Buddha Sherap Jamma, The Wise Loving Mother, is one of the four primary enlightened ones of the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition. Her practices are widespread and well known. Sky-Ladder of Freedom: An Abridged Commentary Regarding the Meaning of the Words of the Mantric Praise of Jamma, the Deity Who Protects From All Things, provides a concise description of the profundity of Buddha Sherap Jamma.

“She is the source of the essence of wisdom, as well as the source of the natural mind of all the enlightened ones. She is the empty aspect of space in which everything is arising, everything is abiding, and everything is dissolving. She is the essence of absolute reality. In order to lovingly care for all sentient beings like a mother cares for her only child, she engages in supreme activity by guiding in the manner of a goddess. She is the great mother who has given birth to all the buddhas of the three enlightened bodies, all of whom possess the defining characteristics of having conquered both the two obscurations and all karmic potentialities, as well as being buddhas of the three times of past, present and future.”

In the early 1960’s after the cultural revolution of 1959, the first Bönpo refugee community was established by the Red Cross in Dhorpatan, Nepal. At that time, 32nd Abbot of Menri Monastery, Kündun Sherap Lodro, was staying in Kathmandu after having fled Tibet. He traveled to Dhorpatan and initiated the construction of a temple. This temple was called Tashi Gégye Thaten Ling, but became commonly referred to as Dhorpatan Gompa. Management of the temple was taken over by Tsultrim Nyima, father of the current abbot of Triten Norbutse, Khenpo Tenpa Yungdrung Rinpoche. As a method of preserving and strengthening the Yungdrung Bön tradition, Lama Tsultrim Nyima advised the Bönpo refugees to recite The Heartdrop of Jamma together as a family every evening after dinner. This evening recitation continues to this very day among many Bönpo families.

The Heartdrop of Jamma, or Jamma Nying Tik, is an aural transmission given by Khandro Sherap Lopelma, an emanation of Sherap Jamma, to His Holiness 22^nd Menri Trizin Sonam Lodro Rinpoché. In this practice, every part of the physical body, consciousness, and mind are transformed into one of the manifestations of Buddha Sherap Jamma.

“My own body is the mandala of Künsal Jamma. From the syllable OM at the channel of the heart manifests Sherap Jamma. From the SA at the channel of the spleen manifests Tapgyi Jamma. From the HA at the channel of the lungs manifests Mönlam Jamma. From the RI at the channel of the liver manifests Tukjé Jamma. From the NI at the channel of the kidneys manifests Topkyi Jamma. They are the Guide Mothers for all migrating beings, who dispel the darkness of cyclic existence. I prostrate to the Mothers who are the Destroyers of the demon army of the five poisons!”

— From The Heartdrop of Jamma

June 3rd-4th, 2023, this practice will be taught in-person and via Zoom by the resident lama of Ligmincha Texas, Geshe Denma Gyaltsen. The teaching will be given in English and translated into Spanish and Portuguese. More information can be found here: https://ligminchatexas.org/event/the-heartdrop-of-jama-with-geshe-denma-gyaltsen/?fbclid=IwAR1YsAV9n9LQoc_dnW3tgo5dQzUKmPOnPt1ZPyQvCL44st6RuqazM6L9Wc0

The English, Spanish, and French language translations of The Heartdrop of Jamma are available for purchase. The Portuguese language translation is being completed and will be available soon. More information and the ordering links can be found on the Publications page of this website.

June 14th-July 3rd, 2023 Geshe Yongdong Losar, founder and spiritual director of Sherab Chamma Ling in Courtenay BC, Canada will be offering his 4th annual 21 Days of the 21 Manifestations of Sherab Chamma. For 21 consecutive days, Geshe Yongdong will guide a one hour online practice emphasizing one of the primary 21 manifestations of Buddha Sherab Chamma. Every Sunday during the series, he will teach and provide students with an opportunity to ask questions and share experiences. The text used for this unique retreat opportunity will be The Beneficial Mantric Praise of Künsal Jamma Chenmo, The All-Clear Loving Mother. This text was taught directly by Buddha Tönpa Shenrap.

“The mantra of the twenty-one Victors, the praise of the Victorious Jamma of Bön, was spoken by the Victor Tönpa Shenrap.  These twenty-one verses are, without exception, beyond cyclic existence and a completely pure practice. By reciting out loud the twenty-one praises, one will obtain immeasurable benefits. Praise to Tönpa Shenrap for revealing these twenty-one praises of the root mantra!”

— From The Beneficial Mantric Praise of Künsal Jamma Chenmo, The All-Clear Loving Mother

“The syllable OM is the essence of the pure, five Enlightened Bodies. The completely clear Bönku manifests as Sherap Jamma Chenmo, the Great, Wise, Loving Mother. The Dzok ku manifests as Tapchen Chamma, Loving Mother of Great Method. The Tülku manifests as Mönlam Chamma, Loving Mother of Aspirational Prayers. The actual manifestation of enlightenment, Tukjé Jamma, is like the queen of the khandro and is also known as the great consort, Kyema Ödtso, the Lake of Light. The Body of Great Bliss within phenomenal existence manifests as Topkyi Jamma, Loving Mother of Power. 

There are extensive teachings regarding the essence and nature of each of these supreme, five Enlightened Bodies. These teachings are included within The Unsurpassed Scripture Regarding the Eight Realms, The Path of the Indestructible Ten Grounds, The Scripture of Completely Pure Morality and Discipline, The Yungdrung Bodhisattvas who Established the Meaning, and The Complete Collection of Expansive Virtue. I prostrate to that Great Mother who arises as the sovereign lord of these five volumes of scripture!”

— From Sky-Ladder of Freedom, the commentary for The Beneficial Mantric Praise of Künsal Jamma Chenmo:

More information about this retreat can be found here: https://sherabchammaling.com/21-days-of-the-21-manifestations-of-sherab-chamma/?fbclid=IwAR3aNgPbV2dhRdownl8FMdSajkqs1xW5vtX9wsmFnVDyxJPMYxriz4eGHPk

*Both spellings “Chamma” and “Jamma” are used widely although the standard phonetics for an English language speaker is “Jamma.”

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