Thoughts in the Mind-Clouds in the Sky

Pure space has neither colour nor shape
and it cannot be stained either black or white

These two lines, told by the great mystic Tilopa to his Disciple Naropa show the subtle working of mind in its reality. Pure space has no shape and also, it doesn’t not have any colour. The pure space can never be stained. Clouds come and go in the sky. But, sky is not identified with any of the clouds. Neither the sky becomes white if there is a white cloud in sky nor it becomes black when there is a dark cloud in the sky. In reality, the sky has nothing to do with the clouds. The clouds just come and go without even giving minute attention to the sky.This is how mind should work. Thoughts should come and go in the mind, but without staining the mind.

But, the trouble arises, when the mind tries to identify itself with the thought. Tilopa then again says to Naropa-

A single lamp dispels the darkness of a thousand aeons;
Likewise, a single flash of the mind’s clear light
Erases eons of karmic conditioning and spiritual blindness.

Darkness is an impotent term. Darkness can do nothing even if it is thousands of years old. Darkness actually does not exist. It is a negative term i.e. absence of light. So, we need not fight with the darkness. What we need to do is bring a source of light. That’s all. In the same way, this attachment with thoughts is nothing but the darkness. Darkness of ignorance about how mind works. And the spark is Mahmudra i.e. the ultimate posture. Once this true nature of mind is known, the problem is solved. Once we realize that the mind is nothing but the space and thoughts are nothing but the clouds, attachment is gone.