,BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA'I SPYOD PA LA 'JUG PA'I RNAM BSHAD RGYAL SRAS 'JUG NGOGS BZHUGS SO,,

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1 [The following selections are taken from the Entry Point for Children of the Victorious Buddhas (rgyal-sras 'jug-ngogs), a commentary by Gyaltsab Je Darma Rinchen ( ) on the book called Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life (Byang-chub- sems-dpa'i spyod-pa la 'jug-pa) by Master Shantideva (c. 700 AD).] [The content of the contemplations is translated directly from the root text and commentary; the names of the contemplations are not a part of the original text, but are based on the divisions of Gyaltsab Je's commentary and have been supplied for reference. The folios numbers correspond to ACIP electronic editions TD3871 and S5436, respectively. Each lesson is accompanied by the full detailed outline of the relevant section from Gyaltsab Je's commentary.] [The following selections are from folios 1A-3B, 5B-6A.],BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA'I SPYOD PA LA 'JUG PA'I RNAM BSHAD RGYAL SRAS 'JUG NGOGS BZHUGS SO,, Herein contained is the Entry Point for Children of the Victorious Buddha a commentary upon the Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life.,RJE BTZUN DAM PA THUGS RJE CHEN PO DANG LDAN PA RNAMS KYI ZHABS LA GUS PAS PHYAG 'TSAL LO, With deep respect I bow down to the feet of the revered ones, the holy ones, to those who possess great compassion!,gang GI MKHYEN PA NYES PA KUN ZAD MTSAN DPE'I DPAL 'BAR SKU BZHI'I DKYIL 'KHOR CHOS DBYINGS MKHAR 'PHAGS TE,,THUGS RJE CHEN POS YAN LAG DRUG CU'I GSUNG GI 'OD ZER MTHA' YAS 'GRO LA DRI MED RAB 'PHRO ZHING,,LHUN GYIS GRUB CING RGYUN MI 'CHAD PA'I MDZAD PA BZANG POS MTHA' YAS 'GRO BA'I MUN PA SEL MDZAD PA,,THUB DBANG RNAMS DANG BLA MA SKYES CHEN 'JAM PA'I DBYANGS KYI ZHABS LA BDAG NI GUS PAS PHYAG 'TSAL LO, To those whose knowledge has eliminated all bad qualities And rises high in the sky of the ether of phenomena As a sun disc of the four holy bodies Blazing with the glory of the marks and signs; To those who by their great compassion,

2 Beam out to an endless number of beings The immaculate light rays of holy speech Which possesses sixty wonderful qualities; To those who dispel the darkness Of infinite living creatures Spontaneously in an unbroken stream Of pure and holy activities; With great respect I bow down to them, To the feet of the Lords of the Able, To my Lamas, to all great beings, And to He who is of Gentle Voice.,RANG NYID TSE RABS KUN TU 'DRIS PHYIR DANG,,SKAL MNYAM GZHAN LA'ANG PHAN PAR 'GYUR SNYAM DU,,RGYAL SRAS DAM PA'I SPYOD LA 'JUG PA YI,,TSIG DON MKHAS PA'I BZHED PA BZHIN DU BRI, In accordance with the positions Which the great masters hold to be true, I shall write about the meaning of the words In the Guide to the Way of Holy Children So that it may always be familiar to me In the string of my future lives, And with the thought that it may also be helpful To others who share such an interest.,rang LTA MCHOG 'DZIN ZHAGS PAS BCINGS PA YIS,,DMAN PA'I BYANG CHUB THOB PAR BYED PA LA,,ZAB MO'I DE NYID RTOGS PA MI DGOS ZHES,,BZHED PA LOG PAR 'CHAD RNAMS BSAL GYIS NYON, Those of you who are bound by the noose Of holding wrong views as supreme Who say you needn't realize profound suchness In order to reach lower enlightenments: Listen carefully all of you people Who teach this mistaken position!,de LA 'DIR RGYAL BA THUB PA'I DBANG PO DE NYID KYIS DANG POR BYANG CHUB KYI MCHOG TU SEMS BSKYED, BAR DU BSKAL PA GRANGS MED DU MAR SBYIN SOGS PHAR PHYIN GYI SPYOD PAS TSOGS GNYIS

3 RDZOGS PAR BYAS SHING, MTHAR MNGON PAR RDZOGS PAR SANGS RGYAS NAS CHOS KYI 'KHOR LO RIM PA GSUM DU BSKOR BAR MDZAD DE, First, the Lord of the Able Ones developed the wish to achieve supreme enlightenment. Then over many countless eons he worked to complete the two collections [of goodness and of wisdom] by carrying out the activities of giving and the other perfections. Finally he reached total enlightenment and turned the wheel of the Dharma in three stages. DANG POR 'PHAGS PA'I BDEN PA BZHI LA LEN GSUM DU BZLAS SHING RNAM PA BCU GNYIS SU BSKOR BAR MDZAD DO,, NYAN THOS KYI RIGS CAN RGYUD SMIN PA KHA CIG LA NI BDEN PA BZHI BSTAN PA TZAM GYIS KYANG, RTEN 'BYUNG SPROS PA'I MTHA' DANG BRAL BA KHONG DU CHUD PAR 'GYUR LA, MGON PO KLU SGRUB KYI BSTAN BCOS DANG, RIGS PA DRUG CU PA'I 'GREL PA SLOB DPON ZLA BA GRAGS PAS BKRAL PA LTAR, THEG PA DMAN PA'I SDE SNOD RNAMS LAS DNGOS SU YANG BDAG MED PHRA MO LAN DU MAR GSUNGS SO,, DE NAS MDO RGYAS 'BRING BSDUS GSUM SOGS GANG ZAG DANG CHOS LA BDAG MED RGYAS PAR STON PA'I CHOS KYI 'KHOR LO GNYIS PA BSKOR BAR MDZAD DO,, DE NAS THABS KYI CHA RGYA CHEN PO DANG BCAS PA'I PHYIR MI LDOG PA'I 'KHOR LO'I GTAM CHOS KYI 'KHOR LO GSUM PA BSKOR BAR MDZAD DO, The Buddha first turned the wheel by teaching the Four Truths of Realization three times through in twelve different aspects. From this teaching on the Four Truths alone, some disciples who belonged to the class of Listeners and whose minds were ripe grasped the meaning of dependent origination, free from the extreme of thinking of things as self-existent. It has been explained by the savior Nagarjuna in his treatises, and by Master Chandrakirti in his work on the Commentary on the Sixty Verses on Reasoning, that the scriptures of the Lower Way even describe explicitly the most subtle form of selflessness on many occasions. The second time the Buddha turned the wheel he taught in great detail about the selflessness of both the person and phenomena as is found in the brief, mediumlength and extensive sutras on the Perfection of Wisdom, as well as in other works. The third time he turned the wheel he gave the teaching of the Cycle of No Return which deals extensively with the subject of method.,de LA SPYIR GSUNG RAB MTHA' DAG GI DGONGS PA 'GREL ZHING, KHYAD PAR DU THEG PA CHEN PO'I SDE SNOD KYI DGONGS PA

4 RDZOGS PAR BKRAL NAS GSUNG RAB MTHA' DAG THEG PA CHEN PO'I RIGS DANG LDAN PA'I GANG ZAG GCIG SANGS RGYA BA'I LAM GYI YAN LGJI LTAR NYAMS SU LAN PA'I TSUL RGYAS PAR GTAN LA 'BEBS PA'I DAM PA'I CHOS SPYOD PA LA 'JUG PA NI GANG BSHAD PAR BYA BA'O, What I am going to explain is the holy Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life which, in general, comments upon the true intent of all the speech of the Buddhas, the highest of all spoken word. More particularly, however, this book thoroughly explains the true intent of the scriptures of the Greater Way. In so doing, it establishes in detail how every instance of the Buddhas' speech is a part of a path to reach enlightenment which can be put into practice by any particular person who belongs to the family of the Greater Way.,BSTAN BCOS 'DI'I MDZAD PA PO NI SLOB DPON 'PHAGS PA ZHI BA'I LHA GSUNG RAB MTHA' DAG GI DGONGS PA RDZOGS PAR RTOGS SHING, BDAG PAS GZHAN GCES PA'I THUGS RJE CHEN PO DANG LDAN PA, RANG NYID 'BA' ZHIG GI BDE BA LA LTOS PA MED PA GZHAN GYI PHAN BDE LA MTHA' GCIG TU GZHOL BA, KHYAD PAR DU RNAL 'BYOR BLA MED KYI SHIN TU SPROS MED KYI SPYOD PA SPYAD PA'I SGO NAS, THEG PA CHEN PO'I LAM RDZOGS PAR MDZAD PA DE NYID DO, The author of this treatise is that master and realized being, Shantideva, who had perfectly understood the true meaning of every instance of the highest form of the spoken word. Master Shantideva was possessed of the great compassion which treasures others more than oneself, and he totally lost himself to helping others and making them happy; he was completely free of the tendency of thinking only of his own happiness. More specifically, he was a being who succeeded in employing the activities of extreme non-conceptualization found in the Unsurpassable group of secret teachings, and so brought the path of the Greater Way to its ultimate conclusion.,des MDZAD PA'I BSTAN BCOS BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA'I SPYOD PA LA 'JUG PA LA BZHI, MTSAN GYI DON, 'GYUR GYI PHYAGGZHUNG GI DON, 'JUG GI DON TO, The book which he wrote, the Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life, has four major sections: the meaning of the title, the translator's obeisance, the meaning of the body of the text, and some concluding remarks. Meaning of the Title

5 ,DANG PO NI, RGYA GAR NA SKAD RIGS BZHI YOD PA LAS Sm SKRi TA'I SKAD DU, BSTAN BCOS 'DI'I MING BO DHIUI NI BOD SKAD DU BYANGCHUB DANG, SA TVA NI SEMS DPA' DANG, TZ'A{ry} NI SPYOD PA DANG, AA BA TA RA NI 'JUG PA ZHES BYA'O, The title of this book in Sanskrit, one of the four great languages of ancient India, is Bodhisattvacharyavatara. The meaning of this title can be explained in the following way. The word bodhi [jang-chub in Tibetan] means "enlightenment," the word sattva [sempa] means "warrior," charya [chupa] means "activities," and avatara [jukpa] means "to enter." Translator's Obeisance,BAM PO DANG PO,,SANGS RGYAS DANG BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA' THAMS CAD LA PHYAG 'TSAL LO, Here begins the first bampo: I bow down to all Buddhas and bodhisattvas!,gnyis PA NI, SANGS RGYAS DANG ZHES SOGS TE PHYOGS GANG DU GTOGS PA NGOS BZUNG BA'O,, DE YANG 'GYUR GYI BAR CHAD ZHI BA DANG, SDE SNOD MTHA' DAG GI DGONGS 'GREL YIN YANG, GTZO BOR MDO SDE'I SDE SNOD KYI DGONGS 'GREL DU SHES PAR BYA'O,, BAM PO'I GRANGS KYI BSHAD PA GO BAR SLA BAS MA BKOD DO, The purpose of including the line which contains the words "Buddhas and..." is to indicate which section of the scriptures this book is included into. This involves preventing obstacles to the translation, and serves to help you realize that even through this is a commentary upon all of the collections of scripture, it focuses mainly upon the sutra collection. The words which indicate the beginning of the first bampo, or major textual division, are easy to understand, and thus require no commentary. Meaning of the Body of the Text,GSUM PA LA GNYIS, THEG PA CHEN PO'I LAM GYI RIM PA BSHAD PA LA 'JUG PA'I BYA BA, LAM GYI RIM PA BSHAD PA DNGOS SO,

6 I will explain the meaning of the body of the text in two main parts: first will be an explanation of the preliminaries which precede an explanation of the steps of the path of the greater way, and then the actual explanation of the steps themselves.,dang PO LA GSUM,, MCHOD BRJOD DANG, BSHAD PAR DAM BCA' DANG, KHENGS SKYUNG ZHING RTZOM PAR SPRO BA'I RGYU MTSAN NO, The preliminaries to the actual explanation will be in three sections: Master Shantideva's offering of praise, his pledge to compose the work, and then finally words to prevent pride arising, along with the reasons why he takes joy in composing this work.,dang PO LA GSUM, DGOS DON DANG, BSDUS DON DANG, TSIG DON TO, The offering of praise can be explained in three parts: its purpose, what it includes, and its wording itself. It begins as follows:,bde GSHEGS CHOS KYI SKU MNGA' SRAS BCAS DANG,,PHYAG 'OS KUN LA'ANG GUS PAR PHYAG 'TSAL TE, I bow down with great respect To Those Who Have Gone to Well-Being Those who possess the Dharma Body And to all of their sons and daughters, And all others worthy of prostration!,dang PO NI, YUL KHYAD PAR CAN GYI YON TAN BRJOD CING SKYABS SU SONG BAS RANG NYID SKYES BU DAM PAR RTOGS PA DANG, BSTAN BCOS RTZOM PA SOGS KYI BAR CHAD ZHI BA DANG, MTHAR NGES LEGS THOB CING GDUL BYA GZHAN GYIS KYANG DE'I RJES SU ZHUGS PAS LEGS TSOGS SU THAMS CAD 'GRUB PA'O, The reason why Shantideva here expresses the wonderful spiritual qualities of an extraordinary being, and why he goes for refuge, is so that other people will understand that he is himself a holy person. Another reason he does so is to prevent any obstacles which may come up as he is writing this book, or in any of his other endeavors. His ultimate purpose is that he may achieve definite good,

7 and that by following in his footsteps other disciples will also be able to achieve every single good thing that there is.,gnyis PA NI, DKON MCHOG GSUM DANG PHYAG BYA BA'I 'OS SU GYUR PA GZHAN DAG LA YANG PHYAG 'TSAL BA BSTAN TO, This verse shows us that Master Shantideva in bowing down to the Three Jewels, as well as to everyone else who is worthy of being prostrated to.,gsum PA NI, SU GA TA'I SGRA SPANGS PA DANG RTOGS PA GNYIS LA BSHAD DU YOD PAS SPANGS PA PHUN TSOGS KYI YON TAN NI, SKYES BU GZUGS LEGS PA BZHIN DU NYON MONGS PA'I SGRIB PA ZAD PAR SPANGS PAS LEGS PA'AM MDZES PAR GSHEGS PA DANG, RIMS NAD LEGS PAR BYANG BA BZHIN DU NYON MONGS PA'I DBANG GIS SLAR 'KHOR BAR MI LDOG PAR GSHEGS PA DANG, BUM PA LEGS PAR GANG BA BZHIN DU NYON MONGS PA CAN MA YIN PA'I MA RIG PA ZAD PAR SPANGS PAS MA LUS PAR GSHEGS PAS BDE BAR GSHEGS PA'O,, BDE BA NI LEGS PA SOGS DANG, GSHEGS PA NI DE'I BDAG NYID DU SON PA'O, The Sanskrit word Sugata [Those Who have Gone to Well-Being] can be explained in two ways. We can explain it in reference to either the things which an Enlightened Being has eliminated, or in reference to the things which he or she has realized. First I will explain it in terms of that excellent virtue an Enlightened Being possess of having totally eliminated every single bad quality there is. Because an Enlightened Being has completely cleaned Himself of all the obstacles which are related to bad thoughts, we can say that he has gone well, or beautifully, and is like someone who has a well-formed body. Because he will never have to return back to this cycle of suffering life by force of things poisoned with the afflictions of the mind, we can say that he has gone like someone who has been completely cured, or made well, from an illness. And because he has totally removed all of those kinds of ignorance which are not related to the mental afflictions, we can say that he has totally gone like a vase which is well-filled. It is in this way that we call such a being One Who Has Gone to Well-Being. We say "well-being" to refer to the different qualities described above with the word "well", and we say "gone" to indicate that these beings have gone to the nature which embodies those very qualities.,de GSUM GYIS RIM PA BZHIN DU PHYI ROL PA'I CHAGS BRAL DANG,

8 RGYUN ZHUGS PHYIR 'ONG SOGS DANG, DMAN PA'I DGRA BCOM LAS KHYAD PAR DU BYAS PA'O, Using the word "well" in these three different ways serves also to distinguish Those Who Have Gone to Well-Being respectively from non-buddhists who have freed themselves of desire; from stream-enterers, once-returners, etc.; and from lower foe-destroyers.,rtogs PA PHUN TSOGS KYI DBANG DU BYAS NA BDAG MED PA GNYIS KYI DE KHO NA NYID MNGON SUM DU MKHYEN PA DANG, MKHYEN PA BRTEN PA DANG, MA LUS PAR MKHYEN PAS BDE BAR GSHEGS PA'O,, DE DAG GIS KYANG RIM PA BZHIN DU GANG ZAG GSUM LAS KHYAD PAR DU 'PHAGS PA'O, Now, I will explain "Sugata" in terms of an Enlightened Being having perfected every single realization there is. Such a being has gone well in the sense that His knowledge has directly perceived the suchness of the two kinds of lack of selfnature, that His knowledge is firm, and that His knowledge is total. These qualities of His knowledge respectively indicate how such a being is exceedingly higher then the three groups of practitioners mentioned above.,des SANGS RGYAS DKON MCHOG LA BSTOD PA BSTAN TO, This is Master Shantideva's praise of the Buddha Jewel. **********,GNYIS PA LA GNYIS, SPYI'I RNAM GZHAG DANG, SO SO'I DON BSHAD PA'O, The second section, the actual explanation of this book, is in two parts. First will be a presentation of the overall structure of the book, and then an explanation of each individual part.,dang PO NI, BSTAN BCOS 'DIS SKYES BU CHEN PO'I BSAM PA SBYONG BA'I YAN LAG TU SKYES BU CHUNG 'BRING GI BSAM PA SBYONG BA SNGON DU BTANG NAS, BYANG CHUB KYI MCHOG TU SEMS BSKYED DE SPYOD PA SBYIN PA LA SOGS PA'I PHA ROL TU PHYIN PA DRUG LA BSLABS NAS, SANGS RGYAS PA'I LAM GYI RIM PA RDZOGS PAR STON PA YIN NO,

9 This book presents, in their entirety, each one of the steps of the path to enlightenment. It begins by telling you the way to practice the contemplations for people of lesser and medium capacity as an adjunct to practicing the contemplations for people of great capacity. Then it goes on to teach you how to develop the wish to achieve supreme enlightenment, and how--after you have developed that wish--you should train yourself in the perfection of giving, along with the other five perfections.,de LA THOG MAR BYANG CHUB KYI MCHOG TU SEMS BSKYED PA LA DE'I PHAN YON LEGS PAR BSAMS NAS SPRO SHUGS LHAG PAR 'PHEL BA ZHIG DGOS PA LE'U DANG POS STON LA SKYES BU CHUNG 'BRING GI BSAM PA SBYONG BA DE'I YAN LAG TU 'CHAD DO, The first chapter explains how, in the beginning, you must increase your joyful energy to its very highest by thoroughly contemplating the benefits which come from developing the wish to achieve supreme enlightenment. This chapter also touches upon the way you should practice, as an adjunct, the contemplations for people of lesser and medium capacity.,de NAS BYAMS PA DANG SNYING RJE'I RTZA BA CAN GYI BYANG CHUB KYI MCHOG TU SEMS BSKYED PA LA 'KHOR LO SGYUR BA'I RGYAL PO SPYAN 'DREN PA'I GNAS KHANG SOGS BYI DOR BYED PA BZHIN DU 'GAL RKYEN SGRIB PA BSHAGS PA DANG, MTHUN RKYEN TSOGS BSAGS NAS BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS GZUNG DGOS PA'I SNGA MA LE'U GNYIS PA DANG, PHYI MA LE'U GSUM PAS BSTAN TO, You must go about developing the wish to achieve supreme enlightenment, that wish whose very root is love and compassion, in the same way that you would go about preparing to welcome a King who ruled the entire world by cleaning your house, and so on. You will be able to acquire this wish by purifying all of the factors which obstruct your spiritual realizations, and gathering together the power of good deeds which promote them. These two subjects are covered respectively in the second and third chapters.,sems BSKYED NAS SPYOD PA LA SLOB PA'I DGE BA RNAMS MI NYAMS PA'I YAN LAG BAG YOD BSTEN DGOS PA LE'U BZHI PAS BSTAN LA, PHAR PHYIN DRUG NYAMS SU LEN PA'I TSUL NI 'OG MA RNAMS KYIS BSTAN TE DE LA DRAN PA DANG SHES BZHIN BSRUNG BA'I SGO NAS TSUL KHRIMS LA SLOB PA'I TSUL RGYAS PAR LE'U LNGA PAS BSTAN LA, BZOD

10 PA DANG BRTZON 'GRUS DANG BSAM GTAN DANG SHES RAB LA SLOB TSUL DE NAS LE'U BZHIS RIM PA BZHIN BSTAN TE, The fourth chapter teaches you why you must be careful once you have developed the wish, so that the good energy you have amassed from training yourself in the activities of a bodhisattva does not degenerate. The chapters which follow teach you how to put the six perfections into practice. With regard to this, the fifth chapter is devoted to an extensive presentation of how to train yourself to live an ethical life through maintaining your mindfulness and awareness, and the next four chapters are successively devoted to how to train yourself in not getting angry, joyfully doing good deeds, meditative concentration, and wisdom.,le'u BCU PAS LUS LONGS SPYOD DGE BA RNAMS GZHAN LA GTONG PA'I SEMS PA SBYONG TSUL RGYAS PAR BSNGO BAS KHYAD PAR DU BYAS NAS STON PAS SBYIN PA LA SLOB TSUL RGYAS PAR LE'U BCU PAS STON LA, BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS GZUNG BA SOGS KYI SKABS SU YANG STON TO,, 'BRAS BU SANGS RGYAS KYI GNAS TSUL LE'U DGU PAS BSTAN TO, The tenth chapter explains in detail how you can learn that attitude which wants to give away to others your own body, all of your possessions, along with every good thing you've ever done. And it teaches you how to sweeten your acts of giving through dedication. Although the tenth chapter treats with great thoroughness how it is that you should train yourself in the perfection of giving, this subject is also taught on other occasions, such as in the chapter on how to develop the wish for enlightenment. The subject of what it is to be a Buddha, which is the final result, is treated in the ninth chapter. ********** The names of the ten chapters of the Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life are as follows: 1A/BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS KYI PHAN YON, I. Benefits of the Wish for Enlightenment 2A/SDIG PA BSHAGS PA,

11 II. Purifying Bad Deeds 3A/BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS GZUNG BA, III. Acquiring the Wish for Enlightenment 4A/BAG YOD BSTAN PA, IV. Using Carefulness 5A/BZHIN BSRUNG BA, V. Guarding Awareness 6A/BZOD PA BSTAN PA, VI. Not Getting Angry 7A/BRTZON 'GRUS BSTAN PA, VII. Joyous Effort 8A/BSAM GTAN BSTAN PA, VIII. Meditative Concentration 9A/SHES RAB KYI LE'U, IX. Wisdom 1A0/BSNGO BA'I LE'U, X. Dedication *********** [Folios 6B-8B.],GNYIS PA LA BZHI, BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS KYI PHAN YON BSHAD PA

12 DANG, BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS NGOS BZUNG BA DANG, DE LA PHAN YON DE DAG 'BYUNG BA'I RGYU MTSAN DANG, BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS SGOM PA'I GANG ZAG LA BSTOD PA'O, The second part [the more detailed contemplation upon the benefits of the wish for enlightenment] has four divisions: an explanation of the benefits of the wish for enlightenment, identifying just what the wish for enlightenment is, a presentation of the reasons why these benefits occur with the wish, and words in praise of persons who are practicing the wish.,dang PO LA GSUM, SDIG PA MTHA' DAG 'JOMS SHING DGE BA MTHA' DAG BSGRUB NUS PA DANG, MING DANG DON KHYAD PAR CAN THOB PA DANG, PHAN YON DPES BSHAD PA'O, The first of these divisions has three sections of its own: a description of how the wish has the power to destroy all bad deeds and to accomplish all good deeds; how those who achieve the wish attain both an exceptional name, as well as the point of the name; and metaphors which are used to explain the benefits.,dang PO LA GSUM, SDIG PA CHEN PO 'JOMS PA DANG, BDE BA MCHOG BSGRUB NUS PA DANG, JI LTAR 'DOD PA'I DON BSGRUB NUS PA'O, The first of these sections has three of its own: how the wish has the power to destroy great bad deeds; how it has the power to accomplish the highest form of happiness; and how it has the power to bring about anything you might ever wish for., SDIG PA STOBS CHEN SHIN TU MI BZAD PA,,DE NI RDZOGS PA'I BYANG CHUB SEMS MIN PA,,DGE GZHAN GANG GIS ZIL GYIS GNON PAR 'GYUR, What kind of goodness could there ever be Other than the wish for total enlightenment That could overwhelm those negative deeds Of dreadful and awesome strength?,dang PO NI, BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS GNYIS BSGOM PA LA 'BAD PAR RIGS TE, DMYAL BA'I RGYU LA SOGS PA'I SDIG PA MI BZAD PA DE NI RDZOGS PA'I BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS MIN PA DGE BA GZHAN GANG GIS

13 ZIL GYIS GNON PAR 'GYUR TE GANG GIS KYANG ZIL GYIS GNON MI NUS PA'I PHYIR RO,, DON DAM SEMS BSKYED KYIS SGRIB PA'I SA BON SPONG BA'I NUS PA YOD PA 'DIR BSHAD BYA'I GTZO BO MA YIN GYI, 'DIR NI KUN RDZOB SEMS BSKYED KYIS NGAN 'GRO'I RGYU SNGAR BSAGS 'DAG CING PHYI MA RGYUN GCOD PAR BYED PA'I PHAN YON BSTAN TO, Making great efforts to practice the two forms of the wish for enlightenment is something which is very right to do. This is because we have committed negative deeds of dreadful strength, deeds that would cause us to be born into the hells, or the like. And what kind of goodness could there ever be, other than the wish for total enlightenment, that could overwhelm them? The answer is that there is no such other goodness. The main point being mentioned here is not the fact that the ultimate form of the wish has the power to eliminate the seeds for spiritual obstacles. The intent rather is to indicate the benefit of the wish where, in its "deceptive" form, the wish functions to clear away those causes already created which would take one to the births of misery, and also functions to prevent the continued creation of these causes in the future.,bskal PA DU MAR RAB DGONGS MDZAD PA YI,,THUB DBANG RNAMS KYIS 'DI NYID PHAN PAR GZIGS, The Lords among Victors contemplated the question For many millions of years and saw That this alone could be of benefit. BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS BSGOM PA LA 'BAD PAR RIGS TE, BSKAL PA GRANGS MED DU MAR SEMS CAN LA PHAN PA'AM THABS LA RAB TU DGONGS SHING SEMS PAR MDZAD PA'I THUB DBANG RNAMS KYIS BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS BSKYED PA 'DI NYID SEMS CAN LA PHAN PAR GZIGS SHING, Again we can say that making efforts to practice the wish is something which is very right to do. This is because the Lords among Victors have considered and contemplated, for many "countless" periods of millions of years each, the question of what could be of benefit to, or a way to achieve the ends of, all living beings. And what they saw was that this wish for enlightenment alone would be so.,'dis NI TSAD MED SKYE BO'I TSOGS RNAMS KYIS,,BDE MCHOG BDE BLAG NYID DU THOB PAR BYED,

14 It is this wish which allows a limitless Mass of sentient kind to attain The highest form of happiness, with ease.,gnyis PA NI, SEMS BSKYED PA 'DI NI SEMS CAN TSAD MED PA'I SKYE BO'I TSOGS RNAMS KYIS BDE BA MCHOG SKRA 'BAL BA LA SOGS PA'I DKA' SPYAD LA LTOS PA MED PAR LAM BDE BAS BDE BLAG NYID DU THOB PAR BYED NUS PA'I SA BON LTA BU YIN PA'I PHYIR RO,, BDE NAS BDE BAR 'GRO BA LA,, SEMS SHES SU ZHIG SGYID LUG 'GYUR,, ZHES 'CHAD PA LTAR RO, It is this wish for enlightenment which is like a special seed, one that has the power which allows a limitless number of living beings, a great mass of sentient kind, to attain the highest form of happiness. And it allows them to do so with ease, with perfect ease--that is, without having to undertake any such difficult spiritual practices as undertaking the life of a cave-dwelling yogi. It's just as the lines say which go, What person with any intelligence at all Would lose heart in going easily to ease?,srid PA'I SDUG BSNGAL BRGYA PHRAG GZHOM 'DOD CING,,SEMS CAN MI BDE BSAL BAR 'DOD PA DANG,,BDE MANG BRGYA PHRAG SPYOD PAR 'DOD PAS KYANG,,BYANG CHUB SEMS NYID RTAG TU GTANG MI BYA, Those who hope to smash the thousand pains Of the cycle of life, or to solve The unhappiness of every living being, Or bring them to the many thousand forms Of happiness, must never give up This very wish for enlightenment.,gsum PA NI, RANG GZHAN KUN LA PHAN PA'I THABS MCHOG YIN PAS SEMS DE NYID BSGOM PAR RIGS TE, SKYES BU 'BRING GI BSAM PA SBYANGS PAS RANG RGYUD KYI SRID PA'I SDUG BSNGAL BRGYA PHRAG GZHOM 'DOD CING SKYES BU CHEN PO'I BSAM PA SBYANGS PAS SEMS CAN THAMS CAD KYI MI BDE BA BSAL BAR 'DOD PA DANG, MNGON MTHO DANG NGES LEGS KYI BDE MANG BRGYA PHRAG SPYOD PAR 'DOD PAS KYANG THABS MCHOG TU GYUR PA GZHAN MED PAS BYANG

15 CHUB KYI SEMS NYID BSKYED PAR BYA ZHING DUS RTAG TU BTANG BA STE NYAMS PAR MI BYA'O, And we can say once more that it is very right to practice this very wish, for it is the highest means of helping all living things, both oneself and all others. This is because there is no higher method for persons of any level, whether you are one of those who is practicing the attitude of those of medium capacity, and who thus hopes to smash the thousand pains of the cycle of life as they exist within your own being; or whether you are one of those who is practicing the attitude of those of greater capacity--who hopes to solve the unhappiness of absolutely every living being, or to bring them to the many thousand forms of happiness, meaning the happiness of the higher realms and definite good. These persons then must strive to develop this very wish for enlightenment, and never give it up, which is to say, never let it degenerate once one has succeeded in developing it.,byang CHUB SEMS SKYES GYUR NA SKAD CIG GIS,,'KHOR BA'I BTZON RAR BSDAMS PA'I NYAM THAG RNAMS,,BDE GSHEGS RNAMS KYI SRAS ZHES BRJOD BYA ZHING,,'JIG RTEN LHA MIR BCAS PAS PHYAG BYAR 'GYUR, Once they've succeeded in developing The wish for enlightenment, then even Those miserable beings chained in the prison Of cyclic life are in an instant referred to By Those Gone to Bliss as their very own Daughters or sons, and are worthy to be bowed to By the entire world, of men and gods.,gnyis PA NI, BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS BSKYED PA LA 'BAD PAR RIGS TE, SMON PA DANG 'JUG PA'I BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS SKYES PAR GYUR NA DE MA THAG PA'I SKAD CIG GIS MING KHYAD PAR CAN BDE BAR GSHEGS PA RNAMS KYI SRAS ZHES BRJOD PAR BYA ZHING MING GI DON KHYAD PAR CAN 'JIG RTEN PA LHA MIR BCAS PA THAL MO SBYOR BA DANG, PHYAG BYA BAR 'OS PA'I GNAS SU 'GYUR BA'I PHYIR RO, And again we can say that it is a very right thing to make great efforts in developing the wish for enlightenment, for the following reasons. Suppose that any person succeeds in developing the wish for enlightenment, in either the form of a prayer or activity itself. Within the very next instant after doing so they are given an exceptional name, for Those Gone to Bliss then refer to them as their very own

16 daughters or sons. They also attain the point of this name, which is that they become worthy to be bowed to, worthy to have the entire world, of both men and gods, clasp their hands at their breasts and prostrate to them. SA CHEN PO LA BZHUGS PA'I BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA' RNAMS 'BA' ZHIG YON TAN DE DAG DANG LDAN PA MA YIN TE, LAS NYON GYI DBANG GIS 'KHOR BA'I BTZON RAR BSDAMS PA'I NYAMS THAG PA RNAMS KYIS KYANG SEMS BSKYED NA DE MA THAG PHAN YON DE DAG THOB PA'I PHYIR RO, And it is not the case that only those great bodhisattvas residing at high levels obtain these benefits, because even those miserable beings chained by their mental afflictions and past deeds in the prison of cyclic life also reap these same benefits in the very next instant after succeeding in developing the wish.,gsum PA LA DRUGDMN PA MCHOG TU BSGYUR BA'I DPE, RNYED DKA' ZHING RIN THANG CHE BA'I DPE, 'BRAS BU MI ZAD CING 'PHEL BA'I DPE, 'JIGS PA CHEN PO LAS SKYOB NUS PA'I DPE, SDIG PA TSEGS MED PAR 'JOMS PA'I DPE, PHAN YON MDO LAS BSTAN PA'I TSUL LO, Here is the third part, where metaphors are used to explain the benefits of the wish. There are six such metaphors, to express the following: changing the inferior to the supreme; being difficult to find and very precious; giving unending results and continually increasing; being able to protect one from some great fear; smashing bad deeds without any difficulty at all; and finally, being described as beneficial in the sutras.,gser 'GYUR RTZI YI RNAM PA MCHOG LTA BU,,MI GTZANG LUS 'DI BLANGS NAS RGYAL BA'I SKU,,RIN CHEN RING THANG MED PAR BSGYUR BAS NA,,BYANG CHUB SEMS ZHES BYA BA RAB BRTAN ZUNG, Keep this thing called the "wish for enlightenment" As firmly as you can, for like The highest form of alchemical elixir It transforms this filthy body you've taken To the holy form of a Victorious One, Of immeasurable value beyond all value.,dang PO NI, PHAN YON 'DI DAG BSAMS NAS KYANG BYANG CHUB KYI

17 SEMS ZHES BYA BA BLANGS NAS MI NYAMS PAR RAB TU BRTAN PAR BZUNG ZHIG STE BZUNG BAR BYA STE, GSER 'GYUR RTZI'I RNAM PA'I MCHOG GSER 'GYUR GYI RTZI SRANG GCIG GIS LCAGS SRANG STONG GSER DU BSGYUR PAR NUS PA LTA BUR RGYU DANG NGO BO'I SGO NAS KYANG MI GTZANG BA'I LUS 'DI BLANGS NAS DE NYID RGYAL BA'I SKU RIN CHEN RIN THANG MED PAR SEMS DE NYID KYIS BSGYUR BAS NA'O, Once you have contemplated its benefits, then you are to keep--that is, you must keep--this thing called the "wish for enlightenment" as firmly as you can: find it, and then prevent it from ever lessening. This is because it is like the highest form of alchemical elixir, the kind where you need only a single gram of the elixir to change a thousand grams of iron into gold. And this is so because with the wish, and with it alone, you can transform this filthy body you've taken on--a body which is filthy both in the sense of what has brought it about, and from the point of view of the stuff from which it is made--into the holy form of a Victorious One, of immeasurable value beyond all value.,sdong PO BKOD PA LA, DNGUL CHU'I RIGS GSER DU SNANG BA ZHES BYA BA SRANG GCIG GIS LCAGS SRANG STONG GSER DU BGYUR NUS PA DPER MDZAD NAS SEMS BSKYED KYI PHAN YON GSUNGS PA BSDUS PA'O, This is an abbreviated presentation of the benefits of the wish explained in the scripture known as Stalks in Array, where it uses the metaphor of that kind of quicksilver known as "goldmaker," where you can use a single gram of the elixir to transform a thousand grams of iron into gold.,'gro BA'I DED DPON GCIG PU TSAD MED BLOS,,LEGS PAR YONGS SU BRTAGS NA RIN CHE BAS,,'GRO BA'I GNAS DANG BRAL BAR 'DOD PA RNAMS,,RIN CHEN BYANG CHUB SEMS LEGS BRTAN PAR ZUNG, Those who seek to be free of the state Of living beings should keep, well and firm, This precious jewel, the wish for enlightenment, For that single captain of living kind Has searched at length with a state of mind Beyond all limit, and found it to be of great value.,gnyis PA NI, 'GRO BA'I GNAS 'KHOR BA'I RGUD PA MTHA' DAG DANG

18 BRAL BAR 'DOD PA RNAMS KYIS RIN PO CHE DBANG GI RGYAL PO LTA BU'I RIN CHEN BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS LEGS PAR BSKYED NAS MI NYAMS PAR BRTAN PAR GZUNG BAR BYA STE, DED DPON MKHAS PAS TSONG PA RNAMS RIN PO CHE'I GLING DU 'KHRID PA LTAR 'GRO BA'I DED DPON ZLA MED PAS GCIG PUS SANGS RGYAS DANG, TSAD MED BLOS TE TSAD MED PA'I BLO GROS GANG LA MNGA' BA DES 'GRO BA'I DBUL BA SEL BA'I THABS MCHOG GANG YIN LEGS PAR YONGS SU BRTAGS NA BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS DE NYID RIN CHE BAS TE DKON PA DANG PHAN 'DOGS CHE BA'I THABS SU GZIGS PA'I PHYIR RO, Those who seek to be free of the state of living beings--that is, who seek to be free of each and every one of the troubles of this cycle of life--should seek to develop, well, the wish for enlightenment, and then keep it firm, without ever lessening, for it is like the king among the lords of all precious jewels. That single and matchless captain of living kind, the Buddha, is like a master ship captain who guides the merchants of old to the Isle of Jewels. He and all those beings who possess the state of mind beyond all limit--unlimited wisdom--have searched at length, very thoroughly, to find what it is that would be the highest method of clearing away all the poverty of living kind. And they have found that the wish, and only it, is of great value; that is, they have seen that it is a method of great rarity and benefit.,dge BA GZHAN KUN CHU SHING BZHIN DU NI,,'BRAS BU BSKYED NAS ZAD PAR 'GYUR BA NYID,,BYANG CHUB SEMS KYI LJON SHING RTAG PAR YANG,,'BRAS BU 'BYIN PAS MI ZAD 'PHEL BAR 'GYUR, All other good deeds are like the plantain tree, That gives its fruits and always dies away; The wish for enlightenment though is an evergreen That never dies by giving its fruits, But rather ever increases.,gsum PA NI, DGE BA MI ZAD CING 'PHEL BAR 'DOD PAS KYANG BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS BSGOM PAR RIGS TE, BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS KYIS MA ZIN PA'I DGE BA GZHAN KUN CHU SHING BZHIN DU NI 'BRAS BU BSKYED NAS SLAR YANG 'BRAS BU BSKYED PA'I NUS PA ZAD PAR 'GYUR BA NYID YIN LA, DPAG BSAMS GYI SHING BZHIN DU BYANG CHUB SEMS KYI LJON SHING RTAG PAR YANG 'BRAS BU 'BYIN PAS MI ZAD CING GONG NAS GONG DU 'PHEL BAR 'GYUR BA'I PHYIR RO,

19 Practicing the wish for enlightenment is moreover a right thing to do for those who hope to see their good deeds never die, but increase ever further. This is because all other good deeds, meaning those that are not imbued by this wish, are like the plantain tree: they give their fruits and, once they have done so, it is always the case that their ability to produce further fruits dies away. The wish for enlightenment though is an evergreen: it is like a wish-giving tree, in that it never dies by giving its fruits, but rather ever increases, higher and higher.,blo GROS MI ZAD PAS BSTAN PA'I MDO LAS, RGYA MTSO CHEN POR LHUNG BA'I CHU'I THIGS PA BSKAL PA'I MTHA'I BAR DU MI ZAD PA BZHIN DU BYANG CHUB TU BSNGOS PA'I DGE BA YANG BYANG CHUB KYI SNYING PO LA THUG GI BAR DU MI ZAD PAR GSUNGS SO, As the Sutra Taught by Inexhaustible Understanding states, A drop of water which falls into the great sea never disappears, even in the period of an eon of millions of years. Virtues which have been dedicated to enlightenment are just the same: they never disappear before the state of perfect enlightenment is achieved.,sdig PA SHIN TU MI BZAD BYAS NA YANG,,DPA' LA BRTEN NAS 'JIGS PA CHEN PO LTAR,,GANG LA BRTEN NAS YUD KYIS SGROL 'GYUR BA,,DE LA BAG CAN RNAMS KYIS CIS MI BRTEN, A person may have committed deeds That are dreadful in the extreme, and yet Anyone who relies on this can be freed From all of them in an instant, as though they relied On a warrior to save them from some horrible fear. Why then would those who live with care Not choose to rely upon this very wish?,bzhi PA NI, BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS BSGOM PA DE LA BLANG DOR LA BZOD PA LHUR LEN PA'I BAG CAN RNAMS KYIS RGYU MTSAN CIS MI BRTEN BRTEN PAR RIGS TE, DKON MCHOG GSUM LA GNOD PA DANG MTSAMS MED SOGS SDIG PA SHIN TU MI BZOD PA BYAS NA YANG DPA' BO STOBS LDAN LA BRTEN NAS LAM GYI 'JIGS PA CHEN PO SKYOB PA LTAR BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS GANG LA BRTEN NAS NGAN 'GRO'I 'JIGS PA DE DAG YUD TZAM GYIS SGROL BAR 'GYUR BA'I PHYIR RO,

20 For what reason, why, would those who live with care (meaning those who have gladly taken it upon themselves to master the way of life relating to the practice of the wish for enlightenment) not rely upon this very wish? It would be right for them to do so, for the following reason. A person may have committed deeds that are dreadful in the extreme, may have done things to hurt the Three Jewels, or else committed one of the immediate deeds or something similar, and yet they can be freed from all the fears of the lower realms in an instant, if they rely on this wish for enlightenment. This is because it is like relying on a warrior to save oneself from some horrible fear that one might meet with while travelling along some road.,des NI DUS MTHA'I ME BZHIN SDIG CHEN RNAMS,,SKAD CIG GCIG GIS NGES PAR SREG PAR BYED, It burns with certainty, in an instant, Even the greatest of bad deeds, as if it were The fire that comes at the end of time.,lnga PA NI, SEMS BSKYED DE SDIG PA 'JOMS PA'I NUS PA CHEN PO DANG LDAN TE, SEMS BSKYED DES NI BSKAL PA 'JIG PA'I DUS MTHA'I MES BSAM GTAN DANG PO MAN CHAD KYI SNOD SREG PA BZHIN DU DMYAL BA SKYED PA'I SDIG PA CHEN PO RNAMS DUS SKAD CIG GCIG GIS NGES PAR SREG PAR BYED PA'I PHYIR RO,, DES NI MYONG NGES KYI LAS KYI NUS PA 'JOMS PAR BYED NUS NA MA NGES PA LTA CI SMOS SO,, SHING RTA CHEN PO RNAMS KYIS STOBS BZHI TSANG BA'I BSHAGS PAS MYONG NGES KYI LAS KYI RNAM PAR SMIN PA YANG 'DAG CING MYONG NGES SU BSHAD PA NI, GNYEN PO'I PHYOGS BSGOM PA MED NA MYONG NGES SU LUNG DANG RIGS PA DU MAS SGRUBS SO, This wish for enlightenment has a tremendous ability to destroy the effects of bad deeds. It is as though this wish were the fire that comes at the end of time, meaning at the end of the eon of destruction the fire that destroys the entire physical world from the first meditation level on down. This is because the wish can burn, with certainty, and in a single instant, even the greatest of bad deeds: those deeds which would force one into a birth in the hells. If the wish, by the way, has the power to destroy even those kinds of karma which are certain to produce an experience, then there is no need to say that it has the ability to do so with those types of karma which are not certain to produce an experience. Those of the Greater Vehicle can utilize an act of purification, in which all four of the forces of purification are present, in order to

21 purify themselves of the expected ripening of those types of karma which are certain to produce an experience. The expression "certain to produce an experience" then refers to those kinds of karma which are proven, through many cases of scriptural authority and also through reasoning, to be certain to produce an experience unless one practices the appropriate antidote to their power.,de YI PHAN YON DPAG TU MED PA DAG,BYAMS MGON BLO DANG LDAN PAS NOR BZANGS BSHAD, The benefits of this wish, beyond all reckoning, Were spoken to Sudana by the Gentle Protector, The One who Possesses Wisdom.,DRUG PA NI, BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS LA PHAN YON DE DAG NGES PAR 'BYUNG STE, SEMS DE'I PHAN YON DANG BSNGAGS PA DPAG TU MED PA DAG BYAMS MGON BLO DANG LDAN PA BYANG CHUB SEMS DPAS SDANG PO BKOD PA'I MDOR BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA' BZHON NU NOR BZANG LA SGRA JI BZHIN PAR BSHAD PA'I PHYIR RO, The benefits of the wish for enlightenment, as described above, are certain to occur if you succeed in developing it. This is because the benefits of this wish, and its praises, which are beyond all reckoning, really are just as they were spoken to the younger bodhisattva Sudana, in the sutra called Stalks in Array, by the bodhisattva who is the Gentle Protector, the One Who Possesses Wisdom.,SDONG PO BKOD PA LAS, RIGS KYI BU BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS NI SANGS RGYAS KYI CHOS THAMS CAD KYI SA BON LTA BU'O,, 'GRO BA THAMS CAD KYI DKAR PO'I CHOS RNAM PAR 'PHEL PAR BYED PAS ZHING LTA BU'O,, ZHES PA NAS BSAM PA THAMS CAD YONGS SU RDZOGS PAR BYED PAS BUM PA BZANG PO LTA BU'O,, NYON MONGS PA'I DGRA PHAM PAR BYED PA LA MDUNG THUNG LTA BU'O,, ZHES SOGS RGYA CHER GSUNGS SO, This point is explained in great detail in the sutra mentioned on such occasions as where it begins by saying, Oh son of noble family, this wish for enlightenment is like a seed for each and every quality of an enlightened being. And because it makes all the pure white qualities of every living being grow and increase, it is like a rich field of soil...

22 And continues up to,... It is as well like an excellent [wish-giving] vase, for it fulfills your every wish. And it is, finally, like a spear, in that you can use it to defeat the enemy of anything related to the mental afflictions. [Folios 14B-17B] ************* `,, GNYIS PA BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS GNYIS BSKYED NAS SPYOD PA LA SLOB PA'I TSUL LA GNYIS, BYANG CHUB KYI SEMS GZUNG BA DANG, SPYOD PA PHA ROL TU PHYIN PA LA SLOB PA'I TSUL LO, The second major section concerns how to train oneself in the activities of a bodhisattva, once one has been able to develop the two forms of the wish for enlightenment. This section itself has two parts: how to acquire the wish for enlightenment, and how to train oneself in the perfections, which are the activities of the bodhisattva.,dang PO LA GNYIS, SBYOR BA'I YAN LAG PHYAG DANG MCHOD PA DANG SKYABS 'GRO SNGON DU BTANG STE STOBS BZHI TSANG BA'I SGO NAS 'GAL RKYEN SDIG PA BSHAGS PA DANG, DGE BA LA RJES SU YI RANG BA SOGS MTHUN RKYEN TSOGS GSOG PA SNGON DU BTANG STE SEMS GZUNG BA DNGOS SO, The first of these two parts has two divisions of its own. The first concerns purifying oneself of the hindering conditions that consist of bad deeds. This is done by applying all four of the forces of purification, once one has already performed the preliminary practices of prostration, offering, and going for refuge. The second concerns the actual practice of acquiring the wish for enlightenment, once one has already completed the actions of accumulating conducive conditions, which is done through the various practices which begin with rejoicing in virtue.,dang PO LA GNYIS, LE'U'I GZHUNG BSHAD PA DANG, LE'U'I MTSAN NO,, DANG PO LA BZHI, MCHOD PA DANG, PHYAG DANG, SKYABS 'GRO DANG, SDIG PA BSHAGS PA'O,, DANG PO LA GNYIS, MCHOD PA PHUL PA'I DGOS PA DANG, MCHOD PA DNGOS SO,

23 We will explain the first of these two divisions in two steps: an explanation of the actual text of the chapter, and an explanation of the chapter's name. The former of these will proceed in four stages represented by the four practices of offering, prostration, going for refuge, and purifying oneself of bad deeds. For the first of these we will cover the need to make offerings, and then the kinds of offerings themselves.,rin CHEN SEMS DE GZUNG BAR BYA BA'I PHYIR,,DE BZHIN GSHEGS PA RNAMS DANG DAM PA'I CHOS,,DKON MCHOG DRI MA MED DANG SANGS RGYAS SRAS,,YON TAN RGYA MTSO RNAMS LA LEGS PAR MCHOD, Make offerings, in an excellent way, to Those Who have Gone That Way; to the holy Jewel Of the Dharma, the absence of impurity; and to Those oceans of high spiritual qualities: To the sons and daughters of the Buddhas, In order to acquire this jewel wish.,dang PO NI, DNGOS PO GYA NOM PA DANG BSAM PA DANG SBYOR BA GUS PAS LEGS PAR MCHOD PAR BYA'O,, GANG GI CHED DU NA SEMS CAN THAMS CAD KYI LEGS TSOGS THAMS CAD 'BYUNG BA'I RIN CHEN SEMS DE GZUNG BAR BYA BA'I PHYIR DU'O,, YUL GANG LA MCHOD NA DE BZHIN GSHEGS PA RNAMS DANG 'PHAGS PA DAM PA RNAMS KYI YIN PAS DAM PA'I CHOS DKON MCHOG RANG BZHIN GYIS DAG PA LA GLO BUR GYI DRI MA MED PA'I THEG PA CHEN PO'I 'GOG PA DANG LAM GYI BDEN PA DANG, 'PHAGS PA SPYAN RAS GZIGS DBANG PHYUG DANG, 'JAM PA'I DBYANGS LA SOGS PA SANGS RGYAS KYI SRAS YON TAN GYI RGYA MTSO CHEN PO RNAMS LA'O, You should make offerings in an excellent way, meaning that you should offer the most exquisite objects with thoughts and in a manner which is filled with reverence. What should be the goal of making these offerings? You should present them in order to acquire the jewel of the wish for enlightenment, which supplies every single good thing there is to every single living being. And to whom should you make the offerings? They should be made first of all to Those Who Have Gone That Way. And then they should be made to the holy jewel of the Dharma, so called because it is the Dharma of holy realized beings. This

24 Dharma consists of the truth of cessation, and the truth of the path, in the greater way. The truth of cessation here includes both natural purity and also the absence of any temporary impurities. And you should finally make offerings to those great ones who are like oceans of high spiritual qualities: to sons and daughters of the Buddhas who are realized beings such as the Lord, Loving Eyes (Avalokiteshvara), and Gentle Voice (Manjushri).,GNYIS PA LA GSUM, BDAG POS MA BZUNG BA'I RDZAS KYI MCHOD PA DANG, RANG GI LUS DBUL DANG, BLOS SPRUL PA'I MCHOD PA'O,, DANG PO LA GSUM, MCHOD PA'I RDZAS DANG, JI LTAR DBUL BA'I TSUL DANG, BDAG POS MA BZUNG BA'I RDZAS 'BUL BA'I RGYU MTSAN NO, We will discuss the kinds of offerings in three parts: the offering of things which have no owner; the giving of your own body; and the offering of things which you emanate with your own thoughts. For the first we will describe what it is we offer, and then how it is we offer it, and finally the reason for giving things which have no owner.,me TOG 'BRAS BU JI SNYED YOD PA DANG,,SMAN GYI RNAM PA GANG ZHIG YOD PA DANG,,'JIG RTEN RIN CHEN JI SNYED YOD PA DANG,,CHU GTZANG YID DU 'ONG BA CI YOD DANG,,RIN CHEN RI BO DANG NI DE BZHIN DU,,NAGS TSAL SA PHYOGS DBEN ZHING NYAMS DGA' DANG,,LJON SHING ME TOG RGYAN SPRAS SPUD PA DANG,,SHING GANG 'BRAS BZANG YAL GA DUD PA DANG,,LHA SOGS 'JIG RTEN NA YANG DRI DANG NI,,SPOS DANG DPAG BSAM SHING DANG RIN CHEN SHING,,MA RMOS 'KHRUNGS PA'I LO TOG RNAM PA DANG,,GZHAN YANG MCHOD PAR 'OS PA'I RGYAN RNAMS NI,,MTSO DANG RDZING BU PAD MAS BRGYAN PA DAG,NGANG PA SHIN TU SKAD SNYAN YID 'ONG LDAN, Give flowers, and fruits, as many as exist; And all the different herbs, as many as there may be. Give each and every precious substance contained in the planet, All the pure and lovely water that exists. Give the precious mountains, and so too The forests, quiet places of refuge, and lovely spots; Give the plants, studded with flowers, and adorned, The trees whose branches are bent low under fine ripe fruit.

25 Give fragrances and incenses, even those which are found In the worlds of pleasure beings and the like; The wishing tree, and the tree of precious substances. Give grain that grows without ever being planted, And any other lovely object which is worthy of presenting Lovely lakes and bathing ponds bedecked with lotus blossoms And water birds of beauty, singing their splendid songs.,dang PO NI, 'JIG RTEN NA BDAG POS MA BZUNG BA'I ME TOG PAD MA SOGS ME TOG DANG, AA RU RA SOGS 'BRAS BU JI SNYED YOD PA DANG, GA PUR SOGS SMAN GYI RIGS KYI RNAM PA GANG DAG YOD PA DANG, 'JIG RTEN GYI KHAMS NA GSER DNGUL SOGS RIN CHEN JI SNYED YOD PA DANG MTSO DANG RDZING BU SOGS CHU GTZANG YID DU 'ONG BA CI YOD PA DANG, GSER LA SOGS PA'I RIN CHEN RI BO BRGYAD LA SOGS PA DANG NI DE BZHIN DU NAGS TSAL DANG SA PHYOGS DBEN ZHING NYAMS DGA' BA DANG LJON SHING RANG GI ME TOG SNA TSOGS PA'I RGYAN GYIS SPRAS SHING MDZES PAR SPUD PA DANG, SHING GANG 'BRAS BU BZANG PO SMIN PA LCI BAS YAL GA THUR LA DUD PA DANG LHA DANG KLU LA SOGS PA'I 'JIG RTEN NA YANG LHAN CIG SKYES PA DANG SBYAR BA LAS BYUNG BA DANG, GYUR PA LAS BYUNG BA'I DRI BZANG PO DANG NI BDUG PA'I SPOS DANG DGOS 'DOD 'BYUNG BA'I DPAG BSAM LJON SHING DANG RIN CHEN SNA TSOGS LAS GRUB PA'I SHING DANG, YID BZHIN GYI MTSO DANG KHRUS KYI RDZING BU PAD MAS BRGYAN PA DANG DE NA NGANG PA SHIN TU SGRA SNYAN PA SGROG PA YID DU 'ONG BA DANG, THONG BSHOL GYIS MA RMOS PA RANG 'KHRUNGS PA'I LO TOG GI RNAM PA DANG DE LA SOGS PA'I GZHAN YANG DKON MCHOG LA MCHOD PAR 'OS PA'I RGYAN MDZES PA RNAMS NI DBUL BAR BGYI'O,, 'GREL PA'I DON MA GO BA KHA CIG GIS GZHUNG GI GO RIMS GZHAN DU BSHAD DO, You should first give those things in the world which have no owner. Give flowers, flowers like the lotus, and give the fruits of the trees, like the olive, as many as exist everywhere. Then give all the different herbs of the earth, camphor and the like, as many as there may be. Give each and every precious substance contained in the planet: gold, silver, and anything of the sort. Give all the pure and lovely water of every ocean, lake, and other bodies of water that exists. Give the eight precious mountains of gold and all the rest, and so too give all the forests, give all the quiet places of refuge, all the lovely spots, all the many kinds of plants, each studded with a variety of jewel flowers, each adorned in beauty. Give all the trees whose branches are bent low under the weight of fine ripe fruit. Give all the fine

26 fragrances and incenses that exist, whether they be natural, or concocted, or transformed, and include even those which are found in the worlds of pleasure beings, serpent-beings, and the like. Give the wishing tree, which supplies your every wish, and give the tree made of precious substances. Give lovely lakes and bathing ponds, ones that grant your every desire, bedecked with lotus blossoms, and give the waterbirds who live upon them, in all their beauty, singing their splendid songs. Give every kind of grain, growing of its own accord, without ever being planted. Offer these, and offer any other lovely object which is worthy of presenting to the Jewels. Certain authors who failed to understand the commentary have explained the order of the root text in a different way.,nam MKHA' RAB 'BYAMS KHAMS KYI MTHAS GTUGS NA,,YONGS SU GZUNG BA MED PA DE DAG KUN,,BLO YIS BLANGS NAS THUB PA SKYES KYI MCHOG,SRAS DANG BCAS PA RNAMS LA LEGS 'BUL NA,,YON GNAS DAM PA THUGS RJE CHE RNAMS KYIS,,BDAG LA BTZER DGONGS BDAG GI 'DI DAG BZHES, I imagine in my mind each and every one Of those objects owned by no one Which may exist in all the infinite expanse Of all of myriad space. I offer these In an excellent way, to the highest Of all living beings, to the Able Ones, Along with their sons and daughters. May all of these beings of highest spiritual qualities, Who possess the ultimate form of compassion, Look upon me with love, and accept all I offer.,gnyis PA NI, NAM MKHA' RAB 'BYAMS KHAMS KYI MTHAS BTUGS PA MTHA' YAS PA NA BDAG POS YONGS SU BZUNG BA MED PA DE DAG KUN BDAG GIS BLO YIS BLANGS NAS MCHOD PA'I YUL THUB PA SKYES BU RNAMS KYI MCHOG SRAS DANG BCAS PA RNAMS LA GUS PAS LEGS PAR 'BUL NA YON GNAS DAM PA KUN LA THUGS RJE CHEN PO MNGA' BA RNAMS KYIS BDAG LA BRTZE BAR DGONGS NAS, BDAG GI MCHOD PA 'DI DAG BZHES SHIG CES PA'O, Here next is the way in which we offer those things which have no owner. Think to yourself, "I imagine in my mind each and every one of those objects owned by no one which may exist in all the infinite expanse, upon the limitless number, of all the myriad planets there are in all of space. I offer these objects in an excellent way, with