Sashin's notes
A good friend bought this for my birthday. It goes through the lineage of spiritual teachers in the Tibetan tradition of Buddhism, from the ancient masters down to present day. At the beginning of the book is my favourite poem. I would like you to read it carefully.
Free and Easy
Happiness cannot be found
through great effort and willpower
but is already present,
in open relaxation and letting go.
Don’t strain yourself,
there is nothing to do or undo.
Whatever momentarily arises in the body-mind has no real importance at all,
has little reality whatsoever.
Why identify with, and become attached to it, passing judgement upon it and ourselves?
Far better to simply let the entire game happen on its own,
springing up and falling back like waves –
without changing or manipulating anything –
and notice how everything vanishes and reappears,
magically, again and again, time without end.
Only our searching for happiness
prevents us from seeing it.
It’s like a vivid rainbow which you pursue without ever catching
or a dog chasing its own tail
Although peace and happiness do not exist
as an actual thing or place,
it is always available
and accompanies you every instant
Don’t believe in the reality
of good and bad experiences;
they are like today’s ephemeral weather,
like rainbows in the sky.
Wanting to grasp the ungraspable,
you exhaust yourself in vain.
As soon as you open and relax this tight fist of grasping,
infinite space is there – open, inviting and comfortable.
Make use of this spaciousness, this freedom and natural ease.
Don’t search any further.
Don’t go into the tangled jungle looking for the great awakened elephant,
who is already resting quietly at home
in front of your own hearth
Nothing to do or undo,
nothing to force,
nothing to want,
and nothing missing –
Emaho! Marvellous! Everything happens by itself.
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