Looking for general information about nagas

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Dorje Shedrub
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Looking for general information about nagas

Post by Dorje Shedrub »

Can anyone point me to information about nagas?
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Ramon1920
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Re: Looking for general information about nagas

Post by Ramon1920 »

You should ask some Sakya lamas about that. It seems to me that Sakyapa mention nagas more than others.

I have information in my memory, but it's all word of mouth stuff, no particularly useful texts come to mind. Sorry.
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Re: Looking for general information about nagas

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Dorje Shedrub
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Re: Looking for general information about nagas

Post by Dorje Shedrub »

In particular I would like to know what might provoke nagas. All I know about that is that polluting their domain is provocative. Do they live in another dimension?
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Ramon1920
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Re: Looking for general information about nagas

Post by Ramon1920 »

I've heard they have different customs from humans and you could easily offend them without realizing it.

Go directly to the source of information, find a lama that does protection rituals and such.

Do they live in another dimension? I don't know, I've heard from some they are material like humans and animals, but if that was the case, how do people manage to disturb them without noticing they are there? Maybe they're very small? I don't know.
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Dronma
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Re: Looking for general information about nagas

Post by Dronma »

Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche says that there are many ways to provoke Nagas. For example, if we pollute a spring of water, or by dumping refuse into the rivers, or burning trash.
Generally, the Nagas are not very friendly with humans, that's why Rinpoche advice us to be very careful when we make offerings to them through pujas.
There are special days for those practices in the Tibetan Calendar.
Moreover, we should never offer them meat or products which contain meat ingredients. We should never offer even incenses which contain ingredients with substances derived from animals (like the perfume extracted from the musk ox).
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Dave The Seeker
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Re: Looking for general information about nagas

Post by Dave The Seeker »

Here is a little bit of information I read in "The Wish-Fulfilling Golden Sun" By Lama Zopa Rimpoche
On page 47 it says:
There are spirits called nagas, inhabiting the animal realm, who are very rich
and possess many stores of jewels. (The naga spirits have bodies half-human and half-animal, or of other shapes; they can see humans but most humans cannot see them.)
:namaste:
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Tsultrim T.
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Re: Looking for general information about nagas

Post by Tsultrim T. »

I realize this post is a bit dated but there is decent information to be found both in Dudjom Tersar and Drikung Kagyu lineages about Nagas. In the Dudjom Tersar tradition many lamas (generally ngakpas more so than monks) perform Naga pujas regularly as a way to both heal the physical environment and to attract wealth/prosperity (bringing good harvests is mentioned often in the texts although in the West we are not so much or an agrarian society anymore). Also I have talked talked extensively with Yudra Tulku of the Drikung Lineage about some of the history of the main Drikung Til Gompa in Tibet and one of the most famous stories is about a giant Naga, who came to receive teachings from Jigten Sumgon at night and became a patron of the monastery. I never did inquire as to whether or not there are any practices associated within the tradition however. There are also a few translated texts out there that describe attributes of particular Nagas.
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Re: Looking for general information about nagas

Post by Grigoris »

There are two classes of naga: black and white. Offerings are always made to the white class since the black class are 100% mailicious and offerings made to them merely increases their strength and destructive activity. Any of the main auspicious lunar calender days are good days for offerings but some days in a month (not lunar auspicious days) can be even better. One of the best offerings to naga is naga medicine: cardamom, nutmeg and cloves. You can offer them actual medicines too.

It is a good practice for people that live near bodies of water (rivers, lakes, sea) and is beneficial for the entire region and its inhabitants. Find a lama to give you the practice (there is a torma involved that you have to learn to make) and go for it!
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Re: Looking for general information about nagas

Post by Konchog1 »

Ramon1920 wrote:I've heard they have different customs from humans and you could easily offend them without realizing it.
That's true for any spirit.
Equanimity is the ground. Love is the moisture. Compassion is the seed. Bodhicitta is the result.

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"All memories and thoughts are the union of emptiness and knowing, the Mind.
Without attachment, self-liberating, like a snake in a knot.
Through the qualities of meditating in that way,
Mental obscurations are purified and the dharmakaya is attained."

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pemachophel
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Re: Looking for general information about nagas

Post by pemachophel »

Here's a site for determining the best days for making Naga offerings: http://www.prayerflags.com/naga_days.asp It's very important not to make Naga offerings on days that are contraindicated.

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Dorje Shedrub
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Re: Looking for general information about nagas

Post by Dorje Shedrub »

Ive been curious because a few years ago I developed a skin aliment that still persists. Doctors have given me different diagnoses. At the time I lived near a large lake but cant think of anything that I did that could have provoked nagas.

The other day I had a strange dream. I was on an airplane. Behind me a shrouded woman was holding a baby. She handed it to me and as I lifted the child from her arms it was as if I was lifting the baby out of water. I held the baby, who was also in a shroud. The baby began to fuss and I looked at its face and it was snake like. I looked up at the mother and she had a similar face, but smiling. I handed the baby back to het arms and again it was like the child wrnt into water. I only heard the dound and saw a little splash, but the child appeared cradled in mothers arms.

I have lung for ChNNs naga practice but always was leery of nagas.
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Re: Looking for general information about nagas

Post by Konchog1 »

Dorje Shedrub wrote:Ive been curious because a few years ago I developed a skin aliment that still persists. Doctors have given me different diagnoses. At the time I lived near a large lake but cant think of anything that I did that could have provoked nagas.

The other day I had a strange dream. I was on an airplane. Behind me a shrouded woman was holding a baby. She handed it to me and as I lifted the child from her arms it was as if I was lifting the baby out of water. I held the baby, who was also in a shroud. The baby began to fuss and I looked at its face and it was snake like. I looked up at the mother and she had a similar face, but smiling. I handed the baby back to het arms and again it was like the child wrnt into water. I only heard the dound and saw a little splash, but the child appeared cradled in mothers arms.

I have lung for ChNNs naga practice but always was leery of nagas.
You should do the practice. Tonglen and Bodhicitta would also be good (and completely safe).
Equanimity is the ground. Love is the moisture. Compassion is the seed. Bodhicitta is the result.

-Paraphrase of Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Tsephel citing the Guhyasamaja Tantra

"All memories and thoughts are the union of emptiness and knowing, the Mind.
Without attachment, self-liberating, like a snake in a knot.
Through the qualities of meditating in that way,
Mental obscurations are purified and the dharmakaya is attained."

-Ra Lotsawa, All-pervading Melodious Drumbeats
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Tsultrim T.
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Re: Looking for general information about nagas

Post by Tsultrim T. »

Dorje Shedrub wrote:Ive been curious because a few years ago I developed a skin aliment that still persists. Doctors have given me different diagnoses. At the time I lived near a large lake but cant think of anything that I did that could have provoked nagas.

The other day I had a strange dream. I was on an airplane. Behind me a shrouded woman was holding a baby. She handed it to me and as I lifted the child from her arms it was as if I was lifting the baby out of water. I held the baby, who was also in a shroud. The baby began to fuss and I looked at its face and it was snake like. I looked up at the mother and she had a similar face, but smiling. I handed the baby back to het arms and again it was like the child wrnt into water. I only heard the dound and saw a little splash, but the child appeared cradled in mothers arms.

I have lung for ChNNs naga practice but always was leery of nagas.
DS, this sounds like the skin condition you are experiencing could be naga related, especially when considering the dream. You should definitely look into the naga practice as it is pretty simple to do. One word or caution though is that many non-ordained Tibetans believe that once one starts to make offering to nagas one should never stop for fear of pissing them off. However the lamas that I have done naga pujas with seem to do them whenever they feel like it, they rarely consult a calendar for auspicious or inauspicious days and only do them once in a while. A naga treasure vase could also be acquired and placed in the specific lake you mentioned or out in the environment in general as an offering to the nagas. Last you may want to consider the Ta Chak Kung Sum practice as it is said to have the power to cleanse skin diseases, especially those caused by nagas. Anyway good luck and hope everything works out.
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Re: Looking for general information about nagas

Post by pemachophel »

If you're suffering (or think you're suffering) from a don or provocation by Nagas, then you would not do Naga offerings. Instead, you would typically do a wrathful Yidam sadhana specifically meant to subjugate Nagas, for instance Naga Raja, Garuda, Guru Dragphur, Ta-khyung-dor-sum, Vajra Armor, etc. First you would need to do the approach (nyen-pa) mantra x-number of times to gain accomplishment and then the lay-jor (entering the activity) mantra x-number of times to put it into practice. You know you have gained accomplishment either by the number of mantra said, the time spent doing the practice, or omens/signs indicating accomplishment. These are typically spelled out in the sadhana itself. During the lay-jor, you would visualize your skin being healed. You could also ask someone who has already gained the accomplishment of this kind of sadhana to do it for you. Such an accomplished yogi with power over Nagas might blow or spit on the affected area or give you some consecrated water or ointment to put on the affected area.

You might also ask a Lama to do a mo (divination) for you to find out what is causing the skin problem and what to do about it. And/or see a Tibetan doctor. Often medical treatment combined with "exorcism" is more effective than either alone.

Good luck and best wishes,

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Konchog1
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Re: Looking for general information about nagas

Post by Konchog1 »

pemachophel wrote:If you're suffering (or think you're suffering) from a don or provocation by Nagas, then you would not do Naga offerings. Instead, you would typically do a wrathful Yidam sadhana specifically meant to subjugate Nagas, for instance Naga Raja, Garuda, Guru Dragphur, Ta-khyung-dor-sum, Vajra Armor, etc.
It doesn't seem like these Nagas are malevolent though. Not if one of them encouraged him to hold her child. Back on Dharmawheel a man whose rashes which didn't go away and had no medical cause was dreaming of Nagas attacking him.I believe this is a different situation. I understand that Gyalpos can cause mental disorder by their presence or through their blessings, even if they intend to benefit the person. Maybe it's something similar. Wrathful methods as a first resort might make things worse.
Equanimity is the ground. Love is the moisture. Compassion is the seed. Bodhicitta is the result.

-Paraphrase of Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Tsephel citing the Guhyasamaja Tantra

"All memories and thoughts are the union of emptiness and knowing, the Mind.
Without attachment, self-liberating, like a snake in a knot.
Through the qualities of meditating in that way,
Mental obscurations are purified and the dharmakaya is attained."

-Ra Lotsawa, All-pervading Melodious Drumbeats
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Dorje Shedrub
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Re: Looking for general information about nagas

Post by Dorje Shedrub »

By the way, my skin condition started about three years ago and has worsened. The dream was very recent. Maybe it meant nothing, but was not a typical dream.
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pemachophel
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Re: Looking for general information about nagas

Post by pemachophel »

If Nagas are causing the skin rash, then, I think, by definition, that is a don or provocation. In any case, ask a Lama or Lama-Doctor to diagnose the problem and prescribe for it is normal Western meds or herbs are not doing the trick.

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Tom Watson
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Re: Looking for general information about nagas

Post by Tom Watson »

Dorje Shedrub wrote:Can anyone point me to information about nagas?
Khandro Net offers two pages on nagas:

Nagas

The above page includes information on Nagas and Water.

Buddha's Nagas

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Re: Looking for general information about nagas

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Mermaid on ledger Old Warsaw from 1659

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http://www.tendrel.za.pl/klasy.htm
I am from Poland I use google translator I do not know English
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