Ma Gyud: The Bön Mother Tantra Part 2

Ma Gyud: The Bön Mother Tantra Part 2

The Bön Mother Tantra is one of the first translated texts from Zhang Zhung into Tibetan. Before it was translated from Tibetan, it was translated into five languages. Originally written earlier, the text was hidden in the 8th century. It was discovered as a terma by Guru Nöntse in the 11th century.

There are three parts of the Mother Tantra: 1) How to practice the development stage; 2) How to practice the generation and perfection stages; 3) How to practice the union of the generation and perfection stages.

The principal focus of the development stage is the Father Tantra. The focus of the generation and perfection stages is the Mother Tantra. The main focus of the union stage is the Son Tantra. Especially in the Mother Tantra, we practice the visualization of the three jewels: Lama; the Yidam; and the Khandro (dakini). In this retreat, Geshe Denma will teach the Mother Tantra sadhana, the three visualizations, and the mudras.

The Ma Gyud is a tantric, transformation practice. If we practice the Ma Gyud daily, we will develop special powers of inner wisdom. Tantra is a secret practice. The Mother Tantra deity was one of the yidams of the  second king of Tibet, Mu Tri Tsenpo. He had special power which he kept secret for himself as the king. His power decreased after the practice was made secret, and he realized he had the capacity to teach and not to keep it secret anymore. His power increased after this realization. He taught to those who had the capacity to receive the teaching.

The Ma Gyud Mother Tantra text originated from Kuntu Zangpo. Kuntu Zangpo, the primordial buddha transmitted this teaching to Zangza Rintsun who is the emanation of the great goddess, Sherab Chamma. She was born as a divine being. She was the mother of Chimed Tsugphud who was born in Olmo Lung Ring and who in his next life became the nirmanakaya, Buddha Tonpa Shenrab.

This teaching continued until the 8th century. Bön experienced two persecutions before the 8th century. Before the 8th century, Zhang Zhung was an independent country. The two persecutions occurred during the reign of the Tibetan King, Drigum Tsanpo who was born in 683 BC and the Tibetan King, Tisong Detsan who was born in 738 AD. Tisong Detsan assassinated King Ligmincha who was the last King of Zhang Zhung and the country was ruled by Tibet. At that time, the Bön text was preserved by hiding the text under rocks in many locations.

Many centuries later, the terton, Guru Nontse was born in 1136 AD. Then, he discovered in the 12th century many texts including the Ma Gyud (The Mother Tantra) from under the rock of Dung Phor near the village of Panamg on the north side of the river in the Tsang province. The root text of the Ma Gyud has three cycles. They are Tantra of the Base, Tantra of the Path, and Tantra of the Result. The philosophy of the Tantra of the Base is the development of the three channels, lung (wind), bindus (tigle), and conduct. The Tantra of the Path includes practices of Dream Yoga, Chöd, and Phowa. The Tantra of the Result is recognizing the Natural State of the Mind and Enlightenment.

The Father Tantra includes the practices of the 5 yidam meditation deities.

1. Walse represents aspect of the Body
2. Lhagod represents aspect of Speech
3. Tsochok represents aspect of Mind
4. Gekhod represents aspect of Quality
5. Phurpa represents aspect of Action

The practice visualizes these deities as a Generation Process (kyering). In khering, there are two ways to practice either through meditation or through ganapuja. In meditation, we invite the enlightened deities or specific deities with whom we have a special connection into ourselves. In ganapuja, we invite the deities into the mandala and make offerings to them.

There are three parts in practicing the self kyering:

1. Preparing ourselves as practitioners with a clear mind.
2. Clearly visualizing the yidam.
3. Merging ourselves with the yidam and becoming inseparable with the yidam. Sit with this as long as we can.

The Mother Tantra practice includes six special internal practices

(Dzogrim):

1. Tummo
2. Dream Yoga
3. Chöd
4. Phowa
5. Sleep Yoga
6. Bardo

Part 1 of the Ma Gyud Bön Mother Tantra Retreat teaching will focus on:

1. The explanation of sadhana
2. The three visualizations and meaning of lama, yidam, and khandro
3. Learning the mudras of the Mother Tantra sadhana

Schedule – Saturday and Sunday CST

Retreat teachings and practices will be taught in English.

Live translation will be available in Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian.

Written translations will be available in Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian.

REGISTRATION:

Complete payment below.  After payment is complete, you will receive an email with links to the Zoom Registration and the Handouts.  All recordings will be made available to registered participants after the retreat is over at the same link as the Handouts.

There is early bird pricing available until noon the Saturday before the retreat.

Financial hardship need not prevent practitioners from attending Zoom teachings.  If you need assistance, please inquire about available scholarships by emailing info@ligminchatexas.org.  This must be done at least 1 week prior to the retreat.

We have switched to using Zeffy.  This allows us to keep 100% of your donations and registrations, as Zeffy does not charge us any payment processing fees.  They do, however, ask you to make a donation to them.  If you would prefer not to donate to Zeffy, in the Donation Box at the bottom, select “Other” from the Drop Down Box that is prefilled with a percentage and dollar amount , and leave the Contribution Box empty.

Payments coming soon….

Geshe Denma Gyaltsen is the resident lama of Ligmincha Texas. He arrived in Houston in January 2016 to serve as Ligmincha Texas’s first resident lama.

Geshe Denma was born in northern Nepal. His father brought him to Menri Monastery, India, regarded as the mother Bon monastery in exile, in 1981 to begin his program of study toward the Geshe degree. He received all the Bon teachings, initiations and transmissions in sutra, tantra and dzogchen from His Holiness Lungtok Tenpai Nyima Rinpoche, the 33rd Menri Trizin, and His Eminence Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche.

When he became a senior student, he was asked to teach philosophy to younger students. He successfully completed this degree program in 1996 and was awarded the Geshe certificate, which is considered equivalent to a Ph.D. in Bön Buddhist philosophy and religion.

Geshe Denma was an accomplished teacher and in 1998 was appointed, with the approval of the Tibetan government in exile, first abbot of Zhu Rishing Yungdrung Kundak-Ling Monastery, a Bon Monastery in Sikkim, India by His Holiness. He served two terms in this capacity until 2003. In addition, from the time he graduated until 2008, Geshe Denma also was active in assisting Geshe Nyima Dakpa with the Bon Children’s Home, which houses many children in Dolanji, India, providing them with food, healthcare and free education.