DiscoverYourInnermostAwareness

PhotobyDavidGabrielFischer.
InhisteachingontheessenceofDzogchen,theDalaiLamadescribestheshockthat
naturallyaccompaniesanexperienceofinnermostawareness,whichisactuallythebasisof
allreality.
IhavegreatinterestinthestatementbymanywisepersonsinalltheordersofTibetanBuddhism
thattheirsystemscomedowntothesamefinalprinciple,andIfeelthatthisiswhatIshouldandmust
explain.Suchanexplorationmaybecontroversial,butinanycase,thesegreatscholaryogissay
thatallthesesystemscomedowntothesamefinalbasicinsight,thesameprinciple,becausethere
isindeedafinalbasicexperienceonwhichtheyallalight.Thereisnowaytheywouldsaythisjustto
bepolite.
IntextsweinheritedfromIndia,thebasicprincipleissometimescalledthefundamentalinnatemind
ofclearlightorthefundamentalinnatewisdomofclearlight,thesetwotermshavingthesame
meaning.Inothertexts,itiscalledthespacediamondpervadingspace,whileinyetothersitis
calledthejewelmind,as,forexample,whenitissaid,Separatefromthejewelmind,thereisno
buddhaandnosentientbeing.
Then,inTibet,insometexts,itiscalledordinaryconsciousnessandinnermostawareness.These
termsareusedinthecontextofspeakingaboutfreedomfromthought,whichispsychologicallyand
experientiallydescribedasselfrelease,nakedrelease,andunimpededpenetration.The
innermostawarenessissaidtobethebasisoftheappearanceofalloftheroundofsuffering(cyclic
existence)andalsothebasisofliberation(nirvana).Everything,withoutexception,iscompleteinthe
continuumofinnermostawareness.Itisevensaidtobenaturallyarisen,sinceithasalwaysbeen

andalwayswillbe.
Allofthephenomenaofcyclicexistenceandnirvanaare,whenyoucomedowntoit,notnewly
producedbycausesandconditionsbutintegrallycompletewithinthenatureofprimordial,naturally
ariseninnermostawarenesseverythingiscontainedwithinitssphere,withinitsscope.Onthelow
end,thebasisofthedawningofallofthephenomenaoftheworldofsufferingisthisdiamondmind
ofclearlightonthehighend,thebasisofthedawningofallthepurephenomenaofliberationisjust
thisinnermostawareness,alsocalledthediamondmindofclearlight.
Thisisatopicwellworthexploringforthesakeoffurtheringourinnerpeacebyopeningourminds
beyondourusualstreamofthoughts.Weshouldlookintothiswiththeaimofcreatingmorepeace
withourneighborsandthroughoutourworld.

InnermostAwarenessPervadesEveryTypeofConsciousness
Nomatterwhatkindofconsciousnesswemightconsider,theclearlightofinnermostawareness
pervadesit.Ice,evenwhenitissolidandveryhard,doesnotpassbeyondthenatureofwater.Inthe
sameway,nomatterhowgross,tough,orcoarseconceptionsmightbe,theplacefromwhichthey
dawnandtheplaceintowhichtheyvanishwhenwenolongerthinkaboutthemdoesnotpass
beyondinnermostawareness.
Conceptualawarenessappearsfromwithinthesphereofinnermostawarenessandfinallydissolves
intothesphereofinnermostawareness.Sincethisisthecase,astheearlytwentiethcentury
scholaryogioftheOldTranslation(Nyingma)SchoolDodrubchenJigmeTenpeNyimasays,justas
oilpervadestheentiretyofsesameseeds,soclearlightpervadesallconsciousness.Heconcludes
thatthereforeevenatthetimeofthemanifestationofthecoarserlevelsofmindbothduring
thinkingandduringtheoperationofthesensoryconsciousnessesassociatedwiththeeye,ear,nose,
tongue,andbodyitispossibletoidentify,throughtheforceofalamaorgurusempowering
blessingsandquintessentialinstructions,asubtlefeatureofclearlightthatpervadeseachofthese
consciousnesses.

PracticingthePathRightNow
Howcanwetakeinnermostawarenessintothespiritualpathrightnow?Itisthroughbeing
introducedtoandidentifyinginexperiencetheclearlightthatpervadesalltypesof
consciousnessesandonepointedlymeditatingonthis,sustainingattentiontoitwithinnonthought,
nonconceptualization.
Then,astheclearlightbecomesmoreandmoreprofound,thetypesofcoarsethoughtsdiminish
moreandmore.Thisiswhythispracticeiscalledtheessentialpaththroughknowledgeofwhichall
statesarereleased.Comingtoknowthissingleinnermostawarenessinourownexperience,weare
liberatedfromallsortsoftensesituations.

Toidentifyinnermostawareness,themostdifficultpartistomakethedistinctionbetweenmind
(sems)andinnermostawareness(rigpa).Itiseasytotalkaboutthisdifference,tosay,Innermost
awarenesshasneverbeeninfectedbymistake,whereasmindisundertheinfluenceof
conceptualizationandpollutedwithmistakenthought.Thisiseasytosay,butintermsofactual
experienceinourownmentalcontinuum,itisverydifficult.Dodrubchensaidthatalthoughwemight
fancythatwearemeditatingoninnermostawareness,thereisadangerthatweareactually,infact,
merelymaintainingconcentrationontheclearandcognitivenatureofamoresuperficialmind,andso
weneedtotakecare.Itishelpfultodothelatter,butitisnotsoprofound.

TheInnateMindofClearLight
AllTibetansystems,intheirfinalview,emphasizethefundamentalinnatemindofclearlight.Interms
ofthecenterofthesesystems,allofthephenomenaofcyclicexistenceandnirvanaarethesport,
theeffulgence,ofthefundamentalinnateclearlight.Hence,theroot,andfoundation,ofallofthatis
withinthescopeofcyclicexistenceandnirvanaisthefundamentalclearlight.
Thisbeingso,whenpracticingthespiritualpath,thereisnothingelseneededtopurifytheseimpure
appearanceswhichthemselvesdawnfromwithinthecontextofinnermostawarenessorclearlight
thantoturnthefundamentalinnatemindofclearlightitselfintothatthroughwhichyoupracticethe
spiritualpath.Manifestingthefruitofpracticingthepath,thefundamentalinnatemindofclearlight
itself,whenseparatedfromallobstructivedefilements,istheresultantomniscienceofbuddhahood,a
statefromwhichthegreatestbenefittootherscanbeeffected.

IntroducingInnermostAwareness
IwillnowexplainthefirstsectionofthetextThreeKeysPenetratingtheCore,fromthemindofthe
greatadeptDzaPatrulJigmeChokyiWangpo(180887).PatrulRinpochesteaching,andthushis
poem,isorganizedaroundthreekeysforuncoveringinnermostawareness,theGreat
Completeness.Theessentialmeaningofhowtoplaceyourselfinthecoreofrealityiscastintothree
setsofquintessentialteachingsforthesakeofseveringthelife,sotospeak,ofselfruinousmistake.
Here,Iwilldiscussthefirstkey:
Theview,themultitudinousexpanse,
Iscastinpracticalessentialsofthreekeys.
I.
Firstsetyourownmindinarelaxedstate,
Notemitting,notwithdrawing,withoutconceptuality.
Inthisrelaxedstateoftotalabsorption,
SuddenlyshoutPAT,strikingyourawareness,
Strong,intense,short.EMAHO!
Notanything,astounding.
Astounding,unimpededpenetration.
Unimpededpenetration,inexpressible.

Identifyinnermostawarenessofthetruthbody.
Itsentityisidentifiedwithinyourselfthefirstessential.
Iwilltrytoprovidealittlecommentary.

Relax
Theinitialintroductiontotheviewofnaturallyariseninnermostawarenesscannotbemadewhileyou
areinvolvedinconstantlygeneratingmanyconceptions,suchasthinkingaboutgoodandbadand
thelike.Forinstance,itisdifficulttoidentifysomebodyyoudontknowwellinahugecrowd,butonce
youhavebeenintroducedtoapersonandcometoknowhimorher,itiseasytoidentifytheperson
eveninthemidstofabigcrowd.Similarly,eventhoughinnermostawarenesspervadesevery
momentofconsciousness,includingeverysinglethought,itisnotpossibletobringoutinnermost
awarenessinitsnakednesswithoutbeingintroducedtoitfirst,becauseitisboundandobscuredby
conceptualthinking.However,afteryouhaveidentifiedit,youcanseeiteveninthemidstofa
multitudeofthoughts.
Therefore,withoutmakinganyadjustmentstoyourmind,suchasbyconceptuallyworkingat
analysis,leave,amongthevariousphenomenaoftheworld,whateverappearstoyourmind
people,buildings,mountains,yourwork,yourfriends,yourproblems,andthelikeasjustan
appearance,anddonotgetinvolvedandpollutedwithidentifyingitandthinking,Thisissuchand
such.Sinceastateofmereappearanceandmereawarenessneedstobesustained,doasthe
authorofthepoemsaysandfirstsetyourownmindinarelaxedstate,notallowingthebusystate
ofamultitudeofthoughts.

StopThinkingforAWhile
Naturallyariseninnermostawarenessnaturallyexistswithinyouitisnaturallythere,notnewly
generatedorconstructedbysuperficialconditions.Rather,itisoriginalwisdom,naturallyflowing
awarenesswhosecontinuumisitselffundamental,uncontrived.Forittobecomeevidenttoyounow,
donotallownewsuperficiallyfabricatedconceptionstodevelop.Donotemitnewthoughts,andeven
whenyounoticethatconceptionshavebeenproduced,donotexertyourselfthinkingthattheyhave
tobewithdrawnjustletthemdisappear.Asthepoemsays,notemitting,notwithdrawing,without
conceptuality.Rather,vividlystaycompletelywithintheselfflow,thenaturalflowofnonconceptuality.
Onthespot,letgoofallconceptualthinkingaltogether.

Shock
Still,itisnotsufficientjusttokeepyourmindfromdiffusingandscattering.Evenifbliss,clarity,and
nonconceptualitydawninmeditativeexperience,theseinterferewithbeingintroducedtoand
identifyingnaturallyariseninnermostawareness.Youneedtoavoidevenbliss,clarity,and
nonconceptuality.Youhavetogetbeyondallofthese.

Therefore,inthisrelaxedstatenotaffectedandpollutedbythetightnessofconceptuality,suddenly
shoutPAT(pronouncedpatwiththetonguecurledtothetopofthemouthbehindthefrontteeth
whilesayingthefinalt)strong,intense,andshortforthesakeofimmediatelyclearingoutany
andallofthecommotionofthinkingItissoandso,Itislikethis,Itislikethat.Thesuddensoundof
PATwillstrikeconceptualthinkingoutofyourconsciousness:Inthisrelaxedstateoftotalabsorption,
suddenlyshoutPAT,strikingyourawareness,strong,intense,short.EMAHO!Notanything,
astounding.
Oldthoughtshavestoppedandnewthoughtshavenotyetbeenproduced.Forexample,whena
boatmovesquicklythroughwater,thewaterismovedtothetwosideswithanemptyplacerightthen
andthereinitswakeatthebackoftheboat.
AtthepointofshoutingPAT,betweenwhenyouareunabletothinkyourformerthoughtsandbefore
youareabletoproducenewconceptions,inbetweenthosetwo,whenyoucannotmakeconceptual
distinctions,thereisastonishment,clarity,vividness,mereknowing.
Ifyouhavefaithandkeeninterest,aswellasaguidesquintessentialinstructions,thenremainingin
placeofthesuddenremovalofthoughtswillbeasenseofshockthatcannotbeidentifiedas
anything,thisorthat.Theclothingofthoughtsuddenlythrownoff,youwillbeleftinastateofwonder,
feelingastounded,astonished.
Thereareseveraltypesofshock.Oneislikehavingyoureyesclosedandbeingunabletothink
anythinganotherisastateofnonconceptualityinwhichthemindisfreefromthepollutionsofthe
mindbeingeithertoolooseortootight.Therearealsoothers.Atthisjuncture,theemittingand
withdrawingofconceptualityhasstoppedtothepointwhereyouareinastateofastonishment,
havinglostthepowertorecognizeobjectsasthisorthat.
Withashock,mentalactivitysuddenlyhalts.Forexample,whenadogsuddenlybarksnearyou,you
canbeshockedintobeingunabletothinkanything.Here,inthispractice,youarereleasedfromthe
varietiesofthought,fromthebindingconfinesofthegroupsofadventitiouslygeneratednew
conceptions,butstillitisnotasifyouhavefainted.Rather,theperspectiveofyourconsciousnessis
vividlyclear.
Textsspeakofmakingevidentastateinwhichtheusualunderlyingconsciousnesshaslostits
intensityandconceptualapprehensioncannotgetstarted,andthusduringthisintervalnaked
innermostawarenesscanmanifestforaperiod.ThegreatTibetanscholarMangtoLhundrub
Gyatshocitesmanyscripturalsources,suchas:
Betweenearlierandlaterconceptions,thecontinuumoftheclearlightofinnermostawareness
remainsunbroken.
Inthespacebetweentwothoughts,thereisaneasyopportunityforidentifyingthismomentof
innermostawareness.
Therefore,thisstateofshockisnotjustastonishment,butalsohas,asPatrulRinpochesays,

Astounding,unimpededpenetration.Thenatureofthisistobeknown,justasitactuallyis,inthe
contextofexperience,andisotherwiseindescribableinwords,sohesays,Unimpededpenetration,
inexpressible.Thoughcalledinnermostawarenessofthetruthbody,itisinexpressibleasanyofthe
polesofbeingexistent,nonexistent,andsoforth.Thisinnermostawarenessofthetruthbodymust
beidentifiedinexperience.
Unlessyoucanidentifyit,thereisnowaytosustaintheviewoftheGreatCompletenessin
meditation.Thistypeofmeditation,inwhichyouaresustainingtheexperienceofinnermost
awareness,isacaseofremainingwithintheexperienceofwhatyouaremeditatingon,ratherthan
meditatingonanobject.
Beyondthis,asisclearinDodrubchenswritings,ifyouareabletorecognizeallphenomenaasthe
sport,vibration,oreffervescenceofthisnaturallyariseninnermostawareness,thisallowsyouto
easilyseethatphenomenadonotexistinandofthemselves,independently,andareonlysetupby
conceptuality.Whenyouidentifyinnermostawareness,alsocalledultimatetruth,andascertainthat
allthephenomenaofcyclicexistenceandnirvanaareitseffulgence,thenalongthewayyou
understandthatallpureandimpurephenomenaare,asthephilosophicaltextssay,onlynominally
existent.Youunderstandthatallappearingandoccurringobjectsofknowledgeareadventitiousand
essenceless,thatalthoughsuchphenomenahave,fromthestart,notbeenestablishedundertheir
ownpower,theynonethelessappeartoyoutohavetheirownautonomousnature,whereuponyou
adheretothissenseofseemingexistencefromtheirownside.Youfurtherunderstandthatthis
misapprehensionleadstoengagementinvariousgoodandbadactionsandtheaccumulationof
thosepredispositions,leadingtostillmoreentanglementincyclicexistence.
Toidentifyinnermostawarenessandproperlysustainitinmeditation,itisimportanttohave
previouslyreflectedonfromwherethemindarises,whereitabides,andthatintowhichitceases,as
wellasotheranalyticaltechniques.Forthesepractices,thereasoningsastheyarelaidoutinthe
greattextsarehelpful.
Ifyoucancauseallthesephenomenatoappearasthevibrationofinnermostawareness,not
deviatingfromthesphereofthatmind,youwillnotcomeundertheinfluenceofconventional
conceptions.Whenyouidentifyyourownbasicentityyourselfanddirectlyascertainitsmeaning
continuouslyandforeverinmeditativeequipoise,theneventhoughactingintheworld,youare
enlightened.
ThisarticleisadaptedfromtheDalaiLamasnewbook,TheHeartofMeditation,translatedand
editedbyJeffreyHopkinsfromoralteachings,publishedbyShambhala,2016.