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His Eminence Yongdzin Rinpoche: Cremation of the Holy Physical Remains and Fire Offering Rites

The Sacred vessel containing the Holy Physical Remains of His Eminence Yongdzin Tendzin Namdak Rinpoché

Since the parinirvana of the esteemed and greatly beloved master, His Eminence Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoché, the worldwide Yungdrung Bön community has been observing a 49-day period of veneration, prayers, and offerings to receive blessings and accumulate great spiritual merit. On Friday August 2, 2025 this 49-day period concluded. From August 4th to August 9th, an extensive fire offering rite according to the cycle of the Künrig Le Zhi Gyün Nga‘i Jin Sek will be performed. During this time on August 6th, the actual cremation of the holy physical remains will take place. The Künrig Le Zhi Gyün Nga‘i Jin Sek, is one of the primary texts in the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition used for cremation rites and the continuous fire offerings that take place. For this, a great variety and quantity of offerings are being prepared. Among these offerings are many large and small boards written with mantras and prayers that will be read by the officiating lama, consecrated with blessed substances, and then placed into the fire.

Offerings for the fire offering rites
Offerings for the fire offering rites
A great accumulation of fire offerings

During these rites, the holy physical remains will be cremated in a specially built chorten [Sanskrit: stupa]. After the conclusion of the ritual, once the ash from the offering rites has cooled, it will be carefully collected along with any relics and saved to be placed into a reliquary chorten that will be built to hold the relics along with a variety of other sacred objects and substances. Additionally, many sa tsa will be made that will be filled with some of the cremation ash and distributed to faithful disciples and supporters.

Construction of the cremation chorten at Triten Norbutsé Monastery

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Offerings to the Lama in Praise of His Enlightenment

Shrine at Triten Norbutse Monastery near Kathmandu, Nepal

On the 16th lunar day of the sacred Saga Dawa month in the Tibetan Wood Snake year, June 12, 2025, at His Eminence Menri Yongdzin Lopön Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche passed beyond this life and entered into a state of deep meditation known as tukdam. As of June 18th, his exalted presence remains in a state of tukdam while the faithful worldwide Yungdrung Bön family offerings prayers of praise, supplication, and aspirations. One of the primary prayers being recited during this time is Offerings to the Lama, also known more formally as Lama Practice, An Ornament of Wish-granting Jewels. The English language translation of the recitation portion of the prayer was made publicly available through a previous article. Now, the preliminary visualization practice, the Tibetan language, and phonetics for chanting the Tibetan have been added. This expanded translation can be downloaded and used for personal use through this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FOa8sFpWyxXBqJ4swyHTJju6sUbAFlUL/view?usp=share_link

Observation of 49 days of prayers and offerings began on Sunday June 15th and will conclude on August 8th. Each Saturday during this time will mark a special weekly day of prayer. By reciting this prayer with heartfelt devotion and requesting blessings from the holy presence of Yongdzin Rinpoche, one can receive inconceivable blessings from the master.

His Eminence Yongdzin Rinpoche in tukdam after his outer breath has ceased. Photo shared only after similar photos were widely distributed by the monastery and abbot.

Once the internal winds cease, the channels collapse, the physical body slumps, and the warmth dissipates from the heart center, chants related to the cleansing of the sacred body will be recited while the physical remains will be ritually bathed with water mixed with special herbs. Sacred seed syllables will be written on the body, and the body will be wrapped in a pure white cloth and placed in a ku dung, a receptacle for sacred remains.

His Holiness the 34th Menri Trizen and His Eminence Menri Pönlop Rinpoche arriving from Menri Monastery in India to pay their respects to the holy presence of His Eminence Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche.

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