.
The main purpose of all these bardo teachings, the ultimate purpose,
is to recognize our true nature.
What we sometimes call buddha nature, or nature of mind,
or dharmakaya, or enlightened nature.
All these are great names,
but the experiential level is that we have this mind
and then our true nature, the fundamental nature of our mind,
and how we can eventually get there and recognize that.
For example, let’s say there is a bright sun.
The sun is always radiating light,
but there are clouds covering it.
Maybe two layers. The first layer and the second layer.
The second layer of cover is very thick,
and the first layer of cover is less thick.
But, even though the second layer of cloud is thick,
there is still some light you can see reaching out.
Our true nature, the buddha nature, is like the sun.
Even if we have this fixed mind — the conceptual and dualistic mind —
that covers our true nature, but still we are manifesting our buddha nature.
The light of buddha nature — the wisdom, love, and compassion —
is manifesting in our everyday life.
The particular moment in-between — the bardo —
is like when the clouds have a bit of a gap or crack.
Through this crack, the sunlight manifests.
If you recognize that, then through that light you can reach the sun.
Then you will achieve enlightenment.
You will recognize your true nature more quickly; it becomes a shortcut.
This kind of moment of crack, the in-between,
happens in our everyday life many times.
