Dzogchen West Teachings

Balancing Meditation and Action

Lama Christopher Coriat — Mon, 11 May 2015 21:45:07 GMT

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The Seven-Point Mind Training/Attitude Transformation ("Lojong")

Lama Christopher Coriat — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 22:49:21 GMT

PART ONE: FOUNDATIONAL PRACTICES

The Basis for Training in the Awakening Mind

1. First, train in the foundations of the path:

a) The precious human opportunity

b) Impermanence

c) Karmic habit-patterning

d) Defects of the unenlightened life

PART TWO: THE MAIN PRACTICE OF TRAINING IN THE AWAKENING MIND

Training in the Absolute Mind of Awakening (non-conceptual)

2. Sense all that appears as like a dream

3. Examine the insubstantial/un-originated nature of awareness

4. Let even the thought of emptiness release itself

5. Rest in the natural state, the ground of all, the essence of the path

6. In post-meditation, be a wizard of illusion

Training in the Relative Mind of Awakening (conceptual)

7. Train in giving and taking alternately

8. Breathe out the giving, breathe in the taking

(to be continued each week...)

Click here for a choice of suggested texts to read about these teachings

Six Building Blocks of a Spiritual Life

Lama Christopher Coriat — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 03:29:28 GMT

Lama Surya teaches the following Six Building Blocks of a Spiritual Life:

Daily Spiritual Practice
Spiritual Study/Reading
Inner Growth Work
Regular Group Practice
Work with Teacher(s), Elder(s), Mentor(s)
Altruistic, Charitable Service

The first three tend to be more "alone", the second three more "together".

For further explanation, see Lama Surya's Facebook Note on Six Building Blocks.

Beyond Hope and Fear

Lama Christopher Coriat — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 21:34:16 GMT

"Only in the present moment, free from hope and fear, do we receive the gifts of clarity and resolve. Freed also from anger, aggression, and urgency, we are able to see the situation clearly, take it all in, and discover what to do. This clarity reveals “right action” -- those actions that feel genuinely
appropriate in this moment without any concern about whether they will succeed or not."

~ Margaret Wheatley

Longchenpa on the 4 Boundless Heartitudes

Lama Daniela Coriat — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 04:27:56 GMT

Thus one who by having taken refuge has become the site for spiritual growth will cultivate his/her mind for the welfare of those who are alive by
letting the flower of Compassion blossom
in the soil of Love
and tending it with the pure water of Equanimity
in the cool shade of Joyfulness.

As long as these four cardinal agents are not linked to
the road to deliverance,
they are but euphoric states and remain the cause of delusion.
But if the way to inner peace has taken hold of them,
They are the four immeasurably great properties of
real being because they make us cross the ocean of delusion.

Longchenpa

Lama Daniela Coriat — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 04:25:24 GMT

There is suffering in seeking what you cannot find by searching.

Barawa on Non-meditation

Lama Daniela Coriat — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 04:23:56 GMT

Without letting the mind project or concentrate,
Place it in ordinary naturalness.
Since there is neither the act of placing nor something to be placed,
Recognize the natural face of this placer.

That which recognizes is itself also just a concept,
So be free from fixating on that concept.
To meditate without being free from concept,
Is the great darkness that obscures that state beyond concept.

By training again and again in a meditation from concept,
There is a danger of conceptlessness turning into a concept.
So without cultivating even a nonconceptual state,
Be free from fabricating concepts.

Although you may be free from conceptual meditation,
You still need to grow accustomed to the nature of nonmeditation.
So it is essential to keep training constantly at all times,
Without abandoning true undistracted mindfulness.

When distracted you don't realize the natural state.
When meditating you stray intro the concept or the particular meditation.
So train yourself in the true path,
The undistracted and unmeditated continuity of freshness.

18c. Rime Master, Jamgon Kongtrul

Lama Daniela Coriat — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 04:21:42 GMT

Your mind won't be found elsewhere,
It is just your present thought.
Don't chase after that thought.
Just look into its essence.
There is no duality -- no observer, nothing observed.

"The Patience of Ordinary Things" by Pat Schneider, from Another River: New and Selected Poems.

Lama Daniela Coriat — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 04:18:05 GMT

It is a kind of love, is it not?
How the cup holds the tea,
How the chair stands sturdy and foursquare,
How the floor receives the bottoms of shoes
Or toes. How soles of feet know
Where they're supposed to be.
I've been thinking about the patience
Of ordinary things, how clothes
Wait respectfully in closets
And soap dries quietly in the dish,
And towels drink the wet
From the skin of the back.
And the lovely repetition of stairs.
And what is more generous than a window?

Signlessness

Lama Daniela Coriat — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 04:00:29 GMT

In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true. ~Buddha

Let It Shine!

Lama Daniela Coriat — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 03:53:08 GMT

Nelson Mandela

1994 Inaugural Speech, Quoting Marianne Williamson

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves,

Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are we not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that

Other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It ‘s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously

Give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated form our own fear,

Our presence automatically liberates others.

Lama Surya on Sangha (Sacred Community or Congregation)

Lama Christopher Coriat — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 15:41:53 GMT

"Sangha requires mutual respect & friendly collaboration, a sense of ourselves as kindred spirits working & exploring & playing together."

@LamaSuryaDas on Twitter

Who and What is Buddha, Really?

Lama Christopher Coriat — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 23:46:32 GMT

Thanks to Scott for providing us with a link to Lama Surya's article on Huffington Post, and to the PBS Special The Buddha by filmmaker David Grubin.

HH Dalai Lama on World Peace

Lama Christopher Coriat — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:58:41 GMT

"We each have a role to play: genuine, lasting world peace will only be possible as a result of each of us making an effort internally."

~ His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

No Better Reality

Lama Christopher Coriat — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:12:32 GMT

“There is no better reality than the one we live in – where a good heart can be realized.”

~ Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche

Tunnel Vision

Lama Christopher Coriat — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 13:11:00 GMT

"When we act under the influence of negative thoughts and emotions, we become oblivious to the impact our actions have on others." ~ His Holiness the Dalai Lama

HH Dalai Lama on Buddhism in the West

Lama Christopher Coriat — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 13:55:35 GMT

...The essence of the Buddhist teachings does not change; wherever it goes it is suitable; however, the superficial aspects--certain rituals and ceremonies--are not necessarily suitable for a new environment; those things will change.... In any case, this generation--your generation--who are starting this new idea in new countries have a big responsibility to take the essence and adjust it to your own environment.

HH Dalai Lama on Inner and Outer Peace

Lama Christopher Coriat — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:57:11 GMT

...I try to stay joyful. If we want to work effectively for freedom and justice, it is better to do so without anger or deviousness. If we ourselves feel calm, and if we act with a sincere motivation, we can accomplish many things in the 30 or 50 active years of our life. And if some positive results have already been seen from this approach, I think I can say that this is in part because of my commitment to the pacifist cause, a commitment which is motivated by a genuine belief in the brotherhood of mankind.

We are not a very large or powerful nation, but our way of life, our culture, and our spiritual tradition have helped us follow the way of peace even at times of tremendous difficulty and hardship, and have given us courage in our wish to develop love and compassion. When the time comes, the Tibetan people longs with all its heart to take responsibility for the high plateau, which is our homeland, and to transform it into a sanctuary of peace where mankind will live side by side with nature, in harmony.

~ His Holiness the Dalai Lama

One Love

Lama Christopher Coriat — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 05:59:06 GMT

“The eye through which I see God is the same eye through which God sees me; my eye and God’s eye are one eye, one seeing, one knowing, one love.”

– Meister Eckhart

Widening the Circle of Compassion

Lama Christopher Coriat — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:48:18 GMT

A human being is part of a whole, called by us the ‘Universe,’ a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest -- a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.

~ Albert Einstein

Healing Anger: The Power of Patience from a Buddhist Perspective

Lama Christopher Coriat — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:55:15 GMT

Question: Western psychotherapy encourages the expression of anger. Is there is an appropriate expression of anger as opposed to the antidote of patience? What do you say to the psychologists and the counselors who say, "Let it all come out," about anger and hatred?

HH Dalai Lama: Here I think we have to understand that there are many different situations. In some cases, people harbor strong feelings of anger and hurt based on something done to them in the past, an abuse or whatever, and that feeling is kept bottled up. Regarding this, there is a Tibetan expression which says that if there is any sickness in the conch shell, you can clear it by blowing it out. In other words, if anything is blocking the conch shell, just blow it out, and it will be clear. So it is possible to imagine a situation where it may be better to just let out feelings of anger and express them.

However, generally speaking, anger and hatred are the type of emotions which, if left unchecked or unattended, tend to compound themselves and keep on increasing. The more one works with them, the more one adopts a cautious attitude and tries to reduce the level of their force, the better it is.

Q: Aren't hatred and anger connected with attachment, not only toward things, but also principles, ideologies, and especially the identification of "I" as a permanent self?

DL: It is very true that both hatred and anger are ultimately rooted in the feeling of a strong, solid notion of self, a permanent ego. Generally speaking, when we talk about grasping at a notion of self or ego, we should distinguish between two types. One definition of ego is a self-centered attitude, where one regards one's own interest as the only one worthy of consideration and remains quite oblivious or indifferent toward others' needs or feelings. Then there is another type of ego, a belief in an enduring, permanent, concrete self or "I." At the beginning stage, these two types of egocentric attitudes are complementary, and one reinforces the other. So, in our minds they are inextricably linked.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama

But if one emphasizes the practice of bodhichitta, the aspiration to attain Buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings, and yet harms that altruistic capacity by paying little attention to generating insight into the ultimate nature of reality, then it is possible that in some cases it may remain beyond one's intellectual scope. In such cases, the self-centered attitude based upon selfish thoughts, a feeling of disregard for others' well-being and others' feelings, may decrease, but grasping at a permanent, abiding, or enduring self may still remain. Similarly, if one emphasizes the practice of emptiness but does not pay attention to the bodhichitta aspect of the path, then grasping at a permanent, abiding, concrete self may loosen, but the selfish, self-centered attitude may still remain. So at a higher level, one can see a distinction between these two types of ego.

This is why it is so important when engaging in the spiritual path toward perfection to be able to adopt a path where there is the unification of good method and wisdom, skillful means and insight.

I think this question is also related to the basic Buddhist stance that because hatred and attachment are ultimately rooted in ignorance, in a misconception of the nature of reality, the specific antidotes to anger and hatred and specific antidotes to attachment can be seen as limited because they are specific to individual afflictive emotions. On the other hand, the antidote to ignorance or misconception is more comprehensive in that it serves as an antidote not only to ignorance but also to hatred and attachment because they are rooted in ignorance.

Also, when we talk about the notion of self in Buddhism, it is important to bear in mind that there are different degrees or types. There are some types of sense of self which are not only to be cultivated but also to be reinforced and enhanced. For instance, in order to have a strong determination to seek Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings, one needs a very strong sense of confidence, which is based upon a sense of commitment and courage. This requires a strong sense of self. Unless one has that identity or sense of self, one will not be able to develop the confidence and courage to strongly seek this aim. In addition, the doctrine of Buddha-nature gives us a lot of encouragement and confidence because we realize that there is this potential within us which will allow us to attain the perfection that we are seeking. However, there are different types of sense of self which are rooted in a belief in a permanent, solid, indivisible entity called "self" or "I." There is the belief that there is something very concrete or objective about this entity. This is a false notion of self which must be overcome.

Similarly, within this false notion of self, we can see various levels, various gross forms where there is a naive belief in a permanent, abiding, unchanging self. If we go further we find that there is a belief in something possessing a sort of intrinsic reality and a status which is independent and unique to the thing. Again, that is a false notion.

Another strong sense of self which is false involves a tendency to disregard others' well-being and others' feelings and rights. That sense of self is, again, to be discarded and overcome. So we should be very sensitive when we use the words "ego"and "self" in the Buddhist context, not to totally adopt a black-and-white stance saying, "This is out, and this is in."

~ from Healing Anger: The Power of Patience from a Buddhist Perspective
by His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Rumi on Grief

Lama Christopher Coriat — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:02:21 GMT

“Grief can be the garden of compassion. If you keep your heart open through everything, your pain can become your greatest ally in your life’s search for love and wisdom.”

Strength and Accomplishment

Lama Christopher Coriat — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 21:25:10 GMT

"A short moment of experiencing natural wakefulness, once in a while, is not enough to bring disturbing emotions and karma to a permanent end. We must develop its strength; that is accomplishment.”

~ Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche