Starting On Vajra Yogini NOW! | 今天就开始修习金刚瑜伽母
（译文请往下阅读）
(By Tsem Rinpoche)
Oct 28, 2012
The best anyone can do if not enlightenment for now, is to gain mastery over taking rebirth coupled with developing Three Principle Paths. Where you want to take rebirth can be determined by yourself if you practice the sacred Vajra Yogini Tantra thoroughly.
Start now before you are awarded the Vajra Yogini empowerment by:
- Holding vows and commitments
- Be honourable and have integrity
- Whatever work or practices you’ve been assigned, do it diligently and happily
- Develop contemplations on the good qualities of one’s lama again and again
- Never give up
- Practice the 8 Verses of Thought Transformation
- Make it a point to get along with everyone or as much as possible & be forgiving
- Study Lam Rim, Wheel of Sharp Weapons, Bodhisattvacha-avatara by Shantideva, Lojong, 50 Verses of Guru Devotion by Ashvagosha
- Commit to one practice that is light and easy yet profound such as Tsongkapa Guru Yoga daily without fail
- Follow your Teacher loyally and all the way
Then next step, engage in the preliminary practices slowly but surely and finish:
Don’t start practice only when you get Vajra Yogini’s empowerment, because you can start now! Prepare for the empowerment immediately by engaging everything I mentioned above. You have Vajra Yogini now. She is everywhere and She is ready for you. If you wish or if your teacher says start, start in this way that I’ve written. Start now. Don’t wait. Nothing happens when we wait. It gets harder the longer we wait.
Obtain a sacred image of Vajra Yogini on your shrine and do all the practices I mentioned ‘directed’ or focused towards Her. All the practices, readings, contemplations use Her as your Universal Buddha. The Buddha that encompasses all Enlightened Beings as your focus. Hence you create powerful affinity with Her this way. So you should be starting now.
If you do as I have mentioned, then when you finally receive the Empowerment of Vajra Yogini, you will be READY to practice Her sacred Tantra and reap the results much quicker!! Reap the results quicker because you have prepared for it well and thoroughly. Don’t receive a sacred empowerment of Vajra Yogini without doing the preparatory practices now when you have the chance.
Good Luck!
Don’t waste time and procrastinate due to excuses that arise from empty reasonings.
Tsem Rinpoche
Watch a commentary on this blog post below:
Starting On VajraYogini NOW mp3 download.
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Transcript for Starting on Vajrayogini Now!
Kechara Care members and volunteers and friends in the Ladrang and there’s of course our sincere practitioners that are in KH1 right now who’s been doing the blog teachings.
So I want to speak to you guys just for a few moments and it is like this. I am really really really here in Malaysia to bring Dharma to people who are ready and to people who will be ready soon and people who will be ready in the future. I really don’t have any other purpose to stay in Malaysia. I don’t really have any purpose to hang out anywhere not just in Malaysia. I really have left America to stay in the monastery, and I am very happy in the monastery and I love the monastery, and the monastery has everything that I would want for my life. And when I was sent out of the monastery to go teach, it was very sad for me but at the same time, it was the command of my teachers. Because it was the command of my teachers and the instructions of my teachers, I listened and I followed.
So, in any case, being sad would mean that I am being very selfish. Because if I have true faith and I have true confidence in my spiritual teachers, then I would have a lot, a lot of happiness in whatever instructions they give me. So if my teachers give me instructions and I feel happy, that means I am lessening my selfish mind. Why? Because I trust my teachers’ wisdom more than my own. So therefore when I say I am sad, I don’t mean it in a negative way. I don’t mean it in a negative way but I mean it in a way that I miss the monastery very much. Anyway, I have been blogging a lot of information and the information hits different facets of life. It hits different types of backgrounds and different interests and different likes.
So the latest post that I have put up is on Vajrayogini. The reason I put up on Vajrayogini is because a few of our members and a few of the people connected to our members have passed away, and a few of our members connect to people who will be passing away in the very near future. And the teachings that I gave a few months back, I have already mentioned that this year there will be some close people who will be passing away. So at the time of death, whatever we think is important right now, however righteous we are or however strong or weak or sad or happy we are, it doesn’t matter because if we were to die tonight, if we were to pass away tonight, if tonight was the last night we will ever breathe again or ever see or move again, would we act, would we behave, would we move around and would we sad or happy at the things we are experiencing? Of course not. If we were to die today, if we were to die tonight, of course we wouldn’t be happy or sad at the things that we are happy or sad about today because it wouldn’t matter at the time of death.
So therefore to me, what I figure is this, that in life it goes by very fast. The timing for life goes by very very fast. If you look back at your life and you look at yourself and you examine yourself carefully, you ask, “Where did all the years go by?” When you look at your face and you look at your hair and you look at your body, at the size and the shape, you have to ask yourself, “Where did all the time pass? Where am I now? And then is it going to get better in the next years coming? Am I going to get younger? Am I going to get better? Am I going to get healthier? Am I going to get stronger or is it going to get worse?” So when we look at ourselves clearly in the mirror and we face the truth, things do not get better. Things will deteriorate because that’s the nature of existence.
Hence when we meditate on what I am explaining to you, when you think about what I am explaining to you, when you are focusing on what I am explaining to you, those are all points for transformation. Because when you focus and meditate on what I am explaining to you, your mind will transform.
So it is very very important that we do Vajrayogini’s practice today. It is very important that we adopt Vajrayogini as our Yidam today. It is very very important for us to do Vajrayogini’s practice today. It is very important that we start immediately and we should never make excuses. We should never make fifty excuses why we can’t do Dharma today. We should never make fifty excuses. Why? In fact, even when we receive the Dharma, we should be very respectful. We should be very still. We should not be moving or fidgeting around. We should not think this or that. We should not disturb other people. We should not disturb our own mind. We should be very respectful, and very still and very calm to listen to the Dharma. Why? Because Dharma is something we should respect. Why? Because Dharma can change our life, change our son, change our daughter, change our future. Do you know how many mothers I have who come to me now and they say, “I wish I had listened to you to do what I was supposed to do before, so that my children would have been okay now? My having problems with my children now, I am having difficulties with my children now because I wish I had done what I hadn’t done before.”
So my point is what is? When we had the chance now to do Dharma we should do Dharma. And what kind of Dharma that I would like you guys to do? A few days ago I put up a posting on Vajrayogini. It is short, it is sweet, it is easy and it is especially tailored for our modern, so-called busy, distracted people. So if you look at my blog site where I have the latest post on Vajrayogini, there is something there for mothers, there is something there for fathers, there is something there for single people, older people, younger people. There is something there for people who are busy. There is something there for people who are not busy. There is something there for serious practitioners. There is something there for people who are new in Dharma. So if you look at my latest Vajrayogini post and you read it carefully, I gave a talk on it to the liaisons about four, five days ago. And I have asked Paris and David to write a little commentary on the teachings that I gave and it is on the Vajrayogini post in the comments section. And what I would like all of you to do is to read the Vajrayogini post carefully. At least once a week, read it carefully because it is not long, and read the comments section by Paris and by David because they further explain what I explained in that post.
So if you start doing that practice now, it will benefit you, it will benefit your parents, it will benefit your grandparents, it will benefit your children. Why? Let me explain and you listen very carefully. Because if we have a barrel or we have a bucket and we put water inside and the water overflows, it will make everything around the bucket wet also. That means the water affects everything around it – not just inside the bucket – it will affect everything around the bucket.
So therefore, if we have our family members around us, if we have our children and we have people around us that we really love and we really care, then giving them food and money and a house is great but that will not be enough. Why will that not be enough? It wasn’t enough for you. Look at yourself – your parents gave you food and house and education. They gave you your body, they gave you morals but that wasn’t enough to be happy in life. It wasn’t enough to survive. It wasn’t enough to do what you needed to do. Were they at fault? No. They weren’t at fault. That is the nature of samsara. So if you look at yourself, was it enough just to get food and love and care and education? No, it wasn’t. So if you are doing the same thing for your children or your friends or your partner, it will not be enough for them too. What you need to top off everything – Dharma. You need to give your children Dharma. But you can’t give your children Dharma if you don’t practise Dharma because when your children have difficulties and problems and sufferings in the future and they will, like you did… when you were children, everything is fine and when you grow up, then all the problems come. How did you solve it? You made a lot of mistakes and a lot of problems for yourself, not because you are bad; you didn’t have any other way, you didn’t know how.
So therefore if we practise Dharma we will inspire others, people around us, our relatives, our children, our friends, our wives, our husbands, our partners; we will inspire people around us. If we speak Dharma to others, the only way other people will listen is if we do it. For example, if I don’t do Dharma practice, if I don’t keep my commitments, if I am not sincere, none of you would be here. There would not be thirteen departments in Kechara House. There would not be more and more people coming to Kechara House. Why? If I am not doing what I am supposed to be doing and I am not sincere, how will I influence you? So how will you influence other people if you yourself don’t do Dharma? This is not criticism. This is not a scolding. This is food for thought, food for thought.
So therefore I put on the Vajrayogini post…Vajrayogini because our centre’s yidam is Vajrayogini and Tsongkhapa, and if you read my post carefully, Tsongkhapa and Vajrayogini are one being, they just manifest differently but their body and the symbols on their body represents the complete path to enlightenment. So if you look at the blog carefully, and you read the blog carefully, and you go over carefully and you study more and more, you will see how intensely profound and how deep that blog post really is and how easy to share.
Everyone should have a Vajrayogini image. Everyone should have a Vajrayogini altar. Everyone should have a Vajrayogini shrine – big, small, bigger the better but big is subjective according to our budgets, and to do it well and to dedicate it to our loved ones and to dedicate to the people that have been kind to us and to start Vajrayogini’s practice as I have written on the blog. If you start as I have written on the blog then it is the same as if you have received Her empowerment. Then in the future…
We are now building our 700-capacity prayer hall in SunwayMas. The next project, we’ll be building Menara Kechara. The next project…the concurrent project will be KWPC. And when those all come up, especially KWPC, maybe even in Menara Kechara, I will be giving select groups of people Vajrayogini’s practice. I will be giving select groups of people her commentary and her meditation, and passing the lineage down to people. And then we will have secret intense retreats on Vajrayogini because I really want to create practitioners. Some people say, “Well, can I start now?” You can’t do her mantra, you can’t do her meditation, you cannot do her practice because her practice requires a high level of practitioners or people who are highly ready. So how do you get ready? You don’t do Vajrayogini’s practice when you get it. You have to start doing Vajrayogini’s practice now. You need to prepare yourself now, in order that you can get the practice. You see you don’t go to the Olympics, then start running. Before you go to the Olympics, you have to train your body for five to ten years to get it in shape, to get it ready and win contests. You have to win local contests, you know, state contests, national contests, international contests before you can get to the Olympics. You don’t just start running and practising when you get to the Olympics.
Well, Vajrayogini is like the Olympics. You have to start now. You have to start training now. So everything I have posted on the Vajrayogini blog, do not pick what you like and ignore what you cannot, what you don’t like. You have to do one by one by one by one by one. That will be very very beneficial for you. You might think, “But it is so hard, it is so difficult.” Yes it is. It is difficult, it is hard. Do you know why? Because our lazy selfish mind tells us it is hard. Because for many people it is not hard. For many practitioners it is not hard. It is just dependent on your priority. So it is very important to take a look. Remember, remember my favourite thing is within sixty years everybody in the room will be dead. Every single person in your room that you are sitting in, within sixty years will be dead. Some ten years, some five years, some fifteen years, some twenty years, some thirty years; everybody sitting in that room that you know, your relatives and loved ones, your children, your friends, most likely within sixty years, or close to it, will be dead.
Meditate on that. Think about that. So all the things you are happy about, all the things you are unhappy about makes no difference anymore when your mind leaves your body and your body starts to decompose. It doesn’t matter anymore. Only the Dharma practice you have done will save you, will help you, will lead you, will guide you. Nothing else is left. And if you find this uncomfortable, it is very good. It means your mind can perceive and your mind can think. Your mind can have some logic. If you don’t find it uncomfortable you should meditate until you become uncomfortable. So it forces you to do more Dharma practice. That’s very important.
So therefore I want all my students who are listening and I want all of you to please share with other people. It is out of my great concern, it is out of my great care and it is out of my great planning for all of our future that I have posted Vajrayogini’s teachings, in short, on the blog and if all of you look at it and you practise it, you will be practising Vajrayogini right now. You see you can recite The Wheel of Sharp Weapons. You can recite the 50 Verses of Guru Devotion. You can recite the Three Principle Paths. You can recite and learn the teachings on the Eight Thought Transformations and it can all be directed to Vajrayogini because you don’t have to do her mantra and prayers to be praying to her. You can use The Wheel of Sharp Weapons to pray to Vajrayogini. You can use the 50 Verses to pray to Vajrayogini and request her to bless you, request her to give you her wisdom so you may understand and penetrate. So when you are doing that, you are focusing on Vajrayogini.
I would like very much in KH1, the Administrators there, the Education department there to explain the blog on Vajrayogini and the explanations that I have given to everyone in the Ipoh Study Group, and Malacca Study Group and JB Study Group, and Singapore Study Group. I would like very much for it to be given in KH1, in KH2, in all the classes that we have to more and more people in the future, this particular blog. And I would like in KH1, the Education people to also, at least twice a month, to have teachings from the blog which means you open up one of my blogs, and have a talk and explanation and have everybody post a comment. If there’s older people there, post the comment for them, read it to them and make sure they confirmed that’s what they said, and then you can put their names there, and you can post it so that their input is there.
It is very wonderful and exciting to read everybody’s input because it’s…everybody should share what they feel. And don’t just write simple inputs and comments like, “Oh it’s beautiful, it’s so nice, it’s so wonderful”. Write how it affects you. Write what you are going to do. Write specifically how you are going to go about this practice. Why? Because whatever you write can touch someone else’s life. Whatever you say can affect someone else’s life. So that’s why it is important whatever we write and say, we have to think about it carefully. We have to focus on it carefully. We don’t simply do and say and act because everything we say and do can affect someone adversely or positively.
For now, besides what I have posted on the blog, make it a point to get along with everyone. Make it a point to be kind to everyone. Do not fight, do not show a black face, do not show impatience, do not do that to anyone even if they have harmed you, do not. Do you know why? Because if you do that to them, then you become just like them and you are not any better and that is not spiritualism at all. Of course people have hurt you and damaged you. You should not let them hurt you and damage you, and you may be careful with them but it doesn’t mean you hold anger towards them. You need to forgive. Remember, ultimately all harm that comes to us, ultimately, originally came from the harm we gave to other people. So whatever harm we have received is harm we have given to other people that is coming ‘one sharp wheel of weapon’ around, back to us. So what is very important is whatever harm that we receive, we must be patient, we must be forgiving, we must tolerate because no harm came to us from no causes. And the cause of the harm that we have received, the cause came from our self. The cause came from what we did. The cause came from what we had done to others. So therefore it must come back. Otherwise where else does the harm come from? Where else will it come from? It cannot just come from nowhere. And some harm we receive from people, these people that give us harm, sometimes they give a lot of help to other people. How come the same people who give us harm, can give help to other people? That means that even these people that harm us are not permanent, are not fixtures that actually give harm. It is from our own karma.
So what is important right now is to do our work conscientiously, well, to do our work completely. To never ever do our work ‘half past six’ or not completely, not well and to leave it to others. Or to be lazy or to be slow or to do our work in such a way that we burden others. Why? If we believe in Buddha and we believe in karma and we trust our teachers and we believe in the teachings of the Buddha, then we will not do our work in such a way that we don’t do it well, that other people have to make it up for us. Do you know why? Because if you don’t do your work well, you leave it for someone else to do for you. How can you eat, sleep late, enjoy, do what you like? Everybody else would like to do what you are doing. Everybody else would like to have good things. Everybody would like to sleep late. Everybody likes to relax. Everybody likes to have freedom of time, everybody. How come you can do it and then someone else must cover for you, and you yourself can relax and enjoy, and then you pray and do mantras and then you read Dharma, and you go to Dharma centers, then you go meet your guru…that’s not correct. Why? Because behind everyone’s back, you are putting your work on other people and you are using them to enjoy yourself, or you are using them not to do your responsibility. If you do like that, I am not saying you are like that, I am saying if you do like that, then that’s not spiritual practice.
People think spiritual practice is recite ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’, meditate, make offerings to the Buddha. Those are supportive spiritual practices. Those are not the actual spiritual practice. The actual spiritual practice is to take the burden onto yourself. The more difficult road you take, the more easy a road you give to other people. If you are selfish, you are not spiritual. If you are selfish, you will create more negative karma to harm yourself and others. If you are selfish, you will have to suffer a lot in the future. Selfishness is your enemy. People are not your enemy. Selfishness is the thing that brings harm to you. No one bring harm on you except your own selfishness. So if we find doing more for others is difficult, it is not that doing more is difficult for others. Why? Because we are selfish and we are not used to it. Solution? We must fight it. Solution? We must do it. Solution? We must do it until it becomes easy. We have to do it…when it becomes easier to do and we don’t have…we don’t see it as a burden, we don’t see it as a problem, it becomes easier. And it does become easier. I promise you. Helping people, being kind, taking on their burdens and doing more for others definitely, one hundred percent becomes easier. Why? It is just a matter of habituation. Once we habituate ourselves to take more responsibility, to be more kind and to be more considerate to others and not to put our burdens on other people, once we get used to it, it becomes beautiful and easy. Do you know why? Because when people like you, when people have tears in their eyes, and they say “thank you” to you, and when people want to be near you and when people want to be your friend and when people appreciate you, you will know that that is the right path.
Never mind Buddha, karma and next life. When people appreciate you and like you and want to be around you and you don’t need to avoid them, you don’t need to run away from them, you don’t need to be insecure, that when they like you, it means you are doing a good job. It means that people can feel your kindness and your love. And when people feel that and they are happy to be around you, that is Dharma.
So everybody wants to wake up late, everybody wants to have easy life, eat good food, relax and have their own timing and control of their timing. Everybody wants that. But everybody cannot have that so we must share the burden. We should not put our responsibility onto other people. Do you know why? Because one day that karma will come back to us. It will come back to us, one way or another. That’s for sure. The Buddha cannot be wrong. Secondly if we put our burden on others, we don’t do our work well, it means that we are still a very selfish person. If we are still a very selfish person, how do we become spiritual? A spiritual person is a person who is not selfish. A person on the spiritual path is a person who lessens their selfishness. Please let me repeat. A person who is lessening their selfishness is on the spiritual path. The spiritual path is equated to lessening your selfishness. How many mantras you do, how big your altar, how many Dharma pendants you wear, how beautiful your mala is, is not spirituality. Those are only different methods to help you get to spirituality. So if your selfishness lessens, if your selfishness becomes less, then you are on the spiritual path and you are becoming spiritual. And when you become spiritual, you will like yourself and other people will like you. When you become spiritual, you will like yourself and other people will like you, and your children will respect you, and your partners and your family will observe the change in you and will respect you, and you can even bring them to the Dharma. Why? Because of how much you have changed and that’s very important.
Do your work well. Never burden others. Don’t force other people to remind you over and over and over what your responsibility is. When you make other people remind you, it means you are selfish. When you are selfish you have to expect more sufferings and difficulties to come. You have to expect problems to come. Don’t push your work onto others. Take your work and do it well, and take some of other people’s work and their burdens quietly and gently and do it for them, and with a smile. Make people happy. Take people’s burden away. Take people’s problems away. Give them good advice. Give them good character. Give them good personality and give them good energy. Whenever you walk into the room, you should be like a shining light. When people see you, they respect, they like you, they love you and they say you are a good person, you are a good person. And when you become that person, then you are spiritual and when you are spiritual, you can bring spirituality to so many people who need it, so many people who have no direction, no purpose, sad, depressed. Even I meet so many people who want to kill themselves. The only way to help them is if we can show them a different path and a different way.
So therefore today I just wanted to…I am very happy to see many people in the Ladrang department volunteering and working. I am very happy to see people in KH1 having classes, and I would like the KH1 Administrators to give Dharma from the blogs and invite Paris and David to give an explanation because they attend most of my talks. They will be able to remember and explain, and to talk about it to the class and explain. And I would like all the departments to look through Vajrayogini blog, and explain and talk and tell them what it is all about, especially read the comment section. Because why? It will help everyone to bring Dharma to other people. The more knowledge, you have the more powerful become.
So a summary:
- I would like everybody to do the Vajrayogini practice and how you should you do it, I have written on my blog very clearly
- A short summary of that, again is to take your work and do it all the way and never let your work burden other people. Never let your work spill onto other people. Do your work and do extra. Why? Because you are kind, because you are caring, because you are spiritual, because you don’t want other people to suffer
- Develop yourself to become someone that people like, people respect, people follow, people listen to and people find happiness to see you. Develop into that person no matter how you were in the past
And the last thing is, if you follow my blog post and you look at the Vajrayogini post and you read it carefully in the comment section, you can start your Vajrayogini practice today. Remember everything we have will be gone, everything we are going to get will be gone, everything we are keeping now will be gone. The only thing we can take with us is our mind. So that’s very very very very important okay?
I wish everybody well. I wish everybody a good night and I wish everybody a good rest. I am going to do a quick dedication and then I am going to say goodbye.
Practise Vajrayogini, practise Tsongkhapa who are one. Take the burdens of others onto yourself. Do your work well, conscientiously, and make your presence and who you are a pleasure for other people to see and think about. Even when people think about you, they feel happy to think about you. When you make other people happy, that is Dharma. Never make people remind you of what you need to do. Be responsible because you care. Spirituality is being a person whose selfishness is lessening and lessening and lessening. A truly spiritual person is a person who has no selfishness or very little. That’s spirituality okay?
Thank you very much and good night to everybody. Bye bye.
克切拉亲善部成员、志工、身处于拉章的朋友们，当然还有正在克切拉 1 忙着做部落格教学的真诚修行者们。是这样的， 我想用一小段时间跟你们分享。我来到马来西亚真的真的是为了把佛法带给那些已准备好或即将准备好又或者在不远的将来能准备好的朋友。除此之外，我没有其他的目的而留在马来西亚。不但是马来西亚，我真的没有别的目的而在任何地方逗留。我离开美国是为了参与寺院生活，而且我非常享受寺院生活，在寺里拥有我全生命最想要的所有。对我而言，当我被谴派离寺到外传法时，我倍感悲伤；不过，与此同时这是上师的吩咐。也就因这是上师对我的吩咐，我服从。
因为在任何情况下，表现出伤感就意味着自我自私的表现。如果我对我的精神导师有着完全的信任与信心，在我从他们身上得到任何指示时，都应感雀跃万分。因此当我从上师手上得到任何指示时而感开心，就代表了我在减化本身的自私心。此话怎讲？因为此举完全表现了我相信上师的大智远胜于我。这也代表之前我所说的伤感并不负面，而是我本身十分想念寺院生活。不管怎样，我在部落格里为了不同生活层面添加了很多资讯。它们是为了满足来自不同种类，背景及兴趣的人而特别设计的。
在我最新的文章里谈及了金刚瑜伽母。之所以会把金刚瑜伽母编排出来是因为我们当中有几位会员和几位跟我们的会员有着直接或间接关系的人将会在不久的将来永远的离开我们。在几个月前的其中一个课程里，我讲过今年将会有些我们十分亲近的朋友将会离我们远去。在临终前后，任何我们现在觉得重要的，符合道理的、强的、弱的、开心的、悲伤的 一切将变的不再重要。试想想如果我们今晚将会去世，如果今晚将成为我们最后一次的呼吸，走动或观看，我们是否还会因经历过什么而表现出快乐或伤感？当然不会。如果我们今天将面对死亡，如果我们今晚即将离世，我们将不会因快乐而感快乐，因悲伤而感悲伤，因为在死亡边缘一切以变得不再重要。
因此我领悟到：生命流失的很快。如果你回头看看你的一生，再看看自己，仔细观察，问问自己：“这些年都到哪儿去了？”当你观察你的面容、发型及体型，再问问自己：“时间都到哪儿去了？我又身处何方？”然后想像是否会在来年变得更好？是否会变得越来越年轻？是否会越来越好？身体是否会变得更加健康？我是否会越来越强壮或是越来越遭？照镜反观并面对事实的真相，所有的事情并不会变得更好。所有的人、事、物只会不断的退化，这是自然界的定律。
因此当我们在凝思我之前跟你们所解释的，当你想像我所跟你解释的，当你专注我刚所解释的，这一切都是心识转换的点。因为当你专注冥思我所解释的，你的内在意识将得以转换。
所以由今天开始我们应该学习金刚瑜伽母的法门。很重要的，我们应该由今天起封金刚瑜伽母为我们的本尊。从今天起我们就开始练习金刚瑜伽母的法门。我们不为自己找借口，马上开始是很重要的。我们不应找五十个介口来塘塞为什么我们不能修持佛法。为什么？实际上，当我们接触到佛法，我们应心生十分的尊敬心，应保持坚定，不应摇摆不定，更不该因自身而影响他人。我们也不该影响自身的思绪。我们应该抱着一颗尊敬、沉着与稳定的心来聆听佛法。为什么？因为佛法值得我们尊敬。为什么？因为佛法能够改变我们的生活，改变我们的儿女，改变我们的将来。你们知道曾经有多少母亲来到我面前对我说：“我多希望我能一早听取你的建议，做一些我该做的事，那可能我的孩子现在就没事了。我和我孩子之间存在着很多问题，因为我希望做一些我从没做过的事。”
我的重点是什么呢？当我们遇到佛法，并有幸为佛法做出贡献时，我们就应该去做。而我又想你们为佛法做些什么呢？几天前，我上载了一篇有关金刚瑜伽母的文章，它精简、易解，它是为了自称忙碌，没有时间的现代人而特别量身定制的。所以当你从我的博客上阅读关于金刚瑜伽母的文章时，你会发现当中有些教法是特别为了母亲所写的，有些是为了父亲所写的，也有一些是为了单身人士、年长者、青少年所写的。当中也少不了为忙碌者、空闲人士、认真的修行者又或是刚接触佛法的朋友们所撰写的。所以，请你仔细阅读我最新有关于金刚瑜伽母的文章。四、五天前，当我为协调助理们开示时，我吩咐 Paris 与 David 将其内容列为载要，并在留言处与大家分享。我想你们仔细阅读此文章。一星期一次仔细的阅读因它并不太长。当然不要错过 Paris 与 David 在留言处更详细的解释。
如果你现在就开始练习，它不单会利益你，还会为你的双亲、祖父母和孩子带来利益。为什么？让我来解释，请你仔细聆听。如果我们手上有一个桶，我们把水往里面灌，而当水满出桶外时，因连带关系水桶周围自然也会变的湿漉漉的。那代表水不单只是影响了桶内，桶外也一并被水影响了。
因此，如果我们有家庭成员、孩子、身边的朋友，那些我们爱及关心的人围绕着我们，给予他们食物、金钱或房子是很好，但那并不足够。为什么那会不足够呢？因为这些连你自己都不足够。看看自己，你的父母供给你食物、房子、安定教育，他们还给了你身体与道德观念，不过这还是不足够让我们在生活上得到快乐。这不够让我们生存，也不够让我们去做我们该做的事。错误在他们身上吗？不，他们一点错都没有。这就是轮回的特性。如果你反观自看，当你只拥有食物、爱、关怀与教育，那就够了吗？不，那肯定不够。同样的，如果你对孩子、朋友与伙伴也有着同样的想法，相对的他们也会不足够。那你能做些什么让其变的更完整－－佛法。你必须灌输你的孩子佛法，但如果你不修持佛法，你将不能把佛法带给孩子们。将来，你的孩子们将会在生活上遇见难题、困难与苦处，就像你一样。当你童年时，一切都很完美，但长大后，问题便接踵而来。回想你又是如何解决的呢？你不断地犯错，为自己制造了很多问题，那并不代表你很坏，而是你也没有别的办法，又或者不知该从何下手。
如果我们修持佛法，我们将能引响他人－－那些我们身边的人、亲戚、朋友们；我们的孩子们、妻子、丈夫、伴侣，我们将能感染身边的人。当我们与别人分享佛法时，如能触碰到他们的内心只因为我们本身将佛法运用在身上。举例：如果我不修行佛法、不守诺言、不真诚，你们没有一人会在这里。那将不会有十三个克切拉部门。那也不会越来越多人来到克切拉佛教中心。为什么？如果我没做我应该做的事，或我不真诚，那我如何感染你？而你又怎能感染其他人，如果你本人不修持佛法？这不是在批评或辱骂，这是精神粮食。
因而我上载了金刚瑜伽母的文章。选择金刚瑜伽母是因金刚瑜伽母和宗喀巴大师是本中心的本尊。如果你仔细阅读我的文章，你会发现宗喀巴大师与金刚瑜伽母原是一体成形的，他们只是显现出不同样貌，不过他们背后深层意义是无二的，他们都代表着一切证悟之道。如果当你仔细阅读那篇文章，仔细的阅读部落格，当你重复又重复的阅读，你就会发现此文章既极奥妙又容易分享。
每个人都应该有至少一幅金刚瑜伽母的图像。每个人都应该拥有金刚瑜伽母的佛坛－－大、小，越大越好，但“大”是依照个人的能力为准。把佛坛做好并回向给我们所爱的人，回向给那些善待我们的朋友，与此同时开始练习我之前在部落格上所分享的金刚瑜伽母修持法。如果依照我在部落格上所分享的金刚瑜伽母修持法那样做，就好像我们已接受了她的灌顶。那在以后的将来……
我们已在金双威建立了可同时容纳多达七百人的新佛殿。下一个计划将会是克切拉大厦。再接下来，就是已着手进行的克切拉世界和平中心。而当人们来到克切拉和平中心或者克切拉大厦时，我将选择性的把金刚瑜伽母法门传授给不同人们。我也会把金刚瑜伽母的注释与观想法门传给特定的小组，并将此传承带给大众。我们将会秘密的进行密集式的金刚瑜伽母闭关,因为我想成就更多修行者。有的人会问：“我可以现在开始吗？”不，你不能够持祂的心咒，你不能做祂的观想，你不能修的法因为祂的法门只公开与高层次的修行者或已完全做好准备的人。那该如何准备呢？你不该等到得到祂的时候才开始练习。你现在就该开始练习金刚瑜伽母。为了要得到她的法门，现在就该准备自己。我们不会到了奥林比克运动会才开始跑步。在还没到奥林比克运动会之前，你们必需先训练五至十年，以让我们的身体处于最佳状态，并以准备好得奖。在参加奥林比克之前，你们必须先赢到县赛、洲赛、国赛国际赛事等等。你们不会因为到了奥林比克才开始跑步与练习。
金刚瑜伽母就好比奥林比克，现在就该开始练习。你现在就该开始训练。所以针对我在部落格上所写有关金刚瑜伽母的所有，你不能选择做些不做些，你必需完完全全的跟着所有指示一步一步的做。那将会为你带来很多益处。你可能会想说，“那好难，太难完成了！”是的，那真的很难。但你是否知道为什么吗？因为我们自私懒惰的心识误导我们这很难；因为有很多人说一点都不难。对于很多修行者而言那一点都不难。这一切取决于你自身对事的优先定论。所以我们必须检查我们的内心。记得我最喜欢说的，在六十年内，这房里的每一个人将会离世。这房里所有的人将陆续在六十年内去世，有的十年，有的五年，有的十五年，有的二十年，也有的三十年。这房里大家所认识的人，包括你的亲戚、爱人、孩子、朋友及等等，将在六十年后离世。
把它作为观想，去思考它。当你们的意识离开你们的身体或当我们的身体开始腐烂时，其实一切你们觉得开心的或不开心的将变得不再重要。那时候，唯有你所练习的佛法能帮助到你、拯救你、带领你、引导你。如果你觉得以上谈话使你不舒服，那很好。那代表着你的意识还能感觉，还能思考，还有一些逻辑性。如果你不觉得不舒服，你应进行观想直至你觉得不舒服为止。因为那会使你修持更多佛法。这很重要。
因此我要求正在聆听的学生们把这教法与他人分享。我之所以上载此金刚瑜伽母的文章是出自于我的关心、我的关爱，这也是我为了大家将来准备的大计划。简短来说，如果你们细读此文章后并加以练习，你已经是在练习金刚瑜伽母的法门了。你可以开始念诵《利器之轮》；你可以念诵《事师五十颂》；你可以念诵《三主要道》；你也可以念诵《修心八颂》，这一切都可以针对金刚瑜伽母来做。你不需要以持祂的心咒或仪轨来向祂祈祷。你可用《利器之轮》来向金刚瑜伽母祈祷。你可用《事师五十颂》祈求祂的加持，祈求祂赐予智慧，好让我们更容易明白和参透其中意义。当我们在做这些动作时，我们就是在专注金刚瑜伽母了。
我希望克切拉 1 的行政部及教育部把我在部落格上的金刚瑜伽母修持法与每一位在怡保小组、马六甲小组、柔佛小组和新加坡小组的组员分享。我非常希望在将来能够特别针对此文章在克切拉 1 和克切拉 2 与更多的人分享。我也希望克切拉 1 的教育小组成员能够每月举办至少两次部落格分享会，大家可以在我的部落格选一篇文章做分享，解释后请大家在文章的留言区内留言。如果当中有年长者，请你们帮他们上载他们的想法，为他们朗读并确认他们想说的准确无误，寄上署名，让他们也与大家分享。
是不是很迫不及待想看看大家的想法？大家应该分享自己的想法。请不要只淡淡写上：“喔，这很好！这很美！太棒了！”请写文章的内容对你的影响，写出你想做些什么，你会怎样去修习此法门及背后的原因。因为任何你所写的、所说的，都有可能深深的影响他人。这也就是为什么我们在分享之前都必须深思熟滤后再写。我们不胡说乱言，因为我们所说的、所做的，都可能为他人带来极正面或极负面的影响。
从现在开始练习我较早前所分享的种种，也开始善待他人吧！对人人好，不争斗，不发脾气，不展示你的不耐烦，就连曾伤害过我们的人我们都不应该恶待他们。你知道为什么吗？因为如果我们不善待他人，那我们就跟他们没两样，这一点也不像学过灵修的样子。当然你我都曾被人伤害过。我们应该提防小心以防再被伤害，但那并不代表你我应该对他们把持着一股怒气。你必须学会原谅。请记得这一点，所有我们所经历的伤害，追根究底都来自我们曾带给别人的伤害。所以我们所得到的伤害，都是我们曾经施与他人的伤害，它是经过《利器之轮》回转到我们的身边。所以重点是我们必需有耐性地去面对我们所接触的伤害，我们必需原谅及忍耐，因为没有任何伤害会无缘无故的降临到我们身上。我们之所以得到被伤害的果，是因为那都来自我们种下的恶因，而此恶因来自我们曾做过的种种。那到底这些伤害从何而来呢？它不可能无缘无故冒出来。我们都曾被人伤害过，不过那些伤害我们的人，可能很多时候帮助很多其他人。为什么同样的一个人为我们带来伤害，却能够帮助别人？那其实代表着那些伤害我们的人其实并不是定律，他们并不是一律的带来伤害。这些我们受到伤害只不过是一种因果的显现。
所以重要的是现在开始就应该切切实实地把工作做好，不应该马马虎虎的完成它或交出不完整、不好的工作，或者把工作推给别人，或是因为自己偷懒而导致我们连累到他人。为什么呢？如果我们相信佛陀、因果、我们的上师，当然还有佛陀的教法，那我们就不该不把工作做好，而需别人来弥补我们。你知道为什么吗？因为如果你不把你的工作做好，别人就得为你完成你原先该完成的工作。所有的人都喜欢拥有美好的事情。大家都喜欢迟起床，大家都喜欢放松身心。大家也很喜欢有自由的时间。你怎么可以拥有以上所提的种种，却要其他人顶替你的工作？你怎么可以这样去放松、享受、课诵、持咒、阅读佛法书籍、去佛法中心或觐见你的上师？那是很不正确的。为什么？因为你在所有人的背后把自己的工作加附加在别人身上，你在利用他人来让自己享受，你也在利用他人来推卸自身的责任。如果你选择这么做，我并不是说你就是这样，我是说如果你这样做，那根本不算是灵修。
很多人都觉得灵修不过是持诵六字大明咒，进行冥想或对佛做供养，这些只不过是帮助我们学习的副修持法，它并不是真正的灵修。真正的灵修应该是把难题都往身上摆。你把难走的路留给自己，康庄大道都留给他人。如果你选择自私，你不学习灵修，你只会为自己带来更多的恶因来伤害自己与他人。如果你自私，在不远的将来你将会很痛苦。你真正的敌人不是别人而是自私心。自私就是能为我们带来伤害的因。没有任何事情能够伤害我们，除了自私。如果我们觉得为他人付出很难，那其实并不是因为付出多很困难，而是因为我们习惯自私，不习惯为他人付出。解决方案又是什么呢？我们必须与它对抗，我们必须努力去做，我们必须一直练习直至它变得容易为止。我们必须去做，当它变得越来越容易，当我们不再把它视为一种负担，当我们不在把它当成一种问题，它就会变得容易，它会变得越来越容易，这我可以向你保证。帮助他人，做好事，为其他人做的更多或为他人减轻负担，一百巴仙肯定会越来越容易。是因为这是一种惯性动作。一旦我们习惯承受更多的责任，做更多好事，多为别人着想并不再把负担搁于他人，它将会变得很美好简单。你知道为什么吗？因为当别人喜欢你，当别人眼里含着泪向你说谢谢，当别人想要接近你，当别人想要与你做朋友，以及当别人欣赏你时，你就知道你做对了。
先不理佛陀、因果或来世。当人们开始欣赏你、喜欢你、想一直围绕在你身旁，你不需要回避他们，你不需要逃离他们，你不需要没有安全感，当他人喜欢你，那代表你做对了。那代表人们可以感觉到你的善良与关爱。当别人开始感受到并喜欢围绕在你身边，这就是佛法。
全部人都想要迟起床，想要过容易的生活，吃好的、放松，拥有自己的时间并完全控制它，不过并不是人人都能拥有，所以我们必须分担。我们不应该把我们的责任推向他人，因为迟早我们所造之恶因会回到我们的身边。无论如何，它将会回到我们的身边，那是肯定的。佛陀不可能错。其二，如果我们把我们的包袱搁置在别人身上，我们不把工作做好，那表示我们还是一位自私的人。如果我们还是自私的人，我们如何成为拥有心灵修养的人。一名灵修者会是一位不自私的人，一名在灵修道路上的人将会变的越来越不自私。灵修的道路相等于减少自私心。无论你持了多少的心咒，你的佛龛有多大，戴了多少的佛坠，你的念珠有多美，这一切都不算是灵修。这只不过是一些不同的方法来领导我们去接近真正的灵修。所以如果你减低了自身的自私心，或你的自私心减低了，那你就算是在灵修的道路上并变的越来越有灵性修养。当你的灵性修养越来越高时，你会开始喜欢上自己，别人也会开始喜欢你，你的孩子会尊敬你，你的伴侣和家庭会发现你的改变而尊敬你，而你也可以把佛法带给他们。因为你改变了多少很重要。
把你的工作做好，不拖累他人，不须别人一直不断重复提醒你的责任。当你让别人提醒你时，那代表着你很自私。当你选择自私，你就必须期待着更多难题与痛苦的来临。你必须等待难题的到来。别把自身的工作推向其他人，请把你的工作做好。如果可以，请你也静静的替别人分享他们的工作与负担，并附加一个笑容，让他人开心。分担别人的负担，分担别人的问题，给于他人好的建议，给于他们好的性格，给以他们好的品行，好的能量。当你走入一间房间时，你就像一束耀眼的光芒。当别人见到你时，他们尊敬你】、喜欢你、爱上你，他们会称赞你是一个好人。当你成为那样的一个人时，你就是一名灵修者，而当你是灵修者，你就可以把灵性修养带给很多需要的人。我遇到很多想自杀的人，很多没有方向、目标，伤心、犹豫的人，唯一能够帮助他们的就是指引一条不同的道路，不同的方向给他们。
因此，今天我很开心见到很多人在拉章内做志工与工作。我很开心见到人们在克切拉 1 内上课。我希望克切拉 1 的执行人员从我的部落格内分享佛法并请David 和 Paris 给于更深一层的解释，因为他们俩参与了我大部分的开示。他们有能力记得与解释也有能力在课堂上分享。我也希望所有部门的志工们都会仔细阅读此金刚瑜伽母的文章，也有人解释并让各部门的志工们知道其中的内容，特别要记得留言在文章的留言区。因为那将会帮助大家把佛法带给大家。当你拥有越深的知识，你将会变得更有力量。
今天重点的摘要:
- 我想大家都进行金刚瑜伽母的入门修习法，而因应该如何开始，我已在部落格上写得很清楚。
- 简短来说，把自己的工作做足100巴仙，别增加他人的负担。别让你的工作影响他人。不但要把自己工作做好，也要做超出自己工作范围得工作。因为你很善良，因为你很关心，因为你有灵性修养，也因为你不想他人受苦。
- 把你自己建立成为人人喜欢、跟随、聆听的那个人。当人们见到你时，你将会为他们带来快乐。把你自己建立成为那个人，无论你之前是个怎样的人。
最后的是，如果你跟随我的部落格，并仔细阅读有关金刚瑜伽母的文章以及其中留言区的留言，你现在就可以开始练习金刚瑜伽母入门修习法。请记得无论我们所拥有的一切将消失，我们将得到的也会消失，我们现在所保留的也会消失。我们唯一可以带走的是我们的意识。那是非常，非常，非常重要的。
我祝福大家好。大家晚安。希望大家好好休息！我会简短的做一段回向，然后我就会跟大家说掰掰。
修持金刚瑜伽母，修持宗喀巴大师原为一体。为别人的减轻负担。仔细的把工作做好，把你的出现为大家带入更深一层思维。当别人想起你时，你会让他们快乐。当你为大家带来快了，这就是佛法。不让人提醒你该做的事情，负责任因为你在乎。灵修是个人的自私心越来越少，越来越少，越来越少。一个真正的修行者是一个没有自私心的人或就算有也非常微薄。
那就是灵修。谢谢大家！晚安，掰掰！
Notes:
His Holiness Pabongka Rinpoche was asked by Heruka and Vajrayogini to combine the Sakya Vajrayogini teachings with the techniques that Tsongkhapa had given for the Heruka practice. These came from Tsongkhapa’s writing on the Secret precepts of Heruka, the Elucidation of all Hidden Meanings [Tib. Be dön kun säl]. That’s why he said that if he got a piece of cloth from a Sakya lama and one from a Gelugpa lama and stitched them together, it would be good. By combining the Sakya techniques with those of Tsongkhapa, the great Pabongka contributed a lot on this practice. He wrote the long Vajrayogini sadhana called Dechen Nyur Lam, Short Path to Great Bliss. That has everything in it. You really don’t need detailed teachings; read that slowly, it has everything in it. So His Holiness Pabongka Rinpoche said that from him on it is not only the short lineage from Vajrayogini to His Holiness Pabongka Rinpoche, but also the long lineage and the combined teaching techniques.
Je Tsongkhapa and Vajrayogini. There is also a big question on Tsongkhapa’s relationship to Vajrayogini. A number of people have said that in Tsongkhapa’s eighteen volumes of work not a single word is devoted to Vajrayogini. The lineage masters continuously told us that Tsongkhapa kept this practice as his hidden heart treasure. So Tsongkhapa had been practicing that, and he had a lot of techniques for the Vajrayogini practice, many of which you will find in Elucidation of all Hidden Meanings, though they are quite irrelevant to the Heruka practice. It was His Holiness Pabongka Rinpoche who made it very clear that Tsongkhapa had so many techniques and who combined all together and that is how the lineage has come through.
Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. Then, of course, you know that the ownership of the general teachings and particularly of the mother tantra has fallen on to the late Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang. I don’t have to talk much about Trijang Rinpoche. Most people know him. He is the teacher of H. H. the present Dalai Lama. He was a great living Buddha who passed away in 1981 at the age of 81. His reincarnation has already been found.
(Extracted from Vajra Yogini Teachings by Kyabje Gelek Rinpoche, page 40, published by A Jewel Heart Transcript)
June 14, 2010
Click here to read The Life and Teaching of Naropa, a biography of the Indian Mahasiddha Naropa by Herbert Guenther. Naropa’s lineage of Vajrayogini practice was transmitted to Tibet and has become the most widespread within Tibetan Buddhism.
For more interesting information:
- 100,000 Butterlamp Offering Retreat
- Power Place: Jog Falls
- Vajrayogini– The Powerful Divine Red Lady
- Twenty-Four Holy Places & Eight Great Charnel Grounds
- 6 Yogas of Naropa by H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche
- Make Offerings to Vajrayogini in Kechara Forest Retreat
- Getting Closer to Vajrayogini
- The Miraculous Vajrayogini of Ditsa Monastery
- She smiles at me
- Kechara Forest Retreat’s Vajra Yogini
- Mara Fears Vajra Yogini
- The Extremely Secret Song of Realization
- Heruka’s eye (胜乐金刚之眼)
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Could someone please clarify if we are allowed to visualize vajrayogini in front of us while doing our Guru Yoga and Vajrasattva practises?
Thank you very much Rinpoche for sharing this article and advice us to start Vajrayogini practice to help liberate us out of samsara. I will certainly put this into heart and serious consideration and work hard on it until Rinpoche comes back swiftly to KFR to turn the wheel of Dharma again. Thank you once again Rinpoche and blog team for this auspicious article.🙏😘🕉☸️🌈🔥
Thank you Rinpoche for this wonderful post explaining each and every steps the importance of starting our Dharma practice on Tsongkhapa and Vajrayogini being one. Besides our daily sadhana we should engage in Vajrayogini’s practice without delay. Life is short, not to waste our time . Start now learning from stretch, as Rinpoche has create the beautiful pure land for us to practice Dharma. For me,I still have plenty to learn and improve myself . I am one of those lucky one to have meet Rinpoche in this life and to become part of Kechara. Reading this post gave us a better understanding of how to prepare ourselves before receiving the practice of Vajrayogini . We are indeed fortunate to have Rinpoche sharing this post , once again thank you Rinpoche with folded hands.
很多人到藏传佛教中心都想要得到高深的修持，一心一意想要修习密法，所以凡是听到任何地方有哪一位大师前来灌顶，就一窝蜂涌过去。然而，这些想要接受灌顶的心态却与集邮十分相似，以为收集得越多越好，却不知道若要把高级密续修持得好，基础十分重要。正因如此，仁波切多年来始终不随便赐予弟子密续灌顶，反而把所有的时间与精力都用在栽培弟子在完成基本的修持上，而所谓的基本修持，就是能够实践在日常生活中的佛法，包括如何待人和律己。这些朴实无华的基本功，才是佛法的精髓，感谢仁波切以身示教，让我们看到也体会到这一点的重要性。
Starting on Vajra Yogini now. Practicing Vajra Yogini without initiation.
Find out more- https://bit.ly/2JjTTXp
https://video.tsemtulku.com/chat-videos/2019/04/chat-1554237623.mp4
Dear friends around the world,
Many people have asked how to connect with Sacred Diamond Dakini Vajra Yogini without initiation and formal commitments. I have explained how to do so here: https://bit.ly/2JjTTXp
Any form of Vajra Yogini you worship leads to the same benefit. All her forms are just her wisdom manifesting for different karmic propensities at different time periods.
Please be blessed with these beautiful pictures of Ucheyma (Severed Head Vajra Yogini) from my personal shrine. Read more on this sacred form.- https://bit.ly/2QghvhS
May you all be blessed and ascend to Kechara Paradise.
Humbly, Tsem Rinpoche
——————————————————————————
致世界各地的朋友：
人们曾无数次问我：如何在没有受灌顶和誓言的情况下，跟殊胜的金刚空行母——金刚瑜伽母结缘。我已经在此文中跟大家解释：https://bit.ly/2JjTTXp
不管我们供奉以哪种形象示现的金刚瑜伽母，所得的益处是一样的。她以无上智慧，顺应不同时代众生的业力而示现不同形象。
衷心希望我佛坛上的“乌切玛”（断首金刚瑜伽母）像的这些庄严相片能加持你的心续。更多关于这一殊胜法相的资料，可在此阅读：https://bit.ly/2QghvhS
祈愿你获得加持，日后能登克切拉净土。
詹杜固仁波切敬启
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1552834325.mp4
Dear friends around the world,
Many people have asked how to connect with Sacred Diamond Dakini Vajra Yogini without initiation and formal commitments. I have explained how to do so here: https://bit.ly/2JjTTXp
Any form of Vajra Yogini you worship leads to the same benefit. All her forms are just her wisdom manifesting for different karmic propensities at different time periods.
Please be blessed with these beautiful pictures of Ucheyma (Severed Head Vajra Yogini) from my personal shrine. Read more on this sacred form.- https://bit.ly/2QghvhS
May you all be blessed and ascend to Kechara Paradise.
Humbly, Tsem Rinpoche
——————————————————————————
致世界各地的朋友：
人们曾无数次问我：如何在没有受灌顶和誓言的情况下，跟殊胜的金刚空行母——金刚瑜伽母结缘。我已经在此文中跟大家解释：https://bit.ly/2JjTTXp
不管我们供奉以哪种形象示现的金刚瑜伽母，所得的益处是一样的。她以无上智慧，顺应不同时代众生的业力而示现不同形象。
衷心希望我佛坛上的“乌切玛”（断首金刚瑜伽母）像的这些庄严相片能加持你的心续。更多关于这一殊胜法相的资料，可在此阅读：https://bit.ly/2QghvhS
祈愿你获得加持，日后能登克切拉净土。
詹杜固仁波切敬启
Thank you Rinpoche for this most thoroughly presented article, STARTING VAJRAYOGINI NOW!, which contains a great deal of authenticated, time honored materials and knowledges of many great, venerable masters required to generate the merit needed, that one may benefit greatly from study, contemplation and practice of the ascribed teachings. Enabling us to partake and practice without initiations, permissions or vows is a great gift of blessings and shows the capacity of your love and kindness which you have always given of so freely and selflessly in your time, energies and dedication to a truly better world for so very many not having the ability to benefit directly from a learned Guru. Herein this article we find the methods to propel us further from the trappings and delusions of suffering in this samsara for which we should be wholeheartedly thankful.
For those who practice to benefit others with the teachings, may all auspiciousness arise to rain down profound and vast dharma bringing supreme happiness and well being on the path.
Thank you Rinpoche and the Kechara team for the refuge of this great blog enveloping all who come here in understanding, compassion and unity, for which I feel you are true ambassadors and exemplars there of, in the highest ideal, with highest regards of the positive difference made for all sentient beings, I am forever grateful.
May all reach Buddhahood! If you have read this and intend to start, may you be well your on your way…
The Library of Tibetan Works & Archives is in Dharamsala, which is broken into two parts. Upper Dharamsala is where the Dalai Lama’s palace is located with his audience room & main prayer hall. It is also the location of the Dialectics School, Gaden Shartse’s guesthouse, restaurants, tourist hotels & main tourist areas.
A short ride down takes you to the lower part of Dharamsala where the Tibetan government is located. It is the location of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, Nechung monastery, the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, the Tibetan arts centre…it’s all in one area. And the reason why it’s split into upper and lower Dharamsala is because the area is mountainous.
The Library of Tibetan Works and Archives was established by the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government to preserve all the ancient texts – both secular and spiritual – of Tibet and in the process, translate them into various languages like English. This book, Overview of Buddhist Tantra, by Panchen Sonam Drakpa was one of the books translated into English. What’s very interesting is that the book very clearly says that Panchen Sonam Drakpa’s previous life is Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen, one of the five main disciples of Lama Tsongkhapa. It also says that after that, he was Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen.
So the book is basically saying that Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen, Panchen Sonam Drakpa and Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen – the three Drakpas – are of the same mindstream.
Now that’s very peculiar because if Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen’s previous life is Panchen Sonam Drakpa, the renowned composer of 45 volumes of Dharma texts, the abbot of three monasteries AND the 15th Gaden Tripa, the holder of Lama Tsongkhapa’s throne…if that’s the case, how can Panchen Sonam Drakpa take rebirth as Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen and become an evil spirit and have a negative mind?
Prior to Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen, he was Panchen Sonam Drakpa and before that, he was Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen, a heart disciple of Lama Tsongkhapa. How can a heart disciple of Lama Tsongkhapa reincarnate as the erudite master Panchen Sonam Drakpa, and then die and reincarnate as Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen…and then Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen, due to a bad and negative prayer, become the evil spirit Dorje Shugden? How is that possible? Logically, it’s not.
What’s incredible is that all of this was printed by the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives under the Dalai Lama’s guidance. They contradict themselves because on one hand, the Tibetan leaders say Dorje Shugden is an evil spirit. On the other hand they’re printing a book saying that Panchen Sonam Drakpa, whose later incarnation became Dorje Shugden, is of this illustrious mindstream.
So how can the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, which is under the auspices of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government, print the translation of a book composed by the previous incarnation of a so-called evil spirit? How can they then say in the book that Panchen Sonam Drakpa’s previous life is Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen, and his next life was Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen?
Prior to the Dorje Shugden ban and controversy, everyone in Tibet knew that Dorje Shugden is Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen, that Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen is Panchen Sonam Drakpa, and that Panchen Sonam Drakpa is Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen. The three Drakpas, they are one mindstream emanating again and again to benefit other beings.
And as we all know, Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen became Dorje Shugden so it totally doesn’t make sense to call him an evil spirit, then highlight all of his previous lives as erudite masters, and publish all of this information under their own library. So you can see the contradictions. You can read all of this for yourself in Overview of Buddhist Tantra, which was printed by the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives.
—–
OVERVIEW OF BUDDHIST TANTRA
GENERAL PRESENTATION OF THE CLASSES OF TANTRA,
CAPTIVATING THE MINDS OF THE FORTUNATE ONES
rgyud sde spyi’i rnam par bzhag pa
skal bzang gi yid ‘phrog ces bya ba bzhugs so
BY
PANCHEN SONAM DRAGPA
(Pan-chen bSod-nams grags-pa, 1478-1554)
O Choje Sonam Dragpa Pel! (Chos-rje bSod-nams grags-pa-dpal!)
In the vast expanse of Your bodhi-mind,
The mind that the Buddhas have lauded for as many as
one hundred times,
You have developed “merit” shining like the sun.
Through Your skill in learning, debate and writing,
As illuminating as one hundred thousand sun rays,
You have developed in You a complete knowledge of
the entire sutras and tantras,
Resembling a garden of flowers in full bloom.
The power of Your speech is like the sun;
The fame of your name has reached the three realms of
this world.
O Sonam Dragpa, the teacher of teachers!
I bow down at your feet.
In the vast garden of Your great teachings,
The intelligent young people gather for
The ‘six ultimates’ and the ‘four modes of transmission,’
Just as they are attracted to
The one hundred thousand types of nectar
Dripping from a flower of one hundred petals.
May I be able to experience
The taste of the secret tantra!
Panchen Choje Sonam Dragpa Pel (Panchen Chos-rje bSod-nams grags-pa-dpal), the holder of sutra and Vajrayana teachings, was a master whose outstanding learning and spiritual accomplishments are well known by all the learned ones in Tibet. His first incarnation came in the form of one of the five prestigious disciples of Lord Tsongkhapa (Tsong-kha-pa) and became known as Vinaya Holder (Dulzin) Dragpa Gyaltsen (Gragspa rgyal-mtshan). Then came Panchen Sonam Dragpa Pel (Panchen bSod-nams grags-pa-dpal), the author of the present text. The next was Nagri Tulku Dragpa Gyaltsen (mNga’-ris sPrul-sku Grags-pa rgyal-mtshan). In this way, a line of his incarnations, each with the Dragpa (gragspa) surname, followed successively.
Panchen Sonam Dragpa Pel (Panchen bSod-nams grags-pa-dpal) was born in the 14th century in Tsetang (rTsed-thang) in the Lhoka (Lho-kha) region of Central Tibet. He entered the great seat of learning, Sera Thekchenling (Se-ra theg-chen-gling) monastic university, where he became the personal disciple of spiritual master Donyo Dangden (Dhon-yod dang-ldan) and His Holiness the Second Dalai Lama Gedun Gyatso (dGe-‘dun rgya-mtsho). Under them, he studied the entire teachings of sutra, tantra and their commentaries, and became known for his outstanding learning. He also received from them the empowerments, reading transmissions, guides and instructions of the entire body of spiritual training. On becoming the fully blessed one, the Dalai Lama appointed him the abbot of the Loseling (Blo-gsalgling) college, one of the four colleges of Drepung (‘Bras-dpung)- the most prestigious monastic university in Tibet before 1959, with over 10,000 monks on its register. He continued to be the abbot of this college for the next six years; and after him the tenure for each of his successors in this position was fixed for a period of six years, a rule that is followed even today.
He was then appointed the head of the Gelugpa (dGe-lugs-pa) order, the throne holder of Gaden (dGa’-ldan), thus becoming the 15th regent of Lord Tsongkhapa (Tsong-khapa), the second Buddha. In his eulogy to him, Khedrub Gelek Pelsang (mKhas-grub dGe-legs dpal- bzang) says:
O Lama, the second successor of the Unsubduable One,
The regent of the Lord of Dharma,
You are the one who made the virtuous qualities thrive;
You are the one who ascended to the golden throne uplifted
by the fearless lions.
May Your success thrive forever!
He continued to be the throne holder for the next seven years, during which time he promoted the spread of Lord Tsongkhapa’s (Tsong-kha-pa) precious teachings, the Gelug (dGe-lugs) tradition, across the land in all directions. He also paid special attention to the practice of monastic rules and the learning and meditation of Buddhism in the monasteries such as Sera (Se-ra), Drepung (‘Bras-spungs), Kyomolung (sKyo-mo-lung), Phagmo Chode (Phag-mo chos-sde), Nyeding (Nye-sdings), Ödna (’Od-sna) and Chöde Rinchen (Chos-sde rin-chen) etc. and improved them to a great extent. He taught the Third Dalai Lama Sonam Gyatso (bSod-nams rGya-mtsho) as the latter’s spiritual master. It was from him that the Dalai Lama received the name Sonam (bSod-nams).
His contributions in the literary field are enormous; and, indeed, they are the most valuable of all his contributions. Tsongkhapa (Tsong-kha-pa) has rightly said:
Of all one’s deeds,
The ‘deeds of speech’ are the most valuable.
Panchen Sonam Dragpa Pel (Panchen bSod-nams grags-pa-dpal) was a person with an extraordinary talent for teaching, debate and writing. In his colophon to Bu mey chi don zab don sel wey dron mey (dBu ma’i spyi don zab don gsal ba’i sgron me), he wrote:
In the field of teaching, I am [next to none!] Knowing that
I would outdo them in this field, Arya Asanga and his
brother transmigrated into another realm.
In the field of debate, I am [next to none!] Knowing that
I would find out the areas they had contradicted and
that I would examine them and put forth my arguments,
the logician Dignaga (Digh-naga) and Dharmakirti tactfully
bypassed me.
In the field of writing, I am [next to none!] [In my eyes,]
Arya-sura was just good at spreading the works, which
are like ‘disputes~ between an insect and a field.’
I am the learned man. Peerless in the field of teaching,
debate and writing!
For some this passage might sound utterly nonsensical, but the most learned master of our age, the talented teacher, logician and writer, the late tutor to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Yongdzin Trijang Dorjechang (Yongs-‘dzin Khri-byang rDorje-‘Chang), said: “Now, some people of our time, who consider themselves learned scholars, think that this is utter nonsense; but they are wrong.”
Panchen Sonam Dragpa Pel (Panchen bSod-nams grags-pa-dpal) wrote over 45 volumes of books dealing with many different subjects, such as the commentaries on the sutras and tantras, the saddhana manuals of the tutelary deities, history, religious history and so forth. Among these, one that is very important for all who wish to learn and meditate on the path-of the practical aspect of Buddhism in general and that of Vajrayana in particular is the Leg shey gyu de chi nam par shagpa kelsang gi yi trod (Legs bshad rgyud sde spyi’i rnam par bzhag pa skal bzang gi yid ‘phrod). In this book, he has explained precisely how the four tantras differ from one another. He has also fully described the stages of the two spontaneous path practices of the Vajrayana tradition, dealing with the ‘six ultimates’ and the ‘four modes of transmission’, thus interpreting without mistake the intention of Adhi-Buddha Vajradhara.
May the reprint of this text, which the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives is publishing herewith, bring peace and happiness in this world!
Prof. Nawang Jinpa
St. Joseph’s College
Darjeeling
January 24 1996
A sacred image of the rare form of Vajrayogini known as Ucheyma, the Buddha that shows us the path to eradicate the ego. For this and many other high-resolution images of the enlightened beings to download for free visit: https://bit.ly/2oxb4qU
Ucheyma (Severed Headed Vajrayogini) (Main figure)
(Top to bottom): H.H. the 7th Panchen Lama, Ucheyma (Severed Headed Vajrayogini), Vajra Varnani (green assistant), Vajra Vairocani (yellow assistant), Dorje Shugden and Citipati.
The central deity is known as Chinnamasta or Dorje Neljorma Ucheyma. Both Chinnamasta (Sanskrit) and Ucheyma (Tibetan) literally mean, ‘She Whose Head is Severed’. The meaning behind her form is to show practitioners that they need to completely remove the grasping and self-identification with the “I” or the ego. Generally, the identity of the self is strongly associated with our face more than any other part of our body. We usually recognise a person when we look at a person’s face. Hence, our self-identification or ego is strongly associated with our face. To show us that this self-identification needs to be overcome on the spiritual path to enlightenment, Vajrayogini uses her ritual chopper to decapitate herself. This is symbolic of her practice eradicating the ego.
The Severed Headed Vajrayogini, as she is also known, removes all afflictive mental constructs by removing the root cause – the identification of the self, the ego. We are either attached to or averse to people and circumstances because we have an ego to please, gratify and protect. But in the grander scheme of things, this self-identification with the ‘I’ is illusory and does not really exist. Therefore, Vajrayogini reveals this ultimate truth through the dramatic decapitation of her head and at the same time is still able to live and function. She is able to live due to her direct perception of emptiness and egolessness.
Contrary to what some people might think, the eradication of the self does not destroy individualism, our personality or make us into a mindless person. In fact, the eradication of the ego makes us become a vibrant and compassionate person, someone that has greater awareness of the suffering of others. In other words, we become much warmer, kinder, forgiving, tolerant, conscientious, generous, contemplative and we are become a joy to be with. The cutting of the ego or the ‘I’ brings us towards awakening our true self, the Buddha nature within.
The Severed Headed Vajrayogini has two dakini attendants. From the trunk of her neck, there are three severed blood vessels spurting three jets of blood that flow into the mouths of her own decapitated head that she carries in her left hand and into the mouths of her two attendants. Tsem Rinpoche explained that the three jets of blood represent that her practice purifies the three psychic poisons of ignorance, hatred and desire. In turn, this leads to the attainment of the three bodies of a Buddha – the emanation body, the enjoyment body and the truth body. In other words, the severance of the ego via her tantric path leads to the purification of all delusions and ultimately, the attainment of Buddhahood itself.
The 7th Panchen Lama, Palden Tenpai Nyima is featured floating above because of his compilation of sadhanas from the ancient Sadhanamala texts. This includes a particular sadhana or collection of prayers, visualisation and mantra focused on Ucheyma. Incidentally, Dorje Shugden in many of his previous lives was a lineage master of the Vajrayogini tantras as well. These previous lives include the likes of the Mahasiddha Naropa and Tsarchen Losel Gyatso. The Lord and Lady of the Charnel Ground, known as Citipati, are one of the main protectors of the Vajrayogini Tantra.
Last of all, the ascetic meditator engaging in his devotional practices towards Ucheyma in the cemetery represents the ideal environment for tantric practice because such environments invoke deep renunciation towards worldly affairs and attachments. All Buddhist traditions advocate meditating on the bones of the deceased because it reminds us of our mortality and hence, we develop revulsion towards the transient nature of worldly or ordinary existence.
More free downloads: https://bit.ly/2oxb4qU
Read more about Vajrayogini: https://bit.ly/2iVLCuG
Ucheyma (Severed Headed Vajrayogini) (Main figure)
(Top to bottom): Maitri Kacho (Flying Vajrayogini), Maitri Kacho (One-Leg Up Vajrayogini), Naro Kacho, Sukhasiddhi, Ucheyma (Severed Headed Vajrayogini), Vajra Varnani (green assistant), Vajra Vairocani (yellow assistant), Citipati, Vajravarahi and Dorje Shugden.
The central deity is known as Severed Headed Vajrayogini, Chinnamasta or Dorje Neljorma Ucheyma. Both Chinnamasta (Sanskrit) and Ucheyma (Tibetan) literally mean, ‘She Whose Head is Severed’. The meaning behind her form is to show practitioners that they need to completely remove the grasping and self-identification with the “I” or the ego. Generally, the identity of the self is strongly associated with our face more than any other part of our body. We usually recognise a person when we look at a person’s face. Hence, our self-identification or ego is strongly associated with our face. To show us that this self-identification needs to be overcome on the spiritual path to enlightenment, Vajrayogini uses her ritual chopper to decapitate herself. This is symbolic of her practice eradicating the ego.
The Severed Headed Vajrayogini removes all afflictive mental constructs by removing the root cause – the identification of the self, the ego. We are either attached to or averse to people and circumstances because we have an ego to please, gratify and protect. But in the grander scheme of things, this self-identification with the ‘I’ is illusory and does not really exist. Therefore, Vajrayogini reveals this ultimate truth through the dramatic decapitation of her head and at the same time is still able to live and function. She is able to live due to her direct perception of emptiness and egolessness.
Contrary to what some people might think, the eradication of the self does not destroy individualism, our personality or make us into a mindless person. In fact, the eradication of the ego makes us become a vibrant and compassionate person, someone that has greater awareness of the suffering of others. In other words, we become much warmer, kinder, forgiving, tolerant, conscientious, generous, contemplative and we are become a joy to be with. The cutting of the ego or the ‘I’ brings us towards awakening our true self, the Buddha nature within.
The Severed Headed Vajrayogini has two dakini attendants. From the trunk of her neck, there are three severed blood vessels spurting three jets of blood that flow into the mouths of her own decapitated head that she carries in her left hand and into the mouths of her two attendants. Tsem Rinpoche explained that the three jets of blood represent that her practice purifies the three psychic poisons of ignorance, hatred and desire. In turn, this leads to the attainment of the three bodies of a Buddha – the emanation body, the enjoyment body and the truth body. In other words, the severance of the ego via her tantric path leads to the purification of all delusions and ultimately, the attainment of Buddhahood itself.
Severed Headed Vajrayogini is surrounded by some of her other forms, including Naro Kacho, two forms of Maitri Kacho, Sukhasiddhi and Vajravarahi. These forms of Vajrayogini are more commonly practised compared to Severed Headed Vajrayogini and are prevalent in most Tibetan Buddhist lineages. Though they may look different, all forms are indivisible from her true nature and all her practices can lead practitioners to enlightenment. Naro Kacho arose from a vision beheld by the Mahasiddha Naropa, Maitri Kacho from a vision beheld by Maitripa, and Indra Kacho from a vision beheld by Indrabodhi. The Lord and Lady of the Charnel Ground, known as Citipati, are one of the main protectors of the Vajrayogini Tantra.
Last of all, Dorje Shugden is a protector with special affinity with Vajrayogini practitioners because he arose from an incarnation lineage that includes Naropa and Tsarchen Losel Gyatso who practised and proliferated her Tantra.
More free downloads: https://bit.ly/2oxb4qU
Read more about Vajrayogini: https://bit.ly/2iVLCuG
Vajrayogini (Main figure)
(Top to bottom): Naropa, Vajradharma, Hero Vajradharma, Naro Kacho, Maitri Kacho (Flying Vajrayogini), Dorje Shugden and Vajravarahi.
Vajrayogini is a female tantric Buddha and she has many forms that are derived from various lineages. She mainly embodies the fully enlightened female (shakti) aspect of a Buddha. She belongs to the Mother Tantra classification, which refers to her practice concentrating on the wisdom aspect of the path to Buddhahood. She is also the principal dakini, the compassionate female guides and nurturers of tantric meditation who lead practitioners to enlightenment. In the thangka, the main figure in the middle is Naro Kechari as she arose from the pure vision of the Mahasiddha Naropa.
In Anuttara (Highest) Yoga Tantra, principal dakinis normally appear in union with a male consort and this can be seen in the cases of deities such as Guhyasamaja, Hevajra, and Kalachakra. In the case of Vajrayogini, she is the principal female Buddha of the Chakrasamvara Tantra and therefore, she is normally in union with Heruka Chakrasamvara. Furthermore, Vajrayogini is also considered a Vajradakini, who are yidams or meditational deities in their own right. Their practices have evolved from the main practices of their consorts, simplifying the otherwise complicated original practice by reducing it to a single-deity meditation without sacrificing the main benefits and features of the original. Hence, Vajradakini practices such as Vajrayogini and Nairatmya are derived from the original Chakrasamvara Tantra and Hevajra Tantra respectively.
In essence, Vajrayogini is known as “Sarvabuddha-dakini” or the Dakini Who is the Essence of all Buddhas. Her mantra is known as the King of All Mantras as it has the most powerful ability to bless us with spiritual attainments even without any visualisation or meditation. There are 11 Yogas in the generation stage of her practice and a few which have the power of transforming ordinary actions like sleeping, waking and ordinary daily tasks into a collection of merits. Ultimately, her Tantra offers salvation for ordinary practitioners at death with her special promise of guiding practitioners towards Kechara, or the Paradise of the Dakinis, in which we can continue deep practices to become a Buddha without fear, obstacles and interruptions.
Within Vajrayogini practice, soliciting the blessings of the lama and the lineage master are of paramount importance in order for our practice to bear results. Hence, the lama is visualised as the red Vajradharma with arms crossed at the heart, holding the vajra and bell. The lineage masters are visualised as Hero Vajradharma, holding a damaru and skullcup while cradling a khatvanga. Aside from the main Naro Kechari form, Vajrayogini also appears in the form of Maitri Kechari, who is known as Flying Vajrayogini, and arose from the vision of Maitripa. Another common form is known as Indra Kechari, or Vajravarahi, who arose from the vision of Indrabodhi.
Last of all, Dorje Shugden is a Dharma protector with a special affinity with Vajrayogini practitioners. This is because he himself arose from an incarnation lineage that includes the likes of Naropa, the progenitor of Naro Kechari practice, and Tsarchen Losel Gyatso who had practised and proliferated her Tantra and is listed as one the lineage masters invoked upon every day by Vajrayogini practitioners.
More free downloads: https://bit.ly/2oxb4qU
Read more about Vajrayogini: https://bit.ly/2iVLCuG
Original illustration and text posted by Eric D Hatchell as a reply to H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s facebook post on Vajrayogini here: http://bit.ly/VYogini0001
The Dākiṇī with the Essence of all Buddhas, Vajrayoginī
Her practice includes methods to end the otherwise repetitive states of Bardo and rebirth, by transforming the process into a journey, which may lead to full enlightenment. In preparation for which, Vajrayoginī further offers the omnipresent ability to reconstruct the nature of the most, mundane everyday experiences, such that they may reveal higher destinations, via the spiritual paths she may choose to reveal. [1] Vajrayoginī being defined as, “The Dākiṇī who is the Essence of all Buddhas”, [2] is amplified by scholar Miranda Shaw when she implied that this deity is no less than, the supreme nature of the very Tantric pantheon. No male Buddha, including her divine consort, Heruka-Cakrasaṃvara, further advances her in metaphysical implications. [3]
Vajrayoginī’s sādhanā originates from India circa 10/12th C, [4] when summoned as Heruka-Cakrasaṃvara’s Yab-Yum consort [5], with later forms including Vajrayoginī as “Solitary Hero”, she may be visualized with the deep red complexion of a 16-year-old female, whose stance is nude amidst a blazing fire of pristine awareness and most exalted wisdom. Her head is adorned with a crown of five skulls and upon her forehead, the third eye of wisdom is set vertically (represented here by an auspicious jewel). She drapes a necklace of fifty dried human skulls and is depicted with her traditional vajra-handled knife in her right hand; with a blood filled kapala in her left, she drinks with upturned head while looking above, toward the pure realm of Khechara. This seemingly gruesome gesture is actually symbolic of her clear light in great joy, known as “mahasukha” (the great bliss), [6] [7] thus the blood she drinks may be offered to us all as if a fine wine.
Resting on the left shoulder is a Katvanga staff as she stands tall with her two feet, trampling the bodies of red Kalaratri and black Bhairava (with heads bending backward), representing the embodiment of illusion and ego-awareness. The composition, all of which rests above a sun disc and multicolored lotus pedestal, she is rendered here after a thankga of Naropa Tradition (passed down from a special teaching of the Indian Mahasiddha Naropa). Vajrayoginī herself may be classified as the personification of “Wisdom” or “Mother” and her practice originates with the Chakrasamvara Cycle of Tantras, which is one of the five principal tantric practices of the Sakya School, although found in one form or another, she is included in all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. [8]
Vajrayoginī also appears in versions from the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, with one popular system having the practitioner visualize themselves as Vajrayoginī, as such, their guru taking the form of Milarepa. [9] Thus depicted above the central deity here we see Milarepa on our right, with his great Guru Marpa left (whose guru was Naropa himself, and other great Indian masters). [10]
Vajrayoginī is a simplified, single most form of the female Buddha, who is otherwise a collection of alternate forms. From her sādhanās she is visualized in English terms as “Vajra Sow”, “Wrathful Lady”, “Fierce Black One”, and other such similar manifestations of female energy found in numerous iconographic renderings and traditions. Each feature of Vajrayoginī’s visualization conveys important spiritual concept. For example, her three eyes indicate her ability to see all (past, present and future); her red-colored body symbolizes the blazing of her ”inner fire”, and the curved knife she wields, demonstrates the power to sever the delusions and obstacles of her followers and of all living beings. [11]
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Wordmarque Design and Photography
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References:
[1] Gyatso, Kelsang. Guide to Dakini Land: The Highest Yoga Tantra Practice of Buddha Vajrayogini. London: Tharpa, 1996, p.xii.
[2] “The Berzin Archives.” Bonding Practices for Mother Tantra. Accessed February 18, 2016. http://www.berzinarchives.com/…/bonding_prac_mother_tantra_….
[3] Shaw, Miranda Eberle. Buddhist Goddesses of India. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2006, p. 8.
[4] English, Elizabeth. Vajrayoginī: Her Visualizations, Rituals & Forms: A Study of the Cult of Vajrayoginī in India. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2002.
[5] “Vajrasattva (Buddhist Deity) – White (with Consort).” Vajrasattva (Buddhist Deity). Accessed February 18, 2016. http://www.himalayanart.org/items/77598.
[6] Gyatso, Kelsang. Guide to Dakini Land: The Highest Yoga Tantra Practice of Buddha Vajrayogini. London: Tharpa, 1996 p. 123-127.
[7] Glenn H. Mullin
[8] “Item: Vajrayogini (Buddhist Deity) – (Naropa Tradition).” Vajrayogini (Buddhist Deity). Accessed February 18, 2016. http://www.himalayanart.org/items/290.
[9] English, Elizabeth. Vajrayoginī: Her Visualizations, Rituals & Forms: A Study of the Cult of Vajrayoginī in India. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2002, p. xxiii.
[10] Drinking the Mountain Stream: Songs of Tibet’s Beloved Saint, Milarepa … by Mi-la-ras-pa, Rinpoche Lama Kunga, Brian Cutillo, p.305.
[11] Gyatso, Kelsang. Guide to Dakini Land: The Highest Yoga Tantra Practice of Buddha Vajrayogini. London: Tharpa, 1996, p.123-127.
For more free high resolution images of Vajrayogini, visit: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/downloads/buddha-images.html?nggpage=9
This is my beautiful Bodhgaya Vajra Yogini on my personal altar. May you be blessed by her always. Read about her here https://bit.ly/2AfEK4Q
Tsem Rinpoche
The current form of Naro Kacho Vajra Yogini appeared to the Indian Mahasiddha Naropa after he meditated intensely on her practice inside a cave. He beheld her glorious form in a vision. This unique form became known as Naropa’s Vajra Yogini or Naro Kacho, as it had never existed before. Later, in Tibet, His Holiness Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche also had visions of Vajra Yogini. His vision differed slightly from the vision of her that Naropa beheld. In the original Naro Kacho form, Vajra Yogini looks towards her pure land named Kechara. However in Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche’s vision, she looked straight at him, symbolic of the deity empowering him to bestow her practice to many people in order to benefit them. The practice of Vajra Yogini belongs to the Highest Yoga Tantra classification that leads to tremendous inner transformation and can even grant enlightenment within just one lifetime.
Video of Tsem Rinpoche’s shrine taken July 16, 2018. Very beautiful, well done and meticulous.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPAfpMoN2bA
Video of Tsem Rinpoche’s shrine taken July 16, 2018.
Very beautiful, well done and meticulous.
https://video.tsemtulku.com/chat-videos/chat-1531752637.mp4
Vajra Yogini has many different forms and in each of these forms, the positioning of her sacred body, the various implements she holds and the expressions on her face have profound meaning into various aspects of enlightenment. The implements she holds, the expressions on her face, and her body symbolise specific aspects of enlightenment that suit people during a particular time and place according to their karma. So, therefore, Vajra Yogini’s pose, forms and emanations change over time in order to suit different karmically-connected practitioners. It will keep changing because enlightenment is fluid, compassionate and skilful. To gaze upon Vajra Yogini is to look at a complete ‘roadmap’ to enlightenment as every aspect of her body is a manifestation of enlightenment. Therefore to have her form, picture, painting or statue is very blessed. We should make offerings to her daily diligently.
After the great Mahasiddha Naropa had served his guru the Mahasiddha Tilopa for 12 years, Tilopa conferred the Vajra Varahi (another form of Vajra Yogini) initiation with full instructions unto Naropa. Then, Naropa diligently meditated on Vajra Varahi and had a vision of her, and when she appeared to him directly, she appeared in the form of Vajra Yogini. Normally, when he engaged in the Vajra Yogini (Vajravarahi) practice, she was in the form of facing him directly, holding a skull cup and a curved flaying knife in front of her heart. One leg was up and one leg was down as in a dancing pose. That was the form of Vajra Yogini that he had meditated on to gain the highest attainments.
After he had meditated on Vajra Varahi and gained visions of her, she appeared to him in a different form, with her face looking up at Kechara Paradise instead of facing him directly. Her left hand holding the skullcup was thrust in the air and her right hand holding the curved flaying knife, also known as a cemetery knife was facing down at sentient beings or samsara to help beings cut their bonds to suffering. Her left leg was bent, and her right extended while standing in a pose of looking towards Kechara Paradise like she is about to take off there. This form signifies she will take you there and out of suffering. That form of Vajra Yogini became special and that was called Naro Kacho or the Vajra Yogini of Naropa. This Naropa’s Vajra Yogini was initiated to the Nepalese Pamtingpa brothers and they meditated diligently and this tradition of Naropa’s Vajra Yogini just became prevalent and took off from there. Naropa started initiating his other disciples as well into this special form of Vajra Yogini and she became known as Naropa’s Vajra Yogini till this day and it is considered a highly blessed lineage. That is the lineage we have now and most prevalent.
She is looking up because this Naropa’s Vajra Yogini is indicating she will lead her practitioners to her Kechara Paradise within one lifetime if you are diligent in her practice. Realizing enlightenment is harder for people in today’s world and needs more time during Kaliyuga degenerate period, she leads you to her paradise where you can practice undisturbed to Buddha-hood.
In this brilliant artwork, what you see is the Mahasiddha Naropa having a direct vision of Vajra Yogini. It’s the first time she has appeared to Naropa in this form. This form is associated with Naropa. Prior to Naropa, this form of Vajra Yogini did not exist. She in this vision is initiating him into this form (Naro Kacho) of herself indicating this form will be most efficacious now according to our karmic period. In the background, you will see a cave with a light in it because when Naropa used to meditate in that cave, it is said that from his body would emit a light and people could see it from afar. You can also see animals surrounding Vajra Yogini, they can feel her compassion and her great blessings and they are at peace around her.
Vajra Yogini brings peace, love, compassion, wisdom and freedom to everyone who practices her incredibly powerful tantra. Therefore, this artwork is a very beautiful representation of the time when Naropa had a vision of Vajra Yogini in this form for the first time and it is now known as Naropa’s Vajra Yogini. This artwork was offered to me as a gift from a very talented artist. I deeply appreciate this piece of visual spirituality very much.
Tsem Rinpoche
To download for your shrine, please click here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=62528
I’m so sorry for the length – but please hear me out.
I’ve always felt so worried ever since I was young – like time was going to run out and that I was losing time. That I was wasting all my time – on things which never seemed ‘important’ – but were seen as essential by society. ‘ However, I could never pinpoint what exactly what I was so worried about. Dharma is the answer…
This is so essential – as only when purity of soul meets and purifies the mind, that is what we all should aspire for. I was honestly astounded when I came across Rinpoche’s teachings – he has given SO MUCH to spread Dharma. Truly, the greatest gift to any soul is the teachings of Dharma.
I honestly had no idea what I was going to do in life. Everything I saw – seemed to make no sense. People always celebrate the wrong stuff. The wrong type of ambition, the power plays, manipulations and succeeding at the expense of others. After a lot of problems (involving spirits, terrible health, familial strain) – which seemed to happen over and over again no matter what I did, I am ashamed to say, that I had almost given up.
That is how depressed as DONE with life I was. I felt like there was no winning, that I was born to suffer. I was suspicious, cynical, sick of false propaganda I saw on a daily basis.
A lot of time I thought: Is this truly what life is about? If that is so, then what is the point? Surely, surely, there is something greater. Surely, there is something which would make sense in this madness.
First rule of life I learnt over and over again. – Never to judge other’s choices with a presumptive attitude. It only invites the wrong kinds of feelings which I found made me like a much more unpleasant person. I can honestly say that I have made a lot of mistakes, but those were all a result of anger, all sorts of negative emotions and in my childhood when I lost and confused. There was no one to guide me spiritually. The closest I got to guidance, I think, were Paramahansa Yogananda’s work God Talks to Arjuna (Bhagvat Gita)
I always wished here was someone to guide me, tell me what I was doing in life about Dharma, about how to TRULY help people, animals in a way that would stick with them forever and after. I felt so bitter when I was a kid – when I saw teachers bullying kids, people who did anything to get their way no matter what they had to do to get it. I wish I had known/sought out a dharma center then.
My parents are great people, who love me, would do anything for me, – but they are so caught up in life that they do not have any time for Dharma. To them, it’s like an intangible dream that reality has suppressed due to its brutality. That, perhaps, is the thing which brings tears to my eyes. They want me to stop ‘dreaming’ and pay attention to only a getting a career which is all about power, power and more power…
It’s not like I can’t do that, sick as it makes me. But, to what end?
If I do what they want, they will be “happy” – but for how long? That is not any long term help. Wouldn’t that just justify to them that only power and stepping over others proves that one is better/superior? Wouldn’t that just hurt them in the wrong run? And I, knowing that – wouldn’t that make me 100% responsible as well?
Or am I being unfilial and selfish?
These questions drive me crazy. I feel like I know, but then I have no idea WHAT to do.
All I know is this.
Everything is transcendental, nothing remains the same – except for Dharma.
Then, I was so, so happy when I found His Eminence on youtube – and within a short period, the simplest of instructions have made a lot of difference.
I am new to this, but I shall definitely persevere. Vajrayogini practice I shall do.
No better time to start than the present!
Thankyou, your Eminence.
Whenever I come across His Eminence’s teaching’s, this comes to mind.
Sã vidyã yã vimuktaye.
That alone is Knowledge which leads to liberation.
Actually I had watch rinpoche teaching on Vajrayogini from there I feel start to her…
From what I learn from that video is that Vajrayogini is consort of Heruka Cakrasamvara who none other than Buddha Shakyamuni.. Vajrayogini means diomend yogi who attain full enlightment supreme Buddha… In this degenerated age people seems so overwhelmed by materialistic life and get suffering over again without knowing what causes it , yet this life is precious and need to attain fully enlightment to benefit all mother sentient biengs for that we need compassion and wisdom.
By practice Vajrayogini , we can see that all things Impermanent and urgency to know the suffering of samsara. Vajrayogini is trauma lady where people nowday traumatically live the life without purpose or aims. Buddha said, getting a Human Life is so precious don’t waste it and use to benefit of mother sentient biengs. So meet up a perfect guru, learn dharma quickly and do any Sadhana that given by guru do it faithfully and diligently. We should take other burden to eleviete Thier suffering with compassion and wisdom so that we can achieve some state of Buddhahood in future or this lifetime. Vajrayogini also symbol of detachment of Maharaga ( great passion ) bcz passion and desire is root cause of suffering in samsara, while practice her will eventually by passion into enlightment. Lastly, by having great devotion to one’s guru thinking guru and Vajrayogini are one makes a merits and wisdom arise to learn and realize dharma quickly also without breaking any samayas or vows we can achieve state of Buddhahood soon. So for now world time, people should need Vajrayogini practice for those not receive initiation is ok to have her statue or idol to make strong connection to her and ask her to bless to meet up perfect guru and receive her tantra, she can subdue our ignorance and delusion for us to quickly realize sunyata emptiness.
So practice her Sadhana will give quick results if we do our homework correctly before we get her initiation..
All that I understand is this. If anything wrong plz forgive me and correct me.. thanks for rinpoche makes videos and blog about Vajrayogini for people like me starter easy to excess. SADHU SADHU SADHU???
Q1: Who is Kechara centre’s Yidam?
Buddha Vajrayogini and Tsongkhapa.
Q2. What are some of the good qualities that one can work on and develop whilst aiming for the Vajra Yogini empowerment?
Holding vows and commitments, Be honourable and have integrity, Whatever work or practices you’ve been assigned, do it diligently and happily, Develop contemplations on the good qualities of one’s lama again and again, Never give up, Practice the 8 Verses of Thought Transformation, Make it a point to get along with everyone or as much as possible & be forgiving, Study Lam Rim, Wheel of Sharp Weapons, Bodhisattvacha-avatara by Shantideva, Lojong, 50 Verses of Guru Devotion by Ashvagosha, Commit to one practice that is light and easy yet profound such as Tsongkapa Guru Yoga daily without fail and Follow your Teacher loyally and all the way.
Q3: What are the preliminary practices to start immediately? Why start immediately?
Guru Yoga, Vajrasattva, Mandala Offerings,Prostrations,Water offerings and 35 Confessional Buddhas.
We shall start immediately to prepare for the empowerment.
Q4: What did HH Pabongka Rinpoche said about Vajra Yogini practice?
“Look, this is the synthesis of all the Buddhas. This one counters all the negative attachments arising from the desire we have during the Kaliyuga age.”
Q5:In the teaching, what is said to be points for transformation (of the mind)?
Points of transformation are those points in Rinpoche’s teachings (such as impermanence and death), which if we focus on and practice, will lead to our mind transformation.
Q6. Why do we ourselves have to practise Dharma in order for our children and others to have Dharma?
Only when we practice our family, children, loved ones and our friends feel inspired to the point of wanting to follow our example ie Leadership by example.
Q7. What did Rinpoche say about “If you start as I have written on the blog then.” ?
Then it is the same as if you have received the empowerment.
Q8. What is Rinpoche’s advice regarding “you do not have to do her mantra and prayers to be praying to her (Vajrayogini)?
You can recite The Wheel of Sharp Weapons. You can recite the 50 Verses of Guru Devotion. You can recite the Three Principle Paths. You can recite and learn the teachings on the Eight Thought Transformations and it can all be directed to Vajrayogini because you don’t have to do her mantra and prayers to be praying to her. You can use The Wheel of Sharp Weapons to pray to Vajrayogini. You can use the 50 Verses to pray to Vajrayogini and request her to bless you, request her to give you her wisdom so you may understand and penetrate. So when you are doing that, you are focusing on Vajrayogini.
Conclusion: Learn Dharma to transform our mind, to help more people and be a better person.
Thanks Tsem Rinpoche and everyone who shared the Q & A on last week blog chat.
***Pickup some of the Q & A from 17/8/17 blogchat as learning curve
The first time I heard of the name Kechara was through the media when I read about Kechara Soup Kitchen. I later came to know Kechara House and Rinpoche’s teachings through my husband. I am glad and feel fortunate that we both share the same faith and spiritual practice and especially being able to connect with Rinpoche and Kechara in this lifetime.
It is very kind and compassionate of Rinpoche to name our spiritual centre Kechara, the pure land and paradise of Vajrayogini, giving us constant blessings from Vajrayogini and let us be connected with her in this lifetime and futures.
This article is like a checklist to our daily lives – be humble, be selfless, be kind, be compassionate, don’t procrastinate…be a person that cares and benefits others…change now and do now. As usual, it is easier said than done but with perseverance and constant reminder to ourselves the importance and urgency of the practice, we can achieve.
Thank you Rinpoche for being here with us to spread your teachings and thank you for everything that you have been doing. Your work and efforts have benefited many people and other beings and may your work and efforts continue to benefit more.
Thank you _/\_
We are very fortunate to be able to at least engage even though we do not have initiation to practise it.Practicing Tsongkhapa equivalent to practicing Vajrayogini which are indeed fortunate.
We have very little time left and most of us do not know when would be the time of death and we should starts our preliminaries daily which is NOW– Guru Yoga, Vajrasattva, Mandala, Prostrations, Water Offerings,35 Confessional Buddhas.
Besides that, we should sincerely practise and transform it into our daily practices to benefit more sentient beings.
I am glad and thankful and being connected back to spiritual practise.
_/\_
CC
Rinpoche has created the 14 Departments of Kechara Organization , culminating in the creation of Vajrayogini’s pureland on earth that is Kechara Forest Retreat.Hence the training we receive by working and volunteering in the Organization with vigour and integrity, holding our vows and commitments, and by practicing Guru Devotion, remembering the qualities and the kindness of our Guru,being kind and getting along with everyone, be forgiving, all this is the preparation we need in readiness to receive the empowerment.
We need to practice NOW because time is running out on us and death beckons any time. With death , the only thing that matters is that we have practiced the Dharma. Thank you Rinpoche for bringing the Dharma of Je Tsongkhapa’s lineage to us, Tsongkhapa and Vajrayogini being one. Thank you for creating the Kechara Organization. Dharma practice is our Dharma work and engagement in the Kechara Organisation, besides our daily sadhana.Practice is also engaging in the preliminaries – Guru Yoga, Vajrasattva, Mandala, Prostrations, Water Offerings,35 Confessional Buddhas.
Practice is also reciting the Wheel of Sharp Weapons, the 50 Verses of Guru Devotion, the Three Principle Paths. the Eight Verses of Thought Transformations, and studying and reciting the Lamrim and directing all recitations to Vajrayogini and requesting her blessings and wisdom for us to understand all of this clearly and with deep insight.
Thank you Rinpoche for being here with us and guiding us meticulously in our practice.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for this wonderful post which again emphasizes to us the importance of starting our Dharma practice without delay of months or years.
I am equally guilty of procrastination, delaying and being lazy in starting off.
All the recommended steps to take to qualify for Her empowerment is very well and clearly stated by Your Eminence above. The steps to take are nothing new and the real obstacle is our own minds – are we ready and committed to do it or not.
I must admit I’m equally guilty of this laziness and procrastination.
At the end of the day, it is only ourselves that we need to overcome. I also realise that time is really not on our side as we age every second of the our life here. The longer we wait, the less we will be able to fulfill the above preliminaries, particularly the physically exerting steps like prostrations.
The other aspect that we must conquer ourselves is right after we have started, we must be equally committed to do it consistently and do it everyday without fail.
Thank you for this wonderful teaching again. I must start and it has to be immediate.
Humbly yours,
Lum Kok Luen
I myself with everyone of the Kecharians are very fortunate to be able to meet Kechara and the Dharma in this very life time. I have always contemplating on this thinking all the things that we are actually learning from Rinpoche at this moment, including what Rinpoche has always been stressing about are actually essence of teaching to prepare us to receive teachings of Vajrayogini. Apart from that, Rinpoche is ever so kind to be giving us this very rare chance to be doing Dharma full time, plus all the care and love shown to everyone of us Kecharians all the more says it all. We should at least be holding the vows and keeping the samaya clean and get prepared to receive this sacred practice of Vajrayogini.
This article gives us a better understanding of how to prepare ourselves before receiving the practice of Vajrayogini. Vajrayogini is like a PhD level. Therefore, it makes sense for us to go through kindergarten, preschool, middle school, high school, Bachelors degree and Masters degree first before we attend Graduate school to obtain our PhD. Otherwise, we won’t have the foundation to begin to grasp the essence of Vajrayogini’s teachings and practices.
It also makes sense to understand the importance of being more selfless. All our problems and unhappiness arise from our selfishness. So when we begin to lessen our selfishness, not only do we experience a glimpse of happiness. We will also influence people around us for the better.
I realised that the race against time is very REAL after I started reading this post. As I see people around me dying without having spirituality in their lives makes me want to do more for them in this lifetime, while I still can. Knowing that the sands of time is running out for me and Death is just a heartbeat away is my “visualisation” to motivate me to do more and not slack off in my practice or work.
I feel very fortunate to have found a Guru who connects us to Vajrayogini’s very potent practice that will help us not just at the time of Death but for our future lives.
I bow at your lotus feet with thanks, Rinpoche.
Thank you Rinpoche for a beautiful article.The is practice from Vajrayogini to Naropa and then down to our Rinpoche the ones from the continuation of the Vajrayogini initiation has flowed like a river, without any break. Also, down to all the gurus, the continuation of the blessing has not degenerated. The teachings have also not degenerated.. from Rinpoche to us and linage goes back to Buddha Shakyamuni. It is beautiful way to for us to prepare to practice Vajrayogini. Yes Rinpoche we have to get ready to receive precious her initiation.
In the Kathmandu valley of Nepal there are several important temples dedicated to different forms of Vajrayogini. These temples are important power places of Nepalese important pilgrimage placesand for Tibetan Buddhists. These temples include the Sankhu Vajrayogini temple, Vidhyeshvari Vajrayogini temple, Parping Vajrayogini temple, and the Guhyeshwari temple.
Thanks Rinpoche and the blog team for this precious article.
I read this article years ago when it was fresh released and today I read it again together with my Dharma brothers and sisters at the beautiful Manjushri Hill in Kechara Forest Retreat. It’s a good “check list” for me to see if I follow the instructions all these years, am I working on the right direction, and am I closer to Vajrayogini now.
I am glad that I didn’t give up when things get difficult, however there are still a lot of rooms for me to become better.
After the discussion, I am very very gratitude to see that actually Rinpoche creates the pure land on earth for us to practice Dharma. Rinpoche “downgrade” the real Kechara pure land to Kechara Organisation that we have now, for us to have connection to the sacred practice of Vajrayogini.
Every works that we are doing in Kechara Organization, is training for us to be prepared for Vajrayogini in one way or another. Rinpoche’s love and care towards all sentient beings are very very huge and not only for these life, but also for many future lifes.
Thank you Rinpoche for everything that you have been doing and may more sentient beings be benefitted through all these efforts. Thank you.
I still remembered when Rinpoche first name “Kechara” Paradise motivation is to plant more seed to bring more people to connect with Vajrayogini. Now Kechara organization has founded since year 2000 until now. People who social , with Kechara will autamatically connect with Vajrayogini at plan the seed to meet her in future life time.
Of couse to meet the qualify Vajrayogini lineage lama to received teaching under him will have trammendous fortunate. Since we are lucky have rinpoche share this article, we need to create more course and generatr merit to receive Vajrayogini empowerment at the future. Having guru devotion and hold any set of vow is the key point to practice Vajrayogini tantra. I hope we not wasting our time into wordly pressure and focus more time in gain her practice, to gain the ability cut off the real suffering from samsara.
We are so fortunate to be able to meet holy Vajra Yogini. H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche makes this precious Buddha available for everyone to connect to and create the causes to get closer to her in the future and if we are very fortunate we may get her initiation. When we get her initiation, Vajra Yogini helps us to control our rebirth
It gives a very clear picture that we don’t train for the olympics one year before but it takes many years of hard work and dedication. We don’t know what the future holds for us but with Dharma and meditation, we can understand more and create the causes for us to not be drawn to things that don’t really matter for selfish reasons.
We can see the effort, time, kindness, care and dedication that we receive through the many articles here in this blog to improve our life. May we strive to put others first and overcome our weak points. May we create the causes to receive Vajra Yogini’s practice.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article. And, thank you again Rinpoche for setting up Kechara, and the 13 departments in Kechara and Dharma classes. Like Pastor Albert said, the first thing we know when we step in Kechara is the word Kechara, paradise of Vajrayogini. I remember the day when I fist knew Kechara, I only knew that Kechara is the paradise of Vajrayogini, but who is Vajrayogini? From there only I found out more about Vajrayogini. Of course, as my days go by in Kechara, I know more about Vajrayogini now. I will say I am very lucky to meet Rinpoche in this life and to become part of Kechara. Rinpoche already knew that, for some people, they are more into practical, even for myself. I always believe that compassion and wisdom cannot be taught. It can only be developed. That’s the reason why Rinpoche setup different departments, to give us practical teaching. For example, Kechara Soup Kitchen, in the same time it helps us to develop compassion and wisdom. Helping homeless and the under privilege, it helps us to develop compassion. But how to help them? As we go along the process of helping them and think of the ways of helping them, it helps us to develop wisdom. With the guidance Rinpoche posted in the blog, may we have the merit to get initiation in this life. Thank you again Rinpoche _/\_
当我在读这篇文章的时候,金刚瑜伽母很深刻的再一次出现在脑海中,同时也让我感到自己很幸运能够在克切拉,因为我们拥有一位很好的上师–尊贵的詹仁波切，不断的能够从上师那里得到指示，及常常提醒我们要勤修行，这篇文章就是一个很好的说明上师想尽办法让我们能够勤修，指示我们如何修，还提供我们最好的精神粮食—佛法。
这篇文章也提供很好的信息给予那些想开始学习金刚瑜伽母的修行， 感谢仁波切。
Few years back when my grandmother passed away, before her passing, she suffered tremendously from Alzheimer disease, and the day before she passed away until her last breath, she can hardly sleep due to the pain she is experiencing, it really break my heart when I see her going thru this. On the very same day, Rinpoche sent me a message to console me, i remember in the message, Rinpoche told me to ‘imagine’ that if my grandmother is a Vajrayogini practitioner, at the very last moment of her passing, she could take control of her mind, leave her body and choose a better / higher rebirth.
That is the power of Vajrayogini. We can control our rebirth when we do her practice properly.
No matter in what situation or occasion, Rinpoche will always plant the seed of Vajrayogini into everyone that comes into his life, even though we cant do Vajrayogini practice now, as mentioned in the beginning of this article, Rinpoche already taught us about the preliminary practice, that is the firm ground we need to build before starting on Vajrayogini practice.
Even on a more subtle way, Rinpoche name this center as Kechara and the logo ‘Bam’, Bam is the seed syllable of Vajrayogini and it represent Vajrayogini’s mind, the background of Kechara logo is white colour, white colour represents a clean, clear, luminous mind – the mind that has no pollution, no distortions and no projections. The mind is clean, luminous and clear. And lastly, the name Kechara means the pureland of Vajrayogini.
See how skillful Rinpoche is, even before anyone notice the meaning of Kechara, but the moment they step into any Kechara premises, the seed of Vajrayogini has already planted into them and the blessing of Vajrayogini. Even we may or may not be able to receive Vajrayogini initiation, but at least practicing this preliminary practice enable us to go closer to receiving Vajrayogini practice. So if we don’t start NOW, then when?
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article. I learned that in order for us to be ready for Vajrayogini initiation, we have to do our other practices well and unbroken. Thank you again to Rinpoche for listing down the things we can or should do before we get the initiation. Whether or not we get the initiation will definitely depends on the Guru. For those of us in Kechara, we are fortunate to be in the mandala of our Guru and able to know about Vajrayogini. I pray that may we get the initiation if not this life then our future lives.
With folded palms,
Vivian
I count myself as one of the very fortunate people to be in Kechara, to be able to receive dharma teachings and spiritual advice from Rinpoche, and to have the golden opportunity to do dharma practice and work. And to be in the mandala of Rinpoche’s protection from my own self and outer factors, and to receive Rinpoche’s great care, great love and great compassion. This article reinforces what Rinpoche teaches, that is, not to wait but to start doing already. Then only can I be a suitable vessel to receive the sacred empowerment to Lady Vajrayogini’s practice.
I’m on your side, Pastor Henry. However, many of us would habitually take things for granted. For example myself, after went through some life experiences I believe that Buddhadharma is the way to help me & pull me out from all sorts of sufferings. But how true it’s when I say I believe Buddhadharma can help and I don’t really work on it and go all the way? It’s obviously a dilemma, what I wish for now is to get rid of my negative habits and change them into positive ones, train myself to be more focus, have observations on my body, speech, and mind, analyse them, then transform them into a better version of me.
I have had the good fortune to have listened to many Dharma teachings from our Guru, H.E. the 25th Tsem Rinpoche but somehow or other I seem to have missed on this teaching on how we can practise Vajrayogini NOW.
I had been under the impression that Vajrayogini practice is very difficult and in protecting us from not being able to keep our vows and commitments, Rinpoche had refrained from giving us this practice. And that is true as Rinpoche will always do his best to protect us from any self harming actions and also will do His best for us to advance in our practices to achieve merits and attainments. Most of all not to have rebirth in the 3 lower realms.
The prescription to start Vajrayogini NOW is something which all of us can do and I will definitely follow the instructions diligently as controlling our rebirth is something which is very valuable and that we can have as our greatest inheritance from life after life.
As always thank you Rinpoche and also for the Blog facilitators for bring this very powerful teaching to all of us.
Thank you Rinpoche for this beneficial teachings. I shall always remember that there is no right time or place to practice. The answer is now. No matter how small or big our practice is, the main point is that we start now, ‘force’ myself and persevere all the way. I remember when my dad used to scold me for doing things half past six, of which I did. As I grew, I know that I have changed ‘slightly’ better, which means that I can change so long as I push myself.
I absolutely agree with the analogy of being in the olympics. Those athletes practice and push themselves harder each day so that they can achieve their dream. If something as samsaric as that can be brought to that level, so why can’t we. I believe my first practice is to cut my procrastination due to my laziness. I must practice it everyday to lessen it, at least better than not doing anything about it.
May we have the merits to receive Vajrayogini’s practice in all lives and benefit from it.
Rinpoche has emphasized many times that we should train and prepare ourselves before be get the initiation or empowerment. This is to make sure we are ready for the practice and will not do it half way and give up. Rinpoche always think a head and always find ways to make sure we are benefited. All preliminary practices that Rinpoche mentioned is a foundation for us to train our mind to be focus, stable and committed and also purification practice to prepare ourselves for higher practices.
Another thing that pointed out in this article is how we should put spiritual into practice. Doing more for others instead of giving excuses or run away from responsibility where it will cause others to do our work. Rinpoche created 13 depts in Kechara is to give opportunity for people from different background to do dharma work. This is a very ideal place for us to learn and at the same time practice with the people around us. I thank to Rinpoche for always look after us and give us this great opportunity for this great Vajrayogini practice.
Thank You Rinpoche for your kindness, that’s gave all of us the hints to practice VY tantric.
Gonna highlight this to everyone :
Holding vows and commitments
Be honourable and have integrity
Whatever work or practices you’ve been assigned, do it diligently and happily
Develop contemplations on the good qualities of one’s lama again and again
Never give up
Practice the 8 Verses of Thought Transformation
Make it a point to get along with everyone or as much as possible & be forgiving
Study Lam Rim, Wheel of Sharp Weapons, Bodhisattvacha-avatara by Shantideva, Lojong, 50 Verses of Guru Devotion by Ashvagosha
Commit to one practice that is light and easy yet profound such as Tsongkapa Guru Yoga daily without fail
Follow your Teacher loyally and all the way
And also we need a very clean SAMAYA with our Guru.
Thank You Rinpoche for compassionately sharing the precious teaching of sacred Vajrayogini practice. There are a few points strike me again since my last study of this article two years ago. Channel our sincere practice and merit to obtain Vajrayogini practice in one day. I should remind this goal every day. One day, we all will be dead and Vajrayogini practice is cushion/safety net to ensure we have good rebirth to continue our Dharma practice in next life. It is very urgent as we could easily lost our human form in next life. Second thing strike me from this article is never give up. There are a lot of things in this samsara will distract our mind away from Dharma path due to our many previous lives habits and delusion. Hence, strong mind and persistence is required. We should check our mind and action daily, once the mind swing away from Dharma path. We should quickly put in effort to bring it back. I particularly like Rinpoche’s phase:” If you don’t find it uncomfortable you should meditate until you become uncomfortable.” The uneasiness is indication of our progress in Dharma path. If we will not progress if we are in comfort zone.
I will put all my practice and channel my effort to gain Vajrayogini practice in this life time. It is hard but I am willing to start it today. Thank You Rinpoche for the precious teaching and care. I also received a lot of helps and guidance from Kechara Pastors and Seniors such as Pastor Seng Piow, Pastor Patsy, Pastor Han Nee, Pastor Tat Meng, Pastor Yek Yee, Pastor Henry, Pastor Chia, Joy etc. I can not finish list out all their name here. I will push myself in Dharma path to return their kindness. Thank You.
From Tsem Rinpoche: Every person who has Maha-anuttaratantra empowerments (Eg. Heruka, Guhyasamaja, Yamantaka, Vajra Yogini, Chittamani-Tara, Kalacakra, Hevajra, Gyalwa Gyatso Chenresig, etc) should keep a copy of this on their shrine or prayer book. These are all the ritual items tantric practitioner must keep by commitment. If it is in picture form, it is alright also.
A very clear explanation On Vajra Yogini practice.I read these article a few times to get a better understanding of the practice.Now i know only after reading this article,when we practice Guru Tsongkhapa we are also practicing Vajrayogini.I still got a lot to learn and will try my best to continue praticing Dharma daily. I will remember it and will read other blogs on Vajrayogini too to understand better.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this powerful teachings and advice.
Practice Vajrayogini, practice Tsongkhapa who are one. I have been started practicing Tsongklapa which means I also practice Vajrayogini at the same time. That’s really wonderful!
Thank you Rinpoche, for sharing this article and giving very clear details over the practice.
Rinpoche has always been a very powerful and modern day coach , guiding us and helping us transform ourselves and not get fooled by our tricky minds. Vajrayogini is a practice that brings us closer towards enlightenment, in the hands of a spiritual adept it is the very means to leave samsara forever.
“To meditate till it gets uncomfortable.” This reminds me of a quote from someone that asks why and how a lobster grows. It’s because the lobster feels uncomfortable and thus is forced to go through a period of vulnerability to shed its old shell to grow a new one. Similarly, for us, when we feel uncomfortable we have to shed our old attitudes and self and grow.
So, we work till we feel uncomfortable and then we improve on our attitude and methods and continue to progress from there. And, the 5 basic preliminary practices are a very good place to start.
Guru Yoga
Vajrasattva
Mandala
Prostrations
Water offerings
35 Confessional Buddhas
“Spirituality is being a person whose selfishness is lessening and lessening and lessening.”
Thank you, Rinpoche for this teaching. Sometimes, we need to revisit the old teaching posts. I find new things in the same article when I revisit them.
是否有问过我们自己，何德何能如此幸运可以在今世遇上如此纯净的传承与具格的上师？因为眼前的上师，尊贵的詹杜固仁波切所做的一切尤其是传授佛法有关密续这一块，我相信在马来西亚没有多少人可以像仁波切如此的公开甚至是在网路上传播，利益全世界的人。
上师的慈悲是无人所及。相信上师终是希望弟子们得到解脱与真正的自由。感谢仁波切一路来的用心。虽然目前我们还未达到可以接受密续的灌顶，但是仁波切却先给予有关密续的教诲，好让我们有一天真的具备条件接受灌顶时，有着稳定的心识来承受这一切。而此博文的教诲就如之前所说的，上师先让我们做好准备来做出改变，以便往后如果有机会得到金刚瑜伽母的灌顶，我们会更容易的掌握与修持。
从以上的博文所得到的开示如下：
1. 不再为自己找借口
当我们有机会接触佛法，应该升起尊敬心，尽信上师与三宝。视上师与三宝为我们皈依的对象。有了皈依对象，保持坚定的心就不轻易受他人影响。要清楚地了解佛法能够改变我们生活的一切甚至我们的将来。
2. 自私懒惰的心识
想要得到成功就必须付出努力。如果有依从上师的指示一步一步的做，打好基础，就算有多困难的，只要熬过去就可达到解脱与真正的自由。到时回头一看，那已不是大问题的存在。而主要的问题是我们自私懒惰的心。所以我们必须时常检查我们的内心。
3. 相信因果～学会原谅及忍耐
善待身边一切的人。就算是曾经伤害过我们的人，我们都不应该恶待他们。我们要相信因果的显现。今生所得到的伤害，都是我们曾经在几世前伤害过他人。除此，当我们真正实践心识转化时，我们会自然的做出利他人的事情。我们会视所有人曾是我们过去好几世的母亲，因此必须学会原谅及忍耐我们所经历的伤害。
4. 相信因果～没有自私心
我们真正的敌人并不是别人而是我们的自私心。如果我们选择自私，将工作与责任推向他人会让我们造下恶因，然后更多难题与痛苦会回到我们的身边。如果我们选择了要修持宗喀巴大师和金刚瑜伽母，所有自私心与懒惰心还有一切有关“我”或“自己”都必须要放下了。
感谢仁波切清楚的讲解关于金刚瑜伽母需要的条件 !
仁波切说得对, 如果我们怀有自私心, 事事都把责任推给他人, 自己份内事不做好的人, 无论家里佛龛有多美, 念诵多少次经文, 如果心识没转化, 为他让人方面想, 是不会有大成就的。
仁波切还说到, 几十年过候, 每个人都会逝世, 如果还执着在财富, 名利, 欲望等等, 就会浪费了我们的珍贵的’人身’ , 所以”佛法” 是那么的重要带领我们看清这娑婆世界的诱惑。
虽然我们还不能直接持修金刚瑜伽母的法门, 但是仁波切已经很清楚的让我们知道接受其灌顶之前所要准备的修持和心识转化利益他人, 就如仁波切很好的比喻, 要有资格参加奥林比克比赛, 就得先打好根基 !
仁波切一直不断的提醒我们和在各方面的资讯让我们更加的了解持修金刚瑜伽母的好处和持修金刚瑜伽母法门需要的前行修持, 如宗喀巴大师心咒, 10万次金刚萨朵百字明咒, 10万次大礼拜, 10万次曼达拉供养, 水供和灯供等等, 让我们净化大量的障碍和累积大量的功德, 准备接受这殊胜的修持。
仁波切也一直提醒我们尽量参与佛法事业, 也是很好的途径让我们累积功德 !
其中一个仁波切博客有讲解到的, 也可以游览 :
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/getting-closer-to-vajrayogini.html
再次感恩仁波切的分享与清楚的讲解 !
感恩合十
YEO KWAI GIN
Thank you Pastor Niral and team for producing such exciting and powerful explanation on the God and Goddesses realm. Though mind boggling but interesting to note that the Gods have a lifespan same like us here on earth but perhaps they lived much longer period.
It would be interesting to know when residing in the Gods realm would there be any further dharma teachings to ascend to higher consciousness or merely a realm indulging in extreme pleasures while waiting for the karma to be depleted.
It is very enlightening to know that Lord Buddha transformed into a combined form of Heruka and Vajrayogini to subdue Heruka and consort. I always have this idea that Lord Buddha is in a realm where he resides in total sublime bliss and peace but I guess he is omnipresent and omniscient in every aspect.
Meditation on death and Vajrayogini practice as taught by Rinpoche would be a fast and good gateway to reach the higher consciousness realm and return to our true nature and not enjoying the sensual pleasures of the Gods realm.
I still remember this year when joined the pilgrimage trip to Nepal , we are fortunate to visit 3 Varjayogini temple and Sock Wan share with us follow Rinpoche ‘s advice strictly and read all articles related VJ in Rinpoche ‘s blog,actually it help us to build up connection to Her. “Chance only given for those in preparation ” if we really need to attain enlightenment path..We need to follow Rinpoche instructions now.
Thanks for Rinpoche’s sharing and advice.
Can I ask you one thing?
It always seems that Vajrayogini is respected quite important in both Buddhism as well as in Hinduism.
I haven’t known about Tantric Buddhism quite a much but as you mentioned that Vajrayogini is the goddes of Sunyata.
Is she not mentioned in other Buddhist tradition?
Such Inspirational!!!!
Thank You Rinpoche.
I wanted to ask one thing about Vajra Yogini.
We know Vajra Yogini as the symbol of Hindu Goddess.
Is it the same in Buddhism too.
Thank You Rinpoche for always being care to us and guiding us tirelessly. I will be following you as your student. I will make promise to you for not missing the Guru Yoga practice. I will continue make connection to Vajrayogini till (hope) one day I can get His initiation from my Guru.
Thank You Rinpoche again. I can feel your care through the words in article. Thank You with the bow with both folded hands.
Dear Rinpoche ,
Thank you for showing us how precious Vajrayogini’s tantra is. It is the perfect practice for us in the degenerate age now and we need to prepare ourselves for it. If we are not well prepared by doing the preliminary practices and our mind not grounded, we are not allowed to practice this sacred practice. With our karmic obscuration and feeble mind, we will not be able to keep up with the vows and commitments once we receive the initiation of Vajrayogini’s practice. It will only bring us down instead of liberating us.
We can start to make connection to her by praying to her daily. This will create the causes for us to receive her initiation in the future.
Chris
Dear Rinpoche ,
Thank you for sharing these vital advise here.This is what I had learnt from this post.
1. We have to thoroughly prepare ourself to receive the higher teachings such as Tantra. They are not for the feeble minded and those who cannot comply or adhere to the commitment. Only those who have fundamental knowledge in dharma and have a stable mind are suitable to receive its initiation.
2. All those fundamental practices such as the 5 preliminary practises, 50 verses on guru devotion, 8 verses on mind transformation and etc can prepare our mind. They can help to generate enough merit for us to receive the initiation and also remove our obstructions.
3. Life is short and unpredictable. We should use the precious human life we have to do something meaningful other than pursue samsaric pleasures which will never end.
4. Vajrayogini practice is the ultimate practice that we should aim for. Her practice when done right can bring us straight to enlightenment or her pure land when we pass on. Her tantra is stronger in this degenerated age compared to the other practices because Vajrayogini targets our attachment.
5. Doing Dharma work can even benefit people who are close to us.
Chris
非常的感谢尊贵的詹仁波切的开示, 让我了解的更多金刚瑜伽母法门 !
前几天聆听 上师讲解关于金刚瑜伽母法门修持前所需要准备的功课与前行如大礼拜与三皈依10万次,水供10万次, 金刚萨佗百字明咒10万次, 曼达拉供养10万次和宗喀巴大师赞10万次, 11瑜伽法,38页的祈愿文, 第10天和第25天的Tzok, 每天供养金刚瑜伽母, 上师依止心, 在KFR将会建立一个Vajrayogini Park以让修持其法门的同修在内禅修等等等等, 不懂为何, 听到时,让我感到非常非常的兴奋与高兴, 犹如当天已经为我加持, 内心就下决心, 开始我的功课与前行, 希望就在这一世, 得到成就 ! 从内心和衷心的感谢上师, 让我有此机会和机缘, 认识与接触金刚瑜伽母法门!
Thank you Rinpoche from my deeply heart
with love and folded hands
Yeo Kwai Gin
Thank you Rinpoche for giving us the method to start with Vajrayogini and giving us various methods that modern people can start to create the causes for such ancient and profound tantric practices like Vajrayogini. And it is inspiring to know the greats like Pabongka and Trijang has practiced and spread it to so many people. Rinpoche reiterated again the essence of Buddhist teachings is compassion, if we do our work without concern of how our work affects others we would missed the point of doing the work and the essence of Buddhism.
Thank you Rinpoche for the sharing.
I will do my best for whatever work assigned to me and to improve the quality of my work so that I can reduce the burden on others.
I hope I can be perseverance, becoming a true spiritual person without selfishness, truly transform and surrender myself to my guru to benefit others so that I can be ready for Vajra Yogini empowerment.
Thank you Rinpoche with folded hands
Pee Bee Chong
Thank you very much, Rinpoche for this teaching. The key point for me is to expand my vision by starting to at least try and follow what Rinpoche had so kindly explained here. Even though I may not be able to get the teaching this lifetime, I hope I can plant the seed to receive the teaching in future lifetimes.
Thank you Rinpoche.
Humbly and sincerely,
Stella
Spiritual practice is meant to cut our selfsihness; selfsihness that is ingrained in our system from eons of lifetimes and that is further cemented by the teaching of our modern society. One of the ways for us to cut our selfishness is to do our work with responsibility and not burden others with our unfinished/undone/poorly-done work. By doing our work on time and well, we are lifting the burden off others who will have to cover it for us. In this way, we are directly not placing our own selfish needs/reasons (of not completing the work accordingly) over the needs of others. Thank you Rinpoche for this teaching and writers team for the transcript. I will read it again and again.
Rinpoche, I was wondering about Vajrayogini’s practice. Is it true that those who perform the practice worst get the most help from Vajrayogini? I’m not sure that that’s the right way to describe it. Will you please clarify this point? Thank you.
Dearest Tsem Rinpoche . Is Vajrayogini also ascended masters? I noted Kwan Yin and Lord Guatama which they are in list? What is Meru and Aramu? Is Aramu is also known as VajraYogini (this was an actual incarnation) . I came across at this link – http://www.sacredmountainretreat.org/masters_meru_aramu. I would like to know more.
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If we want to received Vajrayogini practice in future,then it is time to start our preliminaries practices now!Never ever find thousand of excuses for our self.Change our attitude into positive so that we can show others that a Buddhist should be like that.A egotistic,selfish,arrogant and rude person will never ever have good friends around them.No one like them at all!So Dharma is not all types of rituals,Mantras and so forth. Dharma is we start to change our self into a welcoming person in this social.Peoples who meet us feel happy and positive. Dharma will only get flourished when our own body,speech and mind became Dharma.
谢谢仁波切那么仁慈的让我们有这样旳福报，能够有机会接触到金刚瑜伽母的修行方法，让我们能够把我们自己准备好，如果我们有机会收到仁波切的允许的话，我们就可以修行这至高无上的法门，让我们能离苦的乐，直到怔悟为至，谢谢仁波切。
Thank you Rinpoche for the teaching of the supreme Vajra Yogini. I would love to have her initiation one day so that VY is the buddha that most suitable in this era that turns our desire and attachment to something good and meaningful. Then, I can do even more and more efficient in supporting others. I have started with offering her tea daily. I will do the basic and foundation first to prepare myself and create the cause for her initiation.
I will also keep the following points closed to myself and keep practising it to develop my compassion.
1) A short summary of that, again is to take your work and do it all the way and never let your work burden other people. Never let your work spill onto other people. Do your work and do extra. Why? Because you are kind, because you are caring, because you are spiritual, because you don’t want other people to suffer.
2) Develop yourself to become someone that people like, people respect, people follow, people listen to and people find happiness to see you. Develop into that person no matter how you were in the past.
All spiritual practice is about developing more compassion and lessening the selfish hence we need to start now. And like Rinpoche said to become an olympic champion you must start right now and not wait the olympics!
We have many many obstacles created by ourselves from many many previous lives. To do good and to benefit others requires tremendous effort from our part because we are not used to doing good, always have been in habituation of thinking about ourselves. Even eating and sleeping we think only of ourselves. When we do Dharma work to benefit others we are essentially turning 180 degress in opposite direction against our negative habituation. There are many obstacles arise to block our progress. Instead of thinking it is difficult and wanting to quit we can follow the advises of Rinpoche because he has so much wisdom and compassion to give advises which will help us to develop our mind to overcome our obstacles. It will be painful because it is treatment of our wound. Therefore thinking of the qualities of our guru, of his kindness and of his compassion we develop gratitude towards our guru.
做每件事情，如果有事前准备，再难的事情也不会困难。我们提早学习金刚瑜伽母的法门，有了基本的知识，当上师传授金刚瑜伽法时，我们就能得心应手了！
谢谢！仁波切的分享。
Holding vows and commitments.
Be honourable and have integrity.
Whatever work or practices you’ve been assigned, do it diligently and happily.
Develop contemplations on the good qualities of one’s lama again and again.
Never give up.
Practice the 8 Verses of Thought Transformation.
Make it a point to get along with everyone or as much as possible & be forgiving.
Study Lam Rim, Wheel of Sharp Weapons, Bodhisattvacha-avatara by Shantideva, Lojong, 50 Verses of Guru Devotion by Ashvagosha.
Commit to one practice that is light and easy yet profound such as Tsongkapa Guru Yoga daily without fail.
Follow your Teacher loyally and all the way.
( will keep that in mind..!! )
Thank You Rinpoche for reminding us.
Regards : Erickksiow
Superb sermon!
非常感谢仁波切与我们分享非常全面的金刚瑜伽母开示，也清楚地解释了我们修行佛法的好处。
我们所做的一切最终都是为了自己，还是不能全然的利益众生。
只要依止仁波切给的指示把它融入在日常生活上，做持修，把自己的本分做好，改变自己而不是等别人先改变。不可以自私的，一旦选择了自私，绝对是换来痛苦的根源‘。们要克服这个难题加以改进。
Dear Rinpoche I have been drawn to your teachings and I come back every so often as in the beginning I truly did not understand how to practice. Even reading here at first I could not rap my head around it, so I thought. Today coming back and reading it more it is starting to be familiar . I maybe taking little steps however I do the short mantra of medicine Buddha everyday. I also printed off some visualizations and instructions from Lama Yeshe lings site and advice from Lama Zopa who initiated me about Five Years ago here in Canada. Course even then it was not clear to me how to practice. As if a block to my thinking would not allow me to know. Then I became too embarrassed to ask questions even to Lama Zopa. It is interesting how one can be so blocked in this life. I can relate. It was as if I was not allowed to do this, even given this chance with a great teacher, that came to Canada. However I stayed for all his teachings even thougt I did not understand , just like I keep coming back to yours. They told me the reason lama Zopa taught into the wee morning hous such as Four am was he was waiting for people to leave that was not ready for the next initiation. I was surprised when people got disappointed in the fact Rinpoche had coughing spells and his English they had difficulty understanding. I only felt reverence and awe at this wonderful beiing. I had had trouble speaking all my life symptoms of autism or as the schools labeled me emotionally disturbed. Language has been difficult for me so sensing the world in other ways was important to me. Not many around me understood me. Even my mentor a former Tibetan Nun misjudged me. And I still have learned so much from her and love her very much. The hurt I feel and yes realize this is for me to heal . Is the shunning of me. From most people even spiritual friends . I love and for no reason I understand can I find for them turning on me. I sent an email to one asking what I can do to heal this , and whatever I may have done to cause this I like to rectify. No answer came back. So reading here today, I realize my practice when I did it it was because I want to help others, even more than myself. I now do mantras , yes to help my heal and anyone who suffers similar to me. This is not selfish my wish to be well to think rationally and be stronger, it is to be well so I can do a better service to others, if this makes sense. So I learn a little at a time, and I truly feel you reach me, each time I come to read I have a better understanding. You are a great teacher Rinpoche, I love the vibrations of your voice as the speak truth and guidance. I also love that you explan for e,sample good and bad regret. The reason for sadness being normal this has helped me today greatly as I let go of areas I cannot help, they are not for me to help. Yet I can do a practice that helps from my side. This is the first time feeling yes I can do Vagrasattva practice and begin right where I am , taking baby steps. Love and Blessings Amala Sheilagh.
Thank you Rinpoche for this valuable advice and i start preparing for get Vajrayogini empowerment since one year, daily preparing my mind for it. But i dont know i will ever get empowerment or not becaz i dont have real connection with any guru in indonesia,where i am residing in.
Rinpoche advice encourage me to keep practicing, one day vajrayogini herself will notice me..
Thank you for your kindness Rinpoche.. I wish you well.._/\_ _/\_ _/\_
Some of the habits and qualities we are developing whilst doing dharma work is probably the ingredients for us to be successful in doing Vajrayogini. If we don’t start now by the time we get the initiation we wont be ready to receive such a powerful yidam like Vajrayogini. Buddhism should be practiced in a correct sequence and order we start by holding vows like refuge first, which helps us mainly to stop creating more negative karma which can hinder our spiritual progress, then next comes the Bodhisattva vows that helps not only to lessen negative karma create but helps us to collect more merits by holding and perfecting how we hold the vows. Hence if we want to be good at anything we have to start early.
Selfishness is our number enemy that prevents us from learning and doing more for others. Death is also certain and is around the corner for many of us. We cant take our material wealth with us at the time of our death. Only the Dharma we have practiced. Also, we can’t be greedy to expect to win the gold medal at the Olympics if we had not trained hard for it. Hence, we can’t receive empowerment to do holy Vajrayogini’s practice if we have not laid the foundation by doing the preparatory practices. Thank you Rinpoche for teaching us in a clear and concise manner on how to prepare ourselves to receive the empowerment.
Selfishness is our number enemy that prevents us from learning and doing more for others. Death is also certain and we cannot take our material wealth with us. Only the Dharma we have practiced. We cannot be greedy to want to win the gold medal at the Olympics if we have not trained hard for it. So we cannot expect to receive empowerment to do Vajrayogini practice if we do not put in effort to do the preparatory practices. Thank you Rinpoche in preparing us for this very sacred practice in a concise yet easy to understand and applicable manner.
Dear Rinpoche,
Millions of thank You for giving us the teachings and methods to start on Vajra Yogini now. Practice the 8 Verses of Thought Transformation will be my daily actions. Hopefully i can change my deluded mind and make ways for Dharma works to benefit many people around me. To give away the attachments is not easy for me now, but i will get a sacred picture of Vajra Yogini and pray to Her that one day, all my attachments will be removed and all problems that come to me can be resolved in a calmly manner.
with folded hands…
Thanks Rinpoche to repost this article and thanks for the translation team to let us can understand clearly for this supreme important article.
According to the article “Start now before you are awarded the Vajra Yogini empowerment by:
Holding vows and commitments.
Be honourable and have integrity.
Whatever work or practices you’ve been assigned, do it diligently and happily.
Develop contemplations on the good qualities of one’s lama again and again.
Never give up.
Practice the 8 Verses of Thought Transformation.
Make it a point to get along with everyone or as much as possible & be forgiving.
Study Lam Rim, Wheel of Sharp Weapons, Bodhisattvacha-avatara by Shantideva, Lojong, 50 Verses of Guru Devotion by Ashvagosha.
Commit to one practice that is light and easy yet profound such as Tsongkapa Guru Yoga daily without fail.
Follow your Teacher loyally and all the way.”
“Then next step:
Engage in the preliminary practices slowly but surely and finish.
Guru Yoga
Vajrasattva
Mandala
Prostrations
Water offerings
35 Confessional Buddhas
Don’t start practice only when you get Vajra Yogini’s empowerment, because you can start now! Prepare for the empowerment immediately by engaging everything I mentioned above. You have Vajra Yogini now. She is everywhere and She is ready for you. If you wish or if your teacher says start, start in this way that I’ve written. Start now. Don’t wait. Nothing happens when we wait. It gets harder the longer we wait.
Obtain a sacred image of Vajra Yogini on your shrine and do all the practices I mentioned ‘directed’ or focused towards Her. All the practices, readings, contemplations use Her as your Universal Buddha. The Buddha that encompasses all Enlightened Beings as your focus. Hence you create powerful affinity with Her this way. So you should be starting now. If you do as I have mentioned, then when you finally receive the Empowerment of Vajra Yogini, you will be READY to practice Her sacred Tantra and reap the results much quicker!! Reap the results quicker because you have prepared for it well and thoroughly. Don’t recieve a sacred empowerment of Vajra Yogini without doing the preparatory practices now when you have the chance.” —- It seen hard for us to start but we should start to do it.
As Pastor Ngeow teaching in Lamrim class, we should aim 100 marks then if we achieve a bit lower we still can tasted the result. Thanks Rinpoche to sharing the 100 marks steps for us, we should do it. Maybe we cant make 100 marks in this life but we may create the cause to continue in our next life.
I like the part “Selfishness is your enemy. People are not your enemy. Selfishness is the thing that brings harm to you. No one bring harm on you except your own selfishness. So if we find doing more for others is difficult, it is not that doing more is difficult for others. Why? Because we are selfish and we are not used to it. Solution? We must fight it. Solution? We must do it. Solution? We must do it until it becomes easy. We have to do it…when it becomes easier to do and we don’t have…we don’t see it as a burden, we don’t see it as a problem, it becomes easier.” It’s so true and Rinpoche is teaching us how to fight for selfishness step by step. There is no other way but fighting against our habits. Just do it. Funny- even just thinking about it, I feel uncomfortable already! – How strong my selfish mind is!
Thank you dearest Rinpoche to repeat again and again and remind us again and again for us to continue pratising Dharma daily. Rinpoche use very practical ways to teach us–the so called “modern, busy” people, so we can understand Dharma easier. We are lucky to have internet so we can receive Rinpoche’s teaching even we are so far away from Rinpoche. Thank you Rinpoche and all the people who work so hard to spread Rinpoche’s teaching to the students around the world.
With regards,
Christine
非常感谢仁波切为我们上载这篇非常全面的金刚瑜伽母开示，非常有启发性，让我顿悟了许多，也清楚地解释了我们修行佛法的好处。
我觉得现在的人都太执着于自己，太专注于自己，导致就连修行的目的都变得自私化。但可悲的是，自私似乎已根深地固地烙印在我们的脑海里，所以我们所做的一切最终目的都是为了自己。我觉得既然我们不能全然地利益众生，那就从无私的最基层做起， 利益身边的亲人吧！就如仁波切所说的，一个桶的水满了，当水往外流时，因连带关系水桶周围自然也会变得湿漉。
就拿我本身的经历来说好了， 在我深入接触佛法工作后，我与家人的相处模式变得更融洽，我们更互相了解，从而减少了磨擦。 就连我那位从来都不信佛的老爸，现在都去买了个大佛像供养在家，有空的时候就念诵心咒。这一切的改变，都是因为他们被仁波切的佛法开示所启发。
Thank you Rinpoche for explaining so clearly about beautiful Vajrayogini and her practice that is so applicable to our situation in this day and age. Her paradise is after all, Kechara. Such a profound teaching. Essential before anyone can even begin to receive the practice and guidance is to first have a Guru and practice devotion to him. May we all have cause to practice Vajrayogini in the future.
感谢仁波切的教诲。
持修金刚瑜伽母看似很难但其实又不难，只要依止仁波切所给的指示把它融入在日常生活上以做持修，就是把自己的本分做好，改变自己而不是等待别人先改变。“分担别人的负担，分担别人的问题”这是我往往忽略的，我会克服这个难题加以改进。
This is a continuation of an earlier post.
The time to start on Vajrayogini’s Practice is NOW.
And here’s the reason why(as given by Rinpoche in an earlier post).
This sacred Vajrayogini Practice, that Rinpoche will confer on those who are ready and qualified, comes from the Gelug Lineage started by Kyabje Pabongkha Rinpoche. The FIRST FOUR GENERATIONS to receive this Lineage’s Vajrayogini Practice in their current lifetimes will attain to the rare and precious attainment of ASCENDING TO KECHARA (VAJRAYOGINI’S) PARADISE WITHIN SEVEN LIFETIMES.Kyabje Pabongkha Rinpoche passed this practice to Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche (our Rinpoche’s Root Guru) received this Practice from Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche(his Root Guru). Our Rinpoche then received this Practice from his Root Guru Kyabje Zong Rinpoche. If we qualify to receive this sacred Vajrayogini’s Practice from Rinpoche in this lifetime and practice it properly all the way, we will be the fourth and LAST GENERATION to attain to Kechara Paradise WITHIN SEVEN LIFETIMES.
Rinpoche has, from the start and for so many years, been pushing and cajoling us to work hard and practice well so as to qualify to receive this Vajrayogini Practice. In fact in the last several years, he has been asking us to start on Vajrayogini Practice NOW.However, most of us have not heeded the urgency of Rinpoche’s advice.
So now, in a case of interdependent arising,we will lose the chance of receiving this Practice because we will lose Rinpoche, if we do not make it our NUMBER ONE MISSION to quickly amass enough money to pay for Kechara Forest Retreat Land, for a start. If we fail,Rinpoche will go to the United States next month, because in the USA, there are many who thirst for Vajrayogini Practice and Rinpoche’s Dharma teachings. Rinpoche cannot sit around and wait for us to be ready for VY practice, while his time runs out to confer it on ready people.
Dear Han Nee, at this crucial juncture in our spiritual career and Kechara’s growth , only action will mean anything.We have to back up whatever we say to create real causes for our Lama and Guru to stay.Spreading and promoting Rinpoche via social media is a key cause in addition to other commitments we had made.We do individually and collectively now and sincerely with substance and from our heart not as an obligation.If a Guru leaves,the blessings are gone.We need blessings because our mind has not fully transformed yet.
Thank you, Rinpoche, for this re-post of Doing the Vajrayogini Practice Now.
Yes, we need to set up a Vajrayogini shrine and start practicing now all the preliminaries and other practices that are given in this post(without skipping any one). Do all practices in front of our Vajrayogini.
We need to start this Practice now, because we don’t know when death will come to us. At death, the only thing that matters is the Dharma that we have in us. Vajrayogini Practice is tailored to suit people of all ages of these degenerate times.Yes, as Rinpoche says, even if we cannot gain enlightenment, we must try to gain mastery over our rebirth. The Vajrayogini practice, ie, the sacred Vajrayogini Tantra, if practiced thoroughly, will ensure our taking rebirth where we want to be.
Vajrayogini Practice/Dharma Practice is more than reciting mantras and making offerings to the THree Jewels.Dharma practice is transforming and becoming less and less selfish, until we become truly spiritual when we have become completely selfless. When we get along with people, when we forgive easily, when we do our work well and even take on others’ burden and problems from them,when we strive to make others happy, then we become nice people whom people will like to be with and whom people will respect. We will then become a source of inspiration and positive influence on others. Rinpoche has shown this to us most effectively by his personal example, how we can give happiness to others and thus become such an inspiration to others..
This article re-posted here serves as a reminder to us to make continuous prayers and aspirations to receive Vajrayogini practice in the future or to make a connection to her in future lives. Reading this article again refreshes my mind on what we are required in our practise.
I would like to thank Rinpoche very much for giving us the opportunity to practice this wonderful and powerful teaching. I am really grateful that Rinpoche gave us this chance to make a strong connection with Vajrayogini.
Dear Rinpoche, thank you for the sharing on preliminary practices. At the moment, I’ve started a water offering retreat together with my housemates, Adeline and Gim Lee. Today is the fourth day and so far we have offered about 4000 bowls of water. I’d like to thank Rinpoche for giving us the blessings to do this retreat which is part of the preliminary practices. It is a wonderful learning experience and I’m very happy to have embarked on it.
For a higher Tantric deity, she is relatively simple – with just a single face, 2 arms and 2 legs. We are indeed very fortunate to be able to see and have this golden opportunity to create this powerful affinity with this Buddha. She is simple not because she is a lower deity but she is simple because the commitments to her practice and the length of her sadhana is simpler than other Buddhas of her class. She also manifestes to overcome desire, which is principle delusion of our existence. Hence, for that reason, Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche recommends this practice for true practitioners of our time.
I must confess I didn’t think much of Vajrayogini when I first came in Kechara. But once, I learnt more and more about how effective her meditations are, I have steadily gained more and more faith in her. I like the fact that her practice allows us to transform sleeping and waking into a powerful meditational practice. We spend so much of our time sleeping and its great that we can transform it into a meritorious act.
很多人都觉得灵修不过是持颂六字大明咒，进行冥想或对佛做供养，这些只不过是帮助我们学习的副修持法，它并不是真正的灵修。真正的灵修应该是把难题都往身上摆。你把难走的路留给自己，康庄大道都留给他人。如果你选择自私，你不学习灵修，你只会为自己带来更多的恶因来伤害自己与他人。~ 詹杜固仁波切
在灵修的路上，心情的波折起落都是自己心识不稳定作祟，仁波切的这篇教诲，提醒了我修行佛法，不可拥有稍微的自私，一旦选择了自私，长远绝对也是换来痛苦。。。切记！切记！
谢谢你的分享。但是谁没有私心？我们唯有时刻提醒自己，修行的目的是为了利益衆生。一旦乖离了这个大方向，我们就会难以脱离无边的苦海。
What can I said while I in the middle reading this post. I feel so moved by Rinpoche and Vajrayogini compassion. The compassion come from pure motivation make me feel more guilty and always got not do enough this kind of feeling.
Honestly, I like Vajrayogini very much. I seem her as my old mother who always take care and protect me no matter where I am, no matter what become. This old mother still love me and care about me.
Of course I truly hoping can gain her practice through Rinpoche blessing. So I need to do more to open this good karma then I can gain her practice, I don’t mind to wait:)
Thank you Rinpoche for the excellent post, the explanation is very detail and easy for us to start practicing. Thank you for creating the cause for us to meet Vajrayogini.
Very excited to learn more and having the great opportunity making offering and prayers to Vajrayogini, may everyone ascend to her haven in this life time
Thank you again Rinpoche for another excellent teaching related to the importance of Vajrayogini practice. I rejoice that you will be giving the empowerment, commentary and leading retreats. How wonderful, how marvelous as one of my teachers would say.
I wish you well, and include you in my prayers and dedications for a long life. You have a wonderful teaching style, and I wish you continue to benefit others sentient beings through Kechara.
graciously,
-Sangpo /
Hi, I have just surfed my way to your website and I am very excited by what I read. I am almost 60 yo and have just come to live in Malaysia (Penang) to retire. I am new to Buddhism, have only been practising for less than 1 year, but from what I read I think that Varja Yogini might be for me! But I don’t have a teacher yet, how can I get started?
Thank you for this posting Rinpoche, which I stumbled upon. I’m in a different lineage than you but this is universal advice which applies to anyone approaching the deity and practice with the intention to awaken. I saw you as Vajrayogini speaking to me directly. May you live long and help many many beings.
Dear Pema,
Thank you for your comments. I can feel they are from your heart and deep within you hence I appreciate them very much. Yes, the advice here is for anyone serious on practice and or Vajra Yogini. I wish you tremendous good fortune and success in your practice. Good luck. Tsem Rinpoche
Thank you for everything Rinpoche. I have no Gelug guru; I wish I can be your student. I am now practising Guru Yoga from Lama Zopa’s book. I will follow what you have taught faithfully.
As a Vajrayana practitioner, do you not partake of meat at vajra feasts? I am a great admirer of the late Kalu Rinpoche. Now in Sukumvati. He was very clear on this subject. On page 124-125 in his book, “Foundations of Tibetan Buddhism”,… he goes through the root Vajrayana downfalls. Let me please share downfall #13: “The thirteen root downfall concerns our attitude and approach to tantric practice and tantric ritual. If we are participating in a ganachakra or vajra feast, where ritual use of meat and alcohol is made, and we abstain from one of the other of these on the grounds that it is impure or that it is contrary to our convictions and principles, then we have failed to appreciate the view of tantra which attempts to transcend purity and impurity, attempts to transcend dualistic thinking, and we have failed to appreciate and take part in the spirit of that tantric transformation process. To indulge in this kind of superficial, dualistic clinging to appearances during the course of a tantric ritual is to commit the 13th root downfall and to go against the spirit of our tantric practice.”–(from a facebook comments post)
During tantric rituals, a tiny bit of meat, must be had for the greater view and greater good..which is to overcome clinging…but what I am talking about is daily consumption of meat…steaks, fried chicken, pork chops, leg of lamb, turtle soup, sharksfin, duck, rabbit stew, frog legs, clams, seafood chowder, sushi, and all the other animals slaughtered daily for our taste buds…. If we give up all meat eating and meat consumption then let’s talk about tsok meat. HH Kyabje Zong Rinpoche mentioned in Los Angeles, we can take some tsampa and put a few drops of alcohol on it in place of meat when we cannot get it for tsok…..that can be used for meat. In Tibet Kyabje Zong Rinpoche would do that. Tsem Rinpoche
and i will resume Vajrasattva practice very soon!! thankyou Rinpoche.x
Thankyou Rinpoche,just as you suggested i view her as the Universal Buddha and she is helping me and others enormously! xandy
I need to practise vajra yohini
From my studies and meditations, I see Vajrayogini as the version in tibetan buddism of Shakti/Kundalini from indian spirituality (tantric shaktism), she is the feminine principle in a buddha/dakini form.
I found a similar point of view here http://www.vajra-yogini.org/home/108-vajrayogini-an-introduction.html
Dear Rimpoche: Thank you for your immeasurable kindness, your kindness towards all sentient beings is unequaled. This short, yet so profound, teaching on our Lady of Bliss has really hit the core of my heart! Such delightful Dharma! It was an electric shock to my core. To apply dharma to every day activities; to live the dharma; not to get angry at others; not to show black face; Your words accompany me every day (via my ipod) I have learned a lot from you and I’m so thankful! Your efforts in spreading the dharma in Malasia are closely followed by me here in the US as I try new things (I copy some of your ideas:) for our center here in the DC area…
Every minute of every teaching I have listened from you is like Refined Gold and I long to meet you some day!!!
MAY YOU LIVE LONG!!!
[…] 最近，仁波切也鼓励大家进行高阶女佛金刚瑜伽母的修持。越贪婪及疯狂的世界，金刚瑜伽母的力量就越大。仁波切曾详细解释如何修持前行，为自己领受高阶修持做好准备。 […]
Why do these tremendous amounts of High Quality Dharma stream into me while all I do is sit in my room at my parents and watch famous buddhist teachers on YouTube Videos?
It is as if all Dharma is my OWN property simply coming back to me, as if the police is coming around bringing back my stolen Rolls Royce from the last incarnation. This is mindblowing… but not blowing MY mind, for real
I had a mind that was never mine, but put on like a role by me as an karmic actor…
Sounds psychedelic, doesn’t it?
Dearest Tsem Tulku in my heart,
I am kind of confused concerning my precious Vadjra Yoghini practice, as I am not doing it the way you tell us to. I would like to do the simple Lama Tsongkapa practice, but I don’t have the mantra. So what I do is to listen to your precious vadjra Yoghini videos every day, and use just the name of VADJRA YOGHINI in repitition while visualizing her over myself and others at the same time (which is very effective from my point of view!!!). The other thing I miss is a Vadjra Yoghini Statue. But I am not very flexible I want the VERY best statue I can get, to spread her blessing all around the place. But to be honest, I can’t afford one of the stone ones. So I ask myself: Shall I overdraw my account even more? Probably I am just obsessed by surrounding myself with precious things! If I could only be clear…
LOVE.
[…] statues offered by Datuk MayMenlha (Medicine Buddha) practiceInviting 4ft Long Life Lama TsongkhapaStarting On Vajra Yogini NOW!Questions on GhostsThe Beginning….A Special Setrap MeditationCar BuddhaWhat are pujas about….do […]
We are very lucky Tsem Rinpoche is around to give preparations and Dharma teachings to prepare his students before the great empowerment of Vajrayogini. I have known of many centres and friends that have received from Lamas in these centres. It is very good. They are very lucky. Some of them do not have to do Sadhanas too. And even some don’t have to chant long mantras as commit ments. And do not get full teachings. The difference why I say there is difference in Tsem Rinpoche in giving Vajrayogini Initiations is that he sees that you are really prepared for it. By making preliminary practices and that you fully understand the practice well. All of you who are Tsem Rinpoche’s students please do not miss the chance of taking Vajrayogini Initiation from Rinpoche as you will never get a Tantra Guru like him ever.
[…] 2010年7月1日 星期四 上午7:56 评论暂缺 上个星期天，苏舒美根据尊贵的詹杜固仁波切的教诲（更多详情，请点击仁波切的博客），主办了一项关于金刚瑜伽母修行的课程。 […]
[…] 仁波切耗费很长的时间写网志，跟世界各地的人分享他的想法。他在网上讨论的议题非常多元—从佛法、不明飞行物、琼里弗斯（Joan Rivers）、拯救鲸鱼、轮回转世、金刚瑜珈母到赠礼……不一而足。 […]
[…] 我则透过仁波切博客上的相关文章，跟他们分享至尊者帕绷喀仁波切及至尊赤江仁波切的生平事迹。我也会跟大家分享我喜欢的仁波切的文章—立即开始修行金刚瑜伽母的修持。 […]
thanks for the video its a great inspirational video. its a great work of achiving peace both to us and others ..thankx for the unlimitless loving kindness toward all saint being….thanks for this inspirational video and heart felt and touching times that rimpochae had ..
thanks
Thank you Rinpoche for teaching us the basic etiquette of being a good person and a qualified Buddhist. And thank you Rinpoche for revealing the way for training up ourselves to be prepare for higher practice.
Hi David,
Thank you so much for the description on how Lama Tsongkhapa can transform to Vajrayogini, on top of what Rinpoche has mentioned in the youtube above.
Ribuan terima kasih.
We are so fortunate that Rinpoche is preparing us for Vajrayogini initiation and we must create the cause now for us to get the initiation when the time comes. Thank you, Rinpoche, for making the sacred Vajrayogini practice available to us and giving a detailed explanation.
Thank you, David and Jamie for your write up on what Rinpoche taught and explained and makes it easier for us to understand. I have printed out the write-up so that I can read it over and over again.
May we all have the merits to ascend to Kechara Paradise!!!!
hhhm.. years back i had a vivid dream of walking up steps to a monastery on a highland then i entered to a room where a lama with hair style like Tsem Rinpoche told me that my ordination name is Heruka. Was that you Tsem Rinpoche ? What is that supposed to mean ?
From the first time i saw and know about Vajrayogini at my father’s Guru’s monastery when i was 12, i was quite attracted to Her and the Mahakala statue. I have no idea why. But it was due to Rinpoche’s explanation that i realized why. After the Nepal trip, whenever i gaze about Vajrayogini and think about Rinpoche’s explainations sometimes i’d cry.
I am so lucky to be able to be reconnected to Her lineage and practice in this life and I will create the causes to receive Her practice from Rinpoche based on what Rinpoche has written here, especially on getting along with people and doing assignments as well as Guru Devotion. I’m not going to wait anymore but am starting now to get along with people that i’d find difficult to get along with. Because i do aspire to practice her.
When I first saw Vajrayogini in my sister’s house, I thought she looked like a vampire and I thought Oh no my sister’s join a Cult! But slowly I connected with Rinpoche, learn about Vajrayana Buddhism and it just awed me that there is so much to learn and when Rinpoche explained to us who is Vajrayogini… I totally fell inlove!
We are so fortunate to be able to receive this precious highest of the high teaching about Holy Vajrayogini. Usually it is a secret and you will not hear or even see Vajrayogini unless you are initiated. Rinpoche is so kind to give us this open opportunity and blessings for us to know and hear about Vajrayogini so that we plant the seed to receive Her in the future. To start creating the connection with her and to aspire to one day be qualified to get her initiation and this does not come lightly as Rinpoche has mentioned many many times, Her practice is very very sacred and precious. Imagine within just 7 life times you can ascend in to Kechara Paradise – Vajrayogini’s pure land where you can receive the Dharma from Vajrayogini herself!!! Amazing! As we degenerate more and more in to the Kaliyuga age, Vajrayogini practice becomes more and more powerful to help us conquer our hard and difficult delusions and heavy negative karma.
The question regarding the connection between Vajrayogini and Tsongkhapa did come into my mind before. Now I can see the connection. Vajrayogini is Lama Tsongkhapa’s tantric yidam and those who is initiated into the practice must keep it secret and not go around telling people.
I have yet to read the Short Path to Great Bliss but just the title itself is so promising that it’s possible for us to go to a better place to practice the Dharma which is Kechara Paradise.
I see now that every single small thing that Rinpoche instruct a student to do is to eventually lead him/her to be initiated into the Vajrayogini tantra. I certainly would not want to miss this chance of missing this boat and stay in samsara.
Rinpoche has targeted and determined that the best Yidam for all the lay people in Kechara to be Vajrayogini. This article contains a lot of the guideline on how Kecharians can start on Vajrayogini practice today, even before we take on the Vajrayogini initiation and how we can direct our practice in relations to Vajrayogini STARTING RIGHT NOW. At the same time there are also two commentaries from Rinpoche in the form of videos. Jamie and David has also commented about this intense and beneficial blog about how to start Vajrayogini starting right now. We all should have our own statue of Vajrayogini and do practices mentioned in the guidelines in relations to her.
Rinpoche has made the sacred practice of Vajrayogini so accessible to all in this blog. There are not much guidance or info out there which helps people to START the practice at a level we can do and progresssing from there. Most are only interested in attending Empowerments without having prepared to receive it.Rinpoche is guiding us to VY’s mandala in a most meaningful way.
David & Paris, you are so kind to write down the oral transmission and explanation from Rinpoche so that everyone can understand and benefit.
I am also pleasantly surprised that many people that are new to Vajrayana and its many deities
(which are a departure from the popular forms )seem to have affinity with Vajrayogini.They also find the explanation of her iconography very meaningful and easy to develop faith in the Diamond lady even if it was their first introduction
Besides the fact that Vajrayogini looks AMAZING, mysterious, her path leading us to enlightenment portrayed in a mind blowing form… Why do we want to receive Vajrayogini? Cos we fancy getting initiations and covert for blessings? Cos Vajrayogini looks so exotic? Cos we want to control our death and rebirth? Rinpoche recently debated with a group of us on receiving tantric initiations such as holy Vajrayogini. Does receiving Vajrayogini initiation alone guarantees that we will be able to control our next rebirth? NO!
The logic behind is we are to hold our refuge, Bodhisattva and tantric vows well..it is these vows which stalls us from committing further negativity due to our deluded state of mind and lifetimes of habituations. It is us stopping our negativity which will result in us controlling every aspect of our mind, including death and rebirth. On the basis of this logic, it is clear that it is MANDATORY and CRITICAL for us to transform our negative habituations which will fuel us to engage in positive actions, ultimately attaining the essence of Vajrayogini. NO SHORT CUT DEARIES!
Rinpoche has listed out all that needs to be done to prepare us…else what’s the point of receiving Vajrayogini. May I have the fortune and be ready to receive holy Vajrayogini from Rinpoche who is one with her in nature.
I remembered the first time I saw VY and it frighten the life out of me. All red and with fangs! What sort of Buddha is this!! But with Rinpoche’s explaination, I began to understand the significance of her. Thank you Rinpoche.
May we have the merits to practice her in the future and ascend to Kechara Paradise.
Noted. Thank you, and I look forward to your essay!
I will post up about Gyalwa Gyatso in the near future as I have planned it already.
thanks..
Tsem Tulku
H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche combined all the techniques taught by Lama Tsongkapa on the secret Teachings of Vajra Yogini. He brought it together, practiced and accomplished it, fromt there passed it to his many disciples. In that way the lineage of Vajra Yogini came through Pabongka Rinpoche, then his disciples and to the many people today. Again it was solely through the compassion and efforts of Pabongka Rinpoche that Vajra Yogini’s lineage is strong and filled with blessings today.
Tsem Tulku
At the feet of the Lord of Lords, Kyabje Pabongka Dorje Chang, whome upon first sight, my faith kindled very strongly in you. May I never be seperated from you in this life and all lives.
Question: One of the Buddha images on TTR’s site depicts Gyalwa Gyatso as a white, two-armed Avalokiteshvara in tantric union with his consort, apparently Vajrayogini.
Do I understand this correctly? There is little information on the internet about Gyalwa Gyatso, and what little there is is quite confusing. For example, some sources identify him with Red Avalokiteshvara (even though in TTR’s version he is white, but his consort is red). FPMT material identifies this as a highest yoga tantra, while a talk by the Dalai Lama mentions several variant traditions of interpretation.
And most importantly–what, in a nutshell, does Gyalwa Gyatso stand for (beyond those features common to all Buddhas and bodhisattvas)?
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for your kindness to impart and encourage us in getting ready for the Vajra Yogini empowerment.
Last Sunday, Mr Ngeow came to KSJC to share with us on the Intro on Vajra Yogini practice. He also explained the importance to engage in the preliminary practices for purification and gain enough merits. After thinking about it for the last few days, I feel how wrong am I to take too lightly and been impatience with my 6 preliminary practices. Now I have a clear understanding why the preliminary practices will help us to have a better chance to engage in Vajra Yogini practice. Thank you for your kind reminder – before we learn to fly, we need to take baby steps first.
Dear Rinpoche, thanks for explaining and preparing my mind before taking an initiation or empowerment, this has enlighten me and made me understand what i need to do or prepare myself to qualify before receiving one, especially like Vajrayogini.
Thanks for the clear explaination on how Lama Tsongkhapa transforms into Mother Vajrayogini, the essence of Her practice and the teachings of becoming selflessness. Tenzin Thokpa will keep this transformative teaching at heart and will start the 6 preliminaries practices to build the foundations to receive this powerful tantric practice.
You are truely my root guru. Thanks for accepting me as your student and looking after my next and future rebirths.
Tashi Delek 🙂
Thank you Rinpoche for making everything so clear cut. A to-do list for entry into Kechara Paradise. No need to argue, no need to debate. No time wasted.
I have to take responsibility for my own actions or inactions.
No one to blame. I can’t even claim ignorance anymore.
Nice thing is that I can even start to tick off some of the items in the list now. That gives me slight confidence that it’s doable. It’s trackable.
A million thanks 🙂
Tks Mr Ngeow for his effort to brief us about Vajrayogini, it’s a long session about 5 hours. This is also the first time my mum (SOH CHENG GUAT, 73 yrs old) joined us, she is very happy and she finally able to accept our Guru’s teaching after almost 2 years times. She even requested to place a Lama Tsongkhapa poster in her room. Hopes to learn more dharma teachings from our Guru.
Thank you and best regards.
Previously I heard of Vajrayogini but not so much intro about her.But today Lamrin class in KSJC we had learned a lot about this mystical lady.Tks to our Mr.Ngeow,David Lai,Paris & ShirleyMaya for their effort.It’s really helpful and broaden our knowledge about her.
TQ,
🙂
My mother and me would like to thank Mr Ngeow for introducing the introduction to VAJRAYOGINI practice to KSJS and a session on Lamrin too. We hope that we have the merit and affinety to pracitce it in the future.Thank you Rinpoche to allow us to understand more on Tantra practice.
Dear Rinpoche,
I felt pleasure to receive the introduction about the Varja yogini which presented by Mr Ngeow, I have more understand the iconography & symbolism of Varja Yogini. I felt happy i have connection with Varja Yogini in this life. I am appreciated Mr Ngeow far away from K.L to Johor which to benefit Johor region students ( KSJC , Batu Pahat Study , Singapore Group ) Thank you !
Thank you Mr Ngeow all the way from kl to ksjc for the introductn of Vajrayogini practice . I decided to invite a statue immediately
to add on to my alter. Thank you Rinpoche to allow us to know more about Vajrayogini practice.
Dear Rinpoche,
i felt very happy can know more about varjayogini. from the introduction, it make me understand the connection between her and Lama Tsongkhapa which we always think buddha is different due to the form.i hope can receive more informations about varjayogini.
My sister Leu Nyok Lin wish that we all can be in Kechara Paradise.
My Brother Leu Chong Hin very happy to receive the sharing and great that he did not miss today’s valuable session.
Dear Rinpoche,
i would like to say thank you to Mr.Ngeow for coming down to KSJC to share with us the varjayogini’s practice.it make me more clear about this buddha. i’m very happy.
thank you.
Thank you Rinpoche for sending Mr Ngeow to have a briefing regarding
Vajrayogini introduction.It gave me opportunity to understand more
about Vajrayogini practice.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thanks Mr Ngeow for the teaching of practising Vajrayogini.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you very much for encouraging us to practise Vajrayogini practice. What I only understand is Vajrayogini is a very powerful deity. Without wasting time I shall go ahead and do the preliminary practice. Thank you for your great compassion and care for us.
Love,
Uncle Lai
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank You for recommending and preparing me to take Vajrayogini initiation when I first met you. If you had not prepared me in the early years, I would not be able to understand how precious Vajrayogini Practice is now.
Like what David and Jamie have said in their comments, yes, this practice is simple compared with other Deity Practices. Vajrayogini Practice guarantees our next life if we practise seriously with commitments.
Dear Rinpoche,
With such a heaven-sent opportunity, what is there some more to wait, but rather to start off immediately with the practice of the sacred Vajrayogini Tantra, as directed by our kind Guru!
Thank You Rinpoche, for having such confidence in us.
Dear Rinpoche,thank you for having so much compassion for us.
Thank you, your writing is very beneficial!
Now, you tell me if spirituality and real life sound so similar or if they are based on the same principles? Are they not relevant to our daily life, to our world?
In truth, spirituality is life and life is spirituality. We cannot separate them apart. The spirit in us is what makes our lives worth living. Personally, I’ve always believed that spirituality is what makes life.
The foundation of all good qualities begins and ends with spirituality.
So, no matter what religion you are, or profession you are, or whichever school of Buddhism you hail from – commit and go all the way. Invest in crafting the better version of yourself and not be content with the lousy version of yourself. Because you can surely do better. Yes, you can. We all can!
A hero does not become a hero over-night. A hero certainly does not become a hero by being lazy, taking walks in the parks, and take it easy and giving up every time he or she feels like it.
A real hero becomes great by going through everything and rising above – through thick and thin.
Any zero can become a hero. Anyone can do it. You can too. So, what are you waiting for?
Start now, with practising Lama Tsongkapa…yes, right now, from where you are.
Most people think that all these practices do not relate to them, or are even relevant to their lives. Now, I shall attempt to walk through this and make that connection for all of us to see how much it does relate to our daily lives, and just how relevant this is all to our world today.
1. Holding vows and commitments
Do you seriously think the above statement only applies to just the spiritual seekers/practitioners, nuns and monks? Really?
So, you think average normal folks like you and me would be forgiven if we are “loose” in keeping our promises, words and commitments? I don’t think so.
In our every day life, we have to uphold our end of the bargain in order to gain trust, respect and build credibility – be it in our personal or professional lives. The very word, integrity stems from here. Would you trust anyone who does not keep their promises and commitments well, or at all? Hence, what works in life will really work in all aspects of life. It is not hocus pocus or magic and spells. This is what constitutes good moral behaviour. At the very least, honourable.
So, if we can’t even do this well at our own very basic level – how do we expect to rise to a higher level? It does not matter what is it that you are doing and which ever religious background or Buddhism school you are from, or even what age and gender you are. These basic good principles of life apply to us all. It is universal. Where we apply them, is entirely up to you. But I am willing to bet that all schools – religious, spiritual, academic and professional will preach the same things, if not advocate the very same things.
At the end of the day, to be recognised and applauded as an individual of integrity, honour and trust – we would have to invest real time and effort in building a track record of keeping our words, promises and commitments to all around us – at work, at home, or at play.
Otherwise, we would have no friends, and our families would probably want to disown us as well. And most likely, we would not be able to find a job anywhere at all.
However, in the spiritual path, we take that to the highest level, because we do it for a higher purpose. So, imagine holding our promises, words and commitments in our daily life very well and multiply that by 100. Because we want to better ourselves to be of benefit to all around us, in the highest sense. Hence, we push ourselves to go beyond. And when we can do that well, then we have begun to gain true mastery over ourselves in stage one.
This is why our Guru pushes all our buttons and gives us all kinds of crazy things to do. But in the end, we will understand what it is all about. We will realize that the Guru is truly just transforming us, training us in order to bring out the best of us. In this way, we benefit and those around us will also benefit from us being much better – everyone is happy.
In the same vein, it is imperative to respect and honour our fellow Dharma brothers and sisters, especially the Liasion Council members. They are our Sangha. They are the ones who make everything run like clock work in our centers, monasteries, offices, etc. For those at work, your Sangha is your work colleagues. For those at home, your Sangha is your family. Without any of them, our lives would be very miserable. We need everyone’s help to get things done. We can’t do everything by ourselves. Hence, the Sangha is representative of the community in which we all belong to. And yes, in life, we may have several different types of Sangha – for work, for play, for home and for the spiritual.
So, IF we can’t even uphold these two basic principles well, then it is very likely that we can’t possibly be ready for anything much more. It is as simple as that.
2. Be honourable and have integrity
I believe this is self-explanatory.
When we can uphold everything we promised that we will do, then we will exhibit honour and integrity within us. One good deed leads us to better ones, then we rise to a higher stage or level.
It is no different in the workplace, or any other place, for that matter. Which Boss do you know of will promote someone who has consistently shown a lack of commitments, absence of honour and zero integrity? Would you entrust someone who can’t do the simple tasks more important work to do? Come on, you would not even date someone like this! Don’t even have to talk about marriage! Defies logic, doesn’t it?
Whatever work or practices you’ve been assigned, do it diligently and happily.
3. Be happy with what we have been given to do. Because we get to prove ourselves in doing those tasks well.
We can’t even walk properly yet, so don’t be so hasty or impatient to want to test those running shoes just yet. Better stop flapping our arms and think that we can fly right now. Not just yet, ok. Focus on what we have infront of us and complete them to the best of our abilities. Master those at hand first, then we can ascend to the next stage.
Does this sound so alien to any part of our real life? It is the same things we teach our kids. So, why are we, the adults, not doing them? This is nothing new. We know this. But doing is completely different from knowing. So, you just have got to be honest with yourself and ask yourself, why you are still not doing it?
4. Develop contemplations on the good qualities of one’s lama again and again
Many people read this and assume that you are giving up their entire control and life over to one man, i.e. their Guru and they can’t handle that. Many people also wrongly assume that the Lama or Guru is ego-centric and just wants to be worshipped in every way.
Let’s cut the fluff from the truth, shall we?
At this very moment – every one of you working for a BOSS is already giving your life over to that one person. He or She determines your life’s monthly salary, where you sit at work and what type of job you would be doing. For some, even what clothes you have to wear to work. The only thing you tell yourself is that you will tolerate all your Boss’s crap is because at the end of the month, you get paid.
In the spiritual path, or rather, in the Varjayana path, the Guru is everything because HE is the LIVING TRANSMISSION of all the ancient wisdom passed down from one generation to another, forming an unbroken lineage which can be traced all way to the original source: Buddha.
Contemplating on our Guru’s or Lama’s good qualities again and again is to cultivate the sense of GRATITUDE within our hearts. This is the very first step in learning the meaning of THANKFULNESS. If we can’t even be grateful to our teacher, Guru or Lama, how in the world are we going to learn to be thankful and appreciative of anyone else? Please think about this carefully.
Believe me when I say, our teachers, Gurus and Lamas do not need us to propitiate him in any way. HE is there because he cares about our well-being so much that HE takes it upon himself to make us into a better person – despite how “damaged, ugly and broken” we are.
So, the day tears start to flow down your face when you think of your teacher, Guru or Lama – that is when you truly know that your heart has blossomed into a flower named, GRATITUDE. That is the day you will be able to give and receive thankfulness from all around you.
5. Never give up
Let me just repeat that again – NEVER GIVE UP!!!!
No matter how lousy or bad we were, if we give up now – yes, we have sealed ourselves into that casket of losers. Do we really want that? Especially when there is a way out and we can even become a WINNER in the end.
So, don’t every give up on yourself. If you do, you will always be running away and hiding from your true self. People who give up are people who do not understand the real meaning of love and life. They do not love themselves and they certainly do not understand life. I can talk, because I was a PHD Holder of “Giving up all the time”. Is it any wonder that I could give up everything and everyone in my life? I did not know how to value anything or anyone in the past. Yes, it is sad.
So, I say it again – NEVER GIVE UP.
Learn to love yourself better by actually doing better and becoming better. Then, you will know how to love others and yourself in the right way.
Here, I am going to insert another word for you: PERSEVERE because you are worth every drop of your blood, sweat and tears. So, YOU do it.
6. Practice the 8 Verses of Thought Transformation
The Eight Verses of Thought Transformation teaches us about compassion. In Buddhism especially, compassion is the key to start and great compassion is the ultimate goal. We cannot start until we have some sympathy or empathy for someone else. If we only have indifference, then our world would be a very different place. Hence, compassion is crucial in every religion, every aspect of life. Starting from our mothers to everyone around us. In 8 Verses, every verse teaches us how to arrest, manage and overcome our ‘unhealthy’ or negative thoughts so that we can remain calm, collected, loving and kind. Above all, with clarity and courage. I would strongly encourage everyone to read the 8 Verses.
In today’s context, we can easily identify with the word: LOVE, because compassion has been over-identified with religion. So, it is no different love or compassion. They are one and the same. Yes. LOVING KINDNESS.
We begin with love so that we can end with love.
7. Make it a point to get along with everyone or as much as possible & be forgiving
In life, if we do not get along with the people around us and be more forgiving, how do you think our lives will turn out? Will we suffer or cause others to suffer, or both?
In fact, we do have to make it a point to get along with everyone because it is the most beneficial thing to do – no one gets hurt, including ourselves and everyone is happy.
When we are forgiving, we do not need to be burdened with so many unpleasant thoughts and feelings. We will unload all our garbage and mess, and move onto better pastures.
Hence, again, this is applicable everywhere – be it in our family life, home life, friendship circles, work places, or schools and etc.
Peace begins with mutual friendship and forgiveness. Period
8. Study Lam Rim, Wheel of Sharp Weapons, Bodhisattvacha-avatara by Shantideva, Lojong, 50 Verses of Guru Devotion by Ashvagosha
Yes, these are all famous and important Buddhist texts. However, if Buddhism isn’t your faith, then you can surely invest your time in reading pertinent texts or books that will help you in understanding your faith much better. And you should. WE should all learn up and study on things that will strengthen our knowledge and understanding. Because until we really understand, there is always room for doubts and confusion. Doubts and confusions are like robbers of your sanity and clarity. So, they are not ‘healthy’ for our true progress in life.
Real progress comes when we have gained insights and realizations. These are things which you will know once you have experienced it because the results from such realizations will arise. They are undeniable.
Until then, we can only be “works-in-progress”. Hence, we read up on real works of highly attained Gurus and Teachers who have truly mastered the art of PROGRESS.
9. Commit to one practice that is light and easy yet profound such as Tsongkapa Guru Yoga daily without fail
I say it again here – before we learn to fly, we need to take baby steps first. So, we start with something easier and just focus on that. Easy does not mean it is not significant/important/valuable.
Tsongkapa Guru Yoga is most profound and is easy to practice because it is made for “Samsaric Addicts” like us. Meaning, we can’t even keep one little vow or promise or even do one practice well, then we can definitely not undertake any more. If we do, we are likely to break more vows or promises. So, what good will that do for us or for our practice?
This is why we start with baby steps and do them well first and foremost.
This is also why our Guru suggests something light, easy and yet profound like Lama Tsongkapa for all of us beginners so that when we have mastered this, we will be ready for something much more. Above all, we will not be breaking any vows or promises in the whole process.
Do not set ourselves for failure by undertaking too much. So, start with what we can handle and we will gain confidence in ourselves, as well as, see the results arise from doing those practices well.
10. Follow your Teacher loyally and all the way
I have a very simple question for all of you here – would you want your spouse to be faithful to you all the way, or would you want your spouse to just follow anyone and have no idea what loyalty means?
Is it any wonder why the same principle applies here?
If we do not follow our Teacher loyally and all the way, then how do we truly learn and progress? Can a student learn well if he or she keeps jumping from one school to another, or one class to another? Who can keep track of the student’s real progress then? Who shall bear the real responsibility in caring for this student then? You get my drift.We all know that learning is, essentially, a nurturing process. It is not “cut and paste” or “touch and go”. When a Teacher takes you on, he bears the sole responsibility in caring for your well-being, and your understanding, and ultimately, your progress.
No Teacher can educate a student who keeps running around from one place to another. No student can really learn or master anything when he or she is so busy hopping around.
It is the same when we were studying in schools, colleges and it is the same when we are working in our companies. I have yet to see an employee of any organization gain real experience and promotion if he or she runs off from one company to another.
Simply put, it does not pay to hop around. We will gain nothing from it, but would have wasted all our precious time.
Loyalty is one of the most important virtues that we cherish. Hence, if we demand it from others, we should be the ones giving it to others as well. Most of all, to our Teachers, care-providers and loved ones.
Now, how does practising Lama Tsongkapa lead us to Vajrayogini? Please allow me to share what Rinpoche explained to us – yes, you are getting it straight from the Buddha’s mouth…
Lama Tsongkapa will transform later, starting with his Hat.
Lama Tsongkapa’s hat will turn black and into hair. Lama Tsongkapa’s face will turn into three eyes, with ears and fangs.
Lama Tsongkapa’s complete attainments over the four maras will turn into the four fangs of Vajrayogini. Two lower, and two upper.
Lama Tsongkapa’s complete clairvoyance and omniscience over the three lower realms will transform into the third eye of Vajrayogini.
Lama Tsongkapa’s complete subjugation of his desires, attachments and his sexual desires and attachments, will transform his body from WHITE to RED.
Lama Tsongkapa’s complete, overwhelming and over-coming of renunciation, means he has completely renounced – will turn into the “ritual chopper” of Vajrayogini – the KNIFE.
Then Lama Tsongkapa having attained great bliss, and great happiness – the happiness that cannot be moved, and that is not controlled by karma, situation, environment, and geography -that symbol of him attaining great bliss and great happiness of the Buddha, unchanging – will turn into a skull cup filled with intestines and blood.
Then Lama Tsongkapa wishing to give you a higher path, controlling your winds and your energies and channels, will transform into his left arm instead of the Dharmachakra mudra, will go up into the sky and point to Vajrayogini.
Then Lama Tsongkapa’s extreme compassion, bodhichitta and great love for you, and his vow not to give up on sentient beings will transform his face – instead of looking at you, his face will look up to Kechara Heaven – his face becomes the face of a RED FEMALE.
Then Lama Tsongkapa’s extreme wish to nurture sentient beings, to teach them the Dharma, to emanate, to take on the Rupakaya form, Nirmakaya form, to take on Tulku forms, emanations, to teach, to turn the Wheel of Dharma, that great love and need and want to help you, will turn into the two breasts of Vajrayogini. Because breasts – the ladies’ breasts – is why we are all here, and we’re healthy. Because it’s filled with vitamins and nutrients. Like that, Vajrayogini’s breasts are filled with emptiness, bodhichitta and Dharma. And when you suckle on her breasts, symbolically, you will become a Buddha.
And then, Lama Tsongkapa showing you the abandonment of the 8 worldly Dharmas – he doesn’t want fame, or praise, or compliments. He doesn’t want any of the 8 worldly Dharmas. His complete abandonment of the 8 worldly Dharmas will turn into the secret “vajra lotus” of Vajrayogini – exposed. What ladies run around with their privates exposed, but Vajrayogini does. Because Vajrayogini’s privates exposed means something much more.
So, Lama Tsongkapa’s intense wish to free you of the 8 worldly Dharmas of attachments, will appear in the form of a beautiful lotus – full and thick, and exposed.
Then Lama Tsongkapa’s complete destruction of ignorance and hatred – no more ignorance, no more hatred – his complete destruction of that manifests into the form of black Bhairava, facing down and his red beautiful feet stepping on it.
And Lama Tsongkapa’s ability to transform your desire into the path of the Dharma, into the path of Enlightenment, is transformed into the consort of Bhairava – red, facing up and Lama Tsongkapa is stepping on that.
Then Lama Tsongkapa’s ability to not be affected by maras, weapons, anything negative, anything evil, thoughts, bad karma, obstructions, spirits, nagas, gods – his inability to be harmed by them, because he is Enlightened – will be symbolized and manifested in the form of tumultuous fire, emanating from every pore of his red body, surrounding him.
Then Lama Tsongkapa is unified with every single Buddha in existence – past and present. And these Buddhas will manisfest in the form of the King of the Tantras, Heruka. Heruka takes the form of the “Katangka”, and then Lama Tsongkapa holds the “Katangka” at the crook of his shoulders, looking up. And this crook on his shoulders represents the hero: Heruka Chakrasamvara. And Chakrasamvara is the emanation of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and Deities in the Ten Directions. And Lama Tsongkapa embraces these Buddhas – meaning, Lama Tsongkapa and Vajrayogini are ONE.
And then Lama Tsongkapa extolls you, requests you and teaches you, and invites you to practise the 6 Paramitas of giving, effort, wisdom, asceticism, renunciation, etc – he extolls you and invites you to practice this. And this invitation and his accomplishments of the 6 Paramitas manifest into the 6 Ornaments on Vajrayogini. So, in fact, when you are looking at Vajrayogini, you are looking at Lama Tsongkapa. When you are looking at Lama Tsongkapa, you are looking at Vajrayogini. Hence, I tell everyone in Kechara House to practice Lama Tsongkapa. And in the future, it will lead to Vajrayogini.
Now, Rinpoche has given us a vivid description of how Lama Tsongkapa will transform into Vajrayogini.
If we look at a Buddha’s Body, if we know the Dharma, we can see the Dharma in the body. If we know the Buddha’s Body, and we know the Dharma, the Body is the ROAD MAP to the Dharma. It is very clear.
Dear Rinpoche,
Very inspiring and very useful advice, thankyou very much! Must get busy!!
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for so compassionately introducing the Vajrayogini Practice to us on your blog, as well as the way to prepare for it.
The urgency to start the practice now is all the more compelling as I see my mum, fading very quickly before my very eyes.
Lim Han nee
Dear Rinpoche, this is incredible great good fortune that we are even able to get a glimpse of Vajrayogini. To be here this time, this place, is an opportunity we’d be a fool to miss. Will it ever come again? How else can we receive this precious intiation other than through a Spiritual Guide and devotion to one?
Yes, I’m definitely getting out to KP to get a Vy statue asap and do what Rinpoche advises, to create the connection and prepare.
Thank you.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you , for going to such great extent in caring for us. This is truly exciting ! After that fantastic “kako” ritual you did for us at Ladrang a couples of months back i’ve been longing to see what comes next . Thank you once again .
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for giving us an opportunity to learn more about Vajrayogini. I hope KWPC will manifest swiftly so we can do the Vajrayogini practice there. 🙂
Dearest Rinpoche,
I have read David’s, Jamie’s and Sharon’s Blogs and I like the way each of them have “transcribed” Rinpoche’s teachings in their own words and through their own personal journey.
I am still awestruck and at a lost for words when it comes to even the slightest opportunity to be able to learn and practice this amazing Tantra.
I hope and pray everyone will eventually be prepared for the initiation in this lifetime so we can all meet again in Kechara Paradise!
To finish, I love the way one visualizes Lama Tsongkhapa as ONE with Vajrayogini… How beautiful and amazingly profound yet simple… WOW!
Much love… Andrew
Dear Rinpoche, thank you for giving us such a great teaching. Rinpoche has made everything so easy for us to get ready for this practice. There’s no other reason for us not to commit and start preparing it NOW…
Thank you Rinpoche for the clear explanation on how to prepare now for V’y initiation in the future.
It’s a 50:50 relationship between the Guru and student. I will do my part to be worthy of receiving the initiation from Rinpoche in the future.
I am sorry, I was writing too quickly and just see now that I was writing your name not in the correct way
Thank you dear Tesm Tulku,
Your whole blog is a benefit to me. Thank you!
I really liked it that you`ve said we have to prepare for for empowerment and we should start right now-I would like to share with you the thoughts I have right now to that point:
In the west I think some of us have the tendency to collect empowerments without being really prepared for it,being almost like or mutating to “empowerment – junkies” in order to get some energy, being satisfied with just getting seed of empowerment but forgetting that we could receive empowerment also in much deeper way when we prepare!And sometimes I think the lamas should more stress on that, that we really prepare, talk about this before every empowerment.
But sometimes it is also difficult to prepare fully, I mean here specifically the “ngöndro”, as there is for some people too much distrations like family life, job and problems which are going along with that.Some people need 10 years or more to finish one set of ngöndro. I wish there would be more opportunitis in the west that people could withdraw from everyday life in order to finish the ngöndro, sometimes it is also a money problem.In Asia there are more people who are willing to make a donating so that others can afford it to practice more.In the west I miss that little bit.
I would found it great if such a thing would exist like a “donation pool” for people who wish to finish the ngöndro. So I mean not just for people who wish to do 3 years retreat,or are ordained, but there should be a donation pool for everybody who wishes to do a short retreat, but cannot afford it financially.
Or is it already existing, and I just do not have the information on that?
With all my best wishes for you
Patricia
Dear Rinpoche
Thank you for your instruction on how to begin preparing for the higher practice of Vajrayogini. Thanks to David and Jamie for their wonderful explanation on the connection between Lama Tsongkhapa and Vajrayogini. The description of the iconography is so vivid. It has become clear for the first time for an absolute beginner like myself, how to practice and where it will lead me if I persevere. I am aware of my spiritual laziness and ignorance. May I continue to work hard on my spiritual path so that one day I too will one day receive the Vajrayogini empowerment from you.
With lots of love
Yee Ling
Dear Rinpoche,
You have made the sacred practice of Vajrayogini so accessible to all in this blog. There are not much guidance or info out there which helps people to START the practice at a level we can do and progresssing from there. Most are only interested in attending Empowerments without having prepared to receive it.Rinpoche is guiding us to VY’s mandala in a most meaningful way.
David & Paris, you are so kind to write down the oral transmission and explanation from Rinpoche so that everyone can understand and benefit.
Voon Chin
Dear Rinpoche , Paris & David.
I am simply speechless reading and understanding the teachingd and knowledge you all have posted in this particular VAJRAYOGINI BLOG. It amazes me the amount of knowledge that can be acquired by interested person like me and all the others. Since i started surfing Rinpoche blog , i think this is the all time best.
Thank you so much for sharing and typing. Henceforth i shall be spending my “money” buying Vajrayogini bag !
With folded hands to ALL.
Thank you so much Rinpoche, Jamie and David. Very inspiring to me to begin the sacred Vajra Yogini practice.
Dear Paris,
I like what you posted. It is exactly as I taught to the group last night to elucidate the same nature of Lama Tsongkapa and Vajra Yogini.
I am glad so many visitors can read your accurate writing of what I taught last night.
As usual, you have a great memory and powerful writing abilities. How wonderful your karma is from previous lives to ‘write yourself to enlightenment!’ So much merits and benefits for others. I rejoice for you.
Tsem Tulku
And so – the most incredible comparison you’ll ever read…
Lama Tsongkhapa’s realisation of emptiness – represented by the pointed tip of his yellow pandit’s hair – becomes Vajrayogini’s blue-black hair (the colour of emptiness). Her hair is unentangled, loose, just as the enlightened mind that is free of non-duality is “unentangled” from samsaric conventions, limitations and projections.
Lama Tsongkhapa’s complete attainment of bliss of the enlightened mind is transformed into Vajrayogini drinking from a skull-cup of blood, a symbolic gesture that denotes her constant meditation on Bodhicitta.
Lama Tsongkhapa’s realisation of impermanence and death, manifests as the ritual chopper that Vajrayogini holds facing downwards in her right hand. This is a traditional ritual chopper used in ancient times to disembowel and chop us corpses (particularly in sky burials) – a reminder of our bodily impermanence.
Lama Tsongkhapa’s ability to fully nurture us, guide, support and help us “grow” to the full state of enlightenment, transforms into Vajrayogini’s full and naked breasts, a symbol of her very motherly energy to nurture our spiritual growth.
Lama Tsongkhapa has totally overcome and has full control over the poisons of anger and desire. This is dynamically manifested in Vajrayogini stamping firmly upon the worldly gods Bhaivara (representing anger) with her left leg, and upon Kalarati (representing desire) with her right leg.
Lama Tsongkhapa’s ability to conquer all negativities, spirit interferences, disturbances and evil forces emanates wildly as the burning, blazing flames that are emitted from every pore of Vajrayogini’s body, surrounding her in a dazzling aureole of fire.
Lama Tsongkhapa’s ability to simultaneously see the three times – past, present and future – and his full omniscience becomes Vajrayogini’s third eye, in the centre of her forehead.
Lama Tsongkhapa’s great compassion and love for us, and his wish and ability to bring us to higher states of mind and attainments, is represented in the way that Vajrayogini’s head is tilted upwards, looking towards the sky – a sign that by her practice, she will bring us to Kechara Paradise.
Lama Tsongkhapa’s full and perfect attainment of the Six Paramitas emanates into the six ornaments that Vajrayogini wears upon her body – her necklace, crown, etc
(read my full blog on this here: http://jamiekhoo.typepad.com/jamiekhoo/2010/06/sacredness-the-swift-path-to-enlightenment.html)
Be stable and devoted first to doing Lama Tsongkhapa’s Guru Yoga (as in our lineage) – every day if we can. As Lama Tsongkhapa himself is a fully enlightened being, we are connecting directly to an enlightened mind. The practice is safe, incredibly healing and peaceful and brings manifold benefits on many, many levels that we probably cannot even fathom right now at our level.
I used to think, “Nah, Lama Tsongkhapa’s just a boring nerd” – no fire, no multiple hands, all covered up in robes. Where’s the fun in that?! A lot really, because Lama Tsongkhapa “shape-shifts” into the vibrant, dynamic form of Vajrayogini, as we advance in our practices.
By gaining a true understanding of Dharma, preliminary practices, the Lamrim, we will understand that every single aspect of a Buddha’s body and imagery is a Dharma teaching, an expression of the enlightened mind and its qualities. The Buddhas manifest to us in different ways to “appeal” and “attract” beings and minds of different aptitudes and dispositions – ultimately, their mind is unmoving and just as powerful as each other. Lama Tsongkhapa – that simple monk and his “simple” 9-verse Guru Yoga practice – is just as powerful and beneficial as Vajrayogini – naked, on fire and dancing like a striptease.
Rinpoche explained, that as we traverse the path upwards, the very imagery of Lama Tsongkhapa “crosses-over”. First, we gain faith, conviction and understanding in the preliminary practices such as Guru Yoga; when we are firm, this knowledge and understanding “translates” to the higher practices of Vajrayogini.
(
(read my full blog on this here: http://jamiekhoo.typepad.com/jamiekhoo/2010/06/sacredness-the-swift-path-to-enlightenment.html)
“Start now? But but but, I’ve gotta go to the mall, and meet my boyfriend, and have dinner with my mates from my old job. Where will there be time for Vajrayogini practice? I can barely manage my basic sadhana of Guru Yoga and that’s only 10 minutes!”
Rinpoche was very kind to give us further explanations on this blog post, as follows:
Vajrayogini’s practice is of the highest yoga tantras, which requires initiation from a qualified Lama and students must have been well prepared in the preliminary practices, stable, committed and devoted to the path. As these practices are extremely advanced, not being properly prepared or firm in our practice can be dangerous for ourselves – it is like teaching a child how to drive even before he or she can properly walk! This is especially true because the higher tantras work with the energy channels, winds and drops in our body and not being able to handle the practices properly can cause very severe damage to our mindstream or even make us go insane (this has happened to practitioners before).
However, this does not mean that we cannot already connect to the sacred energies and blessings of this Buddha. As Rinpoche explains above, we should start NOW. And we can do this by being firm and committed in the practices and Dharma work that we are already doing now.
Among the many points Rinpoche already listed out in his blog, he further explained the following few points:
– devotion and commitment to your teacher: contemplate how your Lama has been kind to you, how your life has changed or improved since you have met him, what he has done for you or taught you, how he has shown you great examples of strength, compassion and wisdom. Eventually, you train your mind to see your Lama as Vajrayogini – a fully Enlightened Buddha. Then, when you finally receive the initiation, by the power of your visualisation, faith and commitment will transform into you receiving the Vajrayogini initiation directly from Vajrayogini herself.
– Commitment to your Dharma path: holding your vows (refuge vows, your commitments, your promises to your Lama and Dharma community). Being honourable and having integrity by doing what you say you will. Holding our vows creates a very powerful merit to propel us further in the work and practice we wish to achieve, and to overcome difficulties or obstacles on the path.
– holding the 8 Verses of Thought Transformation – if we are able to develop this truly and deeply, then when we finally see and receive Vajrayogini’s practice, we will be mentally prepared
– 50 Verses of Guru Devotion – far from being some crazy cult practice, these verses help to train our minds and focus. We begin first by acting in a focused, conscientious and attentive manner towards our teacher; then this extends to his assistants and students, the people in the centre, and eventually everyone we encounter and in whatever we do.
– An altar to Vajrayogini – we should create beautiful altars with images of Vajrayogini as a central focus. This forms the physical core around which we can centre our meditations, practices and offerings, to continually create a powerful connection to her and to remind ourselves of her incredible enlightened qualities. So instead of spending all our wages on yet another Kate Spade handbag, we “invest” in our altar instead, something so sacred. It would be better to spend your last cent on an offering towards your altar – your central place of practice, worship and sacred aspirations – and then die tomorrow, than to hoard all your money for the rest of your life. If we are cheapskate on our altars, it is not that the Buddhas will be angry; no, of course not. But we compromise and we are “cheapskate” on our own attainments. We short-change ourselves!
– Focusing on Vajrayogini in all our practices – if we have this beautiful altar, full of the energy of our sincere efforts and offerings, it can then form the central focus of all our practices. We can direct all our preliminary prayers – Guru Yoga, mandala offerings, prostrations, Vajrasattva, water offerings etc – to this Vajrayogini altar and to Vajrayogini herself. We can do all our Dharma readings (or writings!), prayers, sadhana, retreats in front of this altar. Even if we’re doing another Buddha’s practice – Vajrasattva, Tara, Manjushri – we can still do them directed towards Vajrayogini. They won’t get jealous, really! As enlightened Beings, the qualities they embody in their physical body, speech and mind are equal; their attainments are equal. So any Dharma action done in relation to these beings, with a sincere motivation, connect us to the merit field. And what better way to connect to this highly swift, effective and blessed tantric deity’s path, than by directing all our current and preliminary practices towards her!
(read my full blog on this here: http://jamiekhoo.typepad.com/jamiekhoo/2010/06/sacredness-the-swift-path-to-enlightenment.html)
On top of that, we begin Lama Tsongkhapa’s practice now but in actuality, Lama Tsongkhapa is Vajrayogini. Lama Tsongkhapa’s complete awakened omniscience or complete simultaneous perception of the past, present and future manifests physically as the third eye of Vajrayogini. Then, Lama Tsongkhapa’s realisation of the four noble truths and the utter defeat of the four Maras materialise as the four sensual and beautiful fangs of Vajrayogini. She bares them to tear up the illusory nature of our Samsaric existence. Vajrayogini’s beautiful face looks upwards towards Kechara Paradise, symbolising Lama Tsongkhapa’s power and blessings to lift us up towards higher states of spiritual attainments.
Lama Tsongkhapa’s attainment of renunciation over all desirous attachments transforms his white skin (tinged with red) into the ruby-red hue of Vajrayogini’s skin. Then, Lama Tsongkhapa’s attainment of conventional and ultimate Bodhichitta appears as the voluptuous breasts of Vajrayogini – Tantric symbolism of how a Buddha’s compassion nurtures and nourishes our own realisations of Bodhichitta like how a baby suckles upon the mother’s breasts for nourishment.
The correct view of Lama Tsongkhapa is transformed into the blood contained within the skull cup of Vajrayogini held aloft in her left hand. The blood within the skull cup is said to flow mystically and constantly into her divine mouth denoting her mind is in constant meditation upon Bodhichitta. Then, the power of Lama Tsongkhapa to overcome all demons of adversity and negative karma materialises when Lama Tsongkhapa lowers his right hand and transforms it into the hand of Vajrayogini that thrusts downwards – the ritual chopper.
Lama Tsongkhapa’s golden yellow hat symbolises full Enlightenment transforms into the unfettered hair of Vajrayogini. Vajrayogini’s hair is long, loose and untied – another symbolism of full awakening. The love of all the Buddhas of the four directions manifests as the khatvanga resting upon Vajrayogini’s shoulder. Hence, relying upon Vajrayogini will gain the complete support and blessings of all these Buddhas.
The khatvanga of Vajrayogini’s also represent the male aspect or Heruka Chakramsamvara, representing her practice is one with Chakramsamvara’s – one of the most advanced and efficacious higher Tantric systems that Lord Buddha had ever expounded. Lama Tsongkhapa’s great compassion for all beings manifests as Vajrayogini’s secret organ. It is through birth that all sentient beings is born into Samsara and it is through Vajrayogini’s secret organ that practitioners will manifest as a fully enlightened Buddha.
Then, Lama Tsongkhapa’s complete subjugation of anger materialises into the deity Bhairava and he rests underneath Vajrayogini’s left leg. Then Lama Tsongkhapa’s utter control of desire appears as the female deity Kalarati and she rests underneath Vajrayogini’s right leg. Finally, Lama Tsongkhapa’s boundless love and compassion for all beings manifests as the fiery flames streaming forth from Vajrayogini’s every pore, forming an aureole of divine flames around her body.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for always making us aspire to higher grounds.
The view is much more clear -and peaceful- from higher grounds.
Yours sincerely.
Thierry
I just thought to elaborate a little more on the importance of Rinpoche’s post on Vajrayogini. I remember he told me once that like many Lamas under Pabongka Rinpoche’s and Trijang Rinpoche’s lineage, they place great emphasis on Vajrayogini especially for our modern times because of our particular lifestyle and level of attachment. People these days have so much more attachment than those during Pabongka Rinpoche’s time.
There is so many excuses not to practice or have little time to do any practice. My favourite one I heard in a teaching is that we have ‘to SURVIVE’! We have to make another $45 billion and then we will do Dharma or we want to give up halfway after practicing because it is JUST SO HARD! Another favourite excuse is that we have to take care of our children, our spouse, our careers, our hobbies, our laziness and our pets all at the same time. I know! I just love the divine sarcasm.
Vajrayogini is a powerful, in fact, the most powerful for our mental disposition to ensure that when we overcome these petty excuses, we will be assured of a steady flow of attainments and an assured rebirth if we are a lazy to average practitioner. Guess what? Just reciting her mantra will derive tremendous benefits and her practice is the shortest and the one with least commitments. However, if we are a diligent and outstanding practitioner – we will either ascend to Kechara Paradise upon our death or better still – Enlightenment in this very lifetime. That is what we should aim for, of course.
Best of all, Vajrayogini will guarantee to meet us from lifetime to lifetime until ascension to Kechara Paradise. No other Buddha promises that, not even Amitabha Buddha will promise that. So it is fantastic that a Lama gives us a 1-2-3 step guide to achieving Vajrayogini. Anyone can achieve this! Thank you Rinpoche!
I really like this style.
Thanks
Thom
Dear Rinpoche ,
Real glad to get Your reply. To assure i do not wish nor have any intention to get many initiations. I do undertstand ( not sure right or not ) alot of High Lamas and people with High Dharma Practices focuses on one main Yidam.
And i do intend to follow such footsteps. As You are absolutely right if one person have alot different initiations from different centres , different Gurus as a layman like me with little knowledge on such pratices for sure confusions comes in like a big snowballs and it will rolls like mad ! : ). Lay people minds will not be able to comprehend and absorb !
Sorry in failing to understand & overlook Rinpoche blog on Vajrayogini practices and i shall take Rinpoche advice as a personal commitments hence forth.
Eons of thank you to Rinpoche advice. May Rinpoche Stay Healthy and Teaches more till the end of Samsara.
With Folded Hands.
Dear CK Liew,
I am happy that my blog can bring you knowledge and benefits. That is the purpose of my blog. Nice to hear from you.
I am very happy you can obtain dharma from it also. You are very welcome to it.
1. Please do not get initiations here and there. It is very hard to keep commitments. Save yourself for one practice, one yidam and one commitment—–> Vajra Yogini!! Be devoted and loyal to the dharma centre and lama you choose. Be firm on these points. Good for your mind.
2. As for your question to what practice you should do to her everyday, my whole Vajra Yogini blog post describes it to you very clearly. Please read again.
For example:
Practice the 8 Verses of Thought Transformation. Practice this daily and read up on it. I gave a talk on it. Watch the video on it please and practice deeply and recite daily.
Study Lam Rim, Wheel of Sharp Weapons, Bodhisattvacha-avatara by Shantideva, Lojong, 50 Verses of Guru Devotion by Ashvagosha.
Commit to one practice that is light and easy yet profound such as Tsongkapa Guru Yoga daily without fail. -start this now. Yes, you can do Tsongkapa in front of VajraYogini. She will be pleased. Tsongkapa will prepare you for Her practice later.
DO THE ABOVE EVERY SINGLE DAY IN FRONT OF HER IMAGE. DIRECT EVERYTHING TOWARDS HER DAILY AND WHEN YOUR FINISHED, DO YOUR DEDICATIONS IN FRONT OF HER.
If you have questions, you may ask David or JP.
I send you my good wishes.
Tsem Tulku
Dearest Rinpoche ,
Its me again , hope you wont find me boring keep popping around your blog . I just enjoy alot from reading it , its as if i am chatting with my best friend : ). I have learn alot from your blog and know more about Rinpoche personally. What you like , what you dont , what you aspire your students to be and so forth. I am sure many of us felt the same way about your blog. Its just my sincere comment. Anytime i write a comment i really do mean it not just to make you happy or to polish anything : ). Though i wish to polish your shoe more often hehehe.
Anyway back to your Vajrayogini preparation advice , frankly i am super keen and attached to getting initiations , i just dont know why. But another small part of me am really afraid of it , afraid of the commitments that might comes with it that i may not be able to fulfill honestly. Anyhow i have a strong will in hoping in the future when Rinpoche is ready to give this Highest Initiations i will be very ready. Hence i have been reading alot , comtemplating alot and striving hard to understand all the Dharma teachings in Dharmic books ! Rinpoche advice above is pretty easy to understand but profound just like the Lamrim step by step.
Also Rinpoche i would like to know , if i invite a Vajrayogini back to my home altar what would be the daily practice i should do , i know her mantras is secret .
Hope you can advice me.
With many thanks and folded hands.
ckliew.