![]() What do you mean by “happy”? There are so many levels to that. That’s inner happiness, regardless of material gain or achievement or outer conditions. Of course I also want students to be happy. That’s it! Not to harm anybody actually includes everything. What I would say is the essence of dharma is not to harm anybody. The teachings are simple it is important to learn a little and to put them into practice. People today seem to do that a lot, and it often gives rise to doubt and confusion. I don’t think you need to go around so much to so many different teachers and try to compare all the different teachers and teachings. What is the essence of Buddha-dharma? What is most important to do? There are usually too many things to do, so many practices and much work also. So a better way of life through understanding reality? If you don’t understand life, then you become disappointed, depressed. I think the essence of retreat is to make yourself more pure and content, self-realized, content just by being yourself, being alone, and thinking about the true nature of things. This is a busy age, you know? The age of hurrying. Unfortunately, these days, people like us, who should really be practicing for the benefit of all, do not have time for solitude. And that happiness can be shared with everyone-maybe not all sentient beings, but a good number. You may have a grumpy face when you start, but when you come out of retreat, you’re very happy. What is the essence of retreat? What do you recommend? To me the essence of practice, wherever you do it, is developing yourself and your way of life-to really develop your happiness, your inner understanding, to deepen your wisdom and selflessness. Maybe it’s an attachment, which is no good, but I felt that way. Even then I didn’t want to come down, but I had to. And then after that I postponed leaving for another two days. I just sat there day and night I didn’t even sleep. Once I was doing retreat up in a cave, and when I noticed that the time was up and I had to go down, I really felt like crying. I have never done more than six months at once, because unfortunately I don’t have time. The Three Jewels-Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha-and the whole of universal truth are all within your own mind. In retreat and in meditation I think the main thing is to rest in naturalness and pure awareness, the clear light of reality. But we are usually harming, killing living beings, eating them, and destroying the environment also. Humility and compassion is the main thing, isn’t it? Genuine lovingkindness. How can you accomplish not doing anything? Traditionally, one only tells one’s guru about inner experiences, Dzogchen practice, or even one’s dreams-so as not to give rise to pride and egotism. That’s a little hard for an ordinary person to understand. My goal is not doing anything, ultimately. This can provide balance.Īnd your own meditation practice? When I go on retreat, I may have a particular practice that my guru gave me, but mostly I have a mission of not doing anything. Consider nondoing, nonaction, for a while, and leaving things as they are. Such conceptual actions just create more karma. But I would say that not doing too much is the important thing. Of course we try to meditate daily and so forth-sitting, chanting, praying. We should not limit that to any particular object of meditation or goal or physical posture, and it has to be brought into everyday life. What do you teach? I instruct my students that the natural state of mind is the main thing: awareness itself. There are many kinds of meditation, not to mention other contemplative practices. Meditative awareness in daily activity is important, not just in the practice of silent sitting. It is about wisdom awareness, knowing, seeing clearly. It’s not just about trying to find a comfortable quiet corner to hide in. But one must learn how to do it properly. ![]() Your Holiness, what do you think is critical for dharma students today, in terms of understanding and practice? Meditation. This conversation took place at Lama Surya’s hermitage and sanctuary, Dzogchen Osel Ling, outside Austin, Texas, last November. Lama Surya Das is the founder of the Dzogchen Center and author of numerous books, most recently Letting Go of the Person You Used to Be: Lessons on Change, Loss and Spiritual Transformation. Lama Surya Das, a Western Dzogchen teacher, taught English to the Gyalwang Drukpa at His Holiness’s monastery in Darjeeling, India, in the early seventies. This is his first interview in ten years. He has monasteries and nunneries in India and Nepal, as well as centers in Europe and Mexico. His Holiness the Twelfth Gyalwang Drukpa is the head of the Drukpa School of Tibetan Buddhism, one of Tibet’s great practice lineages, and is a renowned master of the Mahamudra and Dzogchen lineages.
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