Liberation from What?

Tips on Meditation and the Spiritual path - idea #150
from your Buddhism expert



Bliss and Openness pt. 31
Liberation from What?


In the texts of the Theravadan scriptures we could
read of Buddha’s enlightenment, his liberation, as
it were. But what was he liberated from? Was he
liberated from:
• the mere presence of suffering
• or from it’s tyranny?

There are many foolish teachers who insist that once
he was enlightened, Buddha never suffered. But the
writings of the “Ti-pi-ta-ka” make it clear that
Buddha experienced the full palate of circumstances
and emotions.

There were days Buddha felt comfort and others when
he felt pain. There were days he felt happy and
others when he felt annoyed. So what was it then,
that made Buddha, “the Buddha"? If it wasn’t freedom
from the presence of suffering then what is it that
Buddha offers us?

Freedom from the tyranny of suffering. Our Zen,
bothers and sisters have a wonderful saying,

“the enlightenment
that is beyond enlightenment
is NOT enlightenment at all.”

If we are so controlling, manipulative and naïve that
we think the goal of the path is to control, escape
or dodge every suffering then we are doomed to miss
the point entirely. Then what is the goal?

To act with a naked awareness, a courageous
vulnerability that is utterly available to WHATEVER
manifests in the present moment: whether it is glorious
or grotesque; whether it is a neighbor’s cat purring
as it nuzzles against our shin in hope of affection
or a screaming ruffian, threatening us with bodily harm.

WHATEVER manifests, Buddha offers us the freedom to:
• grab the bull by the horns,
• and stare unflinchingly into it’s gaping maw,
• down it’s gullet
• and into the belly of the beast!

How? How are we to take hold of the courageous
liberation that Buddha offers us? Through the two
Bo-dhi-chit-tas:
• the power of Love
• and the wisdom of Letting-go.

How can these two practices be combined in a manner
that makes it possible to perform the tantric union
of Bliss and Openness? We’ll explore that tomorrow.

Om Mani Padme Hum,
Lama Jigme Gyatso
Tibetan-Buddhist: Monk, Teacher, Healer and Tantrika

P.S. Remove the blocks, the resistance, the friction keeping
you from the fun, resourcefulness you want. Harness the
Power of the Bowing Prayer –
http://www.lamajigme.com/Change-90.html – and make a
quantum leap in your life.



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