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Menu Close Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Donate Research Tool Privacy Policy & Terms of Use SUBSCRIBE Publications Watch People Listen Listen Relax and listen to engaging audio narrations of translated Tibetan texts. BIOGRAPHICAL BUDDHIST CONTEMPORARY GOVERNMENTAL INSTITUTIONAL MISCELLANEOUS Author Tradition Historical Period View All Reset Filters Song Song of Experience: The Gateway of Manifold Appearances Lelung Zhepe Dorje 00:00 / 07:07 Composed in 1718 amid violent political and religious upheaval in Tibet, this deeply personal song captures the young Lelung Zhepe Dorje’s disenchantment with worldly life, devotion, longing for hidden lands, and urgent yearning for freedom. See Publication Song Don’t Place Your Trust in… Sera Khandro 00:00 / 02:35 A mgur of direct “pointing out” in which Sera Khandro dismantles every support of the path, revealing the already-complete unity of emptiness and luminosity. See Publication Song Ocean, Waves, and Wind: A Song on the Nature of Mind Tsangnyon Heruka 00:00 / 01:26 A song by Tsangnyön Heruka, using the imagery of ocean, waves, and wind to point directly at the nature of mind. See Publication Song Song of the Vulture Sera Khandro 00:00 / 03:09 Sera Khandro sang this song at the age of eleven, a month after her mother’s death, following an encounter with a white vulture she recognised as the soul-bird of a ḍākinī. See Publication Song A Madman’s Meditation Experiences: A Song from Labchi Tsangnyon Heruka 00:00 / 01:26 A Madman’s Meditation Experiences: A Song from Labchi, is a doha sung by Tsangnyön Heruka at the sacred hermitage of Labchi. See Publication Prayer The Outer, Inner, and Secret Practice Cycle of Zhepe Dorje Lelung Zhepe Dorje 00:00 / 02:26 This text presents the outer, inner, and secret practice cycles of Zhepe Dorje, transmitted by Lhachik Nyima Zhönu—a protector deity revealed through pure vision—in 1730 and recorded in 1731. See Publication Prayer Opening the Door to Prosperity: A Praise to Invoke the Sacred Commitment of the Great Shanglön Dorje Dudul Lelung Zhepe Dorje 00:00 / 05:42 Devotional praises invoking Shanglön Dorje Dudul, composed by Lelung Zhepe Dorje, describe him in great detail as a dark blue yakṣa figure adorned with jewels, holding a wish-fulfilling jewel and nectar vase, and capable of transforming into various wrathful forms. See Publication Song A Series of Spontaneous Spiritual Songs Lelung Zhepe Dorje 00:00 / 06:03 Two spontaneous songs by Lelung Zhepe Dorje: one honouring the 2nd Dzogchen Drubwang Gyurme Thekchog Tenzin, the other celebrating the experience of unobstructed, effortless awareness. Both transmit direct spiritual realization through verse. See Publication Biography Namkechenma: A Dream of Guru Chökyi Wangchuk Guru Chökyi Wangchuk 00:00 / 04:20 Armed with the 'scroll of devastation' from his father, Guru Chöwang's first treasure excavation leads to a terrifying encounter with the Nine-Headed Nāga Demon, guardian of hidden teachings. See Publication Biography How Guru Chöwang Met the Guru at Ne Ngön Guru Chökyi Wangchuk 00:00 / 03:01 During an alchemical corpse ritual, Guru Chöwang meets Padmasambhava in a profound encounter that defies categorization as dream, vision, or reality - an event he insisted truly occurred. See Publication Biography An Extraordinary Pure Vision at Kharchu's Nectar Cave: A Dream of Guru Chöwang Guru Chökyi Wangchuk 00:00 / 04:51 After five days of Guru Pema practice, Chöwang's pure vision atop Mt Meru reveals worldly omens and a profound teaching: all phenomena, even demons, arise from mind itself. See Publication Praises In Praise of the Goddess Sarasvatī Tsongkhapa Lobzang Dragpa 00:00 / 01:31 Tsongkhapa's celebrated ode to Sarasvatī resonates beyond monastery walls into Tibet's artistic and literary spheres, becoming a cultural touchstone of devotional poetry. See Publication View More

Three songs by Lelung Zhepe Dorje combining affectionate humour, the unconventional spirituality of the mad yogin and playful reflections on the meaning of his name. Three Songs of Experience: Lavapa’s Cave and the Mad Yogins 1 | My Friend Ragpa Zhabdrung During the party’s descent from the sacred caves, Lelung noticed his close companion Ragpa Zhabdrung walking ahead of the group. He responded with this affectionate and teasing portrait, contrasting Ragpa’s unappealing outward appearance with the substance and warmth he possessed within. [1] My friend, Ragpa Zhabdrung— Viewed from the outside, He’s enough to make you vomit. Viewed from within, He certainly carries some weight. Viewed on the secret level, There’s a pleasing warmth about him. When he climbs up the mountain, He’s like a frog leaping to the sky. When he descends the mountain, He’s like a boulder tumbling down. When set down on the level plain, He’s like a lump of butter wrapped in tsampa dough. If you’re going to call anyone a friend, Let it be this one! Thus I sang! 2 | Song of the Mad Yogins Afterwards, Ragpa Zhabdrung and several others hosted a feast of innumerable kinds of food and drink. Lelung sang many more spontaneous songs. Most of those present were moved to tears and cried out loudly; their meditative experience blazed so intensely that they passed the day without noticing weariness, hunger or thirst. When the party reached Khandro Ling, Lelung sang the following vajra song amid the assembled brothers and sisters. Upon reaching E Lam Ling, the supreme sacred site, The Joyful Grove of the Dākinīs: Behold the spectacle of Zhepe Dorje, The mad yogin born at Zang Ri— O fortunate brothers and sisters! Though our mouths and eyes, our hands and feet, Are alike in number and form, We vajra brothers and sisters Do not all go mad the same way. Outwardly, we’ve gone mad— Whatever arises, we embrace as yogic conduct. Inwardly, we’ve gone mad— Drunk on the wine of eloquent teachings, Nectar profound and vast. Secretly, we’ve gone mad— Training in the natural state, Wide open, free from all grasping. How happy are we, the mad yogins— Outer, inner, and secret all in accord! When fortunate men and women look at us, Admiration arises. [2] When those with wrong views look at us, They cannot help but vomit. When those with equanimity look at us, Appearances and mind are at ease. With all appearance and existence in the state of HŪṂ, Having sung the far-reaching song of HŪṂ, And stamped the vajra dance of HŪṂ, Rest completely in the state of HŪṂ! HŪṂ HŪṂ HŪṂ Thus I sang! 3 | My Name Is Zhepe Dorje [3] The account says only that Lelung’s meditative experience flared up once more. In the same charged atmosphere, and immediately after ‘Song of the Mad Yogins’, he turned to a playful reinterpretation of his own name. When those with pure perception look at me I am Dorje, who makes devotion bloom. When those with wrong views look at me, I am Dorje, who makes scornful laughter erupt. When those with indifference look at me, I am Dorje, who makes meditative experience dawn. When the lamas look upon me, I am Dorje, upon whom blessings stream forth. When the yidam deities look upon me, I am Dorje, upon whom accomplishments ripen. When the ḍākinīs look upon me, I am Dorje, with whom great bliss surges. When the oath-bound protectors look upon me, I am Dorje, who attracts delighted smiles. Thus I also sang. COLOPHON None NOTE [1] The contextual introductions preceding each song have been supplied by the translators, based on the surrounding prose narrative; they are not direct translations of passages in the Tibetan text. [2] Translation note: Each of these three lines ends with rang bzhin , literally “nature” or “character.” It functions here as a noun referring to the character of the experience arising in those who look upon the yogins, rather than to the yogins’ own nature. Since an explicit translation would be cumbersome and repetitive in English, its sense has been absorbed into the construction of each line. [3] A play on words runs through this song that English cannot reproduce directly. Every stanza turns on the Tibetan verb bzhad , the same word repeated throughout and the central element of Lelung’s own name, Zhepe Dorje (bzhad pa'i rdo rje) . The Tibetan verb bzhad has two principal senses: to open or blossom, as a flower does, and, honorifically, to laugh or smile. As the song moves through seven different groups of viewers, Lelung repeatedly reinterprets his own name: for those with pure perception, devotion blooms; among those with wrong views, scornful laughter erupts; for the indifferent, meditative experience dawns; and with the ḍākinīs, great bliss surges. To produce natural and meaningful English, the translation renders the line-ending verb somewhat freely according to each context. It is therefore worth remembering that, where the English uses several different expressions, the Tibetan repeats the same verb, bzhad , throughout. In this and the following two lines, the Tibetan ends with ( rang bzhin ), “nature.” It indicates that each is the characteristic response produced when that particular group looks upon the yogins. Because the Tibetan leaves unstated exactly whose “nature” is meant, translating the word directly would be unclear, so its sense has been absorbed into the reactions described. BIBLIOGRAPHY Sle lung rje drung Bzhad pa’i rdo rje. 1983. “Lwa ba pa’i gzims phug dang dpal lha dang jag me’i gsang phug sogs ngo ’phrod pa’i lo rgyus dran pa’i me long.” In Gsung ’bum Bzhad pa’i rdo rje , vol. 9, 1–27. Leh: T. Sonam and D. L. Tashigang. BDRC. BDRC MW22130_68F4B4 . Abstract Three Songs of Experience: Lavapa’s Cave and the Mad Yogins, a title supplied by the translators, presents three songs by Lelung Zhepe Dorje ( sle lung bzhad pa’i rdo rje ) drawn from his A Mirror of Memory: An Account of Identifying Lavapa’s Meditation Cave, the Secret Caves of Pal Lha and Jakme, and Other Sites (Lwa ba pa’i gzims phug dang dpal lha dang jag me’i gsang phug sogs ngo ’phrod pa’i lo rgyus dran pa’i me long) . Composed in 1729, shortly after Lelung’s return from Pemakö ( pad+ma bkod ), the songs emerged during the visionary exploration and ritual consecration of a sacred landscape associated with the mahāsiddha Lavapa (lwa ba pa) , Pal Lha (dpal lha) and Jakme (jag me) . Combining affectionate humour, mad-yogin spirituality and playful wordplay, they portray Lelung’s companion Ragpa Zhabdrung (rag pa zhabs drung) , celebrate the unconventional conduct and non-grasping awareness of the “mad yogins,” and unfold the changing implications of bzhad , the word at the heart of Lelung’s own name. BDRC LINK MW22130 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 00:27 TRADITION Nyingma Geluk INCARNATION LINE Lelung Jedrung HISTORICAL PERIOD 17th Century 18th Century TEACHERS The Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso The Fifth Panchen Lama, Lobzang Yesh e Damchö Zangpo Mingyur Paldrön Chöje Lingpa Dönyö Khedrup The First Purchok, Ngawang Jampa Ngawang Chödrak Yeshe Gyatso Damchö Gyatso Losal Gyatso Lhundrub Gyatso Dungkar Tsangyang Drugdrak The Second Dzogchen Drubwang, Gyurme Tekchok Tendzin TRANSLATOR Tib Shelf English editing by Libby Hogg INSTITUTIONS Lelung Monastery Mindröling Ngari Dratsang Chökhor Gyal Trandruk Potala Tsāri STUDENTS Kunga Mingyur Dorj e Dorje Yom e Kunga Paldzom Lobzang Lhachok Dönyö Khedrub Polhane Sönam Tobgy e Ngawang Jampa Mingyur Paldrön The Fifth Dorje Drak Rigdzin, Kalzang Pema Wangchuk Lhasang Khan AUTHOR Lelung Zhepe Dorje Three Songs of Experience: Lavapa’s Cave and the Mad Yogins VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! Name * Email* Submit Tib Shelf is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to translating, presenting and preserving primary source Tibetan texts across a vast array of genres and time periods. We make these literary treasures accessible to readers worldwide, offering a unique window into Tibet's rich history, culture and traditions. Tib Shelf has been accredited by the British Library with the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2754–1495 CONTACT US | SHELVES@TIBSHELF.ORG © 2024 Tib Shelf. All rights reserved.

Menu Close Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Donate Research Tool Privacy Policy & Terms of Use SUBSCRIBE Publications Watch People Listen Watch Explore the stories and culture of Tibet through immersive videos. BIOGRAPHICAL BUDDHIST GOVERNMENTAL MISCELLANEOUS Author Tradition Historical Period View All Reset Filters Song Ocean, Waves, and Wind: A Song on the Nature of Mind Tsangnyon Heruka A song by Tsangnyön Heruka, using the imagery of ocean, waves, and wind to point directly at the nature of mind. See Publication Song A Madman’s Meditation Experiences: A Song from Labchi Tsangnyon Heruka A Madman’s Meditation Experiences: A Song from Labchi, is a doha sung by Tsangnyön Heruka at the sacred hermitage of Labchi. See Publication Song A Series of Spontaneous Spiritual Songs Lelung Zhepe Dorje Two spontaneous songs by Lelung Zhepe Dorje: one honouring the 2nd Dzogchen Drubwang Gyurme Thekchog Tenzin, the other celebrating the experience of unobstructed, effortless awareness. Both transmit direct spiritual realization through verse. See Publication Biography How Guru Chöwang Met the Guru at Ne Ngön Guru Chökyi Wangchuk During an alchemical corpse ritual, Guru Chöwang meets Padmasambhava in a profound encounter that defies categorization as dream, vision, or reality - an event he insisted truly occurred. See Publication Biography An Extraordinary Pure Vision at Kharchu's Nectar Cave: A Dream of Guru Chöwang Guru Chökyi Wangchuk After five days of Guru Pema practice, Chöwang's pure vision atop Mt Meru reveals worldly omens and a profound teaching: all phenomena, even demons, arise from mind itself. See Publication Praises In Praise of the Goddess Sarasvatī Tsongkhapa Lobzang Dragpa Tsongkhapa's celebrated ode to Sarasvatī resonates beyond monastery walls into Tibet's artistic and literary spheres, becoming a cultural touchstone of devotional poetry. See Publication Song A Song on the Merits of Kyangpen Namkhe Dzong Milarepa Milarepa's poetic ode to Kyangpen Namkhe Dzong exalts nature itself as the source of this retreat site's blessing power, departing from traditional focus on Buddhist masters. See Publication Aspirational Prayer The Magical Lasso: A Prayer of Aspiration to Accomplish Khecara Lelung Zhepe Dorje A heartfelt prayer to the ḍākinīs of three worlds, composed at Pemokö's Dudul Dewa Chenpo, seeking blessings to master the Vajrayāna path for all beings' benefit. See Publication Advice Devotion is the Highest Practice Khenpo Ngawang Palzang Khenpo Ngawang Palzang's morning devotional rings clear and true with tantra's essential message: devotion stands as the highest practice. See Publication Prayer The Vajra Verses: A Prayer of the Fierce Inner Heat Jigme Lingpa Jigme Lingpa's Longchen Nyingtik instruction on fierce inner heat practice, composed as a supplication to be sung between lineage prayers and practice commencement. See Publication Guidebook Hidden Sacred Land of Pemakö Dudjom Lingpa Dudjom Lingpa maps Pemakö's sacred geography, revealing its power spots, deity abodes, and purifying landscapes through traditional guidebook wisdom and spiritual insight. See Publication Declaration Sixteen Self-Assertions Drugpa Zhabdrung, Ngawang Namgyal, Lopön Nadok The First Drugpa Zhabdrung's victory declaration of 1619, composed after defeating Tsang's ruler through ritual sorcery, helped establish Bhutan's identity while asserting his talismanic power. See Publication View More

Discover all our translated Tibetan texts across a vast array of time periods and genres including: Buddhist, Biographical, Historical and more. BIOGRAPHICAL BUDDHIST CONTEMPORARY GOVERNMENTAL INSTITUTIONAL MISCELLANEOUS Author Tradition Historical Period View All Reset Filters Song Three Songs of Experience: Lavapa’s Cave and the Mad Yogins Lelung Zhepe Dorje Three songs by Lelung Zhepe Dorje combining affectionate humour, the unconventional spirituality of the mad yogin and playful reflections on the meaning of his name. Read Guru Yoga The Essential Secret Sādhana of Zhepe Dorje Lelung Zhepe Dorje A concise secret sādhana of Zhepe Dorje centred on self-visualisation, forceful yogic practice, and the recognition of all appearances as the display of mind. Read Song Song of Experience: The Gateway of Manifold Appearances Lelung Zhepe Dorje Composed in 1718 amid violent political and religious upheaval in Tibet, this deeply personal song captures the young Lelung Zhepe Dorje’s disenchantment with worldly life, devotion, longing for hidden lands, and urgent yearning for freedom. Read Song This Little Song, I Burst Out Laughing The Third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje A playful song mocking the “great meditator” whose liberation is already “right under your nose,” yet remains obscured by distraction, worldly concerns and habit. Read Song A Dream Song The Third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje A song remembered from a dream in which Marpa Lotsāwa and other gurus discuss the Dharma, pointing to the innate state beyond conceptual thought. Read Miscellaneous Types of Spiritual Songs Khenpo Shenga A brief and vivid account of the different kinds of spiritual songs and the experiences from which they arise. Read Song Searching for Mind Tsangnyon Heruka This song points to the paradox that mind cannot find its own nature by searching for it, since seeker and sought are not separate. Read Song A Song of the Great Perfection Śākya Śrī A short Dzogchen song of realization by Śākya Śrī, in which the master points to the natural liberation of all experience within the expanse of dharmatā. Read Song Arousing Desire of the Beautiful One: Simile and Meaning in Union Śākya Śrī A spontaneous karmamudra song by the yogin Śākya Śrī, uniting longing for his consort Namkha Dronma with direct recognition of rigpa. Read Song Song of the Dharma Dance Śākya Śrī Song of the Dharma Dance draws on the imagery of Tibetan ritual cham dance to guide an assembly of vajra siblings through successive Dzogchen contemplative instructions toward the recognition of great awareness-emptiness. Read Song Don’t Place Your Trust in… Sera Khandro A mgur of direct “pointing out” in which Sera Khandro dismantles every support of the path, revealing the already-complete unity of emptiness and luminosity. Read Song Five Aphoristic Couplets Nyagla Pema Dudul These five aphoristic couplets by Nyagla Pema Dundul use vivid images of natural impossibility to show that pride, confusion, and distraction obstruct liberation, emphasising that knowledge must be integrated into lived experience. Read View More Publications A unique window into Tibet's literary treasures spanning many genres and time-periods. Menu Close Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Donate Research Tool Privacy Policy & Terms of Use SUBSCRIBE Publications Watch People Listen

Discover Tibetan literary treasures with Tib Shelf. An online library of expertly translated Tibetan primary texts spanning diverse genres, time periods, and wisdom—your gateway to the stories and culture of Tibet. Enjoy downloadable publications, immersive videos and engaging audio narrations. Tibetan literature brought to you through beautifully translated publications, engaging audio narrations & immersive videos. Biography How Guru Chöwang Met the Guru at Ne Ngön Guru Chökyi Wangchuk During an alchemical corpse ritual, Guru Chöwang meets Padmasambhava in a profound encounter that defies categorization as dream, vision, or reality - an event he insisted truly occurred. Watch Today's Picks Song Arousing Desire of the Beautiful One: Simile and Meaning in Union Śākya Śrī A spontaneous karmamudra song by the yogin Śākya Śrī, uniting longing for his consort Namkha Dronma with direct recognition of rigpa. Biography Mura Pema Dechen Zangpo Tenzin Lungtok Nyima A genealogy of the Mura lineage through its incarnations, focusing on the Third Mura Pema Dechen's life, teachings, and key relationships, penned by Tenzin Lungtok Nyima. Advice Essential Advice in Three Sets of Three Butön Rinchen Drub Butön Rinchen Drup's concise text outlines ascending qualities for sages, bodhisattvas, and Mantrayāna practitioners, mirroring the progression through Buddhism's three vehicles. Supplication Prayer The Drop of Spring: A Spontaneous Vajra Song of Definitive Meaning That Supplicates the Great Charioteers of the Luminous Mahāmudrā Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo A vajra song supplicating the early Dagpo Kagyu masters while expressing aspirations for realization through the luminous Mahāmudrā path. Song Searching for Mind Tsangnyon Heruka This song points to the paradox that mind cannot find its own nature by searching for it, since seeker and sought are not separate. Download Biography Namkechenma: A Dream of Guru Chökyi Wangchuk Guru Chökyi Wangchuk Armed with the 'scroll of devastation' from his father, Guru Chöwang's first treasure excavation leads to a terrifying encounter with the Nine-Headed Nāga Demon, guardian of hidden teachings. Read LATEST PUBLICATIONS Lelung Zhepe Dorje Three Songs of Experience: Lavapa’s Cave and the Mad Yogins Lelung Zhepe Dorje The Essential Secret Sādhana of Zhepe Dorje Lelung Zhepe Dorje Song of Experience: The Gateway of Manifold Appearances The Third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje This Little Song, I Burst Out Laughing The Third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje A Dream Song Khenpo Shenga Types of Spiritual Songs People 1871–1927 Khenpo Shenga View 1853–1919 Śākya Śrī View 1892-1940 Sera Khandro View 1813–1899 Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Taye View WEEKLY QUOTES བྱང་བསྟན་ཕུག་པར་རྟ་ལྗང་ཅན་གྱི་ཟེར། ། Sun rays do not enter a northern facing cave; མི་འཇུག་དངོས་པོའི་གཤིས་ལ་བཅོས་མེད་ཀྱང་། ། The nature of such things cannot be changed. ཕྱོགས་གཞན་བུག་པར་ཤར་བའི་སྣང་བ་ཡིས། ། However, light shining through the other opening འཐིབས་པོའི་སྨག་རུམ་སེལ་བ་འབྱུང་སྙམ་བགྱིད། ། Dispels the thick darkness One can contemplate this The 5th Dalai Lama – Ngawang Lobzang Gyatso (1617–1682) AUDIO NARRATION Song of Experience: The Gateway of Manifold Appearances Lelung Zhepe Dorje Composed in 1718 amid violent political and religious upheaval in Tibet, this deeply personal song captures the young Lelung Zhepe Dorje’s disenchantment with worldly life, devotion, longing for hidden lands, and urgent yearning for freedom. Listen CLICK PLAY TO LISTEN Publications for Download Download Download Download Download Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! Name * Email* Submit Tib Shelf is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to translating, presenting and preserving primary source Tibetan texts across a vast array of genres and time periods. We make these literary treasures accessible to readers worldwide, offering a unique window into Tibet's rich history, culture and traditions. Tib Shelf has been accredited by the British Library with the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2754–1495 CONTACT US | SHELVES@TIBSHELF.ORG © 2024 Tib Shelf. All rights reserved. Menu Close Research Tool Privacy Policy & Terms of Use Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Donate SUBSCRIBE Publications People Listen Watch

Composed in 1718 amid violent political and religious upheaval in Tibet, this deeply personal song captures the young Lelung Zhepe Dorje’s disenchantment with worldly life, devotion, longing for hidden lands, and urgent yearning for freedom. Song of Experience: The Gateway of Manifold Appearances Supreme mother of the sublime ones, Vajrayoginī, Goddess Magzor, [1] guardian of the innermost secret Dharma, Noble Sovereign Tsogyal, foremost among fortunate ḍākinīs— To you three, my refuge through many lifetimes, I bow. In Lhalung, in the eastern reaches of Ölga, Before the worldly lord Great Gungyal, [2] At the foot of Ger Tso’s [3] sacred abode, assembly place of the ḍākinīs, Lies the land where successive emanations of the Lord of Secrets [4] appear— Lelung, the secret place of the ḍākinīs. Above, a beautiful celestial pavilion like swirling lapis lazuli, Youthful clouds drift and soar in billowing waves. Emerald-bright trees spread wide their boughs and leaves, And Spring, Earth’s beloved, wears flowers as her ornament. The softly flowing stream murmurs her melodious song, Birds wheel and glide in graceful dance, And wild creatures bound with joyful ease. Behind, a mountain like heaped jewels shelters the land. To the right, a soaring mountain rises like a lotus petal. To the east, the mountain reclines like a sleeping elephant. In front, a forested mountain stands in majestic splendour, As if Vaiśravaṇa himself were present here. Secret signs of many kinds are woven throughout this landscape, Vivid and clear even to the ordinary eye. Countless geomantic features for accomplishing wrathful activity Adorn every direction, crowding the entire land. Here, in this sacred hidden [5] land of serenity and splendour, For me, Zhepe Dorje, son of Garwang Dharmabhadra, [6] One who bears the name Karma, The gateway of manifold appearances opened vast and wide. Now, at the end of this wretched, degenerate age, Disenchantment rises within me. I recall the sublime lives of the Sugatas And recoil from my own ordinary ways. Again and again, a great wind of anguish stirs from within. Tears fall for those who persist in harmful ways, Whose resolve is brief, whose perseverance so quick to falter. As I reflect, my heart longs for Pema Ö, the Realm of Lotus Light. [7] Leaving behind the bustle and distraction of running a monastery, I leave kith and kin, that I might wander through hidden lands, Casting away all plans to linger long in this life. Thus, I aspired to gather provisions, shelter and clothing for the life to come. Yet my wish remained mere longing, My intentions came to nothing, and once again I fell into distraction. As I recalled this, on the fifteenth day of the fifth month of the Dog Year (1718), [8] The Lake-Born Vajra and his Consort appeared vividly in my mind. [ 9] A great wave of devotion welled up within me, And my heart ached with longing to utter a prayer. These verses poured freely from my lips. There was scarcely time to fashion the words with care. Whatever arose clear within my mind, I swiftly set down in writing. Read this again and again, and take care not to forget; Keep it ever present at the very centre of your mind. For now is the time to remember impermanence and death. From birth until now, I have lived in distraction. Twenty-two years have already passed, And it is hard to be certain that even a few remain. Who knows what will have changed by this time next year? Without even a shred of certainty That I will not die this very night, What need is there to look elsewhere? Even dear companions have passed to the next life, And the holy ones, our sole protectors, have gone to the buddha-realms. If even now I do not seek lasting refuge, What use is amassing riches, drawing close to friends and kin, Or courting the favour of others? Resolve once and for all to use your wealth and possessions for the Dharma. Make offerings to the Three Jewels and honour and support the Saṅgha. Accumulation ends in depletion. What rises high ends in a fall. Birth ends in death. Meeting ends in parting. Such is the common nature of all conditioned things— There is no way to alter it. Especially nowadays, all food, clothing and possessions Are plainly seen with one’s own eyes to be devoid of any essence. To crave them still is to be blind with eyes wide open. How good, then, to give up miserliness and use these things wisely! The aims of this life, however pursued, come easily enough; But on the long road to the next, hardship awaits. And when at journey’s end you remember, Regret will come, but far too late. So, while you still have the freedom to act, Cast aside half-heartedness, procrastination, laziness, As if there were a snake in your lap or your head were ablaze. Be like a prisoner desperate for release; devote yourself wholly to virtue. In this way, both now and hereafter, your virtuous aims will be fulfilled. A place of suffering like the hell realms Will come swiftly, before long, As the dream made clear. [10] All you with mindfulness and awareness, reflect upon this; Accept these heartfelt words of advice. Encourage others towards virtue and strive that way yourself. Make what remains of this life meaningful. The prime of youth and extensive learning, High rank and power, a retinue of servants— None of this will be of help at the final hour. So apply yourself to the essential points of practice. Earnestly make virtuous aspirations for the next life. Place your deepest trust in the Three Jewels and the deity. Reflect well on karma and its results. And you will turn towards virtue. COLOPHON Thus, the simple-minded Trinle Pema Zhepe Dorje Wangpo set these words down then and there, one morning in the Male Earth Dog Year (1718). NOTES [1] Magzor (dmag zor) , more fully Magzor Gyalmo (dmag zor rgyal mo) , is a wrathful form of Palden Lhamo ( dpal ldan lha mo , Skt. Śrī Devī ), one of the principal female Dharma protectors of Tibetan Buddhism and a deity particularly associated with the Dalai Lamas. She was also important in Lelung’s own religious practice: his collected works contain ritual texts devoted to Magzor, and elsewhere he presents Magzor Gyalmo as the inner, wrathful form of the goddess Nyi ma gzhon nu. During the Dzungar crisis he also performed extensive rites before an image of Magzor Gyalmo sent from Drepung. See Bailey 2017, 45, 150–151. [2] Gungyal (gung rgyal) is an ancient Tibetan territorial and mountain deity associated with the Ölga (’ol kha) region and with a prominent mountain bearing his name. Lelung elsewhere describes the local snow mountain as “the palace of Great Gungyal, the great deity of existence” (srid pa’i lha chen gung rgyal chen po’i pho brang) , confirming the close identification of deity and landscape here. See Karmay 1996; Bailey 2017; Hazod 2020. [3] Ger Tso (ger mtsho), also called Nyenchen Ger Tso (gnyan chen ger mtsho) , is a powerful gnyan deity who appears in Gesar traditions as Gesar’s divine or spirit-father. Lelung himself calls him srid pa’i lha gnyan chen po ger mtsho , “the great gnyan Ger Tso, a deity of existence.” Here ger mtsho’i gnas means “Ger Tso’s abode,” indicating a locality associated with the deity, although its precise geographical identification remains uncertain. See Sle lung 1983–1985a, 17–25; FitzHerbert 2016, 303; Lelung Zhepe Dorje 2021. [4] The “Lord of Secrets” (gsang bdag) is Vajrapāṇi. The Lelung Jedrung lineage is traditionally regarded as an emanation lineage of Vajrapāṇi. The First Lelung Jedrung, Lhodrak Namkha Gyaltsen, was himself considered an emanation of Vajrapāṇi, and subsequent Lelung incarnations are understood as continuing this lineage. See Loden 2013, 63. [5] It is noteworthy that Lelung explicitly describes Lelung itself as a sbas yul dam pa, a “sacred hidden land.” The surrounding description suggests more than simple geographical seclusion: he presents Lelung as a secret sacred place whose landscape displays hidden signs and ritually potent features, and immediately afterwards invokes the end of the degenerate age and his aspiration to travel through hidden lands. The passage therefore appears to draw on the wider religious conception of sbas yul, although no treasure prophecy or guide has yet been identified that presents Lelung itself as a land concealed by Padmasambhava and destined to be revealed in the manner of better-attested hidden lands such as Pemakö. On Lelung and the eighteenth-century hidden-land tradition, see Greensmith 2021. [6] Dharmabhadra refers to Damchö Sangpo (dam chos bzang po, 1677–1724), Lelung’s root guru, whom he elsewhere calls Garwang Damchö Sangpo; sras , literally “son,” here denotes a spiritual son or disciple. [7] Pema Ö ( padma ’od , “Lotus Light”) refers here to a pure realm or sacred celestial abode of Padmasambhava. Lelung’s own usage elsewhere makes this identification clear: In his Aspiration to Travel to the Hidden Land of Pemokö, Lelung prays, “May they ultimately be liberated in Pema Ö” (mthar thug padma ’od du grol bar shog) , explicitly treating it as a destination (Sle lung 1982, 518). For the published English translation, see Lelung Zhepe Dorje 2020. [8] In the Tibetan text, the date—the fifteenth day of the fifth month—is written separately beneath the line rather than incorporated into the verse, presumably to preserve the metre. We have inserted the date into the translation, since the English translation is not constrained by the Tibetan metre. [9] “The Lake-Born Vajra” refers to Padmasambhava; the accompanying consort is most likely Yeshe Tsogyal, who is invoked explicitly at the opening of the song, although she is not named in this line. [10] The date and precise referent of this dream are uncertain, but its warning of an imminent “place of suffering resembling a hell realm” is striking when read against the Dzungar invasion and anti-Rnying ma persecutions of 1717–20, followed by the Dbus–Gtsang civil war of 1727–28. Lelung recorded other prophetic dreams during these crises that prompted concrete ritual responses; see Greensmith 2021, 190–194; Bailey 2017, 43–68. BIBLIOGRAPHY Primary Sources Sle lung rje drung Bzhad pa’i rdo rje. 1982. “Sbas yul pad+mo bkod du bgrod pa’i smon lam.” In Gsung ’bum Bzhad pa’i rdo rje, vol. 7, 515–520. Kyoto: Ōtani University Library. BDRC W1CZ2744. Sle lung rje drung Bzhad pa’i rdo rje. 1983–1985a. “Dag snang ge sar gyi gtam rgyud le’u.” In Gsung ’bum Bzhad pa’i rdo rje, vol. 12, 17–25. Leh: T. Sonam and D. L. Tashigang. BDRC W22130. Sle lung rje drung Bzhad pa’i rdo rje. 1983–1985b. “Rje btsun dam chos bzang po’i rnam thar (ka).” In Gsung ’bum Bzhad pa’i rdo rje, vol. 2, 9–83. Leh: T. Sonam and D. L. Tashigang. BDRC W22130. Sle lung rje drung Bzhad pa’i rdo rje. 1985. “Nyams mgur sna tshogs snang ba’i ’char sgo.” In Gsung ’bum Bzhad pa’i rdo rje, vol. 5, 30–33. Leh: T. Sonam and D. L. Tashigang. BDRC MW22130_56BC4E. Secondary Sources Bailey, Cameron. 2017. “A Feast for Scholars: The Life and Works of Sle lung Bzhad pa’i rdo rje.” DPhil thesis, University of Oxford. FitzHerbert, George. 2016. “Constitutional Mythologies and Entangled Cultures in the Tibeto-Mongolian Gesar Epic: The Motif of Gesar’s Celestial Descent.” The Journal of American Folklore 129 (513): 297–326. Greensmith, Tom. 2021. “Prophecy and Fantastical Reality in Sle lung Bzhad pa’i rdo rje’s Journey to Padma bkod.” In Hidden Lands in Himalayan Myth and History: Transformations of sbas yul through Time, edited by Frances Garrett, Elizabeth McDougal, and Geoffrey Samuel, 185–206. Leiden: Brill. Hazod, Guntram. 2020. Review of Source of Life: Revitalisation Rites and Bon Shamans in Bhutan and the Eastern Himalayas, 2 vols., by Toni Huber. Revue d’Etudes Tibétaines 56: 293–304. Karmay, Samten G. 1996. “The Tibetan Cult of Mountain Deities and Its Political Significance.” In Reflections of the Mountain: Essays on the History and Social Meaning of the Mountain Cult in Tibet and the Himalaya, edited by Anne-Marie Blondeau and Ernst Steinkellner, 59–75. Vienna: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Lelung Zhepe Dorje. 2020. “An Aspiration to Travel to the Hidden Land of Pemokö.” Translated by Tib Shelf. Tib Shelf. https://www.tibshelf.org/tibetan-translations/an-aspiration-to-travel-to-the-hidden-land-of-pemoko Lelung Zhepe Dorje. 2021. “Chapter Narrating the Pure Vision of Gesar.” Translated by George FitzHerbert. Tib Shelf. https://www.tibshelf.org/tibetan-translations/chapter-narrating-the-pure-vision-of-gesar Loden, T. P. 2013. A Drop from the Marvellous Ocean of History: The Lineage of Sle lung Pema Zhepai Dorje. New York: Tibet House US. Petech, Luciano. 1950. China and Tibet in the Early 18th Century: History of the Establishment of Chinese Protectorate in Tibet. Leiden: E. J. Brill. Abstract Composed in 1718, when the Fifth Lelung Zhepe Dorje (1697–1740) was twenty-two years old, this deeply personal song gives voice to disenchantment, impermanence, devotion and a longing to wander through hidden lands. Its urgency becomes clearer when read against one of the most violent periods of eighteenth-century Tibetan history. Dzungar forces had seized Lhasa and killed Lhazang Khan, the Khoshut ruler who then held political power in Tibet, bringing the existing order to an abrupt end. Anti-Nyingma persecutions followed, with major monasteries destroyed and prominent religious figures executed. This song is a deeply intimate and impassioned portal into a young lama’s life at a time of profound upheaval and uncertainty. Composed, as Lelung tells us, in a rush of feeling with scarcely time to fashion the words, its spontaneous quality only heightens the beauty and emotional force of the verse. BDRC LINK MW22130 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 07:07 TRADITION Geluk Nyingma INCARNATION LINE Lelung Jedrung HISTORICAL PERIOD 18th Century TEACHERS The Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso The Fifth Panchen Lama, Lobzang Yesh e Damchö Zangpo Mingyur Paldrön Chöje Lingpa Dönyö Khedrup The First Purchok, Ngawang Jampa Ngawang Chödrak Yeshe Gyatso Damchö Gyatso Losal Gyatso Lhundrub Gyatso Dungkar Tsangyang Drugdrak The Second Dzogchen Drubwang, Gyurme Tekchok Tendzin TRANSLATOR Tib Shelf English editing by Libby Hogg INSTITUTIONS Lelung Monastery Mindröling Ngari Dratsang Chökhor Gyal Trandruk Potala Tsāri STUDENTS Kunga Mingyur Dorj e Dorje Yom e Kunga Paldzom Lobzang Lhachok Dönyö Khedrub Polhane Sönam Tobgy e Ngawang Jampa Mingyur Paldrön The Fifth Dorje Drak Rigdzin, Kalzang Pema Wangchuk Lhasang Khan AUTHOR Lelung Zhepe Dorje Song of Experience: The Gateway of Manifold Appearances VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! Name * Email* Submit Tib Shelf is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to translating, presenting and preserving primary source Tibetan texts across a vast array of genres and time periods. We make these literary treasures accessible to readers worldwide, offering a unique window into Tibet's rich history, culture and traditions. Tib Shelf has been accredited by the British Library with the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2754–1495 CONTACT US | SHELVES@TIBSHELF.ORG © 2024 Tib Shelf. All rights reserved.

Two spontaneous songs by Lelung Zhepe Dorje: one honouring the 2nd Dzogchen Drubwang Gyurme Thekchog Tenzin, the other celebrating the experience of unobstructed, effortless awareness. Both transmit direct spiritual realization through verse. A Series of Spontaneous Spiritual Songs Song One Aho mahāsukha ye! I bow at the feet of the benevolent, paternal lama! Akaniṣṭha, the celestial realm of lotus light, Is where the peaceful and wrathful victorious protectors reside. As foretold by the oath-bound mother ḍākinīs, Je Traktung Pawo (“Lord Heroic Blood-Drinker”), set foot here— [1] In this supreme, protected holy abode where spiritual experiences naturally arise, I offer these spontaneous spiritual songs. Here today the assembly of vajra brothers and sisters, Due to previously accumulated karmic fortune, which is not lacking, Have met you, the essence of all refuge. Now, having gained this feast of good fortune, Vajra blessings permeate our three doors: We’re ablaze with spontaneous visions in every way. Our bodies, maṇḍalas of the major and minor marks, shimmer like a rainbow. We’ve received the essential nectar of vajra speech. The great joyful awakened mind embraces us. [183] What auspicious fortune—an excellent, blissful experience! Yet, we were born at the end of this degenerate age, Where stainless Dharma conduct has nearly declined— All paternal siddhas have passed into the realm of space. Those who boast of being doctrine holders Only ever pass their time in attachment and aversion. In the glorious Vajrayāna tradition, Sincere devotion is extraordinarily rare. The life stories of the great, holy noble lords— They have sullied them with their misconceptions, Creating all sorts of entrances to negative deeds. Even righteous deeds they view as wrong. In these times when whatever one does becomes flawed, Thinking of this stirs up anguish within. Peerless precious father, Infallible refuge, When I recall how you care for me, My anguish is quashed. We, brothers and sisters, gathered here, With minds of unwavering faith, At this time we make this supplication: Glorious Traktung Wangpo, our lord lama, Atop the unchanging vajra throne, May the prints of your vajra feet ever remain! With the magnificent maṇḍala [184] of your three secrets, In the hidden grove where the mother ḍākinīs assemble, May you open gateways to hundreds of pure lands And ever turn the wheel of the profound and vast Dharma! With your limitless enlightened activity that tames beings, O Protector, may you illuminate The essential meaning of the glorious, indestructible luminosity In all directions, times, and circumstances! Those gathered together in this sacred abode, All the devoted, fortunate men and women, In the self-appearing Akaniṣṭha pure land, With the lord lama, King of Self-Awareness , [2] Amidst a retinue of one hundred thousand drops of self-luminous wisdom, In a feast gathering of inseparable union, In times that never shift, change, or wane, May we enjoy it as one taste! Root and lineage gurus of the three transmissions And the assembly of heroes and ḍākinīs of the three places, Through your unified unwavering enlightened intent, May our hopes and aspirations be fulfilled! Aho ye sarva maṅgalaṃ! COLOPHON Thus, when Dzogchen Tulku Rinpoche, the blood-drinking accomplished hero and crown jewel of all holders of the knowledge mantras, journeyed from Ölga in the east to the supreme place of the Glorious Copper-Colored Mountain, those gathered there offered elaborate long-life prayers along with a feast offering, during which this melodious song, blazing with spiritual insight and faith, was spontaneously offered. Later on, Rabten, the venerable manager of that holy one’s enlightened activities, requested these be put into writing. Although the words may not be an exact match, I, Zhepe Dorje, the one who [185] practices according to his own spontaneous nature, arranged whatever I could recall. Song Two Aho ye! I’ve realized my mind to be the dharmakāya! Even what is called “Buddha” is nothing other than this. In the state of the astonishing, unobstructed view, Let whatever appearances arise be free and unfettered, Undistracted presence in the continuity of non-meditation. Though there is nothing to abandon like dullness, agitation, and other afflictions, Rest the thoughts that grasp the objects of the six senses Completely in the meditative equipoise where they naturally dissolve. All appearing sense pleasures are for the enjoyment of one’s own mind. Joyfully relaxing in a continuity free from grasping, Rest in just this uncontrived yoga. Through the kindness of the authentic guru, my sole father, By making devoted prayers from the very depths of my heart, Blessings have pervaded the wheel of phenomenal existence And there is no distinction between the guru and my mind. How joyful is the way I, the yogin, nurture good experiences! There is no difference between the six classes of beings and buddhas. Everything is the great dharmadhātu’s festive display. By understanding this very nature of the fundamental state, May everything be liberated effortlessly into the body of light! COLOPHON I, Zhepe Dorje, composed this following the wishes of Chö Samdrub the Scholar of Letters. NOTES [1] The recipient of Lelung's spontaneous song—addressed throughout as "Je Traktung Pawo" and "Glorious Traktung Wangpo," and described in the colophon as "Dzogchen Tulku Rinpoche"—can be identified with considerable confidence as Gyurme Thekchog Tenzin (1699–1758), the 2nd Dzogchen Drubwang. Several converging lines of evidence support this identification. First, and most directly, the colophon's designation "Dzogchen Tulku Rinpoche" strongly points toward the Dzogchen Drubwang incarnation. The epithet Traktung ( khrag ’thung , "Blood-Drinker") is not itself sufficient for identification, since Lelung employs comparable tantric epithets elsewhere; it is the explicit Dzogchen title, together with the historical context, that provides the principal evidence. Second, the chronology fits closely. Lelung Zhepe Dorje was born in 1697 and died in 1740, while the 2nd Dzogchen Drubwang was born in 1699 and died in 1758 (Greensmith 2018; Chhosphel 2011). Significantly, primary Tibetan biographical evidence states that in the Iron-Monkey year (1740) Gyurme Thekchog Tenzin travelled to Ü together with the 2nd Dzogchen Ponlob Pema Sangngak Tenzin (Ye shes rdo rje 1996–2000, vol. 2, pp. 238–241). This makes 1740—the year of Lelung's death—a particularly plausible occasion for the encounter. Lelung died only on the twentieth day of the eighth Tibetan month of that year, leaving a substantial part of 1740 in which the meeting could have occurred (Bailey 2016). The song itself gives no date, however, so 1740 remains probable rather than certain. Third, the two men moved within the same immediate spiritual network. The 2nd Dzogchen Drubwang was closely connected with Mindroling: he studied under Minling Lochen Dharmaśrī and received extensive teachings from Minling Trichen Pema Gyurme Gyatso, while Jetsunma Mingyur Peldron is listed among his important students (Chhosphel 2011; Ye shes rdo rje 1996–2000, vol. 2, pp. 197–205). Lelung's own religious career was deeply intertwined with the same Mindroling family and transmission network, including Pema Gyurme Gyatso and Mingyur Peldron (Greensmith 2018). His 1729 Pemakö travelogue also names Raspa Kunzang Dechen as a disciple of "Dzogchen Tulku," demonstrating direct connections between Lelung's circle and the Dzogchen incarnation lineage before the encounter (Bzhad pa'i rdo rje 1983, vol. 8, p. 399.3–399.4). Finally, the colophon places the encounter at Zangdok Palri, Lelung's Copper-Colored Mountain establishment associated with Namdroling in the Ölga valley. Lelung constructed this complex on the basis of his visions of Guru Rinpoche's pure land, with patronage from Polhane (Bailey 2016). The colophon records that when "Dzogchen Tulku Rinpoche" arrived there, a long-life ceremony and Tsok were performed for him, during which Lelung spontaneously sang the present verses. Taken together, the title, chronology, shared Mindroling network, and documented visit to Lelung's own establishment make Gyurme Thekchog Tenzin the most convincing identification of Lelung's "Je Traktung Pawo," with the meeting most plausibly, though not demonstrably, occurring in 1740. [2] “King of Self-Awareness” ( rang rig gi rgyal po ) is one appellation for the personification of the primordial ground ( gzhi ) in the Dzogchen view. This figure, who resides in the keep of Dzogchen thought, is generally referred to by various epithets, including All-Creating King ( kun byed rgyal po ), All-Knowing King ( kun rig rgyal po ), King of Awareness ( rig pa rgyal po ), King of Cognizant Awareness ( shes rig gi rgyal po ), Purifying King of Self-Cognizant Awareness ( sbyong byed rang shes rig pa’i rgyal po ), and Purifying King of Awareness ( sbyong byed rig pa rgyal po ), amongst others. Also see Karmay 2007, 52, n. 45. Photo credit: Lelung Dharma Centre Published: November 2024 BIBLIOGRAPHY Primary: Sle lung rje drung Bzhad pa’i rdo rje. 1983–1985. Mgur gyi rim pa thol byung rdo rje’i glu . In Gsung ’bum Bzhad pa’i rdo rje , vol. 6, 181–185. Leh: T. Sonam and D. L. Tashigang. BDRC MW22130_9A3DB8 Sle lung rje drung Bzhad pa’i rdo rje. 1983. Gnas mchog Pad+mo bkod du bgrod pa’i lam yig . In Sle lung rje drung Bzhad pa’i rdo rje’i gsung ’bum , vol. 8, 389–493. Leh: T. Sonam and D. L. Tashigang. MW22130_610579 . Ye shes rdo rje. 1996. “rDzogs chen dpon slob pad+ma gsang sngags bstan ’dzin gyi rnam thar mdor bsdus.” In Gangs can mkhas dbang rim byon gyi rnam thar mdor bsdus bdud rtsi’i thigs phreng , vol. 2, pp. 238–241. Beijing: Krung go’i bod kyi shes rig dpe skrun khang. BDRC MW25268_93D431 . Ye shes rdo rje. 1996–2000. rDzogs sprul ’gyur med theg mchog bstan ’dzin gyi rnam thar mdor bsdus (1699–1758) . In Gangs can mkhas dbang rim byon gyi rnam thar mdor bsdus , vol. 2, pp. 197–205. Beijing: Krung go'i bod kyi shes rig dpe skrun khang.. MW25268_C75B7D . Secondary: Bailey, Cameron. 2016. " A Feast for Scholars: The Life and Works of Sle lung Bzhad paʼi rdo rje ." DPhil thesis, University of Oxford, Wolfson College. Chhosphel, Samten. 2011. "The Second Dzogchen Drubwang, Gyurme Tekchok Tendzin." Treasury of Lives. https://treasuryoflives.org/biographies/view/Second-Dzogchen-Drubwang/9383 . TOL 9383; BDRC P677. Greensmith, Tom. 2018. "The Fifth Lelung Jedrung, Lobzang Trinle." Treasury of Lives. https://treasuryoflives.org/biographies/view/Fifth-Lelung-Jedrung-Lobzang-Trinle/9361 . TOL 9361; BDRC P675. Melnick Dyer, Alison. 2015. “Mingyur Peldron.” Treasury of Lives . https://treasuryoflives.org/biographies/view/Mingyur-Peldron/9394 Abstract In this publication, we are introduced to two spontaneous spiritual songs by Lelung Zhepe Dorje (1697–1740). The first is composed in honour of the 2nd Dzogchen Drubwang, Gyurme Thekchog Tenzin (1699–1758), addressed throughout by the devotional epithet Je Traktung Pawo ("Lord Heroic Blood-Drinker"), a conventional title and identified in the colophon as "Dzogchen Tulku Rinpoche," The song was composed at Lelung's Copper-Colored Mountain temple at Namdroling in the Olkha valley, on the occasion of the 2nd Dzogchen Drubwang's arrival there from the east, and reflects the deep spiritual esteem in which Lelung held this great Nyingma master (see notes). The second song shifts to a more introspective theme, emphasising the experience of unobstructed, spontaneous presence — a state free from rigid meditation or effort, embodying the natural flow of awareness. These spontaneous songs, or mgur , are composed without premeditation and serve as a profound means for both the singer and the listener to connect with the essence of the teachings. Through these verses we are invited to experience a direct and heartfelt transmission of the subject being sung, bridging the inner realisation of the practitioner with the understanding of the audience. Please note video narration is only 2nd song at the present time. BDRC MW22130 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 06:03 TRADITION Geluk | Nyingma INCARNATION LINE Lelung Jedrung HISTORICAL PERIOD 18th Century TEACHERS The Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso The Fifth Panchen Lama, Lobzang Yesh e Damchö Zangpo Mingyur Paldrön Chöje Lingpa Dönyö Khedrup The First Purchok, Ngawang Jampa Ngawang Chödrak Yeshe Gyatso Damchö Gyatso Losal Gyatso Lhundrub Gyatso Dungkar Tsangyang Drukdrak The Second Dzogchen Drubwang, Gyurme Tekchok Tendzin TRANSLATOR Tib Shelf INSTITUTION Lelung Monastery Mindröling Ngari Dratsang Chökhor Gyal Trandruk Potala Tsāri STUDENTS Kunga Mingyur Dorj e Dorje Yom e Kunga Paldzom Lobzang Lhachok Dönyö Khedrub Polhane Sönam Tobgy e Ngawang Jampa Mingyur Paldrön The Fifth Dorje Drak Rigdzin, Kalzang Pema Wangchuk Lhasang Khan AUTHOR Lelung Zhepe Dorje A Series of Spontaneous Spiritual Songs VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! Name * Email* Submit Tib Shelf is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to translating, presenting and preserving primary source Tibetan texts across a vast array of genres and time periods. We make these literary treasures accessible to readers worldwide, offering a unique window into Tibet's rich history, culture and traditions. Tib Shelf has been accredited by the British Library with the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2754–1495 CONTACT US | SHELVES@TIBSHELF.ORG © 2024 Tib Shelf. All rights reserved.

A concise secret sādhana of Zhepe Dorje centred on self-visualisation, forceful yogic practice, and the recognition of all appearances as the display of mind. The Essential Secret Sādhana of Zhepe Dorje E ma! All these appearances Arise from oneself, naturally luminous. This display, without inherent nature, Dawns as the ḍākinīs of the three abodes: To them I bow. Aho! Holding Zhepe Dorje as the essence of refuge, For all wandering beings without exception, as vast as space, I generate bodhicitta in order to liberate them. In the abode of the ocean of self-appearing ḍākinīs— A charnel ground, a fearsome and potent place, A grove that evokes both delight and a sense of renunciation, A realm of manifold appearances— Visualise your own awareness as the body of Zhepe Dorje, Radiant white and red in complexion, with an energetic bearing, His right hand playing the ḍamaru, Gathering the oath-bound ḍākinīs of the three abodes, His left holding a skull cup brimming with nectar, Naked, wearing a silk turban, Clad in a white cotton loincloth, [ 1] Anointed with sindhura (vermilion) at the five points, Sometimes wielding and blowing a thigh-bone trumpet, At other times, performing mudrās and assuming different postures: Sitting cross-legged, assuming royal ease, leaping, running, and so forth. His appearance shifts unpredictably in every way. His retinue consists of a hundred thousand beautiful maidens, Engaging in all manner of yogic observances with a passionate demeanour. Outside, the oath-bound Dharma protectors Spontaneously engage in the activities of the four rites. The deity in whom the samayasattva and jñānasattva are beyond union and separation Abides in the very sameness of nature. Having visualised this clearly, open the eyes wide and direct the gaze toward the sky, keeping the eyeballs motionless and the eyelashes from fluttering or blinking. Uttering “HŪṂ HŪṂ,” imagine awareness merging completely with the sky. At times, draw out [the sound of] HŪṂ as a melody and sing. If discursive thoughts proliferate, utter a fierce PHAṬ and simultaneously hurl awareness into the sky, mixing space and awareness. To generate force, imagine that, as the principal deity and entire retinue proclaim the three syllables HŪṂ PHAṬ BHYO, the sky, the earth, and all the space between quake and shudder. At the same time, leap and shake the body. Perform leaping, running, and other movements, along with various mudrās; emit fierce cries, songs, whistles, and so forth; and sustain the experience freely, however it arises. Resolve with certainty that all that appears is the display of the Guru and that this, in turn, is the magical display of one’s own mind. Resolve with certainty that the essence of mind is ungraspable, free from elaboration, and unborn. Then relax and rest. Again, visualising clearly as before, pass the days and nights in this way. At the conclusion, apart from dedicating merit, there is no need for dissolution, invitation, or the like, nor for elaborate offerings and tormas. Why? Because it is nothing more than bringing clearly to mind the maṇḍala that is spontaneously present from the very beginning. There is no coming together or separation, and the entire universe and its inhabitants are established as offering substances. COLOPHON Thus, Zhepe Dorje composed this to clarify Pawo Tobgyal’s practice. [ 2] Oṃ svasti! The account of the outer, inner, and secret realisations Of the yogic practitioner Zhepe Dorje— Upon whom Padma, the Victorious Lord who knows the three times, King Tsangpa Dungthöchen, [3] and all the other authoritative holy beings Bestowed prophecy, blessings, respite, and encouragement— And the vajra speech of the ocean of supremely secret ḍākinīs; The cycle of the Pure Vision Dharma collection, the Uncontrived Array ; The profound path of the ḍākinī Guhyajñānā, Its detailed explanation of the great completion-stage yoga, and so forth— Through the pure intention of Orgyen Chöphel, [4] These were brought to print. Through the power of the ocean of virtue thus accumulated, From now until the very heart of awakening, May the ocean of ḍākinīs of the three abodes serve as companions; With every desired aim conceived in the mind fulfilled, May all realisations of the grounds and paths be brought to perfection without exception. May all sentient beings, infinite as the reaches of space, Within the maṇḍala of the ocean of supremely secret ḍākinīs, Manifestly awaken in the celestial realm of Akaniṣṭha, And be liberated all at once into the vajra body of light. Through the compassion of the ocean of the Three Roots and Victorious Ones, And through the power of unfailing dependent origination, May every aim wished for in the mind Be swiftly accomplished without any adverse conditions. COLOPHON Thus, at the request of the printing scribes, the vidyādhara Zhepe Dorje composed this rite for sealing the aspiration with words of truth. NOTES [1] Tib. Ang rag —rendered here as "loincloth." [2] Pawo Tobgyal (Tib. Dpa’ bo Stobs rgyal ) was a contemporary practitioner closely associated with Zhepe Dorje and appears repeatedly in his writings as a requester of ritual teachings. A 1731 colophon identifies him as ’Or shod G.yu ’brug Lha rtse’i sras . G.yu ’brug Lha rtse was not a personal name but the great assembly hall situated within the residence of the rulers of Dga’-chags in the O-rong region of Kongpo (Ehrhard 2022, 80 n. 27); sras therefore appears to identify Tobgyal as a son or scion of this ruling house. In the Dag snang gnod sbyin chen po’i sgrub skor mtshon brgya’i ’phrul ’khor , Lelung states that the work was composed in the Iron Female Pig year (1731) in accordance with Pawo Tobgyal’s earnest request (Sle lung 1983–1985b, 131–142). A Guhyajñānā fire-offering ritual, Gar gyi dbang phyug gsang ba ye shes kyi mkha’ ’gro ma’i sbyin sreg gi cho ga mthong ba kun grol , was likewise written by Lelung at the joint request of Pawo Tobgyal and Trinle Dargye (Sle lung 1974–1976, 295–333). The present text was composed “to clarify Pawo Tobgyal’s practice” ( dpa’ bo stobs rgyal gyi nyams len gsal byed du ) (Sle lung 1983–1985a, 171–175). [3] Tsangpa Dungthöchen ( Tshangs pa Dung thod can ) was a protector deity with whom Zhepe Dorje appears to have maintained a particularly close ritual relationship. Lelung’s collected works preserve several compositions devoted specifically to Dungthöchen, including a rten mdos rite for Dungthöchen and his ministers, an invocation prayer, and a wrathful exhortation whose colophon calls him “the powerful chief of the war gods.” Another text records a ritual message offered directly to Dungthöchen during a deity-offering festival at Tradruk ( Khra ’brug ). Bailey likewise documents Lelung’s close relationship with the Tsangpa protector of Tradruk: in connection with his Nyingma practice in 1713 Lelung claimed that Tsangpa had prophesied his activities, and during the Dzungar crisis of 1717 he retrieved a special image of Tsangpa Karpo from Tradruk and brought it to Chökhor Gyal ( Chos ’khor rgyal ) for invocation and extensive offerings (Bailey 2017, 44–46). Lelung also names Tsangpa Dungthöchen among the major oath-bound protectors in a 1730 account (Bailey 2017, 227). [4] Orgyen Chöphel ( O rgyan chos ’phel ) is otherwise unidentified. The present text associates his altruistic intention ( lhag bsam ) with the printing of a collection of Zhepe Dorje's writings, suggesting that he served as a patron or organiser of the printing project. The concluding colophon states that Zhepe Dorje composed the present rite at the request of the par yig pa , the printing scribes responsible for preparing the written model from which the woodblocks were carved. The preceding phrase rig pa’i ’byung gnas a yi char skyes pa’i , which syntactically appears to qualify Orgyen Chöphel, is clear in the source but remains obscure in meaning and has therefore been left untranslated. BIBLIOGRAPHY Primary Sources Sle lung rje drung Bzhad pa’i rdo rje. 1974–1976. “Gar gyi dbang phyug gsang ba ye shes kyi mkha’ ’gro ma’i sbyin sreg gi cho ga mthong ba kun grol.” In Mkha’ ’gro gsang ba ye shes kyi chos skor , vol. 4, 295–333. New Delhi: Sanje Dorje. BDRC W9209. Sle lung rje drung Bzhad pa’i rdo rje. 1983–1985a. “Bzhad pa’i rdo rje’i gsang sgrub snying por dril ba.” In Gsung ’bum Bzhad pa’i rdo rje , vol. 12, 171–175. Leh: T. Sonam and D. L. Tashigang. BDRC W22130. Sle lung rje drung Bzhad pa’i rdo rje. 1983–1985b. “Dag snang gnod sbyin chen po’i sgrub skor mtshon brgya’i ’phrul ’khor.” In Gsung ’bum Bzhad pa’i rdo rje , vol. 12, 131–142. Leh: T. Sonam and D. L. Tashigang. BDRC W22130. Secondary Sources Bailey, Cameron. 2017. “A Feast for Scholars: The Life and Works of Sle lung Bzhad pa’i rdo rje.” DPhil thesis, University of Oxford. Ehrhard, Franz-Karl. 2022. “The Treasure Discoverer from Dwags-po: Two Texts on the Life of Chos-rje gling-pa (1682–1720).” Revue d’Études Tibétaines 64: 57–83. Published August 2026 Abstract This concise sādhana presents the secret practice of Zhepe Dorje, the visionary self-form of the Fifth Lelung, Zhepe Dorje (1697–1740). Visualising himself as a naked yogic figure surrounded by ḍākinīs and oath-bound protectors, the practitioner combines forceful gaze, the sounds HŪṂ and PHAṬ, bodily movement, mudrās, cries, songs, and whistles with the recognition that all appearances are the Guru’s display and ultimately the magical display of mind itself. The text was composed to clarify the practice of Pawo Tobgyal, a practitioner closely associated with Lelung. It is closely related to Lelung’s Outer, Inner, and Secret Practice Cycle of Zhepe Dorje , whose compressed secret practice contains many of the same visualisations and yogic instructions. The work concludes with an aspiration composed in connection with the printing of a collection of Lelung’s writings. MW22130_D5C80E DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 00:27 TRADITION Nyingma Geluk INCARNATION LINE Lelung Jedrung HISTORICAL PERIOD 18th Century TEACHERS The Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso The Fifth Panchen Lama, Lobzang Yesh e Damchö Zangpo Mingyur Paldrön Chöje Lingpa Dönyö Khedrup The First Purchok, Ngawang Jampa Ngawang Chödrak Yeshe Gyatso Damchö Gyatso Losal Gyatso Lhundrub Gyatso Dungkar Tsangyang Drugdrak The Second Dzogchen Drubwang, Gyurme Tekchok Tendzin TRANSLATOR Tib Shelf INSTITUTIONS Lelung Monastery Mindröling Ngari Dratsang Chökhor Gyal Trandruk Potala Tsāri STUDENTS Kunga Mingyur Dorj e Dorje Yom e Kunga Paldzom Lobzang Lhachok Dönyö Khedrub Polhane Sönam Tobgy e Ngawang Jampa Mingyur Paldrön The Fifth Dorje Drak Rigdzin, Kalzang Pema Wangchuk Lhasang Khan AUTHOR Lelung Zhepe Dorje The Essential Secret Sādhana of Zhepe Dorje VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! Name * Email* Submit Tib Shelf is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to translating, presenting and preserving primary source Tibetan texts across a vast array of genres and time periods. We make these literary treasures accessible to readers worldwide, offering a unique window into Tibet's rich history, culture and traditions. Tib Shelf has been accredited by the British Library with the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2754–1495 CONTACT US | SHELVES@TIBSHELF.ORG © 2024 Tib Shelf. All rights reserved.

Devotional praises invoking Shanglön Dorje Dudul, composed by Lelung Zhepe Dorje, describe him in great detail as a dark blue yakṣa figure adorned with jewels, holding a wish-fulfilling jewel and nectar vase, and capable of transforming into various wrathful forms. Opening the Door to Prosperity: A Praise to Invoke the Sacred Commitment of the Great Shanglön Dorje Dudul Hūṃ! In the midst of a canopy of five-colored rainbow light, A jeweled palace, the precious celestial mansion, Within which swirls an ocean of all that gods and humans desire— I praise Great Bhairava, manifesting as a body of form. Vajra mind of all the victorious ones of the three times, Command-bearing messenger who emanated from the heart of the Lord of Secrets, Who, by the power of aspirations, accomplishes beings' welfare— I praise the great Shanglön Dorje Dudul! In the form of a yakṣa, with the color of the dark blue sky, Bearing expressions of wrathful smiling, allure, and grace. Three flashing eyes beholding all of samsara and nirvāṇa— I praise you who, without distraction, guard all wayfarers. Right hand holds a wish-fulfilling jewel of power, Bestowing all desired siddhis to practitioners. From the treasure vase of nectar in the left hand, You pour down a great rain of immortality—I praise you. With crown and earrings, necklace and bracelets and more, Adorned with ornaments of priceless gems, Wearing a silk brocade cloak and bejeweled boots, Seated at royal ease, one leg extended, the other bent—I praise you. A roaring laughter of "ha ha!" resounds through the three realms, Passionate peals of laughter summoning the ḍākinīs of the three places. According to the mental dispositions of countless beings, Your vajra speech-melody transforms into whatever [is needed]—I praise you. The one who clearly perceives all phenomena, conventional and ultimate, Thoroughly intoxicated by marvelous great compassion, Taming all beings through the four enlightened activities— I praise you, compassionate-natured, oceanic oath-bound guardian. Occasionally manifesting as Demon Protector Mahākāla, Standing forth grasping a trident and blood-filled skull, Reveling and playing with all mamos and ḍākinīs, Protector of all oath-bound yogis—I praise you. At other times, you appear as the intensely wrathful Lord of Death, Galloping in the four directions on a demonic black horse, With myriad weapons, grinding enemies and obstructors to dust— I praise you, the one who manifests as task-performing messenger. Joy-arousing marvelous secret mother, All-accomplished sovereign lady who displays whatever manifestation, Foremost powerful ḍākinī of the three places, I praise you, unique mother of the Victorious Ones, mistress of magical display. The Mighty, Swift, Sun, Mars, and others; The Wilderness Dweller, Treasure Lord, and Powerful Yakṣa; Through the oceanic legions of the oath-bound Eight Classes, I praise those pervading heaven, earth, and the space between. Pema Totreng, great and powerful Lord of Secrets (Vajrapāṇi), Drapa Ngönshe, Terdak Lingpa and others, In accordance with the sacred pledges of vidyadhara root lineage lamas, Do not neglect your promises, but carry out your entrusted enlightened activities. We, the vajra brothers and sisters of method and wisdom, Rely on you deities, the essence of the ocean of three roots, When we arouse your sacred commitment through one-pointed supplication, Do not neglect us but think of us with love. Bless the three gates in their vajra nature, Especially grant the supreme and common siddhis, Through the four enlightened activities, fulfill mind's hopes, Be a companion until enlightenment. Reverse the fierce hostile intentions of the malicious eight classes, Protect against black magic, harmful spells, adverse conditions and obstacles, All precious aims for the doctrine and beings— Perform enlightened activities to accomplish [these] without hindrance. Externally manifesting as the oath-bound guardian And the clear light essence great Mahākāla, Unified self-awareness—essence of Buddha nature, Through recognizing one's true nature, manifest enlightenment. Foundational clear light—Dorje Dudul, Clear light of the path—great blissful realm, Resultant clear light—vajra essence body, Make them ripen and liberate as one inseparable unity! Colophon The Opening the Door to Excellence: A Praise to the Three Secrets of Shanglön, the Embodiment of All Victorious Ones of the Three Times was composed with devotion by Rigdzin Zhepe Dorje on the seventh day of the waxing moon of the ninth lunar month, while staying at Bomtsor in Zhelha Sakgong, during a journey to the great monastic centre of Chenye, in the Female Water Ox year (1733), together with the Mother of the Victorious Ones, foremost of the ḍākinīs , Lhachik Dorje Kyabje. May it bring goodness and well-being! NOTES Published: January 2026 BIBLIOGRAPHY : Bzhad pa'i rdo rje. 1982–1983. zhang blon chen po rdo rje bdud 'dul gyi thugs dam bskul ba'i bstod pa legs tshogs sgo 'byed . In gsung 'bum/_bzhad pa'i rdo rje , vol. 7, 567–572. BDRC MW1CZ2744_9DA65A . Abstract This devotional praise text, composed by the eighteenth-century Tibetan master Lelung Zhepe Dorje, invokes Shanglön Dorje Dudul, a powerful oath-bound protector deity. The work presents Dorje Dudul as an emanation of Vajrapāṇi and a manifestation of enlightened compassion, describing his iconography in vivid detail: a dark blue yakṣa figure adorned with jewels and precious ornaments, holding a wish-fulfilling jewel and nectar vase, capable of transforming into various wrathful forms including Mahākāla and the Yamarāja. BDRC LINK MW1CZ2744 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 05:42 TRADITION Geluk Nyingma INCARNATION LINE Lelung Jedrung HISTORICAL PERIOD 18th Century TEACHERS The Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso The Fifth Panchen Lama, Lobzang Yesh e Damchö Zangpo Mingyur Paldrön Chöje Lingpa Dönyö Khedrup The First Purchok, Ngawang Jampa Ngawang Chödrak Yeshe Gyatso Damchö Gyatso Losal Gyatso Lhundrub Gyatso Dungkar Tsangyang Drugdrak The Second Dzogchen Drubwang, Gyurme Tekchok Tendzin TRANSLATOR TIB SHELF INSTITUTIONS Lelung Monastery Mindröling Ngari Dratsang Chökhor Gyal Trandruk Potala Tsāri STUDENTS Kunga Mingyur Dorj e Dorje Yom e Kunga Paldzom Lobzang Lhachok Dönyö Khedrub Polhane Sönam Tobgy e Ngawang Jampa Mingyur Paldrön The Fifth Dorje Drak Rigdzin, Kalzang Pema Wangchuk Lhasang Khan AUTHOR Lelung Zhepe Dorje Opening the Door to Prosperity: A Praise to Invoke the Sacred Commitment of the Great Shanglön Dorje Dudul VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! Name * Email* Submit Tib Shelf is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to translating, presenting and preserving primary source Tibetan texts across a vast array of genres and time periods. We make these literary treasures accessible to readers worldwide, offering a unique window into Tibet's rich history, culture and traditions. Tib Shelf has been accredited by the British Library with the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2754–1495 CONTACT US | SHELVES@TIBSHELF.ORG © 2024 Tib Shelf. All rights reserved.

This text presents the outer, inner, and secret practice cycles of Zhepe Dorje, transmitted by Lhachik Nyima Zhönu—a protector deity revealed through pure vision—in 1730 and recorded in 1731. The Outer, Inner, and Secret Practice Cycle of Zhepe Dorje Namo ḍākinī ye! I received the outer, inner, and secret practice cycles of Zhepe Dorje from Lhachik Nyima Zhönu in the Iron Male Dog year (1730). E ma! For Zhepe Dorje, there are outer, inner, and secret explanations. For those wishing to accomplish the outer practice, Visualise Zhepe Dorje in monastic attire, Seated in a lama’s teaching posture, In a place that is either the sangha's joyous garden Or atop the stupa's tiered chambers— Before a Dharma wheel with a retinue of renunciants, Surrounded by many śrāvakas— Make supplications with deep yearning and clear resonance. For those wishing to accomplish the inner practice, Visualise Zhepe Dorje in the form of a master of mantra, Appearing in any attire, free from convention. His dwelling places are forest groves, riverbanks, Solitary abodes, rocky mountains, villages, and so forth. Visualise [him] in various forms and surrounded by a diverse retinue, Seated in the centre of the gaṇacakra gathering— Then make feast offerings, Fire offerings, water offerings, and others. [179] For those wishing to accomplish the secret practice, Visualise Zhepe Dorje as a naked ascetic Engaged in the conduct of invoking blessings. Bearing many implements—thigh bone trumpet, ḍamaru, bell, and conch shell, Surrounded by a hundred thousand beautiful young women, He binds ḍākinīs, ging, and lang as servants [1] Proclaiming HŪṂ PHAṬ BHYO, His abodes are haunted places and charnel grounds, where he roams. Meditate on maintaining the yogic observances, Take up the HŪṂ song and raise awareness, Dispatch with PHAṬ and mix space and awareness, Proclaim fierce cries, longing songs, and whistles. Colophon Thus, having received authorisation, this was written down in the Miracle Month of the Iron Female Pig year (1731). This completes the great chapter of Zhepe Dorje's practice cycle. NOTES [1] Ging (ging) and lang (glang) are classes of spirits in Tibetan Buddhism—ging often depicted as fierce skeletal figures and lang as messenger spirits. Published: January 2026 BIBLIOGRAPHY Sle lung rje drung Bzhad pa’i rdo rje. 1983–1985. Bzhad pa’i rdo rje’i phyi nang gsang gsum gyi sgrub skor . In Gsung ’bum Bzhad pa’i rdo rje , vol. 12, 193–195. Leh: T. Sonam and D. L. Tashigang. BDRC MW22130_1813C6 Abstract This text presents the outer, inner, and secret practice cycles of Zhepe Dorje, transmitted by Lhachik Nyima Zhönu—a protector deity revealed through pure vision—in 1730 and recorded in 1731. The three-tiered practice system offers progressive visualisation methods: the outer practice presents Zhepe Dorje as a monastic teacher, the inner practice depicts him as a tantric master, and the secret practice reveals him as a naked ascetic. BDRC LINK MW22130 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 02:26 TRADITION Geluk | Nyingma INCARNATION LINE Lelung Jedrung HISTORICAL PERIOD 18th Century TEACHERS The Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso The Fifth Panchen Lama, Lobzang Yesh e Damchö Zangpo Mingyur Paldrön Chöje Lingpa Dönyö Khedrup The First Purchok, Ngawang Jampa Ngawang Chödrak Yeshe Gyatso Damchö Gyatso Losal Gyatso Lhundrub Gyatso Dungkar Tsangyang Drugdrak The Second Dzogchen Drubwang, Gyurme Tekchok Tendzin TRANSLATOR Tib Shelf INSTITUTIONS Lelung Monastery Mindröling Ngari Dratsang Chökhor Gyal Trandruk Potala Tsāri STUDENTS Kunga Mingyur Dorj e Dorje Yom e Kunga Paldzom Lobzang Lhachok Dönyö Khedrub Polhane Sönam Tobgy e Ngawang Jampa Mingyur Paldrön The Fifth Dorje Drak Rigdzin, Kalzang Pema Wangchuk Lhasang Khan AUTHOR Lelung Zhepe Dorje The Outer, Inner, and Secret Practice Cycle of Zhepe Dorje VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! Name * Email* Submit Tib Shelf is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to translating, presenting and preserving primary source Tibetan texts across a vast array of genres and time periods. We make these literary treasures accessible to readers worldwide, offering a unique window into Tibet's rich history, culture and traditions. Tib Shelf has been accredited by the British Library with the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2754–1495 CONTACT US | SHELVES@TIBSHELF.ORG © 2024 Tib Shelf. All rights reserved.

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Polymath The Fifth Lelung Zhepe Dorje 1697–1740 BDRC P675 TREASURY OF LIVES LOTSAWA HOUSE PHOTO CREDIT The Fifth Lelung Jedrung, Lobzang Trinle (1697–1740), on being recognized as the reincarnation of the Fourth Lelung Jedrung, Gendun Chögyal, had his hair-cutting ceremony carried out by the Sixth Dalai Lama (1683–1706) in 1702. Later the treasure revealer Chöje Lingpa (1681–1720/1722) prophesied that Lelung would be the one to receive and propagate a treasure cycle focussed on a peaceful and wrathful form of Avalokiteśvara. His collected works total some forty-six volumes. In 1740 he passed away at the age of forty-three and was posthumously declared to be the protector deity Dragshul Wangpo who is focused on subduing the spirit Dorje Shugden. Guru Yoga The Condensed Essential Secret Sādhana of Zhepe Dorje Lelung Zhepe Dorje A concise secret sādhana of Zhepe Dorje centred on self-visualisation, forceful yogic practice, and the recognition of all appearances as the display of mind. Read Song Song of Experience: The Gateway of Manifold Appearances Lelung Zhepe Dorje Composed in 1718 amid violent political and religious upheaval in Tibet, this deeply personal song captures the young Lelung Zhepe Dorje’s disenchantment with worldly life, devotion, longing for hidden lands, and urgent yearning for freedom. Read Song A Spontaneous Song on Departing for Pemokö Lelung Zhepe Dorje This spontaneous song was composed by Lelung Zhepe Dorje (1697–1740) at Gyala in Kongpo in 1729, at the moment of departure from a gathered assembly of pilgrims and patrons on the threshold of the hidden land of Pemokö. Read Prayer The Outer, Inner, and Secret Practice Cycle of Zhepe Dorje Lelung Zhepe Dorje This text presents the outer, inner, and secret practice cycles of Zhepe Dorje, transmitted by Lhachik Nyima Zhönu—a protector deity revealed through pure vision—in 1730 and recorded in 1731. Read Prayer Opening the Door to Prosperity: A Praise to Invoke the Sacred Commitment of the Great Shanglön Dorje Dudul Lelung Zhepe Dorje Devotional praises invoking Shanglön Dorje Dudul, composed by Lelung Zhepe Dorje, describe him in great detail as a dark blue yakṣa figure adorned with jewels, holding a wish-fulfilling jewel and nectar vase, and capable of transforming into various wrathful forms. Read Song A Series of Spontaneous Spiritual Songs Lelung Zhepe Dorje Two spontaneous songs by Lelung Zhepe Dorje: one honouring the 2nd Dzogchen Drubwang Gyurme Thekchog Tenzin, the other celebrating the experience of unobstructed, effortless awareness. Both transmit direct spiritual realization through verse. Read Aspirational Prayer The Magical Lasso: A Prayer of Aspiration to Accomplish Khecara Lelung Zhepe Dorje A heartfelt prayer to the ḍākinīs of three worlds, composed at Pemokö's Dudul Dewa Chenpo, seeking blessings to master the Vajrayāna path for all beings' benefit. Read Pure Vision Chapter Narrating the Pure Vision of Gesar Lelung Zhepe Dorje Senior Geluk figure Lelung Zhepe Dorje (1697-1740) recounts his extraordinary 1729 pure vision of Gesar of Ling, marking a rare intersection of Geluk tradition with Tibet's epic hero. Read Buddhist An Aspiration to Travel to the Hidden Land of Pemokö Lelung Zhepe Dorje A prayer aspiring to rebirth in Pemokö, a sacred hidden land where dharmic conditions flourish and worldly obstacles dissolve - composed by Lelung Zhepe Dorje. Read Translated Works Mentioned In Menu Close Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Donate Research Tool Privacy Policy & Terms of Use SUBSCRIBE Publications Watch People Listen