An excerpt from a teaching called Perception and Karma by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo, July 19, 1989
The subject of perception – how perception relates to the nature of emptiness, how perception occurs, and the antidote to impure perception – is very difficult to understand. In truth, it can’t really be taught effectively. When it is taught, it is communicated in such a way that one has a taste of it. However, in order to truly understand something about the perceptual process, that all phenomena, all experience, all feeling, as well as all sense of self, is merely an artificial construction and experiential phenomena, one must have something of an understanding of emptiness.
When you hear these kinds of teachings, you should know that at worst what you’re getting is no understanding whatsoever – like a bowl turned over where the water hits and it bounces off. On an intermediate level you may hear the teaching and have some intellectual or theoretical understanding. Since we have not practiced on the most profound levels, the best that could happen under these conditions is that we will hear the teachings, have something of an understanding intellectually, and through one’s contemplation, develop a sense of insightfulness as to what this might mean. The best thing that could happen is that in one’s practice one might have a moment of space or a moment in the generation process or perhaps in the dissolution process, where there might be a recognition of what I’m talking about, or a feeling that maybe you stood on the ground floor of that understanding and somehow you have a broader view of it, that you have ascended into a more profound level of understanding.
However from hearing these kinds of teachings, we do not understand the nature of emptiness. We do not understand phenomena. We do not get that the experience that we have of phenomena is that it is a perceptual process. We do not stop relating to “thing” as thing, we do not stop relating to “self” as self. You should not make the mistake that many practitioners have made, of thinking that hearing teachings like this, you have come to understand emptiness. You should not, and this is the worst possible scenario, take these teachings and think that you have a profound understanding, and then act like you do. That’s the worst thing that you can do with the teaching. There is nothing worse than that. It is also the most common, unfortunately.
In acting as though you understand what these teachings are about, you might fall into the trap of reinforcing your sense of self, reinforcing the ego-clinging and ideation, as well as the clinging to phenomena as being real. Ultimately, these ideas are phenomena, just as all things are phenomena. When realization is attained, even the most profound teachings, even the deepest dharma is understood to be merely phenomena, and also empty.
You should be very careful. You should watch your mind and watch how you assimilate these teachings. Be very, very watchful of yourself, and be certain that you literally understand that no understanding will come without sincere effort and contemplation.
The best way to increase one’s understanding of these kinds of teachings is to practice Guru Yoga. When you practice Guru Yoga you increase your connection with Guru Rinpoche. You increase your awareness of his teachings. You begin to develop a sense of union and therefore the ability to receive the empowerment of his enlightened intention. You are able then to hear teachings from your own teachers better. All of the auspicious conditions that can occur will occur when you practice Guru Yoga. If there’s any teaching being given out that is profound and worthwhile, then perhaps the best thing to do in order to increase your understanding is to practice Guru Yoga, and that includes the Seven-Line Prayer. Practice in any way that will increase devotion. Devotion is like a golden highway that connects your heart with Guru Rinpoche’s heart, your mind with Guru Rinpoche’s mind. It allows his enlightened intention to bring forth empowerment, and that is the same with our own root teachers. In practicing Guru Yoga, in practicing all practices that have anything to do with devotion, the connection with our root teachers is established. The connection is established and one realizes one’s root teacher to be inseparable from Guru Rinpoche, and therefore inseparable from the nature of emptiness itself.
These are some of the methods that you might use so that you can have a deeper understanding. I, also, wanted to give you some insight as to how not to hear these teachings and how not to accept these teachings. This is of the utmost importance.
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