Dilgo Khyentse

As it is said:

Go hundreds of miles away

From places of dispute;

Don't stay for an instant

Where disturbing emotions prevail.

Contemplate death and the sufferings of samsara, and you will not want to waste a single moment in pointless distractions and activities, such as trying to get rich, defeating your enemies, or spending your life protecting and furthering the interests of those to whom you are attached. You will only want to practice the Dharma.

Not long ago your conciousness

was wandering alone.

Swept by karma,

it took its present birth.

Soon, like a hair pulled out of butter,

Leaving everything behind,

you’ll go on alone.

As time goes on, it will become obvious through your practice of the Dharma that hatred toward anyone is a mistake.

You will have nothing but good thoughts and intentions toward all beings.

So, too, the pointlessness of becoming attached to anyone and anything will also become obvious,

and you will see that all objects of attachment are like things perceived in dreams,

like phantasmagoric illusions.

When a field has been carefully prepared and planted with seeds, and all favorable conditions are present, such as temperature, moisture, and warmth, the seeds will germinate and grow into crops. It is said that there is nothing, however difficult, that cannot become easy through familiarization. If you persevere in the practice of these instructions, you can be sure of achieving results.

If you continue investigating, you will find that there is nothing anywhere, not even a single atom, that has a verifiable existence.

When buddhas look at samsara with the eyes of their omniscience, they do not see it as an enjoyable place. They are acutely aware of the sufferings of beings... and they see how senseless are the pointless, temporary goals that beings try so hard to attain.

This body of ours, which we cherish so dearly, will turn into a corpse that our friends and family will only want to dispose of as quickly as possible.

In my native land waves of attachment to friends and kin surge,

Hatred for enemies rages like fire,

The darkness of stupidity, not caring what to adopt or avoid, thickens -

To abandon my native land is the practice of a bodhisattva