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Buddha Tönpa Shenrap’s Instructions for Lay Practitioners Part 2 of 3: The Five Outer Customs, The Five Inner Vows, and The Five Practices In-Between

The Elegant Indestructible Chorten, or Yungdrung Kolek Chorten, was first built as a temple for the Buddha to open the door of The Way of the Lay Practitioner

Having taught the foundation of refuge, the mind of enlightenment, virtue and nonvirtue, and the ten perfections; the Teacher, Buddha Tönpa Shenrap, then explained the source of the The Fifth Way and the path of the genyen, or lay practitioner. (See previous article detailing The Way of the Genyen: Part One: Right Mind, Right Conduct.) There are four root sutras that form the base of the teachings. These sutras cover subjects such as how phenomenal existence and the four elements came into being as the outer container, how the six kinds of beings and the three realms came into existence as the inner contents, the root causes of both cyclic existence and nirvana, the meaning and purpose of enlightenment, the meaning and purpose of the enlightened ones of the three times, the meaning and nature of wisdom and ultimate reality, and so on. The Teacher then described the different ways that his 84,000 teachings could be classified. For example, they can be classified into the three kinds of subjects: advanced, medium, and easy. This classification is a result of the three kinds of capacities of sentient beings: advanced, average, and lesser. In this way, there are teachings for the path of liberation for every sentient being regardless of their ability or circumstance.

Then, Tsangpa Tsukpu addressed the Teacher.

“The state of your omniscient emanation is supreme in every way! As for The Way of the Genyen, how does one engage in the conduct? What is the order of practice? We have weak intellects. Protector of beings, omniscient one, please explain this to us.”

Building the First Chorten 

In response to this request, the Teacher told those in attendance that in order to give an example to future generations of how to purify obscurations and complete the accumulations, it was important to create a support for making offerings to the enlightened ones. Thus, he instructed them in building the first chorten [Sanskrit: stupa]. The Tibetan word “chorten” is a compound of two words that literally mean “support for offerings.” Within the Yungdrung Bön teachings, the Buddha taught many different types of chortens for different purposes. Some chortens are meant to be built with physical substances. Others are meant to be created with the mind through visualization. The specific chorten that was built for the teachings of The Way of the Genyen was The Elegant Indestructible Chorten, or Yungdrung Kolek Chorten. This is the most commonly built type of chorten in the Yungdrung Bön tradition because of its versatility. It can be used for multiple purposes such as being a support for generating merit through circumambulation, prostrations, and offerings, or it can be used as a repository for the relics of realized ones, or as skillful means to suppress negativity in a geographical area, and so on.

The Elegant Indestructible Chorten that was built in the mystical land of Olmo Lungring according to the Teacher’s instructions was to be used as a temple for his teaching. It was grand and extraordinary in every way. It had beautiful details such as golden pillars, turquoise beams, and bright images of lotuses, rainbows, clouds, and stars. Each part of the chorten’s structure and decoration was meaningful and created according to the detailed direction of the Teacher. It was constructed by a group of gods, lu, and human beings who were motivated by performing acts of virtue. They completed the work in fifteen days. Then, the Teacher performed an extensive consecration and gave it the name “Yungdrung Kolek Chorten, The Elegant Indestructible Chorten.” Then, once the assembly had gathered within the chorten, he began teaching the specific vows and practices for those who take vows according to The Way of the Genyen.

Meaning of the specific architectural design of the yungdrung kolek chorten

The Five Outer Customs, The Five Inner Vows, and The Five Practices In-Between

The Five Outer Customs

“Tsangpa Tsukpü, any sons or daughters who want to renounce wrongdoing and nonvirtue and adopt the activities of virtue, should go before an abbot, a master, and a witness who are themselves engaged in proper conduct and discipline, who guide migrating beings, who have clear awareness, who have power and never forget the true meaning, who aspire to pure virtue, and who have experience with many followers; and receive the rules and customs of a genyen, or lay practitioner. By acting in accordance with the five outer customs of clothing, the five inner lifetime vows, and the five activities in-between, they enter The Way of the Genyen. For the five outer customs first there is a shirt for the upper part of the body, second there is a skirt for the lower part of the body, third is cloth shoes, fourth is the robe, and fifth is the overcoat.”

These clothes are similar to those worn by monks and nuns but with differences. For example, the robe or zen worn by a genyen has fringe on the two ends whereas this is not allowed on the zen for monks and nuns. Followed literally, this kind of dress might be difficult for those in Western countries where this could conflict with cultural norms and possibly even create misunderstandings or negative thoughts towards the practitioner and the Bön religion. Therefore, it is beneficial to reflect upon the deeper meaning of these five points. The purpose of The Way of the Genyen is to practice virtue and purity from a motivation of putting others first and not causing harm to other sentient beings while working on behalf of their liberation from suffering. In that way, the advice to wear clothes and shoes made of cloth or fiber rather than animal skins supports the practice of a genyen. Wearing simple clothing without elaborate ornamentation or styles that indicate status or power similarly supports the practice of a genyen. Wearing clothes from a motivation of being modest and humble rather than causing envy or jealousy also supports the practice of a genyen. So, although one might not wear the specific shirt described by the Teacher, it is still important to reflect upon one’s dress and appearance and consider whether it is in harmony or contradiction with the essence of the genyen teachings. For example, in his advice to Khandro Choza Bönmo regarding mantra recitation and foods to avoid, the realized yogi Lishu Taring told her that eating salt destroys the potency of one full day of mantra recitation. The cause of this defilement was created in the past when salt was loaded in bags onto the backs of pack animals who would then walk for many days carrying the salt bags over great distances. By the time the salt bags were removed, they would have adhered to the sides of the animal. Removing the bags would then rip away some of the animal’s hide causing them great pain and suffering. Thus, the salt became defiled because of being the cause of great suffering to another sentient being. In modern times however, vehicles are used to transport salt and this defilement is not created. Thus, the cause for avoiding salt no longer applies. Similarly, one can examine the Teacher’s instruction on clothing for a genyen and also clarify the points with the master giving the vows.

The Five Inner Vows or Disciplines

“The five inner disciplines are to accept vows to abandon killing out of hatred, to abandon taking what is not given out of desire, to abandon acting superficially or deceitfully without regard for cause and effect because of mental darkness or ignorance, to abandon performing arrogant actions out of pride, and to abandon speaking harsh words, idle speech, lying, and divisive speech out of jealousy.”

Here, the description of the five vows varies slightly from the specific lifetime genyen vows that are customarily given. As for the traditional five lifetime vows, the 23rd Menri Trizen Nyima Tenzin Rinpoche wrote the following commentary:

“As for the vows of a layperson, there are five kinds of lifetime vows. To abandon killing, to abandon taking what is not given, to abandon unclean, wrong kinds of sexual conduct, and to abandon false speech are the four roots. Abandoning one from the four kinds of food is the fifth as a branch vow. Some masters have taught that abandoning alcohol is definitely the branch vow.

Furthermore, there is the genyen of renouncing a single thing which is to abandon killing. Additionally, there is the genyen of renouncing a couple things which adds the vow to abandon taking what is not given. Then, there is the genyen of renouncing most of the things which adds the vow to abandon the wrong kinds of sexual behavior. The genyen that also accepts the vow to abandon false speech and renounce the four kinds of food is a complete genyen that has renounced according to the five kinds of established disciplines. Because of that, this is a genyen of pure conduct that has renounced the basic kinds of impure conduct.”

Lifetime Vows of a Partial Genyen: one can accept only the first vow, the first two vows, or the first three vows. Some masters also advise that an individual can accept the four root vows without also accepting the fasting vows. It is up to the individual according to the their capacity and circumstance. These are lifetime vows.

  1. To Abandon Killing
  2. To Abandon Taking what is Not Given
  3. To Abandon Sexual Misconduct
  4. To Abandon False Speech, or Lying

Lifetime Vows of a Full Genyen: one accepts all four root vows plus a branch vow related to food and or intoxicants. It is also traditional for a full genyen to observe the one-day fasting vows of avoiding meat and intoxicants on the four auspicious lunar days each month which are the 8th, 15th/full moon, 22nd, and the 30th/new moon. These are lifetime vows.

  1. To Abandon Killing
  2. To Abandon Taking what is Not Given
  3. To Abandon Sexual Misconduct
  4. To Abandon False Speech, or Lying
  5. To Abandon either Intoxicants or a specific food such as meat or garlic. Additionally, to observe the one-day fasting vows on the four auspicious lunar days each month.

The Five Practices In-Between

  1. The Discipline of Purification with Lustral Water
  2. Performing Prostrations and Circumambulations
  3. Creating Chortens and Sa Tsa (This will be covered in a future article.)
  4. Offering Pure Water Torma (This will be covered in a future article.)
  5. The Seven-Branches of Daily Activity
Shenlha Ökar is the principal deity of the Five Intermediate Practices of a Genyen

The Teacher spoke to Tsangpa Tsukpü, the disciple entrusted with the lineage of The Fifth Way of the Genyen.

“Tsangpa Tsukpü, Listen! Anyone who has entered the door of the Bön of the genyen who rises in the morning between dawn and sunrise and purifies with lustral water, worships the the three supports of the enlightened ones and the five deities, he or she will be liberated from the bondage of the five realms of cyclic existence.”

The Five Genyen Yidam Deities

The Five Practices In-Between are performed in the presence of the five yidam deities of The Fifth Way of the Genyen. Principal among these deities is Shenlha Ökar, the white light deity of the Shen. In essence, Shenlha Ökar embodies ones personal root lama together with all other lamas and teachers that have kindly given instructions and guidance. At the same time, he is an enlightened being who manifests in a peaceful form of pure light and spontaneously bestows all perfected qualities and wisdoms. He emanates a retinue who have a similar form and essence but who also have distinct characteristics. All five deities have a peaceful appearance with a single face, two arms, two crossed legs, and are adorned with the fifteen ornaments of the body of perfected qualities.

  1. Shenlha Ökar, or Küntu Zangpo: He abides in the center and is white like the clear moon and his two hands are in equipoise holding the symbolic syllable AH. When visualized during the practice of purification with lustral water, he holds a wish-fulfilling jewel and is known as Shenlha Ökar. He has a golden crown ornament and is adorned with ornaments of the five kinds of jewels. He sits on a lion throne upon cushions of a sun, moon, and lotus. Behind him is a Yungdrung Kolek Chorten. His wisdom form conquers anger, and through his river of the wisdom of emptiness the afflictions and obscurations due to anger are purified.
  2. Damtsik Gyalpo Shérik Lha, or Rangsal Sherik kyi Lha: King of vows and commitments, the deity of self luminous knowledge and awareness. He abides in the East, is golden, and holds a vase of nectar. When visualized during the practice of purification with lustral water, he holds the syllable AH. He has a turquoise crown ornament and sits on an elephant throne upon cushions of a sun, moon, and lotus. His wisdom form conquers ignorance and mental darkness, and through his river of mirror-like wisdom the afflictions and obscurations due to ignorance and mental darkness are purified.
  3. Lekyi Gyalpo Tsé’i Lha or Yungdrung Tsé’i Gyalpo: King of Indestructible Longevity, King of Activities. He abides in the North, is green, and holds a crystal-colored phurba with a yungdrung. He has a coral crown ornament and sits on a horse throne upon cushions of a sun, moon, and lotus. His wisdom form conquers pride, and through his river of the wisdom of equanimity the afflictions and obscurations due to pride are purified.
  4. Wanggi Gyalpo Yéwang Lha, or Jinlap Wanggi Lha : King of Empowerments and Primordial Empowerment Deity or Deity of Blessings and Empowerments. He abides in the West, is red, and holds a scripture. When visualized during the practice of purification with lustral water, he is copper-colored. He has a white crystal crown ornament and sits on a turquoise dragon throne upon cushions of a sun, moon, and lotus. His wisdom form conquers desire, and through his river of discriminating wisdom the afflictions and obscurations due to desire are purified.
  5. Yigé’i Gyalpo Yé Si Lha, or Lhayé Si Trulgyi Gyalpo: King of Letters and Deity of Primordial Existence, King of Magic. He abides in the South, is blue, and holds a dark-blue, six-spoked wheel of the elements. He has a golden crown ornament and sits on a garuda throne upon cushions of a sun, moon, and lotus. His wisdom form conquers jealousy, and through his river of all-accomplishing wisdom the afflictions and obscurations due to jealousy are purified.

These five principal deities are surrounded in the sky by the eight perfected deities who purify the eight consciousnesses and karmic potentialities, the four shen who open the doors of the mandala and who tame beings and have control over the four elements and the four seasons and who purify the four kinds of birth, and the thousand buddhas of the fortunate age in the outer perimeter. It is possible to simplify the visualization by imagining the central deity as the embodiment of all of these enlightened ones who bestows all wisdom and purifies all afflictions and obscurations.

The Discipline of Purification with Lustral Water

The discipline of purification with lustral water is the first daily practice of a genyen. It is performed between dawn and sunrise. A clean, unblemished and undamaged vessel, especially made of gold, silver, or copper, is filled with water. At least a small amount of saffron is added, and other herbs such as mendrup can be added if they are available. Rays of light from the heart centers of each of the five yidam deities radiate to the water and it instantly becomes a nectar of wisdom. Thus, the water is transformed from an ordinary substance to a wisdom substance. Water does not have to be freshly prepared each morning, but can be prepared and then kept in a clean place and used until more is needed. This practice can be done any time that it is needed, but is especially performed first thing in the morning. There are many different prayers for the practice with lustral water, known as trü. The Cleansing Rite Supplication prayer is one of the most commonly performed prayers for trü and it is also quite succinct. (The English translation of this prayer is freely available for personal use from the Publications page of this website.) During Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché’s teaching of The Fifth Way of the Genyen, he offered a trü prayer supplicating each of the genyen yidam deities and asking for their wisdom blessing. (As a gift to the worldwide Yungdrung Bön sangha, this prayer that was given by the Teacher himself for purification with lustral water has been translated into English and added to the list of freely offered translations on the Publications page of this website. It is entitled The Bön Activity of Ablution for Cleanliness and Purification.)

In Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche’s Wish-fulfilling Jewel of Daily Activities, he gives detailed instruction for the yoga of purification with lustral water at dawn. He concludes with the following advice.

“Thus, one should purify oneself by washing the face, sprinkling with water, drinking water, and so forth. For the inner cleansing, meditate on Shenlha at the crown of your head and perform the purification of nectar falling from the hundred syllable mantra. The secret cleansing is to meditate upon yourself as Shenlha and then to emanate and reabsorb pure rays of purifying light. Do this as much as you can.”

From Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche’s Wish-fulfilling Jewel of Daily Activities
His Eminence Menri Yongdzin Pönlop Yangtön Thrinley Nyima Rinpoche gives lustral water to the school children of the Tapriza School in Dolpo, Nepal.

Performing Prostrations, Circumambulations, and The Seven Branches of Activity

In the presence of any of the three supports of enlightened body, speech, and mind, prostrations performed with the body are according to the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition. Prostrations with speech are done through recitations and supplications. Prostrations with the mind are done in this context by focusing upon the five yidam deities and single-pointedly practicing with faith and devotion.

Again from Shardza Rinpoche’s Wish-fulfilling Jewel of Daily Activities within the section on the yoga of prostrating, admission of wrongdoing and purification, and receiving vows at the peak of sunrise:

“Meditate on the three jewels in the sky in front of you and recite this mantra seven times: AH MIR TA YÉ MI DZA YÉ SOHA. Because of that, a single prostration becomes ten thousand prostrations. Then, from dawn until sunrise pay homage with prostrations and recitations to the enlightened ones.”

Wish-fulfilling Jewel of Daily Activities

With faith and devotion, once can circumambulate any of the three supports of enlightened body, speech, and mind. In the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition, circumambulations are performed counter-clockwise. His Eminence Menri Yongdzin Pönlop Yangtön Thrinley Nyima Rinpoche has offered a practical explanation for the distinction between the Buddhist and Bönpo directions for circumambulating.

“When one circumambulates, you must go in the direction of the mantras that are written on the object that you are circumambulating. You start at the first syllable and move towards the last syllable. Buddhists paint their mantra inside the temple or chorten. And so, they travel clockwise. Because of that, you would have to go clockwise. Bönpos paint their mantra on the outside, so then you have to go counter-clockwise, the way of the mantra.”

Thus, when circumambulating a Bön temple, statue, text, chorten, and so on; one must go counter-clockwise. Likewise, even if one is a Bönpo, if circumambulating a Buddhist temple or chorten etc., it is proper to go in the clockwise direction. In general however, when walking or moving about during ordinary life, it is common for Bönpo practitioners to imagine their root lama or yidam in the sky above their left shoulder. In this way, no matter where they are going, they are circumambulating with their bodies, feeling devotion with their mind, and performing recitations with their speech.

The Seven Branches of Daily Activity

  1. The Discipline of Cleansing with Lustral Water
  2. Prostrations and Circumambulations
  3. Admission of Wrongdoing and Purification
  4. Offering
  5. Rejoicing
  6. Dedicating the Merit of the Virtuous Activity
  7. Making Prayers of Aspiration

With the exception of creating chortens, sa tsa, and offering water torma, the five practices in-between have overlap with The Seven Branches of Daily Activity. Within The Way of the Genyen, there are specific prayers given by Lord Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoche for each of these practices while supplicating each of the five genyen yidam deities. There are also many other similar prayers in the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition. Some are shorter and some are longer. The practitioner can choose which prayers to perform according to their time and preference. With the exception of the discipline of cleansing with lustral water, The Eight-branched Aspiration Prayer written by the second buddha, Nyamme Sherap Gyaltsen Rinpoche is a succinct and clear prayer that includes these branches of activity. (The English translation of this prayer is freely available for personal use on the Publications page of this website.)

Admission of Wrongdoing and Purification

For any practitioner who has received any kind of vows, it is important to always keep them in mind and to be diligent to keep them correctly according to the instructions of the master who bestowed them. If any vows should become degenerated or broken, it is important to practice admission of wrongdoing and purification in order to renew the vows. Both Buddha Tönpa Shenrap, Shardza Rinpoche, and other spiritual masters have advised doing this as part of the daily morning practices. Additionally, many masters including Shardza Rinpoche advise doing this again in the evening upon reviewing one’s activities throughout the day in order to begin the yoga of sleep in the evening.

“When you arise from the evening session of meditation, examine whether or not there has been a fault in your mind stream that has violated any vows throughout the day. If you are aware that you have committed a fault or transgression, engage in the appropriate admission and purification according to that transgression.”

Excerpt from Wish-fulfilling Jewel of Daily Activities by Shardza Rinpoche

Admission of wrongdoing and purification is a translation of the Tibetan word shakpa [Tibetan: bshags pa]. This literally means “to openly reveal, or to confess.” For the practice of shakpa to be effective in purifying wrongdoing and degeneration of vows, it must engage with all of the four powers.

The Four Powers of Admission of Wrongdoing and Purification

  1. The Power of the Superior Witness: In this case, we have taken vows before the enlightened ones, and they are therefore the superior witness for our admission of wrongdoing. For the genyen, one can invite the five yidam deities specifically, or Shenlha Okar as the embodiment of all five yidam deities and the master from whom one received their vows. One can also go before one of the three kinds of support of enlightened body, speech, and mind, and/or the spiritual master.
  2. The Power of Sorrowful Remorse: It is said that the practitioner should intensely reflect upon their wrongdoing and the inevitable karmic result of their actions until their hair stands on end and the bones shake.
  3. The Power of Promising to Not Repeat the Actions: Having felt a great remorse for wrongdoing, one firmly promises to not repeat the actions and to no longer be driven by the five kinds of ignorance.
  4. The Power of Engaging in the Antidote: Rather than acting from a motivation of ignorance, one promises to act from a motivation of wisdom and engage with the appropriate antidote. For example, if one has the fault of being short tempered, one promises to engage with loving kindness.

Thus, when these four powers are all present, one then imagines that a shower of wisdom light spontaneously radiates from the hearts of the superior witness and completely pervades the body, speech, and mind. All wrongdoing and defilements from nonvirtue are instantly purified and one’s body, speech, and mind is unified with enlightened body, speech, and mind. In The Way of the Genyen, the Teacher gives the example of supplicating to each of the five yidam deities and admitting wrongdoing according to each action motivated by each of the five kinds of ignorance, the eight consciousnesses, and the sense powers. Then, the vows to abandon each of the specific negative actions are repeated, and one promises to devote oneself to each of the individual antidotes and wisdoms. Because acts of nonvirtue and wrongdoing create a kind of stain on the mind stream that blocks the experience and realization of wisdom, this practice is important for all spiritual practitioners.

The 12th century master, Metön Sherap Özer, composed a short but quite profound prayer for this practice.

“(I prostrate to the body of Shenrap Gyalwa who establishes the happiness of migrating beings! In the sky in front of me, seated on cushions of a sun, moon, and lotus is Shenrap Tritsuk Gyalwa.* He has the clothing and attributes of a completely pure saint.)

Homage! Buddhas of the three times, before your eyes, I confess the dormant potentiality of the three poisons. Five Buddha Family lineages, before your eyes, I openly admit and confess to engaging with the five poisons. Shenrap Tritsuk Gyalwa, before your eyes, I openly admit and confess to not maintaining discipline according to the scriptures. Khenpo and Lopön, before your eyes, I openly admit and confess both large and small transgressions. Enlightened ones who have gone to bliss, before your eyes, I openly admit and confess to not maintaining the oral transmissions in the correct way. Venerable lama, before your eyes, I openly admit and confess to having had only a small amount of devotion and respect. Gathering of yidam deities, before your eyes, I confess to accepting and rejecting incorrect things. Mother and sister khandro, before your eyes, I confess to not properly guarding my commitments. Bön religious guardians, before your eyes, I confess to not making regular monthly and yearly offerings in the past. Spiritual brothers and sisters, before your eyes, I confess to having had only a small amount of respect and pure vision. Greatly kind mother and father, before your eyes, I confess to not repaying even a single one of your kindnesses. Migrating sentient beings, before your eyes, I confess to having had only a small amount of compassion and loving kindness. Being influenced by ignorance, a lack of understanding, misunderstanding, and delusion, may the previous actions of defilements and non-virtuous activities not have any power! May temporary conditions not have any power! May any longstanding defilements not have any power! May karmic debts of the future not arise! May conditions for delusion in the intermediate state after death not arise! May I not deviate from the path of liberation! May I experience the dynamic energy of the supreme attainment of the stainless wisdom of equanimity!”

Purifying Remorse and Confession composed by Meton Sherap Ozer
A Yungdrung Bon shrine

Offering

The purpose for offering is to develop our generosity and complete the two accumulations of merit and wisdom. When offering, there are four important points: the giver, the recipient, the offering, and the purpose. In this context, the genyen is offering to the five yidam deities. Offerings can be material objects, imagined offerings generated by the mind, as well as our meditative experiences. One does not have to own an object in order to offer it. Walking into a store, all the beautiful and desirable things can be mentally offered. Walking outside, the beautiful sights, sounds, and smells of nature can be mentally offered. Whatever we offer, it is increased by the mind many thousands of times so that the universe is filled with wonderful things. Ultimately, offerings are given without attachment and with the view of the empty nature of both the giver and the recipient. As a general daily practice, there are five kinds of offerings: butter lamps, water, incense, food, and flowers. (For detailed information about this daily practice, see previous article: The Five Daily Offerings)

Rejoicing

Whatever acts of virtue or spiritual practices that we perform or that we are aware of others performing, we rejoice in them. This supports our practice of joyful effort and increases the power and motivation of our practice.

Dedicating the Merit of Virtuous Activity

Dedicating the merit of the virtuous activity of our body, speech, and mind for the benefit and enlightenment of all of the six kinds of sentient beings is considered great skillful means. It is said that whether one recites a single mantra or presents the buddhas with the universe filled with gold, it is important to dedicate the merit. In this way, it is always preserved and cannot be lost, like adding a spoonful of water to an ocean. Otherwise, a single instant of anger can destroy it, like the power of a single match to destroy a forest of a thousand trees.

Making Prayers of Aspiration

By making prayers of aspiration, we expand our mind and plant seeds that will ripen in the future when our prayers meet with the right secondary conditions. Prayers of aspiration should be made with devotion and free of expectation and doubt. There are countless prayers of aspiration, known as mönlam, in the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition. One of the commonly performed prayers is The Aspiration Prayer of the Ten Grounds. This prayer is based upon the practice of the ten perfections and supplicates Sherap Jamma who is the source of The Perfection of Wisdom teachings. (The English translation of this prayer is freely available for personal use on the Publications page of this website.)

“(First: The Ground of Immense Joy) Upon the ground of immense joy, having cleansed and
purified the stain of greed and having perfected the great accumulation of generosity, may I see the face
of Jinpa Jamma, the Loving Mother of Generosity!


(Second: The Ground of Stainless Crystal) Upon the ground of stainless crystal, having cleansed and
purified the stain of immorality and having perfected the great accumulation of moral discipline, may I
see the face of Tsultrim Jamma, the Loving Mother of Moral Discipline!


(Third: The Ground of Radiance) Upon the ground of radiance, having cleansed and purified the stain
of insensitivity and impatience and having perfected the great accumulation of patience, may I see the
face of Zöpa Jamma, the Loving Mother of Patience!”

Excerpt from Aspiration Prayer of the Ten Grounds from the Mönlam Namsum
The author assisting with the construction of the first Yungdrung Kolek Chorten in the United States. Photo credit: Lee Hartline

The Teacher, the enlightened Lord Tönpa Shenrap, concluded his teaching on The Seven Branches of Virtuous Conduct with these words to the gathered assembly.

“This is called The Seven Branches of Virtuous Conduct of the Shen of Tsangpa Tsukphü. You should be very diligent in this teaching of the door of The Way of the Genyen. You should be devoted to it continuously. You should make a commitment to it and keep it properly in mind. Therefore, once you have purified all the sufferings, misdeeds, and obscurations of the afflictions, you will attain the fruit of pure wisdom. Therefore, you should make great effort in this pure Bön practice.”

*This is the name taken by Buddha Tonpa Shenrap when he showed the example of accepting vows of renunciation and followed the path of a fully ordained monk.

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Buddha Tönpa Shenrap’s Instructions for Lay Practitioners Part 1 of 3: Right Mind, Right Conduct

The enlightened Lord and founder of the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché

The Yungdrung Bön religious tradition was established by  Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoche over 18,000 years ago. He gave 84,000 different teachings in order to address the 84,000 kinds of suffering and provide a path to liberation for all sentient beings regardless of their circumstance or capacity. This vast ocean of teachings can be categorized in many different ways including The Nine Ways of Bön which are further divided into The Causal Ways and The Result Ways. The Causal Ways are the first through the fourth ways and are primarily concerned with alleviating one’s own individual suffering in the present lifetime. The Result Ways are the fifth through the ninth ways and are primarily concerned with attaining enlightenment for the benefit of all beings and performing practices to attain liberation, or to at least attain a better rebirth in order to benefit sentient beings. For this reason, The Result Ways are considered to have a higher view and to be more advanced.

The first of The Result Ways is The Fifth Way known as The Sutra that Establishes The Way of the Genyen, Those Who Serve Virtue. This category of teachings contain instructions for lay practitioners. These are practitioners who have taken vows to follow virtue and are known as a genyen. This is a compound of two words: ge [Tibetan: dge] generally translated as virtue, and nyen [Tibetan: bsnyen] generally translated as service, or drawing close to something. According to Buddha Tönpa Shénrap, in order to be considered his follower it is necessary to have received at least one vow. The most important is the vow of refuge. Having received this vow, the individual is now a follower of Yungdrung Bön and a disciple of Buddha Tönpa Shénrap. After this, the vow of bodhicitta, or developing the mind of enlightenment to benefit all beings, is received. These two vows are frequently given together. After this, it is not necessary to take further vows, but there are many different kinds of vows that can be taken as a practitioner of the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition. Some vows are taken for a single day, some for a lifetime, and some are taken until reaching enlightenment. Taking a vow and fulfilling it adds power to a spiritual activity that is performed. For example, if a practitioner recites a mantra 100,000 times, it generates great power and blessing. If that same practitioner first goes before a support of the body, speech, or mind of the Buddha and makes a vow to recite the mantra 100,000 times and then fulfills that vow, the benefit of that same recitation is greatly multiplied because of also having fulfilled a sacred vow.

Practitioners who receive vows to follow virtue according to The Fifth Way are known as lay practitioners, or genyen. When asked by Tsangpa Tsukpü to explain the meaning of the word “genyen,” The Teacher responded:

“Listen! Tsangpa Tsukpü, listen. As for this Bön door known as The Way of the Genyen, “ge” (virtue) means that which is without wrongdoing. Body, speech, and mind are used for virtue. This is known as “readily adopting virtue.” As for “nyen” (service), the true meaning of service is to serve in the correct way, to remain correct while being in the service of virtue and to engage in the true meaning.”

Brief Overview

Genyen teachings are classified as sutra with regards to the three classifications of sutra, tantra, and dzogchen. Because The Way of the Genyen contains the Buddha’s teachings on refuge and bodhicitta, cause and result, virtue and nonvirtue, the ten perfections, as well as the five paths and the ten grounds, it is considered the foundational teaching for all of the higher teachings. Accepting refuge and bodhicitta vows are the entrance to being considered one of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché’s followers. After that, the practice of the ten virtues is a foundational practice that naturally develops into the practice of the ten perfections.

Therefore, refuge and bodhicitta vows are a prerequisite for receiving genyen vows. In general, actual genyen vows include four root vows and a branch vow that makes a total of five vows. The four root vows are (1) to not kill, (2) to not take what is not given, (3) to not engage in sexual misconduct, and (4) to not lie. When these four root vows are accepted and followed, this practitioner is considered a partial lay practitioner, or genyen. To be a full genyen, a fifth branch vow is taken. This fifth vow can be the choice of the disciple or spiritual master. It can be either a food vow such as to avoid garlic or meat, or a vow to avoid intoxication from substances such as alcohol and drugs. Additionally, those with genyen vows traditionally observe the one-day food vows of avoiding meat and alcohol on the four auspicious lunar days of the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and the 30th each month. Although there are only four root genyen vows, the practitioner can accept more vows of virtue if they so choose. However, the Buddha clearly stated that the individual should closely examine their circumstance and accept only those vows that are appropriate for them beyond the four root vows. In the teachings of The Fifth Way, there are fifteen points for the genyen: the five outer customs, the five inner vows described above, and the five intermediate practices.

There are three hagiographies of Lord Tönpa Shénrap Miwoché’s life. They are commonly known as the Do Düs which is the short version with only one volume, the Zer Mik  which is the medium length version in two volumes, and the Zi Ji which is the long version with twelve volumes and a total of sixty-one chapters. This longer version is known as the Drima Mépa Ziji Raptu Barwé Do, The Sutra of Stainless Blazing Splendor commonly known by the short form Ziji, Blazing Splendor. It is classified as an aural transmission because it was spoken by the 8th century sage Mutsa Gyermé to the ear of the 14th century treasure discoverer Loden Nyingpo during a visionary encounter when the latter was twenty-five years old. The Zi Ji goes in to great deatil about the location of each of the Buddha’s teachings, who was in attendance, who requested the teaching and thus became its lineage holder, the offerings presented to him, and the miraculous events that occurred. The Way of the Genyen is taught within the chapter twelve of the Zi Ji.

First pages of the Zi Ji

The Teacher, Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoche Teaches The Way of the Genyen

At the foot of the sacred Mount Po Thön on the Eastern Yungdrung Island within the divine holy land of Olmo Lungring, many mind heroes [Sanskrit: bodhisattvas], gods, demi-gods, lu, [Sanskrit: nagas], magical worldly protectors, human rulers, and spirits of the earth and sky were gathered together in order to receive blessings and instructions from the Teacher, the enlightened Lord Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché who had taken human form in order to teach in the human realm. Those in attendance presented an extraordinary array of wondrous offerings to the Glorious Presence. Leading the way, sixteen youthful boys and girls of the god realm played divine instruments such as conches, lutes, drums, and flutes, and they raised majestic flags and banners. The earth shook, flowers bloomed across the land, and wonderful sounds and rainbows came from the sky. At this, the Teacher was delighted and smiled. Then, the indestructible mind hero Tsangpa Tsukpü stood and offered a divine flower to the Teacher. Placing his hands together and bowing, he made this request.

“Teacher, the blazing splendor of your body overwhelms the four kinds of hindrances with its brilliance. The holy melody of your speech clears away the misery of cyclic existence. The enlightened intent of your mind dispels the darkness of ignorance. Your good qualities are like a wish-fulfilling tree, and your spontaneously accomplished activity teaches according to whatever is needed for those to be tamed. I offer homage and praise to you, the enlightened state of the highest Shen and spiritual master!

The continuous rain of nectar that falls as the elixir of quintessential instructions from the ocean of your pure nature of mind thoroughly moistens the rigidity of the mind-streams of the six kinds of sentient beings. And although the sprout of the mind of enlightenment has begun to grow, please ripen it into the fruit of authentic liberation.”

At the center of the divine land of Olmo Lungring is the Nine-leveled Yungdrung Mountain. Olmo Lungring cannot be perceived by ordinary beings but is only accessible through devotion and realization.

The Teacher Explains The Base-of-everything, Ignorance and Wisdom, and Virtue and Wrongdoing

In response to Tsangpa Tsukpü’s request, the Teacher began by addressing each of the individual groups present.

“Listen! Tsangpa Tsukpü and all of you gathered here. This Yungdrung Bön is precious. I will now explain the Bön that determines cause and effect. Listen closely to this! All you mind heroes, listen closely to this! If you do not listen well to this, then even an indestructible mind hero can be confused. Even an indestructible mind hero can misunderstand. Even an indestructible mind hero would then return to cyclic existence.

“Class of human beings, this Yungdrung Bön is precious. Listen closely to this! If you do not listen well to this, then even a human being can be confused. Even a human being can misunderstand. Even a human being would then return to cyclic existence. Listen carefully to this without confusion or laziness and you will attain the result of not returning to cyclic existence!”

Thus, he addressed each of the groups in attendance and urged them to listen carefully to his words. Using the example of a farmer who cultivates a good field by relying upon proper conditions and avoiding improper ones, the Teacher explained the base-of-everything, ignorance and wisdom, and virtue and wrongdoing. In the natural mind of enlightenment, the base-of-everything, both the seed of cyclic existence and ignorance and the seed of nirvana and wisdom arise. The base-of-everything itself is empty and unchanging like space, like a fertile field. It allows anything whatsoever to naturally arise, to naturally remain, and then to naturally dissolve. It itself is a birthless expanse that has the characteristic of being the ceaseless source of everything. Although both positive and negative things appear, the base-of-everything remains unchanged by whatever arises. If one does not realize this true, unchanging nature, there is the ignorance of grasping at whatever phenomena arises. That is the cause for cyclic existence. When the intellect conceptualizes this arising of phenomena, it activates the five afflictive emotions of ignorance which are anger, desire, mental darkness, jealousy and pride. These are the five kinds of ignorance. There are also five kinds of awareness wisdom. When everything that arises from the vast expanse of the base-of-everything naturally liberates, the five kinds of awareness wisdom arise. These are the loving kindness of the wisdom of emptiness, the clarity of mirror-like wisdom, the generosity of discriminating wisdom, the peacefulness of the wisdom of equanimity, and the openness of all-accomplishing wisdom.

Image of The Teacher, the enlightened Lord Tönpa Shenrap from the Ziji

“If sentient beings want to be liberated from the afflictive emotions and want to attain the five wisdoms, they should renounce activities of wrongdoing and nonvirtue and practice the Yungdrung Bön of engaging in activities of virtue. What are they? There are ten kinds of wrongdoing and nonvirtuous activity: killing, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, idle chatter, harsh words, false speech, divisive speech, hostility or maliciousness, envy, and having wrong views towards virtue.

Because of the influence of hatred, one should abandon the act of killing. Furthermore, encouraging others to kill because of the influence of hatred should be abandoned. And rejoicing in others who kill because of the influence of hatred should be abandoned.”

Thus, in this way, the enlightened Lord Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché went on to enumerate the ten general activities of wrongdoing and nonvirtue that should be abandoned when motivated by any of the five types of ignorance. Additionally, encouraging others to perform these actions or beings joyful about others performing these actions motivated by any of the five types of ignorance should be abandoned.

The General Ten Acts of Wrongdoing and Nonvirtue

  1. Under the influence of anger, desire, mental darkness, jealousy or pride performing the act of killing, encouraging others to kill, or being happy about or rejoicing in the act of killing.
  2. Under the influence of anger, desire, mental darkness, jealousy or pride performing the act of taking what is not given, encouraging others to take what is not given, or being happy about or rejoicing in the act of taking what is not given.
  3. Under the influence of anger, desire, mental darkness, jealousy or pride performing the act of engaging in sexual misconduct, encouraging others to engage in sexual misconduct, or being happy about or rejoicing in sexual misconduct.
  4. Under the influence of anger, desire, mental darkness, jealousy or pride engaging in idle chatter, encouraging others to engage in idle chatter, or being happy about or rejoicing in the act of engaging in idle chatter.
  5. Under the influence of anger, desire, mental darkness, jealousy or pride using harsh words, encouraging others to use harsh words, or being about or rejoicing in the use of harsh words.
  6. Under the influence of anger, desire, mental darkness, jealousy or pride engaging in false speech, encouraging others to engage in false speech, and being happy about or rejoicing in the use of false speech.
  7. Under the influence of anger, desire, mental darkness, jealousy or pride using divisive speech, encouraging others to use divisive speech, or being happy about or rejoicing in the use of divisive speech.
  8. Under the influence of anger, desire, mental darkness, jealousy or pride having a mind that is hostile or malicious, encouraging others to have a mind that is hostile or malicious, or being happy about or rejoicing in others having a mind that is hostile or malicious.
  9. Under the influence of anger, desire, mental darkness, jealousy or pride being envious, encouraging others to be envious, or being happy about or rejoicing in others being envious.
  10. Under the influence of anger, desire, mental darkness, jealousy or pride holding wrong views towards virtue, encouraging others to hold wrong views towards virtue, or being happy about or rejoicing in others holding wrong views towards virtue.

The General Ten Acts of Virtue

In general, the ten acts of virtue are taught as the opposite of each of the ten acts of nonvirtue. These actions are performed from a motivation of helping other sentient beings rather than a motivation of self interest or neutrality in order to be considered acts of virtue. For example, just because a cow does not kill other animals for food, it is not considered an act of virtue because the act of not killing is just its natural behavior and has nothing to do with making a decision to protect life out of concern for other beings. Thus, engaging in virtue from a basis of compassion, as well as doing so in order to fulfill a sacred vow are important factors.

The Teacher elaborated on this while teaching The Way of the Genyen. Tsangpu Tsukpü asked:

“Good Teacher, if sentient beings in cyclic existences want to attain wisdom and therefore renounce the acts of wrongdoing and nonvirtue, what kind of virtuous behavior should they engage in?”

The Teacher replied:

“Tsangpu Tsukpü, it is like this. If sentient beings of cyclic existence who want to attain wisdom have renounced the acts of wrongdoing and nonvirtue, there are ten kinds of virtuous actions that they should perform: benefitting and assisting others, charitable giving, guarding discipline, recitations, peaceful speech with gentle words, speaking the truth, using speech that promotes harmony, having a loving and altruistic mind, having a peacefully divine mind that is not attached to an identity of being virtuous, and not having a distorted view or going astray from a mind of the authentic truth.

If sentient beings practice the ten virtues, they will strive to benefit others with a mind of loving kindness. They will encourage others to benefit sentient beings with a mind of loving kindness. And they will be glad and rejoice when others benefit sentient beings with a mind of loving kindness. They will give charitably with a mind of loving kindness. They will encourage others to give charitably with a mind of loving kindness. And they will be glad and rejoice when others give charitably with a mind of loving kindness.”

In this way, the enlightened Lord Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché explained each of the ten general activities of virtue that should be adopted. They are:

  1. Motivated by loving kindness, generosity, wisdom, peacefulness, or openness engaging in benefit for others, encouraging others to engage in benefitting others, or being glad and rejoicing when others engage in benefitting others.
  2. Motivated by loving kindness, generosity, wisdom, peacefulness, or openness giving charitably, encouraging others to give charitably, or being glad and rejoicing when others give charitably,
  3. Motivated by loving kindness, generosity, wisdom, peacefulness, or openness guarding discipline, encouraging others to guard discipline, or being glad and rejoicing when others guard discipline.
  4. Motivated by loving kindness, generosity, wisdom, peacefulness, or openness engaging in recitations and praise of the words of the enlightened ones, encouraging others to engage in recitations and praise of the words of the enlightened ones, or being glad and rejoicing when others engage in recitations and praise of the words of the enlightened ones.
  5. Motivated by loving kindness, generosity, wisdom, peacefulness, or openness speaking peacefully with gentle words, encouraging others to speak peacefully and use gentle words, or being glad and rejoicing when others speak peacefully and use gentle words.
  6. Motivated by loving kindness, generosity, wisdom, peacefulness, or openness speaking truthfully, encouraging others to speak truthfully, or being glad and rejoicing when others speak truthfully.
  7. Motivated by loving kindness, generosity, wisdom, peacefulness, or openness using speech that promotes harmony, encouraging others to use speech that promotes harmony, or being glad and rejoicing when others use speech that promotes harmony.
  8. Motivated by loving kindness, generosity, wisdom, peacefulness, or openness having a loving and altruistic mind, encouraging others to have a loving and altruistic mind, or being glad and rejoicing when others have a loving and altruistic mind.
  9. Motivated by loving kindness, generosity, wisdom, peacefulness, or openness having a peacefully divine mind of virtue that does not generate attachment, encouraging others to have a peacefully divine mind of virtue that does not generate attachment, or being glad and rejoicing when others have a peacefully divine mind of virtue that does not generate attachment.
  10. Motivated by loving kindness, generosity, wisdom, peacefulness, or openness not having a distorted view or going astray from a mind of the authentic truth, encouraging others to not have a distorted view or go astray from a mind of the authentic truth, and being glad and rejoicing when others do not have a distorted view or going astray from a mind of the authentic truth.

“Tsangpu Tsukpü, why is this so? It is because those who benefit others through the motivation of loving kindness are like a king of medicine that cures illnesses. I will very much receive them with the utmost delight. It is because those who give charitably through the motivation of loving kindness are like rain from the sky that benefits everything and everyone. I will very much receive them with the utmost delight. It is because those who guard their discipline through the motivation of loving kindness are like a crystal sphere of a divine friend untainted by any defects. I will very much receive them with the utmost delight. It is because those who recite mantra and scriptures are like the melodious song of the cuckoo. I will very much receive them with the utmost delight. It is because those who speak with a peaceful and pleasant voice using gentle words are like butter which is the best elixir. I will very much receive them with the utmost delight. It is because those who speak the truth and speak in a way that promotes harmony with words that are constant and unchanging are like a force of good fortune. I will very much receive them with the utmost delight. It is because those who have a mind of altruism are like a mother who loves everyone as though they were her only child. I will very much receive them with the utmost delight. It is because those who have a peaceful and divine mind are like the mythical trinya shara deer. I will very much receive them with the utmost delight. It is because those that have a virtuous mind that does not generate attachment are like a lotus that is unblemished by the mud. I will very much receive them with the utmost delight. It is because those who contemplate the true meaning have the mind-stream and knowledge of a mind hero. I will very much receive them with the utmost delight.

Listen, Tsangpa Tsukpü and everyone gathered here. Listen with your senses focused and without distraction. Throughout my beginning-less lifetimes, I have abandoned the ten nonvirtuous actions and adopted the ten virtuous actions. I have gathered countless accumulations and purified obscurations. Now, I am the glory of migrating beings and have come to be a teacher. All of you gathered here, in order to accomplish the result from the cause, abandon the ten nonvirtuous actions and adopt the ten virtuous actions. Now, I will teach the specifics of The Way of the Genyen. It will be entrusted to Tsangpa Tsukpü who should turn this wheel of Bön.”

Practicing the Ten Perfections

“Cause and effect are like cultivating a field. When seeds are planted first, seedlings come after. By relying upon seedlings, they will grow into flowers that will ripen into a harvest of nutritious food that will nourish sentient beings. Using this example, if faith and devotion are put first, diligence will come after. When faith and devotion are cultivated, diligence is swift. When diligence is applied before, the three kinds of wisdom arise as the result. The practice door of these three wisdoms of listening, reflecting, and then applying the practice is opened. Because these three kinds of wisdom go before, the resultant ten virtues come after. If one practices the ten virtues, one attains liberation. If one practices the ten nonvirtues, one goes to the lower realms. Since the ten virtues are put first, the result is the attainment of the ten perfections. These ten perfections of generosity, moral discipline, patience, diligence, power, concentration, compassion, aspiration, skillful means, and wisdom purify the mindstream. If these ten perfections are practiced, the indestructible ten grounds are sequentially ascended.

Although writing and arithmetic are difficult at the beginning, if you have an enthusiastic assistant, then it is easy. Although it is difficult to generate the four kinds of mind of enlightenment, it is easy if you take compassion as an example. Although it is difficult to practice generosity without bias, it is easy to give freely when motivated by the right circumstances. Although it is difficult to maintain moral discipline without error, it is easy to overcome the difficulty when there is the possibility of punishment. Although it is difficult to cultivate patient endurance, it is easy if you train the mind in illusion. Although it is difficult to generate intense diligence, it is easy if you compare the happiness and suffering of others with yourself. Although it is difficult to remain in meditative equipoise, it is easy to become stable if you continually extend your patience. Although it is difficult to powerfully practice virtue, it is easy to achieve if you broaden your mind. Although compassion and selflessness are difficult to generate, it is easy if one examines one’s own experience and knows the suffering of others to be felt the same. Although aspirations without expectation or doubt are difficult, it is easy if one relies on them impartially. Although supreme skillful means of dedicating merit without mental dullness is difficult, it is easy if it is guided by discipline. Wisdom without confusion is difficult, but if one trains the mindstream in the three wisdoms stated before, it is easily completed.”

The Ten Perfections

  1. Generosity without Bias
  2. Moral Discipline
  3. Patience
  4. Diligence and Zeal
  5. Power
  6. Concentration and Meditative Equipoise
  7. Compassion and Selflessness
  8. Aspiration without Expectation or Doubt
  9. Skillful Means and Dedicating the Merit
  10. Wisdom without Confusion
Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché holds a chakshing with double yundrungs representing, among other things, the balance of the relative and ultimate truths.

Further Activities of Cyclic Existence to Abandon

“Listen, Tsangpa Tsukpü, listen! The root of cause and effect is this: having turned the mind away from the actions of cyclic existence and cultivated delight in the meaning of liberation, if you single-pointedly practice enlightenment, you leave behind the wrongdoing of the ten nonvirtues. Because the ten nonvirtues are the root of falling into cyclic existence, one should abandon doing them, having them done, or rejoicing in them being done. Because the ten virtues and the ten perfections are the activities which are the cause for progressing towards liberation, it is important to adopt them with great certainty. This is the root of what is to be abandoned and what is to be adopted.”

Lord Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché then elaborated on the activities of cyclic existence that are to be abandoned in addition to the general ten nonvirtuous actions. (These lists vary slightly between texts, disciplines, and commentaries.)

The Five Acts that have an Immediate Result: Committing these acts, requesting someone else to commit these acts, or rejoicing when these acts are committed results in immediately being reborn in a hell realm after death without first experiencing the intermediate state.

  1. Killing One’s Mother
  2. Killing One’s Father
  3. Killing One’s Child
  4. Killing a Saint
  5. Causing Division within the Spiritual Community

The Four Acts that are Closely Related to the Five Acts that have an Immediate Result

  1. Killing an Innocent Religious Practitioner
  2. Killing a Human Being
  3. Intentionally Destroying a Representation of the Body, Speech, or Mind of an Enlightened One
  4. Renouncing One’s Personal Yidam or Denigrating the Words of an Enlightened One

The Four Substantial Acts

  1. Disturbing the Mind of a Holy Saint or Faithful Disciple
  2. Assisting or Working as a Butcher
  3. Interrupting the Virtuous Activities of People of Faith
  4. Corrupting the Vows of Virtue or Other Spiritual Commitments

The Eight Perversions

  1. Causing Fighting or War
  2. Incest
  3. Perverting the Words of the Buddha by Teaching Incorrect Precepts to the Religious Community
  4. Perverting Daily Activities by Intentionally Stirring Up the Five Poisons or Negative Emotions
  5. Creating Frightful or Loud Disturbances on a Mountain
  6. Poisoning Natural Water such as Rivers, Oceans, and Lakes
  7. Changing the Natural Course of Water
  8. Burning Down Forests

The Nine Delusions

  1. The Delusion of Mind that Grasps at Dreams
  2. The Delusion of Mind that Grasps at Illusory Existence
  3. The Delusion of Mind that is Completely Full of Thoughts
  4. The Delusion of Mind that Grasps at Desiring Something or Someone
  5. The Delusion of Mind that Grasps at an Identity
  6. The Delusion of Mind that Distracts the Conceptual Mind through the Senses
  7. The Delusion of Mind that Holds on to Malice Towards Others
  8. The Delusion of Mind that is Deceived by External Appearances
  9. The Delusion of Mind that has Affection for Cyclic Existence

Further Activities to Adopt that are the Actions of Liberation: These actions are the opposite of the negative actions listed above and are known as The Five Great Loving Kindnesses, The Five Reliances, The Four Respects, The Eight Aspirations, and The Nine Certainties.

Golden statue of the modern-day enlightened spiritual master Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche

The 20th century sage and fully ordained monk Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen integrated the practices of sutra, tantra, and dzogchen and attained realization and the body of rainbow light at the time of his passing beyond his physical body. Even with such vast realization, he was known to be very diligent about attending to even the smallest virtue or wrongdoing. He gave the following advice to his disciples.

“When discipline is completely pure, meditative stabilization and wisdom arise one from another. Therefore, this is the method for accomplishing perfect enlightenment. Now, this excellent physical body, which is the supreme support for the attainment of enlightenment, is even more precious than a wish-fulfilling jewel. When you obtain it, you should contemplate how the outer environment and the inner contents change. Guard your commitments and vows as you would your own eyes. Those who keep their commitments and vows undefiled will be able to accomplish whatever they do. Therefore, keeping your vows pure is crucial.

Train in having a good intention towards everyone, whether close or distant. Those who keep their intentions good are like gold and will obtain the fruition of purity. If your intentions are good, the paths and stages will be good. If your intentions are bad, the paths and stages will be bad. Even if you protect your commitments and vows as you would your eyes, if your intentions are bad, what good will it do? Even if you have great achievements, a high position, or great intelligence, if your intentions are bad, it will be like a dog dropping wrapped in silk. If your intentions are bad, it will not help to do retreat practice. If your intentions are bad, what good will it do to practice view and meditation? Therefore, it is crucial to examine the mind’s intentions. Do not compete with others, but generate pure perception.

If you want to be happy for yourself, strive to bring happiness to others. If you want to be great for yourself, tame your own mind. If you want to be high, always remain humble. If you want to benefit others, always strive to be virtuous. It is crucial to keep these points in mind. Do not interrupt your virtuous practices wherever you go.

Do not let your human life be wasted, but generate perseverance and take full advantage of this life of leisure and opportunity. Consider well how things change from moment to moment. What is the point of strength, fame, power and wealth? Do not be far from Bön, but keep your mind focused on it. Wherever you are born in cyclic existence, there is only suffering and no ultimate happiness whatsoever. To indulge in this life’s appearances is the basis of delusion. If you wish to be free from suffering in this life and the next, then be careful to adopt or avoid the smallest of actions which are the basis of either happiness or suffering.

Now, when you have the chance to encounter the Buddha’s teachings, do not be distracted by meaningless activities, but enter the teachings. Generate intense diligence from the depths of your heart, and, leaving behind both great and small affairs of this life, you must stop your mind’s preoccupations for only the present life and enter the path of virtue. If you do not apply yourself to Bön practice while you have time, then when you are on the verge of death, regrets will not help.”

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

All Translations from Tibetan by Raven Cypress Wood

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Direct Descendants of the Enlightened Lord Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché

Over 18, 000 years ago, in the ancient realm of Olmo Lungrik, the founder of the Yungdrung Bön spiritual tradition was born.  The enlightened Lord Tönpa Shenrap Miwoche was born into the human realm as a prince.  He later adopted the life as a monastic in order to display the path of renunciation to his followers.  However, prior to this, he was married and had sons and daughters.  The direct descendants of this Shen lineage have continued until this very day.  Currently, there are two sons who are direct descendants of Lord Tönpa Shenrap.

Heir to the Shen Lineage, Tsukpu Namdrol Rinpoche, during a visit to the Yungdrung Bon monastery of Gangru Dargye located in Khyungpo, Tibet

Lamas of the Shen lineage

The two sons of the Shen lineage who are direct descendants of the Lord Tonpa Shenrap.

In November of 2014, His Holiness, the supreme 33rd Menri Trizen Lungtok Tenpé Nyima offered prayers to both descendants.

Shen Tsukpu Namdrol Rinpoche

Shen Tsukpu Namdrol Gyaltsen Rinpoche

prayer to Shen Tsukpu namdrol Gyaltsen written by 33 Menri trizen 2

Prayer of Stability for the Shen Heir, the Supreme Tsukpu Namdrol Gyaltsen

EMAHO!

Highest praise for the best of crown ornaments,

   Storehouse of the ocean of sutra, tantra and unsurpassed division of teachings,

From the proper understanding of the profound meaning of the innermost essence,

May the victory banner of liberation and realization be established!

Murik Shen Yungdrung Nyima

Murik Shen Yungdrung Rangdrol Nyima Rinpoche

Shen prayer to Yungdrung Nyima

Prayer for the Shen Heir, the Supreme Murik Shen Yungdrung Rangdrol Nyima

EMAHO!

Essence of the king of doctrines, the supreme Yungdrung Bön,

Distilled essence of the teachings of renunciation, transformation and liberation,

Having raised a stronghold through the dynamic energy of self-liberated awareness,

May the sun disc of realization and liberation eternally appear!

Composed by 33rd Menri Trizen Luntok Tenpé Namdak Rinpoche on the Western date of 11/26/2014

Translated by Raven Cypress Wood

The original article first appeared on the Tibetan language website Himalayan Bön and can be viewed here: http://www.himalayabon.com/article/poem/2015-01-02/518.html

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What are the Nine Ways of Bon?

Dolpo-Samling

(Samling Monastery in Dolpo, Nepal)

There are three hagiographies of Buddha Tönpa Shénrap Miwoché’s life.  They are commonly known as the Do Düs, the short version which has only one volume.  The Zer Mik is the medium length version with 2 volumes.  The Zi Ji is the long version and has 12 volumes containing a total of 61 chapters.  All of these texts are classified within the Kangyur.  It is within the longer version, the Zi Ji, that the teachings of Yundgrung Bön are explained by the Buddha within the context of nine different ways, or vehicles.  The 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Ways are classified as The Causal Ways, or the Bön of Causes.  The 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Ways are classified as the Ways of the Result, or the Bön of the Fruit.   The 9th Way contains the teachings of the Great Perfection, or Dzogchen.  From the 1st to the 9th Way, the view, or perspective, of the methods and teachings becomes increasingly higher.  However, even though one is a practitioner of a higher ‘Way’, this does not exclude the practice of one or more of the lower ‘Ways’ should the need arise.   Although the methods differ, all of the Nine Ways have compassion as their base.

In centuries past, during times of persecution, the Bönpo would hide their texts rather than have them destroyed.  Later, after the political environment had changed and they were no longer in danger, the texts would be searched for and brought out from their hiding places.  In this way, there came to be three different classifications of the Nine Ways of Bön according to the region in which the texts were found after being hidden.  These three are referred to as The Southern Treasures, The Northern Treasures, and The Central Treasures.

In 1961, the Rockefeller Foundation gave funds to various universities who had established Tibetan studies programs in order to allow them to invite Tibetan scholars for a 3 year period.  Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche, Geshe Lungtok Tenpa’i Nyima Rinpoche, the future abbot of Menri Monastery, and Geshe Samten Karmey were invited to England by David Snellgrove.  During this time, Yongdzin Rinpoche suggested the translation of excerpts of the Nine Ways based upon the Southern Treasures.  Yongdzin Rinpoche personally selected the passages that David Snellgrove translated.  In 1967, these excerpts were published as The Nine Ways of Bön.  At that time, very little was known about the Yungdrung Bön tradition among Western scholars.  There was a great deal of theorizing and conjecture.  So, although Snellgrove’s translation of the text is quite accurate, his own personal conclusions as to the origins and influences of the Yungdrung Bön should be taken within the context of the time in which he was writing.  However, to-date, his translation remains the only extended translation of the Nine Ways that is available.

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The Nine Ways of Bön according to the Southern Treasures:

1. The Way of the Shen of Prediction: This Way includes divination, astrology, various rituals, and medical diagnosis.

2. The Way of the Shen of the Phenomenal World: This Way includes rituals dealing with communication with external forces such as rituals of protection, invocation, ransom of the soul and life-force, and  of repelling negative or harmful energies.

3. The Way of the Shen of Manifestation: This Way includes venerating a deity or master and then applying mantra and mudras in order to accomplish a goal such as requesting assistance from natural energies.

4. The Way of the Shen of Existence: This Way is primarily focused upon rituals for the dead and methods to promote longevity for the living.

5. The Way of the Virtuous Lay Practitioners: This Way specifies the proper conduct of lay person taking vows.

6.  The Way of the Fully Ordained: This Way specifies the proper conduct for those who are fully ordained practitioners.

7. The Way of the White AH: This Way is primarily focused upon tantric practice using visualization.

8. The Way of the Primordial Shen: This Way is primarily focused upon higher tantric practice.

9. The Unsurpassed Way: This Way is primarily focused upon the practice of Dzogchen, or The Great Perfection.  This Way does not rely upon antidotes of any kind, ritual or practice with a meditational deity.  It is concerned with the realization of the true nature of one’s own mind.

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