been given people and things to believe in, but all that is merely relative truth – something to which we relate – and, as such, has absolutely nothing to do with truth. Relative truth is merely convenient: it’s a statement we adopt about people and things and, for this reason, we argue, creating animosity and division.

Absolute truth is the direct moment of seeing. It is spontaneous, without relating. All sentient beings are this spontaneous presence. If we are told anything else, it is not true, and so it’s a lie. When we are told to accept a belief that is not absolutely true, it is deliberate, but no one mentions the word ‘deliberate’ because that has huge connotations for our existence.

How many know this absolute truth, and live it?
How many live by relative truth, and don’t know it?

When we ask such questions, the world becomes a scary place! 😀 This is why the Buddha’s teaching on absolute truth is vital, in order to put our minds at peace.

The relative has no inherent reality; it’s therefore changeable.
Absolute truth is consciousness that never changes.

Don’t believe in words.
See the effect.

We Come To The Truth When We’re Ready

We come to the truth when we are ready to accept it.
That only happens when we have had enough of untruths
– dare we say lies, illusions, beliefs, things to worry about.

Even religious, spiritual and philosophical notions
give us something to worry about :-

When the truth really hits us, it hits hard, and it goes on hitting us.
That’s why, long ago, a man said, “Turn the other cheek”,
which means refrain from retaliation
because this compounds and solidifies the situation.

We do not all realise the truth at the same time.
Even when the truth is told, it is we who have to realise it.
If we say, “Yeah!” as if we know or recognise the truth but lack empathy,
there is no understanding.
We are still living in the lies, illusions, beliefs and things to worry about.

It is now that we have to ask the question, “Why do we suffer?”
We suffer because we cling to ideas;
in reality, we are pure consciousness – the inspirational spark of light.

Who Knows The Truth?

This isn’t about whoever believes the truth or has read about the truth.
Who actually knows, experiences and realises the truth?

The point is that we cannot say, “I do.”
Saying anything can never be the truth.
The truth is beyond words, but we use words to approximate the truth.

It is the knowingness itself that is the truth.
It’s not what is known; it’s pure awareness before judgment sets in.

‘Who’ is a claim, saying “I know!”
The question should be, “What knows the truth?”
It must be pure awareness, before a who is aware of the question.
Before “I know” is just knowingness, full of potential.

Pure awareness or pure consciousness comes before a name such as ‘God’.
This is how we misunderstand, and turn everything upside down.
We could say that the silence of pure knowingness is God.

We are not sinners; we merely misunderstand.
It is being aware of this misunderstanding that is the absolute truth
– the inseparability of dark and light

If so, then the same goes for the ‘Devil’,
which is just another name for not knowing.

The Devil within us thinks it knows.
The God consciousness within us knows it knows.

The same goes for thinking we are Buddhists;
we think we know, but the essence of Buddhism is knowingness itself.

We (consciousness) do not have to believe in anything to know.
Never believe in yourself;
know your self.

The divine spark is the light in our heart and mouth.

Epiphany = Realisation

There is nothing beyond consciousness.
In truth, that is all we are.

It is not what we know that is important;
it is simple knowingness, common to all,
so we don’t have to be a scholar.
That is the epiphany.
Epiphany: a moment of sudden and great revelation or realisation. 

Absolute truth isn’t convoluted, but relative truth is.

Absolute truth is uncontaminated consciousness.
Relative truth is what people say about absolute truth.

We oscillate between the two truths.
We make noise … we stop making noise … we make noise …

We make noise because of the souvenirs we collect in the mind.
Souvenir: from Latin subvenire ‘occur to the mind’.

The Miracle Of Healing The Blind

You can do that!

For the exoteric (the believers), healing the blind is literal.
For the esoteric (the realisers), healing the blind is opening another’s mind.
For those who do not care, opening the mind is meaningless.
These represent levels of intelligence.

It is wisdom that opens minds.
You can do that!

Everywhere We Look, There Are Spiritual Teachings

Everywhere we look, there are spiritual teachings, because the looking is done by consciousness, and that reminds us instantly of what we are. Appearances and recognition are simultaneous.

Spirituality of non-dual awareness has nothing to do with binding ourselves to a religion. Religions are organisations. Organisations have hierarchies, and hierarchies mean politics, but pure spirit cannot be organised

In non-dual awareness, we are on our own, but at one with everything.
Just see, and you know.

The Problem With Realisation

The problem with the realisation that we are pure consciousness is dealing with others who have not realised this fundamental truth. Their life is about other things.

Before realisation, we chit chat, swap opinions, laugh at others, show off what we know, and change the subject to our superiority. Not a nice world at all!

Now that we realise, our heart sinks. This realisation was joyous, but is now tinged with sadness and frustration. For this reason, empathy and compassion are so important for, without these, we will go back to our old ways, becoming even more obnoxious and arrogant! 😀

As none of this is real, life is dreamlike
– so what do we do in this dreamworld?

We play along with dreamlike karma, accepting all that occurs in the mind. Our past actions and indifference have created karma/fate/this moment. Aware of these souvenirs, these mementos, we find that we no longer need to cling to them. In this way, old brain concepts and taking sides are no longer relevant. What a relief! Oh, joy! Epiphany!

Life becomes more ethereal and dreamlike. We merely go through the motions of being human.

The poverty-stricken (those who never have enough things or knowledge ie hell beings, hungry ghosts, those with animal mentality, the desire-obsessed, jealous gods and gods) can never find true happiness as everything is real to them, and they have to guard the trinket-souvenirs that fill their minds.

Souvenir: from Latin subvenire ‘occur to the mind’.

Swap souvenirs for compassionate wisdom!

Can Spiritual Teachings Be Used To Deceive People?

Can spiritual teachings be used to deceive people?
Certainly.
It’s what evil does best.

Spiritual teachings are about converting negativity into wisdom. They are not about beliefs.

These precious teachings need to be proven, from Latin probare ‘to test’. Testing is done through personal experience, rather than what someone wrote in the past.

If we only rely on hearsay, we become believers – repeaters who lack original realisation, and are therefore open to creating inner doubt and division.

There are those who appear wise by gathering teachings, but they haven’t completed their realisation as they cannot empathise. The ethos is “Believe or leave!”

When the unscrupulous learn that humans are governed by desire, aversion and delusion, they take advantage of this principle, while the teaching of non-duality seeks to help eliminate the plight of humans who don’t realise the danger they are in.

The timeless teachings cannot deceive,
but the way they are used can.

Being asked to believe is a warning bell. If teachings make us believe in something, we will make no effort to verify their authenticity. Relying on stories and history is not personal experience.

This is exactly why the Buddha said,
“Do not take my word for it; test it.”

The Banality Of Evil Is Enlightening

Evil is a term used to describe something
that brings about harmful, painful, and unpleasant effects.

Banality breeds evil.
Evil breeds banality.
And that can wake us up!

We don’t have to be perfect to be perfect; we are already perfect.
It is believing in our imperfection
that creates ignorance of our originality.

‘Banal’ means ‘lacking originality’. It’s like a cartoon – a simplified or exaggerated version or interpretation of something. Why is banality evil? It causes harm by being an incomplete picture.

The more we see, the more we know reality.
If we do not look, we become characters in the cartoon show.

There is evil karma all around us,
as we live under an umbrella of selfish entitlement.

Evil obscures our direct seeing,
and suggests that we go back to our cartoon life.

Our original state is perfect pure consciousness. We do not have to do anything to achieve this, but merely note and let be. That is our originality.

Anything that obscures this absolute truth is harmful to our mental state. When we dwell in banality, we lose our uniqueness of originality. Buddhism is the transformation of suffering to enlightenment, evil to goodness, banality to originality.

Realisation Is Earth Shattering

All that we hope for is an illusion.
All that we fear is an illusion.
We over-estimate how many sane people there are.
😀

Illusion: an instance of a wrong or misinterpreted perception of a sensory experience.

If we cannot discern that perception, in the very first instant, is pure consciousness without comment, but instead go straight into judgement, then our perception is biased because it is based on memory – old programming – our dream-world – our normal.

The very moment that we interpret perception, we are in our illusion. Justifying this illusion is delusion.

Delusion: an idiosyncratic belief maintained despite being contradicted by reality or rational argument.

How do we prove that we are sane?
And who are we going to prove this to?
To ourself, or to someone else?

There is no way we can prove we are sane.

From the perspective of pure consciousness,
everyone is both Buddha nature and irrational.
Met anyone normal?
😀

Sane: reasonable and rational behaviour.
Insane: irrational – a state of mind which prevents normal  perception, behaviour, or social  interaction.
Normal: conforming to a standard; a carpenter’s square.

‘Normal’ is therefore a mathematical term, a formula to trust which is absolutely true, as opposed to a generalised, conventional truth. By merely relating to everything, which takes us back to our memory-dream-world, we never see with clarity.

We are a formula.

We are either driven by desire, aversion, and indifference,
or
empowered by emptiness, cognisance and compassion.

Met anyone normal?
🙂

How Can I Enhance Consciousness?

You cannot.
Consciousness just is.
It cannot be made,
and it cannot be enhanced.

The only thing that can be enhanced is our noticing.
When we know this, we are meditating without effort.

Trying to enhance consciousness is working against consciousness.
Consciousness just is.

“So, what is pure consciousness?”
It is consciousness without enhancement.

As long as we think we do not know, we will never know.
When we know we know, we know.
No one can verify this for us.

When we know we are just consciousness,
meditation is taking place without effort

It’s the spontaneous combustion of thoughts and emotions.

Making A Big Deal Of Our Spirituality

We have to let go of our spirituality.
It’s nothing special.
If we make it special, we make ourselves special.

Making a big deal of ourselves and our spirituality is a huge mistake. It’s the ultimate trap. Who are we trying to impress?

It doesn’t matter whether we are religious or not, we are all ordinary people – until we can manifest otherwise.

In the scheme of things, we are only here for a short while, so adorning ourself with pomp looks rather silly – just as silly as those who worship pomp.
pomp: vain and ostentatious display.

We all have Buddha nature, so we are all nothing special.
What is special is making the change from ordinary to Ordinary.

‘Special’ is a designation, and therefore a duality.
There is nothing special in non-duality; it is emptiness.

Special: from Latin specialis, from species, ‘appearance’
Designate: from Latin designatus ‘designated’, based on signum ‘a mark’.

Are You A Difficult Person?

Hello!
Nice to meet you.
🙂

Is Truth Being Kept From Us?

Humans are easily distracted.
As long as we are distracted,
we will never know the truth.
We will know something else.

It is the truth that sets us free.
The truth is never in a book
the truth is that which reads the book.

Fixating on the distraction is a simple mistake
that points us in another direction.