58 Lo-jong Proverbs

Lojong (often translated into English as Mind Training) is a practice in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition based on a set of proverbs formulated in Tibet in the 12th century by he!a"a# $ractitioners underta!e to connect "ith the "orld in an unconditionally positive "ay% and also to ta!e full responsibility for their e&perience of it# The practice involves redefining% reconceptuali'ing and reprogramming one(s intent and "ay of thin!ing ) hence *Mind Training*# +nli!e many practices it does not re,uire that one signs on to a particular system of beliefs% nor is it something one can only do on one(s meditation cushion# -n fact% the best practice is often done out in the "orld% "ith e&actly those people and situations that upset and irritate one the most# The t"in foundations of the practice are .bsolute Bodhicitta% "hich could be very roughly be translated as */pen)Mindedness*% and 0elative Bodhicitta% "hich could be translated% again very roughly% as * ompassion*# The Lojong proverbs in their present form "ere composed by he!a"a (1111)1123 E)# he!a"a led the life of an ordinary mon! until one day he sa" a te&t on his cell)mate(s bed% open at the phrase4 Gain and Victory to Others, Loss and Defeat to Oneself The phrase struc! him so intensely% presumably because it is so different from ho" "e all mostly live our lives% that he determined to see! out the author (Langri Tangpa% 1135)1126) of the te&t ("hich is a very famous root te&t of Mahayana Buddhism% usually referred to as the Eight 7erses for Training the Mind# 8e eventually found out that Langri Tangpa had already died% but "ent to study "ith one of Langri Tangpa(s students% 9hara"a% "ith "hom he stayed for t"elve very tough years# $robably the most seminal commentary on the Lojong practice "as "ritten by :amgon ;ongtrul (one of the main founders of the non)sectarian 0ime movement "ithin Tibetan Buddhism) in the 1<th century# This commentary "as translated by ;en McLeod% initially as (. =irect $ath to Enlightenment(# This first translation% "hich contains an e&cellent introduction to the practice% served as the root te&t for /sho(s (Boo! of >isdom(# Later% after some consultation "ith hogyam Trungpa% ;en McLeod re)translated the "or! as (The ?reat $ath of ."a!ening(# This latter translation serves as a foundation for many of the more modern commentaries by non)Tibetan authors# The original Tibetan te&t is some"hat cryptic% referring to the (Three =ifficulties% the (@our $ractices% the (@ive @orces(% and so on% "ithout any further e&planation of those terms# @or this reason a full understanding of the te&t re,uires either a commentary or else a (scriptural(% rather than literal% translation that ta!es a little e&tra time to elucidate the concepts# The proverb listing belo" is one such translation#

The Lojong Proverbs

1# 2# 6# 5# 3# A# 2# @irst% train in the preliminaries# Treat everything you perceive as a dream# @ind the consciousness you had before you "ere born# Let even the remedy itself drop a"ay naturally# 9tay in the primeval consciousness% the basis of everything# Bet"een meditations% treat everything as an illusion# .s you breathe in% ta!e in and accept all the sadness% pain% and negativity of the "hole "orld% including yourself% and absorb it into your heart# .s you breathe out% pour out all your joy and blissB bless the "hole of e&istence# C# +nderstand your attachments% your aversions% and your indifference% and love them all# <# .pply these proverbs in everything you do# 11# >hen practicing unconditional acceptance% start "ith yourself# 11# >hen everything goes "rong% treat disaster as a "ay to "a!e up# 12# Ta!e all the blame yourself# 16# Be grateful to everyone# 15# =on(t "orry) there(s nothing real about your confusion# 13# >hen something une&pected happens% in that very moment% treat it as a meditation# 1A# >or! "ith the @ive @orces# The @ive @orces are4 1#Be intense% be committed# 2# @amiliari'ation ) get used to doing and being "hat you "ant to do and to be# 6# ultivate the "hite seeds% not the blac! ones# 5# Turn totally a"ay from all your ego trips# 3#=edicate all the merits of "hat you do for the benefit of others# 12# $ractice these @ive @orces and you are ready for death at any moment# 1C# .ll teachings have the same goal# 1<# @ollo" the inner "itness rather than the outer ones# 21# .l"ays have the support of a joyful mind# 21# $racticing even "hen distracted is good training# 22# .l"ays observe these three points4 1# 0egularity of practice# 2# Dot "asting time on the inessential# 6# Dot rationali'ing our mista!es# 26# hange your attitude% but stay natural# 25# =o not discuss defects# 23# =on(t "orry about other people# 2A# >or! on your greatest imperfection first# 22# .bandon all hope of results# 2C# ?ive up poisonous food# 2<# =on(t be consistent# 61# =on(t indulge in malicious gossip# 61# =on(t "ait in ambush# 62# =on(t stri!e at the heart# 66# =on(t put the ya!(s load on the co"# 65# 0emember ) this is not a competition# 63# =on(t be snea!y# 6A# =on(t abuse your divine po"er for selfish reasons# 62# =on(t e&pect to profit from other people(s misfortune# 6C# -n all your activities% have a single purpose# 6<# 9olve all problems by accepting the bad energy and sending out the good# 51# 0ene" your commitment "hen you get up and before you go to sleep# 51# .ccept good and bad fortune "ith an e,ual mind#

52# ;eep your vo"s even at the ris! of your life# 56# 0ecogni'e your neurotic tendencies% overcome them% then transcend them# 55# @ind a teacher% tame the roving mind% choose a lifestyle that allo"s you to practice# 53# Love your teacher% enjoy your practice% !eep your vo"s# 5A# @ocus your body% mind% and spirit on the path# 52# E&clude nothing from your acceptance practice4 train "ith a "hole heart# 5C# .l"ays meditate on "hatever you resent# 5<# =on(t depend on ho" the rest of the "orld is# 31# -n this life% concentrate on achieving "hat is most meaningful# 31# =on(t let your emotions distract you% but bring them to your practice# 32# =on(t let your practice become irregular# 36# Train "holeheartedly# 35# @ree yourself by first "atching% then analysing# 33# =on(t feel sorry for yourself# 3A# =on(t be jealous 32# 9tay focused# 3C# =on(t e&pect any applause#