2.1.1 lá-sòg gĭdrǒd-kol

The Warmth of Our Life Force

Rinpoche explains that this song is important because it reminds Tibetans not to forget their language and culture. Rinpoche gave these comments at Merigar West in July of 2016 during a session of Khaita Joyful Dances. Here is presented both the Tibetan text and Drajyor or phonetics of the song.

“It’s a beautiful song really. If I had to leave a testament to the Tibetans I would leave this particular song. It means that people should remember their culture. They should not abandon it.

It starts with ga, ka,gǎ, ŋa,which is the Tibetan alphabet. ga, ka,gǎ, ŋa majéd amai bǔ: children of your mother, do not forget! It also says not to forget Tibetan culture, not to forget our homeland. People who were born and have lived in a country should have this feeling. It is very important, otherwise who has it? Then it will end up just as happened in the Western world. Today they say: “Oh, in the old days there were the Vikings”. Who were the Vikings? Maybe they show you some films with people who were a little wild, with beards, and they say that these were the Vikings. But in reality they were an ancient civilization with its own history, weren’t they? Then, when there is no continuation, when there is nobody who loveshis culture, etc., it ends up like the Vikings.

I’m very worried about this aspect for the Tibetans. This is why I have chosen all the songs, firstly to help maintain Tibetan culture a little bit. Secondly, also for the melody, to dance well, to feel good, even to relax. Those who want to help the Tibetans a little bit can understand what they are saying, the meaning: this is very important indeed. Here, the meaning of this song is very wonderful, really wonderful, and then also the dance is very beautiful, and I really like the movements. Also it relaxes your mind a little bit. Not only relaxes, but it coordinates the mind a little bit.

Many dancers watch those who know how to do [the dances], watch which hand to move, which foot to move. They only look at these things and repeat them. This is not good. It is necessary but when we dance once or twice we should think, for example, about how many steps we did? And where? To the right or to the left? Where did we move our hands? Once, twice and we remember, no? We coordinate. We have to think a little and use our heads. This is very important. In the Western world we really do not use the brain much. Because everyone thinks “I have to go to study” and when a person studies and reads, he says: “I have to do this and that” and memorizes “I must do it like this.”

When I do something, for example, many people ask me where I learned it. I learned it in the brain, right? We use, we work with circumstances, with what we can do, with what the possibility is. The new generations do not do this, many of them really do not. They always ask “Where did you learn that, where do you study these things?” This is really not good. You have to use the brain a little.

So, even when you dance, use your brain a little, not only looking at what those who know the dances do. If you only repeat, repeat today, repeat tomorrow, repeat the day after tomorrow, repeat all your life, you’ll never learn. If you think a little, for example, about what we said, “How many times did we clap our hands?” We said eleven times. It’s true. And then when you clap you can also count, and arrive at eleven: “Ah, now I have to dance.” This means using your brain. When you don’t use it and you only look – today, tomorrow, next month, next year – we grow old and we have not learned anything.”

2.1.1

 THE WARMTH OF OUR LIFE FORCE

Tibetans of the snow!
The warmth of our life force
Is KA KHA GA NGA – learn it!
Our ancestor is King Songtsen Gampo.
The opener of the door of knowledge is the teacher Thonmi.
The language and letters are the jewel of our family generations.
Do not forget KA KHA GA NGA, children of the snow mountain!
Do not forget them, children of the snow mountain!

*****

Tibetans of the snow!
Shining on the summit of existence
Is the pure language of our fathers – speak it!
The thirty-four consonants and vowels are our heart lineage.
The pure language is the warmth of our life,
The sunlight that shines on the peak of existence.
Do not forget Tibetan culture, children of your mothers!
Do not forget it, children of your mothers!

*****

Tibetans of the snow!
Naturally formed and untainted
Is your glorious fatherland – preserve it!
The red fort is the ancestral castle of the Tibetans,
The powerful might of the early kings
Is the trace left behind by our ancestors.
Do not forget our strong fatherland, children of the snow!
Do not forget, children of the snow!
It is the trace left behind by our ancestors.
Do not forget, children of the snow!
Do not forget, children of the snow!
Do not forget, children of the snow!