(The following is the root text translated by Erik Pema Kunsang. Please consult the book "The Light of Wisdom" published by Shambhala Publications for the complete text with commentary. "Likewise, whoever reads and memorizes it, recites, explains, or studies it, will be blessed by me, Padma" said Guru Rinpoche.)
OM
AH HUNG HO
The
essence of primordially pure space is Samantabhadra,
The
spontaneously present awareness is Padmasambhava,
And
their indivisible unity, Dorje Drakpo Tsal,
Is
the heruka, the supreme sovereign of all mandalas.
In
the realm of the great sphere, the all pervasive dharmadhatu,
In
the sambhogakaya palace with the fivefold luminosity,
And
in all the indefinite places of nirmanakayas who tame beings,
They
turn throughout the three times
The
wheel of Dharma of the inconceivable number of causal and resultant vehicles,
For
ocean like assemblies of disciples possessing potential,
In
accordance with the various types of suitability and capacity of each individual.
I will
now teach to my closest disciples
The
quintessence of all these condensed into one,
The
essence of my heart, the ultimate counsel,
As
a direct instruction that is easy to understand and simple to apply
Don't
let it dwindle away, but practice one pointedly.
It
has that to be understood, that which causes realization, and the final
result.
Thus
it is demonstrated by these three aspects.
The
ground to be understood is the all pervasive sugata essence.
Uncompounded,
luminous, and empty, it is the natural state of awareness.
Beyond
confusion and liberation, it is completely quiescent, like space.
Although
it abides without separation in samsara or joining in nirvana,
Due
to the great demon of coemergent and conceptual ignorance,
From
the solidified habitual patterns of grasping and fixation,
And
the different perceptions of worlds and inhabitants,
The
six classes of beings appeared as a dream.
Although
this is so, you have never moved and will never move
From
the original condition of the essence.
Endeavor
therefore in purifying the temporary stains.
The
stages of the path that bring about realization are innumerable.
Purify
your beings, sow the seeds, and cultivate them.
Remove
the hindrances, and likewise bring forth enhancement.
Thus
enter the correct path through these five aspects.
First
of all is to purify your mind and being.
The
vajra master, the root of the path,
Is
someone who has the pure conduct of samaya and vows.
He
is fully adorned with learning, has discerned it through reflection.
And
through meditation he possesses the qualities and signs of experience and
realization.
With
his compassionate action he accepts disciples.
Serve
a master endowed with these characteristics by means of the three pleasing
actions,
And
do not commit the displeasing ones for even an instant.
Take
the pledge to accomplish whatever he commands
By
the skill of correctly training in his thoughts and deeds.
The
master should give the teachings suited to the mind of the disciple
Who
has faith, renunciation, and compassion,
And
who has sharp faculties, intelligence, and discipline.
He
should not give instructions that are inappropriate for the recipient.
For
the way of guiding gradually in accordance with the types of mental capacity,
First,
keep far away from places of disturbance
By
going to a place of solitude and giving up worldly activities.
Sit
on a comfortable seat, straighten your body, and expel the stale breath.
Supplicate
the Three Jewels and generate devotion to your guru.
Apply
mindfulness and reflect in the following way;
This
bodily support adorned with the perfect freedoms and riches,
Like
the udumbara flower, is extremely hard to find.
If
you skillfully take advantage of it,
Then
this find has great value, exceeding that of a wish fulfilling gem.
Therefore
follow spiritual guides and virtuous friends
At
all times and on all occasions.
Giving
up concerns for this life, and for the sake of the future.
Exert
yourself quickly to take advantage of it, for if you don't, (it will not
last).
Like
the rising and setting of the sun and moon, composite things are impermanent.
The
time of death lies uncertain, like a flash of lightning in the sky.
At
the time of death nondharmic things are of no help at all,
So
practice the sacred and sublime Dharma correctly.
The
root of practicing the sacred Dharma is the law of karma.
Through
evil deeds and non virtues you will go to the three lower realms.
By
virtuous actions you achieve the higher realms and liberation.
Therefore
confess evil deeds and make the wholehearted vow to refrain from them.
Diligently
take up the roots of virtue.
Prostrations
and circumambulations purify the wrongdoing of your body.
Reciting
and reading the Buddha's words purify the obscurations of your speech,
And
supplicating the Three Jewels pacifies the faults of your mind.
Always
train correctly in being mindful, careful, and conscientious.
In
particular, for accomplishing the state of emancipation,
With
the recognition and remembrance that all of samsara
Is
like a fiery pit, a garden of razors, or a forest of swords,
Arouse
again and again the intense and genuine attitude
Of
desiring to be quickly freed from the three sufferings
At
some point, when you understand that all samsaric grandeur
Is
impermanent, inconstant, and illusive,
Fascination
with even the splendor of Brahma and Indra
Will
have no occasion to arise for as much as an instant.
While
truly perceiving the Three Precious Ones, the Roots, and the guardians
of the Dharma
To
be the unfailing and permanent protection,
Regard
them respectfully as your refuge until enlightenment
In
order to free yourself and others from the terrors of samsara.
Using
your own experience as a measure,
Arouse
the bodhicitta of aspiration
Through
the four immeasurables of love, compassion, joy and impartiality
In
order that your mothers, all beings, may have happiness and be free from
suffering
With
the intent of pursuing complete enlightenment solely for the sake of others,
Give
away, like grass, your body and possessions,
And
give the relief of protection to those disturbed by dangers.
Practice
the Dharma yourself and establish others in it.
With
the intention of renouncing, a thoroughly delighted frame of mind,
Constrain
yourself from committing the negative misdeeds of your three doors.
Practice
the conditioned and unconditioned virtues as much as you can,
And
motivate yourself to carry out all your deeds for the sake of sentient
beings.
In
order never to be overcome by harm doers,
Cultivate
patience through mindfulness of the demerits of anger.
Joyfully
undertake hardships for the sake of the Dharma,
And
be unafraid of the profound emptiness.
By
awakening a courageous fortitude for what is virtuous,
Don
the armor of tirelessly engaging in bodhisattva deeds.
Exert
yourself without distraction throughout day and night,
And
cast away weariness when achieving the welfare of others
With
the thorough intention to calm your mind,
Take
the mundane dhyanas as the foundation.
Through
fully accomplishing samadhi with vipashyana,
Enter
the domain of the experience of the tathagatas.
By
means of the intelligence that fully discerns phenomena,
First
comprehend the words of all teachings through learning.
Next
seek an understanding of their meaning through reflection,
And
finally realize the meaning through meditation.
Having
ripened your own beings, gather followers through generosity,
Delight
them with pleasing words, and comfort them by being consistent.
Through
counseling them in meaningful conduct, fully establish them, temporarily
and ultimately
In
the splendor of benefit and well-being.
As
the essential point, take upon yourself the burden
Of
all the miseries of sentient beings,
Give
away your happiness and virtue to the six classes of beings,
And
train in compassion and bodhicitta without being carried away by difficulties.
In
particular, external objects grasped by fixation
Are
all unreal and appear like an illusion.
Not
permanent, yet their transiency is able to function.
They
are not singular, since a variety emerges and changes.
They
are not independent, but follow the karmic deeds.
They
are not particles, since partless atoms do not exist.
If
they did exist, gross things could not be assembled.
If
they had parts, this would contradict the assertion of partlessness.
They
are nothing but a nonexistent and false appearance, an interdependence,
Like
dreams, magical illusion, and the reflection of the moon in water.
Regard
them as a city of gandharvas and as a rainbow.
The
mind that observes is also devoid of an ego or a self-entity.
It
is neither seen as something different from the aggregates
Nor
as identical with these five aggregates.
If
the first were true, there would exist some other substance.
This
is not the case, so were the second to be true,
That
would contradict a permanent self, since the aggregates are impermanent.
Therefore,
based on the five aggregates,
The
self is a mere imputation by the power of ego-clinging.
As
to that which imputes, the past thought has vanished and is nonexistent.
The
future thought has not occurred, and the present thought does not withstand
scrutiny.
In
short, understand the twofold self, the perceiver and the perceived,
To
be totally quiescent, like the sky, and devoid of arising,
And
also that this nonarising is beyond the domain of conceptual mind.
Since
even the Omniscient Ones find no words for this,
This
absence of mental constructs is called the Middle Way.
Having
realized this, rest in equanimity,
Free
from conceptual activity, in the state devoid of fixation.
Thoughts
then subside, and the natural state of the essence is seen.
Hereby
you accomplish the virtues such as the eyes,
superknowledge,
and dharani-recall.
The
causal vehicle of the paramitas
Is
to gradually attain the paths and bhumis.
On
the path of fruition, you should still regard
The
practice of unified emptiness and compassion as the basis of the path.