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"The Words of My Perfect Teacher" (Kunzang Lama'i Shelung)

GREETING AND THE SOURCE OF THE TEXT My cordial greetings to all my Dharma friends. There was a master called Jigme Gyalwai Nyugu, who was known as Kunzang Lama, "the Perfect Teacher." While receiving oral instructions from him, his student Patrul Rinpoche took notes that eventually became known as "The Words of My Perfect Teacher." Based on this text, we will conduct teachings for our Dharma friends. The overall content of "The Words of My Perfect Teacher" consists of the following principal points. THE SIX COMMON OUTER PRELIMINARIES The first is to make this human life serve what is truly important, by reflecting on how difficult it is to find its freedoms and advantages. But to be reborn in a human body alone is not sufficient, because the human lifespan is short; so we must urge ourselves to be diligent by reflecting on the impermanence of life. Next, we must cultivate renunciation and compassion by recognizing that the whole of samsara is, by nature, suffering. The next is to reject evil deeds and adopt wholesome actions in whatever we do, through a detailed understanding of the law of cause and effect. And we grow ever more eager for the resultant state — which we can indeed attain — by remembering the benefits of liberation. Finally, by following an authentic spiritual teacher, we must train ourselves to emulate his realization and his conduct. These are the six principal points concerning the common outer preliminaries. THE FIVE EXTRAORDINARY INNER PRELIMINARIES As for the extraordinary inner preliminaries, there are five. The first is taking refuge in the Three Jewels, which lays the foundation for the practice. Because the activities of a bodhisattva are innumerable, like an ocean, we must generate bodhicitta and so establish the framework for those innumerable activities by arousing the awakening mind. Then, by practicing the meditation and recitation of Vajrasattva, we confess our harmful actions and downfalls — the root of all evil — through the Four Powers. The next is offering the entire universe in the form of a mandala, in order to accumulate the merit and wisdom that are the source of all spiritual progress. The practice of Guru Yoga is the source of every blessing; so, by supplicating the guru, we awaken within ourselves the supreme wisdom of realization. These are the five extraordinary inner preliminaries. THE TRANSFERENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS (PHOWA) Finally, in case death should arrive suddenly before the path has been completed, a link to the pure lands is created through the practice of phowa — the transference of consciousness — which brings about Buddhahood. So, together with the transference of consciousness, there are in total twelve outer and inner principal points that make up the content of "The Words of My Perfect Teacher." THE PURPOSE OF THESE PRACTICES What, then, is the purpose of practicing these points? If we practice them properly, we make our lives meaningful and open the door to renunciation. By relying on a spiritual master, we ensure that our spiritual path possesses within itself all the favorable conditions conducive to it. By practicing in the right manner, we become free from all obstacles on the path; and likewise, by accumulating merit, we secure all the right conditions leading to Buddhahood and obtain every means for fulfilling our aspirations. These are the temporary goals achieved through the preliminary practices, so they play a very important role. As for the ultimate goal — the path that enables one to attain Buddhahood in this very lifetime — it is the Great Perfection (Dzogchen), and it is preceded by the preliminary practices, which are indispensable. For that reason, the preliminary practices are an irreplaceable part of the path that leads to the fully awakened state. That is why, for those who aspire to liberation, it is very important to be diligent in these practices. CLOSING On a regular basis, we will consistently hold teachings each Saturday at 9:00 am. I look forward to seeing all my Dharma friends in these classes.

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