-- "Self-Liberation through Seeing with Naked Awareness", translation and
commentary by John Myrdhin Reynolds, foreword by Namkhai Norbu,
published by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ Our mind needs to stretch to encompass emptiness. Our minds are so stuck in
+the idea, "Things exist the way they appear to me. What I see is reality. It
+is 100 percent true. There's nothing to doubt. Things exist exactly as they
+appear to my senses, exactly as they appear to my mental consciousness." We
+hardly ever doubt that. Not only do we have the appearance of inherent
+existence to our sense consciousnesses and mental consciousness, but also our
+mental consciousness grasps on to that appearance and says, "Yes! Everything
+really exists in this findable, independent way. Everything is real as it
+appears to me."
+ When we believe there's a real "me," then we have to protect that self and
+bring it happiness. Thus, we are attached to things that are pleasurable and
+become angry at anything unpleasant. Pride, jealousy, laziness, and the whole
+gamut of negative emotions follow. Motivated by these, we act physically,
+verbally, and mentally. These actions, or karma, leave seeds on our
+mindstream, and when these ripen, they influence what we experience. We again
+relate to these experiences ignorantly, so more emotions arise, motivating us
+to create more karma. As a result, cyclic existence with all its difficulties
+continues on and on, created by our mind, dependent on the ignorance that
+misconceives the nature of ourselves and all other phenomena.
+ ...However, when we investigate more deeply and look beyond appearances, we
+realize that it's impossible for things to exist in the way they appear.
+Seeing this gives us a kind of spaciousness and freedom because, if samsara
+were inherently existent and everything really did exist the way it appears to
+us, then transformation and change could not occur...and the best we could
+ever have is what we have right now. Thinking about the emptiness of inherent
+existence shows us the possibility for change. Beauty can come forth because
+nothing is inherently concrete, fixed, or findable.(p.105)
+ -- Thubten Chodron, "Cultivating a Compassionate Heart: The Yoga Method of
+ Chenrezig", foreword by H.H. the Dalai Lama, published by Snow Lion Pub.
+~
+Three Meditations
+
+ If one does not sow the seed
+ Of appreciation for a perfect guru,
+ The tree of spiritual power is not born.
+ With undivided mind entrust yourself.
+
+ Human life is rare and precious,
+ Yet if not inspired by thoughts of death,
+ One wastes it on materialism:
+ Be ready to die at any moment.
+
+ All living beings have been our mothers,
+ Three circles of suffering always binding them.
+ Ignoble it would be not to repay them,
+ Not to strive to attain enlightenment. (p.100)
+
+ The colophon [inscription] for this poem reads, "Written at the request of
+Ritropa Samdrub, an Amdo monk from Dechen Monastery, who begged for a short
+teaching...." The Seventh Dalai Lama advises him to establish three central
+pillars in his spiritual practice: (1) a disciplined spiritual connection with
+his teacher; (2) awareness of the preciousness of life, and the uncertainty of
+the time of death; and (3) the mind of love and compassion for all living
+beings, coupled with the aspiration to enlightenment as the best means of
+fulfilling that love and compassion.
+ -- The Seventh Dalai Lama, "Meditations to Transform the Mind", translated,
+ edited, and introduced by Glenn Mullin, published by Snow Lion Pub.
+~
+ Courageous Bodhisattvas risk their lives to help others, and so, when we are
+in relatively better, more comfortable situations, we must certainly practice
+giving. Even if they are threatened, the courageous ones will not engage in
+improper actions. Instead, after examining the situation carefully, when they
+find that certain actions are correct and justified, on the basis of reason,
+they engage in them even at the risk of their lives. That is the way of the
+decent, civilized and courageous ones, who do not follow misleading paths.(p.20)
+ -- H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama, "Generous Wisdom: Commentaries by H.H. the
+ Dalai Lama XIV on the Jatakamala, Garland of Birth Stories", translated
+ by Tenzin Dorjee, edited by Dexter Roberts
+~
+ One day, when a very learned scholar or geshe and I were discussing the fact
+that the self is an elusive phenomenon, that it is unfindable in either body
+or mind, he remarked: 'If the self did not exist at all, in a sense that would
+make things very simple. There would be no experience of suffering and pain,
+because there would be no subject to undergo such experiences. However, that
+is not the case. Regardless of whether we can actually find it or not, there
+is an individual being who undergoes the experience of pain and pleasure, who
+is the subject of experiences, who perceives things and so on. Based on our
+own experience we do know that there is something--whatever we may call it--
+that makes it possible for us to undergo these experiences. We have something
+called discernment or the ability to perceive things.'
+ In fact, when we examine the experience of suffering, although some
+sufferings are at the sensory or bodily level, such as physical pain, even the
+very experience of pain is intimately connected with consciousness or mind and
+therefore is part of our mental world. This is what distinguishes sentient
+beings from other biological organisms, such as plants, trees and so on.
+Sentient beings have a subjective dimension, which we may choose to call
+experience, consciousness or the mental world.
+ ....One thing we can understand, both through scientific analysis and also
+from our own personal experience or perception, is that whatever experiences
+we have now are consequences of preceding conditions. Nothing comes into
+being without a cause. Just as everything in the material world must have a
+cause or condition that gives rise to it, so must all experiences in the
+mental world also have causes and conditions.(p.74)
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "Lighting the Way", translated by Geshe Thupten
+ Jinpa, published by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ Meditation, when learned skillfully, can enable a return to awareness of the
+body, our sensations, and feelings. When we are not given specific guidance
+to ground our meditation within the body, however, meditation can easily
+perpetuate a disembodied spiritual practice. This is accentuated if our view
+of spirituality sees the body as some kind of problem to be transcended.
+Unfortunately, this view can prevail even within the Buddhist world, despite
+being counter to the essential principle of mindfulness and presence. When,
+however, we cultivate the capacity to remain present in our felt experience
+within the body, our relationship to ourselves changes. We can begin to feel
+more grounded in our life and more stable in our identity.
+ Engaging in a disembodied spirituality is no solution to our life demands.
+It may be a way of experiencing states of mind that can be very seductive,
+even addictive. Seldom does it address the roots of our emotional problems.
+Transformation comes when we are willing and able to restore or develop a
+sound relationship to our body in a healthy way. With many Buddhist
+practices, such as Tantra, this is essential, for the body contains the
+vitality that is the heart of our innate creative potential.
+ Embodiment therefore implies a full engagement in life with all of its
+trials and tribulations, rather than avoidance through disembodied spiritual
+flight. The value of meditation is that it can enable this engagement because
+it cultivates the capacity to be present and remain open, not grasping at or
+rejecting what arises. When meditation emphasizes presence rather than
+transcendence, this openness is a natural outcome.(p.143)
+ -- Rob Preece, "The Wisdom of Imperfection: The Challenge of Individuation
+ in Buddhist Life", published by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ Those training in great love should forsake self-centeredness and engage in
+the Buddha's practice, the root of which is compassion. You may be thinking,
+Love is indeed very profound, but I do not have the skill to practice it; I
+will focus my efforts on practices aimed at getting myself out of cyclic
+existence instead. On one hand, this is true, because you should choose a
+path of development appropriate to your ability. On the other hand, there is
+great advantage in attempting the highest degree of love you can.
+ Even if you cannot actually implement the practices of love and compassion,
+merely hearing about them establishes powerful predispositions for future
+success. This can be amplified by planting prayer-wishes aspiring to
+altruism. Do not be discouraged; it is difficult to absorb such a profound
+perspective. Be courageous and think of your future potential. It is
+particularly important to do the best you can.(p.82)
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, "How to Expand Love: Widening the Circle of Loving
+ Relationships", translated and edited by Jeffrey Hopkins
+~
+ What is very important for us to recognise is our own falsity. This is not
+a judgement that sometimes we are authentic and sometimes we are false. It
+means that everything about us in our ordinary sense of self is false because
+it is grounded on a misapprehension of the nature of reality.... It is like
+somebody in University who is having their final examinations. They go into
+the wrong examination room and not reading the questions very clearly they
+write very long answers on their own subject that is unfortunately not the one
+they are being examined on. It does not matter how good the answer is they
+will fail, for they are not addressing the question.
+ The basic question is always: "Who are you?", "Who am I?" but we do not
+understand it and so we answer with a ceaseless narrative of self definition.
+This covers over the freshness of the question, the possibility of looking and
+seeing, and so all our answers are stale, the reworking of self-protective
+versions constructed out of unexamined elements. We have many, many, many
+answers and all of them are false. That's why it is very important when you
+do meditations, to put your full energy one-pointedly into the practice, to
+try to repair the initial basic fault that has torn subject and object apart.
+ It is very important to stop being ashamed of being false. For we have to
+see how falsity arises, how obscuration develops. We want to look directly at
+our falsity and learn its tricks so that we will not be caught by them. This
+helps to open the space in which we can recognise our own nature.
+ "When you understand the falsity of your confusion remain unartificially,
+effortlessly in the natural mode (dharmakaya)."(p.90)
+ -- "Being Right Here: A Dzogchen Treasure Text of Nuden Dorje entitled 'The
+ Mirror of Clear Meaning' with commentary by James Low", published by Snow
+ Lion Publications
+~
+groundhog daze:
+ this is an event that can be caused by strong intoxication of various sorts.
+the sufferer passes out while seated at a table, such that he or she then has
+their head thud down onto the table. after a brief rest, the unlucky person
+wakes up again, and starts to rise off the table. when the head rises to a
+certain point, where blood pressure starts to increase, the effect of the
+intoxication takes over again, and they pass out once more. bam. hence, the
+head repeatedly banging into the table: a groundhog daze.
+ i have seen this happen. it's not fun to watch. well, maybe a little.
+ --fred t. hamster
+~
+ We are the source of healing and happiness. Our generosity and concern
+pacify every negative situation. As we send out kindness, we grow accustomed
+to being strong and kind. In this way, our positive feelings are constantly
+renewed and can never be exhausted.
+ Perhaps you know the story about the man who arrived in heaven and when
+asked by God where he wanted to go replied that he wanted to see both heaven
+and hell. First, he went to hell. There was a large table with all the
+inhabitants of hell sitting around it. The center of the table was full of
+delicious food. Each person had two very long chopsticks. They could reach
+the food but they could not get it into their mouths because their chopsticks
+were too long. They were miserable. No one was eating and everyone went
+hungry. Next he was taken to visit heaven. All the inhabitants of heaven
+were also sitting around a big table full of delicious food but they were
+happy. They too had very long chopsticks but they were eating and enjoying
+themselves. They used the chopsticks to feed each other across the table.
+The people in heaven had discovered that it was in their interest to
+collaborate unselfishly.(p.69)
+ -- Ringu Tulku, "Mind Training", published by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ When you are in a fluctuating state of mind, like when you are angry or have
+lost your temper, then it is good to bring back calmness by concentrating on
+breathing. Just count the breaths, completely forgetting about anger.
+Concentrate on breathing and count in/out "one, two, three," up to twenty.
+ At that moment when your mind concentrates fully on breathing, the breath
+coming and going, the passions subside. Afterwards it is easier to think
+clearly.
+ Since all activities, including meditation, depend very much on the force of
+intention or motivation, it is important that, before you begin to meditate,
+you cultivate a correct motivation... The correct motivation is the
+altruistic attitude.(p.69)
+ -- Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, "Cultivating a Daily
+ Meditation", published by Snow Lion Publications
+~
+ The crazy elephant of the mind behaving wildly
+ Is tied to the pillar of an object of observation
+ With the rope of mindfulness.
+ By degrees it is brought under control with the hook of wisdom.
+ --Bhavaviveka
+
+ "Wisdom" here is introspection. Hence, the example of taming an elephant
+indicates the achievement of a serviceable mind by way of the two--mindfulness
+and introspection. The subtle vajra that is the base on which the mind is
+being set is like a stable pillar to which an elephant is tied. The
+unserviceable mind is like an untamed elephant. Causing the mind not to be
+distracted from its object of observation through relying on mindfulness is
+like using a rope to tie an elephant. Setting the mind free from fault--when
+it does not hold the object of observation as originally set--through
+immediately recognizing such by means of introspection is like a herder's
+hitting an elephant with a hook and correcting it when it strays from the tie-
+up.
+
+ Hence, there are two important factors with regard to holding the mind:
+ + From the beginning, stay on the object of observation without being
+ distracted to anything other than it.
+ + Then if distracted, immediately recognize such, and again focus the mind
+ as before. (p.94)
+ -- H.H. the Dalai Lama, Dzong-ka-ba and Jeffrey Hopkins, "Yoga Tantra: Paths
+ to Magical Feats", translated and edited by Jeffrey Hopkins, published by
+ Snow Lion Publications
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