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.
Thank You so much
~ 100%like ~
I have my work cut out for me 🙂
Hi Tashi,
I meant to ask you this morning but slipped my mind. Would you please send me the recording of last weeks Dharma February 3? Also, you mentioned today that you would send us why we meditate the way we do (eye focusing etc), will you please send that my way as well? And lastly, do you recommend an “easy” or beginners book on mind training? Thank you so much for the guidance and invaluable lessons!
Melissa
Please write to GreatMiddleWay@gmail.com, so i can reply with attachments. It’s not possible here.