Guide to Gawa Lung

Guide to the Valley of Joy, Sikkim[1]

by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

Emaho!
Most sublime of places, celestial realm of ḍākinīs,
In the country of Sikkim, king of hidden lands,
On a mountainside at the north-west border[2]
Is Gawa Lung, the Valley of Joy, or Valley of Vajra Medicine,
With clay, slate and rocky cliffs, meadows and woods.

It is a place where Indian adepts and scholars
Like the Lord of Oḍḍiyāna, Virūpa, Saraha and Ḍombī,
As well as Tibet’s own accomplished awareness-holders,
Such as Tsogyal, venerable Drok, Nanam Dorje Dudjom,
Lüi Wangpo, Milarepa, Thangtong Gyalpo and others have practised.

There are eight caves and the splendid hill of the delighted play
Of the wisdom-mind protector who bears a hooked knife.

Amitāyus, Kurukullā, Tārā,
And other buddhas and bodhisattvas
Have left blessed impressions of their hands and feet
And there is a wondrous array of countless
Representations of enlightened body, speech and mind.

There is a golden lake, a milky lake and a great lake of rakta,
Life-enhancing waters of the divine nectar of immortality,
And excellent trees which support the five sister ḍākinīs.
Its grassy plains are as smooth and even as a mirror.
At a slight elevation a temple with the three supports has been established.

Here the torments of malevolent hostile forces are pacified.
This is a place of accomplishment for yogis and vidyādharas,
A place to escape dangers to life and bring activity to fruition,
A place from which the teachings of Secret Mantra may spread throughout the ten directions.
And it is possible that there are also extremely secret, profound treasures to be found herein.

This extremely concise guide to the celestial Valley of Joy
Is an instruction imparted to Tri Song.
Samaya!

The following was concealed separately and anew.
Near that place which has thus been described
Is the hidden land of Rinchen Ding.[3]
Within a circle of rocky cliffs
Is a vast plain with a garden in which there are
Fine medicinal fruits and flowers of various kinds.
A pond in its corner
Is a place that delights White and Green Tārā—
Extremely pleasant with beautiful beasts,
Echoing with the sweetest of birdsong.
Here is the cavern of vajra immortality,
Like a second Māratika.
Here too is a secret ḍākinī cave
And a cave that delights the great Awesome One
Of the nine classes of yidam accomplishment.

Merely travelling to a place of such delightful caves
And rocky shelters is enough to make
Wind-energy and awareness clear and inspire bliss and joy.
Performing authentic practice, offering gaṇacakra and so on
Will immediately pacify all obstructing forces
And bring rebirth on the Glorious Mountain in Cāmara.

If those who sincerely wish to practice sacred Dharma
In such a sublime place as this make the journey,
They will be protected from the terrors of foreign invasion,
Lead long, healthy lives of happiness and fulfilment
And experience abundant fortune and auspiciousness.

Samaya. Guhya.

| Translated (provisionally) by Adam Pearcey with the generous support of the Khyentse Foundation and Tertön Sogyal Trust, 2022.

Bibliography

Tibetan Edition

'Jam dbyangs chos kyi blo gros. "dga' ba lung ngam rdo rje sman lung gi mdo byang/" in 'Jam dbyangs chos kyi blo gros kyi gsung 'bum. 12 vols. Bir: Khyentse Labrang, 2012. (W1KG12986) Vol. 10: 265–266 & 339–341

Version: 1.0-20220311