Without relying on a father-like guru,There is no son who has gotten enlightened.Even the buddhas of this fortunate eonHave 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…

Transcendent perfection in Sanskrit is paramita.  Para means “beyond” and mita, “to go”. Together it means to go beyond worldly merit, and that of the shravakas and patyekabuddhas. The transcendent perfections are generally defined as a means of attaining enlightenment and are endowed with four distinctive attributes. The four distinctive attributes are as follows: 1. They are free from their…

In Buddhism, the main purpose of practice is to attain Buddhahood, or complete enlightenment. It is important, therefore, that our practices become its cause. To make every part of practice the cause of enlightenment, there are three main elements, which are called ‘the threefold excellence’. They are the excellence of bodhichitta, the excellence of non-conceptualization, and the excellence of dedication.…

Homage to the sublime Tara. I pay homage to the treasure of the sublime Lord Avalokiteshvara’s compassion. From the supreme residence of Potala,You are born from the green syllable TAMThe rays of the syllable TAM liberate beings.Tara, along with your retinue, please come forth. Om ! I prostrate to the sublime noble Tara. Homage to Tara, you who are swift…

As most of Vajrayana practitioners know, the Vajra Guru mantra is the mantra of Guru Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche, the renowned tantric master from India who came to Tibet in the 8th century at the request of King Trisong Deutsen. It is said that Guru Rinpoche subdued all the eight classes of spirits and converted them into Dharma…

Unlike any other tradition, Buddhism affirms the unity of all living beings. It is believed that all sentient beings equally possess Buddha-nature, which means all have the potential to become Buddha or an Enlightened One. According to Buddhist teaching, it is said that samsara is the fruition of our own karmic debts. In this field, no sentient beings are considered…

The visualization of Vajrasattva and the recitation of his hundred-syllable mantra are the supreme methods for cleansing obscurations. Both Indian and Tibetan masters have in common the practice of Vajrasattva mantra recitation. Patrul Rinpoche, from his book The Words of My Perfect Teacher, states: “Vajrasattva promised that if one recites Vajrasattva’s mantra one hundred and eight times in one session,…

The benefits of Mandala offerings, the specific means for the accumulation of merit, are explained in the following lines: Patrul Rinpoche states in his book called ‘The words of my perfect teacher’: Though the omniscient Buddha taught us infinite methods for accumulating merit, Mandala offering is considered as the most supreme means. Similarly, a Tantra text also states: If the…