Jax wrote:Pema and Magnus, there is no benefit from "relaxing" in relationship to recognition of one's essential nature. Again that would imply that there is some "cause and effect" means to come to realization possible. You may discover a relaxed state of mind and body, but neither have anything to do with Rigpa. There is no stairway to Rigpa. All you are climbing towards is a temporary state. Knowing Being is equally present whether one is a murderer or an advanced Lama, both have an equal likelihood of realization (per the 12 Vajra Laughs). What does that mean? Rigpa is not some holy or special state that can be accomplished, it is what is reading these typed words and is that intelligence that is noticing the thoughts arising regarding what is being read. If you are very tense, you still can read these words and notice your thoughts. Likewise if you are really relaxed you can do the same equally well. There are no obstructions to Awareness, nothing needs to be removed, corrected or improved. When you feel "obstructed" what is it that is knowing this "obstructed feeling"? That's right ... Awareness! It's ever present and there is no one to realize this... and no one has ever realized some state called "Rigpa". Its what you obviously are, not what you can become or realize!
Let me put it this way to you, so that you don't continue to put forth that gibberish.
If I kidnap a fellow
who just met Dzogchen, spank him all day long, inject mind altering drugs, make his life a living hell and so on and so forth, do you think he will recognize rigpa or even care? His awareness will be captured entirely by pain. He never recognized instant presence to start with. Under such adverse circumstances it's hardly a possibility in the great majority of cases. His priorities will be to flee, to regain his life back so that he can have some stability and sense of well being again. Does this mean he lost his real nature during the time I was torturing him? Is he devoid of his primordial wisdom? None of that. It means that there are obstacles that don't allow him to recognize rigpa, let alone remain in this recognition.
If we were talking about a highly realized practitioner, even under such dire circumstances he could maintain the recognition of his natural state.
However, most practitioners aren't highly accomplished yogis and never realized one taste. So experiences affect them a lot. You put things upside down, and forget that we are deluded and live under our specific karmic view. So you speak from an absolute perspective and forget that even though many things you say are correct, from the perspective of those deluded, those unaware of their natural state, illusions are needed to cut through illusion. Those illusions, because all cause/ effect methods are that, are needed to cut through the grand illusion. You forget this. The sky gazing that you seem to like is also an illusion. Yet a needed one. There's no need whatsoever to sky gaze. Yet at a certain point it is helpful. The same goes for all practices.
You say things as if remaining in rigpa at all moments was an easy thing to do. You should know better. There are several methods available so that one is able to fully integrate all activities, but it takes time.
You know, I just remembered that perhaps your lack of understating of the above is the reason why you value so little things like the Dance of Vajra (whose purpose is mainly this). Granted that it's not everyone's favorite and there are many ways to further integration, but it has a purpose and it is effective.
Let me say to you that what you are trying to convey is not original. There are many guys around thinking the way you do and that shows a lack of inside about the basics. A word of advice: go back to 101 while you still have time. We live in time and we never know when our time comes. It's frustrating to see someone who was so close getting more and more alienated in his own misconceptions and delusions of grandeur, Jax.
