Laughter is a gift

"Laughter is a gift-and causing laughter is an act of kindness. Laughter requires space-space to see the ridiculous in our situations as beginninglessly non-dual beings who create the illusion of duality."

p47, Emailing the Lamas from Afar, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 2009, 978-0-9653948-5-7

Brilliant pattern of energies

"Our being is a brilliant pattern of energies, a spectrum of possibilities. At every moment we have the capacity to experience the open dimension of what we are."

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

Our view

"Having developed wisdom through our analysis of our view of a friend, an enemy and a stranger, our hearts spontaneously open with a wish to extend a kind response to them

."
p104, Relaxing into Meditation, Ngakma Nor'dzin, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1898185178

Intolerance

"It is ignorance, amongst other things, that breeds intolerance. "

p227, Wearing the Body of Visions, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books, 1995, 1-898185-03-4

Ethics and morality

"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."

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

Rigpa

"Rigpa is the state of pure and total presence, stripped of referential clinging."

p53, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 978-1570629440

Thought

"According to Dzogchen, thought is a natural function of Mind. Just as the other sense faculties are natural to our physical existence, so is thought."

p63, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 978-1570629440

Hung

"Hung is the heart syllable, the seed syllable of Padmasambhava. Hung is also the seed syllable of Yeshé Tsogyel. Hung is the primordial union of emptiness and form; the understanding of which, in itself, encompasses refuge and bodhicitta. There is no refuge and bodhicitta greater than the comprehension of the non-duality of emptiness and form."

Seven Line Song, Ngak'chang Rinpoche, Aro Encyclopaedia

Ögyen yul-gi nub-chang tsam

"Ögyen is a name of a land. It is also a term which is used to indicate the origin of Vajrayana. Ögyen yul is an epithet for sem-nyid (sems nyid) – the nature of Mind. The word ‘tsam’, the last word of the first line of the Dorje Tsigdun, means juncture – the point instant of discovery. In common terms—according to mundane understanding, and with reference to our previous discussion—Ögyen yul, this green and pleasant land, is the place where we find what we have lost – the non-dual state."

Seven Line Song, Ngak'chang Rinpoche, Aro Encyclopaedia

Self-liberation

"We experience self-liberation of whatever arises and are unconditioned by the phenomena of our own perception. Every action is pure appropriateness; bewilderment has become wonderment."

p37, Rays of the Sun, Ngakpa Chögyam, Aro Books worldwide, 2010, 978-1-898185-06-2

The phenomena of Mind

"The phenomena of Mind create vivid displays that ornament reality as the fundamental nature of compassion."

p81, Roaring Silence, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Shambhala, 2002, 978-1570629440

A habit

"A habit is only a habit when you are unaware of it. As soon as you are aware of it, it is a choice."

Authentication of Aro Ling, Ngak'chang Rinpoche, quoted by Naljorpa Bar-ché Dorje

Approaching practice

"In the Aro gTér, we approach practice from the perspective of Dzogchen – and we approach everyday life from the perspective of Tantra. This means that practice is approached according to awareness of one’s condition."

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

Refuge

"Through practice we come to understand that there is no state or object that can give us safety from the neuroses of our own minds. We come to understand that the only way we can be liberated from conditioned perception and response, and the confusion that arises from our attempts to separate emptiness and form, is to aspire to the enlightened state and the spontaneous realisation of the non-duality of emptiness and form. This confidence and Refuge can only remain alive and of use to us through practice."

Refuge, Ngala Nor’dzin Pamo, Aro Encyclopaedia

Referentiality

"Referentiality is the process by which we retreat from the direct experience of everyday life. Being present in the moment may be initially fearful, but by welcoming the sensation of fear with complete openness we cut through the barriers created by habitual emotional reaction patterns."

Refuge, Ngala Nor’dzin Pamo, Aro Encyclopaedia

Emotional responses

"We are not wholly responsible for every aspect of our circumstances but we are entirely responsible for our emotional responses in each moment."

The Ten Paramitas, Khandro Déchen, Aro Encyclopaedia

Beginninglessly enlightened

"We all have basic goodness because we are beginninglessly enlightened. We spend our lives naturally manifesting basic goodness – yet we suppress it with referentiality – attempting to prove to ourselves that we are solid, permanent, separate, continuous, and defined."

The Ten Paramitas, Khandro Déchen, Aro Encyclopaedia

Falling in love

"Falling in love is gloriously unpredictable-and as such, presents us with a context in which to turn our fixed concepts inside out."

p102, Entering the Heart of the Sun and Moon, Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen, Aro Books Inc., 2010, 978-0965394833

Working with view

"Being able to work with view means opening yourself to seeing the five-fold expressions of duality as being the warp and weft of your life's experience."

p237, Spectrum of Ecstasy, Ngakpa Chögyam with Khandro Déchen, Aro Books, 1997, 0-9653948-0-8

Dualism

"Dualism is the split between emptiness and form, existence and non-existence."

Seven Line Song, Ngak'chang Rinpoche, Aro Encyclopaedia