Attentiveness

Attentiveness is the path to true life;
Indifference is the path to death.
The attentive do not die;
The indifferent are as if they are dead already.

Buddha Shakyamuni From: The Dhammapada

Buddha said

"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”
Siddhartha Gautama Buddha

EATING WITH AWARENESS

When you eat with awareness, you find that there is more space, more
beauty. You begin to watch yourself, to see yourself, and you notice
how clumsy you are or how accurate you are. You notice the way you
pick up your fork and knife, and the way you put the food in your
mouth. When you practice awareness, everything becomes majestic and
good. You begin to see that you have been leading a different kind of
life in the past. You had the essence of mindfulness already, but you
hadn't discovered it. So when you make an effort to eat mindfully...,
you find that life is worth much more than you had expected.

From "Introduction to Practice," in the 1979 Seminary Transcripts,
pages 4 to 5.

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used
by permission.

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FREEDOM FROM HABITUAL TENDENCIES

There are all kinds of habitual tendencies that are connected with
holding on to what we are. People get divorced because they think
they might find a better mate. People change restaurants because they
think they might get cheaper and better food. The habitual patterns
of ego work that way. The notion of enlightenment is a sense of
freedom from those patterns. And the way to attain that freedom is by
means of the sitting practice of meditation. In sitting practice, we
look at our minds, and we maintain good posture. When we combine body
and mind that way, we find ourselves emulating the Buddha -- the way
to be properly. Then we begin to develop sympathy toward ourselves,
rather than just holding on.

From "Manifesting Enlightenment," in THE HEART OF THE BUDDHA, pages
212 to 213.

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by permission.

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Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications, the Archive of
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PERCEPTION AND PERCEIVER

PERCEPTION AND PERCEIVER

The feminine principle is the perception of colors, directions, time. Thus it is the manifestation of the colorful aspect of the world. Without it, there is no perceiver of this. The perceiver is the masculine principle. In this framework, the masculine principle is not regarded as the master dominating the scene. Moreover, we are not saying that the feminine principle belongs to women and the masculine principle to men. Wherever there is a perceiver, that is the masculine principle; wherever there is a perception, that is the feminine principle.

From "Femininity," in THE COLLECTED WORKS OF CHOGYAM TRUNGPA, Volume Six, page 565.

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

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The Great Eastern Sun Vision:

The Great Eastern Sun Vision:
Is the expression of true human goodness, based not on arrogance or
aggression,
but on gentleness and openness. It is the way of the warrior.

The essence of this way or path is transcending cowardice and
manifesting bravery...

The fundamental aspect of bravery is being without deception.
Deception in this case is self-deception,
doubting yourself so that you are cut off from the vision of the
Great Eastern Sun.

âChogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, From: Shambhala - The Sacred Path of the
Warrior, Shambhala Publications

FEMININE INSPIRATION

Feminine inspiration projects a world which it can regard as workable and friendly since it is its own creation.....An aspect of feminine inspiration is regarding what you have created as sacred. You have created Buddhism, Christianity, Sufism -- it is your production. Since it is fully yours, respect it, work with it. These teachings did not come from somewhere else; your own openness gave birth to them. Moreover, you gave birth to pleasure and pain. You built Paris, London, New York City. You produced the president of the United States. These things are the product of feminine inspiration.

From "Femininity," in THE COLLECTED WORKS OF CHOGYAM TRUNGPA, Volume Six, page 564.

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

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POVERTY IS ALSO RICHNESS

The buddha of the human realm is a buddha with a begging bowl. This represents the mentality of poverty, which is the largest concern of the human realm. In order to relate with poverty, you have to speak the language of poverty. But by carrying a begging bowl, in fact, it is as though you always have something to put things into. In other words, the ultimate mentality of poverty is also the mentality of richness at the same time. Whatever situations need to be created, you can create them, and you get it. You are in command of the whole situation. So that is being extremely wealthy.

From "The Human Realm," in TRANSCENDING MADNESS: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SIX BARDOS, page 247.

Meditation _Awareness of Whatever Occurs

As long as you maintain awareness or mindfulness, no matter what
happens when you practice, your practice is meditation. If you watch
your thoughts, that is meditation. If you can't watch your thoughts,
that is meditation, too. Any of these experiences can be supports for
meditation. The essential thing is to maintain awareness, no matter
what thoughts, emotions, or sensations occur. If you remember that
awareness of whatever occurs is meditation, then meditation becomes
much easier than you think.

âYongey Mingyur Rinpoche, From: The Joy Of Living, Harmony Books

Mark Twain on Madness

in one way or another all men are mad. Many are mad for money...Love is a madness...it can grow to a frenzy of despair ... All the whole list of desires, predilections, aversions, ambitions, passions, cares, griefs, regrets, remorses, are incipience madness, and ready to grow, spread and consume, when the occasion comes. There are no healthy minds, and nothing saves any man but accident--the accident of not having his malady put to the supreme test.
One of the commonest forms of madness is the desire to be noticed, the pleasure derived from being noticed. Perhaps it is not merely common, but universal.
- "The Memorable Assassination" Mark Twain

http://www.twainquotes.com/Madness.html

Signs of Successful Practice and the Signs of the Purification of Your Harmful Acts

In particular it is said that you will experience a feeling of
physical buoyancy,
little need for sleep, good health, clear thinking, and glimpses of
realization.

âJamgon Kongtrul, The Torch of Certainty, Pg. 82, Shambhala
Publications

Zen Master Dogen

Where the great function turns, entire sky moves.
Penetrate; no trace on thread road.
Alone I sing in the balcony, only moon color
dyes clouds. Winter shower moistens burning haze.


Zen Master Dogen, From: Moon In A Dewdrop, North Point Press

SIT AND DO NOTHING

The world can be explored; it is workable, wherever you go, whatever
you do. But I would like to plant one basic seed in your mind: I feel
that it is absolutely important to make the practice of meditation
your source of strength, your source of basic intelligence. Please
think about that. You could sit down and do nothing, just sit and do
nothing. Stop acting, stop speeding. Sit and do nothing. You should
take pride in the fact that you have learned a very valuable message:
You actually can survive beautifully by doing nothing.

In THE POCKET CHOGYAM TRUNGPA, page 177. Originally from "Maha Ati,"
in JOURNEY WITHOUT GOAL, page 142.


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Emotional Compassion & Compassion

You do not have to feel compassion.
That is the distinction between emotional compassion and compassion:
You do not necessarily feel it; you are it.
Usually, if you are open, compassion happens because
you are not preoccupied with some kind of self-indulgence.

âChogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, From: Cutting Through Spiritual
Materialsm, Shambhala Publications

EGOLESS COMMON SENSE

Decision making based on accepting a situation is expressing faith and gentleness; therefore, it could be said to be compassion. Once you see the situation as it is, then you just involve yourself in it and it takes you along. In fact, you can tell what the end is going to be. That is developing egoless common sense. Egoless common sense is not based on "because-of-anything," but it is based on "it-will-be-so." You could project your future quite accurately or take the right path quite accurately if you had that general egoless common sense. With such precision and clarity, as well as egolessness, you are not dwelling on hope or fear. Then things take place naturally.

From "The Bardo of Dreams," in TRANSCENDING MADNESS: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SIX BARDOS, page112.

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Tension

Student: If you make a decision, it is going to bring you tension, because you don't know how it is going to work out, whether it's a good or bad decision. Do you just go along and accept it?

Chogyam Trungpa: Ultimately, decisions don't come out in terms of yes and no, black and white. The ultimate answer, so to speak, would say you're right, but at the same time you are wrong. [Understanding that,] releases tension, the ultimate tension. If you are involved with something and if you reject or accept it absolutely, one hundred percent, then the tension is going to remain all the time. There is no way of solving the problem of tension by making black-and-white decisions, in other words. The only way of transcending that tension is through the acceptance of all aspects.Nothing is going to be a magic sedative. But strangely enough, once you begin to accept that, then half of the problem has been solved.

From "The Bardo of Dreams," in TRANSCENDING MADNESS: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SIX BARDOS, page109.

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THE WARRIOR'S WEAPONS

If victory is the notion of no enemy, then the whole world is a friend. That seems to be the warrior's philosophy. The true warrior is not like somebody carrying a sword and looking behind his own shadow, in case somebody is lurking there. That is the setting-sun warrior's point of view, which is an expression of cowardice. The true warrior always has a weapon, in any case....The definition of warriorship is fearlessness and gentleness. Those are your weapons. The genuine warrior becomes truly gentle because there is no enemy at all.

From the manuscript of CONQUERING FEAR: THE HEART OF SHAMBHALA. Forthcoming from Shambhala Publications in 2009.


All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

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Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
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SPIRITUAL SUPERMARKET

The study of spiritual materialism is very important. Some people
tell you to hold your breath, and you'll feel blissful. Some people
tell you to breathe out, and you'll feel blissful. Some people tell
you to eat a carrot right now! Some people say, "Stand on your
head." Some people say "Sit, then stand on one foot, then lie down
on your back and have a good massage." Or swim in cold water and that
will help you. Swim in hot water -- that will help you. Reading
this might help you. Say these few words over and over to
yourself. Or shout your words; project out. Dive in. Dive
out. Wear certain clothes. Get a certain hair cut. Do certain eye
gazes. People suggest all sorts of things, which is what's known as
the "spiritual supermarket." All these trips have been laid on the
poor Americans. We could call this spiritual democracy. It doesn't
particularly help. However, America remains a great field of
spiritual fertility. Fertile situations occur constantly, all the
time. Trying to work with this American mentality and bring it
together with the Buddhist tradition of orthodoxy, at the same time,
creates a good balance.

Edited from an unpublished transcript VIEWING AND WORKING WITH THE
PHENOMENAL WORLD, a seminar at Naropa Institute, Talk One, June 10, 1976.

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used
by permission.

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Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
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Giving Fearlessness

"Giving fearlessness" means curing disease, protecting others from misfortune,
directing them out of chasms, escorting them out of danger
and removing hindrances to their achievement of siddhi and moral conduct.
Truly, practice this type of generosity as much as you can.
Protect others from the "four injuries" :
legal punishment, enemies, thieves, and wild animals.
Then pray for the ability to save them from the miseries of the three lower realms.


Jamgon Kongtrul, The Torch of Certainty, Shambhala Publications

THE MOMENT OF ENLIGHTENMENT

Before Prince Siddhartha became the Buddha, he realized things were not quite right in his world. Neurosis was continuously spreading in his kingdom. He decided to reject any approach to life that made him purely comfortable and happy and to search for some psychological sanity beyond that. He thought that meditating and studying with the holy men of the time would help him. Then he would be able to rule his kingdom and be a better king. He left his palace and studied with various gurus, who taught him all kinds of techniques: holding his breath, not holding his breath, sitting in different postures doing spiritual acrobatics, and many other approaches. But he found these techniques kept his mind very busy, rather than being simple and alone.
Having practiced for six years, he still had doubts about what he was doing. Then, it occurred to him that life is not so much a question of gain and loss. Instead, life is full of reality, and that reality rests in the mind. He realized that mind is constantly speeding, on and on. So Prince Siddhartha decided to stop that speed. He decided to sit and meditate under a bodhi tree on the banks of the Nairanjana River. His austerity had not proven to be the best way, so he decided to give that up. After sitting for a long time, not much happened. Then, he got up and walked around, and he was offered a drink of milk by a friend. He settled himself on a comfortable seat made of kusha grass. He began to relax and meditate again. At that moment, when he relaxed, the whole struggle began to dissolve. He realized that he shouldn't push so hard, but that he could give in and let himself go. That was the moment of enlightenment, which was not all that dramatic.

Edited from an unpublished transcript VIEWING AND WORKING WITH THE PHENOMENAL WORLD, a seminar at Naropa Institute, Talk One, June 10, 1976.

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission.

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Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
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