The Introduction to Awareness

(Padmasambhava)

Herein is contained The Introduction to Awareness: Natural Liberation through Naked Perception, which is an extract from the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities: A Profound and Sacred Teaching, entitled Natural Liberation through Recognition of Enlightened Intention.

The Introduction to Awareness

Though this single nature of mind, which completely pervades both cyclic existence and nirvana,

Has been naturally present from the beginning, you have not recognised it.

Even though its radiance and awareness have never been interrupted,

You have not yet encountered its true face.

Even though it arises unimpededly in every facet of existence,

You have not as yet recognised this single nature of mind.

In order that this single nature might be recognised by you,

The Conquerors of the three times have taught an inconceivably vast number of practices,

Including the eighty-four thousand aspects of the sacred teachings.

Yet, despite this diversity, not even one of these teachings has been given by the Conquerors,

Outside the context of an understanding of this nature!

And even though there are inestimable volumes of sacred writings, equally vast as the limits of space,

Actually, these teachings can be succinctly expressed in a few words, which are the introduction to awareness.

The Actual Introduction to Awareness

Of fortunate children, listen to these words!

The term 'mind' is commonplace and widely used,

Yet there are those who do not understand its meaning,

Those who falsely understand it, those who partially understand it,

And those who have not quite understood its genuine reality.

Thus there has arisen an inconceivably vast number of assertions as to the nature of mind,

Posited by the various philosophical systems.

Further, since ordinary persons do not understand the meaning of the term 'mind,'

And do not intuitively recognise its nature,

They continue to roam through the six classes of sentient rebirth within the three world-systems,

And consequently experience suffering.

This is the fault of not understanding this intrinsic nature of mind.

The Three Considerations

The following is the introduction to the means of experiencing this single nature of mind

Through the application of three considerations:

First, recognise that past thoughts are traceless, clear, and empty,

Second, recognise that future thoughts are unproduced and fresh,

And third, recognise that the present moment abides naturally and unconstructed.

When this ordinary, momentary consciousness is examined nakedly and directly by oneself,

Upon examination, it is a radiant awareness,

Which is free from the presence of an observer,

Manifestly stark and clear,

Completely empty and uncreated in all respects,

Lucid, without duality of radiance and emptiness,

Not permanent, for it is lacking inherent existence in all respects,

Not a mere nothingness, for it is radiant and clear,

Not a single entity, for it is clearly perceptible as a multiplicity,

Yet not existing inherently as a multiplicity, for it is indivisible and of a single savour.

This intrinsic awareness, which is not extraneously derived,

Is itself the genuine introduction to the abiding nature of all things.

Consequences of the Introduction to Awareness

When the introduction is powerfully applied in accordance with the above method for entering into this reality:

One's own immediate consciousness is this very reality!

Abiding in this reality, which is uncontrived and naturally radiant,

How can one say that one does not understand the nature of mind?

Abiding in this reality, wherein there is nothing on which to meditate,

How can one say that, by having entered into meditation, one was not successful?

Abiding in this reality, which is one's actual awareness itself,

How can one say that one could not find one's own mind?

Abiding in this reality, the uninterrupted union of radiance and awareness,

How can one say that the true face of mind has not been seen?

Abiding in this reality, which is itself the cogniser,

How can one say that, though sought, this cogniser could not be found?

Abiding in this reality, where there is nothing at all to be done,

How can one say that, whatever one did, one did not succeed?

Given that it is sufficient to leave this awareness as it is, uncontrived,

How can one say that one could not continue to abide in that state?

Given that it is sufficient to leave it as it is, without doing anything whatsoever,

How can one say that one could not do just that?

Given that, within this reality, radiance, awareness, and emptiness are inseparable and spontaneously present,

How can one say that, by having practised, one attained nothing?

Given that this reality is naturally originating and spontaneously present, without causes or conditions,

How can one say that, by having made the effort to find it, one was incapable of success?

Given that the arising and liberation of conceptual thoughts occur simultaneously,

How can one say that, by having applied this antidote to conceptual thoughts, one was not effective?

Abiding in this immediate consciousness itself,

How can one say that one does not know this reality?

Observations Related to Examining the Nature of Mind

Be certain that the nature of mind is empty and without foundation.

One's own mind is insubstantial, like an empty sky.

Look at your own mind to see whether it is like that or not.

Divorced from views which constructedly determine the nature of emptiness,

Be certain that pristine cognition, naturally originating, is primordially radiant —

Just like the nucleus of the sun, which is itself naturally originating.

Look at your own mind to see whether it is like that or not!

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Be certain that this awareness, which is pristine cognition, is uninterrupted,

Like the coursing central torrent of a river which flows unceasingly.

Look at your own mind to see whether it is like that or not!

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Be certain that conceptual thoughts and fleeting memories are not strictly identifiable,

But insubstantial in their motion, like the breezes of the atmosphere.

Look at your own mind to see whether it is like that or not!

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Be certain that all that appears is naturally manifest in the mind,

Like the images in a mirror which also appear naturally.

Look at your own mind to see whether it is like that or not!

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Be certain that all characteristics are liberated right where they are,

Like the clouds of the atmosphere, naturally originating and naturally dissolving.

Look at your own mind to see whether it is like that or not!

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There are no phenomena extraneous to those that originate from the mind.

So, how could there be anything on which to mediate apart from the mind?

There are no phenomena extraneous to those that originate from the mind.

So there are no modes of conduct to be undertaken extraneous to those that originate from the mind.

There are no phenomena extraneous to those that originate from the mind.

So, there are no commitments to be kept extraneous to those that originate from the mind.

There are no phenomena extraneous to those that originate from the mind.

So, there are no results to be attained extraneous to those that originate from the mind.

There are no phenomena extraneous to those that originate from the mind,

So one should observe one's own mind, looking into its nature again and again.



If, upon looking outwards towards the external expanse of the sky,

There are no projections emanated by the mind,

And if, on looking inwards at one's own mind,

There is no projectionist who projects thoughts by thinking them,

Then, one's own mind, completely free from conceptual projections, will become luminously clear.

-Excerpts from The Tibetan Book of the Dead, by Padmasambhava