Our true condition

The Lama’s function is to mirror our intrinsic enlightenment. The Lama shows us the nature of what we actually are. If we have opened sufficiently‚ through following the methods as instructed by the Lama‚ we could catch a dazzling glimpse of our true condition. We could find ourselves‚ for a moment‚ outside the constraints of dualism. 

p145, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, ISBN 1-898185-03-4

Each Mind-moment

Ecstatic appreciation of every moment of experience is simply what happens when we give up on our attempts to create reality according to the banal dictates of security.  When I say that “the texture of whatever happens is, in itself, the implicit meaning of every Mind-moment”, there is the sense in which each Mind-moment is, in it’s nakedness, the state of enlightenment.

p209, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, ISBN 0-9653948-0-8

All our attempts to establish security fail

   We survey our perceptual horizon and categorise everything that appears on it as: proving our existence in terms of duality; disproving our existence in terms of duality; or as some vague neutrality, which presents no opportunity for manipulation either way.  All our attempts to establish security fail.  Our efforts fail because they are based on maintaining the illusion of duality.    
   There is no way that we can establish the security we’re looking for as long as we operate from the principle that duality actually functions.  In this sense, enlightenment is the continual realisation that duality is not functional. 

p108, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, ISBN 1-898185-03-4

Naturalness

   I no longer use the word ‘enlightenment’ when I can help it.  It has been horribly overused and does not actually represent a direct translation of a Tibetan or Sanskrit term.  We use the term non-duality.  The word ‘nowness’, as spoken of by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, is important in Buddhism – especially any tradition which emphasises silent sitting.  
We tend to discuss naturalness – but it has the same meaning.  Naturalness is relaxed.  Naturalness is relaxing into the present moment.

p234, Emailing the Lamas from Afar, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2009, ISBN 978-0-9653948-5-7

The fabulous friction which illuminates our Buddha nature

Our entire assortment of wearying neuroses are related with all other beings.  All our wearying experiences are founded on our association with all sentient beings.  Without the sense of our practice being involved with the entire sentient situation, there is no compassion – and therefore no enlightenment.  Every detail of this ‘wearying world’—these seeming obstacles—are essential to realisation.  Without this ‘wearying world’ we cannot find enlightenment.  Without the responses we receive from our world, we would be bereft of the fabulous friction which illuminates our Buddha nature.  

p43, Emailing the Lamas from Afar, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2009, ISBN 978-0-9653948-5-7

The primary function of the Lama

It is the Lama who gives us access to countless powerful methods of realisation.   
Lamas are teachers in a larger sense.  Lamas are not conditioned in any way by the style they adopt.  They may utilise many different styles according to the personality, capacity, and circumstances of those whom they teach.  Whatever method is implemented by the Lama, it transcends the function of the method as it is usually employed.  The Lama is in a completely different category.  So if we are to approach such a person; we need, at least, to be open to the unexpected.  We need to be prepared to question our range of perceptions and responses.  We need to be open to having our rationale actively challenged.
The Lama’s function is to mirror our intrinsic enlightenment.  The Lama shows us the nature of what we actually are.     

p145, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, ISBN 1-898185-03-4

The sparkling-through of enlightenment

Enlightenment is our natural state, and so it is not surprising that it manifests from time to time. Unenlightenment is the constant activity with which we engage. We have to work at it all the time. So when life circumstances intervene, in terms of short-circuiting this continual effort, we experience glimpses of realisation. These glimpses can radically change people’s lives, but it is a hit-or-miss affair to hope that life is going to ‘do it for you’ when the time is ripe. You have to cooperate with the sparkling-through of enlightenment by disengaging from referentiality and continuing with presence of awareness.

p122, Roaring Silence: Discovering the Mind of Dzogchen, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, ISBN 1-57062-944-7

Enlightenment

"The energy expended on worrying about the future, regretting the past, and judging the present is liberated – and we find tremendous resources of generosity, accuracy, vitality, creativity, and spaciousness – the natural freedom that is of benefit to all. Buddhism describes this as enlightenment."

an-uncommon-perspective, Ngak'chang Rinpoche

Spectrum of radiant energies

"Every emotion is an open-ended opportunity. Every feeling or sensation we experience is an expression of enlightenment-a manifestation of our spectrum of radiant energies."

p32, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

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 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

Dzogchen proclaims the self-existent confidence of all beings

"Dzogchen proclaims the self-existent confidence of all beings as they essentially are. The enlightened state is simply there as the basis of what we are."

p1, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 1-57062-944-7

Coming to trust your own enlightened nature

"Lama’i Naljor is really a way of coming to trust your own Enlightened nature. Lama’i Naljor authenticates the relationship between Teacher and student and it also enables you to authenticate the sense in which your Enlightened nature can be momentarily experienced. "

Lama'i Naljor, Ngak’chang Rinpoche, Aro Encyclopaedia

Our natural state

"Enlightenment is our natural state, and so it is not surprising that it manifests from time to time. Unenlightenment is the constant activity in which we engage. We have to work at it all the time."

p123, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 978-1570629440

Sparkling through

"Enlightenment continually sparkles through. It sparkles through the unenlightenment that we continually fabricate from the ground of being. Because enlightenment continually sparkles through, anyone with or without meditative experience can have flashes of lha-tong or nyi'mèd experience."

p122, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 978-1570629440

Inspiration

"Inspiration is the power of the enlightened state to make itself known: to itself, through itself, and of itself. A synapse can occur in which we glimpse, for a moment or an eternity, the manifest nakedness of being."

p120, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 978-1570629440

Enlightened from beginninglessness

"The perspective of Dzogchen is always that we are all enlightened from beginninglessness. Because of this, inspiration is possible."

p120, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 978-1570629440

Getting used to is

"When it is said that getting used to is, what is signified is a practice in which one is simply getting used to being, one acclimatizes oneself to the undefined dimension of existence. We are unused to our own enlightenment, so meditation is a way of 'getting used to' it. 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

The Illusion of Poverty

"If we cooperate with the sparkling through of our beginningless enlightenment and experience the nature of the energy from which territorialism arises, we can release ourselves from the illusion of poverty.'"

p128, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

Symbolism & Enlightenment

"When symbolism and the state of enlightenment dissolve into each other, we recognise the primal purity of our own condition"

p110, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8