In your book Heart Drops of Dharmakaya , you mentioned that someone is ready to learn Trekcho and Thogal when their Natural State is very clear, so are there any external, internal or secret signs by which one can know that one is ready for such practices?
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Well, you are asking that when the visions come, whether your State is stable or not. There is a very clear sign. Quite often I am saying that when you gaze to space, you will see some visions, more or less, and they show you how far you have practised, to what extent you are familiar with Nature and stable.
If your visions are falling down like a waterfall, you are a complete beginner, you see, not ready to integrate anything else. You only need to try to keep on and on. When you gaze to space and keep in Nature and it becomes more and more stable, then the visions will be like a river flowing through smooth places, not through rough places. It's much more gentle and calm. So at that time, it is better to integrate with the visions already. If you wait, it is not sure how long you will have to wait. Also, these visions are not separate from Nature; practise visions and Nature together at the same time; they are the same thing.
Try to develop both of them at the same time. They both have to be developed and try to keep them both stable together.
There are several Teachings and texts which say that first of all you have to establish Trekcho and then start to practise Thogal.
Maybe some other Teachings are like that. For example, in our Nyen Gyud you have to learn both of them at the same time. Like children who are growing up, both the body and mind grow together; you can't wait until the body has grown straight up and then let the mind grow up.
You can't separate them.
This is the same Nature. Any time, try to integrate and practise both of them together; there is no need to wait, you don't know how long you will have to wait. Maybe your life is not long enough, and then what to do? Both of these - vision and stability - must be put together. They are not separate. If you gaze into space,
you are just practising, you see. You are trying to keep your mind in Nature and gazing to space, don't follow your visions, and that is all.
Both practices together.
Or if you are in the darkroom and visions come and you are still in the State, it is the same thing as gazing into space or using sunlight. You always have to integrate with Nature. You don't need to wait; you need to put them together and practise. Not separate.
Maybe some other texts teach that you should do them separately and maybe wait, but that is something different.
When I say that the sign comes - like a waterfall, river or ocean - that is NOT the sign that you are ready to practise with Thogal; it is very general and any kind of meditation gives that sign.
But I am saying that you can integrate Thogal practices when you have completely realized Nature itself very clearly and have been introduced, and after this, you can already begin to practise them together.
You don't have to wait for anything. The signs DON' T show that you are ready to practise Thogal, not at all. OK?
The purpose of Thogal: anybody can see something in space, but the Thogal visions are all Nature, they are not created, they are not your own visualization, nothing.
They are the same Nature which has power. This power emerges as visions which come. That is normal, but if a practitioner has more visions, they will develop respective to how much you practise, and they are evidence as to how our life and phenomenal existence all naturally emerge from Nature into Nature, and finally how they should be liberated into Nature.
The visions show this; these visions all come from Nature, and you can see that clearly, especially when you are in the darkroom and see lights, visions, colours and forms. You must understand that they don't come from anything external, they only come from your own Nature into Nature and are seen by Nature itself.
So that is evidence as to how our own life, universe, all the Six Realms - everything - is created. That is evidence, in a logical way. If you understand this then it is very, very practical and you will be a great scientist. If you don't realize or believe this evidence and it looks as if our life is separate and the visions are something else, then it doesn't mean anything special; it is similar to watching television.
So I am saying that these visions which come are Nature, you see.
Nature was not created by anybody. Don't be mistaken. When you realize Nature and use the Thogal methods at the same time, then these visions appear and you are stable in your realization of Nature; these two come together.
At that time these visions become Thogal visions. Normally, there are visions; that is Nature. But if this Nature is integrated with practice and realized, then these visions can develop; this normally comes through practising.
Anyone has visions, but usually they are not created in any particular way, they are Nature.
But visions have to be integrated with the realization of Nature.
Don't get that wrong and think that all sentient beings have Thogal visions; don't say that.
Thogal vision means that first you have to realize the Natural State properly.
Secondly you have to use the Thogal methods, and then visions can all come as Thogal vision.
Thogal vision means that they are all as Pure Vision. There is no integration with defilements, obscurations or emotions; nothing is integrated with them. So therefore they are called Pure Vision.
So at the same time, I have to explain about the Thogal methods I mentioned. In general, for beginners, the way to integrate
with the practice of Thogal means that anywhere - you don't need to find certain places, but wherever you are - keep in the Natural State.
One method is using eye gazes, gazing into space. In the morning time, gaze upwards, then gaze straight at midday, and then in the afternoon the gaze is a little lower. That is the method with eye gazes in space.
Space, the darkroom or sunlight don't do much, but they are kind of like a mirror which helps you.
You have energy - Nature has spontaneous energy - but there needs to be some kind of supporter, so these three can help a little bit. We usually say the darkroom and clear sky are supporters, but sometimes clouds can also be helpful; anyhow, these two are both space.
The third one is sun rays, sunlight. These three are the Supporters, but don't think anything can come from them!
Visions come from your own Nature, not from the object side.
Keep your breath as normal as possible, don't close your mouth.You can use the Three Eye Gazes for morning, midday and the afternoon in the darkroom, too.
First of all you have to do this, and then you will experience which is better for your own practice to make the visions come more clearly.