C T

Behold and search your unborn mind; Seek not for satisfaction in samsara. I attain all my knowledge through observing the mind within. Thus all my thoughts become the teachings of dharma, And apparent phenomena are all the books one needs. Seeing the innate face of the self-mind is supreme, How can common meditation match it? He who realizes the nature of his own mind knows That the mind itself is wisdom-awareness, And no longer makes the mistake of searching for Buddha from other sources. In fact, Buddha cannot be found by searching, So contemplate your own mind. This is the highest teaching one can practice; This very mind is the tathagatagarbha, buddha nature, the womb of the buddhas. ~Milarepa

Everything has the nature of being empty. When the empty looks at the empty, Who is there to look at something empty? What is the use of many classifications, Such as 'being empty' and 'not empty' As it is illusion looking at illusion, And delusion watching delusion? ~ Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche

The Four Qualities of Buddha-nature "Maitreya clearly states that buddha-nature, or tathagatagarbha, has four different qualities. We have seen that some of the great early Tibetan scholars explained buddha-nature almost as though it were a state of negation. One scholar countered that such a view is incorrect, given that Maitreya clearly showed how Buddha Shakyamuni did not explain buddha-nature as a state of negation. Some of the early masters dismissed this point in a low-key way. In any case, what are the four qualities of buddha-nature? (1) First, ‘Buddha-nature is great purity beyond all concepts of pure and impure.’ (2) Second, ‘Buddha-nature is the great self beyond all beyond all concepts of self and no-self.’ (3) Third, ‘Buddha-nature is great blissfulness of pleasure and pain, or suffering and bliss.’ (4) Finally, ‘Buddha-nature is the great permanent state beyond all concepts of permanence and impermanence.’ We can summarize this in a simple way by saying, ‘Buddha-nature is beyond duality mind.’ Characteristics such as permanent and impermanent, clean and dirty, pure and impure, self and no-self are all dualistic conceptions—they are the labels, restrictions, and distractions of duality mind. In reality, tathagatagarbha goes beyond each and every one of those boundaries. The Buddha taught this very specifically throughout his Prajnaparamita teachings. If you have the time or opportunity, it is good to read the one hundred thousand stanzas of the Prajnaparamita; I think this text has been translated into English. In this teaching, the Supreme Teacher states, ‘O Subhuti, noble sons and daughters engage in the Prajnaparamita, the wisdom that goes beyond. If you hold on to form as permanent, you are grasping; if form is impermanent, you are grasping; if form is clean, you are grasping; if form is unclean, you are grasping.’ When the Buddha taught this, he was uprooting the dualistic conceptions to which we normally cling. Duality will never discover the true taste of reality itself. By making and holding on to labels, we get caught and bound up in delusion; whatever we do will be like a pigeon who walks in a cotton field and gets caught in the cotton, or a pigeon who gets stuck in a lamb’s wool. We have a Tibetan word that refers to when a pigeon tries to walk on a lamb and gets stuck in its wool—that big pigeon can’t get out! The mind of the Buddha is known by many different names in the Buddhist scriptures. Sometimes it is known as ‘the union of the two truths’ or ‘the great absolute truth that is the union of the two truths.’ Other times it called ‘great emptiness with all inherent good qualities’ and ‘great wisdom that goes beyond all conception.’ It is also called ‘mother of the buddhas of the three times,’ ‘tathagatagarbha,’ and ‘buddha-nature.’ The beginning of the Heart Sutra briefly explains this nature, stating, ‘Inconceivable, inexpressible prajnaparamita, unborn, unceasing, its nature like the sky. Experienced by self-reflexive awareness discerning pristine cognition...’ When we discuss buddha-nature and study it according to the different systems of philosophy, it almost looks as though buddha-nature exists somewhere else, somewhere outside ourselves. Nonetheless, we are actually discussing our own innate nature. Buddhist philosophy establishes tathagatagarbha by means of logic and valid cognition, arriving at conclusions about the truth of the nature in this way. This is exactly what the Buddha taught; he said we should use logic and reason to examine the truth of his teachings, discovering and actualizing the nature in our own experience. In order to practice correctly, we need to develop certainty wisdom. Certainty and trust in the teachings will bring about the result of realization. Without the confidence of certainty wisdom, our practice will become shaky. In his Beacon of Certainty, the great Mipham Rinpoche asks, ‘If you don’t engage in detailed analysis of the teachings, how can you be free from doubt? And if you haven’t freed yourself from doubt, how can you practice? Being full of doubt, how will the continual chain of karmic winds and actions be stopped? Even if you somehow manage to stop general reactions based upon these karmic winds, how can you go beyond or renouce samsara?’ Upon developing realization of the great dharmadhatu, we will no longer discriminate between samsara and nirvana, because we will perceive both as a display of the beautiful nature; samsara and nirvana are the completely pure display of the innate nature of our buddha mind. The teachings refer to this as the ‘one taste of samsara and nirvana,’ in which both merge into a single state. This is buddha-nature, the authentic nature of mind." ~ Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches Opening the Wisdom Door of the Rangtong & Shentong Views (pgs 93-95)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k12GQMsBGBA

Mortals experience moments of clarity, get inspired and excited, think these experiences are somehow separate from their inner world, and then, wherefore quite unnecessarily and to much disadvantage, create labels, names and designations to be pinned onto them in order to share it with others instead of containing it within for nurturing purposes. In truth, any of these labels and designations serve only to limit the scope of the experience(s) and create images in the mind which then binds the experiencer to the past, in the sense that many will seek for the replication of these profound moments, which in essence is not possible, yet often sought for with much fervour. The same applies to experiences of oneness, truth, expansiveness, cosmic light, total immersion, and all the other terms that the imagination, thru force of habit desires to assign to those moments of deep suffusion... all valid of course, but by virtue of their ephemeralness, grasping and clinging takes over and creates a ground for delusion to arise. No wonder, with an untrained mind that easily ripples at the slightest agitation, its such a challenge to remain in a prolonged state of calm repose. So, in summary, i'd say there are subtler & subtler layers to the human psyche which are basically what meditators and adepts of various paths continually and persistently attempt to access, but it can be quite limiting to then ascribe meanings to their discoveries, and serve no real purpose unless one happens to be a teacher or something like one. Looking for theories and proofs is the same as looking for meaning. Its fine to look, but just dont get stuck on what can be understood within the confines of the six senses. I guess. edit typo

"Abiding in the nature of the mind without being disturbed by thoughts or emotions is the practice of Kadak Trekcho. Trekcho means “cutting thoroughly.” What is being cut? Believing in our thoughts, and clinging onto them is being cut. Thoughts are given many names in the teachings: fabrications, delusions, mental events, and duality conceptions. When you recognize and abide in the natural state of your own mind, all thoughts—or whatever name you choose to give them—come and go naturally, spontaneously, and effortlessly, and can never bind you. Those who bring their practice to this point are Dzogchen yogis and yoginis, not just in name, but in truth. Garab Dorje, the first human master of Dzogchen, was the holder of all 6,400,000 Dzogchen tantras. He had many students, the foremost being Manjushrimitra. In the early days of Dzogchen, the complete teaching was passed from master to disciple in a single lineage. In this way, Garab Dorje named Manjushrimitra as his regent. The histories say that Manjushrimitra studied with Garab Dorje for seventy-five years. At the end of their time together, Garab Dorje entered mahaparinirvana. He transformed into rainbow light and rose into the sky. Immediately Manjushrimitra began crying, and with great longing and yearning prayed to his master. Garab Dorje extended his right arm, and in his hand he held a jeweled locket the size of a thumb. He handed the locket to Manjushrimitra, saying “The entire Dzogchen teaching I have given you should be condensed in this way.” Garab Dorje gave Manjushrimitra what has become known as the deje, which means, “last testament,” or “legacy teaching.” It begins with a set of three instructions. “First, find out the source of your mind. Second, find out where your mind is presently abiding. Third, find out where your mind is going.” When you search for the source of your mind, for the time and place when it first came into being, you do not find anything. This is known as the “unborn” or “birthless” state. It is also called dharmakaya. When you search for where your mind is right now you cannot pinpoint it. In the Prajnaparamita the Buddha said, “Oh, Shariputra, mind is not outside, mind is not inside, mind is not in-between, nor is it someplace else.” This is known as the “nonabiding” or “nondwelling state.” It is also called sambhogakaya. When you search for where your mind is going you will once more find nothing concrete. This is known as the “unceasing” or “deathless” state. It is also called nirmanakaya. By practicing the opening instructions of Garab Dorje’s final teaching, you realize that the three kayas are always inseparable from you—your mind is the embodiment of the three kayas. The Dzogchen teachings say, “The universe itself is in the three kaya state, which is enlightened and ever-present within your own mind.” This means that the universe is not separate from you; it is you, and you are it. To awaken this realization, in the Vajrayana you visualize yourself as a buddha and the universe as your pure land. Visualization is not a game of make-believe or an exercise in fantasy—it’s a means to reawaken to the original, indestructible perfection of the universe, inseparable from your own mind. In order to facilitate this realization with reasoning and logic, the great master Rongzompa composed a text that’s now available in English called Establishing Appearances as Divine. In this text, Rongzompa teaches that the universe is a divine mandala, and that this mandala is a display of your mind. You’ve forgotten this because you’ve been strongly clinging to your thoughts. Release all clinging and reconnect to the nature of your mind, and you will remember everything." ~ Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches The Beauty of Awakened Mind: Dzogchen Lineage of the Great Master Shigpo Dudtsi (pgs 80-81)

The Buddha proved definitively that mere meditative concentration is not sufficient to gain liberation. Through meditation alone, one ends up in the realms of the meditation gods and the Formless Realms, states which in themselves definitely do not lead out of samsara. There is a famous quote: “If you know how to meditate, but not how to be free, then aren’t you just like the meditation gods?” So, it’s very important to know how to liberate your deluded thinking. That is the vital point. ~ Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche

_/\_ tyvm

"When we begin to practice meditation, we’re always surprised how fast the mind runs. Yet even though it seems to be running very fast, it’s actually slowing down. Here Shigpo Dudtsi follows the instructions of the great Dzogchen master Vimalamitra, as he explains the five stages of Shamatha practice, of which the first is “like a stream running down a steep mountain.” This describes the experience of beginning meditators very well—their thoughts are boisterous, and they keep coming and going without cessation. It’s tempting to judge this as being wrong, and to willfully strive to achieve a quiet and peaceful mind. But we don’t have to choose one over the other. Having thoughts is mind, and the absence of thoughts is also mind. In both cases, the nature of the mind is emptiness. The purpose of Shamatha practice is to regulate the mind in order to make it stable and transparent to itself. Focus your mind for a short time, and then look directly at it. Once you behold your empty, open mind, simply rest in it. At this point there’s no need to regulate anything, and you should release the regulator too. Relax and let your mind do whatever it wants to do. This is one way to discover and experience the empty nature of mind." ~ Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches The Beauty of Awakened Mind: Dzogchen Lineage of the Great Master Shigpo Dudtsi (pg 78)

and raw in action much confusion in the East war has broken out

Thank you for the opportunity, though i wouldn't be so bold as to assume anyone here need to be taught. Nor the clippings of quotes from various Buddhist sources intended for such a purpose. The reason(s) they are posted here are primarily to place them somewhere convenient so i can re-read them occasionally without hassle, and also to share them with others who may happen to derive some inspirational reminders from them. With regards to the supposition around what the Buddha might have told you, sorry but i really don't know how to answer the question, although it must be said that questioning what others say, and reflecting the words and meanings is generally a good habit to have or to develop. After all the Buddha discouraged anyone from accepting anything blindly, and furthermore, He also said that doubt can be very beneficial for the serious enquirer. That question about the Buddha discouraging His followers from portraying his image, well, i'm not sure i quite understand the premise nor have i ever read about this anywhere. Perhaps you could help me by pointing me where i can read more about this. Sounds interesting. Sincere appreciation for the input, although it would be more appropriate, should you want further dialogue, to maybe do it via pm or start a new thread because this one is quite specifically meant for Buddhist quotes. All the best

Dont mean to be curt, but if that is a question requiring input, then i'd say his stance is neither right nor wrong, so why was it necessary to even consider taking exception while pondering over words which may not even hold meaning for you?

advice and criticism are two different things.

Nagarjuna was simply putting an emphasis on the condition, to wake practitioners out of their bliss fields. Being stuck in the absolute is a construct of the mind, albeit one which has hardened somewhat more, as compared to other lesser traps of the path. 'Bliss fields' are not necessarily limited to positive states; being hooked and refusing to budge from any state is also considered as being stuck in the absolute. At that level, there is no differentiation in the unfolding - some are trapped by their ease, while others could be trapped by their pain - basically, there is no differentiation if grasping and aversion does not arise; the emphasis is solely on being stuck, and how to become unstuck. As with all constructs, there is a beginning, a middle, and an end. Once we can determine where we tend to frequently hover in that spectrum of mental activity, we can make the necessary adjustments to 'realign' the mind by allowing the accumulated karmic energy to dissipate. This determination can be helped with the combined meditative practice of concentration and insight. We can choose to take the scenic route, which is the preferred option for lots of people, or we can cultivate certain practices which will hasten the dissipation. But first we need to know where we are standing, and work from there. Otherwise its like throwing darts in the dark.

I dont think he is telling you anything you did not already know, so in that sense, its not advice per se.

same dynamic, different outcome.

who need tell us this it takes courage to be kind spread the word of peace

"The mountains and rivers, the blueberries and tomato worms, these are the things that inform me. I share them with students, and they share themselves with me. Winter, we sew Buddha's robes or study around the fire, fill the frozen bird feeders, and sit zazen together; spring, we cut peonies for the altar, plant berry starts, weed and sit zazen together; summer, we paint the tool shed, string cable for the deer fence, put up our tea booth in the park for the Fourth of July, and we sit zazen together; autumn, we harvest bushels of apples and fill the pantry with applesauce, walk the Rogue River trail bearing witness to Fall's brilliant display, stack the wood shed with dry bark and kindling, and we sit zazen together. We turn compost and sit together. We repair the irrigation system and sit together. We rake mountains of sycamore and cottonwood leaves and sit together. We chant the Buddhas and Ancestors and we sit together. We screen the crawl space to keep the skunks out and we sit together. What else is there?" ~ Etsudo Patty Krahl, a founding teacher of Ashland Zen Center, Oregon, from SEEDS OF VIRTUE, SEEDS OF CHANGE: A COLLECTION OF ZEN TEACHINGS by 27 women masters (2014)

so man in the Tao if only that was the case earthly paradise

The essence of mind is somewhat difficult to explain, so we look at it from the negative point of view, that is, what mind is not. First of all, we see that it is not something which arises or ceases or abides. It is free of these three things. From beginningless time, there is no arising, no cessation and no abiding in terms of staying in one place, not moving, or not changing. It is completely free of all three of these. It is also free of being a thing or a substance composed of particles. The essential entity, or substance, of mind is not something that can be defiled or stained by grasping at subject and object. It is completely free of the stains from those activities. Further, when we look at the essential substance of mind, we find that no matter how much we search for it, no matter how much we analyze it, there is no thing there to be found. There is no entity that we can come up with by searching, evaluating, and analyzing. No matter how much we seek for its essential substance, we cannot find it. The searcher, the one who does the search for essential substance of mind, cannot find it. Therefore it is said that the essential substance of mind itself is emptiness. ~ Chetsang Rinpoche from the book "The Practice Of Mahamudra"

now confusion rules dace rhymes with daze rhymes with days it is but a fish

To be aware of a single shortcoming within oneself is more useful than to be aware of a thousand in somebody else. Rather than speaking badly about people and in ways that will produce friction and unrest in their lives, we should practice a purer perception of them, and when we speak of others, speak of their good qualities. If you find yourself slandering anybody, first imagine that your mouth is filled with excrement. This will break you of the habit quickly enough. ~ HH The Dalai Lama

Inner PreliminariesTo be sufficiently receptive and ripe to receive an empowerment – and not just attend one and experience nothing – we need to have practiced beforehand the six inner preliminaries (nang-gi sngon-‘gro). As the nineteenth-century master Dza Peltrul outlined them in Guideline Instructions from My Totally Excellent (Samantabhadra) Spiritual Mentor, Perfect Words of My Excellent Teacher, they are, in reverse order: Guru-yoga, in which we recognize and focus on Buddha-nature in our spiritual mentors and in us, and make a yoke or bond between the two. We are able to do this successfully based on having made beforehand kusali offerings of chod, in which we imagine cutting up and giving away our ordinary bodies, which come from and are accompanied by unawareness (ignorance). We are able to do this successfully based on having made beforehand mandala offerings, in which we develop generosity and strengthen our enlightenment-building network of positive force (collection of merit) by imagining giving away the universe. We are able to do this successfully based on having practiced beforehand Vajrasattva recitation, for purification of the gross obstacles that would prevent us from building up an enlightenment-building network of positive force. We are able to do this successfully based on having cultivated beforehand bodhichitta and the far-reaching attitudes (Skt. paramita, perfections), so that we are aiming for enlightenment and dedicating our constructive actions for attaining it to benefit all others as much as is possible. We are able to do this successfully based on having put beforehand the safe direction of refuge in our lives, done while making prostration to show respect to those who have realized rigpa and to our Buddha-natures that will enable us to do the same. Outer PreliminariesWe are able to practice the six inner preliminaries successfully based on having practiced beforehand the six outer preliminaries (phyi’i sngon-‘gro). Again, in reverse order: Building and maintaining a healthy relation with spiritual teacher, as a living example of safe direction. We are able to do this successfully based on having realized beforehand the benefits of liberation, so that we will look for an example of it. We only think of liberation when we have understood beforehand karmic cause and effect and the fact that we can free ourselves from it. We only think of because it is the cause of the faults of samsara. We only see this when we have thought beforehand about death and impermanence and the fact that problems and suffering continue from lifetime to lifetime. We think of death only when we have appreciated beforehand our precious human rebirths. ~ A. Berzin

LoA? You bet. For every dollar the ordinary working person earns in big corpos., his or her CEO earns 296. No wonder its so hip to LoA.

Empty essence means very, very open And very spacious, like a totally open sky. Space has no center or edge. Nothing is prevented, it is completely unimpeded. Empty essence, like space, is not made out of anything whatsoever. At the same time there is a sense of knowing, An awake quality, a cognizant nature, Not separate from the openness of this space. Like the sun shining in daytime, The daylight and space are not separate. It's all sunlit space. Nothing is confined, nothing is blocked out. All the doors and windows are wide open. Like a total welcome - of all possibilities - Which doesn't get caught up in whatever happens. It is wide open, The unity of empty essence and cognizant nature. This is the third quality, that of unconfined capacity. ~ Tsoknyi Rinpoche