Table of Contents
Preface xi
Introduction 1
Part 1 Pristine Mind: Our Fundamental Nature
1 The Beauty of Pristine Mind 9
The Poor Man and the Treasure 9
The True Nature of Our Mind 11
2 The Eclipse of Pristine Mind 15
Mental Events 15
Primordial Fear 18
The Ego 23
3 From Discontent to Fulfillment 30
The Search for Comfort Zones 32
4 Turning the Mind coward Enlightenment 35
5 Finding Happiness Within 38
Part 2 Realization: Revealing Our Pristine Mind
6 The First Aspect of Realization: Who We Really Are 43
Calming the Mind 43
The Runway to Pristine Mind 44
Guided Meditation: The Realization of Pristine Mind 46
7 The Second Aspect of Realization: Who We Are Not 53
Thoughts and Emotions Are Like Clouds in the Sky 53
Mental Events Are Like Internal Demons 54
A Change in Attitude Gives Us a Choice 57
Changing Our Mental Diet 59
Clearing Our Mental Clutter 60
Attention: The Power Source of Mental Events 63
Freedom from the Chains of Beliefs 66
8 The Third Aspect of Realization: Mental Events Are Illusions 68
Looking Closely at the Nature of Thoughts and Emotions 70
The Power of Illusions 75
9 The Significance of Realization 77
Nirvana Is Here 77
Sudden and Gradual Realization 79
A Cure-All 80
True Human Experience 81
Part 3 Meditation: The Journey Deeper into Pristine Mind
10 Going Beyond Mindfulness 85
Mindfulness Meditation 85
The Purpose of Pristine Mind Meditation 89
11 Guided Meditation: The Experience of Pristine Mind 92
Driving the Pristine Mind Highway 95
Leave Your Mind Alone 96
An Ego-Free Zone 98
Cruising Altitude 99
A Boundless Experience 100
12 Experiences and Obstacles in Meditation 102
Noise Passes through Your Awareness 102
Calm and Clear 104
Hazy Mind 106
Do Not Linger Over Mental Events 107
Overcoming Obstacles in Meditation 108
Don't Give Up 110
The Growing Gap between Mental Events 112
13 Beyond the Cushion 114
Pristine Mind in Daily Life 115
14 Receiving the Benefits of Meditation 117
From Addiction to Contentment 117
Understanding "the View" 118
Fantastic Bodies and Difficult Minds 119
Applying Meditation in the Midst of Difficulties 121
There Is No Resistance in the Present Moment 122
The Place and Time for Meditation 123
Dying with Pristine Mind 124
Part 4 A Good Heart: The Companion to Pristine Mind
15 Three Principles: Realization, Meditation, and a Good Heart 129
Our World Is Colored by Our Mind 130
Four Components of a Good Heart 131
We Are All on the Same Flight 132
16 True Love 135
Romantic Love 136
A Truly Open Mind 138
17 Compassion 140
Not Just during a Crisis 140
Seeing Others' Needs 143
Compassion Is Courageous, Strong, and Patient 143
Letting Go Is Compassion 145
18 Rejoicing 147
19 Impartiality 149
20 The Benefits of a Good Heart 151
The Source of All Positive Qualities 152
A Good Heart and Marriage 154
The Student-Teacher Connection 155
Education and a Good Heart 157
Living Fully 158
Part 5 Enlightenment: Fully Awakened Pristine Mind
21 What Is Enlightenment 163
The Conditions for Enlightenment 163
The Four Stages of Awakening 164
22 The First Stage of Awakening 167
23 The Second Stage of Awakening 170
Transformation and Liberation 171
Knowing Our Internal Weather 173
24 The Third Stage of Awakening 175
Becoming Friends with Our Mental Events 175
Wind Blowing through Empty Space 177
Mastery of Our Mind 178
Enjoying Our Mental Events 178
Unconditional Happiness 179
The Healthy Way of Enjoying Sense Pleasures 181
25 The Fourth Stage of Awakening 186
Completely Perfect Enlightenment 186
Enlightened Mind Is Real Mind 187
Undistorted Perception 189
A Healthy Sense of Self 190
The Passing of an Enlightened Being 191
The Only Safe Place 191
Authentic Faith and Devotion 191
Homage to Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava 195
Acknowledgments 197
About the Author 199
About Pristine Mind Foundation 200
