Fear is a hallmark of your progress on the path. Just as you are about to give birth to further confidence, that breakthrough is preceded by a sense of utter fear. When this occurs in your life, you should examine the nature of fear. This is not based on asking logical questions about fear: “Why am I afraid?” It is simply looking at the state of fear or panic that is taking place in you.
Just look at it.
-Chögyam Trungpa
The lion's roar is the fearless proclamation that anything that happens in our state of mind, including emotions, is manure. Whatever comes up is a workable situation; it is a reminder of practice, and it acts as a speedometer. It is a way to proceed further into the practice of meditation. In this way we begin to realize that all kinds of chaotic situations that might occur in life are opportune situations. They are workable situations that we mustn't reject, and mustn't regard as purely a regression or going back to confusion at all. Instead, we must develop some kind of respect for those situations that happen in our state of mind.
-Chögyam Trungpa
The purpose of dharma art is to overcome aggression. According to the Buddhist vajrayana tradition, if your mind is overcome by aggression, you cannot function properly. On the other hand, if your mind is preoccupied with passion, there are possibilities. In fact, artistic talent is somewhat related to the level of passion, or heightened interest in the intriguing qualities of things. Inquisitiveness is precisely the opposite of aggression. You experience inquisitiveness when there's a sense of wanting to explore every corner and discover every possibility of the situation. You are so intrigued by what you've experienced, what you've seen, and what you've heard that you begin to forget your aggression. At once, your mind is at ease, seduced into greater passion. When you are in a passionate state, you begin to like the world, and you begin to be attracted to certain things-which is good. Obviously, such attraction also entails possessiveness and some sense of territoriality, which comes later. But straightforward, pure passion - without water, without ice, without soda - is good. It is drinkable; it is also food; you can live on it. It's quite marvelous that we have passion, that we are not made purely out of aggression. It's some kind of saving grace that we possess, which is fantastic. We should be thankful to the Great Eastern Sun vision. Without passion, nothing can be experienced; nothing can be worked on. With aggression, we have bad feelings about ourselves; either we feel tremendously righteous, that we are the only ones who are right, or we feel pissed off that somebody is destroying us. That is pathetic. It prevents us from seeing basic goodness."
-Chögyam Trungpa
Consider the fact that no matter how many planets and stars are reflected in a lake, these reflections are encompassed within the water itself. And that no matter how many universes there are, they are encompassed within a single space. And that no matter how vast and how numerous the sensory appearances of samsara and nirvana may be, they are encompassed within the single nature of mind.
-Dudjom Lingpa
'The bodhisattva vow acknowledges confusion and chaos — aggression, passion, frustration, frivolousness — as part of the path. The path is like a busy, broad highway, complete with roadblocks, accidents, construction work, and police. It is quite terrifying. Nevertheless it is majestic, it is the great path. “From today onward until the attainment of enlightenment I am willing to live with my chaos and confusion as well as with that of all other sentient beings. I am willing to share our mutual confusion.” So no one is playing a one-upmanship game. The bodhisattva is a very humble pilgrim who works in the soil of samsara to dig out the jewel embedded in it.'
-Chögyam Trungpa
The goal exists in every moment
-Chögyam Trungpa
Developing basic sanity is a process of working on ourselves in which the path itself rather than the attainment of a goal becomes the working basis. The path itself is what constantly inspires us, rather than, in the style of the carrot and the donkey, promises about certain achievements that lie ahead of us... The difference between spiritual materialism and transcending spiritual materialism is that, in spiritual materialism, promises are used like a carrot held in front of a donkey, luring him into all kinds of journeys. In transcending spiritual materialism, there is no goal. The goal exists in every moment of our life situation, in every moment of our spiritual journey. In this way, the spiritual journey becomes as exciting and as beautiful as if we were buddha already. There are constant new discoveries, constant messages, and constant warnings. There is also constant cutting down, constant painful lessons — as well as pleasurable ones. The spiritual journey of transcending spiritual materialism is a complete journey rather than one that is dependent on an external goal.
-Chögyam Trungpa
Do not practice Buddhism with the intention to become a Buddhist. Practice Buddhism with the intention to become awake.
-Chamtrul Rinpoche
If there is a deliberate point of reference, it is a cause of captivity.
Do not rely on any type of fixed construction - let yourself go
for uniformity!
It does not matter whether or not all phenomena are timelessly free.
It does not matter whether the way of compliance is pure or not by nature.
It does not matter whether or not the mind is free from elaboration.
It doesn't matter if something has already existed or not within the genuine state,
fundamentally unconditioned.
It doesn't matter if samsara and nirvana are by nature a
duality.
It doesn't matter if all thoughts and expressions are
transcended or not.
It does not matter whether confused attempts at proof and refutation are demolished.
It does not matter whether the vision to be realized has been realized or not.
It doesn't matter whether or not you meditate on the ultimate meaning of
true nature of the phenomena.
It doesn't matter whether or not you get involved in research, as there is nothing to accept or reject.
It doesn’t matter if the way to comply has already existed or not as
fruition.
It doesn't matter whether or not you've crossed paths and levels of achievement.
It does not matter whether or not you are free from all obscurations.
It doesn't matter if the development and completion stages
perfect your true nature.
It does not matter whether the enjoyment of liberation is achieved or not.
It doesn't matter whether you wander or not in the six states of samsara.
It doesn't matter if the nature of being is spontaneous presence.
It doesn't matter whether or not you are bound by perceptions
dualistic statements of affirmation and negation.
It doesn't matter whether or not you have reached the enlightened intention of
true nature of the phenomena.
It doesn't matter whether or not you follow in the footsteps of the
past.
No matter what comes up, even if heaven and earth change
place, there is a state of relaxed openness, with no underlying basis.
Without any point of reference - nebulous, ephemeral and evanescent - this is the way of a lunatic, free from the duality of hope and fear.
-Longchenpa
The whole concept of needing training for things is a weak approach, because it makes us feel that we cannot possess the potential in us, and that therefore we have to make ourselves better than we are. We have to try to compete with heroes or masters. Although we are not actually them, we believe we could become them purely by imitating — by pretending, by deceiving ourselves constantly that we are what we are not.
But when a sudden flash of genuine enlightenment occurs, such hypocrisy doesn’t exist. You do not have to pretend to be something. You are something.
-Chögyam Trungpa
The higher you go up the ladder, the more painful the fall. The lower you go down the ladder, the less painful the fall. If you are not on the ladder, you can not fall.
Likewise, big ego, big fall, big suffering. Less ego, less fall, less suffering. No ego, no fall, no suffering.
-Chamtrul Rinpoche
I saw many practitioners who spent many years in the Community, and succeeded in learning to avoid an honest look at themselves. And I'm convinced, even now that I wrote these lines, many of you have already read them and say to yourself: ′′ This is not me, he is talking about another ". Here is a good awareness practice to follow: once in the mind will arise a critical assessment of another person, switch up immediately and try on this judgment on yourself. Then, instead of developing your negative judgements, you can really succeed in the development of your awareness. This is one of the meanings of the symbol 'mirror'.
In our Community, people have a tendency to communicate with only one teacher. They seek to be near me, but at the same time demonstrate suspicion to other practices by treating them as enemies. Many of you probably think that they are not the same, and as an example, your mind lists all your friends from the Community. I want you to pause for a long time and take a close look at yourself. This attitude towards yourself is a very subtle thing; it penetrates the most humble parts of our existence. So when Lama leaves these people, it's extremely difficult for them to cooperate with each other without conflict, because they actually have a hidden distrust of other practitioners they always had, they just didn't realize it. This deep, hidden feeling is actually a form of jealousy and anger. If a person is truly present in the reflection in the 'mirror', he will notice the feeling in himself and recognize him as an obstacle to his own development and the development of the entire Community.
...
In the community, sometimes it happens that the longer a person learns Dzogchen, the more qualified he thinks he is to judge others. In fact, this is what happens: in the first year or two, such people are literally shocked by Learning, perhaps they even have a small change. But soon after that, they catch the Dzogchen on themselves as new armor, strengthen their position and begin to criticize, judge or teach others what they should do. In fact, they manage to remain untouched by the Learning, and their lives are wasted as if they never met the Dharma. Of course, there is nothing wrong with criticism if it is actually positive and helps. But sometimes, when a group of community members gathers, it becomes like a gathering of irritated elderly and old women complaining about life and each other, than practitioners on their way to implementation! I've seen many practitioners criticizing and talking about other nasty things, often even in the absence of these people. The practitioner must try to realize his actions at any moment in time. Then everything can be used for its development. The practitioner must realize that the true content of his hard criticism of others, his sarcasm is his own anger. So, if he wants to develop his anger, he needs to continue to develop his ability to criticize and sarcasm. However, if he wants to reduce his anger, he must use his desire to criticize others as an opportunity to look in the ′′ mirror ′′ at himself and recognize his anger in action. And at this moment, he must feel this anger as his own, relax in this feeling without clinging to it or pushing it away, but also not get rid of anger, projecting it outside on another person. And this is one of the ways you need to constantly work on yourself along the way of Dzogchen. Without this constantly ′′ look in the mirror ′′ is almost impossible to reduce karmic causes.
Sometimes it seems like members of the Community are the plows of children climbing out of the skin to be the first to repeat after me what they think and receive a reward from me for being the most exemplary kids. If this is the way things are done, none of our Community will ever develop the personal courage required to become a real practitioner. In the end, on the way to the implementation of practices, we must remain alone with ourselves.
-Chogyal Namkai Norbu Rinpoche
If you want to be a genuine follower of the Buddha, never retaliate when you are harmed. Always remember the four principles of positive training , which are: if someone abuses you, do not abuse him in return; if someone gets angry with you, do not get angry with him in return; if someone exposes your hidden faults, do not expose his in return; and if someone strikes you, do not strike him back. If someone criticizes you, picking on your most sensitive points, or angrily insults you with the most offensive language, do not return like for like, no matter how difficult it is to bear. Practice patience, and never give way to anger. Take it positively, and use it as a chance to let go of your own pride. Practice generosity and compassion by giving the victory to others and being happy to lose. Allowing others to win is a characteristic of all Buddhist paths. In fact, what is there to be won or lost? From an absolute viewpoint, there is not the slightest difference between winning and losing.
-Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
Knowledge is as infinite as the stars in the sky. There is no end to all of the subjects that one could study. It is better to immediately get their essence - The unchanging fortress of pure awareness.
-Longchenpa
True teachers who do not deceive on the supreme path, are like great ships that rescue beings from the ocean of existence. They are like rain of nectar that covers the flames of karma and defilements. And they are like the sun and moon that dispels the darkness of ignorance.
-Jigme Lingpa
Some people say that if there were no neurosis, they could not become good artists. This view of art is the opposite of a sense of peace and coolness. It undermines the possibility of intrinsic beauty. Fundamentally, art is the expression of unconditional beauty, which transcends the ordinary beauty of good and bad.
From that unconditional beauty, which is peaceful and cool, arises the possibility of relaxing, and thereby perceiving the phenomenal world and one’s own senses properly.
-Chögyam Trungpa
In a state without thoughts, without distraction, abandon the watcher.
-Padampa Sangye
If deep down you continue to believe a tiny corner of samsara could be useful, or that it might even offer the ultimate solution to all your worldly problems, it will be extremely difficult to become a genuine spiritual seeker.
-Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye
In the nature of the mind devoid of concepts,
while meditating, remain in the equality of non-meditation;
even if you still meditate, remain naturally, without conflict.
Distracted, remain stable in non-distraction;
even if you are still distracted, remain freely, without conflict.
While looking , remain suspended without looking;,
even if you still look , remain fixed, and without conflict.
While projecting [the deity], remain alert without exteriorizing;
even if you still project, remain anchored without conflict.
While concentrating, remain clear without concentration;
even if you are still concentrated, remain collected without conflict.
In effort, remain open without forcing;
even if you are still in effort, remain sober without conflict.
While correcting [the mind-stream], remain lucid without correcting;
even if you still correct, remain pure and without conflict.
While accompishing the practice, remain without the effort of accomplishing;
even if you still accomplish, remain spontaneous and without conflict.
While suppressing (thoughts), remain spontaneous without denying them;
even if you still deny them, remain in the unborn without conflict.
While being limited [by trials], remain alert and without fearfulness;
even if you are still limited, remain luminous and without conflict.
While applying yourself, remain relaxed without effort;
even if you are still in effort, remain in the energy which springs forth, without conflict.
While establishing yourself [in meditation], remain free of any basis and without
settling yourself; even if you are still established, remain vast and without conflict.
-Padmasambhava
There is no samsara (suffering) apart from your own thoughts. Samsara is based on thought; samsara is made by thought.
-Nagarjuna
There is no such thing as a bad mind. There is only a mind that is untrained, or trained. Every being has the same potential, including you.
-Chamtrul Rinpoche
Perhaps the deepest reason why we are afraid of death is because we do not know who we are.
We believe in a personal, unique, and separate identity but if we dare to examine it, we find that this identity depends entirely on an endless collection of things to prop it up: our name, our "biography," our partners, family, home, job, friends, credit cards… It is on their fragile and transient support that we rely for our security. So when they are all taken away, will we have any idea of who we really are?
Without our familiar props, we are faced with just ourselves, a person we do not know, an unnerving stranger with whom we have been living all the time but we never really wanted to meet. Isn't that why we have tried to fill every moment of time with noise and activity, however boring or trivial, to ensure that we are never left in silence with this stranger on our own?
-Sogyal Rinpoche
When you look at mind, there is nothing to be seen.
And in this not seeing, you see the essence of mind.
-Machig Labdron
Avoid blocking thoughts, as they are like bubbles that burst without having to do anything to them.
They will not be stopped by blocking them.
-Padampa Sangye
Samsara is mind turned outwardly, lost in its projections.
Nirvana is mind turned inwardly, recognizing its nature.
-Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
Consider the fact that no matter how many planets and stars are reflected in a lake, these reflections are encompassed within the water itself. And that no matter how many universes there are, they are encompassed within a single space. And that no matter how vast and how numerous the sensory appearances of samsara and nirvana may be, they are encompassed within the single nature of mind.
-Machig Labdron
When you look at mind, there is nothing to be seen.
And in this not seeing, you see the essence of mind.
-Chamtrul Rinpoche
Please never give up. It is the difficult circumstances that can make a great practitioner.
-Dudjom Lingpa
That which is changelessly present and aware, equally during thoughts (and experiences) or during the absence of thoughts (and experiences), is rigpa.
-Garab Dorje
I take the essential nature as the path — that is my patrilineal Dharma.
I am not bound by the reification of visualizations, recitations, worship, and accomplishment,
for my way is one of nonmeditation, nonworship, and nonaccomplishment.
My own grounding, transcending the intellect, is infinite, with no boundaries,
without antidotes, modifications, alterations, or intellectual imputations, and
uncontaminated by anything to observe, maintain, or investigate.
Having released into openness — unstructured, without fabrication or referential object,
in the yoga of inactivity, transcending good and bad, hope and fear, rejection and acceptance —
there was wide-open clarity, with nothing to do.
In the self-emergent expanse of originally present primordial consciousness,
by transforming into the unmodified nature of loose release,
the knots of dualistic grasping were directly dissolved.
Once saṃsāra and nirvāṇa were purified as the dharmakāya,
the bonds of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa were cut from my heart.
-Düdjom Lingpa