Unless you cultivate bodhicitta, you will not attain enlightenment, even though you may gain mastery of mantra and be very powerful.
All the supreme and common accomplishments will result from bodhicitta arising in your being. That alone is my oral instruction.
Master Padma said: Whether you meditate on emptiness or anything else, it is mistaken meditation practice unless it becomes an effective remedy against disturbing emotions and ordinariness. Something that does not counteract the disturbing emotions and ordinariness is a cause for falling into samsaric existence.
If any teaching you study, reflect upon, or expound becomes an effective remedy against your disturbing emotions as well as an aid for allowing the pure Dharma to take birth in your being, then that is called a Mahayana teaching and is unmistaken.
No matter how much you may be acclaimed as learned in study, exposition, and meditation, if your intention is only the eight worldly concerns, your activity is called a black Dharma practice.
In any case, it is essential to meditate on appearance and existence3 as being magical illusion, so as not to allow your attachment and clinging to grow stronger and stronger.
“A great yogi” simply means being free from attachment and clinging.
Master Padma said: The welfare and happiness of all sentient beings result from the teachings of the Buddha. So study the tantras, scriptures, and sutras and listen to the words of the masters.
Actions and their resulting happiness and suffering grow forth like seeds, so discriminate between virtue and evil deeds.
If you do not observe your vows, the root of your Dharma practice is rotten. Protect your vows and samayas as carefully as you would your own eyes.
In any case, if you have no trust when practicing the Dharma your effort is wasted, and anything you do will be futile. In whatever you do it is essential to be free from doubt and mistrust.
Master Padma said: Some people call themselves tantric practitioners and engage in crude behavior, but that is not the action of a tantrika.
Mahayana means to cherish all sentient beings with impartial compassion.
It will not suffice to claim oneself a tantric practitioner and then refrain from adopting what is virtuous and not avoiding or shunning evil deeds. It is essential for all tantric practitioners to cultivate great compassion in their being.
Without giving rise to compassion in your being you will turn into a non-Buddhist with wrong views, even though you may claim to be a practitioner of Secret Mantra.
Master Padma said: Secret Mantra is Mahayana. Mahayana means to benefit others.
In order to benefit others you must attain the three kayas of fruition. In order to attain the three kayas you must gather the two accumulations. In order to gather the two accumulations you must train in bodhicitta. You must practice the paths of development and completion as a unity.
In any case, a tantrika who lacks bodhicitta is totally unsuited and does not practice Mahayana.
Master Padma said: Secret Mantra and the philosophical vehicle4 are spoken of as two, but ultimately they are one. If you lack the view or the conduct you will stray into being a shravaka. So descend with the view while ascending with the conduct. It is most essential to practice these two as a unity. That is my oral instruction.
SAMAYA.
This completes the teaching on ascending with the conduct.
This was committed to writing at the upper hermitage of Chimphu on the eighth day of the last summer month in the Year of the Hare.
Seal of treasure.
Seal of concealment.
Seal of entrustment.
1. The particular set of vows one has taken of any of the three vehicles.
2. The bodhisattva vow and the refuge precepts. The latter also includes the vows of individual liberation. See the glossary.
3. “Appearance and existence” refers to the universe with all sentient beings.
4. Another word for the Mahayana teachings or the paramita vehicle.
The Master Padmakara of Uddiyana, who appeared as a nirmanakaya in person, was asked by Lady Tsogyal, the princess of Kharchen: Great Master, please be kind and teach the basis for all Dharma practice, the means by which to end birth and death, a little cause that has immense benefit, a method that is easy to apply and has little hardship.
The nirmanakaya master replied: Tsogyal, taking refuge is the basis for all Dharma practice. The Three Jewels are the support for all Dharma practice. The means that brings an end to birth and death is to take refuge along with its subsidiary aspects.
Lady Tsogyal asked: What is the essential meaning of taking refuge? What is its definition? When divided, how many types are there?
The master replied: The essential meaning of taking refuge is to accept the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha as your teacher, path, and companions for practicing the path, and then to pledge that they are the fruition you will attain. Thus taking refuge means a pledge or acceptance. Why is such an acceptance called taking refuge? It is called taking refuge because of accepting the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha as the support, refuge, and protector or rescuer for being freed from the great fear of the sufferings and obscurations. That is the essential meaning of taking refuge.
The definition of taking refuge is to seek protection from the terrors of the three lower realms and from the inferior view of believing in a self within the transitory collection1 as is held by non-Buddhist philosophers.
When divided, there are the three types: the outer way of taking refuge, the inner way of taking refuge, and the secret way of taking refuge.
THE OUTER WAY OF TAKING REFUGE
Lady Tsogyal asked: Concerning the outer way of taking refuge, what is the cause of wanting to take refuge? In what object does one take refuge? What kind of person takes refuge? What are the manners or methods though which one takes refuge? With what particular attitude does one take refuge?
Master Padma replied: The cause of wanting to take refuge is fear of the miseries of samsara, trusting in the Three Jewels as the place of refuge, and, moreover, accepting the Three Jewels to be the objects of refuge and the protectors of refuge. Through these three you give rise to the intention of taking refuge. In general, one wants to take refuge due to fear of death.
There are many people who do not even notice that half of their life has passed and who do not think of their future lives for even an instant. They have no refuge.
If you were not going to die or if you were certain of a human rebirth, you would not need to take refuge. However, after dying and transmigrating, there are the overwhelming miseries of the lower realms.
In what object does one take refuge? You should take refuge in the Three Jewels. Who can bring an end to birth and death? It is exclusively the omniscient Buddha who is free from all defects and who has perfected all virtues. Therefore, only the Dharma he has taught and the sangha who uphold his doctrine are able to bring an end to the cycle of birth and death of self and others. Since these are the sole objects of refuge, you should take refuge in them.
In general, there are many people who consider the teachings of the truly and perfectly enlightened one as no more than the words of a fortuneteller, and who, when pressed, go to spirits for refuge. It is difficult for such people to have refuge.
What kind of person takes refuge? The one who possesses interest, devotion, and faith, and who thinks of the virtues of the Three Jewels. One should