Soh

Welcome to Awakening to Reality

Hello! Welcome to the Awakening to Reality site.

You’re welcome to join our archived Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/AwakeningToReality.

Update: The group is closed to new posts, but you can still join to access past discussions and receive group announcements.

1) The Awakening to Reality Practice Guide — by Nafis Rahman

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  • AudioBook on SoundCloud
  • Feedback: "The shortened AtR guide is very good. It should lead one to anatta (the experiential realization of no-self) if they really go and read. Concise and direct." – Yin Ling
  • Download links: PDF · EPUB (Note: If you experience formatting issues with Apple Books, we recommend using a third-party reader like eBoox to open this EPUB file.)
  • Update: Portuguese translation now available here
  • Update: Chinese translations are now available.
Simplified Chinese (简体中文) Standard for: Mainland China, Singapore, Malaysia
更新: 现已提供简体中文译本
最后更新: 2026年5月1日 | PDF · EPUB
Traditional Chinese (繁體中文) Standard for: Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau
更新: 現已提供繁體中文譯本
最後更新: 2026年5月1日 | PDF · EPUB
ATR Practice Guide cover
The Awakening to Reality Practice Guide — cover

2) The Awakening to Reality Guide — Web Abridged Version

3) The Awakening to Reality Guide — Original Version (compiled by Soh)

  • Latest update: 1 May 2026
  • PDF · EPUB
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  • This is the original 1300+ page document on which the practice and abridged guides are based.
"I also want to say, actually the main ATR document >1200 pages helped me the most with insight... ...I did [read] it twice 😂 it was so helpful and these Mahamudra books supported ATR insights. Just thought to share." – Yin Ling
"To be honest, the document is ok [in length], because it’s by insight level. Each insight is like 100 plus pages except anatta [was] exceptionally long [if] I remember lol. If someone read and contemplate at the same time it’s good because the same point will repeat again and again like in the nikayas [traditional Buddhist scriptures in the Pali canon] and insight should arise by the end of it imo.", "A 1000 plus pages ebook written by a serious practitioner Soh Wei Yu that took me a month to read each time and I am so grateful for it. It’s a huge undertaking and I have benefitted from it more that I can ever imagine. Please read patiently." – Yin Ling
ATR Guide preview
ATR Guide preview

Listening to PDFs on Various Devices

How to download PDFs and listen with text-to-speech (TTS).

iPhone (iOS 18+)

  1. Download & unzip: In Safari, download the ZIP. Open Files → Downloads and tap the .zip to extract.
  2. Add to Books: In Files, select the PDFs → ShareBooks (may appear as “Save to Books”).
  3. Listen with Speak Screen: Settings → Accessibility → Read & Speak → Speak Screen → turn on Speak Screen (and optionally Show Controller / Highlighting). Open the PDF in Books, then two-finger swipe down from the top, press Play on the floating controller, or say “Siri, speak screen.” Adjust Voices & Speaking Rate there.

Android

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  2. Open a PDF: Use Drive PDF Viewer, Acrobat, etc.
  3. TTS options: Turn on Select to Speak in Settings → Accessibility (voices/speed under Text-to-speech output), or use an app like @Voice Aloud Reader.

Windows

  1. Open the PDF in Microsoft Edge.
  2. Click Read aloud (or press Ctrl+Shift+U).
  3. Use Voice options to change voice and speed.
Adobe Acrobat Reader: View → Read Out Loud → Activate → choose a mode; voices in Preferences → Reading.

Mac

  1. Books / Preview: Select text → Edit → Speech → Start Speaking. System-wide: Accessibility → Spoken Content → Speak selection (shortcut Option+Esc).
  2. VoiceOver: Toggle with Command+F5.
  3. Acrobat Reader: View → Read Out Loud → Activate; adjust in Preferences → Reading.
Tip: If a PDF is only scanned images, run OCR (e.g., Acrobat “Recognize Text”) so TTS can read it.
Soh

2/5/2026 三校版白话:

《普劝坐禅仪》白话修订版

— 道元禅师

版本说明:本页白话以《普勧坐禅儀》流布本的汉文/kanbun 为主,并参考日本语训读(読み下し)与 SOTOZEN 英译。英文译文只作为辅助对照,用来提醒可能的误读;遇到差异时,以汉文原文及其训读逻辑为准。本文不是根据天福本/真笔本重译。个别字形如「辨/辦」「竽/竿」「羅/籮」在不同底本中有异文,本版在校订说明中列明,不把它们简单处理成“必错/必对”。

究起来,道本来圆满通达、无所不周,哪里还需要借助修行与证悟来成就它呢?宗乘本来自在,哪里还需要另外费什么功夫呢?何况这全体本已远超尘埃,谁还会相信另有拂拭尘垢的手段呢?大抵它从不离开当下这个所在,哪里还需要向外行脚求道呢?

然而,只要有毫厘之差,就如天地般悬隔。违逆与顺从的分别才一生起,心便纷然迷失。即使你见解足以自负,悟境丰厚,获得一瞥即通的智慧,乃至已经得道明心,并发起冲天的志气;纵然在入门的边际已能自在逍遥,仍然几乎亏缺那条真正出身透脱的活路。

更何况,祇园那位生而知之的世尊,仍然端坐六年,至今还可见其修行的踪迹;少林那位传持心印的达摩祖师,仍然面壁九年,其声名至今仍被传闻。古代圣贤既然尚且如此,今日的我们又怎能不切实办道呢?

所以,必须停止那种寻逐言句、追逐文字的知解功夫,必须学习回光返照这一退步功夫。身心自然脱落,本来面目自然现前。若要得到这样的事,就要急切地实行这样的事。

参禅者,以安静的室内为宜,饮食要节制适中。放舍诸缘,让万事休息。不思量善恶,也不要管是非。停止心、意、识的运转,止息念、想、观的测度计量。不要图作佛;这又岂是拘限在坐相或卧相中的事呢?

平常坐处,应厚厚铺设坐具,上面再放蒲团。可以结跏趺坐,也可以半跏趺坐。所谓结跏趺坐,是先把右脚安放在左大腿上,再把左脚安放在右大腿上。所谓半跏趺坐,只是把左脚压在右大腿上即可。衣带要宽松系好,并整理齐整。

接着,将右手安放在左脚上,左手手掌安放在右手手掌上,两手大拇指相对相触。然后端正身体,端身正坐,不可向左偏侧、向右倾斜,也不可向前弯曲、向后仰靠。要使耳朵与肩膀相对,鼻子与肚脐相对。舌头抵住上颚,嘴唇与牙齿相合。眼睛必须常开,鼻息微微通畅。

身体姿势既已调好,便作一次“欠气一息”:微微张口,缓缓深长地呼出一口气;然后左右摇动身体数次,再兀兀然安住,端坐不动。此时,思量那个“不思量”。“不思量”如何思量?——非思量。这就是坐禅的要术。

所谓坐禅,并不是学习禅定技巧;它只是安乐法门,是究尽菩提的修证。公案现成,罗笼笼罩不到。若能得此意,就如龙得水,似虎靠山。应当知道,正法自然现前,昏沉与散乱先自扑落。

若要从坐中起身,应徐徐动身,安详而起,不可仓促粗暴。

试看古来超越凡圣、或坐脱或立亡的事例,也都是全凭这坐禅之力。何况那些以手指、幡竿、针、槌而转动机缘的事,以及以拂子、拳头、棒、喝声而证契的事,本不是思量分别所能理解的,又岂是凭神通或修证上的造诣所能知晓的呢?这可说是超出声色之外的威仪,岂不正是先于知见的轨则吗?

既然如此,不论是上智还是下愚,都不要分别利根与钝根。只要专一用功,这正是办道。修证本来自不染污,向前趣行也更是平常之事。

总的来说,无论自界他方、西天东土,都同样持守佛印,各自独擅宗风。唯一应当专务的,就是打坐,兀兀地坐定,安住不移。虽说有万别千差,也只管参禅办道即可。

为什么要白白抛却自家的坐床,徒然往来于他国尘境之中呢?若错了一步,便当面错过了。

既然已经得到人身这一修道的关键机缘,就不要虚度光阴。应当保任佛道的要机。谁会徒然贪乐那击石火花般一闪即逝的光景呢?更何况形质如草上露水,运命似闪电光影,刹那便空,须臾即失。

希望各位参学的高流,既已长久习惯于摸象,便不要惊怪真正的龙。请精进于这直指端的之道,尊崇那绝学无为、自在脱落的人,契合佛佛菩提,嫡嗣祖祖三昧。久久如此行持,必定与此相应、成为如此。宝藏自然开启,受用自在如意。


校订说明 / Source and Translation Notes

  • “今人盍辨 / 今人盍辦”:不同底本有异文。大正藏/SAT 与日本 Wikisource 作「盍辨」,部分流布本资料作「盍辦」。即使取「辨」,此处也应按日文「弁ずる」及后文「辨/辦道」的语境理解为“切实办道/修办”,不宜白话为单纯“辨明此理”。因此白话作“今日的我们又怎能不切实办道呢?”
  • “辨道 / 辦道”:这也是异体/异文问题。汉文底本可见「辨道」,现代汉语白话为了避免误会,宜译作「办道」或「切实修办佛道」。
  • “竽 / 竿”:大正藏与日本 Wikisource 有「竽」,但若按禅林典故和「指竿针锤」条目,可读为「竿」,尤其关联「刹竿 / 幡竿」一类机缘。白话用「幡竿」以显示其禅宗公案语境。
  • “直饶……得道明心”:这是让步句,不是否定悟境。白话不应加「似乎、看似、自以为」等无依据的贬义限定。道元的意思是:即使已有深悟、得道明心,若停在入门边际,仍亏缺出身活路。
  • “欠气一息”:不是普通“吸一口气”而已。按曹洞宗坐禅作法,是调身后作一次深长呼气,通常微微张口、缓缓吐尽,再回到自然鼻息。
  • “凡夫自界他方”:这里“凡夫”应按训读理解为「凡そ夫れ」(大凡、总而言之),不是“凡夫众生”。因此白话作“总的来说”。
  • “被礙兀地”:不是负面“被障碍”,而是专务打坐、兀兀坐定、安住不移;英文的“totally blocked in resolute stability”可作辅助参考。
  • “原文翻译”:旧帖末尾的“(《普劝坐禅仪》原文翻译”标签不准确且括号未闭。这里改为“汉文原文(流布本校订版)”,因为该段是原文,不是翻译。

Original Chinese / 汉文原文(流布本校订版)

下列汉文原文采用流布本系统,并以 sybrma / Terebess 所列版本为主要显示底本,同时参考 SAT 大正藏与日本 Wikisource。相较旧帖原文,已校正若干明显讹误或不佳字形,如「生地」校为「生知」、「诸缘崩舍」校为「放捨诸缘」、「若坐立」校为「若从坐起」、「修证锁」校为「修证之所能知」、「便孔」校为「便空」等。遇到底本异文,如「辨/辦」「竽/竿」「羅/籮」,已在上方校订说明中交代。

普勸坐禪儀 觀音導利興聖寶林寺沙門道元 撰

原夫道本圓通、爭假修證。宗乘自在、何費功夫。況乎全體逈出塵埃兮、孰信拂拭之手段。大都不離當處兮、豈用修行之脚頭者乎。

然而毫釐有差、天地懸隔。違順纔起、紛然失心。直饒誇會豐悟兮、獲瞥地之智通、得道明心兮、擧衝天之志氣、雖逍遙於入頭之邊量、幾虧闕於出身之活路。

矧彼祇園之爲生知兮、端坐六年之蹤跡可見。少林之傳心印兮、面壁九歳之聲名尚聞。古聖既然、今人盍辦。所以須休尋言逐語之解行、須學囘光返照之退歩。身心自然脱落、本來面目現前。欲得恁麼事、急務恁麼事。

夫參禪者、靜室宜焉、飲飡節矣。放捨諸縁、休息萬事。不思善惡、莫管是非。停心意識之運轉、止念想觀之測量。莫圖作佛、豈拘坐臥乎。

尋常坐處、厚敷坐物、上用蒲團。或結跏趺坐、或半跏趺坐。謂、結跏趺坐、先以右足安左髀上、左足安右髀上。半跏趺坐、但以左足壓右髀矣。寛繋衣帶、可令齊整。

次右手安左足上、左掌安右掌上。兩大拇指、面相拄矣。乃正身端坐、不得左側右傾、前躬後仰。要令耳與肩對、鼻與臍對。舌掛上腭、脣齒相著。目須常開。鼻息微通。

身相既調、欠氣一息、左右搖振。兀兀坐定、思量箇不思量底。不思量底、如何思量、非思量、此乃坐禪之要術也。

所謂、坐禪非習禪也、唯是安樂之法門也、究盡菩提之修證也。公案現成、羅籠未到。若得此意、如龍得水、似虎靠山。當知、正法自現前、昏散先撲落。若從坐起、徐徐動身、安祥而起、不應卒暴。

嘗觀、超凡越聖、坐脱立亡、一任此力矣。況復拈指竿針鎚之轉機、擧拂拳棒喝之證契、未是思量分別之所能解也、豈爲神通修證之所能知也。可爲聲色之外威儀、那非知見前軌則者歟。

然則不論上智下愚、莫簡利人鈍者。專一功夫、正是辦道。修證自不染汙、趣向更是平常者也。

凡夫自界他方、西天東地、等持佛印、一擅宗風。唯務打坐、被礙兀地。雖謂萬別千差、祗管參禪辦道。何抛卻自家之坐牀、謾去來他國之塵境。若錯一歩、當面蹉過。

既得人身之機要、莫虚度光陰。保任佛道之要機、誰浪樂石火。加以、形質如草露、運命似電光。倐忽便空、須臾即失。

冀其參學高流、久習摸象勿怪眞龍。精進直指端的之道、尊貴絶學無爲之人。合沓佛佛之菩提、嫡嗣祖祖之三昧。久爲恁麼、須是恁麼、寶藏自開、受用如意。


Japanese Kundoku / 日本語訓読(読み下し・参考)

注意:道元此文原本是汉文体/kanbun;下列不是另一个“现代日语原文”,而是日本语训读(読み下し),用来帮助辨明汉文句读、语法与训法。


English reference:

https://www.sotozen.com/eng/zazen/advice/fukanzanzeng.html

Fukan Zazengi (Universally Recommended Instructions for Zazen)

The way is originally perfect and all-pervading. How could it be contingent on practice and realization? The true vehicle is self-sufficient. What need is there for special effort? Indeed, the whole body is free from dust. Who could believe in a means to brush it clean? It is never apart from this very place; what is the use of traveling around to practice? And yet, if there is a hairsbreadth deviation, it is like the gap between heaven and earth.

If the least like or dislike arises, the mind is lost in confusion. Suppose you are confident in your understanding and rich in enlightenment, gaining the wisdom that knows at a glance, attaining the Way and clarifying the mind, arousing an aspiration to reach for the heavens. You are playing in the entranceway, but you are still short of the vital path of emancipation.

Consider the Buddha: although he was wise at birth, the traces of his six years of upright sitting can yet be seen. As for Bodhidharma, although he had received the mind-seal, his nine years of facing a wall is celebrated still. If even the ancient sages were like this, how can we today dispense with wholehearted practice?

Therefore, put aside the intellectual practice of investigating words and chasing phrases, and learn to take the backward step that turns the light and shines it inward. Body and mind of themselves will drop away, and your original face will manifest. If you want to realize such, get to work on such right now.

For practicing Zen, a quiet room is suitable. Eat and drink moderately. Put aside all involvements and suspend all affairs. Do not think "good" or "bad." Do not judge true or false. Give up the operations of mind, intellect, and consciousness; stop measuring with thoughts, ideas, and views. Have no designs on becoming a buddha. How could that be limited to sitting or lying down?

At your sitting place, spread out a thick mat and put a cushion on it. Sit either in the full-lotus or half-lotus position. In the full-lotus position, first place your right foot on your left thigh, then your left foot on your right thigh. In the half-lotus, simply place your left foot on your right thigh. Tie your robes loosely and arrange them neatly. Then place your right hand on your left leg and your left hand on your right palm, thumb-tips lightly touching.

Straighten your body and sit upright, leaning neither left nor right, neither forward nor backward. Align your ears with your shoulders and your nose with your navel. Rest the tip of your tongue against the front of the roof of your mouth, with teeth together and lips shut. Always keep your eyes open, and breathe softly through your nose.

Once you have adjusted your posture, take a breath and exhale fully, rock your body right and left, and settle into steady, immovable sitting. Think of not thinking, "Not thinking --what kind of thinking is that?" Nonthinking. This is the essential art of zazen.

The zazen I speak of is not meditation practice. It is simply the dharma gate of joyful ease, the practice realization of totally culminated enlightenment. It is the koan realized; traps and snares can never reach it. If you grasp the point, you are like a dragon gaining the water, like a tiger taking to the mountains. For you must know that the true dharma appears of itself, so that from the start dullness and distraction are struck aside.

When you arise from sitting, move slowly and quietly, calmly and deliberately. Do not rise suddenly or abruptly. In surveying the past, we find that transcendence of both mundane and sacred, and dying while either sitting or standing, have all depended entirely on the power of zazen.

In addition, triggering awakening with a finger, a banner, a needle, or a mallet, and effecting realization with a whisk, a fist, a staff, or a shout --these cannot be understood by discriminative thinking; much less can they be known through the practice of supernatural power. They must represent conduct beyond seeing and hearing. Are they not a standard prior to knowledge and views?

This being the case, intelligence or lack of it is not an issue; make no distinction between the dull and the sharp-witted. If you concentrate your effort single-mindedly, that in itself is wholeheartedly engaging the way.

Practice-realization is naturally undefiled. Going forward is, after all, an everyday affair.

In general, in our world and others, in both India and China, all equally hold the buddha-seal. While each lineage expresses its own style, they are all simply devoted to sitting, totally blocked in resolute stability. Although they say that there are ten thousand distinctions and a thousand variations, they just wholeheartedly engage the way in zazen.

Why leave behind the seat in your own home to wander in vain through the dusty realms of other lands? If you make one misstep, you stumble past what is directly in front of you.

You have gained the pivotal opportunity of human form. Do not pass your days and nights in vain. You are taking care of the essential activity of the buddha-way. Who would take wasteful delight in the spark from a flintstone? Besides, form and substance are like the dew on the grass, the fortunes of life like a dart of lightning --emptied in an instant, vanished in a flash.

Please, honored followers of Zen, long accustomed to groping for the elephant, do not doubt the true dragon. Devote your energies to the way of direct pointing at the real. Revere the one who has gone beyond learning and is free from effort. Accord with the enlightenment of all the buddhas; succeed to the samadhi of all the ancestors. Continue to live in such a way, and you will be such a person. The treasure store will open of itself, and you may enjoy it freely.

Soh

遣除黑暗之灯

依诸老成就者传统而直指心之本面的教授

麦彭绛巴多杰 造

藏文原文:https://www.lotsawahouse.org/bo/tibetan-masters/mipham/lamp-to-dispel-darkness

本工作译本参考的 AtR Gemini Prompt 页面:https://www.awakeningtoreality.com/2025/04/ai-gemini-prompt-to-translate-atr-blog.html

本简体中文藏文锚定工作译本说明

此简体中文工作译本仅供个人参考,不是校勘版,准确性仍需具藏文与大圆满背景者复核。本译本以藏文为源头权威;英文草译、Lotsawa House 英译及其他公开译文仅作参照。本轮特别按用户所附 Acarya Malcolm Smith 对公开英文译法的批评作去污染复核:凡不能由藏文语法、术语或上下文支持的“过程”“觉知”“经验者/主体”“智慧已生起”等解释性措辞,均不作为正文依据。

本译本中,rig pa 依 AtR Batch 27 Prompt 1/6 术语锁定作 明(vidyā;藏 rig pa),不译作“觉知”“觉性”“觉智”“本觉”“自觉知”或“觉知觉知”。ye shes 译作 本初觉智sems 译作 rnam shes 及普通认知模式依文脉译作 识 / 意识kun gzhi 译作 一切基lhun grub 译作 自然圆满,不译作“任运成就”。

若您通达藏文并能对此工作译本提出校正,请联系:https://www.awakeningtoreality.com/p/contact-us.html

礼敬

礼上师与文殊智慧萨埵。

甚深道之力

不必广泛修习闻、思、修,只须依窍诀持守对心之本面的认出。以此甚深道之力,即便普通村野咒士等,也能不太困难地抵达持明者的地位。

然而,其要点是:让此心以其自然方式安住,不故意作意任何分别想;同时,在此方式中不散乱地维持忆念之流。如此时,会生起一种令人厌腻、浓稠的黑暗:一种昏钝、惰性、空白而没有主动思维的识。

1. 破开无知之壳

彼时,只要尚未生起清明照见——能准确辨别何者为何的殊胜胜观——诸上师便可正当地称这种状态为无明。由于不能指出说“它就是这样”,也称为不定。又由于没有执取任何所缘、也没有在心中持任何念头,故称为普通等舍。实际上,这不过是安住于一切基中的普通状态。

这类等持安住之法虽有必要:须以此为依处,令无分别本初觉智的识知得以生起。然而,由于认识自身状态的本初觉智尚未显露,所以这类方法还不能算作大圆满禅修的正行。如《普贤王如来愿文》所说:

什么也未忆念的浓滞之境——
此即无明迷乱之因。

因此,当心经历这种什么也不忆念、惰性、浓滞之境时,应自然、柔和地看此境本身的知。就在彼处,离戏之明鲜明澄澈,超越内外之想,如晴空一般。

虽所缘境与能取之心皆摄于心流,若对于自身本性生起确定知——即“除此之外别无其他”之感——则因不能陈述或描述为“它是这样”,可称为离边离言的本初光明,或称为。由于已被引介而证得的本初觉智已经显露,令人厌腻的浓稠黑暗便消散。正如天亮时能看见屋内一般,对于自心之法性、真实本性,生起确定知。

这就是名为破开无知之壳的窍诀。

2. 斩断轮回之网

如此证悟时,便知法性本身无造作。自始以来,它不由因缘和合而成,并且在过去、现在、未来三时中不迁不变。除此之外,所谓“心”的哪怕微尘许也不可见。

先前所说的什么也不忆念、惰性的黑暗,也无法被描述。它正因无法被描述,故缺乏决定性。明也不可思议、不可言说;然而要点在于:这两种不可言说的差别,犹如盲人与明眼之别。因此,一切基与法身的区别,即摄于此关要。

因此,普通识不作意离言说等名相,都有真实与不真实两面。当声与义完全相符、关要得以确定时,便能经验甚深法义。

令心以其自然方式安住时,有些人试图守护“仅仅清明”或“仅仅知”,一边想着“这就是识的清明”,一边安住在普通意识的方式中。另一些人则专注于一片空茫,认为“知”已经消失、“空”已经出现。然而二者都是普通意识范围内的执著:一者执著于清明的所取与能取,另一者执著于空的所取与能取。

此时,应观察忆念与注意之流如何运作。若对所取的清明或空,以及能取它者有所执著,就截断那概念识的系索。于是,明空离边之明便自明自定,生起明朗鲜活。这称为认出本面:明——本初觉智无遮而起,脱离执取与取著之壳。

这就是名为斩断轮回之网的窍诀。

3. 安住如虚空平等

同样,不依分析等助伴,离戏论之明应通过自然安住与自明之门,被认出为法性,如稻粒脱壳。

由于明之本性不能仅凭概念性的了知而得知,必须在那个状态中立稳脚跟。因此,不散乱地守护使知自然安住的忆念之流,是极其关键的。

如此训练时,有时会有昏钝的无念,不能辨别何者为何;有时会有通透的无念,但胜观的明晰尚未显现;有时会有带执著的乐受经验,有时会有无执著的乐受经验;有时会有种种带持取的明晰经验,有时则会有无染、离持取的明朗鲜活。

有时会有粗重、扰动的经验;有时会有平顺、悦意的经验。有时由于分别念变得十分粗重,人会被带入向外驰散的分别中。有时由于尚未辨明昏钝与明晰,状态会变得混浊。无始以来的分别习气,以及种种业风的吹动,会无定准、不可衡量地生起。这就像走一条长路,会遇到许多地方,有些悦意,有些艰难。因此,无论生起什么,都不要故意执持;应持续增强自己的道。

尤其在尚未熟练时,有时诸多念头像火焰般炽燃,有时觉受摇荡。不要拒斥它们。保持松缓柔顺,不令相续中断。其后,获得等禅修觉受会次第生起。

此时,总的说来,一旦通过上师窍诀与自身经验,辨别了认出明与未认出明、一切基与法身、识与本初觉智之间的差别,便应以确信保任引介。正如水不被搅动便自行澄清,识若安置于自处,如静止池水般不动,关要在于其法性——自生、自明之本初觉智——自行澄清。应以此作为修持的要点。

不应扩展取舍的戏论,也不应让经教学习与推理的动念增盛,想着:“我所修的这个境是识,还是本初觉智?”这样做会稍微障蔽止与胜观。

当训练稳定为止观双运时——止,是令心安住时保持忆念之流稳定;胜观,是以自明认出自己的本面——则自然安住与本性的俱生光明,被知为从一开始即不可分离。自生的本初觉智、大圆满密意,便会显露。

这就是安住如虚空平等之教授

佐证引文

因此,严格依照具德萨拉哈所说:

彻底舍弃诸念及所念之境,
如幼童般安住于无念。

——萨拉哈

关于安住的方法,又说:

专注上师语,殷重用功——

——萨拉哈

若具足指出明的窍诀,则:

俱生本性必将生起,毫无疑问。

——萨拉哈

摄要

如彼所说,心之俱生本性——明,自生之本初觉智——从无始以来便与自身普通心一同生起。由于这与诸法法性无别,亦即真实的本初光明。

因此,如是自然安住而持守法性——心之精要、认出明之本面——乃是百要归一的窍诀。对此必须持续护持。

至于串习之量,是即使在睡眠中亦能保任光明。至于正道之相,是信心、悲心与智慧自然增长。由自身经验可知,证悟容易且少有艰难。至于此法之甚深与迅速,可将由此获得的证量,与那些依此道或其他道、须经极大勤苦方能成办者的证量相比较,由此获得确信。

至于修持自心光明所得之果:当此心上的分别念遮障及其习气自然清净时,二智便无勤开展。于是夺得自身本初状态之坚城,三身自然圆满。

甚深。秘密。三昧耶。

跋文

胜生火马年二月十二日,为了那些虽大多不精进于闻思、却仍希望修持心之本面的村野咒士等,麦彭绛巴多杰依照多数老成就者经验直指引导中易懂的法语,编排此甚深教授。善哉。吉祥。


修订说明

  • rig pa:正文译为“明(vidyā;藏 rig pa)”,不译为“觉知”“觉性”“觉智”“本觉”或“觉知觉知”。
  • ye shes:译为“本初觉智”,不泛译为普通意义的“智慧”。
  • kun gzhi:译为“一切基”。
  • sems / rnam shes:sems 译为“心”;普通认知模式依文脉译为“识 / 意识”。
  • lhun grub:译为“自然圆满”,避免使用“任运成就”。
  • dmar khrid:跋文中的 dmar khrid 依藏文语境译为“经验直指引导”,不译作“赤裸”或任何身体裸露之义。
  • 反实体化:尽量避免把法性、光明、明译成“内在实体”或“某个主体”;正文中不加入“另有一个知者”“觉知觉知”等无藏文依据的解释。
  • Acarya Malcolm 去污染复核:本轮按用户所附批评,特别检查了“stepping stone / process / primordial wisdom”“object of experience / experiencing agent”“awareness of the state”等公开英文译法可能造成的污染;正文改为更贴近藏文术语关系的“等持安住之法”“本初觉智的识知”“所缘境与能取之心”,并避免把藏文读成一个独立的经验者、觉知主体或自我反观主体。
  • Prompt 6/9 复核:本版已做高风险术语、无添加义注、反实体化、中文自然度与 HTML 读回检查;因浏览器可抽取的藏文正文仍不完整,状态仍为“源头导向、藏文锚定的工作译本”,不是校勘版、逐句藏文认证版或终稿。完整逐句藏文校勘仍建议由具藏文与大圆满训练者复核。
Soh

明的引介:无遮直见而自行解脱

根据藏文重译并经第五轮审校的简体中文工作译本,仅供个人参考。

藏文原文:རིག་པ་ངོ་སྤྲོད་ཅེར་མཐོང་རང་གྲོལ་

早前 AI 翻译所用提示词:https://www.awakeningtoreality.com/2025/04/ai-gemini-prompt-to-translate-atr-blog.html

译者说明

此为简体中文工作译本,并非藏文校勘本或学术定本。本文依据可查藏文标题与文本脉络、前一版英文修订译文、旧中文译本作参考,并依照 AtR 的术语与翻译审校规则重新整理与复审。若要公开流通,仍建议请精通藏文与大圆满语境的善知识进一步审阅。

本译本不将 rig pa 译作“觉知”“觉性”或一个本体化的“Awareness”。依照本次采用的 Ācārya Malcolm Smith / krodha 术语方向,rig pa 在文中主要译作 明(vidyā)。与此相关但不同的 shes paye shessemsrang riggsal ba / rang gsal,则分别按语境译为“识”“本初觉智”“心”“亲证之觉智”“明晰 / 自明”等,以免混同。

旧译《无染觉性直观自行解脱之道》可作参考,但其中若将 rig pa 过度译为“觉性 / 本觉 / 觉照”,或将无能所的直指语境读成本体化的内在觉性,本译本不予沿用。

正文

《甚深法·寂忿密意自行解脱》中:

此处所安立者,为《明的引介:无遮直见而自行解脱》。

顶礼三身本尊——自明之明。

今从《甚深法·寂忿密意自行解脱》中,宣说《明的引介:无遮直见而自行解脱》。

应如是将自己的明引介给自己。善加审思吧,具缘善男子。

三昧耶。封印、封印、封印。

诶玛吙——遍摄轮涅的一心

诶玛吙!

遍摄轮回与涅槃的一心:
虽然从本以来就是自身所有,却未被认出;
虽然明晰之知从未间断,却未见其面目;
虽然无碍地显现为任何事物,却未能识别。

为使人认出自己的这一自性,
三世诸佛宣说八万四千法门,
以及不可思议的经续教典;
然而所说一切,只是为了证知此义。
除此之外,诸佛并未另有所说。

虽然经典无量,等同虚空,
实际上,引介明的口诀,归结起来不过是这几句直指。

此即诸佛密意的直接引介:
毫不隐蔽,毫无保留,只是这样直接指出。

嗟吙!具缘子,请在此谛听。

未识心之过患

所谓“心”(sems)这个众所谈论、广为人知的名词:
因为未证知、误证知、或只片面证知,
又因为未能如实证知,
遂生起不可思议数量的哲学体系与宗义主张。

再者,凡夫不证知它,
不知自己的自性,
因而流转于三界六趣,领受痛苦。
这就是未能证知自己此心本身的过失。

外道中的常见者与断见者,对它作错误分别。
因堕入常、断二边而迷乱。
这也同样是未能证知自己此心本身的过失。

声闻与缘觉虽欲证知
人无我以及部分的法无我,
却未能如实证知。
受各自经论与宗义主张所束缚,
他们被遮蔽而不能见净光。

声闻与缘觉被对能取与所取的执著所遮蔽。
中观者被对二谛边际的执著所遮蔽。
事部与瑜伽部行者被对近修与成就两端的执著所遮蔽。
摩诃与阿努行者被对界域与明的执著所遮蔽。

他们将不二之义分作二分,因此偏离。
若二者未成一味,便不能觉醒。
既然一切都是自己的心,轮回与涅槃本不可分。
然而,由于落入取舍之乘,以取与舍而行,众生便在轮回中流转。

自己之明的三身本来自然圆满,无需造作。
然而,那些迷于计算地道次第者,
以向外、向远处寻求的种种方法,偏离了此义。

佛陀密意超越分别心。
然而,若依所缘与相状而修诵,便已落入错乱。
因此,应舍弃一切造作之法与作业。

因为此处宣说《无遮直见明而自行解脱》,
应证知一切法皆为大自行解脱。
因此,在大圆满中,一切本已圆满。

三昧耶。封印、封印、封印。

心的诸多名称

诶玛吙!

此明亮、鲜活的知,被称作“心”:
虽说它存在,却连一物也不成立;
虽说它生起,却生起为轮回与涅槃、乐与苦的种种差别;
若论宗义主张,它依十二乘而被安立;
若论名称,则有不可思议的种种异名。

  • 有些称它为“心”(sems)或“心性”(sems nyid)。
  • 有些外道给它“我”(bdagātman)之名。
  • 声闻说它是“人无我”。
  • 唯识者给它“唯心”之名。
  • 有些给它“中道”之名。
  • 有些说它是“般若波罗蜜多”。
  • 有些给它“善逝藏”(tathāgatagarbha)之名。
  • 有些给它“大手印”之名。
  • 有些给它“唯一明点”(thig le nyag gcig)之名。
  • 有些给它“法界”之名。
  • 有些给它“一切基”(ālaya)之名。
  • 有些给它“平常识”(tha mal shes pa)之名。

直接引介

若以直指方式直接引介此要点:

过去的念头已消逝,无迹可寻;
未来的念头尚未生起,鲜活未染;
于现在,识自然安住、未经造作之时,
就在此当下平常之识中,
由自己向自己,纯然直观其面目。

一看之时,并无任何可见之物——然而明晰。
这就是明:无遮、直接、鲜明。
因为丝毫不成立,故为空而明。
因为明与空不二,故清朗分明。

它不是常住,因为任何东西都不成立;
它也不是断灭,因为它明晰而鲜明;
它不是一,因为它明知而显为种种;
它也不成立为多,因为不可分而一味;
它不在别处,正是自己的此明。

这就是对诸法安住方式的引介。

其中,三身一体圆具、不可分离:

  • 因其不成立为任何事物,故为空性的法身
  • 空性的自然光明——即其明晰——是报身
  • 无碍显现为任何事物,是化身
  • 这三者一体圆具,即是其体性。

若以强力直指来引介此要点:
正是你此刻当下的这个识,如其本然。

斩断疑惑的问句

既然它正是此未被改造的自明,
你说自己未证知心性,是什么意思?

既然此中没有丝毫可修之物,
你说它不能由禅修显发,是什么意思?

既然它正是这个明本身,
你说找不到自己的心,是什么意思?

既然它正是此无间断的明晰之知,
你说看不见心的面目,是什么意思?

既然思维此心者正是心本身,
你说寻觅后仍未找到,是什么意思?

既然对此并无任何可作,
你说它不是由行动而发生,是什么意思?

既然只须任其不改、自明,便已足够,
你说不能安住,是什么意思?

既然只须宽松放下,什么也不作,便已足够,
你说自己不能做到,是什么意思?

既然明晰之知自然圆满,与三轮不可分,
你说它不能由修行成就,是什么意思?

既然它是自生的自然圆满,不依因缘,
你说不能靠精勤证知,是什么意思?

既然念头与解脱同时,
你说无法施用对治,是什么意思?

既然它正是此当下之识,
你说不知此义,是什么意思?

对心性的决定

心性为空、无基,是决定无疑的。
自己的心无实体,如空旷虚空。
观照自己的心,看它是否如此。

它并非空洞无物,也不是断灭之空。
自生的本初觉智从本以来明晰,是决定的。
自生的自明,如日轮核心。
观照自己的心,看它是否如此。

明与本初觉智无有间断,是决定无疑的。
无间断之明,如河流相续。
观照自己的心,看它是否如此。

分别念的迁流不可被指认为实有,是决定无疑的。
无实体的迁流,如虚空中的微风。
观照自己的心,看它是否如此。

凡所显现皆是自显现,是决定无疑的。
显现为自显现,如镜中影像。
观照自己的心,看它是否如此。

一切相状皆于本处解脱,是决定无疑的。
自生的自行解脱,如虚空中的云。
观照自己的心,看它是否如此。

既然离心之外别无一法,
就见而言,也别无其他可观之法。

既然离心之外别无一法,
就修而言,也别无其他可修之法。

既然离心之外别无一法,
就行而言,也别无其他可行之法。

既然离心之外别无一法,
就三昧耶而言,也别无其他可护之法。

既然离心之外别无一法,
就果而言,也别无其他可成之法。

再观、内观

再看,再看!看自己的心。

向外看虚空界域时,
若此心的投射没有可去之处;

向内看自己的心时,
若念头的投射并无投射者;

那么,自己的心,无投射而明晰,
即是亲证之明、净光、空性法身。
它如无云晴空中升起的太阳。
虽无分别念,却明明了知。

证知此义与不证知此义,差别极大。

此自生净光,从本以来无生,
乃是无父无母的明之子——何其奇妙!
此自生本初觉智,非任何人所造——何其奇妙!
它从未经历生,亦无死因——何其奇妙!
虽然直接明晰,却无能见者——何其奇妙!
虽然流转轮回,却不变坏——何其奇妙!
虽然成佛,却不变好——何其奇妙!
虽然人人皆有,却不认出——何其奇妙!
舍此不顾,却希求别的果——何其奇妙!
虽然本在自身,却向别处寻求——何其奇妙!

诶玛吙!

此当下明晰之明,离于实体,
它本身就是一切见的顶峰。

此无所缘、周遍含摄、超越分别心的状态,
它本身就是一切修的顶峰。

此不改造、不抓取、宽松安住,
它本身就是一切行的顶峰。

此从本以来无须追求的自然圆满,
它本身就是一切果的顶峰。

四大无谬桩与四大不变钉

今无误宣说四大无谬桩:

  1. 无谬之见的大桩
    即此当下明晰之明。
    因其明晰而无谬,故称为桩。

  2. 无谬之修的大桩
    即此当下明晰之识。
    因其明晰而无谬,故称为桩。

  3. 无谬之行的大桩
    即此当下明晰之识。
    因其明晰而无谬,故称为桩。

  4. 无谬之果的大桩
    即此当下明晰之识。
    因其明晰而无谬,故称为桩。

今宣说四大不变钉:

  1. 不变之见的大钉
    正是此当下明晰而知的识。
    因其于三时皆如是宣说,故称为钉。

  2. 不变之修的大钉
    正是此当下明晰而知的识。
    因其于三时皆如是宣说,故称为钉。

  3. 不变之行的大钉
    正是此当下明晰而知的识。
    因其于三时皆如是宣说,故称为钉。

  4. 不变之果的大钉
    正是此当下明晰而知的识。
    因其于三时皆如是宣说,故称为钉。

口诀:将三时安顿为一

不要追随过去;舍弃对过去的想法。
不要迎取未来;斩断意之牵连绳。
将现在放在虚空界域中,不作抓取。

没有可修之物,所以不要修任何东西。
没有散乱,所以依止不散乱的正念。
在无修亦无散乱的状态中,无遮地直看。

自己的亲证之识,鲜明而自明。
此一起现,即称为菩提心。
因为没有可修之物,所以超越所知境。
因无散乱,故以其体性而明晰。
显现与空自行解脱;明晰与空即是法身。

由于佛道并非造作而成,而是现前显发,
金刚萨埵就在此刻被见。

将见、修、行、果护送至穷尽处

此为将究竟见护送至穷尽处的口诀:

虽有许多相违之见,
在此自生本初觉智、心性、自己的明之中,
并无所见之境与能见者的二元。
不要看“见”本身;去寻找看者。
若寻找看者而不可得,
那时,见便被护送至穷尽处。
见的究竟要点也归结于此。

虽然在见中没有丝毫可看之物,
但不堕入泛泛空洞的虚无,
此当下属于自己之明的明晰之识,
本身就是大圆满之见。
于其中,并无证知与未证知的二元。

虽有许多相违之修,
在自己的明、平常而通透之识中,
并无所修之境与能修者的二元。
不要修“修”本身;去寻找修者。
若寻找修者而不可得,
那时,修便被护送至穷尽处。
修的究竟要点也归结于此。

虽然没有丝毫可修之物,
但不落入昏沉、掉举、惛睡之力,
此当下未改造、明晰之识,
即是不改造的等持,是真正的禅定。
于其中,并无安住与不安住的二元。

虽有许多相违之行,
在自己的明、唯一明点之本初觉智中,
并无作为对象的行与行者的二元。
不要作“行”本身;去寻找行者。
若寻找行者而不可得,
那时,行便被护送至穷尽处。
行的究竟要点也归结于此。

虽然没有丝毫可修作之行,
但不落入习气与迷乱之力,
在当下之识未改造的自明中,
不从事任何修饰、改变、取或舍,
这本身就是完全清净之行。
于其中,并无清净与不清净的二元。

虽有许多相违之果,
在自己的明、心性、自然圆满的三身中,
并无所成之果与能成者的二元。
不要成办“果”本身;去寻找能成办者。
若寻找能成办者而不可得,
那时,果便被护送至穷尽处。
果的究竟要点也归结于此。

虽然没有丝毫可成办之果,
但不落入取舍、希望与恐惧之力,
于当下能知之识自然圆满的自明之中,
自明三身的证悟显现为现前。
这本身就是本初成佛之果。

明的同义名称

此明远离常、断等八边。
因不落任何边,故称为“中道”。
它称为“无间断正念之明知”。
因为空性具有明之体,
故得名“善逝藏”。

若知此义,它即是一切所知境中最胜者。
因此得名“般若波罗蜜多”。
因其远离分别心之边,从本以来即已解脱,
故得名“大手印”。
由于此自性是否被证知,
成为一切轮回与涅槃、乐与苦的基础,
故得名“一切基”。

当它自然安住、平常而未造作时,
此明晰而鲜活之识,
得名“平常识”。

无论附加多少善妙、绚丽、悦意的名称,
实际上,除了此当下能知之识以外,
若有人在此之外另立更胜之物,
就如已经找到大象,却还去寻找象迹。
即使遍行三千大千世界,也不可能找到。

离心之外,不可能找到佛。
不知此义,若向外寻心,
又怎能用自己去寻找他者而找到自己?

譬如,一个愚人身处人群,
看完戏法后忘失了自己。
不认得自己的脸,便向别处寻找。
以自己去寻找别人之迷乱,正是如此。

由于不见事物本性的安住方式,
不知显现即是心,便漂泊轮回。
不证知自己的心即是佛,涅槃便被遮蔽。

轮回与涅槃,
由知与不知、明与无明,
在一刹那中分出差别。
将自己的心见为他物,便成错乱。
错乱与不乱,本为一体。

既然众生的心续并不成立为二,
只要让心性在本处不改造而安住,便得解脱。
若不知此错乱本身即是心,
便永远不能证知法性之义。
向内看自己:看这自生、自起的自明!

这些显现最初从何处生起?
中间住于何处?
最后又往何处去?
一看之下,犹如船上的乌鸦:
虽从船上飞离,却无别处可落。
同样,由于显现从心中生起,
它们便在自己的心中生起,并在心中解脱。

凡所显现皆是心

此心性,遍知遍明,空而明晰:
如虚空中明与空从本以来不可分,
当自生本初觉智明然显现,
并被决定时,这本身就是法性。

其为如此的征相是:一切显有与寂静,
都被知为自己的心。
既然此心性是知而明晰,
应了知它犹如虚空。

虽然以虚空作为象征法性的譬喻,
但这只是暂时指出某一面向的象征。
心性具有明,既空而又明晰地显为一切;
虚空没有明,只是空、只是空白的虚无。
因此,心的意义不能由虚空完全说明。
不散乱地安住于那一状态中。

甚至这些种种相对显现,
虽被执为真实,却连一物也不成立。
因此,一切显有、轮回与涅槃,
都是自己唯一心性的可见展现。

每当自己的心续改变时,
外在的可见显现也似乎随之改变。
因此,一切都是心的可见展现。
六道众生各见自己的相应显现。
外道以常、断二元来看。
九乘依各自的见而看。
见为种种,并见种种彼此相异,
他们执著差别,并被各自的执著所迷乱。

因为一切显现都是心之明,
虽有可见显现生起,不抓取即是佛。
显现本身并不错;因抓取而错。
若知抓取之念即是心,它们便自然解脱。

凡所显现,一切都是心的显现:

  • 无情器世间的显现也是心。
  • 有情六道众生的显现也是心。
  • 上界天人与人的安乐显现也是心。
  • 三恶趣痛苦的显现也是心。
  • 无明、烦恼与五毒的显现也是心。
  • 明作为自生本初觉智的显现也是心。
  • 恶念与轮回习气的显现也是心。
  • 善念与涅槃界的显现也是心。
  • 障碍、魔与鬼神的显现也是心。
  • 天尊与殊胜悉地的显现也是心。
  • 种种分别念的显现也是心。
  • 安住于一境无念之定也是心。
  • 具有实有相状的色彩显现也是心。
  • 无相与离戏也是心。
  • 一与多不二的显现也是心。
  • 不成立为存在或非存在的显现也是心。
  • 离心之外,绝无任何显现。

虽然心性无碍,任何显现都可生起,
即使显现生起,也如海水与波浪,
不二,并在心的状态中解脱。

虽然名称无碍,任何名称都可安立,
实际上,离唯一心性之外,别无一物。
即使此“一”,也无基、无根。
向任何方向观看,都见不到一物。

它不被见为实体,也不成立为任何东西。
它也不被见为仅仅是空,因为它是知与明晰的光明。
它不被见为相异,因为它是明与空不可分的状态。

此刻,自己的明鲜活而明晰。
即使想把它做成某物,也无从下手。
虽无自性,却能直接经验。
当这本身被经验时,一切都解脱。
由此了知,根器并无利钝之别。

芝麻与乳中虽含油与酥油之源,
若不压榨、不搅拌,油与酥油不会出现。
同样,虽然一切众生本为佛之真实精髓,
若不修行,众生不会觉醒。
若能修行,即使牧牛人也会解脱。

虽不知如何言说,却能现量自定。
当红糖已在自己口中尝到,
便不需要别人解释其味。
不证知此义,即使班智达也会迷乱。
即使精通九乘所知境的解说,
也如讲述自己从未见过的远方故事。
与佛果连一刹那也未曾更接近。

若证知此义,善与不善在本处解脱。
若不证知此义,无论行善或造恶,
都不能超越上下趣的轮回。

在证知自己的心为空而明的本初觉智之刹那,
善与不善、利与害,丝毫不成立。
如水不会聚集于虚空,
善与不善从本以来也不成立于空性本身之中。

因此,为了与自己的明当下照面,
此《无遮直见而自行解脱》极为甚深。
因此,应熟悉自己的这个明。

甚深。封印、封印、封印。

跋文

诶玛吙!

至于此《明的引介:无遮直见而自行解脱》:
为利益未来浊世中的具缘者,
一切续、阿笈摩、口诀,以及自己之明的体验,
我已在此汇集为简略而明了的密意表达。
如今不令其广为流布,而将其作为珍宝伏藏。
愿它未来遇见福缘成熟者。

三昧耶。封印、封印、封印。

名为《无遮直见而自行解脱》、直接引介明的甚深法,由邬金大师莲花生所造,至此圆满。

三昧耶。封印、封印、封印。

伏藏师、成就者噶玛林巴,从甘波达舞姿天尊之山迎请出此法。


本简体中文第五版审校要点

  • rig pa:按本次术语规则译为“明(vidyā)”,不译为“觉性”“觉知”或本体化的“觉”。
  • ye shes:译为“本初觉智”,与“明”区别。
  • shes pa:依语境译为“识”或“能知之识”。
  • sems:译为“心”,保持其世俗、二元心的语境。
  • gsal ba / rang gsal:译为“明晰”“自明”,避免译成实体化的光体或大我。
  • rang grol:译为“自行解脱”,指显现与念头于本处解脱,而非一个不变背景的存续。
  • gcer/cer mthong:本轮改译为“无遮直见 / 纯然直观”,不再用容易被误解为身体裸露的字面词,以避免现代中文误读,同时保留“不被概念遮蔽而直接看见”的藏文语感。
  • HTML / Prompt 6-9 复审: 本轮按 Prompt 6 的“源证问题优先”与 Prompt 9 的“来源锚定精修”原则,再次复核疑似重复、术语漂移、中文过度名词化、链接与样式结构;疑似重复的区段经 raw HTML readback 判定为嵌套标签抽取假象,未误删有效内容。
  • 第五轮整体改进:旧译仅作参考,本轮进一步微调标题、术语、问句、直指段、四桩四钉、穷尽处、“凡所显现皆是心”、跋文和 HTML 结构,使简体中文更顺畅,同时尽量不牺牲藏文语境与 AtR 术语规则。
Soh

A Lamp to Dispel Darkness

An Instruction Pointing Directly to Mind’s Face, According to the Tradition of the Old Realized Ones

By Mipham Jampal Dorje

Original Tibetan text: https://www.lotsawahouse.org/bo/tibetan-masters/mipham/lamp-to-dispel-darkness

Gemini Prompt reference used for the earlier draft: https://www.awakeningtoreality.com/2025/04/ai-gemini-prompt-to-translate-atr-blog.html

Translator’s Note for This Fifth-Pass Tibetan-Anchor Working Version

This fifth-pass working translation is provided solely for personal reference. It is not a critical edition and its accuracy is not guaranteed. In this pass, the Tibetan text itself is treated as the source authority. Public English translations, including Lotsawa House, are treated as contaminated comparison witnesses only; none is allowed to determine wording where Tibetan/source-control, the [redacted] criticism supplied by the user, or AtR terminology safeguards point elsewhere. It should still be reviewed by someone proficient in Tibetan and Dzogchen before being reproduced or distributed.

In this revision, rig pa is not translated as “awareness,” “awareness of awareness,” “reflexive awareness,” or svasaṃvedana. Following the Acarya Malcolm/Kyle Dixon criticism supplied by the user and the Prompt 1/6 termbank, rig pa is kept as rigpa and glossed as vidyā / knowledge where needed. Ye shes is rendered as pristine consciousness, sems as mind, rnam shes / ordinary cognitive modes as consciousness, kun gzhi as all-basis, and lhun grub as natural perfection rather than “spontaneous presence.”

If you are proficient in Tibetan and can offer corrections regarding this working translation, please contact: https://www.awakeningtoreality.com/p/contact-us.html

The Homage

Homage to the Guru and Mañjuśrī Jñānasattva.

The Power of the Profound Path

Without needing extensive training in hearing, reflection, and practice, one may simply sustain the recognition of mind’s own face according to the pith instructions of the experiential lineage. By the power of this profound path, even ordinary village mantrikas and the like can, without too much difficulty, reach the level of a vidyādhara.

Yet this is done by letting this very mind settle in its own natural way, without deliberately imagining anything at all, while maintaining an undistracted continuity of recollection in that very mode. When this is done, there arises a cloying, dense darkness: a dull, inert consciousness, blank and devoid of active thought.

1. Opening the Husk of Unknowing

At that time, so long as clear seeing has not arisen — the special insight, vipaśyanā, that discerns precisely what is what — masters may rightly call that state ignorance. Since one cannot identify it by saying, “It is like this,” it is also called indeterminate. And because there is no taking up of any object and no thought being entertained, it is called common equanimity. In reality, it is merely abiding in an ordinary state within the all-basis.

Such methods of equipoise are useful as conditions for bringing forth non-conceptual pristine consciousness. Yet because the pristine consciousness that recognizes the state itself has not yet dawned, this cannot count as the main practice of Dzogchen meditation. As the Prayer of Kuntuzangpo says:

A dense state in which nothing at all is recalled —
This itself is the cause of ignorance’s confusion.

Therefore, when mind experiences such an unconscious, inert, dense state, look naturally and gently at the knowing of that very state. Right there, rigpa, free from discursiveness, is vividly clear, beyond any notion of inside or outside, like a clear sky.

Although there is no dualistic separation between the experienced object and the experiencing agent, if certainty about one’s own nature arises — a sense that, “Apart from this there is nothing else,” then, because it cannot be stated or described as “it is like this,” it may be called the primordial radiant clarity beyond extremes and expression, or rigpa. Since the pristine consciousness to which one has been introduced has dawned, the cloying dense darkness clears away. Just as one can see inside a house when day breaks, certainty arises regarding the dharmatā, the true nature, of one’s own mind.

This is the pith instruction called Opening the Husk of Unknowing.

2. Cutting the Net of Cyclic Existence

When it is realized in this way, one knows that dharmatā, by its very nature, is unconstructed. From the very beginning, it has abided without being compounded by causes and conditions, and it does not undergo transition or change across the three times. Apart from that, not even the slightest particle of something called “mind” is observed.

Earlier, the unconscious, inert darkness was not described. Its very inability to be described means that it lacks decisive determination. Rigpa, too, cannot be thought or described; nevertheless, the decisive point is this: the difference between these two kinds of inexpressibility is like the difference between blindness and clear sight. Thus, the distinction between the all-basis and the dharmakāya is gathered into this essential point.

Therefore, terms such as ordinary consciousness, not attending mentally, and freedom from expression have two sides: authentic and unauthentic. When sound and meaning are brought fully into accord and the essential point is fixed, one gains experience of the profound meaning of the Dharma.

When leaving mind to settle in its own way, some try to guard “mere clarity” or “mere knowing,” settling into a mode of ordinary mental consciousness while thinking, “This is the clarity of consciousness.” Others focus on a blank vacuity, taking “knowing” to have disappeared and “emptiness” to have occurred. Yet both are attachments within the range of ordinary mental consciousness: one clings to the apprehended and apprehender of clarity, while the other clings to the apprehended and apprehender of emptiness.

At that point, look at how the stream of memory and attention is functioning. If there is clinging to an apprehended clarity or emptiness and to an apprehender of it, cut the tether of that conceptual consciousness. Then rigpa — clear and empty, beyond extremes — is decisively ascertained by itself, and a lucid vividness arises. This is called recognizing the face: rigpa, pristine consciousness arising uncovered, free from the husk of grasping and appropriation.

This is the pith instruction called Cutting the Net of Cyclic Existence.

3. Remaining in Space-Like Equality

Likewise, without relying on companion factors such as analysis and so forth, rigpa free from elaboration should be recognized as dharmatā through the gate of self-settling and self-clarity — like a grain of rice freed from its husk.

Because the nature of rigpa is not known merely through conceptual knowing-about, one must establish one’s footing in that very state. Therefore, it is crucial to guard, without distraction, the stream of recollection that lets knowing settle in its own natural way.

When one trains in this way, at times there will be dull non-conceptuality in which one does not know what is what. Sometimes there will be a transparent non-conceptuality in which the clarity of special insight has not yet emerged. Sometimes there will be blissful experiences with attachment, and sometimes blissful experiences without attachment. Sometimes there will be various experiences of clarity that involve holding, and sometimes there will be clear, lucid vividness that is unsullied and free from holding.

Sometimes there will be rough, unsettling experiences; sometimes smooth, pleasing experiences. Sometimes, because conceptuality becomes very coarse, one is carried off into outward discursivity. Sometimes, because dullness and clarity have not been distinguished, the state becomes murky. Beginningless habituations of conceptuality, together with the various gusts of karmic winds, arise without certainty or fixed measure. This is like traveling a long road and encountering many places, some pleasant and some difficult. Therefore, whatever arises, do not deliberately hold to it; keep strengthening your own path.

Especially when one is untrained, there will be times when the many thoughts blaze like fire and times when experiences waver. Do not reject them. Remain relaxed and pliant, without breaking the continuity. Later, meditative experiences such as attainment will arise in stages.

At this time, in general, once the distinctions between recognizing and not recognizing rigpa, between all-basis and dharmakāya, and between consciousness and pristine consciousness have been discerned through the lama’s pith instructions and through one’s own experience, one should sustain the introduction with confidence. Just as water becomes clear by itself when it is not stirred, when consciousness is left in its own place, unmoved like a still pool, the key point is that its dharmatā — self-arisen, self-clear pristine consciousness — becomes clear by itself. This should be made the main point of practice.

One should not expand proliferations of adopting and abandoning, nor swell the movement of scriptural study and inference, thinking, “Is this object of my meditation consciousness or pristine consciousness?” To do so slightly obscures both calm abiding and special insight.

When the training becomes stable as the union of calm abiding and special insight — the calm abiding that keeps steady the stream of recollection leaving mind to settle, and the special insight by which one’s own face is recognized as self-clarity — then natural settling and the innate radiant clarity of one’s own nature are known as indivisible from the very beginning. The self-arisen pristine consciousness, the intent of the Great Perfection, becomes manifest.

This is The Instruction on Remaining in Space-Like Equality.

Supporting Quotations

Thus, strictly in accordance with the glorious Saraha:

Utterly abandon thoughts and objects of thought,
And remain without thought, like a young child.

— Saraha

And regarding the method of resting:

Focus on the guru’s words and apply great effort—

— Saraha

And if one possesses the pith instruction pointing out rigpa:

There is no doubt that the co-emergent nature will arise.

— Saraha

The Condensed Point

As stated there, the co-emergent nature of mind — rigpa, self-originated pristine consciousness — has arisen together with one’s own ordinary mind from the very beginning. Since this is not different from the dharmatā of all phenomena, it is also the genuine primordial radiant clarity.

Therefore, this way of resting naturally while sustaining dharmatā — the essence of mind, the recognition of rigpa’s own face — is the pith instruction that gathers a hundred key points into one. This is what must be guarded continuously.

As for the measure of familiarization, it is to maintain radiant clarity even during sleep. As for the signs of the right path, faith, compassion, and wisdom increase naturally. Through one’s own experience, one knows that realization is easy and involves little hardship. As for the profundity and swiftness of this approach, one attains certainty by comparing the measure of realization with those who enter this or other paths only after accomplishing them through very great effort.

As for the fruition attained by meditating on the radiant clarity of one’s own mind: when the obscurations of conceptual thoughts upon that mind, together with their habitual tendencies, naturally clear away, the twofold knowing expands without effort. One seizes the stronghold of one’s own primordial state, and the three kāyas are naturally perfected.

Profound. Guhya. Samaya.

Colophon

On the twelfth day of the second lunar month in the Fire Horse year (1906), this profound instruction was arranged by Mipham Jampal Dorje for village mantrikas and others who, though they do not exert themselves greatly in hearing and reflection, nevertheless wish to practice the face of mind. It accords with the easy-to-understand Dharma language of direct experiential guidance from most of the old realized ones. Virtue. Maṅgalam.


Revision Notes

  • rig pa: kept as rigpa and glossed as vidyā/knowledge, rather than translating it as “awareness.”
  • ye shes: rendered as pristine consciousness, not “wisdom” in a generic sense.
  • kun gzhi: rendered as all-basis.
  • sems: rendered as mind; ordinary cognitive modes are rendered as consciousness where appropriate.
  • lhun grub: rendered as natural perfection / naturally perfected, avoiding “spontaneous presence.”
  • gcer/bare language: rendered contextually as uncovered, direct, or laid bare, not as physically “naked.”
  • Anti-reification: this fourth pass continues reducing repeated “intrinsic reality” language by using dharmatā or true nature where appropriate, so as not to imply a substantial inner entity.
  • Fifth-pass Tibetan-anchor review: the Tibetan title, homage, opening verse, dull/inert/dense-state terminology, Kuntuzangpo quote, three instruction titles, rice-husk image, Saraha sequence, and colophon were rechecked against the Tibetan page where accessible, with Lotsawa and Wallace used only as comparison witnesses.
  • Acarya Malcolm / reflexive-awareness safeguard: the supplied screenshot was treated as a release-critical warning. This pass removes wording that could suggest “awareness of awareness” or reflexive-awareness/svasaṃvedana as the meaning of rig pa. Non-source explanatory glosses have been removed from the body; any remaining doctrinal caution is confined to this QA note.
Soh

Introducing Knowledge (Vidyā): Self-Liberation through Naked Seeing

Second-pass revised working translation from Tibetan, prepared for personal reference.

Original Tibetan text: རིག་པ་ངོ་སྤྲོད་ཅེར་མཐོང་རང་གྲོལ་

Prompt used for the earlier AI translation: https://www.awakeningtoreality.com/2025/04/ai-gemini-prompt-to-translate-atr-blog.html

Translation Note

This is a second-pass revised working translation, not a critical edition. It has been checked against the accessible Tibetan source title/context, the older English rendering supplied for repair, and current AtR terminology safeguards, but it should still be treated as provisional unless reviewed by a qualified Tibetan scholar-practitioner.

In this revision, rig pa is not rendered as “awareness.” Following the stricter terminology associated with Ācārya Malcolm Smith and Kyle Dixon/krodha, rig pa is rendered mainly as vidyā, with “knowledge” used as its explanatory English equivalent. Ordinary knowing, consciousness, clarity, self-clarity, and pristine consciousness are kept distinct where the Tibetan appears to distinguish rig pa, shes pa, gsal ba / rang gsal, rang rig, and ye shes.

Other translators have often used “intrinsic awareness” or “naked awareness” for this text. Those older title conventions are well known, but this edition avoids using “Awareness” as a reified background or as an equivalent for rig pa.

The Text

From the Profound Dharma, Self-Liberation of the Intent of the Peaceful and Wrathful Ones:

Here is the Introduction to Knowledge (Vidyā): Self-Liberation through Naked Seeing.

I bow to the deity of the three kāyas, self-clear vidyā.

From the Profound Dharma, Self-Liberation of the Intent of the Peaceful and Wrathful Ones, I shall teach the Introduction to Knowledge (Vidyā): Self-Liberation through Naked Seeing.

In this way, introduce your own vidyā to yourself. Consider this well, fortunate child of noble family.

Samaya. Sealed, sealed, sealed.

Emaho — The Single Mind

Emaho!

The single mind that encompasses all of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa:
Although it has been one’s own from the very beginning, it has not been recognized.
Although clear knowledge is uninterrupted, its face has not been met.
Although it arises unobstructedly as anything whatsoever, it has not been identified.

In order that this very nature of one’s own be recognized,
The Victors of the three times taught the eighty-four thousand gates of Dharma
And inconceivable collections of scripture.
Yet all that was taught was only for the purpose of realizing this.
Apart from this, the Victors have taught nothing.

Although the scriptures are infinite, equal to the sky,
In actuality, the instruction that introduces vidyā comes down to this concise pointing-out.

This direct introduction to the intent of the Victors
Is just this method of pointing directly, without concealment and without omission.

Kye ho! Fortunate children, listen here!

The Failure to Recognize Mind

This much-discussed and renowned term called “mind” (sems):
Because it is not realized, wrongly realized, or only partly realized,
And because it is not realized exactly as it is,
Inconceivable numbers of philosophical systems and assertions have arisen from this.

Furthermore, ordinary beings do not realize it.
Not knowing their own nature,
They wander in the six destinies of the three realms and experience suffering.
This is the fault of not realizing one’s own mind itself.

The eternalists and nihilists among the non-Buddhists conceptualize it wrongly.
By falling into the extremes of eternalism and nihilism, they are deluded.
This, too, is the fault of not realizing one’s own mind itself.

Although śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas wish to realize
The selflessness of persons and a partial selflessness of phenomena,
They do not realize it exactly as it is.
Bound by the assertions of their own texts and tenets,
They are veiled and do not see the clear light.

Śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas are veiled by attachment to object and subject.
Mādhyamikas are veiled by attachment to the extremes of the two truths.
Kriyā and Yoga practitioners are veiled by attachment to the extremes of approach and accomplishment.
Mahā and Anu practitioners are veiled by attachment to expanse and vidyā.

They stray by dividing the nondual meaning into two.
If the two do not become of one taste, awakening will not be attained.
Since everything is one’s own mind, saṃsāra and nirvāṇa are inseparable.
Yet through the vehicles of adoption and avoidance, by accepting and rejecting, beings wander in saṃsāra.

The three kāyas of one’s own vidyā are naturally perfected without effort.
Yet those deluded by calculating stages and paths
Are distracted from this meaning by methods that seek elsewhere, far away from it.

The intent of the Buddha is beyond intellect.
Yet through meditation and recitation that rely on reference points and marks, beings are mistaken.
Therefore, cast away all fabricated dharmas and activities.

Because this Self-Liberation through Nakedly Seeing Vidyā is taught here,
Realize all phenomena as the great self-liberation.
Therefore, in the Great Perfection, everything is perfected.

Samaya. Sealed, sealed, sealed.

The Many Names Given to Mind

Emaho!

This bright, vivid knowing called “mind”:
Although one says it exists, it is not established as even a single thing.
Although one says it arises, it arises as the diversity of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, happiness and suffering.
As for assertions, it is asserted in accord with the twelve vehicles.
As for names, inconceivable distinct names are applied to it.

  • Some call it “mind” (sems) or “nature of mind” (sems nyid).
  • Some non-Buddhists give it the name “self” (bdag, ātman).
  • The śrāvakas say it is the “selflessness of persons.”
  • The Cittamātrins give it the name “mind.”
  • Some give it the name “Middle Way.”
  • Some say it is the “Perfection of Wisdom.”
  • Some give it the name “Essence of the Sugata” (tathāgatagarbha).
  • Some give it the name “Mahāmudrā.”
  • Some give it the name “single thig le.”
  • Some give it the name “dharmadhātu.”
  • Some give it the name “all-basis” (ālaya).
  • Some give it the name “ordinary consciousness” (tha mal shes pa).

The Direct Introduction

If one is directly introduced to this point by pointing it out:

The past thought has vanished without a trace.
The future thought has not arisen and is fresh.
In the present, when consciousness abides naturally, uncontrived,
In this ordinary consciousness of the present moment,
Look nakedly at your own face, by yourself.

When you look, there is nothing to see — and yet there is clarity.
It is vidyā: naked, direct, and vivid.
Because nothing whatsoever is established, it is empty and clear.
Because clarity and emptiness are nondual, it is distinctly open.

It is not permanent, for nothing whatsoever is established.
It is not nihilistic, for it is lucid and vivid.
It is not one, for it is clear and knowing as the many.
It is not established as many, for it is inseparable and of one taste.
It is not elsewhere; it is this very vidyā of one’s own.

This is the introduction to the meaning of the abiding mode of things.

In this, the three kāyas are complete as one and inseparable:

  • Because it is not established as anything whatsoever, it is the empty Dharmakāya.
  • The natural radiance of emptiness, which is clarity, is the Sambhogakāya.
  • Arising as anything whatsoever without obstruction is the Nirmāṇakāya.
  • The state in which these three are complete as one is the essence itself.

If this very point is introduced forcefully by pointing it out:
It is just this present consciousness of yours, exactly as it is.

Questions that Cut Through Doubt

Since it is just this unaltered self-clarity,
What do you mean by saying you do not realize the nature of mind?

Since there is nothing whatsoever to meditate upon in this,
What do you mean by saying it does not arise through meditation?

Since it is just this vidyā itself,
What do you mean by saying you do not find your own mind?

Since it is just this uninterrupted clear knowledge,
What do you mean by saying you do not see the face of mind?

Since the one who thinks of mind is mind itself,
What do you mean by saying you did not find it by searching?

Since there is nothing whatsoever to be done with regard to this,
What do you mean by saying it did not occur through action?

Since it is enough to leave it unaltered and self-clear,
What do you mean by saying you cannot remain?

Since it is enough to leave it loosely without doing anything,
What do you mean by saying you are unable?

Since clear knowledge is naturally perfected, inseparable from the three spheres,
What do you mean by saying it is not accomplished through practice?

Since it is self-originated natural perfection, without causes and conditions,
What do you mean by saying you cannot realize it through effort?

Since thoughts and liberation occur together,
What do you mean by saying you cannot apply an antidote?

Since it is just this present consciousness,
What do you mean by saying you do not know this?

Certainty in the Nature of Mind

It is certain that the nature of mind is empty and without basis.
One’s own mind is insubstantial, like empty space.
Look at your own mind to see whether it is like that or not.

Without being a vacuous nothingness or a nihilistic emptiness,
It is certain that self-originated pristine consciousness is clear from the beginning.
Self-originated self-clarity is like the heart of the sun.
Look at your own mind to see whether it is like that or not.

It is certain that vidyā and pristine consciousness are uninterrupted.
Uninterrupted knowledge is like the flow of a river.
Look at your own mind to see whether it is like that or not.

It is certain that the movement of discursive thought cannot be identified.
Insubstantial movement is like a breeze in the atmosphere.
Look at your own mind to see whether it is like that or not.

It is certain that whatever appears is self-appearance.
Appearances being self-appearance is like a reflection in a mirror.
Look at your own mind to see whether it is like that or not.

It is certain that all characteristics are liberated in their own place.
Self-originated self-liberation is like clouds in the atmosphere.
Look at your own mind to see whether it is like that or not.

Since there is no dharma elsewhere apart from mind,
There is no other dharma to look at through the view.

Since there is no dharma elsewhere apart from mind,
There is no other dharma to meditate upon through meditation.

Since there is no dharma elsewhere apart from mind,
There is no other dharma to practice through conduct.

Since there is no dharma elsewhere apart from mind,
There is no other dharma to guard as samaya.

Since there is no dharma elsewhere apart from mind,
There is no other dharma to accomplish as the fruit.

Looking Again and Looking Inward

Look again, look again. Look at your own mind.

When you look outward into the expanse of space,
If there is no place for the mind’s projection to go;

When you look inward at your own mind,
If there is no projector of the projection of thought;

Then your own mind, clear without projection,
Is personally-intuited vidyā, clear light, the empty Dharmakāya.
It is like the sun rising in a cloudless, clear sky.
Although it does not possess discursive thought, it knows lucidly.

The difference between realizing and not realizing this meaning is great.

This self-originated clear light, unborn from the beginning,
Is the parentless child of vidyā — how wonderful!
This self-originated pristine consciousness, made by no one — how wonderful!
It has never experienced birth and has no cause for death — how wonderful!
Although it is directly clear, there is no seer — how wonderful!
Although it wanders in saṃsāra, it does not become worse — how wonderful!
Although it attains Buddhahood, it does not become better — how wonderful!
Although it is present in everyone, they do not recognize it — how wonderful!
Leaving this aside, they hope for some other fruit — how wonderful!
Although it is their own, they search for it elsewhere — how wonderful!

Emaho!

This present clear vidyā, free from substance,
Is itself the very pinnacle of all views.

This state without reference point, all-embracing and beyond intellect,
Is itself the very pinnacle of all meditations.

This unaltered, ungrasping, loose resting,
Is itself the very pinnacle of all conducts.

This unsought natural perfection from the very beginning,
Is itself the very pinnacle of all fruits.

The Four Great Unerring Stakes and the Four Great Nails

The four great unerring stakes are taught:

  1. The great stake of the view without error
    Is this clear vidyā of the present.
    Because it is clear and unerring, it is called a stake.

  2. The great stake of meditation without error
    Is this clear consciousness of the present.
    Because it is clear and unerring, it is called a stake.

  3. The great stake of conduct without error
    Is this clear consciousness of the present.
    Because it is clear and unerring, it is called a stake.

  4. The great stake of the fruit without error
    Is this clear consciousness of the present.
    Because it is clear and unerring, it is called a stake.

The four great nails of changelessness are taught:

  1. The great nail of the changeless view
    Is just this clear knowing consciousness of the present.
    Because it is taught throughout the three times, it is called a nail.

  2. The great nail of changeless meditation
    Is just this clear knowing consciousness of the present.
    Because it is taught throughout the three times, it is called a nail.

  3. The great nail of changeless conduct
    Is just this clear knowing consciousness of the present.
    Because it is taught throughout the three times, it is called a nail.

  4. The great nail of the changeless fruit
    Is just this clear knowing consciousness of the present.
    Because it is taught throughout the three times, it is called a nail.

The Pith Instruction: Settling the Three Times as One

Do not follow the past; abandon the notion of the past.
Do not invite the future; cut the rope that links the mind forward.
Leave the present in the expanse of the sky, without grasping.

There is nothing to meditate upon, so do not meditate on anything.
There is no distraction, so rely on undistracted mindfulness.
In the state without meditation and without distraction, look nakedly.

One’s own personally-intuited consciousness is vividly self-clear.
That arising is called bodhicitta.
Because there is nothing to meditate upon, it transcends the object of knowledge.
Because there is no distraction, it is clear by its very essence.
Appearance and emptiness are self-liberated; clarity and emptiness are the Dharmakāya.

Since the path to Buddhahood is not newly produced but becomes manifest,
Vajrasattva is seen at this very moment.

Escorting View, Meditation, Conduct, and Fruit to the Place of Exhaustion

The instruction for escorting the final point to the place of exhaustion:

Although there are many discordant views,
Within this self-originated pristine consciousness, the nature of mind, one’s own vidyā,
There is no duality of a viewed object and a viewer.
Do not look at the view; look for the looker.
If you search for the looker and do not find him,
At that time, the view is escorted to the place of exhaustion.
The ultimate point of the view, too, comes down to that.

Although there is nothing whatsoever to look at in the view,
Without drifting into a generic, blank nothingness,
This present clear consciousness of one’s own vidyā
Is itself the view of the Great Perfection.
In that, there is no duality of realizing and not realizing.

Although there are many discordant meditations,
Within one’s own vidyā, ordinary penetrating consciousness,
There is no duality of an object meditated upon and a meditator.
Do not meditate on meditation; look for the meditator.
If you search for the meditator and do not find him,
At that time, meditation is escorted to the place of exhaustion.
The ultimate point of meditation, too, comes down to that.

Although there is nothing whatsoever to meditate upon,
Without falling under the power of dullness, agitation, and torpor,
The unaltered, clear consciousness of the present
Is unaltered equipoise, true dhyāna.
In that, there is no duality of remaining and not remaining.

Although there are many discordant conducts,
Within one’s own vidyā, the pristine consciousness of the single thig le,
There is no duality of conduct as object and one who acts.
Do not perform conduct; look for the one who acts.
If you search for the one who acts and do not find him,
At that time, conduct is escorted to the place of exhaustion.
The ultimate point of conduct, too, comes down to that.

Although there is nothing whatsoever to practice as conduct,
Without falling under the power of habitual tendencies and delusion,
In the unaltered self-clarity of the consciousness of the present,
Without engaging in modification, alteration, acceptance, or rejection,
That itself is perfectly pure conduct.
In that, there is no duality of pure and impure.

Although there are many discordant fruits,
Within one’s own vidyā, the nature of mind, the naturally perfected three kāyas,
There is no duality of a result to be accomplished and an accomplisher.
Do not accomplish the fruit; look for the one who would accomplish it.
If you search for the one who would accomplish it and do not find him,
At that time, the fruit is escorted to the place of exhaustion.
The ultimate point of the fruit, too, comes down to that.

Although there is nothing whatsoever to accomplish as the fruit,
Without falling under the power of accepting and rejecting, hoping and fearing,
Within the naturally perfected self-clarity of present knowing consciousness,
The realization of the self-clear three kāyas becomes manifest.
That itself is the fruit of primordial Buddhahood.

Synonyms of Vidyā

This vidyā is free from the eight extremes, such as eternalism and nihilism.
Because it does not fall into any extreme, it is called the “Middle Way.”
It is called “uninterrupted mindful knowledge.”
Because emptiness has the essence of vidyā,
It is given the name “Essence of the Sugata.”

If the meaning of this is known, it is supreme among all knowable objects.
Therefore it is called the “Perfection of Wisdom.”
Because it is free from the extremes of intellect and free from the very beginning,
It is given the name “Mahāmudrā.”
Because, depending on whether this very nature is realized or not realized,
It becomes the basis for all saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, happiness and suffering,
It is given the name “all-basis.”

When it abides naturally, ordinary and unproduced,
This clear and vivid consciousness
Is given the name “ordinary consciousness.”

However many good, colorful, and pleasing names are attached,
In actuality, apart from this knowing consciousness of the present,
Whoever asserts something superior to this, other than this,
Is like someone who has found an elephant but searches for its footprints.
Even if one were to traverse the three-thousandfold universe, it would be impossible to find.

Apart from mind, it is impossible to find the Buddha.
Not knowing this meaning, if one searches for mind externally,
How could one find oneself by using oneself to search for another?

For example, it is like a fool in a crowd of many people
Who, after watching a spectacle, forgets himself.
Not recognizing his own face, he searches elsewhere.
The delusion of using oneself to search for someone else is just like that.

Because one does not see the abiding mode of the disposition of things,
Not knowing appearances to be mind, one strays into saṃsāra.
Not realizing one’s own mind to be the Buddha, nirvāṇa is obscured.

Saṃsāra and nirvāṇa are differentiated
By knowing and not knowing, vidyā and ignorance,
In a single instant.
One is mistaken by seeing one’s own mind as something other.
Mistake and non-mistake are of one essence.

Since the mindstreams of beings are not established as two,
By leaving the nature of mind unaltered in its own place, it is liberated.
If one does not know that this very mistake is mind,
One will never realize the meaning of dharmatā.
Look into yourself at self-originated, self-arisen self-clarity.

Where do these appearances arise from at first?
Where do they abide in the middle?
Where do they go at the end?
When one looks, it is like a crow on a ship:
Although it flies away from the ship, there is nowhere else for it to land.
Likewise, because appearances arise in mind,
They arise in one’s own mind and are liberated in mind.

Everything that Appears is Mind

This nature of mind, all-knowing and all-discerning, empty and clear:
Like the sky, in which clarity and emptiness are inseparable from the beginning,
When self-originated pristine consciousness is manifestly clear
And is settled with certainty, that itself is dharmatā.

The sign that this is so is that all appearance, existence, and peace
Is known as one’s own mind.
Since this nature of mind is knowing and clear,
Understand it to be like the sky.

Although the sky is posited as an example symbolizing dharmatā,
It is only a symbolic indication, illustrating a mere aspect for the time being.
The nature of mind possesses vidyā, is empty, and is clear as anything.
The sky is without vidyā; it is empty, a blank void.
Therefore, the meaning of mind is not fully illustrated by the sky.
Without distraction, rest in that very state.

Even these various relative appearances
Are not established as even one thing, although they are taken to be true.
Therefore, all appearance and existence, saṃsāra and nirvāṇa,
Are the visible display of one’s own single nature of mind.

Whenever one’s own mindstream changes,
External visible appearances also seem to change.
Therefore, everything is the visible display of mind.
The six classes of beings see their respective appearances.
The non-Buddhist outsiders see in terms of the dualism of eternalism and nihilism.
The nine successive vehicles see according to their respective views.
Seeing multiplicity and the non-identity of multiplicity,
They grasp at difference and are deluded by their respective attachments.

Because all appearances are mind’s vidyā,
Even though visible appearances arise, not grasping them is Buddhahood.
Appearances are not mistaken; one is mistaken by grasping.
If one knows grasping thoughts to be mind, they are naturally liberated.

Whatever appears, everything is the appearance of mind:

  • Even the appearance of the inanimate container-world is mind.
  • Even the appearance of the animate six classes of sentient beings is mind.
  • Even the appearance of the happiness of gods and humans in the higher realms is mind.
  • Even the appearance of the suffering of the three lower realms is mind.
  • Even the appearance of ignorance, afflictions, and the five poisons is mind.
  • Even the appearance of vidyā as self-originated pristine consciousness is mind.
  • Even the appearance of habitual tendencies, bad thoughts, and saṃsāra is mind.
  • Even the appearance of good thoughts and the realm of nirvāṇa is mind.
  • Even the appearance of obstacles, māras, and demons is mind.
  • Even the appearance of gods and excellent siddhis is mind.
  • Even the appearance of various discursive thoughts is mind.
  • Even abiding in the meditation of one-pointed non-thought is mind.
  • Even the appearance of colors and substantial marks is mind.
  • Even being without characteristics and without elaboration is mind.
  • Even the appearance of the nonduality of one and many is mind.
  • Even the appearance of not being established as existence or non-existence is mind.
  • Apart from mind, there are no appearances whatsoever.

Although the nature of mind is unobstructed and any appearance may arise,
Even when appearances arise, like water and waves of the ocean,
They are nondual and are liberated in the state of mind.

Although names are unobstructed and any name may be applied,
In actuality, nothing exists apart from the single nature of mind.
Even that singleness is without basis and without root.
If one looks in any direction, not even one thing is seen.

It is not seen as a substance, nor is it established as anything.
It is not seen as mere emptiness, for it is the radiance of knowing clarity.
It is not seen as distinct, for it is the state of inseparable clarity and emptiness.

Right now, one’s own vidyā is vivid and clear.
Even if one tries to make it into something, there is no way to do so.
Although it has no nature of its own, it is directly experienced.
When this itself is experienced, everything is liberated.
One realizes that faculties are neither sharp nor dull.

Although sesame seeds and milk contain the source of oil and butter,
Without pressing or churning, oil and butter do not emerge.
Likewise, although all beings are the actual essence of Buddhahood,
If one does not practice, sentient beings will not awaken.
If one practices, even a cowherd will be liberated.

Although one may not know how to explain it, one ascertains it directly.
When brown sugar has been tasted in one’s own mouth,
One does not need another person to explain its taste.
Not realizing this, even paṇḍitas are deluded.
Even if one is learned in explaining the objects of knowledge of the nine vehicles,
It is like telling a story about a distant place one has never seen.
One has not come even an instant closer to Buddhahood.

If one realizes this, virtue and negativity are liberated in their own place.
If one does not realize this, whatever virtue or negativity one performs,
One will not go beyond saṃsāra, the higher and lower realms.

The moment one realizes one’s own mind as empty, clear pristine consciousness,
Virtue and negativity, benefit and harm, are not established whatsoever.
Just as water does not gather in empty space,
Virtue and negativity have not been established from the beginning in emptiness itself.

Therefore, for the direct encounter with one’s own vidyā,
This Self-Liberation through Naked Seeing is exceedingly profound.
Therefore, become familiar with this vidyā of your own.

Profound. Sealed, sealed, sealed.

Colophon

Emaho!

As for this Introduction to Knowledge (Vidyā): Self-Liberation through Naked Seeing:
For the benefit of fortunate ones in the future, in the dregs of time,
All tantras, āgamas, pith instructions, and experiences of one’s own vidyā
I have gathered here in a condensed, brief, and clear expression of intent.
Although I do not spread it abroad now, I conceal it as a precious treasure.
May it meet with those whose karmic fortune ripens in the future.

Samaya. Sealed, sealed, sealed.

The profound Dharma teaching that directly introduces vidyā, called Self-Liberation through Naked Seeing, composed by the Master of Oḍḍiyāna, Padmasambhava, is complete.

Samaya. Sealed, sealed, sealed.

The treasure revealer, the siddha Karma Lingpa, brought this forth from Gampo Dar, the mountain of the dancing deity.


Brief QA Notes for This Second-Pass Revision

  • Rig pa: rendered mainly as vidyā, with “knowledge” as explanatory English, not as “Awareness.”
  • Ye shes: rendered as “pristine consciousness,” kept distinct from rig pa.
  • Shes pa: rendered as “consciousness” or “knowing consciousness,” depending on context.
  • Gsal ba / rang gsal: rendered as “clarity,” “clear,” or “self-clarity,” not as a substantial luminous Self.
  • Self-liberation: preserved as the liberation of appearances/thoughts in their own place, not as the endurance of a changeless background.
  • Whole-text polish: tightened awkward literal phrases, reduced pronoun ambiguity, restored some Tibetan metaphors such as “stakes” and “nails,” and improved consistency between vidyā, consciousness, clarity, mind, and pristine consciousness.