Abandoning Ninefold Activity
Abandoning the Ninefold Activities of Body, Speech, and Mind
by Yukhok Chöying Rangdrol
Abandoning the ninefold activities of body, speech, and mind is as follows:
Body
The body's outer activities are worldly pursuits and distractions like business and farming. The body's inner activities are common dharma practices like prostrations and circumambulations. The body's secret activities include esoteric practices of mudrā, dance, and so forth.[1]
In short, abandon all the moving body's superfluities.
Speech
Speech's outer activities include pointless conversation, harsh words, and other ordinary verbal expressions. Speech's inner activities include the common religious practices of singing, chanting, and reading aloud. Speech's secret activities include esoteric mantra repetitions and other practices.
In short, abandon utterance, expression, and all engagements of speech.
Mind
The mind's outer activity comes down to ordinary thinking. The mind's inner activity is analyzing and contemplating general Dharma teachings. The mind's secret activity includes the extraordinary practices of creation and completion and all forms of meditation constructed by the mind.
In short, abandon all attention, intention, expansion, and contraction of thoughts.
It is taught that you should rest your body, speech, and mind in a state of repose.
| Translated by Joseph McClellan with NT Ninjyed, 2025.
Bibliography
Tibetan Edition Used
Bya bral chos dbying rang grol. gSung ʼbum chos dbyings rang grol, vol. 2. Par gzhi dang po. Khreng tuʼu: Si khron dpe skrun tshogs pa si khron mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2007, p. 329. BDRC MW00KG07606.
Version: 1.0-20250120
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Here, the phrase is phyag rgya gar la sogs pa, which might be interpreted in a number of ways. Phyag rgya, broadly means mudrā, which can refer to ritual mudrā (i.e., gestures) but might also connote sexual consort practice. Gar generally refers to ritual dancing but might also connote other types of esoteric activity. ↩
