Written by His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
THE ALAYA
The ground of Samsara (1) and Nirvana (2), the beginning and end of both confusion and realization, the nature of universal Sunyata (3) and of all apparent phenomena, more fundamental even than the Trikaya (4 ) because it is free from bias toward enlightenment, is the alaya (5), sometimes called the pure or original mind. Although prajna (6) sees in it no basis for such concepts as different aspects, yet three fundamental aspects of complete openness, natural perfection and absolute spontaneity are distinguished by upaya (7) as useful devices.
COMPLETE OPENNESS
ALL ASPECTS OF EVERY PHENOMENON ARE COMPLETELY CLEAR AND LUCID. THE WHOLE UNIVERSE IS OPEN AND UNOBSTRUCTED, EVERYTHING MUTUALLY INTERPENETRATING.
Since all things are naked, clear and free from obscurations, there is nothing to attain or realize. The nature of things naturally appears and is naturally present in time-transcending awareness.
The everyday practice is simply to develop a complete acceptance and openness to all situations and emotions and to all people, experiencing everything totally without mental reservations and blockages, so that one never withdraws or centralizes onto oneself.
This produces a tremendous energy which is usually locked up in the process of mental evasion and generally running away from life experiences.
Clarity of awareness may in its initial stages be unpleasant or fear-inspiring; if so, then one should open oneself completely to the pain or the fear and welcome it. In this way the barriers created by one’s own habitual emotional reactions and prejudices are broken down.
When performing the meditation practice one should develop the feeling of opening oneself out completely to the whole universe with absolute simplicity and nakedness of mind, ridding oneself of all protecting barriers.
Don’t mentally split in two when meditating, one part of the mind watching the other like a cat watching a mouse.
One should realize that one does not meditate in order to go deeply into oneself and withdraw from the world. Even when meditating on cakras (8 )in Buddhist Yoga there is no introspective concentration-complete openness of mind is still the keynote.
NATURAL PERFECTION
EVERYTHING IS NATURALLY PERFECT JUST AS IT IS, COMPLETELY PURE AND UNDEFILED.
All phenomena naturally appear in their uniquely correct modes and situations, forming ever-changing patterns full of meaning and significance, like participants in a great dance. Everything is a symbol, yet there is no difference between the symbol and the truth symbolized. With no effort or practice whatsoever, liberation, enlightenment and Buddhahood are already fully developed and perfected.
The everyday practice is just ordinary life itself. Since the underdeveloped state does not exist, there is no need to behave in any special way or to try to attain or practice anything.