SUPPLICATIONS AND OFFERINGS TO THE KAGYÜ GURUS

Those who have been my mothers, all sentient beings, limitless as space, supplicate the guru who is the precious buddha.

Those who have been my mothers, all sentient beings, limitless as space, supplicate the guru who is the dharmakāya, the all pervading.

Those who have been my mothers, all sentient beings, limitless as space, supplicate the guru who is the sambhogakāya, the great bliss.

Those who have been my mothers, all sentient beings, limitless as space, supplicate the guru who is the compassionate nirmāṇakāya.

Those who have been my mothers, all sentient beings, limitless as space, request the blessing of attaining the state of the lord of yogins, the great Sanggye Nyenpa.

May the supreme siddhi be granted that I am never separate from the great lord of yogins.

May the Kagyüs, the three jewels, stretching from Vajradhara down to the Gyalwang Khakhyap Dorje, please come, appearing in the form of the lord of yogins, Buddha Vajradhara. Please appear in the sky before me, surrounded by an assembly of the buddhas of the ten directions of the universe, bodhisattvas, ḍākas, ḍākinīs, dharmapālas, and protectors: VAJRASAMĀJAḤ

It is good that the bhagavats have arrived;

We are blessed with the merit of mahāmudrā.

In order that our wisdom may expand,

I ask never to be separated from these objects.

Having given up completely all other offerings,

I commence offering to the guru.

Whenever the recipients of offering are beyond conception

And the offerer and the offering do not exist,

This is the unsurpassable offering.

In order to grasp this jewel of mind,

I properly make offerings to the tathāgatas,

To the stainless jewel of the holy dharma,

And to the buddha-sons, those oceans of virtue.¹

Whatever flowers and fruits there are

And whatever kinds of medicines,

Whatever jewels exist in this world,

And whatever pure and pleasing waters,

Likewise jewel mountains,

Forest regions to be enjoyed in solitude,

Creepers bright with ornaments of beautiful flowers,

And trees whose branches bow down with good fruit,

And in the worlds of gods and the like,

Fragrances, incense, wish-fulfilling trees, and jewel trees,

Lakes adorned with lotuses,

And the ever captivating cry of swans,

Harvests that grow without cultivation,

And other ornaments that are worthy to be offered,

All these that are unowned

Within the limitless realm of space,

Taking these up with my mind, I offer them

To the supreme great sages and their sons.

May the compassionate ones, worthy of offerings,

Consider me with kindness and accept these of me.

Lacking in merit, I am very poor.

I have no other wealth to offer.

May the protectors, who consider the benefit of others,

Accept these for my benefit by their power.

To the victorious ones and their sons

I offer my whole being completely.

Supreme beings, accept me completely.

With devotion I enter into your service.

Since you have completely accepted me

I have no fear of this world and will benefit beings.

I completely transcend previous evil deeds;

Henceforth, I will do no further evil.

In their fragrant bathing houses

Ornamented with crystalline pavements, brilliant and clear,

Beautiful pillars blazing with jewels,

Canopies glowing with pearls,

I offer a bath to the tathāgatas and their sons

With many jewel vases

Filled with delightful flowers and perfumed water,

And with much song and music.

I dry their bodies

With unequaled cloth, clean and perfumed.

Then I offer to them beautifully colored

Sweetly scented choice garments.

With various divine and elegant clothes,

Soft and fine with excellent ornaments,

I will adorn Samantabhadra,

Ajita, Mañjughoṣa, Lokeśvara, and others.

With perfumes that pervade all three thousand worlds,

With the finest perfumes, I anoint

The bodies of all great sages who shine with the radiance

Of well-refined, well-purified, well-polished gold.

With all the fragrant and delightful flowers,

Blossoms of the coral tree, blue lotus, jasmine, and so on,

And with pleasing well-arranged garlands

I honor the great sages, supremely worthy of praise.

I envelop them with clouds of incense,

Plentiful and pervasive, with a pleasing fragrance.

I offer them offerings

Of food and libations of various kinds.

I also offer jewel lamps

Placed in rows on golden lotuses.

On the inlaid floor, anointed with perfume

I strew many flower petals pleasing to the mind.

Celestial palaces resounding with delightful songs of praise,

Shining with radiant pendants of pearls and jewels,

Adorning the quarters of the sky,

I offer to those whose nature is maitrī.

Beautiful jeweled parasols with golden handles,

Their shape pleasing to behold,

Inlaid with pearls and raised aloft,

I place before the great sages.

Furthermore, let there abide

Pleasing clouds of offerings

And clouds of song and music

That completely delight all beings.

On all the jewels of the holy dharma,

The objects of veneration and images,

May a rain of gems, flowers, and so on

Continually fall.

Just as Mañjughoṣa and others

Made offerings to the victorious ones,

Just so I make offerings

To the protector-tathāgatas and their sons.

I praise these oceans of virtue

With hymns and oceans of harmonies.

May those clouds of songs of praise

Certainly arise before them.

Then, offer a maṇḍala.

Sanggye Nyenpa Supplication²

From the tastes of gain, esteem, and fame, the eight worldly dharmas,

He fled like a wild animal frightened by enemies.

He is unable to be deceived by the triflings of this life.

I supplicate at the feet of Sanggye Nyenpa.

Karma and kleśas, the causes of saṃsāra,

He quickly dropped like a large poisonous snake.

He does not confuse the root of suffering with pleasure.

I supplicate at the feet of Sanggye Nyenpa.

All the happiness and wealth of the three realms of saṃsāra,

He renounced as the torment of a terminal illness.

He is unable to be beguiled by seeming happiness.

I supplicate at the feet of Sanggye Nyenpa.

The great suffering of birth, old age, sickness, and death,

He feared greatly like a wild animal caught in a trap.

He is not influenced by the fixation on appearance as permanent.

I supplicate at the feet of Sanggye Nyenpa.

Those masters accomplished in the holy dharma,

He properly attended like a thirsty man seeking water.

He is not seduced by mundane activities.

I supplicate at the feet of Sanggye Nyenpa.

The discursive thoughts of selfishness and laziness,

He saw as an assassin’s attack.

He is not influenced by what pretends to be dharma.

I supplicate at the feet of Sanggye Nyenpa.

Glorious guru, whatever you are:

Your retinue, long life, and buddha field,

And whatever fame of your supreme good name,

May I and others become just like this.

Thus, praise with these praises.

Easing the Mind of Worthy Disciples

This section expounds the explanation, liturgical procedures, and the general outline of The Ocean of Songs of the Kagyüs.

May there be auspicious goodness!

I pay homage to the embodiments of the intellect of all the victorious ones,

The protectors, the lords of speech,

The supreme Kagyüs who completely teach the wheel of dharma in oceans of worlds

By expressing the infinite varieties of song.

By the strong power of exertion in practice,

Completely supreme realization is obtained.

The lord of all masters of siddhas,

Shepa Dorje, I prostrate to you.

Whoever enters this lineage in this great land of snow enters into the celestial palace of unsurpassable enlightenment without being consumed by obstacles. Having extensively taught the many profound oral instructions of the vajrayāna, the incomparable glorious lineage holders spread the teachings of the essential truth, which are as vast as Lake Manasarovar. The fame of the lineage known as the Precious Kagyü of Lord Marpa is proclaimed in the three worlds by a resounding drum whose sound is all pervasive. All the fetters of artificiality are trampled like marsh reeds by a bull elephant. The Kagyüs point out the great highway by which the buddhas have become enlightened. Their disciples cast to the wind the dust of the eight worldly dharmas, became children of mountains, wore clothes of mist, and reduced their food, clothes, and conversation to bare necessity. In great isolated retreats, they were completely cut off from the bustle of body, meaningless speech, and discursive mind. They sat on a single seat like an oak stake driven in the ground. They kept in their hearts the amṛta of oral instructions taught by the guru, and so were free, not obstructed by the wall of saṃsāric existence so difficult to cross. Beyond dispute, they obtained that which is famed by the name “the unified state of Vajradhara.”

In the past, there have been siddhas as numerous as the sands of the river Ganges. There will be siddhas in the future, and even now they continue in this manner. The past siddha-cakravartins poured forth their experience of complete realization of the wisdom that binds together the union of E and VAM. The vajra songs are passed down from one siddha to another, expanding the uncorrupted oral lineage.

The reason why we sing these melodious songs is as follows. Generally, the lord of teaching, the Bhagavat, proclaimed all the vast and profound wheels of dharma with an ocean of varieties of song from his glorious throat, the conch of dharma speech. Of the twelve kinds of excellent speech, the very best is known and has proved to be the proclamation in song. It is said in the Gyünchak Sumpa of the Vinayapiṭaka, “All should chant together with a full voice.” In the Jinaputra-samantabhadra-caryā-praṇiḍhāna-rāja, which is numbered among the teachings of the Buddhāvataṃsaka, it is said:

To that measureless ocean of praiseworthy ones

With a sonorous ocean of diverse harmonies

I proclaim the good qualities of all the victorious ones

And I praise all the sugatas.

From the many piṭakas of the great and lesser vehicles, songs praising the three jewels and songs of the many doors of the holy dharma have been and should be recited in full and melodious chant. When you teach, give reading transmission, recite your daily practice, and particularly at the gaṇacakra, the feast of the ḍākas and ḍākinīs, there are limitless kinds of vajra songs from the vast tantra section of anuttarayoga, the pinnacle of the profound vajrayāna. For example, in the fourth chapter of the second section of the Hevajramūlatantra, it says:

These songs and dances

Of the vajra dharma, the buddhas,

Yoginīs, and mother deities

Should be practiced fully.

From the Herukasamājatantra, it says:

All the songs, dances, and acts

Are no other than the actions of the Victorious One.

Thus it has been said in innumerable places.

Moreover, in the noble country of India, vajra dohās were sung by the eight lords of yogins prophesied by the Victorious One, as well as the eighty-four yogins and yoginīs and other inconceivable ones who were gathered together at a gaṇacakra. Through their kindness, the excellent lotsāwas and paṇḍitas of former times translated as many as were known into Tibetan.

In particular, these vajra realization songs of the precious Kagyü, on merely being heard, restore awareness of faith and arouse certainty of trust. Experience is tempered, and the confidence of realization is aroused. In short, they are the essence of the ocean of orders of tantra, the ultimate knowledge of ten million learned and accomplished ones, the heart’s blood of a hundred thousand ḍākinīs, the torch illumining the path of liberation. The very moment fortunate and perceptive disciples hear them, they are completely liberated from all bonds, and only then can become enlightened.

There are five aspects as to the general outline of the songs: the need to sing the songs, when the songs are to be sung, how the songs are to be sung, the attitude when singing the songs, and the general and specific classification of songs.

First of all, the need to sing the songs is as follows. By singing these songs, one is victorious over obstacles of demons in the external world, obstacles of physical disturbance, and obstacles to the mind in samādhi. Through the watchfulness of all worldly and transcendent protectors, all virtues are thoroughly expanded. The temporary virtues are long life, freedom from sickness, accomplishing whatever one desires, obtaining the eight siddhis of the sword and so on, possessing power over phenomena, pervading the ten directions with one’s fame, and accomplishing whatever actions one desires. Ḍākas, ḍākinīs, dharmapālas, and protectors all gather around one like swans on a lotus lake. Even though one is free from desire and attachment, prosperity falls like rain. The virtues of the higher and higher paths arise effortlessly, and one realizes the meaning of dharmatā. Ultimately, one obtains the supreme siddhi of mahāmudrā in this very life.

Secondly, as to when to sing the songs, one should sing them on the holy days of the root and lineage gurus; on the four holy days of the Victorious One and so on; after practicing sādhanas of great maṇḍalas, making offerings, and receiving self-abhiṣeka; when performing abhiṣekas, consecrations, and gaṇacakras; during practice breaks or days off; and when practicing yogic discipline and so on.

Thirdly, as to how one sings the songs, one assumes a certain manner of body and speech. Concerning the body, one should wear the dignified meditation hat which is the sign of abhiṣeka of the precious Kagyü family, and the three robes of a monk. As one sings, the posture of the body should have the seven characteristics of Vairocana.

Concerning one’s speech, one learns how to chant properly from the learned preceptors in accordance with the uncorrupted oral tradition of guru-siddha-cakravartins of the ultimate blessing lineage. One should be free from the faults of confusion and error so that the minds of the faithful gathering of listeners are transformed into dharma, so that a great splendor of blessings will rain down, and so that experiences and realizations arise effortlessly. One should sing in a manner pleasant to the ear and delightful to the mind.

Fourthly, as for the attitude or action of the mind when singing the songs, first, one should uplift oneself a little by recalling the wisdom of abhiṣeka. Then, by just supplicating, all the goodness of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa arises. Completely aroused by indestructible faith in the Kagyü, the wish-fulfilling gem, and by maitrī, compassion, and bodhicitta, one gives the gift of dharma to sentient beings limitless as space, both visible and invisible. One should not be separate from the three maṇḍalas of the divine body, the mantra of speech, and the dharmatā of mind. Especially, one should sing without wavering from the samādhi of mahāmudrā, the unity of insight and emptiness.

Fifthly, the general and specific categories are as follows. The stories and biographies inspire trust and devotion. Cause and effect in their literal meaning reveal the path of liberation. The actual cause of the result of omniscience is relative bodhicitta. The mahāmudrā of bliss and emptiness transmits the coemergent melting into bliss. Mahāmudrā as it is points to coernergent insight. In short, all the excellent sayings of the Victorious One are like butter which arises from churning the ocean of milk. Therefore, one should take these old reliable utterances and writings of the forefathers as authoritative, and proclaim them without omission or duplication. Who can criticize this?

As for the sayings of the former lineage holders, the lord, great Vajradhara, sang songs of things as they are in primordial dharmatā. Cakrasaṃvara Tilopa sang the transmission of the coernergent wisdom of unity. Vajrasattva Nāropa sang oral instructions of the equal taste of the elements. Hevajra, great lotsāwa Marpa, sang the profound meaning of joining together the mixing and ejection of consciousness. Guhyasamāja great Mila sang oral instructions of the inseparability of prāṇa and mind. Vajra speech Gampopa sang the tradition of the supreme peace of samādhi. He who clears away perverted faith, Phagmo Trupa, Ṣaṣṭasiṃha, supremely victorious Tüsum Khyenpa, and the other Kagyü forefathers sang many kinds of songs of experience. There are songs of the way of dharma of emptiness and auspicious coincidence, the equal taste of devotion and realization, the unity of emptiness and compassion, the inseparability of cause and effect, impermanence, revulsion and renunciation, the inseparability of the guru and one’s mind, removing obstacles, the further heightening of meditation, and so on. These are just a few of the most important subjects.

The great Jetsün Mila sang sixteen thousand grand songs, of which ten thousand were taken to Akaniṣṭha heaven by the ḍākinīs. It is said that six thousand songs remained for the benefit of future lineage disciples. Who can fathom the entire meaning of their words?

In each and every tradition of the ultimate lineage, the incomparable Takpo Kagyü, there is an abundance of grand songs. Here are songs of the precious Practice Lineage, the uncorrupted previous tradition of the Karma Kaṃtsang, headed by the songs of the eighth lord, Mikyö Dorje Gawe Yangcen, which have been extensively revised and arranged together with a selection of songs by other Kagyü forefathers.

The sections of this Ocean of Songs of the Kagyüs are as follows. First, the songs are preceded by supplications, offerings, and praises. Secondly, the main body, which is the songs, is accompanied by stories describing the occasion for the song. The clarification of the songs is accomplished by reading the verses attentively. In accordance with the time and situation, the songs may be put together in various ways. Finally, the liturgy is drawn to an end with a gaṇacakra and with verses of auspiciousness and aspiration. All this has been said according to the tradition, and we intend to continue in this same manner.

Thus, one may do it this way or if one wants to do the abridged version:

OṂ SVASTI

They who clarify the precious teachings of the essential truth of the supreme Victorious One are renowned in the three worlds as the unrivaled precious Kagyü. By means of profound mahāmudrā, the root of all dharmas, they attain the rainbow body. These leaders of men who completely realized buddha in the dharmakāya of their minds sang an infinite variety of vajra songs, which bring liberation and realization to all fortunate students who hear them. Here, the supplications of devotion, the arousing of confidence in their life examples, and the casting off of attachment to saṃsāra are spoken briefly for the sake of increasing the good qualities of experience and realization.

Thus, commence chanting. Speak the preface before each song and then chant the song. Finally, having practiced properly each part of the gaṇacakra, read expansively the verses of auspiciousness, and finish with the mahāyāna aspiration.

The explanations and liturgical procedures for these vajra songs, which are sung by the Kagyüs possessing the three powers of much learning, faith, and exertion and that heighten experience and realization, have now been expounded thoroughly. By the virtue of writing this, may the teachings of the Practice Lineage ripen and free all beings in the world.

[Mikyö Dorje wrote:]

Chant melodiously starting with the songs of the Kagyü Vajradhara up through my own songs. Furthermore, adding no extra words as you melodiously chant, meditate properly in your mind on their meaning. Mix whatever you can of the meaning with your mind.

Particularly, on the four holy days, before an image of Sanggye Nyenpa, take the mahāyāna vow and purification and then sing the songs. Furthermore, on the twenty-ninth day of the month, the great holy day of Sanggye Nyenpa, organize a chanting session. Also, when endangered by epidemics, obstacles, and other adversities, and for the benefit of the dead and such, one should organize properly a chanting session.

Supplication to the Kagyü Gurus

NAMO GURAVE

You who bind the secret joy,

Śrī Heruka, I supplicate you.

In the charnel ground of the play of joy and light,

Wisdom ḍākinī consort, I supplicate you.

In the secret bhaga of the land of Uḍḍiyāṇa,

Glorious Buddha Tilopa, I supplicate you.

In the sphere of activity of the wisdom ḍākinī consort,

The mahāpaṇḍita, great siddha Nāropa, I supplicate you.

Surrounded by the assembly of Nairātmyā Devī,

Lord Lhotrakpa, father and son, I supplicate you.

Sporting with the queen in the celestial realm,

Lord repas, greater and lesser, I supplicate you.

Holder of the ultimate lineage, the sacred teaching of mahāmudrā,

Lord physician, uncle and nephews, I supplicate you.

Revealing the miracles of luminosity,

Lord Tüsum Khyenpa, I supplicate you.

Possessing the buddha activity which subjugates those difficult to tame,

Lord Sanggye Rechen, I supplicate you.

Possessing the mastery which overpowers the phenomenal world,

Lord great Pomtrakpa, I supplicate you.

In the east at Kaṃpo Kangra, holder of the Practice Lineage,

Lord Karmapa, I supplicate you.

You, the lord of mudrā messengers,

Lord Mahāsiddha, I supplicate you.

Expanding the stream of blissful wisdom,

Lord Rangjung Dorje, I supplicate you.

In the clear palace of the luminous vajra,

Victorious Yungtön Shikpo, I supplicate you.

Samaya holder of the unified maṇḍala of the devas,

Lord Rölpe Dorje, I supplicate you.

The poet who sings songs of great blazing passion,

Lord Khachö Wangpo, I supplicate you.

You who wear the crown of glorious, invincible yoga,

Lord Teshin Shekpa, I supplicate you.

Enjoying the great taste of mind, bliss, and prāṇa,

Lord Chöpal Yeshe, I supplicate you.

Spreading the bindu of the great wrathful one,

Lord Ratnabhadra, I supplicate you.

You whose roar of bliss pervades the sky,

Lord Thongwa Tönden, I supplicate you.

Greatly intoxicated by the joy of Mañjuśrī,

Lord Pengar Künkhyen, I supplicate you.

You who promote profound brilliant realization,

Great Lord Goshri, I supplicate you.

You who achieved the siddhi of taste with the gaze of simplicity,

Lord Chötrak Gyatso, I supplicate you.

You whose mind has perfected the aspects of supreme union,

Lord Sanggye Nyenpa, I supplicate you.

You who fully reveal yourself to your son-disciples,

Lord Mikyö Dorje, I supplicate you.

Bestowing bliss on sentient beings pervading space,

Glorious Könchok Yenlak, I supplicate you.

You, the nirmāṇakāya endowed with a compassionate heart,

Lord Wangchuk Dorje, I supplicate you.

From the palace of prāṇa purified in the avadhūti,

Lord Chökyi Wangchuk, I supplicate you.

On the uṣṇīṣa of the brahmarandhra,

Lord Chöying Dorje, I supplicate you.

In the profound, brilliant, divine palace,

Lord Trakpa Chokyang, I supplicate you.

In the palace of space and wisdom,

Glorious Yeshe Nyingpo, I supplicate you.

In the divine dome of Potala,

Lord Yeshe Dorje, I supplicate you.

Marvelous with profound and brilliant knowledge,

Lord Chökyi Töntrup, I supplicate you.

Supreme, fearless, accomplishing the benefit of all,

Lord Changchup Dorje, I supplicate you.

Spreading the sunlight of the teachings of the two knowledges,

Lord Chökyi Jungne, I supplicate you.

Perpetually enjoying the gaṇacakra of great bliss,

Lord Düdül Dorje, I supplicate you.

You who know the illusory character of the whole phenomenal world,

Lord Chötrup Gyatso, I supplicate you.

From the palace of the dharmakāya of unchanging truth,

Lord Padma Nyinche, I supplicate you.

You who establish whoever encounters you in nonreturning,

Lord Thekchok Dorje, I supplicate you.

Illusory musician of supreme bliss and emptiness,

Lord Lodrö Thaye, I supplicate you.

Whoever hears your name is led to the path of liberation,

Lord Khakhyap Dorje, I supplicate you.

Glorious conqueror of the hordes of the four māras,

Lord Padma Wangchok, I supplicate you.

You who liberate those poisoned with the ignorance of dualistic fixation,

Lord Jamgön Guru, I supplicate you.

May I be liberated from the sophistries of the two truths of dharma.

In the nakedness of true ordinary mind,

Which is the penetrating path of abandoning hope and fear,

May I realize buddha in the palm of my hand.