RINPOCHE'S MUSIC - THE WINDHORSE ENSEMBLE

White Tara is an emanation of one of the 21 Taras or Female Buddhas. Her sadhana (ritual practice) enhances the practitioner’s health and life span. Vagishvarakirti (956-1040 CE) was one of the 6 “Gate-Keepers (principle scholars) of Nalanda and Vikramashila monasteries in India and was the lineage holder of the Tara Tantras transmitted to him by the 7th century CE Master, Suryagupta (Rajigupta). Vagishvarakirti was also a spiritual contemporary of the Vajrayana Buddhist Mahasiddha Naropa who, through the Tibetan Ngakpa (householder Yogi) Lord Marpa of Lhodrak, laid the foundations of the Kagyu lineage. Vagishvarakirti utilized passages from many of the Tara Tantras when he composed the 3 “Cheating Death” sadhana texts. All of the subsequent White Tara sadhanas are derived from Vagishvarakirti: Atisha Dipamkara (982-1040 CE), Bari Lotsawa (1040-1111 CE), and Naljorpa (10th - 11th century CE). The short White Tara mantra (also the short Green Tara Mantra) “Om Tare Tu Tare Ture Soha!” may be translated as follows: Om. Oh, Saviouress! Loving One! She who comes swiftly! May it be so! The long White Tara Mantra “Om Tare Tu Tare Ture Mama Ayu Punye Jana Pushtim Kuru Soha!” may be translated as follows: Om. Oh, Saviouress! loving One! She who comes swiftly! Grant me life, merit, and wisdom! May it be so!

This bronze statue of Amitabha buddha was cast in 1252 CE by the sculptors Ono-Goroemon and Tanji-Hisatomo at the request of the Lady Idanono-Tsubone and Joko, a priest of the Jodo (Amitabha) sect of Japanese Buddhism. A tidal wave (tsunami) in the year 1498 destroyed the temple buildings. All that remained was the Kamakura buddha. The statue is 13.35 meters tall and weighs 121 tons. Rudyard Kipling wrote a beautiful pome entitled “The Buddha at Kamakura.” Amitabha Buddha is one of the 5 Dhyani (Meditation) Buddhas. Amitabha’s pure land buddha field, Sukhavati (Realm of Great Bliss) is the Western Buddhafield and nearest to our Earth. Those practitioners who have great faith and chant Buddha Amitabha’s mantra are assured of arriving at Sukhavati, where they remain enclosed in a lotus until their karma ripens, when they will then receive continuous teachings on the sublime Dharma from Buddha Amitabha until their enlightenment. 

This song is praise of the Medicine Buddha Lineage established on the fair isle of Sri Lanka. King Ravanna is mentioned in the Lankavatara Sutra (Descent into Lanka), a Mahayana Buddhist Sutra. Sri Lanka is also mentioned in the Buddhist Mahayoga Dzogchen Tantras. Sri Pada (Holy Foot) is a sacred mountain in Sri Lanka that has a large level area at its peak. This peak is where the Wisdom Being Vajrapani gave the Mahayoga Dzogchen teachings to the humans and non-humans (yakshas, rakshas, and Nagas - also the names for the ancient tribal groups of Sri Lanka). The meaning of the Pali chant: Jivani Samsari - the self is suffering in the vicious cycle of samsara - the cycle of desire and aversion - pleasure and pain due to the obscuration of primordial ignorance, avid, literally not being able to see into the nature of mind. Siri (in praise of) Pulasti (The Sage who founded the Medicine Buddha (Bhaisajyaguru) Lineage of Sri Lanka. Siri (in praise of) Ravanna (the disciple of Sri Pulasti and King of Sri Lanka). Mahasukkha is the Great Bliss beyond pleasure and pain. Be Priti (happy). The mind’s intrinsic awareness (Ripa-Tibetan) is Great Bliss, Luminous Clarity inseparable from Vast Unobstructed Opening Space. Be happy! Be happy! This song was written for my old friend and Deha Dhamma (Truth of Body) ancestral lineage holder, Dosthora M. Warnasuriya. 

A song of praise for Lord Amitabha Buddha, who resides in the Western Buddhafield (Pure land) called Sukhavati or Dewachen. The Madhyamika school of Buddhism was essentially founded by the great Bodhisattva Nagarjuna, the sublime 2nd century CE philosopher. He brilliantly argued Buddha’s advocacy of the Middle Way, the avoidance of the harmful extremes of hedonism and asceticism. There are various hagiographies of Lord Nagarjuna. The following biographical information of Lord Nagarjuna is compiled from those hagiographies: Astrologers foretold at his birth that he would die in his early childhood. His lifespan could be extended for up to 7 years if consecrated offerings were made to monastics. While traveling in South India, the young boy Nagarjuna had a vision of Bodhisattva of Great Compassion, Avalokitesvara. Avalokitesvara guided him to the gates of the great monastic university of Nalanda. While in Nalanda, the renowned Mahasiddha Saraha (also known as Rahulabhadra) learned of his plight and recommended reciting the mantra of Buddha Amitayus, the Buddha of Long Life (the reflexive aspect of Buddha Amitabha) for extending his lifespan. Sri Saraha initiated the boy into the practice (sadhana) of Amitayus, and his previously foretold early death was averted. Nagarjuna or Siddhipada, as the boy was known then, engaged with great effort in his meditative and scholarly practices. He mastered all branches of Buddhist learning. he was eventually appointed abbot of Nalanda. Nagarjuna, according to one hagiography, acquired his name due to the following circumstances: The monks of Vikramashila University (a smaller contemporary of Nalanda) angered a wandering Yogi who magically set the monastery on fire. The arising smoke vapors caused the serpent King, Mucilinda, to become gravely ill. Lord Nagarjuna was an eminent physician as well as philosopher and meditation master. He healed Mucilinda. In gratitude, the Naga King Mucilinda offered him a portion of the Prajnaparamita Sutra (Perfection of Wisdom) and changed his name from Siddhipada to Nagarjuna. This song was a shabda (holy sound) offering for the Very Venerable 4th Karma Thinley Rinpoche on Saga Dawa, 1976. The mantra chant: Name Amitabha, Buddha, Naga, Naga Nagarjuna.

The Nirmanakaya Dakini (female embodiment of Wisdom), Yeshe Tsogyal, the princess of Karchen, arose in the form of a beautiful girl. She desired only the attaining of enlightenment. While a young girl, a divisive rivalry among great Tibetan Kings/ Warlords was begun over her hand in marriage. During her hardships, Yeshe Tsogyal underwent imprisonment, torture, and rape but her faith in the Dharma never wavered Trisong Detsen, the king of Tibet, intervened and the Princess of Karchen became the consort and main disciple of Guru Padmasambhava and the mother of Vajrayana Buddhism in Tibet. She was a perfect disciple and was gifted with an infallible memory. Yeshe Tsogyal hid many of Guru Padmasambhava’s teachings (Termas) in the Earth, lakes and mind streams of future Tertons (treasure discoverers. These termas are being discovered in various parts of the world in our own era. The Tarthang Tulku Rinpoche concise summary of Yeshe Tsogyal’s life and work “…her intelligence, perseverance, devotion, and pure motivation all were exceptional, even in the company of the many accomplished masters who were Padmasambhava’s disciples.” At the end of her earthly existence she became one with all the Buddhas and entered into Zang Dok Pal Ri, Guru Padmasambhava’s Pure Land. Her mantra is chanted: Om Jnana Dakini Bam Ha Ri Ni Sa Siddhi Hung! It may be translated as follows: Om. Wisdom Dakini, May I swiftly accomplish your siddhis!

This instrumental reflects music traditions of various traders who have traversed the majestic and awe inspiring passes and environs along the ancient Silk Route (some of them Yogis and Yoginis). They are warming themselves by the campfire and spontaneously begin playing and dancing.

This song arose as a shabda (holy sound) offering in honor of The Very Venerable 4th Karma Thinley Rinpoche’s sadhana of Shakyamuni Buddha entitled “Cloudbanks of Merit.” Saga Dawa Chotrul Duchen is one of the four Great Festivals (Tib. Duchen), celebrated on the first 15 days of the Tibetan New Year. Lord Shakyamuni Buddha displayed a different miracle on each of the 15 days. Saga Dawa Duchen, the celebration of the Buddha Shakyamuni’s enlightenment in his 35th year at Bodhgaya and his parinirvana (death), takes place in May. Saga Dawa Chokur Duchen occurs seven weeks after Lord Buddha’s enlightenment. The gods Indra and Brahma beseeched and encouraged the Buddha to teach, that is, turn the wheel of Dharma. The Buddha taught, for the first time, The Four Noble Truths at Sarnath:

Suffering, the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering and the path to the cessation of suffering. Saga Dawa Lha Bab Duchen is when Lord Buddha wished to repay the kindness of his mother, Queen Maya, giving him precious human birth. he ascended to the heaven of Indra’s, the highest god realm (also subject to impermanence) and taught the Dharma for three months. The positive effects of saying a single mantra and other actions of the body, speech, and mind, are increased 10 million times on Saga Dawa. Shakyamuni Buddha’s mantra is chanted: Ta ya ta Om Muni Muni Maha Munaye Soha!

The disciples of Guru Padmasambhava pray to be reborn in his Glorious Copper Colored Mountain. The following is a brief description of Zang Dok Pal Ri: Lord Shakyamuni Buddha is on the upper tier; below him is the four-armed form of Avalokitesvara, Bodhisattva of Compassion, surrounded by the five forms of Vajrasattva and their consorts; beneath the next tier is Guru Padmasambhava encircled by Buddhas and a vast array of disciples. At the base of the mandala palace are guardians of the 10 directions. The mountain is permeated by rainbow light. The sky is replete with the flying figures of offering goddesses, adepts, and monastics. Prayers and mantra chanting