The Path of Meditation (part three)

After initiation, the Buddhist Great Path, which has become activated or actualized in you, is still not you, but is the path, in you. Therefore, it is good to think that you are now on a journey, a journey of discovery, of realizations, and with personal effort, a journey of successes on the interior. Not all the successes will happen where you can perceive them in the mind because the Way, or the Path to enlightenment, and then on to perfection, will occur on more than one level of your being. There could be accomplishments by transformation as well as activations and actuations of the Great Path within subtle mind. Your conscious or ordinary mind, where you might not be so well-connected or developed, could remain unaware while important changes are experienced in the inner minds. Various subtle or inner minds are actually closer to reality and so transformations there are very important.

Perhaps this is a new concept for you; to have something happening in your deep mind that you are not aware of, that is learning, healing and making connections with the inner path. Some people say there is one part of them that wants to know why and how does that work exactly. It is important to remember that it is not necessary or even possible for the outer mind to know all the answers. Sometimes there will be a kind of knowing that is called an energetic answer that we certainly hope is coming from a place of inner clarity and not confusion inside. Still, some continue to object saying that yes, it seems to be a blessing, because they are aware that an energetic answer has occurred, but still want to have the concrete words to understand.

We need to be less competitive with ourselves by demanding understanding when we might not have preparation or perceptions aligned to understand more subtle subjects. For example, you might feel something happening in the inner mind by experiencing sensations in the body, or energy movements in meditation. It could be that awareness from the deepest level of your development that I call your actual being or the real you, is being concentrated in subtler mind.

Inner minds might be receiving attention that was activated by initiation from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas out of their great care and compassion but unskillful meditators, continuing to crave sensations, want to disrupt inner meditation by pushing their more solidified outer mind inside. "Hey, that attention belongs to me. It is supposed to be here satisfying my curiosity and not taking care of this inner level stuff! Mine!" This attitude prolongs the suffering of I, me, and mine and takes a lot of trust in the beginning to overcome selfishness.

For example, we because we experience the effects of air, we know it is here; yes, we are breathing, but are still curious to know more about it. At some level, it might be better to think instead, ‘Okay, it is air, and I cannot touch it. Like that, this inner process is here or wherever, and this thing is happening that I do not know what it is called but I am going to relax about it.’ Just continue trusting in the refuge with the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, the Three Jewels of Refuge, and not meddle with inner process.

Initiation is the method that activates the path, but only if we are prepared for initiation by developing good motivation. Many have received it twelve, fifteen times, maybe more, and each time they receive it, he or she has a better chance of actually receiving the inner initiation. It was said by Je Phabonka Rinpoche in the last century, that out of 5,000 people attending an initiation, very few actually receive the full initiation. However, with preparation and practice, each time you receive the initiation, there are greater and greater chances of receiving what is being offered. Even then, having received the inner activation, there are different levels of inner initiation. To deepen the connection, it is usual to receive initiation a number of times. This does not discount the individual receiving an initiation once, and actually receive it. In fact, it would be unwise to think that someone else is going to have that experience, but instead think, me! This is where "me" comes in very nicely. ‘I will be the one who will receive the initiation, and I will receive it carefully the first time.’ Do not think, ‘Oh, this is only the first time or the twelfth time that I have received this initiation, and I am probably not yet capable of receiving the entire initiation.'

Of course, there is a tremendous facilitation from the side of the initiating lama to ensure the inner initiation is bestowed carefully. How far that penetrates toward your outer mind is up to your motivation and previous development. If you prepare and receive it on all levels of your being, this would be outstanding. A student asked me if she felt she received only a little bit, but goes home and practices, would that mean that she is only practicing a little bit? This is not true because her motivation and facilitation of meditation could be 125%, thereby overcoming faults of receptivity during transmission. She was happy to hear that and said that she was going to practice more strongly now, because the next time, she will be a little bit more ahead, and maybe will be in the right place. To be continued…..