Saturday, January 01, 2011

Seven Delights

Gyalwa Götsangpas (1189 A.D. to 1258 A.D.) Tibetan Master of the Drukpa Kagyu

Namo Ratna Guru!

When thoughts that there is something, perceived and a perceiver,
Lure my mind away and distract,
I don't close off to try to meditate to be free of them,
But plunge straight into their essential point.
They're like clouds in the sky; there's this shimmer where they fly.
Thoughts that arise, for me sheer delight!

When my negative emotions get me going, and their heat has got me burning,
I try no antidote to set them right.
Like an alchemistic potion turning metal into gold,
What lies in my negative emotions' power to bestow
Is bliss without dis-ease, completely undefiled.
Negative emotions arising in my mind, sheer delight!

When I'm plagued by powerful negative forces or demonic interference,
I do not drive them out with rites and spells.
The thing to chase away is egoistic thinking,
Built up on the idea of a self.
This will turn the ranks of demon-like energies into your own special forces.
When obstacles arise, sheer delight!

When samsara with its anguish has me writhing in its torments,
Instead of wallowing in misery,
I take the greater burden down the greater path to travel
And let compassion set me up
To take upon myself the sufferings of others.
When negative karmic consequences bloom, delight!

When my body has succumbed to the attacks of painful illness,
I do not count on medical relief,
But take that very illness as a path and by its power
Remove the obscurations blocking me,
And use it to encourage the qualities worthwhile.
When illness rears its head, sheer delight!

When it's time to leave this body, this illusionary tangle,
Don't cause yourself anxiety and grief.
The thing that you should train in and clear up for yourself is
There's no such thing as dying to be done.
It's just Clear Light, the Mother, and Child Clear Light uniting,
When mind forsakes the body, sheer delight!


When the whole thing is just not working, everything is lined up against you,
Don't try to find some way to change it all.
Here the point to make in your practice is reverse the way you see it.
Don't try to make it stop or to improve.
Adverse conditions happen; when they do it's so delightful.
They make a little song of sheer delight!

2 comments:

Zebrareader said...

When I try and try and things are not working out, it means to me that it was not meant to be. I just let it go and try something else. I usually find out there were good reasons I was not suppose to go in that direction.

Unknown said...

I really enjoyed reading this. There are so many good points in this piece. I really enjoy the point to never turn away from pain. Keep going until you reach the other side. The more I ignore something, the more powerful it gets. I give that very thing power by denying its existence.

Thank you