C T

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Everything posted by C T

  1. 'Resting in the gap' is the precursor to recognizing effulgent rigpa. Recognizing effulgent rigpa leads to recognizing essence rigpa. In itself its not rigpa per se, but training in that leads to complete fruition. Dzogchen practitioners call this phase 'recognizing the alaya for habits'. Its the preliminary 'training ground' for rigpa to mature. To say its not rigpa is like saying primary education is not real education.
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  3. Not sure what you mean -- 'that has nothing to do with the Dzogchen path'. Seeing the fact that one's mind is indivisible from basic space and then grounding the vision thru constant familiarization practice - basically that is the whole Dzogchen path in a nutshell. Is any other practice swifter? How? - train the mind constantly to resolve pliability and let go of conceptual fixations thru unifying the practices of Shamatha and Vipashyana. Why do people desire to create extensive elaborations and mind games from something so simple is beyond me. I
  4. Thank you for the extensive clarification of the term. Dharma Dictionary defines it thus: http://rywiki.tsadra.org/index.php/Sugatagarbha
  5. Faster because there is literally nothing to be done. But such a realization only comes to those with exceptional mental dispositions. To reach the level of having an exceptional mental disposition would take years of hard grafting. So, its fast, and yet not that fast.
  6. During a Q&A session with his students, Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche did equate rigpa with sugatagarbha. Please pm if you want a link to said article.
  7. Hi Anamatva, In sanskrit, the word for buddha-nature is sugata-garbha. Tibetan -- deshek nyingpo. Some texts also employ the term, 'dhatu' (if i remember correctly). Tathagathagarbha literally means the womb containing a Blissfully Gone One. Buddha potentiality awaiting ripening. Hope this is helpful sir.
  8. Hi TI, Dzogchen has 3 main distinctive levels. Outer, inner and innermost are the main 3. At the innermost level, Rigpa is revealed as the union of basic space and wakefulness (ying and yeshe in Tibetan). When a readied student is shown the nature of this union, that is also 'rigpa'. Regarding this union, Master Shri Singha wrote: "First, reach the meeting point. Next, rest in the resting place, and finally, let go to where it goes." This simple phrase encapsulates the whole essence of Dzogchen. One teacher i know equates this 'resting place' with space, empty, yet endlessly filled with potential. In the words of Tulku Urgyen : "Two basic principles in the innermost Dzogchen teachings are space and awareness, in Tibetan, ying and rigpa. Ying is defined as unconstructed space devoid of concepts, while rigpa means the 'knowing' of this basic space. In the context of the threefold sky practice, outer ying is defined as a clear sky free from the three defects of clouds, mist and haze. This external sky is an example for the actual inner ying and is used as a support for recognizing this state. The inner ying is the nature of mind, a state that is already empty. And, the innermost ying, or basic space, is the recognition of buddha nature. The innermost ying is actually rigpa, nondual awareness itself. One sign of having trained in rigpa, the awakened state, is simply that conceptual thinking, which is the opposite of rigpa, grows less and less. The gap between thoughts grow longer and longer and occurs more and more frequently. The state of unfabricated awareness, what the tantras call the 'continuous instant of nonfabrication' becomes more prolonged. Once we become accustomed to the genuine state of unfabricated rigpa, it will automatically start to last longer and longer." This ought to clear matters somewhat.
  9. Ah, yes... the same tweaking thought crossed my mind shortly after i had responded to your post. We're on the same wave, eh?
  10. Im a little surprised you picked that idea up from TNH. I was always under the impression, having read a few of his books, that he would advocate taking care of self thru taking care of others first.
  12. I had posted a quote recently in the 'everyone post some favorite quotes' section, but, in case you missed it, here's what Malachy McCourt said: "Resentment... that is like you consume the poison, and then waiting for the other person to die." To me, that made a lot of sense. To be happy, in most moments of one's life, is a responsible decision-making habit. We learn to habitually respond without giving an inch of space to others who appear to spread misery all around. With our intent, we design the kind of mental environment which either becomes conducive to joyful health for all, or, blinded by ignorance, become stagnated by apathy. A spiritual warrior in the making, that is what you are, Mr Jetsun. Not the kind that becomes insensitive to human suffering, which is quite a boon, as a matter of fact. Now you have become wise. What you do with this knowledge is your next assignment.
  13. Hi Ish, Thanks for the questions. According to my understanding, rigpa is more than mere cessation of thoughts (stilled mind). Its more to do with recognizing the spaces in between moments of seeing, moments of hearing, imagining, and verbal thinking, and then, with practice, one learns to abide more and more in these gaps, without falling under the spell of mental dullness. Resting, yet alert -- this is the key point. Its wonderful to hear that you have overcome incessant mental chatter. This is rare indeed. Well done, my friend.
  14. Quiet/clear mind can be with traces, without traces. Its my understanding that all authentic Buddhist paths can lead to quiescence. Dzogchen is not more supreme than other paths, but has the potential to yield quicker realizations, and the practices are, essentially, not as difficult to master. Even so, it appears to be more hazardous. As one gets deeper, the guide rails will fall away. In other paths, as far as i know, such a risk is almost zero. Not the path, but the individual practitioner's confidence in the chosen practice would be the key to progress, i believe.
  15. If everything can be taken onto the path, then 'wasting time on useless practices' lends no meaning to the assertion.
  16. More info gleaned from the archives (Introduction to Dzogchen) -- http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/advanced/dzogchen/basic_points/introduction_dzogchen.html
  17. Hi TI, As you are aware (or may be aware), there are 2 stages on the path: generation and completion. You are more attuned to the completion stage, whereas that part which you had quoted are practices within the generation stage. Hence the small misunderstanding. Another point i want to raise with regards to what you wrote is this: In the Great Perfection, thoughts need not have to watched. Those who have attained stability retains the carefree posture where thoughts are self-liberated spontaneously as they arise, into the vast expanse of primordial purity. Any 'doing' (watching is also a 'doing'), regardless of subtlety, is still not Ati yet. You can read more here (from a more mainstream source - Berzin Archives) --- http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/approaching_buddhism/introduction/extra_bodily_states.html Hopefully, Boaz did not miss the boat after all. Best to you in your practices!
  18. Now you are veering into the realm of non-logical assumptions. I dont find this beneficial to further the discussion. Dharma practice is about cultivating wisdom. How could you even bring heroin into this?
  19. Well, yeah, i see your point, but you have missed mine.
  20. Sitting and meditating? Is that all Vajrayana is to you? Those who attempt to manifest jhanas thru various shallow practices may or may not succeed. Those who diligently practice the Dharma, without being swayed by such manifestations -- the fruits will appear naturally, effortlessly. To deny them is a form of aversion. Aversions are not encouraged in Dharma practice.
  21. Jhanas are the fruits of correct practice. As mentioned, they are neither liberators nor obstacles to one who has overcome clinging and aversion. And, to overcome clinging and aversion, practice correctly. Its not a choice thing, as Alwayson appears to indicate. Since the primary impetus of vajrayana is to attain the complete dissolution of fixations, i dont see the logic in saying that anything, jhanas included, would serve as impediments. Should these impediments arise, then it would follow that one has not laid a proper foundation thence are still caught up with fixations aka obscurations. So, we need to ask: are jhanas the issue, or one's own view around them the issue? When the 'inner apprehender' dissolves, what remains? Only when apprehender appears again that obstacles are seen to arise, seemingly, because in reality, they (obstacles) have no basis except as play in the grosser mind. When the mind is at rest, in equanimity, calm and collected, all obstacles become transformed into their wisdom counterparts.
  22. ...even tho you're such an ass at times.
  23. No argument. I like you!
  24. I dont remember discussing the status of each.
  25. There's nothing 'un-dzogchen' in what CNN asserted. The problem with Alwayson is that he refuses to acknowledge that it was CNN who said that.