13 Sunday May 2012
Posted in Garuda in Buddhism
Garudas – Falconry. Yes, birds of prey kill to eat, and I am sure I would want to avoid rebirth as one. However, as shown on Countryfile tonight, the power and beauty of the birds is simply breathtaking. It is no surprise that the Garuda is the representation of the soaring mind.
In this pic the Golden Eagle hears a toddler cry and starts to take off.
If you get a chance, go to a display and support the survival of these rare and precious birds:
08 Tuesday May 2012
Posted in Garuda Images, Garuda in Buddhism, Uncategorized
A friend on a Buddhist forum put this cartoon together. I love it. 🙂
27 Friday Apr 2012
Posted in Garuda Images, Garuda in Buddhism
A small Garuda statue about 5 inches tall:
16 Monday Apr 2012
Posted in Garuda in Buddhism
This certainly has the ‘wow’ factor – a huge statue of Black Garuda above the temple of this huge monastery with over 200,000 disciples:
More words from Kunga Rinpoche about the need for Garuda practice:
09 Monday Apr 2012
On Friday 6th April I was honoured to receive the Nyenpo Lha Sum empowerment from His Eminence the 7th Dzogchen Rinpoche, Jigme Losel Wangpo, lineageholder.
The empowerment was of three deities and transmitted their individual empowerments and a practice combining their abilities to remove obstacles, illnesses and harm from spirits.
In the Gelugpa the nearest eqiuvalent of this practice is known as the Threefold Wrathful One, as already described on this site.
This Nyingma empowerment refers to these beings as the three Antidote Deities – Hayagriva, Vajrapani and Garuda. An alternative name given is: Ta-Chag-Khyung-Sum (Tamdrin=Hayagriva, Chagna-Dorje=Vajrapani, Khyung=Garuda). Nyenpo Lha Sum itself means Ancient Highest Three.
I have a practice, mantra and picture associated with this empowerment and will seek permission to reproduce limited information from it once Rinpoche ends his tour.
As this practice is Anuyoga (equivalent to Highest Yoga Tantra) I can’t divulge much more without permission.
The empowerment was especially potent for me as my father died the day before (on Thursday 5th). The empowerment enables me to help suffering beings in a new way and his death enhanced the realisation within me that made all the more urgent and important for the sake of all beings. 🙂
14 Wednesday Mar 2012
Posted in Garuda Amulets, Garuda in Buddhism, Garuda in Hinduism
Two new metal masks for my collection. A little repainting needed. 🙂
29 Sunday Jan 2012
Posted in Garuda Images, Garuda in Buddhism
Here we see Red Garuda above the head of the Jonang Master, Kunchen Dolpopa.
The Red Garuda is usually emblematic of fire, so the reference may be to the blazing of the fire of enlightenment, or a reference to Garuda’s protective qualites.
Kunchen Dolpopa was the first Jonang master to extensively teach Zhentong. In his most famous work, Mountain Dharma: An Ocean of Definitive Meaning (ri chos nges don rgya mtsho), Kunchen Dolpopa clarified the Zhentong view. These are referred to as the teachings of the “Heart’s Essence” (snying po’i don). As Kunchen Dolpopa’s Mountain Dharma and other Jonang texts were banned in the 17th century, they became extremely rare. In the 1970s and 1980s a few of these texts were re-discovered and re-printed, notably through the agency of His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
From the same source:
”The Red Garuda’s Cry to the Kalkins of Shambala”
Imperial Drala[1] of all dralas, Kalki Lord of Life,
you are primordial existence.
You hold in your left hand the crystal mirror,
the living storehouse consciousness of all. ki
Imperial Drala of all dralas, Kalki Lord of Life,
you are primordial aspiration.
In your right hand you brandish a crystal sword,
the inner nature of the seventh defiled consciousness. so
Imperial Drala of all dralas, Kalki Lord of Life,
you are primordial power.
You wear the blazing golden armor of life
and the snow-white pennants on your helmet flutter in the wind.
You are the life of the six sense consciousnesses. a la la
Descend now on the swirling divine thread
that rises from our offering of longing.
Now with your shining blade,
slash like lightning through clouds of confused desires, doubts and calculation,
that distort and veil the splendor of your pure domain.
Riding on the great horse of moving wind itself,
releasing and binding the elements and space
with your firm command, like the roar of thunder,
show the fearless tiger of the living seas,
the all-conquering lion of the living wind,
the deathless eagle of the living fire,
and the sovereign dragon of the living earth.
Show the true realm and the righteous rule of Shambala!
Pure, real, undeluded, and uncontrived newness.
Show the true realm and the righteous rule of Shambala,
that is the intrinsic life force of all beings.
Swiftly, swiftly, please do this now!
ki ki so so ashe lha gyel lo tak seng khyung druk di yar kye (x3)
O Kalki Lord, in this faithless time,
please remain with us and do not depart.
Remain here, moving on the pathways of virtue.
Remain here, resting on the raging flames of existence.
Remain here, sustained by the flesh and blood of men and beasts.
Remain here, subduing the fears and delusions of all realms.
Remain here as our only sovereign and law.
Please remain by day and night
and sing to us in waking and in dreams.
om ah hum ho ham ksha
[1] Drala: Tibetan: dra, enemy or opponent, and la, above; above the enemy; unconditioned wisdom and power beyond dualism; beyond opposites.
ADDITIONAL RED GARUDA MANTRAS:
hum tro ta ya ghar ru na
tri trom
ha ra nye lo yo so thun tu
om tat-purushaya vidhmahe
suvarna pakshaya dhimahi
tanno garuda prachodayat om
This wonderful image and texts were kindly supplied by Tashi Nyima.
Learn more here: http://greatmiddleway.wordpress.com/about/
27 Friday Jan 2012
Posted in Garuda in Buddhism, Garuda in Hinduism, Garuda LInks
I am delighted that Michael Slouber has been in contact with me and informed me of his wonderful website on Garuda Medicine:
Michael, already a distinguished lecturer and author, is completing a PhD thesis on the subject and the information on his website alone is simply astounding, applying academic rigour and real enthusiasm to the subject.
We share to conviction that Garuda is a deity who deserves to be elevated in terms of the perception of importance to both Hindu and Buddhist practice.
I look forward to the thesis and the book which I hope will follow, which must surely be the primary source of information about Garuda.
How wonderful!
04 Wednesday Jan 2012
Transcendental Wisdom Multi-Coloured Garuda Sadhana
As with other Garuda Sadhanas, this one deals with defilements, illnesses and harm from spirits.
Garuda reduces his size to that of Mount Meru in order to be accessible for this practice.
I begin with Prostrations to the supreme deity Transcendental Wisdom Multi-Coloured Garuda, followed by Refuge in the Triple Gem.
Then there is Meditation on the Four Immeasurable Thoughts:
Equanimity, Loving Kindness, Compassion and Joyfulness.
After generating Special Bodhichitta to become Transcendental Wisdom Multi-Coloured Garuda for the sake of all beings, I begin the core practice. As with other sadhanas, you are advised not to self-generate as Transcendental Wisdom Multi-Coloured Garuda without the specific empowerment or HYT empowerment – simply perform the sadhana with Transcendental Wisdom Multi-Coloured Garuda in front.
From Emptiness, a seed syllable appears and transforms into the Naga King as a golden serpent, with my mind appearing above it as another seed syllable.
Light rays from this seed syllable radiate and pacify all sicknesses, spirit harm, negativities and obscurations which may harm me.
There then follows a detailed description of the self-generation and the forms of Buddha Garuda (white, at my throat), Jewel Garuda (gold, south), Lotus Garuda (red, west ), Karma Garuda (green, north) and Vajra Garuda (blue, east).
The seed syllables are then visualised in my body and Guru Vajrapani is invoked, taking a position at the crown of my head. All the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas merge into Vajrapani.
Offerings are then made to Guru Vajrapani, who then merges into me as the embodiment of the Refuges, and is asked for blessings.
I then become Transcendental Wisdom Multi-Coloured Garuda Vajrapani embodying all the 5 Buddha races/families , all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. I ask the deity for blessing.
With the syllables clearly appearing at my heart I recite the Garuda Mantra as many times as possible:
OM PA KSHI SVA HA
(sometimes expressed as OM PA KSHIM SVAHA).
Finally there is a Dedication.
The full sadhana is available from:
http://shop.fpmt.org/Garuda-Multi-colored-Sadhana-of-Transcendental-Wisdom-bkltlttr_p_1039.html
Image courtesy from: http://imageserver.himalayanart.org/fif=fpx/74219.fpx&obj=uv,1.0&page=image.html&rect=0,0,1,1&hei=400
30 Wednesday Nov 2011
THREEFOLD WRATHFUL ONE INITIATION (VAJRAPANI, HAYAGRIVA GARUDA EMPOWERMENT) by LOCHEN RINPOCHE
Opinions vary about the validity of receiving an initiation remotely. I have attended initiations where many people sat around 50 yards outside of the building where the initiation took place, receiving it via the TV. This was live. Others have given initiations via telecast over the internet.
There are two factors – space and time. Is it essential to be in the same place, or at the same time? Well, if the person giving the initiation is to be regarded as a Buddha, this activity transcends such limitations.
Whatever the view, here is the video. For those who regard Lochen Rinpoche as a Buddha transcending space and time then this may be regarded as a valid initiation. Others may simply choose to watch out of interest. In posting this via the bluegaruda.com website I am simply providing access to Youtube. The rest is down to you. 🙂
The practice of the Threefold Wrathful One is performed to purify diseases, malicious inlfictions, negativities and obscurations of the practitioner and others. The text of the sadhana may be obtained from the FPMT.:
FPMT Booklet $1: http://shop.fpmt.org/Vajrapani-Hayagriva-Garuda-bkltlttr_p_1216.html
The initiation is broadcast in 7 parts and includes instructions for those who wish to take the initiation and for those who simply want to view it and receive the blessings of that experience.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0CsDu1Uuqk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPQk5Raa2yk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_kifgWcYBo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgSoe6PovWM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjL7xQOegN8&feature=related
Khyung Garuda ཁྲོཾ 