Third: The Essence of the Meaning of the Completion Stage, the Meditation on Mahamudra Jigten Gonpo said, In the

vast space of mind itself If the gathering of the clouds of thoughts do not disperse, The planets and stars of the two knowledges will not shine. Therefore endeavor in this mind of non-thought. In the space of the intrinsic nature, the dharmakaya, the gathering of the clouds of temporary, co-emergent stains or thoughts are there. The self-nature of mind is primordially unborn. Endeavoring undistractedly and without fixation in sustaining this very meaning of non-thought acquaints you with the concepts and self-purifies them. Then the qualities such as the two knowledges that are primordially, naturally present become manifest. If the gathering of clouds disperse, the planets and stars will shine. This saying has two parts: staged instructions and pointing out instructions. As for the first part, the teachings are given y means of the paramita of meditative concentration and the paramita of wisdom, or shamatha and vipassana. Shamatha As for the first, in general, ecause of the proliferation of mental conceptual thoughts, the meaning of a iding in unstained peace is called calm-a iding, or shamatha. This practice is done with characteristics and without characteristics, and that again with support and without support. As for the first part, fi! the mind without moving the eyes on the o "ect of meditation, which shouldn#t e e!tremely white, in front. It seems that previous masters said that it becomes a fault, because if it is white and shining, the eyes will devour it or thoughts will be wild and scattered. Through the single crucial point of mind, vision, and winds, if the eyes do not move, the mind abides. $est for as long as possi le with fi!ed ga%e within the state of clarity and emptiness, without eing distracted toward anything else. If concepts suddenly arise from the mind not a iding, cut them immediately upon their arising, and settle, focusing nakedly on the o "ect of meditation. &If 'the mind is a sor ed in the o "ect, ring it ack and &if' the the o "ect a sor es the mind put it ack. (hen discursive thoughts such as if the o "ect of meditation and the mind are the same or different, and so forth occur, rest in the unstained natural state. It is no contradiction if you focus on whatever other o "ects of meditation are suita le, such as the statue of a )uddha and so forth. Also you can visuali%e the complete generation stage of the yidam deity. As for that, when you conceptually think of the color, the implements, and this and that, or you conceptually think of the clarity or lack of clarity in the generation stage, mentally fi! your focus on "ust the unstained ody of the deity. *ocus on whatever you like, as long as you settle un-distractedly. If the mind e!cellently grasps the generation stage, it will finally attain sta ility. There is a very great need for the two stages to ecome a unity. This is the final reali%ation of the path of li eration. As for the second, without support, there are the meditations with the reath and

without the reath. As for the first, meditate y focusing the mind on e!halation, inhalation and a iding. (hen you conceptually think, +this is the e!halation, or +this is the inhalation,, rest for as long as possi le on simply the meditation o "ect of the reath itself. In rief, when you conceptuali%e out of mental confusion, a ide in the unstained natural state of your own nature. This is the definition of the paramita of meditative concentration. This is what -yo pa $inpoche called the va"ra-like samadhi and it is what con.uers the concepts of grasping to characteristics. As for the meditation without &concentrating on' the reath, however the mind stays in the natural state without fi!ing upon anything, rest there. If it is empty, rest upon emptiness. If it is clarity, rest upon clarity without contrivance. As soon as concepts arise, immediately cut them in the manner descri ed efore. In the meditation without characteristics, there is concentration and rela!ation. As for the first, for e!ample, Acharya /ema said, 0uring the completion stage, 1harpen your attention in awareness. 2plift your sense faculties. 3lear up your mind 4it the target regarding what to do with your vision and the essential points of the physical posture. At that time e!pel the stale reath. 1harpen your attention in awareness. Think that you will not enter into any concepts of the three times whatsoever. (ithin clarity emptiness, totally cut all movements and rest. As for rela!ation, if you feel irritated with the former, or if your mind ecomes agitated with its imaginings, rest in the natural state y rela!ing ody and mind. (ithin that, if afflictive emotions and so forth or coarse conceptions arise, cut them immediately. If su tle movements stir, rest naturally and rela!ed without suppressing them. *or oth, it is a pith instruction to interrupt thoughts of clarity and liss, and to do many short sessions. If you concentrate for a long time, you could fall under the sway of agitation. If you rela! for a long time, you could fall under the sway of drowsiness and sleep. 4owever, e in accordance with your individual constitution and intelligence. If you have a predominance of earth element for e!ample, and if due to drowsiness, awareness is unclear and sluggish, the main thing to do is to concentrate. If your consciousness is like a monkey, and you are predominantly in the group of wild discursive thoughts, the main thing to do is to rela!. If you do not know the essential point of e.uali%ing dullness and agitation y alternating your awareness, there is a danger that your meditation will ecome faulted. Vipassana 5ow for the second, the teaching y means of vipassana. In the language of general 0harma, it is called the meditation on the selflessness of phenomena and the meditation on the selflessness of the individual. At the time when you practice this profound teaching, the two aspects are called, reach decisive insight into the different kinds of appearances in settled mind, and clearing up dou ts regarding its asis and e!pression. A out the first, reach a definitive understanding a out mind#s essence &and decide

that' phenomenon are selfless and individuals are selfless. There are two parts to ascertaining that concepts are the e!pression of that &selfless nature'. The first is, when you are calmly a iding, look nakedly at the essence of "ust that. Is this a iding the ody or the mind6 If it is the mind, decide whether there is any entity. (hat kind of physical shape or color does it have6 0oes it have a s.uare, crescent, or round shape6 0oes it have a white, red, or lack color6 0oes it a ide outside, inside, or in etween the ody6 (hen the sense faculties of the eyes and so forth see forms, or hear sounds, does the mind alone go toward each sense faculty turn y turn, or is it generally pervading6 In the same way, does it a ide in the five vital organs like the heart and so forth, the si! hollow organs like the intestines and so forth, or the upper and lower parts6 If you feel that it pervades the entire ody, in what way does it pervade6 If it a ides in the manner of eing insepara ly mi!ed, then what happens to the mind when the ody ecomes a corpse6 7ike this, scrutini%e well where the mind comes from, where it stays and where it goes. As for the second, look nakedly at the thoughts themselves that closely e!amine the mind. 8ou have e!amined in detail what physical shape it has, what color, first where it comes from, when it originates, where it a ides now, at the end where it goes, and so forth. It is important to e!amine until certainty is naturally settled within. 3learing up dou ts regarding the asis and e!pression has four parts: deciding conceptual thoughts are mind, deciding appearances are mind, investigating mind a iding and moving, and cutting through whatever arises as un orn. $esolve these: The first: within the mind serenely a iding, directly watch one concept proliferate. 0oes that concept originate from the mind or not6 Is it the same as the mind or different6 If it does originate from the mind, is it like the sun#s rays originating from the sun6 If it is like that, the sun and the sun#s rays appear at the same time. 7ikewise, even though mind and concepts are two, do they arise accompanying each other6 Also, when incense meets with fire, smoke comes. 0o you think that likewise if a condition is met with, it arises, if it is not met with, it doesn#t arise6 (hen the incense and the flame e!tinguish, the smoke also e!tinguishes. Is it likewise that even though the mind and concepts are two, if you stop one, it seems like the other one e!tinguishes with it6 Also think a out a mirror and the reflection that appears in it. (ell, like the reflection is dependent on the support, are thoughts also dependent on a support6 In one direction, the reflection appears in the mirror, and in another direction it doesn#t appear. Is it likewise that in one direction a concept appears in the mind, and in another direction, it doesn#t appear6 Take also the reflection of the moon in water. (hatever vessel you find that contains water, when you find the reflection of the moon therein, does it appear simultaneously6 7ikewise, in the mind there are different &conditions' of happiness and suffering and so forth from which many thoughts arise. 0o they arise simultaneously or not6 Think also of irth, like a child eing orn from a mother. 7et#s say oth the mother and child live together. Is it likewise that the mind and thoughts oth live together6 If the child is orn and the mother dies, is it likewise that if thoughts are orn the mind dies6 If the mother lives and the child dies, is it likewise that mind lives and thoughts die6 It is possi le that oth the mother and child die. Is it likewise that mind and thoughts also die together6 If investigating in detail like that, you think that mind and concepts are one, is it that concepts arising are the same as the mind6 9r are concepts mi!ed together with the mind6 If they are not one, investigate well what the difference is.

As for the second, stare nakedly at a pillar, or something, in front of you. 0oes that form come from the mind or not6 Is it the same as the mind or different6 If it doesn#t come from the mind, when we die, it should also appear to the corpse, ut it doesn#t appear. If it does come from the mind, when you go to another place, the pillar should also go with you, ut it doesn#t go. 7ike that, investigate sound, smell, taste, sensation and so forth as efore. Again, if the senses-o "ect and the mind are the same, is it that appearances arising are the same as the mind6 9r are appearances mi!ed together with the mind6 If they are not the same, are appearances and mind each individually capa le of standing alone6 3losely e!amine what the difference is. As for the third, during shamatha or the like, look nakedly at the a iding essence of mind. Also during the search for mind in vipassana, or the like, look nakedly at the essence of the movements. Is there a difference etween the two or not6 If there is a difference, what is it6 If there is no difference, do the a iding and moving come as two6 :ven within shamatha, there are a few thoughts such as +this is a iding,, which are su tle movements. :ven within the movements, there are a few thoughts such as +it has arisen,, which are su tle aspects of a iding. Investigate each one and come to a good decision. As for the fourth, disregarding conceptual thoughts and the si! sense perceptions, look nakedly at the natural essence of mind itself. Is it clarity6 9r is it emptiness6 Is clarity predominant6 9r is emptiness predominant6 9r is it indivisi le clarity emptiness6 It is important to closely e!amine in detail. uring this, if you !ust leave it at mere intellectual understanding" if you don#t come to a complete and conclusive decision, later you could be ensnared in the web of doubts. There are a few old, conceited hermits. They repeatedly only seek out pointing out instructions and clearing away of obstacles. $ut at that time, the answer given is that they have not traversed the path from the upland part of the valley to the lower part. Pointing Out Instructions /ointing out instructions has three parts: actual pointing out instructions, e!planation of the faults of meditation, e!periencing meditation without faults or the daily practice of the way of sustaining. As for the first, in the previous instruction three e!amples of co-emergent thinking were stated. /reviously we looked into conceptual thoughts. (hen investigating mind and thoughts, the .uestion of thoughts and mind eing the same or different is still unresolved. If you understand the previous e!ample from the teachings, that sun- rays come from the sun, it is really similar to thoughts coming from the mind. And like the sun and the sun- rays distinctly appear, then it is conse.uently impossi le that mind and thoughts appear together. If you understand incense and smoke, it is similar to when conditions are met with, there is arising. (hen the incense goes out the smoke goes out, ut it is conse.uently illogical that of mind and thoughts, if one goes out, the other one also goes out. And if you understand a child orn from a mother, it is similar to this eing orn from that. )ecause the mother and child are different eings, the mother could die and the child could live, or the child could die and the mother could live, ut it is impossi le that they oth die, or oth live &as one eing'. Another appropriate e!ample here is gold and rust. 7ike that, mind and concepts arise simultaneously. And like o scurations to the dharmakaya nature of mind, y knowing the face of appearing

thoughts themselves, they are self-purified and understood to e indivisi ly li erated. Are thoughts coming from the mind the same6 It isn#t that thoughts and mind are mi!ed together as one. )ased on the condition of temperature, water and a lock of ice appear as two, ut they oth come from the essence of water. In a similar way, mind and thoughts also, y means of undergoing a change, only appear different. Their essence has always een insepara le. (hatever various decisions you are a le to comprehend regarding the sameness or difference, this is the pointing out instruction of the co-emergence of concepts. ;oreover, the ;aster ;aitripa said, The temporary thoughts are from the un orn. These thoughts themselves are the asic space of mind#s essence. These two are primordially without difference. The true teaching is that these two ecome of one taste. The second section is pointing out that appearances are co-emergent. %ointing out resolving appearances as mind. 1tare nakedly at a pillar in front of you, or a vase or the like. At that time, its attri utes are all complete. It appears as really real. If the deluded mind la els, this is a false conception. Then if there is the work of some other contri uting circumstance, this is relational. )ut if you analy%e with your own essence, it is only a name, only a sign, only a la el. The essence of mind reali%es it is un-esta lished, and this is the a solute. 7ike this illustration, all appearances such as form, sound, smell, taste, and sensation, are endowed with these three natures. The <ictors do not negate mere appearances. Just mere appearances are essentially empty. Appearances and mind are not a le to stand on their own. The entirety of appearances and the entirety of what is inside the mind are in essence aspects of clarity emptiness and are insepara le. Are mind and appearances mi!ed out there6 9r are appearances and mind mi!ed in here as the same or is it not like this6 If you understand that you cannot clarify whether appearances and mind arise together or separately, this is the pointing out instruction of the coemergence of appearances. ;oreover, from the inconceiva le Tantra, The nature of mind is the co-emergent dharmakaya. Appearances are the co-emergent dharmakaya#s radiance. *or that reason, appearances and mind are insepara le co-emergence. The third section is pointing out that the nature of mind is co-emergent. &ettle into mind#s essence. Investigate the mind#s basic abiding and moving. 'esolving that whatever arises is unborn is the pointing out instruction. *aultless shamatha in the three times of the eginning, middle, and end yields later to not eing stirred y the waves of the ocean. This almost pacifies all proliferation of thoughts. )ut non-thought is not the summit. The unimpeded si! sense perceptions are clarity. -nowing how to not follow after them is the resolution of the essence of indivisi le clarity emptiness. 5o matter how many waves roll on the ocean, they are only a le to move the surface, not the depths. 7ikewise the movements within a iding, and the a iding within the movements are only the limpid aspect of the nature of mind. The essence of indivisi le clarity emptiness is self-li erated. This is the pointing out instruction of the co-emergence of the nature of mind. ;oreover, Glorious 1havari said,

The various rivers like the Ganga and so forth Are of one taste in the salty ocean. 7ikewise, know the analy%ing mind and all the various mind-states, to e of one taste in the dharmadhatu. The second section is the e!planation of the faults of meditation. The e!tensive e!planation is e!pounded in the <a"ra 1ongs of the 2nreali%ed A solute Truth =rtogs med don dam rdo r!e#i glu>. I have adapted it and here it is of middling length. *rom the <a"ra 1ong itself, the work of the (aster )imself, $egarding the meditation which enters the meaning, There are ways to go astray and different kinds of faults. The main thing is to sei%e the a iding aspect of the mind. The mind in which the si! senses have stopped, or which stops them, Is like a lake that has fro%en. This eing so, a iding without this Is the three levels spoken of y the honored panditas. This is the fault of +the attainer of shamatha,. The uno structed appearance of the si! senses, At once unclear then suddenly immediately vivid, Is the fault of what is called + flickering meditation,. The dull, lank state that does not feel The si! senses eing clear or unclear Is the fault of what is called +neutral,. The concepts that already stopped, 7ater do not arise again. 9n top of that, the meditation is without focused attention, and is a kind of mindless vacancy. This is the fault of not sei%ing vipassana. :ven if you do sei%e vipassana, And you do not waver from mahamudra, )ecause you desire that lank, mindless meditation, This is the fault of the famished meditation. Also the mediation that is merely lissful and sta ly tran.uil, )ecause it is without the primordial wisdom of vipassana, 3oncepts and appearances are grasped as enemies. This is the fault of grasping to two when there is one. (e have all of the concepts of the three times.

5ot mentally engaging, they are completely empty. 5ot sei%ing this estimation of vipassana, Is the fault of locking the apparent aspect. (hatever appears, all of whatever arises If meditated on in the way of holding to their untruth, Ascertaining provisional emptiness, Is the fault of grasping to insu stantiality. (ithout mindfulness toward the appearances of the si! senses, :ven though it is called +the meditation which does not affirm or deny,, Is the fault of a iding in e.uanimity. In the clarity of the nature of mind, non-thought, If you grasp to that meditation, :ven though that reali%ation is peaceful in its own place, This isn#t the recognition of the clarity of awareness. It is similar to the meaning of the natural state. )ut ecause it has the wish to urge non-thought, It is the iased hope for the ultimate truth. 4owever many cognitive acts and mental states there are, )eing wide awake within clarity emptiness That meditation itself and those close to it, The natural state of magnificent mindfulness, (ithout the aspect of rela!ation that is alertly easy, Is the suffering of e!treme concentration. In this manner though, the natural state is difficult to reali%e. Taking a mouthful of the totality of the emptiness of samsara and nirvana, (hile not sei%ing the refuge of the protecting three "ewels, 5ot giving rise to compassion toward the si! classes of cast-down eings, 4aving wanton ehavior regarding cause and effect, Is the emptiness of demons. If the mind a ides or moves, or whatever it does, *aults and .ualities, removing of o stacles, enhancement practices and so forth, The need to suppress is the essence of what is to e a andoned. -eep hold of "ust that? )eing unfamiliar with the teachings, The name mahamudra is "ust a unch of la els. $eali%e the ultimate truth of the entity of mind. As soon as concepts of afflictive emotions arise, The coarse five poisons of un ridled concepts If medicine has turned to poison, it cannot heal.

0estroy the root of all faults. 4ere is &the method'. 4ere also there are the classifications of the four ways of going astray, and the three ways you can go wrong and so forth. The four ways of going astray are: fundamentally going astray, going astray on the antidote, going astray on the path, and going astray through generali%ing. :ach of these four also has two categories of primordially going astray, and presently going astray. *irst, fundamentally going astray, from form until omniscience, the nature of these o "ects of knowledge is primordially un-esta lished. 3linging to only the empty aspect of that resolution is primordially going astray. /resently going astray is when you don#t think that all phenomena are un-esta lished during meditation. As for going astray on the antidote, the understanding that all of the sections of the dharmas of sutra and tantra and so forth are only antidotes, and the afflictive emotions are only to e a andoned is primordially going astray. The meditation on mahamudra as an antidote to afflictive emotions and concepts is presently going astray. As for going astray on the path, having the view that the ground is negative, the path is what is to e a andoned, and the fruition is no le reali%ation is fundamentally going astray. (ishing for the attainment of some other dharmakaya at a later time through going on the path of the meditation of mahamudra now, is presently going astray. As for going astray through generali%ing, generali%ing that efore there were all phenomena, primordially there weren#t is fundamentally going astray. Generali%ing purifying momentary entities into emptiness through the three purities of mantra, is presently going astray. *rom the three ways you can go wrong, as for going wrong through liss, if the si! senses arise as liss, or if the e!perience of liss arises like lood or milk dripping down, and these aren#t taken onto the path, you will fall under their sway or cling to them. 3linging to the liss of pacifying suffering and the crucial points of what is to e meditated on, all the way up to those e!periences of liss "ust mentioned are contained herein. As for going wrong through clarity, when you are a le to see hidden o "ects in your own ody, in the place you stay, or in the three-thousand fold universe and so forth, or you are a le to know another person#s mind-stream, or hear secret speech, or have clairvoyance regardless of time, and you are fascinated and ama%ed, this is clinging to the e!perience of clarity. As for going wrong through non-thought, the e!perience of emptiness through locking the concepts of the si! senses or through having them stop, or clinging to the stillness of non-thought, results in eing orn successively in the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm, and is not going on the path of li eration. ;oreover, having decided that the result of virtue and negativity is un-esta lished ecause of the meaning of emptiness, and there y ignoring karma cause and effect is going wrong through evil thinking. 7ike that, that which is to e a andoned, and the recognition of that, and meditating on emptiness as an antidote to that are all the root of going astray and going wrong. ;oreover, saying all phenomena e!ist relatively and do not e!ist ultimately, or relatively do not e!ist and ultimately do e!ist, or e!ist oth relatively and ultimately, or the view that neither e!ist, are all said to e going wrong in e!tremism.

4aving e!plained the faults of meditation, now comes the e!perience of meditation without faults, or the daily practice of the way of sustaining. There are two parts: identifying the fresh ordinary mind, and the actual way of sustaining the practice. As for the first, at the eginning it is important to identify the meaning of ordinary mind. As for that meaning, during the time of mahamudra itself, Acharya Togtsepa said, The weary guests of the nature of mind ;ust rest in freedom from ela orations. This fresh, genuine, natural flow Is mahamudra eyond conceptual mind. The guests of the nature of mind are weary from the ela orations of su "ect o "ect duality. As for the way they rest in freedom from ela orations, it is in freshness, genuineness, and the natural flow. The meaning of freshness is when the past has stopped, the future is not yet orn, and the present cogni%ance is like new. :ven though the name freshness is applied first, the primordial knowing itself is genuine. The knowing of the future is it not. The essence of mind of the three times is actually insepara le, and thus is the natural flow. )ecause that meaning itself is not the domain of thought, mahamudra is eyond the conceptual mind. If we are to reak apart the views propounded y the four philosophical schools, the *aibhashikas assert that apprehendable ob!ects are minute particles, and the apprehending mind is instantaneous. The &autrantikas assert that appearances are mind and sub!ect and ob!ect are two. The +hittamatrins assert that sub!ect and ob!ect are nondual, being actually self-awareness. The (adhyamikas assert that all phenomena are free from elaborations. 7ord ;aitreya said, The intellect conceives that there is nothing other than what comes from mind. )ut reali%e that that mind itself also does not e!ist. The intellect conceives non-duality. )eyond the intellect is the a iding dharmadhatu. 9uter and inner, the universe and eings, samsara and nirvana, all phenomena are your own mind. The mind#s essence is empty. The dual appearance of mind and appearances is not o served. It is free from the ela orations of dou ts a out its e!istence or non-e!istence. According to the ;antrayana, during the four empowerments, it is said, This primordial wisdom is su tler and su tler It is like the center of va"ra space ,it is saying it is analogous to spaceThis is the estowal of dust-free, perfect peace. ,it is talking about perfection8ou too are eyond like that. Through the ela orations of primordial wisdom, it isn#t reali%ed. *rom that standpoint the essence gets su tler and su tler. 9n account of its indestructi ility, if you reali%e it, you defeat samsara. If you don#t reali%e it, you defeat nirvana. *or that reason, the essence of oth samsara and nirvana are va"ra in nature. 1pace is actually eyond any color or shape. It is said to e analogous to space and like the center of space. In space

the center and edges are actually indistinguisha le, so it is like the center. Through reali%ing the essence of the afflictive emotions themselves, they are purified without a andoning any stains. *or that reason it is dust-free, or immaculate. 4aving gone eyond samsara and encountered great nirvana, is perfect peace. Another way that could e read is + estowing li eration,. If you attain li eration or actually estow it, this is the li erating estowal of peace. This comes from the work of your own awareness, not from the demonstration of others. A out that, Tilopa said, +-now the e!pression of your own awareness., This is similar to +you too are eyond like that,. To sum up, it is not fitting to e!press through speech the unstained reali%ation of the natural flow of the mind and the intrinsic nature of the three times. It must e e!perienced. The stillness of non-conceptuality, or the naked, fully aware knowing that does not follow after thoughts is ordinary mind. ;oreover, it is said, *rom the mind-stream of completely non-dwelling suchness Is the supreme fruition of the nature of ordinary mind. $esting in the uncontrived is the attainment of the fruition of the three kayas. $ela!ing in naturalness is the perfection of primordial wisdom. 5agar"una said, 0on#t conceptuali%e anywhere at all in the mind. 0on#t modify, rest in the effortless nature. 2ncontrived, un orn, natural. Glorious 1hawaripa said, In ordinary mind, the genuine natural mode, The contrived focus, unstained though it is, Is unnecessary in the naturally pure mind. 5ot holding, not casting away, rest in naturalness. Tilopa said, 0on#t think, don#t reflect, don#t mentally engage, 0on#t meditate, don#t do anything, rest naturally. 5aropa said, To see it, look at your own mind. ;ind#s nature is not esta lished at all. Ine!pressi le, and eyond o "ect, The very essence of space, free from ela orations. ;etripa said, *rom within a iding without distraction,

0o not contrive ody or speech and do not meditate. 7ord ;arpa said, There is no meditation, and there is no distraction There is no mindfulness and there is also no e!pression. There is no illustration at all. Through the 7ama#s kindness, reali%e that. ;ilarepa said, At the time of meditating on mahamudra, 0o not endeavor in acts of virtue with ody or speech. There is a danger that non-conceptual primordial wisdom will disappear. $est in the state of uncontrived genuineness. 7ord Gampopa said, 0on#t modify, rest in effortlessness. 0on#t look here and there, rest in naturalness. 0on#t mentally engage, rest without reference point. 7ord /hagmodrupa said, If you analy%e, it is not an esta lished entity. It is eyond the realm of shape and color. If you intellectuali%e, it turns to poison. Therefore rest in the uncontrived, leave it in its own place. 7ord Jigten Gonpo said, 1elf-awareness, uncontrived ordinary mind, The present natural flow "ust as it is, is what is called mahamudra. 1ustain "ust this itself through mindfulness. 7ord 8ang Gonpa said, In rief, no one ever made ordinary mind. Just like that, this hope knowing its own face is what is called giving rise to the meditation of mahamudra. 5ow for the second section which is the actual way of sustaining. There are the ways of sustaining general meditation, the particular way for eginners, the way for those with a little it of familiari%ation, the way of sustaining for those with great familiari%ation, the way of ringing onto the path, and the way of giving rise to reali%ation.

As for the first, never e satisfied with your meditation. 8ou need to sustain, or nurture it well. $enunciation is the foot of meditation or the master. Therefore think of the suffering in samsara, of the impermanence of life, keep in mind the meaninglessness, casting aside the entanglements of this world, and accomplishing the purpose of life. )ecause devotion is the head of meditation or like an enhancement practice, have the perception that the 7ama and the -agyu lineage lamas really are )uddhas. 1upplicate them from the ottom of your heart with the wish to never e separated. )ecause mindfulness is the guard of meditation or the main part, when it isn#t your session, when you are not in the mind of renunciation, and in all situations, train in not eing separated from mindfulness of the natural state. The enlightened activity of meditation is to have compassion, therefore meditate on loving-kindness, compassion and odhicitta for all sentient eings and dedicate and aspire to ring them under your protection. 2ntil your own meditation is not perfected, teaching others ecause it seems like a way to increase their enefit is eing held y the o stacles of demons. 1tay in an isolated place. The armor of meditation are shame and em arrassment, therefore take your own inner mind as witness. 7ater on, with deep trust and without displeasing the 7ama, the Three Jewels, and your <a"ra rothers and sisters, go on mountain retreat, and y means of sealing off your room with mud and keeping silence, endeavor in meditation. ;oreover, relying without distraction on mindfulness without interruption like was said efore, is a consummate, profound crucial point. Jigten Gonpo said, The main path of the )uddhas of the three times Is mindfulness without interruption. If you do not know uninterrupted awareness, ody and speech will e used uselessly ;aster /hagmodrupa said, A andon the desire for clairvoyance and magical powers etc. (atch the mind. If you are never separated from watching the mind, The ten powers of Tathagathas, the eighteen distinctive attri utes, and the four fearlessnesses and so forth, The .ualities of )uddhas without e!ception Are certain to come in the first ardo. As for the second section, the way of sustaining for eginner meditators, ;aster Godtshangpa said, 5akedly watch your own mind. )y watching, you don#t see any entity. (ithin that state without anything, rest easily. $est without fi!ation in clarity without thoughts.

1ustaining is as he said. )y nakedly watching your own mind, you don#t see any nature of mind at all. 8ou e!perience no entity. $est easily in that knowing natural flow, or your own nature. (ithout falling under the sway of neutrality, with mindful-awareness, utterly clear, vividly awake, with no separate thoughts, meditate without reference point in un orn clarity. (ithout any clinging or fi!ating whatsoever on affirmation or denial, or empty or not empty, rest within the state of clarity emptiness without fi!ation. As for those with a little it of familiari%ation, stare nakedly at the face of whatever arises, at whatever appears. Towards that end, you don#t need to enter into effort. As for those with great familiari%ation, in order to e free from the fi!ation of meditator and meditation, there shouldn#t e even a dust mote of meditation involving effort. To sum up, Jowo Je Atisha said, (hatever is said in the @ABBB collections of the 0harma, it comes down to maintaining the dharmata. The essential meaning of all that is e!pressed in the su lime 0harma is only this uncontrived ordinary mind itself. The Great Jetsun &;ilarepa' said, *rom continuously sustaining the ordinary mind, it follows that you forget unawareness and delusion. As for the way of sustaining the practice, it is said that there is no other thing greater than having no fi!ation to whatever arises. 1ee this as all of the crucial points rolled into one. ;oreover, since fi!ating on self and other is the root of samsara, there is no need to mention grasping at the negative three poisons. :ven if you grasp to the no le view, meditation, and action, it ecomes an o stacle. All wrongdoings and faults come from the fi!ation lurking in the mind. To remain without fi!ating on whatever arises and whatever appears, the e!perience of meditating with characteristics and without characteristics, appearances and the appearances ased on the ordinary ha itual propensities and so forth, is the supreme path. /eerless 0agpo said, 5o fi!ation at all to whatever arises. There is no higher place to get to than this supreme path. And, If you are without heart desires, everything is e.ual. If you reali%e that, it is continuous meditation. 1araha said, (hatever you have clinging to, a andon it? These .uotations are in accord with enlightened reali%ation. There are some other hermits who say they sometimes have it and sometimes don#t have it ased on the conditions of gatherings of people or isolation, leisure or usyness and so forth. :ven though these hermits reali%e the fundamental nature that completely pervades all of samsara and nirvana, like the ocean and its waves, their reali%ation is not deep. They say that actually if you have a mind, you have mahamudra. If you do not have a mind, you do not have mahamudra. 5ot relying at all on the conditions of gatherings or isolation, leisure or usyness, good or ad, is this mahamudra or isn#t it6 Think a out if this goes toward meditation or doesn#t. 5ot engaging in accepting and re"ecting, hope and

fear, and suspicions or dou t, look directly at whatever appears, at whatever arises at all times and sustain without contrivance. .s for looking nakedly at whatever arises and relaxing at ease, if you were to ask if there is a difference between these two or not, the answer is there is not. It is said that there is no higher, or more profound method of sustaining meditation than mindfulness. $ut it is explained that there is mindfulness with effort and without effort. 'elaxing without fixating on whatever arises is mindfulness without effort. &o this shows that there is a difference between that and mindfulness with effort. 5ow for the third section which is ringing onto the path. *rom mahamudra, the gatherings of conceptual thoughts, afflictive emotions, gods and demons, sickness, suffering, death and so forth are recogni%ed and rought onto the path. :ven though there is a lot regarding ringing onto the path, like the famous si! kinds of one taste, Jigten Gonpo said, The arising of the afflictive emotions themselves are concepts. Grasping to an I is also a concept. ;editation as an antidote to these is also a concept. 0on#t accept this pile of three concepts. It follows that everything comes from the workings of your own mind. The thing to e re"ected and its antidote are insepara le when sustaining without fi!ation toward whatever arises. )ut it is not sufficient to ring "ust one thing onto the path. (hen gods and demons show themselves, the fi!ated concepts themselves are the o structor or harm-doer. If you know the crucial point of remaining without fi!ation to "ust those, there is no one outer at all who can cause harm. An e!ample is when the rock demoness arose as an enemy to ;ilarepa. It was the fi!ated concepts toward the rock demoness themselves that were the enemy. )eside that, there is no other rock demoness who causes any harm. The enlightened meaning of the cure-all spoken of y high- eings, is that there is no need to look for anything other than ringing onto the path. 7ike that, if you have the crucial point of the practice, you don#t need to see the arising of coarse afflictive emotions and their corresponding degree of conceptual e!pressions as a fault. It says in a sutra, )odhisattvas know how to make afflictive emotions friends on the path. Just like the filthy manure in the middle of a city )enefits the fields of the sugar cane farmer, Just so, the odhisattvas# manure of afflictive emotions Acts as an aid to the <ictor and the <ictor#s 0harma. The filthy manure in the middle of the village makes the crops or the sugar cane grow. 7ikewise, having the power of the afflictive emotions together with the power of their antidote, instantly achieves the fruition. *or e!ample, 1orrowless Angulimala had the power of anger. )ut he instantly saw the truth of the )uddhas# teaching. 1imilarly, secret mantrins even ask for afflictive emotions on the path. 4owever strong the afflictive emotions are, there is a corresponding cutting y the path. In this conte!t of mahamudra,

it isn#t only the afflictive emotions. Also loving-kindness, compassion, odhicitta, deity meditation and so forth, good thoughts and ad thoughts, particular or ordinary, are actually "ust thoughts. *or the sake of all of that, a andoning and not a andoning, that which readily arises and that which doesn#t arise, to sustain without contriving, is an authentic crucial point of practice. /yopa said, it is said to cast away the afflictive emotions and so forth on the five-fold path. Temporarily, until you have mastery, this is right. 0inally, it is right that the thing to be abandoned is inseparable with its antidote. (hat we call a nal!or, or yogin, is someone who has attained mastery ="or> in the meaning of resting the mind =nal>. (hat we call a togden =one endowed with reali%ation>, is someone who sees the essence of mind, or reali%es it, and thus gets the name togden. (hat was said previously a out taking on the path is in accordance with this: 1araha said, The lion, elephant, tiger, hyena, and ear, (rathful savage easts, poisonous snakes, a pit of fire and an a yss, The poison that takes down the king, thunder and lightning, )ecause all of these are the essential nature, there is no harm. )y defeating the great enemies of conceptual thoughts, all enemies are defeated. )y overcoming the poison of a view of self, all poisons are overcome. *or that reason, the highest endeavor is this "ewel of mind. 5aropa said, The o stacles caused y sickness and evil spirits Are su sumed in conceptual thoughts. :ven if you#re sick, that concept itself is the sickness. :ven if you#re harmed, that concept itself is the harm. :ven if you die, that concept itself is the death. :ven if you#re orn, that concept itself is the irth. )liss and suffering and so forth, All conceptual thoughts, 4ave no e!istence whatsoever apart from the mind. If you definitively pacify concepts, 1ickness and evil spirits won#t occur. 7ike that, as for meditating on the meaning of the way of a iding, 1araha e!plains the way all of the 1utric threefold path of hearing, contemplating, and meditating, or the si! paramitas, and the ;antric path of the generation stage and the completion stage with ela oration are gathered together. 1araha said, To read, to memori%e and to meditate, all is included in that. It is the heart teaching of the dharama. *rom the <a"ra 1amadi 1utra: 5ot moving from emptiness. This is the summation of the si! paramitas. *rom the compendium,

(hatever the learned one studies, wishing to cross to the other shore, he must study the )uddha#s training in the paramita of wisdom. In the Two 1egments of the 4eva"ra Tantra, it states, The nature without ela oration Is the pristine a iding place of mantras and deities. Also, ;antra recitation, austerities, fire pu"as, To e endowed with the mandala, the mandala itself, The summation of all of these is em odied in the mind. :ngaging in composite virtue for many eons produces the great merit it takes to meditate for even an instant on the profound meaning of the way of a iding. *rom the Jewel ;ound ;aitreya 7ion#s $oar 1utra, The thousand fold worlds of the three thousand-fold universe, with all of their realms, with stupas made from the seven precious su stances, even replete with ;t. ;eru and the four continentsC the merit produced y having patience towards the profound 0harma for even the time it takes to snap the fingers is more inconceiva le. In the 1utra of the ;eeting of *ather and 1on, it says, *rom practicing the five paramitas for ten eons, 8ou have the great merit it takes to hear +the essential nature,. *rom having listened to that for ten eons, 9ne sentient eing has the great merit to e taught. (hatever it took for 1hariputra to teach another +the essential nature, after ten eons, The great merit it takes to meditate on +the essential nature, for even the time it takes to snap the fingers is innumera ly greater. $egarding how reali%ing the insepara ility of the thing to e a andoned and its antidote purifies all sins, o scurations, and ha itual propensities, Tilopa said, *or e!ample, even in the gathered darkness of a thousand eons, 9ne single lamp dispels that mass of darkness. In that way, one instant of the luminosity of your own mind, 0ispels the unawareness, sins and o scurations gathered over eons. *rom the /recious Garland, A small merit &stays' if never dou ted.

)ut if dou ted, It ecomes torn y e!istence. As for all of the liss and happiness of the world and eyond this world not needing the activity of effort, the 3ompendium states, 3onditioned liss and unconditioned liss, whatever there might e, 2nderstand where all of that comes from. And, (hatever liss and happiness of )uddhas, odhisattvas, shravakas, pratyeka uddhas, gods, and eings can e found, It all comes from the supreme paramita of wisdom. )ut the arising of attachment and aversion toward the eight worldly concerns of gain and loss and so forth destroys it. *rom the )odhicaryavatara, As for the empty things: (hatever is attained, and whatever is lost (hatever is revered and whatever is disdained, (hatever liss or suffering there is, (hatever sadness, and whatever happiness there is. $egarding having un eara le compassion for sentient eings who are not reali%ed, 5agar"una says, The yogins who have meditated on emptiness, And have altruism in their minds, (ill no dou t e!perience "oy. The reali%ation of the intrinsic nature makes it so you traverse all the stages of the humis and paths without needing to count them up and you .uickly actuali%e the level of uddhahood. *rom the -ing of 1amadhi, (hoever grasps this supreme 1amadhi, :!periences great "oy and stainless light. This light radiates, totally purifying the manifest difficulties. The mind that doesn#t move for a long time (ill attain the pure tenth humi called clouds of 0harma. *rom the <a"ra /an"ara Tantra, The mind that meditates on supreme uddhahood itself (ill attain uddhahood in this lifetime.

*rom the Accomplishment of the 1un and ;oon, The yogins of the highest faculties, 4aving een taught the ultimate mahamudra, (ho enter unmoving 1amadhi, (ho meditate on the 1amadhi of the outcome of liss and emptiness *or three years and three fortnights, (ill attain supreme siddhi. 5ow for the method of giving rise to the four reali%ations together with the enhancement practices. The four yogas are: one-pointedness, non-ela oration, one taste, and non-meditation. These are also divided into lesser, middling and greater, yielding twelve. The first is one-pointedness. As long as it is difficult to sustain the meditation on the 1amadhi of the e!periences of clarity, emptiness, and liss, this is the lesser onepointedness. Going through the stages of the meditations on 1amadhi so that when you meditate it is sta le is the middling one-pointedness. )eing completely in a state of clarity and emptiness in meditation and post-meditation and the four activities, day and night, constantly, without interruption is the greater one-pointedness. The second is non-ela oration. :ven though you reali%e freedom from ela orations of the origin and cessation of the appearing concepts in the essence of mind, you are never far from the e!perience of conviction that grasps at emptiness, and hopes and fears come regarding samsara and nirvana. This is the lesser freedom from ela orations. :ven though the near e!perience of the conviction which grasps to emptiness is purified, upon arising, hopes and fears come and there are uncertainties that have not een cleared up. This is the middling freedom from ela orations. 4aving een freed from the grasping to the conviction that grasps to emptiness toward all of appearance and e!istence, samsara and nirvana, and therefore eing free from hope and fear, and having cleared up uncertainties, is the greater freedom from ela orations. The third is one taste. :ven though you reali%e all mindfulness and appearances to e the single taste of the intrinsic nature, mahamudra, the conviction that grasps at the e!perience is still close at hand. This is the lesser one taste. :!periencing the multiple appearances to e a single taste, and having purified the stains of the conviction that grasps, the appearances outside without e!ception and the inner mind without e!ception ecome the rilliance of the insepara ility of appearance and mind. This is the middling one taste. The array is reali%ed as a single taste. The arising of the array as one taste is peaceful within the state of genuine e.uality toward everything. This is the greater one taste. The fourth is non-meditation. There is no need to hold onto mindfulness. )ecause of that there is no need for meditation sessions, as all appearances arise as meditation. As long as there is a little fi!ation to everything eing like an illusion, this is the lesser nonmeditation. )eing free from that fi!ation to everything eing like an illusion, all day and night is constantly within non-meditation. The consciousness of post-meditation appearances su tly arises as innate clarity. This is the middling non-meditation. (hen even that su tle consciousness a ides as primordial wisdom, and everything is constantly primordial wisdom, this is the greater non-meditation.

There are three ways that individuals will arise regarding these four yogas. 9ne is the instantaneous reali%er. 9ne is the person who skips levels or reali%es in leaps and ounds. 9ne is the person who progresses gradually. If we were to divide these kinds of individuals according to the degree of their sharpness of mind, it is e!plained that it is uncertain how D and that there are a variety of ways these yogas arise. :ach person must look into whether they see the essence of the four yogas, whether their e!pression is perfected, whether conceptual thoughts arise as meditation, whether all .ualities are orn, whether the relative is mastered, and whether the seed has een planted for the rupakaya. A ove is the e!tensive presentation of the stages of the four yogas. As for the enhancement practices, during the time of attaining each yoga, you should know precisely the other enhancement practices. $elying mainly on an isolated place, and keeping silence, cast away clinging to yourself, clinging to en"oyments, and clinging to 1amadhi. Jigten Gonpo said, +9f the two, method and wisdom, if one is enhanced the other progresses., )odhicitta, precious discipline, the generation stage and so forth, the virtuous practices with characteristics, are practiced as a unity within the meditation session. The main enhancement practice is only devotion to the lama. $egarding that, Jigten Gonpo said, The enhancement practice for mahamudra is devotion to the su lime lama. The way of entering the paths and humis of the four yogas is spoken of in the <a"ra 1ong of the 2ltimate Truth, 7ike that, as for the fruition of meditation, $egard this arrangement of the paths and humis. 4aving entered the path of lessings, 2ntil the yoga of one-pointedness is perfected, *irst it is called the path of accumulation. As for freedom from ela oration, devoted conduct, This is called the path of "oining, the essential nature. 9ne taste and lesser and middling non-meditation, Are the first humi, the path of seeing, which is primordial wisdom. The second humi until the tenth, Are given the name the path of meditation. The ultimate truth of great non-meditation, Is the path of perfection, uddhahood itself. These definitions of the yanas of the paths and humis, 4owever difficult they were to compile according to scripture and reasoning, 1hould e seen as real, as they are without confusion in their meaning. -yopa $inpoche said that the mantra path and the four yogas and the liss e!perience of the four chakras at your navel, heart, throat, and crown are com ined: one-pointedness with the path of "oining, freedom from ela oration with the path of seeing, one taste with the path of meditation, and non-meditation with the path of no more learning. It seems as if this is not in accordance with the statement of a few previous -agyudpas. 1o how is it then6 *rom the point of view of the essence of the reali%ation, if you "oin with that, there is indeed no confusion. 4ere, now, there is no mistake to "oin according to our knowledge and like it was e!plained efore.

Dedication 5ow follows the third part of the general outline, the final instructions. $egarding sealing with the dedication of the threefold purity, 7ord Jigten Gonpo said, If the wish-fulfilling two accumulations Are not wiped clean through aspiration prayers, The needs and desires will not come to fruition. 1o endeavor in this concluding dedication. The cause of dedicating the roots of virtue of merit and wisdom, the two accumulations, is like a wish-fulfilling !ewel. 1ithout conceptuali2ing the three spheres, the dedication and aspiration prayers done so that all sentient beings may unimpededly attain buddhahood are the !ewels that wipe clean. (oreover, dedications create the temporary and ultimate purpose, fruition, and accomplishment of self and other. 0rom this wishfulfilling !ewel comes what is needed and desired. (ithin that there are three sections. There is the way of dedicating with characteristics or on the relative level with threefold purity. There is the way of dedicating without characteristics, on the ultimate level with threefold purity. And there is the teaching on the enefits of dedicating. As for the first section, of field, thought and o "ect, it is said to e a profound crucial point of instruction that the field is higher. 3ommonors, pure )rahmins, monastics ,regular people-, stainless monastics ,who are hardly tainted by violation of ordination-, those endowed with wisdom ,the actual reali2ation of the way of abiding-, and the va"ra masters of mantrayana, going from the first to the last in stages, it is e!plained that the merit gets dou led each time y the thousands. There are si! kinds of va"ra masters: those who chant, who give ,the meaning of the Tantra-, the holder ,who connects directly with the lineage-, who teach pith instructions, who estow empowerments, and who perform the action of the mandala ,consecrations and fire pu!as-. The va"ra master is the one who teaches pith instructions ,if empowerment is not bestowed prior, it is unsuitable to teach pith instructions. This one must be endowed with the three kindnesses-. )ecause it is like this, it is the perfect field. (oreover, !ust like as was explained before during the time of 3uru 4oga, all the three !ewels are complete within the lama. As for the complete purity of o "ect, it isn#t giving inappropriate things ,like giving beer and women to someone persevering in the vows-. It is giving proper o "ects needed ,like monks clothes" whatever is an appropriate ob!ect-. As for the complete purity of thought, it is the wish that all your own actions completely ripen, and to not mi! with the desire for profit, fame and honor in this life, nor the mind that engages for your own enefit. Thinking, +may the )uddha#s teachings remain for a long time, and may all sentient eings vast as space have happiness, e free from suffering, and .uickly attain complete uddhahood, is the complete purity of thought. 7ikewise, having a vast intention, y the present roots of virtue shown, myself and all eings of the si! realms of samsara, the )uddhas in nirvana, the odhisattvas, the shravakas and pratyeka uddhas, and the virtue accumulated in the three times, ,In the

5ttaratantra it is said, 6for the sake of the unchanging nature, virtue and complete purity-, taking ownership of the )uddha nature, the element of natural purity and so forth, completely dedicate. As for the second section, as was e!plained during the time of the sva havikakaya of the lama, the field, thought, and o "ect are reali%ed to e the display of the nature of mind. 3ompletely dedicate without reference point. All of whoever dedicates, for the sake of whatever, and whatever is dedicated, eing like an illusion. ;oreover, it is important to powerfully visuali%e and connect with the words. In the space in front of you, sits the root 7ama surrounded y all of the divine assem ly of yidams, )uddhas, and odhisattvas. 4aving given rise to devotion, say, +1u lime, venera le, precious, glorious root and lineage lamas, divine assem ly of yidams, and assem lies of )uddhas, odhisattvas, viras, virinis, yoginis and gatherings of dakinis, dwelling in the ten directions, please heed me. ;ay the roots of virtue accumulated in the three times y myself and all of samsara and nirvana, not ripen into the eight worldly concerns, nor into a cause for samsara or results in the stage of shravakas and pratyeka uddhas. ;ay the enemies who hate us, o structors that cause harm, conditions of disruptors, the demons that lead us astray and the chiefs of their mandalas, may all sentient eings vast as space have happiness, e free from suffering, and .uickly attain unsurpassed, complete, precious enlightenment. )ased on the power of our vast roots of virtue, may I enefit all sentient eings with my ody, speech, and mind. ;ay the afflictions of desire, anger, ignorance, pride, and "ealousy not arise in my mind-stream. ;ay thoughts of fame, reputation, wealth, honor and concern for this life not arise for even a moment. ;ay my mind-stream e moistened y loving-kindness, compassion and odhicitta. Through that may I ecome a spiritual friend with good .ualities vast as space. ;ay I attain the supreme siddhi of mahamudra in this very life., 9r, +)y the virtues gathered in the three times y myself and all of samsara and nirvana, and y the innate root of virtue, may I and all sentient eings .uickly attain unsurpassed, perfect, complete, precious enlightenment., 1ay whatever dedication, short or long, written y the ;aster Jigten Gonpo is appropriate. ;oreover, make whatever dedication and aspiration prayers you wish that come from the true words of the accomplished ones. 5ow for the third section, the enefits of dedicating. 8ourself and all others have wandered in samsara from eginningless time until now. 1imply not knowing how to dedicate was the transgression. 8ou endeavord in immeasura le roots of virtue efore, however ecause you didn#t know to dedicate toward perfect enlightenment, it was e!hausted, the result thrown out each time y going after the fruits of samsaric happiness. ;oreover, if the dedication for virtuous enlightenment was done with pride and so forth as a proclamation to others, regret, resentment, or wrong view, this e!hausts y the four causes of e!hausting. $egarding eing uncertain as to the actual result of holy dedication, it is "ust like throwing a drop of water in the ocean. 2ntil the ocean dries up, the drop will not dry up. :ven the su tlest root of virtue will not e!haust until attaining enlightenment. It will ever increase like the wa!ing moon. This is said as a rief presentation given in the teaching of the Aksayamanti 1utra. $egarding "ust how to accomplish these kinds of dedications and aspirations, it says in the 1utra of the Arrangement of Eualities of the

/ure $ealm of ;an"ushri, The conditions of all phenomena 3ompletely a ide in the intention. (hatever aspirations are made, They are accomplished right now. These teachings in stages of the tradition of the supreme lineage were taught e!tensively in accordance with the meaning. The summation is to practice the five-fold path all the time. The thing to e done and the one who does it, all of the su tlety is complete in the practice. *or e!ample, even taking the en"oyment of one mouthful of food and generating the wish that this en"oyment e for the sake of all sentient eings attaining uddhahood is odhicitta. 4aving divine pride as is taught through one instant of complete practice of the generation stage is the yidam deity. Though indeed the ultimate 7ama is your own mind, even vividly visuali%ing the sym olic, relative 7ama at your heart center or at your crown is meditation on the 7ama. )eing rela!ed, without fi!ation to whatever arises is mahamudra. -nowing the threefold purity is dedication. 9ne instant can contain the complete five-fold practice. Through seeing the essence of the 0harma, I have written this little portion. And with affection, these concluding remarks regarding the e!cellent practice of the profound teachings, this counsel on the key points is given. Also, all of us gathered have entered the door of the 0harma. As for the need to take up shaving the head, attuning the ody, and the stages of the three vows, it is only so that you and everyone can e li erated from samsara and attain complete freedom. There is no other thing to e aspired for at all. (hether or not you wander in samsara or attain uddhahood depends on the virtue of your three doors and whether you accord with the su lime 0harma. 1crutini%e well in all times and circumstances whether your mind-stream is going against the three vows. If your mind has fallen under the sway of afflictive emotions, that is going against the training of the pratimoksha. It is the stain y the downfall of eing defeated. The mind that a andons sentient eings contradicts the training of odhicitta. The root of all 1ecret ;antra siddhis is holding the samayas from the <a"ra ;aster. If the root and ranch downfalls of the yidam and va"ra si ling samayas strike you, the fruition of those transgressions will ripen on "ust you, not on anyone else at all. Think how un eara le it will e when you throw yourself into hell, the place of un eara le suffering. Thinking that it is like having drunk poison inside, with intense regret, confess for one day without interruption. Think that from now on you will not e stained y that transgression, and through an intense commitment, make a vow. If the mind is under the power of afflictive emotions, the root Dcause of negative emotions, the est is, through the a iding nature, mahamudra, transcendently resolve the indivisi ility of the thing to e a andoned and its antidote. In that way, if you don#t take the view onto the path through meditation, if you give up loving-kindness, compassion, odhicitta, and the generation stage and so forth, in short, all the practices with characteristics, and finally if your mind-stream is in contradiction with the 0harma, in the short-term everyone will naturally disparage you. It will o scure the flourishing of the )uddha#s teaching. (hether or not the precept of discipline is destroyed in your mind-stream depends on the afflictive emotions. (hether you shave your hair or wear the )uddhas#s custody, all comes down only on the intention

to the conduct. 8ou have to think of the different reasons and stay sta le and do not transgress. Therefore firmly train in em arrassment, shame and carefulness all the time. (hen training in the altruistic attitude of odhicitta, or the right conduct of the mantrayana, the higher meditation might e mistaken in the correct ehavior of the lower ones, yet the higher .ualities come forth. *or e!ample, if you eat in the evening with sta le divine pride, with the mantras of the three sylla les, in samadhi, it is lessed as nectar. This en"oyment doesn#t ecome a downfall in the pratimoksha. It ecomes the intrinsic samaya of the food of mantrayana. In that way, knowing the crucial point of the higher and lower three vows, endeavor in going away from everything to e a andoned. 4armoni%e the conduct of your three doors with the su lime 0harma. ;editate on re"oicing and delighting in all of the previous actions and thereafter the gathered virtues increase, one hundred turning into a thousand. 1eal with the dedication that the commitments given and the fruition thereof are so that all sentient eings may attain uddhahood. Thus you certainly accomplish your own and everyone#s enefit. If you don#t engage in correct ehavior, that inappropriateness isn#t anyone else#s, it#s yours alone. *or that reason, endeavor diligently in "ust what was said a out wishing for li eration. The treasurer of the three secrets of the ocean of the three "ewels, and the one who acts out of the reali%ation of the dharmakaya, the great liss of appearance and e!istence, to the lotus feet of <enera le 0harmakirti, recalling your great kindness, I prostrate once again. (hoever wishes to pass eyond the ocean of e!istence and peace, to travel to the palace of faultless, perfect uddhahood, in the vessel of practice that contains the hundreds of scriptures of sutra and mantra, whoever wishes to traverse the path without ias, the distant land called the precious place of perfect enlightenment, spoken of y the masterful protector, 0rikungpa. *or those the later incarnations of supreme ;anushi uddha and )uddha 1hakyamunni , /hagmodrupa and Jigten 1umgon highly recommand &what came' from ;arpa, ;ilarepa, and Gampopa of the -agyu lineage, ;ahamudra, renowned like sun and moon, and the distinctive profound, su lime 0harma of the five-fold path, the practice that contains all of the @B BBB divisions of 0harma, "ust this that has een spoken of here. The teachings of the stages y the previous learned and accomplished masters, though there are so many that are well-composed, those that are e!tremely e!tensive, concise and in the middle, they are all in order to transform those with dull senses who are difficult to ecome reali%ed. All of the crucial points of practice have few words, yet vast meaning, taught without anything missing, e!tremely clearly. *or the enefit of everyone, I, with my little intelligence, must recollect the master who is the head of all the )uddha families, the glorious 7ama#s va"ra speech and strive to enter that virtue shown. )y the power of the virtues accumulated y myself and everyone in the three times, may the perfect, enlightened reali%ation of the venera le 7ama, and the essence of the teachings flourish in the ten directions. ;ay the 7ama#s life e sta le and may the sangha e harmonious. ;ay limitless sentient eings afflicted y hundreds of sufferings attain the happiness of the higher realms and e held y a su lime spiritual friend. ;ay this supreme, profound, all-encompassing path lead to the level of powerful <a"radhara. *rom today onward and in all my lives, may I never e separated from the feet of the 7ama, the 7ord of the *amily. (ithout doing anything displeasing for even a moment, may I accomplish everything pleasing. Grasping the "ewel of great love, odhicitta, may the world and eings flourish as gods in the pure trees of paradise. ;ay

sights and sounds arise as eautiful flowers from the 7ama. ;ay the fruition of perfect reali%ation ripen. This te!t called, +The /ractical Instructions on the *ive-*old /ath of ;ahamudra, the (ords of <a"radhara 0harmakirti,, the root of the visuali%ation manual, was written according to the way the actual mandala is in the mind. It was carefully reviewed y the 7ord himself. ;ay it mi! unstained with your mind. )ecause it is according to the common preliminaries, the "eweled garland of the five-fold path, according to the va"ra verses and the instructions in the presence of 7ord Gampopa, if it is a little it of a mouthful, &the -agyu 7amas' would give the word that is good. (ith the support of those su lime ones on his crown, this was written in the supreme place of accomplishment, the (ig yel cave, y -onchog Trinle 5amgyal $igd%in /al%angpo. ;ay it e virtuous. )y truth of the -agyu 7amas and Three Jewels, may this teaching on the theory and practice spread and flourish. ;ay all eings e freed from all of their suffering. ;ay they e endowed with all of the liss and happiness of samsara and nirvana. ;ay unvirtuous thoughts not arise in the mindstreams of myself and others for even a moment. ;ay our engagements e 0harma oth day and night. ;ay we .uickly accomplish our own and others# enefit. ;ay all e!traordinary sight and sound e mindful awareness. ;ay every single dependent eing e held y the su lime hook of the Three Jewel#s compassion. ;ay all swiftly attain the state of the <ictors of great liss. This aspiration prayer was written y the su lime, supreme refuge himself.