Alex Wilding

Great perfection or great completion are fairly reasonable translations for that, although again it's very often left in this quasi-Tibetan form of Dzogchen. Let's try to avoid that particular confusion right at the start. Now, perhaps we could step right back for a moment, broaden the perspective, look at the really big picture.

Great perfection or great completion are fairly reasonable translations for that, although again it's very often left in this quasi-Tibetan form of Dzogchen. Let's try to avoid that particular confusion right at the start. Now, perhaps we could step right back for a moment, broaden the perspective, look at the really big picture.

There are two fundamental competing narratives in much Buddhist teaching. Sometimes the tension between these narratives becomes explicit and leads to real conflict, while at other times the two are interwoven in one teaching, one practice or one practitioner.

There are two fundamental competing narratives in much Buddhist teaching. Sometimes the tension between these narratives becomes explicit and leads to real conflict, while at other times the two are interwoven in one teaching, one practice or one practitioner.

For the moment, I'm going to call them the cause narrative and the spontaneous narrative, so that they at least have provisional names, and I'll say rather more about what I mean in a few minutes. Some more academic authors have given these two narratives the rather long names of gradualist and subitist, or sudden enlightenment approaches.

For the moment, I'm going to call them the cause narrative and the spontaneous narrative, so that they at least have provisional names, and I'll say rather more about what I mean in a few minutes. Some more academic authors have given these two narratives the rather long names of gradualist and subitist, or sudden enlightenment approaches.

My feeling is that these common, and let it be said far from unreasonable, labels do put a little bit too much emphasis on time. Enlightenment appears to be instantaneous in one view, or necessarily takes a long, long time, perhaps aeons in the other view.

My feeling is that these common, and let it be said far from unreasonable, labels do put a little bit too much emphasis on time. Enlightenment appears to be instantaneous in one view, or necessarily takes a long, long time, perhaps aeons in the other view.

Both of these extremes can be criticised for their own different reasons, and I think caused enlightenment and spontaneous enlightenment might be just a tiny bit more helpful. Something very similar to these two narratives is found in many other spiritual traditions, some of which are quite distant from Buddhism.

Both of these extremes can be criticised for their own different reasons, and I think caused enlightenment and spontaneous enlightenment might be just a tiny bit more helpful. Something very similar to these two narratives is found in many other spiritual traditions, some of which are quite distant from Buddhism.

Whether this is a fundamental or some might say archetypal human thing or not is a matter that I'll leave to the people who like dealing with grand, overarching theories of human behaviour. My own brief and not exactly stellar dip into the academic world more than 40 years ago

Whether this is a fundamental or some might say archetypal human thing or not is a matter that I'll leave to the people who like dealing with grand, overarching theories of human behaviour. My own brief and not exactly stellar dip into the academic world more than 40 years ago

involved a look at one of those overarching theories, and I have to say, I found it wasn't exactly wrong, but neither was it very illuminating. But that's another story. So, one of these narratives has it that enlightenment is brought about by following the path, that is, by completing the two accumulations, one of which is the accumulation of merit, and the other being the accumulation of wisdom.

involved a look at one of those overarching theories, and I have to say, I found it wasn't exactly wrong, but neither was it very illuminating. But that's another story. So, one of these narratives has it that enlightenment is brought about by following the path, that is, by completing the two accumulations, one of which is the accumulation of merit, and the other being the accumulation of wisdom.

This involves lots of ethics, lots of good deeds, lots of giving, endless patience, lots of study, lots of meditation on emptiness. Eventually, when we've done enough of this, we reach the status of being an Arhat or even a Buddha. The other narrative says, no. Didn't somebody say something about all compounded things being impermanent? Oh, yes, it was the Buddha, wasn't it?

This involves lots of ethics, lots of good deeds, lots of giving, endless patience, lots of study, lots of meditation on emptiness. Eventually, when we've done enough of this, we reach the status of being an Arhat or even a Buddha. The other narrative says, no. Didn't somebody say something about all compounded things being impermanent? Oh, yes, it was the Buddha, wasn't it?

That kind of enlightenment may be wonderful, but if it's constructed of merit and accumulated wisdom, it has to fall apart sooner or later. This second narrative has it that awakening is based on the recognition or realization of the pure, empty, limitless, trackless and luminous expanse of the mind. If we recognize that, then we've got it. Staying with it is, however, so very, very hard.

That kind of enlightenment may be wonderful, but if it's constructed of merit and accumulated wisdom, it has to fall apart sooner or later. This second narrative has it that awakening is based on the recognition or realization of the pure, empty, limitless, trackless and luminous expanse of the mind. If we recognize that, then we've got it. Staying with it is, however, so very, very hard.

And we do all this other stuff to stay with that realization. The other stuff is done from within that realization. None of it is strictly necessary, but it is the one means that we have available. There is also some competition between the supporters of Mahamudra and the supporters of Dzogchen. It will be interesting to have a little look at that too, but I must first make one thing clear.

And we do all this other stuff to stay with that realization. The other stuff is done from within that realization. None of it is strictly necessary, but it is the one means that we have available. There is also some competition between the supporters of Mahamudra and the supporters of Dzogchen. It will be interesting to have a little look at that too, but I must first make one thing clear.