*

Khenpo Tsulstrim Gyatso:
"When we realize the selflessness of the individual, however, this whole process stops. The wrong views that have their root in the belief in self cease, then the mental afflictions cease, then karmic actions cease, and as a result of that, birth in samsara’s cycle of existence ceases."
Khenpo Tsulstrim Gyamtso

"We can formulate the following logical reasoning: Karmic actions and results are mere appearances devoid of true existence, because no self, no actor, exists to perform them. This is a valid way to put things because if the self of the individual does not exist, there cannot be any action, and therefore there cannot be any result of any action either."
Khenpo Tsulstrim Gyamtso

*

Two Ways that Rigpa May Exit the Body at Death per Longchenpa in his "Commentary on 'Basic Space text' "
"When the departing of rigpa from the body is near, the yogin enters the space of trekchod kadag. The attention focuses on consciousness (shes pa) as it rides the prana (upward through the central channel). It is thus transferred into space. One visualizes one's own root guru, or the syllable HUM, or a vajra, or the like, arising from the essence of rigpa, at the aperture of Bramha (Fontanelle). Ejecting far upward with the sounding of the syllable HIK, one instantly passes into the transparency of Dharmakaya above."
"Alternately (via the thogal) ,in order to enter into the kayas and wisdoms, put the body in the thogal posture of a lion. Direct rigpa out through the eyes. At this time, the realm of the open space (ying) of the Dharmakaya will be appearing. If rigpa (your awareness) transfers into it, one will instantly attain buddhahood without experiencing the bardo. This very important point is a special teaching of this Great Perfection."

The Crown Chakra and Buddhahood in Dzogchen
"The reason for this is that the ushnisha (upper crown chakra) has no size, but pervades the ultimate expanse. When the wind-mind (sem) dissolves into the chakra of the ushnisha (upper crown chakra), buddhahood is attained."
"In the teachings of the Great Perfection, the essence-drops are described as rising up, being piled vertically above the head (third vision). And when the wind-mind (sem) dissolves into the chakra of the ushnisha (upper crown chakra) the “exhaustion” of phenomena in suchness (chos nyid zad sa, fourth thogal vision), buddhahood, is achieved."
From end notes of "The Treasury of Precious Qualities" by Jigme Lingpa
"Buddha’s ushnisha, the protuberance on the top of his head, is not made of flesh and blood, but represents the opening of the space chakra. It is also known as the “crown chakra of great bliss.” Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche
From Dilgo Khyentse's The Heart of Compassion: Thirty Seven Verses on the Practice of a Boddhisattva (translated by the Padmakara Translation Group)
"The ushnisha (gtsug tor), or crown prominence, one of the major marks of a fully enlightened Buddha, is usually represented in paintings and statues as a protuberance resembling a topknot in size, but is said to rise up from the top of a buddha's head to the infinity of space........... In the thogal practice of the Great Perfection, the ushnisha corresponds to the five-colored lights and buddhafields that manifest above one's head as the infinite display of sambhogakaya realization" (footnote 89, p. 248 Heart)."
This single post above is the most essential and secret teaching in Dzogchen. It's the key to understanding everything. Decipher it and ask questions as needed. This "space chakra" is our Mind of Clear Light. Here's how to dissolve mind into Dharmakaya (the "space chakra")
Lama Yeshe explains what happens as kundalini enters the crown chakra:
"This simultaneously born bliss totally unifies with nonduality and actually becomes the wisdom of emptiness, the experience of clear light."
Lama Yeshe also wrote:
"The point I am trying to make is that you have the experience, but you yourself totally disappear."
"The relative you disappears, as well as any impression of the relative sensory object you are experiencing."
"At the moment we are too involved with "my" body, "my" things, "my" heart chakra. All of these have to be dissolved into emptiness."
Stop speculating and follow these instructions :
Primary Transmission of the Non-Gradual Path
If anyone really wants to experience directly what Dzogchen, Mahamudra and Zen are pointing to; I feel nothing more is necessary then what's posted below. I include two of my "pointing out" texts which include pith instructions from several Dzogchen masters and five key videos that should all together represent a complete teaching and transmission of the "non-gradual" path.
That being so, we don't really need to engage in a lot of detailed philosophical or academic questions and discussions "about" Dzogchen.
My purpose is to share a living experience that can transform confusion into insightful clarity, suffering into joy, and selfishness into compassion and unconditional love; rather than hosting groups for discussions "about" theory and related topics.
So, why don't we focus uniquely on the topics below until everyone has some real direct experience? Let's work through what obstacles seem to prevent this from being fully experienced for each of you.
Complete Instructions for Dzogchen Atiyoga
"Relax into basic space beyond beginning and end,” introduces the nature of mind. Once you recognize it, there is no need to wait for another time in the future. Basic space never began and does not end in any way whatsoever. Rigpa never began and does not end. It is totally endless, utterly beginningless."
Tulku Urgyen
"This wakefulness that is primordially pure is the empty quality of the nature of our mind. In the moment when we recognize our nature, we do not see any ‘thing’ whatsoever. It is already utterly pure and perfect. That is exactly what we call primordial purity. Inseparable from that is a quality of knowing: we are cognizant, at the same time. This is the spontaneous presence. These two aspects are indivisible."
Tulku Urgyen
Direct Introduction to Pure Awareness (rigpa in Tibetan):
Sit in a comfortable posture in a well lit and bright room or outdoor space.
Close your eyes.
Notice the color at your closed eyelids. It will usually seem like an orangey color with brownish or gray tinges. Whatever the color, just observe the color that seems to be in front of your awareness that's noticing the colors.
Now, instead of attention being on the colors at the eyelids; notice that which is the "observing" awareness that knows the colors are present. Bring attention from the object to the subject side that is doing the observing.
"There is an oral instruction about the way to look. It is said,
“It is as though your eyes were looking through the back of your head instead of looking forwards.” Mingyur Rinpoche
"It is as though your eyes are looking backwards instead of forwards as they usually do. You are looking out with your eyes but are looking back at the same time. Do not try too hard with this though, otherwise you will really make a big mistake. You just sort of look back ..." Mingyur Rinpoche
Notice the empty nature of your own awareness that is observing. There is an empty space of awareness that knows itself, but not as a thing with shape, form or substance.
"The way to do this is just to turn your attention slightly inward, not to look deeply inside, just to turn your focus from outward to inward in a very light way. The moment of recognizing this state is the blessings of the lineage." Tsoknyi Rinpoche
Being that empty, observing awareness; just notice again the colors at the eyelids. Do the colors alter or change your empty awareness or do they just appear in awareness like clouds appearing in a changeless sky? This analogy applies as well regarding all thoughts, images, sense of self, emotional energies, sensations and perceptions that also appear harmlessly in the empty space of changeless awareness.
Relax attention again and again from the colors or any inner phenomena, so that attention and the empty, observing awareness occupy the same exact space, inseparably so.
It's possible to notice the empty, transparent nature of your own observing awareness that deepens as one remains empty of attentiveness to any mental or perceptual content other than empty awareness itself.
"Without any in or any out - utter openness. How is it that ‘openness’? It’s empty, awake, luminous and simple..." Tsoknyi Rinpoche
Whatever occurs to the senses or mind, just leave everything as-is and relax in your native state of vivid and awake awareness. Your heightened awareness will guide your actions in life with great precision. There are no further instructions.
Here is an ancient quote from a fundamental Great Perfection Tantra, or scriptural text, called the “The Heaped Jewels.” It com­pletely summarizes the unique method of Dzogchen practice.
"When anyone rests in the natural state without concen­tration, understanding manifests in that individual’s mind, without someone having to teach all the words by which the mind understands these meanings. As this understanding dawns in the mind, all that is non-man­ifest and all sensory appearances, which in themselves entail no concepts, are seen to be naturally pure." (From
Longchenpa’s Precious Treasury, Padma Publications.)
Kalu Rinpoche:
"Mind is poised in the state of bare awareness, there is no directing the mind. One is not looking within for anything; one is not looking without for anything. One is simply letting the mind rest in its own natu­ral state. The empty, clear and unimpeded nature of mind can be experienced if we can rest in an uncon­trived state of bare awareness without distraction and without the spark of awareness being lost."
In daily life:
"It is easy to re-recognize it (rigpa). You just have to drop thinking and it is right there. There is not a lot to be done."
Mingyur Rinpoche
Seeing it Clearly is Being It
If you close your eyes, you can notice an inner space of awareness in which various mental events as thoughts and images appear and disappear. Notice this for a couple of minutes.
If you then rest in just this awareness of noticing the inner traffic within that space, the mental events will begin to slow down and one's mind will eventually become more still and clear. At this point shift attention from the diminishing mental events and just sense the empty, aware space in which all experience is appearing. That empty, aware space is the Mind of Clear Light; your changeless Buddha Mind that is always perfect.
It's the mental traffic and perceptions appearing in It as thoughts, that describes a self, a world and the narrative concerning that self; the story of "me". But the aware cognitive space that is hosting all those thought appearances is untouched by all and everything appearing in It.
So you see, your perfect Buddha Mind, the empty Mind of Clear Light, was never in need of any study, teachings, purification or practices. It never changes, only the visitors change that come and go.
This is what "instantaneous enlightenment" is pointing to. Don't "think" that more is needed; that would just be the next visiting thought talking.
http://youtu.be/i34IuGJUj30
http://youtu.be/ncrNEAAMgSs
http://youtu.be/3vQHpfzQfBE
http://youtu.be/zJ6nS-kkoyE
http://youtu.be/yxv2Yo_ISp4
A Single Practical Method
Close your eyes and notice your current state of mind; clear or foggy, thought filled or empty, agitated or calm.
Notice the fact that this state of mind is occurring only in immediate consciousness or this mind moment.
Notice the empty space of the mind in which this mind moment as mental content is appearing. One can't separate the state of mind as content from the empty space in which its appearing. Notice that.
The mental state being experienced is not made of any solid substance and can be experienced as being as ungraspable as an empty cloud. In fact, your mental state is no more real and solid than your mental state during a dream at night.
Now notice the clear space that pervades your inner perception or state.
That knowing and aware clear space is the Mind of Clear Light or rigpa. All appearances are appearing within that Mind of Clear Light like reflections in a clear mirror.
Seen in this way, the energy of those empty appearances is experienced to be quite blissful when their energetic formation releases and transforms into bliss.
In this way we can see that all states of mind are actually bliss in disguise.
https://youtu.be/wVQlBNk4vgg

"No one and nothing can free you
but your own understanding."
~Ajahn Chah

Thogal theory and Practice
I am writing this as a "quick start" instructional guide that will allow anyone to begin practicing thogal effectively and safely.
Thogal means "over the skull", "over the crest". It actually means to arrive instantly without jumping to get there, like a quantum leap. Thogal practice makes it very easy to experience, know and differentiate rigpa from all other mind states, in its purest form.
Rigpa is our primordial Buddha Mind that is intrinsically perfect, permanently. Because it's permanent, it's always present. But it is not our experience, rather our experience is other coarser states of mind as content, which are appearing within the space of changeless rigpa awareness.
By practicing thogal, rigpa itself becomes its own self-experience. What is experienced is its own penetrating transparency, insightful clarity, wisdoms, and absence of a "me" egoic identity, as well as the absence of the sense of an "external" universe. Eventually the physical body will dissolve into pure Light as the practice comes to perfect fruition.
Thogal focuses on the visual apparatus. That means we use our eyes as our path.
Traditionally we use the sun by looking towards the sun in early morning and late afternoon. One does not look directly at the sun but slightly underneath it or off to the side, and with sun glasses on. I find using one eye at a time works best. One squints so that the ball of the sun is no longer visible but only a diffraction pattern of colored rays and a background tapestry of circles as though similar to looking at a peacock's feather. Within that diffraction pattern you can see little round spheres that may have little circular rings within them as well. At first they may just look like this but completely round: @
Sample images are posted below. They get larger over time with consistent practice. They are called "thigles" in Tibetan. (Pronounced: teeglay)
One then begins to focus on one little sphere by not moving the eyes. You just gaze at it. So do just this much for several sessions. I recommend a safer and easy way to do thogal:
Use your iPhone or similar phone with only the black screen. Hold it down toward your waist, angle it so you can look down and see the reflection of the sun. Squint your eyes until the ball disappears into the light refraction and continue as described above. This allows practicing throughout the day, even at noon. But be sure to wear sun glasses. Between the UV absorption in the phone's black glass and your sun glasses, no harmful UV rays should be entering your eyes. It's only the UV rays that damage the eyes. I recommend 20 minute sessions. 10 minutes with each eye. Start with one session per day and add a session later in the day if desired. But practice everyday. The effects will last and are cumulative.
If sun is not available you can flip the phone around and use the flashlight feature as though looking at the sun, but no sunglasses are necessary. You can also use an ordinary light bulb.
There are specific recommended postures for during thogal practice but I have not found them necessary and Namkhai Norbu stated that once the practice is working the postures are no longer necessary. I have taught dozens of people this approach in my retreats and it works for everyone without exception.
Once you are a little familiar wth the inner landscape and can focus on these thigle spheres easily, then while looking at the spheres ask your self "who or what is doing the looking?". "Where exactly is the observer?" Is there a "someone" looking or is there just empty perception?".
Also from time to time notice the empty space between the thigle and the place from where you are observing. Notice that completely clear and transparent space. Sense that space behind you and all around you and through you.
Also notice your state of inner empty clarity, transparent and vividly awake; from time to time.
Pay less attention to the condition of the thigles than to your empty awareness that is looking.
After you finish, look closely at various textures and surfaces close up and notice the sharpness of detail. Sometimes you can actually feel the textures by sight alone. Vision will become amazingly clear along with a sense of transparency and absence of selfness. It's this transparency (zangthal) and absence of selfing that transforms the mind completely into its own vivid emptiness. There is nothing to think about or workout. The practice does it all automatically.
There are many more aspects to all of this. To learn more and for additional support please join our thogal group here at FB, Dzogchen Thogal.
I am posting this on the general Dzogchen group to encourage those interested to practice. There is currently lots of misinformation out there regarding thogal and I would like to keep this technology available in an easy and workable format that can bring infinite benefit to any competent practitioner that wants to learn.
There are several lineage authorized books on the open public market now that explain thogal in complete detail. Now the traditional lineage Lamas have allowed these thogal teachings to be propagated broadly for everyone's benefit also out of a fear that these precious teachings may disappear eventually.
I received the thogal transmission and practice instructions privately in 1985 through the Yeshe Lama text as presented to me by a Nyingma Lama who was taught by Dudjum Rinpoche. I later received the detailed Bon transmission of Shardze Rinpoche's text "Heart Drops of the Dharmakaya" trekchod and thogal instructions personally from the Bon Menri Lopon. Shardza Rinpoche attained the "rainbow body of light" in the 1930's. Neither of my teachers asked me to keep these teachings secret, nor have I pledged any samaya regarding not sharing any of the Dzogchen teachings with others.
Please share your successes and insights in our thogal group as well as your practice issues.
I recommend reading my book and gaining familiarity with all the practices in the appendix before commencing thogal practice: "The Natural Bliss of Being", as well as attending one of my thogal retreats.
May all beings benefit! Emaho!
www.wayoflight.com

Without the crown chakra, and the wisdom eye in the forehead opening, it remains only intellectual understanding. There is no rigpa if the crown chakra and wisdom eye are not fully open.

Two Ways that Rigpa May Exit the Body at Death per Longchenpa in his "Commentary on 'Basic Space text' "
"When the departing of rigpa from the body is near, the yogin enters the space of trekchod kadag. The attention focuses on consciousness (shes pa) as it rides the prana (upward through the central channel). It is thus transferred into space. One visualizes one's own root guru, or the syllable HUM, or a vajra, or the like, arising from the essence of rigpa, at the aperture of Bramha (Fontanelle). Ejecting far upward with the sounding of the syllable HIK, one instantly passes into the transparency of Dharmakaya above."
"Alternately (via the thogal) ,in order to enter into the kayas and wisdoms, put the body in the thogal posture of a lion. Direct rigpa out through the eyes. At this time, the realm of the open space (ying) of the Dharmakaya will be appearing. If rigpa (your awareness) transfers into it, one will instantly attain buddhahood without experiencing the bardo. This very important point is a special teaching of this Great Perfection."

The "sudden teaching" of the Buddha is itself the insight that no entity of any kind exists to liberate. If you can't find a self, how could it be liberated?

"Bodhicitta can be defined as the realization of the nature of emptiness within which effortless compassion arises like heat arising from fire. Compassion, or bodhicitta, is inherent in emptiness as an innate quality, and if one has realized emptiness it is simply impossible that compassion would not be there."
Yangthang Rinpoche

Dzogchen Lama Ugyen Shenpen wrote regarding the energy channels in Dzogchen and thogal as well as the dissolution of the levels of mind into the Mind of Clear Light:
alayavijñana dissolves entirely into the impermanent alaya(Base). Alaya dissolves into dharmadhatu. On the subsiding of coarse and subtle grasping, the simplicity of empty and luminous dharmata arises. If it is
recognized, confusion is eliminated.
Sangwa Yeshe (gsang ba ye shes) says in the Compendium of the
Precious Tantras (rin po che’i rgyud kun ‘dus):
The seven collections dissolve in alaya consciousness.
After that, alaya is purified as space.
Then there is the primordial state of co-emergence,
The natural state of wisdom, emptiness/luminosity.
That is something that every yogin needs to know.
Then these unfold again: From dharmadhatu there is alaya, and from that alaya consciousness, and from that, by the rising of the isolated mental consciousness, various dreams arise. At this time, objects of habitual
patterns of mind are grasped as dharmas with their own individual natures. Also the conceptually moved pranas and the pranas in the nadis that depend on the seven consciousnesses enter into the side nadis, roma
and kyangma, and then the central channel. Then they are known as consciousness that is not equalized with alaya.
That is because they are united with the nadis and pranas and equalized with them. Then they enter into the central channel in one taste. This is the time of alaya. We go into deep sleep without dreams.
There are some who directly experience these characteristics of dreamlessness and rest there.
Then as for alaya dissolving into dharmadhatu, in the center of the central channel, the nadi of supreme changeless luminosity (kati), the coarse elements and pranas do not move. Alaya has that nadi’s nature of clear light.
The All-Illuminator (kun gsal) says:
The nadi (Kati) that exists in the midst of the central channel Is that of supreme changeless luminosity.
That clear and luminous space without solidity Is self-existing wisdom, the true state of everything.
The essence of prana in the central channel is said to be awareness (rigpa) itself. At the time of prana’s entry there luminosity arises. At that time globes (thigles) of shining light, radiance, rainbows, and so forth arise.
Empty luminosity, mind itself free from all complexity arises. The luminosity of union, the great wisdom that experiences luminous insight, arises.

The crown chakra leaves the body at death as Pure Consciousness.

KOCOURMIKES: The moment "presence" transforms into mind, its dynamic vector shifts from being an outward radiance, to becoming an inward grasping and desiring. This is what drives it's contraction and collapse into being localized and contained within its own energy field; like an enclosed cocoon. It is this energetic contraction that creates the strong "me" feeling.

What's Dependent and What's Not?
Only primordial Awareness (Dharmakaya) is a non-dependent reality. Everything "else" is dependent upon primordial Awareness.
The first dependent arising is a secondary consciousness which is the vivid and alert "presence" of primordial Awareness. Our most natural and original state or condition is "Presence of Awareness". When in this coherent, non-dual state, "presence" is a consciousness (shespa) that knows it's primordial condition intrinsically. This "knowing" is a wisdom that defines it's cognitive state as "ye shes" or "ye na shes pa", primordial wisdom.
It is this consciousness which is also known as the "nature of mind" (sem nyid). It also has the capacity to conceptualize, imagine and daydream.
When engaging in those activities it becomes mind (sem). All of those conceptual constructions and imaginary thought-forms arise dependent on the presence of mind activity not "presence of Awareness". The "presence" has become "thinking mind" (sem).
The moment that the "presence" transforms into thinking mind, that consciousness forfeits it's wisdom state for a state of conceptual speculation.
You could say that the otherwise vivid consciousness down-graded into a state of "daydreaming". Here is where the karmic chain of dependencies begins.
The world of sensory appearences and perceptions are not dependent on this karmic chain of daydreaming and abstract ruminations for its appearence. This is a view unique to Dzogchen. The other Buddhist schools consider ALL appearences to be karmic vision arising from the karmic-seed storehouse or alayavijñana.
Perceptual or sensory experience does not arise from karmic mind, it arises from primordial Awareness directly as its radiant ornamentation spontaneously. This is also a view unique to Dzogchen.
It is the karmic mental activity that then labels and names those "pure" appearences according to its conditioning and imaginary speculations. It's the sum total of those daydreamed names, labels and conceptual descriptions regarding various subjects and objects that we call "samsara".
Any engaging in thought, conceptualizing, naming and labeling are all the activity of the karmic mind; the engine of samsaric delusion and suffering.
However, when our presence as attention, ceases in its habitual engagement in thought and daydreaming, it will recover it's natural clarity and intuitive wisdom automatically.
Samsara is only the mind's daydreaming. You have never been anyone or anything except in imagination. Likewise no one else is anyone or anything as imagined. What we are can't be imagined or understood conceptually.
Our Natural State is the "Presence of Awareness" that has never become anyone or anything, yet radiates an infinite dimension of Wisdom Light that can't be grasped, understood or lost.

"For the main practice of the resting meditation of a yogi (kusulu), let your mind and body become comfortable, soft, and relaxed. Do not think of anything, and rest naturally. The important point here is that we do not think of anything. Do not think about the past and do not think about the future. Do not think of anything at all. You should not do this by tightening or gripping, but instead by being loose, relaxed, and comfortable. Just let yourself rest naturally within this, without thinking."
Thrangu Rinpoche

Seekers try to "understand" Reality or Enlightened Mind through the conceptualizing mind; it's hopeless.
This is like riding a bicycle here and there, and all round in the hopes that by doing so long enough, that one will eventually gain the knowledge of how to fly a sophisticated commercial jet.

Osobní lež.

Komedie ega, divadlo.

Ale když se budu chovat tak, žít tak jako bych umíral každý den, možná pětkrát denně, zůstane jenom pravda?

Lisa Gerrard & Pieter Bourke - The Unfolding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5JDposTncU

What is Consciousness?
Some call it Buddha Nature.
It nature is that it's essence is emptiness like space. Nothing graspable or material.
It's cognitive state is knowingness.
It manifests energetic formations.
The energetic formations are only conceptual constructions; information geometrically rendered as 3D holograms.
Looking into the true nature of the energetic formations, we find only luminous emptiness.
Looking into the true nature of knowingness, we find primordial wisdom.
Looking into the true nature of emptiness we find changeless beingness.
Looking into where all this is occurring, we find the primordial Mind of Clear Light, actively occurring as looking into itself as to where "all this is occurring".

there are only suffering aggregates, suffering body nothing else, outside of mind domain, this is question of non-ownership, we must totally destroy personality, body, property dependance clinging in order to be free (of suffering) - then what we have left? free emotions and freedom of thinking, to realize that there are only levels of seeing of things, like emptiness, like happiness, and then we have only those free emotions left or perhaps some dreams or charity karmajoga activity. i must testify thats it is very helpful to take the boddhisatttva oath to stay here forever to destruct buddhist ego perhaps somewhere downn there, comfy boddhisattva bureau in hell, with lot of space. Vajrayana is so elegant, so exact, like swiss or german clock machine, taking care for all universe systems there are.

Why It's Not Working and How It Can
Many here in our groups and at retreats have shared with me that even after 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 years of diligent Dharma practice; they are still not stable in rigpa, have not had any "final breakthrough" and still suffer much as they always had. I then set out to try to figure out why people weren't able to find success in their practice.
I did discover the major flaw in the whole "enlightenment project" paradigm. Let me explain:
A student goes to a teacher with the basic problem of human suffering. They are looking for relief through applying the Dharma. The teacher gives them things to read, practices to do and a series of advices. They then check in with the teacher or a teacher from time to time for advice. Some have sufficient competency and just practice on their own. That's the typical model.
We have two issues always at work: the subject who seeks relief and the objective issues they seek relief from. In their interactions with a teacher the topic is always dealing with the "issues" side:
"Are my turbulent thoughts and negative emotional states becoming less intense? Are my occasional moments of clear awareness (rigpa) lasting longer and becoming stable? Are my problems within my life experience not being such a burden? Are my doubts regarding my inner states of recognition resolved?"
These are just some typical issues that one would being seeking to resolve in their exchanges with a teacher or as a lone practitioner. The teacher too is interested in resolving and improving on the practitioner's concerns.
The idea is that if we could manage resolution on all the above issues, the practitioner would end up being a living example of the workability of the Dharma and the proof that successful application of all teacher's advices and instructions assures success. The problem is, there is no or very little success occurring.
Since 1966 when I was 16 and began practicing Soto Zen under the instruction of Matsuoka Roshi, I have never met a single practitioner in any Buddhist (or any non-Buddhist) tradition who has had complete success according to their own assessments and standards.
So what was and is wrong with this picture? I believe with great conviction, that the problem lies with how the Dharma is being taught and applied. The model in the West is based on the notion of "what can the Buddha Dharma do for me?", with total focus on "me" and "my" benefit.
Our barometer for measuring our success is based on if "I" am feeling better, "I" am having more stable rigpa, "my" emotional states are less turbulent, "I" am experiencing more stable joy, "my" life is going better, "I" am suffering less. It's all about "me"!
As a result only one side of the process is getting attention and is being addressed; "my" issues and their resolution. That then becomes our basis for judging success in our overall "enlightenment project".
But no one ever asks or focuses on "to whom do these problems and issues belong?" This is the subject side of the subject/object dichotomy. It's the fundamental "workhorse" of our new approach:
"To whom do these problems and issues belong?"
We may answer "to me!". But then look if that "me" can be found as other than thoughts and feelings "about" a me without ever finding the "me" the thoughts are describing.
When in a difficult mind-state, look into this question to uncover the true underpinning to the whole issue. The "me" that owns the problems, issues or emotional states can't be found.
We can discover that all of our problems and issues (the object side) are mere daydreams or empty conceptual constructions. That can be accomplished with great success through vipassana meditation and diligent application of the emptiness teachings. However the one who "owns" the problems (the subject side) is usually left unscathed and perhaps only more emboldened that it is now free of its burdens. It may even have increased in self-pride due to its successes and "brilliant insights" in how well it has managed to overcome it's problems and can now better control it's world.
Unfortunately by all this focus on resolving the challenges and burdens on the "object side" the subjective "self" may have become only further reified and solidified by all the attention directed toward self-improvement and its "enlightenment project".
What's always missed is that without the conceptual construction of the fictional self, there is no one to own the issues and problems on the "object side". Take away the imaginary subject as the fictional "I" and it's "story of me" and instantly all the problems and issues disappear. This is how the Dharma needs to be applied.
Khenpo Tsulstrim Gyatso:
"When we realize the selflessness of the individual, however, this whole process stops. The wrong views that have their root in the belief in self cease, then the mental afflictions cease, then karmic actions cease, and as a result of that, birth in samsara’s cycle of existence ceases."
The cornerstone of the Buddha's teachings were centered on "anatta" or no-self. Today this teaching has been reduced to a "non-self" interpretation that implies that a self does exist but that it should be focused on its not being independent and inherently existing, it should see "it-self" as being an interdependent part of the whole. The subject "I" remains standing but in a new and more integrated garb. The mentally contrived self is believed to validly exist on its "own side" but that it should free itself of all egoic selfishness. This is THE
primary error. There is no valid personal self findable.
So perhaps the teachings should start on the "no self" teaching of anatta instead of on trying to reduce samsara. As most or many have discovered, it can take a lifetime to remove or dissolve all the karmic leaves on the samsaric tree through practices, study and effort.
One may even remove some major supporting branches. But nothing can compare to extracting and destroying the roots that support, nourish and assure the tree is held firmly in place by the mind's fictional belief and mental construction of an illusory self. Cut the roots and the tree falls all at once.
No Self
There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding regarding the question of selfhood and whether a personal, individual self of any kind actually exists. Some think there is a personal self that underlies the fictional self, which is only a conceptual construction. This is the view of an "atman" or "self-soul" that the Buddha thoroughly refuted. The so called conventional self can't be found to exist within the body-mind nor outside the body-mind. That leaves no other option for its existence except within imagination.
In a dark room, a rope may be mistaken to be a snake, along with all the descriptions about snakes that the mind contains. We feel anxiety, fear and our adrenalin and blood pressures go up, as well as heart beat.
But if we look closely at the rope in brighter light, we won't be able to find a snake within the rope, or upon the rope, nor outside of the rope. That leaves only the imagination as its residence.
It's the same regarding our snake-self. Our body-mind is like the rope. The mind infers a self as a personal "me" upon and within the body-mind in the darkness of confused mental functioning. We have real feelings felt about this imaginary "me" that create moods, altered bio-chemistry and sense of a "suffering me". But if we introspectively look within our mental events, we won't find a "me" anywhere; not in the body, not in the mind; we only find thoughts and feelings ABOUT a self, but no self is discovered. Then the lights go on and suddenly the subconscious mind ceases to generate the mistaken "me" belief. The personal self or "me" was no more real than the imaginary snake! There is no "liberation or enlightenment" beyond this direct insight and cessation of this cognitive error, and none without it.
"When we realize the selflessness of the individual, however, this whole process stops. The wrong views that have their root in the belief in self cease, then the mental afflictions cease, then karmic actions cease, and as a result of that, birth in samsara’s cycle of existence ceases."
Khenpo Tsulstrim Gyamtso
"We can formulate the following logical reasoning: Karmic actions and results are mere appearances devoid of true existence, because no self, no actor, exists to perform them. This is a valid way to put things because if the self of the individual does not exist, there cannot be any action, and therefore there cannot be any result of any action either."
Khenpo Tsulstrim Gyamtso
"Someone might ask, “Isn’t it nihilistic to think that karmic actions and their results do not exist?” In fact, this is not a nihilistic view because there exists no self to have any nihilistic view. There can be a nihilistic view only if there is someone to hold it, but since there is "no one" to have any view, then there can be no nihilism. Furthermore, since the thought of nihilism neither arises nor abides nor ceases, there can be no nihilism in genuine reality. Genuine reality transcends the conceptual fabrications of realism and nihilism. It transcends karmic actions and results, and the absence of karmic actions and results as well. If karmic actions and their results do not exist in the abiding nature of reality, then what is the quality of their appearance?"
Nagarjuna describes this in the chapter’s thirty-third verse:
Mental afflictions, actions, and bodies, as well as actors and results, are like cities of imaginary beings, like mirages, and like dreams."
Khenpo Tsulstrim Gyatso