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Nying gTam Sum Cu THE THIRTY TOPICS OF HEARTFELT ADVICE by Kunkhyen Longchen Rabjampa

From the great cloud of the wisdom aspiration of the all-pervading Dharmata falls the excellent rain of deathless nectar warmed by the sun's rays of compassion, ripening the sprouts of the Three Kayas in the field of those to be tamed. I bow at the feet of the protector Lama, perfection of the Three Refuges!

Though by the power of this aspiration, I follow after this Holy Accomplishment Lineage, if I'm not diligent, my past meaningless actions will defile and consume this life. Speaking truthfully, I am saddened by this, and seeing that others are also the same, I speak these thirty topics of heartfelt advice to generate renunciation in my own mind.

Alas! Although by various methods I gather a great retinue and hold a monastic estate with everything necessary, they are the basis of quarrels, and cause clinging to egocentric mind. To stay alone is my heartfelt advice!

Even though a village Lama feeds demons, overpowers ghosts and so on, and with these qualities, can make a good living in town, by attachment to food and wealth, his mind is carried away by demons. To tame one's own mind is my heartfelt advice!

If one raises great supports [for Dharma], makes continuous offerings, and so on, but funded by collecting heavy taxes from the poor and destitute, a virtuous intention becomes the cause of creating harm for others. To make one's own mind virtuous is my heartfelt advice!

Teaching the Dharma to others to make oneself great, and maintaining a retinue of good and bad students through extraordinary means are the cause of generating an arrogant mind that clings to things as real. To strictly control one's own mind is my heartfelt advice!

Although by profiteering, usury, dishonest means, and other bad deeds one accumulates vast amounts of food and wealth, this craving mind turns virtue into the Eight Worldly Dharmas. To meditate on renunciation is my heartfelt advice!

Although with lawsuits and witnesses before the king, one may think that reconciling disputes is beneficial to beings, what comes from this is the cause of hatred and attachment. To have no hope and fear is my heartfelt advice!

Having subjects, enjoyments, retinue, merits, and filling the world with my own fame and renown, at the time of my own death, will bring not a single benefit. To be diligent in accomplishment is my heartfelt advice!

Although supervising attendants, managers, kitchen staff, monastery and so on seems of central importance, this dualistic mind only causes worry and anxiety. To throw aside busyness is my heartfelt advice!

Although one skillfully gathers statues, offerings, texts and so on, and taking whatever is necessary, journeys to a mountain retreat, busily accumulating temporary things is the cause of suffering and disputes. To rely on freedom from wants is my heartfelt advice!

In these degenerate times, although one scolds or reprimands all these short-tempered, wild students with a beneficial motivation, this only causes more crazy emotions. To speak peacefully is my heartfelt advice!

If with a beneficial motivation, one gives advice without any self interest, and lovingly points out someone's faults and defects, although this is honest, it causes a foul rotten tumor to grow. To speak pleasantly is my heartfelt advice!

Protecting one's own side is the cause of degrading the other's side. Although one may think that debate and discussion is a way to clean the Dharma, this just causes afflictive emotions. To cut off all speech is my heartfelt advice!

Although one may think that sectarian attachment to Lama, lineage, or philosophical system is a sign of respect, praising oneself and degrading others causes attachment and hatred. To drop everything is my heartfelt advice!

By distinguishing and analyzing Dharma teachings one has heard, one may think that discerning others' faults is wisdom; this only accumulates harm for oneself. To train in pure appearance is my heartfelt advice!

If through blank, empty talk one ignores cause and effect, one may think that effortlessness is the final goal of Dharma, and abandoning the Two Accumulations, one's fortunate practice is cut. To meditate on non-duality [of merit and wisdom] is my heartfelt advice!

The descent of bindu for the purpose of the Third Empowerment, and so on may lead one to think that that the path of another's body is enhancement, but most "great meditators" are betrayed by the exhaustible path. To train in the path of liberation is my heartfelt advice!

Giving empowerments to inappropriate students, distributing samaya substances to the public, and so on are the basis of abuse and the cause of breaking samaya. To abide in purity is my heartfelt advice!

Though one may think that running naked in public, crude behavior, and so on are the actions of an ascetic yogi, these actions are the cause of the loss of faith by worldly people. To rely on conscientiousness is my heartfelt advice!

If in order to make oneself supreme in one's own neighborhood, one accomplishes virtue and becomes pure and learned, this is the cause of falling from the highest peak to the lower realms. To be constant and unchanging is my heartfelt advice!

In towns, monasteries, mountain retreats and so on, wherever one stays, don't seek particular friends. Whoever one is with is neither friend nor enemy. To hold oneself steady is my heartfelt advice!

Joining with faithful men and women for the sake of sustenance and accepting their service, while pretending to be virtuous, is hypocritical. Trying to control other's minds causes one's own bondage. To act in accord with Equal Taste is my heartfelt advice!

Though one studies all the limitless writings on technology, astrology, medicine and so on to gain omniscience by understanding the dependent connections of all phenomena, much elaborate variety breaks one's meditation. To drop all worldly knowledge is my heartfelt advice!

Staying inside, I think of renovating my house. Staying in a solitary retreat, I dream of every worldly luxury. For a small benefit, I waste my human life. To cast aside activity is my heartfelt advice!

Exerting myself in accomplishing wisdom, purity and so on, even if I perfect only one aspect of good quality, by clinging to that, I cause my own bondage. To let go of all reference or bias is my heartfelt advice!

One may think that causing and preventing hail and lightning, is the enlightened activity of taming those hard to tame, however, burning the minds of other beings [local deities] causes you to go to the lower realms. To keep a low profile is my heartfelt advice!

Although there are many reasons to gather profound books, root texts, advice, commentaries and so on, if one doesn't practice, there is no benefit at the time of death. To look at the mind is my heartfelt advice!

Comparing experiences while one practices, writing commentaries, singing songs of inner experience and so on, though these arise from awareness, they cause more discursive thoughts. To maintain pure awareness is my heartfelt advice!

When thoughts arise, look at their naked essence. When certainty arises, abide in that state. Leave your meditation in non-meditation. To guard the state of non-distraction is my heartfelt advice!

In the view of emptiness, act in accord with cause and effect. Realizing the state of non-action, guard the Three Vows. With non-referential compassion, work for the benefit of beings. To keep the Two Accumulations inseparable is my heartfelt advice!

Relying on many learned and accomplished Lamas, I have heard many profound instructions. Studying many profound sutras and tantras, I have looked at my mind a little bit. Understanding but not practicing; Alas! I have fooled myself. I have spoken these thirty topics of heart advice for myself and for those like me.

By composing this text with a feeling of renunciation, may all beings be liberated from the state of confused existence and be established in the great bliss [of liberation]. Following after the Buddhas of the three times and their disciples, the great Bodhisattvas, may I become like their only child.

These Thirty Topics of Heartfelt Advice were composed with an inadequate amount of renunciation by Tsultrim Lodro [Kunkhyen Longchen Rabjampa].

Translated by Tulku Gesang Dorje and Eric Forgeng, March 4, 2006.