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Strange, but i have never actually considered that any thing never existed. Can the mind know that which does not exist? How? I tend to look from the position that things are always coming into/going out of existence, and therefore, there is actually no such state called 'non-existence' nor can i find anything which never existed from the beginning. If something never existed, by what means does it come into existence? Its unfathomable, in my mind at least. Say at this moment i am looking at my palm, then i rotate my wrist ~ now i am looking at the back of the hand ~ can i say that the palm has ceased to exist? In order for me not to be caught by the thought of, 'now i see the palm... and now i don't, because i have rotated the wrist to reveal the other side of the hand', maybe all i need to do is to drop the notions of palm, back of the hand, wrist, rotate, top, bottom, back and front, to allow the subsiding of formative constructs of the conditioned mind, and just try to remain without discriminating between forearm, hand, wrist, palm, etc. The Void, within the context of everyday usage, could simply be a reminder to oneself to move beyond conventional conceptual usage of the senses. In other words, to remain empty of labels and assumptions can also be called to be void of these unskillful mental dispositions. We can strip away the mystical connotations sometimes, and use our common sense to work with the teachings. Not everything has to fall into a systematic structure of sorts, because in so allowing, we automatically create the possible causes for fixations to arise. I think there is quite a bit of misconception surrounding this idea of Buddhists and how they so negatively view things, and people make the mistaken assumption that Buddhists are crazy people who try to negate enjoyment of life by doing away with all sensual enjoyments (as evidenced from the biased taoist story of the 3 sages around the vinegar pot?), but they are mistaken... Actually the blissful enjoyments become so much more heightened when the senses remain in full employment, yet the mind remains disengaged from trying to interpret what is being sensated at each moment. If we can achieve this, then i think sneaking closer to Reality would not seem such a distant possibility.

Hi Ion, I tried very hard, but i have to apologize, i really have no idea what you are trying to convey in the post above. It seems too advanced, too out there, for my level of understanding. sorry... just thought i'd let you know, not that it matters so much. Wish you a good weekend ahead!

Yesterday evening, i watched the puppy chase a Daddy Long-legs in the garden. It refused to be caught, eventually making it safely to hide under a shelf. It knows life is precious. That is compassion, the power of wanting life over annihilation. Conventional knowledge, as far as i can deduce, is excess baggage. Sure, we need some degree of information, otherwise we might not even know how to get home from the corner candy store. However, the process of knowing, which can only occur in the present moment, is altogether a different quality. It is the force which supports life ~ it regenerates meaningful existences, lends aliveness to every encounter, and instinctively provide assurances of grace in departures for those who are open enough to listen.

Inspiring share, Seth... deep thanks! Prostrations to Guru Yoga is like gila monster to OZ! :lol: The results from doing them is very tangible... nowadays, after doing about 200k of them, even my sense of smell has become more refined, and many times, in the least probable places (could be driving, in the lift, having an evening stroll, even in the fish market ), i can smell divinity, as in catching whiffs of sweet aromatics similar to that of fine incense. Maybe my mind is playing tricks, but its a brilliant trick heh? Who knows, after a million prostrations, i may not need to buy any more aftershaves and deos - either that or the fish market can employ me full time to just stand around the place, as an air neutralizer sort of?

Sawadee krap! Sabai dee mai?

Simple is good. I dig simple. (btw, what's ducky?)

Definitely! (great thing about the teachings is that it caters to the needs of all levels of mental aptitudes. Some need to take a longer route home, some can connect immediately, then realize and appreciate the shortened road, while there a few who can feel that they have never left home.) Me? I am always stuck in the transit lounge... a bit like Tom Hanks in that movie. (love dramas, and dharma too!)

In your view, how does the raising of awareness lead to bliss? The path i am on tells me that meditation is for removing subtle mind obscurations and layers of conditioned responses which together act as blockages to remaining in a mode of neither grasping nor averting sense formations which arise due to habitual tendencies. As these obscurations are gradually peeled away, the natural result, in perfect relation to how stable one remains undistracted, will be the enhanced awareness of one's true nature. In addition, the practice of yoga works as a pivotal support so that meditative absorptions can remain stable and the body can remain poised for extended periods, culminating in perfect balance and harmony between body and mind. When perfect balance is maintained, the natural result from this is Bliss. One does not set about to achieve any state as such, because this too, is falling into the condition of 'grasping'; for example, when one gets the result one seeks, the tendency to cling to these pleasant states becomes very apparent. This means that by desiring bliss or awareness, one is creating the potential for clinging to arise. Clinging is neither good nor bad ~ what it does is it subtly or grossly creates a web of other causes which binds one to other potentialities/causes of suffering. (suffering here refers to one's mental state at the point of death, where during one's life, so much have been invested to attain as much as one can desire for, ranging from the material to the spiritual, so, as one's body become frail and the mind brittle, the possibility of becoming filled with bewilderment, regret, anger and frustration is almost certain, because no one likes to lose what has been painstakingly grafted throughout one's life. Imagine the stress at having attained all the wonderful bliss states, and then realizing that none of it can prolong life for even an extra minute as death looms closer and closer).

Following on from Xabir's post above ~ Longchenpa's commentary on 'Why Beings Wander in Samsara' - "If you think that it is incorrect that the wandering in samsara occurs from the Buddha-essence, the primordial state which does not exist as samsara, it is wrong. Even clear, unpolluted and unhindered water can become ice, hard as stone, because of the winter wind. Likewise, because of the arising of apprehended and apprehender, from the primordial state (divisions arise) delusory appearances appear in various forms as being solid. In the Dohakosa-nama-caryagiti it is said, 'By being blown and stirred by the wind, even soft water becomes hard like stone. Stirred by thoughts, the non-existent but delusory forms becomes very firm and solid'. In the Mind is present the state of ultimate body, which is primordially pure essence, called the ultimate universal ground of union, with the attributes of form bodies, Buddha-fields and wisdoms. But when one is distracted from the (ceaseless recognition of) Buddha-essence, those attributes (of Buddhahood) will be obscured because of the unenlightenment of seeing these attributes from the standpoint of apprehended and apprehender, thereby sowing the seeds of various delusory habits from beginningless time in the universal ground of habits. Thereafter, depending on the strength of various habits, beings will experience the happy and inferior realms, and so on. While beings are wandering in samsara as in a dream, they apprehend (the perceptions as) "I" and "self", become involved in the various poisons, and accumulate karma and more habits. They become deluded without substantial reasons and indulge in various types of attachment (perceiving them) as real, and they wander continuously in the round of delusory appearances, day and night, without end. But this continuity of wandering in samsara has no basis (as the grounds of habits and appearances are all empty, arising from mind, which is itself without solidity). So, although it seems that they are distracted from liberation (or from Buddha-essence), they are wandering with happiness and grief like in a dream." Longchenpa explains 'How Beings Wander in Samsara' - "Beings are wandering in samsara through the twelve links in the chain of interdependent causation. From the two unenlightments arise the formation (of one's life process) in samsara, and from this arise successive becoming, name and form, and so on. Then, after the completion of the body, starting from the stages of aquatic creative to birth, they experience contact, feeling, the six sense entrances, sickness, old age, and death, and this continues the cycle of wanderings." ******************************************** Explanation of the Two Unenlightenments - At the time of distraction into delusions, the aspect of one's not realizing the wisdom which dwells in oneself is called innate unenlightenment. The aspect of perceiving self-percepts as others is called imaginative unenlightenment. By not realizing that the delusions have arisen from the natural/primordial pure ground, and by clinging to the apprehended selfhood of the percepts as objects, beings are deluded by them as the external world and internal beings having individual bodies (created by) the maturation (of their karma) and habituations, and minds with the five poisons. The root of delusion is unenlightenment. In the Prajnaparamita-sancayagatha it is said, "All beings of lesser, middle, and excellent intellect arise from unenlightenment. Thus said the Buddha." Concerning apprehending duality, the condition of delusion, the Prajnaparamita-astasaharika says, "By apprehending "I" and "my", beings are wandering in samsara."

Hey, how come i got no thanks? Anyway, i think you will like to keep this for any reference you may want to make regarding Buddhist mantras. This particular page relates to the 100 Syllable Mantra: http://www.visiblemantra.org/vajrasattva.html

Yes, i think i got most of the gist of what you are saying from your previous post. Perhaps you would like to inform the reader by what means can one connect with this primal core that you have mentioned? Its easy to say 'return to the beginning of one's being', but how? What sort of practice have you put in place that can systematically lead to such realizations? This is by far more substantial to a beginner like myself and some others here. Thank you.

Stillness does not have to be linked to nothingness, nor somethingness. I am thinking here that it can shine by its own quality, or essence, if you may. Does it have to mean something else? I suppose it does, for different minds. Nothingness connotes a feeling of nihilism. Stillness allows for the balance of both conditions of something and nothing. But such an argument does not really achieve anything, except to create a bit of misunderstanding for those who are not familiar with such concepts. On a practical level, contemplation will be difficult to generate without bringing the mind to a still point. This still point is not to be confused with having no thoughts. Having no thoughts simply means having a blankness of mind (achieves nothing worthwhile, btw), which is different from keeping the mind taut and ever-ready to hit the target of serene contemplation, like a drawn arrow awaiting release, with the bow's tension primed perfectly by a skilled archer patiently awaiting his mark.

Hi Serene B, Sounds like you are beginning to enjoy some of the fruits of your determined perseverance. This is all down to planting the right seeds and creating the right conditions for these to ripen, so a big Congratulations is in order! i think that's simply G R E A T ! Thanks for sharing your current practice... the cockroach experience warmed my heart! Nice.... Just one small advice ~ pace yourself please. Other than this, i'd say you will keep progressing well, especially with the stream of blessings coming to your aid from reciting the Shurangama mantra. Very powerful... I get a similar 'healing and purification' from reciting the 100 Syllable Mantra of Vajrasattva ~ just doing the first 108 times (during each session of formal practice) is enough to generate immediate transformation. Best wishes to your continued progress!

Perhaps what is really needed is a unification of the two? Not that i really want to resort to citing the Buddha's teachings, but i find there that in all the different traditions/paths there is a great emphasis on bringing together prajna(wisdom) and upaya (expedient means). This is the skillful way of practicing the Dharma, according to the teachings, and i think its good advice. Acceptance is good, because it creates conditions that bring about Calm Abiding. When one attains to Calm, this state creates the conducive condition for the mind to attain insights, without which attaining to Calm serves no real purpose, although for many people, it does help to alleviate some degree of stress and mundane struggles. Then we need to find out what exactly is the purpose of Insight if not for gaining a deeper transformational perspective into one's life? (Its not the exclusive purpose, but one of the primary ones.) Allowing for natural unfolding is a very good attitude to have, dont get me wrong, but then, exercising positive and intentional change does not fall outside the realm of natural. In fact, if you reflect deeper, you may want to think why Compassion is such a fundamental teaching in all authentic Buddhist schools. Compassion, besides its usual battered and oft-abused common understanding, denotes Power, or the primordial energy that sustains all beings' wish to find fulfillment, happiness and to overcome suffering of all degrees. Wisdom is seeing suffering for what it is, and Compassion is the power we have to cultivate the necessary virtues and merits to enable us to alleviate our personal conditioned existence, and when we succeed, we can then help others to achieve the same. It might be true that by achieving the complete merging of these two transcendent qualities, then all the fetters will have been disentangled and one reaches the fringes of Buddhahood. Even though this is a lofty, ultimate aspiration, nonetheless its a worthy one to maintain, but of course, we do not want to fall into the prideful error of thinking (as some so-called Dzogchen practitioners do) - "Oh! Everything is already perfect, therefore there is nothing more to do ~ all i need is to allow everything to arise and subside without me having to lift a finger!" This is very unwise, and has all sorts of associated problems built into such a premise. The wise thing to do is we need to reconcile our minds to know that fulfillment, happiness, freedom, joy, and ultimately sustained awakening, leading to full enlightenment, does not arise without effort. Although our innate nature is pure, if we do nothing to decondition the conditioned mind, then the primordial purity or Buddha essence will have a hard time to reveal its true face. Metaphorically, its like being very thirsty, yet we are unwilling to make the effort to find drinkable water, and some, having found water, refuses to make the effort to drink. If we make the effort, even if we are lost in the desert, possibilities are there that we will not perish from hunger and thirst.

Then perhaps you need a re-think of what constitutes Reality. In my mind, Reality is change. You may not be able to change external conditions overnight, but that does not mean we cannot begin by first transforming our intentions. Doing so does not imply denial, does it? Dont you see the benefit of creating a new set of mind-conditions, rather than accepting that the present is static like molasses? How does one create a more conducive, ease-filled state? Imagine... ...This moment is pregnant with potential... a big part of mindfulness involves examining each thought we bring or allow to expand into each passing moment. Its entirely possible to decide... this is not denying the present ~ its being skillful in using this very moment to create, with total control, what we want to experience in each subsequent moment. As you practice this, gradually you are replacing the weakest links in the chain of thoughts with stronger ones, and a time will come when these sturdier links will be able to hold the rest of the chain, and that is a good starting point. We do not need to work at transforming the whole chain because the magnitude of the task often overwhelms us and we usually end up defeated even before we begin to put in place fundamental conditions which make change a possibility.

Maybe you want to reach a little further from mere acceptance to see if there can be other directions in which you can experience transformation. We are gifted with almost unlimited freedom as human beings... we are not a cave with the opening stuck at facing north, where the sun's rays and light can never reach. To experience the warmth and light, accepting the existence of the sun is not enough. We need to create an auspicious space in the mind (in other words create the right causes repeatedly) in order to bring about change. Wallowing in acceptance is only one degree above wallowing in self-pity. Its always good to have a clear insight if what we think is acceptance will not tilt the fragile scales into 'helplessness' territory. Karma works both ways... we reap the fruits of seasons past, but at the same time, we are also sowing for new seasons. Hence what we do from this point on is vital in determining where we will be one week, one month, one year from now. When i say 'doing', remember, it starts at the level of intention and motivation... begin from there is always a good place to establish a firm foundation.

Excellent book. Alan Watts presented a sparkling intro in the foreword.

Identify negative habitual patterns. Cut the roots by bringing mindful attention repeatedly to the causes of these. Step by step, create opposing causes, or plant fresh, vibrant and positive seeds in the mind, again, do it repeatedly. Its like pouring clean, clear water unceasingly into a muddied pool. Every subtle layer which gets dislodged means that some purification is taking place. Look for the effects of this process, again, by bringing mindful awareness to habitual traits in body, speech and mind. Turn all mundane activities into enlightened activities of purification. When you sip tea, visualize that the tea is ambrosia or nectar from buddhas and enlightened dharma protectors. In a shower, visualize the water streaming over your body to be healing balm, clearing all your subtle waste into Yama, who then eats up the negative impurities and transforms them into enlightened sustenance for his horde of angelic beings and demons. When you have a meal, dedicate it as a blessing from the gods of the blissful realms who make it possible for you to derive satisfaction from hunger, and if you think its not a waste, each time before you start eating, bring a small portion of your food and leave it outside the window or in open spaces, that it may help pacify beings in other realms, from animals to hungry ghosts. When you get dressed, imagine you are putting on a coat of armor made of a thin layer of impenetrable diamond, and your body embalmed in white, red and blue lights streamed down from the forehead of your protector deity (if you have one. If not, find one). Each time you sense of hearing is engaged, visualize all sounds as mantras. When you find you want to express yourself, visualize yourself as an enlightened being, using your words as means to purify both yours and the mindstream of others. Watch each utterance carefully, and speak in a way which promotes peace, harmony and encourages virtue in others. As you awake each morning, spend a few minutes before you get out of bed to visualize your Blessing Deity departing from the center of your heart, traveling up the central channel, arriving to the summit of your crown, where a rainbow-colored lotus opens up to welcome the seating of this Blessing Deity. Then visualize each petal emitting dazzling white light in all directions, bringing healing to your parents, your siblings, your immediate relations, your dharma friends, your enemies, together with all beings in all the 6 realms of existence, and see that they achieve peace and happiness from receiving this kind gesture of blessing from your Deity. As you make your way thru the day, try to maintain a subtle awareness of this Deity resting on the crown of your head. Increase your awareness each time you feel negativity seeping into your thoughts, words and deeds. When you return to sleep at night, visualize bowing and prostrating to this Deity, thanking him/her for looking out for you and keeping you safe and positive, and welcome him/her back to the sacred space you have created within your heart, where an adamantine, jade green lotus awaits. Repeat this process unceasingly. Edit to add: If you can accept the healing power of stones, then work with Lapis Lazuli and Kunzite. Place them strategically around your room or house, and wear a pendant made from either of these stones. Or request/purchase a sacred amulet from a temple, or from e-shops, but make sure its blessed. This site is good: http://vajrasecrets.com/products-by-function/protection.html

Drove down the coast yesterday for a meeting. Had some spare time, so off i went to the promenade, hoping to get a nice walk. It was impossible. The forceful gales were such that i have never encountered before! Meeting went well though... so i was thinking, if it had been a nice, calm, sunny day, whether it would have yielded as well as it had. Guess we'll never know for sure. Last night's moon was especially bright. Like a spotlight on some impending event.

First time reading this. I see a lot of similar key points and concepts. I hope there are practical, systematic teachings which can lead the student closer to non-conceptual realizations of these key points. If there are, how about posting them here as support? I am sure it will be very helpful. Cheers!

Ah, okay... if you had mentioned this from the start, then perhaps naysayers like me would have kept away from responding. In my younger days, due to excessive energies being bottled up, i too experienced bouts of difficulty in sleeping, especially during those times when i was living alone. With a lover, sleep was never a problem. Since this does not agree with your present mindset, i suppose its not an option for you then. Sorry to hear of your occasional insomnia. In this case, its good to want to learn more about doing all-night meditation practices. Personally, i never practice meditation lying down. There is a small risk of people falling asleep as they meditate lying down ~ as we know, meditation leaves some parts of the mind quite exposed and vulnerable, and really, we do not want to fall asleep without having sealed and dedicated the merits from doing these contemplative exercises.

A true guide does not guide. A true student does not follow. A true follower can never learn anything worth studying. Years ago, i wrote this in my journal: It is not the Teacher who manifests before you what you perceive to be an awakening, but the awakening within you which manifests what you perceive as a Teacher(s). In other words, as the senses become more purified and filters are dismantled one by one, then one's vision gradually become clearer, and in that clarity, often one gets to see how one can derive great delight from surrendering to simplicity, something which comes from sustaining a patient and humble practice. This recognition can only touch us as profoundly as we are willing to let go of our resistance. Once the barriers come down, everything can be our Teacher, since wisdom cannot fail but recognizes itself always.

I am thinking.... as you learn doing all-night vigils of contemplative practices, so-called high level practitioners are enjoying a few precious hours of sleep!! When you get to spend time with some of these realized beings, you will see that their routine is not very different from ours. They teach, they practice, they go for walks, they have showers, use the toilet, brush their teeth, eat, laugh, pray, watch TV (most love the Simpsons ~ they especially like watching cartoons!), wash dishes, sleep, share jokes, work very hard, have aches and pains, pay the bills, get married, have kids, fall ill, grow old and die too. Its the quality of wakefulness which they bring to these activities which prompt observers to notice a palpable difference in the way they conduct themselves while doing these ordinary things that sets them slightly apart from others who also do these same things. Yes, this quality of wakefulness can be carried over to sleep time as well...

~ dp ~

Ah, yes, i can feel your meaning here. Very good... thanks.