Mahamudra Teaching - Dharma Media

est your mind in its own natural state, to free from all the fabrication. So when you can relax in that
natural state effortlessly that is called “realization of Mahamudra”, “seeing that own nature.”
Milarepa said, “When you talk about the view of Mahamudra, that view is your mind. Look at the
nature of mind and that is the view of Mahamudra. If you are looking for a view beyond your mind,
then it is like rich person begging on the street.” You have all the things which are there to be had,
meals and clothing, but still you go around begging. Another way to say this is it is like a beggar who
has a stove [Khenpo: In the east a stove means you have two rocks and you bridge a pot on top of
them, and then cook food or boil water] consisting of gold or jewels. But that beggar has not realized
that and continues to beg constantly. Then one day a person comes along and realizes the situation
and sees all of that gold or the jewels. He asks the beggar, “Why are you begging?” The beggar
replies, “I have to beg since I don’t have anything.” The person says, “Your two stones are made of
gold or jewels”, as the case might be, and the beggar says, “Oh, I didn’t know that. This has been with
me for a long time. This has always been with me. I just never realized it.”
It is like that. We don’t realize the jewel that we have. We expect to get something from the outside.
So look at your mind, realize that, stabilize that, and actualize that. And that is the Mahamudra that is
within you.
In the tantra this jewel is called “the inconceivable co-emergent wisdom.” The tantra text says,
“Because the co-emergent wisdom is free from all elaboration, there is nothing to meditate on.” Now
this goes a little higher. We need to meditate. But this is explaining from the point of view of one who
is more highly accomplished in the practice. At that point there is not any effort to meditate on
something. But it is very important to have non-stopping awareness, mindfulness. You should
always have he mindfulness of the awareness on the Mahamudra without interruption.
In this practice you don’t have to worry so much about understanding or not understanding. Some
people say, “Buddhism, oh, it is too complicated. You have to read so many books, complete so many
studies. So I don’t have enough knowledge to practice.” Some people worry about that. So there is
absolutely no need to worry. We just get to the essence of the practice.
Within the field of Buddhism every individual has the opportunity to study and practice. You don’t
have to be “smart” all the time! But the awareness and mindfulness are very necessary. So when we
practice, don’t worry about all those “outside” things, but rather look at the mind, establish the mind.
Don’t worry about so many words, but just get the meaning, the essence of the meaning. To free from
samsara and attain enlightenment you have to work within the mind. Mind is the one we have to
work. It is not how much you know; it is how much you purify your negative thoughts, delusions. So
in that way we get free from the boundary of this life, the next life, and the bardo. Lord Jigten
Sumgon said, “I, a yogin, have realized the inseparable nature of this life, the next life, and the bardo.
So now I don’t have to make any more effort.” [If you want to read this songs, the translation is in the
book called Prayer Flags.]
One-Taste and Impermanence
In samsara we have the expectation or hope for happiness and we have fear for suffering. But in the
Mahamudra State, the nature of the happiness is emptiness and the nature of the suffering is
emptiness. See that nature. That’s called “one taste.” Equalize that through the meditation practice.
Be without fear, without attachment.