I prostrate to the unchanging luminosity of mind
So that you can seize the capital of unchanging Dharmakaya
I shall briefly explain unchanging Dharmadhatu
The unchanging ground of all samsara and nirvana. (1)

All the various phenomena that appear
Are like dreams, watermoons, and rainbows
Gain certainty in the true nature, primordially unborn—
Reality itself whose essence is free from extremes. (2)

Within no arising, appearances of arising shine
This mere arising is not arising
This is the profound essential point of the Great Mother Prajnaparamita’s intention
This Mother who gives birth to the four Noble Ones—how wondrous! (3)

From the unceasing expanse, magical appearances of cessation shine
This mere cessation is empty of cessation
And the way that cessation and no cessation are equality
Is something incredibly miraculous and wondrous! (4)

These various appearances of things appearing to remain the same
Are like the mountains, lands, and oceans that appear in dreams
Apart from being interdependent appearances arising from causes and conditions
Their nature is Dharmadhatu, primordially void of remaining. (5)

As for these common appearances of arising, remaining, and ceasing
Since they are interdependently existent appearances
And since their causes and conditions have no self-nature either
None of them move from Dharmadhatu. (6)

Friend and enemy, and so forth—all appearances of opposites
Like sensations of hot and cold in a dream
Are confused appearances arising from habitual tendencies, and apart from that
In natural reality do not exist in the slightest. (7)

These various sounds of praise and criticism
Are like beautiful music, echoes, and the sound of thunder in the sky
If you know the way they are unarisen resonance-emptiness
Your attachment and aversion to sounds of praise and criticism will be pacified. (8)

Whatever appearances of the six realms’ beings you may see
They are only confused appearances arising from your own particular karma
Not even an atom of them exists from their own side, and so
Know that they are vivid appearances of the nonexistent, like watermoons. (9)

Appearances of happiness and suffering in the higher and lower realms
Are just the confused appearances of virtuous and nonvirtuous karma ripening
Since there is no actor there can be no action, no karma
These too are appearances of the nonexistent, empty reflections and nothing more. (10)

Sky, earth, mountains, continents, all the various components of the support—
Since they are just dependently arisen, dependently existent appearances
And since they are not of the nature of being one or many
They have no self-nature—their mode of appearance is like a watermoon’s. (11)

These various profound, vile, and in-between thoughts
Do not come from anywhere and do not go anywhere
When examined, they do not exist—only mere experiences of them exist
So they too are unarisen—just magical appearances of arising. (12)

Like rainbows shining in the sky’s expanse
These various appearances in the expanse of mind itself
Apart from just being mere appearances are primordially nonexistent
Therefore, it is explained that their nature is unarisen and free from extremes. (13)

Although in the world, space is called “space”
It is not discernible as “this” or “that”
Similarly, although they are explained to be “mind” and “mental afflictions”
When analyzed, they are not discernible as “this” or “that”. (14)

In centerless and endless space, the empty expanse
On this planet with neither top nor bottom
The various wandering beings are indistinguishable as self or other—
Know them to be free of fabrications, equality. (15)

Just as the various planes in the sky’s expanse
However they fly, leave no trace of a path
However you examine mind’s true nature, free of fabrications
You will not find trace of a single characteristic. (16)

However the four elements clash in space
The essence of space never changes
However the mental afflictions and five poisons may agitate
In mind’s basic being, there is no change in the slightest. (17)

Just as the sky’s stars and planets can shine on a clear lake
Yet neither obscure the lake nor move it at all
So various appearances of perceived and perceiver can shine in the mind
And yet not move empty luminous mind in the least. (18)

Just as the roar of the elements clashing in space’s expanse
Neither comes to space’s expanse nor leaves it
So the various pleasant and unpleasant sounds and speech we hear
Never come to Dharmadhatu nor ever leave it. (19)

Just as the sun’s clear light
Instantly dispels all darkness in the sky’s expanse
From the mind’s expanse, awareness’ brilliant energy shines
Ignorance’s darkness need not be removed—it is self-liberated. (20)

Just as if space did not exist, wandering sentient beings
Would not be able to come, go, or move at all
So if Dharmadhatu did not exist, mind and mental formations
Would not be able to move or perform their functions. (21)

Just as if space did not exist, flowers, fruits and so forth
Would have no chance to grow, blossom, or ripen
So if Dharmadhatu did not exist, those practicing on the path to enlightenment
Would not be able to cultivate the qualities of the paths and grounds. (22)

Just as if space did not exist, we would have no place
To get rid of the mounds of garbage we make
So if Dharmadhatu did not exist, those practicing on the path to enlightenment
Would not be able to abandon the afflictive and cognitive obscurations. (23)

Just as rainbows in the all-pervading sky
On the clear ocean’s surface so vividly shine
May Sambhogakaya’s energy shine from Dharmakaya’s expanse
And may great varieties of Nirmanakayas guide beings to enlightenment. (24)

On a sky path from America’s west to east
The itinerant wanderer Dechen Rangdrol
Said whatever spontaneously arose in his mind—
May these words heighten the prajna of those with commitment! (25)

Composed by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche on October 12, 1998.  Translated by Ari Goldfield.