Namo Guru!
The master, Padmasambhava, whose realization is equal to the truly and completely awakened Samantabhadra, who possessed in his mind all the teachings on the view and meditation, and never strayed from the true meaning, was asked by Lady Tsogyal of Karchen about all the key points for resolving the realization of Descending With A View From Above…
The Lady of Karchen asked the Lotus Master,
“From where do all that appears and exists, the phenomena of संसार (Samsāra) and निर्वाण (Nirvāṇa), first arise?”
The Master replied,
All that appears and exists, the phenomena of Samsara and Nirvana, arise from the solidified habitual tendencies of labeling. There are three types of labeling: mental labels, cognitive labels and verbalized labels. Mental labels make thoughts move. Cognitive labels build up habitual tendencies. And verbalized labels manifest the manifold objects. It would therefore be better if you stop labeling.
Lady Tsogyal asked the Master,
“How does one become free from attaching labels?”
The Master replied,
When you are free from the thought activity of mental labeling, you will be free from the cognitive labels ‘good’ and ‘evil.’ And when free from that, you will also be free from attaching the names of verbalized labeling. By being free from the multitude of dream habits, you are free from labeling names. By being free from that, you will be free from the label ‘bardo.’ And free from that, you will be free from the label ‘birth’ and ‘death.’ By being free from these, you will have stopped the stream of Samsaric rebirths.
All phenomena are names, labeled by thoughts. These names are not real. So it would be better to be free from labeling.
The Lady asked,
“What is the way to be free from labeling?”
The Master replied,
The phenomena of Samsara and Nirvana — even though when labeled and conceptualized they may appear as enjoyable or offensive, pleasant or painful, as me, myself and others, and so forth — all naturally dissolve when you neither alter their names, nor attach any labels, but leave them in their natural state.
Lady Tsogyal asked the Master,
“What is the meeting point beyond both Buddhas and sentient beings?”
The Master replied,
When there are neither Buddhas nor sentient beings, the natural state is beyond knowing and unknowing, beyond realization and lack of realization, beyond real and unreal, good and evil — and thus free from all types of labeling.
Lady Tsogyal asked the Master,
“How are sentient beings then deluded into this labeling?”
The Master replied,
The ego arises from that in which there is nothing to label. As this habitual tendency to ego beliefs solidifies, names are formed, such as father and mother, child and possessions, enemy and friend, objects of the senses and so forth. In this way, ego belief and labeling delude you into The Six Realms.
Lady Tsogyal asked the Master,
“How does one, then, attain enlightenment?”
The Master replied,
You are not enlightened through fabricated Dharmas. You need a Dharma beyond fabrication. You are not enlightened through indicated Dharmas. You need a Dharma beyond indication. You are not enlightened through explained Dharmas. You need a Dharma beyond explanation. You are not enlightened through cultivated Dharmas. You need a Dharma beyond cultivation.
Don’t do anything. Don’t go anywhere. Don’t think. Don’t construct. Don’t judge. Don’t focus. Don’t support. Don’t take aim. Don’t cling. Without anything whatsoever, simply remain. Don’t even label this Buddha. Dharmakaya is beyond thought, word and description.