{"id":74581,"date":"2026-04-17T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/?p=74581"},"modified":"2026-04-25T15:57:36","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T22:57:36","slug":"upaya","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/nl\/2026\/04\/17\/upaya\/","title":{"rendered":"Upaya: The Secret Sauce of the Dharma"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"74581\" class=\"elementor elementor-74581\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-section-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-10ea4f89 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"10ea4f89\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2b2f4cc2\" data-id=\"2b2f4cc2\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1911e89 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1911e89\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Upaya<\/h1>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f9f17ea elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f9f17ea\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Secret Sauce of the Dharma<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9867c6c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9867c6c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Upaya<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is a Sanskrit word meaning \u201cskillful means.\u201d We can boil it down to working with two things: methods that work with the realative truth and methods that work with the ultimate truth. Tips and tricks. Cheat codes, if you will. The secret ingredients in our grandmother\u2019s pancakes that give them extra deliciousness. These skillful means speed up our journey on the path.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As I thought about this topic, I recalled eight upayas from various talks and teachings. This is not an official list, but maybe some of these will be useful.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-331cdb8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"331cdb8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Guru<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0b50bff elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0b50bff\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The first and ultimate upaya that comes to mind is finding a guru and receiving the lineage instructions. The guru is the key to all upayas and all progress on the path.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2a4eab6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2a4eab6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Taking Refuge<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c7b2d5a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c7b2d5a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The second upaya is taking refuge, especially taking refuge in the inner objects through relying on the outer objects of refuge. By relying on the Buddha\u2014the outer teacher\u2014we find our own mind\u2019s nature, the inner buddha. By relying on the outer dharma\u2014the instructions and meditation techniques\u2014we find the inner dharma, our own mind\u2019s wisdom. And by relying on the outer sangha\u2014the community of friends who remind us to be disciplined, diligent, and kind, as opposed to desirous, lazy, and angry\u2014we find our inner mindfulness or recollection, which keeps us from engaging in negative habits.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The power of the upaya of taking refuge cannot be overstated. Simply by shifting our attention inward, we will see a huge shift away from any samsaric habits we have. Looking inward and seeking our own mind will speed up the path and also immediately relieve a huge chunk of our suffering.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Instead of looking outside, blaming others, trying to fix others, or fixating on negative thoughts and appearances, we simply recall the three jewels. We look toward our own mind for refuge. We seek relief in the joyous adventure of finding the mind. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-40e824a elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"40e824a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Subtle Impermanence<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6582708 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6582708\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The third upaya that jumps to my mind is subtle impermanence. Working with this moment, right now, not thinking that we have to practice for a long time. Whenever I think that practice is difficult, it is usually because I have forgotten subtle impermanence. Practicing for one moment is not difficult. It is the concept of a \u201clong time\u201d that makes the path seem difficult.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">We may have a concept that \u201cit\u201d will take a long time or a concept that \u201cmeditation results need to last a long time.\u201d There is some kind of clinging to the idea of a long time. We can let go of the thoughts of the three times and reconnect with subtle impermanence, which is momentariness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Resting in the present moment is easy and pleasant. Spinning in thoughts about the three times is the real difficulty. In other words, the thought that \u201cpractice is difficult\u201d only arises when we forget to practice. If we analyze, what is really difficult is <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">not<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> practicing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d5b7230 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d5b7230\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Bodhicitta<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3efc0cf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3efc0cf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The fourth upaya consists of the two types of bodhicitta: ultimate and relative. Within relative bodhicitta, there are aspiration bodhicitta and application bodhicitta. Within application bodhicitta, the first five of the six paramitas (generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, and meditative concentration) are upayas, and the sixth paramita is prajna (wisdom). <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ee8fb47 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ee8fb47\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Vajrayana<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a76e76c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a76e76c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">All the methods of the vajrayana path make up the fifth upaya. Devotion. The creation and completion stages. Dzogchen and mahamudra. If we are vajrayana practitioners, to study, reflect, and meditate using those methods are practices of engaging upaya.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">One key skillful method of the vajrayana is to keep our practice secret. Maintaining secrecy about our vajrayana path speeds up the path. If we keep our meditation practices and our meditation experiences secret, the results of the path will come swiftly. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-15a7306 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"15a7306\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Life as Dharma Path<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8a1a12f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8a1a12f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The sixth upaya that comes to mind is that this life, this moment, is our dharma path. Instead of creating a separation between our life and our path, we can see our life and our path as the same. We are not practicing something foreign. Rather, we are living the dharma. Our life and the dharma, or this moment and the dharma, are the same thing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If we are aware of the dharma in this moment, then we have a dharmic life. There is no need to conceptually create a war between our bad, samsaric, confused habits and our good, virtuous, nirvanic habits. If we do so, there will be winners and losers. We will be alternating between good and bad habits.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This mind now is the dharma we have been looking for. Practicing the dharma means working with present appearances. Working with this mind now. Working with our thoughts now, be they bad thoughts or good thoughts. Mixing this moment\u2019s experience with the dharma. Applying the dharma to this present mind now.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-375b0ae elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"375b0ae\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Meditatie<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9858736 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9858736\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The seventh upaya is very important. If we don\u2019t meditate, then no matter how much effort we expend on the path, the results will not come. Even if we have studied a lot, even if we have a lot of intellectual understanding, which is very good, if we do not meditate, if we do not put the teachings into practice, nothing will happen at a practical level. What we really need, every day, is to get to the cushion and try. \u201cErring and erring, I walk the unerring path\u201d as our precious guru Khenpo Ts\u00fcltrim Gyamtso Rinpoche always said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Meditating is also how we avoid burnout. If we do not meditate there is a very high likelihood of burnout, but if we meditate and relax often, there will not be burnout.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7fc6230 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7fc6230\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Relaxation and Humor<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e9fcc94 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e9fcc94\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The final upaya in this unofficial list is relaxation during formal practice sessions and humor in postmeditation. If we can relax fully while meditating and maintain our sense of humor between sessions, the path will be traversed quickly and easily. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4eb54de elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"4eb54de\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Contemplative Exercise<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7684d28 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7684d28\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sit on a cushion or in a chair. Take an upright yet relaxed physical posture. Generally, if you get back pain, refrain from stretching forward. Instead, lean backward and stretch from time to time. If you have knee pain, make sure you are sitting with the majority of the body\u2019s weight on the buttocks, not the legs. Sit back farther.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Take note of your state of mind. Is it agitated? dull? or just fine? If agitated, emphasize relaxation and not moving the body. Lower the eye gaze. Simply sit without moving. The first things to move are usually the eyes or the hands. So, do not move them. If your mind is dull, intensify your body, bring some energy to it, and look upward with wide and intense eyes.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Simply place the mind on an object in the present moment. It can be any focal object of shamatha that you enjoy. You can focus on your breathing, for example. Or you can visualize Buddha Shakyamuni in the sky in front of you. Imagine the Buddha is sitting in front of you, teaching you the dharma. Smiling. Happy to see you.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Relax fully. Let go of being so serious. Relax more. Relax as much as you can.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Your mind may get a sudden urge to move your body. You may want to go to the kitchen to look in the refrigerator, even though you\u2019re not hungry. You may want to text a friend. Strong sudden urges like these are usually a sign that your mind is just about to relax. Just give it a few more minutes. If you keep sitting, if you don\u2019t give in to this urge, the mind will relax momentarily. Let go, and the mind will rest.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When another thought arises\u2014and it will\u2014relax again. Each thought is like someone throwing a stone into a pond. A few ripples will arise, but if we relax, the ripples will naturally cease again.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Don\u2019t try to prolong the resting nor fight the mind\u2019s movement. Don\u2019t try to make anything last a long time. Movement of the mind is natural. Just relax and simply return to the focal object.<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5bca333 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5bca333\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-8edf583\" data-id=\"8edf583\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-81cc586 elementor-author-box--image-valign-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-author-box\" data-id=\"81cc586\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"author-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-author-box\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div  class=\"elementor-author-box__avatar\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nalandabodhi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Christian-Scott-February2023-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Christian Scott\" loading=\"lazy\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-author-box__text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-author-box__name\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tChristian Scott\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-author-box__bio\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Christian Scott has been a student of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche since 2011. Having grown up among the Khenpo Ts\u00fcltrim Gyamtso Rinpoche sangha, Christian finds himself humming Milarepa\u00b4s Songs of Realization regularly. Since 2012, he has been traveling around the world learning Tibetan as well as studying and meditating on the dharma. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cThis mind now is the dharma we have been looking for. Practicing the dharma means working with present appearances. Working with this mind now.\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"author":63,"featured_media":74605,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[3009],"tags":[3420,3411,3417,3402,3409],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Upaya: The Secret Sauce of the Dharma - Nalandabodhi International<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Upaya : \u201cThis mind now is the dharma we have been looking for. 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