We should rest in mind, not search for it; why search for what we already are? When Self-liberation appears within, Engage not in logic and speculation Lest meaningless activities involve you. Son, rest yourself without wandering thoughts. Do you understand, … Continue reading
Blindly trying to help without understanding a given situation causes more harm than good. Compassion is sensitivity to the suffering of others, and the desire to relieve that suffering. It is one of the two wings of enlightenment, the other … Continue reading
We see how important it is to recognize and cherish authentic teachers—especially in Tibetan Buddhism, where allowing devotion to lapse is not only harmful to one’s enlightenment, but to one’s health. Today is the twenty-fifth parinirvana of my teacher, the … Continue reading
Enlightenment Came With the Rain What I have always been, but never realized, came with the rain. The true nature streamed from the sky, From above, as blessings do. No cares now, only the rain pattering. What pleasure to be … Continue reading
Samadhi is a Sanskrit term usually translated as concentration. I have some problem with that definition, though, because it implies fixing mind on something else, like an object or the breath. In my experience, Samadhi is more about collecting or … Continue reading
In this series of blogs I have described various aspects of enlightenment, but I have not addressed why one might wish to become enlightened. Attaining it is a rigorous process that for most takes thousands of hours of learning, meditation … Continue reading
Compassion is a human characteristic; some may say the most human of all. It is also the premier activity of the Buddhist enlightened, as well as the major reason Buddhists choose to become enlightened. Those with Buddhist insight are particularly … Continue reading
We have talked about emptiness, so it makes sense to talk about form. Logically, we could say that there is form because of emptiness and vice versa. In other words, if everything were form we would never have made a … Continue reading
The true nature of mind has two major components: emptiness and awareness. We have discussed emptiness earlier, and in this blog we will turn to awareness, the second aspect of mind. We can think of awareness from either an everyday … Continue reading
All Buddhist traditions practice meditation, because the Buddha did so as a means to attain enlightenment. Meditation varies in different disciplines, but the rationale for doing it, in every one, is enlightenment. Enlightenment involves experiencing the true nature of mind, … Continue reading