Nine Ways

In the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition, one of the principal enlightened protectors is the Queen of Existence, Sipé Gyalmo. She has countless manifestations and emanations. The external manifestation of the Queen of Existence is Zangza Ringtsun. The internal manifestation is Tukjé Jamma. And the secret manifestation is Sipé Gyalmo.

Sipé Gyalmo manifests riding a red mule, riding a black mule, and standing with a hundred heads and thousands of arms and legs. Her Body emanations are the Six Manifestation of Day and Night who each arise during a particular cycle of time during every twenty-four hour period. These six manifestations are White Sipé Gyalmo of Dawn, Golden Sipé Gyalmo of Sunrise, Red Sipé Gyalmo of Mid-day, Maroun Sipé Gyalmo of Sunset, Black Sipé Gyalmo of Evening, and Dark-blue Sipé Gyalmo of Midnight.

There is an often-used divination practice that relies upon the clairvoyance of these six manifestations. For a practitioner to be qualified to perform this divination, they must undergo a strict Sipé Gyalmo yidam retreat for at least seven days, or continue longer until they have received the clear signs of being empowered by Sipé Gyalmo. The manifestation that is practiced in this retreat is her manifestation who stands majestically with a hundred heads and thousands of arms and legs.

Yeshé Walmo and Drak Ngak Walmo are both manifestations of Sipé Gyalmo and are similar in appearance. However, Drak Ngak Walmo wears an ornament of a skull mala and dances upon a human-like figure that represents all negative forces. She has a practice specifically for protecting against contagious illnesses and pandemics.

SO MA MA DZA JO✶

Emaho!

Mother of the vast expanse of the Bönku, which is primordially pure and free from elaboration,

in order to establish the Bön teachings in the Land of Snow,

merely by calling out to you Single Mother Sipé Gyalmo,

wherever you are, please come!

Protect me from bridges, boats, and narrow passageways, as well as from contagious illnesses!

— excerpt from Alphabetical Praise of the Supreme Mother Sipé Gyalmo contained within the book Sacred Smoke: The Ritual Practice of Fumigation and Offering in the Yungdrung Bön Religious Tradition by Raven Cypress Wood

✶ This is the general short mantra for Sipé Gyalmo.

Having performed Mother Sigyal’s practice in successive previous lifetimes,

you have lovingly protected me like a mother protects her very own child.

Like the body with its shadow, you surround me with your love and affection.

I supplicate to you single-pointedly from my heart!

Never being separated and through your loving compassion,

protect me well with your four kinds of peaceful, expansive, powerful and wrathful activities!

Without hesitation and with no exceptions, please act to accomplish whatever goal or intention that I wish for!

Sigyal’s Entrusted Activity composed by Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche

For more information about Sacred Smoke: The Ritual Practice of Fumigation and Offering in the Yungdrung Bön Religious Tradition, see previous post: https://ravencypresswood.com/2021/11/19/new-book-release-sacred-smoke-the-ritual-practice-of-fumigation-and-offering-in-the-yungdrung-bon-religious-tradition/

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

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Sacred Sky Press has just released the publication of Sacred Smoke: The Ritual Practice of Fumigation and Offering in the Yungdrung Bön Religious Tradition by Raven Cypress Wood. This book is both an in-depth overview and a practice manual for the ritual commonly known as sang [Tibetan: bsang]. Performed as a daily practice as well as on special occasions, the sang ritual of fumigation and offering is pervasive throughout both the Yungdrung Bön and Buddhist traditions because of its important relevance to ordinary people, lay practitioners, and monastics. The practice of sang is categorized within the Second Way of the Nine Ways of Bön and uses fragrant smoke to clear defilements from both the environment and its inhabitants.

The first part of Sacred Smoke introduces the reader to the sang ritual and provides a deeper understanding of the source, meaning, and purpose of the ritual. This includes descriptions of the kinds of defilements beings purified, the recipients of the offerings, and the benefits of performing the ritual.

It is called removal because it removes the negative from the positive. It is called removal because it removes the defiled from the pure. It is called removal because it removes poverty. It is called removal because it removes obstructions.

—Lord Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoche describing the category of rituals containing the sang practice in Sacred Smoke: The Ritual Practice of Fumigation and Offering in the Yungdrung Bön Religious Tradition

And,

For ordinary people, performing the sang ritual and receiving its benefits can increase their faith in the truth of the teachings of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap. For them, the sang ritual can be an entrance to the higher teachings of enlightenment by creating a basis of faith in the practices.

—Excerpt from Sacred Smoke: The Ritual Practice of Fumigation and Offering in the Yungdrung Bön Religious Tradition

The second part of Sacred Smoke provides the liturgical texts needed for the ritual including the original Tibetan with phonetics and the corresponding English translations. In addition to the sang ritual prayers according to the Menri tradition, Sacred Smoke includes texts for performing the sang ritual composed by the esteemed 23rd Menri Trizin, the sang ritual for the lu, and invocations to Blue Dzmbhala and Chammo Lamlha, the goddess of travel. Detailed instructions are given for how to perform the the ritual in either an extensive and more elaborate way, or a condensed version.

You who have incredible magical power, lords of intermediate space, lords of the earth and lords of the rivers and lakes who judge between right and wrong;

You are living here alongside human beings in this wonderful land.

You, great rulers of this area, when invited by this practitioner, please come to this place of offerings.

—Excerpt from Fumigation Offering for Any Area, included within Sacred Smoke: The Ritual Practice of Fumigation and Offering in the Yungdrung Bön Religious Tradition

Sacred Smoke: The Ritual Practice of Fumigation and Offering in the Yungdrung Bön Religious Tradition by Raven Cypress Wood is a 175 page hardcover with black and white images. It can be purchased from the distributor from this link: https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/raven-cypress-wood/sacred-smoke/hardcover/product-977vd8.html?page=1&pageSize=4

Raven Cypress Wood is also the author of other Sacred Sky Press publications including:

Indestructible: The Longevity Practice of Tséwang Rikdzin https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/raven-cypress-wood/indestructible-the-longevity-practice-of-tsewang-rikdzin/hardcover/product-1g2pdvkp.html?page=1&pageSize=4

The Heartdrop of Jamma, the Loving Mother https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/raven-cypress-wood/jamma-nying-tik-color/paperback/product-1g274888.html?page=1&pageSize=4

Within the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition, the 10th lunar day of each month is dedicated to the practice of the great lama Drenpa Namkha and his two sons, Tséwang Rikdzin and Pema Tongdrol. From now until the Tibetan New Year on March 3rd 2022, these lunar days coincide with the Western dates:

• November 14th 2021
• December 13th 2021
• January 12th 2022
• February 11th 2022

Namo!

With the yearning, single-pointed devotion of my body, speech, and mind, I and the group of mothers, the other sentient beings who are equal to the far reaches of the sky, go for refuge to the Bönku Küntu Zangpo.

We go for refuge to the Great Lama Drenpa Namkha.

We go for refuge to Nyima Öden Barma.

We go for refuge to the protector of migrating beings, Tséwang Rikdzin.

We go for refuge to the Great Mother Tukjé Kündrol.

We go for refuge to Trogyal Yungdrung Tongdrol.

We go for refuge to the tertön Khyung Gö Tsal.

We for refuge to Patön Gyalwa Shérab.

We go for refuge to Patön Döndrup Bum.

We go for refuge to Nyammé Palden Zangpo.

We go for refuge to Patön Namkha Zangpo.

We go for refuge to Chang Chup Semden Palchok Zangpo.

We go for refuge to Tenzin Rikdzin Namgyal.

We go for refuge to Rikdzin Lhundrup Palzang.

We go for refuge to Drendral Tenpa Özer.

We go for refuge to the protector of migrating beings, Namkha Gyalpo.

We go for refuge to the kind root lama.

We go for refuge to the compassionate guide lama, who has the blessings of the lamas of the lineage.

We go for refuge to the knowledge holders and yungdrung sempa of the male lineage.

We go for refuge to the group of khandro of the female lineage.

We go for refuge to the holy lamas of the lineage of the accomplishment of longevity.

Through your compassion radiating as light from unmanifested space, please bestow the accomplishment of indestructible longevity to me!

— From The Longevity Practice of Drenpa Namkha

Tibetan translation by Raven Cypress Wood

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

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From the 1st-30th of the 9th lunar month, Western calendar dates October 7th – November 4th 2021, Pal Shenten Menri Ling Monastery in India held its 23rd Annual Debate According to the Yeru Tradition for the benefit of educating the dialectic school students. These debate sessions are held according to the tradition of the renowned Yeru Wensaka tradition and are based upon a text of logic written by Azha Drogön Lodro Gyaltsen Rinpoche (1198-1263). He was the 8th abbot of Yeru Wensaka Monastery and many of his writings form a major part of the dialectic school curriculum. His text of logic, A Summary of the Valid Cognition of Suchness, A Treasury of Knowledge, is considered the foundation of philosophy. Because it is very old and unique, it is quite difficult to understand. He is considered to have been an emanation of the wisdom deity Mawé Sengé, and had visions of the Great Lama Drenpa Namkha who bestowed upon him instructions and transmissions, as well as secret instructions regarding the practice of the wisdom protector Yeshé Walmo.

The Yungdrung Bön monastic center of Yeru Wensaka in Tsang, Tibet was founded in 1072 by the esteemed Dru family lineage in order to promote the study of philosophy. It was the main Yungdrung Bön study center until it was destroyed by flood in 1386 and replaced with the construction of Menri Monastery in 1405.

During this month-long training, students in the dialectic school will rise early and continue their study, memorization, and recitation practice late into the night. Subjects that are studied and debated include the two truths, the three valid means of cognition, the way of establishing an object of valid cognition, and so forth. Students practice together as a group and also invite His Holiness 34th Menri Trizin Rinpoche and His Eminence Menri Pönlop Rinpoche to witness performances of formal debate, and to give their commentary regarding the difficult points of the philosophical text.

The cycle of debate within the Yungdrung Bön is used as a means to cut the three obscurations to knowledge of (1) not understanding, (2) misunderstanding, and (3) doubt, especially as it relates to the nature of ultimate reality. This is done by applying systematic logical reasoning to a particular view or position in order to ascertain if the view can be established as either true or untrue. This is done through using syllogisms. Syllogism is a type of argument that applies deductive reasoning to form a conclusion regarding the validity or lack of validity of a given thesis. In Tibetan philosophical debate, the syllogism takes the form of a thesis and a proof stated together in a single sentence. This is presented by one or two monks who are seated. They are the defenders of the thesis. One or more monks stand before the defenders and, using only scriptural quotations and proceeding from one logical step to the next, try to prove that the thesis cannot be established as valid. They are the opponents. The opponents are restricted in their response to either state that the major premise of the thesis is not true, the minor premise of the thesis is not true, or to accept the thesis as true. The defenders must give consistent responses without contradicting their original statement. In this way, wrong views are clarified through logical reasoning.

A video of the special debate retreat at Menri Monastery has been created by Menri Media and can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAR8oDPQ2ag Monastic debates can appear quite aggressive. However, it is important to remember that the energy of defending and attacking is not toward each other but towards the statement, or idea, that has been presented. The choreography of those attacking a statement as a wrong view is an outward expression of the power of wisdom. Even the particular spot on the hands that is strongly clapped together is considered to be the area of a channel through which wisdom flows.

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

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The sage, Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen was born in 1859 in the region of Kham, Tibet. He received monk’s vows at the age of 18 and had a total of 24 spiritual masters during his lifetime. He became renowned for both his intellect and his realization of sutra, tantra and dzogchen. At the time of his passing in 1935, he displayed his supreme realization by attaining the rainbow body of light. During his lifetime, he was a prolific writer and these compositions have been collected into a five volume treasury. (For more information about this modern-day saint, see previous article: https://ravencypresswood.com/2015/05/31/anniversary-of-shardza-tashi-gyaltsen-attaining-the-rainbow-body-2/ )

Among his writings, is a poetic verse of advice written upon a request from the female practitioner Khandro Wangi Dronma. In the first half of the verse, he reminds the practitioner of the truth of good and bad actions which result in either happiness or suffering. (This part of the verse can be read in its English translation here: https://ravencypresswood.com/2021/03/27/a-saints-advice-regarding-actions-their-certain-results/ ) He then gives advice for how a practitioner can use the suffering of pain and illness as a skillful means to deepen the realization of emptiness, and ultimately, to attain enlightenment. However, to avoid confusion it must be noted that nowhere does he advise to cease medical treatment to cure or diminish the pain. Essentially, he advises that for a practitioner, when illness and pain arise, it is important to be aware of the view and to look with wisdom at the experience rather than have the pain and illness cloud the awareness or become a distraction from practice. The extent to which someone is able to do this depends upon their capacity and stability as a practitioner. But he advises to try again and again to use the experience as a support for realization. The practitioner begins with the view of the illness and pain as a result of their own previous negative actions being exhausted through the experience, and ultimately looking nakedly at the experience to realize its emptiness. His advice begins with the extraordinarily profound essence mantra that purifies negativity and shakes the very foundation of cyclic existence.

A KAR A MÉ DU TRI SU NAKPO ZHI ZHI MAL MAL

May the negative karmic debts of sentient beings within the three realms of cyclic existence be purified!

Engaging in harm towards others again and again, the negative karma accumulates. Later on during our future lives, we are tormented because of those actions.

And,

Whatever unwanted thing that descends upon you, look upon everything as karma.

And,

It is necessary to have a supreme view and master the remedy which is emptiness in order to proceed with the important practice of virtue.

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 tonglen. (For more information about the practice of tonglen and the english translation of a tonglen prayer written by Shardza Rinpoche, see the previous article: https://ravencypresswood.com/2020/01/31/an-aspiration-prayer-of-giving-and-receiving-gift-translation/ )

Practice this day and night. Remember to do this again and again, without being distracted even for a second. These are thoughts from my heart. This is my conviction. Considering the result of actions and teaching a method to repay the karmic debts is very rare advice. It is completely profound.

— Excerpt of untitled poem composed by Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche and included in his volume of works entitled Advice and Hagiographies of the A Tri LIneage Lamas

Tibetan translations by Raven Cypress Wood

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

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