Spiritual Awakening

Spiritual awakening is a state of our own consciousness where we’re no longer governed by our own thoughts and emotions. When those ancient hermits write “don’t get distracted”, they’re reminding themselves to not get lost in their mind, but to maintain awareness all the time. That means not just when sitting on the meditation cushion, but in all activities throughout the day.

Sojong Reminder for 15/9 from Anam Thubten

Dear Dharma Friends,

Some Tibetan hermits of the past are said to have written two words in large letters on each of the four walls inside the their meditation shacks. One is “death” and the other is “don’t get distracted”. Every time, upon looking at them, they would be reminded to take those matters into consideration. Not only that, these two words would present their message relentlessly since they were written in all directions. Wherever one’s head turns, those words will be there. Using such a method might sound superfluous or even bizarre. Yet, from realizing how strong our habits are, this makes some sense because it could change the core of our focus to inner awakening.

Death is the last stage of life that everyone will go through. It can be portrayed as a kind of malevolent boogie man or as a benevolent journey into the ineffable. One thing is sure - it will visit each of us in a time that cannot be easily foreseen. Death is a natural process of life that has its own rhythm. Without uttering even a single word, it tells us to surrender to it. The contemplation of death has two purposes. One is to help us see the bigger picture of death in order to transcend our concept of it. Another is to give us a sense of urgency and the understanding that there is no time to waste. This can inspire us to do something meaningful in this life before it ends. There are many meaningful endeavors that can be undertaken in this life. To walk on the path of inner awakening would be one of the most meaningful things to do. It will allow us to find true liberation and to help the world.

Spiritual awakening is a state of our own consciousness where we’re no longer governed by our own thoughts and emotions. When those ancient hermits write “don’t get distracted”, they’re reminding themselves to not get lost in their mind, but to maintain awareness all the time. That means not just when sitting on the meditation cushion, but in all activities throughout the day. It’s not that difficult to be in awareness. There are simple techniques that can be applied. For example, throughout each day, we can pause and bring attention to our breath or bodily sensations, or, we can recite a verse or a mantra every now and then to remind ourselves to take a step back from our mind and be in the awareness that is always available. Obviously, seeing a big sign that says “don’t get distracted” can immediately bring us back to awareness.

During the upcoming Sojong, I invite all of you to start with a prayer or silence, and to contemplate those two phrases: “death” and “don’t get distracted”. With a renewed sense of urgency, you can then hold the vow that you’re going to practice awareness in everyday life in order to be awakened for the benefit of all. Such urgency has been described as “practicing like your hair is on fire”. This is an antidote for complacency from which we can then experience the zeal and love for practicing awareness as our whole being moves toward liberation.

With palms joined, Anam Thubten

<阿南渡登仁波切自逺方捎來的叮咛>

親愛的法友们,

以往有一些西藏的修行隐士常常在他们关房的四面牆上写下大大的两句詞，一句是"死亡", 另一句是"不要被干擾"。每一次看到它們的时候，他們都會提醒自己去思考這两件事情。再者，這两句詞被写在四面八方而得于一直浮現和展現其意义，不管眼睛望向哪一方，這詞句都会立立在目，映入心間。用這樣的方法聽來好像有点多餘和可笑，可是，當我们觉察到我们的习性是多么的頑固时，這樣的做法变得可以被理解，因为它能夠讓我们把專注力导向内心的觉醒。

死亡是我们生命旅途中必經的最后一站。它可以是消极的，也可以是一種奥妙的体現。而重要的事实是，它將在无法预知的时刻到訪降临。死亡是生命自然的过程，它有它自己的步伐節奏，静悄悄地，不发一語來告知我们必须臣服于它。

死亡禅修有两種不同的意义。其一是让我们看见它偉大的面向而得超越我们对于它所存有的概念。其二是让我们有危机意識以及了悟没有时间可以浪费。這将会啓发我们在生命当中去做些有意义的事情。在此生，我们可以做許多具有意義的事情，踏上内心觉醒之道是其中一件意義深远的事情; 它让我们找到究竟的解脱而得于帮助整个世界。

灵性的觉醒所意謂的是我们的意識不再被我们的念頭和情緒掌控。当那些修行隱士写下"不要被干擾"的字句时，他们是在提醒自己无时无刻都不要丢失自己的心，不僅僅是在禅修的坐垫上，在日常生活中也要持续保任在觉性当中。

保任于觉性並不難，有好些方法可以使用。比方説，在日常生活中，我们可以随时停顿，把專注力放在我们的呼吸上或是去感受自己的身体，或是念颂偈文或咒語來提醒自己远离念头，保任在无时无刻都存在的觉性当中。当然，在看到"不要被干擾"大大的字句之際，就可以在当下把我们带回到觉性当中。

在八关斎戒日，我邀请你在当天一早以祈祷或静心做为开始，然后好好的去思考"死亡"和"不要被干擾"這两句詞。從心底生起全新的危机感的同时，你可以坚守誓愿，为了利益衆生而在每一天的生活中去修持觉知。那樣的紧急狀態被形容为"于燃眉之際之修持"。這樣的意念能让我们全心全意專注在通往解脱的觉知修持中，得于体验熱情和愛。

阿南渡登合十 14/9/2018