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.

Om Mani Pädme Hum is the compassionate wisdom of all the Buddhas manifested as sound. Within it is contained the essential meaning of all eighty-four thousand sections of the Buddha's teachings. Of all the many mantras of various kinds, such as awareness mantras... and secret mantras... not one is superior to the six syllables of Chenrezi. The great benefits of reciting this mantra, commonly known as the mani, are described again and again...

Every day, remind yourself that if you do not study and reflect upon the teachings, meditate, and recite prayers and mantras, at the moment of death you will be helpless. Death is certain. If you wait for the moment of death to begin your practice, it will be too late. Think about why you are engaging in practice. Wishing to obtain a long life free from illness, or hoping to increase your wealth and influence are petty aims. Practice to free yourself and all others from the suffering that is samsara.

As you progress through these three steps, spiritual qualities will naturally arise, and you will see the truth of the teachings. Those qualities will bloom spontaneously because the buddha nature within you is being revealed.

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.

There’s no time, no time!

There’s no time to rest!

When suddenly death is upon

you, what will you do?

Now you’d better start practicing

the sublime Dharma right away;

Now, quick, hurry-recite the six-syllable mantra.

So, rather than stay near the people and things that are liable to arouse your attachment and resentment, go to a completely unknown place where there is nothing that will engender negative emotions. Your mind will not be disturbed, and you will be able to devote your time and energy to the practice of 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.

The mantra Om Mani Pädme Hum is easy to say yet quite powerful, because it contains the essence of the entire teaching. When you say the first syllable Om it is blessed to help you achieve perfection in the practice of generosity, Ma helps perfect the practice of pure ethics, and Ni helps achieve perfection in the practice of tolerance and patience. Pä, the fourth syllable, helps to achieve perfection of perseverance, Me helps achieve perfection in the practice of concentration, and the final sixth syllable Hum helps achieve perfection in the practice of wisdom.

It is important to become more and more clearly convinced that the only thing worth achieving is supreme enlightenment.

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.

A bedridden patient only thinks about getting well again. He or she has no wish to remain sick forever. Likewise, a practitioner who yearns to leave the miseries of samsara behind will make use of all the ways in which that can be done, such as taking refuge, generating the mind set on attaining enlightenment for the sake of others, undertaking positive actions, and so on, with a firm determination to get out of samsara constantly in mind. It is not enough to wish from time to time that you could be free of samsara. That idea must pervade your stream of thinking day and night.