There was a distinguished Indian diplomat calld Apa Pant who was a practitioner of meditation and yoga. He asked his teacher over and over again, every time he saw him, how to meditate. One day his teacher was smilig, enjoying a “Lama Dance”, and Apa Pant pestered him yet again. The meditation teacher replied in a manner that would indicate this would be the last time he would answer this question. “Look, it’s like this: When the past thought has ceased, and the future thought has not yet risen, isn’t there a gap?” ”Yes,” said Apa Pant.
“Well, prolong it: That is meditation.”
(from The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche)
How clever I thought, just comes down to the space between.
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Also from The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying: (it is such a fabulous book)
Dudjom Rinpoche advised: “In a sense, everything is dream-like and illusory, but even so, humorously you go on doing things. For example, if you are walking, without unnecessary solemnity or self-consciousness, lightheartedly walk toward the open space of truth. When you sit, be the strong-hold of truth. As you eat, feed the negativities and illusions into the belly of emptiness, dissolving them into all-pervading space. And when you go to the toilet, consider all of your obscurations and blockages are being cleansed and washed away.”
Make every moment count. Your state of mind during the day matters.
January 14, 2009 at 9:43 am
It’s such a joy, I think, to discover a book that really hits home.
January 14, 2009 at 10:10 am
Yes, it is, Laura.
January 14, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Sometimes I find it so hard to find the humor in the hard stuff. In those times, I’m probably deep in denial, because the truth is an enormous source of humor (in my limited experience of it).
January 14, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Just the space between – I like that. Its also the place I’d rather dwell in most of the time. Lol!
January 14, 2009 at 1:46 pm
beautiful book. thaks for bringing up some beautiful anacdot as this
January 14, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Barry–I agree. When I’m in the hard stuff I find very little humor in it.
Aggie–me too!!!
January 14, 2009 at 9:35 pm
space; the same day someone asks of me if the details of a confession, reading in between line is important, how important? i read another of space. Looking at it, that is what matters, understand the existance of the space or note in between, as it is of no use explaining the space; something you can only feel, and effortlessly all will fall into it’s places. Thanks Molly.
January 15, 2009 at 3:57 am
The second instance which you gave from the Tibetian book, requires a lot of maturity and experience to get to. Even if you get to that state, you would have already experienced the bitterest. It is such an irony that we are taught philosophy and excellent poetry at such a young age when we don’t really understand them, and when we are mature enough to understand them, we have no time! Good exploration of the concepts, Molly!
Destination Infinity
January 15, 2009 at 10:04 am
You are welcome Jeeva. And I think it is important to note that it is not an intellectual understanding of space that is important, but experiencing this truth with the entire being. Intellectual understanding, to me, does not help one progress on the path.
Desination infinity– I suppose it is up to us to have the time or not have the time, isn’t it?
Thanks for your insightful comments.