20 25 30 35 40 Songs to Inspire Practice Composed by Khenpo Gangshar Wangpo ‘The instructions of the practice lineage, the Dharma Are a means to tame your being continually. Ifyou don’t tame your being internally, Externally it will be hard to benefit others. ‘Therefore repeatedly examine yourself. When the circumstance of a sense pleasure goads you, Remember your father guru’s instructions again and again. The practice that pleases the sages and guardians Is to boast to others of your inner, selfish deceit And raise to the sky the qualities of others, your friends. ‘The cause of happiness in both this and future lives Is to keep the meaning of supreme bodhichitta in your heart. When there is the supreme king of mindfulness, let it be. Sustain the nature, the meaning of Dzogchen. Do not resent whoever keeps you company. Do not be sad or weary, wherever you go. Whatever you do, strive for others’ sake. Treasure like your eyes the samaya commitments Of the mantra vajrayana. Now guard them As dearly as your life without hypocrisy. Though there are many enumerations of samaya, They’re all included in the two great maxims: Destroying the root of confusion, the condition, is the samaya of view. The great work of love and compassion is the samaya of conduct. If those two are present, the two benefits will arise. Now that you have this precious human body, so hard to attain, Do not let your being be controlled by afflictions. With mindfulness, awareness, and carefulness jive meaning to this support, the human body. Maintain the practice of the mahamudra dharma. Remember death and impermanence again and again. Your actions, causes and results, as fine as turmeric, Be weary of the things of the six realms. Put the poisonous ocean of samsara out to dry. Supplicate without ambivalence The three unfailing supreme refuges. With the arrow of love and compassion, shoot time and again Our mothers, sentient beings wandering in samsara. Plant the practice of happiness, the aid of the accumulations. When the eight concerns—the great enemy and obstructor—occur, Arise in the form of glorious Vajrasattva. Now have great confidence, free of doubt In any of the guru’s, font of blessings, acts or deeds. Uncontrived devotion will automatically blaze. Page 145 50 55 10 15 20 25 30 ‘Think of whatever you do as service. Maintain the self-aware essence of the father guru. If you always keep those points in mind, Whether monastic or lay, that path will liberate you. Whether male or female, that path will liberate you. There is no one at all that this path will not liberate. This is what my practice is like. ‘This is what the lord Gurus have given. ‘The quintessence of all the Dharma, sutra and tantra Is nothing other than these words and points. Accordingly, I keep their meaning In my heart continually In all my births and lifetimes. Friends, you as well, follow these points And practice with fortitude from deep within. Alas! Listen, you flock of great fortunate students. When a herd of meek deer travel for grass or water, ‘What is this seething flaunt of the butcher of bad karma’s bullets If not an embodiment of the five degenerations? When thrust, without protection, into the field of despair, Remember so vividly that there is no way to bear it The kind guru who guards with carefree compassion. Where have they gone, ‘The throngs of the young to whom I sometimes gave my thoughts? ‘They have been expelled from their old places onto an unknown path. Ino longer have any wish to pay them a moment's attention. When in the dark dungeon of the harsh prison of karma ‘The razor blade touches your naked, tender flesh, Where have your conditioned, uridependable friends gone? Therefore at this time when you have it in your hands, Do not disregard and cast away the profound treasure of the mind essence ‘That has always been with you, though you have not seen it— A jewel that cannot be bought for all the wares in the universe. ‘Though you strive for thousands of aeons, there is nothing to summon. The effortless nature given by the gurus, our supreme fathers, Why not make it a friend when you are weary? A friend in sorrow when sad, a friend in comfort when happy, Whenever you need it, itis with you, inexhaustible. Why do you not focus on the True Dharma? From the fast track that cuts the ties of selfishness, Spread confidently the white wings of altruism and compassion, The root of the quintessence of the Dharma, a wish-fulfilling jewel. When there is the slight danger of being blown by the wind of despair, Why let the strength of the magical wings of skillful means relent? Till now you have been surrounded by endless distraction and conjuration: Now it would be good to accomplish something that has meaning. Or will you just follow the dry, empty roar of fame? Page 235 40 45 50 Do not tum your mind to accomplishing short-term acts. ‘The meaningless activities of this life are like bubbles in water. Accomplishing your own trivial wishes is like the trunk of a banana tree. Why are you not eager to uphold the meaningful teachings? How can one be sated drinking continually day and night From the vehicle of the nectar of profound instructions of the four lineages, The essence of the teachings, supreme vehicle of effortless luminosity? The path of the vehicle of effort adds hardships. Itis like a children’s game; don’t be attached to it But it is not right to have the slightest aversion ‘Toward these symbolic, relative teachings, as toward the traditional path. This method of the supreme discernment of true cause and result Should distinguish the guiding and definitive per the disciple’s inclinations. This talk of whatever has come to my mind Is just a few spontaneous words of all I have thought From the perspective of Gangshar, who relaxes In the uncontrived natural state. | offer this to my Dharma friends. Compassion has overwhelmed my, a beggar monk’s, thoughts, 1 always promise to put altruism into practice. The scent of virtue that pleases my mothers and the dakinis Dispels instantly the filthy stench of the five degenerations. Ha ha! These instructions are what I have practiced continually from the time of conflict in the years of the Earth Dog and the Pig