Yeshe kyi spyan, Buddha Wisdom Eyes and Miksang

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"On virtually every stupa, which is a shrine of Buddhism, in Nepal, there are giant pairs of eyes staring out from the four sides of the main tower.......These are Buddha Eyes (also known as Wisdom Eyes), and they look out in the four directions to symbolize the omniscience (all-seeing) of a Buddha. The Buddha eyes are so prevalent throughout the country that they have become a symbol of Nepal itself......Between the Buddha's eyes where the nose would be is a curly symbol that looks like question mark. This is the Nepali character for the number 1, which symbolizes unity of all the things as well as the one way to reach enlightenment—through the Buddha's teachings. Above this is a third eye, symbolizing the all-seeing wisdom of the Buddha.".......Swayambunath Stupa, Kathmandu - Sacred Destinations

"The earliest written record of the Swayambunath Stupa's existence is a 5th-century stone inscription, but scholars believe there was probably a shrine here as early as the 1st century. Even before that, it is likely that animist rites took place on this hill. Swayambunath is one of Nepal's oldest Buddhist temples and it has an ancient atmosphere, especially when one approaches on foot with the pilgrims."...http://www.sacred-destinations.com/nepal/kathmandu-swayambhunath-stupa

Number one....ek (A-kh) .... १ .... एक ...... Ek

Ancient buddhism stupa with buddha eyes in gyantse tibet.

"Miksang is a Tibetan word meaning "good eye." It represents a form of contemplative photography based on the Dharma Art teachings of Chögyam Trungpa, in which the eye is in synchronisation with the contemplative mind. The result of this particular perception of the world, combined with photography, produces a peculiar and open way of seeing the world. ".....Midal, Fabrice (2004) Chögyam Trungpa: His Life and Vision

"Dzi bead (Tib. གཟི།; pronounced "zee"; alternative spelling: gzi) is a type of stone bead of uncertain origin worn as part of a necklace and sometimes as a bracelet. In several Asian cultures, including that of Tibet, the bead is considered to provide positive spiritual benefit. These beads are generally prized as protective amulets ......The number of "eyes," circular designs on the Dzi stones, is considered significant. The symbolic meaning of these beads is based on the number and arrangement of the dots. The highest number of eyes on ancient dzi is twelve....Dzi stones made their first appearance between 2000 and 1000 BC.....a few hundred thousand were supposedly brought back by Tibetan soldiers from Persia or ancient Tajikistan during a raid. The malicious effect of the “evil eye” was taken very seriously by these people. Dzi were considered to counteract the evil eye. The artisans who made the dzi created amulets with “eyes” on them as a “fight fire with fire” form of protection."....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzi_bead

An ancient goat eye bead from a site in Warad-Sin, Iraq. This ancient Mesopotamian bead is very similar to the Luk Mik beads used by Tibetans. Beads like these are also found in Afghanistan and Bactria.

"Five eyes.....The five kinds of vision, or literally “five eyes” (Skt. pañcacakṣu; Tib. chen nga; Wyl. spyan lnga) are:
Māṃsacakṣu.....the eye of flesh (Skt. māṃsacakṣu; Wyl. sha’i spyan), which refers to an eye faculty developed through the force of one’s merit, having the ability to see all forms, gross or subtle, from one hundred leagues through to the limits of the three thousand-fold universe;
Divyacakṣu.... the divine eye (Skt. divyacakṣu; Wyl. lha’i spyan), which is the effortless ability to see the births and deaths of all beings and is a result of the practice of meditation in past lives... From a human perspective, devas share the characteristic of being invisible to the physical human eye. The presence of a deva can be detected by those humans who have opened the divyacaksu (Pali: dibbacakkhu),
Prajñācakṣu.....the wisdom eye (Skt. prajñācakṣu; Wyl. shes rab kyi spyan), which sees the truth of dharmata;
Dharmacakṣu.....the Dharma eye (Skt. dharmacakṣu; Wyl. chos kyi spyan), which is the knowledge of the Dharma of scripture (or transmission) and realization, and of the faculties of noble beings who possess this Dharma;
Buddhacakṣu.....the Buddha eye (Skt. buddhacakṣu; Wyl. ye shes kyi spyan), which is the primordial wisdom (yeshé) that sees all aspects of everything that can be known.... ability to the appearance and the natural purity of phenomenon at the same time.........ye shes kyi spyan.......the eye of wisdom [RY].......spyan lnga, eye of wisdom [JV].........wisdom eyes [RY] .
.......http://www.rigpawiki.org

"...the five eyes; five levels of vision/ clairvoyance: the physical eye, divine eye, the eye of knowledge, the Dharma eye, and the buddha eye. [TRS 56-2] expl; the five eyes, ཤའི་སྤྱན་ལྷའི་སྤྱན་ཤེས་རབ་ཀྱི་སྤྱན་ཆོས་ཀྱི་སྤྱན་སངས་རྒྱས་ཀྱི་སྤྱན་ "......http://dictionary.thlib.org

"From the heart to the eyes there is a connecting vessel-path (maidao). It is the most secret duct (ji mimi guan) like crystal whose name is Kati. ...This Crystal Duct is a vessel-path linking the heart to the eyes and is qualified as li ..., "a principle absolutely free from any error".......the Far-reaching Water Lamp is a vessel that from the navel wheel passes through the heart and opens into the eyes. From the back of the brain it divides into two branches which look like wild ox horns (below the brain it becomes a single root). ...The smooth and luminous tip of this horn-like branch is the pupil; it is "like the light on the surface of clear water allowing light to move and reflecting objects; this is why it is called Vessel of the Far-reaching Water Lamp ... ." It is at the same time a synonym of the Crystal Duct, the "principle" which links the four following vessels (Ch. qimai ...) :
(1) Kati—The Great Golden Vessel (Ch. gadi／jiadi da jinmai ..., Tib. ka ti gser gyi rtsa chen) located inside the central channel and linking this channel to the center of the heart;
(2) The White Silk Thread Vessel (Ch. baisixian mai ..., Tib. dar dkar skud pa) enclosed in the Kati Vessel and going through the Brahmå Cavity (Ch. fanxue ..., Tib. tshang bu). This is the path for the practice of transferring consciousness (Ch. powa ..., kaiding fa ..., Tib. ’pho ba);
(3) The Subtly Coiled Vessel (Ch. xixuan mai ..., Tib. phra la ’dril ba) located inside the four wheels of navel, heart, throat, and sinciput;
(4) The Crystal Duct Vessel (Ch. jingguan mai ..., Tib. shel sbug can), a synonym of the Vessel of the Far-reaching Water Lamp, is the channel which links the heart to the eyes and supports the manifestations of countless luminous spheres and bright strands (Ch. wushu mingdian lianxi guangming ...).
....."rDzogs-chen in China".......rDzogs-chen is Bon........Monica Esposito : "rDzogs-chen in China : from Chan to "Tibetan Tantrism"". In :- E’COLE FRANC,AISE D’EXTRE^ME-ORIENT, E’TUDES THE’MATIQUES 22 = Monica Esposito (editrix) : Images of Tibet in the 19th and 20th Centuries. 2 Voll., continuously paginated. Paris, 2008. pp. 473-548 (in 2nd Vol.). ......http://texts.00.gs/rDzogs-Chen_in_China.htm

Four lamps (Wyl. sgron ma bzhi) — terms related to the path of tögal
the far-reaching water lamp (rgyang zhags chu'i sgron ma)
the lamp of the basic space of awareness (rig pa dbyings kyi sgron ma)
the lamp of empty spheres (thig le stong pa'i sgron ma)
the lamp of naturally arising wisdom (shes rab rang byung gi sgron ma)
http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Four_lamps

"Ajna (Sanskrit: आज्ञा, IAST: Ājñā, English: "command") or third-eye chakra is the sixth primary chakra according to Hindu tradition......Ajna is white in color, with two white petals. Inside the pericarp is the Shakti Hakini. It is depicted with a white moon, six faces, and six arms holding a book, a skull, a drum, and a rosary, while making the gestures associated with granting boons and dispelling fears. The downward pointing triangle above her contains a moon-white lingum. In some systems the deity Ardhanarishvara, a hermaphrodite form of Shiva-Shakti, symbolising the primordial duality of subject and object, resides within the lingum. Above that triangle is another smaller triangle containing the bija mantra, Aum......Bija or Seed mantra: The seed syllable is Aum, or "Pranava Om," the supreme sound."....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajna

"The Eye Of Horus is an Egyptian symbol of protection, royal power and good health. Horus was the ancient Egyptian sky god who was usually depicted as a falcon, and his right eye was associated with the Sun God RA who ruled in all parts of the created world: The Sky, The Earth and The Underworld.....The Egyptians worshipped the Sun as the sun was seen as the ruler of all of creation. RA is always shown with a sacred sun disk on his head which represents enlightenment and connection to Divine Intelligence."

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Email....okarresearch@gmail.com

June 2015

John Hopkins....Northern New Mexico

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Breath is Time: the Kalachakra and So Hum Breathing

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"Time and the Kalachakra....The fundamental basis of Indian astronomy is a simple expression: "Breath is Time". ...http://www.shivashakti.com/jyot2.htm

"The Kālacakra tradition revolves around the concept of time (kāla) and cycles (chakra): from the cycles of the planets, to the cycles of human breathing, it teaches the practice of working with the most subtle energies within one's body on the path to enlightenment....The Kālacakra refers to many different traditions: for example, it is related to Hindu Shaiva, Samkhya, Vaishnava, Vedic, Upanishadic and Puranic traditions and also to Jainism. The Kālacakra mandala includes deities which are equally accepted by Hindus, Jains and Buddhists."....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalachakra

"In the book “In Search of the Miraculous”, an account of Gurdjieff’s teaching by his student P.D.Ouspensky, there is a section relating how Gurdjieff stated that “time is breath”.......Ouspensky began to elaborate on that hint by starting with the human breath....‘Without mastering breathing, nothing can be mastered.’ – P.D. Ouspensky....

"So Hum........Soham (सो ऽहम् so 'ham) is the Sanskrit for "I am That". ....When used for meditation, "Soham" acts as a natural mantra to control one's breathing pattern, to help achieve deep breath, and to gain concentration.
Sooooo... is the sound of inhalation, and is remembered in the mind along with that inhalation.
Hummmm... is the sound of exhalation, and is remembered in the mind along with that exhalation.
Soham is also considered a mantra in Tantrism and Kriya Yoga, known also as Ajapa mantra.... also designated as Hamsa, Hansa, Sohum, So Ham, or So Hum."

"The in-breath is Shakti, feminine, welcoming in, getting fuller. The out breath Shiva, masculine, going towards, emptying... Shiva advises Shakti to be mindful of prana and apana ....Breath is the link between body, mind and spirit. Each breath is a reflection of our desire to live. When that desire to live stops, we stop breathing. Our thoughts and emotions are reflections of the breath and the desire to live. As long as we live in this body, we retain breath, desire, thoughts and emotions."...Shakti & Shiva: Vigyana Bhairava Tantra.....The Vigyan Bhairav Tantra (Sanskrit: विज्ञान भैरव तन्त्र, Vijñāna Bhairava Tantra) is a key text of the Trika school of Kashmir Shaivism. Cast as a discourse between the god Shiva and his consort Devi or Shakti, it briefly presents 112 meditation methods or centering techniques (dharanas). These include several variants of breath awareness, concentration on various centers in the body, non-dual awareness, chanting, imagination and visualization and contemplation through each of the senses."

"Shiva Shakti Yab Yum Position.....One of the most common Tantra practices is called Yab Yum, or “Father Mother”. Yab Yum leans on the energetic gender polarity of a man and woman as it manifests in sexual union (intercourse.) The man sits with his legs crossed (Easy Pose or “Criss-Cross Applesauce”) and the woman sits facing him on his lap with her legs wrapped around his torso and lower back. Together, they represent Shiva and Shakti, the complementary divine masculine and feminine energies.....Spend a few minutes slowing and synchronizing your breath.....Pause at the top of each inhalation and at the bottom of each exhalation, creating a moment of mutual stillness..... continue to focus on the breath as the main point of connection.".....Tantra 101: A Practical Guide to Yab Yum. ~ Zoë Kors......http://www.elephantjournal.com/

"Prāṇāyāma (Sanskrit: प्राणायाम prāṇāyāma) is a Sanskrit word meaning "extension of the prāṇa or breath" or "extension of the life force". The word is composed of two Sanskrit words: prana, life force, or vital energy, (noted particularly as the breath), and ayāma, to extend or draw out. (Not "restrain, or control" as is often translated from yam instead of ayāma)."

" ...fourteen different meanings for the word prāṇa (Devanagari: प्राण, prāṇa) including...
Breath, respiration
The breath of life, vital air, principle of life (usually plural in this sense, there being five such vital airs generally assumed, but three, six, seven, nine, and even ten are also spoken of)
Energy, vigor
The spirit or soul

"... prāṇa as "spirit-energy". Its most subtle material form is the breath, but is also to be found in blood, and its most concentrated form is semen in men and vaginal fluid in women."

"...Ujjayi breathing is a breath technique employed in a variety of Taoist and Yoga practices. In relation to Yoga, it is sometimes called "the ocean breath". Unlike some other forms of pranayama, the ujjayi breath is typically done in association with asana practice.....Ujjayi is a diaphragmatic breath, which first fills the lower belly (activating the first and second chakras), rises to the lower rib cage (the third and fourth chakras), and finally moves into the upper chest and throat. The technique is very similar to the three-part Tu-Na breathing found in Taoist Qigong practice.....Inhalation and exhalation are both done through the nose....."Ujjayi" comes from the Sanskrit prefix "ud" (उद्) added to it and root "ji" (जि): "ujji" (उज्जि), meaning "to be victorious". Ujjayi (उज्जायी), thus means "one who is victorious". Ujjayi breath means "victorious breath"."

Qasab breathing practice....http://sufihealingorder.info/international-training-course/homework-seminar-2/healer-qasab/

A simple breathing practice by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche....."It is much easier to clear negative thought patterns using the breath than it is using the mind alone. For example, how do you experience a lack of confidence? First you may think to yourself, “Oh, I want to do that!” Then a second thought arises: “I might not be able to do it — I can’t!” Just thinking about your lack of confidence is unlikely to change it. So in that moment, rather than criticizing and judging the second thought that lacks confidence, simply be aware of it. Host that thought in the stillness, silence, and spaciousness. Then, take a deep breath, and as you breathe out, release that thought. It’s like seeing junk mail in your inbox and pressing the delete button; breathing out is like pressing "delete." Right after the exhalation, you will discover a new space within you. That new space is a source of confidence that you can then cultivate."— Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, explaining the role of wind, or prana, in the practice of the Nine Breathings of Purification......http://www.dharmawheel.net

"..... in the past scientist believed the universe was retracting, but now they believe it is expanding, could it be that the universe pulses like breathing in and out.....The universe has been expanding from the beginning. Until about ten years ago, it was thought that it was slowing due to gravity. Then, in a completely unexpected discovery that took the cosmological world by total surprise, it was discovered that the universe had been slowing down until about 6-8 billion years ago, but that since then it has been accelerating."....http://cosmoquest.org

"...The ekpyrotic universe, or ekpyrotic scenario, is a cosmological model of the origin and shape of the universe. The name comes from a Stoic term ekpyrosis (Ancient Greek ἐκπύρωσις ekpurōsis) meaning conflagration or in Stoic usage "conversion into fire"..... The ekpyrotic model of the universe is an alternative to the standard cosmic inflation model for the very early universe; both models accommodate the standard Big Bang Lambda-CDM model of our universe.... The ekpyrotic model is a precursor to, and part of, some cyclic models....The ekpyrotic model came out of work by Neil Turok and Paul Steinhardt and maintains that the universe did not start in a singularity, but came about from the collision of two branes. This collision avoids the primordial singularity and superluminal expansion of spacetime while preserving nearly scale-free density fluctuations and other features of the observed universe. The ekpyrotic model is cyclic, though collisions between branes are rare on the time scale of the expansion of the universe to a nearly featureless flat expanse."

"Eternal return (also known as "eternal recurrence") is a concept that the universe has been recurring, and will continue to recur, in a self-similar form an infinite number of times across infinite time or space. The concept is found in Indian philosophy and in ancient Egypt and was subsequently taken up by the Pythagoreans and Stoics. With the decline of antiquity and the spread of Christianity, the concept fell into disuse in the Western world, with the exception of Friedrich Nietzsche, who connected the thought to many of his other concepts, including amor fati.....In addition, the philosophical concept of eternal recurrence was addressed by Arthur Schopenhauer. It is a purely physical concept, involving no supernatural reincarnation, but the return of beings in the same bodies. Time is viewed as being not linear but cyclical....The concept of cyclical patterns is very prominent in Indian religions, such as Jainism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism among others. The wheel of life represents an endless cycle of birth, life, and death from which one seeks liberation. In Tantric Buddhism, a wheel of time concept known as the Kalachakra expresses the idea of an endless cycle of existence and knowledge."

"Circular breathing is a technique used by players of some wind instruments to produce a continuous tone without interruption. This is accomplished by breathing in through the nose while simultaneously pushing air out through the mouth using air stored in the cheeks....In 1997, a Guinness World Record was set for longest held musical note. Kenny G used circular breathing to sustain an E-flat on a saxophone for 45 minutes and 47 seconds."

"English haiku: are about 10–14 syllables long, with the second line usually the longest. Some poets want their haiku to be expressed in one breath."....Spiess, Robert; Modern Haiku vol. XXXII No. 1 p. 57 "A haiku does not exceed a breath's length."

"Speech is breath modulated by the physical organism in various ways -- depth of breathing, muscle tension, shape of mouth, shape of mental impressions. The Indian measure is that 10 long syllables make 1 breath."

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Email....okarresearch@gmail.com

John Hopkins.....Northern New Mexico….November 2014

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Ānāpānasmṛti Sūtra... Buddhist Breath Awareness Meditation (160 AD)

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"The Ānāpānasati Sutta (Pāli) or Ānāpānasmṛti Sūtra (Sanskrit), "Breath-Mindfulness Discourse," is a discourse that details the Buddha's instruction on using awareness of the breath (anapana) as a focus for meditation...mindfulness of the breath, developed and repeatedly practiced, is of great fruit, great benefit.....ultimately, it can lead to 'clear vision and deliverance'.

"Anapana Sati, the meditation on in-and-out breathing, is the first subject of meditation expounded by the Buddha in the Maha-satipatthana Sutta,......The Ānāpānasati Sutta (Pāli) or Ānāpānasmṛti Sūtra (Sanskrit), "Breath-Mindfulness Discourse," is a discourse that details the Buddha's instruction on using awareness of the breath (anapana) as a focus for meditation.....The Ānāpānasmṛti Sūtra, as the text was known to Sanskritic early Buddhist schools......The earliest Chinese translation of Ānāpānasmṛti instructions was by the Persian translator, An Shigao in the 2nd century AD........The Buddha states that mindfulness of the breath, "developed and repeatedly practiced, is of great fruit, great benefit.....ultimately, it can lead to "clear vision and deliverance."......Nanamoli, Bhikkhu (trans.) (1998). Mindfulness of Breathing (Anapanasati): Buddhist Texts from the Pali Canon and Extracts from the Pali Commentaries. Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society.

"The Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (Sanskrit: Smṛtyupasthāna Sūtra .... स्मृत्युपस्थान सूत्र, Chinese: 念處經; The Discourse on the Establishing of Mindfulness) and the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta.... (The Great Discourse on the Establishing of Mindfulness) are two of the most important and widely studied discourses in the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism.

Mahasatipatthana Sutra....
Part One: Kayanupassana (Contemplation on the Body)
i. Anapana Pabba (Section on In and Out Breathing)
ii. Iriyapatha Pabba (Section on Postures)
iii. Sampajanna Pabba (Section on Clear Understanding)
iv. Patikulamanasika Pabba (Section on Contemplation of impurities)
v. Dhatumanasika Pabba (Section on Contemplation of Elements)
vi. Navasivathika Pabba (Section on Nine Stages of Corpses)
Translated by U Jotika & U Dhamminda

"Mindfulness of Breath (ānāpānasmṛti: smṛti = mindfulness, ānāpāna = inhalation and exhalation), is a fundamental form of meditation personally taught by Buddha Shakyamuni. According to this teaching, classically presented in the Ānāpānasmṛti Sutra, practicing this form of meditation as a part of the Noble Eightfold Path leads to the removal of all defilements and finally to the attainment of liberation. It is important to appreciate that Mindfulness of Breath is not the same as breathing exercises; it is the mind that is cultivated in this practice, and not the breath.".....Great Middle Way .......New Jonang Buddhist Community

Smrti....."Mindfulness is a meditative practice which originates in Buddhism, but has gained worldwide popularity as a distinctive method to handle emotions.....The term "mindfulness" is derived from the Pali-term sati, and its Sanskrit equivalent smṛti, which can also be translated as "awareness", "retention" and "memory". Sati is an essential element of Buddhist practice, including Satipaṭṭhāna and Anapanasati."....

"Sati ......Vedic smṛti: memory, recognition, consciousness, intentness of mind, wakefulness of mind, mindfulness, alertness, lucidity of mind, self -- possession, conscience, self -- consciousness
upaṭṭhitā sati presence of mind
parimukhaŋ satiŋ upaṭṭhāpetuŋ to surround oneself with watchfulness of mind
satiŋ paccupaṭṭhāpetuŋ to preserve self -- possession
kāyagatā sati intentness of mind on the body, realization of the impermanency of all things
muṭṭhasati forgetful, careless
maraṇasati mindfulness as to death
asati not thinking of, forgetfulness
sati (sammā˚) is one of the constituents of the 8 -- fold Ariyan Path
The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary.

Ānāpāna.......āna + apāna, cpds. of an to breathe.......inhaled & exhaled breath, inspiration & respiration......ānāpāna-sati......'mindfulness on in-and-out-breathing'........In the Satipatthāna Sutta 4 methods of practice are given, which may also serve as basis for insight meditation. The 'Discourse on Mindfulness of Breathing' (ānāpānasati Sutta) and other texts have 16 methods of practice, which divide into 4 groups of four. The first three apply to both tranquillity (samatha, q.v.) and insight-meditation, while the fourth refers to pure insight practice only."....http://www.palikanon.com

"An Shigao (Chinese: 安世高 Pinyin transcription: Ān Shìgāo) (Wade–Giles transcription: An Shih-kao, Korean: An Sego, Japanese: An Seikō) (fl. c. 148-180 AD) was an early Buddhist missionary to China, and the earliest known translator of Indian Buddhist texts into Chinese. According to legend, he was a prince of Parthia, nicknamed the "Parthian Marquis", who renounced his claim to the royal throne of Parthia (a historical region located in north-eastern Iran) in order to serve as a Buddhist missionary monk in China."

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Email....okarresearch@gmail.com

John Hopkins.....Northern New Mexico….June 2014

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Sufi Prayer of the Heart & Breath Awareness Meditation (Khorasan: 1200 AD)

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Heart Prayer of Abdul Khaliq Gujduvani.....Khwaja Abdubalik Gudjduvani, was the Grand Master of the Inner Circle of the Masters of his time....Abd ul-Khaliq Ghujduwani (d. 1220)

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Khwarezm has been known also as Chorasmia, Khwarezmia, Khwarizm, Khwarazm, Khorezm, Khoresm, Khorasam, Harezm, Horezm, and Chorezm.

"Gudjduvan was a large village 18 miles from Bokhara.... part of the kingdom of Harzem (usually spelled Khwarazm), soon to be destroyed by the Mongolian Jenghis Khan......among his chief innovations was the `Prayer of the Heart', (Zikr-i-Qalbi...Pas Anfas), not previously known to the Sufis and said to have been imparted to him directly by the Prophet Khidr.....(But most probably derived from the mantras practised by the Buddhist monks of the Hindu Kush.)".......THE MASTERS OF WISDOM OF CENTRAL ASIA by J. G. Bennett

Zikr-i-Qalbi...Pas Anfas, in Persian, means guarding every breath..... Zikr is performed with the heart using breath as the medium.:

1. Hush der dem. Be present at every breath. Do not let your attention wander for the duration of a single breath. Remember yourself always and in all situations.

2. Nazar ber kadem. Keep your intention before you at every step you take. You wish for freedom and you must never forget it.

3. Safar der vatan. Your journey is towards your homeland, Remember that you are traveling from the world of appearances to the World of Reality.

4. Halvat der endjuman. In all your outward activity remain inwardly free. Learn not to identify yourself with anything whatsoever.

5. Yad gerd. Remember your Friend, i.e. God. Let the prayer (zikr) of your tongue be the prayer of your heart (q'alb).

6. Baz gasht. Return to God. No aim but to attain Reality.

7. Nigah dasht. Struggle with all alien thoughts. Keep your mind on what you are doing whether outwardly or inwardly.

8. Yad dasht. Be constantly aware of the quality of the Divine Presence. Become used to recognizing the Presence of God in your heart.

Eight laws according to Abdulhalik Ghujduvani, 11th century......The Inner Work (3 volumes) ....by Reshad Feild, chapter "The Way of the Masters"

"Abdulhalik ..... among his chief innovations was the `prayer of the heart', (Zikr-i-Qalbi), not previously known to the Sufis and said to have been imparted to him directly by the Prophet Khidr.....( But most probably derived from the mantras practised by the Buddhist monks of the Hindu Kush.) "....THE MASTERS OF WISDOM OF CENTRAL ASIA by J. G. Bennett

"Zikr-i-Qalbi...Pas Anfas, in Persian, means guarding every breath..... Zikr is performed with the heart using breath as the medium. When you breathe in, imagine that the word Allah penetrates the depths of your heart and when you breathe out, the word ‘Hu’ strikes the heart or the Latifah on which the Zikr is being performed.....After doing Zikr on it for some more time, start the meditation. The body should now be relaxed and the mind set at ease."

Habs-i-nafas and Pas-i anfas as Methods of Invocation....
Pas Anfas.....Breath Awareness..... ( The Jikr of Breathing).......Pas Anfas means inhale/exhale.....pas-i anfas (breaths-vigilance)...pas-i anfas (anfas being the plural of nafas) or breaths-vigilance, which is more rajayogic than hathyogic, is specifically concerned with exercising vigilance over the dual act of breathing by reciting allah silently with each ingress and invoking hu with every egress.....In pas-i anfas (breaths-vigilance) the aspirant is to be attentive to the regular alternation of inspiration and expiration of breath......from Uyun al-Ma’arif (Fountains of Wisdom) by Shah Wahhaaj al-Din Qalandar
Habs-i-nafas......Breath Control.....The practice of habs-i nafas (breath-control) arrests the intrusion of thoughts (khatrat) in so far as the process of respiration remains suspended due to which the cycle of creation (takhliq) comes to a standstill, microcosmically speaking....Habs-i nafas or breath-control is a method of the regulation of breath similar to the hathyogic practice of pranayama meant to awaken the higher states. It is done by invoking la ilaha silently while breathing in and then keeping the breath confined for a while. After it the breath is thrown out saying illa’ Llah....from Uyun al-Ma’arif (Fountains of Wisdom) by Shah Wahhaaj al-Din Qalandar

"The double phases of breathing-in and breathing-out correspond to the two-fold orders of reality, that is, the lahut (Universal) and the nasut (individual). The breaths in question provide the key to unlocking the mysteries of both the worlds and a fortiori they are called the nafas-i rahman (The Breath of the Merciful) .... http://www.islamicpluralism.org

"Abd al-Ali i......emphasizes that one must not confuse ruh-i hayvani of the Sufis with that of the ancient Greek philosophers and physicians which is none other than the bodily heat (hararat-i jismi). The latter can be more properly called the ruh-i tibbi (‘medicialist’ soul) which in the opinion of a majority of Unani physicians is a vaporous body made up of rarefied humours (latif akhlat) particularly blood. On the contrary, Galen and his followers and also Diogenes and Heraclitus, as testified by Aristotle, believed that soul is formed out of air."....a Persian treatise, Wahdat al-Wujud (The Unicity of Existence) by Abd al-Ali Bahr al-Ulum, Delhi, 1970

".... in Sufic esotericism...... the various practices such as nayaz, kasab and shagal, the disciple is trained carefully so as to obtain longer breaths without upsetting rhythm or equilibrium......There is a form of nayaz in which drinking in air is used. .....There are some whose breath has volume, or breadth, but not much length, and there are others who have length and no breadth. But it is the balance of the length and breadth of the breath which gives balance to the mind.......there is a third element here which is refinement of breath. When the refinement is added to the length and breadth, one has a more fully developed and balanced existence.".....Gatha with Commentary......Pasi Anfas: Breath by Murshid Samuel L. Lewis

"...... Perpetual Invocation (Yad dasht)..... yad dasht which is also called pas anfas, and always concentrating one’s attention on the heart, which is beneficial in acquiring the reality of ihsan........Allamah Shah Muhammad Isma’il Shahid Translated by Shaykh Muhammadullah Khalili Qasmi

Principles of the Naqshbandi Path.....the first eight principles are from 'Abd ul-Khaliq Ghujduwani (d. 1220)........The Golden Sufi Center..
1. Awareness in the Breath / Awareness in the Moment (Hush dar dam)......."Every breath which is exhaled from within must be exhaled with awareness and presence of mind and so that the mind does not stray into forgetfulness........Baha ad-din Naqshband said: "The foundation of our work is in the breath. The more that one is able to be conscious of one's breathing, the stronger is one's inner life. It is a must for everyone to safeguard his breath in the time of his inhalation and exhalation and further, to safeguard his breath in the interval between the inhalation and exhalation.......remembering the breath......focuses on each breath until it is expired......Sa'd ud-din Kashghari added: "Hush dar dam is moving from breath to breath so there is no heedlessness but rather there is presence, and with each breath that we take should be the remembrance of the Real.".
2. Watch your Step! (Nazar bar qadam).........Direct yourself constantly towards the goal.....when the beginner's attention is taken by shapes and colors outside of himself ...his heart loses its collectedness, and his mind becomes scattered....... Nazar bar qadam is an expression which refers to the wisdom inherent in one's natural disposition.
3. The Journey Home (Safar dar watan)....Your journey is towards your homeland. Remember you are traveling from a world of illusion to a world of reality.
4. Solitude in the Crowd (Khalwat dar anjuman)......There are two kinds of retreat. One is the outward kind in which the seeker, far from people, sits alone in his cell until he comes into contact with the spiritual world. This result comes about because the external senses withdraw themselves and the inner senses extend themselves to signs from the spiritual world.....The second kind of retreat is the hidden one, where the seeker is inwardly witnessing the secrets of the Real while he is outwardly surrounded by people. Khalwat dar anjuman is of this second type of retreat....In all your outer activities remain inwardly free. Learn not to identify with anything whatsoever.....Close the door of khalwat (solitary retreat) and open the door of sohbat (companionship)." Baha ad-din Naqshband said in this connection: "Our path is in companionship....."
5. Remembrance (Yad kard).....remembrance is practiced in the silent dhikr.....The purpose of the dhikr is to keep one's heart and attention entirely focused on the Beloved in love and devotion.......The dhikr is not just repeated as words, but is in the heart......Remembrance of the tongue becomes remembrance of the heart. 6. Returning (from distraction), Going Back (Baz gasht)......Single-minded pursuit of divine truth.
7. Attentiveness (Nigah dasht)......Be watchful. Be aware of what catches your attention. Learn to withdraw your attention from undesirable objects. This is also expressed as "be vigilant in thought and remember yourself......Nigah means sight.....Nigah dasht is when the seeker at the time of the dhikr holds his heart/mind upon the meaning of LA ILAHA ILLA 'LLAH so that thoughts do not find entrance into his heart...
8. Continued Remembrance / Perpetual Invocation (Yad dasht).......the last stage before transformation is completed. The seeker becomes aware that his loss of "self" will be compensated by essential love....

"Khwarezm has been known also as Chorasmia, Khwarezmia, Khwarizm, Khwarazm, Khorezm, Khoresm, Khorasam, Harezm, Horezm, and Chorezm....C.E. Bosworth however, believes the Persian name to be made up of (خور) meaning "the sun" and (زم) meaning "Earth", designating "the land from which the sun rises", although the same etymology is also given for Khurasan.....Gudjduvan was a large village 18 miles) from Bokhara.... part of the kingdom of Harzem (usually spelled Khwarazm), soon to be destroyed by the Mongolian Ghenghis Khan

"Anapana sati, the meditation on in-and-out breathing, is the first subject of meditation expounded by the Buddha in the Maha-satipatthana Sutta,......The Ānāpānasati Sutta (Pāli) or Ānāpānasmṛti Sūtra (Sanskrit), "Breath-Mindfulness Discourse," is a discourse that details the Buddha's instruction on using awareness of the breath (anapana) as an initial focus for meditation.....The Ānāpānasmṛti Sūtra, as the text was known to Sanskritic early Buddhist schools......The earliest translation of Ānāpānasmṛti instructions was by An Shigao in the 2nd century AD........The Buddha states that mindfulness of the breath, "developed and repeatedly practiced, is of great fruit, great benefit."....Ultimately, it can lead to "clear vision and deliverance."......Nanamoli, Bhikkhu (trans.) (1998). Mindfulness of Breathing (Anapanasati): Buddhist Texts from the Pali Canon and Extracts from the Pali Commentaries. Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society.

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Email....okarresearch@gmail.com

John Hopkins.....Northern New Mexico….June 2014

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Reiki and Zhangzhung Bon Healing Practices

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“Tsi Dup Yang Bod is an ancient energetic healing practice from ZhangZhung, an aspect of these precious teachings is known as Reiki here in the United States. Where is ZhangZhung? ZhangZhung (also spelled ShangShung) was an ancient kingdom in central Asia whose area ran from eastern Iran into central Tibet. It is the ancestral home of the spiritual tradition known as Bon, and the people who practice it are known as Bonpo. They are a lineage from a Buddha who lived prior to Shakyamuni, which originates with Tonpa Shenrab. The Dalai Lama recognizes Bon as one of the main schools of Tibetan spiritual thought even though the Buddha of the lineage goes back to Tonpa Shenrab. Archeologists have discovered remnants of this ancient civilization of ShangShung in the Garuda Valley in the upper Sutlej river basin west of Mt. Kailash, and throughout the Changthang.”…..http://www.squidoo.com/bonreiki

“All Reiki practitioners can trace their lineage back in time to Mike Usui of Japan, the founder of modern day Reiki. An even older lineage of healing practitioners must be considered as Bon practices from Tibet continue to grow in the west. Modern day Bon Lamas and monks trace their tradition of healing practices in an uninterrupted lineage…. Lama Tsewang Rikdzen….both refined and committed to writing healing practices from this ancient oral lineage. Though much of the specific details about Mikao Usui's influences remain a mystery, the similarities between Reiki and Bon healing are undeniably profound. As western practitioners we are just beginning to develop an understanding of the significance of a healing lineage.”….http://www.reikicolorado.org/learn.html

Tsewang Rigdzin is the main Long Life Deity of Bon…..In the Bon tradition it is said, that he was the son of Drenpa Namkha.

“Since the Tse Dup Jha Ri Ma is so significant in Bon, it was the vision of Chongtul Rinpoche, a lineage holder of this practice, to authentically adapt this teaching to a more modern and accessible format. He also realized the importance of sharing this teaching with Westerners, as many consider this to be the origins of Reiki. Dedicated to preserving its authentic Bon spiritual foundation, in 2007 Chongtul Rinpoche created a thirty day teaching, “Tse Dup Yang Bod: Bon Soul Healing”, spread out over three years, to train students in the fundamentals of this complex healing system. ….http://bonshenling.org/2012/05/tse-dup-yang-bod-tibetan-bon-soul-healing/

“Reiki - Spiritually guided life force energy….The word Reiki is of Japanese origin. “Rei” means spiritual consciousness or divine wisdom. “Ki” means the universal life force that is inherent in all living things. Also referred to as Chi (China), Prana (India). Lung (Tibet), Bioenergy (modern west) and Biofield (NIH)……Reiki is life force energy that is directed by higher consciousness. The quality of consciousness guides energy in support of life and spiritual evolution and is potentially inclusive of all philosophical and religious systems of belief…. “….http://www.reikicolorado.org/what.html

“….concepts analogous to the qi taken to be the life-process or flow of energy that sustains living beings are found in many belief systems, especially in Asia. Philosophical conceptions of qi from the earliest records of Chinese philosophy (5th century BCE) correspond to Western notions of humours and the ancient Hindu yogic concept of prana ("life force" in Sanskrit). The earliest description of "force" in the current sense of vital energy is found in the Vedas of ancient India (circa 1500–1000 BCE), and from the writings of the Chinese philosopher Mencius (4th century BCE). Historically, the Huangdi Neijing/"The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine" (circa 2nd century BCE) is credited with first establishing the pathways through which qi circulates in the human body.”

“Tse Dup Yang Bod provides a comprehensive, integrated teaching about how to recognize the energetic relations among the internal organs and external elements, how to recognize soul loss, and how to restore soul energy from each of the five directions. Invoking the healing power of the Long Life meditation mantra, channeling the five different types of healing energy, performing ritual soul retrieval and soul ransoming from evil spirits, provide the energetic heart of the Tse Dup teaching and practice.”….http://bonshenling.org/2012/05/tse-dup-yang-bod-tibetan-bon-soul-healing/

“Chongtul Rinpoche was born in 1967 in Oachghat, Himachal Pradesh, India…Tse Dup Yang Bod : Tibetan Bon Soul Healing……Bon Shen Ling is pleased to announce that Geshe Chongtul Rinpoche will again be teaching the three-year Tse Dup Yang Bod Soul Healing certification program starting May 2013….Tse means life force, Dup means to intensify, Yang refers to the energetic essence་of the soul, life force, and five elements, and Bod means to call or retrieve through respectful practice.”…http://bonshenling.org

Geshe Chongtul Rinpoche… a Lama from Menri Monastery in India

“Tse Dup Yang Bod is a Tibetan Bon healing and spiritual practice for balancing the soul, life force, and life. This teaching is based on the 7th century text, the Tse Dup Jha Ri Ma Nyen Dup, written by the great Bon Master, Lama Tsewang Rigzin. The Tse Dup Jha Ri Ma Nyen Dup has three distinct ritual components: long life empowerment rituals, soul retrieval, and life force retrieval. Soul retrieval (La Ghuk) and life force retrieval (Tse Ghuk), as well as honoring the five elements to regain life, have long been important in Tibetan Bon society and healing…..This Tse Dup teaching illuminates how our soul, life force, and life are carried by the body. The foundation of good health is strong, balanced communication among the five organs of spleen, lung, liver, kidney, and heart with the five inner elements of flesh, breath, heat, blood, and mind, with the five external elements of earth, wind, fire, water, and space. When our life is strong, then our life force has a vitality that shines as the strength of our soul. When our soul is strong, we are healthy. Conversely, when an organ is weak due to disease, trauma or stress and its connection to these elements is blocked, the individual soul of that organ is not functioning well. In addition to illness, this can lead to loss of the principal soul energy. The most obvious sign of such soul loss is unexplainable long-term sickness, persistent lethargy, and increasing lack of interest in life….. Traditionally, Tse Dup Yang Bod is taught as a continuous 30 day retreat during which a Master will give the instructions, transmission, and empowerments of the practice.” ……http://bonshenling.org

“…Elemental retrieval / healing practices in Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche's book " Healing with Form, Energy, and Light “….Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche: Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche: The text I will be teaching from has two parts: soul retrieval (la gu) and life-force retrieval (tse gu). These two factors are distinct, but they are integrally related. Somehow, the soul appears to serve as a deeper foundation of the life force. If the soul is healed, the life force is strong. If the soul is damaged, the life force declines.
Voice of Clear Light: In the Bon tradition, what is the meaning of soul?
TWR: One way to look at your soul is as your spiritual essence: that which is fed by the activity of virtue. Another way we can look at the soul is as a balance of the five natural elements of earth, water, fire, wind and space at a very subtle level. In the Tibetan spiritual traditions, this balance of the characteristics of all five elements equates to one's spiritual essence. In one individual, all five elements may be in balance. Another individual may naturally have a lot of fire in their personality, more so than other people. Yet, within each element there is always some level of the four other elements; for example, the fire element is comprised of space fire, air fire, earth fire, and so on. So, even someone with a fiery personality can have a healthy balance of the elements.”….http://ligmincha.org/en/programs/overviews-of-teaching-topics.html#soulretrieval

“Tantra of the lightning Flash”……Dr. Mikao Usui claimed to have obtained the knowledge of Reiki from the Buddhist religious book "Tantra of the Lightning Flash”….Kukai (774-835), Hui-Kuo (746-805), Amonghavajra (Pu-Kung) (705-774), Nagarjuna, Vajrabodhi (670-741), Subhakarasimha (637-735) and other predecessors from India were masters of Esoteric Buddhism. All these prominent learned men were familiar with Buddhist Sanskrit Texts, naturally they had knowledge of “Tantra of the Lightning Flash’, and transmitted to their students. Emperors respected these men and had received “Abhiseka” and blessings…..Kukai returned to Japan as advised by Hui-Kuo in 806…..http://www.reikihealingindia.com/article3.html
Note Added December 8, 2017....."I've been enjoying reading your Shambhala blog for many years, it's incredibly fascinating to look at the similarities and differences in these central Asian spiritual traditions. I noticed that you have some notes on reiki and just wanted to let you know that I asked Traleg Rinpoche about the Tantra of the lightning flash and he told me that no such text exists . His feeling was that the guy putting this together was a bit of a phoney ."
Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche (1955–2012) was the ninth incarnation of the Traleg tulku line, a line of high lamas in the Kagyu lineage of Vajrayana. He was a pioneer in bringing Tibetan Buddhism to Australia...He died on July 24, 2012 in Melbourne, Australia.

“Richard Blackwell (AKA Lama Yeshe Drugpa Trinley Odzer) - a Clinical Psychologist who claimed to be ordained as both a Tibetan Lama and Japanese Shingon Priest, is perhaps, along with Diane Steine, one of the primary individuals responsible for propagating the supposed Tibetan origins of Reiki…..Blackwell claimed that this 'Sutra' - apparently called the 'Tantra of the Lightning Flash' - and supposed to be a Tibetan Esoteric (i.e.. 'Vajra' or ''Tantric') Buddhist text - outlined a comprehensive healing method - the original 'Reiki’……..Blackwell even went so far as to claim that the 'Tantra of the Lightning Flash' had been brought to Japan by Kobo Daishi (Kukai), the founder of Shingon - one of the two major branches of Japanese Mikkyo (Esoteric) Buddhism……It is historical fact that Kukai had actually returned to Japan (from China) with the sacred texts on which Shingon was founded, several years before Guru Rinpoche (founder of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism) had even taken the Tantric teachings from India to Tibet. Further, the original catalogue of the texts brought to Japan by Kukai still exists, and this 'Tantra of the Lightning Flash' is not one of them…..More recently, it has emerged that Blackwell based his whole premise for the Tibetan origins of Reiki almost entirely on so-called 'channeled' information…”….REIKI - TIBETAN ORIGINS? …… © 2003 James Deacon

“…..Evidence connects the Reiki lineage of healing masters to a much older lineage of healing masters from the Bon tradition of Tibet. Bon practices are said to have been developed and passed uninterrupted from master to student…..The modern roots of Reiki are believed to have originated with Lama Tsewang Rikdzen …..when healing practices from the established oral tradition were committed to texts. Present day practitioners can all trace their teacher lineage to Mikao Usui who developed the practice as we use it today. Usui Sensei is believed to have tirelessly researched energy healing and brought his discoveries to Japan early in the previous century…..Lama Tsewang Rikdzen has a very extensive biography, but as far as is known it has not been translated into English. However, included below are a few very brief and very general details about him…….Lama Tsewang Rikdzin (Lama is a religious master or guru venerated by his students as an authentic embodiment of the Buddhist teachings, and Rikdzin is one who holds a high degree of knowledge and wisdom) was an historical person who was one of twin sons born to Lama Drenpa Namkha. His mother was Öden Barma, who was a Brahmin from India. His twin brother is known as Pema Thongdrol by the Bonpos and as Guru Padmasambhava by Buddhists. Both Lama Drenpa Namkha and Khandro Öden Barma were very realized practitioners. Lama Tsewang Rikdzin’s life story is told in four volumes of texts. He is most widely practiced as a long life yidam (Yidam is an enlightened deity whose specific qualities and form are meditated upon), as one of his powers was in extending his lifespan….. He practiced with his consort, Khandro Nyima Öbar. He was a realized practitioner of Dzogchen (Dzogchen aka Great Perfection, is the ultimate of all the 84,000 teachings, the realization of Buddha Samantabhadra) as well as having mastery of tantric practice. (The translation about Lama Tsewang Rikdzin is by Raven Cypress Wood of Ligmincha Institute…http://ravencypresswood.com)”….http://www.reikicolorado.org

“An amazingly simple technique to learn, the ability to use Reiki is not taught in the usual sense, but is transferred to the student during a Reiki class. This ability is passed on during an "attunement" given by a Reiki master and allows the student to tap into an unlimited supply of "life force energy" to improve one's health and enhance the quality of life……Its use is not dependent on one's intellectual capacity or spiritual development and therefore is available to everyone. It has been successfully taught to thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds…..hile Reiki is spiritual in nature, it is not a religion. It has no dogma, and there is nothing you must believe in order to learn and use Reiki. In fact, Reiki is not dependent on belief at all and will work whether you believe in it or not. Because Reiki comes from God, many people find that using Reiki puts them more in touch with the experience of their religion rather than having only an intellectual concept of it……While Reiki is not a religion, it is still important to live and act in a way that promotes harmony with others. Mikao Usui, the founder of the Reiki system of natural healing, recommended that one practice certain simple ethical ideals to promote peace and harmony, which are nearly universal across all cultures.”….http://www.reiki.org/faq/whatisreiki.html

“Death Ransom - Soul Ransom: A Bonpo Ritual to Extend the Life-span and Restore the Life-force….Explanation and Commentary by Steven Landsberg…… In the Tibetan tradition there exist numerous rituals for recovering health, extending life, and recapturing any life force that has been lost due to external negative force, internal emotional suffering, or the secret obscuration of ignorance. The Tsewang Rikzin ritual, from the Tibetan Bon tradition, is just such a rite and includes supplementary sections for ransoming one’s life and soul from the bonds of negative influence. This ritual or others like it are most effectively accomplished when one is healthy; however, in the event that one is weak or incapacitated, one can request the service of an accomplished master. He and his assistants will make the necessary preparations, perform the offerings, and read the divinatory signs indicating the efficacy of the ritual….. According to the Bon tradition there are six Tsewang Rikzin cycles named according to various places where the master Tsewang Rikzin practiced. Although he actually practised in eight different places, we can only find six texts related to six of these locations. These sacred sites are found in India, Takzig, Zhang Zhung, Jaritsukden, China, and Tibet. The particular version upon which the following explanation is based was titled according to the name of a cave (Bya ri Tsukden) to the north of Mt. Kailash in the Garuda Valley. Accordingly, it is referred to as Tsewang Jarima. Tsewang Rikzin’s consort Thukje Kundrol composed the text entitled Rikzin Tsewang Chogdu Tseyi Drubpai Shongshugs during the time of the eighth king of Tibet Trigom Tsenpo. …..Tsewang Rikdzin was the son of Drenpa Namkha and the brother of Pema Thongdrol who some Bonpos claim was the original Padma Sambhava.”

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The Tsewang Rigdzin Ritual

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“In the Tibetan tradition there exist numerous rituals for recovering health, extending life, and recapturing any life force that has been lost due to external negative force, internal emotional suffering, or the secret obscuration of ignorance. The Tsewang Rikzin ritual, from the Tibetan Bon tradition, is just such a rite and includes supplementary sections for ransoming one’s life and soul from the bonds of negative influence. “…..

“…Legend says that Drenpa Namka married a woman named Oden Barma, who was born of high caste Indian parents. The couple had twin sons, the first of whom was named Yungdrung Donsal, who would later be named Tsewang Rigdzin. The second was named Pema Tongdrol. Tsewang Rigdzin is said to have been born with a svastika in the middle of his forehead (an auspicious Bon mark) and the skill of clairvoyance. Pema Tongdrol is described as dark and royal in appearance, with big eyes, a scrunched nose, and hands that "made ferocious gestures while his feet danced." It is said that through meditation Tsewang Rigdzin accomplished the feat of long life, while Pema Tongdrol attained powerful and dangerous magical powers. Both are now revered as Bon saints.”…Treasury of Lives: Bon Master Drenpa Namka by Alexander Gardner……http://www.tricycle.com/blog/treasury-lives-bon-master-drenpa-namka

“Tsewang Rigdzin lived a quiet, contemplative life of retreat, and Pema Tongdrol was adopted by a barren royal couple and spent his life practicing his magical, mystical gifts. Bon and Nyingma mythology conflate Pema Tongdrol with Padmasambhava, the tantric adept who, in religious imagination, receives credit for subduing the demons of Tibet and allowing Buddhism to flourish.”….…Treasury of Lives: Bon Master Drenpa Namka by Alexander Gardner

“According to the lunar calendar of the Yungdrung Bön, the 10th day of each month is the day set aside for the practice of the three sages: Drenpa Namkha and his two twin sons, Tséwang Rikdzin and Pema Tongdrul….The practices of Drenpa Namkha and Tséwang Rikdzin, are widespread in the Yungdrung Bön tradition. In general, there have been three separate manifestations of Drenpa Namkha. Each was a reincarnation of the previous manifestation. There was the Drenpa Namkha of Tazik, Drenpa Namkha of Zhang Zhung, and Drenpa Namkha of Tibet. Drenpa Namkha of the ancient kingdom of Zhang Zhung was a prince who lived during 914 BC. He married an Indian Brahman girl and had twin sons, Tséwang Rikdzin and Pema Tongdrul, who were born in the year 888 BC. Some texts say that Pema Tongdrul is the same person as Padmasambhava. This manifestation of Drenpa Namkha wrote many Dzogchen texts and is often referred to simply as La Chen, or The Great Lama.”…http://ravencypresswood.com/2013/07/18/lunar-calendar-practice-of-the-great-lama-drenpa-namkha/

“Tsewang Rigdzin is the main Long Life Deity of Bon…..In the bon tradition it is said, that he was the son of Drenpa Namkha. He was a realised master and Siddha.”…..http://www.bonpo-arts.com/tsewang_rigdzin.html

“ Tsewang Rigdzin ritual…..The La or soul is many times in live attacked by evil forces…..Like we all know can bad thoughts, put on a person, cause illness for that person…..Therefore are bad thoughts bad/ negative karma……The opposite is also true, namely positive thoughts about a person will cause happiness for him/her……The Tsewang Rikzin ritual, is a rite and includes supplementary sections for ransoming one’s life and soul from the bonds of negative influence(s).”…..http://yungdrung-rignga-ling.forums-free.com/the-tsewang-rigdzin-ritual-t394.html

“Lama Khemsar Rinpoche gives the following teaching and empowerment from Tsewang Rigdzin: The Empowerment consists of Rinpoche giving tse-drub nyen-pa (transmission of the long life mantra), tse-bum (life-enforcing holy grail / vase), tsak-li (card shaped scrolls depicting lineage holders of the Tsewang) tse-tor (life-enforcing sculpture), tse-ril (long life precious pill), tse-chang (long life nectar) and tse-yi dha-dar (life-enforcing arrow banner). The main deity of The Empowerment is Tse-Wang Rigzin, one of the foremost sources of the Zogchen teachings……Rinpoche emphasizes that this powerful healing rite is designed not only to prolong one's life span but also to re-enforce or transform the physical and mental health of the practitioner by enhancing his or her inner understanding and experience!…..This rite is not only healing, but a complete Tibetan spiritual practice, including refuge, generation of enlightened mind, purification, mandala offering and more.”…..

“ In terms of the Nine Ways of Bon, the Tsewang Rikzin practice belongs to the tantric vehicle of transformation while the ransom sections belong to a lower causal vehicle known as ‘Rites and Rituals’……Before one performs the ritual of reinforcing the life force (chi bslu) and retrieving the soul (bla bslu) for the benefit of an individual whose life is threatened or whose health is suffering, the practitioners should gather and proceed through the recitation and visualization sections of the sadhana……Both positive and negative forces control the life force of every being. In this death ritual these negative energies are personified as the devils of death who seek to steal the life force of sentient beings.”…..Death Ransom - Soul Ransom: A Bonpo Ritual to Extend the Life-span and Restore the Life-force…..Explanation and Commentary by Steven Landsberg

“In the 7th century the Zhang Zhung Nyen Gyud was written down by Gyerpung Nangzher Lodpo. Prior to that it was mainly, with exceptions, taught from one master to one qualified student. Times change though and different times call for different means. Now you can receive transmission of the Zhang Zhung Nyen Gyud and do the practices that were once secret, only allowed access by a select few.”

“According to the Bon tradition there are six Tsewang Rikzin cycles named according to various places where the master Tsewang Rikzin practiced. Although he actually practised in eight different places, we can only find six texts related to six of these locations. These sacred sites are found in India, Takzig, Zhang Zhung, Jaritsukden, China, and Tibet. The particular version upon which the following explanation is based was titled according to the name of a cave (Bya ri Tsukden) to the north of Mt. Kailash in the Garuda Valley. Accordingly, it is referred to as Tsewang Jarima. Tsewang Rikzin’s consort Thukje Kundrol composed the text entitled Rikzin Tsewang Chogdu Tseyi Drubpai Shongshugs during the time of the eighth king of Tibet Trigom Tsenpo. “…….http://www.keithdowman.net

Khorlo: Tsewang Rigdzin…….The mantra of Tsewang Rigdzin, Long Life Deity of the Bon Buddhist Tradition, is written on paper which is then folded, wrapped with five different colors of thread and encased in plastic. This khorlo is used in the Soul Retrieval Practice and may be worn as a pendant, or placed on ones shrine.” …..http://ligminchastore.org/category/shrine-and-ritual-items/khorlo-tsewangrigdzin.html

“…… the Tsewang Rikzin sadhana requires the preparation of torma. The primary torma symbolizing the deity to be accomplished is made from flour and butter, ornamented with jewels, and surrounded by many small globes of long life. It should be seated in a tray and then placed upon a white cloth which covers a swastika drawn with sesame or mustard seeds. A long life arrow, a mandala, and the usual offerings representing the five senses are also positioned upon the altar. A vase, which is filled with water, milk and seeds, is then sealed with peacock feathers and placed before the chief torma. To this vase a string is attached which extends to all of those participating in the rite. As the ritual is performed and thousands of mantras recited, the participants blow upon the mantra chain and thus empower the contents of the vase. “…..http://www.keithdowman.net

“In terms of the Nine Ways of Bon, the Tsewang Rikzin practice belongs to the tantric vehicle of transformation while the ransom sections belong to a lower causal vehicle known as ‘Rites and Rituals’. Before one performs the ritual of reinforcing the life force (chi bslu) and retrieving the soul (bla bslu) for the benefit of an individual whose life is threatened or whose health is suffering, the practitioners should gather and proceed through the recitation and visualization sections of the sadhana.”…..http://www.reocities.com/okar_review/bla.html

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Six Yogas of Naropa & The Bon Mother Tantras

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"…. the Six Yogas of Naropa, a preeminent yogic technology system. The six practices—inner heat, illusory body, clear light, consciousness transference, forceful projection, and bardo yoga—gradually came to pervade thousands of monasteries, nunneries, and hermitages throughout Central Asia over the past five and a half centuries."…..The Six Yogas Of Naropa: Tsongkhapa's Commentary Entitled A Book Of Three Inspirations: A Treatise On The Stages Of Training In The Profound Path Of Naro's Six Dharmas Paperback by Tsong-Kha-Pa (Author) , Glenn C. Mullin (Translator)

"This year, Lopon and Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche will teach from the Bön Three Root Mother Tantras known as the Ma-rgyud Sangs-rgyas rGyud gSum (pr. Magyu Sangye Gyu Sum), the Three Buddhahood Tantras, using the commentary by Mi-lus bSam-legs ( Milu Samlek), the Prince of the region of Tazig around the 7th or 8th century….Hidden in the 8th century, these texts were rediscovered in the 10th century by Guru rNon-rtse [Guru Nontse]. These Tantras have an emphasis on practices of the Completion Stage, rDzogs-rim" ….and have six main practices, which can be said to be somewhat similar to the Six Yogas of Naropa. In the case of the Bön Mother Tantras, the six are: 1. The expedient use of Means (mainly devoted to breath control)
2. The expedient use of Dreams
3. The expedient use of Fear (the prac- tice of “cutting,” gCod , pr. chöd)
4. The expedient use of Projection (the practice of Transference, “Pho-ba” pr. phowa)
5. The expedient use of Death (teachings on the Intermediate State, “Bar-do”)
6. The expedient use of Sleep.
The retreat will take place at the Bodhi Manda Zen Center in Jemez Springs, New Mexico. It will be from the July 1 to 21, 1996.……http://www.cstone.net/~ligmin/VOCL/spring96.pdf

"The Six Yogas of Nāropa (Tib. Narö chö druk, na-ro'i-chos-drug), also called the six dharmas of Naropa…..Wisdom Activities Path Six Methods of Accomplishment), are a set of advanced Indo-Tibetan Buddhist tantric practices and a meditation sādhana compiled in and around the time of the Indian monk and mystic Nāropa (1016-1100 CE) and conveyed to his student Marpa the translator."… Evans-Wentz in Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines (1935)…..
tummo (T: གཏུམ་མོ་ gtum-mo, S: caṇḍālī) — the yoga of inner heat (or mystic heat).…..
gyulü (T: སྒྱུ་ལུས sgyu-lus, S: māyākāyā) — the yoga of the illusory body.…..
ösel (T: འོད་གསལ་ 'od-gsal, S: prabhāsvara) — the yoga of the clear light or radiant light.[…..
milam (T: རྨི་ལམ་ rmi-lam, S: svapnadarśana) — the yoga of the dream state.…..
bardo (T: བར་དོ bar-do, S: antarābhava) — the yoga of the intermediate state. This is well-known through the Bardo Thödöl. Bardo yoga as the yoga of liminality may include aspects of gyulu and milam and is therefore to be engaged as an extension of these disciplines.…..
phowa (T: འཕོ་བ་ 'pho-ba, S: saṃkrānti) — the yoga of the transference of consciousness to a pure Buddhafield.…..
… The Six Yogas of Naropa: Tsongkhapa's Commentary by Glenn H. Mullin (Editor, Translator) Snow Lion Publications: 2005.

"Naropa, known as Abhayakirti (‘jig med grags pa) Jnanasiddhi, was born in Kashmir into the Brahmin caste, according to Taranatha and other sources, who say that he was born in a place called Jambu (Shrinagar, according to Guenther) in eastern part of India. His father was Shantivarman and mother, Shrimati…..

The Bon Secret Mother Tantra is first divided into three parts: base (gzhi), path (lam), and fruit ('bras), which are subdivided into six parts each, altogether making eighteen steps that the practitioner should pursue in order to attain liberation. In the 1985 edition, the first three chapters are the three Root Tantras, and chapter four (nga), as was discussed earlier, is what Martin calls the historical preface. Then, the text is divided as follows:
The six principles of expediency are:…..
• The expedient use of Means, devoted mainly to the channels and vital breath, which corresponds to " the sphere of the Elements" (Byung ba'i thig le) (ch. 18).…..
• The expedient use of Dream (rmi lam) which corresponds to "the sphere of Self-ness" (bDag nyid thig le) (ch. 19). • The expedient use of Fear, which is the practice of cho or practice of fearful places (gnyan sa lam), which corresponds to "the sphere of Accumulation" (Tshogs gyi thig le) (ch. 20).…..
• The expedient use of Projection ('pho ba) which corresponds to "the sphere of Accomplishing" (Grub pa'i thig le) (ch. 21).…..
• The expedient use of Death which explains the after-death intermediate states (bar do) and corresponds to "the sphere of Abiding" (gNas gyi thig le). Its commentary has been missing since its re-discovery by Guru Nontse.…..
• The expedient use of Sleep (gnyid pa lam khyer) which corresponds to "the sphere of Clarity" (gSal ba'i thig le) (ch. 22).…..
Some of the six methods correspond to the ones of Naropa and others do not, cho is not part of the six dharmas of Naropa.165
….THE MOTHER TANTRAS…..by Marco Alejandro Chaoul....http://www.surajamrita.com/bon/MotherTantra.html
http://vajrayana.faithweb.com/ACollectionOfStudiesOnBon.pdf

Guru Nontse…"Under king Trisong Detsen (Khri srong Ide btsan, 790-848 C.E.) the Bonpos suffered a second persecution, and it was not until the twelfth century that the Secret revelation of the Mother Tantras were rediscovered by Guru Nontse (Gu ru rnon rise) in the rock of Dungpor (Dung phor bkra shis) near the village of Tanag (rTa nag) in the central province of Tsang, "[h]ence this collection of Terma became known by the name of the Dung phor ma." Guru Nontse then gave this collection of teachings to Zhonu (gZhon nu). But the Secret Mother Tantra Cycle was not the only Mother Tantra Cycle……there are three cycles of Mother Tantras: Outer, Inner, and Secret. For each, there is a root text or texts with a body of exegetical and liturgical works subordinate to the root text. " Milu Samlek wrote separate commentaries for each of the three cycles….Guru Nontse, who was the rediscoverer of the Secret Mother Tantra, "may be identified as an incarnation of one of the members of the earlier lineage." The lineage, as Martin says, is more than the mere passing down the oral tradition, but is also the "transference of the 'charisma' (byin brlabs) [or blessings] of the institutor of the lineage." This acknowledges not only an intimate connection among the lineage-holders, but also opens a window into an understanding beyond the purely historical. Guru Nontse "was known in the Buddhist histories as Aya Bonpo Lhabun (A ya bon po lha 'bum), for he discovered many Nyingma Termas as well as Bonpo ones." The Secret Mother Tantra text, like many of such discoveries, was discovered by "accident." Guru Nontse, who was a hunter and a potter, had hunted an antelope in the mountain, and was chopping its bones on a rock when suddenly the rock broke apart. To his amazement inside the rock he found a white silk cloth written on both sides and wrapped on a stick. The story goes that Zhonu, who was from Kham (East Tibet), had a dream where the skygoers prophesied that he was to receive an important text. Some time later, he was in fact handed the Secret Mother Tantra silk cloth directly from Guru Nontse. He told Zhonu that he had already transcribed many texts, and "since you have transferred from a divine status, your thoughts are pure and you are very quiet and relaxed. So copy the texts without anyone seeing them." Then Zhonu went to Kham and copied the texts, but some time later Guru Nontse appeared unexpectedly and asked for the silk cloth, alleging that the skygoers wanted the cloth to be returned. Asking Zhonu, "Did you see the five loose open-mouthed tigresses pass by at Dung phor?," Guru Nontse took the roll back."….THE MOTHER TANTRAS…..by Marco Alejandro Chaoul....http://www.surajamrita.com/bon/MotherTantra.html

" J.Reynolds, "The Threefold Practice of the Primordial State of the Mother Tantra/' p. 7. Martin adds that there is another chronology which "actually dates Lha "bum before the first rab-'byung (beginning in 1027 A.D. [C.E.]), but according to Kvaeme (in 'Chronological' no. 97), he was born in 1136 A.D." (D. Martin, Mandala Cosmogony, p. 27, lack of hyphenation is mine). The latter is also the date found in the English Preface to the 1985 edition or the Secret Mother Tantra text; while the one of the 1971 edition places Guru Nontse in some unsperific time after the texts' burial in the eighth century."…..http://vajrayana.faithweb.com/ACollectionOfStudiesOnBon.pdf

"Lopon Tenzin Namdak, personal communication, Houston, June 1996 and reiterated in Kathmandu, June 1997. It is interesting to note that many of the Bon treasures were discovered in this accidental manner, after they were hidden because of the persecutions. This differs from the Buddhist tradition were the treasures where discovered by people who were considered reincarnations of disciples of Guru Rinpoche, who had hidden those teachings because the people were not ready for them. While the Bon discoverers (gter ston) were usually ordinary, and often illiterate people, the Buddhist discoverers were considered great masters that brought forth those teachings because it was the time when people were ripe for them. In that sense the Buddhist discoveries were predetermined, i.e., who was going to discover what text, and when, were foretold by Guru Rinpoche or other great masters or deities (especially skygoers). The Bon tradition claims that many of its treasure discoveries were not predetermined but accidental—sometimes even robbers would be the discoverers. However, they too have some treasures that were discovered by great masters or people like Guru Nontse, who may be "charismatically" related to the institutors of the lineage. The topic of discovered treasures is very interesting, and the accidental (or seemingly accidental) vs. predetermined models might bring forth some further information about the similarities and differences between Bon and Buddhism."….http://vajrayana.faithweb.com/ACollectionOfStudiesOnBon.pdf

Martin, Dan, Mandala Cosmogony: Human Body Good Thought and the Revelation of the Secret Mother Tantras of Bon, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 1994.

Karmay, Samten G., The Little Luminous Boy: The Oral Tradition from the Land of Zhangzhung Depicted on two Tibetan Paintings, Bangkok: White Orchid Press, 1998.

The Six Yogas Of Naropa: Tsongkhapa's Commentary Entitled A Book Of Three Inspirations: A Treatise On The Stages Of Training In The Profound Path Of Naro's Six Dharmas Paperback…….by Tsong-Kha-Pa (Author) , Glenn C. Mullin (Translator)

Mayer, Toby (April/July 2010). "Yogic-Sufi Homologies: The Case of the "Six Principles" Yoga of Naropa and the Kubrawiyya". ….…The Muslim World Special Issue: A Special Issue on Islam and Buddhism Volume 100, Issue 2-3, pages 268–286, April/July 2010….…….http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1478-1913.2010.01320.x/abstract

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Email....okarresearch@gmail.com

John Hopkins.....Northern New Mexico….December 2013

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