Buddhism: Finding Your Heart’s Desire
The obstacle to heart’s desire
is mind’s desire.
“But I do listen to my heart.”
The presence of “I”
is mind’s desire.
The heart – our silent, essential nature –
knows mind’s desires.
“What is heart’s desire?”
Joyous silence within mind’s confusion.
Chasing The Rainbow?
There are many sayings that can be viewed from an entirely different perspective. This is to do with the nine levels of understanding, with the same words having superior meaning. We all move through stages, rather like being imprisoned and having to pass through several locked doors: trying to force our way through doesn’t work. We merely have to acknowledge the situation and stand back, and the door opens naturally.
Some years ago, I was told by a Tibetan lama that Buddhism can only be destroyed from within. Of course, my first thought was, “Is he saying that I am the one who will destroy Buddhism?” 😉 The effect of this was a feeling that I should keep in line.
It’s funny how one has to understand many elements in order to join up the dots. Every day, in Buddhism, we chant the refuge prayer… “Until enlightenment I go for refuge, in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.”
“Until enlightenment”: what does that mean? Is it merely resting in rigpa? In pure awareness? That would be a momentary enlightenment. Complete enlightenment must be when pure awareness is present all the time: timeless pure awareness.
Interesting. If nothing else exists within pure awareness-emptiness, then there is no Buddhism. No Buddha. No Dharma. No Sangha. Everything is destroyed naturally. “Buddhism can only be destroyed from within” is what practice of meditation is all about – to arrive at non-meditation, non-duality. No meditator.
The physicality of Buddhism can be destroyed: demolishing monasteries, killing monks and nuns, burning books – even promoting incomplete teachings. But how can pure awareness be destroyed? Pure awareness is indestructible as it cannot be said either to exist, or not exist. It is neither matter nor an idea. Longing and fear can distract pure awareness, and have done so forever.
If we think that enlightenment is supernatural, that’s OK – but we may be waiting around for a very long time. Mental freedom is the important thing: liberation from our conceptual phantoms so that we can live at ease. We are, of course, limited by our physical body and the way in which we live: in a corrupt world of the super-controllers who do not want the general populace to know that they are being manipulated or that they, in fact, have freedom, we are constantly being fed fantasies to keep us separated and divided. They don’t want us to know that there is a simple way out because they only understand human frailties and thus don’t realise that they are caught in an even deeper dungeon.
We could spend our entire existence chasing colourful rainbows, which are merely temporary phenomena.
All we need to do is recognise our true nature of pure awareness and never be separated from this. It guarantees inner peace, while we still take care of whatever comes our way.
What could be more important than love without expectations?
Everything manifests within clear, white light.
I Will Always Be Confused!
😀
We see the manifestation of the spectrum of colours,
but it’s still just white light!
My ‘I’ identification will always be confused. It’s confused about itself, about people, about activities, about religions, about spiritual practices…and unfortunately, this confusion brings about fear, which breeds doubt, and more confusion.
The good news is that our pure, essential nature (white light) is never confused, because it is this pure essential nature that notes the confusion!!! How can pure essence ever be confused? That’s crazy. This light is natural to every being: the essential nature of mind – pure awareness – is the essence of all sentient creatures. If a creature has a mind and makes decisions, then those decisions are made within the pure essential nature of mind, whether the creature knows it or not.
We are told that we can only understand the nature of mind if we learn Sanskrit, Tibetan or Pali. This is not the case. We can learn ‘about’ the nature of mind, but this is not the same as genuine experience of the pure light. It may help a scholar to study and discuss these matters, but for one who wants to experience truth, the pure experience is beyond discussion. All the knowledge within Sanskrit, Tibetan or Pali describes experiences that are within us, and that are available to us now.
Even the ‘foreign’ practices we do are not the real thing: from the perspective of pure essential nature, these practices are irrelevant. This is emphasised in the completion stage in Vajaryana practice, where we rest in emptiness at the end of visualisation. Practices are a backup plan that serve as a foundation, but at the end of a practice of developing an construct, we blow the roof off!
We can experience pure awareness, because we are this pure awareness – nuff said! Religions and spiritual paths can make up all sorts of contrivances, but it all comes down to being natural, and then expressing this in our own unique way. If this is clarity is genuine, then it cannot be made up.
There are many complex, detailed practices in visualisation, but it’s rare to discover the precise meaning of these practices. Books are full of instructions, but why we are actually doing the practice can remain a mystery! Do we have to acquire a foreign culture to understand our own nature? Or is it just more confusion, causing us to act strangely?
Confusion is unnecessary. Our outer world may appear to be colourful; this is due to the accumulation of past, collective, mistaken ideas.
When we split white light, we get colours.
White light manifests as colours, but it is still white light.
Keep it simple.
Confusion is unnecessary.
Light is synonymous with clarity.
Loving Ourself
is okay when we know it’s impermanent
and so, can change!
When we understanding our misunderstanding,
we have clarity and empathy, and compassion arises.
When we understanding our misunderstanding of others
we have clarity and empathy, and compassion arises.
Our purpose in life is to find our purpose.
Love is caring about everything,
even though everything is impermanent.
“I used to hate myself.
Just couldn’t fit in.
Still can’t.
Love it!”
The Devil Is Self Love
The devil is my teacher and
the devil has no choice.
Self love betrays itself:
it can’t do anything else.
The devil entraps us,
and at the same time
shows us the way.
The devil has no choice.
Devil activities engage
the enlightened activities.*
Recognition disengages.
And the devil has no choice.
If we do not recognise confusion,
the view is obscured.
If we recognise confusion,
the view is clear.
In the light of recognition,
the devil has no choice
but to leave us in peace.
.
*search ‘The Four Demonic Activities’
Is Worship Of A Deity Homage To The Devil?
Provocative? Definitely!
Devotion is a step towards our goal: it is not the goal.
Generating a good feeling is inspirational.
Claiming that good feeling is a step down.
At an ordinary level, devotion is an beneficial device,
but there comes a time
when we have to let go of even that.
The devil is ego’s obscuring activity.
We are easily swayed, and thus becoming trapped by
pride, complacency, ambition, manipulation.
Its power comes from being so close, so near…
and yet just off the mark.
When devotion is a realisation of our own qualities,
it represents clarity.
If we regard it as something else,
we become defiled.
Truth and obscurations are a unity:
if there is dark, there is light
an
if there is light, there is dark.
What the Buddha meant was,
suck it and see.
And then spit it out.
🙂
Meditation Isn’t Mindfulness
Meditation is mind emptiness
The practice of meditation
is mindful awareness.
When the practice of mindful awareness
is dropped,
mindful awareness turns out to be emptiness.
Once mindful awareness realises the clarity of emptiness,
the warmth of compassion arises naturally
because there is empathetic understanding, and therefore
no accepting or rejecting.
That’s the real thing.
Being Addicted To The Path
makes the path pointless.
If we become addicted to the trappings of religion, we lose the whole point. Having lost the point, our genuine intelligence and genuine inspiration weaken, and we become half-hearted, being satisfied with merely going through the motions. We may be whole-hearted and fully enthused by the rituals, but half-hearted in our compassionate activity – what we actually do.
We are probably hoping for some special supernatural miracle to happen.
That just keeps us guessing.
Religion – and spiritual practice in particular – does give us ‘special powers’; it brightens our energy, but we can be seduced by this. We could be in danger of wanting to be admired, and therefore we manipulate. When we manipulate, we lack empathy. These are the perfect conditions for narcissism, and this perpetuates the addiction.
If we return continuously to the beginning – to beginner’s mind – we reconnect with our origin of merely being.
We don’t bite off more than we can chew.
Start with knowing and stay with knowing.
There Is An End To Suffering
when suffering becomes an opportunity.
The end of suffering comes with the end of desire and aversion – hope and fear – accepting and rejecting. The over activities of desire and aversion lead to frustration, which leads to addiction and depression, which leads to dependancy, and so leads to more of the same.
Once we know the world is mad,
then everything makes sense.
As we are the ultimate cause of our own difficulties, we are also the solution. We cannot change the things that happen to us, but we can change our responses – which in turn, will change the things that happen to us.
The next step is to find the path/method/tradition to help us transcend this suffering and give support. This entails a spiritual game of hopscotch, hopping from one system to another until we find the one that suits.
Just don’t become addicted to the path – or the hopping!
What Is The Cause Of Suffering?
This is very simple, but becomes complex.
We want to be, or appear to be, better then we already are,
both as individuals and as a collective.
Our ultimate reality is just pure awareness: we are nothing other than perfect beings. Beings that are, in essence, purely aware. Hard to believe, but easy to prove. It is that which is reading this right now, without comment and at perfect peace. There you are…enjoy!
But, it’s not like that, is it? And it’s not like that because this ultimate reality finds itself in a human body and human mind and so, it experiences suffering. This mind is temperamental and this body will become old and sick, and will die.
How did I get here?
It actually started with enjoying. Enjoy-ing came after the moment of joy. Pure awareness became excited about joy and started enjoy-ing. A feeling of I was created, a duality. Awareness became aware of stillness and enjoyed it, instead of remaining in pure stillness, empty stillness. Then, the I started to enjoy this, but not that.
It is that which is the cause of suffering. Absolute reality of non-duality fell into a mistaken view, creating a duality of relating to something outside itself. That relating created a relative reality, and gives rise to constant effects, which gives rise to karma, which is the force that drives us on to rebirth after rebirth.
That which we see, we cannot be.
That which we see, we cannot be.
That which we see, we cannot be.
Isn’t that the truth?
The mirror-like awareness saw a reflection, and believed the feedback from that reflection to be it – a ‘me’. Once we adopted a ‘me’ identity/reality, this had to be maintained and defended. We wanted to enjoy more, we wanted to be happier – and better – than others and, in wanting to be happier, we created suffering. Collectively, we are all doing this: that is the complication, as we are all causing suffering to one another.
Of course, until full enlightenment, we will have a sense of a self identity, which will still cause subtle suffering. Just to be seen trying to avoid causing suffering could cause suffering to others, as it is a reminder – and, as such, annoying – of what their role in life should be. Don’t we sometimes want to find fault with good people? We want to bring them down because we believe that they think themselves so high. The stronger the self-identity, the more we experience suffering, and the more upset we feel…and the more we suffer!
If we feel joy at another’s goodness, we are not separated from that goodness.
The cause of suffering is a feeling of separateness. Now we know the cause of suffering – which has, in fact, no reality at all – we need a skilful method to transform this illusory suffering.
Suffering is our path.
Negativity is our path.
Desire is our path.
Everything is our path!
True Grit!
Do we have to suffer to become enlightened?
No, but it helps.
Some take up the Dharma because it’s an intellectual or cultural pastime, while for others, it is experiential. The first noble truth is, in fact, the recognition that we are suffering. The word ‘suffering’ conjures up an image of massive woes, but in the Dharma, it’s a feeling of things not being ‘right’, of dissatisfaction – of annoying grit in the mind!
We are all suffering from gritty, mental contaminants, which create confusion and chaos. Most of us cover up the grit by working excessively or playing excessively in order to keep distracted, and then dwell in a mental vacancy, too exhausted to consider why we are here. This only results in more grit and more suffering; more hope and more fear.
If there is grit in our shoe, we start to walk in a funny way because we’re accommodating the discomfort. This starts to cling and accumulate, and we find we are going nowhere because of a covering of thick mud.
When we get to a point of saying to ourselves, “I’ve got to do something about this”, we are on our way to enlightenment. No one can do this for us – not God, not the Buddha – we decide. Having decided, we look for the cause of all this grit.
The grit is more important than an intellectual, cultural understanding: the grit is the real thing. It’s the energy – the catalyst – for change. Catalyst: a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change. A person or thing that precipitates an event.
The more awareness is aware of space and clarity, the more it notices the contaminants. And the more we notice suffering! Grit is a constant reminder. That is the action of the two truths in unison: they cannot be separated.
The grit is our way home…it’s true!
Not the cultural grit, but true grit.
Can We Be Too Kind?
The word “too” seems to hold the answer.
The level of kindness depends on the understanding of the individual applying skilful clarity in order to benefit a situation. Not too tight and not too loose. We may have a high view, but our conduct must suitable and must be in harmony with whatever presents itself: we need to be skilful.
If we look at the six perfections of generosity, patience, perseverance, discipline, concentration/meditation and wisdom, we can see that effort is needed. Of course, within rigpa – pure awareness – all the perfections are effortlessly present: then we can apply the four enlightened activities of pacifying, enriching, magnetising and destroying* ego’s games.
Are we door mats?
Well, it depends on whether the door mat is self-cleaning!
😀
Some boots are very muddy,
and the occupier may not notice.
If they see that our boots are clean,
that would be a kindness without words.
(*Personally, I have found that I tend to apply the four enlightened activities in reverse: firstly, I want to cut through the confusion (destroy), and if that doesn’t work, I magnetise, then enrich and finally pacify. This work for me, but not always for others because by the time I’ve got round to pacifying, they’ve run away…! 😉 I still have much to learn.)
Meditation (which is deep relaxation) Relieves Stress
It’s this simple!
The following is taken in part from an article by Talya Steinberg:
Psychological stress affects the levels of chemicals in the brain and body. This includes the neurotransmitters dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. These neuro-chemical changes prepare the body to deal with perceived danger in a number of important ways, such as raising blood pressure so as to allow faster speed and response time. The subtle wind (tigle/bindu) rises from its seat below the navel and up through the body where we experience tensions.
However, this chronic elevation in catecholamines suppresses the immune system, and suppression of the immune system raises the risk of viral infections and other diseases.
We need to bring the inner subtle wind down (search “Inner Wind” for more information).
Resilient people actually resist illnesses, cope with adversity, and recover more quickly because they are able to maintain a positive attitude and manage their stress effectively. By managing our attitudes and stress levels, we actually control neuro-chemical transmissions in the body. The power of a healthy attitude cannot be underestimated in the body-mind connection.
When we take care of our mind, our body will thank us.
When we take care of our body, our mind will thank us.
Keep life simple.
Not biting off more than we can chew
keeps our tigle/bindu happy.
From: “Open Heart, Open Mind” by Tsoknyi Rinpoche
“The subtle body is a kind of interface between the mind and the physical body, a means by which these two aspects of being interact.
“The channels are the means through which what we might call “the spark of life” moves. In Tibetan, these sparks are called tigle, which may be translated as drops, or droplets – an interpretation we are given so that we can form some kind of mental image of what passes through the channels.
“Nowadays, of course, we can begin to imagine these drops as neurotransmitters, the body’s “chemical messengers” that affect our physical, mental and emotional states. Some of these neurotransmitters are fairly well known, for example serotonin which is influential in depression, dopamine, a chemical associated with the anticipation of pleasure, and adrenaline, a chemical often produced in response to stress, anxiety and fear. Neurotransmitters are extremely small molecules and while their effects on our mental and physical state can be quite noticeable, their passage through various organs of the body could still be called ‘subtle’.”
The Feeling Of Well-Being
This is what it’s all about;
taking care of our energy and enthusiasm,
and not wasting these.
We need to feel enlivened, positive and inspired.
We need to feel right.
Along our path there those
“Ah, that’s it!” moments.
The feeling of rightness.
Anything and nothing
can trigger a moment of well-being.
Because of merit,
the cloud lifts.
What is merit?
A positive attitude in the past.
That is the accumulation of merit.
Buddhism, Jesus and Faith
Theistic religions are based on belief and faith as, in fact, is Buddhism in the beginning, despite it being non-theistic. In Buddhism, we hear about something and we may believe it to be true, but it’s not proven until we practise: then through practice, we acquire faith in its authenticity, and so have trust in the person who is guiding us.
As we progress, wisdom develops because we can prove that which we trust. In this way, we develop great appreciation, which is called devotion. As we understand more, faith or trust takes on a different meaning, upgrading from merely believing and hoping into complete confidence, where there is no competitiveness or hostility but rather, a genuine expression of compassionate activity as there is nothing to defend.
At every stage we find satisfaction, but we are open to refinement if it is brought to our attention. Words are important, and the meaning of words changes as expand our understanding. That which we thought was pure, isn’t purity itself; that which we thought was clear, isn’t clarity itself; that which we thought was compassionate, isn’t compassion itself. We have to be aware of being limited to words themselves rather than their ultimate meaning. The goal is always beyond thoughts.
Words are spells.
They cast ideas.
They could become a sentence for life.
To escape the spell and the sentencing
we look at context;
how and when words were woven together.
We can easily be mislead.
We could say that theism and non-theism are very different, but if these two are looked at with reason, there isn’t any difference.
An example:
Jesus said, “No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”…”If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also”…
Buddha said, “Whoever sees me, sees the teaching, and whoever sees the teaching sees me.”
Jesus said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Buddha said,“By oneself is evil done; by oneself is one defiled. By oneself is evil left undone; by oneself is one made pure. Purity and impurity depend on oneself; no one can purify another.”
Knowing the ultimate nature of Jesus and knowing the ultimate nature of Buddha, we will know our own ultimate nature: “As above, so below.” Here we are not believing in something: it is our responsibility, our practice, to know and see. It is we who have to do this. We have to know and we have to see: it is in our own hands, and not a belief. No one can do it for us.
We need a teacher to help us understand the path that we have to tread.
We will only understand our true nature through understanding a teacher.
(This might beg a question about the word ‘Father’ in the bible. What does ‘Father’ mean? Is it an honorific respect for an authority? A deep appreciation of potential? However it is meant, God the Father’s very nature must be “pure” awareness, “pure” love itself: it can be nothing else. This is our potential, and the reason why we can re-cognise, re-know and remember.)
Whether we see pure awareness as an external phenomenon or as our own true nature, as long as it brings a feeling of well-being, it is the path that we have chosen, and which suits our temperament.
And the feeling of well-being is important to us all.
…
.
.
.
Buddhism and Adam and Eve
The story of the garden of Eden.
“Adam and Eve took from the tree the fruit of knowledge of good and evil.”
Interesting..!
Before knowledge of good and evil – which is judgment – there is the “One Taste” of pure experience, pure awareness, pure being, innocent of comment and contamination. Mara demons – which are the likes and dislikes of the ‘I’ – want us (pure awareness) to ‘enjoy’ and then the ‘I’ feeds off our embarrassment and guilt, feeling ‘naked’ and exposed. Thus, we spend our lives covering up and trying to appear better than others. Don’t we feel guilty and/or superior most of the time?
It’s difficult to notice our own inner demons; it’s easier to see them when we criticise others, and are therefore their demons; this, of course, works in reverse too. We feel this way because, if we are doing this to others, then they must be doing it to us. We suspect that our weaknesses are being observed and exploited, while we are doing exactly the same to others. This is merely pure being observing our own silliness. Crazy!
When we become involved in judgement, the concepts of good and bad (evil) arise, attraction and repulsion become established, emotions explode, actions take place and a complex belief system ensues.
A yogi in isolation sits in a cave and ‘is’, eating only what is given. The great yogi Milarepa merely ate the nettles in front of his cave. Every time he went in and out, his body got stung, and so he thought, “I should clear them away”, but didn’t bother as this would be a waste of time and a distraction, when he could become enlightened in the next moment.
This way of considering the story of Adam and Eve is something to consider from a Buddhist viewpoint. It could be that the “old realisers” wrote in a more flowery, poetic way, which unfortunately came to be taken literally. A story is an image that is easier to remember, but it has to have reasonable meaning.
Two translation versions :King James and The New International
King James Version
1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
7And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
God Arraigns Adam and Eve
8And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
9And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
11And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
13And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
14And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
15And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
New International Version
The Fall
1Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
2The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,
3but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ”
4“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.
5“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
6When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
7Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
8Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
9But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
10He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
11And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”
12The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”
13Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”
The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
14So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,
“Cursed are you above all livestock
and all wild animals!
You will crawl on your belly
and you will eat dust
all the days of your life.
15And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel.”
Apple, anyone?
Oh, I see you have one already!
😀 😀 😀
The Simplest Teaching Can Go Over Our Heads
“We are not fettered by appearances, but by attachment to those appearances.”
The subtlest attachment limits our freedom as we have acquired an extra part: we have joined ourselves to that appearance, which complicates circumstances from which it is difficult to escape.
Whether this hits the heart of our suffering will depend on whether we recognise the trap we are in.
Being told something is not a teaching: it is just information.
A teaching becomes a teaching when it connects and builds upon something that went before. Was it timely? Was it synchronistic? We need the question before we arrive at the answer. Then it works! Merely getting answers just puffs us up (although a ‘crazy’ teacher may use that beneficially).
We are not limited by appearances, but by attachment to those appearances. We believe them and become stuck in them. That is what happens when we react. This doesn’t mean we do not notice bad things or enjoy good things: it means we do not become attached. We remain in the one taste of pure awareness.
We can, however, become IT as we are IT!
What is IT?
Buddha nature – God nature.
Empty of IT.
It’s All In The Mind
All of it!
Happiness, doubt, fear, worry, expectation, confusion . . . all of which are transitory . . . are only experienced in the mind, by the mind. They are experienced precisely because of the nature of mind, which is pure awareness.
Even “I don’t understand” is observed by the nature of mind.
Understanding the mind heals the mind.
Life Is Designed To Go Wrong
We are fed, or we acquire, false information, day in and day out.
Understanding the confused world in which we dwell
is the path to enlightenment.
The world happens outside.
Our world happens inside.
We experience the world through our senses, which send a message to the brain and then to the mind: that’s how we relate to the world. The way in which the world reflects back our projections – the feedback we receive – dictates the way in which we see ourselves, and this creates a social I. This collective false reality gives rise to mass confusion and suffering. Taking advantage of, and exploiting this confusion gives rise to more confusion and suffering This is the work of Mara. Most of us try to put things right, only to find that ‘someone’ is deliberately cocking it up again, and so we go round in circles.
There is always something lurking around the corner.
We have to look at the causes of suffering
and its perpetuation.
Key facts about Cancer
Cancers figure among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with approximately 14 million new cases and 8.2 million cancer related deaths in 2012.
The number of new cases is expected to rise by about 70% over the next 2 decades.
Among men, the 5 most common sites of cancer diagnosed in 2012 were lung, prostate, colorectum, stomach, and liver cancer.
Among women the 5 most common sites diagnosed were breast, colorectum, lung, cervix, and stomach cancer.
Around one third of cancer deaths are due to the 5 leading behavioural and dietary risks: high body mass index, low fruit and vegetable intake, lack of physical activity, tobacco use, alcohol use.
Tobacco use is the most important risk factor for cancer causing around 20% of global cancer deaths and around 70% of global lung cancer deaths.
Cancer causing viral infections such as HBV/HCV and HPV are responsible for up to 20% of cancer deaths in low and middle-income countries.
More than 60% of world’s total new annual cases occur in Africa, Asia and Central and South America. These regions account for 70% of the world’s cancer deaths.
It is expected that annual cancer cases will rise from 14 million in 2012 to 22 million within the next 2 decades.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en/
List of wars by death toll with over 1,000,000 deaths
| War | Deaths | Date | Location |
| World War II | 60,000,000–85,000,000 | 1939–1945 | Worldwide |
| Mongol conquests | 40,000,000–70,000,000 | 1206–1324 | Eurasia |
| Three Kingdoms War | 36,000,000–40,000,000 | 184–280 | China |
| Second Sino-Japanese War | 25,000,000 | 1937–1945 | China |
| Qing dynasty conquest of Ming Dynasty | 25,000,000 | 1616–1662 | China |
| Taiping Rebellion | 20,000,000–100,000,000 | 1850–1864 | China |
| World War I/Great War | 20,000,000 | 1914–1918 | Worldwide |
| An Lushan Rebellion | 13,000,000–36,000,000 | 755–763 | China |
| Conquest of the Americas | 8,400,000 – 137,750,000 | 1492–1691 | Americas |
| Dungan Revolt | 8,000,000–20,770,000 | 1862-1877 | China |
| Conquests of Tamerlane | 8,000,000–20,000,000 | 1370–1405 | Eurasia |
| Chinese Civil War | 8,000,000 | 1927–1949 | China |
| Russian Civil War and Foreign Intervention | 5,000,000–9,000,000 | 1917–1922 | Russia |
| Napoleonic Wars | 3,500,000–6,000,000 | 1803–1815 | Europe |
| Thirty Years’ War | 3,000,000–11,500,000 | 1618–1648 | Europe |
| Second Congo War/Great War of Africa | 2,500,000–5,400,000 | 1998–2003 | Central Africa |
| French Wars of Religion | 2,000,000–4,000,000 | 1562–1598 | France |
| Goguryeo-Sui War | 2,000,000 At Least | 598–614 | Korea |
| Shaka’s conquests | 2,000,000 | 1816–1828 | South Africa |
| Korean War | 1,200,000 | 1950–1953 | Korea |
| Siege of Jerusalem | 1,100,000 | 73 | Middle East |
| Mexican Revolution | 1,000,000–2,000,000 | 1910–1920 | Mexico |
| Iran–Iraq War/First Persian Gulf War | 1,000,000 | 1980–1988 | Middle East |
| Japanese invasions of Korea | 1,000,000 | 1592–1598 | Korea |
| Biafra War | 1,000,000 | 1967–1970 | Nigeria |
| Soviet war in Afghanistan | 957,865–1,622,865 | 1979–1989 | Afghanistan |
| Conquests of Mehmed II ‘the Conqueror’ | 873,000 | 1451–1481 | Eurasia |
| Seven Years’ War | 868,000–1,400,000 | 1756–1763 | Europe |
| Vietnam War/Second Indochina War | 800,000–3,800,000 | 1955–1975 | Vietnam |
List of wars by death toll with fewer than 1,000,000 deaths
876,000 – English Civil War (1642–1651)
800,000– American Civil War (1861–1865)
770,000 – Second Punic War (218–201 BC)
500,000–1,500,000 – Ethiopian Civil War (1974-1991)
500,000 – Spanish Civil War (1936–1939)
400,000–1,000,000 – Gallic Wars (58–50 BC)
470,000 – Syrian Civil War (2011–present), see Casualties of the Syrian civil war
400,000+ – First Indochina War (1946–1954)
400,000 – Civil war in Afghanistan (1989–92), Civil war in Afghanistan (1992–96) and Civil war in Afghanistan (1996–2001) (1989–2001)
400,000+ War of the Triple Alliance (1864–1870)
350,000–1,500,000 – Algerian War of Independence (1954–1962)
350,000 – Kalinga War (262–261 BC)
350,000 – Third Northern War (1700–1721)[
315,000–735,000 – Wars of the Three Kingdoms (1639–1651)
300,000–3,000,000– Bangladesh Liberation War (1971)
300,000 – Second Burundian Civil War (1993–2005)
300,000 (TFG)–500,000+ (AFP) – Somali Civil War
272,000–1,260,009 – War on Terror (2001–present)
234,000 – Philippine–American War (1899–1912)
220,000 – Colombian conflict (1964–present) (1964–present)
200,000–1,000,000 – Albigensian Crusade (1208–1229)
200,000–500,000 — Lord’s Resistance Army insurgency (1987–present)
200,000 – Algerian Civil War (1991–2002)
185,250–3,000,000 – Hundred Years’ War (1337–1453)
178,258–461,520 – War in Darfur (2003–present)
176,913–1,120,000 – Iraq War/Third Persian Gulf War (2003–2011), see Casualties of the Iraq War, part of the War on Terror]
138,800–320,100 – Iraqi–Kurdish conflict (1918–2003)
120,000–384,000 – Great Turkish War (1683–1699) (see Ottoman-Habsburg wars)
120,000–150,000 – Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990)
120,000 – Islamic insurgency in the Philippines (1969–present)
115,311 – Arab–Israeli conflict (1920–present)
106,800+ – Mexican Drug War (2006–present)
100,000–10,000,000[80] – Indian Rebellion of 1857
100,000–500,000 – Ugandan Bush War (1981-1986)
100,000 – Insurgency in Laos (1975–2007)
100,000 – German Peasants’ War (1524–1525)
97,000–107,000 – Aceh War (1873–1914)
97,214–104,732 – Bosnian War (1991–1995)
90,969 – Mahdist War (1881–1889)
90,000+ – Third conflict in the Goryeo–Khitan War (1018–1019)
85,000–235,000 – 1991 uprisings in Iraq (1991)
80,000–110,000, Kashmir Conflict – (1947 to present)
80,000–100,000 – Sri Lankan Civil War (1983–2009)
63,500–88,500 – Mozambican War of Independence (1964–1974)
60,000 – Ituri conflict (1999–2007)
47,246–61,603 – War in Afghanistan (2001–present) (2001–present), part of the War on Terror
45,852 – 78,946 – War in North-West Pakistan (2004–present), part of the War on Terror
45,000 – Kurdish–Turkish conflict (1979–2013)
34,000 – Iranian-Kurdish conflict (1918–present)
34,000 – Ethnic conflict in Nagaland (1954–present)
25,000 – Insurgency in Northeast India (1964–present)
25,000 – Shia insurgency in Yemen (2004–present)
20,000 – Ragamuffin War (1835–1845)
18,069–20,069 – First Opium War (1839–1842)
17,200 – First Anglo-Afghan War (1839–1842)
16,765–17,065 – Balochistan conflict (1948–present)
16,000 – War of the Pacific (1879–1883)
15,000 – Nigerian Sharia conflict (1953–present)
13,929 – Republic of the Congo Civil War (1997–1999)
13,812 – Naxalite-Maoist insurgency (1967–present)
10,000+ – Malayan Emergency (1948–1960)
9,400 – Libyan Civil War (2011)
8,136+ – Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal) (2011–present)
5,641 – Sudanese nomadic conflicts (2009–present)
5,469 – South Thailand insurgency (2004–present)
5,000 – Casamance conflict
5,000 – Chilean Civil War of 1891
4,000–10,000 Conflict in the Niger Delta (2004–present)
3,699 – Al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen (1992–present)
3,529 – The Northern Ireland Troubles (1969–1998)
3,000–6,000 – Negro Rebellion (1912)
3,000 – Second Ivorian Civil War (2010–2011)
2,781 – Iranian Revolution (1978–1979)
2,751 – Third Anglo-Afghan War (1919)
2,557 – Sudan internal conflict (2011–present) (2011–present)
2,394 – Sinai insurgency
2,198 – Insurgency in the North Caucasus (2009–present)
2,000 – Six-Day War (2000) (2000)
2,000 – 2010 South Kyrgyzstan ethnic clashes (2010)
1,643–2,237 – War of Transnistria (1992)
1,554 – South Yemen insurgency (2009–present)
1300+ – Allied Democratic Forces insurgency (1996–present)
1,229 – Basque conflict (1959–2011)
1,227–5,600 – Kargil War (1999)
1,119 – Political violence in Egypt, 2013 (2013–present)
1,000–1,500 – Cabinda conflict (1994–present)
1,000 – 1991–92 South Ossetia War (1991–1992)
907 – The Falklands War (1982)
846 – 2011 Egyptian revolution (2011)
740 – Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation (1963–1966)
659–2,496 – Russia–Georgia war (2008)
643[163] – 1,500[164] – Sudanese conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile
391+ – M23 rebellion (2012–present)
174–194 – United States occupation of Veracruz (1914)
95 – 2013 Guinea clashes (2013)
84–134 – Lahad Datu standoff (2013)
How Long Will Enlightenment Take?
As long as thoughts, emotions and reactions take over our minds, distracting and controlling us.
Be aware that, at any moment, we can turn this on its head, by simply being enlightened to the fact that all appearances take place within pure, empty awareness. The more intense the emotion, the more clearly it is seen, and the easier it is to realise that this is a passing moment in emptiness.
Samsara – the symbolic teacher – shows us the way!
“I Am Here, Now”
When it comes to describing pure experience, language is a problem, but it’s what we use to communicate (although a gesture and even silence can be most effective). When we talk about ‘I’, ‘here’, ‘now’, we are actually using words to describe an event in the past, even a milli-moment ago. Recounting what happened is a fundamental shift in identity. Absolute truth shifted into relative, conventional truth and unfortunately got caught there: this is what happens to sentient beings. We are ensnared by language, and the way in which we communicate depends on our motivation.
Of course, we know – in a conventional way – what someone means by, “I am here now”. Whether they are present with an open mind is another thing! From a Dzogchen perspective, the eighth consciousness (the alaya vijnana) mistakes itself for the ninth consciousness, which is Rigpa. (search: Eight Consciousnesses for details).
Here is an example: “I am experiencing stillness”. This is not synonymous with ‘being’ stillness. “I am experiencing stillness” is important because is the stepping stone for the final step of dropping the I. It’s important to experience both so that we know where we are…and where we are not…and when we are not.
In the Dzogchen teachings, Rigpa essence is a dry state of mere being but, through compassion, it can manifest as ‘essence love’, ‘essence display’ and ‘essence adornment’. While in Rigpa, a little I, a little ego, can manifest to communicate for the benefit of others, and then quickly return to rigpa essence, without hanging about longer than necessary!
Awareness is relative truth, and emptiness is absolute truth. They work nicely as a unity.
Relative truth means relating to something, a reflection. We use the reflection to communicate, but remember to return to emptiness – absolute truth.
Expressing experience using language is precarious, so we have to be mindful of sensibilities and context. We are dealing with extremely subtle explanations of being. To some, this may not sound relevant, but in the Dharma, it is an extremely subtle understanding.
‘Now’ is timeless.
Talking about ‘now’ takes time, a moment of reflection.
A moment after now.
There is only now.
To speak of ‘now’ is to look back on now, now!
Talking about ‘now’ obscures now.
The ‘now’, then, is the same as the ‘now’, now.
Doing anything with ‘now’ is dealing with the past;
awareness is reflecting in a mental world, a memory.
‘Now’ is always present, but when we use thought to describe it,
we move into a mental state of past experiences.
We move out of the awareness of now.
This is what relative truth is all about.
In pure experience there is no comment.
Only upon reflection is there analysis,
where wisdom uses knowledge to inform.
A full blown thought is many milli-moments away from pure awareness. From now. Now is now; timeless. Any statement about ‘now’ is reflective and indicates time. While writing this, awareness is oscillating between the two truths; being, observing, reflecting and describing. Describing is many moments away from pure experience. Time and timelessness.
Time to shut up!
Ah! Timelessness……no, I’m still commenting…
😀
One Question We Shouldn’t Attempt To Answer:
Where Am I Now?
“Why?”
In doing so, we move out of now. Just do it!
“What do I do?”
Come to your senses. See, smell, taste, touch, hear… and be. Sometimes this is enjoyable, and sometimes not, dependant upon conceptualisation of the experience. The senses are non-conceptual in the same way as pure awareness: they are just there. It’s when we use recognition, memory and judgement that we come out of ‘now’, and go into the past to project onto the future.
Of course, we have to use recognition, memory and judgement in order to function as humans, but we needn’t cling to these as absolute reality. They are merely the tools of impermanent reality. Use them when needed, drop them when not. We don’t have to walk around with them as this limits our destiny.
Does this bring a sense of overload? Are we overloaded by the conceptualisation of experience? It is in the experiencing of the overload of conceptualisation that confusion dawns as wisdom. There is just a giving up. A letting be. Nothing to be done.
When chanting a mantra such as “Om”, there is only the sound of the voice, the vibration in the body, the quality of light, the taste in the mouth…because there is nothing to think about or understand. Just pure experience.
Trying to explain ‘now’ is not being in the ‘now’.
It’s that simple.
Accepting or Not Accepting Reincarnation
There is no argument: some believe in reincarnation while others do not. Either way, it’s a belief, and beliefs have psychological consequences. Every individual decides what life and death are all about. We may not be certain, and may even dismiss the whole notion that life has any meaning at all, but our vague ideas and beliefs are what we live by. A large proportion of this planet believes in a heaven, which suggests some sort of existence after death.
If we say that there is no reincarnation – no rebirth of consciousness in a different body – then we will live our lives not mindful of the consequences of our actions. We may understand cause and effect but not karma, that deep reservoir that causes reaction in our minds, creating our destiny. We will not accept that there are long term consequences to our actions, saying “Things just happen” and “Anyway, no one’s looking”. That is the choice by which we then live. Unfortunately, if this is the only life, then we won’t learn much, spending most of it following others’ dreams. That is samsara: what a waste of life.
What if we realise that things don’t just happen? That they arise out of causes and conditions. And what if everything is noted by our karmic record? What if reincarnation is true and we have done the same things before? Where did our tendencies comes from?
If reincarnation is true, then we have had countless rebirths. I mean, really countless: every being in the universe has been our loving mother and father, and they have also trodden on us and cut off our heads. If that is true, then we have within us the “akashik record” of knowing all things.
Understanding karma is the great regulator! Although we are told that God (or the Lord of Death) counts out white beads and black beads (good and bad actions) at the end of life, thus revealing our dues, it is our karma that dictates what happens to us, and this is happening at every moment. If this is the case, then we will be mindful – very mindful – extremely mindful! – of our actions and reactions. If we change our attitude we change our future – even in this life time.
The Old Testament speaks of a wrathful, jealous God, and in the New Testament, there is a loving . From a Buddhist perspective, this is merely good and bad karma being weighed out, dictating our next incarnation and driving us forward.
Sobering isn’t it?
The idea of reincarnation has a beneficial psychological effect; such reasoning keeps us sharp and we never grow old, either mentally or in motivation! Intuitively, we all know there is nowhere to run or hide…what do you think conscience is?
“All life is a play
and all people merely players.
We have our exits and entrances
and in our time we play many parts.
Last scene of all, that ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness or mere oblivion…
or
enlightenment.
It is all As You Like It.
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”
(adapted from Shakespeare’s As You Like It)
I Can’t Meditate
I want to meditate, but can’t.
I don’t see the point of meditation; it seems so complicated.
There are many responses to meditation, and sometimes the reasons for meditating are not clearly explained. We may be wary of being caught up in dogma because we see others acting mechanically and ritualistically in a prescribed formula.
“Formula: A form of words, set expressions, phrases, sayings, aphorisms; code, set of words, set of symbols that set a foundation for communication.”
We need form in order to arrive at the formless. We need some sort of foundation, platform, method to express the formless that is free from form. Unfortunately, we can become stuck in both the foundation and in the idea of being free, and we miss the whole point.
Out of the people with whom we associate, some are sticklers for the form, and make life hell for others, whereas some are ‘free spirits’ and also make life hell for others. When the Buddha said, “Not too tight and not too loose”… wow! Did he know what he was talking about! 😀
Some of us have to learn things step by step, while others are more intuitive. This is because of previous association – a karmic inclination – and we need both vertical and lateral approaches.
“Lateral thinking is solving problems through an indirect and creative approach, using reasoning that is not immediately obvious and involving ideas that may not be obtainable by using only traditional step-by-step logic. The term was coined in 1967 by Edward de Bono.”
Our human nature and our upbringing – nature and nurture – both contribute to the way in which we work.
So what is meditation?
We first have to realise that this IS the way out of our confusion.
We use meditation – which is the experience of knowledge – to realise the direct experience of wisdom, which non-meditation. The form becomes formless. Confusion becomes clarity. As Gampopa said, “May confusion dawn as wisdom”.
Meditation is awareness. Awareness is not a formula. It is natural, and not made up of parts. We have to be clear about what meditation is, and why we are meditating. We want to stop confusion, and thereby end suffering – and, of course, we want to be happy.
We start by watching the breath, merely being aware of the breathing and nothing else. Focusing in this way, we cut through the arising of thoughts and emotions. Sitting upright allows breathing to be natural and unrestricted. That awareness of the breath is the foundation.
At some point, we become aware of the actual awareness itself. It’s just there. It has never, ever changed. This is the moment we realise that awareness is beginning-less and end-less. It is both empty and formless. It has no formula. No parts. Being caught and held by outer or inner phenomena, we are usually unaware of both breathing and awareness.
Awareness only takes form when either compassion or selfishness arise. This is the moment of choice – and we do have a choice at every moment, thank buddha-ness!
So, that’s meditation: being aware of being awareness itself. It doesn’t matter whether the mind is turbulent or dull, as awareness is naturally present, and we have the space and clarity to decide whether to become involved, or not. We either see a need to remain neutral or to act in order to benefit a situation: we are, however, still in danger of selfishness, of fear and desire arising, enslaving us in demonic activity. Understanding this demonic enslavement is enough to focus the mind with wrathful, compassionate energy. As sentient beings, we are distracted all the time, and when we are carried away by selfishness, we need some wrathful energy to focus awareness. That’s when we may need various toys: the trick is to not get stuck with the playthings, as this can cause tantrums 😀
Form, we argue about.
Formless, there is nothing to argue about.
Life is complicated enough
without further complications!
Just be aware.
How Does Me Become A Buddha?
Look within the mind.
Drop the ‘me’ and, finding nothing else,
rest in that emptiness.
There you are!
A complete Buddha =
awakened: recognition of empty essence
purified: exhaustion of all karmic effects
You don’t have to be Buddhist
to become a Buddha.
The Buddha wasn’t!
😀 😀 😀
Genuine Inner Peace
Genuine inner peace is available at any moment. Not a temporary affair, but the real thing. This blogger cannot claim to have genuine peace at every moment, but merely an understanding that it is accessible.
The obstacles to inner peace are ‘residential’ emotions – an overall feeling that we are stuck with, and which includes anxiety, doubts, desire, expectations, fear, pride, jealousy: that is our unique path.
Designing a system where one does this, this and this and one will achieve inner happiness, inner peace, doesn’t work because we all have obstacles of varying densities. One could say different capacities and different levels, but it’s more than that. It’s to do with the strength of our programming and our ability, tenacity and honesty in dealing with that. It’s simple, but not easy.
Whether habitual emotions are occurring or not, genuine happiness is always available to us. In essence, our very nature is – and has always been – happiness. This is what the Dharma is all about, and the material on this blog offers a feel of how this happiness is self-existing. This does not mean that our outer life will be hunky dory, but our view will be clearer by understanding that all appearances are temporary phenomena that can nevertheless still be enjoyed. This basically comes from understanding that awareness has a finer reality of being pure awareness, empty of being contaminated by thoughts and emotions. Thoughts and emotions will still arise but we don’t hold on to them or cling to them obsessively, as we did when we were ignorant of these arisings. In understanding that all sentient beings have these same obstacles and the same potential of pure happiness, compassion arises.
By merely recognising the obstacles to awareness, they drop away for a moment, and there is a sense of relief and a release from being sophisticated. Gradually, with recognition, this inner happiness is recognised to be available all the time because it is our true nature.
The problem arises when we expect our inner and outer lives to match up. It is this expectation that creates suffering. The first noble truth of the Buddha is the recognition that we are suffering, and that there is a cause to that suffering, which is the second noble truth. When we finally admit that life is ‘poo’, we will want to do something about it! That is the third noble truth. Finding our path is the fourth noble truth.
Our progress will depend upon how strongly we see things, and ourselves.
We have to accept and recognise that we experience both absolute reality, and a conventional, human reality: one never changes while the other is in a constant state of change. In the moment of dropping our expectations in life, genuine happiness is present – genuine inner peace – and we can dip in any time we choose. We have to understand, however, how the present moment came about: it was due to our past actions, so wanting it to be different is unreasonable, although we can affect the future through our understanding now.
As we progress, life becomes simpler and there is more time and space to acknowledge this inner peace. Seeking good company helps; the company of others who wish to experience the same thing. Dare I say it…this blog is one such place 🙂 but it’s better to find a group and be face to face (although of course, being part of a group brings its own problems, even though the inner peace is still present!). If we go step by step at our own pace, we will get it! We start from where we are, and refine. For that, we need support.
I worry about writing this blog as it might interfere with someone’s progress, but you found your way here. It is always up to you. The Buddha said, “Don’t take my word for it. Test it for yourself”.
It’s good to start with questions.
The Buddha’s teachings always stand to reason.
Dzogchen Retreat, Tsoknyi Rinpoche 1 – 7 August 2016
“A Dzogchen Guide to Living Fearlessly in an Unsettled World.”
Kingswood School, Bath, UK.
Go to
http://www.pundarika.uk.net/category/news/
What is Buddhism?
This will depend on our understanding. For some, it is a religion, and for others, it’s a philosophy. For some it is a science, and for others, rebellion. For some, it is the teachings of the Buddha, while for others, it is a superior understanding. For some, it is the means to realising our true nature, and for others it is being with the good guys. It can be all of these, or something else: it could even be a way to understand what Jesus meant by ‘God’!
Buddhism is a system for anyone at any stage of evolution to realise what true reality is – pure awareness, our pure nature of being. ‘Pure’ is empty of self-evaluations, and without pure awareness, none of the above would be known!
At the bottom of the mountain, there is much to say. As we ascend in realisation, there is less and less to say. There are times when we cannot see the top as there are many overhangs, but our motivation keeps us true on our path.
All systems take a different route, some being direct, and some more indirect: much depends on what we feel comfortable and safe with. Until we reach the top, all systems have a partial view – ‘partial’ because we stick to a system of words and phrases and does and don’t, and rely on an element of belief. In addition, because we do not see that others are climbing their path their way and will review their method at some point, we have no need to criticise (even though they may seem to be descending). In criticism, we are in fact descending: criticism is different from discernment, which is learning from others’ mistakes. We can only benefit them by climbing well ourselves.
At the top, the view is limitless. Anyone can see ‘all views’ at once.
Buddhism is realising Ground, Path, Fruition.
The ground is our true nature.
The path is our confusion about that true nature.
The fruition is realising
that there was never any confusion,
that the path never existed
and that we were the ground all the while.
There never was any confusion, path or mountain.
Others’ Euphoria, Ecstasy, Heaven, Devotion
People have feelings.
They may appear to get carried away with their feelings:
that’s just the way they feel.
We may not feel that way.
We may get carried away with our feelings about their feelings:
that’s just the way we feel.
The height of euphoria, ecstasy, heaven, devotion is a genuine expression of the total dissolution of the I – free fall – weightless – carrying no load!
There’s nothing to hold on to.
As we still have a little ego, there is a quiet joy, which is inspired and instructional.
Master Of Light or Slave To Darkness
In prayers, we ask for light (clarity), but also protection. We ask that all evil and ill-will be pacified.
We might assume that this means outer evils, but it also addresses our inner evils. If we are not alert, our informed cleverness might be a carrier of the dark lord’s bidding: ‘dark lord’ = universal selfishness that keeps sentient beings bound to sensuality. Sensuality can be part of our path as long as we don’t become addicted, as this causes suffering.
If we are vague or have an intellectual understanding, we can fall prey to gossip or speculation. We might believe that we do no harm, but the problem lies in thinking that we are masters of light when this acquired idea that we are the light is, in fact, the root of darkness. We need to go beyond this and that. Tricky isn’t it?!
If we only see others’ faults, then we move into darkness.
If we lack empathy, then we move into darkness.
If we want to be admired, then we move into darkness.
If we manipulate, then we move into darkness.
Dark is only known by virtue of light.
Light is only known by virtue of shadows.
If everything was light, we wouldn’t be able to see anything.
Likewise, if everything was dark, we wouldn’t be able to see anything.
Because of the unity of these two, things are known.
Confound Our Enemies With…Love
Confound = amaze, astonish, dumbfound, stagger, surprise, startle, stun, stupefy, daze, nonplus; throw, shake, unnerve, disconcert, discompose, dismay, bewilder, set someone thinking, baffle, mystify, bemuse, perplex, puzzle, confuse…
Our = that to which we relate.
Enemies = demonic selfishness reflected by self and others.
Love = bypassing the selfish games and talking to their essence.
What we see is what we get.
The Buddha Reflects Our True Nature
We have to look to see if this is true.
By looking for more, we become distracted, preferring to wander off on a vague path that seems interesting. We will never realise the simple truth of pure, uncontaminated awareness: that which is looking is our destination! We need confirmation that this fact is true. A teacher may say, “You’re right,” but that is only ‘right’ in our current understanding. Gradually, we refine and our lives move towards simplicity where there is less distraction, so that we can refine our refinement. It is we who confirm our own understanding.
As we progress and refine, there are fewer people to whom we can relate. This is why we need to be assured that we know our path. That requires us to be honest.
Do Good, Do No Harm, Tame The Mind
The Buddha Said,
“Do Good, Do No Harm, Tame The Mind”.
How do we do this? Simply choose a prayer or mantra such as ‘Om Mani Padme Hung’ which, as the mantra of the Lord of Compassion, Chenrezi, symbolises compassionate energy.We chant this in the mind or on the breath, and send it out in all directions in the form of light, to the enlightened ones in the universe. This light reflects back on us in the form of blessings, and we then send it out to all sentient beings. The light returns and is sent out again to the enlightened ones. Thus we become a conduit.
In this one action, we are doing good, we are doing no harm and, as we are focusing on what we’re doing, we’re taming the mind.
This can be done with any prayer we wish. Whether it actually does any good for anyone else, we can’t say, but it generates a tremendous motivation within our mind and heart, and that in turn generates great merit and influences our compassionate activity.
Understanding Chaos
“I don’t understand.”
Chaos is total confusion.
Chaos: complete disorder, vast chasm, void.
Total openness to a situation.
In pure experience, there is neither comprehension nor understanding; there is merely raw, first hand experience. Our wish to understand and name, obscures the pure experience. Any words used to describe experience belittle that experience.
Some call this a flower…:D
No Path, No Journey, No Destination
We are here now.
So what obscures ‘now’? Nothing. Absolutely nothing of any substance. Emotions arise to protect the false idea of ‘me and mine’: pride, jealousy, desire, fear, hatred and ignorance obscure nowness. As long as it’s all about me and mine, we will have a path, a journey and a destination.
Everything written or spoken about spirituality says the same thing, time after time, because we believe we are obscured. We aren’t. We are just distracted, moment by moment, by illusory deviations.
When we “fetch water, chop wood” there is nothing to think about: no emotions, no obscurations, no path, no journey and no destination.
When it’s my wood and my water, there are emotions, obscurations, a path, a journey and a destination.
The throne of enlightenment is not out there; it is here now, more or less.
Religions say we have to do this and that.|
Spirituality says drop this and that.
The path is our confusion. This is merely an inner conflict within the everlasting kingdom of enlightenment and a temporary blip on the radar.
The journey is wanting to do something, because we are confused.
The destination is not realising that we have been here all the time.
Crazy but true.
Getting it wrong is the key to understanding.
Being spoonfed*, we remain nappy bound.
*provide someone with so much help or information that they do not need to think for themselves.
Teaching Is Communication
It is passing on information,
and we all communicate in one way or another.
Whether verbally or non-verbally, we are constantly picking up information and signals. Our motivation is the driving force as to what we tune in to – how we ‘surf’ – so it is usually more of the same. In the first instant, communication is based on openness, which is love. We want to be at one, but then a cue in the communication sends up warning signals – and the love waivers.
Usually we want just enough communication in order to agree, smile and walk on: any more and it can become uncomfortable. It depends on what we can all handle. When the love is fresh and bright, we should let it go so as not to smother. If we try to hang on, we might start to disagree and aversion arises – or we agree and desire arises.
A problem may occur when we realise that the other person knows more about a subject: depending on how this is expressed, we are either attracted or repulsed. Enthusiasm can either enrich or smother: it can appear to others as a useful tool or a weapon :D. Both are teachings, as our reactions are telling us something about ourself. This is the real dharma. This is real crazy wisdom.
There are times when whatever we say will repulse another. This is because we are not in tune with their motivation, their philosophy or their beliefs, and so we need to be very skilful in communication. We drop in a little signal and see if the cue is picked up. If it’s not, we leave it alone. The same information can be received on many levels. It can go to the head/mind/consciousnesses or connect with the heart/uncontaminated purity. Less is more: open space allows more in!
It’s all about clarifying what another already knows – but first we have to be clear our self! Whatever is being communicated has to make sense to the other.
This space of love can feel uncomfortable because we are touching someone else’s longings, and they can feel vulnerable. That is when we have to be worthy of trust.
What If Enlightenment Was Only…
realising the true nature of self and all phenomena.
Which is?
That our imagined self and all phenomena
are empty of true existence:
they are all a fabrication and there is nothing more than that.
Is ‘Enlightenment’ being enlightened about these matters, and the obstacles to realising spiritual insight?
And if so, so what?
A realisation of this means that we do not become attached to our ideas of self and phenomena: we do not take these seriously, as they are the cause of suffering. The suffering of others, however, we do take seriously, using the four enlightened, compassionate activities of pacifying, magnetising, enriching and destroying in order to bring about the cessation of suffering of mind games (search ‘four enlightened activities’ for details).
What if there are no miracles, no flying, no walking on water, no leaving imprints on rock, etcetera etcetera? After all, if these are not experienced by us, then they are just in our imagination: they are a belief, a story, and of no practical benefit (we’ve been to Padmasambhava’s cave and seen the ‘foot imprints’ on the ground – it had no effect on us whatsoever).
For some, visuals are important. They act as metaphors, figures of speech, figurative expressions, images, allegories, parables, analogies, symbols, emblems, word paintings to convince a certain type of mindset. But if we are not careful, these become ‘sticking posts’ created by hope and fear.
Does the understanding that our imagined self and all phenomena are empty of true existence have a simplifying effect on the mind? Does it bring about a deep sense of relief? Because that is what it is all about, and nothing else.
Could we be doing too much, chasing after experiences that will never satisfy?
Are we not like hungry ghosts? These beings are symbolised as creatures with large bellies, thin necks and tiny mouths, craving more than they can cope with.
We can spend an awful lot of time either speculating or blindly accepting that these things did happen. This creates a heavy load of expectations which can either pull us down or propel us into a realm of fantasy. We may feel guilt that we aren’t doing things properly, when we can have direct experience that is simply for this age. Maybe in the past, these things did happen but they’re not happening now, so they can only be used as metaphors which need to be dropped in order that we do not become over-fascinated and attached.
What do those of enlightened understanding do?
Earn their daily bread and wash the dishes.
Our Life Is Just A Story
We become so involved in and obsessed by our story – our life – that we don’t bother about how the story started, and where it will end. When we were young, we acquired an idea about ourselves. That idea became a habit. That habit became a personality. That personality became our destiny. Change the idea, change our destiny.
At any moment we can change our bias as, at every moment, we are maintaining it. If we are honest and unhappy with the direction in which we are heading, we can change this. Meditation clears the air. If, on the other hand, we are happy with our ‘arrangement’, then why change?
If we find that we lack empathy with others, if we find that we need to be admired, if we find that we manipulate situations, we may also find we have narcissistic tendencies of self-admiration. Who are we trying to impress?
If we consider ourselves intelligent, we are considering ourselves more intelligent than others: this is both arrogant and lacking in empathy. Is that the story we want to tell?
If our story contains a sense of empathy, where we understand how someone else may feel, this will enrich both parties as, when we are honest about our problems, this can encourage others to open up.
Getting it out in the open is part of clearing the air. I have a problem with the way in which Buddhism is presented (but I love the teachings of enlightened beings). There. I’ve admitted it. And that has changed my destiny.
Anything Dirty Can Be Cleaned!
Says it all really.
😀
.
.
.
.
(It’s a saying of my wife’s)
Responding To A Hostile World
If we want to solve a problem, we need to analyse the problem closely. If we leave this to others, then we become part of their analysis! People are dying prematurely through the use of weapons, chemicals, under-eating, over-eating, stress…and the smug don’t notice this.
The world should be a happy place. So what (or who) is causing all the trouble in the world? This is tricky, because we first have to start by looking at our selves – our divided selves. Me and my shadow. The pure essence of mind and the contents of mind. We need to understand how protective we are about these ‘me and mine’ concepts. Then we can look at the world, the collective.
We have to accept that humans divide themselves into groups – ‘us’ and ‘them’. Some see things one way and others another, and we are born into groups and cultures. We may decide against our group, and find we’ve joined another group. ‘Analysts’ have got this all sewn up!
With a good heart and intelligence, we can appreciate the differences in music, food, holidays, arts, spiritual matters – and even religious and political views.
But something happens and the differences become exaggerated, and hatred can even arise. What is this ‘something happens’? There are two reasons – fear and desire. These stem from the one basic ignorance, of being unaware of our true nature of essence love. We are not different in essence, only in expression. We can actually express love in everything we do, but unfortunately, because of lack of understanding and claims of ‘love’, our expression is tainted.
There is another reason for social disruption,
and that is that third parties seeking gain by dividing people.
How does one deal with this? By being aware, we don’t become party to the division of ‘us’ and ‘them’. The way the world is, is the way the world is, at this moment in time. The outward manifestations and subversive causes of the horrors being committed in the world are traumatising people so that they don’t know which way to turn. This results in chaos and confusion, and we can therefore be easily controlled, which results in more suffering.
Strangely enough, this very suffering is the spur to look into the causes of suffering. These are the first two noble truths of the Buddha.
This is why it is said that, in the Kali Yuga – the age of strife – we can make the fastest progress, because the Dzogchen teachings have been made available and understandable. It is also said that, when the age of peace comes, people will be less interested in the Dzogchen teachings and as a consequence, they will be more difficult to access.
The Heart of Dzogchen
The pointing out instruction is letting go.
Awareness looks, sees and drops.
Traditionally, the gesture (non-verbal) for the pointing out instruction is: the teacher holds his/her palms up to show looking out. They then turn the palms to face inward, to show seeing. They then drop the palms onto the thighs, to show dropping. That’s it. That is the pointing out instruction. But it sounds so ordinary that it just doesn’t register…pity.
Ordinariness is satisfying in that there is absolutely no pressure. This is why we constantly miss the point of the pointing out instruction. The pointing out instruction really, really, really is looking, seeing and dropping…letting go…not following…not being captured by anything impermanent.
All that is left is….!
That is what the Dharma is all about. Nothing complicated and nothing elaborate. It is precisely because it appears to be so ordinary that the mind does not see it or trust it, and therefore we look for something more mysterious: we need convincing so, in the relative world, it comes with elaborations and complications, and is built up so that everything can then be destroyed.
All that is left is…!
What is?
That which is real.
What is ‘real’?
Pure awareness.
What is ‘pure awareness’?
Is-ness.
What is, ‘is’?
To be.
What is, ‘to be’?
Pure awareness.
There’s no getting away from pure awareness, is there?
It is absolute ordinariness, without embellishments.
It is the heart of the Dharma.
It is the heart of Dzogchen.
Remember – We Are Happy Beings
Let no thing steal your inner joy.
We are so conditioned to desire fulfilment that we engage in excessive activity which leads to frustration and in fact, addiction, and this creates our destiny.
As Lao Tzu said,
“Watch your thoughts, they become words;
watch your words, they become actions;
watch your actions, they become habits;
watch your habits, they become character;
watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
Our activities – beyond the necessary – merely fill time and space. We occupy emptiness because we fear boredom: this is the tiring cycle of human existence. We are so obsessed with our achievements that we forget the joy of just being.
“Well, I’m happy when I achieve something!”
“True, but then you want to achieve something else, thus merely repeating a pattern.”
Happiness is just here, now, resting in perfect absorption. It’s so nice when everything stops and we come to rest. We get glimpses of this from time to time, but unfortunately we associate these with particular activities or places: of course, some places and activities are more conducive to perfect stillness, but we quickly return to the old habits of seeking happiness and satisfaction in some thing. This doesn’t mean we cannot enjoy ourselves: just don’t let it become all-consuming, taking over life, otherwise this becomes not only our destiny, but also our fate.
Unfortunately, we have a vague idea of what happiness is, and so we spend our precious time looking to see what others are doing, and then attempt to outdo them. Happiness that relies on conditions is futile. “I’m happier than you!” is merely more enslavement to addiction, a samsaric god.
It is sad that we are looking for something that we already are. Happiness is merely contentment in being.
“Boring!”
“You have just explained the reason for your imprisonment perfectly.”
Wanting more than is necessary is a product of an over-agitated society, in which everything becomes a competition. If we are not content to take the lower seat, or know when enough is enough, we indulge ourselves and our subtle body becomes stressed with misplaced energies. Can you feel the tension in your facial muscles at this moment?
Outer circumstances may be discouraging, but inner joy is always present. In a relative sense, we have to accept that the world isn’t perfect.
Our bodies, our minds and the world may suffer,
but pure awareness of this suffering is not suffering.
It is just aware.
It is the sane centre of a healthy, happy mind.
Making Sense Of Dzogchen
is nonsense
😀
Dzogchen is a Tibetan word for a style of experiencing the essence of compassionate, primordial purity of luminous awareness. It’s what we actually are; the reality of being.
Other styles have other names: all practices of doing ‘something’ are to arrive at this self-aware, pure, awakened nature.
It’s just there, waiting to be recognised.
By whom?
Itself!
This gentle simplicity sends waves of contentment throughout the body and mind.
“Is that all?”
“That’s all.”
“What a relief.”
Meanwhile we have to accept that we still won’t give up trying to make sense of it all. 😀
Why nonsense? Dzogchen is the ultimate state and so there are no more questions.
Non-doing is letting go, or surrendering: we are letting go or surrendering to an opponent or powerful influence that is found not to exist: we are no longer fighting this imaginary ‘I’. We are at once the prisoner and the jailer, and therefore we have the key – and the door opens.
However, can we just walk away with the key when we notice that other prison doors are still locked?
Is Our Karma Our Guide?
The recognition that we are seeing through a habitual bias is an extremely subtle business: “we see through a glass darkly”. We needn’t feel guilty about this because the moment that we become aware of this mechanical intrusion, we wake up for a moment: we truly wake up when we become aware of awareness that is pure and empty.
Unfortunately, it seems that when we become aware that we are just repeating ourselves – going through the motions – we feel embarrassed and justify with more of the same. This is especially so if we do not have the understanding and vocabulary to explain honestly how we feel. Firstly, we have to recognise and know what is going on, and step aside.
Every movement we make in body, speech and mind is a product or result of our past actions. We built the picture. We are so rehearsed in our acting, and have learned and repeated our lines for so long that the actions of body, speech and mind just spew out. Of course, this is easier to see in others than ourselves, but can serve as a reminder: it is the dust in our own eye that matters.
The results of karma (programming) are happening at every moment, and at every moment we are creating more of the same. As this is continuous at every moment – each moment creating the next – awareness can cut through this continual chain reaction at any moment. It is the awareness that creates a pause and staggers our response. This staggering breaks up our reactions. We don’t just go into full flow along our well-worn tracks: we take a second or two to evaluate, and sometimes we may have to pull the emergency cord and bring the whole train of events to a halt.
When shunyata (emptiness) is known, then anything that interrupts shunyata is our guide back to shunyata. This is ‘goodness’ or ‘rightness’. ‘Badness’ or ‘wrongness’ is indulging and obsessing about the thing that is interrupting the clear view.
Conscience, intuition, intention could be seen either as our own awareness, or as deity activity, guardian angel activity. Whatever suits our way – and works – must be right. I’m always having to correct myself – or do I have a guardian angel that reveal my karmic attitude? Who knows? Things happen in life and we might wonder, “How did that come about?” The law of attraction or the law of repulsion? Who knows?
Everything that happens is our teacher.
Collective Narcissism
Narcissistic groups could be an extension of individual narcissism, although this may not necessarily be the case. There are also groups within groups, which gives rise to in-group bias.
Narcissism is self love. One could call the Kali Yuga the “Age of Narcissism”: the Mahabharata speaks of this “age of strife”. Because of this attitude, people are easily divided and controlled by narcissistic groups that are more powerful. There is much to explore in this subject, beginning with our own self-esteem. Unfortunately, spiritual groups – as well as religions and everyone else – display characteristics of this disorder. There’s a lot of it about! 😀 😀 😀
There doesn’t seem much we can do about a narcissistic world other than be aware of being drawn into its ‘social web’.
Signs of Narcissism:
This is why the Buddha said,
‘Do good.
Do no harm.
Tame the mind’.
Being Precise In Practice
If we are going to tame the mind,
we have to be as precise as we can.
If we are not to do harm,
we have to be as precise as we can.
Focusing on the Buddha’s teachings,
we have to be as precise as we can.
Sloppiness creates fuzzy edges;
essence is out of focus.
Focusing on the empty nature of mind
requires penetrating insight.
If we need a holiday,
have a holy day!
Holy days are simply remembering precisely
not to forget.
The Cocoon Of No Circumference
Emptiness that envelops everything
Meditation is being thought-free, and not thought-less.
Thought-free is being free of thoughts – spacious – clear – light – with limitless joy and compassion.
The cocoon of no limitations.
Thought-less is being absent minded – careless – insensitive – misguided – joyless and compassionless.
The cocoon of limitations.
Rules are methods to guide us.
Rule: from the Latin regula, meaning ‘straight stick’.
However, they are a guide and not rigid dogma. We have to know when to be bendy 🙂
Bendy: capable of bending; soft and flexible.
It’s like this ~~~~~~~~~~!
We know the direction in which to go, but we can be flexible, either by cutting through or manoeuvring around obstacles. We can swing away and we can recross our guide line. It’s not stiff – and it’s much more fun!
Can Robots Have Consciousness?
From a Buddhist perspective, yes they can.
If we regard consciousness as the ‘be-all and end-all’, then we have a very limited view of ourselves. If we are using the word ‘consciousness’ to mean ‘aware’ then yes, robot machines can be aware: they can be conscious – although, this is not empty awareness, pure awareness. In Buddhism, consciousness is not regarded as the ultimate state of being, as it is a changeable state.
The use of words and the context in which they are set is of paramount importance, because we can be easily deceived, misunderstand and become confused. Our limited view of our true potential is constantly being demoted through the media; “Live the dream!” When we adhere mechanically to learned definitions, this can obscure actual experience. Word have many meanings and can only hint at genuine experience.
From a Buddhist point of view, the body and mind are controlled by eight consciousnesses, five of the input senses and three of mind: perception, memory and judgement. Perception, memory and judgement become the vehicles for setting the pattern of behaviour, which is our personality – our type of programme. We all fall into types – we only think we are individuals, whereas we are individuals only when we realise our origin: then we are original!
Most humans function on quite a mechanical level. Few know the full potential of humanity, which to realise our true nature of empty essence, cognisant nature and unlimited empathetic compassion, which is unconditional love.
A machine can only mimic these qualities. On observation, when we function mechanically in order to merely exist, we become robotic and are unable to help ourselves: for instance, narcissists lack empathy, manipulate and need constant admiration.
Robots mimic mechanical human behaviour. The point of robots is to replace humans as they can process information faster without taking tea breaks. The question is, for whose benefit?
Machines cannot have understanding, empathy, compassion or love. They can only appear to understand, be empathetic, show compassion and love. Again, this is the characteristic of most humans; we appear to be caring.
“I think, therefore I am” is not realisation of reality. Realisation of reality is knowing the knower does not exist. A machine would ‘blow its circuits’ with this unanswerable conundrum. The same process would also blow a human’s circuits, with the realisation that there is no knower but merely knowing…that is the path to enlightenment!
A machine cannot understand the shock of crazy wisdom. It cannot become enlightened, thereby realising its true nature – and neither can an ignorant human.
But enlightenment remains our true potential.
Ultimate Craziness
There is no one seeing
and
there is no one seeing it.
There is just seeing.
Just seeing, clear view, pure awareness, pure consciousness, higher self, the father, God … are just fancy-schmancy words for something indescribable. Descriptions only confuse and divide.
Pure seeing is present all the time, and so it is timeless and beyond description. Pure seeing is dropping seeing. We cannot look for what we are. Now, that is crazy!
When natural clarity is cloaked in fancy-schmanciness,
there can be no recognition.
If there is recognition of natural clarity – celebrate!
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. 