This is the biography of Shenza Nechung, Buddha Tonpa Shenrap Miwo's youngest daughter.
Buddha Tonpa Shenrap Miwo had two daughters: Shenza Nechen and Shenza Nechung. Shenza Nechen was the elder and became a nun. Shenza Nechung was his younger daughter. This book contains her life story.
When Shenza Nechung was young, she was seduced by the demon Khyappa Lakring and eloped with him. She then gave birth to twin babies of the demon, Takbu Tung and Zikbu Tung. Later she generated strong remorse for her misdeeds. Her father, Buddha Tonpa Shenrap Miwo, had skillful methods and miraculous power, and she was released from the kingdom of the demon. She then generated great, genuine renunciation of samsara and became a nun named Trima Sal.
This biography of Shenza Nechung includes a foreword by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, commentary by Dr. Sangmo Yangri, and reflections by Tsering Wangmo Khemsar and Marcy Vaughn.
In the Bon tradition, there are numerous female lay and nun practitioners who attained high spiritual states. Their stories are included in Bon texts and also are a part of local folklore. These stories, however, have not been extricated from the texts or recorded from the folklore. This book is an attempt to fill a void that has been left for centuries.
Escape from Darkness: The Spiritual Journey of the Buddha's Daughter Shenza Nechung, Translated by Sangmo Yangri, Ligmincha International, Paperback, 124 pp, $17.00
Sangmo Yangri, Ph.D., is a scholar, teacher, and translator, and the first Tibetan woman to receive a Ph.D. in Tibetan Bon studies. A recipient of the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund grant, she won the Prime Minister Award from the Tibetan Government in Exile in India in 2013. She has written and published articles in various journals and participated in several international Bon and Buddhist conferences. She teaches at Lishu Institute near Dehradun, India.
CONTENTS: Escape from Darkness
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Blessing
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i
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Appreciation
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iii
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Foreword
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v
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A Living Tradition
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v
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A Spiritual Journey
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vi
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The Roles of Women and Feminine Energy
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vii
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Balancing Male and Female Energies
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viii
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Preface
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xi
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Introduction
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1
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Tonpa Shenrap Miwo
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1
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Empowering Female Practitioners
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3
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The Demon Khyappa Lakring
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3
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Shenza Nechung's Story
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4
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A Female Lineage
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6
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The Spiritual Journey of Shenza Nechung From the Biography of Buddha Tonpa Shenrap Miwo (Do Zermik)
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7
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A Mother's Advice
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8
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Seduced by the Demon
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9
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The Search for Shenza Nechung
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10
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Tonpa Shenrap's Advice
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13
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The Companion of the Demon
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15
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Liberating Shenza Nechung
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16
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On the Way Home
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21
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The Demon in Pursuit
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24
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Five Great Offerings
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26
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Rescuing the Children
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38
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Excerpts from Further Chapters
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43
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Commentary by Sangmo Yangri, Ph.D.
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47
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Developing Remorse and Compassion
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48
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Remorse and Confession
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48
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Devotion
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49
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Reflections by Tsering Wangmo Khymsar (aka Bhutia)
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51
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An Encounter with a Treasure Revealer
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52
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My Mother, the Dream Oracle
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53
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A Good Sign
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54
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Lessons from Shenza Nechung
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56
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A Support for Practice
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57
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Reflections by Marcy Vaughn
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59
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The Power of Distraction
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59
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Regretting One's Misdeeds
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60
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Leaving Her Children and a Vision of Hell
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61
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Finding Your Own Way
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63
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Appendix I: Original Tibetan Text
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66
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Appendix II: Glossary (explanation of Tibetan terminology)
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95
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Acknowledgments
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100
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About the Translator
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102
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