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oundational Practices

t el EXCERPTS

FROM

THE CHARIOT FOR TRAVELLING

THE

SUPREME PATH

dBang Phyug rDo rJ

the IXth

Karmapa



Published by

KAGYU KUNKHYAB CHULING

2865

West

4th Avenue

Vancouver B.C.

1976)

© ngrid

McLeod

Printed

in Canada by

DHARMADATA



T BLE

OF CONTENTS

Introduction

........................................................................

7

Translator s Note ............................ ................................

The Chariot for TraveUing the Supreme Path .................. 13

General Foundations .

........................................................

15

Specitll Foundations .......................................................... 17

Meditation on Vajrasattva ................................................

23

Mandala Offering ..............................................................

27

Meeting the Lama s Mind .................................................33

Footnotes ..........................................................................

;7

Appendix: The Mahamudra Transmission .......................5





INTRODUCTION

This booklet contains a translation of

the

part of

The

Chariot for Travelling the Supreme Path which is used for

the foundational practices of

the

Karma Kagyu tradition of

Buddhism. f you intend

to

do

these

practices,

there

~ r e a

number of things you should know;

First there are

two parts to the foundational practices.

The first is

termed the

general foundations , and consists o

the contemplation of four themes:

the

precious human

existence, death and impermanence, karma, and the

shortcomings of samsaric existence. Explanations of these

teachings, and of their role in Dharma practice, may be

found in Kalu Rinpoche s Foundations o Buddhist Medita-

tion Jamgon Kongtrul s The Lamp o Certainty or

Gampopa s The Jewel Ornament o Liberation. These four

contemplations will lead you

to

reappraise your ideas about

life, impress upon you life s transitory nature, and

encourage you to assume responsibility for your actions and

future. Such changes are essential if you are to practise

Dharma fruitfully. These contemplations may be utilized

by n y o n e ~

but it

is

best to

obtain clear instruction from a

qualified teacher if possible. f this is not possible, the

three

books mentioned above provide accurate explanations of

these ideas.

The second part of the foundational practices is termed

the special foundations , and consists of several practices,

each of which is repeated one hundred thousand times.

These practices form

the

basis of vajrayana practice, and

should be done only with

the

permission of and instruction

from a lama. f you are interested in these practices, you

should have received

the

vow of refuge from a teacher o



Buddbjsm. Each vajrayana practice has

three

ceremonies

associated with it: initiation, authorization through reading,

and oral instruction (dbang, lung, khrid). Each ceremony is

administered by

the student's

lama. Through

the

associated

initiation,

the student

is

brought

to the point from which he

can proceed faithfully with the practice. The authorization

through a reading of the texts concerned with the practice

provides him with the support of the textual reference.

And through the oral instructions, his lama explains exactly

how

the

practice is done. Hence,

the student

is able to

achieve liberation. While there is

no

explicit initiation

connected with these foundational practices, you should

have received the

initiation for one vajrayana practice

before you start. In addition, you must have the

authorization through reading and

the

oral instructions for

the

text

translated here.

Many people begin

these practices with little idea of their

difficulty or the determination needed to complete them.

As a result, many have found them beyond their immediate

capabilities. The subsequent frustration and disappoint-

ment

at

not being able to do

them

can be very damaging. t

is important to complete them once you have indicated your

intention to do so. An old proverb is,

Better

not to

start,

but when started, better to finish . We do not mean to

intimidate people, nor to detract from these practices. The

fact is

that

they are.

very

demanding, both physically and

mentally, but they are extremely beneficial, as anyone who

has completed them will tell you. All of the

great

saints and

teachers of

the past

have done these mediations many,

many times.

Perhaps

a few practical remarks may help. The first

practice is 'Going for Refuge and Engendering Bodhicitta',

and involves prostrations, the Refuge Prayer, and the

Bodhisattva Vow. You repeat the

prayer

of refuge while

prostrating your body and visualizing

the

sQurces

o

refuge.



The Bodhisattva ow is

repeated after

each session of

prostrations, along with other prayers which your lama can

explain. A total of 111,111 prostrations are offered, and

111,111 refuge prayers are repeated aloud: one hundred

thousand comprise

the

main practice and

the

11,111

complete it. Since you will probably do prostrations faster

than refuge prayers, some time needs to be spent

completing

the

refuge

prayers

after

the

practice

of

prostrations is completed. You will need

to

have someone

show you how to do a prostration. It is

better

also to do

only a few

a

hundred a day, for instance - until your

body becomes accustomed

to

the movement. Then you can

work up

at

your own

rate.

Most people use a

mat

for

their

knees and body to fall on, and pads to help

the

hands slide.

f

you are doing them on a wooden floor, make

sure

there

are

no

splinters. People often forget that while doing

these prostrations, you

are

in fact standing before your

lama and all the sources of refuge.

t

is· important to be

fully clothed, though loose-fitting garments will be more

comfortable.

You

may need something

to

drink during a

session, but you should not eat or talk until a session is

completed. Incidentally, in all practices, one time around a

rosary of 108 beads is counted as 100.

After completing the above practice, you commence the

meditation of Vajrasattva. The practice consists of

meditating while repeating in a low but audible voice

the

long mantra of Vajrasattva a total of 111,111 times and the

short mantra a number of times some teachers require six

hundred thousand repetitions of

the short

mantra). Only

the mantras that you do in a meditation session should be

counted in

this

practice. You may find it difficult to

sit

for

long periods

of

time, and you should exercise care. In all

these practices, you should not talk or eat

during the

meditation session itself.



preferably made of copper, silver, or gold. A mandala

offering consists of placing rice at various points on the

metal base while you repeat prayers and practise visualiza

tions. The thirty-seven point mandala involves placing rice

at thirty-seven points on the base, and the seven-point

mandala at seven. The mandala base and your rosary are

held in your left hand, and your right hand places and

removes

the

rice.

It

is

the shorter

mandala offering which

begins, Sa shi pu chu , that is said 111,111 times, and

the

longer mandala is done once after every hundred or five

hundred of

the

shorter. The rice should always be washed

and dried before offering, and changed for new rice as

frequently as possible. You should also be physically clean

when you do this practice.

The final practice is Lamai Naljor, or 'Meeting

the

Lama's

Mind'. The

prayer

beginning, Lama rin po che ... , is

repeated aloud 111,111 times,

but there

are additional

prayers and meditations you should learn from your lama.

Many teachers recommend that you do this practice in

retreat if possible.

For various reasons it is more practical for some people

to complete these practices over a long period of time by

doing some every day. Other people are able to devote

their full time and energy to them.

ither

way, you will

find that these foundational practices provide you with an

excellent basis for further meditation.

en McLeod



TRANSLATOR S NOT

The boundless and compassionate buddha-activity of

Kalu Rinpoche and Dezhung Rinpoche has led many people

in North America to begin

the

foundational practices, or

sngon. gro (pronounced Ngon-dro). I sincerely hope

that

many people will be helped by this English translation of

the prayers for these practices. I have tried to translate as

closely as possible to

the

Tibetan,

but it

has been impossible

to provide comprehensible English in some cases. All

additions will be found in square brackets. I have sought to

clear up as many points as possible by consulting both Kalu

Rinpoche and Dezhung Rinpoche.

My great

thanks are

offered to these two wonderful teachers, who patiently

answered my many questions. I am very grateful to my

husband Ken, who contributed the introductions and notes,

and to Thomas Quinn, Richard Barron, and Joseph Duane

for their contributions to this work.

May many beings benefit from these practices.

Ingrid McLeod

Vancouver, B.C.

ebruary 976





THE CH RIOT FOR TR VELLING

THE SUPREME P TH

y

Wongchu Dorje

[This introduction

is directed to people who would e doing

these practices together in a retreat ]

To the glorious accomplished and mighty Vajradhara

the lord who pervades all lineages the lama Karmapa

To

the

origin of all mandalas

the

yidam Vajrayogini l

who expresses the splendour of existence and peace

And to the

tr nsmuter

of power the

cre tor

of all buddha

activity the protector Berch en and his consort

This one-pointed meditator bows in faith; pr y protect me

with your constant compassion.



Great is the flow of the river of blessings

Which rise from the tradition of the precious practice

lineage.

Having relied on many spiritual friends, I who have applied

this tradition

n

order

to

engender bodhicitta,

[Have written this Perfect Chariot for TraveUing the

Supre me Path

By arranging clearly all

these

vajra teachings.

May

all

those who have the fortune

to enter

this path

Be not distracted,

but

persevere.

In order

to

carry these foundational teachings with you

all the time, the following points should be observed. When

you are roused by the sound of the drum which marks a

meditation period, arise in a manner

that

accords with your

outer precepts, whether

they

be the rules and discipline of a

full monk, novice monk, or lay student. Join the assembly

with the inner engenderment

of

both aspiring and

persevering bodhicitta, and pay obeisance to the recep

tacles

of

the Three Jewels with faith. Sit, abiding by the

instructions and commitments of your vajra-teacher of the

secret way. Place yourself in position with your body in the

five-pointed posture for meditative stability. Settle evenly,

determined to practise the Dharma and to die unmoved by

the power of the eight worldly dharmas3. When you

are

reciting these verses, do not let your attention wander, and

keep the sound and the meaning of the words inseparable.



THE GENERAL FOUNDATIONS

FOUR CONTEMPLATIONS T TUR THE MIND T

DHARMA

The Precious Human Existence

First, I consider this jewel [of a human form]

With its blessings and opportunities,

Obtained with difficulty, destroyed with ease;

I must make it purposeful

Death and Impermanence

Secondly, the

external

world and all therein are

impermanent;

Particularly,

the

life of each being, which is like a water

bubble.

The time of my death is uncertain; my body will become

a corpse

at

death.

Since harma is beneficial then, I

must

practise diligently.



Karma, Cause and Effect

Thirdly, at death my own power is dispersed and karma

takes its course;

To overcome this, I have to cease doing evil and practise

virtue.

Bearing this in mind, I

must

examine my way of life daily.

The Shortcomings ofSamsaric Existence

Fourthly, because I am continually tormented by the

three

sufferings,

Homes, friends, joys, and possessions in the

cycle of

existeqce

re like a condemned man s feast before his being led to

his execution;

I must sever my attachments and strive vigorously for

enlightenment.

fter these contemplations, the course of your experience

becomes receptive. You uri tread the path to freedom

whatever happens. Now recite the instructions for Going

for Refuge and Engendering Bodhicitta .



THE SPECIAL FOUNDATIONS

GOING FOR

REFUGE

ND ENGENDERING BODHICITT

Going for

Refuge

Before me in

the

centre o£ a lake stands a wish

fulfilling tree

With one root one trunk and five branches.

t the

centre fork is a lion throne with a lotus and a sun and

moon disc.

Upon which sits my root lama as Vajradhara

Surrounded by

the

Kagyu lamas.

In

front of these are the yidams to

their right

the buddhas

Behind is

the

sacred Dharma

to their

left

the

sangha

And below the throne

are

all the protectors of the Dharma

Each surrounded by a sea of

attendants

of his own kind.

On

the verdant

grass around the edge of

the

lake

Stand all my grandmothers whose numbers

are

as limitless

as space.

With one-pointed minds we all

go

for refuge and

engender bodhicitta.



I and all sentient beings limitless as

the

sky; go for

refuge to all the glorious holy lamas of

the

line and

the

kind

root lama who is the embodiment of

the

form speech

mind qualities and activity of all

the

tathagatas of

the ten

directions and the three times; who is the source of the

eighty-four thousand collections of the Dharma and

the

lord of all the noble sangha.

The Refuge

Prayer

We go for refuge to .all the glorious holy lamas.

We go for refuge to all the yidams and deities assembled

in the mandala.

We go for refuge to all the transcendent accomplished

conquerors the buddhas.

We go

for refuge to all the holy Dharma.

We go for refuge to all the noble sangha.

We go for refuge to all the noble dakas and dakinis

protectors and guardians of the Dharma who each

possess the eye of awareness.

PAL DEN

LAMA DAM

PA

NAM LA CHAP SU CHI 0

YIDAM CHIL KOR Jl LHA TSO NAM LA CHAP

SU CHI 0

SONG JAY CHOM DEN DAY NAM LA CHAP SU CHI 0

DAM

PE

CHU NAM LA CHAP SU CHI 0

PAW

PE

GEN DUN NAM LA CHAP SU CHI 0

PA WO

KAN DRO CHU CHONG SUNG MAY TSO

YE SHAY JI SHEN DONG DEN P A NAM LA

CHAP SU CHI 5

This prayer is repeated 111 111 times.



The Bodhisattva Vow

nd Engendering Bodhicitta

Until I reach

the

heart

of enlightenment,

I go

to

all the buddhas for refuge.

Likewise, I go to the Dharma for refuge,

And

to the

assembly of bodhisattvas.

Repeat three times

ust as the sugatas of former times engendered bodhicitta

And engaged themselves progressively in

the

bodhisattva's training,

So now do I, for the benefit of beings, give rise

to bodhicitta

And apply myself, in stages, to such training.

Repeat three times

Prayers

of Rejoicing

This day my life is fruitful;

Having obtained a human existence,

Today I am born into

the

family of

the

enlightened.

Now I have become a buddha's son.

Henceforth, I shall do only

That

activity which accords with this line,

So that no stain shall come to this faultless noble family.

Today, before the eyes of all the sources of refuge,

I have invited all beings

to

a banquet of

the

happiness

Of

enlightenment and the approach

to

it.

Rejoice, you gods, titans, and others



Prayer

for Bodhicitta

Bodhicitta is precious.

May those who have not engendered this attitude now

engender it.

May those who have engendered it not destroy it.

May

it

ever grow and flourish.

May I never lacking in bodhicitta

Engage in bodhi conduct

And being completely sustained by all

the

buddhas

Come to abandon all evil action.

May all bodhisattvas fulfil

their

aspirations to benefit

beings.

May

the

intentions of

the

lords

Bring happiness to all sentient beings.

May all sentient beings be filled with bliss

And all

the

realms

of

evil existences be forever emptied.

May every prayer of all the bodhisattvas on every level

of enlightenment

Come to be fulfilled.

The our Immeasurables:

Love Compassion Joy and Impartiality6

May all sentient beings find happiness and the cause

of happiness.

May they be free from sorrow and

the

cause

of

sorrow.

May they not be bereft of the supreme bliss which is free

from sorrow.

May they

rest

in

great

impartiality free from attachment

and aversion to those near and far.

Repeat three times



Finally the sources of refuge melt into light and

merge with me.

rayer

for edicating Merit

Through

th

virtue of this practice

May I quickly realize mahamudra:

And establish each and every being

In this same enlightened state.



V JR S TTV



MEDIT TION ON V JR S TTV [DORJE SEMBA]

This meditation cleans away unwholesomeness and

limitations

On a lotus and moon

seat

on the crown of my head

Sits my lama a ~ Vajrasattva, white in colour and· wearing

ornaments.

He has one face and two hands,

the

right

holding a vajra

And the left a bell, and he sits with legs folded.

A Prayer t Vajrasattva

My

lama, [who appears as] Vajrasattva,

pray

clean away

and purify

the

mass of unskilful actions, limitations,

negligence, and transgressions of myself and all sentient

beings who are as limitless as space

After

this prayer, a hum upon a moon [appears] in

Vajrasattva's heart

The

hum is encircled by the one-

hundred syllable

mantra

of Vajrasattva. From these

syllables, elixir continually flows. This elixir falls from his

form and

enters

my body through an aperture in the crown

of my head. As my body is filled with the elixir, all unskilful

a ~ t i o n limitations, negligence, and transgressions are

washed away.



The One-hundred Syllable antra ofVajrasattva

OM

BENZRA SATO SAMAYA

MANUPALAYA

BENZRA SATO TAYNO PATITRA DRIDHO MAY

BHAWA

SUTOKAYOMAYBHAWA

SUPO KAYO

MAY

JlHAWA

ANURAKTOMAYBHAWA

SARWA SIDDHI MAY TRAYATSA

SARWA KARMA SU TSA MAY TSITAM SHRIYA

KURUHOl\'1

HA HA HA HA HO BHAGAWAN

SARWA TATHAGATA BENZRA MA MAY MUNTSA

BENZRI BHAW A MAHA SAMAYA SATO AH

8

This mantra is repeated 111 111 times.

The Six-syllable Mantra of Vajrasattva

OM BENZRA SATO HUM

Then joining your hands together at your heart pray s

follows:

Oh

lord, because of my delusion and ignorance

I have violated and broken my commitments.

Lama, protector, pray grant me refuge

.0 h lord, holder of the vajra,

Quintessence of great compassion,

Lord

of

beings, to you I

go

for refuge



I confess and r p nt each violation and breach of the

commitments concerning form speech and mind and th

root and branch commitments. I pray for your blessings to

purify me and wash away th entire mass of unskilful

actions limitations negligence and transgressions.

Vajrasattva calls

to me

Melts into light and is absorbed indivisibly into me.

The

rayer

for edicating Merit

Through virtue

of

this practice

May I quickly realize Vajrasattva

And establish each and every sentient being

In this same enlightened state.





M ND L OFFERING

The mandala offering perfects the accumulations of merit

and awareness.

All the Jewels9

are

gathered before me in the sky.

In the centre

are the

lamas;

To

the

front right

rear

and left

Are

the

yidams buddhas Dharma and sangha

respectively

All

with attendants of their own kind.

Filling the

space among them is a sea of protectors.

Before me sits this supreme perfect gathering.

The Thirty-Seven Point Mandala Offering

10

s you clean the mandala and remove all dust from it

think that all the unwholesomeness and limitations

of

yourself and others gathered by holding [external

oby ects

to be real] and believing [mind to

be

an existent entity]

are

being washed away.

Repeat the one-hundred syllable mantra

of

Vay rasattva:

OM BENZRA SATO etc.



Place some grain at each

o

the appropriate points while

you visualize each point and recite its name

O BENZRA BHUMI AH HUI\

The completely pure basis is a foundation

of

mighty gold.

O

BENZRA REKAY AH

H ¥

A wall of iron mountains forms a complete circle,

t the

centre of which stands the king

of

the mountains,

the

perfect Meru.

To

the

east, Lu Pakpo; to the south, Dzambuling;

To the west, Balongshu; to the north, Draminyen;

Lu and Lu Pak, Ngayap and Ngayapshen,

Yoden and Lamchodro, Draminyen and Draminyenjida.

The mountain of jewels,

The wish-fulfilling tree,

The cow

th t

grants wishes,

And the grain th t needs no toil.

Precious wheel, precious jewel, and precious queen,

Precious minister of state, and precious elephant,

Precious steed, and precious general.

A vase of riches.

A maiden of laughter, a maiden with garlands,

A maiden ofsong, a maiden of dance,

A maiden with flowers, a maiden with incense,

A maiden with radiant light, and a maiden with perfumed

water.

The sun and the moon.

The precious umbrella,

And the banner which is totally v ictorious

in

every quarter.



In the middle, all openly arranged, is the perfect collection

of the glorious wealth

of

gods and men, nothing lacking,

Overflowing, surpassing in amount the drops

of

water in

the ocean.

All this I offer

to

you, the lamas, yidams, buddhas,

bodhisattvas, dakas, dakinis, and

the

host of protectors.

Please accept my offering with

regard

for all beings'

welfare,

And

then

bestow your blessing.

This foundation I sprinkle with fragrant water and flowers,

And adorn with the perfect mountain, the four continents,

the

sun, and the moon.

May my offering of this imagined buddha's realm

Establish all beings in a realm of total purity.

To you, the buddhas and bodhisattvas abiding

In the ten directions and the three times,

And the lamas, masters of vajrayana,

And you, the yidams and surrounding attendant deities,

And all the sugatas of

the

three times,

To you, all supreme ones, I humbly offer

The four continents and

the

perfect mountain;

I offer a billion sets of continents,

And a trillion, and a quadrillion, all included in one

mandala

I pray that you accept this offering with concern and love,

And then bestow your blessing.

O

MANDALA PUDZA MAYGA SAMUDRA

SAPARANA SAMAYE AH U¥

As I have offered this excellent and pleasing mandala,

May obstacles not arise on the path to enlightenment.



May I realize

the

intentions of

the

enlightened ones of

the three

times,

And neither being deluded in samsara nor

resting

in

nirvana,

May I release all beings limitless as

the

sky

The Seven-Point Mandala Offering

This foundation I sprinkle with fragrant

water

and flowers,

And adorn with the perfect mountain,

the

four continents,

the

sun, and the moon.

May my offering of this imagined buddha's realm

Establish all beings in a realm of total purity.

SA SHI

PU

CHU

JU

SHING

MAY

TOK TRAM

RI RAP LING SHI NYI DAY

JEN

P

DI

SONGJ YSHINGDUMIKT YPULW YI

DRO KUN NAM DASHING LA CHU P R SHO

This

pr yer

is repeated 111 111 times.

To you, the multitude of lamas who have perfectly

realized the

three

kayas,

I have offered the outer, inner, secret, and ultimate

offerings.

Please accept now my body, possessions, and all

phenomena,

And bestow upon me perfect mastery.

I pray,

grant

me the accomplishment

of

a mahamudra.

I dedicate to perfect enlightenment

All

virtue, however little,

that

I have gathered

Through homage, offering, confession,

Rejoicing, entreaty, and supplication.



I have offered all the limitless riches belonging to myself

and others ll

All beings

are

completely filled with

the

accumulations;

The assembled field melts into light

and

I become of

like value.

rayer for the edication ofMerit

Through

the

virtue of this practice

May I quickly realize mahamudra

And establish each and

every

sentient being

In this same enlightened state





MEETING THE LAMA S MIND

Practise this meditation one-pointedly without hesita

tion or doubt that this is the greatest of a practices

particularly since the Dakpo Kagyu expertise is faith and

respect.

On the crown of my head, on a lotus and sun and

moon seat,

Is my root lama as Vajradhara.

He is richly adorned, and his hands, holding a vajra

and bell,

Are crossed in the .mudra of union.

An ocean of

Jewels

and the transmission lamas seated

on vajra-thrones12

re

clustered in tiers above him.

OM

Oh

pervading

lord} 3

whose

nature

is

that

of all phenomena,

Non-abiding, neither coming nor going, like space,

Not identified by signs of arriving or departing;

Who appears

wherever

imagined, like the moon s

[reflection] in water;



Oh glorious heruka, subduer bf antagonistic forces,

Oh lamas, yidams, dakinis, and attendants,

Right now, as my faith brings forth this prayer,

Please, through the force of your non-conceptual com-

passion, appear

to

me

To you, the epitome of the buddhas of the

three

times,

Who proceeds from

the

supreme citadel of the realm of

totality,

To you, who clearly shows mind-itself as dharmakaya,

To you, my glorious and sublime lama, I pay homage.

In praise I present all offerings

Of my body, possessions, and imagined things.

I confess all p st unskilful actions;

Henceforth, I will commit no evil.

I rejoice in the virtue of all beings,

And dedicate [all merit] as cause for supreme

enlightenment;

I entre t the buddhas to be

present

And not to dissociate themselves from misery;

I urge them to turn the Dharma wheel of the

insurpassable perfect vehicle.

[Oh my lama,} bestow upon me the blessing of

true

realization,

The realization of all the victors and their sons:

The perfection of impartial love and compassion

And ultimate, co-emergent awareness.

Inspire the realization of the apparent body as

nirmanakaya,

Inspire the realization of life's energy as sambhogakaya,

Inspire the realization of mind itself as dharmakaya,

And gr nt your blessing th t the three inseparable

kayas

14

appear



The Prayer to the amas o the Mahamudra Transmission

To glorious Vajradhara, who

permeates

all things,

To Lodru Rinchen,

the

mighty one of

the tenth

stage,

To Saraha, foremost of masters in

the

Holy Land,

I pray: bestow upon me co-emergent awareness.

To noble Ludrub, who sees

the

significance of phenomenon-

in-itself,

l5

To splendid Shawari, who has

attained

mahamudra,

To lord Metripa, who sees

the

essential meaning,


To Lodrakpa, lord over oceans of

tantra

To noble Mila, foremost of masters in

the

Land of Snow,

To glorious Gampopa, who was prophesied by the Victor,


To Dusum Chenpa,lord of buddha-activity,

To Drogon Raychen,

master

of extraordinary powers,

To Porn Trakpa,

the

victor s son who has mastered

development and perfection,

With humblest reverence, I pray: bestow upon me

co-emergent awareness.

To glorious Karmapa [Karma Pakshi], who tames those

difficult to tame,

To

the master

Orjenpa, who attained

the

two siddhis,

To Rong Jungwa, who is master of the world s doctrine,




To Yung Tonpa,

the

sovereign of vajrayana,

To Rolpai Dorje, the jewel of the world,

To the

m ster

Kasho Wongpo, who realized the

existentiality [of mind],



To

the

Dharma Lord, Dayshin Shekpa, who crowns

the emperor [of China),l6

To Ratnabhadra, skilled and learned,

To Tongwa Donden,

the

splendour of samsara and nirvana,



To Jampal Zangpo, who is truly Vajradhara,

To Paljor Dondrub,

the

embodiment of compassion,

To Chudrak Jamtso, the source of inspirational blessings,



To

the

saintly lama without equal, the lord of Dharma,

Who is renowned

s

Tashi Paljor,

And to Chudrak Palzang, who emanates t will,



To the lord Shamar Chupendzin, who is Amitahba,

And to Wongchu Dorje, lord of all mandalas

7

The Karmapa who is a perfect king, lord over the six

families of beings,





To [Chuchi Wongchu],

the

be rer of

the

blessings and

signs of Amitabha,

And to Chuying Dorje, who becomes the immutable

[fusion of means and wisdom]

By enthroning "Warn" [the symbol of bliss]

Upon "Ay",

the

lion throne of mahamudra [the symbol

of emptiness],



To Yeshey Nyingpo,

the

perfect nirmanakaya,

The vajra mind embracing [emptiness and bliss]

in

a

lattice of miraculous appearances,

Who is Garji Wongchu, lord of the t ntr as result,

Vajradhara,


To Yeshey Dorje, the essence of all kings,

Who is the form of co-emergent awareness, the union

of bliss and emptiness,

Who revels in the dance of the invincible vajra,


To [Palchen Chuchi Dondrub],

the

one in whom the two

aims are fulfilled through perfect realization,

Whose expertise and understanding arise from full

examination

f both the v st and the deep aspects of the Dharma,


To the all-knowing lama, Jongchub Dorje,

The pervading lord, the original protector who, from the

realm of totality,

Displays the dance of the four inseparable vajras 8



To Vajradhara, embraced by the beauty of utter emptiness,

Who binds mutable bliss to the path of retention,

The Yogin Tenpai Nyinjay,


To the intrepid Dutsok Dulwai Dorje,

Who, truly seeing that which is the indestructible pith,

Became master in the perfection of unchanging awareness,


To

the

glorious Mipam Chudrub Jamtso,

Who is

the

play of compassion, teaching the Dharma

Appropriate to

the

interests, capabilities, and

temperaments of his students,


To

the

lord of all familjes,

Payma

Nyinjay,

Who, [realizing the sameness of samsara and nirvana,

[dwells in uncomposed bliss

And makes perfectly evident [to others what is ultimate,

the dharmakaya in its immediacy 19


To the sun of all beings, Tekchok Dorje,

Whose perfected awareness and intention

are

of sky

like clarity,

Whose radiance of boundless compassion permeates all,

I pray: bestow upon me co-emergent aware·ness.

To

the

buddha Yonten

Jamtso lord

and teacher,

V

ajradhara

of

the

five kayas,

To whom

the

meaning of mahamudra, that bliss and

emptiness are inseparable, is truly apparent,




To Kachab Dorje, whose compassion is measureless,

Vajradhara,

the

pervading lord, free in original vastness,

The Karmapa whose form

the

buddhas of

three

times

compose,


To ayma Wongchok, whose depth [of scholarship]

and clarity [of

exposition]

are

unequalled,

Whose emanations in

the

vastness of Maitreya s

heart

pervade all realms,

The emissary of

adma

[Sambhava],

the

protector of

beings and of

the

Victor s teachings,


To the unequalled and sublime Jamgon Chentsay Ozer,

Who [abides] in the fullness of

the

realm of totality,

non-referential awareness and emptiness,

The protector of

the

teachings of the meditative

tradition, an emanation of Vairocana,


To Norbu Dondrub, lord of realization,

Who understands

the

existentiality of ultimate

dharmakaya,

Whose aggregated form melted into a rainbow s realm,


To

the

kind one who points out the naked essence of

mahamudra,

Existentiality as foundation, path, and result;

To

my root lama, who is truly all buddhas,




To the yidams and assembled dieties who confer the

two attainments

And the gathering of Dharma protectors lords of all

activity

And

the

amassed ocean of deities committed

to

serve


By

the

blessings of such prayer

May I realize mahamudra as basic condition:

The basis of all

yet

free from such [concepts] as existing or

not existing

And from positing negating accepting or rejecting

anything in samsara

or

nirvana.

May mahamudra as path become apparent:

The path which completely surpasses destination traveller

or path

Which neither rejects

the

obscured obscurations or the

obscuring

Nor conceptualizes the realized realizer or

the

realizing.

May mahamudra as result become apparent:

Result which is the inseparability of basis and result

with neither rejection nor attainment

With

no

conceptualization of goal attainer or attaining

Not existing

yet

the nature of all th t is.



Prayer to the Kagyu Lineage

To gre t Vajradhara, Tilopa, Naropa,

Marpa, Mila, and the lord of Dharma, Gampopa,

Omniscient Karmapa, who knows the

three

times,

To those upholding the "four great" and "eight small"

traditions,

The lamas of Trikung, Talung, Tsalpa, the glorious

Drukpa, and others,

Those of the Dakpo Kagyu, the unequalled lords of beings,

Masters of the deep path of mahamudra, I pray

I follow the tradition of the Kagyu lamas

Bless me with liberation

Disenchantment and revulsion, it is taught, are the

legs of meditation;

Bestow the blessing which dispels the yearning for wealth

and prestige

To this meditator, who severs ties in this life,

And longs not for wealth and sustenance.

Respectful devotion,

it

is taught, is the head of meditation;

Bestow the blessing of

u n o n t r i ~ e d

reverence and devotion

To this meditator, who unceasingly prays

To his lama who opens the doors to the treasury of

instruction.

Unwavering attention, it

is taught, is the main body

of meditation;



Bestow the blessing th t meditation be free of

intellectualization

To this meditator for whom resting in uncontrived

thatness

The essence of any thought which arises is fresh.

The essence of conceptual thought it is taught is

dharmakaya;

Bestow

the

blessing of

the

realization of

the

indivisibility

of samsara and nirvana

To this meditator for whom whatever arises though

being

no

thing

Appears as an uninterrupted play.

y

mothers all sentient beings as limitless as space

pray

tomy

lama the precious buddha.

y mothers all sentient beings as limitless as space

pray to my lama

the

all-pervading dharmakaya.

y mothers all sentient beings as limitless as space

pray

to

my lama

the

blissful sambhogakaya.

y

mothers all sentient beings as limitless as space

pray to my lama the compassionate nirmanakaya.

KARMAPA CHENO

Repeat a number o times



The Six-fold rayer to One s Lama

To my precious lama, I make this prayer:

Grant me the blessing of dispensing with ego-clinging.

Grant me

the

blessing of a personality free from wanting

things.

Grant

me

the

blessing of

the

cessation of materialistic

thoughts.

Grant me the blessing of the realization

that

mind

itself is unborn.

Grant me the blessing of intrinsically dispelling

bewilderment.

Grant me

the

blessing of

the

realization of phenomenal

existence as dharmakaya.

LAMA RIN PO CHEL SOL W A DEP

D

DZIN LO YI TONG WAR JIN JI LOP

GUMAY JUL CH YW RJIN JILOP

CHU MIN NAM TO GAK

P R

JIN

JI

LOP

RONG SEM CHAY

MAY

TOK P R

JIN JI

LOP

TRUL W A RONG SAR SHI WAR JIN JI LOP

NONG SI CHU KUR TOK P R JIN JI LOP

This prayer is repeated 111 111 times.

Splendid, sublime lamas, please confer upon me

The four initiations which make me spiritually mature

Bless me with the rapid fruition of the four tantras 20

Please grant me with the attainment of the four kinds of

activity



The moment I make this supplication,

The radiance of all the

ttend nts

dissolves into

the

form

of the lord,

Who is the embodiment of all Jewels.

Clearly apparent is my lama s form.

White light shines from his forehead;

As it is absorbed into mine, all limitations of body

re removed.

I receive the vase initiation, empowering meditation

on

the

stage of development,

And have the fortune to tt in nirmanakaya.

Red light shines from his throat;

As it is absorbed into mine, all limitations of speech

re removed.

I receive

the

secret initiation, empowering meditation

on channels and winds,

And have the fortune

to

tt in sambhogakaya.

Blue light shines from his heart;

As

it

is absorbed into mine, all limitations of mind

re removed.

I receive the wisdom-awareness initiation, empowering the

integration of a.spects [of enlightenment]

in

meditation,

And have the fortune to realize dharmakaya.

White, red, and blue lights shine from his

three

sources;

As they

re

absorbed into my three corresponding points,

all stains

>f

the three gates23 re removed.

Through the fourth initiation, I am empowered to meditate

on

mahamudra,

And have the fortune to realize svabhavikakaya.



y

lama dissolves into light; as he is absorbed into me,

y

body, speech and mind become inseparable from

The lama s three vajras, and become of like value.

With three points in mind,

24

liberation is spontaneous.

rayer for the edication ofMerit

Through

the

virtue of this practice,

May I quickly realize mahamudra

And establish each and every being

In this same enlightened state





FOOTNOTES

1

Vajrayogini is the principal yidam of the Karma Kagyu

tradition.

2

Berchen (Ber.Nag.Chen) is a special form of Mahakala, and s

the principal protector of the Karmapas.

3. The eight wordly dharmas are: gain, loss; defamation, eulogy;

praise, ridicule; sorrow, joy.

4

bLo.lDog.rNam.bZhi. These four contemplations constitute the

basic preparation for the practice of Dharma. Commentary on

these contemplations may be found in:

Writings of Kalu Rinpoche trans. K. McLeod.

The Lamp of Certainty by Jamgon Kongtrul, trans. J

Hanson.

The Jewel Ornament of Liberation

by Gampopa, trans. H.V.

Guenther.

5 See footnote eight for pronunciation.

6 bTang.sNyoms. This word can be translated by impartiality

or equanimity . On the one hand,

it

signifies the lack of

discrimination denoted by impartiality, and on the other hand,

the freedom from disturbance of equanimity. However,

it

does not carry

the

detachment associated with equanimity, nor

the coldness associated with impartiality.

7. sDig.Sgrib. The first syllable refers to the unskilful actions

which characterize and perpetuate samsaric existence. Spe

cifically,

it

means all actions which arise from emotionality -

the ten non-virtuous acts, violation and breaking of ordination

and such. The second syllable refers to the limitations

on

one's

understanding, personality, or capabilities. Some of these

limitations originate from previous actions; others, such as the

limitations of emotionality and

that

of ignorance, are deeper.

8 The pronunciation given here is a Tibetan pronunciation of the

Sanskrit syllables of the mantra. Though there is among

Tibetans a wide variation in the pronunciation of this mantra;

please note that

all A's

are

long as

in

father , and all U's are

in



original Sanskrit pronunciation, we reproduce this below:

Ol sl VAJRASATI'VA SAMAYAM ANUPALAYA

VAJRASATI'VA TVENOPATI:;iTHA D ~ Q H O ME BHAVA

S U T O ~ Y O

ME

BHAVA

SUPO:;>Yo ME BHAV A

ANURAKTO

ME

BHAVA SARVA SIDDHIM ME

P,RAYACCHA SARYA KARMA SUCA ME

C I T T ~

_

SREYAij KURl

U¥

HA HA HA

_HA

HOI:I BHAGA ~

SARVA

T T ~ G T

VAJRA M4 ME MUNCA VAJRI

BHAVA MAHASAMAYASA

TTV

A Al:l

9. "Jewels" here refers to all the sources

of

refuge as in the

meditation on 'Going for Refuge'.

10. The mandala

that

you offer

is

an ideal universe arising from

your imagination. It is ideal in the sense

that

it is a realm

of

limittess beauty, free from emotionality or suffering, i.e., a

buddha realm. The universe s offered in this particular form

(the details of which

are

found in Abhidharma literature)

because it is aesthetically pleasing in its composition, symmet

ry, and richness.

11. The idea

of

offering wealth which belongs to others may seem

strange.

It

should be remembered

that

these offerings are

imagined, and hence can be offered freely with no sense

of

pride or attachment. These kinds of offerings

are

limited only

by your imagination.

12. The term "vajra-throne" is significant

on

three levels. Out

wardly, it refers to the place where Buddha Shakyamuni

attained full enlightenment. Inwardly, it refers to the

seven-pointed posture of Vairocana, the traditional position for

meditation. Esoterically, it refers to buddha-nature (tathagata

garbha) and its realization.

13. The terms "Kun.bDag" (lord of all) and "Khyab.bDag" (pervad

ing lord)

are

generally synonymous. Both refer to Vajradhara,

who is the buddha

of

all buddha-families, and hence pervades all

of them. ·

14. The three kayas comprise buddhahood.

Just

as a person exists

in a physical framework, communicates, and is conscious, and

these three aspects are inseparable, so a buddha is nirmana

kaya, sambhogakaya, and dharmakaya. The term 'svabhavika

kaya' indicates that these three aspects are inseparable in a

buddha.

15. Chos. Nyid. A term which is practically synonymous with



16.

The fifth Karmapa journeyed to China and became the lama of

the emperor. The emperor was a man of such great merit that

he

could see the Black Crown of th l(armapas

on

Dayshin

Shekpa's head. He asked Karmapa for permission to make a

replica of it, which the Karmapas would show for the benefit of

all sentient beings. The Tibetan is ambiguous, and can be

interpreted as a play

on

words: . the fifth Karmapa

crOW JS

the

emperor, since he is the emperor's lama;

on

the other 'hand,

through

his

gift, the emperor crowns Karmapa.

17. While Wongchu Dorje composed the original text, each lama

after ·him added a stanza of praise to his own lama. This

prayer includes the complete line of transmission

down

to Kalu

Rinpoche's own lama, Norbu Dondrub.

18.

The four vajras are the vajra

of

form, the vajra

of

speech, the

vajra of mind, and the vajra of transcending awareness.

19. The Tibetan uses the metaphor one's own face to express the

'immediacy' of dharmakaya, i.e., that dharmakaya is as close

as your own face . Payma Nyinjay, having realized his own

face , is able to point out dharmakaya to others.

20.

The four tantras are: tantra as action, tantra as enrichment,

tantra as meditative absorption, and tanira as supreme

meditative absorption.

21. The four kinds of buddha-activity are activity

which

pac:ifies,

develops, subdues, and destroys. ·

22.

This initiation enables the student to integrate such aspects of

enlightenment as understanding and skill

in

means, compassion

and emptiness.

23. The three gates are the physical, verbal, and mental facets of

being.

24. The three points are: all form is the lama's

form;

all sound his

speech; all thought his mind.





PPENDIX

THE

L M S

O THE

M H MUDR

TR NSMISSION

In some places in

the prayer to

the mahamudra lamas, it

is difficult to ascertain immediately to whom particular

lines or stanzas are directed. Many of these lamas were

kndwn by several names; by their incarnation lineage, or by

other means. The table below includes each lama s name as

it appears in

the

prayer, other names in parentheses, and

his incarnation lineage.

t

is strictly chronological in the

sense that each lama was a

student

of

the

preceding lama.

Lama s Name

r Do.rJ e. Chang

bLo.Gros.Rin.Chen

Sa.Ra.Ha

kLu.sGrub

Sha.Wa.Ri

Mai.Tri.Pa

Lho.Brag.Pa

(Mar.Pa.Lo. Tsa.Ba)

Mi.La.Ras.Pa

sGam.Po.Pa

Dus.gSum.mKhyen.Pa

Gro.mGon.Ras.Chen

sPom.Brag.Pa

Karma.Pakshi

O.rGyan.Pa

(Rin.Chen.dPal,

Approximate

Pronunciation

Dorje Chang

Lodru Rinchen

Sarah a

Ludrub(Nagarjuna)

Shawari

Metripa

Marpa the Translator

Milarepa

Gampopa

Dusum Chenpa

Drogon Rechen

Porn Trakpa

Karma Pakshi

Orjenpa Rinchen-pal

Incarnation

Lineage

Vajradhara

Karmapa I

Situ I

Karmapa II



Lama s Name

Approximate

Incarnation

Pronunciation

Lineage

Rang.Byung.Ba Rongjung Dorje

Karmapa

(Rang.Byung.rDo.rJe)

gYung.sTon.Pa

Yung Tonpa

Rol.pa i.rDo.rJe

Rolpai Dorje

Karmapa IV

mKha .sPyod.dBang.Po Kasho Wongpo

Shamar

De.bZhin.gShegs.Pa Dayshin Shekpa

Karmapa V

Ratna.Bhadra

Ratnabhadra

mThong.Ba.Don.lDan

Tongwa 1Donden Karmapa VI

Jam.dPal.bZang.Po

Jampal Zangpo

dPal. Byor.Don.Grub

Paljor Dondrub Gyaltsab I

Chos.Grags.rGya.mTsho Chudrak

Jamtso

Karmapa VII

bKra.Shis.dPal. Byor

Tashi Paljor

Situ IV

(Sangs.rGyas.mNyen.Pa)

Chos.Grags.dPal.bZang

Micho Dorje

Karmapa VIII

(Mi.bsKyod.rDo.rJe)

Zha,dMar.Cod.Pan. Dzin

Kencho Yenlak

Shamar V

(dKon.mChog. Yan.Lag)

dBang.Phyug.rDo.rJe

Wongchu Dorje

Karmapa IX

Chos.Kyi.dBang.Phug Chuchi Wongchu Shamar VI

Chos.dbYings.rDo.rJ e

Chuying Dorje

Karmapa X

Y e S ~ e s s N y i n g P o

Yeshey Nyingpo

Shamar VII

(Padma.Gar.Gyi.dBang.Phyug)

Ye.Shes.rDo.rJ e

Yeshey ·Dorje

Karmapa XI

Chos.Kyi.Don.Grub

Chuchi Dondrub

Sl)amar VIII

Byang.Chub.rDo.rJ e

Jongchub

D ~ r j e

Karmapa .XII

bsTan.Pa Nyin.Byed

Tenpai Nyinjay

Situ VIII

(Si. Tu.Chos.Kyi. Byung.gNas)

bDud. Dul.rDo.rJ e

Dudul Dorje Karmapa XIII

Mi.Pham.Chos.Grub.

Mipam Chudrub Shamar X

rGya.mTsho

Jamtso

Padma.Nyin.Byed

Payma Nyinjay

Situ IX

Theg.mChog.rDo.rJ e

Tekchok Dorje Karmapa XIV

Yon Tan.rGya.mTsho

Yonten Jamtso Kongtrul I

(bLo.Gros.mTha . Yas)

mKha Khyab.rDo.rJ e

Kachab Dorje Karmapa

XV

Padma.dBang.mChog.

Payma Wongchok Situ XI

rGyal.Po

Jalpo

mKhyen.brTse i. Od.Zer

Chentsay Ozer

Kongtrul

Nor.Bu.Don.Grub

Norbu Dondrub





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