Songs and Poems Series

Literary Genres › Songs and Poems

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Shabkar Tsokdruk Rangdrol

Courtesy of Himalayan Art Resources

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A selection of spiritual songs (mgur; glu) or poems:

Acrostic

A simple song of advice addressed to yogins and yoginīs in abecedarian form, meaning that each line begins with the successive letters of the Tibetan alphabet—an effect that is (inadequately) reproduced in the translation.

Longchenpa composed this famous abecedarian poem to express his disgust at the conduct of his classmates from Kham, Eastern Tibet, which had prompted his decision to leave the college of Sangpu Neuthog.

Advice

Written for a disciple who was about to travel from Sikkim to Tibet, this brief song encapsulates the message of the intermediate and final turnings of the Wheel of Dharma and explains how to practise the indivisibility of emptiness and compassion.

Verses of pithy advice for the Sakya khenpo Jamyang Losal Zangpo (1919–1993).

Jamyang Khyentse says he composed this candid song of self-counsel during the first month of a Snake year as he felt by turns joyous and sorrowful.

In response to a question from his spiritual consort, Khandro Tsering Chödrön, Jamyang Khyentse explains the essence of the path in just a few lines. (Khandro's question is in the form of an acrostic poem, the opening syllables of its four lines being the first four syllables of the Tibetan alphabet).

A short song of advice on the theme of the 'Three Greats', i.e., Great Middle Way (Madhyamaka), Great Seal (Mahāmudrā) and Great Perfection (Dzogpachenpo).

This short song, consisting of eight requests to a disciple, offers essential advice on view, meditation and conduct.

Khenchen Jigme Phuntsok sang this doha spontaneously in 1996 at a time when various outer, inner and secret obstacles had been overcome. It stresses the importance of meditating on Dzogchen, cultivating bodhicitta, maintaining ethical discipline, and having a positive basic character.

A poem warning monk-scholars of the risk of pursuing the path of intellectual study alone at the expense of the kind of deeper practice that brings genuine attainment.

Said to have been composed some time around 1909 or 1910, this poem expresses the author's appreciation for the Sakya teachings and is intended as an encouragement to fellow disciples (of Loter Wangpo) to pursue their study and practice.

In this oft-cited vajra song, Longchen Rabjam employs a series of metaphors to encourage practitioners to renounce ordinary concerns and cultivate the practice of Dzogchen meditation.

Longchenpa describes this text as a letter sent from his mind to itself, and, as befits such a personal message, it is heartfelt and candid. The core of the message is simple enough: to leave behind the busyness of saṃsāra and set out instead for the peace and tranquility of the forest, where "meditation naturally grows" and "one can find the bliss of inner peace." Yet while Longchenpa makes this point uncompromisingly, his language, particularly in describing the kind of wild woodland sanctuary he recommends, is often beautifully evocative and poetic.

This vajra song employs a series of metaphors—the rising sun, brilliant moon, a total eclipse, and the wish-fulfilling jewel atop a banner of victory—to explain the benefits of advanced realization.

In this inventive song a debate between Waking and Dreaming, about which one is real, is adjudicated by Profound Wisdom (prajñā).

This song of amazement originates in a vision that Sera Khandro had while staying in retreat at Nyimalung in Amdo at the age of twenty-nine. The text is her response to the spirits and demons who appeared to her, asking what she was doing.

This famous song summarizes four forms of mindfulness, which Mañjuśrī taught to Tsongkhapa: 1) mindfulness of the guru; 2) mindfulness of bodhicitta; 3) mindfulness of the body as a divine body; and 4) mindfulness of the view of emptiness.

Classification

A list of the various types of spiritual song (mgur dbyangs) including dohas based on realization, songs of devotion, and expressions of joy and contentment.

Commentaries

Notes on one of Jetsün Drakpa Gyaltsen’s (1147–1216) best known songs, which incorporates key points related to both sūtra and mantra, written at the request of Sakya Dagchen Rinpoche (1929–2016).

Compassion

A moving song to inspire compassion for our parents from the present life and, more broadly, for all beings who have been our parents in the course of our innumerable lives in beginningless saṃsāra.

The great yogi Shabkar Tsokdruk Rangdrol is, like Milarepa, famous for the songs of realization through which he communicated the teachings. In this song, inspired by the repeated appearance of some beggars at his door, he expresses his compassion for all beings—his very own mothers from previous lives—who are now suffering in saṃsāra's various realms.

Inspired by a thought of his mother, Shabkar Tsokdruk Rangdrol sang these verses to himself, as a reminder of the importance of recognising all beings as one's mother and remembering their kindness.

Devotion

Shortly after Khenchen Jigme Phuntsok's passing in 2004, His Holiness the Dalai Lama wrote this prayer "so that the enlightened intentions of this great being may be fulfilled completely and to help dispel the anguish of his disciples."

A spontaneous song in which Jamyang Khyentse mourns the passing of Tertön Sogyal Lerab Lingpa (1856–1926) and calls upon him to continue his work through a further incarnation.

Composed in 1934, this brief devotional song recalls the kindness of Katok Situ Chökyi Gyatso (kaḥ thog si tu chos kyi rgya mtsho, 1880–1925), Jamyang Khyentse's root guru.

A brief song to invoke Jamyang Khyentse's inspiration and blessings as a means to accomplish view, meditation and conduct.

A brief song of devotion calling upon both Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö.

Composed in 1949, this song of lament is addressed to Jamyang Khyentse's principal guru, Jamyang Loter Wangpo (1847–1914). The song expresses the author's grief and sadness at his own misfortune for having failed to encounter his master in visions or dreams.

Jamyang Khyentse wrote this lamenting prayer in early 1944 as soon as he heard that his teacher, Khenpo Kunzang Palden, had died just a few days earlier in late December 1943.

A devotional invocation of the great Sakya patriarch Kunga Nyingpo (1092–1158) with a request for his blessings and assistance on the path.

A brief song of prayer to invoke the guru's inspiration and blessings as a means to progress along the path, composed at the behest of Jamyang Chöpel.

This song of devotion, composed on the master's anniversary in 1950, emphasizes the ultimate nature of Longchen Rabjam, according to which he does not exist externally but in the nature of one's own mind.

A devotional song addressed to Jamyang Khyentse himself which the master composed at Drakmar Keutsang in Chimpu for his student Parkö Chöpel, a carver of woodblocks for printing.

Jamyang Khyentse composed this poetic, devotional invocation of the great Dzogchen master Longchen Rabjam (1308–1364) in 1934.

Jamyang Khyentse composed these verses in November 1925 upon learning of the passing of his teacher Katok Situ Chökyi Gyatso (1880–1925). The text makes it clear that Katok Situ's death occurred in the ninth month of the Wood Ox year.

Composed in 1932, this song of devotion invokes the Dzogchen master Longchen Rabjam (1308–1364) and appeals for his inspiration and blessings as a means to progress along the path.

A spontaneous song of lamentation composed at Tso Pema, India, in 1990 and later transcribed from an audio recording.

Dzogchen

This famous vajra song (rdo rje’i glu), named after its initial syllables "ema kiri", appears in the Tantra of the Union of the Sun and Moon (nyi zla kha sbyor). It consists of a series of arranged syllables which a practitioner should intone melodiously. The individual syllables and their arrangement as a mantra are considered particularly sacred since they are said to have been revealed by the primordial buddha Samantabhadra.

A brief song of aspiration to perfect the practice of the Great Perfection and realize the three kāyas that are naturally present within the mind.

This song of experience, composed spontaneously on a ḍākinī day, includes an invocation of Padmasambhava on the ultimate level, as the very nature of one's own rigpa.

A short, three-verse song invoking the nature of the three kāyas as a means to perfect Dzogchen realization.

A spontaneous song or doha expressing confidence in Dzogchen realization, which Jamyang Khyentse tells us he offered to the guru of his own awareness.

Verses on the ultimate view, meditation and conduct of the Great Perfection.

Verses on Dzogchen, which occurred to Jamyang Khyentse spontaneously while he was at Taktse Podrang (stag rtse pho brang) in Sikkim in 1956.

Spontaneously composed verses on the uniqueness and profundity of the Dzogchen approach, which centres on the recognition of mind's intrinsic awareness.

Jamyang Khyentse spontaneously composed this joyful song, which marvels at Dzogchen's effortless approach to attaining realization, during a visit to the Lönchen Gurkar Cave at Samye Chimphu in 1956.

A simple Dzogchen instruction written in verse.

This short song on the view and meditation of the Great Perfection was composed by Shabkar Tsokdruk Rangdrol (1781–1851) but has recently been misattributed to Khenpo Gangshar Wangpo.

Gangshar Wangpo tells us that he based these verses—which explain how to eliminate obstacles to practice and sustain realization of mind's essential nature—on scripture, the oral instructions of his guru, and his own experience.

A song of realization expressing the futility of ordinary, contrived practice from the perspective of naturally perfect, pure awareness.

A poem expressing Dzogchen insights that arose to the author spontaneously when inebriated one evening in 1968.

Mipham composed this doha of five four-line verses expressing realization of the supreme yoga towards the end of his life, in 1909.

With a characteristic blend of bluntness and humility, Nyoshul Khenpo explains the importance of mindfulness (smṛti; dran pa) and exhorts his followers to rely upon it at all times.

In this short poem of just five lines, the great Dzogchen master Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche evocatively conveys the healing power of meditation.

This short song of experiential instructions on the Dzogchen view and meditation is rich in imagery and direct in tone. It has recently been misattributed to Khenpo Gangshar Wangpo (1925–1958/9).

Feast Songs

One of several short songs for the gaṇacakra feast that Jamyang Khyentse composed, this one invokes Guru Padmasambhava and Yeshe Tsogyal.

A song of the feast (tshogs glu) composed in 1947 while performing a Rigdzin Düpa tsok together with the king and queen of Lingkar.

Composed in 1940 during a tsok practice of Tukdrup Barche Kunsel together with the King of Ling.

Sacred song and dance are important elements of the gaṇacakra, and this song by Jigme Lingpa, which is now widely-known and recited, was composed specifically for the gaṇacakra feast. The song concludes with the aspiration that all those gathered together may attain the rainbow body as a result of the feast offering.

General

This song of homage and invocation—in seven-syllable lines—arose spontaneously "through the blessings of the accomplished vidyādharas" in 1953.

Inspired by the speech of Kunzang Dechen Tsomo (1906–1987), Queen Mother of Sikkim, these verses acknowledge the kindness of past dharma patrons and masters and appeal for nonsectarianism and the flourishing of the teachings.

Two verses that employ the poetic device of anadiplosis, whereby the final word from each line is repeated at the beginning of the line that follows.

Upon being offered a new pen, Jamyang Khyentse used it to compose this four-line verse in praise of Mañjuśrī.

A four-line prayer to Guru Padmasambhava composed with a new pen offered by someone named Chöpel (chos 'phel).

This experiential song (nyams dbyangs) based on 'Parting from the Four Attachments' (zhen pa bzhi bral) was composed in the cave of Rangjung Dorje, where Mañjuśrī is said to have delivered the original teaching to the Sakya patriarch Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092–1158).

In this short song the famous yogi Shabkar Tsokdruk Rangdrol explains the essence of all practices, from the contemplations of the outer preliminaries to the practices of the inner preliminaries, and the main practices of the generation and perfection stages.

Impermanence

When Jamyang Khyentse witnessed the devastating effect of frost upon flowers, he considered this a metaphor for impermanence in a broader sense and composed a poignant song of reflection.

In this famous poem Könchok Tenpe Drönme offers a powerful and moving contemplation on impermanence and mortality, inspiring the reader to focus on Dharma practice without delay.

Joy

Written in 1999, this short spontaneous song expresses the joy of living the fortunate life of a Dzogchen yogi.

Taken from the collection of Longchen Rabjam's vajra songs, this is a joyful declaration of realization and accomplishment.

Lamdré

This brief song expressing the quintessence of the view of Lamdré—the inseparability of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa ('khor 'das dbyer med)—was composed in Darjeeling on 11 June 1958.

Longevity

In this short song on the theme of longevity every line of the original Tibetan begins with the syllable 'chi, which means death or mortality.

Mahāmudrā

A short song of realisation that succinctly describes the ground, path and fruition of Mahāmudrā.

Nonsectarianism

This song advocating a nonsectarian approach to the teachings of Madhyamaka, Dzogchen, and Mahāmudrā was composed for a group of disciples and patrons from Shartsang (shar tshang).

In this song promoting a nonsectarian approach to the teachings, Shabkar compares the major traditions of Tibetan Buddhism to various mountain paths, all of which lead to the summit that is Buddhahood. Although approaches might vary in their speed, difficulty and so on, all are valid, just as any path leading to a mountaintop is valid.

Composed while on retreat on Mahādeva Island in Lake Kokonor, this brief song offers a critical indictment of sectarianism. The text appears in the master's autobiography.

Prayer

This spontaneous vajra song makes reference to offering the lamp of wisdom or awareness and employs the terminology of Dzogpachenpo, the Great Perfection.

This song calling upon Guru Padmasambhava to come to the aid of Tibetans was written during the Fire Dog year (1946).

Composed in Sikkim in 1958, this song of prayer invokes Guru Padmasambhava, together with Mandāravā and Yeshe Tsogyal, and requests blessings in order to accomplish the path.

This song of prayer in three stanzas was composed at the request of a lama called Drokyab Lishu Tupten Sangye Özer.

A lyrical invocation of Guru Padmasambhava and appeal to receive his blessings.

A song invoking the three kāyas of Vajravārāhī and aspiring to attain such a level of attainment for oneself.

Verses in praise of the great Sakya master Jamyang Loter Wangpo (1847–1914), from whom Shenga received a number of major teachings and transmissions.

Sacred Places

Employing eight-syllable lines, Jamyang Khyentse sings of his joy on the eve of his arrival in Lhasa, site of the sacred Jowo Śākyamuni image.

A spontaneous song of joy, composed while on pilgrimage to Nepal in late 1956.

Composed at the cave of Yangleshö in Nepal, this spontaneous song praises the power of this sacred site, a place where Guru Padmasambhava once meditated and gained accomplishment, while also attesting to Khenchen Jigme Phuntsok's own poetic mastery and realization.

In this spiritual song (mgur), the great yogi Milarepa praises the qualities of Kyangpen Namkha Dzong or Jangphen Namkha Dzong (rkyang phan nam mkha' rdzong), which he likens to a palace, and explains why it is so conducive to meditative retreat. The place is listed among the six well-known outer 'fortresses' associated with Milarepa.

Sadness

In this short song, composed in 1942, Jamyang Khyentse expresses sadness for his own situation in the age of degeneration and calls out to those he regards as his six main teachers: Jamyang Loter Wangpo (1847–1914), Katok Situ Chökyi Gyatso (1880–1925), Shechen Gyaltsab Gyurme Pema Namgyal (1871–1926), Adzom Drukpa (1842–1924), Dodrupchen Jigme Tenpai Nyima (1865–1926) and Gatön Ngawang Lekpa (1867–1941).

Verses expressing renunciation and requesting the aid and protection of the guru, composed during the first month of an Ox year.

Jamyang Khyentse says that he composed this song of invocation and prayer out of sadness. In it, he calls upon the great yogin to help him overcome his failings and turn his mind towards the Dharma.

Jamyang Khyentse says that he was moved to compose this song of sorrow when he had fallen sick and was reflecting on the various ills of the age.

Wonder

Noted for its unusual verse form, this little song (glu chung) by Lama Zhang expresses wonder at encountering the path of Dharma and successfully following it to completion.

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