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September 04 Truth in advertising?SACREDNESS IN ART A good work of art always reflects a notion of sacredness within it....A work of art is created because there is basic sacredness, independent of the artist's particular religious faith or trust. That sacredness is the aspect of heaven, which creates an umbrella, so to speak, that becomes very powerful and very real. At that point, human dignity is more important than the particular religion or discipline a person came from. That sounds great, don't you think? Sacredness from that point of view is the discovery of goodness, which is independent of personal, social, or physical restrictions. From "Heaven, Earth and Man" in DHARMA ART, page 142 in Volume Seven of THE COLLECTED WORKS OF CHOGYAM TRUNGPA. OF INTEREST TO READERS: A new edition of DHARMA ART, containing additional material and a new introduction and preface, will be published by Shambhala Publications in November 2008. The book will appear under a new title: TRUE PERCEPTION: THE PATH OF DHARMA ART. To preorder your copy at a 20% discount, go to: http://www.shambhala.com/html/catalog/items/isbn/978-1-59030-588-1.cfm All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission. September 02 Seasons change!THE POWER OF AN AUTUMN LEAF In working with the setting sun or confused world, the attitude of the warrior is like an autumn leaf floating down a river. It doesn't change its color, and it doesn't struggle with the river. It goes along with it. This has a natural effect, because the brook or the river has never carried such an autumn leaf before. The setting sun world will be uncertain what to do with this leaf. So by simply being there, you make people think twice, automatically. It puts people on the spot when you don't react to them. You don't fight back when they attack you, but you just remain as an autumn leaf, whatever they do. This is the gentle way of working. If there are hundreds of thousands of autumn leaves coming down a small brook, then the appearance of the brook will be changed by them altogether. The joke is on the setting sun people, and they have to think twice. They might smile and pretend to laugh, but really they will be crying, weeping. So you see, an autumn leaf has a great deal of power over the world of the setting sun. Such little leaves could stop the flow of water altogether. If there are enough powerful autumn leaves, that is possible. It has been done in the past. From CONQUERING FEAR: THE HEART OF WARRIORSHIP, forthcoming from Shambhala Publications in 2009. All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission. August 30 Trees are listening as wellOcean of Dharma Quotes of the Week August 14, 2008 OUTRAGEOUS DHARMA The reason dharma is regarded as sacred as opposed to other things, as opposed to a-dharmas or anti-dharmas, is because its contents are outrageous, in that the contents are in touch with the energy of the world, the cosmic flow, so to speak, of the world. So there is almost a magical element in that. And in fact the dharma is not the dharma particularly because it's so sensible and so true in the ordinary sense; therefore it is workable and it works. Rather, there is that element of the magical quality of dharma. So the unconditioned truth, the unconditioned dharma, has extraordinary power in it. From "The First Foundation: Mindfulness of Body," in the 1973 Hinayana-Mahayana Transcripts, page 38. All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission. August 29 Here it comes!RIDING THE OX OF MIND There are several levels of mindfulness one can achieve. It is like the images shown in the ox-herding pictures from the Zen tradition. First, there is a sense of watching yourself (searching for the ox.) And then there is a sense that you don't actually have to watch yourself, because you can feel your own footprint; (finding the footprint of the ox). That is a level of how confident you are with yourself. And then as you go along, you begin to feel that you are very much in control of everything. (You find the ox and tame it.) The sense of being is always present there. You could ride on yourself (the ox), and play a flute as you ride along. The sense of well-being is so solid, so definite, you can even extend greater awareness of, not only the sense of being or body, but the sense of well-being, of livelihood -- which leads to further levels of mindfulness. From "The First Foundation: Mindfulness of Body," in the 1973 Hinayana-Mahayana Transcripts, page 45. All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission. August 19 meditate great!Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week August 17, 2008 MEDITATION IS A SACRED ACTIVITY When a person sits and meditates, it is a special situation; it is a sacred act of some kind. It has been said by Petrul Rinpoche, a great teacher about 100 years ago, that even if you have impure thoughts in the meditation hall, those thoughts are regarded as sacred thoughts. The most impure, most crude or confused thoughts, even those are regarded as sacred thoughts. Along with that, a sense of appreciating the discipline is in itself important, whether you have accomplished the discipline over all or not. If you fall asleep on your cushion, or feel that you haven't actually sat and meditated at all -- as soon as you sit on your cushion, you begin to mentally venture out all over the world, and the only thing that reminds you is when the ending gong sounds and you realize you are meditating, supposedly, physically -- even then, even such daydreams and things like that are important. Meditation is a sacred activity. From "The First Foundation: Mindfulness of Body," in the 1973 Hinayana-Mahayana Transcripts, page 39. All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission. August 16 Narayana PurushottamaWhat does the Purusha Suktam talk about?The Purusha in the title of the Purusha Sukta refers to the Parama Purusha, Purushottama, Narayana, in his form as the ViraaT Purusha. He was the source of all creation. It describes this form of his, as having countless heads, eyes, legs, manifested everywhere, and beyond the scope of any limited method of comprehension. All creation is but a fourth part of him. The rest is unmanifested. Purusha as Brahma remained inactive, and Aniruddha Narayana, one of the four aspects of Narayana in the first tier at the base of the Vishaaka Yoopa, asked him ``Why do you do nothing?'' ``Because of not knowing,'' Brahma replied. ``Perform a yajna. Your senses, the devas, shall be the ritviks. Your body shall be the havis. Your heart, the altar. And I shall be he who enjoys the havis -- the offering. From your body sacrificed, shall you create bodies for all living creatures, as you have done in kalpas before this.'' Thus says the sAkalya brAmhaNA. This yajna was called ``sarvahut'', the offering of all. The act of creation itself grew out of yajna, the rite of sacrifice. Who was worshipped at this sacrifice? It was the Purusha. Who performed it? Brahma, the creative aspect of the Purusha. Who were the ritvik priests ? The devas, who are the Purusha's senses. Who was tied as the beast of the sacrifice? Brahma, again. What was barhis, the altar of the sacrifice? All of nature. Who was the fire? The Purusha's heart. What was sacrificed? Again, the Purusha himself, his great body that contained all of creation. In a way, this is a message of love, that the Purusha would consume himself in the fire of creation, to create all the worlds. From this sacrifice did all of creation emanate. This is central to the message of the Purusha Sukta. vedAhametam purusham mahAntam Aditya varNam tamasaH parastAt | tam evam vidvAn amRta iha bhavati na anyaH panthA vidyate 'yanaaya || This great Purusha, brilliant as the sun, who August 13 Two hundred and eight years !Lives of Of the Seven Sleepers. The seven sleepers were born in the city of Ephesus. And when Decius the emperor came into Ephesus for the persecution of christian men, he commanded to edify the temples in the middle of the city, so that all should come with him to do sacrifice to the idols, and did do seek all the christian people, and bind them for to make them to do sacrifice, or else to put them to death; in such wise that every man was afeard of the pains that he promised, that the friend forsook his friend, and the son renied his father, and the father the son. And then in this city were founden seven christian men, that is to wit, Maximian, Malchus, Marcianus, Denis, John, Serapion, and Constantine. And when they saw this, they had much sorrow, and because they were the first in the palace that despised the sacrifices, they hid them in their houses, and were in fastings and in prayers. And then they were accused tofore Decius, and came thither, and were found very christian men. Then was given to them space for to repent them, unto the coming again of Decius. And in the meanwhile they dispended their patrimony in alms to the poor people; and assembled them together, and took counsel, and went to the mount of Celion, and there ordained to be more secretly, and there hid them long time. And one of them administered and served them always. And when he went into the city, he clothed him in the habit of a beggar. When Decius was come again, he commanded that they should be fetched, and then Malchus, which was their servant and ministered to them meat and drink, returned in great dread to his fellows, and told and showed to them the great fury and woodness of them, and then were they sore afraid. And Malchus set tofore them the loaves of bread that he had brought, so that they were comforted of the meat, and were more strong for to suffer torments. And when they had taken their refection and sat in weeping and wailings, suddenly, as God would, they slept, and when it came on the morn they were sought and could not be found. Wherefore Decius was sorrowful because he had lost such young men. And then they were accused that they were hid in the mount of Celion, and had given their goods to poor men, and yet abode in their purpose. And then commanded Decius that their kindred should come to him, and menaced them to the death if they said not of them all that they knew. And they accused them, and complained that they had dispended all their riches. Then Decius thought what he should do with them, and, as our Lord would, he enclosed the mouth of the cave wherein they were with stones, to the end that they should die therein for hunger and fault of meat. Then the ministers and two christian men, Theodorus and Rufinus, wrote their martyrdom and laid it subtlely among the stones. And when Decius was dead, and all that generation, three hundred and sixty-two years after, and the thirtieth year of Theodosius the emperor, when the heresy was of them that denied the resurrection of dead bodies, and began to grow; Theodosius, then the most christian emperor, being sorrowful that the faith of our Lord was so felonously demened, for anger and heaviness he clad him in hair and wept every day in a secret place, and led a full holy life, which God, merciful and piteous, seeing, would comfort them that were sorrowful and weeping, and give to them esperance and hope of the resurrection of dead men, and opened the precious treasure of his pity, and raised the foresaid martyrs in this manner following. He put in the will of a burgess of Ephesus that he would make in that mountain, which was desert and aspre, a stable for his pasturers and herdmen. And it happed that of adventure the masons, that made the said stable, opened this cave. And then these holy saints, that were within, awoke and were raised and intersalued each other, and had supposed verily that they had slept but one night only, and remembered of the heaviness that they had the day tofore. And then Malchus, which ministered to them, said what Decius had ordained of them, for he said: We have been sought, like as I said to you yesterday, for to do sacrifice to the idols, that is it that the emperor desireth of us. And then Maximian answered: God our Lord knoweth that we shall never sacrifice, and comforted his fellows. He commanded to Malchus to go and buy bread in the city, and bade him bring more than he did yesterday, and also to enquire and demand what the emperor had commanded to do. And then Malchus took five shillings, and issued out of the cave, and when he saw the masons and the stones tofore the cave, he began to bless him, and was much amarvelled. But he thought little on the stones, for he thought on other things. Then came he all doubtful to the gates of the city, and was all amarvelled. For he saw the sign of the cross about the gate, and then, without tarrying, he went to that other gate of the city, and found there also the sign of the cross thereon, and then he had great marvel, for upon every gate he saw set up the sign of the cross; and therewith the city was garnished. And then he blessed him and returned to the first gate, and weened he had dreamed; and after he advised and comforted himself and covered his visage and entered into the city. And when he came to the sellers of bread, and heard the men speak of God, yet then was he more abashed, and said: What is this, that no man yesterday durst name Jesu Christ, and now every man confesseth him to be christian? I trow this is not the city of Ephesus, for it is all otherwise builded. It is some other city, I wot not what. And when he demanded and heard verily that it was Ephesus, he supposed that he had erred, and thought verily to go again to his fellows, and then went to them that sold bread. And when he showed his money the sellers marvelled, and said that one to that other, that this young man had found some old treasure. And when Malchus saw them talk together, he doubted not that they would lead him to the emperor, and was sore afeard, and prayed them to let him go, and keep both money and bread, but they held him, and said to him: Of whence art thou? For thou hast found treasure of old emperors, show it to us, and we shall be fellows with thee and keep it secret. And Malchus was so afeard that he wist not what to say to them for dread. And when they saw that he spake not they put a cord about his neck, and drew him through the city unto the middle thereof. And tidings were had all about in the city that a young man had found ancient treasure, in such wise that all they of the city assembled about him, and he confessed there that he had found no treasure. And he beheld them all, but he could know no man there of his kindred ne lineage, which he had verily supposed that they had lived, but found none, wherefore he stood as he had been from himself, in the middle of the city. And when S. Martin the bishop, and Antipater the consul, which were new come into this city, heard of this thing they sent for him, that they should bring him wisely to them, and his money with him. And when he was brought to the church he weened well he should have been led to the Emperor Decius. And then the bishop and the consul marvelled of the money, and they demanded him where he had found this treasure unknown. And he answered that he had nothing founden, but it was come to him of his kindred and patrimony, and they demanded of him of what city he was. I wot well that I am of this city, if this be the city of Ephesus. And the judge said to him: Let thy kindred come and witness for thee. And he named them, but none knew them. And they said that he feigned, for to escape from them in some manner. And then said the judge: How may we believe thee that this money is come to thee of thy friends, when it appeareth in the scripture that it is more than three hundred and seventy-two years sith it was made and forged, and is of the first days of Decius the emperor, and it resembleth nothing to our money; and how may it come from thy lineage so long since, and thou art young and wouldst deceive the wise and ancient men of this city of Ephesus? And therefore I command that thou be demened after the law till thou hast confessed where thou hast found this money. Then Malchus kneeled down tofore them and said: For God's sake, lords, say ye to me that I shall demand you, and I shall tell to you all that I have in my heart. Decius the emperor that was in this city, where is he? And the bishop said to him there is no such at this day in the world that is named Decius, he was emperor many years since. And Malchus said: Sire, hereof I am greatly abashed and no man believeth me, for I wot well that we fled for fear of Decius the emperor, and I saw him, that yesterday he entered into this city, if this be the city of Ephesus. Then the bishop thought in himself, and said to the judge that, this is a vision that our Lord will have showed by this young man. Then said the young man: Follow ye me, and I shall show to you my fellows which be in the mount of Celion, and believe ye them. This know I well, that we fled from the face of the Emperor Decius. And then they went with him, and a great multitude of the people of the city with them. And Malchus entered first into the cave to his fellows, and the bishop next after him. And there found they among the stones the letters sealed with two seals of silver. And then the bishop called them that were come thither, and read them tofore them all, so that they that heard it were all abashed and amarvelled. And they saw the saints sitting in the cave, and their visages like unto roses flowering, and they, kneeling down, glorified God. And anon the bishop and the judge sent to Theodosius the emperor, praying him that he would come anon for to see the marvels of our Lord that he had late showed. And anon he arose up from the ground, and took off the sack in which he wept, and glorified our Lord. And came from Constantinople to Ephesus, and all they came against him, and ascended in to the mountain with him together, unto the saints in to the cave. And as soon as the blessed saints of our Lord saw the emperor come, their visages shone like to the sun. And the emperor entered then, and glorified our Lord and embraced them, weeping upon each of them, and said: I see you now like as I should see our Lord raising Lazarus. And then Maximian said to him: Believe us, for forsooth our Lord hath raised us tofore the day of the great resurrection. And to the end that thou believe firmly the resurrection of the dead people, verily we be raised as ye here see, and live. And in like wise as the child is in the womb of his mother without feeling harm or hurt, in the same wise we have been living and sleeping in Iying here without feeling of anything. And when they had said all this, they inclined their heads to the earth, and rendered their spirits at the command of our Lord Jesu Christ, and so died. Then the emperor arose, and fell on them, weeping strongly, and embraced them, and kissed them debonairly. And then he commanded to make precious sepulchres of gold and silver, and to bury their bodies therein. And in the same night they appeared to the emperor, and said to him that he should suffer them to lie on the earth like as they bad lain tofore till that time that our Lord had raised them, unto the time that they should rise again. Then commanded the emperor that the place should be adorned nobly and richly with precious stones, and all the bishops that would confess the resurrection should be assoiled. It is in doubt of that which is said that they slept three hundred and sixty-two years, for they were raised the year of our Lord four hundred and seventy-eight, and Decius reigned but one year and three months, and that was in the year of our Lord two hundred and seventy, and so they slept but two hundred and eight years.
August 07 Treasure!
Whatever spirits have gathered here, — on the earth, in the sky — may you all be happy & listen intently to what I say. Thus, spirits, you should all be attentive. Show kindness to the human race. Day & night they give offerings, so, being heedful, protect them. Whatever wealth — here or beyond — whatever exquisite treasure in the heavens, does not, for us, equal the Tathagata. This, too, is an exquisite treasure in the Buddha. By this truth may there be well-being. The exquisite Deathless — ending, dispassion — discovered by the Sakyan Sage in concentration: There is nothing to equal that Dhamma. This, too, is an exquisite treasure in the Dhamma. By this truth may there be well-being. What the excellent Awakened One extolled as pure and called the concentration of unmediated knowing: No equal to that concentration can be found. This, too, is an exquisite treasure in the Dhamma. By this truth may there be well-being. The eight persons — the four pairs — praised by those at peace: They, disciples of the One Well-Gone, deserve offerings. What is given to them bears great fruit. This, too, is an exquisite treasure in the Sangha. By this truth may there be well-being. Those who, devoted, firm-minded, apply themselves to Gotama's message, on attaining their goal, plunge into the Deathless, freely enjoying the Liberation they've gained. This, too, is an exquisite treasure in the Sangha. By this truth may there be well-being. An Indra pillar,1 planted in the earth, that even the four winds cannot shake: that, I tell you, is like the person of integrity, who — having comprehended the noble truths — sees. This, too, is an exquisite treasure in the Sangha. By this truth may there be well-being. Those who have seen clearly the noble truths well-taught by the one of deep discernment — regardless of what [later] might make them heedless — will come to no eighth state of becoming.2 This, too, is an exquisite treasure in the Sangha. By this truth may there be well-being. At the moment of attaining sight, one abandons three things: identity-views, uncertainty, & any attachment to precepts & practices.3 One is completely released from the four states of deprivation,4 and incapable of committing the six great wrongs.5 This, too, is an exquisite treasure in the Sangha. By this truth may there be well-being. Whatever bad deed one may do — in body, speech, or in mind — one cannot hide it: an incapability ascribed to one who has seen the Way. This, too, is an exquisite treasure in the Sangha. By this truth may there be well-being. Like a forest grove with flowering tops in the first month of the heat of the summer, so is the foremost Dhamma he taught, for the highest benefit, leading to Unbinding. This, too, is an exquisite treasure in the Buddha. By this truth may there be well-being. Foremost, foremost-knowing, foremost-giving, foremost-bringing, unexcelled, he taught the foremost Dhamma. This, too, is an exquisite treasure in the Buddha. By this truth may there be well-being. Ended the old, there is no new taking birth. dispassioned their minds toward further becoming, they, with no seed, no desire for growth, the prudent, go out like this flame. This, too, is an exquisite treasure in the Sangha. By this truth may there be well-being. Whatever spirits have gathered here, — on the earth, in the sky — let us pay homage to the Buddha, the Tathagata worshipped by beings human & divine. May there be well-being. Whatever spirits have gathered here, — on the earth, in the sky — let us pay homage to the Dhamma & the Tathagata worshipped by beings human & divine. May there be well-being. Whatever spirits have gathered here, — on the earth, in the sky — let us pay homage to the Sangha & the Tathagata worshipped by beings human & divine. May there be well-being. July 31 Gotama!
While wandering on I went to hell; went again & again to the world of the hungry shades; stayed countless times, long, in the pain of the animal womb; enjoyed the human state; went to heaven from time to time; settled in the elements of form, the elements of formlessness, neither-perception, perception-less. Ways of taking birth are now known: devoid of essence, unstable, conditioned, always driven along. Knowing them as born from my self, mindful I went right to peace. July 17 I Dig A Pony!I dig a pony Well you can celebrate anything you want Well you can celebrate anything you want Ooh. I do a road hog Well you can penetrate any place you go Yes you can penetrate any place you go I told you, all I want is you. Everything has got to be just like you want it to Because I pick a moon dog Well you can radiate everything you are Yes you can radiate everything you are Ooh I roll a stoney Well you can imitate everyone you know Yes you can imitate everyone you know I told you, all I want is you. Everything has got to be just like you want it to Because I feel the wind blow Well you can indicate everything you see Yes you can indicate everything you see Ooh I dug a pony Well you can syndicate any boat you row Yes you can syndicate any boat you row I told you, all I want is you Everything has got to bejust like you want it to Because Wengu Too!CONSORT OF ALL THE BUDDHAS Shunyata, which is emptiness or openness, is also described in terms of the feminine principle -- as the consort of all the buddhas. Prajna, or discriminating awareness, is described in terms of the feminine principle too -- as the mother of all the buddhas, she who gives birth to the very idea of enlightenment. This very notion of enlightenment was started by her, by prajna. But she who made the buddhas speak, communicate, is shunyata. This is because with shunyata there is a lot of room, openness, groundlessness. Therefore there is no fear of communicating with students, just as Buddha communicated with his disciples. In the situation of groundlessness, no one is standing on any ground, so communication can take place quite freely. From "Choiceless Awareness," in ILLUSION'S GAME: The Life and Teaching of Naropa. Page 89. All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission. July 15 Hello!If jade is not polished, it cannot become a thing of use. If a man does not learn, he cannot know his duty towards his neighbour. He who is the son of a man, when he is young, should attach himself to his teachers and friends; and practise ceremonial usages. July 14 Hi!THE DIGNITY OF REAL EMOTIONS Student: Is resentment an emotion? What are real emotions? Chogyam Trungpa: Emotion is supposed to be a fundamental, organic process. Resentment may be the vanguard of the emotions, but it is not a real emotion, because it relates with the fringe or the edge of things. Real emotions are expressions of being and different ways of relating with being. For example, if you feel your being is lacking something, you create passion. If you feel your being is threatened, you create aggression -- and so on. Emotion is connected with a total sense of being. The total sense of being feels not quite complete enough, so you try to balance that. Real emotions are much more dignified than things like resentment, which are at the level of the outskirts. The emotions are the real capital rather than the profit. From "Giving Birth to Intellect," in ILLUSION'S GAME: The Life and Teaching of Naropa. Page 85. All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission. July 11 I Me MineWHAT HAPPENED TO EGO? Student: How can you distinguish between ego-based self-confidence and trust in oneself? Chogyam Trungpa: Ego doesn't cut its own ground. Ego nurses its ground. An egoless experience like prajna, or discriminating awareness, cuts its own ground. That's where the irritation and resentment come from. Within the realm of resentment, a soft heart begins to develop, softness toward oneself. The softer you become toward yourself, the more you want to cut your ground. Somehow the question of ego doesn't apply at that point. Ego is already dissipating and has given up its hold on you. This is an organic thing that happens slowly in your practice. Somebody might ask you later, "What happened to your ego?" And you might say, "Oh, I never thought about that." From "Giving Birth to Intellect," in ILLUSION'S GAME: The Life and Teaching of Naropa. Page 83. All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission. July 09 Great Day in the Morning!PROTECTING THE MIND You might say that it is very easy to understand or experience pain. Oh no. It takes a lot of understanding to realize pain....The method used in tantra to enable us to realize pain is called mantra. In this case, mantra has nothing to do with some verbal gibberish that you repeat over and over. Mantra here is an upaya, a skillful means. The derivation of the word mantra is the Sanskrit mantraya, which is a combination of two words. Manas means "mind," and traya means "protection." So mantra protects the mind, the fundamental intelligence or wakefulness. It does not protect it by using guards or putting it under a glass dome. Protection here is clearing away obstacles, clearing away threats. All threats to that intelligence are cleared away. This is the style of protection here. From "Pain and Hopelessness," in ILLUSION'S GAME: The Life and Teaching of Naropa. Pages 56 to 57. All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission. July 04 INDY!!! 4-evaFREEDOM FROM IMPRISONMENT The experience of mahamudra is the pinnacle of the tradition of tantra. Maha means "great," and mudra means "sign" or "gesture." To experience mahamudra is to realize that the literal truth, the symbolic truth, and the absolute truth are actually one thing, that they take place on one dot, one spot. One experiences reality as the great symbol that stands for itself. The bliss of mahamudra is not so much great pleasure , but it is the experience of tremendous spaciousness, freedom from imprisonment, which comes from seeing through the duality of existence and realizing that the essence of truth, the essence of space, is available on this very spot. The freedom of mahamudra is measureless, unspeakable, fathomless. Such fathomless space and complete freedom produce tremendous joy. This type of joy is not conditioned by even the experience of freedom itself; it is self-born, innate. From "Sacred Outlook," in THE HEART OF THE BUDDHA, pages 168 to 169. All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission. July 01 Get Out Of Town!BUDDHISM IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES -- for Canada Day Chogyam Trungpa lived and taught at Chateau Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada, for several months in 1979 and again in 1980, where he conducted several seminaries for his senior students. This is excerpted from a poem composed there: Thick and grey clouds of rain and storm, Desolate mountains which roar with avalanches, Solitary hotel stands in the midst of nowhere, Swarmed with holiday-makers with their multicolored outfits and seeming limps, armed with cameras, uniformed with sunshades, Complaining, "Where is the Lake Louise?" ... Canadian Rockies, extraordinary and blunt, Decorated with snow caps and mist, Proclaiming their dubious status range after range, As if there were many weddings, but the couples never ate the cake; As if there were many birthday celebrations, but the party is never finished. Ironic sensationalism of the Canadian Rockies, Young and blunt, treacherous but keen.... Sun and moon shone simultaneously in the Canadian Rockies, But I never saw them cheering up; In fact, they usually cry along with the mist and clouds, Wiping their tears with the local dust?. How splendid the Canadian Rockies: godless, without worshippers. One wonders how we found ourselves in these Canadian Rockies, Practicing meditation according to the example of the great teacher Milarepa and our lineage?. How amazing that we could accommodate the Vajrayana world in the midst of this agitated poverty and business world.... Aren't we too brave? Sometimes I wonder. Aren't we too cowardly? Sometimes I wonder. Between the warrior and the coward, we find our path, As lilies and frogs who never quarreled. I take pride in the six smiles of the tiger In this cuckooless world of North American atmosphere. Spring never comes here, but autumn might be good; In spite of the summer, we still take pleasure in the overwhelming winter: It is a good time to practice. Excerpted from "Buddhism in the Canadian Rockies," in FIRST THOUGHT BEST THOUGHT: 108 Poems, pages 158-160. Composed at Chateau Lake Louise, 24 May 1979. All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission. June 27 Take A Deep Breath!LET ANGER BE IN ITS OWN PLACE Student: If I'm angry, instead of either expressing or suppressing my anger, how can I just relate to it? Should I stop the anger and just relate to the thought process? Chogyam Trungpa: You don't stop the anger, you just are the anger. Anger just hangs out as it is. That is relating with the anger. Then the anger becomes vivid and directionless, and it diffuses into energy. The idea of relating with the emotion has nothing to do with expressing yourself to the other person. The Tibetan expression for that is rang sar shak, which means "leave it in its own place." Let anger be in its own place. From "Death and the Sense of Experience" in CRAZY WISDOM, pages 137 to 138. All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission. June 25 Impermanance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!June 25, 2008 DEATH IS REAL Student: What should we try to communicate to a dying person? Chogyam Trungpa: You see, death is a very real experience. Usually, we do not connect with a sense of reality. If we have an accident -- or whatever happens in our lives -- we do not regard it as a real experience, even though it may hurt us. It is real to us as far as pain and physical damages are concerned, but still it's not real for us because we immediately look at it in terms of how it could be otherwise. There's always the idea of first aid or some other redeeming aspect of the situation. If you are talking to a dying friend or relative, you should transmit the idea that death is a real experience, rather than that it's just a joke and the person could get better. Often people tell the dying person things like, "Life is really a joke altogether. The great saints say it's not real. Life is unreal. What is death, anyway?" When we try to take this kind of approach, we become jumpy ourselves, and that jumpiness is what we end up communicating to the dying person. We should help them to understand that death is real. From "Death and the Sense of Experience," in CRAZY WISDOM, page 138. All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission. June 20 yesterday!June 19, 2008 THE WISDOM OF FEAR The crazy wisdom approach to fear is not regarding it as a hangup alone, but realizing it is intelligent. It has a message of its own. Fear is worth respecting. If we dismiss fear as an obstacle and ignore it, then we might end up with accidents. In other words, fear is a very wise message....The point is, you can't con fear or frighten fear. You have to respect fear. You might try to tell yourself that it's not real, that it's just false, but that kind of approach is very questionable. It is better to develop some kind of respect, realizing that neurosis also is a message, rather than garbage that you should just throw away. That's the whole starting point -- the idea of samsara and nirvana, confusion and enlightenment, being one. Samsara is not regarded as a nuisance alone, but it has its own potent message that is worthy of respect. From "Fearlessness" in CRAZY WISDOM, pages 124 to 125. All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used by permission. |
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