DzogchenPracticeinEverydayLife

ByDilgoKhyentseRinpoche
TheeverydaypracticeofDzogcheninsimplytodevelopacompletecarefreeacceptance,
anopennesstoallsituationswithoutlimit.Weshouldrealizeopennessastheplayground
ofouremotionsandrelatetopeoplewithoutartificiality,manipulationorstrategy.We
shouldexperienceeverythingtotally.Neverwithdrawingintoourselvesasamarmothides
initshole.Thispracticereleasestremendousenergywhichisusuallyconstrictedbythe
processofmaintainingfixedreferencepoints.Referentialityistheprocessbywhichwe
retreat from the direct experience of everyday life. Being present in the moment may
initiallytriggerfear.Butbywelcomingthesensationoffearwithcompleteopenness,we
cutthroughthebarrierscreatedbyhabitualemotionalpatterns.Whenweengageinthe
practice of discovering space, we should develop the feeling of opening ourselves out
completelytotheentireuniverse.Weshouldopenourselveswithabsolutesimplicityand
nakednessofmind.Thisisthepowerfulandordinarypracticeofdroppingthemaskof
selfprotection.Weshouldn'tmakeadivisioninourmeditationbetweenperceptionand
fieldofperception.Weshouldn'tbecomelikeacatwatchingamouse.Weshouldrealize
thatthepurposeofmeditationisnottogo'deeplyintoourselves'orwithdrawfromthe
world. Practice should be free and nonconceptual, unconstrained by introspection and
concentration.
Vastunoriginatedselfluminouswisdomspaceisthegroundofbeingthebeginningand
theendofconfusion.Thepresenceofawarenessintheprimordialstatehasnobiastoward
enlightenmentor nonenlightenment. This groundof being whichis knownas pure or
originalMindisthe sourcefromwhichallphenomenaarise.Itisknownasthe great
mother,asthewombofpotentialityinwhichallthingsariseanddissolveinnaturalself
perfectednessandabsolutespontaneity.Allaspectsofphenomenaarecompletelyclearand
lucid. The whole universe is open and unobstructed everything is mutually
interpenetrating. Seeing all things as naked, clear and free from obstructions, there is
nothingtoattainorrealize.Thenatureofphenomenaappearsnaturallyandisnaturally
presentintimetranscendingawareness.Everythingisnaturallyperfectjustasitis.All
phenomenaappearintheiruniquenessaspartofthecontinuallychangingpattern.These
patterns are vibrant with meaning and significance at every moment; yet there is no
significance to attach to such meanings beyond the moment in which they present
themselves.Thisisthedanceofthefiveelementsinwhichmatterisasymbolofenergy
andenergyasymbolofemptiness.Weareasymbolofourownenlightenment.
Withnoeffortorpracticewhatsoever,liberationorenlightenmentisalreadyhere.The
everydaypracticeofDzogchenisjusteverydaylifeitself.Sincetheundevelopedstatedoes

notexist,thereisnoneedtobehaveinanyspecialwayorattempttoattainanythingabove
andbeyondwhatyouactuallyare.Thereshouldbenofeelingofstrivingtoreachsome
'amazing goal' or 'advanced state.' To strive for such a state is a neurosis which only
conditionsusandservestoobstructthefreeflowofMind.Weshouldalsoavoidthinking
of ourselves as worthless persons we are naturally free and unconditioned. We are
intrinsically enlightened and lack nothing. When engaging in meditation practice, we
shouldfeelittobeasnaturalaseating,breathinganddefecating.Itshouldnotbecomea
specializedorformalevent,bloatedwithseriousnessandsolemnity.Weshouldrealizethat
meditationtranscendseffort,practice,aims,goalsandthedualityofliberationandnon
liberation. Meditation is always ideal; there is no need to correct anything. Since
everythingthatarisesissimplytheplayofthemindassuch,thereisnounsatisfactory
meditationandnoneedtojudgethoughtsasgoodorbad.Thereforeweshouldsimplysit.
Simplystayinyourownplace,inyourownconditionjustasitis.Forgettingselfconscious
feelings,wedonothavetothink'Iammeditating'Ourpracticeshouldbewithouteffort,
withoutstrain,withoutattemptstocontrolorforceandwithouttryingtobecome'peaceful'.
Ifwefindthatwearedisturbingourselvesinanyoftheseways,westopmeditatingand
simplyrestorrelaxforawhile.Thenweresumeourmeditation.Ifwehave'interesting
experiences'eitherduringoraftermeditationweshouldavoidmakinganythingspecialof
them.Tospendtimethinkingaboutexperiencesissimplyadistractionandanattemptto
becomeunnatural.Theseexperiencesaresimplysignsofpracticeandshouldberegarded
astransientevents.Weshouldnotattempttoreexperiencethembecausetodosoonly
servestodistortthenaturalspontaneityofMind.
Allphenomenaarecompletelynewandfresh,absolutelyuniqueandentirelyfreefromall
conceptsofpast,presentandfuture.Theyareexperiencedintimelessness.Thecontinual
streamofnewdiscovery,revelationandinspirationwhicharisesateverymomentisthe
manifestationofourclarity.Weshouldlearntoseeeverydaylifeasmandalatheluminous
fringesofexperience,whichradiatespontaneouslyfromtheemptynatureofourbeing.
Theaspectsofourmandalaarethedaytodayobjectsofourlifeexperiencemovinginthe
danceorplayoftheuniverse.Bythissymbolismtheinnerteacherrevealstheprofoundand
ultimatesignificanceofbeing.Thereforeweshouldbenaturalandspontaneous,accepting
andlearningfromeverything.Thisenablesustoseetheironicandamusingsideofevents
thatusuallyirritateus.Inmeditationwecanseethroughtheillusionofpast,presentand
futureourexperiencebecomesthecontinuityofnowness.Thepastisonlyanunreliable
memoryheldinthepresent.Thefutureisonlyaprojectionofourpresentconceptions.The
presentitselfvanishesassoonaswetrytograspit.Sowhybotherwithattemptingto
establishanillusionofsolidground?Weshouldfreeourselvesfromourpresentmemories
andpreconceptionsofmeditation.Eachmomentofmeditationiscompletelyuniqueand
fullofpotentiality.Insuchmoments,wewillbeincapableofjudgingourmeditationin
terms of past experience, dry theory of hollow rhetoric. Simply plunging directly into

meditationinthemomentnow,withourwholebeing,freefromhesitation,boredomor
excitement,isEnlightenment.