Prayer to Longchenpa on his anniversary

PHA JETSÜN LAMA RINPOCHE

Beloved master, precious one, father of mine,

KHYÉ SANGYÉ KUN DANG YERME PÉ

You are forever one with all the Buddhas,

DENG MÖPÉ BU LA TUK TSEWÉ

Now show your kindness and love to your devoted child.

TRAL GYALSÉ CHOK GI TSUL ZUNG NÉ

You who took birth intentionally

LAR SAM SHYING KYEWA SHYÉ DZEPÉ

In the form of a supreme bodhisattva -

JÉ GYALWÉ WANGPO LONGCHENPA

To the lord of all victorious Buddhas, Longchenpa:

PHA KHYÉ KYI JINLAP MI MEN YANG

Father of mine, your blessings are not without power.

GYÜ NYÖNMONG DRAKPÖ YONG ZUNG NÉ

Yet my mind is in the grip of tempestuous disturbing emotions,

LÉ NAKPÖI CHÖPA DARWÉ TSÉ

And as our negative actions and karma grow even stronger,

DÜ NYIKMA NGA DÖI 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 THUKJÉ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA

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

LÉ NGAR CHÉ NAM LA DÖN MA CHI

Whatever I've done in the past has been devoid of any meaning,

CHÖ NGAR CHÉ NAM LA CHÖ GYÉ DRÉ

The Dharma I have practised until now has been riddled with the eight worldly preoccupations,

LAM NALMA DRUBPA CHIK MA DREN

Never did it occur to me, even once, to follow the genuine path.

DA KHYERANG MINPA RÉ SA MÉ

Now there is no one I can rely on, save you.

PHA THUKJÉ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA

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

LAR SHINJÉI KYÉBÜI GYAP NÉ DÉ

While the Lord of Death hounds me from behind,

DÜ LO DA SHYAK GI DÜN NÉ SÜ

Days, months, years - time draws me onwards from in front,

TRAL NAMYENG CHAWÉ BAR NA DRI

And in between, seduced and enthralled by distraction,

DÉ MA TSOR LÜ SHIK JUNG NYEN DA

The danger is that, without ever even realising it, I'll be completely deceived.

PHA THUKJÉ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA

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

SHYÖN WANGPO SAL TSÉ CHIPÉ SEM

In the prime of youth, the mind is immature.

LÜ DAR LA BAP TSÉ DRELWÉ YENG

When we come of age, we're distracted by business.

DA GÉ SHING KHOKPAR GYURPÉ TSÉ

Once old age and infirmity set in,

CHÖ SHA MA DREN KYANG CHI NÉ SONG

We may think about the real Dharma, but then it's far too late.

PHA THUKJÉ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA

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

LAR DÖPAR DÖ KYANG DÖ WANG MÉ

I wish I could stay on here, but it's out of my control,

NOR KHYEWAR DÖ KYANG KHYER MI TUP

I wish I could bring my possessions, but cannot take a thing,

DROK DROKPA DÖ KYANG RANG CHIKPU

I wish for the comfort of companions, but I have to go alone;

SANG JIKTEN PAROL DROLWAR NGÉ

Sooner or later, I will go to the next world, that's for sure.

PHA THUKJÉ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA

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

TSÉ DI YI BAKCHAK PENPÉ TÜ

Propelled by the habitual patterns of this life,

LAM BARDÖI TRANG LA CHI DRA ANG

What will it be like, my journey through the bardo realm?

PÉ DANGSUM NYALWÉ 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 THUKJÉ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA

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

CHIR KHORWÉ CHÖ LA NYINGPO MÉ

All things in samsara and nirvana are devoid of any substance,

GÖ MITAK LÜ LA NYINGPO MÉ

This body will not last, and has no reality of its own.

DI NAMKHAR SHARWÉ JATSÖN DRA

Like a rainbow that arches across the sky,

DÉ DENPAR ZUNG YANG YAL NÉ DRO

It is taken as real, but fades into thin air.

PHA THUKJÉ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA

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

YAR SANGYÉ NAM LA DÉPA MÉ

Towards the Buddhas, I have not the slightest devotion,

MAR SEMCHEN NAM LA NYINGJÉ CHUNG

For sentient beings, only the meagrest compassion,

GÖ NGUR MIK GYÖN KYANG ZUKNYEN TSAM

The red robes I wear are only a show,

TRA PUDRI SHAR YANG DÖN GO CHUNG

And my shaven head means next to nothing.

PHA THUKJÉ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA

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

CHÖ TÖPA MANG YANG NÉ MA TROL

So many teachings I've heard, but I've not yet got the crucial point,

KHA SHEPA TSO YANG GYÜ MA DRUL

However artful at talking, my basic being is still untamed,

NÉ RITRÖ DRIM KYANG KHYIM LA SÉ

I put myself into retreat, but I'm craving for home and family,

MIK TA TANG CHÉ KYANG NYAM NYONG MÉ

I've got my eyes in the right gaze, but lack any real experience.

PHA THUKJÉ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA

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

MI SHYEN GYI KYÖN TSANG CHUNGU RIK

By marking even the smallest failing in others,

RANG KHONG NÉ RULWA YÉ MA TSOR

But failing ever to notice how rotten I am inside,

MI SHYEN GYI GOWO KOR KOP NÉ

By constantly fooling and misleading other people,

DUK RANG GI NYÖPA MA LAK SAM

Aren't I just purchasing my own misery?

PHA THUKJÉ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA

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

KHONG GYALWÉ SUNGRAP MALÜ KUN

How can ignoring that the teachings of all the Buddhas

SEM GYÜ LA É PEN MI SEMPAR

Are there to benefit my mind,

KHÉ DRAKPA DRUP CHIR TÖ SAM CHÉ

And studying instead for the sake of profit or renown,

DÉ TARPÉ LAM DU IDRO ANG

Ever lead me along the path to liberation?

PHA THUKJÉ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA

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

NGA CHÖPÉ TSUL GYI JIKTEN DRUP

Passing for a practitioner, my practice is only worldly achievement,

MAR KYEWO KUN GYI CHÖPA LEN

Taking offerings from all and sundry,

TSÉ YANG YENG CHAWÉ NGANG DU TANG

Careless and easy-going, I watch my life go by.

WUK TROKGER DRO DÜ CHI DRA ANG

Yet, when I breath out for the very last time, what will happen then?

PHA THUKJÉ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA

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

DAK DÉ LÉ KYOWA TING NÉ KYÉ

Because of all this, I feel my heart breaking in sorrow,

YAR SANGYÉ NAM LA SOLWA DEP

And I pray now to all the Buddhas,

CHIR NYIKMÉ DÜ KYI SEMCHEN DANG

For the beings of this degenerate age,

GÖ CHÖ ZUK TSULCHEN DAK SOK LA

And especially for those like me, who just bear the likeness of practitioners:

PHA THUKJÉ ZIK SHIK LONGCHENPA

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

PU NGA LA RÉ SA SHYEN NA MÉ

This child has no one to rely on but you,

CHADRAL GYI KYI DUK KHYÖRANG SHÉ

Idling my time away - happy, suffering, whatever happens, I am in your hands.

YING ZAKMÉ DECHEN PODRANG NÉ

Lord, in the palace of the space of immaculate great bliss,

GÖN KHYÖ DANG YERMÉ 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 chant, the blessing of the lama will come to you, forceful and intense. A true pandita, Vimalamitra in person, Khenpo Ngakchung Rinpoche, adapted this for his own regular practice.