Young Yungdrung Bon monks in Sikkim preparing to receive HH 34th Menri Trizin Rinpoche. Photo credit: Unknown.
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Lama Think of Me!
His Eminence Menri Ponlop Yangton Trinley Nyima Rinpoche. Photo credit: Unknown
“EMAHO!
With the devotion of my body, speech and mind, I pray to the essence of the three Enlightened Bodies, the kind root lama.
Please bestow upon me right now the realization of my own enlightened mind and the meaning of the view, realization and behavior.
May I recognize my natural mind, without modification and free of extremes.
May I recognize the brilliantly clear power of the wisdom of self-awareness.
May the many kinds of unceasing mental perceptions arise as self-appearances.
May I recognize my own enlightened mind, I pray.
Bless me that I may see my true face!
Bless me that self-awareness will arise for me!
Bless me to recognize my own true nature!
Bless me to see my own enlightened mind!
Lama, think of me! Lama, think of me! Lama, think of me!
Hold me, and all other sentient beings, in your compassion, I pray!
Protect us with your compassion, I pray!
Lead us with your compassion, I pray!
A Powa Prayer written by Lord Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen and included in his Kalong Gyatso, An Ocean of Instructions. Translation by Raven Cypress Wood ©2015 All Rights Reserved.
Protection for Travelers
When traveling, one can specifically include the Goddess of Travel, Chammo Lamlha, in the morning smoke offering, and also offer her torma in the evening, while asking for her protection. Although there are longer invocations of her and her retinue, this is a concise invocation that was written by His Holiness 23rd Menri Trizen Nyima Tenzin Rinpoche when he saw her in a vision at the age of thirteen.
SO! Within a mandala of luminous and beautiful jewels,
Seated upon a golden hornet,
Is the majestic and youthful goddess,
Chammo Lam Lha, together with her retinue.
Come here now and keep your protection vow!
Please accept these offerings of smoke and torma.
Act as my companion.
Expel the causes for harm and obstacles.
Please act to accomplish this entrusted activity!
Translation Raven Cypress Wood ©2015 All Rights Reserved. No publication permitted.
Pacifying Suffering and Misery
The DU TRI SU essence mantra blessing the environment. Photo credit: Unknown
“This heart mantra pacifies suffering and misery. Having overturned the depths of the lower realms of cyclic existence, may all beings be liberated into the space of absolute reality!”
From Praise of the DU TRI SU Mantra
Translation: Raven Cypress Wood
The Ninth Way: The Unsurpassed Way
The Tibetan syllable AH surrounded by the five lights in a field of dark blue is often used as a meditative support in dzogchen training.
Among the Nine Ways of Bön, The Ninth Way is the highest. It is the practice of dzogchen, the great perfection. Here, everything is spontaneously perfected and there is no activity to be performed. The view is unbounded and beyond subject and object. Because everything is spontaneously perfected and complete, it is beyond needing the effort of a generating stage and perfection stage. It is beyond the extremes of existence and nonexistence, and without beginning or end. Although it is ineffable, the enlightened Lord Tönpa Shenrap has given guidance using words for those disciples who need instruction. Therefore, this Way is often classified and explained in three parts: the foundation, the path, and the result, or the view, the meditation, and the behavior.
According to the Lord Tönpa Shenrap Miwoche:
“If it is divided into each separate aspect, it has 84,000 elaborations. Condensed inward, it is one essence, a single tiklé.”
Furthermore:
“It cannot be lost. It is not created from a cause, nor is it destroyed by circumstance.”
Although the dzogchen view is the highest and is beyond the dualistic concepts of good and bad, the dzogchen practitioner is not beyond these concepts until they have completely realized the fruit of the teachings, which is buddhahood. Therefore, even if a disciple has a vast and high view, Lord Tönpa Shenrap advises that they maintain behavior according to the path of the two accumulations of virtue and wisdom. Although dzogchen is about knowing and being aware rather than performing any particular behavior or ritual, there are specifics practices that are prescribed to be applied to whatever cause or condition is blocking or interrupting awareness. Central to the practice of dzogchen is the development of the mind of enlightenment, doubtless refuge, and indestructible devotion to one’s root lama who points out the true nature of the disciples mind and gives them advice along the path.
Raven Cypress Wood© 2018
Nine Ways 
