Suresh,
I believe it is continuous, but our clearest awareness of it can become covered
again even after we have awakened one time.
Most practitioners continue to practice after awakening, but usually the empty
state of mind becomes covered, and it seems as if the mind moves, again.
In the condition of the unmoving mind, the awareness of emptiness is strong, to
put it mildly, and one responds to conditions just as they arise, with no
residue being left. This is all quite marvelous and miraculous.
After perhaps months of living like this, residue begins to remain, and if we
are not scrupulous with practice, we may return to a mind which is completely
clouded, shrouded, and never at rest.
But Bodhisattvas vow to remain in Samsara, don't we; therefore, we perhaps do
not make the most strenuous efforts to remain in the most pristine condition in
buddha nature. But we can come to see the agglomerations which lodge in us as
small distractions, and not as things that are real. We recognize them for
what they are, and we therefore take away power from them. We can still be
informed by Wisdom. It is best to ccontinue to practice, because this allows
Wisdom and Compassion to arise spontaneously, and thus we are more available,
and more helpful, to other beings.
Most of us are not monastics, and so it may seem natural that the awakened
state should fade after some months. But regular practice can keep us
shined-up pretty well. When we have opportunity to practice intensively, we
may perhaps awaken again, and maybe such subsequent awakenings will last longer
and longer.
But in any case, the "residues" or agglomerations which return or accumulate
have not as much power as previously. We are not bewitched by them, and we do
not take them to be "ourselves", now. This is for the good!
In the awakened state, we pretty quickly learn to be comfortable with NOT being
able to form thoughts, nor to have any arise, nor to hold thoughts in the mind.
In any case, there is not the sensation of thoughts moving in the mind, no,
not at all. I'd say it is IMPOSSIBLE to cause a thought to form, and to hold
it. Yet -- or as a result -- we act spontaneously, and JUST as needed, in
response to conditions. Again, this is marvelous and miraculous. The body
become more healthy, for lack of stress, and our sleep is absolutely and
utterly dreamless, and the sleep is amazingly restorative, as never before. We
feel no stress, and are as relaxed and supple and flexible as a baby. No Hatha
Yoga seems beyond us. Yet, we can do heavy tasks when needed, and use our
muscles comfortably and precisely.
Sorry, such a long report to a short question!
All best,
--Joe
> SURESH JAGADEESAN <varamtha@...> wrote:
>
> Dear all,
>
> Tell me honestly, is buddha nature coninuous? How many of you are in
> that contiuous state of buddha nature? be honest. If thoughts are
> absent in oneself, how the body functions and who speak through the
> body?
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