Realizing the basis of everything itself is not symbolic speech

Our goal as spiritual aspirants and students often seems symbolic, because some of the language is culturally symbolic, or sounds cultural, embedded in 2,500 hundred years of flavoring.

But the goal of enlightenment, which involves experiencing emptiness first hand, is not symbolic - it is literal to reach the state of liberation from illusion which starts with recognizing the true nature of the mind as being empty and luminous without duality - and that's it, there are no objects of reference in this state which we can achieve because it is about letting go of everything.

To refer to this state, which is the basic state of the mind (mostly unrecognized), people who have realized it, or have a teaching tradition call it many things -

"Some call it by the name Dharmadhatu or "the dimension of Reality."

Some call it the Prajnaparamita or "the Perfection of Wisdom."

Some call it the name Tathagata-garbha or "the embryo of Buddhahood."

Some call it by the name Mahamudra or "the Great Symbol."

Some call it by the name "the Unique Sphere."

Some call it by the name Dharmadhatu or "the dimension of Reality."

Some call it by the name Alaya or "the basis of everything."

And some simply call it by the name "ordinary awareness."

Now, when you are introduced (to your own intrinsic awareness), the method for entering into it involves three considerations: Thoughts in the past are clear and empty and leave no traces behind.

Thoughts in the future are fresh and unconditioned by anything.

And in the present moment, when (your mind) remains in its own condition without constructing anything, awareness, at that moment, in itself is quite ordinary.

And when you look into yourself in this way nakedly (without any discursive thoughts),

Since there is only this pure observing, there will be found a lucid clarity without anyone being there who is the observer; only a naked manifest awareness is present.

(This awareness) is empty and immaculately pure, not being created by anything whatsoever."

That is what Padmasambhava said about it in Self Liberation through Seeing with Naked Awareness http://www.flickr.com/photos/wonderlane/sets/72157615037339490/show/

That's what we are talking about...

Once this state is reached, and can be reached / or maintained with ease, true creative power is possible -- subsequently the great love for all that live is actionable. This is true because it is a different basis than what we generally understand.

In other words once you are directly in touch with your own mind without any filter - of the body or mental states ( though such means as dropping everything) - you can begin to manifest a different reality with a clean slate because you can direct your reality from a different basis. Like a great shaman or an universal wizard, however close to enlightenment you come, it is a technology - if the heart is also engaged - then that has much more potential (for reasons like karma, all things connected etc) because you can feel everyone is on this same plane, and such knowledge and love tend to wipe out static, convoluted, charged energy and in this open field everything becomes possible.

That state we know from Buddha and latter enlightened people is possible.

And as I understand gender has absolutely nothing to do with achieving this state --two of the first three students to gain enlightenment from Hevajra practice, during its later introduction were women.

Martyrium of the Obdurate Heretic, sustained by perplexity and paradox

I would very much like it if you would write a book entitled "Sainthood for Dummies"

My friend responded -

I think "dummies" is a little tepid... I like something pointed, like pinhead, blunt, like bonehead, or common, like dumbass, ala Stone Cold Steve Austin and Beavis and Butthead... suggested titles: paradox for pinheads, bhumis for boneheads, diagrams for dumbasses,


I need to study the life of the mahasiddha, Nirgunapa, the Enlightened Moron... searching..
http://www.yoniversum.nl/dakini/mahasid2.html
http://www.yoniversum.nl/dakini/mahasid1.html
http://www.keithdowman.net/books/bme.htm#VIRUPA


guess I have to buy the book.. but I found this about paramitas, siddhas, bhumis. etc
http://www.khandro.net/about_numbers.htm


*10 Bhumis to Buddhahood.
Two sutras which discuss the bhumis: Dasabhumi (Sutra of Ten Bhumis) and Samadhi-nirmochana (Explaining Profound Secrets.)
Chandrakirti, in the Bodhisattva-Avatara Shastra explains:
0. The Foundation: Beings in samsara [the 6 realms] having generated the aspiration to climb the Bodhisattva Bhumis by practicing the 6 paramitas.
Now we proceed through 3 stages on the Path of Accumulation and 3 more stages on the Path of Unification:

1. "The Joyous": Having tasted shunyata [emptiness], we are joyous. Here, the main practice is to perfect the Generosity Paramita. You might be born as a King in the Human Realm and have lots of chances to practice generosity! Now on the Path of Seeing, we can start the Path of Meditation.

2. "The Stainless": At this bhumi, the main practice is the perfection of Shila [discipline of vows] because of which you are free of anxiety and the 3 Poisons [negative tendencies, obscurations]. You might be born as a chakravartin(King bearing the noble marks of an emperor, like Siddartha Gautama Shakya), whose power and enjoyment are challenged by the practice of discipline and precept-keeping.

3. "The Luminous": Here, we try to perfect Patience or equanimity. This is the source of the luminosity. You might be born as Indra, King of gods, who is called Shakra, -- opposer of the Ashuras.

4. "The Radiant": After the 3rd Bhumi, the Nirmanakaya aspect of Buddhahood has been perfected. But there are two more Kayas, therefore, the Paramita to perfect here is that of Exertion. This activity in the service of virtue creates a radiance of wisdom which burns away false conceptions. Here, you might be reborn as Shyama, a deity in the "Continuous Peaceful Realm").

5. "The Unconquerable": Driven by exertion, you perfect
dhyana [meditation] and other skillful means in preparation for the helping of all sentient beings. The word unconquerable refers to both the difficulty of achieving the state of dhyani and the state of the being having now achieved this goal. Now it is possible to be born as a god in the Tushita Heavens where you can observe the Six Realms and the interplay of dharmas.

6. "The Manifest": The intense practice of dhyana and other skills enables you to be reborn as a God-king who can manifest miraculous activity. The Paramita of Prajna is to be perfected.

7. "The Gone-Afar": Having perfected the Six Paramitas, we now possess both wisdom and skill. This is a plateau below which you will not fall, but there is still room for effort.
In the 10 Paramita system, the perfection is that of Skillful Means needed to overcome Mara who provides opportunities for others to act in opposition.
It is said that once the 7th Bhumi is attained, the Buddhas prophesy concerning your achieving Buddhahood, and will indicate your Buddha-Name and circumstances.
In a former life, Lord Shakyamuni received this prophecy after having presented 4 golden flowers to the Buddha of that aeon .

8. "The Immovable": At the Eighth Bhumi, you can enter Nirvana at the snap of a finger; so Tathagatas come and click you out of it, reminding you of your aspiration and the work still ahead. But they cannot force you to remain, therefore the virtue is that of firmness of Aspiration.
You might be reborn as Brahma, Lord of the Universe.

9. "The Good-Wisdom": Almost ready for Buddhabood, you practice the acquisition of the Ten Powers and Six Supernatural Powers. You might also be reborn as Brahma.

10. "The Dharma-Cloud": All the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas rejoice in your elation at having attained Buddhahood completely. Primordial awareness [dhyani/jnana] clears away whatever subtle defilements and tendencies might still be retained. You, like Lord Maitreya in the Tushita Heavens, await your turn. This is also the beginning of the Path of Non-Meditation.

- Show quoted text -

On May 22, 2007, at 12:51 PM, I wrote:

Ambiguity for Dummies
preparatory reading for the less advanced classical education reference -
"Sainthood for Dummies"

-Sherab Wongmo