Kindness is something you feel

"Kindness is something you feel - a warmth and expansiveness which flows from our growing openness. Kindness is our contact, our strongest link with the nondual state."

p51, Rays of the Sun, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1-898185-06-2

Khandro and pawo

"Khandro and pawo are the female sky-dancing and male warrior aspects of the nondual state. We discover the khandro principle when we begin to discover our spaciousness. We discover the pawo principle when we begin to discover our innate compassion."

p98, Rays of the Sun, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1-898185-06-2

We are not sparate as beings

"We are not separate as beings. We are intimately and inextricably connected. This idea of connection is subtle, because our connection can take any form. Only our innate kindness-liberated through meditation-can guide us to respond accurately."

p64, Rays of the Sun, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1-898185-06-2

Finding presence of awarness

"Ultimately, finding presence of awareness in the dimension of the moment is the experience of nondual emptiness and form. Within this experience, all manifestations become the ornaments of spontaneous presence and are experienced as purely appropriate, natural, uncontrived, and free."

p147, Spacious Passion, Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2009, 978-1-898185-07-9

The dance of the khandros and pawos

"Our emotions and our personal environment are the dance of the khandros and pawos. To know reality as the dance of the khandros and pawos is to fall in love with them. To fall in love with them is to discover our beginningless enlightenment in the endless empty nature of their dance."

p257, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

Method

"There is no sudden breakthrough that remains forever-there are only sudden glimpses. But these glimpses encourage us to see more. And so, gradually, we develop the ability to integrate these experiences of unconditioned being into our lives."

p235, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-

Shi-nè

"The practice of shi-nè involves letting go of the thought process."

p70, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, 1-898185-03-4

Hot blood of kindness

"Tantra is the hot blood of kindness-the commitment, based on the the fleeting apparitions we name reality, to be totally identified with outrageous expressions of what we essentially are."

p3, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, 1-898185-03-4

Emptiness and form

"Trust and respect are the emptiness and form of romance"

p31, Emailing the Lamas from Afar, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2009, 978-0-9653948-5-7

This discovery of shi-nè

"The discovery of shi-nè confronts us with the fact that our fear of nonexistence is both the driving force of duality and the sparkling though of our beginningless enlightenment."

p56, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 978-1570629440

The poetic mystery of Vajrayana

"The poetic mystery of Vajrayana lies in the fact that every aspect of method enables us to contact the essence of the teachings."

p175, Spacious Passion , Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1-898185-07-9

Liberation

"The belief that liberation requires us to discover another concrete realm where everything is perfect will not help us discover the perfection of where we are. The experience of pure happiness and pleasure is available to us in this life."

p155, Spacious Passion , Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1-898185-07-9

Wonderful dancing energy

"Khyil-khor is a wonderful dancing energy. It is not possible to exclude anyone from your khyil-khor or to be excluded from anyone else's. Even if someone dislikes you, you remain within their field of energy. Even if they despise you, it would make no difference. In fact if someone feels very strong negative feelings towards you, you would figure even more potently in their field of energy."

p108, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-

The five khandros

"The five internal energy fields of the elements are known as the five khandros; the sky-goers. The magical appearance of the khandros reflect the spatial qualities of the elements. The personalities of the the khandros, are the inner energy of everything it is possible to feel. They are the magical prism of endless inter-connectedness. This is what we are, or what we could become. Our inner elements are the khyil-khor of the khandros- the iridescent matrix of being. There is no more profound khyil-khor than who or what we actually are in our world."

p110, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-

The discovery of space

"The discovery of space reveals another way of relating to pain. We realise that if we do not tie our sensation of pain to the criteria of establishing our own existence, emotional pain dissolves."

p191, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-

The logic of Tantra

"The logic of Tantra is simply one which allows us access to a spectrum of ecstasy."

p185, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

Once paranoia begins to dissolve

"Once paranoia begins to dissolve there is less and less to keep under surveillance. The need to protect our experiential territory from annihilation simply evaporates into itself and the power of dynamic potential is unleashed."

p173, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

To leap open-eyed

"To leap open-eyed into the shining emptiness of the Lama's wisdom display, and to experience the ecstatic impact of each dynamic gesture of the Lama's method display is the essential luminosity and power of the path."

p178, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, 1-898185-03-4

Letting go of the world of fixed references

"To move into the sphere of intimate symbolic communication with the Lama, is to let go of the world of fixed references. It's an experience, or taste of the spacious dimension of existence."

p186, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, 1-898185-03-4

Our personalities

"Our personalities are the interface between the patterns of our limitations, and the unconditioned energies of our enlightened condition."

p148, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, 1-898185-03-4

The path of Tantra

"The Lama is the beginning and end of the path of Tantra. Without the Lama, our situation is either a closed loop or, slow progress over a great many lifetimes. Without the Lama, the path of Tantra cannot function."

p141, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, 1-898185-03-4

Inspiration

"Authentic inspiration does not have to be theatrical. It can be quite ordinary--and maybe the more ordinary it is, the more reliable it is."

p157, Emailing the Lamas from Afar, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2009, 978-0-9653948-5-7

The practice of Dzogchen

"The practice of Dzogchen comprises all the ways that we can be reminded of who we really are, what we have been all along but have forgotten."

p172, Emailing the Lamas from Afar, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2009, 978-0-9653948-5-7

We exist in contual flux

"We exist in continual flux. We move, and are moved, in the dance of apperances-in the limitless pattern of creation and destruction. The perceptible and the imperceptible seem to make each other a mystery."

p47, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, 1-898185-03-4

Religion can foster a vibrant creativity

"Religion doesn’t have to be pietistic and tedious. Religion can foster a vibrant creativity that would improve the quality of everyone’s life."

— Ngakpa Chögyam

Tantra is happening all the time

"Tantra acknowledges that pleasure and pain exist. Tantra acknowledges that pleasure and pain are dualistic expressions of the non-dual state. Because of this, Tantra is happening all the time."

p38, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, 1-898185-03-4

Emptiness is the essence of beings

"Emptiness is the essence of beings. It is this emptiness which allows us to manifest. Emptiness is the most salient quality of what we are-it is the ground of being. Energetic being arises from this emptiness as the play of energy, and material being arises from this energy as the play of form."

p13, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

Through meditation

"Through meditation we may discover that there are qualities and aspects of our lives that are not as we would wish them to be."

p121, Relaxing into Meditation, Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1898185178

Being asleep

"In Buddhism our confused and neurotic condition is often compared to being asleep-because our relationship with reality is more like being in a dream than being awake. We lack awareness because of our habitual patterns so that we are like confused and unresponsive sleepwalkers."

p152, Relaxing into Meditation, Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1898185178

The path is the goal

"If you begin to practise you will experience a difference in your life. The ultimate goal is always both very close and very distant; and when one day you come to realise that the path is the goal, the concepts of failure and success will no longer have any meaning."

p235, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

Buddhism is not an imposition on reality

"Buddhism is actually very pragmatic. Buddhism is not an imposition on reality. It’s not a constructed philosophy that forces human beings to proceed according to rigid directives that take no account of the diversity of experience."

Interview 6th of June 1994, Ngak’chang Rinpoche, 06/06/1994

Kindness

"Kindness is as close as we can ever come to a ‘moral approximation of awareness’. Having a good heart. Intellectual elaborations are not important. Kindness is something we feel – a warmth and expansiveness which flows from our growing openness. Kindness is our contact – our strongest link with our intrinsic enlightened nature."

Karma - The Personal Police State, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Encyclopaedia

The presence of the Lama

"If we view all situations as opportunities to relate with the capacity of the Lama to show us our enlightenment and the patterns of our unenlightenement, then everything we do becomes inspiring. Every aspect of our existence is enlivened with the presence of the Lama."

p175, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, 1-898185-03-4

There are always opportunities for realisation

"There are always opportunities for realisation. And these are built into the process of exhaustion and struggle: you struggle for a while until you can’t struggle anymore, till you become exhausted, and then there’s a space. And you either retract from that space and regenerate the same pattern or you can just rest in that space for long enough to realise there’s something else."

Hot-blooded kindness, Ngak'chang Rinpoche, Aro Encyclopaedia

The Tantric vision of being

"The Tantric vision of being is not an escape from what we actually are; at the kitchen sink; in the office; on the factory floor. The raw texture of whatever reality it is that we live every day has to be our practice."

p235, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

True love

"True love (that is to say, being 'ïn-love' with another person), in its essence, is centreless recognition of khyil-khor; and the practice of shinè is what gives us a feel for this view."

p108, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

Each of the five elements

"Each of the five elements is an expression of being. Each element is associated with a colour and a Tantric symbol. They are connected with seasons, times of day and with cardinal directions."

p109, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

Our dualistic ugliness

"Our dualistic ugliness is laid bare by the light of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, but so is our sparkling nondual beauty."

p227, Spacious Passion , Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1-898185-07-9

Approaching emptiness

"We can approach emptiness by learning to control our responses to perception through mindfulness and self-discipline."

p141, Spacious Passion , Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1-898185-07-9

The Measure of One's Purity

"The measure of one's purity is in the capacity to be kind and sensitive, to be willing to put ourselves out to help others, and to respect and appreciate the lifestyle and opinions of others in the real world."

p125, Relaxing into Meditation, Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1898185178

The Reason for Continuning to Practice

"The reason for continuing to practice in order to arrive at a state without thought is that it provides the space to unlearn our neurotic relationship with thought."

p93, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 1-57062-944-7

In order to realise ourselves

"In order to realise ourselves, as we actually are, we need to gain some understanding of exactly how we have distanced ourselves from ourselves."

p73, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

Practice is the key

"Practice is the key that explodes the narrow confines of our ordinary experience. Practice liberates the fatalistic, deterministic view of karma as cause and effect."

p146, Spacious Passion, Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2009, 978-1-898185-07-9

Devotion

"Devotion isn't measured in terms of empowerments or anything that can be added to your spiritual credit rating. Devotion is a direct understanding and that never has any need of being displayed."

p19 Wisdom Eccentrics, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, Inc, 2011, 978-0965394864

Live in the present moment

"To live in the present moment is to balance the reality that it could be our last moment of life with the understanding that it is also the basis of the next moment of life."

p121, Spacious Passion, Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2009, 978-1-898185-07-9

Clarity is Inherent

"We do not have to begin with clarity, because clarity is inherent in every situation. We simply have to begin with that which presents itself."

p3, Emailing the Lamas from Afar, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2009, 978-0-9653948-5-7

Rituals are Irrelevant

"If your awareness is integrated with the nature of the elements then rituals are irrelevant"."

p399 Wisdom Eccentrics, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, Inc, 2011, 978-0965394864

Marvellous to attend Buddhist courses

"Marvellous to attend Buddhist courses and listen to teachings but with a bigoted mind, Teachings are merely collections of complex information delivered in an unusual syntax. Whatever you hear, you'll only have to hear it again-and-again and write it down in notebooks To which you're never likely to refer - better go wherever; and listening with awareness and kindness At any theatre you please - to hear any play - with an open heart - as if it were for the first time."

p473 Wisdom Eccentrics, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, Inc, 2011, 978-0965394864

Simply Be

"Trying to pin-point being is like attempting to suspend time and movement--it's not possible, so we might as well simply be."

p73, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

Buddhism is very pragmatic

"Buddhism is actually very pragmatic. Buddhism is not an imposition on reality. It’s not a constructed philosophy that forces human beings to proceed according to rigid directives that take no account of the diversity of experience."
Dzogchen, Ngak’chang Rinpoche, Aro Encyclopaedia