Tilopa six words advice

[LAOLONG]

https://www.google.co.il/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.unfetteredmind.org/includes/sixwords.pdf&ved=0CBwQFjABahUKEwjah9PGnvnGAhVjmtsKHRicA-w&usg=AFQjCNF3xtQEDvAXKTIXGOZSYMsBTZ-6Fw

[thelerner]

Good stuff, lets see how they copy and print-  from http://www.unfetteredmind.org/includes/sixwords.pdf

 

Six Words of Advice

six essential key points by Tilopa ཏི་ལོ་པ་   translated by Ken McLeod

 

 

Don’t recall-          -Let go of what has passed

 

Don’t imagine-      -Let go of what may come

 

Don’t think-           -Let go of what is happening now

 

Don’t examine-     -Don’t try to figure anything out

 

Don’t control-       -Don’t try to make anything happen

 

Rest-                     -Relax, right now, and rest

 

This advice consists of only six words in Tibetan. The translation to the left in bold letters was

developed to capture its brevity and directness. Some people prefer the translation to the right.

[Jeff]

A slight counter point to the above...

 

The master endures Insults and ill treatment

Without reacting.

For his spirit is an army.

He is never angry.

He keeps his promises.

He never strays, he is determined.

This body is my last, he says!

Like water on the leaf of a lotus flower

Or a mustard seed on the point of a needle,

He does not cling.

For he has reached the end of sorrow

And has laid down his burden.

He looks deeply into things

And sees their nature.

He discriminates

And reaches the end of the way.

 

-Dhammapada

Edited July 26, 2015 by Jeff

[seekingbuddha]

Absolutely beautiful,  this essence.  It catches the core, i feel.  I was a bit amused when i noted that  the instruction to  "Observe/Be aware/Watch"  is  absent in the 6 words.  I have an explanation for the absence of this word in these essence of six word instruction, but would like to  hear other people's  opinions.

[Jetsun]

Absolutely beautiful, this essence. It catches the core, i feel. I was a bit amused when i noted that the instruction to "Observe/Be aware/Watch" is absent in the 6 words. I have an explanation for the absence of this word in these essence of six word instruction, but would like to hear other people's opinions.

To observe, be aware and watch is the natural function of consciousness, you don't have to do it or make it happen.

 

Its possible trying to do that type of observation with effort can create an internal division, what is observing what? Instead of being intimate and unified with life observation of it can lead to a dissociation from it.

[doc benway]

As Jetsun points out, the observing is already always there as it is the nature of mind to be aware.

 

Each of the six instructions is telling us to not do.

Even resting must be done without effort.

My teacher likes to say - effort is the exit.

 

As all the pith instructions tell us to just leave it as it is.

[Jox]

Six words advice ... Great "stuff" ...  

Edited July 27, 2015 by Jox

[seekingbuddha]

To observe, be aware and watch is the natural function of consciousness, you don't have to do it or make it happen.

 

Its possible trying to do that type of observation with effort can create an internal division, what is observing what? Instead of being intimate and unified with life observation of it can lead to a dissociation from it.

 

We are getting into distinction between concepts/definition here, and different english translations/words are used to convey that.  As far as my reading goes.....Awareness is the word used when the topic of mindfulness (or some such) is discussed.  Consciousness is used in other contexts (like in the discussion of samadhi states or 5 khandas or dependent origination).  Consciousness is present until one dies OR  the highest state of samadhi is reached. 

 

Awareness/observation/mindfulness  may not be always there, but mind consciousness is always there (except as noted above). So,  Being in awareness/mindfulness is not a natural state of consciousness - for example, in animals, this sort of mindfulness is absent even though other functions of mind-consciousness  maybe  available to animals.  I also feel that the english word "awareness"   is overloaded and is used in different ways  by various people, thus leading to confusion.  All that i carry in my mind is the way this word  is used  in Sutta translations.

 

On a separate note, as steve noted, there is a gradient between effort and non-effort of a practice.  Hence, A novice is encouraged to apply the "right effort"  until  he reaches a point where the mindfulness (or some other practice) arises effortlessly. When done effortlessly,  there would be no disassociation from life experiences.

 

I think these 6 word instruction by Tilopa is a high teaching that was probably given to a very high student, who already understands the hidden depths of these words,  and he would understand how to properly practice them.  

 

My knowledge/experience is limited and hence I would be glad if someone corrects my understanding (with proper sutta quotes).

Edited July 28, 2015 by seekingbuddha

[seekingbuddha]

---------------------------------------------

Correction to above post :  During early morning meditation, i contemplated on this topic for a bit  because I felt uncomfortable before  sleep, with  my above reply and wanted to explore what i had missed/misinterpreted.  Then, it occurred to me that i had consulted  a renowned Buddhist scholar  once before,  on the topic of  awareness.  Following were his words to clarify me:

Awareness is the mental factor of what I call “attentiveness” — paying attention to not only objects of cognition, but also to all the mental factors composing any one moment of cognition. It is included in the kandha of sankara. And animals have it too, though it would be very weak — all sentient beings have it.

 

So,  my earlier words are not accurate  because mindfulness  and awareness are not the same (which seems obvious to me now - duh).  As humans we possess mindfulness,  whereas most animals are not capable of this mental factor,  but they do have undeveloped awareness.