Thu, 02 Sep 2010
Non-Dual Mind
Continuing with my previous post, enlightenment isn't an all or nothing thing, like turning on a light switch, there are stages. And Jigten Sumgon's Prayer to Tara gives a good description of these stages. The next stanza talks abou the initial realization of emptiness:
Non-dual wisdom is the self-born mind. By the habits of grasping at duality, some are bound, no matter what they do. Please protect them, Deity of Non-Dual Wisdom.
It's important to distinguish between recognizing mind and realizing its emptiness. There is still a subtle dualism in recognizing mind and this dualism is a form of ignorance. As long as there is a sense of something experienced, something achieved, or something overcome there is dualism. Gradually one works through the dualism until it is eliminated. What this is like is way beyond my experience, so I can only quote Traga Rinpoche.
Ultimate truth is the original nature, which is the dharmadhatu, the suchness of phenomena. It is referred to as emptiness, mahamudra, or mahasandhi, the perfect nature. It is realized only by the noble ones. It is the self aware primordial wisdom. It is beyond the domain of thought, inexpressible, and incomprehensible. It cannot be expressed through speech, shown, pointed to, or demonstrated. The body cannot touch it, the speech express it, or mind think of it. It is known only by discerning the primordial wisdom. There is no duality of subject and object in it. It is inseparable appearance-emptiness. This emptiness is the dharmadhatu, the base of all phenomena. When it is realized, there are no concepts or kleshas. All impurities have been eliminated. But also there is no wisdom.
Milarepa was asked, "Is it true that in that state there is no wisdom?"
He replied, "I cannot say yes or no. You will have to see for yourself."
This primordial wisdom is beyond the duality of subject or object. It is free of all mental elaboration. It is seeing what cannot be seen. There is not so much as a single thing to be meditate on. But is not a nihilistic void. It is not straying from the natural state.
It's said that the recognition of mind comes and goes. It is unstable. But the realization of emptiness is stable and unchanging.
Here the description of Pagmodrupa's realization of emptiness, which is given its traditional scholastic name, "the path of seeing." Phagmodrupa had mistaken recognition of mind, which has qualities, with the realization of emptiness, which has none. So Gampopa set him straight.
One day, Gampopa said to the assembly, "I need to instruct the Khampa Geshe separately from the rest of you." When he went to see the lama he was asked, "What Dharma have you studied? What have you practiced?", and so he described the many pieces of advice he had received and how he had put them all into practice. To the question: "What experiences have you had?", he described the way nondiscursive wisdom, the path of seeing, had arisen. To: "Are you holding to that as the path of seeing?", he replied that he was, based on his understanding of The Vajra-Verses of Lamdre. To this, the lama said: "Really? You are holding to that as the path of seeing?" He replied that he was certain that he had realized it as it was introduced to him by Lord Sakyapa, who had used these words: "Uninterrupted continuity of the experience, the bliss, and the emptiness of the uncontrived nature of mind, the peak state of innate mind — this is the nondiscursive wisdom, the path of seeing, that which produces the fine distinctions of awareness." Gampopa then exclaimed, "How unfortunate! Are you holding to that from the bottom of your heart as the path of seeing?" He replied, "This is the path of seeing as realized by way of all sutra, tantra, quintessential instruction, and meditative experiences." To steer him away from this way of thinking, Gampopa squeezed his sen [barley dough] in his hand and replied, "I prefer this to your nice 'path of seeing'." Gampopa then said, "Take a walk to that hill over there in the east; later we will discuss all of the dharmas received from others to which you are attached."
Phagmodrupa went up the eastern hill and pondered all of this. A short time later, all of his former good experiences quickly disintegrated, falling away like chaff and husk, and he then genuinely realized the true face of authentic realization, that which is beyond rational mind, the mahamudra. At that moment, his mind became unobstructed, like space, and he gasped, "All those former lamas — what are they to me now?" He returned to Gampopa, who was aware of his realization and said to him: "I have nothing more than that to teach you."
So, I want emphasize the distinction between recognition of mind, which is what usually gets called "enlightenement" and realization of emptiness, which actually deserves the name enlightenment. And this is not the final stage! beond this lies the achievemnt of the omniscience of a buddha.
