Dzogchen

[C T]

 

Found a clip from happyseaurchin relating to a particular contemplation on the Dzogchen path.

 

This gentleman is not a Buddhist. He happens to be a school teacher, and while waiting for his next teaching assignment in Glasgow, he decides to share his (undoctrinated) understanding of the Six Vajra Verses, and how it relates to everyday, ordinary life.

 

For greater clarity, here is the Six Verses that he is referring to:

 

THE NATURE OF PHENOMENA IS NON-DUAL,

BUT EACH ONE, IN ITS OWN STATE, IS BEYOND THE LIMITS OF THE MIND.

THERE IS NO CONCEPT THAT CAN DEFINE THE CONDITION OF 'WHAT IS'

BUT VISION NEVERTHELESS MANIFESTS:

ALL IS GOOD.

EVERYTHING IS ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED, AND SO, HAVING OVERCOME THE SICKNESS OF EFFORT,

ONE FINDS ONESELF IN THE SELF-PERFECTED STATE:

THIS IS CONTEMPLATION.

 

 

hope this can be a source of reflection for anyone interested enough to go deeper into the words, just like the man in the clip.

[TheSongsofDistantEarth]

Very interesting. Thanks, Mr. Cow.

[doc benway]

 

Found a clip from happyseaurchin relating to a particular contemplation on the Dzogchen path.

 

This gentleman is not a Buddhist. He happens to be a school teacher, and while waiting for his next teaching assignment in Glasgow, he decides to share his (undoctrinated) understanding of the Six Vajra Verses, and how it relates to everyday, ordinary life.

 

For greater clarity, here is the Six Verses that he is referring to:

 

THE NATURE OF PHENOMENA IS NON-DUAL,

BUT EACH ONE, IN ITS OWN STATE, IS BEYOND THE LIMITS OF THE MIND.

THERE IS NO CONCEPT THAT CAN DEFINE THE CONDITION OF 'WHAT IS'

BUT VISION NEVERTHELESS MANIFESTS:

ALL IS GOOD.

EVERYTHING IS ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED, AND SO, HAVING OVERCOME THE SICKNESS OF EFFORT,

ONE FINDS ONESELF IN THE SELF-PERFECTED STATE:

THIS IS CONTEMPLATION.

 

 

hope this can be a source of reflection for anyone interested enough to go deeper into the words, just like the man in the clip.

I love it - beautiful and elegant.

It perfectly captures the Hindu foundation from which Buddhism arose, the Buddha's caution and reform of the Hindu concept, and teaches us the meaning of meditation.

Thanks for sharing that!

 

Edit - I'm referring to the Dzogchen verses, I haven't had time to look at the video yet

Edited May 27, 2011 by steve f

[Otis]

THE NATURE OF PHENOMENA IS NON-DUAL,

BUT EACH ONE, IN ITS OWN STATE, IS BEYOND THE LIMITS OF THE MIND.

THERE IS NO CONCEPT THAT CAN DEFINE THE CONDITION OF 'WHAT IS'

BUT VISION NEVERTHELESS MANIFESTS:

ALL IS GOOD.

EVERYTHING IS ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED, AND SO, HAVING OVERCOME THE SICKNESS OF EFFORT,

ONE FINDS ONESELF IN THE SELF-PERFECTED STATE:

THIS IS CONTEMPLATION.

Nice share, CowTao. I like Sea Urchin's interpretation, especially the "surfing at the front edge of the now" concept.

 

I have a parallel interpretation, that folds in some of my understanding of psychology.

 

The "I" was originally a structure in the brain, designed as a conduit for awareness. "Vision manifests" because it is not the "I" which is responsible for vision. The "I" is just a pipeline, through which awareness pours. Once language was learned, that brain structure separated itself from the awareness, that passed through it. It started naming everything, and then it started believing that the data of awareness, was actually the world. Once it started seeing awareness as things, then it also started to see threats. Soon the "I" was in a panic: I have to control this thing, this world, because it is so threatening.

 

Of course, none of these perceptions were (or could be) accurate to "what is", because the "I" was not even paying attention to the actual world. It was only paying attention to its own model of the world, the awareness that flowed through its structure. The "I" was not privy to the fact that other parts of its brain were fusing the data together to form awareness, nor to the fact that still other parts were making the decisions, and beginning the actions. The "I" didn't even know how to control the body (because that was never its job), so it built all kinds of habit, and beefed up its willpower, in order to try its best to control self and other.

 

"Everything is already accomplished" because the decisions are made elsewhere than the "I". The "I" mistakenly views the awareness of a decision, as if I made the decision myself. But the decision was made, prior to my awareness of it. It's already happened, and I am just adding my effort (in either direction) on top of the event that's already going on. Unfortunately, the "effort" that the "I" has access to, is really a low-level form of panic; it's a form of jamming on the brakes, rather than a motivating and managing function. It is, indeed, a "sickness".

 

Because we are used to living with this low level of panic, we are only aware that something is wrong, when there is a strong division between what the body/brain is doing vs. what the "I" thinks it should be doing. For example, when the body walks close to the edge of a tall building, the body itself is not afraid. But the "I" freaks out, because it suddenly is faced with the fact that it is not the controller of the body. So the "I" slams on its brakes, and suffers vertigo, an awareness of internal schism.

 

When the "I" stops trying to be in control, and allows itself just to be a conduit for awareness again, then the body can walk along the edge, without panic. This is the "self-perfected state". It is not an advanced state, just a natural one. Ordinary consciousness is sometimes called the same as enlightenment, because it is only when we experience the schism, the "should I be doing this?" or "am I doing this right?" (or of course, the awareness that I am not in control), that we become lost in vertigo and panic.

 

"There is no concept that can define the condition of 'what is'" - this is the answer to surrendering panic. Living life as "I don't know" means giving up definitions, means giving up separation. If "I" stop trying to figure it out, and instead, just allow myself to return to my original function (i.e. the conduit for awareness), then the rest of the brain can continue its process, without me mucking it all up with my panic and vertigo, with my trying and avoiding. "I" become just a function, within the larger organism, and the brain is able to live in peace; "all is good".

[C T]

 

"Everything is already accomplished" because the decisions are made elsewhere than the "I". The "I" mistakenly views the awareness of a decision, as if I made the decision myself. But the decision was made, prior to my awareness of it. It's already happened, and I am just adding my effort (in either direction) on top of the event that's already going on. Unfortunately, the "effort" that the "I" has access to, is really a low-level form of panic; it's a form of jamming on the brakes, rather than a motivating and managing function. It is, indeed, a "sickness".

 

Because we are used to living with this low level of panic, we are only aware that something is wrong, when there is a strong division between what the body/brain is doing vs. what the "I" thinks it should be doing. For example, when the body walks close to the edge of a tall building, the body itself is not afraid. But the "I" freaks out, because it suddenly is faced with the fact that it is not the controller of the body. So the "I" slams on its brakes, and suffers vertigo, an awareness of internal schism.

 

When the "I" stops trying to be in control, and allows itself just to be a conduit for awareness again, then the body can walk along the edge, without panic. This is the "self-perfected state". It is not an advanced state, just a natural one. Ordinary consciousness is sometimes called the same as enlightenment, because it is only when we experience the schism, the "should I be doing this?" or "am I doing this right?" (or of course, the awareness that I am not in control), that we become lost in vertigo and panic.

 

"There is no concept that can define the condition of 'what is'" - this is the answer to surrendering panic. Living life as "I don't know" means giving up definitions, means giving up separation. If "I" stop trying to figure it out, and instead, just allow myself to return to my original function (i.e. the conduit for awareness), then the rest of the brain can continue its process, without me mucking it all up with my panic and vertigo, with my trying and avoiding. "I" become just a function, within the larger organism, and the brain is able to live in peace; "all is good".

This is really good, Otis. Enjoyed your understanding, and the time you took to share it. Thank you.

 

_{Still trying to figure out this tight squeeze you have around the 'I don't know' thingy though...}

 

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Mr Songs.... welcome back! God! You were missed so much! :lol: Where you been?

 

Steve... Thanks for the courtesy. A gentleman, as usual. Let us know after you get time to watch the clip.

[Otis]

_{Still trying to figure out this tight squeeze you have around the 'I don't know' thingy though...}

LOL! Well, it is the big kahuna, as I see it.

 

Since self is a constellation of habit, and habit is an expression of certainty, than the only way to surrender "self" is to surrender certainty.

 

Delusion is mistaking my view of the world for the actual world. So the only way to surrender the impact of delusion is to surrender the importance of "my view".

 

What is "emptiness," if not "I don't know"?

 

What does dependent origination point to, if not "I don't know"?

 

What does "the Tao that can be spoken is not the true Tao" point to, if not "I don't know"?

[Vajrahridaya]

I love it - beautiful and elegant.

It perfectly captures the Hindu foundation from which Buddhism arose, the Buddha's caution and reform of the Hindu concept, and teaches us the meaning of meditation.

Thanks for sharing that!

 

Edit - I'm referring to the Dzogchen verses, I haven't had time to look at the video yet

 

Correction, Buddhism arose from the Shramana tradition as a direct contradiction of the Hindu Brahmanic tradition.

[Vajrahridaya]

 

Found a clip from happyseaurchin relating to a particular contemplation on the Dzogchen path.

 

This gentleman is not a Buddhist. He happens to be a school teacher, and while waiting for his next teaching assignment in Glasgow, he decides to share his (undoctrinated) understanding of the Six Vajra Verses, and how it relates to everyday, ordinary life.

 

For greater clarity, here is the Six Verses that he is referring to:

 

THE NATURE OF PHENOMENA IS NON-DUAL,

BUT EACH ONE, IN ITS OWN STATE, IS BEYOND THE LIMITS OF THE MIND.

THERE IS NO CONCEPT THAT CAN DEFINE THE CONDITION OF 'WHAT IS'

BUT VISION NEVERTHELESS MANIFESTS:

ALL IS GOOD.

EVERYTHING IS ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED, AND SO, HAVING OVERCOME THE SICKNESS OF EFFORT,

ONE FINDS ONESELF IN THE SELF-PERFECTED STATE:

THIS IS CONTEMPLATION.

 

 

hope this can be a source of reflection for anyone interested enough to go deeper into the words, just like the man in the clip.

 

Wow, except for the interpretation of non-dual through a kind of monist idealism (i.e. Advaitavedanta which says all things are one thing), he's pretty awesome! Thanks for sharing! I like him.

 

Explanation: The Buddhist interpretation of the first phrase would be more delicate, as non-dual just means, "not two" but that doesn't automatically mean that all things are "one things" either, which is a popular assumption. A famous saying in reference to the meaning of non-dual in Buddhism is, the nature of phenomena is not two, but neither is it all one.

Edited May 28, 2011 by Vajrahridaya