A Song of Devotion for Knkhyen Longchenpa.

PHA JETSN LAMA RINPOCHE

Beloved master, precious one, father of mine,
KHY SANGY KUN DANG YERME P
You are forever one with all the Buddhas,
DENG MP BU LA TUK TSEW
Now show your kindness and love to your devoted child.
TRAL GYALS CHOK GI TSUL ZUNG N
You who took birth intentionally
LAR SAM SHYING KYEWA SHY DZEP
In the form of a supreme bodhisattva J GYALW WANGPO LONGCHENPA
To the lord of all victorious Buddhas, Longchenpa:
PHA KHY KYI JINLAP MI MEN YANG
Father of mine, your blessings are not without power.
GY NYNMONG DRAKP YONG ZUNG N
Yet my mind is in the grip of tempestuous disturbing emotions,
L NAKPI CHPA DARW TS
And as our negative actions and karma grow even stronger,
D NYIKMA NGA DI SEMCHEN NAM
All that awaits the sentient beings of this degenerate age
WO NGEN SONG YANGSAR KHONAR LHUNG
Is to fall into the depths of the lower realms.
PHA THUKJ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA
Longchenpa, father of mine, look on me with all your compassion.
L NGAR CH NAM LA DN MA CHI
Whatever I've done in the past has been devoid of any meaning,
CH NGAR CH NAM LA CH GY DR
The Dharma I have practised until now has been riddled with the eight worldly pr
eoccupations,
LAM NALMA DRUBPA CHIK MA DREN
Never did it occur to me, even once, to follow the genuine path.
DA KHYERANG MINPA R SA M
Now there is no one I can rely on, save you.
PHA THUKJ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA
Longchenpa, father of mine, look on me with all your compassion.
LAR SHINJI KYBI GYAP N D
While the Lord of Death hounds me from behind,
D LO DA SHYAK GI DN N S
Days, months, years - time draws me onwards from in front,
TRAL NAMYENG CHAW BAR NA DRI
And in between, seduced and enthralled by distraction,
D MA TSOR L SHIK JUNG NYEN DA
The danger is that, without ever even realising it, I'll be completely deceived.
PHA THUKJ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA
Longchenpa, father of mine, look on me with all your compassion.
SHYN WANGPO SAL TS CHIP SEM
In the prime of youth, the mind is immature.
L DAR LA BAP TS DRELW YENG
When we come of age, we're distracted by business.
DA G SHING KHOKPAR GYURP TS
Once old age and infirmity set in,
CH SHA MA DREN KYANG CHI N SONG
We may think about the real Dharma, but then it's far too late.
PHA THUKJ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA

Longchenpa, father of mine, look on me with all your compassion.

LAR DPAR D KYANG D WANG M
I wish I could stay on here, but it's out of my control,
NOR KHYEWAR D KYANG KHYER MI TUP
I wish I could bring my possessions, but cannot take a thing,
DROK DROKPA D KYANG RANG CHIKPU
I wish for the comfort of companions, but I have to go alone;
SANG JIKTEN PAROL DROLWAR NG
Sooner or later, I will go to the next world, that's for sure.
PHA THUKJ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA
Longchenpa, father of mine, look on me with all your compassion.
TS DI YI BAKCHAK PENP T
Propelled by the habitual patterns of this life,
LAM BARDI TRANG LA CHI DRA ANG
What will it be like, my journey through the bardo realm?
P DANGSUM NYALW MILAM SHYIN
It will be as hard for me to control
LAR RANGWANG TOBPA SHINTU KA
As the dreams I had in my sleep last night.
PHA THUKJ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA
Longchenpa, father of mine, look on me with all your compassion.
CHIR KHORW CH LA NYINGPO M
All things in samsara and nirvana are devoid of any substance,
G MITAK L LA NYINGPO M
This body will not last, and has no reality of its own.
DI NAMKHAR SHARW JATSN DRA
Like a rainbow that arches across the sky,
D DENPAR ZUNG YANG YAL N DRO
It is taken as real, but fades into thin air.
PHA THUKJ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA
Longchenpa, father of mine, look on me with all your compassion.
YAR SANGY NAM LA DPA M
Towards the Buddhas, I have not the slightest devotion,
MAR SEMCHEN NAM LA NYINGJ CHUNG
For sentient beings, only the meagrest compassion,
G NGUR MIK GYN KYANG ZUKNYEN TSAM
The red robes I wear are only a show,
TRA PUDRI SHAR YANG DN GO CHUNG
And my shaven head means next to nothing.
PHA THUKJ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA
Longchenpa, father of mine, look on me with all your compassion.
CH TPA MANG YANG N MA TROL
So many teachings I've heard, but I've not yet got the crucial point,
KHA SHEPA TSO YANG GY MA DRUL
However artful at talking, my basic being is still untamed,
N RITR DRIM KYANG KHYIM LA S
I put myself into retreat, but I'm craving for home and family,
MIK TA TANG CH KYANG NYAM NYONG M
I've got my eyes in the right gaze, but lack any real experience.
PHA THUKJ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA
Longchenpa, father of mine, look on me with all your compassion.
MI SHYEN GYI KYN TSANG CHUNGU RIK
By marking even the smallest failing in others,
RANG KHONG N RULWA Y MA TSOR

But failing ever to notice how rotten I am inside,

MI SHYEN GYI GOWO KOR KOP N
By constantly fooling and misleading other people,
DUK RANG GI NYPA MA LAK SAM
Aren't I just purchasing my own misery?
PHA THUKJ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA
Longchenpa, father of mine, look on me with all your compassion.
KHONG GYALW SUNGRAP MAL KUN
How can ignoring that the teachings of all the Buddhas
SEM GY LA PEN MI SEMPAR
Are there to benefit my mind,
KH DRAKPA DRUP CHIR T SAM CH
And studying instead for the sake of profit or renown,
D TARP LAM DU IDRO ANG
Ever lead me along the path to liberation?
PHA THUKJ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA
Longchenpa, father of mine, look on me with all your compassion.
NGA CHP TSUL GYI JIKTEN DRUP
Passing for a practitioner, my practice is only worldly achievement,
MAR KYEWO KUN GYI CHPA LEN
Taking offerings from all and sundry,
TS YANG YENG CHAW NGANG DU TANG
Careless and easy-going, I watch my life go by.
WUK TROKGER DRO D CHI DRA ANG
Yet, when I breath out for the very last time, what will happen then?
PHA THUKJ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA
Longchenpa, father of mine, look on me with all your compassion.
DAK D L KYOWA TING N KY
Because of all this, I feel my heart breaking in sorrow,
YAR SANGY NAM LA SOLWA DEP
And I pray now to all the Buddhas,
CHIR NYIKM D KYI SEMCHEN DANG
For the beings of this degenerate age,
G CH ZUK TSULCHEN DAK SOK LA
And especially for those like me, who just bear the likeness of practitioners:
PHA THUKJ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA
Longchenpa, father of mine, look on us with all your compassion.
PU NGA LA R SA SHYEN NA M
This child has no one to rely on but you,
CHADRAL GYI KYI DUK KHYRANG SH
Idling my time away - happy, suffering, whatever happens, I am in your hands.
YING ZAKM DECHEN PODRANG N
Lord, in the palace of the space of immaculate great bliss,
GN KHY DANG YERM RO CHIK SHOK
May I remain one with you, always and forever.
If you reflect on the meaning of this song, and sing it with a free flowing chan
t, the blessing of the lama will come to you, forceful and intense. A true pandi
ta, Vimalamitra in person, Khenpo Ngakchung Rinpoche, adapted this for his own r
egular practice.