NGONDRO & DHARMA

~ DudjomTersarNgondro ~ Leave a comment

“Alas! Saṃsāra is born from karma. From karma, happiness and unhappiness are made. Whenever conditions are gathered, they make karma, And karma makes happiness and unhappiness again.”

—LORD BUDDHA

There are many ways to understand the meaning of karma from different points of view within Buddhism. To synthesize some of these in a simple way, according to the point of view of the vehicle of cause, karma is the activity of cause and result. Within this vehicle, there are various explanations for the basis of karma. The Vaiśeṣika point of view teaches that karma originates in subjective consciousness; the Sutranta point of view teaches that karma originates in ordinary continuous mind; the Yogācāra point of view teaches that karma originates in the basis of all phenomena; and the Mādhyamika point of view teaches that karma originates in interdependent circumstances. In the context of practice, all points of view within the vehicle of cause teach that there is a basis for enlightenment, a path that leads to enlightenment, and a result of enlightenment.
~ Thinley Norbu, White Sail: Karma

Continue the conversation with Stefan Graves and
Rinchen Palbar (Josh Hayes)
NGONDRO & DHARMA
Monday, September 28th at 6pm pacific
It’s free and open to everyone.
Read along, listen in, reflect, or simply join the conversation
— at your own pace. This week we explore “Karma”.

Join the conversation on Zoom!

ABOUT NGONDRO & DHARMA

Ngondro & Dharma began in January 2026 in response to requests from sangha members for a space to come together, explore Dharma, and share in conversation. Ngondro & Dharma was conceived and originally hosted by Stefan Graves. Today, it is hosted by Stefan and Rinchen Palbar (Josh Hayes), who continue to nurture this informal and engaging exchange.

Held biweekly on Zoom, Ngondro & Dharma offers an opportunity to explore Dharma teachings and consider how they relate to Ngondro practice and to our everyday lives.

Rather than a formal teaching or class, the gatherings are centered around conversation. Participants are invited to listen, ask questions, share reflections, or simply enjoy being part of the discussion. There is no expectation to have completed the reading beforehand.

In Stefan’s words, the spirit of the gathering is:
“Come as you are — read, listen, discover, and share.”

Since its beginning, Ngondro & Dharma has continued to grow, with an increasing number of sangha members joining the biweekly conversations. The growing participation reflects the value of having an informal space to explore Dharma together, ask questions, listen, and share.

Free and open to everyone, Ngondro & Dharma offers a relaxed way to stay connected with Dharma, practice, and sangha — and to continue the conversation.

 

Calling the Lama from Afar

~ DudjomTersarNgondro

📸 Courtesy of Dampai Choki Dudtsi

With heartfelt joy, we share that, at the request of the Dudjom Ngondro Program, Tulku Thadral Rinpoche will offer teachings on the precious prayer “Calling the Lama from Afar,” composed by Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche Jigdral Yeshe Dorje at the request of the noble lady Dechen Chödrön.

“… at the repeated request of Dechen Chödrön, a devoted student whom Rinpoche praised for her virtue, intelligence, and sincere faith.”

The new series begins, Wednesday September 30th 5pm.
Rinpoche will also give the oral reading transmission for the Sater Ngondro, Sater Concise Ngondro and the Dudjom Troma Ngondro.

Calling_the_Lama_4

REQUEST PDF of Calling the Lama from Afar

May these teachings deepen our devotion and
strengthen our connection with the lama.

Listen as Lama Tharchin Rinpoche chants “Calling the Lama from Afar”:

Taking Refuge

~ DudjomTersarNgondro

“Taking refuge will create the dependent connection through which you will gradually come to accomplish ultimate Buddhahood.”
—His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, Jigdral Yeshe Dorje “A Torch Lighting the Way to Freedom”

Refuge Tree of the Heart Essence of the Dakini. 

What Does It Mean to Take Refuge?

Taking refuge is the entrance to the Buddhist path. It begins when we recognize that the ordinary things upon which we depend—possessions, relationships, status and even this body—are impermanent and cannot ultimately protect us from the suffering of samsara.

This recognition is not meant to leave us without hope. Instead, it turns our minds toward a source of refuge that is trustworthy and capable of guiding us toward liberation.

Why Do We Take Refuge?

We take refuge because we wish to be free from suffering and the causes of suffering. We recognize the uncertainty of samsara and develop confidence in the wisdom, compassion and power of the sources of refuge.

For a Mahayana practitioner, this aspiration extends beyond our own liberation. We take refuge with the wish that all sentient beings may be freed from suffering and brought to complete enlightenment.

Refuge is therefore inspired by our recognition of suffering, our faith in the sources of refuge and our compassion for all beings.

In Whom Do We Take Refuge?

We take refuge in the Three Jewels:
The Buddha is the awakened teacher who shows us the way.
The Dharma is the teaching and the path that leads to liberation.
The Sangha is the community of realized beings who accompany and guide us along the path.

In the Vajrayana tradition, we also take refuge in the Three Roots:
The Lama, the root of blessings.
The Yidam, the root of spiritual accomplishments.
The Khandro, the root of enlightened activity.

In the Concise Dudjom Tersar Ngondro, we visualize our root Lama in the form of Guru Rinpoche, whose essence embodies the Three Jewels. We take refuge in the Lama as the embodiment of all the sources of refuge.

Key to the Refuge Tree, supplied by Shambhala Publications for
“A Torch Lighting the Way to Freedom.”

The key identifies the principal figures in the original composition. The painted replica above contains an additional lineage lama immediately above *Guru Nangsi Zilnön, so that figure is not separately identified on this key.

How Do We Take Refuge?

We take refuge with our body, speech and mind.

With our body, we offer prostrations. With our speech, we recite the refuge prayer. With our mind, we cultivate sincere faith, devotion and confidence while visualizing the field of refuge.

Taking refuge is not simply repeating words. It is entrusting ourselves to the path with the confidence that the sources of refuge can guide us beyond suffering. We take refuge not only when we are experiencing difficulty, but continually—during times of happiness as well as hardship.

In the Dudjom Tersar Ngondro, we take refuge from this moment until attaining the essence of enlightenment. We imagine all sentient beings accompanying us and take refuge on their behalf as well as our own.

Through repeatedly turning toward the sources of refuge, our faith deepens, our obscurations are purified and the qualities of awakening gradually unfold within us.

Teaching source: His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, Jigdral Yeshe Dorje, A Torch Lighting the Way to Freedom, translated by the Padmakara Translation Group and published by Shambhala Publications.

* Nangsi Zilnön means “Prevailing Over All That Appears and Exists.” It is a name for the form of Guru Rinpoche expressing mastery over appearances and experiences through realizing their true nature. Lotsawa House explains this form here⁠.