Chöd ( lit. 'to sever') is a spiritual practice found primarily in the Yundrung Bön tradition as well as in the Nyingma and Kagyu schools of Tibetan Buddhism (where it is classed as Anuttarayoga Tantra) in Kagyu and Anuyoga in Nyingmapa. Also known as "cutting through the ego," the practices are based on the Prajñāpāramitā or "Perfection of Wisdom" sutras, which expound the "emptiness" concept of Buddhist philosophy. According to Mahayana Buddhists, emptiness is the ultimate wisdom of understanding that all things lack inherent existence. Chöd combines prajñāpāramitā philosophy with specific meditation methods and tantric ritual. The chod practitioner seeks to tap the power of fear through activities such as rituals set in graveyards, and visualisation of offering their bodies in a tantric feast in order to put their understanding of emptiness to the ultimate test. Definition and Sanskrit chedasādhanā both literally mean "cutting practice". In Standard Tibetan (the prestige dialect associated with Buddhism that is based on the speech of Lhasa), the pronunciation of gcod is IPA //. Key elements Chöd literally means "cutting through". It cuts through hindrances and obscurations, sometimes called 'demons' or 'gods'. Examples of demons are ignorance, anger and, in particular, the dualism of perceiving the self as inherently meaningful, contrary to the Buddhist doctrine of anatta (non-self). This is done in a powerful meditative ritual which includes "a stunning array of visualizations, song, music, and prayer, it engages every aspect of one’s being and effects a powerful transformation of the interior landscape." According to Jamgön Kongtrül, chöd involves "accepting willingly what is undesirable, throwing oneself defiantly into unpleasant circumstances, realising that gods and demons are one’s own mind, and ruthlessly severing self-centered arrogance through an understanding of the sameness of self and others." According to Machig Labdrön, the main goal of chöd is cutting through ego clinging: Dzogchen forms of chöd enable the practitioner to maintain rigpa, primordial awareness free from fear. Here, the chöd ritual essentialises elements of phowa, gaṇacakra, pāramitā, lojong, pure illusory body, mandala, brahmavihāra, luminous mind, and tonglen. In most versions of the sādhanā, the mindstream precipitates into a Saṃbhogakāya simulacrum of Vajrayoginī. In saṃbhogakāya attained through visualization, the sādhaka offers a gaṇachakra of their own physical body to the "four" guests: the Three Jewels, dakinis, dharmapalas and beings of the bhavachakra, the ever-present lokapala and the pretas. The rite may be protracted with separate offerings to each maṇḍala of