Student and Teacher

Together on the Path

As students on the Tibetan Bön Buddhist path, we offer our teachers a range of questions from the simple to the complex. Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche has a wonderful ability to understand human nature, cut to the truth and share his wisdom in his responses to these questions. Here is a comment from a student attending the 2018 Winter Retreat at Serenity Ridge and an edited excerpt given in reply by Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche.

Student: I'm in a whole different place now compared to before when there was so much exhaustion. Now, so many things are manifesting creatively and opening up for me. And I didn't plan any of it; I didn't even know where it was coming from! So it's remarkable to me, and I just wanted to let you know how it's been manifesting, and that it's like what you've been saying about staying in the space and letting the exhaustion and the pain identities go. 

TWR: Wonderful. Basically, exhaustion is the signal that there is a so much effort there. Generally, effort means trying. We don't always assume that effort is bad. Sometimes you have to exert effort. Philophically speaking, though, from the view of Buddhist epistemology, every arising of conceptual mind is effortful. There is not a single instance of conceptual mind which is not effort-related. But there are different degrees of effort. And when a lot of effort is expended, when there is a lot of trying, a lot of conceptual mind, then even if we may sometimes think that we like it, it's a very natural thing for exhaustion arise.  And where there is exhaustion, the natural response is, rest! [ long exhale] Ahhhhhh!  You see? Ah, and Hah are good words; they are the natural sounds of rest.  Ahhhhh . . . and then simply rest there . . . and rest even longer . . . and rest some more. Rest, rest, rest.

It's about really resting, until you become fully rested. You've seen how you can sleep well, right? In the moment when you are able to let go of everything, then you fall asleep. And the more stuff that you are able to let go of at bedtime, then the better sleep you will have. We all know that very well. Sometimes even after very good, short nap, you may wake up clear, and your pains are gone, and you are fresh.

Good rest gives birth to creativity, because what defines creativity, or what defines a good creation, is less effort! This effortless creative manifestation does not drain you – rather, it gives you energy, gives you joy. And that's actually what all of these teachings are about. In the end they're saying manifest! But from the right place, with no effort; enjoy your life and from there, be helpful, not passive.