Kye ho! In space of gathering white clouds drifting in blue sky, Sole accomplished, benevolent
father, named ‘Buddha,’(1)

Since you are now watching from the sphere of timeless wisdom, Please turn this one’s mind towards
holy Dharma!

Learned, sincere, purely faithful, praiseworthy Dharma friend Tsering Chopel came to me,
And to his question, like a stick beating the drum of Dharma, I will give this brief answer in
several verses.

This basis, so difficult to gain, the body of eight freedoms (2) and ten riches(3),
Is obtained this time only, not again in the future.

There is danger that we return from the jewel island empty handed; So contemplating this, take
delight in holy Dharma.

In outer and inner things, all living beings and the environment, And especially for this borrowed
illusory body

There are many conditions for death and few that support life. So contemplating this, take delight
in holy Dharma.

Results of virtue and misdeeds, good and bad karma, Are just like a shadow following your body,
Producing bliss or pain without fail, certain to be experienced. So contemplating this, take
delight in holy Dharma.

Heat and cold of hells, hunger, and thirst of pretas, The six realms of samsara are a vast ocean of
suffering.

Wherever you are born, there is no chance for happiness. So contemplating this, take delight in
holy Dharma.

These are called the four attitude reversers. They cause you to first turn to Dharma,
Spur you to persevere in the course of practice,

And finally, are the essence of Dharma, so don’t forget them.

The special way to sustain roots of virtue with skillful means Is the preparatory motivation of
holy bodhicitta.

In all virtuous practice of body, speech, and mind

It is indispensable, so practice on that basis.

So that the roots of virtue do not disintegrate in the meantime In whatever virtuous practice you do with body, speech, and mind

Just ‘doing it’ does not benefit your mind, so cherish
Sustaining it with means and wisdom, emptiness and compassion.

With that special factor that increases the roots of virtue,

Making holy dedication at the conclusion,
All virtues such as this created in past, present, and future
I dedicate as cause for highest enlightenment of all.

These Dharma words in common language
About the four attitude reversers and the three holy instructions,

Was offered to Chopel by his Dharma friend named Karma,

This wanderer who imitates a Dharma practitioner during these latter times.

These brief Dharma words in common language about the four attitude reversers and the three holy instructions is the urging of the Dharma teacher who merely bears the title of Abbot, Khenpo Karten, Protector of the Karma Kagyu Teachings, in the Tibetan year 2041, year of the wood horse, western calendar 2014, written on this auspicious day, the first day of the Tibetan New Year.
May virtue flourish!

Notes:
1 Sangye Tenzin Rinpoche
2 Freedom from birth in hell, preta, and animal realms, barbarian lands, long-lived gods, with wrong views, when Buddha has not come, or as a fool.
3 Five self endowments: being born human, born in a central land, having sound faculties, having capacityto bring spiritual endeavors to completion, and having faith in the teachings. Five other endowments,Buddha appeared, taught the Dharma, the Dharma is maintained, the Dharma is spreading, and thecompassion of others.