Sunday, December 09, 2007

台北 2007-2008年 敦珠傳承殊勝黑忿怒空行母 薈供大法會 與 大灌頂

吉祥如意!






黑忿怒空行母薈供息災增益大法會


地點:台北市新店市五峰路61巷39號 南方寳生佛剎


12/21~12/23(五)、(六)、(日)三天 ~


尊貴的 噶拉多傑仁波切主法



12月21日 (五)


上午09:00─11:30

法會開始啟燈供佛儀式,迎請黑忿怒空行母聖眾降臨壇城暨薈供之前行、正行修法


下午14:00─15:30

護法修法及懺悔消障暨黑忿怒空行母累積薈供加持修法


下午16:00─17:30

護法修法及懺悔消障暨黑忿怒空行母累積薈供加持修法


晚上19:30開始

黑忿怒空行母身語意灌頂

12月22日 (六)


上午09:00─11:30

黑忿怒空行母聖眾降臨壇城暨薈供之前行、正行修法


下午14:00─15:30

護法修法及懺悔消障暨黑忿怒空行母及累積薈供加持修法


下午16:00─17:30

護法修法及懺悔消障暨黑忿怒空行母累積薈供加持修法護法修法及懺悔消障暨黑忿怒空行母超度及累積薈供加持修法



12月23日 (日)


上午09:00─11:30

黑忿怒空行母聖眾降臨壇城暨薈供之前行、正行修法


下午14:00─15:30

黑忿怒空行母大火供


下午16:00─17:30

護法修法及懺悔消障暨黑忿怒空行母累積薈供加持修法


晚上19:30開始

黑忿怒空行母薈供大法會身語意圓滿成就加持灌頂


黑忿怒空行母之利益:

黑忿怒空行母之薈供:一切情器妙欲自生為外供,自己所有財富福德茲具之物質為內供,供養自性本身為秘密供。黑忿怒空行母施身法薈供以自身密供之故,為最勝供,同等盡一切供。本法主要係消除對自身執著之不共密績,特別是可瞬間獲得無量福智,可斷除我執、煩惱、輪迴、圓滿世間法、祛除病魔惡緣、不順遂等惡事。本法為極加持力之密法,屬岩傳取藏大師 敦珠寧巴岩傳法。 在密乘裡,薈供是非常重要的修法,我們希望達到快樂、健康、財富及長壽,就需要修薈供來累積功德,種下善的因緣種子,非一般商品可以買得到的,要消除障礙,唯有參加薈供,如同一帖良藥般,是累積福慧最快而有效的的方法,可消除眾生身語意之業障。此法會內可消除四魔、貪嗔痴慢疑五毐之障礙,外可消除地水火風之災難,修法所累積的善業,一切眾生可得智慧、福報增長、壽命延長,消除一切病業災劫,好運及快樂到來。並將功德迴向一切眾生,祈願世界和平、國泰民安、風調雨順,誠摯邀請您共襄盛舉。


敦珠傳承殊勝黑忿怒空行母(旺千)大灌頂活動


時間: 2008年1月1日中午12時集合


地點:台北市大同區南京西路165號 4F (台北敦珠佛學苑 電話:02-25562745)


報名聯絡人:噴措喇嘛04-24969688


尊貴的 噶拉多傑仁波切主法


我們很高興告訴各位大德、金剛師兄師姊好消息有關於敦珠傳承殊勝黑忿怒空行母(旺千)大灌頂,將於台北中心舉辦,灌頂的主法上師為敦珠法脈及血脈之持有者 噶拉多傑仁波切,當然其他上師也有給予傳授此法,仁波切傳法特別不同處是因為此法是屬於敦珠家族所擁有的,且仁波切具有敦珠血脈及法脈家族之傳承,故由其傳授之加持力特別殊勝,這次為仁波切來台二十年第一次給予於台灣傳此大灌頂,金剛師兄師姊、弟子們應把握此難得之機會,授此灌頂。


本尊黑忿怒空行母的灌頂來源:黑忿怒空行母是屬於敦珠傳承本尊的空行母,就經教而言是屬於般若佛母空行母;就密續而言,屬於黑忿怒空行母;據歷史來講,在釋迦牟尼佛時代,經教方面,祂給予女性的般若佛母教法,給予男性的般若智慧教法,密續方面,給予黑忿怒空行母教學,其本質方面都是ㄧ樣的,ㄧ生修持此本尊,即可成佛(包含成就虹光身)。 一般來講,黑忿怒空行母之有很多種,有朵瑪灌頂、身語意灌頂、加持灌頂及大灌頂、根本灌頂等不同的灌頂,修行者要接受過大灌頂和根本灌頂,才可算進入學習此法,而此次安排的黑忿怒空行母灌頂是非常高深、祕密的,參加這次灌頂的弟子將是嚴格挑選。 這次給予灌頂的對象如下: 一、屬於很清淨敦珠傳承之學習弟子。 二、除了傳承弟子之外,主要想學習黑忿怒空行母法且於每月藏曆二十五日,都不錯過參加黑忿怒空行母薈供修法的弟子,亦可接受灌頂。 三、年齡必須滿十八歲以上才可報名。   


(p.s.參加報名者請預先聯絡中心之噴措喇嘛,給予登記,並可告知所屬教派、學習動機或其他緣由) 參加灌頂者重要提醒:

1.參加者須攜帶灌頂所需之法器物件─瑜珈披肩、手鼓、鈴杵、腿骨,沒有這些法器物件,如 不清楚者可與中心聯絡。

2.參加者需攜帶瑜珈披肩、手鼓、鈴杵、腿骨,接受灌頂時可得到加持。

3.提醒大家,欲參加此灌頂修持務必重複且慎重考慮(千百次),因為此灌頂與一般灌頂不同,屬於密秘與極密的灌頂,故必須僅慎地思考之,要為了一身中修行成佛的目地,才加入。若祗是為了財富上或身體健康等此身目地來接受灌頂是不適合的。

4.原則上,真正如法來接受這個灌頂,必須在危險的地方、屍陀林處,只準許七個人圍繞一圈,然後接受灌頂。

5.參加者要穿長袖、長褲及莊嚴的服飾來接受灌頂。

p.s.黑忿怒空行母大灌頂只接受有報名的人

THE SUPREME KRODIKALI TANTRIC INITIATION

1 January 2008, 3pm

Dudjom New Treasure centre in Taipei-

Dudjom Dharma House

There will be a Supreme Krodikali Tantric Initiation on January 1, 2008, 3:00pm with Dungse Garab Dorje Rinpoche in the Dudjom New Treasure centre, Taipei.

Rinpoche is the holder of direct blood (or "bone", as it is called in the Tibetan tradition) and Dharma lineages of the Dudjom New Treasure so that this initiation is complete, pure and absolute. This is an authentic empowerment, an unbroken continuity initiation.

There are 3 types of initiations, namely

i) Outer : The Krodikali Wisdom Body, Speech and Mind Initiation;

ii) Inner : The Root Krodikali Initiation and the

iii) Secret : The Supreme Krodikali Secret Initiation.

The initiation includes the hair initiation, the damaru initiation, the vajra and bell initiation, the kangling initiation, the khamar initiation, etc. In total, there are 32 symbols' initiations. It is considered as the highest secret initiation and is only given to those who are practicing chod. The initiation is not open to the public. It should only be given to those who have a very strong renunciation mind and strong faith towards the lineage. Whoever has strong faith in this supreme initiation, kindly contact Lama Phuntshok at +886424969688 for more information. There will also be a question and answer session conducted by Lama Phuntshok. Only the chosen and registered practitioners are allowed to participate in this supreme secret initiation. Participants are required to bring along their own vajra, bell and damaru.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Dungsey Garab Dorje Rinpoche arriving for Chod



噶拉多傑仁波切 (Garab Dorje Rinpoche, heir of the Dudjom lineage, in purple)

and

蔣康仁波切 (Gyangkhang Rinpoche of the Palyul lineage)

arriving at the Mahabodhi stupa in Bodh Gaya on the last day of the 3-day Dudjom New Treasure Krodikali practice.

The background drumming sounds from a nearby Hindu procession for the Diwali festival.

For more information on Garab Dorje Rinpoche: www.garabdorje.net

噶拉多傑仁波切: www.dudjom.twmail.org

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Chod with Rinpoche under the Bodhi tree on November 5, 2007

Garab Dorje Rinpoche with a handful of disciples from Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore, a couple from the US, one from Estonia [ :) ] & an estimated EIGHT THOUSAND from Bhutan, at a groundbreaking, earth-shattering 3-day Krodikali practice in Bodh Gaya, November 3-5, 2007.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Garab Dorje Rinpoche teaching in Taichung
噶拉多傑仁波切開示


Friday, June 15, 2007
7:50pm

Garab Dorje Rinpoche speaks on Ngondro

法會特別推薦─地點:中心佛堂
6/15(五)晚上7:50 尊貴的 噶拉多傑仁波切開示佛法─四加行

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Alcohol, tobacco make top 10 list of risky drugs

British study rated the substances more dangerous than marijuana, Ecstasy

LONDON - New "landmark" research finds that alcohol and tobacco are more dangerous than some illegal drugs like marijuana or Ecstasy and should be classified as such in legal systems, according to a new British study.

In research published Friday in The Lancet magazine, Professor David Nutt of Britain's Bristol University and colleagues proposed a new framework for the classification of harmful substances, based on the actual risks posed to society. Their ranking listed alcohol and tobacco among the top 10 most dangerous substances.

Nutt and colleagues used three factors to determine the harm associated with any drug: the physical harm to the user, the drug's potential for addiction and the impact on society of drug use. The researchers asked two groups of experts — psychiatrists specializing in addiction and legal or police officials with scientific or medical expertise — to assign scores to 20 different drugs, including heroin, cocaine, Ecstasy, amphetamines and LSD.

Nutt and his colleagues then calculated the drugs' overall rankings. In the end, the experts agreed with each other — but not with the existing British classification of dangerous substances.

Heroin and cocaine were ranked most dangerous, followed by barbiturates and street methadone. Alcohol was the fifth-most harmful drug and tobacco the ninth most harmful. Cannabis came in 11th, and near the bottom of the list was Ecstasy.

‘Current drug system is ill thought-out’
According to existing British and U.S. drug policy, alcohol and tobacco are legal, while cannabis and Ecstasy are both illegal. Previous reports, including a study from a parliamentary committee last year, have questioned the scientific rationale for Britain's drug classification system.

"The current drug system is ill thought-out and arbitrary," said Nutt, referring to the United Kingdom's practice of assigning drugs to three distinct divisions, ostensibly based on the drugs' potential for harm. "The exclusion of alcohol and tobacco from the Misuse of Drugs Act is, from a scientific perspective, arbitrary," write Nutt and his colleagues in The Lancet.

Tobacco causes 40 percent of all hospital illnesses, while alcohol is blamed for more than half of all visits to hospital emergency rooms. The substances also harm society in other ways, damaging families and occupying police services.

Nutt hopes that the research will provoke debate within the UK and beyond about how drugs — including socially acceptable drugs such as alcohol — should be regulated. While different countries use different markers to classify dangerous drugs, none use a system like the one proposed by Nutt's study, which he hopes could serve as a framework for international authorities.

"This is a landmark paper," said Dr. Leslie Iversen, professor of pharmacology at Oxford University. Iversen was not connected to the research. "It is the first real step towards an evidence-based classification of drugs." He added that based on the paper's results, alcohol and tobacco could not reasonably be excluded.

"The rankings also suggest the need for better regulation of the more harmful drugs that are currently legal, i.e. tobacco and alcohol," wrote Wayne Hall, of the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, in an accompanying Lancet commentary. Hall was not involved with Nutt's paper.

While experts agreed that criminalizing alcohol and tobacco would be challenging, they said that governments should review the penalties imposed for drug abuse and try to make them more reflective of the actual risks and damages involved.

Nutt called for more education so that people were aware of the risks of various drugs. "All drugs are dangerous," he said. "Even the ones people know and love and use every day."


Most dangerous drugs

Research recently published in the medical journal The Lancet rates the most dangerous drugs (starting with the worst) as follows:

1. Heroin
2. Cocaine
3. Barbiturates
4. Street methadone
5. Alcohol
6. Ketamine
7. Benzodiazepines
8. Amphetamine
9. Tobacco
10. Buprenorphine
11. Cannabis
12. Solvents
13. 4-MTA
14. LSD
15. Methylphenidate
16. Anabolic steroids
17. GHB
18. Ecstasy
19. Alkyl nitrates
20. Khat

Source: The Lancet

INTERACTIVE: A look at how heroin, cocaine and other drugs affect the body

Saturday, March 03, 2007

Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche in XinDian
吉美欽哲仁波切@新店

親愛的朋友

我們很榮幸的將邀請
吉美欽哲仁波切到中心給予教授
歡迎大家來共沾法露

時間:
3月10日(六)
14:00—16:00
3月11日(日)
14:00—16:00

地點:
悉達多本願佛學會
新店市寶中路47號23樓之3

教授內容:即席開示

悉達多本願佛學會 敬邀

Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche will be giving 2 talks:
14:00 - 16:00, March 10-11, 2007 (Sat.-Sun.)
Topic undecided.
The talks are expected to be in English, with Chinese translation.

Venue & more information:

Siddhartha's Intent Taiwan

23Fl.-3, No. 47, BaoZhong Rd.,
XinDian City, Taipei County, Taiwan 231, R.O.C.
Tel: 886-2-29158748 Fax: 886-2-89193833

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche

Teachings on Uttaratantra Sutra

Taipei

30 March – 1 April 2007


Registration Form


E-mail the completed registration form by 20 March


Full Name

Family Name: Given Name:

Contact Address

Phone No.

O( )

H( )

Mobile

E-mail






1. Please e-mail the completed registration form to the following address:

siddwish@yahoo.com.tw.


2. Ensure that the e-mail subject box is marked “Uttaratantra Sutra”. Otherwise, the e-mail will be treated as junk and deleted. Thank you.


Sunday, January 28, 2007

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche in Taipei 2007: Uttaratantra Sutra Teachings & Ushnisha Vijaya Initiation & Puja
宗薩欽哲仁波切2007年臺灣弘法行程

1) Uttaratantra Teachings (Year 2), March 30 – April 1, 2007: The second in a series of teachings on Asanga's great classic Mahayana Buddhist text on the buddha nature.

E-mail the completed registration form by March 20:

Full Name: Family Name: Given Name:
Contact Address:
Phone No. O:( ) H:( ) Mobile:
E-mail:

1. Please e-mail the completed registration form to the following address:
siddwish@yahoo.com.tw.

2. Ensure that the e-mail subject box is marked "Uttaratantra Sutra". Otherwise, the e-mail will be treated as junk and deleted.

If you are in Taiwan, you will be asked to transfer the NT$500 registration fee via postal service:

Account name: 中華民國悉達多本願佛學會
Account number: 19130051
Please indicate "For the registration of teaching on Uttaratantra Sutra" and also your name and phone number.
After that, please keep the receipt in order to use it to exchange for the attendance card of the teaching on March 30.


2) Ushnisha Vijaya Initiation and Puja (Year 2): April 9-15, 2007



一、「究竟一乘寶性論」佛學講座

時間:2007年3月30日(週五) 晚上7:30至9:30
3月31、4月1日(週六、日) 早上9:30至下午1:30

地點:台北火車站五樓演藝廳(請由火車站東二門入場)

報名方法:

(1)郵政劃撥:

即日起至2007年3月20日止,報名費為新台幣500元整,劃撥單請註明報名「究竟一乘寶性論」。

戶名:中華民國悉達多本願佛學會 帳號:19130051

《請保留收據於報到時換取上課証》

(2)現場報名:

依郵政劃撥次序,優先錄取;若名額已滿,則不再錄取並且退費。

截止日期後,若有剩餘名額,可於現場依先後次序報名,至額滿為止。

◎若報名人數額滿,本會將公告於網站上:http://www.siddharthasintent.org/chinese/

 

二、 「佛頂尊勝佛母」法會

時間:2007年4月9日至15日 早上7:30至下午5:30

地點:中華民國農訓協會天母國際會議廳(天母農訓中心)
臺北市士林區中山北路七段113號(地圖下載) 

住宿:若您需要,農訓中心可提供住宿,兩人房之房價為新台幣1350元/每晚(不含早餐),請務必於3月20日前向本會登記並完成匯款手續,逾期即不受理。希望您盡量自己選擇時間上可以相互配合的室友。

◎住宿登記方法:電子郵件寄至siddwish@yahoo.com.tw

◎住宿費用請郵政劃撥至以下帳號並註明「農訓中心住宿費用」

戶名:中華民國悉達多本願佛學會 帳號:19130051

法會不需事先報名,歡迎隨喜參加!



註:「究竟一乘寶性論」佛學講座為第二年的連續性教授,若您需要請購2006年教授的CD,可以至以下流通處:

曲翔錄音公司 : 台北市金門街 9-18 號 1 樓

佛化人生 : 台北市羅斯福路三段325號 6樓之4

波達拉藝品 : 台北市大安路一段51巷 4號 2 樓

全德佛教文物 : 台北市光復南路 49 號




宗薩欽哲仁波切對「佛頂尊勝佛母法會」的開示


長壽本尊主要有三位,我們以前修過的聖度母是其中之一,此次修持佛頂尊勝佛母,希望以後有機會可以修長壽佛。究竟上,這三個長壽本尊是要使我們的正覺常在;但相對上,則是長壽的本尊。

佛頂尊勝佛母是具威德力的本尊,可以降服各種干擾或縮短壽命的障礙,也能保護我們不受邪術、醜聞、丟面子或喪失尊嚴等障難。




彌勒菩薩之《究竟一乘寶性論》

──彌勒菩薩所著關於「佛性」的大乘佛法典籍──

宗薩欽哲仁波切 講授

虛空,其本質離於概念,

遍含一切。

同樣地,廣闊無瑕的心之本性,

通透所有眾生。

─ 彌勒/無著



不論困惑、痛苦多麼深沈,我們都擁有絕對的、不變的覺悟本質,或稱「佛性」。由此內在本質來看,尊貴的佛陀和一般眾生並無差異。任何人只要去除了遮蔽其真實本性的障礙,即能成佛。

《究竟一乘寶性論》是彌勒菩薩給予無著論師有關佛性的教授。它是大乘佛法最偉大的典籍之一;尤其特別的是,它被視為大乘與金剛乘之間的橋樑。它描述佛性如何存於我們內在、如何覺察佛性,以及佛性所展現的功德為何。

以下是一些有關《究竟一乘寶性論》的資料,提供參考:

1.《彌勒菩薩五部論頌 ── 究竟一乘寶性論頌》(共十一品),方廣文化事業有限公司出版

2.《佛性 ── 究竟一乘寶性論十講》,眾生文化有限公司出版 ,著者:創古仁波切

3. Buddha Nature, The Mahayana Uttaratantra Shastra with Commentary,Snow Lion Publications

Friday, January 26, 2007

Latest update from Kathmandu

Rinpoche passed away at his retreat center. He is still in the meditative position. When a week has passed, he will be moved to his temple.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

薩迦察巴法王秋吉崔欽仁波切已於1/22上午在尼泊爾圓寂
His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche displayed entering Parinirvana at 6:45AM on January 22, 2007 in Nepal



尊貴的薩迦茶巴法王─秋吉崔欽仁波切,於 2007年 1月22日上午 6:45於尼泊爾示寂!
敬請世界各地十方弟子共同祈願迴向:法王秋吉崔欽仁波切:佛果圓成,早日乘願再來!

【薩迦茶巴法王示寂─上師相應法祈願法會】2007.01.23~24
薩迦派在台灣的仁波切,如遍德仁波切、普拉仁波切等,以及堪布們、喇嘛們,將一起在1月23、24日, 於台北市錦州街 215號 5F薩迦中心 (02) 2567-6467、2581-4229,早上 8點 至下午 5點,共修上師相應法。

【薩迦茶巴法王─秋吉崔欽仁波切】簡介
法王秋吉(究給)崔欽仁波切─拿旺堪惹列謝嘉秀(His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche─Ngawang Khyenrab Lekshe Gyatso)是藏傳佛教中「薩迦」傳承中最資深的喇嘛。仁波切是出名的密續大師、精進不懈的修行者、出色的學者及雄辯的詩人。仁波切体現出如來教法的智慧、精神及功德事業。

法王秋吉崔欽仁波切堪稱上師的上師,因為大部分藏傳佛教傳承的掌持者都是他弟子。當中包括達賴喇嘛(His Holiness the Dalai Lama)及薩迦天津法王(His Holiness Sakya Trizin)。

或許我們可透過薩迦天津法王的話去理解法王秋吉崔欽仁波切的偉大之處。他如此讚嘆法王秋吉崔欽仁波切的偉大成就:「許多人從經典得到智慧;一些人從思維彿法得到智慧;極少許人從實際禪修得到智慧。但是秋吉崔欽仁波切聞、思、修三學具足,能見到仁波切都是有福德的人,見他一面就是莫大的加持。」

仁波切除了於藏傳喇嘛中廣受推崇外,尼泊爾的百仁扎國王(King Birendra)更為仁波切奉上「果卡達心」(Gorkha Dakshin Babu)這個吉祥的尊號(意指「西尼泊爾大導師」),此乃尼泊爾國王對佛教大師前所未有的讚頌。

His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, Ngawang Khyenrab Thupten Lekshe Gyatso, was the head of Tsharpa branch of the Sakya Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. As the most senior Sakya lama living, His Eminence was a renowned tantric master, a dedicated practitioner, an outstanding scholar and an eloquent poet. His Eminence embodied the wisdom, spirit and activities of the holy Dharma.

His Eminence was a master of masters as most Tibetan Buddhist lineage holders are his disciples. Amongst these disciples are His Holiness the Dalai Lama and His Holiness Sakya Trizin.

Perhaps one can begin to comprehend the greatness of His Eminence through the words of His Holiness Sakya Trizin, who describes the great accomplishments of His Eminence as thus:

"There are many who have attained the wisdom arising from the study of the Scriptures. There are some who have attained the wisdom arising from contemplation of the Dharma. There are few who have gained wisdom arising from meditation. His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche is one who has attained all three wisdoms. One should consider oneself fortunate just to meet him, which is in itself a great blessing."

In addition to His Eminence's stature among Tibetan lamas, King Birendra of Nepal awarded His Eminence "Gorkha Dakshin Babu", a tribute which has never been awarded to a Buddhist monk in Nepal before.


Sunday, January 14, 2007

Dzogchen Practice in Everyday Life
by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

His Holiness was a living example of not only the nakedness of Mind :)

The everyday practice of dzogchen is simply to develop a complete carefree acceptance, an openness to all situations without limit. We should realize openness as the playground of our emotions and relate to people without artificiality, manipulation or strategy.

We should experience everything totally, never withdrawing into ourselves as a marmot hides in its hole. This practice releases tremendous energy which is usually constricted by the process of maintaining fixed reference points. Referentiality is the process by which we retreat from the direct experience of everyday life.

Being present in the moment may initially trigger fear. But by welcoming the sensation of fear with complete openness, we cut through the barriers created by habitual emotional patterns.

When we engage in the practice of discovering space, we should develop the feeling of opening ourselves out completely to the entire universe. We should open ourselves with absolute simplicity and nakedness of mind.

This is the powerful and ordinary practice of dropping the mask of self-protection. We shouldn't make a division in our meditation between perception and field of perception. We shouldn't become like a cat watching a mouse. We should realize that the purpose of meditation is not to go "deeply into ourselves" or withdraw from the world.

Practice should be free and non-conceptual, unconstrained by introspection and concentration. Vast unoriginated self-luminous wisdom space is the ground of being - the beginning and the end of confusion. The presence of awareness in the primordial state has no bias toward enlightenment or non-enlightenment.

This ground of being which is known as pure or original mind is the source from which all phenomena arise. It is known as the great mother, as the womb of potentiality in which all things arise and dissolve in natural self-perfectedness and absolute spontaneity.

All aspects of phenomena are completely clear and lucid. The whole universe is open and unobstructed - everything is mutually interpenetrating. Seeing all things as naked, clear and free from obscurations, there is nothing to attain or realize. The nature of phenomena appears naturally and is naturally present in time-transcending awareness. Everything is naturally perfect just as it is.

All phenomena appear in their uniqueness as part of the continually changing pattern. These patterns are vibrant with meaning and significance at every moment; yet there is no significance to attach to such meanings beyond the moment in which they present themselves.

This is the dance of the five elements in which matter is a symbol of energy and energy a symbol of emptiness. We are a symbol of our own enlightenment.

With no effort or practice whatsoever, liberation or enlightenment is already here.

The everyday practice of dzogchen is just everyday life itself. Since the undeveloped state does not exist, there is no need to behave in any special way or attempt to attain anything above and beyond what you actually are. There should be no feeling of striving to reach some "amazing goal" or "advanced state." To strive for such a state is a neurosis which only conditions us and serves to obstruct the free flow of Mind.

We should also avoid thinking of ourselves as worthless persons - we are naturally free and unconditioned. We are intrinsically enlightened and lack nothing.

When engaging in meditation practice, we should feel it to be as natural as eating, breathing and defecating. It should not become a specialized or formal event, bloated with seriousness and solemnity. We should realize that meditation transcends effort, practice, aims, goals and the duality of liberation and non-liberation.

Meditation is always ideal; there is no need to correct anything. Since everything that arises is simply the play of mind as such, there is no unsatisfactory meditation and no need to judge thoughts as good or bad. Therefore we should simply sit. Simply stay in your own place, in your own condition just as it is.

Forgetting self-conscious feelings, we do not have to think "I am meditating." Our practice should be without effort, without strain, without attempts to control or force and without trying to become "peaceful."

If we find that we are disturbing ourselves in any of these ways, we stop meditating and simply rest or relax for a while. Then we resume our meditation. If we have "interesting experiences" either during or after meditation, we should avoid making anything special of them. To spend time thinking about experiences is simply a distraction and an attempt to become unnatural.

These experiences are simply signs of practice and should be regarded as transient events. We should not attempt to reexperience them because to do so only serves to distort the natural spontaneity of mind.

All phenomena are completely new and fresh, absolutely unique and entirely free from all concepts of past, present and future. They are experienced in timelessness.

The continual stream of new discovery, revelation and inspiration which arises at every moment is the manifestation of our clarity.

We should learn to see everyday life as mandala - the luminous fringes of experience which radiate spontaneously from the empty nature of our being. The aspects of our mandala are the day-to-day objects of our life experience moving in the dance or play of the universe.

By this symbolism the inner teacher reveals the profound and ultimate significance of being. Therefore we should be natural and spontaneous, accepting and learning from everything. This enables us to see the ironic and amusing side of events that usually irritate us.

In meditation we can see through the illusion of past, present and future - our experience becomes the continuity of nowness. The past is only an unreliable memory held in the present. The future is only a projection of our present conceptions. The present itself vanishes as soon as we try to grasp it.

So why bother with attempting to establish an illusion of solid ground? We should free ourselves from our past memories and preconceptions of meditation. Each moment of meditation is completely unique and full of potentiality.

In such moments, we will be incapable of judging our meditation in terms of past experience, dry theory or hollow rhetoric. Simply plunging directly into meditation in the moment now, with our whole being, free from hesitation, boredom or excitement, is enlightenment.