Introduction The Guhyasamājatantra known in Tibetan as gsang ‘dus rtsa rgyud is one of the most important and influential later Indian Buddhist tantra. It was translated by śraddhākaravarman[1] and Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo (958-1055) at around 1002. It has 18 chapters. The Guhyasamājatantra is the principal scripture of the yogottaratantra or rnal ’byor bla na med [...]
Author: Nyö Sonam Nyenda
Racked With Indecision Over Defining Religion
It's been a few weeks reading quite a number of theorist and trying to listen to their definition of religion. Among the theories we read “naturalism” is one that keeps ringing in my mind. When I looked for its definition online, it is defined as, “the philosophical belief that everything arises from natural properties and [...]
Raw thoughts on Durkheim’s “Definition of Religious Phenomenon and Religion”
In Durkheim’s Elementary Forms of Religious Life, he concludes the first chapter “Definition of Religious Phenomenon and of Religion”, saying that “religion should be an eminently collective thing”. He comes to this conclusion arguing about the concept of ritual and belief, sacred and profane, and magic and religion. For him the defining mark of religious [...]
Religion as Cultural System- A few questions
A religion is: 1.a system of symbols which acts to 2. establish powerful, pervasive, and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by 3. formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and 4. clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that 5. the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic. Clifford Geertz In the [...]
Traksad Mahākāla: gnyos lugs ma
It is a great rejoice to receive a picture of Traksad Mahākāla of gnyos tradition from a Chinese friend today. The empowerment and transmission of Traksad gnyos lugs ma, which started from the great Nyö Lotsawa Yonten Dragpa(973-1113) is very alive in Jonang today. The unbroken transmission of it is lived through Nyö Gyalwa Lhanangpa [...]
SONAM NYENDA 