(From "The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones" by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche):
Because Patrul Rinpoche himself regarded the Three Jewels as his supreme teacher, his mind was completely imbued with the Dharma, and he led a life of perfect purity.
His teachings are therefore completely pure and authentic, and this text he composed out of sheer compassion, without any arrogance or pride. Nevertheless, he says with great humility:
Which, though inside still unripe, look ripe outside,
I myself am just the semblance of a Dharma practitioner,
And since my mind and the Dharma haven’t mixed, my Dharma teaching won’t be up to much.
Commentary: As summer turns to autumn, persimmons can be found at different stages of ripeness. Some persimmons look ripe, but inside they are still green.
They are like people who pose as exemplary Dharma practitioners but, full of poisonous thoughts, are in fact preoccupied with accumulating wealth, performing village ceremonies, and making a name for themselves.
Others, on the contrary, still look green outside, but inside they are already ripe. These are like people who, though appearing to be ignorant, humble beggars, are totally free from saṃsāric concerns, are full of faith, and have achieved genuine meditative experience and realization.
Other persimmons, both outside and inside, are green and unripe all the way through. They are like people who have never entered the Dharma, know nothing about it, and have no faith in it.
Finally, some persimmons both look ripe and actually are ripe. These are like the great Bodhisattvas, inwardly full of wisdom and compassion and outwardly displaying infinite ways of helping beings. In truth, Patrul Rinpoche was, without doubt, one of these perfect Bodhisattvas.
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