Timeless Rapture: Inspired Verse from the Shangpa Masters

202 Timeless Rapture
May we gain mastery of the mind of awakening, awareness.
For it, what appears, what arises, becomes meditation!
May all seemingly solid phenomena arise as the deity’s illusory body,
May all verbal expression dissolve into mantras’ sound-emptiness,
May every thought arise as great wisdom:
In this lifetime, may we attain the state of Buddha Vajra Bearer!
Om Svasti
Namo Guru
Sarva Mangalam Bhavantu
My child, if you go from here to practice the Teachings,
Your old father has a few words for you, from his heart.
Cherish these always in the center of your mind.
My child, to make this free and fully endowed human life
meaningful,
You’ll need to sincerely recall death.
To continue wandering aimlessly,
You’ll need to rely on yourself and no one else.
To stay alone in mountain retreats,
You’ll need to reduce your activity of gifts and offerings.
To be happy anywhere you stay, without choosing,
You’ll need uninterrupted meditation and forbearance.
Toward your spiritual master, Buddha of the three times,
You’ll need faith without fatigue or disillusionment.
In the phase of creation’s clear appearances of the deity,
You’ll need the confidence of knowing them to be your own mind.
In the phase of completion’s abiding nature of mind,
You’ll need the continuity of rest within natural repose.