The Four Contemplations of the Semde: Transcription of the Oral Teachings Given in Nea Macri (Greece), December 1986

52 Pages·1986·2.763 MB·English

by  Chogyal Namkhai Norbu

CH6GYALNAMKHAINORBU
THE FOUR CONTEMPLATIONS
OFTHESEMDE
Transcriplt?iftohoner atle achignigls' ienl l
NeaM acr(iG reece),
Decembe1r9 86
iU�·"!"'"'f',ltl
..
ShanSgh unEgd izio11i
TABLEO F CONTENTS
TheF ourc ontemplation 7
Nepa 24
Miyowa 32
Nyamnyiadn dL hundrub 44
Indeoxf T ibetWaonr dsa ndN ames 55
5
THE FOUR CONTEMPLATIONS
Firosfta llw,e m usto bserovuer selavnedsd iscovoeurrc on­
ditioBny. o bservionugr selwvee dsi scovtehrao tu rc ondition
isl imitaenddc onfusbeudtj usdti scovertihniigssn ote nough.
Oncew e knowt hawte havem anyl imitatainodnl si vien c on­
fusiohno,w c anw e geto uto ft hissi tuation?
Them osti mportatnhti nigst ou ndersttahnadct o nfusiiosn
noto urr eaclo nditiOounrr. e aclo nditiisos ni miltaotr h en a­
turoef a m irroCro.n fusiiosln i kteh re eflectsieoeninsn a m ir­
rorA.l lt hep robletmhsa wte havea rer eflectliionnkset dot he
threaes pecotfse xistenbcoed:ys ,p eecahn dm ind.
Whenw e realiwzee h avea p roblewme trtyo f inadw ayt o
resolivteT. h eraer em anyw ayso fo vercomicnogn fusiaonnd
problemasn,dt heya rea llli nketdot hec apaciotfyt hei ndi­
vidual.
Accorditnotg h et ypoef t eachifnoger,x amplteh,e raer et he
methodosf r enunciattiroann,s formaatnidso enl f-liberation.
Thesteh reper incimpeatlh odasr el inkteodt het hreaes pecotfs
ani ndividueaxli'sst enScoem.e onweh oi sa blteo w orkd irectly
att hel eveolft hem indh ast heg reatceaspta ciFtoyre. x ample,
a persownh oc anr eatdh et houghotfso thehrass a highecra ­
pacitwyh,i lseo meonweh o cano nlyp erceiav pee rsotnh ey
meetp hysicahlalsay lowecra paciltiym,i tteodt hem aterial
leveTlh.i iss l ogiceavle,r yocnaenu nderstwahnadth ighearn d
lowecra pacimteya ns.
A teachicnogn,c ernweidt ht hen aturoefm indc,e rtainly
conveyasne levatmeedt hodT.h imse thoidsc allseedl f-libera­
tionb,e causietd oesn otw orkw itrh easoniWneg d.o n'hta ve
toc reatoert ransfoarnmy thiinngs;t ewaed m ustt ryt of ind
ourselves diinrt ehecr telacylo nditiaosin fw, e ourselves were
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the naotfut rheem irroIrnt. h icsa sweh ateviesrr e flectientd h e
mirrsoerl f-libebreia tbt eeasu,t iofruu gll yb,e cauisted oesn't
interfweirteth h en aturet homefi rro'rS.e lf-libedroaetsino'nt'
meant hatth insgesl f-libmeernattaelt lhyr ourgeha soning.
Att hilse vetlh ei nferoirso urp erciaopra ciotfay n i ndividual
isi mportbauntto nlrye latisvoe.Il nyt heB uddhiSsutt rtah ere
isa d etailed expolfat nhaceta ipoanc iotfty h ei ndividwuhailc h
ism oreo rl esssi miltaort haotf o thetre achinDgzso.g chen,
howeveirs,l esrsi giadn dm aintaitnhsat th ec apaciotfyt he
individcuaanbl e d eveloptehdr oupgrha ctiTcheem. o sti mpor­
tantth inigst ou ndersttahnepd r ofoumneda ninogft het each­
mg.
Wheno ner eceivae tse achilnigkD ez ogchetnh eriesa di­
recttr ansmisfsrioomtnh em astetrot hed iscipTlrea.n smission
doesni'mtp lya ritual inveoaltviinsngog m ethisnpge cial,
puttisnogm ethionnyg o ur hoerac dh antiTnogt .r ansamt ieta ch­
ing meatnocs l ariwfhya to urc onditiisot nh rouegxhp eriences
ofb odys,p eecahn dm indt;h aits w hyt heraer et heo ralt,h e
symbolaincd t hed iretcrta nsmissions.
Iff,o re xamplae m,a steerx plaitnhsec onceopfto urr eal
condittihorno uwgohr dasn dr easonianngdw, e t hetnh inakb out
thet hinhgess aiadn dh owh es aitdh emt,h iissa no ratlr ans­
missioSnom.e onweh oi sa blteof ollowwh att hem asteirsc om­
municatianngdt, ou ndersttahnepd r inciopfwl hea tt hem aster
ist eachihnags,a certacianp acibtuyti; f t hissa mep ersoins
totaldliys tracwhteendt hem asteerx plaisnosm ethienlgs hee,
ors hen ol ongehra st hacta pacity. Disitnrg aecnteiroainls,,
notc onsidetroeb de a lacokf c apacibtuyti, n t his ciatis sae
veriym portafnatc tSoorw .h enw e considcearp aciwteym ,u st
also tcaikrec umstainnctaeocs c ouwnth:a its l ackiwnhga,nt e eds
toh ed eveloped.
Fivtey peosfc apaciatryel istientd h eB uddhissutt raTsh.e
firisstt h ec apaciotffy a iotrhd esiorrep articipTahteiw oonr.d
8
tepaw,h icihs u sedi nT ibetacno,n veaylstl h reoeft llemseaen ­
ingsI.np ractice thimse ansha ving a genuien desitroep aricti­
patien t het eachingsb ecauwsee considtehre mt ob ev eriym ­
portaOnutr.a ppraocht o thet eachgsih nast ob e serioCuosn.­
ditionoiron bgl igisonmge onteo f olloat we achiinsvge r y nega­
tivaen ds houlbdea voidaebds olutelFyo.re xample,i fw e for­
bida chiltdod os omethiwneg',l cle rtaionbltayi nt her esuolft
makinhgi mo rh ere venm orec urioaubso uitt W.e alkl now
howw eu sualrleya citfs omeonmea keuss d os omethinga gainst
ourw illW.e felec ontrolalnedld i mitienod u rd imensiaonnd
thewne wantt od o thec ompleteo pposiotfew hatw e should
do.I ti sn otg oodt ob ehavei nt hiwsa yt owardtsh et eachings.
Manyp eoplbee havlei kcee rtamiins sionawrhioe,ws h ent hey
finsdo meonien teresitnte hdet eaching, insteoafde xpalining
howt od ot hep racticthee,yi mmedaitelys euhdi mo rh era round
toa dvertBiusded hisImt.' msu ch bettteorp ractfiosroe n eself
thant og o arouncdo nditioonthienrgp eoplSeu.c ha wayo f
dointgh inigssn otat a lplo stiive.
People fwoillllo a wt eachiwnhge nt hye possetshsep r icni­
plec ausaen dw hent hes econdacrayu semsa nifeIstt'n.so tn ec­
essatroyi nsiIsnts .pri ng,e vens ofmtu shroommsan ageto push
throuhgahrd grounTdh.i mse ans knowanidn rge specttihneg
natureo ft hingSso.m eonweh oi si nteresitnet dh ete aching
shoulpda rticisppaotnet aneouostlhye,r wiiste'b se ttiefrt hey
got heiorw nw ay.A sf aars I a m concerneidfI, b ecomaew are
thasto meonies c omintgo m e withoau tre ali nterIef sete al
certadiins comfokrnto,w intgh aItc a nnodto a nything positive
forh imo rh erb ecautshee riesn os econdacrayu sweh ichc an
maturIef.I f inad p erfescete dI,k nowv erwye ltlh aitfI p latn
ita beautitlfouwle rc ano penb,u ti fI h ave atm y dispoiosni t
only ap otf illweidt hs andI c ertainlyp refteorn otw astteh e
seedb ecausIe kn ow thaat s eedca nnotg rowi ns ucha pot.
This, tihsea nn,e xamplteo e xplatihna pta rtictiipona ist he
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mosti mporttahnitn agn dt haitfi, t 'lsa ckiintg',is m possitbol e
makea nythignrgo w.
Whenw e organia7 r.eet reaa ste,m inoarrs omea ctivriet­y
latetdot het eachitnhge,ri esa lwayass pecipfriicn ciwphliec h
isu seffuolrt hea ttainmoefrn eta lizaitnit ohnec: a soef D zog­
chent hiissc ontemplaBleiionnug.n ablteor emaiinnc ontem­
platioornn o tk nowinhgo wt oa pplyi sinta',p t r oblebme cause
youh avec omet oa mastetrol earnb;u ty oud on eedt ok now
thayto uh avceo met oa r etrperaitn ciptaoal clqyu itrheke nowl­
edgeo fc ontemplaatnidot noa rriavter ealizantoitoj nu;st to
learna b reathtiencgh niqtuore e,c imtaen tratsod, o a visualiza­
tioonr t os tudsyo methiinngt ellectTuhaelslteyh .i nagrse a ll
relatainvdec anb ev eryu sefounlt hep athb,u tu sefulniess s
nott hef undamenptrailn ciple.
Whenw e got oa restaurtahnept r incitphlieni gst oe att,o
appease huTnhgeek rn.i veasn df orkesv,e nt hougthh eayr e
usefualr,en ots oi mportaTnhti.ms e antsh atth es econdaarsy­
pecthsa vet heivra lubeu,ty oum ustn otf orgtehteg oalw,h ich
isc ontemplatYiooumn u.s tu nderstiatnvsda luseu:c ha nu n­
derstandiiscn agl ltehdec apaciotfcy o ntemplaEtvieonnB .u d­
dhae xplaintehdi Tsh.e v owst,h er ulefso rt hem onksa nda
serioefsi mpositiaornevs e riym portiannt th es utrabsu,ta lso
theB uddhsaa itdh atth eg oalt,h et rupea tohf r ealizaitsi on,
contemplatSiowo hne. nw ef olloaw t eachilnigkD ez ogchen,
inw hiciht 'ssa itdh awte n eedt of inodu rseldvierse citnlt yh e
statoefc ontemplatliacokni,tn hgi csa paciitsry a thseerr ious.
Thep rincitphlient gh awte mustl earnf romt hem asteirsh ow
tor emaiinn c ontemplatRieocne.i vitnrga nsmisfsroimo nt he
masterre almleya nsr eceivkinnogw ledogfet hes tatoefc on­
templatSioomne.o nweh ok nowst hipsr inciapnldke n owst he
purpoosfet het eachihnagst hec apaciotfcy o ntemplation.
Thef inacla paciitsty h es o-calplreadj iioar,i ntelligence,
whicihs n oto nlrya tioinnatle lligCeenrctea.i nelvye,nr ational
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intelligceannbc eeu sefiufli t i su seidn t hec orrewcaty ,b uti n
generianlt ellecctaunanlousts et heiinrt elligveenrwcyee l ble ­
causteh etye ntdo c onstraunci tn tleelctuarlilgyiu dn derstand­
ingl,i kae c emenpti peT.h eya rec onvinctehde hya vea firm,
precipsoes itiBounta. s i t'nso te astyo g eto uto ft heicre ment
pipeo,ft eni ntellecdtouna'mltas n agteo u set heiirn telligence
to deveklnoopw ledagned t of intdh emselivnet sh es tatoef
contemplaBtuitot nh.id so esna'tat l mle ant haitt 'ism possible.
Fore xamplteh,ef amoumsa steMra t\jushriwmaisat nre ax cep­
tionTaaln trmiacs tearn dw asr egardaesad v eriym portpaunnt­
diitn t hes tudoyfS utrAat.t hatti met,h ef ameo ft heD zogchen
masteGra rabD mjeh adr eacheIdn diIat.w ass aitdh aitn
Oddiyasnoam eonhea d been born wahsao c ,h ielvsdep,no ke
ofa teachiwnhgi cwha sb eyoncda usaen de ffecTth.i sn ews
troublaeltdlh eB uddhisscth olars btehcpear uisnec iopfcl aeu se
ande ffeacntd t hel awso fk armaw erec onsidetroeb de t he
basiosft heB uddhitseta chiinngf :a cBtu,d dheax plaintehda t
sufferwiansga ne ffeacntd h et augthhte w ayt oe ndi tcsa use.
Karmaw aso neo ft hep rinciple opfoh iinstt esa chiSnog i.t
wasd ecidteods enadg rouopf s cholatroOs d diyatnoas tamp
outt hhee restyh ahta da risaenndw ass lowly spreAa sdmianlgl.
fircea nb ep uto ute asibluyta g reaotn eq uickslpyr eaedvse ry­
whereS.o t hec hosen punldeidbt ysM ,a njushrimwietnrtta o,
Oddiyaannad i mmediatbeelgya tno d ebate GwairtahDb m je.
Thef irtsotg ot oG araDbo rjteoc onfitrhmei mportaonfct eh e
lawso fk armaw asM anjushrimhiitmrsae lBfu.t a fteGra rab
Dorjef'isr wsotr dsh,e u nderstwohoadt h eh adn otu nderstood
unttihla mto mentH.e hadb elievheewd a sa g reastc holaanrd
sageb,u ts peakiwnigt Gha rab Dohreuj ned ersthoeow da ss hut
ina crystcaalg eH.e therne cogniGzaerda Dbm jea sh iso wn
Mastearn du ndersttohoadht i st eachiwnagst hee ssenocfet he
wordso fB uddhaS hakyamunTih.a nktso h isp hilosophical
understandMianngj,u shrimwirtortame a nyb ookasn dt hrough
II
hiesx perieonfcB eu ddhishmea lsgoa vem anye xplanatoifo ns
DzogcheAns.t hiesp isosdheo wsw,e c annosta yt haat p erson
witha ni ntelledcitsupaols idtoieosnn h'atv et hep ossibitloi ty
useh iso wnk nowledgienf; a citt,c anb ev eryu sefuBlu.ti n
generaaslw ,e a rev erlyi mitweed f,i nidtv erdyi ffitcuool pte n
ourselves.
Int hicso nteixntt elligdeonecseno 'ntl mye anr ational intel­
ligenbcuet,p rimaritlhyec, a pacittofy o llotwh et eachianngd
tou nderstwahnadt t hem asteirsc ommunicatMianygb.e t his
seemasn u nimportant cbauptra ecailtilytiy, si mportaTnhte.r e
areh undreodfsm illioonfps e oplweh of olloaw t eachionngl y
throuag hs orotf b lind faitho.f y Tohuwo hsoeh aveb eent o
Indikan owt hissi tuatvieornwy e llA.l soT ibetannost,a lolf
themb utt hev asmta jorihtayv,eg reafta itinht het eachianngd
inB uddhisamn dw hent heys eea famousi,m portamnats ter
theiym mediatgeolt yo h imt or eceiav bel essiAnsg s.o ona s
them astegri veasn i nitiaptuitotni,sn ogm ethionngt hehiera ds
orm akintgh eme ats omep reciosuusb stantchee,yg oh ome
satisfWiee dk.n owv erwye ltlh atth iissn ott hep atahn dt hat
thespee oplieft, h ewya ntt or ealitzhee mselvmeuss,th avea t
leasat m inimumun derstanodfit nhgep atahn dm usta ppliyt .
Eveni fa mastepro ssesgsreesa cto mpassiaonndw anttso
helppe oplhee,c annodto m uchf orp eoplweh od on'ktn ow
howt of ollotwh et eachianngd whrou na waya ss oona st hey
haver eceivae bdl essiWhnagt. cana mastedro ?H e certainly
can'ttr yt od etatihne ma ndm aket heml istteonh ise xplana­
tionhse,c annodtot haTth.i hsa sb eenh appenifnogrc enturies
becausmea nyp eopldeo n'hta vet hec apaciotfiy n telligence,
theoyn lhya vef aiatnhd t hed esitroep articiTphaitcsea .p acity
isa lssop okeonf i nt heB uddhissutt rabsu,ti nD zogchepna r­
ticulairtml eya nsk nowinhgo wt ou nderstaannddh owt of ol­
lowt het eachings.
Ins horitt,i sn otn ecessatrody o a loto fa nalysainsdt o
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studtyh ef ivcea pacitoineebs y o neI.t 'esn ougtho h avea n
ideaw,i thobueti ncgo nditiobnyte hde n eedt oa nalyezvee ry­
thinign m inutdee taiElv.e ni fw e wantt oi,t 'ism possitbol e
considaelrtl h ec apacitiesA tforZ o bme cauesvee rythiisn g
relatteotd i meH.a vintgh re igchatp acmiteya nsi,nf act, know­
ingh owt ow ork wictihr cumstaanncdke nso winhgo wt of ol­
lowt het eaching.
Buty ous houldtnh'itn eki,t haesrd ,o m anyw hod on'ktn ow
theoiwrn c apacitthyay,to un eedt oa ska ne xpemrats tearb out
itC.a paciitsny o te valuaitnet dh iwsa y.N o-oncea nj udgfer om
theo utsiwdhee thern ootsr o meonuen derstawnhdastt hem as­
teirs c ommunicattioun sgC. a paciitsny o ts omethienlge vated
ora kinodf r ealizaittii sol ni,kt eh em irrowrh:e nw e become
likteh em irrowre discovoeurrc onditiWohne.n p eoplweh o
areu sedt oT antric prhaecatarib coeut th ec apacinteyc essary
tof olloaw c ertalienv eolft eachitnhge,ty h intkh enye edt o
alreahdayv aes pecirfeiacl izaTthieoytn h.i ntkh iwsa yb ecause
inT antritshme raer et wop haseisnt hep ractoifct er ansforma­
tioTnh.e f irpshta sec,a llkeyde riims,t od evelvoips ualization
ino rdetro t ransfoorumrv isioannd o urd imensiionnt toh e
mandaloaft hed iviniWthye.nt hihsa s beccoomnec rete enough
iti ss aitdh atth ep ractithiaosnr eera litzheidls e veTlh.e nt here
ist hep ractoifcd ee velopmceanltl dezdo gritmoi ntegrtahtee
energoyfp rankau,n daleitncii. n,t erntahlrloyu tghhe c hakras
andc hanneTlhsi.st ,o oi,sn ota p urelinyt ellepcrtoucaelbs ust
mustb er ealiczoendc retWehleyn.t hep rinciopflk eyse riamn d
dzogriwmh,i cahr ed ifferaerneet x,p erienictme eda,n s tuhne­
iono ft het wom ethodissa tl east parrteiaallilztyeh dii:ss t he
princiopflM ea hamudra.
Othetrr aditsipoenasok f k hordyee nnedw,h icihs t heu nion
ofs amsaranad n irvanIant. h eo ldT antrtirca ditiitwo ans s aid
thatth ep ractithiaodng eorn ei ntcoh opai,n taoc tiobnu,tt hiiss
not possbiebflokerye e riamn dd zogrhima vbee erne alized con-
13