Patrul Rinpoche Series

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Advice for Alak Dongak
by Patrul Rinpoche
Before the holy nyagrodha, the very best of trees,
All alone, you tamed the hosts of Māra and his army,
Simply through the force of your loving kindness—
Supreme guide who attained full awakening, care for me!

O Protector, you renounced the kingdom of a universal monarch,

Casting it aside as if it were nothing more than poisoned food,
And, all alone, you departed for the quiet of the forest,
There to accomplish single-pointed meditation—thus we've heard.

Therefore, these delightful mountain solitudes,

Are like the family estate to the supreme guide’s heirs,
And, as the best of protectors himself has said,
To rely on solitude is indeed the pinnacle of joys!

Forests, hermitages and isolated dwelling places—

These are the outer solitude of the Victor's heirs.
Avoiding selfishness and faint-hearted fears—
This is the bodhisattvas' internal isolation.

Keeping, therefore, to outer forms of solitude,

Tame the inner afflictions through tranquillity and insight,
And aspire to the supreme conduct of Samantabhadra—
Possessing such good fortune one is truly the Buddhas' heir.

With its sweetly cascading mountain streams,

Rocky mountain shelters ascending to heaven,
And gently falling dew drops of whitest moonlight—
This mountain retreat surpasses even the deva realm.

The dance of the slender trees does not stir the passions,
And sweet birdsong brings neither attachment nor aversion,
Enveloped in non-conceptuality’s gentle, cooling shade—
Such youthful companionship is surely better than a silent void!

Undisturbed by noisy chatter, that thorn in meditation’s side,

Alone in this excellent place of unattended solitude,
The old monkey of the mind has nowhere left to roam,
And so, settling down within, finds its satisfaction.

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Under the bright oppressive sunlight of busy, bustling crowds,
Our own faults and unhelpful thoughts eclipse the constellations,
But when embraced by threefold solitude's cooling nectar beams,
Such faults can easily be overcome through the proper antidotes.

When it's undisturbed by rippling thoughts of sadness,

The pool-like surface of the mind is still, unmoving,
And faith and compassion’s reflections readily arise,
In such constancy, what need is there for a companion?

If the mirror of mind is wiped clean, time and again,

And uncluttered with objects and circumstances,
Study, reflection and meditation present a clear impression,
And what is there to prevent the dawn of Dharma’s light?

Hunger, thirst, cold and the like—all forms of physical affliction,

Together with sadness, fear and all such mental suffering,
Can, through the teachings, enhance the purifying path,
And, unburdened by avoidance or indulgence, adorn the mind!

The pleasures of the five senses, longed for by the foolish,

Are not to be found in solitude as they are among the devas,
But joys of Dharma in their hundreds, lauded by the wise,
Are more abundant in a lonely forest than in Tuṣita’s paradise.

To the bodhisattva who sees suffering as a spur to diligence

There is nothing that could conflict with Dharma practice.
Should a hundred or a thousand demonic hordes arise as foes,
How could they affect the wise for whom adversities are allies?

Savouring the fine fruit of the teacher’s nectar-like instructions,

Do not chase after the hollow, husk-like words of the scholars;
Seeking the bright luminescence of the bodhisattvas’ compassion,
Do not hanker after the flickering lights of ordinary conversation.

Like a smith skilfully taming and ornamenting the mind,

With no need for the many tools of varied fields of knowledge,
It's enough to take up the blade of renunciation and compassion,
Thereby to transform a negative character's stubborn hide.

A single nectar shower of the teacher’s compassion,

Can cause the ripening crop of qualities to grow,
As the clouds of devotion amass again and again,
And there’s no need to fear an untimely frost.

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Love and affection are all the greater
For friends, teachers and family living far away,
But it's hard to feel so when they’re close by,
As intimacy incites only irritation!

Faith and compassionate love, cultivated in solitude,

For the lofty, the lowly and all those in between,
Tied to enlightened action with the rope of aspiration,
Will never come undone throughout one’s future lives.

Even the vast scented leaves of empty talk and words,

Can be embraced by the harsh touch of a serpent’s evil,
But for one who's grasped the subtle meaning, like sandalwood,
What unhappiness is there in separation from an old dog like me?

If this old dog survives and is still here nine years hence,
There’ll be time to hear his barking speeches once again,
But noble beings are made by the warmth of experience,
And while the breath has not yet faded, it’s wrong to delay.

The supreme, gracious teacher is like all the buddhas in person,

So let his ambrosial teaching seep into the centre of your heart,
And if, through diligent practice, you imbibe life’s essence,
You’ll attain immortality in this very lifetime—that’s avowed!

But to remain in solitude without taming the mind

Is to be like the wild woodland beasts and birds,
As the supreme Victorious One himself has said,
Vital it is, then, to unite outer and inner solitude!

Proud at the thought of having tamed the mind,

After simply pacifying a single thought or emotion,
And contemptuous of those who are pre-occupied—
These are hooks of Māra for those in retreat.

Pay no heed, therefore, to others’ vices or virtues,

And inspire yourself with enthusiasm for Dharma,
For who is happier than the host of the event,
At which the mind is seen to be a mere illusion?

All the various thoughts are laid out like the features of a game,
For the child-like power of awareness to play with non-attachment,
The old mothers of the six realms take their seats as compassion's focus,
And the offerings, sources of merit, are shared by dedication’s skilful hands.

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All this talk of realising and seeing, it’s all so hollow!
Forget bliss and clarity, they’re just temporary highs!
Cultivate emptiness of which compassion is the essence,
And your own and others’ welfare is assured, it’s said.

Even a hundred years of exertion born of expectation for reward,

Will only postpone the supreme accomplishment, we're told.
But on the path of the six pāramitās free from the seven attachments,1
Even without enlightenment in this lifetime, there'll be no regret!

First you met a supremely qualified guide,

Then you felt renunciation and joy for the Dharma,
And now you're meditating in woodland solitude,
O my fortunate friend, you're fortunate indeed!

I met noble masters, but failed to follow them properly,

Whatever Dharma I train in, I don’t apply it to my mind,
I took to solitude, but couldn’t be diligent or undistracted,
Turning into an old dog like me means remaining malign!

My friend, you’ve set out on the way to every happiness,

But as you tirelessly cultivate diligence and devotion,
Be ever watchful, alert for the demon of arrogant pride,
And your life will end happily too—do you understand?

Not ruining the mind with false visions of deities or demons,

But furnishing it with the treasures of jewel-like qualities,
May you follow in the footsteps of the great Kadampa saints,
This is my prayer: Original Protector, please bear witness!

Even if wicked old Abu should die and descend into the lower realms,
There’ll be a time when he’s freed through the teacher’s kindness.
Then, I pray, may he continue to uphold supreme enlightened action
For as long as all beings, his very own mothers, still remain!

These sincere words, which arose like a rainbow from the mouth,
Were offered from the mountain solitude of Dhichung by ragged Abu,
In order to dispel the sadness of a dear, like-minded friend.
May their meaning become apparent!

Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2014. Originally published on adamspearcey.com.

1. According to Ārya Asaṅga’s commentary on the Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra,

where they are explained in connection with the pāramitā of generosity, the

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seven kinds of attachment (chags bdun) are: (1) attachment to possessions, (2)
postponing the practice, (3) being satisfied with just a little practice, (4)
expectation of something in return, (5) karmic results, (6) adverse
circumstances, and (7) distractions. ↩

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Nine Considerations and Criteria for Benefiting
Beings
by Dza Patrul Rinpoche
This concerns the ways in which bodhisattvas act to benefit beings.

Bodhisattvas who genuinely take the bodhisattva vow of ethical discipline do

nothing but act for the benefit of beings, either directly or indirectly, but unless one
is skilful in benefiting these beings, no matter how much one does, it might not
benefit beings, but could actually be a direct or indirect cause of harm. Take account,
therefore, of these nine considerations and criteria as you act for others' benefit:

1. Consideration of the benefit to both oneself and others

Anything that would be of direct or indirect help and benefit to both
yourself and others should be done.

Anything that would not benefit but harm both you and others, directly or
indirectly, should not be done.

Anything that would benefit you but cause harm to other beings should
not be done.

If something would harm you but help others, then act in accordance with your
situation. If you are a beginner, the main thing is to protect yourself from harm. Like
the shoot of a medicinal plant, protecting yourself from harm will be the source of
benefit to others. If you are a bodhisattva at the stage of "devoted conduct"1 , weigh
up the priorities. From the point of obtaining the bodhisattva levels2 onwards, the
main thing is to act solely for others' benefit.

You should also examine the amount of help or harm that would be caused. If,
directly or indirectly, it would be of considerable help to others and little harm to
yourself, you should act to benefit them. If it would be of little help to others but
would seriously harm you, do not act. If the amount of help and harm would be
equal, act in accordance with your situation. If you are a beginner, mainly protect
yourself from harm. From the stage of "devoted conduct" onwards, mainly act to help
others.

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2. Consideration of the status of beings
If something would benefit lower beings such as animals but harm higher ones such
as humans, do not act for the benefit of the lower. Even if an action would harm
some animals, if it would benefit humans and the like, then act for the humans’
benefit. The same principle applies with regard to ordinary people and practitioners
of Dharma, and among practitioners, with regard to shravakas and bodhisattvas.

3. Consideration of the number of beings

If many beings would be helped and few harmed, you should act to benefit the many.
But if many would be harmed and few helped, do not act. If the numbers and the help
and harm would be equal, by relying on teachings of skilful methods of protection
from harm, you will succeed in helping.

4. Consideration of this and future lives

If it would benefit others in both this life and those to come, you should act to
benefit them, by all means. Whenever it would benefit neither life, you should not
act. If it would help in this life but harm in future ones, do not act. Even if it would
harm in this life, if it would help in the next, being skilful with methods to protect
this life from harm you should act to benefit the next.

5. Consideration of vows and non-virtue

Even though you may hold vows of ethical conduct, if some sentient beings would be
greatly aided and benefited solely by your committing a negative action, then, for the
sake of others, and since it would be a training in spiritual accomplishment, you
should act, committing any of the ten negative actions.3

If you should see someone thinking of committing many "actions with

immediate result"4 , such as killing numerous shravakas,
pratyekabuddhas,5 or bodhisattvas merely for the sake of some petty
material goods, while you avoid the karmic result, even taking their life
with a loving motivation would not be a negative action, but would
actually accrue a great deal of merit.6

If a bodhisattva has the power, and sees robbers and the like stealing many
offerings to shrines or monastic goods, then, with a loving attitude he
should reappropriate them and restore them to their place in the
monastery or shrine. In that way, the action of a bodhisattva who takes
what is not given,

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 and also of a bodhisattva who, out of compassion, engages in sexual
intercourse with a laywoman who has no spouse and is tormented by
sexual desire, although nominally negative, count as virtuous.

Also:

uttering various falsehoods, if as a means to save many beings' lives, or to

prevent them being captured and having their limbs cut off, and so on;

out of loving kindness, disparaging and spreading discord to separate

people from false spiritual guides and non-virtuous friends to whom they
have become attached;

if talking calmly does not deter them, speaking very harshly to and
humiliating, out of love, those who have fallen into error and negative
behaviour;

if someone is very stressed and miserable, and enjoys such pleasures as

song, dance, music, joking chit-chat and so on, then, out of love, cheering
them up with various kinds of idle talk – dancing, singing, playing various
kinds of music, and teasing banter –

These actions lead to virtue and are not an occasion for committing the three
negative mental actions,7 it is said. Rather, they become an exercise in accomplishing
others' benefit.

Moreover:

If you see destitute people or beggars, and you have no items that you can
give them yourself, but see a rich and miserly person, and take this miser's
food and goods by various means, motivated by love, and give them to the
poor, this covetous wondering about and longing for another's food and
goods;

acting to destroy some people who have become dangerously hostile to

teachers, the Sangha, and so on – to the Three Jewels8 – out of a fierce
wish to harm their bodies, and their lives;

sometimes teaching a "wrong view"9 to those who are devoted to wrong

views and conduct, out of love and for their benefit, in order that, by
teaching them the wrong view, they may be brought under your control
and drawn towards the correct view—

All of these ten actions are not negative, and, on the contrary, accrue a great deal of
merit.

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As it says in the Twenty Verses on the Vows,10 "In whoever has a loving heart, there is
no non-virtue".

If such a basis of non-virtue might later become a cause of quarrelling, or of strife

among the Sangha, or might destroy the faith of many people of faith and cause
wrong views to develop, then as a beginner, you should not act.

6. Consideration of the pros and cons of generosity

This has four parts:

1. Consideration of the pros and cons of material giving

If you see some poor beings and you have some material thing which you could give,
and would not yourself be harmed by giving it, but would help the others, then
giving whatever material goods you have to the poor, dispel any non-virtuous
thoughts and engage in virtuous action.

If material giving should become an obstacle to your life and limb, or your study,
contemplation and practice, and be of little benefit to others, do not give. But,
however little you give, do it smilingly, acknowledging the other person with kind
words, and looking them in the face.

If material giving would cause harm to yourself and help others in equal measure, or
you are not able to face the other person, allot what your circumstances allow, and
give it.

Furthermore, when giving material things you should note the following:

Since ordained bodhisattvas have renounced all material possessions, they should
prioritise having nothing to give. Lay bodhisattvas should prioritise giving. Also,
among the ordained, those who live as isolated hermits should not prioritise giving,
while those who frequent the towns should share whatever comes into their alms-
bowl collectively with the poor.

2. Consideration of the pros and cons of giving the body

If a bodhisattva who is still an ordinary person is asked for their body, it is not the
right moment to give it, since, if it were really given it would become the work of
Mara,11 so the body is not given in reality. Instead it should be given to sentient
beings through visualization, either as a whole or in individual parts.

Once one of the bodhisattva levels has been reached, the body should be given in
reality, since it will be of great benefit to sentient beings, giving the limbs, flesh,
blood, and whatever is desired. Pray that from now on, you may find and be reborn
again and again, in the body of an elephant or a great fish and so on, for the sake of

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those beings that are carnivorous. If flesh-and-blood is made beneficial then it will
become the cause of longed-for higher rebirths and liberation even for those who
have eaten a bodhisattva's flesh.

3. Consideration of the pros and cons of giving Dharma

When it causes no problem to a bodhisattva's meditative stability, the Dharma
should be taught to appropriate people who desire it, however much they wish. If it
would cause a problem to your meditative stability and if those who desire the
teaching are inappropriate, it should not be taught. If it would slightly damage your
meditative stability but the person who wants the teaching is appropriate, it should
be taught. Even if it would cause you no problem, if the person who wants the
teaching is someone who delights in negative actions, a scoffing non-Buddhist who
just steals teachings, he should not be taught.

If you do not know a teaching, but in expectation of respect and honour from the
person who desires it, pretend to know it and wilfully teach some false, made-up
thing of your own, this is said to be an incalculably negative act, and therefore you
should not do it. If you do know it, unless it would be tossed aside and wasted by a
greedy or blasé person, you should teach it. As it is said, "Of the various kinds of
generosity, giving the Dharma is the best".

4. Consideration of the pros and cons of giving protection from fear

If bodhisattvas possess the power to protect sentient beings from danger, they should
act to do so. But if they do not, they should not act. If you have the power but it
would cause harm to yourself, you should not act. Even if your power is small, if it
would not harm yourself or others, you should act to protect and defend endangered
beings as much as possible.

7. Consideration of beings' various levels of devotion

Although, in general, the types, capacities and motivations of sentient beings are
incredibly diverse, if summed up briefly, they fall into eight categories:-

i. those whose merit is exhausted, lacking any faith or interest in the karmic causes
and effects leading to higher rebirths and liberation

ii. those who are interested in the karmic causes and effects leading to better rebirths
in the god or human realms

iii. those interested in the shravaka path and result

iv. those interested in the path and result of the pratyekabuddhas

v. those interested in the bodhisattva path and its result

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vi. those interested in the Great Vehicle Secret Mantra12 path and its result

vii. those interested in the instant enlightenment of the profound essential meaning13

viii. difficult cases who are do not fall into any definite category

Thus, if you look at these eight categories, excluding those among them whose merit
is exhausted and those who are indeterminate, the other six should be benefited, in
accordance with their individual interest, with Dharma that is appropriate to their
mind, and also with material things. They should also gradually be led from the
lower to the higher paths. They should not be placed onto lower paths from higher
ones. Teaching that is not appropriate to someone's mind-stream should not be
given.

As for those who are of the indefinite category, they should be gradually brought
into the Great Vehicle. They should not be introduced to lower paths. Even those
whose merit is exhausted should not be abandoned and forgotten. By giving them
material things, create karmic links with them and connect with them, praying that
in future they may be reborn as disciples of the Three Jewels.

8. Summary
Furthermore, by giving them material things, you should gauge beings’ different
aspirations, and examining the categories of beings, you should act for their benefit,
by means of food and other gifts of the appropriate size, quantity, purity, suitability
and capacity for benefit. As Shantideva14 says, "In this way, whenever giving
(Dharma), take everyone's measure". Therefore, bodhisattvas who have supernormal
perception,15 or are endowed with the ‘dharma eye’ of transcendent knowledge,
should examine beings’ different wishes by means of their aspirations, and
accordingly employ various means to benefit them with Dharma, material things and
so on.

9. Consideration of the pros and cons for one's own Dharma practice
In brief, if acting directly to benefit beings will not create obstacles to your study,
reflection and meditation, which are themselves the indirect cause of benefitting
countless beings, then you should act to benefit beings directly as much as you are
able. Having examined the extent of your direct assistance to beings and the extent
of the harm to your study, contemplation and practice, come to a conclusion. If they
are equal, then prioritise benefitting others. As it is said, "Don't commit major acts
for minor reasons. Chiefly think of others' benefit."

So, by carrying out whatever actions are to be done, as determined by these nine

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considerations, and by refraining from carrying out whatever should not be done,
bodhisattvas will not transgress their vows and will be helpful and beneficial. In the
event that they do not do what should be done, and do what should not be done, their
vows will be damaged.

However, if, in order to accomplish something of great benefit to beings, you

disregard your own interest slightly and commit some minor infraction as you act
for other beings's sake, this is what is known as "the façade of breaking vows". And
though to a foolish person it might look as if your ordination vows have been
damaged by some faults, in actual fact there is absolutely no transgression.
Alternatively, when seeing an opportunity to be of great benefit to beings, if you shy
away from disregarding some slight benefit to yourself or committing some minor
infraction, then this is what is known as “the façade of non-breakage.” While it might
look to a foolish person as if there has been no breakage of vows, there has in fact
been a transgression. So give up actual breakages and the façade of non-breaking,
and train instead in actual non-breaking and the mere façade of breaking.

These are ways to train in the ethical discipline of benefitting sentient beings.

The three kinds of moral discipline are one in essence, but are distinguished
conceptually. The three moral disciplines of a bodhisattva are, in a single essence,
simply the awareness that aims at benefitting beings. But the different conceptual
stages are:

i. The discipline of refraining from negative action, through which one's own benefit
is accomplished for the sake of sentient beings.

ii. The discipline of collecting positive actions, through which both one's own benefit
and that of others is accomplished.

iii. The discipline of acting on behalf of sentient beings, through which others' benefit
is accomplished.

And:

The discipline of refraining from negative action should be prioritised by

beginners.

The discipline of collecting positive actions should be prioritised by the

bodhisattva engaging in "devoted conduct".

The discipline acting on behalf of sentient beings should be prioritised by

those who have attained the bodhisattva levels.

Also:

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 The first discipline completely discards those disagreeable factors to be
renounced that obstruct one's own and others' benefit.
The second discipline completes the perfect accumulation of qualities that
accomplish one's own and others' benefit.
The third discipline, if it is not accompanied by the wisdom that realizes
non-self, runs the risk of developing the attitude of the shravakas and
pratyekabuddhas, as you can become tired of sentient beings, because it
takes a long time, since their constituent elements are never exhausted,
and since not even all the buddhas of the past have been able to liberate
them, and because beings, by behaving in negative ways, pay back their
benefactors by causing them harm. However, if, through the wisdom that
realizes non-self,16 you know that all phenomena, on the absolute level,
are without substance, like the sky, you will not become sad or
disillusioned.

As all positive actions are included within the two accumulations17 they belong to
the discipline of collecting positive actions.

What is called “the supreme aspiration, the perfect, sublime bodhichitta”,18 means
understanding that oneself and others are the same in wishing for happiness and not
wanting to suffer, and so cherishing other beings who have the deluded belief in a
"self".

As regards the three vows,19 from the perspective of their essence, they alternate
between either a manifest or a latent presence. From the perspective of the
individual:

For a beginner the three vows are present in the manner of the absolute
meaning.
For the bodhisattva engaged in "devoted conduct" the vows of individual
liberation are present in both the manner of the relative and the absolute
meaning.20
After attaining the bodhisattva levels, the three vows are present in the
manner of the relative meaning, since on the level of the absolute meaning
there is nothing to vow.

In terms of time, the vow of individual liberation is present for as long as one may
live and the other two vows are present until one attains enlightenment. On the level
of the absolute, there are no independently-existing sentient beings to be wandering
in samsara; it is only on the delusory, relative level that illusory sentient beings are
obscured by adventitious karma and conflicting emotions. Once this merely
conceptual mind has been instructed, an individual experiences the suffering of
samsara as merely an illusion, and the conceptual mind is like the dream-world of
oppressive sleep.

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If whatever actions you do, such as giving and so on, are held with both the view of
emptiness21 and with compassion, they will become the cause of the state of
omniscience,22 or part of your spiritual path.

Furthermore, the bodhisattva should first practice generosity23 and the rest, on the
path of omniscience, by applying the three supreme methods:24

guided by supreme bodhichitta,

concluding with the supreme aspiration, and
sealed with supreme wisdom.

The first is a stable intention to apply this practice in the mind-stream, born of a wish
to attain supreme enlightenment swiftly for the sake of all beings, and then to work
for their benefit.

The meaning of the second is as in the prayer "Through this merit, may all beings
attain the omniscient state of enlightenment,"25 etc.

The third seals the action by not fixating on the three concepts.26

| Translated by Karen Liljenberg, 2009. Originally published on www.zangthal.co.uk. Revised and edited
version for Lotsawa House and Zangthal by Karen Liljenberg and Adam Pearcey 2015.

1. The stage of "devoted conduct" is when a bodhisattva acts out of devotion, and
it encompasses the first two of the "five paths", successive stages on the path of
enlightenment, which are: the path of accumulation, the path of connection, the
path of seeing, the path of meditation, and the path beyond learning. ↩

2. Bodhisattva levels - this refers to the ten levels of realization (bhumi in

Sanskrit, and sa in Tibetan, literally "ground") reached by bodhisattvas on the
path of seeing, the path of meditation, and the path beyond learning. ↩

3. The ten negative actions are: taking life, taking what is not given, sexual
misconduct, lying, sowing discord, harsh speech, worthless chatter,
covetousness, maliciousness, and wrong views. ↩

4. Action with immediate result - there are five actions that are said to propel a
person immediately after they die into the most serious hell-realm (the hell-
realms being one of the six realms of Samsara, into which beings are born or
from which they emerge according to their karma, rather than a permanent
state). These five actions are: patricide, matricide, killing an arhat (a realized
shravaka), drawing blood from a buddha's body with evil intent, and causing a
schism within the sangha, the community of Buddhist practitioners. ↩

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 5. A pratyekabuddha (in Tibetan rang sangs rgyas, literally "self-buddha") is
someone who finds buddhahood by him or herself, without a teacher in his/her
final life. ↩

6. Merit is good karma, through positive actions of body, speech and mind. ↩

7. The three mental negative actions are the last three of the ten negative actions,
listed above, i.e. covetousness, maliciousness, and wrong views. ↩

8. The three jewels are the Buddha, the Dharma, and the sangha. In Tibetan
Buddhism the teacher or lama is often added. ↩

9. A "wrong view" is a false belief, particularly one that causes negative acts
leading to further suffering. ↩

10. Twenty Verses on the Vows, written by Chandragomi, 10th century C.E. ↩

11. Mara is a "demon", the personification of influences that create obstacles for
practice and enlightenment, in particular one's own ego-clinging. ↩

12. The Great Vehicle, the Mahayana, is that followed by all bodhisattvas. It is
called "great" because its aim or scope is great - the enlightenment of all
sentient beings. The Secret Mantra Vehicle is part of the Mahayana, and is
otherwise known as the Vajrayana or Diamond Vehicle. ↩

13. "Instant enlightenment of the profound essential meaning" is a reference to

Dzogchen, which strictly speaking, is a non-gradual path. ↩

14. Shantideva is the author of the famous Bodhicharyavatara, or "The Way of the
Bodhisattva". ↩

15. Supernormal perceptions include divine sight, divine hearing, recollection of

former lives, cognition of the minds of others, etc. These kinds of powers are
regarded as merely "ordinary accomplishments" of Bodhisattvas as they attain
higher levels of realization, as opposed to the "supreme accomplishment" of
enlightenment. ↩

16. The wisdom that realizes non-self is the wisdom which sees the lack of true,
independent self-existence of the individual personality and/or of phenomena.
This lack of self-existence is also, roughly, referred to as emptiness. ↩

17. The two accumulations are the accumulation of merit and the accumulation of
wisdom. Both need to be complete in order to attain enlightenment. ↩

18. Bodhichitta, literally the mind of enlightenment, in the relative sense is the
wish to attain enlightenment for the sake of all beings. On the absolute level, it

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 is direct insight into the true nature of the mind and phenomena. ↩

19. The three vows are the pratimoksha vow of individual liberation, the
bodhisattva vow, and the Secret Mantra or Vajrayana vows. ↩

20. The absolute meaning - the ultimate truth, realized by those who are
enlightened. The relative meaning – the provisional or conventionally-agreed
truth as understood by beings in Samsara. ↩

21. The view of emptiness and with compassion – these two correspond to
wisdom and merit, the two accumulations. ↩

22. The state of omniscience is a synonym for enlightenment. ↩

23. Generosity and so on – this refers to the six transcendent actions (or six
paramitas), which are: generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, concentration
and wisdom. These six comprise bodhichitta in application. ↩

24. The three supreme methods for any practice are: beginning with the
compassionate motivation of bodhichitta, practising without concepts and ego-
clinging (see three concepts, below), and ending with the dedication of the
merit to the enlightenment of all beings. ↩

25. The full prayer is as follows: "Through this merit, may all beings attain the
omniscient state of enlightenment, and conquer the enemy of faults and
delusion. May they all be liberated from this ocean of Samsara and from its
pounding waves of birth, old age, sickness and death". ↩

26. The three concepts (in Tibetan 'khor gsum, literally "three spheres") are those of
subject, object, and action, (wrongly) viewed as having a real, unchanging,
independent existence. ↩

17
A Brief Biography of Dza Patrul Rinpoche (1808-
1887)
by Alak Zenkar Rinpoche

Dza Palge Tulku or Dzogchen Patrul Rinpoche was born in the Earth Dragon year of
the fourteenth calendrical cycle in Getse Dzachukha, in the nomadic area of northern
Kham, to a family with the name of Gyaltok. He was recognized by Dodrupchen
Jigme Trinle Özer as the incarnation of Palge Samten Phuntsok and was given the
name Orgyen Jigme Chökyi Wangpo.

At an early age, he learned to read and write without any difficulty. He took
ordination with Khen Sherab Zangpo. With Dola Jigme Kalzang, Jigme Ngotsar,
Gyalse Shenpen Thaye and other teachers, he studied the Trilogy of Finding Comfort
and Ease, The Way of the Bodhisattva, Secret Essence Tantra and many other works
related to sūtra and tantra, as well as the ordinary sciences. From Shechen Öntrul
Thutob Namgyal, he received the reading transmission for the Translated Word of the
Buddha (Kangyur) and teachings on Sanskrit grammar. He received the transmissions
for the Kangyur and Tengyur in their entirety, together with the excellent writings
of the omniscient father and son1 of the Nyingma tradition, as well as the works of
Sakya Paṇḍita, Lord Tsongkhapa, and many other great masters of the old and new
translation schools, and by studying and reflecting on them with diligence and
persistence and without any sectarian bias, he attained a perfect level of scholarship.

Not only did he receive instruction on the Longchen Nyingtik preliminaries some
twenty-five times from Jigme Gyalwe Nyugu, he completed the required practices
the same number of times. 2 In addition, he received instruction on tsa-lung practice
and Dzogchen, and studied many of the cycles of practice found in the canonical
scriptures (kama) of the Nyingma school. Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje introduced him
directly to the pure awareness of rigpa while exhibiting wild and eccentric
behaviour. He trained for a long time in the Longchen Nyingtik tsa-lung practices,
and he received immense amounts of nectar-like Dharma from Dzogchen Rinpoche
Mingyur Namkhe Dorje and other masters.

While dwelling for long periods near Dzogchen Monastery in the isolated hermitages
of Rudam, such as the Yamāntaka cave and the Long Life cave, he put all his energy
into the practice of meditation and attained a realization that was as vast as space.

From the age of thirty, he travelled to Serthar, Yarlung Pemakö and other places,
teaching extensively on the Secret Essence Tantra to gatherings of fortunate
vidyādharas. To assemblies in Serthar and in the upper and lower regions of the Do
valley he bestowed countless gifts of the Dharma, teaching on The Way of the
Bodhisattva, Maṇi Kabum, Aspiration Prayer of Sukhavati and so on. He put an end to
robbery and banditry and abolished the custom of serving meat at special gatherings.

18
He went to Dzamthang and studied the six yogas with Tsangpa Ngawang Chöjor,
and he went to Minyak, where he had extensive discussions with Dra Geshe
Tsultrim Namgyal on the prajñāpāramitā and other topics. In this way, he went
about as a renunciate, having abandoned all worldly concerns, and worked
impartially for the sake of others, without any fixed agenda or itinerary.

In Shri Singha college at Dzogchen Monastery and at Peme Thang and other places,
he turned the wheel of Dharma uninterruptedly, teaching on the treatises of
Maitreya, the Middle Way, Abhidharma, Secret Essence Tantra, Treasury of Precious
Qualities, Ascertainment of the Three Vows and other topics. In particular, when he
taught on The Way of the Bodhisattva in the vicinity of Dzogchen Shri Singha for
several years in succession, large numbers of flowers called Serchen, with between
thirty and fifty petals, blossomed all of a sudden, and they became known as
‘bodhicharyāvatāra flowers.’

When Tertön Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa took the terma of Demchok Sangye Nyamjor
from Rudam Kangtrö, the snow hermitage at Dzogchen, he appointed Patrul
Rinpoche as the custodian of this and other cycles, including The Heart Essence of the
Three Families (Riksum Nyingtik), and offered him all the necessary empowerments,
reading transmissions and instructions.

He went to Kathok Dorje Den, where he offered prostrations and circumambulated

the reliquaries of the three great masters Dampa Deshek, Tsangtön Dorje and Jampa
Bum. At the request of Situ Choktrul Chökyi Lodrö and others, he gave extensive
explanations on The Way of the Bodhisattva to the whole assembly of monks. He
went to major monasteries of the Riwo Gendenpa tradition such as Sershul, Labtridu,
Chuhor and others and taught elaborately on The Way of the Bodhisattva and other
topics. Since he taught clearly and succinctly, relating everything to the key points of
practice, even many holders of the title Geshe Lharampa scattered flowers of praise
and bowed before him in devotion.

He established a teaching centre in the vicinity of Dzagyal Monastery. When

repairing the great complex of walls of ‘maṇi’ stones built by his previous
incarnation Palge Samten Phuntsok, it became exceedingly beautiful and even bigger
and taller than before, and thereafter became known as the 'Patrul Stone Complex'.

This great master devoted his life entirely to study, contemplation and meditation for
his own benefit and teaching, debate and composition for the sake of others. In so
doing, he helped to make the teaching and study of texts such as The Way of the
Bodhisattva, the treatises of Maitreya, the Three Sets of Vows and Treasury of Precious
Qualities as widespread as the very stones and earth throughout the upper, middle
and lower regions of East Tibet. In particular, when the tradition of teaching the
Secret Essence Tantra, and the traditions of experiential guidance and tsa-lung
practices for the Longchen Nyingtik were just like lamps whose fuel is almost spent,
through his great kindness he revived them and made them even stronger and more

19
widespread than before.

The chief disciples of this great master who did so much to preserve and spread the
teachings of the vajra essence of clear light included such learned and accomplished
masters of the Nyingma school as Kathok Situ Choktrul Chökyi Lodrö, the Fifth
Dzogchen Rinpoche Thubten Chökyi Dorje, Gyarong Namtrul Kunzang Thekchok
Dorje, the second and third Dodrupchens, Jigme Phuntsok Jungne and Jigme Tenpe
Nyima, Dechen Rigpe Raldri, who was the son of Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje, the
supreme incarnation Shenpen Chökyi Nangwa [i.e., Khenpo Shenga], Adzom
Druktrul Droddul Dorje, Tertön Lerab Lingpa, Ju Mipham Namgyal, Khenchen Pema
Damchö Özer [aka Khenpo Pema Vajra], Nyoshul Lungtok, Alak Dongak Gyatso and
others. In addition, his disciples included many great masters and holders of the
teachings of the Sakya, Gelugpa and Kagyü schools, such as Sershul Lharampa
Thubten, Palpung Lama Tashi Özer and Ju Lama Drakpa Gyaltsen.

Finally, on the eighteenth day of Saga Dawa in the Fire Pig year of the fifteenth
calendrical cycle, he displayed the signs of dissolving his form body into the all-
pervading space of reality.

Patrul Rinpoche composed countless works to suit the individual minds of his
disciples and fulfil their aspirations, and although they cherished these and kept
them for themselves, they were not collected by the master himself or by his
attendants, and thus many of them were never carved into printing blocks. Those
which were printed and which are now to be found, like nectar upon which we
might feast our eyes, comprise volumes equal in number to the six pāramitās.
Amongst these compositions, we find all manner of works, including commentaries
on and structural outlines (sa bcad) for the treatises of Maitreya, The Way of the
Bodhisattva, Treasury of Precious Qualities and other texts, profound crucial
instructions for guiding students experientially, such as The Words of My Perfect
Teacher, collections of advice and miscellaneous writings including The Drama in the
Lotus Garden, collections of praises and so on. In all that he wrote, he never went
into excessive detail simply to show off his knowledge, but explained things in order
to fit the capacity of students.

The extraordinary and special character of his teachings was described by

Dodrupchen Jigme Tenpe Nyima in his biography of Patrul:

“If analyzed by the wise, they are found to be very meaningful. If heard by the
dim-witted, they are easy to understand. As they condense the vital points,
they are easy to remember. Just the right length, everything is coherent and
connected from beginning to end. They are delightful to the ear, and
whatever words he uses, hard or gentle, they become ‘of one taste’ with the
instructions, and so captivate the minds of all, whether wise, confused, or
somewhere in between.”

20
Written by Thubten Nyima

| Translated by Adam Pearcey and Patrick Gaffney, 2006.

1. Longchen Rabjam and Jigme Lingpa. ↩

2. In other words, he completed some two and a half million prostrations, and the
same number of hundred syllable mantras, maṇḍala offerings and repetitions of
the Seven Line prayer. Few masters in Tibetan history have accomplished such
a feat. Two notable exceptions are the great Je Tsongkhapa, who famously
completed three and a half million prostrations and approximately ten million
maṇḍala offerings, and, in more recent times, the Sakya master Gatön
Ngawang Lekpa, who accumulated a vast number of prostrations and other
practices during his fifteen years of strict retreat. ↩

21
༄༅། །ོད་འག་བད་པ་གསོལ་འབས་བགས། །

Prayer to the Lineage of the Bodhicaryāvatāra

by Patrul Rinpoche

ོན་མག་་་་མ་་གཙོ། །
tön chok lhami lama shakyé tso
Supreme guide, teacher of gods and men, chief of the Śākyas,

ལ་ས་འཇམ་དཔལ་དངས་དང་་བ་། །
gyalsé jam pal yang dang shyiwa lha
The bodhisattva Mañjughoṣa, Śāntideva,

་་་དང་་གས་ང་བ་ཞབས། །
dzé ta ri dang da drak chungwé shyab
Jetāri, Candrakīrti the Lesser,

་བོ་་ཎ་ི་ལ་གསོལ་བ་འབས། །
jowo gu na shri la solwa deb
And lord Guṇaśrī, to you we pray!

་ན་ཀ་ི་་མ་་ི། །
kanakashri sumatikirti
Kanakaśrī, Sumatikīrti,

ོ་ན་ས་རབ་ོབ་དཔོན་ེ་བན་པ། །
loden sherab lobpön jetsün pa
Ngok Loden Sherab,1 Master Jetsünpa,2

མཁས་པ་་ོན་ག་ས་ལོ་་བ། །
khepa bu tön tuk sé lotsawa
The scholar Butön,3 Tuksé Lotsāwa, 4

གཡག་ག་སངས་ས་དཔལ་ལ་གསོལ་བ་འབས། །
yak truk sangye pal la solwa deb
And Yaktruk Sangye Pal,5 to you we pray!

སངས་ས་འལ་དང་ིན་ལས་་བོད་ེ། །
sangye pel dang trinlé mi kyö jé
Sangye Pel,6 Lord Trinlé Mikyö, 7

དན་མག་འང་གནས་ཀ་ཆགས་ད་ཞབས། །
könchok jungné karma chakmé shyab
Könchok Jungne, 8 Karma Chakmé,9

22
བ་པ་དབང་ག་པ་ག་འན་ེར། །
drubpé wangchuk pema rigdzin jer
Lord of siddhas, Pema Rigdzin,10

གསོལ་བ་འབས་སོ་གས་ེས་ིན་ིས་ོབས། །
solwa deb so tukjé jingyi lob
To you we pray, bless us with your compassion!

ནམ་མཁའ་འོད་གསལ་ག་མག་བན་འན་ཞབས། །
namkha ösal tek chok tendzin shyab
Namkha Ösel,11 noble Tekchok Tenzin, 12

བ་ས་་མཚོ་ག་འན་བཟང་པོ་དང༌། །
tashi gyatso rikdzin zangpo dang
Tashi Gyatso,13 Rigdzin Zangpo, 14

མས་དཔའ་ན་པོ་པ་བ་ས་ལ། །
sempa chenpo pema tashi la
The great bodhisattva Pema Tashi,15

གསོལ་བ་འབས་སོ་གས་ེས་ིན་ིས་ོབས། །
solwa deb so tukjé jingyi lob
To you we pray, bless us with your compassion!

ལ་བ་ས་པོ་གཞན་ཕན་མཐའ་ཡས་དང༌། །
gyalwé sepo shyenpen tayé dang
Son of the buddhas, Shenpen Thayé,16

འགས་ད་་མཚར་འགས་ད་ས་ི་དབང༌། །
jikmé ngotsar jikmé chö kyi wang
Jikmé Ngotsar,17 Jikmé Chökyi Wangpo,18

ང་བ་མས་ི་མངའ་བདག་ཐམས་ཅད་ལ། །
changchub sem kyi ngadak tamché la
To all you masters of bodhicitta,

གསོལ་བ་འབས་སོ་གས་ེས་ིན་ིས་ོབས། །
solwa deb so tukjé jingyi lob
We pray, bless us with your compassion!

ཚད་ད་བ་་ང་ས་གན་པོ་ལ། །
tsemé shyi yi shyingsa shinpo la
In the fertile field of the four boundless qualities,

ང་བ་མས་ི་་་རབ་་འངས། ། 23
ང་བ་མས་ི་་་རབ་་འངས། །
changchub sem kyi nyugu rabtu trung
May the shoots of bodhicitta take root,

ིན་ག་ལམ་ི་འས་བཟང་ན་ིན་། །
chin druk lam gyi dré zang chen min té
Ripening into the excellent fruit of the path of the six pāramitās,

ཁམས་གམ་འོ་བ་ར་འཚོ་གར་ར་ག །
kham sum drowé nyer tsö shyir gyur chik
To become the basis of sustenance for beings of the three worlds.

བདག་གཞན་མཉམ་ད་ོགས་པ་་ས་ིས། །
dakshyen nyamnyi tokpé yeshe kyi
Grant your blessings so that with the wisdom realizing the equality of self and others,

བདག་དོན་གས་འན་འང་བ་ན་བཅད་ནས། །
dak dön nyi dzin chingwa kün ché né
All dualistic clinging to ourselves and objects may be cut right through,

རང་གཞན་དོན་གས་ན་ིས་བ་པ་དང་། །
rangshyen dön nyi lhüngyi drubpa dang
Our own and others’ welfare may be accomplished spontaneously,

ང་བ་མས་མག་འོངས་པར་ིན་ིས་ོབས། །
changchub sem chok jongpar jingyi lob
And we may perfect the supreme mind of bodhicitta.

ས་པའང་དཔལ་ལ་པས་ས་སོ། །
This was spoken by the one called Patrul.

དའོ། །
May virtue abound!

| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2006. Revised 2019.

1. ↑ rNgog blo ldan shes rab, 1059–1109.

2. ↑ Drakpa Gyaltsen (grags pa rgyal mtshan, 1147–1216).

3. ↑ Butön Rinchen Drup (bu ston rin chen grub, 1290–1364).

4. ↑ Rinchen Namgyal (rin chen rnam rgyal, 1318–1388).

5. ↑ g.Yag phrug sangs rgyas dpal, 1350–1414.

6. ↑ Jamchen Rabjampa Sangye Pel (byams chen rab ’byams pa sangs rgyas ’phel, 1412–1485).

24
 7. ↑ The Eighth Karmapa, Mikyö Dorje (mi bskyod rdo rje, 1507–1554).

8. ↑ Unidentified.

9. ↑ Karma chags med, 1613–1678.

10. ↑ The first Dzogchen Rinpoche, Pad+ma rig ’dzin, 1625–1697.

11. ↑ The first Dzogchen Ponlop, Nam mkha’ ’od gsal, d. 1726.

12. ↑ The second Dzogchen Rinpoche, Gyurme Tekchok Tenzin Pal Zangpo (’gyur med theg mchog bstan
’dzin dpal bzang po, 1699–1758).

13. ↑ bKra shis rgya mtsho, b. 1714.

14. ↑ Minling Gyalse Rigdzin Zangpo (smin gling rgyal sras rig ’dzin bzang po).

15. ↑ Sengtruk Pema Tashi (seng phrug padma bkra shis, b. 1798).

16. ↑ i.e., Gyalse Shenpen Thaye (rgyal sras gzhan phan mtha' yas, 1800–1855).

17. ↑ ’Jigs med ngo mtshar, b.1730.

18. ↑ i.e, Patrul Rinpoche himself.

25
The Brightly Shining Sun

A Step-by-Step Guide to Meditating on the

Bodhicaryāvatāra
by Patrul Rinpoche

With devotion I pay homage to the buddhas gone to bliss,

To their Dharma body, noble heirs and all worthy of respect.
In accordance with the scriptures, I shall now in brief describe
How to adopt proper conduct, the way of buddhas’ heirs.1

In this, there are four sections:

1. the practitioner, the person who is the support;

2. the attitude with which one practises;
3. the practices themselves; and
4. the result of practising in that way.

1. THE PRACTITIONER
Firstly, the person who is the support for the practice is someone endowed with all
the freedoms and advantages, and who has faith and compassion.

2. THE ATTITUDE WITH WHICH ONE PRACTICES

Secondly, the intention of bodhicitta has two aspects: aspiration and action.

1. Aspiration
Regarding the first of these, it is said:

Arousing bodhicitta is: for the sake of others

Longing to attain complete enlightenment. 2

In other words, it is the intention of wishing to attain complete enlightenment for the
sake of others.

2. Action
The second aspect of action is the commitment to train in the practices of the
bodhisattvas.

26
Taking the Bodhisattva Vow
In order to adopt this kind of bodhicitta within our own mind streams we can receive
the vows from a teacher, in which case we should follow the procedure of the
specific ritual, whether of the Mind Only or the Middle Way. But here it will be
shown how we can practise this by ourselves.

There are three stages to this: (a) preparation, (b) main part and (c) conclusion.

A. Preparation
This has three parts: (i) generating enthusiasm, (ii) the seven branch practice, and (iii)
mind training.

i. Generating Enthusiasm
Generate a sense of enthusiasm for the benefits of bodhicitta, as explained in the first
chapter of the Introduction to the Way of the Bodhisattva.

[4] This free and well-favoured human form is difficult to obtain.

Now that we have the chance to realise the full human potential,
If we don’t make good use of this opportunity,
How could we possibly expect to have such a chance again?

[5] Like a flash of lightning on a dark and cloudy night,

Which, for just a single instant, sheds its brilliant light,
Rarely, through the buddhas’ power,
A mind of virtue arises, briefly, to people of the world.

[6] All ordinary virtues therefore are forever feeble,

Whilst negativity is strong and difficult to bear—
But for the mind intent on perfect buddhahood,
What other virtue could ever overcome it?

[7] Contemplating wisely throughout the ages,

The mighty buddhas have seen its great benefit:
That it helps the boundless multitude of beings
Easily to gain the highest states of bliss.

[8] Those who long to triumph over life’s distress,

And who wish to put an end to others’ sorrows,
Those who seek to experience abundant joys—
Let them never turn their backs on bodhicitta.

27
[9] For the very instant that bodhicitta is born
In the weary captives enslaved within saṃsāra,
They are called heirs of the bliss gone buddhas,
Honourable to gods, humans, and the world.

[10] Like the alchemists’ supreme elixir,

It takes this ordinary, impure human form,
And makes of it a buddha’s priceless body—
Such is bodhicitta: let us grasp it firmly!

[11] With their boundless wisdom, beings’ only guides,

Have investigated thoroughly and seen its value.
Thus whoever longs for freedom from conditioned states
Should grasp this precious bodhicitta and guard it well.

[12] All other virtues are like the plantain tree:

They bear their fruit, and then they are no more.
Yet constantly the marvellous tree of bodhicitta
Yields fruit and, undiminished, grows forevermore.

[13] Even those who’ve committed intolerable misdeeds,

Through having bodhicitta instantly are freed,
Just like a brave companion banishing all one’s fears—
Why then would the prudent fail to put their trust in it?

[14] Just like a great inferno at the ends of time,

It annihilates terrible misdeeds in but an instant.
Thus its benefits are vast beyond all measuring,
As the wise Lord Maitreya explained to Sudhana.

[15] Understand that, briefly stated,

bodhicitta has two aspects:
The mind aspiring to awaken,
And bodhicitta that’s enacted.

[16] Just as one understands the difference

Between wishing to go and setting out upon a journey,
The wise should understand these two,
Recognizing their difference and their order.

[17] bodhicitta in aspiration brings about great results,

Even as we continue to circle within saṃsāra;
Yet it does not bring about a ceaseless stream of merit,
For that will come solely from active bodhicitta.

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[18] From the moment we genuinely take up
This irreversible attitude—
The mind that aspires to liberate entirely
The infinite realms of beings,

[19] From then on, even while asleep,

Or during moments of inattention,
A plentiful, unceasing force of merit
Will arise, equal to the vastness of the sky.

[20] This was explained by the Buddha,

Together with supporting reasons,
In a teaching given at Subāhu’s request,
For the sake of those inclined to lesser paths.

[21] If boundless merit comes to anyone who,

With the intention to be of benefit,
Has the thought simply to relieve the pain
Of those afflicted merely with a headache,

[22.]What need is there to speak of the wish

To dispel all beings’ boundless sufferings,
Or the longing that they all might gain
Enlightened qualities infinite in number.

[23] Do even our fathers or our mothers

Have such beneficence as this?
Do the gods or the great sages?
Does even mighty Brahma?

[24] If these beings have never before

Held this aspiration for their own sake—
Not even in their dreams—how could
They have made this wish for others?

[25] A thought such as this—wanting for others

What they do not wish for even for themselves—
Is an extraordinary and precious state of mind,
And its occurrence a marvel unlike any other!

[26] This source of joy for all who wander in existence,

This elixir that heals the sufferings of all beings,
This priceless jewel within the mind—
How could such merit ever be evaluated?

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[27] For if the simple wish to benefit others
Surpasses offerings made before the buddhas,
What need is there to mention striving
For the welfare of all without exception?

[28] Although seeking to avoid pain,

They run headlong into suffering.
They long for happiness, but foolishly
Destroy it, as if it were their enemy.

[29] To satisfy with every kind of joy,

And to cut through all the sufferings
Of those who lack any real happiness,
And are oppressed by sorrow’s burden,

[30] To bring an end as well to their delusion—

What other virtue is comparable to this?
What friend is there who does as much?
What else is there which is as meritorious?

[31] If even those who do good deeds as repayment

For past favours are worthy of some praise,
What need is there to mention the bodhisattvas,
Whose perfect actions are carried out unbidden?

[32] There are those who offer meals occasionally, and to just a few;
Their gifts, which are no more than food, are made in just a moment,
And with disrespect, to bring nourishment for merely half a day—
And yet such people are honoured by the world as virtuous.

[33] Yet how does this compare to those who give

Over many ages and to the whole infinity of beings,
Constantly offering them the fulfilment of their every wish:
The unsurpassable happiness born of blissful buddhahood?

[34] And those who develop feelings of hostility,

Towards these benefactors, the buddhas’ heirs,
Will languish in the hells, the mighty Sage has said,
For aeons equal to the moments of their malice.

[35] By contrast, to look upon them well,

Will yield benefits in still greater measure.
For even in adversity, the buddhas’ heirs
Bring no harm, only virtue that naturally increases.

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 [36] I bow down before all those in whom
This most precious, sacred mind is born!
I take refuge in those great sources of joy
Who bring bliss even to those who harm them.

ii. Seven Branch Practice

Before practising the seven branches for gathering the accumulations, consider that
you and all other sentient beings are gathered together in the actual presence of the
field of merit, which includes the victorious buddhas and their bodhisattva heirs, and
bring to mind all their wonderful qualities.

The Branch of Offering

Arrange offerings of flowers, scented incense, lamps, pure water and food and drink,
as plentiful as you can afford. Then bring to mind jewel-filled mountains, attractive
woodlands, and all the uninhabited places of great natural beauty throughout the
world. These are known as “offerings you do not own”. Offer both types of gift—
those that you possess and those that you do not—with the following verses:3

[1] In order that I might adopt this precious jewel of mind,

I now make the most excellent of offerings to the buddhas,
To the sacred Dharma—that most rare and flawless jewel—
And to the buddhas’ heirs, whose qualities are limitless.

[2] I offer every variety of fruit and flower,

And every kind of healing medicine,
Each and every jewel this world affords,
And all its pure and freshest waters,

[3] Every mountain filled with precious gems,

And forest groves, isolated and inspiring,
Trees of paradise garlanded with blossom,
And trees whose branches are laden with fine fruit,

[4] Perfumed fragrances from the gods and other realms,

Incense, trees that grant wishes and produce magic gems,
Spontaneous harvests grown without the tiller’s care,
And every thing of beauty worthy to be offered,

[5] Lakes and ponds adorned with lotus flowers,

Where the pleasant calls of geese are heard,
Every thing and place of beauty unclaimed by any owner,
Extending to the boundless limits of space itself.

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 [6] I picture them all in my mind, and to the supreme buddhas
And their bodhisattva heirs, I make a perfect gift of them.
Think of me with love, O sublime and compassionate lords,
And accept all these offerings which I now present.

[7] Lacking stores of merit, I am destitute

And have nothing more to offer.
O protectors, who consider only others’ benefit,
In your great power, accept this for my sake.

With the following verses offer your own body, speech and mind in servitude:

[8] To the buddhas and their bodhisattva heirs,

I offer my body now and in all my lives to come.
Supreme courageous ones, accept me totally,
For with devotion I will be your servant.

[9] If you accept me and take me fully in your care,

I will not fear saṃsāra as I offer other beings help.
The harmful acts I did before are entirely in the past,
And from now on, I vow to do no further deeds of harm.

With the next verses offer gifts created in your imagination:

[10] To a bath house filled with soothing scents,

With brightly sparkling floors of crystal,
And fine pillars all shimmering with gems,
Where hang gleaming canopies of pearls,

[11] I invite the buddhas and their bodhisattva heirs.

I request you: Come to bathe yourselves in scented water,
Poured from overflowing jugs made of exquisite jewels,
All the while accompanied by melody and song.

[12] Then let me dry you in cloths beyond compare,

Immaculate and anointed well with perfumed scent,
And dress you finely in the most excellent of garments,
Lightly scented and dyed in vivid colours.

[13] I offer clothing made of the finest gentle fabrics,

And hundreds of the most beautiful adornments,
To grace the bodies of noble Samantabhadra,
Mañjughoṣa, Lokeśvara and the rest.

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 [14] With the most sublime of fragrant perfumes,
That gently permeates throughout a billion worlds,
I will anoint the bodies of all the buddhas,
Gleaming brightly, like pure and burnished gold.

[15] To the mighty sages, perfect recipients of my offering,

I will present red lotus and heavenly mandārava,
Blue utpala flower and other scented blossoms,
Beautifully arranged in brightly coloured garlands.

[16] I also offer billowing clouds of incense,

Whose sweet aroma captivates the mind,
And a rich feast of plentiful food and drink,
Fit to grace the tables of the gods.

[17] I offer row upon row of precious lamps,

All perfectly contrived as golden lotuses,
And I scatter the petals of attractive flowers
Upon level, incense-sprinkled ground.

[18] I offer divine palaces resonant with songs of praise,

Gleaming with precious pearls and pendant gems,
The most beautiful of structures in the whole of space—
All this I offer to those whose nature is compassion.

[19] Jewel-encrusted parasols with handles made of gold,

Whose fringes are all embellished in ornate designs,
Turned upright, well proportioned and pleasing to the eye.
Now and forever, I offer this to all the buddhas.

Then make offerings through the power of aspiration with the following verses:

[20] May a multitude of other offerings,

Accompanied by music sweet to hear,
Be made in great successive clouds,
To soothe the pains of living beings.

[21] May rains of precious gems and flowers

Shower down in never-ending streams,
Upon all the jewels of noble Dharma,
And sacred monuments and images.

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 [22] Just as Mañjughoṣa and the rest
Made offerings to all the buddhas,
Likewise I too will offer to those thus gone
And all their bodhisattva heirs.

[23] With vast oceans of melodious praise,

I honour these oceans of good qualities.
May clouds of sweet and gentle praise
Ascend unceasingly before them.

And with these verses offer your respect and homage:

[24] Multiplying my body as many times as there are atoms

In the universe, I prostrate and bow before
The buddhas of the past, present and future,
The Dharma and the supreme assembly.

[25] To all supports of bodhicitta

And all stupas, I bow down,
And to preceptors and teachers,
And those who practise discipline.

For all these eight types of offering,4 bring to mind the meaning of the words and
offer them sincerely from the very depths of your heart.

All these offerings are made in the presence of the Three Jewels, who are the pure
field. The substances themselves are pure, since they are not polluted by
unwholesome actions or stinginess. And the motivation is also pure, because there is
no expectation of gaining something in return or some karmic reward.

Taking Refuge
Consider that you take refuge in those exceptional objects—the three rare and
supreme jewels of the uncommon greater vehicle—and you do so with an exceptional
motivation— for the benefit of all sentient beings—until you attain complete
enlightenment; and recite verse 26 three times:

[26] Until I realize the essence of enlightenment,

I take refuge in the buddhas.
And likewise in the Dharma,
And the assembly of bodhisattvas.

Confession of Negative Actions

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 [27] Before the perfect buddhas and bodhisattvas,
Who reside in every direction, in all of space,
And who embody great compassion,
I press my palms together and pray:

With this verse, we pray to those who will receive our confession and we request
their understanding. Consider that:

our past misdeeds are like poison within our body;

the Three Jewels, who are our support, are like physicians who can heal
the sickness brought on by the poison;
the antidote, which is the sacred Dharma, is like medicine;
and the firm resolve not to repeat such actions in the future is like
ambrosia that restores the body to full strength.

Having generated these four ideas, with verses 28 to 46, cultivate the power of regret:

[28] In this and all my other countless lifetimes

Spent wandering in beginningless saṃsāra,
In my ignorance I have committed wrongs
And encouraged others to do the same.

[29] Overwhelmed by ignorant delusion,

I celebrated the harm that was done.
But now I see it all was done in error,
And before the buddhas, sincerely I confess.

[30] Whatever I have done against the Three Jewels,

My parents, my teachers or anyone else,
Through the force of my afflictions,
With my body, speech or mind,

[31] All the misdeeds that I, the wicked one, have done,
Faults that cling to me from my many mistakes,
And all the unbearable crimes I have committed,
I openly declare to you, the guides of all the world.

[32] Before my negativity has been purified,

My life may well come to an end,
So I pray now: grant me your protection,
Swiftly, to ensure that I am freed!

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[33] The Lord of Death is fickle, unworthy of our trust,
Whether life’s tasks are done or not, he will not wait.
For the sick and for the healthy alike,
This fleeting life is not something on which we can rely.

[34] When we go, we must leave everything behind,

But I have failed to understand this, and so
For the sake of friends and enemies alike,
I engaged in all manner of harmful deeds.

[35] My enemies will become no more,

And my friends will cease to be,
I myself will pass from this existence,
And everything in turn will disappear.

[36] Like experiences in a dream,

Everything I make use of and enjoy,
Will later turn to faded memory,
And having passed will not be seen again.

[37] In this lifetime, which lasts but for a while,

Some friends and enemies are now gone.
But not the harmful acts I did for them—
Those unbearable effects are still to come.

[38] Never thinking that I too

Might quickly pass away,
In my delusion, lust and hatred,
I have done so much harm.

[39] Never halting, day or night,

My life is always slipping by.
Having gone, life cannot be extended,
So how could the likes of me not die?

[40] While I lie there in my final bed,

Friends and family may be by my side,
But I alone will be the one
To feel the severing of all ties to life.

[41] When I am seized by the emissaries of Death,

What help will be my family or my friends?
At that time it is merit alone that can protect me,
But upon that, alas, I have failed to depend.

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 [42] O protectors! I was heedless,
Unaware of horrors such as this,
And all for this transient existence,
Amassed so many harmful deeds.

[43] When led towards the place of torture,

Where his body will soon be ripped apart,
A man is transfigured by his terror;
His mouth turns dry, his pained eyes dart.

[44] If that is so, then how desperate will I be,

When stricken down and gravely ill with fear,
I am seized by the messengers of Death,
And their gruesome, terrifying forms appear?

[45] Is there anyone who can really save me

From the horrors of this appalling fate?
Staring in terror with my eyes opened wide,
I’ll search all around me for a refuge place.

[46] When nowhere do I see such a place of safety,

My heart will sink; depressed, I’ll give up hope.
For if there is no haven to which I might retreat,
What options am I left with? What is there to do?

And with verses 47 to 53 bring to mind the power of support:

[47] Thus, from this day onwards I take refuge

In the buddhas, the guardians of the world,
Who labour to protect and benefit us all,
And whose great strength can banish every fear.

[48] Likewise, I genuinely take refuge

In the Dharma they have realized,
Which eliminates saṃsāra’s terror,
And also in the hosts of bodhisattvas.

[49] Utterly terrified and gripped with fear,

I give myself to Samantabhadra;
And to Mañjughoṣa too,
I offer this body in service.

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 [50] To the protector Avalokiteśvara,
Whose compassion is in all his actions,
I cry out in the depths of desperation,
“Grant me your protection, evil as I am!”

[51] To the noble bodhisattvas

Ākāśagarbha and Kṣitigarbha,
And all the lords of great compassion,
From my heart, I call for your protection.

[52] And I take refuge in Vajrapāṇi,

Before whom Death’s messengers
And all who threaten us will flee
In terror, dispersed in all directions.

[53] In the past I ignored your words,

But now I have seen this horror,
And so I take you as my refuge:
Swiftly banish all my fears, I pray!

With verses 54 to 65 enact the power of action as an antidote:

[54] For if, alarmed by common ailments,

I must follow the doctor’s sage advice,
How much more so when perpetually
Afflicted by desire and other faults.

[55] If one of these alone brings ruin

To all who dwell within the world,
And no other cure to heal them
Is found anywhere at all,

[56] Then the intention not to follow

The advice of the omniscient physician,
Whose words banish ills of every kind,
Is utter madness, worthy of contempt.

[57] If I need to take special care when poised

Above a common drop of some small height,
Then how much more so to avoid the one
Of deep duration that falls a thousand miles?

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 [58] It makes no sense to relax and think:
“Today, at least, I shall not die,”
For it is certain that a time will come
When my life will cease to be.

[59] Who can offer me reassurance?

How can I be sure I need not fear?
If there is no doubt that I will die,
Then how can I remain at ease?

[60] Of my experiences from the past,

What’s left for me? What now remains?
Yet by clinging to them obsessively,
I have disobeyed my teacher’s words.

[61] Just as I must eventually forsake this life,

So too must I take leave of relatives and friends.
When I must go alone on death’s uncertain journey,
What concern to me are all these enemies and allies?

[62] How can I free myself from non-virtue,

The source from which sufferings arise?
At all times of the day and night,
This should be my one concern.

[63] Whatever wrongs I have committed,

In my ignorance and blindness—
Whether actions plainly negative
Or deeds proscribed by vows,

[64] Before the buddhas, I join my palms together,

And, terrified by the awful sufferings to come,
Prostrate myself upon the ground over and again,
Confessing all my harmful deeds, each and every one.

[65] I call upon you, the guides of all the world,

To accept me, and the harms that I have done.

And with the final two lines of verse 65 commit yourself to the power of resolve
from the depth of your heart:

And these actions, since they are unwholesome,

I promise, from now on, I shall never do again.

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Rejoicing
Cultivate a genuine sense of joy and celebrate all the mundane and supermundane
sources of virtue and their fruits, while reciting these verses:

[1] Joyfully I celebrate all the acts of virtue

That ease the pains of the lower realms,
And rejoice as well when those who suffer
Find themselves in states of happiness.

[2] I rejoice in the gathering of virtue

That is the cause of awakening,
And celebrate the definite liberation
Of beings from saṃsāra’s pain.

[3] I rejoice in the awakening of the buddhas,

And the bhumis gained by bodhisattvas.

[4] Gladly I rejoice in the infinite sea of virtue,

Which is the noble intention of bodhicitta,
Wishing to secure the happiness of beings,
And acting in ways that bring benefit to all.

For the fifth branch of requesting the turning of the Dharma-wheel, the sixth branch
of requesting not to pass into nirvāṇa and the seventh of dedication, bring to mind
the meaning of the following words:

[5] Now I join my hands and pray

To you, the buddhas of all quarters:
Shine the lamp of Dharma upon us,
As we suffer in confusion’s darkness!

[6] With my palms clasped at my heart,

I urge all buddhas longing for nirvāṇa:
Do not leave us blind and all alone,
But remain with us for countless ages!

[7] Through whatever virtue I have gained

By all these actions now performed,
May the pain of every living being
Be cleared away entirely, never to return.

[8] For all the beings ailing in the world,

Until their sickness has been healed,
May I become the doctor and the cure,
And may I nurse them back to health.

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 [9] Bringing down a shower of food and drink,
May I dispel the pains of thirst and hunger,
And in those times of scarcity and famine,
May I myself appear as food and drink.

[10] For all beings who are destitute and poor,

May I be a treasure, unending in supply,
A source of all that they might call for,
Accessible always and close by.

iii. Mind Training

Then with the verses of mind training, beginning with verse 11, train your mind by
dedicating—without any hesitation—your own body, possessions and all your past,
present and future virtues towards the benefit of sentient beings. Develop the
heartfelt aspiration that this may become a cause for the unsurpassable wellbeing of
beings everywhere, on both a temporary and ultimate level.

[11] My own body and all that I possess,

My past, present and future virtues—
I dedicate them all, withholding nothing,
To bring about the benefit of beings.

[12] By letting go of all I shall attain nirvāṇa,

The transcendence of misery I seek,
Since everything must therefore be abandoned,
It would be best if I gave it all away.

[13] This body of mine I have now given up,

Entirely for the pleasure of all who live.
Let them kill it, beat it and abuse it,
Forever doing with it as they please.

[14] And if they treat it like a toy,

Or an object of ridicule and jest,
When I have given it away,
Why should I then become upset?

[15] Let them do to me as they please,

Whatever does not harm them;
And when anyone should see me,
May that only serve them well.

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 [16] If the sight of me inspires in others
Thoughts of anger or devotion,
May such states of mind be causes
For eternally fulfilling their desires.

[17] May those who insult me to my face,

Or who cause me harm in any other way,
Even those who disparage me in secret,
Have the good fortune to awaken.

[18] May I be a guard for those without one,

A guide for all who journey on the road,
May I become a boat, a raft or bridge,
For all who wish to cross the water.

[19] May I be an isle for those desiring landfall,

And a lamp for those who wish for light,
May I be a bed for those who need to rest,
And a servant for all who live in need.

[20] May I become a wishing jewel, a magic vase,

A powerful mantra and a medicine of wonder.
May I be a tree of miracles granting every wish,
And a cow of plenty sustaining all the world.

[21] Like the earth and other great elements,

And like space itself, may I remain forever,
To support the lives of boundless beings,
By providing all that they might need.

[22] Just so, in all the realms of beings,

As far as space itself pervades,
May I be a source of all that life requires,
Until beings pass beyond saṃsāra’s pain.

B. Main Part
Secondly, for the main part, begin by requesting the buddhas and bodhisattvas to
grant their attention:

All you buddhas who dwell in the ten directions

All you great bodhisattvas on the ten levels,
All you great teachers, the vajra-holders,
Turn your mind towards me, I pray!

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And then take the vows of aspiration and action simultaneously, by reciting the
following verses three times:

[23] Just as the sugatas of former times

Aroused the bodhicitta
And established themselves by stages
In the training of a bodhisattva,

[24] Just so, for the benefit of beings

I will arouse bodhicitta
And likewise I will train
Progressively in those disciplines.

C. Conclusion
Cultivate joy for oneself with the verses from 26 to 33 and joy for others with verse
34.

[26] Today, my birth has been fruitful

I have well obtained a human existence.
Today I am born into the family of the buddhas:
I have become a son or daughter of the buddhas.

[27] From now on, at all costs, I will perform

The actions befitting to my family.
I will not be a stain
On this faultless noble family.

[28] Just like a blind person

Happening upon a priceless jewel in a heap of rubbish,
So, through some fortunate coincidence,
The bodhicitta has been born in me.

[29] This is the perfect nectar of immortality,

Through which the Lord of Death is overcome.
It is an inexhaustible treasury of wealth,
To dispel the poverty of all who live.

[30] It is the very best of medicines

That heals the sickness of the world,
And the tree that shelters all who wander
Wearily along the pathways of existence.

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 [31] It is the universal bridge to freedom,
Leading us all from the lower realms,
And it is a rising moon within the mind,
To cool the passions of all living beings.

[32] It is the mighty sun whose light dispels

The darkness of ignorance in our minds.
And it is the very purest form of butter
Churned from the milk of sacred Dharma.

[33] For beings travelling life’s pathways,

And seeking to taste its greatest joys,
This will satisfy their eternal wanderings,
By granting them the highest form of bliss.

[34] Today, in the presence of all the protectors,

I invite all beings to the state of sugata,
And, meanwhile, to happiness and bliss:
Gods, asuras and others—rejoice!

After this, the following aspiration prayer in a single verse can also be recited:

O sublime and precious bodhicitta,

May it arise in those in whom it has not arisen;
May it never decline where it has arisen,
But go on increasing, further and further!

That concludes the section on adopting the bodhicitta attitude in one’s mindstream.

3. THE PRACTICES: HOW TO FOLLOW THE TRAINING OF A

BODHISATTVA
The practices of the bodhisattva are all included within the six pāramitās, and in
essence they are defined as follows:

An attitude of giving that is endowed with four special features.

An attitude of restraint that is endowed with four special features.
An attitude of imperturbability that is endowed with four special features.
An enthusiastic attitude that is endowed with four special features.
An undistracted state of attention that is endowed with four special
features.
A precise discernment of things and events that is endowed with four
special features.

What are these four special features? As it is said:

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 Generosity in which adverse factors have disappeared,
Endowed with wisdom that is non-conceptual,
Completely fulfills all wishes,
And brings all beings to maturity at the three levels.

The adverse factors for the pāramitās are stinginess, wayward discipline, anger,
laziness, distraction and misguided intelligence5 respectively.

The various ways in which they fulfil the wishes of beings are as follows:

generosity leads to the giving away of possessions and so on;

discipline is an inspiration to others;
patience allows us to face harmful situations;
diligence helps us to do what is necessary;
concentration produces miraculous abilities and supernatural perceptions
which inspire others;
and wisdom allows us to point out what must be adopted and abandoned.

These [pāramitās] bring all that could be wished for, and bring beings to maturity,
directly or indirectly, by leading them to enlightenment, as a śrāvaka,
pratyekabuddha or fully enlightened buddha.

How These pāramitās are Brought into the Practice of Training the Mind

1. The Pāramitā of Generosity

Firstly, there is the training in generosity according to which we reflect on the faults
of not giving away our own body, possessions and virtues from the past, present and
future, and then on the benefits of actually giving them away, and also on the
reasons why they must be given away, and so on.

2. The Pāramitā of Discipline

Secondly, in terms of discipline, there is an explanation of (1) the means of keeping
discipline and then (2) how to keep discipline through these means.

1. The means of keeping discipline

The means of keeping discipline are:

Conscientiousness (Tib. ba yö), which is a meticulous concern for what is

to be adopted and what is to be avoided;
Mindfulness (Tib. drenpa) , which means not forgetting what should be
adopted and abandoned;
And vigilance (Tib. shé shyin), which involves continually checking the
status of our body, speech and mind.

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2. How to keep discipline through these means
Firstly, through mindfulness, we do not lose sight of what should be adopted or
abandoned. Then secondly, because we are checking the status of our body, speech
and mind with vigilance, we recognize any occasions when we are tempted to avoid
something virtuous or to do something negative. At that time, because of our
conscientiousness, we recall the benefits of virtuous actions and undertake them, or
remember the faults of negative conduct and unwholesome actions and avoid them.

Since the underlying cause for all of this is a confident trust in the effects of karma,
we should follow the authoritative statements of the victorious buddhas and develop
trust. We must generate a heartfelt conviction about the sufferings of saṃsāra by
considering that if we act negatively this will certainly lead us to states of misery,
and once we are reborn in these unfortunate states we will face such suffering that
not only will we fail to accomplish the benefit of others, we will not even secure our
own wellbeing!

There are many categories of discipline to be maintained, but the three principle
things to avoid, which run contrary to bodhicitta in aspiration, are:

mentally forsaking sentient beings;

developing the attitude of a śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha;
and the four impure practices.

The four impure practices are mentioned in the following verse:

Deceiving those who merit veneration, regret that is misplaced,

Criticizing great beings and cheating ordinary folk—
Renounce these four impure practices and adopt their opposites,
Which are the four pure dharmas.

The favourable factors (for bodhicitta in aspiration) are:

heartfelt aspiration towards the result of perfect awakening and its cause
which is enlightened conduct;
sympathetic joy and heartfelt appreciation for all the good done by others;
dedication of all these fundamental virtues towards complete
enlightenment for others’ benefit.

We must take these three mahāyāna meditations to heart.

Of the factors that are incompatible with bodhicitta in action, it is generally said that
one must give up all harm to others, together with its basis. In particular, the greatest
faults of all, such as stealing the property of the Three Jewels, slandering a
bodhisattva, or abandoning the Dharma must be guarded against with the utmost
care, just as we would take every possible measure to secure our own lives.

46
As for the supportive factors, we must not neglect even the slightest of positive
deeds, and we must be sure to practise with the three noble principles.

3. The Pāramitā of Patience

There are various situations that require our patience, beginning with the following
four:

When someone treats us with contempt,

Addresses us with harsh words,
Slanders us behind our back,
Or causes us pain.

And similarly, when these four are done to our teachers, or our friends and relatives.

Or:

When our enemies and those who oppose us find pleasure and wellbeing,
When they receive honours and rewards,
When they are offered praise,
Or when people speak well of them.

In addition, there are also those situations in which their opposites, the twelve
desirable circumstances, are prevented from occurring, making a total of twenty-four
opportunities for us to practise patience.

When any of these occur, we must avoid becoming disheartened by the events
themselves or the suffering they bring, and instead accept the suffering. We must not
become angry with those involved, but disregard the harm they do to us, and settle
the mind in meditation upon the reality of profound emptiness.

In this way, by multiplying each instance a further three times, we arrive at seventy-
two types of patience in which to train.

There are three reasons for accepting suffering:6

1. Suffering can exhaust our negative actions, so we should accept it with the
understanding that it is like a broom for sweeping away our misdeeds.
2. Through suffering we develop renunciation for saṃsāra, compassion for
other sentient beings, and a wish to adopt wholesome actions and avoid
unwholesome ones. So we should accept it in the knowledge that it spurs
us on to virtue.
3. Suffering subdues our pride, takes away the sting of envy, overcomes the
strength of desire and attachment, and leads us on towards
accomplishment. So we should accept it with the view that it is an
embellishment of the mind.

47
The patience of disregarding the harm done to us by others can be cultivated for the
following three reasons:

1. By seeing those who harm us as objects for compassion: If we think how

deluded sentient beings will inflict harm even on themselves through the
influence of their disturbing emotions, is it any wonder that they do so to
others?
2. By putting all the blame on ourselves: Consider how all the harm that is
done to us now must come from our own past karma and how we are
conducting ourselves in the immediate situation.
3. By thinking that it is only with the help of our enemies that we can gain
the merit of practising patience, which in turn becomes a support for
bodhisattva activity. In this way, we can consider enemies as friends who
actually bring us benefit.

Patience can be cultivated by contemplating with certainty the profound teachings in

the following three ways:

1. Considering the ultimate truth of emptiness, beyond any conceptual

elaboration, we can cultivate patience by reflecting on how the harm that
is done to us and the one who is doing the harm are both lacking in any
true reality.
2. Considering the relative truth of magical dependent origination, we can
cultivate patience by realizing how neither the harm-doer nor the
suffering itself is independent.
3. Considering the inseparable unity of the nature of mind, we can cultivate
patience by recognizing our anger to be pure and lacking any basis or
origin.

4. The Pāramitā of Diligence

In this there are two sections: (i) overcoming factors incompatible with diligence,
namely the three kinds of laziness, and (ii) cultivating conducive factors, i.e., the six
forces.

i. Overcoming Incompatible Factors

Spurred on by the hook of impermanence, we can overcome the laziness of

inactivity.
The laziness of attachment to negative behaviour can be overcome by
thinking about the joys of the sacred Dharma.
The laziness of self-discouragement can be overcome by encouraging
ourselves and bolstering our self-confidence.

48
ii. Cultivating Conducive Factors
[1] The preparation, which is the force of aspiration, is an aspiration to practise the
Dharma that comes from reflecting on the benefits of virtue and the faults of harmful
actions.

[2] The main part, which is the force of self-confidence, is the stable commitment,
born of strength of heart, ensuring that once a virtuous act is begun, it will reach
completion. This has three aspects:

(a) The first is the self-confidence of action. Take the example of the sun rising over
the earth: this indicates how we should avoid falling prey to obstacles or being
affected by circumstances. Take the example of the sun moving alone: this indicates
how we should defeat the forces of Mara by ourselves, without relying on others, and
in so doing, accomplish perfect enlightenment. Finally, as in the example of the sun
shining its light on the whole world, having been blessed by the wisdom, compassion
and aspirations of the bodhisattvas, we ourselves can sustain the lives of beings. In
other words, we earnestly strive to bring about the welfare of living beings
everywhere, throughout the whole infinity of space.

(b) The self-confidence of capacity means considering ourselves to be of superior

capacity, and vowing not to be stained by any downfall, great or small.

(c) Self-confidence in the face of negative emotions means regarding negative

emotions as insignificant and disregarding adversity.

[3] The force of special joy means practising virtue with joyful enthusiasm, but
without any expectation of a positive result, celebrating all the good things that we
do.

[4] The force of moderation means to clear away hindrances by resting for a while
whenever we are physically tired or disheartened, in order to continue with renewed
vigour shortly thereafter.

[5] The force of sincere application means to overcome what is to be abandoned,

devoting ourselves to the vanquishing of the disturbing emotions by employing
mindfulness and vigilance.

[6] The force of mastery means to train ourselves in all disciplines, remembering the
advice about conscientiousness, and maintaining control over our own body, speech
and mind.

5. The Pāramitā of Meditative Concentration

This has two parts: (i) abandoning factors that are not conducive to concentration
and (ii) working with the objects of śamatha meditation.

49
i. Abandoning Adverse Factors
In the first part, giving up adverse factors, there are two subsections: (a) giving up
mundane concerns, and (b) letting go of discursive thought.

(a) Giving up Mundane Concerns

As regards renouncing mundane concerns, our mind will never settle into a state of
one-pointed absorption as long as it is under the sway of attachment to parents,
relatives and friends or attendants. So we must give up all our habitual
preoccupations and busyness, and remain alone in an isolated place suitable for
meditation.

Being attached to rewards and honours, praise or good reputation, or trifling

necessities and then pursuing them will only obstruct the authentic path, so we must
cut through any expectations and anxieties about such things, and train in being
content with whatever comes our way.

(b) Letting Go of Discursive Thought

Even though we may be in an isolated place, not seeking possessions and such like to
any great extent, if our mind falls under the power of desire, a genuine state of
meditative concentration will not arise in our being, and our mind will be unable to
rest in a state of absorption. Therefore thoughts of desire must be given up. To turn
our thoughts away from attachment to desirable things is particularly important for
gaining the special higher levels of concentration, so we should certainly turn the
mind away from craving after members of the opposite sex by reflecting on the
cause, the fact that they are not easy to obtain; their nature, which is impure; and the
result, which involves a lot of harm, and so on.

Moreover, we must understand that the eight worldly concerns and all thoughts of
the present life are our real enemies. We must reflect, therefore, at some length on
the problems caused by negative thoughts of desire, and, generating a sense of inner
dignity, make heartfelt efforts to abandon them, no matter how many may arise.

ii. Focusing on the Objects of Practice

As regards the main practice of meditative concentration, there are many methods
for meditation, but here the practice is to cultivate bodhicitta. This has two aspects:
(a) the meditation on equalizing oneself and others, and (b) the meditation on
exchanging oneself for others.

(a) Equalizing Oneself and Others

We must recognize how unreasonable it is that we care only for ourselves and not
for others, since we are the same as others in wanting happiness and not wanting
suffering. Meditate therefore on the equality of oneself and others.

50
As it is said:

The thought of the equality of oneself and others

Is to be cultivated in the beginning with exertion.
Since we are all equal in terms of happiness and suffering,
We should care for everyone as we do ourselves.7

As this states, in the beginning meditate on the bodhicitta of equalizing oneself and
others. This is done in the following way:

Sentient beings are as infinite as space itself, and yet there is not a single one who
has not been our own father or mother or dear friend. As the master Nāgārjuna said:

If each mother in the lineage of mothers

Were considered as a ball the size of a juniper seed,
The whole earth could not contain their number.8

With such quotations and through reasoning, we can determine that all sentient
beings have been our close relations.

Then whenever we experience happiness, we can cultivate this thought from the
depths of your heart: “May all beings find such happiness and its causes!” And
likewise, whenever we experience suffering, we can cultivate the following wish
from the very core of our bones: “May I and all beings be free from suffering and its
causes!”

At this stage, it is possible that an obstacle might arise in our thoughts; we might
develop a śrāvaka’s attitude, thinking: “I will dispel my own suffering, without
expecting anything from others, but I will not work to dispel the suffering of others.”
Yet as the Introduction to the Way of the Bodhisattva says:

Why guard against future pain,

If it does not harm me now? (VIII, 97)

As it says, why do we exert ourselves acquiring good health, food, clothing and so on
for the future? We are actually ceasing every moment, and in the next moment we
become an “other”. At this point, due to the habit of ignorance, we may think that the
future one is also us, but that would simply be delusion. It is just as the Introduction
to the Way of the Bodhisattva says:

“But I will be the one who suffers,”

You say, but it’s wrong to think this way.
This “I” will presently cease to be,
And later, another will be born. (VIII, 98)

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For instance, foolish people think, “These are the rapids in which I lost my coat last
year,” or,” This is the river I crossed yesterday,” but the water of last year that swept
away the coat is “other” than the water of the present, and the water forded
yesterday is also different. In exactly the same way, the mind of the past is not us and
the future mind is not us either, but something different.

At this point we might think: “Well, the future mind is not the present ‘me’ but it is a
continuation of my mind, so I will work for my own welfare!” In that case, we should
act for the welfare of others with the idea that although other sentient beings are not
us, they are our sentient beings.

If we think: “Everybody should work for his or her own welfare, just as they would
shake the snow from their own heads,9 but it is not possible for everyone to help
each other,” then consider this from the Introduction to the Way of the Bodhisattva:

The pain felt in the foot is not the hand’s,

So why, in fact, does one protect the other? (VIII, 99)

As it says, why does the hand remove the painful thorn from the foot? It is the same
with the hand and dust that is in the eye, or parents helping their son, or the hand
putting food into the mouth. It would follow that they must all be doing this for their
own benefit.

In short, if there were no collaboration with everyone working for the sake of others,
and instead everyone were only to operate in their own interest, then it would be
extremely difficult for anything ever to be accomplished. Therefore, with this
understanding, we should act for the benefit of sentient beings.

(b) Exchanging Oneself and Others

Secondly, there is the meditation on the bodhicitta of exchanging oneself and others.

The Introduction to the Way of the Bodhisattva says:

If I do not give away my happiness,

In exchange for others’ suffering,
Buddhahood will never be attained,
And even in saṃsāra, I’ll find no joy. (VIII, 131)

As it says, we must give away our own happiness to sentient beings and take their
sufferings upon ourselves. As for the visualization, it also says:

Put yourself in the position of an inferior and so on,

Then regard your self as if it were someone other,
And, with a mind devoid of any other thought,
Cultivate feelings of envy, rivalry and pride. (VIII, 140)

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The meaning of this is as follows:

In the first meditation, the ‘other’ is someone in a position lower than ourselves, for
whom we are someone of higher status. From the point of view of this less
privileged other, we practise feeling envious of our superior selves. When we have
finished the meditation, the following feeling will arise:

“Look how even in a practice like this, if I am the superior one and others are
inferior, to feel envious causes such distress! What is the point of envying others?”
With this, our envy will subside.

Similarly, there is a meditation of rivalry focusing on those of equal standing to

ourselves. In this, we take the position of an ‘other’ of similar status to ourselves, and
from their point of view consider ourselves as an opponent. Then, as the other, we
cultivate an attitude of rivalry towards ourselves from every possible angle. When
we let go of this meditation, the following feeling will arise:

“If considering myself as an enemy and imagining the malicious and competitive
attitude of others causes such distress, then what is the point of wishing harm upon
others and feeling rivalry?” With this, our rivalry will naturally be pacified.

Again, following the same principle, there is a practice of cultivating pride, in which
we are in the position of an inferior, and the other is our superior. As the superior
other, we cultivate feelings of pride based on our superior family, better education
and so on. When we finish the meditation, we will think, “If considering the
arrogance others feel towards me creates this much distress, then how can I feel
arrogance towards others?” With this, our arrogance will be naturally pacified.

We can practise these by following the detailed descriptions given in theIntroduction

to the Way of the Bodhisattva itself.

If we are unable to do these meditations, and we would like to do a brief form of the
practice, we can consider this quotation from the Precious Garland:

May their misdeeds ripen on me,

And all my virtues ripen on them.
As long as any sentient being
Anywhere has not been liberated,
May I remain for the sake of that being
Even if I have attained unsurpassed enlightenment.
If the merit of saying this
Had form, it could never be contained
In worlds as vast in number
As the sand grains of the Ganges.
This was stated by the Buddha,

53
 And it is also apparent through reasoning.10

And the Introduction to the Way of the Bodhisattva says:

May the pains of living beings

All ripen wholly on myself.
And may the bodhisattva sangha
Bring about the happiness of all. (X, 56)

We can meditate on the meaning of these quotes, and even recite them aloud if we
wish. This way of meditating on equalizing and exchanging oneself and others is
similar to the methods found in the writings of Sakya Paṇḍita. Although it is slightly
different from what we find in most commentaries, we can practise in whichever
way seems best suited to our minds.

6. The Pāramitā of Wisdom

Wisdom is firstly identified and then it is applied to the topic of selflessness.

i. Identifying Wisdom
Firstly, wisdom is identified as the recognition during the formal meditation session
that all phenomena are empty, and the knowledge during the post-meditation phase
that all phenomena are unreal, like a magical illusion or a dream.

ii. Applying Wisdom to Selflessness

Secondly, this wisdom is applied to the topic of selflessness. In this there are two
meditations: one on the selflessness of the individual, and one on the absence of ‘self’
in phenomena.

Selflessness of the Individual

In the first, we consider how foolish people label the one who accumulates karmic
actions and experiences their results as a self, an individual, a person or a sentient
being. We must ask ourselves whether such labels apply to the body, speech and
mind or something different? To what is inanimate or animate? To what is
permanent or impermanent? and so on.

By investigating along these lines, we will come to the conclusion that although we
cling to a “self” where there is no self and an “other” where there is no other, this is
due to the power of mind’s delusion, and in fact there is no such thing as a “self” or a
“sentient being” that is established from the side of things themselves.

The Absence of ‘Self’ in Phenomena

Secondly, when it comes to the selflessness of phenomena, there are the four
applications of mindfulness.

54
(i) Application of Mindfulness to the Body
All phenomena of appearance and existence—saṃsāra and nirvāṇa—are simply
appearances arising in our own mind, and do not have the slightest existence apart
from that which we attribute to them with our minds. This very mind also depends
on the body, and so we should investigate the physical body by asking questions,
such as:

Is what we call the “body” the same as or different from the assembly of
its parts?
Where does the body originate?
Where does it remain?
Where does it go in the end?

Finally, we should rest evenly in meditation on the theme of the body’s unreality.

Whenever we experience physical desire or attachment, we must meditate upon the

impurity and ‘illusoriness’ of our own and others’ bodies, and we will overcome
attachment towards the physical body.

(ii) Application of Mindfulness to Feelings

Feelings of pleasure and pain are the basis for negative states of mind such as craving
and attachment, so we must investigate whether they are the same as or different
from the mind and so on. Meditate on the unreality of feelings, and consider how all
other [i.e., neutral] feelings11 are ultimately suffering, without essence and so on.

(iii) Application of Mindfulness to the Mind

Consider the mind that is made up of the ‘six collections of consciousness’, and
investigate whether this stream of consciousness, appearing in various aspects—
earlier and later moments, positive and negative states and so on—is a single thing or
several different things. Consider whether all these various states of mind that
appear—like and dislike, faith and lack of faith, states in accord with the Dharma and
not in accord with the Dharma, happiness and sadness, attachment and aversion, and
so on—are the same or different. If we decide that they are one, consider what the
cause could be for a single mind appearing in several modes, such as happy, sad,
desirous, angry and so on. If we think that these states arise due to temporary
circumstances, then consider what mind is like in its essence, when it is not even
slightly affected by conditions and not in contact with any object. Is it existent? Or is
it non-existent? Is it permanent? Or impermanent? Analyze the mind again and
again with thoughts such as these, and arrive at the certain conviction that mind is
without basis or origin.

55
(iv) Application of Mindfulness to Phenomena
Recognize with certainty how all phenomena other than the body, feelings and the
mind—everything included within the three categories of perceptions, formations
and the unconditioned— also arise through the interdependence of causes and
conditions, and are therefore lacking in true reality. Know them to be simply
emptiness beyond every kind of conceptual elaboration.

4. THE RESULT OF PRACTISING IN THAT WAY

By seeing the relative to be a mere display like a magical illusion or the experiences
of a dream, we will train in vast enlightened activity in which the seven kinds of
attachment12 are relinquished. And with the understanding that on the ultimate level
all things and events lack even so much as an atom’s worth of true existence, we will
take this practice to heart without becoming attached to anything whatsoever.

May the Dharma, suffering’s only cure,

And the source of all real happiness,
Always be valued and respected,
And remain long into the future!13

This was spoken by Ragged Abu.

May all be virtuous and auspicious!

| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2004. Revised and updated August 2007 & 2019 (with thanks to Ane
Tsöndrü).

1. Bodhicaryāvatāra, I, 1. ↩

2. Abhisamayālaṃkāra, I, 18. ↩

3. Patrul Rinpoche expects his audience to be familiar with the Bodhicaryāvatāra,

or to be reading it together with this text. Whenever he quotes from
Śāntideva’s work he gives only the first few syllables of a verse. For this
translation however we have given the verses in their entirety. ↩

4. The eight types of offering are real things which includes (i) one’s own
possessions, (ii) things that are unowned, and (iii) and one’s own body;
offerings created through one’s imagination including (iv) a ceremonial bath,
and (v) pleasant substances; (vi) offerings made through the power of
aspiration; (vii) unsurpassable offering; and (viii) melodious praise. ↩

5. Alak Zenkar Rinpoche gives the example of misusing our intelligence when we
reflect on how all sentient beings have been our fathers and mothers in the

56
 past. By thinking about this in the wrong way we might decide that all beings
have harmed us in the past and so they are all our enemies! That would be
using our intelligence in the wrong way. ↩

6. These reasons are given in Bodhicaryāvatāra, VI, 21. ↩

7. Bodhicaryāvatāra, VIII, 90. ↩

8. Suhṛllekha, v 68. ↩

9. Alak Zenkar Rinpoche says a modern analogy for this would be clearing the
snow from our own driveway, but not from anyone else’s. ↩

10. For an alternative translation, see Hopkins, J. Buddhist Advice for Living and
Liberation, Snow Lion, p.162 ↩

11. According to Alak Zenkar Rinpoche, this means neutral feelings. They are still
suffering in the broadest sense, because they come under the category of the
all-pervasive suffering of conditioned existence. ↩

12. According to Ārya Asaṅga’s commentary on the Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra,

where they are explained in connection with the pāramitā of generosity, the
seven kinds of attachment are: (1) attachment to possessions, (2) postponing the
practice, (3) being satisfied with just a little practice, (4) expectation of
something in return, (5) karmic results, (6) adverse circumstances, and (7)
distractions. ↩

13. Bodhicaryāvatāra, X, 57. ↩

57
A Brief Guide to the Stages and Paths of the
Bodhisattvas
by Patrul Rinpoche
I pay homage to my master who is inseparable from Lord Mañjughoṣa!

I will now set out the various stages and paths of the bodhisattvas in a way that is
clear and easy to understand. There are five paths and ten stages (or bhūmis). The
five paths are as follows:

1. The path of accumulation

2. The path of joining
3. The path of seeing
4. The path of meditation
5. The path of no-more-learning

The ten bhūmis will be explained below in conjunction with the path of meditation.

1. The Path of Accumulation

On the path of accumulation, the bodhisattvas, or ‘heirs of the victorious ones’,

generate positive intention and bodhicitta in both aspiration and action. Having
thoroughly developed this relative bodhicitta, they aspire towards the ultimate
bodhicitta, the non-conceptual wisdom of the path of seeing. This is known,
therefore, as the stage of ‘aspirational practice’.

It is called the path of accumulation because it is the stage at which we make a special
effort to gather the accumulation of merit, and also because it marks the beginning of
many incalculable aeons of gathering the accumulations.

The path of accumulation is divided into lesser, intermediate and greater stages.

On the lesser stage of the path of accumulation, it is uncertain when we will reach the
path of joining. On the intermediate stage of the path of accumulation, it is certain
that we will reach the path of joining in the very next lifetime. On the greater stage of
the path of accumulation, it is certain that we will reach the path of joining within
the very same lifetime.

The Lesser Stage

The root text says:

The applications of mindfulness… may we engage….!

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This indicates that on the lesser stage of the path of accumulation, we meditate
mainly on the four applications of mindfulness.

Firstly, there is the application of mindfulness to the body(1).1 In this meditation,

the outer ‘body’ is understood to be the outer physical environment, theinner body is
our own physical body, and ‘_in between_’ there are the bodies of other sentient
beings. We examine these three with precise intelligence, and rest, with meditative
concentration, in the recognition that ultimately they are unreal and their nature is
space-like emptiness. During the post-meditation, we train in recognizing them as
illusory and dream-like.

This practice is especially useful as an antidote to physical desire. We can consider

that this body contains all kinds of impure substances like blood and pus, and that it
plays host to the 404 types of disease or the 60,000 harmful influences (dön), as well
as all kinds of bacteria and tiny organisms. We can also consider how, once we have
died, the body will decay, become a skeleton and so on.

Secondly, for the application of mindfulness to feelings(2), we examine pleasurable,

painful and neutral feelings with precise intelligence, and rest in a state of
meditation, recognizing feelings to be unarisen and beyond arising. During the post-
meditation phase, we train in recognizing that all feelings are insubstantial, like a
plantain tree, and that they are suffering by their very nature.

Thirdly, for the application of mindfulness to mind(3), we use precise intelligence to

investigate greater, lesser and intermediate types of perception, and then we rest in
meditation upon their emptiness nature. During the post-meditation, we must
understand the nature of the mind to be beyond ceasing and beyond remaining.

Fourthly, with the application of mindfulness to phenomena(4), we use the precise

intelligence of discernment to analyze all phenomena included within the category of
formations, and then settle in the recognition of their nature, which is equality.
During the post-meditation, we recognize how all phenomena resemble the eight
similes of illusion: they are like a dream, a magical illusion, a mirage, a hallucination,
a reflection, an echo, a city of gandharvas or an apparition.

Moreover, in the first case, the body is the object to be analyzed with precise
intelligence, but once this so-called ‘body’ has been thoroughly investigated and any
notion of its true reality has been destroyed, the ensuing space-like emptiness
becomes the true object for the application of mindfulness. It is just the same with
the other three. The practices of the four applications of mindfulness each have their
own objects of focus, but in essence they all consist of the space-like meditation and
the illusory post-meditation. There is no aspect of them which is not included in
these two.

The Intermediate Stage

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On the intermediate stage of the path of accumulation, we chiefly practise thefour
correct abandonments.

This means that we strive, first of all, to ensure that we do not develop any non-
virtuous tendencies(5) that we have not previously developed.

Secondly, we swiftly eliminate any non-virtuous tendencies(6) that we have

developed.

Thirdly, we cultivate any virtuous tendencies(7) that we have not yet developed.

And fourthly, we ensure the virtues we have cultivated are further increased(8).

These are known as the four correct abandonments because we abandon all non-
virtues and whatever obstructs the cultivation of virtue. They mainly concern our
conduct, whether through body, speech or mind.

The Greater Stage

On the greater stage of the path of accumulation, we practise thefour supports of

miraculous ability:

The first of these is the 'miracle support' of determination(9), which is to meditate

with enthusiasm and aspiration towards meditative concentration, so that the mind
does not stray into lack of faith or wrong views.

The second, the miracle support of exertion(10), is to apply ourselves with diligence
to the practice of meditative concentration, and to exert ourselves in both eliminating
any faults or obstacles, and in cultivating the necessary qualities, so that we remain
unaffected by temporary circumstances.

The third is the miracle support of attention(11), which ensures that we remain in a
state of one-pointed attention, thus avoiding the divided attention that is caught
between various thoughts and distracting influences. Through this, we realize actual
meditative concentration.

Fourth, the miracle support of discernment(12), helps us sustain meditative

concentration during daily activity, as a way of gaining the miraculous powers, such
as the superknowledges.

These four are called ‘supports’ because they support the meditative concentration
out of which a range of miraculous attainments can arise.

By manifesting various miraculous powers on the greater path of accumulation, we

can travel miraculously to the fields where buddhas actually reside. There, we can
receive and master countless hundreds and thousands of Dharma teachings.

60
Bodhisattvas who do this gain continuous meditative concentration which they are
able to maintain through the strength of their wisdom.

2. The Path of Joining

The path of joining is so named because it provides the connection [between the path
of accumulation and] the direct insight of non-conceptual wisdom on the path of
seeing.

It consists of four stages. These are:

—the first two stages of warmth and summit, during which it is uncertain when we
will reach the path of seeing, and

—the final two stages of acceptance and supreme attribute, from which we are sure
to reach the path of seeing in the very same lifetime.

The root text says:

Warmth and summit and so on… may we enter…!

The meaning of this is as follows:

The non-conceptual wisdom of the path of seeing is likened to a fire that incinerates
the emotional obscurations. However, even before they catch fire, two sticks will
produce a degree of heat when they are rubbed together. In a similar way, certain
indications or signs of ‘warmth’, unlike any we have experienced before, develop in
our being as the coarser destructive emotions subside. This is known as the stage of
warmth on the path of joining. The stage of summit is so named because it is the
pinnacle of all sources of mundane virtue. At the stage of acceptance, we can
fearlessly accept the reality of emptiness as the nature of things. The stage of
supreme attribute is so called because it is marked by the attainment of the very
highest qualities that can arise from meditation that is still within the mundane
sphere.

These four—warmth, summit, acceptance and supreme attribute—are known as the

four factors conducive to definite emergence.

On the stages of warmth and summit we cultivate the five powers:

Firstly, with the power of faith(13), we feel an intense aspiration towards the wisdom
of the power of seeing.

Through the power of diligence(14), we exert ourselves in the methods for arousing
the wisdom of the path of seeing, without slipping into laziness.

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Through the power of mindfulness(15), we are able to maintain the higher training
in discipline without allowing it to deteriorate.

Through the power of meditative concentration(16), which corresponds to the

training in higher concentration, we are able to rest evenly in meditation.

Through the power of wisdom(17), we are able to develop the view of the natural
state and take it to heart as the training in higher wisdom.

On the stages of acceptance and supreme attribute, these five faculties are practised
in the absence of their corresponding obstructing factors. When they are no longer
obstructed by, respectively, any lack of faith, laziness, forgetfulness, distraction or
lack of awareness, the five qualities of faith(18), diligence(19), mindfulness(20),
concentration(21) and wisdom(22) are known as the five strengths.

3. Path of Seeing

The path of seeing is so called because it is the stage at which we first see the
supermundane wisdom of the noble ones.

The root text says:

Mindfulness, discernment and so on… May we reach the stage…!

The meaning of this is as follows:

The enlightenment factor of the precise discernment of phenomena(23) refers, in

general, to the wisdom that precisely discerns the individual aspects of all things and
events. Here, in this context, it applies more specifically to the knowledge and
acceptance, and then subsequent knowledge and acceptance, of the character of each
of the four noble truths. In other words, it refers to the sixteen moments of
acceptance and knowledge, during which the fundamental nature of all the specific
characteristics of phenomena is shown to be beyond any conceptual elaboration, and
we accept this without fear.

There are, in addition, the enlightenment factors of mindfulness(24), diligence(25),

joy(26), mental and physical pliancy(27), samādhi(28) and equanimity(29)—making
seven factors of enlightenment altogether.

Here, equanimity means to have evenness of mind. For example, bodhisattvas

possessing this kind of equanimity could experience sandalwood ointment being
applied to them by someone on their right, and flesh hacked off their bodies by
someone on their left, but would feel neither attachment [to the one] nor aversion [to
the other].

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Recognizing and then perfecting this authentic view, which is the wisdom of the path
of seeing, the bodhisattva becomes more exalted, or more noble (ārya), than an
ordinary being.

First Bhūmi

This is the first of the ten bhūmis of the noble bodhisattvas, the stage at which the
truth of the reality of things is seen. It is therefore called the path of seeing. At this
stage, there is also an experience of abundant bliss, unlike any known before: this
bhūmi is therefore known as the stage of ‘Perfect Joy’.

At this stage, purifying the obscuration of avarice and its associated habitual
tendencies, and perfecting the pāramitā of generosity, bodhisattvas gain twelve sets
of one hundred qualities.

They are able to:

—enter into and arise from one hundred samādhi meditations in a single instant,

—see one hundred buddhas face to face, and receive their blessings,

—travel to one hundred buddha realms,

—cause one hundred world systems to shake,

—illuminate one hundred world systems,

—bring one hundred beings to complete maturity,

—manifest in one hundred aeons in a single instant,

—know one hundred aeons in the past and

—one hundred aeons in the future,

—open one hundred doors to the Dharma,

—manifest one hundred emanations, and

—for each of these bodies, manifest one hundred attendants.

At this stage, a bodhisattva can take birth as a ruler over Jambudvīpa.

4. The Path of Meditation

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The path of meditation consists of meditating on, and gaining familiarity with, the
wisdom that was realized on the path of seeing. The training here is in the noble
eightfold path.

The root text says:

View, intention, speech…. May we traverse….!

The meaning of this is as follows:

Since non-conceptual wisdom has been realized on the path of seeing, there is
genuine realization of the view of how things really are, which is the correct
view(30).

Through the power of this [correct view], no destructive emotions arise in the mind,
and all thoughts are spontaneously virtuous, so there is correct intention(31).

When the mind is virtuous, non-virtues of body and speech will not arise, and all that
is said will be of benefit to beings. This is correct speech(32).

Whatever actions one does will be for the benefit of others, so there iscorrect
action(33).

Always content, never stained by the five styles of unethical livelihood, there is
correct livelihood(34). The five styles of unethical livelihood are: 1) hypocrisy; 2)
flattery; 3) soliciting; 4) expropriating; and 5) calculated generosity. All these five are
abandoned.

Being diligent, having eliminated weariness and fatigue while working for others’
benefit, there is correct effort(35).

Always maintaining the flow of mindful awareness, there is correct mindfulness(36).

Remaining in the meditative equipoise of the fourth dhyāna and similar states, and
entering into various forms of samādhi, there is correct concentration(37).

The nine bhūmis of the path of meditation are traversed in the following way:

Second Bhūmi

At the lesser of the three lesser levels of the path of meditation, the pāramitā of
discipline is perfected. All the obscurations associated with flaws in discipline are
purified.

Similar qualities to those mentioned above (when discussing the path of seeing) are
gained, so that bodhisattvas can enter into and arise from one thousand samādhi
meditations in a single instant, and so on. The difference is that here there are twelve
64
sets of one thousand qualities.

They can take birth as a ruler over the four continents.

This second bhūmi is called ‘Immaculate’, because it is free from the stains of faulty
discipline.

Third Bhūmi

At the intermediate of the three lesser levels of the path of meditation, the pāramitā
of patience is perfected. All the obscurations associated with anger are purified.

Twelve sets of one hundred thousand qualities are gained, such as the ability to enter
into and arise from one hundred thousand samādhi meditations in a single instant,
and so on.

One can take birth as a ruler over the Heaven of Thirty-three, like Indra.

This third bhūmi is called ‘Illuminating’, because bodhisattvas who have reached
this stage shine the light of Dharma on those beings who are enshrouded in the thick
darkness of their negative tendencies.

Fourth Bhūmi

At the greater of the three lesser levels of the path of meditation, thepāramita of
diligence is perfected. All the obscurations associated with laziness are purified.

Twelve sets of ten million qualities are gained, such as the ability to enter into and
arise from ten million samādhi meditations in a single instant, and so on.

One can take birth as a ruler of the House of Gemini (Skt. Parākrama).

This fourth bhūmi is called ‘Radiant’, because bodhisattvas who have reached this
stage radiate the fiery wisdom that burns away the emotional and cognitive
obscurations.

Fifth Bhūmi

At the lesser of the three intermediate levels of the path of meditation, the pāramitā
of meditation is perfected. All the obscurations associated with distraction are
purified.

Twelve sets of one billion qualities are gained, such as the ability to enter into and
arise from one billion samādhi meditations in a single instant, and so on.

One can take birth as a ruler of Enjoying Emanations.

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This fifth bhūmi is called ‘Difficult Training’, because bodhisattvas at this stage can
remain in samādhi for their own benefit and simultaneously strive to accomplish the
welfare of others.

Sixth Bhūmi

At the intermediate of the three intermediate levels of the path of meditation, the
pāramitā of wisdom is perfected. All the obscurations associated with ignorance
and delusion are purified.

Twelve sets of ten billion qualities are gained, such as the ability to enter into and
arise from ten billion samādhi meditations in a single instant, and so on.

One can take birth as a ruler of Tuṣita.

This sixth bhūmi is called ‘Clearly Manifest’, because for bodhisattvas at this stage,
all the phenomena of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa are fully evident.

Seventh Bhūmi

At the greater of the three intermediate levels of the path of meditation, the
pāramitā of skilful means is perfected. All the obscurations associated with lack of
skilful means are purified.

Twelve sets of one trillion qualities are gained, such as the ability to enter into and
arise from a trillion samādhi meditations in a single instant, and so on.

One can take birth as a ruler of Controlling Others’ Emanations.

This seventh bhūmi is called ‘Far Progressed’, because it is advanced far beyond the
state of samsara.

These first seven bhūmis are known as the seven impure bhūmis because while we
are on these stages impure appearances can still be perceived directly.

Eighth Bhūmi

At the lesser of the three greater levels of the path of meditation, thepāramitā of
strength is perfected. All the obscurations associated with lack of strength are
purified.

Twelve sets of qualities are gained, such as the ability to enter into and arise from, in
a single instant, as many samādhi meditations as there are atoms in a hundred
thousand great universes of a thousand worlds.

One can take birth as a ruler over a first-order universe of a thousand realms.

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This eighth bhūmi is called ‘Immovable’, because bodhisattvas who have reached
this stage cannot be moved by discerning or non-discerning perceptions. Their five
senses and emotional mind are transformed, they gain access to pure realms and
make evident both the all-accomplishing wisdom and the wisdom of discernment.

Ninth Bhūmi

At the intermediate of the three greater levels of the path of meditation, the
pāramitā of aspiration is perfected. All the obscurations associated with unfulfilled
aspirations are purified.

Twelve sets of qualities are gained, such as the ability to enter into and arise from, in
a single instant, as many samādhi meditations as there are atoms in a million great
universes.

One can take birth as Brahma, the ruler over a second-order universe of one
thousand times one thousand worlds.

This ninth bhūmi is called ‘Perfect Intellect’, because the bodhisattvas who have
reached this stage possess perfect discriminating awareness and the like.

Tenth Bhūmi

At the greater of the three greater levels of the path of meditation, thepāramitā of
primordial wisdom is perfected. Bodhisattvas at this stage are freed from the
conceptual obscurations.

They gain qualities, such as being able to enter into and arise from, in a single
instant, as many samādhis as there are inconceivable atoms in inconceivable
buddhafields. Just as before, they possess the twelve sets of qualities, ending with the
perfect retinue, which at this stage means being surrounded by as many attendants
as there atoms in inconceivable buddhafields.

These bodhisattvas can take birth as the ruler of the gods of a pure realm. They
serve as the regent of a buddha and bring benefit to others on a vast scale.

This tenth bhūmi is called ‘Cloud of Dharma’, because bodhisattvas who have
reached this stage cause rain-like Dharma to fall from the clouds of their dhāraṇī and
meditation, upon the fields of beings to be trained.

5. The Path of No-More-Learning

At this level, immeasurable rays of light shine out from the bodhisattva’s body and
make offerings to all the buddhas of the past, present and future, who send back
tremendous rays of empowering light. Subtle cognitive obscurations, which are
latent habitual tendencies, are vanquished through the antidote, vajra-like samādhi,

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and complete and full enlightenment is attained.

Of the five paths, this is the fifth. It is called ‘no-more-learning’, because there is no
further training to be done on any path.

When the path of no-more-learning is realized, the bodhisattva reaches the eleventh
bhūmi, ‘Universal Radiance’.

In response to requests from many scholars, especially Jigdar, this was written by the
renunciate Śrī Nirmitaka (Patrul Rinpoche). May our own tradition, the vajra vehicle of
the early translation school, flourish and spread in every direction and throughout the
whole of time.

May virtue abound! Mangalam!

| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2007. Edited by Phillippa Sison.

1. To help reveal something of the underlying structure in this text, the ‘thirty-
seven factors of enlightenment’ are numbered accordingly and appear in bold.
↩

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A Brief Introduction to the Bardos
by Patrul Rinpoche
Generally, whenever physically embodied beings die, they first experience the
twenty phases of coarse dissolution, which are as follows:

1. As the aggregate of form dissolves, the limbs twitch, and the body loses its
strength and power.

2. As the mirror-like wisdom dissolves, the mind grows unclear and hazy.

3. As the earth element dissolves, the body grows dry.

4. As the eye faculty dissolves, sight becomes unclear and the eye takes on a
rounder shape.

5. As the object form dissolves, the body loses its vitality and weakens.

6. As the aggregate of sensations dissolves, the dying person can no longer

detect feelings.

7. As the wisdom of equality dissolves, there is no longer any awareness of

the three types of sensation (i.e., pleasant, painful or neutral).

8. As the water element dissolves, the lips, sweat, urine, semen and ovum all
dry up.

9. As the ear faculty dissolves, external and internal sounds can no longer be
heard.

10. As the object sound dissolves, the sounds of the body itself can no longer
be heard.

11. As the aggregate of perception dissolves, it is no longer possible to

distinguish between different creatures.1

12. As the wisdom of discernment dissolves, the dying person forgets the
names of his or her own parents, siblings or children.

13. As the fire element dissolves, proper digestion of food is no longer

possible.

14. As the nose faculty dissolves, upper respiration2 slows.

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 15. As the object smell dissolves, the person can no longer detect the odours of
their own body.

16. As the aggregate of formations dissolves, the person is unable to carry out
physical activities.

17. As the all-accomplishing wisdom dissolves, the person can no longer

remember ordinary mundane tasks or their purpose.

18. As the wind element dissolves, the ten internal winds shift from their
usual locations.

19. As the tongue faculty dissolves, the tongue feels thicker and shorter than
usual and turns blue at its base.

20. As the object taste dissolves, the person can no longer detect the six kinds
of taste.

Following the twenty coarse forms of dissolution, which unfold in this way, comes
the process of subtle inner dissolution:

As earth dissolves into water, the person is unable to move the body and can no
longer maintain its strength.3 It feels as if the body is sinking into the ground. As an
inner sign, there is a shimmering expanse of blue, and the impression of softly
drizzling rain and flowing water.

As water dissolves into fire, the mouth and nostrils dry up, and the tongue becomes
lodged against the palate. As an inner sign, there is an appearance of a smoky haze
swirling on a plain.

As fire dissolves into wind, the body loses heat in its extremities, and the stomach’s
digestive energy grows weaker. As an inner sign, shimmering red sparks crackle and
flicker like fireflies.

As wind dissolves into consciousness, exhalations become longer, and, as the coarse
outer breathing ceases, the person is unable to inhale. As an inner sign, there is a
vision of a burning lamp, and many torches arranged in a row.

As consciousness dissolves into space, as an inner sign, awareness is very clear, and
as an outer sign, there is an experience like the sky devoid of clouds.4

Then, as space dissolves into luminosity, four visions gradually unfold:

1. The white essence obtained from the father descends from the crown, and
when it reaches the heart there is what is called ‘appearance’. As an outer
sign, this is accompanied by an experience of whiteness, as when

70
 moonlight fills a completely clear sky that is entirely free from clouds. As
an inner sign, there is a clear experience of the self-clarity of
consciousness devoid of any coarse thought states focused on perceived
objects.

2. As the subtle red element of the mother ascends from the base of the
central channel, the wisdom of appearance fades into ‘increase’. As an
outer sign, a red vision unfolds like a cloudless sky pervaded by sunlight.
As an inner sign, there is an extremely clear state of mind devoid of any
coarse thought states focused on the perceiving subject.

3. As the subtle white and red essences meet at the heart, the wisdom of
increase dissolves into ‘attainment’. Through this, as an outer sign, there
is an experience of blackness, like the thick darkness which falls when the
sky turns completely black. As an inner sign, extremely subtle thoughts
involving perceived objects and perceiving subject become completely
absent, and all distinct concepts based on the appearance aspect of mind
fade away, so that, as the ordinary dualistic mind ceases, the wisdom of
attainment dawns.

4. When the the subtle essences of blood and breath, the bindus A and
HAṂ5 and so on, which are inside the white, silken thread-like channel in
the heart, all dissolve completely, the ground luminosity of the moment of
death arises. As an outer sign, there is an experience of emptiness and
clarity without centre or periphery, like a cloudless sky when it is
completely clear. As an inner sign, you remain in co-emergent, non-
conceptual wisdom that is entirely without elaboration. If, having
recognized this, you can settle into an ongoing experience of the present
moment, mother and child luminosities will meet together, and you will be
liberated in the first bardo.

In this context, empty luminosity is explained according to the general approach of

the tantras, whereas how the forms of the deities arise out of clear light, how the
tikles of light and so on appear are explained in the Dzogchen tantras. Nevertheless,
it would seem to be rare for these to unfold in a way that provides an opportunity for
liberation.6

Next, out of the luminosity into which the three visions dissolved, appearances
unfold gradually once again, and the body of the bardo of becoming is formed. For
the first half of this bardo, however long that might be, you have the form of your
preceding life, and for the second half you take on the appearance of your eventual
rebirth. All sensory faculties are intact, and you can travel anywhere but the
mother’s womb, miraculously and without obstruction. You are invisible to all except
those of the same class (i.e. other bardo beings) and those who have obtained divine

71
vision. Since you have taken on something like a body in a dream, for example,
which is generated in an instant, and knows neither light nor complete darkness, this
is known as the ‘bardo of semi-darkness’.

It is difficult at this time to realize that you have died, so certain indications that you
are in the bardo have been taught. For instance, you do not see the sun or moon
when looking into the sky, and you leave no footprints and cast no shadow.

All manner of experiences, both positive and negative, arise at this stage, as a result
of both good and bad karma. In particular, there are the four so-called ‘fear-inducing
sounds’, which are:

the sound of a mountain collapsing, which comes from earth prāṇa,

the sound of waves crashing in the ocean, which comes from water prāṇa,
the sound of fire ravaging a forest, which comes from fire prāṇa, and
the sound of a thousand simultaneous claps of thunder, which comes from
wind prāṇa.7

The so-called ‘three terrifying abysses’ are the three white, red and black abysses
which are the spontaneous forms of the three poisons. When seeing them and falling
into them, you enter the womb.

This is also the stage at which you undertake a search for a birthplace, feel craving
for a home and a body, and so on. Various visions, which are indications of the
entrance to a birthplace can occur, with appearances such as wheels of light, caves,
empty hollows, male and female animals, male and female human beings and so on.

At these times, the crucial points of practice are as follows:

At first, when you are certain that you are going to die, you must cut all ties and
attachment to this life. Confess from the depths of your heart any downfalls and
breakages of samaya, harmful actions and so on. Devote not even so much as a single
moment to feeling guilty about your own negative actions, fearing death, or being
attached to this life. Instead, feel happiness and joy, and say to yourself: “Now I shall
recognize the clear light at death. Or, if that is not possible, since I shall certainly use
the bardo as an opportunity to travel to a pure realm such as Akaniṣṭha,
Zangdokpalri or Sukhāvatī, I shall be joyful.” Maintain, without ever letting it slip
away, the strong intention and thought “I shall travel to the pure realms!”

Gently, in a relaxed way, as you settle into an experience of whichever practice is the
clearest and most vivid for you, let go of the constituents of this life. Since you will
be unable to practise any unfamiliar pith instructions, rely only on those practices
which are clearest for you at the moment. These two points—settling into a practice
in this way, and aspiring to travel to a pure land such as Zangdokpalri—are
unsurpassable. In particular, it is absolutely crucial that you repeatedly form the

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intention to travel to the pure land of your choosing. It is exceptionally important to
understand that even now, both day and night, you must never let go of this thought.

| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2010. With gratitude to Alak Zenkar Rinpoche, who kindly clarified
many points of the text.

1. Literally “there is no awareness of bipeds and other creatures.” ↩

2. This is the same as the ‘supporting wind’ ('degs byed kyi rlung). Alak Zenkar
Rinpoche ↩

3. zungs mi thub. zungs refers to something like the body’s vital constituents. As
an indication of their degeneration, the person can no longer support
themselves and remain upright. Alak Zenkar Rinpoche ↩

4. The text may be incorrect here and the outer and inner signs confused. ↩

5. A (ཨ) and HAṂ () here symbolize the white essence received from the father
(an upside-down HAṂ) and the red essence received from the mother (A),
which meet at the heart. ↩

6. In other words, for most people this process of subtle dissolution unfolds so
quickly it is almost impossible to recognize. ↩

7. In Tsele Natsok Rangdrol’s Mirror of Mindfulness (dran pa'i me long) these are
referred to as the ‘four enemies’ (dgra bzhi), indicating there has been some
confusion at some point over the homophonic syllables sgra/dgra. ↩

73
An Essential Instruction on Refuge and Bodhicitta
by Patrul Rinpoche

In the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly

I take refuge until I attain enlightenment.
Through the merit of practising generosity and so on,
May I attain buddhahood for the benefit of all beings.

Here I shall explain taking refuge, which is the foundation of the path to liberation,
the basis of all vows, the source of all enlightened qualities and the point of
differentiation between buddhists and non-buddhists, together with generating the
mind of bodhicitta, which is the foundation for accomplishing the level of complete
enlightenment and the source of all that is positive in existence and peace.

1. Taking Refuge
This has three sections: (i) the objects in which we take refuge, (ii) the duration of
refuge and (iii) the actual practice of taking refuge.

i. The Objects of Refuge

There are three objects: the perfect Buddha who is the unsurpassable teacher, the
sacred Dharma which is the unsurpassable protection and the supreme assembly of
the noble sangha, who are the unsurpassable guides.

Buddha
The Buddha is the one endowed with the four kāyas and five wisdoms.

The four kāyas are:

1. The svābhāvikakāya, which is the nature of phenomenal reality devoid of

any obscurations.
2. The dharmakāya, which is the unceasing aspect of wisdom.
3. The sambhogakāya, which is the self-appearing rūpakāya adorned with
major and minor marks.
4. The nirmāṇakāya, which appears in order to tame disciples who are to be
tamed.

The five wisdoms are:

1. The wisdom of dharmadhātu, which is the inherent purity of absolute

space.
2. The mirror-like wisdom, which is wisdom’s unceasing clarity aspect.
3. The equalizing wisdom, which is the absence of attachment and aversion

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 towards anyone or anything, near or far.
4. The wisdom of discernment, which knows objects without confusing or
conflating them.
5. The all-accomplishing wisdom, which effortlessly brings about the welfare
of others.

Dharma
The Dharma is identified as scripture and realization.

The Dharma of scripture consists of the three collections (piṭakas):

1. The Vinaya collection, which tames ('dul ba) the disturbing emotions in
one’s mindstream.
2. The Sūtra collection of summarizing (mdo) texts in which points are
arranged in categories.
3. The Abhidharma collection for generating the wisdom that clearly (mngon
par) realizes the way things are.

The Dharma of realization is the threefold higher training:

1. The training in higher discipline, which is the subject matter of the vinaya
collection.
2. The training in higher meditation, which is the subject matter of the sūtra
collection.
3. The training in higher wisdom, which is the subject matter of the
abhidharma collection.

The two truths [of cessation and the path] come from taking these three trainings
into one’s experience, as abandonment and realization develop on the five paths and
ten bhūmis. The truth of cessation is the perfect abandonment and the truth of the
path is the perfect realization.

Sangha
The sangha is the irreversible sangha of bodhisattvas. These are the bodhisattvas on
the ten bhūmis, who can not revert to saṃsāra, because they have realized emptiness
directly through their wisdom, and who do not fall into the extreme of quiescence,
because in their compassion they care for beings with the love of a mother for her
only child.

ii. The Duration of Taking Refuge

The verse says “…until I attain enlightenment.” In this context, the mahāyāna level of
taking refuge is distinguished by three features.

Difference in terms of Objects

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The followers of the hīnayāna take as their refuge the supreme nirmāṇakāya
Śākyamuni, who is “The Buddha, the supreme of all humans (literally ‘those on two
legs’).” They do not accept the dharmakāya and sambhogakāya, and they believe that
even the nirmāṇakāya stops benefitting beings once it has passed beyond this world.
They believe that the Dharma jewel refers only to the state of nirvāṇa, which is the
truth of cessation. They refer to this as “peace and supreme freedom from passions.”
For them, the “sangha, which is the supreme of all assemblies” consists of the noble
śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, the stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners
and arhats.

In the mahāyāna, on the other hand, it is as I have explained above.

Difference in terms of Duration

The followers of the hīnayāna take refuge temporarily for as long as they live, and
ultimately until they attain their own particular fruition.

Difference in terms of Attitude

The followers of the hīnayāna take refuge with an attitude of renunciation, wishing
to find freedom from all the sufferings of saṃsāra for themselves alone. The
followers of the mahāyāna take refuge with bodhicitta, in the wish that all sentient
beings might attain buddhahood.

iii. The Actual Practice of Taking Refuge

When taking refuge with the words “I take refuge…” and so on, consider that in
every atom appear buddhas as numerous as all the atoms in existence, each
surrounded by an assembly of their bodhisattva heirs, reaching to the very limits of
phenomenal reality. Consider that the enlightened minds of all these victorious
buddhas and their bodhisattva sons and daughters are filled with the sacred Dharma
of scripture and realization, and they all remain before you as great leaders, ready to
care for and guide you and all sentient beings with their vast qualities of wisdom,
love and power. As you remain before them, together with all other sentient beings,
all clasping your palms together, you think the following, “From this moment on,
until the essence of enlightenment is reached, we rely on you, Three Jewels, as our
objects of refuge. We make offerings to you. You are our only practice. We have no
other refuge or hope but you.” Then with total trust and heartfelt conviction, take
refuge.

The Precepts of Taking Refuge

In this, there are six specific precepts and five general ones.

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Six Specific Precepts
In the specific precepts, there are three things to avoid and three things to do.

Three Things to Avoid

1. Having taken refuge in the Buddha, you should not worship any gods
who are still bound within the cycle of saṃsāra.
2. Having taken refuge in the Dharma, you should not inflict harm upon any
sentient being.
3. Having taken refuge in the Saṅgha, you should not associate with friends
who hold extreme views.

Three Things to Do

1. Practise according to the words of the Buddha and then, without

forgetting them, generate faith and devotion. Show respect even for
broken fragments of statues and images of the Buddha.
2. Exert yourself in studying, reflecting and meditating on the sacred
Dharma. Show respect even for torn scriptures that represent the Dharma.
3. Respect the saṅgha who are followers of the Buddha, associate with
virtuous friends, and treat even tiny pieces of yellow cloth as objects
worthy of reverence.

Five General Precepts

1. Do not forsake the Three Jewels, even at the cost of your life.
2. Even in important ventures, do not seek other methods.
3. Do not interrupt your regular practice.
4. Encourage yourself and others to take refuge.
5. Pay homage to the buddha of whichever direction you travel.

2. Generating Bodhicitta
Generally there are said to be two levels to bodhicitta, the relative and the ultimate.
Relative bodhicitta is the mind that is intent upon attaining perfect enlightenment for
the sake of others, and ultimate bodhicitta is the wisdom that directly realizes
emptiness.

Relative bodhicitta itself can be further divided into aspirational bodhicitta, which is
like the wish to go somewhere, and the bodhicitta of application, which is like
actually making the journey. In both cases, bodhicitta is generated through formal
practice, and so it is known as ‘coarse bodhicitta arising from signs’.

Ultimate bodhicitta only arises through the power of meditating on the path, and is
therefore known as ‘subtle bodhicitta, which is gained through reality itself’.

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Relative bodhicitta has two points or aspects: compassion, which is focused on
sentient beings, and wisdom, which is directed towards perfect enlightenment. If
either of these two aspects is lacking, then it will not be the bodhicitta of the
Mahāyāna, so it is important that they are both complete.

Here in the present context, the generation of aspirational bodhicitta alone has two
aspects: focusing on merit which is the cause and aspiring towards perfect
enlightenment which is the result.

The first of these is covered in the phrase “practising generosity and so on.” When all
sources of virtue are categorized, they may be included within what are called ‘the
three bases for creating merit’. These are the creation of merit through generosity,
the creation of merit through discipline and the creation of merit through
meditation. When we relate these to the six pāramitās, the first two relate to the
pāramitās of the same name, and the creation of merit through meditation relates to
patience, concentration and wisdom. Diligence assists them all.

These six pāramitās are also based on specific states of mind:

1. Generosity is an attitude of giving.

2. Discipline is an attitude of renunciation.
3. Patience is an attitude of imperturbability.
4. Diligence is an attitude of enthusiasm.
5. Concentration is non-distraction.
6. Wisdom is the precise discernment of phenomena.

The second aspect of aspiring towards the result of perfect enlightenment is covered
in the phrase, “May I attain buddhahood for the benefit of all beings.” This is the
actual bodhicitta endowed with the two points or aspects. “For the benefit of all
beings” is the thought of who we are practising for, and is focusing on sentient
beings with compassion. “May I attain buddhahood” is longing for what we are
practising towards, and is wisdom directed towards complete enlightenment. It is
therefore the aspirational bodhicitta, which is to think, “Through all these sources of
virtue of mine, may I attain buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings who are
as infinite as space!”

The Precepts of Aspirational Bodhicitta

In addition, there are the five precepts of aspirational bodhicitta, which are as
follows:

1. Never giving up on sentient beings.

2. Continually reflecting on the benefits of bodhicitta.
3. Exerting yourself in the methods for accumulating merit and wisdom.
4. Applying yourself to the training in bodhicitta.

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 5. Adopting and abandoning the eight wholesome and unwholesome
dharmas.

Giving up on just a single sentient being causes you to lose your bodhicitta of
aspiration completely, so develop a wish to benefit all beings.

Reflecting on its benefits causes you to develop enthusiasm and apply yourself to
arousing bodhicitta, so reflect continually on the benefits to be gained from the
generation of bodhicitta.

Gathering the accumulations increases the strength of your bodhicitta, so accumulate

merit and wisdom in various ways, such as the seven branch practice.

The training in bodhicitta has three elements:

1. training in the cause by meditating on the four immeasurables,

2. the actual training, which is to practise taking the vow of bodhicitta three
times during the day and three times at night,
3. and the training in the precepts, the meditations on equalizing and
exchanging yourself and others, and consider others as more important
than yourself.

The four immeasurables are as follows:

1. Love, which is the wish that all beings who are unhappy may find
happiness.
2. Compassion, which is the wish that all who are suffering may be freed
from suffering.
3. Sympathetic joy, which is the wish that those who are happy and free
from suffering may never be separated from their happiness.
4. Equanimity, which is the wish that those who feel attachment and
aversion towards anyone, close or distant, may pacify their attachment
and aversion.

The actual training in bodhicitta is to take the vow of bodhicitta by means of any
formal practice—whether elaborate, medium or short—at the six times of the day and
night, i.e., at dawn, mid-morning, midday, afternoon, dusk and midnight.

‘Equalizing self and others’ means recognizing the equality of yourself and
others in wishing to find happiness and wishing to avoid suffering.
‘Exchanging self and others’ means giving your own happiness to other
sentient beings, and taking their suffering upon yourself.
‘Considering others as more important than yourself’ means setting aside
your own benefit and accomplishing the benefit of others.

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The eight wholesome and unwholesome dharmas consist of four wholesome
dharmas to be adopted and four unwholesome dharmas to be abandoned.

The four unwholesome dharmas are as follows:

1. Deceiving anyone worthy of veneration.

2. Feeling misplaced regret.
3. Abusing a holy person.
4. Cheating others.

The four wholesome dharmas are as follows:

1. Being careful never to lie, even at the cost of your life.

2. Setting everyone on the path to enlightenment.
3. Showing similar respect to bodhisattvas as you would to the Buddha.
4. Being honest to all beings.

If you apply yourself to these practices, then you will never forget the mind of
bodhicitta in all your future lives, and all the qualities of the bhūmis and paths will
develop and increase like the waxing moon.

Virtue!

| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2004.

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An Instruction on the View of the Mahāyāna
Clarifying the Two Truths
by Patrul Rinpoche
For those who wish to attain liberation, there is both (I) the teaching on what is to be
realized and (II) the teaching on how to put this into practice.

I. The Teaching On What Is To Be Realized

In this, there are two topics: (1) the natural condition of all knowable phenomena in
general and (2) the natural condition of one’s own mind.

(1) The Natural Condition of all Knowable Phenomena

This is also divided into two aspects: (i) the relative and (ii) the absolute.

(i) The Relative Aspect

Generally speaking, all appearances—from those of the lowest hell of Ultimate
Torment up to and including the post-meditation experience of bodhisattvas on the
tenth bhūmi—are relative.

Moreover, there are two kinds of relative, the incorrect relative and the correct
relative.

All that we perceive before we set out on the path belongs to the category of the
incorrect relative. When we have reached the stage of ‘aspiring conduct’,1 if we can
integrate some realization into our experience, it becomes the correct relative, but
whenever we do not, it is the incorrect relative. Once we reach the bhūmis, all that
appears to the mind is the correct relative—‘relative’ because ‘mere appearances’
have not yet ceased, and [‘correct’] because their falsity is seen directly. These
appearances continue to arise from the first bhūmi until the tenth bhūmi, since the
age-old habit of perceiving things as real has not yet been abandoned, in the same
way that the scent of musk will linger in a container. Eventually, at the level of
buddhahood, when these habitual tendencies have been completely eradicated, there
are no dualistic perceptions whatsoever, and one remains exclusively in the ultimate
sphere, beyond any conceptual elaboration.

Clinging to the ordinary world, both the outer environment and the beings within it,
as real is the incorrect relative. The antidote to this, such as visualizing everyone as
pure deities and the environment as the pure maṇḍala palace, while at the same time
considering them to be a mere illusion, is the correct relative.

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(ii) The Absolute Aspect
In essence, the absolute is the basic space of phenomena (dharmadhātu), devoid of all
conceptual elaboration. In its essence, it is without any divisions, but still it is
possible to speak of ‘divisions’ according to whether or not this reality has been
realized. Thus, there are divisions into the absolute which is the basic nature itself
and the absolute which is the realization (or ‘making evident’) of this basic nature.
Then again, there is the division into the absolute that is clarified 2 through study and
reflection and the absolute that is experienced through meditation practice; or the
absolute that is conceptually inferred by ordinary beings versus the absolute that is
experienced directly by noble beings. There is also a division into the conceptual
absolute (namdrangpé döndam) and the absolute that is beyond conceptualization
(namdrang mayinpé döndam).

There are three ways in which we can experience these two truths:

At the stage of ordinary beings, appearances are regarded as inherently

real and are perceived with grasping. This is called the incorrect relative.

At the stage of noble beings, appearances are realized to be deceptive and

are perceived without any grasping. This is called the correct relative.

At the stage of buddhahood, there are no ordinary appearances or non-

appearances whatsoever, and any concerns about grasping or non-
grasping no longer applies. This is called the absolute.

To put it another way, the first stage has both appearance and grasping, the middle
stage has mere appearance without grasping, and at the final stage there is neither
appearance nor grasping.

These three stages are also known as ‘misknowledge’, ‘knowledge of understanding

the relative’ and ‘knowledge of understanding the absolute’. In the case of ordinary
beings, the wisdom of understanding the relative depends on analysis, but for noble
beings it is achieved through direct perception.

Although conventional notions such as ‘understanding’ or ‘not understanding’ do not

apply to the absolute space of reality itself, we can still use terms like
‘understanding’ or ‘realizing’ to refer to the recognition of this state.

Ultimately we need to realize the indivisibility of the two truths, but claiming that
the relative refers to existence, while on the absolute level things do not exist, will
never qualify as the view of the Middle Way. When we realize the one genuine
nature of the correct relative, the two truths will merge inseparably, beyond the
conceptual extremes of existing, not existing, permanence and nothingness. As it
says in the Mother Prajñāpāramitā:

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 The real nature of the relative is the real nature of the absolute.

The division into the two truths is only a provisional device, based on the distinct
perspectives of two states of mind, that is made in order to facilitate understanding.
All the various entities which appear to a confused state of mind are labelled
‘relative’, whereas ‘absolute’ refers to a state of mind in which confusion has come to
an end and in which there is not even the slightest trace of any conceptual focus,
even towards non-existence itself. As it is said:

When the notions of real and unreal

Are absent from before the mind,
There is no other possibility,
But to rest in total peace, beyond concepts.3

In reality, within the great non-conceptual simplicity of the absolute sphere—the

ultimate nature that is to be understood—there is no basis for making any distinction
between two levels of reality, and so there is no such division. In the final realization
of buddhahood too there is no division into two levels of truth. Even the delusory
appearances we experience right now are not comprised of two distinct levels of
reality; they are simply the inseparable unity of appearance and emptiness, or
awareness and emptiness.

Realization or complete understanding of this is the wisdom mind of a buddha, the

non-dual pristine awareness of reality itself. By understanding the two truths
individually, eventually they will merge together in an inseparable union, and this is
what we call ‘the non-dual wisdom of unity’ or ‘non-abiding nirvana’ and so on.

(2) The Natural Condition of One’s Own Mind

Although we may understand the natural condition of all knowable phenomena in
this way, if we do not understand the natural condition of the knowing subject,
which is our own mind, all phenomena will remain objects of knowledge and this
will not serve as an antidote to our mental afflictions. In fact, this realization itself
will become a cause for feeling arrogant and conceited, and only serve to reinforce
our sense of a personal self. This is why we need to recognize the actual nature of the
one who has the realization—that intellect, mind, or consciousness.

There are two aspects to this: (i) gaining provisional understanding in terms of the
two truths, and (ii) gaining ultimate understanding in which the truths are
inseparable.

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(i) The Provisional Understanding In Terms Of The Two Truths
When we understand the natural condition of phenomena in general, and realize that
they are similar to an illusion on the relative level because they appear although they
are not truly existent, whereas they are like space on the absolute level because they
cannot be established as existent or non-existent, and we also understand that
ultimately the truths are inseparable within the great Middle Way—the absolute
space of reality beyond all conceptual extremes—the mind or awareness that has this
understanding is relative. As Śāntideva said:

The absolute lies beyond the reach of the intellect,

For the mind is only relative, it is taught.4

An intellectual mind that has this kind of understanding can become arrogant and
conceited. This kind of arrogance and conceit are the agencies of mara and will only
spoil our understanding. As The Sūtra Revealing the Inconceivable Realm of the
Buddhas says:

So called ‘attainment’ is transient indeed,

And so called ‘realization’ is arrogant assumption.
Transient or arrogant assumption, it must be the work of mara.
They are extremely arrogant who think, “I have attained this.”
Or say to themselves, “I have understood completely.”

The nature of the relative mind which understands is the absolute. If we look into the
very nature of the awareness or mind or intellect which understands, we can not find
anything real or substantial at all. In fact, it has always been devoid of existence and
non-existence, devoid of arising and ceasing, devoid of coming and going, devoid of
permanence and nothingness, devoid of past, present or future, and therefore it is
absolute reality itself.

The Sūtra Requested by Kashyapa says:

Mind is not to be found within. Nor does it exist outside. And it can not be
observed anywhere else.

The Sūtra Requested by Maitreya says:

Mind has no shape, no colour and no location. It is like space.

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(ii) The Ultimate Understanding in which the Truths are Inseparable
In the mind’s ultimate nature, the two truths are inseparable. The application of the
two truths to the single nature of the mind is nothing more than a provisional use of
labels or terminology. There is no ordinary mind within the ground or absolute space
of reality, so there is no basis upon which the two truths could be applied. Nor is
there any ordinary mind at the fruition, the wisdom mind of buddhahood, so that too
can not be labelled in terms of two truths. Even in the clarity and emptiness, which is
the nature of the minds of confused sentient beings, we can not find this
[distinction], because there is only clear awareness and emptiness. This is why we
must realize how the two truths are inseparable.

Even so, because the inseparability of the two truths can only be realized once we
have understood the characteristics of each individually, there is still a purpose to
making the twofold division.

In this way, the non-conceptual simplicity that is the natural condition of what is to
be known merges indivisibly with the non-conceptual simplicity of the natural
condition of mind. Within this experience, which is devoid of any notion of an
individual self or phenomenal identity, all outer and inner phenomena are seen to be
like uncreated space, free from any kind of conceptual construct such as existing, not
existing, being permanent or nothingness and so on, and yet the experience is
beyond the duality of something seen and one who sees, or something realized and
one who realizes. Therefore it is perfect, unmistaken realization.

II. The Teaching On How To Put This Into Practice

This section has two parts.

1. The Direct Practice For Those With The Sharpest Faculties

Those who have gathered the two accumulations in the past, and who have
profoundly good karma and good fortune can gain realization merely by receiving
instructions on the two truths. In their case, simply to sustain the continuity of this
recognition is sufficient. In their meditative equipoise, which is devoid of the duality
of knowing and something known, and is beyond any notion of a self, they will
meditate in a space-like way without any conceptual elaborations related to the two
truths. When practising meditation like this, there are no negative thoughts to be
cleared away and no positive states of mind to be focused upon. As Lord Maitreya
says:

In this there is not a thing to be removed,

Nor the slightest thing to be added.
It is looking perfectly into reality itself,
And when reality is seen, complete liberation.5

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Following this, [in the post-meditation period] one maintains the dream-like
experience of the unity of the two truths by recognizing how all that is perceived
appears while lacking any true reality. At the same time, with illusory bodhichitta,
love and compassion for all illusory dream-like beings who have not realized this,
one gathers the two illusory accumulations and makes vast prayers of aspiration for
their benefit.

2. The Gradual Practice For Those With Duller Faculties

Those with duller faculties need to train in gradual stages, beginning with the four
contemplations that turn the mind away from samsara. Unless they proceed this way,
they will never go beyond conceptual ideas about profound realization.

It is said:

All our thoughts and perceptions are relative.

The realization of their nature is the absolute.
The mind which realizes this is the relative.
Mind’s absence of true reality is the absolute.
The terms signifying the two truths are relative.
The absence of true reality in such terms is the absolute.
The non-duality of these is the union of the two truths.
In the nature of what is known and the buddhas’ wisdom mind,
Even the unity of the two truths can not be observed,
And so it is called ‘the absolute space beyond elaboration’.
Therein, the self of the individual or of phenomena can not be found.
Realization of this is the view.
To abide by it is meditation.
To gather the accumulations out of a compassionate concern for others is
action.
The dissolution of dualistic perception within basic space is the fruition.
Wisdom pervading everywhere represents enlightened qualities.
And naturally bringing about the benefit of others is enlightened activity.
Without clinging to words and labels as if they were the meaning itself,
Direct the mind instead to the meaning that words merely point towards.

The actual mind, which is the experiencer of phenomena, is devoid of any true
reality, and so, in reference to this, we say that there is no self, no sentient being, no
individual, no agent and so on. When we say “no” or “non-existent” in this context, it
signifies that existence can not be established. Yet since existence can not be
established, non-existence can not be established either, and so the term “no”
signifies the non-establishment of both existence and non-existence.

This consciousness that perceives its object is not dependent on the sense faculties. It
does not originate from objects. And it does not remain somewhere in between. It

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exists neither internally nor externally. When it arises it does not come from
anywhere, and when it ceases it does not go anywhere. It is empty as it originates,
and empty as it ceases to be. This is how it is described. In the sūtras, for example,
we find statements like this:

In that perfect seeing no phenomena whatsoever will appear.

And the Mother Prajñāpāramitā says:

Conceptualization is involvement with the desire realm, form realm or

formless realm. But non-conceptualization is not associated with any of them
at all.

A sūtra says:

When no activity whatsoever is performed,

That is what is called ‘yogic action’.

And:

Therefore, sustaining the ordinary state free from any dharmas is the
supreme Dharma.

A sūtra says:

What is the supreme Dharma?

It is the absence of any notion of dharmas.

The Mother Prajñāpāramitā says:

Since no awakening can be observed, ‘awakening’ is just a name. Since no

buddhahood can be observed, it too is but a name.

The realization that there is nothing in the space-like natural condition of all
phenomena which could be the object of consciousness or wisdom is the view.
Remaining with that recognition—in the manner of ‘non-remaining’—is the
meditation. In the post-meditation, to gather the illusory accumulation of merit for
the sake of illusory sentient beings is the action. The dissolution of mind’s illusory
perceptions within basic space is the ultimate fruition.

The basic space of phenomena is beyond conceptual elaboration and

inexpressible by speech or thought,
In this, there is not the knowing of some object to be known.
Yet still, there is said to be the practice of view and meditation,
Like space viewing space or the sky meditating upon itself.
In genuine reality, there is no mind and no appearances,

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 But saying “no” indicates that even the dichotomy of existence and non-
existence is transcended.

It is said that not fearing the profound meaning of emptiness but feeling inspired by
it is the sign of a fortunate being who has heard and trained in the teachings before
and is destined to swiftly reach awakening.

Reality itself, sky-like basic space, free from any thought,

When it is realized in a state of primal wisdom beyond expression,
Is fundamental equality, free from speculation or deliberate activity.
This is the wisdom mind of the buddhas of the three times.
The absolute, the nature of reality itself, is like the child of a barren woman,
Nothing can manifest or appear;6 it is simply a state of the most fundamental
ordinariness.
To experience the conditioned phenomena of the relative, magical
appearances of unity,
Without accepting or rejecting them and without attachment,
Is to take the wisdom mind of the buddhas into experience.
Until you reach this level of mental mastery and attainment,
Renounce any attachment to material possessions,
And keep to isolated forests and retreats, like a wild deer.
This is how to remain on the path without ever falling back.
Remain without joy or sorrow, attachment or aversion and so on7
Towards all circumstances, outer and inner, favourable and unfavourable,
And every experience will assist you greatly on your path.
This is how to find stable realization into the unborn nature of phenomena.
When the wisdom of realizing the sky-like nature of mind
And the compassion of not forsaking illusory sentient beings
Are brought together in concomitant view and activity,
Great non-abiding primal wisdom will swiftly be attained.

The Nirvāṇa (sūtra) says:

Emptiness means perceiving neither ‘empty’ nor ‘non-empty’. The natural

radiance of emptiness can appear as anything at all. Since it is empty as it
appears, appearance and emptiness are a unity. This can only be known by
looking inwards. It is within the domain of your own self-knowing
awareness-wisdom.

Machik Labdrön said:

When nothing whatsoever is conceptualized,

How could you possibly go astray?
Annihilate your conceptions. And rest.

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And:

Since mind is not a duality,

Look as if there is nothing to be looked at.
This mind of ours is not seen by any ‘looking’.
Mind’s very nature is not realized by being ‘seen’.
In fact, there is not the tiniest fraction
Of something to be looked at.

The nature of mind, empty and clear and beyond conceptual focus, is the genuine
fundamental condition. Since this pure awareness, free from conceptual constructs
and impossible to pinpoint, arises unceasingly8 as the illusory appearances that are
its basic expression, we must put all our trust in this state beyond clinging, this state
in which there is no separation between meditation and post-meditation, and in
which clarity and emptiness are a unity, and take it to heart through practice.

Written by Patrul Rinpoche.

| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2005, revised 2012.

1. i.e., the paths of accumulation and joining. ↩

2. Literally “about which misconceptions are eliminated.” ↩

3. Bodhicaryāvatāra, IX, 34. ↩

4. Bodhicaryāvatāra, IX, 2. ↩

5. Ornament of Clear Realization, V, 21 and Sublime Continuum, I, 154. It is also

verse 7 of Nāgārjuna’s Heart of Dependent Origination. ↩

6. The Si khron edition has mi bsam. The Vāraṇasī edition has mi gsal. ↩

7. Vāraṇasī edition has sogs. The Si khron edition has thogs. ↩

8. Both Tibetan editions say 'char sgom 'gags pa'i but I am reading this as 'char
sgo ma 'gags pa'i, following the clarification of Ringu Tulku Rinpoche. ↩

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Preliminary Points
To be Explained when Teaching the Buddha's Word or the Treatises
by Patrul Rinpoche

Generally, for any kind of Dharma teaching, there is (I) an explanation of preliminary
points that precede the teaching and (II) the actual teaching of the topic to be
explained.

I. The Preliminary Points to be Explained

In this there are three parts:

1. How the teacher teaches

2. How the students listen
3. How both the teacher and students proceed while teaching and
listening.

1. How the Teacher Teaches

When the teacher is a fully enlightened buddha, he teaches through his three types
of miraculous ability. Through the miraculous ability of his magical form, he is able
to attract disciples who are not already included within the gathering and inspire
devotion in those who have gathered. Through the miraculous ability of his
universally communicating mind, he is able to teach the assembly precisely according
to their mental receptivity and the keenness of their faculties. Through the
miraculous ability of his guiding speech, he teaches in accordance with beings’
particular capacities, speaking with the voice of Brahmā in all the various languages
of the six classes of living beings.

Arhat teachers teach by means of three pure factors. Firstly there is the pure vessel
of the listener. This means that the arhats use their supernatural powers of cognition
to examine the students in the assembly before teaching the Dharma only to those
whose mindstreams are pure. Then there is the pure speech of the teacher. This
means the arhats teach without any afflictive emotion, in a pleasant style that is free
from any verbal impediment or any flaws in terms of grammar or syntax. Finally
there is the pure topic of the teaching, which means that the arhats teach exactly
what they heard from their own teachers, the perfectly enlightened buddhas. They
do not add or omit even so much as a single word on account of their infallible
powers of recollection.

You might wonder why the great arhats do not teach the Dharma through the three
types of miraculous ability. Arhats are unable to teach using these three miraculous
abilities because they have four causes that prevent them from knowing certain

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things. They lack knowledge about distant locations, as for example when
Maudgalyāyana did not know that his mother had been reborn in the buddha field
called Possessing Light Rays. They also lack knowledge about distant times, as when
Śāriputra did not know that the householder Palkyé possessed the seed of liberation.
Nor do they know the infinity of results that spring from an infinite number of
causes. As it is said:

To know all the various causes that produce

Just one of the bright colours in a peacock’s tail
Requires omniscience; such things are unknown
To anything else besides all-knowing wisdom.

They lack knowledge of the Buddha’s many qualities; they do not know his ten
powers, four fearlessnesses, eighteen unshared attributes and so on.

When it comes to the teaching style of a learned paṇḍita, there are two approaches.
The paṇḍitas of the glorious monastic university of Nālanda would teach the
Buddha’s words in terms of the five perfections and the treatises by means of five
principal considerations. The paṇḍitas of the monastic university at Vikramaśīla
would begin by making their audience suitably receptive and then describe two
certainties regarding the origin of the teaching.

If we now adopt the first approach [i.e. that of Nālanda] to explain a treatise such as
The Precious Wish-Fulfilling Treasury, then because it is not the direct word of the
Buddha, we must explain it by means of the five principal considerations, as follows:

Who then, one might wonder, is the text’s author? He is the omniscient
lord of Dharma, Pal Ngakgi Wangchuk [i.e. Longchenpa], who possesses
all three qualifications of someone composing a treatise—the highest
qualification of seeing the truth of reality itself, the middling qualification
of gaining authorization from the yidam deity and the lowest qualification
of being well-versed in the five sciences—and who has crossed to the
distant shore of the ocean of our own and others’ philosophical views
through his wisdom of study, reflection and meditation.

From which scriptures does the text draw? It draws from the three piṭakas
of the sūtrayāna and the four classes of tantra of the mantrayāna, together
with their respective commentaries.

To which category does it belong? Generally, among the two vehicles, i.e.,
the hīnayāna and mahāyāna, it belongs to the mahāyāna, and among the
two categories of sūtra mahāyāna and mantra mahāyāna, it belongs to the
category of the unsurpassed mantra.

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 What is its basic theme from beginning to end? It shows the nature of
saṃsāra, which is to be abandoned, and the nature of nirvana, which is to
be adopted.

For whose benefit and for what purpose was it composed? Generally, we
could say that it was composed to set all beings, infinite in number, on the
path to liberation. More specifically it was written for the sake of fortunate
disciples, to lead them to the level of Lord Vajradhara within a single
lifetime and a single body through study, reflection and meditation and
understanding what in samsara and nirvana is to be abandoned and
adopted.

Explaining the five principal considerations like this is necessary because it

engenders confidence in the authenticity of the teaching.

2. How the Students Listen

It is important to listen while avoiding the three defects of the container, the six
stains and the five wrong ways of remembering, and while relying on the four
metaphors and applying the six transcendent perfections.

As regards the three defects of the container, it is said:

Not paying attention is to be like a container turned upside down.

Not remembering is to be like a container with a hole in it.
Mixing what you hear with mental afflictions is to be like a container with
poison inside.

These three should be avoided. As the sūtra says:

Listen well with full attention and remember what you hear.

The six stains are mentioned in Well Explained Reasoning:

Arrogance, lack of faith,

Lack of any interest,
Outward distraction, inward tension,
And discouragement are the six stains.

The five wrong ways of remembering are remembering the words but forgetting the
meaning, remembering the meaning but forgetting the words, remembering them
both but with no understanding, remembering them with a wrong understanding
and remembering them in the wrong order.

The four metaphors are given in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra:

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 Noble one, think of yourself as someone who is sick,
Of the Dharma as the remedy,
Of your spiritual teacher as a skilful doctor,
And of diligent practice as the way to recovery.

The Tantra of the Clear Realization of Instructions on all Dharma Practices says:

Make perfect offerings such as flowers and cushions,

Set the place in order and control your behaviour,
Avoid causing harm to any living creature,
Offer prayers to your teacher,
Listen undistractedly to his instructions,
And ask questions to clear away your doubts—
These are the six practices of Tārā.1

3. How both the Teacher and Students Proceed while Teaching and Listening
Vasubandhu said:

Those who wish to teach the meaning of the sūtras,

Should be given a few words of practical advice.
The practical instruction I refer to is as follows:
Relate the teaching’s purpose and its basic theme,
The meaning of the words and how its parts fit together,
And offer a response to any possible objections.

As this states, every section of the teaching should be understood in terms of its
purpose, showing the reason why it is presented in a certain way, and also by means
of a synopsis, which is a summary of the most important points. It should also be
understood through an accurate explanation of the words of the text, including their
grammatical features, as well as its sequence, showing how the various earlier and
later sections of the text fit together, and by addressing any points of controversy or
sources of doubt with a response to possible objections. These are known as the five
major structural themes.

One can also teach in any of the following three ways: dividing the text into sections,
which is likened to the leaping of a tigress; covering every word of the text, which is
compared to the slow crawl of a tortoise; or reviewing a section, which is likened to
the majestic posture of a lion.2

II. The Actual Teaching of the Topic to be Explained

This has three sections: the virtuous beginning, the meaning of the introduction; the
virtuous middle, the meaning of the main part; and the virtuous end, the meaning of
the conclusion.

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The first of these has three parts: stating the title, the expression of homage and the
commitment to compose the text.

The explanation of the title consists of stating why a title is necessary and describing
the meaning of each of its words. With regard to the necessity of a title, firstly there
is an explanation of why all things in general are given names. As it is said:

If things were not given names,

The world would be bewildered.
So Lord Buddha, skilled in means,
Applies names to phenomena.

In particular, there is a purpose for giving names to treatises. Beings of the highest
capacity will realize the entire meaning of a text from beginning to end just by
seeing its title, in the same way that doctors can determine all the health problems in
a patient’s body, from head to toe, just by checking the pulse rate. Those of middling
capacity will know into which category a text falls, just like a badge on a soldier’s
uniform. For people of lesser capacity a title makes it easier to find a text, as with
medicine containers, which are given labels to indicate their contents.

Secondly, there is an explanation of the words of the title. This has three parts:
explaining the title in Sanskrit, explaining the title in Tibetan and explaining the
meaning of the title by showing the correspondence between the two languages.
With regard to the first part, there are various reasons why the title is given in
Sanskrit. Generally, the Sanskrit title is given at the beginning of the works that were
translated by the lotsāwas and accomplished Indian paṇḍitas during the earlier and
later periods of transmission because it inspires confidence in the authentic origin of
the text. The Sanskrit title is also given in treatises composed in Tibet to indicate that
the teachings ultimately derive from India, but also to show that the author is not
ignorant when it comes to language, and to create the auspicious conditions for
teaching the Dharma to beings in their own languages, such as Sanskrit (the
language of the gods), once one ultimately attains awakening.

The explanation of the words of the title begins with “In the language of India…”

| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2005.

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Bibliography

Tibetan sources
bKa' bstan spyi bshad bya'i yan lag in dPal sprul o rgyan ’jigs med chos kyi dbang po’i
gsung ’bum, 8 vols. Chengdu: Si khron mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2003, vol. 2: 142–149.

Secondary sources
Patrul Rinpoche. The Words of My Perfect Teacher. Translated by Padmakara
Translation Group. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1998.

1. sgrol ma yan lag drug dang ldan. This last line of the quote is given slightly
differently as nyan po yan lag drug dang ldan in Kun bzang bla ma'i zhal lung.
See dPal sprul o rgyan ’jigs med chos kyi dbang po’i gsung ’bum vol. 7, p. 23. ↩

2. The metaphor is of a lion majestically turning its head and looking behind at
the ground it has covered. ↩

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The Concentrated Seed: How to Distinguish the
Tenets of Non-Buddhist and Buddhist Schools
by Patrul Rinpoche

Homage to the Omniscient One!

Here I shall briefly explain the divisions of all philosophical tenets. The basis for the
division is naturally vast. We can divide this into the mundane and the
supermundane.

For the first, the basic vehicles of gods and humans include the vehicle of human
beings, through which one practices the sixteen pure forms of human conduct1 in
pursuit of the higher realms, and the vehicle of gods, which involves adopting the ten
virtues and avoiding their opposites. The second involves healing and purification.

Non-Buddhist Tenets
The non-Buddhist tīrthikas subscribe to the 360 views related to the perishable
collection (‘jig tshogs), but these can be summarized as the twenty peaks related to
the perishable collection, and these in turn may be summarized as eternalism and
nihilism.

Eternalism
The eternalist view is typified by the Sāṃkhya, who are the principal. most
fundamental of all tīrthika schools. They take the three qualities of rajas, tamas and
sattva as the path, and claim that the nature of these in equilibrium is the self
(ātman), which is shiny and white, round, as large as a thumb and as small as a
mustard seed, imperishable and indestructible, and located within the hearts of all
sentient beings. At the time of liberation, this brings about liberation with colour and
shape, located above the heavens and resembling an all-encircling white umbrella.

Nihilism
Nihilist views are of two kinds: 1) nihilism with respect to causes and 2) nihilism
with respect to results.

Causal nihilism claims that the mind of the past is not the mind of the present. The
mind is naturally present in the four causal elements. It is latent within each element,
not manifest until conditions, such as heat and moisture, cause it to emerges and
develop into mind. This means that mind is present within the heaviness in the earth,
the fluidity in water, the blazing sound of fire, and the lightness of the air.

Those who profess resultant nihilism deny not only the existence of past lives, but

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also that mind develops from the four elements. They claim that mind arises by its
own essence, spontaneously. Likewise, they say that the sharpness of thorns, the
rising of the sun, the downward flow of water, the roundness of corn, the bright
colours in a peacock’s tail and the beauty of a princess all occur spontaneously,
uncaused by any agent.

Supermundane Vehicles
Here there are two: 1) the basic vehicle of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, and 2) the
great vehicle.

1. Basic Vehicle
This is divided into the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas.

Śrāvakas
There are two śrāvaka schools: Vaibhāṣika and Sautrāntika.

The Vaibhāṣikas are the followers of the treatise called the Abhidharma Mahāvibhāṣa,
which was composed by 700 arhats, including Upagupta, after the Buddha’s
parinirvāṇa. The Sautrāntikas are those who accept only the sūtras spoken by the
Buddha and reject other treatises as invalid.

The Vaibhāṣikas explain relative and ultimate reality in the following way. They say
that the relative includes the composite phenomena of conscious experience such as
yak’s tails and meadows, which ultimately consist of particles and fragments just like
the water in a vase. They also claim that the continuum of consciousness is relative,
whereas the present moment is ultimate. Concerning the twofold identitylessness,
they realize the absence of personal identity, but not realize the identitylessness of
phenomena. The initial entry point of the path is engagement with the four truths.
They assert that one must abandon the discards of the path of seeing and 414
discards of the path of meditation and actualize the sublime wisdom with its eightfold
exhaustion and non-arising in order to gain liberation.

The śrāvaka school of Sautrāntika assert the absence of personal identity in the same
way as the Vaibhāṣikas. When it comes to the identitylessness of phenomena
however, they realize the nature of particles and the five basic categories of
knowable phenomena. Their view is thus superior to that of the Vaibhāṣikas. They
also assert that one must engage with the four truths, abandon 88 types of subtle and
coarse mental affliction, and realize sublime wisdom.

Both schools agree that practitioners must exert themselves on the five paths of
accumulation, joining, seeing, meditation and no-more-training. They also agree that
each of the three poisons has its own antidote: meditating on the eight impure
substances and skeletons for desire, cultivating love as a remedy for hatred, and

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meditating on the twelve links of dependent origination as an antidote to ignorance.
As the fruition, there are the four results of an arhat and so on, which are further
divided into emerging and established to give a total of eight stages of great beings.

Pratyekabuddhas
There are two kinds of pratyekabuddha follower of the basic vehicle: 1) the
rhinoceros-like and 2) the parrot-like. The term pratyekabuddha (solitary realizer)
signifies someone who seeks buddhahood alone.

The rhinoceros-like pratyekabuddhas are likened to rhinoceroses because they live in

solitude. They meditate on how all phenomena included within the four truths arise
through the twelve links of dependent origination in progressive order from
ignorance through to old age and death. And they accept that one must overcome all
subtle and coarse mental afflictions (or ‘subtle developers’) related to the three
realms. Meditating on the twelve links of dependent origination in progressive order
means considering how karmic formations arise from ignorance, consciousness
arises from karmic formations, and so on. As regards the view, these
pratyekabuddhas partially realize the absence of phenomenal identity in addition to
the absence of personal identity. This is because they understand that perceived
objects, consisting of divisible particles and indivisible atoms, lack any real essence
and are non-arising.

The parrot-like pratyekabuddhas gather together like flocks. They meditate on how
all phenomena included within the four truths according to the progressive and
reverse orders of the twelve links of dependent origination. Visting charnel grounds,
they ask themselves where the corpses came from. They consider how corpses result
from death, which, in turn, results from old age. In this way, they consider all the
links until ignorance. They realize the two halves of the absence of identity and
cultivate the five paths, as a result of which they actualize the awakening in which
faults are exhausted and will not arise again.

Both types of pratyekabuddha teach only through symbolic gestures, not through
direct speech.

2. Great Vehicle
The Great Vehicle is superior to the approaches of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas
because its followers possess the altruistic attitude of bodhicitta.

Cittamātra
There are two types: true aspectarians and false aspectarians.

True aspectarians believe that apparent objects are merely aspects of one’s own
internal consciousness appearing as if external. There are three sub-branches: 1)
those who claim that there are as many aspects of consciousness as there are

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perceived objects [i.e., the proponents of perceptual parity]; 2) those who claim that
perceived aspects and the perceiving mind are like an egg that is split in two; and 3)
those who claim that perceived aspects and perceiving consciousness are not split in
two even though there is perceptual diversity.

The first sub-branch claim that when someone hears a sound the auditory
consciousness arises, but consciousness that perceives visual forms and so on does
not arise. In other words, they assert that only the consciousness that perceives a
given object arises, while other forms of consciousness do not, and there is therefore
perceptual parity. The second sub-branch, the split-eggists, claim that the perceived
aspect and perceiving consciousness — or in other words, object and subject — arise
within the same mind. For the third sub-branch, proponents of non-dual diversity,
although there is apparent diversity in the aspects of seemingly external objects, they
are all apprehended by a single perceiving consciousness. This is comparable to
seeing the blurred impressions of a monkey in a building with four windows. Just as
one monkey gives the impression of being several, objects are cognized by a single
consciousness through five sense doors.

False aspectarians believe that the impressions of outer objects are unreal habitual
patterns that manifest to deluded consciousness, but that since the evaluating
consciousness is false, the evaluated object and consciousness are both by nature
false and delusory. There are two sub-branches: tainted and untainted.

Mādhyamika
There are two branches of Mādhyamika: Svātantrika and Prāsaṅgika.

Svātantrika
The Svātantrika assert that both the aspects of consciousness which appear as
diversity and the evaluating mind are clear appearances that lack real existence2 , but
that, in addition, even one’s own ultimate wisdom lacks any true essence. The school
is subdivided into those who assert an illusory ultimate and the proponents of non-
abiding.

The first sub-branch say that whatever constitutes subject-object duality, as well as
what does not, namely the indescribable, inconceivable wisdom of one’s own
awareness, is ultimately illusory. It is through the path, with its cultivation of
qualities, and the ultimate fruition, which is the wisdom of buddhahood (both of
which are illusory), that one works for the benefit of sentient beings. As the medium-
length prajñāpāramitā sūtra says:

All phenomena are illusory and dream-like. Even nirvāṇa is illusory and
dream-like. And, were there anything more exalted than nirvāṇa, that too
would be illusory and dream-like.

This sub-branch is also known as the Lower Svātantrika.

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The second sub-branch asserts that even the illusory ultimate is non-abiding. Just as
there are no objects or aspects, even the experience of that absence, one’s own
awareness, is unreal like the consciousness of the child of a barren woman. The
medium-length prajñāpāramitā sūtra says:

Ultimately, there is no transference. There is no nirvāṇa. There is no

emptiness. These are mere words, mere designations.

Prāsaṅgika
The Mādhyamika Prāsaṅgika rejects any claims about things being ultimately unreal
or relatively mere appearances, illusory and so on. It says that the nature of things is
beyond all extremes of existence and non-existence and free from all assertions. This
corresponds to the following statement:

If I had a position,
Then I would be at fault,
But because I have no position,
I can only be without fault.3

The Secret Mantra

Suppose one were to ask how the secret mantra is superior to the causal vehicle. The
Torch of the Three Methods says:

It has the same goal but is free from all confusion,

It is rich in methods and without difficulties.
It is for those with sharp faculties.
The mantra vehicle is especially sublime.4

Mantra (sngags) is so called because it is praised (bsngags pa) as the supreme means
of protection from the mental afflictions. There are four or six subdivisions of tantra.
It is called tantra, or continuum, because it brings comprehension of the clear light of
the space of reality within one’s own mental continuum. The four classes of tantra
are action (kriyā), performance (caryā), yoga and highest yoga tantra. The first three
are called the three lower classes of tantra or outer tantras, and the fourth is called
the higher class of tantra or inner tantra. The higher tantra class or inner tantra is
further divided into father tantra, mother tantra and non-dual tantra, which gives a
total of six tantra classes.

Action tantra is so called because the emphasis is on outward conduct, such as ritual
cleanliness. Performance tantra is also known as ubhayā5 tantra, since its outward
conduct accords with action tantra, but its inner samādhi accords with yoga tantra.
Yoga tantra emphasises inner meditative absorption (samādhi). Highest yoga tantra
is superior to three lower classes of tantra in the following way: it is free from all
notions of cleanliness or pollution with regard to the five meats, five nectars, and so

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on, and it arrives at the spontaneous unity of the truths, great purity and equalness.
It is further divided into the developmental Mahāyoga, the scriptural Anuyoga, and
the non-dual Atiyoga.

These are the words of Patrul Rinpoche.

| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2018.

1. See here ↩

2. Reading the Tibetan as med pa gsal snang following Theg mchog mdzod, which
appears to be Patrul Rinpoche's source. ↩

3. Vigrahavyāvartanī, verse 29 ↩

4. From the Nayatrayapradīpa by Tripiṭakamāla ↩

5. Literally meaning ‘both’. ↩

101
Advice on How to Put the Meaning of the Natural
Great Perfection into Practice
by Patrul Rinpoche

Homage to the guru!

To you, who reveal directly the nature of primordial liberation,

Which is the meaning of the inconceivable Great Perfection,
Omniscient father and son,1 together with the heirs of your lineage,
And the guru, who is the glorious protector — at your feet I bow!

One's own present awareness, left as it is, in natural ease,

Beyond qualities and flaws to be added or removed, accepted or rejected,
Is the unaltered, unchanging wisdom of pure awareness;
And to rest in this experience is to unite view and meditation.

To know how to meditate but not how to liberate

Is akin to the concentration of the devas, it is said.
So it’s crucial that you have full confidence in liberation.

The concentration that calms and stills an active mind

Might temporarily suppress the mental afflictions,
But unless you know the secret key that is self-liberation,
Circumstances will still trigger old maladies of thought!

If you understand the point of naturally occurring self-liberation,

Thoughts of acceptance and rejection will be like writing on water:
They'll arise all of a sudden, then, failing to take hold, disappear.
When arising and liberation occur simultaneously,
Negative thoughts cannot remain: they arise but amass no karma.
With instant realization, who is there to be benefitted or harmed?

If you lack the crucial point of instantaneous liberation,

Undercurrent thoughts and afflictions will proliferate,
And although you might simply notice them through mindfulness,
Good and bad thoughts will still generate hopes and fears,
Accumulate karma, and becomes causes for saṃsāra.

Thus, far greater than a thousand experiences of mental stillness

Is but a single instant of naturally liberating pure awareness.
Primordial liberation, natural liberation, liberation upon arising, direct liberation and
so on
Include all the keys to view, meditation and conduct,

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So train in this crucial point of realizing self-liberation.

If you realize this point, there’s no need for other views or meditations.
All positive thoughts will continue to arise without attachment,
And even as you apply yourself to virtue, you’ll not feel superior or conceited.
All negative thoughts will vanish, just like the snake's own knots uncoiled;
The five poisons will arise, but they'll be liberated naturally in an instant.
And neutral thoughts will subside by themselves in the awareness-expanse,
Naturally arising and naturally freed, like the path of a bird in flight.

The source of saṃsāra is discursive thought.

If you’re confident in taking thoughts on the path through liberation,
Then, it is said, saṃsāra is freed within nirvāṇa’s sphere.

But if you lack this key to bringing adversity upon the path
Through full confidence in liberation,
Then even though you make empty, theoretical pronouncements,
Your own flaws and negative character will be plain to see,
Your stubborn five poisons worse than those of an ordinary person.
Why so? It is the fault of not understanding liberation.
Therefore, since the crux of view, meditation and conduct
Comes down to confidence in the modes of liberation,
It's vital that you apply your realization to circumstances.

Although I lack these points in my own mind,

By relying on the words of the omniscient guru,
Who was truly a buddha in person, I have written this without error.
Since it contains the crucial points of practice, keep it in your heart.

Sarva maṅgalam.

| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2018.

1. i.e., Longchen Rabjam and Jigme Lingpa. ↩

103
Self-Liberating Meditation:1

A Profound Method for Attaining Enlightenment

according to the Ultimate Great Perfection
by Patrul Rinpoche

Have you heard, have you heard

This heart advice of Ragged Abu arranged in verse?

Emaho!
Without straying from the state of utterly pure dharmakāya,
You cut delusion at its root and realize primordial awakening:

Samantabhadra, may I swiftly gain your realization,

Exactly in the same way, without any error.
Fortunate children, if you seek to attain enlightenment,
Then I, the wandering vagabond, the old dog Patrul,
Shall explain my unerring heart advice in just a few words:
Put this into practice, my determined children, I beg you.

What we call “emptiness dharmakāya” is the heart-practice of all the gurus and
accomplished siddhas. It is the wisdom-mind of all the buddhas of the past,
present and future; the life-vein of all yidam deities, the heart-blood of all ḍākinīs, the
supporting abode of all dharma-protectors, the essence of all sūtras and tantras, and
the refined quintessence of all the secret mantras and vidyā mantras. It is
Mahāmudrā, Madhyamaka and Dzogchen combined into a single teaching:
introducing the indivisibility of the dharmakāya and one’s own mind. It is knowing
the one thing that liberates all. It is the universal, king-like solution. It is the Great
Seal (Mahāmudrā) of reality. When realized in the morning, it brings enlightenment
in the morning. When realized at night, it brings enlightenment at night.

These labels are magnificent, and the meaning is magnificent too: allowing your own
mind, empty and uncontrived, to settle into whatever is naturally occurring.

Practitioners, male and female, who wish to realize the genuine view without
mistake should allow the mind to rest with vivid clarity in an unaltered, empty state
of mind. When the mind is still, then settle into that stillness, without trying to alter
it in any way. When it is not thinking, settle directly into that non-thinking, without
trying to alter it. In short, do not alter the mind, but settle directly within whatever
occurs.

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Don’t try to adjust or improve or to block or cultivate anything. Allow whatever
occurs to unfold and settle into it directly.

Don’t draw the mind inwards. And don’t search for any external focus for
meditation. Simply settle, without altering, in the very mind that seeks or thinks.

Don’t draw the mind inwards. And don’t search for any external focus for
meditation.2 Simply settle, without altering, in the very mind that meditates.

You won’t find the mind by searching for it. Mind has always been empty. There is
no need to search. It is the very one who searches. Simply settle, without distraction,
directly into the searcher.

“Have I understood or not?” “Is there something to observe or not?” “Is this it or
not?” No matter what occurs in the mind, simply settle, without altering, in the very
mind that thinks.

No matter what kind of thoughts arise — be they good or bad, positive or negative,
happy or sad — don’t indulge them or reject them, but settle, without altering, in the
very mind that thinks.

Whether what arises is desirable or undesirable, simply settle upon the arising,
without altering it.

In the Oral Transmission (Nyengyü) it is said:

The ground, unaltered, is Mahāmudrā, the Great Seal.

The path, unaltered, is Madhyamaka, the Great Middle Way.
The fruition, unaltered, is Dzogpachenpo, the Great Perfection.

Dispelling Hindrances to Unaltered Naturalness

When the mind is agitated, thinking of everything under the sun, allow your body,
speech and mind to settle in total relaxation. Then remain in this state, keeping a
close watch over the restless, thinking mind, without slipping into distraction.

When the mind has only subtle, barely perceptible thoughts, focus your awareness
completely and settle in vivid clarity. Rest in that vibrant lucidity.

When the mind is sinking, dull or drowsy, then, without becoming attached to any
experiences of bliss or clarity, settle naturally without trying to correct or adjust
anything, and simply rest.

When the mind feels happy or sad, settle without distraction into the very one who
feels happiness or sadness, and rest.

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When you feel excited or joyfully satisfied, or are honoured and respected, avoid
falling prey to the “demon of excitation” and becoming deliriously elated. Bow your
head, calm your feelings, and rest with your body and mind totally at ease.

Whenever you are sick or suffering, or you fall victim to robbery or theft, or are
insulted, slandered or physically abused, or whenever you experience adversity or
hunger, don’t become downcast and despondent, turning pale and shedding tears.
Remain cheerful, inspired and in good spirits.

Revealing the Mind’s Hidden Faults

Some ‘great meditators’, male and female, think they cannot recognise the nature of
mind. They might even become depressed and tearful. But there is no need for
sadness: recognition is not at all impossible. Simply settle directly in the very thinker,
the one who thinks it is impossible to recognise the nature of mind — and that is it!

Some ‘great meditators’ say that it is difficult to sustain the nature of mind. It is not
difficult at all. The fault lies in not knowing how to meditate. There is no need to
search for meditation. You don’t need to buy it. You don’t need to create it, or to go
somewhere else in search of it. Nor do you need to work for it. It is enough simply to
settle in an experience of whatever is arising or taking place within your mind.

Your mind has always been with you, throughout time immemorial. It is not
something that can be lost and then found. It is not something one has and then does
not have. The mind you have always had is what thinks when you are thinking, and
rests without thoughts when you are not thinking. No matter what the mind might
be thinking, it is enough simply to relax directly in whatever arises, without trying to
alter or adjust anything, and then to sustain that experience without becoming
distracted.

This makes everything very simple and easy. To feel that practising the Dharma is
difficult is a sign that you have accumulated heavy misdeeds or obscurations.

Some ‘great meditators’ don’t allow the mind to settle in itself, as it should. Instead,
they mistakenly use the mind to look outside or to search within. This is a fault
based on the failure to understand that looking outside or searching within will never
lead to seeing or finding the mind. There is no need whatsoever to look outside
yourself or search within. Instead, settle directly into the mind that looks outside or
searches within — and that is it!

Some ‘great meditators’ don’t allow the mind to settle in thinking when there is
thinking or in non-thought when there is no thinking. They believe that meditation
must come from elsewhere, and so they search for it here and there. This means they
don’t recognise or realize the essence of mind. There is no reason to search
hither and thither. Simply allow the mind to rest directly in thought whenever there

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is thinking, and in non-thought whenever there is no thinking — and that is it!

Some ‘great meditators’ don’t trust that the mind is empty. They wonder whether it
is or not, and they remain in doubt. This is a fault based on a failure to understand
the real meaning. There is no reason to doubt. The mind has always been empty,
right from the very beginning, so simply settle into its empty condition, and that is it.
If you feel doubt, then settle directly into the nature of the one who doubts — and
that is it!

Some ‘great meditators’ don’t look into the thinking mind, but constantly look at the
objects of their thoughts: their belongings, or the earth and stones, and so on. This is
not the genuine view; it is a dualistic view. You must settle into the very one who is
thinking, and look.

Some ‘great meditators’ don’t settle into the inseparability of perceptions and mind,
but chase after and pursue what they perceive. That is not the genuine view; it is a
dualistic view. Don’t chase outwardly after perceptions. And don’t draw things
inwards. Simply settle in the inseparability of perceptions and mind.

Some ‘great meditators’ don’t allow the mind to settle naturally in its own place, but
anticipate each rising thought like a cat lying in wait for a mouse. That is not the
genuine view; it is just inviting thoughts. Instead, simply settle directly in thoughts
whenever they arise and in non-arising whenever they do not.

Some ‘great meditators’ don’t know how to let the mind settle upon itself. They keep
watching and following past thoughts. That is not the genuine view; it is simply
chasing thoughts. Instead of chasing thoughts, settle directly in the one who is
chasing.

Some ‘great meditators’ don’t settle their minds in whatever arises for as long as it
can remain. They crave ‘good’ meditation, and so they squeeze and force their minds,
while staring intensely. This is not the genuine view; it is altering the mind. Without
altering or manipulating the mind in any way, let it rest by itself and settle in the
experience of whatever arises.

Some ‘great meditators’ don’t allow thoughts to arise, but try to push them aside and
take hold of their minds. This is not the genuine view; it is suppressing mental states.
Instead, allow your mind to settle in stillness whenever it is still and in movement
whenever it stirs.

Some ‘great meditators’ make their minds vacant, almost oblivious. This is not the
genuine view; it is spacing out. Settle instead in an experience of emptiness with
vivid clarity.

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Some ‘great meditators’ think the mind is empty, and then meditate upon that. This
is not the genuine view; it is fabricated meditation on emptiness. Settle instead in the
very one who thinks, “This is emptiness!”

Some ‘great meditators’ look whenever they feel at ease, open or clearly focused, but
don’t look whenever they feel agitated, ill at ease, vacant, or lacking in focus. This is
not the genuine view; it is accepting and rejecting. Instead of accepting or rejecting
anything, simply settle directly in whatever arises.

Some ‘great meditators’ look whenever they have positive thoughts, but don’t look
whenever they have negative or impure thoughts. This is not the genuine view; it is
favouring the good and rejecting the bad. Instead of favouring the good and rejecting
the bad, settle without distraction directly in whatever is arising, be it good or bad.

Some ‘great meditators’ are delighted whenever the mind is at ease, but feel
frustration whenever agitated thoughts arise. This is not the genuine view; the fault
lies in not knowing how to sustain the essence of whatever arises. When agitated
thoughts arise, settle out of a state of relaxation directly in the one who feels the
agitation.

Some ‘great meditators’ do not alert themselves or relax regardless of whether it is

necessary or not. This is not the genuine view; it is being slightly too contrived. The
fault lies in not knowing how the mind abides. Alert yourself and relax whenever
there is a need for it, but don’t do so when there is no need. Simply settle with vivid
clarity in naturalness.

Some ‘great meditators’ are unable to meditate when the thought of delicious food or
drink arises. They get up and try to find something nice to eat or drink, then spend
time enjoying whatever they find. Carrying on like this, they will never arrive at the
excellent meditation which savours the sustenance of concentration. An excessive
appetite like this only turns one into a stubborn practitioner, so don’t become
attached to pleasant-tasting food and drink. Feast instead on the sustenance of
concentration.

Some ‘great meditators’ are unable to meditate whenever they are pampered,
prosperous, powerful or respected, because they become too content or excited. They
are also unable to meditate whenever they suffer, face difficulties, sickness, abuse or
disagreement. They assume an expression as gloomy as a storm-cloud, exclaim
profanities, and even shed a tear or two. Acting like this, they will never become
excellent Dharma practitioners capable of realizing the equal taste of joy and sorrow.
They will remain only ordinary, stubborn Dharma-less individuals ruled by
passions and sorrows and the eight worldly concerns. You must therefore recognize
the equal taste of joy and sorrow and bring them both onto the path. ​

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The Life and Liberation of the Mind
Emaho!
Mind itself has always been without substance.
It is not seen by looking, but is emptiness.
It is not a void, but is cognizant and clear.
This inseparable awareness and emptiness is pervasive like space.
You can steady it, but it moves aimlessly and unimpededly.
You can set it in motion, but it returns to its own natural state.
Even without arms and legs, it runs about everywhere.
In motion, it does not disappear but returns to its own place.
Even without eyes, it sees everything.
But the experience of seeing turns into emptiness.
You cannot pinpoint any essence of mind,
And yet thoughts and impressions still arise.
It is not existent because it turns into emptiness.
It is not non-existent because it thinks, sees and experiences.
The radiance of the union of appearance and emptiness blazes.
The self-radiance of empty yet cognizant dharmakāya is clear.
Complete with the five wisdoms, it radiates fully.
The primordially pure natural state is spontaneously present,
The kāyas and pure realms appear without obstruction,
And the mother and child luminosities merge as one.

The natural state of mind, which is like this,

Have you realized it, all you realized ones?
Have you understood it, all you great meditators?
Put this into practice, all you yogis! ​

Instruction on the Self-Liberation of Delusion, which is like Turning

Poison into Medicine
In emptiness there is no miserliness.
It is through delusion that miserliness arises.
Without delusion, look into the one who feels miserly.
Look, and sustain that without distraction.
Miserliness is cleared away and becomes emptiness.
Rest without distraction in this emptiness experience.
That is the total purification of miserliness.
There is no generosity higher than this —
For the yogi who realizes it: Emaho, how amazing!

In emptiness there is no attachment.

It is through delusion that attachment arises.
Without delusion, look into the one who feels attached.

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Look, and sustain that without distraction.
Attachment is cleared away and becomes emptiness.
Rest without distraction in this emptiness experience.
That is the total purification of attachment.
There is no discipline higher than this —
For the yogi who realizes it: Emaho, how amazing!

In emptiness there is no anger.

It is through delusion that anger arises.
Without delusion, look into the one who feels angry.
Look, and sustain that without distraction.
Anger is cleared away and becomes emptiness.
Rest without distraction in this emptiness experience.
That is the total purification of anger.
There is no patience higher than this —
For the yogi who realizes it: Emaho, how amazing!

In emptiness there is no laziness.

It is through delusion that laziness arises.
Without delusion, look into the one who feels lazy.
Look, and sustain that without distraction.
Laziness is cleared away and becomes emptiness.
Rest without distraction in this emptiness experience.
That is the total purification of laziness.
There is no diligence higher than this —
For the yogi who realizes it: Emaho, how amazing!

In emptiness there is no distraction.

It is through delusion that distraction arises.
Without delusion, look into the one who feels distracted.
Look, and sustain that without distraction.
Distraction is cleared away and becomes emptiness.
Rest without distraction in this emptiness experience.
That is the total purification of distraction.
There is no concentration higher than this —
For the yogi who realizes it: Emaho, how amazing!

In emptiness there is no confusion.

It is through delusion that confusion arises.
Without delusion, look into the one who feels confused.
Look, and sustain that without distraction.
Confusion is cleared away and becomes emptiness.
Rest without distraction in this emptiness experience.
That is the total purification of confusion.

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There is no wisdom higher than this —
For the yogi who realizes it: Emaho, how amazing!

In emptiness there is no arrogance.

It is through delusion that arrogance arises.
Without delusion, look into the one who feels arrogant.
Look, and sustain that without distraction.
Arrogance is cleared away and becomes emptiness.
Rest without distraction in this emptiness experience.
That is the total purification of arrogance.
There is no contentment higher than this —
For the yogi who realizes it: Emaho, how amazing!​

Instruction on the Self-Liberation of Destructive Emotions:

Transforming Destructive Emotions into Wisdom
In the undistracted state there is no suffering.
It is through the power of delusion that suffering arises.
Without distraction, look into the essence of suffering.
Look and sustain that, without distraction.
Suffering is no more: it turns into emptiness.
Settle into that empty and clear state, without distraction —
That is the total purification of suffering.
It is called the dharmakāya of great bliss.

In the undistracted state there are no destructive emotions.

It is through the power of delusion that destructive emotions arise.
Without distraction, look into the essence of destructive emotions.
Look and sustain that, without distraction.
Destructive emotions are no more: they turn into emptiness.
Settle into that empty and clear state, without distraction —
That is the total purification of destructive emotions.
It is called the dharmakāya of non-arising.

In the undistracted state there is no anger.

It is through the power of delusion that anger arises.
Without distraction, look into the essence of anger.
Look and sustain that, without distraction.
Anger is no more: it turns into emptiness.
Settle into that empty and clear state, without distraction —
That is the total purification of anger.
It is called the mirror-like wisdom.

In the undistracted state there is no pride.

It is through the power of delusion that pride arises.

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Without distraction, look into the essence of pride.
Look and sustain that, without distraction.
Pride is no more: it turns into emptiness.
Settle into that empty and clear state, without distraction —
That is the total purification of pride.
It is called the equalizing wisdom.

In the undistracted state there is no attachment.

It is through the power of delusion that attachment arises.
Without distraction, look into the essence of attachment.
Look and sustain that, without distraction.
Attachment is no more: it turns into emptiness.
Settle into that empty and clear state, without distraction —
That is the total purification of attachment.
It is called the wisdom of discernment.

In the undistracted state there is no jealousy.

It is through the power of delusion that jealousy arises.
Without distraction, look into the essence of jealousy.
Look and sustain that, without distraction.
Jealousy is no more: it turns into emptiness.
Settle into that empty and clear state, without distraction —
That is the total purification of jealousy.
It is called the all-accomplishing wisdom.

In the undistracted state there is no confusion.

It is through the power of delusion that confusion arises.
Without distraction, look into the essence of confusion.
Look and sustain that, without distraction.
Confusion is no more: it turns into emptiness.
Settle into that empty and clear state, without distraction —
That is the total purification of confusion.
It is called the wisdom of dharmadhatu.

In the undistracted state there is no dullness.

It is through the power of delusion that dullness arises.
Without distraction, look into the essence of dullness.
Look and sustain that, without distraction.
Dullness is no more: it turns into emptiness.
Settle into that empty and clear state, without distraction —
That is the total purification of dullness.
It is called the wisdom of emptiness and clarity.

In the undistracted state there is no agitation.

It is through the power of delusion that agitation arises.

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Without distraction, look into the essence of agitation.
Look and sustain that, without distraction.
Agitation is no more: it turns into emptiness.
Settle in that state that is empty and clear, without distraction —
That is the total purification of agitation.
It is called the unchanging wisdom.

In the undistracted state there are no three poisons.

It is through the power of delusion that the three poisons arise.
Without distraction, look into the essence of the three poisons.
Look and sustain that, without distraction.
The three poisons are no more: they turn into emptiness.
Settle into that empty and clear state, without distraction —
That is the total purification of the three poisons.
It is called the wisdom of the three kāyas. ​

For Generating Certainty: An Explanation of How Mind Reveals Itself

Sometimes there are no thoughts in the mind of a great meditator, just a blank or
vacant state. When this happens, don’t try to correct or adjust anything; simply
settle in it, directly and vividly.

Sometimes the mind is vividly clear and blissfully at ease. When this happens, simply
settle the mind in vivid clarity.

Sometimes the mind feels foggy or spaced out, incapable of clarity. When this
happens, bring out the clear quality of your awareness, and settle in naked alertness.

Sometimes the mind is totally depressed. When this happens, rest in a state that is
inspired, joyful and at ease.

Sometimes the mind can remain at rest for no longer than a moment or two as subtle
undercurrent thoughts come and go. When this happens, tighten the mind at its
surface and allow it to relax from within.

Sometimes it seems as if the mind is neither quite aware nor unaware. When this
happens, draw out the penetrative clarity of mind, as if extracting a hair from a slab
of butter, and settle in undistracted alertness.

Sometimes the mind busily thinks of everything imaginable, jumping from one
thought to the next, and is incapable of remaining still for even a moment. When this
happens, relax both body and mind, and without becoming distracted, allow the
mind to keep watch in all areas and directions.

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Sometimes you have no desire to meditate. You feel disheartened and cannot
continue. When this happens, pray sincerely to the lama and settle in clear, vivid
feelings of happiness and well-being.

Sometimes the mind is so blissful and clear you feel like getting up and dancing for
joy. When this happens, don’t allow grasping to enter your mind, but remain totally
relaxed.

These ways in which the mind reveals itself occur only for beginners who haven’t yet
determined the natural state of mind. They do not arise to those who have already
determined it, so now I shall briefly explain how it is for them:

When the natural state of mind is clearly determined,

There’s no need to look, because clear light dawns naturally.
There’s no need to meditate, because the nature of the mind naturally retains its hold.
Even in distraction, there is no distraction, because the nature of mind is sufficiently
strong. Even in change there is no change, because awareness is as pervasive as
space.
There’s no need to correct or to alter anything, because you remain in the state of
clear light.

The dharmakāya of your own undistracted mind

And the dharmakāya of the buddhas’ wisdom mind
Are inseparably united in the experience of clear light.
And even as you maintain that state without distraction,
Out of the experience of dharmakāya-emptiness
There dawns the clear light of spontaneous presence.
Your own mind then is inseparable from the Buddha,
The kayas and pure realms manifest inseparably.
There’s no hope or fear, no self-clinging, joy or sorrow.
There’s no acceptance or rejection and no form of doubt.
That is how it is when the nature of mind is determined.

How to Carry Out the Four Types of Action

A great meditator, when walking around,
Does not race or leap about like a fool,
But moves with both body and mind at ease,
While guarding the mind from wandering.

A great meditator, when sitting down,

Does not set a chain of thoughts in motion,
But sits straight, applying the key points of posture,
And rests with the mind laid bare.

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A great meditator, when falling asleep,
Does not slip into oblivion like a corpse,
But adopts the posture of the sleeping lion,
And, without distraction, merges into luminosity.

A great meditator, when eating and drinking,

Blesses the substances, transforming them into nectar,
And visualizes the body as hosts of deities,
Then feasts in the undistracted nature of mind.

Whether walking, sitting, sleeping, or acting in any other way,

Be sure to do so within a state that is inseparable from emptiness,
And your own mind will be inseparable from the Buddha.

If you wish to have no regrets at the time of death,

This is how you must practise.

You must know how to follow a qualified teacher.

You must be a renunciant, free from worldly activity.
You must have the fortitude to remain alone in isolated retreat.
You must have the self-discipline to eliminate attachment to food and clothing.
You must have the diligence to avoid even a moment’s distraction.
You must have the view that is free from the slightest trace of dualistic perception.
You must have a meditation that is continuous, uninterrupted clear light.
You must have a form of action that is effortless, without acceptance or rejection.
You must have the fruition of your own mind’s inseparability from the Buddha.
You must uphold the samaya commitment that is free from attachment and
hypocrisy.
And you must be free from vain longings for anything at all.
Practise these, the foremost of necessities, all you fortunate Dharma practitioners!

Should you wish for an excellent armour to assist you in your meditation, practise the
following:

Avoid acting as a lord with many attendants and a great circle of followers.
Avoid hoarding vast wealth and property.
Avoid keeping many horses and cattle.
Avoid being the head of a large family.
Avoid being hostile to enemies and attached to friends.
Avoid arduous labour, farming and handicrafts.
Avoid the search for idle pleasures, profit or fame.
And avoid all schemes for achieving greatness or enhancing your reputation.
Unless you avoid these things, your mind will be carried away by distractions.
But should you avoid them, you will secure the stronghold of the nature of mind,
And, by securing that, truly become a buddha.

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These days, at this moment in time,
There are masters skilled in teaching and students adept at meditation,
And there are many who have realized the nature of mind,
Many who have realized the genuine meaning.

The nature of mind, empty and clear in its essence,

May dawn to everyone just as it dawns to a single person.
Ask those who know and it will become clear.
Consult the wise and understanding will follow.
Free yourself from any doubt, and practise. ​

There is another crucial point, further advice for great meditators, which I shall now
impart:

These days, at this moment in time,

There are some masters and students:
Masters who teach incorrectly and students who err in meditation.
There are many who meditate for seventy or eighty years,
Without ever gaining experience or realization.
There are many who have not realized the genuine meaning,
Many for whom what is not so appears to be so,
Many who lack understanding and practise foolish meditation,
Many who diligently pursue what is futile.
Masters skilled in teaching, students adept at meditation:
Don't self-aggrandize: seek advice from the learned.
Don't improvise: reach certainty within the mind itself.
Don't deceive yourselves: eliminate your doubts.

This is now complete.

Then again, it is also said:

Aho!
From the natural state of the ground of your own mind, (view)
The maṇḍalas of deities arise as unceasing compassionate energy, (meditation)
Transforming into the playful dance of the various wrathful ones, male and female:
(action)
May this bring about the glory of guiding all beings, who pervade the whole of space!

| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2018. The translator referred to earlier English versions by Erik Pema
Kunsang, James Low and Khandro Rinpoche, but relied upon a slightly different edition of the Tibetan
text.

1. Some versions of the Tibetan call this text Gongpa Rangdrol (dgongs pa rang

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 grol), meaning Self-Liberated Wisdom Mind, but the Tibetan edition published
by Zenkar Rinpoche calls it Gompa Rangdrol (sgom pa rang grol), Self-Liberating
Meditation. ↩

2. The repetition here suggests a possible error in the Tibetan. ↩

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Brief Guide to the Stages of Visualization for the
Ngöndro Practice
by Patrul Rinpoche

Namo Samantabhadraye!

When Tibet was shrouded in the darkness of the five degenerations,1

With the chariot of your great and immeasurable bodhicitta,2
You brought the sunlight of the teachings of secret mantra-
Orgyen, King of Dharma, I keep you forever in my mind!
The enlightened vision of the vajra vehicle of Ancient Translations,
All condensed into its quintessence, like a drop of ḍākinīs’ life-blood;
A treasure arising as the spontaneous expression of reality itself—
O Guru, Lord of Dharma, you who brought us these teachings, protect me!
In a single vessel, you gathered the vital elixir of the great and secret teachings
From the vast, profound realization of the Vidyādhara Guru3 upholding the six
[lineages],4
And with this, you satisfied your fortunate disciples, bringing them to maturity and
liberation—
O kind and gracious master, I rely on you until I reach enlightenment!

Having begun with this verse of homage, I shall now set down, in one place, the
steps of visualization for the ordinary outer and inner instructions of Longchen
Nyingtik.

Taking Refuge
When taking refuge, consider that the place where you are seated is made from
various precious substances: a buddha realm, beautiful and pleasing to the mind,
without any undulations, and smooth like the surface of a mirror.5 At its centre, in
front of you, is a wish-fulfilling tree with five main branches, its leaves, flowers and
fruit filling the whole of space in every direction.

Slightly above the central branch, seated upon a jewelled throne supported by eight
great lions, and upon seats of lotus, sun and moon, is the incomparable treasury of
compassion who embodies all the buddhas of past, present and future: one’s own
glorious root lama. He appears in the form of Orgyen Dorje Chang (the Great
Vajradhara of Oḍḍiyāna), his complexion white with a tinge of red.6 He has one face
and two hands, and is seated in the posture of royal ease. With his right hand, he
holds a golden five-pronged vajra in the threatening gesture. In his left hand, which
rests in the gesture of equanimity, is a skull-cup brimming with nectar and
containing the vase of immortality that is also full of deathless wisdom nectar, and

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ornamented on top by a wish-fulfilling tree. He is united in an inseparable embrace
with the consort Yeshe Tsogyal, who is white and holding a knife and a skull-cup.
On his body, he wears a silk cloak, monastic robes and gown. On his head, he wears
a lotus hat.

On the branch before him is the Buddha Śākyamuni, surrounded by the thousand
buddhas of this Fortunate Aeon. Their bodies are white, yellow, red, green and blue
in colour, and they are all in the supreme nirmāṇakāya form, wearing monastic
robes. They are adorned with the thirty-two major and eighty minor marks, such as
the crown protuberance, wheels on their feet, and so on. All of them are seated in the
cross-legged “vajra posture”.

On the branch to the right7 are the bodhisattvas, the Eight Great Close
Sons8 surrounded by the sangha of noble bodhisattvas. As a sign of their tireless and
constant efforts to benefit beings, they are all standing in the posture of equanimity.
They are adorned with the thirteen ornaments of the perfect sambhogakāya.

On the branch to the left are the two supreme śrāvakas9 , surrounded by the noble
community of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas wearing monastic robes.

On the rear branch, encased within a lattice of rainbow light, is the Jewel of the
Dharma in the form of piles of books, the vowels and consonants making their own
sound. At the top are the six million four hundred thousand tantras of
Dzogpachenpo.

Above Guru Rinpoche’s head are all the masters of the Dzogchen lineage, from the
dharmakāya Samantabhadra down to your own kind root lama. They are seated one
above the other, the throne of an earlier master slightly above the head of the next.

Surrounding Guru Rinpoche are the root and lineage masters above, the assembly of
yidam deities in the central section, and the mamos and ḍākinīs below. In between
are all the Dharma protectors of both wisdom and action. Consider that the males all
face outwards, acting to avert any obstacles or hindrances to the Dharma or the
attainment of enlightenment, and to prevent any obstacles entering from the outside.
Whereas the female Dharma protectors all face inwards, acting to ward off any
obstacles or hindrances to the Dharma or the attainment of enlightenment, and to
prevent any accomplishments from escaping.

Seated to your right and left are your father and mother from this present life. In
front are all the sentient beings of the six realms and three worlds, led by your
bitterest enemies and those obstructing forces that do you harm. Together they form
an enormous gathering that covers the entire surface of the earth.

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As a physical demonstration of your respect, you all perform prostrations. To show
your respect vocally, you recite the verse for taking refuge. And with a mind that is
respectful, you form the following resolve, cultivating a feeling of ardent longing and
complete and heartfelt trust:

Whether my situation is high or low, in happiness or sorrow, in circumstances good

or bad, from this day on, I shall neither ask my father nor seek my mother’s advice.
Nor shall I decide by myself. Instead, I shall rely on you, the true objects of refuge,
the Three Jewels. To you, I shall make offerings. You will be the only objects of my
practice.

Recite the refuge verse, “KÖN CHOK SUM NGÖ… (In the Three Jewels, and their
essence…)” and then, at the end of the session consider that, as a result of your
devotion to the refuge assembly, countless rays of light—white, yellow, red, green
and blue—stream out from the various deities. As they touch you and all sentient
beings, your karma, disturbing emotions, habitual tendencies, negativity and
obscurations accumulated throughout beginningless time are purified completely,
just as when light from the rising sun shines into a cave it dispels the darkness
within. In an instant, you and all the other beings fly up with a whirring sound, like
a flock of birds scattered by a sling- stone, and dissolve into the assembly of refuge
deities.

Then the refuge gradually melts into light. In front, the buddhas all dissolve into
Śākyamuni. To the right, the bodhisattvas all dissolve into Avalokiteśvara. To the
left, the noble sangha of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas dissolves into Śāriputra. They
all dissolve into the Dharma at the back, and then this entire Jewel of the Dharma
dissolves into Guru Rinpoche. All the surrounding masters, yidams, Dharma
protectors and guardians also dissolve into Guru Rinpoche. The lama too then slowly
dissolves, and vanishes into light. Rest for a short while in a state that is free from
conceptual reference. Then, as you rise from this meditation, recognize all that
appears and exists as the form of the refuge deities and dedicate the merit.

Generating Bodhicitta
When generating bodhicitta, the dissolution of the refuge deities follows the same
sequence as above, but here Guru Rinpoche dissolves into you, and you consider that
the absolute bodhicitta present within the minds of the objects of refuge arises
clearly in your own mind.

Vajrasattva Purification
All the special experiences and realizations of the profound path are prevented from
arising by your harmful actions, obscurations and habitual tendencies. There is no
method for purifying them more profound than the meditation and recitation of the
Lama Vajrasattva. The way to practise it is as follows.

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Consider that you remain in your ordinary form. At an arrow’s length above your
head, upon a lotus and a moon disc seat, is a brilliant white syllable HUNG which
becomes, in essence, your glorious root master, the incomparable treasury of
compassion who embodies all the buddhas of past, present and future. He is in the
form of the sambhogakāya Buddha Vajrasattva, white in colour, and as bright as a
snowy peak lit up by a hundred thousand suns. He has one face and two arms. With
his right hand, he holds a five-pronged vajra of awareness and emptiness in front of
his heart. With his left, he rests the bell of appearance and emptiness upon his left
hip. His two legs are crossed in the vajra posture, and he embraces, in an inseparable
union, his consort white Vajragarvā (Dorje Nyemma).10 Their bodies are not like
those of ordinary beings, but are pure and composed of light.

At Vajrasattva’s heart is a full moon disc, and upon it is a white syllable HUNG, as
fine as if it were drawn with a single hair. The HUNG is encircled in a clockwise
direction by a string of letters forming the hundred syllable mantra. They are like the
horns of cattle (meaning that they are close together and yet they do not touch). As
you recite the hundred syllable mantra, ensuring that the four powers are complete,
imagine that the white bodhicitta nectar drips down from each syllable of the mantra
garland.

Flowing through the body of Vajrasattva, the nectar emerges from the point of union
with the consort, and then, passing through the “aperture of Brahma” at the crown of
your head, it cleans the entire interior of your body. Everything impure pours out of
your body from the two lower orifices, the soles of your feet and all the pores of your
skin. All your physical illnesses are flushed out in the form of rotten blood and pus;
all negative forces are expelled in the form of fish, snakes, frogs, tadpoles, spiders,
scorpions and ants; and all your negativity is expelled as smoke, black liquid, clouds
and vapours.

The golden earth beneath you opens up to reveal King Yāma, the Lord of Death,
surrounded by all the male and female beings to whom you owe karmic debts, and
those who seek your life in vengeance. As you recite the hundred syllable mantra,
the impurities pour down into their open mouths and into the hands and arms they
raise expectantly towards you.

At the end, imagine that Death and all the others beneath the earth every kind of
karmic creditor and all those who seek your life in vengeance are completely
satisfied. Past scores have been settled; debts have been repaid; the desire for
vengeance has been pacified; and you are cleansed of all your past negative actions
and obscurations. Yama closes his mouth and fists, and lowers his arms. The earth
closes over once again.

Imagine that your body now becomes transparent inside and out, like an immaculate
crystal vase. At the crown of your head is the chakra of great bliss with its thirty-two

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radial channels curving downwards. In your throat is the chakra of enjoyment with
its sixteen radial channels curving upwards. At the level of your heart is the Dharma
chakra with its eight radial channels curving downwards. At the level of your navel
is the chakra of manifestation with its sixty-four radial channels curving upwards.

As the shining, white bodhicitta fills these four chakras, you receive the four
empowerments (vase, secret, wisdom and precious word); you are purified of the four
obscurations (karmic, emotional, cognitive and those of habitual tendencies); and
you accomplish the four kāyas (nirmāṇakāya, sambhogakāya, dharmakāya and
svābhāvikakāya).

Lama Vajrasattva is pleased and, smiling at you, he says:

Son/daughter of an enlightened family, your negative actions, obscurations,

impairments and breakages of samaya are all purified.

Granting his approval in this way he melts into light, just like butter that is placed on
a hot stone, and then dissolves into you.

Now you yourself appear in the form of Vajrasattva, exactly as you visualized him
before. In your heart is a moon disc, the size of a flattened mustard seed. At its centre
is a blue HŪṂ. In front of the HŪṂ is a white syllable OṂ; to its right is the word
VAJRA in yellow; behind it is a red SA; and to its left is a green TVA.

As you recite the mantra (OṂ VAJRA SATTVA HŪṂ), immeasurable rays of
coloured light emanate from the syllables and make offerings that delight all the
buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions. The blessings of their body, speech
and mind come streaming back in the form of light and rays of light that dissolve
into you, so that you obtain all the supreme and ordinary accomplishments. This
establishes the interdependent conditions for benefiting yourself through realizing
the dharmakāya.

Then consider that the rays of light touch all the sentient beings dwelling throughout
the six realms of the three worlds, purifying their karma, disturbing emotions,
habitual patterns, negativity and obscurations.

The entire outer world becomes the buddhafield of Abhirati ('Manifest Joy'), and all
the beings within it are transformed into white, yellow, red, green and blue
Vajrasattvas, all of whom recite the mantra OṂ VAJRA SATTVA HŪṂ, creating an
immense humming sound. This establishes the interdependent conditions for
benefiting others through attaining the rūpakāya. As it is said:

Actualizing the benefit of self and others through the emanation and re-
convergence [of light], cognitive obscurations are purified.

At the end of the session, visualize that the whole universe—the pure realm of

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Manifest Joy—dissolves into the beings within it, the Vajrasattvas. Then, all of these
Vajrasattvas dissolve into you, the principal Vajrasattva. Gradually, you too melt into
light from the outside inwards, dissolving into the OṂ at your heart. The OṂ then
dissolves into the VAJRA, the VAJRA into the SA, the SA into the TVA, the TVA into
the shabkyu of the HŪṂ, the shabkyu into the A-chung, and the A-chung into the
body of the HA. The body then dissolves into the head, the head into the crescent, the
crescent into the bindu, and the bindu into the nāda. Finally, the nāda too dissolves,
and you remain for a short while in a state that is without conceptual reference.

When you arise from that state, recognize the whole outer universe and the beings
contained within it as the environment and inhabitants of the pure realm of Manifest
Joy, and dedicate the merit.

Gathering the Accumulations

1. Maṇḍala Offering
Begin by arranging the five piles of the accomplishment maṇḍala. In the centre is a
pile representing Buddha Vairocana, surrounded by the deities of the buddha family.
In the East is a pile for the Buddha Vajrasattva11 and the deities of the vajra family. In
the South is a pile for Buddha Ratnasambhava and the deities of the ratna family. In
the West is a pile for Buddha Amitābha and the deities of the padma family. And in
the North is a pile for Buddha Amoghasiddhi and the deities of the karma family.

Alternatively, as in the Refuge practice, you may consider that the central pile
represents your own root master in the form of Guru Rinpoche, with all the masters
of the Dzogchen lineage above him. In this case, the pile in front is for Buddha
Śākyamuni and the thousand perfect buddhas of this Fortunate Aeon. The pile on the
right is for the Eight Great Bodhisattvas, surrounded by the noble bodhisattva
sangha. The pile on the left is for Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana and the noble sangha
of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. The pile at the back represents the Jewel of the
Dharma in the form of piles of books.

For the offering maṇḍala, recite “OṂ VAJRA BHUMI ĀḤ HŪṂ…etc.” (from the
Thirty-Seven Point maṇḍala Offering) and arrange the outer realm in stages. One
arrangement of piles symbolizing the four continents with Mount Meru in the centre
constitutes one world. A thousand of these make a “first-order universe of one
thousand worlds”. Multiplying this a thousand times produces a “second-order
universe of one thousand times one thousand worlds”. Then, multiplying this by a
further thousand, we arrive at what is called, “a third- order great universal system of
one thousand million worlds”, or a “cosmos of a billion universes”.

Imagine throughout all these worlds the most exquisite enjoyments of gods and
human beings, and offer them all to your master and the deities of the nirmāṇakāya.
This is the offering of the ordinary maṇḍala of the nirmāṇakāya.

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Next, imagine Akaniṣṭha Ghanavyūha complete with all the inconceivable features of
a spontaneously manifest sambhogakāya realm, as well as countless offering
goddesses, such as the goddess of beauty and so on, and offer them all to your master
and the deities of the sambhogakāya. This is the extraordinary maṇḍala of the
sambhogakāya.

Then, upon the base of the maṇḍala, which represents the unconditioned
dharmadhātu, place small piles representing your attachment to appearance and
whatever thoughts you may have. Offer this to your master and the deities of the
dharmakāya. This is the special maṇḍala of the dharmakāya.

2. Accumulation of the Kusali: Chöd

You are in your ordinary form. In the sky before you is a precious throne supported
by a lion, elephant, peacock, shang-shang bird12 and horse. Seated there, upon a
lotus, sun and moon, and piles of silken cushions, is your own root master.
Surrounding him, upon an inconceivable variety of seats, including lotuses, sun-discs
and corpses, are the masters of the lineage above, the yidam deities in the space in
between, and the mamos and ḍākinīs below. Around them all are the hosts of
Dharma protectors and guardians.

Seated below are all the beings of the six realms and three worlds.

If you are familiar with the visualization stage (kyérim), you can recite “PHAṬ!” and
simultaneously eject your consciousness along the central channel and out through
the “aperture of Brahma” at the crown of your head, where it is immediately
transformed into Tröma, the Wrathful Mother.

If you are not yet accustomed to this kind of visualization practice, begin by
meditating on your consciousness as Tröma, and, then, as you utter the syllable
“PHAṬ!” consider that she shoots out through the crown of your head.

In either case, Tröma—the essence of your consciousness—is black, and has one face
and two hands. With her right hand, she is waving through the air a curved knife for
cutting the three poisons at their root. It is this that she now uses to slice your skull,
along the level of the eyebrows, from your body, which has grown huge, fat and
greasy, and is as large as the entire billion- fold world-system. Tröma uses the skull
to make a skull-cup equal in size to the entire cosmos of a billion worlds. With her
left hand, she picks up the skull-cup and places it, with the brow facing her, upon a
hearth made of three human skulls, each as large as Mount Meru. Then, with the
hooked knife in her right hand, she lifts the whole corpse and places it inside the
skull-cup.

Now visualize in the space beneath the skull the vertical stroke of a letter A, red, with
the nature of fire, and hot to the touch. Above the skull, there appears a white

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syllable HAṂ with the nature of nectar. As fire blazes up from the A-stroke, it heats
the skull-cup until the corpse melts into bubbling nectar, and anything foul or
impure is expelled in the form of a frothing scum.

The HAṂ begins to melt in the heat of the fire, and from it drops of nectar begin to
fall. Rays of light shine out from the HAṂ to the buddhas and bodhisattvas, so that
their compassion and blessings dissolve into the nectar in the skull-cup in the form
of wisdom nectar and blue light-rays. Finally, the syllable HAṂ also dissolves into
light, and melts into the nectar in the skull-cup.

The Variegated Feast

Steam rises from the boiling white and red wisdom nectar. It takes the form of
inconceivable offering materials, such as the eight auspicious symbols and seven
attributes of royalty—parasols, victory-banners, canopies, golden wheels with a
thousand spokes, white conch shells spiralling to the right, and so on—which are
offered to the guests above. It is transformed into whatever substances the yidams,
ḍākas, ḍākinīs, Dharma protectors and guardians find pleasing, and they are
delighted by the offerings.

Below them, all the beings of the six realms of existence receive whatever they wish
for, whatever it is they desire. Those who want food receive food. Those who wish
for clothing receive clothing. Those desiring a home receive a home. Consider that
all their wishes are fulfilled and that they are satisfied.

The White Feast

Then above them the inconceivable gathering of root and lineage masters, buddhas
and bodhisattvas absorb the nectar through their tongues, which have the form of
hollow vajra tubes. Consider that they are pleased and satisfied, and that you
complete the accumulations, purify your obscurations, and receive all the supreme
and ordinary accomplishments.

The assembly of yidam deities consume the nectar, absorbing it through hollow
tongues shaped like vajras, wheels, jewels, lotuses, or crossed vajras. As a result, you
complete the accumulations, purify your obscurations, and receive all the supreme
and ordinary siddhis.

In the space in front of the skull-cup, the wisdom and activity Dharma protectors
now take their share of the nectar through the hollow sunbeams of their tongues,
with the result that obstacles and circumstances unfavourable to your Dharma
practice and enlightenment are dispelled.

Next, if you are experienced in visualization, consider that you emanate

inconceivable throngs of activity performing ḍākinīs, as numerous as sentient beings,
each of them holding a wisdom skull-cup filled with wisdom nectar that they offer to
every single being.

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Alternatively, you could imagine that you yourself, as Tröma, use the skull- cup in
your hand to scatter nectar, satisfying all the beings of the six realms and purifying
their karmic vision, sufferings and habitual tendencies.

Think especially of those beings, male and female, to whom you owe karmic debts
incurred in your past lives throughout beginningless time.

There are debts that shorten our lives because we have killed; debts that plague us
with illness because we have attacked and beaten others; debts that make us poor
because we have stolen. There are debts for protection given by superiors, for
services rendered by inferiors, and for help and support from equals; and there are
debts to overlords and underlings.

When each of these male and female creditors has had their fill, you are freed from
your karmic obligations, your debts are repaid, you are delivered from their deadly
vengeance and purified of all your harmful deeds and obscurations.

All male beings attain the level of noble Avalokiteśvara, and all the females attain the
level of Jetsün Tārā.

Recite “PHAṬ!” and then rest in a state free from any concept of an offering, one
who offers, or a recipient to whom offerings are made.

Guru Yoga
Then there is the instruction on Guru Yoga, which is a practice for arousing the
wisdom of realization in the mind. The purification of buddha fields requires great
strength of concentration, so consider that your surroundings—for as far as your
perception extends—are the realm of Lotus Light, perfect in all its features.

You are at its centre. To ensure that you are a suitable vessel for the empowerments,
to create the right interdependent conditions for following the master, and as a
support for arousing Guru Rinpoche’s wisdom of bliss and emptiness, consider that
you are, in essence, the ḍākinī Yeshe Tsogyal. In form, however, you appear as
Vajrayoginī: red in colour, with one face, two hands and three eyes that gaze
longingly at the heart of the master.

With your right hand you play a skull-drum, held aloft, to awaken beings from the
sleep of ignorance and confusion. Your left hand holds a hooked knife for cutting the
three poisons at their root. You are naked except for your bone ornaments and
garlands of flowers. And you are visible yet insubstantial, like a reflection in a
mirror.

In the sky, an arrow’s length above your head, visualize a lotus with a hundred
thousand petals, upon which there is a sun-disc, and then a moon disc. Seated upon

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this sun and moon disc seat is your glorious root master, the incomparable treasury
of compassion who is the embodiment of all the buddhas of the past, present and
future. He appears in the form of the Great Vajradhara of Oḍḍiyāna (Orgyen Dorje
Chang) with one face and two hands.

With his right hand he holds a five-pronged golden vajra at his heart. In his left hand
he holds a skull-cup brimming with nectar, containing the vase of longevity that is
also filled with the nectar of deathless wisdom and ornamented on top by a wish-
fulfilling tree. Cradled in his left arm he holds the three-pointed khaṭvāṅga (trident)
symbolizing the Princess consort (Mandāravā). Its three points represent the essence,
nature and compassionate energy (ngowo, rangshyin and tukjé). Below these three
prongs are three severed heads, dry, fresh and rotten, symbolizing the three kāyas.
Nine iron rings adorning the prongs represent the nine yānas. The khaṭvāṅga is also
adorned with locks of hair from dead and living mamos and ḍākinīs, as a sign that
the Master subjugated them all when he practised austerities in the Eight Great
Charnel Grounds.

On his head he wears a lotus hat and on his body he wears a silk cloak, Dharma
robes and gown. His two feet are in the royal posture.

All around him, within a lattice of five-coloured light, appear the eight vidyādharas
of India, the twenty-five disciples of Tibet, the deities of the three roots, and an ocean
of oath-bound protectors. Your visualization should be so vivid that your ordinary
perception simply ceases automatically.

As you recite the Seven Line Prayer from, “Hum! In the north-west of the land of
Oḍḍiyāna” to, “GURU PADMA SIDDHI HŪṂ”, invoke the environment and
inhabitants of the Glorious Copper Coloured Mountain, and consider that they
dissolve into the assembly of deities you have visualized.

Then, multiply your body as many times as there are atoms in the universe, and
perform prostrations. Make inconceivably vast offerings of both actual possessions
and those created by the mind. Confess all your harmful deeds and obscurations,
accumulated throughout beginningless time. Consider that they are purified by rays
of light which emanate from the hearts of the deities in the field of merit, touching a
black pile on your tongue, within which are gathered all the harmful actions,
obscurations and habitual tendencies of your body, speech and mind. Rejoice at all
the positive actions that have ever been accumulated, absolute and relative. Implore
the buddhas to turn the Dharma-wheel of the three yānas. Request them to remain
until samsara is completely empty and not to pass into nirvana. Dedicate all the
positive actions accumulated in the past, the present and the future as the cause for
all beings attaining enlightenment.

When the time comes to practise “Invoking the Siddhi” say the prayer, “O Guru
Rinpoche, Precious One…” (JESTÜN GURU RINPOCHE) once after every hundred

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recitations of the Vajra Guru mantra. Then, when it is time for “Invoking the
Blessing” say, after each hundred recitations, the prayer beginning: “I have no one
else to turn to…” (DAK LA RÉ SA…) and ending: “Purify our emotional and cognitive
obscurations, O powerful one!” (…DRIP NYI CHONG SHIK NÜ TU CHEN).

When it is time to receive the accomplishments, recite “In the Guru’s

forehead…”(GURUI MIN TSAM…) and receive the four empowerments. Then, as a
result of your devotion and longing, the master assumes a compassionate expression
and smiles at you, his eyes filled with love.

From his heart, a ray of warm, red light shoots out and as it touches you,
Vajrayoginī, you melt into a sphere of red light the size of a pea, which shoots up
towards the Guru like a crackling spark and dissolves into his heart. Then the Guru
also dissolves, and you rest in the unborn state of the dharmakāya: utter simplicity
without concept or reference. Then dedicate the merit.

Virtue!

| Translated by Adam Pearcey and edited by Janine Schulz. There are many similarities between this
text and sections of Patrul Rinpoche’s most famous work, kun bzang bla ma’i zhal lung , and we have
been greatly influenced by the style and choice of terminology in The Words of My Perfect Teacher ,
masterfully translated into English by the Padmakara Translation Group.

1. The five degenerations are: the degeneration of life; the degeneration of karma,
or activity; the degeneration of the times; the degeneration linked with
emotions; and the degeneration of the view. See Guru Yoga, Dilgo Khyentse
Rinpoche, Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications, 1999, p. 50 ↩

2. Bodhicitta is immeasurable, or countless (grangs med), both in terms of its

duration (because it is cultivated for countless aeons) and in terms of its object
(because it is directed towards countless sentient beings). ↩

3. This refers to Rigdzin (vidyādhara in Sanskrit) Jigme Lingpa. ↩

4. The six lineages are the mind-direct lineage of the victorious ones, the sign
lineage of the vidyādharas, the aural lineage of realized beings, the lineage
empowered by aspiration, the lineage of prophetically declared succession, and
the ḍākinī’s seal of entrustment lineage. ↩

5. Compare verse 35 from Chapter 10 of the Bodhicaryāvatāra: May lands

everywhere be pure, | Not harsh and covered in rocks, | But flat like a level
palm, | And smooth as lapis lazuli. ↩

6. Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo’s commentary describes Orgyen Dorje Chang as

blue in colour. ↩

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 7. i.e., on Guru Rinpoche’s right hand side. ↩

8. The bodhisattvas Mañjuśrī, Vajrapāṇi, Avalokiteśvara, Kṣitigarbha,

Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin, Ākaśagarbha, Maitreya and Samantabhadra. ↩

9. Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana ↩

10. Although Vajrāṭopā is sometimes given as the Sanskrit name of Vajrasattva's

consort, whose Tibetan name is Dorje Nyemma (rdo rje snyems ma), it seems
that the correct Sanskrit name, which is attested in extant sources, is
Vajragarvā. ↩

11. Words of My Perfect Teacher (Kun bzang ba ma'i zhal lung) has Akṣobhya here
in the place of Vajrasattva. ↩

12. A mythological bird (half human, half eagle) who plays cymbals as he flies. ↩

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In Praise of Glorious Vajrasattva
by Patrul Rinpoche
Homage to glorious Vajrasattva!

Like a mountain of snow, your body is brilliant white,

And your enlightened speech resounds as perfect Dharma,
Profound and expansive, your sky-like mind is twofold wisdom,
Blessed lord, spiritual warrior—to you I pay homage!

Even negative karma and obscurations accumulated over many eons

Are reduced to nothing in an instant merely by recalling your name,
Guardian Lord, there is no one anywhere to compare with you,
And so, again and again, in devotion I pay homage!

Deities of the maṇḍalas of the hundred, five or three buddha families,

And the lord of the sixth—they are all none other than you.
And it was you too who gathered the words of the buddha, the secret treasury—
Embodiment of all the victorious buddhas, to you I pay homage!

Upon a perfect moon-disc symbolising your plentiful qualities,

And an eight-petalled white lotus signifying freedom from flaws,
You sit in cross-legged posture, abiding in neither saṃsāra nor nirvāṇa—
To you who wear anklets of jewels, I pay homage!

Beautiful like a rainbow with your silken garments of many colours,

And your jewels, necklaces and other adornments all sparkling and swaying,
You hold the vajra and bell symbolising appearance and emptiness inseparable—
To you in whom the empowerment of the five families is complete, I pay homage!

Your body is the bindu of wisdom and great bliss united,

And with the abhiṣeka nectar flowing from clouds of joy,
You confer the amṛta of the utterly pure five senses—
To you who delight in non-duality, I pay homage!

The very nature of awareness, the crucial point of essence mantra,

Which you taught in the realm of Akaniṣṭha,
And which, when recited or brought to mind, purifies all impairments and breakages
—
To your innermost essence, the hundred-syllable mantra, I pay homage!

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For calling out to you by name and invoking your heart commitment,
With the nature of the five families, the heart of the innermost essence,
In which causes and conditions, recitation and mantra are all complete,
To your brief six-syllable mantra, I pay homage!

You are the deity who subdues the unruly and difficult to tame,
And excellently bestows the supreme accomplishment,
Lord Vajrasattva, who displays the nine moods of dance—
To you, the glorious heruka, I pay homage!

Keeper of the secret treasury, appearing as a powerful lord of the tenth bhūmi,
Ferocious Vajrapāṇi1 —sole enemy of obstructing forces,
With your garuḍa, whose nature is of the five families, emanating and returning—
To you, subjugator of the nāgas of ignorance, I pay homage!

Supreme deity of deities, bhagavān Vajrasattva,

Taking you, O protector, as my supreme refuge,
I think of your enlightened body, speech and mind again and again,
Now inspire me with your blessings, O Vajrasattva, Vajradharma!

Oṃ vajra sattva hūṃ

by Patrul

Virtue. Virtue. Virtue.

| Translated by Ane Tsöndrü and Adam Pearcey 2015 based on an earlier translation by Ane Tsöndrü,
2014.

1. i.e., Vajracaṇḍa ↩

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Excellent Explanation from the Scriptural Tradition

A Brief Guide to the Stages of Meditating on the

General Themes of the Ornament to the
Prajñāpāramitā
by Patrul Rinpoche

Homage to the Buddha!

Homage to the learned and accomplished Indians and Tibetans,

Who knew the reality of the three wisdoms to be known,
Trained in the path of the four applications to be taken to heart,
And arrived at the dharmakāya, the fruition to be attained.

There are two ways in which a fortunate individual can put into practice the
infallible method for realizing the ultimate fruition of the dharmakāya, namely
contemplation and application.

1. Contemplation
There are three things that must be understood for the attitude of bodhicitta to arise
correctly in the mind:

1. The ultimate fruition that is to be attained. If we do not understand this,

we will not know the focus for the bodhicitta of aspiration.

2. The character of the path by means of which this is attained. If we do not

know this, we will not know the practices of the bodhicitta of application.

3. How to avoid potential pitfalls on the path. If we do not know this, we will
not develop ultimate bodhicitta, and emptiness and compassion will not be
brought together in unity.

In the beginning, therefore, we must contemplate as follows:

Throughout beginningless time, all sentient beings—who are none other than
my own dear mothers, who cared for me with such kindness—are forever cast
about in the waves of the ocean of suffering and experience all manner of
misery. How pitiful is their condition! I shall now develop the strength of my
diligence so that I can offer all these mother-like sentient beings a refuge from
all their suffering and inspire them to reach a state of happiness.

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By thinking in this way, we develop the compassionate attitude which lies at the root
of the Mahāyāna.

When we can no longer bear the fact that beings suffer, and we feel just like a
mother without arms who must watch helplessly as her child is swept away in a river
our buddha nature or potential (rigs) has been awakened, and we are ready to receive
the profound teachings.

We then begin by thinking:

As I set about accomplishing the welfare of all sentient beings, if I myself am

not free from the sufferings of saṃsāra, and I do not even know the method
for overcoming them, how could I possibly expect to be of help to others? I
wonder if there is a way to accomplish the welfare of all limitless sentient
beings effortlessly and without hardship. If there is, I vow to put all my efforts
into accomplishing it!

Once this thought has arisen, the next stage is to tell ourselves:

Kye! Child of noble family, such a method does in fact exist. You must realize
all-knowing wisdom by training progressively in stages, beginning with the
generation of bodhicitta for the sake of all beings. Then, you must teach
others the path that you yourself have followed. In this way, you will
spontaneously accomplish the welfare of all limitless sentient beings,
effortlessly and without hardship.

You might wonder what this all-knowing wisdom is like. The phrase “that you
yourself have followed” points out the result by means of the causes. The wisdom of
all aspects is the ultimate result of gradually accomplishing the ten factors—
generating bodhicitta and the rest. The phrase “teach others [the path]” indicates the
subject by means of its objects. It is because of understanding the objects of the ten
points, such as bodhicitta, through the wisdom of all aspects that one can explain
them to others.

You might wonder why it is that when it comes to understanding omniscience, it is

not taught by means of its own defining characteristics, but by its causes and objects
instead. This is because it is not possible to explain omniscience without identifying it
by means of these two. For example, when we explain visual cognition, we say that it
arises due to its causes, such as the eye faculty, or we describe the perception of
objects such as blue. But we cannot describe it without referring to either of these
two. It is similar here.

Then again, you might wonder whether ‘knowledge of all aspects’ (or omniscience)
means knowledge of all knowable phenomena without exception. Or, if it is simply a
knowledge of ten points, how this could be said to be omniscience? These ten must

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certainly be known if one is to accomplish the welfare of others without effort, so
they are stated because of their primary importance. Still, this does not mean to say
that other things besides these are not known. Just as someone who can see a needle
at a distance will easily see a knife lying nearby, by understanding these difficult
points one will automatically come to understand other things that are easier to
learn.

There are some who claim that knowing these ten points entails knowing all
knowable things without exception. On the basis of the statement that “the focus is
all phenomena”,1 they think they are all included here. But that does not follow
logically. For example, bodhisattvas practising on the path understand the objects of
focus on the path, including the meditation on the emptiness of all phenomena and
so on, but that does not mean that they know all these phenomena. The principle is
similar here. One could also say that a person who focuses on abandoning and
adopting with regard to what is positive, negative or neutral understands these three
categories, and of course all things can be included within them, but it does not
follow that understanding these three categories entails knowledge of all
phenomena.

Furthermore, the fortunate individual may wonder, “Now, since I must do all that I
can to attain this wisdom that knows all aspects in this way, what kind of path must I
train in to bring this about?” Well, since the result must correspond to the cause, it is
necessary to train in a path that corresponds to this effect. When one is working for
the welfare of sentient beings, given that they all have different inclinations and
capacities and therefore cannot all follow the same path, it is necessary to understand
all the paths of the three vehicles and to have some direct experience of them, so that
one can reveal them to others. With this kind of attitude, one must train the mind in
the wish to benefit others. This becomes the cause for the arising of the bodhicitta of
application within the mind.

Then, the practitioner reflects as follows: “Towards this end, I shall train myself in
the paths of all three vehicles. But since I am pursuing the ultimate Mahāyāna alone,
I will need to understand correctly the distinctions between higher and lower paths
and avoid straying onto lower paths.” With this thought, and without parting from
the means that is great compassion, he or she must meditate on the meaning of
suchness, in which the bases—the aggregates (skandha), elements (dhātu) and sense
sources (āyatana)—are seen to be devoid of the thirty-two conceptual projections (or
superimpositions). In this way, it will not be long before ultimate bodhicitta is
generated in the mind.

The three knowledges are sequential: each is the cause of what follows and is the
result of what came before. Therefore, when they are to be understood through study
and reflection and taken as the objects of the generation of bodhicitta, the knowledge
of all aspects is mentioned first. This is to inspire aspiration toward the ultimate

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result, which is attained as the first alone. Nevertheless, the order in which they arise
in an individual’s mind is as follows. First, there is direct realization of the absence of
self-identity in all the phenomena which are [referred to as] the bases, and then the
development in the mind of extraordinary great compassion, which makes this
approach superior to lesser paths. Then there is perfection, maturation and
purification through teaching disciples of the three classes according to their own
specific path, and through this the result, which is the knowledge of all aspects, is
made evident. In connection with this sequence, at the conclusion [of the third
section] the text says:

Likewise, this and also this,…2

Here, they are summarized beginning with the base-knowledge.

Therefore, since the characteristics of these three are determined without error
through study and reflection, after which they are taken as the object of bodhicitta,
they are referred to as “characteristics” in the context of the summary as six
realizations and as “the object, the threefold cause” in the context of the summary as
three.3

Thus, when determining that which is to be known (i.e., the three knowledges)
through study and reflection—whether the objects illustrate the subject, or the
subject illustrates the objects—it is the single wisdom of the knowledge of all aspects
alone that examines these dharmas.

These dharmas are of course the objects of the knowledge of all aspects, but they are
also the objects of the path-knowledge of the bodhisattvas. Indeed, they are not only
objects of these first two knowledges but also of the base-knowledge of the śrāvakas
and pratyekabuddhas. Understanding this will serve to cut through any conceptual
projections regarding the characteristics of all phenomena included within saṃsāra,
nirvāṇa and the path.

When taking these [three knowledges] as the objects of bodhicitta, one makes the
following vow: “As the objects illustrate the subject, I must develop in my own mind
all the various types of realization related to the three vehicles or four types of
individual, so that I can understand these objects and carry out such actions.” This
then qualifies as genuine bodhicitta according to the great vehicle. As the Ornament
of Sūtras says:

Skilled in universality of vehicle and wisdom… 4

Thus, to pledge oneself from the beginning to the universal vehicle and universal
wisdom is the supreme commitment.

Therefore, when connecting these three [knowledges] to bodhicitta, they are

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definitely causes of the [bodhicitta of] aspiration and application and ultimate
bodhicitta, as explained above. They are also causes of the three stages of interest
(’dun pa), intention (bsam pa) and noble intention (lhag bsam). According to this
sequence, first one develops an interest in pursuing what is to be attained, the
knowledge of all aspects. Then, one develops the intention to pursue the benefit of
others through knowledge of the path, which is the cause [of the knowledge of all
aspects]. Furthermore, by training in avoiding the potential pitfalls of lower paths
and not dwelling in either of the two extremes, one’s intention is freed from self-
interest and becomes noble intention. It is easy to understand how one engages in
the other levels of bodhicitta, such as engagement (sbyor ba) and the rest.

These three [knowledges] can also be related to the accomplishment of the Three
Jewels in our own minds, as explained in the commentary to the Sublime
Continuum.5 First, teaching the wisdom of buddhahood through the knowledge of all
aspects corresponds to “completely and perfectly awakened with regard to all
phenomena.” Second, teaching all the paths of the three vehicles in the context of the
path knowledge corresponds to “perfectly turns the wheel of Dharma.” Third,
teaching the different realizations of individuals following higher and lower vehicles
in the context of the base-knowledge corresponds to “encircled by an infinite
gathering of disciplined disciples.” This is merely another enumeration.

In these contexts, base-knowledge is taught explicitly in the texts of the sūtras

themselves to be the antidotal base-knowledge of not remaining in the two extremes.
The unfavourable base-knowledge of falling into either extreme is thus to be
understood indirectly, and because the various realizations of śrāvakas and
pratyekabuddhas are not explained directly the text says that it [i.e., the base-
knowledge] is “not experienced by others.”6

There might therefore be some potential for the arising of a trace of doubt here in
less intelligent minds concerning the explanation that base-knowledge is a potential
pitfall, a means for generating path-knowledge in the mind, and a cause for the
arising of ultimate bodhicitta. Yet, in fact, once one eliminates all the unfavourable
pitfalls, and the genuine knowledge of the bases—which is the antidote to all
projection and denial—develops in the mind, it is knowledge of the path of Mahāyāna
and also ultimate bodhicitta. One also gains an understanding of the paths of
śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas in the process, so there is no contradiction. Moreover,
the paths of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas are explained in the context of the
path-knowledge so that one might guide individuals of those types. One develops
realization of selflessness according to the lesser vehicle—without this conflicting
with the path of the greater vehicle—so that one can guide others. The base-
knowledge to be avoided is taught to be the superimposition of clinging to true
reality possessed by those following the lesser vehicle, which does conflict with the
Mahāyāna approach, as well as the one-sided extreme of quiescence for one’s own
benefit and so on. Thus, the two are not simply reiterated.

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When these three knowledges are related to the five subsequent realizations, the
application of all aspects and the culminating application are mainly applications of
base-knowledge, whereas the progressive and instantaneous applications are
applications of path-knowledge, and the resultant dharmakāya is the actual
knowledge of all aspects. Therefore, the eight can be grouped into three based on a
distinction between contemplation and application. The homage also teaches these
three, which is why it is said that the meaning of the entire scripture is included in
the homage.

When relating the four applications to the two knowledges we used the term
“mainly.” That is to say, explaining them in this way, based on the most important
connections, helps in developing an understanding of the relationships between
paths, their sequence and what they include. It is not to say, however, that they are
related in every respect, just as with the explanation of the application of all three
knowledges at the time of the complete application of all aspects.

The meaning that the noble ones taught and the learned explained,
Which is well determined by the three kinds of wisdom,
This is the essential meaning of the threefold knowledge.
I wonder: would it not be difficult to explain it any other way?

2. Application
The second general theme is the application of the Mahāyāna path. This has two
sections: 1) the application of all aspects, though which one gains proficiency in
realization, and 2) the progressive application, through which one stabilizes
realization.

1. Gaining Proficiency in Realization: Application of All Aspects

“Gaining proficiency in realization” means that having understood the characteristics
of all knowable phenomena—as indicated by the three knowledges—one takes the
various realizations of the three vehicles as objects of aspiration, but as yet one has
still not gained even the slightest quality of realization. As an example, consider a
poor servant who knows and calculates all the wealth and possessions of her rich
employer, but cannot take any of it, even so much as a single needle, for her own.

What we call gaining mastery in realization, therefore, means to meditate on all

aspects—from the aspect of impermanence in the beginning through to the aspect of
ultimate enlightenment itself—in the manner of the indivisible unity of the two
truths, so as to generate realization of what was not previously realized.

Then, what stabilizes realization is connecting all earlier and later meditations that
previously arose in the mind and actualizing them in the proper sequence. In
addition, one becomes familiar through study and reflection with whatever has not

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previously arisen, develops the aspiration that it will arise, and diligently stabilizes
familiarity with all realizations that one has already developed. Consider as an
example how children first learn to read. They begin by learning each syllable,
reading the basic letters such as ka, kha and the rest, then the suffixes, prefixes and
so on. This is comparable to the application of all aspects. Later on, they learn to read
combinations that include several of the letters already learned, as in words like
“sangs-rgyas” [meaning Buddha]. Then again through becoming increasingly familiar
they can become more skilled. This is comparable to the progressive application. The
culminating and instantaneous applications are the points at which one reaches
complete familiarity with the other two applications; they are not separate methods
of practice.

There are four occasions when the application of all aspects becomes perfectly
familiar:7

1) On the mundane path, the culmination of the path of joining occurs when qualities
develop in the mind, such as the sign of a definitive remedy that will suppress the
four types of perceiver-thought and percept-thought as well as its increase. There
can be no higher realization arising from mundane meditation than this.

2) Through the noble path, first the culmination of the path of seeing occurs when
the non-conceptual wisdom of the path of seeing arises in the mind as a remedy that
eradicates the four types of perceiver-thought and percept-thought, which are
abandoned through the path of seeing. There can be no higher realization of the
meditative equipoise in which dharmatā is seen directly than this.

3) Subsequently, the culmination of the path of meditation occurs when the remedy
that eradicates the four types of perceiver-thought and percept-thought that are
abandoned through the path of meditation arises in the mind and one masters the
accomplishment of all worldly benefit and happiness through the meditation on all
aspects. There can be no samādhi cultivated by those on the path than this.

4) Thereafter, the culmination of the ultimate path occurs when even subtle
attachment and appearance of the two truths as distinct, good and bad or in conflict
has been abandoned and the non-conceptual wisdom that is indicated by the three of
focus, aspect and cause arises in the mind. This is so because there are no further
intervening paths before the ultimate fruition, dharmakāya.

The occasion of perfect familiarity for the progressive application is the

instantaneous. When a single inexhaustible quality is made manifest, this is the
occasion of the culmination of the path, when all the inexhaustible qualities that
have previously been realized are made manifest in a non-dual way, without
characteristics. This and the culmination of the unimpeded mentioned above are
distinguished only conceptually as meditation and post-meditation; they are not
actually distinct.

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Therefore, the real trainings to be cultivated are the application of all aspects and the
progressive. Moreover, in accordance with the sequence in the text, the culminating
application arises in the mind based on the application of all aspects. This suggests
that the meditation develops progressively, but this is simply the sequence in which
they are explained as pairs of cause and effect; it is not the sequence of how they are
practised in meditation. When meditating, both are present in the meditation practice
right from the beginning stage. For example, this is also how the progressive is
explained in terms of study and reflection.

Thus, let us explain how these two applications relate to the practices, as a mere
introduction to illustrate how they are meditated upon. First, for the application of all
aspects, the aspects of the three knowledges are grouped into 173 aspects, which are
the objects for meditation. Among these, let us take the first aspect of base-
knowledge, the aspect of impermanence, as an example of how to meditate. The
objective aspect (don rnam) is the way that all phenomena in the category of the
conditioned abide as a stream of connected moments with the nature of arising and
ceasing. The cognitive aspect (shes rnam) is to meditate upon this very fact of
impermanence so that all misconceptions are eliminated through scriptural authority
and logical reasoning. On the paths of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas this alone is
sufficient. In the Mahāyāna approach, however, one must develop the realizations of
all vehicles, so this much would be insufficient; one must take both the objective and
cognitive aspects as objects and meditate upon them through application.

Although there are said to be twenty applications [within the complete application of
all aspects], three of these are merely divisions of the manner of realizing the three
knowledges and fifteen are divisions of parameters. Thus, as far as the actual
meditation is concerned, there are only two: the non-abiding application (mi gnas
pa’i sbyor ba) and the application of non-application (mi sbyor ba’i sbyor ba). In this
respect, “non-abiding” meditation is meditation in which fixation (zhen spyod)
towards objects has ceased. 8 In the present context, since the actual aspect of
impermanence is the object, non-abiding application means not maintaining any
mental fixation, because of understanding that even the knowledge of impermanence
is just a conventional or relative realization, while from the ultimate perspective
there is no true reality even to impermanence.

Understanding impermanence to be empty in this way, even the meditating mind is

found to be emptiness beyond any extreme. There is no observation of someone
practising something as a form of yoga. Even the term “meditation” is therefore a
conceptual projection; in reality, there is not so much as an atom’s worth of
meditation to be done. This understanding is referred to as “the application of non-
application” because it is the understanding that there is no meditation to be applied
either objectively or subjectively. This is the meditation that puts a stop to fixation
towards the subjective. 9

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These two applications are also referred to as the cessation of alternative abiding and
yoga—yoga being synonymous with application. We can also explain these using
alternative Dharma terminology: these two are precisely what is meant by “without
object or act of meditation.” Non-abiding application refers to the absence of any
object of meditation, and application of non-application refers to the fact that there is
no act of meditation.

Moreover, the non-conceptualization that is explained as the meaning of the Mother

Prajñāpāramitā is precisely this—not to entertain notions based on attachment to the
reality of either the objective or subjective. Alternatively, one might say that “non-
abiding” means that since there is no reality to objects, the mind does not cling to
anything; whereas “application of non-application” means that this non-clinging to
anything is the supreme of yogas. This touches upon the same crucial point as the
so-called meditation of non-meditation. It is just as the Ornament of Mahāyāna Sūtras
says:

Meditation in which there is no view

Of meditation is held to be supreme.10

Therefore, since this is the ultimate practice, which is to meditate on the meaning of
the Mother Prajñāpāramitā, we must strive sincerely to eliminate all misconceptions
of this crucial point. Otherwise, to treat this as merely ancillary, because it is based
on relatively few words in the text itself, and instead to drone on expertly about all
kinds of meaningless points would only serve to sever one’s connection with the
Dharma of profound meaning.

Therefore, the many scriptural traditions and meditation manuals of the thousands of
learned and accomplished masters of India and Tibet all come together in this single
point of non-attachment, just as a single bridge might span a hundred streams. When
you understand this, you will see that there is no need for passionate, heated debates
which spring from mistaking a simple difference in terminology for actual
contradiction. Indeed, I believe that contentment born of confident trust and faith in
all traditions is a sign of having studied the Prajñāpāramitā.

This does not mean that you should remain as you are out of a nihilistic view,
thinking that there is nothing to meditate on because all phenomena are emptiness.
The point is to understand that on the ultimate level all phenomena—illustrated by
objects and subjects—are, by their very nature, free from conceptual elaboration,
unborn and beyond the conceptual mind, and therefore not to get caught up in
grasping attachment to anything. At the same time, on the illusory relative level, you
must practise with the three principles: beginning with the generation of bodhicitta,
practising the main part without conceptual reference, and dedicating [merit] at the
end. If you practise in this way, meditating (in the manner of non-meditation) on all
aspects—from the impermanence of the conditioned through to the aspect of

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enlightenment itself—and develop this in your mind, that is the supreme method of
meditating on emptiness according to the Prajñāpāramitā. As it is said:

A craftsman skilled in carpentry creates forms

Of men and women, who perform all actions.
Likewise, a bodhisattva skilled in wisdom activity
Performs all actions with non-conceptual wisdom. 11

This is similar to the explanation in the context of base-knowledge where it is said

that all phenomena are indicated through the seven aspects of perceptual experience
and meditated upon by means of fourfold non-presumption (rlom med bzhi).

Meditating in this way brings about all the various realizations of the three vehicles
in the short term. Ultimately, they are all purified within the single expanse of non-
attachment that is emptiness beyond conceptual elaboration. The intelligent should
know that it is precisely this inseparable unity of appearance and emptiness, or
skilful means and wisdom, in which the two accumulations are brought together,
that is the unsurpassable, excellent path that delights the victorious ones.

In this context, there are several aspects, such as the strengths and fearlessnesses and
so on, which are aspects of the wisdom of a buddha and are not meditated upon
directly at the moment. Nevertheless, they are meditated upon by cultivating the
intention and aspiration to generate them in the mind in future. It is also said that
once attaining the bhūmis, even though these are not actually present, some
semblance of them is generated in one’s continuum.

2. Stabilizing Realization: Progressive Meditation

Thus, one brings together all aspects of threefold knowledge in 173 aspects and
meditates on each according to the indivisible unity of the two truths through the
complete application of all aspects. Then, one stabilizes the realizations that arose in
the mind at the time of the application of all aspects. This is done by meditating on
them in sequence with increasing rapidity and linking successive meditations, and
by meditating on them so that so that every [aspect] is complete within each one.

Let us illustrate this through the meditation on the aspect of the truth of suffering in
connection with the first knowledge. First one focuses on each aspect, such as
impermanence, suffering, etc., then one develops a stable confidence in how on the
relative level everything conditioned lacks permanence. Additionally, one
understands these as emptiness on the ultimate level, so that there is no presumption
or attachment. Meditating on the progressive arising of the inseparable unity of these
two within the mindstream is meditation on the application of all aspects. Any
aspects that arise in the mind in this way are refined again and again by bringing
them to mind in the proper sequence—such as impermanence, suffering, emptiness
and selflessness—in one moment of the completion of an act after the next.

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Moreover, the other three aspects are included within the single aspect of
impermanence, because it is explained that “suffering comes about due to
impermanence” and since conditioned phenomena are like flowing chains of events,
they are also empty and selfless. Thus, one considers how all aspects incorporate the
rest and thereby develops familiarity.

Now, you might wonder how this meditation on the various aspects such as
impermanence constitutes the progressive application, since the text explains this
application in thirteen points such as recollecting the Buddha. These thirteen are
indeed elements of the gradual meditation, but they are not the main practice. In this
respect, the Three Jewels are the support, because taking refuge is the foundation of
all paths. The recollection of the deities provides a witness for the cultivation of the
path. The following seven constitute the mode of meditation, since for each aspect
one meditates on how the six-times-six pāramitās are complete and how this is
embraced by emptiness. Recollecting giving and discipline and adopting them both
brings about all the favourable conditions for practising the path, a physical support
in the higher realms and an abundance of resources. They are thus useful for
continuing the training in future lives as well.

The actual meditation is therefore identified in the context of the intermediate

realizations:

Defining characteristics, their application,

Their culmination and their sequence.12

If we understand the word “their” here to refer to the aspects of the threefold
knowledge, then it follows that the aspects of the threefold knowledge are the objects
of the gradual meditation. Whereas if we understand the same word to refer each
time to what precedes it, then the gradual must refer to the gradual sequence of the
culmination of the application of all aspects. In any case, it is certain that the object
of the gradual meditation is none other than the object of meditation at the time of
the application of all aspects.

Given that the object of the gradual meditation is none other than the object of
meditation in the application of all aspects, you might wonder why these are
presented as two distinct realizations. This is on account of their difference in terms
of emphasis and so on. The application of all aspects is primarily a meditation on
how all phenomena, as illustrated by the aspects of the threefold knowledge, are
emptiness beyond elaboration. By contrast, the progressive [application] is primarily
a training to develop strength in the samādhi of all aspects, motivated by great
compassion. Moreover, the application of all aspects emphasizes the meditative
equipoise while the progressive [application] emphasizes the post-meditation.

We speak of meditation and post-meditation in relation to these two applications,

but this is not like what we experience in our current state of mind, when meditative

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equipoise means a time of even composure in samādhi and post-meditation means
the phase of ordinary activity that takes place after rising from that state. Here,
meditative equipoise refers to the state in which noble beings who have attained the
bhūmis rest with non-conceptual wisdom in even composure in the sphere beyond
characteristics. And post-meditation refers to what follows, when they exercise the
strength of their samādhi meditation on all aspects.

At the moment, as beginners, when we practise meditating on the [application] of all

aspects, we bring impermanence and the rest to mind and meditate once we have
established their emptiness. Then for the progressive [application], without parting
from this emptiness, we bring each aspect to mind in sequence and refine it. So, to us
it appears as if there is only a difference in terms of meditation, according to whether
each aspect is meditated on in turn or many are brought together, or in terms of the
emphasis on emptiness or the aspects. It does not seem as if there is a difference in
terms of meditation and post-meditation. However, for those who have reached the
bhūmis, there is no need during the meditation on all aspects to establish the
emptiness of each aspect one by one and then meditate on how they are beyond
arising. All dualistic perception of subject and object has been purified within the
expanse of non-conceptual wisdom, like salt dissolving into water. Moreover, the
ultimate, which is beyond the conceptual elaborations of the ordinary mind, has been
made evident. This is the meditative equipoise. For noble beings, the situation is just
as in the Ghanavyūha Sūtra when the teachers of Sudhana show the liberating power
of their own samādhi. In this way, great waves of bodhisattva activity, including
generosity, are accomplished through the power of samādhi alone. Therefore, post-
meditation refers to the actualization of the samādhi that includes all aspects through
the gradual meditation.

Although the meditative equipoise of the noble ones does not involve meditation on
different aspects since all conceptual elaboration is utterly pacified, this does not
mean that it is completely devoid of any aspect. For example, in the context of the
culmination of the path of seeing, it is said:

That in which generosity and so on

Are each included one within another,
Brought together in a moment’s acceptance
Is the path of seeing here. 13

Thus, the path of seeing in this context is explained as having the nature of the six-
times-six (i.e., thirty-six) pāramitās. Similarly, all aspects of the three knowledges are
complete within the meditative composure in which conceptual elaboration has been
pacified within non-conceptual wisdom. Therefore, this is also what is meant by the
term “awakening completely to all aspects.” 14

On the seven impure bhūmis, all the ocean-like activity of the bodhisattvas during

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post-meditation is accomplished based on the samādhi of all aspects. Still, they are
not able to train with this [activity] being of a single taste within the absolute space
beyond characteristics. On the seventh [bhūmi] the samādhi without characteristics
is present, but it involves effort, so the [application of] all aspects and the gradual
meditation are distinct. From the eighth bhūmi onwards, through the samādhi of
emptiness endowed with the supreme of all aspects, all the boundless, inconceivable
qualities of a tathāgata are progressively attained within undefiled absolute space.
This being so, the welfare of self and others is brought about spontaneously through
the effortless path without characteristics. This is the stage of training in the
application of the equality of existence and quiescence. It thus marks the beginning
of the unity of both the [application of] all aspects and the progressive meditation.
On the unimpeded path at the end of the continuum, there is the final supreme
quality of the purification of defilements within absolute space. The sixteen
conflicting views based on holding the two truths to be distinct are abandoned
without trace, and the meditation and post-meditation of the application of all
aspects and the progressive cultivation become indivisible. Wisdom and samādhi are
evenly balanced. This is the manifestation of instantaneous wisdom.

Moreover, in many sūtras such as the Fortunate Aeon and King of Samādhi, numerous
gateways to bodhisattva activity are listed, such as the samādhi of extending equality
and so on, but they are all included within this progressive samādhi.

As regards the necessity for meditating on these two, without the meditation on all
aspects, in which one meditates on the emptiness of all phenomena, one could not
abandon the two obscurations together with the habitual tendencies and attain
awakening with its realization of the equality of all phenomena. Whereas without the
progressive cultivation in which one gains mastery over all knowable phenomena
during the post-meditation, one could not attain omniscience itself, in which making
evident just a single undefiling quality causes all such qualities to manifest. This is
equivalent to what is said in the Sublime Continuum:

The purification of the adventitious afflictions,

Is said to be, in short, the result
Of non-conceptual wisdom.
The definitive attainment of the dharmakāya
That is endowed with the supreme of all aspects,
Is shown to be the result of wisdom
Of the ensuing attainment [i.e. post-meditation].15

To put it very simply, these two [applications] constitute the ultimate practice of the
Mahāyāna and are causes for attaining the ultimate two kāyas of a buddha. They
therefore incorporate a plethora of qualities, such as emptiness and compassion,
wisdom and skilful means, the paths and bhūmis, the paths of seeing and cultivation,
wisdom and samādhi, abandonment and realization, the nature and multiplicity of

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things, the dharmakāya and rūpakāya, and so on. According to some they are of a
single essential nature; while others say they are similar, or differ in extent, or are
related as cause and effect. This is all a matter for further investigation.

On the [paths of] accumulation and joining, one’s mind is still caught up in clinging
to reality and one is not yet freed from karma and the afflictions, so it is necessary to
meditate primarily on emptiness and [the application of] all aspects. Then, having
reached the bhūmis, one primarily works to secure others’ welfare and thus mainly
practises the progressive meditation that is the cause of the wisdom of omniscience.
This is why it is said that having reached the culmination one practises the
progressive meditation, and also why it is said, “Their culmination and their
sequence...”16 That is how this point should be explained.

Some people say that teachings that reveal profound emptiness, which is sky-like,
free from complexity and beyond the ordinary mind, are for supreme individuals,
such as the noble ones; whereas sūtras of the final turning and their commentaries,
which are concerned with conduct, are for beginners. Such claims do not correspond
to the tradition of the victorious buddhas and their bodhisattva heirs. What, for
instance, would be the point of explaining the taste of treacle to someone who
already has a mouth full of treacle? Or of arranging an elaborate feast for a newborn
baby? Likewise, why explain the profound truth to noble beings who have already
realized that truth for themselves? Anyone who has not realized the intrinsic nature
of reality on the path of seeing and not become accustomed to the samādhis of the
path of cultivation, let alone the vast activities of the bodhisattvas who have reached
inconceivable liberation, will not yet be able to train in the genuine six pāramitās. As
it is said:

When factors incompatible with generosity have declined,

And one possesses wisdom that is non-conceptual,
All that one wishes for can be fully brought about—
These are the three aspects of bringing beings to maturity.17

The point can thus be understood through examining such statements on the
definitions of the six pāramitās.

Then again, there are some who say that once one has realized emptiness, there is no
need to train in vast activity. This kind of talk is really a deceitful lie, because it is
only through realizing emptiness that one can train in such activity. How could
anyone who has not yet realized emptiness ever perform such feats? Can an infant
still in its cradle dance before a crowd of spectators?

What then, you might wonder, is the point of engaging in this activity after having
realized emptiness? Aren’t practices such as generosity undertaken purely for the
sake of realizing emptiness? Such thinking demonstrates a failure to grasp even the
most basic principles of the Mahāyāna path; it is to mistake inferior paths for the
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greater vehicle. The expression of veneration states: “Who through path-knowledge
helps the altruistic to benefit the world…” As this shows, the ultimate concern of the
bodhisattvas is others’ welfare. Thus, to fulfil completely the aspirations of all infinite
beings through vast activity such as generosity is the main practice of the Mahāyāna
path. Without directly realizing emptiness, one will not understand the equality of
self and other, and therefore one’s activity will not be completely pure. That is why
direct realization of emptiness is a preliminary to the vast waves of bodhisattva
activity. Yet how could it be the ultimate pursuit of the Mahāyāna path? The
Ornament of Sūtras says:

Having fully realized the nature of reality,

They then train in higher discipline,
Higher concentration and higher wisdom.18

In the context of the divisions of the bodhisattvas, too, it is said that those on the
seven impure bhūmis dwell in activity.

Still, some might think that activity is necessary in order to refine the mindstream
but is not the ultimate goal of the Mahāyāna path. They might point to the sūtras in
which the Buddha says that until the eighth bhūmi, buddhas do not make a prophecy
because one is still dwelling in activity. Then, once one attains the eighth bhūmi, all
activity is entirely transcended, so the prophecy is issued. The meaning here is as
explained above. Until the seventh bhūmi, there is not an effortless path beyond
characteristics, and non-conceptuality is not brought together in inseparable unity
with activity for others’ welfare. There is therefore still some slight clinging to the
reality of the activity, so one is said to dwell in activity. After attaining the eighth
bhūmi, effortlessness beyond characteristics is made manifest. Therefore, since one is
free from even the slightest fixation upon activity, it becomes spontaneously
accomplished, and one is said to be beyond activity. Still, it is said that at this stage
there is a risk of entering the non-conceptual, absolute space of quiescence, which
would be a nihilistic form of nirvāṇa. The buddhas therefore exhort bodhisattvas
repeatedly, encouraging them to work for others’ benefit. If activity were not the
ultimate point of the path, what would be the point of such exhortation?

Then again, you might claim that if practices such as generosity are not undertaken
for the sake of realizing wisdom, this contradicts the following statement from the
Bodhicaryāvatāra:

All these branches of the Dharma

The Sage taught for the sake of wisdom. 19

However, wisdom (prajñā) here means the non-dual primordial wisdom (jñāna; ye
shes) of the buddhas, as in the statement by Ācārya Dignāga:

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 The transcendent perfection of wisdom
Is non-dual primordial wisdom, which is the tathāgata. 20

When it comes to identifying the essence of this wisdom, the text’s wisdom chapter
says:

When the notions of real and unreal

Are absent from before the mind,
Then, there is no other possibility
But to rest in total peace, beyond concepts.21

Thus, the text identifies wisdom as the absolute space beyond conceptual
elaboration. It then goes on to refute the objection that consequently the form body
(rūpakāya) would not arise for others’ benefit:

As the wishing jewel and tree of miracles

Fulfil all hopes and wishes,
Likewise, through their prayers for those to be trained,
Victorious buddhas appear within the world.22

You might accept this, but still insist that the most important element of the
Mahāyāna path is the wisdom that realizes selflessness, that the Mahāyāna path
pursues the state of enlightenment in which the two obscurations have been
relinquished, and that this must be made evident through profound wisdom. In
response, we may ask why you still persist in this mistaken view and continue to
cling stubbornly to inferior paths as the Mahāyāna. That which is pursued through
the Mahāyāna path is not buddhahood in which the two obscurations have been
relinquished. As the expression of veneration says, “With whom the Sages are
endowed, so that through omniscience they teach in varied ways….” In this context,
the individuals are the buddhas, the method is omniscience, and the result is turning
the Wheel of Dharma. If the ultimate pursuit is enlightenment why mention a further
result?

Therefore, on both a temporary and ultimate level, the most important pursuit of the
Mahāyāna path is others’ welfare. As for the real means of accomplishing this, at the
path stage it is bodhisattva activity such as generosity, and at the fruition stage it is
the enlightened activity of buddhahood itself. In both cases, the most important
preliminary or cause for bringing this about is wisdom—which is why wisdom is
described as supreme and primary.

The Verse Summary says:

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 That which comes before generosity is wisdom,
Which similarly precedes discipline, patience,
Diligence and meditation.
It preserves virtuous dharmas, ensuring they do not go to waste.23

And:

How could a multitude of blind folk, who lack a guide

And who do not know the way, ever find the city?
Likewise, without wisdom, the five pāramitās are blind
And, without their guide, will not reach awakening.24

This says that wisdom must take the lead, like a guide for the blind. Having first
developed realization of the non-conceptual wisdom of emptiness in the mindstream,
one strives to benefit others for countless aeons through vast bodhisattva activity,
including generosity and the rest. Thus, one realizes the authentic limit through
perfecting, maturing and purifying—this is the unerring configuration of the path.

In explanations of the sequence of the six pāramitās, it is said that not being unduly
concerned with possessions is a form of discipline, and observing discipline is itself a
form of patience. Thus, each is said to be the cause of what follows and the result of
what precedes it. It is also said:

Generosity, therefore, yields a wealth of possessions,

Discipline leads to higher realms, meditation overcomes afflictions;
Whereas wisdom removes all emotional and cognitive obscurations,
It is thus supreme, and its cause is studying this.25

Such statements, which involve qualitative distinctions, are made in reference to the
generosity and so on of ordinary beings. This explanation also applies to the earlier
quotations from Bodhicaryāvatāra.

For this reason, when one trains in generosity and the other pāramitās on the paths
of accumulation and joining in order to refine one’s mindstream and gather the
accumulations, this is merely a cause for the profound view to arise in one’s mind; it
is not a practice of vast bodhisattva activity, and these are not even the authentic six
pāramitās, because not even one of the four characteristics is present:

They are not done with a presence of non-conceptual wisdom.

Incompatible factors have not diminished.
They do not fulfil completely the hopes and wishes of beings.
They do not establish beings in any of the three levels of enlightenment
according to their particular karma.

Moreover, since neither the four qualities have been accomplished nor the seven

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types of attachment 26 overcome, they lack the criteria of transcendent perfections
(pāramitā). Meditation on repulsiveness by śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, for
example, does not qualify as the pāramitā of meditative concentration according to
the Mahāyāna.

Learned individuals will understand these points through an analogy. When a skilled
doctor uses the precious substance mercury to heal beings’ sickness, he begins by
purifying the mercury, cleansing and washing it, then heating it up. Once it has been
detoxified, it can be combined with different medicines and used to heal a variety of
diseases. As in this example, bodhisattvas generate precious bodhicitta in their minds
—the sole cause for eliminating all the ills of existence and quiescence. As long as
they are still ordinary beings, they have the poison of self-centred desire, and must
therefore grow accustomed to the profound [view of] emptiness. When the nature of
reality is made evident on the path of seeing, they understand the equality of
phenomena, and are purified, thereby shedding all the stains of self-centred desire.
Then, by applying the non-conceptualization of the three spheres to all the vast
activities of the bodhisattvas, with the marvellous diligence that comes from
disregarding selfish concern, they heal all the diseases that come from beings’
emotional and cognitive obscurations.

Furthermore, the passage in the Sūtra Requested by the King of Dhāraṇīs 27 that
employs the example of cleaning a jewel also demonstrates the very same sequence
of the path. The first two parts are easy to understand, but later references to the
discourse of the irreversible wheel are explained in the commentary on the
Compendium of Sūtras (Sūtrasamuccaya) and elsewhere as the path that unites great
compassion and the wisdom of emptiness. ‘Complete purity of the three spheres’
refers to bodhisattva activity, such as generosity, which is practised without any
concept of the three spheres. Supreme and noble Nāgārjuna cites this passage in his
Compendium of Sūtras to establish that ultimately there is only a single vehicle. The
text explains that one begins by developing disenchantment with saṃsāra by
reflecting on impermanence, suffering and so forth, then engages in the profound
and vast elements of the Mahāyāna. This proves that the paths of śrāvakas and
pratyekabuddhas are mere stepping stones on the way to the Mahāyāna. The noble
bodhisattva Asaṅga cites the same passage in his commentary on the Sublime
Continuum and says that it explains how bodhisattvas gradually refine their
characters. He thus establishes the element of the tathāgatas, saying that what is to
be refined is the pure element that is the buddha-nature.

These two explanations are essentially similar. Both pioneering masters assert the
same sequential path: the first stage of which involves refining the mind by
[reflecting on] impermanence, suffering, etc.; the second stage making evident the
nature of reality that is the profound view, through the teaching of the three
gateways to liberation; and the third stage training in the vast activity of the
bodhisattvas, through the teaching of the irreversible wheel and the teaching of the

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complete purity of the three spheres. Someone who knows how to reconcile the
flawless writings of these two supreme ornaments of this world and how to bring
them together in practice may rightly be called learned. To focus instead on debating
out of the kind of attachment and aversion that spring from clinging to a position
might precipitate the grave karma of abandoning the Dharma but it will never result
in liberating the mind through study.

In short, the main objective of the Mahāyāna path is the activity of a buddha, which
establishes all sentient beings throughout the universe in the unsurpassable state of
perfect buddhahood. This is why the bodhisattvas’ sources of virtue are inexhaustible
and infinite. As The Aspiration to Good Actions says:

Sentient beings are as limitless

As the boundless expanse of space;
So shall my prayers of aspiration for them
Be as limitless as their karma and afflictions!

Were it not so, and the Mahāyāna had as its temporary objective merely the
realization of emptiness and as its long-term objective the attainment of
buddhahood, wherein the mind is freed from the bonds of the two obscurations,
bodhisattvas’ sources of virtue would be exhausted with this attainment and would
therefore be finite. This would resemble the attainment of nirvāṇa without
remainder by means of lesser paths.

Such explanations as these are superfluous because they establish only what has
been proven already by great saints of the past. Still, there are some like me, of
inferior intellect, who first arouse bodhicitta through seeing the qualities of the
buddhas and who aspire to buddhahood when seeing the qualitative distinctions of
the vehicles. In short, they might presume that attitudes which are no more than
plain compassion qualify as bodhicitta of the great vehicle. They might believe that
on the path there is absolutely no need to train in generosity and the other pāramitās
after realizing emptiness. They might misunderstand the statement that the path of
meditation consists of cultivating familiarity with what is seen on the path of seeing.
As a result, they might think that enlightenment can be gained through nothing more
than becoming increasingly familiar with non-conceptual wisdom after attainment of
the path of seeing. They might not know that it is the bodhisattvas’ bodhicitta and
conduct that distinguish the Mahāyāna from the Lesser Vehicle; and think it is the
view of emptiness alone that makes the difference. They might assume that
something belongs to the Mahāyāna if it includes seemingly profound language
about the view and meditation, without any mention of altruistic intention or
application. They might consider the two flawless traditions—of the Profound View
and Vast Conduct—to be as incompatible as fire and water. Or they might cling one-
sidedly to the Buddha’s teachings of either the middle or the final turning and believe
that either alone would suffice. I freely admit that in the hope of benefitting anyone

150
who holds such partial views I have emphasised and reiterated this point, even at the
risk of repeating myself.

Moreover, I also wish to address fortunate individuals of future generations who

might feel a desire to train unerringly in the path laid out in Mahāyāna texts. Even
while at the stage of ordinary beings, such individuals should rely upon the
introductory mind-training techniques presented in such texts as the
Bodhicaryāvatāra and the graded path (lam rim) teachings. Through these, they
should rectify their characters, transforming them from inflexible and rigid to supple
like leather and straight and true as an arrow. Then, relying on texts such as the
glorious protector Ārya Nāgārjuna’s Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way, they
should eliminate any conceptual projections that involve clinging to extremes with
regard to the profound view. They should eradicate even the slightest concepts in
which there is fixation upon reality and come to a definitive understanding of the
view beyond conceptual constructs. Not content with this alone, they should look
into the profound teachings of the final turning and the flawless scriptural tradition
of the buddha’s regent and his followers, so that their minds turn towards the
unsurpassable conduct of Samantabhadra. They should not rush themselves with talk
of ‘just a single lifetime,’ as if drying wet hide by putting it straight in the fire.
Instead, they should refer to the unimaginably vast, ocean-like activity of the
bodhisattvas. Their deeds, which are based on the gateway to inconceivable
liberation, measured according to the extent of space and of sentient beings, are as
limitless as the universe. As it is said:

Let my bodhisattva acts be beyond measure!

Let my enlightened qualities be measureless too!
Keeping to this immeasurable activity,
May I accomplish all the miraculous powers of enlightenment!28

In this way, they might develop an interest in, and aspiration towards, this flawless
tradition of the victorious ones and their heirs, in which the framework is provided
by this great highway of the mother of the buddhas, profound and vast. How
wonderful that would be!

The path of the great vehicle is profound and vast.

The key is to blend profound and vast without conflict,
Whoever realizes this approach to the profound and vast
Will be cared for by this Mother of the victorious ones.

The result of practising by means of this special contemplation and application will
be the dharmakāya together with its enlightened activity. This can be understood
from the text itself.

Generally, whatever the heirs of the victorious ones aim for through their initial
motivation that is the ultimate fruition. Therefore, the main objective of the

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bodhisattva path is great everlasting, all-pervasive and spontaneously accomplished
activity for the benefit of beings until saṃsāra is empty. The support for this is the
dharmakāya, and this dharmakāya has aspects of abandonment and realization. Of
these, the main ruling condition for enlightened activity for beings’ benefit is the
realization of the wisdom dharmakāya. As stated in the presentation of the main
body of the text:

Dharmakāya, together with enlightened activity…

And the summary of the clear realizations says:

The result—the dharmakāya and enlightened activity…

The manifestation of omniscient wisdom is of course a sign of having abandoned the

two obscurations together with habitual tendencies. Still, some assert that even in the
lesser approach, a śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha becomes an arhat without remainder
by abandonment, so that there is no longer any foundation for the two obscurations.
If so, it is impossible to distinguish between the results of the greater and lesser
vehicles in relation to abandonment, and they can only be distinguished based on
realization of the dharmakāya and enlightened activity. On account of this, and
because the initial motivation is unerringly pointed out by the generation of
bodhicitta, it was said above that the objective of the Mahāyāna path is not
buddhahood in which the two obscurations are abandoned. Nevertheless, this does
not contradict the fact that this is what is to be accomplished in others' minds as the
ultimate objective or result. Although buddhahood and omniscience are occasionally
described in separate terms, they are ultimately inseparable.

When the eight clear realizations are presented as ground, path and fruition, there
are two explanations, according to whether or not one refers to a cause, as in the
summary of the clear realizations, which says:

The object, the threefold cause.

In reality however, these are just the same. As the ground, the threefold knowledge is
definitively understood through study and reflection; then one practices the path by
meditating on the four applications; and as the fruition, one actualizes the
dharmakāya.

There is also the explanation in terms of contemplation and application, as I have

provided here. Here, each can be said to have its own aspects of ground, path and
fruition.

First, before one can train in altruistic activity through the knowledge of all paths, in
order to make evident the fruition of omniscience, one has to realize how all the
phenomena of the bases—the aggregates, elements and sensory sources—are devoid

152
of the thirty-two types of conceptual projection.

Second, one meditates on emptiness by means of the application of all aspects,

having understood how all the phenomena within threefold knowledge, i.e., the
basis, consist of the three types of non-arising. On that basis, as the path that
develops in one’s being, one stabilizes through the progressive application all the
wisdom of realization. Through this, one attains the temporary fruition of the
culminating and instantaneous [applications], and manifests the ultimate fruition,
which is the dharmakāya together with enlightened activity. Then, until saṃsāra is
emptied, there is enlightened action for others’ benefit—vast, uninterrupted,
effortless and spontaneously accomplished.

I have written this by relying upon the learned masters,

Who have flawlessly upheld the views of the noble one,
The peerless commentator on the precise intention of
The Mother of the buddhas, which is so difficult to fathom.

There is a little here which is not set out in other commentaries,

But was taught only indirectly in the excellent explanations
Of many learned scholars; and I have also taken care
To ensure that it accords with Maitreya’s other treatises.

The profound Mahāyāna Dharma is a powerful thing,

And it is taught in the sūtras that there are many faults
For one who creates Dharma or introduces innovations.
If this is such a work, I sincerely confess and apologise.

Still, on account of my heartfelt devotion to this excellent path

Of the profound supreme vehicle and because of my acquaintance
With its many works, both the sūtras and the commentaries,
I feel confident there is no contradiction in the ultimate message.

Through the boundless merit of this composition,

May hell beings, pretas, animals and asuras
Be forever freed from their negative ways,
And take birth in the victorious Maitreya's presence!

Knowing that if I were to write a brief overview according to the explanations of the
great Jetsün Tsongkhapa on the view of Ārya Vimuktasena, who was as famous
throughout Jambudvīpa as the sun and moon on account of his peerless commentaries
on the intention of the Ornament to the Prajñāpāramitā, it would be of immediate
benefit to some of my closest Dharma friends, and that it might be suitable too for the
supreme lord of refuge, I, the old dog Abu, wrote this during some breaks between
sessions in the hermitage of Nakchung ('Little Forest'). May it be virtuous and
auspicious! Virtue!

153
| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2004. Revised and updated with the generous support of the Khyentse
Foundation, 2018. First published on Lotsawa House, 2019.

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Tibetan Editions

SGa – dPal sprul 'Jigs med chos kyi dbang po. "Sher phyin rgyan gyi spyi
don bsgom rim nyung ngu gzhung lugs legs bshad" in dPal sprul o rgyan
'jigs med chos kyi dbang po'i gsung 'bum, Gangtok: Sonam Topgay Kazi,
1970-1971. Vol. 3: 695–734 (W21857)
SGb – dPal sprul 'Jigs med chos kyi dbang po. "Sher phyin rgyan gyi spyi
don bsgom rim nyung ngu gzhung lugs legs bshad" in dPal sprul o rgyan
'jigs med chos kyi dbang po'i gsung 'bum, Chengdu: Si khron mi rigs dpe
skrun khang. 2009. Vol. 5: 184–226.

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dPal sprul 'Jigs med chos kyi dbang po. dPal sprul o rgyan 'jigs med chos
kyi dbang po'i gsung 'bum. 8 vols. Chengdu: Si khron mi rigs dpe skrun
khang. 2009.
———. Shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa'i man ngag gi bstan bcos mngon par
rtogs pa'i rgyan gyi spyi don. In dPal sprul o rgyan 'jigs med chos kyi dbang
po'i gsung 'bum, Chengdu: Si khron mi rigs dpe skrun khang. 2009. Vol. 4:
1–533.
Padma badzra, "Sher phyin mngon rtogs rgyan gyi spyi don byams mgon
dgongs pa'i gsal byed bla ma brgyud pa'i zhal lung" in rDzogs chen mkhan
po padma badzra'i gsung thor bu. Chengdu: Si khron mi rigs dpe skrun
khang, 2001, pp. 36–74 (Translated here).
Thub bstan brtson 'grus phun tshogs. mKhan chen Thub bstan brtson 'grus
kyi gsung 'bum. 2 vols. Lhasa: Bod ljongs bod yig dpe rnying dpe skrun
khang. 2011.
———. Shing rta'i srol 'byed bshad mdo 'grel thsul sogs sher phyin 'chad pa'i
sngon 'gro. In Thub bstan brtson 'grus phun tshogs kyi gsung 'bum, vol. 1:
239–66. Mysoorie, India: Nyingma Monastery, Mkhan-po Padma-śes-rab.
1985? (Translated here)
———. Bstan bcos chen po mngon rtogs rgyan gyi lus rnam bzhag gi 'grel pa
'jigs med chos kyi dbang po'i zhal lung. In mKhan chen Thub bstan brtson
'grus kyi gsung 'bum, vol. 2: 103–122 (Translated here)
———. Bstan bcos chen po mngon rtogs rgyan gyi lus rnam bzhag gi 'grel pa
'jigs med chos kyi dbang po'i zhal lung. In Acharya Pema Tenzin (ed.),
Abhisamayālaṅkāramahāśāstrakāya-vyavasthātikā abhaya dharmendra-

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 mukhāgama-nāma by Ven. Khenpo Tsondu. Sarnath, Varanasi: Central
Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, 1988.

Secondary Sources

Brunnhölzl, Karl. Gone Beyond: The Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras, The Ornament

of Clear Realization, and Its Commentaries in the Tibetan Kagyü Tradition.
Ithaca: Snow Lion, 2010–11.
———. Groundless Paths: The Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras, The Ornament of Clear
Realization, and Its Commentaries in the Tibetan Nyingma Tradition. Ithaca:
Snow Lion, 2012.
Conze, Edward, trans. Abhisamayālaṃkāra. Serie Orientale Roma 6. Rome:
Istituto Italiano per il Medi ed Estreme Oriente. 1954.
———. The Prajñāpāramitā Literature. Gravenhage: Mouton & Co. 1960.
Obermiller, Eugene. Prajñāpāramitā in Tibetan Buddhism. Delhi: Motilal
Banarsidass, 1991.
Ricard, Matthieu. Enlightened Vagabond: The Life and Teachings of Patrul
Rinpoche. Boulder: Shambhala, 2017.

1. I, 41 ↩

2. Abhisamayālaṃkāra III, 16. ↩

3. See the concluding two verses of Abhisamayālaṃkāra. ↩

4. III, 3. In his commentary, Asaṅga explains that there are four aspects to the
term ‘universal’ here. ‘Universality of beings’ refers to the fact that one enters
this vehicle with the intention of benefitting all beings; ‘universality of
vehicles’ indicates that one must learn all three vehicles; ‘universality of
wisdom’ indicates that one must master the two kinds of selflessness; and
‘universality of nirvāṇa’ means that since saṃsāra and the peace of nirvāṇa are
indivisible, there should be no viewing them in terms of their respective faults
or qualities. ↩

5. This is from Asaṅga’s commentary. The relevant section is as follows: “The

transcendent conqueror is fully enlightened with regard to the equality of all
phenomena, perfectly turns the wheel of Dharma and has an infinite gathering
of extremely disciplined disciples.” According to Asaṅga, the three lines show
the sequence in which the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha arise.
↩

6. From Abhisamayālaṃkāra I, 2. ↩

7. Here I am following the blockprint edition (SGa), which reads: de yang rnam
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 rdzogs sbyor ba goms pa rab tu gyur pa’i gnas skabs bzhi ste/ There is a
typographical error in SGb, which reads: de yang rnam rdzogs sbyor ba goms
par bcu gyur pa’i gnas skabs bzhi ste/ However, Brunnhölzl (2012: 592) appears
to accept the latter reading. ↩

8. Elsewhere in his writings, in his Brief Introduction to the Bardos, Patrul

Rinpoche defines the non-abiding application as “eliminating clinging to good
and bad in outer objects” (phyi yul gyi bzang ngan gnyis kyi zhen pa bcad). ↩

9. In Brief Introduction to the Bardos, Patrul Rinpoche defines the application of

non-application as “non-thinking or undistracted non-meditation, which is
simply resting in the natural state” (mi bsam/ mi yeng mi sgom/ rang bab ‘dug
pa’o/). ↩

10. IX, 79ab ↩

11. Prajñāpāramitārthasaṃgraha XXVI, 8 ↩

12. Abhisamayālaṃkāra IX, 1ab. ↩

13. Abhisamayālaṃkāra V, 21. ↩

14. A note in the Tibetan (both SGa and SGb) here says that this expression is
synonymous with Dzogchen. ↩

15. II, 10–11 ↩

16. Abhisamayālaṃkāra IX 1b. ↩

17. Mahāyānasūtralaṃkāra XVI, 8. ↩

18. Sūtrālaṃkāra XX, 17. ↩

19. IX 1ab ↩

20. Prajñāpāramitārthasaṃgraha 1ab. ↩

21. Bodhicaryāvatāra IX, 34 ↩

22. IX, 35. ↩

23. Prajñāpāramitāsaṃcayagāthā IV, 5. ↩

24. Ibid. VII, 1. ↩

25. Mahāyānottaratantraśāstra-ratnagotra-vibhāga V, 6. ↩

156
26. According to Ārya Asaṅga’s commentary on the Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra,
where they are explained in connection with the pāramitā of generosity, the
seven kinds of attachment are: 1) attachment to possessions, 2) postponing the
practice, 3) being satisfied with just a little practice, 4) expectation of
something in return, 5) karmic results, 6) adverse circumstances, and 7)
distractions. ↩

27. Dhāraṇiśvararājaparipṛcchāsūtra. ↩

28. From The Aspiration to Good Actions. ↩

157
༄༅། །འོ་འལ་ལ་བ་་་ས་ི་དབང་པོར་གསོལ་བ་འབས་བགས་སོ།།

Prayer to Chökyi Wangpo, the Bodhisattva1 and Tamer of Beings

by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

འཕགས་པ་ལ་་ོབ་དཔོན་་བ་། །
pakpé yul du lobpön shyiwa lha
In the land of the Āryas, you were the master Śāntideva;

གངས་་ོད་ན་ལ་་་ས་འང་། །
gangri trö na trulku yeshé jung
In this land of snow-capped peaks, you were the nirmāṇakāya Aro Yeshe Jungne;2

ང་འར་འོ་འལ་ས་ི་དབང་པོ་ེ། །
deng dir dro dül chökyi wangpö dé
And now you are Chökyi Wangpo, the tamer of beings:

འེལ་ཚད་དོན་ན་ན་པོར་གསོལ་བ་འབས། །
drel tsé dön den chenpor solwa dep
To this great source of benefit for all with a connection, I pray!

ས་འང་ན་པོས་བ་པ་ལ་མཚན་བགས། །
ngéjung chenpö drubpé gyaltsen tsuk
With great renunciation, you planted the victory banner of accomplishment;

ང་མས་ན་པོས་འོ་ན་་ར་གགས། །
chang sem chenpö dro kün bu tar zik
With great bodhicitta, you look upon all beings as your very own children;

མེན་རབ་ན་པོས་ས་ཆར་མཐའ་ཡས་པ། །
khyenrab chenpö chö char tayépé
With great wisdom, you bring down an infinite shower of Dharma:

མ་ཐར་ན་བན་ིང་ནས་གསོལ་བ་འབས། །
namtar dren shyin nying né solwa dep
Remembering your qualities of liberation, I pray to you from the depth of my heart!

་ར་གསོལ་བ་བཏབ་པ་ིན་བས་ིས། །
dé tar solwa tabpé chinlap kyi
Through the inspiration and blessings of praying in this way,

ེ་བན་་མ་བལ་བར་ཞབས་བན་ང་། ། 158
ེ་བན་་མ་བལ་བར་ཞབས་བན་ང་། །
jetsün lama kal gyar shyap ten ching
May the life of the venerable guru remain secure for a hundred aeons,

བཤད་བ་ིན་ལས་ོགས་བར་ས་པ་དང་། །
shé drup trinlé chok chur gyépa dang
May his activity of teaching and practice spread in all directions,

རང་གཞན་དོན་གས་འབ་པ་བ་ས་ཤོག །
rang shyen dön nyi drubpé trashi shok
And may all be auspicious to accomplish the twofold benefit of self and others!

ས་པའང་གས་ཕོ་ེ་ལོ་་ོད་་བ་ས་བ་ལ་བས་ས་འར་བོར་བ་ས་ན་ན་མཚོ་ེས་ན་་
འཆང་བ་དེས་པ་འབངས་མེན་བེ་དབང་པོས་འན་པ་ེ་གག་པས་གསོལ་བ་བཏབ་པ་་་བན་་ི་
ར།། །།
On the festival to mark the Buddha’s turning of the Dharma Wheel, on the fourth day of the pūrvāṣāḍhā month of
the male iron monkey year (1860), Khyentse Wangpo, the servant who delights the Lake-born Master, made this
prayer with single-pointed intention. May it be accomplished! Siddhirastu!

| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2017.

1. ↑ Literally, 'fresh shoot of the victorious ones' (rgyal ba'i myu gu).

2. ↑ i.e., A ro ye shes 'byung gnas, who was active in the early eleventh century.

159
Aspiration to Generate Bodhicitta, Utterly Pure and
Supreme
by Patrul Rinpoche

Namo guru!

Your mind, many aeons ago, rid itself of all deceit,

Your speech, honest and true, is free of any form of artifice,
Your body's acts are disciplined and unpretentious—
Great sage, genuine and wise, to you I prostrate!

Buddha's heirs, who have seen the ultimate meaning,

Speakers of truth, whose words have prophetic power,
Those on the way to liberation through the three vehicles—
Before you all, in devotion, I bow down!

From now on, in all future rebirths, throughout my lives,

Buddhas and bodhisattvas, may I never part from you!
Buddhas and bodhisattvas, please accept me as your follower!
Buddhas and bodhisattvas, let me gain accomplishment just like you!

My body's actions—may they be disciplined and unpretentious,

My speech—may it be honest, without falsity or deception,
My mind—may it be genuine, without artifice or deceit,
And may I rely upon spiritual guides and true Dharma friends!

The first entrance to the path of liberation,

The first route of escape from saṃsāra's perils,
The first preliminary to all practices of Dharma:
Genuine renunciation—may it dawn within my mind!

With it, I have all that's needed to attain enlightenment,

And without it, there's no way to find awakening,
The indisputable seed from which buddhahood is gained,
May I generate bodhicitta, utterly pure and supreme!

Further and further, may supreme bodhicitta develop,

Throughout my lives, may bodhicitta never be forgotten,
Again and again, may I meditate on bodhicitta,
And always train in the way of the bodhisattva!

160
Whatever the enlightened actions of the great Sage,
Heroic Mañjuśrī, or Samantabhadra,
In all my lives, may my own actions be equal to theirs,
And spontaneously may I accomplish my own and others' welfare!

Excellent path, which brings about buddhahood in but a single lifetime,

With skilful methods to benefit oneself and others at one and the same time,
And the view of a single reality in which saṃsāra and nirvāṇa are inseparable—
May I embark upon this unique path of the vajra vehicle!

Hosts of vajra holders, who cultivate the approach of this path,

Taking as partners those who bring about blissful emptiness,
As a way for co-emergent wisdom to be introduced—
May this unique path be enjoyed in the realm of the ḍākinīs!

The face of my original nature, mind itself, left unaltered,

My very own essence, beyond contrivance—may I see it laid bare!
Sustaining meditation untainted by any trace of alteration,
May I gain the ultimate fruition free from any fabrication!

In the meantime, may all my wishes be fulfilled!

For as long as I live, may I have no negative intentions,
And when I die, may I not suffer a painful death,
Having died, may there be no fear of delusory appearances!

May all who see me, hear me, think of me, or come in contact with me in any way,
Develop renunciation, bodhicitta, and co-emergent wisdom,
And similarly may rigpa too, just as it is, arise within their minds,
So that, swiftly, they may arrive at perfect buddhahood!

May I behold the sun-like Buddha with his signs and marks,
May I savour the nectar of the sun-like Dharma in my heart,
And may the sun-like Sangha accompany me to liberation—
From the light of these three sun-like Supreme Ones, may I never part!

To fulfil the wishes of the practitioner Nyima, this was written by Palge, the mere
reflection of a genuine monk. May virtue abound!1

| Translated by Adam Pearcey 2010. Many thanks to Alak Zenkar Rinpoche. Revised 2012.

1. Here Patrul Rinpoche plays on the word nyima, meaning sun, which is the
name of the person who requested the prayer. ↩

161
༄༅། །ོལ་མ་ང་་བས་པ་བགས།

Brief Windhorse Practice of Tārā

by Patrul Rinpoche

བ་ད་མག་གམ་ི་དང་ེ་བན་མ། །
lumé chok sum chi dang jetsünma
Through the blessing and power of the unfailing Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha, and of
Jetsünma,

ལ་མ་འཕགས་མ་ོལ་མ་ིན་མ་ས། །
gyalyum pakma drolmé jin tu yi
Mother of the buddhas, Noble Tārā,

བདག་་་བསོད་དཔལ་འོར་ན་གས་མས། །
dak gi tsé sö paljor nyendrak nam
May our lifespan, merit, prosperity and renown

ཡར་་་དང་དར་ི་མཚོ་བན་། །
yar ngö da dang yar gyi tso shyindu
Increase like a waxing moon, like a rising summer lake.

ད་པར་ཁ་ེ་དབང་ཐང་ང་་མས། །
khyepar khajé wangtang lungta nam
Especially may our good fortune, wangtang and windhorse

ཉམས་པ་གསོ་ང་ཆད་མད་འེལ་བ་ོང་། །
nyampa so shying chetü gyelwa long
Be healed when they weaken, rejoined when interrupted, raised up when sinking down;

་ས་གས་པ་ལམ་་འོ་བ་དང༌། །
chi jé lekpé lam du drowa dang
May whatever we do turn out well,

་ང་ནད་ད་བ་དང་ན་ར་ག །
tsering nemé dé dang den gyur chik
And may long life, good health, peace and happiness be ours!

ས་པའང་ཨ་་ང་ས་སོ། །
by the one called ‘Abu’

162
༄༅། །་ཁང་ཡོངས་བོ་བགས།

Temple Dedication Prayer

by Patrul Rinpoche

་མས་ལ་བ་་འཕང་མན་ས་ནས། །
dé tü gyalwé gopang ngön jé né
Through the power of this, may we attain buddhahood,

འབད་དང་ོལ་བ་ད་པ་ིན་ལས་ིས། །
bé dang tsolwa mepé trinlé kyi
And through our enlightened activity, without effort or exertion,

ཁམས་གམ་འར་བ་་མཚོ་ོང་ར་། །
kham sum khorwé gyatso tong gyur té
Empty the ocean of saṃsāra’s three realms,

ན་ང་ོ་ེ་འན་པ་ས་ཐོབ་ཤོག །
kün kyang dorjé dzinpé sa tob shok
So that all attain the state of the omniscient Vajradhara.

གནས་བས་འང་གས་ས་མག་འ་མས། །
nekab su ang lek jé chok di tü
Also, here and now, by the power of this supreme undertaking,

ལ་ཁམས་ན་་ནད་ག་འག་ོད་ད། །
gyalkham küntu né muk truktsö mé
May all the world be free from sickness, famine, conflict and unrest,

ཆར་་ས་འབས་ལོ་ག་ག་་གས། །
charchu dü beb lo chuk taktu lek
May the rains fall on time, harvests be bountiful and resources thrive,

མན་མཐོ་ཡོན་ཏན་མག་ས་འོར་ར་ག །
ngön tö yönten chok gi jor gyur chik
And may we be rich with the supreme qualities of the higher realms!

ེན་མག་འ་དག་གང་ས་མཐོང་བ་དང་། །
ten chok didak gang gi tongwa dang
May anyone who sees these supreme representations of the enlightened ones,

ཐོས་དང་ན་དང་ག་མད་བར་ི་བིས། ། 163
ཐོས་དང་ན་དང་ག་མད་བར་ི་བིས། །
tö dang dren dang chakchö kurti gyi
Hears of them, thinks of them, prostrates before them, makes offerings to them or shows
them respect,

ཐ་ན་ང་ཙམ་ིས་ག་འོ་བ་ན། །
tana lung tsam gyi rek drowa kün
And even those who are merely touched by the same breath of wind,

གནས་བས་མཐར་ག་དོན་གས་ན་བ་ཤོག །
nekab tartuk dön nyi lhündrub shok
Spontaneously accomplish all their aims, both relative and ultimate!

འ་བངས་་ན་ས་ངག་ད་གམ་ིས། །
di shyeng tsé na lü ngak yi sum gyi
May the seed of liberation be planted within the minds

འེལ་བ་ཐོགས་པ་་ག་ད་འོ་ཡན། །
drelwa tokpé ta chuk düdro yen
Of all who were involved in the building of this temple,

ཞོར་ལ་་བ་ོག་ཆགས་་མོ་ན། །
shyorla shiwé sokchak tramo tsün
With body, speech or mind—including horses and other beasts of burden,

ན་ང་ཐར་པ་ས་བོན་བས་ར་ག །
kün kyang tarpé sabön teb gyur chik
And even the tiniest insects whose lives were taken accidentally.

གག་ལག་ཁང་་ས་བན་གས་བབ་པ། །
tsuklakhang ni chö shyin lek drubpé
May this temple provide the conditions for effortlessly mastering

བབ་པ་གནས་ན་འབད་ད་ལོབ་ེན་ང་། །
labpé né kün bemé lob kyen shying
Every branch of learning, perfectly and in accordance with the Dharma,

བབ་པ་ལས་ན་ཐོགས་པ་ད་པར་འབ། །
drubpé lé kün tokpa mepar drub
And may every project undertaken here be accomplished without hindrance,

མག་ན་དས་བ་དཔལ་ལོ་ད་ར་ག །
choktün ngödrub pal lo da gyur chik
So that all may enjoy the glory of the supreme and ordinary siddhis!

ས་དང་ཟང་ང་ལོངས་ོད་་་ང་། ། 164
ས་དང་ཟང་ང་ལོངས་ོད་་་ང་། །
chö dang zangzing longchö gyaché shying
May Dharma resources and material necessities always be plentiful,

དལ་བ་ེན་མག་གས་པར་འཚོ་ས་པ། །
dalwé ten chok lekpar tso nüpé
Enabling all who live here to maintain the supreme support of leisure,

མཐའ་གས་ངས་པ་ཟས་ས་གནས་མལ་ལ། །
ta nyi pangpé zegö né mal la
Find food, clothing and accommodation, while avoiding the two extremes, 1

བེན་ནས་ཐར་ལམ་ང་བ་བ་ར་ག །
ten né tarlam changchub drub gyur chik
And, by following the path of liberation, attain enlightenment!

འས་པ་ེ་ན་ཐོས་བསམ་བོམ་གམ་ི། །
düpé dé kün tö sam gom sum gyi
May the noble conduct of all who gather here—the practices of study, contemplation and
meditation—

མཛད་བཟང་ཡར་་་ར་ང་འལ་ནས། །
dzé zang yar ngö da tar gongpel né
Forever flourish and increase just like the waxing moon,

ལ་བ་དེས་པ་ལམ་མག་ིད་མཐར་ཡང་། །
gyalwa gyepé lam chok si tar yang
And may this supreme of paths delighting all the buddhas remain until the very end of
time,

་ཉམས་བཤད་དང་བ་པས་འན་ར་ག །
mi nyam shé dang drubpé dzin gyur chik
Without ever diminishing, maintained always through study and through practice.

བན་ལ་དགའ་བ་དཀར་ོགས་་ན་དང་། །
ten la gawé karchok lha kün dang
May all the positive forces and deities who delight in the teachings,

མ་ན་དམ་ཅན་ེགས་པ་ཚོགས་མས་ིས། །
tuchen damchen drekpé tsok nam kyi
And all the powerful and haughty spirits who are bound by sacred oath,

ག་་གལ་ད་ལ་ས་གས་བང་ང་། །
taktu yelmé meltsé lek sung shying
Guard and watch over this temple, without ever becoming inattentive,

ན་མ་ཚོགས་པ་དཔལ་ན་ད་ར་ག ། 165
ན་མ་ཚོགས་པ་དཔལ་ན་ད་ར་ག །
pünsum tsokpé pal kün dü gyur chik
And may they gather and attract all manner of glory in abundance.

བན་ལ་ང་དང་བན་འན་ལ་འ་དང་། །
ten la dang dang tendzin la khu dang
May their sharp and wrathful activity be brought to bear directly upon

ད་འན་འས་པ་ཞལ་་འ་བ་ོ། །
gendün düpé shyal du duwé go
All who are hostile to the Dharma or seek to bring ruin upon its holders,

་དང་འོག་པ་མ་ང་ལས་ཅན་ལ། །
ku dang trokpé ma rung lechen la
And who all who would steal or plunder the resources,

མན་ོད་དམོད་པ་ོ་དབལ་འབར་ར་ག །
ngönchö möpé nowal bar gyur chik
Which have been donated to the saṅgha community.

མཐར་ག་དཀར་ནག་ལས་ིས་འེལ་ཚད་ན། །
tartuk karnak lé kyi dreltsé kün
Ultimately, may anyone who makes a connection with this temple, whether by positive or
negative actions,

ཡང་དག་ཐར་པ་ལམ་ི་ོད་ར་ནས། །
yangdak tarpé lam gyi nö gyur né
Become receptive to the pure approach that leads to liberation,

ན་ང་ག་གམ་ལམ་ི་ས་འང་ལ། །
kün kyang tek sum lam gyi ngejung la
And, by following the paths of the three yānas, find true freedom,

བེན་ནས་འར་བ་་མཚོ་ོང་ར་ག །
ten né khorwé gyatso tong gyur chik
So that the vast ocean of saṃsāric existence is forever emptied!

འ་ན་བཤད་བ་ལ་བན་གནས་བན་། །
di na shedrub gyalten né shyindu
For as long as study and practice continue and the buddhist teachings remain here,

བན་ང་ཚོགས་ིས་ལ་་གལ་ར་ན། །
tensung tsok kyi meltsé yel gyur na
Should the guardians of the Dharma ever neglect their duties or relax their guard,

ལ་བ་བཀའ་དང་ོ་ེ་དམ་འགལ་བ། ། 166
ལ་བ་བཀའ་དང་ོ་ེ་དམ་འགལ་བ། །
gyalwé ka dang dorjé dam galwé
Transgressing the commands of the victorious ones and their own vajra oaths,

བཀའ་ཆད་ེགས་ེ་ིང་ལ་འབབ་པར་ས། །
kaché drek dé nying la babpar ngé
May the sternest punishment be sure to fall upon those who display such arrogance.

་ད་མ་གཟའ་ོར་སོགས་ང་མ་ཚོགས། །
dé lema za dor sok sungmé tsok
From this day on, may Ekajaṭī, Za Rāhula, Damchen Dorje Lekpa and the rest

་ེད་གག་ལག་ཁང་འར་ག་བགས་ནས། །
jinyé tsuklakhang dir tak shyuk né
Abide forever within this temple,

གས་ེལ་ས་ོབས་འགལ་ེད་ཆམས་ལ་ཕོབས། །
lek pel nyé kyob gal jé cham la pob
Increasing all that is positive, guarding against inauspiciousness, eliminating all
obstructions,

ིན་ལས་ོ་དབལ་འལ་་མན་མ་མཛོད། །
trinlé nowal tral du ngönsum dzö
And swiftly and directly bringing to bear the full force of their activity!

ས་གག་ལག་ཁང་ན་བངས་བས་ི་ཞལ་འབས་་ར་ང་ཐོ་མག་ོན་ག་ང་་འའང་ག་གམ་
ས་ས་བང་བ་དན་གནས། ི་ང་ནས་དཔལ་ལ་པས་ིས་པ་ད་ང་བ་ས་པར་ར་ག །དའོ།།
These few words of aspiration, to be recited at the end of the register detailing donations made towards the
construction of a great temple, were written by Patrul in Shri Singha, the hermitage belonging to the monastic
centre of the three yānas. May it be virtuous and auspicious!

| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2005. With many thanks to Dzogchen Rinpoche for providing the original
manuscript and encouraging the translation, and to Khenpo Dorje for his invaluable clarifications.

1. ↑ The sustenance and facilities should be neither too meagre and austere nor too plentiful and lavish.

167
༄༅། །ང་ོམ་ང་ག་དཔལ་ལ་གང་ན་ར་བད་པ་བགས་སོ། །

The Ritual for the Bodhisattva Vow, Arranged According to the Tradition of
Patrul Rinpoche

ག་པ་ན་པོ་ལམ་ི་་བ་ང་ོམ་ང་བ་ཐོག་མར།
The first step in taking the bodhisattva vow, the key to the path of the Mahāyāna, is to recall the qualities of the
Three Jewels:

དན་མག་གམ་ི་ཡོན་ཏན་ེས་་ན་པར་་བ་།

Recalling the Qualities of the Three Jewels1

ཐམས་ཅད་མེན་པ་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
tamché khyenpa la chak tsal lo
Homage to the omniscient one!

འ་ར་སངས་ས་བམ་ན་འདས་་བན་གགས་པ་ད་བམ་པ་ཡང་དག་པར་ོགས་པ་
སངས་ས་ག་པ་དང་ཞབས་་ན་པ།
di tar sangyé chomdende dé ni deshyin shekpa drachompa yangdakpar dzokpé sangye
rigpa dang shyap su denpa
Thus the Buddha, the transcendent, accomplished conqueror, the tathāgata who has
attained suchness, the arhat who has conquered all foes, is a perfectly and completely
enlightened buddha, endowed with insight and worthy of reverence,

བ་བར་གགས་པ།
dewar shekpa
The sugata who has reached the state of bliss,

འག་ེན་མེན་པ།
jikten khyenpa
The knower of the entire world,

ེས་་འལ་བ་ཁ་ལོ་ར་བ།
kyebu dulwé khalo gyurwa
The guide and tamer of beings,

་ན་ད་པ།
lana mépa
The unsurpassable one,

་དང་་མས་ི་ོན་པ་
lha dang mi nam kyi tönpa
The teacher of gods and humans,

168
སངས་ས་བམ་ན་འདས་།
sangyé chomdendé té
The Buddha Bhagavat.

་བན་གགས་པ་་་བསོད་ནམས་དག་་་མན་པ།
deshyin shekpa dé ni sonam dak gi gyu tünpa
The tathāgata is in harmony with all merit.

ད་བ་་བ་མས་ད་་ཟ་བ།
gewé tsawa nam chü mi zawa
He does not waste the sources of virtue.

བཟོད་པས་རབ་་བན་པ།
zöpé raptu gyenpa
He is fully adorned with patience.

བསོད་ནམས་ི་གར་མས་ི་ག།
sönam kyi ter nam kyi shyi
He is the foundation of the treasures of merit.

ད་ད་བཟང་པོ་མས་ི་ས་པ།
pé ché zangpo nam kyi trépa
He is ornamented with the excellent minor marks.

མཚན་མས་ི་་ཏོག་ས་པ།
tsen nam kyi metok gyépa
He is the full blossoming of the major marks.

ོད་ལ་རན་པར་མན་པ།
chö yul renpar tünpa
His activity is timely and fitting.

མཐོང་ན་་མན་པ་ད་པ།
tong na mitünpa mépa
Seeing him, there is nothing displeasing.

དད་པས་མོས་པ་མས་ལ་མན་པར་དགའ་བ།
dépé möpanam la ngönpar gawa
He brings true joy to those who have faith.

ས་རབ་ལ་ིས་་གནོན་པ།
sherab zilgyi minönpa
His insight overwhelms all in its splendour.

ོབས་མས་ལ་བི་བ་ད་པ། 169
ོབས་མས་ལ་བི་བ་ད་པ།
topnam la dziwa mépa
His powers are invincible.

མས་ཅན་ཐམས་ཅད་ི་ོན་པ།
semchen tamché kyi tönpa
He is the teacher of all sentient beings.

ང་བ་མས་དཔའ་མས་ི་ཡབ།
changchub sempa nam kyi yab
He is the father of all bodhisattvas.

འཕགས་པ་གང་ཟག་མས་ི་ལ་པོ།
pakpé gangzak nam kyi gyalpo
He is the sovereign of all the noble ones.

་ངན་ལས་འདས་པ་ོང་ེར་་འོ་བ་མས་ི་ད་དཔོན།
nyangen lé dépé drong khyer du drowa nam kyi dépön
He is the guide who leads beings to the city of nirvāṇa.

་ས་དཔག་་ད་པ།
yeshé paktu mépa
He has measureless wisdom.

ོབས་པ་བསམ་ིས་་བ་པ།
pobpa samgyi mikhyabpa
He possesses inconceivable fearlessness.

གང་མ་པར་དག་པ།
sung nampar dakpa
His speech is utterly pure.

དངས་ན་པ།
yang nyenpa
Its tones are melodious.

་ད་བ་བས་ག་་ས་པ།
ku ché tawé chok mi shépa
One can never have enough of looking at him.

་མངས་པ་ད་པ།
ku tsungpa mépa
His form is without comparison.

འདོད་པ་དག་ས་མ་ས་པ། 170
འདོད་པ་དག་ས་མ་ས་པ།
döpa dak gi magöpa
He is unsullied by the realm of desire.

གགས་དག་ས་་བར་མ་ས་པ།
zuk dak gi nyewar magöpa
He is quite unsullied by the realm of form.

གགས་ད་པ་དག་དང་མ་འེས་པ།
zukmépa dak dang madrépa
He is not caught up in the formless realm.

ག་བལ་དག་ལས་མ་པར་ོལ་བ།
dukngal dak lé nampar drolwa
He is completely liberated from suffering.

ང་པོ་དག་ལས་རབ་་མ་པར་ོལ་བ།
pungpo dak lé raptu nampar drolwa
He is totally liberated from the aggregates.

ཁམས་མས་དང་་ན་པ།
kham nam dang mi denpa
He is not possessed with the constituents of ordinary experience.

ེ་མད་མས་བམས་པ།
kyemché nam dampa
He is in control of the sense fields.

མད་པ་མས་ན་་བཅད་པ།
düpa nam shintu chépa
He has cut right through the knots.

ཡོངས་་གང་བ་དག་ལས་མ་པར་ོལ་བ།
yong su dungwa dak lé nampar drolwa
He is completely liberated from torment.

ིད་པ་ལས་ོལ་བ།
sépa lé drolwa
He is freed from craving.

་བོ་ལས་བལ་བ།
chuwo lé galwa
He has crossed over the river.

་ས་ཡོངས་་ོགས་པ། 171
་ས་ཡོངས་་ོགས་པ།
yeshé yong su dzokpa
He is perfected in all the wisdoms.

འདས་པ་དང༌། མ་ོན་པ་དང༌། ད་ར་ང་བ་སངས་ས་བམ་ན་འདས་མས་ི་་ས་ལ་

གནས་པ།
dépa dang majönpa dang data jungwé sangyé chomdendé nam kyi yeshé la népa
He abides in the wisdom of all the buddhas of past, present and future.

་ངན་ལས་འདས་པ་ལ་་གནས་པ།
nyangen lé dépa la mi népa
He does not dwell in nirvāṇa.

ཡང་དག་པ་ད་ི་མཐའ་ལ་གནས་པ།
yang dakpa nyi kyi ta la népa
He abides in perfect finality.

མས་ཅན་ཐམས་ཅད་ལ་གགས་པ་ས་ལ་བགས་པ་ེ།
semchen tamché la zikpé sa la shyukpa té
He remains on the level where he sees all sentient beings.

འ་དག་་སངས་ས་བམ་ན་འདས་མས་ི་་་བ་ཡོན་ཏན་ཡང་དག་པ་མས་སོ། །
di dak ni sangyé chomdendé nam kyi ku chéwé yönten yang dakpa nam so
All these are the authentic and supreme qualities of the embodiment of the Buddha.

དམ་པ་ས་་ཐོག་མར་ད་བ། བར་་ད་བ། མཐའ་མར་ད་བ།

dampé chö ni tokmar géwa bardu géwa tamar géwa
The sacred Dharma is good at the beginning, good in the middle and good at the end.

དོན་བཟང་པོ།
dön zangpo
It is excellent in meaning,

ག་འ་བཟང་པོ།
tsik dru zangpo
Excellent in words and syllables.

མ་འེས་པ།
madrépa
It is distinctive.

ཡོངས་་ོགས་པ། 172
ཡོངས་་ོགས་པ།
yongsu dzokpa
It is totally complete.

ཡོངས་་དག་པ།
yongsu dakpa
It is utterly pure.

ཡོངས་་ང་བ།
yongsu jangwa
It completely purifies.

བམ་ན་འདས་ིས་ས་གས་པར་གངས་པ།
chomdendé kyi chö lekpar sungpa
The Buddha teaches the Dharma perfectly.

ཡང་དག་པར་མཐོང་བ།
yangdakpar tongwa
It brings unerring vision.

ནད་ད་པ།
né mépa
It is without affliction.

ས་ཆད་པ་ད་པ།
dü chépa mépa
It is constant and always timely.

་བར་གཏོད་པ།
nyewar töpa
It is trustworthy when applied.

འ་མཐོང་བ་ལ་དོན་ཡོད་པ།
di tongwa la dön yöpa
Seeing it fulfils one’s purpose.

མཁས་པ་མས་ིས་སོ་སོ་རང་ས་ག་པར་་བ།
khépa nam kyi soso rang gi rigpar chawa
The wise can validate it through their own awareness.

བམ་ན་འདས་ིས་གངས་པ་ས་འལ་བ་ལ་གས་པར་བེན་པ།
chomdendé kyi sungpé chö dulwa la lekpar tenpa
The Dharma taught by the buddha relies entirely on training the mind.

ས་པར་འང་བ། 173
ས་པར་འང་བ།
ngépar jungwa
It is truly delivering.

ོགས་པ་ང་བ་་འོ་བར་ེད་པ།
dzokpé changchub tu drowar chépa
It causes one to arrive at perfect enlightenment.

་མན་པ་ད་ང་འས་པ་དང་ན་པ།
mi tünpa mé ching düpa dang denpa
It is without contradiction. It is all-embracing.

བེན་པ་ཡོད་པ།
tenpa yöpa
It is constant.

་བ་བཅད་པའོ། །
gyuwa chépa o
It is the cessation of all uncertainty.

ག་པ་ན་པོ་ད་འན་་གས་པར་གས་པ།
tekpa chenpöi gendün ni lekpar shyukpa
As for the Saṅgha of the Great vehicle, they enter thoroughly.

གས་པར་གས་པ།
rigpar shyukpa
They enter with awareness.

ང་པོར་གས་པ།
drangpor shyukpa
They enter straightforwardly.

མན་པར་གས་པ།
tünpar shyukpa
They enter harmoniously.

ཐལ་མོ་ར་བ་འོས་་ར་པ།
talmo jarwé ö su gyurpa
They are worthy of veneration with palms joined together.

ག་་བ་འོས་་ར་པ།
chak chawé ö su gyurpa
They are worthy of receiving prostrations.

བསོད་ནམས་ི་དཔལ་ི་ང༌། 174
བསོད་ནམས་ི་དཔལ་ི་ང༌།
sönam kyi pal gyi shying
They are a glorious field of merit.

ཡོན་ཡོངས་་ོང་བ་ན་པོ།
yön yong su jongwa chenpo
Offering to them brings great purification.

ིན་པ་གནས་་ར་པ།
jinpé né su gyurpa
They are an object of generosity.

ན་་ཡང་ིན་པ་གནས་་ར་པ་ན་པོའོ།
kuntu yang jinpé né su gyurpa chenpo o
They are in every way the greatest object of generosity.

མན་པོ་གས་ེ་་ན་པ། །
gönpo tukjé ché denpa
The lord who possesses great kindness,

ཐམས་ཅད་མེན་པ་ོན་པ་པོ། །
tamché khyenpa tönpa po
The omniscient teacher,

བསོད་ནམས་ཡོན་ཏན་་མཚོ་ང༌། །
sönam yönten gyamtsöi shying
The source of oceans of merit and virtue,

་བན་གགས་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
déshyinshek la chak tsal lo
I prostrate to the Tathāgata.

དག་པ་འདོད་ཆགས་ལ་བ་། །
dakpa döchak dralwé gyu
Pure, the cause of freedom from passion,

ད་བས་ངན་སོང་ལས་ོལ་ང༌། །
gewé ngensong lé drol shying
Virtuous, liberating from the lower realms,

གག་་དོན་དམ་མག་ར་པ། ། 175
གག་་དོན་དམ་མག་ར་པ། །
chik tu döndam chok gyurpa
This alone is the supreme, ultimate truth:

་ར་ས་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
shyi gyur chö la chak tsal lo
I prostrate to the Dharma, which is peace.

ོལ་ནས་ོལ་བ་ལམ་ཡང་ོན། །
drol né drolwé lam yang tön
Having been liberated, they show the path to liberation.

བབ་པ་དག་ལ་རབ་་ས། །
labpa dak la rab tu gü
They are fully dedicated to the disciplines,

ང་་དམ་པ་ཡོན་ཏན་ན། །
shying gi dampa yönten den
A holy field of merit, endowed with noble qualities:

ད་འན་ལ་ཡང་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
gendün la yang chak tsal lo
I prostrate to the Saṅgha.

སངས་ས་གཙོ་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ།
sangyé tso la chak tsal lo
I prostrate to the Buddha, the leader,

ོབ་པ་ས་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
kyobpa chö la chak tsal lo
I prostrate to the Dharma, the protector,

ད་འན་ེ་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
gendün dé la chak tsal lo
I prostrate to the Saṅgha, the community,

གམ་ལ་ག་་ས་ག་འཚལ། །
sum la taktu gü chak tsal
I prostrate respectfully and always to these three!

སངས་ས་ཡོན་ཏན་བསམ་་བ། ། 176
སངས་ས་ཡོན་ཏན་བསམ་་བ། །
sangyé yönten sam mi khyap
The Buddha’s virtues are inconceivable;

ས་ི་ཡོན་ཏན་བསམ་་བ། །
chö kyi yönten sam mi khyap
The Dharma’s virtues are inconceivable;

ད་འན་ཡོན་ཏན་བསམ་་བ། །
gendün yönten sam mi khyap
The Saṅgha’s virtues are inconceivable.

བསམ་་བ་ལ་དད་ས་པ། །
sam mi khyap la dé chépé
Having faith in these inconceivables,

མ་པར་ིན་པའང་བསམ་་བ། །
nampar minpa ang sam mikhyap
Therefore the fruition is inconceivable:

མ་དག་ང་་ེ་བར་ཤོག །
namdak shying du kyépar shok
May I be born in a completely pure realm!

Prayer to the bodhicitta and the Bodhisattvas

ང་བ་ི་མས་ན་པོ་་དང་་ན་གང་ཟག་ང་བ་མས་དཔའ་ལ་ད་པར་་ས་ང་བས་་གསོལ་བ་།
Now it is to the precious bodhicitta and the bodhisattvas, those who possess it, that we express our respect and go for
refuge:

ངན་འོ་ལས་་ོག་བིད་ང༌། །
ngendro lé ni dok gyi ching
Turning us back from the road to the lower realms,

མཐོ་ས་ལམ་་རབ་ོན་ལ། །
tori lam ni rab tön la
It shows us the road to the higher realms,

་་ད་པར་འེན་བིད་པ། །
ga shi mépar dren gyi pa
And leads to where there is no old age and death:

ང་བ་མས་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
changchub sem la chak tsal lo
To this bodhicitta, in homage I bow!2

གང་ལ་མས་ི་དམ་པ་ན་ན་། ། 177
གང་ལ་མས་ི་དམ་པ་ན་ན་། །
gang la sem kyi dampa rinchen dé
I bow to those who have given birth

ེས་པ་་་་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ང༌། །
kyépa dé yi ku la chak tsal shying
To this most precious and sacred of minds

གང་ལ་གནོད་པ་ས་ང་བ་འེལ་བ། །
gang la nöpa ché kyang dé drelwa
Who bring bliss to even those who cause them harm.

བ་བ་འང་གནས་་ལ་བས་་མ། །
déwé jungné dé la kyab su chi
In such sources of happiness, I take refuge!

་ནས་ས་ག་ིན་ིས་བབས་པ་།

The Consecration of the Environment

དན་མག་གམ་ི་བན་པ་དང༌།
könchok sum gyi denpa dang
Through the force of the truth of Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha,

སངས་ས་དང་ང་བ་མས་དཔའ་ཐམས་ཅད་ི་ིན་ིས་བབས་དང༌།
sangyé dang changchub sempa tamché kyi chin gyi lap dang
The blessing of all the buddhas and bodhisattvas,

ཚོགས་གས་ཡོངས་་ོགས་པ་མངའ་ཐང་ན་པོ་དང༌།
tsok nyi yong su dzokpé ngatang chenpo dang
The great power of the completed accumulation of merit and wisdom,

ས་ི་དིངས་མ་པར་དག་ང་བསམ་ིས་་བ་པ་ོབས་ིས།
chö kyi ying nampar dak ching samgyi mikhyabpé top kyi
And the purity of the inconceivable dharmadhātu,

ང་འར་ར་ག་་ས་ག་འ་དག་བ་བ་ཅན་ི་ང་་བད་པ་་་ན་མ་ཚོགས་པ་ན་
ཐམས་ཅད་ིས་མ་པར་བན་པས་མས་ང་ད་་འོང་བ་བསམ་ིས་་བ་པར་ར།
deng dir khoryuk gi sashyi di dak déwachen gyi shying gi köpa tabu punsum tsokpé
gyen tamché kyi nampar gyenpé dzé shing yidu ongwa samgyi mikhyabpar gyur
Now this whole environment becomes like the landscape of the buddha-field sukhāvatī,
magnificently arrayed with all kinds of exquisite ornaments, captivating and incredible in
its beauty.

ༀ་ས་ད་་ར་་ར་་ར་་ར་་ཝ་ཡ་་ཝ་ཡ་ཧོ་་ར་ཎ་། 178
ༀ་ས་ད་་ར་་ར་་ར་་ར་་ཝ་ཡ་་ཝ་ཡ་ཧོ་་ར་ཎ་།
om sarwabid pura pura sura sura awartaya awartaya ho saparana kham
oṃ sarvavid pūra pūra sura sura āvartāya āvartāya ho spharaṇa khaṃ

ལན་གམ།
3 times

མད་པ་ིན་ིས་བབ་པ་།

Consecrating the Offerings

ན་མ་ཚོགས་པ་ང་འ་དག་་་དང་་ཡོ་ད་དམ་པ་གགས་དང༌། ་དང༌། ི་དང༌། རོ་

དང༌། ག་་ལ་སོགས་པ་མ་པར་དག་ང་ད་་འོང་བ་མད་པ་ིན་་མཚོ་བསམ་ིས་་
བ་པས་ནམ་མཁ་ཁམས་ཐམས་ཅད་གང་བར་ར།
punsum tsokpé shying di dak tu lha dang mi'i yoché dampa zuk dang dra dang dri dang
ro dang rekcha la sokpa nampar dak ching yidu ongwé chöpé trin gyamtso samgyi
mikhyabpé namkhé kham tamché gangwar gyur
In this perfect realm, the sacred possessions of gods and men—forms, sounds, fragrances,
tastes, textures, and the like—inconceivable ocean-like clouds of offerings, so pure and
enchanting, fill the entire expanse of space:

ན་མཿས་ཏ་་ག་་ོ་་་་་ཿས་ཐ་་ ་་་ར་ཎ་་་ག་ག་ན་་་།
namah sarwa tathagate bhayo bishva mukhebe sarwatha kham utgate saparana himam
gagana kham soha
namaḥ sarva-tathāgatebhyo viśva-mukhebhyaḥ sarvathā kham udgate spharaṇa imaṃ
gagana-khaṃ svāhā

ལན་གམ།
3 times

མད་པ་ིན་གངས་།
179
མད་པ་ིན་གངས་།

The Offering Cloud Dhāraṇī

ན་མོ་ར་་་ཡ། ན་མོ་བྷ་ག་ཝ་། བ་་ར་་མ་། ཏ་་ག་ཏ་ཡ། ཨ་་ས ཾ་་

ཡ། ཏ ་། ༀ་བེ་བེ་མ་བེ། མ་་་བེ། མ་ ཱ་བེ། མ་བོ་་་བེ། མ་བོ་་
མོ་པ་་་མ་ཎ་བེ། ས་ཀ་ཨ་ཝ་ར་ཎ་་་དྷ་ན་བེ་།
namo ratna trayaya | namo | bhagavate vajra sara pramardhane tathagataya arhate
samyak sambuddhaya | tadhyata | om vajre vajre maha vajre maha tedzo vajre maha
vidya vajre maha bodhitsitta vajre maha bodhi mantopasam kramana vajre sarwa
karma awarana vishva dhana vajre soha
namo ratna trayāya | namo bhagavate vajra-sāra-pramardane tathāgatāyārhate samyak-
saṃ-bhuddhāya | tadyathā | oṃ vajre vajre mahā-vajre mahā-teja-vajre mahā-vidyā-vajre
mahā-bodhicitta-vajre mahābodhi-maṇḍopasaṃ-kramaṇa-vajre sarva-karmāvaraṇa-
viśodhana-vajre svāhā

ལན་གམ།
3 times

་ནས་ལ་བ་འར་བཅས་བསོད་ནམས་ི་ང་་ན་འེན་པ་།

Inviting the Buddhas and their Entourages as a Field of Merit

ོགས་ས་ན་ནས་བས་གམ་བཀའ་ོད་བཅས། །
chok dü kun né kyab sum kadö ché
O three sources of refuge, of all directions and all times, along with those who attend you,

ན་མོངས་འོ་ལ་མེན་བེས་རབ་དངས་། །
nyönmong dro la khyen tsé rabgong té
In all your wisdom and love, think of living beings, tormented by our negative emotions,

དཔག་ད་ང་ནས་ཐོགས་ད་་འལ་ིས། །
pakmé shying né tokmé dzutrul gyi
And come now, from limitless realms in unobstructed emanations,

འར་གགས་མད་ིན་་མཚོ་དས་བགས་གསོལ། །
dir shek chö trin gyamtsöi u shyuk sol
To take your place at the heart of this cloud of offerings.

མ་ས་མས་ཅན་ན་ི་མན་ར་ང༌། །
malü semchen kun gyi gön gyur ching
You are the protectors of all beings, every single one.

བད་ེ་དང་བཅས་་བཟད་འམས་མཛད་། ། 180
བད་ེ་དང་བཅས་་བཟད་འམས་མཛད་། །
dü dé pung ché mizé jomdzé lha
You are the deities who remorselessly destroy the māras and their forces.

དས་མས་མ་ས་་བན་མེན་ར་པ། །
ngönam malü jishyin khyen gyurpé
You who know all things just as they are, in their true nature,

བམ་ན་འར་བཅས་གནས་འར་གགས་་གསོལ། །
chomden khor ché né dir shek su sol
Enlightened ones, with your retinues, come now to this place!

བམ་ན་བལ་པ་ངས་ད་་མ་། །
chomden kalpa drangmé duma ru
Enlightened ones, over countless incalculable aeons,

འོ་ལ་བེ་ིར་གས་ེ་མ་ངས་ང༌། །
dro la tsé chir tukjé namjang shing
Because of your love for sentient beings, you cultivated compassion.

ོན་ལམ་་ན་དངས་པ་ཡོངས་ོགས་པ། །
mönlam gya chen gongpa yong dzokpé
Your aspirations are vast, your vision all complete,

ེད་བད་འོ་དོན་མཛད་ས་འ་ལགས་ན། །
khyé shyé dro dön dzé dü di lak na
And if now is the time you intend to benefit beings,

་ིར་ས་དིངས་ཕོ་ང་ན་བ་ནས། །
dé chir chöying podrang lhundrup né
Then from the palace of the dharmadhātu, spontaneously perfect,

་འལ་ིན་བས་་ཚོགས་ོན་མཛད་ང༌། །
dzutrul chinlap natsok töndzé ching
Display all kinds of magical emanations and blessings,

མཐའ་ཡས་མས་ཅན་ཚོགས་མས་བལ་བ་ིར། །
tayé semchen tsoknam dralwé chir
And to liberate limitless sentient beings,

ཡོངས་དག་འར་དང་བཅས་་གགས་་གསོལ། །
yongdak khor dang ché té shek su sol
Come now, I pray and with you your retinue, in all their utter purity.

ས་མས་ན་ི་དབང་ག་གཙོ། ། 181
ས་མས་ན་ི་དབང་ག་གཙོ། །
chönam kun gyi wangchuk tso
You are the lords of all dharmas;

བཙོ་མ་གར་ི་མདོག་འ་ང༌། །
tsoma ser gyi dok dra shying
Like the hue of refined gold,

་མ་ལས་ག་ག་བིད་། །
nyima lé lhak ziji ché
Your brilliance brighter than the sun.

དད་པས་ན་་ང་བར་བི། །
dépé chen ni drangwar gyi
With faith and devotion, I invite you here.

་ང་གས་ེ་་ན་པ། །
shyi shying tukjé ché denpa
You possess peace and great compassion,

ལ་ང་བསམ་གཏན་ས་ལ་བགས། །
dül shying samten sa la shyuk
You reside in gentleness and the stages of concentration;

ས་དང་་ས་ཆགས་ལ་བ། །
chö dang yeshé chak dralwa
You possess Dharma and wisdom free from desire,

ན་་་བཟད་ས་པར་ན།
kuntu mizé nüpar den
And strength that is completely inexhaustible.

ར་ོན་ར་ོན་་དག་ལ།
tsurchön tsurchön shyi dak la
Come now, come from that state of peace,

བ་པ་ེས་མག་ཐམས་ཅད་མེན། །
tubpa kyéchok tamché khyen
Mighty sages, supreme beings, omniscient ones,

ན་་གས་ས་གགས་བན་། །
shintu lek ché zuk nyen ni
Assume exquisite illusory forms,

མད་པ་གནས་འར་གགས་་གསོལ། ། 182
མད་པ་གནས་འར་གགས་་གསོལ། །
chöpé né dir shek su sol
And come to this place of offerings, I pray!

ས་ན་ངས།
And so invoke them.

བགས་གསོལ་།

Inviting the Buddhas and their Retinues to Remain

བམ་ན་འར་་ོན་པ་གས། །
chomden dir ni jönpa lek
Enlightened ones, welcome, now that you have come.

བདག་ཅག་བསོད་ནམས་ལ་བར་ན། །
dak chak sonam kalpar den
We have such good fortune and merit.

བདག་་མད་ཡོན་བས་ནས་ང༌། །
dak gi chö yön shyé né kyang
Accept these offerings and then

གས་ལ་དངས་ང་གནང་བར་མཛོད། །
tuk la gong shing nangwar dzö
Turn your minds towards us, please.

གདན་འལ་བ་།

Offering the Buddhas their Places

པ་ཀ་མ་ལ་་ ཾ། ས་བོད༌།
padma kamalayé stam
oṃ padmakamalaya satvaṃ

183
I. The Preparation

་ནས་ོར་བ་ཚོགས་གསོག་ཡན་ལག་བན་ི་

The Seven Branches for Gathering the Accumulations

དང་པོ་ག་འཚལ་བ་ཡན་ལག་།

1. Prostration

་མ་མཉམ་ད་སངས་ས་ན་པོ་། །
lama nyam mé sangyé rinpoché
Incomparable masters, precious buddhas, as your nature

ས་གམ་བ་གགས་ས་བཅས་ཐམས་ཅད་ི། །
dü sum deshek sé ché tamché kyi
You possess the blessing of body, speech and mind

་གང་གས་ི་རང་བན་ིན་བབས་པས། །
ku sung tuk kyi rangshyin chin labpa
Of all the sugatas and bodhisattvas, past, present and future:

བཀའ་ིན་ན་པོ་ཞབས་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
kadrin chenpöi shyap la chak tsal lo
In homage I bow to those with such great kindness.

ས་དང༌། གས་་བཅད་པ་གག་པ་།

The Prayer in One Verse:

དན་མག་གམ་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
könchok sum la chak tsal lo
Homage to the Three Jewels!

ེས་་་མག་ོད་འ་ད་ོང་ན་པོ་གཞན་དག་་ལ་ས་ལའང་ད། །
kyébu khyu chok khyö dré gejong chenpo shyen dak lha yul sa la ang mé
Supreme among beings, in all the god realms there do not exist other great spiritual
practitioners like you.

འག་ེན་འ་ནའང་ཡོད་པ་མ་ན་མ་ཐོས་་་གནས་ནའང་ཡོད་མ་ན། །
jikten di na ang yöpa mayin namtö bu yi né na ang yö mayin
In this world too there are none, nor even in the realm of Vaiśravaṇa.

་་ཕོ་ང་གནས་མག་དག་ནའང་ད་ལ་ོགས་དང་ོགས་མཚམས་དག་ནའང་ད། ། 184
་་ཕོ་ང་གནས་མག་དག་ནའང་ད་ལ་ོགས་དང་ོགས་མཚམས་དག་ནའང་ད། །
lha yi podrang né chok dak na ang mé la chok dang chok tsam dak na ang mé
In the supreme abodes, the palaces of the gods, there are none, nor in any direction,
cardinal or intermediate, are they to be found.

་དང་ནགས་་བཅས་པ་ས་ེང་ས་པ་ན་་བོར་ང་ག་ལ་ཡོད། །
ri dang nak su chépé sa teng gyépa kuntu kor kyang gala yö
On the whole face of the earth with its mountains and its forests, where could any ever
be?

ས་དང༌། གས་་བཅད་པ་བ་པ་།

The Prayer in Four Verses:

ར་ར་པ་་ཐམས་ཅད་ལའང༌། །
kur gyurpa ni tamché la ang
Whenever you take on a form, in every one,

མཚན་མག་མ་་གས་མངའ་བ། །
tsen chok sum chu nyi ngawé
You are honoured as perfectly enlightened buddhas

ོགས་པ་སངས་ས་གས་ན་པ། །
dzokpé sangyé drak denpa
Endowed with all the thirty-two supreme marks:

ལ་བ་ན་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
gyalwa kun la chak tsal lo
To all you victorious ones, I pay homage.

ོགས་སངས་གང་་བམས་པ་དང༌། །
dzoksang gang du tampa dang
Wherever the perfect buddhas are born,

གང་་ང་བ་ལ་ག་དང༌། །
gang du changchub la rek dang
Where they attain enlightenment,

་བ་འར་ལོ་ོར་བ་དང༌། །
shyiwé khorlo korwa dang
Turn the wheel of Dharma that pacifies,

ཟག་ད་་ངན་འདས་པ་དང༌། ། 185
ཟག་ད་་ངན་འདས་པ་དང༌། །
zakmé nyangen dépa dang
And pass into immaculate nirvāṇa,

བ་གགས་གང་་བགས་པ་དང༌། །
deshek gang du shyukpa dang
Where they dwell as sugatas,

འཆག་པ་དང་་བངས་པ་དང༌། །
chakpa dang ni shyengpa dang
Walk and stand and

ང་་་ར་གམས་པ་། །
sengé tabur zimpa yi
Where they sleep like lions:

གནས་་ལ་་བདག་ག་འཚལ། །
né dé la ni dak chak tsal
To all those holy places, I pay homage!

ེང་དང་འོག་དང་བར་དག་དང༌། །
teng dang wo dang bardak dang
Above and below and in between

ོགས་དང་ོགས་མཚམས་མས་་ཡང༌། །
chok dang chok tsam nam su yang
In the cardinal and intermediate directions,

ར་བཅས་་་ད་པ་། །
kur ché ku ni mépa yi
Be they with form or without:

མད་ེན་ལ་་བདག་ག་འཚལ། །
chörten la ni dak chak tsal
To the Stūpas, I pay homage!

་ར་གས་བཅད་བོད་པ་གས་ས་མོས་ིས་འདོན་པར་།
These two praises should be recited alternately.

་ནས་བ་པ་མཛད་བ་བོད་པ་་བ་།
186
་ནས་བ་པ་མཛད་བ་བོད་པ་་བ་།

The Great Praise of the Twelve Acts of the Buddha3

སངས་ས་་བ་པ་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
sangyé shakya tubpa la chak tsal lo
Homage to the Buddha, Śākyamuni!

གང་ས་དང་པོར་ང་བ་གས་བེད་ནས། །
gang gi dangpor changchub tuk kyé né
You I shall praise, who first awakened the mind of enlightenment,

བསོད་ནམས་་ས་ཚོགས་གས་ོགས་མཛད་ང༌། །
sönam yeshé tsok nyi dzok dzé ching
Then completed the accumulations of merit and wisdom,

ས་འར་མཛད་པ་་ན་འོ་བ་། །
dü dir dzépa gya chen drowa yi
And now in this age, through the vast sway of your actions,

མན་ར་ོད་ལ་བདག་ས་བོད་པར་བི། །
gön gyur khyö la dak gi töpar gyi
Have become the lord and protector of living beings.

་མས་དོན་མཛད་འལ་བ་ས་མེན་ནས། །
lha nam dön dzé dulwé dü khyen né
Homage to you, who, having taught the gods,

་ལས་བབས་ནས་ང་ན་ར་གགས་ང༌། །
lha lé bab né langchen tar shek shing
Knew the time had come to tame the human world, and

གས་ལ་གགས་ནས་་མོ་་འལ་མ། །
rik la zik né lhamo gyutrul mé
Descending from the god realm like a great elephant,

མས་་གས་པར་མཛད་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
lhum su shyukpar dzé la chak tsal lo
Foresaw the family of your birth and entered the womb of Māyādevī.

་བ་བ་ོགས་་ས་པོ་། ། 187
་བ་བ་ོགས་་ས་པོ་། །
dawa chu dzok shakyé sépo ni
Homage to you, prince of the Śākyas, born after ten months

བ་ས་ི་ཚལ་་བམས་པ་། །
trashi lumbi'i tsal du tampé tsé
In the auspicious Lumbinī grove, where

ཚངས་དང་བ་ིན་ིས་བད་མཚན་མག་། །
tsang dang gyajin gyi tü tsen chok ni
Brahmā and Indra revered you, your supreme marks

ང་བ་གས་་ས་མཛད་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
changchub rik su ngé dzé chak tsal lo
Proving you were destined to be enlightened.

གཞོན་་ོབས་ན་་་ང་་ས། །
shyönnu tobden mi yi sengé dé
Homage to you, lion among men, in all your youthful vigour,

ཨ་གྷ་མ་ག་དྷར་་་ལ་བན། །
agha magadhar ni gyu tsal ten
Displaying your prowess in the games at Aṅga-Magadha,

ེ་བོ་ེགས་པ་ཅན་མས་ཚར་བཅད་ནས། །
kyéwo drekpa chen nam tsarché né
Where you triumphed over the proud contestants,

འན་་ད་པར་མཛད་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
drenda mépar dzé la chak tsal lo
So that not one could stand as your rival.

འག་ེན་ས་དང་མན་པར་་བ་དང༌། །
jikten chö dang tünpar chawa dang
Homage to you, who, to comply with worldly convention,

ཁ་ན་མ་ཐོ་ང་ིར་བན་མོ་། །
khanamato pang chir tsünmo yi
And avoid all misdeeds, took on a queen and courtiers

འར་དང་ན་མཛད་ཐབས་ལ་མཁས་པ་ས། ། 188
འར་དང་ན་མཛད་ཐབས་ལ་མཁས་པ་ས། །
khor dang den dzé tab la khépa yi
And by acting with such skilful means,

ལ་ིད་ོང་བར་མཛད་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
gyalsi kyongwar dzé la chak tsal lo
So you ruled the kingdom.

འར་བ་་བར་ིང་པོ་ད་གགས་ནས། །
khorwé chawar nyingpo mé zik né
Homage to you, who saw that saṃsāra is wholly futile,

ིམ་ནས་ང་ེ་མཁའ་ལ་གགས་ནས་ང༌། །
khyim né jung té kha la shek né kyang
Renounced the life of a householder,

མད་ེན་མ་དག་ང་་ད་ལས་ད། །
chörten namdak drung du nyi lé nyi
And, travelling through the sky,

རབ་་ང་བར་མཛད་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
rabtu jungwar dzé la chak tsal lo
Ordained yourself before the Viśuddha Stūpa.

བོན་པས་ང་བ་བབ་པར་དངས་ནས་། །
tsönpé changchub drubpar gong né ni
Homage to you, who, intent on persevering till enlightened,

ར་ན་འམ་་ལོ་ག་། །
nairandzané dram du lo druk tu
For six years practised austerities on the banks of the Nairañjanā,

དཀའ་བ་ད་མཛད་བོན་འས་མཐར་ིན་པས། །
kawa ché dzé tsöndrü tarchin né
And taking diligence to its ultimate perfection,

བསམ་གཏན་མག་བེས་མཛད་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
samten chok nyé dzé la chak tsal lo
Attained the supreme samādhi.

ཐོག་མ་ད་ནས་འབད་པ་དོན་ཡོད་ིར། ། 189
ཐོག་མ་ད་ནས་འབད་པ་དོན་ཡོད་ིར། །
tokma mé né bépa dön yö chir
Homage to you, who, seeking to make meaningful

མ་ག་དྷ་་ང་བ་ང་ང་། །
magadha yi changchub shing drung du
All your efforts, made throughout beginningless time, sat

ིལ་ང་་གཡོ་མན་པར་སངས་ས་ནས། །
kyiltrung miyo ngönpar sangyé né
Unmoving in the vajra posture beneath the bodhi-tree in Magadha

ང་བ་ོགས་པར་མཛད་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
changchub dzokpar dzé la chak tsal lo
And awakened into true buddhahood, attaining perfect enlightenment.

གས་ེས་འོ་ལ་ར་་གགས་ནས་། །
tukjé dro la nyurdu zik né ni
Homage to you, who, in your compassion,

་ར་་་ལ་སོགས་གནས་མག་། །
waranasi lasok né chok tu
Gazed at once upon living beings, then

ས་ི་འར་ལོ་བོར་ནས་གལ་་མས། །
chö kyi khorlo kor né dulcha nam
Turned the wheel of Dharma in sacred places like Vārāṇasī,

ག་པ་གམ་ལ་འད་མཛད་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
tekpa sum la gödzé chak tsal lo
And established disciples in the three vehicles.

གཞན་ིས་ོལ་བ་ངན་པ་ཚར་བཅད་ིར། །
shyen gyi golwa ngenpa tsarché chir
Homage to you, who destroyed evil-minded opponents,

་ེགས་ོན་པ་ག་དང་ས་ིན་སོགས། །
mutek tönpa druk dang lhé chin sok
By defeating the six teachers of the tīrthikas, Devadatta and the rest,

འར་མོ་འག་་ལ་་བད་མས་བལ། ། 190
འར་མོ་འག་་ལ་་བད་མས་བལ། །
khormo jik gi yul du dünam tul
As well as the māras in Vārāṇasī;4

བ་པ་གལ་ལས་ལ་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
tubpa yul lé gyal la chak tsal lo
You were the mighty sage, victorious in battle.

ིད་པ་གམ་ན་ད་ད་ཡོན་ཏན་ི། །
sipa sum na pé mé yönten gyi
Homage to you, who performed great miracles in Śrāvastī,

མཉན་་ཡོད་པར་་འལ་ན་པོ་བན། །
nyen du yöpar chotrul chenpo ten
Unmatched in their splendour in all the three realms,

་་འོ་བ་ན་ིས་རབ་མད་པ། །
lha mi drowa kun gyi rab chöpa
And through the offerings made by gods, humans and other beings,

བན་པ་ས་པར་མཛད་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
tenpa gyépar dzé la chak tsal lo
Caused the teachings to prosper and increase.

་ལོ་ཅན་མས་ས་ལ་བལ་་ིར། །
lélo chen nam chö la kulché chir
Homage to you, who, to spur the lazy on to the Dharma,

་མག་ོང་་ས་ག་གཙང་མ་། །
tsachok drong gi sashyi tsangma ru
Left your body, though immortal and like a vajra,

འ་ད་ོ་ེ་་་་གགས་ནས། །
chimé dorjé tabüi ku shek né
And passed into parinirvāṇa

་ངན་འདའ་བར་མཛད་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
nyangen dawar dzé la chak tsal lo
In the pure abode of Kuśinagara.

ཡང་དག་ད་་འག་པ་ད་ིར་དང༌། ། 191
ཡང་དག་ད་་འག་པ་ད་ིར་དང༌། །
yangdak nyi du jikpa mé chir dang
Homage to you, who, to show that you had not in reality perished,

མ་འོངས་མས་ཅན་བསོད་ནམས་ཐོབ་་ིར། །
ma ong semchen sonam tobché chir
And so that beings of the future could gain merit,

་ད་་་ང་བེལ་མང་ལ་ནས། །
dényi du ni ringsel mang trul né
Emanated a wealth of relics, and caused

་གང་ཆ་བད་མཛད་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
kudung cha gyé dzé la chak tsal lo
Your remains to be divided into eight portions.

༈ བ་བོད་ང་བ་།

The Short Praise of the Buddha’s Deeds5

གང་་ང་གས་གཙོ་བོ་ོད་བམས་། །
gang tsé kang nyi tsowo khyö tam tsé
When you were born, chief among human beings,

ས་ན་འ་ལ་མ་པ་བན་བོར་ནས། །
sachen di la gompa dün bor né
You took seven steps on this earth and said:

ང་་འག་ེན་འ་ན་མག་ས་གངས། །
nga ni jikten di na chok ché sung
“In this world I am supreme.”

་་མཁས་པ་ོད་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
détsé khépa khyö la chak tsal lo
To you, O wise one, I pay homage!

དང་པོ་དགའ་ན་་་ལ་ནས་ོན། །
dangpo ganden lha yi yul né jön
First, you descended from the heaven of Tuṣita,

ལ་པོ་ཁབ་་མ་ི་མས་་གས། །
gyalpöi khap tu yum gyi lhum su shyuk
And in the royal home entered your mother’s womb;

192
ི་་་ཚལ་་བ་པ་བམས། །
lumbini yi tsal du tubpa tam
In the grove at Lumbinī, O sage, you were born:

བམ་ན་་་་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
chomden lha yi lha la chak tsal lo
To the victorious ‘god among gods’, I pay homage!

གཞལ་ཡས་ཁང་་མ་མ་བད་བས་མད། །
shyalyékhang du mama gyé shyi chö
You were tended by thirty-two nurses at the palace,

་ོང་་གཞོན་ས་རོལ་ེད་མཛད། །
shakyé drong du shyönnü roltsé dzé
You spent your youth in sports at the house of the Śākyas;

ར་་གནས་་ས་འཚོ་ཁབ་་བས། །
ser kyé né su sa tso khap tu shyé
At Kapilavastu you took Gopā as your wife:

ིད་གམ་མངས་ད་་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
si sum tsungmé ku la chak tsal lo
To you who are unequalled in the three worlds, I pay homage!

ོང་ེར་ོ་བར་ོ་བ་ལ་བན་ནས། །
drong khyer go shyir kyowé tsul ten né
At the four city gates, you were shown the four kinds of sorrow,

མད་ེན་མ་དག་ང་ནས་ད་་བལ། །
chörten namdak drung né utra sil
And cut your own hair in front of the Viśuddha Stūpa;

ར་ན་འམ་་དཀའ་བ་མཛད། །
nairandzané dram du katub dzé
On the banks of the Nairañjanā you practised as an ascetic:

ིབ་གས་ོན་དང་ལ་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
drip nyi kyön dang dral la chak tsal lo
To you who are free from the faults of the two obscurations, I pay homage!

ལ་པོ་ཁབ་་ང་ན་ོན་པ་བལ། ། 193
ལ་པོ་ཁབ་་ང་ན་ོན་པ་བལ། །
gyalpöi khap tu langchen nyönpa tül
At Rājagṛha you tamed a rogue elephant,

ཡངས་པ་ཅན་་ེས་ང་ི་ལ། །
yangpa chen du tréu drangtsi pul
In Vaiśālī the monkeys offered you honey;

མ་ག་དྷ་་བ་པ་མན་སངས་ས། །
magadha ru tubpa ngön sangyé
In Magadha, O sage, you realized buddhahood:

མེན་པ་་ས་འབར་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
khyenpé yeshé bar la chak tsal lo
To you in whom omniscient wisdom blossomed, I pay homage!

་ར་་ར་ས་ི་འར་ལོ་བོར། །
waranasir chö kyi khorlo kor
At Vārāṇasī you turned the wheel of Dharma,

་ཏ་ཚལ་་་འལ་ན་པོ་བན། །
dzeté tsal du chotrul chenpo ten
And in the Jeta Grove you showed great miracles;

་མག་ོང་་དངས་པ་་ངན་འདས། །
tsachok drong du gongpa nyangendé
At Kuśinagara your wisdom mind passed into parinirvāṇa:

གས་་ནམ་མཁའ་འ་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
tuk ni namkha dra la chak tsal lo
To you whose mind is like the sky, I pay homage!

འ་ར་བན་པ་བདག་པོ་སངས་ས་བམ་ན་འདས། །
di tar tenpé dakpo sangyé chomdendé
Through the merit of this brief praise of

མཛད་པ་ལ་ལ་མདོ་ཙམ་བོད་པ་། །
dzépé tsul la dotsam töpa yi
The deeds of the Enlightened One, Master of the Teaching,

ད་བས་འོ་བ་ན་ི་ོད་པ་ཡང༌། ། 194
ད་བས་འོ་བ་ན་ི་ོད་པ་ཡང༌། །
gewé drowa kun gyi chöpa yang
May the actions of all living beings

བ་གགས་ད་ི་མཛད་དང་མངས་པར་ཤོག །
deshek nyi kyi dzé dang tsungpar shok
Come to equal the acts of the Sugata himself.

བ་བར་གགས་པ་ེད་་་འ་དང༌། །
dewar shekpa khyé ku chindra dang
O Sugata, may I and others have a form,

འར་དང་་་ཚད་དང་ང་ཁམས་དང༌། །
khor dang kutséi tsé dang shyingkham dang
An entourage, a life-span, a pure realm

ེད་ི་མཚན་མག་བཟང་པོ་་འ་བ། །
khyé kyi tsen chok zangpo chindrawa
And sublime marks of perfection

་འ་་ནར་བདག་སོགས་འར་བར་ཤོག །
déndra khonar dak sok gyurwar shok
Exactly like you.

ེད་ལ་བོད་ང་གསོལ་བ་བཏབ་པ་མས། །
khyé la tö ching solwa tabpé tü
Through the power of our praising you and this prayer,

བདག་སོགས་གང་ན་གནས་པ་ས་ོགས་། །
dak sok gang na népé sa chok su
In whatever lands we dwell, may

ནད་གདོན་དལ་ཕོངས་འཐབ་ོད་་བ་དང༌། །
né dön ulpong tabtsö shyiwa dang
Illness, negativity, poverty, and conflict be quelled,

ས་དང་བ་ས་འལ་བར་མཛད་་གསོལ། །
chö dang trashi pelwar dzé du sol
And Dharma and auspiciousness increase and spread.

ས་དང༌། ོ་ན།
If you have time, then recite ‘The Praise of the Twelve Acts of the The Buddha’ composed by the omniscient Jikmé

195
Lingpa:

༈ ན་མེན་འགས་ད་ིང་པ་གང་བ་པ་མཛད་པ་བ་གས་ི་བོད་པ་།

The Praise of the Twelve Acts of the Buddha

དགའ་བ་བ་ན་འ་ད་ོང་ེར་ནས། །
gawa gya den chimé drong khyer né
In the city of the immortal gods, in the heaven of Tuṣita,

ང་བ་མས་ི་དམ་པ་ཏོག་དཀར་པོ། །
changchub sem kyi dampa tok karpo
The bodhisattva, holy Śvetaketu, saw the vessel

་གས་ི་ག་ར་འན་པ་ོད། །
shakyé rik kyi tikler dzinpé nö
To contain the successor of the Śākya clan

་འལ་་མོ་་གས་ག་ཅན་ན། །
gyutrul lhamo ridak mikchen yin
Was the lady Māyādevī, her eyes of doe-like beauty.

འོད་ོང་ཤར་ི་་ལ་ཆས་པ་བན། །
ö tong shar gyi ri la chépa shyin
Like the splendour of a sunrise on a mountain’s eastern face,

མས་ི་་སར་བཞད་པ་ི་ཚལ། །
lhum kyi gesar shyépa lumbi tsal
She gave birth, a lotus opening in blossom, in the Lumbinī grove,

ཚངས་དང་དབང་པོས་ི་ས་མས་ས་ང༌། །
tsang dang wangpö si shyu dzé ché shing
Brahmā and Indra there to serve you, to tend you with all their grace;

ང་བ་གས་་ང་བན་ལ་ག་འཚལ། །
changchub rik su lungten la chak tsal
You who were prophesied into the lineage of enlightened ones, I bow to you in homage!

ལང་ཚོས་ེགས་པ་་གཞོན་་དས། །
langtsö drekpé shakya shyönnüi ü
Among the Śākya youths, vaunting their athletic physique,

་ལ་ག་་་བ་རོལ་ེད་མ། ། 196
་ལ་ག་་་བ་རོལ་ེད་མ། །
gyutsal drukchu tsashyi roltsé tu
You excelled in your prowess in the sixty four crafts;

ན་ིས་ོད་ལ་བད་ང་གས་པ་། །
kun gyi khyö la tü ching drakpa yi
All conceded victory and your renown

ེ་ད་མ་ས་ག་དང་་བར་ོགས། །
kyégüi namshé mik dang nawar dzok
Filled the eyes and ears of all.

འདོད་ེད་ཞགས་པས་གཞན་དབང་མ་ར་བན། །
dö sé shyakpé shyen wang magyur shyin
Never were you slave to the noose of craving and desire,

ཡབ་གག་དེས་ད་བན་མོ་་མ་ལ། །
yab chik gyé lé tsünmöi gyuma la
Yet to please your father, you married, but saw this illusion

་མ་་བས་བས་ནས་ལ་པོ་ཁབ། །
gyumé tawé té né gyalpöi khap
For the illusion that it was, ruling the kingdom all the while.

བངས་པས་དོན་ན་བ་ལ་ག་འཚལ། །
kyangpé dön kun drubpa la chak tsal
So you were known as Sarvārthasiddha: I bow to you in homage!

ན་་གཡོ་ང་འགས་པ་ལ་ིད་ི། །
shintu yo shying jikpa gyal si kyi
Though precarious, fraught with danger and with change,

གས་་དབང་་མ་ར་འགའ་ད་ང༌། །
chak kyüi wang du magyur gamé kyang
No-one was immune to the allure of the kingdom, save you.

ས་པར་འང་བ་ེན་བས་ེད་ི་གས། །
ngépar jungwé kyen shyi khyö kyi tuk
Your mind was captivated by the four encounters that caused renunciation,

ོགས་ནས་རང་ང་ད་ོང་ད་་བན། །
trok né rangjung gelong nyi du ten
And you ordained yourself, a self-originating bhikṣu.

བོན་འས་བས་ིས་་ངལ་་རར། ། 197
བོན་འས་བས་ིས་་ངལ་་རར། །
tsöndrü lap kyi mi ngal nairandzar
Your constant perseverance, never tiring, by the Nairañjanā river

དཀའ་བ་གང་བ་བཟོད་པ་ིང་ོབས་དང༌། །
katub dungwa zöpé nying tob dang
Gave you the strength of mind to bear the agony of austerities, and

ན་ོག་འལ་བ་འན་པ་བསམ་གཏན་ལ། །
kuntok dulwé dzinpé samten la
The concentration to keep on taming conceptual thought,

ོགས་བ་བ་གགས་དེས་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
chok chüi deshek gyé la chak tsal lo
Which delighted the sugatas of the ten directions: I bow to you in homage!

ངས་ད་གམ་ི་ིད་་མ་ག་ན། །
drangmé sum gyi si du nam rik kun
Through three incalculable aeons in samsaric existence,

ཚོགས་གས་ཐ་ས་བངས་པ་དོན་ཡོད་ིར། །
tsok nyi tagü chingpa dön yö chir
You sought the meaningful, by binding all your thoughts

ང་བ་ང་ང་བད་མས་ག་ས་ནས། །
changchub shing drung dünam trakché né
With the rope of accumulating merit and wisdom.

མན་པར་ོགས་སངས་་བ་ལ་ན་གས། །
ngönpar dzoksang gyawa gyal kun shi
Then, beneath the bodhi tree, you put the māras to flight,

འར་བ་གང་མཐའ་ད་པ་གཡང་ས་ལ། །
khorwa ting ta mépé yangsa la
And attained enlightenment, as all the buddhas do.

ག་པ་འོ་བ་འར་ལོ་གམ་ི་ས། །
gyukpé drowa khorlo sum gyi drü
On the ship of the three turnings of the Wheel of Dharma, you save

བལ་ནས་ཐར་པ་དང་་མ་མེན་ི། །
dral né tarpa dang ni namkhyen gyi
Beings who rush into saṃsāra’s bottomless and endless abyss,

་འཕང་བི་བ་ོད་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། ། 198
་འཕང་བི་བ་ོད་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
Gopāng triwa khyö la chak tsal lo
And ferry them to the perfect levels of liberation and omniscience: I bow to you in
homage!

ོག་ང་དོད་ང་ོམ་པ་ན་པ་ཆང༌། །
tok ching chö kyang dompa minpé chang
Through the magical power of your miracles in Śravastī,

འངས་པས་ས་གར་་ེགས་ོན་པ་ེ། །
tungpé ché zir mutek tönpé ché
You rendered speechless the tīrthika teachers who,

མཉན་་ཡོད་པ་་འལ་མས་བཅད་པས། །
nyen du yöpé chotrul tü chépé
With all their analysis and research, drunk on the wine of indulgence, had become
oppressive in the extreme.

ེངས་དང་ག་བིད་ཉམས་པ་་ག་ོགས། །
kyeng dang ziji nyampé choga dzok
In the final contest they were humbled, their prestige all drained away,

་འལ་ང་པ་བ་ལ་མག་ཐོབ་ོད། །
dzutrul kangpa shyi la chok top khyö
As you triumphed through the ‘the four bases of miraculous powers’.

ེ་་ན་འ་ཚོར་བ་་ོང་ཡང༌། །
kyé ga na chi tsorwa mi nyong yang
Though you never experienced the feelings of birth, old age, sickness and death,

ས་པར་ཕ་རོལ་འོ་འ་་མས་མས། །
ngépar parol dro di mi sem nam
To bring disillusion to those who never think on the certainty of death,

ོ་ད་་ངན་འདའ་ོན་ར་ག་འཚལ། །
kyo lé nyangenda tön der chak tsal
You displayed your passing into parinirvāṇa: I bow to you in homage!

བསོད་ནམས་ཉམ་ང་ར་པ་འོ་བ་མས། །
sönam nyam chung gyurpé drowa nam
As a device to let beings whose merit is weak or small

དཀར་པོ་ས་རབ་འལ་བ་ཚོང་ཟོང་། ། 199
དཀར་པོ་ས་རབ་འལ་བ་ཚོང་ཟོང་། །
karpöi chö rap pelwé tsong zong ni
Increase their practice of the positive and virtuous,

མཛད་པ་ད་པ་ང་བེལ་ཆ་བད་། །
dzépa mépé ringsel cha gyé du
You left relics, that were inexhaustible, in eight shares,

བཞག་ེ་ས་ི་དིངས་་གམས་པ་ར། །
shyak té chö kyi ying su zimpa tar
And you slept in the dharmadhātu. So, may I too

བདག་ང་ོགས་ིན་ངས་གམ་མཐར་ིན་ནས། །
dak kyang dzok min jang sum tarchin né
Bring perfecting, maturing and creating pure realms to completion,

ཁམས་གམ་ལས་འདས་འོག་ན་ན་པོ་། །
kham sum lé dé womin chenpo ru
Then in the great Akaniṣṭha, that transcends the three realms,

མན་པར་སངས་ས་ལ་པ་མཛད་པ་བས། །
ngönpar sangyé trulpé dzépa chü
Attain manifest buddhahood and through the ten acts displayed by a supreme emanation,

ན་མེན་ེད་དང་འོ་དོན་མཉམ་པར་ཤོག །
kun khyen khyé dang dro dön nyampar shok
Become your equal, omniscient one, in benefitting beings!

་ར་མཛད་བ་བོད་པ་ས་འིང་བས་པ་གང་ང་ས་ག །
You may choose whether to recite long, medium-length or short praises of the Acts of the Buddha.

༈ ཡང་བཟང་ོད་ཡན་ལག་བན་པ་ག་འཚལ་བ་།

Offering Homage and Prostration6

འཇམ་དཔལ་གཞོན་ར་ར་པ་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
jampal shyönnur gyurpa la chak tsal lo
Homage to Mañjuśrī, the youthful!

i. Prostration

་ེད་་དག་ོགས་བ་འག་ེན་ན། །
ji nyé su dak chok chüi jikten na
To all the buddhas, the lions of the human race,

ས་གམ་གགས་པ་་་ང་་ན། ། 200
ས་གམ་གགས་པ་་་ང་་ན། །
dü sum shekpa mi yi sengé kun
In all directions of the universe, through past and present and future:

བདག་ས་མ་ས་་དག་ཐམས་ཅད་ལ། །
dak gi malü dé dak tamché la
To every single one of you, I bow in homage;

ས་དང་ངག་ད་དང་བས་ག་བིའོ། །
lü dang ngak yi dangwé chak gyi o
Devotion fills my body, speech and mind.

བཟང་པོ་ོད་པ་ོན་ལམ་ོབས་དག་ས། །
zangpo chöpé mönlam top dak gi
Through the power of this prayer, aspiring to Good Action,

ལ་བ་ཐམས་ཅད་ད་ིས་མན་མ་། །
gyalwa tamché yi kyi ngön sum du
All the victorious ones appear, vivid here before my mind

ང་་ལ་ེད་ས་རབ་བད་པ་ས། །
shying gi dul nyé lü rap tüpa yi
And I multiply my body as many times as atoms in the universe,

ལ་བ་ན་ལ་རབ་་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
gyalwa kun la rap tu chak tsal lo
Each one bowing in prostration to all the buddhas.

ii. Offering

ལ་གག་ེང་ན་ལ་ེད་སངས་ས་མས། །
dul chik teng na dul nyé sangyé nam
In every atom preside as many buddhas as there are atoms,

སངས་ས་ས་ི་དས་ན་བགས་པ་དག །
sangyé sé kyi ü na shyukpa dak
And around them, all their bodhisattva heirs:

་ར་ས་ི་དིངས་མས་མ་ས་པ། །
détar chö kyi ying nam malüpa
And so I imagine them filling

ཐམས་ཅད་ལ་བ་དག་ས་གང་བར་མོས། །
tamché gyalwa dak gi gangwar mö
Completely the entire space of reality.

་དག་བགས་པ་་ཟད་་མཚོ་མས། ། 201
་དག་བགས་པ་་ཟད་་མཚོ་མས། །
dédak ngakpa mizé gyatso nam
Saluting them with an endless ocean of praise,

དངས་ི་ཡན་ལག་་མཚོ་་ན་ིས། །
yang kyi yenlak gyatsöi dra kun gyi
With the sounds of an ocean of different melodies

ལ་བ་ན་ི་ཡོན་ཏན་རབ་བོད་ང་། །
gyalwa kun gyi yönten rap jö ching
I sing of the buddhas’ noble qualities,

བ་བར་གགས་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་བདག་ས་བོད། །
déwar shekpa tamché dak gi tö
And praise all those who have gone to perfect bliss.

གས་པ་མད་པ་ཡན་ལག་།

2. Making Offerings

ན་ན་མས་་གང་བར་་བ་ིར། །
rinchen sem dé zungwar chawé chir
In order to hold this priceless jewel of a mind,

་བན་གགས་པ་མས་དང་དམ་པ་ས། །
déshyin shekpa nam dang dampé chö
I make offerings to the Tathāgatas,

དན་མག་ི་མ་ད་དང་སངས་ས་ས། །
könchok drima mé dang sangyé sé
To the sacred Dharma—that most rare and immaculate of jewels—

ཡོན་ཏན་་མཚོ་མས་ལ་གས་པར་མད། །
yönten gyamtso nam la lekpar chö
And to the buddhas’ heirs, whose noble qualities are without limit.

་ནས་མལ་འལ་བ་།

The 37 Point maṇḍala Offering

ༀ་བ་་་ཿྃ། །
om benza bhumi ah hung
oṃ vajrabhūmi āḥ hūṃ

ག་ཡོངས་་དག་པ་དབང་ན་གར་ི་ས་ག། ། 202
ག་ཡོངས་་དག་པ་དབང་ན་གར་ི་ས་ག། །
shyi yongsu dakpa wangchen ser gyi sashyi
The earth is the golden ground, completely pure, full of beauty and power.

ༀ་བ་་་ཿྃ། །
om benza rekhé ah hung
oṃ vajrarekhe āḥ hūṃ

ི་གས་་ར་ག་ས་བོར་བ་དས་་ྃ། །
chi chakri khoryuk gi korwé ü su hung
The circular iron mountain wall completely surrounds it; in the centre is the letter hūṃ—

་ལ་པོ་་རབ། །
ri gyalpo rirab
Meru, the king of mountains;

ཤར་ས་འཕགས་པོ། །ོ་འཛམ་་ིང༌། །
shar lüpakpo lho dzambuling
In the East is Pūrvavideha, in the South is Jambudvīpa,

བ་བ་ལང་ོད། །ང་་་ན། །
nub balangchö jang draminyen
In the West is Aparagodaniya, in the North is Uttarakuru.

ས་དང་ས་འཕགས། །་ཡབ་དང་་ཡབ་གཞན། །
lü dang lüpak ngayab dang ngayab shyen
Beside them are Deha and Videha, Cāmara and Aparacāmara,

གཡོ་ན་དང་ལམ་མག་འོ། །
yoden dang lamchok dro
Śāthā and Uttaramantriṇa,

་་ན་དང་་་ན་ི་། །
draminyen dang draminyen gyi da
Kurava and Kaurava.

ན་པོ་་་བོ། །དཔག་བསམ་ི་ང༌། །
rinpoche riwo paksam gyi shing
The jewel mountain, the wish-fulfilling trees,

འདོད་འ་བ། །མ་ོས་པ་ལོ་ཏོག །
döjöwa mamöpé lotok
The wish-fulfilling cows, the harvest which needs no sowing,

འར་ལོ་ན་པོ་། །ནོར་་ན་པོ་། ། 203

འར་ལོ་ན་པོ་། །ནོར་་ན་པོ་། །
khorlo rinpoche norbu rinpoche
The precious wheel, the precious gem,

བན་མོ་ན་པོ་། །ོན་པོ་ན་པོ་། །
tsünmo rinpoche lönpo rinpoche
The precious queen, the precious minister,

ང་པོ་ན་པོ་། །་མག་ན་པོ་། །
langpo rinpoche tachok rinpoche
The precious elephant, the precious horse,

དམག་དཔོན་ན་པོ་། །གར་ན་པོ་མ་པ། །
makpön rinpoche ter chenpö bumpa
The precious general, the Vase of Great Treasure,

ེག་པ་མ། །ེང་བ་མ། །
gekpama trengwama
The goddess of beauty, the goddess of garlands,

་མ། །གར་མ། །
luma garma
The goddess of song, the goddess of dance,

་ཏོག་མ། །བག་ོས་མ། །
metokma dukpöma
The goddess of flowers, the goddess of incense,

ང་གསལ་མ། །ི་ཆབ་མ། །
nangsalma drichabma
The goddess of light, the goddess of perfume,

་མ། །་བ། །ན་པོ་་གགས། །

nyima dawa rinpoche duk
The sun, the moon, the precious umbrella,

ོགས་ལས་མ་པར་ལ་བ་ལ་མཚན། །
chok lé nampar gyalwé gyaltsen
The royal banner victorious in all directions:

་དང་་དཔལ་འོར་ན་མ་ཚོགས་པ་མ་ཚང་བ་ད་པ་ 204
་དང་་དཔལ་འོར་ན་མ་ཚོགས་པ་མ་ཚང་བ་ད་པ་
lha dang mi paljor pünsum tsokpa matsangwa mepa
Here is all the bountiful wealth of gods and men, complete and flawless—

འ་ད་
dinyi
All this I offer

ིན་ཅན་་བ་དང་བད་པར་བཅས་པ་དཔལ་ན་་མ་དམ་པ་མས་དང་་དམ་ལ་བ་དིལ་
འར་ི་་ཚོགས་སངས་ས་དང་ང་བ་མས་དཔ་ཚོགས་དང་བཅས་པ་མས་ལ་འལ་བར་
བིའོ། །
drinchen tsawa dang gyüpar chépé palden lama dampa nam dang yidam gyalwé
kyilkhor gyi lha tsok sangyé dang changchub sempé tsok dang chépa nam la bulwar gyi
o
To the root lama in all his compassion, to the glorious, sacred lineage lamas, to the
victorious yidam deities and all the deities of their maṇḍalas, to the buddhas and all the
bodhisattvas.

གས་ེས་འོ་བ་དོན་་བས་་གསོལ། །
tukjé drowé döndu shyé su sol
Please accept it, with compassion, for the benefit of beings

བས་ནས་ིན་ིས་བབ་་གསོལ། །
shyé né jingyi lab tu sol
Having accepted it, please grant your blessing!

Short Maṇḍala Offering

ས་ག་ོས་ས་གས་ང་་ཏོག་བམ། །
sa shyi pö chü juk shing métok tram
The ground is purified with scented water and strewn with flowers.

་རབ་ིང་བ་་ས་བན་པ་འ། །
rirap ling shyi nyi dé gyenpa di
It is adorned with Sumeru, the king of mountains, the four quarters of the universe, and
the sun and the moon;

སངས་ས་ང་་དགས་་ལ་བ་ས། །
sangyé shying du mik té pulwa yi
Thinking of it as the blessed buddha-fields, I offer it.

འོ་ན་མ་དག་ང་ལ་ོད་པར་ཤོག ། 205
འོ་ན་མ་དག་ང་ལ་ོད་པར་ཤོག །
dro kun namdak shying la chöpar shok
By virtue of this offering, may all beings here and now attain the happiness of that pure
land!

ཾ་་་ར་མལ་་ཛ་་གྷ་ས་་་ས་པ་ར་ན་ས་མ་་ཿྃ།
tram guru ratna mandala pudza megha samudra saparana samayé ah hung
tram guru-ratna-maṇḍala-pūjā-megha-spharaṇa-samaye āḥ hūṃ

ས་་མ་འཕགས་པ་གས་དང༌། ོ་ན་ིང་ག་རང་གང་་གམ་མལ་།
This is according to the tradition of Lama Phakpa. If so desired, then the Three Kāya Maṇḍala Offering from the
Longchen Nyingtik can be recited:

The Three Kāya Maṇḍala Offering

ༀ་ཿྂ༔
om ah hung
Oṃ āḥ hūṃ

Nirmāṇakāya Maṇḍala Offering

ོང་གམ་འག་ེན་ེ་བ་ག་བ་ང༔
tong sum jikten chéwa trak gyé shying
One billion universes—a hundred times ten million worlds,7

ན་ན་་བན་་་འོར་པས་གཏམས༔
rinchen na dün lha mi jorpé tam
Filled with all the wealth of gods and human beings, like the ‘seven precious gems’, 8

བདག་ས་ལོངས་ོད་བཅས་པ་ཡོངས་འལ་ིས༔
dak lü longchö chépa yong bul gyi
My bodies, my possessions, and my sources of merit, all together, I offer them in their
entirety, so that

ས་ི་འར་ལོས་ར་བ་ིད་ཐོབ་ཤོག༔
chö kyi khorlo gyurwé si top shok
I may attain a nirmāṇakāya birth, to turn the wheel of Dharma, liberating all beings!

Saṃbhogakāya Maṇḍala Offering

འོག་ན་བ་ན་ག་པོ་བད་པ་ང༔
womin dechen tukpo köpé shying
The highest heaven of great bliss, the realm of Ghanavyūha,

ས་པ་་ན་གས་་ཚོམ་་ཅན༔ 206
ས་པ་་ན་གས་་ཚོམ་་ཅན༔
ngepa nga den rik ngé tsombu chen
Perfect with the five certainties9 and the maṇḍala of the five buddha families,

འདོད་ཡོན་མད་པ་ིན་ང་བསམ་ཡས་པ༔
dö yön chöpé trin pung samyepa
And inconceivably vast clouds of offerings of every variety of sensual and emotional
stimulants—

ལ་བས་ལོངས་་ང་ལ་ོད་པར་ཤོག༔
pulwé longkü shying la chöpar shok
With this offering, may I enjoy the perfection of the saṃbhogakāya fields!

Dharmakāya Maṇḍala Offering

ང་ིད་མ་དག་གཞོན་་མ་པ་༔
nangsi namdak shyönnu bumpé ku
Where all appearance and existence are completely pure from the very beginning—the
youthful vase body,

གས་ེ་མ་འགགས་ས་ད་རོལ་པ་ན༔
tukjé magak chö nyi rolpé gyen
Ornamented by the play of dharmatā, unceasing compassion,

་དང་ག་་འན་པ་མ་དག་ང༔
ku dang tiklé dzinpa namdak shying
The realm where all clinging to the perception of kāyas and tikles is naturally liberated—

ལ་བས་ས་་ང་ལ་ོད་པར་ཤོག༔
pulwé chö kü shying la chöpar shok
With this wisdom offering, may I enjoy the freedom of the dharmakāya reality!

ས་་གམ་མལ་འ་མ་བཏོན་ང་ཆད་ོན་་་འར་མ།
Even if you do not recite this Three Kāya Maṇḍala Offering, it does not constitute an error of omission.

གང་ར་ཡང་འདོད་གསོལ་
In any case, there come the prayers of aspiration for what is being requested:

ོན་ལམ་།

Aspirations

་གམ་ཡོངས་ོགས་་མ་ཚོགས་མས་ལ། །
ku sum yongdzok lamé tsoknam la
To all the masters, who have perfected the three kāyas,

207
ི་ནང་གསང་བ་་བན་ད་ིས་མད། །
chi nang sangwa déshyin nyi kyi chö
I make offerings outer, inner, secret and of suchness.

བདག་ས་ལོངས་ོད་ང་ིད་ཡོངས་བས་ནས། །
dak lü longchö nang si yongshyé né
Accept my bodies, my possessions and the whole universe,

་ད་མག་་དས་བ་ལ་་གསོལ། །
lamé chok gi ngödrup tsal du sol
And grant me the unexcelled supreme siddhi, I pray!

ས་དང༌།
And:

མས་ེད་མལ་བཟང་པོ་འ་འལ་བས། །
nyé ché mandal zangpo di bulwé
By offering this excellent maṇḍala which delights you,

ང་བ་ལམ་ལ་བར་ཆད་་འང་ང༌། །
changchub lam la barché minjung shying
May no obstacle occur on the path to enlightenment,

ས་གམ་བ་གགས་དངས་པ་ོགས་པ་དང༌། །
dü sum deshek gongpa tokpa dang
May I realize the wisdom mind of all the sugatas, past, present and future,

ིད་པར་་འལ་་བར་་གནས་ང༌། །
sipar mitrul shyiwar mi né shing
And, neither deluded in saṃsāra, nor dwelling in the peace of nirvāṇa,

ནམ་མཁའ་མཉམ་པ་འོ་མས་ོལ་བར་ཤོག །
namkha nyampé dro nam drolwar shok
May I liberate beings as limitless as space!

ས་དང༌། ་ནས།

ii. Offerings (continued)10

་ཏོག་དམ་པ་ེང་བ་དམ་པ་དང་། །
métok dampa trengwa dampa dang
To every buddha, I make offerings:

ལ་ན་མས་དང་ག་པ་གགས་མག་དང་། ། 208
ལ་ན་མས་དང་ག་པ་གགས་མག་དང་། །
silnyen nam dang chukpa dukchok dang
Of the loveliest flowers, of beautiful garlands,

མར་་མག་དང་བག་ོས་དམ་པ་ས། །
marmé chok dang dukpö dampa yi
Of music and perfumed ointments, the best of parasols,

ལ་བ་་དག་ལ་་མད་པར་བི། །
gyalwa dédak la ni chöpar gyi
The brightest lamps and finest incense.

ན་བཟའ་དམ་པ་མས་དང་ི་མག་དང་། །
naza dampa nam dang dri chok dang
To every buddha, I make offerings:

ེ་མ་ར་མ་་རབ་མཉམ་པ་དང་། །
chéma purma ri rap nyampa dang
Exquisite garments and the most fragrant scents,

བད་པ་ད་པར་འཕགས་པ་མག་ན་ིས། །
köpa khyépar pakpé chok kun gyi
Powdered incense, heaped as high as Mount Meru,

ལ་བ་་དག་ལ་་མད་པར་བི། །
gyalwa dé dak la ni chöpar gyi
Arranged in perfect symmetry.

མད་པ་གང་མས་་ད་་་བ། །
chöpa gang nam lamé gyachéwa
Then, offerings vast and unsurpassable

་དག་ལ་བ་ཐམས་ཅད་ལ་ཡང་མོས། །
dé dak gyalwa tamché la yang mö
I imagine I give to all the buddhas, and moved

བཟང་པོ་ོད་ལ་དད་པ་ོབས་དག་ས། །
zangpo chö la dépé top dak gi
By the power of my faith in Samantabhadra’s Good Actions—

ལ་བ་ན་ལ་ག་འཚལ་མད་པར་བི། ། 209
ལ་བ་ན་ལ་ག་འཚལ་མད་པར་བི། །
gyalwa kun la chak tsal chöpar gyi
I prostrate and make offering to all you victorious ones.

ས་འལ་བ་།

Offering Our Bodies

་མ་ལ་བ་ས་དང་བཅས་མས་ལ། །
lama gyalwa sé dang chénam la
To the master, to the buddhas and bodhisattvas,

བདག་་ོ་གམ་གཏན་་དལ་བར་བི། །
dak gi go sum tendu bulwar gyi
I offer my body, speech and mind at all times.

མས་དཔའ་མག་མས་བདག་་ཡོངས་བས་ག །
sempa choknam dak ni yongshyé shik
O supreme bodhisattvas, accept me completely!

ས་པས་ེད་ི་འབངས་་མ་བར་བི། །
güpé khyé kyi bang su chiwar gyi
In my devotion, my only wish is to be your servant.

བདག་་ེད་ིས་ཡོངས་་བང་བས་ན། །
dak ni khyé kyi yongsu zungwé na
For if you take me, fully, into your care,

ིད་ལ་་འགས་མས་ཅན་ཕན་པར་བི། །
si la mijik semchen penpar gyi
I will have no fear of saṃsāra, as I will be helping sentient beings.

ོན་ི་ིག་ལས་ཡང་དག་འདའ་བིད་ང༌། །
ngön gyi dik lé yangdak da gyi ching
All the harm I have done in the past is over and done;

ིག་པ་གཞན་ཡང་ན་ཆད་་བིད་དོ། །
dikpa shyenyang lenché mi gyé do
No further harm will I create from now on.

གམ་པ་ིག་པ་བཤགས་པ་ཡན་ལག་།
210
གམ་པ་ིག་པ་བཤགས་པ་ཡན་ལག་།

3. Confession of harm

་མ་ོ་ེ་འན་པ་ན་པོ་ལ་སོགས་པ་ོགས་བ་ན་བགས་པ་སངས་ས་དང་ང་བ་མས་
དཔའ་ཐམས་ཅད་བདག་ལ་དངས་་གསོལ།
lama dorjé dzinpa chenpo la sokpa chok chu na shyukpé sangyé dang changchub sempa
tamché la gong su sol
O lama, great vajra holder, all you buddhas and bodhisattvas who dwell in the ten
directions: turn your attention towards me, I pray!

བདག་ང་འ་ས་བི་བས་་འར་བ་ཐོག་མ་མ་ས་པ་ནས།
dak ming di...(insert your name)... shyé gyiwé tsé khorwa tokma machipa né
I, (...insert your name...) throughout time without beginning in saṃsāra until this moment
now,

ད་་ལ་ག་་བར་་ན་མོངས་པ་འདོད་ཆགས་དང༌། ་ང་དང༌།
data la tuk gi bardu nyönmongpa döchak dang shyédang dang
In the grip of negative emotions of attachment, aversion and stupidity,

ག་ག་་དབང་ས་ས་ངག་ད་གམ་ི་ོ་ནས་ིག་པ་་ད་བ་བ་བིས་པ་དང༌།
timuk gi wang gi lü ngak yi sum gyi goné dikpa migéwa chu gyipa dang
With my body speech and mind I have committed: the ten negative acts,

མཚམས་ད་པ་་བིས་པ་དང༌།
tsammépa nga gyipa dang
The five crimes with immediate retribution,

་དང་་བ་་བིས་པ་དང༌།
dé dang nyewar nga gyipa dang
And the five crimes almost as grave.

སོ་སོར་ཐར་པ་ོམ་པ་དང་འགལ་བ་དང༌།
sosor tarpé dompa dang galwa dang
I have broken the pratimokṣa vows,

ང་བ་མས་དཔ་བབ་པ་དང་འགལ་བ་དང༌། གསང་གས་ི་དམ་ག་དང་འགལ་བ་དང༌།
changchub sempé labpa dang galwa dang sangngak kyi damtsik dang galwa dang
The bodhisattva precepts and the samayas of the secret mantra yāna.

ཕ་དང་མ་ལ་མ་ས་པ་དང༌།
pa dang ma la magüpa dang
I have failed to respect my mother and father,

མཁན་པོ་དང་ོབ་དཔོན་ལ་མ་ས་པ་དང༌། 211
མཁན་པོ་དང་ོབ་དཔོན་ལ་མ་ས་པ་དང༌།
khenpo dang lobpön la magüpa dang
My preceptor and master,

ོགས་ཚངས་པ་མངས་པར་ོད་པ་མས་ལ་མ་ས་པ་དང༌།
drok tsangpa tsungpar chöpa nam la magüpa dang
And the members of my Saṅgha.

དན་མག་གམ་ལ་གནོད་པ་ལས་བིས་པ་དང༌།
könchok sum la nöpé lé gyipa dang
I have performed acts harmful to the Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha,

དམ་པ་ས་ངས་པ་དང༌།
dampé chö pangpa dang
Abandoned the sacred Dharma,

འཕགས་པ་ད་འན་ལ་ར་པ་བཏབ་པ་དང༌།
pakpé gendün la kurwa tabpa dang
Disdained the ārya Saṅgha,

མས་ཅན་ལ་གནོད་པ་ལས་བིས་པ་ལ་སོགས་པ་ིག་པ་་ད་བ་ཚོགས་བདག་ས་བིས་པ་
དང༌།
semchen la nöpé lé gyipa la sokpa dikpa migéwé tsok dak gi gyipa dang
And acted so as to harm sentient beings, and more. all these harmful and negative acts I
have committed,

བིད་་ལ་བ་དང༌།
gyi du tsalwa dang
Allowed to be committed

གཞན་ིས་བིས་པ་ལ་ེས་་་རང་བ་ལ་སོགས་པ་མདོར་ན་མཐོ་ས་དང་ཐར་པ་གས་་ར་
ང༌།
shyen gyipa la jésu yirangwa la sokpa dorna tori dang tarpé gek su gyur ching
Or rejoiced at others’ committing, in short all the downfalls and wrongdoings that will
obstruct me from attaining higher realms and liberation,

འར་བ་དང་ངན་སོང་་ར་ར་པ་ས་ང་་ཚོགས་་མས་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་་མ་ོ་ེ་འན་པ་
212
འར་བ་དང་ངན་སོང་་ར་ར་པ་ས་ང་་ཚོགས་་མས་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་་མ་ོ་ེ་འན་པ་
ན་པོ་ལ་སོགས་པ་ོགས་བ་ན་བགས་པ་སངས་ས་དང་ང་བ་མས་དཔའ་ཐམས་ཅད་ི་
ན་ར་མཐོལ་ལོ་བཤགས་སོ། །
khorwa dang ngensong gi gyur gyurpé nyé tung gi tsok chi chipa tamché lama dorjé
dzinpa chenpo la sokpa chok chu na shyukpé sangyé dang changchub sempa tamché
kyi chen ngar tol lo shakso
And will be the cause of saṃsāra and lower realms, whatever they may be, in their
entirety, in the presence of you, the lama, great vajra holder, and all the buddhas and
bodhisattvas who dwell in the ten directions, I openly acknowledge and purify them!

་ཆབ་བོ། །
michab bo
I do not hide them.

་ེད་དོ། །
mibé do
Nor do I conceal them.

ིན་ཆད་ོམ་པར་བིད་ལགས་སོ། །
chin ché dompar gyi lak so
From now on I vow never to commit them again!

མཐོལ་ང་བཤགས་ན་བདག་བ་བ་ལ་ག་པར་གནས་པར་འར་ི།
tol shying shak na dak déwa la rekpar népar gyur gyi
If I openly acknowledge and purify them, I shall attain the state of bliss;

མ་མཐོལ་མ་བཤགས་ན་་་འར་རོ། །
ma tol ma shak na ni mingyur ro
If I do not, that will never be.

ས་དང༌། ་ནས།
Then: 11

iii. Confession

འདོད་ཆགས་་ང་ག་ག་དབང་ས་། །
döchak shyédang timuk wang gi ni
Whatever negative acts I have committed,

ས་དང་ངག་དང་་བན་ད་ིས་ང་། །
lü dang ngak dang déshyin yi kyi kyang
While driven by desire, hatred and ignorance,

213
ིག་པ་བདག་ས་བིས་པ་་མས་པ། །
dikpa dak gi gyipa chi chipa
With my body, my speech and also with my mind,

་དག་ཐམས་ཅད་བདག་ས་སོ་སོར་བཤགས། །
dédak tamché dak gi sosor shak
Before you, I confess and purify each and every one.

ས་དང༌། བ་པ་ེས་་་རང་སོགས་ཡན་ལག་ག་མ་བ་།

4. The Remaining Four Branches12

iv. Rejoicing

ོགས་བ་ལ་བ་ན་དང་སངས་ས་ས། །
chok chüi gyalwa kun dang sangyé sé
With a heart full of delight, I rejoice at all the merits

རང་ལ་མས་དང་ོབ་དང་་ོབ་དང་། །
ranggyal nam dang lop dang milop dang
Of buddhas and bodhisattvas,

འོ་བ་ན་ི་བསོད་ནམས་གང་ལ་ཡང་། །
drowa kun gyi sönam gang la yang
Pratyekabuddhas, those in training and the arhats beyond training,

་དག་ན་ི་ེས་་བདག་་རང་། །
dé dak kun gyi jésu dak yirang
And every living being, throughout the entire universe.

v. Imploring the Buddhas to Turn the Wheel of Dharma

གང་མས་ོགས་བ་འག་ེན་ོན་མ་མས། །
gang nam chok chüi jikten drönma nam
You who are like beacons of light shining through the worlds,

ང་བ་མ་པར་སངས་ས་མ་ཆགས་བེས། །
changchub rimpar sangyé machak nyé
Who passed through the stages of enlightenment, to attain buddhahood, freedom from all
attachment,

མན་པོ་་དག་བདག་ས་ཐམས་ཅད་ལ། །
gönpo dédak dak gi tamché la
I urge you: all of you protectors,

འར་ལོ་་ན་ད་པར་བོར་བར་བལ། ། 214
འར་ལོ་་ན་ད་པར་བོར་བར་བལ། །
khorlo lanamépar korwa kul
Turn the unsurpassable wheel of Dharma.

vi. Requesting the Buddhas not to Enter nirvāṇa

་ངན་འདའ་ོན་གང་བད་་དག་ལ། །
nyangen da tön gang shyé dédak la
Joining my palms together, I pray

འོ་བ་ན་ལ་ཕན་ང་བ་བ་ིར། །
drowa kun la pen shying déwé chir
To you who intend to pass into nirvāṇa—

བལ་པ་ང་་ལ་ེད་བགས་པར་ཡང་། །
kalpa shying gi dul nyé shyukpar yang
Remain, for aeons as many as the atoms in this world,

བདག་ས་ཐལ་མོ་རབ་ར་གསོལ་བར་བི། །
dak gi talmo rapjar solwar gyi
And bring well-being and happiness to all living beings.

vii. Dedication

ག་འཚལ་བ་དང་མད་ང་བཤགས་པ་དང་། །
chak tsalwa dang chö ching shakpa dang
What little virtue I have gathered through my homage,

ེས་་་རང་བལ་ང་གསོལ་བ་། །
jésu yirang kul shying solwa yi
Through offering, confession, and rejoicing,

ད་བ་ང་ཟད་བདག་ས་་བསགས་པ། །
géwa chungzé dak gi chi sakpa
Through exhortation and prayer—all of it

ཐམས་ཅད་བདག་ས་ང་བ་ིར་བོའོ། །
tamché dak gi changchub chir ngo o
I dedicate to the enlightenment of all beings!

215
Training the Mind in the Four Immeasurables

མས་ཅན་ཐམས་ཅད་བ་བ་དང་བ་བ་་དང་ན་པར་ར་ག
ma namkha dang nyampé semchen tamché dewa dang dewé gyu dang denpar gyur chik
May all mother-like sentient beings, as limitless as space, enjoy happiness and the causes
of happiness!

ག་བལ་དང་ག་བལ་ི་་དང་ལ་བར་ར་ག
ma namkha dang nyampé dukngal dang dukngal gyi gyu dang dralwar gyur chik
May all mother-like sentient beings, as limitless as space, be free from suffering and the
causes of suffering!

ག་བལ་ད་པ་བ་བ་དམ་པ་དང་་ལ་བར་ར་ག
ma namkha dang nyampé dukngal mepé dewa dampa dang midralwar gyur chik
May all mother-like sentient beings, as limitless as space, never be apart from the sacred
happiness devoid of suffering!

་ང་ཆགས་ང་གས་དང་ལ་བ་བཏང་ོམས་ཚད་ད་པ་ལ་གནས་པར་ར་ག
ma namkha dang nyampé nyering chakdang nyi dang dralwé tangnyom tsemepa la
nepar gyur chik
May all mother-like sentient beings, as limitless as space, dwell in boundless equanimity,
which is free from attachment to some and aversion to others!
3 times

Giving Away of the Three Bases of Clinging

ས་དང་་བན་ལོངས་ོད་དང་། །
lü dang déshyin longchö dang
My bodies and likewise my possessions

ས་གམ་ད་བ་དས་པོ་མས། །
dü sum géwé ngöpo nam
And all my merits, past, present and future,

མས་ཅན་ན་ི་དོན་ི་ིར། །
semchen kun gyi dön gyi chir
I give them all away, withholding not a thing,

ཕངས་པ་ད་པར་བཏང་བར་། །
pangpa mépar tangwar ja
To bring about the benefit of sentient beings. 13

་ནས་དངས་གསོལ་ོན་་འོ་བ་།
216
་ནས་དངས་གསོལ་ོན་་འོ་བ་།

The Preliminary Prayer for Requesting the Attention of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas
and Teachers

ོགས་བ་ན་བགས་པ་སངས་ས་བམ་ན་འདས་ཐམས་ཅད་དང༌། །
chok chu na shyukpé sangyé chomdendé tamché dang
All you buddhas who dwell in the ten directions

ས་བ་ལ་གནས་པ་ང་བ་མས་དཔའ་ན་པོ་མས་དང༌། །
sa chu la népé changchub sempa sempa chenpo nam dang
All you great bodhisattvas on the ten levels,

་མ་ོ་ེ་འན་པ་ན་པོ་མས་བདག་ལ་དངས་་གསོལ། །
lama dorjé dzinpa chenpo nam dak la gong su sol
All you great teachers, the vajra-holders, turn your mind towards me, I pray!

II. The Main Part

ས་དང༌། ་ནས་དས་ག་ོན་འག་བས་གག་་ང་བ་།

Taking the Vows of bodhicitta in Aspiration and Action Combined

ང་བ་ིང་པོར་མས་ི་བར། །
changchub nyingpor chi kyi bar
Until I realize the essence of enlightenment,

སངས་ས་མས་ལ་བས་་མ། །
sangyé nam la kyab su chi
I take refuge in the buddhas,

ས་དང་ང་བ་མས་དཔའ་། །
chö dang changchub sempa yi
And likewise in the Dharma,

ཚོགས་ལའང་་བན་བས་་མ། །
tsok la ang déshyin kyab su chi
And the assembly of bodhisattvas. 14
3 times

་ར་ོན་ི་བ་གགས་ིས། །
jitar ngön gyi déshek kyi
Just as the sugatas of former times

ང་བ་གས་་ེད་པ་དང༌། ། 217
ང་བ་གས་་ེད་པ་དང༌། །
changchub tuk ni kyépa dang
Aroused the bodhicitta

ང་བ་མས་དཔ་བབ་པ་ལ། །
changchub sempé labpa la
And established themselves by stages

་དག་མ་བན་གནས་པ་ར། །
dédak rimshyin népa tar
In the training of a bodhisattva,

་བན་འོ་ལ་ཕན་དོན་། །
déshyin dro la pen döndu
Just so, for the benefit of beings

ང་བ་མས་་བེད་བི་ང༌། །
changchub sem ni kyé gyi shying
I will arouse bodhicitta

་བན་་་བབ་པ་ལའང༌། །
déshyin du ni labpa la ang
And likewise I will train

མ་པ་བན་་བབ་པར་བི། །
rimpa shyin du labpar gyi
Progressively in those disciplines.15
3 times

ས་ེལ་བ་ལན་གམ་ིས་མས་བེད་ངས་ལ། མག་་གངས་བོད་ང་དགའ་བ་བོམ་པ་།
On reciting this all the way through three times, we will have taken the vow of arousing the bodhicitta. At the end
comes the meditation on encouragement and rejoicing:

ང་ས་བདག་་འས་་ཡོད། །
dengdü dak tsé drébu yö
Today, my birth has been fruitful

་་ིད་པ་གས་པར་ཐོབ། །
mi yi sipa lekpar top
I have well obtained a human existence.

་ང་སངས་ས་གས་་ེས། ། 218
་ང་སངས་ས་གས་་ེས། །
déring sangyé rik su kyé
Today I am born into the family of the buddhas:

སངས་ས་ས་་ད་ར་ཏོ། །
sangyé sé su da gyur to
I have become a son or daughter of the buddhas. 16

ད་་བདག་ས་་ནས་ང༌། །
da ni dak gi chi né kyang
From now on, at all costs, I will perform

གས་དང་མན་པ་ལས་བམས་། །
rik dang tünpé lé tsam té
The actions befitting to my family.

ོན་ད་བན་པ་གས་འ་ལ། །
kyön mé tsünpé rik di la
I will not be a stain

ོག་པར་་འར་་ར་། །
nyokpar mingyur détar ja
On this faultless noble family.17

ལོང་བས་ག་དར་ང་པོ་ལས། །
longwé chak dar pungpo lé
Just like a blind person

་ར་ན་ན་ེད་པ་ར། །
ji tar rinchen nyépa tar
Happening upon a priceless jewel in a heap of rubbish,

་བན་་ག་ར་ེས་ན། །
déshyin jishyik tar té né
So, through some fortunate coincidence,

ང་བ་མས་་བདག་ལ་ེས། །
changchub sem ni dak la kyé
The bodhicitta has been born in me.18

ས་དང༌།

219
And:

བདག་་་ང་ོབ་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་ི། །
dak gi déring kyobpa tamché kyi
Today, in the presence of all the protectors,

ན་ར་འོ་བ་བ་གགས་ད་དང་། །
chen ngar drowa déshek nyi dang ni
I invite all beings to the state of sugata,

བར་་བ་ལ་མོན་་བོས་ན་ིས། །
bardu dé la drön du bö zin gyi
And, meanwhile, to happiness and bliss:

་དང་་ན་ལ་སོགས་དགའ་བར་ིས། །
lha dang lhamin lasok gawar gyi
Gods, asuras and others—rejoice!19

ས་དང༌། ོན་ལམ་ི་མ་པ་།

The Series of Aspiration Prayers

ང་བ་མས་མག་ན་པོ་། །
changchub sem chok rinpoché
O sublime and precious bodhicitta,

མ་ེས་པ་མས་ེ་ར་ག །
makyépa nam kyé gyur chik
May it arise in those in whom it has not arisen;

ེས་པ་ཉམས་པ་ད་པ་དང༌། །
kyépa nyampa mépa yang
May it never decline where it has arisen,

ང་ནས་ང་་འལ་བར་ཤོག །
gong né gong du pelwar shok
But go on increasing further and further!

ང་བ་མས་དང་་འལ་ང༌། །
changchub sem dang mi dral shying
May they not be separated from bodhicitta,

ང་བ་ོད་ལ་གཞོལ་བ་དང༌། ། 220
ང་བ་ོད་ལ་གཞོལ་བ་དང༌། །
changchub chö la shyölwa dang
But be always inclined to enlightened action:

སངས་ས་མས་ིས་ཡོངས་བང་ང༌། །
sangyé nam kyi yongzung shying
May they be cared for by the buddhas, and

བད་ི་ལས་མས་ོང་བར་ཤོག །
dü kyi lé nam pongwar shok
May they abandon harmful action.

ས་དང༌།
And:

ང་བ་མས་དཔའ་མས་ིས་། །
changchub sempa nam kyi ni
May the bodhisattvas’ good wishes

འོ་དོན་གས་ལ་དངས་འབ་ཤོག །
dro dön tuk la gong drup shok
For benefitting beings be fulfilled.

མན་པོ་ས་་གང་དངས་པ། །
gönpo yi ni gang gongpa
Whatever the protectors have intended for them:

མས་ཅན་མས་ལ་བ་འོར་ཤོག །
semchen nam la dé jor shok
May sentient beings receive it.

མས་ཅན་ཐམས་ཅད་བ་དང་ན་ར་ག །
semchen tamché dé dang den gyur chik
May all sentient beings be happy.

ངན་འོ་ཐམས་ཅད་ག་་ོངས་པར་ཤོག །
ngendro tamché taktu tongpar shok
May all the lower realms be forever empty.

ང་བ་མས་དཔའ་གང་དག་སར་བགས་པ། །
changchub sempa gang dak sar shyukpa
May the aspirations of all the bodhisattvas

་དག་ན་ི་ོན་ལམ་འབ་པར་ཤོག ། 221
་དག་ན་ི་ོན་ལམ་འབ་པར་ཤོག །
dé dak kun gyi mönlam drubpar shok
Of the various bhūmis be fulfilled!

III. Conclusion

ེས་འེལ་་ལ་ིམས་མ་དག་་གངས་འདོན་པ་།

Recitation of the Dhāraṇī of Pure Discipline

་བན་གགས་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
déshyin shekpa tamché la chaktsal lo
Homage to all the Tathāgatas!

ང་བ་མས་དཔའ་མས་དཔའ་ན་པོ་འཕགས་པ་ན་རས་གགས་དབང་ག་ལ་ག་འཚལ་
ལོ། །
changchub sempa sempa chenpo pakpa chenrézik wangchuk la chaktsal lo
Homage to the bodhisattva, the mahāsattva, the noble Lord Avalokiteśvara!

ༀ་་མོ་གྷ་ི་ལ། ་བྷ་ར་་བྷ་ར། བྷ་ར་བྷ་ར། མ་་ས་པ་་་་ཏ་་ཛ། དྷ་ར་དྷ་ར། ས་

མ། ཨ་ཝ་ལོ་་་ྃ་ཕཊ་་།
om amogha shila sambhara sambhara bhara bhara maha shuddha satva padma
vibhushita bhudza dhara dhara samanta awalokite hung pé soha
oṃ amoghaśīla saṃvara vara vara mahā-śuddha-sattva-padma-vibhūṣita-puja-dhara-
dhara-samanta-avalokite hūṃ phaṭ svāhā

ལན་གམ་མམ་བན་བོད་དོ། །
3 or 7 times

་ནས་ོན་ལམ་ི་མ་པ་།

Aspiration Prayers

བདག་སོགས་མས་ཅན་ཐམས་ཅད་ི་ད་ལ་ལ་ིམས་ི་ཕ་རོལ་་ིན་པ་ས་མས་ཡོངས་་
ོགས་པར་ར་ག །
dak sok semchen tamché kyi gyü la tsultrim kyi paroltu chinpé chönam yongsu dzokpar
gyur chik
May all aspects of the pāramitā of discipline be perfected completely within the minds of
all sentient beings, including me.

ན་མོངས་པས་ལ་ིམས་འཆལ་བ་ལས་ང་བ་ིག་པ་དང་ིབ་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་ང་ང་དག་པར་
222
ན་མོངས་པས་ལ་ིམས་འཆལ་བ་ལས་ང་བ་ིག་པ་དང་ིབ་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་ང་ང་དག་པར་
ར་ག །
nyönmongpé tsultrim chalwa lé jungwé dikpa dang dribpa tamché jang shying dakpar
gyur chik
May all the harmful actions and obscurations caused by breakages in discipline due to
negative emotions be cleansed and purified.

འཕགས་པ་དེས་པ་ལ་ིམས་ི་ལ་བ་དང་ན་པར་ར་ག །
pakpa gyépé tsultrim kyi kalpa dang denpar gyur chik
May I possess the good fortune to practise discipline that pleases the noble ones.

ན་མོངས་པས་་བི་བར་མ་པར་ོལ་བ་བ་བ་ལ་ག་པར་གནས་པར་ར་ག །
nyönmongpé midziwar nampar drolwé déwa la rekpar népar gyur chik
May I attain the bliss of complete liberation, that is free from the oppression of negative
emotions.

ས་དང༌།
And:

ིམས་ི་ལ་ིམས་ོན་ད་ང༌། །
trim kyi tsultrim kyönmé ching
May my discipline be free from any flaw,

ལ་ིམས་མས་པར་དག་དང་ན། །
tsultrim nampar dak dang den
May my discipline be completely pure,

ོམ་མས་ད་པ་ལ་ིམས་ིས། །
lomsem mépé tsultrim kyi
With discipline devoid of complacent pride,

ལ་ིམས་ཕ་རོལ་ིན་ོགས་ཤོག །
tsultrim parol chin dzok shok
May I complete the pāramitā of discipline.

ས་དང༌།
And:

ལ་བ་ན་ི་ེས་་ོབ་ར་། །
gyalwa kun gyi jésu lobgyur té
Following in all the buddhas’ footsteps,

བཟང་པོ་ོད་པ་ཡོངས་་ོགས་ེད་ང༌། །
zangpo chöpa yongsu dzokché ching
May I bring Good actions to full perfection;

223
ལ་ིམས་ོད་པ་ི་ད་ཡོངས་དག་པ། །
tsultrim chöpa drimé yong dakpa
May my conduct and discipline be flawless and pure,

ག་་མ་ཉམས་ོན་ད་ོད་པར་ཤོག །
taktu manyam kyönmé chöpar shok
May it never fail me or be at fault.

ས་དང༌།
And:

གཞན་གནོད་གར་བཅས་ོང་ལ་མས་པ་མས། །
shyen nö shyir ché pong la gompé tü
Through the power of training to abandon both harming others and the attitude behind it,

ི་ལམ་ན་ཡང་ིག་མས་་འང་ང༌། །
milam na yang dik sem minjung shying
May the thought of doing harm arise not even in my dreams;

ང་བ་མས་དང་ནམ་ཡང་་འལ་བ། །
changchub sem dang nam yang mi dralwé
May everything be auspicious for me to have that perfect discipline,

ལ་ིམས་ན་མ་ཚོགས་པ་བ་ས་ཤོག །
tsultrim punsum tsokpé trashi shok
Which never diverges from the altruistic mind of bodhicitta!

ས་བོད་པར་འོ། །
224
ས་བོད་པར་འོ། །

Afterword

ས་པའང་འཕགས་མག་ག་བལ་རང་ོལ་་་་ལ་གས་པ་མེན་ོགས་འཕགས་ལ་ི་ོབ་དཔོན་ན་པོ་་
བ་་དང་མ་དེར་མ་མས་པ་་དཔལ་ད་ལ་་་ན་འགས་ད་ས་ི་དབང་པོ་གང་ན་་་བ་
བན། གས་ས་མས་དཔའ་ན་པོ་ང་ོགས་བན་པ་་མ་ལས་མ་པར་བད། ེ་བན་་མ་འོད་གསལ་
ན་ན་ིང་པོ་པ་ལས་འེལ་ལ་ི་་ན་དཔལ་ལ་པ་ནོར་་མག་ལ་བ་བན་ས་ི་ང་པོས་གདན་ས་
བ་་དན་་ོང་ིང་་གམ་་ག་མས་ན་ག་་པར་བན་མཛད་པ་ད་་དག་མ་བ་ཁར་འདོན་་ཕལ་
ར་སོགས་ངས་་བ་ས་པས། ན་ིས་ཤར་འདོན་་བ་བར་བེན་དས་དབང་ས་་་་དག་དང་སོགས་
ངས་མས་ནག་འོས་་བད། ག་ང་གསལ་ེད་ིས་ང་བན་་འག་བ་བར་་ལ་སངས་ས་ོ་ེས་
ཟད་ེད་ས་་ས་བད་ད་བ་ལ་ས་ལ་པ་ཚལ་ི་བ་པ་ོང་་ར་བ་་་པ་་ོ་གསལ་ཨ་་ཡས་
བིས་པ་ད་གས་འལ། །
This arrangement of the Bodhisattva vow is according to the tradition of Patrul Rinpoche—Dza Palge Tulku, Orgyen
Chökyi Wangpo—who was no different from that great learned and realized ācārya Śāntideva from the holy land
of India, a manifestation in human form of the sublime, noble Avalokiteśvara, ‘The Self Liberation of Suffering’. It
was handed down in succession by Patrul Rinpoche’s heart son, the great being Nyoshul Lungtok Tenpé Nyima, to
Jetsün Lama Ösel Rinchen Nyingpo Pema Ledrel Tsal— Khenpo Ngakchung—whose great disciple was the supreme
incarnation of Palyul Pema Norbu, Thubten Chökyi Langpo. At his seat the Dago monastery, he sponsored its
printing along with the rituals of the three roots of Longchen Nyingtik. However the corrections were incomplete
and in the text there were generally many abbreviations of the style ‘...and so on’, with the result that not everyone
found it easy to recite. Because of this need, the corrections were made, the abbreviations filled out, and it was
arranged so it could be read straight through, with rubrics added for clarification. It was edited by Chatral Sangye
Dorje in the Male Fire Tiger year (1986) on the virtuous eighth day of the fourth month in the practice centre of
Lotus Grove in Nepal. The calligrapher was Losal Abhaya. May virtue and goodness abound!

Several verses translated by Nalanda Translation Committee. Rest by Rigpa Translations 2001.

1. ↑ From the sūtra: Recalling the Qualities of the Three Jewels

2. ↑ From the Zangchö Mönlam

3. ↑ by Nāgārjuna

4. ↑ Tib. ‘khor mo ‘jig. According to Sakya Paṇḍita’s Gateway to Learning (mkhas ‘jug), this is an
alternative name of Vārāṇasī.

5. ↑ by Ārya Śūra

6. ↑ from the Seven Branches in the Zangchö Mönlam, Samantabhadra’s ‘Aspiration to Good Actions’

7. ↑ Literally, ‘A third-order thousand world system’. See Myriad Worlds, Jamgön Kongtrul Lodro Thaye,
Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications, 1995, pp. 102-3.

8. ↑ e seven jewels of royal power (ལ་ིད་ན་ན་་བན་ Skt. saptaratna), the aributes of the universal
monarch (Cakravartin) are: i) the precious golden wheel, ii) the precious wish-fulfilling jewel, iii) the
precious queen, iv) the precious minister, v) the precious elephant, vi) the precious horse, and vii) the
precious general (or householder). See Buddhist Symbols, Dagyab Rinpoche, Boston: Wisdom, 1995, pp.

225
 65-83.

9. ↑ The five certainties or perfections are the certain or perfect: teacher, teaching, place, disciples and
time.

10. ↑ from the Seven Branches in Samantabhadra’s ‘Aspiration to Good Actions’

11. ↑ from the Seven Branches in Samantabhadra’s ‘Aspiration to Good Actions’

12. ↑ from the Seven Branches in Samantabhadra’s ‘Aspiration to Good Actions’

13. ↑ from the Bodhicaryāvatāra, III.11

14. ↑ from the Bodhicaryāvatāra, II.26

15. ↑ from the Bodhicaryāvatāra, III.23-24

16. ↑ from the Bodhicaryāvatāra, III.26

17. ↑ from the Bodhicaryāvatāra, III.27

18. ↑ from the Bodhicaryāvatāra, III.28

19. ↑ from the Bodhicaryāvatāra, III.34

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༄༅། །འཇམ་དངས་བ་ཐབས་བས་པ།

A Brief Mañjuśrī Sādhana

by Patrul Rinpoche

བས་འོ་།
Taking refuge:

སངས་ས་ས་དང་ཚོགས་ི་མག་མས་ལ། །
sangye chö dang tsok kyi chok nam la
In the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly

ང་བ་བར་་བདག་་བས་་མ། །
changchub bardu dak ni kyab su chi
I take refuge until I attain enlightenment.

བདག་ས་ིན་སོགས་བིས་པ་བསོད་ནམས་ིས། །
dak gi jin sok gyipé sönam kyi
Through the merit of practising generosity and so on,

འོ་ལ་ཕན་ིར་སངས་ས་འབ་པར་ཤོག །
dro la pen chir sangye drubpar shok
May I attain buddhahood for the benefit of all beings.

ལན་གམ། མས་བེད་།
Repeat three times. Then for generating bodhicitta:

མས་ཅན་ཐམས་ཅད་བ་བ་དང་བ་བ་་དང་ན་པར་ར་ག
semchen tamché dewa dang dewé gyu dang denpar gyur chik
May all sentient beings enjoy happiness and the causes of happiness!

ག་བལ་དང་ག་བལ་ི་་དང་ལ་བར་ར་ག
dukngal dang dukngal gyi gyu dang dralwar gyur chik
May they be free from suffering and the causes of suffering!

ག་བལ་ད་པ་བ་བ་དང་་འལ་བར་ར་ག
dukngal mepé dewa dang mindralwar gyur chik
May they never be separated from the sacred happiness devoid of suffering!

་ང་ཆགས་ང་གས་དང་ལ་བ་བཏང་ོམ་ཚད་ད་པ་ལ་གནས་པར་ར་ག
nyering chakdang nyi dang dralwé tang nyom tsemepa la nepar gyur chik
And may they dwell in boundless equanimity that is free from attachment and aversion!

ལན་གམ།

227
Repeat three times. Then:

ༀ་་་ཝ་་ས་དྷཿ་་ཝ་ོ་།
om sobhawa shuddha sarwa dharma sobhawa shuddho ham
oṃ svabhāva śuddhāḥ sarvadharmāḥ svabhāva śuddho ‘haṃ

ོང་པ་ངང་ལས་པ་་བ་ེང་། །
tongpé ngang lé pema dawé teng
Out of the state of emptiness, upon a lotus and moon disk

རང་མས་ིཿལས་བདག་ད་འཇམ་དཔལ་དངས། །
rang sem dhi lé daknyi jampel yang
Appears my own mind as dhīḥ, from which Mañjughoṣa arises,

དམར་ར་ག་གས་རལ་ི་་ི་བམས། །
mar ser chak nyi reldri puti nam
Orange in colour, with two hands holding a sword and volume of text.

ན་ན་དར་ས་ིས་ས་ོར་དིལ་བགས། །
rin gyen dar gö kyi tré dor kyil shyuk
He wears jewel ornaments and silken garments and is seated in the vajra posture.

གས་ཀར་་ེང་ིཿམཐར་གས་ེང་ལས། །
tukkar da teng dhi tar ngak treng lé
At his heart, upon a moon disk, is dhīḥ surrounded by the mantra garland,

འོད་འོས་ིབ་གསལ་ས་རབ་ང་བ་ས། །
ö trö drip sal sherab nangwa gyé
From which light radiates, clearing obscurations and expanding wisdom’s radiance.

ༀ་ཨ་ར་པ་ཙ་ན་ིཿ
om a ra pa tsa na dhi
oṃ arapacana dhīḥ

སོགས་་ས་བས། མཚན་བོད་འདོན་ང་ད་བ་བོ།
Repeat the mantra as many times as possible. Recite Chanting the Names of Mañjuśrī and dedicate the merit. Then
pray with:

བེ་ན་ེད་ི་མེན་རབ་འོད་ར་ིས། །
tseden khyé kyi khyen rab özer gyi
With all of your kindness and love, let your wisdom’s shining light

བདག་ོ་ག་ག་ན་པ་རབ་བསལ་ནས། །
dak lö timuk münpa rabsal né
Clear the darkness of my ignorance, once and for all.

བཀའ་དང་བན་བས་གང་གས་ོགས་པ་། ། 228
བཀའ་དང་བན་བས་གང་གས་ོགས་པ་། །
ka dang tenchö shyung luk tokpa yi
Grant me, I pray, the intelligence, the brilliance

ོ་ོས་ོབས་པ་ང་བ་ལ་་གསོལ། །
lodrö pobpé nangwa tsal du sol
To understand the scriptures—both the Word and the treatises.

ི་ང་ས་ིས་པའོ།།
Written by the one named Śrī.

| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2018.

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The Special Teaching of the Wise and Glorious King
by Patrul Rinpoche

The Commentary
Homage to the incomparable lord of compassion, my root master, in all his kindness!

In order to explain, in a few crucial points, how to take to heart the practice of view,
meditation and action, first of all, as the lama embodies completely the Buddha,
Dharma and Saṅgha simply to pay homage to him alone is to pay homage to all
sources of refuge everywhere. And so: “Homage to the master!”

Now for the main subject: If you take the practice to heart, while recognizing that the
root and lineage masters are all inseparable from the true nature of your mind, this
embodies the actual practice of view, meditation and action. So view, meditation and
action are explained here by relating them to the meaning of the root and lineage
masters’ names.

First, the View is the realization that all the infinite appearances (rabjam) of saṃsāra
and nirvāṇa, in their entirety, are perfectly contained and by nature equal within the
all-encompassing space of the vast expanse (longchen) of buddha nature, which is the
true nature of reality, free from any elaboration or complexity. And so: “The view is
Longchen Rabjam: infinite, vast expanse”.

This view of the freedom from all elaboration is realized conclusively with the
wisdom (khyen) that is the insight of vipaśyanā; and to rest evenly and one-pointedly
in that state of śūnyatā, without ever separating from the skilful means of the
śamatha of loving compassion (tsé), is the meditation that unites emptiness and
compassion. So, “Meditation is Khyentse Özer: rays of wisdom and love”.

Action is to be imbued with such a view and meditation and then to practise the six
perfections so as to benefit others, in keeping with the ways of the bodhisattvas, “the
new shoots of the buddhas”. So, “Action is Gyalwé Nyugu, that of the
bodhisattvas”.

To show how fortunate is the person who practises such view, meditation and action,
“One who practises in such a way,”

Those who are able to seclude themselves in an isolated retreat, put aside the worldly
cares and activities of this life and practise single-mindedly, will gain liberation—in
their very lifetime—in the ground of primordial purity. So, “May well attain
enlightenment in this very life”.

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And in the next life you will go from happiness to happiness. So, “And even if not,
what happiness! What joy! A la la!”

In order to explain, step by step, such a beneficial view, meditation and action, first I
wish to set out at greater length how to take to heart and practise the view. And “As
for the view, Longchen Rabjam,”

The entire meaning of this is imparted in this advice on the three statements, for
when they strike the vital point of practice, delusion is put to death. So: “Three
statements strike the vital point”.

I. Introducing Directly the Face of Rigpa Itself

First is the method of introducing the view that has not yet been revealed. Generally
speaking, there are many ways of bringing the view to realization. In the sūtrayāna
path of dialectics the method of lung rig is employed; that is, using the scriptural
authority of the teaching of Buddha and the great masters, and through logic and
reasoning, arriving at the realization of the view.

According to the common approach of Secret Mantrayāna, by means of the wisdom

of example in the third empowerment, one is introduced to the real, ultimate wisdom
in the fourth empowerment. Here, according to the special approach of the great
masters of the practice lineage, the nature of mind, the face of rigpa, is introduced in
and upon the very dissolution of conceptual mind.

Amidst the churning waves of delusory thinking, the gross arising thoughts which
run after the objects of perception obscure the actual face of mind’s true nature. So
even if it were introduced, you would not recognize it. Therefore, in order to allow
these gross discursive thoughts to settle and clear, “First, relax and release your
mind”,

However, leaving your own mind relaxed and uncontrived is itself the wisdom of
clear light. So paths that are contrived can never bring you to the realization of your
true nature, and to signify that this uncontrived co-emergent wisdom is there,
present within you: “Neither scattered, nor concentrated, without thoughts”.

When you are a beginner, even if you maintain mind’s fundamental state, resting
naturally, it will not be possible for you to avoid fixation on the many experiences
such as ‘bliss’, ‘clarity’ and ‘non-conceptuality’ that come in the state of calm and
stillness: “While resting in this even state, at ease”.

To free yourself from the ‘cocoon’ of attachment-to-experience, lay bare the all-
penetrating rigpa and reveal explicitly its true state, “Suddenly let out a mind-
shattering phaṭ!”,

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Since it is vital to cut through the flow of arising thoughts, and destroy meditation
made by the mind, the sound ‘phaṭ!’ should be fierce, forceful and abrupt: “Fierce,
forceful, and abrupt. How amazing (emaho)!”

At this moment, you are free from all fixed notions of what mind might be, and
liberation itself is actualized: “There is nothing there: transfixed in wonder,”

In that state of dharmakāya, devoid of any reference or reliance whatsoever, all-

penetrating, naked awareness dwells, just as it is, as the wisdom that transcends the
mind, and so: “Struck by wonder (hedawa), and yet all is transparently clear (zang
tal lé)”.

This all-penetrating, unimpeded awareness is the key point of inexpressible and

naturally inherent wisdom, beyond all extremes such as rising and ceasing, existing
and non-existing, and so beyond words and out of reach of mental enquiry. “Fresh,
pure and sudden, so beyond description:”

The crucial point here is that rigpa, which abides as the ground of dharmakāya, is the
primordial purity of the path of the yogins, the absolute view of freedom from all
elaboration. Until you recognize this one point, then whatever meditation or practice
you do, you can never get beyond a fabricated mind-made view and meditation. The
difference between this and the approach of the natural Dzogpachenpo is greater
than that between earth and sky, as it does not possess the essential point—the
unceasing flow of clear light, which is non-meditation. So it is most important, first
of all, to recognize this and this alone, and: “Recognize this as the pure awareness of
dharmakāya”.

This, then, is the first of the three statements which strike the vital point. If the view
has not been introduced and recognized, there is nothing to maintain in meditation.
This is why it is so important, first and foremost, to be introduced to the view.

And since the natural, inherent wisdom is introduced as something natural and
inherent in you, it is neither to be sought elsewhere, nor is it something that you did
not have before, and that now arises newly in your mind. So: “The first vital point
is: introducing directly the face of rigpa in itself”.

II. Deciding upon One Thing, and One Thing Only

Now to give a more detailed explanation of how to take the practice of meditation to
heart:

In a natural state of rest, all the time and in any situation, let your meditation be like
the continuous flow of a river.

Without cultivating stillness or suppressing the movement of thought, simply

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maintain the recognition that when stillness occurs, it is the dharmakāya’s own face,
and when movement arises, it is the inherent power of wisdom. And: “Then, whether
in a state of movement or stillness,”

From the energy of mind’s thinking come negative emotions like anger and
attachment that constitute the truth of the origin of suffering, as well as feelings like
happiness and sorrow, which constitute the truth of suffering itself. Yet whatever
experiences arise, if you can realize that the true nature of these thoughts and
emotions is the very nature of reality, they will be just the flow of dharmakāya. And
so: “Of anger or attachment, happiness or sorrow,”

Furthermore, generally speaking, even though you may have recognized the view, if
you do not sustain it in meditation, and you slip into the ordinary proliferation of
delusion, the same old patterns of thought will bind you to saṃsāra. As a result, the
Dharma and you become divorced, and you end up no different from an ordinary
person. That is why you must never be apart from this supreme state of resting
naturally in non-meditation, and why: “All the time, in any situation,”

Therefore, whether the mind is still, active or whatever, it is not a question of

overcoming each individual negative emotion and thought with its own separate
remedy. Instead, the sole remedy for whatever thought or emotion may occur, the
one remedy for all, is the recognition of that view which was introduced before, and
that alone: “Recognize that dharmakāya you recognized before,”

So, whatever thought or emotion arises, in itself it is no other than the wisdom of
dharmakāya, and the true nature of these thoughts and emotions is the actual clear
light of the ground of dharmakāya. When you recognize this, that is what is known
as ‘the mother clear light present as the ground’.

To recognize your own nature in that view of the clear light of self-knowing rigpa
introduced earlier by the master is what is known as ‘the path clear light of practice.’
To remain in the state where these two, the clear light of ground and path, are
inseparable is known as ‘the meeting of mother and child clear light’. “And mother
and child clear light, already acquainted, will reunite”.

In this way, always remind yourself of the view, which is the clear light recognized in
you as your true nature. And as you are resting in that state, you should neither
suppress nor indulge, neither accept nor reject, in any way, the thoughts and
emotions that are its dynamic energy (tsal). This is a crucial point: “Rest in the
aspect of awareness, beyond all description”.

When you maintain that state for a long time, as a beginner you will have
experiences of bliss, clarity or non-conceptuality, which will mask the face of your
true nature. So if you free it from this shell of attachment-to-experience, and lay bare
the actual face of rigpa, then wisdom will shine out from within.

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There is a saying:

The more its flow is interrupted,

The better the water in the mountain stream.
The more it is disrupted,
The better the meditation of the yogin.

So: “Stillness, bliss and clarity: disrupt them, again and again,”

“How to disrupt them?” you might ask. Whenever experiences of stillness, bliss or
clarity arise, or feelings of joy, glee or delight, you must pulverize the shell of your
attachment-to-experience, shattering it as if by a bolt of lightning, with the forceful
sound of ‘phaṭ!’ which is the combination of ‘pha’, the syllable of skilful means that
concentrates and gathers and ‘ṭa’, the syllable of prajna which cuts through.
“Suddenly striking with the syllable of skilful means and wisdom”.

When you do not lose this vital point of personal experience, and you maintain that
indescribable, all-penetrating rigpa, all the time and in every situation, formal
meditation and post-meditation will no longer be distinct: “With no difference
between meditation and post-meditation,”

That is why the meditation in sessions and the meditation when you are active
during breaks are not separate: “No division between sessions and breaks,”

In this ‘great meditation with nothing to meditate on’, the continuous river-like yoga
of inherent, even and all-pervasive wisdom, there is not even a hair’s breadth of
anything to meditate on, nor an instant of distraction.

This is what is meant by the saying:

Neither do I ever meditate, nor am I ever separate from it;

So I have never been separate from the true meaning of ‘non-meditation’.

And that is why: “Always remain in this indivisible state”.

If someone is a suitable and receptive vessel for the unique path of Dzogpachenpo,
just as the teachings themselves intend, and he or she belongs to the ‘instantaneous’
type of person who is liberated upon hearing the teaching, then, for such a person,
perception and thoughts are the supreme ground for liberation, and anything that
happens becomes the flow of dharmakāya. 

There is nothing to meditate on, and no one to meditate. Others, however, who are
less fortunate and who still fall prey to delusory thinking must find stability in
‘gradual stages’. Until they do so, they must engage in the practice of meditation.
Therefore: “But until stability is attained,”

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That meditation must be practised when all the conditions favourable for meditative
stability are complete; only then will real experience occur. No matter how long you
spend meditating in the midst of busyness and distraction, true meditation
experience will not arise, and so: “It is vital to meditate, away from all distractions
and busyness”.

While meditating too, though there is no difference between practice in formal

sessions and post-meditation, if you are not truly grounded in your meditation first,
you will be unable to blend the wisdom you experience with your post-meditation.
However hard you try to turn your daily life into the path, your vague and
generalized understanding makes you prone to slip back into your old negative
patterns and habits. Therefore: “Practising in proper meditation sessions”.

You might have the sort of practice which makes you confident that you can keep up
this state of meditation in proper sessions. Even so, if you do not understand how to
integrate that practice with the activities of post-meditation and how to maintain it
continuously, then this practice will not serve as a remedy when difficulties arise.
When some discursive thought leads you off, you will sink back into very ordinary
things. This is why it is so crucially important to abide in that all-penetrating state of
awareness after meditation: “All the time, in any situation,”

At that point, there is no need to seek for anything else on which to meditate.
Instead, in a state of meditative equipoise that never parts from this very view of
dharmakāya, maintain a carefree nonchalance towards all actions and all thoughts,
without suppressing or indulging them, but letting things come and go, one after
another, and leaving them be: “Abide by the flow of what is only dharmakāya”.

A practice such as this, which is the indivisible union of śamatha and vipaśyanā, the
yoga of the natural state free from elaboration, the uncontrived and innate, the
abiding by the face of the intrinsic nature of reality, is the heart of the practice of all
the tantras of the Secret Mantra Vajrayāna. It is the ultimate wisdom of the fourth
empowerment. It is the speciality, the wish-fulfilling gem, of the practice lineage. It is
the flawless wisdom mind of all the accomplished masters and their lineages, of India
and Tibet, of both old (nyingma) and new (sarma) traditions.

So decide on this, with absolute conviction, and do not hanker after other pith
instructions, your mouth watering with an insatiable appetite and greed. Otherwise
it is like keeping your elephant at home and looking for its footprints in the forest.

You walk into the trap of unending mental research, and then liberation will never
have a chance. Therefore you must decide on your practice, and: “Decide with
absolute conviction that there is nothing other than this—”

Make a decision then that this naked wisdom of dharmakāya, naturally present, is the
awakened state, which has never known delusion, and abide by its flow: this is the

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second secret and vital word. Since it is so crucially important: “The second vital
point is: deciding upon one thing, and one thing only”.

III. Confidence Directly in the Liberation of Rising Thoughts

Now, at such times as these, if there is not the confidence of the method of liberation,
and your meditation is merely relaxing in the stillness of mind, you will only get
side-tracked into the samadhi of the gods. Such a meditation will not be able to
overcome your attachment or anger. It will not be able to put a stop to the flow of
karmic formations. Nor will it be able to bring you the deep confidence of direct
certainty. Therefore, this method of liberation is of vital importance.

What is more, when a burning attachment is aroused towards some object of desire,
or violent anger towards an object of aversion, when you feel joy about favourable
circumstances, material possessions and the like, or you are afflicted by sorrow on
account of unfavourable circumstances and things like illness—no matter what
happens—at that moment the power of your rigpa is aroused, and so it is vital to
recognize the wisdom that is the ground for liberation. “At that point, whether
attachment or aversion, happiness or sorrow—”

Besides, if your practice lacks the key point of “liberation upon arising”, whatever
subtle thoughts creep unnoticed into your mind will all accumulate more saṃsāric
karma.

So, the crucial point is to maintain this simultaneous arising and liberation with
every thought that rises, whether gross or subtle, so that they leave no trace behind
them. “All momentary thoughts, each and every one,”

Therefore, whatever thoughts arise, you do not allow them to proliferate into a
welter of subtle delusion, while at the same time you do not apply some narrow
mind-made mindfulness. Instead:

Without ever separating from a natural genuine mindfulness, recognize the true
nature of whatever thoughts arise, and sustain this ”liberation upon arising” that
leaves no trace, like writing on the surface of water. So: “Upon recognition, leave
not a trace behind”.

If, at this point, the arising thoughts are not purified, dissolving as they liberate
themselves, the mere recognition of thoughts on its own will not be able to cut the
chain of the karma that perpetuates delusion. So at the very same instant as you
recognize, by seeing the true nature of the thought nakedly, you will simultaneously
identify the wisdom with which you are familiar from before. By resting in that state,
thoughts are purified, dissolving so that they leave no trace, and that dissolution is a
crucial point. “For recognize the dharmakāya in which they are freed,”

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To take an example: writing or drawing on water. The very instant it is written, it
dissolves—the writing and its disappearance are simultaneous. Likewise, as soon as
thoughts arise, liberation is simultaneous, and so it becomes an unbroken flow of
“self-arising and self-liberating”: “And just as writing vanishes on water,”

And so, by not suppressing the risings, but allowing whatever arises to arise, any
thoughts that do arise are actually purified into their own fundamental nature. You
must hold to this method of integrating everything into the path as the essence of the
practice: “Arising and liberation become natural and continuous”.

By applying the ‘exercise of dharmakāya’ to your thoughts in this way, whatever

thoughts occur only serve to strengthen the rigpa. And however gross the thoughts
of the five poisons are, that much more vivid and sharp is the rigpa in which they are
liberated. “And whatever arises is food for the bare rigpa emptiness,”

Whatever thoughts may stir, they all arise from the all-penetrating true face of rigpa
itself as its own inner power. Whenever they occur, if you simply abide in this,
without accepting or rejecting, then they are liberated at the very instant they arise,
and they are never outside the flow of the dharmakāya: “Whatever stirs in the mind
is the inner power of the dharmakāya king”.

Thoughts in the mind, the delusory perceptions of ignorance, are pure within the
expanse of dharmakāya that is the wisdom of rigpa, and so within that expanse of
uninterrupted clear light whatever thoughts stir and arise are by their very nature
empty. So: “Leaving no trace, and innately pure. What joy!”

When you have become used to integrating thoughts into your path like this over a
long period of time, thoughts arise as meditation, the boundary between stillness and
movement falls away, and as a result, nothing that arises ever harms or disturbs your
dwelling in awareness: “The way things arise may be the same as before,”

At that juncture, the way that thoughts, the energy [of rigpa], arise as joy and
sorrow, hope and fear, may be similar to the way they arise in an ordinary person.
Yet with ordinary people, their experience is a very solid one of suppressing or
indulging, with the result that they accumulate karmic formations and fall prey to
attachment and aggression.  

On the other hand, for a Dzogchen yogin, thoughts are liberated the moment they
arise:

at the beginning, arising thoughts are liberated upon being recognized,

like meeting an old friend;
in the middle, thoughts are liberated by themselves, like a snake uncoiling
its own knots;
at the end, arising thoughts are liberated without causing either benefit or

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 harm, like a thief breaking into an empty house.

So, the Dzogchen yogin possesses the vital point of the methods of liberation such as
these. Therefore, “But the difference lies in the way they are liberated: that’s the
key.”

That is why it is said:

To know how to meditate,

But not how to liberate—
How does that differ from the meditation of the gods?

What this means is that those who put their trust in a meditation which lacks this
vital point of the method of liberation, and is merely some state of mental quiescence,
will only stray into the meditation states of the higher realms. People who claim that
it is sufficient simply to recognize stillness and movement are no different from
ordinary people with their deluded thinking.

And as for those who give it all kinds of labels like ‘emptiness’ and ‘dharmakāya’,
the basic flaw in their remedy is exposed when it fails to hold up under the first
misfortune or difficulty they meet. So: “Without this, meditation is but the path of
delusion”.

‘Liberation on arising’, ‘self-liberation’, ‘naked liberation’, whatever name you give it

this manner of liberation where thoughts liberate themselves and are purified
without a trace is the same crucial point: explicitly to show this self-liberation. It is
the extraordinary speciality of the natural Dzogpachenpo,  

And so if you possess this key point, then whatever negative emotions or thoughts
arise simply turn into dharmakāya. All delusory thoughts are purified as wisdom. All
harmful circumstances arise as friends. All negative emotions become the path.
saṃsāra is purified in its own natural state, without your having to renounce it, and
you are freed from the chains of both conditioned existence, and the state of peace.
You have arrived at such a complete and final state, there is no effort, nothing to
achieve, and nothing left to do. And: “When you have it, there’s non-meditation,
the state of dharmakāya”.

If you do not have the confidence of such a way of liberation, you can claim your
view is high and your meditation is deep, but it will not really help your mind and
nor will it prove a remedy for your negative emotions. Therefore, this is not the true
path.

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On the other hand, if you do have the key point of ‘self-arising and self-liberating’,
then without even the minutest attitude of a ‘high view’ or notion of a ‘deep
meditation’, it is quite impossible for your mind not to be liberated from the bonds of
dualistic grasping.

When you go to the fabled Island of Gold, you can never find ordinary earth or
stones, however hard you look. In just the same way, stillness, movement and
thoughts, all arise now as meditation, and even if you search for real, solid delusions,
you will not find any. And this alone is the measure to determine whether your
practice has hit the mark or not, so: “The third vital point is: confidence directly in
the liberation of rising thoughts”.

IV. The Colophon

These three key points are the unerring essence which brings the view, meditation,
action and fruition, of natural Dzogpachenpo all together within the state of the all-
penetrating awareness of rigpa. So in fact this constitutes the pith instructions for
meditation and action, as well as for the view.

However this is not some abstract concept about which, to use the Dharma
terminology of the mainstream textual tradition, a definitive conclusion is reached
after evaluating it with scripture, logic and reasoning.

Rather, once you actually realize wisdom itself directly and in all its nakedness, that
is the view of the wisdom of rigpa. Since all the many views and meditations have
but ‘a single taste’, there is no contradiction in explaining the three vital points as the
practice of the view. So: “For the View which has the three vital points,”

A practice such as this is the infallible key point of the path of primordial purity in
the natural Dzogpachenpo, the very pinnacle of the nine graduated vehicles. Just as it
is impossible for a king to travel without his courtiers, in the same way the key
points of all yanas serve as steps and supports for the Dzogchen path. Not only this,
but when you see the face of the lamp of naturally arising wisdom—the primordial
purity of rigpa—its power will blaze up as the insight that comes from meditation.
Then the expanse of your wisdom swells like a rising summer river, while the nature
of emptiness dawns as great compassion, so infusing you with a loving compassion
without any limit or bias. This is how it is, and: “Meditation, the union of wisdom
and love,”

Once this key point on the path, the unity of emptiness and compassion, is directly
realized, the ocean-like actions of the bodhisattvas, all included within the path of the
six pāramitās, arise as its own natural energy, like the rays shining from the sun.

Since action is related to the accumulation of merit, anything you do will be for the
benefit of others, helping you to avoid seeking peace and happiness for yourself

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alone, and so deviating from the correct view. So it: “Is accompanied by the Action
common to all the bodhisattvas”.

This kind of view, meditation and action is the very core of the enlightened vision of
all the buddhas who ever came, who are here now or who will ever come, and so:
“Were all the buddhas of past, present and future to confer,”

The supreme peak of all the yanas, the key point on the path of the Vajra Heart
Essence of the Nyingtik, the quintessence of all fruition—nothing surpasses this. And
so: “No instruction would they find greater than this”.

The real meaning of what is expressed in this instruction is the heart-essence of the
pith instructions of the lineage, it is certain; yet even the lines that express it, these
few words, should arise, too, out of the creative power of rigpa. So: “By the tertön of
dharmakāya, the inner power of rigpa,”

I have not the slightest experience of the actual meaning behind these words as a
result of ‘the wisdom that comes from meditation’. Yet by hearing the unerring oral
transmission of my holy master, I cleared away all doubts completely with ‘the
wisdom that comes from listening’, and then came to a conclusive understanding
through ‘the wisdom born of contemplation’, whereupon I composed this. And so it
was: “Brought out as a treasure from the depth of transcendental insight,”

It is unlike any ordinary kind of worldly treasure, which might simply bring
temporary relief from poverty. “Nothing like ordinary treasures of earth and
stone,”

These three vital points of the view, known as ‘Striking the Vital Point in Three
Statements’, were given by the nirmāṇakāya Garab Dorje, from within a cloud of
light in the sky as he passed into nirvāṇa, to the great master Mañjuśrīmitra. These
are the very pith-instructions through which their realization became inseparable.
“For it is the final testament of Garab Dorje,”

It was through penetrating to the essential meaning of this instruction that the
omniscient king of Dharma, Longchen Rabjam, during his life-time directly realized
the ‘wisdom mind’ of primordial purity, where all phenomena are exhausted and so
awakened to complete and perfect buddhahood. Actually appearing in his wisdom
body to the vidyādhara Jikmé Lingpa, he blessed him in the manner of the ‘sign
transmission of the vidyādharas’. From him in turn, by means of ‘the transmission
from mouth to ear’, our own kind root master, Jikmé Gyalwé Nyugu, received the
introduction through this instruction, and encountered the true nature of reality face
to face. And this is the instruction I heard from Jikmé Gyalwé Nyugu, while he was
present among us as the glorious protector of all beings. That is why it is: “The
essence of the wisdom mind of the three transmissions”.

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Pith-instructions such as these are like the finest of gold, like the very core of the
heart. It would be a pity to teach them to people who would not put them into
practice.  

But then again it would be a pity, too, not to teach them to a person who would
cherish these instructions like his or her own life, put their essential meaning into
practice, and attain buddhahood in a single lifetime. So:

“It is entrusted to my heart-disciples, sealed to be secret.

It is profound in meaning, my heart’s words.
It is the words of my heart, the crucial key point.
This crucial point, do not let it go to waste!
Never let this instruction slip away from you!”

With this brief commentary, ‘The Special Teaching of the Wise and Glorious King’ is
complete at this point. Virtue! Virtue! Virtue!

| Rigpa Translations, 2008.

Bibliography

Tibetan editions used

O rgyan 'jigs med chos kyi dbang po. "mKhas pa shrI rgyal po'i khyad
chos" in dPal sprul o rgyan ’jigs med chos kyi dbang po’i gsung ’bum, 8 vols.
Chengdu: Si khron mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2003. W24829. Vol. 5: 208–225

Secondary Sources

Dalai Lama, the Fourteenth. 2000. Dzogchen: The Heart Essence of the Great
Perfection. Ithaca: Snow Lion.
Reynolds, John Myrdhin. The Golden Letters. Ithaca: Snow Lion, 1996.

241
The Special Teaching of the Wise and Glorious King
by Patrul Rinpoche

The Root Text

Herein is contained The Special Teaching of the Wise and Glorious King, together with
its commentary.

Homage to the master!

The view is Longchen Rabjam: infinite, vast expanse.

Meditation is Khyentse Özer: rays of wisdom and love.
Action is Gyalwé Nyugu, that of the bodhisattvas.
One who practises in such a way,
May well attain enlightenment in this very life.
And even if not, what happiness! What joy! A la la!

1. Introducing directly the face of rigpa in itself

As for the view, Longchen Rabjam,
Three statements strike the vital point.
First, relax and release your mind,
Neither scattered, nor concentrated, without thoughts.
While resting in this even state, at ease,
Suddenly let out a mind-shattering ‘phaṭ!’,
Fierce, forceful and abrupt. Amazing!
There is nothing there: transfixed in wonder,
Struck by wonder, and yet all is transparent and clear.
Fresh, pure and sudden, so beyond description:
Recognize this as the pure awareness of dharmakāya.
The first vital point is: introducing directly the face of rigpa in itself.

242
2. Deciding upon one thing, and one thing only
Then, whether in a state of movement or stillness,
Of anger or attachment, happiness or sorrow,
All the time, in any situation,
Recognize that dharmakāya you recognized before,
And mother and child clear light, already acquainted, will reunite.
Rest in the aspect of awareness, beyond all description.
Stillness, bliss and clarity: disrupt them, again and again,
Suddenly striking with the syllable of skilful means and wisdom.
With no difference between meditation and post-meditation,
No division between sessions and breaks,
Always remain in this indivisible state.
But, until stability is attained,
It is vital to meditate, away from all distractions and busyness,
Practising in proper meditation sessions.
All the time, in any situation,
Abide by the flow of what is only dharmakāya.
Decide with absolute conviction that there is nothing other than this—
The second vital point is: deciding upon one thing, and one thing only.

3. Confidence directly in the liberation of rising thoughts

At that point, whether attachment or aversion, happiness or sorrow—
All momentary thoughts, each and every one,
Upon recognition, leave not a trace behind.
For recognize the dharmakāya in which they are freed,
And just as writing vanishes on water,
Arising and liberation become natural and continuous.
And whatever arises is food for the bare rigpa emptiness,
Whatever stirs in the mind is the inner power of the dharmakāya king,
Leaving no trace, and innately pure. What joy!
The way things arise may be the same as before,
But the difference lies in the way they are liberated: that’s the key.
Without this, meditation is but the path of delusion,
When you have it, there’s non-meditation, the state of dharmakāya—
The third vital point is: confidence directly in the liberation of rising thoughts.

243
4. Colophon
For the View which has the three vital points,
Meditation, the union of wisdom and love,
Is accompanied by the Action common to all the bodhisattvas.
Were all the buddhas of past, present and future to confer,
No instruction would they find greater than this,
Brought out as a treasure from the depth of transcendental insight,
By the tertön of dharmakāya, the inner power of rigpa,
Nothing like ordinary treasures of earth and stone,
For it is the final testament of Garab Dorje,
The essence of the wisdom mind of the three transmissions.
It is entrusted to my heart disciples, sealed to be secret.
It is profound in meaning, my heart’s words.
It is the words of my heart, the crucial key point.
This crucial point: never hold it cheap.
Never let this instruction slip away from you.

This is the special teaching of the wise and glorious king.

| Rigpa Translations, 2008.

Bibliography

Tibetan editions used

O rgyan 'jigs med chos kyi dbang po. "mKhas pa shrI rgyal po'i khyad
chos" in dPal sprul o rgyan ’jigs med chos kyi dbang po’i gsung ’bum, 8 vols.
Chengdu: Si khron mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2003. W24829. Vol. 5: 206–208

Secondary Sources

Dalai Lama, the Fourteenth. 2000. Dzogchen: The Heart Essence of the Great
Perfection. Ithaca: Snow Lion.
Reynolds, John Myrdhin. The Golden Letters. Ithaca: Snow Lion, 1996.

244
༄༅། །མཁས་པ་ི་ལ་པོ་ད་ས་བགས་སོ། །

The Special Teaching of the Wise and Glorious King

by Patrul Rinpoche

་མ་ལ་ག་འཚལ་ལོ། །
lama la chaktsal lo
Homage to the master!

་བ་ོང་ན་རབ་འམས་ན། །
tawa longchen rabjam yin
The view is Longchen Rabjam: infinite, vast expanse.

ོམ་པ་མེན་བེ་འོད་ར་ན། །
gompa khyentsé özer yin
Meditation is Khyentse Özer: rays of wisdom and love.

ོད་པ་ལ་བ་་་ན། །
chöpa gyalwé nyugu yin
Action is Gyalwé Nyugu, that of the bodhisattvas.

་ར་ཉམས་་ན་པ་ལ། །
detar nyam su lenpa la
One who practises in such a way,

་གག་སངས་ས་ལ་ཐང་ད། །
tsé chik sangye la tangmé
May well attain enlightenment in this very life.

ན་ང་ོ་བ་ཨ་ལ་ལ། །
min kyang lo dé a la la
And even if not, what happiness! What joy! A la la!

1. Introducing directly the face of rigpa in itself

་བ་ོང་ན་རབ་འམས་། །
tawa longchen rabjam ni
As for the view, Longchen Rabjam,

ག་གམ་དོན་ི་གནད་་བེག །
tsik sum dön gyi né du dek
Three statements strike the vital point.

དང་པོ་རང་མས་ོད་་བཞག ། 245
དང་པོ་རང་མས་ོད་་བཞག །
dangpo rangsem lhödé shyak
First, relax and release your mind,

་ོ་་བ་མ་ོག་ད། །
mi tro mi du namtok mé
Neither scattered, nor concentrated, without thoughts.

ངང་ལ་མ་གནས་ོད་་ངང༌། །
ngang la cham né lhödé ngang
While resting in this even state, at ease,

ཐོལ་ང་ོ་ེག་ཕཊ་ག་བ། །
toljung lo dek pé chik gyab
Suddenly let out a mind-shattering ‘phat!’,

ག་ལ་ངར་ང་་མ་ཧོ། །
drak la ngar tung emaho
Fierce, forceful and abrupt. Amazing!

་ཡང་མ་ན་ཧད་་བ། །
chiyang mayin hé dewa
There is nothing there: transfixed in wonder,

ཧད་་བ་ལ་ཟང་ཐལ་། །
hé dewa la zangtal lé
Struck by wonder, and yet all is transparent and clear.

ཟང་མ་ཐལ་ང་བོད་་ད། །
zangma tal jung jö du mé
Fresh, pure and sudden, so beyond description:

ས་་ག་པ་ས་ངས་ག །
chökü rigpa ngö zung shik
Recognize this as the pure awareness of dharmakāya.

་རང་ཐོག་་ད་པ་ེ་གནད་དང་པོའོ། །
ngo rang tok tu trepa té né dangpo o
The first vital point is: introducing directly the face of rigpa in itself.

2. Deciding upon one thing, and one thing only

་ནས་འོའམ་གནས་ང་ང༌། །
dené tro’am né kyang rung
Then, whether in a state of movement or stillness,

ོའམ་ཆགས་སམ་ིད་དམ་ག ། 246
ོའམ་ཆགས་སམ་ིད་དམ་ག །
tro’am chak sam kyi dam duk
Of anger or attachment, happiness or sorrow,

ས་དང་གནས་བས་ཐམས་ཅད་། །
dü dang nekab tamché du
All the time, in any situation,

་ས་ས་་ས་བང་ལ། །
ngoshé chöku ngö zung la
Recognize that dharmakāya you recognized before,

ར་འིས་འོད་གསལ་མ་་ད། །
ngar dri ösal ma bu tré
And mother and child clear light, already acquainted, will reunite.

བོད་ད་ག་ཆ་ངང་ལ་བཞག །
jömé rikché ngang la shyak
Rest in the aspect of awareness, beyond all description.

གནས་བ་གསལ་འོ་ཡང་ཡང་བག །
né dé sal tro yang yang shik
Stillness and bliss, clarity and thinking: disrupt them, again and again,

ཐབས་ས་་་ོ་ར་འབས། །
tabshé yigé lobur beb
Suddenly striking with the syllable of skilful means and wisdom.

མཉམ་གཞག་ེས་ཐོབ་ཐ་དད་ད། །
nyam shyak jetob tadé mé
With no difference between meditation and post-meditation,

ན་དང་ན་མཚམས་དེ་བ་ད། །
tün dang tüntsam yewa mé
No division between sessions and breaks,

དེར་ད་ངང་་ན་་གནས། །
yermé ngang du gyündu né
Always remain in this indivisible state.

འོན་ང་བན་པ་མ་ཐོབ་པར། །
önkyang tenpa matobpar
But, until stability is attained,

འ་འ་ངས་ནས་ོམ་པ་གས། ། 247
འ་འ་ངས་ནས་ོམ་པ་གས། །
dudzi pang né gompa ché
It is vital to meditate, away from all distractions and busyness,

མཉམ་གཞག་ན་་བཅད་ལ་། །
nyam shyak tün du ché laja
Dividing the practice into proper meditation sessions.

ས་དང་གནས་བས་ཐམས་ཅད་། །
dü dang nekab tamché du
All the time, in any situation,

ས་་གག་པོ་ཡོ་ལངས་བང༌། །
chöku chikpö yolang kyang
Abide by the flow of what is just dharmakāya.

་ལས་གཞན་ད་་ཐག་བཅད། །
dé lé shyenmé kho takché
Decide with absolute conviction that there is nothing other than this—

ཐག་གག་ཐོག་་བཅད་པ་ེ་གནད་པ་གས་པའོ། །
tak chik tok tu chepa té nepa nyipa o
The second vital point is: deciding upon one thing, and one thing only.

3. Confidence directly in the liberation of rising thoughts

་་ཆགས་ང་དགའ་ག་དང༌། །
detsé chakdang ga duk dang
At that point, whether attachment or aversion, happiness or sorrow—

ོ་ར་མ་ོག་མ་ས་པ། །
lobur namtok malüpa
All momentary thoughts, each and every one,

་ས་ངང་ལ་ེས་མད་ད། །
ngoshé ngang la jetü mé
Upon recognition, leave not a trace behind.

ོལ་ཆ་ས་་ས་བང་བས། །
drol ché chöku ngözungwé
For recognize the dharmakāya in which they are freed,

དར་ན་་་་མོ་བན། །
per na chu yi rimo shyin
And just as writing vanishes on water,

རང་ཤར་རང་ོལ་ན་ཆད་ད། ། 248
རང་ཤར་རང་ོལ་ན་ཆད་ད། །
rangshar rangdrol gyünché mé
Arising and liberation become natural and continuous.

་ཤར་ག་ོང་ེན་པ་ཟས། །
chi shar riktong jenpé zé
And whatever arises is food for the bare rigpa emptiness,

་འ་ས་་ལ་པོ་ལ། །
ji gyu chöku gyalpö tsal
Whatever stirs in the mind is the inner power of the dharmakāya king,

ེས་ད་རང་དག་ཨ་ལ་ལ། །
jemé rang dak a la la
Leaving no trace, and innately pure. What joy!

འཆར་གས་ར་དང་འ་བ་ལ། །
char luk ngar dang drawa la
The way things arise may be the same as before,

ོལ་གས་ད་པར་གནད་་། །
drol luk khyepar né du ché
But the difference lies in the way they are liberated: that’s the key.

འ་ད་ོམ་པ་འལ་པ་ལམ། །
dimé gompa trulpé lam
Without this, meditation is but the path of delusion,

འ་ན་མ་བོམས་ས་་ངང༌། །
diden ma gom chökü ngang
With it, even without meditating, there’s the state of dharmakāya—

གང་ོལ་ཐོག་་བཅའ་བ་ེ་གནད་གམ་པའོ། །
deng drol tok tu chawa té né sumpa o
The third vital point is: confidence directly in the liberation of rising thoughts.

4. Colophon

གནད་གམ་ན་པ་་བ་ལ། །
né sum denpé tawa la
For the View which has the three vital points,

མེན་བེ་འེལ་བ་ོམ་པ་དང༌། །
khyentsé drelwé gompa dang
Meditation, the union of wisdom and love,

ལ་ས་ི་་ོད་པ་ོགས། ། 249
ལ་ས་ི་་ོད་པ་ོགས། །
gyalsé chi yi chöpa drok
Is accompanied by the Action common to all the bodhisattvas.

ས་གམ་ལ་བ་ཞལ་བར་ང༌། །
dü sum gyalwé shyal dur kyang
Were all the buddhas to confer,

འ་ལས་ག་པ་གདམས་ངག་ད། །
di lé lhakpé damngak mé
No instruction would they find greater than this,

ག་ལ་ས་་གར་ོན་ིས། །
riktsal chökü tertön gyi
Brought out as a treasure from the depth of transcendental insight,

ས་རབ་ོང་ནས་གར་་ངས། །
sherab long né ter du lang
By the tertön of dharmakāya, the inner power of rigpa,

ས་ོ་བད་དང་འ་་འ། །
sa dö chü dang di mi dra
Nothing like ordinary treasures of earth and stone,

དགའ་རབ་ོ་ེ་ཞལ་མས་ན། །
garab dorje shyal chem yin
For it is the final testament of Garab Dorje,

བད་པ་གམ་ི་གས་བད་ན། །
gyüpa sum gyi tuk chü yin
The essence of the wisdom mind of the three transmissions.

ིང་་་ལ་གཏད་དོ་། །
nying gi bu la té do gya
It is entrusted to my heart disciples, sealed to be secret.

ཟབ་དོན་ན་ནོ་ིང་་གཏམ། །
zab dön yin no nying gi tam
It is profound in meaning, my heart’s words.

ིང་གཏམ་ན་ནོ་དོན་ི་གནད། །
nying tam yin no dön gyi né
It is the words of my heart, the crucial key point.

དོན་གནད་ཡལ་བར་མ་དོར་ག ། 250
དོན་གནད་ཡལ་བར་མ་དོར་ག །
dön né yalwar ma dor chik
This crucial point: never hold it cheap.

གདམས་ངག་ཟགས་་མ་འག་ག །
damngak zak su ma juk chik
Never let this instruction slip away from you.

མཁས་པ་ི་ལ་པོ་ད་ས་སོ། །
khepa shri gyalpö khyechö so
This is the special teaching of the wise and glorious king.

| Rigpa Translations, 2008.

251
A Topical Outline of the General Confession Spoken
by the Five Great Sages
by Patrul Rinpoche

I. Bringing to Mind the Witnesses to Confession

Victorious sugatas of past, present and future, together with your retinues,
And all you protectors bound by your vajra oath, turn your attention towards us!

II. The Actual Confession

A. The Confession of the Principal Vidyādharas

1. General Themes

a. Bodhichitta, the Basis

First we arouse bodhichitta and set our minds upon supreme awakening.

b. The Fruition, the Ultimate Attainment

Then, to reach the enlightened stage of an accomplished vidyādhara,

c. The Various Types of Samaya to be Kept

And achieve the vajra body, speech and mind,
We bring to mind each category of samaya commitment
To the yidam deity and the vajra master, together with all the secret commitments,

d. The Dangers of Impairments to the Samaya

And make a pledge never to transgress the commands,
Or else be born in hell according to our karmic fortune.

252
2. The Confession of Particular Transgressions

a. Root Samaya Commitments

i. Explanation of the Samayas of Enlightened Body

Straying into desire, anger, dull indifference, pride,

Jealousy and so on, we have committed mistakes:
To the torch-like teacher, the vajra master,
We have been deeply disrespectful, and impaired our samayas,
Towards our vajra brothers and sisters who share the same commitments,
We have held cruel intentions, mistaken views and so on—
All these impairments in the samayas of enlightened body, we now confess!

ii. Explanation of the Samayas of Enlightened Speech

We have not visualized clearly the ‘mudrā’ of the yidam deity,

We have interrupted the recitation of the approach mantra,
And failed to practise at the six times1 , but, in particular,
We have not performed the fufilment rituals of approach and accomplishment,
And are incapable of following commands or written instructions—
All these impairments in the samayas of enlightened speech, we now confess!

iii. Explanation of the Samayas of Enlightened Mind

Through the loving kindness of the vajra master,

His words have poured through our ears into the centre of our hearts,
But we pollute the samaya by revealing the wisdom-mind instructions,
And crossing the bounds of secrecy with our mindless chatter and so forth—
All these impairments in the samayas of enlightened mind, we now confess!

b. Branch Samaya Commitments

i. Actual

We have failed to realize the equality of all phenomena—

Impairments of the branch samayas, we now confess!

ii. Samayas Particularly Related to Practice

We have been overcome by laziness, indifference and lethargy—

Impairments of the samayas of approach and accomplishment, we now confess!

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iii. Conclusion

Physically, verbally and mentally, we have failed to keep the commitments—

Impairments of the samayas of enlightened body, speech and mind, we now confess!

B. The Confession of the Ordinary Retinue

In the enlightened presence of our venerable teachers,
Our material offerings have been meagre and insubstantial—this we now confess!
In the enlightened presence of the yidam deities,
We have held preferences, favouring some while rejecting others2 —this we now
confess!
In the enlightened presence of the four classes of ḍākinī,
We have impaired our pledges and commitments—this we now confess!
In the enlightened presence of the dharma protectors and guardians,
We have allowed months and years to pass without offering tormas—this we now
confess!
In the presence of our mothers and fathers from past, present and future,
We have not repaid them for their kindness—this we now confess!
In the presence of our vajra brothers and sisters and consorts,
We confess that our commitment and affection have been weak!
In the presence of the beings of the six realms,
We confess that our compassion and altruism have been weak!
Any impairments and breakages in the vows of individual liberation,
The discipline of the bodhisattvas,
Mantra commitments of the vidyādharas and so on,
All these we now confess without hiding or concealing anything—
From now on we will refrain from all such acts, and vow never to repeat them again.
As we confess all our harmful acts and obscurations of the past, present and future,
Let them all be completely purified, and so grant us, we pray,
Attainments, ordinary and supreme, of body, speech and mind!

| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2007. Revised 2015.

1. Dawn, morning, midday, afternoon, dusk and midnight. ↩

2. Picking and choosing among the deities, favouring the sādhanas of some yidam
deities and rejecting others. ↩

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The Way to Explain the King of All Aspiration
Prayers, the Secret Vajra Knot
by Patrul Rinpoche
I pay homage to and take refuge in the guru, who is indivisible from the hosts of vajra
holders: grant your blessings, I pray!

Here, when it comes to explaining the King of All Aspiration Prayers, the Secret
Vajra Knot, there are three parts: 1) calling upon the witnesses to the dedication, 2)
identifying the sources of virtue to be dedicated, and 3) the actual explanation of the
dedication.

I. Calling upon the Witnesses to the Dedication

"Hrīḥ! Lamas and hosts of yidam deities, turn your attention towards us!"

II. Identifying the Sources of Virtue to be Dedicated

"These positive actions we have accomplished through our efforts today,
All the merit we accumulate throughout the three times and all the virtue
that exists,
All gathered together..."

III. The Actual Explanation of the Dedication

This is divided into two: 1) the dedication for the sake of the fruition and the path for
one's own benefit, and 2) the dedication for the sake of the teachings and beings for
others' benefit.

A. Dedication for One's Own Benefit

This is divided into two: 1) dedication towards the ultimate fruition, and 2) dedication
towards temporary stages of the path.

1. Dedication Towards the Ultimate Fruition

"...we now dedicate towards great and unsurpassed awakening!"

2. Dedication Towards the Temporary Stages of the Path

This has four parts: 1) aspirations for a perfect physical support for the path, 2)
aspirations for taking the actual path to heart, 3) aspirations for the path to take
proper effect, and 4) aspirations for all circumstances to be favourable for the path.

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a. Aspirations for a Perfect Physical Support for the Path

"From now until we reach the heart of enlightenment,

May we be born in a good family, be intelligent and free from pride,
May we have great compassion, and devotion to the teacher,
And confidently follow the glorious Vajra Vehicle!"

b. Aspirations for Taking the Actual Path to Heart

This has two parts: 1) aspirations for the path in general, and 2) aspirations for
particular phases of the path

i. Aspirations for the Path in General

"Matured through empowerment and keeping the commitments of samaya,

On the path of the two stages may we complete ‘approach’ and
‘accomplishment’,
May we attain the vidyādhara levels without difficulty,
And easily achieve the two types of accomplishment!"

ii. Aspirations for Particular Phases of the Path

This has three parts: 1) aspirations for the practice of tantra, the Illusory Net, 2)
aspirations for the practice of scriptural transmission, Emptying the Depths of Hell,
and 3) aspirations for the practice pith instructions, the Great Perfection.

I. Aspirations for the Practice of Tantra, the Illusory Net

This has four parts:

1) the maṇḍala of appearances as enlightened body:

"May all appearances be realized as perfect, the mandala of the Net of Magical
Illusion,"

2) the maṇḍala of sounds as enlightened speech:

"All sounds as the inexpressible sound of mantra,"

3) the maṇḍala of thoughts as enlightened mind:

"All movement of mind as uncompounded self-knowing awareness,"

4) everything as the display of great bliss:

"And may we realize the great bliss that is beyond union and separation!"

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II. Aspirations for the Practice of Scriptural Transmission, Emptying the Depths of Hell

This also has four parts:

1) The confession of the primordial purity of obscurations

"Without rejecting impairments and breakages, thoughts and obscurations,

may they be purified in their own state."

2) The fulfilment of the primordial endowment with qualities

"Through realizing outer, inner and secret to be inseparable, may the samaya
commitments be fulfilled."

3) The self-liberation of destructive emotions in the mindstream

"May whatever arises in the mind be liberated by itself in the vast expanse of
Kuntuzangpo,"

4) The fruition, emptying the lower realms from their depths

"May the lower realms be emptied from their depths, and may we realize the
equality of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa!"

III. Aspirations for the Practice of Pith Instructions, the Great Perfection

This too has four parts:

1) The view that is the self-abiding sphere

"Within the Great Sphere the kāyas and buddha fields are perfectly complete,"

2) The samaya that is beyond maintenance

"Within the Great Samaya the concepts of abandoning and adopting are
purified,"

3) The practice that is beyond union and separation

"Within Great All-Pervasiveness the knot of hope and fear is loosed,"

4) The fruition that is beyond rejection and attainment

"Within the Great Perfection may we actualize the dharmakāya!"

c. Aspirations for the Path to Take Proper Effect

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 "May the blessings of the three lineages enter our hearts,
And the secret path of the Net of Magical Illusion be perfected in our minds.
Through the spontaneous accomplishment of the four activities,
May we liberate the infinity of beings!"

d. Aspiration for All Circumstances to be Favourable for the Path

"May the mandalas of peaceful and wrathful emanations guide us with

predictions,
The ḍākinīs protect us as their own child,
And the Dharma protectors and guardians dispel all obstacles;
May all our aspirations be fulfilled!"

B. Dedication for Others' Benefit

"May the teachings of the buddhas flourish and spread far and wide,
May the aspirations of all the holders of the teachings be fulfilled,
May each and every being be freed from all adversity,
And may they receive all that is excellent just as they desire!"

May there be virtue! This was written by Patrul.

| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2015.

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Topical Outline of the Prayer That Swiftly Fulfils All
Wishes (Sampa Nyur Drupma)
by Patrul Rinpoche

First, before engaging in any form of listening and hearing, contemplation or

meditation, one should pray to the Precious One of Orgyen, inseparable from the
lama, so that it will be brought to a successful conclusion.

So first recall his life story and pray:

“Emaho! In the heart of a blossoming lotus, upon the waters of the lake,
You are the deity who is the spontaneous presence of the five kāyas and
wisdoms,
O great, naturally arisen Padma Yabyum
Surrounded by clouds of ḍākinīs—to you we pray:
Grant your blessing so that all our wishes be quickly fulfilled!”

Second, invoke the promise and commitment:

“As a result of our negative karma, whenever we suffer From illness,

malevolent spirits (döns) and obstacles, warfare and violence, famine and
starvation,
Then remember your promise that even simply to think of you will
immediately dissolve all such suffering —
O Lord of Orgyen, we implore you, from the depths of our hearts,
Grant your blessing so that all our wishes be quickly fulfilled!”

Third, pray for the enjoyment of the causes and results of happiness and well-being:

“To practise devotion, discipline and generosity,

To free the mind through hearing the Dharma, and to have dignity, self-
control
And discriminating awareness — make these seven noble human qualities
Fill the hearts and minds of all sentient beings
And so bring peace and happiness to the world.
Grant your blessing so that all our wishes be quickly fulfilled!”

Fourth, pray to abandon the cause and effect of suffering:

“When oppressed by illness, suffering and unwanted circumstances,

Falling prey to harm and obstruction from negativity and demonic forces —
jungpo and gyalpo,
Threatened by fire, water and journeys of great danger,
When this life is spent and death arrives—at these times

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 We have nowhere to turn to except to you!
Care for us with your great compassion, O great Orgyen Guru:
Grant your blessing so that all our wishes be quickly fulfilled!”

May there be virtue! By Patrul.

| Translated by Ane Ngawang Tsöndrü, 2018. Root text courtesy of Rigpa Translations.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.

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