Mahamudra and Emptiness – An Experiential Approach

One day the great master Padampa Sangye asked his students to express their realization. Lama Charchung said:

Discarding Guru and Buddha together,
I can’t find such a thing as faith or devotion!
Destroying both divine Dharma and worldly opinion,
I have no effort or practice!
Mixing Buddhas together with sentient beings,
I can’t find anything to accept or reject!
I don’t know how to speak of realization!
Ask those of Central Tibet to explain!
~from Lion of the Siddhas: The Life and Teachings of Padampa Sangye (trans. David Molk)

Lama Mipham (1846-1912), a great teacher in the lineage to which I belong, spelled out 4 stages of realization that apply to both Mahamudra and Dzogchen:

1. All appearance resolves into consciousness.
2.  Consciousness resolves into emptiness.
3. Emptiness resolves into awareness.
4. The union of bliss and emptiness, or bliss and awareness.

In the  talk reproduced below, inspired by the  above quote from Lama Charchung, and working with Lama Mipham’s 4 stages, I attempt to speak experientially about consciousness resolving into emptiness and realization in Mahamudra. This talk and discussion occurred at Real Dharma Sangha on December 6, 2012.

or download or listen by clicking here.

Lama Lakshey Zangpo Rinpoche to Speak at Real Dharma

Real Dharma is honored to host Lama Lakshey Zangpo Rinpoche on Tuesday, December 20, at 7:30 p.m. for a talk: “Relaxing in Emptiness.” The talk will be held at Real Dharma Sangha’s regular meeting place, The Common Well, 85 Bolinas Rd., Suite 8, Fairfax, CA 94930.

Lama Lakshey Zangpo Rinpoche was born in Golok, Tibet and was recognized as a tulku at a young age. He trained under his root lama His Holiness Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche at Larung Monastery and with other notable teachers. Rinpoche came to the United States in 2007 and is fluent in English. He is the founder of Tsinta Mani Choling Buddhist center in Spokane, Washington, and is vice principal of Senge Takste School, a school and home for 400 orphans in Golok, Tibet.

Demolishing the Ridge Pole

Soon after his enlightenment, the Buddha described his discovery of no-self like this:

Seeking but not finding the house builder, I traveled through the round of countless births. Oh painful is birth ever and again! House builder, you have now been seen. You shall not build the house again. Your rafters have been broken down; your ridge pole is demolished too. My mind has now attained the unformed nibbana and reached the end of every kind of craving.  ~ Dhammapada, 153-154

In the following talk, I suggest that this demolishing of the “ridge pole” of the illusion of self may occur as a natural falling away when one discovers and rests in one’s true nature as consciousness, rather than as a result of an unnatural assault on the notion of self, using concepts or artificial practices. This is a healing process of going through the fundamental sense of being a conscious being–rather than trying to destroy it.

To listen to the talk, given at the Real Dharma group on October 18, 2011, use the flash driver below

If you are unable to use the flash player, listen or download here.

The Four Seals of Existence

The four seals (also known as the four emblems or marks) is a fundamental Buddhist teaching–some would say it is the view that defines Buddhist dharma, or teaching. The four seals, or emblems are:

1. All composite things are impermanent.

2. All defiled emotions are suffering.

3. All phenomena lack a self or inherent existence.

4. Nirvana is peace and beyond conceptuality.

To listen to a talk by Hal Blacker on the four seals, or emblems, follow the links below. This talk was given at the Real Dharma group in Fairfax, California on June 28, 2011.

If you are unable to use the flash player, listen or download here.

[The talk begins with a short discussion of meditation].
[Errata: There is a reference in the talk to the Buddhist teaching on the smallest unit of time, the kshana, said to constitute 1/65th of a finger-snap in duration. This unit was mispronounced ekasana in the talk.]

Within the Scope of Awareness

Within the scope of awareness, which has never existed as anything, it makes no difference what arises and abides therein, for everything is timelessly free in never having known existence. This being so, it is simply a matter of remaining in the realization of that in all its immediacy. Other than this (although one might speciously posit something to be “buddhahood”) , in actuality nothing whatsoever has improved, because there has been no wavering from what is, like space, absolutely unconditioned.

~Longchenpa, Precious Treasury of the Way of Abiding (trans. by Richard Barron)

Ganges Mahamudra–Part 4

Your body has no core, hollow like bamboo.

Your mind goes beyond thought, open like space.

Let go of control and rest right there.

~Tilopa, Ganges Mahamudra (trans. Ken McLeod)

Listen to part 4 in a series of talks by Hal Blacker on Ganges Mahamudra (Mahamudra Upadesha) by Tilopa. Given at Real Dharma Sangha on December 21, 2010:

If you are unable to use the flash player, listen or download here.

7 Points on the Path of Liberation

A talk by Hal Blacker giving an overview of the path of liberation, including his approach to seven main topics: awakening to one’s true nature as the goal; the importance of intention; the view of emptiness and Buddha Nature; meditation; the role of the teacher; embodying understanding; and the transmission of the Dharma to the West. This talk was given on October 26, 2010 at the Real Dharma Sangha in Fairfax, CA.

If the audio player does not appear or work in your browser, download or listen here.

Transcending Claustrophobia and Seeing Things As They Are

Hal Blacker gives a talk on transcending claustrophobia by letting go of the need to impose one’s likes and dislikes on oneself and the world. This allows one to experience spaciousness and to see things as they are. The talk begins with a story about Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, Hal’s first teacher, surrendering and literally transcending claustrophobia.

This talk was given on October 12, 2010 at Real Dharma Sangha, Fairfax.

If the audio player does not appear or work in your browser, download or listen here.