BUDDHA IN THE MUD is a blog – a living book based on the Dzogchen teachings. Our teacher is life, and life is karma. We are all Buddhas in the mud of concepts.

INNER AND OUTER DEMONIC ACTIVITY

Posted on February 19, 2017 by tony

Inner And Outer Demonic Activity

Demonic activity is anything that creates obstacles. This is especially relevant to spiritual practitioners as subtle distractions take attention away from our path to liberation, and back to the mundane. How often do we just switch off?

Inner demons are our own likes and dislikes.
Outer demons are others’ likes and dislikes
that activate our likes and dislikes.
Crazy!

‘Demonic’ is being evil-spirited, and lacking compassion. It is said that the more spiritual we become, the more we are attacked. So we can take much comfort from this! 😀

It is demon activity that wakes us up:
demons keep us attentive and alert.
There’s the unity of wisdom and evil again!

At the moment of his enlightenment,
the Buddha defeated the forces of hostility and seduction (Mara),
by uttering the words:
“I see you, Mara …”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Demonic activity, distractions, final temptation of the Buddha, Inner demons, outer demons, path to liberation | Leave a comment

THE UNITY OF OPPOSITES

Posted on February 18, 2017 by tony

The Unity Of Opposites

Although our being is pure, divine essence, we don’t notice what we are because of ignorance. As a result of this lack of awareness, we took embodiment in a physical body. However, it is precisely because of having this precious human form that we are able to realise this divine essence. This is why the unity of the two truths – relative and absolute – is so essential in our human existence. It is crucial to have the ability to recognise the obscurations preventing our realising this truth, so that confusion dawns as wisdom. These obscurations arise from our strong identification with an acquired idea of a ‘me and mine’ – a dark reflection.

The very moment of actually seeing and experiencing our confused suffering is the unity of these two truths. It is divine essence that recognises. That recognition is the unity! The light in the darkness. All we need to do is find the switch, which is recognition. Then, all doubt is cleared.

Recognition and realisation are simultaneous, thus empty essence is revealed. When the switch is on, that which was dark is now illumined: knowing obliterates not knowing.

The importance of understanding the unity of the two truths is what the Dharma is all about. Realisation and conduct, merit and wisdom (something we do to realise something we are), appearances and emptiness, darkness and light, meditation and non meditation, the devil and God*.

If we get caught up in extremes and separations, then we will never realise the unity of the middle way, and so will remain divided. ‘Good’ and ‘bad’ are merely designations – an act of choosing. Before ‘good’ and ‘bad” there is merely unbiased awareness, or knowingness.

When we are in disunity, we remain in chaos, confusion and distress. We are in conflict with a group of ideas which, in itself, is in conflict with other groups of ideas. To see clearly, we need a panoramic, open view that takes in everything, looking at all possibilities. If we become fixated on just one aspect, this is a limiting view. This biased view may be cosy for a time, but conflicts are bound to arise. The sole purpose of a group is to maintain itself, and the individuals are just part of that process. It’s possible to understand why this happens because we are ‘led to believe’, as opposed to seeing for ourselves.

Realisation happens in meditation: that realisation is pure being. Essence beyond mind – emptiness. But we are sentient and, as such, have to do things. This is where our conduct – the continuity of realisation – comes to the fore. Here we practise, or remember, the six perfections of generosity patience, perseverance, discipline, meditation/concentration and transcendent knowledge: maintaining these requires effort. Once transcendent knowledge is realised and transformed into transcendent wisdom – which is the realisation of empty essence – then these same perfections become wisdom conduct: as there is no fixation/clinging, the six perfections are now maintained without effort. Another, simpler word for this is love. The light in the darkness. But it is the recognition of the darkness that is the light. This is the unity of the two; they just cannot be separated.

So, instead of remaining aloof in emptiness – which is, by itself, rather dry and could become nihilistic – we can have fun in expressing this realisation. The juice of love! We can thus be fearless, not bound by dogma.

* This is an intriguing story: the devil is merely the absence of pure consciousness (or god consciousness if you prefer). Division creates confusion, and perhaps this has been exploited through the anthropomorphising of the devil and god. When realised, the recognition of the absence of pure consciousness is pure consciousness (again, god consciousness if you wish).

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged conduct, Empty essence, recognition and realisation, relative and absolute truth, the light in the darkness, the six perfections, The Two Truths, wisdom conduct | 5 Comments

WE ARE SUPERNATURAL BEINGS

Posted on February 17, 2017 by tony

We Are Supernatural Beings
Just enjoy.
That’s the spirit!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Supernatural Beings. | 2 Comments

IT’S OBVIOUS, BUT NOT OBVIOUS

Posted on February 16, 2017 by tony

It’s Obvious, But Not Obvious

“Let food be thy medicine,
and medicine be thy food.”
Hippocrates 460-370 BC

Good food is just as relevant now as it was then! Healthy food, healthy body, healthy brain, healthy mind, healthy being. All creatures need to eat and drink to survive: it’s good food that keeps us alive and running well – good, uncontaminated food.

“Contaminate: make something impure by exposure to or addition of a poisonous or polluting substance.”

It is a shock when we realise that some people just cannot be trusted. But they can be trusted to think of greed first and ignore the wellbeing of others. Making the production of food easier (but not necessarily of better quality) and more convenient has caused dependency on processed food, food with hidden sugars, fast food. Indifference and a lack of education and interest in the purpose and importance of food and its ingredients have had a detrimental effect on our health – and therefore, our minds.

Is giving children food with excessive amounts of sugar the first step towards the acquisition of an addictive personality? Addiction is a mental health problem.

Eating the correct food is our natural medicine. If the food we eat is actually just a filler, then it is neither food nor medicine. Not being medicine, we now rely on the alternative of pharmaceutical products, which sounds like a recipe for disaster.

The longterm effect of taking extra chemicals into our bodies will have a side effect on the brain. Cheap imports, cheap ingredients, cheap dyes, cheap packaging … it all adds up.

When we don’t feel well, it is difficult to concentrate, let alone meditate. Bad food leads to tiredness and a befuddled attitude. We are already walking about in a dream, and this only makes it worse.

All we have to do is be aware. This is where meditation can help. Unfortunately, if our body’s immune system has broken down too far, then we may have to resort to modern medicine and/or look more closely at our diet. In this modern age, it is truly difficult to know what to trust. The decision is always ours. We may even have to understand that we live in a defective world and accept the consequences. The most important thing is the state of our mind: even being very ill, our mind can still be at peace, which is especially important at the moment of death.

Eat well. Think well. Be well.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged food is medicine, harm of processed food, the mind at the moment of death | 1 Comment

HAPPINESS BEGINS

Posted on February 15, 2017 by tony

Happiness Begins
when expectation ends.
And how subtly we are led astray.

The English dictionary describes happiness as ‘contentment’ or ‘satisfaction’. Contentment is described as the ‘fulfilment of expectations’. So, if our expectations are not fulfilled, we become unhappy? Isn’t that conditional happiness? A happiness relying on conditions? If there is conditional happiness, then there must be unconditional happiness; a happiness that does not rely on conditions. No expectations! No expectations because our pure being needs nothing – it is already happy; its nature is happiness. Happy for no reason.

We are taught to ‘better’ ourselves. and so we expect and expect, creating a fantasy world of ‘good’ things to come: the corporate ideal of perfect customers. This will not only keep us on the edge, it will push us over.

When we do something mindfully and consciously, we feel our way and we learn, and then we know. This is not expectation; it is knowledge. Knowledge is satisfying. But, in fact, what actually happens is that we do the same things over and over again, hoping life will get better. All we achieve is being frazzled, and burnt out. To quote a famous saying, “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

Peace and happiness begin when expectations end. In the moment ‘now’ there are no expectations, but just awareness, which then may be expressed or displayed, or be something we walk around in! What could be more peaceful than emptiness, where there is no pushing, no pulling and no competitiveness? Being in perfect peace is happiness.

We may ask the question, “Am I happy?” If we find we are neither unhappy nor vacant, then we are happy. We are happier than we think. Recognising that is wisdom.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged contentment, expectations, Finding inner peace, Happiness, pure happiness, the corporate ideal | 1 Comment

MEDITATION RETREATS

Posted on February 13, 2017 by tony

Meditation Retreats

A retreat is stillness of body, speech and mind.
It helps us establish good practice in daily life.

To change our attitude from being materially obsessed to being spiritually aware, is a tough assignment, because the pull of the collective consciousness is so seductive. Our bodies are used to fidgeting, our speech is used to projecting, and our minds are used to reacting so that we never find true inner peace. We are wound-up automata – a machine which performs a range of functions according to a predetermined set of coded instructions – and we’re very stressed out.

We need help to just sit still and do nothing. Doing nothing may sound boring and pointless, but this counteracts the frivolity and fantasy in which we currently live. When we can drop that which is unnecessary, we will find a refined, intelligent and wise being.

Retreats establish a good routine for life. Every day, when we rise from sleep, we wash and then meditate. It’s a good way to start the day, with a clean slate of clarity. Being able to bring clarity to all situations changes our whole world view, and maybe the view of those with whom we come into contact.

Retreats are tough to start with, as they cut through all our worldly habitual ideas and physical patterns of behaviour. But gradually we settle down to a simple routine of sitting meditation. No chatter, no TV, no radio, no games – so no stress; just learning to be happy. The chatter at the end of a retreat is quite startling!

Of course, there are periods during the retreat when one just wants to scream 😀 as it could feel like a restrictive “boot camp”, but that too dissolves. I can guarantee that, after a retreat, you will feel more open about everything. Everything is calmer and brighter, and life is worthwhile. The family will notice a change too.

A retreatant life is knowing how to let go and remain still in body, speech and mind, regaining control because we have a sense of direction.

To tell you the truth, I find the best bit about retreats is leaving! There is a sort of re-entry shock to the world, where everything seems … loud and busy! The first thing my wife and I do after a retreat is go out for a coffee and croissant. It’s mind blowing: we just sit there, absorbing everything. After a retreat, everything is a treat 😉 as we become more sensitive and notice more. It’s like the end of a meditation session, where we drop the meditation, suddenly revealing the real meditation of non meditation.

Compassion is lacking because we are either dull, or in turmoil. Although the world is loud and busy, we can smile as we are no longer bound or tied to it – and that is the moment compassion can arise.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged meditation retreat, routine of meditation | Leave a comment

THE ART OF BEING HAPPY BEING YOU

Posted on February 12, 2017 by tony

The Art Of Being Happy Being You

Our spiritual path is the dissolution of our confusion regarding what we truly are. What we are is the lucid clarity that illuminates every thing perceived. That is the light. The confusion is believing that every thing perceived has a reality and is permanent; when we grasp and hold on to our beliefs, emotions arise. This clinging is the product of past, collective misunderstanding – “They do it, so I do it!”

Every time past reactions are observed, disillusionment can take place. Disillusionment means we are no longer caught by an illusion; the opposite of caught is dropped! Enlightenment is ‘being’ no longer deceived. Confusion becomes wisdom (but of course, at our stage, these are little drops of enlightenment ;D). In fact, pure consciousness has never been confused … just temporarily distracted, time and time again over many lifetimes.

Every time we just perceive, that is the continuity of the luminosity of a clear view – clear light. If this view is held on to, that is the continuity of confusion and suffering. Maintaining the view is giving up the view.

Recognising and admitting the way we are, with all our hang ups, is our path. This path, our path, was the creation of our previous actions which were caused by confusion. Be grateful for the recognition. Be happy.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged disillusionment, dissolving confusion, KARMA, lucid clarity, recognition, the clear view | Leave a comment

THE SHOCK OF NOT KNOWING NOW

Posted on February 12, 2017 by tony

The Shock Of Not Knowing Now

If we are not in the moment now,
then where are we?

It takes milli-seconds* to react.
And so, it takes milli-seconds to be distracted.

Our spiritual progress is dependent on the time it takes to recover from distractions that take us away from now. Knowing-nowness is prior to perception. Knowingness is ever now. Whatver is known is created from the past, even a milli-moment ago.

Spirituality is nowness which cannot be found or speculated upon: it is pure, empty, instantaneous recognition of awareness. Rather like watching a train go by, in an instant we see its past, present and future in the now.

Even though pure consciousness is ever present, we gain no benefit if it is not recognised. We are constantly being distracted via the senses: distraction, diversion, interruption, disturbance, intrusion, interference, obstruction, hindrance happen so fast that we are unaware of our imprisonment.

But we can be aware, as perception and realisation are simultaneous when recognised. Our spiritual progress is dependent on the time it takes to recover from distractions.

In this electronic age, we are bombarded with fake news, spin, propaganda and social gossip. Why we do you think so many people are stressed, so many people are on antidepressants, and so many people are suffering from the side effects of antidepressants? How often do we find time during the day to recognise just being aware, now?

*Data varies: The average reaction time for humans is 0.25 seconds to a visual stimulus, 0.17 for an audio stimulus, and 0.15 seconds for a touch stimulus.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Knowingness, perception, perception and realisation are simultaneous, reaction times, recognising pure consciousness, spirituality cannot be found | 4 Comments

EXPOSURE TO REALITY

Posted on February 11, 2017 by tony

Exposure To Reality
This is the Buddha’s teaching.

If we don’t take reality seriously, we remain in a superficial dream of the collective.
“Superficial: appearing to be real only until examined more closely.” Very closely!

What is this teaching on reality?
It is awareness of awareness that is purely aware. It just is. Pure consciousness.

The main misunderstanding comes from being caught up in the dualistic concept of “I … am”. This is an idea of reality – a downgrade, because we have put an ‘I’ in front of the ‘am’. The concept of “I am” causes an oscillation by perpetually relating to a reference point: instead of pure “being”, we have “I am being”, and a subtle element of time has been set up, where we lose the present moment of timelessness. Ordinary awareness is constantly relating to something: it’s a feeling of being, rather than just being. “I am” is an ego trip; a holding on to a feeling.

The full effect of the Buddha’s teaching of pure consciousness is only realised through meditation which, in the ultimate experience, is non-meditation. In pure meditation, there are no concepts of meditating because there is no meditator: there’s no ‘me meditating’.

Taking ourselves too seriously is the path of suffering, where we are constantly maintaining a self image. It is hard work, and our ideas don’t like to be exposed.

Taking our spiritual essence seriously is the path to liberation. Exposing and recognising the feeling of “I am”, pure awareness transcends all limitations.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged exposure to reality, I am, I am being, timelessness | Leave a comment

DISTRACTIONS, DISTRACTIONS, DISTRACTIONS

Posted on February 9, 2017 by tony

Distractions, Distractions, Distractions

World War Three? Civil Unrest? Public confusion?
Perfect chaos, perfect madness, perfect storm.

Remain undistracted.
Discipline through inner knowledge
creates inner peace.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged civil unrest, fear, Inner peace, remain undistracted, WORRY | Leave a comment

AWAKENING COMPASSION

Posted on February 8, 2017 by tony

Awakening Compassion
means waking up to our reality.
It means love … even though!

When we realise our own true nature, compassion naturally arises in recognition that all sentient beings want happiness, and that this happiness is hidden from them. This perfect, absolute nature is nothing other than pure awareness, pure consciousness, pure essence-heart. The problem is that we keep ignoring it! 😀

Being aware is the starting point, and – when this awareness is seen as pure – it is also the end; the alpha and the omega!

Having realised this pure nature, we now realise that every other sentient being has the very same perfect nature. They are unaware that awareness – when recognised – realises that it is uncontaminated spirit.

But sentient beings find themselves enmeshed in conventional, conceptual fixations, and they therefore cannot perceive clearly. There are gaps in understanding, and this gives rise to the defensive emotions that cloud the view.

What a difficult lot we are. But through empathy – having the ability to understand another’s feelings – compassion arises, and even love.

The starting point is to recognise that we sometimes cannot cope, which brings about empathy for others. This brings about compassion, which can eventually bring about unconditional love. All we need is the right motivation. That motivation is to remain in undistracted, inner peace.

Love is understanding,
because we have
been there,
done that,
and suffered.
We love … even though.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged compassion, EMPATHY, Love, our perfect nature | Leave a comment

FAULT FINDING AND HOLDING ON

Posted on February 7, 2017 by tony

Fault Finding And Holding On…
is the path to perpetual torment.

As humans, there is no end to fault finding, so there is no end to suffering. We find fault with others, and they find fault with us. It’s part of our culture: “We good, them bad”. This hatred (for that is what fault finding is) is supposed to make us feel better. But it doesn’t; it’s just the devil in us that can never find happiness.

The key to our problems of lacking love, compassion and devotion is this fault finding, this condemning, this nitpicking.

The solution to fault finding is the recognition that it is taking place, and that holding onto this fault finding merely makes us miserable. Just admit it; “There I go again!” The very moment of true recognition is the moment of true release. This is due to ever present pure awareness that activates our conscience.

Conscience turns fault finding into discernment, the same way that anger is transformed into wisdom. We can now approach life with intelligence. Every moment, something needs to be brought back to balance, to be tidied up, but first we have to have mind and essence in balance to see clearly.

An example:

I worry about everything – I always have. I assume that certain people don’t like me or the blog. I have a lifetime of being told off for not conforming! Then I realised, a few days ago, that the people who were fault finding just didn’t have to ability to care: they weren’t able to do otherwise because we are all sentient and still governed by hopes and fears – there was nothing more malicious to it than that! Realising that people fault find, there is no need to counter fault find in retaliation Wow, that was such a relief! I don’t condemn them for it, and I no longer have to hold onto the worry! Yippee!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged condemning others, finding balance, Pure Awareness, spiritual fault finding | 1 Comment

IT’S NOT NEGATIVE TO ASK CERTAIN, DIFFICULT QUESTIONS

Posted on February 6, 2017 by tony

It’s Not Negative To Ask Certain, Difficult Questions

To be positive, we have to look at the negative,
otherwise we live in a false positive of hope and fear.
Recognising the negative is our path to liberation.

There are certain, difficult questions we should ask ourselves if we wish to clarify all doubt:

Is religion mass mind control?
Are we hypnotising ourselves to become too placid?
Does spirituality have to cost us so much money?
Is my group a cult?
Why isn’t there anyone to talk to about my doubts?
Why do ‘spiritual’ people move away from awkward customers?
Where then is compassion?
Do we have to keep attending a church, temple, meditation centre?
Why are these places so wealthy?

Why do I need to go to a fancy restaurant when I can eat at home? 😀

These questions are valid if we are looking for the truth because they can subtly disturb the mind, and if we do not admit to them, then they will fester, creating trouble for the future. The practice of spirituality is about controlling our own mind, protecting it from fears and seductions.

Religion creates a culture of behaviour that influences and controls our mind. We can witness this group behaviour; people are petrified about talking of such possibilities, and that in itself tells us everything.

Absolute truth is very simple; it’s our true nature, which is constantly being distracted. The vehicle to discovering the truth can, if we’re not careful, be the distraction itself if we become too involved in the vehicle. The recognition of our clinging is the realisation of the wisdom we seek.

Religious organisations can set us on the path, but we can easily become stuck to them. I am not saying that this is done deliberately – people naturally herd. Spiritual teachers must be aware that birds of a feather flock together … and perhaps dream together.

Religions are systems of cultural behaviours and practices, views, sacred texts, holy places, codes of ethics, social organisations that relate humans to their innermost longing … of some sort.

Different religions contain various elements; the divine, sacred things, faith, a supernatural being/s or some sort of ultimate transcendence or unification. Religious practices may include rituals, sermons, commentaries, veneration of teachers, God, deities, sacrifice, festivals, meditation, prayer, music, art, dance, public service, or other aspects of human culture.

Religions have sacred histories and narratives that are preserved in sacred scriptures, symbols and holy places, that aim to give a meaning to life. Religions may contain symbolic stories, which are sometimes said by followers to be true, that have the purpose of explaining the origin of life, and the Universe.

Absolute truth is very simple: it’s our true nature of pure awareness. Decorating or not decorating this truth does not change truth. Pure awareness just is. The only thing we have to pay is attention. It is distracted attention that creates suffering.

There is a jewel in the mud; we merely have to recognise this and wash the mud off, while being aware of not adding more mud!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Unanswered spiritual questions. | 4 Comments

THE POINTING OUT INSTRUCTION IS…

Posted on February 5, 2017 by tony

The Pointing Out Instruction Is …
… having absolute confidence.

Having absolute confidence in one’s recognition of pure knowingness, pure awareness, pure consciousness, pure perception. Of course, the scary word is “pure”. Pure merely means ‘without altering’; it is just seeing – it’s natural. ‘Absolute’ means being free and unrestricted. Remember when you were six months old, in a pram and you just noticed your toes. It’s like that. It’s that simple.

We are still ‘just seeing’ right now, but through a haze of ideas, doubts, emotions and confusion, which cloud our view and create bias. A bias is a leaning in another direction, but all the while, pure being is shining through. That is our constant, inner conflict that in fact can be transformed into wisdom.

These ideas, doubts, emotions and confusions are alien to what we are, but it’s what we identify with. If you are searching for aliens, just look around!

Whenever someone points something out, and we re-cognise, re-see, re-member (from old French remembrer, from late Latin rememorari ‘to call to mind’), then we have got it.

Having got it,
don’t forget it.
😀

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged the pointing out instruction | 1 Comment

TSOKNYI RINPOCHE’S TEACHING PROGRAMME FOR 2017

Posted on February 4, 2017 by tony

Tsoknyi Rinpoche’s Teaching Programme For 2017

Home

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Tsoknyi Rinpoche | 6 Comments

DISTINGUISHING WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT…

Posted on February 3, 2017 by tony

Distinguishing What Is And What is Not …
… creates confusion.

In truth, they are not separate.
Freedom from confusion is in the very moment
that confusion is apprehended.
Recognition and realisation are simultaneous.

I’ve taken part of this article by Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche to make a point (the bold text is my emphasis), but you can read the whole lecture from this link.

http://www.dharmadownload.net/pages/english/Natsok/0010_Teaching_English/Teaching_English_0055.htm

“What is Not
“The teachings I am presenting concern what is and what is not. The Buddhist teachings speak about samsara – conditioned existence – and nirvana – the state of enlightenment that is beyond samsara. The characteristics of samsara are suffering and pain. The characteristics of nirvana are happiness and well-being. Our relationship to samsara is to become liberated from suffering. Our relationship to nirvana is to experience freedom from suffering.

“Lord Buddha’s teachings distinguish (between) samsara and nirvana. One’s understanding of both is wrong, though. One doesn’t experience benefits in samsara due to being deluded, thus one seeks liberation from samsara and strives to attain the peace of nirvana.

“One’s notions of samsara as a state of suffering, and nirvana as a state beyond suffering, imply running away from samsara and towards nirvana. Such ideas are illusory – they are dualistic fixations about samsara and nirvana and are an expression of confusion.

“The 84,000 collections of teachings that Lord Buddha presented are contained in the two truths: the relative and ultimate truths. While gaining a gradual understanding of both, one differentiates (between) relative and ultimate reality because of phenomena’s display. The fundamental nature of all things presents no reason to separate the ultimate from the relative levels of being. The two truths are inseparable – this is the ultimate truth of the nature of relative existence.

“Discussing relative and ultimate levels of being misleads one to separate the relative truth as a world of confusion from the ultimate truth as a world beyond confusion. This separation itself is a misconception and an expression of confusion.

“It is a split, and therefore one relates to the relative world of phenomena from a state of confusion.

“For instance, there are so many religions in the world that have evolved from many individuals’ wishes and attempts to become free of suffering and confusion, but confusion has developed around religions instead of being resolved.

“Many people see the world from a confused viewpoint, believing it was created by a self-created creator, by somebody who decided how it should be and fashioned it in that manner. Many people believe in a universal architect, in somebody who manipulates the world and its inhabitants.

“On the other hand, some people believe that nobody had anything to do with the world’s creation. How did it come about then? They shrug their shoulders and simply reply, “It just happened.”

“Both notions – belief in a creator and belief in coincidence – are delusive. The desire to leave a spot of suffering and to reach a spot free of suffering is the fundamental mistake, and more confusion evolves as a result. The teachings I will present deal with what is and what is not. The above concerns what is not.

“What Is
“The theme ‘what is’ includes everything that is fundamentally valid without mistaken cognition, i.e., free of confusion. Somebody who is confused nourishes beliefs about things that contradict the way things really are. Bewilderment is confusion and has far-reaching consequences. Confusion is a mental state in the absence of knowledge as to the way all things really are and the way they arise and appear. But confusion can be unravelled; a mistaken view can be understood and dispelled. One’s approach is bewildered, though, as long as one’s practical relationship with one’s delusions make one shun confusion, which doesn’t bring about freedom from confusion…

http://www.dharmadownload.net/pages/english/Natsok/0010_Teaching_English/Teaching_English_0055.htm

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Spiritual confusion, What Is And What is Not . | Leave a comment

TIMELINESS

Posted on February 2, 2017 by tony

Timeliness
Meeting with a teaching.

When we are beginners, thoughts and emotions are very powerful, and can be overwhelming. We get easily upset, so we have to take back control through meditation and understanding. We stop our ideas running amok through watching-the-breath practice. This gives us a short respite, and we gradually gain control and insight into ourselves. Realisation is more than an acquired idea; we evolve, and are no longer governed by our past.

Firstly, we have to acknowledge stillness, and occurrences within that stillness – light and my shadow. Then there comes a moment when we realise something – or it is pointed out: that the shadow is only known by virtue of the light! They are inseparable. As we advance, we find that thoughts and emotions are inseparable from emptiness: emptiness is clear light. The computer in front of you is inseparable from the space it occupies. It’s like that.

When does the change take place? At the right time, right place, right motivation, right confusion! 😀

Shabkar Tsokdrug Rangdrol:
… “The more emotions and thoughts, the more dharmakaya. You should know that is how it is…”

… “For beginners, when emotional thought states arise too powerfully, it is beneficial first to analyse and then rest…”

Even though we may have been given the pointing out instruction, strong emotional thoughts like doubt, pride, anger, fear, jealousy, desire … still arise. Merely be aware that awareness is present all the while, and let go. In the moment of recognition and letting go, there is nothing but pure awareness.

This is timeliness of timelessness.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged gaining control, right time, stillness, the pointing out instruction, thoughts and emotions in emptiness | Leave a comment

“I FIND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO RECOGNISE THE NATURE OF MIND!”

Posted on February 1, 2017 by tony

“I Find It Impossible To Recognise The Nature Of Mind!”

It is the nature of mind that recognises the mind saying,
“It is impossible to recognise the nature of mind.”

When a thought or emotion arises
it is the nature of mind that recognises the thought or emotion.

The nature of mind is the ultimate reality
of pure uncontaminated being.
It is unseen because it is seeing.

When thoughts and emotions arise,
it is wisdom that is present.
There is no separation!

Do you see how close you are to you?

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged The Nature of Mind, Thoughts and emotions. | Leave a comment

IF YOU FEEL LIKE A CHAT

Posted on January 31, 2017 by tony

If You Feel Like A Chat

email Tony at buddhainthemud@hotmail.com

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

WHAT IS BUDDHISM?

Posted on January 31, 2017 by tony

What is Buddhism?

We are bound by our emotions, which protect a ‘me’ – an illusory self image. Buddhism is the path leading to insight into the true nature of reality of self and all phenomena. Through personal experience, our true nature, which is beyond a belief, is realised.

Change occurs when our evaluation of awareness changes. Ordinary awareness is continually evaluating: this ordinary, self indulgence of ego can, through practice, be transformed into lucid naked awareness – pure awareness itself. We are released from what we are not, to be what we truly are.

In the early stages of development, we become aware of occurrences and stillness in the mind; we become mindful of whatever arises, and so we take care. However, we can become subtly stuck in mindfulness because we are always relating to a ‘me’ and ‘mine’, and at this stage it’s possible to be careless. When awareness gets involved, it creates a ‘me’ … a very emotional ‘me’!

Realisation occurs when lucid naked awareness realises that there is no me, no meditator, and no meditation, but just naked lucid awareness. Self and all phenomena are empty of any true existence, having to rely on causes and conditions. Whatever occurs, pleasant or unpleasant, lucid naked awareness is ever present.

The result of realisation is compassion, which is the continuity of timeless, selfless awareness. There is no time for a self; if a self arises, this is merely a habit of a conditioned mind, the recognition of which is freedom. Freedom is escape from a conditioned mind to a mind that is not controlled by conditions.

What is Buddhism?
It’s what you want it to be.
In this way, the levels are released.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged compassion, emotions, mindfulness, nature of reality, self image, timeless selfless awareness | 5 Comments

INSIGHT AND BIAS

Posted on January 30, 2017 by tony

Insight And Bias

Insight is direct seeing.
Bias is holding on to what is seen.

This is how our cleverness can imprison us, and limit understanding. We are too quick to find fault.

Direct seeing is pure conscious awareness just seeing. It notes the nature of a situation, person or group, and drops any ideas, staying open to possibilities. An example: A red car speeding, or a person talking non stop: there is no opinion present, but merely observation.

This doesn’t mean that we ignore a particular peculiarity: we just do not hold on to this recognition as it impedes us mentally, fossilising prejudices which form the preconceived opinions that will arise at the next meeting. If we fixate on others’ fixations, it is we who are incapable of change. Their incapacity becomes our incapacity as we cannot let go.

However, having been pre-warned, we are prepared at the next meeting. No surprises, so no reaction. We recognise the old patterning and do not react. This means we stay in control of our situation.

Freedom from within
is letting go of all concepts.

First, we recognise the concepts,
and then we know what to let go.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Freedom from within., Insight and bias. | Leave a comment

THE QUALITY OF MEDITATION

Posted on January 29, 2017 by tony

The Quality Of Meditation

What really counts
is the quality of mind resting.
Absolutely doing nothing.
Just being aware.

It counts because, throughout life,
the quality and quantity of resting
in our natural state of being
mounts up.

The outcome is to be more compassionate,
and therefore, intelligent.
Intelligence is the ability to drop
unnecessary fixations.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged compassion, dropping unnecessary fixations, intelligence, Meditation, our natural state of being | Leave a comment

WE REALLY DO KNOW

Posted on January 28, 2017 by tony

We Really Do Know
We know that if we do not adapt, we stay miserable.

We stay miserable because we are (sorry to say this) stubborn, lazy, careless, idle, without purpose, and so we suffer while, at the same time, creating suffering for others. Even being busy is laziness, from a spiritual point of view.

Once we recognise and understand pure awareness – which is pure consciousness, which is what we are – then we can answer any question for ourselves, and stay happy. We do not constantly need to refer to the teacher sitting on a throne in great splendour, who tells us what we already know. If we keep doing that, we develop the habit of doubting ourselves. Pure consciousness knows. It also knows that our human side may lack a certain capacity in expressing itself, but it nonetheless knows, and can adapt. Anything that arises in pure consciousness is seen as a temporary matter, so there is no need to get too heavy about such things. That is how we stay happy. There are great scholars who cannot empathise with how we are or how we became that way, but just quote generic scripture.

There are many levels of teachings, and some are rarely shared (I sometimes feel that this is to keep the teacher in a superior position). If we are not given the complete picture, we always feel that we are not ready; we’re not good enough and so, it is our afflictions that are emphasised and we are told we need pure perception without receiving the explanation that we are pure perception already.

I love Tibetan Buddhism, but it can make life complicated and we are required to be reliant upon the teacher. The whole point is to connect to the inner teacher – conscience – inner knowledge.

If we do not connect to this inner teacher – which then utilises the whole of phenomena as the outer teacher – then we remain as children, over-awed by sparkling thrones and robes and images.

Listen to the teacher. Are they telling you anything you do not already know? Once we realise what we already know, we are ready for life, and death.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTION., We Really Do Know. | Leave a comment

BEING FOOLPROOF

Posted on January 27, 2017 by tony

Being Foolproof
Incapable of going wrong.

It is the antidote that is the problem!

As long as we feel that we are missing something, we will be fooled.
What is it that is complete, and has no parts to fail?

Emptiness.

Emptiness has no inside or outside, no top or bottom. Emptiness is the clarity of perfect consciousness that has no needs. Having no needs, it cannot be fooled into needing something. Neediness is the normal human conditioning and is the reason we are being fooled, time after time.

Applying any method* is merely an antidote and not a permanent solution, because the situation will arise again and again. Anger arises and we apply compassion: this merely covers up the anger, and keeps us in perpetual self madness because the anger is still present underneath.

It is pure consciousness that is foolproof, as it perceives everything without bias. The moment we recognise any emotion is the moment of detachment because there is a brightening of the mind. In that moment, anger is wisdom, from which true compassion expands. If we modify, we could be applying platitudes and sound bites which hide the reality of feeling the discomfort and sadness within the raw situation. In experiencing freedom, there is slight unease because it is glaring obvious that we have been holding on to something.

*There are lots of methods!

Buddhist traditions from Wikipedia:

Sthaviravāda

Pudgalavāda

Sarvāstivāda

Vibhajyavāda

Theravāda

Theravāda subschools:

Mahīśāsaka

Dharmaguptaka

Kāśyapīya

Vatsīputrīya later name: Saṃmitīya

Dharmottarīya

Bhadrayānīya

Sannāgarika

Mūlasarvāstivāda

Sautrāntika

Mahāsāṃghika

Ekavyahārikas

Lokottaravāda

Golulika

Bahuśrutīya

Prajñaptivāda

Cetiyavāda

Caitika

Apara Śaila

Uttara Śaila

The following lists the twenty sects described as Hīnayāna, as the classification is understood in some Mahāyāna texts:

Sthaviravāda split into the 11 sects:

Sarvāstivādin

Haimavata

Vatsīputrīya

Dharmottara

Bhadrayānīya

Sammitiya

Channagirika

Mahīśāsaka

Dharmaguptaka

Kāśyapīya

Sautrāntika

Sthaviravāda

Haimavata

Sarvāstivādin

Vatsīputrīya

Dharmottara

Bhadrayānīya

Sammitiya

Channagirika

Mahīśāsaka

Dharmaguptaka

Kāśyapīya

Sautrāntika

Mahāsāṃghika split into 9 sects:

Ekavyahārika

Lokottaravādin

Kaukkutika

Bahuśrutīya

Prajñaptivāda

Caitika

Aparaśaila

Uttaraśaila.

Mahasanghika

Ekavyahārika

Caitika

Lokottaravādin

Aparaśaila

Kaukkutika

Uttaraśaila

Bahuśrutīya

Prajñaptivāda

Influences on East Asian schools

The following later schools used the vinaya of the Dharmaguptaka:

Chinese Buddhism, especially the Vinaya School

Korean Buddhism, especially Gyeyul

Vietnamese Buddhism

Japanese Ritsu

The following involve philosophical influence:

The Japanese Jojitsu is considered by some an offshoot of Sautrāntika; others consider it to be derived from Bahuśrutīya

The Chinese/Japanese Kusha school is considered an offshoot of Sarvāstivāda, influenced by Vasubandhu.

Theravāda subschools

The different schools in Theravāda often emphasize different aspects (or parts) of the Pāli canon and the later commentaries, or differ in the focus on and recommended way of practice. There are also significant differences in strictness or interpretation of the vinaya.

Bangladesh:

Sangharaj Nikaya

Mahasthabir Nikaya

Burma:

Thudhamma Nikaya

Vipassanā tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw and disciples

Shwegyin Nikaya

Dvaya Nikaya or Dvara Nikaya (see Mendelson, Sangha and State in Burma, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York, 1975)

Hngettwin Nikaya

Sri Lanka:

Siam Nikaya

Waturawila (or Mahavihara Vamshika Shyamopali Vanavasa Nikaya)

Amarapura Nikaya

Kanduboda (or Swejin Nikaya)

Tapovana (or Kalyanavamsa)

Ramañña Nikaya

Sri Kalyani Yogasrama Samstha (or ‘Galduwa Tradition’)

Delduwa

forest nikaya

Thailand

Maha Nikaya

Dhammakaya Movement

Mahasati meditation (mindfulness meditation)

Thammayut Nikaya

Thai Forest Tradition

Tradition of Ajahn Chah

Vipassana movement

Tantric Theravada Mahāyāna schools

Thousand-armed Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva. Guanyin Nunnery, Anhui, China

Indian Buddhism

Mādhyamaka

Prāsangika

Svātantrika

Yogācāra

Chinese Buddhism

Vinaya school[18]

Jingtu (Pure Land)

Satyasiddhi (Historical)

Abhidharmakośa (Historical)

Daśabhūmikā (absorbed into Huayan)

Tiantai

Huayan (Avataṃsaka)

Chan (Zen)

Tangmi (Esoteric)

Sanlun (Mādhyamaka)

Weishi (Yogācāra)

Korean Buddhism

Tongbulgyo (Interpenetrated Buddhism – including Jeongto, or Pure Land)

Gyeyul (Vinaya school)

Cheontae (Tiantai)

Hwaeom (Avataṃsaka)

Seon (Zen)

Jingak (Esoteric)

Samnon (Mādhyamaka)

Beopsang (Yogācāra)

Yeolban (Nirvana school)

Wonbulgyo (Korean Reformed Buddhism)

Vietnamese Buddhism

Tịnh Độ (Pure Land)

Thiền (Zen)

Trúc Lâm (Syncretic)

Unified Buddhist Church (Engaged Buddhism)

Hòa Hảo (Reformist)

Japanese Buddhism

Pure Land

Jōdo-shū

Jōdo Shinshū

Ji-shū

Yūzū-nembutsu-shū

Risshū school (Vinaya school)

Jojitsu (Satyasiddhi – historical)

Kusha (Abhidharmakośa – historical)

Sanron (Mādhyamaka – historical)

Hossō (Yogācāra)

Kegon (Avatamsaka)

Japanese esoteric Buddhism

Tendai (Tiantai)

Shingon

Shinnyo-en

Shugendo (Syncretic)

Zen

Rinzai

Sōtō

Ōbaku

Fuke-shū (Historical)

Nichiren Buddhism

Nichiren Shū

Honmon Butsuryū-shū

Kempon Hokke

Nichiren Shōshū

Subcategorised according to predecessors:

Tibetan Buddhism

Nyingma

New Bön (synthesis of Yungdrung Bön and Nyingmapa)

Kadam (Historical)

Gelug

New Kadampa Tradition

Sakya

Ngor-pa

Tsar-pa

Jonang

Kagyu:

Shangpa Kagyu

Marpa Kagyu:

Rechung Kagyu

Dagpo Kagyu:

Karma Kagyu (or Kamtshang Kagyu)

Tsalpa Kagyu

Baram Kagyu

Pagtru Kagyu (or Phagmo Drugpa Kagyu):

Taklung Kagyu

Trophu Kagyu

Drukpa Kagyu

Martsang Kagyu

Yerpa Kagyu

Yazang Kagyu

Shugseb Kagyu

Drikung Kagyu

Rime movement (ecumenical movement)

Newar Buddhism

Tangmi Buddhism

Japanese Mikkyo

Shingon

Tendai (derived from Tiantai but added tantric practices)

Shinnyo-en

Shugendo (Syncretized with Shinto, Taoism, and shamanism)

New Buddhist movements[edit]

Dalit Buddhist movement

Dhammakaya Movement

Diamond Way

Engaged Buddhism

Kenshōkai

New Kadampa Tradition

Nipponzan Myōhōji

Reiyūkai

Risshō Kōsei Kai

Shambhala Buddhism

Share International

Shōshinkai

Sōka Gakkai

Triratna Buddhist Community

True Buddha School

Vipassana movement

Won Buddhism

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Spiritual antidotes. | 2 Comments

THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR PURE AWARENESS

Posted on January 25, 2017 by tony

There Is No Substitute For Pure Awareness

It’s available now for free.
Just sit still without comment.

Insight is available to us all.
Just sit still without comment.

Mahamudra and Dzogchen is now.
Just sit still without comment.

Nothing “fancy schmancy” about pure awareness.
Just sit still without comment.

When we rely on someone or something else,
we lose the insight of pure awareness.

A substitute is a replacement.
A graven image.

“You shall not make for your self an idol.”
It will just delay progress.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Graven Image, Mahamudra and Dzogchen ., Pure Awareness | 1 Comment

MEETINGS WITH SCARY PEOPLE

Posted on January 24, 2017 by tony

Meetings With Scary People
is the reason to meditate

Every encounter is scary, when we consider that everyone is living in an illusion; projecting it, maintaining it and defending it. Of course, this includes ourselves! This is why we need to sit for at least twenty minutes a day in meditation, to clear our mind of our own illusions. Now, a clear mind turns scariness into compassion. Not easy? Then we just have to sit some more.

If we do not have a clear mind, then we merely become entangled in others’ realms:

Hell-beings are people who are angry all the time and nothing is right.

Hungry ghosts are people who think they do not have enough and cannot assimilate what they have.

Animal realm people have no humour and are mechanical – jobsworths.

Human realm people are excessively over-active and frustrated, and therefore addicted.

Jealous gods argue and quarrel and allow no one into their defences.

Gods assume they deserve everything, but nothing lasts and they fall back into the lower realms again.

This is called Samsara; it’s our usual cycle of existence, and reveals that we have absolutely no control. Scary, isn’t it?

The whole point is not to criticise others, but to recognise our own display of illusions. Taking time to meditate frees us from this never ending, spine-chilling story.

What’s even more scary?
We think that all this is normal,
and that’s why we get upset
when someone questions us.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Living in an illusion, six samaria realms in Buddhist, what is normal? cycle of existence | Leave a comment

SATISFACTION SUDDENLY BECOMES DISSATISFACTION – WHY?

Posted on January 23, 2017 by tony

Satisfaction Suddenly Becomes Dissatisfaction – Why?

Knowing what is true and what is not true
becomes more and more subtle.

It is the ‘knowing’ that is true and constant; it is not that which is known, which is as changeable as the wind. Knowing is clarity, the clear view, the clear mirror. That which is known is the ever changing reflections. Pure knowingness is absolute reality: the reflection is that which is mistakenly related to as truth, and is therefore relative reality.

The question is, “What am I?”

Everything is relative – what one person values may not be satisfying to another. When we drop everything that is known, then what is left is knowingness itself. It is self-knowingness!

Space within a vase is exactly the same as space outside the vase.
Smash the vase and see.
Space inside the temple is exactly the same as space outside the temple.
We are that sacred space.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged sacred space, spiritual dissatisfaction, spiritual satisfaction | Leave a comment

I DO NOT BELIEVE A WORD I WRITE OR SAY

Posted on January 23, 2017 by tony

I Do Not Believe A Word I Write Or Say

In realising pure consciousness,
there is nothing to believe in.

Belief is something we accept without proof.
That’s no way to live and die.

In the stillness of silence,
the proof of pure consciousness is glaringly, brilliantly obvious.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged beyond belief | 2 Comments

UNLOCKING OUR FULL POTENTIAL

Posted on January 22, 2017 by tony

Unlocking Our Full Potential

Our current potential is limited by our fixation on the way that we see things. We don’t just see: we have bias.

Our absolute potential is the actual clarity of seeing itself: it is not dependent on the way that we see things.

We note, however, that we still have a bias, and this is the key to unlocking our full potential. We have no fear of deconstruction because, in emptiness, everything is our teacher. There is a constant rebirth, therefore we can reconstruct at any moment to meet the present requirements. As an example: if, when explaining something, the other person doesn’t understand, then we ask questions in order to reconstruct a clarification.

Instead of fearing life – which is a product of karma – we look more closely and objectively into that karma, and we can face anything. It’s being honest about our bias, and so the actual clarity of seeing itself frees us. As an example: we doesn’t have to fight a situation. Sometimes, silence is golden.

There is the danger of becoming caught in extremes of being dependent, and being independent. The relative and the absolute have to work together. We have to function within this human system, which is the path to our full potential.

It’s simply being honest with ourself.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Spiritual potential. | Leave a comment

DARE I SAY IT?

Posted on January 21, 2017 by tony

Dare I Say It?

“Teachers can be a problem.”
“Traditions can be a problem.”
“Other students can be a problem.”

None are wrong:
They each have their own way.
But that way is an amalgamation of others’ ways.
We have to choose what works for us
so that we can be of benefit to others.

We can inadvertently acquire practices and attitudes, which seem like commitments, fearing that these cannot be dropped. The acquisition of commitments can restrict us, rather than setting us free. That is the dilemma. We may find that we are ‘rushing to ritual’, and not resting in practice, which is the essence of the teaching.

It’s just worth considering.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Spiritual attitudes., Spiritual dilemma | Leave a comment

PERFECT CONSCIOUSNESS

Posted on January 19, 2017 by tony

Perfect Consciousness

We are perfect consciousness
but, in looking for something more,
we abide in imperfect consciousness – ignorance.

Ignorant, we wander in confusion, and suffer.
The world is confusing because it is confused.

We will stay confused
as long as we compare ourselves to others.

We each have our own particular version of confusion.
Recognising this is our hidden talent!

Once we accept that we have a peculiar way about us,
then we can find our way out.

Distractions are endless,
so talking is endless.

In perfect consciousness,
there is nothing to discuss or describe:
it can only be experienced.

Perfect consciousness:
there’s no getting away from it.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged comparing ourselves to others, Confusion, imperfect consciousness, perfect consciousness, we each have a peculiar way | 8 Comments

HOW DO WE WAKE UP, AND STAY AWAKE?

Posted on January 15, 2017 by tony

How Do We Wake Up, And Stay Awake?
Staying awake is enlightenment!

The very moment we come to our senses and rest in pure perception – which is pure awareness in that spontaneous present moment now – we are awake. We are awake because we are not embroiled in concepts in the mind; we are not distracted. There is nothing getting in the way. This is plain and simple and, in fact, it is being absolutely ordinary.

When we are caught up in thoughts, running commentaries or emotions, we are locked in the mind, picturing the past or the future, entangled in a dream state. This is complexity and, in fact, it is conventionally ordinary.

Of course we are, in actuality, oscillating between the two, but do not notice this. Noticing this oscillation, we wake up. If we believe that waking up should be full of splendour and bliss, when this does not occur, we may feel deflated. The problem comes from reading too many books, and hearing fantastical stories! These may make us feel that we’re waking up, but we have merely woken up on a conventional level.

There is splendour and bliss, but not as we think. It’s much quieter than that. We may notice that we are not in a mood; we’re no longer Maha Moodies! Merely the absence of mood or disquiet is blissful and, in sustaining that, everything becomes more colourful and splendorous. That’s all.

Everything comes to the quiet person, and passes.
A noisy person goes out to everything, and holds on.
We’re not acquiring something:
we’re losing everything.
If we want to wake up, then it is up to us alone.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged absolutely ordinary, conventionally ordinary, losing everything, PURE PERCEPTION, the power of quiet, waking up | 2 Comments

BAD STUFF HAPPENS

Posted on January 14, 2017 by tony

Bad Stuff Happens

When the bad stuff happens,
the good news is that
the good stuff sees it.

If the good stuff complains
about the bad stuff,
it just creates more bad stuff.

When the bad stuff happens,
the good stuff sorts it out
by watching.*

Always remember:
you are the good stuff that knows
that the bad stuff is just out there.

* The more we look, see and drop, the more our capacity to sort out problems grows.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged how to deal with bad stuff happening, realigning with problems, spiritual development, the good stuff and the bad stuff | Leave a comment

KNOW YOUR OWN MIND

Posted on January 10, 2017 by tony

Know Your Own Mind
(easier said than done)

If we do not look honestly, and admit how our own mind is working right now, then we will stay imprisoned by thoughts and ideas that we have acquired.

We need to recognise the three rudimentary laws that keep us in darkness:

desire assumptions
fear assumptions
ignorance assumptions

Fight, flight and freeze are the very basic programming that keeps us all running around in circles, happily – or unhappily – repeating the same process day after day, from birth to death, remaining totally confused about reality.

We spend our entire lives claiming that we know or believing that we don’t know. Unless we see how we work – or rather, how the ideas we have acquired puff us up or pull us down – we will die in this confused state.

The three rudimentary laws are necessary for survival, but the problem is that they are also ‘self’ maintaining.

Psychology is insight into the workings of our ordinary mind, which is still a philosophy because it omits absolute reality: ‘philosophy‘ from the Greek ‘philosophia’ – ‘love of wisdom’.

Wisdom turns assumptions of philosophy on their head.

Here is a subtle dilemma: the love of wisdom is an intellectual exercise, while wisdom itself is what we are. We can become hooked by philosophy – the love of wisdom – but set free by the realisation that we are the wisdom itself. It is this self-wisdom that recognises the state of our mind.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged know your own mind, philosophy versus wisdom, self-wisdom, three rudimentary laws | Leave a comment

THE INSIDER

Posted on January 9, 2017 by tony

The Insider

The insider
knows the secret!

😀

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged the inner secret | Leave a comment

AS WE PROGRESS, WE TAKE STEPS …

Posted on January 9, 2017 by tony

As We Progress, We Take Steps …
and in taking steps, we leave the previous step behind.
We cross over a line!

Having realised that we don’t have to be a ‘Buddhist’ to realise our true nature, we realise that we don’t have to be anything else either!

I feel embarrassed calling myself ‘Buddhist’. I even cringe. I only say I’m Buddhist so that the other person doesn’t assume I believe what they believe; I should probably stay quiet! The problem is that people only have a vague idea of what Buddhism is, and that puts up a barrier. Meeting other Buddhists – or anyone that meditates – is even worse, as this seems to bring out their competitiveness, and probably mine as well 😉 Even if I try to explain that, in essence, there is no difference, they are already backing off at a hundred miles an hour! People cling to a culture, and if they don’t like their own culture. then they cling to or adopt the culture of others. This isn’t the point of the Buddha’s teaching: the Buddha’s teaching is to go beyond.

Of course, we all go through the process of embracing another’s culture – adopting the look, acquiring blessing cords and even having a spiritual name. But there comes a point when we cross over from the pretence. We develop a “retreatant’s mind”, and carry the retreat atmosphere in daily life. We are alone, in solitude, in the city, in a family … and it is a relief, and wonderfully peaceful. We are no longer wound up.

Let it all go.
Let it all out.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged adopting the culture of others, being buddhist, don't be Buddhist, retreatant's mind, The essence of the Buddha's teaching | Leave a comment

CHANGING OUR VIEW WILL CHANGE OUR CULTURE

Posted on January 9, 2017 by tony

Changing Our View Will Change Our Culture
Changing our culture will not change our view

Realising our spiritual nature
is dependant upon realising the clarity of the view,
rather than the object to which clarity is clinging.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged changing our view, clarity | Leave a comment

DON’T BECOME A BUDDHIST …

Posted on January 8, 2017 by tony

Don’t Become A Buddhist …
Don’t become anything.

Be what you are:
be aware, be understanding, be kind.

This is the essence of the Buddha’s teaching.
We already know this.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged be what you are, becoming a Buddhist, Don't Become A Buddhist! | Leave a comment

THE ROPE BRIDGE

Posted on January 7, 2017 by tony

The Rope Bridge

The meticulous, precise Dharma teachings may not always be available to us, so we shouldn’t take them for granted.

The Dharma is a very narrow rope bridge across a deep samsaric ravine. We are aware that others have used the bridge to go beyond. It is there for our benefit, but it is up to us whether we trust it or not: no one is forcing us to cross. We could go on waiting to find another way, but this one has presented itself to us now. If we wait, we may become frozen … for a very long time.

In essence, the Buddha’s Dharma is no different to Christ’s teaching, the Advaita or any path of love and understanding, but each approach will be different. Even in Buddhism, there are many traditions and techniques, but when everything is washed away, all that is left is the purity of uncontaminated emptiness – our exact, true nature.

Realising that we are the truth is the highest human endeavour, and not to be taken for granted. It is not an entertainment: to see it as merely an intellectual pastime will have serious consequences, as we are belittling the truth – our selves. This will hamper our progress, as we will become just proud Samsaric Gods, not having actually crossed over.

If you find a way, use it, as this is the product of good karma, and not to be wasted! We cross the ravine of samsara by giving up thoughts of ‘me’. The very moment all thoughts of me and mine disappear, we have crossed over.

In meditation, it is easy to see how we cross over into emptiness, and suddenly find ourselves back on the original side because we are taken over by thoughts again. That is why we use the word ‘practice’. Practice make perfect.

The Dharma makes no demand of us: it’s just there waiting. However, the more we turn our backs on actual sitting practice, the less we will recognise the value of the path, and the more frozen we will become.

To levitate is to be light, and not weighed down:
what could be lighter than emptiness?

When nothing holds us down, then we are flying,
and not bunny hopping.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged crossing over, don't waste time, the importance of sitting practice, truth is the highest endeavour | 1 Comment

BEFORE GAINING CONFIDENCE

Posted on January 6, 2017 by tony

Before Gaining Confidence

Before we gain confidence, we need conviction, and before conviction, we need to be convinced.

So, what do we trust? Our spiritual journey usually starts by meeting someone, or by hearing or reading something that makes some sort of sense. But it may not be clear because that was only hearsay: we have to be where it’s at!

We discover that we are like a computer that’s not running properly. There are viral contaminations that confuse and harm: after all, we are embodied in a biomechanical machine.
Biomechanical: relating to the mechanical laws concerning the movement or structure of living organisms.

We sit in meditation and find that the machine has problems – it’s wandering all over the place. We are out of control, or rather, we are being controlled by the viruses or malware.
Malware: programming or files that are developed for the purpose of doing harm.

We need an anti-virus programme! And that is a tradition of meditation. The first thing we discover, while sitting quietly in meditation, is the malware: the body fidgets and cannot come to rest, and the mind is the same. Environmental influences that stimulate and over-excite are running in the background, and these control our machine through harm-ware.

Are you now convinced that you need to do something about this? 😀 With proper meditation, your system should start running properly and happily. That is the whole point of spiritual practices: to gain insight into your self and how it works.

You see that it is only in the very practice of meditation
that the problem is seen … and thereby solved.
You see, and so gain confidence.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged confidence, malware in the mind, Meditation, The point of spiritual practice, this human computer | Leave a comment

GAINING CONFIDENCE PARTS 2 3 4 5 6 & 7

Posted on January 5, 2017 by tony

Gaining Confidence Parts 2 3 4 5 6 & 7
😀

Don’t be over confident.
Feel the situation, without smothering it.

Avoid being over-stimulated, provoked,
and dumbed down.

Relax in whatever takes place,
allowing essence to rest openly within intelligence

Have trust in that which is unshakeable
and cannot be altered.

Know what is permanent
and have confidence in that.

Simply be happy.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged gaining spiritual confidence | 1 Comment

HOW DO WE BUILD CONFIDENCE?

Posted on January 4, 2017 by tony

How Do We Build Confidence?
We build confidence through accepting the process of change on a conventional level, while at the same time, acknowledging the absolute presence which is unchanging.

This will depend on the needs of the individual: it’s a tricky subject that requires consideration. Conventionally, we gain confidence by “Monkey see, monkey do”, and that works to a certain level. This is a left brain application, or vertical thinking: “You do this and then this and you get that!” But what if we have a more right brained approach? What if we are lateral thinkers, asking “What is this?”

It’s possible to become either too literal and ‘religious’, or too flaky and careless. When we’re trying to find confidence in the way we work, there comes a moment of conflict, with either the way we are working or the way others are working. We’re trying to hold it all together, but find we’re getting upset, experiencing a sense of dissatisfaction. Platitudes no longer work because we are recognising and realising something we hadn’t seen before. That could be uncomfortable, and that means something is shifting!

Perhaps we first need to conform, with a straightforward point of view that ‘stands to reason’ (ie the four mind changes) and then expand into emptiness, where there is no reason. Gaining confidence in emptiness isn’t something we are brought up with, is it?

I’m coming to the end of a fourth year on this blog: all that needs to be said has been said many times. However, convincing the mind does take time. We have to become gradually familiar with a different approach to life, and gain confidence in the reality of our spiritual being beyond doing, beyond coming and going, and beyond being clever, which will allow us to live in a clear, lucid, well-balanced way.

This doesn’t mean we get it right all the time 🙂 . It’s a matter of hearing, tasting, touching, smelling, seeing, perceiving, recognising, experiencing and realising. For us, the outcome may be different to the outcome of others.

We look for satisfaction. Having been satisfied, suddenly this does not satisfy any more. We out grow conventional conformity; we out grow our toys and confidence is knocked. But we note that, throughout all this processing and reprocessing, awareness is always present. Through meditation, that which needs to grow grows, and that which needs to drop away, drops away; we ascend levels. Different people will hear the same thing differently, and also, through experience, the actual meaning of the words changes. There is a saying: “Same words, exalted meaning”. As we out grow an understanding, we may even think we are in hell – “One man’s meat is another’s poison”.

I lack confidence in writing; I just follow the words from teachings that the mind is scanning. It is all a learning process. There is a sort of knowingness within not knowing. On the ‘table’ (the mind) in front of me are all possibilities, which are neither accepted nor rejected. They are bits of knowledge. Now depending on the situation, the question asked will dictate how these bits of knowledge are put together to find an answer. The funny thing is that, if asked the same question a moment later, the answer might turn out differently! You just have to know when to stop.

We can talk more on this … !

*the precious nature of human life, suffering, impermanence/death, and karma

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged SPIRITUAL CONFIDENCE | 2 Comments

THE ‘ME’ FORMULA

Posted on January 3, 2017 by tony

The ‘Me’ Formula

Discover the truth, and the truth turns out to be ourself. This is the highest human endeavour.

Even though we discover that we are the truth we seek – which is pure consciousness – we are still encapsulated in a ‘type’, with a body and mind that seem to have their own agenda, and a karmic history that created the ‘me’ formula. Having discovered that we are the truth, we now need to purify this body and mind, this habit pattern of ‘me’.

Our pattern is typified by a dominant emotion or neurotic state: we may feel pride in our achievements, or defensive and competitive, or full of desire, overactive, addicted and frustrated, or mechanical and humourless, or greedy and unable to consume our desires, or angry and irritable. These are descriptions of the six realms in which we might find ourselves: hell, hungry ghost, animal, human, jealous gods and gods. They have no reality, but we are stuck in these muddy realms. Unfortunately, we are so familiar with this patterning that it may even feel comfortable.

How do we break out of this formula?

By being aware – through personal experience – of what is taking place when it is taking place. The moment before the emotion explodes, there is an awareness which is, in fact, wisdom; it is a wisdom-awareness. In the moment of awareness, detachment occurs, creating the space of clarity; the right atmosphere! In that nowness of knowingness, emotions turn into wisdoms. We cool down into kindness, and everything seems brighter.

Perfecting generosity, discipline, patience, perseverance, and meditation maintains clarity. It all comes down to what we find we are holding on to, and then letting go.

Awareness does this all by itself, as it is self-aware.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Awareness, breaking out, Buddhism - the six realms, the me complex, the nowness of knowingness | Leave a comment

THE TRUTH TURNS OUT TO BE YOURSELF

Posted on January 2, 2017 by tony

The Truth Turns Out To Be Yourself …
and not your self.

Anything that you know is the not-self,
because the self is the knowingness.

This self is pure consciousness.
Your self is the illusion.

The world is a dream.
Discovering that,
we are not caught up in the dream.

The not-self is an expression of self:
therefore, they are a unity.

One day, the expression will find its purpose!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Not-self., Pure Consciousness., The Truth Turns Out To Be Yourself! | Leave a comment

WISHING YOU A PLETHORA OF ENLIGHTENED INSPIRATION

Posted on January 1, 2017 by tony

Wishing You A Plethora Of Enlightened Inspiration

Wishing you a plethora of enlightened inspiration,
and an abundance of happiness this coming year.

It is not easy knowing if we’re doing the right thing,
but if there is no aftertaste or regret, then all is well.

Can we do better? Actually I don’t think so.

We just have to remember to let the result of previous
actions play themselves out, and not add to them.
All we need is to realise a good heart, which is our
innermost essence: we are the heart of the matter.

Oh, and utilise free speech and free spirit while we still have it!

Spiritual friends
Tony and Kathie

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged free speech, free spirit | Leave a comment

PRACTICAL WISDOM

Posted on December 31, 2016 by tony

Practical Wisdom

Wisdom has to be a practical realisation of our true self,
as opposed to adherence to a mistaken self
which causes our confusion, and therefore, our suffering.

We are not condemning this mistaken self, this acquired ‘me’: we are clarifying it, making it efficient for the spiritual purpose for which it was created. This mistaken self is our history – and our path to liberation. It’s our karma. We use this mistaken self to organise our life, to develop capacities and to gain a healthy attitude towards this self, so that we are no longer frightened of ourselves, stressed, or living in a dream state.

This mistaken, acquired self has either a high self-esteem – creating positive emotions – or a low self-esteem, which is the cause of negative emotions. Isn’t it the case that if we have a low self-opinion, we have more negative emotions, and when we have a high self-opinion, we have more positive emotions? This is pride and inverted pride.

For practical purposes, we need to be somewhere in the middle. This is the value of wisdom. To clarify this mistaken self image, we must first be clear about our true nature, our essence, which is natural clarity, empty of contamination. If you want, it’s our true self. This is what the pointing out instruction of Dzogchen is about; we recognise that we – our true nature – are pure awareness, pure consciousness. It’s what we are before all those opinions. Once recognised, all we have to do is sustain this pure awareness, while being cognisant of any distractions in the mind that create obstacles; those positive and negative reactions – yes, even positive reactions can send us into a dream state.

Through meditation, this self comes to rest in calm abiding, as this self is only an image in the mind. As a result of this practice, we gain insight into our selfless self. Gradually we realise what is important in life; undoing our history – the result of previous actions – karma. That is why we are here. Or, we can just keep on creating more and more history, more complexity, more emotions, more suffering.

Practical wisdom is eliminating suffering by realising that it never existed – ever! It was all in the mind. We have been constantly reacting to an illusion, and so we became deluded.

The whole point of practical wisdom is to become dis-illusioned, no long bound by the illusion. When we know, it doesn’t have to be translated by someone else. That is how wisdom is practical – it is self-known!

We are all weighty with enlightened qualities. We are Rinpoches.

May you decide to make wisdom practical for your self next year, and complete what you started!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged enlightened qualities, high self esteem, Low self esteem, mistaken self, our spiritual purpose, practical wisdom., Pure Awareness, true nature, true self | 6 Comments

WHAT IF YOU ARE NOT A GROUP PERSON?

Posted on December 30, 2016 by tony

What If You Are Not A Group Person?

It’s easy to claim that one is an ‘ungrouper’ …

Merely saying, “I don’t belong to any group”, doesn’t mean we are not a type. We are all types. To find out about anything, we first join a group, and see how it feels: over the years, I’ve joined many groups because I wasn’t sure of myself. 😀

Group think creates ‘political correctness’. ‘Political correctness’ is commune-ism, having a common purpose, and consenting to a certain way of life; being controlled and self maintained (policed) by a system. If we are not part of the group and its way of life, then we are seen as its enemy. The hallmark of group mentality is that it is easily offended. ‘Ungroupers’ are shunned – ‘shun’: Old English scunian: abhor, shrink back with fear, seek safety from an enemy: they are persistently avoided, ignored, or rejected. This is especially so in spiritual groups; not a very enlightened attitude, is it?

Groups work at different levels, so finding the one that suits us isn’t a simple matter. We notice how groups are averse to being questioned – they draw back and close ranks.

First we have to try and fit in, in order to see if their direction is our direction. Then we can make a decision … “Do I stay or do I go?” If we choose to go, it’s not necessarily because the group is bad – in fact it could give us a fresh start – but when we find our own feet, we realise that our paths have diverged. This is not to do with the essence of the teaching, but with its manifestation.

The hallmark of confidence is happiness, relief and satisfaction. “Wow! I’m actually free, I don’t have to be like them any more!” That, in itself, is enlightening – the load drops away and we feel lighter!

Being in a group feels safe – until we recognise that we are surrounded on all sides by clingers, hopers and fearers. Then we just have to let go. Ultimately, the only group to join is the enlightened ones, and for that, we need to drop everything. Even if all the enlightened ones were to say, “You are deluded!”, the reply – with a smile – would be, “I realise that I am disillusioned”. 😀

Disillusion: disappointment resulting from the discovery that something is not as good as one believed it to be: to realise that a belief is false …

… to realise that a belief – in a self – is false …

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged groupthink, not belonging, Political Correctness. | Leave a comment

GROUP THINK

Posted on December 29, 2016 by tony

Group Think

A group cannot free itself from the prevailing culture,
so members cannot be independently-minded.

Ultimately, we have to drop everything.

An individual may ask, “Am I deluded?”
A group will not ask, “Are we deluded?”

A delusion is a belief that is held by a person or persons with a strong conviction, despite superior evidence to the contrary.

If others are not deluded then, by deduction, they must dwell in truth and reality. If this is the case, then they do not need our compassion, and we should be devoted to them. But how do we know if they are deluded or not? How do I know if I am deluded or not?

Have I just gone out of my mind? 😀 Of course I am deluded! But I’m aware of this… 😀 I am ‘out of my mind’ when I recognise that I am deluded. Therein lies liberation.

If we are dependent, then we lack independence. If we are independent, then we are free from outside control; we are not subject to another’s authority; we do not depend on something else for strength or effectiveness; we are free-standing and liberated. As a result of this, we are constantly aware of the need to question, and thus avoid making the assumptions of a group.

Being independent, we are no longer bound by mental phenomena, so independence is liberation.

Why do we cling to group spirit?
Only you can answer that question.

From Wikipedia:

“Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people in which the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome. Group members try to minimize conflict and reach a consensus decision without critical evaluation of alternative viewpoints by actively suppressing dissenting viewpoints, and by isolating themselves from outside influences.”

From http://www.psysr.org/about/pubs_resources/groupthink%20overview.htm
“What is Groupthink?

Groupthink, a term coined by social psychologist Irving Janis (1972), occurs when a group makes faulty decisions because group pressures lead to a deterioration of “mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment”. Groups affected by groupthink ignore alternatives and tend to take irrational actions that dehumanize other groups. A group is especially vulnerable to groupthink when its members are similar in background, when the group is insulated from outside opinions, and when there are no clear rules for decision making.

“Symptoms of Groupthink
Irving Janis has documented eight symptoms of groupthink:

“Illusion of invulnerability – Creates excessive optimism that encourages taking extreme risks.

Collective rationalization – Members discount warnings and do not reconsider their assumptions.

Belief in inherent morality – Members believe in the rightness of their cause and therefore ignore the ethical or moral consequences of their decisions.

Stereotyped views of out-groups – Negative views of “enemy” make effective responses to conflict seem unnecessary.

Direct pressure on dissenters – Members are under pressure not to express arguments against any of the group’s views.

Self-censorship – Doubts and deviations from the perceived group consensus are not expressed.

Illusion of unanimity – The majority view and judgments are assumed to be unanimous.

Self-appointed ‘mindguards’ – Members protect the group and the leader from information that is problematic or contradictory to the group’s cohesiveness, view, and/or decisions.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged am I deluded?, groupthink, independence, liberation | 1 Comment

OUR GREATEST PROBLEM AND OUR SALVATION IS …

Posted on December 28, 2016 by tony

Our Greatest Problem And Our Salvation Is ….
… me

‘Me’ is an idea or image we have collected throughout life, starting at a very young age; this idea just gets heavier and heavier. Buddhism asserts that we brought a temperament with us from a previous incarnation. This self image isn’t easy to recognise, as we (absolute nature) are submerged in and smothered by concepts. We are a Buddha in the mud, locked into this self identity – but we can free ourselves! Absolute nature constantly goes unnoticed – the great cosmic joke is that it is this absolute nature that is aware of the antics of the me 😀

If we can accept what we are (this great mistaken view), then we recognise our path, and our teacher. This is not about how great the guru is; it’s about how great you are!
You – absolute reality – recognising this false reality, this me.
“Split a piece of wood, and I am there. Lift up the stone, and you will find me.”

When that happens, celebrate!

We do not have to be learned. We do not have to know all. We do not have to be perfect. We just have to know that we are … stuck. Our situation and our level of education don’t have to be a hinderance: these things are karmic, and therefore neither good nor bad, although they may be unpleasant.

We do not have to feel guilty or unworthy
when we just accept what we are
– perfection within imperfection –
which is the perfect result of karma!

Perfect comes from perfect.
Perfect, imperfect beings can realise perfection.

Know thyself.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged cosmic joke, Know Thyself., perfect comes from perfect, self image | Leave a comment

QUESTION EVERYTHING

Posted on December 27, 2016 by tony

Question Everything

What if religion itself is the great predator to which we become addicted?
What if awareness itself is the great predator to which we became addicted?

Both divide people and, at the same time, claim righteousness. They can either direct beings to the teachings on essence which liberates, or they can lead us into temptations of trappings that imprison and oppress. There are two sides to everything.

Funnily enough, it all stems from awareness not being aware of its own nature!

As misguided sentient beings, we are ignorant of our pure spiritual essence that needs nothing and fears nothing, and so we are driven to seek out the pleasant and avoid the unpleasant. All that ‘funny business’ in the mind is a diversion, and is not the empty essence of mind itself.

Religion is something we follow in the hope that will give us guidance, protect us and make us feel good. It does all that, and we go placidly. If the guidance isn’t clear and precise, we fall into a perfect dream state, even though the guidance claims to liberate. How many do you know who are liberated?

Indoctrination is the process of teaching a person or group to accept a set of beliefs uncritically. This is not what the Buddha advocated!

Being calm and still is the realisation of our absolute nature: we still have to be aware that there are ants in our pants 😀 This is not about being critical; it’s discerning whether realisation is taking place, or whether we are merely being entertained.

The more we question, the more we realise, the less we have to pay!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged calm and still, is awareness a predator?, is religion a predator?, not what the Buddha advocated | Leave a comment

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