A TREASURE TROVE OF BLESSING AND PROTECTION
THE SEVEN CHAPTER PRAYER OF THE GREAT TEACHER PADMASAMBHAVA
A TREASURE TROVE OF BLESSING AND PROTECTION
with an introduction by Tulku Thondup
ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY
mike dickman
In the world at large and in this region in particular,
May not even the names ‘sickness’, ‘despair’ and ‘war’ be heard,
May the meritorious qualities, honour and prosperity of those who act in accord with Dharma greatly increase,
And may there always be an absolute perfection of good fortune, happiness and auspicious circumstances.
This is by His Holiness, Kyabje Düd'jom Rinpoche.
I offer this at the feet of those extraordinary beings who have had the kindness to be my teachers. If there is any merit in it at all, may it serve to bring a little peace and enlightenment to the suffering beings of this world.
Contents
Contents iii Introduction by Tulku Thondup iv Translator's Introduction ix
A Supporting Visualisation for Making Prayers to Orgyen Rinpoche 1 Guru Rinpoche Delivers the Three Kaya Lineage Prayer and its Supplement 5
The Chapter Requested by King Tr'isong De'utsen 10
The Chapter Requested by Princess Yeshe Ts'ogyäl 20
The Chapter Requested by the Monk Namkha'i Nyingpo 29
The Chapter Requested by Nanam Dorje Düd'jom 37
The Chapter Requested by Prince Mutr'i Tsenpo 46
Guru Rinpoche Explains How to Sing these Chapters 50
A Four and a Half Verse Prayer of Wish Fulfilment Appended by the Glorious Tashi Tobgyäl, Emanation of King Tr'isong De'utsen 51
‘The Spontaneous Fulfilment of All Wishes’, a Chapter Spoken to Prince Mutr'i Tsenpo 54
‘The Seven Line Prayer’, The Extraordinary Practice of the Lama from ‘The Secret Assembly of Spiritual Preceptors’ 66
‘The Remover of Obstacles on the Path’ 68
APPENDICES
Appendix i — A Practice of the Assembly of Offering Pertaining to the Prayer to the Lama, ‘The Spontaneous Realisation of All Wishes’ entitled Downpour of the Life–Giving Elixir of Twofold Accomplishment
Appendix ii — ‘The Lightning Flash of Compassion’, a Concise ‘Prayer of the
Spontaneous Realisation of All Wishes 83
An Extremely Concise ‘Remover of Obstacles’ 84
Appendix iii — The Prayer of the Swift Realisation of All that is Wished 85
Appendix iv — A Wishfulfilling Prayer to Guru Rinpoche That He Help Us
in this Age of Degeneration 87
Appendix v — The Yearning Song of Sorrow 91
Appendix vi — The Verses of the Eight Noble and Auspicious Ones 94
Introduction by Tulku Thondup
Guru Rinpoche, is one of the greatest enlightened masters and most miraculous adepts of the Buddhist world. He is the founder of Tibetan Buddhism and is known as the Second Buddha to his followers. In the eighth century, Guru Padmasambhava — the Lotus–Born — came to Tibet from India and became known as Guru Rinpoche, the Precious Teacher. He transmitted many esoteric teachings to his disciples and concealed them as Ter (gTer) or Terma (gTer ma) — hidden Dharma treasures — for the sake of future disciples. From the eleventh century till today, thousands of volumes of those concealed teachings have been discovered by the reincarnations of his chief disciples through their mystical power. This volume contains eleven texts. Most of them are prayers to Guru Rinpoche taught and concealed by him as Ter. Others appear as prayers composed by great Lamas, but some of them could still be considered Ter as regards process of their revelation. There are three kinds of text in this volume.
(a) Many of them are for realizing the profound wisdom state of mind through the force of devotion and of meditating on it, as it says in the fourth chapter of the first text,
In this way, all forms that manifest to the eye All the outer and inner characteristics of the world of form and content in all their entirety, Although appearing, are simply to be left in a state devoid of grasping at a self. Purification of the grasping subject and grasped at object is the divine form, manifest and yet void: To the Lama of Self Liberated Desire, we pray. To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
(b) The fifth text is a liturgy of performing a ‘feast offering ceremony’.
(c) The others are prayers of supplication for the compassionate blessings of Guru Rinpoche. A devotee prays to him by seeing him as the union of the wisdom, compassion and power of all the enlightened ones, and the manifestation of the absolute truth and pure qualities of the universe. The ninth text, A Prayer to Guru Rinpoche That He Dispel All Obstacles and Swiftly Fulfil All Wishes, includes the lines,
Sole and unique embodiment of the combined compassion of all Buddhas, The one, unfailing support of refuge, Pema'jungne, Lotus–Born, To you we pray. Turning your attention to us with loving kindness, This very moment grant us your blessings, empowerment and accomplishment
(1) The first text, the main body of this volume, is the Seven Chapter Prayer (Tib., gsol 'debs leu bdun ma), one of the most famous of all the prayers of Guru Rinpoche. This text starts with an accessory liturgy on Developing the Objects of Meditation (rten bskyed) compiled by Khyentse Wangpo (1820–1892). Practitioners should insert all the prayers to Guru Rinpoche in the middle of this piece immediately after the visualization of the objects of meditation.
One day Guru Rinpoche was performing a feast offering ceremony (Tib., tshogs, Skt., ganacakra) at Samye monastery with a congregation of his disciples. During that ceremony, he transmitted the Seven Chapter Prayer to his five chief disciples and concealed it in the wisdom nature of their minds. Then on a yellow scroll (shog ser) he wrote a symbolic script (brda yig) as the key to the transmitted prayers and concealed it as a Ter in Trampa Gyang of Lhatse County in Western Tibet. Centuries later Tulku Zangpo Tragpa discovered the yellow scroll and passed it on to Rig'dzin Gödem (1337–1408), the founder of Northern Treasures (byang gter). When Rig'dzin Gödem decoded the symbolic script, the memory of the concealed prayers was awakened from the wisdom nature of his mind and he transcribed them in the form of the present text.
The seven chapters are:
• A first chapter containing prayers to Guru Rinpoche as the embodiment of the three Buddha–bodies. Guru Rinpoche gave this prayer to his five main disciples to be recited whenever one remembers him.
• A second chapter which is the prayer to the Guru Rinpoche as the Tutelary Deities. It was given to the King Tr'isong De'utsen to be recited at dusk.
• A third containing prayers to Guru Rinpoche with his Glorious Mountain Pure Land. It was given to Yeshe Tsogyal to be recited at dawn.
• A fourth containing prayers to Guru Rinpoche with his Lineage Masters. It was given to Namkha'i Nyingpo to be recited at sunrise.
• A fifth chapter containing prayers to Guru Rinpoche and his enlightened activities, given to Nanam Dorje Dudjom, to be recited in the evening.
• A sixth chapter containing prayers to Guru Rinpoche with his enlightened qualities and given to Prince Mutri Tsenpo, to be recited in the darkness of night.
• And a seventh shapter teaching how to chant these prayers, to which a short prayer by Jangdag Trashi Topgyal (1550–1602?) has also been added.
The second text, the Spontaneous Fulfillment of All Wishes (bsam pa lhun 'grub) contains prayers to thirteen manifestations of Guru Rinpoche for fulfilling all wishes, and thirteen of them especially. This was given to King Mutri Tsenpo of Tibet by Guru Rinpoche at the time of his departure from the Gungthang pass of Western Tibet, and it too was discovered as a Ter by Tulku Zangpo Tragpa of Trampa Gyang and decoded and transcribed by Rig'dzin Gödem. It is advised that it be recited whenever one is free or whenever beings are afflicted with sufferings. The third text, the Seven Line Prayer (tshig bdun gsol 'debs) is the most popular prayer of the Nyingmapa world with multiple levels of meaning. This was revealed by Guru Chowang (1212–1270) in his Lama Sangdu cycle of teachings and also repeatedly, as a Ter, by many others. The fourth text, the Remover of Obstacles on the Path (bar chad lam sel) is a prayer to Guru Rinpoche discovered as a Ter by Chogkyur Dechen Lingpa (1829–1870) from a rock in Khala Ronggo of Dza valley in Eastern Tibet.
The fifth text, The Downpour of the Elixir of Twofold Accomplishment (grub gnyis bdud rtsi'i char 'bebs) is a liturgy of a feast offering (Skt., ganacakra) to Guru Rinpoche, connected with the Spontaneous Fulfillment of All Wishes (the second text), and written by Gyurme Pema Tendzin (1871–1927) of Zhechen Monastery.
The sixth and seventh texts, the Lightning Flash of Compassion (thugs rje'i glog zhags) and An Extremely Concise Remover of Obstacles (bar chad lam sel shin tu bsdus pa) are condensed versions of the second and third texts written by Jalü Dorje (Do Khyentse Yeshey Dorje, 1800–1859).
The eight text, the Prayer for the Swift Realization of All that is Wished (bsam pa myur 'grub) was written by Longchen Rabjam (1308–1363) and Jigme Lingpa (1729–1798).
The ninth and tenth texts, the Prayer to Guru Rinpoche That He Dispel All Obstacles and Swiftly Fulfil All Wishes (bar chad kun sel bsam don myur 'grub) and Yearning Song of Sorrow (gdung 'bod) are written by 'Jigdräl Yeshe Dorje (Kyabje Düd'jom Rinpoche, 1904–1988). The eleventh text, the Verses of the Eight Noble and Auspicious Ones (bkra shis brgyad pa) was written by 'Jampäl Gyepa'i Dorje (Mipham Rinpoche, 1846–1912). This prayer to the auspicious deities is for bringing success in all activities and may be recited at any time, especially at the start of any activity.
Translator's Introduction
The Le'u Dün Ma, or ‘Seven Chapter Prayer’, is one of the more important prayers linked with the numerous versions of the biography (rnam par thar pa — literally, ‘complete liberation’) of Guru Padmasambhava, the 8th. century yogin credited, along with ‘the Bodhisattva Abbot’, Shantarakshita, with having established the Vajrayana School of Buddhism in Tibet .
According to His Holiness Düd'jom Rinpoche's History of the Nyingma School (snga 'gyur bstan pa'i rnam gzhag) , when Guru Padmasambhava was about to leave Tibet to convert the rakshasa ogres in the south western isle of Chamaradvipa, the king, ministers, close disciples and subjects begged him to remain but he declined to do so, giving to each of them instead instructions and precepts concerning loving kindness. Then, mounted on a lion, or, in other versions, on a magnificent horse, he set out from the heights of the pass of Gungthang for Chamaradvipa, and, on the summit of Zangdog Pälri, the Glorious Copper Coloured Mountain, ‘liberated’ T'ötr'eng, king of the ogres, and entered into his body.
Materialising the Inconceivable Palace of Lotus Light, he took up residence and still dwells there, ruling in eight emanations over eight ogre islands, teaching the eight transmitted precepts (bka' brgyad) connected with the eight means of attainment (sadhana) and other such doctrines. As regent of Vajradhara, the Sixth Conqueror, holder of the awareness that is spontaneous realisation of the final path, protecting the beings of Jambudvipa from deathly fears, his sojourn there continues unchanging until the final dissolution of the universe. The prayer with which this book is chiefly concerned relates to the period just prior to the aforesaid departure, and stems from the requests made on two different occasions by the close disciples to Guru Padmasambhava, or Guru Rinpoche, ‘The Precious Guru’, as he is also known, not to depart, or — if he must — to at least leave some last prayer with each of them as a final testimony. The prayer he then imparts to each in turn directly equates to the facet of practice symbolised or embodied by the disciple concerned.
As a practice, this text is traditionally taken up by those who really wish to accomplish it as presented here, complete with its visualisation support practice and all other adjuncts in their entirety, as a daily sadhana, or means of attainment , while those less committed practice it only during the tenth (ts'e bcu) and twenty–fifth (ts'e nyes lnga) day offering assemblies (ts'ogs mchod) or when wishing to influence affairs onto a more auspicious path. Both groups, however, would use as a guide to the timing of the recitation, the following outline from the colophon of ‘The Spontaneous Realisation of All Wishes’, or Sampa Lhündrubma:
“My children, the faithful and devoted people of Tibet, should pray to the Lama, the Refuge, whenever they think of him by means of the prayer to his three enlightened dimensions of being,” said Prince Mutr'i Tsenpo. “Let them use the words spoken to my father, the King at the wrathful hour of the beginning of the evening, those spoken to the Lady Ts'ogyäl at the enriching time of the first arising of dawn, those to Gelong Namkha'i Nyingpo at the peaceful hour of daybreak, those to Menmo Dorje Düd'jom at the powerful time of early evening, those to Prince Mutr'i Tsenpo beneath the dark skies of midnight and those of the King of Gungthang when putting aside the busy–work and activities of noon. As a general rule, recite it whenever there is risk of suffering.
Generally speaking, a day of practice, commencing with a predawn session at around 4:00 a.m. in the summer months and 6:00 a.m. in the winter, is divided into six sets of three hours each, with the other six left over for ancilliary practices, eating and sleeping. Here these sessions have also been equated with the so–called ‘four enlightened activities’, pacification, enrichment, magnetisation and subjugation. The text is also often given to young Nyingmapa novices as their first reading manual and topic for memorisation, and, like the equally renowned Mañjushrinamasamgiti, is considered to aid in and bless the opening up of subsequent knowledge and wisdom.
Although mainly the work of two different tertöns or ‘treasure–finders’, Rig'dzin Gödem and Chogyur Lingpa, it is a fairly rambling work containing several additions by other famous lamas. The version of the prayer I have chosen to present here is that contained in the anthology ‘Chariot of Perfect Liberation’, Standard Dharma Practices of the Düd'jom School , although I have compared this against several other versions of the text including those contained in chos spyod ngag 'don gyi rim pa bklag chog tu bkod pa, or A Graded Selection of Standard Dharma Texts Arranged for Liturgical Recitation, and a rather well–thumbed block–print version of slob dpon chen po pad ma 'byung gnas kyis gsungs pa'i gsol 'debs le'u bdun ma, The Seven chapter Prayer Spoken by the Great Teacher Padmasambhava, bought in Baudhanath, Nepal, all three of which include the intitial visualisation text and two supplementary texts, ‘The Spontaneous Fulfilment of All Wishes’ and ‘Remover of Obstacles on the Path’, as presented here.
The first section, up to the end of the seventh major chapter, the Spontaneous Realisation of All Wishes (which — rather confusingly, I suppose — is the tenth chapter of our present work), is the treasure of Ngödrub Gyältsen, Rig'dzin Gödemchen, so–called because eight vulture feathers (rgod ldem) naturally grew from the crown of his head. This tertön was a 14th. century incarnation of Nanam Dorje Düd'jom, the intimate disciple of Guru Padmasambhava responsible for requesting the fifth chapter of our prayer, and it is from him, and often through his own emanations, that the lineage of the famed jang ter (byang gter), or ‘Northern Treasure’, held by the monastery of Dorje Drag has descended down to the present.
According to the colophon to the prayer at this point, and to Düd'jom Rinpoche's History & Fundamentals, it was taken from its treasury in Gyang Yönpolung, the Male Dragon Temple near Rulag in Lo, by Tülku Zangpo Dragpa of Manglam who there discovered eight doctrinal topics, including The Essential Inventory Treating of the Essence of the Esoteric Instruction in Seven Sections (snying byang man ngag gnad kyi don bdun ma). Realising these to be required ancillary texts for the jang ter treasures to be revealed by Rig'dzin Gödem at Lhadrag, he therefore sent them to him via Tönpa Sönam Wang'chug so that it might be he who translated them from the yellow scroll. As abovementioned, it consists of a series of chapters requested by the close disciples of Guru Padmasambhava, to wit King Tr'isong De'utsen, Princess Yeshe Ts'ogyäl, the monk Namkha'i Nyingpo, layman Nanam Dorje Düd'jom, and Prince Mutr'i Tsenpo. Each chapter deals with a specific subject as symbolised by the practice or attainment of the disciple concerned, and there is an introductory section to each containing the request and Guru Rinpoche's reply. The first chapter, The Three Kaya Lineage Prayer and its Supplement, contains a brief but interesting explanation of the rarity of the Vajrayana teachings and the reasons for the infrequency of their exposition by the Buddhas of the three times. This section of requests and replies, the latter generally couched in both prose and verse, is then followed by an explanation by Guru Padmasambhava on how to recite these prayers, and a four and a half verse ‘wish fulfilling’ prayer by Jangpa Tashi Tobgyäl, Chögyäl Wangpo'i De, himself an emanation of Rig'dzin Gödempa.
There then follows a brief introduction to the famed and extremely profound ‘Seven Line Prayer’, quintessence of the text entitled the Lama Sangdü or Secret Assembly of Spiritual Preceptors. A somewhat more explicit exposition of the levels of meaning in this text may be found in Mipham Rinpoche's tshigs bdun rnam shes pad ma dkar po, ‘The White Lotus’, An Explication of the Seven Line Prayer. There was an excellent translation–cum–explication of this published by Tulku Thöndup several years ago which the reader is heartily encouraged to obtain and study .
The introductory visualisation support sadhana (chapter 1 in this presentation) and concluding section of the prayer, the Barche Lamsel or Remover of Obstacles on the Path, (chapter 13), are the work of another great tertön lama, the extraordinary Terchen Chogyur Dechen Shigpo Lingpa (1829–70), concerning whom H. H. Düd'jom Rinpoche's History & Fundamentals and Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche's Life and Teaching of Chokgyur Lingpa inform us that he was born at Gomde Tranang in Nangchen Province in Dokham, Eastern Tibet, on the 10th of August, 1829, which was the tenth day of the tenth month of the female earth ox year .
He was an emanation of Lhase (Prince) Murub Tsenpo, and an extraordinarily prolific tertön, best remembered for his practices of the T'ugdrub Barche Künsel and T'ugdrub Sampa Lhündrub Yizhin Norbu and his association with two other great tertön lamas, Jamgön Kongtrül Lodrö Ta'ye and Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, along with whom he established what later came to be known as the ‘non sectarian’ or rime movement of 19th. century Tibetan Buddhism, a movement which has thankfully survived into our own period and is currently exemplified, for example, in the compassionate teachings of H. H. Tendzin Gyatsho, the XIVth. Dalai Lama, and those of the late Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
As stated in the colophon to the prayer at this point, Tertön Chogyur Lingpa drew this chapter, the prayer entitled Remover of Obstacles on the Path (bar chad lam sel), the realisation of the Lama's Mind (thugs sgrub) from The Wish–Granting Gem (yid bzhin nor bu), from beneath the foot of the (statue of) Pälchenpo in the sun–moon mouth at the head of the valley of Rong in Eastern Tibet during a time of strife and division.
Having completed the external version, he then essentialised it, and this essentialised version, one of the more popular Nyingmapa prayers of swift deliverance, has also been included in our presentation of the text. Concerning the outer, inner and secret meanings of this essentialised text, His Holiness Düd'jom Rinpoche has this to say :
OM SWASTI — May it be auspicious.
Bowing down with devotion to the Lordly Lama,
The wish–fulfilling gem who dispels all sorrows the moment we think of him,
I shall put into words a little of the profound meaning
Of the Prayer of Vajra Verses.
This prayer is couched in the following words:
Buddha of the Three Times, Precious Guru,
Lord of all Accomplishment, Great Blissful One,
You who dispel all obstacles, Wrathful Tamer of Maras,
To you we pray, please grant us your blessings,
Pacify all outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us the blessing of the spontaneous fulfilment of all our wishes.
I shall now explain a little of the meaning of these words of Guru Rinpoche himself, the essence of all prayers revealed in the profound treasures of Orgyen Chogyur Lingpa, interpreting them according to the stream of teachings of the Omniscient Lama Dorje Ziji Tsäl from the oral instructions of Gyurme Ngedön Wangpo, Lord of my own Family.
It begins
Buddha of the Three Times, Precious Guru, ...
Externally this refers to the Buddha Jewel among the Three Jewels, or Three Rare (dkon) and Most Excellent (mchog), because Orgyen Rinpoche is the Master, and is inseparable from the threefold mystery of all Buddhas appearing throughout the past, present and future.
Internally, among the Three Roots (rtsa gsum), it refers to the Guru, Root of Blessings, because Orgyen Rinpoche is the universal embodiment of the primordial awareness of all teachers of the Mind–Transmission, Sign– and Ear–Whispered Lineages.
Secretly, among the three kayas or enlightened dimensions of being, it refers to the dharmakaya, the dimension of absolute reality, because he is primordially present as emptiness endowed with all supreme aspects and possesses the nature of the kayas and wisdoms as inseparable...
Lord of all Accomplishment, Great Blissful One, ...
Externally this refers to the holy Dharma Jewel, because all qualities of true nobility and genuine good stem from practising in accord with the words of the Guru.
Internally it means the yidam or chosen meditation deity, the Root of Accomplishment, inasmuch as all accomplishments, ordinary and supreme, stem from Guru Rinpoche.
Secretly, since, in a non–dual manner and without departing from the dharmakaya, he delights in all phenomena of samsara and nirvana as inexhaustible great bliss, it is the sambhogakaya, the dimension of sublime enjoyment of qualities...
You who dispel all obstacles, ...
Externally, since it is they who dispel all obstacles to the five paths and ten stages (bhumi) and are the foundation on which all virtue depends, this refers to the Sangha Jewel, the companions on the path who themselves originate in Orgyen Rinpoche.
Internally it refers to the Dakinis and Dharmapalas, the Root of Enlightened Activity, since it is they who dispel the obstacles of the practitioner on the stages and paths and accomplish favourable conditions through the four activities. They, too, stem from Orgyen Rinpoche, inasmuch as it is he who is Lord of All Mandalas.
Secretly, since he emanates bodily forms for taming beings by whatever means is necessary according to the levels of perception of the various kinds of disciple, superior, inferior, or middling, and, having taught them all secret and essential points of the profound and extensive teachings in a manner suited to their intellects, establishes them upon the paths of ripening and liberation, it refers to the nirmanakaya, the dimension of physical emanation.
Thus, he who externally is the nature of the Three Rare and Precious Jewels, internally that of the Three Roots, and secretly that of the Three Enlightened Dimensions of Being, the essential form of all Buddhas, source of all holy Teachings, crest–ornament of the entire Sangha and Great Lord Perfectly Pervading All Families is holder of the secret name...
Wrathful Tamer of Maras, ...
And why is this? Because he has spontaneously tamed the four terrifying maras , liberated the three secret enemies into the ultimate space of realty, and delivered himself through realisation. Having attained mastery over the four activities, through loving kindness he liberates others by means of an unceasing compassion, removing their sufferings and bringing them protection, and thus, by the power of his great wisdom endowed with twofold purity and, as one who posses all wrathful means, liberates twofold obscuration and habitual patterning into a state of nondual space and awareness...
To you,... spiritual preceptor possessed of such qualities, we pray,...
Externally make prayer with the power of intense and yearning devotion to quickly attain the longed for aim of realising the accomplishments, ordinary and supreme, internally acknowledging one's own three doors as being and having always been the mandalas of body, speech and mind so as to accomplish the stage of attainment of Guru Rinpoche, and secretly praying by putting into practice the activities and maintaining an unfabricated continuity of the inherent and uncontrived state of self–awareness, the authentic means of realising the spiritual teacher as none other than the essence of mind itself, perfect in its nature as the four dimensions of being (sku bzhi) and fivefold primordial awareness (ye shes lnga).
Having thus prayed, ...
... please grant us your blessings, ...
This means: ‘Bless us that, our body blessed with the guru's body, we may accomplish the vajra body, apparent yet empty. Bless us that, our speech blessed by the guru's speech, we may accomplish the vajra speech, resonant yet empty. Bless us that, our minds blessed by the guru's mind, we may realise the vajra mind, aware yet empty.’
Pacify all outer, inner and secret obstacles, ...
All conditions unfavourable to the attainment of enlightenment are termed obstacles. The outer obstacles are the so–called ‘sixteen great fears’, namely the ‘earth fear’ of pride, the ‘water fear’ of desire, the ‘fire fear’ of anger, and ‘wind fear’ of envy, the ‘lightning fear’ of thunderbolts, ’weapon fear’ of sharp and piercing instruments, ‘oppressive fear’ of prisons, and ‘enemy fear’ of brigands and thieves, the ‘ghost fear’ of flesh–eating spirits, ‘anger fear’ of elephants, ‘wild beast fear’ of lions, and ‘poison fear’ of serpents, the ‘illness fear’ of plague, pestilential disease and so forth, ‘fear of untimely death’, ‘fear of poverty and scarcity’, and ‘fear of declining sensual pleasure’.
The inner obstacles are the four maras, namely the skandha–mara of ego–clinging, klesha–mara of desire and attachment, devaputra–mara of self–deception, and mrityu–mara of having one's life snatched away.
Secret obstacles are the defilements of the five poisons, desire, hatred, ignorance, pride and envy.
What is it that they obstruct? They create obstacles to the accomplishment of liberation and to the state of omniscience, so one should pray asking that all outer obstacles be pacified by the power of the realisation that what is seen, heard and perceived is the display of deities, mantra and dharmakaya, the dimension of absolute reality; that all inner obstacles be pacified by the liberation of grasping and fixation into the vastness of egolessness; and that secret obstacles be pacified by the power of the realisation that the five poisons are nothing other than the five primordial awarenesses, thus taking adverse conditions as the path.
Pray that they be pacified by the power of the blessings of the three secrets (the enlightened body, speech and mind) of Orgyen Rinpoche.
... And grant us the blessing of the spontaneous fulfilment of all our wishes.
Intent is considered as being either temporal or ultimate. As to the former, one prays that, as long as enlightenment has not been reached, one may accumulate the conditions conducive to its accomplishment, which are said to be:
A long life span and one that is free of illness,
Goodly form, good fortune and high social position,
Wealth and intelligence, seven in all.
One prays, in a general sense, to be upheld by these ‘seven qualities of an exalted rebirth’, and, more especially, that one's mind–stream come to posses the wealth of ‘the seven noble riches’, namely those of faith, discipline, diligent perseverance, modesty, learning, generosity and intelligence.
Ultimate intention is for what is termed ‘the Supreme Accomplishment (siddhi) of Mahamudra, the All–Encompassing Seal’.
Concerning this, the ground or basis, the sugatagarbha — the Seed of Those Who Course in Bliss — essence of the mind of all sentient beings, is primordially present as the very nature of buddhahood. However, if one has no recognition of this sugatagarbha, the original face, one becomes obscured by twofold adventitious obscuration and habitual patterns and wanders off lost in cyclic existence, or samsara. Thus, as a remedy for this twofold obscuration, one should put into practice the path of simultaneous exercise of the twofold accumulation or unity of the development and completion stages. As a consequence, the fleeting and adventitious stains upon this naturally pure mind–essence possessed of the nature of the four dimensions of being and five primordial wisdoms being purified into the dharmadhatu state of absolute reality, the goal or fruition is to realise the natural state exactly as it is. This is called attainment of the supreme accomplishment, and one should thus pray to be swiftly and effortlessly blessed with the spontaneous and automatic fulfilment of all one's temporal and ultimate concerns.
The supreme rapid path, highest of all,
Is this excellent prayer to the Guru,
So all who long for auspiciousness and happiness in this life and the next,
Should listen to and take support in it with deep faith.
Through the virtue of my efforts in this, may I and others
Be accepted as followers by Guru Rinpoche in all our lifetimes
And may the fulfilment of our aspiration to the twofold benefit,
Bring about the auspicious flourishing of well–being and happiness.
In response to a query and request from Tse'ten Yu'i Drönma, qualified Mistress of Knowledge, this was spontaneously written by 'Jigdräl Yeshe Dorje, the fledgling vidyadhara, in the Wishful–filling Lion Cave at Paro Tagtsang in Bhutan.
SIDDHI RASTU — May all accomplishment come to fruition.
An appendix includes a practice of ganacakra–offering pertaining to the ‘Spontaneous Realisation of All Wishes’ entailing the visualisation of an extended mandala of the deities concerned, and further appendices contain several shorter prayers of similar nature by such luminaries as Kün–Ky'en 'Jigme Lingpa, Do Khyentse, Ju 'Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche and His Holiness Düd'jom Rinpoche. It is hoped that these might be of value in establishing this particular class of Tibetan liturgical literature.
As far as meditation and recitation are concerned, however, a note of caution...
It is traditional, before reciting a Tibetan text of any nature, to receive at least the verbal authorisation (Tib. rlung) from a Lama who holds the transmission, and indeed a Tibetan practitioner would not so much as look at a text unless he had one.
Generally speaking, no transmission is considered complete unless one has received all three sections of what are called the empowerment (Tib. dbang), verbal authorisation (Tib. rlung), and word for word commentary (Tib. khrid). This is because, as one of my teachers has put it, ‘...the Tibetan Masters were not that stupid as to leave their most secret and profound intention lying about on pieces of paper,’ and this demand for complete and perfect transmission is actually — incredible as this may seem to us ‘pick–it–up–and–devour–it’, culturally omnivorous occidentals — the direct cause of certain rare lineages of Tibetan Buddhism dying out.
Finally, but by no means least importantly, I should like to thank Ven. Tulku Thondup for having graciously taken the time to examine the text and write an introduction clarifying many of the points in this — my own — ‘translator's introduction’, Ven. Lama–Acharya Tashi Gyatsho for his endless patience in trying to teach me the basics of the Tibetan language in the first place, the Ven. Lama Tenzin Samphel of Dorje Nyingpo, INALCO (Paris) and, latterly, Shedup Kunsang Choling, for information concerning the application of the prayer in the daily life of a Nyingma practitioner and many other counsels and teachings, Tej Hazarika and Arthur Mandelbaum of Cool Grove Press for their generosity in facilitating the appearance of this text, and Arthur particularly for his careful rereading, correction and helpful suggestions. Thanks are also due to Mike Farmer for introducing me to computers (o, cadeau empoisonné!) and to my beautiful wife, Vera, and my children, Govinda, Sunya, Finn and Tara, and cat, Tashka, in the vast network of whose peace and love I find the time and inspiration to work.
This translation was first completed in the early 1990s, and has been thoroughly revised several times since. Hopefully I have by now picked up most errors and misreadings in the original attempt and corrected them to the degree that I am able, although I am sure there are still many others I have missed, and for this, I beg the reader's indulgence. If it goes a little way toward sharing the rich spiritual culture of those who were once proud to call themselves the ‘Red Faced Monkey Folk of the Land of the Snows’ it will have achieved a part of its aim. If, for those who are, or who would like to become, practitioners of the Buddha Way, it opens up a path, or is of any value at all, then let that merit be dedicated to the enlightenment and happiness of all that lives.
May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness,
Be free from sorrow and the causes of sorrow,
Never be separate from that sacred happiness which is sorrowless
And, leaving attachment to what is ‘close’and ‘familier’ and distatste for what seems ‘distant’ and ‘alien’, dwell in boundless and even–minded equanimity.
By this merit may all living beings
Perfect the accumulations of merit and primordial awareness,
Thus realising the twofold dimension of the perfection of being
That arises from such accumulation.
PARIS
Night of the Full Moon
In the intercalary 10th. Month of the Tibetan Year of the Water Horse
(December19th., 2002)
A TREASURE TROVE OF BLESSING AND PROTECTION
A Supporting Visualisation for Making Prayers to Orgyen Rinpoche
NAMO GURU — Homage to the Spiritual Teacher.
As regards the supporting visualisation for making prayers to Orgyen Rinpoche, first there is Going for Refuge.
NAMO Until enlightenment is reached,
I and all the beings of the six realms
Go for refuge to the Spiritual Master,
Embodiment of all buddhas, essence of the Triple Gem.
Next is the Giving Rise to the Enlightenment Mind
Giving rise to the thought of enlightenment for the benefit of all that lives
I vow that having attained the level of buddhahood,
Using whatever means are necessary for whomsoever is to be tamed,
I shall bring all beings to full enlightenment.
Now the Seven–Branched Offering
Spiritual teachers, deities of meditation and dakinis please come
And take your seat upon these thrones of lotus, sun and moon.
I respectfully bow to you with body, speech and mind,
And make offerings, outer, inner and secret.
I confess all breakages, sins and obscuring defilements,
And rejoice in those who have realised the Secret Mantra.
Turn the wheel of the ripening and liberating Secret Mantra Dharma,
And do not enter nirvana but please stay here with us.
The quintessence (of this) I dedicate to the realisation of all sentient beings:
May we all realise the goal, the utterly pure and indestructibly nature of the absolutely real.
And now the main supporting visualisation
In space before me, in an expanse of five coloured rainbow light,
And seated upon a lion throne, lotus, sun and moon,
Is the embodiment of the three enlightened dimensions of all Victorious Ones,
The Root Lama, Padmasambhava.
His complexion a reddish white, his expression both peaceful and wrathful,
He is wearing the lotus hat, secret robe, Dharma robes
And a bright burgundy outer cloak of shining silk.
His right hand holds the five pronged vajra–sceptre,
His left a skull–cup in which there is a long–life vase
And in the crook of his left elbow he is holding the khatvanga trident–staff.
He is seated in the vajra posture
And, from his three cakras of body, speech and mind,
As well as from those of the Three Roots and Dharma Protectors filling all of space
And seated before me, as vivid and clear as if they were actually there,
Light radiates forth and is reabsorbed as they blaze with intense glory, .
Meditating clearly in this way, and praying with intense faith, aspiration and fervour, recite the Seven Chapter Prayer, the Spontaneous Fulfilment of All Wishes, Seven Line Prayer, Remover of Obstacles on the Path and so forth from the earlier and later terma treasures and other such collections of sublime vajra words that bring benediction.
If you have no time to do all of these, you should at least do the prayer to the three enlightened dimensions of being of the spritual teacher and the short Spontaneous Fulfilment of All Wishes, which will suffice.
Whichever you decide to do, however, when you have completed them, recite the Vajra Guru Mantra as much as possible in order to invoke the mind stream of the Spiritual Master, and then...
From the seed syllables in the Lama's three places
Lights stream forth, first one by one and then all together,
And merge into my own three places,
Thereby conferring the four empowerments, purifying the four obscurations,
And turning me into a fit vessel for meditation on the four paths...
Finally he merges inseparably with myself,
And I perceive the real face of the dharmakaya, beyond all discursive thought.
By this merit may I quickly
Attain the realisation of the Uddiyana Lama
And, having attained it,
Lead all sentient beings without exception to that self –same state.
With this and other prayers seal the merit by the power of dedication.
I thus wrote this down as it came from the mouth of Terchen Chogyur Dechen Lingpa, exactly as it arose from his mind stream, and as it was spoken. It was taken down at Do Ngag Ling by that joyful servant of the Lake Born Lama, Khyentse Wangpo, Pema Ösel. May virtue and auspiciousness arise from it.
THE SEVEN CHAPTER PRAYER OF THE GREAT TEACHER, THE SECOND BUDDHA
Guru Rinpoche Delivers the Three Kaya Lineage Prayer and its Supplement
GURU NAMO — I bow down to the Spiritual Teacher.
In the month of the King of the Male Fire Horse year, while offering a vast ganacakra assembly at glorious Samye, the monk Namkha'i Nyingpo, King Tr'isong De'utsen, Dakini Yeshe Ts'ogyäl, Nanam Dorje Düd'jom and Prince Mutr'i Tsänpo presented the Great Teacher Pema 'Jungne, the Lotus–Born, with a mandala composed of jewels, made prostrations and circumambulated him, and then spoke to him as follows:
“Kye! Great Teacher, please listen. Of the secret mantra teachings you have given us, the most important is that concerning keeping the samaya, the tantric commitments, pure.
“You have said that the greatest and most important of these is to make prayer to the spiritual teacher, for if one prays with sincerity it brings powerful blessing, investing the ignorant words of ordinary beings with the arrow–like quality of invoking the mind–stream of all deities and the blessings of the essential nature of the spiritual master. Therefore, for ourselves and for all future sentient beings, please teach us some short prayer whereby we may invoke the blessing of the Guru.” Thus they spoke.
“Listen, O fortunate Tibetans.” said the Great Teacher. “For this secret mantra vehicle to arise at all is extremely rare. When the previous Buddha, Mahakashyapa, turned the Wheel of the Law, he did not teach this Vajrayana section. The ten million one hundred and fourteen buddhas have not revealed it; the buddhas of the future will not reveal it.
“And why is this, you may ask... Because living beings are an inadequate vessel.
“Long ago, at the dawn of the first kalpa, 'Aeon of Infinite Array', the Buddha of that epoch, Bhavaraja, 'King of Becoming', as he was called, widely proclaimed these secret mantras as part of his teaching; the teaching of Shakyamuni, Buddha of the present time, contains these teachings; and, ten million kalpas hence, in the aeon called 'Flower Array', the Buddha Mañjushri, in a manner similar to my own, will again reveal the secret mantra teachings at that time. The beings of these three kalpas alone are fit vessels, and the secret mantras will not be taught at any other time.
“This being so, these teachings are the heart essence of the freedom and endowments of the precious human existence, and those who have entered this door of the secret mantras should make it a point not to fall under the power of laziness and apathy.
“Those who wish to study the secret mantras will need to be perfect in four things. Those who are not will simply be adding kindling to samsara in causing their vows to deteriorate and will be swept off into hell. And why is this? Is it not said that the buddhas of the three times attain their awakening by purifying their own mind–streams of incidental stain?
“What, then, are these four dharmas of which you will have need? Firstly you will need to know the pith instructions on how to cut through the ‘normal’, demonically entangled and distracted state of the three doors, body, speech and mind. When the obscuration of the five poisons are powerful, you will need to know the instructions on how they liberate themselves. When drifting under the spell of distraction, you will need to know the instructions on cutting through hope and fear. And when trying to keep your Vows and commitments pure, you will need to know the instructions that are like a marksman releasing an arrow.
“This secret mantra vehicle is as rare as the udumbara flower, a flower which never appears. Even if it does suddenly appear, it will not remain for any predetermined length of time, for that depends entirely upon the fitness of the vessels, the sentient beings.
“Now you, O King, listen to me, your guide. Use the precious human body to realise this teaching. Remain within the portals of the secret mantra. All of you who wish enlightenment in this lifetime, it is most important that you guard the purity of your commitments. If you do not, even if you find the very medicines of the Healer, they will seem to you like a mass of poison.
“Keeping samaya pure requires one's entire faith, perseverance and strength of awareness. If you are without faith, you are no fit vessel for the secret mantras. Without perseverance everything will simply leak away, back into ordinary worldliness. Without clear awareness, you will be unable to ascertain the profound perspective of the secret mantras and act accordingly. These secret mantras will carry beings with faith and devotion to a meaningful goal. Therefore, thinking of me, the Lama who teaches this secret mantra path, as the very Buddha himself, pray as follows.” Thus he exhorted them.
E MA HO How wonderful. — In the realm of the ultimate space of reality beyond all elaboration
Rests the absolute nature of all things, unborn and unceasing throughout the three times,
The spontaneously perfect enlightened dimension of great bliss, beyond all striving and effort,
Unbiased compassion, open as space:
To the Dharmakaya Lama, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the realm of inherently perfected great bliss,
Is the enlightened embodiment of Those Who Course in Bliss, complete in the fivefold primordial awareness
Of form, communication, wakefulness, qualities and activity
And manifesting individual compassion for each and every single being:
To the Sambhogakaya Lama, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the pure realm, ‘World Without Suffering’,
With immense compassion, bringing meaningfulness to beings,
Performing whatever skilful act might be needed to tame those susceptible to being tamed
To those Nirmanakaya Lamas of the present and of the three times
Who have not entered into ultimate transcendent peace, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
Now follows a supplementary prayer to the rest of the lineage
To Dharmakaya Küntu Zangpo, we pray.
To the Sambhogakaya, Victorious Ones of the Five Families, we pray.
To the Nirmanakaya, Protectors of the Three Families, we pray.
To Reincarnate Ga'rab Dorje, we pray.
To the Teacher Mañjushrimitra, we pray.
To Master of Pure Awareness Shri Singha, we pray.
To Mahapandita Vimalamitra, we pray.
To Padmasambhava the prince, we pray.
To Dharma King Tr'isong De'utsen, we pray.
To Dakini Yeshe Ts'ogyäl, we pray.
To Bhikshu Namka'i Nyingpo, we pray.
To Nanam Dorje Düd'jom, we pray.
To Prince Mutr'i Tsänpo, we pray.
To Tülku Zangpo Dragpa, we pray.
To Master of Pure Awareness Ngö'drub Gyälts'en, we pray.
To the Total Renunciate Dönyö Gyälts'en, we pray.
To Lineage–Holder Sönam Chogzang, we pray.
To the Perfectly Accomplished One T'angtong Gyälpo, we pray.
To peerless Ngödrub Pälden, we pray.
To infinitely kindly Künga' Zangpo, we pray.
To unchanging Le'tro Lingpa, we pray.
To powerful conqueror Rinchen P'ünts'og, we pray.
To Emanation Body Namka' Gyajin, we pray,
To knowledgeable and realised Do–ngag Ten'dzin, we pray,
To Master of Pure Awareness Tr'inle Lhündrub, we pray,
To Dharma King Terdag Lingpa, we pray,
To the vastly intelligent Chöpel Gyamts'o, we pray,
To Buddha–Son Rinchen Namgyäl, we pray,
To supremely realised Pema Ten'dzin, we pray,
To unshakeable Tr'inle Namgyäl, we pray,
To spontaneously perfected Dechen Dorje, we pray,
To Künzang Rig'dzin Dorje, we pray,
To Chökyi Nyima, embodiment of direct knowledge, we pray,
To Urgyenpa, Ocean of Perfect Liberation, we pray,
To the kindly Root Lama, we pray,
To the practice deities, the Eight Revealed Precepts of Great Realisation, we pray,
To the divine hosts of the mamos and dakinis, we pray,
To the dharmapalas Ma Ekadzati and Gönpo Maning and their brother and sisters, we pray:
Now, at the time of our death and in the bardo, grant us your blessings.
Free us from the ocean of suffering of samsara.
Confer upon us the blessings that will take us to the birthless essence
And grant us the accomplishments, both ordinary and supreme.
Thus should you pray without pause,” he said.
The Chapter Requested by King Tr'isong De'utsen
Then King Tr'isong De'utsen said: “Listen, O Great Teacher. For the benefit of myself and the faithful of the future, I would request a prayer soliciting the blessings of Those Who Course in Bliss throughout the three times and dispelling the obstacles of the present, a prayer that will confer the supreme accomplishment of the All–Encompassing Seal of Mahamudra in the next life and may be recited in the evening.”
“Great King,” the Guru replied, “Listen well.”
E MA HO How wonderful. — Within the inconceivable and marvellous Teachings of the Buddhas
A teaching with three particularly superior qualities arose,
And Buddha Shakyamuni came to this realm
And imparted the teachings of the Secret Mantra Vajrayana:
To the Precious Jewel of the Dharma, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the spontaneously perfected palace of Akinishtha, ‘None Higher’,
And with the enlightened intention of Those Who Course in Bliss throughout the three times,
You who see the sentient beings of the six estates stricken with suffering
As a result of the inverted doctrines of Matam Rudra,
To you, wondrous Great Compassion, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the sacred palace of the realm of Alakavati, ‘Adorned with Willow Leaves’,
Causing beings to walk in the path as explained by all who course in bliss,
You who subdue the inverted teachings of the Maras
With the four activities of pacification, increase, inducement and wrath,
To you, Sugatas of the three times, we pray
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
On the blazing meteorite summit of Mount Malaya
Wrathfully liberating Mara and Matam Rudra,
And entering into union with the host of rakshasis,
Sprung from the Secret Mantra Doctrine,
Perfect Tamer, to you we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the palace of Akinishtha, the realm of absolute reality itself,
Enlightened dimension of absolute reality, unborn and undying throughout the three times,
All phenomenal events and their implication utterly pure and inherently perfect from the very start,
Father born of the mind of all buddhas,
Dharmakaya Samantabhadra, to you we pray,
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the pure land ‘Inherently Realised Great Bliss’,
Perfectly purified mental darkness is the primordial awareness of the ultimate space of absolute reality.
Sambhogakaya Vairocana,
Supreme lord of the body family, surrounded by the retinue of your lineage and class:
To the divine hosts of the Buddha Family, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In ‘Manifest Enjoyment’, the pure land of the eastern direction,
Perfectly purified hatred is the state of mirror–like primordial awareness.
Sambhogakaya Vajrasattva,
Supreme lord of the mind family, surrounded by the retinue of your lineage and class:
To the divine hosts of the Vajra Family, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In ‘Adorned with Splendour’, the pure land of the southern direction,
Perfectly purified pride is the state of the primordial awareness of essential sameness.
Sambhogakaya Ratnasambhava,
Supreme lord of the qualities family, surrounded the retinue of your lineage and class:
To the divine hosts of the Jewel Family, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In ‘Bliss Endowed’, the pure land of the western direction,
Perfectly purified desire is the state of the primordial awareness of knowing each thing as it is in itself.
Sambhogakaya Amitabha,
Supreme lord of the speech family, surrounded by the retinue of your lineage and class:
To the divine hosts of the Lotus Family, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In ‘Perfection of Consummate Activity’, the pure land of the northern direction,
Perfectly purified jealousy is the state of the primordial awareness of realised activity.
Sambhogakaya Amoghasiddhi,
Supreme lord of the activities family, surrounded by the retinue of your lineage and class:
To the divine hosts of the Karma Family, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the great palace of the Playful Display of the Ultimate Space of Absolute Reality,
On a throne of the heaped up suffering stemming from obscuration and affliction,
Is the wrathful king, Mahottara Heruka,
Surrounded by the retinue of the Assembly of Sugatas of the Five Families:
To the divine hosts of the Samantabhadra Heruka, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the great palace of the Playful Display of Compassion,
On a throne of heaped up haughty mara demonesses,
Is the perfect king, Mahottara Heruka,
Surrounded by a retinue of mamos, accomplishers of the activity of primordial awareness:
To the divine hosts of Absolutely Supreme Mamos, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the blazing palace of the Blue Black Triangle,
On a throne of heaped up Matram Rudras,
Is the Lord of the Mind, Vajra Heruka,
Surrounded by a retinue of blazing and wrathful blood–drinkers:
To the divine hosts of Maha Shri Heruka, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the wrathful palace of the Blue Black Syllable E,
On a throne of the heaped up water buffaloes of Yama,
Is Mañjushri–Yamantaka, Destroyer of the Lord of Death,
Surrounded by a retinue of wrathful and haughty executioners:
To the divine hosts of Yamantaka, Destroyer of the Lord of Death, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the powerful palace of the Deep Red Triangle,
On a throne of heaped up prideful male and female black mara demons,
Is the mighty king, Padma Heruka,
Surrounded by a retinue of the wrathful ones of the Lotus Family:
To the divine hosts of Mighty Hayagriva, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the palace blazing like a fire at the kalpa's end.
On a throne of heaped up haughty mara demons,
Is the heroic Buddha Body of Shri Vajrakumara,
Surrounded by a retinue of ten wrathful and varicoloured demon–subduers:
To the divine hosts of Vajrakila, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the great Lotus–Empowered palace,
Upon a throne of heaped up blazing lotuses of freedom from desire,
Is the Victorious Protector, Primordial Awareness of Limitless Life,
Surrounded by a retinue of the divine hosts of deathlessness:
To the divine hosts of adamantine and indestructible life–force, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the magnificent and wrathful palace of the charnel ground display,
On a throne of heaped up supine corpses,
Is the Buddha Form of Vajravarahi, the Great Wrathful Mother,
Surrounded by a retinue of divine hosts of mamos and dakinis:
To the divine hosts of Vajrayogini, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the palace of the Vajra Seat in India,
By the truths of cause and effect accomplishing authentic meaningfulness for beings
And planting the victory banner of the Teachings of the Three Collections, the Sutra–discourses, Vinaya texts on discipline and Abidharma corpus concerning psychology and cosmology,
Surrounded by a retinue of pious hearers and bodhisattvas:
To the emanation body, Powerful One of the Shakyas, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the naga palace of Lake Dhanakosha,
By the power of compassion come for the benefit of beings,
And self–liberating the beings of the six realms with the enlightened insight of the Victorious Ones,
Surrounded by a retinue of mamos of the five orders of dakinis:
To emanation body Prahevajra, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the palace of Five–Peaked Mount Wu T'ai Shan in China,
Is Mañjushri, body emanation of the Buddhas,
Accomplishing the goal of beings above, below and in the four directions by means of his Buddha Body,
And surrounded by a retinue of body family bodhisattvas:
To the divine hosts of Arya Mañjushri, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the palace of the great and holy site of Mount Potala,
Is Avalokiteshvara, speech emanation of the Buddhas,
Accomplishing the goal of beings above, below and in the four directions by means of his Buddha Voice,
And surrounded by a retinue of speech family bodhisattvas:
To the divine hosts of Avalokiteshvara, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the palace of the supreme holy site of Changlochen, ‘Adorned with Willow Leaves’,
Is Vajrapani, mind emanation of the Buddhas,
Accomplishing the goal of beings above, below and in the four directions by means of his Buddha Mind,
And surrounded by a retinue of mind family bodhisattvas:
To the divine hosts of Vajrapani, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
By the wish and enlightened intent of Arya Mañjushri,
To the Perfect Mansion of the Thoroughly Victorious One in the zenith,
Abode of Indra of the Hundred Sacrifices,sovereign king of the gods,
Came the secret mantras in their entirety, bringing perfect Buddhahood —
To the hosts of divine masters of pure awareness we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
By the wish and enlightened intent of Arya Avalokiteshvara,
To the deeps of the great ocean in the nadir,
Abode of the naga king Nanda Takshaka,
Came the secret mantras in their entirety, bringing perfect Buddhahood —
To the hosts of naga masters of pure awareness we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
By the wish and enlightened intent of Vajrapani,
To the blazing peak of fiery Mount Sumeru,
Abode of King Za, Indrabhuti,
Came the secret mantras in their entirety, bringing perfect Buddhahood —
To the human masters of pure awareness we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the powerful palace of Uddiyana in the west,
Appear emanations of the enlightened body, speech and mind of all sugatas, Those Who Course in Bliss,
Coming to Jambudvipa for the benefit of living beings,
Surrounded by vast retinues of masters of pure awareness and of dakinis:
To the divine hosts of Padmasambhava, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
To the enlightened dimensions of absolute reality, enjoyment of qualities and emanation, as well as their further emanations,
All buddhas, masters of pure awareness and bodhisattvas throughout the ten directions of space
And three times, the past, future and present,
With devotion in body, speech and mind,
And our minds free of doubt and duality, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
Thus he spoke.
“Great king,” he said,“ not falling under the spell of wealth and reputation or of courtly distraction, ceaselessly pray at all times. The root of the secret mantras is the tantric commitments. The roots of commitment are faith, devotion and unremitting effort and, since the root of both of these is to pray to the spiritual teacher and the meditation deity, if the diligent practitioner will do so, then, in this very lifetime, he will surely realise the perfect attainment of the All–Encompassing Seal ofMahamudra.”
The Chapter Requested by Princess Yeshe Ts'ogyäl
Then the Dakini Yeshe Ts'ogyäl put to him the following request: “Great Teacher, please listen. In general, in this realm of Buddha Shakyamuni, the advent of the Secret Mantra section of the Mahayana has been a great kindness to beings. The bodily quintessence of the deities of the Secret Mantra is Vajra Kapalamalin; that of their speech, his pith instructions concerning the Mahayana as directions for living beings; and that of their enlightened wish and intention, his possession of a profound realisation analogous to the rising of the sun in space. Even were such a one as myself, Yeshe Ts'ogyäl, to search, never would they find a Buddha more excellent than this Lotus–Born Padmasambhava, Embodiment of All Who Have Gone to Bliss.
“For me, then, please condense the sense of all this into just a few words of great blessing in the profundity of their meaning so that, by praying only a little to the Guru, blessings might come swirling down just like clouds gathering to fill all of space. By the prayers of myself and the common people of Tibet, at this time when the Guru is to return to Uddiyana, may the power and blessings of his compassion please still emanate from the realm of the dakinis to us, the faithful, who remain behind in the realm of Tibet.” Such was her request.
“Lady Ts'ogyäl, listen.” he replied.“ The understanding of the sentient beings of the three worlds is suffused with the influence of obscuration and defilement, their error consisting in their grasping at a self based upon concepts of dualism.
“Blessed by the Buddhas of the enlightened dimension of reality, empowered by the Buddhas of the enlightened dimension of the enjoyment of qualities, and following the precepts of the buddhas and bodhisattvas of the enlightened dimension of manifest emanation, I came to the southern continent of Jambudvipa, and, more especially, have unfurled the banner of the Buddhist teaching in the benighted land of Tibet and, in order to bring beings to the secret mantra teaching of result, assumeda self–born emanation body upon the anthers of a lotus flower in the region of the Jewelled Lake.
“Any fortunate and devoted child of good family who prays to me with yearning, and uses this special prayer of auspicious coincidence of cause and effect, will swiftly experience the compassion of myself and all other buddhas.
“Ts'ogyälma, you should pray continuously with earnest devotion,” he said.
At that time, turning his face towards the south–west and donning the various jewel and bone ornaments, playing a skull–cup damaru with his right hand and placing the left upon Lady Ts'ogyäl's head, he spoke as follows:
E MA HO How wonderful. — Southwest of here, in the direction of the setting sun,
Northwest of the great site of the Vajra Throne of Bodhgaya,
Lies the island of Chamaradvipa, home of the ravening rakshasas.
To this particularly supreme place,
Blessed by the buddhas of the three times, we pray
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
HUNG At the time of the ending of the very first kalpa,
The eight locales of the coming of the Secret Mantra doctrine were blessed
With the eight substances sprung from the liberation of Matram Rudra.
Since it was his heart–mind (citta) that fell upon Uddiyana,
To this most auspicious of circumstances, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
Site blessed by Vajravarahi,
Gathering place of all mamos and dakinis,
The song of the secret mantras resounding of itself — DI RI RI —
Merely to come there is to attain enlightenment:
To the most supreme of places, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
The roots of the heart–shaped Glorious Copper Coloured Mountain
Are firmly planted in the realm of the King of the Nagas,
Its elegant waist is resplendent in the realms of the dakinis,
While its summit seems to aspire to the very realms of Brahma:
To the most sovereign of peaks, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
Upon the blazing peak of the glorious mountain
With its eastern face of crystal, its southern face of yellow mañjuri lapis lazuli,
Its western face of ruby and a northern one of emerald,
Stands the radiant palace that has neither inside nor outside:
To the marvellous palace, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
The four cardinal points and eight intermediate directions,
Zenith and nadir of the great palace are all formed of jewels,
The courtyards, angles and projections radiating with the colours
Of the four families and four activities:
To the spontaneously perfected palace, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
The turrets and cornices of the walls resplendent with nets
And half nets, and the balconies with five coloured gems of various sorts,
The lintels of the four doors adorned with Wheels of the Law,
It is adorned with various precious substances:
To the precious palace, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
Wish–granting trees and ambrosial ponds,
Five–coloured rainbows covering it, inside and out, like clouds;
Space filled with the light of lotus flowers —
Merely to think of it a little is the realisation of greatest bliss:
To the palace of lotus light, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
Within the central portion of that great palace,
On an eight–sided jewelled throne and a seat of sun and moon,
Upon the blazing anthers of an immaculately pure lotus
Is the Lotus–Born, Embodiment and Union of All Who Course in Bliss:
To the self born body of emanation, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
His body–colour, symbols and ornaments undetermined
So that he may accomplish the goals of pacifying, increasing, magnetising and wrath,
He blazes with the splendour of a thousand suns,
Greater and more glorious still than Sumeru, King of Mountains:
To the wondrous body of emanation, we pray:
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
Filling the entire universe with mind–emanations,
His principle eyes circling like the sun and moon, he gazes down,
Swiftly dispatching his compassionate activity like the very lightning of heaven,
His profound realisation equal to the vastnesses of space:
To the Supremely Compassionate One, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
Accomplishing the aims of beings through the skilful means of loving kindness toward them,
His beautiful face radiantly smiling — YA LA LA —
In a thunderous voice, loud as the roar of a thousand dragons,
He expounds the profound dharma of the Secret Mantras — DI RI RI:
To the Singer with the Voice of Brahma, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the four cardinal points and eight intermediate directions from the great emanation,
Upon thrones of the bound and subjugated antagonistic spirits of error,
Are the wrathful hosts of the Mara–Subjugating Tathagatas of the Five Families
Of enlightened body, speech, mind, qualities and activity:
To the divine hosts of the Great Accomplishment Practice of the Eight Revealed Precepts, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
On thrones of four–petalled lotuses in the four cardinal directions,
Are the wrathful emissaries and messengers of the four families and the hosts of the four orders of dakini,
All, without exception, wearing the ornaments of the charnel–ground
And beautiful adornments and standing in the posture of playful dance:
To the male and female heroes and dakinis of primordial awareness, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
The balconies of the four walls of the great palace
And the promontories of its corners are filled with dakinis and masters of pure awareness
And a multitude of gods and goddesses like massing clouds,
All making various offerings, outer, inner and secret:
To the divine hosts of mamos and dakinis, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
The protruding foundations of the jewelled palace
Are covered with a cloud of offering goddesses
Filling the phenomenal universe with the six objects of desire
And offering them to Those Who Course in Bliss as once they were offered by Bodhisattva Samantabhadra:
To the divine hosts, source of all qualities, we pray
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the four doorways, in the four walls of the great palace,
Are the faithful activity–realising doorkeepers of the four orders of Victorious Ones,
Subjugating the eight classes of gods and demons and sending forth messengers,
Shattering demons and heretics to dust:
To the divine hosts of the oath–bound Dharma Protectors, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
HUNG Arise, you host of dakinis of the Lotus–Born.
Please listen, You Who Course in Bliss throughout the three times and ten directions.
Great Lord, Padma Kapalamalin,
From the realms of the masters of pure awareness and dakinis, please descend.
Your beautiful hair, partly tied back, partly flying free — SHIG SE SHIG
Your many jewelled ornaments tinkling — SI LI LI
And your cemetery ornaments rattling — TRO LO LO
With manifold song and dance — 'U RU RU
Divine hosts of meditation deities roaring out the sound of HUNG — DI RI RI
And five orders of dakini dancing — SHIG SE SHIG
Great and heroic ging emissaries stamping and striking poses — TR'AB SE TR'AB
Mamos and dakinis filling the skies like clouds — T'IB SE T'IB
And the eight orders of Dharma Protectors swiftly accomplishing their activities — KY'UG SE KY'UG
With the jingling sounds of a thousand coats of mail — SI LI LI
On the right–hand side, the male lineages in their entirety — SHA RA RA
On the left–hand side, the female lineages in their entirety — SHA RA RA
And, fluttering among them, banners and flags — LHAB SE LHAB
The smoke of delicious–smelling incense floating up — T'U LU LU
The secret, symbolic language of the dakinis resounding — DI RI RI
And the whistling song of the great and heroic ging emissaries shrilling — KYU RU RU
A vast and sonorous humming of HUNG — DI RI RI
And wrathful voicing of PHAT — SANG SE SANG
For myself and all the sentient beings in the six realms of existence,
Looking upon us with compassion, to this place descend.
Since you have come here, considering this place with compassion,
Until such time as we have attained the very essence of enlightenment,
Annihilate all obstructing spirits, wrong view and obstacles
And grant us the accomplishments, both ordinary and supreme.
Rescue us from the ocean of suffering that is cyclic existence, we pray.
“Ts'ogyäl, it is through practising such a prayer of devotion
To myself, the Lotus–Born, that ill–fated beings
May solicit my coming to Tibet because of my samaya connection with them,
And request me to transmit the spiritual precepts to those with faith,” he said.
“One is uplifted by starting with the recitation of the history connected with this prayer,” said the teacher. “Faith comes from perceiving its qualities and merits. With the faith of total reliance, the blessings become established. By ridding the mind of doubt, one realises meditation.” Thus he spoke.
The Chapter Requested by the Monk Namkha'i Nyingpo
Then the monk Namkha'i Nyingpo spoke as follows: “Listen, I pray you, Great Teacher. Please give me a prayer to the teachers of the lineage whereby I may recognise appearances as gods and goddesses, understand sounds as the speech of the meditation deity, and so that whatever dawns in my mind may be directly liberated into the realm of absolute reality.”
To this request, the Guru responded as follows:
E MA HO How wonderful. — Samantabhadra, Victorious One of Uncontrived Great Bliss,
Vajradhara, Sixth Buddha of the Five Families,
Working for the goal of the beings of the six realms, your bodhisattva bodies embody
The enlightened dimensions of absolute reality, enjoyment of qualities and illusory emanation —
To the Mind Lineage of the Victorious Ones, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
Renowned and supreme protector, Yaksha Ulkamukha,
Intelligent and skilled in means, Nagaraja Takshaka,
Vimalamitra of pure reputation, fortunate King Indrabhuti,
Master of pure awareness, Great God Indra, and so on —
To the Lineage of Sheer Presence of the Masters of Pure Awareness, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
From the pure enlightened state of dharmakaya Samantabhadra,
The blessings passed from Vajrasattva and Prahevajra
Down to Shri Singha —
To the Lineage Lamas of the Great Perfection throughout the three times,
Past, future and present, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
From the pure enlightened state of the dharmakaya of the Victorious One,
The blessings passed from the Five Families of Sugatas and the Three Families of the Trikulanatha
Down to Buddhaguhya —
To the Lineage Lamas of the Network of Illusory Emanation throughout the three times,
Past, future and present, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
From the pure enlightened state of Mañjushri–Yamantaka,
The blessing passed from the Great Teacher Mañjushrimitra
Down to the vetala Sukha —
To the Lamas of the Lineage of the Buddha Body throughout the three times,
Past, future and present, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
From the pure enlightened state of the Lotus Heruka,
The blessings passed from the Goddess Ishvari and Nagarjuna
Down to Lotus–Born Pema 'Jungne —
To the Lamas of the Lineage of the Buddha Speech throughout the three times,
Past, future and present, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
From the pure enlightened state of Vajra Heruka,
The blessings passed from Prahevajra and Mañjushrimitra
Down to Maha Hungkara —
To the Lamas of the Lineage of the Buddha Mind throughout the three times,
Past, future and present, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
From the pure enlightened state of Mahottara Heruka,
The blessing passed through many incarnate dakinis and masters of pure awareness
To Mingyur Namk'a —
To the Lamas of the Lineage of the Buddha Qualities throughout the three times,
Past, future and present, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
From the pure enlightened state of Maha Sri Vajrakumara,
The blessings passed to the spontaneously perfected Awareness Holders of Mahamudra
And to the Vajra Skull Garlanded One —
To the Lamas of the Lineage of the Buddha Activity throughout the three times,
Past, future and present, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
From the perfectly accomplished king, Mahottara Heruka,
The blessings passed to the goddess Yongky'ü Dema of the Mother Tantra Lineage
And to Dhanasamskrita —
To the Lamas of the Lineage of the Mother Tantras throughout the three times,
Past, future and present, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
From the pure enlightened state of Conqueror Dregpa Kündül, Subduer of All Pride,
And the mind stream of Rambu Guhyachandra,
The blessing passed to Shakya Sengge —
To the Lamas of the Lineage of Offering and Praise throughout the three times,
Past, future and present, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
From the pure enlightened state of the Black Powerful One, magnificent and mighty,
And the mind stream of Acharya Shantigarbha,
The blessings passed to Dorje Drolö, He Whose Display is Enflamed and Indestructible Wrath —
To the Lamas of the lineage of fierce and wrathful mantras throughout the three times,
Past, future and present, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
From the pure enlightened state of the Protector, Limitless Life,
And the mind stream of goddess Chandan Lila,
The blessings passed to the Immortal Lotus–Born —
To the Masters of Pure Awareness of Long Life throughout the three times,
Past, future and present, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
From the pure enlightened state of the heart–mind of Vajravarahi,
And the mind stream of Dakini Singhamukha,
The blessings passed to Dorje Dragpotsäl, He Whose Display is Indestructible Wrath —
To the Lamas of the Secret Mantra Tantras throughout the three times,
Past, future and present, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
From the pure enlightened state of the heart–mind of the Vajra Blood–Drinker,
And the mind stream of Emanation Body Padmasambhava,
The blessings passed to the karmically endowed inhabitants of Tibet in Jambudvipa —
To the Lineage Lamas of the Assembled Secret Mantras throughout the three times,
Past, future and present, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
From the pure enlightened state of all the buddhas of the past,
And the mind stream of Buddha Shakyamuni,
The blessings passed to the bodhisattvas —
To the Lamas, Teachers of the Meaning of Cause and Effect throughout the three times,
Past, future and present, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
From the pure enlightened state of the Bodhisattva Masters of Pure Awareness,
The blessings passed to karmically ripened individuals,
And from that time, until this final period of five hundred years,
To the individuals who hold the tantric commitments of the Ear Whispered Lineage —
To the lineage of those who hold the Oral Transmission of the Secret Mantra Teaching we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In this way, all forms that manifest to the eye
All the outer and inner characteristics of the world of form and content in all their entirety,
Although appearing, are simply to be left in a state devoid of grasping at a self.
Purification of the grasping subject and grasped at object is the divine form, manifest and yet empty:
To the Lama of Self Liberated Desire, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
Similarly, all sounds heard by the ear,
All sounds considered as audible or inaudible,
Are sound–emptiness, and should be left in a state devoid of all conception.
Sound–emptiness, beyond all arising and passing away, is the speech of the Victorious Ones:
To the Speech of the Victorious Ones — sound yet emptiness — we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
Likewise, not attempting to settle upon the fleeting movements of the mind
Which presents itself as the continuous arising of the obscured understanding of the five poisons,
Or hastens to meet what was formerly created while still hankering after that which is already past,
Allow these fleeting mental moodifications to come to natural rest in their own nature and to free themselves into the dharmakaya dimension of pure reality:
To the Lama of Self Liberated Pure Awareness, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
By the compassion of Those Who Course in Bliss throughout the three times,
May I and those like me be blessed that we liberate our own minds,
Outwardly purifying attachment to grasped–at appearances,
Internally relinquishing the attitude of grasping at the deity
And, in between, recognising the real face of the luminous clarity of radiant awareness.
“If you pray like this without interruption, you will establish the firm ground of the pure awareness of quintessential space and, never separating from myself, reach the abode of great bliss,” he said.
The Chapter Requested by Nanam Dorje Düd'jom
Nanam Dorje Düd'jom then said: “Please listen, Great Teacher. You are the assembled body, speech and mind of all buddhas, the compassion of the assembled Sugatas, peerless and without a second, the Lotus–Born Body of all the Victorious Ones.
“For the benefit of myself and the beings of the future, please be so compassionate as to explain the blessings of praying for the arousal of faith and confidence in, and of holding to the pure explication of your advent and deeds.”
Thus requested, the Great Guru said: “Listen, Yogin of the Mantrayana. The tale of my realisation and deeds is beyond conception or expression. Attend, however, with faith, as I explain a little of how I assumed form in the Tibetan land of Jambudvipa. Pray thus without the leastinterruption.” Thus he spoke.
E MA HO How wonderful. — In the south–westerly direction is the subcontinent of the Island of Chamaradvipa, realm of the rakshasas,
And in its lake, ‘Playful Ocean of Vermilion’,
Above the dwelling of Naga king Takshaka,
You were born from the anther–tips of a blazing lotus.
To the Wondrous Self–born Lord, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
Emanation Youth, you who have neither father nor mother,
Sprung with neither cause nor condition from the vast expanse of the ocean,
Majestic guide of ignorantly erring sentient beings,
Emanation of the enlightened body, speech and mind of Those Who Course in Bliss:
To the Emanation Body, Saroruhavajra, Lake–Born Vajra, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
The karmically fortunate King Indrabhuti
Came to receive you from the island of that great lake,
Invited you thence by the power of his faith, and requested you to assume control of the kingdom.
Adopting the Law of the Dharma, the kingdom was established in joy.
To the holder of the kingly crown, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the Cool Grove Cemetery to the south,
Renouncing kingly ways, you undertook austerities
And, with pure realisation of the uninhibited practices of union and liberation,
Brought under your power all mamos and dakinis.
To Shantarakshita, Guardian of the Peace, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
Perfecting your practice in charnel grounds throughout the length and breadth of the land,
You were blessed by the dakinis of primordial awareness,
And met face–to–face with Vajravarahi in reality,
Causing the great planetary forces of the heavens to become your servants.
To Dorje Dragpotsäl, He Whose Expression is Indestructible Wrath, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the Garuda Forest Cave of the red crag of Dragmar,
In the presence of Acharya Prabhahasti
You trained in the ascetic practices of the Yoga tantras
And saw each one of the divine host of Yoga deities face–to–face.
To the incarnate Lion of the Shakyas, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the great places of pilgrimage throughout the length and breadth of India,
In the presence of many a realised master of pure awareness
You perfected the elements of the three yogas,
Cutting asunder the misinterpretations and exaggerations of the vehicle of causes and characteristics.
To the intelligent Loden Chogse, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the wrathful cavern of Maratika,
As you attained the stage of Master of the Pure Awareness of Immortality,
Blessed by the Protector Amitayus,
You attained the indestructible body of birthlessness and deathlessness.
To the immortal Lotus–Born, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
When it was time for you to subdue the kingdom of Zahor,
So as to establish erring and ignorant sentient beings in the Dharma,
You demonstrated wonders and miraculous emanations,
Filling the entire kingdom with the Teachings.
To the incarnate Padmasambhava, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
When you returned to subdue Uddiyana
And the executioners set you to burn on a pyre,
You demonstrated the miracle of transforming that conflagration into a lake,
Thus establishing Indrabhuti on the path to enlightenment.
To the perfect son, Lotus King, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
When dwelling by the self–sprung stupas
Unsurpassable Auspicious Site, Charnel Ground of Great Bliss,
Spontaneously Perfected Edifice, Heaped Up Lotuses, and so on,
You were surrounded by retinues of mamos, dakinis and dharmaphalas.
To Guru Nyima 'Özer, Rays of Sunlight, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
When wandering the southern land of India,
By the blessing of Dakini Marajita
You overturned the argumentation of five hundred heretical and non–Buddhist teachers,
And destroyed them, turning back on them their evil mantras.
To Noble Lion's Roar, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the cave at the crag of Yanglesho in Nepal,
While undertaking the realisation of Yangdag Heruka, Quintessence of Great Bliss,
You liberated obstacles and demons of structions by means of Vajrakila,
And, in that auspicious place, realised the Mastery of the Pure Awareness of the All–Encompassing Seal..
To Vajrakapalamalin, He Whose Expression is the Vajra Skull Garland, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
At the time of your coming north for the benefit of the king,
You bound all Tibetan yakshas to an oath,
And consecrated the temple of Samye, thus realising the profound wishes of the king,
Filling all of Tibet with the Dharma.
To the Lotus–Born Emanation, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the cave of the red crag at Samye Chimp'u,
In the mandala of the Secret Mantra Great Accomplishment, Eight Revealed Precepts,
You ripened the karmically fortunate king and followers
And propagated the Secret Mantras Vehicle of Result.
To you whose kindness surpasses all conception, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the Wish–Granting Cave of Tagts'ang Seng–ge Samdrub,
You subjugated malicious heretics, mara demons and oath–breakers,
And, out of compassion for beings of the future Dharma–ending age,
Concealed great caches of treasure at secret sites amongst the snowy crags.
To Dorje Drolö Tsäl, He Whose Expression is Enflamed and Indestructible Wrath, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
Establishing meditation centres in the four great snowy mountain ranges of Tibet,
And the eight great mountain caves as places of retreat,
You left emanation footprints on all mountains throughout the length and breadth of the land
And upon four, as renowned as the ocean, the imprint of your hand.
To you who purify the sins of the six classes of beings, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
Leaving a bodily imprint on the crag of Mönk'a, in the south,
You left five chief treasure representations of yourself for the benefit of Tibet,
Filling it with the teaching of the buddhas to its very limits.
Sole deity of Tibet, supreme among all living beings,
To the Lord of Particular Compassion, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
On the crest of the Glorious Copper Coloured Mountain in Chamaradvipa in the south–west,
Establishing sovereignty over the many masters of pure awareness and dakinis,
You bound the flesh–eating rakshasas to oaths.
Constantly look upon Tibet with your compassion.
To the emanation–body of of immense kindliness, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
In the final five–hundred–year period, as the sentient beings of Tibet,
In the interminable suffering brought on by the influence of their evil karma,
Continuously keep in mind and repeat this prayer of your life and realisation,
Look upon us and upon all sentient beings of the six classes of beings
With compassion, and please grant us your blessings.
“Dorje Düd'jom, if with propitious faith you listen to
And recall the tale of my life and liberation, reciting it as a prayer,
In this lifetime you will be blessed by myself, Guru Pema,
And, in future lives, be firmly established on the path to enlightenment.”
Thus he spoke.
The Chapter Requested by Prince Mutr'i Tsenpo
Then Prince Mutr'i Tsenpo spoke. “Please listen, Great Teacher. When, in the future, the five–hundred–year period of the dregs of the Dharma arrives, it is said that, under the power of suffering and evil karma, sentient beings will behave like ravening tigers. Looking upon them with compassion, please, I beseech you, grant us a prayer that will protect them from suffering.”
Such was his request, and the great Guru said: “Mutr'i Tsenpo, listen. Without a warm surface as a support, lacquer will not take. Where there is no field of faith, the seedling of enlightenment cannot sprout. Where they do not touch directly upon your own conscience, the blessings of the Three Rare and Precious Gems are virtually inaccessible.
“Listen, Prince. The buddhas and bodhisattvas all continuously strive for the benefit of living beings, but cannot release the beings of the six classes from the pits of samsara for they are bound to cyclic exstence by the power of the five poisons entailed in their ego–grasping .
“Prince, since it is also my own wish to protect the common people of Tibet from suffering, let them turn their minds and mental faculties with faith and resolution to the Triple Gem — this is the message I leave for the common people. Let them pray as follows at all times,” he said.
E MA HO How wonderful. — In the Buddhafield of Bliss–Endowed Sukhavati in the western direction,
Thinking, by the power of the compassion of the Protector Amitayus,
To benefit the beings of Jambudvipa,
And blessed by the Buddhas of the ten directions,
To the Unity of Those Who Course in Bliss of the three times, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
On the island in the lake ‘Playful Ocean of Vermilion’,
Upon the anthers of a blazing lotus flower,
With neither father nor mother, born of his own inherent power,
And come without cause or condition for the benefit of beings:
To The Inherently Wondrous One, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
Emanation of the enlightened bodily forms of all buddhas,
Complete in the spontaneous signs and characteristic marks, you come,
Brilliant as the radiance of a thousand suns,
Pervading the entire phenomenal world with your emanations:
To The Wondrous Emanation Body, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
Emanation of the enlightened speech of all buddhas,
Born on the anther–tips of the lotus of desirelessness,
Your voice like the roar of a thousand dragons,
Speaking the Mahayana Dharma for the benefit of beings.
To the Dragon–like Roar of Enlightened Speech, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
Emanation of the enlightened mind of all the buddhas,
Born from the endless and fathomless depths of the ocean,
Your compassionate activities swifter than the lightning flash of the heavens,
Your profound primordial state equal to the bounds of space.
To the Omnipresent Radiance of Enlightened Mind, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
Wish–Granting Body, existing solely for the benefit of beings,
To hear even a little of its characteristics dispels all suffering.
Like a rainbow its various qualities appear,
Leading one to the path of enlightenment as soon as one thinks of them.
Source of all Enlightened Qualities, to you we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
By means of compassionate activity assuring the welfare of beings,
With the four activities — peaceful, increasing, magnetising and wrathful —
You overcome conflicting and poisonous emotions, taming sentient beings by skilful means
And activities inconceivable as the stars in the skies:
To the Billowing Ocean of Enlightened Activities, we pray.
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana, we pray.
Above, below, and in the four directions, you fulfil the goals of beings —
Look. on snowy Tibet with compassion.
For the ruler of Tibet and his people,
Unceasingly throughout the three times grant us your blessings
And liberate us from the ocean of suffering of cyclic existence.
Thus he spoke.
Guru Rinpoche Explains How to Sing these Chapters
Then, this circle of five postulants, having presented a vast ganachakra offering, made prostrations and circumambulated him, and spoke as follows: “Please listen, Great Teacher. That you have expounded these extraordinary prayers for us is, indeed, a great kindness. To keep ordinary individuals from turning them into mere clamour and noise when repeating them, for the suffering–hounded beings of the future who will bear in mind and recite these prayers to the quintessential teacher, please explain how they should be sung.” When they had thus requested, the Guru replied:
Let those who follow after me and wish to depart from cyclic existence
Pray continuously with an attitude of profound faith, trust and devotion,
Single–pointedly singing these songs with heartfelt longing
Like a child calling to its father and mother,
And as sweetly as the sound of lute and pipe,
Every day, at the six times of the day and night.
A Four and a Half Verse Prayer of Wish Fulfilment
Appended by the Glorious Tashi Tobgyäl, Emanation of King Tr'isong De'utsen.
Thus saying, swearing oaths of commitment as before,
With heartfelt devotion and fierce longing they prayed as follows:
“Alas, Great Teacher! — Look upon us with compassion
And grant us you blessings, Lord Kapalamalin, Skull–Garlanded One.
Pacify all obstacles, Dün'dül Dragpotsäl, Mara–Tamer, Playful Dance of Wrath.
Grant us supreme accomplishment, Urgyen Rinpoche, Precious One of Uddiyana.
In this turbulent five–hundred–year period of degradation,
Pacify all harm stemming from beings under the disturbing influence of demonic forces,
Invading armies, disease, weapons, famine, and so on,
And all the ominous signs and evil portents that oppress us.
Unfurl and let fly the maturing banner of the host of those who uphold
The teaching of the Victorious Ones, and, more particularly, that of the Nine Yanas,
May the Lotus–Born expound the path of profound Dharma,
The all–embracing Mahayana Doctrine that is the Seven Precious Jewels of the Realm,
In the sacred citadel of the sublime and spontaleously accomplished temple of Samye,
And, this very day, let there ensue a hallowed period,
Filled with the white light of the mandala of the five auspicious and destined Victorious Ones,
And may we all be blessed with the spontaneous fulfilment of all our wishes.
In the west, in the final age of the future,
Secret yogins, followers of myself,
Working greatly for the benefit of beings, and having a perfect and implicit faith in me
with few doubts,
Protectors of the family lineage of the Dharma King,
Such karmically ripened beings shall come forth in that Dharma Ending Age.
For the benefit of such karmically fortunate ones, this was concealed as a treasure.
‘The Spontaneous Fulfilment of All Wishes’:
A Chapter Spoken to Prince Mutr'i Tsenpo
NAMO GURU —Homage to the Spiritual Master.
As the Lotus–Born Teacher was leaving from the heights of Gungthang for the Land of the Rakshasas in the southwest, Prince Mutr'i Tsenpo made prostrations and circumambulation, placed the Teacher's feet upon the crown of his head and, taking the hem of his robe in his hands, his eyes overflowing with tears, uttered these words of entreaty:
“Alas, Precious Guru.
In the final period of five hundred years,
Should there befall the misfortune of my lineage
Established at the foot of these snowy peaks of Gungthang in Mangyül
Falling to the level of commoners,
How distressing for the kings of Tibet.
In whom shall my descendants place their hope?
“When, because of their karma, they are hindered by warring and feuds,
Their places of sanctuary and retreat torn down by cruel enemies
And they are forced away by brigands and thieves,
When there is not the time or leisure to practice Dharma
And the twofold ritual to the teacher has become reason for hardship and fatigue,
How sad for those faithful ones in that future time.
“When monasteries have become houses of contention and dispute,
The representations of enlightened body, speech and mind are destroyed
And the substances of commitment are become the playthings of ordinary folk,
When the belch of the Bönpo wizard sounds in the places of retreat,
The Wheel of the Dharma is finally shattered
And keeping one's tantric commitments has become reason for hardship and fatigue,
In whom will those who maintain the revealed precepts of the Wheel of the Law place their hope?
“When those of highest virtue are murdered with poisoned and polluted food.
When the highly placed are harsh and high–handed toward living beings
The decorum of the upper classes degenerates to become like that of a shameless commoner,
And beloved friends plot theft,
How distressing for the ministers of Tibet.
In whom will those the king holds dear place their hopes?
“When the epoch of sickness, weapons and hunger comes,
And the border folk flee into Central Tibet,
When they are thrown into turmoil by demons, spirit of obstruction and evil spirits
And whatever it is that they do not wish is exactly what happens,
How sad it will be for the commoners of Tibet.
Devoid of refuge and protector, in whom will these sentient beings place their hopes?
“King Tr'isong De'utsen has gone to his death,
The Guru is departing for the realm of Uddiyana,
And I, Mutr'i Tsenpo, am left behind, forsaken in Tibet.
“That the life of my father, the King, was short, I can accept.
If the Guru's compassionate is limited, so be it.
That my own merit is small, certainly.
That the teachings of the Wheel of the Law can deteriorate, so be it.
If the happiness of the people of Tibet has reached its end, this I will accept.
“I, Mutr'i Tsenpo, did not die
While my father and the Guru were still present.
On whom can I now fix my confidence?
Who now will grant me loving counsel?
From whom shall I request the Holy Dharma?
To whom shall I transfer my consciousness at the moment of death?
Who will dispel my sufferings in the intermediate state?
Who will perform the practices to purify me of my sin and defilements?
Woe and alas! — How miserable your fine intentions!”
... and thus uttering words of lamentation, the prince collapsed, unconscious.
Dropping a little saliva from his tongue into the of the prince's ear–hole and thus restoring him his senses, the Lotus–Born Teacher then took his head upon his lap and spoke to him as follows.
“Listen, faithful King of Tibet.
“The life of my karmically fortunate son,
King Tr'isong De'utsen, full of trust and devotion, has come to an end:
Do not grieve, O Prince, O Lord of Tibet.
“Now, for the benefit of Tibet, you weep with yearning to me,
The teacher of authentic Holy Dharma to those who have faith:
Do not grieve, O Prince, O Lord of Tibet.
“Your sins and obscurations, all, without exception,
Have certainly been cleansed by your seeing my face:
Do not grieve, O Prince, O Lord of Tibet.
“In this life, the next, and the intermediate state between,
Meeting with me again and again, your suffering will be dispelled.
Do not grieve, O Prince, O Lord of Tibet.
“Having passed sixteen lifetimes here as a treasure for the benefit of beings,
You will then come to the Dakini Realm of Uddiyana.
Do not grieve, O Prince, O Lord of Tibet.
“All your descendants from the foot of this snowy mountain of Gungthang in Mangyül in time to come,
Those true descendants and continuation of the authority of the Dharma King,
I shall watch over with unfailing compassion at all times:
Do not grieve, O Prince, O Lord of Tibet.
“All those who, with faith and devotion, practice Dharma in places of retreat
And train themselves in the teaching of the Victorious Ones and in compassion,
I shall empower with blessings and protect with compassion:
Do not grieve, O Prince, O Lord of Tibet.
“The ill–fated evil–doers, holders of wrong views, that constitute the clan of mara demons, lords of limitation,
And those evil–minded sentient beings with carping differentiation, disputing and vying with each other,
Perform their evil acts outside my protection .
“More especially, those black–hearted ministers of the interior of the present
Who upset the mind of my Lord, leading him astray from his commitment to me,
And who will, of a certainty, fall into the three lower realms,
Will, nonetheless, simply through having seen my face and heard my voice,
Finally purify themselves of evil karma and be reborn as my own disciples:
Do not grieve, O Prince, O Lord of Tibet.
“When, finally, the end of this evil age arrives,
By the prayer of a hidden yogin
On the eastern slope of Mount Auspicious Fortune
A treasure of mine will be brought forth to protect the Prince's lineage:
Do not grieve, O Prince, O Lord of Tibet.
“The sentient beings of that evil era, overcome by charlatans,
Trapped, by their own fault, in the mire of wrong view
And greatly doubting, will not practice the Dharma or even anything like it.
But the treasure that springs from the slope of Mount Auspicious Fortune,
Equal to the teachings of the entire Secret Mantra Mahayana Vehicle,
And the virtuous conduct and behaviour of that hidden yogin,
Will certainly protect the king and the people of Gungthang.
Do not grieve, O Prince, O Lord of Tibet.”
Thus he spoke, and at that time, it is said, the King's suffering was dispelled and his obscurations dissolved.
“Prince,” said the Guru, “Because you have shown a love for your people as if they were your own children, throughout that entire evil period of the Dharma–Ending Age, I shall protect your lineage with my blessings, and this I leave as my testament to the common people, the children of the Prince.
“That perfect and steadfast family of the lineage of the gods of sheer radiance
Descended from Mutr'i Tsenpo in unbroken succession,
I shall always and ever hold in my compassion.
Not following friends of evil conduct or the counsel of greedy ministers,
May the royal lineage prevail as long as does that of the Dharma.
“When wild and godless men filled with deceit and guile
Arise in that Dharma–Ending Age, putting an end to their advance and unwaveringly maintaining the Buddhist Law of Morality,
Acting in accord with the Dharma, the king and his realm shall have happiness.
“If, losing the life force of his body, and divested of power,
The king is forced to descend to the level of a commoner,
Taking the divine spirits as witness, I shall reverse this.
“With my love for the Gungthang kings at that time of Dharma dregs,
On the waist of a mountain that looks like a mass of poisonous serpents,
Let the descendants of the prince apply the secret instructions of protection.
“If the greatly mistrustful sceptical beings of that time
Do not conceive a wrong view towards my teachings and will put them into practice,
The wish of the Gungthang King will thus be realised,
But all kings who are sinful will not receive my protection.”
Thus he spoke.
“When, finally, the Prince's lineage is under the protection of my treasures in Gungthang of Mangyül,” the Guru said, “Tibet will have fallen upon unfortunate times.
“Anything that beings do not wish is what will come about. Above, divine spirits will become agitated; below, nagas who cause pestilential diseases will become restless; in between, local deities and lords of the earth will become confused. Kings whose conduct is evil will become impatient, the common folk will be thrown into confusion, and children of the same father will dispute among themselves.
“At that time the Doctrine of the Buddha will come to its end, the attainments stemming from practice of the meditation deities will vanish, dakinis and dharmapalas will seem immovable as the Supreme Mountain, and the happiness of beings will reach exhaustion.
“Making offerings to me,” he said, “let the Gungthang King, his household priests and all the people put into practice the Dharma as propounded in those treasures and act in accord with my precepts, and, at that time, great power will swiftly arise from the compassion of myself, the Lotus–Born, so pray to me uninterruptedly at all times.”
E MA HO How wonderful. — By the compassionate blessings of the Buddha Amitabha
Of the Western Buddhafield, ‘Bliss Endowed’,
Your emanation body was miraculously born from a lotus flower
And came to the world of Jambudvipa for the benefit the living beings,
Working with unfailing compassion for their welfare —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we pray:
Grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
From the time of King Tr'isong De'utsen
Until the end of the dynasty of the Dharma Kings,
Ceaselessly, and throughout the three times, grant us your blessings,
Sole friend of the Dharma–protecting Kings of Tibet,
Protecting those kings who rule according to Dharma with your great compassion —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we pray:
Grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
In this body which subdues the rakshasas of the south–west,
You saw, of your compassion, that the time had come to visit the beings of Tibet.
Glorious one who remembers beings twisted with ignorance,
You skilfully guide those vanquished by their own obscurations,
Compassionate One of unfailing loving kindness —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we pray:
Grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
Now, in this evil period, the dregs at the end of time,
Come day and night for the benefit of Tibet.
Mounted on a mass of gleaming sunrays,
On the tenth day of the waxing moon, come in person —
Compassionate One, you who accomplish the goals of living beings with great power —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we pray:
Grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
In these last five hundred years of the degenerate age of strife
All sentient beings are coarsened by obscuration and the five poisons.
Yielding to the defilement of obscuration they take the five poisons as their path of action:
In such times we have one such as you to protect us,
You who compassionately guide the faithful to the higher realms —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we pray:
Grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When we are surrounded by the fearsome war hosts of Tartary
And the precious wheel of Dharma teachings and antidotes is on the point of being destroyed,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Surrounded by the Eight Orders of Divine Uddiyana Rakshasas,
Firmly turn back the Mongol war hosts —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we pray:
Grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When the illusory bodies of sentient beings are attacked by frightful diseases,
And they are struck by the unbearable afflictions of illness,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Inseparable from the Uddiyana Medicine Lama,
If their life is not actually at an end, firmly dispel all obstacles —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we pray:
Grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When the elements arise as enemies, the vital essence of the earth decreases
And beings are afflicted with the illnesses attendant on famine,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
With your hosts of Uddiyana dakinis and wealth lords,
Decisively dispel poverty, hunger and thirst —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we pray:
Grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When revealing ‘treasures’ for the benefit of karmically fortunate beings,
With courage and confidence and utterly free from deceit and fake vows of commitment,
We pray with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Inseparable from the chosen Uddiyana meditation deity,
Lead us unerringly to the father's legacy —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we pray:
Grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When seeking places of forest retreat and secret lands
And snow, rain, blizzards and storms block the way,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Guru Rinpoche, surrounded by your retinue of helpful earth lords.
Guide us surely onto the path of the practice of Dharma —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we pray:
Grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When sharp–fanged tigers, leopards, bears, snow bears and poisonous serpents
Roam the highland solitudes and fearsome passes,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Heroic One of Uddiyana with your wrathful emissaries, protector spirits and so on,
Firmly drive off vicious–minded creatures —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we pray:
Grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When fearful periods of obstruction from the elements of earth, water, fire and air arise,
Endangering the illusory body,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Along with your four great Uddiyana goddesses of the elements,
Perfectly pacify the elements in their own place —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we pray:
Grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When travelling in narrow ways and fearsome passes,
Harassed by assassins, robbers and bandits,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
O Guru Rinpoche, you whose experience is adorned with the four seals of perfect realisation,
Subdue the furious minds of these wild and ferocious ones —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we pray:
Grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When surrounded by the carnage and butchery of war,
Injured by the blows of sharp weapons,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Guru Rinpoche, you who possess the vajra tent,
Scatter and disperse these fearsome weapons of slaughter —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we pray:
Grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When, finally one day, our life is exhausted and the moment of death arrives,
And we are afflicted by the intense suffering of the cutting–off of our life essence,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Guru Rinpoche, embodiment of Buddha Amitabha,
May we truly be born in the Buddhafield of Bliss —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we pray:
Grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When this loaned and illusory body has been destroyed
And we are afflicted by the delusory forms and secondary delusions of the intermediate state,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Guru Rinpoche, Knower of the Three Times,
Of your compassion, perfectly liberate such halucinations in their own place —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we pray:
Grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
Furthermore, when, under the influence of karma and circumstance,
We are suffering from a desire for substantiality in illusory appearances,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Guru Rinpoche, your are the quintessence of the Lord of Great Bliss,
Root out the delusion of suffering and destroy it —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we pray:
Grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When the six realms of being are afflicted with great misery,
And particularly when the kings of Tibet and their subjects are oppressed with suffering,
With intense and yearning faith, devotion and reverence
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Guru Rinpoche, look upon us with unceasing compassion —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we pray:
Grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.”
Thus he spoke lovingly with the prince, delivering to him this wish–granting jewel–like thirteenfold pith instruction. Then the prince, filled with faith, made prostration and circumambulation, and, having perceived the face of the Guru in the realm of Uddiyana, departed thence, mounted on a sunbeam.
These pith instructions on the self–liberation of obscuration by Prince Mutr'i Tsenpo, the wish–granting jewel–like testamentary pith instruction and others, were then hidden as a treasure on a crag resembling a pile of jewels in Mangyül. Guardianship of the treasure is entrusted to the four Divine Se Sisters.
“At the end of this period of time,
When a period of suffering befalls my descendants
And the time is ripe for the advent of my karmically fortunate son,
Having found this at that time,
Upon the eastern slopes of Mount Riwo Trazang of Auspicious Fortune,
May he protect my lineage.”
Thus he prayed.
“My children, the faithful and devoted people of Tibet, should pray to the Lama, the Refuge, whenever they think of him by means of the prayer to his three enlightened dimensions of being,” said Prince Mutr'i Tsenpo. “Let them use the words spoken to my father, the King at the wrathful hour of the beginning of the evening, those spoken to the Lady Ts'ogyäl at the enriching time of the first arising of dawn, those to Gelong Namkha'i Nyingpo at the peaceful hour of daybreak, those to Menmo Dorje Düd'jom at the powerful time of early evening, those to Prince Mutr'i Tsenpo beneath the dark skies of midnight and those of the King of Gungthang when putting aside the busy–work and activities of noon. As a general rule, recite it whenever there is risk of suffering.
“You karmically fortunate descendants of myself, the King,
Who flawlessly act in accord with the Dharma,
Will, generally speaking, experience the immense kindness of all buddhas,
And, more particularly, the inconceivable kindness of the Guru.
Heed the words I, the Dharma–Protecting King, say,
And pray with faith at all times.”
Thus he said.
This Prayer of the Spontaneous Realisation of All Wishes, spoken to the King of Gungthang, was hidden by Prince Mutr'i Tsenpo in the temple on the banks of the river in Rulag.
The Goddess Dre'u Shönma was entrusted as treasure–guardian.
SAMAYA — Commitment GYA GYA GYA — Thrice sealed
It was taken from its treasury in the temple at Rulag in the year of the male dragon by Tulku Zangpo Dragpa and sent to Rig'dzin Gödem, the great master of pure awareness, who, as its destined holder, accordingly translated it from the yellow scroll.
TER GYA — Sealed as Treasure. BE GYA — Sealed as concealed.
ZAB GYA — Sealed as profound.
ITHI — Thus it is.
‘The Seven Line Prayer’,
The Extraordinary Practice of the Lama
from
‘The Secret Assembly of Spiritual Preceptors’
To the meditation deity, I bow down.
“Karmically fortunate sons and daughters of future times,
Should you seek the protection of the myself, the Lord of Uddiyana,
Withdrawing into retreat in deserted places,
It is vital that you give rise to a sorrow at impermanence
And a disgust for cyclic existence.
Turning over your minds, hearts and very guts to me.
Furthermore considering me, the Lord of Uddiyana,
As the sole and perfect refuge in which you might place your hope,
Thinking: ‘Good or evil, whatever I hope for, you know best,’
Give up all other useless offering and praise,
And, with a perfect faith of body, speech and mind,
Recite the seven lines that follow:
HUNG Born in the north–west of the land of Uddiyana
In the calyx of a lotus flower
And endowed with the most marvellous qualities,
You are renowned as the Lotus–Born,
Surrounded by a host of many dakinis.
I am the one who follows in your footsteps: That may I attain true realisation,
Please approach and bless me.
GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG
“By thus praying, again and again,
Giving rise to intense sorrow and with tears streaming from their eyes,
If the faithful can gather together their faculties
And, allowing them to relax, attain understanding,
Looking with unwavering lucidity into its immaculate purity,
For those of my children who pray in this manner,
They are protected by me, so what more need they seek?
They will become children of the Victorious Ones of the three times.
“A self–disclosive awareness of the Mighty One arises in their minds,
And as they stablise the power of profound meditative concentration, primordial awareness unfolds.
By means of a vast and self–arisen wave of blessing,
They ripen themselves, satisfy others, and dispel all suffering.
In the very instant of becoming truly themselves,
They simultaneously manifest as appearance for others, realising all enlightened activity,
And perfecting for themselves all enlightened qualities.
“May this great skilful means of ripening beings
Into the true ‘self’, the enlightened dimension of absolute reality,
Come into the hands of the children of my heart.
“Since this extremely profound, seven–line prayer bestows extraodinary blessing, may this rediscovered mind treasure of secret instruction come into the hands of the wise and greatly compassionate Chökyi Wangchug.”
Thus he spoke.
‘The Remover of Obstacles on the Path’
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG
We pray to the dharmakaya, the enlightened dimension of absolute reality, Limitless Light,
To the sambhogakaya, the dimension of the enjoyment of enlightened qualities, The Great Compassionate One,
And to the Lotus–Born, the nirmanakaya, or enlightened dimension of miraculous manifestation.
My Lama, wondrous emanation,
Taking birth in India and there listening to the Dharma and meditating upon it,
You came in person to Tibet to tame demonic haughtiness and pride,
And, dwelling in Uddiyana, worked for the welfare of beings —
Of your compassion, please bless me.
Of your loving kindness, bring myself and others onto the path.
By the power of your realisation, grant us the accomplishments.
With your power, dissolve obstacles for myself and others.
Outer obstacles, dissolve them outwardly;
Inner obstacles, dissolve them inwardly;
Secret obstacles, dissolve into ultimate space.
Prostrating full of faith, I take refuge in you.
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG
When perceiving the wondrousness of the enlightened dimensions of being,
Your right hand assumed the mudra of the sword,
And the left that of the hook,
Your mouth gaping wide, with fangs bared and gaze up–turned:
Gyälwa'i Dung'dzin, Lineage–holder of the Victorious Ones, protector of beings,
Of your compassion, please bless me.
Of your loving kindness, bring myself and others onto the path.
By the power of your realisation, grant us the accomplishments.
With your power, clear obstacles for myself and others.
Outer obstacles, dissolve them outwardly;
Inner obstacles, dissolve them inwardly;
Secret obstacles, dissolve into ultimate space.
Prostrating full of faith, I take refuge in you.
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG
When receiving the priceless Holy Dharma,
Your radiant body streamed with brilliant rays of light,
Your right hand holding the volumes of the Tripitaka,
The left the text of Vajrakilaya,
Your mind invested with the profound Dharma —
Scholarly Master of Yanglesho,
Of your compassion, please bless me.
Of your loving kindness, bring myself and others onto the path.
By the power of your realisation, grant us the accomplishments.
With your power, clear obstacles for myself and others.
Outer obstacles, dissolve them outwardly;
Inner obstacles, dissolve them inwardly;
Secret obstacles, dissolve into ultimate space.
Prostrating full of faith, I take refuge in you.
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG
At the time of binding the oath–bound protectors to their vows,
Delighting in that supreme and immaculate realm
On the borderland between India and Tibet,
And bestowing your blessing the moment you arrived
In those sweet smelling mountains
Where lotus flowers bloom even in winter,
The sources of that supreme and blissful place
Streamed with the nectar of enlightenment.
Supreme and Virtuous Incarnation, Kyechog Ts'ülzang, dressed in Dharma robes,
Your right hand brandishes a nine–pronged vajra,
And the left holds a jewelled casket
Filled with rakta and nectar.
Binding the dakinis and dharmapalas with oaths,
You saw the meditation deity face–to–face and realised the accomplishments —
Of your compassion, please bless me.
Of your loving kindness, bring myself and others onto the path.
By the power of your realisation, grant us the accomplishments.
With your power, clear obstacles for myself and others.
Outer obstacles, dissolve them outwardly;
Inner obstacles, dissolve them inwardly;
Secret obstacles, dissolve into ultimate space.
Prostrating full of faith, I take refuge in you.
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG
When establishing the Conquerors' teaching,
You practiced sadhana in the forests of the Slate Mountain.
Casting the recitation kila into the expanse of space,
You caught and rolled it in the vajra mudra
And, rolling it again, hurled it into the sandalwood forest
Where its sparks set off a blazing fire that dried up the lake,
Burning up the land of the mentally obscured tirthakas,
And pulverising the black yakshas —
Unequalled Destroyer of the Mara Demons,
Of your compassion, please bless me.
Of your loving kindness, bring myself and others onto the path.
By the power of your realisation, grant us the accomplishments.
With your power, clear obstacles for myself and others.
Outer obstacles, dissolve them outwardly;
Inner obstacles, dissolve them inwardly;
Secret obstacles, dissolve into ultimate space.
Prostrating full of faith, I take refuge in you.
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG
At the time of subjugating the cannibal raksha spirits,
You assumed a youthful nirmanakaya form,
Your body wondrous and beautiful, of fine hue,
Teeth flashing, beautiful golden hair,
In the full bloom of your sixteen years,
Adorned with various silks and gems,
Brandishing a bell metal kila in your right hand
With which you subjugate the maras and rakshasas,
While, with an accacia wood kila in the left,
You give protection to your faithful children.
An iron kila around your neck,
You are inseparable from the meditation deity —
Non–Dual Emanation Body, Ornament of Jambudvipa,
Of your compassion, please bless me.
Of your loving kindness, bring myself and others onto the path.
By the power of your realisation, grant us the accomplishments.
With your power, clear obstacles for myself and others.
Outer obstacles, dissolve them outwardly;
Inner obstacles, dissolve them inwardly;
Secret obstacles, dissolve into ultimate space.
Prostrating full of faith, I take refuge in you.
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG
When you conceived the intention of journeying to the realm of the ghosts
Whose valleys and lowlands are a mass of flame,
In a lake a bow–shot across,
You relaxed, cool and unaffected in a lotus flower.
Quietly meditating in the lotus,
You are He who is called ‘The Lotus–Born’,
The perfect Buddha, come in person,
Manifesting your great and wondrous emanation body —
Of your compassion, please bless me.
Of your loving kindness, bring myself and others onto the path.
By the power of your realisation, grant us the accomplishments.
With your power, clear obstacles for myself and others.
Outer obstacles, dissolve them outwardly;
Inner obstacles, dissolve them inwardly;
Secret obstacles, dissolve into ultimate space.
Prostrating full of faith, I take refuge in you.
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG
At the time of bringing the sunlight to Tibet,
Glorious guide of faithful beings,
You appeared to each one in the form that would particularly tame them.
On the heights of the Khala pass leading into Tsang
You bound the dralha genyen to the tantric oaths and commitments,
At Ts'awa'i Ts'ashö
You bound the twenty–one
Prideful divine genyen under oath.
At Jamtrin in Mangyül,
You granted the four monks the accomplishments —
Supreme, Extraordinary and Noble Master of Pure Awareness,
Of your compassion, please bless me.
Of your loving kindness, bring myself and others onto the path.
By the power of your realisation, grant us the accomplishments.
With your power, clear obstacles for myself and others.
Outer obstacles, dissolve them outwardly;
Inner obstacles, dissolve them inwardly;
Secret obstacles, dissolve into ultimate space.
Prostrating full of faith, I take refuge in you.
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG
On the glorious plain of Pälmothang
You bound the twelve tenma goddesses under oath.
On the K'ala pass leading into central Tibet
You bound Fleshless White Glacier under oath.
At 'Damshö Lhabu'i Nyingdrung
You bound T'anglha Yarshü under oath.
On the heights of Hepori
You bound all deities and rakshasa under oath.
Of all these great gods and demons
Some gave their life–essence,
Some the promise to protect the teachings,
Others to assist as servants —
Greatly Powerful One with Mystical Powers,
Of your compassion, please bless me.
Of your loving kindness, bring myself and others onto the path.
By the power of your realisation, grant us the accomplishments.
With your power, clear obstacles for myself and others.
Outer obstacles, dissolve them outwardly;
Inner obstacles, dissolve them inwardly;
Secret obstacles, dissolve into ultimate space.
Prostrating full of faith, I take refuge in you.
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG
At the time of establishing the teachings of the Holy Dharma
Like a banner of victory,
Samye, although unbuilt by human hands, appeared of itself,
Completely fulfilling the wishes of the King.
Endowed with the names of your three supreme incarnations,
You were called Lotus–Born Padmakara,
Padmasambhava,
And Saroruhavajra, the Lake Born Vajra.
Your secret name was Dorje Dragpo Tsäl, Skilful Vajra Wrath —
Of your compassion, please bless me.
Of your loving kindness, bring myself and others onto the path.
By the power of your realisation, grant us the accomplishments.
With your power, clear obstacles for myself and others.
Outer obstacles, dissolve them outwardly;
Inner obstacles, dissolve them inwardly;
Secret obstacles, dissolve into ultimate space.
Prostrating full of faith, I take refuge in you.
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG
Doing sadhana at Samye Chimpu,
You reversed evil conditions and bestowed accomplishment,
Establishing the king and his ministers upon the path of liberation
As the doctrines of Bön — negativity incarnate — declined.
Demonstrating the immaculate jewel of the enlightened dimension of absolute truth,
You established the fortunate ones on the level of buddhahood —
Of your compassion, please bless me.
Of your loving kindness, bring myself and others onto the path.
By the power of your realisation, grant us the accomplishments.
With your power, clear obstacles for myself and others.
Outer obstacles, dissolve outwardly;
Inner obstacles, dissolve inwardly;
Secret obstacles, dissolve into ultimate space.
Prostrating full of faith, I take refuge in you.
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG
Now, having left for the realm of Uddiyana,
You subjugate the cannibal raksha spirits.
Your qualities, far surpassing those of any human in their wondrousness,
And your marvellous activity is far more wonderful and amazing —
Mighty Lord of Strength and Magical Power,
Of your compassion, please bless me.
Of your loving kindness, bring myself and others onto the path.
By the power of your realisation, grant us the accomplishments.
With your power, clear obstacles for myself and others.
Outer obstacles, dissolve them outwardly;
Inner obstacles, dissolve them inwardly;
Secret obstacles, dissolve into ultimate space.
Prostrating full of faith, I take refuge in you.
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG
Possessing the enlightened body, speech and mind, Great Guide of Beings,
All defilement cleansed, you clearly perceive the three worlds.
Having achieved perfect accomplishment, Supreme Embodiment of Great Bliss,
You surely dispel all obstacle to the realisation of enlightenment —
Of your compassion, please bless me.
Of your loving kindness, bring myself and others onto the path.
By the power of your realisation, grant us the accomplishments.
With your power, clear obstacles for myself and others.
Outer obstacles, dissolve them outwardly;
Inner obstacles, dissolve them inwardly;
Secret obstacles, dissolve into ultimate space.
Prostrating full of faith, I take refuge in you.
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEMA T'Ö TR'ENG TSÄL BENZAR SAMAYA DZA SIDDHI P'ALA HUNG AH
Thus, one day at exactly the right moment, the great incarnate treasure–revealer, Tertön Orgyen Chogyur Dechen Lingpa, revealed this — the Heart–Practice of the Spiritual Teacher, ‘Remover of All Obstacles’, from ‘The Wish–Granting Gem Manual of Oral Instruction’ — from beneath the foot of the (statue of) Pälchenpo at K'ala Rong–go. I have extracted and arranged it for those future practitioners who would recite it, and though obstacles and the four degenerations of both the doctrine and living beings are approaching, if they recits it, may all that is virtuous and auspicious be perfectly accomplished.
Buddha of the Three Times, Precious Guru,
Lord of all Accomplishment, Great Blissful One,
You who dispel all obstacles, Wrathful Tamer of Maras,
To you we pray, please grant us your blessings,
Pacify all outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us the blessing of the spontaneous fulfilment of all our wishes.
The great Tertön, Chogyur Dechen Lingpa, revealed this prayer of immense blessing at the appropriate moment from the jewel–like crest of the right hand face of Sengchen Namdrag, the Celestial Crag of the Great Lion. May all beings come to cherish it above all others.
APPENDICES
Appendix I
A Practice of the Assembly of Offering
Pertaining to the Prayer to the Lama,
‘The Spontaneous Realisation of All Wishes’,
entitled
Downpour of the Life–Giving Elixir of Twofold Accomplishment
NAMO MAHAGURU SARWA SIDDHI HUNG — To the Great Teacher, I bow down; please grant me all accomplishment.
Lord of the ocean of mandalas of the Three Roots,
The simple memory of whom accomplishes all wishes,
Having paid homage to you, the Lama, the Wish–Granting Gem,
I shall now set forth the clear and concise offering–ceremony.
The most important of the thirteen pith–instructions from the vajra teachings of the Guru, peerless among all perfectly realised and infinitely kindly buddhas and the second wish–granting gem of snowy Tibet, is this noble king of prayers, The Spontaneous Realisation of All Wishes, like the sun and moon in its universal renown, and its accompanying ganacakra–offering has three parts, an introduction, a main section and a conclusion.
As to the first, this is the section on the preparation of the ritual objects and materials: On an auspicious day such as the tenth day of the waxing moon, cleanse the site at the virtuous and auspicious hour of daybreak, and in its centre set up a painting of the Sampa Lhündrub deities as well as other supports to represent enlightened speech and mind, and, before them, lay out the five (or seven) offering bowls, nectar, tormas, and so forth, and all the necessary offerings, carefully prepared and beautifully and purely arranged.
Joyfully taking your seat, purify your motivation, and begin by taking refuge. Clearly visualising the refuge tree, ...
NAMO Until enlightenment is reached,
I and all the beings of the six realms
Go for refuge to the Lama,
Embodiment of all buddhas — essence of the Triple Gem.
Recite this three times.
This is the Awakening of the Enlightenment Mind
Giving rise to the thought of enlightenment for the benefit of all that lives
I vow that, having attained the level of buddhahood,
And using whatever means are necessary for whomsoever is to be tamed,
I shall bring all beings to full enlightenment.
Repeat this three times.
Next is the Seven–Branch Offering:
Lamas, deities of meditation and dakinis please come
And take your seat upon these thrones of lotus, sun and moon.
I respectfully bow to you with body, speech and mind,
And make offerings, outer, inner and secret.
I confess all breakages, sins and obscuring defilements,
And rejoice in those who have realised the Secret Mantra.
Turn the Wheel of the ripening and liberating Secret Mantra Dharma,
And do not enter nirvana but please stay here with us.
The essential purpose of this I dedicate to the realisation of all sentient beings:
May we all realise the goal, the utterly pure and indestructible nature of the absolutely real.
Recite this three times.
Having dissolved the refuge tree into yourself...
May all beings have happiness
And may they be utterly free of all suffering.
May they never become separate from happiness
And come to understand that all things are of an essential sameness.
Thus meditate upon the four boundless thoughts.
Blessing the site itself and the offering–substances:
RAM YAM KHAM OM AH HUNG
May the ground of the phenomenal universe of form and content in its absolute purity, the Buddhafield ‘Network of Lotuses’,
The infinite realm of the wondrous display of primordial awareness,
Become adorned with offering–substances from the doorway of the Sky–Treasury,
A cloud of offerings such as Bodhisattva Samantabhadra made...
OM BENZAR ARGHAM, etc, or, if you prefer, recite the mantra and form the mudra of the Sky–Treasury, and add the ‘Cloud of Offerings’ dharani as a colophon1.
Second comes the main section, whose first part is the creation of the supporting visualisation.
Having purified everything into emptiness with the mantra: OM SHUNYATA GYANA BENZAR SWABHAV' ATMAKO 'HAM,...
I am the red Mahendra Hayagriva,
Holding curved chopper and skull–cup and in union with the consort Vajravarahi.
Complete in the cemetery–ornaments, we are respectively crowned with a horse's head and that of a sow,
Dancing on a lotus and sun–disc throne, our legs — one extended, and one bent — in the posture of wrathful dance.
In the sky before us is a perfectly ornamented, multi–storied jewelled castle
Of clouds of five–coloured rainbow light —
The citadel of Unsurpassable Lotus–Net — in the centre of which,
Upon heaps of enchanting lotuses of four and eight petals,
In the centre, on a throne of lotus, solar and lunar disc, set one above the other,
Is the deep maroon Guru Chemchog — ‘Great and Supreme’, imposing and splendid in aspect,
His right hand holding a skull–topped staff and the left a skull–cup.
Above his head, in the centre of a lotus, sun and moon,
Is Guru Dewachenpo — ‘Great Bliss’, his complexion a reddish–tinted white,
His eyes staring as though gazing into the realm of bliss–emptiness,
And upon his two hands in meditation–posture, there is a nectar–filled skull–cup,
The steaming vapours of which are marked with a white syllable BAM.
On his head is the lustrous lamb's wool hat with pendant earflaps,
And he is wearing the secret robe, dharma robes, and an embroidered silk cloak,
As he sits in the vajra–posture amidst an expanse of rays of rainbow light.
Just hearing a little of his qualities fulfils all wishes,
And you should visualise him as the most glorious pacifier of the entire animate and inanimate world.
Around these, on four–petalled lotuses,
To the east is lapis–cloured Guru Mängyäl — ‘Medicine King’,
His right and left hands holding a medicine bag and a skull–cup filled with nectar,
To the south, the golden Guru Norlha — ‘God of Wealth’,
His right hand holding a bejewelled ‘source of all that could be desired’, and his left, a skull–cup,
To the west, ruby–coloured Guru Yidam — ‘Chosen Meditation Deity’,
Holding a lotus in his right hand and a treasure–chest in the left,
And to the north, emerald–hued Guru Rekong — ‘Fulfiller of Hopes’,
With his right and left hands holding a banner and brandishing a kila.
Beyond these, on eight–petalled lotuses,
In the east is the pure white Guru Gingchen — ‘Great Ging Emissary’,
His right and left hands holding a damaru and nectar–filled skull–cup,
In the south, the deep blue Guru 'Jungshi — ‘Four Elements’,
Holding a bumpa–vase, the Precious Mountain, a mass of fire and a lasso of wind,
To the west, the red Guru Marung Trödze — ‘He Who Drives Off the Improper’,
Brandishing a noose of iron chain and ringing a bell of iron links,
And, in the north, yellow Guru Dorje Gocha — ‘Vajra Armour’,
Grasping a sword in his right hand and an iron chain in the left.
To the southeast is the red Guru 'Chiwa'i 'Jigkyob — ‘Protector from the Fears of Death’,
His right and left hands respectively in the mudra of protection and holding a nectar–filled skull–cup.
To the southwest is the red Guru Bardo'i 'Trül'jom — ‘Subduer of the Delusive Appearances of the Intermediate State’,
Holding a vajra mirror and peacock–feather.
In the northwest is reddish–green Kyewa Kyongdze — ‘Protector of Those Taking Birth’,
His right and left hands holding drigug–chopper and nectar–filled skull–cup.
And in the northeast is pale green 'Drodrug Künkyob — ‘Protector of All Beings in the Six Realms’,
Holding a nine–pronged vajra and khatvanga–trident.
All of them are wearing the Lotus–Hat and secret upper robe,
The blue embroidered cloak and red dharma robes,
And standing with their feet together, surrounded by their hosts of magical emanation–bodies
In a blazing downpour of accomplishment.
Their minds roused by our intense and fervent prayers of faith and devotion,
With great commitment, from Chamaradvipa they come
By the excellent and miraculous power of their perfect intention,
And of their compassionate loving–kindness bestow upon us blessing and initiation.
Thus visualise.
The invitation.
HUNG In the dawn of time — at the beginning of the very first kalpa — etc.,
Iin the north–west of the land of Uddiyana
You were born in the calyx of a lotus
Endowed with the most marvellous qualities,
And are renowned as the Lotus–Born,
Surrounded by a host of many Dakinis.
I am the one who follows in your footsteps: That may I attain true realisation,
Please approach and bless me.
To this supreme place, descend.
On myself, the realised practioner, bestow initiation,
Dispel obstacles due to demonic forces and ill–wishers,
And grant me the realisations, both ordinary and supreme...
Recite the Seven–Line Prayer, and , if you like...
HUNG Arise, you host of dakinis of the Lotus–Born, etc.,
Please listen, You Who Course in Bliss throughout the three times and ten directions.
Great Lord, Padma Kapalamalin,
From the realms of the masters of pure awareness and dakinis, please descend.
Your beautiful hair, partly tied back, partly flying free — SHIG SE SHIG
Your many jewelled ornaments tinkling — SI LI LI
And your cemetery ornaments rattling — TRO LO LO
With manifold song and dance — 'U RU RU
Divine hosts of meditation deities roaring out the sound of HUNG — DI RI RI
And five orders of dakini dancing — SHIG SE SHIG
Great and heroic ging emissaries stamping and striking poses — TR'AB SE TR'AB
Mamos and dakinis filling the skies like clouds — T'IB SE T'IB
And the eight orders of Dharma Protectors swiftly accomplishing their activities — KY'UG SE KY'UG
With the jingling sounds of a thousand coats of mail — SI LI LI
On the right–hand side, the male lineages in their entirety — SHA RA RA
On the left–hand side, the female lineages in their entirety — SHA RA RA
And, fluttering among them, banners and flags — LHAB SE LHAB
The smoke of delicious–smelling incense floating up — T'U LU LU
The secret, symbolic language of the dakinis resounding — DI RI RI
And the whistling song of the great and heroic ging emissaries shrilling — KYU RU RU
A vast and sonorous humming of HUNG — DI RI RI
And wrathful voicing of PHAT — SANG SE SANG
For myself and all the sentient beings in the six realms of existence,
Looking upon us with compassion, to this place descend.
Since you have come here, considering this place with compassion,
Until such time as we have attained the very essence of enlightenment,
Annihilate all obstructing spirits, wrong view and obstacles
And grant us the accomplishments, both ordinary and supreme.
Rescue us from the ocean of suffering that is cyclic existence, we pray.
... and, when you have completed the invitation with a recitation of the T'ö'trengtsäl mantra — OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEMA T'ÖTRENGTSÄL BENZAR SAMAYADZA SIDDHI P'ALA HUNG AH, ...
HUNG HRIH In this beautiful bejewelled palace,
On thrones of lotus, sun and moon,
Let the divine host of the Great Guru
Joyfully and comfortably take up their seats.
With GYANA SAMAYA TIKTRA LHEN, visualising that they become inseparable from the visualised support before you,
NA MO Unborn and unending, perfect and changeless activity,
Self–sprung compassion liberating all living beings,
I bow down to the host of masters of pure awareness —
The downpour of wish–granting accomplishment.
Thus make prostration.
HUNG HRIH The outer offering — an ocean of desirable objects — is like a massing cloud;
The inner offering of nectar , rakta and balingta exceeds the bounds of thought;
The secret offering — bliss–emptiness in union — is the ultimate space of primordial awareness:
Delighting in these offerings, please grant us the accomplishments, both ordinary and supreme.
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU DEWA DHAKINI SAPARIWARA ARGHAM PADYAM PÜPE DHÜPE ALOKE GENDHE NAIWIDYE SHAPTA TRATITSA SOHA MAHA SUKHA PENTSA KAMA GUNA TANA GANA PUDZA HO AMRITA RAKTA BALINGTA K'A K'A K'AHI K'AHI
Thus make offering.
HUNG HRIH I bow down to and praise the hosts of the Trikaya Lama,
Spontaneously realised great bliss, the perfect clear light dimension of rapturous enjoyment of qualities,
And the dance of the Net of Miraculous Emanations, display of the natural awareness associated with compassionate activity,
Sprung from the uncontrived and perfectly pure realm of the enlightened dimension of absolute reality.
Thus make praises.
And now the main prayer of homage and offering to each of these aspects:
From the heart–centres of the mandala of the divine host visualised before me,
A multitude of bodies resembling these and rays of light
Stream forth to fill all of space,
Spontaneously granting all desires and fulfilling all goals.
... visualising this ...
E MA HO How wonderful. — By the compassionate blessings of the Buddha Amitabha
Of the Western Buddhafield, ‘Bliss Endowed’,
Your emanation body was miraculously born from a lotus flower
And came to the world of Jambudvipa for the benefit the living beings,
Working with unfailing compassion for their welfare —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we bow down:
We offer an outer, inner and secret oblation of substances both real and imagined,
And wrung with remorse, confess all downfalls, degenerations, sins, obscurations and mistakes;
Rejoicing in virtue, we pray that you will turn the Wheel of the Law and beg that you do not pass into parinirvana;
Our accumulated merit we dedicate to the attainment of the level of the guru:
Guru Rinpoche, to you we pray —
As you have promised and undertaken, arousing the enlightened intention of your mind,
Pacify our outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
From the time of King Tr'isong De'utsen
Until the end of the dynasty of the Dharma Kings,
Ceaselessly, and throughout the three times, grant us your blessings,
Sole friend of the Dharma–protecting Kings of Tibet,
Protecting those kings who rule according to Dharma with your great compassion —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we bow down:
We offer an outer, inner and secret oblation of substances both real and imagined,
And wrung with remorse, confess all downfalls, degenerations, sins, obscurations and mistakes;
Rejoicing in virtue, we pray that you will turn the Wheel of the Law and beg that you do not pass into parinirvana;
Our accumulated merit we dedicate to the attainment of the level of the guru:
Guru Rinpoche, to you we pray —
As you have promised and undertaken, arousing the enlightened intention of your mind,
Pacify our outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
In this body which subdues the rakshasas of the south–west,
You saw, of your compassion, that the time had come to visit the beings of Tibet.
Glorious one who remembers beings twisted with ignorance,
You skilfully guide those vanquished by their own obscurations,
Compassionate One of unfailing loving kindness —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we bow down:
We offer an outer, inner and secret oblation of substances both real and imagined,
And wrung with remorse, confess all downfalls, degenerations, sins, obscurations and mistakes;
Rejoicing in virtue, we pray that you will turn the Wheel of the Law and beg that you do not pass into parinirvana;
Our accumulated merit we dedicate to the attainment of the level of the guru:
Guru Rinpoche, to you we pray —
As you have promised and undertaken, arousing the enlightened intention of your mind,
Pacify our outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
Now, in this evil period, the dregs at the end of time,
Come day and night for the benefit of Tibet.
Mounted on a mass of gleaming sunrays,
On the tenth day of the waxing moon, come in person —
Compassionate One, you who accomplish the goals of living beings with great power —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we bow down:
We offer an outer, inner and secret oblation of substances both real and imagined,
And wrung with remorse, confess all downfalls, degenerations, sins, obscurations and mistakes;
Rejoicing in virtue, we pray that you will turn the Wheel of the Law and beg that you do not pass into parinirvana;
Our accumulated merit we dedicate to the attainment of the level of the guru:
Guru Rinpoche, to you we pray —
As you have promised and undertaken, arousing the enlightened intention of your mind,
Pacify our outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
In these last five hundred years of the degenerate age of strife
All sentient beings are coarsened by obscuration and the five poisons.
Yielding to the defilement of obscuration they take the five poisons as their path of action:
In such times we have one such as you to protect us,
You who compassionately guide the faithful to the higher realms —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we bow down:
We offer an outer, inner and secret oblation of substances both real and imagined,
And wrung with remorse, confess all downfalls, degenerations, sins, obscurations and mistakes;
Rejoicing in virtue, we pray that you will turn the Wheel of the Law and beg that you do not pass into parinirvana;
Our accumulated merit we dedicate to the attainment of the level of the guru:
Guru Rinpoche, to you we pray —
As you have promised and undertaken, arousing the enlightened intention of your mind,
Pacify our outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When we are surrounded by the fearsome war hosts of Tartary
And the precious wheel of Dharma teachings and antidotes is on the point of being destroyed,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Surrounded by the Eight Orders of Divine Uddiyana Rakshasas,
Firmly turn back the Mongol war hosts —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we bow down:
We offer an outer, inner and secret oblation of substances both real and imagined,
And wrung with remorse, confess all downfalls, degenerations, sins, obscurations and mistakes;
Rejoicing in virtue, we pray that you will turn the Wheel of the Law and beg that you do not pass into parinirvana;
Our accumulated merit we dedicate to the attainment of the level of the guru:
Guru Rinpoche, to you we pray —
As you have promised and undertaken, arousing the enlightened intention of your mind,
Pacify our outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When the illusory bodies of sentient beings are attacked by frightful diseases,
And they are struck by the unbearable afflictions of illness,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Inseparable from the Uddiyana Medicine Lama,
If their life is not actually at an end, firmly dispel all obstacles —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we bow down:
We offer an outer, inner and secret oblation of substances both real and imagined,
And wrung with remorse, confess all downfalls, degenerations, sins, obscurations and mistakes;
Rejoicing in virtue, we pray that you will turn the Wheel of the Law and beg that you do not pass into parinirvana;
Our accumulated merit we dedicate to the attainment of the level of the guru:
Guru Rinpoche, to you we pray —
As you have promised and undertaken, arousing the enlightened intention of your mind,
Pacify our outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When the elements arise as enemies, the vital essence of the earth decreases
And beings are afflicted with the illnesses attendant on famine,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
With your hosts of Uddiyana dakinis and wealth lords,
Decisively dispel poverty, hunger and thirst —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we bow down:
We offer an outer, inner and secret oblation of substances both real and imagined,
And wrung with remorse, confess all downfalls, degenerations, sins, obscurations and mistakes;
Rejoicing in virtue, we pray that you will turn the Wheel of the Law and beg that you do not pass into parinirvana;
Our accumulated merit we dedicate to the attainment of the level of the guru:
Guru Rinpoche, to you we pray —
As you have promised and undertaken, arousing the enlightened intention of your mind,
Pacify our outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When revealing ‘treasures’ for the benefit of karmically fortunate beings,
With courage and confidence and utterly free from deceit and fake vows of commitment,
We pray with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Inseparable from the chosen Uddiyana meditation deity,
Lead us unerringly to the father's legacy —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we bow down:
We offer an outer, inner and secret oblation of substances both real and imagined,
And wrung with remorse, confess all downfalls, degenerations, sins, obscurations and mistakes;
Rejoicing in virtue, we pray that you will turn the Wheel of the Law and beg that you do not pass into parinirvana;
Our accumulated merit we dedicate to the attainment of the level of the guru:
Guru Rinpoche, to you we pray —
As you have promised and undertaken, arousing the enlightened intention of your mind,
Pacify our outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When seeking places of forest retreat and secret lands
And snow, rain, blizzards and storms block the way,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Guru Rinpoche, surrounded by your retinue of helpful earth lords.
Guide us surely onto the path of the practice of Dharma —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we bow down:
We offer an outer, inner and secret oblation of substances both real and imagined,
And wrung with remorse, confess all downfalls, degenerations, sins, obscurations and mistakes;
Rejoicing in virtue, we pray that you will turn the Wheel of the Law and beg that you do not pass into parinirvana;
Our accumulated merit we dedicate to the attainment of the level of the guru:
Guru Rinpoche, to you we pray —
As you have promised and undertaken, arousing the enlightened intention of your mind,
Pacify our outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When sharp–fanged tigers, leopards, bears, snow bears and poisonous serpents
Roam the highland solitudes and fearsome passes,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Heroic One of Uddiyana with your wrathful emissaries, protector spirits and so on,
Firmly drive off vicious–minded creatures —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we bow down:
We offer an outer, inner and secret oblation of substances both real and imagined,
And wrung with remorse, confess all downfalls, degenerations, sins, obscurations and mistakes;
Rejoicing in virtue, we pray that you will turn the Wheel of the Law and beg that you do not pass into parinirvana;
Our accumulated merit we dedicate to the attainment of the level of the guru:
Guru Rinpoche, to you we pray —
As you have promised and undertaken, arousing the enlightened intention of your mind,
Pacify our outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When fearful periods of obstruction from the elements of earth, water, fire and air arise,
Endangering the illusory body,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Along with your four great Uddiyana goddesses of the elements,
Perfectly pacify the elements in their own place —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we bow down:
We offer an outer, inner and secret oblation of substances both real and imagined,
And wrung with remorse, confess all downfalls, degenerations, sins, obscurations and
Rejoicing in virtue, we pray that you will turn the Wheel of the Law and beg that you do not pass into parinirvana;
Our accumulated merit we dedicate to the attainment of the level of the guru:
Guru Rinpoche, to you we pray —
As you have promised and undertaken, arousing the enlightened intention of your mind,
Pacify our outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When travelling in narrow ways and fearsome passes,
Harassed by assassins, robbers and bandits,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
O Guru Rinpoche, you whose experience is adorned with the four seals of perfect realisation,
Subdue the furious mind of these wild and ferocious ones —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we bow down:
We offer an outer, inner and secret oblation of substances both real and imagined,
And wrung with remorse, confess all downfalls, degenerations, sins, obscurations and mistakes;
Rejoicing in virtue, we pray that you will turn the Wheel of the Law and beg that you do not pass into parinirvana;
Our accumulated merit we dedicate to the attainment of the level of the guru:
Guru Rinpoche, to you we pray —
As you have promised and undertaken, arousing the enlightened intention of your mind,
Pacify our outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When surrounded by the carnage and butchery of war,
Injured by the blows of sharp weapons,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Guru Rinpoche, you who possess the vajra tent,
Scatter and disperse these fearsome weapons of slaughter —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we bow down:
We offer an outer, inner and secret oblation of substances both real and imagined,
And wrung with remorse, confess all downfalls, degenerations, sins, obscurations and mistakes;
Rejoicing in virtue, we pray that you will turn the Wheel of the Law and beg that you do not pass into parinirvana;
Our accumulated merit we dedicate to the attainment of the level of the guru:
Guru Rinpoche, to you we pray —
As you have promised and undertaken, arousing the enlightened intention of your mind,
Pacify our outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When, finally one day, our life is exhausted and the moment of death arrives,
And we are afflicted by the intense suffering of the cutting–off of our life essence,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Guru Rinpoche, embodiment of Buddha Amitabha,
May we truly be born in the Buddhafield of Bliss —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we bow down:
We offer an outer, inner and secret oblation of substances both real and imagined,
And wrung with remorse, confess all downfalls, degenerations, sins, obscurations and mistakes;
Rejoicing in virtue, we pray that you will turn the Wheel of the Law and beg that you do not pass into parinirvana;
Our accumulated merit we dedicate to the attainment of the level of the guru:
Guru Rinpoche, to you we pray —
As you have promised and undertaken, arousing the enlightened intention of your mind,
Pacify our outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When this loaned and illusory body has been destroyed
And we are afflicted by the delusory forms and secondary delusions of the intermediate state,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Guru Rinpoche, Knower of the Three Times,
Of your compassion, perfectly liberate such halucinations in their own place —
We offer an outer, inner and secret oblation of substances both real and imagined,
And wrung with remorse, confess all downfalls, degenerations, sins, obscurations and mistakes;
Rejoicing in virtue, we pray that you will turn the Wheel of the Law and beg that you do not pass into parinirvana;
Our accumulated merit we dedicate to the attainment of the level of the guru:
Guru Rinpoche, to you we pray —
As you have promised and undertaken, arousing the enlightened intention of your mind,
Pacify our outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
Furthermore, when, under the influence of karma and circumstance,
We are suffering from a desire for substantiality in illusory appearances,
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Guru Rinpoche, your are the quintessence of the Lord of Great Bliss,
Root out the delusion of suffering and destroy it —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we bow down:
We offer an outer, inner and secret oblation of substances both real and imagined,
mistakes;
Rejoicing in virtue, we pray that you will turn the Wheel of the Law and beg that you do not pass into parinirvana;
Our accumulated merit we dedicate to the attainment of the level of the guru:
Guru Rinpoche, to you we pray —
As you have promised and undertaken, arousing the enlightened intention of your mind,
Pacify our outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
When the six realms of being are afflicted with great sufferings,
And particularly when the kings of Tibet and their subjects are oppressed with suffering,
With intense and yearning faith, devotion and reverence
We pray to you with undivided mind, free from all hesitation:
Guru Rinpoche, look upon us with unceasing compassion —
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we bow down:
We offer an outer, inner and secret oblation of substances both real and imagined,
And wrung with remorse, confess all downfalls, degenerations, sins, obscurations and mistakes;
Rejoicing in virtue, we pray that you will turn the Wheel of the Law and beg that you do not pass into parinirvana;
Our accumulated merit we dedicate to the attainment of the level of the guru:
Guru Rinpoche, to you we pray —
As you have promised and undertaken, arousing the enlightened intention of your mind,
Pacify our outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
Thus accumulate many times. But if, when making an accumulation of a hundred thousand or so, one wishes to do a concise version, having accumulated the extensive version presented above a few times, one should recite the condensed version of this prayer, as follows:
Buddha of the Three Times, Precious Guru,
Lord of all Accomplishment, Great Blissful One,
You who dispel all obstacles, Wrathful Tamer of Maras,
To the Lotus–Born of Uddiyana we bow down:
We offer an outer, inner and secret oblation of substances both real and imagined,
And wrung with remorse, confess all downfalls, degenerations, sins, obscurations and mistakes;
Rejoicing in virtue, we pray that you will turn the Wheel of the Law and beg that you do not pass into parinirvana;
Our accumulated merit we dedicate to the attainment of the level of the guru:
To you we pray, please grant us your blessings —
As you have promised and undertaken, arousing the enlightened intention of your mind,
Pacify our outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
... and accumulate this many times, but, however you decide to do it, to activate the transmission, you should afterwards do as many recitations as you can of the lines of the verse and of the Vajra Guru Mantra.
Thirdly, by way of conclusion, if one wishes to make the ganacakra–offering, the appropriate samaya substances are to be purified as follows:
HUNG The syllables RAM, YAM and KHAM arising from the creative energy of my own pure awareness,
They burn up, rinse off and disperse all habit of regarding the offering substances as ‘solid’ and ‘real’;
In the skull–cup of means and wisdom, sprung from the state of voidness–clarity,
The desirable objects of the ganacakra–offering become like a massive cloud.
Reciting RAM YAM KHAM OM AH HUNG three times, effect the blessing.
HUNG HRIH From the unmanifest realm, the host of Victorious Ones of the Three Roots
Arise like the appearance of a rainbow in the clear sky:
Primordial awareness host, I invite you — Please descend
And, delighting in these desirable objects of offering, grant us the accomplishments.
With OM AH HUNG SARWA MAHA GURU MANDALA SAPARIWARA BENZAR SAMADZA, invite the guests of the offering–assembly.
HUNG HRIH Buddha of the three times, Precious Guru,
Lord of all Accomplishment, Great Blissful One,
You who dispel all obstacles, Wrathful Tamer of Maras,
To you we pray: please grant us your blessings.
This cloud of offerings, both real and imagined —
This ganacakra–offering of foodstuffs with the five desirable qualities — please accept and enjoy it.
This vast cloud of the nectar of the five wisdoms
Fulfilling and completing our commitments, we confess our downfalls, inconsistencies and errors:
Liberate obscuration stemming from grasping at duality into the realm of complete and primordial purity.
Establish the five poisons as the vast expanse of the five primordial awarenesses.
Accept, too, those who have fallen away from the precepts of the supreme and mighty,
And, with a mind to your commitment, perform the activities entrusted you:
Pacify outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be fulfilled.
OM AH HUNG SARWA MAHA GURU MANDALA SAPARIWARA GANATSATRA PUDZA K'A HI
Thus make the offering, and then recite the 100–Syllable Mantra.
Recite the prayer while enjoying the substances of commitment, and, if you wish, it is also quite acceptable, but in no wise imperative, to separately recite the verses of the Assembly of Offering Confession.
Then, once again, recite the Prayer of the Desired Goal, as follows:
E MA HO How wonderful. — In Dewachen, dharmakaya Amitabha,
On Mount Potala, sambhogakaya Avalokiteshvara,
On Mount Chamara, nirmanakaya Pemakara —
To you we pray. Of your compassion, please look upon us with your penetrating vision.
Sole protector of the beings so difficult to tame in this Dharma–ending age,
The miraclulous emanation of your five enlightened dimensions of being and eightfold qualities is quite beyond conception,
You who dance into existence the net of illusory forms to tame whomsoever is in need of taming —
Only Father, Pema, we beseech you — Think of us with loving–kindness.
Lord Guru possessed of fivefold extraordinary compassion,
You who, because of former aspirations and promises, are a veritable treasure,
Act that the prayers and aspirations of all who, like myself, now live in this Dharma–ending age,
Ripen and and bear fruit.
When the four elements shake our mental stream, and foreign armies approach the centre of our land,
Now, when because of discord, the time of the destruction of the Dharma–Wheel draws nigh,
Guru Dregpa Kün'dül, Subduer of the Haughty and Prideful, arise in bodily form
And turn back these foreign armies and turbulent times, we pray.
When there are pestilential plagues caused by the turbulence of mamo spirits making use of the degeneration of the period,
And we are tormented by illnesses stemming from causes and results throughout the three times,
Guru Mänpa'i Gyälpo, King of Physicians, arise in bodily form
And calm the union of the mucus, phlegm and bile, we pray.
When, through peverse usage, the prosperity of the world of animate and inanimate beings fails,
And we are striken with the afflictions of poverty, hunger and thirst,
Guru Norlha Wanggyäl, Powerful Lord of Wealth Deities, arise in bodily form
And wash these away with a downpour of all we could wish for, we pray.
When it is time for the good fortune of karmically–endowed sons of the lineage to ripen,
And for them to recive the treasure of Dharma–substances protecting beings from the depredations of the Dharma–ending Age,
Guru Yidam Wanggyäl, Powerful King of the Deities of Meditation, arise in bodily form
And ripen and liberate these fortunate ones without obstacle, we pray.
When we yearn to withdraw into forest hermitages in hidden lands,
The five valleys, three secret sites, four places of refuge, and so on,
Guru Drubpo'i Rekong, Fulfiller of All Hopes of the Practitioner, arise in bodily form
And lead us onto the paths of Dharma activity, we pray.
When we risk attack from fierce and blood–thirsty sharp–fanged animals
Such as tigers, leopards, bears, wolves, dogs, poisonous snakes, and so on,
Guru Pa'wo Gingtso, Lord of the Heroic Ging Emissaries, arise in bodily form
And drive back these cruel beings, we pray.
When, through disturbances in the four elements, earthquakes, fires, enemies, lightning, thunderbolts, and so forth,
Our life–force is shaken,
Guru 'Jungshir Wanggyur, You Who Exercise Power over the Four Elements, arise in bodily form
And pacify the turbulent upheaval of the elements, we pray.
Now, when valleys and hills are filled with robbers and brigands,
When the laws of the ten virtues are corrupt and degenerate, and all kinds of mischief and evil come to the fore,
Guru Marung Trödze, You Who Drive Off the Improper, arise in bodily form
And bind these wild and savage men, we pray.
As we reach the very dregs of time, in this kalpa of sharp weapons
Where the greater part of Dharma–practitioners are put to the sword,
Guru Dorje Gocha, Vajra Armour, arise in bodily form
And protect us from this fearsome butchery, we pray.
When we are afflicted by the intense suffering of the interruption of our life–stream,
Our life–force having finally reached its end,
Guru 'Chiwa'i 'Jigkyob, Protector from the Fears of Death, arise in bodily form
And lead us to the pure land, we pray.
When, under the influence of previous habit, we are brought to wander in the realm of meaningless phenomena,
Taunted and oppressed by the illusory messengers of the Lord of Death,
Guru Bardo'i 'Trül'jom, Subduer of the Illusions of the Intermediate State, arise in bodily form
And liberate these illusory appearances into their own fundamental condition, we pray.
When, under the power of mean and inferior karma, we are on the point of falling
Through the door of error down the precipice of the six realms of cyclic existence,
Guru Kyewa Kyongdze, You Who Protect Those Taking Birth, arise in bodily form
And shut off the gates to impure rebirth, we pray.
When the beings of the six realms, and particularly those of the Land of Snows,
Tainted by defilement, are stricken with suffering and distress,
Guru 'Drodrug Künkyob, Protector of the Beings of the Six Realms, arise in bodily form
And vanquish the fearsome hosts of suffering, we pray.
In short, henceforth, until we attain enlightenment,
Whatever happens, be it happiness, sorrow, good fortune, misfortune, life or death,
Aside from you, Lord Guru, there is no other object of hope —
Hold us with your compassion, Lotus–Born. Never let us be separated.
Provide us with all the vital elements and essences that prolong and nourish our lives,
Anihilate the power of obstructive spirits and mara demons like a hailstorm,
And grant that those noble beings who are in accord with Dharma
Effortlessly attain the power to realise their own goals and those of others, the teachings and all living beings.
Rich in perfectly pure discipline, listening, reflection and meditation,
With skill in exposition, debate and composition, may we raise aloft the victory–banner of the teachings of the buddhas.
May gods and men who side with virtue and positivity always experience auspiciousness,
And grant those worthy ones whose practice is in accord with Dharma accomplishment of the realisation of the ultimate goal.
The minds of this Sangha–assembly ever in accord,
May their threefold learning and practice of the Dharma increase.
Benefitting all we meet and making use of the four activities that encourage partnership and cooperation,
May we unfurl and establish the banner of the supreme teachings of the definitive secret.
Make firm the lives of supreme holders of the Dharma and accomplish their aims,
Pacify the hardships of the five degenerations and make of Tibet a realm of happiness and bliss.
With worldly and superworldly tokens of auspiciousness
Auspiciously grant the realisation of the twofold goal and of all that could be desired.
Thus recite with one–pointed devotion.
Finally, there is Receiving the Empowerments:
From the white OM–syllable upon a moon–disk in the forehead of the Guru visualised as actually present before me,
White light streams out
Making offering to all the Victorious Ones and gathering back the blessings of their bodies,
Which dissolve all at once into the OM–syllable in my own forehead.
Rays of white light fill my body, purifying obscuration and defilement,
I received the ‘Vase’ Empowerment and blessing of the Buddha Body,
And my body transforms into the illusory wisdom body of appearance–emptiness.
From the AH–syllable upon a lotus–flower in his throat, red light streams forth,
Making offerings to all the Victorious Ones and gathering back the blessings of their speech
Which dissolve all at once into the AH–syllable in my own throat.
Red light completely fills the syllables in the channels of my psycho-energetic structure, purifying my obscurations of speech,
I receive the ‘Secret’ Empowerment and the blessing of the Buddha Speech,
And my speech transforms into invincible and eternal sound–emptiness, the vajra voice of unshakeable reality.
Deep blue light streams from the HUNG–syllable upon the sun–disk in his heart,
Making offerings to all the Victorious Ones and gathering the blessings of their mind
Which dissolve all at once into the HUNG–syllable in my own heart.
Rays of blue light fill my entire body and mind, purifying all mental obscuration,
I attain the Empowerment of ‘Penetrating Insight and Primordial Awareness’ and the blessing of the Buddha Mind,
And my mind transforms into the immutable awarenes–emptiness mind of great bliss.
Again, from the three places of Guru visualised before me,
A Guru resembling him in every aspect emanates forth
And dissolves into my own three places, transfoming my three doors into the enlightened body, speech and mind.
Perfectly one with the quintessence of primordial awareness,
The obscurations to knowing are purified, and by receiving the ‘Fourth’ Empowerment,
The seed–energy of my three doors really becomes primordial awareness.
Accustoming myself to the threefold pure awareness as actually present in my heart,
I perceive the unelaborate and uncontrived bindu of primordial awareness itself.
Remaining in this state of contemplation, if you so wish, in between sessions, you may practice breath–control and mental recitation of the quintessential mantra.
This is the Thanksgiving Offering and Praise...
OM AH HUNG To the assembled divine hosts of the mandala of the Guru, the Master of Pure Awareness,
I offer an oceanlike oblation of clouds of outer, inner and secret offerings,
Both actually present and mentally imagined,
And praise their enlightened body, speech, mind, qualities and activities.
MA HA PU DZA HO
The prayer Requesting Forbearance:
For whatever is missing, actually impure,
And for whatever I was unable to do —
For all faults in my execution of this,
Please consider me with patience.
Recite this and repeat the 100–Syllable Mantra.
If there is a support for the assembly–guests, request them to remain as usual. If there is none, ...
The retinue dissolves back into the principle deity,
And, greatly rejoicing, the the principle deity, the Lord of Uddiyana,
Dissolves into me.
I myself dissolve into the state of the uncontrived basis of all things
Beyond all mental grasping at duality,
The enlightened dimension of pure reality, utterly unsullied and free from all projection.
Envisioning this, let your mind rest in even minded meditation inseparable from that of the lama's in a state of uncontrived great bliss beyond all grasping or rejecting…
… Rearising from that state, and perceiving whatever appears is the playful display of the lama, this is the Prayer for Dedicating the Merit:
HO I dedicate whatever merit arises as the result of making offering to the Guru, the Master of Pure Awareness,
To the mental continua of all living beings.
Reaching the ultimate degree of the qualities of the levels and paths,
May they all quickly attain the level of the King of Great Bliss.
The Prayer of Auspiciousness
OM Lordly Guru, massing cloud of blessing in the vastness of space,
Peaceful and Wrathful Deities of Meditation, streaming downpour of realisations and accomplishments,
Dakini host, ripeners of the sought after fruit s —
May the auspicious circumstance of the mandala of the Three Roots arise.
Thus singing verses of auspiciousness to whatever melody you normally use, strewing a rain of flowers, cause merit and auspiciousness to pervade all of space and time.
Also, when doing a daily accumulation of, for example, a hundred–thousand recitations of the ‘Spontaneous Realisation of All Wishes’ without the offering section, as explained above, complete the sections on refuge and bodhicitta and the creation of the supporting visualisation, and then accumulate the root verses many times, at the end of which you should take the empowerments and dissolve the Lama into yourself, followed by the dedication of merit, and your purpose will be achieved.
Lordly Lama, you who are like a wish–granting gem,
In unfurling the cloud–like canopy of the perfection–adorned practice
Of the wondrous and excellent ‘Spontaneous Realisation of all Wishes’,
Quintessence of the pith–instruction of Urgyen Rinpoche, Knower of the Three Times,
In acting thus, I have not polluted it with creations of my own,
But, following the ‘Assembly of Masters of Pure Awareness’ and other such texts of former times,
Have brought together the essence of the profound termas and pith–instructions,
Keeping strictly to the words of the Lordly Lama, so as to present a faultless creation.
By this merit, may I and all the limitless living beings
Develop the power to follow the Lotus Guru throughout all our lifetimes,
And thereby traverse the five paths and their qualities without the slightest difficulty,
Until we really have reached the same level as the lama, Lord of the Family.
Thus, in response to the exhortation of Chogtrül Rinpoche, Künzang Lodrö Shenp'en T'aye, brimming with threefold blessings, and of K'enpo Künzang Yeshe, I, the monk 'Gyurme Pema Ten'dzin, who have realised for myself the lineage of Lodrö T'aye, the Perfect Buddha, wrote this at Demchog Trashi Gen'pel on the perfect first day of the New Year of the Water Horse, and may it bring virtue.
Appendix II
The Lightning Flash of Compassion,
A Concise Prayer of the Spontaneous Realisation of all Wishes
E MA HO How wondrous. — Glorious embodiment of the Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, Lama, Yidam, Khan'dro and all Who Course in Bliss,
Sole refuge of the defenseless beings of the degenerate dregs of time,
Skull–Garlanded One, you whose compassion is swift as a lightning flash,
To you, Great Lotus Heruka Guru,
We pray with profound faith and deep and intense longing:
Turn back enemies, demons and obstacle–making spirits, obstructions, curses and spells,
Bind evil king spirits, demonesses and negative elementals with oaths,
And grant us your blessing that all our wishes be spontaneously perfected.
This as the signs of the time became manifest, to accord with the desire of the mother and child, this was uttered as a mind–treasure by Jalü Dorje
An Extremely Concise Remover of Obstacles
OM AH HUNG Dharmakaya Amitabha, Sambhogakaya Avalokiteshvara,
Nirmanakaya Padmasambhava, wrathful Dragpo Tsäl,
To you we pray — In the immense power of your compassion,
Dissolve outer, inner and secret obstacles into the ultimate space of reality.
When beings in these evil dregs of time experience suffering,
Apart from you, there is no other sure foundation of hope. We pray to you again and again
With intense faith and longing from the very depths of our hearts:
Reverse inauspicious circumstances and outer, inner and secret obstacles,
And may our wind horse flourish and spread, increasing our life–span and merit.
Thus this is by Jalü Dorje, so–called Tertön.
Appendix III
The Prayer for the Swift Realisation of All that is Wished
EMAHO How extraordinary — On the anthers of a kesar lotus flower, in the middle of a lake,
Deity of five enlightened dimensions and inherently present primordial awareness,
Great Self–Born One, Padmasambhava and your consort in union,
Assembled massing clouds of dakinis pray to you —
Grant us the blessing of swiftly realising our wishes and aims.
Show us your face, we beseech you, Lord of Uddiyana,
The slightest memory of which immediately consumes
The fully ripened result of our past bad actions, the hosts of
Sickness, demons, obstacles, war, disruption and famine —
Grant us the blessing of swiftly realising our wishes and aims.
Faith, moral discipline and generosity,
A mind liberated by listening to the teachings, a disposition of modesty, freedom from all arrogance
And the perfection of penetrating insight — these seven jewels
Naturally becoming precious to the minds of all sentient beings,
May worldly joy and happiness become firmly established —
Grant us the blessing of swiftly realising our wishes and aims.
Sickness, suffering, and other undesired circumstances,
Demonic obstructions, punishments ordered by kings,
Or the great terrors of fire, water, carnivorous demons and beasts and narrow passes,
As well as coming to the end of our lives — from all of these —
There being no other refuge or place of safety than you,
Hold us in your compassion, Lord of Uddiyana —
Grant us the blessing of swiftly realising our wishes and aims.
Thus, to bring the benefit of joy and happiness to beings and to the teachings, and to pacify sickness, despair and invading armies on the borders of Tibet, may this come to find a place in the hearts of all thoughtful and faithful persons.
The first verse was written by the Omniscient Longchenpa and comes from the invocation section, ‘Massing Clouds of Profound Meaning’, the final part of the ‘Absolute Quintessence of the Dakinis’, the K'andro Yang T'ig.
To that is appended the blessing–filled indestructible enlightened word of the second Omniscient One, Künkhyen 'Jigme Lingpa.
Appendix IV
A Prayer to Guru Rinpoche That He Dispel All Obstacles and Swiftly Fulfil All Wishes
E MA HO How wonderful. — Sole and unique embodiment of the combined compassion of all buddhas,
The one, unfailing support and refuge, Pema'jungne, Lotus–Born,
To you we pray. Kind–heartedly turning your attention to us, your children,
At this very time grant us blessings, empowerment and accomplishment.
While we know that your life and liberation, qualities and kindness,
Far surpass those of other buddhas,
Yet, even as we rejoice in these, we forget you, O Spiritual Teacher —
Even though we recite prayers, it's nothing more than mere lip service.
Now is the corrupt and tormenting period of the spread of the five degenerations,
And as these unwanted sufferings decend on us like lightning,
I think of you, Protector, from the very depths of my heart —
Please heed this wailing lament of mine.
Earthquakes, fires, enemies, hurricanes, drought, floods, and so on:
Outwardly pacify external obstacles arising from disturbances in the elements.
Fevers, diseases of cold, wind, phlegm or bile, contagious diseases and typhoid:
Inwardly pacify internal obstacles stemming from disorders in the constitution.
The five poisons and the demons of desire, hatred, hope and fear within one's own mental continuum:
Pacify secret obstacles arising from mental disturbance into the ultimate space of reality.
When the ocean of suffering of the sentient beings of Jambudvipa surges,
Grant them a safe haven of peace and happiness, Lotus–Born.
When armed hosts swarm on the borders and in the central regions of the realm,
Drive back the armies of these turbulent times, O Lotus–Born.
When we are tormented by dangerous and contageous diseases stemming from defilement and demonic interference,
Cut these demonic diseases from the very root, Lotus–Born.
When the prosperity of beings and the environment fade and the suffering of poverty abounds,
Open up the treasury of food and wealth, Lotus–Born.
When it is time for the consecrated substances that are the jewel of the Dharma to benefit living beings,
Assure that the wealth of the father passes on to his sons, Lotus–Born.
When we are roaming in the solitary places and hidden valleys of the secret lands,
Lead us on trouble–free and pleasant paths, Lotus–Born.
When terrified by unruly and sharp–fanged wild beasts,
Cause them to abandon their poisonous attitude, Lotus–Born.
When, because of disturbance in the four elements, this illusory body is touched by fear,
Pacify the elements into their own fundamental condition, Lotus–Born.
When we are troubled by savage people, thieves, robbers and bandits,
Cause them to abandon their poisonous mind of ravening greed, Lotus–Born.
When we are attacked by hate–filled enemies brandishing murderous weapons,
Protect us in a tent of vajra, Lotus–Born.
When, one day, our life is exhausted and the moment of death arrives,
Lead us to the Bliss–Endowed Land Of Sukhavati, Lotus–Born.
When the suffering of the delusory appearances of the intermediate state arises,
Cause these illusions to dissolve of themselves, Lotus–Born.
When we are dumped on the shores of the cyclic existence of worldly karma and activity,
Guide us onto the path of liberation, Lotus–Born.
In this life, the next, and the intermediate state between,
Lotus–Born, there is no other hope or support than you.
In brief, may your lotus feet always be firmly established without the least separation
In the heart of myself, the devoted practitioner,
And, having purified the delusory suffering of defilement,
Grant your blessing that I reach the stable ground of bliss.
Thus, this prayer of the fulfilment of wishes was written by 'Jigdräl Yeshe Dorje for those in a state where body and mind are troubled by many disturbing conditions, outer and inner. By it, may all inner and outer obstacles they meet with be pacified, and may their wishes be realised just as desired. May all be utterly auspicious.
Appendix V
A Yearning Song of Sorrow
Eternal and undeceiving sole refuge, Lord of the Mandala,
Embodiment of all Buddhas, Uddiyana Vajradhara, Wielder of the Vajra–Sceptre,
Worn out and tormented, we have no other hope but you:
With your lightning–swift compassion, please turn your attention to us here and now.
Now, as we are reaching the end of the evil era of degeneration,
By the growing power of nine oath–breaker demons and their evil intentions,
The mind–stream of the mass of human beings has become arrogant and conceited in its demonic enchantment.
Out of compassion
And of your vast loving kindness, you never abandon the people of Tibet,
So that, as we are about to fall into evil action, indifferent to blame,
Spritual Master, you look upon as us followers of yourself and your teachings
And regard us as your disciples,
But, despising your kndness, deafened by the roar of our blazing wrong views,
Our minds take refuge in devious and heretical enchanters.
Confusing the view of Buddhism with that of those who are non–Buddhists, we stir up misfortune, bringing down various forms of evil upon ourselves.
Though modestly seeming to take the lower place, we are filled with one–sided sectarianism;
Though maintaining moral rectitude, are weighed down with hypocrisy and other such violations,
Swirling in a tornado of false accusation and evil circumstances.
Because of the evil actions we ourselves have committed, we speak of this as the evil age.
Whatever we aspire to is just the fault of our rising heart wind.
By this song of heartfelt repentance and remorse arising from the depths of our hearts,
We weep and call to you for aid — This is our time of need.
Only father, if we cannot call upon you, upon whom can we call?
Greatly loving and kindly one, if you will not look upon us, who will?
We call upon you, T'ötrengtsäl — You Who Manifest the Garland of Skulls — by the essence of the commitment you share with us.
From the sphere of ultimate space, Drowolö — You Whose Manifestation is Indestructible Wrath — let fly your enlightened intention.
Now is the time to show your might, your force, your strength.
Swiftly save us from these intolerable negative conditions:
Reverse external armies of demonic obstructions;
Subjugate the appearances of our polluted winds and minds with splendour;
Turn the minds of living beings toward goodwill, kindliness and virtue.
In brief, do not permit that we, your disciples, I and others like me,
Be overpowered by evil conditions and karma.
Dissolve the unwelcome host of outer and inner misfortunes in the ultimate space of reality.
May our countless desires, goals and ambitions be effortlessly realised just as we wish.
May all lineages and schools spread to encompass Jambudvipa,
And, the twofold goal spontaneously realised, may we be completely victorious over the ten directions.
Equal with yourself, O Guru,
May we be blessed with the power to stir up and enlighten the very depths of cyclic existence.
Thus, his heart overflowing with many circumstances, outer and inner, and his mind in an attitude of repentance, seeing that the time had come for the skilful means of a yearning song of lamentation, 'Jigdral Yeshe Dorje wrote this.
Real face of all the Victorious Ones combined, Great Guru,
As it spreads, may this aspiration prayer of the quintessence of your vow of commitment,
The radiantly blazing light of the Three Rare and Precious Jewels in the form of a Dharma gift,
Pacify the host of troubles afflicting the Dharma Teachings and living beings.
Thus, on the basis of a request that I write something like this, this was composed at the second 'Omin Mindröl Ling College, by that old monk, 'Dusum, fourth holder of the name of Karma Tr'inle. May virtue flourish.
Appendix VI
Herein are Contained the Verses of the Eight Noble and Auspicious Ones
When starting out on any activity first recite this through once and, no matter what your project may be, it will turn out exactly as is wished for.
OM To the hosts of Buddhas, Dharma and Sangha
Dwelling in the pure realms of the ten auspicious directions
Where all phenomenal appearance and existence are perfectly pure and their nature spontaneously perfect,
I bow down. For myself and all others, may all be auspicious.
King of Lamps (Dipakaraja), He Whose Awareness has Realised the Goal of Firm and Unshakeable Skilful Manifestation (Vikramasthirakaushalamadhashaya),
Glorious Ornament of Loving Kindness (Shrimaitreyalamkara), Virtue, Glorious and Pure (Shrivarashubhakirti),
Vastly Renowned One Who Holds All Things in his Enlightened Intention (Sarvashayodharakirtiman),
He Whose Sublime Power, Renowned and Glorious, is like the Noble Mountain (Shrisumeruvadayakaushalakirti),
Supreme and Glorious One Who Holds all Sentient Beings in his Enlightened Intention (Shrisarvasattvashayakirti),
Glorious and Widely–Famed One Whose Perfect Skill Brings Satisfaction to All Minds (Shrimatushakarakaushalasukirti),
Merely to hear your names increases auspiciousness and success —
To the Eight Sugatas, Those Who Course in Bliss, I bow down.
Youthful One of Sweet–Toned Voice (Mañjushrikumara), Glorious Holder of the Vajra (Shri Vajrapani),
Lord Who Observes with Penetrating Vision (Avalokiteshvara), Glorious Loving Protector (Shri Maitreyanatha),
Earth–Matrix (Kshitigarbha), He Who Perfectly Dispels Sin and Defilement (Nivaranaviskambhin),
Space–Matrix (Akashagarbha), Thoroughly Noble One, Supreme and Sublime (Shri Aryasamantabhadra),
Elegantly holding your emblems, the Utpala Flower, Vajra–Sceptre, White Lotus, Naga Tree,
Jewel, Moon, Sword and Sun,
Supreme in granting auspiciousness and success —
To the Eight Bodhisattvas, the Enlightenment Beings, I bow down.
The Supreme and Jewelled Umbrella (Kshetraratna), Auspicious Golden Fishes (Suvarnamatsya),
Wishfulfilling Vase (Dhanakumbha) and exquisite Kamala Flower (Kamalaratna),
The Conch of Renown and Glory (Dakshinavartashanka), Glorious Knot of Prosperity (Shrivatsa),
Never Failing Banner of Victory (Dhvajaratna) and All Powerful Wheel (Suvarnacakra),
Holding the Eight Supreme and Precious Emblems
Are the delight–bringing maidens, Beauty, Flower–Garlands, Song, Dance, Flowers, Incense, Lamps and Perfume, making offering to the Victorious Ones of the ten directions.
Merely to think of their essential qualities is to cause glory and prosperity to increase —
To the Eight Auspicious Goddesses, I bow down.
Greatly Pure (Mahabrahma), Sprung from Bliss (Shambhu Maheshvara), Passionless Son (Narayana Vishnu),
Thousand Eyed One (Sahasraksha Indra), and the King ‘Boundary Protector’ (Dhritarashtra),
Nobly–Born Male (Virudhaka), Naga Lord Ill–Favoured Eyes (Virupaksha)
And All–Hearing Prince (Vaishravana), each holding your divine emblem,
The Wheel, Trident, Conch and Vajra,
Vina, Sword, Stupa and Victory Banner,
And increasing virtue, fortune and auspiciousness throughout the triple world —
To the Eight Guardians of the World, I bow down.
May we have perfect blessings, happiness and auspiciousness
On all activities I and others are starting today,
And may all obstacles and baneful influences be pacified
So that they meet with ever increasing success and are completed just as wished.
The Supreme Victorious One has said that if this prayer is recited after arisng from bed, all one's wishes will be fulfilled throughout the day. If it is recited before going to sleep, one will dream good dreams. And if it is recited before entering a competition, one will be victorious over all comers.
If it is recited before beginning any business, profit will increase, and if you recite it every day, your lifespan, glory, renown and wealth will increase, and happiness, fame, prosperity, virtue and all your aims and wishes will be realised just as wished. Your sins and defilements will be purified, and you will find favourable rebirth as a god or man, there auspiciously realising all your goals. This fine necklace of precious jewels arose from the ocean like mind of 'Jampäl Gyepa'i Dorje (Mipham Rinpoche), at the propitious time of the ascendancy of the constellation Pushpya, the King, on the excellent third day of the eighth month of the Fire Monkey Year.
