Sherap Jamma’s Five Wisdom Manifestations and Eight Protector Manifestations
“Namo!
From precious light, are these miraculous lamps. This pure and immaculate display, having cleared away the darkness of ignorance, for the sake of clarifying the lamp of self-arising wisdom, I present this to the gathering of Jamma deities of the Lam Bum. Please accept me within your compassionate consideration! OM NÉ TING CHÖ CHÖ LAM LAM YÉ SOHA
This is the essence of the forest atop Mt. Meru. This pure and immaculate display, having a sweet-smelling fragrance, I present to the Jamma deities of the Dul Bum in order to bring forth the lineage of completely pure moral discipline. Please accept me within your compassionate consideration! OM SHIM SHIM DRAM DRAM BÜN NÉ TIM TIM YÉ SOHA
Having conquered the peak of the snow mountain of faults, this pure and immaculate display, having cleared away all karmic potentialities and defilements with the thunderous river of enlightenment, I present this to the Jamma deities of the Dön Bum. Please accept me within your compassionate consideration! OM SHUDDHO KU SHUDDHO SALÉ SANG NGÉ YÉ SOHA
This is food that has been produced from precious grain. This pure and immaculate display, having obtained purified offerings as high as Mount Meru, and because of merit that is stable like a tall mountain, I present this to the Jamma deities of the Gé Gye. Please accept me within your compassionate consideration! OM YA YEN RANG ZHIN YÉ SOHA
These ornaments have grown from heat and moisture. This pure and immaculate display in the form of beautiful, radiant flowers, for the sake of being ornaments for the buddhas, I present this to the Jamma deities who have gone to bliss. Please accept me within your compassionate consideration! OM NÉ RA DÉ DÉ CHÖ CHÖ YÉ SOHA”
Extracted from The Daily Practice of Künsel Jamma Chenmo which was compiled by the 33rd Menri Trizin His Holiness Lungtok Tenpé Nyima Rinpoche
Künsal Jamma Chenmo, the All-Clarifying Great Loving Mother, also known as Sherap Jamma
Enlightened beings have no purpose in manifesting from the space of abiding other than to benefit sentient beings. Spontaneously manifesting, they can appear in any way that is helpful. Although Buddha Künsal Sherap Jamma has innumerable manifestations, her five primary wisdom manifestations with individual characteristics and essence mantras are an embodiment of one of the five enlightened bodies as well as the five wisdoms, and are the source of one of the five main volumes of scripture for the teachings related to Künsal Sherap Jamma, The All-clarifying, Wise Loving Mother.
“She is the source of the essence of wisdom, as well as the source of the natural mind of all the enlightened ones. She is the empty aspect of space in which everything is arising, everything is abiding, and everything is dissolving. She is the essence of absolute reality. In order to lovingly care for all sentient beings like a mother cares for her only child, she engages in supreme activity by teaching in the manner of a goddess. She is the great mother who has given birth to all the buddhas of the three enlightened bodies.”
Excerpt from A Ladder to Liberation, An Abridged Commentary Regarding the Words and Meaning of the Praise of the Mantra of Jamma, the Deity Who Protects From All Things
According to the tantric practice of Jamma, these five wisdom manifestations are related to as meditational deities, or yidams. The disciple takes refuge in Jamma, makes offerings and supplications to Jamma, receives purification of wrongdoing from Jamma, and practices with the pure view of the phenomenal universe as Jamma’s mandala and all beings as divine beings in her retinue. Practicing with Jamma in this way, the visualized self as Jamma and the actual wisdom deity merge. This unification arises as an action deity that is inseparable from the enlightened deity. From this state, the essence mantra is recited many hundreds, thousands, or millions of times. During a restricted personal retreat of seven to twenty-one days, the mantra is recited a minimum of 100,000 times without being interrupted by ordinary speech, eating, drinking, sleeping, and so on.
Künsal Jamma Chenmo surrounded by her five wisdom and eight protector manifestations
“The essence of the five enlightened states is Jamma. All the enlightened ones of the three times come from Jamma. Because of the swift ripening and liberation, and the attainment of all the common and supreme accomplishments that arise from this Mother of the Victors, fortunate sentient beings of future generations should focus on her essence. It will be like finding gold inside a stone. If you practice with great diligence without giving it up or diminishing the practice, you will attain the common and extraordinary results in one lifetime. Every accomplishment will be attained.”
Advice of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché when completing his teaching of Jamma’s Root Tantra.
As with any tantric practice within the Yungdrung Bön tradition, a practitioner of the Jamma tantra should receive the oral transmission, teaching, and empowerment in order to establish a connection with the lineage and the deities, and to receive their blessings. Receiving the oral transmission gives permission to read, study, and practice the Jamma texts. From that, one can practice the Jamma texts without having received the empowerment, but it will be difficult to fully accomplish the results of the tantric practice.
During the Jamma empowerment, disciples take part in a divination in order to determine their karmic connection with one of the five wisdom manifestations of Künsal Sherap Jamma. Revealing this connection allows the disciple to focus their attention on the continuation of their Jamma practice from previous lifetimes. The disciples cover their eyes with a cloth to symbolically represent the darkness of their mind before being introduced to the enlightened deities. Those assisting with the empowerment go to each of the disciples holding a representation of Jamma’s mandala. Then, the disciple holds either a small flower or their mala above the mandala and lets it fall. Because each of the five wisdom manifestations are associated with a specific direction within the mandala, the place where the flower or mala falls determines which of the five yidam deities are karmically connected with the disciple. For example, if it falls in the East section of the mandala, this reveals that the disciple has a karmic connection from previous lifetimes with the practice of Tapgyi Jamma, the wisdom manifestation associated with the East. When their karmic yidam has been determined, the disciples remove their blindfold which represents the opening of their wisdom eye which has the ability to perceive the divine face of Jamma. Practicing with their karmic yidams and reciting their essence mantra is greatly beneficial and will bring unimaginable blessings and protection.
Depiction of the mandala palace of Sherap Jamma
Details of the Five Wisdom Manifestations of Sherap Jamma
Each of the five wisdom manifestations appear in dzok ku form, a state endowed with all perfected qualities and appear as wisdom light with no solid existence, like the bright moon reflected in water. In their appearance, they are all seated peacefully on a throne and wear the thirteen ornaments of a dzok ku: a crown, earrings, a short necklace, two longer necklaces, armlets, bracelets, anklets, a head silk, a long scarf, an upper garment, a lower garment, and a belt.
Within the commentary written by the 23rd Menri Trizen Nyima Tenzin Rinpoche entitled A Ladder to Liberation, An Abridged Commentary Regarding the Words and Meaning of the Praise of the Mantra of Jamma, the Deity Who Protects From All Things is a description of Sherap Jamma and the benefits of practicing each of the five manifestations.
Künsal Jamma Chenmo, the All-Clarifying Great Loving Mother, is also known as Sherap Jamma. From the scripture for the empowerment:
If it falls in the center, it is designated as Künsal Jamma Chenmo, the All-Clarifying Great Loving Mother, the One with the dynamic energy of being without delusion. “Oh fortunate child of the lineage, your yidam deity is the great mother called Künsal Jamma. She has the color of molten gold. On her head is a turquoise crown, and she has turquoise earrings. In her right hand she holds a golden vase filled with the essence of nectar. Her left hand is in a dancing pose and, at the top of an uḍumbara flower, she holds a mirror that symbolizes primordial awareness. Her necklaces are the colors of the moon and crystal and are an encircled forty drops of great wisdom. Her bracelets contain precious jewels. She has bright, divine clothes with a large, flowing, silk skirt that gently moves with the wind. She is peaceful with a radiantly smiling face that expresses her loving kindness. She sits peacefully with her legs are crossed. Because she was your yidam deity in the past, she is your yidam deity now. Because she is your yidam deity now, don’t forget to meditate on her as your yidam deity. Because she will be your yidam deity in the future, she will compassionately protect you. Therefore, continually proclaim her essence mantra.”
Künsal Jamma Chenmo is the central manifestation from which the other manifestations emanate. Therefore, by focusing on her and reciting her mantra, the practice is connected with all of the countless manifestations of Jamma.
Direction of the Mandala: Center, The Suchness Buddha Family, Seated on a Lion Throne
Appearance: She has a color like blazing gold.
Hand Objects: She has two hands. R: a Golden Vase of Nectar, L: a Udumbara Flower that supports a Mirror of Wisdom Awareness.
Five Wisdoms-Five Poisons: She embodies the Wisdom of Emptiness and Victory over Confusion and Dull-mindedness.
Five Scriptures: She is the source of the Kham Gyé, The Unsurpassed Scripture regarding the Eight Realms.
Organ: Heart
Seed Syllable and Mantra: She arises from the seed syllable OM, which is also the source of all five wisdom manifestations. Her mantra is the essence mantra for all manifestations and also specifically associated with her. OM MA WA MA DÉ MA HI MO HA E MA HO MA YÉ RU PA YÉ TA DU DU SOHA*
Brief Description of the benefits of practicing Künsal Jamma Chenmo: You will have the ability to befriend all of appearance and existence. Immeasurable impermanence will be born in the mind-stream. Having purified the ten wrongdoings, the ten virtues will increase. Self-awareness will arise within itself, and you will awaken in the expanse of the nature of space and abide in the state of equanimity and great bliss. You will have power over cyclic existence and nirvana.
Tapgyi Jamma, or Tapchen Jamma, the Loving Mother of Great Skillful Means. From the scripture for the empowerment:
“If it falls in the east, it is designated as Tapchen Jamma who has the dynamic energy of unchanging, blissful liberation. “Oh fortunate child of the lineage, your yidam deity is the great mother Tapchen Jamma who has one face and four arms. Her two right hands hold a net and a lotus, and her two left hands hold a lasso and a yungdrung mala. She is seated on a throne of great skillful means. Because she was your yidam deity in the past, she is your yidam deity now. Because she is your yidam deity now, don’t forget to meditate on her as your yidam deity. Because she will be your yidam deity in the future, she will compassionately protect you. Therefore, continually proclaim her essence mantra.”
Direction of the Mandala: East, The Yungdrung Buddha Family, Seated on a Dragon Throne
Appearance: White like Stainless Crystal
Hand Objects: She has four hands. R: a Lotus and a Net, L: a Yungdrung Mala and a Lightening Lasso of Skillful Means
Five Wisdoms-Five Poisons: She embodies Mirror-like Wisdom and Victory over Hatred and Anger.
Five Scriptures: She is the source of the Der Drol Lam Bum, The Hundred Thousand Verses on the Blissful Path of Liberation.
Organ: Spleen
Seed Syllable and Mantra: She arises from the seed syllable SA. Her specific essence mantra is: OM MA MA YÉ MU YA LI CHÖ CHÖ RAM DÉ MA RI RA MU YA KHAM SOHA**
Brief Description of the benefits of practicing Tapgyi Jamma: All pain, faults, contaminated energy, defilements and impurities will be purified. The physical body will be without illness and blissful. Fears will be overcome. You will be able to proclaim the melodies of Bön with a pleasant voice. You will have power over appearance and existence. All food and resources are accumulated. Having obtained a wealth of precious treasure, the wealth of merit is never diminished. All dull-mindedness is completely abandoned and you have the supreme clarity of wisdom. Having obtained the supreme purity free of faults, you will never experiences blindness, muteness, deafness, or loss of the mental faculties.
Mönlam Jamma, or Namkhé Dzö Dzinma-Holder of a Sky-Treasury, the Loving Mother of the Path of Aspiration. From the scripture for the empowerment:
If it falls in the North, it is designated as Mönlam Jamma, Loving Mother of the Path of Aspirations, also known as Namkhé Dzö Dzinma, Holder of a Sky-Treasury, who has the dynamic energy to cause wonderful things to arise. “Oh fortunate child of the lineage, your yidam deity is the great mother Namkhé Dzö Dzinma. She is green with one face and four hands. Her two right hands hold a wisdom knife and a staff of monastic discipline with two stacked chortens [Sanskrit: stupa] on top, and her two left hands hold a renunciate’s alms bowl and and a vase of purifying water. She sits on a horse throne and is all-knowing. Because she was your yidam deity in the past, she is your yidam deity now. Because she is your yidam deity now, don’t forget to meditate on her as your yidam deity. Because she will be your yidam deity in the future, she will compassionately protect you. Therefore, continually proclaim her essence mantra.”
Direction of the Mandala: North, The Wheel of Bön Buddha Family, Seated on a Horse Throne
Appearance: Reddish Green like the heart of a flame
Hand Objects: She has four hands. R: Wisdom Knife and a Staff of Monastic Discipline with Two Stacked Chortens on Top, L: a Renunciate’s Alms Bowl and a Vase of Purifying Water
Five Wisdoms-Five Poisons: She embodies the Wisdom of Equanimity and Victory over Jealousy.
Five Scriptures: She is the source of the Dül Bum, The Hundred Thousand Verses on Discipline.
Organ: Lungs
Seed Syllable and Mantra: She arises from the seed syllable HA. Her specific essence mantra is OM MA MA SANG SANG LAM LAM DRUM NA GA LI GHEN DHÉ CHÖ PHUR DU DU SO HA
Brief Description of the benefits of practicing Mönlam Jamma: All defilements and obscurations will be purified and all positive qualities will be produced in the mind-stream. You will be untainted with the defects of wrongdoing. You will be like a lotus risen from the mud. The body will accumulate glory and riches and the mind will be filled with elixir. You will teach others without attachments to your activities. Your mind will be at peace and will find happiness.
Tukjé Jamma, the Compassionate Loving Mother
Tukjé Jamma, Loving Mother of Compassion. From the scripture for the empowerment:
If it falls in the West, it is designated as Tükjé Jamma, the Loving Mother of Compassion who has the dynamic energy of unceasing compassion. “Oh fortunate child of the lineage, your yidam deity is the great mother Tükjé Jamma. She is red with one face and four arms. Her two right hands hold a lasso and a sun, and her two left hands hold a jewel and a victory banner. She sits on a throne of garudas. Because she was your yidam deity in the past, she is your yidam deity now. Because she is your yidam deity now, don’t forget to meditate on her as your yidam deity. Because she will be your yidam deity in the future, she will compassionately protect you. Therefore, continually proclaim her essence mantra.”
Direction of the Mandala: West, The Lotus Buddha Family, Seated on a Garuda Throne
Appearance: Red like Coral
Hand Objects: She has four hands. R: An Extended Lasso and a Sun of Compassion, L: Wish-fulfilling Jewel of Happiness and a Victory Banner
Five Wisdoms-Five Poisons: She embodies Discriminating Wisdom and Victory over desire and Attachment.
Five Scriptures: She is the source of the Dön Bum, The Hundred Thousand Verses on the Meaning.
Organ: Liver
Seed Syllable and Mantra: Depending upon the source text, she can arise from either the seed syllable RI or NI. Her specific essence mantra is: OM MA MA SA LÉ É PHU TÉ YANG NI DU RAM TÉ SOHA
Within the cycle of the MA TRI tantra, Tükjé Jamma is one of the primary buddhas along with Buddha Tönpa Shenrap and the six buddhas who tame and liberate the six kinds of beings migrating within cyclic existence.
Brief Description of the benefits of practicing Tukjé Jamma: Poverty of oneself and others is removed, and you will attain great resources and treasures. You will have stainless ethics and moral discipline, and all faults will fall way. Unsuitable things as well as suffering and misery will naturally be pacified. Every good quality will be amassed. You will accomplish your wishes for the roots of virtue and you will dwell on the ground of bliss and virtue. You will never be harmed when challenged by others of great power. Your complexion will be bright and radiant. Your knowledge to explain what is learned increases. Immeasurable compassion will be born in your mind-stream and you will have the ability to help other sentient beings. Whatever you want to do will be accomplished through mindfulness.
Topgyi Jamma, the Powerful Loving Mother, or Nangsi Kündrakma, Mother who is Renowned Throughout All Phenomenal Existence. From the scripture for the empowerment:
If it falls in the South, it is designated as Nangsi Kundrakma who has the dynamic energy of spontaneous accomplishment. “Oh fortunate child of the lineage, your yidam deity is the great mother Nangsi Kundrakma. She is blue, with one face and four arms. Her two right hands hold a hook and a banner, and her two left hands hold an astrological chart and as utpal flower. She is seated on a powerful elephant throne. Because she was your yidam deity in the past, she is your yidam deity now. Because she is your yidam deity now, don’t forget to meditate on her as your yidam deity. Because she will be your yidam deity in the future, she will compassionately protect you. Therefore, continually proclaim her essence mantra.”
Direction of the Mandala: South, The Jewel Buddha Family, Seated on a Powerful Elephant Throne
Appearance: Blue like a Sapphire
Hand Objects: She has four hands. R: a Military-style Banner and a Hook of Compassion, L: an Utpal Flower and an Astrological Chart
Five Wisdoms-Five Poisons: She embodies All-accomplishing Wisdom and Victory over Pride.
Five Scriptures: She is the source of the Gé Bum, The Hundred Thousand Verses on Virtue.
Organ: Kidneys
Seed Syllable and Mantra: Depending upon the source text, she can arise from either seed syllable NI or RI. Her specific essence mantra is: OM MA MA DI RO CHÖ CHÖ SA LÉ É HA HI YANG DÉ SOHA
Brief Description of the benefits of practicing Topgyi Jamma: Afflictive emotions and enemies will be overpowered with your majestic brilliance. Opponents will abandon or settle their opposition. You will perfect the ten powers within yourself. Your lifespan, vitality, and charismatic power will flourish. You will attain children, wealth and riches. You won’t have any destruction coming from the eight classes of gods and spirits such as illness, negativity, poison, and so on. You will be able to withstand all infectious diseases. You will become a king of healing and medicine. Without exception, the accumulation of virtues will increase. You will be able to tame the demon army of the afflictive emotions. You will thoroughly stop rebirth into the impure lower realms. Positive qualities and virtues will become inexhaustible treasures.
Jamma Prayer Flag
Prayer flag of The Great Mother Sherap Jamma
“I prostrate to the Supreme Mother of the buddhas of the three times, a completely pure unsurpassed enlightened one, the actually manifest and perfected Buddha Jamma Chenmo!
Hri! Within a completely pure, self-manifested realm, just by paying homage and offering this supplication to the enlightened state of Yumchen Tukjé Jamma may we have victory over the eight fears!
OM MA WA MA DÉ MA HI MO HA É MA SA HA NI RI DZA HO BAM HUNG MA YÉ RU PA YÉ TA DU DU SOHA
Five Bodies, Eight Protector Goddesses, and groups of sixteen, thirty-two, and fifty manifestations, goddesses who tame birth, aging, and death, together with the buddhas and sempa [Sanskrit: bodhisattvas] of great loving kindness, please bestow protection from the eight fears of enemies, curses, infertility, the lu [Sanskrit: nagas], faults, a decreased lifespan or vitality, and harm from planetary causes! Please bestow glory and riches! Support perfect buddhahood! By expressing this king of all praises, may we have enlightenment within the space of the essence of the Great Mother Sherap Jamma, the Great Bliss Bönku, free from elaboration!
Whatever pure virtue that has been done through the three doors, we dedicate for the benefit of all the sentient beings of the three realms. Having purified every defilement and cumulative activity of the three poisons, may we quickly attain the perfect buddhahood of the three bodies!
OM MA WA MA DÉ MA HI MO HA É MA SA HA NI RI DZA HO BAM HUNG MA YÉ RU PA YÉ TA DU DU SOHA
Translation of the Jamma Prayer Flag
“A OM HUNG I and all the other sentient beings who are equal to the sky, in order to progress along the stages of the path of liberation and attain supreme enlightenment, we supplicate with an intense, single-pointed faith and longing to the unsurpassed five wisdom bodies of Jamma and to her retinue of 108 outer and inner manifestations. Incinerate the two obscurations and karmic potentialities with wisdom fire! Manifest the vital essence of an ocean of attainments within the three secret places! Manifestly increase the thousand lights of the four kinds of enlightened activity! Bless us with the attainment of the fruit of the five bodies!”
Excerpt from Prayer of Supplication within The Daily Practice of Künsel Jamma Chenmo
Sa tsa of Künsal Jamma Chenmo
“It is necessary even when sitting, think of Jamma. Even when sleeping, concentrate on Jamma. Even when eating, it is a feast offering to Jamma. And when moving about, move about within the state of Jamma. Apply these key points to the four kinds of activities. Practicing the deity without being separate from one another is the highest yoga of Jamma.”
Excerpt from The Daily Practice of Künsel Jamma Chenmo
*This is the essence mantra for Künsel Jamma Chenmo. There are other essence mantras that include the syllables for the five wisdom manifestations and the four protectors specifically.
**Mantras are according to the text compiled by H.H. the 33rd Menri Trizen Lungtok Tempa Nyima Rinpoche
The Jamma Nying Tik, The Heartdrop of Jamma is a practice that was given as an aural transmission to the 22nd Menri Trizin Kündun Sonam Lodrö directly from Sherap Lo Pelma. This practice is commonly recited each day especially by Bönpos living in the village of Dhorpatan, Nepal. According to this text, reading the practice once has the same benefit as reading the entire collection of Kangyur scriptures. This text has been translated and published in English, Spanish, and French and can be ordered here: https://www.lulu.com/search?page=1&q=jamma+nying+&pageSize=10&adult_audience_rating=00
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Every year at Menri Monastery on the 22nd-29th lunar days of the 7th lunar month, there is the retreat of the Namdak Péma Long Yang, The Vast Expanse of the Completely Pure LotusDeities. In 2024, these dates correspond with September 22nd-Oct 1st. This practice clears away the suffering and misery of sentient beings and purifies all defilements and wrongdoing.
This ritual cycle is part of the Outer Mother Tantra and is traditionally practiced within the Shen tradition, the system followed by Menri Monastery. TheTantra of Vast Expanse of the Completely Pure Lotus was a terma, or hidden treasure text, rediscovered by the tertön Shenchen Luga. (For more information about Shenchen Luga, see previous article: https://ravencypresswood.com/2017/04/23/lord-of-the-teachings-shenchen-luga/ ) The 15th Menri Trizin Khenchen Yungdrung Tsultrim also wrote a practice text entitled, A Bouquet of Utpala, Practice of the Completely Pure Lotus Mother.
The principal deity of this practice is the Enlightened Mother Satrik Érsang. She is golden and has a turquoise crown ornament on her head. She sits upon a lotus seat above a throne of intertwined, energetic lions. She is adorned with the thirteen peaceful ornaments. Her right hand holds a golden vase of healing nectar and her left hand holds a clear, magical mirror.
Surrounding her in every direction and pervading all of space are the completely pure lotus deities who are her emanations and her assistants who work for the benefit of clearing away the suffering and misery of all sentient beings.
Pages of the handwritten Elegant Practice of the Completely Pure Lotus Mother and Her Spiritual Heirs
“I, and the limitless other sentient beings, pay homage and go for refuge to the multitude of enlightened ones. By offering this divine palace that is filled with precious treasure, please be seated and remain inseparable from the objects of support. Please pay heed to us!
Come here with the power of your great love and pacify the actions of the poison of anger and hatred!
Come here with your great compassion and seize the six causes for cyclic existence! From a state of compassion for the six kinds of migrating beings, bring those causes to ruin!
Come here with your great wisdom and clear away the darkness of mental dullness!
Come here with your great openness and destroy the prison of jealousy!
Come here with your great peacefulness and destroy the mountain of pride from the top!
Come here with your great generosity and pacify the raging fire of desire and need!
Come here with your great joyful diligence and remove the apathy of sentient beings within cyclic existence!
Come here with your great patience and pacify the enemy of the afflictive emotions!
Come here with your great concentration and pacify suffering due to change for sentient beings!
Come here with your great, skillful methods and loosen the tethers of misconceptions!
Come here with your great discipline and ethical behavior and tame the afflictive emotions of sentient beings that are difficult to tame!
Through your great prayers of aspiration, may I and all the limitless sentient beings obtain the unsurpassable fruit!”
Excerpt from The Victorious Enlightened Activity of the Completely Pure Lotus Mother
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Each year during the 23rd-29th lunar days of the 5th month, members of the Menri Monastery ordained community undergo a retreat for Jamma Chenmo, the Great Loving Mother. This year, those lunar dates coincide with July 10th-16th, 2023 on the Western calendar.
Jamma Chenmo, the Great Loving Mother, is a Buddha who manifests as a loving mother to care for each and every sentient being as though they were her only child. In her manifestation as one of the Four Transcendent Buddhas of the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition, she is called by the Zhang Zhung name Satrik Érsang.
Buddha Jamma Chenmo, also known as Sherap Jamma, can manifest in any way necessary to act for the welfare of sentient beings. She magically emanates as the Five Wisdom Families who are the manifestation of her enlightened body, the Eight Protectors who are the manifestation of her enlightened speech, the Sixteen Door Openers who are manifestations of her enlightened mind, the thirty-two emanations who are manifestations of her enlightened qualities, the fifty-two emanations that are manifestations of her enlightened activity, the 108 emanations who are the source of many Jamma scriptures, the 360 emanations who keep watch over the five elements of the phenomenal world and every kind of sentient being, the 5,500 emanations that are yungdrung sempa [Sanskrit:bodhisattvas], and the many limitless emanations who are part of her retinue and who work on her behalf.
The Five Wisdom Manifestations of Jamma Chenmo
Jamma Chenmo’s Five Wisdom Family emanations all have a peaceful appearance and collectively embody the five wisdoms and purify the five poisons. These five manifestations are Künsel Jamma, Tabgyi Jamma, Mönlam Jamma, Tukjé Jamma, and Topgyi Jamma. Künsel Jamma, the All-clear Loving Mother, is a fiery golden color. She has one face, two arms, and two legs. In her right hand, she holds a golden vase of nectar. In her left hand, she holds a udumbara flower. At the flower’s apex is a round mirror symbolizing wisdom. She wears bracelets of crystal, and around her neck is an ornament of forty wisdom tiklés. She is the embodiment of the wisdom of emptiness.
Tapgyi Jamma, Loving Mother of Skillful Means, is white with one face, four arms, and two legs. In her two right hands, she holds a net and a lotus. In her two left hands, she holds a lightening bolt and a yungdrung. She is the embodiment of mirror-like wisdom.
Mönlam Jamma, Loving Mother of Aspiration, is also known as Namkha Dzö Dzinma, Holder of a Sky Treasury. She is green with one face, four arms, and two legs. In her right two hands, she holds a razor and a staff. In her two left hands, she holds a renunciate’s begging bowl and a vase of lustral water. She is the embodiment of the wisdom of equanimity.
Tükjé Jamma, Loving Mother of Compassion, is like the queen of all the khandro and also manifests as the great consort, Chema Ötso. She is red with one face, four arms, and two legs. In her right two hands, she holds a lasso and a sun. In her left two hands, she holds a precious jewel and a victory banner. She is the embodiment of discriminating wisdom.
Topgyi Jamma, Loving Mother of Power, is also known as Nang Si Kün Drakma, Goddess who is renowned throughout the phenomenal universe. She is blue with one face, four arms, and two legs. In her right two hands she holds a dagger and a military banner. In her left two hands, she holds a horoscope and an utpal flower. She is the embodiment of all-accomplishing wisdom.
Jamma Chenmo and her retinue
This cycle of tantric teachings of Künsel Jamma Chenmo are found in the 8th Way of Bön, The Way of the Primordial Shen.
“Although Bön is abundant and plentiful, this Great Vehicle of the Primordial Shen is different from the lower 7th Vehicle. The king of all oral transmissions, those transmissions spoken with words, is the Bön cycle of Künsal Jamma Chenmo.”
Nine Ways 