dorjeshugden.com
About Dorje Shugden => General Discussion => Topic started by: psylotripitaka on November 08, 2013, 04:49:31 PM
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Encouragement:
In my communications with many people over the years, and reading in forums, I've noticed that the subject of wisdom realizing emptiness, which is actually the only final solution to every problem, is rarely mentioned. That is particularly odd on a website devoted to the Wisdom Buddha. It would be wonderful to see more use of the subject here. It is so healing!
In Kangso when we dispel obstacles through clapping, this is the same as in the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra practice, where we are dissolving objects into their emptiness. In discussing our subjects, and in dealing with everyday issues, I believe it would be very useful to consider their emptiness more. After reading some things it sometimes happens that our mind becomes agitated. I highly recommend dissolving the object or experience into their emptiness at that time, or looking for the self that is agitated. We need to meditate on emptiness ALOT MORE!
Rest in Emptiness Now
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Encouragement:
In my communications with many people over the years, and reading in forums, I've noticed that the subject of wisdom realizing emptiness, which is actually the only final solution to every problem, is rarely mentioned. That is particularly odd on a website devoted to the Wisdom Buddha. It would be wonderful to see more use of the subject here. It is so healing!
In Kangso when we dispel obstacles through clapping, this is the same as in the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra practice, where we are dissolving objects into their emptiness. In discussing our subjects, and in dealing with everyday issues, I believe it would be very useful to consider their emptiness more. After reading some things it sometimes happens that our mind becomes agitated. I highly recommend dissolving the object or experience into their emptiness at that time, or looking for the self that is agitated. We need to meditate on emptiness ALOT MORE!
Rest in Emptiness Now
I would agree with you psylotripitaka, although Emptiness is one of the more intricate subjects that should only be thought to those who are ready. So powerful was it that the wisdom of Emptiness as taught by Shakyamuni was hidden as a terma treasure guarded by powerful nagas. Nagajurna discovered it (with permission from the nagas) and Je Tsongkhapa elucidated Nagajurna's Madyamaka so perfectly that it became crucial to protect, so that Dharma practitioners in future aeons may benefit from it. Without this wisdom, it is impossible to gain enlightenment.
And it also this vital treasure that Dorje Shugden is the uncommon protector of - Je Tsongkhapa's teachings on the Madyamaka. Many have not realized how significant Dorje Shugden's role is and the oath he agreed to be bound by. When practitioners of Dorje Shugden fight for his practice to be preserved against attempts by the CTA and the Dalai Lama's to render it extinct, they are fighting for the wisdom of emptiness as illuminated perfectly by Je Tsongkhapa for practitioners of our time. Dorje Shugden is the protector of the key to enlightenment.
Just imagine if the ban against the Protector of this tremendously significant teaching had been successful!?
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Hi psylotripitaka,
Wisdom realizing emptiness is what everyone on the path to liberation wants to accomplish ultimately. Many can understand Emptiness intellectually but not many can gain a direct realization of Emptiness as it is not easy in this degenerate time to realise it!
I am sure many in the forum would like to hear more about your sharing and understanding of emptiness especially on how emptiness can be applied to our daily lives.
Vajratruth had said it well. Dorje Shugden holds the key to our enlightenment. We need Dorje Shugden! Everyone needs Dorje Shugden! The ban must be lifted!
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Well, the very reason that Dorje Shugden came to existence was to protect Lama Tsongkhapa's special view of Emptiness. From what I read, Lama Tsongkhapa based his view on the Madhyamika Prasangika view that was expounded by Chandrakirti according to his interpretation of Nagarjuna's view of Emptiness. Lama Tsongkhapa interpretation of that view was elaborated according to his many consultations with Manjushri that appeared to him in a sacred vision. Hence, Dorje Shugden wear the round yellow hat to signify the supremacy of this view as it places it on his head. Hence, his prime objective is to preserve this sacred tradition.
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Totally agree with what Big Uncle and Vajratruth has said. Dorje Shugden is the protector of our time to guide us to enlightenment. On this path, our Lord would help us understand the different teachings that are important to us as well. Just like the importance of understanding emptiness.
Although emptiness is not being taught or discussed by many on the internet, but it is definitely something that would change our lives once we understand and apply it in our daily lives.
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Well, the very reason that Dorje Shugden came to existence was to protect Lama Tsongkhapa's special view of Emptiness.
Which might well explain the hostility towards Dorje Shugden
- from the side of the Dalai Lama (who wants to mix this special view of emptiness with Nyingma tenets, for his own personal profit),
- from the side of some of the Nyingmapas themselves, who oppose this view, and last but not least,
- from the side of Western scholars paid by materialistic Abrahamic (did I say Jewish?) bankster money stolen from the people, through selective scholarships.
And let's not forget that Dorje Shugden is the protector not only of Tsongkhapa's special view of emptiness, but also of the pure monastic Vinaya morality, which excludes the mix of Dharma and politics, thus attracting the antagonism of the very same above mentioned folks.
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Great replies, thank u.
These days, as we near the end of the teachings life, it is generally uncertain who is ready to be taught about emptiness, just as we don't know who is really ready for highest yoga tantra empowerment. There are strict views, but times are very interesting now and the blessings to realize the teachings are especially potent! We have very special karma to even hear or read the words 'emptiness' or 'ultimate truth' and to have all the other conditions mentioned by Manjushri for realizing emptiness. It is very important we seize the opportunity to make it a more central focus of our mind.
Certainly, the Great King protects these teachings, but that has many meanings. He has arranged and protects the outer conditions for us to receive, study, and concentrate on them. Internally, he protects our contemplations, insights, and experiences of the subject, and dare I say the nature of this inner protection is very destructive! He will work very closely with you to completely dismantle and destroy your self-grasping, but we need to put in our 50%. This is ultimately how he 'protects Lama Tsongkhapa's view of emptiness', by helping us to manifest the lineage within our own consciousness. Without that happening, the scriptural and oral traditions become worthless, that is why I wanted to encourage people. We need to spend alot more time identifying very precisely within our own consciousness how we are conceiving phenomena to exist, how to distinguish this from what does exist, and so forth.
Practically speaking, I gave a synopsis of a few points in the thread on Geshe Kelsang teaching in Portugal. For those new to the subject, the first step is to read about the subject and receive oral transmissions. On that basis, you must begin with identifying the way things normally appear; how we normally perceive and conceive them to exist.
It cannot be overemphasized that this first stage is the most critical because you have to be clear what your searching for in the 3 stages that follow this first step. Many people, including myself of course, continuously have difficulty with the subject due to not becoming clear in this first step. When it does become clear, the next stages have a profound effect on the mind.
Through familiarity we can accomplish anything!
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Also, if we trust the Guru is telling the truth about our samsara and that emptiness is the door out, then we can know in our own mind how badly we want to escape samsara and how badly we want to liberate others by considering how much time and energy we put into understanding and concentrating on emptiness and the union of the two truths. If we really wanted out, boy, we would be more mindful of emptiness for sure. Time is running out and the world is becoming very dangerous. We really need to be fed up with the fucking deceptive hallucination our self-grasping keeps throwing up. We are in a nightmare and its time to wake up.
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I think it's very good to remind people to think of wisdom realizing emptiness.
To be honest, I rarely discuss emptiness, though, except with people who seem to have a direct realization of it:) because either I will confuse someone else or someone else will confuse me.:)
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The great thing about having access to so many qualified teachings on emptiness, teachers, and experienced practitioners is that as long as we are checking our understanding through these meanings, there's very little danger of us becoming confused or confusing others. Even if someone we assume has a direct realization says something, we should still check it against the commentaries and our own meditations.
I was not proposing we necessarily have an in depth discussion of the many facets of the subject, we can read books for that. It just seems a good idea not just to remind and encourage but to discuss some elements with our sangha friends as the Guru will work through each if us to help shed light on it for us. Also, as I said the subject matter in this site can sometimes disturb our mind and remembering emptiness is excellent.
Like the left side conduct, we should always be finding ways to bring emptiness to mind. The computer, the letters, the meaning, our interactions, the ban, the various players, and so forth are not other than their emptiness. Realizing how everything is equalized in this way will not only bring an equanimity to our interaction with this site, but we will deepen our experience. If we are protecting the lineage through realization, are we not an emanation of Dorje Shugden?
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remember it now
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Emptiness is my opinion is one of the hardest thing to understand and perhaps not even supposed to be understood by only realized. One can read so many explainer ion of emptiness and actually quote and explain exactly like Heart Sutra or LAMRIM but in my opinion as much as people explain it and describe it in text it is simply impossible to comprehend. I'm have my reservation about having emptiness being discussed or studied as an "academic" subject. I think it is only meant to be meditated upon and realized. I have read testimonials from monks/nuns who have done prolonged retreats that knowing too much about emptiness academically may actually become a hindrance to actually understand what emptiness is.
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Encouragement:
In my communications with many people over the years, and reading in forums, I've noticed that the subject of wisdom realizing emptiness, which is actually the only final solution to every problem, is rarely mentioned. That is particularly odd on a website devoted to the Wisdom Buddha. It would be wonderful to see more use of the subject here. It is so healing!
In Kangso when we dispel obstacles through clapping, this is the same as in the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra practice, where we are dissolving objects into their emptiness. In discussing our subjects, and in dealing with everyday issues, I believe it would be very useful to consider their emptiness more. After reading some things it sometimes happens that our mind becomes agitated. I highly recommend dissolving the object or experience into their emptiness at that time, or looking for the self that is agitated. We need to meditate on emptiness ALOT MORE!
Rest in Emptiness Now
Thannks psylotripitaka for highlighting this subject about emptiness! After reading everyone's comment, I like how Vajratruth and BigUncle linked the subject with Dorje Shugden! While and some are debating it should not be discussed. Well in my opinion, this subject can be discussed with those who is at the level of learning it with a qualified practitioner who has already realized this, or with one's Guru. If someone who is very new to the subject and wishes to learn, they may do so through the many books available and if in doubt, they could ask their Guru to clarify? I know that in the Root Bodhisattva Vows we are not discuss this subject openly because if we ourselves have not realize this subject, there is a possibility of misunderstanding, misconception and hence confusing the learner... so if we do and with those who are not ready and confused them, then one would broken one's vows, no?
(11) Teaching voidness to those whose minds are untrained
The primary objects of this downfall are persons with the bodhichitta motivation who are not yet ready to understand voidness. Such persons would become confused or frightened by this teaching and consequently abandon the bodhisattva path for the path of personal liberation. This can happen as a result of thinking that if all phenomena are devoid of inherent, findable existence, then no one exists, so why bother working to benefit anyone else? This action also includes teaching voidness to anyone who would misunderstand it and therefore forsake the Dharma completely, for example by thinking that Buddhism teaches that nothing exists and is therefore sheer nonsense. Without extrasensory perception, it is difficult to know whether others' minds are sufficiently trained so that they will not misconstrue the teachings on the voidness of all phenomena. Therefore, it is important to lead others to these teachings through explanations of graduated levels of complexity, and periodically to check their understanding.
Anyway, Psylotripitaka, you seem to be well verse on this subject and perhaps gain some realizations... how would you describe in layman's language on how emptiness can be applied easily in our every day life and especially during "aggression" and negative emotion such as anger, irritation, arrogance and the ego comes in to play? How do we break from academically understanding it to applying it in out daily lives? Give examples... perhaps that would help ;)
From what I understand about this subject is that whatever we perceive is "true" to us, is never 100% "true" because if it is "true" then everyone would also agree to it. E.g. If I was angry with someone for not following my views and I think ill of that person and saying he/she is "arrogant", if my opinion was true and so right, then everyone should agree to it that that person is "arrogant". Well, not everyone think so, thus my judgement of that person is considered "false" and a merely my own "projections" placed on to that person. So that being the case, what is there to be really "angry" about since it is a false "projection". Would you say this is how we could apply teachings on emptiness. Or perhaps I am just talking rubbish! haha.
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[gbds3jewels:]
Emptiness is my opinion is one of the hardest thing to understand and perhaps not even supposed to be understood by only realized.
While different Buddhist schools may have different views on this topic, the view presented by Je Tsongkhapa and his followers is that first one should develop an intellectual understanding of the meaning of emptiness, and then one should meditate on that meaning, until one realizes it in a direct and non-conceptual way.
One can read so many explainer ion of emptiness and actually quote and explain exactly like Heart Sutra or LAMRIM but in my opinion as much as people explain it and describe it in text it is simply impossible to comprehend.
I believe that one should not be discouraged in case one does not manage to immediately make some sense of one or more explanations about emptiness. Thinking about the immeasurable benefits of understanding reality, one should patiently and persistently try to make sense of whatever teachings one could obtain, and gradually their meaning will become clearer.
Sometimes the problem may not be a lack of wisdom, but just a lack of patience and of persistence!
I'm have my reservation about having emptiness being discussed or studied as an "academic" subject.
The Buddha himself and the great Buddhist teachers, such as Je Tsongkhapa and his followers, offered a great many detailed and precise explanations about the meaning of emptiness, and as Buddhists we have the precious opportunity to listen to, or to study, such explanations, and then to ponder on them by ourselves, and to discuss them with others, in order to clarify our understanding, until eventually, through meditation, we achieve a direct and non-conceptual realization of emptiness.
For as long as this endeavor is motivated by love, compassion, and bodhichitta, there is no chance that it will degenerate into some dry, academic or merely intellectual useless exercise. Therefore, we should always check the purity of our motivation!
I think it is only meant to be meditated upon and realized.
In general, all of the Buddha's teachings are supposed to be listened to, then pondered on, and only then meditated on, and the teachings on emptiness are no exception. One cannot ponder on what was not previously listened to or studied, and one cannot meditate on what was not previously clarified and understood through pondering.
If one needs to meditate on emptiness, this is precisely because one still lacks direct and non-conceptual realization of emptiness, that is, one's understanding of emptiness is still merely conceptual; now, if such conceptual understanding, besides being merely conceptual, is also mistaken, or rather a misunderstanding, trying to cultivate it through meditation will only reinforce such misunderstanding and increase one's ignorance!
Therefore, one should spare no effort to develop a correct intellectual, or conceptual, understanding of emptiness, listening carefully to reliable teachings, pondering on them by oneself, and discussing them with others, always with a pure motivation of love, compassion, and bochichitta, and then, once the meaning of emptiness becomes clearer, to meditate on it, until one achieves a direct, non-conceptual realization of emptiness.
I have read testimonials from monks/nuns who have done prolonged retreats that knowing too much about emptiness academically may actually become a hindrance to actually understand what emptiness is.
In general, analytical thought is a hindrance to the meditational achievement of tranquility, or calm abiding. Therefore, when one emphasizes the meditational achievement of tranquility, such as in a retreat, one should indeed avoid too much analysis.
However, if one wants to achieve tranquility or calm abiding on emptiness through meditation, one needs, as a prerequisite, a correct understanding of the meaning of emptiness, which is the object to be meditated upon, and such a correct understanding is only obtainable through listening to correct explanations about emptiness, and then pondering on them, which is an analytical activity.
Once through listening to and pondering on correct explanations about emptiness one has obtained a correct understanding of its meaning, one places the mind on such meaning, and then progresses through the nine stages until one achieves tranquility or calm abiding on emptiness, which is the basis of every further development, such as special insight, until one achieves direct realization of emptiness.
As followers of Je Tsongkhapa, we are fortunate to have all such steps clearly explained to us, so that we can progress safely and smoothly step by step on the bodhisattva path, knowing precisely what to do and what not to do on each step.
Understanding this, we increase our confidence in and devotion to the Buddha, Je Tsongkhapa and our personal gurus, which is the beginning, middle and end of our bodhisattva path.
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[dsiluvu:]
Teaching voidness to those whose minds are untrained.
This root transgression of the bodhisattva vows probably does not apply here. None of us, as far as I can ascertain, is “teaching” voidness or emptiness, but rather merely discussing, or exchanging views, about it, for the sake of clarifying them.
Besides, most of us probably have had the opportunity of receiving some lamrim and lojong teachings, and of then putting them into practice, at least to some extent. Therefore, our minds are not completely untrained.
Probably this transgression would happen only if one would proclaim emptiness to someone lacking any training in the basic steps of the path, such as reliance on a guru, precious human rebirth, death and impermanence, actions and their effects, the sufferings of samsara, love, compassion, and bodhichitta.
If I remember well, there is the story that originally the lojong teachings started with ultimate bodhichitta (emptiness), then followed by conventional bodhichitta, until the day a king ordered his lojong guru to be decapitated, because he misunderstood the teachings on emptiness in a nihilistic way, such as “since nothing exists anyway, then I can decapitate you”, and had not yet received teachings on love, compassion and conventional bodhichitta.
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Dsiluvu,
To apply our experience of emptiness practically and effectively within any moment of consciousness we have to first gain genuine experience in meditation. Studying, receiving teachings, accumulating merit, purifying negativity, requesting blessings, doing Migtsema, and contemplating the subject very patiently are key foundations for successfully finding the object of meditation. It is especially crucial that we spend a long time on the first stage of emptiness meditation: identifying the negated object. This means identifying within our own consciousness how our self-grasping is perceiving and conceiving a phenomena to exist; identifying the conceived object of that mind - an inherently existent body for example. If we cannot identify the body that we normally perceive, when we do an "ultimate search" we will fall to extremes and be unable to apprehend the emptiness of that body.
It is really when we also study dependent-relationship that our ability to distinguish between the conceived object of self-grasping and the phenomena that does exist will become more clear, and we will fall to extremes less because the negated object becomes very apparent. We need to read commentaries about identifying the negated object, and we especially need to spend a lot of time trying in and out of meditation to accurately identify it. If we don't do this we will keep feeling confused by the next three stages of meditation because we won't be clear what we're looking for. Like when you go back to your room to get something and can't remember what you went to get, you won't be able to find it. You can't find the emptiness of a thing if you don't know what the thing is you're looking for, and so, you cannot absorb into space-like emptiness, so what experience is there to apply in daily life?
If we have done the first stage correctly, the remaining three work perfectly in bringing us to a non-conceptual concentration in emptiness. When we arise from that, our understanding of what we are perceiving in daily life is very different, more refined. In meditation we experienced the truth - the irritating person we normally perceive does not exist - and when we encounter the person again we need to remember that truth we found rather than doubting that truth and believing the person truly is irritating from their side. The depth we penetrate emptiness with concentration will determine how effective we apply that experience out of meditation. We will know from our own investigation how we are perceiving things, and that these things we normally perceive do not exist how we perceive them. When someone says "the things we normally perceive" we will know exactly what they mean, and we won't get so angry, so attached and so on. The very appearance of things will start reminding us and connecting us with their emptiness and this becomes another stage of training - the union of appearance and emptiness, and the relationship between this and the union of our mind and the Guru becomes more spacious and refined.
Unfortunately, the real problem preventing a successful application of this knowledge in our daily life is we do not fully appreciate the situation we and others are in, so we don't realize how incredibly urgent it is to experience emptiness! If we truly appreciate the predicament we're in, we automatically put daily effort to our practice of the Profound. Therefore, the most practical advice for using emptiness teachings is to first develop an appreciation of the nightmare we're all in. As the saying goes, 'if you think nothing's wrong, you're not paying attention'!
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Dsiluvu,
Also, the layman will not be able to penetrate deeply into the real meaning from a brief description in layman's terms. However, we can get a general idea that things do not exist from their own side by considering a couple simple examples.
We tend to just react to things in our life without considering the mechanics of what is going on or how our mind is involved. When we discuss movies, we talk of a bad movie or a great movie as if the movie is good or bad from its own side regardless of our opinion, yet two people can have completely different experiences. In fact, we ourself even view a movie differently at different times. If the qualities were from the side of the movie itself, how could the quality of the movie change so much?
Similarly, someone we find attractive may be unattractive to our friend, so where is the real attractive person? Likewise, someone or something we find annoying may be very delightful to a lojong practitioner, so where is the real annoying person?
Thinking like this helps us understand how our mind is determining the quality of our experiences and therefore shows us directly how we have freedom to change our experience through changing our view. Yet even at this basic level, if we do not proactively question our reality and our mental relationship to it, this knowledge will not bring us peace or control.
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Wisdom realizing emptiness is like medicine because it completely removes our suffering; therefore, we should take this supreme remedy without fear. In general, someone wishing to make emptiness their principal practice should first gain experience of the basic practices of meditating on this precious human life, impermanence, actions and their effects, and all the stages of the path that lead up to conventional bodhichitta. This is the most important of all.
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Love emptiness
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Thank you for the teaching psylotripitaka
With folded hands, feels like reading the Lamrim and great pointers that if we do not have a realisation of how dangerous and how much suffering we endure in samsara we will never look to even read or practice to realise emptiness.
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Have you meditated on emptiness yet today?
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I think a lot can be realized when one meditating on emptiness. Ones sufferings can be lessen just by meditating on emptiness because it will lead you to thinking about the precious human life that we have and everything else is less important than to make full use of this life knowingly it is very short. By developing this realization of impermanence, karma and emptiness also will make one's life to breathe easier and let go a lot of unnecessary sufferings. When a matter rises that ridicules our life, it won't be bothered too much and that is how we can make ourselves happier.
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Nice... Thank you psylotripitaka for your thoughts on this matter. I think we should as Buddhist pursue a certain level of intellectual understanding of emptiness. It helps us on my levels and we actually need lotsa merits just to have intellectual understanding of this subject matter. I myself have not spent much time pursuing this subject matter as yet but I did a little bit of reading on shunyata or emptiness as we know it.
As you have mentioned that it is actually the nature reality and in Buddhism we call it the Ultimate truth, perfection of wisdom. Hence, it is actually not something we can describe with words easily. Hence Chandrakirti devised a system of negation or the prasangika approach towards coming to an understanding of emptiness. A simple way to understanding this is that Empiness it not nirvana and not samsara as well. So, you keep negating according to the rules set forth by Chandrakirti and you would arrive on the conceptual understanding of emptiness. That's what I know...
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A simple way to understanding this is that Empiness it not nirvana and not samsara as well.
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso states that, while emptiness is not an actual nirvana, which is a true cessation and a liberation, “a nirvana is necessarily emptiness, ultimate truth” (Ocean of Nectar, p. 358).
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I think we should as Buddhist pursue a certain level of intellectual understanding of emptiness.
Dear Big Uncle,
I would say overall that I believe we do not meditate enough in general, and especially not enough single-pointed meditation on emptiness. There is certainly a need for study to become clear, but more oft than not in this degenerate age, when examining our personal time closely, we clearly prefer the stimulation of intellect over actual concentration on virtuous objects. I mean no disrespect at all in saying this, but gaining deep meditative stabilization on emptiness immediately is infinitely more important than trying to figure out whether emptiness is nirvana or not. In some ways, it is enough to know that if we realize emptiness directly, we attain nirvana. Just that knowledge itself should motivate us to concentrate on it single-pointedly as often as possible. If that basic knowledge isn't very moving, this indicates that the full gravity of our predicament has not really hit us yet.
I appreciate study, and I've done a great deal of it for over 20years, but it was Marpa Lotsawa's words in a song to Jetsun Milarepa that hit me strong - (paraphrasing as I don't have the book with me): that sometimes the search for more teachings itself becomes an obstacle; that we should concentrate on those things that touch our heart.
What I see is that time is running out very quickly, not just for Dharma, but for us as an individual. I have begun to really appreciate what elderly folks mean when they say life passes in the blink of an eye. If we spend most of our time studying rather than meditating on the essentially points of the instructions, what a shame to have missed out on a golden opportunity to go deep, and go far.
Imprints of studying Dharma are wonderful. Imprints of realizing Dharma is even better.
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Hello Psylo,
Namaste. Thank you so much for your encouragements in highlighting the importance of meditation... and meditating on emptiness. I am far from doing this, I must admit :-[, and I should start to make it regular :) Is there a good book you can recommend for beginners like me?
I do agree it is very much needed for us to live happier and from us being happier within, I believe we can transfer that energy out to others.
Is meditating on death a good start? I find that this meditation helps me to let go of a lot of silly big or small things that bother me during my day. Breathing properly helps to calm the mind down and brings it back to focus on solving a problem at hand especially for someone who is always on the move. What would you recommend to the modern busy people who are new in Buddhist practice?
Many blessings to you...
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Dear dsiluvu,
In general breathing and impermanence meditation are great, but we are talking about emptiness here. I would recommend starting with a very concise explanation of the stages of meditating on emptiness. Short recipes are easier to get cooking!
Then, having done some short concise preliminary practices to purify negativity, accumulate positive energy and receive blessings, try to meditate on the subject.
I'd sprinkle on some oral teachings about the emptiness, and supplementing our meditation with reading a little bit more to deepen our understanding is absolutely necessary, but being gradual and taking time to consider the meaning of even one sentence will be very revealing.
The most concise description of emptiness meditation I've found is in Geshe Kelsang Gyatso's book The New Meditation Handbook. There are many books covering the subject but as a beginner we should keep it simple.
A well cooked meal is a delight to eat, but hey, even some of the ingredients on their own are tasty too!
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I would say overall that I believe we do not meditate enough in general, and especially not enough single-pointed meditation on emptiness.
A rather useless belief. One should care about one's own meditation, rather than going around posting unwarranted guesses about the meditation of others.
There is certainly a need for study to become clear, but more oft than not in this degenerate age, when examining our personal time closely, we clearly prefer the stimulation of intellect over actual concentration on virtuous objects.
Again a useless, unwarranted guess. Please talk about your own personal time and how virtuously or not you use it, which might be a most fascinating topic for many of us, but please refrain from advancing fanciful, patronizing, and self-promoting opinions about others.
Unless, of course, your usage of “we” and “our” is just the royal plural, as when Maggie Thatcher majestically announced that '“we” became a grandmother', or the patronizing plural, in a self-sanctifying priest-like way, to “consolate” others by suggesting that they are not alone in the sad situation you describe.
I mean no disrespect at all in saying this, but gaining deep meditative stabilization on emptiness immediately is infinitely more important than trying to figure out whether emptiness is nirvana or not.
It sounds rather ridiculous your “deep meditative stabilization” on something whose meaning you cannot even figure out. “Meditating” on something one does not understand or cannot figure out is surely the pastime of the fool.
If understanding the meanings of “emptiness” and “nirvana”, together with their distinctions, were not important and essential, then surely all the teachers, from Buddha Shakyamuni down to our lineage and present teachers, such as Je Tsongkhapa, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, and many others, would not take great pains to offer us careful and precise explanations about such meanings and distinctions, such as the previously one quoted from “Ocean of Nectar”.
Dismissing such teachings and their importance shows indeed a grossly disrespectful attitude not only towards the Dharma, but also towards all the direct and lineage gurus. You dismiss such essential teachings not because they are not important and essential, but only because you are unable to take them as personal instructions, because you are unable to make sense out of them, and because you are unable to integrate them into your meditation, let alone into your daily life.
The teaching of the old Kadampas, so much emphasized by the great and glorious Pabongkha Rinpoche, and exhaustively confirmed by his foremost disciple Trijang Rinpoche, is never to dismiss even one syllable of the holy Dharma, which would be tantamount to the great fault of abandoning Dharma, and always to take every single teaching as a personal instruction essential to reach nirvana. This is precisely what you fail to do when you dismiss correct understanding.
But how can you aspire nirvana, let alone reach it, if you cannot even understand its meaning? And how can you meditate on emptiness, let alone gain “deep meditative stabilization” on it, if you thoroughly dismiss the importance of understanding precisely what “emptiness” is or is not? If you cannot tell “nirvana“ from “emptiness”, you foolishly deceive yourself trying to gain that which is already there, and trying to “meditate“ in order to “realize” that which does not exist.
One cannot meditate on what one has not thoughtfully contemplated, and one cannot thoughtfully contemplate what one has not previously studied or heard. First to study or listen, then to think on what was studied or listened, and only then to meditate on what was thought, these are the steps taught by the Buddha, which you obviously want to abolish by proposing that people “deeply meditate” on that which they have not thoughtfully contemplated, on that which they have no clue about.
In some ways, it is enough to know that if we realize emptiness directly, we attain nirvana.
But then how can you “realize emptiness directly“ if you cannot even tell emptiness from nirvana, and if you arrogantly dismiss the careful explanations of the great teachers who took great pains to precisely point out their respective meanings and distinctions?
Just that knowledge itself should motivate us to concentrate on it single-pointedly as often as possible.
Where is the “knowledge“ if you dismiss the explanations on the meaning of the emptiness to be meditated upon, and on the meaning of the nirvana to be attained? If you dismiss the knowledge of both the path and the goal, together with the precious explanations by the great teachers about them, you are surely highly motivated to meditate only on your own pointless fantasies.
If that basic knowledge isn't very moving, this indicates that the full gravity of our predicament has not really hit us yet.
Forgetting about the “predicament” of others, the full gravity of your own predicament, which has clearly not hit you yet, is that you want foolishly to “meditate” on an “emptiness“ whose meaning you refuse to figure out, in order to attain a “nirvana” whose meaning you refuse to figure out too.
I appreciate study, and I've done a great deal of it for over 20years,
If so, why do you dismiss its importance now? This is a clear sign that your 20 years were uselessly wasted with a misguided and incorrectly motivated intellectual learning which you call “study“,
but it was Marpa Lotsawa's words in a song to Jetsun Milarepa that hit me strong - (paraphrasing as I don't have the book with me): that sometimes the search for more teachings itself becomes an obstacle; that we should concentrate on those things that touch our heart.
The meanings of emptiness and nirvana obviously did not touch your heart therefore, right? Maybe you should have chosen another subject to study, something which would have touched your heart, rather than Buddhadharma with its meaningless (to you) talks about “emptiness“ and “nirvana”.
What I see is that time is running out very quickly, not just for Dharma, but for us as an individual.
If so, why don't you try to learn Dharma with a correct attitude, rather than dismissing the teachings as “unimportant”, and why don you try to take each and every teaching as personal instruction instead of just “intellectual excitation” as you have confessedly done for the past 20 years, which is obviously why you have developed the pompous, patronizing, priest-like, hypocritical attitude of displaying a false concern for the time which is running 'for “us” as an individual' while obviously failing to take care of yourself and of your own time.
I have begun to really appreciate what elderly folks mean when they say life passes in the blink of an eye. If we spend most of our time studying rather than meditating on the essentially points of the instructions, what a shame to have missed out on a golden opportunity to go deep, and go far.
If you had studied with the proper motivation, this very study would have brought you to fruitful meditation, rather than being the waste that even you recognize it was in your case. And since your “meditation“ is not the outcome of proper study, it is not an actual meditation but just a hollow pretense serving only to inflate your ego and make you so grossly dismissive of the Dharma.
Imprints of studying Dharma are wonderful. Imprints of realizing Dharma is even better.
The sad thing is that your imprints are neither of studying nor of realizing Dharma, but rather of dismissing and abandoning it, and of uselessly wasting your life with wrong study and wrong meditation, thus becoming the hypocritical, preposterous teacher of that which you do not practise yourself.
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Jspitanga,
Thank you for taking the time to share your perceptions. On most accounts you have simply misinterpreted my meaning, indeed much of what you say is very sound. I just want to make clear that my general comments about people's tendencies are not based on guesses but observation and conversations with many people that share their daily practice habits. I apologize if you were offended by that. I do want to point out here though that the very patronizing unwarranted guesses about other meditators that you accuse me of is exactly what you have done to me here. Its ok though, I understand the useful dynamic of dialogue that gathers clarification while teaching many valuable lessons for everybody. Thank you!
My meaning is we should strive to gain deep experience of emptiness as soon as possible and of course that includes study. I have not been dismissive or disrespectful of the teachings, merely pointing out the need to try getting some actual experience in meditation based on concise explanations initially rather than get too overwhelmed by the incredibly intricate philosophy of the two truths too quickly.
If you had read my previous posts in this thread you would see that I am definitely not dismissive of stages of meditation or fine tuning our understanding to refine its accuracy. Therefore, of course it is essential to refine our understanding of many points in this subject, I'm merely saying not to get too overwhelmed by excessive thinking while neglecting actual meditation.
In your last few paragraphs you offer a wonderful account of how incredibly foolish I am having failed to take of myself and my own time. This will be the last post. I hope some people have found elements of my ramblings useful. Jspitanga, thank you for pointing out all this to me and showing me the import of correct practice. Through our karma together may you swiftly reach the final Union.
Much love to everyone,
psylotripitaka
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Thank you, all contributors on this article. On reading the opinions, although the greatest wisdom is realizing emptiness, it is not an easy practice nor realisation.
Reading all the comments, it is important to intellectually have an idea what is emptiness, ponder and contemplate it every moment and with practice to realise emptiness. I have not as yet have such a wisdom realisation but I can visualise how beautiful and serene our mind can be with perfect emptiness as a state of being. Imagine the beautify we can absorb for realising the nature of things. There will be no projections nor emotions, pure ease of equanimity.
One troubling question? Will that mean, we will not even having feelings of compassion or kindness when we realise emptiness? I wish I can figure this out.
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Dondrup Shugden,
Did Buddha lose his love and compassion when he realized emptiness?
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Dear Chokyi Dorje,
Thank you for the kind question. I understand now. Sometimes being foolish gets great support.