Why Establish A Strong Foundation?

The Dudjom Tersar Lineage includes both Dudjom Lingpa’s and His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche’s cycles of teachings. The Dudjom Tersar Ngondro is the foundation practice for both the Dudjom Tersar Lineage and the entire vajrayna Buddhist path.

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Lama Tharchin Rinpoche with Wangdrak Dorje Aro Jung-né 1996 South Wales

Establishing a strong foundation is the only way to create something which will ultimately produce a lasting result.  When building a house, the foundation is not only the beginning, but also the most important part of the finished building. When you are initially introduced to dharma, you may feel enthusiastic and inspired.  However this feeling may only be temporary since by nature our emotions and feelings are constantly shifting and unstable. Without a strong foundation, when fluctuations occur, dharma may temporarily appear irrelevant or unimportant. You may want to give up, while in actuality dharma is the only thing that can ultimately help. Not establishing a strong foundation is like building a house on a frozen lake that is sure to melt in the spring. That is why Ngondro is so extraordinarily important.

~ Lama Tharchin Rinpoche
A Commentary on the Dudjom Tersar Ngondro