“No matter how long the room has been dark, an hour or a million years, the moment the lamp of awareness is lit the entire room becomes luminous. You are that luminosity. You are that clear light.”
— Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
That's a beautiful and powerful analogy, especially resonant after our discussion about self-inquiry and discovering what lies "behind the mind." It speaks to the transformative power of awareness and our inherent luminous nature.
The image of "no matter how long the room has been dark" beautifully illustrates that the duration of our ignorance or unawareness doesn't diminish our true potential. Whether we've been lost in darkness for a short time or seemingly an eternity, the fundamental truth of our being remains unchanged.
The key is "the moment the lamp of awareness is lit." This signifies the awakening of our inner knowing, the turning of our attention towards our true nature. It doesn't require a gradual process or a long journey; the shift can be instantaneous.
The consequence is profound: "the entire room becomes luminous." This highlights the all-encompassing nature of this awakening. Once we recognize our true nature, the darkness of ignorance and illusion disappears entirely.
The direct statements "You are that luminosity. You are that clear light" are powerful affirmations of our inherent essence. It's not something we need to acquire or achieve; it's what we already are. This clear light is the awareness itself, the consciousness that illuminates all experience.
