Tag Archives: Parato ghosa

The Deathless

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Vajragoni

Not knowing the Way of Deathlessness,
What use is there to quieten the mind.

The Bodhisattva develops the fine-art of Smṛti and thus turns-about from the Moving Principle by Recollecting the Animating Impetus that is at the Very Heart of Suchness. The Bodhi-minded one does not move an inch in samsara. He now employs only the Mantle of Deathlessness. If Smṛti should ever be lost, one loses the Deathless Principle, but whoever rightfully employs it will continue to have the Deathless as one’s constant companion. Trying to engage in any form of meditation technique without first employing Smṛti will never quieten the anxious mind that is still held spellbound by the bewitching influences of the raging vijñānas. By faithfully attuning oneself to it one will never be distracted again by the demon monkey-psyche. Once kissed by the Deathless Sound (Parato ghosa), there is no turning back for the Bodhisattva. She’s now come face to face with deathlessness and is perfumed with IT’s markless-mark. There is no longer any need to employ lesser vehicles to quieten the mind, for her own Bodhi-gnosis is now complete and unexcelled. Pure, unadulterated, Imageless Tathata; indeed, to paraphrase a familiar spiritual adage, “And I live, now not I, but the Deathless Unborn Spirit liveth in me.” read more

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Sans Sound: Bardo 3, Dhammasota

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Vajragoni

One of the most moving stories in the Bible is found in the Book of 1 Kings. It revolves around the time when Elijah the prophet was feeling down and out. He begged that the Lord’s strength would come and help him to regain his religious fervor. Naturally, he imagined that this would be manifested to him in some strong and extroverted fashion—some earth-shattering portrayal on the part of God. Yet what was revealed to him was something totally unexpected. First there came along a strong wind—like a tornado bearing down on him; but God was not in the wind. Next there came a terrifying earthquake and Elijah was rattled in his bones; but God was not in the earthquake. Then he was suddenly engulfed in a vast ring of scorching-fire; but God was not in the fire. Lastly there came upon him a gentle and soothing breeze; inwardly he sensed the deathless voice of God himself comforting his weariness. This lovely pericope describes what is considered, through many Spiritual-Contemplative disciplines, as experiencing the Absolute Godhead AS IT IS—devoid of any overbearing anthropocentric or naturally (within nature herself) based attributes that feebly attempt to describe and/or define this completely Transcendent Exposure. This is truly reflective of the Parato ghosa, or the great and magnificent deathless sound not seen nor heard through conventional apparati, but truly experienced as emanating from the Very Sacred Heart of Suchness Itself. read more

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The Sound of Silence

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Vajragoni

9.The Dharma-Door of Nonduality

We now come to the most famous passage in the whole sutra: Vimalakriti’s Noble Silence. It deserves special consideration. We find all of the Bodhisattvas expounding ad nauseam (all dribbling nonsense) their take on the nature of Non-duality. When all of the grandiose extrapolations have ceased, we find Mañjuśrī succinctly downplaying their theories as being in themselves “dualistic”. Then he addresses Vimalakriti for his take on the matter, and of course Vimalakriti responds with a deafening silence. read more

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