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Annual Retreat of Buddha Sherap Jamma at Menri Monastery

Jamma Chenmo, the Great Loving Mother

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. In 2026, those lunar dates coincide with July 8th-13th. This cycle of tantric teachings of Künsel Jamma Chenmo are found in The Eighth Way of Bön, The Way of the Primordial Shen. 

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 called 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 Heartdrop of Jamma is a short, but profound, text that enables one to deeply connect with Sherap Jamma in order to receive her blessings and protection. The power of reciting this text with devotion has unimaginable benefits. Within the text itself, it details some of these extraordinary benefits.

“If you recite from the beginning until the end, it is the same as reciting the Kangyur one time. If you perform the practice daily, you will attain buddhahood in this single lifetime with this body. Because this is the oral transmission of the Mother and the khandro, if you practice without hope, fear, or doubt, buddhahood is certain.

Extract from The Heartdrop of Jamma, The Wise Loving Mother

The English language translation of this text by Raven Cypress Wood is available in both print and eBook here: The Heartdrop of Jamma. The Spanish language and French language translations will soon be available in eBook. Stay tuned!

For those who would like to listen to a mediative reading of the text, Raven has recorded and published it on the Nine Ways Youtube channel here: https://youtu.be/c9s82TmhfuA.

The Five Wisdom Manifestations of Jamma

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.

The Eight Jamma Manifestations that Protect from Fear

Drayi Jik Chopma, Protector from the Fear of Enemies, is the Protector who turns back all enemies having form or those who are formless. She is the Loving Mother who reverses all flaws and defects.

Jekyi Jik Chopma, Protector from the Fear of Curses and Slander, is the Protector who destroys all harm and damage caused by curses, slander ,and negative use of energy and magic.

Rikgyi Jik Chopma, Protector from Fear for the Lineage, is the Protector who bestows the attainment of children to sentient beings who want to continue the family lineage and are suffering because of infertility or other obstacles to having children or continuing a lineage such as a family, a business, or a group.

Luyi Jik Chopma, Protector from the Fear of the Lu, is the Subduer of the demon lu that cause diseases such as leprosy, internal lesions, herpes and so on.

Mutek Jik Chopma, Protetor from the Fear of Wrong Views, is the Destroyer who decisively ends the criticism of outsiders who hold wrong views. She also strengthens the intellect.

Kyöngyi Jik Chopma, Protector from the Fear of Flaws and Errors, is the Loving Mother who overcomes uncleanliness, mistakes and defilements.

Tséyi Jik Chopma, Protector from the Fear of Death, is the Medicine Goddess of Longevity who protects from the fear of death.

Zayi Jik Chopma, Protector from the Fear of the Planets, is the Loving Mother who subdues, without exception, planets, stars and the eight classes of beings. She protects from harm coming from astrological influences.

Jamma Chenmo and her retinue

The Ten Jamma Manifestations that are the Source of the Ten Perfections Teachings

Sherap Jamma is the source of the perfection of wisdom teachings. She has ten manifestations that embody the pure and fully manifested quality of each of the ten perfections. Each of these manifestations has one face, two hands and is seated on a throne.

Jinpa Jamma, Loving Mother of Generosity, is blue and holds a mala of counting beads in her right hand and a vase of nectar in her left hand. Of the ten grounds, she is associated with the ground of immense joy.

Tsultrim Jamma, Loving Mother of Moral Discipline, is blue and holds an everlasting tree in her right hand and a dark blue vase in her left hand. Of the ten grounds, she is associated with the ground of stainless crystal.

Zöpa Jamma, Loving Mother of Patience, is bluish green and holds a victory banner of fire in her right hand and a water wheel in her left hand. Of the ten grounds, she is associated with the ground of radiance.

Tsöndru Jamma, Loving Mother of Zeal, is light green and holds a magical lasso in her right hand and a wheel of the wind in her left hand. Of the ten grounds, she is associated with the ground of the mudra of transformation.

Samten Jamma, Loving Mother of Concentration, is turquoise and holds a golden phurba in her right hand and a large, unchanging rock in her left hand. Of the ten grounds, she is associated with the ground of cloudbanks of the Bön essence.

Topgyi Jamma, Loving Mother of Power, is light red and holds a lion banner in her right hand and the mudra of overcoming the earth with her left hand. Of the ten grounds, she is associated with the ground of realizing bliss.

Tükjé Jamma, Loving Mother of Compassion, is reddish green and holds a wish-fulfilling jewel in her right hand and a lasso of compassion in her left hand. Of the ten grounds, she is associated with the ground of accomplishing wishes.

Mönlam Jamma, Loving Mother of Aspiration, is red and holds a hollyhock flower in her right hand and a coral vase in her left hand. Of the ten grounds, she is associated with the ground of pure non-attachment.

Tapgyi Jamma, Loving Mother of Skillful Means, is white and holds a lasso of skillful means in her right hand and a golden vase in her left hand. Of the ten grounds, she is associated with the ground of the wheel of letters.

Sherap Jamma, Loving Mother of Wisdom, she is golden and holds a golden vase in her right hand and a mirror of clarity in her left hand. Of the ten grounds, she is associated with the ground of the changeless yungdrung.

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97th Anniversary of the Birth of His Holiness the 33rd Menri Trizin Lungtok Tenpé Nyima Rinpoché

Close-up of traditional scroll painting depicting His Holiness the 33rd Menri Trizin Lungtok Tenpé Nyima Rinpoché

His Holiness the 33rd Menri Trizin Lungtok Tenpé Nyima Rinpoché was born in Tibet on the 15th day of the 5th lunar month in the Western year 1929 in the village of Kyongtsang in the far eastern province of Amdo. In 2026, this date corresponds with June 29th on the Western calendar.

A Brief Summary of His Life and Great Works

When he was eight years old, his father took him to the nearby monastery of Phuntsok Dargyé Ling where he learned to read, write and chant. At the age of fourteen, he received instructions on the preliminary practices of dzogchen and completed the nine-hundred thousand accumulations three times. In 1945 at the age of seventeen, he received novice monk vows from Kyangtsang Lama Sherap Tenpé and was given the name Sherap Namdak. He completed his Geshé Degree at the age of twenty-five under the guidance of Lopön Tenzin Lodro Gyatso Rinpoché. The following year, he traveled South to the Bön province of Gyalrong, where he printed copies of the Bön Kanjur from traditional woodblocks. After gathering a vast amount of material and using mules to carry more than 100 volumes of the sacred texts, he made an arduous six-month journey back to his monastery. In 1956 at the age of twenty-eight, he traveled to the famous Yungdrung Ling Monastery and received monk vows from the Pönlop and was given the name Sangyé Tenzin. In 1960 at the age of thirty-two, as he passed through Mustang and Dolpo on his way to India, he borrowed many rare texts in order to reprint them in India and ensure their preservation.

In 1968, many esteemed Yungdrung Bön lamas gathered together in order to coordinate the process of selecting a successor of the late 32nd Menri Trizin. After several days of extensive prayers and rituals, Sangyé Tenzin’s name emerged as the one to hold the lineage of Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen. In 1969 at the age of forty, after extensive preparatory initiations, he assumed his duties as the 33rd Abbot of Menri Monastery and began leading the effort to re-establish Menri Monastery in Dolanji, India.

His Holiness the 33rd Menri Trizin Rinpoche. Photo credit: Unknown

In 1970, he began construction of the main temple of Pal Shenten Menri Ling in Dolanji and lead efforts to restore Menri Monastery in Tibet. In 1972, he opened a dispensary at Pal Shenten Menri Ling that distributed medicine freely to the monks, the Tibetan settlers in the nearby village, as well as to the local Indians. In 1975, he began a school for the Bönpo children, and in 1978 he founded the dialectic school to continue the tradition of in-depth education of the traditional and philosophical sciences that results in the esteemed degree of geshe.

After many years of indescribable and tireless efforts on behalf of the Yungdrung Bön tradition as well as the worldwide Bön community and all sentient beings, he displayed the truth of impermanence and passed into nirvana on the 27th day of the 7th lunar month in the Western year 2017. The auspicious occasion of the celebration of his birth is an opportunity to generate great merit through spiritual practice and virtuous activities of body, speech and mind.

Supplication Prayer to His Holiness the 33rd Menri Trizin Rinpoche

“Amazing!

The omniscient wisdom of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the ten directions is condensed into a single essence in you, Highest One.

You carry out the enlightened activities of spreading the vast and profound teachings of Tönpa Shenrap.

To you, Lungtok Tenpé Nyima, I supplicate and pray.

é ma ho, rap jam chok chü gyal wa sé ché kyi,

khyen tsé yé shé ngo wo chik dü pa, zap gyé shen ten pel wé trin lé chen

lung tok ten pé nyi ma sol wa dep“

A statue of gold of His Holiness the 33rd Menri Trizin Rinpoche in his home village in Amdo, Tibet.

“Amazing!

To the lama who is the embodiment of all of the victors and spiritual masters, who acts principally through the accomplishment of Bön for sentient beings who are as limitless as the sky,

I offer prostrations with my body, prostrating with my arms, legs and head!

I prostrate with my speech, chanting with a joyous and inspired melody!

I prostrate with my mind, paying homage with single-pointed motivation and devotion!

May the negative actions and defilements of my three doors become purified!

AH OM HUNG CHI PAR RAYNA KO PUNG AKSHO TRI TSE GU DÜN HRUN”

— Extract From Offerings for the Lama published in A Blazing Mala of Wish-Fulfilling Jewels

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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What is the Summer Namkha Ritual at Menri Monastery? The Great Secret Dō Ritual of The Vast Sky

Representation of the phenomenal world with its wondrous and desirable contents created at Menri Monastery

Every year during the 12th-16th lunar days of the 5th lunar month, Menri Monastery together with the Ratna Menling Nunnery conducts the annual Kha Long Sangwé Dō Chen, The Great Secret Dō Ritual of the Vast Sky. In 2026, these dates correspond with June 26th-June 30th. The purpose of this elaborate ritual is to pacify or turn back obstacles and malevolent energies, rebalance the five elements, attract good fortune, longevity, and positive circumstances, and to bring healing and harmony to the environment and its inhabitants. This ritual was taught directly by Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché as a skillful method to harmonize external, worldly forces that interfere with the happiness and success of sentient beings. These teachings are part of The Second Way of Bön, The Way of the Shen of the Phenomenal World.

To support the ritual of The Great Secret Dō Ritual of the Vast Sky, a representation of the phenomenal world is created along with all the good and precious things within it. These things are offered to the enlightened ones, the worldly protectors, powerful spirits, and all the six kinds of sentient beings. By offering to the deities, the accumulation of merit is increased and previous negative actions are purified. By offering to the worldly protectors, they are delighted and continue to fulfill their vows of protection and bestowing abundance. By offering to the powerful spirits, we bring harmony to our relationship with them and pay any karmic debts we have with them that might be a cause for their engaging in acts of retribution. By giving to the six kinds of sentient beings, we fulfill their needs and desires, and their minds become peaceful and content.

As in every teaching and ritual of the Yungdrung Bön, the foundation of the practice is unbiased, unlimited compassion. Even when so-called “malevolent spirits” are expelled because of their unwillingness to stop harming others, the expulsion is from a base of compassion for both those being harmed as well as for those causing the harm. By stopping their harmful actions towards others, it also stops the continued accumulation of negative karma. Every ritual concludes with prayers of aspiration that all beings be happy and peaceful, and ultimately to realize the ultimate state of enlightenment that is beyond any kind of suffering or unhappiness. This includes even those beings labeled as so-called “demons” or “enemies” in the ritual liturgy.

His Eminence Menri Pönlop Thrinley Nyima Rinpoche instructing monks in namkha making

What is a Namkha?

In addition to the many offerings of torma, precious gems, foodstuffs, flowers, greenery, fragrant smells, soft materials, and so on; this ritual makes abundant use of the ritual object known as a namkha. The Tibetan term namkha literally translates as “sky,” “atmosphere” or “external space.” This term is sometimes translated as “thread-cross.” There are many different kinds of namkha that have a diversity of form and function. Just as the shape, color, ingredients, and use of a torma is determined by its ritual purpose, so is the shape, color, and function of a namkha determined by its purpose. Namkha are used as a dwelling for deities or spirits during a ritual, to attract or repel specific energies and qualities, for protection from danger and disease, and as offerings, among other purposes.

A namkha is created by affixing thin pieces of bamboo or wood together to establish a frame. Then, beginning at the center and working outward, strands of colored wool, yarn, or thread are used to weave a net-like pattern over the frame. The length of the wood or bamboo is notched to allow the colored threads to catch and stay in place on the frame. There is a great variation in framework and patterns. For example, if the namkha is being used as a temporary abode of a deity or spirit, the pattern and colors used will be representative of the physical characteristics and hand objects of that deity or spirit.

Watch Barlé Khenpo Nyima Künchap Rinpoche as he makes a namkha in this video on the Nine Ways Youtube Channel: How to Make a Bönpo Namkha

Namkha created for the fire ritual of the deity Duk Kar, the White Umbrella Goddess

What is a Dō Ritual?

Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché taught 365 different types of rituals. The Great Secret Dō Ritual of the Vast Sky is categorized as a dō type of ritual. Because many of the dō rituals make use of namkha, some Western scholars have erroneously stated that the terms dō [Tibetan: mdos] and namkha are synonymous. This is incorrect. There are dō rituals that do not use namkha, and there are many namkha that are used in rituals other than those categorized as dō. In general, dō rituals are the most important of the ransom rituals used for eliminating harm to the life force, diseases, danger, and other disturbances from nonhuman beings. In general, the nonhuman beings causing harm are offered an exchange of desirable things for the release of those being harmed. Namkha are used to invite the enlightened deities who are the objects of refuge for the ritual, and the protectors who subdue the malevolent forces. Other types of namkha are made as offerings to the deities and gifts of exchange for the ransom. Still other types of namkha act as supports for the return of the life force, and the rebalancing of the external, internal, and secret five elements. There are different kinds of dō rituals in order to appeal to the variety of nonhuman beings that create disturbances for humanity and the environment.

Namkha of various auspicious symbols

The scripture for the Kha Long Sangwé Dō Chen is almost one thousand pages in length. It includes chapters dedicated to instructions for the construction of ritual items, texts for the ransom rituals for men, women, and children, rituals for stopping and healing illness and contagious disease, rituals for renewing and fulfilling sacred vows, rituals for calling upon the magically powerful and benevolent worldly protectors, rituals for strengthening the life force and prosperity, rituals for appeasing the many kinds of nonhuman spirits, rituals for forcefully repelling negative forces, and so on. The overall purpose of all of these rituals is to bring peace and happiness within the world of appearances, and to generate faith in the Yungdrung Bön teachings which will guide all sentient beings to the ultimate goal of liberation from all the suffering of cyclic existence.

Raven Cypress Wood and Khenpo Nyima Künchap Rinpoche prepare namkha for an elaborate ritual offering to the lu [Sanskrit: naga]

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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Birth Anniversary of His Eminence Menri Pönlop Yangtön Trinley Nyima Rinpoche

His Eminence Menri Pönlop Trinley Nyima Rinpoche

His Eminence Menri Pönlop Yangtön Trinley Nyima Rinpoche was born on the full moon day of the 1st Tibetan month of the Water Rabbit Year. In 2026, this date coincides with March 3rd. This is also the date that was traditionally celebrated as the birth anniversary of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap until research by His Eminence Menri Yongdzin Rinpoche corrected the date according to the ancient Zhang Zhung calendrical system which placed it one month earlier.

H.E. Menri Pönlop Yangtön Trinley Nyima Rinpoche is currently the pönlop, or headmaster, of the dialectic school within Pal Shenten Menri Monastery in Dolanji, India. He is a descendant of the renowned Gyal Shen Ya Ngal lineage that originated in a divine realm of clear light and predates the coming of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap 18,043 years ago. The Bön priests of this family lineage were the spiritual advisors and ritual masters for the Bönpo Zhang Zhung and Tibetan kings as well as being accomplished scholars. Among the many distinguished members of this family lineage, Yangtön Sherap Gyaltsen, who was born during the Fire Snake year of 1077 C.E., devoted himself to study and meditation such that there were no Buddhists who could defeat him in a debate. He became known as “Yangtön Chenpo,” “The Great Yangtön.” From this time forward, the lineage and all successive lineage holders were known as “Yangtön.” (For more about Yangtön Chenpo, see previous article: https://ravencypresswood.com/2017/05/27/yangton-sherap-gyaltsen/)

His Eminence, the Lord of Refuge, Menri Pönlop Trinley Nyima Rinpoche was born in northwestern Nepal, in the Dolpo village of Tsarka on the full moon, 15th day of the 1st month of the Water Rabbit year of the 16th rabjung cycle. This date coincides with March 10, 1963 on the Western calendar. His parents were Yangtön Tenzin Samdrup and Tenzin Chödrön. Beginning in 1975, under the guidance of his uncle Pema Wangdu he easily learned to read, write, and practice calligraphy very quickly. Around this time, he began his stay at the Yangtön Gompa of Yanggön Thongdrol Phüntsok Ling for a traditional three year retreat. He practiced the five supreme deities and the outer, inner, and secret tantric practices. In 1979 at the age of 16, he traveled to India with his elder cousin Lama Tashi Gyaltsen and received monk vows from the crown jewel of the Bön tradition, His Holiness the 33rd Menri Trizin Lungtok Tenpé Nyima Rinpoche, and the All-Knowing Tutor Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche. At that time, he was given the name Trinley Nyima.

H.E. Menri Pönlop Rinpoche with Lama Tashi Gyaltsen in Dolpo, Nepal

In that year, he entered the ranks of the Yungdrung Bon’s Teaching and Practice Assembly and received the transmission of the three main teachings of Bön: the outer, inner, and secret, including the scriptures, commentaries, and practical instructions. He also obtained the transmission of most of the teachings of the Jalupa Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche from the great dzogchen yogi of Dzogchen and abbot of Tsédruk, Tsondru Gyaltsen Rinpoche. Under the guidance of Geshe Yungdrung Namgyal, also known as Geshe Tsöndru Gongpel, he also studied the philosophical texts of other traditions which greatly enhanced his understanding of Bön’s own scriptures. As a result, he became an expert in explaining, debating, and composing on both the scriptures of Bön as well as other traditions.

H.E. Menri Pönlop Rinpoche handing out gifts to the children at The Dolpo Bön School in Dunai, Nepal

On February 21, 1989 after presenting oral and written examinations on the vast classical texts in the great temple of Menri Monastery, he received the title of Gewé Shé Nyen, often shortened to Geshe, the equivalent of a Doctorate of Divinity and Science. For three years after that, he served as the senior professor of the Department of Philosophy and Buddhist Studies at the Shen Institute of Medicine at Menri.

In 1992, both His Holiness the 33rd Menri Trizin and Menri Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche bestowed upon him the sacred obligation of assuming the position of Menri Pönlop, which was accepted by him on the 5th day of the 1st Tibetan month, coinciding with the birthday celebration of the Great Master and founder of Menri, Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen. From that time forward, he has been fully responsible for the activities of the Yungdrung Bön Academy, providing extensive teachings and conferring the title of Geshe upon students who complete their doctorate studies.

H.E. Menri Pönlop overseeing exams at Menri Monastery

Because His Eminence works tirelessly to fulfill his role as Menri Pönlop, to support lamas and disciples, travels the world to offer teachings, transmissions, empowerments, and scholarly knowledge to any interested persons regardless of their status or affiliation, it is impossible to list but a few examples here.

His Eminence has traveled widely to give teachings and empowerments, to speak at universities and conferences, acted as an executive member of Dolpo and Himalayan organizations, been interviewed worldwide for television and radio, filmed for documentaries, and acted as a consultant for books and other projects involving Bön religion and culture. In spite of his ongoing busy schedule, in 2004 he underwent a forty-nine day solitary retreat. This is an example of how he is a master of both knowledge and experience.

Also in 2004, he established a Bön center named Dzogchen Samten Ling in the southern part of France. In September of that same year, upon returning to Menri Monastery, he presided over discussions about modernizing the examination system for the Menri students. As a result of those discussions, the groundwork for an updated examination system was put into place. He has been instrumental in the planning and establishment of bestowing full ordination on the nuns of Radna Menling, establishing a dialectic school for them that bestows the title of Geshe, and organizing a student exchange between the medical colleges of Menri Monastery and Triten Norbutsé Monastery in Nepal. In 2009, he established Khyungdzong Wödsel Ling in California in order to support Bön teaching, as well as cultural, humanitarian, and charitable activities in a variety of ways.

The Dolpo Tsaga Welfare Healthcare Clinic in the village of Tsarka in upper Dolpo, Nepal

In 2012, after much planning and organizing, His Eminence was able to open a free healthcare clinic in his home village of Tsarka in Upper Dolpo, Nepal. Upper Dolpo is the most remote and least developed district in Nepal and is cut off from the rest of Nepal by a series of high mountain passes. Because of this, it is isolated from the rest of the world by snow for many months of the year. At the request of the local villagers and nomads, H.E. Menri Pönlop Rinpoche, with the help of many generous donors, built the medical clinic and continues to provide for its supplies and staffing year round. The Dolpo Tsaga Welfare Healthcare Clinic provides free healthcare and health education to any resident of Upper Dolpo regardless of religion or status. Prior to the availability of healthcare, infant mortality was over 50%, maternal mortality was over 25%, and simple cuts and fractures could easily lead to sepsis and death. (For more about the clinic or to support their mission, go to KWLing.ORG )

Menri Lopön Rinpoche at work on his Encyclopedia of the Bön Religion.

Although His Eminence reminds students and disciples of the ample literature already available by previous masters, he has also written many articles and essays relating to Bön religion and culture when requested or needed. A collection of these writings in Tibetan was published in 2013 by Gyalshen Institute entitled Selected Writings of Menri Lopön Yangtön Trinley Nyima Rinpoche. Around this same time, His Eminence was deeply involved in writing an Encyclopedia of the Bön Religion. Feeling that a great deal of Bönpo language, history, culture, and concepts were in danger of being lost due to the influence of the modern world on younger generations, he began the enormous task of documenting everything in a Bön specific encyclopedia. Pönlop Rinpoche’s new encyclopedia contains more than twelve thousand different entries, which include comprehensive articles and definitions. Entries include:

  • Tibetan and Zhang Zhung words and terminology specific to the Bön religion
  • Biographies of Bönpo scholars and practitioners, both historical and contemporary
  • Descriptions of significant places in Bön history
  • Descriptions of Bön religious symbols, images, and objects
  • Names and descriptions of Bön deities

Scholars of Tibetan culture regularly have problems correctly understanding the language in Bönpo texts because such texts use different words, or familiar words that have different meanings than the terminology used by Tibetan Buddhists. A work of this scope on Bön has never been published before. Although the Bön Encyclopedia is in the Tibetan language, after the initial publication Lopön Rinpoche hopes to have it translated into English. Currently, the encyclopedia is undergoing a final edit.

Considering the tireless activity of His Eminence, this is but a sample of his extraordinary works and wisdom. It is truly beyond measure or description. On this auspicious day of the anniversary of his birth, it is especially powerful to engage in acts of virtue and to refrain from acts of nonvirtue, and to practice according to the advice and teachings of His Eminence and to dedicate for the benefit of his long and indestructible lifespan.

Supplication to Menri Pönlop Rinpoché 

སྨན་རིའི་དཔོན་སློབ་རིན་པོ་ཆེའི་གསོལ་འདབེས།

ཨེ་མ་ཧོ།        མཁྱེན་བརྩེའི་ཡོན་ཏན་ཀུན་རྫོགས་ངོ་བོ་ཉིད།   བླ་མེད་ཐེག་པའི་མཛོད་འཛིན་ཡ་ངལ་བ།

འཕྲིན་ལས་རྣམ་བཞིའི་ཉི་མ་རབ་སྤྲོས་ཏེ། ཞི་བདེའི་བཀྲ་ཤིས་བསྟན་འགྲོའི་གསལ་བྱེད་ཤོག།

སྨན་རིའི་ཁྲི་འཛིན་༣༣པ་རིན་པོ་ཆེ་མཆོག་གིས་ཕྱི་ལོ་༢༠༡༢ཟླ༡༡་ཚེས༢༣ལ་བསྟོད་པའོ།

é ma ho, khyen tsé yön ten kün dzok ngo wo nyi, la mé tek pé dzö dzin ya ngal wa,

trin lé nam zhi nyi ma rap trö té, zhi dé ta shi ten drö sal jé shok

Amazing!

You have the essential nature of the completely perfected qualities of knowledge and kindness. A member of the Ya Ngal lineage, you hold the treasury of the unsurpassed vehicle.

May the bright sun which radiates your four kinds of activities illuminate both beings and the teachings with the auspiciousness of peace and happiness! 

(Written by the supreme 33rd Menri Trizin Rinpoché, Western date 11/23/2012)

ཨེ་མ་ཧོ།    སྤོང་ལམ་མགོན་པོས་རྣམ་བཞིའི་ཁྲིམས་དཔོན་མཛད། སྒྱུར་ལམ་དབང་པོས་རིག་འཛིན་བཞིའི་ལམ་སྟོན། 

གྲལ་ལམ་མངའ་བདག་སྣང་བཞིའི་དོན་གསལ་མཛད། འཕྲིན་ལས་རྣམ་བཞིས་བསྟན་འགྲོ་བསྐྱང་གྱུར་ཅིག།

é ma ho, pong lam gön pö nam zhi trim pön dzé, gyur lam wang pö rik dzin zhi lam tön,                                                                          

dröl lam nga dak nang zhi dön sel dzé, trin lé nam zhi ten dro kyang gyur chik     

Amazing!

You are a master of the path of renunciation, and you oversee the four kinds of discipline.

You are a leader of the path of transformation, and you guide along the path of the four levels of rikdzin.

You are a lord of the path of liberation, and you clarify the meaning of the four visions.

Through the four kinds of sacred activity, may you sustain the doctrine as well as migrating beings!

Written by His Eminence Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoché Western date 3/31/2012

Raven Cypress Wood with His Eminence Menri Pönlop Trinley Nyima Rinpoche

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

Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen Rinpoche

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

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

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

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

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

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

Supplication to Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen

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

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

You are the unequaled crown ornament of the Bönpo world.

At the feet of Sherap Gyaltsen, I supplicate!”

The Writings of His Holiness Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen Rinpoche*

Cycle of Supplication and Aspiration Prayers

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

Cycle of Fumigation and Fulfillment

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

Cycle of Supplementary Texts for the Practices of Accomplishment

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

Cycle of Science

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

Cycle of Authoritative Commentaries

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

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

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

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