Advice to Palmo

Advice to the Great Practitioner Palmo, Beginning with the Ground, Path and Fruition

by Rendawa Zhönnu Lodrö

Namo guru!
The relative of illusory appearance and emptiness
And the ultimate that is inexpressible, inconceivable—
The inseparable unity of both is the mode of the ground.
It would be an error to treat them as separate and discrete.[1]

The compassion of knowing the six classes to be one’s parents
And wisdom of realizing the illusoriness of whatever appears—
The inseparable unity of both is the unmistaken path.
It would be an error to treat them as separate and discrete.

The dharmakāya in which dualism has vanished into basic space
And rūpakāya in which enlightened activity is uninterrupted—
The inseparable unity of both is the supreme fruition.
It would be an error to treat them as separate and discrete.

Knowing that in the relative of illusory interdependence,
The cause and effect of good and bad actions is infallible,
Not being tainted by extremes of eternalism and nihilism
Is the view of realizing the Middle Way beyond extremes.

Having well understood the mode of the ground with the view,
Through gaining familiarity with it with a one-pointed mind,
To cut misconceptions about the meaning of the natural state
Is the meditation that is the unity of śamatha and vipaśyanā.

When all actions of the three doors during post-meditation
Are carried out without grasping, within the view of illusion,
And dedicated to great awakening with a concept-free mind,
That is the conduct in which all that is done becomes the path.

Well, the nature of the ground, path, and fruition,
And the techniques of view, meditation, and conduct—
Having understood these well, I have described them well.
Those who seek what is good, please remember them well.

Zhönnu Lodrö, a bhikṣu-follower of Śākyamuni, offered this advice to the great practitioner Palmo. Ithi!

| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2024.

Bibliography

Tibetan Editions

Red mda’ ba gzhon nu blo gros. "gzhi lam 'bras bu’i tshul las brtsams te sgrub chen ma dpal mo la gdams pa." In gsung 'bum gzhon nu blo gros. [Kathmandu]: Sa skya rgyal yongs gsung rab slob gnyer khang, 1999. Vol. 4: 164–165

gzhon nu blo gros. "gzi lam 'bras bu’i tshul las brtsams te sgrub chen dpal mo la gdams pa" In mkha' 'gro’i chos mdzod chen mo. 53 vols. Lhasa: Bod ljongs bod yig dpe rnying dpe skrun khang, 2017. Vol. 52: 203–204

Version: 1.0-20240403