Reciting the refuge and bodhicitta: a dzogchen perspective. Mannheim Retreat, 2009

2012-10-15

Extracted from a seminar on 21st – 22nd November 2009 in Mannheim, Germany

James Low

Transcribed by Daniel Beierstettel
Edited by Barbara Terris and Revised by James Low

Excerpts

…Some Western people have fantasies that in their last life they were a Tibetan yogi, or they imagine that one day somebody is going to recognise them as some great reincarnation, as a tulku. Understandable as these fantasies are, they are not helpful because actually, being ordinary is very special. The ordinary goes everywhere. If you become famous, there are lots of place you can’t go, lots of things you can’t do….

…The essence of the bodhisattva practice is to stay relaxed and open and allow oneself to arise in response to the situation as it reveals itself. The more we take the bodhisattva path, the more we realise how limited we are and that there is a kind of undertow, like in the sea when the water catches you and pulls you back. To counteract that we need to practice wisdom. The more we practice wisdom, the more calm and peaceful we are.

Then, of course, the danger lies in not wanting to be disturbed, which in turn needs to be rectified by getting back into the world and being with others. At first when we practice, we find more clarity. Then we go back into the world, and we become more confused…