Sam guided our sangha this Sunday. Inspired by a quote from Shabkar Tsokdruk Rangdrol (1781–1851) — “The mind’s nature is vivid as a flawless piece of crystal – intrinsically empty, naturally radiant, ceaselessly responsive” — we considerd other writings and listen to excerpts of some relevant dharma talks.
Here’s Sam’s notes:
In a sangha run by Max or Don, the term “Radiant Mind” showed up and I thought I’d pursue that today. To me, it points to the primordial fact of the radiance or luminosity of the present moment… The sense of reality and presence of the present moment.
Reminded me of the writings of Ken Wilber, this from the book “The Simple Feeling of Being” (this is an anthology of his earlier writings):
There are many things that I can doubt, but I cannot believably doubt my own consciousness in this moment. My consciousness IS, and even if I tried to doubt it, it would be my consciousness doing the doubting.
The very undeniability of my present awareness, the undeniability of my consciousness, immediately delivers to me a certainty of existence in this moment, a certainty of Being in the now-ness of this moment.
I am not objects in nature, not feelings in the body, not thoughts in the mind, for I can Witness them all. I am that Witness — a vast spacious, empty, clear, pure, transparent Openness that impartially notices all that arises.
later he writes to the reader:
… the Witness itself will disappear entirely, and instead of witnessing the sky, you are the sky; instead of touching the earth, you are the earth; … You are the empty mirror that is one with any and all objects that arise in its embrace, a mindlessly vast translucent expanse: infinite, eternal, radiant beyond release. And you are That…
There is only the world, and you are all of that; you are not merely on this side of your face looking out there. “In here” and “out there” have become one with a shuddering obviousness. Consciousness is one with all that is arising — a vast, open transparent radiant, infinitely Free and Full expanse.
Reminded me of Christina’s Feldman’s teachings about “liberation is in the present moment” (I think was a personal communication since I haven’t found that written or in dharmaseed…I don’t have a quote) and also a quote by Nisargadatta Maharaj. This is from “I am That” Ch. 3:
M: There is something exceptional, unique, about the present event, which the previous, or the coming do not have. There is a livingness about it, an actuality; it stands out as if illuminated. There is the ‘stamp of reality’ on the actual, which the past and the future do not have.
Q: What gives the present that ‘stamp of reality’?
M: There is nothing peculiar in the present event to make it different from the past and future. For a moment the past was actual and the future will become so. What makes the present so different? Obviously, my presence. I am real for I am always now, in the present, and what is with me now shares in my reality. The past is in memory, the future — in imagination. There is nothing in the present event itself that makes it stand out as real. It may be some simple, periodical occurrence, like the striking of the clock. In spite of our knowing that the successive strokes are identical, the present stroke is quite different from the previous one and the next — as remembered, or expected. A thing focussed in the now is with me, for I am ever present; it is my own reality that I impart to the present event.
We then sat for 20 minutes, and then I played the first 35 minutes of
https://dharmaseed.org/talks/player/9071.html Joseph Goldstein 2010-05-25 Intrinsically Empty, Naturally Radiant, Ceaselessly Responsive : An Exploration of the Nature of our Mind
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Related things I did not mention:
I found books on the Radiant Mind; one by Peter Fenner inspired by Dzogchen teachings; I took that out of a library — really felt he was trying to sell something…
One by Jean Smith but hadn’t looked at it.
Found a blog by Ajahn Sujato [ https://sujato.wordpress.com/2014/10/29/on-the-radiant-mind/ Sujato’s blog: on Pabhassara Sutta AN 1:49] :
Radiant, monks, is this mind. And it is defiled by transient defilements. An unlearned ordinary person does not understand that in accord with reality. Therefore I say, “An unlearned ordinary person does not have mental development.”
Radiant, monks, is this mind. And it is freed from transient defilements. A learned noble disciple person understands that in accord with reality. Therefore I say, “A learned noble disciple has mental development.”
This is the normal way the Buddha talked about the mind. It is not that it is “naturally” radiant or defiled: it is naturally conditioned. When the conditions for darkness are there, it is dark, when the conditions for light are there, it is light. Our passage, which is unique, without parallels in any early Suttas, syntactically awkward, clearly the subject of editing, can be read as suggesting a different take on things, that the mind is somehow “radiant” even when covered by defilements. Or it can be read in line with the other, more clear suttas.
In either case, there is no suggestion here that the “radiant mind” be connected with Nibbana. Quite the opposite: the whole point of the sutta is that it can be defiled, so it cannot be Nibbana.
Reminded me of the “pathless path” — looking it up on ChatGPT
The “pathless path” in spirituality, related to Buddhism and non-duality, isn’t a set of steps but a recognition that enlightenment isn’t a future goal to be achieved through effort, but is already present in “being” or raw awareness, requiring letting go of striving, concepts, and the “doer” to see what’s already here. It involves effortless presence, seeing through mind-made illusions, and recognizing the timeless reality within the everyday, like resting in simple awareness of sensations or the breath, rather than adding practices to the mind. It’s about realizing you’re already home, not traveling to it. It contrasts with progressive paths where you work toward a future goal (e.g., mindfulness, mantra). The pathless path points to the already-present reality that traditional paths ultimately reveal, but by removing the “path” itself.
Core Concepts
- Being, Not Doing: It’s a state of presence, not a process of acquisition or striving for something better.
- No Techniques Needed: Moves beyond traditional meditation techniques like mantras or “who am I?” questions, which imply a journey.
- Letting Go: Focuses on releasing control, resistance, preferences, and the concept of a separate self.
- Already There: The destination (liberation, reality) is already present; there’s no need to get there.
- Direct Experience: Emphasizes seeing reality as it is, without mental filters, by observing raw sensations and the flow of experience.
How it Works in Practice
- Rest in Awareness: Simply rest in what you are (pure awareness or being), without trying to change it.
- Observe Sensations: Notice the field of changing sensations (tingling, warmth, pressure) in the body without reacting or interpreting them.
- See Mind Patterns: Become aware of how the mind distorts experience, allowing these patterns to diminish naturally.
- Union of Timeless & Time-Bound: Involves inhabiting both the everyday world of action and the timeless dimension of pure presence.
Key Contrast
- It contrasts with progressive paths where you work toward a future goal (e.g., mindfulness, mantra). The pathless path points to the already-present reality that traditional paths ultimately reveal, but by removing the “path” itself.
I asked ChatGPT “Sutta where buddha says self not found in aggregates or outside of them”… Answer mentioned Yamaka Sutta, Anattalakkhana Sutta, Khemaka Sutta, and Alagaddupama Sutta.
ChatGPT Offered “Nagarjuna’s tetralemma” so I said OK.
“Ahhh nice, we’re going full Madhyamaka mode now. Love it.”
Reminded me of a warning by Dogen:
Zen master Baoche (Bow-Chuh) of Mt. Mayu was fanning himself. A monk approached and said, “Master, the nature of wind is permanent and there is no place it does not reach. Why, then, do you fan yourself?”
” Although you understand that the nature of the wind is permanent,” Baoche replied, “you do not understand the meaning of its reaching everywhere.”
” What is the meaning of its reaching everywhere?” asked the monk again. The master just kept fanning himself. The monk bowed deeply.
The actualization of the buddha-dharma, the vital path of its correct transmission, is like this.
If you say that you do not need to fan yourself because the nature of wind is permanent and you can have wind without fanning, you will understand neither permanence nor the nature of wind. The nature of wind is permanent; because of that, the wind of the buddha’s house brings for the gold of the earth and makes fragrant the cream of the long river.
