Without discursive conceptuality

“Empty attention” replied Khandro Déchen “is simply attention without discursive conceptuality in relation to the attention.”   “Without thinking—my—attention is on this” added Ngak’chang Rinpoche. 

p391, Warp and Weft of Wonderment, Ngakma Mé-tsal, Aro Books Worldwide, 2024, ISBN 9781898185680

We do not recognise

The root of delusion is duality – and occurs simply because we do not recognise the essential nature of being. Due to this, the idea of self and other as entirely separate arises – along with all other ‘subject / object’ dichotomies. 

p278, Goodbye Forever Vol III, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books Worldwide, 2023, ISBN 9781898185666

Transmission

In those moments I understood the nature of transmission and the nature of everything which Künzang Dorje Rinpoche had ever communicated. It was not simply the words – but the words had been a vehicle through which volumes of teaching coalesced as a seamless expanse of understanding. Rinpoche smiled at me – and filled my glass with chang. 

p157, Goodbye Forever Vol III, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books Worldwide, 2023, ISBN 9781898185666

Anger

Anger should not be confused with energy. One obviously requires energy to address injustice – but anger does nothing but cloud one’s vision.

p310, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books Worldwide, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4 

Cavort with reality

To be an artist one simply maintains the endeavour. One’s senses have to cavort with reality – and that voluptuous liaison has to become a dynamic aspect of one’s experience of appreciation. 

p316, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books Worldwide, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4

Herd mentality

“Seeing the fixed patterns of herd mentality is absolutely primary, in terms of Vajrayana” Rinpoche concluded. “Undermining it, in oneself, is probably one of the major practices.”

p92, Warp and Weft of Wonderment, Ngakma Mé-tsal, Aro Books Worldwide, 2024, ISBN 9781898185680

Realised-pragmatism

Künzang Dorje Rinpoche’s realised-pragmatism always hit me sideways. He explained that as I had no investment in my dislike – it was not lack of love. It was merely seeing people as they were. Naturally I would help such people if I could “Yes.”  Naturally I would be of benefit to such people if I could “Yes.”  Naturally I would speak in a kindly way to such people “Yes.”

p161, Goodbye Forever Vol III, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books Worldwide, 2023, ISBN 9781898185666

Humour

Rinpoche spoke then of humour and the importance of humour in teaching. Humour was often linked with sudden understanding. He said that every good Lama made jokes and found humour in situations. The fact that we were both beginninglessly realised and fettered by duality – was funny.

p173, Goodbye Forever Vol III, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books Worldwide, 2023, ISBN 9781898185666

At least eighty-one modes

What you must bear in mind, is that one can speak of every vehicle, in the language of every other vehicle – so there are at least eighty-one modes of presenting Dharma.

p292, Warp and Weft of Wonderment, Ngakma Mé-tsal, Aro Books Worldwide, 2024, ISBN 9781898185680

A sudden ‘Phat!’

Rinpoche shouted a sudden ‘Phat!’  I felt myself splatter across the room.  I didn't jump as I had on many previous occasions. I probably flinched slightly as my autonomic nervous system reacted involuntarily –  but the effect was still violent.  I sat there as my ‘self’ or my reality reassembled.

p209, Goodbye Forever Vol III, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books Worldwide, 2023, ISBN 9781898185666

Laughter

That there had to be both laughter and devotion or there’d be no real understanding was an entirely astonishing statement – or rather, it was astonishing to me. It hit me as transmission – because the words ignited a state of awareness. I sat there speechless for some moments.  

p157, Goodbye Forever Vol III, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books Worldwide, 2023, ISBN 9781898185666  

Failure and success

If your sense of existence doesn’t depend on anything, then failure and success can be simple failure and simple success.  When failure doesn’t threaten you, then it’s just failure.  You might even be able to laugh about it!

p98, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, ISBN 0-9653948-0-8

Owning what we feel

We cannot blame anyone or anything for how we feel.  Owning what we feel is actually a very useful practice – but that’s not to say that we’ll always find it easy.  

p198, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, ISBN 0-9653948-0-8

A spring-board

Anything that is done with a compassionate intention is valuable.  Also, anything that concerns the experience of a broader frame of human reference has the possibility of providing a spring-board, or an approach to realisation.

p200, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, ISBN 0-9653948-0-8 

Illusion and reality

The play of experience which arises in a mirror is the key to understanding the nature of illusion and reality.  Just as waking and sleeping can be a seamless flow of awareness – so can birth and death.

p48, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books Worldwide, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4

Choosing to see

Genuine cheerfulness is choosing the disquiet of seeing the nature of dualistic derangement rather than being unconsciously governed by it.

p223, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books Worldwide, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4
 

It constantly nudges us

Because openness is our natural condition, it constantly nudges us.

p222, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books Worldwide, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4
 

Endless horizons

To experience empowerment is to be put in direct communication with the sphere of energy; the dimension of personal experience in which the horizons of human possibility are endless.

p419, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books Worldwide, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4

Not what you do

It’s not what you do, it’s the way that you do it – that is to say, either with kindness or without. 

p420, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books Worldwide, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4

Integrity as practitioners

We don't have to drift according to the dictates of our conditioning.  We can move according to the dictates of wisdom and compassion.  We can allow our choices and promises to be adaptable according to our integrity as practitioners. 

p197, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, ISBN 1-898185-03-4