Sakya Pandita's Advice

For Tibetan Contemplatives

translation
by
Dan Martin
Introduction:
The following poem was composed by Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyaltsen, called
"Pandita" because of his study of Sanskrit, who lied from !!"# $%&% to !#'! $%&%
$ccording to the colophon, it was written while he was in the "northern regions"%
Therefore, it was undoubtedly written after he arried at the camp of the (ongol
prince Godan in !#)* $%&% $nyone interested in the historical particulars should see
Shakabpa, Tibet + a Political ,istory, -new ,aen, !./* + pp% /! ff%0
I forego any long introduction to the poem% 1asically, those with some degree of
e2perience reading 1uddhist literature in translation will hae little trouble with
it% 3hat few things re4uire or occasion e2planation or comment will be found in a
section following the te2t rather than in footnotes% I think numbers in poems are
awkward and distracting% 5eaders of the Tibetan will appreciate the poetic style
-more or less based on Indian kaya models0% 6on+Tibetans readers will hae to
use their imaginations%
Advice for Tibetan Comtemplatives
by
Sakya Pandita Kun-dga'-rgyal-tshan
7m sasti siddham8
1. In this land o !lacial peaks are many contemplatives.
I "rite to them all# the s$perior% common% and middlin! in merit.
I ask that they listen "ith tr$stin! hearts
Freed rom "ron! orientations.
&. 'ne contemplative is like a sno" lion
(ith the t$r)$oise many o p$re cond$ct%
(ith the limbs o p$re% $nr$led concentration%
(ith the stamina and vitality o p$re% $nrestless vision.
*. 'ne contemplative is like a soldier !oin! to battle
Clothed in the armo$r o $nlimited beneit or others.
+idin! the horse o the ,T"o Acc$m$lations, he-she
$r!es it on "ith the "hip o dili!ence.
.e-she van)$ishes the enemy hordes o aliction "ith
the s"ord o piercin! kno"led!e.
/. 'ne contemplative beneits all bein!s "ith his acc$m$lations.
.e is a 0e"el mine o the three p$re disciplines.
.e-she !ives help and conidence to others.
(ith his-her !it o the Dharma% he-she places them on the Path
to 1iberation.
2. These three s$perior contemplatives sho$ld be kno"n to comprise
The heart o hearts o the 3$ddha's teachin!s.
4. Altho$!h he-she may not be able to athom the ocean o precepts%
5is$ali6in! the 1ama at the cro"n o his-her head
.e-she prays% tears o tr$st lo"in! rom his-her eyes.
This contemplative leads others do"n the Path o 1iberation.
7. Altho$!h not reed rom his-her chains thro$!h impartial vision%
.e-she develops his-her mind "ith the precio$s 3odhi aspiration.
8ot despairin! o achievin! it or others%
This contemplative is soon reed rom the "orld o becomin!.
9. Altho$!h he-she cannot ri!htly attain the hi!her vehicle%
The loral bo$)$et o initiation vo"s
Protect him-her "ell like a helmet.
This contemplative is soon reed rom the (orld o 3ecomin!.
:. Altho$!h not inclined to"ards lovin! re!ard or others' "ell;bein!%
Ater hearin! inspired disco$rse and p$re advice%
.e-she earnestly applies him-hersel to "hat is to be accepted and
re0ected% to ca$ses and their eects.
This contemplative blocks the passa!e to perdition.
1<. This is ho" =the middlin! contemplative> enters the threshold o
the teachin!
As "ill be kno"n to those "ith spirit$al $nderstandin!.
.e-she sho$ld enter a path that he-she him-hersel believes in
And stay "ith it so as to promote certainty in others.
11. 8ot abandonin! "orldly activity in accordance "ith sacred precepts.
.e-she keeps his-her mind in an obsc$re tran)$ility
?ver increasin! the darkness o i!norance.
This contemplative is a !ro$ndho! in hibernation.
1&. .is-her lo" o tho$!ht $ntempered by aith and earnest endeavo$r%
.e's ond o a i!ht. Tho$!h he stays in the lonely mo$ntains%
.is-her mind is al"ays distracted by thin!s o the senses.
This contemplative is a carnivore asleep in the mo$ntains.
1*. Abandonin! the Path o 1iberation% he-she increases in every evil.
.e passes his-her time amid the bo$lders doin! as he-she pleases.
.e-she does o$ndation;layin! ceremonies at the ho$ses o laymen or a ee.
This contemplative is a o@ investi!atin! an empty ho$se.
1/. .is-her desire or reli!io$s reno"n b$rns like a !rass ire.
.is-her ,dili!ence, means "anderin! every"here or his-her mo$th's sake.
3eca$se o his-her "ron! livelihood% he-she's al"ays preocc$pied "ith
makin! a livin!.
This contemplative is the thie "ho pets the do!s at the ed!e o to"n.
12. .e-she "ears saron =monk's robes> and the visa!e o a tyrant.
.e-she spins a "heel o the varied "eapons o hatred and desire.
.e-she promotes evil action "herever he-she !oes.
This contemplative increases the three types o perdition.
14. I pray that these maleactors% thieves and robbers o =the 3$ddha's> teachin!%
(ho in s$ch "ays trepass a!ainst the virt$es o body% speech and mind
May be reed and t$rned rom their spite
To deeds that point to the door o the teachin!.
17. May this s$n enhanced "ith the rays o poetic metaphor
And "ith the "a@in! mandala o spirit$al $nderstandin!
(hich dra"ns in the clo$dless sky o p$re doctrine
Promote !ro"th in the !arden o those $nder discipline.
So the ill$strio$s Sa;skya Pandita "rote these verses o advice to Tibetan
contemplatives "hile in the northern re!ions.
Man!alamA
8'T?S#
5erse 'ne# The meanin! o the openin! benediction is% in translation rom the
Sanskrit# ,=May there be> perect "ell;bein!A, The !eneral str$ct$re o the
poem may not be immediately evident. 5erses &;2 are on s$perior contemplatives.
5erses 4;1< on middlin! contemplatives. 5erses 11;14 on common contemplatives.
The Tibetan "ord translated thro$!ho$t as ,contemplative, is ,s!om;chen,%
meanin! literally ,!reat meditator,.
5erse T"o# 5ision =drshti>% concentration =or meditation% dhyana> and cond$ct
=shila>.
This is a traditional !ro$p in 3$ddhism% called The Three Disciplines =bslab;!s$m> in
5erse /. ,Piercin! Bno"led!e, translates ,shes;rab, =pra0na>.
5erse Three# The T"o Acc$m$lations are the acc$m$lations o Merit =p$nya> and
kno"led!e =0nana> "hich are the positive antidotes or the t"o kinds o obsc$rations#
the obsc$rations o aliction =klesa> and the obsc$rations o kno"led!e =0neya>. The
sta!es o the path to 3odhi are based on the pro!ressive p$riication rom these t"o
obsc$rations in their increasin!ly s$btle and ,innate, maniestations.

The obsc$rations o aliction are mainly d$e to the alse% i normal% ass$mption
that there is a permanent s$b0ective personality. The obsc$rations to kno"led!e are
$ltimately based on those e@ternal attachments "hich pres$ppose a permanent%
s$bstantial basis or e@ternal appearances =dharmas>. In the practices or ,peace$l
abidin!, =see note to verse 11> these t"o obsc$rations maniest themselves as
,sinkin!, and ,scatterin!,.
5erse Fo$r# For ,The Three Disciplines, see the note to 5erse &. .elp =material
assistance>% conidence and Dharma are the three !its to "hich ,lovin!;kindness,
=maitri> may sometimes be added.
5erse Si@# .ere 1ama means a personal reli!io$s preceptor or !$r$ =and not 0$st
,Tibetan monk, as in the common ?n!lish $se o the "ord>. The relationship "ith
the !$r$ involves an e@traordinary commitment on both sides. Thereore the
traditional !$idelines on the characteristics o a tr$e spirit$al master sho$ld not be
i!nored by anyone contemplatin! s$ch a commitment. There is a !ood reason or
the emphasis in Tibetan reli!io$s literat$re on the necessity o a close m$t$al
e@amination bet"een the prospective !$r$ and disciple. A common proverb r$ns#
,I the !$r$ is not e@amined% =it's like> drinkin! poison.
I the st$dent is not e@amined% =it's like> 0$mpin! o a cli.,
The irst line o the verse 0$st )$oted may evoke ima!es o a certain temporary
event in startlin! vivid colo$rs or those o $s "ho lived thro$!h and p$66led over the
ne"s rom C$yana. ,Ah% b$t they "ere Christians%, some may say. I think the parts
aith% hope% and commitment play in the minds o people o "hatever re!ion or
reli!ion
don't dier all that m$ch and "ron! commitments are by no means impossible
"ithtin
the Tibetan 3$ddhist milie$. The advanta!es o a ri!ht commitment are e)$alled by
the possible disadvanta!es o a "ron! one. It may be ar!$ed that "e% as ordinary
$nenli!htened h$mans% can't really 0$d!e% b$t still it is !enerally tr$e that ,by the
r$its yo$ shall kno" them,. Tibetan 3$ddhist literat$re% ort$nately% doesn't leave
the aspirant entirely in the dark. Those interested sho$ld cons$lt =in translation>
Ashva!hosha's ,Fity Stan6as o C$r$ Devotion,D and E$dy .anson's =tr.># ,The
Torch o Certainty,% =pp.1&*>.
(ith the reader's ind$l!ence or the di!ression% I "o$ld like to )$ote at len!th
rom a% so;ar% $ntranslated te@t by a nineteenth cent$ry a$thor o the 8yin!;ma
school%
Dpal;spr$l. First% his description o the marks o a tr$e spirit$al riend
=kalyanamitra>%
rom the ,+d6o!;pa Chen;po'i Blon!;chen Snyin!;thi!;!i Sn!on;'!ro'i Bhrid;yi!#
B$n;b6an! 3la;ma'i Fhal;l$n!, =pp. 112b >#
8o" that "e have arrived at the present% de!enerate a!e% it is e@ceedin!ly
diic$lt to ind a 1ama% p$re and perectly reali6ed in all respects% "ho teaches
rom the precio$s Tantric te@ts. That 1ama on "hom one sho$ld depend m$st
certainly have these p$re characteristics. '$t"ardly% he sho$ld observe the
Pratimoksha 5o"sD in"ardly% the 3odhisattva 5o"sD and secretly% the Tantric
5o"s. I he does not contradict these at any point% he is a p$re Tantrika. .e
sho$ld have m$ch learnin! =b$t not pretentio$sly> in the scientiic treatises%
S$tras and Tantras. .is heart sho$ld be !raced "ith lovin! compassion to"ards
all livin! bein!s as i they "ere his only child.
Part o his description o alse commitments =lbid.% pp. 119b >#
Altho$!h he =the !$r$> has e" )$alities beyond those o any ordinary person%
some simpletons% thro$!h aith "itho$t e@amination% "o$ld p$t him on a hi!h level%
hono$rin! him "ith !oods and services. This ,spirit$al !$ide, is like a ha$!hty "ell
t$rtle#
'nce there "as a t$rtle "ho came rom the ocean to see an old t$rtle that
had al"ays lived at the bottom o a "ell. The "ell t$rtle said# ,(here do
yo$ come romG,
,I've come rom the !reat ocean.,
,.o" is this ocean o yo$rsG, he asked.
,The ocean is very !reat.,
,Is it a )$arter the si6e o my "ellG,
,8o% lar!er.,
,(ell% hal thenG,
,8o.,
,Then it is the si6e o my "ellG,
,8o% m$ch lar!er%, he replied. ,There is no "ay to tell yo$. Ho$ have to see
it or yo$rsel.,
To!ether they "ent. (hen the "ell t$rtle sa" the ocean% he ell do"n senseless
and% splittin! his head% dead.
=8ote# the point o the story is that some !$r$s% $sin! the devotion o their disciples
to bolster their spirit$al pride% have myopic vision like the "ell t$rtle "hen it comes
to the possibilities o the spirit$al lie beyond their level o attainment% thinkin! that
they themselves have reached the $ltimate perection.>
=Do not> depend on a 1ama "ho has !reat skill as a speaker% b$t little learnin!%
havin! made no eort in the p$riyin! practices o the S$tras and Tantras. .is
,Tantras,
are coarse del$sions% "itho$t =the prere)$isites o> mind$lness or "atch$lness. .e
breaks vo"s and oaths. .is )$alities are even "orse than an ordinary person's. .e
acts as i he "ere practicin! spirit$al methods "hile his reli!io$s commitments are
!one to the "ind. .e is $ll o animosity and pre0$dice% lackin! in lovin!;kindness and
compassion. S$ch a !$r$ is a ,demented !$ide,. .e leads do"n "ron! paths.
.avin! no special )$alities beyond one's o"n% the !$r$ "ho lacks the 3odhi
Aspiration o lovin!;kindness and compassion is a ,blind !$ide,. .e lacks the eye
or "hat is to be accepted and "hat re0ected.
'ne "ho% like a 3rahmin% protects his linea!e or enters to bathe in a s"immin!
hole "itho$t kno"in! the so$rce o the "ater =havin! no certain res$lts o learnin!
and relection> is called the ,parasite !$ide,. .e is no dierent rom an ordinary
person% havin! a ool's aith. .e re)$ents places o idle talk. .e is a ,"ell t$rtle,%
becomin! sel;0$stiied in his $nchecked drive or "ealth and ame.
' little learnin! himsel% he !ives hi!h levels o practice to those o lo";capacity.
.e chops the rope that lovin!;kindness and compassion han! rom. These ,dr$nken
!$ides, make "icked actions increase. (ith no special )$aliications% he relies on the
orce o his rep$tation. 1ike a blind sea captain% he makes !reat bl$nders% orever
"anderin! in the darkness o alse commitments.
Some modern ,!$r$s, like the ones "ho make money the meas$re o
commitment
or en!a!e in hi!hly )$estionable activities% come to mind. The ,search or a !$r$,
sho$ld
mean more than ,doin! the Dharma circ$it,. The search may be less important than
the
eort to become a ,s$itable vessel,. To )$ote Milarepa's reply to the yo$n! ,dandy,
"ho oers him his sash and sabre as payment or Dharma#
,I% the sno" lioness "ho stays in sno"y solit$des%
.ave milk "hich is like the essential nectar.
In the absence o !olden c$ps%
I "o$ld not po$r it in an ordinary vessel.
I bind to my strai!ht% $n"averin! "aist
the sash o ierce devotion%
havin! settled the ripples o $nei!ned tho$!ht.
These are the hi!hest ornaments o all "ho practice Dharma#
The !olden chain o perseverance
and the iron chain o aith in instr$ctions
"hich bind the sheath o the st$dent's ,three conidences,
to the sabre o piercin! Prahna.
Fearin! the orders o the sky;!oers =dakinis>%
I have not sold Dharma or "ealth in the past.
?ven no" I didn't accept yo$r oerin!s
so% pray% be on yo$r "ay home.,
8ote# My literal translation. Compare Chan!% p. 171.
As a ootnote to this lon! tan!ent% I "o$ld like to )$ote a passa!e rom .enry
5a$!hn's Thalia 5ediia =1479 A.D.> "hich so$nds remarkably like somethin! one
o the members o People's Temple mi!ht said#
,Inhappy% sad e@chan!eA (hat% m$st I b$y
C$iana "ith the loss o all the skyG
Intelli!ence shall I leave% and be
Familiar only "ith mortalityG
M$st I kno" no$!ht% b$y thy ?@che)$erG
Shall my p$rse and ancy be symmetricalG
Are there no 'b0ects let b$t oneG
M$st "e in !ainin! that% lose o$r varietyG,
=,The Import$nate Fort$ne,% line :* .>
5erse Seven# .ere is one orm o the 3odhi Aspiration rom lbid.% pp. *a;*b#
Amon! all the creat$res o Samsara there is not one "ho has not acted as my
ather or mother. (hile they "ere my parents% they raised me "ith kindness%
!ave me the best ood and dressed me in the inest clothes. Altho$!h% in their
kindness% they desired happiness% they did not $nderstand the practice o the
ten virt$es "hich are at the root o happiness. Altho$!h they did not "ish or
s$erin!% they did not $nderstand the avoidance o the ten non;virt$es "hich
are the ca$se o s$erin!. I eel compassion or these creat$res "ho% in their
con$sion% havin! allen into "ron! paths like a blind man abandoned in the
middle o a ield. 8o" I m$st learn the sacred Dharma% p$t it into practice%
and strive or the Coal% in order that all the creat$res o the si@ types Jo
Cyclic ?@istenceK may be reed rom aliction and the propensity or s$erin!
and obtain the level o 'mniscient 3$ddhahood.
5erse ?i!ht# the reerence is to be o$r Tantric initations.
5erse 8ine# or ,perdition,% see note to verse 12.
5erse ?leven# ,'bsc$re Tran)$ility, translates '6hi;!nas byin!;ba,. ,Fhi;!nas,
means
,peace$l abidin!, and as s$ch it orms a part o meditation practice% a pre;re)$isite
to meditation% properly speakin!.
,3yin!;ba, and ,+!od;pa, are t"o e@tremes that m$st be avoided in order to
keep the mind in a state o ,peace$l abidin!,. ,3yin!;ba, may be translated as
,heaviness,% ,sinkin!,% ,obsc$ration,% or ,dro"siness,. ,+!od;pa, means
,"ildness,
or ,scatterin!, o the mind to ob0ects other than the oc$s o concentration.
,Phyi;ba, means a kind o marmot. I have $sed an animal more amiliar to
Americans% the !ro$ndho!% "hich is also a kind o marmot. The Tibetan ,Phyi;ba,%
accordin! to Das's dictionary% is nicknamed ,S!om;chen,% the "ord "hich I have
translated ,contemplative,.
5erse Thirteen# ,Cron!;cho!,% translated ,o$ndation layin! ceremonies,% is to be
o$nd in the Tibetan;?n!lish Dictionaries o Choda! and Da!yab.
5erse Fo$rteen# This verse is abo$t the sort o person "ho is kno"n in street
lan!$a!e as the ,h$stler,% in this case a ,contemplative, "ith the ,h$stlin!,
mentality.
5erse Fiteen# The three types o perdition =n!an;son!> are# rebirth in the inernos%
the animal kin!dom% or the realm o the ,h$n!ry !hosts, =pretas>.
3iblio!raphy#
Ashva!hosha% ,Fity Stan6as o C$r$ Devotion,% contained in (an!;ch'$! Dor0e%
,The Maham$dra ?liminatin! the Darkness o I!norance,% 1ibrary o Tibetan
(orks and Archives% Dharamsala% 1:79% pp. 129;197 =also p$blished as separate
pamphlet>.
Chan!% Barma C.C.% =tr>% ,The .$ndred Son!s o Milarepa,% 3o$lder% 1:4&.
Bon!;spr$l 3lo;!ros;mtha';yas =tr. E$dy .anson>% ,The Torch o Certainity,%
3o$lder% 1:77.
Dpal;spr$l ';r!yan;'0i!s;med;chos;kyi;dban!;po% ,+d6o!s;pa Chen;po'i Blon!;chen
Snyin!;thi!;!i;Sn!on;'!ro'i Bhrid;yi!# B$n;36an! 3la;ma'i Fhal;l$n!,% a "oodblock
print in *<7 leaves% no p$blisher% no date.
Sa;skya Pandita B$n;d!a'r!yal;mtshan% ,Can!s;can;!yi S!om;chen;mams;la
Cdams;pa,% a "oodblock print in three leaves% no p$blisher% no date.
Shakabpa% Tsepon (.D.% ,Tibet ; A Political .istory,% 8e" .aven% 1:47.
5a$!hn% .enry% ,The Complete Poetry o .enry 5a$!hn,% 8e" Hork% 1:4/.