The Sky Dragon's Profound Roar

by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche

We practice the genuine dharma because it is a method for clearing away the temporary stains that obscure our vision of the true nature of mind. The abiding nature of our mind is clear light. It is the Buddha nature, the undifferentiability of clarity and emptiness. In its essence, it is primordially pure and primordially free from any stain at all. It has been free and pure from the very beginning. Yet, although this is the basic nature of mind, there are temporary, adventitious stains, which are not of the nature of mind but which, nevertheless, prevent us from realising what it is.

The fact that the true nature of mind could be this clear light, the Buddha nature that is completely free of any imperfection at all, and yet be obscured by temporary stains, is called the first of the "four inconceivable points" in a text called the Gyü Lama. This text presents the highest view in the continuum of the Mahayana teachings.  Why is this point inconceivable? It seems to be quite a contradiction to state that the basic nature of mind is pure and, at the same time, there are stains that prevent us from seeing it. If the true nature of our mind is pure, why then don’t we realise this?

The situation is like gold that is pure and yet is obscured by some coarser mineral; it is like water that is pure in essence, and yet is muddied by dirt; it is like the sun that is shining and yet is blocked from our view by clouds. The purpose of practising dharma is to clear away these temporary stains so that the essence of mind shines forth. At that time, mind will be like pure gold that is refined of all impure materials. It will be like pure water, uncontaminated by any trace of dirt. It will be like the sun shining in a cloudless sky. We can understand how this apparently contradictory point is not contradictory when we consider such examples. On the surface, there might appear to be a contradiction while, fundamentally, there is not.

The qualities of the basic nature of this clear light, or Buddha nature, are that it is naturally open, spacious and relaxed. When a person realises this directly, they are freed from the bondage of their conceptuality; they are no longer bound by conceptual mind. Further, this realisation benefits not only those who have experienced it directly, but it also benefits us while we are still in the process of listening to and reflecting upon these teachings. As we develop our understanding, we progressively gain certainty that the nature of this mind will help to release us from the bondage of our thoughts, and from the bondage of our own anger and desire.

AWARENESS AND THE EXPANSE

The glorious Third Gyalwa Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje, described the true nature of mind as the “undifferentiability of awareness and the expanse.” The quality of the “expanse” refers to the transcendence of all conceptual notions; it cannot be described in words or grasped by thought. It is the great openness transcending all conceptuality. The quality of “awareness” describes the natural state of the mind, which is clear, luminous, and bright. This quality of luminosity is what is meant by awareness.

This description by the Third Karmapa of the basic nature of the mind as the undifferentiability of awareness and the expanse is the perfect unification of the intention of the Buddha’s speech in both the Second and the Third Turnings of the Wheel of Dharma. The description of this mind as being in the nature of the expanse is the aspect that is in harmony with what is taught in the Second Turning of the Wheel of Dharma. The Second Turning sutras of the Transcendent Perfection of Wisdom, or the Prajnaparamita, describe the basic nature of reality as transcending all conceptual fabrication, as being beyond any conventional name, term, or description. Furthermore, the awareness aspect, the natural clarity and luminosity of mind, is in harmony with the Buddha’s intention in the sutras on Buddha nature, which constitute the Third Turning of the Wheel.

When one realises this nature of mind that is the awareness and the expanse undifferentiable, then all conceptual fabrications are pacified and the darkness of ignorance is completely dispelled. It is through our realisation of the aspect of the expanse — the transcendence of all conceptual fabrications — that conceptual mind is completely pacified; and it is through our realisation of the aspect of awareness — the luminous nature of mind — that the clarity of awareness dispels the darkness of ignorance.

When one gains stable certainty that, in fact, the nature of reality is “awareness and expanse undifferentiable,” then realising the nature of reality as bliss-emptiness, mahamudra, or as awareness-emptiness, dzogchen, becomes quite easy.

The great scholar and master, Mipham Chokle Namgyal, said, “If one seeks to master the basic nature of alpha purity, or kadak, it is necessary to perfect one’s understanding of the view of the Prasangika, or the Consequence School.” Alpha purity describes the basic nature of mind as it is expressed in the dzogchen descriptions. If one wishes to realise dzogchen, alpha purity, or trekcho, as it is also called, then one must perfect one’s understanding of the Consequence School. That is, one must realise that the nature of reality transcends all conceptual fabrications; it cannot be described by any conceptual terms. This is the aspect of the “expanse.”If one recognises this, then it is easy to realise the mahamudra because, as Milarepa sang:

               The view is original wisdom which is empty
               Meditation clear light free of fixation
               Conduct continual flow without attachment
               Fruition is nakedness stripped of every stain.

“The view is original wisdom, which is empty,” describes awareness, which is empty of any flaw, empty of any type of conceptual fabrication, and cannot be described by any conventional terms.

If one is able to gain certainty that the nature of mind is awareness and the expanse undifferentiable, then one will perfect the intention of the glorious Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, who expressed this realisation again and again. The Buddha nature, itself, is nothing other than the awareness and the expanse undifferentiable. It is very important for us to gain certainty that this is the case through the practices of listening and reflecting.  This has been a brief explanation of the view of the Third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje, and the Sixteenth Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, which expresses the true nature of reality as awareness and the expanse undifferentiable.