Dear friends near and far

I hope you’ve all been happy and healthy. I am writing to you all from the east coast of the United States and at the moment I’m completely jet lagged! Writing to you all from a hotel in Hong Kong last month is still so fresh in my mind that I can’t believe a month has already passed since our last conversation. For those of you who have recently signed up for this monthly reminder to be mindful, welcome. I hope that this reminder on this very auspicious Guru Rinpoche Day becomes a means for you to stabilize your ground, that it gives you the strength to not drift away from the path and at the same time gives you motivation to approach your fruition.

According to tradition, the anniversary of Guru Rinpoche’s birth is celebrated on this 10th day of the 5th month. Considering the auspiciousness of this, I would like to first share this image below of Guru Ngadrama (Looks Like Me) with you. On seeing this statue at the Great Samye monastery, Guru Rinpoche remarked, “It looks like me”, and then blessed it saying, “Now it is the same as me!”

Guru Ngadrama
Guru Ngadrama

Also, here is the Seven Line Prayer to the Lotus Born Guru:

HUNG ÖRGYEN YUL GYI NUB JANG TSAM
Hung, In the north-west of the land of Orgyen,

PEMA GESAR DONGPO LA
In the heart of a lotus flower,

YAMTSEN CHOK GI NGÖ DRUP NYE
Endowed with the most marvelous attainments,

PEMA JUNG NE SHE SU DRAK
You are renowned as the Lotus-born,

KHOR DU KHANDRO MANGPÖ KOR
Surrounded by many hosts of dakinis.

KHYE KYI JE SU DAK DRUP KYI
Following in your footsteps

CHIN GYI LAP CHIR SHEK SU SOL
I pray to you. Please come to grant your blessings!

GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUM

In the life stories of Guru Rinpoche like the Namtar Zanglingma (translated into English as The Lotus Born: The Life Story of Padmasambhava), and the Namthar Sheldrakma, the precious Guru constantly reminds his close students of the importance of prayer (sol dep). To the Great King, Trisong Detsen, the precious Guru says:

The root of the secret mantra path is to keep the samaya commitments. Devotion and effort are the root of samaya. And the root of these two is prayer. So, Great King, pray.

And to Khandro Yeshe Tsogyal, the precious Guru affirms:

If anyone who has faith, devotion, and a connection with me prays with yearning, the force of their aspiration will ensure my compassion to reach them in a heart beat. So pray Tsogyal, continuously and with devotion.

I hereby would like to end this month’s GRD reminder with a prayer,

Precious Guru,
Grant your blessings that my mind may turn towards the dharma.
Grant your blessings that the dharma brings progress along the path.
Grant your blessings that the path may clarify confusion.
Grant your blessings that confusion may dawn as wisdom.

Sarva Mangalam,

KPR-Signature

Phakchok Rinpoche