The Natural State

art Kinuko.Y.Craft

The Natural State
Perfectly stay in the natural flow,
There is no other concentration.
Perfectly realize the natural state,
There is no other wisdom.
~ Patrul Rinpoche 

When shall I come to dwell in forests amongst the deer, the birds, the trees?
~ Shantideva

When both body and mind are at peace, all things appear as they are - perfect, complete, lacking nothing. 
~ Dogen Zenji

 
“Mountains and rivers, the great earth itself—these are the true masters, offering teachings without words.”
~ Chan Saying

“In the silence of the forest, where the winds chant their songs, one discovers the dharma more clearly than in a thousand sermons.”
~ Ajahn Chah

“Living among the pines and the cedars, I let the stream and rocks teach me how to practice.”
~ Ryokan

“To see the essence of things, walk in the wilderness; there, the mind and nature are one.”
~ Milarepa

“There are no greater temples than mountains, no more profound scriptures than rivers, no truer teachers than the rustling of leaves.”
~ Thich Nhat Hanh

“On retreat in nature, I see that the sound of the wind in the trees and the cry of the cuckoo are no different than the Buddha’s voice.”
~ Zen Master Bankei

“When the body sits at rest under a tree, the heart can truly take refuge in the forest’s stillness.”
~ Ajahn Sucitto

“A mind that is quiet and at ease, like a mirror reflecting the sky, finds its reflection in the unspoiled beauty of the natural world.”
~ Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

“The forests and mountains invite us to abide in a state of simplicity, to rediscover the ground of being.”
~ The Buddha, paraphrased from the Pali Canon

The great 13th century master Longchen Rabjam said that nature provides a perfect support for resting in “the mind of uncontrived naturalness” which lies at the heart of the Buddhist Great Perfection tradition.
One’s own present awareness, left as it is, in natural ease,
Beyond qualities and flaws to be added or removed, accepted or rejected,
Is the unaltered, unchanging wisdom of pure awareness;
And to rest in this experience is to unite view and meditation.
~ Patrul Rinpoche 

May you find your way home today - to your true nature, the natural state.
With Palms Together 

Lama Michael

Thanks to Michael Gregory