Mind Training

Chekawa Yeshe Dorje

Seven Points of Mind Training

I bow to the Lord of Compassion.

Preliminaries

First, train in the preliminaries.

 Formal Practice

Regard all phenomena as dreams.

Examine the nature of unborn awareness.

Self-liberate even the antidote.

Rest in the nature of the essence.

In post-meditation, be a child of illusion.

Train alternately in taking and giving.

Begin close to yourself.

Mount the two upon the breath.

3 objects, 3 poisons, 3 roots of virtue.

For all objectives, train with recitation.

Using Adversity

Make adversity the path of awakening.

Drive all blame into one.

Be grateful to everyone.

The ultimate protection is emptiness.

Know what arises as confusion to be the four marks of Buddha Nature.

Four practices are the best methods:

Work with whatever you encounter.

Life and Death

Practice the Five Strengths during life.

Practice the Five Strengths at death.

Conduct is always important.

Commitments

Always abide by the three basic principles.

Change your attitude, but remain natural.

Don’t contemplate others’ defects.

Don’t contemplate others’ weaknesses.

Work with your greatest defilements first.

Abandon any hope of fruition.

Abandon poisonous food.

Don’t hold grudges.

Don’t malign others.

Don’t wait in ambush.

Don’t humiliate others.

Don’t transfer the ox’s load to the cow.

Don’t compete with others.

Don’t scheme to benefit yourself.

Don’t turn practice into pride.

Don’t seek your happiness in another’s pain.

Guidelines

In all activities, one intention.

Correct all wrongs with one intention.

One at the beginning, another at the end.

Whichever of the two occurs, be patient.

Observe these two, even at the risk of death.

Train in the three difficulties.

Take on the three principal causes.

Pay heed that the three never wane.

Keep the three inseparable.

Train without bias in all areas.

Always train pervasively and wholeheartedly.

Always meditate on what provokes affliction.

Don’t be swayed by external circumstances.

This time, practice the main points.

Don’t misinterpret patience, yearning, excitement, compassion, priorities, and joy.

Don’t vacillate.

Train wholeheartedly.

Examine and analyze.

Don’t wallow in self-pity.

Don’t be jealous.

Don’t be frivolous.

Don’t expect applause.

Evaluation

All Dharma agrees on one point.

Of the two witnesses, hold the principal one.

Always maintain a joyful mind.

If you can practice even when distracted, you are well trained.