I was re-reading one of my favourite blogs this morning – Willow’s ‘Life as a Dervish‘ (blog no longer available). Her blog resonates really strongly, I guess because I’ve also lived abroad for many years in a totally different culture from the one that I was born into. And for me, that experience was just […]
My Identity is Portable Read Post »
The supreme peerless vehicle of the secret Dzogchen, the Great Completeness, functions to bring you directly into the Sphere of that which is spontaneously there. This sphere, which is the foundation, is unchanging…. It need not be sought for because it is spontaneously present from time immemorial. No trying or effort is required. This path
Longchenpa – Four Themed Precious Garland Read Post »
I have been thinking a lot this last few days about how pretty much any statement you make about approaches to Dharma can be contradicted. I was reflecting on Al’s post the other day: Seated meditation is the arena in which the meditator practices his own fundamental skills. The game the meditator is playing is
Never Absolutely So … Read Post »
The last few days (whilst ill) I’ve been reflecting on how painful it is watching other people suffer. And how hard it is to help them to see the causes of their suffering. So often when we suffer we can see what is going on, where the attachment is, where the resistance to how things
The Compassion Gap Read Post »
Mahamudra meditation instruction is often presented in terms of two-fold advice – the common, and the uncommon. These could be said to be the general and the detailed or specific instructions. The common or general instructions seem intended to be the base or background upon which all the uncommon or detailed instructions build. For me
Reflections on Tilopa – Mahamudra Pith Instructions Read Post »
How difficult indeed it seems to be to differentiate between fearlessly expressing one’s point of view, and indulging in pride, ill-will and ignorance. How easy it seems to be in retrospect (often a retrospect of many years) to see how thoroughly imbued with ‘concerns of the self’, (actions designed to support my illusory sense of
Difficult To Differentiate … Read Post »
In response to a mail where it was said that: 3rd Karmapa in his Mahamudra verses actually says that 3 different approaches – Maha Ati, Mahamudra and Madhyamaka – lead to the same goal and, when you realize one, you realize other two as well. So, from the level of accomplishment, they are the same
Madhyamaka, Shentong and Realising Mahamudra Read Post »
Hi, many thanks for your considered response. I certainly agree with you on the role of words in teachings as skilful means which are used like fingers pointing to the moon – in order to get us to directly perceive that which cannot be captured by words alone. However, I would take issue with an
Mantras, Relative and Ultimate Truth – Views Read Post »
