transmission

Guru Yoga

~ DudjomTersarNgondro

Guru Yoga is the method for receiving the direct blessing of the guru’s mind. There are two methods for attaining enlightenment. The first is the accumulation of merit and wisdom along with purification practices. The second is direct transmission from the guru’s mind to your mind.

Transmission really means receiving the taste of enlightenment. By analogy, when you think of a person, you get a direct feeling of that person’s qualities. These may be either positive or negative, within the limited concept of “personality”. Guru Yoga is the method for feeling and tasting the guru’s realization of ultimate wisdom. This realization is beyond personality and is always positive ~ the experience of totally faultless enlightened mind. As you experience the purity of the guru’s wisdom mind, it may appear to be coming from outside yourself. Actually, you are tasting the true nature of your own mind. Then develop and deepen this experience until you attain complete liberation. By thinking in this way, you will attain buddhahood.

A Commentary on the Dudjom Tersar Ngondro
Lama Tharchin Rinpoche

Attaining Liberation through Guru Yoga

~ DudjomTersarNgondro

According to the Vajrayana view, Guru Yoga is the quintessential practice for attaining liberation. All Buddhas became enlightened by following their teacher’s precious instructions so the Guru is considered even more important than the Buddha because without the Guru, there is no way to achieve buddhahood. When the Guru’s instructions have penetrated the student’s heart, this is the same as finding a precious Wish-Fulfilling Jewel in your hand. Someone who has received the Guru’s mind transmission has no choice but to attain enlightenment, just as someone falling down a steep mountain totally out of control has no choice but to fall all the way to the bottom.

The 84 Mahasiddhas in India and Guru Rinpoche’s 25 main disciples in Tibet, the treasure finders, wisdom holders and accomplished enlightened sublime beings, all became enlightened through the mind transmission of their Gurus. This unbroken lineage has been passed from the primordial Buddha, Samantabhadra, to our own Root Lama who is the essence of all the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three times. All siddhis and blessings are carried and passed through this lineage. Because the path of Guru Yoga is so deeply profound, there is no doubt that if you practice it, you will become enlightened.

~  Lama Tharchin Rinpoche
Ngondro Commentary
© 2000 by Bero Jeydren Publications