Illusion First Chapter Sample

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ILLUSIONOFLIFEANDDEATHKYABJEDZOGCHENPEMAKALSANGRINPOCHE

TRANSLATEDBYCHRISTIANASTEWART

MAHASANDHIPUBLISHING


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MahasandhiPublishing5CorinthianCourt

WestHill

Road

CowesIsleofWightPO317SF

www.dzogchenmonastery.org

Copyright2011MahasandhiPublishing

Allrights

reserved.

No

portion

of

this

book

may

be

reproduced

by

any

meanswithoutpriorpermissionfromthepublisher.

DesignandtypesetbyMahasandhiPublishingPrintedintheU.K.

ILLUSIONOFLIFEANDDEATHKyabjeDzogchenPemaKalsangRinpoche

TranslatedbyChristianAStewart

ISBN:9780956859600


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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTIONTOTHELIFEANDWORKOFKYABJEDZOGCHENPEMAKALSANGRINPOCHE....................................................................................................1

ILLUSIONOFLIFEANDDEATH

1.THEFIRSTYESTERDAYANDTHELASTTOMORROW.......................................132.THEMYSTERIESOFLIFE..............................................................................283.

IMPERMANENCE

OF

HUMAN

LIFE

................................................................

42

4.SACREDFUTUREDESTINY...........................................................................575.THEUNMISTAKENENTRANCE......................................................................716.PEACEFULANDCOOLINNERNECTAR.........................................................847.APPROACHINGTHEDOOROFETERNALBLISS..............................................958.CONJUROROFTRANSIENTILLUSIONS.........................................................1049.ESSENCELESSDECEPTIVEPHENOMENA.....................................................11410.PRISONOFTHETHREESUFFERINGS..........................................................12011.THETORCHOFEVERBLISSFULLIBERATION..............................................12912.TREASURETROVEOFWISH

FULFILLINGGEMS

..........................................

13913.HOWTHINGSAPPEAR:DEPENDENTARISINGCAUSATION.........................145

14.THEWESTERLYBLISSFULPUREREALM......................................................15115.INFALLIBLEANDPERMANENTSUPREMEREFUGE........................................15716.THEPRECIOUSNESSOFWONDROUSMIND..............................................16817.THEPRISTINEUNECLIPSEDMOON..........................................................18118.TREASURYOFIMMEASURABLEMERIT........................................................18819.FEASTOFFERINGOFTHEBODY.................................................................19520.THEDIRECTPATHTOSUPREMEACCOMPLISHMENT................................19921.UNIONOFMERGINGANDTRANSFERENCEATTHEPOINTOFDEATH

.........

21522.DEATHOMENSINTHEMIRROROFTIME..................................................231

23.CHEATINGDEATHWITHADDITIONALLIFE.............................................23824.THEGREATPATHOFIMPERMANENCEANDDEATH.................................24725.PURGINGTHECHRONICDISEASEOFILLUSORYDUALISM.........................25826.THEMACHINEOFNOTHOUGHTWIND..................................................26327.UNWAVERINGPEACEFULCONCENTRATION.............................................26728.POWEROFTHECHANNELS,WINDSANDDROPS......................................27329.VITALIMPORTANCEOFMATURINGEMPOWERMENT...............................27930.EPILOGUE:ALOOKATTHEFUTURELANDSCAPEOFTHENEWMILLENNIUM

...............................................................................................................284INTRODUCTIONTODZOGCHENMONASTERY................................................299


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TRANSLATORSINTRODUCTION

IllusionofLifeandDeathexaminesthetransitorynatureoflifeandtheneedtomakecarefulpreparationforourfuture.KyabjeDzogchenPemaKalsang Rinpoche engages in thoughtprovoking discussion of theuncertainties faced by everyone, and using insightful observation,encouragesustoreflectmoredeeplyonwhatistrulyimportantinlife.

These discussions are followed by more traditional presentations ofBuddhist teachings, including detailed instructions for the DzogchenPreliminary

Practices.

Here,

Kyabje

Rinpoche

draws

from

his

deep

knowledge of the tradition to guide the reader through each step ofpractice.Throughoutthetext,KyabjeRinpochedoesnotshyawayfromconfronting the reader with challenging questions in order to evokegenuinefeelingsandunderstandingoftheDharma.

Inlaterchapters,KyabjeRinpocheintroducessomeadvancedandsecretpractices of the main Dzogchen teachings, including subtle bodyvisualisations, rushen or dividing samsara and nirvana, and JigmeLingpa's nothought meditations. Many of these have not beenpreviouslymadeavailableinEnglish.

Throughout the translationprocess, Ihaveworked closelywithKyabjeRinpocheandhisnephewMuraRinpochetoensurethemeaningofthetext is conveyed accurately and in keepingwith the true spirit of theoriginal.Ihavedeliberatelyavoidedembellishingthetextwithanyofmyownnotesor explanations. Specifically, in someof themore advanced

chapters,

it

was

Kyabje

Rinpoches

wish

to

avoid

the

inclusion

of

any

additional material. The reader is therefore expected to use theseteachings as part of a wider programme of study, supported by theguidanceofasuitablyqualifiedLama.

Maythisvirtueenlightenallbeings!

ChristianAStewartMay,2011

PemaTungRetreatCentreDzogchenMonastery,Tibet

www.dzogchenmonastery.org


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INTRODUCTIONTOKYABJEDZOGCHENPEMAKALSANGRINPOCHE

1

ABRIEFINTRODUCTIONTOTHELIFEANDWORKOF

KYABJEDZOGCHENPEMAKALSANGRINPOCHE

Havingreceivedanintenseandenlighteningeducationwithsomeofthemost eminent masters of the 20th century, Kyabje Pema KalsangRinpoche became twelfth Throne Holder of Dzogchen Monastery.Throughout the bleak period of the 1960s and 70s, he managed tomaintain and practise Dharma in secret. As soon as circumstancespermitted, Kyabje Rinpoche spared no effort in undertaking tocompletely rebuild not onlyDzogchenMonastery, but also Shira SingBuddhist

University;

and

more

recently

Kyabje

Rinpoche

established

Dzogchen Pema Tung Great Perfection Retreat Centre. His untiringefforts have resulted in a great revival of theDzogchen tradition andDzogchen Monastery is once again an unrivalled example of bothscholarlyexcellenceandmeditativerealisation.

KyabjePemaKalsangRinpochewasbornon6thJune 1943 inDzachuka,EasternTibet,thehomelandofmanyexceptionalmasters,includingthegreat Bodhisattva Patrul Rinpoche and the incomparable scholarMipham Rinpoche. Kyabje Rinpoches mother was the sister ofaccomplishedmasterDzogchenAdroSocho,andsheboremanysignsofadakini, includinganaturallyoccurringAHsyllableonhertongue. It issaidthatwhenRinpochewasbornthesurroundingareawas filledwithblossomingflowerswhichhadneverbeenseenbefore,tentsofrainbowsappearedandwatermiraculouslyturnedintomilk.Rinpochesmaternaluncle, the fourthMuraRinpochePemaNorbu,named the childPemaKalsang.

WhenPemaKalsangreachedtheageoffive,DzogchenKontulRinpoche,who had been very close to the second Pema Banza, travelled toDzachuka and arrived at the family camp.As soonas theyoungPemaKalsangsawtheRinpoche,hewenttositonhislapveryjoyfully,asifhewas a good friend. He also recognised the knife strapped to KontulRinpoches belt, saying, Thatsmine! The knife had belonged to thesecondPemaBanza.ThenamesofRinpochesparents,hisplaceofbirthand other details were found to correspond with the prophesies of

JamyangKhyentse

Choki

Lodro,

the

sixth

Dzogchen

Rinpoche

and

other

genuine masters, and Pema Kalsang was identified as the thirdincarnationoftheGreatKhenpoPemaBanza.


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2

In that region the firstDzogchen Pema Banza, also known as PadmaVajraorPemaDorje,wasconsideredthemostlearnedmasterofhistime.HepresidedasheadKhenpoinShiraSingBuddhistUniversityformany

years,and

in

the

latter

part

of

his

life

lived

and

taught

in

Dzogchen

Pema

Tung. Hewas amazingly realised and in particular, invisions of thewisdom body of Allknowing Jigme Lingpa, attained indications ofrealising the ultimate lineage, thereby receiving transmission ofluminous secret Heart Essence. Khenchen Pema Banza had manyeminent students including Mipham Rinpoche, Jamyang KhyentseWangpo, the fourth Shechen Gyaltsab, Do Khyentse, the thirdDodrupchen,AdzomDrukpa,thefifthShechenRabjamandthetreasurerevealerLerabLingpa.ThesecondPemaBanzaDaychogDorje(born1898)

wasalso

avery

learned

Khenpo.

At

the

age

of

thirty

eight

he

took

over

as

tenth Throne Holder of Dzogchen Monastery for over seven yearsfollowingthefifthDzogchenRinpochespassing.

Pema Banza is in turn considered to be the emanation of ZurchenChoyingRangdrol(16041669),whowastheTantramaster,rootguruandDzogchenmastertononeotherthantheGreatFifthDalaiLama.Heisavery important and precious figure in Tibetan Buddhism, numberingmanyeminentmastersof the seventeenth centuryamonghis students.

TheGreat

Fifth

Dalai

Lama

wrote

abiography

of

Zurchen

Choying

Rangdrolwhichshowstheprofounddevotionhehadforhismaster:

Bythepowerofthesevirtuousactions,UntilIhavedirectlyrealisedtheexpressivityofrigpa,Samantabhadra,

Inalllives,mayyou,myguardianandspiritualmentor,Holdmeinseparablyinyourcare.

Atthe

age

of

seven,

Kyabje

Rinpoche

went

to

Jangma

monastery

to

study

reading,writingandarithmeticwithDzogchenKhenpoChogyur.Hewasanamazinglybrightchildandmasteredhissubjectsquicklywithoutanyeffort.Then,at theageof ten, togetherwithMuraTulkuPemaNorbu,his parents, and a group of more than twenty others, RinpochewasceremoniallybroughttoDzogchenMonastery.SeveralthousandLamas,monksand laypeoplerodeout for threedays toDzachuka towelcomehim. There were twenty or thirty incarnate Lamas in DzogchenMonastery at the time, but none of them received such a hugewelcoming

party

as

this.

Whilehewasgrowingup,KyabjeRinpoche lived and studiedwithhisroot guru Khenpo Gonre and the sixthDzogchen Rinpoche formany


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3

years in theLamaPalaceofDzogchenMonastery.During this timehereceivedwhatmusthavebeenthemostprofoundandcompletespiritualeducation possible, with highly realised masters as his teachers and

companions.From

Khenpo

Gonre,

Kyabje

Rinpoche

received

many

profound teachings including those of Longchenpa,Jigme Lingpa andPatrulRinpoche,togetherwithKhenpoGonresownwritings.

In addition, Dzogchen Rinpoche gave Kyabje Rinpoche many keyempowerments.Together they travelled to themonastery ofDzongsarKhyentseJamyangChokiLodrua totalof three times, for twoor threemonthsatatime,toreceiveempowermentsoftheoldandnewtraditions,Sutras,Tantrasandtreasuretexts.Inall,therewereveryfewteachings,

empowermentsand

transmissions

which

Kyabje

Rinpoche

did

not

receiveduringthecourseofhiseducation.

Attheageofthirteen,KyabjeRinpochetookthevowsofanovicemonkfromKhenpoGonreandlaterreceivedthevowsofafullyordainedmonkfromthemasterKhenpoWangdeRinpoche;hewasgiventheordinationname Tupten Longdok Tenbe Gyaltsen. In 1955, Kyabje Rinpoche,togetherwithKhenpoGonreandthesixthDzogchenRinpoche,travelledtoCentralTibetandTsangonextensivepilgrimageandmetmanygreat

Lamasincluding

His

Holiness

the

Fourteenth

Dalai

Lama.

Following

theirreturn,fromtheageoffourteentosixteen,KyabjeRinpochelivedinthe Long Life Retreat Centre above the Dzogchen valley with greatKhenpoPemaTsewang,who taughthimpersonally.Thiswas tobe thelastopportunityKyabjeRinpochehadtostudywithhismasters.

Intheautumnof1958,whenKyabjeRinpochewasseventeen,DzogchenRinpochetookhimtoGyalgiDrakkar,theretreatcentreofGreatKhenpoTuptenNyendrak.Withtearsinhiseyes,DzogchenRinpocherequestedthe

Khenpo

to

give

Kyabje

Rinpoche

seventeen

long

life

empowerments

corresponding in number to theyears of his age.DzogchenRinpochesaid to the Khenpo, Very soon the Buddhist traditionwill face greatobstaclesanddestruction.Atthattimedontworryaboutme,focusyourattentiononthisyoungone;andhepointedtoKyabjeRinpoche.Itwasonlyafewdayslaterthepoliticalsituationdeterioratedintoviolence.

During thewinter of the followingyear, Kyabje Rinpoche, Dzogchen

Rinpoche

and

Khenpo

Gonre

were

imprisoned

in

Dege

for

political

re

education.AtonestageDzogchenRinpocheandKhenpowereforcedtoreturn to Dzogchen to undergo sessions of criticism and confession.Whentheywereleaving,DzogchenRinpocheimploredSonamGyaltsen,the supervisorofhis residencewhowaswith them, to lookafterPema


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Kalsang Rinpoche especiallywell.Dzogchen Rinpoche promised PemaKalsang, Wellmeetagain in thenot toodistant future.At that time,Sonam Gyaltsen thought Dzogchen Rinpoche was instructing him to

lookafter

the

young

Rinpoche

for

afew

days

while

he

was

away;

only

laterdidhe realisewhathehadbeen toldwasprophetic.Thiswas thelasttime theysaweitherDzogchenRinpocheorKhenpoGonre.KyabjeRinpochehimselfrecallsabriefexchangewhichhappenedseveralyearsearlier:

Oneday,asweweresittingtogether,DzogchenRinpocheturnedandsaidtomequiteemphatically,Ihavenoheirbutyou.Doyouunderstand?Ididntknowitatthetime,butlaterIrealisedwhat

Rinpochesaid

to

me

that

day

was

prophetic.

Thenexttwentyyearsbroughtterriblesuffering,evenbeforetheturmoilof theCulturalRevolutionbegan.DzogchenMonastery and Shira SingBuddhistUniversitywere completely razed to the ground and KyabjeRinpochewasforcedtoliveinDzogchenvillage.

Fromthestartof1959totheendof1980,underextremeduressandwithnopersonalfreedom,KyabjeRinpochewasallottedtheheaviestmanual

labour,forced

into

all

kinds

of

physical

exertions

including

moving

earth

andstones,makingroads,andbuildinghousesfortheChinese.Notonlywas this work extremely exhausting physically, but the persecutionresulting from the sociopolitical struggle was mentally even moredebilitating.Duringtheworstyears,notonlywasheforcedtodoheavylabour during the day, but the eveningswere filled with thementaltormentofpoliticaleducationsessions.Everysooften,KyabjeRinpochewasarrestedandthreatenedwithimprisonment,orevendeath,ifhedidnot conform,and thiswould last for severalmonthsata time.Hewas

oftensingled

out

as

an

object

of

intimidation,

repression

and

struggle.

During the years of the Cultural Revolution, Kyabje Rinpoche wasaccused of various antirevolutionary crimes, and forced to live inconditionsworsethananyoneelse.Itwasonlymanyyearslaterthathewasgiventhelessdemandingworkoftailoring.

InthewordsofKyabjeRinpochehimself:

Moredevastating thanallof thiswas thecompletewasteof thecrucial

time

when

my

youthful

mental

faculties

were

developing

at

theirclearest.Myprogressinstudyinggeneralareasofknowledgeandscience,andinparticularthetraditionsofTibetanBuddhism,came to an abrupt end under the Chinese regime. The little


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5

knowledgeIhaveofDharmadoesnotextendbeyondthatwhichIhadwhenIwassixteenyearsold.IfIhadcompletedmyeducation,Ibelieve Iwouldcertainlybeable towritea fewdozenDharma

relatedbooks

and

leave

apositive

legacy

which

would

benefit

many future generations.However, the lives ofmy parents andfamilyweretakenwhenIwasyoung,andmyholytutors,spiritualcompanionsandmasterKhenposwereseparatedfrommebyforce,leavingmealivebutorphanedfromtheirwisdomandlove.

During this time,KyabjePemaKalsangRinpocheprayeddayandnightfor the revivalof thepreciousBuddhist teachings.He riskedhis life tostoresecretlyeventhesmallestpieceofscriptureorrepresentationofthe

Buddhawhich

came

into

his

possession.

He

did

not

waste

any

time

resting from the exhausting daily labour, but tirelessly practised theapproach and accomplishment of the yidam, and the practices ofgeneration,perfectionandGreatPerfection.InthiswayheembracedthebadconditionsintothepathofDharma,andfacilitatedenhancementofrealisation.InRinpochesownwords:

DespiteallthephysicalandmentalhardshipandsufferingthatIendured, I also realised many beneficial aspects of these

experiences,true

teachers

which

cannot

be

found

in

the

words

of

books.Theseincludedtruerenunciationofsamsara,realisationoftheimpermanenceandunreliabilityofworldlypursuits,thewaytofindinnerhappinessfromundefiledsamadhi,andnonseparationfromtheLamawhichresidesinthecentreoftheheart.

During theyears 1978and 1979, limited freedom to travelwasallowed,andKyabje Rinpoche took the opportunity to travel to almost all theimportantholy sitesof theCentralandTsang regionsofTibet.Hedid

thismostly

on

foot

and

managed

to

recover

many

extremely

important

texts and statueswhich had escaped destruction.These he saved, andoftencarryingthemonhisback,broughtthemtoDzogchen.Inthiswayhemanagedtopreservemanysacreditemswhichotherwisewouldhavebeenlostorsold.

ReturningtoDzogchen,KyabjeRinpochecleverlysawanopportunitytoreinstateoneofDzogchenMonasterysimportanttraditions.Atthattime,although religious practices were still strictly outlawed, the Chineseauthorities

had

deemed

the

Legend

of

King

Gesar

of

Ling

to

be

suitable

readingmaterial.KyabjeRinpochemanagedtopersuadetheChineseintoallowingperformancesof theKingGesarLamadance.The traditionofdancing the Legend of Gesar originated with the fifth Dzogchen


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Rinpoche,whosawthedanceinsacredvisions.Toreinstatethistradition,KyabjeRinpochepersonally crafted themaskswhichwere traditionallyused by Lama dancers inDzogchenMonastery, and alsomanaged to

gathertogether

basic

materials

for

costumes.

Followingthis,KyabjeRinpochegatheredresourcestobuildasmallmaniwheelhouse.Thiswasbarelypermissibleatthetime,buthemanagedtocomplete itsconstructionand itstill stands today,at theuppersideofthemonastery.Atthetimeonlyafewcollapsedearthwallsremainedofwhatused tobe thegloriousmonasteryofDzogchen.KyabjeRinpochewasfinallyabletomovebackintothemonasterywherehelivedinatent.Smallpujasandspiritualservicesbegantobeheldinmakeshiftbuildings,

andmonks

were

permitted

to

wear

robes

once

again.

In 1981,with the support of a good connection among the officials inchargeoftheregion,KyabjeRinpocheproposedtobuildastorehousefortheGesardancemaskshehadmade.Thiswasatacticalmovetobeginreconstruction of the ground floor of the Dzogchen Lama Palace.Hebasedthedesignontheoriginalbuildingandbeganconstructionontheoriginal site,managing to finish it the sameyear.Thiswas the crucialfirststepintherevivalofDzogchenMonastery.

Inthesameyear,KyabjePemaKalsangRinpoche,togetherwithZankarRinpoche, managed to get permission to establish the first TibetanLanguageCollegeofSichuanProvinceonthesiteofShiraSingBuddhistUniversity. Kyabje Rinpoche made great efforts, and travelled greatdistances to invite senior nonsectarian masters, chief holders of theDzogchenteachinglineage,togiveinstructiononTibetanlanguageandothercoresubjects.BecauseDzogchenishistoricallysuchan importantseat, these eminent Lamas andKhenposwerewilling to act as school

teachersin

the

new

Tibetan

Language

School.

At first the schoolwasmerely a few tents pitched on the site of theoriginal university.Only laterwas it possible for basic classrooms andaccommodation to be built. The school served as a lone outpost oflearningandculturetoeducateagenerationofTibetanswhootherwisewould have had no opportunity of receiving an education or evenstudyingtheirownlanguage.Atthattime,becomingamonkornunwasprohibited, so the school also served as a refuge foryoungmen andwomen,

where

they

were

able

to

dedicate

themselves

to

concentrated

study.Later,theTibetanLanguageSchoolwasmovedtoDau,andfinallyto Dartsedo, where it continues to provide comprehensive learning


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opportunities toyoungTibetans; opportunitieswhich areveryhard tofindelsewhereintheregion.

Afterthat,

with

the

slightly

improved

political

climate

and

the

support

of

oneregionalofficial,permissionwasgrantedtorebuildthemaintempleofDzogchenMonastery.However,atthetimemoneyandmaterialswerein scarce supply, soKyabjeRinpoche expended tremendous effort andwentthroughnumeroushardshipstogatherresources,travellingfarandwidetodistantcommunitiestogarnersupport.AfewotherTulkusalsolenttheirsupporttotheefforts,andaspoliticalrulegraduallyloosenedits harsh grip, others joined in the reconstruction efforts, includingpeoplefromthevillage.

In 1982, at the ageof thirtynine,KyabjeRinpoche setout to travel toIndia, but was tragically involved in a terrible car accident. He wasseriouslyinjuredandalmostdied.InKyabjeRinpochesownwords:

Imanaged to surviveall theobstacles that threatenedmy life. IwastheonlyoneleftofalltheLamasandmonkswhohadlivedintheLamaPalaceofDzogchen.ThatIwasabletocontinuetoworkfortheDharmaatatimeofextremedeclinewascertainlydueto

thepower

of

Dzogchen

Rinpoches

prayers,

and

the

blessings

of

KhenpoTuptenNyendraksseventeenlonglifeempowerments.

Kyabje Rinpoche was forced to spend a year in hospital where heunderwentmultiple operations to pin togetherbroken bones, some ofwhich had to be repositioned over and over again.Not disheartened,Kyabje Rinpoche recovered his strength, and relying on two walkingsticks, travelled to India and Nepal, working for the teachings andmakingpilgrimagetoallthemajorholysites.Duringthistimeheonce

againmet

with

His

Holiness

the

Dalai

Lama.

From

India

he

visited

Europe and the United States, where he gave teachings to manyfortunateWesterners.

Having returned to Tibet,Kyabje Rinpoche took responsibility for thecompletion of the Lama Palace, as well as the reconstruction of theGrandTempleofDzogchenMonastery.Despite thephysicalhardships,he once againjoined in themanual labour on the construction site.Poolingallhisresources,KyabjeRinpochebuiltagoldenreliquarystupato

enshrine

the

relics

of

the

sixth

Dzogchen

Rinpoche,

which

he

had

riskedhislifekeepingfortwentyfiveyears.Thestupaisnowenshrinedin the Temple of Great Perfection in Dzogchen Pema Tung RetreatCentre.


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8

FromaprophesyoftheGreatTreasureRevealerPemaNamdrolLingpa:

Onthesupremefearlesslionthrone

OfShira

Singha

Dharma

centre,

Padmasmindemanation,namedPema,WillilluminatelikethesunTheexcellentandenlightenedqualitiesOfalltheconquerorsteachings,AndthethousandpetallotusesOfmanyyoungPemaswillbloom.

This prophesywas fulfilledwhen reconstruction of the greatBuddhist

Universityof

Shira

Sing

began

in

the

fortunate

Dragon

year

of

1988.

Kyabje Rinpoche used the small amount of money he received incompensation fromhisroadaccident tostart thebuildingwork. In thepast, the university was a highly specialised establishmentaccommodatingonlyfiftyofthemostexceptionalandpromisingTulkusandmonks,togetherwiththemosteminentKhenposandLamas.KyabjeRinpochesawtheopportunity forexpansion,andconstructedbuildingsto accommodate fivehundredmonks, and a large templewhich couldhold one thousand.Again,KyabjeRinpocheworked personally on the

constructionwork

to

the

extent

that

the

soles

of

his

feet

split

open.

Whenthebuildingwascomplete,heinvitedmanyofthesurvivingseniorandmostlearnedmastersfromallschoolsofTibetanBuddhismtorevivethe teaching lineages, and so Shira Sing BuddhistUniversity attractedstudentsfromalltraditions.ThiswasaveryfragiletimefortheDharmainTibet,butKyabjeRinpochemanagedtobringupanewgenerationofmonks,TulkusandKhenposinthetrueDharma,educatingthemtothehighest possible standard. Kyabje Rinpoche spent the next ten years

livingin

Shira

Sing

focusing

on

educating

the

younger

generation,

so

therewouldbequalified teachers to spread theDharma in the future.Thebasisof theBuddhas teaching, theordination tradition, includingthe lineageofvows,wasalso revived from the foundationsupwardsbyKyabjeRinpoche.

In1998,KyabjeRinpochebegantheconstructionoftheDzogchenPemaTungGreatPerfectionRetreatCentre inthesecludedgrassymeadowofPema Tung, the site of his previous incarnation Pema Banzas retreatcentre.

In

2003,

the

stunning

Temple

of

Great

Perfection

was

completed,

anditbecametimeforKyabjeRinpochetoacceptthethroneofteaching.Despitehiseducationcomingtoanabruptendwhenhewasonlysixteen,everyonewas amazed at the lucid and realised teachings he began to


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9

impartonthemostprofoundandsubtletopicsof theGreatPerfection.Now,everysummer,largenumbersofTulkus,Khenpos,monksandnunscomefromalloverTibettoattendhisprofoundteachings.

AccordingtoaprophesybyApungTerton:

Intatteredtimes,aroundRudamsnowmountain,AcrystalboulderwillunfurlintheLotusGround.

KyabjeRinpocheconsiders thereference to thecrystal in thisprophesynottorefertoshiningbouldersoftemplesorbuildings,buttothecrystalused to indicate rigpaawareness in theGreatPerfection tradition.This

prophesy,therefore,

accurately

foretells

arevelation

of

the

Dzogchen

teachings in Dzogchen Pema Tung or Lotus Ground, after a seriousdecline.

KyabjeRinpocheisthemainholderofoneoftheclosestandmostpureDzogchenLongchenNyingthig lineages in theworld.Only five lineageholdersconnectAllknowingJigmeLingpawithKyabjeRinpoche,allofwhomwere truly eminentmasters.Theheart sonofJigmeLingpawasJigmeGyalweNyugu, rootguruofPatrulRinpoche,whobestowed the

LongchenNyingthig

lineage

to

the

fourth

Dzogchen

Rinpoche

Migyur

NamkharDorje.HethenpassedittoKhenpoOrgyenTenzinNorbu,whowas the uncle and guru of the incomparablemaster Khenpo Zhenga,Shenpen Choki Nunwa. He, in turn, was root guru to great KhenpoYontenGonpo,whowastherootmasterofKyabjeRinpoche.Thisisthecloselineagewhichbringstremendousrealisationandblessingstoalltheteachings,empowermentsandtransmissionsKyabjeRinpocheimparts.

KyabjeRinpochehasbeen invited to thegreatmonastic seatsofDorje

Drak,Mindroling,

Palri,

Jigme

Lingpas

seat

at

Tsering

Jong,

Samye

and

Drigang,aswellasover fiftyofDzogchensbranchmonasteries togiveteachingsandempowerments.Hehassent financialsupport,aswellasTulkus and Khenpos, to these and many other monasteries anduniversities all around Tibet.Kyabje Rinpochewas the firstmaster togivethevowsofordinationinSamyeMonasteryaftertheChinesetakeover,inthesametemplewherethefirstsevenTibetansbecamemonks.Hehas also establishedextensive community aidprogrammes throughhischaritableorganisation, theKalsangFoundation.Hehas recognisedover

fifty

Tulkus

of

the

younger

generation

and

is

the

root

guru

to

tens

of

thousandsofTibetans,ChineseandWesternstudents.


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10

Morerecently, inDzogchenPemaTung,KyabjeRinpochehasbeguntogive regular teachings to the lay community on the Preliminaries andPureRealmpractices.Traditionally, the lay communitywould support

themonasterys

activities

and

receive

occasional

empowerments

and

blessings,but this is the first time inDzogchen thatDharma teachingshavebeengiven to thewidercommunity.Toenable thecommunity toreceive these teachings, aswell as to accommodate largegatheringsofmonksandnuns, the temple inPemaTungwasextended in2009.Theresulthasbeen tremendouslypositive,withmany laypeoplebecomingactiveinstudyingandpractisingtheDharmaforthefirsttime.

Despite beingvery active in teaching,writing and travelling tomany

centresof

Dharma,

Kyabje

Rinpoche

spends

most

of

his

time

in

retreat,

risingearlyeveryday toengage in fullpractice sessionsofprostration,sadhanapractiseandmeditation.Despiteall the tremendoushardshipsand challenges he has faced throughout his life, Kyabje Rinpoche hasalways remainedhappyand content,withavastand spaciousoutlook.HeembodiesactivitiesofBuddhabody,speechandmind.Withhisbodyhehas rebuiltDzogchenMonastery from the foundationsup.WithhisspeechheteachestheenlightenedviewoftheGreatPerfection,andwithhismindheneverceasesinhiseffortstobenefitallsentientbeings.

Undoubtedly, Dzogchen Monastery, now full of life and Dharma, isalmost entirely the result of the intense and prolonged effort of onesinglemaster, Kyabje Rinpoche.Without his efforts,Dzogchenwouldprobablystillbeemptyandlifeless.HeisthevitalforceandembodimentofDzogchen themonastery,Dzogchen the teachingandDzogchen therealisation.

InRinpochesownwords:

From 1980 to the present day, I have been busy with manyactivitiesofDharma,revivingthecontinuumofpreviousteachingsand practice, and further developing them. For the sake of oneDharmajourney, Iwas involved ina car crashwhich resulted inthephysicalproblemsIcontinuetosufferfrom.However,withthejoyandhappinessthatcomesfromrevivingthelifeofthepreciousDharmateachingsandpracticewithmyownwarmblood,Imakeprayers of aspiration that all my journeys and activities maybenefit

the

mind.

For

as

long

as

Ilive,

by

uniting

and

training

with

theDharma,Ipraythismaynevercease.


17/32


KYABJEDZOGCHENPEMAKALSANGRINPOCHE


18/32

THEFIRSTYESTERDAYANDTHELASTTOMORROW

13

ONE


Tobegin,Iwouldliketoconsiderwhereallofuslivingonthissphericalplanetcamefrom,howweexist,andultimatelywhatwewillbecome.Butfirstly,inordertodothis,wemustaddressthequestionofthenatureoftime.Themomentinwhichwebegantothinkaboutthistopichasnowpassed,alongwithafewmoremomentsofourlives,soletustakealookbackwards

and

ask:

Where

have

these

moments

disappeared

to?

What we call time is a vast everflowing river, a great demon thatconsumeseverything.If Iwere totracebackthismorningtoyesterday,yesterdaytothedaybefore,andsoon,IwouldeventuallyreachthedayIfirstappearedinthisworld.ThedaybeforethatIwasnotyetborn,buttherewerecertainlymanyotherpeoplewhowere.Ifwegobackfurtheralong thisstreamofendlessyesterdays,wewilleventuallycome to thepointwhenthefirstlivingcreaturesappeared.Beforethesesinglecelledcreatures came into existence therewas onlyphysicalmatter.Physicalmatter, despite lacking consciousness, undergoes formation anddisintegrationinthesamewayasthelivingcreaturesoftheworldcomeintoexistenceanddie.Ifwetraceevenfurtherbackintimetobeforetheearth existed, we are able to infer that there were other planets inexistenceatthattime,butwhocansayhowmanyoftheseplanetstherewere? Themost advanced telescope cannot see even a fraction of theuniverse,socurrentlyitisimpossibletodetermineexactlyhowthestars

and

galaxies

came

to

be

formed.

The enlightened Buddha taught that the cycles of the universe areendless and have no beginning. It is also taught in the Buddhistscripturesthatinonesingleatomanunimaginablenumberofuniversesexist.Theseprofoundconceptsareimportanttoconsider,nomatterhowlimitedourworldviewmaybe.

Again, if we trace time forwards from tomorrow, we inevitably find

anothertomorrow.

Even

iftomorrow

is

my

time

to

die,

it

is

most

probablethattherewillbeotherhumansstillalivewhowillexperienceevenmoretomorrows.Throughsuchaprocessofanalysiswemayreach


19/32


14

the conclusionwhich theBuddha asserted, that the cyclic existenceofsamsaraisendless.

Wheredid

we

come

from?

We

all

came

from

our

parents.

Where

did

theycomefrom?Theycamefromtheirparents.Ifwetracebackwardsintimeinthiswaywewillcometothemomentwhenacreatureproducedtheveryfirstoffspring.Wheredidthiscreaturecomefrom?Itcouldhaveevolved from a similar species, it might have come from a differentplanet,orperhapsitcameintoexistencemiraculously.Thesearetheonlypossibleoptions.

Ifwe suggest the creature came from anotherplanet,we assume there

areliving

creatures

on

other

planets

in

the

universe.

We

cannot

see

these

planets and we do not know how many there may be. It may bestretchingour imagination,butwe cannotbe certain thatalienworldsandextraterrestrialcreaturesdonotexist.Evenifwetracetimebackinthis way to an ancestor from another planet, we are still unable todeterminethebeginningoftime.

Ifhumansandothertypesofcreaturearetheresultofevolution,orevencame into being throughmiraculous birth, all of themdepend on the

basisand

interaction

of

the

four

main

elements:

earth,

water,

fire

and

wind. However, a living creature does not come to life from amerearrangementoftheseelements.Regardlessofthetypeoflivingcreatureortheplacewheretheycomeintoexistence,eachoneis,toagreaterorlesserdegree,conscious.Thecontinuumofconsciousnessisdeterminedbypropensitiesandtheirresults,andthisisknownaskarma.

Two thousand five hundred years ago the Buddha taught thatmultitudinouskindsofuniversescomeintoexistencethroughtheaction

ofinterdependent

connection

and

karma.

These

two

concepts,

together

with theunimaginable truenatureofphenomena,which isbeyond thenormalcomprehensionofordinarybeings,mustbecomethemainfocusofourattention ifweare tounderstand thenatureofourexistence inthisworld.

There is a point, known in the scriptures of the Dzogchen GreatPerfectionasthegroundwheresamsaraandnirvanadivide.Itmarkstheverymomentwhen, through the creativepowerof interconnectedness,the

four

elements

and

karmic

winds

unite

together,

and

aconsciousness

becomes associated with a physical body possessing the five sensefaculties. It is through examining this crucial event that I believe the


20/32


15

investigationsofmaterialists, religiousbelieversand impartialscientificresearcherswillfindcommonground.

Thereare

three

periods

in

the

time

cycle

of

auniverse:

formation,

abidinganddestruction.Thiscycleofchange is theessentialnatureofeverymaterialobject.IntheBuddhistscripturestheperiodoftimewhenauniverseisformediscalledtheaeonofformation.Thetimeitabidesistheaeonofremaining,andfinally,whentheuniversedisintegrates,itisknown as the aeon of destruction. This is oneway inwhichwe canunderstandthechangesofourworldsystem.

Alternatively,byexaminingancientrocksandfossils,wecanlearnabout

thegradual

formation

of

our

universe

over

hundreds

of

thousands

of

years, and how it changes.However, ultimately it is certain that thisworldsystemwill reachapointofdisintegration.At that time it isnotcertain ifotherworldsystemswillalsodisintegrate.Thisplanetthatweliveonwillbedestroyedeventually,butotherplanetsmaynot.

According to Buddhist understanding, consciousness exists separatelyfromthe fourelements,and isabletochange itsphysicalbasis.Should

ourplanet

be

destroyed,

we

can

infer

that

consciousness

would

be

able

to

transfer toanotherplanetorworldsystem.For thisandother reasons,researchers should at least develop clear understanding of whatconsciousness is inessence, fromwhere itarises,andfinallyhow itcanchange.

According to the Buddhist scriptures, there are six or eight differentmodesof consciousness,butnoneof these isunderstood to transcendthe illusionswhich appear to themind as reality. Thismeans that in

everydaylife,

the

natural

clear

awareness

of

the

mind

is

shaken

up

by

karmicwinds,whichcauseallkindsofdiscursivethoughtsand feelingsto arise. If we are continuously driven by these karmic winds, weexperienceunstablefeelingsofpleasureandsufferingthroughoutrebirthafterrebirth.

However, if we engage in particular practices and conditions arefavourable, our experiences can change. The senses of themind canbecome separated from the disturbing winds. This will cut theircontinuum

and

the

mind

will

come

to

rest

in

its

natural

state.

In

Buddhismthisisunderstoodtobethespecialstatecalledattainmentofliberation or enlightenment. It is also known as separating from or


21/32


16

passingbeyondsuffering,Nirvana inSanskrit.This isnothingmoreorlessthanenteringastateofpermanentandfullysatisfyinghappiness.

Ifthis

is

so,

the

question

arises:

when

did

consciousness

first

appear?

Other than theaspectofconsciousnesswhichhasbeen confused fromtimewithoutbeginningby thepowerof ignorance, therearenonewlyappearing consciousnesses. If new consciousnesseswere to appear,wecoulddiscoverthebeginningofcyclicexistence.Thisisnottobefound,sointhesameway,abeginningofconsciousnessisundiscoverable.

Timeisthenamegiventothedivisionbetweenpastandfuture.Nooneis able to say, This is the start of time. For this reason, the esoteric

DzogchenGreat

Perfection

scriptures

epitomise

the

conclusion

of

all

Buddhistanalyticaltraditions:thetruestateisunderstoodtobetimeless,beyondthethreetimes,andknownasthefourthtimeofequality.

Duetoourignorance,ortheexternalinfluenceofunknowing,wetakeonall kinds of physical forms continuously, and experience bouts ofhappinessandsuffering. In thispresent lifewehave takenbirth in thisworldtoparentswithwhomwehavekarmicconnections.Ifwecontinuetocreatemorekarmicpropensities,wewillhavenochoicebuttofollow

theirresulting

influences,

just

as

adream

unfolds

uncontrollably

while

wesleep.

Billionsofpeoplewho currently live in thisworld are ceaselesslybusyeverydayandunable to relaxatnight.Theykeep themselvesoccupiedwithcountlesstasksrightupuntilthemomenttheydie.Wehavenevermetandwewillnevermeetanyonewhohasmanagedtoaccomplishallthetaskstheythinktheymustcompleteintheirlifetime.Weareallbornindifferentplaces,ourfatesaredifferent,thelevelofcomfortandstatus

weenjoy

varies,

but

we

all

spend

our

entire

lives

chasing

after

happiness

and comfort. Ultimately we all end up the same. We have to leaveeverything behind and depart emptyhanded.Both thevulnerable andexhausted beggarwandering around the outskirts of a town and thesilkenrobedking living inawonderfulpalace fullofjewelsareequallypowerlessinfrontoftheLordofDeath.

Modernpeoplearebecomingexpertinengineeringandscience,andwewitness daily advances in technological development. The force ofcompetition

ensures

this

will

continue

with

even

more

impressive

developments in the future. However,with the rapid proliferation ofexternalmaterialobjects,disturbancestoourinternalstateofmindalsoincrease. Positive tendencies are not encouraged, and the result is


22/32


17

imbalance.Onepersonspursuitofpleasureharmsothers.Thiskindofselfishmotivation results inmisery, both for us and others, and theseripplesextendoutintothewiderworld,influencingmattersbeyondour

comprehension.

Analysing the limitsofyesterdayand tomorrow,we see that timedoesnot stay still foronemomentbutpasses away continuously.An entireaeonandasinglemomentareidenticalwhentheyareover.Weconsiderlivingforahundredyearstobealonglife,butinanotherworldsystemitmaypasswithjust a clickof the fingers.Our lives consistof sleeping,waking, eating and sleeping again. We may occupy ourselves with

trivialities,like

children

at

play;

but

after

what

seems

like

no

time

at

all

it

isasifaswitchissuddenlyturnedoff.Betweenonebeatandthenextourheart stopsandwearepowerless togetup fromwhathasbecomeourdeathbed.

Like last nights dream, the time of childhood and youth flashes bywithoutus even noticing, in the sameway as the sun passes over thewesternmountains.Whenwesuddenlycomeupagainstthegreatdoorofdeath,weseethatallthethingswerushedaroundbusilyachievingare

useless.It

confirms

that

everything

we

do

in

life

is

like

the

dance

of

a

madman.Therefore I consider itvery important forus toexamineourcurrentsituationcarefully.

Atpresenttherearebillionsofpeoplelivingonthisplanet.Thepreviousgenerationsalsocontainedsimilarnumbersofpeople.Thetotalnumberofpeoplewhohaveset footonthisearth isbeyondcalculation.Likeusthey all ran around, frantically trying to achieve things in their lives.Ultimately they did not achieve anything permanent and at last even

theirnames

have

vanished

from

memory.

This

is

both

comical

and

depressing.Among these trillions of people therewere certainlymanyintelligentandfarsightedpeople,butnoneofthemfoundawaytoliveforever.Onlyafewofthemweretrulyunafraidofdeath,havingrealisedandinvestigatedthehappinessandsufferingthatfollowsit.Whatisthereasonsofewpeopleinvestigateandrealisethenatureoflifeanddeath?

Itisaterribleshamethatthroughoutallagesvariousfalsereligionsandcults have exploited countless people for political and financial gain.Through

instilling

ignorant

philosophies,

blind

faith

and

fear,

these

false

religionshaveruinedthelivesandmindsofmanygenerationsofpeople.However,toconsidertheimportanceofthefuture,intermsofrebirthforexample,assomereligiouscultsdo,ismuchbetterthanneveraddressing


23/32


18

suchconceptsatall.Inthisway,amistakenpathcanpromotetheurgeto find an authentic one, and through gaining experience of opposingpointsofview,thissituationhashelpedcreatealegacyofexperiencefor

futuregenerations.

If

people

of

the

past

and

present

were

as

concerned

withquestionsofdeathandwhatliesbeyondastheyarewithconcernsofthislife,thiswouldcertainlyresultinbenefittingeveryone.

Someexceptionalmasters,byspendingtheirentirelivesinmeditationonprofoundtruths,haveactuallytransmutedtheirphysicalbodiesintolight.However,itismyguessthatiftheyhadconcentratedtheirattentionandeffortonthemundanepursuitsofonelifetime,theywouldprobablyhaveachieved even greater scientific advances than the most pioneering

modernscientist.

But

these

Buddhist

masters,

using

the

opportunity

givenbywhattheyconsideredtobetheborrowedbodyofonelifetime,contemplateddeeplyandwithgreat insightonhow theirsufferingandthe suffering of others could be overcome, once and for all.Understandingtheimplicationsoffuturerebirths,thesemasterssoughtamethodtoenablethemtoabandontheafflictionsthatarethecauseof,andmain factors involved in,allourproblems.Theysoughttheanswerto the crucial question:how to put an end to suffering forever.Thesemastersestablishedanewpathforachievingthisgoalwhichisamillion

timesmore

useful

for

everyone

than,

for

example,

establishing

ahuman

colonyonMars.

Toillustratetheimportanceofafarsightedattitudewithregardstoourcurrentsituation,letuslookattheLegendoftheSupremeSteed:

Longago,beforehisenlightenment,BuddhaSakyamuniwasbornasthesonofa seamerchant.HewasnamedSingalaandwasveryhandsome

andstrong.

As

aboy

he

was

extremely

intelligent

and

he

studied

all

areas

oflearningandbecameverywise.Whenhegrewup,afterpleadingwithhis father,he finallyobtainedpermission to equip a ship and togetherwithfivehundredmen,setsailtofindwishfulfillingjewels.

Tonavigate the great ocean they knew theywouldhave to face gravedanger and risk their lives many times, but they were determined.Singala thought, Ifwedont encounter any obstacles,wellbe able tocrossthegreatoceanandfindwhatwedesire,butiftheboatsinkswellbe

eaten

by

sea

monsters.

If

were

driven

off

course

by

unfavourable

windswewont be able to return home andwell all lose our lives.Singalacaptainedtheship,withacrewoffivehundredothermerchants.


24/32


19

Having set sail, a powerful easterly wind drove the ship off coursetowardstheshoresofthesouthernCopperIslandwhere,unknowntothesailors, lived flesheatingdemonesses.On the islandwere two fortune

tellingbanners;

one

indicated

fortunate

events,

the

other

predicted

disasters.Asthemerchantshipsmashedagainsttheislandsrockycoast,thebannerindicatingfortunateeventsshook.Thisalertedtheattentionofthedemonesseswhoknewimmediatelythatashiphadbeenwrecked.

Thedemonessestransformedthemselves intobeautifulwomen,dressedup infineclothes,adornedthemselveswithgorgeousjewellery,andrandowntotheseashore.Whentheysawthemerchantsswimmingtowardsthe island, thedemonesses calledout to them. Handsomemen, come

here!they

cried.

We

have

the

best

food

and

clothes,

delightful

accommodationandvillas,pleasuregrounds,forests,parksandbathingpools.Wehavewishfulfillingjewels,gems,pearls,rightspirallingconchshells,andmanymoreriches.Taketheseforyourselves,wehavenomenfolkhere,becomeourhusbandsandlookafterus.Allthiswaspromisedtothemerchantsononecondition;theywereforbiddentoventuredownthepathwhichledtothesouthoftheisland.

Themen,seducedbythedemonesses,fellinlovewiththemandfathered

manychildren.

A

long

time

passed.

The

merchant

leader

Singala

began

tothinkoverwhathadhappenedandwonderedwhythewomenweresoprotective about the southern path.He decided hemust discover thesecret.Onenighthegentlylefthiswifesleepinginbed,strappedasharpswordunderhisarmandsetouttothesouth.

Afterwalking for some time,he began tohear the cries ofmanymenechoing out of the darkness. Listening carefully, he heard the lament:Were forever separated from our families, our children, and loving

friendsWell

never

return

to

the

wonderful

human

world

in

this

lifetimeTerrifiedbywhatheheard,Singalastopped inhis tracks.Atlast,overcominghisfear,hemadeforthedirectionwherethecrieswerecomingfromandswiftlyreachedahuge ironcitysurroundedbyahighwall.Thinkingtheremustbeafewwindowsinthewall,hesearchedtheperimeterbutcouldnoteven findaholebigenough forarat toenter.However,closetothenorthernedgewasaverytalltree.Singalaclimbedthetreeandwasabletolookdownintothecity.

Insidehe

saw

agroup

of

wretched

men

cowering

in

houses

made

of

metal.Callingouttothem,Singalaasked,Howdidyouendupinhere?Whyareyouweeping?Themenreplied,Weweremerchantsfromthehumanworld.Wewere sailing across this oceanwhen seamonsters


25/32


20

destroyedour ship.By clinging to spars andbrokenwoodwe survivedandswamtothisCopperIsland.Butwhenwearrivedweweredeceivedbyagroupofdemonesses.They transformed themselves intobeautiful

womenand

seduced

us

into

becoming

their

lovers

and

fathering

their

children.Notlongafterthis,moretraderswereshipwreckedandarrivedontheisland.Whenthedemonessesdiscoveredthatnewmerchantshadarrived, they revealed their true terrifying forms tous.Theydevouredmostofusimmediately,downtothelasthairandnail.Theyevenlickedupthedropsofbloodwhichhadfallenontheground.Thefewofustheydidnteatwerethrownintothismetalfortresstobeeatenlater.

Singalaaskedtheprisonersiftherewasanywaytoescape.Theyreplied,

Wehave

no

way

out.

However

we

try,

the

metal

walls

double

or

treble

in size sowe cant escape.But there is away out foryou.Gods oncepassedover in theskyandcalledout tous,Hey,childish traders fromthehumanworld!Onthefifteenthdayofthismonthatfullmoon,followthenorthernpath.There thekingofhorsesknown asPowerfulCloudlivesonwildSalurice.Heisfreeofillness,andhasgreatstrength.Whenheextendshisheadandasksthreetimesinahumanvoice, Whowantstotravelsafelyandeasilytotheworldacrosstheocean?approachhimandsay,Wewanttotravelacrosstheocean,takeussafelytothehuman

world.Then

he

will

carry

you

across

the

ocean.

Hearing this,Singalamemorised theexact instructionsof thegodsandreturned to his house, slipping into bedwithoutwaking the sleepingdemonwoman.Thenextdayhegotupearlyandsecretlyassembledtheothermerchants inasecludedpark.He told themexactlywhathehadseenandheardthepreviousnight.Everyoneagreedtogotothenorthonthefifteenthday,andSingalaforbadethetraderstospeakoftheplanorbringtheirchildrenorwives.

On the fullmoonnight themerchants followed thepath to thenorth,found the king of horses and begged him to take them back to thehumanworld.Thekingofhorsesspoketothem,saying,Donotbeeventheslightestbitattachedtoyourwomen,yourchildren,oryourhousesorriches,anddonotlookback.Ifyouareattachedyouwillfallfrommyback likearipe fruit fromatreeandthedemonesseswilleatyoualive.Those without attachment, simply hold onto my mane and you willescape easily. Saying this, the great horse stooped down and allowedthem

to

mount.

Some of themerchants clambered onto his back, some onto his hindquarters,andtheyallheldontohismane.Usingallhisstrength,theking


26/32


21

ofhorsesnamedPowerfulCloud soaredup into the sky.Belowon theisland,thebannerwhichpredicteddisastersuddenlyshookviolentlyandthe demonesses immediately knew that themerchantswere escaping.

Theyquickly

transformed

their

faces

to

seem

beautiful,

adorned

themselveswith the finestjewelleryand,carrying their children,calledout with heartwrenching cries, Handsome men! Have you noconsciences?Stayasour loversandprotectors,this isyourhome,theseareyour children, andwe areyourwives!Someof themerchants feltattachment towards their partners, children and possessions and soslippedfromthemightyhorsesback.Astheyfelltothegroundandranto theirwives, the demonesses revealed their true repulsive form anddevouredthemcompletely,evenlickingthelastdropsofbloodfromthe

ground.Singala

and

the

remaining

merchants

felt

no

attachment

and

returnedsafelybacktothehumanworld.

Likethemerchantsinthelegend,ifweareattachedtoouridentityandourpossessionswewillneverbefreefromcyclicexistence.Ifwedonotexperienceattachmentwewillbecome liberated forever.Soweneed tothink like this:We aremerely awandering consciousness from someunknown place.This consciousnesshas conjoinedwith the sperm and

ovumof

our

parents

to

produce

asolid

body

of

flesh

and

bone,

but

it

is

throughthisthatweexperienceallthesufferingofthislife,withouttheslightesttruehappiness.

Everything desirable in cyclic existence is certainly deceptive, nodifferentfromtheislandofdemonessesinthelegend.Attheendoflifethere isnotone livingcreaturethatdoesnothavetogoscreaming intothemouthof thedemonessof impermanence. Ifjustonepersoncouldmanage to refrain fromseizingontoessencelessdeceptivephenomena

andfind

amethod

to

escape

permanently

from

this

place

of

suffering,

cyclicexistence,heorshewouldbecomea leaderofmanypeople, likethe merchant chief Singala. Everyone would consider them wise,intelligentandmoreexaltedthanothers.

Weconsiderthelengthofourhumanlivestobeverylong.Thetimewespend running around attending tomundane concerns can bedividedinto past, present and future.However,we areunable to separate thepresent

moment

from

the

past

and

future.

Because

of

this,

the

past

and

futurecannotbedeterminedeither.Thereforeeverything thatdependson the continuity of time, which does not exist inherently, is either


27/32


22

grossly impermanent, obviously changing continuously, or subtlyimpermanent,butstillchangingmomentbymoment.

Ifthis

is

the

case,

then,

whether

we

consider

the

past

or

the

future,

even

the nature of greatmountains and the earth itself is changeable andunstable. Obviously our small and feeble human body is even moreunstable.Madeof fragile flesh,blood andbone it canbedestroyedbyjust small changes inheatand cold.Comparephotosofyourselfwhenyouwereachildtothosetakenwhenyouweregrownup,or inmiddleage,andnowperhaps,whenyouareoldanddecrepit.Lookingbackatpast events that happened yesterday or the day before it is hard tobelievethemonthsandyearsarenowgoneforever.

The changing appearance of our face and body can be compared to asoap opera on television. It is almost as if the suffering ofhuman lifeexperiencedbyonepersonfromchildhoodtooldageiscondensedintoasingleepisode,justanhourorahalfhourlong.ButthisisourownrealTVshow,alivingtragedyofhumanlife.Thewaytoendthescriptofthisbrief programme depends on you, the writer and director, and it isconnectedwiththefuturepathyoutakeinlife.

Thepath

in

front

of

us

has

many

turns.

From

the

crossroads

of

uncertain

paths,which directionwe choose should depend on our new eyes ofwisdom,otherwisewewillbeconfusedbylackofawareness.Ifwedonoteven have a plan for tomorrow,wewill be left to bejostled along byothers. Ifwe let thishappen and theunseeing groupwe followjumpsintoagreatocean,willwealsofollowthen?Thinkaboutthis.

We pass through the appearances of childhood,youth, adulthood andold age which are accompanied by the sufferings of birth, ageing,

sicknessand

death.

Eventually

we

will

come

to

the

end

of

our

human

life.

However,wepresentlyhaveenjoymentsandhappinessandweassumethatwewill live a long time, sowe strive to increase ourwealth andpossessions, copewithadverse circumstances,and lookafterour lovedones.Jobsthatneedourattentionkeeponappearing,oneafteranother,liketheripplesofastream.Ifthesetasksdonotceaseappearingthenwewillneverreachaneventualordefinitegoal.Therefore,ifwedonothaveaguaranteethatwearegoingtoliveforever,thewayweliveourlivesisnodifferentfromthatofthemostignorantanimal.Havingbeenroundedup

for

slaughter,

ayak

still

munches

grass

unaware

of

the

fact

that

its

life

isabouttoend.


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23

Inthetimesincethe formationoftheearthmanybillionsofyearsago,therehasnot livedone singlebeing thathasnotdied. Inonehundredyearstimeeveryoneonthisearthwillalmostcertainlybedead.Ifwehad

clairvoyanceor

foreknowledge

of

the

exact

day,

month,

year

and

cause

of

ourdeath,wewouldhavenoappetite for food today.However,wearelikestupidyaksinmanyways.Weknowthatonedaywewilldie,butwedonotknowwhenorhow,sowelazearoundcarefree,cheatingourselves,asifwecouldsitaroundlikethisforever.Isthisnotincrediblydangerous?

Now, I am going topush thenibofmypen to record thememoryofeventsinmyownlife:

Into the arms ofmy parentswere born five treasured spirits, like fivefeathersblowntogetherbythewindsofkarma.Theseweremyelderandyoungerbrotherandsisters.Duringtheperiodwhenweweretogether,our familysituationwaswealthyandharmonious.We lived innomadicpastureslikegardens,wherewilddeer,donkeysandotherforestanimalswanderedpeacefully.Weate freshandnutritious food,woreclothesofsoftwhite lamb fleeces, and spent our time playing and enjoying life.WhenIthinkaboutitnow,thislifewasaswonderfulasthatofthegods.

Butthis

vision

of

ahappy

and

pleasurable

human

life

disappeared

like

mountaintopmist, a summer rainbow,or thedreamof lastnight;justanotherexampleofimpermanence.

Myyoungerbrotherwasakindheartedandintelligentyoungmonkwitha tanned face and rosy cheeks; everyone likedhim. InAugustof 1959,whenhewasjustthirteenyearsold,hewasforcedtofleehishomeandleavehisplaygroundbehind.Surroundedby thebodiesof the relativeswhohadbroughthimup,his father,uncles and aunts, and thegentle

horsewho

was

his

constant

companion,

his

maroon

robes

were

torn

to

pieces. Among bombs that struck like lightning, just as a flower isdestroyedbyhailstones,ahailofbulletsthatknewnocompassionstolehischerishedlife,andhiswarmbloodfellontocoldground.

Myyoungersisterwasalsothirteenwhenwewereseparatedforever.Shehada lightcomplexionwith rosycheeks,and teeth like rowsofpearls.Likeallgirlsofthenomadicmeadows,shewasalwayskindandhappy,dressedinhersoftlambswoolclothesandhat.Sometimesshewouldgoout

with

athousand

or

more

of

our

familys

sheep

to

the

high

park

like

meadowsofthemountains.Thereshewouldenjoypickingflowerswithpetalswhichlookedlikeredsilktassels,andplayingwiththelittlelambs.Afterher elder brother and entire familyhad gone togetherdown the


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24

pathofimpermanence,shedidnotwanderverylonginthebarrenplainofsuffering.Inthedarknessofnightthehowlsofawolfmergedwiththewailingnortherlywindacrossthewilderness,anda lonegirl,radiant in

theprime

of

youth,

suddenly

fell.

Myyoungest sister, lovely, and completewith all the beauty ofyouth,was orphaned at six.After being leftwithout friend or protector shesuffered great misery and yearning, with no chance of enjoying anyfeelings of happiness and pleasure in thisworld. Not long after, thefragile spiritof this littleone also travelled,once again,down a futurepath.

Insummer,

young

lotus

blooms

in

aflower

garden

are

beautiful

in

every

wayandemanatenaturalfragrance.Thesmoothsurfacesoffreshpetalsare more beautiful than any painted by an artists brush. Some arebeginning to blossom, some are fully developed, some buds are justforming.All of them have grown from the same root, their gorgeouspetalsandleavesattractivetoeveryone.Butsuddenlyblackstormcloudscover the sky.Lightning, thunder andhail stones crashdown, and thedelicateflowersaredestroyedtotheroot.

Mytear

drops

of

terrible

sadness

rain

on

fierce

flames

of

yearning.

Feelingsofunbearablepainwellup inmyheart.Urgedby the forceofsadnessandyearning,Iusemytearsasinktodrawthefollowingpicture:

Alas!Sunabove!Canyouseeuponthegroundyourbeamsembracevaguereflectionsofmysistersandbrother?Pleasesendoutwarmraysofkindlighttocareforeachofthem.

Fullwhiteconchmoon!Inyourorbithaveyouseenthreewandering,unsupportedspirits?Pleaseilluminatetheirlonelypathwithyourbrilliantlight.

Vastearth!Maythefreshbloodofmycherished,precioussiblingsdissolve

into

your

soil

and

revive

you.

Maytheessenceoftheirradiantfleshmergeintoyourgreatexpanse.


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25

Keepthemforeversafeinyourlovingkindness.

SometimesIvisit

their

mournful

graves,

cold,encircledbywanderingspirits.Butthehighcraggycliffs,piercingthethinairandwrappedinhailandthunder,arestillvengeful.

Alas!LordofDeath!Willyounotgrant

threeinnocent

wandering

spirits

freedomtogoastheyplease?

Ah!ThreeJewelsofthesky!Willyouleadmysiblingswithpureaspirationstoapuredivineland?

Smallwhiteeasterlycloud!

Didyou

welcome

my

siblings

witharainofflowersandrainbowlightscatteredfromwithinyourheart?

Threebeautifulspirits,mybelovedsiblings,listen!Wehadonlyashortopportunity tomeet in this lifebut,with indestructibleconfidenceandunyielding armour, may we find a way to protect other timid andfrightenedchildren likeus.Bygeneratingtrueconfidenceandstrength,maywe come to protect all sentient beings, ourmothers in countless

lives,threatened

by

the

three

sufferings

of

the

boundless

ocean

of

samsara.Thisismytrueheartfeltaspiration,mayitalsobeyours!

Itmightbebetter if,whenwedie,therewasnothing lefttoexperienceany pleasure or suffering; if we were to disappear naturally andcompletely, like an extinguished butter lamp, or awolfs paw print inmelted snow. However, there is no reliable logical argument orauthoritativeassurancethatthiswillbethecase.So,ifwearenotcarefulfrom

this

point

on,

there

is

adanger

that

we

will

make

the

mistake

of

incorrectlyfocussingourenergyandeffortforever.


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26

Somepeopledonotbelieveintherelationshipofkarmiccauseandeffect.Theydecide that therewillbeno future lives.Having comeunder theinfluenceofignorance,theythinkthatjustbecausetheycannotperceive

futurelives,

therefore

they

do

not

exist.

This

illogical

view

cannot

be

defendedindefinitely.Somepeople,solongastheyarealiveandwell,arehappy tobelieve in thenonexistenceof future lives,butat the timeoftheirdeaththeysuddenlybecomeafraidandcryout,Helpme!Othersintheiryouthareluckyintheirendeavoursandproudlybelievethereisno one better than themselves in the wholeworld. Only when theyencounternegativecircumstanceswhichforcethemtolowertheirheads,dotheybegintoconsiderkarmiccauseandeffect.Theseshort sightedattitudesarefoolish.

To wise up to our human predicament we should first gain anunderstanding of some essential points. For example, we shouldunderstandthebasisofpastandfuturelives,andkarmiccauseandeffect.Weneedtounderstandwherewecame from,wherewearegoing,andhowlongwewillremainhere.Oncewehaveachievedthis,andwhenwehave settled ourminds by assimilating these ideas,we should live acomfortable,happy life.Butweshouldnotsitaroundblindlyacceptingwhateverhappens tous andoccupyourselveswithminordistractions.

Thisis

dangerous,

just

like

the

way

apig

lives;

apig

bends

its

head

down

tothegroundsearchingforfoodwithitstoughsnout.Itneverlooksupatthesky.Apigseestheskyonlyoncein itslifetime,andthat iswhenthebutcher,gettingreadytostabaknifeintoitsheart,turnsthepigoverontoitsback.Bythattimeitistoolate.

To startwith,we have become deluded, and thereforewewander incyclicexistence,therootofwhichisignorance.Inthislifeweconstantlycome under the influence of emotional afflictions and accumulate all

kindsof

negative

karmic

propensities.

We

live

our

brief

lives

in

astate

of

tension and anxiety. Finally, we go helplessly down the path ofimpermanence and death.At this timewe experience the undesirableresultsofthenegativekarmicpropensitieswhichwehaveaccumulated,andoncemorewemustwanderendlesslyincyclicexistence.Thisissuchashame!Howchillingtotheheart!

Infact,rightnowwehavearareopportunitytodiscovertruehappiness.Weshouldnotwastethetimethatwehaveinthislife;weshouldmakeour

lives

meaningful.

Having

found

away

to

accomplish

the

goal

of

ultimatehappiness,weshouldcertainlydosowithoutdelay.


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InBuddhistunderstanding,togainahumanbody,completewithallthefreedomsandadvantages, isveryrare.Whilewehavethisshorthumanlife,we shouldnotendupdyingemptyhanded,havingwastedall this

freedomand

opportunity.

We

can

make

our

lives

meaningful.

We

should

findtheunmistakenpathwhichresultsinhappinessandfulfilment,notjust for now but also for our entire future. We should engagedeterminedly in thegreatpractices that result ineverlastinghappinessandachieveourtruepotentialwithoutdelay!

Documents

Illusion First Chapter Sample