Eva Natanya, 06 Apr 2020
Eva (Yangchen) begins with a meditation on the root text of Dudjom Lingpa’s terma, “Heart Essence of the Dakinis,” which leads us through the four thoughts that turn the mind to dharma, or the four revolutions of mind, leading up to renunciation (spirit of emergence) and refuge. Eva then quickly reviews the various scopes of taking refuge, summarizing them as either taking refuge out of fear or out of the wish to free oneself and all beings based in an insight that such an aspiration can actually be fulfilled.
Eva then turns to the various levels of taking refuge, listing the common, inner, and secret objects of refuge. Common: Buddha as Teacher; Dharma as entryway to authentic path; and Sangha as guides or aides along the way. She also mentions the medical framework within which Buddha is doctor, Dharma is the medicine, and Sangha is like the nurses. Inner objects: Guru, Yidam, and Dakas and Dakinis. Secret: Nature of one’s own existence, Samantabhadra. Finally, she explains this deepest refuge as the nature of reality expressed in the three kayas of Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, and Nirmanakaya (Essential Nature, Manifest Nature, and Compassionate Expression). The text explains taking these nondually as the path is the authentic unsurpassed way to go for refuge.
Eva then comments on the ways in which other worldly objects of refuge will not protect us, citing the beautiful confessional prayer written by Khandro la regarding the negative karma based in misguided seeking of refuge that has given rise to the pandemic. Eva also turns to the issue of what constitutes “true refuge” and whether these teachings are telling us that only a “Buddhist” refuge is the true refuge. Speaking of her own experience in navigating the Catholic and Buddhist paths, she points to the idea that what is meant in the teachings is that “true refuge” points to the true heart of reality, and that in theory even non-Buddhist paths could serve as “true refuge” if they are leading to an authentic path of awakening, culminating in a realization of ultimate reality.
The final portion of the session is devoted to a meditative reading of the description of the field of refuge as given in Dudjom Lingpa’s commentary to the root text.
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