The Edification-God Nectar

By Dharma King Jigme Phuntsok

1) My sole protector, the deity of rainbow body vajra (Mipham Rinpoche)! You are the Buddha’s child who has obtained the freedom of the ten powers. Only by remembering you, can the root of the three existences be severed. Please bless our heart to turn onto the path of enlightenment and never to decline!

2) Close bosom friends! Please take a moment to listen to me: it brings no benefit to you if I just say lots of good words without a real meaning, so I am going to share with you the words of the essence of profound teachings from my heart, and hope that you can treasure them in your memory.

3) Relying on a good teacher is the foundation of making progress on the path; listening and reflecting the genuine Dharma is the helper for enhancing good qualities; the immaculate perception is the treasure for thousands of benefits and bliss; practicing meditation is the mother Buddha generating the four noble ones.

4) These four points are indispensable in the practice of enlightenment. When these four are present, it is enough. Therefore, every close bosom friend, do not forget it for even a moment; whether moving, staying, sitting or lying; but treasure them in your memory!

5) Then, how to rely on a qualified teacher? One should cherish the teacher more precious than one’s own heart and eyes, completely follow teachers’ instructions, continuously praise the teacher with words, serve the teacher in reverence with body, offer everything the teacher needs without a bit of miserliness.

6) During the day, visualize the guru, who is everyone of the refuge field in one, on the crown of your head; at night, visualize the guru in your heart, generating faith and pray for the four empowerments with reverence; finally, abide in the view of the inseparable oneness of your heart and the wisdom of the guru.

7) Among what should be learned and reflected, although the scriptures and knowledge, whether in sutrayana or tantrayana, are as vast as oceans, if you can learn any one of them, the darkness in your heart can be dispelled, the benefits of present and future lives can be achieved, and the two kinds of vast accumulations can be perfected.

8) Especially when practicing the pith instruction, one should never stay on the level of just listening or understanding superficially. Be assured of no doubt in the instructions, even when one practices alone. This kind of practice should never be given up!

9) Without the adornment of pure precepts, there is no beauty, even if one belongs to a noble family and is good-looking and very knowledgeable, and it is useless even if one has the virtuous accumulation of merit, such as practicing generosity. In the end, one would stagger into the lower realms.

10) With precepts, even if lacking other good qualities, one will be commended by and receive flowers from all sentient beings, including beings in god realms. Even if one does not pursue wealth, wealth will come naturally. Finally, it is ensured that this person will reach bliss and happiness from bliss and happiness, entering the path of liberation.

11) Just as without drinking water, thirst could not be quenched, without practicing, liberation could not be obtained through genuine Dharma. Therefore, we should practice the four thoughts turning the mind into the path: the precious human existence, the impermanence of life, the suffering of cyclic existence and the inerrant karmic cause and effect, taking refuge, generating bodhichitta, generation and perfection phrases and the supreme path of the Great Perfection.

12) What is the correct order of the above mentioned supreme path? One should refer to Omniscient Longchepa’s Finding Comfort and Ease in the Nature of Mind, which is the nectar of wonderful instruction and a compendium of the quintessence of the nine vehicles. Practice in its order and absorb it into one’s mind stream.

13) By the merit of teaching this article, may all sentient beings be free from the defects of the two obscurations and obtain the unsurpassable Buddhahood. May you and I be in the care of Mipham Rinpoche in all future lives. This teaching was composed by Ngawang Lodro Tsungmed (The Dharma King Wish-fulfilling Jewel) at Tselo’s request. May auspiciousness be enhanced!

The translation was perfected at Mountain Wutai on Jul 30, 2012