Esoteric Instructions on the Noble Perfection of Wisdom

Also known as the 55 Verse Poem or the Grand Poem.

This is the single Indian Source Text for the Dzogchen tradition of Severnce, based entirely on the Perfection of Wisdom teachings.

The direct recipient of this lineage was the Indian Sage Dampa Sangye (d. 1117), who was the maternal nephew of Aryadeva the Brahmin.

Some people claim that Dampa Sangye was a reincarnation of the Chan patriarch Ta Mo, Bodhidharma.

These teachings would eventually inspire Machik Lapdron, along with her own realizations, in her formation of the Tibetan Chod tradition.

These are regarded by many as part of the highest meditation realizations of the Tibetan Tradition.

This text is here copied,in the spirit of Bodhichitta and without permission, from, "Chod, The Sacred Teachings on Severance." Compiled by Jamgon Kongtrul and Translated by Sarah Harding.

Text begins here:

Homage to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

The Sun and Moon of your realization conquer ignorance and misconceptions, and the moisture of your compassion matures living beings.

Lion of Speech who perfectly completes the two purposes,

I bow to you in sincere devotion with body, speech, and mind.

The essence of the subject matter is the meaning of nondual perfection of wisdom without root,

freed from referential extremes of nihilism and eternal-ism.

I will explain the best I can in order to benefit beings.

Rest the three bases to be prepared directly on the word.

Recognize uncontrived, unspoiled awareness:

Mind, that is the root of both Samsara and Nirvana,

yet is not established by any causes or conditions;

unborn single cut, intrinsic emptiness.

Such realization is like cutting the root of the tree trunk:

the branches of discursive thoughts will never grow again.

Give as vast offerings to the Guru and Jewels

actual and emanated appearances in your mind.

After doing prostrations and offerings,

devotedly take refuge and arouse the awakening mind.

Guard like your eyes the precepts you have taken.

Do not abandon the Bodhisattva precepts

even at the cost of your life.

Strive to uphold the training.

Abandon the ten non-virtues, such as killing, and encourage others to do so as well.

Express approval of what is consistent with abandoning killing and the others.

Merely abandoning the ten non-virtues, you will not discover the supreme path.

Practice the Six Perfections yourself, and encourage others to do so as well.

Express approval of what is consistent with all six perfections.

Turn away from the arising of arrogance that results from the conduct of virtuous action, such as the six perfections.

If you do not realize that ultimate non-dual perfection is free from extremes,

such as virtue / negativity, acceptance / rejection, and hope / fear, even if you practice conditioned virtue, you will not become liberated in this very life.

Therefore, do not reference even an atom in all phenomena, positive or negative, conditioned or unconditioned.

Nonetheless, wisdom that is not founded on method will not become manifest.

It is similar to the harvesting of crops that will not grow without cultivation.

If you do not resolutely engage in the meaning of the perfection of wisdom

(also read as "Essence of the Perfection of Wisdom"),

then even if you engage in generosity, ethical discipline, patience, diligence and meditative stability (i.e. the six perfections.) you are like a blind person without a cane.

How could you possibly find your way?

The Meaning (or Essence) of the Perfection of Wisdom -

Do not seek it elsewhere;

You have it Yourself!

That is the meaning (essence) of Inherent Great Lucid Clarity,

not established as an entity or with characteristics.

Meditate on recollecting the Buddha (Buddha Mind),

naturally clear of thoughts and memories,

free of all mental engagement:

Outer / Inner, Gods / Demons, Samsara / Nirvana, Appearance / Emptiness, and so forth;

free of dualistic appearances,

Buddha's intent is unmistaken and uncontrived,

similar, for example, to the expanse of space.

The most sublime method is to blend Space and Awareness.

At the times of mixing space and awareness,

things and characteristics, rejecting and accepting -

fixation on referents - are naturally cleared up..

Abide in the ultimate nature of phenomena

without subject - object dualistic fixation.

With Body and Mind thus uncontrived, wherever empty sky pervades. Rest in the extent of the great pervasive expanse.

At that time there is an experience of awareness free of basis or root.

Awareness does not dwell anywhere in the five senses or their objects.

Meditate without dualism in the sites of rock houses, cemeteries, haunted places, towns and big cities, caves, and secluded caverns.

The meaning of the unborn taught by the Guru - practice it during the four daily activities.

If it is put into practice this way,

the blessings of the perfection of wisdom

and the realization that all phenomena are empty

will prevent obstacles from arising.

How would it be possible for emptiness to pose a threat to emptiness?

When the empty nature of phenomena is realized,

the sign or characteristic is that externally all objects of the five sense doors -

form, sound, smell, taste, and touch -

are fully illuminated as emptiness.

Inwardly, the course afflictive emotions and subtle dualistic fixation, although they arise, are self-liberated in nonduality, beyond concern.

With that realization, abiding and arisin are liberated in the nature of phenomena,

like reaching an island of gold.

When a person's root life force is severed,

there is no need to purposefully sever the eyes and other five sense doors.

Similarly, when the mind itself is severed at the root,

all phenomena are realized to be empty.

Since it severs the root of mind itself

and severs the five toxic emotions,

extremes of view, meditational formations,

conduct anxiety, and hopes and fears;

since it severs all inflation,

it is called severance by semantic explantaion.

Attachment to real things with passion and aggression is the tangible devil, so how should one sever that?

Superior, average, or inferior experiencers rest in the state of no-thought, meditate with attention on that, or ascertain it through examination and analysis.

For instance, like a thick forest,

a strong person,

a sharp axe.

The apparitions of gods and demons that cause inflation are called the intangible devil.

Set pestilence upon pestilence, directly in the flesh.

Stick the hot needle precisely there.

Go for refuge in the Three Jewels.

Put the morning star under thumb.

Reject closeness and distance toward gods and demons.

Corner the great pestilence.

In Severance, the evidence of having severed is freedom from fear.

Evidence of termination is that apparitions subside by themselves.

Evidence of turning away is fleeing in fear and terror.

Don't turn away; be like a door frame.

Don't flee, even in fear and terror.

Suppress them like a spike,

bend them down, and apply effort.

That is the Supreme Esoteric Instruction.

Worldly gods and demons cannot bear

your meditation on nondual perfections

and cause various kinds of apparitions:

manifesting, overwhelming, dreamt, and so on.

Those with superior meditative experience

rest in nondual meaning of it all.

The average practitioners focus on that and meditate.

The inferior their body aggregate as food.

Afterward, an experience of direct awarenss free of any mental support will arise.

When you to to a haunted place, if gods and demons manifest overwhelming presence, separate awarenss from matter.

This body is matter, like stone; no harm can come to it.

Mind is not an actual thing; it is like the sky.

Who harms it and who is harmed?

Thinking that, rest without dispair or worry in the nature of phenomena.

Even if you think that the gods and demons have snatched your material body and left,

without moving from your previous place,

do not despair over anything at all.

Whatever discursive thoughts arise are devils,

They come from your own mind.

In mind, not even an atom is established

of a place from which to arise, to abide, or to go.

Buddhahood does not come after being liberated.

It is impossible to wander in Samsara due to delusion.

Virtue, negativity, and all karmic action are totally pure,

pure since forever, liberated since forever, awakened since forever.

One deviates by not avoiding negativity.

Attachment to tenets in an obstruction.

Non-dual self-liberation is the abiding nature.

Take refuge from within the nature of phenomena.

Arouse the aspiration and supplicate.

If obstacles arise for you, go to a hounted place and meditate on the non-dual.

In order to help other sentient beings,

with compassion as your preliminary,

know the emptiness of everything:

yourself, the patient, the evil spirit, and the disease.

Pat [the diseased area] and meditate on emptiness.

Face the reclining [patient] toward you.

If thereby [the disease] is not yet pacified,

go for refuge and arouse the awakening mind in a haunted place.

Pass over [the patient] three times and meditate beyond extremes.

With a mandala, bless the sticks and stones and confer them.

Hold the gods above to their oaths;

subdue with splendor the Nagas below.

Tasks assigned to Nagas will be accomplished.

Gods, from their abodes, will be your allies.

Nagas without exception are bound in service.

Gurus, Yidams, Dakinis and Dharma Protectors will watch over you as their child.

Once you have severed the tangible devils,

appearance will not rise up as your enemy.

Once you have severed the intangible devils,

male and female yakshas will be help under oath.

That and other such benefits that are immeasurable will occur.