Precious Rosary of Chöd Feasts

The Definitive Edition

Having the opportunity to study, practice and teach using the translated Precious Rosary over the course of a year, it became clear that I needed to create a revised edition. Its main purpose is to provide a solid basis for learning the otherwise complex melodies and phrasing in conjunction with easy-to-follow audio tapes. The music of Chöd is an essential component for “cutting through to freedom” and this particular melodic tradition of Chö fits the bill perfectly. A description of the meanings of all the notations and diacriticals can be found at the end of this text. Of course it also provided an opportunity to fix the inevitably orthographic, spelling and other mistakes, most of which are minor, but some are vital omissions or pronunciation (transliteration) fixes. While these will be available as an Errata document to users of the text, a completely corrected version is essential for now and into the future. I have also added the important MaChik Soldeb and the Lineage Prayer that precede the Precious Rosary in the Tibetan text. It is intended that future volumes will make available the six or seven traditional healing rituals of Chö, as well as the Dur or ritual for the departed to assist their bardo journey.  

Crowning Jewel of Chöd

The Precious Rosary of Chöd Offerings has it all: feast, guru yoga, protector practice, dakini work, repairing of connection, karmic clearing, inner transformation, yidam practice, six yoga work and much more. This is the comprehensive collection of Chöd rituals and meditations directly from the tradition of MaChik herself. The legacy of the Precious Rosary consists of 21 additional texts, including six healing texts, a funerary or after death bardo guidance text and so on. Rangjung Rigpai Dorje, the Third Karmapa (c. 1300), collated these texts, correcting errors and ensuring that all extant writings were part of the MaChik's original Chöd tradition. Three hundred years later, Karma Chagmé (c. 1650), the famous Kagyu luminary, further polished the collection, preserving an accurate transmission to this very day.

The Chöd Legacy

The Tsokley Rinpoche Trengwa (or simply Rinchen Trengwa) is the main long Chöd ritual practiced by Kagyu and Nyingma lamas and yogis. Those practicing either the Machik or Nyingtik Chö, Drikung Chöd, or any of dozens of other terma traditions including the Dudjom Tersar, rely on the Precious Rosary as an extensive Tsok ritual. Others take it as their main practice, doing the full practice daily or focusing on different sections each day. Two such monasteries, strictly devoted to the Rinchen Trengwa, currently exist in Bhutan. The Precious Rosary is also ideal for group or solo retreats of 7, 14 or 30 days or longer. For all however, it is a comprehensive path, containing all the elements of both Chöd and Vajrayana.