Poetry by His Holiness
The Karmapa
- Poetry (Doha) by His Holiness the 17th Karmapa -
ASPIRATION FOR TIBET
A chain of fragrant flowers,
these snow mountains are tranquil and fresh.
In a healing land where white incense rises sweet,
May the gracious beauty of luminous moonbeams,
Light of the spiritual and temporal worlds,
Conquer all strife, the darkness of the shadow side.
*****
A JOYFUL ASPIRATION
Om Swasti.
The right-turning conch of pure compassion in body, speech, and mind
Pours forth a stream of good intentions that never change.
Thereby, may a sweet, resonant melody beyond compare, such music for the ears,
Open the lotus petals of virtue, excellence, and goodness.
It has the supreme nature of the Wish Fulfilling Tree, the ambrosial one.
Musical tones of this stainless tree, granting every wish, are dulcet and pleasing.
Throughout its branches the gems of lasting happiness nestle among their leaves.
Sovereign in our realm, may the world be resplendent with the beauty of this tree.
ASPIRATION FOR CULTURE AND KNOWLEDGE
The most excellent virtue is the brilliant and calm flow of culture:
Those with fine minds play in a clear lotus lake;
Through this excellent path, a song line sweet like the pollen’s honey,
May they sip the fragrant dew of glorious knowledge.
*****
AH WORLD
World, we live and die on your lap.
On you we play out all our woes and joys.
You are our home, old ancient one.
Forever we cherish you; we could not bear your loss.
We wish to transform you into the pure realm of our dreams,
into a field where all creatures live without prejudice, all equal.
We wish to transform you into a loving warm gentle goddess.
Our wish to embrace you is unchangeably steadfast. To that end be the ground which sustains us all.
Do not show us the dark side of your character.
And we too will transform you,
all your corners into fertile fields of peace and happiness.
May the harvest of joyfulness and freedom’s sweet scent fulfill our limitless infinite wishes.
So we pray.
*****
ASPIRATION FOR THE WORLD
Over the expanse of the treasured earth in this wide world,
May benefit for beings appear like infinite moons’ reflections,
Whose refreshing presence brings lasting welfare and happiness
To open a lovely array of night-blooming lilies, signs of peace and joy.
Descending from a canopy of white clouds, the gathering of two accumulations,
May these true words, like pearled drops of light or pouring rain,
Falling in a lovely park where fortunate disciples are free of bias,
Open the flowers of friendship so that well-being and joy blossom forth.
*****
*****
BLISSFUL ROAR OF MELODIOUS EXPERIENCE
Glorious Tölung Tsurphu is Akanishta,
supreme region of the mind,
Is a place where oceans of dakinis gather like clouds.
The mountain behind is the richly arrayed,
pure realm of Chenrezik.
On the mountain in front is a vast and dense forest,
a swirling ocean of fierce deities.
The mountain between is Tushita, the joyful mind
and pure realm of great Maitreya.
Let us go to that pure realm where lamas, yidams,
and dakinis gather like clouds.
Having planted the victory banner of the Buddha's
teachings in the land of Dharma,
Let us raise in the country of snow mountains and
Kailash, too, the sun of happiness and well-being
for all people.
[Dalai Lama,] pillar of all the Buddha's teachings,
you are a great wish-fulfilling jewel.
Pervading the world with myriad lights,
[May you be] permanent, stable, and unchanging
as a diamond
In the red palace of Lhasa on the golden throne
held high by lions.
Your melodious teachings pour forth in the
tones of Brahma.
In this limitless universe, please turn the three
wheels of Dharma.
Unconditioned primordial wisdom, the expanse of your
mind, sees without hindrance into the three times.
You maintain the Buddha's teachings without prejudice
and they do not decline, but flourish.
May you [reign] as the three Dharma kings, with
Dharma and worldly power entwined in a silken knot.
How joyful, how happy are sentient beings.
The teaching of the Buddha spreads;
The sangha holds its head high; the honeyed
rain of Dharma falls,
And the world of living beings is brought into happiness.
Through they prize happiness, sentient beings in
number as vast as space gather only suffering.
With the first moment of self-awareness, comes
freedom from the net of the three realms.
Let us bring the vast universe into joy–-that is called
true peace.
From the expanse of the inexpressible nada
sprang this joyous song.
Let us join in a happy dance, graced with the
melody of delight.
*****
BLISSFUL ROAR OF MELODIOUS EXPERIENCE
Glorious Tölung Tsurphu is Akanishta,
supreme region of the mind,
Is a place where oceans of dakinis gather like clouds.
The mountain behind is the richly arrayed,
pure realm of Chenrezik.
On the mountain in front is a vast and dense forest,
a swirling ocean of fierce deities.
The mountain between is Tushita, the joyful mind
and pure realm of great Maitreya.
Let us go to that pure realm where lamas, yidams,
and dakinis gather like clouds.
Having planted the victory banner of the Buddha's
teachings in the land of Dharma,
Let us raise in the country of snow mountains and
Kailash, too, the sun of happiness and well-being
for all people.
[Dalai Lama,] pillar of all the Buddha's teachings,
you are a great wish-fulfilling jewel.
Pervading the world with myriad lights,
[May you be] permanent, stable, and unchanging
as a diamond
In the red palace of Lhasa on the golden throne
held high by lions.
Your melodious teachings pour forth in the
tones of Brahma.
In this limitless universe, please turn the three
wheels of Dharma.
Unconditioned primordial wisdom, the expanse of your
mind, sees without hindrance into the three times.
You maintain the Buddha's teachings without prejudice
and they do not decline, but flourish.
May you [reign] as the three Dharma kings, with
Dharma and worldly power entwined in a silken knot.
How joyful, how happy are sentient beings.
The teaching of the Buddha spreads;
The sangha holds its head high; the honeyed
rain of Dharma falls,
And the world of living beings is brought into happiness.
Through they prize happiness, sentient beings in
number as vast as space gather only suffering.
With the first moment of self-awareness, comes
freedom from the net of the three realms.
Let us bring the vast universe into joy–-that is called
true peace.
From the expanse of the inexpressible nada
sprang this joyous song.
Let us join in a happy dance, graced with the
melody of delight.
*****
- Poetry (Doha) by His Holiness the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje (1924 - 1981) -
PRAISE TO TARA
OM
Homage to the noble liberator, TARA.
Homage to TARE, glorious lady,
Who, with TUTTARE, dispels all fears
And, with TURE, accomplishes all goals.
To you of the letters SVAHA and OM, I bow.
*****
ASPIRATION
May the victory banner of dharma, never waning, fly in the ten directions.
May the fruItition of dharma, cool peace in the world,
Evolve into the final ground of dharma, the attainment of nirvana.
May the tireless victory banner of dharma be planted.
Reperesenting the abundant prosperity and richness of Jambudvipa, the southern continent.
May the white parasol of the sun and the moon, peace and existence, be raised in a hundred directions.
Underneath a honey rainfall of the victors teachings,
May the swiftness of the chariot deliver all difficult to tame beings to the great bhumis.
May this be the great feast that we enjoy this year.
*****
All the different kinds of suffering wandering being undergo,
Are like an illusory wheel.
From the moment they appear they shine as a pure manadala.
The suchness fo a hundred families emanates into an ocean of
Pure realms.
This is the great play of variety, bliss-emptiness.
Now, with in changeless, spontaneous transperancy,
I shall bestow upon you students the inspiration of the heart of
uncontaminated wisdom,
The breath which mixes mother and child as one taste.
Kye ho! Listen, O children of noble family.
Having made the bodhicittas of aspiration and application your ground,’
Remain within self-illuminating self-awareness, beyond thought and inexpressible.
The fruition is made the path, the great equal taste of bliss-emptiness.
If you can perform this conduct without fixation or effort,
You will experience self-liberation on the spot, the very ground of the
frutition, mahamudra.
Spoken during the year of the Wood Horse, 1954.
*****
POINTING-OUT INSTRUCTIONS
The instruction that transforms thougt sof all three times at once
Is to look at appearance-emptiness, the display of present moment awareness.
By doing this, you will attain the coemergant state of peace.
You will progress through the paths and bhumis and gain the great-bliss awareness.
This was written within self-awareness. May virtue and goodness increase.