Category Archives: Tibetan Culture & History

Birth Anniversary of Karu Drupwang Tenzin Rinchen: Yogi, Pilgrim, & Champion of Yungdrung Bön

Yungdrung Phüntsok Ling in the village of Lubrak

The 8th day of the 10th lunar month is the birth anniversary of the intrepid scholar and spiritual master Karu Drupwang Tenzin Rinchen Gyaltsen Dechen Nyingpo, better known as Karu Drupwang Rinpoche. In 2026, this lunar date corresponds with November 17th. Born at sunrise in 1801 C.E. to a wealthy family in Kham, Tibet, his birth was precipitated by numerous miraculous signs. His autobiography recounts that he was urged to take rebirth by a group of deities so that he could benefit beings through his manifestation. Throughout his life, he traveled extensively on lengthy pilgrimages and was a strong advocate for maintaining the authentic history of Yungdrung Bön sacred sites while maintaining a nonsectarian view and having meaningful interactions with a wide range of people from kings to outcastes. Throughout Tibet and Nepal, he became well known for both his intellect and his magical power.

The Outcast

An emanation of the 8th century B.C.E. yogi Lishu Taring, the first of his many visionary encounters occurred at the young age of two years old when he was visited by this very accomplished master and given extensive, detailed spiritual instructions. At the age of six, he took monastic ordination and began his studies at the nearby Nor Ling, Jewel Land, Monastery. He was an excellent student and was highly praised by his teachers for his academic achievements. However, upon the death of his father when he was thirteen, the family’s wealth, status, and influence quickly declined. As such, his exalted position within the monastery also declined and the previously veiled jealousy of his peers became outright hostility. After a few years of suffering ongoing insults and abusive treatment, he left the monastery in order to undergo a lengthy, solitary retreat. However, this retreat was interrupted due to unforeseen circumstances that required him to fulfill monastic responsibilities at Nor Ling. Having returned to the monastery, he again experienced abuse from his peers. Therefore, he made the decision to begin a lengthy pilgrimage. This decision began his lifetime of travel, visionary encounters, and his lasting impact on the the spiritual life and culture of the people of Dolpo and Lubrak in Nepal.

Life as a Pilgrim

His first pilgrimage was to Kongpo Bönri where he had many extraordinary visionary encounters. From there, he continued on to the renowned monasteries of Tashi Menri and Kharna in Central Tibet. Going West, as he visited Zhang Zhung sacred sites, he would often discover that the Bönpo history had been subsumed into Buddhist lore with no remaining Bönpo relevance. At this, he would fervently go about correcting the historical and religious record of the sacred site. One of his most well-known compositions is his detailed pilgrimage guide to Mount Tisé [a.k.a Mount Kailash] entitled A Catalogue of Snowy Tisé that was written in 1844 C.E. This is the most detailed pilgrimage guide known to this sacred site and details its ancient connection with Yungdrung Bön.

The Southern side of Mount Tisé

Wandering Yogi and Prolific Composer of Sacred Texts

He spent a great deal of time in the village of Lubrak, Nepal and in 1846 C.E, he sponsored the construction of a village temple that was named Yungdrung Phüntsok Ling, Land of Indestructible Bounty. During this time, he met an impoverished woman and her son. Being a widow, the mother was having great difficulty providing for her child. Moved with compassion and feeling a deep connection with the young boy, he took him under his care. This boy went on to become one of his main disciples and came to be known as the renowned master Drogön Tenzin Nyima.

One of Karu Drupwang Rinpoche’s most well-known compositions is the Mar Ti Duk Nga Rang Drol, Essential Instructions on the Self Liberation of the Five Poisons. He received this dzogchen text as a mind treasure when he was twenty-five years old. During one of his visits to Lubrak, he wrote this text down in order to support the spiritual needs of the community. These teachings continue to be a part of the annual ritual in Lubrak and Karu Drupwang’s original manuscript is still held in the village as one of its greatest treasures. The preliminary practices from this text are used for the three-year retreat in many villages in Dolpo. The text has its own uniquely beautiful melody

“As for mirror-like wisdom, externally, it is the wisdom of not grasping at the self-nature of appearances. Internally, it is the wisdom of not grasping at the self-nature of one’s own identity. Secretly, it is the wisdom of not grasping at one’s own natural mind. Most secretly, it is the wisdom of not grasping at one’s own essential nature.

From the Mar Ti Duk Nga Rang Drol, Essential Instructions on the Self Liberation of the Five Poisons

After spending long periods of time throughout Dolpo and Mustang, he made his way to Kathmandu. Although he traveled throughout the Kathmandu valley and encountered a variety of people and cultures, he was often at the stupa of Swayambunath begging for alms. There, he continued to have many vivid, visionary encounters. However, in 1852 C.E. he returned to Tibet and became a root lama to the esteemed 23rd Menri Trizin Künkhen Nyima Tenzin. During this time, he was enthroned as the abbot of his former monastery, Nor Ling, where he had experienced years of abuse that had been the cause for his decision to begin his extensive travels.

First pages of the Autobiography of Karu Drupwang Tenzin Rinchen

Upon the insistent urging of a disciple, he wrote an autobiography that was completed in 1845 C.E. that is kept in the temple of Samling in Dolpo, Nepal. Although the exact date of his passing beyond this life is not known, it is generally understood to have occurred some time in 1861 C.E.

Chapters within the Mar Ti Duk Nga Rang Drol, Essential Instructions on the Self Liberation of the Five Poisons

  • Teachings on the Opportunities and Good Fortunes that are Difficult to Obtain from the Systematic Guidance for the Preliminary Practices of the Essential Guidance on the Self Liberation of the Five Poisons
  • Systematic Guidance Regarding the Difference Between Virtue and Wrongdoing, and Impermanence
  • Systematic Guidance on Going for Refuge
  • Systematic Guidance on Generating a Mind of Enlightenment
  • Systematic Guidance on Purifying Wrongdoing through Admission of Wrongdoing and Purification
  • Systematic Guidance on Completing the Accumulations through the Mandala Offering
  • Systematic Guidance on Receiving Blessings and Self-empowerment through Supplication
  • Teaching and Advice for Calm Abiding by Focusing on AH
  • Teaching and Advice for Searching the Mind and Awareness
  • Teaching and Advice for Introducing and Concentrating on the Mind
  • Teaching and Advice on the Path of the Six Aggregates
  • Teaching and Advice for Enhancing Gek Sel Practice
  • Teaching and Advice for Dark Retreat and Clear Light
  • Teaching and Advice for the Nourishment through Chulen [Extracting the Essence]
  • Teaching and Advice on the Six Important Points of Practice
  • Teaching and Advice for Abiding in the State of the Mind’s Essence
  • Teaching and Advice for Fully Realizing the Bön Essence
  • Teaching and Advice regarding the Result which is All-penetrating Wisdom
  • Teaching and Advice on the Power to Work with Deathless Birth
  • Teaching and Advice for Attaining Buddhahood with No Physical Aggregates Left Behind
  • Practice of the Goddess [Jamma]
  • The Clear Mirror of A Hundred Horoscopes of the Essential Instruction on the Self Liberation of the Five Poisons
  • A Little Song About the Connection Between the Relative and the Absolute
  • Abridged Preliminary Practices
  • Supplication of the Root Lama Drupwang Tenzin Rinchen [Composition of a disciple]
  • Expiation through Offering to the Lama
  • A Letter to the Ghosts and Demons that Suppresses Phenomenal Existence with its Majestic Brilliance

All translations from the Tibetan by Raven Cypress Wood ©All Rights Reserved

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

More information at the Events Page: MUDRAS & MANTRAS of the YUNGDRUNG BÖN

From the Nine Ways Calendar of Events & Auspicious Days

Each month, Nine Ways hosts online gatherings for the global Yungdrung Bön family to join together in practice led by Raven Cypress Wood. These gatherings are free and open to anyone. To see the scheduled online gatherings for November 2026 and get details for receiving the Zoom link, check out the Calendar of Events & Auspicious Days for November.

Each month on the auspicious day of the Full Moon, everyone is invited to join Raven Cypress Wood and the global Yungdrung Bön family in the recitation of the Tséwang Mönlam, Tséwang’s Precious Mala of Aspirational Prayers. Our next gathering is the Full Moon of November 24th. This prayer is commonly recited during the 49 days of the intermediate state between death and rebirth. If you would like to dedicate this practice to a loved one that has recently passed away, you can do so by sending an email to Raven Cypress Wood with the pertinent information. Details are here: Prayers for a loved one.

New Items Have Arrived in the Nine Ways Shop

  • Traditional Bönpo flat bells, also called sil nyen or shang, were given by Buddha Tönpa Shenrap in order to support the practices of his Yungdrung Bön tradition. They are one of the oldest sacred instruments.
  • Good quality cloth shoulder bags made in Nepal.

For more details or to order, go to the Nine Ways Shop webpage.

Nine Ways is supported by a mandala of kind and generous donors. Because of their generosity, the work continues.

Previously subscribed but not receiving emails? If you haven’t opened an email from Nine Ways in the past three months, you have been removed from the active subscriber list. Resubscribe to stay in touch!

Have a Question about Something You Read? Ask Raven.

← Back

Thank you for your message.

Posted on | Image

Current Event: The Annual Reading of the Enlightened Teachings of Lord Buddha Tönpa Shenrap

Nuns of Ratna Menling reading from the teachings of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap

Each year at Pal Shenten Menri Monastery and Ratna Menling Nunnery on the 14th and 15th lunar days of the 4th month, the enlightened teachings of Lord Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché are read out loud. In 2026, these dates coincide with May 30th and 31st on the Western calendar. During the ceremony, the sacred volumes containing these teachings are carried by both the ordained and laypeople as they circumambulate the temple complex. As a sign of respect for the sacredness of the scriptures, they are carried above the waist. Most often, they are carried on the shoulder. After completing the circumambulation, they are brought into the temples and distributed to the ordained monks and nuns for two full days of recitation. Reading the scriptures aloud is considered one of the thirteen activities for a meaningful human life. (See previous article: Thirteen Activities for a Meaningful Life).

His Holiness the 34th Menri Trizen, His Eminence Menri Pönlop Rinpoche, and other monks of Menri Monastery carry texts containing the words of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap while circumambulating.

The canon of sacred Yungdrung Bön scriptures is divided into two categories. The first category of texts consist of the teachings of the primordial enlightened ones and Lord Buddha Tönpa Shenrap. This category is known as Ka [Tibetan: bka’] meaning enlightened words or speech. These texts are further divided into four primary categories: (1) Dō [Tibetan: mdo], Sutra contains teachings regarding monastic rules, cosmology, medicine, hagiographies, and invocations, (2) Bum [Tibetan: ‘bum], the wisdom texts of The Hundred Thousand also known as The Prajnaparamita, (3) Gyü [Tibetan: rgyud], Tantra, and (4) Dzö [Tibetan: mdzod] The Treasury of the highest teachings known as dzogchen. In some catalogues, there can also be a fifth category of miscellaneous texts. Although each Yungdrung Bön temple in Tibet had a significant collection of Ka scriptures, the collections were not necessarily complete. This was especially due to repeated persecution throughout history of the Yungdrung Bön tradition which necessitated the hiding of texts. It is thought that only one complete collection survived. According to a catalogue of the Ka done by the 23rd abbot of Menri there are a total of 175 volumes. This number can vary according to various collections due to the availability of texts that could be copied, whether only main titles were counted as a volume, and so on.

Monks and nuns of Menri Monastery circumambulating with the scriptures of the Ka.

The second category of canonical texts is known as the Ka Ten [Tibetan: bka’ brten], Relying upon the Words. Thus, the Bön canon is referred to as the Ka and the Ka Ten. (This differs from the Buddhist canon which is referred to as the Kangyur and the Tengyur.) The Ka Ten includes commentaries, practices, rituals, and so on that rely upon the scriptures of the Ka as their root text. In order for a text to be included in the Ka Ten, it must undergo a rigorous and methodical analysis. Although there are over 300 volumes included within the Ka Ten, some catalogues do not include texts after the 14th century which are thought to be mainly texts of the New Bön tradition. Other catalogues do include these texts as well as the collective writings of other Bön sages such as Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen of the 19th Century CE. Additionally, many texts are incredibly rare and are guarded from outsiders. Therefore, few if any copies of these texts exist. Some texts are considered valid to be included in the Ka Ten by some, while being considered invalid and thus excluded by others. Titles can be included within unrelated volumes or counted individually, and so on. Even so, it is generally accepted that there are over 300 volumes of Ka Ten scriptures. These volumes include commentaries, scriptures of philosophy and logic, biographies, historical accounts, compositions of sacred songs, poetry, advice for disciples, collections of liturgical texts, and so on.

Traditionally wrapped and labeled Yungdrung Bön scriptures.

It is said that reading The Heartdrop of Jamma from the beginning until the end is the same as reading the entire 118 volumes of the Ka, the words of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap. This beautiful text, where the practitioner transforms their physical body into the sacred mandala of the limitless emanations of Sherap Jamma, has been translated by Raven Cypress Wood and published by Nine Ways. It is available in both print and eBook. For those who would like to listen to a meditative reading of the English translation of this text, it is available on the Nine Ways Youtube channel.

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

Nine Ways is supported by a mandala of kind and generous donors. Because of their generosity, the work continues.

Have a Question about Something You Read? Ask Raven.

← Back

Thank you for your message.

Posted on | Image

670th Birth Anniversary of the Second Buddha, Founder of Menri Monastery, the Unrivaled Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen

Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen Rinpoche

The 5th day of the 1st lunar month is the birth anniversary of the founder of Menri Monastery, the Mother monastery of Yungdrung Bön, Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen Rinpoche. He is also known as The Second Buddha in the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition. In 2026, this lunar date coincides with February 22nd on the Western calendar.The unrivaled Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen Rinpoché was a reincarnation of Yikyi Khye’u Chung, one of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoche’s sons. He reunited the three transmission lineages of sutra, tantra, and dzogchen that had become widely dispersed without any single person having the transmissions for all three lineages.

Each year on the 29th lunar day of the 12th month, the large, main prayer flag at Yungdrung Bön monasteries is taken down. From that time until the birth celebration of Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen, the rules of monastic discipline are slightly relaxed. Then, early on the morning of the birth celebration, accompanied by a fumigation offering, a new prayer flag is raised whose color corresponds to the elemental color of the New Year. For the Year of the Fire Horse, the color of the flag will be red.

On this day,  Bönpos will spend the day with their eyes looking skyward. If they are lucky enough to be visited by a vulture on this day, it is said to be an auspicious sign of having directly received the blessings of the one known as the Second Buddha, the Unequaled One, Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen Rinpoché.

Cloak belonging to the precious lord Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen Rinpoche. Photo credit: Unknown

Born in 1356 C.E. in the region of Gyalrong into the esteemed Dru lineage, as a child, he could recite mantra and read scripture without having studied. At the age of ten, he decided to become a monk. In 1387 C.E. at the age of 31, he entered the prestigious Yeru Wensaka monastery and eventually became its abbot. While he was traveling in Eastern Tibet, Yeru Wensaka was destroyed by flooding and mudslides. Upon returning, he searched the ruins of the monastery for any salvageable artifacts. With these precious objects, he established Tashi Menri Monastery on higher ground within the same valley. It was 1405 C.E. and he was 50 years old.

In 1415 C.E. at the age of 60, he left the container of his physical body. His body began levitating high into the air, but due to the fervent prayers of his disciples, it returned to the earth. During the cremation ceremony, rainbows appeared and a large bird circled three times around the cremation area before disappearing into the West.

Supplication to Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen

“You are a king of great bliss and the embodiment of Künzang Gyalwa Düpa.

You are like the wisdom deity Mawé Sengé, never forgetting what you have perceived.

You are the unequaled crown ornament of the Bönpo world.

At the feet of Sherap Gyaltsen, I supplicate!”

The Writings of His Holiness Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen Rinpoche*

Cycle of Supplication and Aspiration Prayers

  • Praise of the Four Supreme Places of Refuge
  • Offering and Praise to Mawé Sengé
  • Supplication Prayer to the Mawé Sengé Lineage
  • Praise of Venerable Essence of [the] Dru [Family Lineage]
  • Eight Characteristics of Tséwang’s Eight Sacred Places
  • Stages of Chanted Supplications
  • Eight-branched Aspiration Prayer, A Ladder to Freedom
  • Homage to the Charactristics of the Aural Transmission Shenraps
  • The Gift of the Physical Body
  • Condensed Peaceful Chö of Gifting the Body
  • Command for the Gods and Demons                            

Cycle of Fumigation and Fulfillment

  • Stages of Preliminary Practices for a Completely Pure Fumigation Offering
  • A Small Collection Regarding the Medicine Deity Generation Stage
  • Supplication and Requesting Consideration from the Marvelous Ones
  • Invocation of the Practice Lineage
  • Special Fulfillment
  • A Completely Pure River of Requesting Consideration and Supplication
  • Burnt Offerings of the Treasury of Precious Terma
  • General Fulfillment from a Bundle of Precious Terma
  • A Precious Mala of Fumigation Offerings
  • Fumigation Offering to the Powerful Ones
  • Fumigation Offering to Sigyal
  • Fumigation Offering to Black Mule Sigyal from the Precious Terma
  • Sigyal’s Manifested Realization
  • Sigyal’s Threadcross Practice
  • A Brief Paper on Sigyal’s Threadcross
  • A Brief Paper on Black Mule Sigyal’s Feast Offering
  • Short Fulfillment Practice of Black Mule Sigyal
  • Practice of the Black Net Threadcross
  • The Shining Lamp of Realization of the Red and Black Threadcross
  • Commandments for the Avowed Guardians of the Teachings
  • Important Points regarding the Fulfillment of Midü Jampa
  • Fumigation Offering to Midü
  • Offering and Fulfillment to Drak Tsen
  • Fumigation Offering to Drak Tsen
  • Invocation of Nyipangsé
  • Command for Nyipangsé
  • Command for the Queen of the Drala
  • Gyalpo Sheltrap Torma Offering and Fulfillment
  • A Brief Invocation of Sheltrap
  • Praise in Appreciation of the Fumigation Offering
  • Supplement to the Fumigation Offering
  • Generation Stage for the Fulfillment Torma
Celebration of Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen Rinpoche. Photo credit: Unknown

Cycle of Supplementary Texts for the Practices of Accomplishment

  • Destroying the Doors to Negative Rebirths
  • Realization of the Completely Pure Lotus of the Vast Expanse
  • Mantric Accomplishment of Shenrap Nampar Gyalwa
  • Fire Offerings of Nampar Gyalwa
  • Realization of the Yungdrung Sutra of the Vast Expanse
  • Going for Refuge according to the Vast Expanse
  • Practice of Künzang’s Luminous AH
  • Stages of Meditative Stabilization
  • Text for Künzang’s Luminous AH
  • Stages of Realization for Walsé
  • Accomplishing the Essential Through the Realization of Walsé
  • Purification and Increase of Torma
  • Accomplishment of Sending Out and Gathering Back with Mantra Accumulation
  • Practice of the Secret Mantra Lineage
  • Realization of Black Garuda Walsé
  • Clarifying the Realization of Black Garuda Walsé
  • Expanding the Realization of the Amazing Trowo 
  • Secret Quintessential Instructions for the General Practice of the Amazing Trowo
  • Invitation, Homage, and Confession of Wrongdoing for the Reversal Practice of the Great Red Trowo
  • Inviting the Wisdom Zema
  • Aspiration Prayer for Threadcross Practice
  • A Lamp that Clarifies the Meditative Focus of Secret, Greatly Wrathful Gekhö
  • Supplication to the Gekhö Lineage
  • Complete Supplication, A Rainshower of Blessings
  • Practice of the Secret Wrathful Lineage
  • The Irreversible Mantra of Gekhö, A Golden Razor
  • Supplement to Presenting Offerings to the Gekhö Deities
  • Realization of Walpur, Ornaments of Fire
  • Fulfillment of the Walpur Lineage
  • Outline for the Empowerment and Teachings of Walpur, A Rainshower of Blessings
  • Empowerment and Teachings of Walpur, A Rainshower of Blessings
  • Realization of Tséwang Tartuk
  • Accomplishment of Tséwang Tartuk
  • Fire Offerings to Tséwang
  • Introduction for Empowerments
  • Musical Notations for Festivals

Cycle of Science

  • Tikles and Channels of Relics and the Physical Body of Those Gone to Bliss
  • Clarification regarding the characteristics of colored powders, A Magical Mirror

Cycle of Authoritative Commentaries

  • Analyzing the Characteristics of The Magical Lamp Text
  • Analyzing the Characteristics of The Magical Lamp Autocommentary
  • Clarification of the Limits of All Knowable Things
  • Commentary Regarding the Sutric and Tantric Explanations of the Stages of the Vehicles
  • Text of the Grounds and the Paths
  • Autocommentary of Text of the grounds and the paths
  • A Clear Lamp for the Path of Liberation
  • Commentary Regarding the Clear Explanation of the Abridged Kham Gyé
  • Commentary Regarding the Two Truths in the Middle Way, A Magical Lamp
  • A Commentary of Clear Advice Regarding Monastic Discipline
  • Commentary of Condensed Discipline
  • Renewing Monastic Discipline
  • Commentary Regarding Cosmology
  • Clarifying Secret Points
  • Detailed Analysis of the Secret Vows
  • Hidden Commentary on the Mind of Enlightenment, Mandala of the Sun

* Although this list is extensive, it is not the complete list of compositions

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

Did you enjoy this content? This article is made possible by generous donors who want content like this to continue to be available. Don’t want to miss a post? Scroll to the bottom and click “Follow this blog.”

Join the mandala of Nine Ways supporters by donating through one of the services listed below.

Posted on | Image

18,043rd Anniversary of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap’s First Deed: The Deed of Taking Birth in Human Form

first-deed-w-watermark
Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché being received by gods and goddesses at the royal palace of Barpo Sogyé

The 15th day of the 12th lunar month is the 18,043rd birth anniversary of the founder of the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition, Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché. In 2026, this lunar day coincides with February 1st. This is an especially auspicious time to perform acts of virtue and take sacred vows.

In the ancient past, there were three brothers named Dakpa, Salwa, and Shépa who lived in a pure world and who had studied and mastered the Yungdrung Bön teachings. With the power of their clairvoyance, they could see sentient beings within the three thousand-fold universe creating karma and experiencing suffering by being trapped in the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, death, and rebirth. They felt great compassion for these beings and went before the god of compassion, Shenlha Ökar and asked how they could help rescue sentient beings from their suffering and misery. Shenlha Ökar instructed them to go into the world one after another in order to guide beings out of suffering with the Yungdrung Bön teachings. Dakpa, being the eldest, went first to the planet Earth and ministered to sentient beings. Dakpa was born as a human being and took the name Togyal Yékhyen. For a thousand years, he taught both humans and non-human beings and countless sentient beings were liberated. Afterward, he presented an account of his time on earth to various wisdom deities and asked how it might be possible to liberate those beings who he had been unable to tame. The wisdom deities responded that even though the Yungdrung Bön was all that was needed, even the light of the sun that pervades everywhere cannot illuminate a windowless house, or a north-facing cave. Thus, sentient beings that persist in their wrongdoing because of being afflicted with the passion of their five poisons are very difficult to tame. Thus, Buddha Togyal Yékhyen wrote his teachings down with turquoise ink on ivory-colored paper and then went to see the middle brother, Salwa. He addressed him with these words:

“Although countless sentient beings have been liberated through my activities, I have left the earth and cyclic existence. After some time has passed, it will be appropriate for you to begin your work of liberating sentient beings from cyclic existence through the teachings of Yungdrung Bön.”

Time passed, and as acts of virtue declined on the earth, so did the energy of loving kindness. The generations of benevolent kings passed and the teachings of Buddha Togyal Yékhyen faded from the world. As the era came to an end, there was destruction of the land and civilizations by floods, fire, and earthquakes. After a period of emptiness, a new time period began. Salwa left his pure abode and descended to the realms of the gods to prepare for a birth of flesh and blood as a human being. He was born on earth in the land of Tazik Olmo Lungring as a prince in the Southern palace of Barpo Sogyé 18,043 years ago. He was given the name Shenrap because he was born into the Shen clan and was the highest within this clan, Rap. He was named Miwoché because he had taken a great human form. His personal name was Künlé Namgyal, Completely Victorious Over Everything. A total of seven buddhas had manifested in cyclic existence in the eons prior to his birth. This is why he is known as the eighth buddha, or the eighth guide of sentient beings. Because he was already an enlightened being and beyond cyclic existence, his taking birth in the human realm is considered a great deed of compassion.

He was born just before sunrise on the 15th day of the 12th lunar month to King Gyalbon Thökar and Queen Gyal Zhema. He had all of the major and minor marks of an enlightened being. A gathering of gods from above, a gathering of deities from intermediate space, and a gathering of powerful earth spirits all circumambulated the palace and proclaimed that they had arrived in order to be the first disciples of Tönpa, The Teacher.

Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché

This is an especially auspicious day to recite the following Homage to Tönpa Shenrap Miwo. Many masters, including Menri Pönlop Yangtön Trinley Nyima Rinpoche, recite this prayer before giving teachings.

སྟོན་པའི་རྒྱལ་པོ་འཁོར་བ་འདྲེན་པའི་དཔལ། མུན་པའི་ཚོགས་རྣམས་འཇོམས་བྱེད་སྒྲོན་མེའི་འོད། མ་རིག་ནད་གདུང་སེལ་བ་སྨན་པའི་གཙོ། མི་ཡི་མཆོག་ཏུ་གྱུར་པ་དམུ་ཡི་རྒྱལ། དུག་ལྔའི་འདམ་དང་མཚོ་སྐེམས་མེ་ཆེན་དཔུང་། མཚན་དང་དཔེ་བྱད་སྡན་པའི་གཟི་འཕགས་པོ། དཀའ་བ་སྣ་ཚོགས་དང་དུ་བླངས་ནས་ནི། མཛད་པ་སྣ་ཚོག་མཐར་རུ་ཕྱིན་མཛད་ཅིང་། གཟིགས་ཚད་བཞི་དང་དགོངས་ཚད་དྲུག་གཉིས་ཀྱིས། བྱམས་པ་ཆེན་པོས་འཁོར་བ་སྒྲོལ་མཛད་པའི། གཤེན་རབ་སྤྲུལ་པའི་སྐུ་ལ་ཕྱག་འཚལ་ལོ།

tön pé gyal po khor wa dren pé pel, mün pé tsok nam jom jé drön mé ö, ma rik né dung sel wa men pé tso, mi yi chok tu gyur pa mu yi gyal, duk ngé dam dang tso kem mé chen pung, tsen dang pé jé den pé zi pak po, ka wa na tsok dang du lang né ni, dzé pa na tsok tar ru chin dzé ching, zik tsé zhi dang gong tsé druk nyi kyi, jam pa chen pö khor wa dröl dzé pé, shen rap trül pé ku la chak tsal lo

“Homage to the Eighth Guide of the Universe, Sangyé Tönpa Shenrap Miwo

King of Teachers, you are a glorious guide out of cyclic existence. A lamp who dispels all darkness, you are the principal physician who clears away the torment of ignorance and illness.

Most supreme among humanity, you are a King of the Mu lineage. You are a mighty fire that dries up the ocean and swamp of the five poisons and you have the major and minor marks of a noble sage.

Having undertaken many various hardships and having completed a diversity of activities, by means of the four kinds of valid perception and the six kinds of valid enlightened intention, and through great love, you liberate from cyclic existence. I prostrate to the emanated body of the highest Shen!”

Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché

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

Did you enjoy this content? This article is made possible by generous donors who want content like this to continue to be available. Don’t want to miss a post? Scroll to the bottom and click “Follow this blog.”

Join the mandala of Nine Ways supporters by donating through one of the services listed below.

Posted on | Image

His Eminence Yongdzin Rinpoche: Cremation of the Holy Physical Remains and Fire Offering Rites

The Sacred vessel containing the Holy Physical Remains of His Eminence Yongdzin Tendzin Namdak Rinpoché

Since the parinirvana of the esteemed and greatly beloved master, His Eminence Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoché, the worldwide Yungdrung Bön community has been observing a 49-day period of veneration, prayers, and offerings to receive blessings and accumulate great spiritual merit. On Friday August 2, 2025 this 49-day period concluded. From August 4th to August 9th, an extensive fire offering rite according to the cycle of the Künrig Le Zhi Gyün Nga‘i Jin Sek will be performed. During this time on August 6th, the actual cremation of the holy physical remains will take place. The Künrig Le Zhi Gyün Nga‘i Jin Sek, is one of the primary texts in the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition used for cremation rites and the continuous fire offerings that take place. For this, a great variety and quantity of offerings are being prepared. Among these offerings are many large and small boards written with mantras and prayers that will be read by the officiating lama, consecrated with blessed substances, and then placed into the fire.

Offerings for the fire offering rites
Offerings for the fire offering rites
A great accumulation of fire offerings

During these rites, the holy physical remains will be cremated in a specially built chorten [Sanskrit: stupa]. After the conclusion of the ritual, once the ash from the offering rites has cooled, it will be carefully collected along with any relics and saved to be placed into a reliquary chorten that will be built to hold the relics along with a variety of other sacred objects and substances. Additionally, many sa tsa will be made that will be filled with some of the cremation ash and distributed to faithful disciples and supporters.

Construction of the cremation chorten at Triten Norbutsé Monastery

Did you enjoy this content? This article is made possible by generous donors who want content like this to continue to be available.

Join the mandala of Nine Ways supporters by following this link: https://ravencypresswood.com/donate/

It’s easy through Paypal, Zelle, or Venmo.

Don’t want to miss a post? Scroll to the bottom and click “Follow this blog.”

Posted on | Image

← Older Posts