Q: Rinpoche mentioned “fixation”, what is “fixation” and how does it relate to “illusory body”?
A: We say in the Buddhist world “the cause of suffering, the cause of all suffering is the fixation”. So what is the “fixation”? “Fixation” is, in this particular interpretation, “fixation” means fixation on our own ego and our pride and our jealousy and also our lust. All of the projections that tend to appear from the thoughts of our consciousness and then we just blindly follow them. We fight for it, we die over it, we kill for it, we lie over it and then we suffer over it, right? All because of the “fixation“.
So like an example in a Buddhist term, in the “illusory body and mind”, there are a few layers of teachings:
(1) First you say “everything is illusory body and mind, things appear but nothing truly exists”, right? So things do appear as they are but, nothing truly exists where you can hold on to it. Everything appears, everything seems to appear but nothing truly exists. Nothing truly stops, everything constantly has this sense of appearance.
(2) Yet at the same time, so many sentient beings are in this cycle of suffering again and again, so you share great compassionate thoughts with them.
(3) Then the third step is that you say, you don’t say anything in the third step. By the third phase you basically look at the actual inner voice that has been telling and saying “all these are fixation, all have to be compassionate, have to be positive, that is negative”, all the internal chatter. So you gaze without any sense of judgment but very middle ground, even approach towards the internal chatter. You look into it, you look at it and you meditate with a neutral, non-judgemental state of mind. Even that level of fixation tends to dissolve as you look at it without any sense of fixation on top of the projection itself. So that is the glimpse of the liberation of oneself.
Wisdom Dharma Chat | Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche – April 2024 (4′ 02”)
During this Wisdom Dharma Chat host Daniel Aitken and Rinpoche discuss his Wisdom Academy course Illusory Body and Mind, along with his new and upcoming Wisdom Academy course on Niguma’s dream yoga, and much more.
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