Gampopa's ten things to understand, ten to be given up.

[muni]

Gampopa's Ten Things To Understand:

understand that outer appearances are unreal because they are illusion.

understand that inner mind is empty because it is devoid of self entity.

understand that thoughts are momentary because they occur due to conditions.

understand that both your physical body and your voice are impermanent because they are conditioned.

understand that the consequences of your actions are inevitable because all the pleasure and pain of sentient beings result from karma.

understand that pain is your spiritual friend because it is the cause of renunciation.

understand that pleasure and happiness are the demons of attachment, because they are the roots of samsara.

understand that many engagements are obstacles for merit because they hinder spiritual practice.

understand that enemies and obstructors are your teachers because they are inspiration for spiritual practice.

understand that everything is of equal nature because all phenomena are ultimately devoid of self nature.

These were the ten things to understand.


************

Gampopa's ten things to be given up:

Give up, no matter what a teacher who is mixed up in the 8 worldly concerns.

Give up evil companionship and supporters who harm your attitude and experience.

Give up a hermitage or place of meditation that is distracting or harmful.

Give up sustenance acquired through stealing, robbery, or deceit.

Give up aims and activities that harm your attitude and experience.

Give up food and behaviour that harms your physical constitution.

Give up all attachment that binds you with greed to desirable things.

Give up frivolous behavior which may cause others to lose trust.

Give up meaningless aims and activities while walking and sitting.

Give up hiding your own faults while proclaiming those of others.



Note: The 8 worldly concerns are attachment to gain, pleasure, praise and fame, and aversion to loss, pain, blame, and bad reputation.

[muni]

Two quotes Gampopa:

A spiritual practitioner is in error when he has received abundant oral instructions and his mind still remains that of an ordinary person.

-- Dagpo Lha-je Gampopa



It is useless to act in discord with the teachings since such "spiritual practice" will cause a rebirth in the lower realms - even if you have entered the gateway to the Dharma.

-- Dagpo Lha-je Gampopa

[lotwell]

Wow thank you for posting. I will try to take this to heart. What is your source for this by the why?

Lotwell