Now That I Come to Die
Extract of Now That I Come To Die, Intimate Guidance From One Of Tibet's Greatest Masters by Longchenpa
http://www.wisdom-books.com/ProductExtract.asp?PID=15529
All Knowledge, All Light
In the eighth century of the common era, three revered masters fulfilled an ancient vow to bring the Buddha’s teachings to the Land of Snow. These great beings are known as the Three Founding Fathers: Guru Padmasambhava from the kingdom of Oddivana, master of Mantravana; Abbot Shantarakshita from the great Indian university of Nalanda, master of Sutravana; and the Tibetan King Trisong Detsun, regarded as an incarnation of the Great Bodhisattva Manjushri, who invited the Dharma into his kingdom and lent it royal support.
Thus the oldest tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, the Nyingma School, was established. It was a most auspicious time, as the Dharma was in full flower in its original homeland of India, and the complete range of teachings could be transmitted in all their depth and vastness. From these early’ foundations the Nyingma tradition has continued uninterrupted for over twelve centuries. I)espite the recent disruption of Tibetan civilization, its lineages survive unbroken even today, both inside and outside Tibet.
Nearly six hundred years after the time of the Founding Fathers, in 1308, at a time when the Nyingma school was thriving and new schools had been founded, the omniscient (Kunkyen) Longchen Rabjam came into the world. This incomparable master, known also as Drime Odzer, or simply as Longchenpa, is widely considered the most important explicator of the Dzogchen teachings of the Nyingma school. His writings and teachings, as well as the example of his life, have had an immense impact on Dharma practitioners for over seven centuries.
The Nyingma tradition, of which Longchenpa is a major exemplar, envisions nine vehicles or Yanas leading to the complete enlightenment of a Buddha. The first three Yanas are the Shravakayana, Pratyekabuddhayana, and Bodhisattvayana. The first two focus on the teachings found in the Buddha’s First Turning of the Wheel of the Dharma, while the third, the Bodhisattvayana, embraces all three Turnings of the Wheel.
The remaining six Yanas are based on the teachings of the Tantras. The three Outer Tantras are the Kriva, Charya, and Yoga Tantras. Hundreds of works related to these teachings are gathered in the Kanjur and Tanjur (the spoken word of the Buddha and their commentaries), including the Tantras followed by the Sarma or New Schools.
The three Inner Tantras, the Mahayoga, Anuyoga and Atiyoga, are the highest of the nine Yanas. They are preserved and transmitted only within the Nyingma tradition. These teachings are transmitted from the Adibuddha through Vajrasattva and the great Bodhisattvas into the human realm. Handed down in India for centuries under conditions of great secrecy, the Inner Tantras were brought into Tibet in the era of the Three Founding Fathers.
Atiyoga (known also as Mahasandhi, or in Tibetan as Dzogchen) is the ninth Yana, the highest of the three Inner Yoga Tantras. Atiyoga has its own view (tawa), practice (gompa), and action manifestation (shopa). The view is based on enlightenment itself It is the nature of Dharmakaya as symbolized by the Buddha Samantahhadra (known in inadequate translation as the Primordial Enlightened One). The practice is the enlightened transmission of Dharmakaya from one fully realized master to the next. The action manifestation is teaching in accord with the needs of nine kinds of audience. The Atiyoga teachings are preserved in the collection known as The Hundred Thousand Tantras (Gyud Bum), which encompasses the million topics of all three of the Inner Tantras.
The transmission lineage of the Atiyoga passes from the Dharmakaya to the Sambhogakaya through the Buddha Vajrasattva. It enters the human realm through Garab Dorje(first century CE). His disciple, Manjushrimitra, passed on the teachings to Shri Simha, who in turn bestowed them upon Vimalamitra, Jnanasutra, Guru Padmasambhava and Lochen
Vairotsana (who also received visionary teachings directly from Garab Dorje). Together with the master Buddhaguhya, who trained countless disciples in the Mahayoga teachings from his dwelling place on Mount Kailash, these teachers —Padrnasambhava, Vimalamitra, and Vairotsana were instrumental in bringing the Inner Yogas to the Land of Snow.
In the early days of the Dharma in Tibet, the Ativoga teachings were transmitted in secret, and few people even knew about them. This is because the teachings of the esoteric Inner Tantras proceed from the highest enlightened view of the easy to misunderstand. Even those well versed in the Dharma may! encounter this difficulty. Training in the traditions of the lower Yanas emphasizes certain specific doctrines (for example, the central importance of mind and consciousness, the role of karma and klesha, the workings of cause and effect, and the operation of past, present, and future). Scholars of Madhyamika, Ahhidharma, and even Prajnaparamita tend to have commitments of one kind or another to such doctrines, which make it easy for them to misinterpret Ativoga teachings. Therefore, the Ativoga teachings were closely guarded during the period when the Dharma was gradually introduced to the Tibetan people.
As part of the comprehensive Dharma transmission to the Land of Snow, three major transmission lineages for the Ativoga were founded. The first lineage is that of Padmasambhava, who transmitted the teachings to some of his twenty-five chief disciples, such as Gyelmo Yudra Nyingpo, Kawa Peltsek, Chogro Lui Gyeltsen, Nyak Jnanakumara, and Nubchen Sangye Yeshe. The second transmission lineage originates with Vairotsana, who transmitted it to his five most important students: Gelmo Yudra Nyingpo, Sangton Yeshe Lama, Pangen Sangye Gonpo, Nvak Jnanakumara, and Lady Sherah Dronma of Khotan. Finally Vimalamitra conferred the third transmission lineage of Ativoga teachings on his five principal disciples: Trisong Detsun, Prince Mune Tsenpo, Nyang Ting nge dzin, Kawa Peltsek, and Chogro Lui Gyeltsen. These three major transmissions all continued intact until the time of Longchenpa.
From Now That I have To Come –
Homage to all noble persons endowed with great compassion.
Homage to Him who is the sun, shining in the wondrous brightness of what is good and pure. In the primordial (sky-like) ground of Being; Displaying various manifestations of His compassion
And looking after living beings by His charismatic actions.
Homage to Him who, after completing
All that was to be done by him, went to Kushinagara,
Truly the most wondrous city,
To teach a lesson to those who believe in everlastingness.
From former time I know the nature of samsara:
Therefore, from one about to leave behind
This body which is transitory and deceptive,
Listen to his admonition which is solely for your benefit:
In worldly things there is no abiding essence.
Although you may hold, in this your life,
To it as true, it will most likely deceive you.
Once you have fully understood that you cannot rely
On that which is impermanent and without essence,
Attend to the real meaning of Being straight away.
Friends do not last forever, hut are rather like guests:
They meet occasionally and quickly go their ways. Dismiss attachment to your companions in this magic show, And attend to the real meaning of Being, which alone is beneficial.
The wealth and possessions you have amassed must be left behind.
They are like honey — to be enjoyed by those who did not gather them. Now, while you still can, make arrangements
for your needs on the way hereafter —The wealth that on you
will confer excellent qualities.
The house you have built is going to collapse; it is only a temporary abode;
You cannot stay on, but must go. Dismiss your attachment and craving for places of excitement —Resort to solitary places straight away.
Friendship and hostility are like the play of children:
Love and hatred for that which has no value
are a blazing fire.
Avoid squabbles and resentments —Control your mind straight away.
Deeds, having no essence, resemble a magic show:
Although you involve yourself in them for a while,
ultimately they are fruitless.
Cease troubling about this life, dismiss worldly concerns —Look for the road to deliverance straight away.
Your bodily existence, a unique occasion and right juncture,
Is like a precious boat:
While you still have the power to steer it
across the ocean of frustrations,
Shun laziness, indolence, and idleness —Activate the power of strenuous exertion straight away.
The real Guru is like an escort on a dangerous road:
With great devotion, confident of body speech and mind,
Depend on this guide who protects
against the enemy of samsara. Revere him and rely on him straight away…