To the Friend of the Lotus, Sun-like Gyalwa Lozang Drakpa, whose field of awareness blazes with countless rays of light, To the Friend of the Moon, Ocean-like Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyeltsen, in whom the oceans of Sutra, Tantra, and sublime instruction converge, To the Son of the Victorious Ones, the Omniscient Longchen Rabjam, Elucidator of Samantabhadra's wisdom expanse, who has opened the vast treasure of infinite nature, To these three Manjushris of the Land of Snows, I bow with reverence.
To Lopen Lekshed Jamtsho, treasure-house of an ocean of sublime teachings, To Guru Namkar Dondrup, whose very nature is loving kindness and whose deeds are immaculate, To Lopen Yeshe Rinchen, the precious one whose innate power and radiant energy are wisdom itself, To these three emanations of the Lords of the Three Families, endowed with their threefold qualities, I bow with reverence.
Here, in this Western land where I have wandered about, having exhausted every worldly stratagem, Having not yet recognized the virtues of the three forms of solitude in their essence, Still finding myself tightly bound by the chains of grasping at appearances, I offer myself these thirty pith instructions.
01. Ah, alas! Within this prison of Samsara, I have been bound by karmic existence since beginningless time, And even now I see no end to the cycles of rebirth. Therefore, I must cultivate genuine renunciation to start breaking from it. This is my pith instruction.
02. If I don't strive for genuine renunciation now, First, I must recognize the qualities of the Three Jewels, which I presently fail to see. Second, I must recognize my own primordial nature, which I have failed to recognize. Therefore, I must train my mind and heart in utter sincerity. This is my pith instruction.
03. This precious human body, endowed with the perfect conditions, circumstances, and opportunities, is like the height of spring, rich with thriving greenery and full of promise. Now, while this precious life lies in my own hands, I must not squander it under the sway of the concerns of this present life. I must accomplish the great purpose that endures beyond this life. This is my pith instruction.
04. If I fail to contemplate how difficult it is to obtain such a precious human existence, First, I will never escape the currents of distraction. Second, I will never cross the difficult passageways of ordinary life. Therefore, I must recognize the value of this precious human opportunity. This is my pith instruction.
05. This human life is like a butter lamp flickering in the wind. There is no certainty that it will survive even for a single instant. So I must not make grand plans on the assumption that I will live for a long time. I must remember death and impermanence. This is my pith instruction.
06. If I fail to remember death and impermanence now, First, I will never find the time to turn away from my attachment to the appearances and concerns of this life. Second, the horse of diligence will move at a sluggish pace. There is no time to waste. I must keep this constantly in mind. This is my pith instruction.
07. My own actions and their karmic results follow me wherever I go, like my own shadow. The Buddha taught that karmic consequences cannot simply sink into earth or water, as though they could be transferred to someone or something else to deal with. Therefore, I must place my trust in cause and effect. This is my pith instruction.
08. If I fail to trust in cause and effect now, First, I will be unable to distinguish virtue from nonvirtue. Second, I will be unable to cultivate wholesome and virtuous conduct. Therefore, I must take cause and effect seriously. This is my pith instruction.
09. Wherever I may be born within the three realms of existence, I will inevitably encounter suffering that cannot be endured. And I will continue to wander from darkness into darkness. Therefore, I must contemplate the defects of Samsara. This is my pith instruction.
10. If I fail to contemplate the defects of Samsara now, First, I will not develop a genuine fear of continued existence. Second, I will have no longing for lasting peace and happiness. Therefore, I must cultivate a deep sense of disillusionment with Samsara. This is my pith instruction.
11. Even if I bring these five transformations of mind to completion, and even if the lamps of study and contemplation burn brightly within me, If I do not enter the path of refuge and bodhicitta, I must recognize that my learning will merely become knowledge wasted without purpose. This is my pith instruction.
12. Now that I have been born in this eon of the Dharma, First, I have come to recognize the Three Jewels. Second, I have also obtained the wealth contained in the ocean of sublime teachings. Therefore, I must enter refuge without confusion or hesitation. This is my pith instruction.
13. Even if I nakedly recognize this self-knowing awareness, primordially free from coming, going, change, and transformation, as the supreme refuge, If I do not possess the bodhisattva mind to rescue sentient beings drowning in the ocean of suffering, I must recognize that my path to liberation remains flawed. This is my pith instruction.
14. If I fail to give rise to supreme bodhicitta now, First, I will never abandon the pursuit of my own happiness. Second, I will never bring forth the full capacity to bring happiness to others and lead sentient beings to enlightenment. Therefore, I must train my mind in bodhicitta. This is my pith instruction.
15. All phenomena, outer and inner, appear like dreams and magical illusions, yet are empty of true existence. If I fail to recognize this, I will never cease clinging to solid appearances and taking them to be truly real. Therefore, I must establish certainty in emptiness. This is my pith instruction.
16. Now that I have been taken under the care of a sublime spiritual teacher, First, I have become acquainted with the four philosophical systems. Second, I have familiarized myself with the teachings and instructions of Mahamudra and Dzogchen. Therefore, I must meditate on impartial compassion that is free from sides and boundaries. This is my pith instruction.
17. Regard my own body as the mandala of an ocean of Victorious Ones. Do not cling to the impure appearance of an ordinary body. If this can be accomplished, meditate upon my body as a galaxy containing pure lands of Buddhas as numerous as the atoms of the universe. If that cannot yet be accomplished, at least meditate upon my body as the deity. This is my pith instruction.
18. If I do not become accustomed to seeing my own body as the body of the deity, First, I will never reverse my habitual fixation on ordinary appearance. Second, I will never become capable of sustaining the vision of limitless purity. Therefore, I must train this body to be experienced as the deity's body. This is my pith instruction.
19. Let my own speech become the resonance of the Dharma, an entire treasury of sacred teachings. Do not engage in impure speech driven by attachment, aversion, idle chatter, or debate. If possible, transform every word spoken into the nectar of sublime teaching. If that is not possible, I must recite the mantra of the deity. This is my pith instruction.
20. If I fail to make my speech meaningful now, First, I will never exhaust my coarse habits of criticism, argument, and pointless contention. Second, my explanations and debates will never become precious, selfless instruments for transforming the mind. Therefore, I must train my own voice to become mantra. This is my pith instruction.
21. Let my own mind be recognized as the primordial wisdom of the expanse of Dharmadattu. Do not allow impure conceptual thought to carry me away from it. If possible, look directly into Samantabhadra's unobstructed wisdom-intent. If that is not yet possible, I must simply rest without fabrication or effort. This is my pith instruction.
22. If I fail to maintain mindfulness and vigilance now, First, there will be no end to the objects that are grasped. Second, the grasping mind itself will never come to rest. Therefore, I must meditate upon self-arising primordial wisdom. This is my pith instruction.
23. The nature of Samsara and Nirvana has been empty from the very beginning, yet the dependent arising of cause and effect remains unfailing and never deceives. I must cut through confusion with the sharp edge of emptiness inseparable from compassion, and bring the essence itself onto the path. This is my pith instruction.
24. In brief, meditate upon the Lama and the Three Jewels above the crown of my head. Keep the cord of their compassion continuously extended toward me. Make the ring of devotion utterly firm. Draw their blessings close. This is my pith instruction.
25. Day and night, without distraction, strive diligently in learning the teachings. Let the teachings I have studied arise naturally as personal instructions. In every circumstance, remember the pith instructions. Strike directly at the crucial point of thought and conceptual fixation. This is my pith instruction.
26. In the midst of many people, remain quiet and restrained. When alone in solitude, examine the mind closely. Again and again, examine your own faults and shortcomings. Thus, I must come to embody the essence of the stages of the path. This is my pith instruction.
27. When possible, reduce the chains of attachment and clinging. When that is not yet possible, at least keep anger and hostility in check. Always look upon the good qualities of others. Train exclusively in pure perception. This is my pith instruction.
28. When I am happy, recognize that happiness as the kindness of the Three Jewels. When I am prosperous, offer upward and give downward, turning wealth into offering and generosity. When I am suffering, recognize suffering as the ripening of negative karma. Carry both happiness and suffering onto the path. This is my pith instruction.
29. Do not become excessively attached to loved ones. Let go of clinging. Do not become excessively hostile toward enemies. Let go of hatred. Do not place excessive hope or fear in anyone. Rest in equanimity. Show myself the greatest kindness of all by taking proper care of myself. This is my pith instruction.
30. Having put these essential points into practice, and having gathered whatever virtue has accumulated throughout my many lives, for the sake of placing all sentient beings upon the ground of perfect knowledge, I must dedicate all merit through the complete purification of the three spheres. This is my pith instruction.
Although there is no certainty that these words of pith instruction will benefit anyone else, I write them for myself, out of compassion for myself, so that I may personally assimilate the essence of the Dharma.
Whatever benefit or virtue may arise from these words, may all beings connected with me and others perfectly master this essence of practice, and may all of them come to rest upon the ground of omniscient wisdom.
May the three Manjushris of the Land of Snows bestow their wisdom. May the three Lords of the Families of the Southern Land bestow their loving kindness. May the three Vidyadharas of the Ravine Land bestow their power and strength. May whatever is prayed for be accomplished exactly as intended.
Thus it was written by me, Vidyadhara sKarma, as a collection of pith instructions addressed to myself. It was composed in the mountain retreat of Concrete Ravine, on the morning of the thirteenth day of the seventh month of the Bhutanese calendar, while having breakfast, which happens to be my favorite time for writing many of my works. Later, when I journeyed to the Western Catskill Mountain, I posted these words upon the vast domain of the internet.
May this become a source of virtue and goodness.
