Beginning on April 24, 2023 and continuing for one week, Menri Monastery in India will perform their annual ritual of One Hundred Thousand Offerings to the Queen of Existence, Sipé Gyalmo Bum Tsok. This important ritual is performed for the purpose of requesting the enlightened protector Sipé Gyalmo to remove obstacles and bestow her blessings. This year, the emphasis will include requesting her blessings for longevity, excellent health, and success for His Holiness the 34th Menri Trizin, His Eminence Yongdzin Rinpoche, and His Eminence Menri Pönlop Rinpoche; as well as her help in the complete eradication of the global pandemic and for the peace and happiness of all beings.

Monks, nuns, and laypeople will all participate in the preparation and execution of the ritual. One hundred thousand small torma will be made and offered alongside one large torma, and other offerings of food, flowers, butter lamps, pure water, and sweet smelling incense. The merit of supporting and/or participating in this ritual removes obstacles, increases fortunate circumstances such as being protected from harm and being blessed with prosperity, good health, and harmonious circumstances.

Offering support and making a connection with a donation of even a single dollar brings great benefit. Donations can be made through multiple organizations. Kyungdzong Wodsel Ling is the North American center for His Eminence Menri Pönlop Yangtön Thrinley Nyima Rinpoche and they are collecting donations to be sent to Menri Monastery in support of the Sipé Gyalmo Bum Tsok. They ask that all donations be made by April 20th. More information about the Bum Tsok and a link for donating can be found here: http://kwling.org/bon/bum-tsok-offering/

The full amount of every donation will be sent to Menri Monastery and designated for the ritual. This donation can be dedicated for those that are ill, in danger, have recently passed away, or for yourself. If you are unable to donate monetarily, you can also participate by engaging in Sipé Gyalmo practice, mantra recitation, engaging in acts of virtue and avoiding acts of non-virtue during the time of the week-long ritual.

Sipé Gyalmo is an enlightened protector and also a yidam, or meditational deity. Her invocations and offerings are performed daily in Yungdrung Bön Monasteries.

“Within a burial ground ablaze with an eon-destroying fire, amidst swirling waves in an ocean of dark-colored blood, majestically sitting atop a black mule is the Queen of Existence, the single mother who brings migrating being to bliss.

Her body is the frightening color of dark-colored lapis lazuli. She has three faces and six arms. Her right face is white, her left face is red, and the face in the center is dark blue. Her blue-black hair billows upwards. The crown of her head is adorned with the perfect buddhas of the three times. Her nine overwhelming eyes blaze like an eon-destroying fire. Her six ears are perfectly curved like half-moons. The clicking sound of her tongues causes vow-breakers and evil forces to fall unconscious. The upper part of her body moves and is beautiful, and on the lower part of her body she wears a tiger skin as a skirt. She is ornamented with encircling, tamed snakes and a necklace of skulls.

The first hand on her right raises a dark-colored victory banner. The first hand on her left holds a mirror that illuminates the three realms of phenomenal existence. The middle hand on her right lifts a sharp, sword of wisdom. The middle hand on her left grasps an iron hook of method and compassion. The final hand on her right holds a sharp phurba of fierce liberation. The final hand on her left holds a human skull-cup filled with blood.

She uses a poisonous black snake as a halter for her magnificent black mule. The three upper and lower straps of her saddle are turquoise snakes. Her mount wears a crown of silk ribbons at its ears and is adorned with a necklace of gold, silver, and turquoise Bönpo flat bells.”

“Having accomplished your practices in successive previous lifetimes, Mother Sipé Gyalmo,

you lovingly protect me like a mother protects her very own child.

Like the body and its shadow, you surround me with your love and affection.

Single-pointedly, I supplicate to you from my heart!

Never separated from your loving compassion, 

protect me with your four kinds of peaceful, expansive, powerful, and wrathful activities!

Please act so that whatever goal or intention that I wish for will be accomplished without any hindrance!”

— Sipe Gyalmo’s Entrusted Activity composed by Shardza Rinpoche. Translated by Raven Cypress Wood

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Forty-Three Trainings for an Enlightened Mind And Other Divine Writings by Raven Cypress Wood introduces us to Kündun Sonam Lodro, the 22nd Abbot of Menri Monastery, and his poetic compositions of spiritual guidance. Born in 1784, he was the first of the Menri abbots to forego a life of complete solitary practice for long pilgrimages throughout Tibet. Along the way, he spent time in intensive meditation as well as meeting with faithful followers of Yungdrung Bön and Buddhist monk scholars. In this way, he became renowned for both his incredible intellect and his realization.

In this book, four of Kündun Sonam Lodro’s compositions have been translated into English. Forty-Three Trainings for an Enlightened Mind is a five-part composition of forty-three stanzas that provides guidance for daily living and spiritual development for practitioners of lesser knowledge or capacity, those of ordinary capacity, and for the most advanced practitioners. This epic work inspires the reader to continually follow the path of virtue and truth above all else.

“In order to practice the path of liberation at all times during the day and night, you must have the kind of diligent effort that is like trying to extinguish your hair that has caught on fire.”

—Excerpt from Forty-Three Trainings for an Enlightened Mind

Sherap Gongyal’s Supplication and Experiential Song upon Perceiving the Suffering and Misery of Cyclic Existence is prose of such vivid imagery that it pierces the delusory nature of worldly things and inspires commitment to a meaningful human life and spiritual development.

“Craving for the deep mud of food and property is like covering the eyes with both hands while they are bound together by desire and attachment.

There is no freedom, and one will fall into the muddy depths and become trapped. And so, they remain within the deep mire of cyclic existence.

Lama, think of us! Hold us within your compassion! Lead us along the path of liberation and great bliss, I pray!”

—Excerpt from Sherap Gongyal’s Supplication and Experiential Song upon Perceiving the Suffering and Misery of Cyclic Existence

The Spontaneous Wish-fulfillment of Removing Obstacles from the Path is a commonly recited prayer within the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition. Rather than a composition, this prayer was given to Kündun Sonam Lodro during a vision of the enlightened Khandro Sherap Lo Pélmo and therefore is considered an oral transmission. This prayer is recited either as a daily practice or when needed to remove problems or obstacles. In the colophon of the prayer, it states: “By reciting this prayer a single time, obstacles of an entire year are pacified. By reciting it 100 times, obstacles of one lifetime are pacified.” And, “If you perform this aspiration prayer and request attainments, there will be food for those who need food, clothes for those who need clothes, and so on. Whatever supreme accomplishment that you ask for will happen without a doubt!”

A Flowing River of Supplications and Blessings is a heartfelt homage to the places of ultimate refuge. The beauty of the writing naturally guides the mind of the reader to a state of inspiration and openness.

“Within the king’s palace at the center of my body is the embodiment of all spiritual masters, the root lama, surrounded by a gathering of the guardians of the teachings.

To the one who pacifies all outer and inner obstacles, I devotedly prostrate, present offerings, and supplicate! Compassionately bless me and all other migrating beings!

Without exception, having pacified all illness, obstacles, and external interferences, lead us along the path of liberation and great bliss!”

—Excerpt from A Flowing River of Supplications and Blessings

The English language translation of these writings is followed by the Tibetan text. Additionally, the book contains a brief biographical introduction to Kündun Sonam Lodro, an extensive list of his compositions, a brief history of Menri Monastery together with a list of its thirty-four abbots along with their associated dates.

Forty-Three Trainings for an Enlightened Mind And Other Divine Writings by Raven Cypress Wood is available now through Lulu and can be purchased by following this link: https://www.lulu.com/shop/raven-cypress-wood/forty-three-trainings-for-an-enlightened-mind/paperback/product-wmw97z.html?q=Raven+Cypress+Wood&page=1&pageSize=4

Additionally, it will soon be available at the Ligmincha International Store here: https://ligmincha.org/?s=raven&post_type=product and also through Namse Bangdzo Bookstore, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Tibetan translations by Raven Cypress Wood

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

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November 29th is the birth celebration of the 34th holder of the golden throne of Menri Monastery Lungtok Dawa Dargyal Rinpoché. He was born in Amdo, Tibet and given the birth name Norbu Sampel. He began school at the age of five and began to learn religious chanting at the age of eight. At seventeen, he took novice monk vows and received the name Tsultrim Nyima. The following year, he entered the Dialectic School of Gamel Monastery. In 1994 in Tibet, he met H.H. 33rd Menri Trizin Lungtok Tenpé Nyima Rinpoché and received his full monastic ordination from him, receiving the name Dawa Dargyal Wangpo. In 1996, he completed his Geshe degree and then traveled to Menri Monastery. He then entered the esteemed Dialectic school of Menri Monastery and received his Menri Geshe degree in 2012 in the presence of H.H. 33rd Menri Trizin.

In September 2017, H.H. 34th Menri Trizin displayed the truth of impermanence and passed beyond his physical vessel. At that time, the Geshe from Amdo, Dawa Dargyal, was the general secretary of Menri Monastery and undertook the responsibility of helping to organize the memorial service and cremation ceremony. On January 1st, through the multi-day ritual and prayer ceremony, he was chosen by the Yungdrung Bön protectors to ascend the throne as abbot of Menri Monastery. On February 20, 2018, he was enthroned as the 34th Menri Trizin, holder of the golden throne of the second buddha Nyamme Sherap Gyaltsen.

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