This evening James was inviting us to engage with the dohas in his new publication ‘Sweet Simplicity’ * translations of songs of realisation from such great wisdom-beings as Saraha Virupa and Tilopa
Yesterday I was attempting to clarify the meaning of some words in ‘This is it’ with a fellow student…
and this morning some words came together…
I don’t know if they’ll be helpful but i know that even a little candle glow may illuminate a unseen obstacle from a slightly different angle…and that your take – whatever is evoked, will be a unique and empty experience… : )
Homage to the Guru:
What, in truth, is this?
– a showing; radiance of your empty mind
What makes this radiance appear?
– nothing…it’s natural, always here
How does it seem?
– ah…that depends…
Depends on what?
depends largely on the degree
to which the looker dualistically
identifies as solid – ‘Me’
with all that brings
to the party!
If, fully, I identify as Me
‘my’ shadows shade the true
and, unaware… it’s consciousness
that mediates the view
and so there’s ‘I know this’ and ‘that’
and also ‘me’ and ‘you’
Each seems an individual thing…
about which, other things are ‘known’
… ethereal pots
and their embellishment …
each seeming-thing’s mind-thrown!
arisings – transient and yet…
deluded ‘potter-Me’
– forms, fires, invests, imagined pots
with self-substantiality!
N.B.
The creativity of the mind does not hold water!!!
All that effort…huh! unreliable display!
each moments flown……
but don’t despair
awareness has not gone away
With this, as this, there is
no ‘thing’ to gain
no ‘thing’ to loose
… egoic grasping was confused!
Interest without investment* –
better!… that way we’ll be
resting in equanimity
open relaxed
with minds at ease
no ‘thing’ to do
no ‘thing’ to seize
Hands freed from shaping
of the ‘clay’
gestures arise as flow
and fade away
as they do
naturally
👐🏻………………
* This is an amazing idea…outside the dharma, who’s heard of interest without investment, without inflation?
Just playing around : ) – it’s a bare interest that’s meant…a simple open co-presencing with, and appreciation of the revelation of the display.
This is not available at the Bank of Consciousness…don’t use them if you can help it… their vitality rates are dire!
*As an alternative to the ubiquitous Az … in the U.K. Blackwell’s bookshop stocks many of James’ books. N.B. In their search engine just entering the book title may not bring up the book you are after. You do need to enter James Low after the title or from the selection offered you may conclude it’s not available. If you create an account with them before ordering it is tracked. Waterstones also have a selection. Watkins bookshop (phone them) and Shambhala bookshop have some of the earlier books in stock.