Life and Teaching of Naropa, The


The Life and Teaching of Naropa

Translated from the original Tibetan

with a Philosophical Commentary Based on the Oral
Transmission

by Herbert V. Guenther

© 1963, Oxford University Press

THE WONDROUS LIFE OF THE

GREAT SCHOLAR NAROPA

CROWN-JEWEL OF ALL

PHILOSOPHER-SAINTS

(excerpt)

     

    PRAISE to the Guru, the Deva, and the Dakinis!

    In the vast expanse of space, (2) the
    boundless path divine,

    The Dharmakaya embodied as the lordly ruler rDo-rje-‘chan
    (Vajradhara) (3)

    Appears as (the sun, that) bright jewel in the sky, which
    represents

    The five Sambhogakayas, each an integral unity of the
    noetic and communicative,

    Whose myriad rays, the Nirmanakayas of Ses-rab bzan-po
    (Prajnabhadra),

    Have opened the lotus of Naropa’s mind to these Kayas
    Three.

    Praise then to him who throughout the world has spread

    The honeyed spirituality transmitted by word of mouth,

    The Essence of all Sutras and all Tantras.

    Praise to Naropa on his seat of lotus, sun, and moon,

    On the lion throne of fearlessness, the embodiment of
    Buddhahood,

    Who interprets the fundamental doctrine, the flawless
    gem Nam- mkha’i snin-po (Gaganagarbha),

    Who has realized the transcending awareness of those who
    are exalted in renown supreme (the Buddhas),

    Who is Kun-tu bzan-po (Samantabhadra), Chos-kyi rgyal-mtshan
    (Dharmadhvaja), and bsTan-pa ‘dzin-pa (Sasanadhara). (4)

    Devoutly worshipped by (the sun,) the friend of lotus
    flowers, brilliant in his ornaments of rays and lord over the three worlds,

    By Asuras, Gandharvas, Nagas,

    By Siva, Isvara, Visnu, by men and those that are not
    men;

    Obedient to his Guru’s word; refuge sublime for all that
    lives, the Lord himself,

    Belonging to the family of the Awakened

       

    May he shine as the gods’ crown-jewel . . .


Notes:

2.This is a rather free translation of
the original term klon-yans. klon corresponds to Sanskrit urmi and signifies
undulating movement. It is used exclusively with reference to Reality which
is not a frozen absolute, but vibrating in all our experiences of it.

3. rDo-rje-‘chan (Vajradhara) is for the
bKa’-brgyud-pa and dGe-lugs-pa followers the symbol representation of the
Dharmakaya which is pure noeticness (ye-ses chos-sku, jnanadharmakaya).

4 These are names which Naropa had at
different stages of his spiritual development.



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