Avoiding the Ten Fault

Jai Ma!

From the Ten Foundations of Secret Mantra (Dakini Teachings) Words of Padmasambhava

Avoiding the Ten Faults

"Although you may practice meditation, if it does not become a remedy against disturbing emotions and thoughts, you have the fault of the oral instructions not being made effective.

Although you may have recognized your mind, if it does not liberate your consciousness free from partiality, you have the fault of not having met with special instruction.

Although you may have strong devotion, if you do not receive the blessings, you have the fault of not having connected with an accomplished master.

Although you may exert yourself with great effort, if your practice does not progress, you have the fault of your mind not being fully purified

If you feel tired when engaging in sadhana, you have the fault of not having recognized the natural state of awareness.

Although you practice, if your mind is still scattered, you have the fault of not having gained confidence in meditation.

If experience does not arise directly in your state of mind, your have the fault of having only strayed into shamatha (tranquility).

If the strength of awareness does not arise in your being, you have the fault of not knowing how to take appearances as aids on the path.

If you find it difficult to cut through your attachments, you have the fault of not knowing how to take the five poisons as the path.

If you cannot cope with suffering and difficulties, you have the fault of not knowing how to turn your mind away from samsara."

Ten Signs

"When your grasping decreases, that is the sign of having expelled the evil spirit of fixation.

When attachment grows less, that is the sign of being free from ambition (craving).

When your disturbing emotions decrease, that is the sing of the five poisons being pacified from within.

When your selfishness decreases, that is the sign of having expelled the evil spirit of ego clinging.

When you are free from embarrassment and hold no reference point, that is the sign that your deluded perception has collapsed.

When you are free from the concepts of mediator and meditation object and never loose sight of your innate nature, that is the sign that you have met the luminous Mother.

When any perception arises as unbiased individual experience, that is the sign of having reached the core of the view and meditation.

When you have resolved samsara and nirvana as being indivisible, that is the sign that full realization has arisen.

When you have no clinging to even your own body, that is the sign of being totally free from attachment.

When you remain unharmed by suffering and difficulties, that is the sign of understanding appearances to be unsubstantial.

When you have only a minor degree of the eight worldly concerns, that is the sign of having recognized the nature of mind.

When your inner sings show outwardly it is like a tree that has sprouted leaves. When the outer signs are noticed by other people it is like fruit of the tree that has ripened and can be eaten."

"Dakini Teachings" Recorded and concealed by Yeshe Tsogyal, Revealed by Nyang Ral Nyima Oser and Sangye Lingpa, Translated by Eric Pema Kunsang Rangjung Yeshe Publications 1999