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TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 11

Today, in the Buddha’s presence,
Your Best
I generate the mind of full awakening
For the benefit of all sentient beings.
By Atiśa Dīpaṃkara Śrījñāna (982 - 1054 CE)

As long as space remains
As long as sentient beings remain
Until then may I too remain
The best learning is realizing the truth of no-self.
And dispel the miseries of the world.
The best discipline is taming your mind-stream.
The best excellence is to have great altruism.
In this way, generate the altruistic
The best instruction is the constant observation of your mind.
intention of bodhicitta. Although you
The best antidote is the recognition that everything is devoid of
have not taken a formal pledge, since
intrinsic existence.
you have generated bodhicitta here
The best conduct is that which is at odds with the mundane world.
today, it would be helpful to ensure
The best higher attainment is the lessening of your mental
that your practice of bodhicitta does
afflictions.
not degenerate. Therefore, it would be
The best sign of higher attainment is a decrease in your
very beneficial for you to recite and
attachment.
think about the meaning of these three
The best giving is the absence of possessiveness.
verses on a daily basis.
The best morality is a tranquil mind.
The best forbearance is to uphold humility.
The best joyful perseverance is to be able to let go of the endeavor.
The best concentration is the uncontrived mind.
The best wisdom is to make no identification of “I am” with
anything.
The best spiritual teacher is to challenge your weaknesses.
The best instruction is to strike at your very own shortcomings.
The best friends are mindfulness and introspective awareness.
The best motivating factors are your enemies, obstacles, illnesses,
and sufferings.
The best skillful means is to be free of second guesses.
The best beneficial deed is to help someone enter the Dharma.
The best help given is to turn someone’s thoughts to the Dharma.

From Wisdom of the Kadam Masters,
edited by Thupten Jinpa © 2013.
Source: Illuminating the Path to
Reprinted with permission of Wisdom
Enlightenment by Tenzin Gyatso His
Publications. www.wisdompubs.org.
Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama
EH
A Commentary on Atisha Dipamkara
Shrijnana’s A Lamp for the Path to
Enlightenment and Lama Je Tsong
Khapa’s Lines of Experience, Translated
by Geshe Thupten Jinpa. Long Beach,
California: Thubten Dhargye Ling,
2002, pp 113-119. EH