The Practice of the Essence of the Sublime Heart Jewel, View, Meditation and Action - The Propitious Speech from the Beginning, Middle and End

42 Pages·1.092 MB·English

by  Paltrul Rinpoche

The Practice of
the Essence of the Sublime Heart Jewel,
View, Meditation and Action
The Propitious Speech
from the Beginning, Middle and End
by
Patrul Rinpoche
translated by
Thinley Norbu

Introduction
Patrul Rinpoche was an emanation of Shantideva, who is
inseparable from Avalokiteshvara (Tib. Chenrezig). From
among the many commentaries and precious teachings which
he wrote, I thought it the most beneficial to ·translate
«Propitious Speech from the Beginning, Middle and En.d»,
which explains how to practise with the six syllables: OM MANI
PADME HUM. I translated this text with my friends in order to
benefit many beings, including Ernie McCormick and Pip
Nicholls who asked me for a teaching on the best way.
When a text written by a sublime person is translated by
an ordinary person like myself, translation becomes more
dangerous than original composition because many precious
points of view can be lost. The translator is like the weak
trekker who cannot climb to the top of Mt Everest and must
explain about it through maps, pictures and the view from the
base camp. The superior trekker who reaches the top of Mt
Everest can see all the different levels within space, as
Vairocana did. The author just shows his own lungs, kidneys,
liver, heart, veins, gall bladder and spleen. It does not matter
whether his writing is beautiful or disgusting. There is no one
interpolating.
There are two different styles of translation. One is from
word to word and the other is from word to meaning. It is best
to do both without losing words, syntax, order, grammar and
especially meaning. Yet because of different styles sometimes
it is impossible to translate literally, so one must try to
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predominantly translate the meaning. As much as possible,
and in my own style, I have tried not to lose the meaning. If
others can translate this text in a different style through their
own understanding mind, then it would also be beneficial and
kind.
According to this teaching, these six syllables are the
essence of all syllables. The definitions and benefits of this
mantra are innumerable. Briefly, with a view to gain liberation
from the six realms, the explanation is:
OM doses the door to the suffering of being reborn in
the gods' realm. The suffering of the gods is the foreseeing of
one's fall from the gods' realm when one dies. This suffering
comes from pride.
MA closes the door to the suffering of being reborn in
the warring gods' or Asuras' realm. The suffering of these anti·
gods is constant fighting. This suffering comes from jealousy.
Nl doses the door to the suffering of being reborn in the
human realm. The suffering of humans is birth, sickness, old
age and death. This suffering comes from desire.
PAD (pronounced PE) doses the door to the suffering of
being reborn in the animal realm. The suffering of animals is
stupidity, preying upon one another, being killed for meat and
skins, and being beasts of burden. This suffering comes from
ignorance.
ME doses the door to the suffering of being reborn in
the hungry ghosts' realm. The suffering of hungry ghosts is
hunger and thirst. This suffering comes from greed.
HUM (pronounced HUNG) closes the door to the
suffering of being reborn in the hell realms. The suffering of the
hells is heat and cold. This suffering comes from anger and
hatred.
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This text was translated at the place where the fourth
Buddha's lotus feet blessed the land; where the bodhisattvas
Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara and Vajrapani were wisdom
messengers of all the Buddhas' wisdom body, speech and
mind; where they raised and blessed many stupas and golden
tiled temples with their sunshine wisdom; where they prayed
for all sentient beings to accumulate merit and benefit from
these holy sites; where one can pray to reach stainless
compassion, the same as Chenrezig.
OM MANI PADME HUM
Thinley Norbu
Boudhanath, Nepal
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Namo Lokishwaraya I
Even if just one nectar drop of your name falls on our ears,
it fills them with the sound of Dharma for many lives.
Wondrous Triple Gem, reknowned for your glory,
may you always give the auspicious.
I, illusory Dharma image, am like the mango fruit of Autumn,
the outside seemingly ripened even though the inside is not.
My mind and Dharma are not integrated.
Therefore my expression of Dharma is not complete.
Nevertheless, at your reverent request,
without refusing, honestly I will speak.
Without compromise to the vulgar beings of the Kali Yuga,
I will speak and you should understand.
The Lord of Lords, most reknowned sage,
by the path of honesty attained the state of honesty,
and to honest beings showed the honest noble path.
Therefore he is called the greatest honest sage, isn't he ?
Alas I In this degenerate age, the temperament of beings,
their center of noble honesty, is diminished by the use of deceit.
Therefore they have crooked minds and crooked speech.
How can we trust those who lure others' minds?
Alas I Mind is confused by beholding the beings of this
degenerate age.
Alas I Who can trust anyone's speech ?
While remaining in this land of violent rakshas, be charitable
to yourself.
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