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The Third Way: Obtaining Realization and Power from an Enlightened Source

The Third of the Nine Ways of Bön is called The Way of The Shen of Magical Power and includes practices for venerating a yidam, a meditational deity, or a spiritual master.   Then, the practitioner uses mantra together with mudras, symbolic hand gestures, in order to accomplish a goal such as requesting assistance from powerful worldly spirits to remove obstacles or subdue malevolent forces. In general, these practices involve the three stages of:1) praise and service, 2) practice and attainment, and the 3) application of appropriate ritual activities.  A yidam is an enlightened being who has manifested in a specific form that embodies specific enlightened qualities that a practitioner can perfect within themselves by meditating upon that yidam deity.  For example, the yidam Red Garuda is often practiced to gain influence and power over natural forces in order to avert natural disasters.  These practices require an advanced ability to focus and visualize, deep devotion and faith in the yidam as well as the need to undergo a prolonged, solitary retreat of single-pointed practice in order to acquire the power of the yidam.  For this kind of practice, the enlightened Lord Tönpa Shenrap has advised that the practitioner should go to a wrathful place such as a mountain that is known to have wrathful energy or to a cemetery.  Wrathful retreat places are described as being desolate, infertile areas with jagged rocks or mountains with rough energy.

white caves of mustang(Meditation caves in Mustang, Nepal)

It is also necessary for the practitioner to take and strictly keep all of the vows related to such a tantric practice.  Then, having properly prepared the necessary ritual items,  the practitioner sets both an external boundary and an internal boundary.  The external boundary keeps away any disturbance from the external world which might interrupt the retreat.  The internal boundary keeps the practitioner’s mind focused and protected from distracting thoughts.  For the Praise and Service part of the practice, the practitioner performs the practice while continuously imagining the enthroned deity in the space just in front and above their head.  Generating immense trust and devotion to the deity and a steadfast intention to benefit other beings is of utmost importance.  From the words of Lord Tönpa Shenrap Miwo:

“One should exert one’s self in the three kinds of longing devotion to them.  One should seek them out like a child who is unable to bear even a moment of separation from the mother.  One should seek them out like a needed guide along a dangerous path which is filled with dangers and peril.  One should seek them out like the desire to be with an intimate friend who thinks only of you and no one else.”

For the Practice and Attainment part of the practice, it is important to know how to properly prepare the ritual offerings, the appropriate mandala, and the shrine. One also needs to know which sacred instruments will be needed, how to play them and the specific melody for the practice, as well as how to perform the appropriate mudras.  These mudras, or sacred hand gestures, are an important method of communication with the unseen.  Everything must be clean and of the best quality that is available according to the practitioner’s  circumstances.  All of the ritual activities must be properly performed.  Otherwise, it is possible to create obstacles because of  errors.  Therefore, by carrying out these ritual activities properly and with undistracted focus, the practitioner unites his body, speech and mind with that of the deity and becomes inseparable from the deity’s qualities and wisdom.  In this way, blessings and both ordinary and extraordinary spiritual abilities are received from the deity.

3 mudras

(There are many types of mudras, or symbolic hand gestures.)

For the Application of Ritual Activity part of the practice, having attained the blessings and power of the deity, the practitioner now has the ability to subdue forces which are harming others or interfering with the practice of virtue or other religious activity.  Therefore, acting from a foundation of compassion and with the intent to be of benefit, the practitioner overcomes these malevolent forces.  From the words of Lord Tönpa Shenrap Miwo:

“If people who enter and practice this Third Way do not have compassion as the base, they are like a seed thrown on infertile ground.  If the seed is thrown in a dry place, how can it grow?  Thus, one must have faith which will benefit one’s self as well as having compassion which will benefit others.”

These teachings are contained within the external, internal and secret tantras.  Their primary goal is to have an immediate result and to bring happiness and help to beings during this very lifetime.

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The Twelve Deeds of the Buddha Tonpa Shenrap Miwoche

Tonpa Shenrap-edited

The enlightened being, Tönpa Shenrap Miwoche, was born into this world over 18,000 years ago.  There are three sources for his hagiography, a short, a medium and a long version.  The short version is commonly known as the Do Dü.  This is a single volume with twenty-four chapters.  This is the earliest written source and was translated from the ancient language of Zhang Zhung into Tibetan by the sage and scholar Lishu Taring.  The medium length version is commonly known as the Zer mik.  This is two volumes with eighteen chapters.  This text is focused primarily upon the twelve deeds of the Buddha.  The long version is commonly known as the Zi Ji.  This text has twelve volumes with sixty-one chapters.   Within this text are teachings of the Nine Ways of Bön in the form of a conversation between Buddha Tönpa Shenrap and a disciple.

The Twelve Deeds of Tönpa Shenrap Miwoche:

1. The Deed of Birth

2. The Deed of Spreading the Teachings

3. The Deed of Taming Sentient Beings

4. The Deed of Guiding Sentient Beings

5. The Deed of Marriage

6.  The Deed of Manifesting Progeny

7.  The Deed of Conquering

8. The Deed of Victory

9. The Deed of Awareness

10. The Deed of Solitude

11. The Deed of Liberation

12. The Deed of Complete Accomplishment

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The Truth is Unchanging and Unceasing

buddha hand holding chakshing

The founder of the Yungdrung Bön tradition is the Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché.  His right hand is in the mudra of subduing the earth and holds a chakshing.   The chakshing has two yungdrungs which represent the unchanging and unceasing nature of the absolute truth.  These qualities also refer to the true nature of the mind that is beyond concepts and is indestructible.

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The Five Elements: Water

mang-w-watermarkThe element of Water is called chu in Tibetan.  It is symbolized by the shape of a circle and its color is blue.  The unique vibration of this element is the sound ‘MANG’.  It is associated with the direction South.  In general, Water provides joy and comfort.

Environmentally, our dependence upon the element of Water is evidenced by the value placed upon its ‘ownership’ by principalities and governments.  Civilizations have been founded upon the availability of water for agriculture, travel, trade and fishing.  Dependent upon this resource for the health of their citizens as well as their commerce, civilizations have also fallen when access to water became restricted for various reasons.  In the Yungdrung Bön tradition, it is believed that one of the spirits who live in water is called lu, also referred to as naga.  These lu also live in trees and rocks, but are primarily associated with water.  Frogs and many other water inhabitants are thought to be used by the lu as their domestic animals.  The lu realm and the human realm are thought to be in continuous relationship with one another.   In ancient times, accomplished lamas, as well as the Buddha himself, taught the sacred teachings to the lu.  Therefore, among this group of beings, there are followers of the Buddha who act to protect the teachings.  However,  just like any group of beings, there are those among the lu who have less compassion and patience with the actions of humanity that cause damage and destruction to their environment.  Because of this, there are rituals and prayers specifically for apologizing to the lu, purifying the damage that we have caused, and thereby pacifying their grievances against us.

Within our bodies, the element of Water rules our blood.  More specifically, it is associated with the kidneys.  When the element of Water is balanced within us, we feel comfort with ourselves, happy and contented with our life.  Our emotions are balanced and there is joy in our spiritual practice rather than it being a dry, intellectual exercise.  If Water is in excess, we can be lost in our comfort and lack the energy to be productive.  We can become too fixated on pleasure and enjoyment.   Or we can be lost in our emotions, making our decisions based solely upon the ebb and flow of our moods.  To the extreme, we spend the day either weeping or laughing.  If the Water element has become weakened, we are uncomfortable with ourselves and others.  We do not feel content or happy with whatever is happening around us.  We constantly feel unsatisfied.

In order to bring the element of Water back into balance, there are methods such as Tibetan medicine, ritual and meditation practices.  There are specific yogic exercises within the Yungdrung Bön tradition which use the focus of the mind together with the breath and movement of the physical body to balance and strengthen the elements within us.  To learn more about these yogic exercises see Healing with Form, Energy and Light by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche.  Additionally, if the Water element has become weakened, we can spend time near a river, stream or ocean and focus upon experiencing the feeling of the water in the body and energy.   Literally, drink more water.  But do so with the awareness that this is restoring strength to your Water element.  Practice being more generous with your time and with your possessions.  Take advantage of opportunities in which you can offer even a little kindness to those with whom you come into contact.  If the Water element is in excess, focus less on your own comfort and focus more upon improving the comfort of others who are less fortunate or who have less capacity to do this for themselves.  When the element of Water is balanced within us, we can maintain joyful effort in our daily activities and feel happiness, satisfaction and gratitude in our lives.

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The First Temple in Exile: Dorpatan Monastery

Dhorpatan Bon Monastery

The official name of this monastery is Tashi Gégye Thaten Ling.  However, it is commonly referred to as the Dorpatan Monastery.  This was the first Yungdrung Bön temple in exile. It is located in Nepal, south of Dolpo, in the village of Dorpatan.  In addition to the monastery, there is also a medical clinic which serves the local population.  The settlement is now roughly divided into an area inhabited by the Bönpo and an area inhabited by the Buddhists, mostly Kagyu.  However, the religious practices and festivals are predominantly Yungdrung Bön.

map of dhorpata

In the early 1960’s after the Chinese invasion, a refugee camp for the Bönpo was established in Dorpatan by The Red Cross.  At that time, the spiritual head of the Bönpo and 32nd Abbot of Menri Monastery, Kündun Sherap Lodro, was staying in Kathmandu after having fled Tibet.  He traveled to Dorpatan and initiated the construction of a temple.  Kündun Sherap Lodro later went to India and management of the temple was taken over by Tsultrim Nyima.  He was the father of the current abbot of Triten Norbutse monastery in Kathmandu, Khenpo Tempa Yungdrung Rinpoche.  Tsultrim Nyima was strongly devoted to his work with the temple but was unfortunately killed at a relatively young age.  At that time, management of Dorpatan Monastery was taken over by Sonam Gyaltsen.  After his death, Geshe Tenzin Dargye was appointed as the abbot and continues in this position until today.

Khenpo Tamdin smaller(Khenpo Tenzin Dargye, also called Khenpo Tamdin, is the current abbot of Dorpatan Monastery.)

Khenpo Ratsa Geshe Tenzin Dargye was born in 1966 in Jomsom Mustang, Nepal.  His father, Yungdrung Gyal, is the 36th in the Phong la Ratsa lineage of East Amdo.  His mother, Konchok Dolmo, is of the Amchi lineage, a Tibetan doctor.   Khenpo Tenzin Dargye was tutored at home by his father until the age of nine and then sent to study in India.  At the age of sixteen, he decided to become a monk.  In 1996, he received his Doctorate of Religion and Philosophy, or Geshe Degree,  from the Dialectic School of Menri Monastery. After this, he worked as the organizer of the Bön Children’s Welfare Center and the medical dispensary for seven years. In 1996, he was asked by the 33rd Menri Trizen to transfer and to become the abbot of Dorpatan Monastery.  Over the years, Khenpo Tenzin Dargye has worked to improve the monastery.  Together with Dr. Tsultrim Sangye, they established a medical clinic in order to provide much needed medical services to the local and surrounding area.  Khenpo regularly travels and teaches throughout Asia, the United States, Mexico and Europe.

In the region surrounding Dorpatan Monastery, the main agriculture consists mostly of potatoes although there has been an effort to establish apple trees.  During the summer, there is also a great deal of animal husbandry.  During the Winter, many people migrate south and trade potatoes for salt, rice and wheat.

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