The Vital Point of Mind

PITH INSTRUCTIONS ON THE VITAL POINT OF MIND THAT GRANT BUDDHAHOOD RIGHT IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND

By Mipham Rinpoche 

NAMO PEMA KARAYE

I bow down to Wisdom Manjushri who is the embodiment of all the victorious ones and their sons 

And who appears in the form of a glorious teacher. 

To those who are interested in knowing the profound meaning of the nature of mind 

I will give these brief essential instructions. 

The essence of all 84,000 Dharma teachings 

Is to understand the deep meaning of one’s own mind. 

To discover the secret of the nature of mind is the ultimate of all Dharmas. 

Therefore, recognize the nature of your own mind. 

At the beginning, the most important thing [to recognize] this 

Is the precious instructions from a realized, qualified master. 

If you don’t apply the pith instructions to your practice 

Engaging in meditation is like shooting an arrow in the dark. 

Therefore, abandon all contrived views and meditation. 

Relaxing and abiding in the uncontrived natural state is crucial. 

Instructions that free you from conception and cause you to see the naked face of wisdom— 

Keep them in your heart.

The original, inherited, uncontrived self-nature, 

If you do not find confidence in this profound nature 

From deep within, 

[Then] all talk and thoughts are similar to a child chasing a rainbow. 

Whenever you experience uncontrived, great pervasive awareness, 

Then use the technique of no effort 

And maintain the nature without depending on anything. 

Discovering that confidence in yourself is a great marvel. 

At that time, it is most important 

To continually maintain that without distraction. 

How should it be maintained? Whenever you remember the natural state of mind, 

At that time, directly abiding in the natural state is enough. 

Besides this uncontrived self-nature 

[If] analytic clouds arise, such as subject and object in the meditation, 

Again, free all those [concepts] within the natural state of mind. 

Calmly release conceptions of view and meditation.

Self-nature awareness has no boundaries or directions. 

It is clear, pristine, empty, and free from identifications. 

It cannot be symbolized by examples, nor expressed by words, 

But only [experienced] by directly beholding your own self- awareness. 

Originally awareness-emptiness is in the state of great equanimity. 

It never moved, is not moving, and will not move. 

Conceptions temporarily stain self-nature 

Pathetically, [beings] wander due to various delusions. 

What is the purpose of pursuing a mirage for water? 

What is the benefit of selling and buying in a dream? 

What will you catch if you try to grab the sky? 

Give up these exhausting 

Endless thoughts that deceive one’s own self. 

Now is the time to relax in original space. 

Within that space you can watch the show of samsara and nirvana. 

Look at [all] this variety. Yet it has sameness and one nature. 

When you are familiar with that, the moment you are aware, 

That instant the self-nature is open. It is pristine. It is fresh. 

It has no notion of knowing or not knowing, comfortable to keep or not comfortable to keep. 

One’s mind is carefree and shines with peace from within. 

At that time, continually stay within that state.

[During] activities such as walking, sitting, eating, and sleeping 

When you remember the meaning of awareness-space, 

At that time, forgetfulness is very small. 

At this most important junction, 

All the habit patterns produced by the four different occasions, 

[And] all the conceptions of transmigrating karmic wind, 

With the strength of awareness, dissolve them into the city of the deathless original nature. 

This is crucial and precious. 

Samsara is mainly conceptions. 

When you are free from conceptions, that is great wisdom.

Whoever has this realization will reach enlightenment within this life. 

At the end, mindfulness also disappears into its own natural state. 

There are no more boundaries between mindfulness and no mindfulness. 

The circle of day and night are within the state of great luminosity, 

Free from effort, immovable, abiding like the sky. 

At that time, whatever appears, whatever activities you do 

Are like weather displays in the sky of the true nature. 

They are beyond helping or hurting, and accepting or rejecting. 

[Someone who practices in this way is] known as a marvelous sky yogi of Dzogchen. 

E MA HO 

At that time, even though you don’t make effort, 

Devotion, faith, compassion, wisdom, and so forth will come naturally. 

All the good qualities of the bhumis and paths 

Will grow as vegetation in summer. 

Hope and anxiety, pride and fear are gone. 

There is no birth or cessation.


Great bliss and peace are pervasive as the sky. 

In the space of equanimity of great Dzogchen 

The great yogi will soar as a powerful garuda. 

E MA HO 

The result of the ocean of the two accumulations 

Is that you actualize the original essence of primordial wisdom. 

This realization came from the pith instructions of the lama. 

Without difficulty, you have this in [the palm of] your hand. How amazing! 

By the merit of explaining this to all beings 

[And] by the gracious kindness of the supreme teacher and teaching, 

May they see the naked face of the youthful Manjushri of their own awareness 

[And] reach perfect enlightenment within this lifetime. 

This was written by Mipham Jampal Dorje as it came to mind in the Fire Monkey year in the third month on the seventh day (April 20, 1896).

Translated by Venerable Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche and Pema Dondrub. Edited by Lama Pema Tsultrim, Lama Pema Dragpa, and Pema Damchö.