Without relying on a father-like guru,
There is no son who has gotten enlightened.
Even the buddhas of this fortunate eon
Have relied upon authentic gurus.
Guru Yoga is one of the most profound teachings in Dzogchen practice. It is the ultimate method through which the absolute truth is awakened within us in one lifetime. In order to practice this supreme method, it is very important to rely on an authentic master and his instructions. The importance of relying upon a true spiritual master has been stated in many Mahayana sutras, shastras and tantras. For instance, the Tantra of the Arrangement of Samayas says:
Visualizing one’s guru even for a moment is better than meditating upon a deity with major and minor marks of perfection for a thousand eons.
The effect of a single devotional prayer to one’s guru is more powerful than reciting the name of a deity a million times.
Similarly, the Array of Ati states:
Wherever a teacher to whom one is grateful is visualized,
Be it in the centre of one’s heart,
Above the crown of one’s head
Or on the palm of one’s hand,
One shall acquire the infinite qualities of a thousand buddhas.
When one has established firm faith and devotion towards a guru who has all the essential qualities, then one must listen to his instructions and follow him without any doubt. It is said that the blessing one receives depends upon the degree of devotion one has towards the guru. When one seeks a guru, one should not judge him or her by their outer conduct or appearances; rather, one should look for their spiritual qualities. Not every guru is soft spoken and gentle. They may prefer to be aggressive and stubborn depending upon the mentality of the disciples. Marpa, the root guru of Milarepa, the widely known Tibetan yogi, is a perfect example.
It is said that when Milarepa was a small child, his father became very sick. Realizing that he was not going to recover from this grave illness, he called all of his relatives together and entrusted all his possessions to his brother and sister-in-law. He made a will to ensure that his son would later take care of all his possessions. However, his greedy uncle and aunt betrayed them and took their possessions after his father’s death. In order to take revenge, Milarepa went to the mountains and practiced black magic. One day, when his uncle and aunt were having a wedding feast for their son, Milarepa grabbed this occasion as an opportunity to take revenge by summoning a giant hailstorm with his sorcery skills, killing many people present at the party. When he saw that many deaths at one time and heard the cries of the victims, however, he regretted his evildoings.
Remorse-filled Milarepa decided to take the dharma path and set out to find a spiritual master. He met Jetsun Lhodrag Marpa, the foremost disciple of great pandita Naropa. However, Marpa proved a hard task master for Milarepa. Marpa did not offer any teachings in the beginning, and instead made Milarepa do all sorts of household work. When Milarepa asked for a teaching, Marpa would get furious and slap him. In one of the tasks given to him, Milarepa was told to build a tower and then ordered to dismantle it before it reached half the required height. He was made to build that tower and demolish it three times before he completed the final one. He became weak and frail and almost looked like a living corpse. Marpa’s harshness seemed intolerable but still Milarepa didn’t complain as he believed in and trusted his guru. It is said that Marpa’s way of treating Milarepa was a skilful method to purify his dreadful deeds.
Finally, when Milarepa had completed his entire task, Marpa gave his precious teachings to him. Milarepa mastered the Mahamudra teachings and became the most accomplished master of the time. All his life, he practiced in solitude and got enlightened in one lifetime.
One may consider the Guru Yoga teaching to be very general as it is part of the preliminary practices, but if one really focuses and practices it with true devotion, one won’t find any practice more vast or profound than this.
The Actual Practice: Visualizing the Tree of Merit
Visualize yourself in the form of a wisdom dakini and in the space above the crown of your head, visualize three lotuses (white, red and dark blue), each with a thousand petals and stacked upon each other. Upon the top one is a sun and moon disk. On this glorious seat, visualize your root guru inseparable from Guru Padmasambhava who is the union of all buddhas. He is white in complexion tinged with red. He is adorned with the major and minor marks of perfection and his expression is semi-wrathful. His long hair loosely spreads on his shoulders and flows down his back. He wears a dharma robe upon a long-sleeved brocade gown. He also wears a lotus hat called ‘Padma Thongdrol’ which means ‘liberation upon seeing the lotus’. He is adorned with jewelled ornaments such as earrings, necklaces, bracelets and anklets. With his right hand he holds a five-pronged vajra close to his heart. In his left hand, he holds a skull-cup filled with wisdom nectar upon which rests a long-life vase containing nectar of immortality. In the crook of his left arm, he holds Vajravarahi (a wisdom dakini) in the form of a trident. Amidst boundless radiating lights, he sits in the vajra posture.
The peerless form of Guru Padmasambhava is the essence of the Sangha, and his speech and mind are the embodiments of the Dharma and the Buddha respectively. His qualities and activities represent the tutelary deities and Dharma protectors. In brief, he is the union of all Buddhas and their activities manifested in one form.
Having visualized the guru as mentioned above, now meditate on a white syllable Omat his forehead, a red syllable Ah at his throat, a blue syllable Hung at his heart, a green syllable Hriat his navel, and the syllables Ha Ri Ni Sa Ra Tsa Hri Ya on his palms and soles. From these syllables, myriad colours in the form of light radiate towards the ten directions invoking the blessings of all buddhas, bodhisattvas, deities and dakinis. Visualize that the buddhas and bodhisattvas merge into your forehead, the tutelary deities into your navel and all the dakinis and Dharma protectors into your secret place.
At this point, pray to Guru Rinpoche with utmost devotion and resolute trust, followed by reciting the Vajra Guru mantra (the heart mantra of Guru Rinpoche): Om Ah Hung Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hung.
Receiving the Four Empowerments
After reciting the Vajra Guru mantra hundreds or thousands of times depending upon your capability, now comes the time to receive the four empowerments. Visualize the syllable Omin the centre of Guru Rinpoche’s forehead from which a ray of white light emanates and dissolves into your forehead, purifying all the defilements related to the body. Thus, having received the Vase Empowerment, think that the seed to attain the Nirmanakaya has been established in you.
Visualize the syllable Ahat the throat of Guru Rinpoche from which a ray of red light emanates and dissolves into your throat, purifying all the defilements related to the speech. Thus, having received the Secret Speech Empowerment, think that the seed to attain the Sambhogakaya has been established in you.
Visualize the syllable Hung in the heart of Guru Rinpoche from which a ray of blue light emanates and dissolves into your heart, purifying all the defilements related to the mind. Thus, having received the Primordial Wisdom Empowerment, think that the seed to attain the Dharmakaya has been established in you.
From the magnificent body of Guru Rinpoche, visualize five-coloured rays emanating into limitless space and eventually dissolving into your body, purifying all the karmic and conceptual obscurations related to the body, speech and mind. Thus, having received the Precious Word Empowerment, think that the potential to realize the ultimate nature, the level of Svabhavikakaya or the totality of the three kayas, has been established in you.
Completion Stage
When you are finished with receiving the four empowerments, the next step is to visualize Guru Rinpoche above your crown fading into a bright light that gradually sinks into your body. Then merge your body, speech and mind with the guru’s enlightened body, speech and mind. At that moment, think that your own nature has become inseparable from Guru Rinpoche and abide in the state of non-duality for as long as you can. Finally, conclude the session by reciting dedication prayers.
O glorious guru,
Forever reside inside my heart
On a lotus seat, inseparable from me,
And bless me with the supreme accomplishments
Of body, speech and mind!
By Sherab Younten
7th Year, NNI
