Jampäl Zangpo composed the invocation to the Kagyü lineage for the Blessings of “Dorje Chang Thungma” (friends who have done a Phowa course with Lama Ole know this text from the very beginning of the puja)
dorje chang chen tilo naro dang
Great Vajradhara, Tilopa and Naropa,
marpa mila chöje gampopa
Marpa, Milarepa, and Gampopa, lord of Dharma,
dü sum sheja künkhyen karmapa
You who know all past, present and future—the Karmapa,
che shi chung gye gyüpar dzin nam dang
Holders of the four earlier and eight later lineages,
dri tak tsal sum palden drugpa sok
Drikung, Taklung, Tsalpa, the glorious Drukpa and the rest,
sablam chag gya che la ngan yepe
Masters of the profound path of Mahamudra,
nyam me dro gön dakpo kagyü la
Unequalled protectors of beings, the Dakpo Kagyü,
sölwa deb so kagyü lama nam
To all of you, the Kagyü lamas, I pray: inspire me
gyüpa dzin no namthar jingyi lob
With your blessing to uphold this lineage, and follow you to liberation.
shenlog gom gyi kangpar sungpa shin
Revulsion for samsara is the feet of meditation; so it is taught.
sä nor kün la chag shen mepa dang
Free of craving and attachment to things like food and wealth,
thse dir döthag chöpä gomchen la
Having severed the ties to this life, inspire this meditator
nyekur shenpa mepar jingyi lob
With your blessing, to be rid of addiction to possessions and fame.
mögü gom gyi gowor sungpa shin
Devotion is the head of meditation; so it is taught.
men ngag tergo je pä lama la
The lama opens the door to the treasure of the pith instructions;
gyündu sölwä deb pä gom chen la
Praying constantly to him, inspire this meditator
chömin mögü kyewar jingyi lob
With your blessing, so that uncontrived devotion is born within me.
yengme gom gyi ngöshir sungpa shyn
Non-distraction is the main body of meditation; so it is taught.
gang sher togpä ngowo soma de
Whatever arises, in that very essence of thought, fresh, natural,
machö dekar jok pä gomchen la
Unaltered—leaving it just there, inspire this meditator
gomja lo dang dralwar jingyi lob
With your blessing, so my meditation is free from conceptual mind.
namtog ngowo chökur sungpa shin
The nature of thoughts is dharmakaya; so it is taught.
chi yang ma yin chir yang charwa la
They are nothing whatsoever, yet appear as anything at all,
magag röl par char wä gomchen la
Arising as an unceasing display; inspire this meditator
khordä yerme togpar jingyi lob
With your blessing, to realize that samsara and nirvana are not separate.
kyewa küntu yangdag lama dang
In all my lives, may I never be separate
dral me chö kyi pal la longchö ching
From the perfect lama, and so enjoy the splendour of Dharma;
sa dang lam gyi yönten rab dzog ne
Mastering completely the qualities of the path and stages,
dorje chang gi go phang nyur tob sho
May I swiftly attain the sublime state of Vajradhara.
This prayer has such great blessing because Bengar Jampäl Zangpo (after he received his Dharma instructions from the 6th Karmapa) went to a place in the north of Tibet in order to meditate on them. Between the Zangpo and Nagchu Rivers lies the very impressive Nangchen Thaklha Mountain Range, which in Dharma terms is the residence of Nangchen Thaklha, the deity bound through oath by Guru Rinpoche to protect and guard the Dharma teachings in that area, specifically the Karma Kagyü teachings. Behind the mountain range is the great lake Namtso Thungmo, the largest lake in Tibet, which is the residence of Nangchen Thaklha’s consort. Namtso means “the lake that is vast like the sky”.
After Jampäl Zangpo received the teachings from his teacher, he crossed the Nangchen Thaklha Mountain Range and arrived at the shore of Namtso. There was a small island in the middle of the lake, called Tsenmodo, “Fingernail-stone,” its name describing how tiny the island was, almost like a little hill. In winter, the lake would freeze over and many practitioners and meditation masters would go over to the island. In summer the ice would melt and they could stay and practice for many months in solitude, until the lake froze over again, and they were able to return home.
Bengar Jampäl Zangpo did a retreat on that island for 18 years and had no problems. Some say it wasn’t difficult for him because Nangchen Thaklha brought him food; others say he lived on the food of meditation.
At the end of this time, on the basis of his realizations from practicing on the tiny island, he composed the Dorje Chang Thungma. It is said that it carries great blessing because it is a prayer resulting from 18 years of sincere and deep meditation.
