3b. Mahamudra: How to Discover Our True Nature - Sunday Session

Venerable Robina Courtin teaches on "Mahamudra: How to Discover Our True Nature.", a book of Lama Yeshe's teachings edited by Venerable Robina. The original teachings by Lama Yeshe were given in Bendigo, Australia in 1981; hosted by Atisha Centre.
Lama Yeshe tells us that mahamudra is “the universal reality of emptiness, of nonduality” and its unique characteristic is its emphasis on meditation: “With mahamudra meditation there is no doctrine, no theology, no philosophy, no God, no Buddha. Mahamudra is only experience.” (bit.ly/Mahamudr...)
Lama Yeshe’s famous teaching style is fully present in this book, according to the book’s editor, Ven. Robina Courtin: “His words are not only experiential but also direct, funny, deceptively simple, and incredibly encouraging-enlightenment seems possible.” (from the FPMT website bit.ly/Mahamudra1)
The use of the word "emptiness" - Empty of *what*? (0:26)
When the penny drops... (6:42)
The emptiness of something is not the nothingness of something (10:20)
On the Heart Sutra... (11:05)
Q: In science once you understand logically a topic, the penny drops. Why is it not the same in Buddhist science? Emptiness is logically easy to understand, why does this emptiness penny not drop that easily, even though we understand intellectually? (21:55)
Q: Would "Reality" be a word that the Buddha would use for that which truly exists? (23:25)
Q: So then the I does exist in in some subtle way that it seems like it exists. And the “I “ exists upon the mind calling it the “I”?(23:54)
Q: Can't the fact that everything is made of the same elements - just in different combinations = also explain emptiness, since it's all the same thing anyway? (26:03)
Q: Can the emptiness of pink be a label for the absence of any other colour? The absence of red, etc. (27:06)
Q: Is it like looking at one of those optical illusion paintings where when you stare at it for long enough a picture of a form is within the patterns? (28:12)
Q: Can you elaborate on the role of intention… is intention what we often confuse to be the “I” in so far as it often runs the show. (28:54)
We don't even need an "I" that runs the show - an analysis (29:27)
Q: The only person who can cognize the absence of tea is the person who expects to find tea. I get that. But what if the person looking for the I expects NOT to find the I. How then, can the absence of the I be cognized. (35:58)
Q: Am I correct in this? I exist exactly where there is no I...[with question clarification] (36:34)
Q: What directs the intention? Is it karma or habit? If so, what creates a new habit? (40:29)
The real meaning of the word "karma" (41:27)
Q: What is the role of the ego in relation to intention, is it merely labeled as well? (41:51)
Q: Does that mean that intention will be driven purely by virtue once we remove the habitual delusions and karmic imprint (44:56)
Q: If we realise the emptiness of “I”, and the “I” is a dependent arising, do we also realise our interconnection with every other sentient being? Is this synonymous with “oneness”, “one consciousness” and having a non-conceptual experience of this? Can we arrive at the same realisation of the “emptiness of I” if we feel this connection with others/ everything else? Or is it just a nice experience during meditation? (45:24)
Q: Pardon ignorance, what is the role of emptiness in Buddhism? (50:52)
Q: As a relative beginner to Buddhist practice how often should I meditate and what type of meditation is best? (52:04)
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May anyone who sees, hears, thinks of, remembers or has anything to do with even a moment of these teachings, create the causes for enlightenment within their mindstream.
The merit created through the uploading and accessing, viewing, listening to or remembering of these teachings is dedicated to the long life and continued teaching of all teachers of the Mahayana, to the immediate rebirth of Judy (and all those beings who have recently died) into Amitabha’s pure realm, to the benefit of the people whose names were added to the dedication list during the weekend course and to all beings in all the six realms.