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Buddhism is a journey into the depths of one’s
heart and mind, an exploration of who we are and what we are. This spiritual
journey is
nothing more and
nothing
less than discovering the inner reality of our essence
The main teachings of the Buddhist path show us the pure nature of reality, the truth of our own minds as well as the world outside. It is important to realize that these teachings do not constitute a religion in the conventional sense. Rather, they represent a genuine science of mind, a pursuit of insight in order to uncover the authentic nature of the mind and the world that we experience. Buddhism is also a philosophy of life; it deals with what it means to be a human being and helps us to understand how we can ease the suffering of the world.
A Science of Mind
When we say that Buddhism is a “science,” we do not mean the dry analysis of material things. We are talking about something much bigger: looking at the reality of our inner world, which is the most powerful world.
There are similarities between this inner science and the outer sciences. For example, in the outer sciences, we bring our concepts and ideas into the laboratory for testing. Those tests bring about a certain result, a fruition of the idea. In a similar way, when we explore the Buddhist path, we hear or read about a concept taught by the Buddha. We then examine this concept. We analyze it thoroughly in the laboratory of the mind, perhaps by looking deeply into our emotions and thoughts. Through the process of meditation, our analysis reveals to us “Yes, this is correct” or “No, it’s not true.” Through repeating these investigations over time, we can explore our intrinsic, true nature and see ourselves and our world more accurately.
A Philosophy of Life
As we come to know our minds, we become more capable of manifesting the compassionate activity that is inseparably linked to wisdom. Our resulting understanding of mind brings us greater clarity about how to lead our lives effectively and meaningfully. The Buddha taught that if we explore our minds—the suffering, the joy, the disturbing emotions, the confusion—we will discover that the basic nature of mind is absolutely clear. There is nothing in the fundamental nature of mind that is "wrong"; there are no faults or imperfections in its essence. This basic clarity is another aspect of the mind that we explore on the Buddhist path of spirituality and in our daily lives.
Exploring these two aspects of the path, with the guidance of teachers and the support of a community, can enable us to discover the potential of our enlightened mind. This philosophy of life can also help us to experience each moment in a way that can bring greater meaning into our lives so that we can be of benefit to the world.
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Teaching by
The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche
Excerpted from a transcript on the "Khe-juk Teachings" (Nova
Scotia 1992; supplemented 2003 for web publication)
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Teachings 
