Table of Contents

]] Seven Points of Mind Training (Tib. བློ་སྦྱོངས་དོན་བདུན་མ་, Wyl. blo sbyong don bdun ma) — the famous instruction on 'mind training' (Tib. བློ་སྦྱོང་, lojong) brought to Tibet by Lord Atisha and written down by Geshe Chekawa. The seven points are:

  1. The Preliminaries to Mind Training
  2. The Main Practice of Training the Mind in Bodhichitta
  3. Transforming Adversity into the Path of Awakening
  4. Applying the Practice Throughout One's Whole Life
  5. The Measure or Signs of Proficiency in Mind Training
  6. The Commitments of Mind Training
  7. The Precepts of Mind Training

Chekawa's original text was not arranged into these seven points. This was done later by his disciple, Sechilphuwa Özer Shyönnu (aka Chökyi Gyaltsen) (1121-1189).

Root Text

Version 1 Translation Version 2 (According to Ga Rabjampa) Translation

The Root Text of the Seven Points of Mahayana Mind Training

The Seven Points of Mind Training: A Mahayana Instruction

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The Preliminaries

First, train in the preliminaries.

First, train in the preliminaries.

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The Main Practice

Once stability is reached, teach the secret.

Train in the two—giving and taking—alternately.

These two are to be mounted on the breath.

Begin the process of taking with yourself.

The instruction for periods between meditation is, in brief:

Three objects, three poisons and three roots of virtue.

In all activities, train by applying slogans.

Consider all things and events as dreamlike.

Consider all things and events as dreamlike.

Examine the nature of unborn awareness.

Examine the nature of unborn awareness.

Let even the antidote be freed in its own place.

Let even the antidote be freed in its own place.

Rest in the ālaya, the essence.

Rest in the ālaya, the essence of the path.

The seven and their processes are conceptual, so forsake them.

Between sessions, be a conjurer of illusions.

Between sessions, be a conjurer of illusions.

Train in the two—giving and taking—alternately.

These two are to be mounted on the breath.

Three objects, three poisons and three roots of virtue.

In all activities, train by applying slogans.

Begin the process of taking with yourself.

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Transforming Adversity into the Path of Enlightenment

When all the world is filled with evil,

When all the world is overrun<ref>Most versions of the Seven Points have གང་བའི་ meaning “full”, but this text has ཁོལ་བའི་, which according to Khenpo Appey Rinpoche means ‘oppressed’ or ‘subdued’.</ref> with evil,

Transform adversity into the path of enlightenment.

Transform adversity into the path of enlightenment.

Drive all blames into one.

Drive all blames into one.

Meditate on the great kindness of all.

Meditate on the great kindness of all.

Meditating on delusory perceptions as the four kāyas

Meditating on delusory perceptions as the four kāyas

Is the unsurpassable śūnyatā protection.

Is the unsurpassable śūnyatā protection.

The fourfold practice is the best of methods.

The fourfold practice is the best of methods.

Whatever you encounter, apply the practice.

Whatever you encounter, apply the practice.

When the two are complete, take on all.

Transform the unfavourable into supports for meditation.

First address whatever is most prominent.

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Applying the Practice throughout the Whole of Life

The essence of the instruction, briefly stated,

The essence of the instruction, briefly stated,

Is to apply yourself to the five strengths.

Is to apply yourself to the five strengths.

The mahāyāna advice for transference

The mahāyāna advice for transference

Involves the same five strengths. Conduct is important.

Involves the same five strengths. Conduct is important.<ref>Geshe Thupten Jinpa and others take སྤྱོད་ལམ་ to refer to the practice of the five strengths, but Ga Rabjampa's commentary relates it to conduct, and specifically the posture one adopts at the moment of death.</ref>

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The Measure of Mind Training

The measure of the training is in turning away.

A sign of proficiency is to have five greatnesses.

All teachings share a single purpose.

All teachings share a single objective.<ref>Other versions have དགོས་པ་ (purpose) in place of དགོངས་པ་, translated here as objective.</ref>

Of the two witnesses, rely upon the principal one.

Of the two witnesses, rely upon the principal one.

Always maintain only a joyful attitude.

Always maintain only a joyful attitude.

If this can be done even when distracted, you are proficient.

If this can be done even when distracted, you are proficient.

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The Commitments of Mind Training

Train constantly in three basic principles.

Train constantly in three basic principles.

Change your attitude, but remain natural.

Change your attitude, but remain natural.

Don’t speak of injured limbs.

Don’t speak of injured limbs.

Don’t ponder others’ flaws.

Don’t ponder others’ flaws.

Train first with the strongest destructive emotions.

Train first with the strongest destructive emotions.

Abandon any expectations of results.

Abandon any expectations of results.

Give up poisonous food.

Give up poisonous food.

Don’t be so loyal to the cause.

Don’t be so loyal to the cause.

Don’t lash out in retaliation.

Don’t lash out in retaliation.

Don’t lie in ambush.

Don’t lie in ambush.

Don’t strike a vulnerable point.

Don’t strike a vulnerable point.

Don’t transfer the ox’s burden to the cow.

Don’t transfer the ox’s burden to the cow.

Don’t be competitive.

Don’t be competitive.

Don’t misperform the rites.

Don’t misperform the rites.

Don’t reduce gods to demons.

Don’t reduce gods to demons.

Don’t seek others’ misery as crutches of your own happiness.

Don’t seek others’ misery as crutches of your own happiness.

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The Precepts of Mind Training

Do everything with a single intention.

Do everything with a single intention.

Counter all adversity with a single remedy.

Counter all adversity with a single remedy.

Two tasks: one at the beginning and one at the end.

Two tasks: one at the beginning and one at the end.

Whichever of the two occurs, be patient.

Whichever of the two occurs, be patient.

Keep the two, even at your life’s expense.

Keep the two, even at your life’s expense.

Train in the three difficulties.

Train in the three difficulties.

Acquire the three main provisions.

Acquire the three main provisions.

Cultivate the three that must not decline.

Cultivate the three that must not decline.

Keep the three from which you must not separate.

Keep the three from which you must not separate.

Apply the training impartially to all.

Apply the training impartially to all.

It is vital that it be deep and all-pervasive.

It is vital that it be deep and all-pervasive.

Meditate constantly on those who’ve been set apart.

Meditate constantly on those who’ve been set apart.<ref>This translation follows Khenpo Appey Rinpoche’s explanation as ཟུར་དུ་བཀོལ་བ་, and the commentary of Ga Rabjampa.</ref>

Don’t be dependent on external conditions.

Don’t be dependent on external conditions.

This time, practise what’s most important.

This time, practise what’s most important.

Don’t misunderstand.

Don’t misunderstand.

Don’t be inconsistent.

Don’t be inconsistent.

Train wholeheartedly.

Train wholeheartedly.

Gain freedom through discernment and analysis.

Gain freedom through discernment and analysis.

Don’t be boastful.

Don’t be boastful.<ref>On the meaning of this term in Tibet, see Geshe Thupten Jinpa, Mind Training, pp.594-5, n.240.</ref>

Don’t be irritable.

Don’t be irritable.

Don’t be temperamental.

Don’t be temperamental.

Don’t seek acknowledgement.

Don’t seek acknowledgement.
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The essence of the nectar-like instructions for transforming into the path of awakening the five prevalent signs of degeneration was passed down from the one from Golden Isle. When karmic seeds left over from former trainings were aroused in me, I felt great interest, and so, without regard for suffering or disparagement, I sought instructions on subduing ego-clinging. Now, even in death, I will have no regrets. <small>

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The essence of the nectar-like instructions for transforming into the path of awakening the five prevalent signs of degeneration was passed down from the one from Golden Isle. When karmic seeds left over from former trainings were aroused in me, I felt great interest, and so, without regard for suffering or disparagement, I sought instructions on subduing ego-clinging. Now, even in death, I will have no regrets.

Tibetan Commentaries

According to Thupten Jinpa, the translator and editor of Mind Training—The Great Collection (see 'Introduction', pages 11-12), the most well-known commentaries from Tibetan teachers on the Seven Points of Mind Training are:

  1. Sechilphuwa Özer Shyönnu’s (twelfth century) commentary compiled from Geshe Chekawa’s own lectures
  2. Gyalsé Tokmé Zangpo’s (fourteenth century) commentary
  3. Shonu Gyalchok’s (fourteenth century) Compendium of All Well-Uttered Insights
  4. Müchen Könchok Gyaltsen’s (fifteenth century) Supplement to Oral Transmission
  5. Radrengpa’s (fifteenth century) Stream of the Awakening Mind
  6. Hortön Namkha Pel’s (fifteenth century) Mind Training: Rays of the Sun
  7. The First Dalai Lama Gendün Drup’s (fifteenth century) Lucid and Succint Guide to Mind training
  8. Khedrup Sangye Yeshe’s (sixteenth century) How to Integrate into One’s Mind the Well-Known Seven-Point Mind Training
  9. Kalden Gyatso’s (seventeenth century) Dispelling the Darkness of Mind
  10. Yongzin Yeshe Gyaltsen’s (eighteenth century) Essence of Ambrosia
  11. Ngulchu Dharmabhadra’s (eighteenth century) Heart Jewel of the Bodhisattvas
  12. Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo’s (nineteenth century) Seeds of Benefit and Well-Being

[only commentaries #1 and 4 appear in The Great Collection anthology]

Translations and Contemporary Commentaries

In English

''To Dispel the Misery of the World'' />

In French

Oral Teachings Given to the [[About Rigpa|Rigpa]] Sangha

References

<small><References /></small>

Texts Prayers and Practices Lojong Enumerations 07-Seven