The-Tibetan-Book-of-Living-and-Dying

THE INNERMOST ESSENCE 167it is essential, first of all, to accomplish this practice in a specialenvironment of retreat, where all the favorable conditions arepresent; amidst the distractions and busyness of the world,however much you meditate, true experience will not be bornin your mind. Second, though there is no difference inDzogchen between meditation and everyday life, until youhave found true stability through doing the practice in propersessions, you will not be able to integrate the wisdom of meditationinto the experience of daily life. Third, even when youpractice, you might be able to abide by the continual flow ofRigpa with the confidence of the View; but if you are unableto continue that flow at all times and in all situations, mixingyour practice with everyday life, it will not serve as a remedywhen unfavorable circumstances arise, and you will be ledastray into delusion by thoughts and emotions.There is a delightful story about a Dzogchen yogin wholived unostentatiously, surrounded, however, by a large followingof disciples. A certain monk, who had an exaggeratedopinion of his own learning and scholarship, was jealous ofthe yogin, whom he knew not to be very well read at all. Hethought: "How does he, just an ordinary person, dare toteach? How dare he pretend to be a master? I will go and testhis knowledge, show it up for the sham it is and humiliatehim in front of his disciples, so that they will leave him andfollow me."One day, then, he visited the yogin and said scornfully:"You Dzogchen bunch, is meditate all you ever do?"The yogin's reply took him completely by surprise: "Whatis there to meditate on?"'You don't even meditate, then," the scholar brayed triumphantly."But when am I ever distracted?" said the yogin.ACTIONAs abiding by the flow of Rigpa becomes a reality, it beginsto permeate the practitioner's everyday life and action, andbreeds a deep stability and confidence. Dudjom Rinpoche says:Action is being truly observant of your own thoughts, good or bad,looking into the true nature of whatever thoughts may arise, neithertracing the past nor inviting the future, neither allowing anyclinging to experiences of joy, nor being overcome by sad situations.In so doing, you try to reach and remain in the state of