On a remote hill in eastern India, a group of the finest artists from Bhutan, Nepal and India gathered around Kunzang Dechen Lingpa Rinpoche, helping him build the Zangdokpalri Temple. The temple was named after the changeless visionary abode of Padmasambhava.
According to tradition, Guru Rinpoche promised that he would reappear in the form of tertons (revealers of dharma treasure) to revitalize Buddhism for the benefit of all beings. Kunzang Dechen Lingpa Rinpoche was considered such a terton.
After several years in solitary retreat, Kunzang Dechen Lingpa Rinpoche received instructions in a dream from Guru Rinpoche to construct a temple, along with a majestic vision of the structure's location and design.
Some years later, Rinpoche recognized this site on a hilltop in Arunachal Pradesh - a poor and remote yet spectacularly beautiful area in the Himalayan mountain range.
Rinpoche acquired the land with his own very limited resources. From 2001- 2006, Rinpoche, his son and spiritual heir Dungse Rigdzin Dorje Rinpoche, and a number of monks and nuns annually toured the United States, teaching and performing healing Cho ceremonies for over 5,000 Americans.
In March 2006, after giving his son and close students instructions for the completion of sacred artworks and instructions for preserving his physical body as well as predicting the particulars regarding his own rebirth, Rinpoche passed away amidst miraculous signs such as rainbows, earthquakes and lightening.
Today, Kyabje Terton Kunzang Dechen Lingpa's kudung (precious body) will be brought from the Tashi Choling Nunnery in the flatlands of Assam up to the mountains of Arunachal Pradesh to finally rest at the Zangdokpalri Temple, high atop the hill that had appeared to Rinpoche in his dream. Over the next two days, thousands of monks and lay Buddhists will line the road as the sacred parade transports the precious cairn to be installed at the temple.
During the month of December, an elaborate array of rituals, dances and meditations (drupchen) will be performed to consecrate the sacred structure, culminating on New Year's Eve, December 31st, with the Aspirational Prayer Ceremony. Though we might not be able to attend physically, we all have the opportunity to share in Rinpoche's vision to bring peace and vast awareness.
We can join in by reciting an aspiration prayer (below); we make an offering of butter lamps or raise prayer flags; we can make donations to support the sangha, or we can simply recite the Vajra Guru mantra (click on this text for links to texts and donation options).
Speaking personally, this is one of my top three interests, i.e., one of the top three projects that I monitor, and enthusiastically support, and I would not do that if I didn't think it was worthwhile. So, please... and make that pretty please... find it in your heart to at least sponsor a butter lamp, O.K.? That is only five (5) bucks. Thousands of people read this blog every day: clicking links, writing love letters, proposing marriage, soliciting acts of sorcery, sending death threats, and generally lighting up my life. How about you light up a $5.00 butter lamp instead? This $5.00 is too much for you? Just this once, you can't take the time to send $5.00 to India to light a butter lamp at a Buddhist temple?
O.K., O.K.... I'll calm down now.....
We can join in by reciting an aspiration prayer (below); we make an offering of butter lamps or raise prayer flags; we can make donations to support the sangha, or we can simply recite the Vajra Guru mantra (click on this text for links to texts and donation options).
Speaking personally, this is one of my top three interests, i.e., one of the top three projects that I monitor, and enthusiastically support, and I would not do that if I didn't think it was worthwhile. So, please... and make that pretty please... find it in your heart to at least sponsor a butter lamp, O.K.? That is only five (5) bucks. Thousands of people read this blog every day: clicking links, writing love letters, proposing marriage, soliciting acts of sorcery, sending death threats, and generally lighting up my life. How about you light up a $5.00 butter lamp instead? This $5.00 is too much for you? Just this once, you can't take the time to send $5.00 to India to light a butter lamp at a Buddhist temple?
O.K., O.K.... I'll calm down now.....
Whether your participation is great or small, your support has been vital in making a great terton's dream into a reality. This temple was eight years in the building, and now it is complete. Even Kunzang Dechen Lingpa's death could not limit his vision for this world.
Here, for the benefit of all sentient beings, I have taken the liberty to reprint a beautifully translated example of Kyabje Kunzang Dechen Lingpa's treasures. A pdf of this is available for free download by clicking here. I have reprinted this because I wish everyone could come in contact with the exquisite character of Kunzang Dechen Lingpa's expressions, and this is a magnificent introduction to his works. May it prompt you to seek out more. (Please try to read this through in one sitting, at least once in your life. Just turn off the phone for a couple of minutes, take care not to be disturbed, and read it all the way through. When you have finished, just sit quietly for a few moments. May I promise you something? You will not be sorry.)
E ma ho:
The natural objectless dharmadhatu is free from proliferation,
the clear appearances of the essence of wisdom are naturally formed,
transformations of the varied dramatic play of union:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
On the island of Lanka, the terrifying rakshasa land in the southwest,
amidst many cities of flesh-eating rakshasas
is a very cold smooth lake rippled by waves:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In the middle of that lake are male and female nāgas
adorned with beautiful ornaments, attractive, showing smiling faces,
with hands gesturing with devotion, and billowing clouds of the wealth of nagas:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Water birds with beautiful plumage
swim happily, give throat to song, and look from the side.
Golden fish undulate and move quickly. The crocodiles are glossy and bright:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
There in the middle is a ruby mountain,
huge, high and great, radiating brilliant light rays everywhere.
The base is the country of the nāgas, and the peak touches the realm of form:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
On its slopes dakinis perform a ganacakra at the four times,
in the overhangs are fans of kusa grass and inside of small compounds
male and female siddha vidyādharas practice samadhi:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
The peak is a vast area, beyond all measure.
The ground is made from the seven precious substances.
The surface is even like the palm of the hand, brilliant with lights rays.
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Upon that is a self-originating celestial mansion
showing the four activities with stacks of rock crystal, tiger’s eye,
ruby and sapphire in the four directions:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Above it, a palace of pure white crystal
is the well built, exquisite Vijaya palace;
also above it is a beautiful coral celestial temple:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Three stories, with four corners, with an outer courtyard ornamented with checkered patterns,
with jewel beams, cross pieces, and projections;
four doors in the four directions ornamented with pediments:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Filling the center is a
vast three storied canopy beautified with
sapphire, silver, the finest gold and so on:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
The roof is adorned with a shining victorious jewel-emanated vajra finial
and beautiful railings.
A variety of silk ribbons flutter:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Decorated with emanated hanging nets and half nets of
beautiful garlands of many types of gems,
small bells are rung by the fluttering hanging silk borders:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
When moved by a soft breeze small gold and silver bells,
half-moons, vajras, and fly whisks festooned with gems,
jingle with the pleasing sound of Dharma:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
The four porticos are adorned with a Dharma wheel,
a five-colored umbrella and a male and female deer,
ornamented with diamond lintels and lapis lazuli door locks:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Streamers of desirable things hang down to the foundation of the walls,
an assembly of beautiful, lovely goddesses
dance blissfully, smile charmingly and sing songs:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Like the display of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra,
billowing inconceivable clouds
of inner, outer, secret and reality offerings:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Wish-fulfilling jewels appear outside everywhere,
the tiles of the three staged border
are beautified with nets of pearl bells:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Above that, the white crystal Bodhi Stupa
radiates white light and is adorned with garlands of blue lotuses
surrounded by one thousand and two beautiful statues:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Surrounding the celestial mansion is a rainbow pavilion.
Eight great heroic dancers sing songs of power
dancing with bell-festooned bangles and the sound of drums:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Inside of the clouds of various excellent colors in the sky,
are an assembly of beautiful sons and daughters of the gods,
well formed, adorned with ornaments, beautiful to be behold:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Umbrellas, victory banners, pennants, cymbals,
vinas, flutes, lutes with melodious praise,
fragrant incense and washing water manifest in the form of musicians:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In all directions throughout space without interruption
in the middle of the clouds of interwoven rainbows of five lights,
a cool rain of flowers float, swirl and fall:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
All scents of self-originated fragrant incense
permeate that whole buddhafield, inside, outside and in between,
just like sap before summer growth:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Luminous without any mention of “day” or “night”,
with a sun and moon which never set,
arising without obstructions, everywhere is pervaded with light:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
A vajra fence, beautified with the seven precious substances,
is decorated with many flowers by gods.
One can never see it enough since it shines with its own radiance:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Bathing ponds, very pure and beautiful,
with rosaries of slow ripples shining with shimmering rainbow patterns,
adorned with golden swans, permeated with sweet scents:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In meadows, medicine groves, and bunches of kumuda flowers
tiny bees of gold and turquoise hover and soar, collecting nectar.
Many beautiful wild animals frolic:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
A wish-granting tree made out of jewels
has dancing limbs and perfect leaves,
adorned with hanging strands of peals, gold and turquoise:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
White, yellow, red and green emanated birds
fly beautifully and eat its fruit,
melodiously proclaiming the Dharma with sweet tones:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Between brilliant shining ruby cliffs
rivers of stainless amrita slowly flow,
peacefully spreading out on the jeweled delta:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
The wind that slowly moves sands of gold,
piles up dunes of various wish-fulfilling gems,
turquoise, coral, pearl, lapis lazuli, Zi and agate:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
On that peak of the mountain that starts in the rakshasa country
is five colored rainbow bridge of the fortune of liberation,
lined with welcoming dakinis who bear various offerings:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In the center of the celestial palace
on a self-originated jeweled throne, in the middle of a lotus of one thousand petals,
are sun and moon discs, full like the moon of the fifteenth day:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In the center of a pavilion of interlaced five colored rainbow lightrays
is Orgyen Chenpo Nangsid Zilnon,
the essence of the Sugatas of the three times:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
His rainbow body, the vajra body, is the union of appearance and emptiness,
with a pinkish complexion, blazing with the major and minor marks,
with all signs and meaning perfect, adorned with silks and jewels:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
The unimpeded lion’s roar, possessing the sixty-limbed melodious voice of Brahma,
roars the sound of the Dharma, the essence of profound secret intimate instructions,
the inexpressible unceasing nature:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
The great bliss that has always been pure is the vajra mind,
possessing omniscient wisdom that knows clearly and without confusion
the unceasing phenomena of samsara and nirvana within the non-arisen vast expanse:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
His compassionate activity is the supreme wish-fulfilling gem beyond example,
acting on behalf of any possible wish
of sentient beings pervading space:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In his lap is his own luminosity, Samantabhadri Yeshe Tsogyal,
pinkish complexion, youthful,
delighting in intercourse with the mood of non-dual bliss:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Above and in the four directions on lotus, sun and moon seats
are the five emanated Thotrengtsals in union with their consorts,
in the colors of the directions, youthful and blazing brilliantly:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In the front ranks are the vidya dharas of India and Tibet
overwhelming samsara and nirvana with non-conceptual experience,
show peaceful, increasing, power and fierce activities:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In the ranks to the right are panditas and translators of India and Tibet
murmuring the melodious sounds of the Dharma of speech and text
of intimate instructions of sutra, tantra, and essence tantras:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In the ranks on the left are emanated tertons,
maintaining ascetic conduct, roaring the fearless lion’s roar
of ceaseless vajra sons:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Behind him, in the expanse of squares of five wisdom lights
are stacked volumes of the sublime Dharma of the nine vehicles,
showing their cloth labels, resounding with the intrinsic sound of the vowels and consonants:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
On the periphery are wisdom dakinis
dancing dramatically in all sorts of beautiful ways,
tiny bells jingling:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
On the inner veranda are the assembly of brother and sister protectors awaiting commands,
with fierce power and blazing like brilliant fire
at play in an expanse of a seething triangular ocean of blood:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
On the outer veranda are the assembly of Kinkara and Lanka couples,
the ksetrapalas, the four swift messengers, the seven mothers, the four sisters,
pisachis, shakinis, and female place guardians:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
On the second story, in the center of a pavilion of rainbow light
is Avalokiteshvara, the giver of compassion holding a lotus,
surrounded by his retinue, the play of self-appearing wisdom:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
On the upper story, in a sphere of self-originated bliss,
is Samantabhadra Adinath Amitabha
demonstrating the symbolic Dharma to a retinue of rigpa’s own display:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
At the four doors are the four directional kings with their messengers.
There is freedom from any causes for misfortune
because they stand guard wrathfully:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In brief, the qualities of that buddhafield are unimaginable.
The assembly of the three roots, buddhas and bodhisattvas
always gather there like dust in a sunbeam:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Internally, it is the buddhafield of the great bliss of Samantabhadra,
the originally pure, naturally formed dharmadha tu of the basis free from proliferation,
a self-originated celestial mansion possessing the supreme of all aspects:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Light rays stream out everywhere without any direction or partiality,
beautified with wisdom ornaments of forms and bindus,
a limitless array spreading out lacking center or periphery:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In the center of that is the vase body, one’s own self-originated rigpa,
Padmasambhava, who has never been the same nor different than the three ka yas,
surrounded by retinue of his own display appearing in every kind of way:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Having seen the face of the natural stage of rigpa
free from any external action or effort in the state of relaxation free from activity,
empowered on the great throne of the unmoving dharmadha tu:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
As such, the non-conceptual external buddhafield
is Sudarshana, a naturally formed limitless array.
Through bringing sincere intense devotion to mind:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
When the time of death arrives
May no harm or suffering occur
to myself and all father and mother sentient beings :
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Pushed from behind by red winds of karma,
escorted from the front by the servants of Yamara ja,
when the breath stops and leaves this illusory body:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Without attachment to relatives, food, drink, or wealth,
tears streaming from my eyes, palms clasped together,
offering a melodious supplication over and over again:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Without fear of the deluded visions of the bardo,
may the compassion of the Vidyadhara of Orgyen, Padmasambahva,
shine forth from the natural buddhafield, Lotus Light:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
And at that very moment, from the direction of that buddhafield,
dancing blissful dakinis
project a rainbow bridge:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Mother Tsogyal, heroes and assembly of dakinis,
come scattering flowers, dancing to the sound of harmonious music
holding cymbals, umbrellas, and banners:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
From smiling mouths declaring “Undistracted child of a good familty,
now you are going to the Lotus Light Palace”,
physically taking one by the hand:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Surrounded by an assembly of heros and dakinis,
when leaving on the rainbow bridge,
having crossed it in a single instant like a trick of the eyes:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
When lead before the father Guru,
through seeing his face with eyes of pure devotion,
the delighted bliss of a joyful mind arises:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
The eyes of his pleasantly smiling face are wide open,
in pleased manner he says,
“Child, you have come before me,” providing solace:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Having emanated offerings, like the cloud of offerings emanated
by the bodhisattva Samantabhadra,
all of the assembly of gods of that land are pleased:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
The Vidyadharas are arranged in ranks,
mixed inseparably with the mind of Padmsambhava,
having mastered the throne of the dharmadha tu, enjoying the stage of a vajra holder:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
The innate form of compassion from the empty dharmadha tu,
with the dance of the net of illusion that tames all,
his omniscience provides solace to all migrating beings at the same time:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
By the blessings of the Guru, the union of the three roots,
and the undeceiving truth of the real nature of phenomena,
and by the power of my sublime pure devotion:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
This is the essence of the most profound.
When the time of death arrives,
if this is recited just once with intense faith and yearning,
without any doubt at all one will definitely be
born in the Lotus Light Palace;
what need to mention whether or not
those who recite this regularly will be reborn there?
Translated for the Opening of the Zangdok Palri Temple by Acharya Malcolm Smith, 11/25/09
Here, for the benefit of all sentient beings, I have taken the liberty to reprint a beautifully translated example of Kyabje Kunzang Dechen Lingpa's treasures. A pdf of this is available for free download by clicking here. I have reprinted this because I wish everyone could come in contact with the exquisite character of Kunzang Dechen Lingpa's expressions, and this is a magnificent introduction to his works. May it prompt you to seek out more. (Please try to read this through in one sitting, at least once in your life. Just turn off the phone for a couple of minutes, take care not to be disturbed, and read it all the way through. When you have finished, just sit quietly for a few moments. May I promise you something? You will not be sorry.)
The Melody of the Quick Path of the Vidyādharas:
The Profound Aspiration of Traveling to the Lotus Light Palace
on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain
The Profound Aspiration of Traveling to the Lotus Light Palace
on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain
E ma ho:
The natural objectless dharmadhatu is free from proliferation,
the clear appearances of the essence of wisdom are naturally formed,
transformations of the varied dramatic play of union:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
On the island of Lanka, the terrifying rakshasa land in the southwest,
amidst many cities of flesh-eating rakshasas
is a very cold smooth lake rippled by waves:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In the middle of that lake are male and female nāgas
adorned with beautiful ornaments, attractive, showing smiling faces,
with hands gesturing with devotion, and billowing clouds of the wealth of nagas:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Water birds with beautiful plumage
swim happily, give throat to song, and look from the side.
Golden fish undulate and move quickly. The crocodiles are glossy and bright:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
There in the middle is a ruby mountain,
huge, high and great, radiating brilliant light rays everywhere.
The base is the country of the nāgas, and the peak touches the realm of form:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
On its slopes dakinis perform a ganacakra at the four times,
in the overhangs are fans of kusa grass and inside of small compounds
male and female siddha vidyādharas practice samadhi:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
The peak is a vast area, beyond all measure.
The ground is made from the seven precious substances.
The surface is even like the palm of the hand, brilliant with lights rays.
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Upon that is a self-originating celestial mansion
showing the four activities with stacks of rock crystal, tiger’s eye,
ruby and sapphire in the four directions:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Above it, a palace of pure white crystal
is the well built, exquisite Vijaya palace;
also above it is a beautiful coral celestial temple:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Three stories, with four corners, with an outer courtyard ornamented with checkered patterns,
with jewel beams, cross pieces, and projections;
four doors in the four directions ornamented with pediments:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Filling the center is a
vast three storied canopy beautified with
sapphire, silver, the finest gold and so on:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
The roof is adorned with a shining victorious jewel-emanated vajra finial
and beautiful railings.
A variety of silk ribbons flutter:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Decorated with emanated hanging nets and half nets of
beautiful garlands of many types of gems,
small bells are rung by the fluttering hanging silk borders:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
When moved by a soft breeze small gold and silver bells,
half-moons, vajras, and fly whisks festooned with gems,
jingle with the pleasing sound of Dharma:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
The four porticos are adorned with a Dharma wheel,
a five-colored umbrella and a male and female deer,
ornamented with diamond lintels and lapis lazuli door locks:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Streamers of desirable things hang down to the foundation of the walls,
an assembly of beautiful, lovely goddesses
dance blissfully, smile charmingly and sing songs:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Like the display of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra,
billowing inconceivable clouds
of inner, outer, secret and reality offerings:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Wish-fulfilling jewels appear outside everywhere,
the tiles of the three staged border
are beautified with nets of pearl bells:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Above that, the white crystal Bodhi Stupa
radiates white light and is adorned with garlands of blue lotuses
surrounded by one thousand and two beautiful statues:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Surrounding the celestial mansion is a rainbow pavilion.
Eight great heroic dancers sing songs of power
dancing with bell-festooned bangles and the sound of drums:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Inside of the clouds of various excellent colors in the sky,
are an assembly of beautiful sons and daughters of the gods,
well formed, adorned with ornaments, beautiful to be behold:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Umbrellas, victory banners, pennants, cymbals,
vinas, flutes, lutes with melodious praise,
fragrant incense and washing water manifest in the form of musicians:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In all directions throughout space without interruption
in the middle of the clouds of interwoven rainbows of five lights,
a cool rain of flowers float, swirl and fall:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
All scents of self-originated fragrant incense
permeate that whole buddhafield, inside, outside and in between,
just like sap before summer growth:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Luminous without any mention of “day” or “night”,
with a sun and moon which never set,
arising without obstructions, everywhere is pervaded with light:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
A vajra fence, beautified with the seven precious substances,
is decorated with many flowers by gods.
One can never see it enough since it shines with its own radiance:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Bathing ponds, very pure and beautiful,
with rosaries of slow ripples shining with shimmering rainbow patterns,
adorned with golden swans, permeated with sweet scents:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In meadows, medicine groves, and bunches of kumuda flowers
tiny bees of gold and turquoise hover and soar, collecting nectar.
Many beautiful wild animals frolic:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
A wish-granting tree made out of jewels
has dancing limbs and perfect leaves,
adorned with hanging strands of peals, gold and turquoise:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
White, yellow, red and green emanated birds
fly beautifully and eat its fruit,
melodiously proclaiming the Dharma with sweet tones:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Between brilliant shining ruby cliffs
rivers of stainless amrita slowly flow,
peacefully spreading out on the jeweled delta:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
The wind that slowly moves sands of gold,
piles up dunes of various wish-fulfilling gems,
turquoise, coral, pearl, lapis lazuli, Zi and agate:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
On that peak of the mountain that starts in the rakshasa country
is five colored rainbow bridge of the fortune of liberation,
lined with welcoming dakinis who bear various offerings:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In the center of the celestial palace
on a self-originated jeweled throne, in the middle of a lotus of one thousand petals,
are sun and moon discs, full like the moon of the fifteenth day:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In the center of a pavilion of interlaced five colored rainbow lightrays
is Orgyen Chenpo Nangsid Zilnon,
the essence of the Sugatas of the three times:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
His rainbow body, the vajra body, is the union of appearance and emptiness,
with a pinkish complexion, blazing with the major and minor marks,
with all signs and meaning perfect, adorned with silks and jewels:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
The unimpeded lion’s roar, possessing the sixty-limbed melodious voice of Brahma,
roars the sound of the Dharma, the essence of profound secret intimate instructions,
the inexpressible unceasing nature:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
The great bliss that has always been pure is the vajra mind,
possessing omniscient wisdom that knows clearly and without confusion
the unceasing phenomena of samsara and nirvana within the non-arisen vast expanse:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
His compassionate activity is the supreme wish-fulfilling gem beyond example,
acting on behalf of any possible wish
of sentient beings pervading space:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In his lap is his own luminosity, Samantabhadri Yeshe Tsogyal,
pinkish complexion, youthful,
delighting in intercourse with the mood of non-dual bliss:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Above and in the four directions on lotus, sun and moon seats
are the five emanated Thotrengtsals in union with their consorts,
in the colors of the directions, youthful and blazing brilliantly:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In the front ranks are the vidya dharas of India and Tibet
overwhelming samsara and nirvana with non-conceptual experience,
show peaceful, increasing, power and fierce activities:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In the ranks to the right are panditas and translators of India and Tibet
murmuring the melodious sounds of the Dharma of speech and text
of intimate instructions of sutra, tantra, and essence tantras:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In the ranks on the left are emanated tertons,
maintaining ascetic conduct, roaring the fearless lion’s roar
of ceaseless vajra sons:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Behind him, in the expanse of squares of five wisdom lights
are stacked volumes of the sublime Dharma of the nine vehicles,
showing their cloth labels, resounding with the intrinsic sound of the vowels and consonants:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
On the periphery are wisdom dakinis
dancing dramatically in all sorts of beautiful ways,
tiny bells jingling:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
On the inner veranda are the assembly of brother and sister protectors awaiting commands,
with fierce power and blazing like brilliant fire
at play in an expanse of a seething triangular ocean of blood:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
On the outer veranda are the assembly of Kinkara and Lanka couples,
the ksetrapalas, the four swift messengers, the seven mothers, the four sisters,
pisachis, shakinis, and female place guardians:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
On the second story, in the center of a pavilion of rainbow light
is Avalokiteshvara, the giver of compassion holding a lotus,
surrounded by his retinue, the play of self-appearing wisdom:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
On the upper story, in a sphere of self-originated bliss,
is Samantabhadra Adinath Amitabha
demonstrating the symbolic Dharma to a retinue of rigpa’s own display:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
At the four doors are the four directional kings with their messengers.
There is freedom from any causes for misfortune
because they stand guard wrathfully:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In brief, the qualities of that buddhafield are unimaginable.
The assembly of the three roots, buddhas and bodhisattvas
always gather there like dust in a sunbeam:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Internally, it is the buddhafield of the great bliss of Samantabhadra,
the originally pure, naturally formed dharmadha tu of the basis free from proliferation,
a self-originated celestial mansion possessing the supreme of all aspects:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Light rays stream out everywhere without any direction or partiality,
beautified with wisdom ornaments of forms and bindus,
a limitless array spreading out lacking center or periphery:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
In the center of that is the vase body, one’s own self-originated rigpa,
Padmasambhava, who has never been the same nor different than the three ka yas,
surrounded by retinue of his own display appearing in every kind of way:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Having seen the face of the natural stage of rigpa
free from any external action or effort in the state of relaxation free from activity,
empowered on the great throne of the unmoving dharmadha tu:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
As such, the non-conceptual external buddhafield
is Sudarshana, a naturally formed limitless array.
Through bringing sincere intense devotion to mind:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
When the time of death arrives
May no harm or suffering occur
to myself and all father and mother sentient beings :
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Pushed from behind by red winds of karma,
escorted from the front by the servants of Yamara ja,
when the breath stops and leaves this illusory body:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Without attachment to relatives, food, drink, or wealth,
tears streaming from my eyes, palms clasped together,
offering a melodious supplication over and over again:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Without fear of the deluded visions of the bardo,
may the compassion of the Vidyadhara of Orgyen, Padmasambahva,
shine forth from the natural buddhafield, Lotus Light:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
And at that very moment, from the direction of that buddhafield,
dancing blissful dakinis
project a rainbow bridge:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Mother Tsogyal, heroes and assembly of dakinis,
come scattering flowers, dancing to the sound of harmonious music
holding cymbals, umbrellas, and banners:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
From smiling mouths declaring “Undistracted child of a good familty,
now you are going to the Lotus Light Palace”,
physically taking one by the hand:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Surrounded by an assembly of heros and dakinis,
when leaving on the rainbow bridge,
having crossed it in a single instant like a trick of the eyes:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
When lead before the father Guru,
through seeing his face with eyes of pure devotion,
the delighted bliss of a joyful mind arises:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
The eyes of his pleasantly smiling face are wide open,
in pleased manner he says,
“Child, you have come before me,” providing solace:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
Having emanated offerings, like the cloud of offerings emanated
by the bodhisattva Samantabhadra,
all of the assembly of gods of that land are pleased:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
The Vidyadharas are arranged in ranks,
mixed inseparably with the mind of Padmsambhava,
having mastered the throne of the dharmadha tu, enjoying the stage of a vajra holder:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
The innate form of compassion from the empty dharmadha tu,
with the dance of the net of illusion that tames all,
his omniscience provides solace to all migrating beings at the same time:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
By the blessings of the Guru, the union of the three roots,
and the undeceiving truth of the real nature of phenomena,
and by the power of my sublime pure devotion:
May I be born in the Lotus Light Palace on the Glorious Copper Colored Mountain.
This is the essence of the most profound.
When the time of death arrives,
if this is recited just once with intense faith and yearning,
without any doubt at all one will definitely be
born in the Lotus Light Palace;
what need to mention whether or not
those who recite this regularly will be reborn there?
Encouraged through the circumstances of the passing away of my nun, Tenzin Zangmo, I, Kunzang Dechen Lingpa recited these profound words of aspiration under a overhanging rock. May this be a cause for the liberation of all migrating beings from the ocean of samsara and [may they] be reborn in the Palace of Lotus Light.
Translated for the Opening of the Zangdok Palri Temple by Acharya Malcolm Smith, 11/25/09
Now pretty please, with sugar on it, pledge $5.00 for a butter lamp!
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