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.

THE PHANTOM SELF

Posted on February 7, 2018 by tony

The Phantom Self
and a tender heart

A ‘phantom’ is a figment of the imagination, an illusion in reality. We have an imaginary friend called my self; it entertains us and we take it seriously as it’s with us all the time. Unfortunately, being occupied by this phantom, we constantly forget that it’s not real. There is, however, observation taking place that is not part of this illusion. That observation is consciousness, observing without an observer.

This phantom self is a composition of components that can be rearranged, and can therefore be manipulated by outer forces in order to entertain and distract us.

Having a tender heart – compassion – for this mischievous friend, our phantom self, needs realisation of the higher teachings. We have to understand how this self was created, and how it is maintained. And then we can address others’ mischievous friends! 😀

It’s all very well to say that we must have compassion and a tender heart for everyone, but that’s not so easy, is it? Genuine realisation is the key, and so we first start with our self.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged The phantom self. | Leave a comment

WHAT IS AUTHENTIC, GENUINE, VERIFIABLE PRACTICE?

Posted on February 6, 2018 by tony

What Is Authentic, Genuine, Verifiable Practice?

It’s not meditation, chanting mantras, saying prayers, waving vajras and bells, doing prostrations, listening to teachings, holding retreats, shaving your head: neither is it in flags, Buddha statues, tanka paintings, shrines, beads, cords, robes, brocade, thrones, monasteries, exotic terminologies…

It’s what’s going on in our heads right now that matters; all those doubts, fears and yearnings.

Formulaic practices are just a reminder of what actually matters. There is a danger of being so addicted to rituals that we, in fact, become lazy when dealing, on a very ordinary level, with our mind. Actually, it is not ‘an ordinary level’ at all: right now, it is the quiescence – the heart of the matter itself – of being still in the moment now and facing our obstacles.

It is the sudden shock of facing those doubts, fears and yearnings. This is a personal matter, verifiable and, yes, painful.

There can be a problem with adhering rigidly to the religious approach – the lower vehicles of strict discipline. If we are a sleepy type of person, and a little lazy, then we may need to engage in the paraphernalia, but there comes a time when sticking to the paraphernalia actually makes us lazy (again) because we are not facing the conditions in our own mind now. We need to remember constantly that we are consciousness, which is mind essence that is aware of the obstacles being created.

We are not these obstacles. We are the consciousness that is aware of these obstacles. These obstacles are ideas that we have acquired by consent, and which are traumatising us.

Most practitioners are experts in the above paraphernalia, but they cannot listen to another’s problems because not only have they been traumatised themselves, but their addiction to the lucky charms of the paraphernalia also traumatises them. All they want to hear is a reinforcement of their addiction to religious ideals. They are, in fact, still asleep in Dharma talk.

Authentic, genuine, verifiable practice is acknowledging one’s own doubts, fears and yearnings, and so being able to empathise, and have genuine, selfless compassion.

A practice is method.
To practise is to carry out.
It’s important to know the difference.

This inspiring video is about being creative, but if you transpose the word ‘creative’ for ‘practice’, and ‘artist’ for ‘practitioner’, it may be enlightening! 😀

Get over the fear of starting!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGFO0es2QlA

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Addiction, being creative, d, discipline, EMPATHY, genuine practice, mind essence, real compassion, rituals, verifiable practice, we are consciousness, we are not the obstacles in our mind | 2 Comments

IN AND OUT OF NOW

Posted on February 5, 2018 by tony

In And Out Of Now

Now is always present,
whether we notice it or not

Tulku Urgyen’s phrase describes the moment now as “spontaneous presence”. but what is spontaneous presence in actuality? We can say words such as Dzogchen, Mahamudra, Rigpa, Shunyata, Dharmakaya, Zen, Advaita, Dao, Supreme being, but it all comes down to the words you use (in your own language) for pure consciousness or pure awareness or pure perception. Ultimately, in spontaneous presence, there are no words; it is natural being before language.

We have to know when we are in the moment now, and when we are not. It’s easier said than done. Being aware or conscious is only part of nowness. It’s easy to think “I am aware. I’m in the moment” but that in itself suggests that a period of time has elapsed in order to even say that, and so we are dwelling in the past.

Our senses are non-conceptual: they just perceive without naming, evaluating or modifying whatever is perceived. In the moment of seeing something, thoughts are not involved. Comments about seeing – or what is seen – come later. In the first instant, there is just perception – pure perception. This is none other than consciousness – pure consciousness. That is the moment now.

We switch on and off, so there are glimpses of nowness but these are too fleeting to notice. It is in meditation, where we do nothing but rest in nowness, that we strengthen this familiarity with nowness. Then we can recognise it in daily life.

We are looking at a screen and translating the words to our own experience. Now stop. Just be aware of seeing and don’t focus; just be aware. We are still taking everything in, while not fixating on anything. Everything is just out of focus, and we are in an expanded view. We can hear, smell, taste, feel, see and be aware, and we notice that awareness is brightening up because we are undistracted.

In all activities, there are natural pauses or gaps. That is now. It’s taking a break. It’s meditation. Gradually, the gaps join up and we can play with perceptions without holding on. This is like a conveyor belt of experiences, coming and going: if we grab at anything ,we reify it, and the present moment, although still present, ‘goes dark’. It’s easily done – and it’s just as easy to remember because we can now recognise the dark cloud.

We should be wary of allowing perception to get its hooks into us and play with our minds, fuelling our misunderstanding of reality.

We are natural knowingness,
lost in what we think we are supposed to know.

The way out of this is not to doubt knowingness itself
– which is the moment now.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Advaita, CONSCIOUSNESS, Dao, Dharmakaya, Dzogchen, glimpses of nowness, Mahamudra., natural pauses, non-conceptual senses, perception, PURE PERCEPTION, Rigpa, Shunyata, Supreme being, The Moment Now., we aware, zen | 3 Comments

DISTURBING THE PEACE

Posted on February 4, 2018 by tony

Disturbing The Peace…
and the intellect

We have been given the image of St. George (the good) who fights against a dragon (the evil). This presupposes that there is a dragon to fight: who – or what – is this evil?

We all face the very same evil, and that is anything that disturbs our inner peace. The understanding of the cause of our troubles has many levels, because the more refined we become in acknowledging consciousness, the more we notice a ‘disturbance in the force’! These disturbances are merely mental concepts and obstacles, and are therefore illusory.

Of course, if a dragon is about to spew fire at you, you remove yourself from the situation … but who poked the dragon in the first place? 😀

…hmmm?

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged a disturbance in the force, CONSCIOUSNESS, disturbing inner peace, evil, St George and the Dragon | Leave a comment

WHY ‘THE MOMENT NOW’ IS SO IMPORTANT

Posted on February 4, 2018 by tony

Why ‘The Moment Now’ Is So Important

The guru is not the teacher.
The moment now is the teacher.

The guru can only tell us about the moment now.
The moment now is consciousness.

If we are not in the moment now, we are dwelling in and controlled by both past thoughts and expectations of the future.

The moment now is our genuine teacher. The moment now is the product of all our past actions; all arisings are due to past associations. This product is called karma – the result of cause and effect – and it is this karma that has to be neutralised. We can still act upon memories, but karma is no longer our controlling force. The more karma is reduced, the more space we have, and the more we are liberated from the effects of the past. Consciousness is the moment now!

The demonic world around us wants us to react, filling up space with fear, desire, pride and jealousy. Its whole purpose it to get us to ignore, and so forget, our true nature of pure consciousness. When we react, we are no longer in the moment now. We are imprisoned, and consciousness in the moment now is the key to liberation. Consciousness is space; space sees clearly. It is only in the moment now that we experience and realise joy.

Don’t hang onto the teacher,
or the teacher’s moment now.

We are the moment now.
Goodness knows why we give away the moment now!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged consciousness is space, don't hang on to the teacher, don't react, KARMA, liberation, neutralising karma, the demonic world, the guru is not the teacher, The Moment Now. | 2 Comments

THE ALL-SEEING EYE

Posted on February 2, 2018 by tony

The All-Seeing Eye

Is the all-seeing eye a symbol of God?
Is the all-seeing eye a symbol of a sinister, dominating power?
Is the all-seeing eye a symbol of pure consciousness?

Without consciousness, nothing is seen.
With consciousness, everything is seen.

Knowing is by virtue of consciousness.
We are consciousness.

Ergo, we are the all-seeing eye!
They don’t tell you that, do they?

Who sees wins.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged THE ALL SEEING EYE | Leave a comment

I FINALLY FORGIVE MYSELF

Posted on January 31, 2018 by tony

I Finally Forgive Myself

I recognised that, as long as I stayed in a spiritual centre, there would be a sense of guilt and dissatisfaction: this was because of being surrounded by ‘jobsworths’.

Jobsworth: A person in authority (esp. a minor official) who insists on adhering to rules and regulations or bureaucratic procedures even at the expense of common sense.

I’ve done, said and thought some daft things in the past, imitating elements in our culture (or adopted culture) that pass on this daft behaviour from one individual to another. So, I’m not alone in doing, saying and thinking daft things. Have you ever met anyone who hasn’t? We are loaded down with ‘rules’ that become ‘laws’ that become our life, and we end up paying with our life.

The recognition of absurdity is the experience that leads to realisation.

It’s all very well talking about living ‘in the moment now’, but doing so is difficult because we drag around a whole load of daft assumptions – and I’m including so-called spiritual assumptions.

We grow up and adopt the ideas around us as if they’re normal, but when we question those very assumptions, we become an outsider.

I forgive myself for being a fool
and for being fooled.

I forgive the fools
who are trying to fool me
as they haven’t yet recognised the absurdity
that leads to realisation.

When I was young, I didn’t know what to think, so I followed the crowd. That just lead to daftness. All the while, I knew that I knew something, but didn’t know what that knowing was.

Forgiveness is good for the heart; it’s an end to anger and resentment.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged anger and resentment, following the crowd, following the rules, forgiveness, jobsworths, our daft assumptions, realisation, The Moment Now., the recognition of absurdity | 3 Comments

WHY GO GENTLY

Posted on January 30, 2018 by tony

Why Go Gently

Go gently.
Speak gently.
Think gently.

This is dynamic equilibrium

Thoughts create emotions.
Emotions release chemicals.
Chemicals affect the body.

This is dynamic metamorphism:
a produced by mechanical forces.

Who controls, wins.

😀

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged be gentle, chemicals, dynamic equilibrium, dynamic metamorphism, emotions, go gently, influence, mechanical forces, thoughts create emotions | Leave a comment

LIVE PERFORMANCE OR REHEARSED PERFORMANCE?

Posted on January 28, 2018 by tony

Live Performance or Rehearsed Performance?

A live act is conscious, feeling the situation: there is a knowingness beyond knowing what might happen, having the courage to listen to a situation that is telling us something new. That is the scary art of living in the now, without clinging to preconceived ideas. That is the origin of creativity. A live performance is always a fresh performance – and it’s enlightening.

A rehearsed act is the mechanical dogma of acquired programming: it is not alive but rather, safe, cosy, repetitive and isolating – and lacks the ability to communicate.

We always have a choice.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Live Performance or Rehearsed Performance? | Leave a comment

YOU ARE I ARE NOT HUMAN

Posted on January 28, 2018 by tony

You And I Are Not Human

If we take transmigration as a reality where, at death, consciousness leaves the body to travel on with its karmic guide, then it stands to reason that we are not human :D. In this infinite universe, we only inhabit a body for a short while, taking on innumerable incarnations until we realise our true nature and give up the chase.

To consider this might be bit of a shock, but as we get older, we have to prepare to move on. All existences are but a short illusion, having no permanent reality, save consciousness itself. In life, we need constant reminders of our inner light of consciousness – our reality.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged You And I Are Not Human. | Leave a comment

PRAYER FOR REBIRTH IN THE PURE LAND

Posted on January 28, 2018 by tony

Prayer For Rebirth In The Pure Land

“May I take rebirth in the pure land.” It doesn’t matter whether we fully understand these words, it is the inner sentiment that matters.

We call on the Buddha Amitābha, Lord of the Pure Land, again and again. Buddha Amitābha said: “If you wish to come and be born in my realm, you must always call me to mind again and again; you must always keep this thought in mind without letting up, and thus you will succeed in coming to be born in my realm.”

It is important to apply our knowledge internally. The Buddha attained enlightenment in this way. The pure lands are internal; the mental afflictions are internal. The crucial factor is recognising the nature of our mental afflictions, as it is only through this recognition that we can attain Buddhahood.

I’m sure the same works for calling on God in the pure realm (heaven).

E MA HO How Wonderful!

NGOR TSAR SANG GYE NANG WA THA YE DANG

Splendid Buddha of Boundless Light

YEH SU JOWO THUK JE CHEN PO DANG

with the Lord of Compassion to the right,

YOU TU SEM PA THU CHEN THOP NAM LA

and the Bodhisattva of Great Power to the left,

SANG GYE JANG SEM PAK ME KHOR KYI KOR

surrounded by innumerable Buddhas and Bodhisattvas!

DEH KYI NGO TSAR PAK TU ME PA YI

The marvellous joys and pleasures

DEWA CHEN SHE JA WEI SHING KHAM DER

are immeasurable in that pure land called Bliss.

DAK NI DIR NEH TSEH PO GYUR MA TAK

Right after this life ends,

KEY WA SHEN GYI BAR MA CHO PA RU

without any other intervening birth,

DE RU KYE NE NANG THE SHEL THONG SHO

may I be born there and see the face of the Buddha of Boundless Light.

DEH KEH DAK KI MON LAM TAP PA DI CHOK CHU SANG GYE JANG SEM THAM CHE KYI GEK MAY DRUP PAR JIN KYI LAP TU SOL

May all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions grant their blessings to accomplish this without hindrance.

TAYATA PENTSAN DRIYA AWA BODHA NAI SOHA

…CHOK TU GYAL WA SE CHE GONG

TSOK NYI DZOK LA JE YI RANG

DAK GI DU SUM GE SAK PA

KON CHOK SUM LA CHO PA BUL

GYEL WEI TEN PA PEL GYUR CHIK

GE WA SEM CHEN KUN LA NGO

DRO KUN SANG GYE THOP GYUR CHIK

GE TSA THAM CHE CHIK DU TE

DAK GI GYU LA MIN GYUR CHIK

DRIP NYI DAK NE TSOK DZOK TE

TSE RING NE ME NYAM TOK PEL

TSE DIR SA CHU NON GYUR CHIK

NAM SHIK TSE PHO GYUR MA THAK

DE WA CHEN TU KYE GYUR CHIK

KYE NE PE MEI KHA CHE TE LU TEN TE

LA SANG GYE SHOK

CHANG CHUP THOP JE SI TU

TRUL PE DRO WA TREN PAR SHOK!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Buddha Amitābha., Pure Land | Leave a comment

SELF-KNOWING AWARENESS

Posted on January 26, 2018 by tony

Self-Knowing Awareness

We are automatically (without conscious thought or attention) spontaneous awareness/ consciousness. Nothing creates this: it works by itself without human control. A human is merely consciousness that became confused and attached itself to certain ideas which, driven by karma, adopted a form.

This might be something we don’t want to hear, because we may mistakenly think that karma is a punishment. It is not: karma is the programming we have acquired that has to be deleted in order to release consciousness from this physical and mental confusion.

Some of us are having a good time, and others, not so good: we all have good and bad times, more or less. Remember – no-thing lasts! We may say, “I like being human – it’s fun,” and of course, it does have its attractions. Whether our life is pleasant or unpleasant, our acknowledgement of whatever we experience within consciousness has the potential to release us and, thereby, we attain liberation or enlightenment. That acknowledgement is self-knowing awareness, which we could call conscience.

If we were to improve just 1% in every lifetime, it will only take 100 lifetimes to become enlightened 😀 This lifetime – good or bad – may actually be our last incarnation!

Resting in self-knowing, spontaneous awareness is having the ability to fall silent and listen. Emptiness pays attention to situations and the idea of ‘self’ drops out of the picture. We are no longer imposing on the situation; it tells us what to do.

Self-knowing awareness is beyond being human. We can, however, use this human existence to realise our true nature. Communicating with another – if we are paying attention to the other – is an invaluable experience to realise self-knowing awareness.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged acknowledging our experience, communication, conscience, KARMA, karma is not punishment, karma is our programming, no self, nothing lasts, our last incarnation, OUR TRUE NATURE, spontaneous awareness, spontaneous self knowing, we are confused consciousness | 4 Comments

NO EMPATHY; KNOW APATHY

Posted on January 23, 2018 by tony

No Empathy; Know Apathy

Without empathy there can be neither compassion nor love,
and so we remain in apathy.

When we talk about spirituality, we want to be inspired and uplifted and think only good things, but we have to be aware of perpetuating this one-sided view. Our enemy is, in fact, our greatest spiritual friend as it shows us our reactions, whereas our so-called friends just want to maintain the status quo.

Being aware of the negatives and identifying their causes brings about the cessation of fear and suffering; the outcome is therefore always positive. This is our path after all, and our path is our own confusion about what we actually are – consciousness itself.

If we only want to hear nice things, we’ll end up in sentimentality, where we’re of no use to ourselves, or to anyone else. Worst of all, we become unreliable.

Love is challenging: we need to be courageous and complete practitioners. As spiritual seekers of truth, every experience helps us empathise with the suffering of others. Without this, it is all just empty theory. We remain helpless, and when it comes to dealing with problematic people, we shrink away.

During spiritual retreats, we are given answers, and we then go from one set of teachings to another to get these answers validated – but they are irrelevant if we do not first have genuine questions. We sound impressive and come over as serious students, and it pleases the teacher to think he or she has intelligent followers. This, in turn, puts pressure on other students to avoid asking the awkward questions, and the lid is kept firmly on the can of worms.

In all religions – and especially Tibetan Buddhism – the teacher is seen as the centre of one’s life; one must follow everything the teacher says. This creates a dilemma when considering the Buddha’s statement, “Do not take my word for it, but test the teachings for yourself.”

Without empathy there can be neither compassion nor love, and so we remain in apathy.

Empathy is the capacity to understand or feel what another person is experiencing from within the other person’s frame of reference, having the ability to exchange self for other. It is caring for others more than oneself.

Apathy is a state of indifference. An apathetic individual has an absence of interest and so does not question. They feel that they do not possess the level of skill required to confront a challenge and thus remain helpless.

This bring us on to the subject of group identity and group think which, unfortunately, can create elitism and aversion. If a challenging person comes along – someone who does not adhere to ‘group think’ – the group closes ranks because it lacks the ability to empathise.

Our greatest teacher is the moment now
because it presents us with our karmic load.
There is much to be aware of!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged answers, apathy, aware of the negatives, awkward questions, cessation of fear, compassion, courageous practitioners, dealing with challenging people, EMPATHY, group identity, group think, our greatest teacher, sentimentality, serious students | Leave a comment

WE HAVE TO ADMIT TO BEING FOOLS …

Posted on January 21, 2018 by tony

We Have To Admit To Being Fools …
before we can be masters

Thinking we are already masters,
we merely dress up our reality.
It’s what humans do; we maintain appearances.

From a spiritual point of view,
this is foolish – but understandable – as we have all been fooled.
Our path is liberating our attachment.

Spiritual practice is release from playing
the serious fool, the clever fool, the charismatic fool.
Liberation is the relief of stepping out of the limelight.

Dropping the fool, we become the jester:
one who walks on the edge,
knowing that the last laugh is reserved for death.

Being amused by the illusion,
we can no longer be fooled,
as the illusion liberates.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged being fooled, being the jester, dressing up reality, liberation, maintaining appearances, spiritual practice, the illusion liberates | Leave a comment

TSOKNYI RINPOCHE’S 2018 UK RETREAT

Posted on January 20, 2018 by tony

Bookings for Tsoknyi Rinpoche’s 2018 Easter retreat in the UK now OPEN.

The theme ‘Dreamlike Enlightenment’ – Understanding Illusion from a Dzogchen Perspective’. It will run from March 23-29.

FOR DETAILS
http://www.pundarika.uk.net/uk-easter-retreat-2018/

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

THERE’S NOTHING MORE TO SAY…

Posted on January 19, 2018 by tony

There’s Nothing More To Say…
about our ultimate nature, consciousness.
To say more would suggest that there is more; there’s isn’t!

We merely test what we hear and read, seeing if it stands to reason, and then relax in confidence. It’s easy to say, “Just relax”, but that is exactly it. Relaxing in confidence is the practice. We relax into consciousness, ultimately realising that we are that consciousness.

There is, however, much to say about being unconscious 😀 . When consciousness becomes dressed up, it turns into a religion, a philosophy, a business, a hobby. We then lose consciousness into ‘self-consciousness’, which is the very thing we are trying to transcend.

If consciousness is maintained, then religion, philosophy, business, hobbies – or any thought occurrences – are seen as mere reflections in consciousness.

Living in a daydream is losing consciousness.
Being conscious is being aware that we are living in a daydream.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged CONSCIOUSNESS, living in a daydream, Losing consciousness. | 2 Comments

IS DEATH TERMINAL?

Posted on January 16, 2018 by tony

Is Death Terminal?

Well, life is terminal.

Death going to happen, because it’s normal! It isn’t ‘normal’ to go consciously through the whole process.

There are many teachings about what might happen to us after the death of the body, but we won’t really know until that moment arrives. Perhaps ‘life’ ends, or perhaps it doesn’t: whatever view we hold about death will influence how we live now.

If death is the end, then we will believe that there are no final consequences to our actions: we have no further story.

If, however, we believe that there is life after death, then everything we do, say and think will have consequences, and the story goes on.

Living life as if there are consequences might give us a moral compass.

Something to consider …

We are each born with particular tendencies; we have certain talents, leanings, interests that we cannot explain. Some things feel natural to us, and we don’t have to try too hard. We may experience a sense of deja vu, a impression of having already lived through a situation. Some might find it easy to love, while some find it’s easy to kill. If there is reincarnation, then our rebirths are infinite, and we have a karmic connection with everyone! 😀 Until enlightenment, when karma has been totally exhausted, we will just continue to transmigrate.

Is death merely the process of chemicals breaking down, along with vague memories of associations, or is there something more happening?

The Greeks had a word for it – metempsychosis: the transmigration of the soul of a human being or animal at death into a new body of the same (or different) species. Many traditions have this concept.

We are free to choose what we believe, one way or the another. Either way, for a satisfactory life and death, it is the quality of consciousness that matters. If there is an after-death experience, then, when consciousness is released from the body, it is no longer restricted by the confines of that body. The Tibetan Book of the Dead states that consciousness is nine times greater out of the body than in it. For a conscious practitioner, it is said that they are able to choose where they go next, but non-practitioners are merely driven by karma.

If we are a spiritual practitioner, then our wish is to go where we can progress towards enlightenment. Alternatively, we may choose to return to the present situation to be of benefit to others: that is the way of a Bodhisattva.

Whatever is in our hearts right now is the blueprint for our future. All we need is to rest in consciousness with an open heart of good intentions for all, and to die in love because we know the true heart of all beings is the very same as ours – but we also know the difficulty in manifesting that love.

It is the difference between knowing our true nature and what we are doing, and not knowing our true nature or what we are doing. It is said that, at death, we will notice the senses dissolving: at that moment, we will know it is time, and it’s quite natural.

The nearest we can get to experiencing death is falling asleep, when the senses dissolve and – unfortunately – most of us fall unconscious. This is the moment of dream yoga for practitioners, where we may stay conscious and at rest. The practice is the wish to stay lucid in dreams.

Death is like exchanging an old, worn out coat for a new one :-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIKZVJeQ2IU

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged beliefs have consequences, Bodhisattva, born with tendencies, deja vu, Dream yoga, is that it?, KARMA, life after death, moral compass, the death of the body | Leave a comment

THE CONCLUSION IS GARAB DORJE’S THREE WORDS

Posted on January 15, 2018 by tony

The Conclusion Is Garab Dorje’s Three Words

“Recognise.
Resolve.
Have Confidence.”

Recognise:
the direct introduction to consciousness itself.

Resolve:
decide that there is nothing else.

Have confidence:
in liberating whatever arises within consciousness.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged confidence, direct introduction to the nature of mind, Garab Dorje, liberating whatever arises, recognise, resolve | Leave a comment

THE FINAL CONCLUSION

Posted on January 14, 2018 by tony

The Final Conclusion

We are consciousness itself. We know this truth inherently, but due to the obscuring indoctrination we’ve experienced in life, we are unable to express it, and so we cling to a partial view: the resulting diversity divides us. The grand, misleading formula that god is something separate from each of us has led to much harm in the world.

That which has been designated as god for thousands of years is actually consciousness. It’s what we are. The divine presence.

We are divided for no good reason at all. Being undivided, the world would be at perfect peace, and we would be free to chose and work our path to enlightenment without competitiveness, and with mutual support free from indoctrination.

The clarity of consciousness brings spiritual insights which take us deeper and deeper into our true nature, which is the source of insight. We are free to call that ‘god’ ‘pure open awareness’, ‘zen’, ‘rigpa’, ‘tao’ …. Clear seeing is a matter of being receptive and open-minded. Oneness is spontaneous presence of compassion; to suffer with, having a sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. Isn’t that inherent in all of us?

Theist and atheist, gnostic and agnostic – these are extreme concepts: they separated us and thus, we are at one only in ignorance and confusion. The opposite is that which enlightens our spiritual path, without boundaries.

Theists believe in god the creator. Buddhists don’t believe in god the creator. These are both limited views – and I’m speaking as a Buddhist! The more we separate, the more demonic we become.

The more we are at one, the more divine we become in profound consciousness.

We are all consciousness. We each have a body and a thinking mind. The problem arises when the mind is conditioned by diverse ideas which obscure the clarity and insight of spontaneous, inspirational presence, manifesting as divine altruistic compassion for all.

If we are rooted in the concept of my consciousness or my god, then we are the creator and ruler of our universe, and the source of all moral authority.

Pure consciousness is the principle of transcendent knowledge before the creator and ruler of the universe and precedes the source of moral authority.

We can chose to live in a universe of conditional love, which is one of partiality governed by desire and fear, or in a universe of unconditional love, which is one of impartiality and enlightened activity, passing on the light.

If you say it’s god, I’ll agree.
If you say it’s universal love, I’ll agree.
If you say it’s rigpa, I’ll agree.

There are no differences, just paths.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Awareness, compassion, extreme views, God, insight, oneness and division, Rigpa, the clarity of consciousness, there are no differences, to a, Transcendent Knowledge, zen | 1 Comment

CONSCIOUSNESS CANNOT BE TAUGHT

Posted on January 11, 2018 by tony

Consciousness Cannot Be Taught

It can only be pointed out
(that’s if it’s actually pointed out)
and then realised.
Consciousness is what we are.

Why is this naturally-occurring consciousness so dressed up and ritualised? We, as humans, are fascinated by everything, and so can be given things in order to fascinate us, which can become a fetish.
Fetish: an inanimate object worshipped for its supposed magical powers

Consciousness isn’t like that: consciousness isn’t fascinating, as anything fascinating is a distraction.

We merely have to break the habit of thinking that we don’t know enough. Of course, we don’t know all the details of those fascinating things that keep us distracted, but we do know innate knowingness, because knowingness is synonymous with consciousness.

It’s like riding a bike: once we ‘get it’, we can never not ‘get it’. We don’t have to rely on stabilisers any more. We don’t have to become monks and nuns, and keep chanting and singing, reading more books and going on long retreats, as this is merely doubting that we ‘got it’.

In fact, all that ritual starts to become a hinderance. It works against itself. We are doing something and being something! People start to become self-conscious, instead of being consciousness itself. How many people do you know who can drop everything and give you their total attention, without playing a part? How many people do you know who are conscious and awake?

Consciousness is natural. We should be natural. We can’t buy consciousness. Once we realise we are consciousness, everything else makes sense. We understand that we dwell in an unnatural world of ignorance, deception, cruelty, self-centredness, hope, fear, pride and jealousy. We also understand that, above all and at the same time, we live in love. Real consciousness is living in love, where there is no separation.

We could spent decades on spiritual paths and still wonder what it’s all about: “Where is this love?” “Who can I talk to clarify my personal condition?” “Do they actually know?” “If I had a problem with belief, why was this not accepted?” They may chant, ‘Compassion … compassion … compassion…’, but where is this compassion when it’s needed?

It’s a tricky world.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged consciousness is innate, distractions, fascination, natural intelligence, ritual is a hinderance, we are consciousness, we do know, we live in love, we should be natural, where is the love? compassion | Leave a comment

JUST EXPERIENCE AND PUT DOWN

Posted on January 10, 2018 by tony

Just Experience And Put Down

“There is nothing wrong with desire;
it’s clinging to desire that causes heart ache.”
-Milarepa

“Nothing bothers us as much as our own mind.
Others may seem to bothers us, but it is actually our own mind.”
-Ravi Shankar

“If one stays too long with friends, they will soon tire.
Living in such closeness leads to dislike and hatred.
It is but human to expect and demand too much,
when one dwells too long in companionship.”
-Milarepa

Tasting, smelling, seeing, hearing and touching are non-conceptual, neutral experiences, as no opinion is involved at the very first contact. We then determine whether an experience is either pleasant, unpleasant or neutral: as human beings, we need these faculties in order to survive.

There’s nothing wrong with the pleasant: delightful experiences in the moment are spontaneous, fresh and selfless. It is only when we linger, expect and cling, that problems arise.

Two monks were walking to town along a muddy road. They came across a young girl who couldn’t cross, due to the mud. One monk immediately picked her up and placed her down on the other side of the road. The monks walked on.

When they arrived in the town, the second monk said, “You do know that we shouldn’t have anything to do with girls, don’t you?” The first monk replied, “I put her down on the other side of the road”.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged clinging, don't dwell, expectations, just experience, lingering, pleasant experiences, spontaneous experience | Leave a comment

SOCIAL MEDIA, THE DOPAMINE HIT AND MINDFULNESS

Posted on January 9, 2018 by tony

Social Media, The Dopamine Hit And Mindfulness

Social media gives us feedback and validation … fast! It’s what we live for, and so it actually controls us. We don’t see it, because we are in it. This is demonic intent. The dopamine boost provides a sense of reward. It’s exciting, and as it’s exciting, we become hooked.

We need to be mindful of what we are actually doing, in order to be aware that something is either beneficial or harmful. This will depend on our level of awareness.

Mindfulness is the way in which we conduct our life, consciously. If we are properly instructed, mindfulness is the continuity of awareness meditation. Mindfulness is not the end product; it is the means to an end, and that end is remembering to be conscious, and that we are consciousness itself.

Social media, alcohol, drugs, smoking, sugar, porn, validation … all these give us a sense of pleasure from the chemical rush of dopamine in the the brain. This can become addictive, but the rewards are artificial as they result from external stimuli with which we identify. There is a simple, natural pleasure in the direct contact of the senses with the outside world: if we are captured by the virtual world of digital reality that provides us with that chemical rush in the same way as those other addictions, we forget the joy of simple living. The real reward is consciousness itself, resting in emptiness where there are no needs.

Meditation is resting in empty, conscious awareness, where we are in total control. When we come out of meditation, we use mindfulness in our daily activities in order to remember our own clear intelligence, rather then succumbing to the hive mentality of programmed reactions.

In this modern ‘new’ world, we have been made to be speedy – we want validation and we want it now! We feed off it – social media is a feeding frenzy, and it has brought out the demon in us.

As we progress spiritually, our capacity increases: we become more generous, tolerant, patient, disciplined, able to concentrate and ultimately realise transcendent wisdom. That is the ultimate reward, free from reliance on external stimuli.

Our capacity is due to being able to rest, not clinging to anything – even meditation. The danger of limiting ourselves only to mindfulness is that, although we may come to be more efficient, we may also become hooked by our own abilities because awareness meditation has been overlooked.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Addiction, Awareness, Dopamine, external stimuli, Meditation, mindfulness, resting in empty awareness, sense of pleasure, social media, the dopamine effect, the paramitas, we are speedy | Leave a comment

MEET THE FOOLISH

Posted on January 6, 2018 by tony

Meet The Foolish!

“I’m not suffering!”
😀

The foolish, lacking wisdom about their true nature of consciousness, cling to their fancies, falling deeper into confusion.

Acknowledging that I am the fool is the recognition of suffering, and therefore the path to liberation.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged clinging to fantasies, Confusion, I am a fool, Suffering, the foolish, the path to liberation, the recognition of suffering | Leave a comment

BEING WISE

Posted on January 6, 2018 by tony

Being Wise

“Being wise, we suffer fools gladly.”
2 Corinthians 11:19

If we claim to be wise,
we would not fall out with the foolish.
That’s if we were wise.

The way of the Bodhisattva starts by
testing, stretching, energising, realising, inspiring.
It ends in
empathy, compassion and love.

But, who are the foolish … ?

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged being wise, EMPATHY, if we were wise, Love and Compassion, the way of the Bodhisattva | Leave a comment

UNINTENTIONALLY UPSETTING PEOPLE

Posted on January 4, 2018 by tony

Unintentionally Upsetting People

My one supreme talent!

When we see life differently from others, what do we do?
We may decide, “Well, I must change”.
But change into what?
“Why can’t I just be ‘normal’?”
What’s normal?
“Should I keep apologising?”
Or should I write a blog which people don’t have to read? 😀

There are two ways of working with our human and spiritual aspects: one is to soothe the mind with incantations, and the other is to provoke it with reason. We should use both to adjust our balance, depending on our karmic trauma; who dares, wins.

Why do we get so upset, either with ourselves, or with other people?
Did we expect things to turn out a certain way, and they didn’t?
Is someone else’s script from a completely different play?
Are we feeling challenged?
Have we just made up our minds, giving rise to a sequence of events?

From “As YOU like it”, by William Shakespeare

All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. 

At first, the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms.

Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. 

And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. 

Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon’s mouth. 

And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. 

The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. 

Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

A frozen mind is stiff.
A melting mind finds its own level.

…oh dear … have I done it again? … 😀

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged being normal, feeling challenged, following our script, free, stuck, upsetting people, what is normal, what to do if we don't fit in | Leave a comment

WE LIVE IN PARALLEL REALITIES

Posted on January 3, 2018 by tony

We Live In Parallel Realities

One reality is our physical, human form of body, speech and mind, while the other is consciousness, our ethereal reality.

Ethereal: extremely delicate and light in a way that seems not to be of this world, from Greek aithēr ‘upper air’, from the base of aithein ‘burn, shine’

It’s a matter of balance. If we are too weighed down in the physical, mental state, the ethereal will appear insubstantial and imaginary – or even alien. That is our conventional reality, and the converse must also be true; from the ultimate point of view, the physical realm seems insubstantial, and imaginary – or even alien. Because we are in a human form, we need a balance to achieve a unity of these two realities.

The ethereal consciousness is one of clarity and love. The physical realm is one of desire and aversion. When we meet another, there is either love or a lack of love, which is love modified by desire or aversion.

We notice, when engaged in talking to others, that there is a wish to communicate, but at the same time, we realise that there are limitations to that communication: this illustrates the parallel realities. We can’t say how we truly feel and things are left ‘up in the air’ – in the ether 🙂 In this situation, if we’re not aware of the parallel realities, we can become frozen as dynamic harmony is missing.

Resting in ethereal reality – consciousness – there is no noise. There’s nothing to say.
When we sit together in silent meditation, isn’t the peace wonderful and … smily?

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged CONSCIOUSNESS, Ethereal realm., Meditation, We Live In Parallel Realities. | Leave a comment

WHY WE INVESTIGATE OURSELVES

Posted on January 1, 2018 by tony

Why We Investigate Ourselves

We investigate ourselves to understand ourselves. In doing so, we will understand others. And don’t we already know such a lot? 😀

Affection
Anger
Angst
Anguish
Annoyance
Anticipation
Anxiety
Apathy
Arousal
Awe
Boredom
Confidence
Contempt
Contentment
Courage
Curiosity
Depression
Desire
Despair
Disappointment
Disgust
Distrust
Ecstasy
Embarrassment
Empathy
Enthusiasm
Envy
Euphoria
Fear
Frustration
Gratitude
Grief
Guilt
Happiness
Hatred
Hope
Horror
Hostility
Humiliation
Interest
Jealousy
Joy
Loneliness
Love
Lust
Outrage
Panic
Passion
Pity
Pleasure
Pride
Rage
Regret
Remorse
Resentment
Sadness
Self-confidence
Shame
Shock
Shyness
Sorrow
Suffering
Surprise
Trust
Wonder
Worry…

Spirituality is actually psychology. Psychology is the study of the human mind and its functions that affects our behaviour. The spiritual aspect is being consciously aware of whatever takes place in the human mind and the results of that. We then realise that this consciousness never changes, while the interpretor – the mind – is always creating and changing. And then we realise that this is happening within every other sentient being … even so-called aliens!

We are all aliens – belonging to something or other – and this separates us.

Just Imagine inseparability!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwUGSYDKUxU

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Investigating ourselves. | Leave a comment

VALUING GRATITUDE

Posted on December 31, 2017 by tony

Valuing Gratitude

We appreciate everything that happens and
– especially –
everything that doesn’t happen!

Gratitude enriches life.
May our futures bring us closer together.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged appreciation, closer together, enriching life, valuing life | 4 Comments

THE DEEP ENTRAPMENT

Posted on December 30, 2017 by tony

The Deep Entrapment

We are not our true selves
because we are born into a great deception.

We are confused and distracted
because this state is acceptable to us.

The historical formula of deception
is divide and rule.

We are divided both from our true nature,
and from one another.

We prefer the entertainment of the magician’s deception and misdirection
to the realisation of consciousness.

An understanding of this great danger
speeds us towards enlightenment.

By consenting to be distracted – and therefore deceived – we agree to be confused. Acceptability is an agreement that approximates truth, and seems ‘good enough’. We come to believe that this approximation is normal because we don’t know any better.

Wanting to be admired, and fit into this deception, is merely following the rules of the prison: looking at the possibility of entrapment is not for the faint hearted.

If we have invested so much time and energy into following something in samsara (the vicious cycle of an illusory existence), then we cannot and will not think ‘outside the box’. Clinging to a favourite set of numbers for the lottery, we feel we have to continue using those, like a lucky charm. It’s a self-fulfilling trap. We’re being manipulated day after day, and unfortunately, we find this exploitation an acceptable price to pay.

We are enslaved by the power of wealth – which is a total illusion as it all dissolves at death. By pursuing wealth and power, we forget our true wealth and power, which comes from the quality of undistracted consciousness.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged divide and rule, EARTHLY DECEPTION., the realisation of consciousness | Leave a comment

SPIRITUAL PRACTICE IS TRANSFORMING ENERGY

Posted on December 28, 2017 by tony

Spiritual Practice Is Transforming Energy
from gross to subtle

By refining our energy through awareness, the right causes and conditions are created for the clarity of consciousness to shine: we become more intelligent, and eventually, enlightened. We do this by being mindful or aware of how we use our body, speech and mind, noting whether our actions expand an atmosphere, or our reactions smother it.

Through right action, we transform our life, and our world. We don’t have to be chanting mantras all the time, or sitting meditating for hours: we just need to be aware of whatever is taking place. To be conscious. Using a system or tradition does help with discipline, and acts as a reminder. Reading, or bringing to mind something that inspires us every day, is a support to lift us out of a mundane world.

If we find ourselves occupied by vacancy, we can become drowsy and live in a neutral state that’s neither beneficial nor harmful, and we end up feeling flat and lacking in energy. Learning something that isn’t mechanical enlivens us, and lights up the synapses. The human brain changes constantly throughout a person’s lifetime, and new connections are continually created, while synapses that are no longer in use degenerate.

It’s interesting that more and more children seem to be being born with exceptional abilities.

This bodes well for the future, and the end game of this dark age … so we don’t want to be left behind do we? 😀

Things are getting better, as the darkness is showing us the way.

Where there are the darkest shadows,
there is the brightest light!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged darkness shows us the way, exceptional abilities, right action, the clarity of consciousness, the importance of learning, the right conditions, transforming our lives | Leave a comment

CAN WE START AT THE BEGINNING?

Posted on December 27, 2017 by tony

Can We Start At The Beginning?
Where Science And Spirituality Meet

Energy is neither created nor destroyed.
Matter is neither created nor destroyed.

Space is neither created nor destroyed.
Time is neither created nor destroyed.

Truth is neither created nor destroyed.
Consciousness is neither created nor destroyed.

Life is consciousness.
Wisdom is the realisation of consciousness.

In the beginning, there was no beginning.
Energy changes due to causes and conditions.

Our universe is the energy of our consciousness.
The beginning is always now.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged CONSCIOUSNESS, energy, matter, SPACE, the energy of our consciousness, the realisation of consciousness, time, truth, truth is neither created not destroyed, where science and spirituality meet | Leave a comment

INSPIRATION IS BOTH MAGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL

Posted on December 26, 2017 by tony

Inspiration Is Both Magical And Psychological

Inspiration can seem magical, in the sense of seeming to come out of the blue, but it is actually a reminder of something we always knew: “Why didn’t I see that before?!”

We didn’t see that before because we were blinded by the drug of conventional programming. Dissatisfaction arises because we know there is something more than the collective ideals, and that dissatisfaction is the key. When we realise the cause and effect of the programming, we awaken, and can never truly go back into the dream. It’s sort of magical – but really, it’s all psychological.

‘Waking’ is seeing the light; now, even in dreams, there is light. There is no getting away from the light because it’s what we are – and have always been.

In the light, everything is inspirational … from goodness know where.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged dissatisfaction, inspiration, inspirational, seeing the light, waking up | 2 Comments

BLIND GOODWILL

Posted on December 25, 2017 by tony

Blind Goodwill

Trillions of dollars are spent on designing weapons
to deceive, harm, and kill people.

Blind Goodwill says,
“If those same trillions of dollars were used
to enlighten the world,
wars would not exist.”

But wars are designed to
deceive, harm and kill.
We are divided,
and so conquered.

The greatest sin is
harming, deceiving or killing
any being that has the potential of enlightenment
or union with God.

Enlightened Goodwill says,
“First, do no harm.
Tame the mind.
Do good.”

Let’s not hope that next year will be any better:
let’s do something about it.
First, tame the mind.
Do no harm.
Do good.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged do good, Do No Harm, enlightened goodwill, enlightening the world, goodwill, the greatest sin, train the mind, wars are designed | Leave a comment

CONSCIOUSNESS IS THE PROTECTOR

Posted on December 24, 2017 by tony

Consciousness Is The Protector

When we acknowledge conscious awareness – the heart of our being – we realise that conscious awareness is present before any thought of hope and fear. In other words, knowingness is already present: we innately know. We are knowingness. This knowingness is conscious awareness, the light of clarity. It is primary intelligence which guides our conscience, influencing our behaviour. If we ignore our conscience, our life can get into a muddle.

Because of personal propensities for hope and fear, we wittingly or unwittingly perpetuate a pattern of behaviour. This pattern creates our karmic residue, our bank of memories. This pattern of memories presents itself moment by moment, and is what we have to work with. It’s the filter through which we see – a dark glass – and our work is to clean away the smears in order to see clearly.

We may feel that we need protection from the ‘slings and arrows of outrageous fortune…’ and this protection comes from consciousness. Consciousness is the supreme lord, and our protector that guides us. All we have to do is look and listen, taste and smell, hear and touch, and then we know that we know. If we ignore what we know, we can find ourselves in hell.

Through conscious awareness, realised through meditation, that which is unnecessary drops away, and that which is necessary reveals itself. Conscious awareness maintains balance.

The light – or clarity – of consciousness shows us the way, and inspires us. We may regret, but what was done, was done.

Consciousness is the light, and that light is the lord.
That light is the great translator whereby the same quality is revealed in everything.

Adapted from the 23rd Psalm:

“The light is my shepherd; I lack nothing.

“The light makes me lie down in green pastures. The light leads me beside still waters.

The light restores my soul. The light guides me in the paths of righteousness for light’s sake.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for the light is with me. The light comforts me.

“The light prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies. The light anoints my head with oil. My cup runs over.

“Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the light forever.”

Interestingly, the ‘lord’ is that which gives us our daily bread, our nourishment – and what could be nourishing than the light of clarity 😀

lord: from Old English hlāford, from hlāfweard –‘bread-keeper’ – from a Germanic base.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged balance, conscious awareness, Meditation, patterns of behaviour, primary intelligence, protection, the heart of our being, the light is the lord | 1 Comment

ARE WE CREATING A WORLD OF NARCISSISTS?

Posted on December 23, 2017 by tony

Are We Creating A World Of Narcissists?

Lacking empathy

Narcissists may fail to show any interest in other people’s lives, or become bored when the conversation is not about them. This means narcissists are often bad listeners: instead of listening in conversation, they wait to speak.

Seeking admiration

Narcissists want people to gush over them, and shower them with compliments in order to fulfil their need for validation. Seeking admiration is like a drug for narcissists: if others won’t applaud them, they search for new acquaintances from whom they get the next fix.

Self-important

Narcissists have an exaggerated sense of self-importance and superiority which helps them stand out from the pack. This self-importance is fragile as they are not necessarily satisfied with themselves as a person. In fact, losses and failures may knock narcissists particularly badly as they are confronted their own vulnerability.

Status-driven

Narcissists crave leadership and control, and seek situations where they can impress others. They like being leaders, where they can dazzle and dominate without having to co-operate.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Are We Creating A World Of Narcissists?, narcissism | Leave a comment

DETACHMENT MEANS SEPARATION

Posted on December 23, 2017 by tony

Detachment Means Separation

As spiritual enthusiasts, we may have the idea that we should be detached from life. Of course, in meditative absorption, there is no identification, and so there is neither attachment nor detachment.

‘Attachment’ and ‘detachment’ are relative terms. In our daily activities, becoming attached is the cause of our bondage and suffering – but this doesn’t mean that we have to be detached.

We seem to be born with a certain script or drama – a karmic plan which may be pleasant or unpleasant, or a little of both. This script is unavoidable although, by applying mindfulness, we can reduce its intensity. If we struggle against it, we may be creating more of the same. If, on the other hand, we accept this pattern of life as our play – and so play it out – we may find life has a resolution to it.

To be detached from life and from the suffering of others could be a huge error in the process of our evolution. Love and compassion – coming from empathy – arise from the wealth of our understanding, and forms the foundation of happiness.

A lack of empathy is a downward slide into hell. This is especially important for those of us who are spiritually inclined because, if we start to take ourselves too seriously, it’s possible to succumb to spiritual materialism. In this case, the script we are writing for ourselves inadvertently gives rise to ‘spiritual narcissism’, where we lack empathy for our spiritual brothers and sisters.

Lacking empathy…
Seeking admiration…
Self important…
Driven by status…
We arrive at narcissism.

Genuine, selfless kindness cuts through this instantly.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Spiritual detachment., spiritual narcissism | Leave a comment

IS ‘PURE CONSCIOUSNESS’ TOO COMPLICATED?

Posted on December 22, 2017 by tony

Is ‘Pure Consciousness’ Too Complicated?

Does this purity feel too distant and something to be attained,
with the effect of actually putting you to sleep?

There is only consciousness.

There are times when we review how something is expressed, and a change may take place: this has happened to me recently.

The term ‘pure consciousness’ implies that there is ‘impure consciousness”: this would be inaccurate. Consciousness just is. It is present all the time, and cannot be modified or harmed. We are consciousness right now, but we are surrounded by ideas, concepts and terminologies that separate us. Consciousness can be distracted, giving the illusion of ‘impurity’. There is an illusion of darkness, but light must be present in order to designate darkness.

Just using the word ‘consciousness’ brings it home, right now. Consciousness is awareness. It is only when consciousness is aware of something other than itself, that we become distracted and forget what we are.

Traditionally, in Tibetan Buddhism, there are said to be eight or nine consciousnesses, the ninth being pure consciousness – our true nature. The eight ‘so-called’ consciousnesses are the five faculties of perception – the senses, that are neutral – and thoughts derived from memory and judgment. This has always confused me.

We see.
We are seeing.
There is only seeing.

We are conscious.
We are consciousness.
There is only consciousness.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged CONSCIOUSNESS, one consciousness | Leave a comment

AN EXAMPLE OF INTENSE QUESTIONING

Posted on December 20, 2017 by tony

An Example Of Intense Questioning
(and intense dissatisfaction)

Why are religions and spirituality so complex?
Why so many consciousnesses in Buddhism?
Why are there so many different traditions?
Why worship something outside and unseen?
Have people been misled for thousands of years?
How can all this be satisfactorily explained?

…I’ve been having a bit of intense reflection!
😀

There is a intrinsic formula that has no complexity: in order to know darkness, we must innately know light.

Suddenly, it all seemed different. It wasn’t complex any more. There aren’t many consciousnesses: traditions merely emphasise or express ‘an’ aspect. There is nothing outside and unseen, as that would be pointless. We have been misled … And these questions can all be explained!

There is only one consciousness, which is purely conscious. It is the supreme view – the Lord of views – which enlightens everything. The Lord is consciousness.

We can, if we wish, place an emphasis on either ‘The Lord’ or ‘Consciousness’, or we can see them as one. A unity.

With realisation, even if a thousand Buddhas and teachers said we were wrong, we would still know we were right because there is nothing beyond this.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged answers, complexity, conviction, one consciousness, questions, reflection, the supreme view | Leave a comment

THE LORD IS CONSCIOUSNESS

Posted on December 19, 2017 by tony

The Lord Is Consciousness

The Lord Is Consciousness
We have never been separated.

How does that make you feel?

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged the lord is consciousness, ultimate consciousness | 1 Comment

YOUR QUESTION SHOULD TEAR YOU APART

Posted on December 16, 2017 by tony

Your Question Should Tear You Apart

To get the right answer, we need to ask the right question with the right motivation, for the right conditions to be in place for the right impact to occur. If it is a casual question, the answer will have less meaning – or none at all.

Of course, we can ask general questions to form a general idea about something, but that will not produce the intense atmosphere for real change to take place. That eureka moment comes from a genuinely-felt question which been bothering us for some time. Real spiritual practice is like a ‘boot camp’ where all one’s traumas and irritations come to a head.

Teachings are not like that. They are, through necessity, general teachings. The real teaching comes from within … “Bloody hell! What is this all about? I’m confused!”

Confusion is better than conclusion:
Confusion means you are looking.

So what is ultimate truth?
The confusion means you are looking!

That is the ultimate truth.
Rather than an intellectual conclusion,
it is knowingness itself.
When we know,
we cannot be confused.

Generally, people want spiritual answers before they actually have a question: they just want to join ‘the good’. When we look around, there don’t seem to be many ‘confused’ people: but all they have done is learn answers and come to conclusions. They cannot empathise with our confusion and so, unfortunately, they lack genuine compassion. This is not to condemn anyone; we have just reach a certain point at a certain time.

Most people ask a question without knowing the depth of that question. “What is ultimate truth?” is not a casual question. The question should be tearing you apart to get the ultimate answer. Not knowing the pain of ignorance, you will not know the bliss and relief of knowingness either. Reality can only be known by consciousness – pure consciousness – rather than concluding.

Personally, I worry. I have always worried. I worry about worrying. That worrying was built on past trauma upon trauma. Worrying is suffering. Consciousness is aware that this is a product from the past. I’m worried now, but this means that looking and knowingness are taking place: Knowingness and worry are simultaneous. Until complete enlightenment, this will continue.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Spiritual questions., What's it all about?, Your Question Should Tear You Apart. | Leave a comment

QUESTIONING LEADS TO AN ANSWER

Posted on December 14, 2017 by tony

Questioning Leads To An Answer

We looked for a spiritual approach to life because we were dissatisfied with the ‘status quo ante’ – the previous state of affairs – but now we may find that the ‘status quo’ – the existing state of affairs – is also unsatisfactory. There are many approaches to realisation, and what suits one may not suit another.

We first have to admit that we are dissatisfied: dissatisfaction leads to a question, and questions lead to an answer. The first noble truth – the acknowledgment that we are suffering – doesn’t mean that that, in itself, is the end of suffering. We still have to do some work, as there are layers of limiting obscurations.

Unless we can talk about our dissatisfaction, it will remain: that dissatisfaction holds the key to our next step. Alternatively, we can ignore the dissatisfaction, believing that there’s something wrong with us and that we have to try harder when, in fact, we may need a different approach.

Others may not have questions because the path they are on suits them at this present moment, but if we do have a question, we need to talk about it. Unfortunately, there is bias in spiritual groups, and so, certain questioning is not encouraged. Questioning can get you into trouble in such a group Speaking personally, it is for this reason that I had to move from the Mahamudra approach to Dzogchen (and my life then changed completely), whereas others have moved from Dzogchen to Therevada because that suits them.

It’s uncomfortable to realise that we have to move on, and therefore let go of the status quo. Once we start asking questions that aren’t part of the group think, we become aliens

Latin: ‘alienus’ belonging to another.

The answer has always been within us. Realisation is you joining up the dots.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Being an alien., Buddha's first noble truth, spiritual dissatisfaction | Leave a comment

WHAT IS CONSCIOUSNESS?

Posted on December 13, 2017 by tony

What Is Consciousness?

Consciousness is a conundrum: it’s both
mundane – worldly
and
supramundane – above and beyond the mundane.

Many scientists believe that AI robots could soon gain consciousness. This reveals a limited view of consciousness and is a misunderstanding: it’s also a deliberate deception restricting human reasoning.

The definition of a robot is a machine resembling a human being that is able to replicate human movements, and functions automatically in regard to its surroundings. ‘Reacting to surrounding’ is mundane consciousness: it’s a perception that is only concerned with worldly events, and is useful for survival but not for realising inner peace. Robots will merely be mimicking ordinary human activity – mundane consciousness – more efficiently.

This mundane consciousness is our second nature: our first nature is much, much more.

First nature: our original nature, the source of wisdom uncontaminated by programming.
Second nature: a tendency or habit that has become a characteristic, a type (the programming).

Mundane consciousness has the ability to remember, judge and re-enact within its surroundings. This behaviour becomes so engrained that we fixate on this patterning, distracting us from our first nature of pure consciousness, original wakefulness.

The purpose of supra-mundane consciousness is to free us from mundane consciousness.

Our mundane consciousness is leading us down the garden path = deceived! We are constantly being enticed into the illusion through all forms of media, and the result is that we actually lose consciousness.

Awakening is having the ability to switch off our second nature.
Robots cannot do this!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged First nature second nature., Mundane and supra mundane consciousness., Robots., What Is Consciousness? | Leave a comment

THE INSEPARABILITY OF BUDDHISM AND GOD

Posted on December 12, 2017 by tony

The Inseparability Of Buddhism And God

It is not a matter of being aware of God;
God is the awareness.

Without awareness,
we would never know, would we?

No awareness
No God.

Inspiration and insight
come from the clarity of awareness.

True love and compassion
is not being separate from others.

It is in the very clinging to a belief, a non-belief, or a traditional system, that we create hope, fear and ignorance, and so separate ourselves. All systems are just a means to an end: the end is freedom from hope, fear, hatred, desire, pride, jealousy, ignorance. True freedom is beyond all limitation.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Belief, clarity, compassion, God, God is awareness, insight, inspiration, Love, no God, non-belief, separating us, true freedom | Leave a comment

INFORMATION OVERLOAD

Posted on December 11, 2017 by tony

Information Overload

= mental indigestion
= forgetting our essential nature
= forgetting how precious this life is
= forgetting compassion
= unable to make sense of life
= unable to see and think clearly

If there is no space to discriminate, our view will become shallow because information may not be going to the appropriate area of the brain. We need a simple methodology to think clearly.

From an article in the Guardian newspaper:

“Multitasking has been found to increase the production of the stress hormone cortisol as well as the fight-or-flight hormone adrenaline, which can overstimulate your brain and cause mental fog or scrambled thinking.

Multitasking creates a dopamine-addiction feedback loop, effectively rewarding the brain for losing focus and for constantly searching for external stimulation.

“To make matters worse, the prefrontal cortex has a novelty bias, meaning that its attention can be easily hijacked by something new – the proverbial shiny objects we use to entice infants, puppies, and kittens.

“The irony here for those of us who are trying to focus amid competing activities is clear: the very brain region we need to rely on for staying on task is easily distracted …

“Russ Poldrack, a neuroscientist at Stanford, found that learning information while multitasking causes the new information to go to the wrong part of the brain.”

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/jan/18/modern-world-bad-for-brain-daniel-j-levitin-organized-mind-information-overload

The simple methodology:

Meditation unloads and enables

= to digest information without bias
= to realise our essential nature
= to appreciate how precious life is
= to be able show compassion
= to be able to see how everything makes sense
= to be able to see and think clearly

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged digesting information, dopamine addiction, information overload, Meditation, multitasking, things make sense | Leave a comment

DOES SPIRITUALITY SEPARATE PEOPLE?

Posted on December 10, 2017 by tony

Does Spirituality Separate People?

It shouldn’t, but it does.
People are people.

If we only assume that we are spiritual, then we are in a half way house, with our mind in hell and our heart in heaven. Whether we call it purgatory or samsara, we are still governed by our primitive brain mode of flight, fight or freeze, and so we stay separated from others. We are relating to them, rather than relating with them.

Until we can debunk ourself, thus exposing our hollowness, we will take ourselves too seriously, and therefore remain detached from others. If we’re not prepared to recognise our own inflated ego, then we cannot empathise, let alone show kindness and compassion.

To get clear of confusion, we have to be clear.

Debunking ourselves is the process of purification, and it’s such a relief when we no longer have to hold on to our ideas about others’ ideas. Exposing the falseness or hollowness of our beliefs reduces our inflated reputation. We don’t have to be ‘holy’ to do this: we just have to be aware of an artificial I – the self-interested ego of artificial intelligence that we have learnt to become.

Humans are part A.I. and partial divine consciousness. We are all in the same boat of confusion. When we can recognise our confusion, then we can recognise the confusion of others…

…and then we can smile together!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Does Spirituality Separate People?, Purgatory and Samsara. | Leave a comment

WE ARE BORN MEDITATING

Posted on December 6, 2017 by tony

We Are Born Meditating
Meditation is just being aware

We are always meditating, but this goes unnoticed when we are distracted by events, actions or objects. Being aware is natural and ordinary, so meditation is natural and ordinary.

Unfortunately, through habit, we identify with appearances and fixate on them, and forgetting original awareness. There is nothing wrong with appearances; it is the clinging to appearances that causes our suffering.

Listen to a sound, now. We are aware of that sound. But are we aware of being aware of that sound? Now, we are :-D. Being aware of being aware, while not identifying with the sound, is meditation. Embroiling ourselves in appearances, we become lost, confused in a duality that is relating to manifestations – or we can just hear, and not lose inner peace.

This is apparent with all the senses, thoughts and emotions; that is detachment. There is, however, still a duality present – a twoness. I am aware that I am aware, and it is here that the secret of non-duality reveals itself.

Awareness meditation is just a means to an end. That end is enlightened vision, clear light, pure awareness, the oneness of non-duality. Breaking the meditation, we avoid identifying with ‘doing’ meditation, and that is non-meditation. In pure awareness there is no reference point, no identification, no meditation, just pure empty awareness.

Now, we can acknowledge appearances while remaining aware, as appearances arise within emptiness, pure awareness. Recognition and awareness are, in fact, inseparable, like the moon reflected in a pool.

Inseparability is non-duality – oneness not twoness – but we go through twoness to arrive at oneness.

The only times we are not meditating
are when we are distracted, or in oneness.

We come in and out of pure awareness
to communicate.

“…We should train in the discipline of taming the mind. The concentration that unites calm abiding and clear seeing – shamata and vipassana – will arise in our minds and gradually, through clear insight and the wisdom that realises selflessness, on the basis of our understanding and realisation, we will realise the ultimate stages of the path.”
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Awareness, AWARENESS OF AWARENESS, being distracted, fixating on appearances, non-duality, Non-meditation., Pure Awareness, recognition | Leave a comment

TSOKNYI RINPOCHE 2018 DZOGCHEN RETREAT UK

Posted on December 3, 2017 by tony

Tsoknyi Rinpoche 2018 Dzogchen Retreat UK

23rd – 29th March, Bruton School for Girls,
Sunny Hill, Bruton, Somerset BA10 0NT.

Topic: ‘Dreamlike Enlightenment – Understanding Illusion from a Dzogchen Perspective’.

For detail: Booking will open Saturday 20th January at 9 a.m. at which time if you go to our website www.pundarika.uk.net you’ll find the link to the booking form.

You can write to http://www.pundarika.uk.net to be put on the mailing list for future events.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Tsoknyi Rinpoche 2018 Dzogchen Retreat UK . | Leave a comment

THE EPIDEMIC OF SURVEILLANCE

Posted on December 3, 2017 by tony

The Epidemic Of Surveillance
keeps us part of the conspiracy.

The epidemic of surveillance in our society – evident through CCTV, fingerprint scanning, facial recognition, virtual money, etc – is creating a profile of each of us, and stealing our personal identity. Everything we do will require full personal identification … this is where we heading.

Being accustomed to this, we unconsciously become part of this surveillance machinery when we consent without questioning; we go along with it to ensure ‘our safety and convenience’.

Our personal profile is fixed when it’s compiled into data on a computer. Everything about us is known (or will be), and this may be used against us by anyone acquiring this information. Our tendencies are being harvested, under the guise that such information is for our benefit.

Becoming attached and reliant on digital machines, we merge into the machine. It is now controlling us as we constantly refer to it for advice. The machine has made itself indispensable; certain facilities are free for a reason.

We have forgotten to be masters of our selves, and now live within an illusion of mastery over ourselves.

So what can we do?

The point is that we can recognise that we are being manipulated, and so we need to question everything we think and do while being aware that our thoughts could be someone else’s thoughts, and that we may be playing someone else’s game. Being moulded into a consumer identity is not what we are here for.

Outer surveillance is making sure that we don’t see what’s going on!
Inner surveillance is our own pure consciousness that sees everything that is going on.
Don’t ignore it.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged The Epidemic Of Surveillance. | Leave a comment

WHY DO WE FEAR OTHERS’ SPIRITUALITY?

Posted on December 3, 2017 by tony

Why Do We Fear Others’ Spirituality?

The way that others see things may not be the way we see things. That’s okay, as we are unique in our personal path – our own confusion – but there is nothing special in our potential as we all have Buddha nature, which is an enlightened nature.

It is this uniqueness that can create fear: as a result, certain topics seem taboo, because we hold on to our path’s uniqueness when, in reality, our path is only a means to an end. The only reason that I can see for this fear is a limited view, limited empathy and limited understanding.

There are many paths of confusion, and each of us has to unravel this confusion. It seems, however, that most just want more of the same because, through experience, trauma, wounds and training, our brains have become wired a certain way. If this is the case, then it is extremely difficult to find people to really talk to as we all have different, set, neural pathways. We need the correct company in order to communicate, otherwise life could be frustrating and depressing.

Encountering the spirituality of others shouldn’t be a battleground. But let’s be honest, it is, because this area of investigation throws our own faults into the spotlight. Meeting in empathy (a ‘meeting of neurons’) – is really rare, even with spiritual teachers. If we practise – I mean, truly practise – in our conduct, then we will upgrade realisation through the expansion of space; the realisation of our potential becomes more evident – but then, there will be fewer people with whom we can communicate on that level.

Others may prefer a tight space of dogma. That’s okay. We will all gradually evolve in our own time, and through this understanding, fear drops away and we stop hoping 🙂

Most fear spirituality. This is because of the way in which spirituality is being ‘culturalised’. To deal with the here and now, when in the jungle, think jungle.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Others' spirituality. | Leave a comment

WE ARE ALL PART OF THE CONSPIRACY

Posted on December 2, 2017 by tony

We Are All Part Of The Conspiracy
Surprised?
Conspiracy: a secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful.

We are metaphysical beings, beyond physical and mental realms. We are pure conscious intelligence, beyond the control of others … or we should be! 😀 We are unique spirits of pure consciousness. Wow!

Anything that obscures this pure consciousness – whether in body, speech or mind – is harmful to this realisation. It is because pure consciousness is a natural, universal law of absolute reality, that any and all obstructions that limit this experience could be said to be ‘unlawful’.

If we choose to ignore the principle of this universal law of reality by being either attracted to limitations or crusading against them, we are involved, and therefore distracted. We become part of these limiting and restrictive boundaries, and are thus imprisoned.

To whom can you talk about this? Not many people (if any). That’s how corrupt our situation is. This conspiracy started thousands of years ago, with the biased translation – and omission – of ancient text, in order to limit people’s understanding. Certain truths were left out, and others kept secret. Why? In order to control people in subtle ways by making them react and become more confused, descending into a rabbit hole of neediness. How many just repeat, rather than coming to their own conclusions?

Words can be taken either literally or expediently, depending on our capacity to question. Words can either give rise to a belief system, or indicate direct knowingness. For example:

John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through Me.
If you had known Me, you would know My Father as well.
From now on you do know Him and have seen Him …

… In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.”

As a Dharma student, I see the truth in this statement, but there is also a seeming deception – or maybe a different level of understanding. There may also seem to be deceptions in Buddhism because there are levels of understanding: although lower levels may appear to be true, upon investigation, a more refined understanding can be realised.

John 14:6 from the perspective of the Dharma:

For ‘life’, we read ‘light’.
For ‘light of men’, we read ‘uncontaminated clarity’.
We, as human beings, have two aspects; a gross physical aspect, and a metaphysical, spiritual aspect. The first we take literally – the ‘imaginary’ self – but this same imaginary self can be taken expediently, as a means of attaining the end of the imaginary self through the realisation of pure consciousness.
‘The way’ is our confusion that has created an imaginary self.
The ‘truth and the life’ is the light of clarity that is beyond the imaginary self, and within all beings,

‘Father’ refers to our ultimate nature, realised through instruction: the realisation of this instruction is inseparable from ultimate truth. The very moment of recognising the ‘me’ to be this imaginary self is the direct realisation of that ultimate nature, free from any graven image.

The way is truth of our confusion.
The light is the recognition and realisation of this.
The moment we recognise the imaginary ‘me’ is the moment of freedom.

No waiting involved.
Heaven is right now.
🙂

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Global conspiracies., Omitted spiritual text., We Are All Part Of The Conspiracy. | Leave a comment

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