Emptiness
of Self and Phenomena in the Forms of Space and Time
I
was listening to an interview of Leigh Brasington, an American
practitioner and teacher of buddhist meditation who has background in
theravada buddhism as well as dzogchen.
In
the interview (https://youtu.be/o9xP28pzQAA?t=4808)
he briefly discusses concepts of space and time as forms of
self-delusion. I have discussed about this on many occasions but just
as a reminder, felt like writing a short note.
Emptiness
of Space:
From
3-D to Zero-D
Self
or me, in all of its forms and expressions, is located both in time
and space. Our sense of me-ness is located in three-dimensional, 3-D,
space. It is easy to see how our physical body is a three-dimensional
object existing in three-dimensional physical space. In the same
manner, as all of our self-based confusion is in our mind, mind
objects of various kinds also come and go in the same way, appearing
and disappearing in three-dimensional mind space. These two bodies,
physical and energetic or mind, are the two most obvious bodies we
have but then there is a third body which for sentient beings is
mostly hidden and unknown. This unfamiliarity (marigpa) is the root
cause of our confusion and suffering. That is the body of knowing
awareness or rigpa. My understanding of the three kayas is that these
three in the order given above are: nirmanakaya, sambhogakaya and
dharmakaya.
Bhumis
In
Open Heart-style of vajrayana buddhist practice we use Open Heart
Bhumi Model as our path map. In my experience, the question about the
space-aspect of awareness is solved with the opening of the 11th
bhumi. At this point, after 11 major shifts, rigpa becomes one's
default mode of being and the confusion between three-dimensional
mind and zero-dimensional rigpa-awareness is clarified. There is no
way one could be confused about 3-D and 0-D after this, unless
momentarily during dark night. This stage also makes one
understand about the difference between mindfulness or
concentration-based and awareness-based training paradigms. I have
talked about this here,
for example.
Dynamic
Concentration
Traditional
concentration practices operate under the laws and functions of the
energetic body and all types of concentration practices from
zen-style samadhi to theravadan jhanas happen within
the samsaric mind, not beyond it. Dynamic
Concentration, on the other hand, with its explosive power, cuts
through all and any layers of the samsaric mind and consequentially,
leaves no other option than for rigpa-awareness to show up. There is
no other option that the self-recognition of it which is done by no
one.
The
reason why Open Heart-practitioners have so many shifts in perception
so quickly is mostly because of Dynamic Concentration. Dynamic
Concentration does not work on the terms set up by samsaric mind and
because of this the most foundational of our bodies can be recognised
so effectively through this exercise. My second book, What's
Next? On Post-Awakening Practice, describes this and the process
in detail through practitioners' written accounts and photographs. It
even works for people who use it apart from tantric practice, as you
can read here.
So,
the confusion of space goes with the opening of mahasiddha bhumis.
After this the self-invested concept of existence in space ceases to
be a cause of confusion.
Emptiness
of Time:
From
3-D to Zero-D
In
my experience, emptiness of time, came with the perfection of the 7th
bhumi. Prior to this event, perfection of the 7th bhumi, I
hadn't given much thought to time or the idea of passing of time,
although through glimpsing of the natural state I had seen countless
times how different the experience of it was in comparison to the
usual mind or self that exists in time and space. But conceptually I
hadn't contemplated it.
So,
in my practice, Open Heart
Yoga mainly, I had this shift, similar to bhumi openings and
other bhumi perfections, and for a moment I had to conceptualize what
was it that I had un-conceptualized. Then I realized that the
perception or idea of time was no longer the same it was before. The
flavour of this insight was not any different than any of the
previous insights into the emptiness of self and phenomena. It was
just a part of my deeply ingrained self, in the form of existing in
time, that was no longer there and again the living experience was
fuller than it was before.
Thank
you,
-Kim
Katami
Open
Heart Sangha,
