We begin this post today with an Excerpt from A Commentary on the Dudjom Tersar Ngondro  by  Lama Tharchin Rinpoche as an introduction to our first Dudjom Ngondro Study-Discussion Group for the Dudjom Ngondro Program Participants of the Vajrayana Foundation, which will be led by Stefan Graves. The first Study-Discussion Group will be on Wednesday, January 22nd @ 6pm on the Zoom platform..

“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.

To understand Ngondro within a larger context, it is helpful to understand why it is a preliminary practice and for what it lays a foundation.”