A Short Collection of Drigung Kagy Teachings

Drigung Dharmakrti Hermitage

Asheville, North Carolina

The Great Vanquisher of Hindrances

by Kyobpa Jikten Sumgn I take refuge in the Father, The precious and kind king of Dharma. Through your blessings, noble father, The following instructions have dawned in my mind: Son, as long as your non-objectifying compassion is still unstable, Except for diligence in making aspirational prayers, Do not be overambitious about benefiting others You run the risk of chasing after results for which there are no causes. As long as you have not reached the state of Vajradhara, Except for (the instructions of) the past lineage masters, Do not place disciples in meditation You run the risk of compounding more serious confusions on to confusions. As long as unbounded compassion has not arisen, If it is only with a mind that turns from this life, Do not meditate on the n, pra and bindu You run the risk of surrounding yourself with your own executioners. As long as dualistic conceptions have not settled, Do not waste your breath declaring that there is no ego. You run the risk of meeting gurus of worldly teachings, Producing firewood that fuels the fires of Avci hell. As long as plans for this life have not been crippled, Do not retire to the mountain-retreats for gain and fame. You run the risk of the strength of poisonous afflictive-emotions intensifying, And plunging you into the miserable realms. As long as appearances and mind have not blended into one, Meditation should be your primary activity. Do not engage in various and sundry things As you will risk both self and others going downhill. These oral instructions are not something to repeat to others, But are meant as a spur for your own mind. When you are free from the ruse of the afflictive three poisons, Your aspirational prayers to definitely eliminate the obscurations Will quickly come into fruition how wonderful!

The Thirty-five Pieces of Heartfelt Advice

by the Omniscient Vidydhara Chdrak You who have perfected the cultivation of the two accumulations, And is now carrying the burden of loving-kindness for infinite beings, And has been appointed as chief of the enlightenedactivities of all Conquerors, To the root-guru, powerful Vajradhara, I prostrate. From beginningless time until now We have wandered in samsara due to the power of deluded ignorance. Driven about helplessly by the winds of afflictive emotions, Not finding the authentic path of virtue. 1. Just as a turtle in the middle of an ocean Getting its neck right through the hole of a yoke, By the power of merit, we have now gained a body with leisures and endowments. Do not squander away it away but take hold of its essence. Taking hold of this purpose of life is my heartfelt advice. 2. Since even after obtaining a human body, Meeting with the doctrine of the Conqueror is difficult, And even hearing the sound buddha in this world is

difficult, While having freedom to train in the holy Dharma he taught, Practicing diligently is my heartfelt advice. 3. When you have met a qualified guru who is difficult to find Respectfully serve him by means of the three modes of pleasing. As the flavor of the ambrosia of the gurus pithinstructions is sublime. Cherishing this is my heartfelt advice. 4. The root of all good qualities and foundation of all trainings Is to accept the Three Jewels as supreme refuge. All the instructions of the Three, both coarse and subtle without exception: Conceiving them as dear as ones own life is my heartfelt advice. 5. The root of all Dharmas is loving-kindness and compassion. Cherishing others more than oneself, the collection of aspiration and engagement (bodhicitta) vows, Regarding these as dearly as ones own eyes and heart and Upholding them firmly is my heartfelt advice. 6. The vajrayna path leads one to the attainment of enlightenment.

What is taught is the essence of the paths of ripening and liberation. At all times (each of) the three vows upwardly contains the others. Exerting oneself completely is my heartfelt advice. 7. The root of siddhis is the vajra-master. Reverentially upholding the guarding of samaya, The root downfalls together with the branches Taking whatever he teaches as the root of your practice is my heartfelt advice. 8. Since the source of all good qualities is heedfulness, Abandon distractions and remain in a secluded place, Hidden away like a wounded deer. Dwelling alone is my heartfelt advice. 9. If like packs of deer, one acts heedlessly Even dwelling in isolation is pointless. With urgency and diligence, exhort oneself forcefully. Abandoning distractions is my heartfelt advice. 10. Wherever one resides and with whomever one associates, There is never a need to disparage others or engage in idle chatter, Or attempt to manipulate others. Living honestly is my heartfelt advice. 11. Abandon all involvement in rejecting and

accepting And establishing and refuting the limits of others tenets. Maintain instead equanimity towards them. Putting into practice whatever your guru has taught is my heartfelt advice. 12. If experience does not arise from within, and One is not, through meditation, settled in the view Insight will not come from following the path of logic and scriptures. Meditating continuously is my heartfelt advice. 13. Without experiencing mahmudr where knowing one liberates all, One becomes satisfied instead with countless words. At the time of death, like a snake casting off its skin, One will be forced to leave with regret. Meditating on the mode of abiding is my heartfelt advice. 14. Powerful people, monastics, wealthy ones, heroes and others Even all these proud ones will eventually wander in the bardo. Due to their great haughtiness they will not be liberated. Practicing the sacred Dharma is my heartfelt advice. 15. The heedlessness of alcohol, sexual misconduct and so forth,

Are causes of shame in the eyes of noble beings and of loss of ethical conduct. With a guarded mind, always be cautious. Giving rise to respect is my heartfelt advice. 16. Even jumping around, running and all such physical amusements Will only injure ones body and cause censure from others. Constantly discard pride and train in dwelling humbly. Being careful with ones body is my heartfelt advice. 17. Enjoying idle chatter, jesting, teasing and so forth Among gatherings of loudmouth gossipers, Is the basis of all wrongdoings and considered shameful by wise ones. Disciplining ones speech is my heartfelt advice. 18. If ones body and speech are tamed but ones mind is not, It is like the life-story of snakes or cats: Gentle on the surface but harsh at the core, with afflictive emotions increasing inside. Taming ones mind is my heartfelt advice. 19. The nature of mind like clear water when tainted with discursive thoughts, becomes polluted, Stirred by the fleeting motions of the winds of thoughts. Do not fight it, for poison only perpetuates poison.

Training in non-grasping is my heartfelt advice. 20. (Conceptual) mind and mental events are like incense and smoke: One arises from the other, without one the other does not occur. Because of that, each is empty of self-essence. Not needing antidotes is my heartfelt advice. 21. From beginningless time the nature of ones mind is beyond the intellect, There is no need to engage in heedfulness and evaluations. Being beyond the intellect, whatever arises, don't be distracted and dont grasp. Meditating on the simultaneity of arising and liberating is my heartfelt advice. 22. The diversity of appearances of the six consciousnesses is unceasing, Do not grasp after them or follow them, Whatever appears is itself the fundamental nature of mind itself. Letting things liberate into their own nature is my heartfelt advice. 23. Thinking this is non-meditation is a thought; Thinking this is meditation is yet another thought. Therefore, do not think of either meditation or nonmeditation. Settling the mind at ease is my heartfelt advice.

24. Without judging whether it is or is not, When thought arises, do not follow it with another but let it go. Do not modify, negate or establish. Maintaining freshness is my heartfelt advice. 25. Be without dualistic thoughts and abandon both hope and fear. Engage in physical and verbal actions within the state free from conceptual elaborations, Allow contrived thoughts to dissolve into the basic sphere of phenomena. Placing ones mind in its nature is my heartfelt advice. 26. Until one has gained stability in ones own nature of mind, Contrived meditations such as the twelve yogas and others, However labeled, are in fact, the cause of going astray. Sustaining the innate is my heartfelt advice. 27. When the mind in tamed, one is freed from the root of primordial self-grasping. Some claim that they have realized the nature of mind And grasp on to the belief that they are mahsiddhas. Repudiating that is my heartfelt advice.

28. When one realizes ones own mind, students spontaneously gather. There is no need to advertise throughout the village, Little need is there to deceive beings with trickery. Not assembling a retinue is my heartfelt advice. 29. Claiming oneself to have given up material concerns, One continues to gather disciples and wealth from others, Giving discourses by firesides and longing after leisurely enjoyments. Abandoning such (activities) is my heartfelt advice. 30. Giving, giver and what is given and receiver and what is received Be able to collect alms with minimal desire, (Because) through begging one may be indirectly robbing others of their wealth. Giving up this disappointment is my heartfelt advice. 31. Whatever qualities such as experiencing love and so forth that might arise, Do not brag about them and lose them but conceal them within instead. (See) all your own good qualities as inferior to that of others. Meditating on rejoicing is my heartfelt advice. 32. Do not relinquish a constant loving mind toward beings

Give up self-praise and place others above, do not expose their faults. Not grasping anything, be open and free from conceptualities. Achieving equanimity is my heartfelt advice. 33. With regards to the necessities that one has, Be free from grasping after them as they are only on loan for this life. This includes retinues, friends, wealth and even ones own body: These being impermanent and unnecessary, is my heartfelt advice. 34. Whatever one has done, one should reflect on it. And vow to immediately confess the stains of ones negative actions, And seal ones virtuous deeds through dedication. Diligently doing this day and night is my heartfelt advice. 35. In brief, whatever one does in this life, Do not intentionally deceive or be hypocritical toward others. Do not shame the rare and sublime Three (Jewels). Bringing all these practices together is my heartfelt advice. These then are my thirty-five pieces of heartfelt advice, Which are neither meant for exposing the faults of

others nor making me look like a scholar. Without falling into the two extremes, and having abandoned deception and hypocrisy, I have written this down due to the request of both the monastic and lay disciples. May this text, hastily composed by Chdrak, serve to increase perfect virtue. What I have written here is not merely my thoughts and words, But is based on experiences arising from my practice. If one aspires for liberation, one should rely on these words. But if one aspires for the chief of the assembly of the hell-realms, Then these pieces of heartfelt advice will be like wounds and poisons. But it can change if one has the wisdom to comprehend this precious teaching. May it be auspicious!