All reality truly is
Empty of inherent existence,
Separate and permanent.
Awakening to this realization of
The Self Nature of true reality
Bodhisattvas return to help
All sentient beings who cling
Needlessly to the world,
Narcotized by the vain grasping
Of worldliness known as
Reality as it is supposed to be.
Rare is the one awakened to
Self Nature True Mind,
The Bodhi Mind That realizes
Buddhist Emptiness is
Neither mysterious nor unique.
The `No-Self' Nature of People and Things: http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/tib/singer.htm
Madhyamika: http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Madhyamika
Ordinary Mind, Original Nature and Self Nature: http://gandhara.blogspot.com/2013/01/ordinary-mind-original-nature-and-self.html
Pure Mind is True Mind: http://gandhara.blogspot.com/2006/01/pure-mind-is-true-mind-true-mind-is.html
Emptiness as Everything and Nothing: http://gandhara.blogspot.com/2013/01/emptiness-as-everything-and-nothing-poem.html
Showing posts with label Self Nature True Mind. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Self Nature True Mind. Show all posts
20130213
20130130
Ordinary Mind, Original Nature and Self Nature True Mind
What is ordinary mind?
Ordinary mind is the mind
you were born with, subject
to cause and effect, which
is called Monkey Mind,
due to it swinging from
thought to thought mindlessly.
What is original nature?
The basic goodness everyone is
born with, yet is hidden
by the action of Monkey Mind.
Original nature is Self Nature,
which can be uncovered through
meditation and Buddha Remembrance.
What is Self Nature True Mind?
Self Nature is original nature,
and True Mind is buddha-mind.
Thus True Mind is awakened
to its original nature.
Ordinary mind is the mind
you were born with, subject
to cause and effect, which
is called Monkey Mind,
due to it swinging from
thought to thought mindlessly.
What is original nature?
The basic goodness everyone is
born with, yet is hidden
by the action of Monkey Mind.
Original nature is Self Nature,
which can be uncovered through
meditation and Buddha Remembrance.
What is Self Nature True Mind?
Self Nature is original nature,
and True Mind is buddha-mind.
Thus True Mind is awakened
to its original nature.
20060311
The Dew on The Grass
A person getting enlightened is like the moon reflecting in the water. The moon does not get wet, the water is not disturbed. Though it is a great expanse of light, it reflects in a little bit of water; the whole moon and the whole sky reflect even in the dew on the grass; they reflect even in a single drop of water. Enlightenment not disturbing the person is like the moon not piercing the water. A person not obstructing enlightenment is like the dewdrop not obstructing the heavens.
-Dogen, "Flowers Fall"
"The moon" represents the person who is spiritually awakened, who is on the path to enlightenment.
"Reflecting" represents the art of active meditation, where the spiritually awakened contemplates reality as bright and clean.
"The expanse of light" refers to the sky, and is a metaphor for the light of compassion, Amitayus.
"Water, "the dew in the grass", "the dewdrop" and "the single drop of water" refers to the transient nature of being. It also refers to the material essence of life.
"The heavens" refers to the spiritual essence of life.
"Enlightenment" refers the spiritual state of mind where the Pure Land practitioner is freed of the bonds of existence by accepting the material and spiritual essence of life as one.
Thus "getting enlightened" means letting go of attachment to the Saha world, this world of birth-life-death called samsara.
Namu Amida Butsu.
-Dogen, "Flowers Fall"
"The moon" represents the person who is spiritually awakened, who is on the path to enlightenment.
"Reflecting" represents the art of active meditation, where the spiritually awakened contemplates reality as bright and clean.
"The expanse of light" refers to the sky, and is a metaphor for the light of compassion, Amitayus.
"Water, "the dew in the grass", "the dewdrop" and "the single drop of water" refers to the transient nature of being. It also refers to the material essence of life.
"The heavens" refers to the spiritual essence of life.
"Enlightenment" refers the spiritual state of mind where the Pure Land practitioner is freed of the bonds of existence by accepting the material and spiritual essence of life as one.
Thus "getting enlightened" means letting go of attachment to the Saha world, this world of birth-life-death called samsara.
Namu Amida Butsu.
20060123
Pure Mind is True Mind / True Mind is Pure Mind (poem)
the true mind is the pure mind,
from which bliss arises naturally
after decades of active meditation.
with harmlessness and spontaneity
its fruits, flavored by diligent mindfulness,
the devotee might briefly savor such purity
during meditation before returning to face the world
filled with equanimity and compassion,
having pierced the delusions of mindlessness,
ready to spread the joy of the well-examined life.
as these fruits arise out of mindful contemplation,
the one-pointed mind awakens to this subtle truth:
the pure mind is the true mind.
from which bliss arises naturally
after decades of active meditation.
with harmlessness and spontaneity
its fruits, flavored by diligent mindfulness,
the devotee might briefly savor such purity
during meditation before returning to face the world
filled with equanimity and compassion,
having pierced the delusions of mindlessness,
ready to spread the joy of the well-examined life.
as these fruits arise out of mindful contemplation,
the one-pointed mind awakens to this subtle truth:
the pure mind is the true mind.
20060107
Unmade State of Being (Meditation for Awakening Self Nature True Mind)
There Exists an Unconstructed, Unconditioned and Unchanging State!
At Savatthi the Blessed Buddha once said to his monks:
Bhikkhus, I will teach you the Unconstructed, Unconditioned & Uncreated State, and the very way leading to this unconstructed, unconditioned & uncreated state...
Listen and pay alert attention to that, which will lead you to lasting happiness!!!
And what, bhikkhus, is this unconstructed, unconditioned & uncreated state?
The elimination of Greed, the elimination of Hate, & the elimination of Ignorance:
This is called the unconstructed, unconditioned & uncreated state of Nibbana...
And what, bhikkhus, is the good way leading to this unconstructed, unconditioned and uncreated state of eternally pure bliss, open freedom and stilled peace?
Awareness of the body as a collection of organs is a way to this unconstructed...
The four foundations of awareness is a way to this unconstructed...
Serene, calm and profound insight is a way to this unconstructed...
Absorption into concentrated, directed thought and sustained examination is a way...
Absorption into emptiness, into signlessness, and into the uninclined is a way...
The four right efforts is a way to this unconstructed state...
The four roads to force is a way to this unconstructed state...
The five pure abilities is a way to this unconstructed state...
The five pure powers is a way to this unconstructed state...
The seven links to awakening is a way to this unconstructed state...
The Noble 8-fold Way
At Savatthi the Blessed Buddha once said to his monks:
Bhikkhus, I will teach you the Unconstructed, Unconditioned & Uncreated State, and the very way leading to this unconstructed, unconditioned & uncreated state...
Listen and pay alert attention to that, which will lead you to lasting happiness!!!
And what, bhikkhus, is this unconstructed, unconditioned & uncreated state?
The elimination of Greed, the elimination of Hate, & the elimination of Ignorance:
This is called the unconstructed, unconditioned & uncreated state of Nibbana...
And what, bhikkhus, is the good way leading to this unconstructed, unconditioned and uncreated state of eternally pure bliss, open freedom and stilled peace?
Awareness of the body as a collection of organs is a way to this unconstructed...
The four foundations of awareness is a way to this unconstructed...
Serene, calm and profound insight is a way to this unconstructed...
Absorption into concentrated, directed thought and sustained examination is a way...
Absorption into emptiness, into signlessness, and into the uninclined is a way...
The four right efforts is a way to this unconstructed state...
The four roads to force is a way to this unconstructed state...
The five pure abilities is a way to this unconstructed state...
The five pure powers is a way to this unconstructed state...
The seven links to awakening is a way to this unconstructed state...
The Noble 8-fold Way
20051220
True Dharma, Buddha Nature, True Mind, Self Nature
For a person of unsteady mind,
Not knowing true Dhamma,
Serenity
Set adrift:
Discernment doesn't grow full.
For a person of unsoddened mind,
Unassaulted awareness,
Abandoning merit & evil,
Wakeful,
There is no danger
No fear.
-Dhammapada, 3, translation by Thanissaro Bhikku.
Commentary: this quote is from verses 38 and 39 in Chapter 3 of the Dhammapada.
Chapter 3 is entitled The Mind, and gives the disciple instructions about the mind.
The footnote for verse 39 reveals that a soddened mind is soaked by the rain of passion.
For, just as our clothes are soaked in the rain, so too is the mind by passion.
Of course, a light rainfall will barely soak me; but a rainstorm would drench me.
Likewise, a storm of passion would harm me greatly, disturbing my mind, leaving me distracted, lost, confused, motivated by fear and prone to anger.
Thus, passion itself is harmless in moderation. Too much of it or too little of it will lead to
psychic illness.
As well, "true Dharma" is subtly realized as Buddha Nature where the realm of truth, being that of phenomenon and noumenon, is also known as Dharmakaya.
When the disciple always views Self Nature as Buddha Nature, the True Mind is bathed in the realization of the true Dharma path, the Middle Way.
Reference:
Footnote to Dhammapada Verse 39: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/khuddaka/dhp/tb0/index.html#n39
Not knowing true Dhamma,
Serenity
Set adrift:
Discernment doesn't grow full.
For a person of unsoddened mind,
Unassaulted awareness,
Abandoning merit & evil,
Wakeful,
There is no danger
No fear.
-Dhammapada, 3, translation by Thanissaro Bhikku.
Commentary: this quote is from verses 38 and 39 in Chapter 3 of the Dhammapada.
Chapter 3 is entitled The Mind, and gives the disciple instructions about the mind.
The footnote for verse 39 reveals that a soddened mind is soaked by the rain of passion.
For, just as our clothes are soaked in the rain, so too is the mind by passion.
Of course, a light rainfall will barely soak me; but a rainstorm would drench me.
Likewise, a storm of passion would harm me greatly, disturbing my mind, leaving me distracted, lost, confused, motivated by fear and prone to anger.
Thus, passion itself is harmless in moderation. Too much of it or too little of it will lead to
psychic illness.
As well, "true Dharma" is subtly realized as Buddha Nature where the realm of truth, being that of phenomenon and noumenon, is also known as Dharmakaya.
When the disciple always views Self Nature as Buddha Nature, the True Mind is bathed in the realization of the true Dharma path, the Middle Way.
Reference:
Footnote to Dhammapada Verse 39: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/khuddaka/dhp/tb0/index.html#n39
20051202
5 Groups of Existence and the Truth of Suffering
In the Buddha's first discourse, Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dharma, he asked:
"What now is the Noble Truth of Suffering?
Birth is suffering; decay is suffering; death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are suffering; not to get what one desires is suffering; in short the five groups of existence are suffering." — Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, Samyutta Nikaya
The Buddha goes on to say:
“What is the suffering upon suffering?
It is that which is painful when arising,
painful when remaining, and pleasant when changing.”
This suffering is blatantly truthful about suffering by being born, dying, the stress due to "sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair", and "not to get what one desires", which implies frustration of "what one desires".
For birth causes pain to one's mother, and giving birth to a child puts her at risk of dying.
Thus birth is suffering.
Decay is suffering because of gradual failure of health, strength, soundness, prosperity, or any kind of
In old age, I may die. Since the grasping of ego leads me to cling to life out of fear of death and imminent non-existence, death is suffering. When death is near, out of the prospect that he loses his life as he is dying, the disciple encounters sorrow.
Sorrow is suffering because of loss of a loved one, which leads to bereavement. Being the opposite of joy, it leads her to sadness and disappointment. When that sadness leads to disappointment, it causes regret. Regret leads to great unhappiness. In this mental state of being sad, she feels grief due to disappointment at not having a loved one, especially the loss of her mother.
At the loss of a loved one, she laments the loss of her parents, her child, or her spouse. When she cries over that loss, she may wail or moan to express her grief. Her loss will lead to the pain of bereavement and lament her loss with wailing and moaning.
Faced with the prospect of losing both his parents, he does not get what he desires, but loses his father and mother to death. At the prospect of their eventual death, he shows grief and despairs losing his life, too.
Hence, the five groups of existence — birth, decay, death, sorrow with lamentation and the pain suffered which causes grief and despair, and the frustration of not getting what I desire.
Thus the First Noble Truth shows that all life is suffering.
Vajra Master Geshe Tashi Tsering says:
"For people like us, who do not have the direct realization of emptiness, although we may understand certain levels of physical and mental experiences as suffering, it is impossible for us to see all the levels of suffering for what they are. Instead we may see some things as desirable when in truth they are suffering."
Suffering consists of misery, unhappiness, and pain. It also is called bitterness and hardship.
Regarding suffering, Ajahn Sucitto adds:
"Just reflect upon your activities and pursuits: notice that they involve a constant effort to change or cope with what is disagreeable, or to stimulate well-being. This striving is universal."
As a result, the feeling of lack or loss or conflict in our lives is suffering.
In a sense the First Noble Truth is also called the First Precious Truth, since life is precious because of the five group of existence that affirm suffering.
Knowing this to be true, in the mind of the disciple arises the Bodhi Mind, of which the determination to achieve Buddhahood and the aspiration to rescue all sentient beings as bodhisattva are the spirit of Enlightenment, the aspiration to achieve it, and the Great Mind set on Enlightenment.
Pure Land Master Tâm writes:
"...When faced with difficult circumstances, pay attention to the mind, and do not cling to appearances and forms, The evil, turbid Saha World has always been full of suffering and tears. Without perseverance and forbearance, it is very difficult to succeed in cultivation."
"Difficult circumstances" refers to the effects of karma, both internal and external, both in this life and perhaps in the past lives.
"Appearances and forms" refers to the appearances of obstacles, both great and small, such as distractions of worldliness — fame, headaches, weather — that prevents the disciple's cultivation.
It also includes the appearance of distractive influences such as natural disasters, thieves, and false friends who try to entice the disciple from cultivating the single-mindedness of samadhi.
"Forms" refers to the forms of suffering, be it bitterness, hardship, misery, pain and unhappiness.
It also refers to the forms of distraction which are the vain grasping of ego, attracted to sensations due to attachment to what you desire, and clinging to destructive habits of action and thought.
"Evil" refers to mental calculations which the West feel shouldn't prevent cultivation, but often leads the disciple to become distracted from Buddha Recitation.
One form of mental calculation is when the disciple decides to practice Buddha Recitation with the intent to impress his fellow disciples. Of course, it is admirable to recite many times to burn off the effects of evil karma, but doing so out of the intent to impress your fellow Buddhist is like washing a cup and drinking from it repeatedly.
What kind of good come from trying to impress others about a thousand recitations when ten will suffice?
With regard to Tibetan Buddhism, life may be filled with suffering arising due to the actions of the Six Root Destructive Emotions — Ignorance, Desire, Anger, Pride, Doubt, and Beliefs — and the Twenty Subsidiary Destructive Emotions &mdash: Rage, Resentment, Spitefulness, Cruelty, Envy, Deception, Pretension, Lack, Disregard, Concealment, Miserliness, Self-satisfaction, Lack, Laziness, Carelessness, Forgetfulness, Inattention, Lethargy, Excitement, and Distraction.
However, Buddha Recitation as mindful practice will help control the Five Ever-Present Mental States — Sensation, Perception, Intention, Contact, and Attention.
Once these five mental states are controlled through cultivation, it is possible to control the Five Object-determining Mental States — Interest, Appreciation, Mindfulness, Concentration, and Intelligence.
Having controlled these five mental states, it is possible to control the Four Variables — sleep (sloth), regret (remorse, contrition), conception (reasoning, investigation, examination),and discernment (analysis).
Having control of these ten mental states and four variables, the disciple is able to use them wisely. Indeed, they become useful mental tools to help cultivate the Pure Mind which wields the Eleven Virtuous States — Faith, Dignity, Propriety, Non-attachment, Nonaggression, Non-delusion, Diligence, Pliancy, Conscientiousness, Evenness/Equanimity, and_Nonviolence.
In using the Eleven mental states to aid in the management of the remaining forty mental states, the disciple would engage in rituals with his Vajra Master that are designed to extinguish evil karma by promoting good karma.
This is the simple explanation of how Tibetan Buddhism works, Yet it is foreign to how Pure Land Buddhist would do things, i.e. Buddha Recitation and meditation.
By cultivating the mind through recitation and meditation, the disciple cultivates the Pure Mind that is essentially the Self Nature True Mind known as Buddha Nature.
Four Noble Truths: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths
Bodhi Mind: p. 330, Buddhism of Wisdom and Faith, Thich Thien Tâm; Sutra Translation Committee of the United States and Canada; reprinted by The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation.
Fifty-one Mental States: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Fifty-one_mental_states
Six Root Destructive Emotions: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Six_root_destructive_emotions
Twenty subsidiary destructive states: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Twenty_subsidiary_destructive_emotions
Five Ever-present Mental States: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Five_ever-present_mental_states
Five Object-determining Mental States: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Five_object-determining_mental_states
Eleven virtuous states: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Eleven_virtuous_states
"What now is the Noble Truth of Suffering?
Birth is suffering; decay is suffering; death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are suffering; not to get what one desires is suffering; in short the five groups of existence are suffering." — Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, Samyutta Nikaya
The Buddha goes on to say:
“What is the suffering upon suffering?
It is that which is painful when arising,
painful when remaining, and pleasant when changing.”
This suffering is blatantly truthful about suffering by being born, dying, the stress due to "sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair", and "not to get what one desires", which implies frustration of "what one desires".
For birth causes pain to one's mother, and giving birth to a child puts her at risk of dying.
Thus birth is suffering.
Decay is suffering because of gradual failure of health, strength, soundness, prosperity, or any kind of
In old age, I may die. Since the grasping of ego leads me to cling to life out of fear of death and imminent non-existence, death is suffering. When death is near, out of the prospect that he loses his life as he is dying, the disciple encounters sorrow.
Sorrow is suffering because of loss of a loved one, which leads to bereavement. Being the opposite of joy, it leads her to sadness and disappointment. When that sadness leads to disappointment, it causes regret. Regret leads to great unhappiness. In this mental state of being sad, she feels grief due to disappointment at not having a loved one, especially the loss of her mother.
At the loss of a loved one, she laments the loss of her parents, her child, or her spouse. When she cries over that loss, she may wail or moan to express her grief. Her loss will lead to the pain of bereavement and lament her loss with wailing and moaning.
Faced with the prospect of losing both his parents, he does not get what he desires, but loses his father and mother to death. At the prospect of their eventual death, he shows grief and despairs losing his life, too.
Hence, the five groups of existence — birth, decay, death, sorrow with lamentation and the pain suffered which causes grief and despair, and the frustration of not getting what I desire.
Thus the First Noble Truth shows that all life is suffering.
Vajra Master Geshe Tashi Tsering says:
"For people like us, who do not have the direct realization of emptiness, although we may understand certain levels of physical and mental experiences as suffering, it is impossible for us to see all the levels of suffering for what they are. Instead we may see some things as desirable when in truth they are suffering."
Suffering consists of misery, unhappiness, and pain. It also is called bitterness and hardship.
Regarding suffering, Ajahn Sucitto adds:
"Just reflect upon your activities and pursuits: notice that they involve a constant effort to change or cope with what is disagreeable, or to stimulate well-being. This striving is universal."
As a result, the feeling of lack or loss or conflict in our lives is suffering.
In a sense the First Noble Truth is also called the First Precious Truth, since life is precious because of the five group of existence that affirm suffering.
Knowing this to be true, in the mind of the disciple arises the Bodhi Mind, of which the determination to achieve Buddhahood and the aspiration to rescue all sentient beings as bodhisattva are the spirit of Enlightenment, the aspiration to achieve it, and the Great Mind set on Enlightenment.
Pure Land Master Tâm writes:
"...When faced with difficult circumstances, pay attention to the mind, and do not cling to appearances and forms, The evil, turbid Saha World has always been full of suffering and tears. Without perseverance and forbearance, it is very difficult to succeed in cultivation."
"Difficult circumstances" refers to the effects of karma, both internal and external, both in this life and perhaps in the past lives.
"Appearances and forms" refers to the appearances of obstacles, both great and small, such as distractions of worldliness — fame, headaches, weather — that prevents the disciple's cultivation.
It also includes the appearance of distractive influences such as natural disasters, thieves, and false friends who try to entice the disciple from cultivating the single-mindedness of samadhi.
"Forms" refers to the forms of suffering, be it bitterness, hardship, misery, pain and unhappiness.
It also refers to the forms of distraction which are the vain grasping of ego, attracted to sensations due to attachment to what you desire, and clinging to destructive habits of action and thought.
"Evil" refers to mental calculations which the West feel shouldn't prevent cultivation, but often leads the disciple to become distracted from Buddha Recitation.
One form of mental calculation is when the disciple decides to practice Buddha Recitation with the intent to impress his fellow disciples. Of course, it is admirable to recite many times to burn off the effects of evil karma, but doing so out of the intent to impress your fellow Buddhist is like washing a cup and drinking from it repeatedly.
What kind of good come from trying to impress others about a thousand recitations when ten will suffice?
With regard to Tibetan Buddhism, life may be filled with suffering arising due to the actions of the Six Root Destructive Emotions — Ignorance, Desire, Anger, Pride, Doubt, and Beliefs — and the Twenty Subsidiary Destructive Emotions &mdash: Rage, Resentment, Spitefulness, Cruelty, Envy, Deception, Pretension, Lack, Disregard, Concealment, Miserliness, Self-satisfaction, Lack, Laziness, Carelessness, Forgetfulness, Inattention, Lethargy, Excitement, and Distraction.
However, Buddha Recitation as mindful practice will help control the Five Ever-Present Mental States — Sensation, Perception, Intention, Contact, and Attention.
Once these five mental states are controlled through cultivation, it is possible to control the Five Object-determining Mental States — Interest, Appreciation, Mindfulness, Concentration, and Intelligence.
Having controlled these five mental states, it is possible to control the Four Variables — sleep (sloth), regret (remorse, contrition), conception (reasoning, investigation, examination),and discernment (analysis).
Having control of these ten mental states and four variables, the disciple is able to use them wisely. Indeed, they become useful mental tools to help cultivate the Pure Mind which wields the Eleven Virtuous States — Faith, Dignity, Propriety, Non-attachment, Nonaggression, Non-delusion, Diligence, Pliancy, Conscientiousness, Evenness/Equanimity, and_Nonviolence.
In using the Eleven mental states to aid in the management of the remaining forty mental states, the disciple would engage in rituals with his Vajra Master that are designed to extinguish evil karma by promoting good karma.
This is the simple explanation of how Tibetan Buddhism works, Yet it is foreign to how Pure Land Buddhist would do things, i.e. Buddha Recitation and meditation.
By cultivating the mind through recitation and meditation, the disciple cultivates the Pure Mind that is essentially the Self Nature True Mind known as Buddha Nature.
Four Noble Truths: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Noble_Truths
Bodhi Mind: p. 330, Buddhism of Wisdom and Faith, Thich Thien Tâm; Sutra Translation Committee of the United States and Canada; reprinted by The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation.
Fifty-one Mental States: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Fifty-one_mental_states
Six Root Destructive Emotions: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Six_root_destructive_emotions
Twenty subsidiary destructive states: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Twenty_subsidiary_destructive_emotions
Five Ever-present Mental States: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Five_ever-present_mental_states
Five Object-determining Mental States: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Five_object-determining_mental_states
Eleven virtuous states: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Eleven_virtuous_states
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