Gendun Chopel's Pointer
Sojong Reminder from Anam Thubten
Dear Dharma friends,
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Each day, while either staying at home or traveling somewhere, we are continuously encountering things which are either likable or unlikable, attractive or unattractive. Most of the time, these things don’t pull us into the vortex of strong feelings, they don’t bother us, and we can ignore them. But now and then, there are things which occur in our life that drag us into the strong currents of either attraction or repulsion. These are the moments when we can loose awareness and can be ruled by those opposing feelings.
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It is easy to believe that the phenomena we encounter are intrinsically either good or bad. This seems to hold true until we inquire into their nature and seeming reality. Even though the object and the situation are not the same, it turns out that our mind is superimposing its own perception onto the physical world and judging it as either good or bad, desirable or undesirable. That is why twentieth century Tibetan poet, Gendun Chopel says,
For the most part, all joyous or sorrowful conditions are the display of our own mind, simply our mental projections shining out. It’s not that those forms are entering from outside.
This profound realization often comes from years of deep contemplation practice. That being said, it can also occur spontaneously when our mind is ready to wake-up. What are the contemplative practices which help us get to that point? Again, Gendun Chopel says,
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Do not follow appearances.
Look directly at the one who is the experiencer.
At that moment, the indescribable nature of mind will be seen.
Then the distance to Buddhahood is not so far.
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The voice of Gendun Chopel is the voice of all masters of the past. When we are pulled into powerful feelings, just remember to immediately pause and look at the experiencer, instead of getting trapped in the experience. This simple method will allow us to see our own projections, and to cut through them on the spot. This is a practical method that can be used in everyday life. Each time when we are unstuck by this practice, there will be a tremendous sense of profound freedom, and that alone is the enlightenment we are looking for.
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During this Sojong, we might like to spend some time looking at our mind’s habitual patterns in a nonjudgmental and kind way. Let’s see how these patterns are influencing our interior and exterior life, whether we’re grasping or rejecting, and resolve to apply this practice whenever we remember to do so. In this way, we can lead a life with less suffering and more freedom.
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With palms joined,
Anam Thubten
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