Another Dharma Advice

September 29, 1999

This is from Patrul Rinpoche. Patrul Rinpoche (1808-1887) was the wandering

turn-of-the-century Dzogchen master of Eastern Tibet, beloved by the people.

He was renowned as the enlightened vagabond, and is one of the most honored

teachers in Tibetan Buddhism. He speaks here of existentialism and

spirituality - in very pithy language. I loved it - hope you guys like it!

diana

************************************

Patrul Rinpoche

Advice from Me to Myself

Vajrasattva, sole deity, Master,

You sit on a full-moon lotus-cushion of white light

In the hundred-petalled full bloom of youth.

Think of me, Vajrasattva,

You who remain unmoved within the manifest display

That is Mahamudra, pure bliss-emptiness.

Listen up, old bad-karma Patrul,

You dweller-in-distraction.

For ages now you've been

Beguiled, entranced, and fooled by appearances.

Are you aware of that? Are you?

Right this very instant, when you're

Under the spell of mistaken perception

You've got to watch out.

Don't let yourself get carried away by this fake and empty life.

Your mind is spinning around

About carrying out a lot of useless projects:

It's a waste! Give it up!

Thinking about the hundred plans you want to accomplish,

With never enough time to finish them,

Just weighs down your mind.

You're completely distracted

By all these projects, which never come to an end,

But keep spreading out more, like ripples in water.

Don't be a fool: for once, just sit tight.

Listening to the teachings — you've already heard hundreds of teachings,

But when you haven't grasped the meaning of even one teaching,

What's the point of more listening?

Reflecting on the teachings — even though you've listened,

If the teachings aren't coming to mind when needed,

What's the point of more reflection? None.

Meditating according to the teachings —

If your meditation practice still isn't curing

The obscuring states of mind—forget about it!

You've added up just how many mantras you've done —

But you aren't accomplishing the kyerim visualizatiion.

You may get the forms of deities nice and clear —

But you're not putting an end to subject and object.

You may tame what appear to be evil spirits and ghosts,

But you're not training the stream of your own mind.

Your four fine sessions of sadhana practice,

So meticulously arranged —

Forget about them.

When you're in a good mood,

Your practice seems to have lots of clarity —

But you just can't relax into it.

When you're depressed,

Your practice is stable enough

But there's no brilliance to it.

As for awareness,

You try to force yourself into a rigpa-like state,

As if stabbing a stake into a target!

When those yogic positions and gazes keep your mind stable

Only by keeping mind tethered —

Forget about them!

Giving high-sounding lectures

Doesn't do your mind-stream any good.

The path of analytical reasoning is precise and acute —

But it's just more delusion, good for nothing goat-shit.

The oral instructions are very profound

But not if you don't put them into practice.

Reading over and over those dharma texts

That just occupy your mind and make your eyes sore —

Forget about it!

You beat your little damaru drum — ting, ting —

And your audience thinks it's charming to hear.

You're reciting words about offering up your body,

But you still haven't stopped holding it dear.

You're making your little cymbals go cling, cling —

Without keeping the ultimate purpose in mind.

All this dharma-practice equipment

That seems so attractive —

Forget about it!

Right now, those students are all studying so very hard,

But in the end, they can't keep it up.

Today, they seem to get the idea,

But later on, there's not a trace left.

Even if one of them manages to learn a little,

He rarely applies his "learning" to his own conduct.

Those elegant dharma disciplines —

Forget about them!

This year, he really cares about you,

Next year, it's not like that.

At first, he seems modest,

Then he grows exalted and pompous.

The more you nurture and cherish him,

The more distant he grows.

These dear friends

Who show such smiling faces to begin with —

Forget about them!

Her smile seems so full of joy —

But who knows if that's really the case?

One time, it's pure pleasure,

Then it's nine months of mental pain.

It might be fine for a month,

But sooner or later, there's trouble.

People teasing; your mind embroiled —

Your lady-friend —

Forget about her!

These endless rounds of conversation

Are just attachment and aversion —

It's just more goat-shit, good for nothing at all.

At the time it seems marvellously entertaining,

But really, you're just spreading around stories about other people's

mistakes.

Your audience seems to be listening politely,

But then they grow embarrassed for you.

Useless talk that just make you thirsty —

Forget about it!

Giving teachings on meditation texts

Without yourself having

Gained actual experience through practice,

Is like reciting a dance-manual out loud

And thinking that's the same as actually dancing.

People may be listening to you with devotion,

But it just isn't the real thing.

Sooner or later, when your own actions

Contradict the teachings, you'll feel ashamed.

Just mouthing the words,

Giving dharma explanations that sound so eloquent —

Forget about it!

When you don't have a text, you long for it;

Then when you've finally gotten it, you hardly look at it.

The number of pages seems few enough,

But it's a bit hard to find time to copy them all.

Even if you copied down all the dharma texts on earth,

You wouldn't be satisfied.

Copying down texts is a waste of time

(Unless you get paid) —

So forget about it!

Today, they're happy as clams —

Tomorrow, they're furious.

With all their black moods and white moods,

People are never satisfied.

Or even if they're nice enough,

They may not come through when you really need them,

Disappointing you even more.

All this politeness, keeping up a

Courteous demeanor —

Forget about it!

Worldly and religious work

Is the province of gentlemen.

Patrul, old boy — that's not for you.

Haven't you noticed what always happens?

An old bull, once you've gone to the trouble of borrowing him for his

services,

Seems to have absolutely no desire left in him at all —

(Except to go back to sleep).

Be like that — desireless.

Just sleep, eat, piss, shit.

There's nothing else in life that has to be done.

Don't get involved with other things:

They're not the point.

Keep a low profile,

Sleep.

In the triple universe

When you're lower than your company

You should take the low seat.

Should you happen to be the superior one,

Don't get arrogant.

There's no absolute need to have close friends;

You're better off just keeping to yourself.

When you're without any worldly or religious obligations,

Don't keep on longing to acquire some!

If you let go of everything —

Everything, everything —

That's the real point!

This advice was written by the practitioner Trime Lodro (Patrul Rinpoche) for

his intimate friend Ahu Shri (Patrul Rinpoche), in order to give advice that

is tailored exactly to his capacities.

This advice should be put into practice.

Even though you don't know how to practice, just let go of everything —

that's what I really want to say. Even though you aren't able to succeed in

your dharma practice. don't get angry.

May it be virtuous.

Translation by Constance Wilkinson

Many questions about the text were clarified according to the extremely kind

explanations of the Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, during his stay in New

York City, and according to the detailed explanations of Khenpo, Rigdzin

Dorje of the Nyingmapa Shedra, Bansbari, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Thanks to Matthieu Ricard of Shechen Tennyi Dargyeling, and to Anne Burchardi

of the Marpa institute of Translation for their advice toward trying to make

this translation faithful to both the letter and spirit of the original

Tibetan.

All errors and misunderstandings are those of the translator. May this poem,

despite all shortcomings of its translation, serve to benefit beings.

Sarva Mangalam.

September 29, 1999

In a message dated 9/29/99 10:39:37 AM Central Daylight Time, goode

writes:

<< I can see why people loved him. This is a great text, quickly became one

of my favorites - is it in a book somewhere? >>

Maybe. Amazon.com lists three books by him. "The Heart Treasure of the

Enlightened Ones : The Practice of View, Meditation, and Action : A Discourse

Virtuous in the Beginning, Middle, and End", "Words of My Perfect Teacher",

and

"The Practice of the Essence of the Sublime Heart Jewel, View, Meditation and

Action : The Propitious Speech from the Beginning, Middle and End" (Thinley

Norbu, Translator)

Snow Lion Books may have more. www.snowlionpub.com

I got this from a web site - they may have more info there. I did not have

time to look! http://c-level.com/patrul/

diana

September 29, 1999

I can see why people loved him. This is a great text, quickly became one

of my favorites - is it in a book somewhere? Thanks for posting this!!

Love,

--Greg

At 11:07 AM 9/29/99 , Xena10000 wrote:

>Xena10000

>

>This is from Patrul Rinpoche. Patrul Rinpoche (1808-1887) was the wandering

>turn-of-the-century Dzogchen master of Eastern Tibet, beloved by the people.

>He was renowned as the enlightened vagabond, and is one of the most honored

>teachers in Tibetan Buddhism. He speaks here of existentialism and

>spirituality - in very pithy language. I loved it - hope you guys like it!

>diana

>************************************

September 29, 1999

Diana!

This is wonderful! A treasure to keep to read again and again. Thank you.

>This is from Patrul Rinpoche. Patrul Rinpoche (1808-1887) was the wandering

>turn-of-the-century Dzogchen master of Eastern Tibet, beloved by the people.

>He was renowned as the enlightened vagabond, and is one of the most honored

>teachers in Tibetan Buddhism. He speaks here of existentialism and

>spirituality - in very pithy language. I loved it - hope you guys like it!

>diana

>************************************

>Patrul Rinpoche

>Advice from Me to Myself

>

>Vajrasattva, sole deity, Master,

>You sit on a full-moon lotus-cushion of white light

>In the hundred-petalled full bloom of youth.

>

>Think of me, Vajrasattva,

>You who remain unmoved within the manifest display

>That is Mahamudra, pure bliss-emptiness.

>

>Listen up, old bad-karma Patrul,

>You dweller-in-distraction.

>

>For ages now you've been

>Beguiled, entranced, and fooled by appearances.

>Are you aware of that? Are you?

September 30, 1999

[in the post Diana sent by Patrul Rinpoche, he addresses himself (high

self) as Vajrasattva... when I looked into Govinda for the meaning of that

name, I found this... which is so apropos the current discussion.]

[Chapter] 12

SYMBOLISM OF THE SEED-SYLLABLE HUM

AS SYNTHESIS OF THE FIVE WISDOMS

As we have seen in the 'Yoga of the Inner Fire', the meditative experience

takes place in different phases. The first is characterized by the taking

possession and penetration of the Manipura-Cakra [Heart Center] by the heat

of the Inner Fire, whereby all bodily, elementary, or 'earth-bound' forces

of the lower region (Tib.: smad) are concentrated and sublimated. (For this

reason the Navel Centre is regarded as the actual starting-point or the

main organ of psychic heat [gtum-mo].) After the hindrances of the lower

realms have thus been removed, the meditation can proceed on a safe

foundation and can turn without hindrance towards the main aim: the

becoming one in the spirit.

This takes place in the second phase of this meditation, in the

attainment of universal consciousness, in which all self-limitation, all

duality of 'self' and 'non-self' is extinguished.

The third phase, however, consists in the return to the human plane, on

which all attainments are translated into life and deed. The place of this

experience is the human heart, in which the 'Diamond Being', i.e.

Vajrasattva, is realized and becomes an ever-present force in the

seed-syllable HUM.

He is the active reflex of Aksobhya, or that side of his being which is

turned towards the world. In Vajrasattva the highest reality of the

Dharma-sphere is reflected and rendered conscious on the individual plane.

He is the active ray of the 'Wisdom of the Great Mirror', which reflects

the Void as well as the things, which mirrors the 'emptiness' in the

things, and the things in the 'emptiness'. He is the knowledge of the

universal background, the knowledge which recognizes the totality of the

world in each form of appearance, the knowledge of the infinite in the

finite, the timeless in the apparently transient. He is the Vajra of the

Heart, the immutable, indestructible - the spiritual certainty that flows

from the direct experience of reality, in which all Wisdoms are fused into

one by the flame of an all-embracing feeling of solidarity (we may call it

love, sympathy, benevolence, or whatever we like) and the urge to act for

the benefit of all living beings.

If OM is the ascent towards universality, then HUM is the descent of

universality into the depth of the human heart. And just as the OM precedes

the HUM, and the OM (as the centre of the mandala) potentially contains all

other seed-syllables, and can only be experienced after all these

seed-syllables have become actualities in the process of meditation, in the

same way HUM contains the experience of OM and becomes the living synthesis

of all the five Wisdoms. This is not a knowledge which can be defined in

words, but a state of mind (as opposed to a mental 'object').1

1 'Yoga is the overcoming of outer perception in favour of inner awareness.

All essential experience cannot be anything other than self-exploration of

life. The living whole of the world may perceive and arrange itself as if

it were something external; it may conceive its play within itself as an

objective reality confronting it, it may conceive the relationships which

exist between its force-formations, as valid rules - in this way science is

created. Knowledge arises through inner awareness. As to the

communicability and the general recognition of its experiences, knowledge,

therefore, is in a less favourable position than science. With the

elimination of the opposite side the conventionally valid corporeality of

form is annihilated and the world of names deprived of its habitual

meaning, because the world of names is valid only from the point of view of

perception, not of that of inner awareness. From the latter point of view

it is valid only in the sense of a simile, i.e., it is both valid and

non-valid.' (Translated from _Ewiges Indien_ by Heinrich Zimmer, p. 111.)

- Lama Anagarika Govinda, _Foundations of Tibetan

Mysticism_, pp. 186-8.

September 30, 1999

In a message dated 9/29/99 11:06:59 PM Central Daylight Time,

fisher1 writes:

<< Lama Anagarika Govinda, _Foundations of Tibetan

Mysticism_, pp. 186-8. >>

Thanks Dharma!

diana

September 30, 1999

Dharma,

Did you find anything on Vajrasattva's consort, Vajratopa? (Dorje Nyema)

just curious,

--janpa

| Debora A. Orf | "Against stupidity, the gods

| dorf01 | themselves contend in vain"

| | --Isaac Asimov

http://www.win.org/library/staff/webweaver

September 30, 1999

[Chapter] 12

SYMBOLISM OF THE SEED-SYLLABLE HUM

AS SYNTHESIS OF THE FIVE WISDOMS

As we have seen in the 'Yoga of the Inner Fire', the meditative experience

takes place in different phases. The first is characterized by the taking

possession and penetration of the Manipura-Cakra [solar plexus or Navel

Center] by the heat of the Inner Fire, whereby all bodily, elementary, or

'earth-bound' forces of the lower region (Tib.: smad) are concentrated and

sublimated. (For this reason the Navel Centre is regarded as the actual

starting-point or the main organ of psychic heat [gtum-mo].) After the

hindrances of the lower realms have thus been removed, the meditation can

proceed on a safe foundation and can turn without hindrance towards the

main aim: the becoming one in the spirit.