Four Qualities of Mind: Mind Nature

Phakchok Rinpoche explains the purpose of our meditation practice. Here he stresses that we can familiarize ourselves through direct experience with the four qualities of our true mind nature.

Buddhist Philosophy

What’s the purpose of meditation? In this teaching from the August 2015 talk at the Mahamudra retreat at Samye Hermitage New York, Phakchok Rinpoche explained the purpose of meditation practice. Here he stresses that we can familiarize ourselves through direct experience with the four qualities of our true mind nature.

Four Qualities

Peaceful
Compassionate
Perceives purely–sees things as pure
Ultimately free of thinking

Regular Recognition Leads to Pure Perception

We come to understand and become confident in these four qualities. But it requires some work. We habituate ourselves to the recognition through practice–it is not enough to know them intellectually. And as we continue to practice, we will see these four qualities manifest.

Pure perception is not something we create. Yet, we can learn to see things as blessed. However, when we have judgment and comparison, developing pure perception is very difficult. We cannot “produce” pure perception by forcing or by pretending. Instead, we must relax and realize the natural qualities of the mind. Rinpoche explains how we can “flip” things around immediately if we have the habit of recognizing this pure quality.

Most importantly, we will realize freedom from thoughts and experience true peace. And we will then be beyond ego-clinging, hope, and fear. Rinpoche advises us to relax and not to carry hope and fear into our practice. These hopes and fears make it difficult to recognize our mind nature, true freedom.

Natural Great Peace

We can appreciate this true peace when we reflect on the words of Rinpoche’s own meditation master, Nyoshül Khen Rinpoche ( Nyoshül Khenpo Jamyang Dorje 1932-1999). Here’s a beautiful poem :

Rest in natural great peace this exhausted mind,
Beaten helpless by karma and neurotic thoughts
Like the relentless fury of the pounding waves
In the infinite ocean of samsara.
Rest in natural great peace.

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About the Author

Phakchok Rinpoche

Phakchok Rinpoche was born in 1981 to Kyapjé Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche and Sangyum Dechen Paldrön, within the family lineage of the great treasure revealer (terchen) Chokgyur Dechen Zhikpo Lingpa. Rinpoche was recognized as the reincarnation of the 6th Kyapgön Phakchok Rinpoche, one of the three throne holders (kyapgöns) of the Taklung Kagyü seat (densa) at Marthang Kham Riwoche monastery. Among Rinpoche’s previous incarnations, the 4th Kyapgön Phakchok Rinpoche was a devoted disciple and patron of Terchen Chokgyur Lingpa. During that period, it was the unwavering support of the upholders of Riwoche Monastery that created the auspicious circumstances for Chokgyur Lingpa’s awakened activity to spread and flourish. Under the guidance of his root gurus—Kyapjé Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Kyapjé Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche, and Kyapchok Soktse Rinpoche—Phakchok Rinpoche has received and practiced the profound Dharma teachings handed down in an unbroken lineage from Mahaguru Padmasambhava. Inspired by the life and legacy of Guru Padmasambhava, Terchen Chokgyur Lingpa and the upholders of Riwoche Monastery, Rinpoche has devoted his own life to spreading the teachings of Guru Rinpoche, particularly the Profound Treasures of Chokgyur Lingpa (Chokling Tersar). Mahaguru Padmasambhava is renowned for his role in guiding the establishment of Samye Monastery, thereby creating the auspicious causes and conditions (tendrel) for more than a thousand years of authentic practice to unfold in the land of Tibet in an incredible lineage of accomplishment that continues to this present day. Reflecting upon these auspicious beginnings, Phakchok Rinpoche has given his organization the same name, Samye, which means inconceivable. Just as this ancient Tibetan institution lived up to its name, becoming a truly inconceivable source of the Buddhadharma, Rinpoche’s aspiration is for today’s Samye mandala to do likewise and become an inconceivable beacon of wisdom, compassion and dignity for our present world and into the future. In honor of Mahaguru Padmasambhava, Rinpoche has chosen a seal to represent Samye that traces back to Guru Rinpoche himself. This esteemed emblem was originally revealed by the Mahaguru and given to Dharma King Trisong Detsen’s royal heir, Lhasé Murup Tsenpo. Murup Tsenpo subsequently concealed it as a treasure (terma) for the benefit of future generations. Much later, in 18th century Tibet, it was discovered as a treasure by Lhasé Murup Tsenpo’s reincarnation, Terchen Chokgyur Dechen Zhikpo Lingpa. Today, it serves as the emblem for the Profound Treasures of Chokgyur Lingpa and for all Dharma activities led by Phakchok Rinpoche and his sangha.

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Audrey Scotto December 16, 2015

Once again, this is so helpful in my practice as it reminds me what to strive for. There is so much going on day to day that our minds are always trying not to be peaceful.

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The Five Successive Stages of Understanding

On this Guru Rinpoche Day message, Phakchok Rinpoche shares some simple benchmarks to measure our progress in our practice. We all go through five successive stages: 1) lack of any understanding, 2) forming misunderstandings, 3) partial understanding, 4) near-complete understanding, and 5) perfect understanding. These five stages equally apply to the view, practice and conduct. Rinpoche then starts explaining each stage. Finally, Rinpoche concludes by inviting us to study these to be able to recognize them, and thereby identify our own level of progress on the path.

Overcoming Mara’s hosts

On Guru Rinpoche Day, Phakchok Rinpoche shares the key point of all the practices and teachings: overcoming the four great obstacles, the four maras, namely, the mara of the aggregates, the mara of the Lord of Death, the mara of the afflictions, and the mara of the gods. Rinpoche then explains each one and advises us to study and contemplate them. Furthermore, Rinpoche explains the root of them all and how we can overcome them. Finally, Rinpoche mentions how his root guru Kyabjé Nyoshül Khen Rinpoche used to say Dharma means only one thing: transformation.

Buddhahood Within Our Reach

On this Guru Rinpoche Day, Phakchok Rinpoche explains the famous opening verse of Omniscient Gampopa’s “Jewel Ornament of Liberation,” as well as the key points we should understand as we read the verses; mainly, that all beings have the cause of Buddhahood within their being, but it is also important that they meet with the right conditions for this seed to bear fruits. Rinpoche further explains how to cultivate the right conditions for our transformation.

Four Qualities of Mind: Mind Nature

Four Qualities

Regular Recognition Leads to Pure Perception