Tibetan Oracles & The Abhidharma

Vasubandhu’s Treasury of the Abhidharma is a seminal aspect of the Buddhist philosophical tradition that provides an extensive review of the nature of reality and consciousness while conversing with schools such as the Vaibhāsikas, Sarvāstivādinsm Vāsīputrīyas, Sautrāntikas, and the Yogācārins. Written in the fourth century CE, the Treasury draws on the Abdhidharma tradition, which aims to understand the complexities of existence into discrete categories while analyzing them systemically. By this approach, Vasubandhu provides a comprehensive understanding of the nature of existence and the path to liberation from suffering. In this paper, I will explore Vasubandhu’s work on the Five Aggregates (Pañca-Skandha) and provide a perspective on the Vajrayana practice of oracle divination, specifically focusing on the Nechung (Gnas Chung). This paper will aim to connect phenomena experienced by the Nechung Oracle to the Five Aggregates and provide a response from the tantric Madhyamaka branch of Buddhist philosophy. 

In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, oracles and divination provide a tangible practice in the Tantri

c branch that focuses heavily on ritual as tradition. A prominent practice in the Gelug school consults with an important oracle named the Nechung Oracle. This oracle, also known as the state oracle of Tibet, is a concept that is primarily associated with the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and not directly related to the Indian Buddhist schools. It is, however, rooted in the broader Buddhist teachings regarding consciousness and the apprehension of conscious experience as based on the Abhidharmakośa. Before diving into the philosophical background of the Nechung, it is essential to understand the Nechung's origins and its role in the larger scope of Tibetan Buddhism. Originally known as Pehar (pe-har) the Nechung Oracle's origins date back over a millennium, and it sits at the center of a rich and perplexing mythology. Christopher Bell calls Pehar "...a complicated god. He has many names, forms, and lives, and each has many variations". The Five King Spirits are known to be the central deities of the Nechung Monastery and its ritual oeuvre; where Pehar is known to be a leader of this group along with the four emanating deities which come from him. It's important to note that each respective deity is a representation of the four cardinal directions and one of the five attributes that traditional Tibetan Ontology considers the build of a sentient being. Throughout the centuries, Pehar canvassed along the academic spectrum of Tibetan Buddhist schools, ranging from the Nyingma to the Sakya and Kagyü, until being taken up by the Geluk school by the Fifth Dalai Lama. The transition from Pehar to the god of the Nechung was primarily an institutional function by the schools in Tibetan Buddhism, utilizing Pehar's multifarious origins as a tool to tie the deity to certain regions or monastic institutions. It wasn't until the Fifth Dalai Lama that Pehar formally became the god of the Nechung, both mythically and institutionally. For His Holiness at the time, he emphasized a Tantric Buddhist approach for Pehar and the Five King Spirits, preeminent power in the realm of protectorate deities. Christopher Bell shared that, 

"Before giving the narrative, the Great Fifth uses Buddhist language by explaining that Pehar's story exists only in a conventional sense, having just explained his ultimate nature; this resonates with the foundational Mādhyamika doctrine of the Two Truths." 

Furthermore, the Nechung is also coined as the protector of the Drepung and the Geluk teachings of Je Tsongkhapa overall in an oath to Padmasambhava. To maintain the relationship between the Nechung and its protecting body, the main liturgical corpus, also known as the "fulfilling of renewing rites" (bksang gso), takes place, utilizing its vast ritual text. In an outline written by Christopher Bell, the preliminary locus for the rite is as follows: 

"(1) a preface or panegyric verses to Padmasasambhava and the Five King spirits; (2) preparations and mantras; (3) the foundational principle practice (dngos gzhi); (4) the invitation, request to reside, and offerings and praises for the deities, drawn from the Second Dalai lama; (5) invocations and iconography for visualizing the deities; (6) more rites of invitation and requesting to reside, as well as praises and the integration of the oaths, drawn from Nyangrel Nyima özer; (7) bestowing offerings on the deities; (8) praises and entrusting of the activities, drawn from the Second Dalai Lama; (9) confession of faults; (10) blessing the offerings, inviting higher deities and serving them offerings; (11) amending and restating rites ; (12) more praises for the deities; (13) entrusting activities to the deities; (14) final invocations, offerings, and covenant; (15) a visualized ritual dance; (16) the enthronement of the deities in their office; and (17) the benediction."

The Nechung Liturgy comprises a range of propitiatory rites referencing various deities while including a "narrative quality" that expresses a historical perspective on using the Nechung in the Geluk school. Some ceremonies practiced today include a range of preliminary rites in the Geluk school, most of which reference Atiśa and Tsongkhapa, former Indian Buddhist scholars.

Oracles provide multiple avenues of support for their governing communities, including village, monastic, and state oracles. While the categorization of oracles requires an in-depth categorization that focuses on the soteriological hierarchy of Tibetan deities, one can consider the Nechung a state-ordained oracle whose work falls into the supramundane category. Today, the Nechung oracle is often possessed by Dorjé Drakden but varies between Pehar and the Five King Spirits(Ku-Nga). The current oracle, the Kuten, is the Venerable Thubpten Ngödrup. In an interview conducted by the Tibetan Bulletin, the Kuten relays that the specific invocation recited by the monks generally identifies the possessing deity. Certain key signs are visible when identifying which deity has entered the medium. In work detailed by Nebesky-Wojkowitz the experience of trance by a medium provides various psycho-physical signs, naming that a medium "has the feeling of strong heat or, in other cases suddenly, to experience a chill spreading through the whole body.". In the documented interview by the Tibetan Bulletin the Kuten states that hours or days before an invocation is called, a range of feelings from physical, mental, and emotional change can occur. Depending on who calls on the invocation, the intensity of the pre-trance state can increase or decrease with time. To maintain oneself, the Kuten recited the Hayagrīva mantra to "achieve deeper states of meditative absorption," eventually leading to the complete dissolution of physical and mental awareness. Physical expressions such as dancing, hissing, and spontaneous movement occur during the trance. The most important part of these rituals comes from the communication of the Nechung, typically through poetic verses. Based on the physical experiences of the Kuten, the application of Indo-Buddhist perspectives, specifically the Five aggregates, will be further explored in the sections below. 

Bridging the gap between the ritual practices in Tibetan tantric lineages to traditional Buddhist scholars requires a general understanding of Tibetan schools of thought. Expanding upon the preliminary understanding of deities such as the Nechung and its relationship to the larger body of Buddhist ontology, a brief introduction to the Tantric lineage practices and a focus on several key terms will be referenced. Specifically, the Abhidharmic terms for consciousness, including the subtle body (ལུས་ཕྲ་མོ་), Channels (རྩ, Nadi), Energy nodes (རྩ་འཁོར, Chakra), and Energy-winds (རླུང, Prana). Becoming the Kuten relies heavily on cleansing and preparing the physical body for the deity or god, Lha (ལྷ), to enter the body. Tantra is a conventional and pragmatic process for the mind to experience a conscious state. With certain empowerment practices, there is a desired effect such as the result of an initiation ritual. Tantra uses the coarse body, and with proper training, initiation, and cleansing of the system, these experiences can lead to a separation of the body and mind. Tibetan Buddhism– also known as the Vajrayana school, is a branch of the three Vehicles (Yanas). The first branch is the Hinayana (individual liberation vehicle), which comprises teachings primarily from the Four Noble Truths, 37 aspects of Enlightenment, and the 12 links of dependent origination.

The second branch is the Mahayana (Universal Liberation Vehicle), made up of teachings with the Bodhicitta practices and the six perfections. The Vajrayana branch is the final vehicle, also known as the Diamond or Tantric Vehicle. This school takes from both Hinayana and Mahayana foundations, creating a large, complex system of practice that focuses primarily on tantra and ritual work to accelerate spiritual development. With an emphasis on deities, rituals, and iconography, the Vajrayana school introduces concepts regarding the Subtle and Coarse (gross) body. Geshe Tashi Tsering describes the Vajrayana perspective on the body as having three types: the coarse, subtle, and very subtle body. The coarse is coined as the physical, sensational self that experiences everyday movement in the body. The subtlest body is the network of channels, winds, energies, and subtle drops.​​ The very subtle body is known as the subtlest level of consciousness and energy, sometimes referred to as the "clear light body" or the "indestructible drop." This is located at the center of the heart chakra, where the very subtle consciousness resides. Within this practice, the layers of the body are broken down into three sections. The first are drops or essences (Skt. Bindu, Tib. Tig-le ཏིག་ལེ), the second being Winds (Skt. Vayu, Tib. Lung ལུང), and the third is energy channels (Skt. Nadi, Tib. Tsa ཙ). The manipulation of these subtle energies allows one to attain an ultimate Bodhicitta (mind realizing emptiness).

The wind energies (Skt. Pranayama, Tib. tsogsol ཙོགསོལ) in coalition with subduing mental afflictions aid in the practice of cleansing the channels (Tib. Tsalam Shangpa). The final aspect of the Vajrayana school that will be highlighted is the practice of Yidams. This is a rich tradition of meditational deities that are visualized during meditation to attain spiritual realization and Enlightenment. Each Yidam serves and represents a specific aspect of Enlightenment which can be thought of as a manifestation of Buddha nature. While there is a range of well-known meditational deities, such as Tara, Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri, and Vajrayogini, the Nechung oracle is not considered a part of the Yidam. However, despite this difference in practice, the importance of meditative practice and a relationship between Tibetan deities and personal manifestation is a shared practice among the Tibetan protectorate deities and meditational ones. As aforementioned, the Kuten meditates with Hayagrīva, associated with the wrathful manifestation of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara or Chenrezig. 

The relationship between the Tantric practices of Tibetan oracles can be observed through the lens of the Five Aggregates (Pañca-Skandha), offering a broad perspective on Tibetan deities and their application to the Madhyamaka Tantra view. Before delving into the Five aggregates of Vasubandhu, a brief introduction to the Madhyamaka philosophical system and its multiple branches will be offered. The history of the Madhyamaka philosophical system originates from Nāgārjuna(ca.150 A.D.), a prominent Indian philosopher. Based on the teaching of the Prajnaparamita sutras, which emphasize the concepts of shuntaya or emptiness, Madhyamaka (Middle-way) refers to the view that the ultimate nature of reality neither resides in eternalism nor nihilism. Several Tantric Buddhist traditions are influenced by Madhyamaka philosophy, such as the Yogacara-Madhyamaka, which can be specified as the Svātantrika Madhyamakas. The Madhyamaka Tantra tradition combines the Madhyamaka view of emptiness with the practices of tantra, which are closely associated with a set of high tantric practices. A few key texts associated with this tradition are in the Guhyasamaja Tantra, the Chakrasamvara Tantra, and the Kalachakra Tantra. In the Madhyamaka philosophical tradition, the concept of the five aggregates is associated with emptiness (shunyata). The five aggregates, also known as the Skandhas, are the components that make up a person's experiences of existence. This includes Form (rupa), Feeling (Vedana), Perception (Sanna), Mental formations (sankhara), and Consciousness (vinnana). Based on the Madhyamaka view, the five aggregates are empty of inherent existence. Therefore, the skandhas are not independently existing entities but arise dependently upon other factors, devoid of any self-nature or essence.

Vasubandhu's commentary, also known as the Treasury of the Abdhidharma, explores the five aggregates known as skandhas. The five aggregates are Rupa, Vedana, Samjna, Samskara, and Vijnana. According to Vasubandhu's analysis, the five aggregates are interdependent and constantly changing. No permanent or unchanging self exists independently of them. Therefore, the concept of a self is merely a mental construct, a product of the constant coaction between them. This commentary by Vasubandhu provides a framework for understanding the nature of existence and the illusory nature of the self.

Regarding Tibetan oracles and deities, the physical and mental experiences constantly interplay between the coarse and subtle body, which can be understood and explored through Vasubandhu's Pañca-Skandha. The order of the aggregates can be understood as based on grossness, indicating that Form (rupa) remains the most gross (coarse) Form. On the other hand, consciousness(Vijñāna) is a more subtle aggregate. This ordering reflects how Form can be the material aspect of experience while consciousness is the least. There are also realms in which each of the five aggregates operates. Form (rupa) belongs to the material realm (rupa-dhatu), while sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness belong to the immaterial realm (arupa-dhatu). The organization of these realms indicates how each is characterized by qualities such as subtly and formlessness, and solidity and Form. In the context of Tibetan oracles and the relationship to the physical body, the importance of the physical Form, i.e., the Kuten, can be understood through Rupa. In the Treasury of Metaphysics, Abhidharmakośakārikā translated by Leo Pruden, the first Skandha, Rupa (གཟུགས་ཀྱི་ཕུང་པོ) is understood as a physical phenomenon. Vasubandhu states that the basis for the cognition of these "[objects]" are known as "Material-Transparencies," which include the organ of the eye and so on. The specific example of vision and visible forms are further divided into two sorts with a set of five sense organs (Indriya) and five objects (Artha). The visible Form (Rūpa) is the first of the 12 sense spheres (āyatana), which differs from the material form (Rūpa).

In Oracle divination, the application of materialized Rupa forms such as Thangkas, Melong's, and the Kuten itself represent the aggregate of Form. Existing in the most material realm, these are accessible practices that function in the rupa-dhatu. In divination, the Kuten (physical body) and the Lha coalesce to produce a "volitional" formation (Samkāra) such as speech. While these materialized Rupas are apparent in trance states and ritual practice with Oracles, the notion of sound as a Rupa is also present. Based on Vasubandhu's account, the sound is of eight types in the Abhidharmakosa, categorized by sound production within Rupa. The eight types of sound are considered the basic categories of sound in Buddhist philosophy. They are used to describe the different types of sound and a basic understanding of the relationship between sound and other aspects of existence, such as the elements and consciousness. In an interview conducted by the Tibetan Bulletin, the Kuten relayed his experience with sound and the transition into a trance, "Right when they are invoking him and the monks are chanting, blowing the conch shell and playing the gyalin oboe… I no longer apprehend the sound". Based on the Rupa forms regarding sound, manifest verbal actions – Vad-Vijñapti– are evoked during the blowing of the conch and the gyalin oboe to evoke a Hum for purification. In the overall scheme of Rupa and its functions in the various realms, Rupa is ultimately understood as empty of inherent existence, meaning that it lacks an independent existence separate from other phenomena. Instead, Rupa depends on other factors, such as causes and conditions for its existence. The perception of rupa involves a mental construct and does not reflect an objective reality. The Madhyamaka Tantric school's response to these experiential trance states under the aggregate of Form is contingent and an impermanent aspect of existence where the physical form of the Oracle (Kuten) serves as a vessel for the mind's experience rather than a fundamental aspect of reality. The sounds ( Vad-Vijñapti) produced by monks and the gradual separation from the body, inducing the experiential HUM, is a skillful means (upaya) that aids in developing awareness of one's physical state. 

The second aggregate understood as feeling (vedanā) ( ཚོར་བའི་ཕུང་པོ), refers to the sensation that arises when an individual comes into contact with something. Vedana comprises three types of effect according to the Abhidharmakośakārikā: Pleasure (sukha), Suffering (dukkha), and neither suffering-nor-pleasure (Adukhasukha). Regarding the Kuten and the experience during trance, Vedana can be categorized into two states. The first is before trance states in the coarse body and during trance states in the coarse and subtle body. As mentioned, an invocation can be requested days prior, allowing the Ven. Thubpten Ngödrup to prepare for trance. "One strange thing is that wherever there is to be an invocation before the Dharma protector has been invoked, a lot of fear and anxiety come to my mind." In preparation for trance, the mind remains active and evokes various sensations of fear and anxiety, according to the Kuten. During trance, the experience of the Kuten and Oracle converse to produce various spontaneous and forceful movements, allowing the Lha to take over the Kuten's physical form. One may understand this as the Lha becoming the experiencer of Vedana. Vedana is an impermanent and conditioned phenomenon that arises due to a range of causes and conditions which can be both internal and external. The response to these experiences from the Madhyamaka Tantric school can understand the Vedana experienced before invocation as the result of a condition. That said condition is the point of contention where it could result from the Lha itself causing physical effects such as cleansing the subtle channels. This is a recurring theme in this paper, questioning the causes and conditions resulting from the Lha and whether the separation between the Lha and the Kuten is distinct in being two separate conscious forms. 

The third aggregate in this body is Perception (Samjñā)(འདུ་ཤེས་ཀྱི་ཕུང་པོ). Samjna refers to recognizing and identifying objects, events, and concepts based on an individual's past experiences and mental constructs. In the Abhidharmakośakārikā, Samjna is relayed as an idea by nature and the apprehension of a mark. The idea (prajna) or concept (vikalpa) is a mental construct that arises from one's perceptual and cognitive processes. One's ideas are based on perception or apprehension based on experience, which is not independent of mental activity. Returning to the Kuten and the preparation for an invocation, the Kuten relayed in an interview, "I shield myself from eating certain foods, like meat and garlic. Each individual's subtle channels have unique characteristics". Samjna is a mental factor that arises in response to a sensory input where one may encounter an object through sense. Thus samjna will arise, recognize the object, then categorize it. An association is made in the mental inventory to label it as such. The nature of aversion from a cognitive perspective shares a similar process to the Abhidharmakośakārikā, where the perception of an object which enables a sensation or feeling is based on a former experience or relatively similar cause. For the case of the Kuten and the experience of food aversion, the notion of the Lha as a cause remains apparent. Meat and garlic are naturally heavy foods that could interfere with subtle energies. However, the rejection of certain foods concerning oracles has not been explored yet. In the context of the Madhyamaka tantric school of thought, if the first time in a trance, the body rejected certain foods due to Samjna, the phenomena of rejection depend on the causes of the Lha and the maintenance of the subtle channels. 

The fourth aggregate is Construction & Volitional formations (Samskāra) (འདུ་བྱེད་ཀྱི་ཕུང་པོ) which can be understood as the basic components that make up the human experience which include conscious and unconscious mental processes such as perceptions, emotions, memories, and volition. The Abhidharmakośakārikā defines Samskara as an aggregate of dispositions that consists of all dispositions other than the four aggregates of the form (rupa), feeling (vedana), ideas (Samjna) and cognition (Vijnana). In the case of the Kuten, the nature of non-volitional and volitional action within Samskara challenges the understanding of consciousness and conscious action and the process of karmic connections. The following interview was conducted with the Kuten regarding the experience and recollection during trance, 

"Q: Do you recollect what has been said during a trance?

N.K.: No, certainly not. I see and sense what is happening around me just before the trance. But gradually, even my senses dissolve, and then in a kind of sleep state, I become absorbed… In the past, the prophecies were extremely poetic and difficult to understand. Gradually the prophecies became more and more clear… it is spoken in the form of a poem in stanzas and prose style… the language, however, is certainly not exactly like the common language."

Volition is an impermanent and conditioned nature that arises due to multiple causes and conditions. The phenomena of mental habits and dispositions result from dependence on the interaction between mental factors, objects of perception, and sense organs. In response to this from the Madhyamaka Tantric school, non-volitional actions can be seen as a manifestation of samskara. Attributing this abhisamskara to the result of past actions of karmic connections. Kuten has also made a point to reference past karmic connections as one of the main reasons for his role and becoming of the Nechung Oracle. As mentioned in the Abhidharmakośakārikā, the disposition aggregate is said to have six groups of intention (Cetanā-kāya), where cetana is considered to be the essential factor in the process of karma or law and effect. Whether the cause of becoming the Nechung is based on one of the six karmic intentions, such as Pañña-cchanda (wisdom), the ability to go into and act during trance in a non-volitional state can be viewed as a karmic result. 

The final aggregate is Consciousness (Vijñāna)(རྣམ་ཤེས་ཀྱི་ཕུང་པོ). This aggregate ties together the former four by exploring the central question about how the Nechung Oracle and the Kuten interact and whether the Kuten and the Lha are separate conscious entities. One can understand Oracles to enter an altered state of consciousness to engage and allow communication with a deity or Lha, indicating that the very subtle body can enter a non-physical realm. In the Abhidharmakośakārikā, consciousness is an impermanent and constantly changing form dependent on various conditions. In the context of the Nechung oracle, Vijnana can be viewed as the cognitive or perceptual aspect of the oracle’s experience. Vijnana acts as a bridge between various realms, allowing the Kuten to transcend their ordinary cognitive and perceptual limitations to access the Lha. In this case, because consciousness is an impermanent and constantly changing form, the interplay between the seven forms of consciousness account for the experience of Kuten’s physical body. At the same time, the eighth-consciousness, known as alaya-vijñna(ཀུན་གཞི་རྣམ་ཤེས) is considered the underlying substrate of the all-encompassing foundation of consciousness. This aggregate store's karmic imprints and habitual patterns play into an individual’s experience and rebirth. With the Nechung oracle, a disruption in the Alaya-vijñna consciousness may account for the separation between the Lha and the Kuten since it functions as the root or basis for the arising of the Five Skandhas to begin with. 

Charles Goodman proposes that “We can encounter a form of non-Cartesian dualism which

sets up a fundamental distinction between mind and matter without postulating a soul, and which

might be more compatible with contemporary science than more familiar dualist alternatives.”

As Goodman describes, the idea of non-Cartesian dualism proposes a fundamental distinction between mind and matter without looking at or invoking the existence of a soul or any other non-material entity. While acknowledging that there are two distinct aspects of reality, the mental and the physical, they do not posit that each aspect is entirely separate. The Nechung Oracle and the Lha or Deity function as a manifestation of their interactions between the mental and physical aspects of reality. Acknowledging the two distinct aspects of reality while also questioning whether both realms or consciousness are independent of each other through the lens of Charles Goodman provides an explanation that views the Nechung’s role in Tibetan Buddhism as a way to access wisdom through a physical means without necessarily invoking the existence of a separate, non-physical soul or entity. 

Although the essence of the Nechung Oracle and its presence in Tibetan Buddhism spans an extensive history, understanding its role and presence from a philosophical perspective offers meaningful insight into the genesis and influence since then on ritual practice. By applying an Indian-Buddhist lens on the Five Aggregates in conversation with a small set of physical and mental experiences of the Nechung Oracle, this paper proposes a series of explanations on the nature of the Nechung’s behaviors and ritual practice. Through a revisit of the Nechung Oracle and its historical relationship to Tibet, the introduction to its relationship with Indian-Buddhist schools and the Madhyamaka Tantric school, the application of the Five Skandhas to experiences shared by the Nechung Oracle aimed to strengthen the understanding of what occurs in the body during trance. It's worth noting that this paper only covers a minute aspect of a boundless exposition of the Tantric schools. Therefore, future implications for this paper include analysis from various Indian-Buddhist schools of thought and the application of Tantric rituals beyond oracle divination.

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