Impermanence and Death: a Teaching by Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso

The following is an excerpt from a teaching given by Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso at Kunzang Palyul Choling on Ngondro:

Precious human birth does not mean everyone who is born as a human being.  It doesn’t mean that.  There is precious human birth and ordinary human birth.  Those who don’t do any kind of practice, those who don’t even try to go to church on weekends, those involved in New Age groups or modern ways of belief, or those who enter into some kind of entertainment and waste their lives in that manner—that is just an ordinary human birth.  You really must have accumulated some merit in your previous lifetime.  You must have done some kind of purification in your previous lifetime.  You must have made some kind of connection with the Dharma and your lamas. That is why you are here.  Otherwise there is no possibility.  That would never, ever happen.  So since you have a precious human rebirth, you must immediately think,  “I should not waste it.  I have to get some advantage from this opportunity.”

Then how can one do it?  You must then think that all phenomena which are composed of cause and condition are impermanent.  Impermanence does not just mean that everything comes to an end.  Impermanence means that each and every moment is impermanent. Each and every moment of our lives we are becoming older and older; we are getting nearer and nearer to death.  If you waste even one hour, you are one hour closer to death.  If you spend your weekend enjoying yourself, still you are getting nearer to death.  Whenever you sit idle, still you are getting nearer to death.  Even if you do practice, still you are getting nearer to death.  Even if you don’t do anything, still you are getting nearer to death.  You are always getting nearer and nearer and nearer.  Every sentient being who is born is subject to death.

At the same time, death is uncertain.  You can see many examples.  Someone will say, “Just yesterday he was talking with me, and then last night he had an accident.”  Or somebody shot him or killed him or whatever.  There are so many conditions that may bring death.  If I cannot do actual practice and if I do not have something I can carry with me, then tonight if something happens, what can I do?  What are you really going to carry with you?  You cannot pack up like when you get divorced or when you get mad at your friends and you say you’re going to leave and you take your suitcase and pack all your clothes and everything and whatever money and credit cards you have and you leave and go some other place.  When death comes, you cannot do that.  There is no way that one could do that.  Up until now in this world, even the great popes, even Milarepa, even Shakyamuni Buddha, even His Holiness Karmapa and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, they left all their belongings behind.  Even His Holiness Karmapa left his black hat behind, even his body.  Never mind about an ordinary sentient being who cannot carry all those things.  Even the great Christian popes who passed away, could not carry anything.  All the great ones and not so great ones—when death came, nobody could pack anything, nobody could carry anything along.  You could not even make a phone call.  “I’m coming very soon, so could you please reserve a place for me?”  There is no way that one can do that.  You say, “Oh please, you save a better place for me since I am coming very soon.”  Or you want to make a phone call to heaven.  “Oh God, please save a place for me.”  So you have to realize that life is like that.

In one sense, life is very long.  You can experience lots of things.  In another sense, life is gone like that.  When death comes, what one can carry is just whatever accumulation of merit or whatever negativity one has done.  That is the only thing that comes with you.  Even if you don’t want it, it is stuck there and will be coming with you.  So you have to realize that life is uncertain and death is uncertain.  At any moment it can come.  When you really consider that, you really get scared, goose bumpy.  Then you really get motivated to do practice.  Then your sleepy way of thinking and laziness and everything is gone just like that.  You cannot feel so tired if death is coming like that.  Then you can make yourself so alert. You can generate so much courage in yourself.  “Why can’t I do 100,000 prostrations in a month?  Why can’t I do that?”  Then you can have that kind of courage within yourself.  Otherwise you say, “Other people are out enjoying the weekend and going here and there and I am stuck here doing prostrations. I get pain in my legs and my knees and pain there. When can all this be finished?”  Then it feels really difficult.  When you really see that death is coming, then you can bear it.  If you think about that, then that will really help you to apply yourself into practice with full energy and with full courage.

Contemplating this Precious Opportunity by Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso

The following is an excerpt from a teaching by Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso given at Kunzang Palyul Choling on Ngondro:

The Four Thoughts that turn the mind from samsara are very important.  Our minds are distracted by this world.  We practice a little bit, and then get distracted, thinking life is good — eating pizza in the restaurant, going to the beach on weekends, and enjoying ourselves.  It is really nice.  One could have a very happy life with one’s family, and eating, and experiencing all those happy experiences.  At the end of life, if one could not have the continuation of that kind of happiness in the next lifetime and many future lifetimes, one may get a little upset and think, “I should have done something.  I have just been going to the beach, the mountains, camping, bungee jumping, and all that.  I’ve spent my time doing all that, but I really didn’t do anything.”  Then all one’s karma ripens.  Whether you believe in karma or not, understand it or not, it doesn’t matter.  Whether you are a Christian or a Buddhist or a Hindu or a Jew or a Muslim, in cyclic existence, karma is the life process.  It is the nature of cyclic existence itself.  So that nature ripens to everybody.  Everyone experiences that.  After death, if one has to bear all different kinds of suffering, then one may experience some regret.

This is how one has a very happy life.  You can have entertainment, but at the same time have a kind of entertainment which really makes sense, which you can carry with you.  On weekends, you could come here and participate in a tsog offering or a puja or some kind of a practice.  While you are doing the practice, you may experience some minor problems with your knees or sitting or doing prostrations, but still you are bearing some karma and having some purification.  After all, you could have something you can really carry with you after death.  It is as the Buddha, who is fully enlightened, has explained.  Jetsunma has also explained all this a number of times.  The important thing to realize here is that this precious human birth is one in which one could really become involved in practice, in which one could become involved with the Dharma teachings, in which one could really become involved in Dharma activities.  If one could really have some time to apply to practice, then this becomes a precious human birth.

Prayer: The Wish That All Dear Parent Sentient Beings May Be Free of Suffering

The following is from the “Ship to Liberation” an extensive commentary by Karma Chagmed Rinpoche on “Buddha in the Palm of the Hand”

Now, with the wish that all dear parent sentient beings

may be free from suffering,

repeat this prayer from the Ship to Liberation:


KYE MA KHOR WA THAR MED GYATSHO’I DONG RING DU

Alas!  In the depths of this endless ocean of samsara,

TI MUG MA RIG LE KYI NAR WA YI

Punished by the karma of deluded ignorance,

DRO NAM DE WA DÖD CHIR DUG LA CHÖD

All beings desire bliss but behave with negativity.

THAB LA MI KHE MONG NAM NYING RE JE

Oh, how pitiful is the condition of all ignorant beings who fail to understand the method!

LE DRIB DUG NGAL DREL WAR CHIN GYI LOB

Grant blessings to free us from the suffering of karmic obscurations.

ZUNG DZIN GYI CHING TSÖN RAR DRO DI DAG

These beings who are punished in the jail of their own duality,

RI DAG GYAR TSHÜD LAR JUG JI ZHIN DU

Just like deer caught in the snare of a trap,

TI MUG CHEN NAM DRO DRUG DRONG KHYER DIR

Deluded beings in the great city of the six classes,

YANG NE YANG KHOR DRO NAM NYING RE JE

Oh, how pitiful it is, for they are continually revolving again and again in samsara!

RIG DRUG KHOR WA TONG PAR CHIN GYI LOB

Grant blessings to empty the six realms of samsara.

DUG NGAL CHI TSAM THONG YANG MI JIG PA’I

Even though they see suffering for what it is, they are unafraid.

NYING SEN CHEN NAM MI TSHE YENG KAB ZED

With courageous effort they exhaust their lives pursuing endless distractions.

LO TED MED PAR MA SHE KHOR WA DIR

In this untrustable state of cyclic existence, they remain unaware.

LAR ZHEN KYID DÖD MI TSHE DUG GI DA

Attached to the desire for happiness, they spend their lives in discontent.

MI TAG ZHEN LOG DREN PAR CHIN GYI LOB

Grant blessings to remember impermanence and to turn away from attachment to this world.

CHI NÖD JIG TEN NANG CHÜD SEM CHEN DANG

The external vessel, this world, and the inner essence, its living beings,

NA NING DA LO NAM DA’I TÖD MED DANG

Last year, this year and through the flux of the waxing and waning moon,

ZHAG RE NYIN TSHEN KED CHIG GYUR WA LA

Each day and night are changing in every instant.

SAM ZHIG TONG NA RANG NYID CHI WE TUG

If carefully examined, the time of death is impending.

KYO SHE NYING RÜ NÜ PAR CHIN GYI LOB

Grant blessings that we may have the courage and potential to recognize this futility.

DAL JOR CHO GYED DEN DI NYED KA YANG

Even though this body of eighteen freedoms and endowments is hard to find,

CHI DAG NED KYI TAB TSHE CHÖ MED NAM

When the Lord of Death gives us our final illness, those beings without Dharma,

RIN CHEN LING CHIN TONG LOG NYING RE JE

How pitiful!  Like going to a continent full of precious jewels and returning empty-handed.

DAG SOG DRO KÜN KHOR WA DUG NGAL GYI

For myself and all other sentient beings who are suffering in samsara,

NE LE DA TA THAR WAR CHIN GYI LOB

Grant blessings to be liberated from this condition at this very moment!

(By thinking about the meaning of these words, carefully examine them and take them to heart.)

Four Contemplations That Turn the Mind to Dharma

From: “Great Perfection Buddha In the Palm of the Hand: The Lama’s Oral Instructions Upon the Recitation and Visualization of the Preliminary Practices Ngondro” as revealed by Vidydhara Terton Migyur Dorje

PAL KUNTUZANGPO LA CHAG TSHAL LO

I prostrate to the glorious Samantabhadra.

DAL JOR DI NI SHIN TU NYED PAR KA

This precious human birth is extremely difficult to obtain.

CHI DANG CHI LA KYE KYANG MI TAG CHI

All things born are impermanent and must die.

GE WA CHÖ LA BED NA SANGYE GYU

If one perseveres in virtuous Dharma, this is the cause for becoming Buddha.

DIG PA GANG CHE DE TA’I RIG DRUG KHYAM

Whatever negativity is produced will cause one to wander in the six realms.

YI DAG TRE KOM DÜD DRO LÜN PO DANG

Hungry spirits suffer from hunger and thirst, animals from stupidity,

NYAL WA TSHA DRANG MI KYE GE NA CHI

Hell beings from heat and cold, humans from birth, old age, sickness and death,

LHA MIN THAB TSÖD LHA YI DUG NGAL YÖD

Jealous gods from warfare, and even gods (Devas) also have their own particular suffering.

Contemplation on the Precious Human Rebirth

NYAL WA YI DAG DÜD DRO DANG

Birth in the hell, hungry spirit and animal realms, and

LA LO TSHE RING LHA DANG NI

As a Titan and Long-Life God,

LOG TA SANGYE KYI TONG PA

With incorrect view, in a dark eon,

KUG PA DI DAG MI KHOM GYED

Or in an incapacitated state, are the eight states of non-freedom.

MI NYID Ü KYE WANG PO TSHANG

Birth as a human being, in a land where the Dharma is flourishing, and with all faculties complete,

LE THA MA LOG NE LA DED

Without reversed karma, and with faith in the Three Jewels of Refuge

DI NGA RANG GI JOR PA YIN

Are the five personal endowments, which I possess.

SANGYE JÖN DANG DE CHÖ SUNG

Birth during the presence of the Buddha, the presence of the Buddha’s Teaching (Dharma),

TEN PA NE DANG DE JE JUG

The presence of the Doctrine and its pure followers in the world,

ZHEN CHIR NYING NE TSE WA-O

And in the presence of those who lovingly care for others from their hearts, are the five circumstantial endowments.

KYE BU TSHÜL THRIM KANG PA CHAG GYUR NA

If it occurs that the continuity of one’s moral discipline is interrupted,

JIN PE LONG CHÖD DEN YANG NGEN DROR TUNG

Then, even though one may possess material endowments, one will fall to the Lower Realms.

GYATSHO CHER YENG NYA SHING GI

On a turbulent ocean, although a yoke is being tossed about,

BU GAR RU BAL DRIN CHÜD TAR

The chances of an ocean turtle surfacing through the yoke’s center

MI NYID SHIN TU NYED KAR SUNG

Are as unlikely as the extreme difficulties of finding a precious human rebirth.

NGEN SONG SUM NI SA YI DÜL TSAM LA

In the three lower realms, beings are equal in number to the particles of dust on the earth.

MIR KYE WA NI SEN MO’I DÜL TSAM MO

The beings who have a human rebirth are equal to the number of particles on one’s thumbnail.

DAL JOR DI NI NYED PAR SHIN TU KA

This precious human rebirth is extremely difficult to obtain.

KYE BU’I DÖN DRUB THOB PAR GYUR PA LA

Since this accomplishes what is meaningful for man,

GAL TE DI LA PHEN PA MA DRUB NA

If I do not take advantage of this now,

CHI NE YANG DAG JOR PA GA LA GYUR

How will such a perfect opportunity come about again?

Contemplation on Impermanence

SID SUM MI TAG TÖN KA’I TRIN DANG DRA

The three states of transmigratory existence are impermanent like clouds in the autumn sky.

DRO WA’I KYE CHI GAR LA TA DANG TSHUNG

Sentient beings are born and die like the whirl of a dance.

KYE BU’I TSHE DRO NAM KHA’I LOG DRA TE

The lifespan of beings is like a lightning flash in space,

RI ZAR BAB CHU ZHIN DU NYUR GYOG DRO

Or like a waterfall quickly rushing down a steep mountain.

SAG PA KÜN GYI THA DZED CHING

All accumulations become exhausted.

THÖN PO NAM NI MAR TUNG GYUR

All those who are elevated eventually fall down.

THRED PA’I THA NI DREL WA TE

At the end of meeting comes separation;

SÖN PO’I THA NI CHI WA YIN

At the end of life comes death.

SÖD PAR THRID PA’I TSÖN ZHIN DU

Like a prisoner being led to execution,

GOM RE BOR ZHIN CHI DANG NYE

Each step that he takes leads closer to death.

KYE WA YÖD NA CHI WA YÖD

If there is birth, there is death.

DAR WA YÖD NA GÜD PA YÖD

If there is expansion, there is regression.

LANG TSHO DE YANG MI TAG TE

Youth is also impermanent

DAR WA’I DOG KYANG NED KYI THROG

For even illness can steal the dexterity of youth.

TSHO WA’I TSHE YANG CHI WE THROG

The happiness of life is robbed by death.

TAG PA’I CHÖ NI GANG YANG MED

There is nothing of this world that is permanent.

GANG DU NE KYANG CHI WE MI TSHUG PA’I

No matter where one stays, there is no escape from death.

SA CHOG DE NI GANG DU-ANG YÖD MIN TE

There is no direction where death does not exist.

BAR NANG NA MED GYATSHO’I DENG NA-ANG MED

There is no escape in the atmosphere nor in the depths

of the ocean,

RI WO NAM KYI DRAG NA-ANG YÖD MA YIN

Nor is there any escape inside, over the crest of the mountains.

Contemplation on Cause and Effect

LE NAM KYANG NI NA TSHOG LE

All karma is the culmination of various activities.

DE YI DRO DI NA TSHOG JE

Therefore sentient beings possess various types of karma.

LE KYI GYU DRE MED PAR GANG DÖD PA

Whosoever believes that one’s actions do not produce specific causes and results

DE NI MU TEG CHED PAR TA WA YIN

Maintains a nihilistic, atheistic view.

SHI MA THAG TU NAR MED NYAL WAR KYE

At the moment of death, rebirth will be taken in the lowest hell realm.

DE YI RANG PHUNG ZHEN YANG LAG PAR CHED

Such a view is self-destructive and detrimental to others.

ME NI DRANG WAR GYUR YANG SID

It is possible for fire to become cold.

LUNG NI ZHAG PE JIN YANG SID

It is possible to catch wind with a lasso.

NYI DA THANG LA LHUNG YANG SID

It is also possible for the sun and moon to fall to the earth.

LE KYI NAM MIN LU MI SID

It is never possible for the maturation of karma to be deceptive.

KHYÖD KYI DRAM ZE GELONG LHA DANG NI

If for the sake of Rishis (holy men), fully ordained monks,

gods and

DRÖN DANG YAB YUM DAG DANG TSÜN MO DANG

Your guests, the Guru, the consort and royalty,

KHOR GYI LED DU DIG PA MI CHA TE

If you accumulate negative karma in order to serve them,

NYAL WA’I NAM MIN KAL NÖD GA MA CHI

This is also a small cause which produces the ripening result of rebirth in the hells.

DIG PA’I LE NAM CHÖD PA GA YANG NI

Whatever negative karma one accumulates

DE YI MÖD LA TSHÖN ZHIN MI CHÖD DE

Does not ripen instantaneously like being pierced by a weapon.

CHI WA’I DÜ LA BAB NA DIG PA YI

When the time of death arrives, one’s negative karma will

LE KYI DRE BU GANG LAG NGÖN SUM GYUR

Produce the result of exactly whatever was caused.

Contemplation on the Benefits of Virtue

YI GE DRI CHÖD CHIN PA DANG

Composition, offering, generosity and

NYEN DANG LOG DANG DZIN PA DANG

Attentiveness, recitation, memorization and

CHED DANG KHA TÖN CHA WA DANG

Teaching, praying,

DE SEM PA DANG GOM PA TE

Contemplation and meditation

CHÖD PA DI CHU’I DAG NYID NI

Are the ten activities which

SÖD NAM PHUNG PO PAG MED THOB

Generate an immeasurable abundance of merit.

DÜ SU JIN PA JIN CHED NA

If the practice of generosity is consistently performed,

SHI YANG DE NI SHI MA YIN

Such a person may seemingly die, but not an ordinary death,

GYAG ZANG WA YI DRÖN PO ZHIN

Like a traveler who is fully prepared for whatever occurs.

SANGYE CHÖ DANG GENDUN LA

If, for the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha,

PÖ SAM MAR ME CHIG TSAM MAM

Incense or one simple butter lamp,

ME TOG CHIG TSAM CHÖD CHE NA

A flower or anything is consistently offered,

MI YO’I ZHING DER KYE WAR GYUR

Rebirth is taken in the Realm of unmovable Samadhi.

Contemplation on the Faults of Non-Virtue

CHAG DANG ZHE DANG TI MUG DANG

From attachment, hatred and delusion

DE KYED LE NI MI GE WA

Non-virtuous karma is generated.

MI GE WA LE DUG NGAL KÜN

All suffering arises from non-virtuous karma,

DE ZHIN NGEN DRO THAM CHED DO

And likewise, it causes all beings to be reborn in lower realms.

ZHE DANG GI NI NYAL WAR PHEN

Due to hatred one is thrown into the hell realm.

CHAG PE YI DAG JIG TEN DRO

Due to attachment one enters the world of hungry spirits.

MONG PE PHEL CHER DÜD DROR DRO

The usual result of delusion is rebirth as an animal.

DOG PA LHA DANG MI NYID DO

The opposite is rebirth as a god or human being.

Contemplation on the Faults of Cyclic Existence

YI DAG NA YANG DÖD PE PHONG PA YI

Because hungry spirits are so obsessed by desire,

KYED PA’I DUG NGAL GYÜN CHAG MI ZÖD PA

They generate continual, unbearable suffering.

TRE KOM DRANG DANG DRO DANG JIG PA YI

Due to their fear of hunger, thirst, heat and cold,

KYED PA SHIN TU MI ZED TEN TSHAL LO

They manifest these experiences and extreme, unbearable suffering ensues.

YI DAG NAM LA SÖ KA’I DÜ SU NI

During the summer months, all hungry spirits

DA WA TSHA LA GÜN NI NYI MA-ANG DRANG

Experience the moon to be hot and the sun to be cold.

JÖN SHING DRE BU MED GYUR DE DAG GI

Fruit-bearing trees disappear before them, and

TE PA TSAM GYI LUNG YANG KAM PAR GYUR

As soon as they see a great body of water, it evaporates.

KHA CHIG KHA NI KHAB KYI MIG TSAM LA

Some hungry spirits’ mouths are no larger than a needle,

TO WA RI RAB TÖ TSAM TRE PE NYEN

Yet they suffer from the hunger produced by their empty stomachs, the size of Mt. Meru.

MI TSANG GYI NA BOR WA CHUNG NGU YANG

Even though the unclean things we discard are small in comparison,

TSAL WA’I THU DANG NÜ PA MA CHI SO

Hungry spirits do not even have the strength or power to

find them.

DÜD DRO’I KYE NE NA YANG SÖD PA DANG

Animals from birth are raised to be killed,

CHING DANG DEG SOG DUG NGAL NA TSHOG DANG

Undergoing various types of suffering, such as being tied up, whipped, beaten, and so forth.

ZHI GYUR GE WA PONG WA NAM LA NI

All those beings who ignored the peaceful causes of virtue

CHIG LA CHIG ZA DUG NGAL MI ZED PA

Kill and eat one another, experiencing suffering impossible

to bear.

KHA CHIG MU TIG BAL DANG RÜ PA DANG

Some are killed for the pearl they produce, wool, tusk, bone, and

SHA DANG PAG PA’I CHED DU CHI WAR GYUR

Some must lose their life because of their own flesh and skin.

WANG MED ZHEN DAG TSHÖN CHA NÖN PO DANG

Powerless, they are poked by others who possess sharp weapons,

CHAG DANG CHAG KYÜ TAB TE DEG TE KÖL

Whipped and hooked to be put to work by others.

SEM CHEN NYE PA’I LE LA CHÖD PA NAM

All beings who have accrued the karma of harming others

MANG PÖ THIG NAG RAB TU TSHA WA NAM

Will be reborn in the extreme heat of the Black Line Hell Realm,

DÜ JOM NGU BÖD NAR MED LA SOG PA

Wailing in the Hell Realm of Continuous Destruction, or the lowest Hell Realm of all,

NYAL WA NAM SU RAB TU DUG NGAL GYUR

All those in hell will certainly experience extreme discomfort.

DI NA MI CHIG DUNG THUNG SUM GYA YI

For instance, if a man were pierced just now three hundred times with a spear,

RAB TU DRAG TAB DUG NGAL GANG LAG PA

Knowing how incredibly intense the pain would be,

DE NI NYAL WA’I DUG NGAL CHUNG NGU LA

This pain is nothing compared to the suffering in the realms

of hell.

Ö YANG MA YIN CHAR YANG MI PHÖD DO

In fact, it is not possible to try to measure any comparison.

NYAL WA DRI PA THONG DANG THÖ PA DANG

We have seen drawings depicting the hell realms and have heard about them as well.

DREN NAM LAG GAM ZUG SU GYI PE KYANG

Even if we try to contemplate upon them, read or draw an image,

DUG NGAL KYE WAR GYUR NA MI ZED PA’I

The suffering that is felt, in itself, is unbearable.

NAM MIN NYAM SU NYONG NA MÖ CHI GÖ

Is there any question about what it would be like if we were actually experiencing the results of such karma?

DE TAR DUG NGAL SHIN TU MI ZED LO

Thus this kind of suffering is truly beyond our ability to bear.

CHE WA THRAG GYAR NYAM SU NYONG YANG NI

Even if one must experience this for one hundred million years,

JI SID MI GE DE ZED MA GYUR PAR

Until the karma that one previously accumulated is fully exhausted,

DE SID SOG DANG DREL WAR MI GYUR RO

It is simply not possible to end one’s life in that realm!

MI NAM TSHO WA THUNG WE NYAM

The shortness of human life is degenerating.

LHA MIN THAB CHING TSÖD PE NYAM

The quarreling and aggression of Titans (jealous gods) is degenerating.

LHA NAM BAG MED PA YI NYAM

The unconscientious manner of Devas (long-life gods) is degenerating.

KHOR WA KHAB KYI TSE TSAM NA

In cyclic existence there is not even a needle’s worth of happiness,

DE WA NAM YANG YÖD MA YIN

And there never will be.

KHOR WA’I NYE MIG THONG WA NA

When one sees the faults of the state of cyclic existence,

KYO WA’I SEM NI RAB TU KYED

Intense sorrow wells up from within.

KHAM SUM TSÖN RA JIG PE NA

This terrifying jail of the three realms,

TSÖN PA’I SEM KYI PANG WAR CHA

I shall completely abandon with enthusiastic persistence!

(While reciting this, carefully consider the meaning.)

Incense Offering

From: “Great Perfection Buddha In the Palm of the Hand: The Lama’s Oral Instructions Upon the Recitation and Visualization of the Preliminary Practices Ngondro” as revealed by Vidydhara Terton Migyur Dorje

TSHÜL THRIM DRI DEN PÖ CHOG DAM PA DI

This pure, supreme incense, which bears the scent of pure discipline,

TING DZIN NGAG DANG CHAG GYA’I CHIN LAB KYI

By the blessing of mantra, mudra and samadhi,

SANGYE ZHING DU PÖ DRI NGED DANG WA

Is offered to the Realm of the Buddhas.  May this aromatic incense

GYAL WA GYATSHO’I TSHOG NAM NYE GYUR CHIG

Completely please and satisfy the ocean-like assembly of Buddhas!

NAMA SARWA TATHAGATHA BENZAR DHUPE PRATITSA PUDZA MEGHA SAMUDRA SAPHA RA NA SAMAYE AH HUNG

The Great Terton

Vidhyadhara Migyur Dorje
(1645 – 1667)

The Great Terton (Treasure Revealer), Migyur Dorje was born in Nhom Tod Rola in the province of Kham in Eastern Tibet on the seventh day of the ninth month of the Wood Bird Year (1645). Just as Lord Buddha Shakyamuni, he was born without harming his mother or causing her even the slightest bit of pain. His right hand was marked by an extraordinary blue mole, symbolizing the single-essential nature of the Dharmakaya (The Body of the Ultimate Truth).

As a small child, he enjoyed using his hands to perform mudras (Dharma hand gestures) and carried out secret yogic exercises by himself. As soon as he could speak, he told others that he was a lama of the Kathog tradition and was able to give detailed description of his previous life at the Kathog Monastery.

During his childhood, he had many visions of Great Masters. One day he had a vision of Guru Loden Chogsed, one of the eight manifestations of Padmasambhava, and through gesture transmission, he understood how to read and write. When he was seven years old, in a state of pure vision, many Primordial Wisdom Dakinis told him of the importance of relying upon a guru. Instantly, without any obscuration he had a vision of the great scholar and siddha, Raga Ah Syei (Chagmed Rinpoche), who was in solitary retreat, and an intense desire arose to be in his presence.

When he was ten years old, he met Karma Chagmed Rinpoche in person and received the purification blessing of Nam Jom and Dor Sem, and the transmission of Thug Drub Yang Nying Dupa (Innermost Essence of the Mind Accomplishment). The following year, Migyur Dorje entered into retreat with the Great Mahasiddha, Karma Chagmed Rinpoche. At the retreat, Migyur Dorje received continual visions of Buddha Amitayus, Guru Padmasambhava, Buddha Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara and many other Yidams (Meditational Deities). From each of the Yidams, Migyur Dorje received many specific empowerments and transmissions. These he compiled into thirteen volumes called Nam Chö (Space Treasures) and practiced with single-pointed focus until he attained the full accomplishment of each of these treasures.

Although Terton Migyur Dorje was destined to reveal earth termas, the merit of sentient beings was deficient and it was due to this that his presence in this world was cut short. In 1667, the year of the Fire Sheep, he was in his twenty-third year and while staying in a sacred place in Mugsang, he began to show signs of illness. As the third month approached, his illness grew worse and he was forced to stop giving all dharma transmissions. On the eleventh day, he prayed to the meditational deities and offered many dedication prayers. On the fourteenth day, he had a vision of all eight Herukas and their accomplishment mandalas. On the morning of the fifteenth day, he beheld the three root-peaceful and wrathful assemblies of deities and assuming the vajra posture he entered into meditative equipoise. On the evening of the sixteenth day, while counting mantras on his prayers beads, he passed into the empty sphere of truth and remained sitting upright in meditative equipoise for three days.

At the cremation, rainbows in the shape of pitched tents appeared in the sky. The heart and tongue of Migyur Dorje were undamaged by the fire. These, together with the bone relics embossed with vowels and consonants of the Tibetan language were placed inside golden Stupas, which served as objects of refuge revered by devotees to this day.

Reference:  Pathgate Institute of Buddhist Studies

Palyul Nyingma Institute, Singapore

Calling the Lama from Afar

The following prayer is from the Nam Cho Ngondro, The Great Perfection Buddha in the Palm of Hand

LAMA SANGYE RINPOCHE LA SÖL WA DEB SO

May realize that the Guru is the precious Buddha.

LAMA KHYEN NO   LAMA KHYEN NO

Lama, care for me.   Lama, care for me.

DRIN CHEN TSA WA’I LAMA KHYEN NO

Supremely kind root guru, care for me.

LAMA KHYEN NO   LAMA KHYEN NO

Lama, care for me.   Lama, care for me.

DRIN CHEN TSA WA’I LAMA KHYEN NO

Supremely kind root guru, care for me.

LAMA KHYEN NO   LAMA KHYEN NO

Lama, care for me.   Lama, care for me.

DRIN CHEN TSA WA’I LAMA KHYEN NO

Supremely kind root guru, care for me.

LAMA KHYEN NO   LAMA KHYEN NO

Lama, care for me.   Lama, care for me.

DRIN CHEN TSA WA’I LAMA KHYEN NO

Supremely kind root guru, care for me.

EH    LAMA KHYEN NO  EH      LAMA KHYEN NO

EH     Lama, care for me.  EH Lama, care for me.

EH     PAL DEN TSA WA’I LAMA KHYEN NO

EH      Glorious root guru, care for me.

LAMA KHYEN NO  LAMA KHYEN NO

Lama, care for me.  Lama, care for me.

YE  YE  DRIN CHEN TSA WA’I LAMA KHYEN NO

YE   YE  Supremely kind root guru, care for me.

LAMA RANG KHYEN NO LAMA RANG KHYEN NO

Lama, you alone care for me. Lama, you alone care for me.

DRIN CHEN TSA WA’I LAMA KHYEN NO

Supremely kind root guru, care for me.

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