Emptiness (poem)

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.

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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

Nurtured with Love (poem)

Self and other are
essentially Emptiness,
that bright spirit of
Self Nature that is Buddha Nature.
One's life is nurtured with Love.

Buddha Nature as the Original Nature of the Unborn

'Buddha-nature is viewed as the basis of all worlds and phenomena, in the sense that the idea of "beings" and "worlds" only arises when one, out of ignorance, ignores the mind's essential condition, manufactures reference points, and clings to them as if they are real.' -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzogchen#Concepts

Indeed, Buddha Nature is the original nature of all sentient beings from before they are born.

Then before we awaken to the purpose of our lives (to become enlightened), we develop the self as real (ego) out of spiritual ignorance and go onto imagine the soul as real out of fear of nonexistence.

Wen we ignore the essence of the primordial nature of the mind (Buddha Nature), we develop the delusion that the ego is real and that the soul exists as a permanent thing which reincarnates.

To the Buddhist, we are merely spiritually ignorant of our True Nature i.e. that our primordial goodness is Buddha Nature.

Only the spiritually shallow call the Buddhist who patiently tries to awaken others to this sublime truth "mad" due to their fear of nonexistence. He would be prudent to not retort in kind, but to realize the spiritually shallow will not awaken to truth because they are attached to their worldliness.

In this way, the Buddhist learns the folly of trying to awaken the spiritually shallow to Buddha Nature.

For he who sees Buddha Nature as the original nature of the Unborn due to his mindful practice consisting of meditation and Buddha Recitation should continue with his practice.

Leaving the spiritual shallow alone, he should associate with his spiritual friends and encourage their mindful practice.

---

Originally posted: June 27, 2010 2309H
Updated: February 10, 2013 1928H

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.

Meditation on Buddha Nature

Buddha Nature is self nature.
Self nature is one's original nature.
One's original nature is one's true nature.
One's true nature is the Pure Mind.
The Pure Mind is the Pure Heart.
The Pure Heart is selflessness.
Selflessness is non-self.
Non-self is other nature.
Other nature is Buddha Nature.

---

Commentary:
Buddha Nature is self nature because it is an intrinsic part of the mind.

Self nature is one's original nature due to Buddha Nature.

One's original nature is one's true nature found through meditation and mindful practice.

One's true nature is the Pure Mind attained through meditation.

The Pure Mind is the Pure Heart attained through mindful practice.

The Pure Heart is selflessness, achieved through being helpful and of service to others without thought for fame or gain.

Selflessness is non-self in action by being helpful to other.

Non-self is other nature because service to others promotes their happiness and well-being.

Thus is other nature is Buddha Nature.

Is Buddha Nature the soul? No, for its original nature is non-self, discovered through the oneness of self and other. Though neither self nor other exist for eternity, Buddha Nature exists in the mind of every sentient being. Once actualized through meditation and mindful practice, Buddha Nature helps each of us to experience and show compassion for others.

How is self nature other nature? When self and other work together as one, all thought of "I, me, and mine" fade away. In unity, we work together to help each other. Thus is self nature other nature.

Enlightenment and Oneness (poem)

Using the third nature -
the Non-self nature of
perfection -
to abandon reification
of self and other,
one becomes enlightened,
free from delusion
and liberated from
all concept of dualism.
Thus is the mind made pure:
free of mental unrest,
the ego dissolves,
leaving behind emptiness,
the root of Buddha Nature.
For self and Buddha are one,
both being empty of substance.
Abandoning all mental constructs,
the enlightened mind is just so.

Use Sadness to Seek Your Destiny

The whole purpose of life is to become whole, so that when you choose your love, you choose out of a sense of wholeness, rather than to complete what you are missing inside.

In order to be whole, each one of us works to completely nurture both the inner feminine and masculine until we remember our original nature.

In doing so, you are free to use your deepest sadness to fulfill your destiny.

For this is the purpose of depression and anxiety: inspiration to never give up on the goal to remember each one of us was, is, and will always be whole and complete in the depths of the mind.

True Nature is very simple

You cannot cut open a person to find Buddha Nature.

For the mind cannot grasp reality.

So stick to the basics of meditation such as breathing and posture. For soon shall you find true nature.

Then you shall see the Buddha has no secrets or magic.

Joy Arises

In the unthinkable, inscrutable, ordinary nature of reality there is no difference between freedom and bondage. No matter what arises, when you perceive your original nature, the joy arises automatically--and what joy!

-Shabkar, "The Flight Of The Garuda"

It is prudent to remain full of joy as much as possible.

Freedom and bondage should not determine nor be a condition of your joy.

Thus is it the intense focus of meditation on one single thing in one's life that help bring about this joy spontaneously.

This is the fruit of true mind control.

Mind, Mentality and Consciousness

Just as a monkey roaming through the forest grabs hold of one branch, lets that go and grabs another, then lets go and grabs still another, so too that which is called "mind" and "mentality" and "consciousness" arises as one thing and ceases as another by day and by night.

-Buddha, "The Connected Discourses of the Buddha"


Here's the quote in context of the source:

So here is the original translation by Master Thanissaro: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/samyutta/sn-12-061-tb0.html

"Just as a monkey, swinging through a forest wilderness, grabs a branch. Letting go of it, it grabs another branch. Letting go of that, it grabs another one. Letting go of that, it grabs another one. In the same way, what's called 'mind,' 'intellect,' or 'consciousness' by day and by night arises as one thing and ceases as another."

Commentary:

The purpose of this quote is to show that "mind", "mentality" or "intellect", and "consciousness" are just conventional objects.

They are temporary objects of thought, and do not exist outside of the context of worldliness.

Thus, the sutra from which this quote is taken describes the nature of consciousness and the mind.