The Final Words of Padmasambhava

Homage to the master. Lady Tsogyal of Kharchen served the nirmanakaya Orgyen Padmakara from her eighth year, accompanying him like a shadow follows a body. When the master was about to leave Tibet for the land of the rakshas, I, Lady Kharchen, having offered a mandala of gold and turquoise and having arranged a tantric feast, a wheel of gathering, implored:

Great master! You are leaving to tame the rakshas. I am left behind here in Tibet. Although I have served you for a long time, master, this old woman has no confidence about the time of death. So I beseech you to kindly give me an instruction condensing all teachings into one, which is concise and easy to practice.

The great master replied: Devoted one with a faithful and virtuous mind, listen to me. Although there are many profound key points of body, rest free and relaxed as you feel comfortable. Everything is included in simply that.

Although there are many key points of speech such as breath control and mantra recitation, stop speaking and remain like a mute. Everything is included in simply that.

Although there are many key points of mind such as concentrating, relaxing, projecting, dissolving and focusing inward, everything is included in simply letting it rest in its natural state, free and easy, without fabrication. But the mind doesn’t remain quietly in that state.

You may wonder, is mind nothing? It still shimmers and flashes forth, like haze in the heat of the sun. You may wonder, is it something? It has no color or shape to identify it but is utterly empty and completely awake. That is the nature of your mind.

Having recognized it as such, to become certain about it, that is the view. To remain undistracted in the state of stillness, without fabrication or fixation, that is the meditation. In that state, to be free from clinging or attachment, accepting or rejecting, hope or fear, towards any of the experiences of the six senses, that is the conduct. Continue reading »

Padmasambhava: Instructions on dreaming

Padmasambhava: Night-time Instructions on Dreaming and the Natural Liberation of Confusion

Here there are three parts:

1. apprehending the dream-state,

2. emanation and transformation, and

3. dispelling obstacles to dreaming.

Apprehending the Dream-state

Dreaming is induced by latent predispositions, so regard all daytime appearances as being like a dream and like an illusion. Acquire penetrating insight according to the statement in the Perfection of Wisdom, “All phenomena are like a dream and like an illusion.” Continue reading »

The Syllable by Syllable Commentary Explaining the Benefits and Advantages of the Vajra Guru Mantra

By the great tertön Karma Lingpa (14th century)

The Vajra Guru Mantra is the mantra associated with Guru Rinpoche, also known as Padmasambhava. This is a draft translation of a treasure text which explains the Vajra Guru Mantra. It was originally concealed during the time of Padmasambhava in Tibet and later rediscovered by Karma Lingpa (14th century) who brought it forth from its place of concealment and copied it down on reams of gold. It is simply known as “The Syllable by Syllable Commentary Explaining the Benefits of the Vajra Guru Mantra.” It begins with an invocation and then goes into a dialogue between Yeshe Tsogyal, the spiritual consort of Padmasambhava, and Padmasambhava himself.
And so, Yeshe Tsogyal begins:

I, the woman Yeshe Tsogyal, having offered to you the inner and outer mandala on a vast scale, have the following request. Continue reading »

THE GARLAND OF VIEWS: AN INSTRUCTION

Attributed to PADMA SAMBHAVA

Tibetan title: man ngag lta ba’i phreng ba

A note summarizing the different views, vehicles and so on.

Homage to the Blessed Manjushrikumara and Vajradharma!

The Worldly paths

The countless erroneous views that exist in the realms of the world may be subsumed into four categories:

1. the unreflective,

2. the materialists,

3. the nihilists and

4. the extremists.

The unreflective do not understand whether or not all things and events have causes and conditions; they are thoroughly ignorant. Continue reading »

Padmasambhava: This self-liberation through seeing with naked awareness is of such great profundity, and, this being so; you should become intimately acquainted with self-awareness.

Padmasambhava: Self Liberation through Seeing with Naked Awareness

1. Here is contained “Self-Liberation through Seeing with Naked Awareness,” this being a Direct Introduction to the State of Intrinsic Awareness, From “The Profound Teaching of Self-Liberation in the Primordial State of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities.”
   2. Homage to the Trikaya and to the Deities who represent the inherent luminous clarity of intrinsic awareness.
   3. Herein I shall teach “Self-Liberation through Seeing with Naked Awareness,” which is a direct introduction to intrinsic awareness From “The Profound Teaching of Self-Liberation in the Primordial State of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities.”
   Truly, this introduction to your own intrinsic awareness should be contemplated well, O fortunate sons of a noble family!
   SAMAYA! Gya! Gya! Gya!
   4. Emaho!
   It is the single (nature of) mind, which encompasses all of Samsara and Nirvana.
   Even though its inherent nature has existed from the very beginning, you have not recognized it;
   Even though its clarity and presence has been uninterrupted, you have not yet encountered its face. Continue reading »

Padmasambhava: The true nature of dharmata is not an object that the mind can grasp; it has no dimension and belongs to no category.

Instruction for women on attaining enlightenment without abandoning daily activities

The great master known as Padmasambhava, untainted by a womb, was born miraculously from a lotus flower. The mighty king of Tibet invited him to the Snowy Land. After he had tamed the land for Samye, he resided at the Juniper Ridge of Crystal Pearls. It was at this occasion that seven extraordinary women — Lady Tsogyal of Kharchen, Lady Diamond Lake of Shelkar, Lady Splendid Worship of Chokro, Lady Matingma of Dro, Lady Jewel Crest of Margong, Lady Sparkling Light of Chim and Lady Mati of Ruyan — arranged a golden mandala, the size of one cubit, with turquoise flowers as the seven royal possessions. Continue reading »

These teachings from Padmasambhava were revealed as a terma treasure by Nyang Ral Nyima Ozer, 1124-1192.

Master Padma said: “You must make sure your Dharma practice becomes the real Dharma. You must make sure your Dharma becomes the real path. You must make sure your path can clarify confusion. You must make sure your confusion dawns as wisdom.”

“What does that mean?” the lady Yeshe Tsogyal asked.

When you have understanding free from accepting and rejecting after knowing how to condense all the teachings into a single vehicle, then your Dharma practice becomes the real Dharma.
When in any practice you do you possess refuge and bodhichitta, and have unified the stages of development and completion, and means and knowledge, then your Dharma becomes the real path. Continue reading »

Padmasambhava

The final words of Padmasambhava

Homage to the master.

Lady Tsogyal of Kharchen served the nirmanakaya Orgyen Padmakara from her eighth year, accompanying him like a shadow follows a body. When the master was about to leave Tibet for the land of the rakshas, I, Lady Kharchen, having offered a mandala of gold and turquoise and having arranged a tantric feast, a wheel of gathering, implored:

Great master! You are leaving to tame the rakshas. I am left behind here in Tibet. Although I have served you for a long time, master, this old woman has no confidence about the time of death. So I beseech you to kindly give me an instruction condensing all teachings into one, which is concise and easy to practice.

The great master replied: Devoted one with a faithful and virtuous mind, listen to me. Although there are many profound key points of body, rest free and relaxed as you feel comfortable. Everything is included in simply that. Continue reading »