The Eight Verses of Training the Mind.

With the intention to attain The ultimate, supreme goal That surpasses even the wish-granting jewel, May I constantly cherish all living beings.

Whenever I associate with others, May I view myself as the lowest of all;
And with a perfect intention,
May I cherish others as supreme.

Examining my mental continuum throughout all my actions,
As soon as a delusion develops Whereby I or others would act inappropriately, May I firmly face it and avert it.

Whenever I see unfortunate beings Oppressed by evil and violent suffering, May I cherish them as if I had found A rare and precious treasure.

Even if someone I have helped And of whom I had great hopes Nevertheless harms me without any reason, May I see him as my holy Spiritual Guide.

When others out of jealousy Harm me or insult me, May I take defeat upon myself And offer them the victory.

In short, may I directly and indirectly Offer help and happiness to all my mothers, And secretly take upon myself All their harm and suffering.

Furthermore, through all these method practices, Together with a mind undefiled by stains of conceptions of the eight extremes And that see’s all phenomena as illusory, May I be released from the bondage of mistaken appearance and conception.

By Geshe Langri Tangpa (AD 1054 – 1123)