Expressions of States: As practitioners progress in their spiritual practice, they experience various mental and physical states. Some of these states align with their views, while others don't. Some are accompanied by specific meditative experiences, while others aren't. We call these "states" because they are relatively stable and distinct conditions.
When practitioners reach a certain level, such as developing renunciation, they might express their state by saying, "I'm no longer attached to any of these worldly things." This is an example of a state. They're not attached to anything! But are they still attached to becoming enlightened? Probably a little. These expressions of states may or may not align with their views, and may or may not be accompanied by specific meditative experiences. Why? Because at very deep states, even experiences disappear.
For instance, those who have truly awakened don't have much meditative experiences in the same way. The state of awakening itself doesn't involve many meditative experiences. After awakening, one might experience various sensations,feelings, but they come and go freely, just like moving this board up and down in my hand. Or like looking at this thing or that thing - it's all the same. Inner sensations arise - comfort, pleasure, even pain - but they're all treated equally. At a very deep level, even intense pain doesn't feel much different from anything else.
Some states are accompanied by corresponding meditative experiences. For example, some awakened individuals might say, "Awakening feels like taking off layers and layers of sweaty undershirts." They use this sensation to express the refreshing and unburdened feeling of awakening. However, if you meet someone who has truly penetrated the truth, they might say, "Forget about that, I'm putting them back on!" and kick over your ideas. Then you'd have to bow in defeat, realizing you've lost again! There are many such sayings, but don't get caught up in chasing these experiences. It can drive you crazy. We should practice steadily, step by step.
For something to be called a state, it must be relatively stable. It's not a state if it's here today and gone tomorrow - that's just a fleeting sensation. Moreover, it should be prominent and clear. What does prominent and clear mean? For example, in the ordinary state, the feeling of heaviness in the body is both prominent and clear. Whether you want it or not, that lump of heavy body follows you like a shadow in any posture or activity. When do you feel like you're floating? When you start floating, you'll know "I'm dead." So, the ordinary state is very clear and prominent, and the same is true for the awakened state.
As mentioned earlier, expressions of view are generally inferential cognitions. Expressions of practice involve non-valid, inferential, and direct valid cognitions. Expressions of states involve non-valid and direct valid cognitions. They can't be inferential because the state you've achieved is directly perceived, not inferred. Why is awakening said to be inconceivable and beyond the reach of consciousness and sensation? Because states are non-conceptual and not based on feelings. Thoughts change, and feelings vanish.
In essence, expressions of states describe the internal and external results of spiritual practice. Examples include: "Body and mind are like shadows," "The body disappears," "The earth sinks," "Space shatters," "The mind is like empty space," and "Nothing but clarity.”
What does "Nothing but clarity" mean? If you truly understand it, it's an expression of a state - it's always there, impossible to remove. However, if we say "the essence of this world is light" based on mere intellectual understanding, that's an expression of view. Sometimes, even if we don't fully experience "Nothing but clarity," we might have some insight but struggle with how to deal with appearances. We might say "revealing oneself amidst myriad phenomena," but should we clear away these phenomena? This isn't yet a true state - there’s some experience involved at that moment, but it can still be considered as a vague state.
A truly awakened person would answer immediately, or might not even bother to respond, refusing to engage in pointless chatter. Some might dramatically pause for effect - don't underestimate the power of silence. Even Vimalakirti used this technique, his silence as powerful as thunder.
"Thoughtless like clear sky," "Extremes of past and future cut off," "Unrestrained and free" - these are all expressions of states. "Extremes of past and future cut off" means no sense of time. "Unrestrained and free" describes practitioners who have attained a high level of realization. These individuals might engage in seemingly contradictory behaviors, such as eating pork while reciting precepts or being kicked out of a brothel or in debt to a tavern for liquor. Such actions, though unconventional, are common in Dzogchen and Chan traditions.
Excerpted from: Cognition and Expression Part Three
