Cittamatra: Only mind and emptiness

Egyptian apprentice:

If you have worked on the first stage of the progressive stages of meditation on Emptiness, as presented in the book of Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, now you have some insight on the emptiness of Self, similar to the Shravakas.

The next stage, the Cittamatra, belongs to the Mahayana, which means that Bodhicitta must be your driving force.

Now you have to focus on the emptiness of the skandas and you will find out that there is no difference in nature between mind and matter. But do not think that everything is yourself or your own personal experience. There is a world that you share with others.

The appearance of an inner perceiving and an outer perceived aspect in each moment of consciousness gives rise to the illusion that they are of different substance, mind and matter.

If you can rest your mind in its own nature and see its emptiness, then all confusion would disappear and the mind would be bright, clear and self-aware: self-illuminating mind.

If you meditate properly, you will find that experience has three natures:

1- the imaginary nature

2- the dependent nature

3- the truly existent nature

The imaginary nature is conceptual, and empty: your own interpretation of dependent nature.

The dependent nature includes all the eight consciousnesses, and it is dependently existent.

The truly existent nature is absolute existence: ultimate, pure and perfect reality.

Unless you meditate and find out for yourself the validity of all the above hints, this is nothing but conceptual understanding, and you will never get a direct experience of emptiness.

So Egyptian Apprentice, work hard and join your fellow practitioners if you want to reach the next camp on our way up to the summit: madhyamaka camp.

HUNG