WORDS OF TRUTH
                                         
                                         
                           A prayer composed
                                  by
                                         
                                         
                      HIS HOLINESS TENZIN GYATSO
                                         
                  THE FOURTEENTH DALAI LAMA OF TIBET
                                         
           Honoring and invoking the Great Compassion of the
             Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Teachings, and
                        the Spiritual Community
                                         
                                         
                          WISDOM PUBLICATIONS
                                BOSTON
                                         
                         First published, 1993
              Copyright 1993 His Holiness the Dalai Lama
                         All rights reserved.
                                         
                                         
     Wisdom Publications would like to express its sincere thanks
  for the generous donations made by the Barry J. Hershey Foundation,
    the Nama Rupa Foundation, and the American Himalayan Foundation
        in support of this beloved prayer and its publication.
                                         
                  Poetic translation into English by
               Rabjampa Dupchok Gyaltsen and Peter Gold
                                         
                                 * * *
                                         
                        DharmaNet Edition 1994
                                         
       This electronic edition is offered for free distribution
           via DharmaNet by arrangement with the publisher.
                                         
                                         
                        DharmaNet International
                 P.O. Box 4951, Berkeley CA 94704-4951
                                         
               Transcribed for DharmaNet by Myra I. Fox
                                         
                                         
                            * * * * * * * *
  
  
  
  
                             INTRODUCTION
  
  //Words of Truth// was composed by His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the 
  Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet, during the autumn of 1960, a year 
  and a half after he was forced into exile in India. It is one of the 
  most important prayers for Tibetans today. It is recited each 
  morning with their daily prayers and sung to a medley of four lovely 
  melodies on occasions such as the March 10 Uprising Day observance.
  
     For Tibetans there is no separation between the sacred and the 
  secular. Accordingly, this prayer finds a place in both arenas. 
  //Words of Truth// is dedicated to restoring peace, the Buddhist 
  teachings, and the culture and self-determination of the Tibetan 
  people in their homeland. It is also an invocation of compassion 
  towards all suffering sentient beings: oppressor and oppressed 
  alike.
     
     Prayer serves most immediately to focus the thoughts toward a 
  specific end, in this case the preservation of Tibetan civilization 
  and the goal of universal compassion. Prayer is also a refined 
  expression of a state of mind, of an inner vision. Prayer is a crown 
  jewel of speech. Speech is intimately tied to the breath, the coarse 
  form of energy that empowers the mind's awareness. While all speech 
  has such subtle power its basis, prayer (recited or sung) is a 
  carefully crafted mode of speech -- a vital channel into the depths 
  of the mind.
     
     Thus, one truly can appreciate the significance and beauty of His 
  Holiness's //Words of Truth//. May its multifold repetition in the 
  Tibetan, and now English, language contribute to the goal of 
  compassionate liberation for all sentient beings.
  
                                                  Peter Gold
                                                  Dharamsala, India
                                         
                                         
                            * * * * * * * *
  
                                         
                            WORDS OF TRUTH
                                         
                         A Prayer Composed by
    HIS HOLINESS TENZIN GYATSO, THE FOURTEENTH DALAI LAMA OF TIBET,
              Honoring and Invoking the Great Compassion
            of the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Teachings,
                      and the Spiritual Community
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                         
                O Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and disciples
                   of the past, present, and future:
                      Having remarkable qualities
                    immeasurably vast as the ocean,
                Who regard all helpless sentient beings
                          as your only child;
           Please consider the truth of my anguished pleas.
                                         
                                         
          Buddha's full teachings dispel the pain of worldly
                  existence and self-oriented peace;
    May they flourish, spreading prosperity and happiness through-
                       out this spacious world.
                   O holders of the Dharma: scholars
                      and realized practitioners;
             May your ten fold virtuous practice prevail.
                                         
                                         
                   Humble sentient beings, tormented
                     by sufferings without cease,
              Completely suppressed by seemingly endless
                 and terribly intense, negative deeds,
           May all their fears from unbearable war, famine,
                       and disease be pacified,
        To freely breathe an ocean of happiness and well-being.
                   And particularly the pious people
           of the Land of Snows who, through various means,
             Are mercilessly destroyed by barbaric hordes
                       on the side of darkness,
            Kindly let the power of your compassion arise,
             To quickly stem the flow of blood and tears.
                                         
                                         
        Those unrelentingly cruel ones, objects of compassion,
                     Maddened by delusion's evils,
                wantonly destroy themselves and others;
                  May they achieve the eye of wisdom,
                 knowing what must be done and undone,
            And abide in the glory of friendship and love.
                                         
                                         
        May this heartfelt wish of total freedom for all Tibet,
                Which has been awaited for a long time,
                      be spontaneously fulfilled;
              Please grant soon the good fortune to enjoy
        The happy celebration of spiritual with temporal rule.
                                         
                                         
            O protector Chenrezig, compassionately care for
              Those who have undergone myriad hardships,
          Completely sacrificing their most cherished lives,
                          bodies, and wealth,
             For the sake of the teachings, practitioners,
                          people, and nation.
                                         
                                         
            Thus, the protector Chenrezig made vast prayers
                  Before the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas
                  To fully embrace the Land of Snows;
       May the good results of these prayers now quickly appear.
             By the profound interdependence of emptiness
                          and relative forms,
              Together with the force of great compassion
             in the Three Jewels and their Words of Truth,
                         And through the power
          of the infallible law of actions and their fruits,
                May this truthful prayer be unhindered
                        and quickly fulfilled.
                                         
                                         
                                 * * *
                                         
  
  This prayer, //Words of Truth//, was composed by His Holiness Tenzin 
  Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet, on 29 September 1960 at 
  his temporary headquarters in the Swarg Ashram at Dharamsala, Kangra 
  District, Himachal State, India. This prayer for restoring peace, 
  the Buddhist teachings, and the culture and self-determination of 
  the Tibetan people in their homeland was written after repeated 
  requests by Tibetan government officials along with the unanimous 
  consensus of the monastic and lay communities. Particular 
  acknowledgment was given to the requests by Barzhi Phuntsog Wangyal; 
  Lobsang Tendzin, treasurer of Lhatsun Labrang, and his wife, Tashi 
  Dolma; and Lobsang Dorje, treasurer of Shelkhar Monastery.
  
     This translation was made in Dharamsala, India, during April 1992 
  by Rabjampa Dupchok Gyaltsen and Peter Gold, under the editorial 
  guidance of the Ven. Lotsawa Lhakdor and Ven. Lotsawa Tendzin Dorje, 
  with certain clarifications by the Ven. Lobsang Gyatso, Principal of 
  the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics. It was made with the sincere 
  intention of stimulating a broad understanding of the current 
  condition of Tibet and its people, as well as of humanity as a 
  whole, whose sufferings cry out for a compassionate solution. In 
  today's interconnected world, no person or society stands alone. As 
  such, the fate of Tibet is indeed the fate of the world. His 
  Holiness's //Words of Truth// bears an essential message to us all 
  in this regard. May this translation aid in establishing peace and 
  altruism among all members of the global family.
  
                                                           Tashi Shok
                                           May Auspiciousness Prevail
   
                                         
                                 * * *
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                         
                            ENGLISH LYRICS
  
  This versification into English lyrics was made expressly for 
  singing the prayer, //Words of Truth//, to its customary tunes. It 
  was written by Peter Gold in Dharamsala, India during April 1992 and 
  is intended to convey the basic meaning of the prayer in a manner 
  appropriate to the medium of song.
  
  
  
                                         
                                Part I
                                         
                                         
          Buddhas and saints...and disciples throughout time,
           Having qualities, infinite as the ocean is wide,
                 Seeing each being as your only child,
             Please heed my truthful and anguished cries.
                                         
                                         
        Buddha's teachings:...selfish peace, suffering's cease,
            Spreading joy and prosperity through the world;
                  O scholars and great practitioners,
              May the Dharma's ten virtuous ways prevail.
                                         
                                         
           Humble beings...suffering torments without cease,
             Pressed completely by bad thoughts and deeds,
               Pacify their fears: war, famine, disease,
                 To breathe an ocean of joy and peace.
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                Part II
                                         
                                         
                  Pious people in the Land of Snows,
           Destroyed...mercilessly...through various means,
                 By barbarian hordes out of darkness;
     Through compassion...may the blood and tears...quickly cease.
        Cruel people needing compassion, made mad by delusions,
               Destroying...themselves...and others too;
            Give them the eye of wisdom to know what to do;
      In a glorious...state of friendship...and of selfless love.
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                         
                               Part III
                                         
                                         
                  So this wish for freedom in Tibet,
                  It's been awaited for a long time;
                   May the good fortune arise soon,
                   Of spiritual with temporal rule.
                                         
                                         
                 O protector, please look after them,
                Those who've undergone great suffering;
                Sacrificing lives and all their wealth
                 For the nation, people, and religion.
                                         
                                         
                        The Protector Avalokita
                Prayed before Buddhas and Bodhisattvas,
                  To fully embrace the Land of Snows;
           May good things appear not through your prayers.
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                Part IV
                                         
                                         
                  By the profound interdependence...
                   of emptiness and relative forms,
                With compassion in the Three Jewels and
                            Words of Truth,
                     And through the infallible...
                law of one's actions and their fruits,
           Be this prayer unhindered and quickly fulfilled.
                                         
                                         
                                 * * *
                                         
                                         
                                         
                       TIBETAN TEXT IN PHONETICS
                                         
 This rendering of the Tibetan text into phonetics is designed to aid 
  in its proper pronunciation when sung or spoken by a native English 
                               speaker.
                                         
   [Note added for this DharmaNet edition: The umlaut is represented 
           here by a colon preceding the vowel it affects.]
                                         
                                         
                                Part I
                                         
                                         
               Tse mei y:on ten...gya ts:o pel nga zhing
                 Nyam chung dro la bu chik tar gong pe
                  D:u sum de sheg se dang lo mar che
                  Dag gi den pe mei ngag di gong shig
                                         
                                         
                Si shi dung sel...yong dzog toob pe ten
                  Dzam ling yang pe pen de pel du gye
                  De dzin ke dang drup pe kye bu nam
                  Ch:o j:o nam chu ja wa pel war dz:o
                                         
                                         
                 Mi se le ngen...drak p:o yong n:on pe
                   Bar me du ke nar wei nyam tak dro
                   S:o ka ne ts:on mu ge jig pa k:un
                  Shi ne de ga gya ts:o uk yung dz:o
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                Part II
                                         
                                         
                Kye par gang jong ch:o den kye dro nam
                Nak chok... la l:o pung gi...tse me du
                Ngen g:u jom pe trag dang chi mei gy:un
                Nyur du...ch:o pe tug je...tu pung kye
                                         
                                         
               Nyon mong d:on gyi ny:o pe lang ch:o kyi
              Rang zhen...nyi pung gyi pe...nying je y:ul
                 Mi s:un kye w:o tsog nam lang dor mig
                Yong tob...jam tse dza wei...pel la jor
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                         
                               Part III
                                         
                                         
                  Ring ne nying du nag pe d:o pe d:on
              Yong dzog p:o jong rang wang tsang mei pel
                Lh:un drub ch:o si sung drel ga t:on la
                 Ch:o pe kel sang nyur wa nyi du ts:ol
                                         
                                         
                 Ten dang de dzin chab si rang rig le
                 Che pe l:u sog long j:o yong tang te
                   Ka wa gya trag drub pe kye we nam
                Dur dzin g:on de tug je kyong war dz:o
                                         
                                         
                   Dor na gon po Chen re sig wang gi
               Se che gyel wei chen ngar gang chen zhing
                Yong sung gya chen m:on lam gang dze pe
                Dre sang deng dir nyur du char war sol
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                Part IV
                                         
                                         
              Nang tong ch:o nyid sab m:o...ten drel dang
                 Chog sum tug je tu dang den tsig tob
                  Le de lu mei den t:u...dag chag gi
                Den pe m:on lam geg mei nyur drup shok
                                         
                                         
                                 * * *
 
    [The printed book contains the Tibetan text of this prayer and the
    musical score, the "Words of Truth Hymn"]
                                         
                            * * * * * * * *
                                         
                                         
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                          DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
 
 TITLE OF WORK: Words of Truth: A Prayer for Peace in Tibet and Compassion
                 in the World
 FILENAME: TRUEWORD.ZIP
 AUTHOR: His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet
 AUTHOR'S ADDRESS: N/A
 PUBLISHER'S ADDRESS:    Wisdom Publications
                         361 Newbury Street
                         Boston, MA 02115 USA
 DATE OF PUBLICATION: 1993
 DHARMANET RELEASE DATE: April, 1994
 ORIGIN SITE: Access to Insight BBS * Barre MA * (508) 433-0421
         DharmaNet (96:903/1)
 
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