Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso Rinpoche    

 

Quote of the Week   
February 18, 2011

Luminosity and Equality

Jetsün Milarepa said that in order to realize luminosity, one must realize equality.
To realize equality, one must recognize that there is no difference between such
things as good and bad or clean and dirty. In a dream, for example, there may
arise many contradictory phenomena, but they are equal in the context of their
true nature. In truth, there are no contradictory phenomena. However, from the
perspective of how things appear, there are contradictory phenomena, that is,
many pairs of opposites. There may be appearances of enemies and friends, but
enemies are only existent in relation to the fact that one perceives friends. As
well, there may arise many things that are perceived to be clean and things that
are perceived to be dirty and so forth. However, all these perceptions of
contradictory phenomena-things that are pairs of opposites-are only from the
point of view of confusion. From the point of view of their true nature, there is
no difference in their essence-they are equal. It is said that by realizing equality,
one is able to realize luminosity.

Equality, or equanimity, should be mainly understood in relation to the mind.
The mind has attachments and aversions, nonvirtuous thoughts and virtuous
thoughts such as faith and so forth, pleasant thoughts and thoughts of suffering,
and so forth. From the point of view of thought, there is some difference, but
there is no difference in terms of their essence. They are equal. There may be
many different kinds of mental factors that are seemingly contradictory, or are
pairs of opposites, but only from the point of view of confusion is there a
difference between them. From the point of view of their true nature, there is no
difference. All are the inseparability of clarity and emptiness. If you recognize
that all thoughts are equal in being the inseparability of clarity and emptiness,
you will be able to realize luminosity. The principal mind, virtuous and
nonvirtuous mental factors, contradictory types of thought such as clean, dirty,
and so forth, all of these are only different from the point of view of confusion.
There is no difference in their true nature, luminosity. They are equal. If one
recognizes equality, one is able to recognize luminosity. If one regards virtuous
thoughts as being good and nonvirtuous thoughts as being bad, one is taking
them to be truly existent. If one does that, one will not be able to realize
luminosity.

-From Mahamudra Shamatha and Vipashyana, Rocky Mountain
Shambhala Center, 1991, p.194. Translated by Elizabeth Callahan.