Ten Key Instructions on Following the Sublime Way

Riwoché Phakchok Chöying Lhündrup taught:

(1) No matter how good a fortune you meet with in this world,
it is akin to enjoying a bowl of rice laced with poison.
Apply yourself whole-heartedly to the holy Dharma,
the source of definite happiness—for that is the sublime way.

(2) Freedoms and riches are hard to find; this life, like a castle in the sky,
utterly impermanent; and karmic results sure to ripen.
Renouncing and letting go of all the unnecessary,
turn your mind away from samsara—for that is the sublime way.

(3) Guarding the Three Jewels with your life, and with firm bodhicitta,
strive in purifying the two obscurations and gathering the two accumulations.
Without maturing through the preliminaries, the main part will yield no results,
so purify your being—for that is the sublime way.

(4) With utter devotion to Vajradhara, the vital source of liberation,
and to the ocean of root and lineage masters,
strive in practicing the profound, supreme path of the guru,
by supplicating and receiving the four empowerments—for that is the sublime way.

(5) The yidam, source of supreme and common siddhis;
empty yet appearing deities; the inexpressible tone of mantra;
self-liberated thoughts; and the treasury of the wisdom wheel:
strive in the threefold mandala—for that is the sublime way.

(6) Rest in calm-abiding with stable, unwavering meditation,
and maintain the perception of illusion outside of sessions.
Spontaneously present emptiness is the great seal of self-liberation,
so traverse the path of four yogas—for that is the sublime way.

(7) See outer appearances as false and deceiving
and the inner mind as empty and unreal.
Perceive the thoughts in between as adventitious
and whatever arises, maintain the natural state—for that is the sublime way.

(8) Do not lapse into clinging onto appearances as permanent,
nor into mistaking emptiness for nihilism:
maintain instead natural realization of the naked recognition of empty appearances
unobscured and free from extremes—for that is the sublime way.

(9) Though you may have realized the sky-like view of emptiness,
neither belittle nor dismiss the smaller vehicle and its subtle teaching
of cause and effect, but maintain instead the conduct of Kadampas
with mindfulness and vigilance—for that is the sublime way.

(10) Transmit the Buddha’s words and take them as witness,
making sure to apply what the practitioners of old have taught.
Do not lose your self-esteem, and with confidence
take advantage of your present good fortune—for that is the sublime way.