The warm breath of the khandros

Recently appearing gTérma are effulgent with the warm breath of the khandros – and their authenticity is palpable. Within each lineage there is no intermediary or interface between the current living gTérton and Guru Rinpoche or Yeshé Tsogyel.

p290, Goodbye Forever Vol III, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books Worldwide, 2023, ISBN 9781898185666

One cannot escape samsara

Everywhere where there are dualised beings is going to look like samsara – if one is dualised. One cannot escape samsara by going to a retreat centre.

p383, Warp and Weft of Wonderment, Ngakma Mé-tsal, Aro Books Worldwide, 2024, ISBN 9781898185680

It is there in the target

Target practice—with bow, rifle, or hand gun—is a valuable way of taking awareness into the physical dimension. One sees the proof of one’s ability to be present and undistracted. It is there in the target. 

p151, 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

In his ambience

Somehow it was true when I was with Düd’jom Rinpoche. There seemed to be a version of ‘me’ who seemed to rest in the natural state when with Düd’jom Rinpoche. It was as if I rested in his ambience – whenever I was with him.

p290, Goodbye Forever Vol III, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books Worldwide, 2023, ISBN 9781898185666

Natural joy

Rinpoche explained that a mark of authentic teaching—stemming from authentic realisation—gave rise to joy. If what was taught was merely intellectually profound—there would be no natural joy.

p213, Goodbye Forever Vol III, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books Worldwide, 2023, ISBN 9781898185666

The two major considerations

Actually shi-nè and lhatong—stillness and change—are the two major considerations whatever the activity in which you engage.

p184, Warp and Weft of Wonderment, Ngakma Mé-tsal, Aro Books Worldwide, 2024, ISBN 9781898185680

Stillness and movement

Shi-nè is the moment of silence – the moment of stillness in which there is no distraction. Lhatong is the moment in which the practitioner integrates with movement – the movement in which the arrow is released or the trigger is squeezed.  The two cannot be divided. 

p183, Warp and Weft of Wonderment, Ngakma Mé-tsal, Aro Books Worldwide, 2024, ISBN 9781898185680

Challenge

“It’s understood in The Tibetan tradition” added Khandro Déchen “that you can just end up not achieving anything, if there’s nothing that you come up against as a challenge.” 

p166, Warp and Weft of Wonderment, Ngakma Mé-tsal, Aro Books Worldwide, 2024, ISBN 9781898185680

Entertaining uncertainty

The experience of spaciousness can arise through entertaining uncertainty – and by failing to feel threatened. 

p263, 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  

Uncontrollable lust

It is far more interesting to have absolutely uncontrollable lust for everyone everywhere to get everything they want. When lust is contracted into just being me and what I want – it’s a rather sad, sorry, sterile affair.

p253, 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 

Let anything happen

One has to have the courage and confidence to let anything happen.  Then one’s actions are always spontaneous and playful. This is because there is no connection with dualistic derangement.

p279, Goodbye Forever Vol III, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books Worldwide, 2023, ISBN 9781898185666

 

The style of one’s responses

We cannot be responsible for many things – but we are all responsible for how we feel about what happens. To embrace emotions as the path, one must take responsibility for the style of one’s responses.

p230, 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 

Reflex responses

As long as people have patellar reflex responses to anything it means they haven’t stabilised shi-nè, let alone lhatong, nyi’mèd or lhundrüp. For those who have good experience of shi-nè however – they will no longer be subject to automatic or autonomic emotional responses.

p414, Warp and Weft of Wonderment, Ngakma Mé-tsal, Aro Books Worldwide, 2024, ISBN 9781898185680

It’s more direct

The realised state can be experienced through the entire phenomenal world – but it’s easier  through the natural world. It’s more direct. 

p383, Warp and Weft of Wonderment, Ngakma Mé-tsal, Aro Books Worldwide, 2024, ISBN 9781898185680 

The pattern breaks down

At some point in any sequence of ‘forms’ – ‘emptiness’ will happen. If this was not the case – everything would be predictable – everything would be ‘form’. There’s going to be some point in any evolving scenario‚where the pattern breaks down. 

p363, Warp and Weft of Wonderment, Ngakma Mé-tsal, Aro Books Worldwide, 2024, ISBN 9781898185680  

Hitting toes with a hammer

The more one realised the patterns of duality the funnier the situation became in terms of one’s experience. There was also sadness when observing those who created their own suffering without any understanding of what they were doing.  He said that it could be like watching someone hitting their toes with a hammer whilst screaming “Will this pain never end?”     

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

Pottering

Pottering can accomplish a great deal – but one has to surrender all sense of achievement and live in the moment.  

p182, 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 

Sporadically supervised aimlessness

Tidying is an aspect of pottering – but true pottering is more sporadic. It is a haphazard mode which often facilitates discoveries and unexpected creativity.

p182, 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 

How one is in the moment

Sutra, Tantra, and Dzogchen are a continuum in terms of involvement. One practises what is appropriate in terms of how one is in the moment. One has to observe one's condition.    

p177, 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 the answer

It’s the huge myth of renunciation being the answer.  We need to grow out of that – or Vajrayana is out of the question.

p416, Warp and Weft of Wonderment, Ngakma Mé-tsal, Aro Books Worldwide, 2024, ISBN 9781898185680