A statement about the causes of the recent Corona virus in China and Tibet, and what people can recite and do about it, was released (in Tibetan and Chinese) by the supreme head of the Jonang lineage and Kalacakra master, Kyabje Jigme Dorje Rinpoche, on February 7, 2020, see here.
As there is currently no English translation, here is my provisional translation of it:
Even though I don’t have much to say, at the time of the arrival of such a current terrible epidemic, there is no difference between Chinese and Tibetan. We all are the same in our relation to happiness and suffering and good and bad. However, the arrival of terrible sicknesses of five corruptions in Tibet, are clearly taught like that in the sacred Buddhist scriptures and teachings and the pure oral teachings of the Bhagavat, Shakyamuni. Other than that, since that which is called, ‘cause and result’ is infallible, if one commits a negative action the result is suffering; if one commits positive actions then the result is pleasurable. All the ‘masters’ of action, cause and effect know this clearly to be like that.
Since in China, many Chinese people are continually eating various kind of insects and caterpillars alive and even Tibetans also slaughter and sell many live cattle, killing and butchering them often. These monks or whoever they are, instead of following the previous lamas above them, are merely parroting about cause and result, and by doing the opposite of it, epidemics like this one arrive, as a result of the power of cause and effect and this wrong understanding. Therefore, protecting and respecting well ’cause and effect’, is it not only about merely saying it but it is extremely important that lamas, tulkus, lay or religious people whoever they are, protect life well.
It has been stated previously [here he is referring to the text revealed by Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro] that the Bhagavat Buddha was asked ‘when plagues and epidemics and calamity arrive in the world, what should one do?’ The Buddha replied that they should recite this mantra: ‘Emaho! Om a phen no phen no sva ha’ and that men should wear it as protection on the right side, women on their left side.’ If they do so then it can liberate one from the plague and also one can attain an excellent rebirth. Therefore, with great sincerity, we should recite this mantra to the three jewels.
Even though the oral tradition says that these words are a sky-treasure from words of ancient master, some also say they were discovered in a rock boulder that was cracked open. Also, there are many references to the arrival of epidemics and unwanted situations in many oral teachings and scriptures of Dodrupchen. It is also stated in the teachings and texts that in the degenerate times, it is not only very important to supplicate the master, Padmasambhava (Pema Jungne) but also important to recite many times his ‘chronicles’ (Katang) and prayer that fulfils all aspirations. I also, in previous years, from the Choje Tsang grounds recited the condensed Buddhist scriptures; I don’t have much power yet my intention is pure.
Other than that, we should follow the arrangements of the government and hospitals, and whether one is Chinese or Tibetan, having to stay at home, make efforts to maintain cleanliness and hygiene. Normally, the Sangha and the lamas and tulkus who have blessings and power, recite from their bedrooms ‘may all beings be well and have happiness’ and so on. Therefore, wherever you are you should recite this prayer and it is also important that oneself, from one’s own heart, give rise to the vast and pure intention and motivation of the wish to attain awakening for all beings.
The mantra ‘OM A PHEN NO PHEN NO SVA HA’ and its recitation by Kyabje Jigme Dorje Rinpoche was also uploaded onto Facebook here. N.B Although the Tibetan of Jigme Dorje’s speech says the mantra is Om ma phen ni phen sva ha’, the audio recording of him reciting it sounds more like the one that is written in the Chokyi Lodro text, which is ‘Emaho phen no phe phen no sva ha’
The mantra and text by Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro
The connection between Jonang and the Jamyang Khyentse lineage is a strong one, as I wrote about here before. The prophecy text revealed by Chokyi Lodro, in which this mantra and story is mentioned, is called: ‘The Lamp that Illuminates the Future‘ (ma ‘ongs lung bstan gsal byed sgron me zhes bya ba bzhugs so). It has been very helpfully translated by Stephen B Aldridge and published here with explanation of the prophecy and meaning of the mantra. The author of the post states that:
”Please note that I have verified that the original Tibetan text of this “terma” does indeed exist in the “sungbum” (collected works) of Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö in the Buddhist Digital Resource Center (tbrc.org), and it was also listed in the Endangered Archives Programme at the British Library, but the link has since been broken.
The British Library did not itself have a copy, but rather, had a link to a collection of Buddhist texts that was held in a family-run library in China. Their documents had been scanned and made accessible to the Internet. The copy there, which I viewed online, was written on traditional Tibetan paper. The texts appeared to agree in both locations, although they were not exact copies.”
The translator and original publisher of the text says:
“The singular work entitled The Light That Makes Things Clear: A Prophecy of Things to Come,⁷ was revealed by the late ‘Jam-byangs mKhyen-brtse Chos-kyi bLo-gros (1896–1959), widely known and celebrated as the “Master of Masters.” It was first translated into English in 1988, by Karma gSungrab rGya-mtsho, with the admonition that it be freely reproduced. We (Tibetan Alter) have elected to publish this work as received, with only slight editorial revision, as the translator prepared his version with the assistance of the late Khyentse Rinpoche’s learned students, and other qualified commentators. Our revisions cover matters of English expression; not content, which is unchanged, and basic meaning is left intact.
“This work takes the form of a dialogue involving Shakyamuni Buddha, Ananda, Avalokitesvara, and Maitreya concerning events commencing 2026, and lasting through 2032.”
May this be of benefit and may all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness and be free from suffering and the causes of suffering!
Dakini Translations and Publications མཁའ་འགྲོ་མའི་ལོ་ཙཱ་བའི་འགྱུར་དང་འགྲེམས་སྤེལ། 
Hi there. Is there any possibility to get the teaching of Taranatha, like books, in English? Do you have any suggestions? Thanks.
I would recommend you google Taranatha and see what English books and teachings are out there. Not much has been translated into English written by Taranatha. Jeffrey Hopkins has translated one of his philosophical texts ‘The Essence of Shentong’ and I have translated his Commentary on the Heart Sutra. Profs Klaus Dieter-Mathes and Matthew Kapstein have also written some academic articles about Taranatha’s view of emptiness and Buddha Nature. I have also translated Taranatha’s longer commentary on the Kalacakra preliminaries but that has not yet been published and needs editing. Other than that, David Templeman has done a lot of work on his autobiographical material and his history of the Tara tantra. Good luck with your studies!
i would certainly like to receive your translated Taranatha’s longer commentary on the Kalacakra preliminaries