The Practice of the King of Longevity

A manual for the longevity ritual, seven-day retreat, and the daily yidam practice containing translations of the root text, supplemental texts, as well as support and study materials. This Manual is intended only for those students who are studying directly under the guidance of a qualified Yungdrung Bön lama. It is not to be shared beyond this intended purpose. If this manual is no longer needed, do not discard. Please respectfully return this sacred material to a Yungdrung Bön lama, senior student or Yundrung Bön practice center.

The Longevity Practice of Tséwang Rikdzin is one of many chapters included within the text commonly referred to as the Tséwang Jarima. ‘Tséwang’ literally translates as ‘power of life’ or ‘power of longevity’. ‘Jarima’ refers to the area near Mt. Tisé, a.k.a. Mt. Kailash, where Lama Tséwang Rikdzin was practicing with his followers. At that time, a nyulé demoness and other evil-minded nyulé spirits1 were attacking both the fertility of individuals as well as destroying the life-span of young children. Moved by compassion, Khandro Tukjé Kündrol transmitted this method for both protecting the life-span as well as restoring a life-span that has been damaged. Khöpo Lodro Tokme was a famous 13th century tertön2 who rediscovered many Yungdrung Bön hidden texts. During one of his spontaneous visions, Khandro Tukjé Kündrol appeared to him and imparted the transmission for the root text of the Tséwang Jarima which he subsequently transmitted to his own disciples. The Tséwang Jarima scripture is the root text and it is assumed that the practitioner will borrow from other texts in order to complete the necessary portions of the practice such as the preliminary prayers of refuge and generating the mind, etc. Because of this, and in order to support those with less familiarity with the texts, the 23rd Menri Trizen Nyima Tenzin Rinpoche (1813-1875 CE) composed prayers to accompany the root text to make it easier for the practitioner to follow from beginning to end. Although some blessings and merit can be received by reciting and performing this practice with faith and devotion, in order to fully receive the intended result and exalted qualities of the yidam deity it is necessary to undergo an intensive personal retreat. For the longevity practice translated here, the text specifies that a seven-day retreat is necessary. Before undergoing this retreat, it is necessary to receive the oral transmission of the practice from a qualified Yungdrung Bön lama. Ideally, it is best to also receive the empowerment of the yidam and detailed guidance on both the practice and the retreat.

Lama Tséwang Rikdzin The great sage Drenpa Namkha had three historical manifestations in three different countries spanning a vast period of time. One of these manifestations of Drenpa Namkha was born as a prince in the ancient land of Zhang Zhung and married Öden Barma, an Indian Brahman girl, and had twin sons in the Water Monkey year of 888 BCE. These twin sons were Yungdrung Dönsal, who would later be given the name Tséwang Rikdzin, and his brother Pema Tongdrol. Some texts record Lama Tséwang Rikdzin’s life-span as eight hundred years, others record it as five hundred years. However, no where in the texts is it recorded that he actually died. Therefore, some texts say that he is actually still living to this very day through his power of certain practices. Although there are many longevity texts in the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition, the longevity practice of Lama Tséwang Rikdzin has become the one most commonly performed.