Nechung Oracle
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History
In Tibet and throughout the greater Himalayan region, oracles have, and continue to play, an important part in revelation, religion, doctrine, and prophecy. In Tibet, the Nechung Oracle and other oracles on occasion, have also played principal roles assisting governmental decision-making and providing intelligence on pressing matters of state, and perhaps most importantly aid in the provision of security for the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet.There are a number of oracular traditions within the Himalaya of which the Nechung is but one. The word "oracle" is used by Tibetans to refer to the spirit, deity, or entity that temporarily (or various styles of periodic or ongoing possession depending on the tradition) possesses or enters those men and women who act as media between the phenomenal natural world and the subtle spiritual realms. These media are, therefore, known as kuten, which literally means, "the physical basis". Post-possession, the medium may require protracted convalescence.
The tulku of the institution of the Dalai Lama consults the oracle known as the Nechung Oracle, which is considered the Official State Oracle of the government of Tibet. The Nechung was formerly a Nyingma tradition. He gives a complete description of the process of trance and possession in his book Freedom in Exile.[3]
Beginnings
Pearlman (2002: p. 94) frames the inauguration and installation of the tradition of the State Oracle by identifying key stakeholders: Padmasambhava, Samye, Vajrakilaya, Dharma, sangha, genius loci:"When Padmasambhava consecrated Samye Monastery with the Vajrakilaya dance, he tamed the local spirit protector, Pehar Gyalp, and bound him by oath to become the head of the entire hierarchy of Buddhist protective spirits. Pehar, later known as Dorje Drakden, became the principal protector of the Dalai Lamas, manifesting through the Nechung Oracle.The rite of the Oracle possessing the kuten is ancient, entering the tradition from the Bonpo and Ngagpa, and traditionally involves a detailed evocative liturgy including such elements as fanfare, dance, mudra and mantra to invoke the Oracle who forcefully projects their mindstream via the discipline of phowa, temporarily possessing the physical basis.
According to the Dalai Lama, "Tibetans rely on oracles for various reasons. The purpose of the oracles is not just to foretell the future. They are called upon as protectors and sometimes used as healers. However, their primary function is to protect the Buddha Dharma and its practitioners."[2]
Key prophecies
Pearlman (2002: p. 94) relates two prophecies prophesied by the Nechung Oracle: the famous prophecy that during the Year of the Tiger Tibet would encounter a grave and "great difficulty"; and the fortuitous second prophecy outlining the flight from Tibet of the Jewel of the Compassionate Ocean, an epiphet for the Dalai Lama:"In 1947 Lobsang Jigme, the Tibetan State Oracle, prophesied that in the Year of the Tiger, 1950, Tibet would face great difficulty. In 1951, Lobsang Jigme fell ill, some say because of his repeated troubling visions, and for years was unable to walk without assistance. In 1959, after predicting the Dalai Lama's flight, Lobsang Jigme spent two months walking to India with His Holiness. His illness was eventually cured."[2]
Ceremony
Pearlman (2002: p. 94-95) describes the ritual investiture of the Nechung Oracle that is constituted by sacred symbols and iconography in the colours of the Five Pure Lights and Mahabhuta and includes lungta, bija and dhvaja:"On formal occasions, the Kuten is dressed in an elaborate costume consisting of several layers of clothing topped by a highly ornate robe of golden silk brocade, which is covered with ancient designs in red and blue and green and yellow [colors traditionally subscribed to the Mahabhuta]. On his chest he wears a circular mirror which is surrounded by clusters of turquoise and amethyst, its polished steel flashing with the Sanskrit mantra corresponding to Dorje Drakden. Before the proceedings begin, he also puts on a sort of harness, which supports four flags and three victory banners. Altogether, this outfit weighs more than seventy pounds and the medium, when not in trance, can hardly walk in it."[4]In addition to this regalia, when the Kuten's trance deepens, the assistants that have been supporting the medium place a headress on his head which weighs approximately 30 pounds, though in former times it weighed over 80. (Pearlman, 2002: p. 96) The circular mirror is a divine attribute and tool, known as a melong (Tibetan: "mirror"), that is a common symbol of Dzogchen and Dzogchen teachings[citation needed].
See also
Notes
- For greater detail regarding the annexation refer: Tibetan sovereignty debate.
- Pearlman, Ellen (2002). Tibetan Sacred Dance: a journey into the religious and folk traditions. Rochester, Vermont, USA: Inner Traditions. ISBN 0-89281-918-0, p.94
- The Government of Tibet in Exile. Nechung - The State Oracle of Tibet.[dead link]
- Pearlman, Ellen (2002). Tibetan Sacred Dance: a journey into the religious and folk traditions. Rochester, Vermont, USA: Inner Traditions. ISBN 0-89281-918-0, p.94-95
References
- Pearlman, Ellen (2002). Tibetan Sacred Dance: a journey into the religious and folk traditions. Rochester, Vermont, USA: Inner Traditions. ISBN 0-89281-918-0
- Havnevik, Hanna. A Tibetan Female State Oracle
External links
- Nechung - The State Oracle of Tibet
- Documentary about Tibetan oracles by David Cherniack
- CD Recording of the Nechung Monks in Dharamsala
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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nechung_Oracle
The Nechung Oracle
is the State Oracle of Tibet. The medium of the State Oracle currently
resides with the current Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India. Prior to
the ...
Wikipedia
I mentioned in another blog article that I was invited in January 1986 in Dharamshala, India to witness a Tibetan Oracle event. At the time I got that I wasn't prepared to deal with this as an intuitive.
Something like this is completely alien and foreign to western ideas of what is useful to do. However, in a non-dualistic culture based upon compassion this works in a Tibetan Buddhist context.
It has taken my years to learn as much as I do now in drips and drabs along the way. When I went to India and Nepal I was very naive in this lifetime about what all this was about. However, when I almost died in 1998 and 1999 after that I became much more at peace about life and from that point on I could understand life on a much deeper level after almost dying for 7 months. Instead of worrying about getting old and dying, instead I was just grateful for each moment of life I had left. It turns out this in itself is a form of enlightenment to be in each moment and at peace.
We are all born. We all live. We all die (at least these bodies we live in do). So, acceptance of this truth though so difficult for people in the western world, brings peace and wholeness to one's life. You still can do all the things to live a 1000 years if you want to, you just don't panic or freak out about it anymore.
partial requote form above:
The word "oracle" is used by Tibetans to
refer to the spirit, deity, or entity that temporarily (or various styles of periodic or ongoing possession depending on the tradition) possesses or enters those men and women who act as media between the phenomenal natural world and the subtle spiritual realms. These media are, therefore, known as kuten, which literally means, "the physical basis". Post-possession, the medium may require protracted convalescence.
The tulku of the institution of the Dalai Lama consults the oracle known as the Nechung Oracle, which is considered the Official State Oracle of the government of Tibet. The Nechung was formerly a Nyingma tradition. He gives a complete description of the process of trance and possession in his book Freedom in Exile.[3]
First of all, in a western tradition of Christianity "Possession" is not considered a good thing.
However, then again you are dealing with a culture in Tibetans that are naturally very very intuitive people.
If you think about what it actually takes to stay alive for centuries as a culture above 8000 feet in elevation (the whole culture) it takes a whole lot of close to the earth intuitive people. Because everyone else dies in an environment as hostile as this one most of the year. For example, Lhasa is at 12,000 feet in elevation. I know a lady who was 70 years old whose lifelong dream was to go to Tibet. When it finally opened up to westerners she flew there to Lhasa and died within 10 minutes of landing and disembarking the aircraft. 12,000 feet killed her that quickly!
So, only the very strong with large lung capacities have any business even going there without dying.
So, what I'm getting at is that these people are incredibly strong with big lung capacities, who are very very intuitive (to survive avalanches, altitude, suspension bridges, you name it) for thousands of years. Otherwise if you aren't intuitive, strong, with large lung capacity and very resourceful, you are simply dead and your genetics don't get passed along. Period!
First of all, in a western tradition of Christianity "Possession" is not considered a good thing.
However, then again you are dealing with a culture in Tibetans that are naturally very very intuitive people.
If you think about what it actually takes to stay alive for centuries as a culture above 8000 feet in elevation (the whole culture) it takes a whole lot of close to the earth intuitive people. Because everyone else dies in an environment as hostile as this one most of the year. For example, Lhasa is at 12,000 feet in elevation. I know a lady who was 70 years old whose lifelong dream was to go to Tibet. When it finally opened up to westerners she flew there to Lhasa and died within 10 minutes of landing and disembarking the aircraft. 12,000 feet killed her that quickly!
So, only the very strong with large lung capacities have any business even going there without dying.
So, what I'm getting at is that these people are incredibly strong with big lung capacities, who are very very intuitive (to survive avalanches, altitude, suspension bridges, you name it) for thousands of years. Otherwise if you aren't intuitive, strong, with large lung capacity and very resourceful, you are simply dead and your genetics don't get passed along. Period!
So, in this very different culture from a Western one people can and do tell which spirits are useful or Good Spirits that can help them in a truthful way of predicting the future.
For example, the Oracle (while possessed) mentioned the exact day and time when the Dalai Lama could leave Lhasa safely so he could make it through on foot and horse and boat it to India. That didn't mean everyone would survive this journey in 1959. However, the Dalai Lama survived even though many of his party were machine gun straffed by Chinese Fighter planes along their route. So, many died along the way of the Dalai Lama's party. But, the Dalai Lama survived as well as most of the people that accompanied them.
I knew Geshe Lobsang Gyatso who was a young Tibetan Monk who was one of those who accompanied him to the Indian Border at that time in 1959. He recounted to me and my family his experiences during these times when he stayed with my family and I a couple of months in the summer of 1986 on the coast of Northern California.
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