It is said that trying to see the nature of mind without first training the mind in resting (or Shamatha) is like trying to see around an old dark room which is only lit by a candle which is flickering wildly in the wind. How hard is it to see things, and even when we […]
Flickering in the Wind Read Post »
Where does the unsatisfactoriness of life come from? How is it that we experience pain or sorrow, frustration or unhappiness? What is the cause of experience of life as being imperfect? It’s all just a matter of perspective! The experience of Samsara Misunderstanding the nature of things we experience suffering. This is the experience of
Samsara and Nirvana Read Post »
Looking at a situation with a group of people, what do you see? Suffering However you look, you see either immediate suffering, the suffering that comes from the nature of change and therefore loss of present happiness, or existential suffering – the suffering that comes simply through being embodied. Looking at beings, you see beings
Suffering, Compassion and Meeting Needs Read Post »
Where do thoughts come from? This last evening, I’ve been watching seemingly endless thoughts appearing in mind, anger and revenge mostly, as in the midst of a family crisis, my ex-wife decided to pitch in with the ‘blame game’. It’s funny this expression – pushing the buttons. The common expression is .. ‘she knows how
Where Do Thoughts Come From? Read Post »
Emaho! It is the single (nature of) mind which encompasses all of Samsara and Nirvana. Even though its inherent nature has existed from the very beginning, you have not recognized it; Even though its clarity and presence has been uninterrupted, you have not yet encountered its face. Even though its arising has nowhere been obstructed,
Yesterday in a place of worship ‘belonging’ to a different religion to my own, I noticed so many things about the nature of things, and the nature of those who wish to embrace and understand how things are. So many reflections came up, shedding light on my own practice and tradition, viewed as a result
Driving in to work this morning, it really struck me how close to death we all are. Flying along the road, I was continually inches away from crashing into another car. One momentary misjudgement, on anyone of a hundred different drivers part, and the result would have been dramatic. More than that …. how many
How tempting it is for the mind to grasp onto what is directly perceived, and to ossify it into necessarily rigid and falsifying concepts. The raft of skilful use of conceptual understanding is a tricky one to ride, and one which seems to hold much potential for misuse. The Buddha described the Dharma as being
Hmm … that was a real tough weekend! So many challenges to rise to, so much energy expended keeping everything going and everything together … I’m now ready for a rest when I get back to work! Buying into the headline of the story But lying there reflecting on the weekend last night, it really
Generalisations Obscure the Truth Read Post »
When you read some of the amazing Kagyu texts and books in print in English today, I can’t help but be awed and grateful for our good karma in having these clear and lucid teachings available in undiluted form at this time … and so easily available too … without having to climb mountains or
Direct from the Source Read Post »
