The refuge tree is a visual representation of the connection through time and space of all the enlightened beings and teachers of the Bön tradition. We pay homage and make offerings to them as a way of accumulating merit for ourselves and the benefit of others. This refuge tree is depicted according to the Menri Monastery tradition.
The Lineage of Bön
Bön is an ancient-yet-thriving tradition given to us by enlightened beings and handed down from generation to generation. Bön has many sacred texts, known and the Kangyur and the Tengyur, in hundreds of volumes, that are a vital repository of teachings, healing and meditative practices, and much more. But it is in the guidance of our teachers and their deep understanding of the nuances of meditation and spiritual development that the teachings become fully alive and we benefit the most.
The Bön Lineage of Teachers
Bön is a living tradition that thrives on the connection between teacher and student. The teachings and culture of Bön have been transmitted through an unbroken lineage that continues today. The vibrancy of the teachings is due in large part to the mentorship of one generation to the next.
His Holiness the 34th Menri Trizin
His Holiness Lungtok Dawa Dhargyal Rinpoche, the 34th Menri Trizin, is the spiritual leader of the Bön lineage and the abbot of Menri Monastery in Dolanji, India. His Holiness was selected as the 34th Menri Trizin on January 1, 2018, following a process that included prayers and rituals to Bön deities and protectors. It is a lifelong appointment.
Our founder, lamas and teachers
Ligmincha was founded by our spiritual director, Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, in 1992. We support many resident and visiting lamas and geshes at our centers. Read more about our teachers here.
Enlightened Beings
Bön has a deep connection to many enlightened beings and fully realized masters, both women and men. These are individuals who have realized the nature of mind, are able to see reality as it is, and to whom we can turn for blessings and support on our own path toward self-realization, or Buddhahood.
The Bön Lineage of Teachers
Bön is a living tradition that thrives on the connection between teacher and student. The teachings and culture of Bön have been transmitted through an unbroken lineage that continues today. The vibrancy of the teachings is due in large part to the mentorship of one generation to the next.
His Holiness the 34th Menri Trizin
His Holiness Lungtok Dawa Dhargyal Rinpoche, the 34th Menri Trizin, is the spiritual leader of the Bön lineage and the abbot of Menri Monastery in Dolanji, India. His Holiness was selected as the 34th Menri Trizin on January 1, 2018, following a process that included prayers and rituals to Bön deities and protectors. It is a lifelong appointment.
Our founder, lamas and teachers
Ligmincha was founded by our spiritual director, Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, in 1992. We support many resident and visiting lamas and geshes at our centers. Read more about our teachers here.
Enlightened Beings
Bön has a deep connection to many enlightened beings and fully realized masters, both women and men. These are individuals who have realized the nature of mind, are able to see reality as it is, and to whom we can turn for blessings and support on our own path toward self-realization, or Buddhahood.
The Refuge Tree, or Field of Merit
The refuge tree is a visual representation of the connection through time and space of all the enlightened beings and teachers of the Bön tradition. We pay homage and make offerings to them as a way of accumulating merit for ourselves and the benefit of others. This refuge tree is depicted according to the Menri Monastery tradition.