May you live long, be free of illness, and have happiness and joy! May your wealth, power, and resources increase! May you possess bravery and strength, and be victorious over everything! May this new year bring you good fortune and every wish come true, just as you wish them to be!
Bring Meaning & Benefit to 2026 by Taking a Vow of Nonviolence for 1 Day, Multiple Days, or a Full Year
The auspicious day of March 3, 2026 is the first full moon of the Year of the Fire Horse and marks the birth anniversary of His Eminence Menri Pönlop Yangtön Trinley Nyima Rinpoche. This is an especially auspicious time to perform virtue and receive vows because the power of the activity is greatly multiplied. By taking a vow of nonviolence to abstain from eating meat from compassionate loving kindness during this time, unimaginable spiritual merit and benefit for both self and others is generated. One can accept this vow for a single day, multiple days, or for the entire Fire Horse year. The names of all those who take the vow will be offered to His Eminence Menri Pönlop Rinpoche on February 27th for the benefit of his long life and indestructible good health. Follow this link for more information and to fill out and submit the form for your personal vow of nonviolence. https://ravencypresswood.com/2026/01/24/bringing-meaning-benefit-to-2026-by-taking-a-vow-of-nonviolence-for-1-day-multiple-days-or-a-full-year/
In this short video, Raven Cypress Wood talks about how taking the vow, even for a single day, can bring meaning to your life and develop the Four Immeasurable Qualities: https://youtu.be/8jQlrNXFmvU
Did you enjoy this content? This article is made possible by generous donors who want content like this to continue to be available. Don’t want to miss a post? Scroll to the bottom and click “Follow this blog.”
Join the mandala of Nine Ways supporters by donating through one of the services listed below.
A chemar bo with wheat, tsampa, salt, and auspicious symbols. Photo credit: Raven Cypress Wood
The Royal Tibetan New Year, known as Losar, is the 1st lunar day of the 1st lunar month. In 2026, this date coincides with February 18th on the Western calendar. This year, the worldwide New Year’s celebrations for Bönpos will be minimized in recognition of the parinirvana of His Eminence Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche in 2025. Religious prayers and rituals will be performed but the usual recreational celebrations, dances, and recreational gatherings will not held.
In the weeks leading up to Losar, both monasteries and households are busy with preparations such as deep cleaning, buying new clothes, and clearing old debts. During this time, it is customary to make many fried Tibetan treats known as khapsé that are used both for offerings to the deities and as festive snacks for the many New Year’s guests. These special treats have traditionally been reserved for special occasions and are a symbol of the Tibetan New Year. Dough is kneaded and then rolled to the desired thickness according to the type of khapsé being made which is most often long strips that look like simple braids but can also take the shape of elaborate flowers and knots. Sometimes food coloring is added to the dough to make it more colorful and festive. However, the first shapes that are made from the dough are not treats to be eaten, but are offerings for the god of the hearth. This scorpion-shaped being together with long twisted offerings and are placed on a clean place on the hearth in order to avert any accidents that might occur while cooking with the boiling hot oil for many hours. This offering remains in place until the full moon.
Khapsé offerings to the hearth to avert accidents and bad luck. Photo credit: Raven Cypress Wood
Although each region of Tibet makes their own unique style of khapsé, it is always a communal event because the amount of labor and many hours involved in producing the quantity of khapsé needed to ensure that there will be enough to distribute to family and friends during the first two weeks of New Year’s celebrations. The khapsé that are offered to the Losar shrine and to respected lamas in the monasteries and nunneries are shaped like a two-headed ladle and stacked one upon the other. This stack of ladle-shaped khapsé is called a derga. Some traditions place the khapsé so that the “ladle” is facing up and can be filled with candies and smaller, ornate khapsé. Other traditions believe that it is important to place the “ladle” facing down so that the good luck for the New Year does not escape. However, even these downward facing khapsé are decorated with candies before they are offered.
His Holiness the 34th Menri Trizin with an offering of Losar khapsé known as derga. Photo credit: Unknown
In addition to the khapsé, it is important to prepare a chemar bo, an ornate, wooden, container with two inner compartments. The left side is filled with wheat topped with salt, and the right side is filled with roasted barley flour, known as tsampa, topped with a few slices of butter. It is further decorated a tsédro, a piece of wood that is carved and or painted with the eight auspicious symbols. This is an important symbol or wealth, prosperity, and good luck for the coming year. Other items for the Losar shrine include young wheat grass that has been planted in small pots that symbolize good harvest. This is known as lo pü, the first harvest. A sheep’s head made of butter, dough, clay, or ceramic is another symbol of prosperity and good fortune, especially for communities that continue to rely upon sheep and goat herds for their livelihood. Additionally, there are offerings of beer, sweet rice, fresh water, blocks of black tea, plates of butter, nuts, dried fruit, fresh flowers, and so on.
Tibetan khapsé. Photo credit: Raven Cypress Wood
In the monasteries and nunneries, Losar includes many end-of-year prayers and rituals including the sacred dances called cham. On the 25th lunar day of the 12th month, there is a test for the cham dancers and those chanting the melodies. On the 26th day, all of the offering torma are made. The extensive ritual of the wrathful yidam deity Phurba, known as the Tro Phur Gutor Chenmo, begins the ceremonial conclusion of the previous year. This ritual lasts for three days and includes many sacred dances as well as elaborate rituals for removing obstacles and negativity. This ritual begins on the 27th lunar day and concludes on the evening of the 29th lunar day with the removal of the main prayer flag from the courtyard. In 2026, these dates coincide with February 14th-February 16th. The main prayer flag for the New Year is raised on the 5th lunar day of the 1st month which is the celebration of Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen Rinpoche, the founder of Menri Monastery and its first throne-holder. In 2026, this day coincides with February 22nd. During the time between removal of the old prayer flag and raising the new one, the rules of monastic discipline are slightly relaxed.
For householders, the 29th lunar day which is called nyi shu gu, is a time to clean their homes and clear their debts from the previous year. In 2026, this date coincides with February 16th. That evening, a dokpa ritual for sending away negativity is performed. The family shares a special stew of nine ingredients called gu tük. Although there can be regional variations, according to His Eminence Menri Pönlop Rinpoche, these nine ingredients are meat, wheat, barley, rice, cheese, corn, troma (a himalayan root vegetable), salt, and water. Cooked within the stew are balls of dough which contain items meant to be a playful divination that reveals the character of the family members who receive them in their bowl of stew. Alternatively, the name of these items can be written on a small piece of paper and placed inside the balls of dough. There can be variations of the specific items but in general they are:
A ball with cotton inside that means the recipient will have good health all year.
A ball with a dried chili inside means the recipient is sharp-tongued.
A ball with a white stone inside means the recipient is good-hearted.
A ball with a piece of charcoal inside means the recipient is black-hearted or has bad habits.
A ball with a piece of paper inside means the recipient is always trying to sneak something for themselves.
A ball with a piece of twisted string inside means the recipient has a strong and stable mind.
A ball with a dried pea inside means the recipient is cunning.
A ball with salt inside means that the recipient is a pleasant person.
A ball with onion inside means that the recipient has an unpleasant smell.
A ransom effigy surrounded by karmic debt tormas of handprinted dough that have been painted red. Photo credit: Raven Cypress Wood
Everyone saves a small amount of the last of their stew to be used as a ransom payment for the negative spirits of the previous year. This ritual payment settles any karmic debts that they might have with negative spirits so that they become satisfied and happy and have no reason to cause them harm. An effigy representing these spirits is made and must include each of the five senses. Along with the leftover stew, each person also makes a karmic debt torma known as a changbu. This is a small ball of roasted barley flour made into dough that has been rubbed over the body from head to toe in order to absorb all illness and negative energy. Then, the ball of dough is rolled into a thin strip the width of the hand and squeezed so that each of the fingers make an impression into the dough. Women make the impression with their left hands, and men use their right hands. This changbu is then placed with the other gifts around the effigy together with a piece of hair and a small string from the clothing of each family member. A small candle is placed in front of the effigy and then lit.
Before the effigy is carried out, a prayer is recited to formally present the gifts to the spirits and request that by accepting these gifts of ransom, they not cause any harm. The following prayer is from the dokpa ritual of the enlightened fierce deity Nampar Jompa.
The enlightened deity, Nampar Jompa
“OM
Come here, all you spirits who have a commitment to the teachings of the Buddha! Come all gods, humans, and demi-gods, all spirits that cause harm or disease, all male and female demons. Without excluding anyone, all you spirits, come! Accept this ransom torma which repays my karmic debts. Do not cause harm to this family or community and don’t create any obstacles to our spiritual practice! Now, each of you happily return to your homes and listen to the noble teachings of the Buddha. SO OM BA DZRA TRO TA SUM TRI GHA TSA YA GHA TSA YA NÖ JÉ JUNG PO A MU KHA RA YA HUNG PÉ”
Once the prayer is complete, a family member takes the effigy, facing forward and held below the waist, and leaves it at a crossroads, or an energetically rough place in the negative direction of the outgoing year. When returning home, this person must not look back. When they arrive, they must be ritually cleansed with water before they enter the house. For 2025, the outgoing Year of the Wood Snake, the negative direction for making the dokpa ransom is North.
Fumigation and offering ritual of sang at Menri Monastery. Photo credit: Unknown
The first spring water of the New Year is considered very auspicious, and it is common for people to go directly to the community well after midnight to try and be the first person to collect water and offer it on their shrine. On New Year’s Day, everyone stays at home or only leaves to go to the monastery in order to pray and make offerings. On the 2nd and 3rd days of the New Year, it is customary to spend time visiting friends and family in order to strengthen the positive energy and harmonious bonds for the coming year.
Bring Meaning & Benefit to 2026 by Taking a Vow of Nonviolence for 1 Day, Multiple Days, or a Full Year
The auspicious day of March 3, 2026 is the first full moon of the Year of the Fire Horse and marks the birth anniversary of His Eminence Menri Pönlop Yangtön Trinley Nyima Rinpoche. This is an especially auspicious time to perform virtue and receive vows because the power of the activity is greatly multiplied. People all over the world have taken a vow of nonviolence to abstain from eating meat out of compassionate loving kindness. Doing so, unimaginable spiritual merit and benefit for both self and others is generated. One can accept this vow for a single day, multiple days, or for the entire Fire Horse year. A certificate containing the names of all those who take the vow will be offered to His Eminence Menri Pönlop Rinpoche on February 27th for the benefit of his long life and indestructible good health. Follow this link for more information and to fill out and submit the form for your personal vow of nonviolence. https://ravencypresswood.com/2026/01/24/bringing-meaning-benefit-to-2026-by-taking-a-vow-of-nonviolence-for-1-day-multiple-days-or-a-full-year/
In this short video, Raven Cypress Wood talks about how taking the vow, even for a single day, can bring meaning to your life and develop the Four Immeasurable Qualities: https://youtu.be/8jQlrNXFmvU
Did you enjoy this content? This article is made possible by generous donors who want content like this to continue to be available. Don’t want to miss a post? Scroll to the bottom and click “Follow this blog.”
Join the mandala of Nine Ways supporters by donating through one of the services listed below.
Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché being received by gods and goddesses at the royal palace of Barpo Sogyé
The 15th day of the 12th lunar month is the 18,043rd birth anniversary of the founder of the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition, Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché. In 2026, this lunar day coincides with February 1st. This is an especially auspicious time to perform acts of virtue and take sacred vows.
In the ancient past, there were three brothers named Dakpa, Salwa, and Shépa who lived in a pure world and who had studied and mastered the Yungdrung Bön teachings. With the power of their clairvoyance, they could see sentient beings within the three thousand-fold universe creating karma and experiencing suffering by being trapped in the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, death, and rebirth. They felt great compassion for these beings and went before the god of compassion, Shenlha Ökar and asked how they could help rescue sentient beings from their suffering and misery. Shenlha Ökar instructed them to go into the world one after another in order to guide beings out of suffering with the Yungdrung Bön teachings. Dakpa, being the eldest, went first to the planet Earth and ministered to sentient beings. Dakpa was born as a human being and took the name Togyal Yékhyen. For a thousand years, he taught both humans and non-human beings and countless sentient beings were liberated. Afterward, he presented an account of his time on earth to various wisdom deities and asked how it might be possible to liberate those beings who he had been unable to tame. The wisdom deities responded that even though the Yungdrung Bön was all that was needed, even the light of the sun that pervades everywhere cannot illuminate a windowless house, or a north-facing cave. Thus, sentient beings that persist in their wrongdoing because of being afflicted with the passion of their five poisons are very difficult to tame. Thus, Buddha Togyal Yékhyen wrote his teachings down with turquoise ink on ivory-colored paper and then went to see the middle brother, Salwa. He addressed him with these words:
“Although countless sentient beings have been liberated through my activities, I have left the earth and cyclic existence. After some time has passed, it will be appropriate for you to begin your work of liberating sentient beings from cyclic existence through the teachings of Yungdrung Bön.”
Time passed, and as acts of virtue declined on the earth, so did the energy of loving kindness. The generations of benevolent kings passed and the teachings of Buddha Togyal Yékhyen faded from the world. As the era came to an end, there was destruction of the land and civilizations by floods, fire, and earthquakes. After a period of emptiness, a new time period began. Salwa left his pure abode and descended to the realms of the gods to prepare for a birth of flesh and blood as a human being. He was born on earth in the land of Tazik Olmo Lungring as a prince in the Southern palace of Barpo Sogyé 18,043 years ago. He was given the name Shenrap because he was born into the Shen clan and was the highest within this clan, Rap. He was named Miwoché because he had taken a great human form. His personal name was Künlé Namgyal, Completely Victorious Over Everything. A total of seven buddhas had manifested in cyclic existence in the eons prior to his birth. This is why he is known as the eighth buddha, or the eighth guide of sentient beings. Because he was already an enlightened being and beyond cyclic existence, his taking birth in the human realm is considered a great deed of compassion.
He was born just before sunrise on the 15th day of the 12th lunar month to King Gyalbon Thökar and Queen Gyal Zhema. He had all of the major and minor marks of an enlightened being. A gathering of gods from above, a gathering of deities from intermediate space, and a gathering of powerful earth spirits all circumambulated the palace and proclaimed that they had arrived in order to be the first disciples of Tönpa, The Teacher.
Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché
This is an especially auspicious day to recite the following Homage to Tönpa Shenrap Miwo. Many masters, including Menri Pönlop Yangtön Trinley Nyima Rinpoche, recite this prayer before giving teachings.
tön pé gyal po khor wa dren pé pel, mün pé tsok nam jom jé drön mé ö, ma rik né dung sel wa men pé tso, mi yi chok tu gyur pa mu yi gyal, duk ngé dam dang tso kem mé chen pung, tsen dang pé jé den pé zi pak po, ka wa na tsok dang du lang né ni, dzé pa na tsok tar ru chin dzé ching, zik tsé zhi dang gong tsé druk nyi kyi, jam pa chen pö khor wa dröl dzé pé, shen rap trül pé ku la chak tsal lo
“Homage to the Eighth Guide of the Universe, Sangyé Tönpa Shenrap Miwo
King of Teachers, you are a glorious guide out of cyclic existence. A lamp who dispels all darkness, you are the principal physician who clears away the torment of ignorance and illness.
Most supreme among humanity, you are a King of the Mu lineage. You are a mighty fire that dries up the ocean and swamp of the five poisons and you have the major and minor marks of a noble sage.
Having undertaken many various hardships and having completed a diversity of activities, by means of the four kinds of valid perception and the six kinds of valid enlightened intention, and through great love, you liberate from cyclic existence. I prostrate to the emanated body of the highest Shen!”
Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché
Bring Meaning & Benefit to 2026 by Taking a Vow of Nonviolence for 1 Day, Multiple Days, or a Full Year
The auspicious day of March 3, 2026 is the first full moon of the Year of the Fire Horse and marks the birth anniversary of His Eminence Menri Pönlop Yangtön Trinley Nyima Rinpoche. This is an especially auspicious time to perform virtue and receive vows because the power of the activity is greatly multiplied. By taking a vow of nonviolence to abstain from eating meat from compassionate loving kindness during this time, unimaginable spiritual merit and benefit for both self and others is generated. One can accept this vow for a single day, multiple days, or for the entire Fire Horse year. The names of all those who take the vow will be offered to His Eminence Menri Pönlop Rinpoche on February 27th for the benefit of his long life and indestructible good health. Follow this link for more information and to fill out and submit the form for your personal vow of nonviolence. https://ravencypresswood.com/2026/01/24/bringing-meaning-benefit-to-2026-by-taking-a-vow-of-nonviolence-for-1-day-multiple-days-or-a-full-year/
In this short video, Raven Cypress Wood talks about how taking the vow, even for a single day, can bring meaning to your life and develop the Four Immeasurable Qualities: https://youtu.be/8jQlrNXFmvU
His Eminence Menri Pönlop Yangtön Trinley Nyima Rinpoche
Did you enjoy this content? This article is made possible by generous donors who want content like this to continue to be available. Don’t want to miss a post? Scroll to the bottom and click “Follow this blog.”
Join the mandala of Nine Ways supporters by donating through one of the services listed below.
His Eminence Menri Yongdzin Yangtön Trinley Nyima Rinpoche performs the rites of Wal Phur Nakpo at Menri Monastery. Photo credit: Unknown
Each year during the 23rd-29th lunar days of the 11th lunar month, monks at Menri Monastery undergo a seven-day intensive retreat for the enlightened fierce deity and tantric yidam Wal Phur Nakpo. In 2026, these dates coincide with January 11th-17th. This deity is the black-colored manifestation of Phurba.
From the Father Tantra, there is a group of five yidams, or meditational deities, that are collectively known as the Sé Khar Chok Nga, The Five Supreme Citadels or The Five Supreme Embodiments. Collectively, these dzok ku deities are the manifestation of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap’s enlightened body, speech, mind, quality, and activity. The manifestation of enlightened activity is embodied by Walsé Chempa who is also known as Phurba. Because he is the yidam of enlightened activity, he automatically becomes the yidam deity of every Menri Trizin. (For more information about the Sé Khar Chok Nga, see previous article: https://ravencypresswood.com/2016/06/05/the-five-supreme-embodiments/)
The term phurba has most often been translated as dagger or sacred dagger. However, it is more precisely a sacred stake or peg that is used to suppress or overpower negative forces and obstacles. From a commentary regarding the meaning of the Wal Phur Nakpo practice:
“Regarding the meaning of being called Phur: because all impure karma and afflictive emotions are staked within the pure enlightened body and its complete non-conceptual wisdom, he is called Phur, The Stake.
The yidam Wal Phur Nakpo has three faces, six arms, and each hand holds a phurba. He and his consort’s body are joined below the waist and form a single phurba adorned with snakes. The top of the phurba has a four-cornered wisdom-knot. Below the knot is a crocodile with a protruding, vicious face that symbolizes the destruction of all impure karma and afflictive emotions. Below that, the enlightened body, speech, and mind of the yidam are inseparably united as the symbolic three edged, pointed blade. The three blades terminating into a single, sharp point represent the apex of completely fulfilling the four kinds of enlightened activity: peaceful enlightened activity, expansive enlightened activity, powerful enlightened activity, and wrathful enlightened activity.
A Yungdrung Bön monk performs the rites of Wal Phur Nakpo at Menri Monastery. Photo credit: Unknown
The term wal has multiple meanings. The most relevant meanings in this context are that of (1) sharp, bladed, pointed and (2) fierce, wrathful, forceful. From the same commentary as mentioned above,
“Regarding the meaning of being called Wal: externally, he is called Wal because he is the point from which arises the external, common accomplishment of piercing and incinerating every enemy and obstructer that would interfere with manifesting external activity. Internally, he is called Wal because of being the point of great wisdom and performing the uncommon and meaningful activity of incinerating and overcoming all erroneous conceptuality. Therefore, he is called Wal, The Pointed.
Both the yidam and his consort have wings. The retinue includes many assistants and messengers that are winged or actually manifest as hawks.
“With a magical display of activity and movement that arises from an immovable state, you subdue misleading enemies and obstructers.
Fierce Wal Phur, you directly manifest the enlightened activity of the Wal deities.
Praise for the Wal deity whose divine appearance self-arises from the vast expanse of space in order to quickly accomplish fierce enlightened activity!”
— From The Concentrated Essence of Wal Phur translated from the Tibetan by Raven Cypress Wood
When performing the rites of Wal Phur Nakpo, the scriptures give specific instructions regarding the many items and substances that are needed, how to use them, proper measurements for making a phurba, how to establish the mandala of the yidam, the types of offerings that are needed and how to arrange them, and so forth. The image of the mandala, a representation of the sacred architecture of the spontaneously arising palace for the deity, is either made with colored sand or printed and placed on or near the shrine. Once all the materials have been prepared and properly arranged, everything is ritually purified.
On the first day of the retreat, the yidam Wal Phur Nakpo along with his consort and vast retinue are formally invited to take a seat upon the throne in the center of the mandala palace. From this moment until the conclusion of the retreat, no one is allowed to interact with the mandala or the offerings placed upon it except during the formal ritual activities during the retreat. In this way, The Phurba practitioners transforms their ordinary body, speech, and mind into the enlightened body, speech, and mind of the deity and therefore make themselves a proper vessel for the blessings and enlightened qualities of the yidam.
Representation of the Mandala palace of Wal Phur Nakpo.
Did you enjoy this content? This article is made possible by generous donors who want content like this to continue to be available. Don’t want to miss a post? Scroll to the bottom and click “Follow this blog.”
Join the mandala of Nine Ways supporters by donating through one of the services listed below.
Happy New Year! I would like to take this opportunity to share a little bit about the work of Nine Ways in 2025 and what is on its way in 2026. First, I would like to thank all of you who donated towards the work of Nine Ways in the past year. It is these donations that make Nine Ways possible and support my ability to translate Yungdrung Bön texts and publish articles and books to support the worldwide sangha. I appreciate each and every donation and offer my heartfelt gratitude. In this time when it seems as though everything is becoming monetized, I remain committed to keeping Nine Ways free and accessible without a paywall in 2026. However, this is only possible through your support. Supporters giving once a year or monthly donations are the reason Nine Ways is still available. Thank you!
2025
In 2025, Nine Ways published 30 articles with over 55,000 views throughout 139 different countries. Many articles were subsequently translated into other languages and, with permission, published on other websites to extend the reach of Nine Ways even further.
The Nine Ways website expanded to include the Nine Ways Shop ( https://ravencypresswood.com/nine-ways-shop/ ) that offers practice support and ritual items for Yungdrung Bön practitioners in the continental U.S. Purchase of the current items supports the memorial chorten for Yangtön Lama Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche that will be built in his home village of Tsarka in Dolpo, Nepal. To date, Nine Ways has raised over $1,500 for the chorten. These funds have been sent to his nephew, Geshe Tenzin Yangtön, who is overseeing the planning of the chorten. With these additional funds, he is now happily planning a larger and nicer chorten than he originally thought was possible.
Throughout the year, due to the visibility of Nine Ways, I am contacted by Yungdrung Bön practitioners around the world requesting help in arranging personal rituals or prayers, seeking clarification regarding Tibetan language or translation advice, and/or help in connecting with a community sangha or nearest Yungdrung Bön lama. Please continue to reach out. I am happy to help when I can or connect you with someone else who can help.
2026
In 2026, Nine Ways will continue to offer articles related to the Yungdrung Bön tradition free of charge. If there is a particular subject that you would like to know more about and think it might also be of interest to the wider community, feel free to email me at RCW108@Gmail.com and suggest topics for articles.
In 2026, I will be expanding my online and in-person mentorship of Yungdrung Bön practitioners seeking guidance or advice regarding their practice or in preparation for an intensive personal retreat. These can be one-time consultations or regular meetings based upon what is most needed at the time. I am also available on a more limited basis for those wanting to have in-person support or guidance for their practice or personal retreat for one or more days. Email me at RCW108@Gmail.com for more information or to set up an appointment.
In response to many requests over the past couple of years, online classes are coming! I am in the process of planning a series of one-day as well as multi-day classes and support groups. Stayed tuned for more updates.
Nine Ways will publish my book of prayers and practice guidance that are for the benefit of those recently deceased. This book is entitled Planting a Garden of Virtue for the Deceased. This book will contain prayers and rituals that are performed throughout the first three days after death and the subsequent 49 days of the intermediate state before rebirth. Among the prayers that have been translated to include in this book is The Sutra of Destroying the Doors to Negative Rebirths. This text is one commonly recited in the Yungdrung Bön Tibetan community especially if a death was the result of a sudden accident or any kind of violence. In February 2025, a dear friend of mine was shot and killed in a random act of violence. This is the prayer suggested to me by His Eminence Menri Pönlop Yangtön Trinley Nyima Rinpoche. Having recited this prayer for 49 days, I was inspired to translate and publish it for the benefit of others. This is an excerpt from The Prayers of Aspiration within The Sutra of Destroying the Doors to Negative Rebirths:
“Having stopped the continuation of the heat and cold of the hell beings, may hatred and anger transform into an expanse of loving kindness! Having stopped the continuation of the hunger and thirst of the hungry ghosts, may desire and attachment transform into an expanse of generosity! Having stopped the continuation of the stupidity and muteness of the animals, may dull-mindedness transform into an expanse of wisdom! Having stopped the continuation of the savagery of humans, may jealousy transform into an expanse of openness! Having stopped the continuation of the fighting and disputes of the demi-gods, may pride transform into an expanse of peacefulness! Having stopped the continuation of the loss and downfall of the gods, may laziness transform into an expanse of diligence! Having stopped the continuation of the delusions of the beings in the intermediate state, may they transform into buddhas of happiness!”
Title page of The Sutra of Destroying the Doors to Negative Rebirths
The Tibetan New Year, or Losar, will be on February 18th and will be The Year of the Fire Horse. The article describing the significance of the Fire Horse year and its meaning according to Tibetan astrology will be published on Nine Ways in the coming weeks.
I hope that everyone and their loved ones are all doing well and that 2026 brings you abundant happiness, indestructible health, prosperity, merit, and positive circumstances!
Raven Cypress Wood with His Holiness the 34th Menri Trizin Rinpoche
Did you enjoy this content? This article is made possible by generous donors who want content like this to continue to be available. Don’t want to miss a post? Scroll to the bottom and click “Follow this blog.”
Join the mandala of Nine Ways supporters by donating through one of the services listed below.
Nine Ways 