Atisha's 7 points of mind training

Life is a mystery, miracle, grace, and blessing.
It is not an object of question but of wonder!!
1. Consider all phenomena to be a dream.
2. Be grateful to everyone.
3. Don't be swayed by outer circumstances.
4. Don't brood over the fault of others.
5. Explore the nature of unborn awareness.
6. At all times simply rely on the joyful mind.
7. Don't expect a standing ovation.

-Joseph Goldstein


Atisha's 7 points of mind training

The three masters that Atisha remained with for many years were: first, Dharmakirti, a great Buddhist mystic. He taught him no-mind, he taught him emptiness, he taught him how to be thoughtless, he taught him how to drop all content from the mind and be contentless. The second master was Dharmarakshita, another Buddhist mystic. He taught him love, compassion. And the third master was Yogin Maitreya, another Buddhist mystic. He taught him the art of taking the suffering of others and absorbing it into your own heart: love in action.

Because Atisha learned under three enlightened masters, he is called Atisha the Thrice Great. 

What are the preliminaries? These are the preliminaries. First: truth is. Truth is not something to be created, truth is not something that is far away. Truth is herenow, truth surrounds you like the ocean surrounds the fish. To know something, a little distance is needed. To know something, perspective is needed. And the ocean is so close, that's why the fish may not be aware of it.

The first preliminary is: truth is. 

The second preliminary is: mind is the barrier.

And the third: no-mind is the door. Atisha calls no-mind BODHICHITTA: that is his word for no-mind. It can be translated as buddha-mind, buddha-consciousness.

 

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