The Tibetan
word, terma, literally means “treasure” and refers to Buddhist or
Bon scriptures and relics retrieved from the distant past through a process of
revelation. There are two types of termas: earth terma, discovered
in the Tibetan and Himalayan landscape, like the Bonpo texts found in caves at
Mustang in Nepal, and mind terma, discovered in the mind of the
terton or “treasure revealer.”
This later type might be hard to accept as being true. Did
the "revealer" make it up in his or her mind? How can a
treasure text be found in “mind space”?
Dodrup Tenpai Nyima has said that for beings to be able to
reveal termas, they must have at least the realization of
the "perfection stage" practices. Yet the originator
of the treasure, like Yeshe Tsogyal, must have the attainment of a Buddha.
OK, I am writing this for those of you who have read my novel or
will read my novel and have not known of Yeshe Tsogyal and are not very
familiar with Tibetan Buddhism. For those reading who are familiar with
and maybe practice Tibetan Buddhism, I will say here that I am just an ordinary
person sharing my musings.
My musing of this latter type of terma is that it is a
mystery. Yeshe Tsogyal's biography is too detailed to have been made
up. What it shows me is that we live in a very small world; our ordinary
minds. The internet, Netflix, and yes novels, make it seem larger. But it
is still very small. We educated modern people are missing something very
large, immense in fact, that we walk right along side in every moment yet never
see; our true being or true nature; reality. I say walk alongside, though
of course this is not separate from us.
Some think that ancient people were more connected to true
being because of their everyday co-habitation with nature. Yet, they had their
own distractions. Dealing with marauders and the many battles and wars, growing
and obtaining food, building shelter, finding cures for sickness, could not
have been easy. And then there was also superstition, greed, hatred and
delusion.
Mmm, I guess not much has changed.
I have always been amazed when I have been in the
wilderness camping how much time is spent just to do ordinary things,
like get warm in front of a fire, make a meal, make shelter, wash clothes;
takes most of my time when there.
But don't get me wrong here...we need to be able to be in nature and we have to protect our wild places and keep them free and open for us to go there and live there if we choose.
From our view looking back in history, their lives may seem as simpler in one aspect, no busy freeways and technology. Yet as technology has both freed us in some respects, it has also filled up our time too.
Sometimes we who follow these teachings and methods will get a
glimpse of a aspect of this true being, of our true nature, on the meditation
cushion. Or, we will have a flash or glimpse when not on the cushion but
doing something else after our practice. But it is gone in an instant.
Inspired, we grasp and grasp trying to get that glimpse again. But
then that is the problem isn't it?
I have been very fortunate to have been to several retreats with
a brilliant man and teacher, he will hate my saying this as he is very modest,
Steven Tainer who teaches at the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery. Steven points out
that the ordinary mind can never experience true being. (my term) He
just encourages his students to keep making a gesture through the methods, this
will allow one glimpses. These then must not be grasped, simply
appreciated, then make another gesture and maybe another glimpse will come.
When that happens you go over to it and greet it, you don’t drag it to
“you”; I am paraphrasing here.
Maybe the mind will rest and thinking will cease for an
instant...wow it stopped "I did it!" whoops another thought? It
is so elusive. The ordinary mind that sits on the cushion trying to stop
thinking can never stop thinking.
A skilled teacher will guide one through all of this if one
chooses to seek this reality we are missing. These traditional teachers sit on
high cushions surrounded by flowers. Yet, it is not the person who is
revered in an egoic sense, I think that would be to misunderstand. They
share the teachings, it is the teachings that help people that is placed on the
high cushion and is surrounded with flowers. Of course we appreciate and are
grateful to those who have understood the teachings, realized truth and share
their knowledge guiding others through the maze solely for the benefit of
others.
It was a beautiful sunset last night. Sublime clouds with
lavender and pinks with deep reds here and there, the sky many shades of blue.
Mmm, good coffee this morning, I hope you have a great day.
Breath...yum
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