Mystics, Masters, Saints, and Sages

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Mystics, Masters, Saints, and Sages Page 7

by Robert Ullman


  “MyBelovedOnegleamslikethelightningflashinthesky.”

  Doyouknowhowthemomentsperformtheiradoration?

  Wavingitsrowoflamps,theuniversesingsinworshipdayandnight,

  Therearethehiddenbannerandthesecretcanopy:

  Therethesoundoftheunseenbellsisheard.

  Kabirsays:“Thereadorationneverceases;

  theretheLordoftheUniversesittethonHisthrone.”

  Thewholeworlddoesitsworksandcommitsitserrors:

  butfewaretheloverswhoknowtheBeloved.

  The devout seeker is he who mingles in his heart the double currents of love and detachment,liketheminglingofthestreamsofGangesandJumna;

  Inhisheartthesacredwaterflowsdayandnight;andthustheroundofbirthsand

  deathsisbroughttoanend.

  BeholdwhatwonderfulrestisintheSupremeSpirit!

  andheenjoysit,whomakeshimselfmeetforit.

  Heldbythecordsoflove,theswingoftheOceanofJoyswaystoandfro;anda

  mightysoundbreaksforthinsong.

  Seewhatalotusbloomstherewithoutwater!andKabirsays“Myheart'sbeedrinks

  itsnectar.”

  Whatawonderfullotusitis,thatbloomsattheheartofthespinningwheelofthe

  universe!Onlyafewpuresoulsknowofitstruedelight.

  Musicisallaroundit,andtheretheheartpartakesofthejoyoftheInfiniteSea.

  Kabirsays:“DivethouintothatOceanofsweetness:thusletallerrorsoflifeandof

  deathfleeaway.”

  Beholdhowthethirstofthefivesensesisquenchedthere!

  andthethreeformsofmiseryarenomore!

  Kabirsays:“ItisthesportoftheUnattainableOne:

  lookwithin,andbeholdhowthemoon-beamsofthatHiddenOneshineinyou.”

  Therefallstherhythmicbeatoflifeanddeath:

  Rapturewellsforth,andallspaceisradiantwithlight.

  TheretheUnstruckMusicissounded;

  itisthemusicoftheloveofthethreeworlds.

  Theremillionsoflampsofsunandofmoonareburning;

  Therethedrumbeats,andtheloverswingsinplay.

  There love-songs resound, and light rains in showers; and the worshiper is

  entrancedinthetasteoftheheavenlynectar.

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  Lookuponlifeanddeath;thereisnoseparationbetweenthem,Therighthandand thelefthandareoneandthesame.

  Kabirsays:“Therethewisemanisspeechless;forthistruthmayneverbefoundin

  Vedasorinbooks.”

  I have had my Seat on the Self-poised One, I have drunk of the Cup of the Ineffable, I have found the Key of the Mystery, I have reached the Root of Union.

  Traveling by no track, I have come to the Sorrowless Land: very easily has the mercyofthegreatLordcomeuponme.

  TheyhavesungofHimasinfiniteandunattainable:butIinmymeditationshave

  seenHimwithoutsight.

  Thatisindeedthesorrowlessland,andnoneknowthepaththatleadsthere:

  Onlyhewhoisonthatpathhassurelytranscendedallsorrow.

  Wonderfulisthatlandofrest,towhichnomeritcanwin;

  Itisthewisewhohasseenit,itisthewisewhohassungofit.

  ThisistheUltimateWord:butcananyexpressitsmarveloussavor?

  Hewhohassavoreditonce,heknowswhatjoyitcangive.

  Kabir says: “Knowing it, the ignorant man becomes wise, and the wise man

  becomes speechless and silent, The worshiper is utterly inebriated, His

  wisdomandhisdetachmentaremadeperfect;

  Hedrinksfromthecupoftheinbreathingsandtheoutbreathingsoflove.”

  There the whole sky is filled with sound, and there that music is made without fingersandwithoutstrings;

  Therethegameofpleasureandpaindoesnotcease.

  Kabirsays:“IfyoumergeyourlifeintheOceanofLife,youwillfindyourlifein

  theSupremeLandofBliss.”

  Whatafrenzyofecstasythereisineveryhour!andtheworshiperispressingout

  anddrinkingtheessenceofthehours:

  helivesinthelifeofBrahma.

  I speak truth, for I have accepted truth in life; I am now attached to truth, I have sweptalltinselaway.

  Kabirsays:“Thusistheworshipersetfreefromfear;thushaveallerrorsoflifeand

  ofdeathlefthim.”

  Theretheskyisfilledwithmusic:

  Thereitrainsnectar:

  Theretheharp-stringsjingle,andtherethedrumsbeat.

  Whatasecretsplendoristhere,inthemansionofthesky!

  Therenomentionismadeoftherisingandthesettingofthesun;

  Intheoceanofmanifestation,whichisthelightoflove,dayandnightarefelttobe

  one.

  Joyforever,nosorrow,nostruggle!

  TherehaveIseenjoyfilledtothebrim,perfectionofjoy;

  Noplaceforerroristhere.

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  Kabirsays:“TherehaveIwitnessedthesportofOneBliss!”

  Ihaveknowninmybodythesportoftheuniverse:Ihaveescapedfromtheerrorof

  thisworld.

  Theinwardandtheoutwardarebecomeasonesky,theInfiniteandthefiniteare

  united:IamdrunkenwiththesightofthisAll!

  ThisLightofThinefulfilstheuniverse:thelampoflovethatburnsonthesalverof

  knowledge.

  Kabir says: “There error cannot enter, and the conflict of life and death is felt no more.”

  santo,sahajsamadhbhaliOSadhu!thesimpleunionisthebest.

  SincethedaywhenImetwithmyLord,therehasbeennoendtothesportofour

  love.

  Ishutnotmyeyes,Iclosenotmyears,Idonotmortifymybody;

  Iseewitheyesopenandsmile,andbeholdHisbeautyeverywhere:

  I utter His Name, and whatever I see, it reminds me of Him; whatever I do, it becomesHisworship.

  Therisingandthesettingareonetome;allcontradictionsaresolved.

  WhereverIgo,ImoveroundHim,AllIachieveisHisservice:

  WhenIliedown,IlieprostrateatHisfeet.

  Heistheonlyadorableonetome:Ihavenoneother.

  Mytonguehasleftoffimpurewords,itsingsHisglorydayandnight:

  Whether I rise or sit down, I can never forget Him; for the rhythm of His music beatsinmyears.

  Kabirsays:“Myheartisfrenzied,andIdiscloseinmysoulwhatishidden.Iam

  immersedinthatonegreatblisswhichtranscendsallpleasureandpain.”

  tirathmentosabpanihai

  There is nothing but water at the holy bathing places; and I know that they are useless,forIhavebathedinthem.

  The images are all lifeless, they cannot speak; I know, for I have cried aloud to them.

  ThePuranaandtheKoranaremerewords;liftingupthecurtain,Ihaveseen.

  Kabirgivesutterancetothewordsofexperience;andheknowsverywellthatall

  otherthingsareuntrue.

  muralibajatakhandsadaye

  ThefluteoftheInfiniteisplayedwithoutceasing,anditssoundislove:

  Whenloverenouncesalllimits,itreachestruth.

  Howwidelythefragrancespreads!Ithasnoend,nothingstandsinitsway.

  The form of this melody is bright like a million suns: incomparably sounds the vina,thevinaofthenotesoftruth.

  silsantoshsadasamadrishti

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  Hewhoismeekand
contented,hewhohasanequalvision,whosemindisfilled withthefullnessofacceptanceandofrest;

  HewhohasseenHimandtouchedHim,heisfreedfromallfearandtrouble.

  TohimtheperpetualthoughtofGodislikesandalpastesmearedonthebody,to

  himnothingelseisdelight:

  Hisworkandhisrestarefilledwithmusic:heshedsabroadtheradianceoflove.

  Kabirsays:“TouchHisfeet,whoisoneandindivisible,immutableandpeaceful;

  whofillsallvesselstothebrimwithjoy,andwhoseformislove.”

  From SongsofKabir,translatedbyRabindranathTagore.Theheadlinesofthe

  poemsarefrom Shantiniketana:KabirbyShriKshitimohanSen.

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  GENDUNGYATSOPALZANGPO

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  EIGHT

  GENDUNGYATSOPALZANGPO

  1475–1541,TIBET

  KUNGAGYALTSEN,fatherofGendunGyatsoPalzangpo,theSecondDalaiLama,was

  himself a highly respected lama. His wife was recognized as a reincarnation of a thirteenth century yogini who, from childhood, was able to recall many of her previousincarnations.BothweredirectdisciplesoftheFirstDalaiLama.Aroundthe

  timeofthedeathoftheFirstDalaiLama,Kungaperformedintentlythepracticeof

  dreamyoga.Firstayoungboyappearedtohim.ThenarrivedtheFirstDalaiLama,

  hisbodyelderlyyetemblazonedwithlight,whoflewoffwiththeboytoameditation

  cave. In a second dream the First Dalai Lama instructed Kunga to gather his robes and bowl from the monastery. Shortly afterward, his wife dreamed that a tiny blue light entered her womb and shone with great brightness, filling her body and overflowingthroughhereverypore.

  Thechildissaidtohavebeenbornwithexceedinglycleareyesandtohavegreeted

  everyone present. Also at birth, legend has it, the infant turned his radiant countenancetowardthemonasteryofhispredecessor,placedhispalmstogether,and

  recitedthesacredmantraofthemotherofallBuddhas.Asatoddler,heshowedlittle

  interest in games or other typical childhood pastimes, preferring instead to sit on rocksandgiveimaginativeblessingstothemultitudesbeforehim.

  According to Tibetan tradition, the young boy was ordained as a monk and was giventhenameGendunGyatsoPalzangpo,whichmeans“SublimelyGloriousOcean

  of Spiritual Aspirants.” At the age of thirteen, he was at his mother's bedside when she passed on to the next world and at sixteen, during meditation retreat, he precipitouslyrememberedmanyhundredsofhispreviousreincarnations.

  Energetic, articulate, and radiant, the Second Dalai Lama taught lamas of all the varioussects,althoughhebelongedprimarilytotheGelugpaschool.Dreamscameto

  himofalakeandofhisdharma(duty)toreleaseitspowers.Andsoheconstructed

  theChokhorGyalMonasteryandempoweredtheLakeofVisions,whichcontinues

  to be a very sacred pilgrim destination among Tibetans. The Second Dalai Lama devotedhistimetoteachingvisitingdisciplesfromallovercentralAsia,coordinating the creation of hundreds of precious statues and paintings, and serving as the head lamaofbothDrepungandSeramonasteries.

  AccordingtotheFourteenthDalaiLama,TenzinGyatso,theSecondDalaiLama

  was the greatest of all the early Dalai Lamas. He was profoundly realized and was appreciated as both a great Buddhist scholar and a highly advanced spiritual

  practitioner. His Holiness explains that his predecessor used to call himself a “Mad Beggar,”indicativenotofinsanityorpoverty,butratherhiscompletenonattachment.

  When an adept gains the experience of Shunyata, or Emptiness, as achieved by the 64

  Second Dalai Lama, he may appear mad, for he has completely transcended the material world. The Mad Dalai Lama was an extremely prolific writer and teacher.

  He authored many philosophical treatises, but was especially loved for his more intimatespiritualsongsorpoems,whichspokeofhisownexperiences.

  The poems of the Second Dalai Lama come from the Tibetan manuscript of his

  originalwork, MysticalVersesofaMadDalaiLama,translatedbyGlenH.Mullin, whoborrowedH.H.TheDalaiLama'spersonalcopytomakethetranslation.

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  POEMSOFAMADDALAILAMA

  Ah-oh-la:TheWiseTheySing

  Theultimatenatureofspiritualrealization

  Isfinalunionoflightandthevoid.

  Ah-oh-la,thewisetheysing:ya-yiya-yi,

  Itistheunionoflightandthevoid.

  Ah-oh-la,thewisetheysing:

  Thefinaltasteofallthatexists

  Isvoidnessemptyofself-nature.

  Ah-oh-la,thewisetheysing:ya-yiya-yi,

  Yetallthingsintheworldandbeyond,

  Sketchesdrawnbytheconceptualmind,

  Stillretainaconventionalimpact.

  Ah-oh-la,thewisetheysing:ya-yiya-yi,

  Thisprofoundnaturefreefromextremes

  Isthevisiontobeaccomplished.

  Ah-oh-la,thewisetheysing:ya-yiya-yi,

  SuchisNagarjuna'sandAryadeva'slineage;

  AndI,ayogiwhofollowsintheirfootsteps,

  Amdelightedtobepartofit.

  Ah-oh-la,thewisetheysing:ya-yiya-yi,

  Thismysticaldanceoftheprofoundview

  Flashesinthespherefreefromextremes.

  Ah-oh-la,thewisetheysing:ya-yiya-yi,

  Thegentleaspirationtohighestenlightenment,

  Thatcaresforothersmorethanoneself,

  IstheverydooropeningtotheGreatWay.

  Ah-oh-la,thewisetheysing:ya-yiya-yi,

  Wisdomofvoidnessgraspedbythiscompassion

  IstheveryessenceoftheGreatWay.

  Ah-oh-la,thewisetheysing:ya-yiya-yi,

  This,practicedasthesixperfections,

  Isthemightybodhisattvapath.

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  Ah-oh-la,thewisetheysing:ya-yiya-yi,

  SuchisMaitreya'sandAsanga'slineage;

  AndI,ayogiwhofollowsintheirfootsteps,

  Amdelightedtobepartofit.

  Ah-oh-la,thewisetheysing:ya-yiya-yi,

  Thismysticaldanceofvastwaysis

  Adanceofmethodandwisdomcombined.

  Ah-oh-la,thewisetheysing:ya-yiya-yi,

  Theyogicmethodsoftantra'stwostages

  ArethehighestmeansforproducingBuddhahood.

  Ah-oh-la,thewisetheysing:ya-yiya-yi,

  Theytransformdeath,bardo,andrebirth

  Intoenlightenment'sthreeperfectkayas.

  Ah-oh-la,thewisetheysing:ya-yiya-yi,

  SuchisthelineageofLamaTsongkhapa;

  AndI,ayogiwhofollowsinhisfootsteps

  Amdelightedtobepartofit.

  Throughitthedanceofgreatblissandvoid

  Comestopervadeone'severyexperience.

  Ah-oh-la,thewisetheysing:ya-yiya-yi,

  Itcomestopervadeone'severyexperience.

  SongofTantricExperience

  HomagetoVajrasattva,theDiamondWarrior.

  Thepeerlesstantricmaster

  Isthesourceofallspiritualknowledge.

  Oneplaceshisfeetonthecrownofone'shead

  Andbecomessatiatedwiththeambrosialnectars

  Ofhisblessingsandtransformingpowers.

  Onebeginsbyfillingthevaseofone'sheart

  Withthewatersofthefourtantricinitiations,

  Whichtransformthemindintoanappropriatevessel

  Forcult
ivationofthesublimevajrapath.

  Fromthattimeonwardoneshouldalwayscherish

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  Thecommitmentsofthetantricway

  Asdeeplyasonecherishesone'slife,

  Neverlettingourselfbecomelikethoseyogis

  Whopretendtobegreattantricpractitioners

  Butinfactarelittlebetterthandogsandpigs.

  Firstonemustgainunmistakenexperiencein

  Themethodsoftakingdeath,bardo,andrebirth

  Asthepathofthethreeperfectkayas,

  Atrainingthatextractstheveryessence

  Oftheprofoundgenerationstageyogas.

  Inthiswaythedivinityofgreatbliss

  Arisesfromwithinthesphereofthevoid.

  Theflowingenergiesofsunandmoon

  Thenblockthepathofdarkness,

  Andoneperceivestheinnategreatbliss

  Borntogetherwithwisdomofthevoid.

  Themostsubtleaspectsofenergyandmind

  Manifestlikeafishrisinginaclearpool.

  onesendsforthanetofmysticalemanations

  Andbecomesfreedforeverfromthegreatabyss

  Ofconventionalbirthanddeath.

  Thehighestblissandwisdomthenshine

  Likeasunatthecenteroftheheart,halting

  Allactivityofattachment,aversion,andignorance.

  Thisistheunmistakenstateofmahamudra,theGreatSeal.

  Thusonediscoversdirectexperience

  Ofthestagesofthetantricpath;

  Andeverykeyinhighestyogatantraisseen

  Withinthecontextofone'sowntraining.

  Theexperienceoftheyogiisthenthis:

  Theworldisseenasthemysticalmandala

  Andalllivingbeingsastantricdeities;

  Andeverythingthatoneeatsanddrinks

  Becomestransformedintoblissfulambrosia.

  Allofone'sactivitiesbecomespiritual,

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  Regardlessofhowtheyconventionallyappear;

  Andeverysoundthatonemakes

  Becomespartofagreatvajrasong.

  I,atantricyogi,abideintheblissfulmind;

  I,atantricyogi,spontaneouslygenerategoodness

  IneverythingthatIdo.

  Allmaledivinitiesdancewithinme

  Andallfemaledivinitieschannel

  Theirvajrasongsthroughme.

  Thinkingofthegreatkindnessof

  LamaTsongkhapa,anincomparablevajramaster,

 

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