Enlightenment, or Nirvana, is nothing other than the state beyond all obstacles, in the same way that from the peak of a very high mountain one always sees the sun. Nirvana is not a paradise or some special place of happiness, but is in fact the condition beyond all dualistic concepts, including those of happiness and suffering.
When all our obstacles have been overcome, and we find ourselves in a state of total presence, the wisdom of enlightenment manifests spontaneously without limits, just like the infinite rays of the sun. The clouds have dissolved, and the sun is finally free to shine once again.
Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche
from the book Dzogchen: The Self-Perfected State
Read a random quote or see all quotes by Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche.
Further quotes from the book Dzogchen:
- The mistaken dualistic mind
- We can’t ignore our reality
- Just another concept
- The supreme path for that person
- Observing our conditioning first
- Dont confuse any culture or tradition with the teachings themselves
- Awareness of our own condition
- Integrating one’s practice with one’s life
- The Six Vajra Verses