"The root text on making clear the gnosis of Mahâmudrâ." Homage to the Realized Masters! (The succession of the Masters of the lineage is as follows:) To the great Master Tilopa, to Naropa, to Marpa of Lho Brag...  I, a yogin from Gung Thang, developed faith and devotion in the saint of Lho Brag, who bestowed his compassion on me while I served him for a long time.

I meditated diligently and forcefully in accordance with the instructions I received from him, and I received his blessing. Yogic heat blazed up in my body and I was warm, though dressed only in cotton cloth.  The Clear Light dawned in my mind. I received many tantric transmissions to which other [transmissions] cannot be compared, so pay attention to these specific aspects.

When one practices, there are three aspects:

1.  The natural, primordial state.      2.  The Path.      3.  The arising of Fruition.

Now, in this teaching, understand that the essence of mind is the natural state and this is Mahâmudrâ.            Now there are three features of  Mahâmudrâ:

1.  Ground  Mahâmudrâ      2.  Path Mahâmudrâ      3.  Fruition  Mahâmudrâ

The first topic:  The mode of abiding of phenomena in their natural state.  "The intentions of the Buddhas" and the "nature of the mind of sentient beings" are not established as shape or color, or margins or center; these are free from partiality and extremes.  They neither engage in existence nor non-existence; they do not err, nor are they free from error; they do not arise from any cause, nor do they change in relation to conditions.  They are not contrived by a skillful (i.e. knowing) Buddha, nor corrupted by dull sentient beings; nor do they improve through Realization nor worsen by error. This is Ground  Mahâmudrâ.