Guest guest Posted October 3, 2001 Report Share Posted October 3, 2001 from Metta Zetty http://awakening.net/Archives.html ~~~~~~~~~ Reader: ~~~~~~~~~ As for me, my epiphanies have been somewhat acute, but not as experientially long lasting. ~~~~~~~~ Reply: ~~~~~~~~ Even with my 3-hour epiphany, the state of overwhelming euphoria eventually did pass. And, although a profound measure of this euphoric Satisfaction has lingered (or, more accurately: it is now inherent within my present moment experience), most of my daily experience still feels quite " ordinary " and normal. It is just that the context and framework for understanding and appreciating this experience have shifted completely, and it is difficult now *not* to see everything within the light of this Awakening.... As the Buddha, himself, said: I obtained not the least thing from unexcelled, complete awakening, and for this very reason it is called 'unexcelled, complete awakening.' Vajracchedika In other words, with the experience of Awakening, absolutely *nothing* is added to our experience. We simply awaken into a deeper understanding and appreciation of our experience, exactly as it is, and as it has been all along. ~~~~~~~~~ Reader: ~~~~~~~~~ I feel at times that I am enlightened, but at other times I just feel like the same old fearful, ego-centered putz. ~~~~~~~~ Reply: ~~~~~~~~ What a *delightful* image! From my perspective, Enlightenment is simply freedom from past patterns of blocking Reality -- or, an experiential Recognition of the relativity of all things. This does *not* mean, however, that relative things disappear, or even that they are suddenly and mysteriously transformed. Actually, I think this is one of the most common misconceptions about the experience of Awakening. In my own case, before my epiphany, I imagined that if I ever really *did* " wake up, " somehow all the old, fearful, ego-centered parts of who I am would suddenly and mysteriously vanish. I imagined that nothing would be left except a pure, saintly vision of equanimity, and that in order to achieve this exhalted state of Clarity, I thought I'd have to work and struggle for years to eradicate or " purify " those " putzy " parts of who I am.... But, to my utter astonishment and delight, I realized during the epiphany that all the teachers and saints and sages who said, " IT is here and now " really weren't kidding! IT *is* here and now, with things exactly as they are! And, this includes *all* of who we are within the present moment -- including all the " putzy " and idiosyncratic aspects of being human. This is what is so amazing and heartening and liberating for each of us, i.e., the recognition that we don't need to do or fix *anything* in order to " achieve " Buddha-hood! Our innate nature -- this state of exquisitely pure, awakened and naked Awareness -- in already inherent within our " ordinary, " immediate experience. Perhaps the best reminder of this is the clear insight of Garab Dorje, the first Dzogchen master: Directly discover your state. Don't remain in doubt. Gain confidence in self-liberation. The unobstructed clarity of this teaching has (in my mind) often been misinterpreted to assume that transmission from a realized master is a necessary pre-condition for this recognition or direct discovery. But, if that were, in fact, the case, then this would not be a " direct discovery " then, now would it? ______________________ With Love, Cyber Dervish ```````````````````````````````````````` Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 3, 2001 Report Share Posted October 3, 2001 In my experience, the world is still there, the pain and suffering is still there. What changed was my perception. From " What an idiot that guy is " to " Is there any way I can help you? " . From " Ouch " or " Why does this always happen to me? " to " What can I learn? " From choosing to find the suffering to choosing to find the joy. Gelf > ~~~~~~~~~ > Reader: > ~~~~~~~~~ > As for me, my epiphanies have been somewhat acute, but not as > experientially long lasting. > ~~~~~~~~ > Reply: > ~~~~~~~~ > Even with my 3-hour epiphany, the state of overwhelming > euphoria eventually did pass. And, although a profound measure > of this euphoric Satisfaction has lingered (or, more accurately: > it is now inherent within my present moment experience), most > of my daily experience still feels quite " ordinary " and normal. > It is just that the context and framework for understanding and > appreciating this experience have shifted completely, and it > is difficult now *not* to see everything within the light of > this Awakening.... > > As the Buddha, himself, said: > I obtained not the least thing from unexcelled, > complete awakening, and for this very reason it > is called 'unexcelled, complete awakening.' > Vajracchedika > > In other words, with the experience of Awakening, absolutely > *nothing* is added to our experience. We simply awaken into > a deeper understanding and appreciation of our experience, > exactly as it is, and as it has been all along. > > ~~~~~~~~~ > Reader: > ~~~~~~~~~ > I feel at times that I am enlightened, but at other times > I just feel like the same old fearful, ego-centered putz. > ~~~~~~~~ > Reply: > ~~~~~~~~ > What a *delightful* image! From my perspective, Enlightenment > is simply freedom from past patterns of blocking Reality -- > or, an experiential Recognition of the relativity of all > things. > > This does *not* mean, however, that relative things disappear, > or even that they are suddenly and mysteriously transformed. > Actually, I think this is one of the most common misconceptions > about the experience of Awakening. > > In my own case, before my epiphany, I imagined that if I > ever really *did* " wake up, " somehow all the old, fearful, > ego-centered parts of who I am would suddenly and mysteriously > vanish. I imagined that nothing would be left except a pure, > saintly vision of equanimity, and that in order to achieve > this exhalted state of Clarity, I thought I'd have to work > and struggle for years to eradicate or " purify " those " putzy " > parts of who I am.... > > But, to my utter astonishment and delight, I realized during > the epiphany that all the teachers and saints and sages who > said, " IT is here and now " really weren't kidding! IT *is* > here and now, with things exactly as they are! And, this > includes *all* of who we are within the present moment -- > including all the " putzy " and idiosyncratic aspects of > being human. > > This is what is so amazing and heartening and liberating for > each of us, i.e., the recognition that we don't need to do > or fix *anything* in order to " achieve " Buddha-hood! Our > innate nature -- this state of exquisitely pure, awakened > and naked Awareness -- in already inherent within our > " ordinary, " immediate experience. > > Perhaps the best reminder of this is the clear insight of > Garab Dorje, the first Dzogchen master: > Directly discover your state. > Don't remain in doubt. > Gain confidence in self-liberation. > > The unobstructed clarity of this teaching has (in my mind) > often been misinterpreted to assume that transmission from > a realized master is a necessary pre-condition for this > recognition or direct discovery. But, if that were, in fact, > the case, then this would not be a " direct discovery " then, > now would it? > > > ______________________ > With Love, > Cyber Dervish > ```````````````````````````````````````` Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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