The Protector's messages are in an ancient dialect. They are recorded by a specially trained assistant. His Holiness perfectly understands them without translation, even in cases where even a scribe cannot make out! Photo: abcblogs.abc.es

At the personal invitation of Kensur Choydorj Lama, on March 23, the State Oracle of Tibet will arrive in Buryatia from Dharmasala. On behalf of the EU, the Dalai Lama XIV, he will give the initiation of White Tara to everyone, and also bestow his blessing. In a time of crisis, he decided to support the inhabitants of the republic with the power of the Dharma protector deity.

As Kensur Choidorj Lama personally told the ARD, the State Oracle of Tibet, Thubten Ngodup, took the initiative himself, expressing in a telephone conversation a wish to visit Buryatia in times of crisis. After that, he gladly accepted the invitation of Choydorj Lama, who had known him since his studies at the university in Dharmasala.

All days from March 23 to March 25, the State Oracle of Tibet will give a blessing in the Buddhist center "Lamrim" in the capital of Buryatia (Ulan-Ude, Babushkina street, 188). Also, on behalf of the Dalai Lama, he will give the White Tara initiation (initiation of a long life) - presumably in the Buryat Drama Theater, said Kensur Choydorzh Lama. At this time, the oracle of Nechung will also conduct exercises - give lectures, give the necessary advice and recommendations, and answer all questions of interest to those who come.

Monastery of the State Oracle of Tibet in Dharamsala, India. Photo: Igor Yancheglov

Choydorj Lama emphasized that it is the greatest rarity to receive the blessing of the State Oracle of the Dalai Lama, a kuten (medium) of one of the strongest Dharma Protectors, Nechung. It is believed that it gives special strength to those who turn to it, which is especially important in the time of crisis in which the world is today. The people of Tibet today do not have such an opportunity, and even in Dharmasala such events are rare and usually very limited in time.

Therefore, the residents of Buryatia and guests of Ulan-Ude these days have a truly unique chance - to receive the blessing of the oracle itself and plus the initiation of White Tara, which gives long life.

It should be noted that earlier the oracle of Nechung, Thubten Ngodup, had already visited Buryatia - as part of one of the delegations from Dharmasala, which visited the Ivolginsky datsan back in the late 80s.

When asked whether the oracle of Nechung would go into a trance, as is customary when the Protector himself addresses the Dalai Lama through the kuten, Choydorj Lama answered in the negative. Because it is known that in these rare moments, Nechung's special messages are addressed personally to His Holiness. This is a complex event, a ritual involving four special assistants of the State Oracle.

For example, according to the Save Tibet portal: anyone who was lucky enough to witness the stay in a trance of the venerable Thubten Ngodup, the medium (kuten) of the Nechung oracle, was able to make sure that at that time he was inhabited by a power far superior to his own, forcing his body to become visually larger, distorting his features, stretching him to the limit.

The Nechung deity is an angry protector who periodically takes possession of the medium's body and advises the Dalai Lama and his government regarding threats to the future of the Tibetan nation.

On the Tradition of the State Oracle of Tibet

“It is necessary to look beyond the current time, where we think we have friends or enemies. After all, this situation is unsustainable. This applies both to the life of nations and individuals. We need to find inner balance in order to put an end to the division into friends and enemies. If we manage to overcome our afflicting emotions - ignorance and attachment - then external enemies will also disappear. Otherwise, if we try to fight only an external enemy, then there will always be someone who will come to his aid. Taking Refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha is a ladder that leads to another level. Never give up Refuge in the depths of your heart, even if someone asks you to give up your faith. Whichever direction you go, be it primary or intermediate, may Refuge always be with you. It is part of your being."

The words of Thubten Ngodup himself about the tradition of the Nechung oracle, established in Tibet, and the personal path of the current State Oracle of Tibet, are quoted by savetibet.ru in an article based on open lectures at the Tibetan Meditation Center and personal interviews, where kuten-la talks about his life in as a medium.

About the Dharma Protector Nechung giving his messages to the EU Dalai Lama through the mouth of the State Oracle:

For more than a thousand years in Tibet there has been a tradition of mediums who were a means of communication with the protectors of the Dharma... The protectors can be both mundane and transmundane. If the protector of Nechung was at the highest level, then there would be no way to communicate with him through a human medium. But since his goal is to help all beings, he is at the level where such communication is possible.

Thubten Ngodup, medium (kuten) oracle of Nechung before entering a trance. Before the start of the ceremony, the oracle puts on a ritual costume weighing almost 40 kg. It consists of several layers of undergarment, over which is worn a richly decorated robe of silk gold brocade, covered with patterns of red, blue, green and yellow. A large round mirror framed in turquoise and amethysts is worn on the chest, and a Sanskrit mantra addressed to Dorje Drakden is applied to its polished surface. Then a heavy crown is put on the medium, and until he has entered a trance, the kooten can hardly move.

There are several ways to become a medium. Sometimes this role is passed down through the family, as in the case of the oracle of Gadong. Women can also be mediums from generation to generation, an example of which is the medium Denma. It is also possible that a person has certain qualities that a mentor recognizes in him. In this case, the latter can help the medium stabilize his trance state.

But with Nechung, things are very different. The medium is chosen directly by the defender himself. From the moment the defender first enters his body, such a person has the ability to clairvoyance.

There is an external, internal and secret method of determining whether a person is really a medium of the state oracle. It must also be recognized by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Thubten Ngodup - Nechung's seventeenth medium

It so happened that, like my predecessor, I belong to the Nechung Monastery (where I have been since 1971), but this is not always the case. Previous mediums came from different parts of Tibet, representing different social strata and schools of Buddhism.

Vestments of the state oracle, presented to him in Mongolia.

If before the moment when the spirit of the oracle first entered him, the person was a layman, then after that he must accept monastic initiation, since, being a Nechung medium, he automatically becomes the abbot of the monastery. He also becomes a Deputy Minister [of the Tibetan government], which indicates the importance of the role he plays.

I am the seventeenth medium.

My predecessor passed away in 1984, and for the next three years the position was vacant, although the government offered many prayers for the return of the oracle.

More - “Become a medium, make the deity visible - the state oracle of Tibet” at savetibet.ru.

… On July 11, 1987, I was recognized by the government, and on September 4 of the same year, His Holiness formally granted me the title.

About the prophecies or messages of the defender Nechung

The kuten has four assistants, which are arranged in this order: one in front, three others on the left, right side and behind. The one on the front is the most important, as it is responsible for securing the heavy headgear of the kuten (currently, the headdress weighs about 14 kilograms, in Tibet, the weight of such a headdress sometimes reached over 30 kilograms).

The kuten has four assistants, which are arranged in this order: one in front, the other three on the left, right side and behind. The one on the front is the most important, as it is responsible for securing the heavy headgear of the kuten (currently, the headdress weighs about 14 kilograms, in Tibet, the weight of such a headdress sometimes reached over 30 kilograms). Photo: abcblogs.abc.es

The beginner takes a back position and then, as he gains experience, can move to the right side, then to the left, and finally take the front position. If the assistant, who is located in front, is ill, then he is replaced by the assistant, who occupies the position on the left. If we talk about the messages of the protector, then they are presented in an ancient dialect. They are recorded by another, specially trained assistant. Nowadays, a tape recorder is also used to record messages. As for His Holiness, he perfectly understands them without translation, even in cases where even a scribe cannot make out them!

“The Advocate gives advice both for the individual increase of merit, and for the collective. From the reign of the Great Fifth [Dalai Lama] to the present day, there has been an uninterrupted relationship between him and the Dalai Lama. For example, a previous kuten made very clear predictions about the Chinese invasion, saying that just as Mongolia was lost, Tibet would also be lost. But, perhaps due to the depletion of collective good merit, the advice of the protector and many lamas was left without due attention.

However, not so long ago, after several dangerous earthquakes, the protector advised that the construction of stupas in Dharamsala could prevent similar disasters in the future. And indeed, as soon as the stupas were erected, the earthquakes ended.”

Reference

Thubten Ngodup, medium (kuten) oracle of Nechung, State oracle of Tibet was born in Tibet, July 13, 1958 in the town of Fari, on the border with Bhutan. His parents were peasants, but after the occupation of Tibet in 1959, they had to experience all the hardships of Chinese rule and in 1966 they fled to Bhutan. Despite his peasant origin, his father was a descendant of the famous family of tantrists (ngakpa), who belonged to the Sakya school. Throughout his life, he did the Chod practice, one of the most powerful Tibetan practices of cutting off attachments, and achieved great success in it. Shortly after arriving in Bhutan, my father wished to go to India, receive the blessing of the Dalai Lama, and then become a hermit. In 1969, together with other Tibetan refugees, the family left Bhutan for India, to Dharamsala. At first they lived in a refugee camp. In order to somehow earn a living, they worked on the construction of roads.

One day my professional interest in Buddhism took me to the city of Dharamsala in North India. Here I was admitted to the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives as a foreign student in a Buddhist philosophy course.

The modest apartment I rented was located between the library complex and the monastery Neichungi - Oracle of the Dalai Lama XIV. If in the library I replenished my theoretical knowledge, then in the monastery I already came into contact with “living” Buddhism. From there every morning came the ringing of bells and the chants of Buddhist monks. Sometimes I saw the owner of the monastery himself, he always smiled and greeted me politely. Who is he? And what role does he play in the Tibetan government-in-exile?

The tradition of oracles was previously known to many peoples, but it was preserved, perhaps, only among the Tibetans. They have long had men and women who act as intermediaries between the world of people and the world of spirits. Their goal is not only to predict the future, as one might assume. In addition, oracles can be invoked as guardians, and in some cases they are resorted to as healers. And although it is customary to speak of oracles as people, this is done only for convenience. According to the Buddhist tradition, they can be defined as "spirits" that enter the physical bodies of specific people and through them communicate with the world of people.

The most significant of these are those used by the Tibetan government. Chief among them is the oracle Neichunga, broadcasts through it Dorje Drakden, one of the guardian deities of the Dalai Lamas. When Dalai Lama IV(1617-1682) became the spiritual and secular ruler of Tibet, Dorje Drakden made contact with him for the first time. In his honor Dalai Lama IV built a special monastery and named it Dorje Drayang Ling. The monastery was formalized as an official seat of the State Oracle of Tibet. Dorje Drakden was appointed the personal patron of all subsequent Dalai Lamas.

During the Cultural Revolution in China, the oracle monastery Neichungi was completely destroyed, and its monks were expelled from the country. Thanks to the sponsorship of foreign humanitarian organizations, the Tibetans restored the monastery - but already in Dharamsala in India. It was officially opened and consecrated Dalai Lama XIV March 31, 1985. At present, it has over 70 monks, headed by Neichungoy.

About the last two oracles, the monks told me the following. Lobsang Jigme, whose body during a trance entered Dorje Drakden, that is Neichunga, was the thirteenth oracle Dalai Lamas. He died in 1984 year in India, reaching old age and faithfully serving the Tibetan people.

For the next three years, the monastery lived without its oracle, but its monks, at the request of Dalai Lamas many times, special ceremonies were held to bring him back. One day, during another ceremony, a monk Thubten Ngodub, who was sitting among his brethren, suddenly fell into a trance. According to Tibetan tradition, this meant that his body was taken over by a spirit. Neichunga who thus made it clear that as long as alive Thubten Ngodub, he will come to them through his body. The Dalai Lama was immediately informed about the incident, he met with the new medium and gave him, as is customary in such cases, some advice, in particular, to undergo a three-month retreat - a special type of Buddhist meditation that helps prepare the mind and body for contact with the spirit. Officially, Thubten Ngodub has been recognized as the State Oracle of Tibet since September 1987. Then he was 29 years old.

Since I lived a stone's throw from the monastery of the oracle, I sometimes communicated with him. In life Thubten Ngodub He was an ordinary person, not prone to verbosity, but always emphatically polite and friendly. Being an oracle, according to him, is very difficult. It is especially difficult for him to restore the physical body after a trance, when a spirit has visited it. Neichunga.

Somehow I asked Tubtena, whether there were any things that happened to him in childhood that foreshadowed such a future. He said that he grew up as the most ordinary boy, except that sometimes he had prophetic dreams. About one of them, he said the following: “I was born and raised in a part of Tibet where no trees grow at all. There are only bare mountains and small bushes. In 1966, when I was nine years old, my family was forced to flee Chinese-occupied Tibet to India via Bhutan. The day before I had a dream: my family is in the courtyard of a house that was built in a style different from Tibetan. Large trees grew around, they were very dense. Colorful flowers bloomed all around. High mountains were visible in the distance. I have never seen anything like this in Tibet. In the morning I told my father about this dream, but he did not attach any importance to it. In deep twilight we reached the village of Shishingan in Bhutan, where Tibetan refugees lived. We were taken in by a family. We slept through the night, in the morning I went outside and ... I saw exactly the picture that I saw in a dream. I remember this dream as if I had it last night.”.

Dalai Lama consults with Neichungoy when dealing with critical issues. “I myself meet him several times a year., - tells Dalai Lama XIV. - This may sound unnatural to a Western reader of the 21st century. Even some Tibetans, especially those who consider themselves "progressive", have a prejudice against my use of this ancient method of obtaining information. But I do this for the simple reason that the answers of the oracle whenever I asked him a question turned out to be correct. I do not want to say that I rely solely on the advice of the oracle. Not at all. I ask his opinion as I consult my own conscience. I consider the deity to be my "upper house". The lower house is the Kashag (Parliament). Like any other leader, I consult with both of them before making a decision on matters of state. Sometimes, in addition to Neichunga's advice, I take into account certain predictions."

One day after the new year, the oracle enters a trance. This tradition has existed among the Tibetans for hundreds of years. In a state of trance, the oracle usually makes predictions: he is asked specific questions, he answers them. If something bad is expected, he not only reports about it, but also tries to prevent it. And, on the contrary, it enhances the positive influence of favorable omens. Neichunga makes predictions only of a global nature - for example, about the situation in the world, the future of the Tibetan people, the results of negotiations between the heads of the Tibetan government and other countries, etc. He never undertakes to predict the future of an individual. It's pointless even to make such a request to him.

One day I asked him if he was going to come to Russia, to which I received the answer: “I have already visited your country several times. When I first came to you, it was during perestroika, it was very difficult to talk to people, the consequences of atheistic ideology were strongly felt. But a lot has changed in Russia since then, now you have become more open and receptive to spiritual knowledge. Therefore, I have something to talk about with you next time.

The Tibetan government and high clergy seek advice from Dorje Dragden quite often, and the Dalai Lama says his predictions are always correct.

Sharpa Tulku V tells about the history of the current medium:

The previous medium was Ven. Slogan Jigme is the thirteenth in a line of State mediums from Neichung. In 1959, due to the Chinese invasion and repression, he was forced to leave Tibet, but continued to perform his duties as a medium of the State Oracle in India until his death in 1984. Shortly after his death, His Holy Dalai Lama composed special prayers to discover a new medium. These prayers were recited with great faith by the monks of the Neichung Monastery and other religious centers of the Tibetan community.

The following spring, while performing a special ritual in front of the sacred oracle statue, one of the monks of Neichung, Ven. Thubten Ngodub - spontaneously went into a trance. This incident was immediately reported to His Holiness. Ven. Thubten Ngodub was invited to the residence of His Holiness and was instructed to contemplate the Hayagriva mandala with many repetitions of the mantra, fire offerings, etc. Everything was done according to instructions. After that, His Holiness invited Ven. Thubtenu Ngodub went into a trance in His presence, during which His Holiness tested the new medium, following tradition.

Then on May 22 at Tegchen Choiling Temple (the main temple of Dharamsala), Ven. Thubten Ngodub officially performed the trance in the presence of His Holiness, members of the government, representatives of the Tibetan People's Assembly, as well as senior lamas and monks. This was his first official public appearance in the traditional Neichung Oracle costume. On September 4, 1985, in an audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, he was formally enthroned as the Fourteenth Medium of Neichung.

Ven. Thubten Ngodub was born in Pari in Tibet. His father, Jamyang Kunsang, is a descendant of the famous Tantric lama Nga-dak Nyang-relva of the Sakya school.

After the Chinese invasion, Thubten Ngodub and his family found themselves among the refugees in India. In 1971 he became a monk at Neichung Monastery, which was re-established in Dharamsala. Here he went through a strict school of the spiritual and artistic tradition of this monastery. After completing his studies, he was appointed head of the rituals. It was while serving in this capacity that the holy powers chose him as the Fourteenth Medium of the State Oracle of Neichung.>

Q. - Once in a lecture by Geshe Tingley, whose father was also an oracle, I heard that the experience of oracles in Tibet can in some way confirm the existence of rebirths. This experience and experiences are so special, maybe similar to the processes of dying... What do you think about it, can your experience be proof of the theory of rebirth?

A - I can't say for sure whether this is right or wrong, but in my personal opinion, if you base your views on rebirth on such a process, it will not be sufficiently consistent with Buddhist teachings. The concept of rebirth is based on a very subtle level of consciousness, which, although not eternal and impermanent, has continuity. This ongoing stream of the subtlest consciousness is a substance that takes a new birth. In the case of the trance of the oracle, the situation is different, since this subtlest consciousness does not go anywhere. If we base the theory of rebirth on the example of the trance of the oracle, then the wisdom being would have to remain in the body of the oracle, but this is not the case, for we see this being as incorporeal. In addition, when we die and take rebirth, there are several stages of this process: white vision, clear light, and so on. But when I go into a trance, I don't have all these experiences. In the practice of the Stage of Generation Tantra, the processes of dying, generation are used, meditation practices are done, which are called

Somewhere, in order to make a decision of national importance, they convene extraordinary sessions of parliament. Somewhere the monarch decides everything. And the Tibetans have been consulting with the oracle for almost four centuries. The main state oracle of Tibet, Thupten Ngodup, told Cosmo Magic about how this tradition arose.

Every year, during the Tibetan New Year holiday, an amazing ritual takes place in one of the monasteries of Dharamsala - an Indian village that has become a haven for the Tibetan government in exile and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. By the sound of trumpets, cymbals and drums, as well as the singing of prayers and mantras, the abbot of the monastery, dressed in special clothes, falls into a trance and predicts the Tibetan government the main events that await him this year, and also answers questions from the Dalai Lama. Tibetans believe that at this moment, the main deity-protector of Tibet, Dorje Drakden, speaks through the lips of a convulsing monk, and therefore they do not make any important decisions without consulting with him.

This tradition is almost four centuries old, but it all started much earlier, almost 1200 years ago. It was then that the legendary teacher Padmasambhava (or Guru Rinpoche) came to Tibet from India, bringing the Buddhist teaching and, according to legend, converting angry pagan deities to Buddhism. At the same time, the king of Tibet, Trisong Detsen, ordered the foundation of the first Buddhist monastery, Samye, and Shantarakshita, a friend and disciple of Padmasambhava, was appointed its abbot. And in order for things to always go well in Tibet, Guru Rinpoche advised the Tibetans to invite the deity Dorje Drakden to protect the country. True, at that time the deity was in Mongolia, in a place called Bata Khor, and was not at all going to set off. Therefore, the cunning Tibetans decided to lure him out by deception - the son of Trisong Detsen went to the monastery of Dorje Drakden, took his ritual accessories there and took him to Samye. After that, the deity had no choice but to follow his personal property to Tibet.

However, if this story seems implausible to you, the Tibetans will readily tell a few more beautiful legends. For example, according to one of them, once near the Drepung Monastery, which was located 4 miles from the capital of Tibet, Lhasa, an amazing tree grew. The shape of its leaves was very similar to the shape of the leaves of the bodhi tree, and next to it was a small and very clear lake. The famous translator Vairocana saw this tree and told Padmasambhava about it. And Guru Rinpoche explained to him that both the tree and the lake are the abode of the deity Pehar Gyalpo, the main protector deity in Tibetan Buddhism, whose messenger was Dorje Drakden. Later, the Nechung Monastery was founded on this site, which means “small place” (compared to the “big place”, Nechen - Samye Monastery, from where some of the relics were transferred to the Nechung Monastery).

According to another version, the monastery of Tsalgan-Tang was located to the east of Lhasa, and Pehar Gyalpo was the main spirit-protector of this monastery. But a new abbot came, and the relationship between the spirit and the lama did not work out right away. In order to expel the deity from the monastery and bury him in the river, the lama collected all his things in a large box, which he threw into the water. Nearby there was a small chapel, and its caretaker learned about what had happened thanks to the gift of clairvoyance. He sent his assistant to pull the box out of the water and, without opening, bring it to the chapel. What was the amazement of the assistant when the next morning he went to the river bank and really saw a box floating towards him. He caught it, put it on his back, and went back.

Gradually, the box became heavier and heavier, and by the time he reached the lake and the tree from the first legend, the assistant was very tired. At the same time, curiosity gnawed at him, so he decided that if he slightly opened the lid of the box and looked into it with one eye, no trouble would happen. But as soon as the assistant slightly lifted the lid, a dove fluttered out of the box, which instantly disappeared into the branches of a wonderful tree, and monastic clothes remained in the box. The shocked assistant remembered his teacher's order and exclaimed in despair: "If only the lama knew!", and these words of his can still be found carved on a stone near the monastery in Tibet. When he told his teacher about what had happened, he replied: "Apparently, our place is too small for such a powerful spirit." And then he founded a small monastery near the lake - Nechung.

Be that as it may, almost 700 years passed before the deity first entered a person in 1544, and only during the time of the Fifth Dalai Lama, in the middle of the 17th century, was the institution of state oracles established. And in 1681, on the site of a small monastery, a large Nechung monastery was founded. Since then, the state oracle has been a member of the cabinet of ministers, and no important decision is made without his advice.

True, it is important to clarify here that Tibetan ideas about oracles are very different from Western ones. First, the purpose of the Tibetan oracles is not simply to predict the future. They act primarily as guardians, sometimes as healers, but the main function of any oracle is primarily to help people practice the Dharma with their advice and actions.

The second difference is that in the West it is commonly believed that there are some people who have unusual powers of divination. In Tibet, they believe that there are men and women who act as intermediaries between the world of nature and the spirit of honey. They are called "kutens", which literally means "physical basis", and they only offer their body to the deity. In fact, oracles are not people, but spirits that happen to be associated with a certain ritual object or place. Tibetan oracles once numbered in the hundreds, but only a few survive today, the most famous being the Nechung oracle, through which the Dalai Lama's guardian deity speaks.

It is believed that the first Dalai Lama was not originally going to return again in human form. But after his death, he met with Guru Rinpoche, who asked him to come back and do it again and again to help all living beings, and in return promised that he would always have a protective spirit by his side. Even today, at the beginning of the 21st century, His Holiness necessarily meets with him several times a year. Despite his fascination with quantum physics and neurophysiology, he explains it very simply: the oracle is never wrong.

Before the start of the ceremony, the oracle puts on a ritual costume weighing almost 40 kg. It consists of several layers of undergarment, over which is worn a richly decorated robe of silk gold brocade, covered with patterns of red, blue, green and yellow. A large round mirror framed in turquoise and amethysts is worn on the chest, and a Sanskrit mantra addressed to Dorje Drakden is applied to its polished surface. Then a heavy crown is put on the medium, and until he has entered a trance, the kooten can hardly move.

Until recently, outsiders were either forbidden to attend the ritual, but the 14th Dalai Lama changed this rule. Now, if you find yourself in Dharamsala during the next divination ceremony, you have a chance to ask your personal question to the oracle. And besides, sometimes the Venerable Thupten Ngodup meets with journalists.

State oracle of Tibet Thupten Ngodup at his residence in Dharamsala

- Please tell us about your childhood.

I was born in Tibet on July 13, 1958 in the town of Fari, on the border with Bhutan. My parents were peasants, but after the occupation of Tibet in 1959, they had to experience all the hardships of Chinese rule and in 1966 they fled to Bhutan. True, despite his peasant origin, my father came from a famous family of Tantrics (ngakpa), who belonged to the Sakya school. Throughout his life, he did the practice of chod, one of the most powerful Tibetan practices of cutting off attachments, and achieved great success in it. Shortly after our arrival in Bhutan, he began to constantly tell my mother and me that he wanted to go to India, receive the blessing of the Dalai Lama, and then become a hermit. And then in 1969, together with other Tibetan refugees, we went from Bhutan to India, to Dharamsala. At first I lived with my parents in a refugee camp. In order to somehow earn a living, we worked on the construction of roads. And although I had to go to school, it was too far away, and my parents preferred that I work.

How did you become a monk then?

From childhood I dreamed of becoming a monk, I often told my father about this, and in the fall of 1969 I was admitted to the monastery of Gadong (another Tibetan oracle), where I spent about a year. At the same time, every day I went to ritual services at the Nechung Monastery, and in the evening I returned back. Gradually I began to feel an inner connection with Dorje Drakden, and in 1971 I transferred to Nechung Monastery. It was there that I received my religious education. I had the choice of becoming ritual masters or cultivating throat singing, and I chose rituals. At 24, I reached the highest level and became a ritual leader.

- What did you feel when the deity entered you for the first time?

When the previous state oracle, Lobsang Jigme, passed away in 1984, there was a rather long gap of three years, during which the deity did not manifest itself in any way in human form. But since Dorje Drakden is still very much associated with Drepung Monastery, every year the monks and the supreme Tibetan lamas gathered on the second day of the second lunar month at Drepung Monastery in Dharamsala to receive blessings from the image of Nechung, which is kept in a large monastery.

That day, I was walking through the monastery courtyard with incense, when I saw a ball of light rushing at me from the mountains, and then I lost consciousness and when I came to I did not remember anything. After this event that happened to me, I requested an audience with the Dalai Lama and told him what had happened, and he suggested that I might be the next Nechung kuten. He said that I had to go through a solitary retreat, and during this retreat I would have to be recognized by the heads of two Tibetan schools: Nyigma and Gelugpa. The retreat lasted two and a half months, and in the same year, in September, I was officially recognized as the state oracle, which includes the spirit of Nechung.

- And what signs and visions did you have, what did you tell the Dalai Lama about?

I am sure that mediums become as a result of karmic connections with one or another deity in previous lives and as a result of prayers. When I was little, I felt a strong connection with Dorje Drakden and a very strong belief in him. After the previous oracle died, I had several dreams of monks in a trance being inhabited by Dorje Drakden, but it wasn't me. Sometimes I dreamed of the previous oracle, and sometimes the person's face was impossible to make out.

In the fall of 1985, the Dalai Lama gave the Kalachakra empowerment in Bodhgaya. It was at this point that I began to bleed very heavily. Blood flowed from my mouth and from my nose, and I had already lost all hope of a cure. I began to think about death, and realized that I was not afraid of it at all. Various strange things began to happen to me, about which I cannot talk in detail. I felt that some signs were given to me, but did not understand their meaning, and therefore I was more and more surprised and puzzled what these unusual emotional experiences could mean. Gradually, shortly before the initiation, the bleeding stopped and I was able to attend the ritual.

Then, one night in Bodhgaya, I had a dream. I dreamed of a long staircase with many monkeys sitting on it waiting for the ceremony to begin. The monkeys were holding fruit in their paws, and one of them took my hand and led me to the very top of the stairs. At the top was a platform on which I saw a large tree with a hollow that I had to go into. It is believed that if you dream of monkeys, then this means a connection with the Dharma Protector. Although I didn't know it at the time, I still had a very peaceful and calm feeling from this dream. It was a very pleasant feeling and very unusual for me.

In addition to this dream, I had several more, and after each of them I woke up in an ecstatic state. My heart was full of peace and serenity. A year passed, and a week before the first Nechung spirit entered me, I began to experience great anxiety. At that time, the Dalai Lama was lecturing on lam-rim. Against my will, I felt very uncomfortable in the company of other monks, and on the way to the temple where the teachings were held, I tried to lag behind them and walk behind them alone. Similarly, after the end of His Holiness's lecture, I tried to stay in the temple as long as possible.

A week before the deity entered into me, this condition intensified, and the day before, I began to have an extremely severe headache. And this state of nervousness, anxiety and discomfort persisted until the moment when Dorje Drakden entered me.

- Do you remember what the deity says through you while you are in a trance?

No, of course not. Before entering a trance, I feel and see what is happening around, but gradually my sensations dissolve, and I fall into a kind of dream state, the deity completely captures my consciousness. At the exit from this state, I do not remember what happened to me and what I said. Usually, at the beginning of the ritual, I sit on the throne in a ritual costume, meditate and chant the mantras of Hayagriva, the protector deity of the Dharma. Gradually my consciousness and my personality begin to dissolve, I feel my surroundings blur and move away. It is as if you had a dream, but in the morning you could not remember what you dreamed about. That's exactly how I feel before and after a trance.

- Can a deity enter you of its own accord, without warning or request from people?

Sometimes Nechung mediums fall into a spontaneous trance. It happened before, it happens now. Before I was officially recognized as the state oracle, Dorje Drakden entered me one or two more times without warning. And I know that the previous oracle sometimes fell into a spontaneous trance, but with him it usually happened near the water when he went to swim in the river or in the lake.

- The oracle always speaks only Tibetan? Or will he learn other languages ​​in the future?

Until recently, Nechung spoke only Tibetan. But, as paradoxical as it sounds, I don't know what will happen in the future. Older monks recall that before all the prophecies were very poetic - they abounded in metaphors, and they were very difficult to understand. Gradually, the predictions became more and more clear, and already in the time of my predecessor, Nechung began to speak in a very understandable language. But usually his speech resembles a stanza, or a prose poem, or some combination of both. But this is certainly not the language that we speak in everyday life. And most importantly, Nechung's intonations are like nothing else.

The oracle has ever been wrong in its predictions, and if what he says is contrary to common sense, then what turns out to be decisive as a result, the opinion of the oracle or common sense?

I don't know of any cases where the oracles of Nechung were wrong. The oracle never goes into a trance and does not make predictions on behalf of private individuals - this is a state oracle, and he advises only the Tibetan government. In cases where there is significant disagreement between the oracle and the government, the final decision rests with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

But, for example, in percentage terms, how often do opinions differ, and which side does His Holiness usually take?

As you know, the structure of the Tibetan government has changed a lot in recent years. We now have a parliament that is elected from among the representatives of the Tibetan people, and it is the parliament that basically decides policy issues. But if they cannot come to any conclusion, then they make a request to the public oracle. And His Holiness usually agrees with the oracle.

“Why was the oracle never asked when Tibet would be free again?”

The oracle was asked a question, which was formulated somewhat differently: when life in Tibet will become happier, and he replied that these times are not far off. But for this, the Tibetan people must follow the Buddhist principles and the teachings of the Dalai Lama.

You were a simple monk, and now you are a state oracle. Who is harder to be? Would you like to go back to the times when all these responsibilities were not entrusted to you yet?

Of course, if you look at my life today, I have much more duties and responsibilities: for state issues, for the life of the monks in my monastery, for the maintenance of the monastery. At the same time, I have to perform certain practices in order to enter a trance and be in contact with Dorje Drakden. But when I am approached for a prediction, I do it out of mutual faith, but also out of a desire to serve all living beings. Since I am a monk, and I have taken a vow to act for the benefit of all living beings in all worlds, I understand that as an oracle I have a great honor, because I can help many more beings than if I were just a monk. From the very beginning of my life, I have been constantly praying for all sentient beings who are subject to suffering. And I pray that they will be freed from suffering, that their life will become easier and more joyful. And this is what I wish you and all readers of your journal.

One day my professional interest in Buddhism took me to the city of Dharamsala in North India. Here I was admitted to the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives as a foreign student in a Buddhist philosophy course.

The modest apartment I rented was located between the library complex and the Neichungi Monastery, the oracle of the 14th Dalai Lama. If in the library I replenished my theoretical knowledge, then in the monastery I already came into contact with “living” Buddhism. From there every morning came the ringing of bells and the chants of Buddhist monks. Sometimes I saw the owner of the monastery himself, he always smiled and greeted me politely. Who is he? And what role does he play in the Tibetan government-in-exile?

They have long had men and women who act as intermediaries between the world of people and the world of spirits. Their goal is not only to predict the future, as one might assume. In addition, oracles can be invoked as guardians, and in some cases they are resorted to as healers. And although it is customary to speak of oracles as people, this is done only for convenience. According to the Buddhist tradition, they can be defined as "spirits" that enter the physical bodies of specific people and through them communicate with the world of people.

The most significant of these are those used by the Tibetan government. The main one is the oracle of Neichung, through which Dorje Drakden, one of the guardian deities of the Dalai Lamas, broadcasts. When the Dalai Lama IV (1617-1682) became the spiritual and temporal ruler of Tibet, Dorje Drakden first made contact with him. In honor of him, the Dalai Lama IV built a special monastery and named it Dorje Drayang Ling. The monastery was designed as the official residence of the State Oracle of Tibet. Dorje Drakden was appointed as the personal patron of all subsequent Dalai Lamas.

During the Cultural Revolution in China, the Neichungi oracle monastery was completely destroyed, and its monks were expelled from the country. Thanks to the sponsorship of foreign humanitarian organizations, the Tibetans restored the monastery - but already in Dharamsala in India. It was officially opened and consecrated by the 14th Dalai Lama on March 31, 1985. At present, it has over 70 monks headed by Neichunga.

About the last two oracles, the monks told me the following. Lobsang Jigme, in whose body Dorje Drakden, that is, Neichunga, entered during a trance, was the thirteenth oracle of the Dalai Lama. He died in 1984 in India, having reached an advanced age and having faithfully served the Tibetan people.

Over the next three years, the monastery lived without its oracle, but its monks, at the request of the Dalai Lama, repeatedly staged special ceremonies designed to return it. Once, during a regular ceremony, the monk Thubten Ngodub, who was sitting among his brothers, suddenly fell into a trance. According to Tibetan tradition, this meant that the spirit of Neichung took possession of his body, which thus made it clear that as long as Thubten Ngodub was alive, he would come to them through his body. The Dalai Lama was immediately informed about the incident, he met with the new medium and gave him, as is customary in such cases, some advice, in particular, to undergo a three-month retreat - a special type of Buddhist meditation that helps prepare the mind and body for contact with the spirit. Officially, Thubten Ngodub has been recognized as the State Oracle of Tibet since September 1987. Then he was 29 years old.

Since I lived a stone's throw from the monastery of the oracle, I sometimes communicated with him. In life, Thubten Ngodub was an ordinary person, not prone to verbosity, but always emphatically polite and friendly. Being an oracle, according to him, is very difficult. It is especially difficult for him to restore the physical body after a trance, when the spirit of Neichung has visited it.

Once I asked Thubten if there were any things that happened to him in childhood that foreshadowed such a future. He said that he grew up as the most ordinary boy, except that sometimes he had prophetic dreams. About one of them, he said the following:

“I was born and raised in a part of Tibet where no trees grow at all. There are only bare mountains and small bushes. In 1966, when I was nine years old, my family was forced to flee Chinese-occupied Tibet to India via Bhutan. The day before I had a dream: my family is in the courtyard of a house that was built in a style different from Tibetan. Large trees grew around, they were very dense. Colorful flowers bloomed all around. High mountains were visible in the distance. I have never seen anything like this in Tibet. In the morning I told my father about this dream, but he did not attach any importance to it. In deep twilight we reached the village of Shishingan in Bhutan, where Tibetan refugees lived. We were taken in by a family. We slept through the night, in the morning I went outside and saw exactly the picture that I saw in a dream. I remember this dream as if I had it last night.

The Dalai Lama consults with Neichunga in dealing with particularly important matters. “I myself meet with him several times a year,” says the 14th Dalai Lama. - This may sound unnatural to a Western reader of the 21st century. Even some Tibetans, especially those who consider themselves "progressive", have a prejudice against my use of this ancient method of obtaining information. But I do this for the simple reason that the answers of the oracle whenever I asked him a question turned out to be correct. I do not want to say that I rely solely on the advice of the oracle. Not at all. I ask his opinion as I consult my own conscience. I consider the deity to be my "upper house". The lower house is the Kashag (Parliament). Like any other leader, I consult with both of them before making a decision on matters of state. Sometimes, in addition to Neichunga's advice, I take into account certain predictions."

One day after the new year, the oracle enters a trance. This tradition has existed among the Tibetans for hundreds of years. In a state of trance, the oracle usually makes predictions: he is asked specific questions, he answers them. If something bad is expected, he not only reports about it, but also tries to prevent it. And, on the contrary, it enhances the positive influence of favorable omens. Neichunga makes predictions only of a global nature - for example, about the situation in the world, the future of the Tibetan people, the results of negotiations between the heads of the Tibetan government and other countries, etc. He never undertakes to predict the future of an individual. It's pointless even to make such a request to him.

One day I asked him if he was going to come to Russia, to which I received the answer: “I have already been to your country several times. When I first came to you, it was during perestroika, it was very difficult to talk to people, the consequences of atheistic ideology were strongly felt. But a lot has changed in Russia since then, now you have become more open and receptive to spiritual knowledge. Therefore, I have something to talk about with you next time.