Dharma Roadside Dialogue. The Great Yoga: You are well trained if you can even withstand distraction.

YOU ARE WELL TRAINED IF YOU CAN EVEN WITHSTAND DISTRACTION.

Lojong 5:22

In the moment of a negative thought or disturbance, if you can maintain your composure and naturally apply the methods to subdue it without feeling any strain, then this means you are well trained. The correction is quite automatic owing· to your proficiency in practice. Even in the midst of an upheaval, you can remain composed and continue to use the immediate conditions to train. Like an expert rider, you ·won’t fall off the horse even when distracted.

Being stable in your practice does not mean that you no longer have any self-grasping. Rather, it means that when it does surface it is remedied right away. Naropa once said to Marpa:

“Your practice has attained to such a level that, like a coiled snake, you are able to release yourself in an instant.”

It will be evident that you have accomplished your practice when the five great qualities of mind arise:

Bodhicitta: The first great mind is bodhicitta. The effect of a dominant and pervasive bodhicitta mind is a complete feeling of satisfaction. While you continue to train, your contentment is so strong that you have no desire for anything else.

Great taming: Your mind is so tame that you notice the tiniest mistake which creates a negative cause and correct it immediately.

Great patience: You have enormous patience to subdue your negative emotions and defilements. You have no reservation whatsoever when it comes to dealing with a negative state of mind. In other words, you continue to train your mind no matter what.

Great merit: When everything you do, say, or think comes from one intention- to benefit others- then you are one with the dharma practice. Simultaneously, as you perform your daily practice and affairs, merit is accumulating continuously. That, in turn, directly supports your positive activities generating ever more merit. In this way, great merit multiplies automatically.

Great yoga: The great yoga (practice) is ultimate bodhicitta. It is the vast and profound mind of wisdom that exposes the nature of reality. To possess and sustain this perfect view is thus the quintessential dharma practice. Through Mind Training you will achieve these five great qualities of mind. You have to earnestly train to develop them, as they will not come about through wishful thinking.

Yoga is a complex word with many meanings. In this context, it is appropriate to examine how the term is used in Tibetan. The Tibetan word for yoga is “Neldjor” (rnal ‘byor). “Nel” is the original awakened nature of mind, the dharmakaya or truth nature. “Djor” is a verb that means to reach or attain. “Neldjor”, therefore, means to reach the original nature of mind.

The arising of the five great minds will prove that the essence of the bodhisattva practice has become your nature. You will not engage in any negativity no matter how small. You are in control and cannot be swayed by negative emotions. For you, all the remedies go into operation quite automatically even when you are not paying too much attention. As the remedies are being applied, you remain calm and balanced. Most of your time is naturally spent working for others or for your enlightenment (which is also, in effect, for sentient beings).

One very important point is this: true compassion is not emotional. Mature practitioners have a clear view grounded in ultimate bodhicitta. They already know the nature of suffering itself. Their compassion is influenced by wisdom so there is no sadness or emotion involved. Unhampered and free of emotions, bodhisattvas help others in a sensible and appropriate way.

Guru Yoga Six Verses

Gyalwa Karmapa IX

 I supplicate the precious Lama,

Bestow your blessing to abandon self-grasping.

Bestow your blessing to be continuously free from wants and desires.

Bestow your blessing to stop doubts, and mistrust in the dharma.

Bestow your blessing that I realize the mind to be beyond birth, cessation and dwelling.

Bestow your blessing that confusions are pacified into themselves.

Bestow your blessing that existence is realized to be dharmakaya.