Voici le second de quatre articles reprenant (en anglais) les réponses que donna en 2002 Jigmé Khyentsé Rinpoché à Sandra Scales, pour le livre qu'elle préparait à propos des Maîtres Nyingmapas du bouddhisme tibétain... texte reproduit avec l'autorisation de J. Kh. Rinpoché.
Read the first part of this text
Part 2 :
Regarding why I myself turn to my teachers and the path, it's not beacause they are entertaining, and it's not only beacause the dharma is interesting. It's because I have no other way out. We begin by renouncing what does not fit with our spiritual aspirations, that is, our negative emotions (or impractical emotions, if you don't like the word "negative".") Our minds have many impractical habits, starting with ignorance, attachment or lust, and aggression. For example, being obsessed by something is not pleasant and is impractical. We might enjoy being in love, but being hopelessly in love is impractical. Obsessively hating someone or something is impractical. Extreme emotions simply do not support our well-being or our aspirations on the path. And that is why we need to train our minds.
To train our minds successfully, we must cultivate diligence and concentration. Normally, we just eat, sleep and distract ourselves, but we can foster diligence by giving this mind of ours some measure of discipline, some concentration and by not letting it roam indiscriminately wherever it pleases. In fact, perhaps just the act of watching our minds for one moment is in itself a discipline. For example, if we can catch those instants when we think, "Maybe I should go out" or "Maybe I should sit and meditate", we have a way of developing discipline, because right there, in those very moments of decision, is where the potential for freedom or distraction lies.
You'll notice as we sit here now we're thinking of a multitude of things. But if we become aware of our mind's distractions even for a moment, that is what is meant by "setting the mind in concentration". If we don't grasp the moment, the mind is lured away to do its usual things. It follows what it likes and fights what it doesn't like. I can't speak for you, but my mind is involved in only one of two occupations ; it either raves about something or criticizes something. It either likes or dislikes.
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Read also (in french) teachings on the "nature of mind" by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
