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Time for another talk from Vajradarshini. More poetry, more Rumi, more listening joy. Actually, we just liked the title so much we had to go for it this month \\u2013 but, in fact, it\\u2019s another splendid journey around the idea of Enlightenment, using the languages of surrender and discipline from the Sufi context. It\\u2019s as heady as a sumptuous wine, but also sobering and down to earth, whether we\\u2019re \\u201cfollowing a railing in the dark\\u201d or walking lost \\u201cinside the red world\\u201d. Drink up!

Talk given at Taraloka Retreat Centre, 2005

Contents

01 Starting with a poem by Rumi \\u2013 not a \\u2018sensible\\u2019 talk

02 \\u2018Enlightenment\\u2019; following a railing in the dark; wine in Rumi\\u2019s poetry; the Dharma as studying the self; surrender and discipline

03 The Tavern \\u2013 pushing off for Truth; \\u2018managing\\u2019 samsara and settling down

04 Fermentation; being cooked \\u2013 slowly

05 How we are cups; two ways we limit ourselves \\u2013 i. literalism; a quote from Aloka \\u2013 abandoning ideas of what the \\u2018path\\u2019 is

06 Sangharakshita on literalism and craving; effective Going for Refuge and giving up limited ideas; the antidote to beauty

07 ii. Utilitarianism; Sangharakshita\\u2019s idea of the Greater Mandala of Uselessness; literal takes on aesthetics; breaking the cups

08 Pushing off into truth; kinds of connection with Buddhas and Bodhisattvas; Reality and form and emptiness; visualistaion practice and life \\u2013 things arising and disolving

09 \\u2018Fana\\u2019 and \\u2018baka\\u2019 in Rumi\\u2019s poetry \\u2013 two streamings across the doorsill; Shams-e-Tabrizi \\u2013 Rumi\\u2019s teacher

10 The importance of reflecting on form and emptiness; the eight-point mind training \\u2013 taking all obstacles with you on the path; the Bodhisattva Ideal from the perspective of emptiness; spiritual practice in a world neither real nor illusory

11 Pema Chodron on how to avoid burn-out; shunyata and unrealistic ideals; a quote by Dennis Potter near to death; the trivial and the important; birdsong

12 Hsuan-Tsang\\u2019s \\u2018trusting mind\\u2019; introducing the dirt we buy to the dirt we already have

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