THE KARMA KAGYU LI

(The Dorje Chang Tungma)

EAGE

PRAYER

This text can be an aspirational prayer or it can be an explanation of the stages of meditation. Visualize: Yourself as an ordinatry person or as your yidam (if you have one). Then visualize above your head a lotus, sun, and moon disk. Above this sits your guru in the form of Dusum Khynpa (see Figure 1) who is old, wearing a dakini hat and wearing three robes. In front is the lineage tree surrounding Vajra Dharma (Dorje Chang) who represents the Buddha (see Thangka). Above Vajradhara is Dusum Khyenpa, Gampopa, Milarepa, Marpa, Naropa, and Tilopa. (see Figures 2 and 3) From these persons rays of light spead to all the Buddhafields and come back in an unending stream. CREATIO STAGE

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DORJE CHA G CHE TELO ARO DA G Great Vajradhara, Tilopa, Naropa,

MARPA MILA CH JE GAMPOPA Marpa, Milarepa, Lord of Dharma Gampopa, DSUM SHE JA KU KHYE KARMAPA knower of the Three Times, omniscient Karmapa,

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CHE ZHI CHU G GYE GYU PA DZI AM DA G holders of the four great and eight lesser lineages

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The Karmapa is head of Karma Kagyu lineage known as the Kamtzang Kagyu. See Figure 4 for the four greater and eight lesser lineages The four greater lineages all have the same lineage holders up to Gampopa. The eight lesser lineages are not less but rather further way being all founded by Phagmo Drupa. Mahamudra is the primary practice of the Kagyu and similar to Dzogchen of the Nyingma lineage.

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DRI TAK TSAL SUM PALDE DRUKPA SK Drikung, Taklung, Tsalpa, these three, glorious Drukpa and so on,

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amo Buddha Publications 2013

ZAB LAM CHAG GYA CHE LA GA YE PAY masters of the profound path of Mahamudra,

The Karma Kagyu Lineage Prayer with comments

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YAM ME DRO GO DAGPO KAGYU LA unequalled protectors of beings, the Dagpo Kagyu, SOL WA DEB SO KAGYU LAMA AM Kagyu lamas, I supplicate you

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GYU PA DZI O AM THAR JI GYI LB Grant your blessing that I follow your example and hold your lineage.

An abridgement of the lineage is on Figure 5. THE FOUR COMMO PRELIMI ARIES

The lineage of transmission for us is Tilopa, etc. down to the First Karmapa and then down to the 16th Karmapa, Rigpe Dorje. From Rigpe Dorje to Thrangu Rinpoche and from Thrangu Rinpoche to us.

Dagpo Kagyu are all the Kagyu lineages founded by Gampopa.

ZHE LOG GOM GYI KA G PAR SU G PA ZHI Detachment is the foot of meditation, as is taught.

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ZE OR KU LA CHAG ZHE ME PA DA G

To this meditator who is not attached to food and wealth,

First give up the 8 worldly dharmas: Give up the attachment to: (1) loss and gain (2) material possessions (3) pleasure and pain (4) being happy or unhappy (5) being praised or blamed (6) having fame or noteriety (7) valuing our good or bad reputation (8) having gains and losses, The foundation of Mahamudra is devotion. Devotion leads to a desire to practice. Another word for head is main meditation Page 2
ARIES

We must practice the four thoughts that turn the mind. 1. Precious human birth 2. Impermanence 3. Karma, cause and effect 4. The faults of samsara

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TSE DIR D THAG CH PAY GOM CHE LA who cuts the ties to this life,

YE KUR ZHE PA ME PAR JI GYI LB Grant your blessing that I have no attachment to honor or gain.

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M G GOM GYI GO WOR SU G PA ZHI Devotion is the head of meditation, as is taught.

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amo Buddha Publications 2013

FOUR SPECIAL PRELIMI

The Karma Kagyu Lineage Prayer with comments

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ME GAG TER GO JE PAY LAMA LA The lama opens the gate to the treasury of oral instructions.

Since the lama (Skt. guru) is the only person who can give us the profound oral instructions to achieve enlightenment, we supplicate him or her with our devotion. This prayer was composed by Chokyi Pengar Jampal who was a disciple of the 6th Karmapa. He composed this spititual song (Skt. doha) after spending 17 years in a reatret on an island completely by himself except for an attendant. A thorough commentary of this prayer is given in Thrangu Rinpoches Path of Liberation available from Namo Buddha Publications. SHAMATHA

GY TU SOL WA DEB PAY GOM CHE LA To the meditator who always supplicates you, CH MI M G KYE WAR JI GYI LB Grant your blessings that genuine devotion is born within.

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YE G ME GOM GYI G ZHIR SU G PA ZHI Non-distraction is the body of meditation, as is taught.

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GA G SHAR TOK PAY GO WO SO MA DE Whatever arises is fresh, the nature of realization.

It is impossible to get benefit from meditation or pratice if our mind is moving or distracted. Particularly we should not engage in thoughts of the past or future, but rest in complete awareness in the present state of the mind. We often keep the presence of mind by following the breath or focusing on an object. Later we give up these objects. This state of staying in pure awareness of the mind in the present is simply resting in natrualness (or minds original nature). VIPASHA
AYA

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MA CH DE KAR JOK PAY GOM CHE LA To the meditator who rests simply in naturalness,

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amo Buddha Publications 2013

grant your blessings that meditation is free from conceptualization.

GOM JA LO DA G DRAL WAR JI GYI LB

AM TOK GO WO CH KR SU G PA ZHI The nature of thought is dharmakaya, as is taught.

Just recognizing thoughts doesnt lead to realization. Recognizing the nature of thoughts does. Page 3

The Karma Kagyu Lineage Prayer with comments

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CHI YA G MA YI CHIR YA G CHAR WA LA Nothing whatsoever, it arises as everything.

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MA GAG ROL PAR CHAR WAY GOM CHE LA To the meditator for whom all arises in unceasing play,

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KHOR DE YER ME TOK PAR JI GYI LB grant your blessings that I realize samsara and nirvana undivided.

KYE WA KU TU YA G DAG LAMA DA G Through all my births, may I not be separated from the perfect lama,

The essential quality of mind is that it is nothing whatsoever (empty), but it is also luminous meaning everything that appears to us comes from the mind. The four elements of Vipashyana are: (1) all appearances are manifestions of mind and have no independent reality outside of mind. (2) the mind is fundamentally empty. (3) this emptiness is not a voidness, but allows all appearances of samsara and nirvana to manifest. (4) This manifestation is not a samsaric trap, but is naturally liberated. Aspiration Prayer

DRAL ME CHO KYI PAL LA LO G CH CHI G and always enjoy the splendor of Dharma.

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SA DA G LAM GYI Y TE RAB DZOG E Perfecting the qualities of the paths and stages,

This traditional prayer (I believe by Taranatha) was added to Pegar Zangpos spiritual song. We aspire to never be separated from our guru or the Dharma so we can go through the five paths of (1) Accumulation (of merit) (2) Integration (3) Seeing (the first bodhisattva level) (4) Meditation (5) No more learning (realization) and ten bodhisattva stages. The state of Vajradhara is complete enlightement. See Figure 6 for details on Vajradhara.

DORJE CHA G GI GO PHA G YUR THOB SHOG may I swiftly attain the state of Vajradhara.

Translated by the alanda Translation Committee with revisions by Michele Martin, 2002.

Visualize: All the gurus of the lineage tree dissolving into light and are absorbed into Dusum Khyenpa (over our head). Then Dusum Khyenpa dissolves into light and is absorbed into us.

amo Buddha Publications 2013

The Karma Kagyu Lineage Prayer with comments

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Dusum Khyenpa was the first Karmapa and began the Karma Kagyu lineage. He lived from 1110 to 1193 and the lineages 900th year was celebrated just recently (in 2012).

Dusum Khyenpa

Figure 1

Figure 4: The Four Greater and and Eight Lesser linages.

These are actually misnamed because the greater lineages simply means those closest to Gampopa and lesser means those lineages one teacher removed from Gampopa.
amo Buddha Publications 2013 The Karma Kagyu Lineage Prayer with comments Page 5

Location of persons and deities on the Karma Kagyu Lineage Tree

Figure 2

These locations correspond to the color Thangka. The name of the individual is found on the following page (Figure 3).

amo Buddha Publications 2013

The Karma Kagyu Lineage Prayer with comments

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Figure 3 List of the Persons and deities in the Lineage Tree

amo Buddha Publications 2013

The Karma Kagyu Lineage Prayer with comments

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An Abbreviated Form of the Lineage Tree

Figure 5

Visualizing every detail of the lineage tree is difficult. So one can begin by visualizing the major figures which are listed above and appear mostly in the central top part of the tree. Thrangu Rinpoche says that one begins with only a vague feeling of the lineage that is very unclear. Then gradually one can concentrate on these main figures and begin to see them with Vajradhara who is in the center of the tree. The persons with the black dakini hats are the 16 Karmapas. The persons with the red hats are usually lineage holders while the Karmapas are growing up.
amo Buddha Publications 2013 The Karma Kagyu Lineage Prayer with comments Page 8

We are presently under the guidance of the teachings of fourth Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha, who took birth in India and lived 81 years, during which time he turned the wheel of the Dharma three times. From Shakyamuni Buddha, a nirmanakaya aspect of enlightenment, an unbroken transmission was passed down to such great masters as Nagarjuna and Asanga, and they in turn brought the teachings to Tibet, where the four great schools of Tibetan Buddhism developed. All these teachings originated from the nirmanakaya aspect of enlightenment. The origin of the nirmanakaya is the sambhogakaya aspect of enlightenment, and the origin of the sambhogakaya is the dharmakaya. An example of the nirmanakaya, sambhogakaya, and dharmakaya aspects is that of the clarity and light in this room originating from the clarity and light outside the house, and the clarity and light outside the house originating from the sun. Therefore, the origin of the teachings and the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism is the dharmakaya aspect or that of Vajradhara or Samantabhadra, the realization of the ultimate state of enlightenment. We are dependent upon the light outside the house to brighten this room. The clarity and light outside originates with the sun. To realize the state of Vajradhara or Samantabhadra is to become like the sun itself and no longer dependent upon the light outside for illumination. It is for this reason that in all the schools of the Kagyupas, Gelugpas, and Sakyapas, the transmission of lineage goes back to Vajradhara. Why it goes back to Vajradhara and not to Shakyamuni Buddha is that it refers directly back to the essence of enlightenment, the origin of the light, which is the sun itself and not just the light of the sun. It is the same in the Nyingmapa tradition, where the teachings do not originate with Padmasambhava or Shakyamuni Buddha, but with Samantabhadra. Since the ultimate source is the dharmakaya, all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism originated with Vajradhara or Samantabhadra. The activity of Vajradhara is to benefit all beings without discrimination or judgment. There is sometimes confusion in the minds of new students as to whether either Vajradhara or Samantabhadra is superior to the other. So there is actually no difference at all between Vajradhara and Samantabhadra. In one sense there is no difference between the two, but we can note that there are two names. The Sanskrit word Samantabhadra in Tibetan is kuntuzangpo, kuntu meaning ultimately and zangpo meaning goodness. What is known as Kuntuzangpo is primordially free from any fault, stain, or mental confusion, and therefore is not only presently pure, but also can never be defiled in the future. The Sanskrit word Vajradhara in Tibetan is Dorje Chang, with dorje meaning indestructibility and chang meaning permanently possessed. The quality that enlightened beings have realized is within all sentient beings. What is known as Dorje Chang is the full realization and stabilization of the enlightened quality within all beings. It can be further noted that when Samantabhadra and Vajradhara are depicted in thangka paintings, one is shown without ornaments and garments, and the other is shown with ornaments and garments. Samantabhadra is depicted naked, without ornaments and garments, to symbolize that his state of realization is unconditionally free from mental projection and primordially pure, as is the dharmakaya. Vajradhara is depicted with heavenly ornaments and garments to symbolize his capacity to ceaselessly benefit and fulfill the needs of all living beings through the means of sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya emanations. amo Buddha Publications 2013 The Karma Kagyu Lineage Prayer with comments Page 9

The Meaning of Vajradhara and the Lineage by Khenpo Kathar Rinpoche

Figure 6

In the Uttaratantra Shastra, Maitreya explains that the actual enlightened being is Samantabhadra or Vajradhara, and the emanation aspect of enlightenment is Shakyamuni Buddha, who appeared on the earth. Shakyamuni Buddha himself explained that he had not spoken any words nor had he ever given teachings, and that it was only through the karmic manifestation and karmic capacity of sentient beings that they had heard him teach. Why Shakyamuni Buddha said that he never taught any teachings is that in the dharmakaya or ultimate aspect of enlightenment, he never gave teachings. Shakyamuni Buddha was an emanation and not an ultimate aspect of enlightenment. It was through the emanation or nirmanakaya aspect of enlightenment that people heard different teachings according to their karmic capacity. The sun and Vajradhara never actually appear on the earth, it is rather the light of the sun and the emanation of Vajradhara that sentient beings experience through their capacity and purity of mind. For example, enlightened beings are beyond mental conception. Like the sun, they have no wish to shine only on this part of the world or to benefit only here or there, they just simply shine. The luminosity of the sun is perceived in its different aspects by many beings according to their capacity. The beings who have physical form experience the warmth of the sun and are benefited, although the sun did not purposely give that warmth to benefit them. The sentient beings who have bodies experience warmth simply because they have physical form. The light of the sun enables beings to see things clearly because they have eyes. Just as the light of the sun enables those with eyes to see clearly, it is the capacity and purity of mind that enable beings to experience the nirmanakaya aspect of enlightenment. Vajradhara does not actually appear on the earth. For that reason, although Shakyamuni Buddha passed into nirvana about 2530 years ago, we are still able to experience his blessing through our devotion, confidence, and practice because the ultimate realization of Buddhahood, the dharmakaya or Vajradhara aspect of enlightenment, never dies. As long as the sun is above in the sky, a temporary cloud may obscure its light, but that does not mean the sun has lost its light; the sun is always shining. Likewise, although there is a very long lapse of time between the passing away of Shakyamuni Buddha and our present age, if we practice diligently with faith and confidence, we are still capable of experiencing the blessing of the Buddha because Vajradhara is still there. The Vajradhara aspect is ceaselessly present. The activity of Vajradhara is to benefit all beings without discrimination or judgment, just as it is inherent in the nature of the trees that grow on the earth to burn when set on fire. The nature of any wood, regardless of where it is grown, is to burn; the nature of the activity of Vajradhara is to benefit sentient beings, regardless of what type of living being they may be. It is not only in the Buddha-nature of the Vajradhara aspect of ultimate enlightenment to benefit sentient beings; Buddha-nature is also inherent in all living beings like ourselves as well. We can all agree that the nature of wood is that it burns; but it must meet with the cause of burning as it cannot burn itself. Although the Buddha-nature or Vajradhara aspect of enlightenment is within all living beings like ourselves, without meeting the cause to ripen this quality, we are unable to realize it. That is why all the teachers in all the schools emphasize the importance of the lineage gurus who have obtained the unbroken transmission. By practicing according to their teachings, we are meeting the cause to ripen our buddha nature. Meeting the cause of ripening our mind is necessary to experience the enlightenment of our mind. In the teachings it is said that one butter lamp lights another. It is like having a hundred candles. When one candle is burning, the next candle can also be lit when it meets the flame of the first candle, and then the third candle can be lit when it meets the flame of the second, and the same with the fourth, and so forth. If you leave a candle on a shrine, it cannot light up without meeting a flame; it needs to meet with such a cause. Without knowing the meaning of the actual Vajradhara, many students new to the Dharma ask questions such as who the father or mother of Vajradhara are, and when Vajradhara took birth. There are amo Buddha Publications 2013 The Karma Kagyu Lineage Prayer with comments Page 10

The words in Tibetan cannot be transliterated exactly. To get their precise pronunciation, go to www. amoBuddhaPub.com and click on free. There you can click on the MP3 across from the Dorje Chang Prayer and hear it sung by Thrangu Rinpoche and his monks.

This teaching was given by Ven. Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche at KTD, Woodstock, March 25-30, 1986. It was translated by Chojor Radha, and edited by Tina Armond.

other students who think that Vajradhara is a superior human being living high above in the sky. These ideas stem from a lack of understanding of the enlightenment aspect. Because of this lack of understanding, Vajradhara is believed to exist actually in physical form, abiding above us in some heavenly place, although he is beyond words and conception. Although the state of Vajradhara is beyond words and conception, it is something within ourselves which through our diligence and practice we are able to experience. Vajradhara is not anything separate or different from ourselves. When we state that there is no physical form to Vajradhara, the argument can still be made that we can see a dark blue human being who wears ornaments and silks and holds a bell and vajra in tangka paintings. These are all really symbolic gestures to enable students to understand the enlightened aspect. The dark blue color, bell, and vajra symbolize the indestructibility of Vajradhara. The dark blue also connotes his ceaseless activity to benefit beings, and his ornaments symbolize the preciousness of benefiting all living beings. Those who are familiar with the Mahamudra supplication prayer know we begin it by reciting, Great Dorje Chang (Tibetan for Vajradhara), Telo, Naro. . . It is very important to have an understanding of Vajradhara be cause everything that comes later is based on this ultimate aspect of enlightenment. If we misunderstand anything now, then we might become confused later. We must be sure that we correctly understand the meaning of Vajradhara, so we can correctly relate to future teachings.

Thrangu Rinpoches foremost teacher Tulku Damcho has given a set of teachings on the Lineage prayer and the video DVD of these teachings are available. See www.NamoBuddhaPub.com Figure 7 This brief explanation is based on a much longer book by Thrangu Rinpoche called Showing the Path of Liberation is available at: www.NamoBuddhaPub.com under books.
amo Buddha Publications 2013 The Karma Kagyu Lineage Prayer with comments

Also Thrangu Rinpoche gave a shorter weekend teaching on the Lineage Prayer in Tucson and this teaching is being published by Namo Buddha Publications in the near future.

Other resources

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