Na Mo Mu Ra Wer Ro Pung So Pa Tha Ya (In Zhang Zhung)
Bod Ke Tu Shen Gyal Ton Pa La Chhak Tshel Lo (In Tibetan)
To the Divine Body of Tonpa Shenrab, I prostrate!
Dear Nel-jor wa & Nel-jorma, members and friends,
OM MATRI MUYE SALE DHU! After manufacturing the Tonpa Shenrab statue in Nepal, it has been shifted to the UK in a cargo shipment earlier this year. As per authentic tradition, having an empty statue is not good enough; even if it is made of precious metals — it has to be authenticated by offering the necessary SZUNG JOOK.
I therefore, invited 3 Bonpo Lamas to carry out the task of Szung Jook offering application, which took 14 full days to complete. As a result, the statue of Tonpa Shenrab is now assembled together accordingly.
In the process, as per authentic regulations, each part was empowered and sanctified through the insertion of specific sacred objects wherever that applied. So now, finally...the Statue of Buddha Tonpa Shenrab is successfully installed in the LHAK HANG!!!
Now, I am preparing to do the final RAB NEY (Consecration). For the Rab Ney performance, which is again a huge task to organize, I have invited Ponlob Trinley Nyima Rinpoche (Head teacher of Menri Monastery, India) and Khenpo Tenpa Yungdrung Rinpoche (Abbot of Triten Norbutse Monastery, Nepal).
In addition, Geshe Samten Tsukphu, Geshe Lungrig, Khen-szur Nyima Wangyal, Geshe Yungdrung Gyatso, and Geshe Tenzin Lodoe are invited.
It took more than 2 years for the whole project of having the Tonpa Shenrab statue to be completed. It really was a huge, challenging task for me, and I knew from the very beginning that without great effort, diligence, consistence, and an approach of not turning back, it would not be possible to accomplish this project.
This task included supervising the whole project from beginning to the end, negotiations, travelling to Nepal, frequent communication with the people involved, examining the progress, raising financial means (students and friends of students have donated money towards the statue...
Of course, it is indeed a great positive karmic accumulation for all those who have contributed, which enabled me to cover the cost of the statue itself and a number of the statue related expenses involved) and so on and so forth...
However, I have achieved what I wanted and it's now here in the Lha khang for YOU!
This is a unique Statue of Tonpa Shenrab Miwoche — the founder of Yungdrung Bon, whose history can be traced back to 18,035 years — that has happened for the first time in the history of the United Kingdom in such big dimension, if not in the Western part of the world.
I have brought His teachings here consisting of Dho-Sutra, Ngak-tantra and Dzogchen; not only the academic philosophic aspect but also its profound notion of Zhi-base, Lam-path and Dre-bu-fruition enriched with extraordinary Tawa-view, Gom-pa-meditation and Chod-pa-characteristics, meant towards realising or discovering the state of Jangchub Sem or else Rigpa!!
Yungdrung Bon is the Ancestral Buddhist Spiritual Tradition of Tibet introduced in to Tibet from the land of Zhang Zhung!
I am humbled and extremely happy that this is not simply a Buddha statue brought here just for decoration, but the whole project from A to Z was done with great care and authenticity, following our sacred ancient Bonpo scriptures. To mention just a few:
a) it is based on authentic guide lines and the proper Chhak-tshed-proportions of the sta tue were measured as best as we could,
b) appropriate materials, such as copper, bronze and specific types of gold were applied,
c) unique ornamental garlands (Zhi Gyen Chu soom) etc.) were carved and painted and are worn in the form of LONG CHOD DZOG-KU (Perfection body), and
d) specially designed double stacked Throne was built, etc. This all forms the KU (Divine Body) aspect of Buddha Tonpa Shenrab.
For the speech aspect of Buddha Tonpa Shenrab, the 16 volumes of the Kham chhen text which form the main part of the Ka-gyur (Canon of Tonpa Shenrab), were acquired a month ago from Eastern Tibet and are now concealed inside the Statue, in addition to other profound texts and various blessed objects and substances.
This includes very rare Jin-tein (empowered sacred objects) received from the head Lamas of The Yungdrung Bon Tradition, and the SOG SHING (The Tree of Life Force) was created and erected in the centre of Buddha Tonpa Shenrab's body.
Various rituals and prayers have been carried out (including Yidam Takla Mebar cycle rite and Namgyal Yang-drub rites) alongside the preparation and the insertion of all the objects. All of these form the SOONG (Divine Speech) aspect of the Buddha.
The wholeness of the statue's inside, outside, and its glorified untouchable boundless sense of Wö-sel (Clear light) is the THUK (Divine Mind) aspect of Tonpa Shenrab. Thus forming Ku, Soong, and Thuk (body, speech and mind).
The purpose of having the Statue of Tonpa Shenrab and the Lhakhang is to benefit all sentient beings indiscriminately (regardless of faiths, gender, colour, creed, status, etc.) by bringing the profound Ancestral Buddhist Spiritual Tradition of Tibet in this part of the world.
It is also for the benefit every one's physical and emotional health, purifing non-virtues acts and negative karma and accumulating virtuous merits/positive karma, prolonging and rejuvenating life, seeking sanctuary and refuge, making confessions, developing indiscriminate love and compassion, laying an authentic spiritual foundation, and eventually attaining the supreme result of enlightenment for the benefit of oneself and for the benefit of fellow humans — and all sentient beings!!!
Having a glimpse of such an object of Refuge could lead one from transforming ones deluded mind into undeluded/compassionate mind, thus ensuring at least that one be reborn into a precious, noble human birth and eventually attaining enlightenment!
A big wholehearted Thank You to all those who helped in various ways, including financial contr ibutions, to make this possible!!! Szung-jook and Rab Ney are the next project s out of which the Szung Jook has been carried out successfully.
The Rab Ney is now scheduled to happen on Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th, September 2017.
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Will you help towards the two projects? I am appealing here to those who can help TYBSC by donating any amount to support the expenses of the Szung Jook and for the upcoming Rab Ney rite.
The estimated gross cost is around £18,000, which includes gift offerings to eight Lamas, their travel expenses including international Air tickets, Eurostar train tickets, local traveling expenses here and there, food and lodging, etc.
Additionally, there were many expenses for buying the necessary Szung Jook related sacred objects, some of which were acquired in India, Bhutan, and Nepal as well as locally in the UK. And there will be many additional expenses for various items needed for the Rab-ney as well.
At least four people (two students and two friends) have donated a total of £3,500 already...!
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To view the images, visit http://tybimiami.org/pdf/TYBSC_newsletter_Kusoom_Ling_August_2017_PDF.pdf