Conducting Body, Speech and Mind During and After Meditation

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Heart advice from Master Thinley Norbu.

 

Thus it is said.

 

In order to sustain the wisdom mind of the Great Perfection, if one wonders how body, speech and mind are directed to engage in this practice, it is as follows. For beginners, in order to purify the flow of karmic energies so that they enter the space of the central energy channel, the body must be straight. If the body is straight, the channels are straight. If the channels are straight, the vital energies can flow. If the vital energies can flow, awareness becomes clear. Whenever awareness becomes clear, the pure essential nature of mind becomes apparent, free from clearing away or keeping.

 

In order for that to occur, in the seven-point vajra posture, the legs are crossed, the hands are in the gesture of evenness, the stomach is pulled back toward the spine, the chin is slightly lowered, the shoulders are open like a condor's wings, the tongue is touching the palate, and the eyes are looking out over the tip of the nose like a tiger, directly into space. Various methods increase and enhance samadhi, including the vajra recitation with the movement of breath by inhaling with the syllable OM, letting the breath remain with the syllable AH, and exhaling with the syllable HUNG. This practice is helpful to rely on in order to increase stability in samadhi. According to the wisdom mind of the extraordinary Great Perfection, however, should one be a great practitioner of sustaining self-nature as the sole essence of awareness, then all phenomena are synthesized as wisdom appearances, sound, and awareness. Only knowing that the self-nature of one's own mind is the Three Kayas and never waver from dharmadhatu, there is nothing other than the natural abiding of body, speech and mind, so it is absolutely unnecessary to apply effort to fixating on acceptance and rejection.

 

The precious Vajra Master Guru Rinpoche said to his consort, Khandro Yeshe Tsogyal, in the Essence of Butter Pith Instructions:

 

Devoted consort, listen to me. Even though there are many profound pith instructions for the body, just leave the body comfortably at ease. Everything is contained in that. Even though there are many pith instructions for controlling the vital energies, such as mantra recitations and others, be like a mute, free from speaking. Everything is contained in that. Even though there are many pith instructions for the mind such as holding, loosening, creating, gathering, drawing in, and others, in the ease of one's own uncontrived nature that settles naturally, everything is contained in that.

 

From Omniscient Longchenpa,

 

"With relaxed body and mind, in the mind's bed of tranquility,

Like a person with a mind free from engagement who has nothing to do,

Without being rigid or careless,

Leave the body and mind comfortable.

However one stays, stay in one's pure nature.

However one abides, abide in one's pure nature.

However one goes, go in one's pure nature.

In the space of enlightenment, there is naturally no going or coming.

Not going and not coming is the wisdom Body of all the Victorious Ones.

Whatever one says, say in one's pure nature.

Whatever one speaks, speak in one's pure nature.

In enlightened mind, there is naturally no saying and speaking.

Free from saying and speaking is the wisdom Speech of all the Victorious Ones

of the three times.

Whatever one thinks, think in one's pure nature.

Whatever one considers, consider in one's pure nature.

From the beginning, there is no thinker and no considerer.

Free from thinking and considering is the wisdom Heart of all the Victorious Ones

of the three times.

From nonsubstantiality, everything that manifests is Nirmanakaya.

Pure appearance of self-sustaining inconceivability is Sambhogakaya.

The state of no original substance is stainless Dharmakaya.

The Three Kaya's result is simultaneously accomplished in the inconceivable state."

 

Thus as he says, this must be realized.

 

 

 

As Saraha said, "Since sole mind is the seed of everything, whoever aspires to transcend samsara and enlightenment is granted the fruit of their wishes. I prostrate to mind, like a wish-fulfilling jewel."

 

Just recognize again and again one's own unconditioned stainless wisdom mind. Buddhas are buddhas due to their faultless, one-pointed, unending recognition of this. By realizing and applying this, there is no Dharma to accept or throw away. All phenomena pervade in the sole oneness of dharmata. There is nothing to discriminate, like on an island full of gold.

 

Once again, the great saint Saraha beseeched, "If there is recognition, everything is included there; no one has known anything other than that."

 

As it is said in The Great Perfection Tantra Containing the Absolute Meaning:

Since the mind experiences the three times,

The lives of the past, present and future will occur.

Since the mind changes and transfers,

That is why the body is born and dies.

Since illness, happiness, suffering, and so on

Are one's mind, this ripens as samsara.

 

 

 

 

May all beings experience the unending causes of equanimity, peace and joy.