The Hundred Verses of Ding-ri

The Hundred Verses of Ding-ri
Advice from Venerable Padampa Sangyé

1. Dedicate yourself body, word and mind to perfect Dharma; This is the supreme activity, people of Ding-ri.

2. Indulge body and soul ^_ to the Three Jewels, And their blessing will pour itself out, people of Ding-ri.

3. Disinterested in this life and interested in the next ones; This will be the pinnacle of your goals, people of Ding-ri.

4. Kinship is ephemeral like a crowd in a market; Avoid quarrels and fights, people of Ding-ri.

5. To the illusory loans which are goods and wealth, Do not bind yourselves in the knot of avarice, people of Ding-ri.

6. This bag of fetid substances which is the body, Do not polish it for the sake of improving it, people of Ding-ri.

7. To the illusionist deceivers who are family and friends, Sever inclination and attachment, people of Ding-ri.

8. Country and land are like nomadic encampments; Don't get attached to it, people of Ding-ri.

9. A homeland being common to the beings of the six classes, Do not grasp it as "mine" or "your own", people of Ding-ri.

10. On the very morning of your birth, a sign presaged death; Be aware that you have little time, people of Ding-ri.

11. Without distraction devote yourselves to the perfect Dharma, And after death it will guide you, people of Ding-ri.

12. Maturation of karmas is certified by the truthfulness of causes and results; Beware of faults and not virtues, people of Ding-ri.

13. Practices performed are like objects (appeared) in a dream; Practice the fact that there is nothing (absolute) to do, people of Ding-ri.

14. Lose interest in all that you are attached to; Nothing is essential, people of Ding-ri.

15. As you will not always remain in this world, From now on make the preparations for departure, people of Ding-ri.

16. In the forest, the monkeys think they are happy, But the fire surrounds them on the edge of the forest, people of Ding-ri.

17. The rivers of birth, aging, sickness and death are without ford or bridge; From now on prepare a boat, people of Ding-ri.

18. In the narrow defiles of birth, death, and the intermediate state, The brigands of the five poisons constantly come and go; Seek a master to escort you, people of Ding-ri.

19. That thanks to which one no longer risks falling if one clings to it, is the master; Wear it constantly on top of your head, people of Ding-ri.

20. Supported by the master, one arrives at the desired destination; Reward him with your faith and respect, people of Ding-ri.

21. He who has riches is subject to avarice; Donate impartially, people of Ding-ri.

22. He who has power has faults; Let go of all desire for control and power, people of Ding-ri.

23. He who has power and wealth does not have happiness; Keep (empty) hands on chest^_, people of Ding-ri.

24. In the next world, relatives and friends are rare; Your trust, place it in the Dharma, people of Ding-ri.

25. On the road to distraction, we lose sight of the objectives to be achieved; Decide what you want now, people of Ding-ri.

26. The arrival time of the demon of death is impossible to predict; So be on your guard now, people of Ding-ri.

27. On the day of your death, no one will be useful to you; So get your heads above water yourselves, people of Ding-ri.

28. When we think of death, we no longer need anything; Keep that in mind, people of Ding-ri.

29. Just as at sunset the shadows lengthen, The lord of death ever draws closer; Make haste to flee him, people of Ding-ri.

30. The flower is lovely in the morning but it fades in the evening; Don't put your trust in the body, people of Ding-ri.

31. Alive, he looks like a body of god, Dead, he is scarier than hordes of demons; The illusory body is luring you, people of Ding-ri.

32. At the market, visitors disperse as soon as the sales are over; Your friends will also leave you for sure, people of Ding-ri.

33. The illusory pile of stones (which is the body) must inevitably crumble; From now on arrange the supports and links, people of Ding-ri.

34. The vulture of the spirit must eventually fly away; Take to the skies now, people of Ding-ri.

35. To the beings of the six realms, benevolent fathers and mothers, Cultivate love and compassion, people of Ding-ri.

36. Towards hateful enemies, who are false appearances arising from your karmas, Banish aversion and malevolence, people of Ding-ri.

37. Prostrations and circumambulations purify physical faults; Give up the activities of this world, people of Ding-ri.

38. Recitations and taking refuge purify oral faults; Beware of ordinary and sterile talk, people of Ding-ri.

39. Fiery faith and reverence purify mental faults; Meditate your master above your head, people of Ding-ri.

40. Flesh and bone born with you will disintegrate; Don't believe that your life is eternal, people of Ding-ri.

41. Establish yourself in the best of lands – the stable state of deep nature (mind); There is no change or error, people of Ding-ri.

42. Conserve the best of riches – the great treasure of the very nature of mind; He is inexhaustible, people of Ding-ri.

43. Savor the finest food – the sublime flavor of concentration; She banishes the pangs of hunger, people of Ding-ri.

44. Drink the best potion – the nectar of memory; Its flow is unbroken, people of Ding-ri.

45. Seek the best of friends – the higher spontaneous (ultimate) wisdom; You will never be separated from it again, people of Ding-ri.

46. ​​Seek the best of sons – the little child of (the ultimate nature of) the spirit; He neither is born nor dies, people of Ding-ri.

47. Within the void, swirl the spear of the spirit; There is no obstacle to sight (of emptiness), people of Ding-ri.

48. Without (effort of) memory and without distraction, remain vigilant; Meditation will be without sluggishness or dispersion, people of Ding-ri.

49. Within natural spontaneity, exercise the art of being free from hindrance; In practice there is no (absolute) achievement or rejection, people of Ding-ri.

50. The four inseparable bodies, look for them in your apperceptive mind; To the fruit, have neither hope nor doubt, people of Ding-ri.

51. The root of samsara and nirvana comes down to your perceptive mind; Mind has no (absolute) reality, Ding-ri people.

52. Appearances of attachment and aversion are like the wake of a bird, which leaves no trace; Don't get attached to your feelings, people of Ding-ri.

53. The birthless Dharmakaya is like the essence of the sun; Its light neither turns on nor goes out, people of Ding-ri.

54. The enemy imagined by thought is like a thief in an empty house; There is no wealth to be lost or gained, people of Ding-ri.

55. Sensations leave no trace, like drawings on water; Don't cling to these deceptive appearances, people of Ding-ri.

56. Memories from imprints are like rainbows in the blue; He's nothing to cling to, people of Ding-ri.

57. The mobility of (the mind) is clear, like the cloudless sun; Don't trust the spirit, people of Ding-ri.

58. There is no (absolute) perception, it is free as the wind; Don't seize the objects (as real), Ding-ri people.

59. The spirit is without reality, like a rainbow in the azure; What is experienced is intangible, people of Ding-ri.

60. The understanding of suchness is like the dream of the mute; It is free from words and denominations, people of Ding-ri.

61. The blossoming of realization is like childish pleasure; The joy and happiness are unspeakable, people of Ding-ri.

62. The indissociable luminosity of emptiness is like the moon reflected in water; There is nothing tangible to cling to, people of Ding-ri.

63. The undissociated appearance of emptiness is like empty space; The mind has neither center nor edge, people of Ding-ri.

64. Distraction-free memory is like the pretty girl (fascinated by her image) in the mirror; She's not speculating, people of Ding-ri.

65. Spirit inseparable from emptiness is like the form reflected in the mirror; There is neither birth nor end (absolute), people of Ding-ri.

66. Bliss (which includes) emptiness is graspless, like the sun shining on snow; It's nothing to worry about, people of Ding-ri.

67. Fallacies vanish without a trace, like the echo goddess; In the sounds, there is nothing to grasp, people of Ding-ri.

68. The mechanisms of happiness and suffering are like (the sounds emanating from) the body and the strings of a lute; They (are born of) the conjunction of causes and conditions, people of Ding-ri.

69. The natural freedom (emptiness of the absolute) of samsara and nirvana is like child's play; Spirit has neither birth nor (ultimate) cessation, people of Ding-ri.

70. Internal and external profusions belong to our own mind, Like solid ice that melts into water, people of Ding-ri.

71. The mechanism of ignorance is like a spring welling up in a meadow; We can't stop it with denial, people of Ding-ri.

72. The lures of samsara and nirvana have no words to describe; As a remedy, the Master is supreme, people of Ding-ri.

73. The innate splendor of the five Bodies is like seeing an island of gold; Don't just hope or doubt, people of Ding-ri.

74. Available and qualified human life is like gems and gold; Don't waste it senselessly, people of Ding-ri.

75. The practice of the great vehicle is like a desire-fulfilling jewel; Even looking for her, finding her would be difficult, people of Ding-ri.

76. For this life, anyway, there is food and clothing; Focus all your interest on the Dharma, people of Ding-ri.

77. As long as you are young, practice asceticism, For when you become old, your organism will no longer support it, people of Ding-ri.

78. When disturbing factors arise, apply their antidotes, And their characteristics will dissipate, people of Ding-ri.

79. Sometimes think of the sufferings of samsara; This stirs up faith, people of Ding-ri.

80. Now is the time to generate enthusiasm and get to safety, For (otherwise) you will not know where you will be reborn after your death, people of Ding-ri.

81. Life is fleeting, like dew on a blade of grass; Banish laziness and indolence, people of Ding-ri.

82. The Buddha's Teaching is like the sun which pierces the clouds; Now it shines, people of Ding-ri.

83. While we imagine that happiness and suffering are due to others; Their root causes are in themselves, Ding-ri people.

84. Under the impulse of faith, the way is very near; Consider the evils of samsara, people of Ding-ri.

85. Dating bad friends leads to bad behavior; Abandon pernicious friends, people of Ding-ri.

86. Going around with good friends brings about the advent of qualities; Spawn with righteous friends, people of Ding-ri.

87. Hypocrisy, deceit and lies deceive both self and others; Seek caution in your conscience, people of Ding-ri.

88. Ignorance is the root of the demons of error; Hold on to vigilance and memory, people of Ding-ri.

89. Defeat the five or three poisons^_ brings closer (to the goal) the way; Apply their antidotes to your minds, people of Ding-ri.

90. With an enthusiasm that lacks strength, one does not become a Buddha; Take care to don this armor, people of Ding-ri.

91. Dwelling on memories (imprints) brings up desires; Don't cling to the past, people of Ding-ri

92. If your understandings and realizations are weak, invoke (the Masters and Buddhas), And realizations will appear in you people of Ding-ri.

93. If you wish to be happy in the future, develop endurance, And Buddhahood will be imminent, people of Ding-ri.

94. The morning meeting portends parting, Meetings and partings affect the spirit, people of Ding-ri.

95. Most of your companions have gone to their next lives; Friends, have you made your preparations, people of Ding-ri?

96. All suffering arises from evil deeds; Banish even the smallest faults, people of Ding-ri.

97. All happiness proceeds from virtuous acts; Accomplish even the smallest virtues, people of Ding-ri.

98. Good and bad causes result in happiness and suffering; Cast off evil and do good, people of Ding-ri.

99. The Indian master (that I am) without staying in Ding-ri will leave; It's time to clear up your doubts, people of Ding-ri.

100. As for me, I practiced without any distractions. You too follow this example, people of Ding-ri.