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The Mirror: Advice on the Presence of Awareness
This book was created by a Tibetan master especially for Western students interested in practicing Dzogchen, the long-secret teaching of the "Great Perfection." This teaching has only been presented openly, if selectively, in recent times by a small number of teachers. In this concise text Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche offers straightforward and practical instruction on exactly how, in everyday life, to apply the sophisticated, direct and refined teaching of Dzogchen. In particular, The Mirror aims to precisely define the principle of innate awareness (rig-pa). It makes clear how the practice of the continuous presence of such awareness is, for the serious practitioner, the only real alternative to the rules and limitations characteristic of most religious traditions. The text includes detailed instruction in discovering the "State" of Rig-pa both in sitting meditation, as it is practiced in Dzogchen, and in integrating this awareness with all of one's activities.
- GenresBuddhismPhilosophy
Paperback
First published October 1, 1996
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About the author
Namkhai Norbu
91 books94 followersChögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche (Tib. ཆོས་རྒྱལ་ནམ་མཁའི་ནོར་བུ Chos-rGyal Nam-mkha'i Nor-bu) was one of the foremost 20th century masters of Dzogchen and lead Buddhist retreats through out the world. As a child he was recognized as the reincarnation of the great Dzogchen Master Adzom Drugpa (1842-1924) and later by the sixteenth Karmapa as a reincarnation of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal (1594-1651), the first Dharmaraja of Bhutan. (Dharmaraja in Sanskrit and Chögyal in Tibetan are both honorific titles meaning "King of the Teachings." Rinpoche is likewise an honorific meaning "Precious One.")
In 1960, following the deterioration of the social and political situation in Tibet, he moved to Italy on the invitation of the well-known orientalist Prof. Giuseppe Tucci. There, he contributed to giving a concrete stimulus to the spread of Tibetan culture in the West. After teaching Yantra Yoga in Naples for several years, in the mid-seventies he started giving Dzogchen teachings, encountering a growing interest throughout the West.
In 1960, following the deterioration of the social and political situation in Tibet, he moved to Italy on the invitation of the well-known orientalist Prof. Giuseppe Tucci. There, he contributed to giving a concrete stimulus to the spread of Tibetan culture in the West. After teaching Yantra Yoga in Naples for several years, in the mid-seventies he started giving Dzogchen teachings, encountering a growing interest throughout the West.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 14, 2022
Great, concise Dzogchen teaching that by recognizing our own primordial State of pure presence is the essence of the path.
Practice is the commitment to the presence of awareness, not getting distracted.
"In general not getting distracted means being present in everything we do; for example, if I think of getting up and walking, I get up with the recognition that this thought has arisen. It does not mean that I have assiduously to think, "I am getting up"; presence in what I have thought and what I am now doing is enough. You must not confuse presence with the effort of maintaining a thought."
Simply maintain a sense o presence of the recognition of the calm state without trying to define it or hope for anything, just relaxing into it without being conditioned by impulses
"The most important thing is having recognition of the movement, leaving thought free and observing it, not controlling it."
"Not hanging on to the past, not going after the future, and, without letting ourselves get involved in the illusory thoughts arising in the present moment, turning inwards and observing our own mind, leaving it in its true State beyond the limitations of past, present, and future. Without letting ourselves be conditioned by contaminating conceptualization, without passing judgment on the State itself, whether indeed it even exists, whether it will turn out to be positive or negative, etc., we must stay focused in this authentic condition and not try to correct it."
Do not fixate on trying to be calm or eliminating thoughts. "Instead, one should let the mind become relaxed, sustaining only a clear presence of its natural condition, without getting sidetracked, forgetting, or letting oneself get wrapped up in one's thoughts. When the mind is naturally released and present, it comes to itself in its authentic State. If one does not manage to continue in this state, and if various thoughts, good or bad, arise, then one should not immediately start questioning whether the mind is still in a calm state or whether the movement of thoughts has really arisen, but instead, maintaining presence and simply not drifting away, one should just try to acknowledge the thoughts. The moment the thoughts are recognized, they relax into their own condition: all the time in which we have the presence of this recognition of thoughts it is important not to get pulled off track. If the mind does get off track and the thoughts are not acknowledged, one should start attending to the presence of awareness once again....
"We must apply the essence of the practice: continuing in our own State without distraction and forgetfulness while refusing absolutely to be conditioned by the desire to modify anything. ..in all cases, the point is staying with the presence of the actual recognition of whatever one is perceiving."
Practice is the commitment to the presence of awareness, not getting distracted.
"In general not getting distracted means being present in everything we do; for example, if I think of getting up and walking, I get up with the recognition that this thought has arisen. It does not mean that I have assiduously to think, "I am getting up"; presence in what I have thought and what I am now doing is enough. You must not confuse presence with the effort of maintaining a thought."
Simply maintain a sense o presence of the recognition of the calm state without trying to define it or hope for anything, just relaxing into it without being conditioned by impulses
"The most important thing is having recognition of the movement, leaving thought free and observing it, not controlling it."
"Not hanging on to the past, not going after the future, and, without letting ourselves get involved in the illusory thoughts arising in the present moment, turning inwards and observing our own mind, leaving it in its true State beyond the limitations of past, present, and future. Without letting ourselves be conditioned by contaminating conceptualization, without passing judgment on the State itself, whether indeed it even exists, whether it will turn out to be positive or negative, etc., we must stay focused in this authentic condition and not try to correct it."
Do not fixate on trying to be calm or eliminating thoughts. "Instead, one should let the mind become relaxed, sustaining only a clear presence of its natural condition, without getting sidetracked, forgetting, or letting oneself get wrapped up in one's thoughts. When the mind is naturally released and present, it comes to itself in its authentic State. If one does not manage to continue in this state, and if various thoughts, good or bad, arise, then one should not immediately start questioning whether the mind is still in a calm state or whether the movement of thoughts has really arisen, but instead, maintaining presence and simply not drifting away, one should just try to acknowledge the thoughts. The moment the thoughts are recognized, they relax into their own condition: all the time in which we have the presence of this recognition of thoughts it is important not to get pulled off track. If the mind does get off track and the thoughts are not acknowledged, one should start attending to the presence of awareness once again....
"We must apply the essence of the practice: continuing in our own State without distraction and forgetfulness while refusing absolutely to be conditioned by the desire to modify anything. ..in all cases, the point is staying with the presence of the actual recognition of whatever one is perceiving."
August 21, 2021
Un libro pequeño que habla sobre la importancia de la mente en el Dzogchén.
"Conocer la mente significa mantenerse presente en el flujo de pensamientos, en todas sus olas y movimientos, sin entrar en acción."
"Conocer la mente significa mantenerse presente en el flujo de pensamientos, en todas sus olas y movimientos, sin entrar en acción."
March 13, 2024
A good discussion about doing Dzogchen.
April 3, 2012
A must have for any practitioner of Buddhism. Here Rinpoche delivers advice & knowledge for one's daily life. This book continues to deliver heartfelt wisdom for years to come and will inspire anyone to develop compassion from which to live by.
August 8, 2013
A wonderful text. Short but vast in scope. Rinpoche's kindness and limitless compassion are laid out in his advice to his students and all practitioners of dharma. Though his main focus is on Dzogchen principles, it is essential advice for all levels.
May 4, 2014
Wow! This was such an awesome 'intro' book - I'll certainly be sharing it with others!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews