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  • A Brief Biography: The Successive Incarnations of Tsoknyi Özer

    The reincarnation lineage of Tsoknyi Özer exemplified supreme devotion - illustrated by the Third Tsoknyi's offering of his burning finger as a lamp to fulfill his guru's wishes. A Brief Biography: The Successive Incarnations of Tsoknyi Özer The lord of the wheel of the infinite ocean of the three roots, The sole refugee of limitless sentient beings, The unrivalled knowledge holder of the three times, I supplicate at the feet of Tsoknyi Öser. THE FIRST INCARNATION The first Tsoknyi Öser was born in a place called Dewa Tang, Kyodrak in the twelfth sexagenary cycle of the Fire Snake Year, 1737, to a father named Kharpa Puntsok. Having been endowed with the characteristics of the excellent ones from a young age and with a great interest in virtuous activities, he went on pilgrimage to central Tibet. Thus, he met the Thirteenth Karmapa Düdül Dorjé (1733/34–1797/98) [ 1 ] and received many spiritual instructions. [At that time,] the Karmapa recognised him as the emanation of Chöjé Lingpa (1682–1720) [ 2 ] and performed many activities including this prophecy: “Since your future disciples and beneficial activities are in Kyodrak, go there and benefit them. In the future, you will be more valuable than others for the Barom teachings.” As such, the Karmapa bestowed upon him the name Tsoknyi Öser. Having returned home, he received the complete instructions of the liberating methods of the victorious Barom tradition from Saljé Chödrub Senggé. Subsequently, as there had only been black yak-haired tents in the encampment of Kyodrak, he built a fort called Pur Khang in 1779. There he conducted meditational practices, rituals, and offerings. In the Wood Dog Year, 1785, of the thirteenth sexagenary cycle, Tsoknyi Öser constructed Kyodrak Monastery’s new assembly hall along with the representations of the enlightened body, speech, and mind. His enlightened activities spread and flourished: He established the tradition of Chöjé Lingpa’s revealed treasure teachings. He became the object of worship for the people of China, Tibet, and Mongolia. He [built] innumerable and invaluable representations of the enlightened body, speech, and mind and established retreat centres at multiple hermitages. In brief, he greatly spread and proliferated the teachings of both theory and practice such as the dances, mask dances, and melodies in accordance with the traditions of previous knowledge holders. As such, Kyodrak Monastery installed him on the vajra throne, and everyone highly respected him as a great being and holder of the teachings. THE SECOND INCARNATION The second Tsoknyi was born to a father named Wön Tenzin Norbu and a mother named Sönam Drönma who was the chieftainess of Tsang Sar. He was recognised by the Fifth Dung Kar Śrī Bhadra of Kyodrak, who named him Karma Tsewang Künkhyab. He achieved the primordial wisdom of the aural lineage as he was primarily focused on meditation practice. Due to his yogic observances, he established everything he saw or heard onto the path of liberation. Certain aspects such as the dates of his birth and death are not available. In the end, he died at the age of sixty [ 3 ] and attained the rūpakāya, the form body. THE THIRD INCARNATION The third incarnation was born with a number of wondrous signs in the lower part of the Sengge district in Kham in the Earth Male Mouse year, 1828. His father was named Orgyen Gönpo and his mother Drongza Lhamo Dröl. Shugu Tendar, a monk from Kyodrak, knowledgeable in medicine and astrology, named him saying: “Since this child has good astrological signs, the name Tashi Tsegon should be given to him.” Since he was the descendent of the dignitary Lhagyari, a royal lineage of the dharma kings of Tibet, from a young age everyone called him Lhabu, the Divine Son. When an elder guru of Khang Né Monastery conferred the empowerment of Vajrakīla, the guru encouraged those who knew the mantra to recite the approach mantra for Vajrakīla and for those who did not, to recite the approach mantra for Vajrapāṇi. The Lord Lhabu, also, made a mala of kyerpa wood ( berberis aristate ) and performed over ten million prostrations and recitations of the approach mantra. Since he meditated on a protection circle, he was free from obstacles. From a young age, he had visions of Yeshé Gönpo, Padmasambhava, and Banak Genyen amongst others. Even while playing, he acted only in conformity with the doctrine. Frightened by the shortcomings of cyclic existence, he developed renunciation in his heart. In his dreams, he had many visions of Yeshé Chokyang, the Dharma Protector of Primordial Wisdom. From the fully ordained monk Ralo Tarlam of Kyodrak Monastery, he learned the way to posit the view and received experiential instructions on the way of meditating on Avalokiteśvara and Padmasambhava. Due to this, when he became slightly older, he already had a great propensity for the doctrine. On a number of occasions, he had pure visions of such things as sights, sounds, and awareness appearing as deity, mantra, and dharmakaya. When Karma Döndam Jigdral Wangpo, the reincarnation of Nedo Karma Dechen, gave instructions on th e Cutting Through ( trekchö ) and Leaping Over ( tögal ) meditational practices of the Peaceful and Wrathful Karling cycle to his father and some other people, [Lhabu] joined them. Consequently, his view was enhanced, and he realised the avenues through which the six lamps shine forth. After that, due to an unfathomable amount of blame and loss, the relatives, servants, mother and son left home and wandered to many different places. When they arrived in Tsari, he said there were ḍākinīs enjoying a tantric feast and they instructed him: “Yogin, eat this human flesh!” Two ḍākinīs stuffed human flesh into his mouth immediately saturating his mind and body with bliss. These were only some of the marvellous things that occurred. [While there], he visited the majority of the sacred sites in Ü and Tsang in central Tibet and then once again returned home. At the age of twenty-two in the Earth Bird Year, (1849), a strong attitude of renunciation enveloped his mind. He went to the Fifth Trülshik Mahāpaṇḍita, Palden Gyurmé Tsewang Trinlé, the victor of all the directions, and in the temple of Do Ngak Shedrub Ling he firstly took refuge and then the fundamental precepts. He changed his appearance and clothing and was given the name Ngawang Tsoknyi. A person of good faith offered him auspicious articles and yoghurt. He filled his bowl with the yoghurt and gave butter and cheese in return. With those actions, many auspicious doors were made. In the sixth lunar month, when the newly founded tradition of the first great accomplishment ceremony of The Eight Pronouncements: The Assembly of the Sugata was established, he was appointed as the leader of the practice sessions. Knowing that his guru and Padmasambhava were inseparable, he developed overpowering devotion. After that, for about two years, he memorised [texts] and even performed such activities as assisting around the monks’ quarters and fetching water. All the lamas and monks treated him lovingly due to his kind nature. He received numerous instructions, oral transmissions, and empowerments of Mahāmudrā and Dzogchen from A Deu Rinpoche and Yongdzin Lama Tenwang and engaged in their accompanying preliminary practices and purifications. When Tsoknyi was twenty-four, the Refuge-protector A Deu Rinpoche peacefully passed away. In order to fulfil his guru’s aspirations, he [set] the ring finger of his right hand [on fire] as an offering lamp. He was fully ordained by Tenpé Nyima of Taglung Monastery and was bestowed the name Mipham Loden. He received a great number of oral transmissions and empowerments including The Hundred Transmissions of Mitra ( Mitra Gyatsa ). Since Tenpé Nyima introduced him to the main practice of Mahāmudrā, he developed the faith that perceives the guru as a real buddha, and blessings entered him. The moment he met Rigzin Chögyal Dorjé (1789–1865/59), [ 4 ] in particular, an unbearable and blazing devotion arose, and their minds mixed as one. At different times when it was suitable, he received many empowerments, oral transmissions, and instructions including the instructions of the preliminary and main practices of Mahāmudrā of the glorious Drukpa [Kagyü tradition], the profound instructions of the [Dzogchen] rüshen practice, or the preliminary practice of differentiation, of the Peaceful and Wrathful Karling cycle along with the introduction of the main practice, the empowerment and instructions of the co-emergent Cakrasaṃvara and the two-faced Vajravārāhī, the supportive teachings for the Six Yogas of Nāropa, various oral instructions, numerous cycles of the aural transmission, and the profound treasure of The Wrathful Sky-Blue Guru ( Guru Drakting ). Furthermore, he relied upon many gurus including the incarnation of Vima, Karma Tengyé Chöpel, and the Seventh Chögön, Chökyi Nyinché as well as extensively receiving teachings of maturation and liberation. He reciprocally gave various suitable empowerments and oral transmissions to and from Trülshik Kyabné Trinlé Gyatso, Nagpo Togden, and Guru Pünchö, etc. In the Iron Pig Year (1851) at the age of twenty-four, he entered into strict retreat. After nine months had passed, despite running out of provisions, he was able to remain for about four years through engaging in immeasurable austerities. One time, when Rigzin Chögyal Dorjé had arrived at the meditation room of his retreat hut, the Lord Chögyal Dorjé bestowed upon him the profound treasure of The Wrathful Sky-Blue Guru , which he himself had extracted from Nyengyal Dorjé Khyung Citadel. He also conferred the empowerment, oral transmission, and instructions of The Guru White Jambhala: The Deity of Wealth ( Lama Nor Lha Dzam Kar ). In the catalogue of vajra prophecies it says: “At that time in Tibet when a short period of happiness like the glimpsing of the sun, a custodian of the teachings, a hidden yogi who is the emanation of Muné Tsenpo (8th–9th century) named Gaṇa will invoke an emanation of mine from eastern Ü named Dharmasūrya Candrabhadra. This emanation is a custodian of the doctrine and special transmissions and possesses the wisdom eye.” According to that prophecy, he is indicated as being that very custodian of the doctrine. The [guru] prophesied: “I offer this advice to you in place of retreat provisions. Put them into practice and you will not remain in your current state. You will have disciples, fame, students, and patrons in addition to power, wealth, and unrivalled authority.” The Lord [Tsoknyi] replied: “I have renounced this life. From a primordial state that is able to be content and has little desires, I focus the depths of my mind on the dharma. The depth of the dharma is to live as a beggar, the depth of living as a beggar is to live that way until death, and the depth of living that way until death is to entrust myself to a mountainous hermitage. In doing so, like Milarepa, I wish for a life untainted by the stains of the eight worldly concerns. The ordinary accomplishments are of no need.” The [guru] replied: “Even if you say you want it to be like that, you should wait and see how it turns out.” As such, Tsoknyi mixed excrement and urine together, smeared and spread it all over the meditation cave. This was greatly auspicious, and it increased his followers and enlightened activities as it was prophesied. When he was practicing the approach and accomplishment phases of The Wrathful Sky-Blue Guru there were many great signs including the guardians of the teachings actually displaying their forms, the eight classes of gods and rākṣasas displaying magical machinations, tumultuous noise, and a cacophony of sounds. Rid of intimidation and fear, he overpowered these challenging signs through the sheer brilliance of his vajra-like concentration. As an indication of this, they offered their life and heart to him. All of those who beheld lineages of the dharma, accepted him as one who dispels all adverse conditions and accomplishes any and all favourable conditions. From then onwards, his enlightened activities flourished even further: Humans congregated during the day and gods and demons assembled during the night. In the evenings and mornings, clothes and food were gathered. As all those were accumulated, the guru’s prophecy came to be true. When he performed the approach and accomplishment of the principal and retinue deities of Guru Orgyen: The Deity of Wealth: The White Jambhala, he had visions of the assembly of deities. One day, in particular, a stream of melted butter flowed down from the support beam of his meditation room and, in a single stroke, made his clothes and belongings very greasy. He himself even declared: “Due to engaging in severe austerities and the interdependency from accomplishing the White Jambhala , my successive students will not be impoverished as they will have food, clothing, and resources.” This can even be seen directly today. Generally, without any effort, he would have pure visions of whichever deity he practiced, as well as having visions of various other deities. He even composed an instructional text for The Wrathful Sky-Blue Guru . He newly constructed a retreat centre called Khachö Chödzong Dechen Rabar. Since he practiced The Three Bodies of the Guru ( Lama Kusum ), for seven years, the remaining beneficial karma from his past lives of Langdo Lotsawa Könchok Jungné (8th century) [ 5 ] and Ratna Lingpa (1403–1479) [ 6 ] was activated. All the physical yogas of the vajra body clearly arose in the mirror of his mind, which are contained in his mind-sadhana practice. In his pure vision, the wisdom body of Ratna Lingpa often took care of him, disclosing to him the secretly sealed [teachings] of the five kinds of secret instructions along with the physical yogas and giving him the secrets of the open and direct instructions. In this way, Ratna Lingpa was his companion on the path and his primordial wisdom flourished [due to this relationship]. There are numerous wondrous narratives such as those. [Through this] he received the name Pema Drimé Öser. In the Wood Monkey Year, (1884), Jamgön Kongtrül [Lodrö Tayé] (1813–1899) [ 7 ] bestowed upon him the cycles of the aural lineage concerning the path of skilful means, and he also received the complete instructions of the five stages of Ratna Lingpa’s The Exceptional Assembly of the Accomplishment of the Enlightened Mind ( Tugdrub Yangdü ). He was particularly praised as “Tsoknyi, the lord of the accomplished ones.” [Jamgön Kongtrül] also received many teachings from the Lord [Tsoknyi]. After that, he eventually came to Kyodrak by passing through Gadzo, Palshung, Tamkha, and Kyadzo. Since Lama Sal [Ga Rinpoche], Ten [Nying Rinpoche], Dung [Kar Rinpoche], and his father’s family had a profound patron-priest relationship, their good intentions integrated as one in both spiritual and temporal affairs. In particular, the Lord accepted Dungkyé Rinpoche Rigzin Düdjom Dorjé, who was the supreme guru of the previous lifetimes, to be the emanation of Barom Darma Wangchuk (1127–1194?). [ 8 ] He recited the seven-syllable mantra of Cakrasaṃvara hundreds of millions of times. He received the six dharmas of Mahāmudrā and Dzogchen from Chögyal Dorjé. Through engaging in the practices, he actually discovered the signs of accomplishment. From this unrivalled and excellent being [Chögyal Dorjé], who had visions of a multitude of deities and so forth, he received the Barom Mahāmudrā cycle of teachings concerning the six dharmas of The Lord of Bliss ( Degon ), Tulku Mingyur Dorjé’s (1645–1667) [ 9 ] pure vision teachings of The Sky Teachings (Namchö), and The Unified Oral and Treasure Teachings ( Karter Sungjuk ), written by the doctrine holder Chödak Chagmé Rinpoche (1613–1678), [ 10 ] which is an ancillary text to the mind treasures [of Mingyur Dorjé]. He received all of their empowerments and oral transmissions in their entirety. He also offered long-life prayers of the gurus as well as some of the empowerments and oral transmissions in return. Upon the invitations of his paternal relative Sowang Pün, his former enemy Rakshu Tsewang Dargé, Surmang Ati, and others, he gave instructions and spiritual advice, establishing them in the doctrine. Then he went into a strict retreat in the cave of Khyungtra having taken upon himself a tantric commitment. Banak Genyen, the protector of that sacred site, offered its life and heart to him, and Tsoknyi accepted him at his word. Then Banak Genyen gave him a key for the enlightened activities of magnetisation, and Tsoknyi was able to compose a profound meditational practice of that treasure protector [Banak Genyen]. With a seal of secrecy, he offered it to the gurus, abbots, and masters of Kyodrak Monastery, where the text can still be found. His experience and realisation thrived. He went to U, Tsang, and other destinations where he combined his beneficial works for sentient beings and for the practice. Finally, at the age of sixty-one on the twenty-ninth day of the fourth month of the Earth Mouse Year, 1888, he peacefully passed away. He had a great number of students including the Ninth Gyalwang Ngedön Tenpé Nyiché, the Sixth Jé Khamtrül Tenpé Nyima, the Sixth Trülshik A Dé Gyalsé, Tari Ngawang Chöjor, Togden Ngawang Gelek, Gechak Togden Ngawang Tsangyang Gyatso, Jamé Chöpal Gyatso, Jamtrül Tenpé Gyaltsen, Dru Jamyang Drakpa, Dompa Lama Püntsok Chögrub, Taru Togden Chöying Namdak, Lang Ngawang Lhündrup, Geshé Tenzin Sangpo, Künkhen Tsewang Namgyal, Ngor Khen Künga Tenzin, Nagpo Tertön Garwang Yeshé Rölpa, and Ngawang Namgyal Tenpa. THE FOURTH INCARNATION The fourth Tsoknyi, Lhagyal Dorjé, was born in the Chugru family of Kyodrak. He was recognised by the great treasure revealer Barwé Dorjé and gave him the name Tsoknyi Lhagyal Dorjé. Numerous historical accounts were lost during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) including his biography and the dates of birth and death. So, there is no clear account of him. THE FIFTH INCARNATION Foremost adept in the Land of Snows, Heart son of the lineage of Marpa, Mila, and Dakpo, Regarded as the reincarnation of Chöjé Lingpa, Tsoknyi Öser, I revere you full-heartedly. Although I do not possess the skills to write The outer, inner, and secret biographies of this excellent being, With the help of ancient records and oral narratives of the older generations My fingers felt at ease in penning them into words. The birthplace of the fifth incarnation, Tsoknyi Öser Karma Khyenrab Lodrö Chökyi Döndrub, [ 11 ] was in Kyodrak, [ 12 ] which is divided into two [areas called] Nang and Sog. [ 13 ] His birthplace was in the upper Sog district. This virtuous and auspicious sacred place has adopted its name because it is “where the dharma robes of Guru Rinpoche once dried,” as well as a place where a statue of Dorjé Drolö miraculously appeared. This marvellous sacred place was also predicted in the religious song of the great treasure revealer, Barwa Dorjé, [ 14 ] which says, “In this auspicious and virtuous place of Tranang Tashi valley, [ 15 ] there will be congregations of young men and horses.” In this place, where greatly accomplished ones have visited, the son, Karma Khyenrab Lodrö Chökyi Döndrub, was born on the twenty-eighth day of the eleventh month the Earth Bird Year, 1969, to his father Sé Pema and his mother Yesa Geyang. [ 16 ] During the turbulent times, [ 17 ] the retreat master Alho Nyingjé of Pedong [ 18 ] and other practitioners had no choice but to dig for caterpillar fungus to pay tax. When they arrived at the mountain, Alho Nyingjé continuously meditated. His student Sé Pema (Tsoknyi’s father) provided different kinds of service for him, including digging for fungus to cover both their taxes. At that time, Lama Anying stayed at Khong Yerpo, [ 19 ] where his mind dissolved into the sphere of reality (i.e. he passed away). One day, Alho Nyingjé made plans to come to the place known as Gepa Yangshar Yechok Shingkyong Yabyum (Parents of the Local Protectors of the Steep Cliff Facing East). [ 20 ] When his student Sé Pema arrived, he was not there. But Alho Nyingjé arrived after a short wait. Sé Pema asked, “Where did you go? I have been waiting for you here.” Alho Nyingjé answered along with providing a prophecy, “I fell asleep for a short while. When I fell asleep, I dreamt that you would have a son who will be a great help for the Barom teachings, but I am not sure that others will believe this.” Similarly, many noble beings prophesied in the same way. Furthermore, in the past, when Dungtrül Rinpoche came to Khatsa Traba, [ 21 ] Sé Pema helped him to set up his residence. When Dungtrül Rinpoche arrived at the monastery, he said to Sé Pema: “Your eldest son is the heart of your family. He is a superior being, but do not tell others.” Thus, he recognised him as Tsoknyi Rinpoche, but no one was informed for five years. When Situ Pema Wangchok Gyalpo [ 22 ] visited Kyodrak before 1958, he was strongly requested to recognise the reincarnation of Tsoknyi Öser, but he said, “There is no need to hurry now because in the future there will be someone who will certainly benefit the Dharma and sentient beings. As the saying goes, ‘although the gold is under the earth, its light shines in the sky.’ We can recognise him at a later time.” As such, based on the prophecies made by the Karmapa Düdül Dorjé now the karma and aspirations had ripened in time. When Saljé Rinpoche was on a strict retreat at Samten Chöling, Tsoknyi had an audience with him and received advice. Many natural, auspicious interdependent connections occurred during this audience, such as when Tsoknyi reached the top of the ladder, Saljé Rinpoche was carrying a full bowl of white yoghurt. Saljé Rinpoche said, “Tashi delek, come inside.” When Tsoknyi was prostrating three times, Rinpoche hurriedly said, “Please sit down.” Tsoknyi sat on the cushion, and the student and master had a long conversation beginning with inquiring about each other’s well-being. During lunchtime, some Taiwanese and Hong Kong students of Saljé Rinpoche were also present. When Saljé Rinpoche said, “Tsoknyi Rinpoche,” Tsoknyi said, “I have not used that name, and I am not willing to use it! There is a danger that it will produce pride in me.” Saljé Rinpoche said, “It was a slip of the tongue, but it has created good interdependent connections.” After that, Saljé Rinpoche offered another bowl of white yoghurt to him and said, “I am offering this to Tsoknyi with the aspiration that he receives complete instruction and benefits all sentient beings.” Tsoknyi remarked, “This is like the old story of the village girl Lekyima offering yoghurt to the Buddha, the Bhagavān. Because she offered yoghurt, she was blessed with peace throughout the three times and the realisation of the pure essence of the supreme wisdom. Hence with this aspiration, I’ll drink it all without leaving any behind.” From a young age, he possessed many excellent signs. For example, when the monastery was first granted approval, [ 23 ] many people used to gather in the dance hall, and the numbers were immense. Due to the small size of the hall, queues formed outside. Having moved through in file, he made it inside without any difficulties. This was the first time he heard the sounds of Dharma, and his mind was filled with joy due to his previous karma. After a brief moment, he and his father reluctantly had to leave due to overcrowding. However, in his heart, his desire to join prayer gatherings became like that of a thirsty person discovering water; yet since it was impossible, he could do nothing but cry. His mother said, “Don’t do that. Those people also need to join [the prayer gathering]. If you learn how to read, you will be able to become a monk.” Upon hearing these comforting words and from the incredible joy he felt, it seems that his karmic propensities awoke. Thus, he went to learn to read and write. [In relation to this] his father let the young boy sleep with him in his bed. Every morning his kind-hearted father chanted Shaking Samsara from the Depths [ 24 ] prayer and every evening The Kīla Prayer . As a result, the young boy learnt The Kïla Prayer easily even before learning to read. Moreover, he had delightful experiences and dreams. However, I fear there would be too many words, so I shall not write them here. While he was offering his hair [ 25 ] to Saljé Rinpoche of Kyodrak in 1982, Rinpoche asked, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Tsültrim Nyima.” Rinpoche replied, “Usually, we change the name when we perform the hair-cutting ceremony, but your name is good, so let us leave it as it is.” This was the moment he entered the Buddhist tradition. On that spring day, there was a bit of drizzle and fog had gathered on top of the sacred mountain of Gardzé. [ 26 ] On that distant mountain, he saw the Dzachu river, resembling a turquoise dragon ascending into the sky, and grass sprouting on the grounds of Kyodrak Monastery. Consequently, he stated that it was a difficult place to forget since he was very fortunate to have had that opportunity. Then, having enrolled in the monastery, he studied the monastic education programme in its entirety—learning ritual dances, musical instruments, and other disciplines. He also received a lot of exceptional instructions on [the paths of] means and liberation. From Jamyang Lodrö Rinpoche, [ 27 ] he received the cycles of teachings of the Barom tradition and empowerments and pith instructions. He received many empowerments and pith instructions from Saljé Rinpoche, who is endowed with the three types of kindness, and Dungtrül Rinpoche. [ 28 ] He received precepts of renunciation and the name Tsültrim Sangpo and also received the empowerment of The Kīla of the Secret Essence [ 29 ] from the Abbot Karma Jampa Yönten or Do Dé Rinpoche. [ 30 ] Moreover, he received various empowerments and transmissions from Sanggyé Tenzin, [ 31 ] over the course of a month. In particular, Rabjor Rinpoche [ 32 ] and Tsoknyi received the empowerment and instructions of the single lineage. On top of that, he received teachings on the medical sciences and The Four Tantras with its empowerment from Wön Gelek and Rabpel. [ 33 ] He received the details of the [medical] practices for those tantras from Wön Gelek. He also received teachings on astrology and other instructions from the chant master and vajra master of the monastery, Abbot Karma Orgyen, and education on Tibetan grammar, A Guide of the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life ( Bodhicaryāvatāra ), and other teachings from abbots and masters. From the yogi Yeshé Rabgyé, [ 34 ] he began to learn Nāropa’s Six Yogas of the path of skilful means and the Barom tradition’s practice of Mahāmudrā of the path of liberation. Having combined the methods of the profound instructions of the paths of skilful means and liberation with study, contemplation, and meditation, he engaged in a strict, solitary retreat of three years, three months, and three days at the Barom Meditation Centre. After his retreat came to an end, he stayed at the meditation cave of Tseril [ 35 ] for several years and received empowerments of Cakrasaṃvara and Mahākāla from Sanggyé Drakpa. [ 36 ] He became a fully accomplished excellent scholar having relied upon various non-sectarian great beings and having integrated study, contemplation, and meditation. As the Refuge-lord Saljé Rinpoche often had many excellent and wondrous dreams and signs, he recognised the Fifth Tsoknyi Rinpoche and named him Karma Khyenrab Lodrö Chökyi Döndrup. [ 37 ] Later, Tsoknyi visited the sacred sites of India and Nepal. He has come back to his fatherland three times since 2001. Keeping the monastery and its people in mind and with a pure intention, he constructed a five-story temple at Kyodrak Monastery that is comparable in size to a seven-story building. It has a gilded roof complete with a gold ornament and victory banner and seventy-eight rooms to accommodate about five thousand monks. Moreover, he built a three-story meditation hall called Chabti Serpuk [ 38 ] with a gold ornament above its assembly hall. Along with this hall, he also built seventeen monk’s quarters called Yabeb Khang [ 39 ] and a monastic college containing an assembly hall and eighty monk’s quarters. He made donations towards the construction of Serphug Namtsang assembly hall, [ 40 ] which is the abode of the renunciate Tsültrim Tarchin. He donated 300,000 Yuan towards [recovery projects after] the Yushul earthquake. He gave donations to the Serta monks and nuns for their prayers. He also donated clothes to the region of Yushul and offered 500 Samten Bülchung [ 41 ] to the meditators. He sponsors the twenty-ninth pūjā every year and donates money to the monks. With Khen Jiga [ 42 ] he sponsors the food and other facilities for the monks at the monastic college. He also diligently accumulates funds for Barom’s Prayer Festival. Other than that, he donates thermoses and quality incense to the abbots, retreat masters, and great meditators and clothes to the needy. Each and every year he strives in gathering the accumulations. The religious centres he has built with great effort for the benefit of others are Taiwan Dharma Centre, Barom Tegsum Chökhor Ling, Macao Dharma Centre, Ngedön Tegchen Ling, and the England Dharma Centre, Künpan Jampa Ling. Furthermore, he is currently visiting many countries, including Singapore, Macao, Honkong, Guato, and Mauritius to give teachings, rescue animals, and advise people in need. May all be virtuous! COLOPHON None NOTES [1] karma pa 10 bdud 'dul rdo rje, BDRC P828 [2] chos rje gling pa, BDRC P671 [3] This is a scribble error as the dates between the First Tsoknyi and the Third Tsoknyi does not make this possible. [4] chos rgyal rdo rje, BDRC P1711 [5] lang gro dkon mchog 'byung gnas, [6] rat+na gling pa, BDRC P470 [7] 'jam mgon kong sprul blo gros mtha' yas, BDRC P264 [8] 'ba' rom pa dar ma dbang phyug, BDRC P1856 [9] gman chos mi 'gyur rdo rje, BDRC P659 [10] karma chags med, BDRC P649 [11] tshogs gnyis 'od zer karma mkhyen rab blo gros chos kyi don 'grub [12] skyo brag [13] nang sog [14] 'bar ba' rdo rje [15] bkra nang bkra shis lung pa [16] se pad+ma; g.yes bza' dge g.yang [17] Cultural Revolution [18] pad sdong a lho snying rje [19] a snying bla ma; khong g.yer po [20] gas pa g.yang shar g.yas phyogs zhing skyong yab yum [21] dung sprul rin po che; kha tsha pra ba [22] ta' sit u 11 pad+ma dbang mchog rgyal po, 1886–1952, BDRC P925 [23] This is approval is from CCP after the cultural revolution. [24] 'khor ba dong sprug [25] This is when the lama cuts the first tip of the hair before the individual becomes ordained. [26] gar mdzad ri [27] 'jam dbyangs blo gros [28] dung sprul [29] gsang thig phur pa [30] byams pa yon tan / mdo sde rin po che [31] sangs rgyas bstan 'dzin [32] rab 'byor rin po che [33] dbon dge legs; rab 'phel [34] ye shes rab rgyas [35] tshe ril [36] sangs rgyas grag pa [37] karma mkhyen rab blo gros chos kyi don grub [38] chab bsti gser phug [39] ya 'bebs khang [40] gser pug rnam tshang 'du khang [41] bsam rten 'bul chung [42] mkhan 'jig dga' Published: November 2020 Edited: September 2021 BIBLIOGRAPHY Dbon dge legs. 2020. Grub pa'i sa mthor gshegs pa'i skyo brag tshogs gnyis 'od zer sku phreng rim byon gyi rnam thar mdor bsdus bzhugs so . London: Tib Shelf P005 Abstract These introductory biographies of the successive reincarnations of Tsoknyi Özer invite us to the land of liberation by establishing their enlightened lifestyles as examples. The text highlights the significance of devotion towards a spiritual master as, for example, the Third Tsokyni lighting his ring finger on fire, offering it as a lamp to fulfill his guru's aspirations. TIB SHELF P005 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 00:27 TRADITION Barom Kagyu INCARNATION LINE Chöje Lingpa Tsoknyi Özer HISTORICAL PERIOD 18th Century 19th Century 20th Century 21st Century TEACHERS The First Incarnation: The Thirteenth Karmapa Duddul Dorje Salje Chödrub The Second Incarnation: n/a The Third Incarnation: Ralo Tarlam Karma Döndam Jigdral Wangpo The Fifth Trulshik Mahāpaṇḍita, Gyurme Tsewang Trinle A De'u Rinpoche Yongzin Lama Tenwang Taglung Tenpe Nyima Rigdzin Chögyal Dorje Karma Tengye Chöpel The Seventh Chögön Chökyi Nyinche Trulshik Kyabne Trinle Gyatso Nagpo Togden Guru Punchö Jamgön Kongtrül Lodrö Taye Lama Salga Rinpoche Ten Nying Rinpoche Dungkar Rinpoche TRANSLATORS Tib Shelf Rachael Griffiths Michael Elison INSTITUTION Kyodrak Monastery STUDENTS TBC AUTHOR Önpo Gelek A Brief Biography: The Successive Incarnations of Tsoknyi Özer VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy 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.

  • Addiction

    Through verse, Dudul Dorje explores addiction and worldly attachments, revealing how these forms of suffering stem from the clinging mind itself. Addiction [1] གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔ GURU PADMA SIDDHI HŪṂ! [2] ཨེ་མ་དཀོན་མཆོག་འགྲོ་མགོན་པདྨ་འབྱུང༔ འཁོར་བའི་ཞེན་ཆགས་བྲལ་བར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔ Eh ma! supreme jewel, protector of beings—Lotus-Born One, Please bless me to sever my fixed attachment to saṃsāra! གཉུག་མར་རང་གསལ་ཆང་འདི་མ་འཐུང་ན༔ བྲམ་ཟེ་ཆང་མྱོས་འདི་ལ་མཐོང་ཚེ་ཡི་རེ་མུག༔ གཤིས་ལུགས་ཀ་དག་གི་ནོར་མཆོག་མ་མཐོང་ནས༔ བསླུས་ནོར་ཞེན་འཛིན་འདི་མཐོང་ཚེ་ཞེ་རེ་ལོག༔ How sad it is to see a brahmin [ 3 ] dissipated on drink, Having failed to imbibe the innate nature’s self-luminosity. When you don’t appreciate the supreme jewel of your primordially pure makeup, When you hang on to the counterfeit jewel of consuming fixation—this pains my soul .[ 4 ] མར་དམྱལ་བ་ཚ་གྲང་གི་སྡུག་བསྔལ་ཐར་མེད་དེ༔ བུ་རང་རྒྱུད་ཞེ་སྡང་གི་རྩ་དེར་འདུག༔ ཡི་དྭགས་བཀྲེས་སྐོམ་གྱི་སྡུག་བསྔལ་བཟོད་མེད་དེ༔ བུ་རང་རྒྱུད་སེར་སྣའི་རྩ་དེར་འདུག༔ The inescapable, harrowing heat and cold of hell below ,[ 5 ] My dear, [ 6 ] are rooted in your mind’s hostility. The ghost’s overwhelming, burning hunger and thirst, My dear, are rooted in your mind’s rapacity. བྱོལ་སོང་བླུན་རྨོངས་སྡུག་བསྔལ་བཟོད་མེད་དེ༔ བུ་རང་རྒྱུད་གཏི་མུག་གི་རྩ་དེར་འདུག༔ ལྷ་མིན་འཐབ་རྩོད་གྱི་སྡུག་བསྔལ་བཟོད་མེད་དེ༔ བུ་རང་རྒྱུད་ཕྲག་དོག་གི་རྩ་དེར་འདུག༔ The benighted brainlessness of a beast, My dear, is rooted in your mind’s vacuity. The asuras’ acidic quarrels ,[ 7 ] My dear, are rooted in your mind’s envy. འཆི་འཕོ་ལྟུང་བའི་སྡུག་བསྔལ་དོང་རིང་དེ༔ བུ་རང་རྒྱུད་འདོད་ཆགས་ཀྱི་རྩ་དེར་འདུག༔ དེ་ལྟར་དབུལ་ཕོངས་ཀྱི་སྡུག་བསྔལ་དེ༔ བུ་སྦྱིན་གཏོང་གཉིས་པོའི་རྩ་དེར་འདུག༔ The nightmarish chute of your fall from grace, [ 8 ] My dear, [241/242] is rooted in your mind’s indulgences. Likewise, my dear, the pauper’s pain Shares its root with the two kinds of giving .[ 9 ] འཁོར་འདས་ཤེས་བྱའི་ཐ་སྙད་དེ༔ བུ་རེ་དོགས་གཉིས་ཀྱི་རྩ་དེར་འདུག༔ བུ་རྫོགས་སངས་རྒྱས་པ་ཞེས་བྱའི་སྒྲ་ཆེ་དེ༔ བུ་རང་རིག་སྐྱེ་མེད་ཀྱི་ཀློང་དེར་འདུག༔ The conventions known as saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, My dear, are rooted in your hopes and fears. My dear, what’s called “exalted, perfect awakening,” Is there, my dear, in the unborn expanse of your self-knowing awareness. ཡིན་མིན་འབུང་བའི་གླུ་ཆུང་འདི༔ རང་འདྲའི་ཞེན་ཆགས་རྟག་འཛིན་མཁན་རྣམས་ལ༔ མཆོག་སྨན་ཆུའི་དབེན་ཁྲོད་དུ༔ འབུང་བའི་གླུ་ཆུང་སྨྲས་པ་ཟེར་རོ༔ This little song about the struggles of dignity— [ 10 ] For those like me who are hooked and think things last forever— Was sung with sincerity In isolated retreat where sublime Healing Waters flow. [ 11 ] COLOPHON ཧ་ཧ༔ དགེ་བས་འགྲོ་ཀུན་བུདྡྷ་མྱུར་འགྲུབ་ཤོག༔ རིག་འཛིན་བདུད་འདུལ་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཡིས༔ སྨན་ཆུའི་ཡང་དབེན་དུ་སྨྲས་པ་ཟེར་རོ༔ མངྒ་ལམ༔ Ha ha! By the good of this, may all beings quickly attain buddhahood. This little poem was written in the Healing Waters of total solitude .[ 12 ] By Rigzin Dudul Dorje. Maṅgalam NOTES [1] The title is literally “The Drawbacks of Alcohol.” In classical Tibetan literature, and even today, alcohol (chang) is used as a catch-all term for addictive substances. This is no doubt largely because, until recently, there was little access to other addictive substances on the Tibetan plateau, with the exception of tobacco and occasional opioid abuse among the economic elite (See McKay, “Indifference, Cultural Difference, and a Porous Frontier: Some Remarks on the History of Recreational Drugs in the Tibetan Cultural World”). We choose to render the title more openly as “addiction” since it does not focus on alcohol but on the mind afflicted by addictions to its own poisons. [2] The only edition we find of this text has rather curious punctuation. Each line ends with Sanskrit visarga marks (ཿ ), which are very commonly conflated with Tibetan terma marks (༔) that indicate a text is a revealed treasure. Since Dudul Dorje was a treasure revealer, his works are full of terma marks, however, the present poem shows virtually none of the characteristics of a treasure text and seems to be a personal composition intended for his student. Thus, the use of the visarga/terma marks may just be an editorial quirk. [3] Brahmin (bram ze): the highest caste in traditional Indian social strata. Brahmins are distinguished by their access to the sacred Vedic scriptures, which are the source of all knowledge. As a seventeenth-century Tibetan, Dudul Dorje likely uses the term figuratively as something like the English “gentleman,” as in someone whose nature is essentially good. Thus, the line might be read in contemporary English as “One hates to see a good man in the throes of addiction.” [4] “Soul” here is in the figurative sense of one’s innermost being (zhe), not, of course, in the non-Buddhist metaphysical sense of a permanent self. There are synonymic resonances in this stanza between “soul” (zhe), “innate nature” (gnyug ma), and “makeup” (gshis lugs), which is more commonly translated as “disposition,” “character,” or the extremely long “fundamentally unconditioned nature.” [5] This and the following stanzas have a repeating structure in which lines 1 and 3 repeat the word “suffering” (sdug bsngal) + an intensifier like “inescapable” (thar med) or “unbearable" ( b zod med). Since the meaning of the lines is unambiguous, rather than render a stiff word-for-word translation of the repeated phrases, we prefer to use evocative synonyms for each in accord with English stylistic conventions. [6] The word here is literally “son,” which is a common term of affection that a lama uses to address a close male student. We believe that in the present context, the term’s affectionateness is more important than its gender, and that using “son” might create needless confusion about whether he’s referring to his literal son or not. A good alternative is sometimes “dear student,” but we reluctantly choose “my dear” because it is slightly lighter in the meter. [7] Asuras (lha min) can be translated as “demi-gods”—powerful and privileged beings tormented by competitiveness with the gods who are even more powerful and privileged. [8] This line uses a phrase associated with the experience of gods when their positive karma runs out, and they traumatically descend back into lower realms. [9] Two kinds of giving (sbyin gtong gnyis po) is synonymous with two kinds of generosity (sbyin pa gnyis), which are the giving of things (zang zing gi sbyin pa) and the giving of Dharma (chos kyi sbyin pa). This line seems to emphasize that suffering and wholesome categories like generosity both have their root in the mind. [10] This interesting line deserves unpacking. It is literally “is and is not” (yin min) + “making effort” (’bung ba) + of + “little song” (glu chung). The phrase “is and is not” usually concerns moral questions of what is and is not good or right, so the line could be read as “this little poem about right and wrong.” Here, we prefer to handle it slightly more delicately since Dudul Dorje does not emphasize ethics in the poem but rather the epistemology of a mind addicted to its poisons. This is how we arrived at “the struggles of dignity (i.e., self-respect).” [11] sman chu dben khrod. This is almost certainly a place name, as in the sublime “Healing Waters Hermitage.” However, since we cannot confirm its location, we prefer to translate the terms, which have some poetic value. [12] Again, here “Healing Waters” (sman chu) is likely the name of the hermitage where he stayed. Dudul Dorje spent many years in retreat and revealing treasures in remote places, especially in the southern Tibetan regions of Powo (spo bo), Kongpo (kong po), and Pemakö (pad+ma bkod). Published: September 2023 Thanks to Lowell Cook for this editorial feedback. BIBLIOGRAPHY Dudul Dorje (bdud ’dul rdo rje). chang gi nyes dmigs. In gter chos bdud ʼdul rdo rje, 3:249–50. Edited by Zhichen Bairo (gzhi chen bai ro 03 padma rgyal mtshan). Darjeeling: Kargyud Sungrab Nyamso Khang, 1997. BDRC MW22123_D2C055 . McKay, Alex, Alex. “Indifference, Cultural Difference, and a Porous Frontier: Some Remarks on the History of Recreational Drugs in the Tibetan Cultural World.” The Tibet Journal 39, no. 1, Special Issue: Trade, Travel and the Tibetan Border Worlds: Essays in Honour of Wim van Spengen (1943–2013) (Spring-Summer 2014): 57–73. Abstract Using poetic verses, this work delves into the theme of addiction, whilst emphasizing the destructive nature of clinging to worldly attachments. Dudul Dorje draws parallels between various forms of suffering and the importance of recognizing that they are rooted in the mind. BDRC LINK MW22123_ D2C055 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 02:02 TRADITION Nyingma INCARNATION LINE Dudjom Lingpa Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje HISTORICAL PERIOD 17th Century TEACHERS Drenpa Könchok Gyal Jatsön Nyingpo Derge Drubchen Kunga Gyatso TRANSLATOR Dr. Joseph McClellan INSTITUTION Katok Monastery STUDENTS Wangdrak Dorje Longsal Nyingpo Orgyen Palzang Nyima Drakpa Kunzang Pema Loden The First Dzogchen Drubwang, Pema Rigzin Nuden Dorje Orgyen Damchö Pal Tashi Özer AUTHOR Dudul Dorje Addiction VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy 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.

  • The Truthful Words of a Sage

    Do Khyentse's final aspirational prayer from his Dzinpa Rangdröl treasures, concluding the Exceedingly Secret Enlightened Heart Essence of the Ḍākinī collection. The Truthful Words of a Sage ཨེ་མ་ཧོ༔ emaho Emaho! ཆོས་སྐུ་རྡོར་འཆང་ལོངས་སྐུ་རྡོ་རྗེ་སེམས༔ chöku dor chang longku dorjé sem Dharmakaya Vajradhara, Sambhogakaya Vajrasattva, སྤྲུལ་སྐུ་དྲང་སྲོང་དྲི་མེད་གསང་བའི་བདག༔ tulku drangsong drimé sangwé dak Nirmanakaya Stainless Sage Loktripala, [ 1 ] དགའ་རབ་ཤྲཱི་སེང་པད་འབྱུང་བཱི་མ་ལ༔ garab shri seng pejung bi ma la Garab Dorje, Shri Simha, Padmakara, Vimalamitra, ཀུན་འདུས་རྩ་བའི་བླ་མ་ཐོད་ཕྲེང་རྩལ༔ kündü tsawé lama tötreng tsal The embodiment of all— root Guru Totrengtsel རྩ་གསུམ་ལྷ་དང་དྲང་སྲོང་རིག་འཛིན་ཚོགས༔ tsa sum lha dang drangsong rigdzin tsok The deities of the three roots and the assemblies of sages and vidyadharas, བདག་གི་བདེན་ཚིག་འགྲུབ་པའི་དཔང་པོར་བཞུགས༔ dak gi dentsik drubpé pangpor shuk Remain here as witness to the accomplishment of my truthful words. ཐོག་མར་འཁྲུལ་པ་ནས་བཟུང་ད་ལྟའི་བར༔ tokmar trulpa né zung danté bar Since the dawn of delusion until this moment in time, སྲིད་འདིར་བདག་ལུས་གྲངས་མེད་བླངས་གྱུར་ཀྱང༔ si dir dak lü drangmé lang gyur kyang We have taken countless births in this [conditioned] existence. སྟོང་ཉིད་བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་ཀྱིས་མ་ཟིན་པས༔ tongnyi changchub sem kyi mazinpé Yet, as we have not seized the mind of emptiness-bodhicitta, ད་དུང་ཆགས་སྡང་འཆིང་བ་དམ་པོས་བཅིང༔ dadung chakdang chingwa dampö ching We are fettered by the tight shackles of attachment and aversion and བདག་ནི་མ་རིག་འཐིབས་པོས་བསྒྲིབས་ལགས་ཀྱང་༔ dak ni marik tibpö drib lak kyang Are still enveloped by the darkness of non-recognition. བླ་མའི་ཐུགས་བསྐྱེད་དུས་སུ་སྨིན་པ་ཡིས༔ lamé tukkyé dü su minpa yi But by the timely ripening of the guru’s kind aspirations, བདག་ཅག་ཡང་གསང་རྡོ་རྗེའི་ལམ་དང་ཕྲད༔ dakchak yangsang dorjé lam dang tré We have met the exceedingly secret indestructible path. ད་ནི་ཆགས་སྡང་སྒྲོག་ལས་གྲོལ་བར་ཤོག༔ dani chakdang drok lé drolwar shok May we be freed from the restraints of attachment and aversion this very instant. གྲངས་མེད་སྐྱེ་བར་ལས་ཀྱིས་འབྲེལ་པ་ཡི༔ drangmé kyewar lé kyi drelpa yi Connected by the karma of innumerable lives, ཐབས་ལམ་རྣམ་པར་རོལ་པའི་བདེ་ཆེན་གྲོགས༔ tab lam nampar rolpé dechen drok Companions who enjoy great bliss on the path of skilful means, བྱམས་དང་བརྩེ་བས་བསྐྱངས་བའི་ཕ་མ་དང་༔ jam dang tsewé kyangwé pama dang Mothers and fathers who nurture us with love and kindness, དམ་ཚིག་གཅིག་ཏུ་འབྲེལ་བའི་རྡོ་རྗེའི་མཆེད༔ damtsik chik tu drelwé dorjé ché Vajra siblings who are connected by sharing tantric commitments, གཙོ་གྱུར་མཁའ་ཁྱབ་སེམས་ཅན་ཐམས་ཅད་ཀུན༔ tso gyur khakhyab semchen tamché kün Essentially, all sentient beings pervading space— བློ་ལྡོག་རྣམ་པ་བཞི་ཡིས་རྒྱུད་བསྐུལ་ནས༔ lo dok nampa shi yi gyü kul né May we invigorate ourselves through the four [thoughts] that turn the mind [toward practice], རྩེ་གཅིག་དམ་པའི་ཆོས་ལ་བརྩོན་འགྲུས་བསྐྱེད༔ tsechik dampé chö la tsöndrü kyé Develop diligence that is single-pointedly focused on the excellent teachings, བསླབ་པ་གསུམ་གྱི་ཡོན་ཏན་མཐར་ཕྱིན་ཤོག༔ labpa sum gyi yönten tarchin shok And perfect the qualities of the three trainings! མ་ཧཱ་ཨ་ནུ་ཨ་ཏི་ཡོ་ག་ཡི༔ maha anu atiyoga yi May the ripening blessings and four empowerments of སྨིན་བྱེད་བྱིན་རླབས་དབང་བཞིས་རང་རྒྱུད་སྨིན༔ min jé jinlab wang shi ranggyü min Maha, Anu, and Ati yoga mature our mind-streams. བསྐྱེད་དང་རྫོགས་པའི་ལམ་མཆོག་མཐར་ཕྱིན་ནས༔ kyé dang dzokpé lam chok tarchin né May we perfect the supreme paths of the creation and perfection stages, མི་ཉམས་རྡོ་རྗེའི་དམ་ལ་གནས་པར་ཤོག༔ mi nyam dorjé dam la nepar shok And uphold the vajra commitments without any degeneration. བདེ་ཆེན་རང་ལུས་རྒྱལ་བའི་དཀྱིལ་འཁོར་རྫོགས༔ dechen rang lü gyalwé kyilkhor dzok May we perfect the mandala of the victors within our own bodies of great bliss— རྩ་འབྱོངས་རླུང་ཆུན་ཐིག་ལེ་ལས་རུང་ཞིང་༔ tsa jong lung chün tiklé lé rung shing Train the channels, control the energy, and make the essences pliable, དགའ་བཞིའི་ཡེ་ཤེས་སྟེར་བའི་མཛའ་ན་མོར་༔ ga shi yeshe terwé dza namor Inseparably merging energy and mind through སྦྱོར་བས་རླུང་སེམས་དབྱེར་མེད་འདྲེས་པར་ཤོག༔ jorwé lungsem yermé drepar shok Uniting with the consort who bestows the primordial wisdom of the four joys. ལྟ་བ་འཕོ་མེད་ཆོས་སྐུའི་རྒྱལ་ས་ཟིན༔ tawa pomé chökü gyalsa zin May we seize the royal seat of the dharmakaya, the unshifting view, སྒོམ་པ་ཡེང་མེད་འཁྲུལ་གྲོལ་རེ་དོགས་བྲལ༔ gompa yengmé trul drol redok dral Meditate without hope, fear, distraction, and delusion, and སྤྱོད་པ་སྤང་བླང་བྲལ་བ་ཆོས་ཉིད་རྩལ༔ chöpa panglang dralwa chönyi tsal Conduct ourselves free of rejection and acceptance— ཁྲེགས་ཆོད་འབྲས་བུ་གཞི་ལ་རྫོགས་པར་ཤོག༔ trekchö drebu shi la dzokpar shok Resulting in the power of suchness completely cutting through to the ground. ཨ་ཏིའི་ལམ་གྱི་རྩ་བ་འོད་གསལ་གནད༔ ati lam gyi tsawa ösal né May we perfect the fundamental points concerning luminosity on the path of Ati, ཐོད་རྒལ་སྒྲོན་མ་བཞི་ཡི་ལམ་མཆོག་ལ༔ tögal drönma shi yi lam chok la [The meditational stages of] fluctuation, attainment, habituation, stability, and completion གཡོ་ཐོབ་གོམས་བརྟན་མཐར་ཕྱིན་རྩལ་རྫོགས་ནས༔ yo tob gom ten tarchin tsal dzok né Upon the supreme path of the four lamps of leaping-over; བློ་བྲལ་ཆོས་ཟད་ཆེན་པོར་སངས་རྒྱས་ཤོག༔ lodral chö zé chenpor sangye shok May we awaken to the great exhaustion of phenomena devoid of conceptualization. ལམ་ལ་མ་ཞུགས་འབྲེལ་པའི་སེམས་ཅན་ཀུན༔ lam la ma shuk drelpé semchen kün May all connected sentient beings who have not embarked on the path བདག་གིས་དུས་གསུམ་བསགས་པའི་དགེ་ཚོགས་དང་༔ dak gi dü sum sakpé gé tsok dang Awaken on the greatly glorious and blissful Mount Potala རྗེས་འཛིན་སྨོན་ལམ་དྲག་པོའི་མཐུ་ནུས་ཀྱིས༔ jedzin mönlam drakpö tu nü kyi Through the power of this caring and fervent aspiration prayer བདེ་ཆེན་པོ་ཊ་དཔལ་རིར་སངས་རྒྱས་ཤོག༔ dechen pota palrir sangye shok And my accumulated virtuous actions of the three times. བདག་ཉིད་སྐྱེ་ཀུན་རྡོ་རྗེ་སློབ་དཔོན་དང་༔ daknyi kyé kün dorjé lobpön dang May the vajra masters and vajra companions in all my lifetimes ཟབ་ལམ་དགའ་བཞིས་འབྲེལ་པའི་རྡོ་རྗེའི་གྲོགས༔ zablam ga shi drelpé dorjé drok Who are connected by the four joys of the profound path དམ་ཚིག་གཅིག་པའི་མཆེད་ལྕམ་རིག་འཛིན་ཚོགས༔ damtsik chikpé checham rigdzin tsok And the siblings and knowledge holders who share tantric commitments མི་འབྲལ་དཀྱིལ་འཁོར་གཅིག་ཏུ་འཁོད་པར་ཤོག༔ mindral kyilkhor chik tu khöpar shok Never part but be established in the same mandala. སྣ་ཚོགས་ཐབས་ཀྱིས་སེམས་ཅན་དོན་བྱེད་ཅིང་༔ natsok tab kyi semchen dönjé ching May the innumerable billions of emanations སྤྲུལ་པ་བྱེ་བ་ཕྲག་བརྒྱ་གྲངས་མེད་ཀྱིས༔ trulpa jewa trak gya drangmé kyi Who benefit sentient beings through various means རང་རང་སྐད་དུ་ཐབས་མཁས་ཆོས་སྟོན་ཅིང་༔ rang rang ké du tabkhé chö tön ching Skilfully teach the doctrine in their respective languages, འཁོར་བའི་རྒྱ་མཚོ་དོང་ནས་སྤྲུགས་པར་ཤོག༔ khorwé gyatso dong né trukpar shok Dredging the depths of the ocean of cyclic existence. མཐར་ཐུག་ཡབ་ཡུམ་ཐབས་ཤེས་མཆེད་ལྕམ་སྲས༔ tartuk yabyum tabshé checham sé May the children of the father and mother—method and wisdom ལོངས་སྐུ་ཆེན་པོའི་ཉམས་ལེན་མཐར་ཕྱིན་ནས༔ longku chenpö nyamlen tarchin né Ultimately perfect the practice of the great sambhogakaya. ཆོས་དབྱིངས་འོག་མིན་གཞོན་ནུ་བུམ་སྐུའི་ཀློང་༔ chöying womin shönnu bumkü long May they be liberated as a single mandala ཚོམ་བུ་གཅིག་ཏུ་དབྱེར་མེད་གྲོལ་བར་ཤོག༔ tsombu chik tu yermé drolwar shok In the Akanishta space of phenomena, the expanse of the youthful vase body. ཆོས་ཉིད་རང་བཞིན་རྣམ་པར་དག་པ་དང་༔ chönyi rangshin nampar dakpa dang May this aspirational prayer of truthful words be accomplished without obstruction, ཆོས་ཅན་རྒྱུ་འབྲས་བསླུ་བ་མེད་པའི་མཐུས༔ chöchen gyundré luwa mepé tü And the exceedingly secret teachings never wane but flourish far and wide བདེན་ཚིག་སྨོན་ལམ་གེགས་མེད་འགྲུབ་གྱུར་ནས༔ dentsik mönlam gekmé drub gyur né Due to naturally pristine suchness and ཡང་གསང་བསྟན་པ་མི་ནུབ་མཐར་རྒྱས་ཤོག༔ yangsang tenpa mi nub tar gyé shok The infallible power of the causes and results of [conditioned] phenomena. COLOPHON སྨོན་ལམ་དྲང་སྲོང་བདེན་ཚིག་འདི༔ ཡང་གསང་ཐུགས་ཐིག་མཐའ་རྟེན་དུ༔ དྲི་མ་མེད་པའི་གསུང་འཁྲུལ་མེད༔ པདྨ་ཐོད་ཕྲེང་བདག་གིས་ཕབ༔ བདེ་སྟེར་ཌཱཀྐཱིའི་ཁྱད་ནོར་མཛོད༔ ཡི་གེ་རིགས་ཀྱི་བུ་ཡིས་བྲིས༔ This aspiration prayer, The Truthful Words of the Sage, forms the conclusion of The Exceedingly Secret Enlightened Heart Essence. It is the stainless and unmistaken speech originating from Pema Totrengtsel. The words of the exceptionally valuable treasury of the bliss-bestowing dakini were written down by a son of a noble family. ཡང་གསང་ཐིག་ལེ་སྐོར་གསུམ་གྱི༔ བསྟན་པ་ཉི་འོད་ཀུན་ཁྱབ་ནས༔ རྩ་གསུམ་ཌཱཀིའི་བྱིན་ནུས་ལྡན༔ སྲུང་མའི་ཕྲིན་ལས་ཐོགས་མེད་ཤོག༔ May the three cycles of The Exceedingly Secret Enlightened Heart Essence pervade everywhere like the rays of the sun. May the powerful blessings of the three roots and the dakinis as well as the enlightened activities of the guardians be unbound. ས་མ་ཡཱ༔ གུ་ཧྱ༔ མངྒ་ལཾ། ཤུ་བྷཾ༔ Samaya. Guhya. Mangalam. Shubham. རྒྱ་རྒྱ་རྒྱ༔ ཨེ་མ་ཧོ༔ Gya gya gya. Emaho. ༈ ཆོས་ཚུལ་འདི་ཡང་ཉི་ཟླའི་དཀྱིལ་འཁོར་བཞིན། ། chö tsul di yang nyidé kyilkhor shin May this teaching like the mandala of the sun and moon ཕྱོགས་ཀྱི་ཐ་གྲུ་ཀུན་ཏུ་གྲགས་གྱུར་ཅིང་། ། chok kyi tadru küntu drak gyur ching Be renowned throughout every region, བློ་གྲོས་སྣང་བ་རབ་ཏུ་རྒྱས་བྱས་ནས། ། lodrö nangwa rabtu gyé jé né Cause the light of intelligence to fully expand, and སངས་རྒྱས་བསྟན་པ་དར་ཞིང་རྒྱས་པར་ཤོག ། sangye tenpa dar shing gyepar shok The teachings of the buddhas to flourish and spread. ཤླཽ་ཀ་འདི་ཀུན་མཁྱེན་ཀློང་ཆེན་པའི་རྡོ་རྗེའི་གསུང་ངོ་། ། This stanza is the vajra words of the Omniscient Longchenpa. ༈ ངོ་བོ་འགྱུར་མེད་རང་བྱུང་རྡོ་རྗེའི་སྐུ། ། ngowo gyurmé rangjung dorjé ku May the teachings of the three vajras flourish and spread: རང་གདངས་འགག་མེད་བྱང་ཆུབ་རྡོ་རྗེའི་གསུང་། ། rang dang gakmé changchub dorjé sung The vajra body of the natural, unchanging essence, སྤྲོས་བྲལ་དབུ་མ་འཇའ་ལུས་རྡོ་རྗེའི་ཐུགས། ། trödral uma jalü dorjé tuk The vajra speech of the unimpeded, natural enlightened expressions, རྡོ་རྗེ་གསུམ་གྱི་བསྟན་པ་དར་རྒྱས་ཤོག ། dorjé sum gyi tenpa dargyé shok The vajra mind of the rainbow body, the middle way devoid of elaborations. རྒྱལ་དབང་ཉི་མས་བྲིས་སོ།། སརྦ་མངྒ་ལཾ།། Written down by Gyelwang Nyima. Sarva Mangalam NOTES [1] Loktripāla is a wrathful form of Vajrapāņi as found in a treasure text revealed by Nyangrel Nyima Ozer (1124-1192). Thanks to Adam Pearcy at Lotsawa House for his editing Published: December 2020 BIBLIOGRAPHY Ye shes rdo rje. 2009. Smon lam drang srong bden tshig. In Gter chos/_mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje, vol. 2. pp. 627–632. Khreng tu'u: Rdzogs chen dpon slob rin po che. BDRC W1PD89990 — 1974. Yang gsang mkha' 'gro'i thugs thig las:_Smon lam drang srong bden tshig. In Mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje'i rnam thar, pp. 414–419. Gangtok: Dodrupchen Rinpoche, null. BDRC W18047 Abstract This aspirational prayer of Do Khyentse is the last text in his Natural Liberation of Grasping ( Dzinpa Rangdröl ) treasure cycle located within the Exceedingly Secret Enlightened Heart Essence of the Ḍākinī treasure cache. BDRC LINK W18047 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 05:16 TRADITION Nyingma INCARNATION LINE Jigme Lingpa HISTORICAL PERIOD 19th Century TEACHERS The Fourth Dzogchen Drubwang, Mingyur Namkhe Dorje The First Dodrubchen, Jigme Trinle Özer Gyurme Tsewang Chokdrub Dola Jigme Kalzang Jigme Gyalwe Nyugu TRANSLATOR Tib Shelf INSTITUTIONS Mahā Kyilung Monastery Katok Monastery Dzogchen Monastery Tseringjong STUDENTS Losal Drölma Tsewang Rabten Nyala Pema Dudul The Second Dodrubchen, Jigme Puntsok Jungne Patrul Orgyen Jigme Chökyi Wangpo The First Dodrubchen, Jigme Trinle Özer Ranyak Gyalse Nyoshul Luntok Tenpe Gyaltsen Özer Taye Kalzang Döndrub Pema Sheja Drime Drakpa Kunzang Tobden Wangpo Gyalse Zhenpen Taye Özer Chöying Tobden Dorje Rigpe Raltri AUTHOR Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje The Truthful Words of a Sage VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy 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.

  • Dudul Dorje | Tib Shelf

    Treasure Revealer Dudul Dorje 1615–1672 BDRC P651 TREASURY OF LIVES PHOTO CREDIT Dudul Dorje, born in 1615 in eastern Tibet's Derge region, was a prominent treasure revealer whose spiritual journey spanned multiple Buddhist traditions. Trained initially in Sakya monasteries, he later embraced Nyingma teachings, receiving profound Dzogchen instructions and undertaking rigorous retreats. Guided by visions and empowered by Padmasambhava, he revealed significant treasure cycles, including texts, sacred objects, and rituals, often while enduring political and personal challenges. His teachings flourished despite resistance, particularly from the Fifth Dalai Lama's administration, and he ultimately found refuge in the southern Tibetan regions of Powo and Kongpo, where he trained influential disciples, opened pilgrimage sites, and preserved esoteric Buddhist practices. Dudul Dorje's legacy endured through his lineage, prominent disciples, and subsequent reincarnations, notably including Dudjom Rinpoche . Instruction Addiction Dudul Dorje Through verse, Dudul Dorje explores addiction and worldly attachments, revealing how these forms of suffering stem from the clinging mind itself. Read Translated Works Mentioned In Menu Close Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate SUBSCRIBE Publications Watch People Listen

  • The Magical Lasso: A Prayer of Aspiration to Accomplish Khecara

    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. The Magical Lasso: A Prayer of Aspiration to Accomplish Khecara ཨེ་མ་ཧོ། emaho Emaho! སྣང་གྲགས་འགྱུ་བའི་ཆོས་རྣམས་ཀུན། ། nangdrak gyuwé chönam kün All phenomena which appear, resound, and pass through the mind འཇོ་སྒེག་ལྷ་མོའི་རྣམ་འགྱུར་དུ། ། jogek lhamö namgyur du Are the appearances of the charming goddess, ཅིར་ཡང་རོལ་པའི་སྒྱུ་འཕྲུལ་ཅན། ། chiryang rölpé gyutrül chen Who magically displays as anything whatsoever: རང་རིག་ཕྱག་རྒྱ་ཆེན་མོར་འདུད། ། rangrig chakgya chenmor dü To the reflexive awareness of the Great Seal Mahāmudrā, I bow down. ཐོག་མཐའ་མེད་པའི་རྡོ་རྗེའི་སེམས། ། togta mepé dorjé sem Through the vajra mind, which has neither beginning nor end འཁོར་འདས་ཀུན་ལ་ཁྱབ་པ་ཡིས། ། khordé künla khyabpa yi And which pervades the whole of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, འཆིང་དང་གྲོལ་མཛད་དེ་དང་དེར། ། chingdang drölzé dedang der You manifest in untold ways for those who are bound and set free— ཅིར་ཡང་འཆར་བའི་ལྷ་ཚོགས་དགོངས། ། chiryang charwé lhatsok gong Assembly of deities, please consider me! བདག་ནི་ཐོག་མ་མེད་པ་ནས། ། dagni tokma mepa né Throughout beginningless time, ཀུན་ནས་དཀྲིས་པས་རྣམ་པར་དཀྲུགས། ། küné tripé nampar truk I have been plagued by my [mental] entanglements, ལས་ཉོན་སྲ་བའི་ཞགས་པས་བཅིངས། ། lenyön sawé shakpé ching And the intractable lasso of karma and afflictions has tightened around me ཉམ་ཐག་འཁོར་བའི་གནས་སུ་འཁྱམས། ། nyamtak khorwé nesu khyam As I wander through the destitute abodes of saṃsāra. ད་ནི་འཇིགས་པས་ཡིད་གདུངས་ཏེ། ། dani jigpé yidung té Now my mind is tortured by fear, སྐྱབས་གནས་ཁྱེད་རྣམས་མ་ལགས་པའི། ། kyabné khyenam malak pé So from the depth of my heart, I take refuge in you, གཙོ་བོ་གཞན་དུ་སྐྱབས་མ་མཆིས། ། tsowo shendu kyabma chi For there are no principal protectors other than you, སྙིང་ནས་ཁྱོད་ལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི། ། nyingné khyöla kyabsu chi The sources of refuge! གདུང་བའི་མིག་ནས་མཆི་མ་འཁྲུག ། dungwé migné chima truk Tears flood from my despairing eyes; སྐྱོ་བའི་སྨྲེ་སྔགས་ཤུགས་རིང་འབྱིན། ། kyowé mengak shugring jin I cry out in sorrow and sigh deeply; བཟོད་མེད་སྙིང་རླུང་ཁོང་ནས་ལངས། ། sömé nyinglung khongné lang And an unbearable melancholy arises from within; གསོལ་བ་འདེབས་པ་འདི་གཟིགས་སམ། ། sölwa debpa disik sam Can you not perceive this supplication of mine? ཀྱེ་མ་བདག་ནི་ཁྱོད་བསམས་ནས། ། kyema dagni khyösam né Alas, I have been thinking of you ཉིན་མཚན་ལེ་བར་མ་མཆིས་པར། ། nyintsen lewar machi par Uninterruptedly, day and night. གདུང་བས་སྐྱབས་སུ་རེ་བ་ལ། ། dungwé kyabsu rewa la And so, will you not compassionately consider ཐུགས་རྗེས་དགོངས་པར་མི་མཛད་དམ། ། tugjé gongpar mizé dam My yearning hope for refuge? གཏིང་མཐའ་མེད་པའི་རྒྱ་མཚོ་འདིར། ། tingta mepé gyatso dir In this bottomless and boundless ocean, གནས་བཅས་འཇིགས་པས་གཙེས་པའི་དུས། ། neché jigpé tsepé dü When its inhabitants are oppressed by fear, དབུགས་དབྱུང་གཟེངས་བསྟོད་མི་མཛད་ན། ། ugyung sengtö mizé na If you do not provide respite and encouragement, ཁྱོད་ཀྱི་ཐུགས་རྗེས་ཅི་ཞིག་བྱ། ། khyökyi tugjé chishik ja What is the use of your compassion? ཡུན་རིང་དུས་ནས་བསྒྲུབས་པ་ཡིས། ། yünring düné drubpa yi As I have engaged in your practice for a long time, མ་གཅིག་ལྷ་མོ་ཁྱེད་རྣམས་ཀྱི། ། machik lhamo khyenam kyi Sole mother goddess, མཛེས་ཞལ་ནམ་མཁའི་རྗེས་འགྲོ་བ། ། dzéshal namkhé jedro wa Will you not deign to reveal just a tiny portion of ཟུར་ཙམ་སྟོན་པར་མི་གནང་ངམ། ། surtsam tönpar minang ngam Your exquisite face that resembles the sky? ལས་ཉོན་སྲ་བའི་དཔྱང་ཐག་འདི། ། lenyön sawé changtak di This tight collar of karma and mental afflictions, ཕན་མཛད་ཐུགས་རྗེའི་རལ་གྲི་ཡིས། ། penzé tugjé raldri yi If you do not swiftly act to sever it མྱུར་དུ་གཅོད་པར་མི་མཛད་ན། ། nyurdu chöpar mizé na With the beneficial sword of compassion, ཁྱོད་ཀྱི་ཐུགས་དམ་མི་ཉམས་སམ། ། khyökyi tugdam minyam sam Would this not undermine your sacred commitments? ཁྱོད་ཀྱང་སྔོན་གྱི་དུས་ཀྱི་ཚེ། ། khyökyang ngöngyi dükyi tsé When even in your previous lives, བདག་ལྟར་རྨོངས་པ་ཞིག་ལགས་ན། ། dagtar mongpa shiklak na You were once deluded like me; སྒོ་གསུམ་མི་ཤེས་བག་མེད་པས། ། gosum mishé bagmé pé If, through unawareness and carelessness of my three doors, ནོངས་པར་ཐུགས་ཀྱང་འཁྲུག་མི་འཚལ། ། nongpar tukyang trugmi tsal I make mistakes, there is no need to be upset. ཤིན་ཏུ་བཙོག་པའི་རྐྱལ་པ་ལ། ། shintu tsogpé kyalpa la How could the excellent nature arise རང་བཞིན་བཟང་པོ་ཅི་ལ་འཆར། ། rangshin sangpo chila char In such a filthy leather bag [as this body]? དེ་ཕྱིར་བདག་གིས་ནོངས་པ་རྣམས། ། dechir dagi nongpa nam Compassionate one, for this reason, བཟོད་པར་བཞེས་ཤིག་ཐུགས་རྗེ་ཅན། ། söpar shéshik tugjé chen Please be patient with the mistakes I have made! རྩ་གསུམ་ལྷ་ཡི་འཁོར་ལོ་ནས། ། tsasum lhayi khorlo né Bless me so that I may be benefitted བེམ་པོའི་རྣམ་འགྱུར་ཚུན་ཆད་ཀྱིས། ། bempö namgyur tsünché kyi By whatever manifestations are appropriate, བཀོད་པ་གང་ལ་གང་འཚམས་པས། ། köpa gangla gangtsam pé From the maṇḍalas of Three Root deities བདག་ལ་ཕན་པར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། ། dagla penpar jingyi lob Down to expressions of inanimate form! གཟུགས་སུ་སྣང་བའི་དངོས་པོ་ཀུན། ། suksu nangwé ngöpo kün As all things which visibly appear མཐོང་བ་ཙམ་གྱིས་ཡིད་འཕྲོག་པའི། ། tongwa tsamgyi yitrok pé Arise as the display of the lovely and beautiful goddess, མཛེས་སྡུག་ལྷ་མོའི་རོལ་པར་ཤར། ། dzeduk lhamö rölpar shar Whose mere glance is enchanting; བདེ་ཆེན་འབར་བར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། ། dechen barwar jingyi lob Please bless me that the great bliss blazes forth! ཟིན་དང་མ་ཟིན་སྒྲ་རྣམས་ཀུན། ། sindang masin dranam kün As all sounds, whether natural or deliberately produced, གྲག་སྟོང་སྔགས་ཀྱི་འཁོར་ལོར་འབྱོངས། ། dragtong ngakyi khorlor jong Manifest as the wheel of mantra—sound and emptiness, རླུང་སྔགས་གཉིས་སུ་མི་ཕྱེད་པའི། ། lungngak nyisu miché pé Please bless me so that the power of ནུས་པ་འབབ་པར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། ། nüpa babpar jingyi lob The indivisibility of prāṇa and mantra arises! རྟོག་ཚོགས་གང་ཤར་སྣང་བ་ཀུན། ། togtsok gangshar nangwa kün Let whatever conceptual patterns arise, all appearances, སྔོན་བསུ་རྗེས་གཅོད་མེད་པར་དེངས། ། ngönsu jechö mepar deng Dissipate without being anticipated or pursued; རང་སར་བཞག་པས་ཆོས་སྐུར་གྲོལ། ། rangsar shakpé chökur dröl And as I allow them to rest in their own place, so that they are liberated in the dharmakāya, རྟོགས་པ་འབར་བར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། ། togpa barwar jingyi lob Please bless me so that realisation may blaze forth! གནས་གསུམ་མཁའ་འགྲོ་མ་ལུས་པ། ། nesum khandro malü pa May all ḍākinīs of the three worlds རང་དབང་མེད་པར་གྲོགས་སུ་ཁུག ། rangwang mepar drogsu khuk Be summoned irresistibly as companions; ཡིད་ཀྱི་རེ་བ་སྐོང་བྱེད་པའི། ། yikyi rewa kongjé pé Please bless me that they may grant the attainments དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ་བར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། ། ngödrub tsölwar jingyi lob That fulfil the hopes within my mind! དམ་ཅན་རྒྱ་མཚོ་མ་ལུས་པས། ། damchen gyatso malü pé Let the ocean of oath-bound ones, without exception, འགལ་རྐྱེན་བར་ཆད་ཐམས་ཅད་སེལ། ། galkyen barché tamché sel Clear away all adversity and obstacles. རབ་འབྱམས་འཕྲིན་ལས་རྣམ་པ་བཞི། ། rabjam trinlé nampa shi Please bless me that they may accomplish, without hindrance, ཐོགས་མེད་བསྒྲུབ་པར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། ། togmé drubpar jingyi lob The infinite array of the four types of enlightened activity! བཟང་ངན་རྐྱེན་གྱི་བྱེ་བྲག་ཀུན། ། sangngen kyengyi jedrak kün Let the variety of good and bad conditions ཐམས་ཅད་རོ་གཅིག་རྒྱན་དུ་ཤར། ། tamché rochik gyendu shar Arise as the ornament of one taste. འདེམས་ངོའི་དགག་སྒྲུབ་མེད་པ་ཡི། ། demngö gagdrub mepa yi Please bless me to practice the yogic conduct བརྟུལ་ཞུགས་སྤྱོད་པར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། ། tülshuk chöpar jingyi lob In which there is no preference for cultivating or rejecting. སྣང་བ་སྟོང་པའི་རྩལ་དུ་ཤར། ། nangwa tongpé tsaldu shar As appearances arise as the dynamic expression of emptiness, སྟོང་པ་རྟེན་འབྲེལ་ཉིད་དུ་ངེས། ། tongpa tendrel nyidu ngé And emptiness is ascertained as dependent arising itself, ཟུང་འཇུག་ཅོག་བཞག་ཆེན་པོར་འབྱམས། །་ sungjuk chogshak chenpor jam Please bless me [to attain] the Great Perfection རྫོགས་པ་ཆེན་པོར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། ། dzogpa chenpor jingyi lob And merge into the great, freely resting union. དབྱིངས་རིག་ཀ་དག་ཆེན་པོ་དང་། ། yingrik kadak chenpo dang The great primordial purity of space-awareness རྩལ་སྣང་ལྷུན་གྲུབ་ཐོད་རྒལ་གཉིས། ། tsalnang lhündrub tögal nyi And the spontaneously accomplished manifestation of dynamic energy, Leaping Over— རེས་འཇོག་ཕྱོགས་རེར་མ་གོལ་བའི། ། rejok chokrer magol wé Please bless me that I may practice the excellent path ལམ་བཟང་སྤྱོད་པར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། ། lamsang chöpar jingyi lob That does not stray into favouring one practice over another. དང་པོར་ཆོས་ཉིད་སྣང་བ་ཤར། ། dangpor chönyi nangwa shar First, the vision of dharmatā arises, བར་དུ་སྣང་བས་ཕྱོགས་ཀུན་ཁྱབ། ། bardu nangwé chok künkhyab Then, the visions extend in all directions, ཐ་མར་ཀུན་ཀྱང་དབྱིངས་སུ་ཐིམ། ། tamar künkyang yingsu tim Finally, everything dissolves into space; གྲོལ་སར་ཕྱིན་པར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། ། drölsar chinpar jingyi lob Please bless me to reach the state of liberation! གནས་མཆོག་པདྨོ་བཀོད་ལ་སོགས། ། nechok pemo köla sok In the naturally manifesting buddha-fields of Akaniṣṭha གནས་གསུམ་མཁའ་འགྲོ་ཀུན་འདུ་བའི། ། nesum khandro kün duwé And places where all ḍākinīs of the three worlds gather, རང་སྣང་འོག་མིན་ཞིང་རྣམས་སུ། ། rangnang ogmin shingnam su Supreme holy sites, such as Pemokö, འགྲོ་དོན་སྐྱོང་བར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། ། drodön kyongwar jingyi lob Please bless me to attend to beings’ benefit! དུས་གསུམ་རྒྱལ་བ་ཐམས་ཅད་ཀྱིས། ། düsum gyalwa tamché kyi Please bless me that I may tame མངོན་སུམ་འདུལ་བར་མ་ནུས་པའི། ། ngönsum dülwar ma nüpé All beings of lesser fortune, however many there are, སྐལ་དམན་སྐྱེ་བོ་ཇི་སྙེད་པ། ། kalmen kyewo jinye pa Those whom all the victorious ones of the three times བདག་གིས་འདུལ་བར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། ། dagi dülwar jingyi lob Are incapable of taming directly! ནམ་མཁའ་ཟད་པར་མ་གྱུར་པར། ། namkha separ magyur par Please bless me that I may carry out the benefit of beings, སྐྱོ་ངལ་མེད་པའི་སྤྱོད་པ་ཡིས། ། kyongal mepé chöpa yi Tirelessly and without discouragement, འཕེལ་འགྲིབ་མེད་པ་འགྲོ་བའི་དོན། ། peldrib mepa drowé dön Without my actions waxing and waning, བདག་གིས་སྤྱོད་པར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། ། dagi chöpar jingyi lob Until space itself fades away! བདག་ནི་མཐོང་དང་ཐོས་པ་དང་། ། dagni tongdang töpa dang May all those who see or hear me, མིང་ཙམ་འཛིན་པར་བྱེད་པ་ཡང་། ། mingtsam dzinpar jepa yang Or even merely recall my name, ཁམས་གསུམ་འཁོར་བ་དོང་སྤྲུགས་ཏེ། ། khamsum khorwa dongtruk té Be delivered from the depths of saṃāra’s three realms. ཆམ་གཅིག་གྲོལ་བར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། ། chamchik drölwar jingyi lob Bless me that I may simultaneously liberate them all! གང་ཞིག་ཕན་པར་སེམས་པ་དང་། ། gangshik penpar sempa dang Bless me to train those whose minds are altruistic, བཏང་སྙོམས་བར་མ་དག་ཀྱང་རུང་། ། tangnyom barma dakyang rung As well as those with feelings of indifference, བརྙས་སྨོད་བརྡེག་འཚོག་མཚང་འབྲུ་བ། ། nyemö degtsok tsangdru wa And especially those who would disparage others, ལྷག་པར་འདུལ་བར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། ། lhakpar dülwar jingyi lob Or abuse them and expose their hidden faults. དུག་གསུམ་དྲག་པོས་རྒྱུད་སྦགས་ཤིང་། ། dugsum drakpö gyübak shing The beings whose mind streams are sullied by the intense three poisons, ངན་སོང་གསུམ་དང་ཁྱད་པར་དུ། ། ngensong sumdang khyepar du And those who experience the suffering of the three lower realms, བར་དོའི་སྡུག་བསྔལ་ལ་སྤྱོད་པའི། ། bardö dugngal lachö pé And in particular the suffering of the intermediate state; འགྲོ་བ་འདུལ་བར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། ། drowa dülwar jingyi lob Please bless me so that I may tame them all! རིག་འཛིན་པདྨ་འབྱུང་གནས་དང་། ། rigzin pema jungné dang Please bless me so that my mind may be of one taste ཐུགས་ཀྱི་དགོངས་པར་རོ་གཅིག་པས། ། tugkyi gongpar rochik pé With the enlightened wisdom mind of Vidyādhara Padmasambhava, རྣམ་ཐར་མཉམ་པར་སྤྱོད་པ་ཡི། ། namtar nyampar chöpa yi And I may thereby accomplish the two aims དོན་གཉིས་འགྲུབ་པར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། ། dönnyi drubpar jingyi lob Through conduct that is comparable to his life of liberation! བདག་ནི་གལ་ཏེ་ཚེ་འདི་ལ། ། dagni galté tsedi la If I do not seize བཙན་ས་ཟིན་པར་མ་གྱུར་ན། ། tsensa sinpar magyur na The citadel [of enlightenment] in this life, ནམ་ཞིག་འཆི་བའི་དུས་ཀྱི་ཚེ། ། namshik chiwé dükyi tsé Then, when I reach the moment of death, ཁྱེད་རྣམས་བསུ་བའི་ཕྱིར་གཤེགས་ཤིག ། khyenam suwé chirshek shik May you all come back to welcome me. ཞལ་གྱི་དཀྱིལ་འཁོར་གསལ་པོར་སྟོན། ། shalgyi kyilkhor salpor tön May you clearly reveal the maṇḍala of your face, དབུགས་དབྱུང་གསུང་གི་སྣང་བ་སྩོལ། ། ugyung sunggi nangwa tsöl Bestow the elucidation of your comforting speech, བརྩེ་གདུང་མཛའ་བའི་ཐུགས་རྗེས་བཟུང་། ། tsedung dzawé tugjé sung Embrace me with your compassion of love, affection, and friendliness, འོད་གསལ་བདེ་བ་ཆེན་པོར་དྲོངས། ། ösal dewa chenpor drong And lead me to the great bliss of luminosity. འཁྲུལ་བའི་སྣང་བར་ཨ་འཐས་པའི། ། trülwé nangwar até pé When the terrors of the intermediate state arise བར་དོའི་འཇིགས་སྐྲག་ཤར་བ་ན། ། bardö jigtrak sharwa na As deluded perception solidifies, མདུན་བསུས་རྒྱབ་སྐྱོར་མཐའ་ནས་བརྟེན། ། dünsü gyabkyor tané ten Be a welcome in front, a support behind, and an assistance all around. འཁྲུལ་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་རང་སར་སྐྱོངས། ། trülpa tamché rangsar kyong Keep all delusions in their own place! བར་དོར་གྲོལ་བར་མ་གྱུར་ན། ། bardor drölwar magyur na If I am not liberated in the intermediate state, སྤྲུལ་པའི་ཞིང་ཁམས་སྣ་ཚོགས་སུ། ། trülpé shingkham natsok su May I be born on the stem of a lotus པདྨའི་སྡོང་པོ་ལས་སྐྱེས་ཏེ། ། pemé dongpo lekyé té In various emanated pure lands, མཚན་དང་ལྡན་པའི་ལུས་ཐོབ་ཤོག ། tsendang denpé lütob shok And may I obtain a body endowed with the marks of enlightenment! སྤྱན་དང་མངོན་ཤེས་གཟུངས་སྤོབས་སོགས། ། chendang ngönshé sungpob sok Through the limitless gates of meditative absorption, ཏིང་འཛིན་སྒོ་བརྒྱ་མཐའ་ཡས་པས། ། tingzin gogya tayé pé Including the divine eye, clairvoyance, retention, and eloquence, བདག་རྒྱུད་ལྷག་པར་ཕྱུག་པ་དང་། ། dagyü lhagpar chugpa dang May my mind stream become abundantly enriched, འཕྲིན་ལས་རྣམ་བཞིར་དབང་འབྱོར་ཤོག ། trinlé namshir wangjor shok And may I gain mastery over the four kinds of enlightened activity! འབྱུང་བཞིའི་གནོད་པས་མི་བརྫི་ཞིང་། ། jungshi nöpé mizi shing May I not fall victim to harm from the four elements, འཆི་མེད་རྡོ་རྗེའི་སྐུ་གྲུབ་སྟེ། ། chimé dorjé kudrub té And may I accomplish the deathless vajra-body, རྡོ་རྗེ་ཐེག་པའི་རྣལ་འབྱོར་གྱི། ། dorjé tegpé naljor gyi And thus complete the paths and stages of maturation and liberation སྨིན་གྲོལ་ས་ལམ་མཐར་ཕྱིན་ཤོག ། mindröl salam tarchin shok Of the Vajrayāna yoga! མདོར་ན་གནས་སྐབས་ཐམས་ཅད་དུ། ། dorna nekab tamché du In brief, may the ocean of ḍākinīs grant their blessings, རང་དང་གཞན་གྱི་དོན་གང་ཡིན། ། rangdang shengyi döngang yin That I may accomplish ཐམས་ཅད་མཁའ་འགྲོ་རྒྱ་མཚོ་ཡིས། ། tamché khandro gyatso yi All that is beneficial to myself and others གཡེལ་མེད་བསྒྲུབ་པར་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས། ། yelmé drubpar jingyi lob In all circumstances without ever wavering! དུས་གསུམ་བསགས་པའི་དགེ་ཚོགས་དང་། ། düsum sagpé getsok dang Through the accumulation of virtue gathered throughout the three times, ཁྱད་པར་རྩ་གསུམ་ལྷ་ཚོགས་ཀྱི། ། khyepar tsasum lhatsok kyi And in particular, the power of the truth of the inconceivable compassion ཐུགས་རྗེ་བསམ་གྱིས་མི་ཁྱབ་པའི། ། tugjé samgyi mikhyab pé of the Three Roots and the assembly of the deities, བདེན་མཐུས་སྨོན་ལམ་མྱུར་འགྲུབ་ཤོག ། dentü mönlam nyurdrub shok May these aspirations be swiftly accomplished! ཆོས་ཉིད་བསམ་གྱིས་མི་ཁྱབ་ཀྱང་། ། chönyi samgyi mikhyab kyang Although dharmatā is inconceivable, ཆོས་ཅན་རྟེན་འབྲེལ་མི་སླུ་བས། ། chöchen tendrel milu wé The truth never changes, བདེན་པ་འགྱུར་བ་མེད་པ་དེས། ། denpa gyurwa mepa dé Since the dependent arising of conditioned phenomena is infallible; ཅི་བཏབ་སྨོན་ལམ་འགྲུབ་པར་ཤོག ། chitab mönlam drubpar shok Thus, may any aspirations I have formulated be accomplished! COLOPHON ཅེས་གནས་གསུམ་གྱི་མཁའ་འགྲོ་རྒྱ་མཚོ་ཐམས་ཅད་དབང་མེད་དུ་འགུག་པར་བྱེད་པའི་སྨོན་ལམ་འཕྲུལ་གྱི་ཞགས་པ་ཞེས་བྱ་བ་འདི་ཉིད་ནི་མཁའ་ཁྱབ་ཀྱི་མཁའ་འགྲོ་རྒྱ་མཚོར་གཅིག་ཏུ་མོས་པ་འཕྲིན་ལས་བློ་གསལ་གྱིས་ནན་ཏན་ཆེན་པོས་བསྐུལ་བ་དོན་ཡོད་པར་བྱ་བའི་ཕྱིར་དུ་ངེས་མེད་ཀུན་ཏུ་སྤྱོད་པའི་རྣལ་འབྱོར་པ་ཆགས་པ་རྡོ་རྗེས་འོག་མིན་སྤྲུལ་པའི་ཞིང་མཆོག་པདྨོ་བཀོད་ཀྱི་སྐུ་འཁོར་གྱི་ཆ་ལས་འཁོར་ལོ་ལྔའི་ནང་ཚན་སྙིང་ག་ཆོས་ཀྱི་འཁོར་ལོའི་ཆར་གཏོགས་པ་ཀློ་ཁུག་ཚོགས་ཀྱི་བདག་པོའི་ཕོ་བྲང་གི་ཉེ་འདབས་བདུད་འདུལ་བདེ་བ་ཆེན་པོའི་སྒར་དུ་སྤེལ་བ་བདེ་ལེགས་སུ་གྱུར་ཅིག ། In order to fulfil the insistent request of Trinlé Losal, who holds a singular devotion to all the oceans of ḍākinīs who pervade all of space, I, Chagpa Dorjé the aimless yogin, wrote “The Magical Lasso: An Aspirational Prayer” that spontaneously summons all the oceans of ḍākinīs of the three worlds. It was composed at the camp of Düdül Dewa Chenpo (Demon-Taming Great Bliss) in the vicinity of the palace of the lord of the Lo people. This area belongs to the heart dharmacakra, one of five cakras of the retinue of Pemokö, the supreme emanated realm of Akaniṣṭha. May there be happiness and well-being! NOTES Photo credit: Himalayan Art Resource Thanks to Adam Pearcey at Lotsawa House for his editing. Published: August 2021 BIBLIOGRAPHY Bzhad pa'i rdo rje. 1983–1985. mkha' spyod grub pa'i smon lam 'phrul gyi zhags pa sogs . In gsung 'bum/_bzhad pa'i rdo rje, vol. 7, pp. 421–428. Leh: T. Sonam & D.L. Tashigang. BDRC W22130 Abstract This aspirational prayer, composed at the request of Trinle Losal, calls upon all the ḍākinīs of the three worlds to grant their blessings, so that the practitioner may complete the Vajrayāna path and bring benefit to all beings. It was composed at the camp of Dudul Dewa Chenpo, the heart dharmacakra of Pemokö, the supreme emanated realm of Akaniṣṭha. It is a remarkably emotional and powerful prayer one that, in our opinion, really demonstrates the heartfelt wishes of the author. BDRC LINK W22130 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 08:29 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 TRANSLATOR Tib Shelf INSTITUTIONS Lelung Monastery Mindröling Ngari Dratsang Chökhor Gyal Trandruk Potala Tsāri STUDENTS Kunga Mingyur Dorj e Dorje Yom e Kunga Palzom Lobsang Lhachok Dönyö Khedrub Polhane Sönam Tobgy e Ngawang Jampa Mingyur Paldrön The Fifth Dorje Drak Rigdzin, Kelzang Pema Wangchuk Lhazang Khan AUTHOR Lelung Zhepe Dorje The Magical Lasso: A Prayer of Aspiration to Accomplish Khecara VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! 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Your donations will enable us to continue to grow our cache of translated open-source publications, ensure they continue to be openly accessible through a user-friendly platform, and support under-funded translators for their continued endeavours towards this worthy cause. THANK YOU Thank you for visiting Tib Shelf. We hope that Tib Shelf proves to be a useful and welcoming platform to all. One that encourages collaboration and appreciation for all contributors to what we believe, a very worthy cause. TRANSLATOR Lowell Cook Lowell is an independent scholar who translates and researches the entire breadth of Tibetan literature, from the ancient Dunhuang manuscripts to contemporary poetry. He completed his MA in Translation, Philology, and Textual Interpretation at the Rangjung Yeshe Institute in Nepal. He is the author of Tibetan Pure Land Buddhism and translator of Sangak Tenzin’s A White Conch Spiralling Toward Happiness: Poems of a Tibetan Master. His translations and writings have appeared on 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, High Peaks Pure Earth, The Los Angeles Review of Books’ China Channel, Lotsawa House, and other venues. TRANSLATOR Dr. Rachael Griffiths Dr. Rachael Griffiths holds a DPhil in Oriental Studies from the University of Oxford, with a thesis on the autobiography of Sumpa Khenpo Yeshe Paljor. Her research interests include life writing, monastic and intellectual networks, and Sino-Tibetan-Mongolian relations in the early modern period. TRANSLATOR Dr. George FitzHerbert Dr. George FitzHerbert currently teaches Tibetan Language, History and Literature at the University of Oxford (until 2022). He is also a member of the ERC-funded TibArmy research team based in Paris. He completed his DPhil on the Tibetan Gesar Epic in 2008 and his research spans various issues in Tibetan cultural and religious history. He has also worked as a journalist for the BBC and as a freelance researcher and ghostwriter. TRANSLATOR Patrick Dowd Patrick Dowd is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. His research focuses on the culture of Tibetan language within the world of Tibetan Buddhism. His essays have been published by Tricycle, Lion’s Roar, and Buddhadharma, and his translations have appeared on Lotsawa House. Prior to beginning his doctoral work, he spent several years studying, researching, and collaboratively working with Tibetan communities in India, Nepal, and Tibet. TRANSLATOR Rinzin Dorjee Drongpa Rinzin was born in Tibet and studied at a Tibetan refugee school in India. He received his MA in philosophy from Delhi University. During his time at the university, he also got the opportunity to study Tibetan Buddhism and art. In 2018 he participated in a three-month intensive translation workshop conducted by the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. He is currently working as a freelance translator and continuing with his ngöndro practice (a preliminary practice in Tibetan Buddhism). Rinzin is also a self-taught pencil portrait artist and loves sketching in his free time. TRANSLATOR Michael Elison Michael is a professional Java Developer, as well as Full Stack Developer with experience in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, MongoDB, SQL. He also has a great interest in Tibetan Language and Culture. In 2019, he graduated from the University of Oxford as a Master of Philosophy in Tibetan and Himalayan Studies. For his Master’s thesis, Michael conducted research on the practice of Dream Yoga in Bon in comparison with Tibetan Buddhist traditions. TRANSLATOR Yeshe Khandro In addition to holding a bachelor's degree in science, Yeshe Khandro is a Buddhist nun who has completed over twenty years of Buddhist teacher training. Editing for accuracy of meaning in translation was a major part of her job during much of this time. More recently, she has begun to produce some short translations in her spare time. TRANSLATOR Dr. Nicole Willock Nicole Willock (Ph.D. in Tibetan Studies and Religious Studies, Indiana University 2011) is an associate professor of Asian Religions at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Dr. Willock’s research examines the intersections between Tibetan literature, Buddhist modernism, moral agency, and state-driven secularization projects in twentieth-century China. Her book Lineages of the Literary tells the story of how three Tibetan polymaths in the People’s Republic of China: Tséten Zhabdrung (1910–1985), Mugé Samten (1914–1993), and Dungkar Lozang Trinlé (1927–1997) crisscrossed religious and secular domains to revive Tibetan culture in the post-Mao era. She serves as co-chair of the Tibet and Himalayan Religions Unit of the American Academy of Religion. TRANSLATOR Marlevis Robaina In addition to teaching Spanish, following the completion of her Spanish as a Foreign Language Teacher (ELE) at the University of Nebrija, Marlevis is a collaborative content writer for websites and blogs. Closely holding discipline and dedication to her heart has helped her martial arts practice and language acquisition, leading her to study Japanese at the University of Havana. She followed this by earning a Bachelor's Degree in East Asian Studies at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and studying Sanskrit Language and Literature Studies (University Extension Course) at the University of Barcelona (UB). Inspired by Buddhist philosophy, Marlevis started studying the Tibetan language with Tibetan teachers and then continued with Easy Tibetan's online courses. In her free time, she loves to make origami and enjoy nature. TRANSLATOR Barbara Hazelton (Lama Rinchen Zangmo) Barbara Hazelton has a BA in Fine Art History, MA in Buddhist Studies, and is a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Toronto. Her dissertation topic is on the Tibetan King Gesar of Ling Tibetan epic, focusing on its oral tradition and the singers of the tale, the epic bards. She has taught several courses at the University of Toronto and presently the collaborative program with New College. Her background in Tibetan visual imagery and ritual is based on studying with Tibetan scholars and ritual specialists as well as many years of meditation instruction and experience under great Tibetan Buddhist masters. She is a practicing artist training in the Karma Gadri painting tradition. A particular interest of hers is the sacred landscape of Tibet as the confluence of the imaginative world of landscapes, structures, rituals, pilgrimage routes, and literature. She is inspired by the popular genre of the liberation stories (rnam thar ), particularly the female models of enlightened activity exemplified by the great realized female practitioners called yoginīs, such as Yeshe Tsogyal and Niguma. TRANSLATOR Dr. Joseph McClellan Joseph McClellan received a Ph.D. from Columbia University’s Department of Religion. He then taught at colleges in the US, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Bhutan. He now lives in SE Asia focusing on translation and writing. TRANSLATOR Shengnan Dong Shengnan Dong is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of History of Art and Archaeology at SOAS, London. She studies Buddhist art and architecture with a particular focus on depictions of mandalas and monumental multi-chapelled stupas built in central Tibet during the 12-15th centuries. Shengnan is also interested in the constructed sacred spaces at Buddhist sites across Central Asia and Northern China, as well as pictorial representation of landscape, cosmos and heavenly realms in the Buddhist context. Prior to her doctoral studies, she worked professionally as a photographer, illustrator and film editor. TRANSLATOR Coco Picard Coco Picard is the author of The Healing Circle (Red Hen Press, 2022), The Strangers Among Us (Astrophil Press, 2017) and The Chronicles of Fortune (Radiator Comics, 2017). She founded the Green Lantern Press in 2005-2022, coedited Art after Nature (University of Minnesota Press) from 2017-2025, and completed an MPhil in Tibetan and Himalayan Studies at the University of Oxford in 2024. She is currently the Associate Publisher at City Lights and teaches in the Environmental Art and Social Practice Department at UC Santa Cruz. Published Translators

  • The Guidebook to the Hidden Land of Pemokö

    The first guidebook to Pemokö, revealed as a treasure by Jatson Nyinpo, prophesies future degeneration and identifies this sacred hidden land as a sanctuary. The Guidebook to the Hidden Land of Pemokö Emaho! One such as I, the Lake-Born Padmasambhava, meandered throughout India like a river for 3028 [years] and stayed in the region of U in central Tibet for 111 years. In Chamara, [ 1 ] the country of the rakshasa demons, I led the red-faced [cannibals] to the Dharma. I established all beings in happiness. Even still, forty eons in the future, famine, and poverty will arise from desire, proliferating war will arise from hatred, different forms of pestilence will arise from delusion, and various torments will arise from the three poisons in equal measure. At that time, sentient beings will have no opportunities for happiness, and the Turkish armies will invade every direction. Alas! What a surging wave of misery! Although it might be possible to escape to the sixteen greater and lesser hidden lands, due to the power of negative karma, very few will escape. The wealthy will be caught by the noose of avarice, and those who have heirs will deceive one other. The elderly will lose the will to travel, children will be unable to find the path, and animals will just up and die. Such is the ripening of negative karma for beings without refuge! As a sign of the ripening of such karma for beings devoid of a protection, there will also be these outer, inner, and secret bad omens: sudden avalanches will occur on Mt. Kailash, lightning and hail will destroy the region of Ngari, earthquakes will destroy the borderlands of Tibet and China, heretical doctrines will multiply in Nepal, and samaya-breakers, maras, and elemental spirits will overrun U and Tsang. In the region of Dokham, destructive wildfires will burn alive tens of thousands of sentient beings, causing [the survivors] to wander the scorched earth. There will be many mad dogs and crazed people in the lands of Jar, Dak, and Nyal. Suffering and pestilence will blanket Drak, Long, and Nyang. Many multifarious maladies will steam forth from the mouths of the people of Hor and Mongolia. The majority will die as medicine will prove ineffective. Provocations and elemental spirits from the east, wild men, predatory animals, and barbarians from the south, poisonous commerce of warfare from the west, and Hor, Mongols, and Turks from the north—all these will spread! Countless bolts of lightning as well as hailstones and meteorites will descend from the vast sky. Multiple earthquakes will shake the ground. Bright stars and white lights will appear over and over again, and the red light of the god of fire will fill the sky. Orchards and crops will be blighted and bear no fruit. Due to famine, generations of families will repeatedly face ruin. Rain will fall sporadically, and there will be great depressions and caverns in the earth. The ground will collapse, rock faces will subside, rivers will overflow, and there will be many wildfires. When all these things occur, the signs of illness will arise: people will be physically stunted and possess a great desire for destructive actions. They will debauch themselves as much as possible. All of this will appear like the rising of a storm. At that time, various kinds of [cultural] ornamentation and weaponry will spread, there will be a great trend of new people, new languages, and new fashion. The jewellery and attire of the borderlands will spread into the centre of the country, while the appearance of the ordained living in the centre of the country will disperse to the borderlands. At that time, the appearance of both sutra and mantra practitioners will be in disarray, new doctrines will arise like a whirling blizzard, and unusual treatises will pervade the land. Confidence in the Mahayana will fade in the face of individual fabrications of sophistry. Demonic emanations appearing in the guise of dharmic practitioners will become ubiquitous while individuals who attain accomplishment will be as rare as stars in broad daylight. At that time, most beings will be under the power of Mara. Towns will be lawless like a mala with a broken cord. There will be no compensation for murder or maiming [a member]. Wicked individuals will win arguments, and robbery and stealing will be rife. What spiritual friends there are will have short lives, the meaning of meditation will go unlearned, and people will learn to be competitive in arts and technology. [ 2 ] Some people, seeking to destroy their delusion, will eat human flesh and solely devote themselves to the misguided conduct of depriving beings of their lives. At that time, an emanation of Gyalwa Chokyang (8th cent.) [ 3 ] will be born on the north-east border and will gain widespread fame. All who hear of him will be led to Sukhavati (Dewachen), by the very same [emanation] Vajradharmadhatu. The teachings will be confused [as the perplexed people] won’t understand the [correct] ordering of them. Internally the people will be in disarray, and externally they will [appear] Chinese. These will be the secret signs of their appearance. At that time, all the countryside will be in complete turmoil! All men and women, lay and ordained, and livestock will be distraught! Even the eight classes of gods and demons, the non-humans, will be upset. As there will be external fighting, internally the mind will be conflicted! The channels and winds will be muddled, as if one had drunk poison, and people will lack self-confidence. This is definitely the magical ploys of demons. After that, there will be an emanation of Nine Gonpo demon brothers, bearing the name Duk Lung because of whom a singular act harmful to the whole of Tibet will arise. For these reasons there exist the sixteen great hidden lands. Concerning the great place Pemoko [ 4 ] : east of Samye there is a valley called Dakpo, and if you follow the river, there is a valley that resembles a prone scorpion. Atop the tip of the tail sits a site called Gyala, which is the extraordinary supreme sacred site of Yama, Lord of Death. From there you can continue to follow the river, or, alternately, going towards Kukar pass is also acceptable, where there is the great charnel ground, Tsenmo Mebar. In the east, it is similar to a gathering of wildlife with a base [shaped] like upward climbing scales. Behind there is a mountain in the shape of an open flower, resembling a brandished weapon. About seven furlongs away is a place where the gods and [ravenous] rakshasas gather. There are many large and small border stones, and then the four doors to the sacred site. At Drangtsi Drak, perform a hundred feast offerings, make smoke offerings, and declare the power of the words of truth. Then there is the so-called Ziknang Drak, which reveals the reflection of all who gaze upon it. Then there is a great eddy in the river and a large tree about two arm spans in width, with a fragrance like incense and a pungent flavour. You will be able to make a bridge by felling it. There are many such big trees, so sharpen your tools. There is a stone stupa as big as Mt. Meru then, there is a place called Rabtroling. All visions that are seen will appear as if they are real. There are [also] many stone crossings. Then you will arrive at Namdak Jatson Ling, a place which appears to be endowed with the eight auspicious signs [ 5 ] and the eight articles. [ 6 ] The smell of incense billows everywhere and the streams murmur with the sound of the rulu [mantra]. This is a place where meditative concentration arises spontaneously. Then there is a small mountain pass called Jokpama, where the path has the shape of the syllable bhyo , the earth has an eight-petalled lotus, and there is an eight-spoked wheel in the sky. The surroundings feature the eight auspicious symbols and the eight auspicious articles. To the east of the place called Gumik Lingtse is Namdak Kopa as well as Melong Kochung, to the south is Palden Kopa as well as Yonten Kochung, to the west is Pemo Kopa as well as Pemo Kochung, to the north is Lerab Kopa as well as Drakpo Kochung, and in the centre is Taye Kopa. The area of the Five Kochen is one hundred and eighty furlongs, and the Four Kochung extend for thirty-five furlongs. The perimeter is surrounded by snow and rock, and a rain of flowers falls continuously from the sky. When the seasons change, if one flees the four places—China, Jang, Lo, and Kong—then one will be satisfied by escaping to the place [of Pemoko]. Each and every area is sealed by mountain passes, rivers, and cliffs. There will be no risk of conflict or strife. At that time, the emanation of the Guru will gradually show the path. Remember [me] Orgyen at all times and recite the Guru Pema Siddhi [Hum mantra]. This will clear away obstacles and adversity. I will appear vividly to those who have undoubting faith in me and longingly keep me in the centre of their hearts. Continuously sing heartfelt supplications and I will also come as sundry sounds. Visualise [me] either above the crown of your head or in front of you, and you will be able to perceive me directly. Let everyone during the five hundred [degenerate] years humbly beseech me, Padmakara, and take refuge in me. Compared to other Buddhas, my compassion is swift. Even if we do not meet in this life, I will certainly dispel suffering in the intermediate state. For me, there is nothing more than the welfare of beings. Whatever one wishes will be spontaneously accomplished. Amongst the sixteen hidden lands, whoever hears of or recalls this great Pemoko, their karmic obscurations will be purified. Even walking or riding seven steps in its direction will certainly result in being born there. Performing seven full prostrations while visualising this [place] will lead to becoming a Non-Returner and no longer wandering in cyclic existence. Whoever surely arrives here will obtain the indestructible rainbow body. Even drinking a single drop of water or eating a pinch of herb will pacify sufferings such as chronic illness and clear dulled sense faculties. The elderly too will take on youthful forms. Those with bad karma, who do not recall the excellent dharma, will, by virtue of travelling to this sacred site, become self-liberated accomplished ones. Consuming the earth and stones of this place, even at the end of one’s [karmic] lifespan, will extend life by hundreds and thousands of years. If feeling cold, wear the union of fire and wind as clothing. If thirsty, enjoy ambrosial water. If hungry or destitute, live on corn, the five kinds of cereal, and the fruits from trees. There is no physical pain or mental suffering, and there is no need for conflict or sloth. The primordial wisdom of the [union of] emptiness, luminosity, and the self-blazing warmth of bliss will arise. The majority of fruit is about the size of a horse’s head, unhusked wheat and barley grains the size of an apricot stone, and radishes and turnips [so large] people can barely lift them. There is no need to grind salt as the food is comparable to nectar and equal in potency to the sustenance of the gods. The channel of clear intelligence will open, clairvoyance and the four immeasurables like love and compassion will arise, and in six months a body of light will be spontaneously accomplished. How amazing! How amazing that the victorious ones of the three times have such powerful prayers of aspiration and such capacity! One such as I, the Lake-Born Padmakara, concealed many texts as treasures in mountains and valleys. I concealed many sacred substances, representations of body, speech, and mind. I hid a mixture of many excellent teachings for protecting, repelling, and killing. In the future may those treasures be taken out by a [heart] son. There will be many obstacles when Jatson, the emanation of [Myang] Tingdzin Zangpo (8th cent.), [ 7 ] fulfils his own and others’ aims. At that time an emanation light ray of Takra Lugong (d. 782) [ 8 ] will appear disguised as a [heart] son, and there is a risk that he will cause obstacles. Practice firm samadhi which blazes forth with the powers of subjugation and wrathful activity. An emanation of the evil minister Tramik will appear in the guise of a spiritual friend and through his cunning disparage others and eventually cause disputes. At such a time, entreat the Lord of Great Compassion (Avalokiteśvara). There will be an emanation of the demoness Zanglak, who will adopt a beautifully fine form and cause obstacles to your practice, vows, and samaya. Look at her with intelligence as she could be seen as a demoness or a goddess. An emanation of Tsenmar Raru will appear in the guise of a nobleman pretending to be your patron and eventually take hold of your life. It is crucial that you dedicate yourself to the ablution of Ucchuṣma, king of the wrathful (Trogyal Metsek). You will come across about seven manifestations of red-faced Te'u Rang dwarves, who will provide bad, unclean food and disparage you. Develop compassion towards them and transform them through that relationship. Furthermore, at that time since the three poisons will be expressed so strongly, gradually spread and cherish the profound treasures. Simultaneously, as a result of propagating empowerments and oral transmissions, there will be many samaya transgressors and you must absolutely look after them at all times as well as strive in your own practice. Do not drink maddening alcohol and avoid low caste women. Travel the path of secret mantra and be diligent. Whatever happiness or suffering befalls you, recall [Guru] Orgyen, and all those with whom you come into contact, however significant or insignificant, will be satisfied. Even amongst manifestations, this heart son [ 9 ] is the foremost emanation. For example: among all the different kinds of blood, he is that of the very heart. Among celestial bodies in the sky, he is the essential sun and moon. Among the best medicines, he is the special, all-conquering one. Among jewels, he is that which fulfils all wishes and desires. Among treasure revealers, he is the discoverer of the most supreme and rarest treasure. Fortunate ones, supplicate him. In this vidyadhara’s heart centre, light energy blazes in the branch channels to form a triangle, the auspiciousness of which is externally apparent. The ferocity of his exalted mind is akin to the games of children— one moment divine, the next demonic. [However] his conduct is faithful to the Three Baskets [of the Buddhist teachings]. As for his meditation, he practices Mahamudra, Dzogchen, and Madhyamaka, and his view arises as the non-referential view, free from the extremes [of nihilism and eternalism]. He immediately remembers that he has no time for distractions. Suffering unbearably, eyes wet with tears, unfriendly yet maintaining samaya—all of this is the magical display of his channels. A person possessing such karma is one in a hundred. This heart son of Padma will be surrounded by plenty of fortunate ones with the right karma. However, since there are many with bad karma and forsaken samaya, dakinis who are the essence of the sky, protect him! Samaya. The seal of the words of the Buddha, the seal of the nectar of the excellent dharma, the seal of the aspirational prayers of the sangha. Seal! Seal! Seal! The seal of the compassion of the gurus, the seal of the blessings of the deities, the seal of the entrustment of the dakinis, the seal of the power and force of the dharma protectors. Seal! Seal! Seal! COLOPHON Concerning both the concise and extensive guidebooks of Pemoko, which is one of the sixteen hidden lands, the treasure revealer Jatson Nyingpo brought forth [this guide] from the Guru Rinpoche Practice Cave in the valley of Kongpo. NOTES [1] Cāmara can be identified as Sri Lanka [2] The text reads gzo rigs which we have interpreted as a spelling error for bzo rig. [3] rgyal ba mchog dbyangs, BDRC P2JM167 [4] There are two variations of the spelling of this hidden land: Pad+mo bkod and Pad+ma bkod. We have followed the form that Jatson Nyingpo uses [5] The eight signs include the lotus (padma), the endless knot (dpal be’u, śrīvatsa), the pair of golden fish (gser nya, suvarṇamatsya), the parasol (gdugs, chattra), the victory banner (rgyal mtshan, ketu), the treasure vase (gter gyi bum pa, dhanakumbha), the white conch shell (dung dkar, śaṅkha), and the wheel ('khor lo, cakra). [6] i.Right-coiling conch shell (dung dkar gyas 'khyil), ii. Yogurt (zho) iii. Durva grass (rtsa dur ba) iv. Vermilion (li khri) v. Bilva fruit (shing tog bil ba), vi. Mirror (me long) vii. Bezoar (gi wang) viii. White mustard seed (yungs dkar). [7] myang ting 'dzin bzang po, BDRC P3827 [8] stag gra klu khong, BDRC P10MS16952 [9] At this point the treasure text is describing Jatson Nyingpo as the heart son. Thanks to Adam Pearcey at Lotsawa House for his editing. Published: November 2020 BIBLIOGRAPHY Jatsön Nyingpo ('ja' tshon snying po). 1979. sbas yul pad+ma bko kyi lam yig . In: Gter chen rig 'dzin 'ja' tshon snying po'i zab gter chos mdzod rin po che , vol.1, 445–460. Konchog Lhadrepa. Majnukatilla, Delhi. BDRC W1KG3655 . Abstract The Guidebook to the Hidden Land of Pemokö is a revealed treasure text included in Jatson Nyinpo’s Embodiment of the Precious Ones, the Konchok Chidu. It is a prediction text about the future degenerate times and purportedly the first guidebook to the hidden land of Pemoko. BDRC LINK W1KG3655 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 14:14 TRADITION Nyingma INCARNATION LINE N/A HISTORICAL PERIOD 16th Century 17th Century TEACHERS Namkha Jigme Chade Tertön Tsultrim Gyaltsen Mipam Lodr ö The Tenth Karmapa, Chöying Dorje TRANSLATOR Tib Shelf INSTITUTION Bangri Jogpo STUDENTS Dudul Dorje Sonam Gyatso Natsok Rangdröl Namkha Jigme Lodrö Nordan The Sixth Zharmapa, Chökyi Wangchuk The Fifth Drugchen, Pagsam Wangpo The First Drigung Chungtsang, Chökyi Dragpa The Third Dorje Drak Rigdzin, Ngakgi Wangpo Chökyi Gyatso Norbu Gyenpa Pema Mati AUTHOR Jatsön Nyingpo The Guidebook to the Hidden Land of Pemokö VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! 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  • The Hook Which Invokes Blessings: A Supplication to the Life and Liberation of Knowledge-Holder Jalu Dorje

    A self-penned biographical prayer by Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje, composed at the request of Trokyab's king Namkha Lhündrub, invoking blessings through life stories. The Hook Which Invokes Blessings: A Supplication to the Life and Liberation of Knowledge-Holder Jalu Dorje ཨེ་མ་ཧོ། emaho Emaho! གདོད་མའི་མགོན་པོ་ཀུན་བཟང་འོད་མི་འགྱུར།། dömé gönpo kunzang ö mingyur The Primordial Protector, Samantabhadra, the Buddha of Unchanging Light, རྩལ་སྣང་ཡེ་ཤེས་རིགས་ལྔའི་ཚོམ་བུ་ཤར།། tsalnang yeshe rik ngé tsombu shar Who arises as the appearing-radiance of the gathering of the five wisdoms; ཐུགས་རྗེས་གར་བསྒྱུར་འགྲོ་འདུལ་སྤྲུལ་པའི་སྐུ།། tukjé gar gyur drodul trulpé ku Transforming into the dance of compassion, the nirmāṇakāya that tames beings སྐུ་གསུམ་དབྱེར་མེད་མགོན་པོ་ཚེ་མཐའ་ཡས།། ku sum yermé gönpo tsé tayé And is indivisible from the three kayas, Lord Amitāyus, སྙིང་རྗེའི་རང་གཟུགས་འཕགས་མཆོག་པད་དཀར་འཆང་།། nyingjé rang zuk pakchok pekar chang The embodiment of compassion, noble and supreme Holder of the White Lotus (Avalokiteśvara), འགྲོ་ངོར་སྣང་བ་མཚོ་སྐྱེས་སྤྲུལ་པའི་སྐུ།། dro ngor nangwa tsokyé trulpé ku The Lake-Born nirmāṇakāya (Padmasambhava), who appears in response to beings, རིགས་བདག་རྡོར་སེམས་དགའ་རབ་དཔའ་བོ་དང་།། rikdak dorsem garab pawo dang Lord of the Family, Vajrasattva, hero Garab Dorje, དབྱེར་མེད་ཐོད་ཕྲེང་རྩལ་ལ་གསོལ་བ་འདེབས།། yermé tötreng tsal la solwa deb And the inseparable Guru Tötrengtsal, I supplicate. གང་ཁྱོད་གདོང་དམར་བོད་ཀྱི་གདུལ་བའི་དོན།། gang khyö dong mar bö kyi dulwé dön For the sake of those to be tamed, the red-faced Tibetans, མཐའ་དབུས་ཐམས་ཅད་གཏེར་གྱིས་བཀང་ནས་ཀྱང་།། ta ü tamché ter gyi kang né kyang You filled the whole of Tibet from center to its borders with treasures. གང་དང་ཐུགས་སྲས་རྗེ་འབངས་སྤྲུལ་པའི་སྐུ།། gang dang tuksé jebang trulpé ku I supplicate you and your emanated heart-disciples, the king and subjects, ཟབ་གཏེར་སྒོ་འབྱེད་ཚོགས་ལ་གསོལ༴ zabter gojé tsok la solwa deb Who opened the gateway to those profound treasures. དེང་དུས་ལྔ་ཕྲག་ཐ་མའི་སེམས་ཅན་ཀུན།། dengdü nga trak tamé semchen kün Currently, unbearable suffering is greatly increasing བཟོད་དཀའི་སྡུག་བསྔལ་ཆེས་ཆེར་མཆེད་པའི་ཚེ།། zö ké dukngal ché cher chepé tsé For all sentient beings of the final five-hundred-year period. དྲི་མེད་དགའ་རབ་པད་འབྱུང་བཱི་མ་ལའི།། drimé garab pejung bi ma lé During this time, I supplicate the supreme, single-embodied emanation སྤྲུལ་པ་གཅིག་བསྡུས་མཆོག་དེར་གསོལ༴ trulpa chikdü chok der solwa deb Of Drimé Özer, Garab Dorje, Padmasambhava, and Vimalamitra. ལྷུམས་སུ་ཞུགས་ནས་ཏིང་འཛིན་མི་གཡོ་ཞིང་།། lhum su shuk né tingdzin mi yo shing You entered the womb never wavering from samādhi. བཙས་པའི་ཞག་གསུམ་མཁའ་འགྲོའི་ཚོགས་གྲལ་འགྲིམས།། tsepé shak sum khandrö tsokdral drim Three days after your birth, you roamed among the assembly of ḍākinīs, ཟླ་བཅུའི་དུས་སུ་མཁའ་འགྲོས་དབང་བསྐུར་བའི།། da chü dü su khandrö wangkurwé And when you were ten months old, you received empowerment from them— རང་བྱུང་སྤྲུལ་པའི་སྐུ་ལ་གསོལ༴ rangjung trulpé ku la solwa deb I supplicate the naturally arisen nirmāṇakāya. བགྲང་བྱ་གསུམ་ནས་དཔལ་རི་རིག་འཛིན་ཞིང་།། drangja sum né palri rigdzin shing At the age of the two, in Zangdok Palri (the Copper-Coloured Mountain), the realm of the knowledge-holders, སྤྲུལ་གཞིར་མཇལ་ནས་དབང་བསྐུར་བྱིན་གྱི་བརླབས།། trulshir jal né wangkur jin gyi lab You beheld the prominent nirmāṇakāya who conferred empowerment and blessings upon you— དཔའ་བོ་མཁའ་འགྲོ་རིགས་ལྡན་ཚོགས་ཀུན་གྱིས།། pawo khandro rikden tsok kün gyi I supplicate the one who is always watched over མེལ་ཚེས་རྟག་ཏུ་བསྐྱངས་དེར་གསོལ༴ meltsé taktu kyang der solwa deb By the heroes and ḍākinīs of all the noble families. སྔོན་གནས་རྗེས་དྲན་རིགས་བདག་བླ་མ་བཙལ།། ngön né jedren rikdak lama tsal Recalling your previous lives, you searched for your guru, the Lord of the Family, [ 1 ] ཐུགས་རྗེས་རྗེས་བཟུང་བདུད་ཀྱི་གཡུལ་ལས་རྒྱལ།། tukjé jezung dü kyi yul lé gyal Who lovingly and compassionately accepted you [as a disciple]. ཆོས་ཀྱི་བདག་པོ་རིགས་ཀྱི་མྱུ་གུ་བཙས།། chö kyi dakpo rik kyi nyugu tsé Victorious over the hordes of demons, your potential as a Dharma lord was brought forth— རྟེན་འབྲེལ་དུས་སུ་སྨིན་དེར་གསོལ༴ tendrel dü su min der solwa deb I supplicate the one whose auspicious connections ripened on time. གཞོན་ནུའི་དུས་ནས་ངེས་འབྱུང་སྐྱོ་ཤས་ཀྱིས།། shönnü dü né ngejung kyoshé kyi From a young age, with the sadness born from renunciation, རྒྱུད་བསྐུལ་ཉིན་སྣང་རྨི་ལམ་སྒྱུ་མ་དང་།། gyü kul nyin nang milam gyuma dang You continuously saw daily appearances as an illusory dream, མཚན་སྣང་སྐུ་དང་འཇའ་ཟེར་ཐིག་ལེ་འདྲེས།། tsen nang ku dang jazer tiklé dré And at night you mingled the kāyas and the spheres of rainbow light— སྔོན་ལས་དུས་སུ་སྨིན་དེར་གསོལ༴ ngön lé dü su min der solwa deb I supplicate the one whose previous karma ripened on time. བཅུ་གསུམ་ལོན་ནས་བསྐྱེད་རྫོགས་ལམ་དུ་ཞུགས།། chusum lön né kyedzok lam du shuk When you reached twelve, you entered the path of creation and completion [stage practices]. ཉིན་དུས་རིགས་བདག་བླ་མའི་ཞལ་ཁྲིད་དང་།། nyin dü rikdak lamé shal tri dang During the day, you received oral instructions of the guru, the Lord of the Family, མཚན་སྣང་དཔའ་བོ་ཌཱཀྐིས་བརྡ་སྤྲོད་པས།། tsen nang pawo daki datröpé And during the night the heroes and ḍākinīs symbolically transmitted [the teachings] ས་ལམ་སྐད་ཅིག་བསྒྲོད་དེར་གསོལ༴ salam kechik drö der solwa deb By which you traversed the stages and paths in an instant—I supplicate you. བཅོ་ལྔ་ལོན་ནས་གཏེར་གྱི་ཁ་བྱང་ཐོབ།། cho nga lön né ter gyi kha jang tob When you reached fourteen, you obtained an inventory of treasures. བླ་མའི་ཐུགས་བསྐྱེད་ཨོ་རྒྱན་བྱིན་རླབས་ཀྱིས།། lamé tukkyé orgyen jinlab kyi By the compassion of the guru and the blessings of Orgyen [Guru Rinpoche], ས་གཏེར་དགོངས་པའི་གཏེར་དུ་དབང་བསྒྱུར་ནས།། sa ter gongpé ter du wanggyur né You had the authority over earth and wisdom-mind treasures— མཁའ་འགྲོའི་གསང་མཛོད་དབང་དེར་གསོལ༴ khandrö sangdzö wang der solwa deb I supplicate the one who has the command of the secret ḍākinī treasury. ཉི་ཤུ་ལོན་ནས་སྨིན་གྲོལ་བསྐྱེད་རྫོགས་ལ།། nyishu lön né mindrol kyedzok la When you reached nineteen, having mastered the creation and completion phases of maturation and liberation, མངའ་བརྙེས་རིགས་བདག་གནང་བ་ཐོབ་ནས་སླར།། nga nyé rikdak nangwa tob né lar You obtained permission from the Lord of the Family. དཔའ་བོ་མཁའ་འགྲོས་ལུང་བསྟན་ཇི་བཞིན་དུ།། pawo khandrö lungten jishin du Once again, in keeping with the prophecy of the heroes and ḍākinīs, རྣལ་འབྱོར་སྤྱོད་པ་བསྐྱངས་དེར་གསོལ༴ naljor chöpa kyang der solwa deb You maintained the yogic observances—I supplicate you. བླ་མ་ཡི་དམ་དངོས་གྲུབ་མཆོག་བརྙེས་ཞིང་།། lama yidam ngödrub chok nyé shing You attained the supreme accomplishment of the guru and deity བསྙེན་སྒྲུབ་མཐར་ཕྱིན་བསྲེག་མནན་འཕེན་པ་ཡིས།། nyendrub tarchin sek nen penpa yi And defeated the attacks of unruly demons by completing the approach and accomplishment [stages of deity practice], མ་རུང་བདུད་ཀྱི་གཡུལ་ངོ་ཕམ་མཛད་པའི།། ma rung dü kyi yulngo pam dzepé And by burning, suppressing, and casting away [as found in those practices]— ཡེ་ཤེས་རོལ་པའི་རྡོ་རྗེར་གསོལ༴ yeshe rolpé dorjér solwa deb I supplicate you, Yeshe Rölpe Dorje ("Vajra of the Display of Primordial Wisdom"). བསྐྱེད་རིམ་ཕྱག་རྒྱ་ཕྲ་བའི་རྣལ་འབྱོར་བརྙེས།། kyerim chakgya trawé naljor nyé You obtained the subtle, yogic mudrā of the creation stage, རྫོགས་རིམ་རྟགས་བཅུ་ཡོན་ཏན་མཐའ་རུ་ཕྱིན།། dzokrim tak chu yönten ta ru chin Perfected the qualities of the ten signs of the completion stage, དྭངས་མའི་ཐིག་ལེ་ཨ་ཝ་དྷུ་ཏིར་བཅིང་།། dangmé tiklé a wa dhu tir ching And held the pure vital-essence in the central channel— གྲུབ་བརྙེས་རིག་འཛིན་མཆོག་དེར་གསོལ༴ drub nyé rigdzin chok der solwa deb I supplicate the supreme and accomplished knowledge-holder. ཁྲེགས་ཆོད་སྣང་སེམས་འདྲེས་ཤིང་གཟུང་འཛིན་ཞིག། trekchö nang sem dré shing zungdzin shik By the [practice] of cutting-through ( trekchö ), you mixed appearances and mind, thus destroying subject-object grasping. དབའ་རླབས་ལ་བརྟེན་འབྲས་བུའི་དེ་ཉིད་མཐོང་།། walab la ten drebü denyi tong Relying on the [energy] waves, you beheld the resulting suchness. ཐོད་རྒལ་ཉམས་སྣང་གོང་འཕེལ་མཐའ་རྫོགས་པའི།། tögal nyam nang gongpel ta dzokpé Through the [practice] of leaping-over ( togal ), the experiences and visions were increased to their perfect culmination— འཁྲུལ་ཞིག་འཇའ་ལུས་རྡོ་རྗེར་གསོལ༴ trulshik jalü dorjér solwa deb I supplicate Trulzhik Jalu Dorje ("Indestructible Rainbow Body that Dismantles Delusion"). རྨི་ལམ་འོད་གསལ་ཉམས་ཀྱི་སྣང་བ་ལ།། milam ösal nyam kyi nangwa la In the experiential appearances of the clear light of dreams, བདེ་བྱེད་བརྩེགས་དང་མཁའ་སྤྱོད་ས་སྤྱོད་གནས།། dé jé tsek dang khachö sachö né You abided in the Tiers of Bliss and other celestial and terrestrial realms. རིག་འཛིན་དཔའ་བོ་མཁའ་འགྲོའི་ཚོགས་གྲལ་འགྲིམས།། rigdzin pawo kha drötsok dral drim You roamed among the assembly of knowledge-holders, heroes, and ḍākinīs— ཁྲག་འཐུང་དཔའ་བོའི་ཞབས་ལ་གསོལ༴ traktung pawö shab la solwa deb I supplicate at the feet of Tragtung Pawo ("Blood Drinking Hero"). ཐ་སྙད་ཤེས་བྱའི་གནས་ལ་མ་སྦྱང་ཡང་།། tanyé shejé né la ma jang yang Although you did not study the conventional fields of knowledge, ལྷན་སྐྱེས་ཡེ་ཤེས་བདེ་བ་ཆེན་པོ་ཡིས།། lhenkyé yeshe dewa chenpo yi You completely unraveled the cakra of the Wheel of Enjoyment ལོངས་སྤྱོད་འཁོར་ལོའི་རྩ་འཁོར་ཡོངས་ཞིག་པའི།། longchö khorlö tsakhor yong shikpé By the great bliss of the innate, primordial wisdom— བདེ་བའི་རྡ་རྗེ་དཔལ་དེར་གསོལ༴ dewé da jé pal der solwa deb I supplicate Dewai Dorje Pal ("Glorious, Blissful Vajra"). ངོ་བོ་ཆོས་སྐུའི་རྒྱལ་སར་མངའ་བརྙེས་ཀྱང་།། ngowo chökü gyalsar nga nyé kyang You seized the royal seat of the essential dharmakāya; མ་དག་འགྲོ་བའི་ལོས་བློ་མཐུན་སྣང་དང་།། ma dak drowé lö lo tün nang dang Still, you performed deeds to tame impure beings འཚམས་པར་གང་ལ་གང་འདུལ་དོན་མཛད་པའི།། tsampar gang la gang dul dön dzepé According to their devotion, intelligence, and common perceptions— མཐུ་སྟོབས་དཔའ་བོའི་ཞབས་ལ་གསོལ་བ་འདེབས།། tutob pawö shab la solwa deb I supplicate at the feet of Tutob Pawo ("Hero of Power and Strength"). ཡང་གསང་ལུས་མེད་མཁའ་འགྲོའི་ཐུགས་ཐིག་ཆོས།། yangsang lümé khandrö tuk tik chö To benefit the fortunate ones of the highest capacity, མན་ངག་སྙན་བརྒྱུད་ཡི་གེ་མོད་པའི་སྐོར།། mengak nyengyü yigé möpé kor You properly taught the cycle without letters, the pith instructions of the hearing lineage, དབང་རབ་སྐལ་ལྡན་དོན་དུ་ལེགས་བསྟན་ནས།། wang rab kalden döndu lek ten né The doctrine of The Extremely Secret Enlightened Heart-Essence of the Formless Ḍākinīs [ 2 ] — འཇའ་ལུས་འོད་སྐུའི་ལམ་སྟོན་ལ་གསོལ༴ jalü ökü lam tön la solwa deb I supplicate the teacher of the path of the rainbow body of light. གཟུགས་ཅན་གཟུགས་མེད་འགྲོ་བ་མཐའ་དག་ཀུན།། zukchen zukmé drowa tadak kün With great love and compassion, you held limitless beings, བྱམས་དང་སྙིང་རྗེ་ཆེན་པོས་རྗེས་བཟུང་ནས།། jam dang nyingjé chenpö jezung né Both those with form and those without form, དངོས་སམ་བརྒྱུད་ནས་སྨིན་གྲོལ་སྒོར་བཅུག་ཅིང་།། ngö sam gyü né mindrol gor chuk ching And, directly and indirectly, ushered them through the gates of maturation and liberation— བཙན་ཐབས་རྫོགས་སངས་རྒྱས་མཛད་ལ་གསོལ༴ tsentab dzoksang gyé dzé la solwa deb I supplicate the one who enacts the robust deeds of a perfected buddha. བདག་སོགས་ཁྱེད་ཀྱི་གདུལ་བྱར་གྱུར་པ་རྣམས།། dak sok khyé kyi duljar gyurpa nam We who have become your disciples ལས་ཉོན་སྡུག་བསྔལ་དྲག་པོའི་མུན་འཐུམས་ཤིང་།། lé nyön dukngal drakpö mün tum shing Are enveloped in the darkness of the intense sufferings of karma and afflictions. ཁྱོད་ཀྱི་གསང་གསུམ་གཏིང་དཔག་དཀའ་བ་ཡི།། khyö kyi sang sum ting pak kawa yi We are blind to the qualities of your three secrets, so difficult to fathom, ཡོན་ཏན་ལྟ་བའི་འདྲེན་བྱེད་ཅེ་རེ་ལོངས།། yönten tawé dren jé ché ré long And the view that would guide us. ལས་ངན་དབང་གིས་ཐེ་ཚོམ་ལོག་ལྟ་འཁྲུགས།། lé ngen wang gi tetsom lokta truk By the power of negative karma, we are conflicted with doubt and wrong views ལོག་སྨོན་བདུད་ཀྱི་སྡེ་ཚོགས་དབང་ཤོར་ཞིང་།། lok mön dü kyi dé tsok wang shor shing And overpowered by the demonic masses of wrong aspirations. རྩ་བ་ཡན་ལག་དམ་ཚིག་ཉམས་འགལ་རལ།། tsawa yenlak damtsik nyam gal ral Our root and branch samayas have deteriorated, been transgressed, and torn apart. གཏིང་ནས་འགྱོད་པ་དྲག་པོས་བཟོད་པར་གསོལ།། tingné gyöpa drakpö zöpar sol With fervent, heartfelt regret, we pray for forgiveness. རྨོངས་དང་མཉམ་འགྲོགས་དབང་ཤོར་ལོག་པར་བལྟས།། mong dang nyam drok wang shor lokpar té Influenced by ignorance and its close friend, wrong views, གཤེ་ཞིང་སྐུར་པ་འདེབས་དང་དད་མེད་ཀྱི།། shé shing kurpa deb dang demé kyi I have abused and slandered, སྣང་ངོར་བསམ་བཞིན་མ་དག་ཚུལ་བསྟན་ནས།། nang ngor samshin ma dak tsul ten né And intentionally demonstrated impure behavior in the presence of those without faith. ཐེ་ཚོམ་བསྐྱེད་ཅིང་ངན་འབྲེལ་གྱིས་སྡུད་པའི།། tetsom kyé ching ngen drel gyi düpé I have given rise to doubt and have amassed negative connections, གཏིང་དཔག་དཀའ་བའི་དགོངས་པ་མ་རྟོགས་ཤིང་།། ting pak kawé gongpa ma tok shing And because of this, I have not realized your unfathomable and all-subsuming enlightened mind. བཀའ་འགལ་ཐུགས་དཀྲུགས་ཐུགས་སུན་སྐྱོན་བརྗོད་ཅིང་།། ka gal tuk truk tuk sün kyön jö ching I have opposed your command, upset and disturbed your mind, proclaimed faults, ཅི་མཛད་ལེགས་མཐོང་དག་སྣང་འགྲིབ་གྱུར་པ།། chi dzé lek tong daknang drib gyurpa And have diminished my pure perception that sees all that the master does as good. ཡོན་ཏན་རྗེས་སུ་དྲན་པས་བཟོད་པར་གསོལ།། yönten jesu drenpé zöpar sol By remembering your qualities, I pray for forgiveness. བླ་མའི་ཐུགས་རྒྱུད་དགོངས་པའི་བྱིན་རླབས་འཕོས།། lamé tukgyü gongpé jinlab pö Now, by the blessings transferred from the wisdom-mind of the guru, ད་ནི་ལས་ངན་བག་ཆགས་སྲབ་གྱུར་པས།། dani lé ngen bakchak sab gyurpé My negative karma and habitual tendencies are diminished. ལོག་པར་མི་རྟོག་སྙིང་ནས་དམ་བཅའ་འཛིན།། lokpar mi tok nying né damcha dzin Thus, from my heart, I vow not to hold onto wrong concepts, བརྩེ་བ་ཆེན་པོས་རྗེས་སུ་བཟུང་དུ་གསོལ།། tsewa chenpö jesu zung du sol And I pray you lovingly hold me close. མགོན་ཁྱོད་ཡོན་ཏན་གབ་ཅིང་སྐྱོན་སྟོན་པས།། gön khyö yönten gab ching kyön tönpé Protector, you hide your qualities and display faults, མ་དག་སེམས་ཅན་མགོ་བོ་རྨོངས་གྱུར་ཅིང་།། ma dak semchen gowo mong gyur ching So that we impure sentient beings are fooled. ལས་སྐལ་ལྡན་པའང་ཐེ་ཚོམ་དབང་གྱུར་ཕྱིར།། lekal denpa ang tetsom wang gyur chir For the karmically fortunate beings under the sway of doubt, གཏིང་དཔག་དཀའ་བའི་ཡོན་ཏན་བསྟན་དུ་གསོལ།། ting pak kawé yönten ten du sol Please reveal your unfathomable qualities. རྡོ་རྗེའི་སྐུ་ལ་བགྲེས་རྒུད་མི་མངའ་ཡང་།། dorjé ku la dré gü mi nga yang The vajra body is not subject to decay or decline; སྐུ་ཚེ་མཐར་ཕྱིན་འགྲོ་དོན་ཡོངས་རྫོགས་ཤིང་།། kutsé tarchin dro dön yongdzok shing Yet I pray that your life reaches its fullest extent so that you fully accomplish the benefit of beings; ད་དུང་འཁོར་བའི་འཇིག་རྟེན་མ་སྟོངས་བར།། dadung khorwé jikten matongwar And thereafter, until cyclic existence is emptied, སྣ་ཚོགས་སྤྲུལ་པས་འགྲོ་དོན་མཛད་དུ་གསོལ།། natsok trulpé dro dön dzé du sol Please act to benefit beings through a myriad of emanations. རྩེ་གཅིག་གསོལ་བ་བཏབ་པའི་འབྲས་བུ་ཡིས།། tsechik solwa tabpé drebu yi By the fruit of this one-pointed supplication, ཞབས་ཏོག་མཐར་ཕྱིན་འགྲོ་དོན་ཡོངས་རྫོགས་ནས།། shabtok tarchin dro dön yongdzok né May I perfectly serve you and fully benefit beings. ཟག་པ་བག་ཆགས་བཅས་པ་ཡོངས་ཟད་ཅིང་།། zakpa bakchak chepa yong zé ching Having done so, may the defilements and habitual tendencies be completely exhausted; སྣང་བཞི་མཐར་ཕྱིན་འཇའ་ལུས་འགྲུབ་པར་ཤོག། nang shi tarchin jalü drubpar shok May I perfect the four visions and attain the rainbow body! དགེ་བས་འགྲོ་ཀུན་སྡུག་བསྔལ་མཚོ་སྐེམས་ནས།། gewé dro kün dukngal tso kem né By this virtue, may sentient beings’ ocean of suffering dry up. བདེ་གཤེགས་སྙིང་པོ་རང་རིག་ངོ་ཤེས་ཤིང་།། deshek nyingpo rangrig ngoshé shing May they recognize the reflexive awareness, the essence of the sugata. སྟོང་ཉིད་བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་ཀྱི་འབྲས་སྨིན་ནས།། tongnyi changchub sem kyi dré min né May the fruit of emptiness-bodhicitta ripen! སྐུ་གསུམ་རྒྱལ་བའི་ཞིང་དུ་དབུགས་དབྱུང་ཤོག། ku sum gyalwé shing du ukyung shok May they be assured in the realms of the victors of the three kāyas! COLOPHON ཅེས་པའང་ཁྲོ་ཆེན་ས་དབང་མཆོག་གིས་གསུང་ནན་ལན་གྲངས་གནང་བ་ལྡོག་མི་ནུས་ཏེ་བློ་ངོར་གང་ཤར་ཐོལ་བྱུང་དུ་འཇའ་ལུས་རྡོ་རྗེས་རང་ཆེ་འབྱིན་བའི་རྒྱུར་འགྱུར་ཀྱང་དད་ལྡན་སུན་མི་འབྱིན་པའི་ཕྱིར་སྨྲས་པ་སྟེ་ཡི་གེར་འདུ་བྱེད་སློབ་བུ་འོད་ཟེར་མཐའ་ཡས་ཀྱིས་བགྱིས་པའོ།། །། This was repeatedly and earnestly requested by the supreme Trochen Sawang, and I was unable to refuse his request. Although this has caused self-aggrandizement to come forth, I, Jalu Dorje, in order not to disenchant those with faith, composed this supplication, which suddenly arose and filled my mind, and the disciple, Özer Taye, wrote it down. NOTES [1] This refers to the First Dodrubchen, Jigme Trinle Özer (1745–1821). BDRC P298 [2] The Extremely Secret Enlightened Heart-Essence of the Formless Ḍākinīs a cycle of revealed treasures discovered by Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje. BDRC W1PD89990 Thanks to Adam Pearcey at Lotsawa House for his editing. Published: January 2021 BIBLIOGRAPHY Ye shes rdo rje. 1859. rig ’dzin ’ja’ lus rdo rje’i rnam thar gsol ’debs byin rlabs ’gugs pa’i lcags kyu . In Mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje'i rnam thar, pp. 406–413. Gangtok: Dodrupchen Rinpoche, null. BDRC W18047 Abstract This concise biographical prayer to Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje was written by the master himself at the request of a king, most likely Namkha Lhündrub of Trokyab. BDRC LINK W18047 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 08:43 TRADITION Nyingma INCARNATION LINE Jigme Lingpa HISTORICAL PERIOD 19th Century TEACHERS The Fourth Dzogchen Drubwang, Mingyur Namkhe Dorje The First Dodrubchen, Jigme Trinle Özer Gyurme Tsewang Chokdrub Dola Jigme Kalzang Jigme Gyalwe Nyugu TRANSLATOR Tib Shelf INSTITUTIONS Mahā Kyilung Monastery Katok Monastery Dzogchen Monastery Tseringjong Yarlung Pemakö Drigung Til STUDENTS Losal Drölma Trokyab Gyalpo Tsewang Rabten Nyala Pema Dudul The Second Dodrubchen, Jigme Puntsok Jungne Patrul Orgyen Jigme Chökyi Wangpo The First Dodrubchen, Jigme Trinle Özer Ranyak Gyalse Nyoshul Luntok Tenpe Gyaltsen Özer Taye Kalzang Döndrub Pema Sheja Do Drimé Drakpa Kunzang Tobden Wangpo Gyalse Zhenpen Taye Özer The Third Alak Gyalpo Chöying Tobden Dorje Rigpe Raltri AUTHOR Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje The Hook Which Invokes Blessings: A Supplication to the Life and Liberation of Knowledge-Holder Jalu Dorje VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy 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.

  • The Outer, Inner, and Secret Practice Cycle of 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. 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 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, pp. 193–195. Leh: T. Sonam & 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 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 Terms of Use Privacy Policy 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.

  • The History of Galenteng Monastery

    Tracing Galenteng Monastery from its founding by Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje through its evolving construction, lineage affiliations, and even its changing name and pronunciation. The History of Galenteng Monastery The monastery sits in the Khorlo Valley [ 1] in the district of Dege. Initially, after killing the Tibetan King Lang Darma (r. 838–842), [ 2 ] Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje (early 9th cent. – mid 9th cent.) [ 3 ] fled to Do Kham in the year 1005/6 [ 4 ] and built a square meditation building without a central pillar. Later, Lord Ling Repa (1128–1188) [ 5 ] of the Kagyu [order] came and restored that meditation building. Then, while Ga Anyen Dampa (1230–1303) [ 6 ] was traveling to China, he constructed a protectors’ temple called Utter Victory Over Mara . [ 7 ] At a later time during the eleventh calendrical cycle (1600), the dharma lord Tenpa Tsering (1678–1738) [ 8 ] established an entire monastery, primarily building The Completely Victorious Teachings of the Buddha Assembly Hall along with its sacred objects and shrine rooms. Ga from the name Ga Ling [ 9 ] is a sub-category of the six principal Tibetan clans. In ancient times, there was a region that was cut off from the Ga clan and was known as the Land of Asha. [ 10 ] Due to the fact that the people [in that region] were not able to [properly] pronounce Ling, the word corrupted to Len. [ 11 ] Legend has it that when Anyen Dampa was travelling to China, he removed his saddle [to rest] at Galenteng and over time, the meaning of Galen [ 12 ] was said to derive from this [anecdote]. However, concerning this statement, Namkhai Norbu (1938–2018) [ 13 ] comments, “Since Anyen Dampa was riding a horse while traveling to China and while returning to Tibet, he would have unsaddled his horse every day. If [it is like the legend asserts], then all those areas in China and Tibet would be called Galenteng!” Consequently, since this place is in the center of the Land of Asha, the principal area of the ancient Ga descendants, it is conventionally known as Galing. After Lang Darma was set upon the throne the Buddha’s doctrine greatly diminished, and it was at this time that Lhalung Pelgi Dorje murdered him and then rode out in the direction of Do Kham [to escape]. When he [arrived and] set his lotus feet upon Galingteng, he saw that it was a marvelous place and constructed a square meditation building without a pillar. There he practiced for a few months. Since the families of the Asha [region] were well-disposed toward the teachings, they paid great respect and service toward Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje. However, he did not continue to reside in the area, and he travelled to the nearby cave of the Secret Lord, which had been blessed by Guru Pema. This place is in the central mountain of the supreme secret site of the peaceful and wrathful deities of the three families. This is where he spent the rest of his life, later passing into a body of rainbow light. [In a later period], Lord Ling Repa (of the Pakdru Kagyu) arrived at Galingteng and restored the meditation building of Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje. It is also where he taught the excellent teachings to the people of that land for a few months and built an additional square meditation building equal in size to the [other] meditation building. In that place, he accepted a few disciples, and their lineage holders resided there until [very] recently. Thereafter, when the teacher Ga Anyen Dampa was travelling from China to Tibet, he set his lotus feet upon Galingteng in Do Kham, arriving at the meditation building of Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje. There he constructed a protectors’ temple called Utter Victory Over Mara . It was from that period that the transmissions of the secret mantra of the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Sakya [traditions] were continued without partiality. These teachings became the tradition of Lhalung Pelgyi [Dorje] of Galing. At a later time when the dharma lord Tenpa Tsering was building twenty-five temples [ 14 ] in Derge, he built Galingteng’s Completely Victorious Teachings of the Buddha Assembly Hall . [At that time] there were Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje’s meditation building and the outer and inner meditation [sections] of the lord of adepts Ling Repa’s meditation building. Frescos of the Kagyu and Nyingma [traditions] could be seen in the central and left shrine halls of the temple. Up until recently the shrine hall to the left, in particular, was set with statues of the peaceful and wrathful guru as well as the twenty-five disciples consisting of the lord and his subjects. [ 15 ] That shrine hall was widely known as The Nyingma Shrine Room . [ 16 ] Following the example of the prayer festival [ 17 ] in Lhasa, the king of Dege inaugurated the practice of The Great Six Assemblies of the Convocation [ 18 ] at Lhundrubteng’s Gonchen Monastery [ 19 ] and its seven subsidiary monasteries within which Galing Monastery is included. Later, the tradition of appointing an abbot from Ngor Tartse, [a guru’s residence at Ngor Ewam Choden Monastery], [ 20 ] at [Galingteng Monastery] flourished. This abbot was known as Rongpo Yarmar. [ 21 ] Many excellent and great beings came including: Sanggye Lhundrub [ 22 ] a guru of scholars and adepts, Ronpo Sherab Chozang, [ 23 ] and guru Nawang Pelden. [ 24 ] As the teachings from the previous tradition of Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje diminished, the people there considered it to be a monastery of the glorious Ngor [tradition]. More recently, many gurus of the Nyingtik , or Heart Essence, lineage came including the teacher-student pair of Galing Guru Kunga Pelden [ 25 ] and Khyentse Chokyi Wangchuk. [ 26 ] Once again the teachings of Dzogchen, or the Great Perfection, spread. Thus, for over nine-hundred years since the founding of this monastery, excellent and great beings who continued to come to [Galingteng] built many sacred objects and shrine rooms. Yet most importantly, during the time of the previous Galing Khyentse, a list was arranged containing names of the [sacred buildings and objects] that had been [at the monastery]. As mentioned beforehand, there is the four-pillared Completely Victorious Teachings of the Buddha Assembly Hall constructed by the dharma lord Tenpa Tsering, Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje’s meditation building, the lord of adepts Ling Repa’s meditation building that has outer and inner [sections], the temple of Rongpo Yarmar, the temple shrine room which is of the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Sakya [traditions], Ga Anyen Dampa’s protectors’ temple called Utter Victory Over Mara , a giant prayer wheel, another shrine room, Galing Khyentse’s palace, and living quarters for over eighty monks. When it comes to the principal sacred objects, they include a pair of statues of the Buddha about a cubit high made of the Indian alloy called li khra , [ 27 ] a statue of the Mahakala’s Warm Bird [ 28 ] handcrafted by teacher Ga Anyen (It is widely known that at the heart of this statue remains the warmth of a bird.), three statues of a peaceful guru, a wrathful guru, and a lion guru, a statue of Vajrabhairava, a statue of Derge’s protector Nyenchen Getok Buzik Je, [ 29 ] a golden reliquary inlaid with precious stones, and cymbals called Dzamling Yezhag , which were famously brought by a garuda (These are said to be imprinted with the beak of the garuda.). Concerning the source of offerings such as the expenditure for conducting practices at this monastery: Previously, the followers [ 30 ] of the monastery were from six settlements—three settlements of Gyachu and three from Lezil . [ 31 ] Now, there are only the three settlements of Lezil (The other set of three does not exist.). They present offerings such as grains, butter, and cheese. The local Tibetan governing regimental commanders known as Khyung and Ton [ 32 ] respected Galing Guru Kunga Pelden as their main guru. As such, there are many taxed farmlands from places such as Korlo Valley, Khar Sum Valley, and Mar Rongnang,[ 33 ] which have been collected together. This monastery has four main administrators and around twenty service workers. Each of the main administrators hold their responsibilities for seven years. However, during the Cultural Revolution, the monastery’s sacred objects and shrine rooms were completely destroyed, and only the name remained. These days the temple, the statues of the Buddha and his principal retinue as well as the statues of Guru [Rinpoche] and his principal retinue have been newly constructed. More than forty monks [currently] reside at the monastery. COLOPHON None NOTES [1] 'khor lo mdo [2] glang dar ma or u'i dum bstan/'u dum bstan (Tri Üdum Tsen), BDRC P2MS13219 There are various dates put forth concerning the time period of Lang Darma, but here we are presenting from Dates in Tibetan History and Key Events in Neighboring Lands in The Tibetan History Reader, edited by Tuttle Gray and Schaeffer Kurtis R., Xv–Xxiii. New York: Columbia University Press, 2013. [3] lha lung dpal gyi rdo rje, BDRC P6986 [4] The script in the text is unclear if it is 1005 or 1006. Regardless, these dates need to be taken into consideration with the proposed dating of Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje and Lang Darma. See note above. [5] gling ras pa pad+ma rdo rje, BDRC P910 [6] sga a gnyan dam pa kun dga' grags pa, BDRC P2612 [7] bdud las rnam rgyal. [8] sde dge rgyal po 10 bstan pa tshe ring, BDRC P4095 [9] sga gling [10] 'a zha'i yul [11] len [12] sga len [13] nam kha'i nor bu [14] The clause here is: dus phyis chos rgyal bstan pa tshe ring gis sde dge las dgon nyi shu rtsa lnga bzhengs pa'i du|. We have consulted a handful of Tibetan and Western Tibetologists concerning las dgon and have not yet come to a definitive answer. According to Jann Ronis’ work The Deeds of the Dergé King in Sources of Tibetan Tradition edited by Kurtis R. Schaeffer, Matthew T. Kapstein, and Gray Tuttle, 607–614, New York: Columbia University Press, 2013, Tenpa Tsering constructed seventeen temples during his reign. There are, additionally, twenty-five major Sakya temples in Dege; however, the translators have not found a corroborating list. It has also been suggested that these are statues of the Raven-Faced Mahākāla (las mgon, Kakamukha Mahākāla), a retinue protector figure of Catubhuja Mahākāla. If you are able to provide any help in this matter, please contact Tib Shelf. [15] rje 'bangs nyer lnga [16] snying ma'i lha khang [17] smon lam [18] 'dzoms pa’i drug 'du chen mo [19] lhun grub steng, BDRC G193 [20] ngor thar rtse and Ngor e waM chos ldan, BDRC G211 [21] rong po yar mar [22] sangs rgyas lhun grub [23] rong po shes rab chos bzang [24] ngag dbang dpal ldan [25] kun dga' dpal ldan, BDRC P6963 [26] mkhyen brtse chos kyi dbang phyug [27] This is said to be made from gold, silver, zinc, and iron. [28] mgon po byi'u drod ma [29] gnyen chen gad thog bug zig rje [30] lha sde [31] brgya chu shog and Le zil shog [32] khyung, BDRC C11MS134 and ston [33] 'khor lo mdo, mkhar sum mdo, and dmar rong nang BIBLIOGRAPHY 'Jigs med bsam grub. 1995. Sga len dgon pa (sde dge rdzong) . In Dkar mdzes khul gyi dgon sde so so'i lo rgyu gsal bar bshad pa, vol. 1, pp. 240–241. Beijing: Khrung go'i bod kyis shes rig dpe skrun khang. BDRC W19997 Abstract A short text concerning Galenteng Monastery purportedly initially established by Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje. Its construction, linage affiliation, pronunciation, and orthography changed over time lending itself to a multitude of modifications. BDRC LINK W19997 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 00:27 TRADITION Nyingma | Kagyu | Sakya FOUNDED 1005/1006 REGION Derge ASSOCIATED PEOPLE Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje Ling Repa Anyen Dampa The Tenth Derge King, Tenpa Tsering Sanggye Lhundrub Ronpo Sherab Chozang Guru Nawang Pelden Kunga Pelden Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Wangchuk TRANSLATOR Tib Shelf INSTITUTION N/A INCARNATION LINES Unknown AUTHOR Jigme Samdrup The History of Galenteng Monastery VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy 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.

  • The Great Symbolic Vision at Palpuk Ring: A Dream of Guru Chökyi Wangchuk

    In this 1245 dream vision at Palpuk Ring, Guru Chöwang encounters his recurring guide, a ḍākinī named Yeshe Gyen, at his childhood home - sparking profound symbolic revelations of dharmic truth. The Great Symbolic Vision at Palpuk Ring: A Dream of Guru Chökyi Wangchuk Homage to Guru Pema Tötrengtsal! Namo! In the summer of the Wood Female Snake year (1245), on the tenth day of the Dog month, at Palpuk Ring (“Glorious Long Cave”), located at the supreme and exalted sacred site of Kharchu in Lodrak, I was performing a ritual feast with torma offerings and empowerment at Guru Pema’s abode of accomplishment. It was at that time that I, the monk Chökyi Wangchuk, [1] had a dream at dawn. I was sitting before Pang Village, [2] taking in my homeland, and a white girl with a cowrie headdress came to me. She pointed towards my house and inquired, “Who built this place?” “My parents built it.” “That’s not true—where are your parents now?” Remembering that my parents had passed away, I leaned against the door, tears flowing in my grief. I felt uncertain about the situation and wondered if my parents were still inside, so I cried in sorrow: “Papa, you home? Mama, you’re there, no?” From the depth of my heart, I asked if my parents were there, and as I went longing for my loving parents, I called out, “Please open the door. Open this door, please!” A faint, ethereal voice replied: “You’ve never had parents, and you don’t have them now. Though you may cry out for them, they will not come into being.” Struck hard with utter despair and torment, I cried, “If I’ve never had parents, where did I first come from? Where am I in the meantime? Where will I go in the end … who are you?!” [365] “You’ve never even been born,” the voice answered. “You haven’t even come from anywhere! You’re baseless and don’t abide anywhere. Being causeless, you’ll never be anything in the end. Now, as for me, I don’t exist. I am empty resonance—Guru, heed this: “Parents are concepts of erroneous self-grasping. Like a person whose heart has been ripped out, Remain in great equanimity, however much you can. For a father, mother, and son, there’s no such thing as uniting or separating. Understanding this is primordial wisdom (Yeshe), And all suffering is ornamentation (Gyen).” Upon hearing this, I was freed from all the longing and grief I had for my parents, and while abiding vividly in self-aware emptiness and clarity devoid of grasping, I somehow found myself atop the rocky Palpuk Ring together with Yeshe Gyen (“Primordial-Wisdom Ornamentation”). Staring into the sky, she prostrated repeatedly. I also looked and the entire sky appeared to be swathed in a thick expanse of rainbow-like clouds and mist. Atop Dragri Senge Karmo (“White-Lioness Stone Mountain”) a black man stood, as immense as a mountain, with braids of writhing black serpents and flames flaring from his mouth that scorched the surrounding vegetation and woodlands. Upon his crown, where the sun and moon conjoined, was Mahā Guru Pema Tötreng, cross-legged in the center of a lotus swirling with sunlight. Dark blue and adorned with the six born ornaments, his hair was tied up and he donned a diadem with navy silk. He held a vajra and bell in his hands as his three eyes gazed piercingly. Various voices came from the many heads of his skull garland draped diagonally across his chest. In front, embracing him was Machik Jomo Nazhön Dzema (“Sole-Mother Lady, Young and Beautiful”), who had the raiment of a goddess, and ḍākinīs adorned with the six bone ornaments surrounded him. [366] They all bowed to the Guru in his intimate embrace and offered him nectar. Under his right knee, he pinned down a lion as well as a peacock under his left, while beneath his two crossed legs, he pinned down a swine, snake, and bird. From the mouth of the swine shone dark blue light, white from the snake, and red from the bird, rising like smoke. At the tip of these was a five-pronged crystal vajra. A white OṂ, a red A, and a dark blue HŪṂ radiated from and reabsorbed into the Guru’s three places. On his right side danced the five classes of heroes, while the five classes of heroines danced on the left. Goddesses of the five sensory delights and many hosts of ḍākinīs encircled him. Great flags of victory were planted on the four corners of his seat. Divine attendants danced in all directions while holding various musical instruments. Seeing him amidst this encirclement as dense as clouds, I also prostrated, supplicated, and spoke these words: “Kyeho! This excellent, supreme sacred site is delightful! Lhodrak Kharcu is so joyous! Palpuk Ring is lovely! I’m overjoyed at the Guru’s arrival! Guru, with your hosts of ḍākinīs and gings , Confer empowerment upon me and bless me! Compassionately care for the six classes of beings, Venerable One, open your heart’s secret door, And turn the wheel of the Dharma, please!” In light of this request, Mahā Guru Gyalpo looked into the sky and spoke: “Primordially selfless, this reflexive awareness, Out of nowhere, rises as any aspect whatsoever. If you know to rest without grasping, You will realize total natural liberation, devoid of clinging.” Having uttered these words, he entered contemplation. Machik Jomo then stood up in front of him. Looking at me she said: [367] “Although all the Dharma doors are condensed in empowerment, This is the authorization of enlightened body, speech, and mind. If you wish to attain undefiled bliss, Destroy grasping at defiled pleasure.” Having said this, she embraced the father (Guru Rinpoche). Then ten great ḍākinīs Each arose and in unison Propounded the following profound, excellent Dharma: “First, relying upon a knowledgeable physician, To diagnose the disease—vomit, urinate, and defecate. The medicinal compound expels the chronic illness from within. Without rejecting the illnesses, all maladies are cured.” Then the five classes of heroes on the right Performed a dance and spoke: “If you wish to approach and accomplish the hero, Approach primordial spontaneity and simplicity. Realizing that is close approach. Abiding in such a state is accomplishment. Manifesting that is great accomplishment. This is the pith instruction that encompasses all approach and accomplishment.” Having said this, they laughed, “haha!” and danced about. Then the five classes of ḍākinīs on the left Danced and sang and said: “If you wish to approach and accomplish the ḍākinī, Primordial self-grasping is the ḍākinī. Mentally constructing it as such is approach. Realizing that itself is close approach. Abiding in such a state is accomplishment. Mastering that is great accomplishment.” Having spoken, they continued their dance. Thus, to the Guru’s manifestation, I, out of delight, joy, and awe, Offered a kusulu [3] gaṇacakra. Then, the Guru spoke again: “All that appears and exists is a symbolic teaching. Specifically, this manifestation of mine Is a symbol of the supreme path of liberation. So, decode the symbolic meaning, son of a noble family.” Thus he spoke, and as I deciphered the symbol, The Guru [368] was pleased and continued: “Saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, existence and non-existence, Periphery and center—all are myself. Elaboration and simplicity are my path. All forms, sounds, and negative thoughts Are my supreme body, speech, and mind. All hopes and fears, including what to accept or reject, Are displays of me, Orgyen. Faults and virtues, good and bad—these are my companions. Everything is primordial wisdom, my ornamentation. All sentient beings to be tamed are utterly perfect. Everything is the dharmakāya, my dimension. Anything is acceptable. Nothing exists. Since everything is perfected in the equanimous state, How could there be accomplishment or something to accomplish? Everything is my magical display. Even though your visions are unfathomable, They are wholly complete in me, Orgyen. Take a body as an example. It has limbs, other parts, and conditions. Through the power of self-awareness, they are perfect within it. Everything is the saṃbhogakāya of Orgyen. Whoever sees my nature, That person who is aligned with ultimate reality, Naturally liberates even the Three Supreme Jewels, Naturally liberates the six classes: sentient beings, Naturally liberates conceptions of good and bad, Naturally purifies karma, cause, and effect, Naturally exhausts all mentally fabricated phenomena, Naturally liberates pure vision and delusion, And destroys hopes, fears, and fixation. All the faces of the sugatas are perceived at this time. The nectar of the Dharma is imbibed at this time. The darkness of saṃsāra is dispelled at this time. The great poisons of beings are expunged at this time. The sun’s rays of compassion dawn at this time. The lord of the Dharma is attained at this time. Buddhahood of pure vision without delusion And the Buddha’s teachings are established at this time. The saṅgha is exalted at this time. The precious treasures are encountered at this time. The guru of self-awareness is faced at this time. Appearances are brought under control here at this time.” As soon as these words were spoken, The Guru, his retinue, and all magical displays, Vanished [369] in the sky, and there The sun and moon arose simultaneously— Their light filled the world. And even this billion-fold world system Appeared like a splayed tent of [five-colored] silk brocade. For a moment, it was a magnificent, spectacle. After that, Lady Yeshe Gyen Pulled a mirror from her waist And offering to me, she said: “As soon as I met the Guru, I obtained undying faith. To be ever-connected, At Tsongdu Gurmo, [he] showed [me this] symbol. All those connected nearby also Follow me and the Guru, And to them, I have shown this symbol, Which I now humbly offer.” Having said this, she removed her caprine garment, And naked she pranced around three times. Then having torn it into four caprine pieces, They became four brocade garments. These she hung on a cedar tree. “Here in this supreme place, the secluded abode of Kharchu, As long as the wind does not topple this tree, Four people who delight in practice will come, Who are capable of benefiting beings. So, dress them in these four garments,” she said. Then, she split her belt in half, And the two became black snakes. “In this place, Pekar Nagpo Transformed his consciousness into two monks. While living here, for all Dharma practitioners, They create obstacles. After passing to the next life, They will be samaya-breaking demons towards all Dharma practitioners, Bind their necks with these two snakes And subdue them under the Vairocana cakra. Last year, after my death, From the seventh day on, for one month, I remained together with a group of gandharvas. Then I went on a pilgrimage to Lhasa. Over in Tsangrong, I stayed for half a month. At Mawochokpo, [4] I stayed for a month. Until last night I have been purifying myself. [370] I’ve been offering clarified butter with burnt offerings ( sur ). I offered torma to the wicked person, Who was trying to cause me harm. Now that you have come, Guru, wherever you go, Don’t leave me behind but take me along, I beg of you! Yöntsun Gompa brought this small turquoise And relics that were given by the Guru. Luck brought this groundless mind of mine. [5] Write my name and form on this silk And put it into a receptacle, then take it wherever you reside. My companionship with the Guru will never waiver. Keep me secretly at your chest.” As soon as I put it there, I woke up. While thinking that it was in my heart, I wrote “easy,” but there was nothing to grasp. [6] Though it was a deluded appearance, I was filled with longing: While praying for guardianship, I fell asleep and in my vision Four girls with cowrie headdresses appeared And sang this song with soft, radiant voices. “Emaho! DHARMASARVA TETE ŚUDDHE HO YĪ! When everything is realized to be one, that oneness is inconceivable, and afflictions are severed as they are. When the essence of all phenomena is realized, there is no place for afflictions to arise. As the self is inconceivable, there is no one to generate afflictions. The severing of afflictions in their own state is the Buddha’s intent. SARVADHARMA TENATETE ŚUDA DHE HO!" Now here are the lyrics for their rhythmic dance: “Emaho! The phenomenal world is the guru’s body. The three realms sway as symbols— shik se shik. OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ: All sounds are the guru’s speech. Resonance reverberates as Dharma— si li li . OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ: All thoughts are the guru’s mind. Cognizance blazes as primordial wisdom— wa la la. OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ: Dancing as external objects, Hosts of wisdom deities flash— ya la la. OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ: Dancing as internal subjectivity, They vibrate [371] in a state of non-grasping— cha la la . OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ: Dancing neither externally nor internally, They flicker as the great unimpededness— ta la la . OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ: A dance that reverberates in the dharmadhātu, They take enormous joy in great simplicity! OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ: A dance that reverberates in the saṃbhogakāya realms, They delight in the ornamental display of sensual pleasures. OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ: A dance that reverberates in the nirmāṇakāya realms, Appearances sway as emanations— shik se shik .” OṂ ĀḤ HŪṂ: Then these four girls: One resided in the expanse of space, And her dance pervaded space. One resided in the sky, And her dance pervaded the sky. One resided at the confluence of three valleys, And her dance pervaded the earth. One introduced the dances: “If you realize the meaning of space, the dharmadhātu, Conceptuality is the dance of the dharmakāya. If you realize the meaning of self-arisen primordial wisdom, Sounds are the dance of the saṃbhogakāya. If you realize the meaning of the single, unique sphere, Phenomenal existence is the dance of the nirmāṇakāya. When subject-object fixation is liberated as it is, It is the dance of the Great Perfection. The meaning indicated by this song and dance, Is the view free from reference points. Fortunate one, when you understand it— Go into the sandalwood forest. Go to a land where wild bamboo grows. Go to a place where sālu grows. Realizing the indivisibility of appearance and emptiness, Rest in the natural fundamental state, And enjoy the seed of unobstructedness. This symbolic meaning, endowed with the two truths, Is your instruction, Chöwang.” After this, she gathered those dancing in space, the sky, and on earth into herself. Facing the sun in the south, she said, “If all yogis on the path remain on the path, follow me, follow me, follow me! They will certainly traverse [372] from bliss to bliss! They will certainly traverse from bliss to bliss! They will certainly traverse from bliss to bliss! The vast benefit for beings will emerge, will emerge, will emerge!” Saying this, she flew off into the south and disappeared. Upon waking up back at home, I vomited three times. In mere conventional terms, I did not know whether this was a good or bad thing. At the overwhelming behest of all my retinue, I put these last parts of my dream into writing. This was “A Great Symbolic Dream of Chöwang the Monk.” Iṭi. [7] Emaho! Guru Rinpoche’s Inconceivable manifestations And the symbols shown to benefit beings Were comprehended by Chöwang in this manner: First, since the intermediate state of dreaming Is not subject to restrictions or extremes, It was understood to be the symbol of the ground, the natural state. Then, having realized personal projections, They were understood to be the mind that grasps the basis of delusion. Taking the house to be my own Was understood to be the confusion towards referent objects. The white girl with a cowrie headdress, Who asked all sorts of questions, She refuted false, delusional appearances And introduced the fundamental state. With the lamp of stainless wisdom, She introduced it to be without a ground or foundation. Upon knowing all phenomena to be the base, It was understood to be the symbol of liberation. Atop the rocky Palpuk Ring, As I and Yeshe Gyen, together, Looked into the vastness of the sky, The clouds, rainbow colors, and luminous expanse Had no separation from the all-base. Atop the rock, Ignorance and primordial wisdom simultaneously Were the objects severed in space, the dharmadhātu, Resulting in nirvāṇa appearing as rainbow-like deity forms And saṃsāra like cumulus clouds. Yet, they dissolved into the nature of mind, which was illuminating. This was understood to be the symbol of the non-duality [373] of appearance and mind. Atop Dragri Senge Karmo The black man as big as a mountain, Who was adorned with serpent braids And had flames flaring from his mouth that burned down the entire forest— On the stone mountain (Dragri) of the empty nature of mind, The stainless lion (Senge) of conceptuality— He was the transmuting, supreme man of awareness, Adorned with afflictive emotions, like the serpents of aversion. Since the fire of realization burned down the forest of ignorance, This was understood to be the symbol of the view. Guru Padmākara himself— With the disks of the sun and moon conjoined On his crown, in the center of a lotus of swirling light, Seated with his legs crossed: The man in whom method and wisdom are unified Understood all of it to be the unwavering meditation On the meaning of bliss, clarity, and non-thought, free from extremes; The unsurpassed, faultless, and self-arisen abode; And the Great Perfection, the nonduality of meditation and post-meditation. The dark blue body adorned with the six ornaments, The topknot and ornamentation, The two hands holding a vajra and bell, The three eyes gazing piercingly, The garland of skulls with various voices, The engagement of meditative union, The ten ḍākinīs bestowing nectar, The great lion roaring on the right, The peacock exhibiting its feathers on the left— The one who employs the union of method and wisdom, Possesses the six unchanging higher perceptions, And is adorned with the compassion that loves all beings, Who looks after the three realms, Propounds the appropriate Dharma to disciples, Confers empowerment of non-dual great bliss, Guides on the path of the ten perfections, Fearlessly expresses, And provides medicine that dispels poisons and attractions— These were understood to be the symbols of enacting the taming of beings. The swine, snake, and bird pinned Beneath his two crossed legs With light rays emanating from their mouths That coalesced into a five-pronged crystal vajra, The radiating and absorbing of the three seed syllables, The heroes on the right and the heroines on the left, The encircling hosts of ḍākinīs and goddesses of delight, The planting of the four great victorious flags, The encircling hosts of music coming from the ten directions, And the ones sitting in the center: When these are connected to view, meditation, and conduct, The three poisons are purified as the three kāyas; The five kāyas are present without the stains of the afflictive emotions; Beings are liberated through body, speech, and mind; The hero of appearance-emptiness and method-wisdom Gathers all wealth for everyone And becomes a great victor over the four demons— Triumphant in all directions and spontaneously accomplished. Thus, these were understood as the symbol of the spontaneously accomplished result. As I requested to turn the wheel of the Dharma, The symbols were self-explanatory. The instructions of the Guru and consort Were symbols indicating instant maturation and liberation. The instructions of the ten ḍākinīs Were symbols indicating gradual maturation and liberation. The instructions of the heroes and ḍākinīs Were symbols indicating the definitive approach and accomplishment. Offering the illusory body as a gaṇacakra, Was the symbol of liberation by casting away self-grasping. Telling me to decipher The meaning of the Guru’s manifestation Was understood to be liberation through the analysis of phenomena. Thus, wisdom decodes the symbols. For the symbol of liberating all conceptual thoughts as they are, This commentary on the symbols of “The Great Symbolic Meaning” Was professed by me, Chökyi Wangchuk. Iṭhi. Sarva Maṅgalaṃ! Thus it was written. SIGLA A1 and A2 : Guru Chöwang (gu ru chos dbang). 1979. gu ru chos dbang gi rang rnam dang zhal gdams . 2 vols. rin chen gter mdzod chen po’i rgyab chos , vols. 8–9. Paro: Ugyen Tempai Gyaltsen. BDRC MW23802 . B1–3 : Tertön Guru Chökyi Wangchuk (gter ston gu ru chos kyi dbang phyug). 2022. gter ston gu ru chos kyi dbang phyug gi ran rnam dang zhal gdams bzugs so , vols. 1–3. Edited by Dungse Lama Pema Tsewang (gdung sras bla ma pad+ma tshe dbang). Lamagaun, Nepal: Tsum Library. NOTES [1] Guru Chökyi Wangchuk (gu ru chos kyi dbang phyug, 1200/1212–1270, BDRC P326 ), also known as Guru Chöwang, was a thirteenth-century treasure revealer and the second of the five treasure revealing kings ( gter ston rgyal po lnga ). [2] This is the home village of Guru Chökyi Wangchuk. [3] Or kusāli , it is the visualized offering of one’s body, as at that moment, the practitioner has nothing else to offer. It is also known as the beggar’s offering and is prevalent in the Severance ( gcod ) tradition. [4] This is the seat of Nyangral Nyima Özer, BDRC G7 . [5] The exact meaning of this line is not clear. A1: 370.2, B2: 50.3: brten med seMs (B2: sems ) ’di phya sangs khyer/. [6] Again, it is unclear. Literally, it states, “There was no reply.” It appears that he is writing down his dream since he wrote “easy,” presumably at the beginning of his document. A1: 370.3, B2: 50.5: sla’o bris pas lan med de/ . [7] This is a Sanskrit quotation mark that Chöwang was fond of using in his autobiographical compendium. Photo credit: Timeless Moon Published: October 2024 BIBLIOGRAPHY Guru Chöwang (gu ru chos dbang). 1979. g+ hu ru chos kyi dbang phyugi rmi laM dpal phug ring gi dag snang brda don chen mo yod . In gu ru chos dbang gi rang rnam dang zhal gdams. rin chen gter mdzod chen po’i rgyab chos, v. 8, 363–374. Paro: Ugyen Tempai Gyaltsen. http://purl.bdrc.io/resource/MW23802 . Tertön Guru Chökyi Wangchuk (gter ston gu ru chos kyi dbang phyug). 2022. gu ru chos kyi dbang phyug gi rmi lam dpal phug ring gi dag snang brda don chen mo yod . In gter ston gu ru chos kyi dbang phyug gi ran rnam dang zhal gdams bzugs so , vol. 2, 46–52. Edited by Dungse Lama Pema Tsewang (gdung sras bla ma pad+ma tshe dbang). Lamagaun, Nepal: Tsum Library. Abstract This visionary text records an imagistic symbolic dream at Palpuk Ring, at Karchu, Lhodrak in 1245. It opens with Chöwang finding himself before his childhood home, a feature common in his autobiographical writings, with a reoccurring figure, a girl with a cowrie headdress, a secret primordial-wisdom ḍākinī of his inner revelatory world, here named Yeshe Gyen. Much can be learned from traveling back to one’s home, the hearth of the heart, and this is more prominent after the passing of parents. It is home that speaks most deeply, and for Chöwang, it is his ethereal home that triggers his insight that transitions into an elaborate episode of symbology, where philosophical concepts and visionary imagery transmit the Dharma. BDRC MW23802 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 22:08 TRADITION Nyingma INCARNATION LINE Tri Songdetsen HISTORICAL PERIOD 13th Century TEACHERS Namkha Pal TRANSLATOR Tib Shelf INSTITUTION Layak Guru Lhakhang STUDENTS Gyalse Pema Wangchen Ma Dunpa Menlungpa Mikyö Dorje AUTHOR Guru Chökyi Wangchuk The Great Symbolic Vision at Palpuk Ring: A Dream of Guru Chökyi Wangchuk VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! 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