Quotes from Arya Maitreya

Delusion with respect to the body, idle talk with respect to speech, forgetfulness with respect to the mind, mental agitation in terms of not resting evenly in meditative equipoise, ideation of duality in terms of samsara and nirvana being viewed differently, indifferent equanimity in terms of not being alert and analyzing: the Sage is without any of these.

The unmixed qualities and worldly beings have nothing in common, not even as much as a single atom.

Space does not rest upon any of the elements of wind, water, or earth. Likewise skandhas, elements, and senses are based upon karma and mental poisons. Karma and poisons are always based upon improper conceptual activity. The improper conceptual activity fully abides on the purity of mind. Yet, the nature of the mind itself has no basis in all these phenomena.

The veil of the hindrances to knowledge has three aspects in terms of progressively subtler concepts. The first is holding on to true existence (Tib. bden par 'dzin pa), the second is holding on to characteristics (Tib. mtshan mar 'dzin pa), and the third is the appearance of duality (Tib. gnyis snang).

The nature of mind as the element of space does not [depend upon] causes or conditions, nor does it [depend on] a gathering of these. It has neither arising, cessation, nor abiding.

This clear and luminous nature of mind is as changeless as space. It is not afflicted by desire and so on, the adventitious stains, which are sprung from incorrect thoughts. It is not brought into existence by the water of karma, of the poisons, and so on. Hence it is also not consumed by the cruel fires of dying, falling sick, and aging.

This dharmadhatu pervades all beings no matter how many there are, which is to say that it is undifferentiatedly present within all beings, in those of low or high rank, in those who are good or evil alike. Here, the term "dharmadhatu" is equivalent to inseparable spaciousness and awareness or inseparable spaciousness and primordial wisdom (Tib. dbyings dang ye shes dbyer med pa). This inseparable union of spaciousness and primordial wisdom is the buddha nature, the tathagatagarbha.

In the view presented by the Madhyamakavatara (Tib. dbu ma la 'jug pa) the dharmadhatu is to be understood exclusively as freedom from conceptual elaboration. The aspect of primordial wisdom is not explained there. This difference should be understood well.

The element is empty of the adventitious [stains], which are featured by their total separateness. But it is not empty of the matchless properties, which are featured by their total inseparability.

When it is said that a buddha shows the path in accordance with the respective karmic fortune of the disciples, this means that he adapts his teaching to their respective intelligence and mental capacities.

All compounded things are impermanent!" "Everything bound up with pollution is suffering!" "All phenomena are devoid of self!" and "Nirvana is peace!

The merit of generosity arises from giving, that of morality arises from moral conduct. The two aspects of patience and meditative stability stem from meditation, and diligence accompanies all.

At the time when emptiness or Mahamudra is realized, the essence of one's own mind is realized by itself in such a way that there is no duality between an object to be realized and a realizing subject.

The only difference between the inseparable union of spaciousness and awareness, which is the nature of the minds of all sentient beings, and this union being endowed with twofold purity is the fact that the latter is free from all the adventitious stains, while the former is still obscured by these. The essence of the true state of mind is naturally pure, and with regard to this aspect there is not the slightest difference between an ordinary and an enlightened being.

The Omniscient One who Directly Sees Thatness" is an epithet of the Buddha. A buddha is called "omniscient" since he possesses the unhindered knowledge of all aspects of the knowable. The direct vision of thatness (Tib. de kho na nyid) is synonymous with the vision of reality as it is, with the direct realization of emptiness, of the absolute truth, of the dharmadhatu or the sugatagarbha.

Annotation 50: What is to be understood by primordial wisdom and discriminative wisdom is explained slightly differently in the Rangtong and Shäntong systems.

If an inexhaustible treasure were buried in the ground beneath a poor man's house, the man would not know of it, and the treasure would not speak and tell him "I am here!" Likewise a precious treasure is contained in each being's mind. This is its true state, which is free from defilement. Nothing is to be added and nothing to be removed. Nevertheless, since they do not realize this, sentient beings continuously undergo the manifold sufferings of deprivation.

3) The view of Mahamudra is very similar to the Shäntong view. In this context one speaks of basis Mahamudra, path Mahamudra, and fruit Mahamudra. Once the primordial wisdom present since the very beginning, which in this context is called "the joint manifestation of emptiness and clear light," sees its face through discriminative wisdom having become self-liberated, the realization of Mahamudra has become immediate.

When this tathagatagarbha is freed from all adventitious stains of delusion without any remainder, these stains having been removed by means of the discriminative wisdom realizing the non-existence of a self, this is enlightenment, the very essence of realization.

It is true self, since all conceptual elaboration in terms of self and non-self is totally stilled. It is true happiness, since [even] the aggregates of mental nature and their causes are reversed. It is permanence, since the cycle of existence and the state beyond pain are realized as one.

Even as the skillful activity of unbearable compassion unfolds without hindrance, may at the same time the meaning of its empty essence nakedly shine forth. Inseparable from this supreme unerring path of union may we meditate at all times, day and night.

As a beginner, one first has to give rise to compassion focusing on beings as its object. Once one realizes the impermanent nature of beings and phenomena, understanding that all compounded phenomena are impermanent in that they undergo a process of destruction taking place from instant to instant, compassion focusing on the nature arises. Finally, the realization of the emptiness of all phenomena gives rise to compassion free from any focus.

Within unborn mind there is supreme immortality. The characteristics of being born and dying are liberated of themselves. How happy I am in the firm vision of the highest view!

Once one realizes that beings do not truly exist and yet feels compassion for them, this is the most excellent type of compassion.