I am requesting the kind lord root guru,
Who is more extraordinary than all the buddhas:
Please bless me to be able to devote myself to the qualified lord guru
With great respect in all my future lifetimes.

By realizing that correctly devoting myself to the kind lord guru,
Who is the foundation of all good qualities,
Is the root of happiness and goodness,
I shall devote myself to him with great respect,
Not forsaking him even at the cost of my life.

Thinking of the importance of the qualified guru,
May I allow myself to enter under his control.

1. May I be like an obedient son, ²⁵
Acting exactly in accordance with the guru’s advice.

2. Even when maras, evil friends and the like
Try to split me from the guru,
May I be like a vajra, inseparable forever.

3. When the guru gives me work, whatever the burden,
May I be like the earth, carrying all.

4. When I devote myself to the guru,
Whatever suffering occurs (hardship or problems),
May I be like a mountain, immovable.
(The mind should not be upset or discouraged.)

5. Even if I have to perform all the unpleasant tasks,
May I be like a servant of the king,
With a mind undisturbed.

6. May I abandon pride.
Holding myself lower than the guru,
May I be like a sweeper.

7. May I be like a rope, joyfully holding the guru’s work,
No matter how difficult or heavy a burden.

8. Even when the guru criticizes, provokes or ignores me,
May I be like a dog without anger,
Never responding with anger.

9. May I be like a (ferry) boat,
Never upset at any time to come or go for the guru.

O glorious and precious root guru,
Please bless me to be able to practice in this way.
From now on, in all my future lifetimes,
May I be able to devote myself to the guru in this way.

By reciting these words aloud and reflecting on their meaning in your mind, you will have the good fortune to be able to devote yourself correctly to the precious guru, from life to life in all your future lifetimes.

If you offer service and respect and make offerings to the precious guru with these nine attitudes, even if you do not practice intentionally, you will develop many good qualities, collect extensive merit and quickly achieve full enlightenment.

Note: the words in parentheses are not to be read aloud; they have been added to clarify the text and should be kept in mind but not recited.

Colophon
Written by the highly attained lama, Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangdrol. Translated by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Scribed by Lillian Too and Ven. Thubten Dekyong (Tsenla) at Kachoe Dechen Ling, Aptos, California, February 1999. Edited by Nick Ribush and Ven. Connie Miller.

Notes
25. It has been suggested to change “son” to “child,” however, according to Lama Zopa Rinpoche: “The term ‘son’ is not used in dependence upon the characteristics of the body but of the mind. The term is used because it is normally the son who becomes king. The daughter becomes the queen but not king. Because this example is applied here, the disciple is called the ‘son of the vajra master,’ but it has nothing to do with the body.” [Return to text]