Chanting the Praises to Tara in Twenty-One Verses of Homage

Recorded in the temple hall at Rangjung Yeshe Gomde, Denmark, during a Tara practice group retreat, 2009. Lama Ani Dekyi Chodron: vocal. Tara Trinley Wangmo: music & vocals for the English version. Erik Pema Kunsang: translation text for English chant.

The first utterance of Lord Buddha

The story goes that this verse of four lines is the first utterance of Buddha Shakyamuni after awakening to true and complete enlightenment.

Deep and quiet, simple, clear, unformed.

A truth that is like nectar, I have found.

Whoever I explain it, no one will understand.

So, in the jungle, silent, I remain.



However, the Buddha did teach -- after being requested by Indra and Brahma who offered a clockwise-coiled white conch and a thousand-spoked golden wheel.

Lyrics & vocals: Erik Pema Kunsang
Music & vocals: Tara Trinley Wangmo
Piano and production: Niels Erichsen

Chokgyur Lingpa's song of realization

A song by an enlightened master sung spontaneously in the middle of the 19th century. His lineage of teachings and spiritual revelations is continued to this day.

When in natural knowing
Changeless sphere of ease
Eternal, ever-present,
Splendid guru, now we meet
Face to face.

As all that now arises
Uncontrived is left
I am blessed to see
The triple kayas never are apart.

Lyrics & vocals: Erik Pema Kunsang
Music & vocals: Tara Trinley Wangmo

New CD

Enjoy the songs here.

1. Buddhamati’s Song.
2. Gomadevi’s Song.
3. Parani’s Song.
4. Bodhi the Yakshini’s Song.
5. Purasati’s Song.
6. All-Inclusive Vastness.
7. Vajrasattva Tantra.
8. Vimalamitra’s Song of Flawless Ambrosia.

Song of Bodhi the Yakshini

Here is one of the songs from "Wellsprings of the Great Perfection" which we would like to share with you. This female teacher was one of the 21 early master in the Dzogchen lineage. Her song of awakening is both evocative and deeply inspiring. Together with my friend Michael Tweed, I tried to find a style of poetry that could be sung. Tara has written the music. This is a first take.




Song of Bodhi the Yakshini
The realization of the Wishfulfilling Jewel, the spontaneous meditation song about accomplishment, was sung in these words by Bodhi the Yakshini as the second glimpse of redness appeared in the sky.

The nature of awakened mind, neither clung to nor beheld,
Yet it appears to all as something to be seen.
Undisturbed by anything, it cannot be dissected.
Such natural mind, on nothing does it dwell.
This knowing is the nature of awakened mind.

However modified, this space is unaffected,
And knowing need not seek this basic space.
Mind-essence’s pure reality, like space,
Is uncontrived, is not a solid thing.
The training, I have realized, is simply this.

When this body made of matter falls apart,
Samantabhadra’s heart will shine within me.
GHITAMA KOLASA A HOH
This was the eighth; the essential realization of the Wishfulfilling Jewel. ITHI.

C G D
English translation: Erik Pema Kunsang. Music & vocal: Tara Trinley Wangmo. Bamboo flute: Ajith Kodikara. Tabla: Malith Anuradha & Ajith Alosius. Sitar: Deshapriya Mihiripanne. Keyboard: Ranga Jagoda.
(c) 2010 Songs from Sacred Islands.Modified from Wellsprings of the Great Perfection, Erik Pema Kunsang, Rangjung Yeshe Publications.  Thanks to Michael Tweed for editing.

Princess Gomadevi's Song of Realization

Here is one of the original songs known as Realizations of the Eighteen Scriptures of the Mind Section Expressed in Song by the Vidyadharas.

The realization of the Collection of Precious Gemstones, the spontaneous meditation song about nonarising, was sung in these words by Princess Gomadevi at the Hermitage of Conquerors during the latter half of night.



English translation: Erik Pema Kunsang. Music & vocal: Tara Trinley Wangmo. Bamboo flute: Ajith Kodikara. Tabla: Malith Anuradha & Ajith Alosius. Sitar: Deshapriya Mihiripanne. Keyboard: Ranga Jagoda.
(c) 2010 Songs from Sacred Islands.Modified from Wellsprings of the Great Perfection, Erik Pema Kunsang, Rangjung Yeshe Publications.  Thanks to Michael Tweed for editing.

Well-wishes - also for xmas

From the skies may all the devas
___ shower down a flower rain,
From below may all the nagas
___ raise up vast prosperity,
In the world may all the people
___ live in peace and harmony,
All enjoy auspicious goodness,
___ true, complete enlightenment.

Ocean of Amrita mantra

om amarani jivantiye soha
om mani peme hung hrih
om ah hung vajra guru pema siddhi hung
om ah hung vajra guru pema tötreng tsal
vajra samaya dzah siddhi phala hung ah
om bodhichitta mahasukha jnanadhatu ah
om rulu rulu hung bhyo hung
om vajra sattva ah



Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche spoke:

We possess the tathagata-garbha, the enlightened essence which is like pure gold, but we have fallen into confusion which is like gold becoming tainted by impurities. This is what needs to be purified on the Path. Similarly, possessing the deities of the three bases of completeness is like possessing pure gold, but not recognizing it as such is similar to our gold being concealed by impurities.

So what must we do? We need to clear away the impurity that conceals the gold which is possible through practice. If we weren’t already endowed with this pure gold, but instead possessed mere brass, we could polish and clean as much as possible, but the brass would never turn into gold. Nevertheless, since we already have a divine nature, then if we engage in the development, recitation and completion stage practices, which act like a polish, we can realize what we actually are.

If we have a piece of wood and we clean and polish it, will it ever turn into gold? No, that is called ‘regarding something to be what it is not.’ Here, we are talking about regarding things to be what they actually are. Since we already possess the enlightened essence, if we practice on the path of development, recitation and completion, then we will definitely purify our obscurations and truly realize the dharmakaya.

If we don’t mistake the first day of the lunar month, then when we arrive at the fifteenth the full moon will appear complete and round in the sky. But if we mistake the first day to be the second, then when we reach the fifteenth it will actually be the sixteenth and we will have been wrong the entire time.

In short, the main focus of the practice is that the world around us, whatever appears and exists, is a celestial palace while the male and female sentient beings are all dakas and dakinis. All sounds are mantra, and all thoughts and emotions are pure wisdom. This is the key point of this drubchen, the great accomplishment - pure sights, sounds and awareness. This means whatever we see with the eyes is the pure form of the deity, whatever we hear with the ears is the sound of mantra and whatever we think, all thoughts and mental activity, is actually the enlightened Vajra Mind, the self-existing wisdom. This is what we should keep in mind.

If we chant correctly the purity of recitation is said to increase the merit one-thousand times. While maintaining purity of concentration - keeping the correct frame of mind - multiplies the merit one-hundred thousand times.

The dharmakaya mantra is the Buddha of Limitless Light, Amitayus’ mantra: om amarani jivantiye svaha. The sambhogakaya mantra is Avalokiteshvara’s mantra: om mani padme hung hrih. The nirmanakaya mantra is Guru Rinpoche’s mantra: om ah hung vajra guru padma siddhi hung. Finally, for the twelve manifestations of Guru Rinpoche, there is one combined mantra: om ah hung vajra guru padma thotreng tsal vajra samaya dzah siddhi phala hung ah.

In our heart-center are the forty-two peaceful deities, and their combined mantra is: om bodhichitta maha sukha jnana dhatu ah. The essence mantra of the fifty-eight Herukas, the wrathful deities in our crown-center is: om rulu rulu hung bhyo hung. And the essence mantra of all the other deities combined into one is om vajra satva hung, or more commonly: om vajra satva ah.

Erik Pema Kunsang: vocals. Tara Trinley Wangmo: guitar and vocals. Ki-Ja Kristoffersen: vocals and drum. Paul Izenberg: vocals and drum.

Purasati's song to Nagarjuna

While knowing, you may know that things are empty,
yet in delusion.

While holding, you may hold the view, but still
it is a bind.

While thinking, you may ponder dharmakaya,
it's still a thought.

While meditating, you may nurture nonthought,
but still conceptual.

English translation & vocal: Erik Pema Kunsang. Music & vocal: Tara Trinley Wangmo. Bamboo flute: Ajith Kodikara. Tabla: Malith Anuradha & Ajith Alosius. Sitar: Deshapriya Mihiripanne. Keyboard: Ranga Jagoda.
(c) 2010 Songs from Sacred Islands.Modified from Wellsprings of the Great Perfection, Erik Pema Kunsang, Rangjung Yeshe Publications.  

Vimalamitra's song of Flawless Ambrosia

This song by Vima Mudra, one of the names of Vimalamitra, is a part of his vajra song entitled Flawless Ambrosia. Here he plays on the word ambrosia—related to the Sanskrit amrita, the nectar of immortality—which means “demon-crusher,” overcoming the Mara of death.
One of Vimalamitra’s specialties was alchemy, so it is apt that the portion of his beautiful and profound song presented here covers the view of transforming the five poisons, using the alchemy of self-existing awareness.

This natural song, the view of the Flawless Ambrosia,
Was sung by Vima Mudra, a yogi of the sky.

The attitude of clinging to desire is a demon;
Let’s crush it with the strength of rigpa undetached.
When naturally dissolved within a flawless, empty ease,
Discriminating wisdom is revealed.

The attitude of blatant hatred is a demon;
Let’s crush it with awareness holding no duality.
As it naturally dissolves in flawless magic, empty presence,
The wisdom like a mirror is revealed.

The attitude of slothful dullness is a demon;
Let’s crush it with awareness, lucid yet thought-free.
As it naturally dissolves in flawless, basic, empty cognizance,
The dharmadhatu wisdom is revealed.

The attitude of pride conceited is a demon;
Let’s crush it with awareness, self-existing, ego-free.
As it naturally dissolves into the sphere of flawless, empty rigpa,
The wisdom of equality is revealed.

The attitude of painful envy is a demon;
Let’s crush it with awareness beyond ceasing and arising.
As it naturally dissolves in open space of flawless feeling,
The wisdom all-accomplishing is revealed.

Primeval, self-existing purity of everything,
Root of knowing and its fivefold wisdoms,
From here spread the branches of every type of insight;
This I call the amrita of ornaments.

Tasting this ambrosia, Mara the emotions in delusion
Are crushed by rigpa’s undeluded wakefulness.
Like iron touching the philosopher’s stone,
No division—kayas and the wisdoms self-perfected.

English translation & vocal: Erik Pema Kunsang. Music & vocal: Tara Trinley Wangmo. Bamboo flute: Ajith Kodikara. Tabla: Malith Anuradha & Ajith Alosius. Sitar: Deshapriya Mihiripanne. Keyboard: Ranga Jagoda.
(c) 2010 Songs from Sacred Islands.
Modified from Wellsprings of the Great Perfection, Erik Pema Kunsang, Rangjung Yeshe Publications. Thanks to Michael Tweed for editing.

Princess Parani's Song of Realization

Princess Parani was the mother of Prahevajra, the first master in the early Dzogchen lineage.

Here is her song:



English translation & vocal: Erik Pema Kunsang. Music & vocal: Tara Trinley Wangmo. Bamboo flute: Ajith Kodikara. Tabla: Malith Anuradha & Ajith Alosius. Sitar: Deshapriya Mihiripanne. Keyboard: Ranga Jagoda.
(c) 2010 Songs from Sacred Islands.Modified from Wellsprings of the Great Perfection, Erik Pema Kunsang, Rangjung Yeshe Publications.  Thanks to Michael Tweed for editing.

Chokgyur Lingpa’s Wish for the Ultimate Pure Land

Lotus-Born, no separation,
___from the pristine, natural state,

Copper-Colored Realm of Splendor,
___purity of self-display,

Undivided play and knowing,
___basic sphere of naturalness—

Let’s be born within this pure realm:
___true perfection, beyond time.

sound track will follow

The Copper-Colored Realm of Splendor is the terrestrial pure land of Guru Rinpoche situated on the subcontinent Chamara to the south-east of the Jambu Continent. Chamara is the central of a configuration of nine islands inhabited by savage rakshas. In the middle of Chamara rises the majestic red colored mountain into the skies. On its summit lies the magical palace Lotus Light, manifested from the natural expression of primordial wakefulness. Here resides Padmasambhava in an indestructible bodily form transcending birth and death for as long as samsara continues and through which he incessantly brings benefit to beings through magical emanations of his body, speech and mind.

Chants for the Meditation Session - Sascha's melodies

A collection of chants compiled from the traditional chants used in practice sessions by the lord of refuge Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, passed down from his own gurus.


Music and vocals: Sascha Alexandra Aurora Sellberg
Vocals: Nana Clara Jørgensen

The link to the texts are found in this blog entry:
http://gomde-dk-sangha.blogspot.com/2009/04/daily-chants-from-rangjung-yeshe-gomde.html

Dedication and Auspiciousness from Barchey Kunsel

Most vajrayana practices have verses at the end to dedicate the merit and invoke auspiciousness. Here are two famous verses from the Barchey Kunsel cycle of revelations, written down by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa:

Hoh
By realizing the mandala

of the vidyadhara gurus,
May I and all the countless beings,

not a single one left out,
Be spontaneously perfected

in the four activities
And attain true liberation

in dharmakaya’s lucid realm.

May the root and lineage gurus

let their blessings fill our hearts.
May the yidams and dakinis,

like my shadow, remain close.
May the guardians of Dharma

clear away all hindrances.
May we have auspicious goodness,

siddhis common and supreme.


Text & vocals: Erik Pema Kunsang
Music & vocals: Tara Trinley Wangmo

The passing of Terdag Lingpa

Terchen Rigzin Gyurme Dorje aka Chögyal Orgyen Terdag Lingpa.

At the age of 69, he started showing signs of ill health and began leaving instructions to his sons and daughters and his students.

On the morning of 2nd day of the 2nd lunar month (Saturday 17th March 1714) Chögyal Rigdzin Terdag Lingpa got up saying: "I must now take seven steps to the East". He then took seven steps in the eastern direction and sat down in a meditation posture and said:

Appearances, sounds and awareness
Are deities, mantras and the sphere of dharmakaya
Spreading forth infinitely as the display of kayas and primordial wisdom.
Within the practice of the profound and secret great yoga.
May they be indivisible and of one taste in the essence of mind."

Then, gazing around at all those who surrounded him, Rigdzin Terdag Lingpa said, "I see that the dakinis have arrived to greet me", and gazing skywards entered into parinirvana. The following days were filled with amazing peace and wonderful signs that were witnessed by all throughout the region.

From "The History of Mindrolling: Part II" at lotusgardens.org

Nangdrag rigsum lha ngag chökui ngang
Kudang yeshe rolpar jamley pa
Zabsang naljor chenpoi nyamlen la
Yermey tugkyi tigler rochig shog

Here is a poetic rendering to be used for chanting in English:

Sights, sounds, knowing—
deva, mantra, dharmakaya—

Play of kayas, wisdoms,
boundlessly unfold.

In this deep and secret
practice of great yoga,

Be they of one taste,
nondual sphere of mind.

Final Words of Terdag Lingpa

Tara Trinley Wangmo: music & vocals. Erik Pema Kunsang: English text for chant.