Chod Rite Doha

Chod Rite Doha
through Tenabah c2012

buddham saranam gacchami
dharmam saranam gacchami
sangham saranam gacchami

bowing and taking refuge
in the Buddha
the living energy of the path
the enlightened mind in all of us
a sentient being like us
who became enlightened
and thereby proved
that we too can realize
the unborn, the unchanging, the undying,
the peace of supreme nirvana

bowing and taking refuge
in the Dharma
the order of the universe
and the teachings that reveal
this order
the living understanding
of the this order
within us when
we hear and see the truth
of the teachings

bowing and taking refuge
in the Sangha
the living community
of those who seek enlightenment
who keep alive the understanding
of the teaching
who practice the precepts
who work through what arises
within them until no obstacle remains

mastering samatha
producing calm mind

mastering vipassana
watching without tampering with experience
no resistance and no clinging
to what arises
watching without analysis and interpretation
alert, open, curious, just watching
until insight dawns

studying the abhidharma
seeing the chain reaction of sorrow
knowing where to stop the reaction
and cut sorrow at the root

studying the madhyamika
understanding emptiness
and how everything is fundamentally
ungraspable, nonsubstantial, and not knowable
dissolving the mental imposition of duality
collapsing the subject object duality
entering the peace of samadhi

storehouse opens
ancient thought impressions
surface from the past
of many many lifetimes
imprints of craving, negativity, and delusion
anger, fear, and sadness arising
choosing to move through and empty
this storehouse
swimming across
the great ocean of sorrow
purifying the mind

actively inviting the fears
to be fulfilled
serious determined intention
to cut through each one
and reach the other side

going to the dark haunted places
the domain of pain and death
beating the drums
sounding the bone trumpet
shouting and hearing voice echo
in the dark canyon
offering this transitory body
as food for the demons
surrendering to all the fears
no resistance to anything left

ego self clinging
revealed, exposed, and naked
in the dharma light
rising above the thought of "I"
no self to lose
no self to gain
releasing here
and offering this illusory self
to the illusory demons
resistance collapses
and fear ends

body chopped into pieces
to make a life force soup
to feed the demons
giving them what they need
behind each craving

limb by limb chopped
into pieces
chopped into fine bits
no self found anywhere
not in the arms,
not in the legs,
intestines,
torso, heart, liver,
or brain

not in thought, emotions,
sensation, cognitions
or body
not in the past, present,
or future

demon fed
satisfied and disappears
next one arises
until the storehouse is empty

vibration of fear
transmuted into radiant liberating wisdom
ripples of fear waving through the void
mere sensation dissolving a phantom "I"

vibration of anger
imploding into the karma mirror seeing
imploding deeper into no self reflection
silent mind only having wakefulness and clarity

vibration of sadness
mourning the loss
of something never possessed
hand clinging to water
and not succeeding
even for a single moment
letting go of shadows
to enter radiant heart
demons become loyal allies

love
judge not
love your enemies
resist not evil
pray for those who persecute you
bless those who curse you
turn the other cheek
forgive those who crucify you
thank those who utterly kill you
and then
let the holy breath
resurrect you
in order that you may be
sons and daughters
of a vast living universe