Back to Lines of Experience contents(Having achieved in your meditation a union of mental quiescence and
penetrative insight,) you should focus your single-minded concentration
on the Sunyata that is like space (45)
(during your meditation sessions.) During your post-meditational periods
you should focus on the Sunyata that is like conjured illusion (46).
By meditating on both these levels in turn, you will in this way unite
the practice of skilful and effective means with the wisdom of understanding
Sunyata. Thus you will achieve complete perfection in the conduct of the
Bodhisattvas, (attaining the Full Enlightenment of Buddhahood) -- an accomplishment
that is greatly praised. Having fully comprehended (the importance and
necessity of following such a path uniting skilful and effective means
with wisdom,) and not being satisfied with paths leading in directions
other than this, you should (make all efforts to follow this course and
thus) emulate the way of those fortunate enough (to have attained Buddhahood.)
I, who actually have traveled a true path that leads to Enlightenment,
have had the experience of doing just that. If you would also seek Liberation,
please cultivate yourself in the same way.
The Great Vehicle, Mahayana, proceeds via the two high paths (of the
Perfection Vehicle, Sutrayana (47),
and the Diamond-hard Vehicle, Tantrayana (48).
Success in riding the Perfection Vehicle) enables (you to board the Diamond-hard
Vehicle. Success in riding the Diamond-hard Vehicle is) the result (of
having mastered the Perfection Vehicle. Renunciation, Bodhicitta, and a
true understanding of Sunyata as the threefold theme of Buddha's teachings,
are required stages on that part of the path through which both Mahayana
Vehicles) in common must travel. (As you have already studied this threefold
theme in the course of perfecting the conduct of the Bodhisattvas,) you
should now properly develop (the insights of these three even further)
by boarding (the Diamond-hard Vehicle and crossing) the great ocean of
the four classes of tantra. This you should do by depending on a skilful
navigator as protector, (namely a fully qualified Tantric Master. In short,)
you should take the opportunity to make this attainment of a fully endowed
human body purposeful by fully relying on the complete oral tradition explanations
of a Tantric Master (from the beginning of the path, Guru-devotion, until
your full attainment of Buddhahood.)
I, who actually have traveled a true path that leads to Enlightenment,
have had the experience of doing just that. If you would also seek Liberation,
please cultivate yourself in the same way.
By the virtues of my explanation in easily understandable words of the
complete path pleasing to all the Buddhas -- which I have written both
for the sake of habituating my own thinking to these teachings, as well
as for the sake of benefiting others fortunate to meet with a true Guru
and to be able to practice the pure Dharma -- I pray that all sentient
beings may never be separated from this pure path combining the threefold
theme of Buddha's teachings.
I, who actually have traveled a true path that leads to Enlightenment, have offered prayers for just that. If you would also seek Liberation, please offer prayers in the same way.
This concludes "Lines of Experience: The Main Aspects of the Practice
of the Stages on the Graded Path to Enlightenment," compiled in brief so
that they may not be forgotten. It has been written at dGe-ldan rNam-par
rgyal-bahi Monastery on hBrog Ri-bo-che Mountain, Tibet, by the Buddhist
monk, Blo-bzang grags-pa, rJe Rinpoche Tzong-kha-pa, a meditator who has
heard many teachings.