Lineage Blessing

When receiving an lineage blessing the most important first step is to generate bodhichitta motivation. Before the blessing begins, generate bodhichitta motivation. Bodhichitta motivation has two types; for ourselves and for all sentient beings. The purpose of all the teachings of sutra, tantra, and dzogchen – the reason we aspire to Buddhahood – is more than just to end our own suffering. Yes, of course we want to end our own suffering, but we also recognize that all sentient beings suffer just like me. They all suffer through birth, aging, sickness, and death in samsara – cycling again and again. Now I have the good fortune to be born in a human life. And with that comes a responsibility to awaken for the benefit of all these sentient beings. This is our motivation. We consider all our mother sentient beings. As a human with a deep connection to the teachings, with some knowledge of the teachings, we now have the ability no matter how small to help end the suffering of sentient beings. 

By means of listening to this lineage blessing may I attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Along with this one must also possess firm faith and devotion – perceiving the teacher giving the blessing as the actual Buddha. But what does this mean? This is not about worshiping the “personality” of your specific teacher. What this means is to recognize the wisdom that comes from the lineage, starting with Kuntuzangpo all the way through each of the great masters until your teacher. It is about seeing that that the wisdom being transmitted to you is bigger than a single individual, it is not owned by your teacher. Instead it’s a stream of pure wisdom being transmitted through teacher and student going all the way back to the Buddha. Connect to that timeless oral lineage, and be open to receive the blessing of the lineage. The teacher is like a door or window, opening up and letting the light of the blessing of the lineage shine through. Focus and connect with that rather than the individual teacher.

Receiving the blessing of the Zhang Zhung Nyengyü lineage

Sit properly and close your eyes. Visualize on the crown of your head, upon a lion, elephant, horse, dragon, and garuda a lotus with a sun and moon cushion sitting on top. On that cushion, visualize your root lama in the form of the complete enjoyment body – sambhogakaya.

Then visualize from the top of the lama’s head are all the lineage lamas of the oral transmission of the Zhang Zhung Nyengyü lineage. Sitting one upon the other like a string of pearls all the way up to Kuntu Zangpo. 

Now visualize surrounding outside of that are all the outer, inner, and secret hosts of deities, Yungdrung Sempas (bodhisattvas) of the ten directions, and mother and sister khandros all supplicating the lineage lamas. 

Now visualize surrounding outside of that are the male and female protectors of the Yungdrung Bon teachings. Those protectors are facing outside in the manner of dispelling obstacles.

Now visualize from the heart of these objects of refuge descends a stream of wisdom nectar which dissolves into the crown of your head. By these streams of wisdom nectar dissolving into you, all your lifetime accumulations of karmic traces, negative actions, and obscurations are expelled as a black liquid. 

Now you have become like a glass vase that is clear on the inside and the outside. Now you are an appropriate and suitable recipient of the blessing of the oral transmission. Feel this. 

Ah! In this auspicious blissful place may the yidam deities and the lama bestow the blessing of the oral transmission. 

Unborn primordial purity, the self-knowing rigpa Ah. 

Unceasing complete purity, the self-arising Ah. 

Non-duality free from extremes, the nature of the mind Ah. 

May there be the realization of self-knowing ripga primordial wisdom. 

May there be the realization of self-knowing ripga primordial wisdom. 

May there be the realization of self-knowing ripga primordial wisdom.

Now think: 

The Buddhas of the mind lineage, the Sempas of the meditative concentration lineage, the accomplished ones of the hearing lineage, the scholar translator lineage, the khandros of the sign lineage, the lineage of the blessing of initiation, the outer sutra lineage, the inner secret mantra lineage, the secret dzogchen lineage, the teaching of the provisional and definitive meaning of the inexpressible vehicle, the common, scripture, and secret instructions, the nine vehicles, the four doors of bon, and the treasure, from within the general 84,000 teachings of the Yungdrung Bon, I am receiving the transmission of the Zhang Zhung Nyengyü from my Lama.