The 13th lunar day of the 4th lunar month is the anniversary of the parinirvana and the attainment of the rainbow body of Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche. In 2025, this date coincides with June 9th. Shardza Rinpoche was a Yungdrung Bön monk, teacher, scholar, and realized practitioner of the modern age. Born in 1859 in Kham, Tibet, at the age of nine an esteemed lama told his parents that he should become a monk. Being their only son, the parents refused. Shardza soon became quite ill. Seeing that their son was not recovering, the parents agreed to allow him to take ordination. At this, Shardza quickly recovered. He was the attendant for his root lama, Tenzin Wangyal, for many years. At the age of eighteen, he took the full vows of a Yungdrung Bön monk from the abbot of Yungdrung Ling Monastery.
Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche depicted as a yogi with long hair and a white robe
Throughout his life, Shardza Rinpoche was known for a disciplined adherence to every vow that he had taken throughout his life. Although his view and practice were vast and high, he maintained diligence in performing virtue and avoiding the smallest non-virtue. He continually performed the preliminary practices and recited many millions of mantra, especially the SA LÉ Ö mantra. He composed many concise practices for purifying negativity and accumulating merit and wisdom, such as his Aspiration Prayer of Giving and Receiving. (For the publicly available English translation, go to the Publications page of this website. For a brief explanation of the prayer, see previous article: https://ravencypresswood.com/2020/01/31/an-aspiration-prayer-of-giving-and-receiving-gift-translation/ )
“For those with a great deal of negative actions in this lifetime, having requested a remedy because they will certainly ripen during future lifetimes, the remedy of performing virtue is very powerful. Having ripened negative actions, the mere exhaustion of that karma (through pain and/or illness), enlightenment is certain. Therefore, this pain and illness of yours is very amazing when it is voluntarily accepted!
Even now, whenever more pain or illness arises, continuing to persevere with your religious practices, venerations, and acts of pure virtue would be incredibly amazing!
When you imagine that there will be no unhappiness in the future (due to this negative karma being exhausted), supremely praise the emptiness of that particular pain or illness.
Be inspired by the power of this antidote, even when what you don’t want arises.
Take the suffering and misery of others onto yourself by adopting others’ happiness and suffering through the practice of giving and receiving.”
Shardza Rinpoche’s advice to the female practitioner Khandro Wangi Dronma.
Hair and nails of Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche that were recovered after his attainment of the rainbow body
He taught a multitude of disciples, organized the reconstruction of temples, went on pilgrimages, and spent a great deal of time in isolated retreat. A prolific writer, he wrote at length on subjects such as Bön history, instructions for the practice of Tibetan yoga, preliminary practices for Dzogchen, condensed summaries of each of the None Ways of Bön, and detailed instructions for the advanced practice of inner heat, known as Tummo. When Shardza Rinpoche was 75 years old, his disciples noticed that his behavior changed. He seemed more casual and became delighted when playing with children. He was seen doing miraculous things such as walking without his feet touching the ground or setting his bowl down in space.
In 1934 at the age of 76 during an offering ceremony, he began to spontaneously sing songs of realization. A few days later, he sewed himself inside a tent and forbid any of his disciples to open it. The next day, rainbow lights began appearing above and around the tent. After three days, the ground shook. By the 4th day, rainbow-colored mist was seen coming through the seams of the tent. On that 4th day, Shardza’s disciple Tsultrim Wangchuk, afraid that his lama’s body would completely disappear and leave nothing as an object of veneration and inspiration, opened the tent. He found Shardza’s body enveloped in rainbow light, levitating in midair, and shrunken to the proportional size of a one year old child. The area around his heart was still warm but most of the nails of the hands and feet had fallen onto the seat below. For the next forty-nine days, a multitude of disciples came to pay their respect and receive blessings. After that, the precious remains were placed into a reliquary chorten. From time to time, many people have reported seeing clear or rainbow-colored light emanating from this reliquary chorten.
Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen’s reliquary chorten at his retreat center in Amdo, Tibet
Nuns of Rayna Menling reading from the teachings of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap
Each year at Pal Shenten Menri Monastery and Rayna 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 2025, these dates coincide with June 10th and 11th on the Western calendar. The sacred volumes containing these teachings are carried by both the ordained and laypeople as they circumambulate the temple. As a sign of respect for the sacredness of these texts, they are carried above the waist. Most often, they are carried on the shoulder. After bringing them into the temples, offerings such as incense are presented, and the text are distributed to the ordained for two full days of reading. Reading the scriptures aloud is considered one of the thirteen activities for a meaningful human life. (See previous article: https://ravencypresswood.com/2020/03/21/the-thirteen-yungdrung-bon-activities-for-a-meaningful-human-life/) For those inspired to read the words of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap on these days, The Beneficial Mantric Praise of Künsal Jamma Chenmo, The Jamma Ngak Tö, is considered a root text for the practice of Sherap Jamma that was spoken by the Buddha himself. Through the verses of praise for each of the syllables of Jamma’s root mantra, the profundity of the innumerable manifestations of Jamma is revealed. The teaching and transmission for this text has been widely shared in both the East and West.
“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!”
Extract from The Beneficial Mantric Praise of Künsal Jamma Chenmo
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.
The canon of sacred Yungdrung Bön texts is divided into two categories. The first category of texts contains 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, (2) Bum [Tibetan: ‘bum], The Hundred Thousand, (3) Gyü [Tibetan: rgyud], Tantra, and (4) Dzö [Tibetan: mdzod] The Treasury. 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. Regardless, the Sutra section contains texts such as the hagiography of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap, The Ritual Practice of the Medicine Buddha, The Root Scripture for Jamma, the four volumes of medical texts, and so on. The Hundred Thousand section contains the sixteen volumes of the Khams Gyé, The Unsurpassed Scripture Regarding the Eight Realms, the Yum Dō, The Heart Sutra of the Mother of the Great Vehicle, and so on. The Tantra section includes the Buddha’s teachings of the Mother Tantras, the Father Tantras, Phurba, Walsé, and so on. The Treasury section includes the teachings of dzogchen such as The Aural Transmission of Zhang Zhung.
“Gyajin, a ruler of the gods, rose from his seat and, having removed his upper robe from one of his shoulders, he set his right knee upon the ground. Having placed his hands together, he made a request of The Teacher with these words: “Free from the fault of wrongdoing, you have perfected every good quality. You are the source from which arises all happiness and exalted qualities. Good omniscient Shenrap, what should one do to practice or make use of the Essence of the Mother of the Great Vehicle?”
In response to that, Shenrap bestowed his teaching.
“Gyajin, ruler of the gods, and all you yungdrung sempa, when practicing or making use of the Essence of the Mother of the Great Vehicle, all phenomena that arise from worldly existence, that arise as precious ornaments, that arise as an appearance, that arise from emptiness, that arise from individual clarity, that arise from self-awareness, that arise from the changeless and indestructible vast expanse, or that arise from equanimity; are neither appearance nor emptiness, neither existent nor nonexistent, neither eternal nor nothingness, neither born nor negated. Why is that? All of those, in every way, are unobjectifiable. Even their self-nature is unobjectifiable. Therefore, they are primordially without a source and without a birth. They have no beginning. Abiding within the equanimity of no beginning is the unfabricated, perfected, single sphere.“
Extract from The Heart Sutra of the Mother of the Great Vehicle to be published in the forthcoming A Mala of Blazing, Wish-fulfilling Jewels: A Collection of Daily Practices of the Yungdrung Bön Religious Tradition by Raven Cypress Wood
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. The Bön canon is referred to within Bön texts 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 for the root text. In order for a text to be included in the Ka Ten, it must undergo a rigorous and methodical analysis. 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. 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 and practices based upon scriptures of the Ka such as The Practice Manual of the Aural Transmission of Zhang Zhung by Dru Gyalwa Yungdrung, scriptures of philosophy and logic, biographies, historical accounts, compositions of sacred songs, poetry, and advice for disciples, collections of liturgical texts, and so on.
I, of inferior intelligence, but for the benefit of beings and for the sake of explaining at least part of the meaning, will explain the Sky Ladder to Freedom, an Abridged Commentary of the Meaning of the Heart’s Blood of Bön, the Mantric Praise of Jamma. If one were able to explain the commentary on the merits of Jamma in great detail including the characteristics of each of the deities, it would amount to twenty-one great chapters in many volumes. ”
Extract from A Sky-Ladder to Freedom: An Abridged Commentary Regarding the Meaning of the Words of the Mantric Praise of Jamma, the Deity Who Protects From All Things composed by the great 23rd abbot of Menri Monastery His Holiness Nyima Tenzin Rinpoche
Traditionally wrapped and labeled Yungdrung Bön scriptures.
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Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché. Photo credit: Raven Cypress Wood
Although in recent times the historical date of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap’s human birth has been stated to be the 15th day of the 12th month by the scholar His Eminence Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoché, it continues to be a tradition to also celebrate the Buddha’s birth on the 15th lunar day of the 1st month which is the date that has been celebrated through countless generations. In 2025, this date coincides with March 14th on the Western calendar.
This day is an especially auspicious day to recite the following Homage to Tönpa Shenrap Miwo. Both His Eminence Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche and Menri Pönlop Yangtön Trinley Nyima Rinpoche recite this prayer before giving teachings.
tönpé 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 Universal Guide, 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. 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, through great love, you liberate from cyclic existence. I prostrate to the emanated body of the highest Shen!”
“Homage to the enlightened dimension of the All-knowing Tülku!
Namo! You are a supreme teacher, one who has gone beyond bliss, an authentic and completely enlightened being, a manifested buddha and teacher, Tönpa Shenrap Miwo. You have the wisdom of omniscience and possesses both great compassion and skillful means. You are without emotional afflictions and have cut all defilements. You possess power and clear self awareness. A marvelous emanation, You have cleared all obstructions and destroyed the door to birth into cyclic existence. You clearly know the path to release. You have gone beyond suffering and cleansed all karmic potentialities. An ordained person who guides the way, you have the thirty-two major marks and the eighty-one minor characteristics. You have the 108 exalted qualities of excellence, and knowledge of the forty letters and the sixty-one radiating lights. You possess the 80 good qualities of meditative stability, and are the source of the sixty-one wisdoms of knowledge and other qualities. These attributes are fully perfected and inexhaustible.
Your face is like the sun and moon, and you see throughout the ten directions. A hundred thousand light rays emanate from your divine body. You are adorned with ornaments which are like rainbows, and your divine body is so beautiful that one does not know how to look away. In your right hand, you hold a golden chakshing painted with a turquoise yungdrung which shows that you are lord of the three thousand-fold universe and conqueror of this world system. Your left hand holds the mudra of equipoise which shows that you have destroyed the door to birth into cyclic existence.”
Excerpt from Homage to the Enlightened Dimension of the Omniscient Tülku, Remembering the Skillful Means of His Hundred Thousand Virtuous Acts
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The 5th day of the 1st lunar month is the birth celebration of His Holiness the 1st Menri Trizin Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen Rinpoché who is known as the second buddha in the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition. In 2025, this date coincides with March 4th on the Western calendar. His Holiness 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, and he founded one of the largest Yungdrung Bön monasteries in Tibet, Tashi Menri Ling.
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.
Cloak belonging to the precious lord Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen Rinpoche. Photo credit: Unknown
In 1415 C.E. at the age of 60, he left the shell of his physical body. His body levitated high into the air, but due to the fervent prayers of his disciples, the body returned to the earth. During the cremation, rainbows appeared and a large bird circled three times around the cremation area before disappearing into the West.
Today, 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, His Holiness Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen Rinpoché.
Among his numerous writings, is the commonly recited Eight-branched Aspiration Prayer, Mönlam Yenlak Gyepa. When offering aspiration prayers, we imagine that every sentient being is offering the prayers in unison with us. This limitless group of beings includes humans, nonhumans, unseen spirits, and those we consider “enemies.” All sound is perceived as the sound of the prayer being recited and the vastness of space is imagined as filled with buddhas and bodhisattvas that are delighted by the virtuous activity that spontaneously activates their immeasurable compassion. By offering the prayers in this way, and then dedicating the merit of the practice for the welfare of all sentient beings, the power of the practice is inconceivable and the benefit is sealed and can never be destroyed.
The English language translation of the Eight-branched Aspiration Prayer, Mönlam Yenlak Gyepa is publicly available for personal use and can be downloaded from the Publications page of this website. Click on the Publications tab above and then scroll down to the download link.
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 Door 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
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The Elegant Indestructible Chorten, or Yungdrung Kolek Chorten, was first built as a temple for the Buddha to open the door of The Way of the Lay Practitioner
Having taught the foundation of refuge, the mind of enlightenment, virtue and nonvirtue, and the ten perfections; the Teacher, Buddha Tönpa Shenrap, then explained the source of the The Fifth Way and the path of the genyen, or lay practitioner. (See previous article detailing The Way of the Genyen: Part One: Right Mind, Right Conduct.) There are four root sutras that form the base of the teachings. These sutras cover subjects such as how phenomenal existence and the four elements came into being as the outer container, how the six kinds of beings and the three realms came into existence as the inner contents, the root causes of both cyclic existence and nirvana, the meaning and purpose of enlightenment, the meaning and purpose of the enlightened ones of the three times, the meaning and nature of wisdom and ultimate reality, and so on. The Teacher then described the different ways that his 84,000 teachings could be classified. For example, they can be classified into the three kinds of subjects: advanced, medium, and easy. This classification is a result of the three kinds of capacities of sentient beings: advanced, average, and lesser. In this way, there are teachings for the path of liberation for every sentient being regardless of their ability or circumstance.
Then, Tsangpa Tsukpu addressed the Teacher.
“The state of your omniscient emanation is supreme in every way! As for The Wayof the Genyen, how does one engage in the conduct? What is the order of practice? We have weak intellects. Protector of beings, omniscient one, please explain this to us.”
Building the First Chorten
In response to this request, the Teacher told those in attendance that in order to give an example to future generations of how to purify obscurations and complete the accumulations, it was important to create a support for making offerings to the enlightened ones. Thus, he instructed them in building the first chorten [Sanskrit: stupa]. The Tibetan word “chorten” is a compound of two words that literally mean “support for offerings.” Within the Yungdrung Bön teachings, the Buddha taught many different types of chortens for different purposes. Some chortens are meant to be built with physical substances. Others are meant to be created with the mind through visualization. The specific chorten that was built for the teachings of The Way of the Genyen was The Elegant Indestructible Chorten, or Yungdrung Kolek Chorten. This is the most commonly built type of chorten in the Yungdrung Bön tradition because of its versatility. It can be used for multiple purposes such as being a support for generating merit through circumambulation, prostrations, and offerings, or it can be used as a repository for the relics of realized ones, or as skillful means to suppress negativity in a geographical area, and so on.
The Elegant Indestructible Chorten that was built in the mystical land of Olmo Lungring according to the Teacher’s instructions was to be used as a temple for his teaching. It was grand and extraordinary in every way. It had beautiful details such as golden pillars, turquoise beams, and bright images of lotuses, rainbows, clouds, and stars. Each part of the chorten’s structure and decoration was meaningful and created according to the detailed direction of the Teacher. It was constructed by a group of gods, lu, and human beings who were motivated by performing acts of virtue. They completed the work in fifteen days. Then, the Teacher performed an extensive consecration and gave it the name “Yungdrung Kolek Chorten, The Elegant Indestructible Chorten.” Then, once the assembly had gathered within the chorten, he began teaching the specific vows and practices for those who take vows according to The Way of the Genyen.
Meaning of the specific architectural design of the yungdrung kolek chorten
The Five Outer Customs, The Five Inner Vows, and The Five Practices In-Between
The Five Outer Customs
“Tsangpa Tsukpü, any sons or daughters who want to renounce wrongdoing and nonvirtue and adopt the activities of virtue, should go before an abbot, a master, and a witness who are themselves engaged in proper conduct and discipline, who guide migrating beings, who have clear awareness, who have power and never forget the true meaning, who aspire to pure virtue, and who have experience with many followers; and receive the rules and customs of a genyen, or lay practitioner. By acting in accordance with the five outer customs of clothing, the five inner lifetime vows, and the five activities in-between, they enter The Way of the Genyen. For the five outer customs first there is a shirt for the upper part of the body, second there is a skirt for the lower part of the body, third is cloth shoes, fourth is the robe, and fifth is the overcoat.”
These clothes are similar to those worn by monks and nuns but with differences. For example, the robe or zen worn by a genyen has fringe on the two ends whereas this is not allowed on the zen for monks and nuns. Followed literally, this kind of dress might be difficult for those in Western countries where this could conflict with cultural norms and possibly even create misunderstandings or negative thoughts towards the practitioner and the Bön religion. Therefore, it is beneficial to reflect upon the deeper meaning of these five points. The purpose of The Way of the Genyen is to practice virtue and purity from a motivation of putting others first and not causing harm to other sentient beings while working on behalf of their liberation from suffering. In that way, the advice to wear clothes and shoes made of cloth or fiber rather than animal skins supports the practice of a genyen. Wearing simple clothing without elaborate ornamentation or styles that indicate status or power similarly supports the practice of a genyen. Wearing clothes from a motivation of being modest and humble rather than causing envy or jealousy also supports the practice of a genyen. So, although one might not wear the specific shirt described by the Teacher, it is still important to reflect upon one’s dress and appearance and consider whether it is in harmony or contradiction with the essence of the genyen teachings. For example, in his advice to Khandro Choza Bönmo regarding mantra recitation and foods to avoid, the realized yogi Lishu Taring told her that eating salt destroys the potency of one full day of mantra recitation. The cause of this defilement was created in the past when salt was loaded in bags onto the backs of pack animals who would then walk for many days carrying the salt bags over great distances. By the time the salt bags were removed, they would have adhered to the sides of the animal. Removing the bags would then rip away some of the animal’s hide causing them great pain and suffering. Thus, the salt became defiled because of being the cause of great suffering to another sentient being. In modern times however, vehicles are used to transport salt and this defilement is not created. Thus, the cause for avoiding salt no longer applies. Similarly, one can examine the Teacher’s instruction on clothing for a genyen and also clarify the points with the master giving the vows.
The Five Inner Vowsor Disciplines
“The five inner disciplines are to accept vows to abandon killing out of hatred, to abandon taking what is not given out of desire, to abandon acting superficially or deceitfully without regard for cause and effect because of mental darkness or ignorance, to abandon performing arrogant actions out of pride, and to abandon speaking harsh words, idle speech, lying, and divisive speech out of jealousy.”
Here, the description of the five vows varies slightly from the specific lifetime genyen vows that are customarily given. As for the traditional five lifetime vows, the 23rd Menri Trizen Nyima Tenzin Rinpoche wrote the following commentary:
“As for the vows of a layperson, there are five kinds of lifetime vows. To abandon killing, to abandon taking what is not given, to abandon unclean, wrong kinds of sexual conduct, and to abandon false speech are the four roots. Abandoning one from the four kinds of food is the fifth as a branch vow. Some masters have taught that abandoning alcohol is definitely the branch vow.
Furthermore, there is the genyen of renouncing a single thing which is to abandon killing. Additionally, there is the genyen of renouncing a couple things which adds the vow to abandon taking what is not given. Then, there is the genyen of renouncing most of the things which adds the vow to abandon the wrong kinds of sexual behavior. The genyen that also accepts the vow to abandon false speech and renounce the four kinds of food is a complete genyen that has renounced according to the five kinds of established disciplines. Because of that, this is a genyen of pure conduct that has renounced the basic kinds of impure conduct.”
Lifetime Vowsof a Partial Genyen: one can accept only the first vow, the first two vows, or the first three vows. Some masters also advise that an individual can accept the four root vows without also accepting the fasting vows. It is up to the individual according to the their capacity and circumstance. These are lifetime vows.
To Abandon Killing
To Abandon Taking what is Not Given
To Abandon Sexual Misconduct
To Abandon False Speech, or Lying
Lifetime Vows of a Full Genyen: one accepts all four root vows plus a branch vow related to food and or intoxicants. It is also traditional for a full genyen to observe the one-day fasting vows of avoiding meat and intoxicants on the four auspicious lunar days each month which are the 8th, 15th/full moon, 22nd, and the 30th/new moon. These are lifetime vows.
To Abandon Killing
To Abandon Taking what is Not Given
To Abandon Sexual Misconduct
To Abandon False Speech, or Lying
To Abandon either Intoxicants or a specific food such as meat or garlic. Additionally, to observe the one-day fasting vows on the four auspicious lunar days each month.
The Five Practices In-Between
The Discipline of Purification with Lustral Water
Performing Prostrations and Circumambulations
Creating Chortens and Sa Tsa (This will be covered in a future article.)
Offering Pure Water Torma (This will be covered in a future article.)
The Seven-Branches of Daily Activity
Shenlha Ökar is the principal deity of the Five Intermediate Practices of a Genyen
The Teacher spoke to Tsangpa Tsukpü, the disciple entrusted with the lineage of The Fifth Way of the Genyen.
“Tsangpa Tsukpü, Listen! Anyone who has entered the door of the Bön of the genyen who rises in the morning between dawn and sunrise and purifies with lustral water, worships the the three supports of the enlightened ones and the five deities, he or she will be liberated from the bondage of the five realms of cyclic existence.”
The Five Genyen Yidam Deities
The Five Practices In-Between are performed in the presence of the five yidam deities of The Fifth Way of the Genyen. Principal among these deities is Shenlha Ökar, the white light deity of the Shen. In essence, Shenlha Ökar embodies ones personal root lama together with all other lamas and teachers that have kindly given instructions and guidance. At the same time, he is an enlightened being who manifests in a peaceful form of pure light and spontaneously bestows all perfected qualities and wisdoms. He emanates a retinue who have a similar form and essence but who also have distinct characteristics. All five deities have a peaceful appearance with a single face, two arms, two crossed legs, and are adorned with the fifteen ornaments of the body of perfected qualities.
Shenlha Ökar, or Küntu Zangpo: He abides in the center and is white like the clear moon and his two hands are in equipoise holding the symbolic syllable AH. When visualized during the practice of purification with lustral water, he holds a wish-fulfilling jewel and is known as Shenlha Ökar. He has a golden crown ornament and is adorned with ornaments of the five kinds of jewels. He sits on a lion throne upon cushions of a sun, moon, and lotus. Behind him is a Yungdrung Kolek Chorten. His wisdom form conquers anger, and through his river of the wisdom of emptiness the afflictions and obscurations due to anger are purified.
Damtsik Gyalpo Shérik Lha, or Rangsal Sherik kyi Lha: King of vows and commitments, the deity of self luminous knowledge and awareness. He abides in the East, is golden, and holds a vase of nectar. When visualized during the practice of purification with lustral water, he holds the syllable AH. He has a turquoise crown ornament and sits on an elephant throne upon cushions of a sun, moon, and lotus. His wisdom form conquers ignorance and mental darkness, and through his river of mirror-like wisdom the afflictions and obscurations due to ignorance and mental darkness are purified.
Lekyi Gyalpo Tsé’i Lha or Yungdrung Tsé’i Gyalpo: King of Indestructible Longevity, King of Activities. He abides in the North, is green, and holds a crystal-colored phurba with a yungdrung. He has a coral crown ornament and sits on a horse throne upon cushions of a sun, moon, and lotus. His wisdom form conquers pride, and through his river of the wisdom of equanimity the afflictions and obscurations due to pride are purified.
Wanggi Gyalpo Yéwang Lha, or Jinlap Wanggi Lha : King of Empowerments and Primordial Empowerment Deity or Deity of Blessings and Empowerments. He abides in the West, is red, and holds a scripture. When visualized during the practice of purification with lustral water, he is copper-colored. He has a white crystal crown ornament and sits on a turquoise dragon throne upon cushions of a sun, moon, and lotus. His wisdom form conquers desire, and through his river of discriminating wisdom the afflictions and obscurations due to desire are purified.
Yigé’i Gyalpo Yé Si Lha, orLhayé Si Trulgyi Gyalpo: King of Letters and Deity of Primordial Existence, King of Magic. He abides in the South, is blue, and holds a dark-blue, six-spoked wheel of the elements. He has a golden crown ornament and sits on a garuda throne upon cushions of a sun, moon, and lotus. His wisdom form conquers jealousy, and through his river of all-accomplishing wisdom the afflictions and obscurations due to jealousy are purified.
These five principal deities are surrounded in the sky by the eight perfected deities who purify the eight consciousnesses and karmic potentialities, the four shen who open the doors of the mandala and who tame beings and have control over the four elements and the four seasons and who purify the four kinds of birth, and the thousand buddhas of the fortunate age in the outer perimeter. It is possible to simplify the visualization by imagining the central deity as the embodiment of all of these enlightened ones who bestows all wisdom and purifies all afflictions and obscurations.
The Discipline of Purification with Lustral Water
The discipline of purification with lustral water is the first daily practice of a genyen. It is performed between dawn and sunrise. A clean, unblemished and undamaged vessel, especially made of gold, silver, or copper, is filled with water. At least a small amount of saffron is added, and other herbs such as mendrup can be added if they are available. Rays of light from the heart centers of each of the five yidam deities radiate to the water and it instantly becomes a nectar of wisdom. Thus, the water is transformed from an ordinary substance to a wisdom substance. Water does not have to be freshly prepared each morning, but can be prepared and then kept in a clean place and used until more is needed. This practice can be done any time that it is needed, but is especially performed first thing in the morning. There are many different prayers for the practice with lustral water, known as trü. The Cleansing Rite Supplication prayer is one of the most commonly performed prayers for trü and it is also quite succinct. (The English translation of this prayer is freely available for personal use from the Publications page of this website.) During Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché’s teaching of The Fifth Way of the Genyen, he offered a trü prayer supplicating each of the genyen yidam deities and asking for their wisdom blessing. (As a gift to the worldwide Yungdrung Bön sangha, this prayer that was given by the Teacher himself for purification with lustral water has been translated into English and added to the list of freely offered translations on the Publications page of this website. It is entitled The Bön Activity of Ablution for Cleanliness and Purification.)
In Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche’s Wish-fulfilling Jewel of Daily Activities, he gives detailed instruction for the yoga of purification with lustral water at dawn. He concludes with the following advice.
“Thus, one should purify oneself by washing the face, sprinkling with water, drinking water, and so forth. For the inner cleansing, meditate on Shenlha at the crown of your head and perform the purification of nectar falling from the hundred syllable mantra. The secret cleansing is to meditate upon yourself as Shenlha and then to emanate and reabsorb pure rays of purifying light. Do this as much as you can.”
From Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche’s Wish-fulfilling Jewel of Daily Activities
His Eminence Menri Yongdzin Pönlop Yangtön Thrinley Nyima Rinpoche gives lustral water to the school children of the Tapriza School in Dolpo, Nepal.
Performing Prostrations, Circumambulations, and The Seven Branches of Activity
In the presence of any of the three supports of enlightened body, speech, and mind, prostrations performed with the body are according to the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition. Prostrations with speech are done through recitations and supplications. Prostrations with the mind are done in this context by focusing upon the five yidam deities and single-pointedly practicing with faith and devotion.
Again from Shardza Rinpoche’s Wish-fulfilling Jewel of Daily Activities within the section on the yoga of prostrating, admission of wrongdoing and purification, and receiving vows at the peak of sunrise:
“Meditate on the three jewels in the sky in front of you and recite this mantra seven times: AH MIR TA YÉ MI DZA YÉ SOHA. Because of that, a single prostration becomes ten thousand prostrations. Then, from dawn until sunrise pay homage with prostrations and recitations to the enlightened ones.”
Wish-fulfilling Jewel of Daily Activities
With faith and devotion, once can circumambulate any of the three supports of enlightened body, speech, and mind. In the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition, circumambulations are performed counter-clockwise. His Eminence Menri Yongdzin Pönlop Yangtön Thrinley Nyima Rinpoche has offered a practical explanation for the distinction between the Buddhist and Bönpo directions for circumambulating.
“When one circumambulates, you must go in the direction of the mantras that are written on the object that you are circumambulating. You start at the first syllable and move towards the last syllable. Buddhists paint their mantra inside the temple or chorten. And so, they travel clockwise. Because of that, you would have to go clockwise. Bönpos paint their mantra on the outside, so then you have to go counter-clockwise, the way of the mantra.”
Thus, when circumambulating a Bön temple, statue, text, chorten, and so on; one must go counter-clockwise. Likewise, even if one is a Bönpo, if circumambulating a Buddhist temple or chorten etc., it is proper to go in the clockwise direction. In general however, when walking or moving about during ordinary life, it is common for Bönpo practitioners to imagine their root lama or yidam in the sky above their left shoulder. In this way, no matter where they are going, they are circumambulating with their bodies, feeling devotion with their mind, and performing recitations with their speech.
The Seven Branches of Daily Activity
The Discipline of Cleansing with Lustral Water
Prostrations and Circumambulations
Admission of Wrongdoing and Purification
Offering
Rejoicing
Dedicating the Merit of the Virtuous Activity
Making Prayers of Aspiration
With the exception of creating chortens, sa tsa, and offering water torma, the five practices in-between have overlap with The Seven Branches of Daily Activity. Within The Way of the Genyen, there are specific prayers given by Lord Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoche for each of these practices while supplicating each of the five genyen yidam deities. There are also many other similar prayers in the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition. Some are shorter and some are longer. The practitioner can choose which prayers to perform according to their time and preference. With the exception of the discipline of cleansing with lustral water, The Eight-branched Aspiration Prayer written by the second buddha, Nyamme Sherap Gyaltsen Rinpoche is a succinct and clear prayer that includes these branches of activity. (The English translation of this prayer is freely available for personal use on the Publications page of this website.)
Admission of Wrongdoing and Purification
For any practitioner who has received any kind of vows, it is important to always keep them in mind and to be diligent to keep them correctly according to the instructions of the master who bestowed them. If any vows should become degenerated or broken, it is important to practice admission of wrongdoing and purification in order to renew the vows. Both Buddha Tönpa Shenrap, Shardza Rinpoche, and other spiritual masters have advised doing this as part of the daily morning practices. Additionally, many masters including Shardza Rinpoche advise doing this again in the evening upon reviewing one’s activities throughout the day in order to begin the yoga of sleep in the evening.
“When you arise from the evening session of meditation, examine whether or not there has been a fault in your mind stream that has violated any vows throughout the day. If you are aware that you have committed a fault or transgression, engage in the appropriate admission and purification according to that transgression.”
Excerpt from Wish-fulfilling Jewel of Daily Activities by Shardza Rinpoche
Admission of wrongdoing and purification is a translation of the Tibetan word shakpa [Tibetan: bshags pa]. This literally means “to openly reveal, or to confess.” For the practice of shakpa to be effective in purifying wrongdoing and degeneration of vows, it must engage with all of the four powers.
The Four Powers of Admission of Wrongdoing and Purification
The Power of the SuperiorWitness: In this case, we have taken vows before the enlightened ones, and they are therefore the superior witness for our admission of wrongdoing. For the genyen, one can invite the five yidam deities specifically, or Shenlha Okar as the embodiment of all five yidam deities and the master from whom one received their vows. One can also go before one of the three kinds of support of enlightened body, speech, and mind, and/or the spiritual master.
The Power of Sorrowful Remorse: It is said that the practitioner should intensely reflect upon their wrongdoing and the inevitable karmic result of their actions until their hair stands on end and the bones shake.
The Power of Promising to Not Repeat the Actions: Having felt a great remorse for wrongdoing, one firmly promises to not repeat the actions and to no longer be driven by the five kinds of ignorance.
The Power of Engaging in the Antidote: Rather than acting from a motivation of ignorance, one promises to act from a motivation of wisdom and engage with the appropriate antidote. For example, if one has the fault of being short tempered, one promises to engage with loving kindness.
Thus, when these four powers are all present, one then imagines that a shower of wisdom light spontaneously radiates from the hearts of the superior witness and completely pervades the body, speech, and mind. All wrongdoing and defilements from nonvirtue are instantly purified and one’s body, speech, and mind is unified with enlightened body, speech, and mind. In The Way of the Genyen, the Teacher gives the example of supplicating to each of the five yidam deities and admitting wrongdoing according to each action motivated by each of the five kinds of ignorance, the eight consciousnesses, and the sense powers. Then, the vows to abandon each of the specific negative actions are repeated, and one promises to devote oneself to each of the individual antidotes and wisdoms. Because acts of nonvirtue and wrongdoing create a kind of stain on the mind stream that blocks the experience and realization of wisdom, this practice is important for all spiritual practitioners.
The 12th century master, Metön Sherap Özer, composed a short but quite profound prayer for this practice.
“(I prostrate to the body of Shenrap Gyalwa who establishes the happiness of migrating beings! In the sky in front of me, seated on cushions of a sun, moon, and lotus is Shenrap Tritsuk Gyalwa.* He has the clothing and attributes of a completely pure saint.)
Homage! Buddhas of the three times, before your eyes, I confess the dormant potentiality of the three poisons. Five Buddha Family lineages, before your eyes, I openly admit and confess to engaging with the five poisons. Shenrap Tritsuk Gyalwa, before your eyes, I openly admit and confess to not maintaining discipline according to the scriptures. Khenpo and Lopön, before your eyes, I openly admit and confess both large and small transgressions. Enlightened ones who have gone to bliss, before your eyes, I openly admit and confess to not maintaining the oral transmissions in the correct way. Venerable lama, before your eyes, I openly admit and confess to having had only a small amount of devotion and respect. Gathering of yidam deities, before your eyes, I confess to accepting and rejecting incorrect things. Mother and sister khandro, before your eyes, I confess to not properly guarding my commitments. Bön religious guardians, before your eyes, I confess to not making regular monthly and yearly offerings in the past. Spiritual brothers and sisters, before your eyes, I confess to having had only a small amount of respect and pure vision. Greatly kind mother and father, before your eyes, I confess to not repaying even a single one of your kindnesses. Migrating sentient beings, before your eyes, I confess to having had only a small amount of compassion and loving kindness. Being influenced by ignorance, a lack of understanding, misunderstanding, and delusion, may the previous actions of defilements and non-virtuous activities not have any power! May temporary conditions not have any power! May any longstanding defilements not have any power! May karmic debts of the future not arise! May conditions for delusion in the intermediate state after death not arise! May I not deviate from the path of liberation! May I experience the dynamic energy of the supreme attainment of the stainless wisdom of equanimity!”
Purifying Remorse and Confession composed by Meton Sherap Ozer
A Yungdrung Bon shrine
Offering
The purpose for offering is to develop our generosity and complete the two accumulations of merit and wisdom. When offering, there are four important points: the giver, the recipient, the offering, and the purpose. In this context, the genyen is offering to the five yidam deities. Offerings can be material objects, imagined offerings generated by the mind, as well as our meditative experiences. One does not have to own an object in order to offer it. Walking into a store, all the beautiful and desirable things can be mentally offered. Walking outside, the beautiful sights, sounds, and smells of nature can be mentally offered. Whatever we offer, it is increased by the mind many thousands of times so that the universe is filled with wonderful things. Ultimately, offerings are given without attachment and with the view of the empty nature of both the giver and the recipient. As a general daily practice, there are five kinds of offerings: butter lamps, water, incense, food, and flowers. (For detailed information about this daily practice, see previous article: The Five Daily Offerings)
Rejoicing
Whatever acts of virtue or spiritual practices that we perform or that we are aware of others performing, we rejoice in them. This supports our practice of joyful effort and increases the power and motivation of our practice.
Dedicating the Merit of Virtuous Activity
Dedicating the merit of the virtuous activity of our body, speech, and mind for the benefit and enlightenment of all of the six kinds of sentient beings is considered great skillful means. It is said that whether one recites a single mantra or presents the buddhas with the universe filled with gold, it is important to dedicate the merit. In this way, it is always preserved and cannot be lost, like adding a spoonful of water to an ocean. Otherwise, a single instant of anger can destroy it, like the power of a single match to destroy a forest of a thousand trees.
Making Prayers of Aspiration
By making prayers of aspiration, we expand our mind and plant seeds that will ripen in the future when our prayers meet with the right secondary conditions. Prayers of aspiration should be made with devotion and free of expectation and doubt. There are countless prayers of aspiration, known as mönlam, in the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition. One of the commonly performed prayers is The Aspiration Prayer of the Ten Grounds. This prayer is based upon the practice of the ten perfections and supplicates Sherap Jamma who is the source of The Perfection of Wisdom teachings. (The English translation of this prayer is freely available for personal use on the Publications page of this website.)
“(First: The Ground of Immense Joy) Upon the ground of immense joy, having cleansed and purified the stain of greed and having perfected the great accumulation of generosity, may I see the face of Jinpa Jamma, the Loving Mother of Generosity!
(Second: The Ground of Stainless Crystal) Upon the ground of stainless crystal, having cleansed and purified the stain of immorality and having perfected the great accumulation of moral discipline, may I see the face of Tsultrim Jamma, the Loving Mother of Moral Discipline!
(Third: The Ground of Radiance) Upon the ground of radiance, having cleansed and purified the stain of insensitivity and impatience and having perfected the great accumulation of patience, may I see the face of Zöpa Jamma, the Loving Mother of Patience!”
Excerpt from Aspiration Prayer of the Ten Grounds from the Mönlam Namsum
The author assisting with the construction of the first Yungdrung Kolek Chorten in the United States. Photo credit: Lee Hartline
The Teacher, the enlightened Lord Tönpa Shenrap, concluded his teaching on The Seven Branches of Virtuous Conduct with these words to the gathered assembly.
“This is called The Seven Branches of Virtuous Conduct of the Shen of Tsangpa Tsukphü. You should be very diligent in this teaching of the door of The Way of the Genyen. You should be devoted to it continuously. You should make a commitment to it and keep it properly in mind. Therefore, once you have purified all the sufferings, misdeeds, and obscurations of the afflictions, you will attain the fruit of pure wisdom. Therefore, you should make great effort in this pure Bön practice.”
*This is the name taken by Buddha Tonpa Shenrap when he showed the example of accepting vows of renunciation and followed the path of a fully ordained monk.
All Translations from Tibetan by Raven Cypress Wood
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