Great-Bliss-Tantric-Sex-and-the-Path-to-Inner-Awakening

that your mind places onto a reality that is never confined by any of them. The Mahāyāna teaches
that if you could only see reality clearly, you would see the vast expanse of peace and bliss that
permeates and truly is everything. Dharma extends infinitely beyond the scriptures as an everpresent
power, so any moment of your life can be an opportunity for higher realization. The
Mahāyāna sūtras inspire wonder and astonishment through their visions of worlds vast and
profound, instilling devotion to its excellent teachings.
Saṃsāra and Nirvāṇa are Perceptual
The Mahāyāna teaches that the allimportant
distinction in the
Common Vehicle between saṃsāra
and nirvāṇa is merely perceptual -
they are not actual places. When
your awareness is obscured by
ignorance, you are in saṃsāra.
When your awareness is freed from
ignorance, you are in nirvāṇa.
Saṃsāra is simply the
misperception of nirvāṇa. The
Mahāyāna redefines the nirvāṇa of
a buddha as nonabiding nirvāṇa
(apratiṣṭha nirvāṇa) - a buddha
avoids passively retreating into
nirvāṇa, and at the same time
avoids personal suffering in
saṃsāra while remaining fully
engaged in the world out of
compassion for others.
However, liberation does not result
in a joyful celebration of appearances. Karmic obscurations are what create the world of
appearances (saṃjñā) in the first place – and appearances are comprised of the very fabric of
karmic conditioning. There is never a time when you are enlightened and simply relax and enjoy
the beauty of the world. The White Lotus Sūtra explains, “This world is produced by karma, this
world manifests by means of karma. All beings are produced by karma. They appear through the
cause, karma.” Appearances are dependently originated from karmic conditioning and
experienced as suffering. In liberation you would theoretically experience nothing at all, because
your karmic obscurations that produce appearances would be completely released. However,
because of compassion, buddhas remain in the world of appearances purely to liberate others
from suffering.
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