Tonpa Shenrab, the Completely Enlightened One the founder of the Yung Drung Bön religion, was born in 16,017 BC, in the land of Olmolungring. Tonpa Shenrab appeared initially as an ordinary man. Before he attained enlightenment (Buddhahood), he went through the six realms of cyclic existence in countless births. He entered the door of enlightenment through the practices of accumulating merit and purifying himself, resulting in the attainment of the transcendental qualities of loving kindness and compassion. He is superior among all the exalted enlightened beings and is dedicated to the liberation of all sentient beings. In order to rescue them, he turned the Dharma Wheel of Bön three times as an antidote to all suffering.

Tonpa Shenrab is holding a Yung Drung Chakshing in his right hand and his left hand is in the meditation mudra. The chakshing is the primary symbol of Bön and represents the turning of the wheel of Bön (a combination of Sutra, Tantra and Dzogchen) teachings. The meditation mudra symbolizes the natural condition of phenomena (Bön nyid) realized through the practice of the eternal Bön teachings. He sits on a jewel wheel throne symbolizing the mastery of Bön over the three poisons (ignorance, anger, greed).

Prayer

"May the teacher come to our world!
May the teaching be bright as the sun rays!
May teachers and students increasingly learn and accomplish!
May there thus be good fortune that the teachings long remain!"

Shenlha Wodkar personifies one of the three main aspects of Tonpa Shenrab:

• Deity (lha) is Shenlha Wodkar
• Priest (shen) is Tonpa Shenrab
• Creator (srid) is Sangmo Bunpti

Shenlha Wodkar is the deity of Supreme Compassion. Out of his compassion the Bon teachings and practices have grown to assist all sentient beings on the path to liberation. He is the master teacher of all teachers and teaching has become his primary activity. Wodkar means ‘white light’ and his natural body is pearlescent, the body of perfection (dzog ku). Shenlha Wodkar is always dressed in elaborate, ceremonial robes with his hands in the meditation mudra. He sits on a throne supported by two snow lions, which represent Shenlha Wodkar’s supremacy over all life forms.

Mantra

A OM HUNG AA A KAR SA LE OH A YANG OM DHU

Tapi Hritsa was born as son of Rasang Lugyal at Dharog in Zhangzhung in the 17th century. From his childhood he bore a special interest in the virtuous deeds. At the age of eleven, he received complete ordination relating to Dzogchen from his master by the name of Tsepung Dawa Gyaltsen. For nine entire years he remained fully committed in conducting retreat in a place known as Mamig, which is located toward the north of Mt. Kailash. It is believed that after accomplishing his intensive and systematic practice on Dzögchen teaching, he obtained the state of Buddhahood by dissolving his physical body into rainbow color. Attaining the rainbow body means the body disappears from sight, leaving no trace of where it has gone. It is believed that practitioners of the great perfection, Dzögchen practice, may accomplish the rainbow body by total purification of the body, mind and spirit through devotion to the Dzögchen meditations. A practitioner who works hard and realizes the original self with no attachment can ultimately disappear from this planet, leaving only bits of hair and nails on the meditation cushion from which the practitioner has departed. As a result of Tapi Hritsa’s marvelous teaching as many as twenty-five disciples have attained the Rainbow Body Accomplishment.

Medicine Buddha, Men Lha, is a manifestation of Tonpa Shenrab, the original Bon Teacher and Enlightened One.

The history of the Medicine Buddha teaching comes from the sutra of ‘Healing Method for Sickness of Affliction and Ignorance’ from the ‘Mandala of King of Medicine and Ritual Ceremonies for Enlightenment’ text. Importantly medicine is associated here with wellness as enlightenment.

Tonpa Shenrab became aware of the suffering of people living to the north of ancient Olmo Lung Ring on a little island called Dawa Ruting. This island was dominated by the evil deeds of the Prince Drachen Korlo, whose actions caused disturbances, sickness and suffering for the people. Tonpa Shenrab gave this teaching to eliminate their suffering, and heal them from temporal difficult conditions, to purify negative karmic deeds and to free them from the five inner poisons based on ignorance, and to harmonize and restore peace to the region.

It was at the request of the kings of the island of Dawa Ruting that Tonpa Shenrab first gave the teachings of the Medicine Buddha. They were then transmitted through Chadbu Trishe, one of Tonpa Shenrab's eight sons and the source of all healing tradition of Tibetan Medicine lineage according to Bön. Gradually it was passed through masters in a continuous lineage down to the founder of the original Menri Monastery, Nyammed Sherab Gyaltsen, and all the subsequent holders of that lineage and has been preserved unbroken to the present day.

While Tonpa Shenrab was in the process of giving teachings, his body began to turn blue, the special color of Menlha, the Bön Medicine deity. Menlha possesses the perfect body (dzo ku). He sits resplendent in his ceremonial robes and lotus crown on a lotus throne supported by two white elephants. Menlha’s right hand holds a Yung Drung Chakshing. His left hand is in a meditation posture holding the Arura (principle seed of healing) still in use today. He sits in the Vajra cross-legged position and gazes toward the west. All beings receiving the blessings of these teachings shall be healed.

Mantra

OM NA MA SE LA AMITA SE GYER DUN PUNG

OM A HUNG RAM DZA SAMAYA TITA LHEN

(In order to receive the best healing from any medicine or supplement, it is helpful to believe in the ability of the medicine to provide healing power. One may repeat this mantra many times before taking the medicine.)