Luminous Emptiness

Niguma, the Dakini of Timeless Awareness

Reflections on The Melody of Wisdom : A Supplication to the Wisdom Dakini Niguma

26/06/2008 | Leave a Comment

Vajra queen, mother of all buddhas,Dark-brown woman wearing bone ornaments who flies through space,You bestow supreme accomplishment on your fortunate disciples:Noble Niguma, to you I pray. You were born in the wonderful land of Kashmir,In a sublime cityKnown as Incomparable in the Land of Jambu,Emanated through Madhyantika’s blessing; to you I pray. In the family […]

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Mahamudra

The Melody of Great Bliss : A Supplication to the Wisdom Dakini Sukhasiddhi

19/06/2008 | Leave a Comment

Bestower of uncontaminated, coemergent bliss;Radiant with the full splendor of sixteen-year-old youth;Leader of every assembly of dakinis in the three locationsVenerable Accomplishment of Bliss [Sukhasiddhi], to you I pray. You manifested in a pauper’s home in KashmirAnd trained in realization on the path.Having completed the force of faith and great compassion,You diligently gave gifts without

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Mahamudra

Beautiful Sky

04/09/2006 | 3 Comments

Is there anything more beautiful in this world of ours than a deep blue, almost clear sky, with traces of white puffy cloud? How indescribable is the depth of that ‘blueness’ …. seen in mind, in the present, with full awareness? Sky’s vast openness perfectly mirrors the nature of mind … open and unlimited, vivid

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Mahamudra

Reflections on Saraha, originator of Mahamudra

07/06/2006 | 3 Comments

Space is designated as empty, Yet its exact nature cannot be verbalized. Similarly the mind is designated as luminously clear, Yet its exact nature is empty, with no ground for definition. Thus the self-nature of mind is and has been From the very beginning like that of space. Saraha … and how blessed I am

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Vajrayana

Shangpa Rinpoche’s teachings on Chod

22/05/2006 | 5 Comments

How often it’s stuck me over the years that I am ultimately blessed to have received the teachings on Chod from Shangpa Rinpoche! So often I’m at a particular place in my sadhana, and gratitude and joy flood through my mind, realising what an extraordinary thing this is, this Chod of Mahamudra practice. So often

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The Buddha, on the night of his Enlightenment

Theravada

Blossoms on the Buddha

16/05/2006 | 2 Comments

I was sitting in meditation yesterday on my bench in the garden. A light wind stirred the tree above me, and cherry blossoms gently floated down all around me. I was reminded of the Buddha, on the night of his Enlightenment, turning the arrows and weapons of Mara into flower petals. How poignant ….. How

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Mahamudra

Nothing to Meditate On

24/10/2005 | 6 Comments

How hard it can be to leave things are they are! How hard it can be to not try to do something in meditation, and to not try to have an object. How hard to not contaminate your meditation by trying to find something, to correct something, or to judge it as ‘good’ or ‘bad’.

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Mahamudra

Wordly Things are Pitiful – Milarepa

15/09/2005 | 1 Comment

Reflecting on how easy it is to get swept up in wanting and not-wanting, based on misunderstanding the impermanent and not-self nature of all things, the activities of this life, and the apparent pleasures that arise in it are seductive and yet illusory. How true it is that that which we grasp after slips like

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Mahamudra

Tara and Machig Labdron

11/07/2005 | 3 Comments

At the age of fourty-one, Machig Labdron stayed in a retreat cave in Chipug which was blessed for practice. On the fourth day of the last month of spring, in the middle of the night, the majestic Lady Tara appeared, surrounded by numerous dakinis. She bestowed on Machig the four initiations of the five primordial

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Oppression, War and Human Suffering by Oswaldo Guayasamin

Mahayana

Hospital Dharma

14/06/2005 | 4 Comments

Hi there, just a quick post (and unusually personal post) to say that I’ve been in hospital for a week due to a slipped disc. It’s been a painful time, to say the least, but at least one which gave me much time for reflection. It was very sad being in the hospital – there

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Thanks for this. I see this as pointing to two things: 1 - Recognising the nature of your mind -…

Thanks Ali, much appreciated. I've used a number of things to help with slipping back into the contraction of conceptual…

Well explained. I found that it is quite challanging to maintain recognition of rigpa because we are easily caught up…

Thanks Paulo, I appreciate it.

This post is excellent, thank you!