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Khyenrab

Poetic descriptions of Emptiness by Enlightened Masters

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So blue is the ocean,

Infinite is the mind.

So bright are the heavens,

Luminous is the mind.

 

Expanse of heaven

Meets with deep blue ocean.

Union at horizon

Takes me beyond breath.

 

Heaven is bullshit.

And hell the religion of fear.

Man needs no God

Freedom is innate.

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..on Emptiness and beyond....

 

On Bodhichita

the Compassionate Heart of the Enlightnemed Mind

 

It is the supreme elixir

that overcomes the sovereignity of death.

It is the inexhaustible treasure

that eliminates poverty in the world.

It is the supreme medicine

that quells the world's disease.

It is the tree that shelters all beings

wandering and tired on the path of conditioned existence.

It is the universal bridge

that leads to freedom from unhappy states of birth.

It is the dawning moon of the mind

that dispels the torment of disturbing conceptions.

It is the great sun that finally removes

the misty ignorance of the world.

 

Shantideva

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Yes of course. On the other hand, maybe even not. The way I understand things now, I can not but meet It on the Path developing Bodhichitta. Would you agree? Anyway, there is a nice site from where I could read many interesting things, and beautiful ones, too; maybe you can, too. http://buddhism.kalachakranet.org/wisdom_e..._emptiness.html

And also, you can find Milarepa's poems on the internet, or order books from, you know, Vale Novak or Konzorcij..or Amazon Books Store, like The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa or Drinking the Mountain Stream...I, unfortunatelly don't have them at home.

 

And another poem on Quietness, by Rumi:

 

Inside this new love, die.

Your way begins on the other side.

Become the sky.

Take an axe to the prison wall.

Escape.

Walk out like someone suddenly born into color.

Do it now.

You are covered with thick clouds.

Slide out the side. Die,

and be quite. Quitness is the surest sign

that you've died.

Your old life was frantic running

from silence.

The speechless full moon

comes out now.

 

 

 

I like it.

Do you?

 

Pamo

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Yes of course. On the other hand, maybe even not. The way I understand things now, I can not but meet It on the Path developing Bodhichitta. Would you agree?

 

I think it is said that first one must (to some extent) have a realized Bodhicitta - "others before me in all my actions" and have mental equipose (Shine) - to directly experience Emptiness. It is not the same, but the two terms are very much "complementary". Emptiness without Bodhicitta is possible - but full Enlightenment (Omniscience) isn't. :)

 

Best regards,

Khyenrab

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Hello,

you say Emptiness without Bodhichitta is possible. What about Bodhichitta without Emptiness? I think not. Somehow, even only in relations with people and day to day occurances I have to try not to get stuck with whatever comes into my life - on my Path. No?

Pamo

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Usually Bodhicitta has to be developed to some extent to first experience Emptiness directly. Knowing about Emptiness is not equal to the direct experiencing. Bodhicitta is much easier to develop when you know about Emptiness, the lack of self-inherent existence of all phenomena, but when the direct experience takes place, I feel, Bodhicitta must be very much present in you everyday motives, speech and actions. :)

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It must be so.

You say knowing about Emptiness doesn't equal to directly experiencing It. Can I get There if I don't aim my walk towards It, at all?

Pamo

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Not exactly about Emptiness, but still :wink: - a supremely beautiful poem:

 

Maintain the state of undistractedness and distractions will fly off.

Dwell alone and you shall find a friend.

Take the lowest place and you shall reach the highest.

Hasten slowly and you will soon arrive.

Renounce all worldly goals and you shall reach the highest goal."

 

- Milarepa

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Got a little bit (I hope not too) creative again. Absolutely new, fresh and for your eyes only. :)

And please note that I am not an Enlightened Master. :D:wink:

 

A well-off village-man came to see an honoured saint who lived on the top of a mountain. The saint was just preparing some tea when the visitor knocked on the door of the simple shack. The saint invited him in with a smile and offered the man some tea. They sat down on the floor and remained in silence for awhile.

Then the village-man asked: "Master, what is Emptiness?"

The saint was silent for a few minutes, slowly drank his tea, and then quietely answered: "In reality we are nothing. We are nowhere and we are going nowhere. And, in fact, we are doing nothing."

There was silence in the shack, nothing but the wind outside could be heard.

After ten minutes or so the village-man asked: "Master, I don't understand what you mean."

The saint's prompt answer was: "Drink your tee quickly, it looks like it's going to rain, and you better get home to your family before it gets dark, during the night the mountain can be dangerous!"

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Usually Bodhicitta has to be developed to some extent to first experience Emptiness directly
I'm affraid I have to say it is not so. You indeed can realize Emptiness without Bodhicitta at all! This is how the Theravada (Hinayana) are getting out of Samara. Otherwise, it would means Hinayana could not realize Emptiness.
Bodhicitta is much easier to develop when you know about Emptiness, the lack of self-inherent existence of all phenomena, but when the direct experience takes place, I feel, Bodhicitta must be very much present in you everyday motives, speech and actions. :)
Again, you can realize directly Emptiness without Bodhictta, and Bodhicitta without Emptiness.

Yet, true, the "full extend" of Bodhicitta is acheived when both (Bodhicitta & Emptiness) are realized.

And, true again, Omniscience (Buddhahood of the Mahayana Path) can't be achieved without Bodhicitta.

All the best, Gelong Shenphen

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For the mind that masters view the emptiness dawns

In the content seen not even an atom exists

A seer and seen refined until they're gone

This way of realizing view, it works quite well

 

When meditation is clear light river flow

There is no need to confine it to sessions and breaks

Meditator and object refined until they're gone

This heart bone of meditation, it beats quite well

 

When you're sure that conduct's work is luminous light

And you're sure that interdependence is emptiness

A doer and deed refined until they're gone

This way of working with conduct, it works quite well

 

When biased thinking has vanished into space

No phony facades, eight dharmas, nor hopes and fears,

A keeper and kept refined until they're gone

This way of keeping samaya, it works quite well

 

When you've finally discovered your mind is dharmakÏya

And you're really doing yourself and others good

A winner and won refined until they're gone

This way of winning results, it works quite well

 

- Milarepa

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