The Central Rituals

Abstract Chapter 3 shifts from Nechung’s mythological foundations to explore the monastery’s central rites. The three ritual manuals examined in this chapter are at the root of Nechung’s practices and illustrate a vivid ritual accretion over several centuries involving major lineage masters. Specifically, the core rite of Nechung composed by the Fifth Dalai Lama was developed and built up over lifetimes before culminating in the text it is today. The chapter ends by taking a closer look at the deity Dorjé Drakden, a minor emanation of Pehar with humble beginnings, whose importance grows to challenge and overtake even the centrality of the Five King Spirits. The final discussion on ritual reverberation has implications for the wider liturgical activities practiced by Nechung and shared with other institutions.