Resultados Esperados

Meditative experience and realization are impermanent, so continue until everything dissolves within the nature of reality.

At that time, the dividing line between birth and death is erased and you reach the confidence that is ready to die without regret. You have captured the throne of deathlessness and are like an eagle flying through the highest heaven. From that time on you need no longer

sadly contemplate the approach of death.

When we try to abide in rigpa, the nature of mind, we can sometimes succeed and sometimes not. This illustrates that our meditation is still transitory and unstable. When the realization of the path of joining arises within us, we attain the clarity of meditation, and our realization has some sort of stability. Otherwise, during the path of accumulation, meditation is not stable. When we can sometimes abide in meditation and sometimes not, our spiritual experiences and realizations lack firmness. We must continue until reaching the point where everything dissolves in the nature of reality. This stage precedes enlightenment and is the final of the four appearances. After this, the rainbow body of great transference can be achieved. This is called mastery over birth, or the light body, and indicates mastery over application of the teachings.

At that time, the link between death and rebirth dissolves and you reach the confidence that is completely ready for death. Normally, with birth there will be death; they go together. Reaching the state of the exhaustion of phenomena, when all appearance dissolves within the nature of reality, the connection between birth and death falls away. You will no longer fear death, but will be happy to die, knowing you will rise up in Dharmakaya and attain enlightenment at the moment of death. Having captured the throne of deathlessness, you are like an eagle free to soar through the heavens. Once the eagle learns how to fly, it achieves the confidence that it will not fall. Likewise, after achieving the secure seat of immortality, you are no longer subject to death. No more sorrowful meditation on your approaching death is needed, nor must you remind yourself of impermanence. As Jetsun Mila sang:

For fear of death, I fled to the mountains.

Again and again I meditated on death’s uncertain timing And took the stronghold of the deathless unchanging nature. Thus, I have turned away from all fear of dying!

Milarepa ran to the mountains for fear of death. Meditating continuously on death’s uncertainty, he captured the stronghold of the deathless unchanging nature and no longer feared dying. His disciple, the incomparable Dagpo Rinpoche taught:

At first, driven by the fear of birth and death, be like a stag escaping from a trap. Next, even if you die, have no regrets, like a farmer who has tilled his fields well. Finally, feel comfortable in your mind, like someone who has finished a great work.

At first, know you have no extra time, like a person struck by an arrow in a vital organ. Next, meditate with no other thoughts, like a mother whose only child has died. Finally, understand there is nothing to do, like a cowherd whose cattle have been driven off by enemies.

Until you have this understanding, you must meditate single- pointedly on death and impermanence.

Gampopa’s advice was that initially, driven by terror of birth and death, we should abandon our homes and move to the mountains to practice like an animal fleeing a trap. Later, like an industrious farmer who has tilled his fields no longer worries, we should be happy and free from regret since we have persevered in Dharma practice. Finally, as someone who has finished a large undertaking can relax with pleasure, after practicing Dharma to the extent that we need not to fear death, we can feel reassured and cheerful, without anxiety about death.

One who begins reflecting on death has no time to relax, just as someone hit by an arrow immediately tries to remove it without wasting any time. Similarly, without resting you should strive hard in the practice of meditating on life’s impermanence. Later, when practicing meditative absorption, practice with no distraction, like a mother who has lost her only child thinks of nothing but her child. As you gain experience in meditation, remain without wavering.

This teaching is about the need for diligence in the initial stages of Dharma practice. Persisting in practice, realization of the levels and paths will gradually come forth, until finally you are beyond all effort, like the shepherd whose flocks have been driven off leaving him with nothing to do. At that point, whether or not you meditate, the nature of reality remains unwavering. All physical movements become the mudras103 _{of yidam deities;}

speech becomes their mantra; and thoughts are liberated in the essence of Dharmakaya. You will have passed beyond the state of deliberate effort and will remain in the great state of inaction.

The Buddha said:

By meditating repeatedly on impermanence, you make offerings to all the buddhas.

By meditating repeatedly on impermanence, you are relieved by all the buddhas.

By meditating repeatedly on impermanence, you are guided by all the 103 Ritual gestures and movements.

buddhas.

By meditating repeatedly on impermanence, you are blessed by all the buddhas.

Repeatedly reminding yourself of impermanence is a meditative training, and among all possible offerings to the buddhas, the offering of meditation practice is unsurpassable, pleasing the buddhas. Just as long, deep breaths temporarily ease the pain when we are tormented by immense suffering, the buddhas relieve from samsaric suffering those who persistently meditate upon impermanence. The buddhas also lead and bless them.

Just as of all footprints, the elephant’s are the largest, of all the subjects of meditation for a Buddhist, contemplating impermanence is the greatest.

The idea of impermanence is the greatest meditation object for a Buddhist. The actual meditation practices of Madhyamaka, Mahamudra and Dzogchen are beyond perceptible meditation, and are called the “great meditation” or “non-meditation” because they have no focus. Of all subjective meditations, however, meditating on impermanence is the best. Other subjective meditations include visualizing yidam deities, meditating upon ugliness and decay, and so on.