A Supplication Prayer requesting His Eminence Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche to kindly live long
-Composed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
(The Tibetan text with an English translation and Tibetan phonetic recital in English)
Supplication Prayer Requesting His Eminence Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche to Kindly Live Long
Translated from Tibetan
By compassion beyond fathom, due the far-reaching [bodhisattva] practices
You’ve traversed to the level fulfilling the twin welfare of self and others;
O Guide [Buddha], the Sun to the wandering beings, may You guard now and here
[Rinpoche’s longevity], by oceans of virtues and excellences! (1)
Amitāyus, Cittāmaṇi-Sitatārā,
Uṣṇīṣavijaya, bestower of longevity:
May You the multitude of deities retaining knowledge-siddhi
Of eternity, grant now and here auspicious indestructible longevity! (2)
By noble intellect, You’ve perfected in the two systems;
By practising Dharmically, You’ve become a splendid Dharma Holder;
At the feet of Your Teachers You’ve stayed in the conduct of Sadhāprarudita:
May You, Victory Banner of Teachings, kindly live long! (3)
At the time when Snowy Land’s spirituality and polity have severely declined,
Your prayers of the past have ripened in time,
And You’re the chief minister making flourish higher [the two,
and reversing the decline]:
O Incomparable Teacher, kindly live long! (4)
By the blessings of the marvellous Victorious Ones and scions
(Buddhas and bodhisattvas),
By the truth of the infallible dependent-link-arising,
By the power of the truth of [our] purity of dedicated exalted thoughts,
May all purports of [our] prayer here be fulfilled soon! (5)
Tibetan phonetic recital in English
pāg ye nying jae lāb chen choe pa yi
rāng zhan don nyi drūb pai sar shek pa
dren pa dro wai nyi ma gāng de yi
gae lek gya tsoe deng dhir sūng shik gu (1)
tse wod pāg mae yi zhin khor loi gon
nām par gyal ma tse yi chog tsol ma
chi mae rig pa zin pai lha tsok kyi
deng dhir mi shik tse yi shi pa tsol (2)
lo droe sāng poe lūk nyi pha thar soen
choe zhin chod pae ten zin pel du gyur
shae nyen zhāb sar tāk ngui tul zhūk chen
choe gyi gyal tsen zhāb pae tan par shok (3)
gāng jong ten si che cher gue pai dhue
ngon gyi mon lām dhu su min pa yi
gong du pel la dhūn na dhon pai tso
tsūng mae pal dan la mai zhāb tan shok (4)
mae jūng sae chae gyal wai jin lāb dāng
ten drel lu wa mae pai dan pa dāng
lhāk sām nām par dhāk pai dan tob kyi
nām dhāk mon pai dhon kun nyūr drūb shok (5)
Colophon
At the request of a group of Indians related [to His Eminence Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche], beseeching for such a prayer supplicating—[to kindly live long]—Samdhong Rinpoche Losang Tenzin Choekyi Gyaltsen, the former Kalon Tripa, one who is of supremely virtuous intellect on both systems (spiritual and temporal). And also I myself have known Rinpoche at the time when we first arrived in India, and since that time [Rinpoche] has been following directly whatever I have been advising as regards for the welfare of Tibet’s spirituality and polity, and have borne many hardships for the welfare of Tibet’s spirituality and polity, by sacrificing all three—body, speech and mind—in [carrying out] whatever I ask; and still, although of advanced age, [Rinpoche] nonetheless is close by me and continues to take responsibilities in all [matters]. Thus motivated by the intention to write such a prayer for Rinpoche to live long, this is composed by Shakya Śrāmaṇa (Bhikṣu) Dharma Discoursing, [His Holiness the] Dalai Lama, on Seventeenth Rabjung Cycle’s Earth-Swine year, 5th month, 23rd day; July 25, 2019.
In mid-October 2019, upon seeing a copy of the Supplication Prayer, in Tibetan original, I felt it would be helpful for those not well-versed in Tibetan if an English translation is made available. Also, His Eminence Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche’s disciples from Canada—through Mr Ngawang Rabgyal, the former Director of LHA—and Dharamshala asked me about an English translation. As such, this is translated, with profound reverence, by Dhawa Dhondup (Acharya), on October 23, 2019, at Gyuto Tantric Monastery, Dharamshala. For those not able to read Tibetan, the Tibetan phonetic recital in English is included as well.
The English here is in free verse, as the focus is on retaining the content of the original Tibetan.
The first two verses call upon Buddha to guard His Eminence’s longevity, and the longevity Deities to bestow His Eminence Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche longevity.
The third verse supplicates His Eminence to kindly live long, where the verse integrates into it His Eminence’s name: Losang, Noble Intellect; Tenzin, Dharma Holder; Choekyi Gyaltsen, Victory Banner of Teachings. The background understanding of the verse is that, realised sublime Teachers have control over their longevity, thus supplication is addressed directly.
Bodhisattva Sadhāprarudita is an example of a model disciple in the perfection of devotion to one’s spiritual Teacher, unwavering purity in Teacher Devotion.
The fourth verse is continuation of the supplication, by mention of the critical declined state of Tibet’s spirituality and polity, and how His Eminence continues to contribute immensely towards reversing the decline and making flourish forth the two, by being the main Minister implementing His Holiness’ advice.
The last verse is ‘expression of the power of truth’ in making an honest supplication, thereby the dependent-link-arising of the supplication prayer getting fulfilled soon. Sarvamaṅgalaṁ!
