Trekcho #1

[Guest guest]

----- Forwarded message from Joyce Short <insight -----

 

The teaching on " The Three Words that Hit the Vital Point. "

 

A Short Commentary on the Three Statements of Garab Dorje by Dudjom Rinpoche

(this first bit from The Golden Letters by John Renolds)

 

1. " As for the direct introduction to one's own nature: This fresh

immediate awareness of the present moment, transcending all thoughts related

to the three times (past, present or future " thinking " ) is itself that

primordial awareness or knowledge that is self-originated intrinsic

Awareness. This is the direct introduction to one's own nature. "

 

Note from Joyce - concentrate and ask " Who Am I? " and tune into what is

there before thinking or any other phenomena attracts mind again - note if

mind gets involved with anything that arises - mind likes to hold onto

thoughts as " mine " and the thinking seems to imply a " thinker " . The

thinking will usually be about something that is remembered from the past or

what one desires or fears about the " future. " Mind continues to create

thinking as a way of sustaining itself and then the " me " has a habit of

ownership. Getting bored with " one's " creations is useful. Thought arising

from No Self or intrinsic Awareness can then be truly free, original and

creative as long as it is then given away and not owned. There is

absolutely nothing worth holding onto as " me " or " mine " .

 

 

2. " As for deciding definitively upon this unique state: Whatever

phenomena of Samsara or Nirvana may manifest, all of them represent the play

of creative energy or potentiality of one's own immediate intrinsic

Awareness. Since there is nothing that goes beyond this, one should just

continue in the state of this singular and unique Awareness. Therefore, one

must definitively decide upon this unique state for oneself and know that

there exists nothing other than this. "

 

Note from Joyce - one really does have to commit and practice totally, whole

heartedly to the truth of this " view " - there is no one who is having neat

thoughts or tedious ones, no one feeling good or bad, no one hearing, seeing

etc - all these events ARE the " magical display " of our immediate intrinsic

Awareness. This means ALL events - fights with a friend, happy feelings,

birds singing, impressions from reading chat postings, visions and insights

in meditation, ALL of it. I love that! " Magical display! " Of course,

Awareness with a capital A does make it sound difficult but its our ordinary

and true state when we arent habitually busy with something.

 

3. " As for directly continuing with confidence in liberation: Whatever

gross or subtle thoughts may arise, by merely recognizing their nature, they

arise and (self) liberate simultaneously in the vast expanse of the

Dharmakaya, where Emptiness (of any permament " self " ) and Awareness are

inseparable. Therefore, one should continue directly with confidence in

their liberation. "

 

Note: The definitive word here is RECOGNITION - otherwise one gets involved

with what arises (such as in meditation, ooh what a lovely vision) and is

off on another merry chase. The " I " is created moment to moment through

attachment to what arises in mind, this is the wheel of existence of

Buddhism, birth and death, birth and death, millions of births and millions

of deaths. The restless and continual migration through " lifetimes " , the

bardos, of the suffering " I " . Its difficult to let go of that involvement

because its so much fun and we tend to think that No-Thing is a horrible

black nothing of non existence (we are perverse enough to even find

suffering meaningful) - it also prevents the rather frightening experience

(initially) of No Self. But, gradually experience of the freedom of True

self gets stronger and one gains basic sanity which is very refreshing and

beyond happiness.

 

Actually, suffering is probably our best friend and motivator - when

suffering arises, ask " Who is suffering? " and then return to intrinsic

awareness.

 

OKey - time for a break - these are the Three Points or Statements and Ill

continue from the full text I sent to you. As this is a Buddhist text and I

dont know how familiar you are with Buddhist thought and language ask if

anything is mystifying. As this is a Dzogchen text it presumes that anyone

reading it and doing this practice is doing it with true motivation, with

the Bodhisattva spirit of living and practicing for others. This is very

important as any practice done for " Oneself " and there isnt any, is bound to

lead nowhere fast by reinforcing ego. Before one does any practice of any

kind it is important to ask and keep asking oneself what ones motivation for

any action truly is. And, at the end of practice, dedicate your practice to

all sentient being. Ive noticed that when people ask the question " Who Am

I? " they fail to understand that like Buddhist teachings - the experience of

the answer to this question leads to freedom from suffering - not to a

solution of identity. Well, actually, it does both. This is where Advaita

and Buddhism meet. Suffering is not happening to a someone - it has arisen

through mistaken attachment of the habit of the sense of self to what arises

and mistaken identification with it. Bad habit that. Kind of a glitch of

evolution.

 

Please feel free to share what I send you with anyone who might find it

helpful, bearing in mind that it comes from an ordinary and not very good

practitioner who has to make Right Effort to " GET IT " . This practice offers

a meaningful life and I am grateful to those who have taught it.

 

Joyce