This is Pithy Instruction as well as Prophecy

This is Pithy Instruction as well as Prophecy

H.H. Wish-fulfilling Gem Jigme Phuntsok Arya left two utterances right before parinirvana, which read: “Do not lose your own path. Do not disturb the minds of others.”

Here I will briefly explain these two utterances based on my rough and shallow understanding.

The first utterance read: “Do not lose your own path.”

For someone of superior capacity, no matter what object or situation one encounters, be it good or bad, one is not to be led on or disturbed; one’s thoughts arisen out of such object or situation, dissolves naturally and vanishes immediately, without leaving a trace of shadow behind; one’s intrinsic enlightenment in the moment remains unwavering while observing such object or situation. This is “Not losing your own path”.

For someone of moderate capacity, no matter what precept or vow one has undertaken in the past, be it Pratimoksa Vow, Bodhisattva Vow, or Samaya, as a practitioner, one shall observe the precepts strictly and diligently, while maintaining a clear conscience. This is “Not losing your own path”.

For someone of inferior capacity, unless there are great benefits to others, making public one’s personal daily affairs such as eating, drinking, pooping, peeing, as well as one’s emotions such as delight, anger, sorrow, happiness and the like, only reduces one to a laughingstock for all. As a practitioner, one shall not conduct oneself in such ways. One shall not reveal one’s forms while practicing and shall stand firm on one’s own ground. This is “Not losing your own path”.

The second utterance read: “Do not disturb the minds of others.”

Regardless of one being a wise or a fool, if it’s not for the benefits of sentient beings, but to publicize other’s faults by randomly calling them names like “bald donkey”, “pig”, “dog”, “neither a monk nor a secular man”, “confused yogi” etc., such words of laughing and cursing, would only hurt others’ self-esteem and self-image. Therefore, no words is better than more words. This is “Not disturbing the minds of others”.

I have gained much benefits when I first heard of these two utterances made by His Holiness. I therefore ask you earnestly to take a serious look at this teaching.

Palyul Choktrul
2020/11/11

Tibetan version   ཞལ་གདམས་ཡང་ཡིན་ལ་ལུང་བསྟན་ཡང་ཡིན།
Traditional Chinese version   此為口訣　也是預言
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