1.
God, the Ultimate Transcending Reality is one, humanity is one family and hence the Divine Nature in which man is created has only one Nature, i.e. Religion, which is the Natural State of Being as Human.
What we know as religion outwardly with different labels and terminology and rituals are a collection of cultures whereas the essence is one. Every so called religious tradition belongs to entire humanity for they all holds sacred message for us all, all of the so called religions have wisdom, message and practice for us. The teachings inspired through Buddha later came to be known as Buddhism, in the wisdom body of which many streams of wisdom were later added by enlightened masters, yogis, sages who received inspiration in that tradition. When we refer to Buddhism here, we are not really interested in the difference of one religion to another, but we are interested what this tradition has to offer to humanity and to individual human being for moving towards the Divine Nature of humanity.
The teachings of Buddha is a great heritage of humanity when it comes to dealing with the mind and living a life of true Nature of Humanity where compassion has the highest priority. Its a path to learn right way of living and interacting with life. Buddhist tradition is rich in methods for working with the mind. One of the most renowned and powerful is the ancient wisdom tradition known as Mahamudra. Originating in India, the view and practice of Mahamudra gradually spread across Asia and today has reached the West. As a philosophy, it aims to communicate clear knowledge of the true nature of the mind. As a meditation practice, it is designed to bring about that experience swiftly and unmistakably.
Mahamudra is a contemplative Buddhist tradition known for its simplicity. The practice is to be genuine, relaxed, and aware in every situation in life, to accept and appreciate who we are. To engage in its profound methods, we aren’t required to change our lifestyle, and any message contrary to that is not a true Mahamudra teaching. The practice of Mahamudra is an experience of our mind that’s completely free and joyful, no matter what our life brings us. It points us to mind’s true nature. The meaning of Mahamudra is found in its name. Maha means “great” and mudra means “symbol” or “seal.” The Great Symbol referred to is the wisdom of emptiness, which is the very nature of our mind and of all phenomena—any object or idea the mind can observe or become aware of. Because it covers the totality of our experience, the Great Symbol is known as the all-encompassing reality from which there is no escape or exception.[1]
Mahamudra refers to the absolute quintessence of one's true nature, the ultimate view of realty, in which everything is "sealed," or revealed, by emptiness. The Great Stance or Great Symbol of the non-dual Mahamudra teachings unveils the inherent, sacredness of all things by directly introducing innate awakened awareness.[2]
2.
I am the carefree yogi who has realized
the inseparable unity of the Awakened Being, the Lord,
and my own heart and mind.
Happy am I!
There is no need for artificial devotion,
As the Hevajra Tantra says:
"Samsara and Nirvana, good and evil,
have no real, concrete existence.
Everything is relative,
To realize the true nature of Samsara
is to attain Nirvana."
~ Jigten Summon, known as the Second Nagarjuna, a teacher of Mahamudra Tradition from Tibet [3]
3.
Meditation: Mahamudra
First, take your seat on a cushion or chair in an upright and relaxed position. Take a moment to feel the cushion, the posture of your body, the attitude of the mind, and the movement of the breath. Sit quietly for several minutes, gently letting go of your thoughts until you feel a sense of calmness.Next, bring awareness to the eyes and look directly into the space in front. Then simply relax at ease and rest in the present moment, in nowness. On one hand, there’s a sense of focusing on the space, but on the other, there’s no particular spot to focus on. The gaze is like space itself, wide and spacious.
Whatever comes up in the present, whether it’s a thought, emotion, or perception, try to meet it without judgment or comment. Rest the mind in that very experience, whether you regard it as good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant. There’s no need to change or improve it or look for a better place to rest. Rest the mind where it is and just as it is. In Mahamudra meditation, it isn’t sufficient just to recognize the presence of thoughts and emotions; we need to recognize their true nature and rest within that experience.
So from time to time in meditation, reflect on the three basic characteristics of mind: emptiness, clarity, and awareness. The emptiness of the mind is something we can “see,” so to speak. When we look at the mind, it’s like infinite space. It has no limit. It has no material form, color, or shape. There is nothing we can touch. That space, that openness, is the empty nature of our mind. When contemplating mind’s emptiness, experience the spacious, insubstantial, nonmaterial quality of mind, of thoughts and emotions, and leave the mind in a state of ease and total openness.
This mind is not just empty, however. It also has a vivid clarity, an infinite and vast luminosity, which is the radiance of emptiness itself. It’s like a wide, clear sky filled with light. This experience of space with light is the experience of great compassion and lovingkindness, or unbiased great love beyond concept. It manifests in the vibrant energy of our thoughts, emotions, and perceptions. We can see it in every experience of mind, especially in the powerful display of our emotions. Once again, sit quietly until you feel a sense of calmness. Then contemplate the clarity aspect of mind.
Look directly at whatever forms, thoughts, or emotions arise: all are the natural expression of this luminous nature. Look beyond the object and experience the radiance of emptiness, resting relaxed within that basic presence of clarity. The clarity aspect of mind has the power of knowing, seeing, and experiencing the world. When a room is full of light, we can see all the objects surrounding us. In the same way, the light of our mind makes appearances clear and distinct. When we think about an object, our mind naturally produces an image for it.
Whether we’re thinking about Bart Simpson or His Holiness the Karmapa, the image we see is an expression of mind’s clear, playful, creative energy. Mind is not only empty and clear; it has the quality of panoramic and discriminating awareness. While clarity is the compassion aspect of mind, awareness is the wakeful aspect. It is the sharp, penetrating intelligence (prajna) that sees through any confusion and perfectly understands the world it sees. With clarity and awareness coming together, we experience the full power and benefit of compassion and wisdom in our lives. When we are able to rest in this nature without too much stress from trying too hard to focus or concentrate, we can begin to experience genuine relaxation. As before, now rest the mind for a few moments.
Let go of any thoughts of hope or fear, and calm the mind. Rest the gaze in the open space in front. Bring our mind into the present moment and relax, simply experiencing the quality of awareness. Then let go of even that and relax without any thought. Again, we bring ourselves back into the present moment of awareness. Relax at ease and experience the mind as empty and luminous. With awareness, we experience the three aspects of mind in union and the wholeness of mind’s nature. When we hear instructions to meditate on the mind or to rest in mind’s true nature, it is this union of emptiness, clarity, and awareness.
When we are able to rest in this nature without too much stress from trying too hard to focus or concentrate, we can begin to experience genuine relaxation. Relaxing in this space is one of the most powerful meditations leading to a direct experience of buddha mind. With this experience, we can bring a new level of understanding and skill into our everyday life. The wisdom and compassion we manifest will transform the once disturbing energies of our thoughts and emotions into something very useful and powerful that can bring about the experience of enlightenment.[1]
# Reference:
1. How to Do Mahamudra Meditation by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche
2. Mahamudra Entry of Wikipedia
3. The Snow Lion's Turquise Mane by Surya Das
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