Our mind, this mind,
Here all cluttered and mad,
unable to see
reality,
unable to know that
pristine knowledge
beyond belief,
beyond grasping
at what is not real,
unable to control
all these disturbances,
unable to clear away
all that nonsense we keep thinking is real;
We sit in meditation,
looking at mind, not knowing,
really,
that this entity we think we are,
this body, is just
mental body;
Our physical realm
is
just an illusion,
just a figment of our imagination,
just a fabrication of ego,
and we, here,
in this physical body,
keep forgetting,
not knowing that we’ve
inhabited an infinite number of physical bodies,
not knowing that we inhabit,
always thinking,
asserting with certainty,
that these ever-changing corpses are somehow real!
What nonsense it is to live with this insanity,
to live without knowing who we really are!
It is time to purify mind!
It is time to clear the clutter!
It is time to realize who we really are!
Purify!
Always purify mind,
purify karma,
purify defilements,
purify delusion,
send it all away!
Then rest in that pristine state
of perpetual knowing,
this discovery of what is, as it is!
Purify with mantras!
Purify with insight into our essence!
Purify with the intention to awaken!
OM MANI PADME HUM!
OM MANI PADME HUM!
OM MANI PADME HUM!
A poem by Robert Aho © 2025
Purification, when it comes to awakening, has nothing to do with Western notions of sin or cleansing the physical body or removing impure elements. Purification, in the sense that I am using it, has to do with removing obstacles so that we can awaken. Sometimes we can say that any obstacle that prevents you from awakening is a demon. This can be anything from a disturbing emotion to an ignorant idea. Purification really comes down to looking at your own mind and addressing those things that are preventing you from unifying with that pristine bright condition that I’ve often referred to as Timeless Luminosity.
Timeless Luminosity is our primordial condition, it is what some refer to as Source or Dharmakaya. We’ve never actually separated from our primordial condition, even though we work very hard to do just that when we constantly cling to thoughts and emotions. It’s not possible to be separate from all and beyond. Even this notion of self is dependent upon absolutely everything else in order for it to exist at all. When one thing changes at the far side of the universe, we change, even though we have no knowledge of that. We’re constantly changing, and we change in a way that defies ordinary human knowledge.
Our own life is a distraction from this pristine knowledge. We’re born, we get sick, we get old, we die, then we’re reborn. Every time we are reborn, we have a completely new set of problems and distractions to deal with. We need to figure out how to utilize this physical body, we have to get along with those around us, we need to learn how to communicate, what to eat, where to live, what is expected of us—and throughout all of this we remain distracted by all these complications and problems. It’s very difficult to find a way out of cyclic existence for this reason. We’re trapped by our own delusions and day to day problems, because this causes us to remain in a perpetual distraction. This is why we must settle down and investigate mind.
If we don’t find time for daily Spiritual Practice, we’ll have wasted our life completely. Nothing whatsoever is more important than awakening. If we don’t awaken, then the pain and suffering will go on forever, the delusion will never end, as we remain trapped.
Please don’t conflate Spiritual Practice with religion. If we wish to awaken, we must, in a very neutral, natural way, investigate mind. Religion is not necessary, as it can often become a terrible obstacle, especially if someone is trying to convince you of something that requires belief. When we aspire to awaken, then we place awakening itself above all else, above any belief. This means that we must be ready to let go of any and all beliefs as the mind becomes purified. Remember, awakening is not the same thing as belief, it is beyond belief. Awakening means discovering reality; and, reality cannot be constrained by a mere human belief, or any belief for that matter.
When we purify, we are getting real. We’re finding ways to see clearly. This bright reality, our natural condition, begins to shine through. We can’t do this by relying upon someone else for answers. We must discover for ourselves, and this takes very deep insight and a constant adherence to this notion of removing all obstacles, which means letting go of what is not real. Belief is never real; it is a lie that we tell ourselves in order to temporarily cope with something on the relative level. We must be ready to let go of any and all beliefs as we purify, as we see with more and more clarity.
Purification is always necessary, if we are on the Path. Relax and be efficient with your Spiritual Practice. In time, you will definitely awaken, if you are genuine in this endeavor.
Blessings in Light,
Robert Aho