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wang thang ........(dbang thang), “field of power” or authentic presence.
dbang - initiation, empowerment; abhisheka
dbang - 1) thob thang, power, force, might, control, potency, influence, authority, right to; 2) (CH ancient rank/ title; 3) (aabhishinytsa scatter, pour; 4) empowerment, initiation, abhisheka; 5) senses, faculty, sense [organ], mental faculty, ability, magnetizing, capacity; 6) ruler, lord, king, sovereignty; 7) [rite of] subjugation/ dominion; 8) be subject to/ ruled/ governed by/ under the control of; 8) magnetizing; 9) own
The Tibetan term: dbang thang (wang thang) Authentic Presence. "Wangthang, literally means field of power. Virtue reflected in your being, your presence. To deepen authentic presence, incorporate more space into your world."(Trungpa: 1984...P.159+)....
(Tibetan: wang thang: field of power) When you achieve some merit, therefore that begins to be reflected in your being, your presence. The cause of authentic presence is the merit you accumulate and the effect is the authentic presence itself. Inner authentic presence is connected to the realization of primordial space or egolessness. Overwhelming genuineness. Magnetizes you and commands your attention. This is not just charisma. Earn authentic presence by letting go and by giving up personal comfort and fixed mind. The abrupt and spontaneous process that brings authentic presence is raising lungta. When you look at a person who possesses authentic presence you find he has an overwhelming genuineness, which usually frightens you somewhat. It's too bold. There's something cooking, something going on. There is some sense of real trueness taking place, which feels good.
sku drung: presence...ka dag lhun grub: primordial purity and spontaneous presence...lhun grub: spontaneous presence..."Dignity has a sense of authentic presence: it has authenticity, therefore it has presence. From that authentic presence, which comes out of non-aggression and gentleness, comes action."(Trungpa: 1996..pg 101)...
The first lha, the primordial prince Peaceful White Light, rode on a divine white horse called, Ngul Ja Da O (Silver Bird Moon Light). That divine white horse was the steed, beyond the concept of animal, existing in the pinnacle of the first supreme time. Because of that he did not depart from being the manifestation of the power of the divine prince, Peaceful White LIght. He was very swift, contending with the wind's movement. He was unhindered, inseparable from the power of lightning. His tail and mane move like a white silk scarf in the sky, whistling in the wind. From each hair, many white lungta-colts, ornamented with the wings of white vultures, swirled about as if one had opened a beehive. There was the victorious sound "lungta yarkye" ("raising lungta") . The divine white horse, Ngul Ja Da O, having long ears, was uplifted. HIs forehead, of great fortune and authentic presence, was broad and expansive like the dancing ground of the warriors. The middle was adorned with the figure of a coil-of-joy, a self-existing mark, not drawn. From that came a white garuda, Single Ah, who soared and increased the masculinity of drala. From his nostril came the great cosmic wind emanating swift messengers -- greak white kinkara. His neigh possessed the eight kinds of laughter, which produced the strength of werma and increased the confidence of drala. It was lovely and unobstructed, resounding in the distance, transforming one's mind.
Tibetans have the tradition of raising up prayer flags on auspicious days, like the 3rd day of Tibetan new year celebration, 15th of Saga Dawa, and Zam-ling Chi-Sang day. The flags will remain flying once they are put up, till nature fades them away into nothingness. They are five colored pieces of cloths (square or rectangular), stringed together and hung from pole to pole on roof of houses or from tree to tree on high hills or mountains. The five colors are blue, white, red, green and yellow. These colors represent the five elements.
I remember raising Lung-Ta in our school, when we were about to face tests - final or half yearly. Those tests meant a lot for our final promotion to next higher grade. We raised Lung-Ta, so that the test be easy for us, and we get high marks. In those days, as students we had papers - pages torn from our note books as prayer flags for raising our Lung-Ta in our tests.
But what is Lung-Ta? I did not know it in any concrete terms, I just believed in the way my parents did and I raised Lung-Ta for my tests to be easy. I actually felt good after raising Lung-ta. It was an inexpressible feeling of enhanced spirit - light hearted, and uplifted, to do any thing, to play any game or sport thereafter. It raised my confidence in me.
Lung-Ta in English means Wind-Horse. In every piece of Lung-Ta flag, we notice a running Ta - horse, carrying a bunch of flaming wishful filling Norbu - jewels at the center. The Ta - horse, is our basic goodness, and the Lung - wind is the energy of our innate/basic goodness, which is strong, exuberant and brilliant. When we raise our Lung-ta, we further energize our Ta, basic goodness and it actually radiates tremendous power and energy for our life. We fell confident and good. We can, then, let go of worrying about ourselves to accommodate thoughts of benefitting others.
We see the principle of four dignities in Tag, Seng, Khyung, Drug - Tiger, Snowlion, Garuda and Dragon at the four corners of a Lung-Ta flag. The Tag represents modesty, contentment and self satisfaction while the Sengi represents freshness, youthfulness and uplifted spirit. Khyung represents daring, boldness beyond hope and fear in any situation. Drug represents the experience of fulfillment and spontaneous achievement. When we raise Lung-Ta, we realize the four dignities, which are the four pillars of our Wang-Thang.
Literal meaning of Wang-Thang is field of power. Wang means power, power that magnetizes; And thang means field. When we talk of someone’s Wang-Thang, we mean genuine love, respect, trust and confidence one commands in awe of one’s presence among others. Field of one’s power, therefore, means one’s authentic presence .
In the magnetizing field of one’s wang - power, all else is bond to fall in order, all around will enjoy the grandeur and elegance of one’s authentic presence. Raising Lung-Ta raises one’s Wang Thang, too.
Email....okarresearch@gmail.com
April 2015
John Hopkins....Northern New Mexico
The Tag represents modesty, contentment and self satisfaction while the Sengi represents freshness,
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