Advice for Jamyang Zangpo

Advice Written for Jamyang Zangpo

by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

At the lotus-like feet of the glorious and incomparable guru,
Essence and embodiment of buddhas, past, present and future,
I offer heartfelt homage out of ardent longing and devotion,
And pledge to set down here a few precepts of instruction.

For now at least, you have freedoms and advantages,
But to waste this opportunity in meaningless pursuits
Would be like returning empty-handed from a jewelled isle.

Life is as transient as clouds in an autumn sky.
Death is unpredictable and its timing uncertain.
Hurry! You must focus on Dharma right away.

As the essence of Dharma, respect causality.
Shun completely any actions that cause harm.
Strive to accomplish the slightest act of virtue.
Never slacken physically, vocally or mentally.

It is the unique quality of a Buddhist insider,
To entrust onself to the guru and Three Jewels,
In this and future lives, so pray with intense faith,
And seek none but this infallible source of refuge.

Repeatedly generate great compassion towards
Beings of the six classes, one’s very own parents,
Who constantly endure misery’s cause and effect.
Always maintaining a noble, altruistic intention
And bringing about others’ benefit impartially
Will lead to happiness in this and future lives.

Pray to the root guru, the mere thought of whom
Is sovereign and sufficient, receive empowerment,
And merge mind with wisdom, settling naturally
In unborn dharmakāya, the true face of the mind—
Undistracted, ungrasping, and untainted by ideas.
As you do so, vividness and clarity will emerge.
By continually familiarising yourself with this
You will eradicate ignorance and conditioning.

Apply yourself to recitations and deity practice.[1]
Do not neglect virtuous acts that are conditioned.
For it is from the union of the two accumulations,
With and without focus, that two kāyas are attained.

Thus, through this concise set of instructions,
Written by Chökyi Lodrö at the behest
Of Jamyang Zangpo, chant master of Bentsang,
May all attain awakening.

Maṅgalam.

| Translated by Adam Pearcey with the generous support of the Khyentse Foundation and Tertön Sogyal Trust, 2022.

Bibliography

Tibetan Edition

'Jam dbyangs chos kyi blo gros. 'Jam dbyangs chos kyi blo gros kyi gsung 'bum. 12 vols. Bir, H.P.: Khyentse Labrang, 2012. (W1KG12986) Vol. 8: 336–337

Version: 1.0-20221115