Again, while residing at the great palace of Taitu, on the night of the ninth day of the first month of the Tiger year, I had a dream. In it, the master Pawo Dorje[1] appeared, along with Marpa Lotsāwa and other gurus. They were engaging in extensive discussions and debates on the Dharma. In the midst of that, these are the verses that I recall:

When concepts get in the way,

The samādhi of joy and bliss fades.

So however long one meditates,

It is of no use.

What arises clear, free from concepts,

Is the innate nature itself.

No need to search for signs and such.

Whatever the mind rests upon

Is the very nature of that,

Like a jewel

Displaying myriad forms.

COLOPHON

Having heard these words, Marpa said, keep these in your mind. May glory and auspiciousness blaze as an ornament for the world!

NOTES

[1] The identity of "Pawo Dorje" (དཔའ་བོ་རྡོ་རྗེ, "Vajra-hero") is uncertain. The source text places the first-person pronoun ངས ("I") directly after this name, which could suggest Rangjung Dorje applying the name to himself within the dream—though this is grammatically unusual, since no other source identifies "Pawo Dorje" as an established name or epithet of his. It is equally possible he is a separate figure appearing alongside Marpa and the other gurus. The present translation preserves the name as it stands, without resolving the ambiguity.

Published August 2026

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 Rang byung rdo rje. 2006. gSung mgur thor bu. In Gsung 'bum/ rang byung rdo rje. 16 vols. Zi ling: mTshur phu mkhan po lo yag bkra shis, vol. 5, p. 416. BDRC MW30541_D310C9