Steve, I have to disagree with you most wholeheartedly that as much attention is required to be aware of 'I Am' as it is to be mindful. If we agree that the Supreme Reality is unborn/doesn't end and is perfect then it must also be omnipresent - always present. Mindfulness is not. Indeed, it seems that many people read books and attend seminars on how to be 'mindful'. We don't need such techniques to be aware of our being, even in the midst of a screaming fight. Take the Vajanana Bhairava as you mentioned. In the Daharana 2, there is a simple breathing technique that helps us to awaken to the Supreme Reality (sidenote: I love the playing of words you can get with all the great philosophies/religions). Instead of watching our breath in and out, we focus on the pause where the inhalation becomes the exhalation *and it is here where the Supreme Reality reveals itself* (In zen terms, very similar to the point just before a thought appears in the mind). Now this to me, like mindfulness, is a technique that can help us to create an ambience where Buddha Mind is revealed, but like a deck of cards can quickly come crashing down when that ambience is shattered (arguing, daydreaming, toothache etc). Unlike these transient states (mindfulness begins and ends), our sense of being I Am always is.
Mike ________________________________ From: SteveW <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Fri, 1 April, 2011 13:53:02 Subject: Re: [Zen] Why bother with Zazen? Better Orgyhouse --- In [email protected], "SteveW" <eugnostos2000@...> wrote: > > > > --- In [email protected], mike brown <uerusuboyo@> wrote: > > > > Mayka, > > > > We just have to be careful with mindfulness - it's very much a double-edged > > sword in that it can be the catalyst for awakening to reality, but it can >also > > > make us think we've 'got it' when in fact it's nothing but our ego taking > > a >very > > > subtle rest. Also, we need to get past the way we think of mindfulness. In >the > > > beginning we tend to find ourselves consciously employing it at specific >times. > > > "Right, I've done the tidying up, taken a shower and washed the dishes. >Now I'm > > > going to take the dog out and really focus on what I'm doing, feel the wind >on > > > my face, not zone out and follow any thoughts and really be here" All well >and > > > good. But what we've also done there, by definition, is to >separate ourselves > > > between not being mindfull and being mindful which in turn > > also reinforces >the > > > sense of separateness from our intrinsic awareness of Budhha. In simple > > terms, there is an awareness that is unborn and undying right now whichin > > Vedanta is expressed as 'I Am'. That awareness is right there with you when > > you're washing the dishes and putting out the rubbish and is there prior to >just > > > when you think, "Now I'm going to practice mindfulness" and it's there when >you > > > stop being mindful. > > > > Mike > > Hi Mike. I hope you are as well as can be. IMO, what Buddhist mindfulness and >Vedantic Self-Inquiry have in common is that they both rely on not being >submerged in phenomena. You are quite right that the Unborn awareness of 'I >Am' >is always present, but just as most people are not mindful of phenomena >arising, >so are most people not aware of their own Being-ness (to use the term from the >Angulimala Sutra), because they are lost in phenomena. So yes, "This mind is >the >Buddha." But one is not generally aware of this while one is screaming at some >(perceivedly) rude bloke who cut one off from one's exit off the motorway. The >same sort of attentiveness required to practice mindfulness is also required >to >be aware of I Amness. In the one case you are attentive to phenomena arising >and >in the other case you are attentive to the fact that you are attentive. I >presume that you have read the Kashmir Shaivite work entitled The Vijnana >Bhairava Tantra? > Steve > Correction: That's the Angulimaliya Sutra. The Angulimala Sutra is a Theravada work. -Steve
