Recognizing the Nature of Mind

Advice on Recognizing the Nature of Mind

by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

What we call mind is that which thinks endlessly of everything under the sun. When investigating its essence to determine the true nature, we examine each momentary thought that originates, remains and departs. We inquire where the arising might be and look into the place or source of origination. We investigate the place of remaining and nature of what remains, and, for the departure, the nature of what ceases and its place of cessation. Each time we ask what these are like in essence. And through this, we realize that they lack even so much as an atom’s worth of true reality. Yet in spite of this unreality, there is still something which knows, or is aware of, good and bad, and which is present unceasingly. By allowing this to settle by itself, without altering it or fabricating it in any way through inviting or following thoughts, we can naturally experience a state that is beyond all expression and is the inseparability of clarity, awareness and emptiness. To sustain the continuity of this is what we call looking into the essence of mind.

Still, it is very important to purify obscurations as a preliminary, to pray to the guru with deep devotion, and to exert oneself in receiving empowerment. When we understand this essence of mind well, we will not have so much attachment and aversion towards friends and enemies or hope or fear concerning pleasure and pain. This is difficult to realize, no matter who we might be.

Chökyi Lodrö offered this merely to avoid turning down a request.

| Translated by Adam Pearcey with the generous support of the Khyentse Foundation and Tertön Sogyal Trust, 2020.

Bibliography

Tibetan Edition

'Jam dbyangs chos kyi blo gros. "rang sems rang ngo 'phrod dgos pa'i zhal gdams/" in ’Jam dbyangs chos kyi blo gros kyi gsung ’bum. 12 vols. Bir: Khyentse Labrang, 2012. W1KG12986 Vol. 8: 245–246

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