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I see some Buddhist practitioners who experienced an ever-deepening insight of reality actually become more engaging with life in a positive, contributory way. The way i see it, awakening without mindfulness is only half the fruit. Mindfulness means presentfulness. Presence to thoughts, to deeds, to each word spoken.. that is the aim. Present to others, to what is immediate in each moment. Present enough to be able to practice kindness. If you have basic kindness in your heart, nothing is difficult. Awakening is not an amazing experience, at least not one for the experiencer to say. Awakening only becomes meaningful where others are relieved of their anguish and misery thru your stepping over the threshold. If its only you who see delight in your own wonderful deeds, its not real progress.

Equanimous poise

Though space has been designated 'empty', In reality it is inexpressible; Although the nature of mind is called 'clear light', Its every ascription is baseless verbal fiction. ~ Tilopa

Within relative truth, there is always circling and reflecting between inner and outer, subtle and gross, subject and object, and personal and general phenomena. If we cannot distinguish between personal and general phenomena, we become confused and cannot make a meaningful connection between subject and object. An example of personal phenomena is the dream phenomena that arise at night from daytime habits. In a dream we might see a house. Because this is visible only to us, it is our personal phenomena. Then, we might actually build the house which becomes visible to all who see it. This is general phenomena. General phenomena are the collectively shared, generally visible or objective habits of groups of people or societies. Different expressions of personal phenomena come together to create general phenomena which in turn leave a residue in further personal phenomena. For example, a fashion designer might introduce a new fashion through his personal phenomena. This becomes general group phenomena which might inspire another designer who in turn might create a new derivative fashion. We trust in general phenomena through agreed upon complementary gross elements and logic. For example, when we only know white sugar and have never seen brown sugar, we have white sugar's phenomena, and whenever we think of sugar, we automatically think white. We do not even need the word white because it is generally agreed upon and assumed. But if somewhere else there are people who only know brown sugar, they do not even need the word brown because when they think of sugar they automatically think brown. Those who have both white and brown sugars' habit think which sugar, white or brown? Unless our dualistic mind becomes unconscious dullness mind or until it becomes enlightened non-dualistic mind, there will always be obstructed phenomena. Where phenomena are obstructed, there will always arise true and untrue conceptions; one's truth is another's untruth and one's untruth is another's truth. According to dualistic mind, truth exists temporarily as true or untrue conceptions depending on its relation to intention and circumstances. That is why we call it relative truth. ~ Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche - Magic Dance

“People often confuse happiness with pleasure. Yet happiness is not eating ice cream. It’s a way of being, and a way of being not just one thing. It’s a cluster of basic human qualities, among which inner freedom is central. If you’re happy, you are not a slave of your rumination. You have freedom from hatred, obsessive craving, jealousy, arrogance, etc. That freedom gives you inner peace and, therefore, a confidence that’s very different from narcissistic self-esteem. Because you have the inner resources to deal with life’s ups and downs, you are less preoccupied with yourself. You know that whatever happens you’ll be fine. So not feeling vulnerable, you are not trying to overprotect yourself and you are naturally open to others. Selfish happiness doesn’t exist. When you’re completely self-centered—me, me, me all day long—you push away anything that could threaten your comfort. This makes life miserable. You’re constantly under threat, because the world is simply not a mail-order catalogue for all your desires.” ~ Matthieu Ricard Altruism, according to Ricard, does not require that we sacrifice our own happiness. In fact, a benevolent frame of mind, which is based on a correct understanding of interdependent reality, leads to a win-win situation. We flourish, and at the same time, we are of benefit to all those around us.

A thought for the weekend: Those who wish to crush the many sorrows of existence, Who wish to quell the pain of living beings, Who wish to have experience of a myriad joys Should never turn away from bodhichitta. Should bodhichitta come to birth In those who suffer, chained in prisons of samsara, In that instant they are called the children of the Blissful One, Revered by all the world, by gods and humankind. For like the supreme substance of the alchemists, It takes our impure flesh and makes of it The body of a Buddha, jewel beyond all price. Such is bodhicitta. Let us grasp it firmly! ~ Shantideva

Hello Steve.. Thank you very much for the supportive input, and thank you also for making time to be present on this thread. When i wrote that reply to Jeff, i was actually reflecting on my own journey a bit, and how occupied my thoughts were with 'my' realizations, which so puffed me up with pride (some time ago). Its a little bit different now. Now it is like the kindness of my teachers, the protectors, and the lineage as a whole permitting me, thru my practice, to glimpse the ineffable in gradually clearer forms. It seems as if there is this sense of something being peeled away slowly with each practice session, and i guess it is in this way that it feels more like a revelation rather than a realization. Thru observation, it appears to me that some can take their realizations as concrete proof of achievement, and this i feel can be somewhat of a stumbling block (based on my own past experiences and sharing the experiences of fellow sangha friends).

As long as one knows that 'realization' is not a once-off. In Buddhist thought, there is a continuum of wisdom & compassion, suffused in union, that becomes clearer as practice deepens. More of a process of revelation rather than a 'realization'.

Like a homeless prince ~ Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche "Grasping to a non-existent self, we misread our world and lose the true treasure of our mind. Because of our belief in a self that must be preserved at all costs, ego controls our every mental, emotional, verbal, and physical act. Although our wisdom mind is completely radiant at all times, we become like a homeless prince: a monarch who lives like a vagabond, unaware of his own inheritance." ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ The three needs ~ Although mind is clear, one needs a lama; Although a lamp burns brightly, it still needs oil; Although mind is self-evident, it needs recognition. That is the teaching on the three needs. ~ Drugpa Kunley

Every life is punctuated by moments of intense joy and intense sadness, exquisite love and exquisite loss, none of which endure though, and any and all of which give rise to an overwhelming sense of uncertainty and panic in the unsuspecting mind. The mark of the truly accomplished practitioner, however, is their simple capacity to rest, in comfort and ease, in the perfect equanimity of mind, the natural samatha (calm-abiding) of awareness, which is without attachment, aversion or indifference, throughout all of these emotional peaks and troughs of conditioned life. ~ Paramito Ladakh

In celebration of Lord Buddha's Enlightenment... 01 June 2015 Namo tassa baghavato arahato samma sambudhasa

Seeing Clearly What is Genuine and What is False All we really need to do for practice is to study, reflect, and meditate. However, these days it is common in the East and West that desire for honor and gain creates problems. Imitation monks, phony lamas, fake tulkus, and false gods turn up, and because of this, it is difficult to find the right kind of study, reflection, and meditation. It is very important for everyone to be careful about this and try to see clearly what is genuine and what is false. If someone says, “I am a lama,” or “I am a tulku,” or “I am a god,” we do not have to immediately follow them. First, investigate to see whether they are genuine or not and whether we should make a connection with them. It is important to use our critical faculties along with giving up attachments. ~ His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje

All suffering beings are caught in a vortex of deep confusion regarding their true identity and will arise in one perceptual realm or another. This will be dependent on how similar they are in their confusion to others in that place and will experience a shared world, even though personal points of view can be very different from each other. This is how the separation of the six samsaric realms exist; living beings arising in varieties of misunderstandings regarding how they actually exist, will enter into generalized causes and effects that will continue to hold them to a particular realm, such as the human realm. Awakening from that confusion immediately exhausts their capacity to live in that realm, which is now closed to them for future rebirths caused by confusion. This is an evolutionary perceptual journey. ~ Domo Geshe Rinpoche ~~

A bubble bursts soon after it has been formed. A mirage conjures up an image of reality which disappears on close examination. There is absolutely no substance in either of them. This is common knowledge. As we know their true nature, so also must we know the true nature of the phenomena. When a meditator acquires knowledge of concentration through the observance of the dissolution of the aggregates (khandha), he will discover that the known object and the knowing mind are all in a state of flux, now appearing, now vanishing. They are transitory. There is no essence or substance worthy to be named "mine" in them. They signify only the processes of becoming and dissolution. ~ Mahasi Sayadaw

“A wave in the sea, seen in one way, seems to have a distinct identity, an end and a beginning, a birth and a death. Seen in another way, the wave doesn’t really exist, but is just the behavior of water, “empty” of any separate identity, but “full” of water. So when you really think about the wave, you come to realize that it is something that has been made temporarily possible by wind and water, and is dependent on a set of constantly changing circumstances. You also realize that every wave is related to every other wave.” ~ Sogyal Rinpoche http://emptinessteachings.com/2014/09/11/the-two-truths-of-buddhism-and-the-emptiness-of-emptiness/

come play with me too we can browse the starry night catch a falling star

he might do well with a can of Red Bull

people say telling lies is not virtuous someone runs into an apartment in trying to escape from a knife-carrying gangster The killer barges in and demands to know if the person he is chasing is hiding in the house even if a buddha were to be there, i very much doubt the hiding person will be exposed if telling the truth leads to a negative outcome, then its time to temporarily let go of conventional support and do the right thing as for irritations, why not? its good to be irritated at ignorance, harmful potential, and negative afflictions main factor for consideration is to keep checking one's motivation basically, a good meditator (ideally) will know the arising and ceasing of emotional triggers and not get caught in the quagmire of dualistic clinging

exactly!

my point is that sacredness goes far beyond mere experiences; it is, in some sense, a term that describes the quality of relationship that one forms with whatever one's attention is directed to in order to derive the intended result.

there is really no need to assign sacredness to a force. Sacredness is an individual thing, an attitude, a mindset. It is the quality of one's relationship with that force - so if needs are to be looked at, then look at that relationship, keep that focus beneath and within, not to the Dao, or Buddha nature, or Higher Anything, as if these were some sort of external power that grants things wished for. Such views are sloppy and disempowering. Just as an example, most of us have tasted and felt something positive, something nurturing and more loving by being here, thats why we show up and get involved. We hover in this little space to share, to learn, and to grow. Being here is not an avoidance of another space that is filthy or profane, its just that this space feels right, and we choose this space to dance, to connect with that ineffable rightness, for some of us, among equals. This prompt, this quiet urge to be present here, to be in this communal space, one which has a particular quality about it, a comforting quality perhaps, is how a sense of sacredness can be understood. Sanctity is like a quality of our intent and motivation. There is no need to contrast it with something else to see its relevance. We already have it firmly in place, we see it clearly when we become present, but sometimes its easier to just ignore it, or take it for granted. Look at tea-preparation as another example. Some can turn a simple act into a ceremony, a ritual, while others couldn't be bothered. They say, oh, its just tea, whats the big deal. The whole point is missed altogether. Same with everything else we do in life... motivation and intent is key. Freedom is determined by little else.

sacredness is what remains when all the layers of illusional separation falls off. Its essence. Venerating or not venerating does not alter essence's primordial purity in the slightest. A fish has no need to venerate water to make it more fish-like; Birds do not venerate flight, worms do not venerate the earth. Likewise, humans have no need to venerate transcendence and higher nature to become virtuous and spiritual. Thinking otherwise is what creates the idea of separation.

All perceptions are similar to a dream ~ Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche At present we perceive samsara as something we have to reject and nirvana as something we have to attain. Now while this is correct according to relative truth, according to absolute truth the nature of the afflictive emotions and actions that we are supposed to reject is nothing other than emptiness. When we realize the dharmakaya, which is free from true existence, we will know that all perceptions are similar to a dream or an illusion and we will no longer crave these phenomena. As it is said, 'While there is attachment, there is no view.' And the absence of attachment is the supreme view.

Sacredness is good. Some have a good sense for it, and some don't. That's life... it all depends on the individual, what they deem as worthy. Some deem everything worthy, as blessings, as life's natural unfoldings, while others expand effort to make choices that shift anyway thru time. The cause of sacredness is the merit you accumulate, and the effect is also sacredness itself. Likewise, the cause of mediocrity is also a result of what one accumulates, which in turn seed further causes of the same, so it is clear that cause and effect arise in tandem and cannot be clearly separated as two distinct occurrences or actions of body, speech and mind. Those who have a good sense of the sacred naturally have a positive and authentic presence about them. This authentic presence, in Tibetan called wangthang, literally means field of power, which in turn is directly tuned to the cultivation of virtue. Therefore, the more merit one accumulates, the more authentically present one is; the more authentic one's presence, the more one perfumes the environment with symmetry and order, which is analogous for sacredness, and this in turn gives rise to further virtue. In time, it forms a harmonious loop of great tenacity and beauty. Sacredness can stand on its own merit without having an opposite, but the mind sometimes demands comparisons. Two persons unknown to you serves tea, but each cup may taste different. This difference can be a cause for celebration; it can be unnoticed, or it can be an opportunity to practice discriminating the servers, the tea pots, the teas, the cups, the atmosphere,etc., at which point, without having to do anything in particular, the energy of sacredness simply gets drained of potential and fails to manifest when it could easily have done so had one simply rest in that presence, without discrimination, in full participation of the moment as it is. So, if one is able to tune into the subtleties of things unfolding in a mindful way, to really see the beauty in simplicity where others miss, to be one with the beauty of a flower that blooms as nature dictates in her patterns and cycles where others habitually see just another flower, this is virtue, the seed of sacred progression united in both the person and his or her surrounds.