The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa: Volume Eight (53 page)

Student:
Sir, is it not possible to be cheerful and to still feel a full range of emotions: sadness, perhaps anger, all those feelings? When you say “Cheer up,” that doesn’t wipe out the emotions, does it?

Dorje Dradül of Mukpo:
When we begin to see the Great Eastern Sun, we don’t forget the setting sun. When we learn A, we don’t forget Z. There is a possibility of bringing Z into A. Do you understand?

Student:
I hope I do. In this sense, that . . .

Dorje Dradül of Mukpo:
You don’t have any
hope
. You just do it.

Student:
But to feel different emotions . . .

Dorje Dradül of Mukpo:
You don’t have any
feel
.

Student:
You don’t feel?

Dorje Dradül of Mukpo:
You just do it.

Student:
Uh, but . . . can’t you feel and . . .

Dorje Dradül of Mukpo:
No, no, no, no, nononononono
NO
. You don’t dabble in anything. You don’t dabble in anything.

Student:
Well, an example might be that you see something very sad—say, the death of a child. That can be sad. Isn’t it reasonable to feel—can’t you . . .

Dorje Dradül of Mukpo:
No.

Student:
. . . do it?

Dorje Dradül of Mukpo:
No. We are talking about
genuineness
. Genuine on the
spot
. R-r-r-real genuine on the spot.

Student:
Suppose you’re crying?

Dorje Dradül of Mukpo:
You don’t cry. You can cry
because
you did not cry. It’s
on the spot
. Come on! Say something more.

Student:
What about revulsion?

Dorje Dradül of Mukpo:
Because of that, you feel revoltsion.

Student:
Because of what? Because of the feeling or the event?

Dorje Dradül of Mukpo:
You are never revolted.

Student: Never?

Dorje Dradül of Mukpo:
Never! [
Burps. Audience laughter
.]

Student
[
laughing
]: Thank you, sir.

Dorje Dradül of Mukpo:
Thank you! OK, at this point, we should probably adjourn. When the warriors of Shambhala meet together, sometimes we close our gathering by singing a very cheerful song, which is called the anthem of Shambhala. I hope you’ll join in, and thank you very much, everybody.

A
NTHEM

In heaven the turquoise dragon thunders,

The tiger’s lightning flashes abroad.

The lion’s mane spreads turquoise clouds,

Garuda spans the threefold world.

Fearless the warriors of Shambhala,

Majestic the Rigdens
¹
on vajra
²
thrones.

The Sakyong
³
king joins heaven and earth.

The Sakyongwangmo harvests peace.

The trumpet of fearlessness resounds,

The all-victorious banner flies.

Temporal and spiritual glory expand.

Rejoice, the Great Eastern Sun arises!

1
. The kings of Shambhala.

2
. Adamantine or having the qualities of a diamond.
Vajra
(Tib.
dorje
) refers to the basic indestructible nature of wisdom and enlightenment.

3
.
Sakyong
and
Sakyongwangmo
are titular names of the rulers of Shambhala. The term
Sakyong
means “Earth Protector”; the
Sakyongwangmo
is the Earth Protector Lady.

TWENTY-ONE

The Great Eastern Sun

THE DOT IN SPACE

F
OR THE LAST TIME,
I’d like to say good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to close with a discussion of daringness and warriorship. Daringness is based on being genuine within oneself. It is a very important principle, maybe the most important. It is the principle of nondeception.

Deception occurs first in oneself, and then deception is spread to others. Deceitfulness is one of the main obstacles to realizing the Shambhala principles. Whether one is eating, walking, or sleeping, whatever we do has the potential for deception. Because of deception, we are unable to see the dot in space. The dot in space is pure and clear, altogether unwavering. That dot in space is the way we hold ourselves upright. It is the Great Eastern Sun. The Great Eastern Sun is the dot in space.

All the variations of enlightened Shambhala society that we have talked about are the dot in space. They are based on not deceiving anybody and appreciating oneself at the same time. Being kind to oneself and therefore being capable of extending kindness to others both arise from the dot in space. The dot in space is a manifestation of your sanity. It is almost a ringing in your ears. Sometimes when you are going about your business, something goes
ding
in your ears. That is the dot in space. It is a reminder, and it is that which makes you smile. It is that which makes you glance around or look over your shoulder. That is the dot in space.

Chögyam Trungpa
.

PHOTO BY ROBERT DEL TREDICI.

Who are they? Where are they? That’s the dot in space!
¹
Inquisitiveness is the dot in space. Curiosity is the dot in space. Any question that comes into your state of being is the dot in space, always. One should not regard one’s world as a boring world. There is always
Ah-ah!
There is always a spark. There is always a smile. There is always a cry, as well. That is the dot in space. That is why you are here, all of you.

I have experienced this myself. It is a personal experience. I’m not presenting fiction or philosophy. That which makes you gasp
Ah-ah!
is the dot in space. That which makes you
smile
is the dot in space.

Student:
Sir, when I’m lost in thought and something brings me back to a sense of self-awareness—in that moment that I wake from my thoughts or my depression or whatever I’m feeling, there doesn’t seem to be any quality other than the awakeness. Sometimes it’s pretty hohum. You make it sound very exciting.

Dorje Dradül of Mukpo:
That awakeness is the dot in space. Inspired or not inspired: both are the dot in space. As long as you come back, that’s fine. You have a long face: ohhh. You are beaming with a smile: ahh! Both are the dot in space. As long as you see the brilliance of the Great Eastern Sun, everything is all right.

If you can maintain a sense of humor, that will dispel deception, but we don’t have any insurance policies here. You just have to keep going. For example, the lohans were great Indian saints and very great meditators. They were very serious people, in some sense. Within that, however, you can see that they were constantly laughing while they sat in meditation. That is what we are talking about.

I would like to leave all of you with one last reminder: when you are in a serious mood, smile, with Shambhala vision. The sitting practice of meditation is
very
important for you.
Just sit,
as you are instructed to do. I’m so pleased by your composure. Beyond that, the main point is to care for this world and also to have a sense of humor. Thank you very much.

1
. I believe that the author is doing a takeoff here on a phrase connected with a television series or a film, but I haven’t been able to identify the source of the reference.

Epilogue

I
T HAS BEEN MORE THAN TEN YEARS
since my father passed into parinirvana.
¹
In that time, many people have tried to fathom what he was about and what he meant as a historical figure, an individual, a Buddhist teacher, and a Shambhala warrior. As time passes, the heart and body of what he taught have become increasingly powerful. More and more people appreciate his compassionate demeanor and his overwhelming commitment to helping others.

My father is recognized as a pioneer in the transmission of Buddhism to the West. As such, one of his contributions is the translation and introduction of Buddhism into a context that Westerners can understand. However, if his life is looked at in more detail, it becomes evident that perhaps his greatest gift to the world is his unique presentation of the Shambhala tradition of warriorship.

Growing up with Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche as my father, I lived in a Shambhala household. We practiced Buddhism, but the basic environment was Shambhalian. As is clearly stated in this book, understanding the wisdom of Shambhala is understanding basic human dignity. There are set principles and practices in Shambhala, but the root of the teachings is simply how to be a decent human being, how to live in a harmonious way.

The wisdom of Shambhala has been gathered for many centuries. This wisdom shows that there is a path, a way to live, and points to how the world works. We do not need to search endlessly or to concoct our own recipes for the meaning of life. Many Shambhala warriors have realized the basic rhythm, the basic energy of their lives. Our duty, our joy, and our fascination with life all come together when we are able to touch that energy, understanding that it is the dignity of all humankind. This is not a celestial or otherworldly power. If we lead our lives appreciating both the mundane and the extraordinary qualities, holding them both equally, without preference, with a gentle hand and compassionate gaze, we have discovered what being a human being, what being a Shambhala warrior, is.

I hope that people are able to read this book many times so that it can soak into their bones. I hope its meaning can have an influence on how they conduct their lives. The power of Shambhala is not so much that we “get the idea” or that with a quick glance we understand everything. Rather, we begin to realize that these simple teachings take time to be understood and even more time to be absorbed into our hearts.

In and of itself, the Shambhala vision is not overly complicated or difficult. Often we see it and say, “Oh, I know that.” It feels like something very familiar to us. The real challenge is letting these principles penetrate our being and not letting arrogance and depression consume us. The Shambhala warrior knows that life can be simple. Yet these straightforward teachings have a profound effect. They are not theoretical spiritual exercises: they are pragmatic methods to help people raise their children, develop art, or run their own coffee shops. Through the years, the practical element of these teachings has become more and more powerful.

Often the Dorje Dradül would say that these teachings were not his alone but that he was a representative of their sanity and dignity. In a confusing and speedy world, he felt it was his duty to offer them for individuals who were willing to listen. He would say that the Shambhala vision was much bigger than he was and that he would not live forever. Others would have to assume responsibility for carrying out these teachings. I think he would be very proud of, and delighted by, how people have taken his words to heart and tried to understand and live according to them.

Many aspects of the Shambhala world have been expounded and written about since that early time when he first presented them to a small handful of people. From those earliest talks, the Dorje Dradül went on to present the Shambhala teachings to thousands of interested listeners. Many students and admirers of the Dorje Dradül try to conduct their lives according to these principles. We refer to this as creating enlightened society.

In the early 1970s, people wanted esoteric Buddhist teachings. They were rather puzzled when the Dorje Dradül presented instead seemingly simpleminded teachings on how to live in a decent way. Now, hundreds of thousands of people realize that those simple, practical instructions are extraordinarily useful.

In the past twenty-five years, the Shambhala teachings have taken root. Since the passing of the Dorje Dradül, many people have participated in the Shambhala Training program, which continues to grow and expand. It is inspiring to see such a diverse group of people practicing and living their lives according to these teachings—people of many faiths in many different parts of the world.

As I have now inherited my father’s work, and particularly the responsibility for propagating Shambhala vision, I am very grateful to Carolyn Rose Gimian for her diligence, resourcefulness, and intelligence in assembling this material.