The All-Excellent’s Mighty Path of Aspiration

Serie: Dzogchen Texts Translation

The All-Excellent’s Mighty Path of Aspiration

Kun bzang smon lam stobs po che

Introduction

This text is part of the cycle of dGongs pa zang thal by Rigdzin Gödemchèn (rig ‘dzin rgod ldem chen 1337-1409). The ‘rediscovered’ teachings (gter ma) of Rigdzin Gödemchèn initiated the tradition known as the ‘Treasures of the North’ (byang gter), to be distinguished from that of the Treasures of the South (lho gter), tradition initiated by Nyangräl Nyima Özer (myang ral nyi ma ‘od zer, 1124-1192) and Guru Chöwang (gu ru chos dbang, 1212-1270).

The All-Excellent’s Mighty Path of Aspiration (Samantabhadra, kun tu bzang po) is regularly recited in many assemblies in Tibet, particularly on auspicious days, especially the tenth, Padmasambhava’s day.

These texts require transmission from a qualified teacher before they can be studied and put into practice. However, if you have not yet received the transmission, you can simply read them.

“

All beings in the three dimensions of existence

Are, in the ground of all, equal to me, the perfect Enlighented One,

But inattentive, here they are in the ground of illusion!

They then pursue unreal actions.

These are the six [mental] activities similar to the illusion of a dream.

“

In Tibetan: Kun bzang smon lam stobs po che

In English: The All-Excellent’s Mighty Path of Aspiration

Ho! All the appearances of becoming, of cyclic wandering
wandering and beyond torment:

One base, two paths, two fruits,

Such is the marvel of primordial evidence[1] or
ignorance.

May the path of aspiration of the All-Excellent

In the palace of the primordial space of phenomena

Manifest itself in all the fullness of pure Enlightenment!

Unconditioned Ground of all things,

Vast matrix space self-appeared, inexpressible,

Where there is no notion of cyclic wandering or its afterlife.

When it is known, it is the fullness of pure Enlightenment,

When it is not known, it is wandering in the cycle of ordinary being.

May all beings in the three dimensions of existence

Know the reality of the unspeakable Ground!

Myself, the All-Excellent,

Reality of the Ground without cause or condition,

I am the primordial evidence that appeared in itself within the Ground,

And do not project onto it the defect of inside and outside nor conceptual exaggerations.

I do not veil it with the darkness of oblivion,

My own manifestations are therefore not veiled by error.

Remaining in the freshness of natural evidence,

Were the three worlds of existence destroyed, I would feel neither fear nor dread,

I am not dependent on the five sense pleasures.

In the non-conceptual knowledge that appears by itself,

There are neither tangible forms nor five poisons.

The unstoppable clarity of primordial evidence is

The unique essence of the five primordial knowledges[2].

The five primordial knowledges mature,

The five families of the first awakened ones appear.

Hence, the expansion of the five primordial knowledges

From which appear the forty-two perfect awakened ones.

The external dynamics of the five primordial knowledges arise,

The full sixty blood-drinkers appear,

So that there is no mistaking the primordial evidence of the Ground.

I am the first Awakened One, and as such,

I proclaim this path of aspiration: by recitating it,
May all beings of the three dimensions of existence,
Immediately know the primordial evidence, that is naturally present,
And reach the summit of the great primordial knowledge!
Without interruption, my manifestations,
Inconceivable, multiply by myriads
Teaching beings according to the diversity of their needs.

Through the path of aspiration of my sovereign heart[3]

May all beings revolving in the three dimensions of existence

Free themselves from the rebirths within the six classes of beings!

First, for the deluded beings,

As the primordial evidence does not appear as the Ground,
They have no awareness of it, not even the most obscure one.

This very ignorance is the cause of illusion,
And they sink into a state of blind stupor,

their mind panicked and dazed.

Hence the seizure opposing self and other.
As this tendency gradually increases,
People fall into a state of cyclic wandering.

The result is the development of the passions and the five poisons,

Whose activity never ceases.

That is why it is the basis of delusion for ordinary beings.

Since they have no awareness of their ignorance,

Through my aspiration of perfect Enlightenment,

May all naturally know the primordial evidence!

Innate ignorance

Is an absence of awareness, a distraction.

Defining ignorance

Is grasping that distinguishes between oneself and others.

The two ignorances, innate and defining,

Are the basis of illusion for all beings.

Through my aspiration of perfect Enlightenment,

May all beings of cyclic wandering

Dispel the thick darkness of their unconsciousness,

Cleanse their mind from dualistic grasping

And immediately know its nature, the primordial evidence!

The dualistic mind doubts,

And from the subtle attachment that arises,

This tendency gradually takes shape

In food, money, clothes, places to live, friends,

Five sense pleasures, loved ones, etc.

Attached to the enjoyable, they are tormented by these desires

Which are the illusion of the world

And the activity of a subject who grasps objects is never exhausted.

When the fruit of their attachment ripens,

They are reborn as hungry ghosts tormented by lack

And their hunger and thirst are terrible!

Thanks to my path of aspiration as a perfectly enlightened being,

May all beings who are attached to desire,

Without outwardly rejecting the desire that torments them,

Without inwardly accepting the attachment to desire,

Release their mind into natural newness,

Regain the newness of primordial evidence,

And attain the primordial knowledge discerning everything!

While external phenomena appear,

By the movement of the subtle feeling of fear

The recurrent tendencies of aversion grow,

Which gives rise to the gross aspect: the seizure of an enemy whom they strike and kill.

And when the fruit of their anger-aversion ripens,

They suffer to be boiled and roasted in the underworld!

Thanks to my path of aspiration as a perfect awakened one,

May all beings of the six realms of existence

In whom intense anger-aversion arises,

Without rejecting or accepting it, release [their mind] into natural newness,

Regain the newness of primordial evidence

And attain clear primordial knowledge!

Mind swollen with arrogance,

They want to compete with others and belittle them:

For a powerful pride arises in them,

They suffer the pain of conflict between themselves and others.

When the fruit of this activity ripens,

They are born as gods who suffer the fall of rebirth.

Thanks to my path of aspiration as a perfect awakener,

Let those beings in whom arrogance arises

Release their minds into natural newness,

Regain the newness of primordial evidence

And realize the reality of equality!

Their recurrent tendencies develop through dual grasping,

Then, by self-glorification, contempt for others, torment,

Conflict and rivalry develop,

Leading to their rebirth as murderous titans,

And finally, they fall into hellish rebirths.

Thanks to my path of aspiration as a perfect awakener,

When conflict and rivalry arise in them,

Let them go in natural coolness without holding them as enemies,

Naturally take hold of the mind

And attain the primordial knowledge of unfettered waking activity!

Lack of attention, indifference, distraction,

Moroseness, dullness, forgetfulness,

Loss of consciousness, laziness and stupidity,

The result is the homeless wandering of an animal.

Thanks to my path of aspiration as a perfect awakener,

Let the radiance of clear attention rise

In the darkness of their stupid torpor

And may they attain primordial knowledge without concept!

All beings in the three dimensions of existence

Are, in the ground of all, equal to me, the perfect Enlighented One,

But inattentive, here they are in the ground of illusion!

They then pursue unreal actions.

These are the six [mental] activities similar to the illusion of a dream.

I am the first Enlightened One,

I emanate into the six realms to tame them.

Thanks to the path of aspiration of the All-Excellent,

May all beings without exception

Be fully enlightened in the primordial space of phenomena!

A ho! From now on, when a powerful yogi

From the primordial evidence naturally clear and without confusion,

Recites this mighty path of aspiration

All ordinary beings who listen to him

Will awaken to the obvious in three lifetimes.

When, during an eclipse of the sun or moon,

Of rumblings of thunder and earthquakes,

Solstices, equinoxes or the New Year,

He visualizes himself as the All-Excellent

And proclaims it for all to hear,

So all beings in the three dimensions of existence

Through this yogi’s path of aspiration –

Will gradually be freed from their suffering

To finally attain the fullness of pure Enlightenment!

Extract from the tantra of the Great Perfection presenting “The penetrating Lucidity of the enlightened presence of the All-Excellent”.

Extract from the chapter “The powerful path of aspiration “, where it is taught that it is impossible for all beings not to awaken.*

[1] primordial evidence : rig pa   BACK

[2] primordial knowledge : *ye shes,* commonly translated  “wisdom”  BACK

[3] sovereign heart : *thugs rje*, commonly translated “compassion”    BACK