Our eyes have tear ducts to keep them clean and clear.
We are so used to this clarity that we don’t notice it, and ignore it
… until the arrival of a speck of dust.
Likewise, the essence of mind is empty, clean and clear.
We are so used to this clarity that we don’t notice it, and ignore it
… until the arrival of an negative emotion.
It is because our minds are filled with thoughts
– which become negative emotions –
that we do not notice our own empty clarity.
Once we realise our own empty clarity,
then the arrival of a negative emotion becomes
a reminder of our true essence.
That is wisdom.
Buddhism isn’t a religion.
It is spiritual guidance for consciousness.
Our salvation and sanity come through our own efforts
to realise the truth about consciousness.
We attain realisation through knowledge, not prayer.
Through knowledge, we recognise the negative effects
of clinging to thoughts and emotions.
There are many levels of ignorance:
Buddhism is the science to realise the goodness of our true nature.
In our internal debate, one part talks while the other listens in silence.
Believing in that which talks relates to the past and causes us suffering,
while silence is the sanity of unprejudiced awareness.
Buddhism isn’t a religion.
There nothing religious about the spontaneous presence of pure consciousness.
Religion binds us to realisation.
It is the purity of emptiness that releases us.
Our ‘self’ is a construct,
a programme received from our environmental conveyor belt.
True spiritual teachings dismantle this self-belief.
Without realising, we have had our minds numbed to our true reality.
The shock of realising the confusion in which we live
– and how this muddle is maintained –
is coupled with the shock of seeing teachings
turned into pampering sessions.
😀
The more we reflect and test those teachings,
the more accurately we realise their essence
and the more we see directly.
It needs a true shock to realise our true being
in order to get out of this beautiful mud.
We abide as pure consciousness
that expresses itself in a unique, compassionate way.
There is no magnificent self present.
We just do what is needed, according to our level of realisation.
Our essence is pure awareness.
In that, we are all the same – neither muddy nor beautiful.
The way in which we express is unique.
Alone,
we decide what gives us confidence,
and tread that path.
When the Buddha said,
“Do not take my word for it; see for yourself”,
he meant do not just follow him.
Look at where you are.
The world is a huge illusion
built on cultural ideas and beliefs.
Making an illusion better actually only makes it worse.
We make the world better by seeing the illusion
rather than merely joining in.
To make the world a better place,
we start by seeing what ideas and beliefs control us.
It is that very seeing that will make the world a better place for all.
In just seeing, we ask, “What is it?”
instead of just going through a routine.
We do not accept the status quo – the state in which we live – as reality.
We do accept that we are seeing the illusions.
In the moment of seeing, we are free.
How do we get seven billion people to see that they see?
Some play games given to them,
while others protests all over the world.
“Immediately, there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once.” Acts 9:18, New King James Version.
Let the “scales fall from our eyes”. What does that really mean? How are we blind, and then can see? It doesn’t mean we’re literally blind; we are blind to the truth.
We are blind when we are constantly calculating, weighing up and relating to preconceived ideas, and can find no inner peace. While we are calculating, we are blind to pure experience. When the ‘scales fall from our eyes’, we see, recognise the truth and find inner peace. We are no longer deceived by constantly measuring our place in the pecking order. 😀
This perpetual calculating creates pride and jealousy which cloud our mind. Pride and jealousy are created by our desires and fears which are, in turn, created by our ignoring pure seeing, pure experience in the first instant; we are constantly calibrating our worth rather than experiencing our pure essence.
When the scales fall from our eyes we see more clearly.
When we experience pride, we think we are above others, but clarity tells us that whatever we think we know, others will find out in their own good time. There is no race or competition: I’ve received knowledge from spiritual teachers, and babies just born will also find that knowledge in their own good time.
When experiencing jealousy, we think that others know more than us, but we too will know what they know in our own good time. Whatever we actually admire about others means that that very recognition is a quality within us too.
When I first took up seeking the truth, people would say such marvellous things … so I read the books that they read, and went to the same teachings, and now I know what they know. It is the knowledge that is special, not the person. There is no race or competition.
What is this special knowledge that opens our eyes? It is in the pure hearing and experiencing when we realise, in that first moment where nothing else is present, that that is what we are. Spontaneous presence. It has no name, and saying a name detracts from the pure realisation of absolute consciousness.
Have a happy Christmas, and enjoy others’ enjoyment.
Messiah: The anointed saviour who is said to bring the dead back to life, reuniting them with their souls.
We know that this means different things to different people. Is it a literal or transcendental statement? If it is a spiritual question, shouldn’t the answer be spiritual as well? Do people live, believe and die not knowing what is true? Who anointed that saviour? Is this a passing on, a received transmission? What do ‘bring the dead back to life’ and ‘reunited with their souls’ mean?
As a Buddhist, this may be interpreted another way. Maybe … just maybe … ‘reunited’ is meant in a spiritual way, in the sense of our inner consciousness of pure awareness or spirit: that is what we are. We are awakening from the dream of preconceived ideas, bringing consciousness back to the essence of life itself.
To put it bluntly, we are all potential messiahs. For example, in the Dzogchen tradition, we receive the pointing out instruction into the nature of mind, and the word Kabbala means ‘to receive’. Is that ‘receiving’ a transmission, an anointing, whereby, instead of living a dream, we now awaken to our true reality. To be ‘reunited with our souls’ (even though in Buddhism a soul is not recognised) means we awaken to the unity of a false self that is recognised by pure consciousness.
A messiah complex is a state of mind in which an individual holds a belief that they are destined to become a saviour and are responsible for saving or assisting others; in common usage, it is an accusation of delusion. However, it could be said that Bodhisattvas have a messiah complex! It’s what true compassion is all about! A messiah complex is the result of inner joy and outer sadness at the mental state of sentient beings.
A Bodhisattva works for the benefit of others. This vow is not to be taken lightly, and one’s life will never be the same again. The word ‘Buddha’ means awake and pure. There are nine levels of Bodhisattvas, up to enlightenment.
Bodhisattva Vow
Just as the earth and the other three elements, together with space, eternally nourish and sustain all beings.
So may I become that source of nourishment and sustenance which maintains all beings situated throughout space, as long as all have not attained to peace.
When the Sugatas of former times committed themselves to the Bodhicitta, they gradually established themselves in the practice of a Bodhisattva.
So I too commit myself to the Bodhicitta for the welfare of beings and will gradually establish myself in the practice of a Bodhisattva.
Today my birth has become fruitful; my birth as a human is justified.
Today I an born in the Buddha family; I am now a child of the Buddha. Now I am determined to perform those acts appropriate to my family; I will not violate the purity of this faultless noble family.
Just as a blind man wandering about comes upon a jewel in a heap of refuse so, apparently by chance, the Bodhicitta is born in me.
That supreme amrita destroying death. The inexhaustible hidden treasure relieving the universal poverty. The supreme cure for calming the universal ill.
The tree which shelters beings weary of wandering the paths of samsara. The vehicle for all travellers passing over distress. The moon of mind which cools the heat of desire.
The great sun dispelling the obscurity of ignorance. The great happiness for those travellers wandering the path of samara, searching for object of enjoyment.
In the presence of all the Buddhas, I have invited all the Tathagatas and all beings as my guests. Devas and Asuras rejoice.
It is said that taking the Bodhisattva vow is an expression of making ourselves at home in this world. We expose ourselves confidently for the benefit of sentient beings. We give up our ambition to attain enlightenment in favour of relieving the suffering and difficulties of sentient beings. Nevertheless, we attain enlightenment anyway.
Bodhisattvas and great Tathagatas of the past have taken this step, and we too can do this. It is simply a matter of accepting either this expansive approach to life, or settling for a self-centred, poverty-stricken mentality.
Practical Spirituality
helps us to cope with life
with a sensible and realistic approach
to situations or problems,
by means of clear observation
without preconceived ideas.
In the beginning was not a book:
a book is someone else’s view.
Never take someone else’s word for it.
Being real is being practical.
Real is the realisation of the truth that
clear observation is pure consciousness.
It’s what we are, and we can’t get more real than that.
Those who become involved in the material world
believe that impermanent things are real.
A bit of an oxymoron?
;D
When we cling to ideas, we build up an ego.
If we defend our egotistical ideas,
we become more and more impractical.
Suggestion:
Climb to the top of the ego and jump off!
The more we build up our ego, the more we suffer.
The more we suffer, the more we realise we are suffering.
That is the jumping-off stage to enlightenment.
Once we recognise and realise that we are pure consciousness, that is the beginning of our spiritual path. Now, it is up to us to remember. The more we remember, the less we forget. It’s a matter of practice, and becoming more familiar with what is true and what isn’t.
The first stage is to remember and the door opens but, due to the winds of karma, the door appears to close because we forget, and thoughts and emotions return. It is in the very recognition of the door seeming to be closed that it opens spontaneously with a blast of fresh air.
The more we recognise our true nature, the more we gradually realise that the door never existed. There is no inside and no outside and no path. We have been enlightened all along, but were closed to this truth.
Compassion is knowing that others still think there is a door and it’s locked to them; they feel closed in. All we can do is to help them realise the key to their freedom is conscious awareness.
Confuse: To make someone or something bewildered, more complex and less easy to understand. Confusion: The result of making someone confused.
Spiritual texts suggest that we are confused because we ignore our true reality. Of course this is true, but we are not alone in our confusion – we live in a world of confusion and so we find ourselves engaged in a world of futile diligence, seeking everlasting satisfaction, but only finding titbits.
If we seek satisfaction in accordance with conventional standards, we get nowhere and those titbits never last. We just tread water, while feeling that we are doing something. Conventional standards are not set by us; they’re set by the Dream-Team. The dream-machine create all our beliefs and illusions.
“Ignorantia juris non excusat” is Latin for “Ignorance of law is no excuse”. It is a legal principle holding that a person who is unaware of a law may not escape liability for violating that law merely because they were unaware of its content. This is exactly what karma is: we repay – although not in monetary terms – by changing our attitude to get out of the karmic jail!
Spiritually, ‘law’ is about putting a misunderstanding right. Violating or obscuring pure consciousness (our true nature) creates suffering of some sort, and we pay with consequences = karma. The payment required is to realise what we have been doing, and we repay the debt when we stop doing it. 😀
Conforming to others’ standards – however high faluting they are – will result in more of the same confused righteousness. If we don’t understand, or are unaware of the essence of our reality, then we are subject to conventional laws of cultural desires and aversions. We are ruled by our consent, and we hope that all is fair and will turn out right. Unfortunately, the Dream-Team has its own hidden rules.
If we do not know the truth but only believe in truth, this creates a dream state of samsaric existence. Samsara is wanting to find happiness and satisfaction without realising that we are the creators of our own suffering if we settle for conventional happiness. We have fallen into the belief of others and gone along with it, believing it is our belief. Don’t get too close to people: you might catch their dreams 😀
As long as we are ruled by beliefs and never given the full picture (speaking conventionally and spiritually), we will be subjected to abuse, because the picture is corrupted and we join the violation. If we go through the same routine as others, we will get the same result, believing that this is what life is all about.
It is the same with meditation. As long as we feel we are doing meditation, we will never realise what meditation is for – to realise empty awareness.
Confusion creates futile diligence.
Futile diligence create confusion.
That is Samsara.
The natural law in the universe is desire and aversion. It is not a law that we want to hold on to, as this law obscures our reality and causes harm. Fortunately, it also leads to enlightenment! When we recognise what we are being governed by – desire and aversion – we realise that we are free.
If we do not think for ourselves,
then others will do the thinking for us.
I slept, and became a dream-follower.
Following the dream-makers, I became a dream-keeper.
I awoke, and realised the dream is an illusion.
Holding onto ideas and beliefs
denies the next moment of clear space.
Without clarity,
the next moment becomes smothered by the past,
whereas the emptiness of clarity
allows wisdom to be present.
This empty clarity is not seeing something; it is the clear seeing itself, before whatever seen is judged. We cannot say this seeing is like this or that as, in clear seeing, there are no reference points.
Beyond extremes is empty nowness; fresh, immediate and spontaneous. When we do not react, we have the possibility of transcending present limitations and ascend, stepping beyond our usual ways. Our usual ways maybe very clever and scholarly, but then we find that we cannot drop our attachment and become bound – in the same as we can be bound by meditation practices.
It is said that there are levels of realisation: the words are the same, but the understanding changes to the extent that it cannot be described or even spoken about. Words are generalisations and hints. In the beginning was not the word: before the word was desire, and before that, forgetting. Not many want to hear – or are able to hear – that we may not be satisfied with our present understanding, and that inability to comprehend is, in itself, an extreme.
From the position of empty awareness, all ideas are an extreme. Beyond extreme is a clean break. Rather than thinking we know what something is, we have to ask: this is the difference between vertical thinking and lateral thinking. Of course, we have memories and experiences, but these shouldn’t impede the moment now.
Just repeating teachings smothers the moment now. Instead, we look at what is truly needed and that may be merely to listen and empathise, and then wait and see. Teachings shouldn’t be an expression of ‘the usual noise’, but should come from the needs of the students.
The middle way is beyond adornments and sophistication. We accept life as it comes, and take no stance unless it involves the whole community. It is true that we need a firm foundation on which to build the golden roof of the temple of realisation, but true realisation comes from the mind-quake that demolishes everything before it becomes our samsaric entertainment.
If so, is that creative principle for our benefit,
or is it a distraction?
Is there more to our reality?
We talk about God, Nature, Love, Self and Consciousness; are they all one? Do we have a preference among them? Or is there something more obvious, staring us in the face?
God is said to be the supreme being which has always existed, and who created us all. If God has always existed, then the same must be said of Nature, because the universe is infinite with neither beginning nor end. Nature is the relationship between attraction and repulsion, which creates causes and conditions for phenomena to form.
It could be said that, for causes and conditions to occur, there has to be a sense of a relationship; a harmony. Is this harmony, in fact, Love? When the ‘right’ karmic harmony is in place, the corresponding karmic consciousness enters.
In an infinite universe, are consciousnesses infinitely transmigrating, looking for a home? For consciousness to survive in a form, it has to obey the laws of attraction and repulsion: in human terms, that is desire and judgement – we have to know what’s beneficial to eat, and what isn’t. This how life seems to run, until we become dissatisfied with this story.
We can realise that we are constantly relating to someone or something and, in doing so, we bind ourselves to a state of mental duality which separates us from others, and we cannot let go. Our body, speech and mind abide by certain standards led by others’ conformity.
Our investigation has to start with consciousness for, without that, nothing would be known. It is this consciousness that is holding everything together – as an individual and as a collective – and we come to realise that this consciousness is constantly being distracted .
Is the universe conscious? Well, is a plant conscious? They both obey laws of attraction and repulsion, and do not and cannot step outside these laws. As long as we are also governed by attraction and repulsion, we cannot be said to be conscious and awake, but are just going through a routine of our own making through ignorance of our true reality.
Is there more to our reality?
Yes. It is the very nature of consciousness itself. When realised, consciousness is non-dual, pure experience. It needs no dualistic ideas relating to God, Nature, Love, Self or even Consciousness, even though these are seductive and comforting. Clinging to any ideas is an entrapment.
When consciousness is realised as pure experience,
then we open up a path to enlightenment.
Enlightenment is passing beyond all opposites.
Darkness is known because of Light,
which is the clarity of seeing.
Within that, there is no darkness.
We are free in the moment of seeing.
There are moments when we just don’t feel ‘right’.
Unfortunately, we look for solace
to get us back into the action in order to feel good.
We have been bombarded from cradle to grave
with cultural nonsense and spiritual platitudes
that only seem to be the path to happiness, but are not.
They’re just more programming.
Humans have a naturally decent programme
but are easily influenced,
and become reliant on those influences.
It’s a seductive trap.
In those moments of not feeling ‘right’,
there is a glitch in our programming.
We can’t sustain feeling right,
and panic because we are out of our habitual pattern.
In that moment, we can step out of this programming.
Just fall silent, switching off and pulling the plug out.
There is no software calculating,
and no hard drive to store it on.
Suddenly, life is like a wild jungle full of wild people.
The rawness of life is fine out in the wilderness,
where we have to watch every step, but feel alive.
It might seem that we are falling down a bottomless pit.
A bottomless pit has no limitations
and is perfectly safe.
Whoopee!
Cringe: aninward shiver of embarrassment when thinking about our past actions.
We follow others. We assumed a posture, but suddenly we don’t believe any of it any more. We remember all those things we did and said that justified our beliefs. This is especially so with spiritual groups that create a culture within a culture, and we follow along blissfully.
Spirituality is the observation of psychology at work within the essential nature of pure mind consciousness. It is not about belonging, believing and justifying.
When we recognise this in our mind, we have to forgive our selves, as we knew not what we did – or why we did it ;D That honest cringe is the shock needed to wake up, and stop following the crowd. Conforming may seem as if it’s going somewhere, but is it going to where we want to go? True understanding.
To wake up, we need to drop our need for fancy dress, fancy names, or fancy traditions. They attracted us at the start and, as such, are useful, but then we need direct experience and realisation. Ordinary people can do this. We just have to realise that we are ordinary pure consciousness, and then the rest of our life merely plays itself out without us re-enacting any fanciness. The more we realise, the simpler it all becomes.
We don’t even need a teacher or exotic texts, or have to study anything. Life itself is both our teacher and text. We are naturally aware because we are natural awareness, pure awareness. Our path is go from cringing to unshakeable confidence.
Don’t cringe for others,
as there is no end to that.
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This isn’t meant to upset anyone; the intention is to clarify, and identify the mistakes that may happen when we become attached to experiences, believe in them, make rules about them and worship them with sincerity. Spiritual texts are translations from someone’s mind, which is tinted through their experiences and their understanding … as this writer is doing now 😀
Whatever we experience, we translate into language. Pure experience of non-duality is corrupted the moment we speak. Language is an approximation as we use generic terms. If we become attracted to this language and attach ourselves to it, we create commentaries which compound and confuse. Enter the mysteries! This is exactly why the Buddha said, “Do not take my word for it.” Secondhand knowledge is not direct knowledge that leads to wisdom and realisation. Secondhand knowledge merely keeps us in the cycle of conventional existence, because it creates subtle doubts about we actuallyexperience.
Our highest achievement is the realisation of pure consciousness – which is the highest achievement in the infinite universe and, in that, there is no special language. This achievement may be experienced right now. Merely fall silent and be aware that awareness is already present, and recognise that we are that awareness, with nothing attached to it. That pure awareness is pure consciousness. It is very simple and has no rules save one; don’t muck it about or add to it.
When we have meditation experiences, we can mistake them for realisation – or the inspiration of God. It isn’t unreasonable that this happens. A ‘Nyam’ is the meditation experience of bliss, clarity or non-thought, and when we become attached to these experiences and make claims, we corrupt purity.
If there is a God, it must be pure consciousness that is before words. Words corrupt. When we realise our true nature as pure consciousness, we are at one. No words needed.
The Buddha realised that Shiva means that which is not.
There is nothing to become attached to.
There is no such thing as spirituality.
Attachment leads us astray.
We may get – and then seek out – nice feelings of bliss, clarity or absence of thoughts. But it’s never enough and we want more, and thus become attached to these experiences.
In Tibetan, the word ‘nyam’ means meditation experience of bliss, clarity or absence of thoughts. In themselves, these are good experiences, but if we grow attached to them, they become our obstacles. These experiences are not, in themselves, realisation but, if we remain free of attachment and drop them, they become the path to realisation, where we return to the non-duality of pure consciousness.
These feelings are seductive; attachment causes a practitioner to wander away from the true Dharma – the path to realisation – and become a ‘space cadets’, attached to their feelings and easily upset (‘Dharma snowflake’ could be the modern term :D)
Attachment to bliss
can lead into a subtle, desire realm, never being satisfied.
Attachment to the experience of clarity
can lead into heavenly distraction.
Attachment to absence of thoughts
can create an inability to communicate.
When we drop the inspiration,
this, in itself, is the inspiration.
Spirituality is a science, and not a belief.
As children, are made to believe that we must believe. Spirituality is pure consciousness: we are pure consciousness and without that, we wouldn’t know anything. We know because we are knowingness itself. That is the simple proof. We are not a belief. When we can actually know, why would anyone promote a belief? As children, we’re taught to first believe in Father Christmas and then in God the Father … coincidence? 😀 We live in a topsy turvy world of make believe.
Why would anyone want to deceive us? Because it turns us away from the truth. Why would anyone do that? To gain control over us, and get us to conform and belong. When we do not believe, then we are free to think for ourselves.
A belief is something we cannot explain and so cannot talk about. We just worship and belong. It is a form of self-censorship that keeps us imprisoned in a world of fantasy, and we then pass this story on as we don’t want to be alone in our beliefs.
We are encouraged to belong to something to such an extent that we cannot be alone. We gossip, check our phones, become addicted to news and leave the TV on constantly. Radio air waves are filled with music, and there is music playing in every shop.
In peace and quiet,
we may realise something wondrous.
When we finally recognise that we are pure consciousness, we do not have to belong to or believe in anything or anyone. As long as we belong or believe, we are attached. To be attached means to be tethered and, unfortunately, we like being tethered as it feels safe. Abusive relationships are like that.
True spirituality is the true psychology into the nature of mind. It is not limited to a conventional mind of ideas, beliefs and false harmony.
To realise oneness with others,
we first have to realise the unity within.
Harmony: a combination that works as one.
Unison: oneness.
Conventional harmony and unison are temporary.
Ultimate harmony and unison are our reality.
True harmony comes from the realisation of inner unison.
Harmony is being at one, but at one with what?
On a conventional level, a harmonious environment is one where people work well together, but this needs a focal point to which all consent. Who chooses the speed and direction of where we are going? It is because of the need for a focal point that this harmony is of a temporary nature, so harmony on a conventional level is being at one – for only a short period of time.
This need to have a focal point is the cause of false harmony, as we may feel in conflict with the conventional focal point but cannot talk about these problems and fears. And so, we have to stay silent and obey the focal point of others’ choosing. False harmony is therefore the cause of subtle friction and division.
At a conventional level, harmony is an illusion that pressurises others to conform. This is especially evident in spiritual groups, and results in false harmony.
On a conscious level, we all make an effort to deal with our emotions, but we haven’t faced them at a deeper level, where they lurk at the back of our minds and we try to avoid them. We evade conflict by refusing to engage in in-depth conversations. As a result, it looks as if people are getting along, but we don’t feel right with one another and the core issues are not being addressed because we are all following a generic idea that has been established. For example, compassion; we can say prayers about compassion for those afar, but can’t deal with those close to us.
True harmony is the unity of non-duality, that can harmonise with everything and is at peace with everything, as inner realisation is the spontaneous recognition of appearances that are simultaneous with that recognition.
Conventional and absolute realities become inseparable. When we (pure consciousness) are at one with our self (this confused mind), then empathetic compassion can work easily in a conventional world.
When we can admit that we have problems, then we will have true harmony. There will be difficulties and distractions up to and until the moment of true enlightenment. As these problems and distractions reduce, they become subtler and subtler.
True harmony comes from the realisation of inner unison.
When we look for our mind and a self, nothing is found.
All that is left is empty awareness.
This is such a simple realisation that it is unbelievable!
We have found what remains…pure is-ness.
First look. Then see. In that moment, realise.
Looking is questioning.
If we think we know, then we are stuck with an answer.
Having arrived isn’t enough.
We now have to recognise and eliminate
the habitual mental residue that now serves as a reminder
of what remains in our minds.
Never feel guilty:
the life we lead comes from the residue of a wounded mind.
Awareness of this is the start of healing.
We can always go back to applying
a social sticking plaster to cover up the wounds,
but that is what created the wounds in the first place.
Once we arrive at pure awareness,
it’s about “Stayin’ Arrived!”
When we do not know our true nature, then we are lost in a world of unknowing, and so we busy ourselves in life activities.
When we find out about our true nature, then we are on our path to knowing, and we find time in life to investigate further.
When we realise that we are knowingness itself, we have arrived, and we sustain this realisation which affects the entire way we see life and history.
Proviso 1: Not all paths lead directly to realisation. Followers just use time to busy themselves in upgrading life activities.
Proviso 2: Realisation naturally upgrades life to further realisations.
Proviso 3: We accept whatever comes our way – or doesn’t come our way – in life; it’s all one. It’s all one because all empty appearances and empty recognition are simultaneous. When we awaken to our true reality, that is enlightenment.
What are we and what are we not?
This is the very essence of spiritual questioning about what is real,
and what is seemingly real.
The truth about our reality and why we came into existence.
The word ‘existence’ comes from the Latin word ‘exsistere’ meaning, ‘to appear’, ‘to arise’, ‘to become’, or ‘to be’ – but literally, it means ‘to stand out’. We became form with a particular nature or personality that distinguishes itself from others; the qualities that make one individual or unique.
Oh dear. We have a problem; it appears that we appeared for a reason. To understand this, we have to blow our minds! We have always assumed that we are our thoughts; we learn and we become a programme. It works pretty well, and can be creative, scholarly and functional, allowing us procreate and earn a living. And we think that this is all there is to life – or so we have been led to believe. Those of us who are not enlightened are ‘believers’ in this self, this programme.
It is because we are believers that we function on a level of hopes and fears, while ignoring the truth that, on investigation and realisation, we are and always have been pure consciousness that needs no body. In ancient scriptures, it is said that we took on an ‘appearance’ – a form commensurate with our level of consciousness – and thus, we came into physical existence by default, because we ignored our true nature.
Default:from Old French defaut, from defaillir ‘to fail’, based on Latin fallere ‘disappoint, deceive’.
We want to exist in a particular way, and this is why life isn’t totally satisfying. We chose another path that downgraded us into confusion and now, this confusion is our path to enlightenment. All we have to do is analyse our self.
Can our true nature be said to exist?
Realisation is achieved through proper meditation.
Can we be said to exist?
Can’t say yes.
Can’t say no.
Playing By Ear This is something really difficult to talk about, and not for everyone’s ears. 😀
Everything can be done either by learning the ‘notes’ (text) or experiencing and realising. Again, this brings to mind the words, “Do not take my word for it; test it for yourself.”
The short video below is about playing the piano by ear, rather than reading the notes on a page. It’s the nearest I’ve come to someone explaining how experiencers – rather than those who learn by rote – work. There is no right and wrong to either method, but one may feel more natural to us.
Both the realisation of the nature of mind and the creation of a self cannot be achieved through theories. We only understand through experiencing and then realising.
The point to acknowledge is that the note reader has to have the notes to play the tune, while the ear player has to know the tune first.
To be a teacher, we have to be a scholar of some sort, but realisation can take place by being an ‘ordinary’ being who does not teach. As shown in the video, those who play by ear cannot teach it, but only indicate the way that they see it or play with it.
The trick is finding a key element that works for us, and improvising on that. This is what the Buddha did, and this is what we have to do. My key element is, “Do not take my word for it”, so I don’t have to copy others. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve asked, in private interviews with a lama, “Do I have to be like them? Like the other students?” This was always met with a blank expression 😀 For you, the key element that works may be different.
It’s a problem that I’ve had all my life: when going to retreats or teachings, I feel there are too many words, too many hidden rules, too many answers. I always wish we could just sit together, quietly.
In spiritual groups, there are the scholars (word lovers), the ritualists (the worshippers), and the experiencers (those who play by ear), which all bring us into subtle conflict with other students because of the different ways in which we all see and hear things. When talking to others after a teaching, I used to wonder if we had actually attended the same teaching!
The Buddha found his own way. Any Buddha would the same, and we have to too. This isn’t about inventing a new path which is self-orientated; it’s about how we see, and what works for us.
As I have many ‘melodies’ going around my mind at the same time on a similar theme, I’m putting this forward as well:
How Far Away Is Enlightenment?
This blog is about conclusions formed over fifty years of spiritual practice. after having come into contact with many teachers. Maybe, like me, you thought that enlightenment was way, way up there – something very mysterious, with a fancy dress and a fancy name. After all, the term ‘Rinpoche’ means ‘precious one’ or ‘jewel-like’ (or, one could say expensiveness!).
If this was the case, we have all those steps up the ladder to climb to enlightenment, with all those special practices to adopt: the 4 x 111,111 (or more) Ngondro practices, for example, are very intense. But what if the ladder wasn’t like that at all? What if there is no ladder? What if there is only a suggestion of a ladder? What if all the rungs of this ladder are made of illusory obstacles?
In reality, we are not, in fact, refining our practice; we are taking away all the nonsense! We have been standing on the ground all along, being told there is a ladder to climb when, in fact, we are already where we should be, on the ground here and now.
One might say, “Well that’s ego talking – wishful thinking.” One might say that, but I’m not saying that.
What would an enlightened person be doing right now? Just seeing, smelling, tasting, touching, hearing. No magic tricks, no supernatural powers, but just being aware, content and happy. We may be tired and aching, with lots to maintain in our life, but we can still be aware, content and happy.
Humans can develop skills. They can lay bricks, run fast, talk eloquently, write marvellous verses, gather a crowd together, tell stories of miracles … but these are all just things that humans can do. Or we may have no particular skills. Karma brings different things to different people, or nothing at all.
What if enlightenment was just being ‘ordinary’, with feet on the ground, here and now? The point is that we don’t want to be ‘ordinary’; we do not think of ourselves as ordinary. We want to special. We want to believe in old texts and stories, rather than that which is actually experienced. What if this dualistic believing only creates more rungs on the ladder?
We know enough by knowing we are pure knowingness itself. Pure awareness, pure consciousness. The moment we hear the wrong note in the mind, it is satisfaction enough! 😀
How “Branding” Controls Us Branding: to burn with a hot iron as a mark of ownership.
For ‘Branding’, read programming. We are fed information, and this information is always biased; if we are of a certain frame of mind, it builds on our preconceived ideas, and we become further infected. Given the ‘right’ stimulus and the ‘right’ candidate, a reaction occurs. We are, en masse, very much like the film, “The Manchurian Candidate”, with technology, via media, programming and brainwashing the population. Human beings herd, and are easily addicted. Like Pavlov’s dogs, we salivate when hearing the word, ‘sale’ or ‘secret teaching’.
Surveillance reads, builds and stores profiles of our activity. It knows our tendencies and what stimulates us. We may think it’s about money and selling us something, but the thing that is being sold – and we are buying it – is the power to rule us. Unless we see this clearly, we will be controlled. We’re constantly being fed fear and hatred in the guise of love and, if we think that we are free thinkers, then we are deluded.
Meditation trains the mind, taming it to recognise distraction when we realise that we are not these ideas set up in our minds. We can walk away. However – and this is extremely important – while we can step away from the herd, we need compassion towards the insanity of doing and saying the same things and expecting a different result. We need compassion so as to not become one of the elite, entitled to abuse others. And that isn’t easy.
We must first look and scrutinise our own mind to see what has been placed there. Such self-investigation is a rare occurrence because for thousands of years, humans have been manipulated into believing whatever we are told, and, in turn, we manipulate others.
We cannot be reminded enough of the words of the Buddha – “Do not take my word for it” – as they can change our life entirely. This is how we avoid getting the same results. If we think that we do not know enough, then we will never realise that all those complex teachings are about just seeing.
Making something complicated creates an overload in the mind, and the rational side of our brain shuts down. Have you ever read the small print??
Spiritual paths are branding – even Buddhism. I love Tibetan Buddhism and I’m grateful to it, but I also have a problem with the adoption of another’s culture. The Buddha’s teachings obviously came from the Vedantic tradition of India – all teachings are the same at the deepest, esoteric level. The Tibetan culture is a vehicle for the Buddha’s teaching: it is very colourful and meaningful, and needs to be preserved. Modern people don’t have to adopt the Tibetan culture. We can chose to if we wish, or we can just follow the Buddha’s teaching, digesting it, implementing it, and rediscovering it, rather than buying into the branding.
Rediscovering is what the Buddha did.
We have to do the same, through simple realisation.
and wipe away ownership.
Theories are fake news.
The real news is in our realisation.
That is the true Dharma.
Proof That We Are Being Influenced And Manipulated
We are taught to react,
and cannot stop our self.
In an experiment by Bangor University Psychology Laboratory, people were asked to press a button every time they saw a branded item that they recognised on a screen. Then, they were asked NOT to press the button when the branded item was presented on the screen … they still pressed the button! They couldn’t stop themselves. Even though they do not want to react, the brain said otherwise.
This experiment was about being a consumer, but it also relates to everything we see and hear – even spiritual teachings. We hear or read a word and off we go; we relate to it. Relating is not the same as realising it. Rigpa, God, compassion, nowness, ego, guru yoga, mantras, pure consciousness, good, bad … these are just words that we are taught to identify with. This is exactly why the Buddha said, “Do not take my word for it; realise it.” Don’t take anyone’s word for it.
We become attached to a brand, a culture or a tradition, and even though there is a better offer, we stick to OUR brand. We can only stop our self when we realise pure awareness.
There is a word in Sanskrit; ‘samsara’.
It means the vicious cycle of existence,
in which we go round and round in circles,
never escaping.
If you want a shock to upgrade consciousness,
realise that you are being manipulated at every moment
by those whose mind merely repeat words.
Don’t just be aware.
Be very aware.
Better still, realise pure awareness.
Are we complicit in overthrowing truth
by adopting a culture of ideas?
Absolute truth is that which is always present, and that is pure consciousness. Anything that pure consciousness observes can never be the truth, as all phenomena is impermanent.
All cultures are built on sets of idea which are promoted through exoteric teachings that are not totally accurate. We adopt these ideas and so are complicit in a deception concerning absolute truth.
When we investigate our mind’s tendencies, we discover that none of those ideas are our own. Even reactions to others’ ideas is still an involvement in others’ ideas 😀 Complicity creates complexity, as we try to make things work but find that there is always something missing. That ‘something’ is the realisation of absolute truth.
The truth will out only when we realise
esoteric vision of pure consciousness.
Positivity and negativity
– good and evil –
are what life is all about.
Clarity and whatever obscures that clarity;
it is that simple.
Positivity is seeing clearly and understanding a situation for the benefit of all, and that starts with valuing the perfect quality of consciousness.
Negativity allows personal thoughts and emotions to take control, and consciousness becomes hostile, and therefore imperfect.
In the first instant of a situation, we all just see. That ‘just seeing’ is positive consciousness. But instead of standing back to realise the bigger picture – that this consciousness is perfect – judgement steps in due to our personal preferences, and we react, leaving an aftertaste or residue that lingers. The object of not holding on – dropping all reactions – is that we leave the mind clear for the next moment, so that we do not contaminate that next moment (or our entire life!).
We are all allowed to have a view, but hanging onto this view unnecessarily creates a negative mindset of constant justifications, and a feeling of righteous superiority. This is how evil starts: all negative reactions give rise to consequences for the future, especially in relationships with others.
The negativity quality of ignoring the perfect quality of consciousness causes us suffering as we are relating through a self-construct. The quicker we can drop our reactions, the more control we have. That is being positive and kind. If we don’t drop it (whatever ‘it’ is), then we are not only part of the problem … we are the problem.
Influenza-ers Persuading others to catch their virus
The modern, scientific world knows the DNA of everything, including the mind. Science is now the Creator and Destroyer. If we know how to create something, then it stands to reason that we know how to take it apart and destroy it. It has become a scary world when we become reliant upon so-called ‘benefits’.
Actually, the Dharma does exactly the same thing. We know how a self is created and we know how to dissolve this self-creation, thereby bringing an end to suffering.
The Dharma is an influence to counter influences. It is a reminder to drop all influences – even the Dharma. Can we even trust the Dharma?
Dropping everything, we relax into the emptiness of pure awareness. In that moment, there is no Dharma. No thing can influence emptiness, but only obscure this uncontaminated state by attachment to influences.
We only know due to pure awareness being present. That is where everything begins and ends. Pure awareness becomes conscious of some thing and, as appearances and recognition are simultaneous, pure awareness remains untouched.
“But my feelings that we have to change the world are important to me!”
Sentient existence is all about surviving as a sentient being.
We have never been separate from the enlightened state.
Not having recognised this, we were led astray,
looking elsewhere for this ultimate truth.
Whether we are happy or unhappy,
this state is neither improved nor impaired.
We merely rest at ease with whatever occurs.
Realisation is enlightening relief.
Resting at ease with whatever occurs is our spiritual path,
leading to the realisation of this enlightened state.
Once realised, we retire from the distractions of excessive worldly activities.
When we are alone, it is then that we gain true confidence,
without a need to refer.
To doubt this is to keep returning to a book of no experience.
We’re deliberately fed provocative nonsense day in and day out.
This feeds and turns our small desires and aversions into exaggerated ones.
Those who feed us also feed off our reactions, as we feed off theirs.
This is the vicious cycle of deceptive existence.
The result is that we are divide from our reality
and stay in ignorance of that reality.
Redirecting our mind into the future becomes a substitute for dealing with whatever is happening where we are now. Transferring our attention away from the present moment to something we hope for in the future not only becomes sentimental, but also lazy.
This attitude makes our life (and the life of those around us) so much more complicated. It also gives us an excuse not to start to change our life now. We lose focus, and therefore energy. Living in hope makes us hopeless at dealing with now; “I’m too busy to help because I’m thinking about higher things, like saving others.” And so, we merely go round in righteous circles, blaming and pontificating.
The totality of the Dharma – our ultimate potential – is in this moment now, just being present, without contaminating comments on cultural ideas.
We know enough from our past to change our future.
Life changes when we are present now,
un-fixated and flexible.
In one sense, the world will never be perfect.
In another sense, it is perfect.
These are the perfect conditions for growth.
Something is needed to wake us up. It is then our responsibility to stay awake by seeing the dilemma we are in. Eloquent commentaries may be inspiring and we become euphoric, but the reality we seek is within us. When we do wake up, the shock keeps us awake.
As long as we are occupied by our mind’s reactions, we will never leave this maze of information. This mind maze – or trap – is very subtle, and has many levels.
There are many tantalising exits that promise, “This Way Out”, but these become dead ends when we believe in the sign and join the queue. As long as we believe that there is an exit, we will never leave because we believe we are inside, trying to get out. Little do we know that we are already out, as the maze never existed. Again, we can say these words, but we should watch how we busy ourselves in this ‘non-existent’ maze.
Our thoughts bind us to an illusion that we are whatever we are told we are. Even if the sign on the exit tells us it’s all an illusion, we still believe in the illusion. There is no point in saying, “It’s all an illusion” while busily decorating the illusion. Many so-called ‘elevated’ spiritual people fall into this trap.
There is no way out of this dilemma because we still believe we are in a mind maze created by the collective. We cannot blame others for this illusion because we are its construct, holding it together with our futile diligence and hope.
The method is to become still and accept wherever we are.
Realise that there is nothing to escape.
The illusory maze dissolves when we stop reacting.
The trick of the maze is to hold our attention. According to estimates, there were over 2 billion video gamers in the world in 2018. Then, there is alcohol, drugs, news, politics, personal status, wealth, fashion, music, movies, fluffy kittens, religion, spirituality, philosophies, books, high culture, religion …
Religion means to bind. If we are bound to anything, then that is our religion; it’s whatever we attend to. To realise is to accept and escape all illusions.
This is a delicate matter,
and one I’m still learning about.
We can inform others, but ‘waking’ means going deeper, and they may not be ready for that, in the sense of not being able to see subtle differences intheir deeply-held views.
People have to be ready to give up their ideas in order to see things afresh. Waking starts with doubts and inner questioning: if questions are not asked, then the channel of communication is not open. In such a case, do we have to leave others alone? We can be supportive of another’s view to a point, but then we have to keep our peace. If we become over-enthusiastic, they may – and do – back away.
People awaken once they realise that their dream has become a nightmare; they then have to recognise that are unhappy or dissatisfied before before they can do something about it. Not everyone is ready to look for the true cause of that unhappiness, which is a belief in our self image (and nowadays, we are encouraged to have ‘belief’ in ourself, and that only makes us more obstinate and arrogant).
When people are told things at the wrong time, this goes in as information and stays as information, rather than as an experience of knowingness that leads to realisation.
This is a problem that I’ve found with spiritual groups. We may join a group to see what they know, and we may find that they have answers … their answers. If we ask questions, they give us their response – rather than an answer to our question. We then wonder whether we should wake them up 😀 because their answer is only satisfying to them, coming from the mould of their tradition.
Plastic People Plastic: from Greek plastikos, ‘to mould’.
Aren’t we all moulded, until we decide to break out?
We are plastic believers until
genuine pure awareness is realised,
resulting in genuine empathy and genuine compassion.
Practice is more than appearance.
There are westerners who call themselves ‘shaman’, and who adopt indigenous cultures because they don’t like their own: they completely miss the point that realisation takes place within one’s own mind and within one’s own culture, here and now.
This modern, new age movement (or fashion) probably started with Madame Blavatski in the mid 1800’s. Ever since then, the ‘something else’ that people have been seeking has been provided for them. Spiritual groups adopt others’ cultures and languages, while pure awareness or consciousness is beyond such fashion accessories.
We cherry pick teachings and rituals to show that we’re different and now belong to something else. Becoming elitist, we dilute the essence of the teachings while still all being in the same boat of confusion. To resolve our confusion, we merely have to acknowledge this confusion. That which recognises is exactly what we’ve been looking for. For this realisation, we can stay in the same house, in the same street.
The Buddha sought instruction within the Vedic tradition, which was foreign to his upbringing in confined luxury, until he realised the essence of the teaching where nothing is needed – no rattles, no drums, no protection cords, no exotic chants.
Toys are nice for a while,
and then true boredom sets in.
When the truth is realised, things have no interest.
There is far too much plastic in the world anyway!
😀
Our Problem Is Our Relationship With Consciousness
Our true, essential nature is pure being that is conscious; these two cannot be separated, like light and its luminosity. But when this luminosity plays on something and becomes attracted to it, we are caught and held, and things appear solid. As a result, we forget that phenomena has no permanent nature.
We then relate to this distraction and build an image of our self relating to this object of desire, based on our cherished ideas about this object. Unfortunately, all too often this turns into aversion because we start judging, and so we suffer. This is all because we ignored or forgot our essential nature of clear light.
Being in a human body, this relating helps us to survive but, when we don’t let go, we can be imprisoned by ideas for a lifetime. Our self image – or ego – is created by relating to me and my ideas about what’s out there: this constant relating to things and thoughts takes us further and further away from our source of pure essence, and we become stuck in a material and mental world. This relating and judging, rather than what is happening ‘over there’, is the cause of our suffering.
This suffering causes panic to arise, and we become desperate to survive in our made-up world, while trying to hold on to our self image. Holding this all together creates our emotions, while we blame the world for doing exactly what we are doing. We are in danger of becoming narcissists, lacking empathy, feeling we are right, and trying to control others, and then throwing up smoke screens which disguise our true intention, which is to bolster up our selves and undermine others. In other words … pride.
In the very moment when we recognise that we are doing these mental gymnastics, there is a gap and, for that moment, we actually are free! It only takes familiarity to sustain this natural moment of clarity, of the light shining. Never feel guilty or ashamed, or hold onto the past; just a little regret and a motivation not to do this again and again. As we aren’t yet fully enlightened, we have to grin and bear it, accepting a difficult or unpleasant situation without complaining because we know there is nothing we can do to make things better (of course, if we can do something then we do it – if we have the skills).
The purpose of meditation is to slow down and notice our clinging, our relating to memories, our judgements, and what all those are doing to us. Reactions are not instantaneous – there’s a whole lot going on before that. We need to take time to notice what we’re doing to ourself. We – rather than the emotions – are supposed to be in charge after all; then we are free.
A meme (pronounced meem) is that which is imitated.
Are we just a copy of others’ ideas?
We may take a side because of a condition brought about by others.
Is this not divide and conquer?
What if memes are created for this exact reason?
Pure consciousness has no sides; it has no religion.
It is, “That which is not”.
Call that ‘Rigpa’ or ‘Shiva’ or whatever you want
but the realisation is beyond identity.
We are Rigpa.
We are Shiva.
We are original consciousness.
Meditate and see,
and then drop the meditation.
This ‘I’ is merely consciousness clinging to ideas.
The indicator of empathetic consciousness is compassion,
and compassion is challenging to the ‘I’, the ego.
Compassion does not accept rubbish.
We Need To Exorcise Our Demons Rather Than Exercise Them
Our demons are our early trauma – some bad, some good, some mediocre.
All early events leave a mark of some sort
which help to create an attitude that we carry throughout life. We can either bring an end to the effect of trauma or recreate it, and pass it on.
Don’t let anyone pass on their old rubbish.
Comply And Obey This is the new world order
Spiritual teachings should directly confront
our habitual tendency to conform.
They are definitely not about conforming to conventional beliefs and thinking.
Surveillance keeps us in line,
staying in a pattern to be sold ‘something’.
If we’re not aware, we can be ‘sold’ any old rubbish.
Whatever We Believe Is Nonsense
Belief is all in the mind.
Truth is that which recognises beliefs in the mind.
Feeling Exorcised
Conjure up evil spirits – likes and dislikes – to see them.
Realise that they only exist in the mind.
They therefore never truly existed in the first place.
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. 