Realizing that the root of the path, The foundation for every realization, Is to properly rely on my kind Guru, Bless me to do so with great effort and devotion. Knowing that this life of freedom, found but once, Is difficult to gain and greatly meaningful Bless me to develop the continual wish All day and night to take its essence. Mindful of death, this life disintegrates As swiftly as a bubble in turbulent water And after death my good and bad Karma follows me like my shadow.
Having gained firm certainty of this, Bless me to be ever conscientious To abandon even the slightest harm And practice every possible virtue. Enjoying deceptive samsaric pleasure Brings no contentment and is the door to all suffering.
Aware of its drawbacks, bless me to develop A strong wish for the bliss of liberation. With mindfulness, introspection, and great care Induced by that pure aspiration Bless me to make my essential practice The Pratimoksha, root of Buddha’s teachings.
Just as I’ve fallen in this sea of suffering So have all beings, my kind mothers; Seeing this, bless me to train in Bodhicitta, Taking up the burden of liberating them.
And yet, just wishing this, without practicing The three ethics, enlightenment cannot be attained. Knowing this well, please bless me to intensively Strive to train in the Bodhisattva vows. Properly analyzing the correct object And pacifying distraction to mistaken objects Bless me to swiftly realize the path Which unifies quiescence and special insight.
When I’m a pure vessel, trained in common paths, Bless me to enter with perfect ease The sacred gateway of fortunate ones, The supreme of vehicles, Vajrayana. Then, foundation for the two attainments Is keeping the pure vows and commitments. Having found unfeigned conviction in this Bless me to guard them with my life. Having precisely understood the essentials Of the two stages, heart of the tantras, Bless me to strive without break in four sessions To practice Yoga as taught by holy Masters.
May the spiritual guides who reveal this excellent path And the friends who practice it all live long. Please grant blessings that outer and inner Hindrances all be fully pacified.
In all lives may I never be parted From perfect masters and enjoy the glory of Dharma. Perfecting realizations of the paths and stages, May I swiftly gain the state of Vajradhara.
By Je Tsong Khapa Lozang Dragpa