Prayer for the Swift Return of Geshe Jampa Gyatso

By Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Rinpoche composed the following prayer for the swift return of Geshe Jampa Gyatso, for his students to recite. Rinpoche also wrote about Geshe Jampa:

The great virtuous friend, the sublime Geshe Jampa Gyatso, benefited the world in general and, for almost half his holy life, the FPMT in particular, as a Dharma teacher at Kopan Monastery (Ogmin Jangchub Choeling) and especially Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa and its branch centers in Italy. As a result, many fortunate people were extremely kindly nourished with the profound and extensive holy Dharma and brought onto the path to enlightenment.

Even more special than all that is what Geshe-la was able to put into practice and complete with respect to the FPMT’s seven-year Master's Program, which was arranged by Geshe-la and the great virtuous friend, whose name is difficult to mention, Lama Thubten Yeshe. Geshe-la’s strong wish was to train students in the extensive teachings of sutra and tantra, and this great kindness has been extremely beneficial not only to the students who attended but, since many Master’s Program graduates are already teaching at centers, also to many other people, who have been able to enjoy the happiness of studying Dharma with them.

Through remembering Geshe-la’s kindnesses to his students and especially the wish to give them the opportunity of reciting this prayer for his quick return; the disciples’ strong devotion, pure samaya, and desire to quickly meet the smiling new face of the new incarnation, and the wish for not only the devoted disciples but also numberless other beings, already born and migrating into this world, to enjoy the fortune of being led along the path to enlightenment by the new incarnation, I thought there may be some benefit in writing this very short, convenient prayer. Therefore I, the ignorant being bearing the name of Thubten Zopa, wrote it in haste, with requests from the heart that this wish may be accomplished.

For a story about the life and death of this great master, see the article in Mandala Magazine's February 2008 issue.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaching in Singapore, 2010. Photo: Tan Seow Kheng.

A Quickly Written Prayer for the Reincarnation of the Supreme Virtuous Friend,
Geshe Jampa Gyatso, Who Was Enriched with the Qualities of Learning, Purity and Good-heartedness,
Sorrowfully Calling Melodious Sound of the Deva's Great Drum

Even though numberless buddhas and bodhisattvas exist,
The only guru with whom we have a karmic connection is you, none other.
Like a loving mother, you nourished us with compassion;
Led along the path to enlightenment, we became extremely fortunate ones.

But suddenly you have gone into the sphere of dharmakaya.
Your children disciples, left without a refuge, have fallen into darkness.
Please, do not give up on us but hook us with your compassion—
We request the quick return of your incarnation
Who, like the Dharma King of the three realms, Lama Tsongkhapa,
Benefits the teachings of the Buddha and transmigrating beings.

With your holy Dharma nectar,
Give breath to us tormented transmigratory beings
And quickly take us to the state of great enlightenment.

Due to the blessings of the eminent victorious ones and bodhisattvas,
The truth of infallible dependent arising,
And the power of my pure special attitude taking responsibility,
May the vital points of this pure prayer be accomplished.

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