The-Tibetan-Book-of-Living-and-Dying

146 THE TIBETAN BOOK OF LIVING AND DYINGthe passions. In brief, he is the equal of all the buddhas. To makeany connection with him, whether through seeing him, hearing hisvoice, remembering him, or being touched by his hand, will lead ustoward liberation. To have fill confidence in him is the sure way toprogress toward enlightenment. The warmth of his wisdom andcompassion will melt the ore of our being and release the gold ofthe buddha-nature within. 5I have become aware of the blessings of my masters tricklingdown to me almost imperceptibly and informing mymind. Ever since Dudjom Rinpoche died, my students tell memy teachings became more flowing, more lucid. Not long ago,after hearing Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche give a particularlyastonishing teaching, I expressed my deep admiration for himand said: "It's almost miraculous how effortlessly and spontaneouslythese teachings flow from your wisdom mind." Heleaned toward me tenderly, with a teasing glint in his eye."And may your teachings in English flow in exactly the sameway," he said. Since then, through no doing of my own, Ihave felt my ability to express the teachings grow more andmore natural. I consider this book to be a manifestation of theblessing of my masters, transmitted through the wisdom mindof the ultimate master and supreme guide, Padmasambhava.This book, then, is their gift to you.It is my devotion to my masters that gives me the strengthto teach, and the openness and receptivity to learn and go onlearning. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche himself never stoppedhumbly receiving teachings from other masters, and oftenthose who were his own disciples. The devotion that givesthe inspiration to teach, then, is also the devotion that givesthe humility to go on learning. Gampopa, Milarepa's greatestdisciple, asked him, at the moment of their parting, "Whenwill be the time for me to start guiding students?" Milarepareplied, "When you are not like you are now, when yourwhole perception has been transformed, and you are able tosee, really see, this old man before you as nothing less thanthe Buddha himself. When devotion has brought you to thatmoment of recognition, that moment will be the sign that thetime for you to teach has come."These teachings have been brought to you fromPadmasambhava's enlightened heart, across centuries, over athousand years, by an unbroken lineage of masters, each one ofwhom only became masters because they had learned humblyto be disciples, and remained, in the deepest sense, disciples of