Sacred Medicines & Blessing Substances

The Production of Sacred Tibetan Blessing Substances

Introduction to Sacred Substances
 

The use of natural substances for healing is age old and can be found in hundreds of traditions throughout the world.  In many cases, such medicines provide the sole source of treatment of diseases even today as is the case in many remote Himalayan villages.  In the Vajrayana Buddhist tradition, these medicinal substance lineages gain their authority and effectiveness from the Tantras themselves.  Sangye Menlha (The Medicine Buddha), gave rise to the great aspiration to bless all plants with his compassion so that they would arise as medicines to cure all diseases.  In these and newer Terma or treasure Tantras are the recipes for cures based on plant, animal and mineral substances.  These medicines are in some forms, slowly becoming accepted by westerners when available.

Side by side to this tradition is the tradition of blessed substances or Samaya Medicines.  These range in their uses but overall they remove obscurations and negative influences and increase positive practice qualities.  These substances which often fall into the category of "liberation upon taste" are not made separate from special processes and ceremonies to imbibe and empower them with lineage blessings and compassionate curative powers.

A Special Opportunity to Benefit Beings
In 2007, Lama Rangbar made a special pilgrimage to a holy Buddhist secret land, near the birth place of his root Lama, His Holiness Dunjom Rinpoche. Lama Rangbar was accompanied by Ian Baker, author of The Heart of the World, and Amchi Sherab Tenzin (A well-known Tibetan herbal medical Doctor) in order to bring back special herbal and blessing substances for the benefit of all beings. In particular, Lama's goal was to travel to this holy land and collect precious substances related with the production of several important treasure medicines that have been prophesized in New Treasure Buddhist Tantras specifically for the new and nameless maladies that threaten our existence in this generation.

Supporting this unique activity can be a cause of great accumulation of merit as the blessing substances and medicines produced offer healing to all those reached by the distribution and beyond. Furthermore, supporting the fulfillment of the prophesies relating with the production of the blessings for this degenerate age can play a role in the preservation of the unique skillful means for this and future generations.

Support is now being collected to facilitate the production of the sacred substances collected into Medicinal blessing pills for distribution to sponsors, students and lineage Lamas for further distribution to practitioners and all beings.

This second sponsorship round is geared specifically towards the blessing of herbal supplement substances:

  1. Kyung Nga (Garuda-like medicine)
  2. Dashel Dutsima
  3. Sedu 5
  4. Sedunikil
  5. Agar 35
  6. Dubril
  7. Samnor
  8. Sedukunde
  9. Agar 8
Those wishing to offer their tax-deductible support dedicated towards this unique and beneficial activity should contact Sapana for further details or simply write a check made out to The Himalayan Light Foundation and send it to the address given on the donations page with "Beyul" written in the memo portion of the check. Make sure to include your name and contact details for future reference.

The Great Accomplishment Ceremony
Since the time of the early translation school's establishment by Padmasambhava approximately 700 years ago, it has been the tradition of Vajrayana practitioners to gather in numbers to perform what is known as "Ceremonies of Great Accomplishment".  These ceremonies are geared towards the generation of the entire mandala of the chosen deity for the purposes of a vast accumulation of Merit and Wisdom, bringing spontaneous blessings to the assembly and peace and enlightenment for the entire world.  These groups are in large part, responsible for the general collective stability of the remaining positive karma in our world system. 

Ceremonies of Great Accomplishment often last from seven days up to several months, with Lamas and practitioners performing mantra accumulation and unbroken liturgical recitation throughout all the days and nights of the ceremony.  This is obviously an endeavor of great benefit and commitment, requiring adequate resources to accomplish properly. Supporting these accomplishment ceremonies has numerous benefits  including vast accumulation of merit and Wisdom, establishment of peace, elimination of plagues, famine and warfare on the planet, relief of suffering of all kinds, including mental, physical and emotional.  Sponsoring such ceremonies can extend one's life, remove hidden obstacles, cure diseases and eliminate negative forces that effect our lives while assuring success in our endeavors and spontaneous accomplishment of all our wishes that are in accordance with the Dharma.

Typically, such ceremonies are sponsored by an individual or group of individuals, whose support makes the event and logistics possible.  Support covers meals and tea rounds for attending Lamas and practitioners, ritual materials and substances, offerings to attending Lamas and ordained Sangha members, lodging and other logistics.  Sponsor's names are read out aloud during the proceedings so that their continuums remain in the minds of the Lamas and practitioners during the ceremony period and aid in focus of the dedication of merit accordingly.

Currently, support is being collected for the first great accomplishment ceremony to be held in Evam Mingyur Ling in Nepal in Spring of 2008.  More details will be made available to sponsors upon request.  Write: Sangngaktsogyal@ngakpasociety.org for such request.

Introducing Amchi (Menpa) Sherab Tenzin
 

One of our newest members of Ngakdra Labrang is Amchi Sherab Tendzin Recently returned from a Journey to the hidden land Pemakö , Amchi Sherab is in charge of sacred medicine and blessing substance production at Evam Mingyur Ling and for the Ngakdra Labrang community in Nepal and abroad. 

Production will take place in a specially dedicated building at Evam Mingyur Ling.  Funding is also being sought to support this building and equipment required for the production activities.  See: Donations Page

Potentization of Herbal Blessing Substances

The Challenge

Our world has tended to move towards commercialization of anything of value.  If there is money to be made in it, regulations, taxes and commercial skills arise to tap into potential revenues.  The same has held true for the production of sacred Tibetan Buddhist Herbal medicines as far as their production process have been concerned.  What was previously a very intensive and involved process of meditation, herb collection, preparation of materials, formation into medicine and distribution, has now increasingly become a commercial endeavor with cut corners, unsustainable harvesting practices  of the precious herbal and natural ingredients, and overall disregard for the sacred processes required by the textual sources of instruction for their production.  As a result of the popularity of these medicines, factories have opened up all over China and Tibet for mass production and sales. 

Sadly, the effectiveness of medicines produced in such commercial manners retains only a shadow of their potential to cure the diseases and maladies they target.  Furthermore, the herbs themselves from many regions have lost their potency due to several factors including pervasive environmental pollution, decline of the planet's collective merit and the unsustainable harvesting practices which now abound.

Bringing about needed changes

In order to sustain the lineages which relate to the proper production of such sacred medicines, it is essential that traditional patterns of their production be preserved with integrity.  The original intent of these lineages is to reduce suffering and generate enlightenment on all levels.  Specifically, there are prophesies from the past indicating the advent of numerous nameless and incurable diseases which will rise up in the age of degeneration which we currently find ourselves living in.  Along with such prophesies come the unobstructed compassionate expression of the Buddhas of the three times in the form of remedies for these pervasive and formidable maladies.

These remedies not only concern themselves with precious substances but also the processes of imbibing them with the power of lineage healing blessings thereby making them potentized for efficacious use.  Empowered blessing substances particularly aim at working on diseases caused by demonic influences, negativity, environmental pollution and cause and effect recoil from environmental disrespect.

True and correct potentization and empowerment of Tibetan substances and medicines has now become a rare event.  The Ngakdra Labrang has now commenced a special program focus on the empowerment and potentization of these precious medicinal substances for practitioners and those suffering form ailments of several types.  Empowerment and blessing of the substances will occur both in the Ceremonies of Great Accomplishment described above, and also in special treatments accomplished in Evam Mingyur Ling Shrine hall in Sanku Varjayogini Nepal.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Great Accomplishment Ceremony of Vajrakilaya at Dunjom Gompa in Nepal

 

 

 

 

 

Mixing Collected Herbs

Huge Medicine Vases next to the Mandala palace

 

A bed of grains for the medicine to bathe in while being potentized

 

Protective Devices
"Srunga" (Protective Amulets), have been used by Vajrayana Buddhists for centuries.  Stemming from the ancient traditions of Mandala and Jantra, these items are made to suit specific challenges, sufferings or maladies that afflict beings. Properly made, protective amulets are said to protect the wearer against sickness, demonic influences, negative planetary auguries and can also bring forth a multitude of positive circumstances.

There are several books which show Mandalas and Srunga and commercial copies of these Jantras, have been proliferating on the open market on the level of cheap lucky charms.

In fact, in order to be of any benefit, such amulets must be made correctly according to the lineage text and chosen according to specific or general need.  They must be made and consecrated with special blessing substances which vary from amulet to amulet and they must also be consecrated with concentration, mantra and mudra.  This should be done by a qualified Lama (or Lamas) who have received empowerment for production of these items and have given rise to the requisite signs in their practice.  Without these things being accomplished in concert, these items would likely be of little or no practical value. 

The Ngakpa Society will assist practitioners in obtaining these items when needed for specific problems or desires and will also endeavor to produce general protective amulets that can benefit practitioners in broader manners.

Principles of Sponsorship and the Traditional Share System

 Since early times, the production of sacred substances in the Vajrayana Tradition was made possible by both lay and ordained Sangha members and by the support of Jindaks (literally: Lords of generosity).  Often times, a Lama or the sponsors would conceive of the need for a ceremony to further peace in the world, to benefit sentient beings and to maintain the sacred Vajrayana vows and hold the tradition for future generations.

It is considered that all participants in the process are accumulating vast merit and wisdom and effecting the desired outcomes of peace and enlightenment for themselves and others by producing the causes and conditions that make the use of these substances possible and beneficial for beings.

Normally a  Lama or sponsor sees the indications that the production of a sacred substance is timely and beneficial and endeavors to commence the process of supporting the collection of the requisite ingredients and makes the necessary arrangements for the blessing ceremony that empowers the substance.  Others are sometimes welcomed to join in the support of this activity to whatever level they are capable and when circumstances permit, some portion of the substance are made available as blessings for the Lamas attending the ceremonies, sponsors and general Buddhist practitioners who have faith in these methods and appreciate their blessings.

Sponsors who direct enabling (larger) support for the ceremonies also traditionally receive a special share for their own use.

Those interested in sponsoring can either opt to sponsor an entire round of the activity or add their support to a fund which we are collecting.  When funds are sufficient and the time is right, we will launch the activity. 

Dismantling and dispelling negative tendencies and karmic patterns


Balancing the five elements (fire, earth, air, water and space) and drawing back their stability and vibrancy.
 

Clearing emotional imprints and negative vibrations from the land, home and our own minds
 

Enhancing health, peace, prosperity, well-being, inner spiritual richness and success in spiritual accomplishments

 

Legalities for substances and medicines / Disclaimer
 

Today's societies present us with many challenges in terms of how we relate to the issues concerning our bodies. Many of us simply cannot afford to be ill, and more still cannot afford to die.  The notion that we have the freedom to pursue cures and remedies  of our own choosing has become shadowed by regulations and restrictions designed to "protect us" while availing only "scientifically-based " approaches.  Health care costs have risen at unprecedented rates along with insurance coverage and many Buddhist practitioners simply find themselves without recourse in times of illness.

Restrictions on "herbal alternatives" have been developed by each country which dictate what effectiveness can be claimed about a medicine and what cannot be claimed.  For this reason, the blessing substances referred to in these pages should be either termed "herbal supplements" or "traditional blessing substances" and should not be considered to be "medicine" proper.  Accordingly, neither the Ngadra Labrang nor The Himalayan Light Foundation, its directors or members make any claims about the effectiveness of these substances in treating any diseases whatsoever and individuals are clearly directed to seek traditional and proven medical treatments according to their situations and their doctor's recommendations.

 

 

Jantra for creating harmony among Sangha

 

 

 

 

Lama Rangbar Packing freshly made Naga medicine
 

 


 

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