[OceanofDharma] Quotes of the Week: Basic No

[Carolyn Gimian]

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week

January 8, 2009

BASIC NO

Basic NO is accepting discipline in our life without preconceptions. 
Normally, when we say the word "discipline," it comes with a lot of 
mixed feelings. It's like saying "oatmeal." Some people like hot 
cereal, and some people hate it. Nevertheless, oatmeal remains 
oatmeal. It is a very straightforward thing. We have similar feelings 
about discipline and the meaning of NO. Sometimes, it's a bad NO: it 
is providing oppressive boundaries that we don't want to accept. Or 
it could be a good NO, which encourages us to do something healthy. 
But when we just hear that one word, NO, the message is mixed.
             Fearlessness is extending ourselves beyond that limited 
view. In the Heart Sutra, an essential teaching given by the Buddha, 
it talks about going beyond. Gone beyond, gate, is the basic NO. In 
the sutra, it says there is no eye, no ear, no sound, no smell -- all 
of those things. When you experience egolessness, the solidity of 
your life and your perceptions falls apart. That could be very 
desolate or it could be very inspiring, in terms of shunyata or the 
Buddhist understanding of emptiness. Very simply, it is basic NO.  It 
is a real expression of fearlessness. In the Buddhist view, 
egolessness is pre-existing, beyond our preconceptions. In the state 
of egolessness everything is simple and very clear.

 From "Overcoming Doubt," in CONQUERING FEAR, forthcoming from 
Shambhala Publications, Fall 2009. [Chogyam Trungpa gave the first 
teachings on Big No 30 years ago today.]

All material by Chogyam Trungpa is copyright Diana J. Mukpo and used 
by permission.

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Carolyn Rose Gimian

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications,  the Archive of 
his unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources.
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Carolyn Rose Gimian

Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week: teachings by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.
Taken from works published by Shambhala Publications,  the Archive of 
his unpublished work in the Shambhala Archives, plus other published sources.
TO SUBSCRIBE visit the website at http://oceanofdharma.com
For the Chogyam Trungpa Legacy Project and the blog of Carolyn Gimian 
go to: http://ChogyamTrungpa.com


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