Other translations:

Eight Bliss Fortress

Namo Guru


To the lord so incredible, I bow in respect
He is the essence of the Body, Speech and Mind
Of the wisdom, excellent qualities and activity
Of all of the victors, the buddhas in all the three times.


The view that is completely free of all the extremes
Settles in the midst of union’s spaciousness
The marks of thinking that is dualistic all free in their ground
No more splitting into separate sides, oh what bliss!


Meditation — just to rest in natural emptiness
Settles in the midst of no perceiver, perceived
The marks of dullness and agitation all free in their ground
Constant bliss that’s emptiness, oh what bliss!


Conduct that relaxes within itself relaxed
Settles in the midst of no one doing this
The marks of doing or not doing all free in their ground
No more reference point as a focus to fix on, oh what bliss!


Samaya that is naturally pure in and of itself
Settles in the midst of no klesha distress
The marks of errors and downfalls all free in their ground
Samaya that is way beyond all keeping, oh what bliss!

Fruition that is simply there spontaneously
Settles in the midst of all freedom from change
The marks of blocking or producing all free in their ground
The end of all looking for attainment, oh what bliss!


The genuine Dharma with its plenitude of terms
Settles in the midst of no way to express this
The marks of something to be learned all free in their ground
With nothing more at all to be learned, oh what bliss!


The arising of the signs of success on paths and levels
Settles in the midst of no arising at all
The marks of wanting signs to come all free in their ground
Getting over and beyond taking things as real, oh what bliss!


The effortless achievement of the benefit of beings
Settles in the midst of no sentient beings at all
The marks of bringing benefit to wandering beings all free in their ground
No one out there to give the help, no one out there receiving it, oh what bliss!


This, the song on resting in the Eight Bliss Fortress
The fort itself, the fortress of empty pure being
As long as you can manage to settle in this kind of fortress
This is the bliss experience there’s no way no way you can miss!


Composed by the lord Gotsangpa.
Under the guidance of Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, translated and arranged by Jim Scott, Karme Choling, 25 July 1996, Revised April 2003 and February 2012. Translation copyright 2012, Jim Scott