Posts
Longchenpa Echoes the Sentiments of the Guhyagarbha Tantra in his Own Words
“In
simply arising, forms are by nature empty. From what is unborn there
manifests what seems to be born, but even as it manifests, nothing
whatsoever has been born. From what is unceasing there manifests what
seems to cease, but there is no cessation. These are illusory
expressions of emptiness. Even with abiding there is nothing that
abides. There is no basis on which anything could abide. Within the
context in which there is no coming or going, regardless of what
manifests, it never exists as what it seems to be.”
12 comments
100% Upvoted
level 1
level 1
the vast expanse!
forms are by nature empty. From what is unborn there manifests what seems to be born, but even as it manifests, nothing whatsoever has been born.
So origination is an illusion or maya, right?
So origination is an illusion or maya, right?
Yes
because the entity that purportedly originates is a mistaken cognition
that results from failing to recognize the actual nature of appearances.
Like
a child that is born, lives and dies in a dream. If we fail to
recognize that we are dreaming then we may think there is a child there
which was truly born [originated]. But if we become lucid in the dream,
or simply wake up, then we realize that no child or entity ever actually
originated. The appearances were just the display of our own mind.
Our waking experience is no different in this sense.
Do we wake up to the non-illusory or migrate from one illusory condition to another?
Do we wake up to the non-illusory or migrate from one illusory condition to another?
The
soteriological value of Dzogchen is found in recognition and knowledge,
specifically knowledge of the actual nature of mind and phenomena.
In
this sense it isn’t really useful to think of it as migrating from one
condition to another. But rather awakening to see the actual nature of
this very condition we find ourselves in presently.
We
suffer because we are deluded and experience our condition as concrete
and real, populated with persons, places, things which come and go, are
born and die, etc.
These teachings help
us to awaken and realize that things are not really that way. And that
awakening and knowledge of the true nature of things is itself
liberating.
The soteriological value of Dzogchen is found in recognition and knowledge, specifically knowledge of the actual nature of mind and phenomena.
Is this intellectual or conceptual knowledge? Also, is the nature of mind transcendent making it non-illusory?
Sorry for the questions.
Is this intellectual or conceptual knowledge?
It
is an experiential knowledge acquired through recognition. Like
recognizing a snake in a dark room to actually be a rope, once you
recognize it is actually a rope, you know the actual nature of that
appearance. This knowledge in Dzogchen is called “rig pa.”
Also, is the nature of mind transcendent making it non-illusory?
Recognizing
the nature of mind means we recognize that the mind is not a
substantial entity. The nature of mind is inseparable clarity and
emptiness. The clarity aspect is the aware part of the mind. Due to
failing to understand the actual nature of the mind’s clarity we mistake
it to be a substantial entity, in the sense of a subject, a knower of
what is known that exists separately, a self, separate from an external
world. Insight into the nature of mind means we recognize that this
“knower” is not actually established, but is a subtle structure of
delusion and grasping.
Again, the
liberating aspect of these teachings is precisely that phenomena are
illusory, unconditioned, originally pure and naturally perfected.
Awakening
means gaining knowledge into the nature of phenomena, that appearances
are illusory, but this is a good thing. Appearances do not suddenly
vanish, your continuum of mind does not vanish either, but the mind is
purified of ignorance, and appearances are then known accurately and
suffering ceases.
——————————————————
/u/filpt
you asked about clarity of mind vs. nature of mind, apologies I got
sidetracked and didn’t get back to you, but this might answer.
Thankyou, yes this is helpful.
Like recognizing a snake in a dark room to actually be a rope, once you recognize it is actually a rope, you know the actual nature of that appearance.
Seeing the dharmakaya (the rope) we awaken from illusion of there being a real world (the snake).
Seeing the dharmakaya (the rope) we awaken from illusion of there being a real world (the snake).
Yes, that is the gist of it.
Is there any translation book for that?
It is from the chos dbyings mdzod. Richard Barron has a translation of the two texts which make up the chos dbyings mdzod titled, ”The Precious Treasury of the Basic Space of Phenomena” and ”A Treasure Trove of Scriptural Transmission” which is Longchenpa’s commentary on the former.
