Employing the Crucial Point

Employing the Crucial Point

from The Profound Instruction of Tendrel Nyesel 

revealed by Tertön Sogyal Lerab Lingpa

The root of all faults and defects is nothing other than ignorance.

This ignorance is like mistaking a heap of stones on the horizon for a human figure; it has no basis whatsoever, which means that the root of faults and defects does not even exist!

What is this ignorance? It is our failure to recognize the essence of the ultimate natural state, namely the actual wisdom of rigpa.

This is how, when the ‘face of rigpa’ is not recognized, ignorance will be there, appearing adventitiously. Yet since in fact it is not in any way outside the nature of rigpa—the pure natural state—even if you were to search for faults and defects, you would not be able to find any. This is what is known as ‘Transforming failure to recognize into direct self-recognition’.

Now, when a person of superior capacity receives the introduction, everything arises as enlightenment, within the vastness of all-encompassing wisdom. Delusion is purified and liberated in the Ground, and they discover a deep confidence, free of fear or anxiety about any impure causes and results in the future. They are completely victorious on the battlefield of saṃsāra.

Even when individuals who are not of superior capacity recognize the natural state directly in themselves, they see all phenomena as its play, and so for them everything arises as appearances which are pure, and they are self-liberated in that state of equality where there is not even a trace of attachment to ‘good’. For once you have an unmistaken realization of the natural state, it is simply impossible for you not to be liberated!

So, when you realize that the ignorance which is the root of faults and defects is no other than the wisdom of rigpa, then:

• the five poisonous emotions created by that ignorance will be nothing other than the five wisdoms,

• and all suffering will be none other than the union of bliss and emptiness. Since all causes and effects then are completely pure, there is nothing whatsoever that is impure in the pure natural state, so there is nothing to ‘transform’.

Even so, sentient beings are overwhelmed by delusion, and so they experience arisings beyond their control as negative emotions and suffering. Yet when these mere risings are recognized as ‘pure’, they are transformed right then and there.

Then, since there is nothing pure to search for, they are free from hope. And since there is nothing impure to search for, they are free from fear.

Once you have seized the stronghold of this natural state, which is free of all hope and fear, this is actually the unchanging truth of dharmata, from which there is no turning back. This crucial point is the final state of Dzogpa Chenpo, which is quite unlike what is explained in the ordinary practices of kyerim and dzogrim. There is nothing more profound.

Besides, what we call ‘pure’ and what we call ‘impure’ are, respectively, emptiness and selflessness, and the grasping at ‘I’ and ‘mine’. So, knowing that all clinging to an ‘I’ is really nothing other than egolessness, whenever a thought of ‘I’ arises, do not follow after it, but remember the truth of egolessness.

What we call ‘pure’ is by nature emptiness. What we call ‘impure’ is a delusion with respect to the truth.

Therefore, since what arises is in reality emptiness — even though it appears as completely real — do not follow this grasping at true existence in the slightest, but rather recognize that its nature is emptiness, and rest at ease within that recognition.

Since in reality all phenomena are primordially empty and devoid of self, they do not need to be transformed. What is ‘transformed’ is merely the impression that they are true, as perceived by those who are deluded. What we call ‘complete purity’ is the mandala of the wisdom body, speech, and mind of the deity.

What we call ‘impurity’ is the five skandhas, the five elements, and the six senses of the six classes of beings. Although they do arise as skandhas, elements, and senses, in fact they are nothing other than the mandala of the three vajras, so do not follow wrong thoughts about them being impure, but recognize them as the self-display of pure wisdom, and rest at ease, abiding in that recognition.

Since in reality all phenomena possess the nature of the three mandalas from the very beginning, they do not need to be transformed. What is ‘transformed’ is merely the impression that they are phenomena of saṃsāra, as experienced by those who are deluded.

These skilful means are known as ‘practices to be applied to the subsequent state of mind’, and a beginner just cannot afford to be without them.

If you completely master the Dzogpa Chenpo, then whatever appears is fine, as it is naturally nothing other than the three kinds of self-liberation, and so there is no need for any complicated effort. Whatever arises is already, from the very beginning liberated, and delusion simply does not exist in that natural state: so what is there to liberate? Whatever arises in the mind, all thoughts of good and bad, which are mere impressions on the level of appearances, are self-liberated directly, upon the rigpa.

These then were the ultimate pith instructions for eliminating faults and defects, preventing their arising, protecting against them, and transforming them. There is nothing that surpasses them.

Listen Tsogyal! A skilful method, a profound mengak such as this, is exceptionally rare and precious. Its qualities are quite unique. It is truly like a wish-granting gem!

If a yogin who has obtained this instruction takes it to heart by practising it, and teaches it correctly to others, then all their true aspirations will swiftly be fulfilled.

And in particular, in the final five-hundred-year period of this dark age, for you fortunate ones who have been empowered with the profound termas of Padma: when faults in interdependence endanger your lives, when the door of Dharma is closed and the need for termas ignored, take these instructions to heart and practise them! It will be of enormous benefit. Your power to benefit beings will increase, and your life will reach its natural span and be meaningful and fulfilled! This is my promise, the promise of Padma.

| Translated by Rigpa Translations. First published on Lotsawa House, 2025.

Bibliography

Tibetan Edition

"rten ʼbrel nyes sel gyi gdams pa zab mo." In las rab gling paʼi gter chos. Bylakuppe: Pema Norbu Rinpoche, 1985. Vol. 1: 745–883.

Version: 2.0-20251213