This Being, That Becomes: Friday
Day 3
Friday, 30 December
This being, that becomes
From the arising of this, that arises.
This not being, that does not become
From the cessation of this, that ceases…
Nidanasamyutta
Session 1: 10.00am-12.00pm
Programme
Talk
Period of silent reflection
Metta Bhavana led by Bodhilla
Recordings
Session 2: 3.30-5.00pm
Programme
(Break-out groups)
Meditation led by Ratnadeva
Recordings
Apologies – This session was not recorded.
Session 3: 8.00-9.15pm
Programme
Reflections on devotional practice
Maitri mantra led by Bodhilila
Just Sitting
Threefold puja with Shakyamuni and Amitabha mantras led by Ratnadeva and reading by Bodhilila
Recordings
Reading:
The Intrinsic Nature of the Mind
What we normally call the mind is the deluded mind, a turbulent vortex of thoughts whipped up by attachment, anger and ignorance. This mind, unlike enlightened awareness, is always being carried away by one delusion after another. Thoughts of hatred or attachment suddenly arise without warning, triggered off by such circumstances as an unexpected meeting with an adversary or a friend, and unless they are immediately overpowered with the proper antidote they quickly take root and proliferate, reinforcing the habitual predominance of hatred or attachment in the mind and adding more and more karmic imprints.
Yet, however strong these thoughts may seem, they are just thoughts and will eventually dissolve back into emptiness. Once you recognize the intrinsic nature of the mind, these thoughts that seem to appear and disappear all the time can no longer fool you. Just as clouds form, last for a while, and then dissolve back into the empty sky, so deluded thoughts arise, remain for a while, and then vanish in the emptiness of mind; in reality nothing at all has happened.
When sunlight falls on a crystal, lights of all colours of the rainbow appear; yet they have no substance that you can grasp. Likewise, all thoughts in their infinite variety-devotion, compassion, harmfulness, desire-are utterly without substance. This is the mind of the Buddha. There is no thought that is something other than voidness; if you recognize the void nature of thoughts at the very moment they arise, they will dissolve.
Attachment and hatred will never be able to disturb the mind.
Deluded emotions will collapse by themselves.
No negative actions will be accumulated, so no suffering will follow.
(from the sayings and writings of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche)
