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Extracting the Essence of Spiritual PracticeInstructions on Mountain Spirituality, Direct Guidance for Experiencing the

Practice Explained in a Way that is Easy to Understand

by Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche Jigdrel Yeshe Dorje

Version 5 ©2005 by John N. Ross

This translation is copyrighted to prevent misuse. Permission is expressly granted to individualswho have received transmission of this text from a qualified lineage holder to make copies fortheir own personal use only. All other duplication, in any media and for any purpose, isexpressly prohibited.

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Extracting the Essence of Spiritual PracticeInstructions on Mountain Spirituality, Direct Guidance for Experiencing thePractice Explained in a Way that is Easy to Understand

At the feet of the incomparably kind, glorious and sacred Guru, respectfully I bowdown and go for refuge. Please grant your blessings that the realization of the profound pathmay swiftly arise in the mind-streams of myself and my disciples without the slightest errorand that we may attain the primordially impregnable ground in this very life.

For fortunate individuals who, through the conjunction of their perfectly pureprevious aspirations and karmic propensities, have heartfelt confidence in the teachings ofthe profound, secret Great Completion and the Guru who introduces it and who wish topursue the practice to its final conclusion, here is an entranceway. These instructions on thekey points of mountain spirituality are direct guidance for the meditation practice of theutmost secret, the Great Completion, explained in a way that is concise and easy tounderstand.

Accordingly, there are three main topics to be understood. The preparation is topurify and train your mind-stream by severing the bonds of desire and attachment and bykeeping your mind turned toward the Teachings. The main practice is to clear away doubtsand misconceptions about the view, meditation and conduct and to sustain the experience ofpractice. The ensuing experience is to guard your vows and sacred commitments and tocomplete the activities of this life in accord with the Doctrine. Then, to say a little about thefirst subject:

Alas! This incessant cognition that we label as our minds arose in the very beginningat the same moment as Total Goodness. However, Total Goodness knows itself and thus isfree, while we sentient beings, through non-recognition, wander endlessly in cyclicexistence.

The bodies we have inhabited among the six classes of beings are beyondenumeration, yet all of the activities we have thus engaged in have been meaningless. Now,once out of so many times, we have obtained this human body. If we do not accomplish themeans to avoid rebirth in the lower realms of cyclic existence, it is uncertain where we willbe reborn when we die. Wherever we are reborn among the six classes of beings, we willnever be beyond the inevitability of suffering.

It is not enough simply to have obtained this human body–at the time of death, wemust leave it behind. Thus, we need to practice the Teachings genuinely this very moment. At the time of our death we should have no regrets and no reason to be ashamed ofourselves, just like Jetsun Milarepa. As he said, “The Doctrinal tradition of myself,Milarepa, is not to be ashamed of oneself.”

Having entered the Spiritual path, it is not enough simply to adopt the appearance andactivities of Spirituality. You need to sever all ties to plans and desires that are limited tothis life. Without making this break, you might enter the door of the Teachings with anunresolved mind, still attached to your homeland, wealth, relatives, friends and so forth. Then, due to the conjunction of cause, the mind of attachment, and condition, the objects ofattachment, the Devil will create obstacles. Once again you will become involved incommon worldliness, and your destiny will regress.

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So, abandon the three downfalls: food, clothes and useless chatter. Withoutattachment to the eight worldly concerns, focus your mind one-pointedly on the Doctrine.

In the solitary place, the heartfelt misery of death, the practitioner who has uprooted attachment from deep within enters the retreat, abandoning thoughts of this life, and never meets with the visitors, thoughts of the eight worldly concerns.

One should act like Gyalwa Yang Gonpa. Otherwise, mixing the Teachings with the eightworldly concerns will lead to catastrophe, like eating food mixed with poison.

The eight concerns can be condensed into hope and fear, and the meaning of thesetwo is aversion and attachment. Aversion and attachment within manifest outwardly as maleand female demons. As long as one is not free from aversion and attachment, one will notbe free from male and female demons and obstacles will never cease.

So, is there any attachment or conceit regarding this life or the eight worldly concernshidden deep within your heart? Examining yourself again and again, you should earnestlyabandon such defects. To harbor the eight concerns deep within while adopting theappearance of the Doctrine would be deceitful, and any material benefit that you mightreceive as a result would be a perverse means of livelihood.

It is said, “By abandoning ones homeland, half of the Teachings are accomplished.” So leave your homeland behind and wander alone throughout the land. Part from yourrelatives and friends in good fashion, but ignore their entreaties to postpone your spiritualpractice. Give away your wealth as charity, and survive on whatever alms come your way.

Understand that everything desirable is but an obstacle that leads to bad habits, anddevelop a mind that is free from desire. Without restraint and contentment regarding wealthand possessions, then as soon as you get one you will need two. Eventually the deception ofdesirable objects will make it easy for the Devil to enter.

Whatever people say, whether good or bad, do not cling to it as true. Whatever issaid, just let it be without acceptance or rejection, hope or fear, like comments made aboutsomeone who is already dead.

Apart from a qualified Guru, the most honest advice would come from ones parents,but even their advice is not to be heeded. Stand your ground. Do not let your nose rope fallinto anyone’s hands.

In order to maintain appearances and be as a friend to all, you should be easygoingand know how to avoid burning others’ noses. But if anyone, whether great or humble,becomes an obstacle to your practice, you should be unshakable. You should be like an ironboulder with a silk scarf tied around it. Don’t be the kind of person who is easily influenced,like the grass on top of a mountain pass that bows in whatever direction it is blown by thewind.

Whatever practice you are engaged in, from the moment you begin until reaching theend, whether hail falls from above, a lake rises up from below or precipices collapse from infront of you, with fierce resolve never to abandon your commitment even at the cost of yourlife, continue your practice until reaching the end.

From the very beginning progressively establish a schedule for meditation sessions,sleep, relaxation and meals, allowing no bad habits. Whether your practice is elaborate orsimple, it is important not to let it be erratic. Desolate and ordinary, in every momentwithout exception be aware of the practice and experience its essence.

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During retreat seal the entrance with mud. If not that, in any case do not meet with,nor speak with, nor spy on others. Completely discard all wanderings of the restless mind. Assume an excellent posture and expel the stale breath. Summarily abandon chasing afterthe mind. Like a stake driven into the ground, you should remain without wavering for evenan instant. A strict outer, inner and secret retreat will quickly give rise to all the signs andqualities.

If for some important reason you meet with someone and then speak with him,thinking that, “After this I will be strict,” this transgression will cause the prosperity of yourpractice to fade. Your retreat will become slacker and slacker. If from the very beginningyou make a resolute decision to remain seated and gradually increase the strictness of yourretreat, your practice will not be swept away by obstacles.

Although there are many ways of examining the special characteristics of particularplaces, in general places blessed by Guru Rinpoche and other accomplished masters of thepast that are not occupied by those with conflicting sacred commitments, any utterly solitaryplace where it is easy to gather necessities or whatever place is agreeable to oneself aresuitable.

If you can handle the swift and powerful manifest energy of the conjunction of outerand inner interdependence in charnal grounds and other terrifying places where maliciousspirits abide, that will really enhance your meditation. However, if you cannot handle it,there will be many obstacles. When your realization becomes one with the inner space, allobstructing circumstances will arise as friends. At that time it is especially excellent toundertake secret activities in charnal grounds and such places.

Continuously abandoning all outer and inner distractions, to abide in non-action is thetranscendent solitary place.

As for the actual purification of your mind-stream, the ordinary practices are the fourthoughts which turn the mind, and the extraordinary practices are refuge, awakening mind,purifying obscurations and gathering the accumulations. According to the commentaries,make effort at each one in turn until genuine experience arises.

With diligence you should take the guruyoga in particular as the life force of yourpractice. If you do not, meditation will be slow to develop. Even if it does develop a little,obstacles will arise and you will not be able to develop genuine realization. So prayintensely with uncontrived devotion. In this way the Guru’s mind-stream will betransferred, and an extraordinary, inexpressible realization will certainly arise from withinyou.

As Lama Shang Rinpoche said, “To sustain stillness, to sustain experiences, tosustain profound concentrations are quite common. By the power of devotion and the graceof the Guru to give rise to realization within is rare indeed.”

Therefore, for the meaning of the Great Completion to arise in your mind-streamdepends upon these preliminaries. This is what Je Drigungpa meant when he said, “OtherDoctrinal traditions consider the main practice to be profound, here we consider thepreliminaries to be profound.”

Second, regarding the main practice, which is to clear away doubts andmisconceptions about the view, meditation and conduct and to sustain the experience ofpractice, the first subject is the view that knows reality.

The nature of your mind is the actual state of the transcendent nature. Free from allcharacteristics fabricated by conventional rational mind, it is definitively established as

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awareness. Awareness arises nakedly as self-occurring primal knowing. Neither can it beexpressed in words nor indicated by example. It has never been corrupted by cyclicexistence, nor has it ever been improved by going beyond suffering. It has never been born,never ended, never been liberated, never been confused, never existed, never not existed,never been interrupted in the slightest, nor ever fallen into any kind of partiality.

In short, from the very beginning the originally pure essence, the vast pervasiveexpanse of emptiness, has never been a substantial entity with elaborated characteristics. From the unobstructed radiance of emptiness, the phenomenal realms of cyclic existence andfreedom from suffering appear by themselves like the ocean, the sun and the sun’s rays. Thenature that is the great spontaneously present qualities of primal knowing, has never been ablank, nihilistic emptiness. In this way the awareness which is the indivisible union ofappearance and emptiness is the very identity of Threefold Being, the actual state of theprimordial nature. Recognizing this reality just as it is, is what is called the “view” of theGreat Completion beyond rational mind.

The Great Master said, “True Being beyond rational mind is as-it-is-ness.” Howjoyous! We hold in our hands that which actually kindles the intention of Total Goodness.

This itself is the heart-essence of the six million four hundred thousand tantras of theGreat Completion, which are the ultimate conclusion of all of the eighty-four thousandsections of the Conqueror’s Teachings. There is not an inch to go beyond this. All of theTeachings must be perfectly and decisively understood according to this.

Cutting from within doubts and misconceptions about this view and continuouslysustaining it is what is called “meditation”. All other meditations based on intentionality andfabrication are conceptual meditations created by the rational mind. We don’t do that.

Without losing the foundation of that previous view, loosely leave all of theperceptions of the five senses to relax and self-settle.

Don’t meditate by labeling, “This is it!” If you meditate, that is rational mind. Thereis nothing whatsoever on which to meditate.

Do not be distracted for even an instant. If you become distracted from letting gointo yourself, that is the real delusion. Do not be distracted. Whatever thoughts arise, letthem arise. Do not follow after them. Do not suppress them.

If one were to describe what this is like, whatever arises or appears as an object ofperception, see it all like a small child peering into a temple. Without clinging toappearances, leave them fresh. Leave all phenomena in their own place, undamaged bycontrivance, their color unchanged, their lustre undiminished. When whatever appears isunspoiled by grasping or clinging thoughts, all of appearance and cognition arises as theempty lucidity of naked primal knowing.

There are so many teachings that are called “vast” or “profound”, yet they are merelydeception for all those of lesser intelligence. If one were to explain the essential, concisemeaning in the manner of putting ones finger on it, when the previous thought has ceasedand the future thought has not yet arisen, isn’t there a fresh knowing-nowness which hasnever changed at all, nor ever had the slightest foundation, a naked clear awareness? This isthe presence of awareness itself.

Yet one does not remain only in that state forever. Doesn’t a thought suddenly arise? This is the self-manifest energy of that awareness. If you do not recognize this in the verymoment of arising, thoughts will spread out in your mind-stream. This is called the chain ofdelusion. It is the root of cyclic existence.

If in the instant of arising you merely recognize without following after and let go at

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ease in yourself, whatever thoughts arise all effortlessly liberate in the inner space of TrueBeing awareness. This is the combined practice of the view and meditation according toCutting Solidity. This is the main practice.

As Garab Dorje said,

When from the primally pure expanse,awareness arises suddenly in an instant of recollection,it is like recovering a wish-fulfilling jewel from the depths of the ocean,True Being which has neither been made nor caused by anyone.

This is the ultimate point. You should meditate like this day and night without distraction. Without leaving emptiness an object of knowledge, gather everything into awareness itself.

Then, as for the conduct which enhances this meditation, the manner of sustaining thepractice is as follows:

As was explained previously, the main point is to see your Guru as the actual Buddhaand to never separate from that perception. Pray one-pointedly and steadfastly from yourheart. This is called the “panacea of devotion”. Whether for clearing away obstacles or forenhancing experience, this method is supreme. This is the way to powerfully and decisivelytraverse all paths.

If your meditation falters by sinking or becoming dull, nimbly bring out awareness. If thoughts proliferate or you become agitated, relax consciousness from within.

Without forcing or restraining due to an incessant mindfulness of the continuity ofmeditation, simply do not forget the self-recognition of your own essence. Continuouslysustain this at all times, whether during equipoise or during the activities of ensuingexperience such as eating, sleeping, walking and sitting. Whether happy or suffering,whatever neurotic thoughts arise, without hope or fear, acceptance or rejection, withoutsuppressing or bringing antidotes, let be on the face of the thoughts–the experience ofhappiness or suffering just as it is. Let go into that stark nakedness alone.

It all comes to just one key point, so do not deceive yourself with a lot of thinking. You do not need to meditate by using emptiness as an antidote against thoughts andemotions, as if they are “something to be abandoned”. In the instant awareness recognizes“something to be abandoned”, it self-liberates like a snake uncoiling its own knot.

This is the ultimate conclusion of the hidden meaning of the Luminous IndestructibleHeart Essence. Many know how to speak of it, but without knowing how to practice it thisbecomes just like parrots’ litanies. We are extremely fortunate!

There is something to be considered carefully and understood. The mortal enemythat has bound us to cyclic existence since time without beginning is that pair, the grasperand the grasped. Now due to the kindness of the Guru, you have been introduced to the TrueBeing that abides within yourself, and that pair has been burnt up like a feather withoutleaving the slightest trace or remnant. Isn’t that really satisfying?

To have received such a profound instruction on the swift path and not to practice itwould be like taking a wish-fulfilling jewel and stuffing it in the mouth of a corpse. What aloss! Don’t let your heart rot. Put these instructions into practice.

Beginners will fall into distraction and lose their mindfulness amidst the darkness ofproliferating thoughts. Suddenly becoming wound up in myriad thoughts, they will becarried away by the underlying movements. Then when a startling mindfulness returns, theywill think, “I have been distracted” and will feel regret. At that time do not entertain the

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slightest regret, either for having been distracted or for losing the previous thought. Whenthat stark mindfulness returns, self-settle on that. Continuously sustaining that alone issufficient.

“See thoughts as True Being. Don’t abandon them,” has become a famous aphorism. However, if your insight has not completed the manifest energy, simply to think, “This isTrue Being,” while resting in an unknowing state of quiescence poses the danger ofbecoming trapped in an indeterminate equanimity without any discriminating cognizance.

At the beginning just look directly at whatever thoughts arise without the slightestanalysis or reflection. Completely carefree, without adding anything, let go into the“recognizer” of the thought like an old man watching children play.

Letting go like that, self-settle into a non-conceptual state. When suddenly thepropensity for abiding spontaneously dissolves, in that instant the primal knowing beyondmind will arise naked and distinct.

While on the path you will inevitably encounter experiences of bliss, lucidity andnon-thought. However, if you can leave them without even the tiniest bit of hope or fear, ofpride, attachment or satisfaction, then you have successfully negotiated these potentialpoints of deviation.

It is important always to avoid distractions and to maintain one pointed mindfulnessand aspiration. If you fall into intellectualization and wish fulfillment, becomingcomplacent about a bit of quiescence without digging in to the meat of experience, you willmerely become skilled at mouthing the words. There is no benefit in that.

There is a proverb of the Great Completion, “Understanding is like a patch. It willfall off.” And also, “Experiences are like the mist, they will fade.”

Even the most trivial external circumstances, whether good or bad, can deceive“great meditators”. There are so many ways to be led astray by circumstances. Even if youhave entered the practice of meditation, if you do not meditate continuously that is justleaving the profound instructions on the pages of the text. Your knowledge and practice willbecome a mere facade and genuine meditation will never arise. Old “great meditators” stillnew to the practice, beware! You could die with your head covered in salt.

If you meditate continuously for a long time, at some point due to devotion or someother conducive circumstance, experience will blaze forth as realization. You will see thenaked, extraordinary awareness. Like peeling a cover off of your head, your view willbecome vast, spacious and even. This is called “the supreme seeing of what is not seen”. From this point onward thoughts will arise as meditation. Stillness and movement willliberate together.

At first you will recognize thoughts and then they will liberate in the manner ofmeeting someone whom you used to know well. Later thoughts will self-liberate in themanner of a snake releasing its own knot. Finally thoughts will neither benefit nor harm andwill liberate in the manner of a thief entering an empty house. These stages will occurprogressively.

A vehement conviction will arise from within that all phenomena are solely thedisplay of your own awareness. The inner expanse will roil with waves of emptiness andcompassion. There will no longer be any possibility of choosing between cyclic existenceand going beyond suffering. You will realize that there is no difference between Buddhasand sentient beings. Whatever occurs, you will be joyous within the state of the actualnature. You would not even know how to waver from that alone–that limitlessness beyondday and night.

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There is a proverb of the Great Completion, “Realization is unchanging like the sky.” Thus the body of a yogi appears as an ordinary human being, yet his mind is the realizationof True Being, free from activity or effort. Without activity he will traverse all the paths andlevels. Finally, both rational mind and phenomena will be exhausted. Like the space insidea broken vase, his body will dissolve into particles and his mind will dissolve into the actualnature. This is what is called “the inner lucidity of the expanse of the primordial groundgathering in the youthful vase body”. So it can be.

This is the conclusion of view, meditation and conduct. This is what is called“actualizing the result that is not to be obtained”. Such is the difference between experienceand realization.

Some individuals will progress gradually in stages, others will skip the stages, somewill realize instantly. This is due to the various abilities of different individuals; however, atthe time of fruition there is no distinction to be made.

The third general topic is ensuing experience, guarding your vows and sacredcommitments and completing the activities of this life in accord with the Dharma.

Although you may make effort at the practice of the view, meditation and conduct, ifyou are not skillful regarding the activities of ensuing experience your vows and sacredcommitments will degenerate. In the interim there will be hindrances and obstacles alongthe paths and levels, and ultimately you will certainly fall into the hell of Utmost Torment. Therefore it is critical always to be vigilant and mindful, without making the slightestmistake regarding what should be adopted and what abandoned.

As the Great Master said, “Although the view is high as the sky, ones concern for theresults of ones actions should be as fine as flour.” Thus you should forsake thoughtlesscrudity and be meticulous about cause and effect. Protect your vows and sacredcommitments without the slightest degeneration and remain untainted by any faults ordownfalls.

Although there are many ways of enumerating the sacred commitments of SecretMantra, they can all be condensed into the sacred commitments of the body, speech andmind of ones root Guru. It is said that if one perceives ones Guru as an ordinary humanbeing for even an instant, accomplishment is months and years away. If you were to think,“Why is that so?”, know that this is a crucial key point. As it is said, “For whoever holds thevajra, accomplishment depends on the master.” Thus it is.

At first whoever you are, until you rely on a Guru you are under your own power. However, once you rely on a Guru and become connected by empowerments and oralinstructions, from that point onward you have no power not to keep the sacred commitments. At the end of the four empowerments one bows before the Guru as the main figure of thesacred circle and says, “From this point onward take me as your servant. I offer myself toyou. Please accept me as your disciple, and use even the tiniest part of me.” Once you havemade this promise, no matter how great or powerful you are, haven’t you given up yourautonomy to the Guru?

One also says, “Whatever the main figure of the sacred circle commands, I willaccomplish it all.” After having made this vow, do you have the power not to do whateverhe says? If you do not accomplish your vow, although it may sound unpleasant, you cannotescape the fact that this is what is called a “violator of sacred commitments”.

Nor is it taught that one needs to keep sacred commitments perfectly with greatGurus who have extensive retinues, or who are wealthy, powerful, eloquent and so forth, but

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that there is no need to keep sacred commitments with humble Gurus who keep a low profileor engage in the conduct of beggars. In any case, you need to understand the key point ofrisk and benefit. It won’t do just to sit there like a befuddled old horse. This need to keepsacred commitments, is it for the Guru’s benefit? Or is it for your own benefit? You shouldfocus your mind and reflect on this carefully, as if grinding medicine. If it is for the Guru’sbenefit, then you can just drop it this very moment. But if that is not the case, it won’t do tothrow ashes on your own head.

In general, the sacred commitments regarding ones Spiritual brethren is to practicepure vision, seeing all who have entered the door of the Buddha’s teachings in a positiveway. Abandon partiality and criticism toward particular traditions of practice. Especially,give up disrespect, competitiveness, jealousy and deceit toward vajra kindred who havereceived teachings from the same Guru or within the same sacred circle. From your heartyou should cultivate a loving attitude toward them.

All sentient beings have really been ones own kind parents. Alas! They are trappedin cyclic existence and oppressed by fierce suffering. Thinking that, “If I do not protectthem, who will?” you should train your mind by meditating on unbearable compassion. Engage all of the abilities of your three gates to ceaselessly accomplish the benefit of beings,and dedicate all the merit to the benefit of others.

At all times there are only three things to think of: the Doctrine, the Guru and sentientbeings. Do not let your thoughts or your conduct go astray. Do not compete with those whobear the name or trappings of realized yogis or monks. Keep your mouth shut and controlyour mind. This is extremely important. Do not make a fool of yourself.

If you reflect on what is of benefit to yourself, it is only your future life. What iscalled “Spirituality” is something you need to do for yourself. If you are placing your hopeson virtue that others may accomplish for you after your death, it may be difficult for that tobe of benefit.

So turn your mind inward. Begin by developing heartfelt certainty. With intensediligence, aspiration and mindfulness as your foundation, make the length of your practiceequal to the length of your life. For the main practice, strike the vital point with the practiceof the profound view and meditation. During ensuing experience, act without contradictingwhat is to be adopted and what abandoned with regard to the sacred commitments, preceptsand vows. As a result, the qualities can not but arise from within.

The Great Completion is a path of such powerful skillful means that even sinfulpeople can follow it to Awakening. However, due to this extraordinary profundity, there canbe obstacles–just as great profit comes with great risk. The power of the oral instructionswill cause all of the negative actions that you have previously accumulated to rise up aschallenging experiences. Mara will create obstacles and apparitions. At your place ofpractice, you may see gods and demons. They may even call out your name or appear in theguise of your Guru and make prophecies. Various terrifying phenomena will occur in yourexperiences or dreams.

In actuality, you may encounter beatings, humiliation, robbery, theft, illness andother challenges. For no reason at all you will experience sadness, longing or intense mentalsuffering. Intense neurotic thoughts will arise. Your devotion, awakening mind andcompassion will diminish. Your thoughts will arise as enemies and drive you insane.

You will misinterpret beneficial advice. It will become unbearable to stay on retreat,and you will long to abandon your promise. You will develop wrong views about the Guruand doubts about the Doctrine.

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In addition, you may be wrongly accused or acquire a bad reputation. Your friendsmay become enemies. Both outwardly and within yourself, these and various otherundesirable circumstances will arise. Ho! These are upheavals that have been ripened byyour practice. Recognize them as such.

This is the crossroads between profit and loss. If you resolve these obstacles with thevital point, they will transform into accomplishment. If you fall under their power, they willbecome hindrances. At this point, with pure sacred commitment and persistent, earnestdevotion entrust your mind and heart to the Guru. Thinking, “whatever you do, you knowall things”, pray with ardent confidence. Whatever challenging circumstances arise, acceptthem as something desirable and put intense effort into your practice. If you can practice inthis way, the solidity of these circumstances will collapse by itself and your practice will be enhanced. Appearances will become insubstantial like the mist. Confidence in the Guru andhis instructions will grow even greater than before. After this even if challengingexperiences occur, you will feel confident and think, “Alright!”

This is the sign of having mastered the challenge. After circumstances have becomea support for the path, whatever challenges arise are fine. Ah la la! This is precisely whatwe old fathers want. Don’t be like a fox who skulks around a human corpse longing to eatit, yet trembling with hesitation. Develop courage!

Those whose accumulation of merit is meager, whose sacred commitments and vowsare lax, whose misconceptions are huge, whose doubts are numerous, who make exaltedcommitments but are feeble in practice–such people, whose hearts waft farts, request theGuru’s oral instructions to leave on their bookshelves. Clutching adverse circumstances in adeath-grip, they follow after them and deliver themselves to the Devil. This will only lead toevil destinies. Alas! Pray to the Guru that this does not happen.

Actually, adverse circumstances that arise as challenges along the path are relativelyeasy to deal with. Felicitous circumstances that arise as challenges along the path areextremely difficult to handle. Those who presume that they have attained realization andbecome distracted by constantly striving after greatness in this life are in danger of enslavingthemselves to the Devil of the Child of the Gods. One should be exceedingly cautious inthis regard.

Know that this is the point at which “great meditators” are put to the test. This is thecrossroads at which you will go up or down.

Until the manifest energy of the qualities of your inner realization is complete, it isinappropriate to tell stories of your experiences–however exalted they may be. Keep yourmouth shut. Furthermore, don’t become conceited about how many months or years youhave spent on retreat. Wholeheartedly endeavor to practice for your entire human life. Donot deceive yourself by mouthing words about emptiness and then criticize the accumulationof virtue by cause and effect as deception.

Village rituals, subduing demons and so forth are for gathering food. Do not remainfor long in populated places. Reduce meaningless work, needless talk and useless thinking. Do not deceive others through fraud, pretense or other actions that contradict the Teachings. Do not engage in wrong livelihood, uttering indirect requests or flattery out of craving fordesirable things. Do not associate with unvirtuous friends or those who are not conducive toyour view and conduct. Expose your own faults. Do not talk about the hidden faults ofothers.

Tobacco, opium and all other such drugs are said to be the manifestation of sacred-commitment-degenerating demons. From your heart abandon them. Alcoholic beverages,

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however, should be relied on as a sacred-commitment-substance, but not wantonlyconsumed to the point of intoxication.

Whether others have faith in you and treat you with respect or have no faith andattack you or scheme against you, without differentiating between good and badrelationships take them all on the path and look after them with pure aspirations.

At all times sustain the valor of awareness. Don’t be a coward. Although inwardlyexalted and expansive, outwardly your conduct should be humble. Wear tattered clothes. Whether others are good, bad or indifferent, consider them all above yourself. Making dowith meager provisions, remain steadfastly in mountain hermitages. Direct your ambitiontoward the life of a beggar. Emulate the complete liberation of past accomplished masters.Without blaming your past actions, practice the Doctrine in an impeccable and exaltedmanner. Without blaming circumstances practice steadfastly amidst whatever circumstancesarise.

In short, take your own mind as witness. Devote this human life to Spirituality. Atthe time of your death, have nothing left to think about and no reason to be ashamed. Thekey point of all practice is just this.

At some point the time of death will arrive. At that time completely abandonwhatever wealth or possessions you may have without attachment to even so much as asingle needle. The best conduct is to be joyous at the time of death. The middling conductis not to shirk from death. The inferior conduct is at least not to have regret when you die.

If the luminosity of realization has completed the cycle of day and night, there is nointermediate state, but merely the dissolution of the body. If you have not reached this level,but nonetheless have certainty of being liberated in the intermediate state, whatever you dois fine. If not that, then train in advance and develop confidence in the practice oftransference. When the time comes, put the practice into action and transfer to whateverpure realm inspires your devotion. There you will traverse the remaining paths and levelsand attain Awakening.

This precious lineage of ours is not merely about old stories of ancient occurrences. Even in the present day by bringing to perfection the realization of the paths of CuttingSolidity and Crossing Over, the material body is dissolved into a mass of light as therainbow body.

Thus it is. Do not throw away this wish-fulfilling gem and go searching for glass baubles. To

receive these profound instructions which are like the heart blood of the dakinis is anexceptional good fortune. Elevate your mind, be joyous and meditate!

Disciples, cherish this text as your heart treasure and there will be great benefit.

Thus the cause being to benefit the mountain retreat practice of the meditators atOgmin Pema Oling, and the circumstance being a request from the diligent practitionerRigzang Dorje, who possesses the treasure of unchanging faith and respect, Jigdrel YesheDorje spoke this heart advice in the form of direct guidance. May this be the cause for therealization of primal knowing to arise powerfully in the mind-streams of the fortunate.

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Lexicon

Note: Capitalization does not exist in the Tibetan language; however, adopting the convention ofcapitalizing references to the Three Jewels, individually or collectively, provides a usefulmeasure of clarity and flexibility. Thus: Three Jewels, Threefold Being, Buddha, Awakened One,Awakened State, Conqueror, Teaching, Doctrine, Spirituality, Community, Guru, Deity,Spacegoer, Channel, Wind, Sphere, True Being, Beatific Being, Emanation Being.

absolute nature - chos nyidactual state - gnas lugsagitation - rgodas-it-is-ness - de bzhin nyidawakening mind - byang chub semsawareness - rig pabeing - skuConqueror - rgyal waconsciousness - shes paconventional - tha snyadCrossing Over - thod rgalCutting Solidity - khregs chodcyclic existence -‘khor wadeception - kun rdzobDevil - bdudensuing experience - rjes thobequipoise - mnyam bzhagessence - ngo woevil destinies - ngan ‘groexpanse - dbyingsexperience(s) - nyamsfreedom from suffering - myang ‘dasgoing beyond suffering - myang ‘dasGreat Completion - rdzogs chenground - gzhiimpregnable ground - btzan saindeterminate - lung ma bstanindivisible union - zung ‘jukintention - dgongs painner space - klonginsight - lhag mthongKyabje - skyab rjelet be- ‘joglet go - ‘joglevel - salucidity - gsal waluminosity - ‘od gsalLuminous Indestructible Heart Essence - ‘od sal rdo rje snying pomanifest energy - rtsal

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mind - semsmindful - dren pamountain spirituality - ri chosnature - rang bzhinneurotic thoughts - nyon mongs rtog panirmanakaya - sprul skupractice - drup pa or nyams lenprimal knowing - ye shesprimordial nature - gdod ma’i gshisrational mind - bloreality - yin lugsrealize, realization - rtogs paquiescence - zhi gnassacred commitment - dam tsigself-occurring - rang byungself-settle - rang babssinking - byingthought - rnam rtog or rtog pathree gates - sgo gsumThreefold Being - sku gsumTotal Goodness - kun tu bzang po, skt. samantabhadratranscendent - don damTrue Being- chos skuundercurrent - ‘og ‘gyuunknowing - had povigilant - shes bzhin

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Notes:

page 1, title The term translated as “mountain spirituality” (ri chos) is sometimes translated as “mountainretreat”, “mountain practice” or “mountain Dharma”. This term is often used in the title ofpractice manuals that take a practical approach, avoiding technical language and scholarlycommentaries. The term translated as “extracting the essence” (bcud len) is generally usedto refer to alchemical practices in which the essences of flowers, minerals or othersubstances are extracted and condensed into tiny pills which provide sustenance in lieu offood for practitioners for extended periods of time. The implication of using the term in thiscontext is that the instructions offered here extract the essence of all practices into acondensed form which is sufficient in and of itself. page 2, paragraph 7, line 4 What has been translated here as “unresolved” could also be translated as “rotten”.

page 3, paragraph 1 The eight worldly concerns are: gain and loss, pain and pleasure, praise and blame, fame andinfamy.

page 3, paragraph 10 According to the oral tradition passed from Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche to my own GuruSoktse Rinpoche, the meaning of this example is that, although the iron boulder iscompletely immovable, the silk scarf tied around it is beautiful as it billows gracefully to andfro in the wind. Thus ones commitment to ones practice should be like the boulder, whileones skill in dealing with others should be like the scarf.

page 5, paragraph 4, line 4 The term translated as “Teachings” (chos) can also be translated as “phenomena”. Bothmeanings work, and both meanings may be intended. However, given the context of theprevious lines, “Teachings” appears to be the primary meaning.

page 5, paragraph 10, line 2The ambiguity in this sentence is deliberate. There is a double-meaning in the originalTibetan which has been preserved in translation. One reading is that the many teachingscalled “vast” and “profound” are deception for those of lesser intelligence because onlythose of the highest intelligence are capable of assimilating the vastness and profundity andarriving at the essential key point without becoming distracted or confused. Another readingis that the many teachings called “vast” and “profound” are deception either because theyare provisional or because although they are definitive they are extremely elaborate and thusobfuscatory. Thus those of greater intelligence would abandon such vast and profoundteachings for the essential meaning presented here.

page 6, paragraph 2, line 2 In English the verb “to liberate” is a transitive verb. Thus there is always a subject whichliberates an object–and usually from an indirect object. For example: The police liberatedthe hostage (from his captor). However, the Tibetan verb grol wa, which almost translates

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quite well as “to liberate”, is an intransitive verb. It does not take an object. It refers to asubject becoming free by itself. For example, this verb would be used to say, “The knotcame undone (by itself).” Even if one uses a passive form of “liberate” in English, such as“be liberated”, this still implies a transitive verb with a subject and object, even if they areleft out of the explicit syntax. Thus I have adopted the convention in this translation oftreating “to liberate” as an intransitive verb and ask the reader to recognize it as such. Theother option would be to substitute an intransitive verb such as “to dissolve”; however, thatsolution would lead to a significant loss of meaning. In the particular context of thoughtsliberating, “dissolving” is roughly equivalent–although not exactly so. However, in othercontexts “to dissolve” would miss the meaning completely. For instance, “liberation” canrefer both to what happens to thoughts within recognition of True Being and also to an individualattaining a state of realization that frees him, or her, from cyclic existence. This double meaningis deliberate and significant.

page 6, paragraph 7, line 7 First, It is worth noting that the word ngo can translate as both “essence” and “face”. Thus“let be on the face of the thoughts” could also be translated as “let go into the essence of thethoughts”. Second, There are a variety of terms called “experience words” (myong tsig)which are somewhat challenging to translate into English. These terms are oftenonomatopoeic and sometimes have a wide range of meaning that requires more that a singleword to translate. Three such words are to be found in this sentence. hrik ke has beentranslated as “stark”. In following passages it is translated sometimes as “stark” andsometimes as “startling”. The precise meaning of this term is seeing something in a fresh,intense way that really stands out. There can also be a connotation of suddenness, as ininstant recognition or an instantaneous change of consciousness. rjen ne has been translatedliterally as “nakedness”. This refers to an experience of freshness, openness, and luciditythat feels completely uncovered. ye re can literally mean “one time”, but in general itimplies singularity. Thus, for example, it can be used in a compound form to mean“standing out in a crowd” (ye re bud). Here it has been compounded with the verb “to letgo” and is translated as “alone”; however, the implication is more than merely “letting gointo one thing”. The meaning also includes “let go into that singularity”, “only let go” and“just let go”.

page 6, paragraph 8, line 4 The phrase “something to be abandoned” (spang bya) is a common idiom from the lowervehicles, which is juxtaposed here to emphasize that when practicing the Great Completionone does not even come to the point of assessing the content of thoughts as “something to beadopted” or “something to be abandoned”. The recognition by awareness referred to in thissentence occurs before one has fallen into that sort of dualism.

page 6, paragraph 11, line 2 According to Tibetan Buddhist tradition, a wish-fulfilling jewel is an extremely rareprecious gem which, when properly cared for, will manifest whatever one might wish for inmuch the same way as a genie would in Western legends. The proper way to care for such agem is to place it on a shrine, to present it with offerings and then to make wishes. Stuffinga wish-fulfilling jewel into the mouth of a corpse is thus an example of extreme stupidity.

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page 7, paragraph 8, line 5 The example actually given in this sentence is of a Drey (dred ), which can be interpretedaccording to several traditions. According to one tradition, Drey means dred po, an animalknown to have lived in Tibet which might be compared to the Sasquatch (or “Bigfoot”) ofthe Northwestern United States. The Drey looks something like a cross between a hairy apeand a human being. It is very fearful of humans, but at the same time often spies on humansand imitates their activities in an ineffectual way. For example, if someone were building ahouse and left for some time leaving their tools and materials in place, they might return tosee a Drey playing with the tools and materials and making a mess. Thus the Drey is anexample of trying to do something without knowing how to do it or even why one is doingit, and thus just making a mess. The example given here in the text is of becoming “anintellectual Drey, a Dharma Drey and a practice Drey.” This has been translated as, “Onesknowledge and practice will become a mere facade.”

According to another tradition, dred refers to dred mong (“Dremong”), a bearindigenous to the northern areas of Tibet. The Dremong preys primarily on marmots and akind of mouse, sitting outside the burrow of its prey and waiting for one to appear. Oncatching one of its prey, the Dremong puts the smaller animal into the cleft of its bottom andholds it there. While the Dremong is waiting intently for the next victim to emerge from theburrow, the first escapes unnoticed. The Dremong then catches its second prey, inserts itinto the cleft of its bottom not noticing that the first has escaped, and waits for yet another toappear. The Dremong will spend the whole day in this form of useless behavior and at theend of the day have nothing to eat. Thus the meaning of this latter example is roughlyequivalent to that of the former: someone who appears to be quite diligently and skillfullyengaged in Dharma practice, but who is missing the essential point of the practice.

Finally, there is yet another tradition of explanation which also associates the worddred with the dred mong, but which gives a slightly different interpretation. According tothis tradition, what is significant about the Dremong is simply that it is a bear. Thussomeone who has become a “Dharma bear” is someone who has become tough, stubborn,rough, impenetrable and insensitive in relation to Dharma. Such a person can talk at lengthabout Dharma and point out the faults of others, but if asked what practice he himself doeshe will have nothing to say.

page 7, paragraph 8, line 6Ones head being encrusted with salt is used here as a euphemism for a state of ignorance. One may have received many teachings and practiced intermittently for a long time, but ifone has not meditated continuously and attained decisive realization, when trying to re-enterthe practice one may still be completely lost, just like a complete beginner.

page 9, paragraph 2, line 7 This reference is to grinding herbal medicine by hand, a process which requires greatattention to the quality and quantity of ingredients, as well as sustained and meticulous effortdirected toward achieving a sufficiently fine and uniform grind. Moreover, since theingredients are presumably of considerable value and the medicine is to be used for animportant purpose, one would approach this process with a great deal of care andseriousness.

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The term nges ‘byung–translated here as “developing certainty”–is usually translated as“renunciation”; however, that is a very incomplete translation of both the literal and impliedmeanings. The literal meaning is either “to give rise to certainty” or “to be certain ofemerging”. The implied meaning is also twofold. First, one should be certain about thepervasive and profound faults of cyclic existence. Second, one should be certain that bycompletely abandoning cyclic existence one will go beyond suffering. “Renunciation”completely misses the second meaning and only partially captures the first. “Renunciation”means that one has reached a clear decision regarding the defects of cyclic existence andwishes to abandon this unsatisfactory situation. “Developing certainty” means much morethan this. The standard example is of someone with a severe liver disease being offered aplate of greasy food. What would that person do? Would they calmly think, “I don’t think Iwant to eat that?” More likely they would have a strong, visceral reaction. Simply seeing orsmelling the food would be enough to make them feel ill. Eating it would be inconceivable. That is how someone who has developed certainty feels about the myriad activities of cyclicexistence.

page 10, paragraph 3The terms slong and lhongs, together with their compounds slong tshad and lhongs tshad,defy simple translation into English. slong literally means “to rise up”, and lhongs meanssomething like “a challenging eruption”. In the context of meditation practice these twoterms are synonymous. They refer to the various challenging inner and outer experiencesthat a meditator encounters when the power of her practice stirs up her accumulated store ofnegative actions and causes them to manifest as obstacles. tshad means “full measure”. When joined with either of the aforementioned terms, tshad indicates that the challengingeruption has ripened to a maximal and critical degree. Such ripening is thus seen as a signthat ones practice is functioning properly and also as a moment of opportunity. Here lhongstshad has been translated as “ripened upheavals”. Three paragraphs previously slong hasbeen translated as “rise up as challenging experiences”.

page 10, paragraph 5, line 1 This sentence translates tshar tshad, which is a companion term to slong tshad (discussed inthe previous note). tshar tshad literally means “full measure of completion”. This refersboth to the successful resolution of challenging circumstances and to the sign that one hasreached that point.

page 11, paragraph 4, line 5 The term “complete liberation” is an honorific way to refer to the life stories or biographiesof accomplished masters.