Kunsangar South, August 9th, 2013

Santi Maha Sangha Level One

The most important attitude in Dzogchen practitioners is Ati Kunzang Chopa, the attitude of the Samantabhadra. In order to have that attitude very precisely, we need to discover our real nature. So in the Dzogchen teaching the teacher introduces directly with some method or in a very simple way. You remember in the Three Statements of Garab Dorje that the number one statement is Direct Introduction. If we do not have that base, we cannot discover our real nature. Even if we think we are doing Dzogchen practice, we are not really applying it. We only having the intention of applying Dzogchen teaching; there is no seed in the field and nothing is growing. Just like a seed, we discover our real nature. This is indispensable in the Dzogchen teaching.

For that reason, you may not have a very precise experience when we do Direct Introduction. But even if you are not one hundred percent sure, you have still received that transmission and now you are connected with it. You know the method and you apply it until you have discovered that. So this is what you should do first thing. And when you do not discover, you can use the method explained in Nyi zla kha sbyor. Another method is to use the Song of Vajra. You increase your clarity with the Song of Vajra. Somehow, with some method, you discover and then get in the knowledge. When you succeed being in this kind of knowledge, you finally have integration.

Now you can understand what integrating means; integrating means we are living in time and limited space. This is our life. In this moment, if we have knowledge of the Dzogchen teaching, then we try to be beyond that. This is the practice of Guruyoga. When we are in the state of Guruyoga, of course this is not ordinary life. We are not in the state of Guruyoga for a long time, only for a few minutes or seconds. Then we live in an ordinary way - being present and not distracted is most important. You should learn this. Many people say, “Oh, I tried, you always say being present is very important, but it is not so easy for me. I try sometimes, but I am always distracted. It is not so easy.”

You must remember to read the biography of Milarepa. Milarepa sacrificed for many years for realization. He did not do practice just for a day or two to become the yogi Milarepa. How can we learn if when we try to be present sometimes and it feels difficult, we give up? This is practice, you know this is practice and you learn. The problem is that you do not consider that this is an important practice. Maybe you think: "Oh, the most important practice is being in the state of Guruyoga.” We cannot be in state of Guruyoga always.  You think, "Now I should practice a thun or sitting practice. This is the practice.” When I ask, "Try to be present”, you think, "Oh yes, but this is not the thun book.”