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“The main teaching of The Flight of the Garuda is divided into three principle sections of (1) ground, (2) path, and (3) result. The nature of mind is the ground and source of everything, both externally and internally. This is our foundation. The Buddha named this many different things according to the level of his teachings. He called it buddha-nature, tathagatagarbha, Prajnaparamita, Madhyamaka, Mahamudra, or simply Dzogchen. He also called it self-born awareness, ground tantra, the absolute nature of mind, ordinary mind, indestructible wisdom, the great youthful vase body, and the indestructible blissfulness of emptiness. All of these names point to the same ground: the nature as it is.
This is what we have to discover. We have to reveal the innate nature as it is. Revealing this nature is known as the “path,” and continuing to follow the path will bring the result of enlightenment.
The path is divided into three sections, which we’ve heard so many times from the great master Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche, as well as from many other great masters and books: (1) view, (2) meditation or practice, and (3) conduct. These three lead us to the full realization of our basic nature. Why do we have to reveal our basic nature if it’s already here? Because we’re deluded. We don’t see our innate nature so we can’t take full advantage and benefit of it. We have to reveal it exactly according to the way the nature is without using any fabrications or conceptual constructions. This is known as the “view.”
It’s so important to reveal our nature. It’s not just important—it’s crucial if we really want to transcend and remove all the chaotic situations that we go through in samsara. There is only one thing we have to do: reveal our innate nature.”
Venerable Khenpo Tsewang Rinpoche
2014 One Month Dzogchen Retreat on “Flight of the Garuda”
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