Mahamudra Quotes

“A person, enchanted by something delightful, clings to it out of attachment. He is bound to be afflicted, even by a pain as small as a sesame seed.”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“Like the expanse of space, the mind [in its intrinsic nature] transcends intellect. Let it remain in its relaxed nature, without directing or settling it, for mind without a manipulated focus represents Mahāmudrā; By deepening intimacy with it, one will attain supreme enlightenment.”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“Whoever has a perfect vision of one thing,
Has the perfect vision of all things,
For the emptiness of one thing
Is the emptiness of all things.
– Aryadeva”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“All afflictions and deficiencies of life originate from the mind’s attachment and clinging.”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“The Vajrapañjara explains:  The meditation on the union of emptiness and compassion is indeed the teaching of the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha.  The Sampuṭa says:  The nondiscriminatory simplicity [of mind] is described as wisdom; that which fulfills the wishes of sentient beings [without exception], the way a wish-granting gem does, [is described] as compassion.  Saraha states:  He who seeks emptiness without compassion will not realize the supreme path; Yet he who meditates mainly on compassion will not realize liberation. He who unifies the two will neither remain in saṃsāra nor in nirvāṇa. Śavari declares:  He who has attained nonevaluating awareness, who is unable to bear the misery of confused sentient beings, and who sheds tears of compassionWhile working for their benefit, turns concern for himself into concern for others.”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“For a realized mind the duality of meditation and meditator does not exist. Just as space cannot perceive itself as an object, so emptiness cannot meditate on itself. In a state of nondual awareness the diverse perceptions blend uninterruptedly, like milk and water, into the one flavor of great bliss.”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“The mind in its great sublime bliss is nondual, being neither self nor others, for it perceives intrinsic reality, which is before one, behind one, and around one in all the ten directions.”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“The primordial purity of mind is of the nature of space; There is nothing one can receive or reject.”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“Space is designated as empty, yet its exact nature cannot be verbalized. Similarly the mind is designated as luminously clear, yet its exact nature is empty, with
no ground for definition. Thus the self-nature of mind is and has been from the very beginning like that of space.”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“But for its designation the mind is empty and nonconceptual, which means Mahāmudrā. It is empty from the beginning, like space. The essence of mind is unborn [emptiness] and is detached from any substantive reality. Like space, it is all-pervasive. Neither transferring nor transforming, it has always been empty and selfless from the very beginning.”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“It is neither going nor not going, neither static nor dynamic, neither substance nor nonsubstance. Neither appearances nor emptiness. The nature of all things, like space, is without any movement. One may call it “space”but it is empty of any essence and as such transcends definitions such as real or unreal, existent or nonexistent, or anything else. Thus not the slightest distinction exists between space, the mind, and intrinsic reality. Their distinctions are only designations; They are unreal and false.”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“Some people who are overcome by their attachment to emptiness seem to negate the interdependence of action and effect. This represents great nihilism, which is totally wrong.

They should remedy this by seeking a definite understanding and a clear vision of the subtle aspect of interdependent karma and its effects. In short, it is essential to realize the following two concepts simultaneously: a perfect understanding of the unfailing consequences of one’s action and a definite awareness of the emptiness and essencelessness of all things. This is described as the object of wonderment by the Bodhisattvabhūmivṛtti:  Being fully aware that all things are intrinsically empty,
One abides by the principle of karma and its consequences.
This is wonderful, supremely wonderful!
This is marvelous, supremely marvelous!”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“Every appearance or sound is like an illusion, mirage, or reflection; It is substance without the mark of reality. The mind that perceives such illusion is like space.”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“Likewise everyone perceives all sense objects such as form, sound, etc., and cognizes discriminating thoughts. Just as the magician understands the intrinsic unreality of the magical form, so the meditator, after having established subject-object reality as being empty of an innate essence or self-nature, perceives reality to be a mere appearance, without an innate entity, i.e., as a magical figure. The Samādhirāja affirms:  Magicians produce phantom forms –Horses, elephants, and others. Whatever their appearance They are devoid of reality.Know all things as such.”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“Just as a crow that flies from a sail returns to it after circling and soaring, so a passionate mind that pursues the trail of thought returns to the primordial purity of mind.”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“Concerning the perception of form, sound, or knowledge, these are not the object of negation; What must be rejected is conceptualized dualism, which is the cause of all miseries.”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“All appearances and sound vibrations are like an illusion, a mirage, or a reflection; They are substances without the marks of reality. The mind that cognizes illusion is also like space; Without center or boundary, it is beyond intellectual conception.”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“Earth, water, fire, air, and space are not distinct from the flavor of their innate coemergence. He who does not bifurcate nirvāṇa and saṃsāra is stated to [adhere to] the abiding nature of all encompassing reality.”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“Thus all apparent things that appear or exist are empty of any essence, and have only a conceptual or nominal identity.

Not the slightest distinction exists between the designation and the nature of things that it symbolizes.

For there is a constant coemergence, which cannot be realized by external means.”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“Wisdom-gone-beyond is inexpressible,

Inconceivable, and undefinable.

Having the intrinsic nature of space it is nonarising and unceasing;It is the object of analytical insight.
You, mother of the Buddhas in the three periods of time, I pay thee homage.”
― Takpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“As long as the mind remains clouded by transitory defilement, even though its intrinsic state is pure, the qualities of enlightenment will not crystallize themselves. They will, however, emerge spontaneously upon the elimination of the mind’s defilement. The Hevajra-tantra affirms this: 

All sentient beings are Buddhas,Only they are overcome by transitory defilement.

They become Buddhas at the moment of eliminating their defilement. 

Nāgārjuna expounds:  Though precious vaiḍūrya Is always translucent, If left uncut,It does not shine.
So is the all-encompassing reality [dharmadhātu];Though intrinsically undefiled, It is clouded by defilement
So it remains latent in saṃsāra

But crystallizes itself upon attaining Nirvana.”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“Intrinsic purity [bodhi] is like pollen in the common lotus,

Like grains in chaff, and gold in dirt,

Like a treasure under the soil, and seeds in pods,

Like an image of Buddha wrapped in rags,

Like a prince in the womb of a common woman,

Like a heap of gold beneath the earth.

Thus, the nature of enlightenment remains hidden in all sentient beings

Who are overcome by transitory defilement.”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation

“Whoever has a perfect vision of one thing,
Has the perfect vision of all things,
For the emptiness of one thing
Is the emptiness of all things.

– Aryadeva”
― Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation