Jinlab Choktsolma" An Aspiration Prayer for the Three Sublimes’ Compassion"
The Jinlab Choktsolma is probably the most famous prayer to come out of Outer Mongolia, and serves almost as a national anthem of sorts for Mongolians Buddhists. The prayer was originally written by the illustrious Öndör Gegeen Zanabazar, the First Khalkha Jetsun Dampa. Though the prayer is recited among Mongolians it is chanted in its original Tibetan form with a melody spanning centuries, though some modern renditions in Mongolian have been created more recently. The prayer was originally requested by a fully-ordained monk named Namgyal (or Namjil) and written down by another monk, who was highly learned, called Rabjampa Lodoi. Zanabazar composed this prayer at his mountain hermitage, Tuvkhun Khiid, which he established in 1648 when he was only 14 years old.
Though many have this prayer memorized by heart they may not be aware of the interesting history behind its composition. There is not an exact date given for the prayer, but it was likely transcribed in the late 1600s during a time of prolonged war between the Oirat and Khalkha Mongol tribes. Even the location of Tuvkhun Monastery is significant as the place of this prayer’s origin, as Zanabazar remained here as a refuge during the war, though the monastery would later be attacked by the Oirat Mongols. With this bloody conflict in context, this prayer was born to demonstrate how devotees could navigate towards peace during times of war as well as create the causes and conditions for harmony among the Mongol tribes. While this prayer did not bring the immediate peace it aspired for, it did show the compassion of Zanabazar and his commitment to peace and non-violence. However, the prayer did retain its status being able to bring peace throughout the centuries as it was even widely chanted during WWII when Mongolia was caught in the crossfire of battle between the Soviet Union and the Empire of Japan. The Jinlab Choktsolma’s background of bringing peace during degenerate times of war is significant, but the prayer has gained such wide renown due to its timeless encapsulation of the Buddhist path which seeks to bring happiness to all sentient beings throughout space and time.
The following is an excerpt from our spiritual director Choying Khandro's book, The Heart of Chö: Volume One, where she details her heartfelt experience of this sacred prayer:
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"This Aspiration Prayer, called Jung Lab Choktsol Me, "The Aspiration Prayer for the Three Supremes' Compassion," was composed by the First Jetsun Dampa, Zanabazar (1635-1723), my teacher's predecessor. This particular prayer carries incredible blessings passed from generation to generation. It is very significant for me personally, and I often use it to conclude my Chö practice. This prayer contains devotion to the lineage, confidence in Buddha Nature, and Mahayana's altruistic intention and aspiration. Many Mongolian practitioners and ordinary citizens know this prayer by heart. Just before I entered my wandering Chö retreat in Mongolia, there was a gathering in a little yurt, with everybody sitting around a bit of fire at the center. One Rinpoche had just emerged from a long retreat, so we were celebrating, and he asked each person to sing something. Most participants were Mongolian, so they sang in Mongolian or Tibetan. My turn came, and I started to chant this particular prayer with its traditional melody. It wasn't long before everyone there started to chant along with me! Of course, everyone knew it by heart. That was quite a special moment.
Something resonated deeply when I heard this melody for the first time: "Oh, I know this one. This is it. I've heard this before." My teacher handed me the little yellow-colored text he was using and told me, "Now it's your turn. You chant with me." Now I will teach it to you. All these verses are Mahayana Bodhisattva dedication prayers. We aspire to embody all these Bodhisattvas' vast dedication and aspiration prayers and integrate them into our mindstream. Then, we won't need any other practices. All these prayers arise from the union of emptiness and compassion, the union of true nature, and this knowing sensitivity and fierce compassion toward the suffering of self and sentient beings.
When you recite this text, feel the connection and blessing coming from the prayer itself. There may be something that resonates deep inside you, which is the truth coming from your own Buddha-nature. This prayer is Buddha-nature speaking to Buddha-nature. We include all beings in this prayer and make it very personal. Use the energy of your emotion, your devotion, to be wholly present and clear. Sometimes that's helpful. These prayers moisten our hearts, which might otherwise be dry, allowing a seed to blossom within them.
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You can visualize the lineage masters and the awake presence that brought you here, carrying you along its river of blessings. Without those masters and their awakened presence, there would be no path, no journey. They followed the same path we are following right now and are so compassionate. Kindly show us the way. With gratitude and appreciation, we recite these prayers of aspiration to awaken to our fullest potential. Whatever comes up, I want you to rest in your experience. Be present, and be open, with wonder and awe, curiosity, everything."
JIN-LAB CHOK-TSÖL TSA-GYÜ LA-MA-DANG NGÖ-DRUB CHAR-BEB YI-DAM SHI-TRÖ LHA Root and lineage gurus, bestowers of sublime blessings; peaceful and wrathful yidam deities,
BAR-CHE KÜN-SEL KAN-DRO CHÖ-SUNG-LA GO-SUM GÜ-PA CHEN-PÖ. CHAK-TSEL-LO showering rains of realization; dâkinîs and dharma-protectors, dispellers of all obstacles; to you I bow in sincere devotion with body, speech and mind.
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NGÖ-SHAM YI-KYI TRÜL-WEY CHÖ-PEY-TSOK NAM-KA KYAB-PAR YONG-SU KANG-TE BÜL
I make myriad offerings, actual or imagined, filling up the entire expanse of space.
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TOK-ME-NE SAK DIK-TUNG SHAK-SHING-DOM KYE-PAK JI-NYE GE-LA JE-YI-RANG
I acknowledge my beginninglessly accrued negative acts and downfalls and vow not to repeat. I rejoice in all the virtues of ordinary and exalted beings.
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SAB-GYE CHÖ-KYI KOR-LO KOR-WAR-KÜL KOR-TA SI-DU TEN-SHUK SÖL-WA-DEB
I request you: Please turn the wheel of the Teachings, vast and profound, and always stay with us until the cyclic existence ends!
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DI-TSÖN MA-LÜ GE-WEY PUNG-PO-NAM DÜ-SUM SE-CHE GYEL-WE YONG-NGÖ-SHIN
I fully dedicate the entire collection of my virtues, such as this practice, just as three times’ Victorious Ones and their spiritual heirs did.
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DRO-KÜN MA-RIK MÜN-PA KÜN-SANG-TE KÜN-KYEN YE-SHE NANG-WA GYE-CHIR NGO
May all beings utterly dispel the darkness of ignorance and shine forth the luminosity of all-knowing timeless awareness - I dedicate!
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CHER-NYIK MÜN-CHEN LHAK-PAR TIB -PA-YI DAK-CHAK DÜ-NGEN-DRO-LA TUK-JE KYOB
With your compassion, guard us all who are extremely obscured by veils of great flaw from miserable realms and times of decay!
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LE-NGEN NYÖN-MONG DRE-BU DÜ MIN-PEY NA-TSOK DUN-NGEL ME-CHEN KÜN-SHI-NE
I pray to you: Please completely pacify the immense fire of all our various sufferings, ripening results of negative acts and delusions!
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PEN-TSÜN KÖN-DREL JAM-TSE YI-TÜN-PEY DE-LEK PÜN-TSOK GYE-PAR ZE-DU-SÖL
Expand perfect happiness, goodness, and prosperity following mutual heart-warming love, devoid of malice!
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KYOB-SHIK KYOB-SHIK LU-WA-ME-PEY GÖN ZIK-SHIK ZIK-SHIK TSE-ME TUK-JEY TER
Care for me! Care for me, infallible Lord! Watch over me! Watch over me, treasury of boundless compassion!
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MA-YEL MA-YEL NGÖN-GYI TUK-DAM NYEN GONG-SHING GONG-TE NYUR-WA NYUR-DU KYOB
Forget me not! Forget me not, keeper of the past promises! Think of me! Think of me and quickly, quickly set me free!
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GYEL-TEN NYI-Ö CHOK-CHUR GYE-PA-DANG DRO-KÜN DE-GYI-PEL-LA TAK-CHÖ-CHING
May the Buddha’s teachings, like sunlight, radiate to the ten directions! May everyone forever
DRIB-JANG TSOK-ZOK KÜN-KYEN GO-PANG-LA NYUR-SHING NYUR-WA- NYI-DU RAK-GYUR-CHIK
experience the splendor of happiness and joy, purify veils, perfect the [2-fold] cultivation, and quickly, quickly reach the state of omniscience!
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LA-MA KÖN-CHOK DEN-PEY JIN-LAB-DANG CHÖ-YING GYUR-ME TEN-DREL LU-ME-TU
May the blessings of the gurus’ and the Three Jewels’ truth, the force of the immutable ultimate reality,
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DAK-CHAK MÖ-PA CHÖ-SUNG TRIN-LE-KYI RE-DRE TA-DAK YI-SHIN DRUB-PAR-SHOK
infallible interdependence, our sincere faith, and dharma protectors’ enlightened activity bring together all the fruits of our wishes exactly as we longed for!
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KYAB-KÜN DÜ-PA LA-MEY JIN-LAB-KYI NE-KAB TAR-TUK GÜ-PA-KÜN SHI-NE
May the blessings of the guru, the embodiment of all refuge, clear away the entire temporary and ultimate impediments
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SI-DANG SHI-WEY LEK-TSOK LHÜN-DRUB-PEY PÜN-TSOK PEL-LA RÖL-WEY TRA-SHI-SHOK
and spontaneously bring about all the excellence in samsara and nirvana! May we all have the auspicious fortune of enjoying the splendor of such perfection!
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Jinlab Choktsolma Text
Jinlab Choktsolma (Jinlav tsogzol): An Aspiration Prayer for the Three Sublimes’ Compassion
(Wylie, mchog gsum thugs rje bskul ba’i smon lam)
Alternative Titles: Bestowing the Highest Blessing; Prayer in Accordance with the Time; Prayer for Peace
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By the First Khalkha Jetsun Dampa, Zanabazar, Lobsang Tenpey Gyeltsen Rangjung Yeshe Dorje (khal kha rje btsun dam pa blo bzang bstan pa’ rgyal mthan rang byung ye shes rdo rje)
Translator: Choying Khandro
Download Text Here​​
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Sources
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Khandro, Chöying. The Heart of Chö: Volume One - Chö Foundations. Dakini’s Whisper, 2020.
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Majer, Zsuzsa, 'Three Ritual Prayers by Öndör Gegeen Zanabazar', in Vesna A. Wallace (ed.), Sources of Mongolian Buddhism (New York, 2020; online edn, Oxford Academic, 20 Feb. 2020), https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190900694.003.0016
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