Rituals

In Tibetan culture, a monk’s role is not limited to their own religious and spiritual practices. They also perform many rituals and healing practices as well as serving the Tibetan community in many other ways. They act as healers, spiritual protectors and guides to the non monastics.

Those who are seeking support, who are contending adversity, or who are in need of inspiration to continue on their spiritual path can request specific ceremonies, prayers or rituals to be performed for them (or another person if they so choose) by members of the monastic community. Rituals can be performed for the benefit of the living as well as the deceased. These are performed to bring a variety of benefits to individuals –  to accumulate merit, to alleviate illness and to clear obstacles. You can also ask for prayers and blessings for health, the emergence of good karma and increased vitality, protection, and prosperity in every area of life.

Depending on the degree of need for spiritual support, these prayers can be performed once or for a specific period of time.

These rituals are intended to overcome “external”, “internal” and “secret obstacles for the recipient.

External obstacles are connected with interpersonal relationships such family relationships, and work relationships. Internal obstacles are related to negative emotions such as fear, pride, jealousy, doubt, or anger. Secret obstacles usually relate to accumulated karmic obscurations and ignorance, preventing us from recognizing our buddha nature.

Your requests will be kept anonymous. All requests are treated with compassionate attention by the monks at Nangzhig Monastery. 

How to Order Prayers:

To request prayers, write to the foundation at kontakt@chaphurfoundation.com. Here you can give all of the necessary information to make your request. To order a specific ritual, you will need the name of the person for whom prayers are ordered, their date of birth, and a brief description of their issue or problem. On this basis, Chaphur Rinpoche will select a ritual suitable for the circumstances, which will be ordered at Nangzhig Monastery in Tibet. One-off support for the monastery amounts to $40 (this sum can be converted at the current exchange rate of the dollar into zlotys and paid to the account given in the Contact section). You can also choose to support the monastery (or a particular monk) on an annual basis, which amounts to about $350 per year.

Below is a basic set of powerful rituals from which you can choose a ritual to fulfill your needs or those of a loved one. Please remember, however, that each case is considered individually by Chaphur Rinpoche and the following set of rituals does not exhaust the list of prayers that can be ordered.

Men-Lha – Medicine Buddha

Men-Lha (the Medicine Buddha) is a compassionate manifestation of Tönpa Shenrab, the great Enlightened One of Bön (see Bon history). As sickness is one of four manifestations of suffering in samsara (i.e. birth, old age, sickness, and death) the Buddha Tonpa Shenrab manifested as men-lha to alleviate this form of suffering for all sentient beings. Therefore this practice benefits all who are afflicted with illness. Through the ritual, meditation, and visualization involved with this practice, we are freed from obstacles to our meditation and our health in this life.

Sherab Chamma – Loving Mother

Sherab Chamma (Loving Mother) is known as the Mother of all Enlightened Ones and the source of all love and Compassion. Through the power of her blessings, all manner of Karmic obstacles are pacified. She is a guide to the lost, a healer of sickness, and a protector of families. Her essence will manifest in whatever form is needed to aid suffering sentient beings in samsara. When one recites her mantra and makes supplications to her compassion, she will act quickly to increase our life force, soothe our sorrows, exhaust our negative karma, and bring peace and harmony into our homes.

Khyung Mar – Red Garuda

DU TRI SU

In Bön tradition, DU TRI SU  is used widely to heal illnesses or dead people. The source of this practice and its main deity is  Shenla Odkar.  The main mantra of DU TRI SU is, AH-KAR A-ME DU-TRI-SU NAG-PO ZHI-ZHI MAL-MAL SO HA. It is one of the three essential mantras of Bon. The practice was transmitted in a direct oral transmission by Nyame Sherab Gyaltsen to Kudun Sonam Lodro, the 22nd Abbot of Menri Monastery. The immediate benefit of this practice in our lives is the arising of peace of mind and the pacifying of our negative emotions or a dead person can find the path of Enlightenment. The peace of mind that arises nurtures our concentration and improves the quality of our meditation.

Sang Chod – Fire Puja

Sang Chod is a ritual performed to harmonize the energies of the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, and space).  This brings blessings and longevity, overcoming obstacles, and alleviating suffering.

The ritual uses specially prepared wood, incense, medicinal herbs, and good quality food, burning these sacrificial gifts in a ritual fire.

Dzambala

Prayers and rituals associated with the deity Dzambala will lead one to both spiritual and material riches. Positive life circumstances conducive to practice develop, fulfillment and happiness take root in the mind, and everyday life becomes a source of joy and prosperity.

These practices also influence financial stability, potentially bringing success to ones professional life and joy into ones social and family relationships. The concept of wealth and success from the perspective of Jungdrung Bon teachings is intrinsically linked to spiritual development and the realization of our true nature, abundant in bliss and happiness.

Pho wa

Transference of consciousness Phowa is very important to Tibetan Buddhists and Bönpos alike. For all sentient beings, death is certain. At the moment of death, Phowa is the one practice that transforms our consciousness into the nature of the Enlightened ones and liberates us from the suffering of cyclic existence (Khorwa). Phowa is also performed by others to help the deceased in recognizing the frightening appearances and distractions of the bardo (the state between death and rebirth) as transitory phenomena. Free from grasping at the appearances of the Bardo as inherently existent, and having experienced a realization of the nature of mind that is free from fear and doubt, the deceased may then unite with the nature of their own Enlightenment. Phowa requests for the recently deceased may be requested up until the forty-ninth day after death.

Bardo Thodol