Modes of Intention, Attention and Awareness

Modes of Intention, Attention

and Awareness

See also in this blog: Practical Note on Intention and Awareness.

Two modes of the natural state

• Child Awareness* (rigpa, zero dimensional)
• Mother Awareness** (rigpa, zero dimensional), Child Awareness united with Mother Awareness

*Child Awareness: State of pure awareness related only with one's personal bodymind. When tapped in full equals with the Open Heart-definition of a fully attained arhat, perfection of bhumis 1-6. Subtly dualistic.

**Mother Awareness: State of pure awareness related with one's personal and the larger energy body, extending beyond one's personal aura. When tapped in full equals with the Open Heart-definition of a buddha, perfection of bhumis 1-10. Nondualistic.

Two modes of mindfulness that disregards the natural state

1. Intention or concentration without Awareness* as the base
2. Attention (three-dimensional) without Awareness** as the base
   *neither Child or Mother Awareness

*Training in one-pointed concentration where an object is used as a support to one's shamatha meditation that simultaneously disregards three-dimensional space and the natural state or awareness. Dualistic.

**Training in effort-based attention applied to three-dimensional space such as in space gazing which disregards the natural state or awareness. Dualistic.

Two modes of mindfulness that takes the smaller natural state into account

3. Intention or concentration with Child Awareness as the base
4. Attention (three-dimensional) with Child Awareness as the base

*Training in one-pointed concentration where an object is used as a support to one's shamatha meditation that simultaneously does not disregard three-dimensional space or the natural state, that is, awareness. Subtly dualistic.

**Training in effort-based attention applied to three-dimensional space such as in space gazing which does not disregard or exclude the natural state, that is, awareness. Subtly dualistic.

Two modes of mindfulness that takes the full natural state into account

5. Intention or concentration with Mother Awareness* as the base
6. Attention (three-dimensional) with Mother Awareness** as the base

*Application of one-pointed concentration from within the fullness of the natural state, or Mother Awareness. Nondualistic.

*Application of three-dimensional attention from within the fullnes of the natural state, or Mother Awareness. Nondualistic.

See also this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg6Xd40a0n4

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.

Four Gears of Open Awareness

Four Gears of Open Awareness

Four Gears of Open Awareness-guided practice

1. Open awareness, related to the primary sensory organ*

• Disengaging one's attention from internal objects such as thought and emotion, as well as from external objects perceived through the senses (eyes) and
• Resting as non-three-dimensional open space
• Awareness being aware of itself, without a self-entity

Leads to:

• Recognition of oneself as conscious awareness, both through sudden awakening (cessation, nirodha) and mind purification (vipashyana, also known as gradual enlightenment) =>
• Cuts down all sense of localisation as a self located in space and time, deconstruction of the self =>
• Calming of the mind (shamatha) =>
• Experiential understanding of both mindfulness (intention) and open awareness (attention)

This can be called the first gear, the first and foremost step, of awareness training.

*Eyes are the primary sensory organ of man. This practice is known as ati yoga, Ati-meditation, Space Gazing or open awareness meditation in Open Heart-teachings and by same or similar names in other advanced teachings.

2. Open awareness centered at the heart

Open awareness recognised through the primary sense organ (eyes) is connected with the heart/chest area of man. This connection is revealed through training in open awareness meditation. This is subtle connection of the energy body (skt. amrita nadi, tib. kati, engl. chrystal channel), not related to common human emotions, although open awareness centered at the heart gives self-cognisant awareness a flavour of warm heartfulness. In the heart open awareness becomes embodied as love and compassion.

This can be called the second gear of awareness training.

3. Open awareness embodied by the whole bodymind

When the recognition of the natural state takes place properly and one trains in it, open awareness not only comes to encompass the abstract mind and it's various aspects, but also penetrates the flesh of the body. The self-created mind of man becomes replaced with the ”spirit of God” which is free and open but also free of freedom, openness and divinity.

This can be called the third gear of awareness training.

4. Open awareness in action

Here, open awareness is fully embodied and presented through action, speech and thought, and also through non-action, non-speech and non-thought. Here further training of awareness looses it's meaning. Compassionate action, both in it's peaceful and wrathful forms, is naturally delivered. This is the stage of the mahasiddhas* or buddhas. When open awareness is embodied in full bloom like this, all beings in all forms reap subtle nondual benefits from it as the presence of a mahasiddha reverberates through all realms** simultaneously. The wow to become a buddha, a fully enlightened being for the sake of all beings has been fulfilled and hence is forgotten.

This can be called the fourth gear and final stage of awareness training.

*Open Heart Bhumi Model, bhumis 11.-13.

**All realms refer to 21 main realms related to the subtle body of man, that is, chakras. See a diagram of these centers here.

Comments

The above mapping is one way to explain the aspects and stages of the path of awareness training. This training can be pursued by anyone. It is recommended to be conducted in the guidance of a master (here referring to a mahasiddha) or at least with a person who has attained the level of a bodhisattva.

All should remember that open awareness is the enlightened mind of all beings. Potentially this can be attained by all men who receive valid instruction and who have correct compassionate motivation.

This instruction should not be kept from sincere, honest and open hearted seekers who wish to blow out the flame of their dualistic ignorance and embody their natural, truthful, original mind among men and other beings. This is their right.

It should be kept in mind that this knowledge is not the property of any person, any sect or a group. In case a known dishonest or a morally corrupt person seeks to receive instruction from a teacher, the teacher should make sure that the relationship is based on honesty and mutual trust. If this requirement is not met the teacher is allowed to refrain from giving guidance to such person.

May all beings realise their freedom.

Thank you for reading.

- Baba Kim Katami, 4/2016

Open Heart,

www.openheart.fi