Qualities of Our True Nature II

We are continuing to contemplate and discuss the concept of the ego as “The Veil That Obscures Who We Are.”

So, what is it that is being “veiled?” What is our True Nature?

Last week we looked at the Buddhist concept of Buddha Nature. This week, we look at Nature of Mind from the perspective of Dzogchen, a tradition within Tibetan Buddhism. Dzogchen asserts, with other Mahayana traditions, not only that we all have within us the capacity to become fully enlightened buddhas, but also that in some sense we already are buddhas, in that this pristine awareness is our fundamental nature and the nature of our world, simply waiting to be re-discovered.

Three Qualities of the Nature of Mind in Dzogchen:

1. Essence – Emptiness: The essence of the mind is “emptiness.” This is the unchanging, fundamental nature of mind, which is beyond concepts and duality.
   
2. Nature – Clarity: The nature of the mind is “clarity” or “luminosity.” While the essence is emptiness, the nature is the mind’s ability to be aware, to perceive, and to have cognizance. This luminous clarity, or knowing quality, is what allows experiences and appearances to manifest in the mind.
   
3. Energy – Compassionate Responsiveness: The energy of the mind is “compassionate responsiveness” or “unimpeded manifestation.” This refers to the dynamic, active quality of the mind that engages with the world, manifesting as compassionate action and responsiveness to the needs of beings.
   

These three aspects are inseparable and describe the ultimate nature of mind as understood in the Dzogchen tradition.

Again, as last week, if we can accept this description, even for the sake of investigation, then the questions apply:

• Can we find this True Nature within ourselves? Where else would we go to find it?
  
• What are the qualities of our nature that we recognize from our own experience within (or outside of) our meditation practice? Do they align or resonate with the qualities above.
  
• If we recognize these qualities, can we truly accept that these qualities are who we really are, our True Nature?
  
• Do we need to understand our nature in order to accept it? Or is our True Nature, in some sense, beyond the conceptual mind?