WHEN all the clouds disappear, then you see the clear sky. You see the clear sky internally when all the thoughts are dissolved and clear consciousness arises. When one recognizes that clear consciousness which is beyond all boundaries and conditions, then that is the beginning of awakening to the nature of mind.
This mind is in every moment. For instance, right now if you look at yourself, when you hear a word that I’m saying, each word, you have some idea of what that word means. That idea that you’re having might be the same as my idea, or it may be a very different idea than mine. Nevertheless, I am speaking here and you are listening, and all of the mental images that arise right now are mind, but they are not the nature of mind.
Your mind can create anything; it can sense anything; and then your mind stays as what you’ve created. The moment you take your attention away from that creation, though, mind dissolves. Teachings in Bon and Buddhism point out that we create thousands of thoughts each day. Once you discover something beyond all these thoughts; once you have some experiences of your Self beyond all these thoughts; then that is the beginning of awakening to the nature of mind.
When one’s mind is completely calm with no thoughts, then suddenly one may have this experience of awakening. We call that insight. We awaken to the nature of mind when we have no thoughts. Of course, one may awaken one’s mind when there are thoughts, too, but that would be harder. It is easier to have an awakening of the mind when there is no thought.
An excerpt from an oral teaching by Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, Charlottesville, Virginia, June 5, 2002
