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The Fourth Foundation: Mindfulness Of Phenomena
The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche
Excerpted from the transcript of "The Four Foundations Of Mindfulness" (Vermont 1996)
Originally published in Bodhi
Issue 3
5 of 6 | 1
, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
General Buddhist Approach: Interdependence The fourth mindfulness is called the mindfulness of phenomena or mindfulness of dharmas. After working with the
development of the mindfulness of mind, this mindfulness brings us to the next stage, which is the experience of panoramic awareness of the phenomenal world. The phenomenal world is not only within our thoughts,
within our mind. The phenomenal world is also the object of our mind, the world that is experienced around us with body, speech, and mind. Having a sense of relating with these surrounding phenomena in a mindful way is
what we call the mindfulness of phenomena. That mindfulness is basically the recognition of the interdependent relationship of our mind and the phenomenal world. It is working with the relationship of each
individual phenomenon existing around us as the object of our experience. In order to understand that particular phenomenon and relate with it properly, we must develop the mindfulness of phenomena. And that, in some
sense, is not really separated from awareness. This mindfulness is very much related to the notion of awareness, of having a three hundred sixty degree awareness of the phenomenal world existing around us. When
we can relate that kind of panoramic awareness with the simple, present nature of phenomena, that is what we call the mindfulness of phenomena. It is simply having the prajna to relate with the phenomenal world outside
more directly, more precisely, without any fear, and without any conceptions. Without any philosophical conceptions, we simply relate to the most fundamental state of phenomena. The Six Objects What we are working with here is the six objects of our six sensory perceptions. That's
pretty straightforward. We are working with form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas. The sixth object is a little more complicated. The object of mind, the sixth sensory perception, which is called the mind
perception, is known as dharmas. So working with the six objects in a precise way is the full understanding of the true nature of pratityasamutpada, the interdependent origination of the phenomenal world. Relating to
the phenomenal world in its own interdependent state is called the mindfulness of phenomena, which means not conceptualizing, not labeling the phenomenal world as something else. We experience it as it is, with
its own interdependent nature. Understanding that interdependent nature begins with the understanding of the twelve links of interdependent origination, known as the twelve nidanas. Mahayana Interdependence Beginning with the twelve nidanas, we have the Mahayana understanding of
interdependent origination, which is basically the understanding that everything arises from emptiness and everything dissolves into emptiness. There is no separation between form, or appearance, and emptiness.
Emptiness arises from appearance, and appearance arises from emptiness. There is no emptiness without appearance, and there is no appearance with out emptiness. That is what we call the interdependent nature. If there
is no phenomenal world appearing, then there's no emptiness of that phenomenal world. If there's no emptiness, there's no appearance of the phenomenal world. That's pretty simple, right? (laughs) It's very simple;
it's very easy. Actually, it's a somewhat complicated notion, which has to be looked at in greater depth to really be understood. But in the most basic sense, we are talking about the inseparability or the dependent
nature of the two truths. There is no absolute truth without the relative truth, and there's no relative truth without the absolute truth. They are dependent on each other. Especially when viewed from the ordinary level
of understanding, then the phenomenal world is seen to be totally in the nature of dependent origination, or the interdependent state. Therefore, in the Mahayana sense of relating with the phenomenal world, the
mindfulness of phenomena is simply understanding the realization of emptiness, the selflessness of phenomena, the emptiness of phenomena, the egolessness of phenomena. That understanding, experience, and realization is
what is known as the mindfulness of phenomena. That realization is basically developed through the cultivation of the three prajnas of hearing, contemplating, and meditating which we discussed earlier. By going through
this three-stage process of analyzing the phenomenal world from the Mahayana perspective, we can reach the level of the realization of emptiness, the realization of the egolessness of phenomena, the realization of the
non-existence of these outer phenomena, which we ordinarily believe are solidly real. Not only do we arrive at this insight through the process of philosophical analysis, but we can also see this in the development
of today's science. Although I've not personally studied modern physics, friends and people who know a little more about it tell me that modern physicists now say they can't find the existence of atomic particles, at
any level. All they can find existing at this level is something called a "quark" or a form of energy or light, which is still better than saying "emptiness." We feel a little bit more comfortable, you know, with these
terms, because there's still something to hold onto. Other than that, I think we're reaching pretty much the same level of seeing the non-existence of phenomena. Furthermore, this wisdom resulting from the development
of modern science was discovered and taught by Lord Buddha Shakyamuni 2,500 years ago. The process presented to us by the Buddha to lead us to that stage of understanding is very much like the development of
science. It's very interesting. At the first stage of his teaching, Buddha taught about the existence of atomic particles. Following that, the Buddha went into the details of how these atoms function, how
they form gross objects, and how these indivisible particles cannot be perceived. All of these things, which are very similar to the view of science, were introduced gradually by the Buddha up to the level of seeing the
selflessness of phenomena, the egolessness of phenomena. Therefore, the Mahayana mindfulness of dharmas, or phenomena, is working with this realization and understanding of the selflessness of phenomena.
Analytical Meditation: The Gong In general, we practice this mindfulness by taking the
objects of our sensory perceptions as the objects of our meditation and analyzing them by simply being present with that particular object in the tiny spot of its existence. This state of nowness, the state of the
present, clicks us into the experience of infinite space through the analytical meditation process. My analogy for the analytical meditation process is the ringing of a gong. The actual beauty of the sound, the
beautiful humming of the gong, is produced by our effort. First, we pick up the striker with our hand, then we move our hand and striker to ring the gong. From there the sound is produced, the beautiful humming sound,
which is beyond our hand, our effort, the striker, and the bell itself. It is beyond all of this, beyond the combination. It is beyond all this existence. As beginners, we get attached to the beauty of that sound. As
soon as we hear it, we become totally passionate about it, so we unskillfully grasp the gong. We want to hug the gong and make it all our own and say, "Yes, I got it." In that process, we have already frozen this
beautiful humming sound. As soon as we say, "I got it," it's gone miles away. And so in that process, we are screwing ourselves up on the path of analytical meditation. But at the same time, we don't have to be
discouraged by that. We still are holding the striker, and we still have the gong in front of us. We still have our hand, which can move and hit the gong. Therefore, we can still produce the beautiful humming sound of
the gong again and again, as often as we want. And we can touch it; we can hold it. We can hug the gong over and over, as much as we want until we get totally tired of hugging the gong. Then there's a certain point
where we reach the peak of holding onto the gong. At that point, we can totally let go. We can totally let go of the thought of hugging; we can totally let go of the thought of touching, the thought of making it
mine. Only then can we live in the presence of this beautiful sound of humming. Resting Meditation: Freedom from Clinging
It is through analytical meditation that this beautiful humming sound of the experience of selflessness, the shunyata experience, is produced. The analytical process is the
ringing of the gong that leads us to the effortless enjoyment of the beautiful humming sound, which is resting meditation. And that resting meditation experience of egolessness, or selflessness, is very difficult to
attain without the analytical process of meditation. How can you get the gong humming without ringing it? It's pretty difficult. Maybe you can do that in virtual reality later, but now we need to have this method of
ringing the gong in order to experience the humming sound of the bell. In order to totally let go of holding onto the gong, of our attachment to the gong, we need to ring the bell again and again. As far as vipashyana,
as far as mindfulness is concerned, that is the whole process we work through in analytical meditation, which leads us to the stage of resting meditation. That's a brief discussion on the techniques or the
methods of practicing the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, which was the fourth point. We have talked about different points, and that was the fourth point, if you still remember, if it has not become gigo.
"Garbage in, garbage out." (laughs) But it's good garbage. It's mindfulness. 5 of 6 |
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