Denny Jarman
Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
So I see my own neuroses of wanting just open space. Of course, I think Trungpa said most of what was necessary in Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism:
<div class=”kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q”>
<div dir=”auto”>Chögyam Trungpa ~ OPEN SPACE</div>
</div>
<div class=”cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q”>
<div dir=”auto”>You see, in order to experience open space one also must experience the solidity of the earth, of form. They are interdependent. Often, we romanticize open space and then we fall into traps. As long as we do not romanticize open space as a wondrous place but rather relate that space to earth, then we will avoid these …traps. Space cannot be experienced without the outline of the earth to define it. If we are going to paint a picture of open space, we must express it in terms of the earth’s horizon. So it is necessary to bring oneself back to the problems of everyday life, the kitchen-sink problems. That is why the simplicity and precision of everyday activities is very important. If you perceive open space, you should bring yourself back to your old, familiar, claustrophobic life situations and look into them more closely, examine them, absorb yourself into them, until absurdity of their solidity strikes you and you can see their spaciousness as well.</div>
</div>
<div class=”cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q”>
<div dir=”auto”>Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism – Page 189</div>
</div>There’s a song that we sang on retreat once. One of the verses went something like, “All these forms are emptiness. Far beyond what mind can know. All these forms are appearance-emptiness, so just let go and go where no mind goes.”
I was taught that if this idea of emptiness seems frighteningly groundless that you can trust experience.
When you understand (maybe understand is the wrong word — maybe “hold the view that” is better) that everyone already is a Buddha while simultaneously experiencing and often neurotically responding to Dharma in this world, you can see the path of it — I think as Barry said today something to the effect we learn from our mistakes. We can let go the layers of neuroses through our own awareness.
My question has always been why? Why is there a path at all? Why is there even Maha Ati. Why aren’t we just all the Buddhas we are naturally. The only answer I’ve received so far, is Why Not?
