When we are constantly caught up in our thoughts, the habitual judgments and projections of mind, we fail to recognise rigpa, the spacious pure awareness that is the ground of our being.
His Eminence, the seventh Dzogchen Rinpoche, Jigme Losel Wangpo, has generously shared pith instructions from the Dzogchen teachings in his new book, Meditation for Modern Madness. These teachings have been preserved in an unbroken lineage from Longchenpa to the present lineage holder, Dzogchen Rinpoche. They retain the warm breath and blessings of the original teachings of Guru Rinpoche. The ancient wisdom in these pages provides the perfect ground for living a meaningful life amidst the stress and speed of our modern world.
In simple and direct language, His Eminence presents the view of Dzogchen, provides clear and precise instructions for Dzogchen meditation, and offers heartfelt advice for integrating both the view and meditation into our everyday lives. Fundamental to this approach is the realisation that we have a great potential that is naturally born within us. We call this our buddha nature. The practice of Dzogchen is about returning to this nature. We don’t need to get enlightened, we don’t need to search for anything, we just need to recognise it just as it is. As His Eminence says:
“You should understand where you are, what you have, and what is missing. Maybe nothing is missing. We all have what we need for enlightenment but we don’t recognize it and keep looking for it elsewhere. Wherever you go, just watch your mind. Don’t think you are going to miss out on something, that you are going to lose something or that you need to achieve something. That is how the human mind operates. Just relax and calm yourself. Everything you need will come by itself. You don’t need to worry about it.”
This book is for everyone, whether they are experienced practitioners, new to Buddhism or just looking for a more balanced way to live a meaningful life. The warmth, humour and insight of these pages speak directly to the heart of the reader and offer wise counsel and inspiration for enjoying our lives amidst the madness of the modern world.
Meditation for Modern Madness by His Eminence the Seventh Dzogchen Rinpoche is available for purchased via the following links:
