DRAFT 28 Nov 2012

A Teaching of Jigten Sumgn [known as] The Forty [Statements]

Clarified by Chn-nga She-rab Jung-ne Organized and written down by Chn-nga Dor-je She-rab Taught by Khenchen Knchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche Explained by Acharya Kinley Gyaltsen Translated by Terence Barrett

I pay homage to the peerless Dri-gung Rin-chen The omniscient Dharma Lord Who perceives all things as unmixed objects of knowledge In the mandala of stainless, luminous, enlightened mind.

All Guides of the ten directions and the three times, exalted due to a full array of qualities, are the Timeless Teacher. Throughout the Dharma sphere, all these Conquerors continually proclaim the sounds of accumulated qualities; the renown of their enlightened forms, with the [seven] qualities of greatness, pervade throughout the physical universe; each have a realm of miraculous display, at the limit of objects of knowledge, that is like nothing else throughout all of space; and they will always abide, throughout the ten directions and until the end of time. And thus it was that the Lama of all samsara and nirvana, the Ruler of all phenomena, the Lord of precious moral conduct in the training of what is to be practiced and what is not, the great wheel-wielding King, the unequalled
1

DRAFT 28 Nov 2012

Lama, the Protector of the three realms Dharma Lord Dri-gung Ling-pa taught [the following]: It is generally accepted that the Teaching of every Conqueror of the ten directions and the three times is dissimilar, different, and varied; but here it is accepted that the disposition of the Teaching and Dharma of every Buddha is the same. 1) Some say that the Dharma of Buddhas is different but the tenets are fixed; but here it is accepted that the vehicles and tenets are buddha-interdependence. 2) It is generally accepted that the count of heaps of Dharma is that of a backload of a strong elephant or the like, but here it is accepted that it is eighty-four thousand antidotes of the afflictions. 3) It is generally accepted that the twelve branches of the Excellent Speech are separate, distinct, and unmixed; but here it is accepted that each branch is replete with all twelve. 4) It is generally accepted that the five excellences do not pertain to that which is not Instruction; but here it is accepted that everything in samsara and nirvana is subsumed by the five excellences. 5) It is generally accepted that the three baskets are separate and without any points of contact between them; but here it is accepted that they were taught together, as mutually related, and that each are replete with all three. 6) In general it is said that the narrative teachings of the Excellent Speech do not have the complete excellence [of the] Dharma; but here it is accepted that all of the Instruction has every one of the five excellences. 7) There are many acceptance-traditions concerning the three of vinaya, sutra, and abhidharma, but here it is accepted that the Instruction that teaches mind only and common sutras [belong to] the basket of abhidharma.

DRAFT 28 Nov 2012

8) It is generally accepted that those engaged in the way of the Bn1 or Trthika2 [traditions] perceive truth; but here it is accepted that those engaged in the way of the Bn or Trthika [traditions] have no such perception. 9) Furthermore, it is generally accepted that Bn-po and Trthika have nothing conducive to liberation [from samsara]; but here it is accepted that it is not contradictory [(with the former statement) to say] that Bnpo and Trthika have some things that are conducive to liberation. 10) It is said that non-Buddhists have no vows and no compassion, and that all Trthika practices are to be avoided; but here it is accepted that non-Buddhists also have compassion and the keeping of vows. 11) It is generally accepted that buddhification using the casual, characteristic vehicle [requires] three "limitless" [kalpas]3, but here it is accepted that buddhification using the casual, characteristic vehicle can [be accomplished] in a single lifetime. 12) It is generally accepted that characteristic-buddhas and mantric-buddhas are not the same, but here it is accepted that the buddhahood is the same whether [gained] in the dharmic-manner or experiential-manner. 13) It is generally accepted that the three vows get progressively looser, here it is accepted that the three vows get progressively tighter. 14) It is generally accepted that the thirty-seven factors in accord with enlightenment are the dharmas of the path and that the state of buddhahood comes after that [path], but here it is accepted that traversal up to and including the final state, buddhahood, is by a path of accumulation.

1 2

Bn is the pre-Buddhist religion of Tibet; those who practice Bn are known as Bn-po. Trthika is a Sanskrit word referring to people who follow other enlightenment-oriented traditions besides Buddhism. 3 A limitless kalpa is the period of time required for the life cycle of one universe for it to come into being, expand, abide, and then be destroyed.

DRAFT 28 Nov 2012

15) It is generally accepted that hearers and solitary realizers are cut off from the mahayana family and so will not attain buddhahood, but here it is accepted that hearers and solitary realizers have the cause of buddhahood and so will also attain the final, great enlightenment. 16) It is generally accepted that there are various uncertain vehicles and tenets, but here it is accepted that all vehicles and tenets are buddha-interdependence. 17) Samsara is accepted [by some] to be limited and [by others] to be limitless, but here samsara is accepted to be [both] limitless and free of elaboration. 18) It is generally accepted that the eighty-four thousand or so heaps of dharma are each an antidote to one of the things that are to be abandoned, but here all dharmas are subsumed in each of the vows of individual liberation4. 19) It is generally accepted that the four [early] schools each had a different sublime dharma Vinaya, but here it is accepted that the four sections of teaching at the root of the four schools are one entity. 20) It is generally accepted that seed-infraction during dream incurs no fault, but here it is accepted that for those without the ability to practice such infraction in dream incurs fault. 21) It is generally accepted that after attaining the first bhumi there is no fear of a bad rebirth, but here it is accepted that those on the bhumis can go to the lower realms. 22) It is generally accepted that the collections of the bodhisattva are accumulated in reference to lower [beings], but here it is accepted that marvelous practice accumulates the meditators collections.

Here, vows of individual liberation means the three levels of Vinaya vows (layperson, novice ordained, fully ordained) and well as the three overall levels of vows (vinaya, bodhisattva, and secret mantra).

DRAFT 28 Nov 2012

23) It is generally accepted that if illness or harm occurs while practicing, outer-inner interdependence is beneficial, but here it is accepted that the supreme method with which to dispel these is to take them onto the path. 24) There are many acceptance-traditions concerning the secret mantra being a fourth basket or the like, but here [secret mantra belongs] to all three baskets and is the essence of the three. 25) Concerning secret mantra empowerment, [some] accept that it cannot be received even when bestowed and [some] accept that it can be received even if not bestowed, but here it is accepted that those of high, medium, and low capability all require [empowerment] with the profound rituals of the lineage. 26) It is generally accepted that the deeds of the three kayas are ascertained as three, but here it is accepted that although this is the case, all enlightened activities can be actualized with a single deity. 27) It is generally accepted that each deity has its own certain characteristics, but here it is accepted that the characteristics of every deity will be held by [ones] principal deity. 28) It is generally accepted that [non-conformance with] the root samayas is allowed during the four occasions5 of secret mantra, but here it is accepted that there is no circumstance in which [non-conformance with] the root samayas is allowed during the four occasions. 29) Some say that one becomes the deity in stages, from the first [aspect] to as [many aspects as one] is able, but here it is accepted that instantly becoming the deity is the profound way [to practice]. 30) It is generally accepted that for making the generation stage firm the approach-enumeration is principal, but here it is accepted that what is required is awareness that the deity has been actualized with interdependent collections.

Here, four occasions refers to the four stages of empowerment.

DRAFT 28 Nov 2012

31) It is generally accepted that austerities and the like mistreat the deity, but here it is accepted that they are disparaged because they impute an ordinary body. 32) It is generally accepted that the first three of the four levels of tantra are of provisional meaning and so not profound and that the unsurpassed [level of] tantra alone is profound and so is of definitive meaning, but here it is accepted that for all provisional [and] definitive meaning [to be included] extensive rituals are required. 33) It is generally accepted that for the capable, engaging by way of an extensive ritual from the beginning is required, but here it is accepted that for those who have been tamed [by the extensive ritual], the abbreviated [ritual] is also [appropriate]. 34) It is generally accepted that fierce [deities], a vajra fence, and the like [make] a profound wheel of protection, but here it is accepted that the magnificent wheel of protection is the armor of enlightenment6. 35) It is generally accepted that for the uncommon, marvelous practice of secret mantra the oral instructions on the channels and winds are most profound, but here it is accepted that a key point more important even than the channels and winds is the Vinaya. 36) It is appropriate to say that channels, winds, and drops made impure by the actions of the three poisons require purification, but here it is accepted that channels, winds, and drops with poisonous impurities are especially profound. 37) It is generally accepted that the disciples samaya is very tight and the masters samaya not tight, but here it accepted that the mutual samaya of the master and disciple are equally [tight].

Armor of enlightenment refers to bodhicitta.

DRAFT 28 Nov 2012

38) It is generally accepted that even tenth-bhumi bodhisattvas do not fully perceive the alaya consciousness, but here it is accepted that due to the power of blessing, the alaya consciousness may be perceived at other times [as well] . 39) It is generally accepted that after perception of the dharmata-reality [comes] the path of the white multitude, but here it is accepted that nonvirtuous conduct will drop even those on the tenth bhumi to the lower realms. 40) It is generally accepted that the three-trainings secret-mantra vajra vehicle and the stages-of-the-path vinaya/paramita/secret-mantra path are different, but here it is accepted that the six paramitas are the three-vehicle path. 41) It is generally accepted that mahamudra is obscured by both virtue and non-virtue, but here it is accepted that it is impossible for the dharmakaya to be obscured by that which is virtuous. 42) It is generally accepted that the results of separation have no cause, but here it is accepted that causeless results are impossible. 43) It is generally accepted that the non-dual meditator / meditated mix of two spaces is the final [state], but here it is accepted that it is [only] the free-of-allelaboration manifest realization of the hearers. 44) It is generally accepted that the four-fold yoga of directed wind and the like are profound, but here it is accepted that resting at ease without retaining the wind is what is really profound. 45) It is generally accepted that phowa is transference to the heart center of the lama or yidam by way of the hung or seed-syllable, but here it is accepted that the supreme phowa is consciousness-lama-luminosity. 46) It is generally accepted that buddhahood is passing beyond sorrow, and like a fire running out of fuel, I is gone when the fire is gone, but here it is accepted that [buddhahood] is the unlimited embodiment of bodhicitta.

DRAFT 28 Nov 2012

By this virtue as pure as a stainless snow-mountain May the teachings of Rin-chen [Pal] spread in the ten directions And the un-aware, deluded [beings of] the world Attain the final, completely free buddha-wisdom!