I turn to Ryokan’s poetry over and over again. For me, nobody captures in poetry the magical essence of the spiritual life, indeed, of life like he does. How wonderous his words, painting pictures – pictures that rest in the heart, illuminating form and emptiness, and their interplay. When all thoughts are exhausted When all […]
Reflections on Ryokan’s Zen Poems – The Butterfly and the Flower Read Post »
The Six Vajra Verses of Vairotsana Hey, Mahasattva, Magnificent Being, listen! The nature of multiplicity is Nondual and things in themselves are pure and simple; being here and now is construct-free and it shines out in all forms, always all good; it is already perfect, so exertion is redundant and spontaneity is ever immanent. VairotsanaOriginal
Vairotsana’s Wonderful Cuckoo’s Song Of Awareness Read Post »
This Rigpa which is pointed to is nothing like the words used to point to it. Yet beings cannot help trying to point to it with words! No matter that any concept that forms in your mind is not ‘it’ in ‘itself’. Any object, any subject, any this or that is not it. Beyond all
Pointing Out the Nature of Mind – Dudjom Rinpoche Read Post »
I bow down at the feet of the supreme lama! It’s the mind fixated on objects that causes samsara.If you recognize as spontaneousThe luminous self-awareness, free of fixation,You’ll taste the fruit of the first yoga, one-pointedness. Some talk and talk about union, yet their meditation is all conceptual,They talk and talk about cause and effect,
Reflections on Milarepa – The Song of Distinguishing the Four Yogas Read Post »
Mental projections way outnumber the dust motes you see in the sunlight;A great yogi knows what appears for what it is. At bottom, the nature of things isn’t a product of causes, nor of conditionsA great yogi cuts to the core of the issue. Even a hundred men with spears couldn’t stop the thought-bubbles of
Reflections on Milarepa – Song of Six Essential Points Read Post »
One of the things that I really appreciate about Mahamudra is that there are instructions that seem to just ‘hit the mark’ for me. Sometimes I feel I need detailed instructions, and there are many of those. There are primary texts such as those by Tilopa (The Six Words of Advice, The Ganges Mahamudra), Naropa
Mahamudra Inspiration Read Post »
Following on from yesterday’s reflection on the simple pleasure of sitting, just sitting – it struck me today how odd it is in a way that I can get so much joy from just looking at trees, the sky and the wind. I’d just finished meditating yesterday, and looked up and out at the trees.
‘Regard all dharmas as dreams’. This is the first slogan of the second section of the ‘Seven Points of Mind Training’. It’s the first of the slogans which emphasise the ultimate quality of Bodhicitta – that of Emptiness. I’ve been bringing this to mind the last few days. I remember many years ago, when first
Regard all Phenomena as Dreams Read Post »
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
Reflections on Saraha, originator of Mahamudra Read Post »
It’s funny how often recently when I’ve been reading other people’s Dharma blogs that I’ve found that the only thing I can contribute by way of a comment is a simple smile. So often something in their posts just ‘hits the mark’ and words are really inadequate to express what I feel in response. And,
