Essential Mind Training

1. Bodhisattva’s Jewel Garland

Atiśa

Sanskrit title: Bodhisattvamaṇevalī

Homage to great compassion.

Homage to the teachers.

Homage to the faith divinities.

1

Discard all lingering doubts,

and strive with dedication in your practice.

Thoroughly relinquish sloth, mental dullness, and laziness,

and strive always with joyful perseverance.

2

With mindfulness, awareness, and heedfulness,

constantly guard the gateways of your senses.

Again and again, three times both day and night,

examine the flow of your thoughts.

3

Reveal your own shortcomings,

but do not seek out others’ errors.

Conceal your own good qualities,

but proclaim those of others.

4

Forsake wealth and ministrations;

at all times relinquish gain and fame.

Have modest desires, be easily satisfied,

and reciprocate kindness.

5

Cultivate love and compassion,

and stabilize your awakening mind.

Relinquish the ten negative actions,

and always reinforce your faith.¹⁸

6

Destroy anger and conceit,

and be endowed with humility.

Relinquish wrong livelihood,

and be sustained by ethical livelihood.

7

Forsake material possessions,

embellish yourself with the wealth of the noble ones.

Avoid all trifling distractions,

and reside in the solitude of wilderness.

8

Abandon frivolous words;

constantly guard your speech.

When you see your teachers and preceptors,¹⁹

reverently generate the wish to serve.

9

Toward wise beings with Dharma eyes

and toward beginners on the path as well,

recognize them as your spiritual teachers.

[In fact] when you see any sentient being,

view that one as your parent, your child, or your grandchild.

10

Renounce negative friendships,

and rely on a spiritual friend.

Dispel hostile and unhappy mental states,

and venture forth to where happiness lies.

11

Abandon attachment to all things

and abide free of desire.

Attachment fails to bring even the higher realms;

in fact, it kills the life of true liberation.

12

When you see the factors of happiness,

there always persevere.

Whichever task you take up first,

address this task primarily.

In this way, you ensure the success of both tasks,

where otherwise you accomplish neither.

13

Since you take no pleasure in negative deeds,

when a thought of self-importance arises,

at that instant deflate your pride

and recall your teacher’s instructions.

14

When discouraged thoughts arise,

uplift your mind and meditate on the emptiness of both.²⁰

When objects of attraction or aversion appear,

view them as you would illusions or apparitions.

15

When you hear unpleasant words,

view them as [mere] echoes.

When injuries afflict your body,

see them as [the fruits of] past deeds.

16

Dwell utterly in solitude, beyond town limits.

Like the carcass of a wild animal,

hide yourself away [in the forest]

and live free of attachment.

17

Always remain firm in your commitment.

When a hint of procrastination and laziness arises,

at that instant enumerate your flaws

and recall the essence of [spiritual] conduct.

18

However, if you do encounter others,

speak peacefully and truthfully.

Do not grimace or frown,

but always maintain a smile.

19

In general when you see others,

be free of miserliness and delight in giving;

relinquish all thoughts of envy.

20

To help guard others’ minds,

forsake all disputation

and always be endowed with forbearance.

21

Be free of flattery and fickleness in friendship,

be steadfast and reliable at all times.

Do not disparage others,

but always abide with respectful demeanor.

22

When giving advice,

maintain compassion and altruism.

Never defame the teachings.

Whatever practices you admire,

with aspiration and the ten spiritual deeds,²¹

strive diligently, dividing day and night.

23

Whatever virtues you gather though the three times,

dedicate them toward the unexcelled great awakening.

Distribute your merit to all sentient beings,

and utter the peerless aspiration prayers

of the seven limbs at all times.²²

24

If you proceed thus, you’ll swiftly perfect merit

and wisdom and eliminate the two defilements.²³

Since your human existence will be meaningful,

you’ll attain the unexcelled enlightenment.

25

The wealth of faith, the wealth of morality,

the wealth of giving, the wealth of learning,

the wealth of conscience, the wealth of shame,

and the wealth of insight—these are the seven riches.

26

These precious and excellent jewels

are the seven inexhaustible riches.

Do not speak of these to those not human.

Among others guard your speech;

when alone guard your mind.

This concludes the Bodhisattva’s Jewel Garland composed by

the Indian abbot Dīpaṃkaraśrījñāna.