AdvicefromAtisha'sHeart

Howwonderful! Friends,sinceyoualreadyhavegreatknowledgeandclearunderstanding, whereasIamofnoimportanceandhavelittlewisdom,itisnotsuitablefor youtorequestadvicefromme.Howeverbecauseyoudearfriends,whomI cherishfrommyheart,haverequestedme,Ishallgiveyouthisessential advicefrommyinferiorandchildishmind. Friends,untilyouattainenlightenmenttheSpiritualTeacheris indispensable,thereforerelyupontheholySpiritualGuide. Untilyourealizeultimatetruth,listeningisindispensable,thereforelisten totheinstructionsoftheSpiritualGuide. SinceyoucannotbecomeaBuddhamerelybyunderstandingDharma, practiceearnestlywithunderstanding. Avoidplacesthatdisturbyourmind,andalwaysremainwhereyourvirtues increase. Untilyouattainstablerealizations,worldlyamusementsareharmful, thereforeabideinaplacewheretherearenosuchdistractions. Avoidfriendswhocauseyoutoincreasedelusions,andrelyuponthosewho increaseyourvirtue.Thisyoushouldtaketoheart. Sincethereisneveratimewhenworldlyactivitiescometoanend,limit youractivities. Dedicateyourvirtuesthroughoutthedayandthenight,andalwayswatch yourmind. Becauseyouhavereceivedadvice,wheneveryouarenotmeditatingalways practiceinaccordancewithwhatyourSpiritualGuidesays. Ifyoupracticewithgreatdevotion,resultswillariseimmediately,without yourhavingtowaitforalongtime. IffromyourheartyoupracticeinaccordancewithDharma,bothfoodand resourceswillcomenaturallytohand. Friends,thethingsyoudesiregivenomoresatisfactionthandrinkingsea water,thereforepracticecontentment.

Avoidallhaughty,conceited,proud,andarrogantminds,andremain peacefulandsubdued. Avoidactivitiesthataresaidtobemeritorious,butwhichinfactare obstaclestoDharma. Profitandrespectarenoosesofthemaras,sobrushthemasidelikestones onthepath. Wordsofpraiseandfameserveonlytobeguileus,thereforeblowthemaway asyouwouldblowyournose. Sincethehappiness,pleasure,andfriendsyougatherinthislifelastonly foramoment,putthemallbehindyou. Sincefutureliveslastforaverylongtime,gatheruprichestoprovidefor thefuture. Youwillhavetodepartleavingeverythingbehind,sodonotbeattachedto anything. Generatecompassionforlowlybeings,andespeciallyavoiddespisingor humiliatingthem. Havenohatredforenemies,andnoattachmentforfriends. Donotbejealousofothers'goodqualities,butoutofadmirationadoptthem yourself. Donotlookforfaultsinothers,butlookforfaultsinyourself,andpurge themlikebadblood. Donotcontemplateyourowngoodqualities,butcontemplatethegood qualitiesofothers,andrespecteveryoneasaservantwould. Seealllivingbeingsasyourfatherormother,andlovethemasifyouwere theirchild. Alwayskeepasmilingfaceandalovingmind,andspeaktruthfullywithout malice. Ifyoutalktoomuchwithlittlemeaningyouwillmakemistakes,therefore speakinmoderation,onlywhennecessary. Ifyouengageinmanymeaninglessactivitiesyourvirtuousactivitieswill degenerate,thereforestopactivitiesthatarenotspiritual.

Itiscompletelymeaninglesstoputeffortintoactivitiesthathaveno essence. Ifthethingsyoudesiredonotcomeitisduetokarmacreatedlongago, thereforekeepahappyandrelaxedmind. Beware,offendingaholybeingisworsethandying,thereforebehonestand straightforward. Sinceallthehappinessandsufferingofthislifearisefrompreviousactions, donotblameothers. AllhappinesscomesfromtheblessingsofyourSpiritualGuide,therefore alwaysrepayhiskindness. Sinceyoucannottamethemindsofothersuntilyouhavetamedyourown, beginbytamingyourownmind. Sinceyouwilldefinitelyhavetodepartwithoutthewealthyouhave accumulated,donotaccumulatenegativityforthesakeofwealth. Distractingenjoymentshavenoessence,thereforesincerelypracticegiving. Alwayskeeppuremoraldisciplineforitleadstobeautyinthislifeand happinesshereafter. Sincehatredisrifeintheseimpuretimes,donthearmourofpatience,free fromanger. Youremaininsamsarathroughthepoweroflaziness,thereforeignitethe fireoftheeffortofapplication. Sincethishumanlifeiswastedbyindulgingindistractions,nowisthetime topracticeconcentration. Beingundertheinfluenceofwrongviewsyoudonotrealizetheultimate natureofthings,thereforeinvestigatecorrectmeanings. Friends,thereisnohappinessinthisswampofsamsara,somovetothe firmgroundofliberation. MeditateaccordingtotheadviceofyourSpiritualGuideanddryupthe riverofsamsaricsuffering. Youshouldconsiderthiswellbecauseitisnotjustwordsfromthemouth,

butsincereadvicefromtheheart. Ifyoupracticelikethisyouwilldelightme,andyouwillbringhappinessto yourselfandothers. Iwhoamignorantrequestyoutotakethisadvicetoheart. ThisistheadvicethattheholybeingVenerableAtishagavetoVenerable Jangchub. TranslationbyGesheKelsangGyatso.