Samsara presents opportunities for realisation – simply by virtue of samsara's failure to function. Samsara is a self-defeating self-frustrated cycle, which is unsuccessful even within its own terms. Because duality cannot function successfully within its own parameters – it cannot help but provide opportunities for realising nonduality.
As soon as we seriously examine samsara – we begin to find it somewhat implausible; and that, is an intriguing discovery. The Nyi-da Mélong (a Dzogchen tantra from the Aro gTér) takes this intriguing discovery as one of an array of interwoven themes. The Nyi-da Mélong explores the texture of romance from the perspective of the manner in which desire itself promotes the spiritual qualities of wisdom and compassion.
p146, Entering the Heart of the Sun and Moon Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2009, ISBN 978-0-9653948-3-3
Vajrayana enables us to appreciate romantic relationship as containing immense potential for sensating with precision and passion – for living with pristine panache.
The potential inherent within the experience of loving and being loved expresses itself as the subtle oscillation of: pleasure and pain; hope and fear; gain and loss; meeting and parting; and, acceptance and rejection. The energy of adoring and being adored is a communication which teeters on the brink of realisation – balanced between nondual consummation and consuming delusion.
Tantra illuminates the nature of romance in terms of how it functions as both spiritual potential, and potential neurosis.
p145, Entering the Heart of the Sun and Moon Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2009, ISBN 978-0-9653948-3-3
Language is simply a vehicle, and with Tantra in particular we speak of twilight language – language that bridges the known and unknown. When we speak of Tantra, somewhere along the line, the intellect has to get left behind. When words are used in this way, there's no choice but to feel the meaning. There is magnificent spacious passion in Tantra, that gives birth to poetry of the most powerful kind – the poetry without poet. Actually that's too constricting a statement. What we're really talking about is the poetry beyond poet and no-poet – the instantaneous explosive nature of meaning.
p26, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, ISBN 1-898185-03-4
Tolerance doesn't involve smoothing over all the differences, it means seeing the differences, and allowing them to be there without making any damming judgements. Tolerance actually means having real confidence.
Divergence of view is possible without there having to be hostility. If you have confidence in your own path, you don't have to denigrate other paths. You don't have to shore yourself up by dismissing other systems – that is simply not necessary.
So let us by all means disagree with certain views. But let that not make us angry or violent! Let us also have the good grace to acknowledge the benefit there may be in systems that employ different concepts. We could in fact approach this thing with great gentleness and humour!
p24-25, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, ISBN 1-898185-03-4
There's only a problem, in the contradictory nature of different paths, if you fail to realise that their differences lie in the difference between their bases (where you begin). Their bases are different because the relative capacities of individuals are different. This means that what is a useful method for one person, could merely be an obstacle for another. Once you have a fundamental understanding of this, it becomes very simple. Then, not only will there be no conflict between different vehicles of Buddhism as to how and when they are presented but; you'll also come to understand the methods of any religion.
This is the true basis of tolerance.
p23, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, ISBN 1-898185-03-4
Samsara presents opportunities for realisation – simply by virtue of samsara's failure to function. Samsara is a self-defeating self-frustrated cycle, which is unsuccessful even within its own terms. Because duality cannot function successfully within its own parameters – it cannot help but provide opportunities for realising nonduality.