LEVELS OF UNDERSTANDING AND REALISATION

Posted on June 2, 2017 by tony

Levels Of Understanding And Realisation

All understanding may be refined, turning realisation into … pure experience.

We find the view, to lose (cease to retain) the view.
We meditate, to drop the meditation.
Our conduct, although mindful, ceases in unconditional love.

The following is from a poem by Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche:

“The Spontaneous Vajra Manifestation of Awareness and Emptiness”

… “Being covered up by words of speculation is the path of confusion.
Whatever is expressed is but a web of concepts.
May the profound instruction to be individually cognised,
which does not result from statements, be practised within our hearts!*

“In its way of being, the non-conceptual essence of dharmata
is only obscured by concepts, or spoiled by having a view and meditation.
Looking into the ordinary essence, while being free from a view and meditation,
may we spontaneously rest in the genuine nature!

“Whatever one is focused on is poison for the view.
Whatever is embraced by effort is a fault of meditation.
Whatever is adopted or abandoned is a defect of action.
May we perceive the nature, free from all shortcomings!” …

* if this verse is confusing, you may find this clearer:
“May the profound instruction – which does not result from statements –
be individually cognised, and practised within our hearts!”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged drop the meditation, finding the view, Mipham Rinpoche, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE | Leave a comment

SHORT MOMENTS, MANY TIMES

Posted on June 1, 2017 by tony

Short Moments, Many Times

Thanks to Marcel for reminding us yesterday of Tulku Urgyen’s words:

“The training in recognising mind essence is this: short moments repeated many times. There is no other way. A short duration guarantees it is actually the authentic mind essence, by itself. Repeating this recognition many times ensures that we will get used to it.”

‘Short moments, many times’ means a short, sharp shock to our system, to bring us back into the moment now, cutting through our dream state. This is especially important while engaged in spiritual practices, to keep us from either drifting off in thoughts or performing prayers, chants, meditation etcetera mechanically, just going through a routine, and hoping that it will work. It’s easily done.

If we do not remember that our practice is meant to result in resting in pure awareness, then we just fall into wishful thinking – and actually, it’s a pretence.
Practice: the actual application of a method, as opposed to theories relating to it.

Short moments many times is like a self-sharpening knife … always keen!
Keen: the mental faculty of being quick to understand. Old English ‘cene’ – wise, clever, brave, daring, bold.
Fearless in the moment now.

This moment now is preparation for the next moment now.
This life now is preparation for the next life now.
Short moments many times is simply relaxing many times – now.

How long is a moment?
That’s up to you!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged a short sharp shock, fearless, Practice, practice can be mechanical, preparation for the next moment, recognising mind essence | 2 Comments

IT’S SIMPLE, BUT NOT EASY

Posted on May 31, 2017 by tony

It’s Simple, But Not Easy

The natural essence of mind is uncreated and uncultivated, and therefore plain and simple. We don’t have to be scholars to realise this.

On the other hand, the contents of mind are a created and cultivated interpretation, and therefore complex and difficult to eliminate. Pure, empty essence has surrounded itself with a sticky mental image, calling it ‘myself’.

The nature of mind is simply pure consciousness: the pure awareness that is reading these words now. However, when we start to interpret, we begin to acquire more and more terminology, and pure experience can become complex and confused.

We have to use words, but at the same time, words – and the way in which we interpret them (or have them interpreted for us) – can hinder our direct understanding and experience.

The essence of mind – our actual being – is that which is perceiving. It is not something to be cultivated, as it is always naturally present.

We use the word ‘pure’, which is merely another term for ’empty’, but ‘pure’ can create a subtle barrier: it has connotations of something holy, and implies that we’re not good enough, right now (one could blame religion for this!).

‘Pure’ is not something in robes: rather, it is our true nature, right now! The key to understanding the word ‘pure’ is to see the essence of mind as uncultivated, plain, undecorated – and therefore raw, in the sense of ‘undisguised’.

So we could say, ‘raw consciousness’, ‘raw awareness’. We all feel a bit raw, don’t we? Using the word ‘raw’ instead of ‘pure’ could bring home the feeling of an experience, here and now, in its raw state. Rawness can be uncomfortable if we haven’t trained in recognising it.

To understand this, we need to practise in order to break down imaginary barriers such as, “I can’t understand this!” or “I don’t know what to experience!” These very observations are the raw experience itself – and cutting through these imaginary barriers is not easy, precisely because we constantly rebuild them.

We don’t have to be scholars to realise this. On the contrary, being a scavenger practitioner, we inspect everything to see if it tastes right. If, on the other hand, we are spoon-fed, this limits our diet and what we digest – and thus, we may never find satisfaction as we never realise this simple truth.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Raw Consciousness., RAW SPIRITUALITY., Spiritual scavenger practitioners. | 1 Comment

SPIRITUALITY IS HARD-NOSED REALITY

Posted on May 30, 2017 by tony

Spirituality Is Hard-Nosed Reality
which is the firm foundation for compassionate, hard-nosed reality.

Hard-nosed: realistic, determined, tough-minded, unsentimental, down-to-earth, no-nonsense,
pragmatic, clear-thinking, realistic, practical, rational, shrewd and astute.

The opposite: sentimental, superstitious: believing in lucky charms, make-believe, fantasy: making exaggerated claims.

To claim that we are ’empaths here to protect the world’ is, to say the least, wishful thinking, when not even God or the Buddha can do that. We are here to realise what we are actually are, before we can start loving: we first need to develop absolute Bodhicitta (the altruistic attitude) before we can express relative Bodhicitta, and for that, we need the right tools to work with – sharp tools!

When we know the very nature of God, the Buddha, and every sentient being, and have realised our true consciousness, then we will know that we are not separate from God-consciousness or Buddha-consciousness or absolute sentient-consciousness of every being.

We need unbreakable courage and conviction. Merely repeating rituals in a large gathering may turn out to be a huge Asch experiment (and large gatherings do imply more money …)

“The Solomon Asch conformity experiments refers to how individuals yield to or defy a majority group, and the effect of such influences on our beliefs and opinions – the “bandwagon effect”. Why did the participants conform so readily? When they were interviewed after the experiment, most of them said that they did not really believe their conforming answers, but had gone along with the group for fear of being ridiculed or thought “peculiar”. A few of them said that they really did believe the group’s answers were correct.”
https://www.simplypsychology.org/asch-conformity.html

It’s easily done! The point is that we have to know who is reliable, and who is just following the form. There is a saying, ‘Form over substance’, which means that the content or subject doesn’t matter as much as the appearance or the structure of something. In other words, it doesn’t have to make sense as long as it’s appealing and looks good.

Our spiritual practices are to enable us to acknowledge and realise our own true reality which is pure consciousness, without any extraneous and unnecessary elements or romantic notions. The spiritual experience is beyond excessive verbiage and lengthy technical explanations.

Pure consciousness is everything
we need to know.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged absolute Bodhicitta, form over substance, our true reality, Pure Consciousness., relative Bodhicitta, sentient consciousness, the altruistic attitude, the Asch experiment, what we are, wishful thinking | 2 Comments

DZOGCHEN AND THE GREAT MUD

Posted on May 29, 2017 by tony

Dzogchen And The Great Mud

The word ‘Dzogchen’ sounds pretty exotic, doesn’t it? I thought so when I first heard it … “Dzogchen!” If we look it up, we enter the world of the Tibetan Nyingma tradition.

However, all words are bombastic, inflated rhetoric, being empty of ultimate meaning.

If words are empty, then Dzogchen is the great emptiness!

Dzogchen simply means the innermost nature of mind, the perfect emptiness, the perfect purity of consciousness. The great perfection.

The word ‘Dzogchen’ sounds mysterious, and beyond our comprehension: to be infatuated by this view of Dzogchen is foolish as it puts it out of reach because there is no actual experience of Dzogchen. If we strip everything away – every idea, every image, every word – what remains? It has to be pure consciousness, pure understanding, direct comprehension. Yes? Or no?

You are Dzogchen. I am Dzogchen. Dzogchen is the innermost nature or essence of mind. It is what we are. It’s very simple. It is the Great Simplicity.

What is complex and exotic is the confusion surrounding our true nature. The Great Mud! Don’t be overawed by words. Words, ideas, images and teachings only point the way. If we cling to the words, ideas, images and teachings, the way will remain muddy. We will have become the Great Mud. The MahaMud 😀 Only experience and realisation is the truth.

The Great Mud washes off with the realisation that the confusion never ever existed. All we have to do is stop acquiring more mud. Teachings are meant to release us from confusion and suffering, rather than adding to them.

Mud adds.
Dzogchen takes away.

Dzogchen: the Great Take-Away!
😀

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Dzogchen, Dzogchen And The Great Mud. | Leave a comment

PERCEIVING THOUGHTS

Posted on May 28, 2017 by tony

Perceiving Thoughts

As with perceiving phenomena, where neither thought nor judgement is necessary (unless there is a need), so the same with thoughts in meditation. If we do have to think or reason about something, we can do that later, but in meditation, we are mind training. Mind training is training the mind not to spend our precious time in fantasy, in imagination and in worry, which results in our feeling heavier and heavier.

Enlightenment is feeling lighter than we did before. Our now is a product from our past, and that is heavy with solidified perceptions. The lighter we become – having shaken off our karmic acquisitions, our beliefs and our self-made patterning – the less solid and ‘real’ everything seems. Once we gain mastery over our perception, we see more clearly and not through a glass darkly!

Giving up unnecessary doings
gives us more time to do what is required,
and that is knowing what we truly are – pure consciousness.

Human time is running out on all of us.
The more we can relax and enjoy,
the easier the path.
Relaxing is letting go.

The world has become a heavy place,
while the earth is still full of lights, smells, tastes, touches, sounds,
which are appreciated by relaxed perception of pure being.

When we finally do shake off this heavy coat of concepts,
we will definitely feel lighter.

Everything is clearly seen by the power of light, right?

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged ENLIGHTENMENT, feeling heavier and heavier, gaining mastery over perceptions, lightening the load, Meditation, Mind training, relaxed perception, shaking off the heavy coat of concepts, the beauty of the world, the perception of phenomena, the power of light | 1 Comment

WE DO NOT THINK AS MUCH AS WE THINK WE DO!

Posted on May 27, 2017 by tony

We Do Not Think As Much As We Think We Do!

Perception isn’t thinking.

The more one realises, the more one realises. One takes a step, and the next step presents itself.

Most of the time, we humans are on auto-pilot, where we are not thinking – not using the process of considering or reasoning about something. We can do things without thinking, like tying up our shoe laces. Once learnt, the fingers just do it. It’s fascinating!

However, there are two aspects to auto-pilot. One is where we are in a sort of vacancy, a day dream, doing things by rote: mechanical or habitual repetition of something learnt. It is only when the unexpected happens that we wake up, surprised, and react – which is often still a re-enactment to type.

The other aspect is extremely important to understand. We are consciously aware of auto-pilot, and the clear state of perception remains open and non-conceptual, as memory and judgement have not yet kicked in to modify perception.

We might assume that, because we are perceiving, we are thinking. Not so. We are in natural, pure perception – pure awareness – pure consciousness. Just look around your room and see what is happening. No thought is necessary. No judgement is necessary. If we then close our eyes so as not to take in so much external information, pure perception becomes more apparent.

In thinking, we usually experience an inner dialogue – a running commentary of memory and judgement: we plug into a pointless chatter of likes and dislikes about everything. We’re not actually reasoning, but merely jumping to conclusions, based on our habitual, running programming of shoulds and shouldn’ts. We assume that these evaluations are us. I’ve met many people who believe that their acquisition of knowledge is actually ‘them’: they take pride in their accumulation of information which they feel puts them in a superior position.

Once an action is learnt, we no longer need to ‘think’ about it, do we? Walking, eating, driving, and even talking could be undertaken without thought. This could result in being mindless – and even pointless – until something unexpected happens. Equally (and a little controversially), ‘mindfulness’ could also be said to be pointless, as we are now trying too hard.

Interestingly, ‘mindfulness’ is regarded as an asset, as in mindful meditation, but this can also become a hinderance, as we interfere with a natural process. Being too mindful can make us too cautious. It is interfering with pure perception. Mindfulness meditation is meant to heighten perception in a more precise way by slowing down our reactions, but it can also interfere with the spontaneity of awareness. The purpose of mindfulness is just to remind us of nowness, whereas actual nowness is pure consciousness, where there is no ‘me’ being ‘mindful’. So mindfulness is a near miss! We are always one step behind.

For years I was worried and confused that I was thinking all the time, and couldn’t stop. But then I realised that it was only perception – rather than thinking – that was running all the time. If we are a little dull or excited, perception can turn into a running commentary of the likes and dislikes of value judgements. Confusion about what I was supposed to be seeing was overshadowing the pure perception of what was being seen. I was worried that I was missing something … which turned out to be perception itself – merely pure consciousness.

There are two ‘views’ running concurrently: one is pure consciousness (the view), and the other is modified consciousness (our view). Our view – or our programming – is generally on auto-pilot, so that we see through a glass darkly rather than clearly. It’s as if we have jaundice and see everything as yellow-tinted. There is a saying that person has “a jaundiced view”, meaning that they have a bias, a view that is prejudiced or judgment that is distorted by envy or resentment etc. The view is seeing through the glass clearly: this view runs constantly in the background and is what we actually are, as opposed to the self that is imposed on to pure perception.

The truth is that we hardly think: we live in a vague world of cliches and terminologies. We need to think clearly, we need to reason, and we need to join up our own dots. We do this by being aware. Perceive and see whether thought is present or not. Perception can recognise things, but needn’t necessarily name or value them.

If this is the case, then we are meditating more than we think! Good, eh?!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged a reminder of nowness, memory and judgment, mindful is a near miss, mindfulness, perception rather than thought, pointless chatter of likes and dislikes, Pure Consciousness., running on auto-pilot, we hardly think | Leave a comment

HOW DOES THIS SOUND?

Posted on May 26, 2017 by tony

How Does This Sound?

As ordinary human beings, we are governed and controlled by our thoughts and emotions.

Maybe we start to ask the questions; “What am I doing? Why are we here?” Is it merely to entertain ourselves, or is there something more? We may decide this is a spiritual question.

Having dismissed the wealth of entertainment, we decide to follow a spiritual path. If the path is a path like Buddhism, then we are introduced to the polluting effects of thoughts and emotions – in fact, the negative emotions are called ‘poisons’. Here, we have to be very careful about who we listen to, because we can become stuck in the idea – a programme – that emotions are bad and that we have to apply a complex system of antidotes, exchanging hatred for compassion and so forth.These antidotes never actually work as they merely hide the emotions, which will resurface.

We may find we have acquired a set of doctrines which has the effect of pulling the wool over our eyes, beguiling us into believing that we are now ‘good people’. Fortunately, there are many levels of understanding, so this acquisition of ‘goodness’ can display itself as ‘smugness’ …

Smug: having or showing an excessive pride in oneself or one’s achievements. ORIGIN mid 16th century (originally in the sense ‘neat, spruce’):
from Low German smuk: ‘pretty’.

Just because we call ourselves something or follow a path, doesn’t mean that we have changed. We have merely swapped appearances: that’s all.

If we are fortunate we may come across the pointing out instruction into the nature of mind and ‘get it’. Then change starts.

Once we genuinely know the nature of mind – unpolluted pure consciousness – then everything that occurs within that mind is seen clearly, immediately and spontaneously. This includes the so-called poisons of negative thoughts and emotions which, when seen clearly, result in wisdoms. Recognition is simultaneous with the arising of phenomena, which cannot be separated from pure consciousness itself: thoughts and emotions are an expression of pure consciousness. One reflects the other like a mirror; they cannot be separated.

Of course, we fluctuate depending on the degree of our familiarity with pure consciousness: we keep being pulled back to impure consciousness – and the desire to look ‘pretty’. 😀

While resting in pure consciousness, any expression will have the quality of pure consciousness as we refine this realisation. This expression is love in action. Pure compassion. Pure empathy.

How does that sound?

We need to practise moving in and out of pure consciousness to see the difference: take an situation or person you really do hate, and push this idea as far as you can: “Grrrrrrr! Grrrr! Grr! G … ”? The feelings become pointless and evaporate. It’s a fantasy. One has been drawn into impure consciousness, and at the moment of recognition, one is released. All the while, pure consciousness watches on. The “Grrrr” no longer has effect, and we go straight from “Gr …” to “Aha!” When these emotions arise – as they will do – there is a recognition of the difference between impure consciousness and pure consciousness.

Who said that we shouldn’t have thoughts or emotions? It is interesting that the emotions are introduced as ‘poisons’ … Psssst! Be very careful who you listen to!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged emotions are wisdoms, feeling smug, impure consciousness, love in action, negative thoughts and emotions, our compassion, Pure Consciousness., the problem with applying antidotes, who am I? Why am I here? | Leave a comment

NATURAL MEANINGFUL MUDRAS

Posted on May 25, 2017 by tony

Natural Meaningful Mudra

“A mudra (Sanskrit मुद्रा, “seal”, “mark”, or “gesture”; Tibetan: ཕྱག་རྒྱ་) is a symbolic or ritual gesture in Hinduism and Buddhism: it is a spiritual gesture and an energetic seal of authenticity employed in the iconography and spiritual practice of Indian religions.

“One hundred and eight mudras are used in regular Tantric rituals.

“In yoga, mudras are used in conjunction with pranayama (yogic breathing exercises), generally while seated in Padmasana, Sukhasanaor Vajrasana pose, to stimulate different parts of the body involved with breathing and to affect the flow of prana in the body.”

However, we don’t walk around doing mudras, do we?
Or do we? …

The whole point of spiritual association is that it’s got to work,
and we have to see it working.

There is a mudra that says it all;
it is natural to all of us,
and usually comes and is returned with a smile.
We all understand it without questioning the motivation,
or expecting anything in return,
and we fall in love for a moment.

The ‘gesture of fearlessness’ represents
protection, peace, benevolence and the dispelling of fear.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged dispelling of fear, mudras, NATURAL MUDRA., spiritual association, understanding gestures | Leave a comment

MEDITATION IS LIBERATION FROM OUR SELF

Posted on May 24, 2017 by tony

“Meditation Is Liberation From Our Self”
– Choskyi Gyatso Zopa

Q. Does it matter who the author is?
Q. Is a name more important than the message?

If the name is more important, then we misplace our powers of reasoning.
If the message is more important, then we use our powers of reasoning.

Who is Choskyi Gyatso Zopa?
Some old windbag.

🙂

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged does it matter who said it?, does the name matter?, name or message?, powers of reason | 4 Comments

THE ‘MANY-GO-ROUND’

Posted on May 23, 2017 by tony

The ‘Many-Go-Round’
Are there many teachings, or only one?

There are many, many teachings, with long mystical names, but in essence it is all about one, and that is pure consciousness. It is pure consciousness that has many expressions.

This is exactly the same with sentient beings. We are all pure consciousness, but express in unique ways.

If we think it’s complicated, we will go around in circles, chasing one teaching after another.

If we realise the simplicity of pure consciousness, we will remain in the centre, watching the many-go-round.

There are no new teachings. There are no extra-special teachings.
Ultimately, everything is known due to pure consciousness. If we insist on collecting the many, we will destroy experience and realisation.

Religion … spirituality … the Dharma … can only be destroyed from within.
There are many paths to oneness; some paths are straight and some, bendy!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged complexity, many paths to oneness, no extra-special teachings, no new teachings, Pure Consciousness., so many teachings, unique expression | 4 Comments

BEGUILED BY STILLNESS AND BY OCCURRENCES

Posted on May 22, 2017 by tony

Beguiled* By Stillness And By Occurrences

Meditators can be blinded by stillness.
Ordinary people are blinded by occurrences.
In both cases, we become stuck and fixated.

When lost in stillness, we become meditation gods.
When lost in occurrences, we become devils.

Meditation gods: we think we have achieved the highest.
Devils: we think we can do anything without consequences.

Awareness of these two states is what is meant by being “not too tight or not too loose.”
Remain relaxed but aware, neither excited nor dull.
This actually also describes the old, pre-industrial world and the modern, industrial world.

Spiritual Teachings For Different Cultures:
the right teaching for the right time
There was – and is – a great difference in the energies of the old, pre-industrial world and the modern, industrial one. Spiritual teachings came broadly from the east, the old world: in the old world, everything can be done tomorrow … and ‘tomorrow’ can mean next week or next month. There is no rush. It’s a relaxed – very relaxed – way of life … “Why bother?” Spiritually, students there needed more energy and more consciousness, so teachings were – and are – designed to produce more vigour and focus.

However, in the west – or the modern world – we are full of energy and consciousness, and if given the same teachings and practices as the old world, we just go up the wall! 😀 We are already alert and conscious enough. What we need is relaxation, and to calm down. No need to have it done yesterday.

This is why, for today’s world, Dzogchen teachings of resting in spontaneous recognition of the nature of mind are so apt. This way of mind training is preferable to years of sitting, strictly watching the breath and chanting mantras. We just need the precision to remember.

Of course, if we are too exhausted because of our modern life and find we have no energy – “Why bother?” – then the old, traditional way is beneficial.

But all this is up to you. To balance what is too tight and what is too loose is your choice. Just be aware whether you are following a teaching that is actually below your capacity, where you find yourself becoming bored, while constantly feeling that you are not good enough. Conversely, you may find yourself in teachings that are too advanced, and the same thing will happen. You are then suffering.

There comes a time when, instead of having to follow the Buddha’s teaching, we become the Buddha’s teaching, spontaneous and natural. We know where to go to find the answer.

Detached from these two extremes of consciousness of stillness and occurence, pure consciousness abides.

*Beguiled:charmed, attracted, enchanted, entranced, bewitched, spellbound, dazzled, blinded, hypnotised, seduced, lured, enticed, entrapped; deceived, mislead,

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged becoming the Buddha's teaching, Dzogchen, energies, Mind training, relaxation, the old world and the new world, the two extremes of stillness and occurence, vigour | Leave a comment

WHO PERSEVERES, ACCOMPLISHES

Posted on May 21, 2017 by tony

Who Perseveres, Accomplishes
in the face of adversity.

As truth-seeker house-holders, we have to be skilful in our endeavour to understand our true reality. Friends and relatives who are not so inclined will find this difficult to deal with. When we decide to change our view of life while others haven’t, they will see something that makes them feel uncomfortable, and even hostile.

If we try to explain how we feel, and our understanding is incomplete, we will be vulnerable to criticism. This criticism can be very subtle: we sense a slight backing off by others, as this type of enquiry makes them feel uneasy. It’s to be expected – but at the same time, there will be a recognition in them, and that is what is making them feel uncomfortable. When we are used toh darkness, light can seem a bit blinding. Understanding this is compassion.

So we need skilful perseverance to accomplish our aim. That aim is to understand and realise how the mind works. We talk about compassion, but compassion is challenging in adverse circumstances. The deeper we go, the more we pick up on subtle hostilities.

We just want to love – but maybe we are a bit too enthusiastic, when others are not ready for it 😀 Put it this way, we try too hard! And we might get the reaction, “Oh! You think you are better than the rest of us!” That is merely a defensive ego talking. Ego is just awareness clinging to ideas it has acquired – we’ve all been there, and done that. Recognising and understanding that is the point of compassion. People need time; we needed time to adjust to real knowledge. We didn’t ‘get it’ straight away, did we?

Once we decide that there is real truth, then that is not the time to wobble! How can we help others unless we stand firm in our conviction, and maintain the courage of confidence? People are going astray all over the place because there are not many around them who show strength in their realisation and conduct. Of course, we’re still open to positive advice, as we are not yet fully enlightened.

Genuine, silent compassion opens up the atmosphere. This is not a ‘wet’ attitude; it is vajra – the unbreakable, diamond path. The path of a Bodhisattva.

The 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 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 butter made from churning the milk of the Dharma.

The great happiness for those travellers wandering the path of samara
searching for objects 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.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged accomplishing our aim, choosing a different path, making people uneasy, sinful perseverance, subtle hostilities, the bodhisattva vow, we want to love, you're better than me | Leave a comment

THE POINTING OUT INSTRUCTION

Posted on May 20, 2017 by tony

The Pointing Out Instruction
The pointing out of the essence of being.

It’s obvious … when pointed out.
It’s quite ordinary, having no special or distinctive features.
It’s normal, and yet ignored at every moment, while ever-present.

We all have perception, so we perceive. That perceiving is awareness.
We all have awareness: the point to observe is that ‘we have’ something. We create a duality.

What is we? What am I?
We don’t usually stop to ask this question as we are too busy perceiving, and identifying with appearances that give us pleasure or pain.

What is it that is aware or conscious?
Now, we can come to the point.

When all activity stops and we (this body and mind identification) become motionless, awareness finds nothing but awareness. No thing but consciousness. That is it. We are motionless consciousness, pure consciousness. That is it. In that moment of realisation, there is no me, no ‘I am’.

To think, ‘I am’, takes time, and removes us from the timeless moment now. Pure consciousness has gone into the reflection.

Now, to function as a human being, we have to oscillate in and out of pure consciousness.
Oscillate: vary in magnitude or position in a regular manner about a central point.

Depending on our personality and tendencies – our set point of unique characteristics of expression – pure consciousness, as an inner core, moves out to appearances, reacts and returns. The density of the impure sheath – which is illusory – around our inner core will determine the magnitude or position we take, dictating our bias or the degree to which we react. The word ‘regular’ is a changeable set point for every individual; this refers to our tendencies – some days are good while others are bad, but pure consciousness is ever-present. Spiritually speaking, we only come out of pure consciousness to love, and then return to pure consciousness. This happens very quickly and it’s natural: to function, we need a little i.

Our only problem is forgetting our central point: our inner core of pure consciousness. As a result, we swing out of control in all directions, like a magnet attracted and repelled by everything around it.

The essence of being is being normal.
When the essence of being attaches itself to something other, this is abnormal.
Abnormal: Latin abnormis – ‘monstrous’ 😀

If this doesn’t make sense, then be happy with your own understanding because we all express uniquely.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged functioning as a human, Love, our inner core of pure consciousness, our set point, unique expression | 1 Comment

INTELLECT, A GOOD HEART AND COURAGE

Posted on May 19, 2017 by tony

Intellect, A Good Heart and Courage

We need these three qualities to face adversity.

The clarity of intellect.
The clarity of a good heart.
The clarity of knowing what is right.

The realisation of these results in the clarity of perseverance.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged a good heart, clarity, courage, intellect, perseverance | 1 Comment

WHAT IS COMPASSION?

Posted on May 19, 2017 by tony

What Is Compassion?

Compassion is having the ability to empathise, to understand how another is feeling – and why – because we have been there and done that. We have all made mistakes in the past because we are all mistaken about our reality. We believed – and still do – that our status, our standing in society, will make us happy, and we want to be recognised for our cleverness. We’ve all been there and done that.

A good heart knows that this is not the complete picture. True compassion knows that we all have the absolute potential of knowing our absolute reality, beyond deluded cleverness. We need compassion for the deluded! I am deluded!

Compassion is allowing the space of intelligence and a good heart to gain the courage to see. To see what? To see how we operate and what drives us. In recognising this, we begin to open up: it’s uncomfortable and we feel guilty, but we start to breath in fresh air!

Which of us is without fault?

We need compassion for our past actions and regret for having wasted time, and so, when we see others engaged in such activity, we know how it feels if we are honest – and so, we can empathise. We’ve been there and done that – and we ask ourselves if we are still doing it. If we’re criticising, then we are still caught up in our social standing.

Accepting someone ‘warts and all’* – now that’s unconditional love. If we can accept ourselves ‘warts and all’, then we have the perfect qualities required to be compassionate.

*This phrase is said to derive from Oliver Cromwell’s instructions to the painter Sir Peter Lely, when commissioning a portrait: “Paint me as I am, warts and all!”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged a good heart, compassion, our absolute potential, recognising what drives us, status, warts and all | Leave a comment

ARE CHRISTIANITY AND BUDDHISM COMPATIBLE?

Posted on May 18, 2017 by tony

Are Christianity And Buddhism Compatible?
Certainly, if one widens the circle of understanding.
Compatible: Latin compatibilis, from compati – ‘suffer with’.

Put it this way; we are all human.
All humans have both awareness and beliefs, and they suffer.

To have a belief, we have to be aware that we have a belief.
To have awareness, we have to believe that the practices we do will be of benefit.

To simplify: Christianity (or theism) is based on belief, and Buddhism is based on awareness or consciousness.

The problem is that if we narrow our circle of understanding, we may become a little tight. And if we widen our understanding too much, we might think anything goes.

If we feel that we are drowning, we will panic and grasp at anything.
If we learn to swim, we can then play in the water.
If we aren’t taught to swim, we will always have to be reliant upon something to keep us afloat, and we will hold that dear to us, and may even worship it.
If we are taught to swim, and feel confident and free in the water, we will be grateful to our teacher because now we can teach others to experience that same confidence, being free of all dependencies.
Remember: “Not too tight and not too loose.”

Spiritual texts are open to interpretation. The wider our understanding, the more we can accommodate, and the more we can be compassionate. Understanding comes from empirical, verifiable experience, rather than theories.

If we believe without proof, we will always feel vulnerable – and a little touchy.
Any expression of annoyance is an expression of hell.
If we are aware of pure awareness, pure consciousness, we will never feel vulnerable or touchy. Any expression will be an expression of love.

Heaven is the purity of consciousness.
Hell is the impurity of consciousness.
Heaven and hell are right here, now.
One is real, whereas the other is an illusion.
What else can they be?

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged an expression of heaven, an expression of hell, confidence, empirical understanding, Heaven and Hell, our circle of understanding, Pure Awareness, purity of consciousness | Leave a comment

“I DON’T LIKE MY TEACHER OR TEACHERS”

Posted on May 17, 2017 by tony

“I Don’t Like My Teacher or Teachers”
It happens.

Actually, this feeling has its positive side, if we look closely enough. The ‘teacher’ has created a reaction in us. This is not intentional: it’s part of a process of relating to our own minds. At first, the teacher is very dear to us, but then we start to see flaws. The teacher is only a sort of catalyst.

Catalyst: something that increases the rate of reaction – emotions are like that.

In Buddhism, we are supposed to see the teacher as the Buddha. Some take to this easily, whereas some don’t. In the beginning, we try, and then it feels fake, and this makes our feelings even worse. It’s not easy adopting another’s culture.

Perhaps we feel that the teacher is not giving us enough attention, or we don’t like certain aspects of religious display. Perhaps we feel that the other students or disciples fawn too much.

Fawn: given to servile display of exaggerated flattery or affection, typically in order to gain favour. It happens.

Anyway, what is happening is that we are seeing how our mind works. It’s a good thing! The teacher, after all, is only preparing us for ‘life itself as the teacher’ … or they should be. Of course, a teacher or guru has an organisation around them, so that the system is available for newcomers: this can seem to get out of hand, and appear to be all about revenue. It happens.

There is no need to become upset and turn off. Anger is mirror-like wisdom. All the negative emotions have a wisdom aspect: something is seen and there is a reaction. It is the very first moment of seeing – of awareness, of consciousness – that is the point. The reaction and recognition are simultaneous. This is the meaning of the unity of the two truths of relative reality and absolute reality.

The inner teacher has confidence in the outer teacher – the symbolic teacher of life – and that is how compassion arise. We have grown up. It happens!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Anger is mirror-like wisdom., “I Don't Like My Teacher or Teachers”, Buddha, BUDDHISM, The Inner teacher | 1 Comment

HOW MANY PEOPLE NEVER KNOW?

Posted on May 16, 2017 by tony

How Many People Never ‘Know’?

How many people live their lives, die, and never know their true nature? 1 Billion? 2 Billion? 7 and a half billion? 7 and a half billion is the number of inhabitants on Earth to date. How many never get an answer to their question, “What’s it all about?”? Not getting an answer, they just live and die without knowing.

Seven and a half billion is the number of people on earth just now: over the lifespan of Earth, the total number could be 100 billion (?) humans not knowing their true nature.

This is why the Buddha’s teachings are so precious.
But how many people actually practise those teachings?
They are said to be as rare as a blind turtle coming up from the ocean floor once every hundred years, and putting its head through a ring on the surface!

We may read or attend teachings, but we do not know the truth of these teachings until we have investigated, understood, experienced and realised them for ourselves. Until we sit quietly and reflect, and recognise that the reflection is empty and that which is recognising is also empty, we will never understand. A genuine teacher shows us the way, and then we see if this is true or not; only then do we know. From here, the teachings can be refined from knowing to knowingness, where pure consciousness resides in itself, unmodified by concepts.

To be interested in and actually practise the teachings is something pretty rare and special. All humans have this potential, but how many have access to and can hear these teachings, and recognise them?

Now, think of how many creatures there are in the world. All creatures are sentient – having a mind – and if there is mind, then there is Buddha nature, an enlightened nature, but they cannot hear or practise the Dharma.

If reincarnation is correct, then we have been every creature that ever existed in the universe, and every creature has been our mother. Now, finally, we have attained a precious human form. Wow! That’s how rare and invaluable human life is. And that is considering only this Earth within an infinite universe …

To ‘know’ is to have come a long way;
this can now be transformed
into knowingness itself, pure consciousness.

If we waste this opportunity,
good karma can easily turn into bad karma.

“How far is it to enlightenment?”
When we are morally and spiritually excellent (which, incidently, is the definition of being holy), resting constantly in pure consciousness, then we have probably arrived.

Who needs a space-ship
when we have arrived at emptiness-ship?
😀

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged knowing and knowingness, knowing our true nature, Pure Consciousness., the preciousness of human life | Leave a comment

IGNORANCE IS INTENTIONAL

Posted on May 15, 2017 by tony

Ignorance Is Intentional

It is interesting (and, in fact, obvious when one thinks about it), that ‘ignorance’ comes from the word ‘ignore’: to ignore, to refuse to take notice of or acknowledge. To disregard intentionally.

This means that we have to know something in order to ignore it. We may claim not to know, but this is due to the deeply engrained habit of ignoring, and so we seem to forget. When ‘it’ is pointed out, we re-cognise – we re-know – we remember. That which is being pointed out is nothing new. That which is being pointed out is what we already know, but had forgotten to notice because we have been otherwise occupied. What is it that’s being pointed out? It is our very own awareness, consciousness itself. And that consciousness, when investigated, is pure: it is neither polluted nor poisoned by false ideas of self.

When we feel embarrassed, we are ‘self’ conscious. This embarrassed ‘self’ is a false self-image – an idea we hold about ourselves which is not entirely accurate – and we know it. Actually, it is an arrogant, puffed-up image, and for this reason, we lack confidence and become aggressive, annoyed and angry because we feel vulnerable. This state of mind has become normal for humanity at this time.

There are two other powers at work: wisdom and evil are eternal influences on humanity.

Wisdom makes us feel effective; able to accomplish.
Evil makes us feel ineffective.
Ignorance makes us feel, “Why bother? It doesn’t matter.”

Wisdom uncovers consciousness.
Evil covers up consciousness.
Ignorance is pulling the covers over our own head because we feel ineffective, and thus we become inattentive.

These are the three states in our world – the good, the bad and the trivial – and we can easily see how the majority exists, who the manipulators are … and who the detectives are!

Wisdom and evil are at work in the universe: both understand the tendencies of humanity. One wants to enlighten humanity so that it can see its own wisdom, while the other wants to abuse and exploit humanity to enslave it.

One points out consciousness directly, and the other wishes to obscure consciousness constantly.

We may find wisdom annoying as it entails effort on our part, whereas evil can appear alluring and comforting – but ignorance is not bliss!

Unfortunately, this knowledge may not register: it may not have any effect because of our being in a trance of deep forgetting and strong clinging. We may feel angry about this being pointed out, but that anger is light.

We just need time to remember. We remember by taking time to meditate and realise our true nature.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Ignorance Is Intentional., OUR TRUE NATURE, WISDOM. EVIL. | 1 Comment

SATANIC EVIL KILLS THE INNOCENT

Posted on May 13, 2017 by tony

Satanic Evil Kills The Innocent

Satanic evil
kills millions of innocent people through wars.

Satanic evil
has the potential to kill billions of innocent people through nuclear war.

It doesn’t matter what people say,
it is the outcome that matters.

Wars kill people.

The question is, who sets them up?
The ones with the opulent bunkers?

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Satanic Evil Kills The Innocent. | Leave a comment

WHY ARE ‘RELIGIOUS’ PEOPLE SO CRAP AT COMPASSION?

Posted on May 13, 2017 by tony

Why Are ‘Religious’ People So Crap At Compassion?

Of course, we have compassion for poor, indigenous people in far away places, but we are ‘hell beings’ to one another.

Is this because of an idea about karma’s will? Or God’s will?
Have we become so indulgent with our own emotions that we label others?
Is religion destroying itself?
Is the ability to realise our true nature therefore being denied?

The genuine teachings on our true nature and the obstacles to realising that true nature stand firm. But have they been over-analysed? Is this why we have become cold, and cannot truly love or actually be compassionate? Are we being turned into hypocrites?

If love and compassion stay at a relative, conventional level, then love and compassion just go round in circles, loving and hating. We live in a duality; we divide constantly.

Ultimately, in the spirit of ‘one-taste’, there are no demons or gods. ‘One-taste’ is the pure perception before judgements, before we decide good or bad, friend or foe.

The Buddha said, “Not too tight and not too loose.” Jesus said, “Judge not, that you be not judged.” But discernment still has to take place, because we are aware! ‘One-taste’, even though pure, first determines its own motivation. Then, skilfully and depending on our capacity, it adjusts to the situation. At this moment, our capacity is coloured by the Kali Yuga – the age of strife.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Why Are 'Religious' People So Crap At Compassion? | Leave a comment

WE ARE NEVER SEPARATED

Posted on May 12, 2017 by tony

We Are Never Separated

When the mind is calm, it is never separated from
emptiness and the clarity of awareness.

When the mind is moving, it is never separated from
emptiness and the clarity of awareness.

When the mind is dull, it is never separated from
emptiness and the clarity of awareness.

When the mind is excited, it is never separated from
emptiness and the clarity of awareness.

When the mind desires, it is never separated from
emptiness and the clarity of awareness.

When the mind fears, it is never separated from
emptiness and the clarity of awareness.

When the mind feels guilty for not understanding emptiness and awareness,
it is never separated from emptiness and the clarity of awareness 🙂

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged emptiness and clarity of awareness | 2 Comments

WHAT’S SO IMPORTANT ABOUT EMPTINESS?

Posted on May 11, 2017 by tony

What’s So Important About Emptiness?

It’s not the word ’emptiness’ that is important: it’s what it means in a spiritual context. The true nature of mind, our essential nature, our primordial nature, our first nature is pure and devoid of contaminating thoughts and emotions. It is pure intelligence and, being unconditional, it manifests as love.

It is our inner longing just to be happy. Don’t we care about everything we do? Recognising this, we realise that it is the same for everyone, but is unclear. Understanding this, we realise that there are two paths: one is to help others realise their true nature which is love, and the other is to take advantage of those unclear minds.

Thoughts and concepts that we hold about ourself – who we think we are – creates a defence mechanism of emotions that regulate and limit, dominate and rule, our entire lives. In fact, when we look at it, this created persona is artificial, an imitation, an ‘artificial intelligence’ and not the real thing. It is artificial because our mind has been programmed. We can blame others for this programming, but it is we who consented to this duplicity, a devious two-faced deception. 😀 The mind chatters, and we follow, making us slaves to occupying forces!

Emptiness is freedom from all this mess. Thoughts and emotions are empty of any true existence. They are a fabrication in the emptiness of mind, and only feel real because we have identified with the film, the movie that produces many sequels. 😀 A film is made up of moment by moment frames that seem real and appear to move, and so we believe.

Thought are empty and the nature of mind is empty. When we realise this, we will never be controlled by concepts again. And the supreme news is that now, when thoughts arise, they are simultaneously recognised as the nature of mind.

The truth is that we are free, and have always been free, but we are living in a world of a fantasy comic strip with evil villains who can’t get enough wealth, evil globalists who can’t get enough power, and populations who consent to being led and organised.

Knowing emptiness will not stop this madness, but we will no longer become entangled.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged artificial persona, defensive emotions, pure intelligence, the chattering mind, the nature of mind is empty, thoughts and empty, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, we long to be happy | 1 Comment

WANDERING PRACTITIONERS

Posted on May 10, 2017 by tony

Wandering Practitioners

These are spiritual practitioners who give up everything and go out into the world to meditate, accepting whatever comes their way: heat/cold, food/no food, cave/doorway… they trust whatever arises, and rely on what people give them. It is the practice of simplicity, one pointedness, one taste and non meditation. They have to trust in their karma, awareness, good merit (good attitude) and blessings. A blessing is hard to define: perhaps it’s a guardian angel, perhaps it’s synchronicity, or perhaps it’s a smiling universe – a reflection of their own motivation?

Well, as householders, we can do exactly the same. We have to accept problems that arise – there’s always something or someone who needs attention – and hope that the universe is smiling! There may be help available – often from unusual sources – if we’re open to it. We, too, wander around, but for a lifetime, and are grateful for any help … especially when the tap starts to leak ;D You worry, and then you meet someone who knows what to do. You go to the shop but they don’t have o-rings; they just want to sell you a new tap. So you worry. Finally, you find a small shop with a man who explains everything. But then, you can’t find the right type of screwdriver, and you can’t access the screw behind the tap because you need a Z-shaped screwdriver, and the backboard is in the way. Having removed the backboard and replaced the o-ring, you then discover a mouse hole. But you’ve heard about expanding foam: never having experienced this substance before, you suddenly realise why it’s called expanding! Shocked and panicking, you whip the nozzle away from the mouse hole, only to find expanding foam spraying the vicinity – and just to ensure an efficient mess, you walk in it, leaving a trail … You just genuinely experienced expanding foam … and it’s a metaphor for life 😀

Can a wandering practitioner help you with expanding foam? No. But you can help them. You can become their guardian angel. That how the universe works – the smiling universe of guardian angels everywhere. We all gain blessings by accepting karma, being aware, and acquiring merit or synchronicity by having a good attitude. Then it is we who can be of benefit to others. That is how merit works!

Renunciation is not clinging to experiences. We don’t all have to become monks and nuns. The raw experience of life, of emotions, of upsets, is inseparable from wisdom and enlightenment. The true Dharma is life itself: life is our ultimate teacher. In the first instant of raw emotions, the essence of mind is bright! That brightness is the clarity of light. When we gain total confidence, that clarity of light becomes enlightenment.

Until then we all wander … 😀 … we are all wandering practitioners.
There comes a time when all beings appear to be practitioners at some level.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged accepting karma, being of benefit, Blessings, guardian angels, having a good attitude, help is always there, householder practitioners, life is our real teacher, Trust | 2 Comments

SELF-EXISTING AWARENESS

Posted on May 9, 2017 by tony

Self-Existing Awareness

It’s just there.
‘It’ is what we are.
We don’t have to do anything.

We meditate to arrive at the realisation of self-existing awareness, and rest there. When self-existing awareness is realised, stop ‘meditating’, as meditation then becomes a hinderance. At the point of recognition, stop meditating: we meditate when we forget, and drift off.

It’s like rowing in a boat to the shore: having arrived, we keep rowing as if this is going to produce something more – whereas, in reality, there is longer any point. We only meditate when we forget … and drift off!

Can you see how simple this is? And therein lies the only problem – it’s so simple. Self-existing awareness or consciousness is natural. It is non-duality, a singularity. It is simply resting in infinite awareness in whatever occurs, without judgements or expectations. We can be sitting, walking, typing, wiping our bum, and it’s just there. And ‘it’ is what we are! Where else are we?

So what keeps going wrong?

If we look at everything created, and how things came to be, it is all to do with relationships. The creative principle of everything – the basic formula – is relationship. Samsara is about relationships between this and that, to which we relate: that is why we use the term ‘relative truth’.

Ignorance came about because self-existing awareness found a relationship with appearances, and desire manifested, obscuring self-existing awareness. Self-existing awareness is empty of relationships: it is not occupied, and is at perfect peace. Once we start manifesting, life becomes more and more complex, and we develop more and more expectations. It is expectations that weigh us down.

Self-existing awareness clears away the darkness of ignorance. If we keep meditating once we have realised self-existing awareness, then we are creating ignorance. The light has just gone out because we are still trying to do something … waving our paddles around!

If it is not clearly explained that the darkness of ignorance is cleared by the recognition of self-existing awareness, then we are kept lingering and longing for something inconceivable that is just out of reach, and we are always feeling that we are not good enough. Sound familiar? Sounds fishy!

The whole principle of spirituality is being ordinary and natural. The word ‘ordinary’ comes from the word order; orderly, the natural quality of the highest order. All we need to be is methodical in our approach.

If we are looking for something extra special – levitation, or ‘awakening’ chakras and kundalini for the purpose of reaching spiritual enlightenment and achieving a range of supernormal powers – then we could be waiting a very long time … while still waving our paddles around! (Incidentally, to the ancient masters, spiritual siddhis are considered to be toys, and can be an obscuration in themselves).

Be orderly. Be whole. Be at one.
Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.
Better the obscurations you recognise than the obscurations that could be fantasies.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged at the point of recognition, being methodical and orderly, dispelling the darkness of ignorance, drop the meditation, feeling we're not good enough, meditate when you forget, samsara is about relationships, simplicity of awareness | 4 Comments

LIVE AND LET LIVE

Posted on May 8, 2017 by tony

LIVE AND LET LIVE
Live your life, and let others live theirs.

It all depends on what we choose as the most important reason for our existence – our raison d’etre. That’s if we can reason … !

Theism:
“Belief in the existence of a god or gods, specifically of a creator who intervenes in the universe.”

Atheism:
“Disbelief in the existence of a deity or deities that create, therefore god does not exist and nature self creates.”

Buddhism:
“Has no god, but some traditions use the compassionate qualities of deities to express our true nature which is pure consciousness, and our karma is our creator.”

Theism:
At birth, everyone is an atheist.

Atheism:
We don’t have to have a religion to be a ‘religious’ extremist.

Buddhism:
Confusion is wisdom.

Is that reasonable?
😀

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged are are atheists, confusion is wisdom, our reason for living, raison d'être, theism atheism buddhism | Leave a comment

LIGHT IN THE DARK AND DARK IN THE LIGHT

Posted on May 7, 2017 by tony

Light In The Dark and Dark In The Light

What is light for some is dark for others.
What is dark for some is light for others.

This isn’t just playing with words; we’re talking about levels of understanding.

In the first case – what is light for some is dark for others – we don’t want to be reminded that we have real potential for more clarity: negative feelings both arise and are created when we are reminded, as we now have to make some effort. Incidentally, there is recognition in this situation, but it is quickly covered up.

In the second case – what is dark for some is light for others – those very same dark, negative feelings are revealed as the wisdom of clear light where no effort is needed by the very fact that these negative feelings remind us, and therefore recognition has taken place spontaneously.

If we pretend to be pure – fake it – this only results in pious feelings, where we are constantly embarrassed and self conscious: this has a negative effect on us. We just have to be honest with ourselves. Take, for example, the feeling “I don’t like that person!”: here, there is ‘something’ we have seen that gives rise to hatred, or darkness. That ‘something’ is not the point: it is the seeing that is the point. That is the light. In the very first instant, something wonky (not straight) is perceived. It’s a fact – there is a disturbance in emptiness 😀

But, apparently without us noticing, judgement has set in, and we are reacting. We do actually notice, which is why we feel uncomfortable, and try to conceal or disguise by creating a facade: it’s a defence mechanism. We all protect ourselves like this, and that’s how we got here!

Everyone sees things differently, but the actual seeing, awareness, consciousness is the same in all of us. It is the interpretation and judgement that are different and personal, and this is how we create our own world.

Unfortunately, we seek out others who feel the same way, and we form groups to consolidate our ideologies. These groups form groups. This can infect a whole area, becoming a culture, a religion, a political party … a country … a continent … a whole planet!

Did collective consciousness – impure consciousness – create the earth? Are we Schrodinger’s Cat, having all possibilities? Tibetan Buddhism says that we chose our parents, by seeing them in union and being attracted to either the male or female. Even before that, we chose the continent, and possibly the planet Earth out of all the other realms: the Tibetan Book Of The Dead goes into great detail. Whether this is true or not, we do cling and are repulsed, and there is a reason for this. We are driven by our karma – our habitual tendencies. We can have the very same interests as others, but because of our tendencies, still be worlds apart: so close, but so far away.

One person’s light is another’s dark
and
one person’s dark is another’s light.
Isn’t it like that?

We all love, but don’t notice it.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged defence mechanism, facade, forming groups, impure consciousness created the earth, seeing the darkness | Leave a comment

MENTAL OVER-STIMULATION

Posted on May 6, 2017 by tony

Mental Over-Stimulation

We are over-stimulated by thoughts and emotions: we are overloaded digitally, spiritually and even Dharmically! Fat brains, thin on genuine compassion. Everything is super-sized. Wherever we go, there is exaggeration, and we lose the point of how and we are here: examples of this in daily life could include shops and restaurants pumping out music, and children’s pushchairs facing outwards, visually over-stimulating the toddler rather than them interacting with their adult.

Spiritual splendour can actually have the opposite effect from that intended. It both attracts and distracts, creating awe and pushing the essence of understanding further away. We are the creators – we love creating and we love our creations, but all we ever create is puffed up ego, because we have missed the whole point of life itself. We are deceived by our creations, as they subtly deflect awareness from itself.

If we think, “My mind is beautiful because it can invent things”, then we have been misled. Our minds are beautiful precisely because they are uncontaminated emptiness – pure consciousness, which sees all!

Although the phrase, “the magical display of mind,” means being delightful or beautiful in a way that seems removed from everyday life, it also reveals deceptive magic, and here is the real beauty – the magical display can turn suffering and confusion into wisdom!

A belief that everything our mind sees has a solid reality is defective: it’s a magical illusion of our mind. We are reifying* emptiness, and missing the purity of emptiness. All magical illusions are intrinsically empty, like a magician’s trick. Once we know how the trick works, we are free from the delusion of believing it to be real. Realising that truth is freedom, because we are no longer caught and held.

The real magic is that, in the recognition of this illusion, lies healing for our mental torment. Once we know our true nature – our essential nature – which is totally open awareness, free of constructs – then anything that appears to that awareness is an illusion, because nothing has any inherent reality. This recognition instantly reminds us of our own true nature. It’s like looking into a reflection: we are the source!

* making concrete and real

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged being things real, distraction of stimulation, inherent reality, loving our creations, making things real, our essential nature of emptiness, realising truth, the magic trick of reality, the magical illusion of reality | Leave a comment

WE LIVE IN PARALLEL UNIVERSES

Posted on May 5, 2017 by tony

We Live In Parallel Universes

… the physical and the ethereal which cannot be separated
as, in essence, they are both empty..
Most of us see only one.

“Two birds sat in the same tree;
one ate the fruit
and the other sat and watched.”
from the Upanishads

There is the magical display in the mind – the TV show – and there is the essence of mind itself – the viewer. When we are caught up in the magical display in the mind, we believe that to be the only reality. We get taken over – possessed!

But everything that happens takes place within the essence of uncontaminated emptiness. We believe that what we see, touch, taste, smell, hear is real, and happening in real time, but data from phenomena has to travel up the nervous system to the brain where it is perceived by consciousness which then calls on memory and judgement to decide what to do. This happens so quickly that is seems instantaneous and so, we cannot help but react.

Unnoticed all the while is pure consciousness, pure awareness, Buddha nature … God consciousness if you like … that just perceives what is happening.

If it wasn’t for the pure watching, nothing would be known.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged taken over by appearances, the mind and the essence of mind, the Upanishads, uncontaminated emptiness | Leave a comment

SPIRITUAL SNOWFLAKES

Posted on May 4, 2017 by tony

Spiritual Snowflakes

Says it all really.
An inflated sense of self righteousness,
with the hallmark of fear.

Easily offended
and unable to deal with raw emotions.

It’s an easy trap to fall into …
Were the ancient, realised masters snowflakes?

😀

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged dealing with raw emotions, self righteousness, toughen up\ | 1 Comment

THE TSUNAMI OF SUFFERING

Posted on May 4, 2017 by tony

The Tsunami Of Suffering
created by the Tsumani of Ignorance.

It’s quite simple: if we ignore whatever’s going on in our own minds and our own consciousness, then how are we ever to know what external influences are obscuring our mind and consciousness? Obscure: From Old French obscur, from Latin obscurus: ‘dark’, from an Indo-European root meaning ‘cover’.

We may hear or read information and think that we know, but that isn’t knowledge. It’s what we are told – the same old Tsunami of phrases, creating the great Tsunami of hypnosis. As long as we believe what we are told, life is delusionally simple. It’s the continuation of the same old story of make-believe.

To keep the darkness growing, we now have the Tsunami of snowflakes. These are the politically-correct who dictate how we should think and speak. Being over-protected as children, they melt down at the slightest exposure to real life situations They are prone to take offence, and less resilient than previous generations, being too emotionally vulnerable to cope with views that challenge their own. The snowflake agenda is to whip everyone up into an agitated froth.

Froth: a mass of small bubbles in liquid caused by agitation. Worthless or insubstantial talk, ideas, or activities.

The Tsunami of Froth.
Excitable empty gas.

The Tsunami of True Grit.
The emptiness of uncontaminated, compassionate confidence
that calms the waves of anxiety in the mind.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Ignorance, knowledge and information, Suffering, the snowflake agenda, uncontaminated compassion, what is going on in our mind? | 1 Comment

SECRETS? WHAT SECRETS?

Posted on May 3, 2017 by tony

Secrets? What Secrets?

Secret: separate, set apart, not meant to be known or seen by others. The question is, why?

There is only one secret worth knowing and that is our true nature, which is pure conscious awareness. It is covered up by our own deceptive idea of ‘self’ which, in setting us apart from pure conscious awareness, created a duality. That’s the secret!

If spiritual traditions imply that they have secret teachings, this is a ruse, a step backwards, a deception. It is making something more complicated and mysterious than it needs to be … unless the purpose is to attract numbers of people, and people mean money!

If conspiracy theorists imply that they have secret teachings, this is a ruse, a step backwards, a deception. It is making something more complicated and mysterious than it needs to be. Unless the purpose is to attract numbers of people, and people mean money!

Of course, there are teachings on ultimate truth, but they need not be inconceivable mysteries.
Of course there are conspiracies on this planet, but they need not be inconceivable mysteries.
Over-elaboration can cause confusion, either deliberately or unintentionally. If a thing is not fully explained, this is the perpetuation of ignorance and therefore, suffering.

I’ve lost count of the number of teachings with fancy names that I’ve attended, along with empowerments elaborate in construction and decoration, with ritual objects being waved in the air: they just left me staring!
I’ve lost count of the conspiracy predictions with fancy names that I’ve heard, with imaginary fantasies being waved in the air: they also just left me staring!
Fancy: a contraction of ‘fantasy’.

Is the real truth being held back, covered up by those who pretend to hold deeper truths? To keep us constantly separated from those who imply that they ‘know’? If you watch the Asch Experiment (https://www.simplypsychology.org/asch-conformity.html) you will see how easily we accept directions from a white coat, a uniform or a costume.
Is it all a charade, an absurd pretence intended to create a pleasant or respectable appearance?
Imitative: copying or following a model.

There is only one secret worth knowing and that is our true nature, pure conscious awareness. It is covered up by a deceptive idea of self which, in setting us apart from pure conscious awareness, created a duality. There is no need to be stuck in a church, temple or gompa to realise this. There is no need to hang on to the teacher’s every word as if we were four years old – at some time we have to stand on our own … death bed … alone!

You are the secret!!!

Unfortunately, without these glittering baubles, those child’s toys, we wouldn’t know where to begin, so they do have a purpose in that we play act until we find our true role.
Role: refers originally to the roll of paper on which the actor’s part was written.

But, as the Buddha said, “Not too tight and not too loose.”
The final truth is still our true nature.
You are the secret.
All Buddhas know this!
It’s what all aliens want 😀 😀 😀

We are not imprisoned by appearances, but by attachment.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged being confused, conspiracy theories, imaginary fantasies, mysteries, OUR TRUE NATURE, secret teachings, the only secret worth knowing, you are the secret | Leave a comment

HUMOUR IS SO IMPORTANT

Posted on May 2, 2017 by tony

Humour Is So Important

We may find that those six perfections are not what we experience. We don’t have generosity, patience, perseverance, discipline, meditation or insight: in fact we are more expert in grumpiness.

Just admitting that is seeing the funny side, and is very intelligent.

Look. We are sentient beings with all sorts of problems and hangups, so things are bound to go wrong. Sod’s law – “If something can go wrong, it will”. 😀 😀 😀 What did we expect if we weren’t paying attention? And of course, we suffer. I’ve lost count of the mental and physical bruises I have gathered throughout life. If we truly realise that we have been misguided, changes occur. Door close and doors open. Because of a recognition, life seems to take a natural change.

To keep doing the same actions and expect things to get better is (to say the least) a little blinkered. Awareness of our tendencies is the key! Identifying the problem. Oh, the relief of finding an answer for ourselves is so satisfying. We have learnt something – “I am not as stupid as I thought I was” – and we gain confidence. And in confidence – not arrogance – we find real joy and empathy.

Allowing ourselves to make mistakes is generosity … and the rest follows. All that matters is that we recognise our tendencies, and with understanding and experiencing, we realise that change can occur. In the moment now is all the teacher we need. We no longer have to feel inadequate or foolish or, for that matter, keep relying on an outer teacher.

Humour starts with being generous with ourselves: rest follows naturally. The answer is in front of us, as we use whatever is available. Always look for visible signs before looking for the invisible!

The more we understand, the more fun we have, and the more we have empathy for things going ‘wrong’. We don’t linger on what went wrong – or right – and so, we gradually refine the whole process.

The cosmic joke is that we separate ourselves from everything creating a duality when, in the moment, we are one with all that is perceived.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged being generous with ourselves, Duality, grumpiness, sod's law, the six perfections, things go wrong, we gain confidence | Leave a comment

THE ADVANCEMENT OF INEQUALITY

Posted on May 1, 2017 by tony

The Advancement Of Inequality

Our view only has to change a little to see things differently.

Are we here in a human body to realise that we are ‘precious ones’ … jewels in the mud … light in the dark … or are we here to do the elite’s bidding, while believing we are free but actually getting deeper into the mud … the dark state?

“All men are equal,” is a myth promoted by rulers that we have freedom (in conventional reality) to be millionaires (although they don’t want you to be richer than them), when in truth this quotation only concerns our absolute reality. “All sentient beings are equal,” means all have the potential of Buddha nature – awakened nature – but through sentimentality we fall into the dark every time.

As Boxer, in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, said, “I will work harder.” Boxer is described as a hardworking but naive and ignorant horse who is the farm’s most dedicated and loyal labourer. Boxer serves as an allegory for the working-class.

Advancements in technology, genetics and artificial intelligence are creating a world in which economic values have made people into biological machines: even worse, we are now becoming useless, incompetent machines, making way for something superior.

In the 19th and 20th centuries something changed, with the introduction of technological and economic changes connected to new ideologies. The elite (a group of people having power and influence over society) needed large numbers of healthy people educated to a certain degree to serve as soldiers in the army and as workers in the factories. Governments educated the masses to be useful, to do their bidding.

Has mankind been manipulated for decades? Millions of ordinary people have suffered and died in wars that were manufactured, as we can easily see happening in wars now. Did all those atomic tests in the 1950s create modern day cancers for which there seems no cure? Are wars, and the fallout from wars, a huge social and political experiment? Are health services a massive testing ground in order for the wealthy to benefit from new technology to obtain a longer life?

But now that’s all changing, again.

Today, the elite only requires a small number of highly professional, technologically-skilled people. Factories are increasingly automated and run by robots, and this has contributed to the creation of the most unequal society that has ever existed in human history: “A New World Order.”

To those who say, “We’ll have more leisure time!”, the truth is that you will not be needed! There are reasons to fear such a future – the future is coming fast. Self-drive vehicles lead to self-drive delivery vehicles operated by a single system: instead of the need for many hands, all that will be required is one finger – and that finger doesn’t have to be human.

In the past, humans had limited abilities to manipulate and engineer bodies and minds, but now it is totally different. With wealth, it seems there comes a longer life. The rich – through purchasing biological enhancements – could become, literally, better than the rest; more intelligent and healthier, with greatly increased lifespans.

In the past, the nobility tried to convince the masses that they were superior to everyone else and so should hold power. In the future, they really will be superior to the masses, and will control them – and it’s already happening!

The rise of artificial intelligence – and not just automation – will mean that huge numbers of people, in all kinds of jobs, simply lose their economic usefulness. The result is the separation of humankind into a very small class of super-humans, and a massive underclass of ‘useless’ people, which will include the middle classes. This future is being flaunted every day.

What can we do about all this? Are we talking about an intelligence far greater than that which humanity currently possesses?

Humanity can be aware of what is happening. We can learn to think for ourselves instead of being entertained and distracted, so not noticing what is actually happening. We consent when we allow children ‘shoot-em up’ games and access to the corrosive peer pressure of social media which promotes an unreal view of life while desensitising them, under the banner of giving them freedom. It’s all a massive trap to maintain inequality in the population.

Dare to be aware and think for yourself.
With meditation comes clarity to see everything differently,
and all we have to do is be aware, and so wake up!

Conscious awareness turns everything on its head.
We can get off the conveyor belt,
and allow self-existing wakefulness to direct us.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged automation, equality in absolute reality, manipulation of humanity, the trap of inequality, think for yourself, useless workers | Leave a comment

STAYING HAPPY

Posted on April 30, 2017 by tony

Staying Happy

Staying happy in whatever occurs takes discipline, generosity, patience, concentration, perseverance and, most important of all, insight into consciousness. These are called the six perfections (or paramitas, in Sanskrit). Personally, I see these as discipline or training or inner instructions to detach oneself from habitual responses and stay open, and happy.

Smiling kindly is not just an act. It is an expression of intelligence, of inner knowledge, of confidence in compassionate aspiration, and is the wisdom of realisation that all sentient beings have a good heart at their essence.

This doesn’t mean that we go along with either sentimental or evil mentality, but we allow the openness of a spacious mind just to rest in purity, so that actions and reactions exhaust themselves.

We are talking about our own gossiping mind. When we gain more strength, we can incorporate the sentimentality and evil of others. Staying happy is remembering that we are already happy.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Paramitas., Staying happy., The Six Perfections - the six paramitas. | Leave a comment

“IT TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE”

Posted on April 28, 2017 by tony

“It Takes One To Know One”

If there is a deity – or someone more profound than ourselves – how would we know? How would we recognise it? If a Buddha stood next to us, would we recognise them as a Buddha, or would we just see them as someone rather boring?

To recognise purity, we have to know what purity is. And, in knowing purity of heart and mind, we would realise that we are, in truth, what we are searching for. Job done. This is the whole purpose of devotion! There is no need to keep the deity at arm’s length.

It takes one to know one.
Stop prevaricating.*

* prevaricate: be evasive, be non-committal, be vague, be ambiguous, evade/dodge the issue, beat about the bush, hedge, hedge one’s bets, fudge the issue; fence, parry questions; vacillate, shilly-shally, waver, quibble; hesitate, stall (for time), shuffle about, and haw, pussyfoot, duck the issue/question. 😀 😀 😀

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged don't prevaricate, Guru Yoga, how would we know a deity?, the meaning of devotion, we are what we are searching for | 3 Comments

SPIRITUAL AMNESIA

Posted on April 27, 2017 by tony

Spiritual Amnesia

We forget.
We forget what we are
and what we are about.

We need constant reminding. If we never think about something because we believe it will stay exactly the same, or will always be available, we may lose it. True knowledge may not always be available without the recognition that we value it. There is a great deal of ‘spiritual’ information and commentary out there, but not much genuine, empathetic wisdom-insight.

Wisdom is not to be taken lightly.
It illuminates the inescapable, universal battle
of dark and light.
Now you see it, now you don’t.

May loving knowledge’s light rays
fully dispel the dark ignorance of my mind
and grant me courageous intelligence
to fully understand the scriptures.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged empathetic wisdom-insight, the battle of dark and light, valuing true knowledge | Leave a comment

THE BIG PICTURE

Posted on April 27, 2017 by tony

The Big Picture

If we could scan the entire, infinite universe (which is impossible because it’s infinite 🙂 ), we would not find any more profound wisdom than our own awareness. We would also not find anything more frivolous and stupid than our own ego-clinging that protects our sense of self importance, and forgets awareness.

Why is awareness so important? It is how we can investigate the inner and outer worlds – the whole of the impermanent universe and the nature of absolute reality, our essence. That is the big picture!

Aliens (it is an infinite universe) – whether with higher or lower I.Qs – have the very same potentials of absolute wisdom or absolute stupidity. We are, in fact, all aliens of some sort who think they are human. Every alien will have the very same emotions and wisdoms as ourselves, but we all forget.

We have big ideas.
What we need is the big picture!

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

HOW AM I EMPTINESS?

Posted on April 25, 2017 by tony

How Am I Emptiness?
How is everything emptiness?

Emptiness doesn’t mean having no qualities, for the reason that awareness simply has to be present to acknowledge emptiness.

It’s like this. Before a thing is identified as a thing, and we debate whether we like it or not, there has to be perception present. In the very first instant of perception there is nothing happening: it is pure perception, empty of judgement. Just perception. Look around – we are open … open to suggestion! Evaluation and judgement come in a moment later, when memory – our programming – kicks in.

In that very first instant of perception, there is awareness of perception. If that awareness is not interfered with, it is what is termed ’emptiness’, or ‘shunyata’ in Sanskrit. It is pure consciousness. This is our primal state of being, our essential nature, our essence. All we have to do is look, and in looking we find nothing, but only awareness of awareness. This is our empty nature that does not have to rely on anything. It just is. It is even empty of the idea of emptiness!

We are not our ideas.
Our ideas are not even ours.
They only seem to make us feel real.

We have become so used to this ball and chain
that we don’t notice it.

Human nature abhors a vacuum, so we fill up space. Humans crave stimulation. To experience ourselves as fully alive, humans are subject to various arousal must-haves, whether physical, mental, emotional, social, or spiritual. We are constantly relating to things, giving them a value. And if we feel under-stimulated, we’ll generally complain of being bored, anxious, irritable, lonely, or even depressed, and so we seek out more of the same. Thus we go round and round in circles – in Sanskrit, this is called Samsara, the vicious cycle of sentient existence.

When it comes to the emptiness of things, they too are empty of any real existence, for the reason that all things – including ourselves and our ideas – rely on other things in order to exist. They are made up of parts, and so have no true existence of their own. They are conjured up by circumstances and become our playthings, seeming to be real because of our strong identification with them.

Everything is empty of true reality as everything is impermanent and conditional. An illusion conjured up by our desires and fears, because we ignore our true reality – our un-worldly dimension, our alien side, beyond this and that.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged awareness of perception, causes and conditions, impermanence, Samsara, the emptiness of things, true reality, we crave stimulation | 2 Comments

DON’T BELIEVE THE DHARMA

Posted on April 23, 2017 by tony

Don’t Believe The Dharma

Don’t believe in emptiness
Don’t believe in reincarnation
And don’t be confused!

😀

If we merely hear teachings and accept them, then we are no better than anyone else at being persuaded to believe without evidence. The Dharma teachings are about waking up out of the mental ‘dream’ state, and realising the true nature of mind – what we are – rather than believing anything because we are told it. That is just lazy and crazy, because our ideas are hazy.

We can only value the true teachings of the Dharma when we wake up and recognise that we were indeed addicted to dreaming, in a conventional world of addicts. When we wake up, we truly know how precious those teachings are, whereas before, as they were only hearsay, and an acquisition. We might appear knowledgable, but our head is still in the clouds. Just saying, “It is emptiness!” is pointless unless we have personally investigated the mind to see and realise what its true state is, and how contaminates cloud our view. And as for reincarnation, we have to come to some conclusion that works for us: there is no point in just saying there is or there isn’t. Our quality of life depends on this.

I do not know if there is life after death. I have heard teachers say there is, but how do they know? Were they told this by their teachers and they just accepted it? Too often, we go to teachings and empowerments and witness colourful Tibetan displays. We are expected to go along with it all – and it is truly mesmerising. Explanations are given only from a Tibetan’s mindset and culture, and we can easily forget that it’s all about the true nature of mind that we have to experience for ourselves. The displays are meaningful symbols, but it is all too easy to get caught up in them, watching monks and nuns ‘doing things’.

The idea of reincarnation is a stumbling block for many, so we have to use our own logic. If there is no reincarnation, then what is the point of life and the things that we do? If there is an after life, am I certain of what happens? Either way, we have to make the most out of life – the here and now.

Are we just 9 to 5 tax-paying social drones, who spend their life shopping and staring at screens? Are we student/disciples who just sit on cushions and pretend be compassionate? Or are we merely wanting to develop a good look?

We have to be honest about what we want.

About reincarnation … all I can say is that we have tendencies, which are not connected to our environment or family. A feeling of “Hmm … I seem to have done this before.” Some things seem so natural to us, and are incongruous to our upbringing, being very different from our siblings. Is that just chemicals in the brain? Did we pick up ideas subconsciously?

It is only we who can decide what makes sense to us. It’s not a matter of what others think. We have to use our inner genius, our intelligence, to get out of confusion and doubt. Never leave your brains outside the temple door. People say things – I’m saying things, you say things – it doesn’t mean they’re true until we test them for ourselves. And then we have to be honest and admit bias. It’s all part of the process of inner discovery to eliminate confusion … a confusion that never existed.

We only believe we are confused!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged being honest with ourselves, decide what makes sense, eliminating confusion, reincarnation, test things, waking up | Leave a comment

THE RECIPE TO END KARMA

Posted on April 22, 2017 by tony

The Recipe To End Karma

These are the ingredients to end suffering and reach enlightenment: generosity, patience, perseverance, discipline, meditation, and insight wisdom. These ‘perfections’ reduce and bring to an end the self-programming that inhibits our spiritual progress and holds us in darkness. It’s the path to freedom from karma – our conventional, habitual behaviour, which is the adoption of a conceptual mind of “Monkey see, monkey do.”

These five-plus-one perfections maintain our spiritual conduct in daily life, cutting through our usual, self-centred behaviour, and revealing our true, compassionate intelligence and inner happiness. We stop fighting with everyone, and in doing so, we realise selflessness. We rise above the street level of me first.

These perfections (or Paramitas in Sanskrit) are the route to enlightenment, but only when the sixth – insight wisdom – is present.

The first five benefit us on a conventional level, helping us to be decent, compassionate people. The sixth is transcendence. It may be here that confusion arises, as different traditions approach this differently. Some start with the first five perfections in order to discover the view of the sixth, whereas others start with the sixth and use the five to sustain that view (this the difference between Mahamudra and Dzogchen, and this is where we have to be careful when talking to others!).

Of course, remembering these ‘perfections’ in daily life could become an obstacle … “Do I apply this or that one?” If love or devotion is present, then that embraces all the “perfections”, but there may still be an ‘I’ present and so we hover between self-centredness and selflessness.

It is only pure awareness that covers everything, and pure awareness is the sixth perfection of wisdom-insight! There is no other way to enlightenment.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged ending karma, Mahamudra and Dzogchen ., recipe for enlightenment, Selflessness., the paramitas, the six perfections, wisdom-insight | Leave a comment

WHEN THE LIGHT’S ON, WE CAN SEE

Posted on April 21, 2017 by tony

When The Light’s On, We Can See
This sounds so stupidly obvious but here, the light means clarity – clear seeing.
“The clear light of bliss.”

When I first took to the spiritual path, a tutor just happened to mention the emotions – the power of emotions. I thought, “I don’t have emotions; I’m not emotional.” Then all of a sudden, emotions came pouring in … pride, jealousy, fear, anxiety, hope, desire … the lot!

The light had just been turned on, and I could see. “Oh dear, am I that bad?!” In those early days, emotions were a taboo: we had to show a calm countenance. It wasn’t until many years later, when I encountered Dzogchen, that the true light in the emotions was revealed. They are wisdom. So I wasn’t that bad!

This doesn’t mean that the emotions had gone away, but they were just noticed. Even after thousands of years in darkness, one instant of light reveals all. It’s like that. Before then, we live in the darkness of thoughts, fixations and emotions. Once we experience seeing, things are never the same.

You don’t have to be a scholar to see. It’s for everyone, at any time. In fact, a scholar who has a title and who can discuss all aspects of Dharma can easily be deluded if they haven’t experienced the emotions in the light, and just talk about the light. It’s the difference between theory and the real thing.

A tough upbringing has its positive side, and can enable us to truly empathise with how others may feel, rather than just repeating predictable phrases.

The joy or bliss of seeing the dark in the light means we are on the right track … the spiritual path! The darkness is our clinging to the emotions, creating fixations about ourself and about what we have come to believe is us. With the presence of the light of clarity, seeing the emotions is now wisdom. We have wised up!

Personally, the joy comes from not having to be a scholar to traverse the path to enlightenment. What a relief!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged a tough upbringing, anyone can see, EMPATHY, empirical understanding, the emotions, the joy of seeing, the light in the darkness, wisdom in the emotions | Leave a comment

WE ARE TIMELESS BEINGS

Posted on April 21, 2017 by tony

We Are Timeless Beings

It just takes time to realise this!

True consciousness doesn’t change, or do anything. It is timeless, ergo we are timeless. We mistakenly believe that what we do is important, witty, entertaining, superior… but in fact, we just fill up time: we waste precious time, and this limits our time to practise, to refine our understanding of pure, conscious awareness which has been there all the time!

Filling up time creates consequences. These consequences are the layers that block our pure view, and it take time to undo these. Time and space are most valuable to a spiritual practitioner.

Actually recognising and experiencing takes time.
Realisation happens in a instant.
The light turns on!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged blocking pure view, time and space, true consciousness, we believe we are important | Leave a comment

ESSENCE CANNOT BE IMPROVED OR DESTROYED

Posted on April 20, 2017 by tony

Essence Cannot Be Improved Or Destroyed

Our primary nature is pure consciousness, pure love, that cannot be improved or destroyed. It is not a thing that is created from conditions. It just is. Sadly, this pure consciousness goes unnoticed because of attachment to a temporary, conceptual body, mind and world. And for some reason, nobody in my family explained this to me! 😀

This attachment causes obstacles, giving rise to levels of confusion. The cause of this confusion has to be recognised, along with an understand that this ‘confusion’ has absolutely no reality, but merely a seeming reality. Being at ease can reduce the potency of karmic obstacles: we stop blowing out of proportion those things that reinforce our deeply held beliefs about our sort of world.

Rest easy in whatever happens. The layers of confusion are our teacher, revealing the inner genius: the spirit with innate abilities, present from birth. But nobody explains this! 😀

Is this a conspiracy? Or is it just that they don’t know, because nobody explained it to them … 😀 Our lack of freedom is due to our attachments. Don’t let anyone pull the wool over your eyes because there is wool over their eyes.

We are only restricted by our own karma which is a set of ideas that we have acquired from others with whom we consented to agree: it’s a very subtle agreement – “You follow me, so I won’t get upset”.

The moment of recognition is the moment of freedom, in the moment now. We just have to be aware that our conceptual mind will drift back into a habit. We all return to our programming when we ignore what we are.

We don’t have to be a scholar to understand this: all it takes is awareness.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Awareness, KARMA, levels of confusion, Pure Consciousness., rest easy, the obstacle of attachment | 1 Comment

WE ARE NEVER SEPARATE FROM THE TRUTH

Posted on April 19, 2017 by tony

We Are Never Separate From The Truth

We are never separate from the truth.
Few realise this.
All we have to do is rest at ease
in whatever happens.

We are pure awareness: this is the enlightened truth. Without pure awareness, nothing would be known. Ultimately, this realisation is the goal. We are all where ‘it’s’ at! It is amazing that so few understand this. Whatever happens is due to past actions, whether conscious and unconscious. We cannot avoid the moment now, so rest easy and release the karmic effect of over reacting. Stay in intelligent, loving peace.

Some paths are full of flowers and beautiful scenery.
Some paths full of sharp stones and deep crevasses.
Some paths are totally boring.

The time taken to traverse the path
will depend on how we relate to it!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged We are never separate from the truth. | 2 Comments

CRESTED DUCK (ROB)

Posted on April 19, 2017 by tony

Crested Duck (Rob)

Rob, a long time contributor to this blog, is going into hospital today. It will do us all some good to make the positive action of wishing him well, praying that his immune system and good inner heart stays strong.

We are never separate from the truth.
Few realise this.
All we have to do is rest at ease
in whatever happens.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

LOST SOULS THAT ARE NOT LOST

Posted on April 17, 2017 by tony

Lost Souls That Are Not Lost

A blog is just a record expressing personal thoughts, investigations and experiences, and sharing them. It’s about our spiritual path to complete understanding. Once we take a personal step, the next personal step is revealed. Any tradition(s) we follow is only a guide about our journey to now. Now. Here. In fact, NoWhere. We are already here: the actual path is our own realisation.

The word ‘soul’ seems taboo in Buddhism, and actually divides us. ‘Soul’ is the immaterial part of a being: spirit. Spirit is pure consciousness. It is our non-verbal, non-body, non-mental activity. It is pure being, our true nature before we identified with a programmed type.

Some believe that a ‘soul’ or spirit can be captured. This is a wrong view. We – soul/spirit/pure consciousness – can only be distracted with our consent.

The moment we get distracted
is the moment we ignore our true nature.

The moment we are aware of distraction
is the moment we remember our true nature.

We only seem lost because, through habit, we consent to being distracted, wandering off with a stranger 😀 We are here to fulfil our duty: our duty is to remember what we are and to undo the karmic effect, and we do that by letting go, letting be. Conventionally, there are things to do. Ultimately, there is nothing to be done. We consent to competing with others, and therefore they are controlling us, side tracking us from pure intention.

Consent is being conditioned to accept and adhere to formulae that limit our view through social and cultural codes that are used by mara to distract and cause trouble by creating chaos and confusion. This is the result of a society which holds a collective belief that things are real and have a permanent existence. It is here that the confusion with the word ‘soul’ lies; it is seen as an entity when, in truth, it is pure intelligence, pure emptiness with enlightened qualities but no fixed parts. Those who act under the influence of mara (selfish intent) believe that they acquire no karma as we have consented to comply with ignorance. This is incorrect, as evil is in the intention, the instigator. If we consent, we too gather karma.

“Turning the other cheek” means refusing to consent. We may be forced, but we do not consent.

Some of us were brought up in a theistic – or vaguely theistic – environment, where confused concepts made us feel good, while at the same time, feeling not good enough.

Don’t ignore. Don’t be divided. Don’t be confused. This is what mara wants. We are not lost … we have just forgotten! :D:D:D

The moment we get distracted
is the moment we ignore our true nature.

The moment we are aware of distraction
is the moment we remember our true nature.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged consent, don't be distracted, OUR TRUE NATURE, refusing to consent, selfish intent, Soul, the formula of society, the guide on our spiritual path, theistic environment | Leave a comment

THE RIGHT SIDE OF MADNESS

Posted on April 16, 2017 by tony

The Right Side Of Madness

Is there a right side?
Oh, yes!

Here, we are talking from a spiritual point of view about whether or not we have lost our understanding of reality (Reality is a state of constancy, and existence that is absolute, self-sufficient and not reliant or subject to human decisions or conventions. The state of things as they actually exist, which is impermanent, as opposed to an idealistic notion of them as being solid and lasting for ever).

Sanity, from a spiritual point of view, is the knowingness of pure consciousness beyond the limits of ideas. Our ideas obscure this pure clarity of consciousness, thus creating obstacles which we cling to as if they are real and permanent. Isn’t that madness? Conventionally, it is something we all do – ergo, we are all mad! 😀

If we know our mind is insane, then we are sane – this means we are aware!
The perfect example of the two truths in harmony – the reality.

If we don’t know our mind is insane, then we are insane – this means we are unaware!
The perfect example of disharmony – the illusion.

My mind does crazy things due to karmic inputs – and I know it.
My mind does crazy things due to karmic inputs – and I don’t know it: it will continue to do crazy things.

We always have a choice.

Our minds are full of junk. Songs, phrases, images, do’s and don’t’s, concepts, fixations, self promotions and projections, terminologies … These are things that hook on to us, and we cling to them.

If we know that whatever appears in the mind is just a product from our past, then they are the tools to realising our true nature. Our misunderstanding of these arisings is what cause our confusion, and our confusion is our path. It’s the sane path.

Unfortunately, religion – and even spiritual teachings – are full of terminologies, and we can fixate upon them. We learn the letters, but not the spirit of what is meant: our scholastic approach can turn out to be an obstacle to genuine experience.

And so, we are still mad! 😀
The right side of madness just is … !

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Mind worms., spiritual views., The obstacle of spiritual jargon., The Right Side Of Madness. | Leave a comment

THE INSIDIOUS SIDE OF ONENESS

Posted on April 15, 2017 by tony

The Insidious Side Of Oneness

‘Insidious’ means to ambush, to lie in wait, to proceed cunningly in a gradual, subtle way, with harmful effects.

Here, ‘oneness’ means not being different from the rest, not being an individual. Our reactions are confirmation that we are conforming. Left, right, centre … it doesn’t matter: we are either taking a side or we are a don’t-knower: either way, we’re still playing the game. We’re free when we stop re-enacting to type, and cease acting like a four year old. Religions want conformity. The alternative media is conforming by not wanting to conform. It’s all a trap. It doesn’t matter what we think we know, this is still a confusion in the mind. It’s the insidious clanger in the bell, making too much noise. Be aware. Be awareness. It will tell you everything you need to know.

We are led to conform by those in power who want to control, be it in politics, religion, commerce … they may even have created the idea of the ‘New Age’. Much was spoken about the Age of Aquarius, believed by some to herald worldwide peace and harmony. Do we actually see much of that around?

Whatever we are told, always look at the effect: it’s generally the opposite. We think we have choice when, in fact, we’re being sold a sugar-coated pill to make ideas seem superficially attractive or acceptable.

True oneness is the deep understanding of the inseparability of the two truths of reality and seeming reality.

We are being played, lied to and set up to be taken advantage of. We have been cheated by a series of actions or circumstances that have been allowed to happen – or deliberately planned. It is because we have a good heart that we readily believe, and this is being taken advantage of.

Within this good heart is all the teachings: it’s where truth resides. This good heart is our loving essence, which has become bewildered in all this chaos. We need tenacity to seek the truth and stay with it; we have to recognise, decide upon and gain confidence in pure perception. The very next moment depends on now. Whatever happens after death is due to what we are doing (and not doing) now. If we stay bewildered, we will stay bewildered.

Oneness is pure awareness. Awareness is relative truth, as all creatures have awareness. Pure awareness is uncontaminated emptiness, absolute truth. The realisation of the unity of these two is oneness, as in the fact that the emotions and wisdoms – in the first instant – are the same. We are at one with our true nature. Love is at one with another. Devotion is at one with manifesting truth.

The opposite to insidious is harm-less.

The Buddha said,
“Do good, do no harm, tame the mind.”
We have the teaching within us, now!

How we manifest this is the art of being
gentle-men and gentle-women = honourable.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged a good heart, at one with our true nature, “Do good. Do no harm. Tame the mind.”, conformity, New age, Pure Awareness, the inseparability of the two truths | Leave a comment

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