Seeing, Recognising & Maintaining One's Enlightening Potential

[doc benway]

I wonder if you will allow me to take slight liberty here as I would like to share these words of a non-dual poet.

I don't know if he has any connection to Buddhism.

This is apropos of a discussion I was having in another thread but I think this would be a better place to share:

 

 

 It's the guru's job

To move enquiry
From the head to the Heart…

Not leave it spinning
Year after year,
Decade after decade…

In the sidepools
Of concept, theory,
And conjecture…

Or the transient glamours
Of “spiritual” experience,
However wondrous.

If you are spinning thus…

-Chuck Surface

 

The author's website for anyone interested:

http://gardenofthebeloved.com/

[C T]

Buddhahood can not be attained elsewhere.
If this goal is sought outside oneself,
Even the efforts of countless eons
Will fail to bear any fruit.
Search not, strive not.
Let your mind rest in its natural state.

 

~ Machig Labdron

 

[manitou]

 

I wonder if you will allow me to take slight liberty here as I would like to share these words of a non-dual poet.

I don't know if he has any connection to Buddhism.

This is apropos of a discussion I was having in another thread but I think this would be a better place to share:

 

 

 It's the guru's job

To move enquiry

From the head to the Heart…

Not leave it spinning

Year after year,

Decade after decade…

In the sidepools

Of concept, theory,

And conjecture…

Or the transient glamours

Of “spiritual” experience,

However wondrous.

If you are spinning thus…

-Chuck Surface

 

The author's website for anyone interested:

http://gardenofthebeloved.com/

 

 

At first I thought the author's name was the last piece of advice in the poem, lol.  Chuck surface.  It almost works.  

Edited October 12, 2015 by manitou

[manitou]

 

 

 

 

 

There is so much to get into in these posts, I don't know where to begin.  I think I have to begin with this image.  There is so much in it.

 

I don't know the Yogi legendary figure, but the fact that he-she is an archer would be an indication that they are a Seer, one with perfect vision?  Always hitting the mark.  I notice the fact that there is an arrow piercing the tree (of knowledge) behind him which goes in the opposite direction; would this not indicate that they have pierced their own self with the arrow of self knowledge?  I note a hole in their braid, perhaps the arrow went through there.  Often the hair symbolizes a 'strength' or more likely in this case the ego - which the archer had to pierce to become the archer in the first place.  Just sayin'.

 

Also, I notice that he-she is sitting with snakes.  I guess the snakes would be the primordial knowledge contained within him, within all of us?  He must have conquered his fear of death to party with snakes.  The one around his waist gives the impression of being the snake swallowing his own tail - orouborous (or however your spell it!), his connection with Infinity, with the Eternal Life of the Now.

 

And the fact that the snakes are green may be part of what the artist was saying.  Green is newness, budding life - perhaps this is metaphoric for the eyes of a child, seeing the world with new eyes, seeing the wonder of life.  The artist may have also been picking up this theme in the sprouting green plant at the bottom of the tree.

 

Aah.  I just saw something else.  The tree is a dual tree, the trunks winding around each other.  He has pierced, or seen through, the duality of the tree of life.

Edited October 12, 2015 by manitou

[manitou]

 

 

 

Behold! Yogis who abide in the immutable nature of nonduality possess not the least desire for accepting or rejecting. Since I neither hold nor discard anything, there is nothing I would tell you, my sons, to do. Just as the "holy grail" (mani) of the mind has no objective substantiality, so the conduct of a yogi is a life devoid of external trappings. Even though we talk of various ways of behaviour, the yogi acts directly out of his perception. And since that is not determined [by external rules or conditions], the yogis conduct is completely free and unconditioned. Like an innocent child, or a crazy person without premeditation, so one should act.

 

Emaho! Mind is like a lotus, growing up out of the mud of Samsara! How ever many are the defilements, it remains unstained. Let food and drink, sensual pleasures, or the afflictions of mind and body, be just as they are. Whatever occurs, there is nothing to do or liberate.

 

In the state of realization's spontaneous display of conduct, upon witnessing the suffering of worldly beings, tears of overwhelming compassion naturally flow forth. Taking on their suffering and giving in return one's own well-being, thus one engages in healing others for their sake. Examining what is, one finds that reality is free from the three constructs of subject, object and medium. Worldly existence is unreal; it is like a dream or a magical illusion. Free of attachment and aversion, the yogi experiences a pure joy devoid of sorrow, and acts like a master of illusion putting on a performance.

 

 

Excerpt from:

The Mahamudra Dohakosa

 

 

 

This is so profound.  the first paragraph reminds me of the line in the DDJ where it says 'Between 'ough' and 'aaah', how much difference is there?'  The relativity of all phenomena being just that;  relative.  Nothing is wasted, nothing is discarded.  All men are valued, the Sage finds the use for all men.  He sees the value of all men, despite appearances to the opposite.  I relate more to the crazy person acting without premeditation, I think.

 

Emaho!  The defilements turn out to be blessings, after all.  Best thing that ever happened to me was alcoholism.  The lotus wouldn't be able to grow if it weren't for the mud...

[manitou]

 

 

 

In the state of realization's spontaneous display of conduct, upon witnessing the suffering of worldly beings, tears of overwhelming compassion naturally flow forth. Taking on their suffering and giving in return one's own well-being, thus one engages in healing others for their sake. Examining what is, one finds that reality is free from the three constructs of subject, object and medium. Worldly existence is unreal; it is like a dream or a magical illusion. Free of attachment and aversion, the yogi experiences a pure joy devoid of sorrow, and acts like a master of illusion putting on a performance.

 

 

Excerpt from:

The Mahamudra Dohakosa

 

 

 

'Realization's spontaneous display of conduct'

 

'Giving in return one's own well-being'

 

 

These two phrases seem to convey the essence of an awakened one - in that it's "attraction rather than promotion".  The awakened one does not need to go out and find sorrow to try and fix it.  Rather, he is an attractant in himself - the sorrow of others will automatically attract to him, because sorrow sees there a cure, sorrow intuits a cure.

 

Our essence extends outward - perhaps it could be called an aura of sorts.  I think  healing is done even without our knowledge, aura to aura.  We do give in return our well-being.  I have recollection of a man I met 34 years ago - I was just first getting sober and my thinking was a mess, my emotions were in upheaval.  Yet, there was something about this old man that just drew me to him.  Something unspeakable, something holy.  I just wanted to sit next to him at meetings, that's all.  He was nearly blind and hardly ever spoke, unless called upon.  But the essence of this man was like a huge magnet - and I am quite sure that a lot of healing took place aura to aura, without me even knowing that I was being healed.

 

It's funny how vivid the recollection of old Herb is, still today.  He affected me deeply, and is alive in me today as he was sitting next to him then.   And occasionally, the awakened words would issue forth from his mouth....

 

Yes, healing others for their sake -  because the awakened one is not doing it from ego.

[Spotless]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SARAHA

 

 

Behold! Yogis who abide in the immutable nature of nonduality possess not the least desire for accepting or rejecting. Since I neither hold nor discard anything, there is nothing I would tell you, my sons, to do. Just as the "holy grail" (mani) of the mind has no objective substantiality, so the conduct of a yogi is a life devoid of external trappings. Even though we talk of various ways of behaviour, the yogi acts directly out of his perception. And since that is not determined [by external rules or conditions], the yogis conduct is completely free and unconditioned. Like an innocent child, or a crazy person without premeditation, so one should act.

 

 

Emaho! Mind is like a lotus, growing up out of the mud of Samsara! How ever many are the defilements, it remains unstained. Let food and drink, sensual pleasures, or the afflictions of mind and body, be just as they are. Whatever occurs, there is nothing to do or liberate.

 

In the state of realization's spontaneous display of conduct, upon witnessing the suffering of worldly beings, tears of overwhelming compassion naturally flow forth. Taking on their suffering and giving in return one's own well-being, thus one engages in healing others for their sake. Examining what is, one finds that reality is free from the three constructs of subject, object and medium. Worldly existence is unreal; it is like a dream or a magical illusion. Free of attachment and aversion, the yogi experiences a pure joy devoid of sorrow, and acts like a master of illusion putting on a performance.

 

 

Excerpt from:

The Mahamudra Dohakosa

 

 

 

 

 

The last paragraph in this quote is either a very poor translation, out of context or simply very misleading.

 

I understand that the heading of this group of posts is Mis-labeled and is not about "Seeing, recogniszing and maintaining ones enlightenment" - but with that said in the context of general inspirational spiritually related quotes - this is the kind of quote that creates a great deal of problems for many who read it.

 

The three paragraphs do not appear to be from an enlightened one - but with translations as they often are - it is possible.

 

"Taking on their suffering and giving in return ones own well being"

 

A very poor choice of words.

[manitou]

Perhaps it means taking on the suffering (relieving them of it) but not wearing it.  But I do think our well-being is transposed onto others just by proximity - a rather mystical thing that happens where peace permeates the chaos within another.  The vision of the Seer, just as a heron spotting a fish and spearing it with his beak, can spot an entanglement within another and by a well-placed word can undo it.

 

LOL.  If we stayed within the confines of our thread titles, our threads would be very short indeed.  Personally, I love the way the threads evolve into what they're supposed to be.  It's all good.

Edited October 13, 2015 by manitou

[C T]

Perhaps it means taking on the suffering (relieving them of it) but not wearing it.  But I do think our well-being is transposed onto others just by proximity - a rather mystical thing that happens where peace permeates the chaos within another.  The vision of the Seer, just as a heron spotting a fish and spearing it with his beak, can spot an entanglement within another and by a well-placed word can undo it.

 

LOL.  If we stayed within the confines of our thread titles, our threads would be very short indeed.  Personally, I love the way the threads evolve into what they're supposed to be.  It's all good.

Every once in a while Spotless visits to try and make himself understood. I think he generally likes things to be without holes, to be tight, and... perhaps even clinical. To fit in to his perceived understandings. Thats ok too, you know.

[C T]

The idea of understanding is linked to capture and containment, to a break in an ongoing flow of movement. As if understanding were a great tiger that we must take into custody and keep enclosed and tightly controlled. But . . . what if we were able to give up this way of understanding understanding and see it not as a captured stillness or singularity but rather as a momentary pause in an ongoing movement of unfolding, like a rest in a musical score, or a pause in a story, or a swirling eddy in an inexorable, ongoing river of meaning?

 

~ Lisbeth Lipari

[Bud Jetsun]

The last paragraph in this quote is either a very poor translation, out of context or simply very misleading. I understand that the heading of this group of posts is Mis-labeled and is not about "Seeing, recogniszing and maintaining ones enlightenment" - but with that said in the context of general inspirational spiritually related quotes - this is the kind of quote that creates a great deal of problems for many who read it. The three paragraphs do not appear to be from an enlightened one - but with translations as they often are - it is possible. "Taking on their suffering and giving in return ones own well being" A very poor choice of words.

 

 

Many/all translations don't go beyond fumbling in the dark trying to get close.  The original composer also had to fumble together some word arrangements. 

 

It is possible to 'take on suffering' and immediately lay it down having never burdened oneself with it.  If one had unlimited/unbreakable 'well being' to give out, they may give it and not have that act of giving diminish there own. 

 

Qualities that pertain to a state of mind or state of perception need not have limits imposed that arise beyond ones own choice in a belief of limitation. 

 

Unlimited Love, 

-Bud

[C T]

 

 

The discursive mind interprets the world in monochromatic shades of black and white, whilst non-discursive awareness knows the world as a colourful display of rainbow light.

 

 

 

~ Paramito Ladakh

[C T]

When a man is parched by thirst,
the thought of water brings no relief.
Only drinking can quench his thirst.

 

Similarly, information differs from direct experience.

The exhausting search for information
for mere objective knowledge
becomes needless with direct meditative experience.

 

~ Mipham Rinpoche

[C T]

 

 

 

 

The Tathagata 

is the essence which is the reality of matter, but he is not matter.

He is the essence which is the reality of sensation, but he is not sensation.

He is the essence which is the reality of intellect, but he is not intellect.

He is the essence which is the reality of motivation, but he is not motivation.

He is the essence which is the reality of consciousness, yet he is not consciousness.

Like the element of space, he does not abide in any of the four elements.

Transcending the scope of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind,

he is not produced in the six sense media...

He abides in ultimate reality, yet there is no relationship between it and him.

He is not produced from causes, nor does he depend on conditions.

He is not without any characteristic, nor has he any characteristic.

He has no single nature nor a diversity of natures.

He is not a conception, not a mental construction, nor is he a nonconception.

He is neither the other shore, nor this shore, nor that between.

He is neither here, nor there, nor anywhere else.…

 

~ Vimalakirti

 

 

 

 

Vimalakirti: "Manjusri, all worlds are empty."

Manjushri: "What makes them empty?"

"They are empty because [their ultimate reality is] emptiness."

"What is 'empty' about emptiness?"

"Constructions are empty, because of emptiness."

"Can emptiness be conceptually constructed?"

"Even that concept is itself empty, and emptiness cannot construct emptiness."

 

[doc benway]

 

When a man is parched by thirst,

the thought of water brings no relief.

Only drinking can quench his thirst.

 

Similarly, information differs from direct experience.

The exhausting search for information

for mere objective knowledge

becomes needless with direct meditative experience.

 

~ Mipham Rinpoche

 

 

 

Vimalakirti: "Manjusri, all worlds are empty."

Manjushri: "What makes them empty?"

"They are empty because [their ultimate reality is] emptiness."

"What is 'empty' about emptiness?"

"Constructions are empty, because of emptiness."

"Can emptiness be conceptually constructed?"

"Even that concept is itself empty, and emptiness cannot construct emptiness."

 

 

I'm with Mipham!

[C T]

Mahamudra cannot be taught. 
But most intelligent Naropa, 
Since you have undergone rigorous austerity, 
With forbearance in suffering and with devotion to your Guru, 
Blessed One, take this secret instruction to heart.

 

Is space anywhere supported? Upon what does it rest? 
Like space, Mahamudra is dependant upon nothing; 
Relax and settle in the continuum of unalloyed purity, 
And, your bonds loosening, release is certain.

 

Gazing intently into the empty sky, vision ceases; 
Likewise, when mind gazes into mind itself, 
The train of discursive and conceptual thought ends 
And supreme enlightenment is gained.

 

 

~ Tilopa's Teachings to Naropa

[C T]

At the beginning have many daily sessions, each of them of brief duration, and focus well in each one. Whenever you meditate, bear in mind the phrase "without distraction and without grasping", and put this into practice.

 

~ Lerab Lingpa

 

[C T]

Six Kinds of Loneliness ~ Ani Pema Chodron

 

http://www.lionsroar.com/six-kinds-of-loneliness/

[C T]

When past conditioning is released and no fresh one produced, the mind no longer seeks for future birth.

 

The seed consumed, craving arise no more.

 

Such-minded wise ones cease like [the flame of] this lamp.

 

 

~ Ratana Sutta (Sutta Nipata)

[doc benway]

Borrowed from Yueya's thread -

This would be nice to have here, I think:

 

"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few." 

- Suzuki Shunryuku

[C T]

according to master bassui....

 

You ask me to write you how to practice Zen on your sickbed. Who is he that is sick? Who is he that is practicing Zen? Do you know who you are? One's whole being is Buddha-nature. One’s ’whole being is the Great Way. The substance of this Way is inherently immaculate and transcends all forms. Is there any sickness in it?

 

Man's own Mind is the essential substance of all Buddhas, his Face before his parents' birth. It is the master of seeing and hearing, of all the senses. One who fully realizes this is a Buddha, one who does not is an ordinary human being. Hence all Buddhas and Patriarchs point directly to the human mind so man can see his own Self-nature and thereby attain Buddhahood. The best remedy for one perplexed by shadows is to see the real thing. ...

 

So just look into your own Mind--no one can help you with nostrums. In a sutra the Buddha said: "If you would get rid of your foe, you have only to realize that that foe is delusion." All phenomena in the world are illusory, they have no abiding substance. Sentient beings no less than Buddhas are like images reflected in water. One who does not see the true nature of things mistakes shadow for substance.

 

That is to say, in zazen the state of emptiness and quiet which results from the diminution of thought is often confused with one's Face before one's parents were born. But this serenity is also a reflection upon the water. You must advance beyond the stage where your reason is of any avail. In this extremity of not knowing what to think or do, ask yourself: ”Who is the master (of this perception)?"

 

~ Bassui Tokusho, Zen master, 14th century

 

 

 

 

 

According to master padmasambhava....

 

Edited October 26, 2015 by C T

[C T]

The buddha in the mind is like a fragrance in a tree. 
The buddha comes from a mind free of suffering, 
Just as a fragrance comes from a tree free of decay. 
 

There's no fragrance without a tree and no buddha without the mind. 
If there's a fragrance without a tree it's a different fragrance. 
If there's a buddha without your mind, it's a different buddha.

 

~ Bodhidharma

[C T]

As all things are Buddha-Dharma,

There are delusions, realizations, practices, births and deaths, 

buddhas and sentient beings.

As myriad things are without an abiding self,

There is no delusion, no realization, 
no buddha, no sentient being, no birth and death.
The buddha way, in essence, 
Is leaping clear of abundance and lack;
thus there are births and deaths,
delusions and realizations,
sentient beings and buddhas.
Yet in attachment blossoms fall,
And in aversion weeds spread.

                           

~ Zen Master Dogen
   Actualizing the Fundamental Point

 

mountains; no mountains; mountains again

[C T]

If you become enlightened, all delusions are eliminated. There is not even a trace of the act of having rid oneself of those delusions. This state is what we call "No Mind." But this is not a state of suspended animation. It is the recovery of the state of the Great Light.

 

Its the principle of coming out of darkness into Light, but Light which is beyond light and darkness.

 

It's the same as a dust-covered mirror being cleaned and recovering its function to reflect light. When you open the Eye, everything is the Great Light, everything is Buddha, and every place is a Buddha-field. And when this happens you have the purity of the heart of a child, and you can see that mountains are floating on water. This is the world of enlightenment.

 

~ Zen master Tong Songchol

 

 

 

The body is essentially empty like the stem of a reed,

And the mind, like pure space, utterly transcends the world of thought:

Relax into your intrinsic nature with neither abandon nor control - Mind with no objective is Mahamudra...

 

...And, with practice perfected, supreme enlightenment is gained.

 

~ Tilopa to Naropa

Edited November 1, 2015 by C T

[C T]

With time and practice, anxiety and doubt give way to trust and confidence. 

Gradually, you discover that your emotions themselves are the doorway 

to the freedom you are looking for - they open the way for you instead

of holding you back. 

 

~ Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche