Tsewang Rigzin

Tsewang Rigdzin is known to Bon practitioners as the “King of Longevity.”  He was the son of the 8th Century Tibetan master Drenpa Namkha.  As a Dzogchen lineage master himself, he composed ritual texts aimed at relieving suffering.  By practicing his wisdom teachings, we can heal physical, emotional and energetic imbalances in our lives. The result is an extended lifetime of service to others.  

The great master of Bon, Tsewang Rigzin, is considered the main long life deity of Yungdrung Bon.  He taught that clearing the soul of negative influences helps to increase the life span, heal the soul, and encourage a happy life.

In a deep meditative state, Tsewang Rigzin received the special teaching about soul healing.  It was transmitted to him by the dakini, Yum Chen Thuk Je Kundrol. The teaching itself was identified as Tse Du Jha Ri Ma, which is composed of the long life empowerment rituals, soul retrieval, and life force retrieval. The related Long Life rituals help to facilitate healing and bring harmony. Lopon Rinpoche will present this ritual and empowerment with the aim of enabling the participants to achieve a long life and to heal the connection between body and soul.

Tséwang Rikdzin is the embodiment of the Five Buddha Families and can therefore bestow any quality or wisdom that is needed.

Thus, although death is certain, we do not know when death will come.

The conditions are uncertain and the place is uncertain.

Our family, siblings, and beloved male and female friends and so forth, We must leave them all and go alone.

Empty handed without the lamp of virtue, the mind will be in a state of regret. Helpless, the body and consciousness must separate.

Therefore, the essence of the practice of prolonging human life is the long life practice of the King of Longevity.

From practicing the method, longevity will come.

For any kind of being who wishes to attain the precious level of liberation and omniscience, and be free from the ocean of perpetual suffering of cyclic existence, the Buddha taught many types of spiritual texts. To attain the ultimate fruition, the path of listening, contemplation and meditation is necessary.

In this regard, first, from listening to the teachings of the Lamas and Geshes and so forth the wisdom arisen from Hearing.

Then, by thoroughly investigating and analyzing by oneself the meaning of what has been heard, the wisdom arisen from contemplation is generated.

Then, from accomplishing the purpose of one’s analysis, familiarizing with that again and again is the practice of the path of skillful means of meditation. Unceasing effort is necessary, for there is no way to study the tradition of the teachings of the Buddha without this.

Therefore, this time the focus of the students will not be merely on listening, but connecting to the application of what has been heard. 

The Practice of Tséwang Rikdzin’s Supreme Collection that was Received upon Charima.

Whatever sentient being whose life is exhausted or life is weakened and so on will benefit from this practice. From Yumchen Thugje Kündrӧlma, the All Liberating Supreme Compassionate Consort, for the benefit of all sentient beings, at the place of Charitsugden, where all the Rigdzin and Khadros gather and reside, Khopo Lotro Thogmed, at that time received the longevity accomplishment and longevity blessing lineage from Khadro Thugje Kündrӧl.

The Steps for the Activities of the Practice of the Rigdzin King of Longevity:

1. Establishing the Boundary

2. The Contemplation of the Visualization

3. Visualization of the Celestial Palace

4. Reciting the Essence Mantra of Tsewang Rigdzin & Praise of the Mantra

5. The Offering

6. The Praise of the Qualities of Tsewang Rigdzin

7. Gathering the Pure Essence of the Five Elements from the Five of the Four Directions and Center into the Elements and Five Organs of One’s Body to Nourish the Luster of Life

8. Reciting the Twenty-One Longevity Mantras of Khadro Thugje Kündrӧl

9. The Dedication

The Practice of the Tséwang Rikzin’s Supreme Collection that was received upon Jarima.

E Ma Ho! How wonderful!
You are the unborn self-originated Emanation Body
You are the supreme embodiment of all the Buddhas of the three times The yungdrung changeless long life deity
I praise Tsewang Rigdzin!

From the Secret Practice of the Accomplishment of Longevity, the most secret upadesha instruction for perfecting the essence. Whatever sentient being whose life is exhausted or life is weakened and so on will benefit from this practice. From Yumchen Thugje Kundrolma, the All Liberating Supreme Compassionate Consort, for the benefit of all sentient beings, at the place of Charitsugden, where all the Vidyadhara and Dakinis gather and reside, I, Khopo Lotro Thogmed, at that time, received the longevity accomplishment and longevity blessing lineage from Thugje Kundrol.

As for practicing the ritual preparation, in a hermitage, on the white floor on a mandala ritual altar, place grains shaped like yungdrung. In a ritual vessel put a variety of precious jewels and precious medicines and amrita of yuti chang. Fill the seven water bowls with the sacred substances of longevity. Place and recite the 108 mantras of longevity on the neck of the precious vessel and tie a cord around the neck of the vessel. On a round torma shaped like a heart, place butter and then put it on the mouth of the vessel. With an arrow with bird feathers, place beside it tsakli cards and five colored silk.

The refuge and bodhicitta are done first in the general way. Setting the outer border, the ritual for the land, making the mandala, and the amrita chang with the ritual of the vessel are the same like in the various peaceful and wrathful cycles of teachings or of the Father Tantra and the Mother Tantra ritual of arrangement. Then perform the prayer of drawing out the poison, the incense prayer, and water prayer to purify any negativities from the altar.

To establish the boundary, sound the bell and

SO! I am the long life deity vidyadhara

Unborn and without death with an unchangeable yungdrung body

The nature of great unchangeable wisdom

In the state of the manifestation of emptiness

that is without obstacles

Through deluded thinking

The hidden ignorance and doubt of the mind

The Nyu le spirits and hindrances that take our life force

All are liberated into the space of reality

All obstacles are annihilated!

A Ti Tra Ma U Tsa Ta Ya Phat

[According to Bon, we always start a ritual with establishing a boundary to purify the external, internal, and secret obstacles. It is traditionally sung with its own melody while inviting the bell with a drum. The rhythm for the drum uses three beats per measure.]

Then the Contemplation of the Visualization:

Instantly yourself become Lama Tsewang Rigdzin, with one face and two hands
White complexion, in the form of a youth of eight years
Hands in the offering mudra and holding an orange yungdrung Wearing an eagle feather coat
Two legs, the right is straight and the left bent in a posture of meditation.

Then at your heart imagine a white A syllable
From which light rays emanate purifying the defilements of all sentient beings The light rays are reabsorbed and melt upon the precious vessel
The vessel transforms into a celestial palace
And inside the A syllable transforms into the King of Longevity, one face and two hands
Radiant white complexion, wearing a tiger skirt
Holding the mudra of equanimity seated on a swastika cushion

Visualize the yungdrung revolving
In front at the level of the heart visualize a moon disc
On the moon is a white A syllable surrounded by the mantra of longevity circling to the right
Imagine from that light rays emanate up
Inviting the wisdom beings from the expanse of the natural state of mind Imagine that all the generated beings dissolve into yourself Outwards, light emanates and gathers the luster of life of all sentient beings Feel all life, merit, and power is gathered back to your body increasing and flourishing
Then imagine the moon disc dissolves into light which melts into the vessel

[Practice the visualization here again and again to habituate yourself to the practice. This practice is to transform yourself into Tsewang Rigdzin. What this means is your mind transforms, not your body. This is not about your body but your mind. Try your best to let your mind transform and embody all of these qualities of the King of Longevity.]

Mantra

So Drum A Kar Mu La Ting Nam Ö Du Mu Yé Tsé Nri Dzah

(Recite the mantra until sign of success occur)

[This is the essence mantra of the Long-Life King. We can recite it three times. Why does it mention reciting the mantra until the signs of success occur? This is the instructions for those doing a retreat practice.]

Then to visualize the celestial palace

A Yam Ram Mam Kham Drum Du

[This is the essence mantra of the Five Elements. The Five Elements make up the mandala of the celestial palace.] 

The syllables A Yam Ram Mam Kham Dhrum
From A The mandala of Space
From Yam the mandala of Wind
From Ram the mandala of Fire
From Mam the mandala of Water
From Kham the golden Base
In the center of that golden base from the syllable Dhrum 

a vessel like a celestial palace of light
At the outer zone is a tent of yungdrung
Beyond that a tent of wheels
Then a lotus Tent
Then a tent of precious jewels
Then a rainbow Tent
Then a vajra Tent
Then a weapon Tent
Then a fire mountain Tent

Visualize these nine levels and in the center of that is a two lion and two elephant throne with sun, moon, lotus and in the middle a circling yungdrung upon which sits the Great Deathless yungdrung King whose body is of light, appearing yet insubstantial, deathless, and unceasing.  Visualize behind this are surrounding retinues of dharma friends of Shen, dharma brothers and sisters, patrons, human wealth, and practitioners.

[Spend some time meditating on the mandala of the five element celestial palace.]

Then the emanation and gathering is:

In the middle visualize Rigdzin Tsewang, the Vidyadhara of Longevity and at the heart center is a white A syllable around which sharp seed syllables brightly project and sound thri li li, circling to the right. Spider silk streams upward radiating and reabsorbing, inviting the wisdom beings from unmanifest space. They dissolve into yourself and the precious vessel longevity substances. Think that the accomplishment of eternal longevity is attained.

[Now recite the mantra 108 times and visualize within the center of your heart space of the natural state of mind. This space is the union of emptiness and awareness. Which is the essence of Tsewang Rigdzin. You can visualize this space in your heart, and if that is challenging then just feel the open space in your heart. Then feel that the mantra is circling counterclockwise in that space. This is how to meditate.]

Mantra

So Drum A Kar Mu La Ting Nam Ö Du Mu Yé Tsé Nri Dzah

(Recite the essence mantra many hundreds and thousands of times)

From the mantra, light rays emanate out to touch the vessel and heart of the deity and from the vessel and heart of the deity, lights rays emanate in all ten directions, to all of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, the Buddhas of the ten directions, Lamas, Yidams, Dakinis, and Protectors of Bön, to the crowns of the heads, the neck of the vessel, the endless knot of the heart, the wheel of the navel, and the secret place of union, from that however much power and blessings, the pinnacle of realization, the pinnacle of understanding, however many special qualities there are, all the essence of life, brilliant white and shining, lustrous red and shiny spinning measureless white A syllables dissolve into oneself, the vessel, and longevity substances. Imagine that the accomplishment of eternal longevity is attained.

Praise of the mantra:

SO is the unchangeable space of bon

Drum is the celestial palace of the gods

The white A is the state of unborn wisdom

Mu la is the seed of the vidyadhara

Ting nam is the self originated nectar water
Od du is the collection of longevity accomplishment
Mu ye is the mantra of auspiciousness and prosperity

Tse nri is the human essence

Dzah is the hook of light rays

To bring the accomplishment longevity from the place

And in this place the accomplishment is bestowed.

Thus practice for seven days. The signs of having accomplished the practice are:

Receiving prophecies from your lama, your hair and beard grow, your body wearing armor, climbing upward, staying in a castle, sounding cymbals, be able to pass through a narrow passage, collecting flowers, eating the three white foods (yogurt, milk, butter), the sun and moon rising, boiling a pot of water, a misty Torma descends, blowing a white conch, climbing up stairs, and so on, any kind of signs like this are an indication of successful practice.

The signs that one is not yet successful are: Descending, many harmful people running after you, wearing black clothes, sun and moon setting, meeting an unfamiliar person, Torma on vessel is split, flowers and crops drying out.  All such signs are indications that the practice is not yet successful. One must check until one is successful.

[These signs of accomplishment are for retreat practitioners.]

Consecrating the offering articles

Transform Yourself in to Tsewang Rigdzin
Having the mudra of giving offering
Imagine in the left palm is one white A syllable
Imagine that white A dissolves into the mandala of the moon
The mandala of the moon dissolves into light and from that the white essence of amrita goes into the torma
The torma dissolves into light and becomes all that is desired and all necessities In front of the yungdrung King of Longevity who fulfills wishes
Your damaged life
Depleted life
Roaming life
All this is gathered
Then to oneself, the accomplishment of longevity, glowing white and lustrous red
Shining and spinning becoming a thigle,
Imagine that you become inseparable from the yungdrung King of Longevity

Practice the meditation and visualization six times a day in formal sessions and breaks
The manifestation of the gathering of all the deities of longevity, Tsewang Rigdzin, the Dakinis, and the Bön Protectors, 

hold in their hands hooks that collect life force, vessels, and lassos.
The ground and Mount Meru are dried out
And the ocean is shaken from its depths.
The haughty spirits are annihilated
The Lord of Death’s black lung and heart and brain are cracked into a hundred pieces;
in that the life and clear soul are the syllables of which many collect. Then the clarity of the syllables dissolves into you, the vessel, and that which is to be kept.
The eternal life accomplishment is attained.
Furthermore the blessings of the Buddhas
The power and strength of the Dakinis and Bön protectors
The miraculous power of the 70 Glorious Lords
The energy of the eight classes of gods and demons
The luster of life of the six realms of sentient beings
The vital essence of the five elements
All of this gathers and dissolves into you, the vessel, and that which is to be kept.
The eternal life accomplishment is attained.

Recite the 21 Mantra for Longevity

E Ma Ho!

How amazing!

I prostrate to the Lama, Yidam, and Khandro

In these words I heard one day

At the supreme place of Charitsugden

To the great Tsewang Rigdzin

Surrounded by thousands of male and female vidyadharas

At that time,

through the compassionate attention of Yum chen Thugje Kundrol

For those beings whose lives are diminished and damaged,

In order to benefit those beings

She taught Thugje Munsel Yidzhin Kunjung secret dharani of longevity this:

[Each of the seven mantras are recited three times each totalling twenty-one mantras.]

So Om, Sa Lé Lhen Né Du Du, Mu Yé Shé Tün, Ha Ra Sé Gyer, A Hri Tsé Drum Du

So Om, Sa Lé Lhen Né Du Du, Mu Khyung Tra Pü, Ha Ra Sé Gyer, Om Ni Tsé Drum Du

So Om, Sa Lé Lhen Né Du Du, Mu Né Lang Chen, Ha Ra Sé Gyer, Hum Dza Tsé Drum Du

So Om, Sa Lé Lhen Né Du Du, Ram Dza Bing Nga, Ha Ra Sé Gyer, A Ma Tsé Drum Du

So Om, Sa Lé Lhen Né Du Du, Ma Ma Mu Yé, Ha Ra Sé Gyer, Pung So Tsé Drum Du

So Om, Sa Lé Lhen Né Du Du, Ba Ma Né Gyung, Ha Ra Sé Gyer, Nyé Lo Yo Tsé Drum Du

So Om, Sa Lé Lhen Né Du Du, Ma Hi Drung Mu, Ha Ra Sé Gyer, Wer Zhi Tsé Drum Du

In particular, Thugje Munsel Sangwe Tshezung (secret dharani of longevity)

Achieved the precious vessel of longevity along with

the accomplishments of the Vidyadhara and Dakini.

Moreover, those beings who hold samaya and without forgetting,

continuously practice the Yidam,

Will obtain the accomplishment of deathless longevity.

Thus, like this, sentient beings whose life is diminished or damaged, in the morning, they should face the East. Reciting mantras, they should place a white protection cord with twenty one knots on the top of the head or around the neck. Their damaged and diminished life will be extended. They will be able to live to one hundred and eight years. In the next life they will have a vision of the Changeless King of Longevity and directly attain the state of Buddhahood in the luminous nature of reality. Thus this is the oral transmission from the Dakini Thugje Kundrolma to Khopo Lotro Thogmed (was a famous 13th century tertön)!

[To end you can do a general dedication of merit.]

[You can do this practice on the full moon once a month, on a solitary retreat, or recite the mantra as a daily practice. Just try your best, and practice meaningfully. If you can only recite the mantra, then do that wholeheartedly. The mantra is not just the sound, it's the energy of the self-sound of rigpa. That is the essence of practice. To connect with the essence of longevity which is connecting with the state of rigpa. This is the most important part.]