On this immaculate white paper spread before me the excellent manifestation comes forth through the artifice of my fingers moving swiftly, as this old man named Chagdud sets down these words of affection and joy–a message to be set before the eyes of a host of interested people.

For all of you, this verdant tree of your body that provides freedom and opportunity is firmly rooted in the ground of your wholly positive merit.

Nurtured by the water, manure, warmth and moisture of renunciation and faith, the branches and leaves of hearing and contemplating teachings flourish, and the fruits of the warmth of personal experience ripen through meditation. I offer you my hope-filled prayers of aspiration that your accomplishment of the two kinds of benefit be close at hand.

As for me, although this illusory residence created by the elements coming together is weighted down by the heavy burden of many years, the humors are in balance and I am not much pained by growing old. My mind is that of a child with few cares.

Like a winged bee I fly through the drama of illusion,

wandering here and there over lovely beds of lotuses,

sipping the sweet and pleasing nectar of sublime bliss.

I revel in the joyful dance of the three kinds of blazing,

while the dulcet melody of the renown of the three gatherings resounds,

dancing and singing my madman's song–that whatever occurs has no fixed basis.

I hope this is pleasing to those of you with the karma togather and watch the show.

I, whose hearing and contemplation are still young and whose dynamic energy is still in its first bloom,

am lovingly protected by the compassion of my lamas, holders of intrinsic awareness.

They have placed in my hands the powerful weapon of the transcendent wisdom of view,

and I have trained in the magical arts of the skillful means of love and compassion.

In marshalling these forces against my foes, the two obscurations, I make no boast that I have defeated these enemy hordes; but since I have befriended my enemies, they have now become my allies.

The regal garuda of the view of self-cognizing intrinsic awareness spreads the wings of meditation and soars in the spacious sky, and with the beaks and talons of conduct free of arrogance devours as its food the naga demons of non realization and grasping at extremes.

Returning again, it alights on the tip of the wish-fulfilling tree, shaking from the branches a rain of wish-granting fruit to benefit beings. You, my loved ones: cut to shreds the demon of clinging to things as permanent with the sword of impermanence and illusoriness. Burst the narrow confine of clinging to the seeming truth of things in cyclic existence with the weapons of emptiness and compassion. There is no time like the present for the child to inherit the father's legacy.

I offer my prayer that we meet joyfully and soon.

Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche

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