A superbly complete portrait

The form of the yidam is essentially instructive.  Through assuming this form, we learn to experience ourselves as possessing limitless capacities.  The limitless nature of our capacities is described by the many different forms in which yidam can be practised.  Each form is a particular avenue of approach to the experience of enlightenment.  Every image is a complete portrait of the enlightened state.

p97-98, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, ISBN 1-898185-03-4 

A grand illusion

Without the Lama there is no way out of the experience of infinite cross-referencing.  No matter how differently we experience our various explorations into the internalised world of ‘sense-making’, they always add up to the same thing: justification for our need to maintain a grand illusion.  This illusion is duality.

p143, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, ISBN 1-898185-03-4 

Liberation

Liberation is ours to see, hear, touch, smell, taste, and ideate – but all we seem to sense is the shifting surface of that vastness.  We see reflections, but are blind to the nature of the mirror.  We see waves, but fail to experience the ocean.  We see clouds, but cannot conceive of the sky.

p188, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4

Tortuous patterns

Essentially we have always been nondual.  Dualistic derangement is merely the fear of that fact – playing itself out in tortuous patterns.

p188, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4

Inspiration

This is something crucial to apprehend.  Inspiration surrounds us continually: in the laughter of seagulls; in passages of music; in the natural beauty of phenomena; in the beauty of the kindness which can flow out of human beings; in the unexpected, spontaneous, and surprising experience of existence.

p313, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4

Life-spark of enthusiasm

We need a clear idea of why we are engaged with this practice of Vajrayana.  There needs to be some fire burning in us – some dynamic life-spark of enthusiasm which characterises us as members of this tradition.

p313, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4

Attraction to Vajrayana

The most receptive audience for Vajrayana should be Artists – but unfortunately Artists don't often seem attracted to Vajrayana because they see it as ‘religion’ and ‘religion’ tends to have a reputation for repression of individuality.  Whilst this tends to be true for institutionalised religion – it bears no similarity to essential Vajrayana.

p219, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4

Theatre of existence

Love touches people through Art: not simply through the Arts of music, painting, sculpture, poetry, literature, and drama – but through the constantly performing theatre of existence.  Art and the nature of the senses continually imitate, intimate, and initiate each other.

p220, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4

Compassionate society

There is no guarantee that any conventional point of view can create a compassionate society.  Obsession with individual freedom at the expense of others is the death of compassion.  Obsession with neurotic parental concern at the expense of the personal liberty of others is the death of wisdom.

p217, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4

Indoctrination

People often fail to question the commonly accepted version of reality into which they have been indoctrinated.  It’s not necessarily a deliberate process of indoctrination – it merely happens as part of the way human society functions.

 p216, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4

The splendid dance

We wish you nonreferential joy and gleeful abandon. We wish you passion and spaciousness in the splendid dance of your sense-fields and sense perceptions.

p338, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4

Even when we feel bad

As practitioners in daily life. We remember we are practitioners. Even when we feel bad. We can always transform our self pity. All it takes is one act of love at a time, one act of healing, one breath. As we know, every action, no matter how seemingly small, does make a huge difference. To others and to ourselves. By giving we receive.

Lama Bar-ché Dorje, 29th August 2023, on Drala Thang Facebook       

Division

Duality, in whatever human context, always produces division.  The ways in which ‘division’ expresses itself are endless.  Each way in which ‘division’ expresses itself also provides a method of dissolving that division. 

p416, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4

Mind discovers itself

The sounds of the vulture’s flight are the methods of practice.  The great white vulture glides effortlessly above the range and reach of concept.  Through these movements, Mind discovers itself in the inherently free space of being.  The vulture has no fear of terrible heights – because the sky is her natural home.

p139, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4  

Surrealism

Being that the phenomenal world is an illusion from the perspective of dualistic derangement – it is useful to have whimsical alternatives to such illusions.  Surrealism provides such alternative illusions – and prompts us to examine what we take reality to be. 

p181, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4  

Consciousness and awareness

The aspect of mind which is conscious of something, is a discontinuous consciousness – whereas awareness is continuous.

p264, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4 

Nothing to do

Every aspect of dualistic patterning can dissolve by itself.  There is actually nothing to do.  The Dzogchen view is that we are already realised.  We simply need to discover that.  We need to leave everything as it is.  If we simply allow that which arises in mind to move according to it’s own movement... it will naturally self-liberate.

p300, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4 

Be the people you are

We do not blather about humility, temperance, modesty, abstinence, patience, virtue, tolerance, sanctity, devotion, piety, and the need to destroy ‘ego’.  We would find such a discourse distasteful. So, be as exuberant as you like.  Be vivid.  Be naturally glorious, magnificent, spontaneous, extemporaneous, whimsical, delighted.  Laugh often and be the people you are.

p355, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4 

Love could expand

Nothing makes us happier than witnessing someone falling in love with an aspect of the phenomenal world.  It’s an indication that this love could expand to include everyone and everything everywhere.

p267, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4 

Like the sky

Awareness is like the sky.  Consciousness is like a bird in the sky.  Birds fly into sight and out of sight.  If one concentrates on the movement of birds, one will lose concentration repeatedly. 

p264, Tracts of the Sun : An Earth Orbit of Vajrayana Expressions.  Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2022, ISBN 978-1-898185-28-4