Uprisings, apparitions, evidence of success are just mind’s labels — they never existed. In the reality of their primordial nonexistence, any rejection or acceptance is the devil itself. Don’t pursue objects; cut through inflation. Realise the nonself of the self-fixated devil. When you know nonself, you’re released from ego-fixation. If you know that, severing and severance object, this or that devil, don’t even nominally exist. The devil of inflated object and the devil of inflation itself — If you know what inflates, inflation can’t touch you. Once you cut off inflation of that devil, mere inflation appears like the water of a mirage. An illusory being can’t maintain self and other — You are free of the impaired eye that sees two moons. Clouds arise in the sky without rejecting the sky. As everything is naturally appearing and naturally free, how could you possibly accept or abandon yourself? If it were possible, whatever you accept or abandon would therefore be cherished, and that itself is the devil. Therefore, do not cherish anything, disciples. Released from cherishing, there is no severance or object to be severed, supreme path of liberation, or any supreme spiritual powers. The devil to be rejected is the same god to be accomplished. Know they are the same, mere designations that never existed, with no single thing to be demonstrated. Once you know your inflation, it is released in its own ground and you cannot speak or think of your own essence. Dualistic fixation of object and subject are cut right through. Disciples, rest freely without contrivance within reality itself, pure as the sky, in emptiness, nonself, and utter simplicity.

-- Machig Labdrön