Tilopa's Mahamudra Instruction to Naropa in Twenty Eight Verses

Homage to the Eighty Four Mahasiddhas! Homage to Mahamudra! Homage to the Vajra Dakini! Mahamudra cannot be taught. But most intelligent Naropa !ince you ha"e undergone rigorous austerity #ith $orbearance in su$$ering and %ith de"otion to your &uru Blessed 'ne take this secret instruction to heart. (s space any%here supported) *pon %hat does it rest) +ike space Mahamudra is dependant upon nothing, -ela. and settle in the continuum o$ unalloyed purity /nd your bonds loosening release is certain. &a0ing intently into the empty sky "ision ceases, +ike%ise %hen mind ga0es into mind itsel$ 1he train o$ discursi"e and conceptual thought ends /nd supreme enlightenment is gained. +ike the morning mist that dissol"es into thin air &oing no%here but ceasing to be #a"es o$ conceptuali0ation all the mind2s creation dissol"e #hen you behold your mind2s true nature. 3ure space has neither colour nor shape /nd it cannot be stained either black or %hite, !o also mind2s essence is beyond both colour and shape /nd it cannot be sullied by black or %hite deeds. 1he darkness o$ a thousand aeons is po%erless 1o dim the crystal clarity o$ the sun2s heart, /nd like%ise aeons o$ samsara ha"e no po%er 1o "eil the clear light o$ the mind2s essence. /lthough space has been designated 4empty4 (n reality it is ine.pressible, /lthough the nature o$ mind is called 4clear light4 (ts e"ery ascription is baseless "erbal $iction. 1he mind2s original nature is like space, (t per"ades and embraces all things under the sun. Be still and stay rela.ed in genuine ease Be 5uiet and let sound re"erberate as an echo 6eep your mind silent and %atch the ending o$ all %orlds. 1he body is essentially empty like the stem o$ a reed

/nd the mind like pure space utterly transcends the %orld o$ thought7 -ela. into your intrinsic nature %ith neither abandon nor control 8 Mind %ith no objecti"e is Mahamudra 8 /nd %ith practice per$ected supreme enlightenment is gained. 1he clear light o$ Mahamudra cannot be re"ealed By the canonical scriptures or metaphysical treatises '$ the Mantra"ada the 3aramitas or the 1ripitaka, 1he clear light is "eiled by concepts and ideals. By harbouring rigid precepts the true samaya is impaired But %ith cessation o$ mental acti"ity all $i.ed notions subside, #hen the s%ell o$ the ocean is at one %ith its peace$ul depths #hen mind ne"er strays $rom indeterminate non8conceptual truth 1he unbroken samaya is a lamp lit in spiritual darkness. Free o$ intellectual conceits disa"o%ing dogmatic principles 1he truth o$ e"ery school and scripture is re"ealed. /bsorbed in Mahamudra you are $ree $rom the prison o$ samsara, 3oised in Mahamudra guilt and negati"ity are consumed, /nd as master o$ Mahamudra you are the light o$ the Doctrine. 1he $ool in his ignorance disdaining Mahamudra 6no%s nothing but struggle in the $lood o$ samsara. Ha"e compassion $or those %ho su$$er constant an.iety! !ick o$ unrelenting pain and desiring release adhere to a master For %hen his blessing touches your heart the mind is liberated. 69E H'! +isten %ith joy! (n"estment in samsara is $utile, it is the cause o$ e"ery an.iety. !ince %orldly in"ol"ement is pointless seek the heart o$ reality! (n the transcending o$ mind2s dualities is !upreme "ision, (n a still and silent mind is !upreme Meditation, (n spontaneity is !upreme /cti"ity, /nd %hen all hopes and $ears ha"e died the &oal is reached. Beyond all mental images the mind is naturally clear7 Follo% no path to $ollo% the path o$ the Buddhas, Employ no techni5ue to gain supreme enlightenment. 69E M/! +isten %ith sympathy! #ith insight into your sorry %orldly predicament -ealising that nothing can last that all is as dreamlike illusion Meaningless illusion pro"oking $rustration and boredom 1urn around and abandon your mundane pursuits. :ut a%ay in"ol"ement %ith your homeland and $riends /nd meditate alone in a $orest or mountain retreat, E.ist there in a state o$ non8meditation /nd attaining no8attainment you attain Mahamudra.

/ tree spreads its branches and puts $orth lea"es But %hen its root is cut its $oliage %ithers, !o too %hen the root o$ the mind is se"ered 1he branches o$ the tree o$ samsara die / single lamp dispels the darkness o$ a thousand aeons, +ike%ise a single $lash o$ the mind2s clear light Erases aeons o$ karmic conditioning and spiritual blindness. 69E H'! +isten %ith joy! 1he truth beyond mind cannot be grasped by any $aculty o$ mind, 1he meaning o$ non8action cannot be understood in compulsi"e acti"ity, 1o realise the meaning o$ non8action and beyond mind :ut the mind at its root and rest in naked a%areness. /llo% the muddy %aters o$ mental acti"ity to clear, -e$rain $rom both positi"e and negati"e projection 8 lea"e appearances alone7 1he phenomenal %orld %ithout addition or subtraction is Mahamudra. 1he unborn omnipresent base dissol"es your impulsions and delusions7 Do not be conceited or calculating but rest in the unborn essence /nd let all conceptions o$ yoursel$ and the uni"erse melt a%ay. 1he highest "ision opens e"ery gate, 1he highest meditation plumbs the in$inite depths, 1he highest acti"ity is ungo"erned yet decisi"e, /nd the highest goal is ordinary being de"oid o$ hope and $ear. /t $irst your karma is like a ri"er $alling through a gorge, (n mid8course it $lo%s like a gently meandering -i"er &anga, /nd $inally as a ri"er becomes one %ith the ocean (t ends in consummation like the meeting o$ mother and son. ($ the mind is dull and you are unable to practice these instructions -etaining essential breath and e.pelling the sap o$ a%areness 3ractising $i.ed ga0es 8 methods o$ $ocussing the mind Discipline yoursel$ until the state o$ total a%areness abides. #hen ser"ing a karmamudra the pure a%areness o$ bliss and emptiness %ill arise7 :omposed in a blessed union o$ insight and means !lo%ly send do%n retain and dra% back up the bodhichitta /nd conducting it to the source saturate the entire body. But only i$ lust and attachment are absent %ill that a%areness arise. 1hen gaining long8li$e and eternal youth %a.ing like the moon -adiant and clear %ith the strength o$ a lion 9ou %ill 5uickly gain mundane po%er and supreme enlightenment. May this pith instruction in Mahamudra -emain in the hearts o$ $ortunate beings.

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Tilopa's Mahamudra Instruction to Naropa in twenty Eight Verses was transmitted by the Great Guru and Mahasiddha Tilopa to the Kashmiri Pandit !age and !iddha Naropa near the ban"s o# the $i%er Ganga upon the completion o# his Twel%e &usterities' Naropa transmitted the teaching in !ans"rit in the #orm o# twenty eight %erses to the great Tibetan translator Mar pa Chos "yi blos gros who made a #ree translation o# it at his %illage o# Pulahari on the Tibet ( )hutan border' This te*t is contained in the collection o# Mahamudra instruction called the +o ha md,od brgyad ces bya ba Phyag rgya chen po'i man ngag gsal bar ston pa'i g,hung which is printed at the Gyalwa Karmapa's monastery at $umte" !i""im' The Tibetan title is Phyag rgya chen po'i man ngag or Phyag rgya chen po rdo r-e'i tsig r"ang nyi shu rtsa brgyad pa' This translation into English has been done by Kun,ang Ten,in in ./00 a#ter transmission o# the oral teaching by Khamtrul $inpoche in Tashi 1ong Kangra Valley India'