Infinite hall of mirrors

"Vajrayana reveals an infinite hall of mirrors in which there is no final answer beyond the fleeting answers shifting endlessly within the empty mirror. Answers can only be understood by allowing emptiness. To allow emptiness requires that we relinquish the need to concretise an answer. Answers are the impermanent manifestation of a permanent emptiness."

p57, Entering the Heart of the Sun and Moon, Ngakpa Chogyam and Khandro Dechen, Aro Books Inc., 2010, 978-0965394833

Spectrum of fluid and fluent energies

"Its important to experience our emotional energies simply and directly. Our emotions are a spectrum of fluid and fluent energies, and experiencing their energy fields is the purpose of our exploration."

p7, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

Liberated field of energy

"The liberated field of energy of the earth element displays the glorious warmth and wealth of earth which is inexhaustible and free to whomever needs it. Wealth and generosity go hand in hand because even if we have very little, we can be wealthy and attract wealth if we have the spirit of giving, which always enables us to find something to give."

p123, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

Natural response to being alive

"If a person is kind and seeks the happiness and well being of others as a natural response to being alive then ethics and morality will be intrinsic. You simply have to like people, animals, and the whole slew of limitless phenomena."

p15 Wisdom Eccentrics, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, Inc, 2011, 978-0965394864

Leap without reservation

"Through the practice of philosophy one might expect to arrive at one's own conclusions about the nature of being - such investigations having been mostly self-referential. Through the practice of the religion of Dharma one discovers that the nature of being has already been understood by one's teachers, and that it can be discovered for ourselves through the methods of practice they reveal. Hence, to fully engage with Dharma, we eventually have to let go of the limitations of our own view - and leap ... without reservation, into Dharma-view"

p3, Spacious Passion, Ngakma Nor’dzin, Aro Books, 2007, 978-0-9653948-4-0

Intellectual elaborations are not important

"Kindness is as close as we can come to a moral approximation of awareness. Having a good heart goes further than anything in terms of empathising with the nondual state. Intellectual elaborations are not important."

p49, Rays of the Sun, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1-898185-06-2

Reflection of the path

"The Lama is crucial in terms of offering a reflection of the path. In Vajrayana, the Lama becomes the path. He or she becomes the path through manifesting the yidam. He or she becomes the path through manifesting the nature of the teachings in terms of the kyil’khor of interaction – the interaction between the students, the interaction between the person and their world, and how the Lama comments on that and interacts with the nature of what is taking place."

Seven Line Song, Ngak'chang Rinpoche, Aro Encyclopaedia

Connecting to a sense of kindness

"If a person cannot really connect to a sense of kindness toward others, then the teachings that stress the non-dual approach can simply be distorted into a method of cultivating some form of sanctified misanthropy."

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

We fabricate our own perception

"No one else is responsible for how we perceive the world. We accept and reject society’s influences and the influences of our parents and friends on our own terms. We fabricate our own perception, and unless we discontinue the process and de-structure our perception, we will merely continue to be repressed by our personal totalitarian regime."

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

Without awarenes

"Without awareness we are continually faced with moral dilemmas. It is impossible to construct the perfect moral philosophy applicable in all circumstances. The only perfect morality is awareness. The only perfect morality is awareness, because all actions which spring from awareness are choiceless pure appropriateness."

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

Compassion for our own neuroses

"The more you disapprove of your own neuroses, the more of a problem they become. The time to disapprove of them is if they are hurting others; and then in the moment. But one does not go into punishing oneself for having them at other times. If one is aware that one has patterns, then one has to say, "I need to have some awareness while this pattern is performing"."

Compassion, Ngak'chang Rinpoche, Aro Encyclopaedia

The minds attempt to stay safe

"Worry is the mind's attempt to stay safe"

p23, Emailing the Lamas from Afar, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2009, 978-0-9653948-5-7

Always attempt to remain open

"It is a shame to become fixated on any idea. One should always attempt to remain open to anything that contradicts one's most cherished beliefs."

p94, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam & Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 1-57062-944-7

Our perception

"Our perception and field of perception are mutually self-creating. What we see incites a reaction which influences how we see it. How we view things changes how they are."

p31, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

Generosity, patience and exertion

"Generosity, patience, and exertion equate with compassion, wisdom and energy-the three important factors within Buddhist practice."

p125,Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 978-1570629440

We are not sitting in silence for ourselves

"Generosity is vital if we are to give ourselves time to sit and if we are to give all sentient beings our time of sitting. We are not sitting in silence for ourselves; that is crucial."

p124, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 978-1570629440

Something greater than yourself

"Practice is a pain in the arse - literally. Practice is a pain in the anatomy of your body, speech and mind, and you have to have something greater than yourself to keep you going through that frustration."

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

Meeting the Lama face to face

"To receive empowerment is to meet the Lama face to face, and to experience the touching of Minds - as if snow were falling into the sea, and recognizing no distinction or division."

p211, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, 1-898185-03-4

If we are not kind

"If we are not kind, all our advanced practices are merely a colourful entertainment."

Kindness, Ngak'chang Rinpoche, Aro Encyclopaedia

The beginning of realisation

"From the point of view of shi-nè, boredom marks the beginning of realisation."

p23, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 978-1570629440

A rolling wave of energy

"Once we develop our experience of shi-nè, boredom is no longer 'boredom' but a wellspring of nourishment-a rolling wave of energy."

p23, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 978-1570629440

Being referenceless

"In terms of deep-rooted attachment to thought, one is getting used to non-referentiality. One is getting used to being referenceless."

p46, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 978-1570629440

Our own enlightenment

"We are unused to our own enlightenment, so meditation is a way of 'getting used to' it."

p46, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 978-1570629440

The comedy of our personal dualism

"Without humour we would be unable to relate to the idea that a Lama could comprehend the comedy of our personal dualism in an effective manner, and conjure with it to our advantage."

p15, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 1-57062-944-7

Humor

"We need humour in order to avoid taking ourselves quite so seriously; we need to be able to laugh at the fact that we continually create our own unenlightened condition."

p15, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 1-57062-944-7

View of duality

"From the point of view of duality, emptiness evokes terror. From the view of liberated-being, emptiness evokes delight."

p17, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

Alternating pleasure and irritation

"Living as we do with alternating pleasure and irritation prompts us to evolve different styles of approaching life."

p3, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

Letting go of our reluctance

"When we realise that we cannot relate to emptiness through the process of duality it becomes easier to consider letting go of our reluctance to dive into the ocean of direct experience."

p17, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

The more we throw outselves at life

"The more we throw ourselves at life in an attempt to feel real, the more pain we tend to inflict on ourselves."

p5, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

How we view things

"Our perception and field of perception are mutually self-creating. What we see incites a reaction which influences how we see it. How we view things changes how they are."

p31, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

A compassionate view

"One cannot reach the empty state through control; one has to have a compassionate view of what is happening."

Compassion, Ngak'chang Rinpoche, Aro Encyclopaedia

Become suspicious

"It is important as the basis of Sutra, to become suspicious enough so that we can question things, and the main principle there in terms of practice is silent sitting."

Compassion, Ngak'chang Rinpoche, Aro Encyclopaedia

Texture of existence

"Vajrayana is not ‘an answer’ or ‘an antidote’ – it is an endless process of opening to the nondual texture of existence. "

p57, Entering the Heart of the Sun and Moon, Ngakpa Chogyam and Khandro Dechen, Aro Books Inc., 2010, 978-0965394833

New to practice

"When you're new to practice, you need to treat yourself a little more gently and take account of the fact that you can easily become distracted."

p160, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 978-1570629440

Silent space

"Sound manifests within silent space, and the function of practice is to discover silent mind."

p159, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 978-1570629440

Ecstatic dance

"Every sense-perception and sense-field performs, and is performed by, the same ecstatic dance. "

p100, Entering the Heart of the Sun and Moon, Ngakpa Chogyam and Khandro Dechen, Aro Books Inc., 2010, 978-0965394833

Dimension of the sound

"Just find the presence of your awareness in the dimension of the sound."

p160, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 978-1570629440

Obession

"Obsession with individual freedom at the expense of others is the death of compassion. Obsession with neurotic parental-style control at the expense of the personal liberty of others is the death of wisdom."

pxvii, Dangerous Friend, Rig’dzin Dorje, Shambhala, 2001, 978-1570628573

Silent mind

"When mind is silent, there is endless silent space in which sounds sing infinitely separate songs."

p159, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 978-1570629440

Embracing the emptiness

"We need to be able to practise emptiness, simply through embracing the emptiness qualities of our life situations and our lovers."

p49, Entering the Heart of the Sun and Moon, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books Inc., 2010, 978-0965394833

Sense of self-existence

"Because the world around us is the ‘form’ in which we attempt to establish our sense of self-existence, reflections of emptiness tend to be interpreted as ‘disturbing’."

p49, Entering the Heart of the Sun and Moon, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books Inc., 2010, 978-0965394833

Definition of oneself

"If one’s definition of oneself as either male or female is orchestrated by how one sees the rest of the world, then one simply doesn’t have to have a definition …. One doesn’t have to have a definition of what it is to be a man or a woman."

p18, Entering the Heart of the Sun and Moon, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books Inc., 2010, 978-0965394833

Visceral fire of our intimate relationships

"We should not be blatant in revealing the visceral fire of our intimate relationships. When we speak of lovers, we need to be cautious with our words. The knowledge that hovers above and below the surface of mundane expression should be left unspoken. Voluptuous landscapes of feeling should be left to be inferred."

p18, Entering the Heart of the Sun and Moon, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books Inc., 2010, 978-0965394833

Simply be

"Being is not attached to reference points. Being does not rely for its existence on any style of perceptual cross-referencing. Trying to pin-point being is like attempting to suspend time and movement - it is 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

Letting Go

"Let go of the busy-ness of your day and the concerns of your life. Settle into your meditation posture and bring your attention to your breathing."

p59, Relaxing into Meditation, Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1898185178

Relaxation of mind and body

"To achieve relaxation of mind-as well as relaxation of body-we need to examine and understand our mind."

p58, Relaxing into Meditation, Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1898185178

Learning to be fearless and at ease

"Learning to be fearless and at ease in the empty space of the mind-mind without thought-enables us to be fearless and at ease when our life circumstances thrust us into moments of emptiness."

p148, Relaxing into Meditation, Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1898185178

Buddhism is a vast field

"Buddhism is a vast field of wonder for its sincere practitioners, and so many, many, many different methods are encompassed within its parameters."

p108, Emailing the Lamas from Afar, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2009, 978-0-9653948-5-7

Happiness is not accidental

"Everything either occurs or does not. That would appear to be a fact of nature. Happiness, however, is not accidental."

p239, Emailing the Lamas from Afar, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2009, 978-0-9653948-5-7

Change

"Not wanting to change is the only thing that prevents change."

p236, Emailing the Lamas from Afar, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2009, 978-0-9653948-5-7