The Medicinal Accomplishment (sman sgrub)

47 Pages·2015·9.88 MB·English

TheMedicinalAccomplishment(smansgrub)practiceintheDudjom
MeteoricIronRazor(gnamlcagsspugri)tradition: Reflectionsonthe
ritualandmeditativepracticeatamonasteryinSouthernBhutan.1
CathyCantwell
“MedicinalAccomplishment”(smansgrub)practicesforcompoundingand
empoweringmedicinalpillshavereceivedsomeattentioninstudiesofTi-
betanmedicaltraditions,althoughitisclearthatinthecontemporarymed-
icalcontext,theirreligioussignificancehasbeentoneddown. Thispaper
examinesanelaborate“MedicinalAccomplishment”ritualanditsBuddhist
meditativeframing,asperformedinareligiousmonasticcontextinBhutan.
Itexploresaspectsofthepractice,especiallythetransformationsofthesub-
stancesconsideredtobeenactedthroughthemeditativeritualandtantric
accomplishment,raisingthequestionofwhetheranimportantaspectofTi-
betanmedicineinthepastmayhavebeenneglectedinthecontemporary
focusontheactivenaturalingredientsinTibetanpills.
MedicinalAccomplishment(smansgrub)practicesinTibetanBuddhismhave
receivedsomescholarlyattentioninthepastfewyears. Putsimply, thepractice
concernsthepreparationandconsecrationofmedicinalpills,inthecontextofa
1I acknowledge the support of the Arts and Humanities Research Council of the UK, who
fundedtheresearchprojectonwhichthispaperisbased. IalsothankLoponP.OgyanTanzin
Rinpoche,whohasactedastheresearchproject’slamaconsultant,andwithwhomIhavediscussed
theTibetantextsdiscussedinthispaperatlength.Thanksarealsoduetothelamasandmonksof
PemaYoedlingDratsang,Gelegphu,Bhutan,especiallyLamaKunzangDorjeeRinpocheandLo-
ponLhundrupNamgyal. Further,ImustacknowledgeNicolasChong,whoattendedtherituals
withmeinBhutan,whotookvideoswhichhavebeenmosthelpfultothestudy,andwhoalsotook
photographs,someofwhichIamincludinghere. GeoffreySamuel,andalsoananonymouspeer
reviewer,providedusefulfeedbackinthefinalrevisionstages,forwhichIamgrateful.
jocbs.2015(8):49–95.©2015CathyCantwell
medicinalaccomplishmentpracticeinthemeteoricironrazortradition
meditative tantric ritual. In this paper, I look at a particular example, with ref-
erence to its textual tradition and ethnographic observation of its performance,
in particular focusing on the Buddhist meditative framing of the practice. In
doing so, I wish to consider some issues relating to the boundaries between Ti-
betanmedicineandTibetanBuddhism. ItiswellknownthatBuddhismhashad
aconsiderableimpactonthedevelopmentofTibetantraditionsofmedicineand
healing, while at the same time Tibetan medicine developed its own relatively
autonomous or specialised spheres of practice. This was even the case in the
pre-modern period, when there was considerable overlap, including the domi-
nanceoflamasandmonksintheperformanceofhealingrites. Yetsomeaspects
ofmedicaltheoryandpracticedivergedorcontrastedwithBuddhism,forexam-
ple,mattersofsexualityordiet;2 andtraininginmedicineandhealingwasoften
vestedinhereditarylineagesofdoctorswholearntmedicineinthefamilyhome,
relativelyindependentlyfromformaltraininginBuddhism. Withtheprocesses
of modernisation and professionalisation in Tibetan medicine, perhaps begin-
ning roughly from the seventeenth century founding of a state supported med-
ical college,3 Tibetan medicine has increasingly developed its own niche of Ti-
betanlearningandspecialisedpractice. Thetendencytoseparatemedicinefrom
religion in Tibet has grown considerably since the second half of the twentieth
century,bothinTibet,wheresecularisationoftraditionalmedicinehasbeenen-
couraged by the state, and in exile, with the development of a modernised cur-
riculumoftrainingattheMen-Tsee-KhangInstituteinDharamsala. Muchaca-
demic work has been looking at these and related developments, but here I am
concernedwiththeothersideofthepicture,thatis,aspectsofthejointheritage
ofTibetanmedicineandBuddhismwhichmayhavelosttheircentralityoreven
disappearedinTibetanmedicine,yetremainvibrantwithinBuddhistpractice.
MedicinalAccomplishmentpracticesarestillusedinTibetanmedicalprac-
tice. FrancesGarrett(2009: 224-225)hasdiscussedtheinterestinginterconnec-
tion in this case between medical and religious domains, in which a practice
rooted in rNying ma tantric circles has persisted within the dGe lugs pa orien-
2Inmedicalpractice, thegratificationofsexualimpulsesortheconsumptionofmeatmight
formpartofahealth-promotingortreatmentregime. InBuddhistteachings,evenwhensexand
meat-eatingarenotactivelydiscouraged,theyarerarelycondonedorconsideredasbeneficial;they
areperhapsonlyenjoinedincertainadvancedtantricpracticeforvirtuosiwhocouldoffsettheir
negativeeffectsthroughthepowerofmeditation.
3ThemedicalcollegeoflCagsporiinLhasawasfoundedthroughthepatronageoftheFifth
DalaiLama’sRegent,SangyeGyamtso,inthelateseventeenthcentury.
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medicinalaccomplishmentpracticeinthemeteoricironrazortradition
tatedmedicalinstitutionsinCentralTibet. Sherightlyunderlinestheimportance
ofthecontemplativeandyogiccurriculumofwhichitispart,thepurificationand
accomplishmentofthedoctorpractitionerasmuchasthemedicine,andthecen-
tralplaceofthepracticewithinthebdudrtsiyontan(“ElixirQualities”)classof
Mahāyoga texts in the rNying ma tantric corpus.4 At the same time, she notes
that the sman sgrub practice is often presented in Tibetan medical contexts to-
day as though it were a component added simply to enhance the efficacy of the
medicinalpills.5
Incontrast,inrNyingmapaBuddhistmonasteries,theproductionofmedic-
inalpillsisanadditiontotheprincipaltantricritual,whichistheMajorPractice
sessionorDrupchen(sgrubchen)focusedonattainingrealisation. AMedicinal
Accomplishmenttextdoesnotconstituteaself-sufficientrite,butratheraprac-
ticetobeintegratedwithintheritualsequencesofintensivepracticeofthemain
RitualManual. ItneednotbedoneeachtimeaMajorPracticesessiontakesplace,
andhowmanymedicinalpillsaremadewilldependontheexpertiseoftheteam
oflamasandthelevelofsponsorshipreceived.
MajorPracticesessionsarethemostelaborateandimportantperiodicrituals
performed in rNying ma pa monasteries of any size.6 They consist of intensive
communal ritual and meditation, led by a group of lamas of advanced spiritual
stature,togetherwithasupportingteamofexpertritualists. Participationinsuch
asessionisconsideredtoproduceconsiderablespiritualbenefits,inthebestcase
eventoequalathreeyearretreat. Thisisnotsimplyhyperbole: Buddhisttantric
theorybasesitselfontheprincipleofacommunityofpractitionersboundbythe
tantracommitmentsorsamaya, alldestinedtoattainEnlightenmentinasingle
man.d.ala,andthefruitsofspiritualpracticeareconsideredtodependmoreonthe
maintenanceofthistantricbondthanonthemeditativepracticeassuch. Thusin
aMajorPracticesessionaparticipantwhoactscorrectlyinthepracticeandplays
theircommunalpartwillreapbenefitsaccordingly. Theboyblowingthehornin
the right place is supporting the practice of the seasoned meditators, so he will
4Garrett(2009:214-220)discussesthehistoricalbackgroundofsmansgrubtexts,theirimpor-
tancebothwithinthetransmittedtantricscriptures,andwithintherevelationcyclesoftheforemost
earlymasterswhoseworkswereseminalforthelaterrNyingmatradition. Themedicaltradition
reliesontheg.yuthogsnyingthigcycle,whichisonebranchamongmany.
5SeeCraig2011foranexampleofsuchasimplifiedsmansgrubritualperformedincontempo-
raryLhasa.
6SmallmonasteriesmaymanageonlyCeremonialPractice(sgrubmchod)sessions,similarto
butratherlesselaboratethanMajorPracticesessions.
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medicinalaccomplishmentpracticeinthemeteoricironrazortradition
shareintheirspiritualattainments. Moreover,sinceMajorPracticesessionsare
the key events in the annual ritual calendar, they may take on a significance in
bindingtogetherscatteredmembersofthereligiouscommunity. Ex-monksand
otherlaypractitionersmaybeenjoinedtoattend.7 Furthermore,MajorPractice
sessionsprovidetheoccasionforrenewingtherelationshipbetweenthespecialist
practitionersandthewiderlaycommunity. Dedicatedlaypeoplemayattendthe
practiceonadailybasis. Thefinaldaymayattracthugenumbersofpeoplefrom
thelocalcommunityandbeyond,sincethisiswhentheconsecrationsarepublicly
bestowed with the sacred statues and other items: the spiritually charged pills,
liquidsandfoods.
TheBuddhistContext: ConsecrationPractices
The tantric rituals considered here may be seen as a sub-type of Buddhist con-
secrationpractices. Therepeatedchargingofthemedicinalpillsandotheritems
withspiritualefficacyisnotdissimilarfrompan-AsianBuddhistpractices,such
as those for consecrating Buddha images.8 Essentially, the material articles are
transformed through the ceremony into the tangible presence of the Buddha’s
enlightened qualities, and this nature persists beyond the ceremony itself. Key
to the efficacy are the transmission of virtues and powers from a previous gen-
eration of articles, the various chants recited throughout the practice, and the
transference of psychic energies of practitioners adept in the meditation prac-
tices(Tambiah1984: 254). Inthecaseheredescribed, theritualshavemuchin
commonwiththetantricconsecrationritesdescribedbyBentor,althoughthere
are minor differences because her examples are taken from New Transmission
(gsar ma) sources, whereas the monastic tradition here is of the Old Transmis-
sions (rnying ma). Thus, here the keynote throughout is the inner tantric view
thatbuddhahoodisnotsomewhereelse,nordoesitneedtobedeveloped. Here
theMahāyānadoctrinethatinitstruenature,conditionedexistenceisnodiffer-
entfromunconditionedexistence–thatis,nirvān.aorliberation–istakentoits
logical conclusion. If they are no different, then conditioned existence actually
is nirvān.a, and all the different aspects or phenomena of conditioned existence
arereallythedisplayofbuddhaqualities,ifonlywecouldrealisethis. Thepoint
ofthespiritualpathisnottogetridofconditionedphenomenaandtoproduce
7Infact,LamaKunzangDorjeeinsistsontheattendanceofthosewhotrainedathismonasteries
andgraduatedaslocallamasservingtheirhomecommunities.
8See,inparticular,Swearer2004,and1995,Tambiah1984:243-257,Bentor1996and1997.
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medicinalaccomplishmentpracticeinthemeteoricironrazortradition
enlightenedphenomena,butsimplyagnosis: torealisethebuddhanatureofall
phenomena, which is already fully developed. Thus, an important technique in
therNyingmasystemisknownas“mindfulnessoftotalpurity”(rnamdagdran
pa)orsimply“totalpurity”(rnampardagpa),9 inwhichthepractitionercomes
to experience all phenomena as pure enlightened qualities. But it is anticipated
thatsuchresultsareonlyatalllikelyinthespecialcontextofanintroductionsup-
ported by accomplished meditators, themselves supported by the transmissions
receivedfromtheirspiritualmentorsandtheirconnectiontothespiritualmasters
ofthepast. Inthesecircumstances, itmaybepossibletowakeuptorealisation
simplythroughanintroductiontothepowerfultantricmethodsfordirectlyex-
periencingtheenlightenedview. Thustherepeatedconsecrationsofthepillsand
otherritualitemsarenotdesignedtotransformanything,butrathertofocusthe
mindontheirinherentnature–whichispresentallalong–sothatthisshould
beactualisedandmadefullyaccessibletoall.
TantricTransformationsandBestowalofthePills
It will be readily seen that not only the medicinal pills, but the entire man.d.ala
constructionerectedwithinthetemplefortheevent,becomestheouter“support”
(rten)onwhichthemeditativetransformationsarefocused: thepalacesupport-
ingtheenlightenedtantricdeitiesandtheirsymbolicreceptacles. Aseriesofpro-
tectivecirclesarecreatedaroundthetemple,andwithinitaroundtheman.d.ala,so
thatnointerferencewiththeprogressoftheconsecrationsispossible. Itthenbe-
comesthe“medicinalmansion”(smankhang),andthemedicinalsubstancesare
repeatedly charged through the mantra recitations led by the Head Lama, from
whoseheartthemantracordisstretchedaroundtheitemsintheman.d.ala.
Weshallseethatsexualimageryisaprominentfeatureoftheritualandmed-
itations of the Medicinal Accomplishment practice. It is not only that the re-
peatedvariationsonthatthemeinthemeditationsofthemaleandfemaledeities
in union produce fluids which become or transform the elixir to be consumed.
Theimageryisalsoexpressedintheouterritualperformance,suchasintherit-
ualgrinding,whichisperformedideallybytheSpiritualMasterandhisconsort
–inthiscasebytheHeadLama, withtheritualspecialisttakingthepartofthe
consort. This sexual component to the rites may not seem surprising consider-
9Seegnamlcagsspugribsnyenyig,DudjomCollectedWorksVolumeDa:115-119;andthePhur
pabcugnyisroottantra(variouseditions)Chapter16.
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medicinalaccomplishmentpracticeinthemeteoricironrazortradition
ing that this is a tantric Buddhist tradition, but contrary to popular representa-
tions about “tantra”, sexual symbolism is not central to many Tibetan Buddhist
practices. Most rNying ma pa tantric rituals, including the deity practices dis-
cussed here, are essentially rooted in Mahāyoga, which works on transforming
vision and experience, so that all forms are realised as buddha body, all sounds
are heard as buddha speech, and all thoughts arise as buddha mind. All or any
of the emotional afflictions may be enlisted in the development of this pure vi-
sionoftheworldasthedeity’scelestialman.d.ala, andofallbeingsasthedeity’s
enlightenedentourage. Infact,thespecificallysexualyogasaremostlyassociated
with the anuyoga practices performed intensively in retreat, often as additional
or branch practices. The main Vajrakīlaya deity practice is considered to work
withandtransformallfiveemotionalpoisons,butasafiercewrathfuldeity,Va-
jrakīlayaisespeciallyassociatedwiththetransformationofhatredandviolence,
andtheimageryofkillingpervadestheVajrakīlayasymbolismof“liberating”or
releasingnegativespiritsintothebuddhafields. ButTibetantantricritesfocused
on longevity are rooted in sexual symbolism, and it is clear that these rites for
MedicinalAccomplishment,connectedwithbodilyhealingaswellasthegaining
ofspiritualenlightenment,areusingvisualisationsofsexualityinthesamewayas
dolongevitypractices. Aswiththeuseortransformationoftheotheremotional
afflictions, the bliss of the deities is visualised as transcending ordinary passion
andclinging,yetfullyengagingwiththecreativityorpureenergyofenlightened
passionwhichisevokedthroughtherecitations.
Itmayappeartobestatingtheobvious,butmuchoftheintendedpsycholog-
icalimpactofthepracticeisconnectedtothephysical natureoftheritualmed-
itations, and the linkage of the spiritual inspiration with the bodily experience.
Components and adornments of the three-dimensional man.d.ala are painstak-
inglyassembledasperfectlyaspossibleinthedaysbeforetheMajorPracticeses-
sion. Thisman.d.alaisthenconsideredactuallytoembodythecelestialpalaceand
itsdivineinhabitants,anditbecomesthe“support”(rten)forthemeditations. It
isphysicallypresent,andthepractitionerscomeintodirectphysicalcontactwith
it, for instance by bowing and touching their heads to it when they enter at the
start of each day. Three times in the course of the practice session, the medita-
tionononeselfasthedeityisreinforcedbyeveryonesymbolicallydressingupas
theherukaormaletantricdeity,andthisentailstheherukamarksbeingpainted
onthefaceandneckandtouchingalltheitemsofclothing. Onthefinalconse-
crationsday,thebestowalofconsecrationsisaboveallaphysicalexperience. The
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medicinalaccomplishmentpracticeinthemeteoricironrazortradition
sacreditemsareputontopofthehead,someareputontheneck,theheart,orthe
hands,andtheedibleanddrinkableitemsareconsumed. Thebestowalsalsocre-
ateaphysicalencounterbetweentheHeadLamaandthestudents,andthiskindof
ritualisedcontactanddirectedexperienceofreceivingconsecrationispartofthe
milieuofthetantricsamayaorbondwhichlinksthegreatspiritualmastersofthe
past,thelamaofthepresent,andthestudents. Theefficacyofthemedicinalpills
isnotonlyseenintermsoftheproficiencyofthelamaandhisteaminproducing
an effective product, but more in terms of effectively transmitting the blessings
of the practice and its lineage of masters. Thus not only is it crucial to include
theDharmamedicinalpillsofthegreatteachersofthetradition,butitisequally
importantnottosullythisspecialembodimentoftheirblessingswiththosewith
which one does not have the same personal connection. So the medicinal sub-
stancesshouldnotincludeDharmamedicinesoflamasfromlineageswhichare
notcloselyconnected. Manypractitionersavoidaltogethermedicinalpillsfrom
uncertainsources,orfromlamaswhorepresentlineageswithwhichtheyarenot
personallyconnected.
TheMajorPracticesessioninGelegphuinSouthernBhutan
The case discussed here is a Major Practice session connected with the popular
tantricdeityVajrakīlaya[Image01]. ThespecifictraditionoftheDudjom“Me-
teoricIronRazor”(gnamlcagsspugri)isbasedonafamousnineteenthcentury
revelation,thetextsforwhichwerebroughttocompletionbyatoweringtwenti-
ethcenturymaster,DudjomJigdralYesheDorjeRinpoche(bdud’joms’jigsbral
yeshesrdorje,1904-1987). Thepracticeisnowwidespread,perhapsespeciallyin
Bhutan, whereDudjomRinpochehadmanystudents. Indeed, whenIattended
theMajorPracticesessioninGelegphuinSouthernBhutaninNovember2013,
another “Meteoric Iron Razor” Major Practice session was taking place not far
awaywithadifferentteamoflamas.10
[Image02]ThetempleinGelegphu,11 wherethepracticewasestablishedon
anannualbasissomeyearsago,isstillintheprocessofconstruction. Intheearly
years,thepracticewasperformedinamarquee. Nowthemainbuildingiscom-
plete,butworkiscontinuingonthestatuesanddecoration,andwasinterrupted
10NamkhaiNyingpoRinpochewasleadingagroupof300practitionersatafootballgroundin
GyalpoizhinginMongar,organisedbyMongarThrematshogpa,withmorethan5,000expected
fortheconsecrations(newsreportinKuensel,November9th2013).
11PemaYoedlingDratsang,http://pemayoedling.org/.
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medicinalaccomplishmentpracticeinthemeteoricironrazortradition
forthedurationofthepracticesession. Thelamasandmonksareallpartofthe
Jangsa Dechen Choling Monastery in Kalimpong in West Bengal, India [Image
03], andthenewtemplewasfoundedspecificallyasaVajrakīlayatemplebythe
Jangsa Monastery’s head lama, Lama Kunzang Dorjee. Only a few monks and
practitionershadbeenbasedthereduringthehotsummermonths,sotherewas
an influx of practitioners from Kalimpong and elsewhere in the lead up to the
practice session. As may be clear from the decision to dedicate the Gelegphu
templetoVajrakīlaya,LamaKunzangisaspecialistinVajrakīlaya,andtheJangsa
teamareparticularlyproficientinthispractice. LamaKunzangreceivedthemain
Vajrakīlaya transmissions from his father, Lama Pema Longdrol, who had been
appointedastheHeadLamaofJangsaMonasterybyDudjomRinpocheandthe
BhutanQueenMother. ThustheoldergenerationJangsalamashadconsiderable
experienceinVajrakīlayapracticelongbeforeLamaKunzangtookthehelm.
02. PemaYoedlingDratsang,Gelegphu,Bhutan(photoCathyCantwell2013)
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medicinalaccomplishmentpracticeinthemeteoricironrazortradition
Preparations
[Images 04, 05, 06] Preparations began in earnest several days before the nine
full days of the practice session. Sixteen monks were assigned to perform vari-
ousrecitationsinthetemple, e.g. thePrajñāpāramitāinonehundredthousand
verses, in order to generate virtue to support the practice and remove obstacles
sothatpreviousbadkarmawouldnotinterferewithit. Meanwhile,othermonks
ornamented the temple building and surrounding area, decorating the gateway
tothemonasterygroundsanderectingmantraflagswhichlinedtheroutefrom
thegatetothetemple. [Images07,08,09,10,11,12,13]Ritualpreparationsbe-
ganwithmakingthedecorativetormas(gtorma)orritualsculptures,whichmay
serveasiconsforthetantricdeities,orasofferingstothem. Onegroupworked
principallyonshapingthetormasfromdough,paintingthemandaddingsome
basic ornamentation, while a group in another building focused on making the
elaborate butter/wax decorations (“white ornaments”, dkar rgyan) to add to the
tormas.
09. WorkingonaWrathfulfoodofferingtorma(photoCathyCantwell2013)
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medicinalaccomplishmentpracticeinthemeteoricironrazortradition
11. Decoratingthemainbodyofthetorma(photoCathyCantwell2013)
[Images14,15,16,17]Threedaysbeforethepracticesessionbegan,aselect
groupoffourseniorpractitionersstartedworkoncreatingthetwo-dimensional
sandman.d.ala,whichdepictsaplanofthetantricdeity’scelestialpalace. Ittook
two days to complete. In the final days before the practice, the assembly room
was prepared, with thrones for the principal lamas, seating and little tables for
other practitioners; the ritual items needed for the three-dimensional man.d.ala
constructionwerealsoprepared. Thedaybeforethepracticewastostart,theSe-
niorMasterofCeremonies(dbumdzad),whohadbeenDudjomRinpoche’sown
MasterofCeremonies, andwhoretainsanimportantadvisoryrole, sittingnext
totheHeadLamaduringpracticesessions,soughtoutthemaincurrentMasterof
Ceremoniesinthetemple. Hepassedtohimanumberofalreadypreparedpack-
ets of the key medicinal ingredients, which he had just brought with him from
Kalimpong.
[Images 18, 19, 20] The first day of the Major Practice session was devoted
entirely to preparatory ritual meditations to create the appropriate atmosphere
for thesession: theconsecration ofthe space; thedemarcation ofritual bound-
ariessothatthepractitionersshouldbesymbolicallyboundtogetherinthegroup
with disturbing influences excluded; the construction of the three-dimensional
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