This old, illustrated scripture begins with the phrase, “In the language of the sacred Yungdrung…”
Author Archives: Raven Cypress Wood
Spiritual Leaders of Our Time
HH 33rd Menri Trizen and HH 17th Gyalwang Karmapa at Menri Monastery in Dolanji, India 2013
The Field of Accumulation: Abbots of Menri Monastery
The Yungdrung Bon Merit Field of the Menri Tradition
In the Yungdrung Bön tradition, the place where the deities and objects of veneration are gathered is called the “Tsok Zhing”, the “Field of Accumulation”. It is also sometimes translated as the “Field of Merit” or the “Merit Field” because what is being accumulated by paying homage and making offerings to this place is merit, or virtue. The Merit Field consists of the images of the enlightened deities and protectors which represent Enlightened Body, chortens which represent Enlightened Mind, and scriptures and the sound of mantra which represent Enlightened Speech. The lower section of the Merit Field also contains unenlightened but powerful and worldly protectors that are oath bound to protect the Yungdrung Bön. There are many different depictions of the Merit Field according to different lineages. However, the most well-known image is the Merit Field according to the tradition of Menri Monastery. The Merit Field is depicted in a very specific way and this is the proper guide for a practitioner’s visualization.
Because this Merit Field is based upon the Menri tradition, the central figures are primarily associated with the Menri Monastery.
1. The glorious teacher who has blessings and who has the nature of all of the collective Victorious Ones, the all-good essence of the kind root lama, Shenlha Ökar. He has the 25 mudra of the Perfected Enjoyment Body. He wears the 13 peaceful ornaments and has the 9 ways of purity. He has the 32 major marks and the 80 minor marks. He has the 40 items of nobility and he radiates forth a million rays of light.
2-34 are the abbots of Menri Monastery. Beside each of the names is the year in which they became abbot of Menri Monastery.
2. The one who united the three transmissions, the Second Buddha, Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen. He has the appearance of a fully ordained monk. He held the knowledge of the doors of Bön without any exceptions. He was the abbot of the prestigious Yeru Wensaka Monastery in Tsang, Tibet. It was destroyed by a flood and mudslide in 1386. In 1405, he established Tashi Menri Monastery according to the Bön Dru lineage with artifacts that he had recovered from the ruins of Yeru Wensaka. At its height, Tashi Menri Monastery could house over 300 monks and had four colleges. It was completely destroyed during the Chinese invasion in 1966.
3. The regent of the Guide who was the Second Buddha, Rinchen Gyaltsen. He became abbot in 1415.
4. The great abbot, Namkha Yeshé, 1446
5. Künzang Gyalten, 1464
6. Tenzin Rinchen Gyaltsen, 1485
7. Tsultrim Gyaltsen, 1511
8. Sonam Yeshé, 1532
9. Sonam Yundrung, 1575
10. Shétsu Drungmu, 1610
11. Shérab Özer, 1647
12. Yungdrung Gyaltsen, 1662
13. Shérab Lodro, 1677
14. Shérab Özer, 1686
15. Tsukpü Özer, 1697
16. Yungdrung Tsultrim, 1706
17. Rinchen Özer, 1722
18. Rinchen Lhundrup, 1735
19. Sherap Tenzin, 1760
20. Shérap Wangyal, 1776
21. Yungdrung Wangyal, 1789
22. Püntsok Namgyal, 1805
23. Sonam Lodro, also known as Sherap Gong Gyal, 1810
24. Nangton Dawa Gyaltsen, also known as Sonam Gyaltsen. In 1834, he founded the renowned Yungdrung Ling Monastery.
25. Nyima Tenzin, 1836. He was also one of the main teachers of Yungdrung Ling Monastery.
26. Sonam Püntsok,
27. Shérap Yungdrung
28. Sangye Tenzin
29. Tenzin Tsultrim
30. Püntsok Lodro
31. Gyalwa Lodro
32. Tenpa Lodro
33. Nyima Wangyal
34. Sherap Lodro. He is the first abbot of Menri Monastery in Dolanji, India. 1968. Upon ordination as the 33rd throne-holder of Menri Monastery, he was given the name Lungtok Tenpé Nyima.
The 33rd Holder of the Golden Throne of Menri Monastery, His Holiness Lungtok Tenpe Nyima Rinpoche
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Consecration of the Great Wheel & Namchu Wangden of Yungdrung Bon in Amdo, Tibet
The Great Prayer Wheel of Yungdrung Bon in Amdo, Tibet
In November 2014 in the Zinchu village of Amdo, Tibet, a large copper and gold prayer wheel was installed along with a unique image of the Namchu Wangden of Yungdrung Bön. Both were consecrated during a ceremony that was attended by many Yungdrung Bön lamas who had traveled to the area for the occasion.
Yungdrung Bon lamas performing the consecration ritual for the Namchu Wangden
Lamas attending the ceremony included the great abbot Sherap Yungdrung Wangyal Rinpoche, the tulku of Nangzhik Sherap Özer Gyaltsen Rinpoche, the tulku Rikdzin Nyima, the abbot Khenpo Tsering Norbu, the esteemed teacher Rakshi Künsal Nyingpo, Lama Drebu Bönzin, Geshe Tenzin Drukdak and others.
Yungdrung Bon lamas perform the consecration ritual for the Namchu Wangden image erected in Amdo, Tibet
The Namchu Wangden of Yungdrung Bön is a symbol of great protection and contains the seed syllables of the 720 deities. Displaying this image protects from destruction by the five elements as well as protecting the life-force, health, personal power and lungta. It gives protection from the Eight Classes of Beings as well as astrologically negative events.
The original article related to this consecration ceremony appeared on the Tibetan language website http://himalayabon.com/news/2014-11-16/486.html#jtss-fb. You can find the complete article and more photos by following the link.
The Illustrated Scripture
Illustration of the Supreme Deity Sangpo Bumtri from an old Yungdrung Bon text
Sipa Sangpo Bumtri, Deity of Phenomenal Existence, is one of the Four Transcendent Lords of the Yungdrung Bön. The other three are The Great Deity Shenlha Ökar, The Great Mother of Space Satrik Ersang and Lord Tönpa Shenrap Miwoche. These Four Deities are traditionally displayed together in every Yungdrung Bön temple and are often surrounded by the 1,000 Enlightened Beings.
Nine Ways 