Thogchag
Before becoming a Buddha, our Rupakaya (physical body) will produce in-equable qualities according to the factors as the difference of external environment, energy we exposed to, our health conditions, showing different characteristics. Therefore, we shall choose the best tools that create the best conditions to help our practice in life.
Health is of great importance in accumulating the good karma and conducting broad-rang alms giving. However, practical and precious instruments are also very important. It will be twice as much can be accomplished with half the effort by having valuable and practical instruments, and it is also the only way to achieve the perfection more rapidly.
Because of the value of precious elements, Ancient Dharma-vessels (instruments used in Buddhist ceremonies) in Tibet were made of precious alloys. During the course of manufacturing, some precious elements were blended into the cast, such as Gold, silver, copper, iron, and the special material of the thogchag ( lightning metal).
Those thogchags have been worn by many Buddhist master of Vajrayana or Tantrayana within the lineage of consecrated practices through ages, till today, include inconceivable magic powers,energy and strengths of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
The Thunderbolt-iron, with its name “Thogchag” in Tibetan, means the super-magic items fallen from the heaven, and the treasure left in the mundane world by the celestial beings. According to the Tibetan sutra：thogchag have the efficiency of exorcism and anti-frighten which are extremely venerable..
Since the very ancient time, Thogchag has been considered by the Tibetans as their most valued amulets. and are often ritually blessed.So owning one is extremely good karma。 When some thogchag is found in the grassland, the lucky person often takes it to the temple to serve as the instruments for the religious cultivations conducted by the Living Buddha. or self-worn as the family heirloom
“People believe that both the thogchag and Dzi Beads come from heaven, according to the legends, Thogchag were worn by gods of war and Dharmapalas (safeguards of Buddha); while the Dzi beads were worn by Dakinis and female celestial。 Both the two are from the heaven and having ultra supernatural power, and especially the thogchag are even more powerful and deterrent compared to the Dzi Bead”
According to the Tibetan sutra and the Buddhist dignitary’s narration, the thogchag can be classified into the following categories according to the types of its materials.
(1) The magic weapon of god realm:
1: Thunderbolt iron, with its name in Tibetan “Nyingma”, it looks dark, with oily gloss, when it falls to the ground, we can hear clunk.
2: Super Alloy of Asura’s realm, with its name in Tibetan “Dehma” with intermingle yellow and white rainbow-like gloss.
(2) The magic weapon of Lightning-Namchak, custom-made by ancient Dignitaries of Buddhist Temple:
According to the sutra of tantrayana and terma lineage, monasteries in different traditions collected precious thogchag of 108 different types, which are different in form, and energy containment, casting them into a special one called lightning-Namchak dharma-vessel with secret tantric methods.
For example, Numchak Purpa Dagger, Numchak vajrakila and bells, such instruments are used by the Buddhist masters for blessing and empowerment rites. For thousands of years,these vessels are none-stopped used in tantrayana practice with their great blessing to this world until nowadays. .
(3) The magic weapon of special alloys custom-made by the ancient Dignitaries of Buddhist Temple:
Lima-Purple-Copper, Silver-gold Alloy, Copper-gold Alloy.
In 8 century, thogchags were firstly used as weapon while subduing demons and monsters by Guru Rinpoche-Padmasambhava who transmitted Vajrayana Buddhism to Tibet. thogchags are being a kind of powerful tool as well as an energy transducer to help them to active their chakras (the Sanskrit word for "wheel" or "turning") which are believed to be centers of the body. The immense power that thogchags brought is like protective “wall of Air” or indestructible vajra, which will guard the owners in all their life.
Precious Thogchags are supposedly found where lightning has struck, and in different abstract shapes such like:
(1) Yidam and Dharmapala: Buddhas, Four-armed Avalokitesvara, Vajrapani , Manjushri etc.
(2) Lucky animals such like: Garuda bird, snow lion, peacock.
(3) Padmasambhava jiu-gong-ba-gua amulet, Vajrakila/Phurpa dagger, mantra wheel, mani jewel, talisman amulets etc.
For the elderly mediators, thogchag is of tremendous energy and the supernatural power is of uninterrupted flow, which serves them as a great energy transformer that helps them to open their chakras of the body. Meanwhile, the thogchag is a powerful instrument, with its immense energy “wall-of-air”, protects its owner till the end of time
No matter taking the thogchag or the Dzi beads with the body or put them at home, they function to harmonize the energy field of in-coordination and unsteadiness, driving away demons and ghosts, as well as bringing good luck to their owners. They are extremely valuable as they effectively protect all the people with kind souls.
