Realizing Primordial Awareness

Buddhadharma is a mean of purification. By receiving Dharma teachings, one’s stained and disarrayed habitual tendencies are purified to become clear and luminous. We’d be able to gain a deep insight, pure vision, and freedom without confinements. “Deep insight” is the contemplative analysis with prajna wisdom. Then, apply that analysis in correspondence with our awareness. Gradually, we will develop the practice of prajna.

Dharma practice brings forth stability. With the mindfulness of prajna, afflictions can be dispelled. Even if afflictive emotions arise, they cease with the understanding of emptiness, like mist that comes and go in an instance. While afflictions are hitting us like raging waves, they will calm to tranquil water and sink into the ocean eventually.

Dharma practitioners are also called “wise men”. They know the proper seeds to sow, the analysis to contemplate, and the importance to be mindful. By sowing the virtuous seeds in making positive connections, we need to uphold the “Right Mindfulness”. It implies the proper understanding of “unarising and unceasing”, as well as “nirvana”, or emptiness. That is why we should engage in Chan practice in order to familiarize the practice of prajna wisdom. Our contemplative awareness will enhance the power of prajna wisdom.

There are only a few days left in this retreat. It is important to examine whether our proper practice, mind, and intention have strengthened. Prajna wisdom is our defense system against afflictive emotions. As long as we concentrate and analyze with clarity, we can bring back our awareness. Let it focus, be clear, and emptiness will come to light eventually.

When we’ve realized the pervasiveness of emptiness, the wisdom of awareness arises within emptiness. “Awareness” means understanding and realizing; “wisdom” is the clear analysis. “Wisdom of awareness” is to examine clearly without ambiguity. Such is also called the “primordial awareness”. Why do I encourage you to repeat the Four-step Techniques? It is to refine our awareness free from ambiguity, confusion, and distraction – a refreshing awareness without any impurities. Keep practicing until we uncover this luminous Buddha nature of ours. Rediscover this primordial awareness within clarity; unveil this wondrous mind of ours.