Does It Make Sense?

Buddha’s awareness in his awakening revealed to him the fundamental essence of our existence remains constant and unchanging. This essential presence (Rigpa in Tibetan) is a natural trait  stripped of any artificial constructs and emerges as pure, unobstructed insight. In other words, the radiant light of our original mind enables us to experience life in all its facets through the lenses of our senses, allowing us to comprehend and make ‘sense’ of reality.

I often incorporate the question, “Does it make sense?” into my talks. It has become so ingrained in my speech that I hardly notice myself asking it. However, I am comfortable repeating this question because one of my most respected teachers did the same thing. I believe the purpose behind it is to hold the listener accountable. Does it make sense to you? If not, don’t worry about it. If it does, it is a sign that your pure, original mind is shining through.

We must observe the mind that perceives, regardless of whether it makes sense. This is how we remember our essential nature in any situation: we observe ourselves observing, and recognize the one who observes. Dudjom Rinpoche captioned a photo of himself in this way:

Look at this photo,
Then look at your mind,
Look at the one who is looking,
If you see this, you are the excellent one.

In other words, look at anything. Then look at your mind and the one who perceives. A La La! Does it make sense? Is the light shining through? What is this nonsense, anyway?