Part 2 - The Teaching of the Benefits

If we meditate day and night only on impermanence and death, in a short time we will accumulate a measureless accumulation of virtues.

Thus beneficial phenomena are to be established.
Striving with a fierce energy to establish them,
The mind of this life will be abandoned and cast away.
The confusion of fixating egohood will be destroyed.

In brief, what establishes every excellent quality
And eliminates all faults, the cause of true liberation,
Is restricting the mind to the root of all things, impermanence.

Death is certain. Thus our own deaths are certain. When the smoke of thinking, ceaselessly "Will we even last until tomorrow? It is not certain," continually arises, the blazing fire of exertion in Dharma will also naturally arise. In that way we will be led to the path of benefits in this and later lives.

Because the appearances of this life are seen not to have any permanent power, mind no longer desires. It is not contentious and quarrelsome, does not grasp maliciously, is not angry, does not harm others, and naturally leaves behind all afflictions. By the rising of extraordinary thoughts that leave no space for pride and ego-grasping, all is harmonious and pleasant. Since we know that wealth, retinue, and all relatives and companions are impermanent, desire for and attachment to them does not arise.

When through these relatives and companions other harms or benefits arise, whatever joys and sorrows occur, no desire or anger will arise. When these die or are separated from us, or even if we have nothing, the suffering of unhappiness will not arise. Wherever we live in the world, we will not return to the karma of desire and attachment.

Whatever suitable and unsuitable conditions arise, the individual marks of desire, anger, and the grasping of attachment will not arise in us. Every day and night will pass in happiness. By having come to the path of Dharma, we will fulfill our vows and difficult practices. Our pure conduct will be spotless, unobscured by transgressions. Working with the Dharmic activities of the path, we shall accumulate the provisions of the path, the two accumulations.

Since our conduct will not be mixed with evil deeds, there will be no regret for anything we do. A special faith, compassion, and renunciation will newly arise. The Buddha and all the bodhisattvas will take care of us. Humans and non-human spirits will have no opportunity to harm us. The gods of the buddha field of Complete Joy, Abhirati, will keep us within the whiteness of virtue. We will sleep in happiness, rise in happiness, go in happiness, walk in happiness, possess happiness, and live happy lives.

The higher worlds of the celestial realms will arise for us. We shall see the Sugata and his children. We shall hear the good Dharma. We shall meditate on the good path. We shall attain the good realm of Sukhavati. The scriptures of monastic Discipline say:

Those who act with pure conduct
And meditate well on the path,
Will not suffer in dying,
As if freed from a burning house.

These and limitless other virtues will be attained.