Sunday June 20
*
A glimpse up forth
toward the span
to the leading light of my long day
slight gentle beautiful determined bright one
patiently making her way
firmly alone firmly herself
to quietly remind me
that not so far away
for she I we two
our warm and bright
future day
and to her then to say to tell
of the climb over Muri La
from Manigango to the northwest
where a chapel rises above
a valley hidden wondrous
the valley of Rudam Kyitram
In this valley a monastery stands
beneath snow covered peaks
of Trori Dorje Ziltrom
splendid sentinels of the heights
Look beautiful one at it's lofty roof
just above the ridgetop there this
chapel where the mani prayer wheels turn
both in the day and night
Dzogchen Rudam Orygen
Samten Chorling monastery
great Nyingma shrine a place of many turnings
and many wondrous returns
For in 1684 it was built
by the Dzogchen I
to this world he has returned
not once but seven times
The first time Dzogchen I
Pema Rigdzin gazed with pride
over wondrous place
built from the mountain rock
a pause before raising his seal
pressing it firm on document
that went into a battered pouch
over the mountains and rivers
of Chuzi Gangdruk it went
south east over Muri la to Manigango
over Tro la to Derge
from Derge thence to Chamdo
to make it's way upon the back
of the grunting Yak to Lhasa and Dalai Lama
the great fifth
proclaiming its good news
Dzogchen had been built
lasting monastery of Nyingma fame
Padmasambhava's lineage
He left his mortal form in 1697
to undeterred return in but two years time
Dzogchen two
Gyurme Tekchok Tenzin
and it was he at whose urging
brought to the world Derge Parkhang
built by the King of Derge
in 1729 but twenty years went by
after the first block pressed upon paper
to make first sacred text
his form gave strength to the vulture's wing
soaring from sky burial ground
his soul to make it's journey
to return in but one year as Dzogchen three
Ngedon Tenzin Zangpo
Unswayed by all this swapping
of earthly forms he went
on to create hermitages thirteen in all
colleges, great mani wheels
before leaving once again to return
This time Dzogchen four
Migyur Namkei Dorje stood smiling
beneath the mountain sky as before his gaze
the stone was cut for yet another lofty edifice
the greatest college of Dzogchen rose
within the Rudum Kyitram
his last thought before departing
more of these are needed
so he returned again
as Dzogchen five
Tubten Chokyi Dorje
to Tibet over two hundred branches
of Dzogchen he then brought
places of learning in Kham then Amdo
even into the very lands just beyond the sight
of Potala upon it's hill
A full life as the times before
but a sadness in his eyes
as he left this time and said
to this I must again return
For this time he came as Dzogchen six
his life his work began with splendor
the progress of hundreds of years
growing before his eyes
But on a fateful day
when PLA marched in
his soul took flight above tongues of flame
blazing rubble
of artillery barrage
leaving broken mortal remains
lying upon the stones
to be preserved in reliquary
revered unto this day
achievement wondrous then was done
surely with this loss
but from the void a voice spoke
to this I must return
Thousands of miles to India
at a place they call Karntaka
stones are placed on stones again
beneath a gaze gentle benign
yakh po good he exclaims
and as he moves on to survey the scene
we see his beaming face
the twinkle in his eyes
its the Dzogchen six that has returned
the Tibetan gift lives on
All this not so wonderful
to my straining eyes
as your gentle serious smile
as beautiful as the rainbow
on a stormy day
with determined beauty
and uplifted gentle dignity
that endures with patient grace
this that I see in you
beneath the open sky
on this mid afternoon
of our spring of working and waiting
Lotus blossoms rest
upon the window sill
and so we wait
two as one
we our effort
real and lasting
slight gentle
beautiful one
June 14
* courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions.
reference material for the poem is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje.