ཐ་མལ་གྱི་ཤེས་པ་
"Ordinary mind" is saying "the nature, mind".
If you think that there is no scriptural reference which validates this particular expression, the great Āchārya Koṭali said,
"When ordinary mind is awake in the heart centre,
And the six-fold group is pure, great bliss flows uninterruptedly."
And, following on from that, ordinary mind in some places is referenced as the nature, luminosity, and in others, ground Mahāmudrā̄, and so on. There really are limitless names!
In the mantra tradition it is widely referred to as "the nature, co-emergence”. That is its explanation as the object, emptiness, and the subject, the nature, luminosity, co-emerging.
However, in experiential language, it is the suddenly-emerging ‘rigpa’ which is nothing but unobstructed understanding in the clear knower; not recognised it is saṃsāra; recognised it is nirvāṇa; it itself never went in any direction; it is the essence, great bliss, and the subject, emptiness possessing the supreme of all entities, together unified.
Other than just that, it is not possible to express it in words.
Note on Kotalipa Mahasiddha
Kotali was recognized for his deep understanding of Buddhist philosophy and his ability to communicate complex concepts in a way that is accessible to both advanced practitioners and newcomers alike. His teachings often integrate traditional wisdom with contemporary insights, making them relevant to today's challenges.
Throughout his life, Kotali has been committed to the service of others, not only through his teachings but also through his involvement in various charitable and humanitarian efforts. His work has inspired many to pursue a life of compassion, wisdom, and inner peace.
Mahasiddha Kotalipa, aka Togtsépa (ཏོག་རྩེ་པ་), "The Ploughman" or "The Peasant Guru," is one of the 84 Mahasiddhas, revered figures in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism known for their extraordinary spiritual accomplishments and unconventional methods of teaching the Dharma.
Kotalipa is traditionally placed within the medieval period of Indian Buddhism, likely between the 8th and 12th centuries CE, a time when the Mahasiddha tradition flourished in the Indian subcontinent. Precise dates for his life are not well-documented, as is common with many of the Mahasiddhas, whose lives are often shrouded in legend and symbolic narratives rather than exact historical records.
His Guru, Santipa is a renowened preceptor from Vikramasila.
When King Devapala who ruled Magadha, heard of Santipa’s fame, he sent a royal messenger along with a bountiful offering to invite him to his kingdom. After some contemplation, Santipa decided it was his duty to go and so took sail with 2000 monks along with many scriptures.
His arrival was celebrated and the great teacher in Sri Lanka remained for 3 years, teaching many doctrines and techniques of the tripitaka to the king and his subjects.
When Santipa left, he decided to take the longer route home. It was here where he met Kotalipa who became his disciple. When he reached the monastery, everything returned to normal.
in Sri Lanka ime passed and Santipa grew old. When he reached his 100th birthday, he retired and began a 12 year period of contemplation. During those same 12 years, Kotalipa too entered retreat.
While Santipa was practicing discursive contemplation, Kotalipa was absorbed in the essential nature of reality, and his non-discursive, thought-free meditation led directly to mahamudra-siddhi. In time, Santipareturned from his retreat and was much acclaimed by his students.
When Kotalipa attained mahamudra-siddhi, Indra, lord of the gods of the karmadhatu came to celebrate and invited him to enter the realm of the 33. But the yogin could only think of his guru and refused the invitation.
In his invisible awareness body, Kotalipa transported himself into the presence of Santipa, and prostrated himself before his guru, but no one could see him, not even his guru, so he materialised his physical body and repeated his homage.
However, his guru had no memory of him, but when Kotalipa mentioned on how they met, Santipa recalled the incident and then kindly he asked, “what results have you obtained from your meditation?”
The student told Santipa that through his great instruction, he attained mahamudra-siddhi and the existential mode of pure awareness and emptiness. A great realisation dawned upon Santipa. He realised that during all those years of teaching he had neglected true spiritual discipline.
He said that he had never experienced the perfect reality he taught all those years and asked Kotali to demonstrate the results of the meditation. Thus it was that student become teacher, and teacher become student. Kotalipa took Santipa to a retreat and revealed to him the many qualities of the dharmakaya, thus returning the gift of instruction.
Santipa spent another 12 years in meditation, and then, he attained mahamudra-siddhi. With the attainment of true bliss, he realised that all his book learning and all the gifts he received were hollow.
He spent the years remaining to him in faithful service to others and in the end, he too gained the Paradise of the Dakinis.
Kotalipa was also given explicit instructions on Guru devotion, emphasising the importance of unwavering faith and dedication to his teacher. Through these practices, he meditated on the nature of the mind for twelve years, ultimately attaining siddhi.
Explanation of Kotalipa’s Sloka:
"When ordinary mind is awake in the heart centre,
And the six-fold group is pure, great bliss flows uninterruptedly."
1. Ordinary Mind:
This term refers to the natural, unconstructed state of the mind. It's not altered, fabricated, or obscured by conceptual thoughts, habits, or emotional turmoil.
In the context of Dzogchen and Mahāmudrā teachings, the ordinary mind is seen as the essence of enlightenment itself, and recognising it is essential to spiritual awakening.
2. Awake in the Heart Centre:
This is a metaphor for the recognition of the ordinary mind within oneself. The heart centre, or the heart chakra, is often symbolised as the seat of consciousness, compassion, and wisdom.
Awakening here means recognising and abiding in the true nature of the mind.
3. Six-fold Group is Pure:
This refers to the purification or integration of the six consciousnesses, which includes the five sense consciousnesses (sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell) and the mental consciousness.
There is a hint at the purification of the “Tsa-Lung-Tigle” in the six chakras.
In an awakened state, these are experienced without clinging, aversion, or delusion.
4. Great Bliss Flows Uninterruptedly:
This expression points to the experience of unconditioned joy or bliss that arises when one resides in the natural, non-dual state of the mind.
This bliss is not based on external circumstances but emerges from the intrinsic completeness and perfection of the ordinary mind.
In this way, this teaching underscores the importance of recognising and abiding in the ordinary mind as a most skilful means to attain enlightenment. It stresses the inherent purity and completeness of our natural state and offers a direct and profound path to spiritual realisation.
