The Sun and the Dark Cloud

Our "awakened nature" is like the sun;
our various ideas and conceptions are like dark clouds.
Every single day, the sun shines brightly.
The only difference from one moment to the next is
whether a dark cloud is there or not.
"No awareness" is like
when the sun is blocked by a dark cloud.
In actuality, the sun is still there.
The "awajebed nature" is never confused or unaware,
not even for a brief moment.
It can only be temporarily obscured and covered up
by our ideas and conceptions.
Through spiritual practice, our mind and heart slowly
become clear and brigh, capable of transcendence.
You will discover that the "awakened nature" is like
a sun shining on the earth,
a mountain spring,
a stone wall.
Its original nature is to shed light on all and everything,
without any distinction of good and bad.
None of this stuff can, or will, interfere with the sun.
So, our 'awakened nature" is never lost.
Everyone has it all originally.
Some day we may eventually discover
this very beautiful, very pure, and serene "awakened nature."

The Sun

When we are confused and bewildered,
when we are grasping and clinging,
when we are disturbed or depressed,
when we are attached and deluded,
we often end up losing our mind and heart.
However, through the contemplation of "prajna," wisdom
can reveal insigh into all of creation in the universe.
It is like the sun shining upoon every place on earth,
brightening our eyes and unlocking our wisdom,
enabling us to cut through the various traps and
entranglements of the world;
thus, ending all afflitions once and for all.
Our mind and heart are no longer confused and lost.
We can live wih greater freedom and ease.

Not Wearing Clothes

That which ca change or be transformed may not be
called the "Mysteriously Begotten" or the absolute reality.
The complete "Emptiness"
is the "Mysteriously Begotten," the absolute reality;
that which is not tied to any visible, changeable,
outer conditions or phenomena.
The "Mysteriously Begotten" is the complete "Emptiness"
of the mind and heart.
So, what sort of change occurs
when the mind and heart are empty?
Well, the mind and heart are not wearing any clothes.
What do we mean by "wearing clothes?"
We mean "making connections to all kinds of appearances,
and giving rise to every kind of inner state."
Without "Emptiness," you will not see the "Self."
"Emptiness" is not wearing the clothing o form,
appearance, sound, sensation, or feeling, etc.

Taking Off Clothes

What is our original face?
Our mid and heart, at the very present moment,
is our original face;
but we often mistake our unreal hysical bodies
as the origina face.
We take what is seen, and what is heard,
as the original face;
we take all of the outer stuff as our original face.
Thus, our mid and heart often run around with
phenomena, chasing after everything,
frequently mistaking the unreal as the real.
In reality, our true original face often appears with the
unreal stuff, making it impossible for us to distinguish or understand.
It is necessary to go through deep focussed meditation,
and insightful contemplation,
in order to look at our mind and heart
as apart from all phenomena.
Our original face is the mind and heart
from before we were born,
when we had not yet put on the clothes
of this physical body, and after we die,
when we have taken off the clothes of this physical body.
The true face is the mind and heart not limited
bya physical body or any outer phenomena.

Wearing Clothes

Are life and death scary?
We, who are pure spiritual consciousness,
become a human when wearing the clothes of a human;
become a dog when wearing the clothes of a dog;
become a fish when wearing the clothes of a fish;
become an insect when wearing the clothes of insect;
become bteria when wearing the clothes of bacteria.
So, we, who are pure spiritual consciousness,
may not be a human being, or some flying creature,
or a four-legged beast.
Now, which one are we? None of them!
when we incarnate as a human being,
we are called a human being;
when we incarnate as a bird, we are called a bird.
None of these are the solid, definite form of us;
none of these are the form of the "Self."
For this reason, we should not be attached,
and we should know the truth of "Selfessness."
the continuous stream of life is just like this.
We may generate many different forms of life,
but none of these life forms is who we are.
Our life is formless.
Our present form of life and body is borrowed,
and originates from karmic cause and effect.
So, nex time when someone is scolding you,
or criticizing you, do not take for granted that it is you!