The purity of emptiness

• Discussion of low self-esteem and arrogance and humility and self-confidence
• Explanation of samsara and nirvana are equal
• Emptiness of the afflictive mind emptiness of the purified mind
• Overcoming the pitfalls of looking at samsara and nirvana as inherently bad and good
• Problems due to grasping at the appearance of this life
• Explanation of phenomena being manifold and having one taste
• Difference between being in samsara and being in nirvana

Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature 114: The Purity of Emptiness (download)

Contemplation points

1. What does it mean that samsara and nirvana are equal? On what level they are equal and why? On what level they are not equal? What is the danger of misunderstanding phrases like this?
2. Consider how grasping at samsara and nirvana as inherently bad and good affects your confidence in freeing yourself from samsara and attaining nirvana. How have you experienced this in your practice? What antidotes are helpful in countering grasping? What antidotes are helpful in countering the lack of confidence in your ability to practice and attain the path?
3. Consider how grasping affects your daily life: i.e. every time you get irritated, that’s what’s going on in the mind, etc., Really spend some time with this. Note how incorrectly you actually perceive yourself, others, and the world around you.
4. Conclude the contemplation with a feeling that, no matter where you are right now in your practice, it is possible to eliminate all the faults of samsara and actualize all the qualities of nirvana. Rejoice at how fortunate you are to have met the Dharma and spiritual mentors to guide and teach you.