Dharma Song (excerpt) from Kalu Rinpoche

I was reading and meditating on this Dharma song from Kalu Rinpoche last night, and thought I’d share the beginning of it.

Rinpoche’s description of Mahamudra meditation comes from the Shangpa Kagyu tradition, but is no different to the Kagyu teachings I’ve received. Rest in awareness, without trying to do anything – and mind will free itself, all of itself.

E Ma Ho!
How wonderful!

Remain relaxed, without clinging or contrivance
Within mind’s nature, like space,
Free from any reference point
And with the vigor of vivid, mindful awareness.

Whatever outward or inward movement of thought arises,
Don’t lose hold of the vital inner glow of the expanse of mindfulness.
Don’t fabricate [mental states].
Rest your mind as it is –
It will be liberated into the absolute expanse.

Kalu Rinpoche

Don’t take this or that as a vantage point, as a frame of reference, and indulge in comparisons. Don’t strive after this or that. Just rest in awareness, just as it is. However it is – is fine. It’s ok. It doesn’t need to be anything else.

Whatever thoughts arise – it’s fine. Whatever experiences arise – it’s fine. Whatever arises that appears as outer experience – stuff seemingly going on ‘out there’ in the world, or as inner experience – stuff seemingly happening ‘in here’ – this dreamlike mirage of experience – just rest in that experience.

Kalu Rinpoche describes beautifully the difference between the resting and doing nothing of Mahamudra or Dzogchen, and the doing nothing of just zoning out, or being lost in thought. It’s easy to imagine that you are doing Mahamudra by thinking I don’t need to do anything – whatever it is, however it is …. that’s Mahamudra. But what’s missing there, in that not-doing?

Awareness.

… and resting in that.

Don’t do anything in meditation – that’s for sure. Don’t try to fabricate anything, and make this or that experience arise, or try to get away from or transform this or that experience. But without awareness you are just lost. Lost in dualism and caught up in your ‘normal’ daydreaming state. This isn’t ‘ordinary mind’.

Just rest in whatever is – whatever is – without losing hold of the vital inner glow of the expanse of mindfulness – as Rinpoche calls it.

Rest in whatever is – and knowing will arise, and liberation is right there.

E Ma Ho!

How wonderful!