Forty-Three Trainings for an Enlightened Mind And Other Divine Writings by Raven Cypress Wood introduces us to Kündun Sonam Lodro, the 22nd Abbot of Menri Monastery, and his poetic compositions of spiritual guidance. Born in 1784, he was the first of the Menri abbots to forego a life of complete solitary practice for long pilgrimages throughout Tibet. Along the way, he spent time in intensive meditation as well as meeting with faithful followers of Yungdrung Bön and Buddhist monk scholars. In this way, he became renowned for both his incredible intellect and his realization.

In this book, four of Kündun Sonam Lodro’s compositions have been translated into English. Forty-Three Trainings for an Enlightened Mind is a five-part composition of forty-three stanzas that provides guidance for daily living and spiritual development for practitioners of lesser knowledge or capacity, those of ordinary capacity, and for the most advanced practitioners. This epic work inspires the reader to continually follow the path of virtue and truth above all else.

“In order to practice the path of liberation at all times during the day and night, you must have the kind of diligent effort that is like trying to extinguish your hair that has caught on fire.”

—Excerpt from Forty-Three Trainings for an Enlightened Mind

Sherap Gongyal’s Supplication and Experiential Song upon Perceiving the Suffering and Misery of Cyclic Existence is prose of such vivid imagery that it pierces the delusory nature of worldly things and inspires commitment to a meaningful human life and spiritual development.

“Craving for the deep mud of food and property is like covering the eyes with both hands while they are bound together by desire and attachment.

There is no freedom, and one will fall into the muddy depths and become trapped. And so, they remain within the deep mire of cyclic existence.

Lama, think of us! Hold us within your compassion! Lead us along the path of liberation and great bliss, I pray!”

—Excerpt from Sherap Gongyal’s Supplication and Experiential Song upon Perceiving the Suffering and Misery of Cyclic Existence

The Spontaneous Wish-fulfillment of Removing Obstacles from the Path is a commonly recited prayer within the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition. Rather than a composition, this prayer was given to Kündun Sonam Lodro during a vision of the enlightened Khandro Sherap Lo Pélmo and therefore is considered an oral transmission. This prayer is recited either as a daily practice or when needed to remove problems or obstacles. In the colophon of the prayer, it states: “By reciting this prayer a single time, obstacles of an entire year are pacified. By reciting it 100 times, obstacles of one lifetime are pacified.” And, “If you perform this aspiration prayer and request attainments, there will be food for those who need food, clothes for those who need clothes, and so on. Whatever supreme accomplishment that you ask for will happen without a doubt!”

A Flowing River of Supplications and Blessings is a heartfelt homage to the places of ultimate refuge. The beauty of the writing naturally guides the mind of the reader to a state of inspiration and openness.

“Within the king’s palace at the center of my body is the embodiment of all spiritual masters, the root lama, surrounded by a gathering of the guardians of the teachings.

To the one who pacifies all outer and inner obstacles, I devotedly prostrate, present offerings, and supplicate! Compassionately bless me and all other migrating beings!

Without exception, having pacified all illness, obstacles, and external interferences, lead us along the path of liberation and great bliss!”

—Excerpt from A Flowing River of Supplications and Blessings

The English language translation of these writings is followed by the Tibetan text. Additionally, the book contains a brief biographical introduction to Kündun Sonam Lodro, an extensive list of his compositions, a brief history of Menri Monastery together with a list of its thirty-four abbots along with their associated dates.

Forty-Three Trainings for an Enlightened Mind And Other Divine Writings by Raven Cypress Wood is available now through Lulu and can be purchased by following this link: https://www.lulu.com/shop/raven-cypress-wood/forty-three-trainings-for-an-enlightened-mind/paperback/product-wmw97z.html?q=Raven+Cypress+Wood&page=1&pageSize=4

Additionally, it will soon be available at the Ligmincha International Store here: https://ligmincha.org/?s=raven&post_type=product and also through Namse Bangdzo Bookstore, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Tibetan translations by Raven Cypress Wood

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November 29th is the birth celebration of the 34th holder of the golden throne of Menri Monastery Lungtok Dawa Dargyal Rinpoché. He was born in Amdo, Tibet and given the birth name Norbu Sampel. He began school at the age of five and began to learn religious chanting at the age of eight. At seventeen, he took novice monk vows and received the name Tsultrim Nyima. The following year, he entered the Dialectic School of Gamel Monastery. In 1994 in Tibet, he met H.H. 33rd Menri Trizin Lungtok Tenpé Nyima Rinpoché and received his full monastic ordination from him, receiving the name Dawa Dargyal Wangpo. In 1996, he completed his Geshe degree and then traveled to Menri Monastery. He then entered the esteemed Dialectic school of Menri Monastery and received his Menri Geshe degree in 2012 in the presence of H.H. 33rd Menri Trizin.

In September 2017, H.H. 34th Menri Trizin displayed the truth of impermanence and passed beyond his physical vessel. At that time, the Geshe from Amdo, Dawa Dargyal, was the general secretary of Menri Monastery and undertook the responsibility of helping to organize the memorial service and cremation ceremony. On January 1st, through the multi-day ritual and prayer ceremony, he was chosen by the Yungdrung Bön protectors to ascend the throne as abbot of Menri Monastery. On February 20, 2018, he was enthroned as the 34th Menri Trizin, holder of the golden throne of the second buddha Nyamme Sherap Gyaltsen.

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Today, August 7, 2022 coincides with the 10th lunar day of the month. According to the Yungdrung Bön religious calendar, the 10th lunar day of each month is designated as the day to perform practices for Tséwang Rikdzin, his twin brother Pema Tongdrol, and their father the great lama Drenpa Namkha. In honor of this, Raven Cypress Wood is releasing The Practice of the King of Longevity Practice Manual to be publicly available.

Previously, this translation and practice manual was restricted to students with verified transmission of the Tséwang Jarima longevity practice of Tséwang Rikdzin. At this time, many students around the world have received transmission, empowerment, and in-depth teaching from this scripture. Therefore, in order to support the deepening practice of these students, this practice manual is being made more easily available. This manual assumes that the student has received fundamental instruction regarding the longevity practice and its related seven-day yidam retreat. In that way, it contains less introductory and explanatory information and more detail regarding the intensive practice, yidam retreat, and the associated rituals.

This is a practice manual for the longevity ritual, the seven-day yidam retreat of Lama Tséwang Rikdzin, as well as the daily yidam practice. It contains English translations of the root text, supplemental texts, and support and study materials. These include translation of the text for making offerings to Sayi Lhamo Tenma, the Earth Goddess, in order to ask for blessings and support at the beginning of the yidam retreat or longevity ritual, translation of the feast offering prayers, the mantric seal used to set the boundary for the seven-day retreat, prompts for the use of instruments and offering of torma, and so on.

“Namo!

Previously, during a much earlier time, the Bönku Künzang, the Dzok ku Sangwa Düpa, the Tülku and protector of beings Tséwang Rikdzin, and the great mother Khandro Tukjé Kündrol, together with a gathering of those who have the direct mind-to-mind lineage of the three enlightened bodies,

upon the peak of the sacred place of Jarima in Tazik, having arranged the first portion of a collection of enjoyable food, they fulfilled the sacred commitments to the group of lamas, yidams, rikdzin, and khandro.”

Extract from Fulfilling Our Commitments and Bringing Delight to the Lineage of the Tséwang Jarima, A Mala of Utpala Flowers

The practice manual for The Practice of the King of Longevity from the Tséwang Jarima can be ordered at the following link: https://www.lulu.com/shop/raven-cypress-wood/tsewang-jarima-longevity-practice/paperback/product-1vj77q6v.html?q=raven+cypress+wood&page=1&pageSize=4

With the public release of this practice manual, it is hoped that the blessings of indestructible longevity and wisdom rain down upon the Yungdrung Bön faithful!

Raven Cypress Wood ©All Rights Reserved. No content, in part or in whole, is allowed to be used without direct permission from the author.

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Want to join the mandala of Nine Ways supporters? Follow this link https://ravencypresswood.com/donate/ It’s easy through Paypal and Zelle.