Yang Ning
(Spontaneous Dharma Teaching #51578)
Jan 4, 2022
Questioner: I resonate deeply with you. When you said, “I am Buddha,” I was completely
shaken. In that moment, I got it—all illusions are just forms. I simply abide in emptiness.
Back in two-thousand-five, I realized my true nature. I was everywhere—entering tables,
entering walls. All life was me. Even the toilet bowl was me. And whenever I spoke, there
was this resonant… Ommm… I could enter any space-time tunnel, and I dared not sound.
That state lasted for half a year.
Now, I have one question: What is the state of the Ten Suchnesses? Master, where is my
sticking point? How can I best serve all beings? I’m living this life for this purpose alone.
#
Your meditative state is essentially your understanding of emptiness. For example, you feel
like you’ve entered into everything—you’ve entered the toilet bowl, or whatever. But you
haven’t yet detached from the notion of people. So, when you say you’ve “entered”
something, while you haven’t fully detached from notions… how can you actually enter a
cup? If you can still even say, “The cup and I… ”—in terms of dharma-characteristics, both
are manifestations of emptiness.
It’s one, yet it’s also two. In appearance, two; in reality, one. In essence, we are one—you
can say all that. But how can you enter the cup? And then claim that you are everything?
Before you fully detached from notions, you stay you, and they stay they. You just haven’t
reached that stage of realization yet. It requires the perfection of the six senses (perfect
penetration of the six faculties). Only then you can achieve that state. Right now, it’s just a
feeling—a mental sensation. You haven’t broken through this sensory state. “I feel… I
think…” You only FEEL it to be that way. This is one way to understanding emptiness. It’s not
wrong to think like this. It’ll gradually deepen and become complete.
And as for your feeling that… many of these states you’re experiencing are tied to the
causes and conditions from your past lives. Once, you were a tiny insect—some kind of
small bug, or a bird, or something—and you received a kind of blessing. Back then, there
was an Arhat flying through the sky. He flew through the sky. You landed on his sleeve. He
took you along to many places. You were like a grasshopper, or something like that, and you
benefited from being around the Arhat. Many of the meditative states you encounter now are
imprints of his realization. For you, it’s just mind blowing.
However, your own realization isn’t there yet. Your personal realization is still insufficient.
Since you were physically with him, together with him, and you’ve learned the right view of
emptiness, these states easily arise in your world. But you still have many subtle blind spots.
Your view and realization aren’t totally clear. Your states may be elevated, but your view isn’t
fully penetrating. And your practice lacks depth—your right concentration isn’t strong
enough. Your concentration is weak. You couldn’t have reached this alone.So, just keep going. Keep listening, reflecting, practicing. Cultivate calm-abiding,
concentration, and awareness. Then remember—a state is simply a state. I know you don’t
cling to them, since you’ve studied the Diamond Sutra and all. It’s just how the causes and
conditions are. So just keep practicing.
#
Questioner: “I’ve known you were my Master since I was five. I knew you came into this
world to help us awaken.”
Master: “Right.”
Questioner: “Sorry if that was too much.”
Master: “Yes.”
Questioner: “Sorry, everyone.”
#
It’s fine, it’s fine.Your luminous state is strong, because that Arhat’s cultivation was so high,
and it left a deep mark on you. Many of these experiences came from him. The attainment is
his. You were just along for the ride. Keep practicing in this way.
These are wholesome states, but don’t mistake them for realization. Don’t get a sense of
attainment. Just continue your practice. Don’t think, “I’m so great.” If you feel like you’ve
achieved so much, and gone beyond. Most likely, one tiny worldly matter, can shatter that
whole state. The second it hits that nerve, it all just crumbles. One day something really gets
under your skin, and in a flash, that whole state is gone. Your practice won’t even work.
You’ll start to doubt yourself: “Was all my past practice for nothing?”. Because part of that
state was borrowed power—a strength that wasn’t yours. Yet, such empowerment is truly
inconceivable. It is truly inconceivable. I rejoice in your experience—these are wholesome
states. Well then… keep going.