DZINPA RANGDRÖL

NGÖNDRO COMMENTARY

Tulku Sang-Ngag Rinpoche

and
Lama Tsultrim Allione
2
Contents

Preface 4
History of the Dzinpa Rangdröl Lineage 5
Introduction: Before the Practice 31
The Practice of Ngöndro 35
Homage and Preliminary Guru Yoga 35
The Ordinary Ngöndro: The Four Thoughts That Turn the Mind to the Dharma 47
Breathing Practices: Breath-Cleansing and Barlung 67
Refuge 77
Bodhicitta 86
Mandala Offering 88
Vajrasattva 92
Guru Yoga 97

The cover image is of Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje. This painting has a very close connection with Do
Khyentse as it was made with Do Khyentse's nose blood mixed in with the paint. It is called a ‘nose blood
thangka.’

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Preface
The following commentary on the Dzinpa Rangdröl Ngöndro is based on teachings given by Tulku Sang-
Ngag Rinpoche, Lama Tsultrim Allione, and Khenpo Ugyen Wangchuk from 2008 until present. The
teachings have been updated since 2008 as new commentaries have been found, thus information from one
retreat may contradict information from a previous year. If there are discrepancies between your retreat
notes or other teachings you have received on the Dzinpa Rangdröl Ngöndro practice, please note that we
have made a great effort to make the teachings in this Commentary complete and accurate as of the date of
publication. However, inevitably discrepancies arise, so please forgive any errors that were made in this
compilation of teachings.

The commentary originated from Tulku Sang-Ngag Rinpoche's initial teachings on the Dzinpa Rangdröl
Ngöndro during the summer of 2008. These teachings were translated by Erik Drew and kindly transcribed
by Susan Purcell. Later, based on further teachings with Rinpoche and Khenpo, these were edited, revised
and added to by Lama Tsultrim Allione.

These teachings are of a very secret nature, and are only for those who have taken the Dzinpa Rangdröl
Ngöndro retreat or have received the transmission for the Ngöndro practice. Please read this commentary
only if you have received this transmission.

The commentary is interspersed with the actual Ngöndro text. The text is in verse with the Tibetan
transliteration in bold. Additionally, the smaller italicized font are notes from within the Ngöndro practice
itself.

Note about breathing exercises: Learn to do these properly through oral transmission from a qualified
master. The instructions here are meant to remind practitioners of what they have already learned as well as
to provide support in refinement of technique.

Note to the second edition: Several things have been corrected based on Tulku Sang-Ngag Rinpoche's
answers to questions on January 1, 2013. The most major change is that Rinpoche clarified that the barlung
breathing exercise actually has no visualization at all. In previous teachings and in the previous edition of
this commentary, an elaborate visualization was given. Instead, the barlung should be performed without
any visualization at all. In addition, it was clarified that in the Guru Yoga, Vajrayogini's legs are in the
normal dakini posture.

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History of the Dzinpa Rangdröl Lineage:
From Yeshe Tsogyal to Machig Labdrön and up until today

The Dzinpa Rangdröl lineage and practices can all be traced back to the time of Guru Rinpoche and Yeshe
Tsogyal in the 8th and 9th century. This was an interesting period of time in Tibet. The Tibetan empire was
at the height of its size and military power and was feared throughout Asia. Despite Tibet’s military success
at this time, there was considerable fear and conflict within the country; a battle was occurring between the
Bön and the Buddhists. The former, despite being a religious people, had military power as their primary
concern and perceived Buddhism as a threat to their doctrine of expansionism. The latter had Buddhist
interests in mind. Even after the first great Buddhist King Songsen Gampo (617-649 CE), the governing
force in Tibet still shifted between Buddhism and Bön and the tension between the two groups increased.
Finally, after the second great Buddhist King Trisong Detsen was enthroned in 755 CE at age thirteen,
Buddhism began to spread throughout the land.

Trisong Detsen was the son of Buddhist King Me Agtsom (704-754 CE), who was murdered by two of his
minister regents. The regents had been involved in anti-Buddhist activity for five years while Trisong Detsen
was training to become king in the borderlands of Tibet. In the period when Trisong Detsen was absent
from the palace, he experienced a conversion to Buddhism. After he arrived back at the kingdom and was
enthroned in around 756 CE, he had a pivotal role of spreading the dharma in Tibet. He established the
Nyingma, or ancient school of Buddhism, which is what we practice here at Tara Mandala.

Trisong Detsen had five wives, all of whom came from different clans of Tibetan noble families. The
practice of having multiple wives was a way of consolidating power, as it was in the past in Europe.
Marrying into different families created bonds with those kingdoms. Yeshe Tsogyal, the most well-known of
Trisong Detsen’s wives, married him in 770 CE. Tsogyal was the Princess of the Kharchen clan in India. In
the Dzinpa Rangdröl lineage prayer there is a reference to “The Princess of Kharchen,” or Yeshe Tsogyal.

When Trisong Detsen heard of Padmasambhava, a great master who was born from a lotus flower in
Oddiyana, he immediately sought him out to request an empowerment. This is how Yeshe Tsogyal and
Guru Rinpoche were brought together. Because the King was at first arrogant in his request, Guru Rinpoche
made him wait one year to receive the empowerment. Recognizing this great master, Trisong Detsen offered
Yeshe Tsogyal and his entire kingdom to Guru Rinpoche as the mandala offering for the empowerment in
773 CE, six years after the completion of Samye Monastery.

Guru Rinpoche’s name indicates his integral role in bringing Buddhism from India to Tibet. The title
“Guru” would usually refer to a teacher from India or Oddiyana, but the Tibetan word “Rinpoche” refers to
a master teacher from Tibet. Guru Rinpoche’s name is a hybrid of the titles used in the two cultures.

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The period in which Guru Rinpoche (otherwise known as Padmasambhava) lived was marked by an
ascendancy of women. In 7th and 8th centuries, the cultures of Oddiyana, India, and the Tang Dynasty in
China were producing art with a loving appreciation of the feminine. Women were depicted as confident,
free, and awake in their own power. Many women during this time were Gurus. They were offered equal
respect as men for their studies, writings, and teachings. Yeshe Tsogyal, linked to the Dzinpa Rangdröl
lineage through her connection to Machig Labdrön, is an example of a very powerful female Buddhist figure
of the time.

Before this time, Tibet did have its own powerful women; for example there were some Bön female rulers.
However, before Guru Rinpoche came to Tibet, the recognition of women was not to the extent that it was
in India and Oddiyana. Guru Rinpoche wasn’t originally from Tibet, so his honoring of Yeshe Tsogyal and
her presence in Tibet contributed to an empowering recognition of the female in the culture.

When the Tibetan people realized that their precious Princess had been given to Guru Rinpoche, who they
initially considered a vagrant Indian sadhu, relations between the Buddhist and the Bön became even more
strained. There was an open rebellion by the Tibetan people against the King, because he offered Yeshe
Tsogyal to Guru Rinpoche. They saw this act as a violation of Tibetan tradition and propriety. To the Bön
Ministers, it symbolized their loss of control over Tibet.

The monasteries that were being built eventually appropriated the authority of these Bön Ministers and
became the seat of temporal and spiritual power. When the monasteries began to tax the Tibetan people,
the reaction was so strong from the Bönpos that the King was forced by the parliament to exile Guru
Rinpoche and Yeshe Tsogyal from the court.

Tsogyal and Guru Rinpoche were supposed to go to separate places, but they didn’t. They went to
Terdrom, an incredible place with amazing caves and a very high altitude. Today Terdrom would be about a
five-hour drive from Lhasa. It is said that Guru Rinpoche and Yeshe Tsogyal flew there.

Guru Rinpoche eventually told Tsogyal that she needed to travel to Nepal where she would find a new
consort. Without knowing exactly where or when she would find her consort, Tsogyal embarked on a long
and arduous journey to Nepal. She faced extreme difficulties on her path, including being raped by bandits.

Despite the difficulties along the way, Tsogyal eventually found Nepal and met her consort, Atsara Sale,
who was a family’s slave at the time. The family was devastated by the death of their young child, so Yeshe
Tsogyal brought the child back to life in return for Atsara Sale. Tsogyal and Atsara Sale practiced together
around Tibet and Bhutan for six years.

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Eventually the King Trisong Detsen was able to overcome the political opposition and invited everyone that
was in exile back to the court. At this point, the King asked Guru Rinpoche to initiate 21 disciples who
were part of the government. The initiation eased tension among the Bönpos, the Kings, and the Ministers
which resulted in the entire government going into retreat at Samye Chimpuk.

During this time, Yeshe Tsogyal and Guru Rinpoche reunited and hid many termas, or treasure teachings in
Tibet. Yeshe Tsogyal hid termas by herself when Guru Rinpoche would leave Tibet, and at his return they
would continue to hide these treasures to be discovered later throughout many subsequent centuries.
Eventually, Guru Rinpoche left Tibet and Yeshe Tsogyal for good, in order to subdue 'cannibal demons' on
the Southwest continent of Ngayab Ling, where it is said he still resides to this day. Subsequently, Tsogyal
lived at Samye Chimpuk until her death in approximately 817 CE. Before her death, Tsogyal predicted that
she would come back in five different incarnations, one of whom she said would be named Machig
Labdrön.

Machig Labdrön

Machig Labdrön, the famous Tibetan yogini of the 11th century, was born into a time in which there had
just been a period of repression of Buddhism. She lived from 1055 - 1149 CE. We know when she lived
and where she trained, but we don’t know exactly where she was born. Her name includes the word Lab,
but until recently, no one knew where Lab was. Based on recent research and travel, it has been determined
that Lab is not a place, but the name of a clan. These people currently live in a valley up behind Dranang
monastery in central Tibet. Dranang monastery is an amazing monastery which still contains extraordinary
frescos from Machig’s time. Machig studied with a main Lama there, the tertön Drapa Ngönshe. The
monastery is surrounded by trees and a spring, and is located near other special places connected to Machig.
In Machig’s time, people would tend to study with the Lama of the main monastery in their area, who
would be their first teacher. This is how Machig became acquainted with Drapa Ngönshe.

Machig came at the birth of a second wave of Dharma coming from India. Tibetans would go to India to
get teachings and then come back to Tibet bringing their newfound knowledge. The great Marpa Lotsawa,
the teacher of Milarepa, was part of this second wave. India was very influential during this time, more so
than China, for much of the East believed that the status of Chinese Buddhism was much lower than Indian
Buddhism. Most Tibetans believed that the Law, or the Dharma, came from India. To receive it, one had to
travel to India which was very difficult at the time. There were also Indians coming to Tibet; Dampa Sangye
was among them.

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Machig’s first teacher, Drapa Ngönshe, was a Nyingma tertön (treasure revealer). Not only did Machig
receive Prajña Paramita from him, but she also received Dzog Chen teachings. Machig spent her early life
living as a nun and she would recite Prajña Paramita for a small amount of money to support her religious
education. After studying with Drapa Ngönshe, Machig began to study with her main Lama, Lama Kyoten
Sonam, who was a student of Dampa Sangye. The following story, extracted from Feeding Your Demons
illustrates the power of this incredible yogini:

When the great eleventh-century Tibetan yogini Machig Labdrön was receiving initiation
from her teacher, Sonam Lama… at a key point in the initiation, Machig magically rose up
from where she was sitting until she was suspended in the air about a foot from the ground,
and there she danced and spoke in Sanskrit. In a state of profound meditation she passed
through the clay walls of the temple unimpeded and flew into a tree above a small pond
outside the monastery.

The pond was the residence of a powerful naga, or water spirit. These capricious, mythic
beings are believed to cause disruption and disease when disturbed, and can also act as
treasure holders or protectors when they are propitiated. This particular naga was so
terrifying that the local people did not even dare to look at the pond, never mind approach
it. But Machig landed in the tree above the pond and stayed there in a state of meditation.

The water spirit considered young Machig’s arrival to be a direct confrontation. He

approached her threateningly, but she remained in meditation, unafraid. This infuriated
him, so he gathered a huge army of nagas form the region in an attempt to overwhelm her.
When she saw this mass of terrifying magical apparitions coming, Machig instantly
transformed her body into a food offering, and as her biography (found in my book Women
of Wisdom) states, “They could not devour her because she was egoless.”

Not only did the aggression of the nagas evaporate, but they committed themselves to
Machig, promising not to harm her or other beings, vowing to protect her, and pledging to
serve her and anyone who followed her teachings. By meeting the demons and offering her
body as food to them with unshakable compassion rather than fighting against them,
Machig turned the demons into allies.

The people who surrounded Guru Rinpoche and Yeshe Tsogyal at their time were prophesized to be reborn
at the time of Machig Labdrön into the same mandala. Yeshe Tsogyal was reborn as Machig Labdrön, and
Guru Rinpoche was reborn as Dampa Sangye. Topabhadra, Machig’s consort-husband, had previously been
Atsara Sale.

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Machig Labdrön and her consort, Topabhadra, had at least three children: Gyalwa Dondrub, their first son
whom Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche has a karmic connection with, their second son Tonyam Samdrup,
followed by a daughter, Labdülma.

When Gyalwa Döndrub was 12 years old and her daughter Labdülma was around 5 years old, Machig left
her family to go back to her teachers and become a yogini again. During this time as a yogini, she went into
retreat and received direct transmissions from Tara. This marked the beginning of her whole female lineage.i

Gyalwa Döndrub, Machig’s first son, became a criminal in his early adult years and then eventually married
and started a family life. Eventually he decided to find Machig again, and became her main student. Soon
after, Topabhadra brought to Machig their other two children, Labdülma and Tonyam Samdrup. He went
back to India, and never returned to Tibet. Their children had already grown up by this time and
Topabhadra had begun to teach them the dharma. Machig was reunited with her children while she lived in
Zangri Khangmar, her seat in central Tibet near her birth place.

Topabhadra was a strong holder of Machig’s lineage. Their daughter Labdülma isn’t mentioned often, but
there are indications that the Dzinpa Rangdröl lineage could have actually come through her. According to
Tulku Sang-Ngag Rinpoche, the actual origin of the Dzinpa Rangdröl cycle came from her. Labdülma
requested Dampa Sangye to write a Guru Yoga practice for her mother, Machig Labdrön. The composition
he wrote in response was the source of the Dzinpa Rangdröl. After that, the Dzinpa Rangdröl was hidden as
a terma and later discovered by Do Khyentse.ii

Dampa Sangye is sometimes also called Phadampa Sangye. When Topabhadra left for India, Dampa Sangye
played a fathering role for Machig’s children. Dampa Sangye stayed with Machig and her family for a long
period of time. Tonyam Sondrup began calling him Phadampa Sangye, or Father Dampa Sangye, as the
word Pha means father. He is known by many as Phadampa Sangye because of that relationship.

Dampa Sangye eventually established himself in Dingri Langkhor, Tibet, far from Zangri Khangmar,
Machig's seat and close to the Nepalese border. The land is a wide plain of high altitude with a river
running through it and a view of the back of Mount Everest. Dampa Sangye often addressed his songs to
the people of Dingri.iii Lama Tsering Wangdu Rinpoche, who comes to Tara Mandala, was born in Dingri
Langkhor where he did retreat in Machig’s cave.

The Indian roots of Machig's lineage and her teachings come from Arya Deva the Brahmin (the second Arya
Deva), an Indian Mahayanist who lived in Machig’s era. He was Dampa Sangye’s teacher, and possibly his
uncle. The name Dampa Sangye is Tibetan, and his birth name in India was Kamalashila.iv Arya Deva the

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Brahmin is seen to be the root of the Zhijye tradition. Zhijye, meaning Pacification of Suffering, is one of the
eight main streams of Tibetan Buddhism. It came out of the Mahayana and focuses on Prajña Paramita.
This is the stream that went to Dampa Sangye who then brought it to Tibet. In Tibet he taught it to Sonam
Lama who eventually taught it to Machig. Machig learned Zhijye more extensively when she met Dampa
Sangye.

Machig's teachings were based on these Indian teachings which focus on Prajña Paramita. In the Dzinpa
Rangdröl there is a major emphasis on Prajña Paramita, and it is mentioned in many of our prayers. For
example, in the White Dakini sadhana of Dzinpa Rangdröl, we visualize Prajña Paramita in our heart as the
Jnanasattva while reciting the mantra. Also, in the beginning of the Tröma sadhana, we visualize Prajña
Paramita over our heads and do the Gate mantra in order to purify all of our negative karma by visualizing it
pouring out of our body. This is unusual because usually we would visualize Vajrasattva in this context.

A Short Introduction to Do Khyentse’s Life v

About eight centuries after Machig Labdrön and Dampa Sangye lived, Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje was born
in Tibet in 1800. Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje (1800-1866), a great visionary and meditation master of the
nineteenth century, was the person who revealed the Dzinpa Rangdröl terma cycle.

Do Khyentse was recognized at a young age as the direct mind incarnation of the highly renowned Jigme
Lingpa,vi born two years after Jigme Lingpa died. As an adult, Do Khyentse became well-known as an
eccentric yogi always defying the expectations of his contemporaries about how a Dharma practitioner
should live and act. His unconventional behavior was backed by numerous miracles and that dispelled the
doubts of those who witnessed his uncontrived behavior. Although he lived as a hunter, was known to drink
copious amounts of alcohol and act violently at times, he probably displayed more miracles than any other
master, proving that his realization far surpassed his outward appearance. He was also known as Rigdzin
Jalu Dorje (Knowledge-Holder Rainbow Body Vajra) and Traktung Leykyi Pawo (Blood Drinking Karma
Daka). Do Khyentse revealed eight volumes of termas which were recently compiled by Alak Zenkar
Rinpoche, also known as Thubten Nyima, who is the third reincarnation of Do Khyentse, and Dzogchen
Ponlop Rinpoche. The Dzinpa Rangdröl is the core cycle in this collection.

Do Khyentse's life story is filled with accounts of miracles and travels to other dimensions. Even the
account of his conception is extraordinary. His mother, Ma Tsewang Men, and her husband Sonam Phen,
were on a pilgrimage in central Tibet visiting a Machig Pha-Lha shrine in Lhasa when two women led Ma
Tsewang Men through a wall. She experienced the wall as a door. Inside, she experienced a divinely
beautiful palace and there she had an intimate encounter with the prince-like man of the palace. This prince
was the emanation of Nyenchen Thanglha, the main protector of central Tibet’s Thanglha mountain range

10
and one of the great protectors of the Nyingmavii tradition of Tibet. After this encounter Ma Tsewang Men
was brought back by the same two women, and she found herself standing in the same shrine, but there was
no doorway in the wall. Her husband and a search party had been looking for her for three days.

When Tsewang Men's husband, Sönam Phen, of the Chökor tribe of Golok, discovered that she was
pregnant, they knew that the father was Nyenchen Thanglha. In any case Sönam Phen accepted the unborn
child and acted as his father. After her ‘abduction’ into the pure realm Ma Tsewang Men was altered. She
became a medium, had many visions and she often had experiences of light also coming out of her body.
These phenomena were observed by all members of her family.

Do Khyentse was born on a full moon day in the autumn of 1800. He sat up immediately in meditation
posture, and touching the sunbeams coming into the tent he chanted in Sanskrit. After three days, he
disappeared from his mother's lap for three days then reappeared on her pillow. He later said that at this
time he was taken into a crystal palace by a red woman, where lamas and dakinis washed him with water
from a crystal vase, celebrated him and gave him prophecies. Afterwards, he always experienced the
companionship of several other children.

One day while still a baby, he was held up by the hands of his invisible playmates and was looking into
Padmasambhava’s pure landviii where a beautiful feast offering was being made. Tears came to his eyes.
When his mother saw him standing by himself, she shouted out and the sound caused him to fall and after
that he became more like a normal baby.

Throughout his life, Do Khyentse traveled to pure dimensions. At various times in his life, from infancy on,
he would seem to lose consciousness, or even physically disappear, for several days or even weeks at a time.
During those times, he would travel to pure dimensions such as Padmasambhava’s pure land, Zangdog Palri,
or the Dakini pure lands. He came back having received extraordinary teachings and transmissions and
described glorious visions of crystal palaces and Dakinis.

For us in the West the pure lands might at first seem like fantasy worlds. However, what actually appears to
us as the “real world” is a merely manifestation of our karmic vision, our agreed upon view of the world that
we share with those that have similar karma and thus similar karmic vision. Because of this, we can imagine
that a being with a high degree of awareness and a vibrational field much more subtle than our own might
experience different realities. Because Do Khyentse’s father was somehow non-human, in a way, Do
Khyentse was ‘genetically’ different than a normal human. In addition, because of his karmic propensities
from previous lives, he was also born with a higher degree of realization. This began to manifest
immediately after his birth and continued throughout his life. This also explains why he was able to
manipulate matter in such an extraordinary way, creating thousands of what we would call miracles.

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Do Khyentse’s main teacher was the first Dodrubchen, Jigme Trinley Özer (1745-1821), who was a direct
disciple of Jigme Lingpa, Do Khyentse’s previous incarnation.

When Do Khyentse was a child, a tantric yogi appeared to him and told him that he must find Lama Sonam
Chöden. Do Khyentse began to tell his parents that if he didn’t find Sonam Chöden he would die. At a
certain point, Dodrubchen happened to be camped nearby and so his father went to ask him if he knew who
Lama Sonam Chöden was. Dodrubchen recognized the name, since this was actually his own secret name
which no one else knew except for the person who had given it to him. But he didn’t let on; instead he just
said he would come to see the child.

When he arrived, the small child, Do Khyentse said, “You are Sonam Chöden. I know you. Have you
deserted me?”

Dodrubchen replied, “Yes, you are right - I can see why you feel that way. But until now I could not find
you. Now I will take care of you.”

Sonam Chöden was the secret name of Dodrubchen given to him by his main teacher, Jigme Lingpa. No
one besides Jigme Lingpa and Dodrubchen knew that this was his secret name, and so Dodrubchen became
convinced that Do Khyentse was the reincarnation of Jigme Lingpa, his root teacher.

Because of that, his parents took him to Dodrubchen’s monastery to be educated. He was formally
recognized as a reincarnation of Jigme Lingpa after he passed all the traditional tests.ix

As Do Khyentse’s root teacher, Dodrubchen trained him in the full range of teachings of sutra and tantra.
After receiving this training from Dodrubchen, he traveled to central Tibet, returning to the seat of Jigme
Lingpa and to various other sacred places, especially to Drikung where Jigme Lingpa’s son lived. Here, Do
Khyentse was enthroned in an elaborate ceremony.

Although he took novice monastic vows when young, later Dodrubchen instructed him to return his vows
and live as a lay practitioner. Eventually he became a hunter wandering around remote areas of Golok,
Kham in Eastern Tibet. Although he hunted animals and ate meat, he miraculously restored to life most of
the animals he killed. He also had the ability to return to life people who had died. This was witnessed by
his contemporaries, many of whom were highly skeptical of his abilities, particularly based on his
unconventional appearance. He looked like a completely untamed and wild hunter, rather than a gentle and
cultured meditation master. However, although his appearance was rough, his realization was so vast that it
enabled him to perform miracles that seem impossible.

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There are many remarkable stories of Do Khyentse’s life. What follows are a few of these stories.

It is said that at one time, on his way to Lhasa, Do Khyentse approached a large nomad camp in order to
buy meat. Two ferocious Tibetan mastiffs got loose and tried to attack him. One of these mastiffs was fully
white and the other was fully black. With the sword he always carried, he cut each of them in half. When
the nomads arrived, they were furious that he had killed their dogs. He then put them back together with
the white head on the black body and the black head on the white body. Miraculously, the dogs got up and
ran away. These dogs eventually died a natural death, and the monks of the nearby monastery, Gegye
Dzogchen, kept their skins as a memory of this event. Until the Chinese invasion of Tibet, the skins were
kept as a testament to the powers of Do Khyentse.

Another time, hearing that Do Khyentse was known as a great yogi, a few local boys decided to test him.
One night, as Do Khyentse slept in his tent on a plain surrounded by boulders, the boys stole his horse. The
thieves watched as he woke up to discover his horse was gone. They laughed at his lack of omniscience
when he didn’t seem to know where his horse went. But he then took his saddle, went over to a boulder,
put the saddle on the boulder, and got on top of it. The boulder turned into a horse and he rode away.
Those who had stolen his horse looked on, horrified at their impudence. Later they caught up with Do
Khyentse and apologized.

Once, while riding along the Gyalmo Ngul Chu (Silver Queen River), on a very dangerous path in Trakwar
in Dzigak of Gyarong, Do Khyentse told his disciple, Rigtsal Thogme, “If you are brave, push me and my
horse down.” This he did, and watched as Do Khyentse and his horse fell hundreds of feet to the rocks
below. Then Rigtsal Thogme thought, “Oh no! Now I have killed my Lama,” and he jumped after them.
Do Khyentse, his horse, and Rigtsal Thogme were all miraculously unharmed. Then Do Khyentse told
Rigtsal Thogme to jump on the horse behind him, and they went up the steep rock face of the mountain,
making imprints in the rock every step. Since that incident, death by falling ceased to occur on that
dangerous path. The marks of Do Khyentse, his sword, and his horse are still visible where they imprinted
into rock like it was mud. When the water of the river is low these marks can still be seen.

At one point, Do Khyentse came upon the great master Patrul Rinpoche. Do Khyentse dragged him out of
his tent by his hair, and began to beat him up. Patrul Rinpoche could smell alcohol on Do Khyentse’s breath
and started to have his doubts about him. Do Khyentse read his mind and scolded him for his impure
perception, calling him “Old Dog.” Patrul Rinpoche, amazed at Do Khyentse’s omniscience, recognized his
mistake. In that moment, he had a profound experience of awakening. Afterwards he would sometimes sign
his writing, “Old Dog” in reference to this pivotal experience.

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Do Khyentse’s main disciple was his sister, Losal Drölma.x She was two years younger than he, and was born
to a different father.xi In a very close but highly unconventional relationship, she was also his consort and
life companion, and became the main holder of his lineage (chödag). As highly realized practitioners, they
were not ordinary people and lived much of the time in the visionary dimension.

When Do Khyentse was 23, his other consort Akyong Lhachen gave birth amidst miraculous signs to a
daughter Khaying Drölma (1823-1854) who eventually married the king of Trokyap, but died childless
when she was thirty-two. His first son, named Sherab Mebar (1829-1842), was the incarnation of the first
Dodrubchen,Do Khyentse’s root teacher. Sherab Mebar died at the age of fourteen.xii Do Khyentse’s second
son and lineage holder was Rigpa Raldri (1830 – 1896). Rigpa Raldri was a very close student of Do
Khyentse. Rigpai Raldri was the only child of Do Khyentse to continue his family line.

Although Do Khyentse was born in the Golok region of Tibet, he eventually settled in the area of
Dartsedo,xiii the border town in eastern Tibet where Chinese tea caravans met Tibetans traders and
exchanged goods. Dartsedo was the capital of Chakla, one of the main kingdoms of Kham. The king of
Chakla initially invited Do Khyentse to Dartsedo and from that time on he stayed mainly in the Dartsedo
region with the king as one of his main patrons and students.

The ‘Do’ in Do Khyentse refers to the area around Dartsedo where he spent most of his adult life.
‘Khyentse’ means ‘The One with Omniscience and Compassion,’ which was also one of the names of Jigme
Lingpa and signifies that he is a reincarnation of Jigme Lingpa.

During Jigme Lingpa’s lifetime, students asked him for teachings on Chöd and as part of his terma cycle, the
Longchen Nyingtig, he did reveal a Chöd practice known as Khandro Gejang, “The Bellowing Laughter of
the Dakinis.” He prophesized that in the future there would be an incarnation that would teach a smaller
quantity of termas named Tug Tig and the main focus would be on Chöd. His name would be Yeshe
Dorje.xiv This prediction refers to Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje.

The Revelation of Dzinpa Rangdröl

Do Khyentse’s main legacy was his revelation of the terma cycle Dzinpa Rangdröl.xv The Dzinpa Rangdröl
cycle began to be downloaded to him while he was in union with his sister and consort, Losal Drölma.
While in union, Do Khyentse experienced himself as Dampa Sangye and she experienced herself as Machig
Labdrön. It is as this point that the Dzinpa Rangdröl lineage began to descend to Do Khyentse, who had
already felt a very strong connection to Machig throughout his life and had many visionary experiences of
her.

14
The revelation of Dzinpa Rangdröl came in three phases. There were three visions leading up to its revelation
as a mind terma. This account is taken from Do Khyentse's biography.xvi

First Vision
During Do Khyentse’s visit to Zangri Karmar,xvii the seat of Machig Labdrön, he had a dream. Two red
people, who were riding red horses, told him that he was Töpabhadra. They said that they had come based
on their previous samaya. Then, from the sky, a white woman riding a white mule said that there would be
clear symbolic signs in the future, even though at this time it would not be revealed.

Second Vision
In the dragon year, 1832, in the first month, on Dakini day, at the break of dawn, Machig Labdrön-ma
appeared before Do Khyentse. She was within an expanse of rainbow light in the space in front of him,
surrounded by five Dakinis, together with male and female yogins, who appeared like masses of stars. He
saw her dancing and trembling. The sound of "Hung Phet" roared like a thousand dragons. Then, due to his
previous habit of great reverence and faith in Machig, he prostrated.

She said, “The emanation of Tsogyal is the enlightened-form emanation of Machig. Dualism in my mind-
stream is liberated in its own ground. The four maras of conceptual thought are cut through into basic
space. Being free from all the husks of experiences of emptiness, you enter the blessings of the Great Mother.
You are blessed with the realization of the continuum of enlightened mind.”

Even though Do Khyentse thought that he needed to receive essential instructions on the great hearing
lineage, suddenly the entire retinue dissolved one by one: all the Pawos dissolved into Phadampa of India,
and all the Pamos dissolved into the five Dakinis.

Then Machig said:

“All you beings of fortunate birth, listen undistractedly! The quintessence of the perfect
Buddha’s Second Turning is the realization of Prajñaparamita. Madhyamaka (The Middle
Way) free from elaboration is the great space of emptiness. Having traversed the path of
Mahamudra, the nature of mind, you realize the fruition of Dzog Chen. My special jewel is
the profound Dharma of cutting through (chöd) maras. The path of the four
immeasurablesxviii and the six paramitasxix is based on the indivisibility of emptiness and
compassion.

Through the four great cuttings, the great accumulations of eons are resolved. Taking
sickness as the path, negative circumstances become an aid. Without abandoning samsara,

15
 there is no accomplishment of nirvana. Defeating the four maras into basic space, and being
endowed with the six paramitas, you transcend samsara and realize your own mind to be the
Buddha. This meaning is the unity of the Sutra, Mantra and the Non-dual systems.

I have completely entrusted the general mantra transmission, and oral instructions to the
chief Dakini, Princess Mandarava’sxx emanation, the daughter, Dorje Drönma.xxi So that the
instructions will not degenerate for the time being, when she experienced the time of her
death, I hid this in the expanse of Dechen Karmo’sxxii heart.

As for you, the holder of the Secret Treasury of the Dakini (Khandro Sang Dzöd), eventually,
for the benefit of beings, when the time comes to reveal these appropriate teachings to the
fortunate disciples with a mind of devotion, be skilled in spreading the contents of the vast
kapalaxxiii of the ocean. When you’ve reached the limit of taming beings, I will transfer the
blessing of my enlightened mind-stream’s realization. Having perfected the benefit of beings
with form and without form, when your life is at an end, don’t turn away from samsara. In
you, unelaborated like the sky, the elaborated instructions shine like constellations.

Through embracing your fortunate disciples by inspiring them towards purity from now on,
you become victorious in the battle of maras. You will completely fulfill the hopes of
limitless disciples. Keeper of the mind treasure in the way of secret skillful means, be skillful
in guarding the transmission and conduct of the Dakinis!”

Abiding on the crown of Do Khyentse's head, she gave him the Ka-Tey Entrustment Ceremony.xxiv
He then thought that he should receive empowerment and transmission. Just as he was thinking
this, amrita filled the skull-cup and the brother and sisterxxv experienced drinking from it.

Machig gave Do Khyentse a small crystal with rainbow designs. He saw only a few pages of the texts,
the Hearing Lineage of Great Oral Instructions that Holds the Hands of the Buddhas, and the Ambrosial
Pith Instructions from the Excellent Vase of the Throat.

Machig said, “It will become clear in your mind. Now all the empowerments, transmissions,
teachings, and instructions are spontaneously complete. Do not doubt it.”

Then Machig put the brilliant rainbow crystal in his sister’s hands. Machig said, “Guard and take
care of this well. If you just leave it out like this, those with broken samayas will see the crystal and
can harm it.” So the sister swallowed it.

16
Then Phadampa of India thunderously played the damaruxxvi in his hand. He adopted a swaying,
dancing posture and said,

“Unite cutting through (chöd) and pacifying activity. Be skilled in various auspicious
connections. The apparitions of the minds of the six classes of beings are the delusions of the
six afflictive emotions. When the natural expression of the basic space of dharmakaya is
perfected, grasping to generation and completion is destroyed into ashes. The experience of
great bliss, beyond concepts, beyond reference point, is like a garuda breaking out of its
eggshell. You seize the throne of the basic space of dharmakaya. Later when it is needed, you
will show the signs of Dharma. Brother and Sister, guard this by understanding its
meaning.”

Then as soon as everything faded into rainbow colors, Do Khyentse awoke as from sleep. A
wonderful aroma pervaded his room. Rainbow colors could be seen from the four directions. As it
faded, his sister experienced unfathomable visions. Then having grasped this, he became temporarily
victorious over the enemies of perverted aspirations. And he took up the conduct of the lord of
yogins.

Third Vision
The Third vision took place in Lutang. At this time the whole mind termaxxvii of the Dzinpa Rangdröl was
revealed by Do Khyentse and written down by his heart disciple Dechen Özer.

Dzinpa Rangdröl

The terma cycle revealed to Do Khyentse through these visions, the Dzinpa Rangdröl, is a very complete
path to full liberation in one lifetime. It is a set of Dzogchen practices that are deep, esoteric, inner, and
yogic. From Do Khyentse onwards, this lineage has traditionally been held very secretly. The practices of the
Dzinpa Rangdröl are a complete path that can lead to the rainbow body.

Within the cycle are all the different types of practice that comprise the full Tibetan Buddhist path in the
Nyingma tradition. This includes the preliminary practices of ngöndro (which in this case includes yogic
practices), the deity yoga practices of Tsogyal Karmoxxviii and Tröma,xxix the Six Yogasxxx (Tummo, Illusory
Body, Dream Yoga, Clear Light, Bardo, Phowa), and the Dzogchen preliminaries followed by Trekchö and
Tögal. There are also various other yogic and Dzogchen practices attached to this cycle, including three
main Chöd practices of varying lengths. It is rare to have a terma cycle of such vast profundity that is so
complete and an entire path to liberation in one lifetime.

17
The Tibetan word Dzinpa means to cling or to fixate. Rang means self, innate, or inherent. Dröl means
liberation. As such, the term Dzinpa Rangdröl may be translated as Self Liberation of Clinging, or Inherent
Liberation of Fixation with the idea that fixation or clinging are liberated by themselves in the nature of
mind. It is the core practice of Do Khyentse’s extensive terma cycle, the Yang Sang Khandro Tug Tig (The
Extremely Secret Heart-Essence of the Dakinis).

As mentioned above, the origin of the cycle was based on a request made by Machig Labdrön’s daughter,
Labdül Dorje Drönma in the 11th century. She asked Phadampa Sangye for a Guru Yoga practice for
Machig Labdrön, her mother; his composition was the source of Dzinpa Rangdröl. After that, the Dzinpa
Rangdröl was hidden as a terma and later discovered by Do Khyentse in the 19th century.xxxi

The Dzinpa Rangdröl is unusual because most terma cycles don’t have anything to do with Machig
Labdrön. This particular cycle, however, includes Guru Rinpoche, Machig Labdrön, and Dampa Sangye.
The Dzinpa Rangdröl is also unique in that it has three different Chöd practices, which is also very
uncommon. In these Chöd practices, Machig is an actual presence, which is not usually the case in other
Chöd practices. For example, in Jigme Lingpa’s Chöd practice, Khandro Gejang, Machig isn’t mentioned at
all and the Guru Yoga is concerned with Guru Rinpoche. In the Dzinpa Rangdröl, Machig and Dampa
Sangye pervade the entire cycle.

This highly unusual and complete cycle is very esoteric, and is considered Mother Tantra because it contains
so many yogic elements. The Mother Tantras emphasize yogic practices, perfecting phase practices, and Dzog
Rim completion level practices. It is rare for them to appear in preliminary practices, but they are included
in this Ngöndro. This is quite unusual and contributes to why it hasn’t been widely propagated. Many of
those who are introduced to the Dzinpa Rangdröl cycle realize how incredible it is and practice it secretly
without teaching it openly.

We hope the entire cycle will eventually be completed, established, and propagated by the efforts of the
sangha through the next generations. This is an important moment in terms of establishing the lineage.

There are important connections between Do Khyentse (1800-1866) and Jigme Lingpa (1730-1798) as
well. Do Khyentse is a direct reincarnation of Jigme Lingpa, who is connected to Tara Mandala in other
ways. We are deeply connected to Adzom Rinpoche, an emanation of Jigme Lingpa, who often teaches
from Jigme Lingpa's terma cycle, the Longchen Nyingtig.

These mind-streams have weaved through time and now are arriving here, to this place, in this century, at
this moment when the Dharma is really being established in the West for the first time. This is the first
generation of the Dharma from Tibet being established in the West. We are a part of this weaving.

18
Dzinpa Rangdröl in the West
by Lama Tsultrim Allione

The Dzinpa Rangdröl has traditionally been kept very secret due to its emphasis on esoteric practices. It is
not very widely known nor very widely taught.

The inception of the Dzinpa Rangdröl lineage at Tara Mandala occurred in the summer of 2008. One
evening, while Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche was teaching at Tara Mandala, Rinpoche and I were sitting out
on the back porch of my house. We were watching the sunset, drinking a glass of white wine when I asked
him, “Is there any connection between Machig Labdrön and Dzogchen, since Machig Labdrön is mainly
associated with Mahamudra?”

Rinpoche replied that Machig definitely did have a deep connection with Dzogchen teachings. He
mentioned that Drapa Ngönshe, her first teacher, was a tertön (hidden treasure revealer) and that Machig
received Dzogchen transmissions from him. He was a famous teacher from Dranang valley in central Tibet,
near Machig’s birthplace at the end of the valley.

We then got up and walked into the kitchen where Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche related that there was a
lineage called Dzinpa Rangdröl, which centered around Machig Labdrön, Phadampa Sangye, and
Dzogchen.

When Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche described the Dzinpa Rangdröl, I realized that this was what I had been
waiting for. I spontaneously gathered a red kata,xxxii flowers, and a crystal to create good interdependence and
offered them to him, making a request that he teach the Dzinpa Rangdröl cycle at Tara Mandala. Rinpoche
joyfully agreed, saying that he would teach it in its entirety. The moment the offerings were made to
Rinpoche, he prophesized that Dzinpa Rangdröl would become widely practiced and well known in the
future. Rinpoche said that the Dzinpa Rangdröl was a fantastically precious cycle. He said that it contained a
large amount of inner yogic practices, even in the beginning stages. Because it was so esoteric, often those
who received it would practice it themselves but not teach it to others. They would hold it close to their own
hearts and practice it secretly so that unstable students would not disturb the samaya. Because of this, the
lineage became a thin stream upheld mainly in Bhutan, and in Tibet, in parts of Amdo and Kham.

He mentioned that since he had received it twice from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpochexxxiii in Bhutan and Nepal,
he felt a little sad that he had never taught it fully. He had only taught one of the Chöd practices to his
Shugseb nuns in three year retreat in Nepal; otherwise he hadn’t taught it since receiving the transmission
from Dilgo Khyentse. We stood together leaning across the kitchen counter in the light of the setting sun,
both very joyful, along with the translator Erik Drew, my spiritual daughter Sarah Crocker, and my late

19
husband David Petit. Rinpoche said that he knew that Tara Mandala would be the place to establish Dzinpa
Rangdröl. This was a very moving and auspicious moment for all those present. During our remaining time
with Rinpoche, there were many kinds of rainbows and other positive signs culminating in a double rainbow
at the end of the retreat he was teaching which lasted for more than an hour.

After hearing the name Dzinpa Rangdröl, I remembered having heard the name somewhere before, and
looking around actually found it in my own book, Women of Wisdom. There was a reference to the Dzinpa
Rangdröl Chöd (spelled Zinpa Rangdrol in the bookxxxiv) in the biography of Ayu Khandro. This oral
autobiography was given to Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in Tibet when he was fourteen years old. Much later,
when I was gathering stories for my book, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche had told the story orally in 1983 in
Conway, Massachusetts.

In the book it describes how Ayu Khandro, a yogini from the 19th century, had received the “Yang Sang Tug
Thig, the most secret Dzogchen gongter” and the Dzinpa Rangdröl Chöd from her companion Togden
Semnyi, who was a direct disciple of Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje. In fact, one of Ayu Khandro’s teachers,
Nyala Pema Duddul, who also happened to be a heart disciple of Do Khyentse and a Dzinpa Rangdröl
lineage holder, predicted she would meet Togden Semnyi.

Ayu Khandro traveled around on pilgrimage for years performing the Dzinpa Rangdröl Chöd and
additionally practiced the Dzinpa Rangdröl extensively for a year while she was in Kungpo.xxxv

A few weeks after the initial conversation with Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche, Rinpoche returned to give the
oral transmission (lung) for the entire cycle and taught the preliminary practices (ngöndro) from the Dzinpa
Rangdröl for the first time. He also spoke more about how the Dzinpa Rangdröl terma would find a seat at
Tara Mandala.

In the spring of 2009, Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche returned and gave further transmissions, giving us the five
hour full empowerment (wang) for the Dzinpa Rangdröl cycle. It was the first empowerment to be given in
the nearly completed Tara Temple at Tara Mandala. During the empowerment there were many auspicious
signs. For example, as people were going back and forth to Rinpoche for blessings during the ceremony, a
kapala (ritual skull cup) was knocked off the shrine. It flipped over in the air and then landed upright, still
full! Rinpoche was amazed, and he said he had never witnessed anything like this before. Also, as he called in
each of the five wisdom Dakinis, when the Karma Dakini—representing the element of air – was called in, a
sudden whirlwind came into the room and everyone’s papers flew up in the air. Then at the end of the
empowerment there were many spontaneous songs, dancing erupted and flower petals were thrown into the
air.

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In the summer of 2009, due to Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche’s encouragement, the first extensive White
Dakini Drubchen from the Dzinpa Rangdröl was celebrated at Tara Mandala. Not only the first White
Dakini Drubchen at Tara Mandala, it was the first White Dakini Drubchen in the world that we know of.
There were 165 people present.

To prepare for the Drubchen, Khenpo Ugyen Wangchuk, a ritual master and expert in the sacred arts
connected to Dzinpa Rangdröl, was invited from Bhutan.

A Drubchen (Great Accomplishment) is an extensive ten-day ceremony in which every aspect of Vajrayana
expression and ritual arts are brought forth, including dance, feasting, elaborate tormas (ritual sculpture-
offerings), poetry, and songs. All of these act to transform the ordinary world into a sacred Mandala, the
Vajra world. During a Drubchen, many Lamas and practitioners come together in order to practice
intensively. The combined energy that a Drubchen generates is so powerful that it was said by Mipham
Rinpoche to be equal to three years of solitary retreat. It is a tradition that began in the Dakini land of
Oddiyana at the time of Padmasambhava.

A rotating group recites the mantra throughout the day and night so that it never stops during the ten days.
Every evening a tsog, or ritual feast, is offered along with Lama dances. Elaborate costumes and hats are used
in the Lama Dances each night.

One focus of the Drubchen is empowering certain ritual items enclosed within a 15’ tall, three-dimensional
Mandala. At the end of the Drubchen, the items are removed and all the participants accept the blessings
from these items that have been empowered throughout the ceremonies.

The first Drubchen ended in a double rainbow over the temple and what is called a rain of flowers (a very
light almost imperceptible rain).

In 2010, the Drubchen was performed again less than one month after my husband David Petit is death on
July 22. The signs were even stronger than the previous year’s signs, with vertical column rainbows on the
first day at dawn in the East. During the setting of the boundaries on the first morning, a circular rainbow
formed with mother of pearl formations inside it directly over the Temple. The signs went on for the whole
week. One evening, the sky turned crimson and in almost total darkness a vertical rainbow shot up with
dark colors penetrating the red sky. When the Mandala was opened at the end of the Drubchen, mysterious
nectar was found inside the Mandala under the skull cup. This nectar was bright red like a ruby and tasted
like honey.

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Besides the annual Drubchen, Dzinpa Rangdröl practices go on daily at Tara Mandala and around the world
by connected sangha members. Two people have already finished three year retreats in the cycle and many
people are at various stages of the path of Dzinpa Rangdröl.

22
 Do Khyentse Lineage Thangka
Center: Do Khyentse (holding a sword symbolizing Chöd (cutting through), and it is his symbal
because he always carried a sword.) Below him: Tulku Rangjung (Do Khyentse's grandson, Do
Dasal Wangmo's maternal uncle). Clockwise starting lower left: Tsewang Men (Do Khyentse's
mother), Dakini Losal Drölma (Do Khyentse's sister), Gyalse Rigpa'i Raldri (Do Khyentse's
Son), Sherab Mebar (Do Khyentse's son who died young), Drime Drakpa (reincarnation of
Sherab Mebar, Zilnön Gyepa'i Dorje), Khaying Drölma (Do Khyentse's daughter), and
Tsedzin Wangmo (daughter of Rigpa'i Raldri and mother of Do Dasal Wangmo).

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Dzinpa Rangdröl Lineage

Originating with Do Khyentse, the Dzinpa Rangdröl has been transmitted from one realized master to
another. What follows is a short description of the different lineage holders that the transmission passed
through in order to reach us in the present day.

Lösal Drölma (1802-1861), sometimes called Lösal Wangmo, is referred to in the Dzinpa Rangdröl
Ngöndro as the Dakini. She was Do Khyentse’s sister and his Chö Dag (or Dharma Custodian). She was an
incarnation of Labdül Dorje Drönma, Machig Labdrön’s daughter, as well as an emanation of Tara. Losal
Drölma is currently reincarnated in Kham, Tibet, as Do Dasal Wangmo Rinpoche (b. 1928). Do Dasal
Wangmo is the great-granddaughter of Do Khyentse, and is the last living lineage-holder in the blood-line.

Dechen Rigpa’i Raldri (1830-1896) was the second son of Do Khyentse, and a reincarnation of the son of
Jigme Lingpa. Jigme Lingpa's son, Gyalse Nyinche Özer (the 4th Drikung Chungtsang Tendzin Chökyi
Gyaltsen, 1793-1826), was born from the union of Jigme Lingpa with his consort, Gyalyum Drölkar, when
Jigme Lingpa was 65. Rigpa'i Raldri was his direct reincarnation. Rigpa’i Raldri was a main lineage holder
of Do Khyentse.

Dechen Özer was a close heart student of Do Khyentse and scribe for the termas of Dzinpa Rangdröl. He is
mentioned in the following contexts: in the colophon for Parchangma Chöd (“my dedicated student
Dechen Özer Thaye”), in the colophon for the second protectors practice (“Özer who constantly served
me”), and in the colophon for The Hook that Hooks the Blessing prayer (“my disciple Özer Thaye”), among
other places.

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The Fifth Dzogchen Rinpoche, Thupten Chökyi Dorje (1872-1935)

Thupten Chökyi Dorje. Left: from Masters of Meditation and Miracle, Right: from Brilliant Moon

The Fifth Dzogchen Rinpoche, Thupten Chökyi Dorje, was a close student of Patrül Rinpoche. He was
recognized by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and was also a student of Jamgön Kongtrul Lodro Thaye, and
Khenpo Pema Dorje. He played a key role in transforming the Shri Singha College at Dzog Chen monastery
into one of the most famous institutions of learning in Tibet. He recognized most of the important
Nyingmapa tulkus in eastern Tibet and dedicated his life to raising these tulkus and developing his
monastery.

Khen Sönam Chöpel of Letok, was the Khenpo of Dzog Chen monastery. The abbreviated form of his
name is Khen Sochoe Rinpoche. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche received the Dzinpa Rangdröl “empowerment
and reading transmission” from him when Dilgo Khyentse was quite young (between the age of 10 and 14 if
his autobiography’s chronology is correct).

This is the full account from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche's autobiography:

At that time I met Khen Sochoe Rinpoche from Dzogchen Monastery, who was
returning from a pilgrimage to Central Tibet and Tsang. He told me I had an obstacle
coming and said he would remove it. He gave me the empowerments for the Three Roots
of the Heart Essence of the Great Expanse (Longchen Nyingtig) and the empowerment and
reading transmission for Do Khyentse's profound treasure Self-Liberation of Clinging
(Dzinpa Rangdröl), which Shedrup [Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche's brother] had requested.
He also gave us sacred medicine that had been created at Crystal Cave.xxxvi

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Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (1910-1991)

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was one of the last of the great Lamas to receive their training and complete their
retreats in Tibet. He was an amazing scholar and holder of the Rime (nonsectarian) tradition and spent
twenty-two years in retreat. He composed twenty-two volumes and was a tertön. He was a sage, scholar and
poet, and taught endlessly and never ceased to inspire all who encountered him through his extraordinary
presence, knowledge and humor. Lama Tsultrim received the Dam Ngag Dzöd from Dilgo Khyentse
Rinpoche in 1973 in Tashi Jong, India. The Dam Ngag Dzöd is a long series of empowerments which took
three months to transmit. This included the collection of empowerments from Phadampa Sangye and
Machig Labdrön, which took an entire week.

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Gochen Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche (b. 1952)

Gochen Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche

Gochen Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpochexxxvii was recognized as the sixth incarnation of Gyalwa Gyatso, one of
two incarnations of Drimed Lingpa, by Khyentse Chökyi Lödro Rinpoche. As a young boy, Sang-ngag
Rinpoche studied with his father, Namchak Tashi, learning his family’s tradition of religious rituals and
liturgies, as well as traditional Tibetan medicine. Imprisoned by the Communist Chinese during the
Cultural Revolution, he spent his ten-year incarceration in the company of many great lamas, tulkus, and
scholars, from whom he received further teachings.

Released from prison, he made his way to India and then Nepal. He spent fourteen years serving Kyabje
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche at Shechen Gonpa, where he also served for seven years as vajra master and
professor. Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche received the Dzinpa Rangdröl lineage from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
Gochen Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche is the founder and spiritual director of Ewam International Centers
around the world.

27
Other Dzinpa Rangdröl Connections

Do Dasal Wangmo (b. 1928)

Do Dasal Wangmo taking a pulse

Do Dasal Wangmo is the great-granddaughter of Do Khyentse, the last in the family lineage of Do
Khyentse. She holds both the disciple lineage and the family lineage stemming from Do Khyentse. She has
been a tertön since childhood and received many termas from Gesar of Ling. She burned most of her termas
as soon as she wrote them, saying there are enough termas in the world. However, she still had to write them
down because if she didn’t she would have extreme pain in her upper back and chest. Lama Dorde, her close
disciple, has a few of her termas that she allowed him to keep. Her mother Tsedzin Wangmo (1894-1953)
was the daughter of Do Khyentse’s son, Rigpa’i Raldri. Her father was a long haired yogi. She was raised by
her mother and maternal uncles, Gyepa’i Dorje and Tulku Rangdröl. She has lived her life as a Tibetan
doctor and rarely teaches Dharma and then only at the behest of Zenkar Rinpoche. She is highly revered by
the lineage lamas. She summers at Dzog Chen Monastery and winters in Dartsedo where she is the doctor
for the Tibetan college.

Do Dasal Wangmo gave Lama Tsultrim and Ösel Dorje the Entrustment Ceremony (Tib. bka’ gtad,
pronounced Ka-Tey) for all of Do Khyentse’s termas (Tug Tig), something she has only given a few times in
her life. This took place November 23, 2010 in Dartsedo (Chinese: Kangding) in her apartment at the
Sichuan Tibetan School where she is the school doctor. She is an ordained nun and a famous Tibetan
doctor. Karzang Rinpoche of Dzog Chen Gompa said that if Ani Dasal stays at Dzog Chen it is such a great
blessing; she doesn’t need to do anything, just her presence is enough to bestow blessings.

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Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche (b. 1938)

Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche

Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche is a Dzog Chen master who received the Dzinpa Rangdröl from Khenpo Yonten
Gonpo, also known as Khenpo Gonri. Do Dasal Wangmo, the great-granddaughter of Do Khyentse also
received the Dzinpa Rangdröl from Khenpo Yonten Gonpo.

In addition, he also received the Dzinpa Rangdröl from Ayu Khandro, who had received it from Nyala
Pema Duddul. Nyala Pema Duddul was Do Khyentse’s heart student and he took rainbow body in 1872.
Ayu Khandro also received the Dzinpa Rangdröl from the great yogi Togden Semnyi.xxxviii Namkhai Norbu
Rinpoche consecrated the Nyala Pema Duddul stupa for which he gave many important relics at Tara
Mandala on 9/9/99.

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Adzom Paylo Rinpoche (b. 1971)

Adzom Paylo Rinpoche in Tibet

Adzom Paylo Rinpoche is also deeply connected to Dzinpa Rangdröl. Rinpoche is the extraordinary
reincarnation of Pema Wangyal, the son of Adzom Drukpa Drodul Pawo Dorje.xxxix Adzom Drukpa Pawo
Dorje was a heart disciple of Do Khyentse and was given his lineage to propagate. Adzom Paylo Rinpoche is
also an emanation of Jigme Lingpa. Do Khyentse was a reincarnation of Jigme Lingpa. This further links
Adzom Paylo Rinpoche with the Dzinpa Rangdröl.

Remarkably, in dreams and visions, Adzom Paylo Rinpoche has received extensive commentaries on Dzinpa
Rangdröl from Nyala Pema Duddul.

Long before Dzinpa Rangdröl arrived at Tara Mandala, in 1994, Nyala Pema Duddul appeared to Lama
Tsultrim three times in one night, and asked her to build a stupa dedicated to him at Tara Mandala. When
Adzom Rinpoche first came to Tara Mandala, in the summer of 1999, the stupa was nearing completion
and he placed the termas of Nyala Pema Duddul into the stupa.

When Lama Tsultrim mentioned Adzom Paylo Rinpoche’s name to Do Dasal Wangmo she brought her
hands together at her heart and began to pray, saying he is a very great Lama.

We make prayers of aspiration that someday Adzom Paylo Rinpoche will teach the commentaries that he
received on Dzinpa Rangdröl in dreams and visions from Nyala Pema Duddul as well as continuing Jigme
Lingpa’s Longchen Nyingtig at Tara Mandala.

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Introduction: Before the Practice

Classifications of Tantric Sadhanas According to the Vajrayana

This section is based on a transcription of Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche's first teachings on Dzinpa Rangdröl,
summer 2008

The Yanas

The Vajrayana is known as the Vajra Fruitional Vehicle because it deals primarily with the realizational state;
the other Yanas (Sutrayana and Mahayana), deal with a gradual path.

As the highest Yana, the teachings of the Vajrayana themselves are divided into the outer and inner Tantras.
There are four outer Tantras and the three inner Tantras of Maha Yoga, Anu Yoga, and Ati Yoga. This
practice cycle of the Dzinpa Rangdröl deals with luminosity or ösel in Tibetan. Ösel is the primary topic of
Ati Yoga and is the highest yoga, or the exceptional yoga. Within Ati Yoga, the classifications can be further
demarcated into the outer, inner, secret, and exceedingly secret levels.

There are two names that are used for this cycle. First, is the Ati Tug Tig, which translates as the Heart
Essence of Ati. The second name is Yang Sang Khandro Tug Tig, or the Exceedingly Secret Heart Essence of the
Dakinis. These are Nyingtig cycles; Nyingtig means Heart Essence or Heart Drop.

In the title Yang Sang Khandro Tug Tig, the term Khandro, meaning Dakini, is connected with Yeshe
Tsogyal. The fundamental connection is with the realization of the Dakini. We have the Vima Nyingtig, we
have the Chetsun Nyingtig, but all are included in the Khandro Nyingtig.

The yang sang cycle of teachings means the exceptionally secret cycle of teachings, which identifies this
teaching as belonging to the pinnacle of all the Tantric approaches.

The Classification of Letters

Another way to classify the Vajrayana teachings is according to Letters: Turquoise, Golden, and Ruby
Letters. The Dzinpa Rangdröl is from the Golden Letters of Dzog Chen. Thus all the practices within the
Yang Sang Khandro Tug Tig are considered part of the Golden Letters classification. This is considered the
ultimate Dzog Chen.

The fundamental gist of this style of approach is to first be introduced to the Dzog Chen view. Armed with
a view of Dzog Chen, we bring that style into the Tantric practice of the Chöd, the practice of severance of

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ego, and other tantric practices.

This approach is considered to be an enhancement for the view, the factor that facilitates greater confidence
in action. It helps to undermine the nest of hope and fear. So it is a backup practice to bring about an
enhancement in the Dzog Chen view.

Combining the Yogic and Tantric Perspectives

In the commentaries on the Longchen Nyingtig teachings, it says one should not look at the generation stage
practices in the Longchen Nyingtig in the same way that we would look at the Maha Yoga perspective of the
generation stage. We relate to it very differently. We don't simply focus on the characteristics but we remain
in the View. So the View is the dominant factor in the Ati Yoga perspective. This is a Yogic way of
generating the deity.

There is a saying in the Rigdzin Dupa, which means the Assembly of the Vidyadharas, or the knowledge
awareness holders:

With unfabricated intrinsic awareness, empty and luminous, within the immediacy of that there is
appearance and emptiness. The spontaneously present clarity of that brings forth the display of primordial
purity, dagpa rabjam, or the unfolding of primordial purity.

The way that the mandala and the deity are generated is very different from the typical Tantric method. The
Tantric method is that the deity is generated from the top of the head, down the body, and ending with the
feet. In this sadhana, the mandala and the deity are generated from the view of primordial purity, which is
kadag. We have the expression of the dynamic spontaneous presence, or lhundrub. The mandala is generated
through the power of spontaneous presence. Instead of producing the mandala from top to bottom, we are
viewing one that is spontaneously present and complete in the immediacy of primordial purity.

Emptiness is not completely empty. Emptiness gives birth to the expanse of purity through its own
dynamic, called the tsal. That’s the ultimate understanding in the Ati Yoga generation stage. It is
spontaneously accomplished through its own dynamic.

Dzinpa Rangdröl, Self-Liberation from Fixation, is the title of the cycle and it gets to the very root of its
ultimate meaning. If there is no fixation—if fixation is self-liberated—then the very basis for cyclic existence
and nirvana has been undermined. The whole thing has been undone; the root has been dealt with. The
term Dzinpa Rangdröl means that all the causes of the three realms of cyclic existence are eradicated. The full
spectrum of all those causes which constitute cyclic existence are completely undone. Fixation and clinging is

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the mother of all cyclic existence. All varieties of birth depend on it. It gives birth to everything in cyclic
existence, which comes down to fixation and clinging.

There is a term that appears in the teachings of Machig Labdrön: chingwa, which means to wrap around, or
to bind. But it also means how a vine wraps around, or how a snake would wrap around something. It is to
entwine or to wrap around something, and also has the connotation of being bound.

Machig talks about being bound, caught up, or wrapped up in the object. The substantial object becomes an
obstructing one. She also talks about being bound, caught up or wrapped up in the subject. Machig presents
the profound view of Chöd to forcefully cut through those subject-object bonds.

That is one approach: to take the hands-on, direct, forceful approach of just cutting. Tsen thab su means to
actually forcefully do that. Not just to wait for it but to actually stomp on it, in a sense.

There are different ways to approach the understanding that fixation is the very root of cyclic existence. If
we intend to undo the bondage of ching, of being wrapped up, we can use the forceful, hands-on, and
complete approach of immersion. This means adopting whatever arises onto the path to enlightenment. In
Tibetan this is called lam kyer, or taking onto the path. We can prepare ourselves for transformation in a
kind of mechanical way, bringing materials together. This is more of a ritualistic and also external approach.
Jorwa means “getting different conditions together.” We bring these things onto the path through
portraying them in ritual. We cut through fixation through external efforts. That’s called ching chöd: to cut
through the bonds.

Another approach called rangdröl is not so active. Rangdröl means self-liberated. There is a different notion
and style here. It is the understanding that everything is self-liberated in its own place. In its own
immediacy, it is self-liberated, and that is its true condition. The essential mode of abiding in cyclic existence
is free of any kind of elaborations or fabrications. Having that insight into the true condition of cyclic
existence gives one the possibility to just simply be and let what arises self-liberate in its own immediacy. It
is free of the dualistic notion of needing to cut through something,

It is important to differentiate between the two terms: ching chöd, or cutting through the bonds, and
rangdröl, or self-liberation. The ching chöd approach, that hands-on style, is really aligned with the Vajrayana
(or secret mantra) approach. It is a Tantric approach, fundamentally, of bringing all phenomena onto the
path of enlightenment, lam kyer.

Whereas letting the bonds self-liberate in their own place—rang shar dröl—is in line with the Mahamudra
and the Dzog Chen style of approach. There is a saying in Dzog Chen which says, “Not abandoning

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anything, there is self-liberation.” We could correctly identify the Dzinpa Rangdröl cycle of teachings as
being the Dzog Chen style, the self-liberating style. That state of self-liberation, rangdröl, is nothing other
than Nirvana. Self-liberation is Nirvana.

There is nothing omitted in these teachings. All of the key points for liberating Samsara and Nirvana are
found within this cycle of teachings. Developing a thorough understanding of the title here reflects the
importance of maintaining clarity about why we are doing this practice.

The Dzinpa Rangdröl lineage cycle offers an entire path to enlightenment. The Ngöndro, or foundational
practices, is the first part of this path.

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The Practice of Ngöndro
Homage and Preliminary Guru Yoga

Before we begin, in all our sessions, we should develop the motivation of bodhicitta. Before we do the
visualization, we should stop for a moment. Even though we will do a whole bodhicitta section later on in
the Ngöndro, it is still important to cultivate bodhicitta in the very beginning. Not doing this is like putting
poison in a vase. If we don’t have bodhicitta while we are practicing, our practice is corrupted by the eight
worldly concerns. These are praise and blame, fame and bad reputation, happiness and suffering, gain and
loss. We should try to not have our practice affected by the eight worldly concerns. The development of
bodhicitta in the beginning will help eliminate those. We might think that our practice is not tainted by the
eight worldly concerns, but if we reflect honestly, we might be surprised. Maybe we are really practicing to
become happy or to become famous somehow. Also, our distracting thoughts often turn to these eight
worldly concerns. The generation of bodhicitta is the natural protection from that. If we have bodhicitta
and we are thinking about doing this for the benefit of all beings, the eight worldly concerns are naturally
eliminated.

The Eight Worldly concerns, according to HH Dalai Lama, in the book Living Wisdom with His Holiness
The Dalai Lama (Sounds True, 2006), are:

1. Attachment to getting and keeping material things.

2. Aversion to not getting material things or being separated from them.
3. Attachment to praise, hearing nice words, and feeling encouraged.
4. Aversion to getting blamed, ridiculed, and criticized.
5. Attachment to having a good reputation.
6. Aversion to having a bad reputation.
7. Attachment to sense pleasures in general.
8. Aversion to unpleasant experiences.

Homage

The Ngöndro liturgy begins with paying homage and the other necessary preparations for undertaking
practice which are found in most Ngöndros. For example, we adopt the correct posture; there is an
awareness of body, speech, and mind; we generate the mental qualities of faith, respect, and devotion.

Homage to Space (Samantabhadri) Awareness (Samantabhadra),

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This homage is really the homage of the immediacy of the View; again we see the Dzog Chen View here and
the very high level of understanding right at the beginning.

Here, Space is represented by Samantabhadri and Awareness, or rigpa, is represented by Samantabhadra.

We’re paying homage to space and awareness. Samantabhadri, the primordial female Buddha, is the ground
of being. Samantabhadra is the recognition of the ground of being. The non-dual experience of that which
is recognized and the one who recognizes it is the union of Samantabhadra and Samantabhadri, which
represents the non-dual state of being. They are primordially unified. Right at the beginning of this
Ngöndro we have the Dzog Chen View. We are paying homage in the immediacy of the View; which is the
supreme homage. There is nothing other than that, so there is nothing else to which we pay homage.

After we pay homage in the immediacy of the View, we move onto Kye Rim (the Generation Stage of deity
practice), and after that we generate devotion. There is the recognition of the unity of Samantabhadri and
Samantabhadra, and a knowing that what is there in this union of space and awareness has always been
there.

There is a Dzog Chen prayer called The Prayer of Samantabhadraxl—which we do at Tara Mandala on the
Solstices—and it talks about one ground, two paths, and two results. The two paths are either the path of
samsara or the path of Samantabhadra, which is recognition. The one ground refers to the ground of being
which is Samantabhadri. Our consciousness either recognizes or fails to recognize the essential union with
the ground of being. If the consciousness perceives its’ own radiation, which is all the phenomenal world, as
inseparable from itself, there is liberation. If the consciousness experiences the radiation—the play of
appearances—as separate, it takes the path of samsara.

Separation seeks to resolve itself by constantly going the wrong way into dualism. This results in the
ongoing creation of karma. We’ve been moving away from the ground of being, getting involved in our
complicated life stories, in not only this life but also in previous lives. We have been going outside rather
than returning to union with the ground of being. Essentially, the path is the process of returning to the
union of Samantabhadra and Samantabhadri. So right at the outset of this Ngöndro, we pay Homage to this
non-duality.

From the Exceedingly Secret Heart Seminal Essence of the Dakini,

As noted above, the practice cycle of Dzinpa Rangdröl is referred to as either the Khandrö Tug Tig (Heart-
Mind Seminal Essence of the Dakini) or the Yang Sang Khandrö Tug Tig (Exceedingly Secret Seminal Heart
Essence of the Dakini). Both titles contain the word tig which is short for tigle. In this context, the word

36
means essence, yet it has different meanings in other contexts. The broad range of meanings is revealed in the
following definition of tigle from the Rangjung Yeshe Dictionary:

thig le - 1) spheres or circles, drop, dot, spot, ring, nimbus, circle, zero, bindu, center, The red
and white essences. 2) dot over a letter representing the anusvara. 3) colored mark on the
forehead between the eyes. 4) semen. seminal point. the nucleus or seed of the enlightened
mind, white and red seminal fluids of the physical body, seminal points of light; sperm, vital
essence - sphere. bindu; sphere (of being); drop; tiny sphere, essence, bindu; tika, tilaka, essence;
sphere.

The Preliminary Practices for the stages of practice.

Ngöndro is indispensable to the stages of practice that come after. To understand the importance of this
foundation, imagine that you are going to work. Before you go to work, you need to prepare: you need to
get up, have breakfast, put on your clothes, do your chores, etc. Just as you need to prepare to go to work,
you need to spend time preparing for the main part of your sadhana (the yidam practice); this preparation is
the Ngöndro practice.

In your practice sessions, first you need to develop the proper motivation for undertaking your practice. The
most important thing is motivation. As mentioned above, if the motivation is not there, then your practice
becomes like putting poison in a cup. If you practice with the eight worldly concerns in your mind, then
your practice becomes corrupted.

Thus, the right motivation is important to cultivate at the beginning of your practice.

Adopt the Seven-Point Posture of Vairocana.

Before you begin Ngöndro, you sit, if you can, in full lotus. If you can’t sit in full lotus, or if you are sitting
in a chair, keep your feet flat or in the open posture with one foot in front of the other. The back is straight
and your vertebrae are stacked one upon the other like a stack of gold coins. In the Dzog Chen form of this
seven-point posture, your hands are on your knees. Your eyes are raised and focused slightly above the
horizon and unmoving. The shoulders are back. The neck is in a crook, like a shepherd’s crook, so there is a
slight tug at the base of the skull. The tongue is touching the palate.

Breathe in a relaxed way; this reflects the mind. If the mind is relaxed and natural, it is suitable for entering
meditation.

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Powerfully generate all three kinds of faith.

In the preparation instruction, it says that we should give rise to the three types of faith. It is very important
to put a lot of energy into generating faith.

1. First, there is aspiring faith.

2. Then there is desirous faith, or yearning faith.
3. Then there is the irreversible faith: conviction that arises thorough experience.

Out of those three, it is best to have stabilized, irreversible faith, the faith of conviction. Otherwise, if we
have a mood swing, or lung tsug tsug (this means windy in Tibetan), then we get ruffled and our faith is not
sturdy. Another word, puzhima, means a hysterical, flaky faith, in which your hair is standing on end and
you’re in tears exclaiming how wonderful the teachings are. The next day, it has all fallen apart because
things haven't gone quite right. Puzhima is a dramatic, drama-queen style of faith.

Whether things are good or bad, our faith should be stable. Otherwise, if things are hard, then we feel
discouraged and our progress may reverse from there. If things are easy, then we might feel, “Oh, it is the
blessings of the Guru,” and be elated. Instead, we should have the third type of faith, the faith of conviction
which is not subject to the winds of change.

Faith doesn't happen of its own accord. In the beginning, the cultivation of faith seems to rely on causes and
conditions which stimulate faith and devotion. We need to initially encounter those things that inspire our
faith. One of the ways that we can begin to stir up our faith is to engage in the supplication which is after
the Preliminary Guru Yoga.

To begin, we sit properly and generate the three kinds of faith. Aspiring faith is the longing for the teachings
and aspiring to understand them. Yearning faith is experienced as a heartfelt connection, but it is still not
very stable. Irreversible faith comes out of our own experience. It is unshakeable because it is our own
experience.

So, we sit for a while until we actually begin to generate the three kinds of faith. We try to do that within
the state of non-duality, of Samantabhadra-Samantabhadri in union. This is the unity that has always been
there; it is just a question of whether or not we recognize it.

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Preliminary Guru Yoga

The purpose of practicing Guru Yoga is to engage the blessings of the Lama. Usually, the Guru Yoga doesn’t
come until later in the sadhana, but here in the Root Text of this Ngöndro, there is a short Guru Yoga at the
very beginning.

The Guru is considered to be the embodiment of all enlightened beings and all the refuges. We take to heart
all the enlightened qualities of the Guru to whom we supplicate and then we make prayers. It is said in the
teachings that one should see the Guru as being equivalent to the Buddhas in terms of their qualities, but
beyond them in terms of their kindness. There is this understanding because we have the ability to connect
directly with Gurus; they are directly involved with us, which makes them even kinder than the Buddhas.

In this section we can also reflect upon the fact that in the past, there have been enlightened beings like the
Buddha, Guru Rinpoche, or Machig Labdrön who were here to help us become realized. Despite their
presence, we didn't become enlightened because we went astray in dualistic pursuits. Now we contemplate
that this is our great opportunity. We can see that the Guru is holding us with loving-kindness and
showering us with profound instructions. We should really appreciate that right now we have this
opportunity for liberation.

We can certainly express our devotion to our Guru when we have a real heartfelt appreciation for them.
Patrul Rinpoche said, “Supplications bereft of devotion are meaningless.” There is nothing in them.

There are two types of Lamas, or Gurus. There is the Lineal Guru, who holds the lineage, and there is the
Root Guru. In order to make sense of this, first we need to understand what lineage means.

We have our lineage, the Dzinpa Rangdröl, which has come down to us at this moment in time. In a larger
sense there are three fundamental lineages: First, there is the Dharmakaya lineage of the mind-to-mind
transmission of the enlightened beings, or the Victorious Ones. Secondly, there is the symbolic lineage of
the Vidyadharas, or the awareness holders. And finally, there is what is known as the “whispered lineage,” or
oral lineage transmitted by humans. Dzinpa Rangdröl is an oral lineage.

Sometimes, we might hear that there are nine or four lineages rather than three. Yet regardless of how we
decide to categorize, we can see the Dzinpa Rangdröl as a long lineage that is like a rosary (or mala), with
each bead (or teacher) in that mala being connected to another in an unbroken sequence, which comes
down to us from person to person.

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The Root Guru (or Tsawai Lama) is the Guru with whom we actually come into contact in the long
succession of Gurus in the lineage. The Root Guru is the one that we have an interaction with at the end of
that lineage. This is the one that we meet and form a relationship with.

The term Root in Root Guru is a direct reference to the Three Roots: the Lama, Yidam, and Dakini. In
Tantric practice, we take refuge in these three roots, and the Root Guru is the direct living embodiment of
all three of these. The Root Guru is the final arrival place of all that is one’s own mind: the ultimate
destination.

If we want to realize our true nature as Buddha, we need to see the Lama as Buddha. If we want to see the
Lama as the Buddha, we need to take to heart all of the great qualities of the lineal Gurus: the Gurus of our
lineage.

Paradoxically, only when we realize our own mind to be none other than the Buddha are we able to fully
appreciate the Lama as Buddha. We will be one with the Lama; our minds will be inseparable. The
preeminent method to bring about realization of our own mind as the Buddha and to identify the Lama as
the Buddha is to meditate on the Lama as the Buddha. That's the most efficacious method for bringing that
about.

In fact, we wouldn’t even need to meditate if we simply saw the Lama as the Buddha. Then we’ve come that
much closer to seeing and realizing that our own being is the Buddha.

Finally, when we see the Lama as the Buddha, then we will see ourselves as inseparable with the Lama: we
will be the Buddha also. Then we’ll arrive at the pinnacle point of the full completion of the Vajrayana.
That's the final arrival point. We could say, “Well, seeing the Buddha, or looking at the Buddha, or
realizing/actualizing…whatever. That’s it. Right there.” Full identification with the Guru is the ultimate
pinnacle of realization in the Vajrayana.

Now we are at the time when we really need to engage in that practice of meditating, contemplating the
Lama as being the Buddha and none other than the Buddha. The moment is right now.

If we don't actually see the Lama as the Buddha, then we need to superimpose the visualization of the
Buddha on the Lama. We do this because we didn't spontaneously see the Lama as a Buddha, and thus we
need to bolster our faith and get rid of the critical attitude. The Buddha is considered the universal ideal:
completely faultless and universally recognized as showing all of the supreme qualities of human perfection.
There is no critical vision with regards to the Buddha, and we need to see the Lama in the same way. If we
see the Lama as a little too human, then that could interfere with the unfolding of our faith.

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The main point of the Vajrayana is to have this pure outlook, the pure vision of all phenomena. Right now
we’re most likely stuck in the impure vision of phenomena, locked into it. We need to overcome our
habitual tendency to see things in an impure way and cultivate pure vision. When we talk about pure vision,
what we are referring to is to see the manifestations of the world as the play of light and all beings as dakinis
and dakas.

Cultivating this pure vision is very important. We should see the Lama as being none other than the
Buddha. In addition, not only does our pure vision relate to the Lama, but also to all phenomena. We
should have a pure vision of ourselves, and we should see ourselves as the deity. In addition, we should see
our location not in an ordinary way but as a pureland, a Buddha field. If we have this kind of pure vision,
everything will take care of itself.

In the supplication liturgy, it reads: “the supreme three,” or “the main three.” This refers to the fact that
Vajradhara is the Three Jewels incarnate: the Sangha, the Dharma, and the Buddha. Vajradhara’s body is the
supreme jewel of the Sangha, the assembly of practitioners; Vajradhara’s speech is the teachings of the
Dharma; Vajradhara’s mind is the enlightened Buddha. The Three Jewels are there, in this single
embodiment.

On a deeper level, one can see Vajradhara as the Lama embodied, as one's own root Guru; the speech of the
Lama is the Yidam, the meditational deity; and the mind of the Lama is the Dakini.

Speech is the activity of the mantra recitation, of the approach and the accomplishment of the deity. In
Tibetan, the word deity translates as yidam: yid means our mentality, our mind, and dam means to bind it.
With the recitation of the approach and the accomplishment mantras of the yidam, we bind the mind from
distraction to purity. Mantra is the tool that does this binding.

At this point, we might ask, “Why is the Lama’s mind the Dakini?” The Lama’s mind is the Dakini because
the mind is essentially empty, which is like the sky. Different terms are used to refer to this emptiness: the
Sky of the Great Mother, yum kha; the Sky of the Dharmadhatu; and the Sky of Emptiness, the nature of
the mind. The Tibetan word is Khandro, or Dakini. Kha means sky, in all of these different ways. One way
it is described is that the Dakini, the skygoer, flies through the expanse of the Dharmadhatu (basic space, or
the Dharmata, suchness, depending on the text). She is the intrinsic awareness and primordial wisdom that
flies through the space of the true condition. Because this intrinsic awareness, primordial wisdom, flies
through the sky of the Dharmadhatu, they are thus known as sky-goers, or Khandro.

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An even deeper view of this is to understand that the mind is empty. That emptiness is not a flat, blank,
nihilistic emptiness, but it is filled with bliss. It is in a state of unity. That unity of emptiness and bliss is the
definitive primordial wisdom Dakini. That's the correct identification. That's where we should correctly
seek the Dakini. She's also known as the mother who gives birth to bliss and emptiness, or the union of bliss
and emptiness.

But generally speaking, the feminine is related to emptiness, or the mother, which is wisdom. The essence of
wisdom is the mother, or the feminine aspect. Any kind of apparent phenomena—clarity, bliss, form,
luminosity—is the masculine aspect. It is called upaya or skillful means. The gist of the Vajrayana is to unite
this skillful means with wisdom. When skillful means and wisdom are united, there is also the unity of
clarity and emptiness, or the unity of bliss and emptiness.

In the refuge supplication, it refers to “the three Roots, the three Kayas.” As discussed above, the mind of
the Guru is the Dakini, the Great Mother. The mind, in this sense, has different qualities: the essence of the
mind is emptiness. The nature of that emptiness is luminosity. These two together create a resonating
unhindered concern for all sentient beings, represented in the Lama as the embodiment of the three kayas:
Dharmakaya, Sambogakaya, and Nirmanakaya,

It is important to note that this empty essence, the nature of which is clarity, and the resonating concern/all-
encompassing compassion can be identified in one's own being. This is of utmost significance. Our nature is
empty and our essence is empty. There is no difference in the quality of the Guru's emptiness and our own
emptiness. They are exactly equivalent. In that state of emptiness, in the ground of being, all the Buddhas
are the same. It is very crucial to view all the refuges as one's own being.

This brings up the question of why we are supplicating in the first place. If the Buddhas can be identified as
our own being, then why aren't we on the refuge tree? The reason is, as it is said in the Root Tantras, that
even though we have a Buddha nature, it is temporarily defiled or obscured. If we were to remove that
obscuration, we would be Buddhas. The only difference is that temporary defilement which obscures us.
How does it obscure us? It obscures us like water mixed with dirt. What we are doing when we are engaging
in the preliminary practice, the Ngöndro, is removing these temporary obscurations. We are extracting the
pure water out of the mud. We're separating out the impurities.

If we were to process dirty water, we would first need to separate it: extract it, put it in a tank, put it through
some gravel. There are different levels of refinement that that water has to go through. It doesn't happen all
at once. We put it through the gravel, then through the sand, then through the ceramic filters, and then
finally we have purified water. So there is a whole process. So we could think of the Ngöndro practice as

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being the same; we are going through this process which will help us extract our purified Buddha nature out
of the obscurations.

The process of purification is parallel to purifying water. We start with the vilest part of it: the gross muck
that's in the water, the coarser aspect, the more obvious part. This corresponds to the first obscuration,
which are our conflicting emotions: these toxic emotions are what we are addressing at the very beginning.

Once we’ve done the first stage of purification, if we look at the water, it might seem like it is pure. But if
we have a microscope, we will see that there are still some organisms in there and there is still some dirt in
the water. So while the obvious impurities are gone, the more subtle obscurations are still there. These are
the obscurations that hinder our ability to clearly comprehend reality.

The Ngöndro develops as a progression. First, the practice addresses the grosser aspects, the more tangible
problems. Then we become more and more refined in terms of what we're trying to purify. The last stages
of that kind of refined purification involve the subtle obscurations that prevent us from understanding the
nature of reality. It starts off with gross confusion and emotional drama and so on, and then it goes down to
refining the realization of reality, which will purify the last vestiges of any obscuration.

It starts off with the emotions and karma—sometimes karma and emotions are lumped together because
they're very similar—and then we graduate into the bodhisattva practices of refining our being and getting
closer to the subtle view of reality. If we look at the Bodhisattva Bhumis, we can see the progression from the
more gross aspects of the problem to the more refined.

Stages of Refinement as the Practice Develops

First Stage Gross Aspects Sravakas and Pratyekas: purifying the emotions and karma
(gross confusion)
Second Finer Bodhisattva practices: acquiring more of the subtle view of
Stage reality
Third Stage Very Fine Vajrayana practices: purifying the very fine obscuration. The
pinnacle is complete identification of oneself with Buddha.

The Sravakas and the Pratyekas are those who’ve overcome the grosser level of obscuration, the more
tangible aspects. They have disciplined their conflicting emotions. But even so, they haven't really
understood the true nature of reality, so the refined obscurations are still left. Those who are bodhisattvas go
further; they engage in the practice of eradicating these more subtle obscurations. At the pinnacle of

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Vajrayana, we’ve completely identified ourselves with Buddha. We’ve eradicated the very fine obscurations
that prevent us from comprehending reality properly.

The whole process is called tsog jyang and is to accumulate and refine or purify. In Ngöndro, we're
accumulating merit and wisdom, and refining the obscurations. In order to do this, we prostrate, which
purifies the obscurations created through the body. We also say the mantras, the different refuge formulas,
and so on, and engage in the practice of Vajrasattva. These activities purify our speech. We purify our mind
by engaging in in-depth meditation (in Tibetan, tingnezin or in Sanskrit, samadhi), and creating the vision
of the deity.

In addition, in the Ngöndro practice, we are also accumulating merit, as in the Mandala Offering. Merit is
accumulated in various ways and through different avenues of our being. But fundamentally, the practice of
Ngöndro is really a thorough purification process. It is all about purification.

Visualization

At this point, when we start the Preliminary Guru Yoga, we are visualizing ourselves as a white-yellow
Dakini. She’s white with a yellowish tinge, perhaps because there is an influence of the Ratna family and
Prajna Paramita. We are wearing precious jewels and silks. This is another indication of the specialness of
this Ngöndro. Normally we would never see ourselves as the deity at this point in the practice. But already
we are seeing ourselves as the Dakini here and we do all the Contemplations as the Dakini. When we form
the visualization in front of us, we also form the visualization of ourselves as the White Dakini. Then we do
the Supplication as her.

As the Dakini, our left leg is extended and our right leg is tucked up in the dancing posture. We hold the
curved knife (trigug) at our right hip and the skullcup (kapala) is held aloft in the left hand. This is an
offering mudra: the offering of the skullcup.

We visualize ourselves as the Dakini and then supplicate the Lama as Vajradhara. In the sky in front of us,
on a lion throne is the Guru in the form of Tsokye Dorje. Tsokye Dorje is the form of Guru Rinpoche as
Vajradhara. Guru Rinpoche had eight manifestations and Tsokye Dorje is one of them. Tsokye Dorje is
dark blue in color, like the autumn sky. He is seated in the lotus posture and has his arms crossed,xli holding
in his right hand a vajra and in his left he is holding a bell.

Tsokye Dorje is in yab-yum (or union), with Yeshe Tsogyal. She is red in color. She is seated face-to-face
with Tsokye Dorje, on his lap, with her legs wrapped around his waist. In her right hand she is holding aloft
a curved knife, a trigug, and in her left hand is a skull cup, a kapala filled with blood. We can’t really see the

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hand that’s holding the trigug as it is behind his neck. There is blue peaceful amrita in the kapala, it may be
because it is peaceful; a wrathful kapala holds blood.xlii

This can also be understood as being in essence Dampa Sangye and Machig Labdrön. Here, we contemplate
that all the lineal Gurus of the Dzinpa Rangdröl tradition are contained this union of Guru Rinpoche and
Yeshe Tsogyal. Everything is embodied in this single Yab-Yum manifestation.

In this practice, we don’t need to have the elaborate visualization of all of the lineal Gurus in front of us, one
on top of the other. This elaborate method of visualization is called the stack method. Instead, we have a
single unified figure, Yab-Yum, in what is known as the kundu norbu lug, or the jewel that embodies them
all. This is the method we use to take refuge: the single manifestation of Guru Rinpoche—as Vajradhara—
united with Yeshe Tsogyal.

Here Tsokye Dorje is Vajradhara which is a Dharmakaya level deity, which means it is the formless level of
awakening that he is representing. It is this union of recognition and the ground of being shown in the
union of blue Tsokye Dorje and the red color of the consort. This also represents the lineage, so there is a
sense of this union being your Root Teacher. Those two figures embody the whole lineage up until your
Root Teacher.

The lineage has been described as like an electrical cord that has all these links on it, the different light bulbs
coming down through history. The present one is the one that we can see. If that cord is broken at any
point, we don’t have the lineage. So there is an electric force coming through the cord, being transmitted to
us through time.

The final location of this transmission is in one’s own mind, which is emptiness and natural clarity. The
Guru’s mind and one’s own mind are actually the same if we relate to our own true nature. Here we see that
in front of us.

Keeping the clear vision of ourselves as the Dakini with Tsokye Dorje in union with his consort in the sky
in front, let’s take a look at the beginning of the practice.

Recite:
E MA HO:

This is an exclamation of delight, the delight with which we begin our practice. There is already this feeling
of celebration coming out of your union of Samantabhadri and Samantabhadra, as well as the faith that you
have generated. The exclamation here reflects this feeling.

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Dün khar ja ö gurkhyim ü:
In the sky in front in the center of a tent of rainbow light,
Seng tri pema nyi da’i teng:
On top of a lion throne on a lotus, sun, and moon disc

To begin the visualization: in the sky in front of us, in a rainbow canopy of lights, is a lion throne, a throne
held aloft by eight lions, with two on each side. On top of that throne is a lotus and sun and moon disk. On
top of that is the root Guru inseparable with the lineal Gurus. The detailed description of this front
visualization is above. In addition we are seeing ourselves as the Dakini which is also described above.

The purpose of this invocation is to become a receptive vessel for the practice. That’s why you are doing it:
to generate faith. You need that faith to invoke the blessings and that’s what you are going to do next. It
begins with the Refuge Field.

Guru Tsokye Dorje ting:

Is blue Guru Tsokye Dorje Yab Yum (Tsokye Dorje and Tsogyal)
Yab Yum ö kyi ku ru sal:
Clearly see their bodies of light.

Yeshe Tsogyal and Guru Rinpoche are in a state of resplendent union: the unity of emptiness and
luminosity.

With this visualization firmly established, we move on to the Introduction to the Contemplations which is
followed by the actual liturgy of the Contemplations.

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The Ordinary Ngöndro: The Four Thoughts That Turn the Mind to the Dharma

This is the section on what is traditionally known as the Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind to the Dharma.xliii
We do these Contemplations, including the Four Thoughts, with the previous visualization in place.

We might be familiar with the Outer Preliminary Practices known as the Four Thoughts that Turn the
Mind to the Dharma: contemplating the precious human rebirth with its freedoms and favorable
conditions; impermanence; karma or cause and effect; and the shortcomings of cyclic existence. In the
Dzinpa Rangdröl Contemplations, there is also an additional Contemplation at the beginning which is a
Supplication to the Guru, and two additional Contemplations at the end: the Contemplation on Liberation
and Relying on a Spiritual Friend.

In the liturgy, each contemplation is comprised of four lines in Tibetan, with an extra space in between each
contemplation to rest. The exception is the last contemplation about relying on a Spiritual Friend, which is
eight lines long.

First, when doing these Contemplations, we should generate the following qualities and apply them to our
practice. These qualities are: 1) the commitment to engage with these contemplations; 2) the resolve that
results from the contemplation; and 3) action that results from the first two.

The practice of these Contemplations has the power to reverse the negative trends of the mind. If we didn't
reverse some of those trends, and don’t reverse the mind’s tendency to cling to cyclic existence, then we are
probably not using our time wisely. Or perhaps we have partial commitment where it seems like we're
inspired for a while and then suddenly something comes along and our flaky renunciation falls apart. We
then find that we are back on the same track again. We have to watch out for that one.

What is really meant when we say to turn the mind, or to reverse the mind’s trend, is to reverse the mind’s
habit of having a this-life mentality, clinging to this life, oriented only toward this life, and coming under
worldly influences. It is a mentality, or world view, that is filled with attachment and grasping, or what we
call fixation. Fortunately, we have the potential to reverse this trend when we consider the contemplation of
impermanence which says:

• how unreliable phenomena really are

• how phenomena actually lack any kind of enduring quality
• that they’re completely ready to fall apart

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Taking this to heart means that we will undermine our clinging to worldly phenomena, realizing how
shallow and how impermanent things really are.

Each part of these Contemplations targets a different thing. For example, the Contemplation on precious
human rebirth and the fact that it is impermanent helps us to reverse our clinging to this lifetime, and let go
of our obsession with only this life.

The meditation on karma, or cause and effect, and also on the shortcomings of cyclic existence supports us
in reversing our habit of projecting into the future, having hopes about securing a particular vision of the
future that we'd like to attain. This Contemplation does away with that fixation.

This practice is the life blood heart essence of the Dakinis. To listen to these teachings offers us liberation
through hearing and allows us the potential to be liberated in one lifetime. A connection with these
teachings means great merit.

There is a great practice called the Hundred-Day Practice where practitioners focus on the Four Thoughts
That Turn the Mind to the Dharma in an extensive way. The bulk of the session consists of meditating on
those Four Thoughts, maybe spending a whole day on one of the thoughts. This hundred-day practice is
actually just the preparation for the main Ngöndro.

Also, in this retreat, practitioners meditate on Bodhicitta, engage in the Four Immeasurables, and do the
practices of sending and receiving, or tonglen. In a similar way, the practitioners don’t count the bodhicitta
(as in accumulating numbers) but actually engage in the training. Then, perhaps for the last hour, they
might count. But otherwise, for three hours, in their practice session, they simply generate bodhicitta.

The system that we use in the Dzinpa Rangdröl is to generate bodhicitta and to undertake the practice until
we affect change in our minds. There is no use in counting mantra recitations up to 100,000 if we remain
mean-hearted. It is much more significant to actually create change in our minds and become more
compassionate.

For this to truly be bodhisattva training, we cultivate the following qualities during each practice session:

• The Four Immeasurables

• The Six Paramitas
• Bodhisattva training of exchanging oneself for others (tonglen): also called sending and receiving.
This is exchanging oneself for others, and then the holding or others as more dear than oneself.

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Now, we move to the actual Contemplations themselves in the liturgy. Remember that when we do these
Contemplations, we do them as the Dakini while holding the front Yab-Yum visualization.

The First Contemplation: Supplication and Invitation to the Lama

The purpose of making supplications is so that we can remember the qualities of the Guru; we recollect and
contemplate these qualities. In this process, we have the opportunity to remember the immense kindness of
the Guru for bringing this forth in our minds. Based on that, we then are able to give rise to intense faith
and devotion, reflecting upon the fact that without the Lama, not even the Buddhas of the Three Times can
appear. In this tradition, as with other Tantric traditions, it is important to remember that without the
Lama, we have no access to the profundity of the Dharma.

Namo:
Homage:
Chög sum tsa sum ku sum kundu pel:
The glorious unification of the Three Supreme Ones, Three Roots, and Three Kayas.

The Three Supreme Ones are the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. The Three Roots are the Lama,
Yidam, and Dakini. The Three Kayas are the Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, and Nirmanakaya.

In the Three Roots, the Guru represents the Body, the Yidam represents the Speech, and the Dakini
represents the Mind. The Speech is connected to mantra recitation in the Yidam practice; Yidam means
mind protection. The Body, represented by the Guru, is embodiment. The Mind is the heart-essence of the
Dakini.

Each aspect listed in this line is more esoteric than the one before: first are the Three Jewels, then the Three
Roots, and then the Three Kayas. The Three Kayas are also the Empty Essence, the Dharmakaya; the
Radiant Nature, Sambhogakaya; and the Non-dual expression of that as unobstructed compassion,
Nirmanakaya.

Dorje Chang wang tönpa drima mey:

Stainless teacher, powerful Vajradhara,

Here, we are supplicating Vajradhara, who is understood to be the quintessence of all the Gurus, all the
enlightened beings, in one single form.

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Yerme Lama Tsokye trulpai ku:
Inseparable Nirmanakaya Lama Tsokye!

The visualization is the same as described above.

Khyenno dag gyüd jyin gyi lab tu sol:

Know me! Pray bless my mind stream.

This last line is in the form of a prayer, which is traditionally known as Calling the Lama from Afar, or Lama
Khyen. It literally means Lama Know Me! These words are used to supplicate the Lama, asking the Lama to
be with us, to help us, and to bless us and our practice. It is a prayer requesting that our teachers know us
and hold us close so that we do not stray. This is a prayer infused with fervent devotion and as we recite this,
we are supplicating our Lamas wholeheartedly to bless our mind-stream.

This Khyenno is a very direct calling: know me. We are trying to create a link with the lineage here, to really
feel this link going back to Guru Rinpoche and Yeshe Tsogyal. The human aspect of them, the
Nirmanakaya Lama aspect, is Tsokye Dorje. We draw on that Dharmakaya level of primordial union of the
ground of being and its recognition. If you want to see the Buddha of your own mind, see the Lama as the
Buddha. Take to heart the great qualities of the Guru and the lineage. Experience real devotion here.

Here we try to connect to the mind of the Lama. Contemplate with pure vision. The emphasis on
maintaining pure vision of the Lama in Vajrayana doesn’t mean that the Lama isn’t human; it just doesn’t
really benefit us to see the Lama as human. We can always see the Lama as human; they are. But that
doesn’t really help our practice. Our practice is helped by feeling and experiencing that stream coming from
the Buddha and finally landing in front of you in the form of your Lama. With this vision, we can access the
blessing stream. The power and importance of devotion is opening to that stream coming from the Buddha.
Vajrayana is based on pure vision instead of ordinary vision. If we can shift our vision to pure vision, then
we get the blessings, and if we can’t, then we don’t. It is an interesting process that is integral to Vajrayana.
The power of supplication is revealed in the following story:

Mingyur Namkhai Dorje was an incredibly realized master, a master with full-on realization. He was quite
famous for that. He was also a main student of Jigme Lingpa. While a lot of people knew him, there were
some people who didn’t know him, but only knew him by reputation. All of them had this tradition of
calling out to him: “Mingyur Namkhai Dorje, khyen!” Khyen means to know. “You know me. You know my
disposition.” It is an indication of sorts.

There was this tradition of calling out to him carried out by both people who knew him and people who

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didn’t know him. Everybody called out to him, including this thief from a Sakya monastery. He came to
this monastery to steal the top ornament, the sertog. He went up the roof, tied a rope to the top of the
monastery, detached the sertog, put it on his back, and then started to climb down the rope. But he was
losing his grip. The thing was quite heavy. And he then blurted out this supplication to Mingyur Namkhai
Dorje: “Mingyur Namkhai Dorje, khyen!” He then found his way down and ran off with the sertog. At
some point later on Mingyur Namkhai Dorje saw the thief and said, “You know, I’ve seen you somewhere
before….” And the thief said, “No, I’ve never met you.” “No, no, there was a time I met you…remember
when you were stealing the sertog? You called me!”

The Second Contemplation (The First Thought That Turns the Mind to the Dharma): Precious
Human Birth

The Second Contemplation in the Dzinpa Rangdröl Ngöndro (which is the traditional First Thought That
Turns the Mind to the Dharma) focuses on the Precious Human Birth. In this section, we practice with
how special it is to have a precious human birth, as opposed to a regular birth.

What is a Precious Human Birth and what distinguishes it from a regular birth or incarnation? What are the
conditions that differentiate a regular human birth from a precious human birth? First we will discuss the
rarity of the Precious Human Birth and how our understanding of that can support us in taking advantage
of this opportunity. After that, in line with the unfolding of the liturgy, we will discuss the specific causes
and conditions that constitute the Precious Human Birth.

A precious human birth is not something that we come upon accidentally, or casually run into. It is the
product of many lifetimes of endeavor in the accumulation of merit and of making aspiration prayers. Our
precious human birth has many contributory causes including having made extensive aspiration prayers in
previous lifetimes. When we look at this in-depth, it is clear that it takes a long time, in fact many eons of
accumulating merit and making aspiration prayers, to bring forth a precious human birth. This is the main
principle to understand in this meditation.

According to the teachings, precious human births are quite rare. If we consider the numbers and compare
this to other life forms like animals, insects, and the myriad other forms of life such as bacteria and micro-
organisms, then we see that precious human births are quite rare in terms of numbers.

What qualities do humans have that differentiate them from other life forms? It is primarily the faculty of
fully functioning intelligence. Inherent within the possibility of this intelligence is the great profit that could
be derived as well as the potential for great danger and great loss. Because our mental acumen is quite sharp,
it is powerful. We, as humans, have an enormous capacity to acquire immense merit suddenly and very

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swiftly. In a similar way, we can also accumulate a massive amount of negativity in a very short period of
time. We can, if we aspire to, achieve enlightenment in one life and awaken to complete Buddhahood. Or,
we can engage in such negative actions that at the moment of death we won’t go through the intermediate
state (the Bardo) in an unimpeded way but instead just descend to the lower realms. This is the range of the
capacity that comes with being human.

Human intelligence can be used for very positive things. We see many things in this world, great projects
and many activities, that have brought about benefit to others. But those opportunities are there because of
the human condition. They don’t exist for other life forms.

The potential is so great, that even now there are still individuals who achieve enlightenment in one life with
one body. They accomplish that space of irreversibility that’s called chirmed dokpa ying: they have overcome
their corporal, composite form. Their body has unraveled back into its pure essence, which is the rainbow
body, and they’ve fully manifested that. Even today, there are individuals who continue to do that and some
have taken the rainbow body recently.

For example, Gochen Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche's own Guru, Orgyen Chemchok, took the rainbow body
in 2007 or 2008. According to Rinpoche, at death, the body of Orgyen Chemchok completely shrunk down
to a very small form. This demonstrates that this potential for real transformation is something that is not
just part of some fantasy of a legend and far off in the obscure past. This is something that happens to be a
present phenomenon. It is a living experience right in this day, right at this time. Here we have this precious
opportunity, this human rebirth. We have this opportunity to contemplate, "Well, am I going to go in a
good direction, create a good destiny, or a negative one?" The opportunity is right here in our hands. We
can choose what we're going to do with this life.

We have this unique opportunity that's possible because we have a precious human birth. We have
something that could accomplish a great purpose. We could use this incredible opportunity to undertake
lower pursuits instead of applying ourselves in a higher way. To focus on a lesser aim is a cause for
depression. We have an opportunity to engage in a massive wave of benefit for all beings and to help awaken
them to enlightenment.

We might think that we don’t have a chance this lifetime and instead will try again in our next life. It is not
that easy, actually, to amass all the various causes that constitute a precious human birth. It takes a long
period of time and it takes a lot of hard work. When the causes and circumstances that brought us to this
place are exhausted, they dissipate and have to be recultivated. They don't just continue on. There are not
on-going inexhaustible causes for our Precious Human Birth. The causes ripen and then they diminish. It is

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dangerous to assume that we could suddenly put all of these causes and conditions together again and create
such a precious opportunity again in our next lifetime.

Taking this to heart means that we have the potential for a reversal in the trend of our grasping towards
worldly activities. This is what's meant by turning the mind: we understand that situation, this dilemma, and
absorb the lesson. Through that process our tendency to cling to cyclic existence is reversed. That's the
purpose of the practice. We reverse the trend by understanding that we have this amazing vessel for
realization at our disposal: our precious human birth. We have this unique and special opportunity. It is by
taking that to heart that we reverse our trend towards clinging to inconsequential things of this life.

What are the actual factors that make this birth a Precious Human Birth? This will be addressed in the next
part of the liturgy and commentary.

Dag gi dal jyör ten zang rinchen lu:

I have the good support of this jewel-like body with its freedoms and favorable conditions,

Precious Human Birth refers to the preciousness of a human existence, which is very difficult to obtain. It is
valuable because it is endowed with certain freedoms and abilities.

The first of the so-called freedoms which characterize the Precious Human Birth is the understanding that
human birth is valuable because one has managed to avoid certain other kinds of rebirth, those forms in
which one would be confronted with situations completely different from those found in the human realm.

Eight different kinds of existence are traditionally spoken of. In each of these, one experiences only
suffering. One has no experience of freedom in the sense of being able to practice the dharma. The eight
types of existence that are different from those found in the human realm are:

1. Birth in the hell realms (or paranoia states) where one constantly experiences the suffering of
extreme heat and cold.
2. Birth in the hungry ghost realms where one constantly experiences the suffering of hunger and
thirst.
3. Animal births where beings have the experience of being hunted and oppressed, of constantly
eating each other and being misused.
4. Birth in uncivilized lands where one has no opportunity of learning something leading to a
positive path.
5. Birth as a god, especially a god with a very long life. As a result of earlier positive acts, a god with
longevity experiences happiness and joy during their life. However, experiencing the results of

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 positive karma in this way means that this karma will eventually be exhausted, and thus end.
After their long lives, these gods are reborn in lower and very painful states.
6. Life as a being with mental disability where one can neither understand the meaning of the
dharma nor practice it.
7. Life with incorrect views when one automatically tends to accumulate negative actions, and
therefore the causes of future suffering.
8. Birth in a time when no Buddha appears, when there are no Buddhist teachings, and therefore
one receives no help to free oneself from the suffering of samsara.

Having a precious human body means that we have not only avoided these types of existence, but that we
are also equipped with certain capabilities. Ten aspects are usually described. The first five are:

1. One was born in a human body.

2. One was born in a region in which the Buddha's teachings are accessible.
3. One has intact sensory organs.
4. One does not have false views.
5. One has a natural trust in the dharma.

The other five aspects are:

1. One was born in the times when a Buddha has appeared.

2. This Buddha has given teachings; this is something we should not take for granted, since not all
Buddhas necessarily give teachings.
3. These teachings, if given in the past, have been preserved and are still accessible.
4. One grasps and practices these teachings. This is actually a very personal condition. If one finds
oneself in the excellent situation described, but does not practice, then having access to the
teachings does not really do much good.
5. One must also have been accepted by a true spiritual teacher.

These eight freedoms and ten conditions make up the eighteen conditions which, when they all come
together, constitute a Precious Human Birth. If even just one of these conditions is lacking, we could not call
such a human existence Precious.

We have obtained a human birth that qualifies as Precious. This is not easy to obtain; rather, it is extremely
difficult. This is only possible because we have accumulated a huge amount of positive potential and a great
amount of positive karma in our previous lives. Above all, there is one cause that allows us to be reborn
under such precious circumstances: this is the adherence to a discipline. On the one hand, discipline has to

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do with the various sets of vows we take on the way toward personal liberation. On the other, it has to do
with avoiding the ten negative actions. However we formulate it, the quality of discipline is the direct cause
for obtaining a Precious Human Birth.

Pe drang tag kyi go ney nye kawa:

Through examples, numbers and signs, it is shown to be difficult to attain.

Traditionally, the preciousness is described through three aspects: by comparison with the greater situation,
through numerical comparisons, and through analogy.

Yid zhin nor dra tob pa’i du di ru:

At this time, I have this opportunity, which is like finding a wish-fulfilling jewel.
Log pa’i lam du matöng Lama khyen:
Don’t let me wander on erroneous paths, Lama khyen!

For the practice of this Contemplation, we should pray that we have confidence in the value of the Precious
Human Birth. If we don’t realize the value, we will waste away our life. This contemplation can reverse our
worldly tendencies.

The Third Contemplation (The Second Thought That Turns the Mind to the Dharma):
Impermanence

The Third Contemplation in the Dzinpa Rangdröl Ngöndro (which constitutes the traditional Second
Thought that Turns the Mind to the Dharma) is on impermanence. Impermanence is one of the things that
the Buddha discovered while meditating under the Bodhi Tree. The term impermanence refers to the fact
that nothing is fixed and permanent. All phenomena will change, decay, and die.

For example, perhaps we have all these great plans for our life, about how our life is going to unfold, what
we're going to accomplish and so on. Yet, in truth, we can't say with any certainty how much time we have
to accomplish these plans.

Being mindful of impermanence helps us accept loss, old age, and death. Death could take us at any
moment. Phadampa Sangye said that the contemplation of death is pro-active. If we meditate on death in
the beginning, this will inspire us to practice. In the middle, meditation on death urges us to accumulate
merit. In the end, it inspires us to reach liberation. The contemplation on death is the friendly helper of the
practitioner.

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Kyema kyi hu du jye mitag te:
Alas! All compounded phenomena are impermanent.

The term compounded phenomena refers to things and experiences.

Chyi nö du kyi gyur dog me chü jig:

The outer universe changes through time, and is destroyed by water and fire,
Nang chü kye ga na chi nyur du leb:
Within that world beings experience the swift arrival of birth, old age, sickness and death.

We can't say with any certainty how many more years we will live. We can't say anything with certainty.
None of this is permanent. Let's put aside any kind of grand plan for our life that extends 40 or 50 years
into the future. We can't say that any of those plans will come to pass, not with any certainty. In truth, if we
really look into this, we can't even be certain about tomorrow. We don’t even know if we're going to wake
up tomorrow. We have this pride, this stubbornness, thinking, "Oh, I’m not ill. I'm healthy. I'm young." It
is vital in this contemplation to come to terms with the transient and unpredictable nature of life.

Beyond the consideration of death, there are all kinds of illnesses that plague this world. We could die
slowly of cancer or infectious diseases. Or we could contract an illness or disease and all of a sudden find
that we are about to pass away from this world.

Either way, we should take to heart the fact that everything is impermanent and death is inevitable. In the
practice of this Contemplation, we should consider: "When will I die? By what factors will my death come?
What will instigate my death? What part of the world will I be in? And then, we should contemplate what
our condition might be after we die: where will I reincarnate?" There is no certainty in regard to these
things.

The rich don't take their wealth with them. Politicians, people in exalted position don't have any more
power. We don't take any of the things of this life, any of our cherished belongings, none of our dear
friends, our family. We go unattended, alone, from this world. Even our body that was borrowed from the
elements is left behind.

The only thing that follows us from this life is our merit and our negative karmas. If we haven't
accumulated any merit, we can't go and borrow some from somebody just before we die. At that time
Yama, the Lord of Death, who has shown up at our doorstep, we can't negotiate and say, "This is not a
good time. Come another time." There is no stopping Yama Raja when the time comes. We can't negotiate
our way out of that.

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Kyo she ting ney kyewar Lama khyen:
Knowing this may weariness be born deep within me, Lama khyen!

This Contemplation on Impermanance will spur us towards a deeper commitment to practice. Right now,
not later, is the time to derive great benefit and great profit from our practice. Even little actions can have
immense consequences at this point. This is how precious our circumstances are. Even the minutest amount
of merit, if it is embraced with the three sacred aspects that constitute a complete Dharma—that is, taking
refuge, generating bodhicitta, and having the right intention. The consequence of this is that there is an
inexhaustible source of merit that is generated. The proper dedication of the merit means that it will never
run out. Even in a hundred eons, that good karma will just keep good going, all the time. For example, even
small drops of water over a long period of time will accumulate and can fill up an ocean if it is a long
enough period of time. If we are persistent, we can accumulate a lot of merit.

Taking to heart the understanding of impermanence is the goad that activates us. Whatever merit we engage
in, we're doing it ardently when we have the stimulating factor of our meditation on impermanence. It
dispels procrastination. We stop postponing things. We want to do it right now on the spot. Especially if we
have trust in the Three Jewels, we have the continuous practice of taking impermanence to heart. We
engage in virtue and have an appetite for it. Our understanding gives us energy and strength.. We
accumulate merit, knowing it will increase, and we feel inspired into genuine action and not into
procrastination. There is no certainty about tomorrow. Instead, we can do something today: we can engage
in good actions and direct that towards awakening. Or we can procrastinate and keep busy with plans for
our future that may not come through.

Merit actually is a force; it has movement and energy. The force of meritorious energy is called sonam, in
Tibetan. Merit has the ability to accumulate momentum and thus generating even more merit. We have a
body of merit, which has an energetic factor to it that propels itself ahead, thus accumulating even more and
more merit as time goes by. This causes an improvement in our being, ultimately leading to enlightenment.

The Buddhist point of view, though, is that one is the creator of one's own happiness and suffering. There
isn't another being who perpetrates happiness and suffering upon us, like we are a victim. We ourselves are
the creator of our own happiness and suffering through our karma, through our actions.

This lifetime isn't the only lifetime we’ve ever had. We've had a succession of lifetimes because there is an
enormous amount of habitual tendencies that reside in the Alaya, the ground consciousness, the storehouse
consciousness. There is an enormous backlog of habitual tendencies residing there.

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We have an ability to manipulate causes and conditions. Let's say that the mind is really like a neutral body
of water, or it has the qualities of water. On either side of this water, there is a polluted piece of terrain and
also a cleaner area. If we let just a little stream of the water from that lake (the mind) initially—just a small
amount of water—leak out into the polluted area, the water will be influenced by that pollution. It will
become toxic because it has come into contact with the polluted area. If it goes the other way--if we lead the
mind into a virtuous, non-toxic area--then the mind will flow that way. Due to our habitual tendencies, we
cause our mind to be directed in a certain orientation, or a certain way. Even though the mind itself is
neutral, it is subject to being tainted or positively encouraged.

What happens, though, is that because there is the basis for the potential for the dawning of negative
actions, the karma, there is that bank of negative karma waiting. It is waiting for what? It is waiting for the
opportunity for it to shoot out and ripen. What encourages it to come out, though are our habitual
tendencies. Our habitual tendencies are the agent which brings it out. If we didn't have that tendency, we
wouldn't be prone towards that action and we would be able to put a hold on our negative karma until it is
purified.

Many people say they don't have time to practice in this way. But, it is actually an intellectual thing. Let's
look at it. There are 24 hours in a day and most people work for roughly eight hours. We sleep about seven
or eight hours a night. Then we have the in-between activities: watching TV, talking to our friends, or
roaming around. We could secure one hour for some real good practice but somehow, we have a hard time
doing that. Even trying to divide it up, like, “Oh, let's rush in 30 minutes in the morning and put in 30
minutes in the evening.” That's a hard thing to do. But we should actually really look at this because we
have a great opportunity for practice. When we're working, there is an opportunity to practice.

Practice is primarily about the mind. It is not about the speech or the body, it is the mind. At night when
we're sleeping, the problem is that our mind is not embraced with the lucid mindfulness of presence.

If we are really earnest about it, we could find a good hour to practice and to meditate. If we really decided
that that was something that we wanted to do and committed ourselves to doing it, we would find that hour
to practice in, if we wanted to. If we don't establish that habitual tendency related to practice, it'll never
happen.

An example of this: Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche was in retreat in Bhutan and kept a very tight schedule. He
did his meditation sessions right on the dot: he'd start them and finish them right on time. Then he noticed
that actually without having to use a clock, he would wake up exactly at the time he wanted to, because he
had set this program up. Then, one day when he was trying to get up, he felt more tired than he should
have. He thought, "Well, I'll take a nap for a little while, recover a bit, and then I'll continue practicing

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later." So he had a nap and he slept for about an hour. After that, Rinpoche's sleep was disrupted; for the
next week he had a hard time. He'd wake up at the correct time, but then, he’d be so tired, unusually tired.
Or he would wake up earlier than he wanted to. His whole sleep cycle was all interrupted and this impacted
his retreat schedule for practice. He realized that just this small factor can be a catalyst for some bigger
difficulties; by changing something small like taking an extra nap, it can have large ramifications.

That's just an example that shows how small factors actually have big effects. If we actually set up a
program--a practice program--we will naturally adapt to it over time. We’ll find that it gets easier and easier.
Then it becomes quite natural to engage in a session and it is not a big deal. We don't have to look at it as a
massive endeavor or some kind of hardship or something we have to squeeze. It'll just happen naturally by
getting accustomed to it. We adapt, and adaptation is something that is part of being a human.

We should be diligent, set a program, and then infuse our practice with presence— mindfulness is an
integral part of the practice—and not fall victim to procrastination, but instead truly resolve to practice. We
need to develop and keep a program and resolve to continue to practice. In this way we won't become
victims of procrastination, thinking, "Okay, one day, I'm going to have a really good practice in the future.
I'm going to practice really well. But in the interim, I am going to be doing the things I do." In the end, if
we do this, we will feel depressed and walk away empty-handed. All of that time that we were
procrastinating actually represented the time that we should have been practicing.

We've been learning about the Four Thoughts That Turn the Mind to the Dharma. Now we can see the
importance of the Precious Human Body that has the different freedoms and conditions. We also found
that we should be laughing in great joy at this amazing opportunity. We should be overjoyed. But then,
after that, we meditate on impermanence. Now we find ourselves crying because there is the possibility of
losing such an amazing thing.

This brings us then to ne jung or renunciation. In Tibetan, ne jung literally means “certain emergence.” Ne is
certainty and jung is to emerge definitively out of Samsara.

That's one thing. There is also the feeling of being wearied with Samsara, to feel that “it is over.” Ne jung
means being content because we are weary with Samsara. If this is the case, then we are not seeking to find
something within Samsara. So, this sense being weary with Samsara is important. If we are simply depressed
about Samsara, that's not going to be beneficial either. We shouldn't just feel saddened and depressed by
our predicament; we should feel inspired. We should see that there is something we can do. We can bring
forth benefit and we can avoid trouble. By observing cause and effect, we can work with that situation to
our advantage, and inform ourselves as to what to adopt and what to avoid.

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When we do this, then we are actually creating the favorable causes and this is when we have the free will to
make choices and do the right thing. At this time when we're sowing these seeds, we are actually creating
causes. Later on when those causes have ripened, it is too late to have this kind of impact. Now though, in
the beginning, we can adjust and do something about it. As a result, we should avail ourselves of the
opportunity to do something now while we have the rang wang, or independence: a mastery of our time and
our life.

The Fourth Contemplation (The Third Thought That Turns the Mind to the Dharma): Karma

Dag gi sog chö ku trog log par yem:

Having given up killing, secretly stealing, outright robbery, adultery,
Dzun tra tsig tsub ngag khyel nab nö nag:
Lying, divisive speech, harsh words, frivolous speech, covetousness, malicious ill will,
Log ta gyu ngen pang zhing ge chu drub:
Wrong views and negative mind stream, may I accomplish the ten virtues.

The 10 nonvirtuous actions are: killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, divisive speech, harsh speech, idle
chatter, covetousness, ill will and wrong views. The 10 virtuous actions are basically the opposites of the 10
nonvirtuous actions: protecting life, practicing generosity, respecting and protecting relationships, speaking
truthfully, speaking to bring others together, using gentle speech, speaking meaningfully, rejoicing in the
good fortune of others, feeling love and compassion for others, and holding right views.

Gyu dre go log ma tong Lama khyen:

May I not distort the understanding of the workings of cause and effect, Lama khyen!

To desire happiness without creating the causes of happiness leads to poor results. Be meticulous about
karma.

The Fifth Contemplation (The Fourth Thought That Turns the Mind to the Dharma): The
Suffering of Samsara or the Shortcomings of Cyclic Existence

In the example that is commonly used, if the metal is hot, you have a choice to touch it or not. You could
burn yourself or you could just let it be. As such, we have choices in our actions and our actions can either
be virtuous or non-virtuous. In the traditional dharma training, it is said that there are the ten virtuous and
the ten non-virtuous actions.

All of those actions, though, are held by the three poisonous emotions that move within. And so we have ten

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branching actions which ensue from the three conflicting emotions that churn within us. We have different
actions of body, speech, and mind. The negative actions that we accumulate will propel us down into the
three lower realms. One could say that the three lower realms are nothing other than the by-product of the
ten non-virtuous actions of body, speech, and mind.

All of these negative actions are propelled by conflicting emotions: the emotions within. Look at anger, for
example. We can actually see it right there on the spot. Anger is said to propel us to the lower realms, but if
we look at our anger right there on the spot, we can have a taste of the lower realms--a peek at them. The
person who is enraged and taken over by intense anger, in their vision it is as if they see red. Everywhere.
Their faces are all screwed up, and bulging, and their veins are pumping in their neck. There is this
incredible distortion that takes place because of the explosion of anger. On the spot, you can witness the hell
realms. You can take that as a cause and then develop that to its fullest expression, and you will have the hell
realms from the cause of intense anger.

The cause for reincarnating as a hungry ghost is being miserly and having desire and attachment. For
animals, the cause of being reborn in that realm is stupidity. The result of the ten types of non-virtuous
action, which are called the corruptible actions, is, basically, the three realms of cyclic existence, which is
suffering.

To elaborate further, there are these additional upper realms: The demigod realm, which stems from envy
and jealousy; The God realm, which stems from pride; and the human realm, which is a product of desire.

The three upper realms are dependent on the corruptible type of merit, merit that is still fallible. If you look
at it, you think, "There is a little bit of respite from suffering, there is a little bit of happiness in the upper
realms." But really when you look at it and you scrutinize it closely, that's no real happiness there, no real,
genuine, thorough-going happiness. The roots of that happiness, the causes, are types of merit that have been
tainted by other types of motivation. For example, it may have been a virtuous action but it was done out of
pride. There is this corrupted type of merit. It looks good, but then it has this taint of corruption to it
because there might have jealousy or some other accompanying factor when that merit was accumulated.

Nyalwa yidag düdro lhamayin:

Hell beings, hungry ghosts, animals and asuras,
Lha mi nyi te rig drug khorwa’i ney:
Gods and humans are in the six realms of cyclic existence.

Asuras, gods and humans are in the three higher realms of cyclic existence. The cause of rebirth as an asura is
jealousy, the cause of rebirth as a god is pride, and the cause of rebirth as a human is desire.

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Gang du kye kyang dugngal zö lagme:
Wherever one is born there is unbearable suffering.
Khorwa döng ney trug par Lama khyen:
May I be freed from the pit of samsara, Lama khyen!

The Sixth Contemplation: The Causes of Liberation

There is another option. We don't have to be stuck in these cycles. We can create the causes for liberation.

What is the principal cause for liberation? It is coming to the insight about the lack of the self, the lack of
the individual, and the lack of phenomena. When we realize the state of emptiness, and have insight into
that emptiness, this will help us to transcend the pinnacle of existence. The ultimate point of existence can
be transcended by virtue of insight into emptiness.

This is not the type of emptiness which is simply that lopsided sort of state of peace, or the extreme of peace,
that kind of lopsided Nirvana that the Arhats achieved in the Pratyeka and the Sravaka traditions. Instead,
we should have the emptiness that is infused with great compassion, which is the Mahayana realization of
emptiness, or the Bodhisattva realization of emptiness. This is the kind of emptiness where there is not the
extreme of existence (simply having compassion for all sentient beings and revolving through cyclic
existence), where there is not the extreme of sole emptiness and peace, but there is actually the unity of
compassion (which overcomes that limitation) and emptiness, which overcomes the extremes of existence.

Karma, or Cause and Effect—seen as positive or negative—contributes to all of the different scenarios of
suffering and happiness that are found. In a way, it is an indirect way of talking about the benefits of
enlightenment discussed below.

Eventually we will direct our minds not solely towards the lopsided Nirvana but towards the full-blown
Nirvana, a state of realization called Tarpa Chenpo, or Great Liberation. Tarpa Chenpo is that which doesn't
fall into any kind of extreme such as existence or nonexistence, or the state of peace versus the state of cyclic
existence.

What is the principal cause of liberation? It is coming to the insight into the lack of the self and phenomena,
and realizing the state of emptiness. The ultimate point of existence can be transcended by virtue of this
insight into emptiness.

In this prayer we supplicate to achieve authentic realization and completely dredge the depths of cyclic

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existence to attain the state of all-knowingness. To that end, we address our prayers to the Great Mother
and the lineal Gurus, requesting them to bless us so that we can achieve the genuine state of realization:
Great Liberation.

Milü lenchig tobpa kalwa zang:

It is extremely fortunate to have attained, for this one time, the human body.
Ati lamey zab sang nying po’i lam:
The profound secret heart-essence path of supreme Ati,
Tug kyi tigler treypa ngotsar che:
The tigle of the mind is so very wondrous to encounter!
Sa lam nyur du drö par Lama khyen:
May the levels and paths be quickly traversed, Lama khyen!

An alternate translation of this section reads:

Having once achieved this precious human rebirth, having that great fortune, and
encountering the unsurpassed teachings of Ati, profound and secret, the essential path to
enlightenment, it is something of great wonderment that one has now encountered the
practice which is like the bindu of the heart, the very essence. And so, Lama, look upon me
and help me to traverse quickly all the various levels and paths to enlightenment, and hold
this fortunate one with your compassion.

The Seventh Contemplation: How to Follow a Spiritual Friend

The final eight lines in this section are about relying on a spiritual friend, or teacher.

Meeting the teachings shows that we have karma from the past that has enabled this to happen. We may
have this very good karma, but there is simultaneously a potential for big Maras; obstacles can arise. The one
who helps us avoid those obstacles is our Lama or Guru. We have a spiritual friend who gives us guidance in
accordance with the teachings.

This part of the contemplation is about how we allow the teachings to shape us. We need the meeting of our
devotion, as students, with the enlightened mind of the teacher.

Can we, of our own devices, really realize this path, this swift path, this fast path to enlightenment, this very
deep path? We cannot on our own. We need help, to receive instruction. Thus far, we've been lost and have
not attained enlightenment; this is an indication that we don't know how to traverse the path completely.

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We've been lost until now. We can't completely realize the path based on our own devices by relying only
on ourselves. How are we going to realize the path, then? We need the one who reveals the path, that is, the
spiritual friend. Not only should we rely on the spiritual friend, but we actually need to put the spiritual
friend’s advice into action and forge our path based on that advice.

So the process is:

• We need to seek out the path, the Dharma

• We need to then find the one who will reveal the path, the teacher
• Then we need to rely on that teacher
• Not only that: we need to absorb the enlightened qualities of the teacher. The enlightened
qualities that reside in their mind-stream need to be transferred to us, or need to awaken our
own qualities. So there needs to be the convergence of the mind-stream of the teacher with our
mind-stream.
• Then, we need to take our practice to the point where we've actualized completely the potential
of this lifetime. So we've fully blossomed this life's potential.

Kel mang gong ney tugje’i je zungwey:

Having been held for many ages by the clasp of your benevolence,
Kadrin sum den dorje lobpön chog:
Vajra Teacher, who has shown the three-fold kindness,

The Three Kindnesses of the Lama are to give empowerment (wang), to offer textual transmissions (lung),
and to give explanations (tri).

Nyepa sum gyi zhab tog tar chin ney:

By completely serving you in the three pleasing ways,

The three ways to please the Lama are: first, to practice the teachings; secondly, to offer one’s service to the
Lama; and third, to offer material gifts.

To elaborate, these are also traditionally called the Three Degrees of Pleasing the Mind of the Guru.

• Ideally, the supreme way to please the mind of the Guru is through the accomplishment of our
practice and by realizing the teachings that we've been given by the Guru. This is the supreme
offering that we can make.
• The middling type of offering is to offer our body, speech, and mind to the Guru.

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 • The lesser type of offering is to simply offer our possessions, our objects.

Tug gyü gong pa tog par Lama khyen:

May my mind stream realize your wisdom mind, Lama khyen!

Ideally, we should be assuming the enlightened qualities of the Guru. The word in the Tibetan is lenba,
which means to take on the qualities of the enlightened mind-stream of the Guru, so that they take root in
us.

Di dang chi ma bardo’i ney kuntu:

At this time in the future and in the intermediate state,
Khye dang midrel nam zhi trinley kyi:
May I never be separate from you, and may I become
Pho nyar gyur ney khorwa ma tong bar:
The emissary of your four awakening activities until cyclic existence is emptied.

The four awakening activities, or the four trinley, are: pacifying, enriching, magnetizing and destroying.

There is a sense of those qualities being conferred to us by the Lama, or by awakening to our own qualities.
Once these qualities have been conferred to us, we need to go further into actualizing them and bringing
them to their fullest expression. This is a supplication, an aspiration prayer targeting this:

Supreme Vajra Master of the threefold kindness, I make this offering of the three types of things that would
please your mind, [offering one's realization; body, speech, and mind; and then belongings, as mentioned
above] in order to arrive at liberation. Oh Lama, you know how to bring forth the realization of the Buddha
Intent [of enlightened mind-stream]. One is making a supplication for that to happen.xliv

Jang chub semkye dro dön tarchin shog:

May I cultivate bodhicitta and perfectly accomplish the benefit of beings.

In this next part, there is a supplication to be inseparable from the Guru at all times.

At this time and in the future and in the intermediate state, at all times, may I be inseparable from you,
performing the Four Buddha Activities and being like an expediter of those activities. Until cyclic existence
has been emptied, may you be my guide in the development of Bodhicitta for the benefit of all sentient
beings so that they may be brought to complete liberation.xlv

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When making the supplication, one is taking the Bodhisattva Vow, declaring one's intention to liberate all
sentient beings, and making that commitment in the presence of the Guru. The Guru is acting as a witness
to one's commitment to engage in the twofold bodhisattva training in Relative and Absolute Bodhicitta.

Conclusion of the Contemplations

We’ve completed the Four Thoughts That Turn the Mind as well as the other Contemplations that make
up this section of the Dzinpa Rangdröl Ngöndro.

We should contemplate that we've achieved this precious human rebirth at this time. We have been very
fortunate in having achieved it. In the Sutrayana vehicle, it is only through traversing the path of the Six
Paramitas for many eons that one will ultimately awaken to realization. But here, at this time when we’ve
encountered the teachings of the Ati, it is possible in one lifetime to achieve the same level as Vajradhara. It
is possible to actualize that level of realization through the essential teachings of Ati Yoga, which are
unsurpassed, incredibly profound, and secret. We should reflect upon this and recognize this amazing
opportunity. We have encountered these profound teachings. We have the opportunity to traverse all the
levels of realization to the ultimate outcome, complete enlightenment. And, it is possible to do it in one
lifetime. So we should really rejoice in that and in a state of great joy, really accept our amazing fortune.

This then completes the outer preliminaries.

This completes the stage of the ordinary practice.

The term ordinary practice refers to the Ordinary Preliminaries which are the Four Thoughts that Turn the
Mind.

What follows is the nail of the key point of the main part.

After the Ordinary Preliminaries, come the Extraordinary Preliminaries which are the rest of the practice:
Refuge, Bodhicitta, Mandala Offering, Vajrasattva and Guru Yoga.

Now we come to the main part. With this there is a special mengag (pith instruction) associated with the
beginning of the main part of the practice.

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Breathing Practices: Breath-Cleansing and Barlung

These breath-retention exercises are a prominent aspect of the Dzinpa Rangdröl Ngöndro. We perform the
following breathing practices in every practice session. We do these exercises before we do any of the other
parts of the practice, such as Refuge or Vajrasattva.

These breathing practices are one of the things that differentiate this particular Ngöndro from other
preliminary practices; it has a great deal of the flavor of the main part of the practice. It is quite an exalted
and special Ngöndro. Though we call it preliminary, actually it has features of the main part of the practice.
So, in a sense, it could be like a main practice.

Another preliminary practice that shares some of these features is the Chetsun Nyingtig Ngöndro; in a sense,
it is also a preliminary practice in name only because it has quite advanced practices in it. Let’s turn to the
actual instructions and liturgy now.

Supplication

The following is recited before you begin the breathing while generating the chakra and nadi visualization as the White Dakini,
according to the oral instructions of Tulku Sang ngag Rinpoche. Recite until the visualization is clear.

E Ma Ho: Sangye kün dü Lama chö kyi ku:

E Ma Ho: Dharmakaya Lama, embodiment of all the Buddhas,
Machig Yumchen yermey kadrin chen:
Inseparable from the Great Mother, Machig Labdrön, sole mother of great kindness,

As we supplicate, we visualize the Guru in the form of the Lama Heruka on the crown of our heads. When
we say that the Guru is in the form of a Heruka at the top of the head, we are visualizing Phadampa Sangye
wearing the Heruka bone accoutrements: the bone latticework skirt, the necklace, the armlets and bracelets,
the anklets, and all the other pieces. This is the Heruka aspect.

There is a single Heruka on the crown of our heads and this can be either Phadampa Sangye, in that case the
sole father, Phachig (Phadampa) or it could be Machig Labdrön in the form of a Heruka, indivisible with
the Great Mother. If we use Machig Labdrön, then in that case it would be the Sole Mother. Whichever one
we have a connection with as the form of the Lama that is the one we should adopt for this visualization.

Nying ney dung shug dragpö sol wa deb:

From my heart I fervently supplicate you,

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Marig münpa selwar jyin gyi lob:
Bless me so that the darkness of ignorance is illuminated.

We repeat the supplication over and over again until we have stabilized our visualization of all the channels,
which is discussed below. Over and over again we supplicate, all the while focusing on the inner
visualization of the channels. Finally, during the last supplication, the Lama then dissolves into our central
channel and into our heart. We then rest for a while in non-referential awareness.

The First Breathing Practice: The Nine Purification Breaths

Rang nyi Daki karmo tri tö dzin:

I am the white Dakini holding a trigug and kapala,
Lü ü ü kyang ro sum kar mar ting:
In the center of my body are the three channels: uma, kyangma, and roma: white, red, and blue.

When engaging in this portion of the practice, we are still using the same visualization that we have used
from the very beginning of the practice, in the initial Guru Yoga before the Contemplations. Here, again,
we visualize ourselves as the primordial wisdom Dakini (Jñana Dakini in Sanskrit or Yeshe Khandröma in
Tibetan), with the curved knife (trigug) and the skull cup (kapala). She is visualized without any internal
organs such as the lungs, intestines, or liver. She doesn't need those things. She is completely empty.

However, within the center of her body are the three channels, running vertically from the crown of her
head down to her secret place. They are the roma (which means the taster), the kyangma (which means the
solitary channel), and the uma (which means the central channel.)

The upper ends of both of the side channels, the roma and kyangma, are at the tip of our left and right
nostrils. From there, the two channels then go up behind the top of the eyebrows, curve back to the back of
the ears, and then go down through the bottom of one's neck, through the torso, converging at the place
four fingers below the navel. They unite there with the uma, the central channel. There is a juncture of all
three channels at this place below the navel, in both women and men.

The central channel has a slightly different path. Instead of curving around the backs of the ears, around the
eyebrows, and down to the nostrils, the central channel goes straight up to the very top of the crown
aperture, to the very top of the head, which is known as the aperture of Brahma. This is also the point for
the ejection of consciousness. The central channel is open at the top, pointing up, out of the crown
aperture. The lower point of the central channel ends four fingers below the navel, at the point where the
two flanking channels meet.

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The central channel is said to have four qualities. The first is that it is very straight, like a reed or a young
bamboo sprout. Secondly, it is blue, a deep blue lapis-lazuli color – like melted lapis. The third property is
that it is very soft, like a lotus petal. The fourth quality, as it is described traditionally, is that it is radiant
and luminous like a sesame oil butter lamp.

The central channel is not perfectly equal at both ends. It actually tapers out a little bit towards the crown.
It is a bit smaller at the bottom, and it gradually gets wider towards the top.

For female practitioners, as the Dakini, we use the following visualization of the channels with their
attributes:

• The kyangma channel, on the right, is red and associated with desire, with the solar element, and
with wisdom (sherab in Tibetan or prajña in Sanskrit)
• The roma channel, on the left, is white and associated with anger, with the lunar element, and
with skillful means (tab in Tibetan or upaya in Sanskrit)
• The uma channel, in the center, is blue in color and associated with ignorance

For male practitioners, as the Dakini, we use the following visualization of the channels with their attributes:

• The roma channel, on the right, is white and associated with anger, with the lunar element, and
with skillful means (tab in Tibetan or upaya in Sanskrit)
• The kyangma channel, on the left, is red and associated with desire, with the solar element, and
with wisdom (sherab in Tibetan or prajña in Sanskrit)
• The uma channel, in the center, is blue in color and associated with ignorance

As you can see, the male and female nadi structures mirror each other. The left and right are switched
around for male and female. It is said in Tibetan medical texts that there are also other physiological and
psycho-physiological differences between the subtle anatomy of the female and male bodies.

These differences are connected to the differences in the predominance of the three poisons in each gender.
Male energy is dominated more by anger and female energy is dominated more by desire. This difference
can be seen clearly by comparing male and female sexuality. Men tend to release everything at once; their
sexual energy doesn't endure as long. Whereas for women, their sexual energy is kept longer and it doesn't
dissipate so rapidly. Because female energy mainly has the element of desire, the red aspect, female sexuality
flourishes over time. Male sexuality tends to be exhausted over time due to the rapid disposition of male

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sexual energy. This difference is a result of the nadi structures and the way the energy is retained for the
different sexes.

Males with dominating feminine energy or females with dominating masculine energy have a respective
difference in their energy channels, or nadis. According to the Tantric medical system, natural nadi
structure can actually be altered by the influence of “bile, wind, and phlegm.” If a woman has strong
masculine nadis and thus is dominated by anger, her nadi structure is still that of a female, but with a
different dominating aspect. Also, there is something called maningta, or a neutral nadi structure. There is
the masculine, feminine, and then the neutral. This kind of neutral nadi structure is called maning.

We have assumed a rebirth that corresponds to the influence of the dominating emotion of our previous
birth, which is reflected in the shape of the nadis. The final product, male or female, is based on that
influence.

In their deluded aspect, the three channels are the basis for the conflicting emotions of desire, anger, and
stupidity. In the pure vision aspect, the ultimate aspect, the three channels are the basis for the three Kayas:
Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, and Nirmanakaya. The central channel is the Dharmakaya; the roma channel
is the Sambogakaya; the kyangma channel is the Nirmanakaya.

Because of the influence of the three conflicting emotions, our energy channels (in Sanskrit, the nadi or in
Tibetan, the tsa), the winds or motilities that flow through them (in Sanskrit, the prana or in Tibetan, the
lung) and the essences (in Sanskrit, the bindu or in Tibetan, the tigle) — all of them have a gross aspect that
adheres to them. There is a coexisting pure essence aspect as well. We engage in the breath-cleansing
exercises in order to purify the nadi, prana, and bindu and purge our energy system of the nyikma, which
means the impure aspect, the dregs.

A predominance of desire will have an impact on our health and will result in energy disorders with our
prana, also called vata disorders. We’ll be plagued by mental complexes that are feminine in nature. In
Tibetan the mental complexes that are feminine in nature are called ma dön. The obstacles from an
abundance of desire include feeling encumbered and murky.

The product of anger is that we will have bile disorders, or pitta disorders. These cause mental complexes
that are masculine in nature. An abundance of anger causes agitation as an obstacle to meditation.

The benefits of these breath-cleansing practices are that we are able to thoroughly purge these influences
from our energy system and completely eradicate them.

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Nyön she ley drib ney dön bag chag lung:
The pranas of defiled mental consciousness, karma, obscurations, sicknesses, negative forces, and habitual
tendencies,
Dug lang nam pa wang chen sa zhir tim:
Are steamy poisonous vapors that are then absorbed into the mighty foundation of the earth.

In all, we will be taking nine breaths: three exhalations total from the right nostril, three exhalations total
from the left nostril, and three exhalations from both (or from the central channel). These breathes
alternate: exhaling right nostril, left, right, left, right, left, both, both, both.

We begin by adjusting our posture and taking on the correct seated position, the Seven Point Posture of
Vairocana. Our back is straight, and the vertebrae are stacked one on top of the other, like a stack of gold
coins.

With each hand, we make a vajra fist. To do this, we place the tip of the thumb at the base of the ring
finger, and then curl the other fingers around to make a fist. This is the vajra fist. Keeping our backs
straight, we bend the wrist, and put the back of each wrist on the corresponding thigh at the point where
the thigh meets the torso. Our arms should be straight. Our shoulders may rise up to ear level to
accommodate the length of our arms when straightened.

Now, we bring up our left arm with the left index finger extended. As we bring up our arm, our index finger
moves in an inward hooking movement. We then close the left nostril with the left forefinger with the rest
of our hand still in the vajra fist.

At this point, males exhale a white, smoky substance from the right nostril (having closed the left), and
females exhale a red, smoky substance. Thus white energy is expelled for males and red for females in this
first breath. The exhaled breath has taken on the corresponding color of the channel which is being purged.

For women, the red energy that's being expelled represents craving and attachment. For men, the white
energy expelled represents anger. It is important to notice, at this point, that each of us has all three
poisons—anger, desire, and ignorance—no matter our gender. It is not that one gender is the owner of one
poison and then the other gender is the owner of the other poison. We each have all three. Instead, it is a
question of which poison is dominating, which is the strongest emotion.

For the second breath here, we reverse the sides. The right hand makes the vajra fist, and the right arm
comes up on the inhale, hooking the elements and bringing them into our body and letting them suffuse
our entire being. Then we close the right nostril with the right index finger for the exhale: women exhale out

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dirty white smoke out of the left nostril and men exhale dirty red smoke.

Let’s examine this part of the visualization now that we have a taste of what we are doing. To review, we do
these nine breathes as the White Dakini. With the first breath, we exhale, and purge the influence of desire
if we are female. If we are male, it is anger that is being purged. At the beginning, for women, the color is
reddish smoky red, kind of maroon, a dark red. With the second breath from that same nostril, the color
gets a little lighter, reddish but more translucent. Finally, with the third exhale it is vivid, radiant red. This is
the sequence of degrees of refinement of the breath. For men, the process is the same except that the
exhaled breath becomes whiter and whiter with each exhale. In the beginning it is a white, smoky breath.
Then it is a little more transparent as more of the toxins are removed. And then finally, it is a brilliant white
light.

The process is the same with the central channel, the center breaths, where we are purifying stupidity. At the
beginning, its navy blue: a blue-black smoke, and then it progressively gets lighter until it is just a radiant
blue light. We should feel, also that with purification of stupidity, that kapha ailments (from phlegm) are
overcome.

Let's go back to the actual breathing now. First we close the left nostril, and exhale out of the right side
(with the different visualizations depending on whether you are male or female). Then we close the right
nostril. Then again, we will close the left nostril, expelling the breath, and then close the right and expel. We
do this a three times on each side, alternating on each side, for a total of six breathes.

Then we do the final three breaths to cleanse the central channel. We do these breathes without closing the
nostrils. Instead, we press both hands, in the vajra fist described above, into our thighs, and we do three
exhalations through both nostrils. There is equal force out of both nostrils. At this point, the visualization is
the same for both women and men: we visualize dirty blue smoke coming out of both nostrils. On each
exhalation, the blue air becomes clearer, until the final exhalation is clear blue air.

At the end of this breath cleansing practice, we should feel that our energy channels (the nadi), the energies
themselves (the prana), and the essences (the tigle or bindu) are thoroughly cleansed of the gross aspect (the
nyikma), the influence of the masculine and feminine mental complexes, and any kind of impediments.
Everything has been rectified and purified by purging the breath.

Now we come to the second part of the visualization which relates specifically to the last two lines of the
text. While we are doing each of the nine breathes with the corresponding visualization of ourselves as the
White Dakini and the red, white, and blue exhalations, we are also visualizing that all of these negative
influences—the demonic influences, mental complexes, diseases, and so on—are thoroughly purged from

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our body, speech, and mind. They are graphically there in front of us, these kind of embodied illnesses and
demons. These characters are in front of us and we contemplate that through our purging on each exhale
that these negativities are being returned back to the Lord of Death, and back to our karmic creditors, back
to those who hold our debt of karma from previous lifetimes. Mentally, we’re acting out this drama of
returning this back to the Lord of Death, saying, “Okay, I am returning to you my karmic debt, any kind of
blood debt from killing sentient beings, consuming their flesh and so on, from previous lifetimes. I’m
returning that back and relieving myself of that karmic debt.” Essentially what this whole practice is about is
purging the dregs from our energy system.

The Main Breathing Exercise: the Barlung

Now that we have cleansed and purged with the nine purification breathes, we can receive the vitality that
the barlung exercise offers us.

For more advanced practitioners, this breath practice utilized here would instead be the bumchen, or
kumbaka as it is called in Sanskrit. The description of this more advanced practice corresponds to the four
lines in the liturgy.xlvi

There are many benefits to doing breathing practices. Indeed, the Sole Mother Yeshe Tsogyal said that the
process of doing the barlung, the gentle breath practice, is like the process of clarifying butter. Her teachings
mention all the qualities of this breathing practice. This is a method for transforming the karma energy into
yeshe, or wisdom energy.

What is referred to in Tibetan as lung, known in Sanskrit as prana, is called in English motility or winds.
The motilities of the five elements organize and formulate the physical constituents.

It is said that the motility related to space is really the fundamental one that pervades all the other ones. It is
the groundwork of the other types of motility. It animates all of the other types of motility and galvanizes
them, stimulating them to operate. The space motility is the ultimate one. It is also the easiest to work with.
It is considered to be indestructible. The other kinds of motilities can be harmed and so on. But this one is

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the ultimate groundwork and basis for the other ones, and so it can’t be harmed. It pervades all of the other
ones and causes the animation of all of them and is the ground of all of them. So it is the easiest one to work
with and is what we’re going to concentrate on in this breath practice.

Nying gar Künzang tug ü sog yig AH:

In my heart is Samantabhadra and in his heart is the life-force letter AH.
Jyin lab ö ting ro kyang lam ney gyü:
Blessings in the form of blue light move through roma kyangma pathways,
AH kar la tim lü nang ö kyi gang:
And finally dissolve into a white AH, the body is filled with light.

Hold the gentle breath and investigate in detail speech and mind.

These last line in italics refer to the barlung breathing practice, which will now be explained.

We inhale very gently, through the mouth and we allow our breath to settle below the belly button. As our
breath fills our belly, our belly extends out a little and is relaxed. Lonchenpa says that this simple movement
transforms the energy into enlightened energy. This energy-control practice is called the barlung, which
means the intermediate breath. It is the same as the jamlung or the gentle breath.

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The barlung doesn’t require any kind of forceful attention nor adopting any intense postures. It is simply
the feeling that the upper winds are resting in the belly gently. There is a slight attention to the lower energy
being pulled up very softly, very gently. It is not a full-on practice of arresting the energy. It is just a very
gentle sort of pulling up, resting the energy in the belly. The quick way to do it is to just sit erect and then
let your belly sort of loosen up and protrude slightly. That is it. The energy will naturally be drawn down to
our belly.

Everything here is very gentle: there is a gentle inhalation and a gentle exhalation. The energy just rests
naturally in the belly for a moment and we don’t need to retain it or anything, it is just simply resting there.
If we gain experience in this and are accustomed to this practice, it is something that we can carry with us in
all situations. It becomes a very strong support for our practice. Whether we’re eating, or talking, or
whatever, the energy retention below the navel is ever present. It is a profound support for mindfulness in
our practice.

In addition, in the practices of Trekchö and Tögal, and in particularly Tögal, this is a prominent part of the
practice; it is an integral part. A very important support for our practice is to maintain the intermediate
breath at all times, and this is the specific advice for Tögal practitioners.

Longchenpa extolled the great virtues and merits of retaining the barlung, saying that all of the motility in
the breath will be transformed into the primordial wisdom motility energy, the wisdom energy, by virtue of
the fact that we have retained that intermediate breath. As a result, we will become great practitioners, filled
with positive qualities. It is a very important part of the practice.

This is also considered to be the supreme method for longevity. Out of all of the longevity practices, mastery
of the breath, the prana, is considered the ultimate practice actually for longevity. In particular, the barlung
gets a lot of praise in the teachings. It is said that one will extend one’s life. Wind disorders in the body as
well as energy disorders will be rectified; it is like taking very good medicine. All kinds of illnesses are
dispelled by virtue of the fact that one has retained the energy of the breath.

There is one shortcoming though: We will have this bulging belly. So if you’re conscious of your hourglass
form or shape or something, you might be kind of disturbed to find that you’ve got this bulge at your belly.

The one thing that sets apart the Buddhist use of breath control practices from other practices is the aim
toward supreme accomplishment (or enlightenment).

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Once we have completed both of the breath cleansing practices, and rested the mind, we move onto the
accumulation of the Refuge practice.

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Refuge

Ultimately, the significance of this practice is that all the sources of Refuge can be subsumed within the
single expanse of primordial wisdom. It is all part of that. This can be resolved back into our own mind-
stream. This is the full circle that we make when we understand this: Refuge actually lies within.

With this understanding of the essence of the Three Jewels, their appearance doesn't matter so much. When
we have fathomed the inner significance of the whole thing, then the actual appearance is secondary to
realizing the essence.

Therefore, when we have fathomed the inner meaning—we can visualize Guru Rinpoche as being the
source of Refuge. Or, it could be Machig Labdrön. Or, it could be the black Indian, Dampa Sangye. The
Refuge can take any form if we have fathomed the essence.

The main point of taking Refuge is to receive the blessings of the Four Empowerments and to fuse our mind
with the enlightened mind of the Guru. In this case, we visualize ourselves as the Dakini in order to make
ourselves receptive to the blessings of the Guru. There is a great significance that lies in this relationship. It
affords greater ease of the blessings taking root in us because we have made ourselves more receptive to relate
to the Guru by visualizing ourselves as the Dakini. This visualization will cause the realization of the
inseparability of bliss and emptiness to dawn strongly in the mind.

If we have a diminutive vision of ourselves, this precludes the possibility of the blessings being absorbed. We
have to have this pure vision of ourselves in the Dakini form. This facilitates the Four Empowerments and
facilitates the receiving of them to a higher degree. It makes it much easier.

When we observe these forms, they should be appearing and yet empty, as the expression of primordial
wisdom. It is important not to attribute any kind of substance or phenomenal existence to the deity.
Internally, there is no reality there. It is reality in the sense that it is empty and yet present. It is like a rainbow
in the sky: there is no actual concrete substance, but there is an appearance.

However, we shouldn't understand Refuge as though it is merely a rainbow — a totally neutral

phenomenon that is bereft of qualities. The presence of those enlightened beings represents the sum total of
all of the Buddha's love, compassion, and all-knowingness in one single form. It is not just the presence of
an empty form but it is empty form replete with qualities, infused with love and compassion and realization.
This understanding of the deity as lacking inherent substance is a very important aspect of the deity practice.
It isn’t fruitful to contemplate the deities in a mere human or ordinary way.

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It is important to cultivate the three inspirations that propel us to take Refuge:

1. Fear of Samsara, being scared of cyclic existence

2. Faith in enlightenment, being inspired by the qualities of enlightenment
3. Seeing the miserable predicament of sentient beings and having compassion for them

If we weren’t scared of cyclic existence, we wouldn’t take refuge. If we didn’t have that level of fear, we
wouldn’t be taking refuge. If we were happy with our illness, and it was okay, then we wouldn’t see a doctor.
But if we’re ill, and we need help, then we will go to see a doctor.

There are all kinds of fears that we have. We have these immediate concerns of dangers and problems and so
on. But then there is the long-term, the ultimate concern that we should be having, and that is descending
into the lower realms in our future lives. We might have problems in the interim but the long-term problem
of having to reincarnate in the lower realms should be the main concern.

The second reason we take Refuge is out of faith. Ideally, this faith should be the faith that’s based on a
reason and understanding, and we have fully appreciated the rationale (the reasoning behind it). So we have
confidence, we have faith in it, and we feel inspired.

When we have this inspiration, this is faith that is coupled with insight or sherab, meaning wisdom. This is
the kind of faith and devotion that we want, the kind that has insight into wisdom, knowingness along with
that faith. Otherwise, we have what’s called idiotic faith which is not knowing the reasoning, just feeling that
one has to have faith. This kind of faith, where we’re just following the maneuvers of other people, won’t
lead to irreversible faith, because it has no firm grounding. We won’t arrive at a point of conviction through
knowingness with that kind of faith.

The third aspect that will bring us to refuge is to realize that this is a predicament that we share with all
beings. There is a compassion that comes about when we realize that all those beings that we have a
relationship with, that have shown kindness to us, also partake in the wheel of suffering. They are clueless
about how to generate happiness. In their pursuit of happiness, they’re sowing seeds of suffering. There is a
way of misconstruing the cause-and-effect dynamic. If we don’t understand cause and effect, this can get us
into trouble. When we see that sentient beings are wallowing in this suffering, our own kind parents, then
we want to take refuge on their behalf, to benefit those beings. The third inspiration then, that inspires us to
take Refuge, is compassion and concern for others.

When taking Refuge, it is important to scrutinize to determine whether this is really the perfect Refuge. Is
this the Refuge that will take me to the ultimate realization? Is this Refuge infallible? We analyze it, and we

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look at it with our wisdom and our insight. We observe it to see if those qualities are there.

To determine whether the potential sources of Refuge are infallible, we can ask some questions: Will they
actually provide protection, in this lifetime, in the intermediate state of the Bardo, and the next lifetime as
well? Can they actually offer us Refuge? We need to look at this and determine if it is possible. If they can’t
do these things, if they can’t offer us this, then they’re very similar to us. We can’t manage this life or the
intermediate state or the next life. We haven’t mastered them. If our potential sources of Refuge are the
same as us, then we are drowning together. We have to ascertain whether the potential Refuges are infallible
for this to be efficacious.

After that, we need to ascertain if the potential sources of Refuge can help us to transcend suffering, to go
beyond suffering and gain liberation. If the potential sources of Refuge are part of the whole network of
cyclic existence, roaming in cyclic existence themselves, then they are already confined and we have to ask
how they are going to help us. It has to be a source of Refuge that transcends the misery of cyclic existence.
For example, it is like watching somebody being carried away by a flood, and you can’t swim yourself. If
they are crying out for help and you jump in and try to help them, you’re just going to get carried away by
the flood also. It is no use seeking help from beings that are still within cyclic existence.

There are worldly deities that one might want to seek help from such as mountain gods, gods of the lakes
and oceans, the sun and the moon, or the different planetary deities. But these are all still considered to be
within the domain of cyclic existence. We could seek their help and they may be able to help us temporarily,
to overcome some kind of obstacles or help us with prosperity, and so on. But as far as their effectiveness in
helping us during the Bardo or the next life, that’s another question altogether. That’s completely uncertain.
So we might have a temporary benefit derived from them, but ultimately it is questionable.

So really the ultimate point then is to observe if the potential sources of Refuge we are considering have the
three qualities of enlightenment:

1. All-knowingness
2. Love
3. Capability

If they are filled with those, then we are on the right track. These beings can actually help us in the three
times: in this lifetime, in the Bardo, and in the next life. They can actually afford us some protection.

To discuss the three qualities in more depth, first is the quality of all-knowingness. There are some beings
that have a kind of limited clairvoyance. It could be gods or humans or different demonic beings and so on.

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They have a certain amount of clairvoyance, but this is not the thorough insight into the absolute nature of
reality. We could receive something insightful, something with some wisdom, but how far it penetrates into
reality is questionable; whether it is something that would be authentically beneficial for ourselves.

If we supplicate and those beings don’t know that we’re supplicating, if they don’t have that all knowingness,
then they won’t be able to respond. When we talk about all-knowingness, there are two types of
knowingness to consider:

1. There is the knowing of the actuality of reality as it is, which is the ultimate knowing (the
absolute level).
2. And, there is the knowing of the multitude of phenomena in their details (the relative level).
This is the domain of sentient beings, the phenomena and all their details.

Secondly, in the sources of Refuge, there needs to be love. There shouldn’t be a kind of biased love. For
example, there is the type of love that extends all over the place but it is biased and sort of prejudiced. You
love one person but you don’t love that other person. Even gods and demons and animals and humans, they
all have a degree of love, but it is always this preferential sort of thing: you love your tribe but not the other
tribe. The real, genuine love is the kind of love that you would have for any sentient being like a mother
would have for her own child. As Buddhists, this is how we should be treating all sentient beings.

Thirdly, there is capability. If a being has liberated him or herself, then he or she can liberate others. The
sources of Refuge are completely liberated, so they are considered very pure Refuges. The term in Tibetan is
Yang dag; they are pure and complete because they possess the capability or the capacity to liberate other
beings.

When we fully take to heart all of the qualities of the sources of Refuge and understand the reasoning, the
rationale, behind why the exalted Refuge is so special—the supreme Refuge—then we have confidence and
conviction. We have that irreversible faith. That’s the third quality that is needed to take Refuge: the
unwavering, stabilized, confident faith that’s based on reason and insight.

For how long do we take Refuge? The timeframe for taking Refuge is until one awakens to complete
Buddhahood. The timeframe for Refuge is from now until then. At that time, when we have awakened to
Buddhahood, then we already embody all the qualities of enlightenment. At that point, what do we need to
take Refuge for?

Our refuge should be inspired by the Mahayana motivation, the wish to enlighten all sentient beings, to
help all sentient beings out of compassion. If we take Refuge simply for ourselves, then we have immediately

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descended to a lower approach, the lesser vehicle to enlightenment because the scope of our intention has
been reduced to simply ourselves. If we take refuge out of compassion for all sentient beings then we have
graduated to the Mahayana, the greater vehicle.

In what manner do we take Refuge in this Ngöndro? Physically, we show respect by making prostrations,
folding our hands at our heart, and so on. With our speech, we take Refuge by uttering the refuge liturgy.
With our minds, we go for Refuge by resolving wholeheartedly that from now until complete awakening, if
things are good or bad, if we are happy or sad, we completely and wholeheartedly go for Refuge. There is a
sense of commitment, of resolve, and also of surrender: completely giving up and surrendering ourselves to
the Three Jewels.

How should we face difficult situations? We should cultivate the feeling that our negative karma is finally
coming out, expressing itself, and these situations represent the exhaustion of our negative karma. We
should feel great joy at finally getting rid of it and being purified. We can remember that it is through the
kindness of the Three Jewels that this is finally being purged. We should relate to negative circumstances as
if we have gotten rid of baggage and rejoice in the purification of our karma. We should really rejoice in the
feeling that the causes of suffering are exhausting themselves. If there are no causes, then there is no suffering
that can come about. Even if you pray for suffering, it won’t happen. Even if you seek it out and try to make
yourself suffer, you won’t find any suffering to be had because the causes are no longer there.

The Refuge Visualization

We can do a simple visualization here with one figure, as was explained above. This is the sole sufficient jewel
way of taking refuge: one single form of enlightenment without all the details of the Refuge tree and so on.
The one sole and sufficient refuge form of Refuge is Guru Dorje Chang, Guru Rinpoche in the form of
Vajradhara: all of primordial wisdom in one single phenomenon. Everything is subsumed within one single
phenomenon. All of the all-knowingness (khyenpa), love (tsewa), and capability (nupa) of all of the
enlightened beings is found within that single form of Orgyen Dorje Chang.

We should feel wholeheartedly that we are taking refuge fervently in Orgyen Dorje Chang until complete
awakening. We resolve to take refuge in that single embodiment of all the Buddhas.

If we have a tendency towards elaboration, and sort of relish all the details of the practice, then we can have
a vaster refuge field there with Guru Rinpoche in the form of Orgyen Dorje Chang, surrounded by a whole
ocean of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, all the Gurus in the lineage, and Dakas and Dakinis.

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We also visualize ourselves as the yellow-white Dakini in a blissful Pureland. She is taking refuge amidst a
throng of people around her who are also taking refuge. This is the way of taking refuge from now on, until
we reach Buddhahood, for the benefit of all sentient beings. To do this, we need immeasurable faith, as
described above.

Then the uncommon liturgy for meditation. First the refuge:

Dün khar ja ö trig pa’i long:

In front, in the expanse of densely arrayed shimmering rainbow light,
Kyab ney kundü Dorje Chang:
Is the total union of all the refuges, Vajradhara,

Here, as before, is our own Guru as the three Jewels, the three Roots, and the three Kayas, in the form of
Vajradhara. He can be surrounded by an ocean of refuges or just the single form.

Yab Yum ziji ö du bar:

Yab Yum, blazing with resplendent light.
Rang ley trul pa’i tsog chey sel:
Along with their emanated retinue visualize them clearly.

Recite the following with prostrations 100,000 times.

Buddha Dharma Sangha ya:

The Buddha, Dharma, and the Sangha.

Guru Deva Dakini:

The Lama, the Meditational Deity (Yidam), and the Dakini (Khandro)

Dharma Sambho Nirma ka:

The three kayas: Dharmakaya, Sambogakaya, and Nirmanakaya.

Kündü drinchen Lama la:

In the kind Lama, union of them all,

The Lama, who embodies them all.

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Kyab su chi’o tugje zung:
As I take refuge, hold me with your compassion.

I take refuge. Hold me fast with your compassion!

Alternative Refuge

Can be used by followers of Machig Labdrön:

This alternative refuge was spontaneously offered by Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche at Tara Mandala, July, 2008. It is from the
daily Chöd practice in the Dzinpa Rangdröl Terma cycle.

Because we are followers of Machig Labdrön's tradition, it is auspicious to say her Refuge Prayer also. Her
unique Refuge Prayer is found in the daily practice of offering one's body (The Dzinpa Rangdröl
Parchangma Chöd). We can say the refuge prayer above, or we can use Machig's unique Refuge here. Both
are equally good and both can count towards the accumulation of Refuge.

In addition to saying Machig Labdrön's refuge prayer we can also visualize Machig Labdrön as the source of
refuge instead of Vajradhara. Machig Labdrön is in her usual form, holding a Chöd damaru and a bell.
This can be seen as the main image of the White Dakini thangka at Tara Mandala.

In the Longchen Nyingtig Ngöndro, the liturgy for refuge goes: “I take refuge in the mandala of the essence,
nature, and display of compassion.” On one occasion there was a geshe (a learned scholar) who wanted to
debate about that point with a retreatant, a hermit. The geshe said, "In the Longchen Nyingtig, you're
taking refuge in the essence, the nature, and the expression of compassion, and that's actually oneself! The
person taking refuge is the refuge; the action itself is the person; the ultimate goal is the person. ...you're
taking refuge in yourself. What's that about?" This geshe was in retreat and he was challenging this
retreatant, this hermit.

The hermit said, "Okay, well if that's not satisfying to you, then," pointing at this Buddha statue on the
shrine, "are you going to take refuge in him? This Buddha statue here?" And then the geshe folded his hands
and said, in a reverential tone "Well, our kind teacher, who revealed the teachings, of course I'll take refuge
in the Revealer." And so the hermit challenged the geshe and pointed to the Buddha, said, "Well, what's
that from? What's that statue made of? What is it made of?" Then that geshe, after contemplating for a
moment, said, "Oh wow, okay. I understand where this is leading. I understand what you're pointing out.
I've got to go now, I've got a lot of work to do…."

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The problem here was that that geshe already refuted the inherent qualities of the individual. He was saying,
"Oh, you're taking refuge in yourself? What's that about?" So he’d already negated that aspect of the
argument. So he had to go to the next level. And so he's already agreed upon the Buddha, but then when it
comes down to it, a Buddha without all-knowingness, love, and compassion—which are mental qualities,
qualities of our being—without that it is just a statue: earth, clay, rock, or wooden statue. And so that geshe
got trapped in that argument there. So he realized that, "Okay, now we've made a full circle back to the
importance of the inherent qualities within the individual," which he had already refuted at the beginning.
So he was kind of stuck in this argument, and there was no exit other than, "Uh, I understand your point. I
gotta go now. I have a lot of work to do. I’m a very busy person as you can see."

Namo Dorje Chang ngö tönpa drima mey:

Homage to Vajradhara, stainless teacher of actuality:
Garab Pawo Guru Tötrengtsel:
Daka Garab Dorje, Guru Tötrengtsel;
Machig Khandrö sangwa yeshe dang:
Sole Mother Dakini, Secret Primordial Wisdom,
Dampa gyagar Ama Labdrön mar:
Dampa of India and Mother Labdrönma:
Jang chub nyingpo’i bardu kyab su chi:
I take refuge in you until I achieve the heart of realization.

You can actually prostrate, simultaneously, while uttering the refuge formula or one can tag one’s
prostrations later on onto the Seven-Branch Prayer. There are two options. You can count your prostrations
at this point, or you can simply utter the refuge formula, and then count your prostrations later on at the
Seven-Branch Prayer. Another option is to prostrate both here and at the Seven-Branch Prayer. All those
options are open.

Actually in Words of My Perfect Teacher by Patrul Rinpoche, it is suggested that one do the prostrations at
the Seven-Branch Prayer. A lot of the Nyingma tradition and also in the New Translation, the Kagyu, they’ll
do the prostrations at the time of taking refuge. Rinpoche’s nuns, when they do this Ngöndro retreat, they’ll
do the prostrations at the time of refuge. There are a variety of systems.

There is no formal dissolution in terms of the text; there is no line describing the dissolution of the
visualization, but there is one.

If we are only going to accumulate Refuge with prostrations and then finish the session at that point (and
not go into the other aspects of the Ngöndro), then we do the dissolution here.

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 1. Dissolve the Refuge objects into light.
2. This light then dissolves into our hearts.
3. Rest in the state of non-referential awareness. Rest for a while, appreciating the seed
potential of the sources of Refuge within us, resting in that state, fully merged with the
sources of refuge. Simply rest.
4. Finally dedicate the merit and make aspiration prayers.

If continuing on with the other practices, the subsequent practices of Bodhicitta, Vajrasattva, and so on,
then don’t dissolve the Refuge visualization. That visualization will be part of generating Bodhicitta and so
we retain it.

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Bodhicitta

Recite 40,000 times with at least twenty minutes practice of the Four Immeasurables (such as tonglen) in each session before the
recitation.

In the practice of raising Bodhicitta, we establish the very root and foundation of the Mahayana. We have
already discussed the objective for generating Bodhicitta and we should keep this in mind.

The wish that all sentient beings be established in the state of complete Buddhahood and the feeling that we
will endeavor to accomplish this is what is known as Aspiring Bodhicitta, the first phase of generating
Bodhicitta.

Then, with this in mind, we engage in the profound path. In this case, it is the exceedingly secret
unsurpassed cycle of teachings known as Self-liberation from Fixation, the Dzinpa Rangdröl. We should feel
that we are entering specifically on the path to enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. This is
called Engaging Bodhicitta, because we are engaging in those practices of the generation stage, completion
stage, and so on.

In order to cultivate Aspiring Bodhicitta, we need to contemplate the Four Immeasurables: immeasurable
love, joy, compassion, and equanimity. Along with that, we can practice Sending and Receiving, or
Exchanging Oneself for Others (known in Tibetan as tonglen), and practice to cultivate the aspiration to
help beings.

To cultivate Engaging Bodhicitta, we can practice any of several different things:

• the Six Paramitas,

• cultivating intense faith and devotion,
• developing a sense of surrender,
• engaging in the Calm Abiding (Shiné) and insight meditations (Vipassana),
• coupling each of these with diligence.

These are all support factors for gaining strength in generating Bodhicitta.

The ultimate liberating factor is Absolute Bodhicitta, which is free of any kind of reference point. By
merging with that crucial point of Bodhicitta free of reference point, one awakens to realization. That’s the
Ultimate Bodhicitta.

This is the practice that we’re engaging in when we generate Bodhicitta. We give rise to the two types of

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Bodhicitta: Relative and Absolute – Aspiring and Engaging Bodhicitta – and we make this commitment in
the presence of Guru Rinpoche or Machig Labdrön. To review:

1. We have the Refuge field in front of us.

2. We make the commitment over and over again, and we generate this Bodhicitta over and
over again, expressing our wish to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of beings,
generating the Relative and Absolute Bodhicitta.
3. Finally, in Guru Rinpoche’s or Machig Labdrön’s presence, once we’ve completed this,
Guru Rinpoche or Machig Labdrön dissolves into us (the field of refuge dissolves into us)
and we become one. We are in the “state free of elaboration” or “in the space of primordial
purity.” These are all synonyms. We simply rest in the state of naturalness.

Absolute Bodhicitta is not dependent on any kind of ritual or ceremony to bring it about. It comes through
the power of one’s meditative absorption, and also from intense faith and devotion to the Guru. We will
encounter another amazing method for bringing about Absolute Bodhicitta later on in the Ngöndro, and
that is union with the Guru in the Guru Yoga. This is considered the preeminent skillful method for
realizing Absolute or Ultimate Bodhicitta.

Marig ley nyön dugngal gyi:

Suffering caused by ignorance, karma, negative emotions,
Zirwa’i pha ma kha nyam dro:
Torment beings, my parents who are vast as space,
Lama’i go phang nyur tob chir:
In order to quickly attain the level of the Lama,
Mön jug dön dam sem chog kye:
I give rise to the supreme mind of aspirational and active (relative bodhicitta) and absolute bodhicitta.

Persist in the practice until the results are actualized. Devotion, pure vision, intense loving kindness, compassion and generosity are the
five main factors. Constantly strive in these, because they are the foundation of the training.

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Mandala Offering

In order to accumulate merit, as the provision for positive circumstances on the path, there is the stage of offering the mandala:

Now we come to the Mandala Offering. The visualization in front of us is the same one used for Refuge and
Bodhicitta.

There is an outer Mandala Offering, an inner Mandala Offering, and the secret Mandala Offering. The
outer mandala is an offering of those things that we associate as being mine. The reference point is “these are
my things.” With the outer mandala we offer the whole of the outer world as we see it with our ordinary
view. It is billions of worlds and many universes. The Buddhist way of calculating it is to say that there is a
three billion-fold universe. Three concentric rings multiplied by three billion constitutes one universe. The
offering is many of those universes.

We offer our house, land, gold, silver, all of the things that we have a craving for and are attached to, all
beautiful objects of enjoyment and comfort, and so on. All of this is surrendered and offered.

The mandala plate is the symbolic mandala that we offer. We should put as many jewels into the offerings
as we can and we should offer really precious objects, not just symbolic items. Many people have a tendency
to just put in rice, but inwardly there is a miser that’s monitoring exactly how much we are offering up and
making sure that we are not overdoing it. We shouldn’t be making that kind of offering, but instead we
should offer with an open hand, free from that kind of attachment. Don’t have it just be a bunch of rice,
especially if you can afford more.

The main point of this practice is to overcome fixation and clinging. We’re not making this offering because
the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are impoverished and somehow they need this offering. They already have
their own kind of richness. If we offered a country filled with gold, and then a pile of sand, it would make
no difference to the Buddhas because they have pure vision of all phenomena. It doesn’t make the slightest
difference. It is really about effecting a change within. It is about undoing fixation and clinging of the ego.

We offer to all the victorious Buddhas and their heirs, the Bodhisattvas. There are mentally created offerings
and there are actual offerings that we offer to this vast display of enlightenment. We imagine that the
universe is filled with our offerings, and we make them for the benefit of all sentient beings. There is the
object, the action, and the intention. This is what the outer offering is about.

The inner offering is to offer our body, all of our skandhas. The body is really the chief reference point for
ego fixation. Ego identifies with the body and that strengthens fixation. The body is incredibly important. If

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someone came up to you and said, “I will give you the whole world if you give me your body,” we wouldn’t
make that exchange. Even if we had that at our disposal, we wouldn’t exchange it for our body.

Machig Labdrön said in her teachings, “Offering horses and elephants is one thing. But even a thousand
times greater an offering would be to offer your consort or your children. A thousand times greater than that
is to offer your own body.” The body offering grows exponentially as we continue to multiply the offering.

The internal offering basically means that we are offering all the constituents of our physicality: our energy
channels, the tigles, and everything else that constitutes the body is offered in the form of a mandala. We
offer that up, along with our own pure vision of the world as a pureland.

Now we come to the secret mandala. Where did all of these offerings come from? The outer world, the
internal physical constituents, and all the things that comprise our physical being: Where did they come
from? They came from the mind. They originate from the mind. They are products of the mind. All of the
various phenomena—all possible phenomena of cyclic existence and Nirvana—stem from the dynamic of
the mind. They are a product of the mind. The mind is the very root or origin of all the phenomena of
Samsara and Nirvana. Previously, the body was the chief reference point. But the one that references that is
the mind. We can take it a step further and actually say, ultimately, it is the mind that possesses, the mind
that has the notion of “I” and “mine.” That’s the ultimate point. The body is a reference point, but actually
the mind is the one that’s engaging in that action of fixation on the self.

When we observe the mind, and we look into it, we find that the mind’s essence is empty and primordially
filled with all the qualities of enlightenment already. Without having to develop them they are already there.
There is the Dharmakaya and then the Dharmadhatu nature of the mind. There are the three aspects of the
mind: the essence which is empty, its nature which is clarity, and the resonating concern which is all-
encompassing. Everything is complete within that mind.

Traditionally, we have a mandala plate, which represents kadag, primordial purity. The offerings on top of
that represent spontaneous presence and the qualities that come with spontaneous presence, the various
dawnings which are the qualities of enlightenment, the wisdoms, the kayas, the visions, and so on. All of
these are an ornamentation of being and they’re offered up as such. That is the secret mandala.

The first Mandala Offering is a Nirmanakaya-style offering. The second one is a Sambogakaya-style
offering. And then the third offering is the Dharmakaya-style of offering.

The Nirmanakaya- and Sambogakaya-style offerings bring about the completion of the accumulation of
merit. Then the Dharmakaya-style mandala brings about the accumulation of primordial wisdom.

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The two principal points of the path are the accumulation of merit and wisdom. The ultimate outcome of
accumulating those two is that through merit, we accomplish the Rupakaya, the form or emanation bodies.
And then through wisdom, we accomplish the Dharmakaya for oneself. So the two purposes are
accomplished by making that offering.

So at the end of the practice, one rejoices that one is fortunate to have this opportunity to accumulate the
two types of accumulations. Then one makes a dedication of merit that all beings would likewise have a
similar accumulation of merit and wisdom and awaken to Buddhahood.

OM AH HUNG:
Mije tongsum jigten lhami nor:
The billion-fold universe, the riches of gods and humans,
Daglü kyegu’i löngchö mandal dze:
The enjoyments of this body and from all my births beautify the mandala;
Nangtar phungkham tsalung tigle che:
Internally the skandhas, physical elements, the nadis, prana, and bindu,
Ngadan zhingkö döyön chöpa’i trin:
Are the five-fold pure land, a cloud of enjoyable offerings.
Sangwa ngowo rangzhin tugje’i tsel:
Secretly the essence, nature, and dynamic compassion,
Chöying namdag zhönnu bum ku’i zhing:
The all-pure Dharmadhatu, dimension of the youthful vase body,

The Youthful Vase Body (zhön nu bum ku) is a Dzog Chen term that signifies the primordial ground in its
self-contained pure potential devoid of exteriorization. This term also signifies the internally radiant
primordial awareness present within the heart of all living beings, the ground of being or Buddha-nature
which is obscured by non-recognition. The body (ku) indicates the dynamic qualities of the kayas and
primordial gnosis, the rainbow hued gnostic energy that is inherent in primordial purity's dynamic
emptiness as an internal radiance of pure potential. It is devoid of external manifestation thus the vase (bum
pa). It is not susceptible to mortality and decay of conditioned existence thus it is described as youthful
(zhön nu). Youthful here also connotes primordial.

Sangye kun dü Lama kyilkhor la:

I offer to the embodiment of all the Buddhas, the Mandala of the Lama.
Bullo dro kun tsog nyi yong dzog shog
May all beings fully perfect the two accumulations. (repeat 3x)

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The two accumulations are the accumulation of merit and the accumulation of wisdom.

Short Mandala Offering

(Insertion: To be used for the 100,000 recitations.)

Sa zhi pö chu jyug zhing metog tram:

This earth is anointed with scented water, and strewn with flowers,
Rirab ling zhi nyi day gyen pa di:
Adorned with the sun, moon, mount Meru and the four continents,
Sangye zhing du mig te phul wa yi:
I offer this visualizing it as a Buddha field,
Dro kun nam dag zhing la chyö par shog:
May all beings take birth in the purelands!
Idam Guru ratna mandala kam nir ya ta ya mi:
I send forth this jeweled Mandala to you, precious Guru!
Make countless offering in accordance with your means. Then comes the practice of purifying the obscurations and making offering
without material support.

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Vajrasattva

It is a very important aspect of the path to have the two accumulations of merit and wisdom because that is
what will actually cause the flourishing of primordial wisdom and realization.

The two accumulations help bring about the primordial wisdom of realization. However, there is an
inhibiting factor to the dawning of primordial wisdom which is the two types of obscuration. So we deal
with those obscurations through the practice of Vajrasattva. Through the force of that we bring strength to
our realization.

In order to effect purification, we need to have what is known as the Four Powers:

1. Reliance
2. Regret and Remorse
3. Commitment
4. Remedy

The first power of Reliance. In this case, we’re relying on Vajrasattva. We visualize Vajrasattva on a lotus
and moon seat on the crown of our head. That is what we’re relying upon. The power of Reliance is the first
thing.

The second power that cleanses our defilements is the power of Regret and Remorse. We acknowledge that
in all our lives we’ve engaged in negative actions. We bring that to mind, feel a sense of regret, and want to
confess that. That is the power of remorse in the presence of Vajrasattva. That’s the second power.

Third is the power of Commitment. We declare in the presence of Vajrasattva that even at the cost of losing
our lives we will no longer engage in negative actions, actions that hurt beings and so on. That is the power
of Commitment or resolve not to engage in negative actions anymore.

Fourth is the power of the Remedy. The Remedy is supplicating Vajrasattva, saying, “Lord Vajrasattva, I’ve
accumulated negative actions. Please purify me, send me your blessing waves,” and so on. “Eradicate the
negativity within my being.” We’re making a supplication, we’re beseeching Vajrasattva, we’re reciting the
mantra—all of that represents the Remedy, the remedial factor that purifies one’s negativity. So that is the
fourth power, the power of the Remedy.

Chyiwor pey kar da den Dorje Sem:

On the crown of my head is Vajrasattva on a lotus and moon seat.

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Kar sel long ku’i che dzog Yum dang tril:
Perfectly adorned with all the Sambhogakaya ornaments, embracing the white luminous Yum.

First, we supplicate Vajrasattva in Yab-Yum with his consort Vajratopa (in Tibetan, Dorje Nyima). At this
point, they are both white in color.

Jyor tsam dütsi’i gyün bab chyi wor zhug:

At the point of their union flows amrita, which enters my crown.

After supplicating, we invoke Vajrasattva’s enlightened intent, which causes the flow of nectar to take place
from that point of sexual union. There is this flow of purifying nectar that descends. We’ve caused this flow
based on our supplication.

This nectar descends from their place of union and enters into the crown aperture on the top of our head,
and it completely fills up our body, gradually filling it up with nectar. We feel that all of our negativity, all
of the breakages of our commitments, any kind of degeneration, any root downfalls that have been
committed, are utterly purified. Rinpoche used the example of the rain. The rain is touching everything
around here, saturating everything that was dry, and it is now saturated with wetness. All that negativity
within the body is now infused with this purifying nectar, completely saturated.

Drib nyi nye tung gel trul nyam chag kün:

The two obscurations, along with any errors, downfalls, transgressions, delusions, degenerations and
breakages are all

The two obscurations are also called the two veils and these are: 1) conflicting emotions, and 2) cognitive
obstructions or dualistic perception. These two obscurations cover up one’s direct perception of the nature
of mind.

Lhag me tru zhing sa zhi’i kham kyab pey:

Without residue, cleansed away into the earth,

Then, the different symbols of the different types of negativity are purged out of our body. We imagine that
spiders and scorpions and all kinds of pus and muck and blood and soot are excreted out of our lower
orifices and our body is completely purged of the negativity. Different insects like scorpions represent our
broken vows; illnesses are pus and blood; and general negativity is sooty water. All of those different things
are completely purged from within our body, speech, and mind, going out of our lower orifices. The nectar
has filled up our body and we’ve purged all the negative phenomena from our body.

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Rig drug semchen lenchag geg rig tsim:
Purifying the karmic debts to the beings of the six realms and satisfying the various obstructers.

Now we imagine that the ground opens up and the Lord of Death and other beings, the henchmen, and all
sentient beings that we owe a karmic debt to, are having that karma returned to them and they are satisfied.
There is the notion of them being satisfied at having their debt be returned, or paid off.

[Recite the 100-Syllable Vajrasattva mantra 100,000 times]

The 100-Syllable Vajrasattva Mantra

Om Vajrasattva Samaya Manu Palaya Vajrasattva Teno Pa:

Tiktra Dridho Me Bhawa Suto Kayo Me Bhawa Supo Kayo Me Bhawa:
Anurakto Me Bhawa Sarwa Siddhi Me Prayeta Sarwa Karma Sutsa Me:
Tsittam Shiri Ye Kuru Hung Ha Ha Ha Ha Ho Bhagawan Sarwa Tatagata:
Vajra Mame Muntsa Vajri Bhawa Maha Samaya Sattva Ah:

Recite the hundred-syllable mantra while maintaining the key points of the visualization. Meditate on compassion until tears flow.
Pleasing the Lama, filled with love, one is granted authority [empowerment]. One's body dissolves into light like a rainbow dissolving
into space.

Finally, Vajrasattva, in a state of great joy, announces, “Oh daughter/son of noble family, you have now
been completely purified without any residue of negativity, completely purified.” And then in a state of
great joy, Vajrasattva dissolves into space.

Then having dissolved into light, Vajrasattva dissolves into us.

Rang rig ma chö de zhin nyi:

Unfabricated self-cognizing rigpa is suchness itself.

Vajrasattva’s dissolving into us triggers the dissolution of our own body, which also disappears.
Simultaneous with Vajrasattva’s dissolving, own body disappears like a rainbow evaporating into space.
Then we remain in an unfabricated way: not altering our mind but just letting it rest naturally. We are
simply resting in the state of the indivisibility of emptiness and compassion, that unity, which is really the
nature of the mind.

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Nyingje’i ngang ley rang rig HUNG:
From the state of compassion, awareness dawns as HUNG.

At this point, all that’s left is the blue letter HUNG, which represents our mind. Our body is completely
dissolved. We contemplate from the letter HUNG that limitless light rays issue forth and go into the ten
directions. Those light rays go out and make offerings to all the Buddhas and their heirs in the ten
directions. And the light rays also go forth and purify all sentient beings and establish them on the same
level as Vajrasattva. Then that light comes back, reconverges back into the HUNG, bringing with it all the
qualities of enlightenment, the blessings, powers of enlightenment, and so on. Everything is absorbed back
into that HUNG.

Khu dul teng bab tro dü jyang:

The mother’s and father’s essence (tigle) arises and the HUNG descends, sending out and drawing back,
and purifying everything.
Rangnyi Dorsem ting sel dog:
I am Vajrasattva, depth-radiance blue in color.

That HUNG transforms back into Vajrasattva. So then we become Vajrasattva, blue in color, a single figure.
Vajrasattva is actually the color of the sky, according to the text, or the color of lapis lazuli. There is no
reference to his consort at this point. In the heart of blue Vajrasattva is a moon disk, in the center of which
is the seed syllable HUNG. Surrounding that on the edge of the moon disc is the six-syllable root mantra,
essence mantra.

Dorje dril dzin kyil trung zhug:

Holding vajra and bell sitting in the vajra posture,
Longku’i che dzog özer bar:
Completely adorned in Sambhogakaya attire blazing with light rays.
Tug kar da teng HUNG yig tar:
In the heart on a moon disc is HUNG,
Ngagkyi korwa’i özer gyi:
Circled by the mantra which emits light rays,
Gyelchö drodrib kunjang shing:
Which are offerings to the Victorious Ones and purify the obscurations of beings.
Namdag gyelwa’i zhingdu gyur:
Everything becomes the perfect pure land of the Victorious Ones.

OM AH: VAJRASATTVA HUNG:

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The mantra is set up to the left and turns to the right. There is no special mention about the mantra
rotating. Although the syllables themselves don't rotate, the light from the syllables does rotate. There is the
emanating and the receiving of light from those seed syllables. That light goes out and makes offerings and
so on, and transforms the world with all the beings in it into the five classes of Vajrasattva, the five families
of Vajrasattva.

There is no mention of colors either. The seed syllable HUNG is blue in color and the mantra encircling
that seed syllable is also blue. We can contemplate that the light rays emanating from the mantra and the
seed syllable are the five colors. The reason for that is the five colors represent accomplishing the Five
Buddha Activities. The four activities are the actual activities of Pacification, Enriching, Magnetizing, and
Wrathful Activity. The fifth one is Ultimate Achievement.

The significance of the color blue is that it is said that all colors can be subsumed within the color blue. In
the spectrum of colors, every aspect of all those colors can actually be found in the single color blue. It is said
that blue Vajrasattva represents the lord of all the hundred families that can be found, the hundred Buddha
families. He is known as the Secret Lord of a Hundred Families. Blue actually accomplishes all the activities.

All phenomena/apparent forms are the display of the body of the deity. All sounds are the reverberation of
the mantra of Vajrasattva. All memories and thoughts and so on are nothing other than the movement of
the enlightened mind of Vajrasattva. We recite the essence mantra for a while too.

Then finally, after we have completely identified with Vajrasattva, we dissolve the visualization and rest in
the state free of any kind of reference point.

Recite the mantra like the flow of a river being inseparable with the three aspects to be adopted. Rest in the unconditioned state. This is
the yoga of the generation stage of the deity.

The three aspects to be adopted are: All appearances are the deity, all sound is the mantra, and all thought is
rigpa.

The completion stage of training with nadi, prana, and the constituent of bindu, is the very basis for accomplishing the body of light. The
key point is to remember the pith instructions on the four elements. This is the stage of the path involving effort. At the session’s end: (All
this) is dissolved: the world and its beings dissolve into oneself the appearance of the deity dissolves until the point of the nadi at the top of
the life force seed syllable of the heart (HUNG ). Then rest in the ineffable state free of any focus point. Cultivate the natural state of
awareness, the true condition.
This graded path is in no way ordinary. Earnestly practice this profound path. SAMAYA.

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Guru Yoga

Then there is the extraordinary method for bringing about realization, which uses the Guru Yoga practice.

This method of engaging in the Guru Yoga is known as the outer method of Guru Yoga involving
supplication. The style of accomplishment here is known as the Single Supreme Sovereign Method, known
as the Single Jewel refuge field, visualizing one single manifestation.

Now the foundation’s extraordinary path, known as the blessing of the Guru Yoga: the outer method for accomplishing the realization of
enlightened intent. Practice the sole sufficient jewel-like method.

E MA HO:

At the beginning of the Guru Yoga, it starts off with “E Ma Ho!” which is a declaration of wonderment,
exclaiming, “How fantastic!” This has the effect of triggering the presence of the Lama. Our intense
devotion and our immense compassion act as a trigger for bringing about the presence of the Lama.

La mar mögü drö la nyingje’i dang:

Through the inherent translucent radiance of fervent devotion for the Lama and compassion for beings,
Ma dag trul nang milam seypa zhin:
Impure deluded appearances vanish like waking from a dream.

The Lama’s presence has the effect of dispelling all the illusions of our mind. Just like waking up from a
sleep will end the dream, the Lama’s presence will dispel all of the obscuration of one’s mind. The one
triggers the other.

Nang wey gar khyab nö kyi jigten kün:

The entire world, all pervading appearances,
Ögmin pema ö kyi zhel ye khang:
Are Akanishta,xlvii within it is the limitless palace of lotus light.

Additionally, it starts off with resting in the state of emptiness. But as soon as we feel the stirring of a
concept, immediately we should replace that with a pure vision of the world. When we are in the state of
emptiness, there is going to be, finally, some kind of movement, a dawning of some kind. It is not just going
to remain like that. That dawning should coincide with our seeing the whole world as a pureland. In this
case it is the Pureland of Lotus Light, complete with all the ornamentation/attributes of that pureland.

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Ö nang gyen kö phunsum tsogpa’i ü:
In the center of the perfect luminous ornaments of the palace,
Rang nyi dechen Dorje’i Neljorma:
I am the great bliss Vajra Yogini,

Then, simultaneously, in an instant, we arise as Vajrayogini in a state of great bliss. She’s also known as the
Great Bliss Dakini. Another name is the Lotus Dakini, Padma Dakini.

Mar sel zhel chig zhi dzum chag pa’i nyam:

Luminous red, with one face smiling with a desirous countenance.

She is reddish orange in color. There is a little subtle hue of orange in there. She has one face and two arms.

Chag nyi ye pey drigug ku la ten:

My right hand holds a trigug at my hip.

She has the same ornamentation, hand implements and everything else, as the White Dakini.

Yön pey dütsi töpa ying su tob:

My left lifts a kapala of amrita offered into space.
Zhab nyi pamo rolpa’i dor tab chen:
My two legs display the heroine’s dance,

She is in the Dakini posture, with one leg raised and the other extended.xlviii

Lang tso’i zi bar nu bur bhaga gye:

Blazing in youthful splendor with voluptuous breasts and a blossoming bhaga.

In this context, the Sanskrit term bhaga is synonymous with the term yoni, which means womb, vulva,
vagina, place of birth, source, and/or origin. The use of bhaga usually denotes a ritual context.
She’s at the peak of her development, which means at the age of 16. The signs of that kind of youthfulness
are that her breasts like orbs, and so on. She has all the youthful features.

Rinchen rüpa’i gyen cha sil sil drog:

My precious jewels and bone ornaments jingle.

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Her ornaments are precious jewels and bone ornaments.

Dey gü chen sum Lama’i ku la ta:

I gaze with my three eyes with fervent devotion at the form of my Lama.

She has three eyes. She looks very similar to Yumka Dechen Gyalmo.

Pema nima togme ro den gying:

I am standing upon a lotus, on which is a sun disc and a corpse.

She’s standing on top of a lotus sun disk. On top of that is the prostrate form of a corpse, which represents
non-conceptuality.

Kha ying jyin lab ja ö khyilwa’i long:

In an expanse of whirling blessing rainbow light,
Pema bum del nyi da’i den gyi ü:
On a hundred-thousand petaled lotus on a sun and moon disc,

Then in the sky in front of us, in the midst of radiant rainbow lights-—rainbows and light rays and so on—
is a hundred-thousand-petaled lotus along with a pollen bed. On that, there is a moon disk and a sun disk.

Ku sum gyelwa malü dü pa’i pel:

Is the glorious embodiment the Victorious Ones of the Three Kayas,

On top of that hundred-thousand- petal lotus with the moon and sun disk is the embodiment of all the
Buddhas of the three times, one’s own root Guru, Guru Rinpoche in the form of Buddha Tötreng, which
means Garland of Skulls. That’s a manifestation of Guru Rinpoche, a yogic form of Guru Rinpoche.

Kadrin sum den Lama Dorje Chang:

Guru Vajradhara, possessor of the three kindnesses.

As mentioned above, the Three Kindnesses of the Lama are to give empowerments (wang), to offer textual
transmissions (lung), and to give explanations (tri).

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Jetsün Guru Buddha Thötrengtsel:
Exalted teacher Buddha, Thötrengtsel,
Ku dog kar la marwa’i dang chag pa:
White in color with a red glow.
Zhel chig zhi dzum chag ye reldri char:
His one face smiles peacefully and his right hand holds aloft a sword.

Buddha Thötreng is holding a sword aloft in the right hand and a skull cup filled with blood in the left
hand. The ornamentation and the sword and so on indicate that this Guru Yoga is in the style of Chöd
Guru Yoga. Perhaps that sword is about cutting through ego fixation.

Yönpey bhanda dütsi kangwa nam:

In his left is a kapala filled with nectar.
Ü tra tor tsug tag sham rü gyen trey:
His hair is up in a topknot, and he is wearing a tiger skin skirt and is adorned with bone ornaments.

He looks actually very much like Phadampa Sangye. He has his hair tied up in a top knot and wears a tiger
skin skirt. His legs are in the lotus posture (fully locked). Representing the consort’s presence in a hidden
manner, he has a katvanga perched in the crook of his right arm, near the elbow.

Zhab nyi sempa’i kyil trung özer trö:

His two legs are in the bodhisattva posture, he radiates light rays.
Chen khung yön na khatvangka yi dzey:
The crook of his left arm is adorned by a katvanga staff,

A katvanga is a large staff, with three heads. For male deities, at the top is a trident; for female deities, at the
top is a vajra. It is an implement that many deities hold representing the inner consort.

Chiwor rig dag Garab pawo chog:

On his crown is the Lord of the Family, the supreme Daka Garab.

If we have a tendency towards non-elaborate practice and prefer to visualize just a single enlightened being,
we can contemplate that Buddha Tötreng has limitless light rays that emanate from his body. If there is the
sun, there are automatically going to be light rays. In the same way, since this is an enlightened being then
there is automatically the all-knowingness, the love/compassion, and capability that represent all the other

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enlightened beings. We can imagine that at the ends of those light rays are all of the Buddhas, Lamas,
Gurus, Dakas, Dakinis, the heroes and heroines, and so on — everyone is there in those light rays. Just the
presence of the light rays will remind us of all those other enlightened beings. That will suffice.

We can also simultaneously contemplate that we are surrounded by the Nirmanakaya Purelands and also the
five chief Sambogakaya purelands. If we contemplate that we are surrounded by that and that there are
countless Buddhas that send their blessings to the central figure of Buddha Tötreng, then we will enhance the
reception of blessings. If we contemplate that all those blessings converge on Buddha Tötreng, and then
converge into ourselves, that will increase the blessing power. We contemplate the presence of all those
enlightened beings there, simultaneously, and receive their blessings.

If we want to do an elaborate visualization, then we can see that on top of Buddha Tötreng is Garab Dorje.
And then on top of Garab Dorje’s head is Vajrasattva. On top of Vajrasattva’s head is the primordial
Buddha, Samantabhadra-Samantabhadri. And then one can contemplate that all the Dzog Chen lineal
Gurus are there, the root lineage Gurus are there surrounded by a multitude of deities and dakinis and so
on.

De yi chi wor tönpa Dorje Sem:

Above his head is Vajrasattva.
Ta kor kagyü Lama Yidam Lha:
Around are the Gurus of the transmission, Yidam deities,
Khandrö Chökyong tsog che trin tar tib:
Dakinis, and Dharmapalas gathering like billowing clouds.

Invitation

Visualize and invite the field of refuge.

HO: Chö kyi ying dang nga den zhing:
HO: From the Dharmadhatu and the five-fold pure land of Nirmanakaya emanations,
Dro dül trülku’i zhingkham ney:
Those who tame wandering beings,
Ku sum zhi chag trowo’i lha:
Peaceful, desirous and wrathful deities of the Three Kayas,
Tse chen tugje ney dir sheg:
Out of immense love and compassion come to this place!
Kün dü tsawa’i Lamar tim:
Dissolve into the root Lama!
Dag la wang kur jyin gyi lob:
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Grant me the empowerment and blessings!

Chog dang tün mong ngödrub tsöl:

Bestow the relative and absolute siddhis!

Seven Branch Prayer

Offering the Seven Branch Prayer

At this point, once we have established that visualization, we engage in the Seven-Branch Prayer for the
accumulation of merit. We should contemplate when reciting that Seven-Branch Prayer that all sentient
beings have joined us. In number, they are equal to the number of the atoms on the earth; there are just
countless beings with us, as we recite the Seven-Branch Prayer.

Dag dang dro drug semchen gyi:

I and all beings of the six realms,
Dül nye lü trül gü chag tsal:
With our illusory bodies, as many as there are atoms, offer prostrations.

First it starts off with paying homage and making prostrations. The purpose of offering prostrations is to
counteract our pride. Really proud people will never prostrate. The most you’ll get out of a very proud
person is maybe a slight nod. That’s about it. So the real purpose of making prostrations is so that in the
presence of the Three Jewels, one will take the highest part of one’s body, the crown, and touch it to the
ground. That represents the pinnacle of pride, the top of the head, and one will touch it to the ground in
the presence of the Three Jewels.

Künzang chö trin gyatsö chö:

An immense ocean of clouds of offerings, such as those emanated by Samantabhadra, are offered.

Then offerings are made. One can contemplate that the outer, inner, and secret offerings are made as they
were explained in the Mandala Offering section.

Making offerings counteracts miserliness.

Dig tung dam tsig nyam chag shag:

Negative actions, downfalls, degenerated and broken samayas are confessed.

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The next part is to confess all of the negativity that one has accumulated in the past, present, and will
accumulate in the future. You confess all of that.

The offering of confession is the antidote to anger. Confession will pacify anger. If two people are having a
fight and one of them doesn’t apologize, it doesn’t come to an end. If you watch children fighting, if
someone doesn’t say sorry, it will not end. The person just carries their anger with them. But as soon as they
hear the word “sorry,” for some reason that pacifies the anger.

Lamai dze par je yi rang:

I rejoice in the awakening deeds of the Lama.

Then there is rejoicing in the merit accumulated in the three times: past, present and future.

Rejoicing is the counteragent to jealousy and envy. Jealousy is comparing ourselves with others and feeling
like somehow others have surpassed us, and we feel bitter about that. We are not feeling good about the
good things that are happening to other people because we feel lacking in what the other person has.

The opposite of that is that if we observe somebody enjoying the comforts of life and fame and so on and we
genuinely respond feeling that, “Oh, that’s really great. They are doing well and may they continue. May
that just go even better for them.” Then that is very different. That’s a complete turnaround from the usual
of feeling of lack and comparing and jealousy, and so on.

Ati chö khor korwar kul:

I request that the wheel of the Ati Dharma may be turned.

Here is the supplication requesting enlightened beings to turn the wheel of the Dzog Chen teachings, in an
unending fashion to cause all sentient beings to enter into the path to complete awakening.

The request for turning the Wheel of the Dharma is the counteragent for stupidity. If they turn the Wheel
of the Dharma it means more knowledge and wisdom, which will shed light on what we didn’t know. What
was unknown is now known, and we can overcome the darkness of stupidity through knowledge.

Semchen dön du zhug sol deb:

Pray remain for the purpose of beings.

Here, we ask them to remain “as long as existence remains, may that wheel keep turning.” Supplicating is
the counteragent for wrong views.

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Ge tsog semchen dön du ngö:
I dedicate the accumulation of virtue for the benefit of sentient beings.

Again, we dedicate merit. The dedication of merit is the counteragent to laziness.

Supplication

Supplicate one-pointedly as follows:

Thus far throughout the different trainings, we have visualized the refuge tree, generated compassion in
front of the sources of refuge, and we’ve accumulated merit. We’ve done a lot of things. Now we’re going to
engage in the supplication, to receive the blessings.

This parallels what we do in this world, in terms of how we treat VIPs. If we were going to invite a big Lama
or big dignitary VIP, we first start with the invitation. Then we put out the red carpet, then we make the
food, then we offer praises. We have a speech. “So-and-so, we’re so excited to see you here, we’re honored, la
la la.” We give them tea and food and other drinks. Then there is a dance. And so on. But then ultimately
you come to the key point: you ask for what you want. It is a bit of a setup, right? We are having a joke
here, saying that we are swindling the Guru. It is like a setup, right? “Have some more tea. Have a nice seat.
We love you, you’re fantastic. Would you like to dance? Now I want something from you.” Right?

What we are saying is that after we’ve done all that, made the praises and all that, we are saying, “Look here.
Look my way. Look at me with compassion. I need such and such.” Then we state our agenda at that point.

As it is typically done, this parallels the worldly way we do things. We are making a request, but when we
make that request, we have to complain about our problems first, and describe our situation. It doesn’t start
off with anything sweet. It starts off with, “I’m having this hardship. I’m having that problem. Please would
you help cure that?” So it goes:

Alas! Exalted teacher, precious Guru Rinpoche,

We here in cyclic existence are roaming,
Afflicted by negative karmas and conflicting emotions.
In an intense way, we are oppressed by those.
We are constantly held in the noose of dualistic fixation.
We have no other place to put our hopes than you.xlix

It starts off with that. So we are stating that we have unchanging devotion, irreversible devotion in the

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Guru.

First we state our problems. Then we state that we haven’t been able to change ourselves and we’d like the
Lama to help us. Our devotion is unwavering.

We make this supplication, but it shouldn’t be just simply that we are trying to swindle enlightened beings
into paying attention to us and then somehow getting ourselves out of our predicament. It shouldn’t be
such a crude, artificial setup like that. It has to be infused with intense devotion, and respect, and faith. That
is really the vital aspect of the supplication.

In the Nyingtig tradition, there is a supplication that says, “Guru Rinpoche, you are the embodiment of the
Buddhas of the three times. You are the repository of all their compassion. You are a veritable treasure house
of blessings for all sentient beings,” and so on. The idea is that when we make such a supplication, we really
throw ourselves into it, we completely surrender, and we are completely filled with devotion to the point
that the hairs on our body are quivering. Tears are just flowing out of our eyes. Our breath is almost choked
in our throat, to the point that all concepts are completely arrested because of our intense devotion.

When we read through the sadhana and make the supplication, there should be a focus on the meaning of
the words coupled with intense devotion. We remain in that meditative state while we supplicate to receive
the blessings. Everything should be synchronized:

• what we are doing with our mind

• our speech
• our body
• the letters
• the meaning

Everything should synchronize very nicely. Then we will get immense blessing.

The nature of things is such that the degree of blessings that we receive is related to how much devotion we
have. If we have immense devotion, then correspondingly we will receive an immense blessing. We are
receptive to the blessings when there is a lot of devotion. If there is a middling amount of devotion, then
there is only a middling blessing. If there is a small amount, then there is a small blessing. If there is no
devotion…. There is no possibility for the blessings to penetrate because there is nowhere for them to go.

Having heard that, we might think, “Well, does Guru Rinpoche have some kind of bias or something?
Because he limits the amount of blessings that certain people get.” That notion might arise, but that’s not

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how it is at all. There is no bias or prejudice in terms of Guru Rinpoche’s enlightened mind.

Drikung Kyobpa, the original Guru of the Drikung Kagyu, said that if the sun of devotion doesn’t shine on
the snowy mountain of the Lama’s four kayas, then the water of blessings will not flow.

Drikung Kyobpa was saying that the Lama is like a snow mountain and you can get water from the snow
mountain. But if the sun doesn’t shine on the mountain, the mountain just remains frozen and the water
won’t flow. The mountain is indifferent in relation to all beings; anyone could get water from the mountain.
And so the saying is that if there is the sunlight of devotion shining on that mountain, then it will release the
water.

In relation to the Lama, if we have devotion to the Lama, then that will release the blessings and the
blessings will penetrate. But if we don’t have any devotion, then there is no way to cause the blessings to
flow. We are really deficient in a very important point. In Tibet there is a saying which says, "The Lama is
there for everyone, but only the private individuals get the blessings." This means that only the person who
tries to access the Lama through devotion receives the blessing of the presence of that Lama, even though the
Lama is there for everyone in a universal sense.

Also, “Those who create a windscreen will get the full warmth of the sun.” If you don’t have a windscreen,
then the wind will just blow you and you’ll stay cold, and you won’t get the warmth from the sun.

It all hinges on devotion. That is what makes us open to the blessings. Getting the water of enlightenment
and gaining liberation is fully dependent on devotion. The text says:

In your heart there is great compassion.

Look upon me with that lovingness and that compassion. Hold onto me. Utilize your intense blessing
power and capabilities.
Even though my mind-stream gets blessed, may it be blessed to the point of realization.l

In this type of Guru Yoga, there is no heart mantra or seed syllable or anything like that. It is simply
receiving the blessings from making this supplication over and over again. That’s the style of this particular
Guru Yoga practice. We can do a hundred supplications in a session or a thousand. We adjust according to
how much time we have.

So really, the essence of the Guru Yoga is:

• Intense devotion and yearning
• Making supplications over and over again

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Kye! Jetsün Guru Rinpoche:
Alas! Sublime Precious Teacher,
Dag chag khorwa’i ney su khyam:
We sentient beings wander in the realms of samsara
Ley nyön dugngal dragpö zir:
Intensely oppressed by the suffering of emotions and karma.
Zung dzin zhag pey dam du ching:
Stuck in the swamp of subject-object bondage,
Khye ley resa zhen du me:
I have no other hope than you.
Mögu tem kyang me pa yi:
With unwavering faith and devotion,
Solwa nying gi kyil ney deb:
I supplicate from the center of my heart.
Kye tug nyingje chenpo yi
With your vast compassionate mind,
Tse chen tugje’i nyer gong la:
Think of me with great love, care for me with your compassion.
Jyin lab nü tu shug drag pö:
With your powerful intense blessings,
Dag gyü jyin gyi lab ney kyang:
Bless my mind stream.
Tug gyü gongpa tog par shog:
May I realize your heart-mind continuum.

Recite:
OM AH: MAHA GURU RATNA SIDDHI HUNG:

Strive in the approach practice with this supplication with tears of faith and devotion.

When feeling dull and drowsy, contemplate all appearance and existence as being filled up with Lamas and Dakinis and the appearance
of the experience of Dharmata blazes forth. The display of dancing forms sway back and forth. The sounds of the songs of experience go U
RU RU. Then cheerfully rest in the experience of joy.

Accompanying the preliminary practice are further instructions on how to bring about an enhancement in
the practice—bogdun means enhancement—and then how to conduct oneself in the post-meditational
phase, jetob.

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It happens that sometimes when we go to sleep and all our senses seem to shut down. Everything is closed
up. All of the appearances of outer phenomena are actually uncertain at that point. We are in that semi-
comatose state of sleep; everything is shut down. At that time, we should contemplate whether we are asleep
or if we find ourselves being kind of dragged down by dopiness, feeling encumbered, murky, and so on. At
that time, we can contemplate that all possible phenomena, apparent phenomena, are the manifestation of
the Lama and the Dakinis.

In that feeling of dopiness or sleepiness, right at that time, we should muster our energies and create this
dynamic situation. We are contemplating that there are vajra songs being sung everywhere, that all
phenomena are vibrating, all phenomena are the union of the masculine and the feminine. Everything is
powered up and revitalized by the presence of all these enlightened beings in a state of great bliss. We should
try to feel the great bliss. Basically, we are awakening whatever dynamic qualities that there are from the
midst of that murkiness, forcefully bringing that out, turning it around.

The experience of Dharmata is the first of the four Tögal visions. U RU RU refers to the sounds of wind in a
storm.

When experiencing malicious attacks from negative forces and demons: Initially in a state of intense compassion from one’s Dakini heart,
light rays issue forth, bearing on their tips of rays enjoyable substances which satisfies the malicious beings and pacifies their agitations.
Light rays then emerge from the Lama’s heart purifying one’s habitual tendencies and obscurations, then one and all beings transform
into Lamas and Dakinis. Visualize oneself receiving the siddhis from the Lama.

There is another piece of advice here, another instruction. If we are feeling depressed and really down, and
we feel like there might be some kind of demonic influence, there is some disturbing element taking place,
our elements are agitated and physically we are not healthy, we feel depressed and down and so on—then at
that time, we should contemplate another being in great suffering and generate immense compassion for
that being at that time.

Then we contemplate that we are a Dakini and from our heart, light rays go forth that offer all kinds of
enjoyable substances and things that would satisfy countless beings. All those beings who are stuck in misery
or any of those demons who want to cause us harm are completely satisfied by this offering. Their wish to
generate some kind of conflict is pacified by receiving all this offering.

Then we can contemplate that from the Guru’s heart, purifying light rays go out and purify them of their
negativity, their negative karmas, their obscurations, and so on.

Finally, we contemplate that we are receiving siddhis from the transformation of this negative circumstance.
What comes from that are the siddhis of accomplishment, which then converge upon us and we are filled

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with the power of the siddhis.

When oppressed by illness, reflect that this is the ripening of some remaining karma and in the state of joy make supplications. Light rays
then emanate from the heart of the Guru gathering the illnesses of beings which then converge into oneself. Then from the form of the
Lord of the Family (Garab Dorje), the fire of primordial wisdom blazes forth and incinerates the diseases, negative forces and habitual
tendencies within.

If we feel really ill, or we have a disease or something, then we should feel at that time that the remainder of
our karma is now coming out. The power of our virtuous actions has caused the last vestiges of our negative
karma to suddenly erupt and come out. In a state of great gratitude, thank the Guru.

Then contemplate that from the heart of the Guru light rays go forth to all sentient beings. This takes their
suffering away from them and then places it in us. We feel that all the suffering of all sentient beings has
converged onto us.

After all the suffering of cyclic existence has converged onto us, we contemplate that from the Lama’s heart,
light rays burst into flame and those flames incinerate all the illness, all of the negative influences and
negative mental complexes. All of the habitual tendencies are completely incinerated. We are incinerated to
the point of there being nothing but emptiness, and then we rest at that time in that state of emptiness.

When strong emotions, elation or agitation arise focus your mind on the heart of the Lama, and (then) look directly into the essence of the
five poisons, and rest the body and mind naturally in vastness. These are the profound key instructions.

There is another instruction for when we are having an emotional episode. For example, when:

• We are remembering all the grievances that we have, all the hurtful things that our enemies have
done against us. We recollect these things and then this anger comes up.

• If we are missing our family, and are intensely attached to the family and getting sentimental
about that.

• If we recollects our boyfriend or girlfriend and think about them and then have an eruption of
desire.

These are all critical eruptions. At that time, the advice is to blend one’s mind with the mind of the Guru.
Don’t abandon the emotion with the judgment of, “Oh, those are nasty emotions. I should get rid of them.”
Don’t do that.

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And, don’t do the other thing, where we feel, “Okay, now I’m having these intense emotions. I need to
incorporate them onto the path. I need to take them onto the path to enlightenment and transform them
into primordial wisdom.” Don’t do that either.

Instead, simply look directly into the essence of that emotion that arose and then discover that there is no
truly established nature there of any kind, a truly existent emotion. It simply lasts the length that it takes to
have a concept.

Then we discover the essence of it, the fact that there is nothing truly established there. There is nothing
that has come into being, as it were. Then the emotion will just evaporate of its own accord. By penetrating
its reality, it will just simply disappear.

Then we will just simply rest naturally body and mind. We don’t need to push anything or apply any
exertion. Everything will just remain open and relaxed like a wide-open space. Just simply be there in that.
This is a very key point, in fact.

Supplication of the Lineage Gurus

Next, the supplication of the lineal Gurus:

After that there is actually a longer supplication related to all the lineal Gurus. Each one is supplicated.

E MA HO:
Zhönnu bumku’i ngowo tong chen Yum:
The essence of the youthful vase body is emptiness, the Great Mother Samantabhadri,
Rang dang gagme Küntuzangpo shar:
Whose inherent radiance dawns unceasingly as Samantabhadra.
Tugje’i rang tsal tönpa Dorje Sem:
The natural expression of their compassionate energy manifests as the teacher, Vajrasattva.
Sherab Yum chog yeshe Dakimar:
Prajña Paramita Supreme Mother, is the primordial wisdom Dakini.

This is Vajrasattva's consort, Vajra Topa

Sölwa deb so dag gyü jyin gyi lob:

I supplicate you. Please bless my mind stream.

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Dechen gyurme Vajra Varahi:
Unchanging great bliss Vajra Varahi.
Ka yi duwa sang dag dorje dzin:
Lord of Secrets, Holder of the Vajra who brings all of the teachings together,

This is Vajrapani.

Kyil khor tsowo trag tung Heruka:

The principle one of the mandala, the blood-drinking Heruka,

This line refers to Guru Rinpoche.

Sangwa’i yum chog lha cham deter mar:

With the supreme secret Yum, the divine consort, bestower of bliss,

This is Mandarava.

Söl wa deb so dag gyü jyin gyi lob:

I supplicate you. Please bless my mind stream.
Zhing kham wang gyur dewa Yingdrönma:
Having dominion over the pure lands, Torch of Bliss-Space Ma.

This is Yeshe Tsogyal.

Ka yi du wa rigdzin dorje’i jag:

The vajra tongue of the Vidyadharas who gather the teachings,
Chog gi kabab rigpa dzin nam dang:
All the Vidyadharas who hold the supreme transmissions and
Bum trag yangpa’i Yeshe Khandrö’i tsog:
The vast assembly of hundreds of thousands of primordial wisdom Dakinis,
Söl wa deb so dag gyü jyin gyi lob:
I supplicate you. Please bless my mind stream.
Ta khob dong mar bö yül sinpo’i ling:
In Tibet, the border land of the red faced cannibals,
Yang sang lüme Khandrö’i tug tig chö:
There are the teachings of the exceedingly secret formless Dakinis.

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Da gyur rigdzin trag tung Heruka:
The decoder of these symbols, the Vidyadhara, the blood-drinking Heruka,

This refers to Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje, the tertön of the Dzinpa Rangdröl cycle.

Chö dag drog dze deden kün kyong ma:

The allies of the Holders of the Teachings, who fulfill all desire,

This refers to the Dakini, Do Khyentse’s consort Losal Drölma, who assisted in the revelation of the terma.
There is always a consort or close relationship with someone of the opposite gender who is pivotal in the
revelation of the terma.

Söl wa deb so dag gyü jin gyi lob:

I supplicate you, bless my mind stream!
Ying rig trül gyur Daki che nyi dang:
The two Dakinis, emanations of space-awareness,

These are Dakinis connected to the terma.

Kelden leychen ka bab dorje’i drog:

The vajra companions whose karmic fortune is to protect the teachings,
Ka yi le dze ten srung dam chen de:
The oath bound ones enacting awakened activity,

The oath bound ones, or Srungma, are the protectors connected to this terma cycle.

Nyer dzin dregpa’i depön tsög che la:

Who take care of the teachings, captain of the haughty ones along with your hosts,

These are the eight haughty arrogant spirits who were subdued by Guru Rinpoche and put under oath to
protect the tantric teachings.

Sölwa deb so dag gyü jyin gyi lob:

I supplicate you, bless my mind stream.
Tse chig sölwa tabpai jyin lab kyi:
Through the power of the blessings of this one-pointed supplication,

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Dag chag dam den dorje’i ming sing tsog:
We vajra brothers and sisters who maintain the integrity of our samayas,
Lamar tse chig mögü dung tsug ching:
By generating our one pointed fervent devotion to the Lama,
Mitag khorwa zhenpa rang log ney:
Our grasping at impermanent samsara is reversed.
Chag dang drog le drölwar jyin gyi lob:
Bless us to be liberated from shackles that provoke attachment and aversion!
Dröng dang dröng khyer durtrö shing chig drüng:
Abiding on the edge of villages and towns, in charnel grounds, under a solitary tree,
Nag tröd be ta tso ling drag kyib sog:
In remote forests, on an island, or under an overhanging cliff,
Nge me ne su chigpur drub la tsön:
Strive for accomplishment alone in random abodes.
Teme nyönpa tabu’i tülzhug kyi:
With yogic transformation free of contrived reference points, acting like a mad person,
Tsa lung tigle ley su rung war shog:
May nadis, prana, and bindu open!
Nyin nang ku dang yeshe rang ngö she:
During the day may I recognize all the appearances as enlightened bodies and primordial wisdom (kaya and
jñana).
Tsen nang milam ösel bub su jug:
During the night appearances, may I enter the enclosure of the clear light of dream.
Bardor Lama’i damngag zer gyi theb:
During the Bardo, may the nail of the Lama’s pith instructions be driven home.
Tregchö tögel dre bu’i tsel dzog ney:
Through the fruition of having perfected the dynamic energy of cutting through and leaping over (Trekchö
and Tögyal),
Bub jug döma’i ying su drölwar shog:
May there be the liberation of entering the womb of primordial space!
Dag chag drelwey düpa’i gang zag kün:
May all of us who have gathered and those we are connected to
Ma tog trülpa’i dzin zhen rangsar dröl:
Liberate unrealized deluded grasping clinging in its' own ground!
Zang ngen ga dug re dog lang dor zhig:
Dismantling good and bad, hope and fear, joy and misery, acceptance and rejection,

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Nyönmong bagchag drima rang dag ne:
The stain of emotions and habitual tendencies purifies itself.
Yang Sang Tug Tig dül jar gyurwar shog:
May I become tamed by the Exceedingly Secret Seminal Heart-Essence.

This refers to the name of this lineage of teachings, the Yang Sang Tug Tig (Exceedingly Secret Seminal
Heart-Essence).

Zhen la tong tö dren rig le kyi drel:

Furthermore, may all who come into contact with this teaching through karma, by seeing, hearing, or
remembering it,
Kha khyab pha ma sem chen ma lü kün:
Without exception may all those mothers and fathers who pervade space,
Tongnyi changchub sem chog gyüd la kye:
Raise the supreme mind stream of emptiness-bodhicitta!
Deden zhing dang Ogmin pel gyi rir:
May they ultimately, in the blissful pure land of Akanistha on the Glorious Mountain,
Ngön sang tye ne khorwa yong tong shog:
Awaken to manifest Buddhahood and may samsara be completely emptied.

Receiving the Four Empowerments

At the end of the session, receive the Four Empowerments:

Finally, after this longer supplication of the lineal Gurus, we ultimately receive the Four Empowerments and
bless our mind-stream. This brings all the blessings to one point so we can receive them all at the end.

Mögü tsechig sölwa tab pa yi:

By the power of supplicating one-pointedly with devotion,
Lama’i trelwa’i ökar chiwor zhug:
White light from the Lama’s forehead enters my crown.
Lü tsa’i drib dag bumpa’i wang chog tob:
This purifies the obscurations of the body and nadis, thus the supreme vase empowerment is obtained.

After making those supplications we receive the first empowerment. White light rays issue forth from the
forehead of the Guru and enter into our own forehead, filling up our body and purifying all of the energy
channels of the body. Having received the blessing, we receive the empowerment of the vase, the Vase
Empowerment. The white light that issues forth from the crown of the Guru and enters our body is what

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represents the Vase Empowerment.

Zhel ne ö mar dag gi drinpar tim:

Red light from the Lama’s mouth dissolves into my throat.
Ngag lung drib dag sangwa’i wang chog tob:
This purifies the obscuration of speech and prana, and thus the supreme secret empowerment is obtained.

A red light issues out from the mouth of the Guru in front of us and enters into our mouth and purifies our
speech and purifies the energies—the motility (lung or prana) going through our body—and we receive the
Secret Empowerment.

Tug ka’i ö ting rang gi nying gar tim:

Blue light emerges from the Lama's heart and is absorbed into my heart.
Yi tig drib dag yeshe wangchog tob:
This purifies the obscurations of the mind and bindu and thus the supreme empowerment of primordial
wisdom is obtained.

Then blue light rays issue forth from the heart of the Guru and enter our heart, purifying our mind and
purifying the tigles (or bindus) in our body and the result is that we receive the Empowerment of Wisdom
and Knowledge.

Tug le AH kar nying gi kyil du bab:

Then a white AH emerges from the Lama's heart and falls into the center of my heart,
Künshe drib dag rigpa’i tsel wang töb:
This purifies the all-ground consciousness, thus the dynamic intrinsic awareness empowerment is obtained.

There is a white letter AH in the heart of the Guru in front of us. From that, light rays issue a light into the
center of our heart, purifying the All-Ground Consciousness and eradicating the subtle obscuration to
comprehending reality. We are conferred the Dynamic of Intrinsic Awareness Empowerment, the Rigpai
Tsalwang. It is the highest empowerment in Dzog Chen. The consequence of that is that all of one’s
obscurations, all four, are actually eradicated, and we achieve the Four Buddha Kayas.

Then finally, the Lama dissolves into light and dissolves into Vajrayogini—we are Vajrayogini—and our
mind blends inextricably with the Lama’s enlightened mind. And then we rest in the state of unfabricated
awareness, not altering anything at all, simply staying in the true nature with the critical point of the view,
resting there.

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Actually the Lama dissolves into us, and we also dissolve into the state of awareness, free of any kind of
reference point, into the space of all phenomena, the Dharmadhatu.

Dorje zhir dzog rigdzin nam zhir min:

Thus the four vajras are perfected and the Four Vidyadhara levels fully are matured.

The four vajras are body, speech and mind, and the totality of all three.

The Four Vidyadhara levels (“rig ‘dzin bzhi - {rig ‘dzin rnam bzhi}) are: 1) {rnam par smin pa’i rig ‘dzin}
Ripening Vidyadhara. 2) {tshe la dbang ba’i rig ‘dzin} long life Vidyadhara. 3) {phyag rgya chen po’i rig
‘dzin} Mahamudra Vidyadhara. 4) {lhun gyi grub pa’i rig ‘dzin} Spontaneous Presence Vidyadhara.” These
four Vidyadhara levels are four kinds of holders of intrinsic awareness.

Drebu ku zhi’i yeshe ngön du gyur:

The primordial wisdom of the fruitional state of the four kayas is fully actualized.
Lame’i tug dang rang sem yerme du:
Then with one’s own mind inseparable with the Lama’s mind,
Nyugma machö ngang du jen par zhag:
Rest nakedly in the unfabricated state.

This is the profound practice of Guru Yoga. Oh fortunate child, practice it one-pointedly, and there is no doubt the fruit of
accomplishment will be actualized. This is the pith instruction for realizing the enlightened mind stream.

That completes the daily practice of the preliminaries, at the point of the Lama Naljor, the Guru Yoga. This
is the outward way of accomplishing the Guru, the Lama.

That was followed by some powerful instructions on how to eliminate obstructions on the path to
enlightenment: gegsel, which means methods for clearing up obstacles. Then also there was a bogdon,
enhancement practices. Now we have an instruction about the post-meditation phase, jetob. It literally
means “the after-attainment.”

In the jetob time, the advice here is to see all phenomena as the mandala of the Guru. Whatever beings that
we encounter in post-meditation, whether it is our acquaintances and friends and so on, just ordinary
sentient beings, whatever being that we encounter, we should regard them all as being the Lama and the
dakinis.

While we are eating, we should contemplate that the food that we are eating is an offering to the mandala of
the Guru and the dakinis residing within our body. The way of offering is like the jinseg offering, the Fire

116
Offering. In the Fire Offering, we have this pit of fire and then we pour the offerings of butter and other
offerings onto the fire. In this case, the pit of fire is your digestive ability. So it is like the fire offering: the
food is going into your mouth and into the fire in our belly and we make an offering.

Then, when we are walking about, we contemplate the presence of the Guru on the top of our head at all
times, in all actions.

When we sleep, we should contemplate the presence of the Guru in our heart. There is actually a little bit of
a more elaborate practice in the internal accomplishment. But this is the practice here.

E MA! More secret than the very secret, the exceptionally secret unsurpassed and profound Seminal Heart Essence (Tug Tig) presented
here as the preliminaries of the graded approach, is known as "A Rosary of Wish Fulfilling Jewels." This teaching is unmistakably the
words of Garab Pawo.

I, Traktung Dewa’i Dorje, am initiating the profound interdependent links of auspiciousness, according to the teaching of the custodian
Dakini, keeper of this Dharma teaching. May the keepers of the teachings and the Protectors of Kama (oral lineage) and Terma
(treasure) powerfully protect this. Samaya gya gya gya: sealed with the enlightened body speech and mind. (This practice is like) a
supplication to a wish-fulfilling jewel which bestows siddhis and blessings. Scribed by Rigpai Yeshe. May it liberate numerous beings, as
many as there are specks of dust.

Traktung Dewa’i Dorje is one of the names of Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje.

Virtue Be!
Ngöndro text translated by Erik Drew, with editing by Lama Tsültrim Allione and Khenpo Sonam Jigme Tobgyel of Bhutan.
May 15, 2009

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Dedication of Merit
Gewa di yiy nyur du dag:
By this merit, may I swiftly
Yeshe Khandrö drub gyur ney:
Eventually attain the state of the Wisdom Dakini,
Drowa chig kyang ma lü pa:
(And) lead all beings without one exception
De yi sa la gö par shog:
To reach this same level.

Prayer for the Post Meditation

Nang drag rig sum lha ngag chöku’i ngang:
In the state where the three: visions, sounds and awareness are deities, mantra, and Dharmakaya,
Ku dang yeshe rölpar jam ley par:
This is the encompassing display of kayas and primordial wisdom,
Zab zang naljyor chenpo’i nyam len la:
In the practice of the profound secret great yoga,
Yermë tug kyi tigler rochig shog:
May the one taste of the inseparable heart tigle manifest.
These were the final words of the great terton of Mindroling, Terdag Lingpa, before he passed away.

i
For a description of Machig’s retreat experiences and receiving the female lineage, see Sarah Harding, trans, Machig's
Complete Explanation (Ithaca: Snow Lion, 2003).
ii
Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche, oral teaching, Drubchen 2010 Tara Mandala.
iii
See: Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and Padampa Sangye, The Hundred Verses of Advice: Tibetan Buddhist Teachings on
What Matters Most (Boston: Shambhala, 2002).
iv
Although he had the same name, he wasn't the same Kamalashila who participated in the famous debates at Samye
Monastery to decide whether Tibet would adopt Buddhism from India or China.
v
Most of this abbreviated biography was taken from Do Khyentse’s biography as it appears in: Tulku Thondrup
Rinpoche, Masters of Meditation and Miracles (Boston: Shambhala, 1996), pp.179-197.
vi
Jigme Lingpa (1729 – 1798) was a great meditation master of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism who
discovered as terma the Longchen Nyingtig cycle, an extremely popular cycle of teachings practiced widely to this day.
vii
Nyingma: The Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism is known as the “Ancient School.” It is one of the four main
schools of Tibetan Buddhism - the others are the Kagyu, Sakya and Gelugpa.
viii
A pure land (zhing kham) is a realm, buddhafield, universe or field of experience inhabited entirely by noble
bodhisattvas, where Buddhas teach in Sambhogakaya form. They are luminous light dimensions where there is form
but without the density that we experience.
ix
In Tibet, traditional tests were used to determine if a particular child was the reincarnation of a great master. These
included picking out the personal ritual items of that master from a group of items.
x
Losal Drölma was also known as Losal Wangmo (1802-1862). She was an outstanding practitioner in her own right
and was an emanation of Tara. In addition, she was the incarnation of Machig Labdrön’s daughter, Labdül Dorje

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Drönma. Phadampa Sangye prophesized to Machig Labdrön’s daughter, Labdül Dorje Drönma (aka Labdülma), that
she would be reborn as Losal Wangmo. Losal Drölma's biography is currently untranslated.
xi
Do Khyentse's father was the protector of Tibet, Nyenchen Thanglha.
xii
Sherab Mebar’s tulku was Drime Drakpa (1846-?), who was a student of Do Khyentse.
xiii
Dartsedo is Kangding in Chinese and is known as such on most modern maps.
xiv
Information from a teaching given by Lama Dorde to Lama Tsultrim, in Dartsedo, November 2010.
xv
Rather than being seen as "authored," termas are seen as being "discovered" or "revealed." They are hidden by
realized masters of the past and discovered at the predicted time by realized masters of the present.
xvi
This is from Do Khyentse's autobiography: ye shes rdo rje. "mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje'i rang rnam mkha'
'gro'i zhal lung." In mdo mkhyen brtse ye shes rdo rje'i rnam thar. TBRC W21847. : 13 - 303. khreng tu'u: si khron
mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 1997. http://tbrc.org/link?RID=O1PD96600|O1PD966002DB96261$W21847
It is currently untranslated.
xvii
This is the same as Zangri Khangmar.
xviii
The Four Immeasurables are equanimity, compassion, loving-kindness and sympathetic joy.
xix
The Six Paramitas are generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, concentration and wisdom.
xx
Mandarava was the Indian consort of Padmasambhava from the area of Mandi, near current day Tso Pema. When
Mandarava's father, the king of Mandi, found Padmasambhava in Mandarava's retreat nunnery, where she was
supposed to be a nun, they were both burned alive. The lake that miraculously formed around them, cooling them
while they were being burned alive, is the current small lake at Tso Pema.
xxi
This could be Machig's daughter, who had the name Labdülma but was also called Dorje Drönma. Alternately,
Dorje Drönma, also called Lentogma, was the daughter of the grandson of Machig’s eldest son Gyalwa Dondrub, who
carried the same name as Machig’s other son Tödnyom Samdrub. She was considered to be an incarnation of Machig.
She was born during a debate in which her father remained speechless, and thus was called Lentogma (Lightning
Reply). She propagated the Chöd and the lineage flourished under her. This is according to Marvelous Life, the first
two chapters by Namkha Gyaltsen (Nam mKha’ rGyal mTshan) of An Exposition of Transforming the Aggregates into
an Offering of Food (Phungpo gZan sKyur rNam bsBad gCod Kyi Don gSal Byed). See: Jerome Edou, Machig Labdrön
and the Foundations of Chöd (Ithaca: Snow Lion, 1995), p. 196 n. 42.
xxii
Dechen Karmo, White Woman of Great Bliss, is the white Buddha Dakini. This is a reference to Yeshe Tsogyal.
xxiii
A kapala is a ritual skull cup.
xxiv
The ‘Ka-Tey’ (bKa’ gTad) is the entrustment for the cycle. This was authorization to accomplish and transmit the
practices of the Dzinpa Rangdröl.
xxv
Do Khyentse and his sister Losal Drölma had the unusual relationship of Tertön (Terma Revealer) and Dakini
(Consort) and thus practiced union. At this point, they were in union while drinking from the kapala (ritual skull
cup). This is according to Tulku Sang-ngag’s oral commentary.
xxvi
Damaru – a ritual two-sided drum
xxvii
Mind Terma, or Gong Ter, is one of the various ways by which termas are revealed. They emerge from the
mindstream of the tertön, having been implanted there by Padmasambhava.
xxviii
Tsogyal Karmo, or the White Tsogyal (also referred to as Khandro Karmo or the White Dakini) is one of the main
practices of the Dzinpa Rangdröl. The practice combines Yeshe Tsogyal and Machig Labdrön into one figure. Yeshe
Tsogyal was reincarnated as Machig Labdrön. The Tsogyal Karmo practice combines Yeshe Tsogyal, Machig Labdrön
and Mandarava as the White Dakini, the principle deity. She is surrounded by the four Dakinis of the four directions,
with Phadampa Sangye and Padmasambhava in the form of Shakya Senge above.
xxix
Tröma means ‘Wrathful Mother’ a blue-black fierce Dakini associated with the Chöd lineage. In the Dzinpa
Rangdröl the Tröma practice includes the principle deity of Tröma with the four Dakinis of the four directions, with
Padmasambhava in the form of Nyima Özer above her head.
xxx
Although these have the same names as the Six Yogas of Naropa, they are not the same practices. Instead of coming
from Naropa, they come from the terma of the Dzinpa Rangdröl.

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xxxi
Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche, oral teaching, Drubchen 2010 Tara Mandala.
xxxii
A kata (Kha bTags) is a ceremonial offering scarf symbolizing the primordial purity of the nature of mind.
xxxiii
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (1910 – 1991) was one of the greatest meditation masters and teachers of our time and
was one of the root teachers of Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche. There is a short biography of him below. His
autobiography is entitled Brilliant Moon. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Brilliant Moon (Boston: Shambhala, 2008).
xxxiv
Tsultrim Allione, Women of Wisdom. (Ithaca: Snow Lion, 2000), p. 149.
xxxv
In the biography, Ayu Khandro describes how she and her friend were bringing a corpse to a charnel ground for
cremation to help the family of a murdered nomad, and as they approached the charnel ground they heard Chöd
being performed. When they arrived, they saw a young yogi performing the Chöd. He was wearing a dark maroon
robe and had long matted hair. He was a student of Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje. A few days before he had received a
message between sleeping and waking that he would meet Dorje Paldrön (Ayu Khandro) in this place, and so he had
been waiting for her. Togden Semnyi taught Ayu Khandro and her friend, Ösel Palkyi, the Dzinpa Rangdröl, and
they practiced it together throughout Tibet and Nepal while they were on pilgrimage. In addition Ayu Khandro
practiced the Dzinpa Rangdröl extensively for a year in Kungpo. Tsultrim Allione, Women of Wisdom. (Ithaca: Snow
Lion, 2000), p. 149 - 152.
xxxvi
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Brilliant Moon, The Autobiography of Dilgo Khyentse (Boston: Shambhala, 2008), 40-
41.
xxxvii
This is based on the biography of Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche from Chagdud Gonpa,
http://padmasambhavapureland.com/us/tulku.php
xxxviii
To read the life-story of Ayu Khandro which discusses this, see: Tsultrim Allione, Women of Wisdom (Ithaca:
Snow Lion, 2000).
xxxix
Adzom Drukpa Drodul Pawo Dorje (a 'dzom 'brug pa 'gro 'dul dpa' bo rdo rje) aka Natsok Rangdröl (sna tshogs rang
grol) (1842-1924) was an important master in the Dzogchen and Nyingtig lineages. He was a student of Shechen
Öntrul Thutob Namgyal, Kathok Situ Chökyi Lodrö, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thayé,
Patrul Rinpoche, Khenpo Pema Vajra, Nyala Pema Düddul and Mipham Rinpoche and a teacher of Tokden Shakya
Shri, Tertön Sogyal Lerab Lingpa, Yukhok Chatralwa Chöying Rangrol, Tsö Patrul Rinpoche, and Jamyang Khyentse
Chökyi Lodrö. He was the teacher of Togden Shakya Shri, whose grandson Apho Rinpoche was one of Lama
Tsultrim’s first teachers when she was a nun.
xl
The Prayer of Samantabhadra is from the terma known as Jangter, the Northern Treasures, revealed by Rigdzin
Godem, "The Vulture-Feathered Vidyadhara," who lived in the 14th - 15th centuries.
xli
Although in many images Tsokye Dorje's arms are not crossed, in this visualization his arms are indeed crossed.
Confirmed by Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche, January 1, 2013.
xlii
There is an image of Tsokye Dorje on the White Dakini thangka at Tara Mandala. The image is sold through the
bookstore.
xliii
For more information about the Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind and other aspects of Ngöndro practice, please
see: Patrul Rinpoche, Words of My Perfect Teacher, trans. Padmakara Translation Group (Boston: Shambhala, 1998).
xliv
This is an alternate translation to what it reads in the text.
xlv
This is an alternate translation to what it reads in the text.
xlvi
Note: This visualization has been taught previously as the proper visualization for the barlung. However, Rinpoche
recently clarified that with the barlung there is actually no visualization at all. The four line visualization is meant as a
description of the bumchen for more advanced practitioners (Oral conversation, January 1, 2013).
xlvii
From the Rangjung Yeshe Dictionary:
“og min - Akanistha, the highest plane of existence; Akanishtha. syn {lcang lo can} Akanishta, the
Unexcelled, Highest [realm]. highest pure land, buddhafield of Akinista; pinnacle pure realm; pure realm of
Akanishtha/ Pinnacle Under Nothing; syn {lcang lo can} Akanishta, Highest Pure Land, the Unsurpassable
Buddhafield, ‘Below None’ [a deities’ level], the Unexcelled, Highest [realm] 1) the fifth of the {gnas gtsang
ma lnga} in the realm of form. 2) the place of enlightenment. 3) pure land of Vairochana, 4) unsurpassable,

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 one of the 28 classes of gods in the {gzugs kyi khams} form realm of the {gnas gtsang ma’i} pure reaches. In
Nyingma terminology it is used to indicate an ‘invaluable’ inner experience.”
xlviii
Note: This is different than the previous edition of this Ngondro Commentary, based on Rinpoche's clarification
on January 1, 2013.
xlix
This is an alternate translation; the translation found in your text is below.
l
This is an alternate translation of the text.

121