Second Testament of the Buddha

Second Testament of the Buddha

from the Vima Nyingtik

In the language of India: buddha-dhekaramadhu-nāma
In the language of Tibet: sangs rgyas kyi zhal chems gnyis pa zhes bya ba
In the English language: The Second Testament of the Buddha

Homage to the complete and perfect Buddha Vanquisher through the Strength of Power!

If you wish to be sure of attaining buddhahood
Train proficiently in the preliminaries.

Since you will not escape the three realms
Unless you make a clear distinction (rushen)
Physically, vocally and mentally,
Train in the preliminaries.

If you become adept at the key points of the preliminaries
You will master enlightened intent, ordinary and supreme.

Remain alone in a remote location.

To practise the preliminaries of the body,
Act out the various behaviours of the six classes.
And perform the activity of the Three Jewels.
Sit up straight with your soles together
And join your palms above your head.
Whoever adopts such bodily practice
Will not regress physically,[1] will pacify obstacles,
Overcome attachment and purify obscurations.
With the body liberated as nirmāṇakāya,
It will be indivisible from buddha’s form
And nothing will be leftover.

To practise the preliminaries of speech,
Mimic the various sounds of the six classes.
Train in the full panoply of sounds—
Of peaceful and wrathful deities and the elements.
Spend three days on the key point of sealing.[2]
Train in agility, develop flexibility and send on a journey.
Whoever practices in this way by means of speech
Will overcome attachment, purify vocal obscurations,
Avoid regression[3] and gain liberation in non-dual sambhogakāya.

To practise the preliminaries of mind,
Bring to mind the miseries of the six classes.
Then seek the place where mind originates.
Not finding it, you will meet the dharmakāya.
Then seek the place where mind abides.
Not finding it, you will meet the sambhogakāya.
Then seek the place to which mind goes.
Not finding it, you will meet the nirmāṇakāya.
Whoever practises in this way with the mind
Will banish attachment, pacify obstacles,
Purify obscurations, never regress to the three realms,
And pass into non-duality, freed in dharmakāya.

Then become adept at allowing body, speech
And mind to settle in genuine ease.
Then, once you have revitalised all three,
Engage in the practice itself with vigour.

Once you have completed the preliminaries in this way,
Allow them to pass from your mind.
To arrive at the key point of direct realization,
Relinquish activity of body, speech and mind.

When the full enlightened Buddha demonstrated passing into parinirvāṇa in the place where various ḍākinīs gather, in the east of the great charnel ground Blazing Volcano, Garab Dorje fell to the ground and called out in anguish:

Kyema kyihü! Alas! Alas!
When the lamplight of the teacher has faded,
Who will dispel the darkness of the world?

As he recovered, he saw the Buddha’s right forearm emerge in a mass of light, letting fall a casket of precious crystal, the size of a fingernail. It contained this instruction written in self-arisen characters of five precious gems upon molten lapis lazuli. This supreme text of great blessings, the second testament of the Buddha, appeared so that the nirmāṇakāya Garab Dorje might retain it.[4] Like a guide leading all to pass beyond, it was taught as the single offspring in which all key points of the teachings are gathered together.

Samaya.

| Translated by Adam Pearcey with the generous support of the Tsadra Foundation, 2024.

Bibliography

Tibetan Editions

"sangs rgyas kyi 'das rje gnyis pa" In snying thig ya bzhi. 13 vols. Delhi: Sherab Gyaltsen Lama, 1975. Vol. 3: 289–292 (2 folios)

"'od gsal rdzogs pa chen po man ngag sde'i gnad kyi bcud phur sangs rgyas kyi 'das rjes gsum" In gdams ngag mdzod. 18 vols. Paro: Lama Ngodrup and Sherab Drimey, 1979–1981 (BDRC W20877). Vol. 2: 3–5

Version: 1.1-20241024