Geden Sampa Lhundrupma (Spontaneous Fulfillment of All Wishes) by Geshe Lama Konchok

Spontaneous Fulfillment of All Wishes According to Gelug Tradition (Ge-den sam-pa lhun-drub-ma) is a prayer invoking Je Tsongkhapa Lobsang Drakpa’s (1357-1419) blessings for the spontaneous accomplishment of all our mundane and supramundane goals and aspirations. Composed by Gyal Khenpo Drakpa Gyaltsen (1762-1837) in honour and memory of Je Tsongkhapa, it is originally titled Dü-sum sang-gye tham-chay-kyi ngo-wo lob-sang dak-pa-la sol-wa-deb-pä mon-sig sam-pa lhun-gyi-drub-pa (Spontaneous Accomplishment of All Wishes through the Blessings of Omniscient Losbang Drakpa, the Quintessence of the Buddhas of the Three Times).

The prayer begins with an expression of homage to the Je Tsongkhapa, who is praised as the one possessing physical, verbal and omniscient qualities of the Buddha. He is revered as the direct manifestation of the three principal Bodhisattvas—Manjushri, Varjapani, and Avalokiteshvara. This, as the prayer recounts, is evinced from his father’s mystical sighting of a bright Vajra from the Pure Land of Vajrapani entering the mother’s womb and a monk from the Manjushri Land of Wu Tai Shan visiting their home, and the mother’s vision of Lord Avalokiteshvara at the time of Je Tsongkhapa’s birth, all narrated beautifully in standard Tibetan verses.

The opening lines invoke Je Tsongkhapa, who is then visualized as the sole spiritual friend, guide and protector to those that are clueless in this unending cycle of life and death. He is looked upon as the one skilled in guiding sentient beings who undergo enormous suffering, pain and dissatisfaction in this Samsara as consequences of desire, anger, ignorance and so forth. Each stanza highlights the unequalled qualities of the great master and sees him as indispensable from the Five Principal Buddhas and also the thousand eonic Buddhas of the three times. Every stanza ends with the line expressing one’s strong wish to acquire similar spiritual qualities as the great master Je Tsongkhapa.

The events narrated in the prayer recount how the great master Chöje Dhondup Rinchen (1309-1385) purposely visited the latter’s birthplace on the basis of a mystical vision that predicted the birth of Great Buddha Vajrabhairava as young Tsongkhapa. From the time Tsongkhapa was trained by Dhondup Rinchen and the Fourth Karmapa Rolpae Dorje (1340-1383), he developed deep insight into the philosophical complexities, gained wide knowledge of medicine, and engaged in esoteric Tantric practices such as the Kundalini. A stanza likens him to the Buddhas of the Shambhala for his inexhaustible knowledge of Kalachakra Tantra and his ability to instantaneously experience the union of bliss and emptiness. A yet another stanza extols his mastery on the Guhyasamja Tantra and seeks the higher levels of Tantric initiation. His three-fold practices of teaching, debate, and composition have no equals in the snowy regions of Tibet, and his renovation of old temples and monasteries in central Tibet gave rise to revival and restoration of ancient Buddhist heritage in Tibet.

The prayer calls for the elimination of sickness, ending of poverty, quelling of malignant forces and clearing of all obstacles. It seeks inspiration to understand his teachings, which were transmitted directly by Bodhisattva Manjushri and Arya Tara, and his guidance through the stages of dying and intermediate stages. Prayer finally ends with requests for his blessings to help oneself and the countless sentient beings find rebirth in the pure land of the future Buddha Maitreya.

In brief, this short prayer calls for fulfilment of one’s wishes, the most ultimate wish being to attain enlightenment in order to help and benefit countless fellow suffering beings including the tiniest living creatures.

+++

May the supreme jewel bodhicitta
that has not arisen arise and grow,
and may that which has arisen not diminish,
but increase more and more.

+++

This prayer is chanted by Geshe Lama Konchok in a traditional tune sung by monks of Labrang Tashi Khyil Monastery (Lapuleng Si) in Amdo, Gansu Province, China. He learned this tune under the feet of his kind masters.

Maha Tare Buddhist Centre Singapore
www.mahatare.org