Recognizing the nature of the mind

 

We have been constantly searching for the mind. But if we try to do or correct something while concentrating, restlessness will disturb us and more and more thoughts will come. But we should try to see what the state of mind is, where it is and what it has to do with. Is it material or not? Material things have size, shape and color. Does the mind have these qualities?

 

We're trying to find the mind. However, success in this search for the mind depends on the ability and capacity of the practitioner. If we try to follow the teachings but think that the mind must be one way or the other, that thinking itself becomes an obstacle.

 

Searching for the mind is just looking; it does not mean thinking philosophically or speculating. If we find any of these, then we should discuss it with the Lama. But just reading what is said in the texts or hearing explanations and then thinking the mind is this or that is not enough, even if we utter the right answers.

 

Why? Because these explanations, no matter if right or wrong, are just thoughts made by the mind; they are not the mind itself. Indeed, the teachings say that the mind is like this or that, and we may think the right answer and verbally articulate it, but that answer is just something created by the mind.

 

Here, in Dzogchen, we do not think or create concepts; we are simply looking directly at our own immediate experience. If we discover this experience for ourselves, then we can compare it to what the texts say. Searching for the nature of mind is not simply thinking about the nature of mind.

 

We are looking for the truth what is really there. Thoughts are secondary; they are one step or more removed from our immediate experience. They are about the past, but our immediate experience is here and now in the present. What is our immediate experience? Not thinking about it; just to look how it is. What do we find?

 

Through these Rushan practices, we come to know experientially that everything of Samsara and Nirvana is created by the mind. But knowing this is not good enough. We see these thoughts arising, whether good or bad, but now we should look for the nature of the mind that is beyond thoughts.

 

There is no necessary to seek thoughts, because thoughts are always there; they arise incessantly. Now we are looking for the nature of mind that is beyond the thoughts and beyond the mind. We must know through our direct, immediate experience what mind is, what the ceaseless arising of thought is, and what the nature of mind is.

 

If we do not recognize the introduction and nature of Dzogchen and cultivate only small virtues, it will bring us temporary happiness, but we will not realize the ultimate result. That's because we didn't go to the root of the matter. We'll just come back and wander around in Samsara again.

 

So the practitioner must understand the need to do the practice. According to the Dzogchen teachings, we must first recognize the nature of mind. Once we recognize these, there is no need to keep examining our nature of the mind to see if this is correct or not. Examining is the work of the mind, and any work of the mind interferes the abiding in the natural state.

 

The act of checking or testing immediately changes the whole situation, making it no longer to the natural state. Therefore, any thinking or examination is done after the session and not while we are in contemplation.

 

When we practice, there may be interference. We can use different methods to get rid of them and through this our meditation will become more stable. But we cannot check this meditation, whether it's a normal meditation (according to the Sutra system) or whether it's Dzogchen? Is it just a state of meditation generated by the mind, or is it real contemplation, a state beyond the mind?

 

We look back at the mind and at the same time at the observer and what has disappeared from the observed. But is this statement correct or not? Is there anything behind it? When the thought dissolves, we leave everything as it is until the next thought arises. Is there an empty space or gap between these two thoughts? Is it really empty? Is it clear? In the moment when the thoughts dissolve, is the space then bright and clear?

 

When our presence in that gap is very clear, even if there is no thought, then we are aware and alert. We don't sleep. At this moment we have the possibility of realizing the Natural State. But if we think that it must be so because the text says so, then that is just a thought generated by the mind.

 

It's not the immediate experience. Once we know what the natural state is, then we don't need to examine to decide whether we are in the natural state or not. If we do that, we have fallen out of the natural state.

 

So we should just observe thoughts without trying to change or transform them. We just leave everything as it is and the thoughts go away on their own. This is self-liberation. They have arisen themselves and they free themselves. But we should not think «empty» or «dissolved» because that is the thinking that is the operation of the mind.

 

The natural state is beyond the mind and when we start thinking we lose it. So just let everything as it is. This state that we discover is unimaginable and unspeakable. There is nothing to create here, nothing to develop or visualize.

 

It is completely complete and perfect just as it is. That's why we call it Dzogchen or the Great Perfection. There is nothing here that is added or taken away; nothing to be changed or corrected. It is absolutely perfect the way it is. Everything is already there. So let's just leave it as it is. There is no problem here; so we don't need to create any problems.

 

Shortly after a thought resolves, we may have an experience of no thoughts and of the emptiness that is unspeakable. After the session is over, we can examine and reflect on this experience; we can also discuss and examine whether our mind is like this or not. We have a memory of the experience so we are able to examine it.

 

But when we're in contemplation, in the natural state, we don't do any investigation or inspection, because that's the mind-work. Each of us likes to have our individual experiences of this. We look into our mind to the thought and then it dissolves. Did this happen or not? Do we find that gap between the thoughts?

 

If we recognize the natural state for a moment, then there is no particular description to be made of the state of stillness or movement of thought. There is only this present, whether it is still or moving makes no difference.

 

But this natural state of Rigpa is not the same as just relaxing and having a empty mind with no thoughts present for a little while, or like sleeping soundly without dreaming, or like unconsciousness in general. This is because there is a bright clarity here in the Natural State. We are aware and we are alert, but we don't think. It's nothing out of the ordinary and it's normal, but normally we're not aware that we're conscious.

 

It is also normal for thoughts to arise and we should recognize this process as well as the gaps between the thoughts. And in those gaps we find an awareness or presence. This is Rigpa and it gives us the opportunity to see the nature of the mind directly and nakedly, without the interference of the mind and thoughts.

 

But we don't normally recognize this, just as we don't recognize the sun's presence in the sky when it is completely filled with clouds. Even though we don't see the face of the sun, the sun is there all the time. If it wasn't there, we wouldn't have light. So we shouldn't reflect about anything, just stay in that state of presence as long as we can. This is the actual meditation.

 

If the next thought arises, we don't try to do anything or change anything. We just let it arise and leave it as it is. But we are very aware. It's like a mirror that reflects whatever it is when it's in front of it. The mirror doesn't have to do anything; it is only to reflect its inherent quality and this makes it effortless, natural and spontaneous.

 

And if we don't disturb the mind through the means, the thoughts only liberate by themselves. We don't have to do anything. It's like the wind that blows the clouds from the sky; they dissolve into space without us having anything to do. We only see the thoughts in a way as we observe the clouds in the sky. We don't give a damn if they come or not. Thoughts clear away and we remain in a state of awareness. We have no expectations and no regrets.

 

At the beginning of the meditation practice, we wait for the thoughts to dissolve. This is an introduction by it; later we don't need to do this. Dzogchen means that we leave everything as it is. We don't need to wait, focus, or expect. We do none of these things, but we are aware and present worldwide. So there is nothing special here; we are just like the bright empty sky.