James Low, 17 March 2021. Simply being: the dzogchen view.
English: youtu.be/VQjeUUwpjIU (you are here)
Hungarian: youtu.be/D3_rk3_17Gg
Zoom session arranged by Németh Tamás for Shambala Hungary.
00:00 The Dzogchen view emphasizes the undivided nature of the world
- Unlike mainstream Buddhism, Dzogchen does not start from the premise that something is wrong with us
- Dzogchen teaches us to be present with ourselves as we are and not to strive too hard for improvement
04:10 Our experience of the body, speech, and world is dynamic and depends on our interpretation
- When we are present and not imposing intentions or agendas, our body shows itself as a flow of sensations and experiences.
- Our interpretation of speech and the meaning we derive from it is based on our knowledge and participation
08:10 The world is revealed through participation, not as something already existing
- Our interpretations and assumptions shape our perception of the world
- In meditation, we relax and receive the freshness of each moment, experiencing intrinsic completion
12:12 Our mind tends to create fantasy futures due to anxieties about climate change
- The thoughts, feelings, and sensations that arise in our mind fill us up and create a busy marketplace
- While these thoughts may be interesting and useful, they prevent us from truly finding ourselves and meeting ourselves
- The continuous stream of thoughts, feelings, sensations, and memories obstructs our ability to see beyond and perceive the openness and emptiness of the mind
- Our mind's constant activity and busyness is a result of conditioning and societal rewards
- Identifying with our thoughts gives us a sense of stability, but it also limits our ability to fully recognize the impermanent nature of thoughts
- By observing the movement of thoughts and realizing that we are not the thoughts themselves, we can free ourselves from their grip and discover true stillness and clarity
15:37 Awareness illuminates the patterns of experience
- Awareness is the brightness of the mind that illuminates the patterns of formation
- The movement of experience comes and goes, but awareness itself is steady and clear
19:51 The potential of the stage is in its emptiness
- The stage facilitates various types of activities but its open and empty nature is what allows it to fulfill its potential
- When our minds are filled with thoughts and preoccupations, our capacity to access our potential is diminished
- By being present and not getting caught up in reactive thoughts and experiences, we can tap into the spaciousness of our minds
- The specificity and attachment to certain objects or activities can imprison us and limit our potential
- By releasing ourselves from familiar structures and patterns, we can expand our potential and embrace freedom
23:58 The mind is inherently pure and cannot be found as a separate entity
- The mind is not a tangible object that can be found, but rather it is the flow of thoughts, feelings, and memories
- Just like a mirror reflects images but cannot be found as a separate object, the mind reveals itself through transient experiences
- The freshness and purity of the mind remain unaffected by the contents that arise in it
- The inseparability of the primordial purity and instant presence is the essence of Dzogchen practice
- Becoming present in the spontaneous unfolding of each moment allows us to tap into the limitless potential of the mind
27:40 Our own activity in constructing patterns of interpretation affects our perception of the past and future
- Memories and thoughts about the past are not the true past but interpretations in the present moment
- Believing in the existence of the past and future can lead to delusion and false expectations
31:23 Our thoughts and feelings arise and pass like a forest.
- We fixate on our thoughts, memories, and feelings, but they come from within us
- Our thoughts and feelings do not define our true identity; they are patterns of energy that shape our experience
34:57 Anxiety is a formation arising due to causes and circumstances
- Anxiety is a relational quality that manifests based on various environmental aspects
- The teaching of dzogchen is to observe and understand how our manifestations depend on circumstances
38:38 Relaxation and openness lead to a brighter mind and intuitive spontaneity
- The practice of relaxation releases us from the preoccupation of trying to hold on to the content of the moment
- Non-dual awareness allows us to connect and move with different situations effortlessly
Learn more about future events: [ Ссылка ]
