Cantwell Mayer Ka Ba Nag Po Longevity Rituals

Tibetan and Himalayan Healing

An Anthology for Anthony Aris

Compiled by

Charles Ramble

Ulrike Roesler

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements ............................................................................ xi

Why a Book? ....................................................................................... 1

JEAN-LUC ACHARDUne dhra Bon po de Longue Vie Associe au Cycle du Tshe dbang bya ri ma, selon la Tradition de Khod spungs Blo gros thogs med (12801337).............. 7NICK ALLENA Sense of Well-Being: Thulung Rai and Kinnaur.................................................................... 19

ROBERT BEERThe Lineage Holders and Protectors of the Tibetan Medical Tradition........................................................ 23

GZA BETHLENFALVYFour Times Hundred Offerings which Rescue us from the Bdud (Brgya bzhi cho ga bdud las rnam rgyal).............................................................. 35

HENK BLEZERDus pai nad, Bad kan smug po and Melancholia in the Teaching on the Six Lamps (sGron ma drug gi gdams pa), the Fourfold Collection (Bum bzhi), and the Fourfold Tantra (rGyud bzhi)........................... 43

MARTIN BOORDThe Great mDos Rite which Redeems from the Crosses of Malicious Gossip .............................. 65

JOHN BRAYDr Henry Cayley in Ladakh: Medicine, Trade and Diplomacy on Indias Northern Frontier............................................................... 81

KATIA BUFFETRILLELakes, Springs and Good Health...................... 97

CATHY CANTWELL AND ROBERT MAYERLongevity Rituals in the Bon Phur pa tradition: Chapter 25 of the Black Pillar ...........................................................105

SIENNA CRAIGHealing Elements....................................................119

OLAF CZAJAThe Eye-healing Avalokitevara: a National Icon of Mongolia and its Origin in Tibetan Medicine...........................................................123

ELENA DE ROSSI FILIBECKPreface to the Herbarium Manuscript, Tucci Collection n.1298................................................139

BRANDON DOTSONThe Call of the Cuckoo to the Thin Sheep of Spring: Healing and Fortune in Old Tibetan Dice Divination Texts...............................................145

GEORGE VAN DRIEMHealth in the Himalayasand the Himalayan Homelands.........................................................159

ISRUN ENGELHARDTItalian Capuchins as the First Western Healers in Lhasa, 17071945 .............................................193

GREGORY FORGUESThe Magic of Healing in Gesar Rituals.................................................................................209

BARBARA GERKEOf Matas, Jhakris, and Other Healers: Fieldnotes on a Healing Event in Kalimpong, India, 2004....................................................................229

TSERING D. GONKATSANGThe Miracle Patient and the Revival of the Bodong Tradition in Exile............................247

JANET GYATSOOne Picture ............................................................271

GYURME DORJEReflections on Recruitment and Ritual Economy in Three Himalayan Village Monasteries ........................................................................ 277

PAUL HACKETTThe Sman rtsis khang: A Survey of Pedagogical and Reference Literature .........................289

GEORGIOS HALKIASInvoking Protection from the Buddha of Infinite Life and Wisdom .........................................297

AMY HELLERA Votive Prayer and Dedication on an Early Thangka of sMan bla .........................................................319

AGNIESZKA HELMAN-WANYHealing Artefacts: Tibetan Pharmacopeia from the Ethnographic Museum in Krakw....................................................329

THERESIA HOFERBodies in Balance: The Art of Tibetan Medicine..........................................................................345

TONI HUBERHunting for the Cure: A Bon Healing Narrative from Eastern Bhutan ..........................................369

vi TABLE OF CONTENTS

MATTHEW KAPSTEINTextualizing the Icon: The Three Deities of Longevity in Art and Ritual...................................381

SAMTEN KARMAYThe Wind-Horse and the Well-Being of Man......................................................................403

PER KVAERNEThe God of Medicine, King of Aquamarine Light ...............................................................411

LAMA JABBA Song-poem on the Perfect Tibetan Physician ........417

DIANA LANGEA Dundees Doctors Collection(s) on Tibet: Thomas Alexander Wise (18021889) ..................................433

CHARLES MANSONSending and Taking..........................................453

ALEX MCKAYCountering Cholera: Preliminary Remarks on Dr Cousins visit to Bhutan, 1918 ..............................................455

COLIN MILLARDTwo Bon Nagpa Healing Rituals in Mustang ...........................................................................461

MARTIN MILLSLiving in Times Shadow: Pollution, Purification and Fractured Temporalities in Buddhist Ladakh...........................................................................483

TIM MYATTA Frozen Stiff Upper Lip: The Maladies and Remedies of the Younghusband Mission of 1904 ...............................................................................503

JAMYANG OLIPHANTThe Tibetan Technique of Essence-Extraction (Bcud len) and its Benefits ...............................511

MICHAEL OPPITZThe Soothing Powers of Beauty ........................515

PENPA DORJEE AND DAN MARTINVerses on Good and BadPhysicians, Composed by the Tsangt Teacher ...............................519

FRANOISE POMMARETA Note on Tsha chu. The Therapeutic Hot Springs of Bhutan .................................................541

LAURENT PORDIRegional Conflicts, Collective Identities and the Neutrality of the Clinical Encounter:A Note on Tibetan Medicine in Ladakh............................................545

DAVID PRITZKERA Heros Journey: A Couple Poetic Verses from a Recently-Discovered Manuscript ..................549

viiTABLE OF CONTENTS

CHARLES RAMBLETrouble with Vampires: Or, Howthe Layout of this Book Came to be Done .....................................553

PETER ALAN ROBERTSThe Healing Sorcerer..................................569FRANOISE ROBINHow the Yogi Healed BedriddenDbang chen. An Extract from the Novel The BlackTent in the Distance (Thag ring gi sbra nag), by Bstan pa yar rgyas (2005)........................................................... 577

ULRIKE ROESLERHow to Recognize a Useless Doctor: Excerpts from an Indian Yoga Comedy........................................... 587

ANNE DE SALES When the Shaman Takes the Witches for a Ride: A Ritual Journey in Magar Land (Nepal).....................................................................593

MARCIA SCHMIDTHealing with Tara............................................. 597

NICOLA SCHNEIDERUne Sance de Gurison chez une Khandroma........................................................................ 609

MONA SCHREMPFFighting Illness with Gesar: A Healing Ritual from Eastern Bhutan.............................................621

ANNA SEHNALOVAInviting Medicine: Mendrub (Sman grub) Healing for Everyone and Everything.........................631

ALEXANDER K. SMITHNo More Bad Dreams: Divination and Client Therapy .........................................................649

ELLIOT SPERLINGHis Imperial Highness Alexei Tubdanjiatsovich, Tsarevich of Russia..............................................659

HEATHER STODDARDDorje Kotrab: Vajra Armour........................ 663

PTER-DNIEL SZNTMinor Vajrayna Texts III:A Fragment of the *Guhyasamjoddhtaygavidhi......................... 675

TASHI TSERINGLooking back at Bla sman Mkhyen Rab nor bu: A Biographical Note and Brief Discussionof His Works ....................................................................................685

ROBERTO VITALIOn the Nine Master Doctors of Tibet, Briefly.................................................................. 715

viii TABLE OF CONTENTS

TATSUYA YAMAMOTOSelling Healing: A CaseStudy of Tibetan Chanting CD Production in Kathmandu ...................................................................................... 719

RONIT YOELI-TLALIMBetween Medicine and Ritual: Tibetan Medical Rituals from Dunhuang...................................... 739

BETTINA ZEISLERThe Seven Stars of Heaven: A Gift for a Reconvalescent ..............................................747

ixTABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The twenty-six paintings that feature as chapter endings are the workof Robert Powell, Anthonys friend and neighbour, who has generous-ly provided them for this volume. The cover photograph of JomoDrolma, taken by Gerhard Heller, appears in the article by MonaSchrempf in this volume (p. 607): our sincere thanks to Gerhard andMona for permitting us to use it. The cover design is by Monica Strinu,who also gave us invaluable advice with technical aspects of produc-tion. The herculean task of making the layout was accomplished byKemi Tsewang.

WHY A BOOK?

But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover:will ye therefore that I release unto you the king of the Jews? Then criedthey all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was arobber. (John 18:40)

There is a well-known story about Lord ByronMad, bad and dan-gerous to knowand his publisher John Murray, a devout and moral-ly upstanding Presbyterian. The two did not get on, and so Murray waspleasantly surprised when, one day, Byron presented him with a Bible.Touched by this gesture of conciliation, Murray kept the Bible in hisliving room where visitors could leaf through it for their edification. Allwent well until one day, a visitor happened to open the book at the eigh-teenth chapter of the Gospel of St John, the passage in which Pilate, bycustom, reprieves a condemned man at the feast of the Passover. Thecrowd were told to decide between the two namesakes: Jesus ofNazareth and Jesus bar Abbas; and the crowd, as we know, rejected thefirst (not this man) and clamoured instead for the release ofBarabbas. By way of an introduction to Barabbas, the villain who waschosen, the Bible helpfully informs us that he was a robber. JohnMurrays visitor was discomfited to see that the text at this point hadbeen altered by an unknown hand, and she showed the emendation toher host. Murray saw that Byron had deleted the word robber andwritten in its place publisher. The gift had been a Trojan horse.

Everyone comes out of this story badly: Byron, of course, because(to compound his more famous peccadilloes) he had insulted the goodJohn Murray and betrayed his confidence; Barabbas, because he was arobber; robbers, because Barabbas was one of them, but far worse thanany honest robber through vicarious guilt for the crucifixion of ourLord; Murray, who is made to look like a bigoted fool; and publishers,not just because Murray was one but because we cannot, having readthe line, get rid of the suspicion that there may have been some truth inByrons claim. The configuration is a sort of miniature prattyasamut-pda, the chain of dependent origination that lies at the heart ofBuddhist teaching: the especial badness of each of the links in this storyderives from its association with the others: they are locked into a

mutually reinforcing hoop of malice for which there seems to be nocure.

* * *

Anthony Ariss twin brother Michael died on 27 March 1999, theirfifty-third birthday. The funeral was a sad but uplifting occasion, madeparticularly memorable by something Anthony said in the course of thetribute he gave. When he and his mother had been speaking of their loss(he said), she had remarked, Well, it doesnt really matter, dear; wehave his spare parts. If you can think of a more perfect line that abereaved identical twin might deliver on such an occasion, dear reader,we would like to hear it.

Authors get the light, publishers stay in the shadea famoustwinned Tibetan concept, nyin and drib. But writers tend to overlookthe fact that without the drib, there would not, could not, be nyin. Thereare well-established conventions for celebrating scholarly achieve-ment, the felicitation volumethe Festschriftbeing the standardoffering, while publishers usually count themselves lucky if they canescape opprobrium and get away with obscurity. Part of the problemmay be that there is no consecrated mechanism for celebrating theachievements of publishers, and we, the compilers of this volume, wererather unsure what the response would be when we sent a message outin summer to invite contributions. For anyone who does not knowAnthony Aris, the response we received might seem astonishing. Notonly did some sixty people accept the invitation, but they submittedtheir contributions within the outrageously short time we had specified.

For these same readers it might be worth saying a few words toexplain why the invitation should have elicited such an extraordinarymanifestation of goodwill. There are two reasons: 1) the man himself,and 2) his work. It would be easy to go on at length about both, butsince we have enjoined our contributors to keep their submissionsshortmore economical to list the things that he has in common withthe books he has produced through his publishing house, Serindia.

1. They are full of valuable information2. They are big3. They are generous to the point of being lavish4. They are very good company at any time of day, but most of all inthe evening and into the night.

2 WHY A BOOK?

But there are a number of respects in which even these publications,which have done so much to disseminate knowledge and appreciationof Tibetan and Himalayan civilisation, both within and well beyondacademic circles, fall far short of the man. Here is a short list:

1. They do not have a genius for organising successful conferences2. They do not raise funds for scholarly activities3. They are not married to a most remarkable woman named Marie-Laure4. They do not provide generous help for young researchers

This list, too, could easily become a long one, but it might be better tostop there. When we heard in June that Anthony was not in the best ofhealth, an anthology on the subject of healing seemed like an appropri-ate gesture as a larger-than-life get-well card. More than a card, it wasintended as a sort of exuberant (and slightly unruly) international sur-prise party, where a bookful of guests, each bearing his or her person-ally crafted gift, could gather to celebrate the unsuspecting host, remindhim (as if he would ever forget) how widely loved and appreciated heis, and lift his spirits into the bargain.

If the choice of theme for the anthology was an obvious one, thereis a sense in which literature and scholarship might themselves beunderstood to have healing powers. The Buddha articulated his solu-tion to the general malaise of the world in the fourfold medical diag-nostic idiom that was current at the time. In a later sermon he explainedthat the nexus of dependent origination could be dismantled byunhitching the first linkignoranceafter which the whole edificewould come tumbling down of its own accord. As a test case for thisremedy we might consider the miniature sasra sketched out at thebeginning of this introduction. Where on earth would one begin to treatsuch an awful open wound?

A compassionate approach is said to be a good asset, so we couldbegin there. In 1950 the Swedish writer Pr Lagerkvist published hismost famous novel, Barabbas, that imagines the life of this most infa-mous bandit after his release, when, as we had all supposed, he hadbreathed a sigh of relief and scuttled back gratefully to a life of robberyand historical oblivion. The story is one of the most touching, evenheart-breaking, studies of a villainous pariah there is, and no one who

3WHY A BOOK?

reads will ever be able to evoke Barabbas again without seeing him suf-fused by the glow of Lagerkvists redemptive portrait.

The redemption of Murray and Byron is less a case for compassionthan for wisdom: scrutinising the evidence, and perhaps not taking agood story at face value. How much of an insufferable prig wasMurray? On 25 February 1843 his friend J.G. Lockhart wrote him a let-ter that contained a short observation about Sir David Wilkie, whosebiography he (Lockhart) was to publish that year with John Murray:He [Wilkie] is a fellow you cant ever suppose to have been drunk orin lovetoo much of a Presbetyrian Elder for either you or me. As ifby magic, Murray suddenly becomes a man we might actually want tospend some time with.

And the story of Byrons cruel joke? In Notes and Queries of 30 July1910 there appeared a letter from a Mr John Murray in response to anenquiry that had been received about the famous story:

False traditions die hard, but I supposed that this one had received itsquietus long ago, as it has been refuted some scores of times. There is noreference in Byrons poems to Barabbas, and a publisher. The story ranthat Byron gave my grandfather a Bible, and that my grandfather wasmuch touched by this evidence of the poets religious fervour, until, onturning over the leaves, he found in the 40th verse of the St. JohnsGospel, chap. xviii., the word robber changed into publisher. The jokewas perpetrated by Thomas Campbell on another publisher; neitherByron nor my grandfather had any part in it. I have in my library ByronsBible, and there is no mark or notch in it of any kind. Byron, however,did drink the health of Napoleon, because he shot a bookseller.1

Quite simply, the famous episode never happened at all. Byron,Murray, Barabbas, robbers and publishers are suddenly released fromthe clutches of malign ignorance.

* * *

So, why a book? This modest clinical trial suggests that the Buddhashealing formula does seem to work, or at the very least deserves furthertrials. And if these humble manifestations of compassion and wis-domsensitive writing and honest scholarshipcan dissolve the poi-sonous mordants that had held that particular vicious pattern in place,what other afflictions might they not help to heal?

4 WHY A BOOK?

NOTES

1 The bookseller in question was Johann Philipp Palm, from Nuremberg, whomNapoleon had had executed on 26 August 1806. Incidentally, we have it on goodauthorityGeorge Smiley, in John Le Carrs Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, SpythatBarabbas was not in fact a publisher but a bookseller.

5WHY A BOOK?

LONGEVITY RITUALS IN THE BON PHUR PA TRADITION: CHAPTER 25 OF THE BLACK PILLAR.

CATHY CANTWELL AND ROB MAYER, OXFORD.1

In the pages below we present a translation of the chapter on longevity from a famous canonical Bon tantra, considered to be the root text for the

2 The text in question is the Black Pillar Secret Pith Instruction Root Tantra (Ka ba nag po man ngag rtsa bai rgyud -cle of nine Phur pa tantras revealed by Khu tsha zla od at sPa gro cal gyi brag or Phug cal in Bhutan, some time in the eleventh or twelfth century.3

Also known as Ku sa sman pa, Khu tsha zla od was as much famed for his exceptional medical skills as for his extraordinary religious ac-tivities as a Treasure Revealer (gter ston), and he is reported to have re-vealed medical and astrological treasures alongside his religious ones. His medical prowess seems to have been so outstanding that some sourc-es have even connected him with the great g.Yu thog pa Yon tan mgon po (11271203), although others say he was a different but roughly con-temporaneous medical authority. Either way, it seems that Khu tsha was so much in demand as a physician that he eventually attracted criticism from some of his compatriots in his native land of lHo brag, who consid-ered him over-concerned with his medical practice to the detriment of his religious obligations. Thus Guru Chos dbangs father is reported to have remarked: Doctor Khu tsha, owing to his medical practice, neglected to serve living beings through the doctrine(Dudjom 1991: 765).

Time, however, seems to have vindicated Doctor Khu tsha, for de-spite his tireless medical activities, he nevertheless managed to leave a religious legacy second to none. His Phur pa treasures have been enor-

-butions to Bon rDzogs chen (Kapstein 2009). Not only that, but he is re-

1 Our thanks to the UKs Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) who sponsored our research on the Bon Phur pa tradition.

2 A translation of the full tantra will appear in our forthcoming publication with Brill.3 Different sources give him different dates. See the discussion in Cantwell & May-

er 2013.

CATHY CANTWELL AND ROB MAYER106

vered within Buddhist traditions too. Like his near-contemporary in lHo brag Guru Chos dbang, Khu tsha also was involved with both Buddhism and Bon (although in his case he was predominantly Bon po, while Chos dbang was predominantly Buddhist). Thus later Buddhist luminaries, such as the great Jam dbyangs mKhyen brtse dbang po in the ninteenth century, came to be recognised as Khu tshas later reincarnation, and mKhyen brtse dbang po also re-revealed some of Khu tshas Buddhist Treasure that had otherwise been lost (the Rtsa gsum spyi dus snying thig, propagated in our own time by the late Dil mgo mKhyen brtse).

Tibetan medicine is only one (albeit the largest and most important) of a number of life enhancement practices that became associated espe-cially with the Bon and rNying ma schools. As Fernand Meyer points

-tions seem to originate in the later Imperial period, it would seem even before the large scale triumph of Buddhism. A degree of conceptual overlap is also visible between them, and a striking feature most of them share is a highly syncretic mix of international cultural elements. The medical tradition, for example, integrates Western, Indian, Chi-nese and indigenous Tibetan medical elements.4 Similarly, in the Wind Horse (rlung rta) and conceptually related life enhancement practices,

trigrams, alongside indigenously Tibetan sgra bla deities. Especially in the Bon and rNying ma, several categories from these

areas of indigenous Tibetan thinking on life-enhancement became inte-grated with the tantric longevity rites connected with such Indian deities

-

4 3. The year 1992 witnessed a landmark in Tibet-

an studies: the publication by Serindia of the monumental two volumes of Tibetan Medical Paintings, the famous set of illustrations to the Blue Beryl treatise of Desi Sangye Gyamt-sho (16531705) that had until then been considered lost. Perhaps more than any previous publication, this work made apparent the international cultural hybridity of Tibetan medi-

the principal editors of this collaborative work, with smaller additional acknowledgements

Robert Mayer, Sergey Klokov and Helena Bespalova. Yet these attributions only tell part

share of credit should go to Anthony Aris. It was primarily his vision, his drive, his skill, his artistic perfectionism, and his courageous refusal to bow to any of the seemingly endless

the wonderful colour reproductions (entirely Anthonys doing) and beautiful design and layout (also entirely Anthonys doing) which have meant that it also still remains amongst

107LONGEVITY RITUALS IN THE BON PHUR PA TRADITION

ple is the well-known indigenous category of the brang rgyas torma, which is prominent in Bon and rNying ma tantric longevity rites alike.5

In the chapter on longevity from Doctor Khu tshas Black Pillar Treasure translated below, we see evidence for the Tibetan-Indian syn-cretism so typical of these genres: for example, Indian ideas such as a

prominent and repeated presentation of the Tibetan category of brang rgyas. In this respect, Chapter 25 is quite typical of the Black Pillar as a whole, for, as we point out elsewhere (Cantwell & Mayer 2013), a consistent pattern throughout this text is its re-use of indigenous Tibet-

overall literary form of an Indian Buddhist tantra.

KA BA NAG PO MAN NGAG RTSA BAI RGYUD, CHAPTER 25

Base text (=Kanj): Ka ba nag po man ngag rtsa bai rgyud, Vol. 160, pages 1125 of Theg chen g.yung drung bon gyi bka gyur, Bod ljongs bod yig dpe rnying dpe skrun khang, Lhasa 1999. ( = 3rd edition of Bon Kanjur, in 178 volumes)

Tenj: Volume 268, pp.1-163, Bon gyi brten gyur chen mo, 2nd Edition (in 333 volumes), n.d., n.p., ISBN 7-223-00984-5 (sic). From a private collection, courtesy of Dr J-L Achard. (This is identical to the version found in Vol. 268, pp. 165345, of Tanbai Nyima, ed., Bonpo Tenjur, 380 Volumes, Lhasa, 1998.)

Ktm: dbu med ms from the library of Geshe Yungdung Gyaltsen, foli-os 1a49v. NGMPP Reel Number E3406/2, Running Number E55878,

KTY: oral explanations of Khenpo Tenpa Yungdrung, Shenten Dargye Ling, Blou, France, 2011/12.

[87.4] [Tenj 115.5] [Ktm 35r.5]

Again, Thukj Jamma asked:

5

categories, but the brang rgyasin his Sdom gsum rab dbye brang rgyas as a ritual item for which he could


mkha gying rgyal po ston pai gtso/Khajing, the King who is chief among Enlightened Guides,[5] tshe bsgrub phrin las ji ltar lags/What are the rituals for accomplishing longevity?bdag cag khor la bshad du gsol /Please explain them to [those of] us in your retinue.zhes zhus pa6/ [Tenj 116] Thus she asked, andmkha gying ston pas7 bka stsal pa/Khajing, the Enlightened Guide, replied:gro ba tshe thung nad [6] mang pa8/The lives of beings are short and their illnesses many.byin rlabs dbang dang ldan pai phyir/So that they might be endowed with empowering consecrations, dbal phur nag poi gzhung las kyang/The scriptural authorities of Black Wal Phurpa also tshe bsgrub cho ga bshad pa ni9/Explain the rituals for accomplishing longevity.10 lo zla tshes grangs dar bai tshe/On a waxing day, month and year,11

[7] dben pai gnas su phyin nas kyang/After going to an isolated spot,gser skyem [Ktm 35v] zang zing sbyin pa btang/Offer a golden libation and material wealth,de nas bsnyen bsgrub rdzogs par bya/Then perform the Approach and Accomplishment practice completely.de og tshe chog bsgrub pai thabs/After that, [use] the methods for accomplishing the longevity rituals.

7 ston pas: Ktm yab kyis8 pa: Ktm la9 bshad pa ni: Ktm ngas bshad do10 Ktms reading would render: I will explain the rituals for accomplishing longevi-

ty, which also are found in the scriptural authorities of Black Wal Phurpa.

11 This implies an early month in the calendar, during spring or when there is still growth, and a day early in the lunar month when the moon is still waxing.

LONGEVITY RITUALS IN THE BON PHUR PA TRADITION 109

12/

rgya mdud thig lei dkyil khor bri/13

[ /]14 [[So that] the [ ] is adorned [with] place[marks] of glittering jewels.]15

dkyil khor dbus su bzhag pai rdzas/

Within a jewelled longevity vase,16

tshe chang sna tshogs ma lus dang/Put together all the various kinds of longevity alcoholic drinks, andsnying po rnam lnga bsogs [2] par bya/

17

[de og tshe chog sgrub pai thabs/ ]18

12 : Ktm lam par rtsigs13 (or

in Ktm, the well-made knot), mentioned in Chapter 24 (Kanj p.84.1), consisting of the interconnecting squares contained within and at angles to one another at the centre of the

around the edges, which are ornamented by these precious jewels and decorative swastikas.14 : omitted in Kanj and Tenj.15 This line is omitted in Kanj and Tenj, but KTY reports a similar meaning in the

commentarial literature, so we include it here.16 A bum pa can be either a vase with a rounded body and central opening with a lid,

P. Ogyan Tanzin Rinpoche comments that the bum pa

are convenient for pouring liquids and thereby bestowing the consecrations at the end of the ritual (otherwise, consecration may be given simply by putting the vase on the head). However, in this case, although the central bum pa appears to have liquid con-tents, not all of the others do, and it is quite likely that the vase type is intended here.

17 There are slight variants on the list. KTY advises that in this case, the list should be molasses, melted butter, honey, beer and sea salt (bu ram, zhun mar, sbrang rtsi, chang, lan tshva

and water. This list corresponds to one of the alternative lists given by the rNying ma Phur pa commentator, Mag gsar Kun bzang stobs ldan. See Mag gsar 2003: 153.

18 This tshig rkang in our base text Kanj has been erroneously transposed from above; it is not given in Ktm or Tenj.

110 CATHY CANTWELL AND ROB MAYER

de steng tshei brang rgyas la/Above it,19 [place] the Longevity Dronggy,20

With food offering [tormas] of the three whites and the three sweets, andspyan gzigs tshogs kyi brgyan pa ni/adornments of many food offerings, pleasing to see.

They should be arranged as the longevity accomplishment supports.21

In the east, in a vase of conch, crystal or kharwa,22

zhal zas bye brag sna tshogs bsogs/Assemble various kinds of foods.brang rgyas zla gam dag gis kyang/ [Tenj 117] Cover [this vase with] a pure semi-circular Dronggy,23 kha bcad zhal zas [4] sna tshogs brgyan/Adorned with various offering foods.

19

brang rgyas is placed upon this.20 KTY: The brang rgyas is a category of torma, but not all tormas are brang rgyas.

The brang rgyas has the distinguishing characteristic of being made from very tasty food, and can come in different shapes and colours. One speaks of brang rgyas dkar po, brang rgyas nag po, and so on. Some brang rgyas can have a round torma shape, but for long life rituals, a round jewel like shape is often used. Long life brang rgyas are in themselves a whole class of brang rgyas. In this instance here in the Ka ba nag po (and similarly for all the examples below, of those in the different directions), it is the torma

brang rgyas can refer to a number of ritual items, always embodying concentrated nutritional suste-nance and representing richness or plenty. In rNying ma, the Longevity Dronggy refers

for longevity consecrations. Occasionally, a dough torma of the same vase like shape may be used instead. A quite different type of brang rgyas or Jewel torma, sometimes referred to as the dngos grub gyi brang rgyas (the siddhis dronggy), made out of dough in the shape of jewels, is used for bestowing the accomplishments at the end of the practice ses-sion (see the illustrations of the two types of brang rgyas in Dudjom Collected Writings Volume Za: 593). The term, brang rgyas, is also used more generally in a variety of Tibetan cultural contexts, such as lay festivities, referring to an arrangement of a mound

21 This means that they support the presence of the deities and become the focus for the meditative consecrations bestowing longevity.

22 KTY: khar ba, a mixed metal similar to that used for bells.23 Note that the description here and below, in which a different shaped brang rgyas

is to be placed in each of the four directions, is similar to a rNying ma pa ritual arrange-ment for the bestowal of siddhis (see Dudjom Collected Writings Volume Da: 168169).


24/These should be arranged as the food accomplishment supports.

In the south, in a s copper25 vase,

The three whites, the three sweets, and medicines,ri lu26 byas la nang du bzhugs27/Are made into pills and placed within.[5] brang rgyas sog khas28 kha bcad nas29/[They] are covered30 with a dronggy [shaped like] a shoulder blade,31

These should be arranged as the merit accomplishment supports.

In the west, in a copper vase,32

Assemble grapes, sap juice,33 molasses, honey,

In that case, a larger central brang rgyas (in a triple jewel shape) is surrounded by smaller versions of the same four shapes listed here, although the different shapes are in different positions: circular in the east, square in the south, semi-circular in the west, and triangular in the north. According to notes based on the explanations of the dbu mdzad of the Jangsa Monastery, Kalimpong, and participant observation of the ritual in Gelegphu, Bhutan (No-

and is thus four-sided; the third has a semi-circular base and the fourth has a triangular base. 24 par bya: Tenj byao, Ktm pao25 bse (or bswe) can indicate various materials. The Brda dkrol gser gyi me long

(Tsan lha ngag dbang tshul khrims, ed. 1997: 1004), gives zangslisted meaning, but adds the alternatives of bse khrab bse rmog sogs. Khenpo Tenpa Yungdrung advises that a particular type of good quality copper is indeed the intended meaning in this case (as also in Chapter 23, p.79.5, and Chapter 24, p.84.2).

26 ri lu: Tenj ril bu 27 bzhugs: Tenj gzhug28 sog khas: Tenj sogs khas, Ktm sogs bkas 29 nas: Tenj pa, Ktm la30 The Dronggy is placed on a stand above the contents of the vase below, closing

or covering it.31 Triangular in shape.32 go la: Ktm omits 33 go la Tshig mdzod chen mo as, sra rtsii rgyu bse shing gi khu ba, the

juice of the rose tree (Rosa sericea lindl., if this is equated with se ba), made from the juice of its sap. However, some sources (Roerich Tibetan-Russian-English Dictionary Vol.2) also/alternatively give acacia nut (betel nut). KTY advises that the term occurs in old souces and refers here to a special kind of juice, most probably that of the rose.


[6] gser dngul zangs lcags g.yu la sogs /Gold, silver, copper, iron, turquoise, etc,bru dang rin chen sna tshogs bsogs/Various grains and precious jewels.

[The vase] is covered with a circular dronggy,

And [they are] arranged as the wealth accomplishment supports.

In the north, in a gold or brass vase, me tog bye brag sna tshogs dang/

rin chen chang gis bye brag gsal/Types of precious alcoholic beverages look radiant.

brang rgyas gru bzhis kha yang bcad/[The vase] is covered with a square shaped dronggy,

34/And [they are] arranged as the fertility35 accomplishment supports.de dus ting dzin rim pa ni/For the stages of absorptions at this time:dbal bon bdag gi thugs ka nas/From the heart centre of [one]self [as] Wal Bon,

Through the emanation and reabsorption of e, , , and du,36

drag po dbals37 [2] phur gzhal [Tenj 118] yas sgom/Meditate on the palace of wrathful Wal Phurpa.

In its centre, from ,34 : Tenj, Ktm ; we follow Tenj and Ktm.35 chung srid: KTY advises that this has the sense of producing children, so implies

fertility. Note the further occurrences of the term below.36

du here is also intended as a syllable. This is a very frequent syllable used in Bn mantras, with the meaning of gsol (pray) or rtsol (bestow), depend-ing on the context.

37 dbals: Tenj, Ktm dbal; we follow Tenj and Ktm.


brug gsas chem pa yab yum gnyis /[Arise] the pair of Druks Chempa in union with his consort.thugs ka od zer [Ktm 36r] gzi brjid bar/At their hearts, light rays blaze brilliantly.

Into ones own body, ones own three [body, speech and mind] centres,

the lifespan [essences which have] supported [the deities] enlightened bodies, speech and mind are dissolved. steng phyogs nam mkhai khra khyung gis/

38

steng og dbus nas tshe bkug nas/Draw in lifespan from above, below, [and] the centre, bdag gzhan gnas gsum [4] dag tu bstim/Dissolving it into the three [bodily] centres of oneself and others.tshei lha mo rgyal mtshan mas/Meditate on the longevity goddess, Gyaltsenma (Royal Banner Lady),bkra shis byin gyis rlab par bsgom/Bestowing the consecration of auspiciousness.

In the east, from ,khra gsas khyung rgod yab yum gnyis/

with his consort, in union. [5] thugs kai od zer dpag med mdangs39/Light rays from their hearts are an immeasurable radiance bdag la dus shing bdag la thim/Which gathers towards oneself and dissolves into oneself.steng phyogs nam mkhai khra khyung gis/

38 See Chapter 6 of the Ka ba nag po for the Wal Hawks (dbal khra). The Hawk

39 mdangs: Ktm spros


From the thousand realms of the eastern worlds,[6] bcud bsdus rin chen gter du sbas40/Gather the essences [and] let them fall as precious jewels,bdag gzhan gnyis kyi rgyud la bstim/Dissolving them into the mindstreams of both oneself and others.bcud kyi lha mo bkrag byin mas/Meditate on the goddess of essences, Trakjinma (Bestowing Brilliance Lady),bcud gter41 byin gyis rlab par bsgom/Bestowing the consecration of treasure essences.42

In the south, from ,me sras43[Arise] the pair Ms Kamnak (Dark Brown Fire Divinity) and his con-sort in union.

44 thugs kai gsang mdzod nas45/From the secret treasuries of their hearts and their places of union,

Light radiates, and merits descend like a great rain.[90] steng phyogs nam mkhai khyung khrai/

46 of the sky above,

From the thousand regions of the southern worlds,

Gather the essences of merit [and] renown,bdag gi47 bya byed48 las la bstim/And dissolve them into ones actions and karma.

40 sbas: Tenj, Ktm phab; we follow Tenj and Ktm.41 gter: Ktm rten42 Ktms reading would render: the consecration [with] the support [of] the essences.43 me sras: Tenj, Ktm me gsas; we follow Tenj and Ktm.44 tshams: Tenj mtshams; tshams is a common alternative spelling of mtshams.45 gsang mdzod nas: Ktm gsang ba mdzod46 This time, the earlier order of khra khyung is now reversed, becoming khyung

khra khyung khra or khra khyung.47 gi: Tenj gis48 bya byed: Ktm byed las


Meditate on the merit goddess, Pelchma (Increasing Lady),gzi brjid grags par ster bar bsgom/Bestowing brilliance [and] renown.

In the west, from ,dbal gsas me bar yab yum gnyis/[Arises] the couple, Wals Mbar (Fierce Divinity Ablaze) and his con-sort, in union.thugs kai [3] od zer gsal ba mdangs/Light rays from their hearts are a luminous radiance,bdag la dus shing bdag la thim/Which gathers towards oneself and dissolves into oneself.steng phyogs nam mkhai khra khyung gis/

nub du49From the thousand regions of the western worlds,

nor rdzas [4] dbyig gi bcud bsdus50 nas/Gather the essences of wealth and jewels,byin rlab char du bebs par byed/Causing consecrations to descend like a rain.lha mo nor gyi rgyun ma yis51/Meditate on the goddess, Nor gyi Gyun ma (Stream of Wealth),btsan phyugs52 byin gyis rlab par sgom/ [Tenj 120] Bestowing the consecration [to become] powerful and wealthy.

In the north, from ,glog gsas od gyu yab yum gnyis/Are the pair of Loks gyu (Lightning Divinity Flashing Light) and his consort, in union.

49 nub du: Tenj phyogs, Ktm nub phyogs50 bsdus: Tenj bcus51 yis: Tenj yi52 phyugs: Tenj, Ktm phyug; we follow Tenj and Ktm.


53 thugs ka gsang bai mdzod/From the secret treasuries of their hearts and their places of union,od zer sna tshogs gzha tshon khyil/Variegated rainbow light rays are coalescing.phar phros [6] gro bai rgyud bsdus nas/Radiating out and bringing together the mind streams of sentient beings,tshul54 bsdus dbang thang chung srid gsal55/ As they return back, authority and fertility56 clearly appear.steng phyogs nam mkhai khyung khra57 yis/

58 of the sky above,

From the thousand regions of the northern worlds,[7] chung srid59 dbang thang bcud bsdus na60/Gather the essences of fertility and authority,bdag gi rgyud la bstim par sgom/And dissolve [them] into ones own mind stream. Meditate on this.chung srid lha mo yi bzhin61 mas/

dbang thang chung srid byin gyis rlobs /Grants the consecrations of authority and fertility.de [91] bzhin phyogs bcu kun nas kyang/In this way, from all the ten directions,lha dang lha mor62 byin rlabs nas63/ Through the consecrations of the gods and goddesses,

53 tshams: Tenj mtshams54 tshul: Tenj, Ktm tshur; we follow Tenj and Ktm.55 chung srid gsal: Ktm chu srid dul 56 chung srid: see note 35 above.57 khyung khra: Ktm khra khyung.58 As in the instance above (p.90.1, note 46), the earlier order of khra khyung is

reversed, becoming khyung khra.59 chung srid: Ktm chu srid (again, presumably, Ktm intends chung srid, and the

same spelling is given in Ktm in the further instances of the term below).60 na: Tenj nas61 yi bzhin: Tenj, Ktm yid bzhin; we follow Tenj and Ktm.62 mor: Tenj, Ktm moi; we follow Tenj and Ktm.63 nas: Tenj kyi, Ktm kyis

117LONGEVITY RITUALS IN THE BON PHUR PA TRADITION

byin rlabs64 dngos grub rin chen char/Consecration and accomplishment jewels rain down.phyogs mtshams [2] yongs la65Meditate on them falling from throughout the cardinal and intermediate directions.de tshe snying po di yang brjod/At this time also recite this essence mantra:

66 trag sha tib ta kyi ling ya67/ tsa kra ma ra ya/a pra tsin [3] dha/ khro ta tista bhin dha68

phya smar d 69 70/bebs ho tista71 lhan/zhes bzlas [4] dbyangs kyis bskul la72 gdab73/Having recited this, offer a song of invocation.dngos grub byin rlabs bcud bsdus nas/Having gathered the essences of accomplishment and consecrations,mi gyur g.yung drung lta bu thob/The unchanging yungdrung like [state] is attained,gzi brjid od dang ldan par gyur/[One] becomes resplendent with light.zhes [5] gsungs swo74/Thus he spoke.ka ba nag poi man ngag rtsa bai rgyud las tshe bsgrub bstan pai leu ste/ nyi shu lnga pao/From the Black Pillar Oral Instruction Root Tantra, this is the twen-

64 rlabs: Tenj brlabs65 la: Tenj, Ktm nas; we follow Tenj and Ktm.66 hre: Tenj, Ktm he 67 kyi ling ya: Ktm kyi li ya 68 tista bhin dha: Ktm sti ta brin dha 69 : Tenj nya 70 : Ktm rad nya ma ma (ma ma and pa le are in

small writing and may not be intended as insertions).71 ho tista: Ktm o ti sta72 la: Tenj: pa73 dbyangs kyis bskul la gdab: Ktm dbyings kyis di skad bskur (presumably, dby-

angs is intended).74 zhes gsungs swo: Ktm omits


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Cantwell Mayer Ka Ba Nag Po Longevity Rituals