maanantai 21. marraskuuta 2016

Intention - Attention - Awareness

Intention - Attention - Awareness



Intention (one-dimensional) - Attention (three-dimensional) - Awareness (zero-dimensional/beyond dimensionality)



I feel these three are a continuum. They are both practices and principles. In intention and attention there is effort (practice) which are absent from awareness. I feel it is the effort which make the two former feel burdensome. That effort begins to feel something extra and needless the more awareness that is not a practice becomes flesh. But because the psychological mess is great and compulsive, is the reason why the principles of intention and attention, the practices, are needed and useful.

Awareness is home. As the Tibetans I've called it rigpa but it is foreign language which brings in the element of "Ooh, something mystical and exalted". But it is actually very natural, extremely natural. It is so natural that at first it feels amazing because we've used to having a messy and confused. 
 
Anyway, I think too much emphasis on "emptiness", "transparency" and "no qualities" can and does actually give artificial colouring to the experience itself. Yes, awareness is empty of self and transparent but it is also brimming with life. Being aware is like living in a jungle, in a rain forest. There is so much life in a rain forest! Alive! As is rigpa. Not dead, not dull, not blank. If we connect with awareness from the head space only, it is clear, transparent and pronouncedly empty of self. But the aspect of aliveness, or love, makes a connection with the rest of the body, especially the heart space, without excluding the head. Head and heart together. Clarity and aliveness joined. Manjushri and Avalokiteshvara having a party together.