Chenrezig Practice of Sangye Won

Gyaltrul Rinpoche:

When I was a boy, I met my root guru, Tulku Natsog. He wanted me to learn to read and begin my dharma education, so he asked his uncle, Sangye Gön, to be my teacher. Tulku Natsog said, “Don’t beat this boy. He might have trouble learning, but always be patient with him.”

I lived with Sangye Gön. He would get up very, very early, maybe 3:00 a.m., to do his practice, including many prostrations. I could hear the rumble of his recitations as I slept. Then he would wake me up and we would have breakfast, followed by my reading lessons.

He was an amazing practitioner. He continuously kept the two-day nyungnay fasting discipline. So on one day, he would eat and speak, and the next day he would fast and remain silent for most of the day. Chenrezig was his main practice, and in his lifetime he recited millions of the MANI mantra. At the end of his life, he suddenly grew new teeth, and his grey hair was replaced by new black hair growing in. That kind of practitioner!

Gyaltrul Rinpoche’s comments from another teaching:

Sangye Gon wore patched clothing, and looking at him, you would think that he had no inner realization at all.  But in fact, he encountered Avalokiteshvara directly.  He would speak to him and receive teachings from him as if he were another person in the same room.  He gave many prophecies and constantly recited OM MANI PADME HUM.  As he grew older, his hair turned white and his teeth fell out.  But as he continued to practice, his wrinkles disappeared, a set of teeth grew, and his hair turned black again.  Outwardly, he still looked like nothing special.

Stories shared – The miraculous effects of practicing the Mani mantra

Karma Rinpoche’s teachings on the Mani Mantra

If one diligently practices the heart-mantra of Chenrezig (OM MANI PADME HUNG), it will not only help us to purify negative karma from beginningless time but will also truly help to plant the karmic seeds for merging with the mind of Chenrezig, bringing us to the level of Chenrezig and total enlightenment of the Buddha.

The miraculous effects of practicing the Mani mantra – the tooth of a hundred million recitations and foreknowledge of the time of death：

When ordinary beings are about to pass away, for many of them, what they see are only the Raksha minions of the hell realms and other ghostly entities, due to that, they give rise to great terror.  If one has taken refuge and practised the Mani mantra, when it comes to the time of dying, one will see the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and spiritual masters.  One will not take rebirth in the lower realms and will not feel afraid.  By these excellent circumstances, one will even have the opportunity to take rebirth in the pureland of Sukhavati (Amitabha’s pureland).

The six syllables mantra (OM MANI PADME HUNG) is extremely wonderful.  Through the practice of its meaning, one carries out the six paramitas:

OM : perfects the paramita of generosity

MA : perfects the paramita of discipline

NI : perfects the paramita of patience

PAD : perfects the paramita of diligence

ME : perfects the paramita of meditation

HUNG : perfects the paramita of wisdom

Normally when we practice the Mani mantra with devotion, we are accomplishing the six paramitas at the same time.  In our lineage, we recite “OM MANI PADME HUNG HRIH”, “HRIH” is a seed syllable, it contains the qualities of the body, speech, mind and all activities of Chenrezig.  It allows us to receive the great blessings of Chenrezig, and gradually transform our ordinary body, speech and mind into the enlightened body, speech and mind of Chenrezig.

The six syllable mantra can help us to seal the doors to rebirth in the six realms of samsara, preventing us from revolving continuously in the cycle of rebirth

OM : prevents rebirth in the heaven realms, and blesses the heavenly realm beings with a chance to attain liberation from samsara

MA : prevents rebirth in the Asura (demi-gods) realms, and blesses the Asura realm beings with a chance to attain liberation from samsara

NI : prevents rebirth in the human realms, and blesses the human realm beings with a chance to attain liberation from samsara

PAD : prevents rebirth in the preta (hungry-spirits) realms, and blesses the preta realm beings with a chance to attain liberation from samsara

ME : prevents rebirth in the animal realms, and blesses the animal realm beings with a chance to attain liberation from samsara

HUNG : prevents rebirth in the hell realms, and blesses the hell realm beings with a chance to attain liberation from samsara

In the Tibetan regions, many elderly people like to recite the Mani mantras and would often finish many hundreds-of-millions in their life.  In Tibet, very few of these old people would have sicknesses like dementia.  They would hold the rosary in the left hand and rotate a prayer wheel with their right hand, while their mouths would recite the Mani mantra of Chenrezig or other mantras.  If they had time, they would do full prostrations and pray in their minds to receive the blessings of Chenrezig.  This is practice with body, speech and mind in tandem. While speech is reciting Buddha’s mantra, body is also paying homage to Buddha and mind is focused on supplicating and recollecting Buddha.

If only speech is on reciting Buddha’s mantra but mind is utterly devoid of any focus on Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, then there is no real connection with Buddha.  To recite Buddha’s mantra also means that one constantly recalls and thinks of Buddha.  The motions of body, speech and mind should be performed with the awareness that Buddhas and Bodhisattvas constantly regard us (with their compassion).  We should hold this in mind and always confess our negativities with regret and accumulate virtues and positive deeds —  practising diligently.

In Tibet, there is the saying of the “Hundred-million” tooth.  Many elderly people of eighty or ninety years old would grow new teeth.  Just as if they were babies who had just grown out their baby teeth.  Many people view this as the great blessings of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.  Generally, this is a sign of blessing when one has finished reciting a hundred million Mani mantras.  I had a Taiwanese student who was a very famous dental specialist.  I once invited him to look at my maternal grandmother’s new tooth.  He said, “This kind of tooth is not documented in the dentistry school, but one finds it alot in the Tibetan regions, it is quite amazing.” Actually, the new tooth is just one facet of the blessings, many people would also foretell when they are going to pass away and make all the preparations for it.  That was really incredible.

My maternal grandmother lived to about 89 years old.  On the day of her passing, she had already washed all her old clothes and piled them up neatly.  The new clothes were placed aside and she tasked my father to assemble all the relatives.  When they were gathered, she informed them that the old clothes have already been washed and who they should be given to.  She also made known who should receive the new clothes.  Below her pillow were some money from her relatives, she instructed that these were to be offered to the ordained monastics when they came the next day.  After that, she thanked each and every one of her relatives saying that she had given everyone much trouble during her late years.  Then, saying she needed to take a rest, she laid down.  Everyone thought she was going to take a nap.  After awhile, my aunt said, “Mother, we are going to leave first.”  But there was no response.  Upon checking, they realized that she had already passed away without any apparent suffering.

A grand-dad of (another) aunt recited the Mani mantra all his life.  He had been diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer for about one or two years when I visited him.  He was sitting at the balcony, basking in the sun and at that point, he was reaching 80 years of age.  He looked hale and hearty and was in very good spirits.  In front of him were placed some rock sugars, butter and Tsampa (dried barley).  I asked him, “Don’t you have Esophageal Cancer?  Can you still consume these foodstuff?  Other people who have this sickness have to refrain from eating (solid foods like these).”  He laughed and said, “So they say it is Esophageal Cancer but I can still eat, rock-sugars, Tsampa and butter and many more…  just do some chanting and all would be fine.”  He did not seem to feel any discomfort or pain, but continued to eat and drink until his death.”

On the day of his death, I rushed back from Chengdu.  In the afternoon, he started to ask everyone, “Is Rinpoche back yet?”  When he heard that I was on the way back, he had my cousin Ruogu Lama go to the monastery to invite all the monastics to his home.  He mentioned that it would be difficult to get money when he was dying so he arranged for the money to be offered to the monastics later on his behalf.  After all had been done, he continued to recite the Mani mantra.  That night, when I had just entered the door of my home, before I had even drunk a sip of tea, a phone-call came saying, “He has just passed on, please come to do the (customary) funeral rites for crossing him over.”  The grand-dad of my aunt had anticipated the timing of my arrival home.  After his death, his corpse had the fresh appearance of a person who was still alive.  It was very awe-inspiring.

To be free and at ease at the point of death, this is the most excellent and ultimate proof of a whole life of practice.  This experience is the old man’s legacy for later generations, everyone should have faith and devotion in this!

 

A True Account of An Accomplished Practitioner of the Vajra Guru Mantra in Recent Times

Orated by Jamyang Dorje Rinpoche of the Taipei Padmakara Buddhist Society
Recorded by Pema Tsering on 22 Aug 2007 with due respect
Translated from Chinese into English and editted by Jigme Sherab with due respect


Homage to Padmasambhava and Pema Norbu Rinpoche

May 2006 – In the holy land of Padmasambhava, Bhutan, a blind accomplished master knew his time of his death in advance and sat in crossed vajra posture while passing into parinirvana.

As the author was afraid of gradually forgetting the details of this master’s liberation story over the passage of time, the sublime details of it were committed to paper with one’s own inadequate literary skills. It is hoped that all those who see, hear or are acquainted with the facts of this history will be filled with deep faith and devotion to Padmasambhava, thereby receiving blessings and accomplishments.

This accomplished adept was a Bhutanese. When he was alive, people mostly addressed him as “Drubtop” which means someone who has attained realisation. Moreover, due to the fact that he attained realisation and liberation through the recitation of the Vajra Guru mantra, he was also called, “Benza Guru Drubtop”, meaning “The Vajra Guru Siddha”

This accomplished master “Benza Guru Drubtop”, whose external appearance was dirty and unkempt but who, internally, was extraordinarily free and liberated, was previously a visually handicapped beggar who lived in the peripheral slums of Bhutan.

Later, due to the help of Urgyen Lama (of Sangngak Thegchog Osel Ling Monastery) and Jamyang Dorje Rinpoche, this accomplished master who had went through a difficult life (but with equanimity) was invited to the monastery where they looked after him as an offering to a most unsurpassed field of merit. This was the reason that the last 10 years of his life was relatively peaceful and safe.

“Benza Guru Druptop” was not born blind. It was said that his visual impairment was the result of curses wrought by mantras which his enemies had inflicted upon him. Before he went blind, he was just a common farmer who belonged to the Bon religion. At that time, the farmer did not understand the vast qualities of Padmasambhava and had even entertained sacrilegious views towards Guru Rinpoche and slandered him with negative speech.

To recover his sight, the farmer had approached many doctors who were unable to help. With no other resort, he asked several spiritual friends and masters for advice on what spiritual practice to do in order to recover his sight.

Finally, he listened to some masters’ advice and decided to start reciting the Vajra Guru mantra (OM AH HUNG BENZA GURU PADMA SIDDHI HUNG), relying on it as his sole practice, and eventually he went on to achieve an astounding level of realisation.

When “Drubtop” started to recite the Vajra Guru mantra, his faith in Padmasambhava began to ripen and increase. Due to his blindness, day or night was not much difference to him and he began to recite the mantra diligently day and night without distinction.

When he completed a hundred million recitations, “Drubtop”’s prayer-wheel, which he rotated as he recited the mantra, began to drip inconceivable nectar. It is well known that prayer-wheels contain dry paper rolls and it is impossible for water to drip from it out of thin air, yet his prayer-wheel began to manifest such a strange phenomenon. This demonstrated the authenticity of the results of “Benza Guru Drubtop”’s practice and also showed how wonderful Padmasambhava’s blessings were. After that, he did not slow down, but instead continued to recite the mantra diligently, praying to Guru Rinpoche with great faith.

When “Benza Guru Drubtop” had completed the mantra 300 million times, in a dream-like state, he personally met the Lotus-Born Guru and received a prophecy, thereby attaining an inconceivable level of realisation.

Padmasambhava told “Benza Guru Drubtop”, “If you live on for 7 more years, your eyesight will be recovered. The reason for you having lost sight in both eyes is that you previously believed in the Bon religion and especially, you had disparaged and despised (noble beings), causing confused inter-dependent phenomenon to arise. Now although you have seen me, due to that karmic obscuration, you will not be able to immediately regain your eyesight.”

Thus “Benza Guru Drubtop” was not able to recover his eyesight even though he had seen the Guru Rinpoche.

In this mysterious state, Guru Rinpoche also asked “Benza Guru Drubtop” to make a special dharma hat as an auspicious dependent-arising, which the blind “Benza Guru Drubtop” made himself from bronze pieces without anyone’s help.

In spite of “Benza Guru Drubtop”’s inner realisation and his extraordinary clairvoyance through Guru Rinpoche’s blessings, no-one was willing to look after him properly due to his external visual handicap. Thus he wandered around in the region of “Chim” in Bhutan. The locals called him “Benza Guru Drubtop”.

“Benza Guru Drubtop” knew of a secret method to reverse obstacles which the Lotus-Born Guru had personally transmitted to him. It could swiftly remove all heavy illnesses or urgent calamities befalling a person. This method is special but inelegant. It required that “Benza Guru Drubtop” make a special kind of torma and recite a short ritual, the specifics of which is only known to himself, and then he must strip naked and while totally nude take the torma to a nearby triple-intersect junction. This method was quite powerful, all the people for whom the “Drubtop” had performed this ritual, recovered from their problems without exception.

Besides this, every time someone requested the “Benza Guru Drubtop” for any help, his way of divination was also different from others. He did not require the use of any divination apparatus, nor did he require the person to say much, but would be able to know the intentions of the person and be able to speak out the intimate details of the supplicants’ residence, environment and all other kinds of details, including those personal secrets that the person requesting did not want revealed. Evidently, the “Benza Guru Drubtop” had attained great clairvoyance of knowing others’ minds due to the blessings of Guru Rinpoche. He was also widely acknowledged as “Drubtop” due to this.

Benza Guru Drubtop’s inner secret realisation did not cause him to try to improve his own living conditions but instead he regarded poverty and suffering as not being any obstacle or problem impeding him.

What did not change was that he continued supplicating Guru Rinpoche day and night, reciting the Guru Rinpoche mantra respectfully so that when he passed into parinirvana, a conservative estimate of the number of Guru Rinpoche mantras he had recited in his life amounts to more than 600 million.

Unlike others, he was not interested in promoting his own diligent efforts at practice or his miraculous responses , instead Benza Guru Drubtop benefitted beings in a spontaneous and extemporaneous way. Thus, most of the people who knew him did not know how profound his inner realisation was.

Most people only regarded his external style and occasional obstacle-averting rituals as a sign that he was merely a practitioner with some achievements. Most of his secret conduct and responses, he would only tell to Urgyen Lama and a few close friends who had faith.

Although he was a siddha, he did not alter his clothes or appearance, but remained like a beggar, allowing others to make offerings and making-shift of whatever they offered to wear. Although he was invited to stay at Sangngak Thegchog Osel Ling Monastery, and could have chosen to have better living premises and conditions, he only preferred to live in a dilapidated corner of the monastery and sleep in his own old covers, using yellowed and hole-ridden blankets and pillow.

Benza Guru Drubtop would only accept clothing and food from others. If someone offered him cash notes or coins, he will recite mantras and blow on them as a blessing, before returning them to the offerer, telling him not to use the money but to keep it on the body as a blessed artifact for protection. When one offered him a khata, it was the same case. This showed that “Benza Guru Drubtop” has already viewed all wealth as nothing, with no desire or wish for anything.

The author once requested one of the abbots of the monastery, Jamyang Dorje Rinpoche, to make some money offerings, but was instead met with laughter from Rinpoche who said, "Benza Guru Drubtop does not want money, how to make offerings to him? If you want to give him clothing or other things, he may not accept, or he may just bless them and return them to you. If you want to offer food, he is now provided food by the monastery, so he may not eat what you offer him. Apart from his meals, he doesn’t really accept any other food." Hearing this, the author felt deeply that this siddha master was truly without needs or wants and was worthy of respect and veneration.

Seven days before he demonstrated impermanence, the “Benza Guru Drubtop” informed the abbot Urgyen Lama,”I am going to leave this world to go and see Padmasambhava.” At that time, the abbot felt that Drubtop was still healthy and thought that he was merely joking. He did not pay much attention to this remark. “Benza Guru Drubtop” then confidently told several monk friends that, “Urgyen Lama does not have freedom over birth and death, but I do. He will not understand my meaning… the dharmakaya is beyond death, because I have realised the dharmakaya, there is really no death to speak of for me!” Totally unschooled and not having studied any dharma teachings, sutras or commentaries, yet “Benza Guru Drubtop” was able to make many such statements that utilised the expressions of the Dzogpa Chenpo realisations.

With nothing special happening, apart from those monk-friends who knew about it being worried that “Benza Guru Drubtop” would manifest death, others did not feel that the Drubtop would really be able to predict his own time of death, and leave this world with such ease and freedom. Seven days later, in the clear gentle light of dawn, “Benza Guru Drubtop” sat in crossed-vajra posture and imperturbably released his intent into the dharmadhatu. At that moment, a gentle tremor in the earth could be felt.

After his parinirvana, the usually-deserted monastery was thronged by more than 3000 people trying to pay their respects. After he passed away, everyday at dawn, there were three birds flying in to circumambulate his body three rounds before flying off. These were said to be dakinis paying their respect.

"Benza Guru Drubtop” passed away exactly 7 years from when he received the vision from Padmasambhava, thus fulfilling the prophecy that he would “recover his sight”. Because now, he would have no body to obstruct him from going to the Sangdok Palri Pureland to see Guru Rinpoche.

The author wishes that this extraordinary account of a recent Guru Rinpoche siddha would encourage all sentient beings to give rise to faith and supplicate Guru Rinpoche, ultimately attaining the same state as him.

(Colophon: As the English translator was himself inspired by this account of the Vajra Guru Siddha, he decided to render it into English so that it would be accessible to more people. It is his sincere request that if there are those who have read this account and felt that it benefitted them, to please circulate it to others and do a recitation of a 100,000 of the Vajra Guru mantra for the benefit of all beings. By this translation, may more people come to know the benefits of reciting the Vajra Guru mantra, do its practice and quickly attain realisation.)

Jomo Sam‘phel Déchen, a wisdom Dakini:

"Guru Rinpoche is the most important practice for Nyingmas. Many simple uneducated people have achieved realisation from the recitation of Guru Rinpoche mantra – with no other form of practice. Many ordinary people have died without anyone thinking that they were practitioners — who were then found to have entered into thug-dam after death."