“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
63
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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