(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.