Karmapa Khenno - H.H. the 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje

Karmapa Khenno, Karmapa Khenno, Karmapa Khenno

Karmapa means “the one who carries out buddha-activity” or “the embodiment of all the activities of the buddhas”. Khenno means know me, remember me. 

One of the most important practice in Tibetan Buddhism is Guru Yoga, meditation and mantra on the spiritual head and teacher of the tradition, which is seen as living Buddha, embodiment of three kayas and 10 bhumi (extraordinary powers). 

In Kagyu tradition the head Lama is Gyalwa Karmapa and his mantra is Karmapa Chenno. It is believed sounds of this mantra are directly connected with the enlightened mind of His Holiness Karmapa and carry its enlightened qualities and brings help when it is most necessary for the benefit of student.

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Prior to the birth of the first Karmapa, the arrival of a Buddhist master, who would be known as the Karmapa, had been prophesied by the historical Buddha Shakyamuni and the great tantric master of India, Guru Padmasambhava.  

The Prophecies the coming of the Karmapa in various sutras and tantras. Only a few of the Buddhist masters are prophesied in the sutras and tantras and the Karmapa was certainly one of them. 

From the Samadhiraja Sutra (The King of Samadhi Sutra):

Two thousand years after my passing,

The teachings will spread in the land of the red-faced ones,

Who will be the disciples of Avalokitesvara 

The Bodhisattva Simhanada, known as Karmapa will appear.

Possessing mastery over samadhi, he will tame beings

And establish them in bliss through seeing, hearing, recalling and touching.

Karmapa means “the one who carries out buddha-activity” or “the embodiment of all the activities of the buddhas”. In the Tibetan tradition, great enlightened teachers are said to be able to consciously control their rebirth in order to continue their activity for the benefit of all sentient beings. 

The first Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa, was born in 1110. He was the first of the great Tibetan masters to establish an incarnating lineage of reincarnate Lamas (tulkus) in Tibet. The Karmapas are said to be self-recognized, because each Karmapa normally leaves a letter with their closest students, predicting his next rebirth with detailed information about the rebirth.  

Since his death in 1193, successive Karmapas have incarnated in this form of manifestation in Nirmanakaya body (Sanskirt word) , for sixteen lifetimes so far, and all have played a most important role in preserving and promulgating the Buddhist teachings of Tibet. The present 17th incarnation of the Karmapa is His Holiness Orgyen Trinley Dorje, who was born in Tibet in 1985. 

He is a leading spiritual master of the 21th Century, with a remarkable ability to make the Buddhist teachings relevant in today’s world. His spiritual realisation and his presence, as well as his charisma, clarity and candour captivate old and young alike.

His Holiness is now living in Gyuto Monastery in the Dharamsala region. Thousands of Tibetans, Indian, Nepalese, Bhutanese, Asians, and Westerners visit His Holiness year round.

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Please help us and to develop our Dharma activities that will not only benefit you, but to all Dharma readers on the planet. Please consider showing your support. Your generosity will certainly help us to enhance our work and to accomplish for a better and brighter prospect to come. 

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta
For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen
May it arise and not decrease
But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit
By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.
Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.
May we liberate migrators from the ocean of existence.
With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

Note
I do not own or violated any infringement copyright of these pictures, Pictures courtesy and credit to the rightful owners.

The First Buddhist Monastery Built In Tibet - Samye Monastery

Samye Monastery or Samye Gompa 桑耶寺 and another name for Samye Monastery is Samyuan. "Samye" is the Tibetan language which means"unimaginable". The Monastery is located in the quiet piedmont area of the Shanna region and it was the first constructed under

patronage of King Trisong Detsen (reigned 742-798) of Tibet who sought to revitalize Buddhism, which had declined since its introduction by King Songtsan Gampo in the 7th century. 

There were many obscuration and obstacles to construct the Monastery. According to tradition, the Indian monk Shantarakshita made the first attempt to construct the Monastery while promoting his sutra-centric version of Buddhism. Finding the Samye site auspicious, he set about to build a structure there. However, the building would always collapse after reaching certain stage and many attempts to re-construct the Monastery but, eventually the building would collapse repeatedly. Terrified, the construction workers believed that the collapsed was caused by the local malevolent demons in a nearby river.

When Shantarakshita's contemporary Padmasambhava arrived from northern India, he was able to subdue the energetic problems obstructing the building of Samye. According to the 5th Dalai Lama, Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambhava performed the Vajrakilaya dance and enacted the rite of namkha to assist Trisong Detsen and Santarakshita clear away obscurations and hindrances in the building of Samye. 

The great Indian master Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambhava performed this dance in order to prepare the ground for the Samye Monastery and to pacify the malice of the lha ,  (local mountain spirits) and srin (malevolent spirits) in order to create the most perfect conditions. The 5th Dalai Lama  went on to say that after Padmasambhava consecrated the ground, he erected a thread-cross — a web colored thread woven around two sticks — to catch evil. Then the purifying energy of his dance forced the malevolent spirits into a skull mounted on top of a pyramid of dough. 

His Tantric dance cleared away all the obstacles, enabling the Monastery to be built in 767. The dance was memorialized by the construction of Vajrakilaya stupas — monuments honoring the ritual kilya (purba) daggers. There are  four colored of Stupas, the white, red, black and green at the cardinal points of the monastery that represent the four Mandalas or the four Heavenly Kings where they would prevent  and suppress devils and demonic forces from entering the sacred grounds. 

Guru Rinpoche and his closest disciple Yeshé Tsogyal travelled all over Tibet and the Himalayas, and blessed and consecrated the entire land, especially: “the twenty snow mountains of Ngari, the twenty-one Sadhana places of U and Tsang, the twenty-five great pilgrimage places of Dokham, the three hidden lands, five ravines, three valleys and one region.”

Guru Padmasambhava made many prophecies about the future, and together with Yeshe Tsogyal concealed countless Terma teachings, in order to: prevent the destruction of the teachings of the secret Vajrayana; avoid corruption of the Vajrayana or its alteration by intellectuals; preserve the blessing; and benefit future followers. For each of these Terma treasures, he predicted the time for its revelation, the identity of the Revealer, and those who would receive and hold the teachings. 

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta
For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen
May it arise and not decrease
But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit
By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.
Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.
May we liberate migrators from the ocean of existence.
With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

Note
I do not own or violated any infringement copyright of these pictures, Pictures courtesy and credit to the rightful owners.

The Living Encyclopedia of Tibet - Thangka Painting

In 1959 when the Chinese Communist invaded in Tibet and had destroyed a lot of monasteries, including many of the traditions treasures, holy statues and sacred manuscripts and Thangkas. In Tibet, the Thangkas are extremely sacred and it's so important and can be considered as a living Encyclopedia to the entire Vajrayana Buddhism. The Thangkas are used in temples & monasteries and as well can be hung above at the altars to support for our meditation and practices. 

Thangka is considered to convey a sacred message to the practitioners when meditating and looking attentively for a particular holy image. A Thangka could serve as a teaching of Buddha and every detail on it has a profound meaning and the painting refers to some parts of the Buddhist philosophy. A Buddha painting also helps the Buddhist meditations as it shows you how to visualize the Deity.

Thangka is a Tibetan silk painting with embroidery, usually depicting a Buddhist deity, scene, or mandala of some sort. The Thangka is not a flat creation like an oil painting or acrylic painting , but consists of a picture panel, which is painted or embroidered over which a textile is mounted and then over which is laid a cover, usually silk. 

Generally, Thangkas last a very long time and retain much of their lustre, but because of their delicate nature, they have to be kept in dry places where moisture won't affect the quality of the silk. It is sometimes called a scroll-painting. Thangka performs several different functions. Images of deities can be used as teaching tools when depicting the life of the Buddha, describing historical events concerning important Lamas, or retelling myths associated with other deities. 

Overall, and perhaps most importantly, religious art is used as a meditation tool to help bring one further down the path to enlightenment. 

You can now easily learn more and can download it from iTunes here for about this astonishingly beautiful Tibetan Thangka of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Deity, Dakini, Guru Rinpoche.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD NOW

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world. 

Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migrators from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

Note

I do not own or violated any infringement of copyright of these pictures, Pictures courtesy and credit to the rightful owners.

Vajrakilaya Introduction Practice To Tibet By Guru Rinpoche

Vajrakilaya is a Sankirt word and in Tibetan is called Dorje Phurba— the wrathful Heruka Vajrakilaya is the Yidam deity who embodies the enlightened activity of all the Buddhas and whose practice is famous for being the most powerful for removing obstacles, destroying the forces hostile to compassion and purifying the spiritual pollution so prevalent in this age.

Vajrakilaya, or Kila, means something sharp, and something that pierces – a dagger. A dagger that is so sharp it can pierce anything, while at the same time nothing can pierce it. That is the quality. This sharp and piercing energy is what is used to practice and out of the many infinites, endless Vajrayana methods this happens to be one of the most important methods.”  

Vajrakilaya has 3 heads, 6 arms, and 4 legs. In his upper right hands he holds 2 Vajras (weapons), and in his middle left hand a trident-tipped khatvanga power-scepter. Vajrakilaya holds his symbol – the Phurbu dagger in his lower right and left hands. Despite the large fangs and bulging eyes and his wrathful appearance,Vajrakilaya is perceived as having a benevolent demeanor. 

Vajrakilaya (enlightened activity) The deity representing enlightened activity is Vajrakilaya. In peaceful form, he is Vajrasattva, in semi-wrathful form he is Vajravidarana (Tibetan word is Dorje Namjom), in wrathful form he is Vajrapani, and in extremely wrathful form he is Vajrakilaya.  Vajrakilaya in Vajrayana Buddhism is considered to be one of the most potent mantras to dissolve the obstacles in your life. 

The practice can help to remove inner fear, cut self-clinging, and also help understand and realize the nature of the mind.It's said that the mantra shouldn't be recited loudly and openly due to the power of the mantra could post threats  and causing a great sufferings and inflict harm, pain, or misery to the worldly spirits. 

Vajrakilaya is a significant Vajrayana deity who transmutes and transcends obstacles and obscurations. Vajrakila is the divine form that governs the Kila. Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambhava achieved realization through practicing ‘Yangdag Heruka‘ but he first practiced Vajrakilaya to clean and clear obstacles and obscurations. 

In the biography of Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambhava it is recorded that he travelled to the northern land of Kashakamala, where the cult of the Kila prevailed. Later, whilst meditating on the deity Yangdak Heruka in the ‘Asura Cave’ at Parping in the Kathmandu valley, he experienced many obstructions from the Maras, and in order to subjugate them he requests the Kila Vitotama Tantras to be brought from India. 

The First Buddhist Samye Monastery built in Tibet

When Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambhava Having established and consecrated the very first Tibetan Buddhist Samye Monastery with the Vajrakilaya rituals, he tamed the local spirit protector, Pehar Gyalp, and bound him by oath to become the head of the entire hierarchy of Buddhist protective spirits. Pehar, later known as Dorje.

The first transmission that Padmasambhava gave to his twenty-five ‘heart disciples’, in order to eliminate the hindrances to the propagation of the Buddhadharma in Tibet, where the teachings of the Vajrakilaya Tantra. From its early Nyingma origins the practice of Vajrakilaya as a yidam deity with the power to cut through any obstructions was absorbed into all schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

Guru Rinpoche and his closest disciple Yeshé Tsogyal travelled all over Tibet and the Himalayas, and blessed and consecrated the entire land, especially: “the twenty snow mountains of Ngari, the twenty-one Sadhana places of Ü and Tsang, the twenty-five great pilgrimage places of Dokham, the three hidden lands, five ravines, three valleys and one region.”

Guru Padmasambhava made many prophecies about the future, and together with Yeshé Tsogyal concealed countless Terma teachings, in order to: prevent the destruction of the teachings of the secret Tantrayana; avoid corruption of the Vajrayana or its alteration by intellectuals; preserve the blessing; and benefit future followers. For each of these Terma treasures, he predicted the time of its revelation, the identity of the Revealer, and those who would receive and hold the teachings. 

A place called Tiger’s Lair, Taktsang in Bhutan, Guru Rinpoche manifested in “the terrifying wrathful form of crazy wisdom”, binding worldly spirits under oath to protect the Terma treasures and serve the Dharma. Then he was named Dorje Drolo, ‘Wild Wrathful Vajra’ and the fierce manifestation of Vajrakilaya (wrathful Vajrasattva).

In requesting and entering the *empowerment mandala of Vajrakilaya, you should set your motivation, first and foremost, as being not just for yourself, but in order to gain the capacity to liberate all sentient beings. Let your altruistic aspiration be the liberation of all sentient beings from their sufferings. The process is called empowerment, or initiation . 

It is a key element to the practices of Vajrayana Buddhism. The initiation is necessary to practice. Just as perfume essences are grounded from various substances and made into oils, if they are not grounded and made into oils there will be no scent.

* Footnote 

For those who had received the empowerment of this Trantric practice, you are reminded not intentionally or unintentionally to disclose the mantra to the public or anyone who may not have the empowerment or permission to practice, and by disclosing the mantra intentionally or unintentionally is a form of breaking your Trantric Samaya vows to the lineage masters and Dharma protectors. 

Please consult your Guru or a qualified lineage master for Vajrayana practice! Should a devotee even want to start studying and contemplating the Vajrayana practice, then it is truly necessary to first have completed the preliminaries and to be certain and sure that Bodhicitta has arisen and developed in one’s mind.

Vajrayana features countless skillful and powerful methods which, if they are practiced in the proper way, can make the process of accumulation and purification incredibly swift and direct. It is absolutely necessary to have the pure motivation and to know that Vajrayana practice is not carried out to increase one’s own ego, power and profit.

Do you earnestly cherish our devoted work? Assuming this is the case, we are delighted that you are finding our blog useful and valuable. Would you consider making a donation for our Buddhist research and development?  

We need your help to secure the future of scholarly interaction with Buddhism. Since our very first publication of Dharma works and activities in the year 2008, we had been effortlessly providing free distribution of Dharma posts and articles throughout the previous 10 years.  We have exceptionally constrained supports and do not receive subsidized or funding from people in general. 


Please help us and to develop our Dharma activities that will not only benefit you, but to all Dharma readers on the planet. Please consider showing your support. Your generosity will certainly help us.

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease

But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migrators from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

*Note
I do not own or infringe any copyright of the picture(s).
Picture(s) courtesy and credit to the rightful distributors and or studios.
Picture(s) is/are intended for editorial use only.

The Benefits of Reciting Guru Rinpoche Vajra Mantra

If what you wish for does not happen as I have promised, I, Padma, have deceived sentient beings—absurd! I have not deceived you—it will happen just as I’ve promised.- By Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambhava.

Yeshe Tsogyal, made a great outer, inner and secret mandala offering and humbly asked:

“O, Master Lotus Born, the work you have done for the welfare of all sentient beings here in Tibet, in this and in future lives, is vast. No one of such extreme kindness has ever come before, nor shall any come again. The practices you have given us are like essential nectar; though I am a lowly woman, of this I have no doubt. However, sentient beings in the future will have profuse thoughts and tremendous aggression; they will have wrong views towards the Holy Dharma, and in particular they will blaspheme the supreme teachings of the Secret Mantra. At that time, plague, famine and war will be widespread amongst sentient beings, and in particular, China, Tibet and Mongolia will be destroyed like ants’ nests, and a time of terrible suffering will befall the Tibetans.

“You have spoken of many ways to remedy these afflictions, but beings in the future will have no time to practice. Those who do have a slight inclination towards practice will be beset by powerful obstacles. Beings will not get along with one other; supplies and materials will be insufficient. Such terrible times as these will be extremely difficult to avert. In such times, Guru, what are the benefits of relying solely upon the practice of the Vajra Guru mantra? For the benefit of people of weak intellect in the future, I humbly entreat you to tell us.”

Guru Rinpoche spoke thus: -

In such future times, that practice will definitely be of short and long term benefit for sentient beings. Although I have concealed many earth treasures, water treasures, rock treasures, sky treasures and so on which contain unfathomable pith instructions and methods of practice, in the degenerate times it will be terribly difficult for fortunate beings to find the conditions and circumstances to meet with the teachings; this is a sign that beings’ merit is running out.

“However, in such times as those, this essential Vajra Guru mantra—if recited with vast bodhicitta aspiration in great sacred places, in monasteries, on the peaks of high mountains and the shores of vast rivers, in places inhabited by gods, demons and evil spirits, at the heads of valleys, geophysical junctions and so on—by ngakpas with unbroken samaya, vow-holding monastics, faithful men, women of fine qualities, and the like, however many times:—

One hundred, one thousand, ten thousand, one hundred thousand, ten million, one hundred million, etc.—will bring inconceivable benefits and powers. Countries everywhere will be protected from all plague, famine, warfare, armed violence, poor harvests, bad omens and evil spells. Rain will fall on time, harvests and livestock will be excellent, and lands will prosper. In this life, future lives, and on the pathways of the bardo, fortunate practitioners will meet me again and again.

“Even one hundred recitations per day without interruption will make you attractive to others, and food, wealth and enjoyments will appear effortlessly. If you recite the mantra one thousand, ten thousand, or more times per day, you will bring others under your influence with your brilliance, and blessings and powers will be continuously and unobstructedly obtained. 

If you perform one hundred thousand, ten million or more recitations, the three worlds will come under your power, the three levels of existence will fall under your glorious sway, gods and spirits will be at your bidding, the four modes of enlightened activity will be accomplished without hindrance, and you will be able to bring immeasurable benefit to all sentient beings in whatever ways are needed. 

If you can do thirty million, seventy million or more recitations, you will never be separate from the Buddhas of the three times nor ever apart from me; thus, the eight classes of gods and spirits will obey your orders, praise your words, and accomplish whatever tasks you entrust to them.

“At best, practitioners will attain the rainbow body; failing that, at the time of death, mother and child luminosities will meet; and at the very least, they will see me in the bardo and all their perceptions having been liberated into their essential nature, they will be reborn in Ngayab Ling and accomplish immeasurable benefit for sentient beings.”

The Living Journal - Losing Your Religion ?

If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him like a shadow that never leaves him. --Dhammapada 1:1-2

Do not be ever thinking of yourself and forgetting that there are others; for you have no karma of your own, but the karma of each one is the karma of all. -- Echoes of the Orient 1:482

In fact, every religion presents this idea, but few people, apparently, understand or accept it. Granted, karma is a complicated subject and leaves many wondering: What exactly is karma, and how does it work? Can, or should, we seek to escape "bad karmic situations"? And why has karma being called the Law of the Universe. 

Indeed, one kind thought can open our nature to the blessings that may fan out to benefit thousands. One unkind thought can attract that not only poisons our system, but spreads to others liable to be afflicted to. Still, another thought can affect the behavior of hundreds, bringing them back time and again to the fields of their plantings. 

Some think that karma is administered by almighty God who rewards the good and punishes evildoers. In reality, each individual makes his own karma: we are our karma. We reward and punish ourselves: every incident and situation we find ourselves in is the result of causes we generated in the past. Daily we observe how loving thoughts and deeds make us happy and healthy; mean and selfish thoughts and deeds sicken and depress us and those around us, turning them from us in anger or fear. 

As it's said in Guru Rinpoche  Puja, living beings and their environments are filled with unbelievable problems and sufferings, coming one after another like rainfall, sufferings that are the results of negative karma. 

Many questions raised and asked for a thousand times when one has met adverse or hostile conditions and :-

[1] I have practiced with my devotion faithfully, Why ?

[2] I had prayed every day, Why ?

[3] I have chanted a thousand and a thousand of mantra daily,Why ?

[4] I am a vegetarian and practicing compassion and loving kindness, Why ?

[5] I do charity works and being a charitable person, Why ?

[6] I am suffering a serious illness, Why ?

[7] Is my practise gone wild, Why ?

[8] Buddha or Bodhisattva not responding to my prayers, Why?

Give up hope and lose my faith and religion completely and negative thoughts are powerful to destroy our faith and will always remind you to give up your faiths . Your fears of practise, the more you practise ,and more hostile obstacles will chase after you! 

So you may think to stay away from the spiritual path or Dharma activities, because you are afraid of your negative karma will be ripen and causing you to have many adverse obstacles, bad luck, sufferings or deadly illnesses. It means, we do not understand what Dharma is, you can think, "I'm exhausted so much of my negative karma now that I've accumulated throughout countless of my past lives.". 

It's just like the weathers, the four seasons of Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter will arrive naturally whether you like it or not. So whether you are practicing Dharma or not , our good and negative karma will be knocking our door naturally. 

For example, when you wash a dirty piece of cloth, the water becomes black with dirt. You don't see the black dirt as a negative thing since it means the cloth is getting clean. Rejoice! You should feel great joy about finishing the karma instead of seeing the negative and obstacles are something bad.

In the same way, when we practice Dharma, our negative karma can be ripen causing you to get sick or unwell or obstacles, because you're purifying so much negative karma by practicing Dharma. So you should rejoice when you are having difficulties in life.

"Please grant me blessings to see my obstacles as exhausting the results of my negative karmic imprints, and bless me always transform bad conditions into the path to enlightenment." 

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease

But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

Note

I do not own or violated any infringement of copyright of these pictures, Pictures courtesy and credit to the rightful owners.

The Phenomena of The Tibetan Nechong Oracle (1/2)

The word oracle is an ancient Greek word that can be found in the Oxford dictionaries, and the simple definition means "a priest or priestess acting as a medium through whom advice or prophecy was sought from the gods in classical antiquity."

In the Tibetan tradition, the word oracle is used for a spirit that enters those men and women who act as mediums between the natural and spiritual realms. The mediums are, therefore, known as kuten, which literally means "the physical basis."

 

According to Tibetan tradition, Guru Rinpoche said Padmasambhava was born on a lotus in a Dhanakosha Lake on the tenth day of the monkey (fifth) month in the Year of the Monkey.  

When Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambhava, consecrated Samye Monastery with the Vajrakilaya dance, he tamed the local spirit protector, Pehar Gyalp, and bound him by oath to become the head of the entire hierarchy of Buddhist protective spirits. Pehar, later known as Dorje Drakden, became the principal protector of His Holiness The Dalai Lama, manifesting through the Nechung Oracle.

The Communist Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959.
After years of guerrilla war between Tibetan rebels and Chinese soldiers in a land that China considered to be its territory, thousands of protesters surrounded the Dalai Lama’s palace in Lhasa to keep His Holiness from being abducted, arrested, or assassinated. 

Over the following days, the State of the Oracle, the Dalai Lama’s advisor, urged him to flee. The Tibetan government-in-exile reports, variously, 87,000 deaths for Tibetans, and this included the monks and nuns during the rebellion.

According to the Dalai Lama, "Tibetans rely on oracles for various reasons. The purpose of the oracles is not just to foretell the future. They are called upon as protectors and sometimes used as healers. However, their primary function is to protect the Buddha Dharma and its practitioners. 

Who is the Tibetan Oracle?

The Nechung Oracle, a medium for both prophecies and warnings, has been the protector of Tibet since the eighth century. Today, the Oracles are living in Dharamsala who speaks perfect English. The Nechung Oracle, Thubten Ngodrup, poses with a small companion.

                               The Venerable Thupten Ngodup, the state oracle of Tibet

Who is the current Nechung Oracle?

The current Nechung Kuten (medium of the chief state oracle), Ven. Thupten Ngodup, was born on July 13, 1958, in Phari, Tibet. He is a descendant of the famous Tibetan Tantric Master Nga-dak Nyang-relwa (1136–1204).

Ngodup was born in Tibet in 1958 and fled to Dharamsala in 1966 after the Chinese took control of his home country. He entered the Nechung Monastery, established in exile there, at the age of 12. The monastery, originally located near the capital of Lhasa in Tibet, has been closely tied to the succession of Dalai Lamas for centuries, as well as to the oracle.

According to the Nechung Foundation website, the monastery has been known as the seat of the State Oracle of Tibet since the 17th century, when the fifth Dalai Lama pronounced the oracle "the chief protector of the Tibetan Government, responsible for peace and harmony on earth."

While at the monastery, Ngodup served as chief ritual assistant to the Nechung oracle and was recognised as his successor when that oracle died.

Who is the female oracle of Tibet?

Her title is Rangjung Neljorma self-arisen dakini. She is also the state oracle of Tsering Chenga, the goddess protector of Tibet. The female Khadro-la, Khadro-la is the State Medium of the Tenma Oracle (The Tenma Goddesses are the Twelve Guardian Deities of Tibetan Buddhism).

What does Khandro mean in Tibetan?

The Tibetan term 'Khandro' literally means 'sky-goer', indicating one who traverses the 'sky' of the expanse of wisdom. The masculine form of the word is Daka, which is usually translated into Tibetan as pawo "hero"

Tibet takes a special position in the world in certain respects: even nowadays the Tibetan Government employs an oracle and it regularly consults him on governmental, political issues as well as on personal matters concerning the Dalai Lama. 

The phenomenon of oracles remains an important part of the Tibetan way of life. Tibetans rely on oracles for various reasons. The purpose of the oracles is not just to foretell the future. They are called upon as wisdom protectors and sometimes used as healers. However, their primary function is to protect the Buddha Dharma and its practitioners. 

Donations for our Buddhist research and development

Do you earnestly cherish our devoted work? Assuming this is the case, we are delighted that you are finding our blog useful and valuable. Would you consider making a donation for our Buddhist research and development?

We need your help to secure the future of scholarly interaction with Buddhism. Since our very first publication of Dharma works and activities in 2008, we have been effortlessly providing free distribution of Dharma posts and articles throughout the previous 14 years. We have exceptionally constrained support and do not receive subsidies or funding from people in general.

 

Please help us develop our Dharma activities that will not only benefit you but all Dharma readers on the planet. Please consider showing your support. Your generosity will certainly help us enhance our work and accomplish more for a better and brighter future.

 

Thank you for reading. May you find peace and great bliss. With your support, it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turn the Dharma wheels in the world.

 

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease.

But increase further and further.

 

Dedication of Merit

By this merit, may we then obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrongdoings

May we liberate migratory from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness, and death.

 

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