Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Path to Enlightenment
Translated by David Choephel
In Sanskrit: Bodhipathapradīpa
In Tibetan: Byang chub lam gyi sgron ma
In English: The Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment
Root Text of Atisha’s Lamp that Illuminates the Path to Enlightenment Page 1
Or else another—you’ve the fortune for
The bodhisattva vow, not otherwise.
33. Thus effort at the [Bodhi]sattva’s vows
21. Among the seven kinds of pratimoksha, For pure and perfect awakening
In explanations by the Tathāgata, Perfects the accumulations for
The glory of chaste conduct is supreme: Complete enlightenment.
This is intended as the bhikshu vows. 34. All the buddhas say the cause
22. Take the vow through the ritual Of perfecting the accumulations
Described in the chapter on discipline Whose natures are merit and pristine wisdom
Of The Bodhisattva Levels from Is to develop clairvoyances.
A good, well-qualified lama. 35. Just as a bird whose wings aren’t fledged
23. One skilled in the vow ceremony, Cannot fly in the sky,
A person who lives by the vow Without the powers of clairvoyance,
And has the patience and compassion One cannot benefit beings.
To give the vows, is a good lama. 36. The merits that those with clairvoyance
24. In case you are unable to find Attain in one day and night
Such a lama despite your efforts, Aren’t gained in even a hundred lives
I’ll properly explain another By those who do not have it.
Ritual to take the vow. 37. Those who wish to swiftly complete
25. Here I shall clearly write of how The accumulations for perfect bodhi
When he was Ambarāja long ago Accomplish the clairvoyances
Manjushri aroused bodhichitta Through effort, not through laziness.
As was described within The Sutra 38. Without achieving shamatha,
Of the Array of Qualities Clairvoyances will not occur.
Of Manjushri’s Buddha Realm. Thus make repeated efforts to
26. “In the presence of the guardians, Accomplish shamatha.
I make the resolve of bodhichitta. TRAINING IN SHAMATHA
I invite all beings as my guests— 39. If the requisites for shamatha
I’ll liberate them from samsara, Are lacking, one might meditate
27. “From this day on till I achieve Tenaciously for thousands of years
Supreme enlightenment, But never accomplish samadhi.
I’ll have no thoughts of malice, anger, 40. Thus maintain well the requisites
Stinginess, or envy. Taught in the Requisites for Samadhi.
28. “I’ll cultivate chaste conduct and On any of the focuses,
Give up wrongdoing and desire. Rest your mind on virtue.
With joy in the vows of discipline, 41. When yogis achieve shamatha,
I’ll train in following the buddhas. They also gain clairvoyances.
29. “I’ll take no delight in quickly gaining Without the training in transcendent wisdom,
Enlightenment for myself. The obscurations cannot be removed.
With just one being as a reason, TRAINING IN VIPASHYANA
I’ll stay until the end of time. 42. Thus, to abandon all the obscurations—
30. “I’ll purify inconceivable, The cognitive along with the afflictive—
Limitless numbers of realms. Meditate continually on the yogas
I’ll be remembered by my name, Of transcendent wisdom with its means.
Which will remain in the ten directions. 43. Wisdom without the skillful means
DISCIPLINE TO MAINTAIN THE VOWS And means that lack the wisdom
31. “In every way I’ll purify Are bondage, it is said, and thus
My deeds of body and speech. Don’t discard either one.
I’ll cleanse my mental acts as well— 44. To eliminate any doubts about
I shall do nothing unvirtuous.” What wisdom is and what means are,
32. The cause of a pure body, speech, and mind I’ll clarify the difference
Is to keep the vow of engaged bodhichitta. Between skillful means and wisdom.
Practicing the three trainings of discipline well, 45. Apart from the transcendent wisdom,
Your respect for the three trainings will be great. All of the virtuous qualities
Root Text of Atisha’s Lamp that Illuminates the Path to Enlightenment Page 2
Such as transcendent generosity 58. Once you are certain from the scriptures
Are means, explained the Victor. And logic that all phenomena
46. Those beings who meditate on wisdom Have no arising and no nature,
Swiftly achieve enlightenment Meditate without thoughts.
By cultivating means, not just 59. Thus as you meditate on suchness,
By meditating on selflessness. Warmth and so forth are gained in turn.
REALIZING EMPTINESS BY REASONING Then you’ll achieve the Truly Joyous—
47. Wisdom is taught to be the knowing It won’t be long till Buddhahood.
Of inherent emptiness THE VAJRAYANA PATH
That realizes the aggregates, 60. If you wish to easily perfect
Elements, and sense bases don’t arise. The accumulations for enlightenment
48. It is not logical for the existent Through pacifying, enriching, and the other
To arise, nor for the nonexistent Activities achieved from mantra’s power
Such as sky flowers. Both faults would apply, 61. And through the power of the eight great siddhis
So that which is both has no arising either. Of accomplishing the fine vase and so forth—
49. Things do not arise from themselves, If you wish to practice the secret mantra
Nor from another, nor from both, Taught in the action, conduct, and other tantras—
Nor without cause, and for that reason 62. Then to receive the empowerment
Inherently they have no nature. Of the vajra master, please the guru
50. Or else when analyzing whether With service and offerings of wealth
All dharmas are single or multiple, As well as by carrying out commands.
No essence is observed and thus 63. When a guru who is pleased bestows
They’re ascertained to have no nature. The full empowerment of the master,
51. The logics in the Seventy Verses, Your misdeeds will all be purified;
Root Middle Way, and other texts You’ll have the fortune to gain the siddhis.
Explain how it’s established that 64. The great tantra of the primordial buddha
The nature of all things is emptiness. Emphatically prohibits it,
52. Because this text would be too long, So the celibate should never take
I’ve not elaborated here. The secret and wisdom empowerments.
But for the sake of meditation 65. If those who practice celibacy
I’ve merely taught the tenets they prove. Had those empowerments
53. Therefore the natures of all dharmas And did what is prohibited,
Cannot be not observed and thus The vows of discipline would be broken
Meditating on selflessness 66. And the practitioners would incur
Is meditating on wisdom. A downfall that is a defeat.
54. Just as wisdom sees no nature They’d fall into the lower realms—
Of any phenomenon at all, Accomplishment would elude them.
Meditate with the logics taught 67. For those who’ve received the master
On wisdom itself, free of thought. empowerment
RESULTS OF MEDITATING ON VIPASHYANA Or who have known suchness, there’s no fault
55. The character of this existence, In teaching or listening to any tantra,
Born from thought, is thought. Performing a fire puja, offering, or so forth.
Therefore abandoning all thought 68. Upon the supplication of Jangchup Ö,
Is the supreme nirvana. I, the Elder Dipaṅkara Śrī,
Accordingly, the Bhagavan has also said: Explained in brief the path of enlightenment
56. “Thought—the great ignorance—makes us As I’ve seen taught in sutras and other Dharma.
Fall into the ocean of samsara.
Resting in thought-free samadhi, This concludes The Lamp for the Path to
Nonthought is clear as the sky.” Enlightenment written by the great master
From The Dharaṇi of Entering Nonthought as well: Dipaṅkara Śrī Jñāna. It was translated and
57. “When the victors’ children, without thought, finalized by the great Indian abbot himself and the
Contemplate True Dharma, great translator and editor Geway Lodrö. This
They transcend thoughts so hard to escape Dharma was written in the Tholing Temple in
And eventually achieve nonthought.” Zhang Zhung
Root Text of Atisha’s Lamp that Illuminates the Path to Enlightenment Page 3
Root Text of Atisha’s Lamp that Illuminates the Path to Enlightenment Page 4