Parting from the Four Attachments

This teaching, the path of all Buddhas of the past and of the futurethat contains all the deep meanings of all the Sutras combined in apractical way, is known as the Mind Training or Pith Instructions,presented by the great masters in the most practical way throughtheir own experience. The history of this teaching is this. Whenthe great Lama Sakyapa was twelve years old, his spiritual mastersuggested that since he was the son of a great spiritual master heshould study the teaching; however, in order to study the teachinghe needed first to acquire wisdom. In order to acquire wisdom, hehad to practise Manjushri, the manifestation of all the Buddhas'wisdom. Sakyapa's spiritual master, Pari Lotsawa, one of the greatesttranslators, gave him the initiation of Manjushri and all theteachings related to Manjushri and then asked his disciple to doa meditation retreat. After completing six months of meditation,one day in his pure vision he saw Manjushri in person sitting on ajewel throne, his hands in the teaching mudra, with two Bodhisattvaattendants, one on each side. Then the main deity Manjushrigave this teaching, which is made up of four lines:If you have attachment to this life, you are not a religious person.If you have attachment to the world of existence, you do not haverenunciation.If you have attachment to your own purpose, you have no EnlightenmentThought (Bodhicitta).If grasping arises, you do not have the view.All the paths of the Sutrayana are included in these four lines.