Zurchungpa's Testament, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Padmakara Translation Group, Snow Lion Publications

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Zurchungpa's Testament
By: Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

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Author: Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
Translator: Padmakara Translation Group
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781559392648
Publication Date: December 2006

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Product Code: 14634

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Zurchungpa's Eighty Chapters of Personal Advice was the final teaching given by the great Nyingma master Zurchung Sherab Trakpa. The original text consists of 580 maxims, covering the entire path of Dzogchen from fundamental teachings through to a series of pith instructions that bring the Dzogchen view to life. Much of the meaning of these often cryptic instructions could be lost to the reader without further explanations, so this book contains a complete, detailed commentary on Zurchungpa's text by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Originally intended as essential instructions for a group of practitioners in three-year retreat, it will undoubtedly serve as an indispensable guide to anyone who seriously wishes to practice the Great Perfection.

Zurchungpa's Testament, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Padmakara Translation Group, Snow Lion Publications, Hardcover, 2006, 418 Pages, $29.95

Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche(1910-1991), whose remarkable life came to an end in September of 1991, was one of the foremost poets, sages, scholars, philosophers and meditation masters of the Mahayana, Mahamudra and Great Perfection traditions of Vajrayana Buddhism. He was highly respected by thousands of students in Tibet and throughout the world.

Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was recognized as a supreme authority on all aspects of the buddhadharma and an authentic holder of the Dzogchen lineage. He was a discoverer of the spiritual treasures of Padmasambhava, the foremost pupil of Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro, a disciple of the Third Trungram Gyaltrul Rinpoche, and the teacher of many lamas, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His Holiness Khyentse Rinpoche was recognized by the Saint Mipham Namgyal Rinpoche as a tulku (or incarnation) of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, one of the leading tertons and proponents of the Rime Movement, a non-sectarian movement in Tibetan Buddhism.

At eleven years old, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche entered Shechen Monastery in Kham, a principal monastery of the Nyingma School, where he was enthroned as the wisdom emanation of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo. While studying there, he received all the essential empowerments and instructions of the Nyingma tradition, and became head of the Nyingma lineage. His Holiness Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche entered a meditation retreat at the age of 15, and remained in silence until the age of 28.

Notable teachers with whom Khyentse Rinpoche studied are Shechen Gyaltsap, Chokyi Lodro, Trungram Gyaltrul Rinpoche, Khenpo Shyenga, Pema Wangchuk Gyalpo, and more than fifty other Kagyu and Sakya masters.

As part of the exodus from Tibet, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche moved to Bhutan in the 1950's. While in exile, he became the spiritual teacher of the Royal family there. Kheyntse Rinpoche's travels took him to India, Southeastern Asia, Nepal, and several Western countries, where he taught, established Buddhist temples, colleges and monasteries, re-established the Samye Monastery in Tibet, and rebuilt Shechen Monastery in Nepal. He was also able to preserve many scriptural texts of Tantric teachings and practices during his lifetime, which has been a tremendous gift to scholars, students, and lay people throughout the world.

Khyentse Rinpoche's writings were clear and understandable, delivered with kindness, wisdom and compassion. Among his books, Guru Yoga and The Excellent Path to Enlightenment have been of great help to people of many beliefs and philosophies.

The Padmakara Translation Group has a distinguished reputation for its translations of Tibetan texts and teachings, and is renowned for its clear and accurate literary style.

Contents: Zurchungpa's Testament, A Commentary on Zurchung Sherab Trakpa's Eighty Chapters of Personal Advice by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Based on Shechen Gyaltsap's Annotated Edition

Foreword
xv

Translators' Introduction
xvii

DILGO KHYENTSE RINPOCHE'S COMMENTRY ON THE EIGHTY CHAPTERS OF PERSONAL ADVICE
1

Introduction
3

Title; homage; different teachings to match different capacities; Deshek Gyawopa; the Tibetan translators; the defects of samsara; the importance of Zurchungpa's advice; a summary of the five sections

I FAITH
15

1 Six faults in not having faith
15

Definition of Dharma; faith; faults of not having faith

2 Six virtues of faith
19

Advantages of having faith - the story of Lilavajra

3 Ten causes that give rise to faith
22

One's present life and circle of friends; the karmic law of cause of effect - Ravi and his black and white pebbles - the hunter Gonpo Dorje - the story of Lopon Pawo; death and impermanence - the story of King Mandhata; karma and rebirth; making the best use of one's human existence; the sufferings of samsara ; the Three Jewels; teachers and holy beings; spiritual companions

4 Thirteen things to be abhorred
32

Giving up attachment to one's home country; giving up household distractions; practicing when one has the opportunity - Gonpo Dorje's meeting with Milarepa; pure perception; wealth, contentment, and the seven noble riches - the boy who offered seven peas; not being distracted by one's reatives; the importance of practicing while one has the chance; using one's wealth for the right purposes - the story of Anathapindaka - Milarepa's offering to Marpa; renunciation; keeping death in mind

5 Thirteen things that are very important 40

Realization, experiences, and compassion; the importance of the teacher; suitable disciples; giving up attachment; long-term vision - examples of Asanga and Ananda; devotion to the yidam and the Three Jewels - Songtsen Gampo, Lama Mipham; diligence; avoiding negative actions; dealing with discursive thoughts; compassion and bodhichitta; faith in the teachings; keeping one's vows and commitments; the unborn nature of the mind; secrecy in preserving the profound instructions

II DISCIPLINE
55

6 Ten facts with regard to timeliness in the practice 55

Taking advantage of the continued presence of the Buddha's doctrine; the exceptional chance of coming across the teachings; the chance of having the right qualities for practice; and exhortation to practice - don't listen to your relatives; generosity; dealing with difficilties in the pratice; patience - the example of Jigme Lingpa - the rishi Patient Words; the point of practicing correctly; remembering death and countering attachment; demons - obstacles to practice

7 Thirteen instructions to put into practice 64

Remembering death as a spur to diligence - how precious the Dharma is - a king's offering in order to receive teaching; avoid seeing faults in the teacher - King Trisong Detsen's doubts; keeping harmony with other practioners - practicing the teachings best suited to one - avoiding sectarianism; pleasing the teacher and avoiding upsetting him; keeping the precepts; the unborn nature of the ground-of-all; obstacles and distractions; the four boundless qualities; avoiding negative actions - mindfulness and vigilance; cultivating positive actions; understanding suffering - the value of hardships; diligence until enlightenment is reached; uniting the two accumulations

8 Five things that are useless 75

The importance of practicing correctly - renunciation, getting rid of attachment and desire, integrating the practice, devotion

9 Five things one needs to do 78

Devotion, merit, a fit mind, concentration, freedom from afflictive emotions

10 Five things that become lies 82

Making sure that your are following the genuine path - renunciation, refuge, meditation, the view, and understanding karma

11 Five things that are true 85

Buddhahood is up to you - King Trisong Detsen's daughter; the importance of the samaya and devotion - Gampopa's swineherd disciple, Jigme Gyalwai Nyugu's hunter disciple; combining skillful means and wisdom; uniting view and conduct; the nature of mind

12 Five things that are pointless 92

Wrong teachers; wrong disciples - Sunakshatra; samay breakers; mixing positive and negative actions; knowing the teachings but not putting them into practice - Devadatta

13 Eight instructions 94

Diligence, forbearance, contentment, following a master of the profound teachings, courage, dealing with attachment and anger, maintaining the essential practice

14 Thirty-four pieces of advice 100

Avoiding distractions, preparing for death, the right conditions for practice, maintaining the correct view, diligence, renunciation, contentment, making offerings to the teacher and receiving his instructions, humility, mindfulness, confidence, avoiding hypocrisy,generosity, patience, hardship, avoiding obstacles

15 Six instructions for warding off defects 112

Metaphors for avoiding errors - Milarepa's mistake

16 Ten things that do no harm 114

The experienced practitioner's approach to different situations

17 Eighteen objects of derision 118

Eight things that help avoid mistakes in the practice; eighteen statements on how things can go wrong with one's faith, the teacher, the practice, one's experience, the view, and the result

18 Fifteen ways in which the practice goes wrong 124

With regard to the view; meditation, action, samaya, master, disciple, practice, experiences, result, instructions, human body, death, one's name, conceit, and one's final fate

19 Twenty-six kinds of folly 130

Metaphors for not practicing in the correct manner

20 Nine pieces of personal advice 139

How to put negative traits to good use

21 Nine pieces of hearfelt advice 142

Pith instructions on the essence of the practice

22 Five beatitudes 143

The blessing of being able to practice correctly

23 Twenty things that lead to breaches of samaya 147

Specific situations in which the samaya gets broken

III CONCENTRATION 153

24 Four practices that confer blessing 153

Four ways, illustrated by similes, in which realization of the absolute nature leads to liberation

25 Four instructions for using things as the path, with similes 157

26 Four things to be known, with similes 159

27 Four crucial instructions, with similes 161

28 Four "cuts" 164

Four ways of cutting concepts, with similes

29 Four views, with similes 166

30 Four kinds of meditation, with similes 167

31 Four kinds of conduct, with similes 169

32 Four kinds of experience, with similes 170

33 Four kinds of signs, with similes 172

34 four instructions related to optical illusions, with similes 174

35 Ten ways of failing the Buddhas 176

Ten ways in which one breaks one's commitment to practice

36 Four ways not to be distracted, with similes 183

37 Four instructions on the method 186

Pith instructions, with similes, on how to meditate

38 Four ways to stay 192

Instructions on how to rest naturally in meditation

39 Six crucial points of the mind to be understood 194

Illustrations with regard to relaxation; frredom from concerns, hesitation, expectation and apprehension, and fear; clarity and absence of thoughts

40 Four things one need not seek 197

Illustrations with regard to view, meditation, action and result

IV WISDOM 201

41 Twelve points that explain the view 201

An introduction to the utimate nature of the mind

42 Twelve kinds of confidence confirming the view 205

Pith instructions on the nature of mind

43 Nine things one sees 208

An introduction to the absolute nature

44 Seven sublime things 209

Seven aspects of the sublime meditation

45 Six wisdom sense organs 210

How a realized yogi perceives

46 Six wisdom objects 211

The objects of a realiozed yogi's perceptions

47 Six authentic experiences 212

A realized yogi's experience of nonexistence through his six senses

48 Six declarations on effortlessness 214

When the absolute nature is realized, there is nothing to adopt or reject

49 Sixteen metaphoric practices 215

Symbolic instructions on the practice of the Great Perfection

50 Five Views 218

Transforming afflictive emotions without adoption or rejection

51 Ten aspects to complete confidence 220

How confidence in the natural state cannot be crushed

52 Four examples and their meanings 222

Examples of how the absolute nature permeates everything

53 Four dissolutions of extremes 224

Absolute truth, relative truth, and the four extremes

54 Four ultimates 227

The ultimate view, meditation, action, and experience and realization

55 Five dharmakaya aspects of the mind 229

Illustrations of the primal wisdom that is the nature of mind

56 Six primal wisdoms related to the mind 230

Six kinds of wisdom explained in the language of the Secret Mantrayana

57 Seven ways in which the nature of the mind is introduced 231

58 Six ways of introducing the ultimate nature of everything that arises 233

59 Eight introductions to the ultimate nature of things that appear 234

60 Nine ways of introducing the unborn nature 235

61 Four similes introducing the ultimate nature 237

Illustrations with conventinal examples

62 Five instructions on the ultimate nature of appearances 239

63 Five experiences of wisdom 240

The view of the one absolute nature

64 Four ways in which the nondual absolute nature arises 241

65 Six ways in which the nondual absolute nauture arises 241

66 Four ways of arising without duality 242

67 Four instructions on the indivisible absolute nature 242

68 Eight kinds of natural dissolution 243

How the objects of the six consciousnesses dissolve in the unborn absolute nature

69 Four things that are stainless 244

View, path, experience, and result

70 Five things one will not find 245

Object, mind, body, sentient beings, Buddha

71 Five instances whre there is nothing to be found 246

Appearances, awareness, body, beings, Buddha

72 Five things to take as the path 248

73 Three aspects of emptiness 250

Phenomena, the mind, and the aggregates

74 Three things to take as the path 252

75 Four ties to be severed 253

76 Eight activities to be performed 254

Eight practices that prepare one for meditation; and three practices that help progress - meditating on the teacher, examining samsara, and reflecting on the six intermediate states

77 Seven concentrations 260

Concentrations uniting view and meditation

78 Six preparatory practices 262

79 Five branches in the main practice 265

V CONCLUSION 269

80 Three points in conclusion 269

Unsuitable disciples, suitable disciples, and how they should practice

Colophon 272

Colophons by Zurchungpa's disciple Khyungpo Yamara and Shechen Gyaltsap

ZURCHUNG SHERAB TRAKPA'S EIGHTY CHAPTERS OF PERSONAL ADVICE 275

SHECHEN GYALTSAP RINPOCHE'S A NECKLACE OF JEWELS 313

List of Chapters 385

Notes 389

Glossary 399

Bibliography 417

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