the flow.
--Tulku Pema Rigtsal, "The Great Secret of Mind: Special Instructions on the
Nonduality of Dzogchen", translated by Keith Dowman
+~
+ The feelings of joy and sorrow do not exist from their own side. Although
+they exist as conceptual imputations, you cling to them as existing from their
+own side. Feelings do not exist by their own intrinsic nature; rather, they
+are identified on the basis of contributing circumstances.
+ Therefore, this analysis is cultivated as an antidote for that [false
+conception of intrinsic existence]. The meditative absorption that arises
+from the field of discriminative investigation is the food of the
+contemplative.—Shantideva
+ Feelings do not truly exist; they are not found when sought through
+analysis; they do not exist independently, but exist by the power of
+convention. Thus, the means for overcoming the misconception of the true
+existence of feelings is meditation on their lack of such existence. This
+entails analyzing the mode of existence of feelings.
+ Such investigation is an aid to meditative absorption and leads to the
+integration of meditative quiescence and insight. That increases the physical
+vitality of the contemplative and enhances the power of his [or her] spiritual
+practice. Thus it is called the nourishment of the contemplative.
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "Transcendent Wisdom".
+~
+It is not enough merely to look into the space of happiness or sadness; it is
+important to have pure presence constant in that flow. If the power of
+meditation is not constant, it is impossible to remain long in the place of
+nondual perception. Thoughts that arise intermittently will break the
+continuity, and radiating out from this, like ripples on a pond, the poisonous
+taste of emotion will arise to obstruct the meditation. As gross thoughts
+increase, ripples become rough waves that intensify the emotion. Until subtle
+emotions are left behind, we cannot eradicate suffering, so it is crucially
+important to sustain the state of meditation. When we gain strong familiarity
+by staying in that space for a long time, then no matter what thoughts arise,
+whether gross or subtle, they will not be able to dislodge us: upon
+recognizing the first thought, whatever thought it may be, in that very
+moment, we realize it to be the play of the spontaneous creativity of
+dharmakaya. Like a wave falling back into the ocean, the thought vanishes
+into the dharmakaya. In that space of naked empty pure presence that is the
+view, always cherishing thoughts of the five poisonous emotions and all the
+movements of body, speech, and mind, and the acts of eating, sleeping, moving,
+and sitting, we are known as the yogins and yoginis who stand guard over the
+shifting dharmakaya display. This is the supreme method of sustaining the
+essence of meditation. According to Dzogchen teaching, this is unadulterated
+by any kind of focus; it is called "the great meditation that is
+nonmeditation."
+ --Tulku Pema Rigtsal, "The Great Secret of Mind: Special Instructions on the
+ Nonduality of Dzogchen", translated by Keith Dowman.
+~
+ Who is more shameless in this world,
+ Than one who abandons to samsara’s ocean of suffering
+ All the mothers who have tenderly cared for him since beginningless time
+ And instead strives toward the peace of a solitary nirvana?
+ --Shechen Gyaltsap Pema Namgyal
+
+ In each of our lives since beginningless time, our mother carried us within
+her body for nine months. She took care of us when we were helpless babies;
+she gave us food, education, and protection. In return, we feel love and
+gratitude for her kindness.
+ Why not extend our respect and appreciation for our mother to everyone else?
+If we take a broader perspective, we can consider that, within the countless
+existences we have lived, every being has been our mother at one time or
+another. Don’t they also deserve our kindness now? We can extend the same
+debt of gratitude that we owe our present mother to all sentient beings. By
+doing so, we naturally begin to develop a deep concern for the happiness of
+others, and this feeling makes sense to us.
+ We take the refuge vow not just for our own sake, but also for the sake of
+all sentient beings. This is bodhichitta, or the altruistic mind, which aims
+for the enlightenment of all sentient beings.
+ --Shechen Rabjam, "The Great Medicine That Conquers Clinging to the Notion
+ of Reality: Steps in Meditation on the Enlightened Mind"
+~
+ Direct perfect enlightenment [with regard to] all aspects,
+ and abandonment of the stains along with their imprints
+ [are called] buddha and nirvana respectively.
+ In truth, these are not two different things.
+ —Arya Maitreya
+
+All aspects of the knowable—all absolute and relative phenomena—are
+directly known. Through this knowledge one is immediately and perfectly
+enlightened. This is the aspect of realization. All the adventitious
+defilements—the two veils along with their remaining imprints—are
+abandoned without any exception. This is the aspect of abandonment. These
+two qualities have been led to ultimate perfection. They are therefore named
+"perfect buddha" ["perfectly awakened and expanded"] from the
+viewpoint of the former aspect, and "nirvana" ["gone beyond any torment
+and pain"] from the viewpoint of the latter aspect. These two aspects are
+contained in one and the same meaning, the meaning of the tathagatagarbha,
+whereas a difference only lies in the convention of the different terms. In
+the sense of the absolute field of experience of the noble ones’ primordial
+wisdom the qualities of realization and abandonment are therefore completely
+inseparable and do not exist as two different things.
+ -- Arya Maitreya, "Buddha Nature: The Mahayana Uttaratantra Shastra with
+ Commentary", with commentary by Jamgön Kongtrül Lodro Thaye
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