From the palace of Dzogchen – appearing emptiness
I look out, and what I see
    Is appearances in all varieties
And I suddenly remember that appearances
    And their emptiness are inseparable
And there’s a reason why I remember this
It’s that the unexamined mere appearances
    Provided through interdependence
When analyzed, have no makeup
And because they’re nothing solid from the start
I know from that that appearances
    And their emptiness are inseparable

From the palace of Dzogchen – appearing emptiness
I look inwards and what I see
    It’s my own mind I’m looking at
And I suddenly remember that the clarity
    And its emptiness are inseparable
And there’s a reason why I remember this
It’s because the clear awareness which is mind
When analyzed, does not arise or cease
And thinking it to not exist is freed on the spot
And so it’s sure that the clarity
    And its emptiness are inseparable

From the palace of Dzogchen – appearing emptiness
I look back into my mind
    And what I see is “clinging to me”
And I suddenly remember that there is no self
    In what I think is me or I think is mine
And there’s a reason why I remember this
It’s because none of the skandhas are a self
And because there is no self apart from them
I know for sure that from the very start
    There’s never been any self at all

From the palace of Dzogchen – appearing emptiness
I look out and what I see
    Is perceived and perceiver as a duality
And I suddenly remember the emptiness
    Of perceived, perceiver duality
And there’s a reason why I remember this
It’s because the objects are mental habits’ tricks
And because none of these has a content of their own
And because the perceiving mind lacks a makeup too
And so it’s sure that reality
    Is empty of all duality

From the palace of Dzogchen – appearing emptiness
I take a good look at samsara
    And I take a good look at nirvana
And I suddenly remember great emptiness
    Their emptiness of true existence
And there’s a reason why I remember this
It’s because they’re beyond being one and many too
And so I know great emptiness
    And what it’s like is spaciousness

From the palace of Dzogchen – appearing emptiness
I take a good look at phenomena
    I analyze the conventional world
And I suddenly remember the overview
    That’s totally free from any kind of extreme
And there’s a reason why I remember this
Since “existing” or “not” are just comparative terms
And traits and their terms are dependent on each other
And so I know that the nature that lasts
    Is totally free of complications

From the palace of Dzogchen – appearing emptiness
I look inwards and what I see
    Is the very present moment of mind right now
And I suddenly remember the clear light
    Totally free of the slightest flaw
And there’s a reason why I remember this
It’s because there is no flaw in the natural state
And because any flaw is empty of itself
I’ve settled down in the clear light
    That’s free of flaw from the very start

From the palace of Dzogchen – appearing emptiness
I gaze inwards and what I see
    Is self-arisen awareness
And I suddenly remember that awareness
    And its emptiness are inseparable
And there’s a reason why I remember this
It’s because this inexpressible awareness
    Transcending mental operations
Is the alpha-pure abiding nature of mind
And also because of its spontaneous presence
I realize that awareness
    And its emptiness are inseparable
From the palace of Dzogchen – appearing emptiness
I catch my mind in the act
    There’s lots of passion there – you know – the clinging kind
And I suddenly remember that even bliss
    And its emptiness are inseparable
And there’s a reason why I remember this
It’s because the experience of bliss and emptiness
    Comes in the four steps
Of joy and joy supreme and special joy and coemergent joy
And so I realize bliss and emptiness
    The lasting nature of pleasure and pain

These nine occasions were spoken by Dechen Rangdrol to Dzogchen Ponlob Rinpoche who immediately wrote it down, August 16th. 1998.
Translated and arranged by Jim Scott, October 2010, Warsaw, Poland.Translation copyright 2012, Jim Scott