Whatever advice you may seek, is the self-same 'poison' spoken of in the
the expressions you have read. You need nothing more or less, no
understanding or other attainment, to fulfill what has never lacked.
With heart open to what presents, let mind wrestle with itself as it
will, realizing in your gut this has always been none other.
KG
On 10/5/2012 9:03 PM, jfnewell7 wrote:
I need some practice advice. In my meditation, I have become aware of
something I will call "mental-integration-itself" although those words
are only an approximation. I will therefore report some background and
details, below, to see if I can get this across. What I need is advice
on whether or not mental-integration-itself is enough on the path that
I should spend a lot of time noticing it. Also, of course, if anyone
sees a way I can improve on the mental-integration-itself awareness I
have so far, I would be grateful.
Both Dzogchen and Zen say that somehow, satori and samsara are the
same. I have tried for years to understand what that would feel like.
Here are a several examples from a vast number of comments:
Cleary, Thomas, trans. (2002) SECRETS OF THE BLUE CLIFF RECORD, ZEN
COMMENTS BY HAKUIN AND TENKEI, Boston& London: Shambhala
Page 76, "If potential does not leave a static position, it falls into
a sea of poison ...
"[Hakuin] The entirety of this introduction applies to the example.
`Potential' is what appears before being expressed in words; the
`static position' is the cave of satori...
"[Tenkei] If you realize an awakening but do not eliminate leaking of
views, you stick to the absolute stasis of transcendence in the realm
of satori, which is to `fall into a sea of poison' ... "
Rabjam, Longchen, Richard Barron, trans., Padma Translation Committee
(2001) THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF THE BASIC SPACE OF PHENOMENA, Junction
City" Padma Publishing.
Page 7, "However things appear or sound, within the vast realm of
basic space they do not stray from the spontaneous equalness as
dharmakaya, awakened mind...
Page 15, "On this infinite foundation, extending everywhere
impartially, the stronghold of awakened mind does not distinguish
between samsara and nirvana..."
Norbu, Chogyal Namkhui, Adriano Clemente, and Andrew Lukianowicz
(1999) THE SUPREME SOURCE, THE KUNJED GYALPO, THE FUNDAMENTAL TANTRA
OF DZOGCHEN SEMDE, Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications
Page 150, "I am the essence of all phenomena; nothing exists that is
not my essence. The teachers of the three dimensions {I'm unclear
about what "dimensions" means here, Jim} are my essence. The Buddhas
of the three times are my essence. The four types of yogins are my
essence. The three worlds, of desire, of form, and without form, too,
are my manifestations. The five great elements are my essence. The six
classes of beings are my essence. All the habitats and the beings
living therein are my essence. Nothing exists that is not my essence
because I am the universal root: there is nothing that is not
contained in me ..."
OK. Now when I am meditating while there is an image inside my head, I
can see all parts of the image simultaneously because something in me
is integrating the parts of the image in some way. If I try to see
this mental-integration-itself, the mental-integration-itself is like
transparent space yet active. I can barely detect this transparent and
it doesn't look like any of the shapes or colors of the image. In a
way, this transparent mental-integration-itself seems to be in front
of the image. I then de-emphasize the image so it slips partly from
awareness, while becoming more aware of the clear empty
mental-integration-itself.
Intellectually, the mental-integration itself which I experience isn't
any of the shapes or colors, yet it connects all the shapes and colors
together. So it has a little bit of form, from the connecting, plus it
is empty. Does the fact that it looks like it fits Buddhist
definitions mean that what I am experiencing actually does fit those
definitions? Therefore, would it be right to continue to become aware
of the mental-integration-itself with all kinds of perceptions,
experiences, and situations?
So that I what I need some advice on.
Jim
