The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa: Volume Eight (26 page)

The third stage of meek is that, because there is no hesitation, the warrior’s mind is vast. His mind is uplifted and sees beyond the limits of the sky. Vastness here does not come from seeing a great future in front of you, expecting that you are going to be perky and outrageous and inscrutable and finally realize the greatest warriorship of all. Rather, vastness comes from seeing the greatness of your own spot, your own particular place. You realize that your basic state of mind is no longer an issue, nor is your relationship to Shambhala vision and the Great Eastern Sun. So both ambition and a poverty-stricken mentality are overcome. Vast mind also comes from sharing the vision of the dralas. You actually are able to jump into that vast and powerful ocean of magic, which may be painful or pleasurable, but nevertheless delightful.

The fruition of meekness is that, because the warrior possesses extraordinary exertion, he is able to accomplish whatever purposes or objectives he is trying to fulfill. The sense of exertion is not speedy, aggressive, or heavy-handed. Like the tiger in the jungle, you are both relaxed and energized. You are constantly inquisitive but your awareness is also disciplined, so you accomplish every activity without difficulty, and you inspire those around you to do the same.

The warrior of meek has abandoned gain, victory, and fame, leaving them far behind. You are not dependent on feedback from others, because you have no doubt about yourself. You do not rely on encouragement or discouragement; therefore, you also have no need to display your valor to others. Self-respect is a very rare occurrence in the ordinary setting-sun world. But when you raise your windhorse, you feel good and trust yourself. Therefore, because you respect yourself, you do not have to depend on gain and victory. And because you trust yourself, it is unnecessary to be fearful of others. So the warrior of meek does not need to deviously trick others; therefore, his dignity is never diminished.

So meekness provides vast vision and confidence. The four dignities begin from this humble and dutiful but vast vision, which at the same time sees the details with a sense of meticulousness. The beginning of the journey is this natural sense of fulfillment that doesn’t need to beg from others.

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ARRIOR OF
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ERKY

The principle of perky is symbolized by a snow lion who enjoys the freshness of the highland mountains. The snow lion is vibrant, energetic, and also youthful. He roams the highlands where the atmosphere is clear and the air is fresh. The surroundings are wildflowers, a few trees, and occasional boulders and rocks. The atmosphere is fresh and new and also has a sense of goodness and cheerfulness. Perky does not mean that one is perked up by temporary situations, but it refers to unconditional cheerfulness, which comes from ongoing discipline. Just as the snow lion enjoys the refreshing air, the warrior of perky is constantly disciplined and continuously enjoys discipline. For him, discipline is not a demand but a pleasure.

There are two stages of perkiness. The first one is experiencing an uplifted and joyful mind. In this case, uplifted mind means a continual state of delight that is not caused by anything. At the same time, this experience of joyful mind comes from the meekness you have previously experienced. So we could say that perkiness is due to meekness. The modesty, mindfulness, and brilliance of meek bring a natural sense of delight. From that joyful mind, the warrior of perky develops artfulness in whatever actions he performs. His action is always beautiful and dignified.

The second stage of perky is that the warrior of perky is never caught in the trap of doubt. The fundamental doubt is doubting yourself, which, as we discussed in chapter 5, occurs when body and mind are unsynchronized. This doubt can manifest as anxiety or jealousy or arrogance, or, in its extreme form, as slandering others because you doubt your own confidence. The warrior of perky rests in the state of trust that comes from meekness. Therefore he has no doubt, and because of that, he never enters what are known as the lower realms. The lower realms refer to living purely for the sake of survival. There are different aspects of the lower realms. One is living purely out of animal instinct, as though your whole survival were based on killing others and eating them up. The second aspect is that you are stricken with a poverty mentality. You experience constant hunger and fear of losing your life. The third possibility is experiencing a constant state of turmoil and living in a world of paranoia, where you torment yourself. Because the warrior of perky is free from doubt and practices continuous discipline, he is free from the lower realms. Free from these, the warrior of perky possesses all the goodness of the higher realms. Being in the higher realms refers to being clear and precise. This warrior is always aware and never confused as to what to accept and what to reject.

In summary, because of the meekness and gentleness that have occurred in the previous stage of warriorship, you make a further journey into perkiness. The warrior of perky is never caught in the trap of doubt and is always joyful and artful. Because you are never enslaved in the lower realms, there is no confusion and dullness. This brings the attainment of a wholesome life. So the fruition, or the ultimate notion, of perky is that you achieve a wholesome body and mind and the synchronization of the two. The warrior of perky is both humble and uplifted, as well as fundamentally youthful.

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ARRIOR OF
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UTRAGEOUS

Outrageousness does not mean being unreasonable or, for that matter, wild. Outrageousness here refers to possessing the strength and power of warriorship. Outrageousness is based on the achievement of fearlessness, which means going completely beyond fear. In order to overcome fear, it is also necessary to overcome hope. When you hope for something in your life, if it doesn’t happen, you are disappointed or upset. If it does happen, then you become elated and excited. You are constantly riding a roller coaster up and down. Because he has never encountered any doubt about himself at all, therefore the warrior of outrageous has nothing to hope for and nothing to fear. So it is said that the warrior of outrageous is never caught in the ambush of hope, and therefore fearlessness is achieved.

Outrageousness is symbolized by the garuda, a legendary Tibetan bird who is traditionally referred to as the king of birds. The garuda hatches full-grown from its egg and soars into outer space, expanding and stretching its wings, beyond any limits. Likewise, having overcome hope and fear, the warrior of outrageous develops a sense of great freedom. So the state of mind of outrageousness is very vast. Your mind fathoms the whole of space. You go beyond any possibilities of holding back at all. You just go and go and go, completely expanding yourself. And like the garuda king, the warrior of outrageous finds nothing to obstruct his vast mind.

Because there is no obstruction, the warrior of outrageous has no intention of measuring the space. You have no anxiety about how far you can go or how much you should contain yourself. You have completely abandoned those reference points for measuring your progress. So you experience tremendous relaxation. Outrageousness is that vast mind which has gone beyond the beyond. The analogy for this is a good, self-existing sword—desire to sharpen it will make it dull. If you try to apply a competitive or comparative logic to the experience of vast mind, by trying to measure how much space you have fathomed, how much is left to fathom, or how much someone else has fathomed, you are just dulling your sword. It is futile and counterproductive. In contrast to that approach, outrageousness is accomplishment without a sense of accomplish
er
without reference point.

In short, because he is free from hope and fear, the warrior of outrageous soars in outer space, like the garuda king. In this space, you see no fear and no imperfection. Therefore you experience a greater world and attain greater mind. Such attainment is, of course, based on the warrior’s training of meek and perky. Because of these, you can be outrageous. The warrior of outrageous also possesses great mercy for others. Because you have no obstacles to expanding your vision, you have immense capabilities of working for others. You are able to help them, providing whatever is needed.

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ARRIOR OF
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NSCRUTABLE

Inscrutability is represented by the dragon. The dragon is energetic, powerful, and unwavering. But these qualities of the dragon do not stand alone without the meekness of the tiger, the perkiness of the lion, and the outrageousness of the garuda.

Inscrutability falls into two categories. First there is the state of inscrutability, and second the expression of inscrutability. The state of inscrutability is based on fearlessness. This is unlike the conventional concept of inscrutability, which is deviousness or a blank wall. For the warrior of inscrutable, fearlessness has been achieved, particularly from the previous experience of outrageousness. From that fearlessness, you develop gentleness and sympathy, which allow you to be noncommittal, but with a sense of humor. In this case we are talking about a state of being, just like the state of being of the dragon who enjoys resting in the sky among the clouds and the wind. However, that state is not static. Just as a solid oak tree is swayed by the wind, so a sense of humor makes a person playful. Because of this playfulness and humor, there is no room for depression. The state of inscrutability is therefore joyous and methodical.

According to tradition, the dragon abides in the sky in the summer, and hibernates in the ground during the winter. When the spring comes, the dragon rises from the ground with the mist and the dew. When a storm is necessary, the dragon breathes out lightning and roars out thunder. This analogy gives us some feeling of predictability within the context of unpredictability. Inscrutability is also the state of settling down in your confidence—remaining solid and relaxed at once. You are open and fearless, free from longing and doubt, but at the same time, you are very interested in the movements of the world. Your wakefulness and intelligence make you self-contained and confident with a confidence that needs no reaffirmation through feedback. So the state of inscrutability is conviction that doesn’t need confirmation. You feel a sense of genuineness, that you are not deceiving yourself or others. That notion comes from being settled.

Inscrutability is a state of wholesomeness within which there is no gap or hesitation. It is therefore a sense of truly living, of actually leading your life; it is a feeling of hard-core solidity, but at the same time you are continuously sharpening your intelligence. Question and answer occur simultaneously and therefore inscrutability is continuous. It is also unyielding; it never gives in; you do not change your mind. If the course of a procedure is threatened, the mind of inscrutability responds with deadly accuracy, not because of aggression but because of its basic confidence.

The expression of inscrutability is how inscrutability manifests itself in action. The main point is being somewhat noncommittal, but at the same time seeing a project through to its end. You are noncommittal because you are not interested in confirmation. This does not mean that you are afraid of being caught by your actions, but rather that you are not interested in being at the center of the scene. However, at the same time, you are very loyal to others, so that you always accomplish your project with sympathy for them.

The manifestation of inscrutability is methodical and elegant. The way of exercising inscrutability is that you don’t spell out the truth. You imply the truth, with wakeful delight in your accomplishment. What is wrong with spelling out the truth? When you spell out the truth it loses its essence and becomes either “my” truth or “your” truth; it becomes an end in itself. When you spell out the truth you are spending your capital while no one gets any profit. It becomes undignified, a giveaway. By implying the truth, the truth doesn’t become anyone’s property. When the dragon wants a rainstorm he causes thunder and lightning. That brings the rain. Truth is generated from its environment; in that way it becomes a powerful reality. From this point of view, studying the imprint of the truth is more important than the truth itself. The truth doesn’t need a handle.

The vision of inscrutability is to create an orderly and powerful world full of gentle energy. So the warrior of inscrutable is not in a rush. You begin at the beginning. First you look for the ignition. Then, cultivating that beginning, you find a sympathetic environment in which to start the action. By not jumping to conclusions, you discover both positive and negative conditions. Then you find further starting points. By not holding on to what you have, but by generating more sympathetic environments, you playfully proceed to the next step. That provides refreshment; you are not suffocated by the course of action you are taking. The warrior never becomes a slave of his own deed.

So the action of inscrutability is to create an environment which contains fearlessness, warmth, and genuineness. If there is no appreciation of or interest in the world, it is difficult to accomplish inscrutability. Fearfulness and cowardice bring depression. Not having a sense of delight brings no room to be inscrutable.

Authentic presence brings meekness, perkiness, outrageousness, and ultimately achieves inscrutability. Naturally the apprentice warrior must go through training, starting with the right attitude to life, which is not necessarily seeing the world as an amusement park, but nonetheless experiencing delight and leading your life elegantly. Pain and depression, as well as pleasure, may be source materials for study. A sense of wholesomeness makes life worth living; a sense of genuineness brings confidence.

The experience of inscrutability is not a calculating one. It is not learning a new trick nor is it mimicking someone else. When you are at ease, you find a state of true healthy mind. The cultivation of inscrutability is to learn to be. It has been said that everyone possesses the potentiality to be confident. When we speak of confidence here we refer to enlightened confidence—not to confidence in something, but just to being
confident
. This confidence is unconditional. Inscrutability is a spark that is free from any analytical scheme. When meeting a situation, challenge and interest occur simultaneously. You proceed with an open mind and with direct action. This brings delight, and guidelines evolve naturally.