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International Journal of Transpersonal Studies Volume 20 | Issue 1 Article 6 1-1-2001 The eM aning of Self-Liberation and Some Loops From The ourS ce of Danger Is Fear Elías Capriles University of the Andes Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies Part of the Philosophy Commons, Psychology Commons, and the Religion Commons Recommended Citation Capriles, E. (2001). Capriles, E. (2001). The meaning of self-liberation and some loops from The ours ce of danger is fear. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 20(1), 53–66.. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 20 (1). http://dx.doi.org/10.24972/ ijts.2001.20.1.53 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals and Newsletters at Digital Commons @ CIIS. It has been accepted for inclusion in International Journal of Transpersonal Studies by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ CIIS. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Meaning of Self-Liberation and Some Loops From The Source ofDanger Is Fear Elias Capriles University of the Andes Merida, Venezuela Self-liberation does not mean that a self is liberated from delusorily valued thoughts or delusory experiences; what it means is that such thoughts and experiences liberate themselves spontaneously. Their liberation may take place in three main ways. The paradoxical, inverted dynamics of samsara manifest as countless ''laces" in which we tie ourselves up; understanding the functionality of these "laces" is one of the preconditions for them to self-liberate, the others being direct introduction and knowledge of the "treasure of instructions." I. The Base, Path and Fruit in the undeluded primordial cognitiveness nor the Dzogchen Teachings and the True incompleteness and self-encumbering inherent in Meaning of Self-Liberation delusion. It is when samsara has manifested that we need HE DZOGCHEN teachings of Tibetan Dzogchen as Path, which consists of the repeated Buddhism speak of Dzogchen as Base self-liberation of delusion in the unveiling of T (Tibetan: zhi (gzhi]), Dzogchen as Path Dzogchen as Base, and which, if carried on (Tibetan: lam [lam]) and Dzogchen as Fruit (Tibetan: thoroughly and uninterruptedly until its fmal drebu [>bras-bu]). 1 Dzogchen as Base is our original consequences, will result in the manifestation of condition of total (chenpo [chen-po])2 plenitude and Dzogchen as Fruit (which ultimately will imply the perfection (dzogpa [rdzogs-pa])3 -which, in samsara manifestation of one of the typically Dzogchen just as well as in nirvana, is the true condition of types of consummation of the physical organism).4 both the subject and the object, of both mind and In short, Dzogchen as Path and Dzogchen as Fruit matter, and in general of all entities. are but the direct unveiling of Dzogchen as Base In any given individual, this original condition - the difference between them being that the first may manifest three different ways of functioning: is transient, whereas the latter is definitive.5 (1) samsara, wherein a deluded consciousness fails Now we can explain why it is misleading to to apprehend the said condition as it is, and only speak of "self-liberation from delusorily valued perceives its own dualistic, substantialist fictions; thought," "self-liberation from delusory (2) nirvana, wherein the condition in question is experiences," and so forth. It so happens that "self­ apprehended as it is and thus experience is liberation" means that, rather than being liberated characterized by total plenitude, while actions are by an intentional action carried out by the mental marked by total perfection; and (3) a condition subject, delusorily valued thoughts and delusory called ''base of all" or kunzhi (kun-gzhi), wherein experiences liberate spontaneously, of their own neither samsara nor nirvana are manifest-so that accord. Moreover, when self-liberation occurs, the there is neither the perfect freedom inherent in illusion that there is a separate mental subject The International journal ofTranspersonal Studies, 2001, Vol. 20, 53-66 53 © 2001 by Panigada Press perceiving an object, or acting upon it, and so on, subject's intentional acts or spontaneous reactions. dissolves like a feather entering fire: The self­ Self-liberation being spontaneous liberation, its liberation of delusorily valued thoughts, delusory occurrence shows most clearly that the subject experiences and so on, involves the instant cannot cause it, and that the obstinate attempt to disappearance of the illusory mental subject. Any do so does but increase the force and intensity of attempt by the illusory mental subject to liberate delusion. However, even this attempt will not such thought or experience would confirm and prevent self-liberation, as the increase of the force sustain the illusion that there is a mental subject and intensity of delusion may lead it to a threshold separate from the flow of experience and from the level at which, its reductio ad absurdum having myriad potential objects. Since this is a most been achieved, its spontaneous liberation becomes essential aspect ofthe essential delusion at the root possible. In turn, this increase of delusion to a of samsara, it would bar self-liberation and sustain threshold level and its subsequent self-liberation samsara. Thus the phrase "self-liberation from will demonstrate even more clearly that the thoughts" is misleading insofar as it seems to imply subject's intentional actions or automatic reactions that there is an inherently existing self, soul or may not cause liberation. mental subject that, as a result of its own The following lines may illustrate the first type/ intentional action, is liberated from delusory capacity of self-liberation: thoughts, experiences, and so forth. Such a As I look into the thought in order to misunderstanding is likely to give rise to the apprehend its essence attempt by the illusory mental subject to liberate suddenly there is no one to look and nothing a delusorily valued thought, a delusory experience to be seen, and so on-which, as noted above, would bar self­ as subject and object instantly, spontaneously liberation. 6 dissolve The above explanation has to be made more independently of their will, like feathers entering fire: precise, as there is not one kind of self-liberation, Thought disappears on the spot and there only but a whole range, divided into three main types, remains corresponding to three principal capacities. the patency of inherently self-liberating Whereas the first type/capacity of self-liberation primordial cognitiveness.8 depends on a previous intentional movement of attention that intends to apprehend the true In turn, the second type/capacity of self­ essence of a thought that is already established as liberation may be poetically described in terms of an object, the second type/capacity of self-liberation the following lines: depends on an instant automatic reaction as the Like snakes delusorily valued thought begins to arise. The third tensions appear and dance in my breast; type/capacity of self-liberation does not involve like snakes either an intentional movement of attention toward they uncoil and free themselves on the spot a thought that is already established as object, or in the radiant, limitless, unborn a spontaneous reaction as the delusorily valued and empty expanse. thought begins to arise. In this last type of self­ To conclude, the third type/capacity of self- liberation, as the thought arises, it self-liberates, liberation may be poetically expressed as follows: like a drawing on water: thought is not delusorily valued even for an instant; therefore, it never veils Silence roars and darkness shines the "essence" or ngowo (ngo-bo) aspect of the Base, in the sparkling fullness of the void­ and if a thought arises which is voidness (shunyata, tongpanyi [stong-pa­ it is void 7 nyid], wu, mu). and therefore does not veil Though the first type of self-liberation is the roar of silence preceded by an intentional movement of attention in the fullness of the void. towards the thought that is already established as object, and the second type is preceded by an Since there is no longer an apparent distance instant automatic reaction of attention as the between a subject and an object, (we) cannot follow delusorily valued thought begins to arise, in neither patterns "down the river" as subjects who look of them is self-liberation produced by the illusory toward an object, but simply "remain in the 54 The InternationaL journaL ofTranspersonal Studies, 2001, Vc>l. 20 source" beyond the subject-object duality. Like and the consequent enlargement of the endlessly moving ripples in a spring, thoughts individual's space/time/knowledge may activate leave no traces and there is no mind to seek them: the process of reductio ad absurdum, just as the The "mirror" of primordial cognitiveness reflects introduction to the state of rigpa and the whatever appears at any moment, but no imprint knowledge of the methods outlined in the second is ever left on its surface, as there is no observer part of each section may create the conditions for to look into the mirror. Thus, there is no longer the system's self-liberation- or, in other words, any "meditation," but authentic, true self­ for the "lace" to undo itself spontaneously. liberation. In this paper I shall not reproduce the second part of each section, but only the first one, that II. The Source of Danger is Fear is, the one describing the "lace" in which we tie ourselves up. The reason for this is that the '71rE SoURCE ofDanger is Fear is a manuscript instructions contained in the second part are not 1 consisting of successive sections, the materials to be publicly/indiscriminately broadcast, but only of which came to me while I was in retreat in the transmitted individually to authorized, capable higher Himalayas practicing Dzogchen between practitioners, by an authorized, capable Master 1977 and December, 1982.

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