Happy birthday, Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche!
You are the exquisite and peerless flower of heaven (tshangs pa lha’i me tog). Your arrival on this day, 18th of June, sixty years ago have revealed the truth of non-duality that aims to cut through our confused state of mind. Your immaculate speech is not separate from Lord Manjushri and your actions are that of the compassionate Avalokiteshvara.
To celebrate his sixtieth birthday, at midnight last night a song and video for the impeccable Rinpoche was released, called: Brahmadevapuṣpa.
Like the lha’i me tog or in Sanskrit, Brahmadevapuṣpa, which is a glorious divine flower that is the metaphor for something precious, otherworldly and a flower that only blooms occasionally during certain auspicious and special times; the presence of Khyentse Rinpoche in our current era is indeed a rarity, which like the heavenly floral attributes is an infinite blessing to all sentient beings.
Through the friendly support of Siddhartha’s Intent, Singapore and Yayasan Pema Norbu Vihara, Malaysia, an international collaborative effort between Malaysian-born Buddhist music singer and composer extraordinaire, Imee Ooi and the sensational Kanho Yakushiji, who is not only a talented musician and singer but also a Rinzai monk and deputy director of Kaizenji temple in Imabari, Japan, we have had the merits and karma to co-produce this song and video. Cibei Magazine, Malaysia is honoured to spearhead this musical project as a humble but sincere birthday gift to Rinpoche and for the propagation of the Dharma to all.
This significant title, Brahmadevapuṣpa or in Tibetan, tshangs pa lha’i me tog, is also the secret name of the second Dharma king of Tibet, King Trisong Detsen that was bestowed by Guru Rinpoche himself at the Samye Chimphu. The Khyentse lineage is said to be an incarnation of King Trisong Detsen, who is an emanation of Manjushri. Therefore it is only fitting that the eminent 16th Karmapa also conferred the same name tshangs pa lha’i me tog on Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche.
It is true that while it is auspicious for one to see the mystical flower of heaven, it is even more rare and beneficial to meet the Dharma that is taught by a skillful and enlightened master like Rinpoche. Therefore, this is an opportunity not to be missed and must be spontaneously accepted should our good karma ripen. Thus, we offer this gift of praise and celestial music to Rinpoche with aspirations and prayers that may the fleeting glory of Dharma and the teachings of Rinpoche continue to bloom whenever our stubborn habitual tendencies surrender to the lion’s roar of the Buddha-dharma. Even though this is rare, may we always chance upon it and eventually awaken to the truth of true Buddha nature.
May Rinpoche live long and may all of Rinpoche’s enlightened activities flourish in all the ten directions to benefit all sentient beings.