"Advice on the Benefits of the Mind of Compassion

Called Necklace of Pearls"

A poem written by

Venerable Thupten Rinpoche

© Copyright Thupten Tulku & Dhargyey Buddhist Centre, 1997.

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Prostrations to the Compassionate Arya!

Homage to Great Compassion,
Firmest foundation for the Mind of Enlightenment --
The gateway for the Universal Vehicle
To reach the highest, the Conqueror's state.

Save Great Compassion,
From what other prime cause
Could emerge the fleeting joy of pleasant words,
The ultimate joy of Buddhahood?

[With Great Compassion] one is called a "Conqueror's child", [Bodhisattva];
hat Hearers and Solitary Realizers
Pass not beyond solitary peace
Is surely due to lacking Great Compassion.

Hence, when you find transient
Peace and when others pay respect to you,
Abandoning pride
Think, `These have come through the kindness of Compassion.'

When you suffer sickness and misery,
Condemnation and belittling by others,
Harbour no ill-feeling for them
But think, `These have come due to lacking Compassion.'

When you receive whatever you've wished for:
Food and clothing, shelter and so on --
The effects of a generous mind in previous lives --
Think, `This, too, is the kindness of Compassion.'

Of your plight -- dearth of food and clothing --
The effect of not having given,
Ruled by miserliness in previous lives,
Think, `This is due to lacking Compassion.'

Peace, happiness and fame,
Praise and veneration, all arise from
The ethics of abstaining from harm and [from malice], its cause.
Think, `These, too, are the kindness of Compassion.'

When you are afflicted
With various ills and contagions
Through collecting bad actions -- killing and so on --
Think, `This, too, is due to my lacking Compassion.'

Beauty and charisma,
Firm mind and soft words,
Arise from patience imperturbable.
Think, `These, too, are the kindness of Compassion.'

A loathsome appearance and
Unpleasant words are caused by
The anger that intends to harm others.
Think, `These, too, are due to lacking Compassion.'

In brief, all glories of worldly existence and Peace
Emerge from Great Compassion alone:
Know likewise that all forms of decline
Emerge from lacking Compassion.

The Mind of Compassion
Has qualities vast as space:
If even Buddhas find it hard to see them
How could I, small being, take their measure?

May I be ship's captain
Who, relying on the vessel Compassion,
Plucks mother sentient beings vast as space
From the evil ocean of existence.

If you wish to practise Dharma from the heart,
Seek and rely on a master with Compassion,
Make entreaties to the deity of Compassion
And meditate upon the Mind of Compassion.

May those of degenerate times without Compassion,
Objects of Compassion,
Be moistened with the Mind of Compassion
Through a constant shower of sacred teachings on Compassion.

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"The Necklace of Pearls: Advice on the Benefits of the Mind of Compassion" was written by Venerable Thupten Tulku at our request, especially for the Dhargyey Buddhist Centre Newsletter.It was written in Tibetan at the Dhargyey Buddhist Centre, Dunedin, in the second week of the second Tibetan month (March 1997).This first halting translation was made by Losang Dawa and Ven. Sönam Chökyi on 18 March 1997.May all beings benefit.

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