A Bird's Eye View: Afraid of External Phenomena

In his “Sadhana of Mahamudra,” Chogyam Trungpa refers to people who are “afraid of external phenomena, which are their own projections.” It seems to me that includes just about everyone. We could also refer to people who are “in love with external phenomena, which are their own projections,”“hate external phenomena, which are their own projections,” “are jealous of external phenomena, which are their own projections,” “are contemptuous of external phenomena….,” “are awed by external phenomena…,” “pity external phenomena…,” “are charitable toward external phenomena…,” “are greedy about external phenomena….,” etc.

This is Mind: the appearances of an external world which are all karmic projections. That includes both the nice people and the mean people, both the saints and the bigots. They are all karmic projections,nothing more.

It is extremely beneficial to know that. When you are lying in your bed crying because of “them,” remember who “them” really is, or better yet, remember who “them” really isn’t.

When you are so enraged, you would like to file for divorce and move out and “away from him or her,” remember who “him” or “her” really is, or rather, who “him” or“her” really isn’t.

When you would like to quit your job “because your boss is so mean,” fire your worker“because your worker is so inefficient,” punish your child, reward your child’s teacher, take the principal to court and sue her, stop and remember what the reality is. There is no one there at all. None of it is real.

After that,you may still decide to take some of those actions. At least, whatever you do, it will be done with a little bit of insight instead of with blind passion, blind rage, blind jealousy, etc. When that little bit of insight infuses your actions, it will change your life for the better and it will also change the world.

How can I make such a statement? How do I know this for sure?

The answer is that I am writing this teaching instead of crying in my bed.

Blessings!