#Longchenpa

[mahayanapilgrim]

"Normally we operate under the deluded assumption that everything has some sort of true, substantial reality. But when we look more carefully, we find that the phenomenal world is like a rainbow — vivid and colorful, but without any tangible existence.

When a rainbow appears we see many beautiful colors - yet a rainbow is not something we can clothe ourselves with, or wear as an ornament; it simply appears through the conjunction of various conditions. Thoughts arise in the mind in just the same way. They have no tangible reality or intrinsic existence at all. There is therefore no logical reason why thoughts should have so much power over us, nor any reason why we should be enslaved by them."

- Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

[mountain-sage]

Spontaneous presence is free of deliberate effort.

- Longchenpa

[ammonitetestpatterns]

harry hunt, on the nature of consciousness, published by yale university press, 1995.

[cobotis]

What do we mean by learning?… Is there learning when you are merely accumulating knowledge, gathering information?… That is one kind of learning, is it not?… As a student of engineering, you study mathematics, and so on; you are learning, informing yourself about the subject. You are accumulating knowledge in order to use that knowledge in practical ways. Your learning is accumulative, additive… Now, when the mind is merely taking on, adding, acquiring, is it learning?… Or is learning something entirely different?… I say the additive process which we now call learning is not learning at all. It is merely a cultivation of memory, which becomes mechanical; and a mind which functions mechanically, like a machine, is not capable of learning. A machine is never capable of learning, except in the additive sense. Learning is something quite different, as I shall try to show you… A mind that is learning never says, “I know”, because knowledge is always partial, whereas learning is complete all the time. Learning does not mean starting with a certain amount of knowledge, and adding to it further knowledge. That is not learning at all; it is a purely mechanistic process… To me, learning is something entirely different. I am learning about myself from moment to moment, and the “myself” is extraordinarily vital; it is living, moving; it has no beginning and no end… When I say, “I know myself”, learning has come to an end in accumulated knowledge… Learning is never cumulative; it is a movement of knowing which has no beginning and no end…

~ Jiddu Krishnamurti

[dudjomngondro]

Longchenpa's The Four Themed Precious Garland (Part2)

Tulku Thadral Rinpoche will continue the teaching on Longchenpa’s The Four Themed Precious Garland (Part2) on January 15, 2025 @ 5pm. This teaching is part of the Monthly Ngondro Teaching hosted by Vajrayana Foundation and the Dudjom Ngondro Program and is FREE and OPEN TO ALL.   Join Rinpoche ​January 15th at the Pema Osel Ling Retreat Center or by YouTube Livestream using this link:…

[buddhismnow]

Morning meditation — Now, during this intermediate period of the bardo of this life.

Morning meditation — Now, during this intermediate period of the bardo of this life. https://wp.me/pFy3u-8Ou

‘Now, during this intermediate period of the bardo of this life, decide, with complete certainty, that the wisdom of your own awareness is dharmakāya, and sustaining the ongoing experience of its self-radiance, the meditation which is naturally clear’ Longchenpa Pink roses. On the net, of course, it’s morning, afternoon, evening, or nighttime 😀 somewhere. Click here to read more Morning…

[nathanaelroyale]

All beings are transient, like past and future guests: The old have gone, the young will also go. This generation wont even last a hundred years - Understand this thoroughly straight away. The presence of this life is like a single day; The presence of the intermediate state is like tonight's dream. The presence of a future life will come as quickly as tomorrow - Deal with life's real meaning straight away.

Now that I come to Die - Longchenpa.

[mitleid]

Longchenpa. Meditação, amor e compaixão.

9. Todos os seres são iguais, já que desejam ser felizes e escapar de suas dores. E, ainda assim, com suas confusões eles tramam as causas dos seus sofrimentos. Quanta tristeza! Que todas as aflições dos seres infelizes e todas as suas tendências negativas diminuam. Que eles tenham uma mente equânime. Que todos os seres corporificados, atormentados por forte apego ou aversão, sejam liberados do…

[journeytothewest-daily]

Further reading: Introductory texts to Buddhism, Taoism, The Tang Dynasty (when the story is set) and the Ming Dynasty (when it was written)

All available on the Internet Archive.

Buddhism

Old Path White Clouds by Thich Nhat Hahn

Stepping into Freedom: An Introduction to Buddhist Monastic Training by Thich Nhat Hahn

The Other Shore: A New Translation of the Heart Sutra by Thich Nhat Hahn

Elaborations on emptiness : uses of the Heart Sūtra by Donald Lopez

Classics of Buddhism and Zen : the collected translations of Thomas Cleary

Youtube channel with teachings I love: Longchenpa, Zen/Chan Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism.

Daoism

The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff

Tao Te Ching translated by Jonathan Star

What is Tao? by Alan Watts

The Zhuangzi

A video from a channel I really like

Tang Dynasty

China's Golden Age: Everyday life in the Tang Dynasty by Charles Benn

Women of the Tang Dynasty by May Holdsworth

Ming Dynasty

The Glory and Fall of the Ming Dynasty by Albert Chan

A Tale of Two Melons: Emperor and Subject in Ming China by Sarah Scheewind

The Eunuchs in the Ming Dynasty by Shih Shan Henry Tsai

A Brief History of Chinese Fition by Lu Hsun

Enjoy the read.

[mahayanapilgrim]

In the morning, you should reflect on the difficulty to obtain a precious human birth; in the evening, you should reflect on death and impermanence, and throughout the day, you should reflect on karma, cause and effect, and act according to the 37 Bodhisattva Practices.

Meditate in shorter but more frequent sessions to ensure the good quality of your meditation. It is best to just observe the nature of mind, the ordinary bare mind, and preserve it. When thoughts appear neither reject nor accept them. Do not try to stop thoughts, allow them to arise, but recognize their arising and do not pursue them.

The goal is not to have no thoughts but for thoughts to arise and yet be rendered powerless. You must habituate this. Then later when negative thoughts and emotions arise, you will not fall under their power. The energy of these thoughts may arise but will not affect you in one or the other way.

Sometimes in meditation, there will be a time when there are actually no thoughts. In that instant, you will know that this is the true nature of your mind - the mind that abides like space, vivid and empty, open, not grasping at anything. This alert awareness must be upheld throughout all activities.

So do not try to stop thoughts, just relax into the nature of awareness. Whenever you meditate, our minds will be together. If you understand this you will not feel tired of meditation. - Garchen Rinpoche

[mountain-sage]

Observe your awareness in this very present moment, just as it is.

It cannot be spoiled by the comings and goings of thoughts and memories,

Nor corrupted by ordinary thoughts of good and bad.

This awareness is vividly present, yet devoid of thoughts,

And while it is devoid of thoughts, it is vividly present.

This naked transparency is, in essence, the dharmakaya.

-Longchenpa

With this decisive certainty, let yourself expand into the wide-open space of self-illuminating awareness. Aside from simply resting in this spacious vast expanse, open and unrestricted, there isn't the slightest trace of anything to meditate on here, nothing to think about or recollect, and nothing to pay attention to. Simply relaxing and leaving your mind to itself is itself the realization of timeless awareness.

-Longchenpa

[ammonitetestpatterns]

[radical-revolution]

In villages, monasteries, caves, and such places – wherever we might stay – let us not look for close friendship. But with whomever we become acquainted, become neither too intimate, nor too hostile. To remain self-reliant is my heart advice.

~ Longchenpa

Thirty Pieces of Heart Advice

If you are ever tempted to look for outside approval, realize that you have compromised your own integrity. If you need a witness, be your own.

~ Epictetus

“You do not have to find yourself at the expense of others. This is wrong. But be by yourself all you can. Realize that this is your life. It is not your husband’s life. It is not your wife’s life. It is not your children’s life. It is not your relatives life. It’s your life. You exist here now. What are you doing with it? How can you allow other people to control your emotions? How can you allow people to tell you what to do, to make decisions for you? All the answers are within yourself. You have to sincerely turn within, with great passion, and find yourself.“

~ Robert Adams

“Stop, looking outside for scraps of pleasure or fulfillment for validation, security, or love – you have a treasure within that is infinitely greater than anything in the world can offer.”

~ Eckhart Tolle

Do not associate with those who are in love with the sense objects of this world, for if you have less they will disregard you, and if you have more they will envy you.

~ Imam Ali

Just Dharma

[chodpa]

Luminous Emptiness - a Dzogchen / Mahamudra meditation blog, exploring in-depth Tibetan Buddhism, Nondualism, Vajrayana, Zen, Advaita Vedanta, Bhakti and beyond.

[tibetanthangkapaintings]

We strive in meditation because we desire excellence, but any striving precludes attainment; excellence resides only in timeless self-sprung awareness.

~ Longchenpa

[dudjomngondro]

Part 2 of 5 of Longchenpa's The Four-Themed Precious Garland with Tulku Thadral Rinpoche.

On December 18th @ 5pm, Tulku Thadral Rinpoche will continue with the Public Ngondro Teaching ~ Part 2 of 5 of Longchenpa’s The Four-Themed Precious Garland.  Attendance on site at Pema Osel Ling or via YouTube Streaming. Watch for the link coming soon. If you want to review Part 1 from November 13th, or missed it, you can use this link YouTube Streaming link.  Rinpoche concluded the session with…