the word “shamballa” can be traced back to sanskrit where it means a place of peace, stasis, and joy. based on tibet’s most sacred writings by kanjur tanjur, shamballa is a hidden kingdom nestled north of the bodhi gaya city, a holy place in Buddhism where the Buddha was enlightened under the bodhi tree.

folklore surrounding the interior of the kingdom varies. some say it is an oasis enclosed by vast mountain ranges, tender snow, and glistening ice. few believe there is an ethereal gate that leads to a metaphysical world, binding various intangible space-time dimensions with our own. others state that this hidden oasis is too distant for any soul to ever reach, and it can only be admired from afar.

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an unpublished poem written by HH Orgyen Kusum Lingpa

translated extemporaneously by Tulku Sherdor in 2004

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golden flower, lady fair,

to whom i am connected from previous lives,

when struck by the radiance of sacred dharma

the bewitching golden lotus overflows with nectar,

captivating the six-legged golden bee;

we are certain to meet again in shambhala!

in the depths of the lady fair’s turquoise forest,

the mango fruit offers one hundred kinds of enjoyment,

enchanting the mind of the cuckoo bird.

i aspire that we meet again in shambhala!

in the lady fair’s ocean of amrita,

with eight delicious qualities, this rejuvenating medicine

captures the mind of the golden fish.

i aspire that we meet again in shambhala!

in the lady fair’s splendid sandalwood grove

wafts the sweet aroma of rejuvenating medicinal nectar,

stealing the senses of the talking parrot.

i aspire that we meet again in shambhala!

lady fair, the summer dragon

whose roaring fills the peacock’s womb with offspring—

my feelings are lost to this lady who sports among clouds;

i aspire that we meet again in shambhala!

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"we are certain to meet again in shambhala!"

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