120 Responses to Cosmic Tantra | 无边密续

1. 

   Tsem Rinpoche on Nov 20, 2018 at 2:26 pm

   The Library of Tibetan Works and 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 and main prayer hall. It is also the location of the Dialectics School, Gaden Shartse’s guesthouse, restaurants, tourist hotels and 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 1 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!

   Professor Nawang Jinpa
   St. Joseph’s College
   Darjeeling
   January 24 1996

   

   

   

   

   

   Panchen-Sonam-Dragpa-Overview-of-Buddhist-Tantra.pdf

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2. 

   Pastor Niral Patel on Oct 28, 2018 at 1:36 am

   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

   

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3. 

   Valentina Suhendra on Oct 26, 2018 at 11:47 am

   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

   

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4. 

   Joy on Oct 26, 2018 at 5:56 am

   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

   

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5. 

   Pastor Adeline on Oct 26, 2018 at 1:09 am

   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

   

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6. 

   Pastor Shin Tan on Oct 4, 2018 at 4:28 pm

   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]

   —–

   Wordmarque Design and Photography

   —–

   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.

   

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7. 

   Pastor Shin Tan on Jul 25, 2018 at 2:24 am

   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.

   

   Reply
8. 

   Pastor Shin Tan on Jul 22, 2018 at 11:40 pm

   Video of Tsem Rinpoche’s shrine taken July 16, 2018. Very beautiful, well done and meticulous.

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPAfpMoN2bA

   Reply
9. 

   Pastor Shin Tan on Jul 21, 2018 at 4:48 pm

   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

   
   

   Reply
10. 

    Pastor Adeline Woon on Jul 7, 2018 at 2:34 pm

    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

    

    Reply
11. 

    Callista on Sep 30, 2017 at 1:16 am

    Thank you Guru for a fantastic and creative way of teaching.
    As mentioned in the video, to be ready for Buddha Vajrayogini initiation. We need to study up the procedures, know the meaning and start practice now by engage in 4 retreats with minimum 100k each to be done such as:
    a) Refuge combines with Full length prostration
    b)Offering mandala (visualise the precious things, your love one and etc without attachment)
    c)Do purification of 35 Confessional Buddha or Vajrasattva
    d)Offering Butterlamp or candles that last 8 to 12 hours
    e) Do Guru Yoga. Teaching is available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TLZeOfFqtw and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW5jcT4qXss

    After we have finished or grounded by the preliminary retreats and we should continue to read Lamrim. Once, we realise the 3 principal paths, namely Death, Bodhicitta and Emptiness. Then, with the humble and humanity mind, we shall request our Guru to give the initiation. When we receive the initiation make sure we practice and hold the tantric vows otherwise it will not bear fruits.

    If you don’t have a Guru then just start reading and practice Lamrim or if you are not engaged with the retreat, then do Dharma work continuously
    with happy and compassion mind.

    As Guru said: DON’T BE LAZY BY MAKING EXCUSES. IN LIFE GRAB WHAT YOU CAN AND YOU DO WHAT YOU CAN.

    Reply
12. 

    Valentina Suhendra on May 4, 2017 at 8:40 am

    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.

    

    Reply
13. 

    Stella Cheang on Apr 16, 2016 at 6:38 pm

    When we embarked on our dharma journey, it does not mean that we will automatically be transformed and become an attained being. We came to dharma with all our problems (emotions, jealousy, hatred, ignorance), hence if we continue the way we are, we will not get to where we want to be. Dharma can help us, but we have to do our homework.

    The traditional homework (retreats) that prepare ourselves and our karma is:
    1. Take refuge vows – study and hold it well
    2. Prostration – do 100,000 times of full prostration with proper motivation
    3. Butter lamps offering – make 100,000 butter lamps (or candles) offerings
    4. Purification – do 100,000 times Vajrasattva or 35 Confessional Buddha purification practice
    5. Mandala offering – make 100,000 mandala offerings

    After completing these retreats, it means we have grounded ourselves to the Three Principle Paths or Lam Rim. We will be oriented towards Dharma and will not give up Dharma practice no matter what. We will also begin to develop Bodhicitta as well as an intellectual or realization of Emptiness.

    Thank you very much, Rinpoche, for this clear and concise Dharma teaching.

    Humbly, bowing down,
    Stella Cheang

    Reply
14. 

    Rena Wong on Oct 23, 2014 at 3:35 pm

    Dear Rinpoche,

    Thank you for the powerful Tantra teachings that enable us to gain Enlightenment.  It is also a practice that we can  control ‘how to die’, ‘how to enter bardo’ and ‘how to take rebirth. We will have complete  control of our future life which is indeed very powerful practice. 

    We need to do a lot of purifications, preliminary practices & retreats to collect merits before we can receive the teachings. Doing Dharma work in the centre will also  helps us to collect merits.

    There is so much to learn, understand and practice. There is no easy way out and the only way is hardwork, perservarence and determination through guru devotion to transform our mind and practice to benefit others. 

    I hope one day, Rinpoche will give this powerful teaching to students who are ready to receive it. If in this lifetime we are able to receive, may we continue to purify our negative karma and collect merits to receive Tantra initiation from Rinpoche in our future life.

    Thank you Rinpoche for the profound Tantra teachings & explaination.

    With folded hands,
    Rena

    Reply
15. 

    Lum Kok Luen on Oct 21, 2014 at 6:11 pm

    Dear Rinpoche. Thank you for the very profound teaching and thought provoking video which, in my shallow understanding, is really a reality check on our own practice. I admit that I am definitely not ready to do the preliminaries (at the thought of 100,000 of each practice already overwhelms me). However, it has certainly created deep imprints in my mind that I must start this off, and it has to be fast as time is running out.

    This is really a reality check for me and I now know which direction I am going to take.

    Thank you with folded hands,
    Humbly yours.

    Reply
16. 

    Judy Chen on Oct 20, 2014 at 4:16 pm

    Dear Rinpoche,

    This video teaching has opened up my mind on the practices and study of Buddhism and spirituality. This profound teaching gives us a very clear path on how and what a dharma practitioner should start with in order to gain enlightened.

    We have many delusions especially in the study and practice of dharma. We must start by taking refuge, keep and hold our vows and transform our mind with the vows we hold. Without full transformation of our minds, we will not be able to continue our other practices as mentioned as we may be still having obscurations.

    We must also practice the 3 principle paths; renunciations, death and impermanence, Bodhicitta, understanding Sunyata i.e. emptiness,
    study the Lamrin. These profound teachings will open our mind to be ready for higher teachings and thus be attained.

    I understand now that it is not an easy path to gain attainment but this is the only way to leave this samsaric world. We need to be very diligent. Yes, we are very diligent in samsara, trying to get rich and famous but all these are impermanent in samsara. Most of our actions in samsara are bad karma, and we will need to purify lots of these demerits by performing extra dharma works in order to gain more merits to learn higher practices which will then help to lead to attainments hopefully in the shortest possible time.

    Working towards attainment will bring happiness.

    Thank you very much Rinpoche for showing us the path to Enlightenment.

    With folded hands.
    Thank you

    Reply
17. 

    SL Boon on Oct 20, 2014 at 10:09 am

    Thank you Rinpoche. Initially, I would think that as soon as we are into Dharma, we take refuge and we start transforming our mind, we can immediately see that our problems disappear and we are free from our problem, be it financial, career and relationships. How wrong we are to think that the suffering we are getting now, which we collected since beginning less time can be undone without great effort and sincerity.
    Knowing this, I now keep telling myself that I need to examine my motives in joining Dharma. Is it just to clear off my little worldly problem so that I could gain more problems, or to seek guidance and practise my way out of these illusion.

    Reply
18. 

    Cheng See on Oct 19, 2014 at 5:52 pm

    Thank you Rinpoche for sharing with us this “out of the box” video teaching on higher trantic practice. I must admit each time I hear 100,000 I go wide eyed and open mouth. Am so grateful that Kechara allowed us to practice Dharma work as an equivalent to the practice. I am not a very discipline person as yet thus higher trantic practice is not for me at the moment but will work towards doing my daily sadhanas and Dharma work to purify my kharma , mind and collect merits. Thank you once again Rinpoche.

    Reply
    • 

      Cheng See on Oct 20, 2014 at 9:38 pm

      Just to add on to my own comments. …

      I like Rinpoche’s illustration on the concert. It is so true, lots of hard work is needed to contribute to the success of a concert. How true indeed that to gain enlightenment we need lots and lots and years and years of hard work. For us to experience a concert we have to actively participate or else we will just be an audience.

      Reply
19. 

    Hee Thye Sang on Apr 30, 2014 at 4:17 pm

    感谢Rinpoche在网络上的佛法指导，譲我了解到如何分阶段性次第修持金剛乘而得成就。首先我明白到不应该只是停留在只是诵经，偶尔随衆进行法会而滿足，应升起大雄心精进向前推进。先决条件就是进行前行修持，做为心識基础，才能幫助及引导我们取得密续而不退心

    Reply
20. 

    cnyong on Apr 30, 2014 at 10:34 am

    身在娑婆世界，当烦恼出现时，有幸能接触佛法，像是黑暗路上的一盏明灯，不会陷入无底洞。世事变幻无常，要把握因缘，修到最好，了悟生死，解脱自在。

    Reply
21. 

    stella on Apr 28, 2014 at 3:38 pm

    As a beginner, I was unclear how one will be able to get enlightenment and why is vow important. Rinpoche’s teaching in this Youtube provides detailed & clear explanation on the significance of vows and the retreats as well as the relation to higher tantric practice / teachings. I am grateful that Rinpoche gives the teaching in a way that a beginner like me can understand. It answers the question brought up during Volunteer Class last week. After watching the youtube, I have a fairly good idea the path of enlightenment and hardwork I need to put in.

    Thank You very much, Rinpoche.

    Reply
22. 

    PB on Apr 27, 2014 at 6:31 pm

    Dear Rinpoche, thank you for explaining the link between Sutras and Tantric practice. I am a beginner and had never thought of engaging in tantric practices until I watched this video. For me, it is such a big challenge to complete even 1 preliminary practice. Therefore, I have so much respect for those who have completed even one preliminary practice. It requires so much time, effort, hard work and consistency. The “hiding and comes out” session in the video may probably describe what is happening to me at the moment. I am confused…. I feel peace and happy when doing voluntarily dharma work because I don’t need to think about all the headache and issues at work. I always ask myself, am I running away from the problem by doing dharma work or vice versa? I know dharma is good but haven’t been able to transform and “hiding” away with a lot of excuses? Or I haven’t had enough merit, good karma and wisdom to fully understand the Buddha teaching?

    Deep inside my heart, I still think that dharma is good for me. Therefore, I will continue doing dharma work so that I will have wisdom to remove darkness in my mind and replace it with a soft, receptive and wisdom mind, to earn the merit to learn tantric practices in future (may be in future life) and able to share and help others in need.

    Reply
23. 

    WK CHAN on Jan 13, 2014 at 8:55 pm

    My Dear Guru, Its very helpful of us.
    I will practice all .

    Thanks

    Reply
24. The benefits of offering light | Tsem Rinpoche on Dec 27, 2013 at 1:22 am

    […] related talks on preliminary practices: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=28238 « My Comment on LA Times 26 years ago on Yoko Ono Mandala Offering – A Powerful Method […]

    Reply
25. 

    Wan Wai Meng on Dec 13, 2013 at 7:45 pm

    A most powerful and profound talk by Rinpoche on how to start our spiritual path towards getting tantric teachings.

    Reply
26. 

    Wylfred Ng on Dec 7, 2013 at 8:52 pm

    谢谢仁波切的分享。 其实当初我踏入克切拉的初衷是为了得到密续灌顶， 当然现在还是没有改变。

    只是通过这个视频我了解到要得到密续灌顶不是一件简单的事情。

    念了几次菩提道次第广论-掌中解脱后更是觉得难上加难。

    希望通过诚心做佛法工作可以让我累积更多功德， 希望有一天我也可以得到密续灌顶。

    Reply
27. 

    Ck siah on Dec 7, 2013 at 10:12 am

    谢谢仁波切的教诲与开示， 看了视频后，让我更容易了解密续修持的刚要和重要性。可以说仁波切已经开了一条修佛大道给我们行走，只是我们心理准备好了吗？修佛之路不难，但我们本身的心灵心识基础扎实了没有？ 或者我们还是很执着？发觉很多修行者往往都会在修行中半途而废。这是很可惜的。我会依止仁波切的教诲与开示，按部就班的走入密续修持，但是这也要看我个人的业力和机缘而定。

    Reply
28. 

    Krzysztof Furyu Leśniak on Jun 6, 2013 at 5:55 am

    Beautifull. Direct and to the point using XXI century language and images. Repetytions strententh the message. Clear and inspiring. You are fearless to use any method to teach, to cut the cocoon of ignorant mind so common today…
    Few minutes and 35 years of my life-practice, your alive spirit renues my motivation to practice… thank you. I wish we meet some day face to face.
    love
    Furyu

    Reply
29. 

    maria on Jun 5, 2013 at 6:21 am

    sobre el amor desdichada

    Reply
30. 

    NESTOR FERREYRA on Jun 4, 2013 at 7:03 am

    me interesa participar de esta sabiduria que tanto bien hace a nuestro universo

    Reply
31. 

    guillermo on Jun 3, 2013 at 1:22 am

    me interesa todo lo relativo al tantra

    Reply
32. 

    Lester on Apr 30, 2013 at 5:31 pm

    Thank you for the blessed words. The dharma is made to sound so cool. This will beat any other religion hands down. Wish more people can hear this. With metta.

    Reply
33. 

    Joy on Mar 16, 2013 at 8:43 pm

    The Cosmic tantra teachings is really very very apt for us all now… how we hide who we are even though we are in Dharma… and well for some of us, including me, when we enter Rinpoche’s mandala..it is more like we are being subdued by the Lama/Dharma…

    Subduing the ego from the negativeness in us, the low self-esteem, the chaotic fault finding, the anger, the bs, judgmental egoistical… hence… we must always trust and follow the spiritual methods that has been customized by our Guru for us to help us cos each and everyone of us are different. How kind that someone cares enough to protect us from experiencing our horrible negative karmic results and to stop from making more of such results. And in this teaching Rinpoche explains how we can put in our effort and energy towards preparation of higher practices such as “tantra”. But before that to have our foundation strong and to purge out our negativities… and relearn new habits. The choice is really up to us at the end of the day to take the medication, to follow that path and get well, get better, or to chuck it all out of the window and go back to our ugly selves… and the choices we make we have to live with it forever. So why not choose the choices with a positive, better result later because you are worth it no? http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/me/its-an-instant-choice.html

    Reply
34. 

    sarahyap on Mar 16, 2013 at 7:11 pm

    I just watched this video again lol!

    I cant express how much this video help and give direct to me when it comes to practicing the Dharma. It is one video that I will keep in mind to watch regularly especially when I feel like I’m spiraling down to samsara lolx. Why? because it is advice that is so logical and even if my negative karma had to ripen to cause me to think only ill thoughts of Dharma, I think my logical mind will kick in and say… “Hey, think logically, don’t let karma take you for a ride”.

    Reply
35. 

    Manuel on Oct 17, 2012 at 8:38 pm

    Yes , after years of studying this video opened new vistas into the importance of preliminary practices and the preparatory practices prior to further teachings . How simple, how marvelous ! MANY THANKS

    Reply
36. ~ I love creative spirituality! ~ | Tsem Rinpoche on Sep 15, 2012 at 4:30 am

    […] Cosmic Tantra Share and Enjoy: swfobject.embedSWF("http://blog.tsemtulku.com/wp-content/plugins/vipers-video-quicktags/resources/jw-flv-player/player.swf", "vvq-34528-flv-1", "555", "450", "10", vvqexpressinstall, { "wmode": "transparent", "allowfullscreen": "true", "allowscriptaccess": "always", "file": "https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/RinpocheNightLiveEng.flv", "volume": "100", "bufferlength": "15", "skin": "http://blog.tsemtulku.com/wp-content/plugins/vipers-video-quicktags/resources/jw-flv-player/skins/dangdang.swf", "image": "https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/RinpocheNightLiveEng.jpg" }, vvqparams, vvqattributes); swfobject.embedSWF("http://blog.tsemtulku.com/wp-content/plugins/vipers-video-quicktags/resources/jw-flv-player/player.swf", "vvq-34528-flv-2", "555", "450", "10", vvqexpressinstall, { "wmode": "transparent", "allowfullscreen": "true", "allowscriptaccess": "always", "file": "https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/RinpocheNightLiveChi.flv", "volume": "100", "bufferlength": "15", "skin": "http://blog.tsemtulku.com/wp-content/plugins/vipers-video-quicktags/resources/jw-flv-player/skins/dangdang.swf", "image": "https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/RinpocheNightLiveChi.jpg" }, vvqparams, vvqattributes); […]

    Reply
37. 

    Lafayette on Mar 29, 2012 at 12:50 am

    Everyday cosmik-er, or so I hope. Maybe can see Lama Gangchen this november since every november Hes so kind as to descend unto our
    wild swamps!

    Reply
38. 

    Wan Wai Meng on Mar 22, 2012 at 12:33 pm

    Thank you for this teaching that benefits so many out there who are without a spiritual or even access to a temple. The preliminaries are truly very effective for those who put real effort into their spiritual growth. Collecting merits and purification of our karma is essential for us to progress on a spiritual path.

    Reply
39. 

    wahying on Feb 27, 2012 at 12:17 pm

    This is a simple and clear teaching. Even high being like Lama Tsongkhapa had to do one million more than the minimum requirement – there is no short cut in life and spiritual practice.

    Reply
40. 

    bengkooi on Feb 23, 2012 at 11:59 pm

    Dear Rinpoche, thank you for this video. I enjoyed it very very much. This one is definitely better in video, not audio!

    I find these teachings to be extremely clear, concise and very useful for beginners to tantra and even those who are not so new. But what struck me the most from the entire teaching is how all preliminaries can be replaced with alternative activities such as Dharma work. It provides opportunities for people to reap the benefits of dharma work and being close to a guru while spreading the dharma in the ten directions.

    The other things I really like is how much sense it makes that Dharma work can replace the preliminaries. After all, the preliminaries are about collecting merit and the purification of negative karma. And its perfectly logical how dharma work can achieve the same ends.

    I remember during a teaching that rinpoche gave on prostration retreats in 2008, Rinpoche was congratulating KMP on embarking upon a 100,000 prostration retreat. And Rinpoche went on to say that all departments should engage in a prostration retreat as it would be very beneficial for both the group and the individual.

    Well, then someone asked Rinpoche whether the Ladrang team should engage in a prostration retreat as well. And Rinpoche said that, just by being available for the lama anytime, 24-7, that was better than any prostration retreat could ever be. It would purify more negative karma and accumulate more merit than prostrations!

    That completely blew my mind that night 3 years ago and I then understood what people mean when they say that the most beneficial is to be close to the lama and serving the lama. No other merit is higher than that.

    Reply
41. 

    Ben van Ham on Feb 23, 2012 at 5:14 am

    Great video, great teacher 🙂 Live long rinpoche!!

    Reply
42. 

    Ac17 on Feb 18, 2012 at 9:38 pm

    Dear Rinpoche,

    Thank you for this video just so it is easier for us to have better understanding on how to tame our unstable mind. It is very important that we realized by doing the four preliminary retreats it’s to prepare ourselves in order to receive a tantric practices in this case ‘Vajrayogini Practice’

    It is important to have faith in our Guru, and if have found our Guru, we must not doubt our Guru and His teachings. Without any doubt and practices i believed we will transform and be able to hold our refuge vows with much firm.

    Reply
43. 

    Angel SH Ooi on Feb 18, 2012 at 3:49 am

    Thank You Rinpoche for giving us this powerful teachings to prepare us for the future to receive higher teachings and practice of Tantra.

    In order to receive the higher teachings, we have to start with holding our refuge vows well and keep good samaya with our Guru. Follow one Guru, one Center and one Practice.

    Then following by 4/5 preliminary practice, is to purify our body karma, selfish and lazy mind and stabilize our mind and gain wisdom. Dharma work is also one of the way to purify body karma. Do Guru Yoga, Study and practice Lamrim which is the Three Principle Paths…death, bodhicitta, impermanence and realizations.

    Once we have done the above practices, we may ask our Guru for the higher teachings.

    Reply
44. 

    Yee Ling Cheah on Feb 16, 2012 at 2:39 am

    Dear Rinpoche,
    It’s silly old me again. I just finished watching your teaching on cosmic tantra. Thank you for the wonderful explanation and the emphasis on achieving the discipline needed to even be considered for higher tantric practices through the four/five preliminary practices.

    I have to admit to editing my comments several times as I realized just how many excuses I was making on why it would be difficult to do this. Total surrender and just submitting to the process is the way to go. Intellectually I get it but I still have a hard time surrendering to it. Funny how you talk about how we like to hide and then show ourselves. I felt like you were describing me – the never quite ready or steady student but always plodding along. You have clarified a lot of questions in this teaching.

    I do have one question though, why do 100,000 water offerings then? is it also one of the preliminary prerequisites?

    Humbly and with love

    Reply
    • 

      Yee Ling Cheah on Feb 18, 2012 at 5:18 am

      Dear Rinpoche
      I found the answer to my question on this link
      http://blog.tsemtulku.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/making-water-offerings-to-the-buddhas.html

      Thank you.

      Reply
45. 

    Yvonne Yap on Feb 15, 2012 at 1:57 am

    Thank you Rinpoche, for giving us the info step by step, is easy to learn and your funny idea let people easy to remember also 😛
    We have to start practice now, practice make things prefect

    Reply
46. 

    lucy yap on Feb 14, 2012 at 5:57 pm

    Dear Rinpoche,
    Such beautiful and powerful teaching!What we need is to get out of our comfort zone and put effort in our practice.In our deluded minds we think with the little practice we do is enough!
    From this teaching,I realised I have a lot of ‘HOMEWORK’ to do.
    I have to transform and hold my refuge vows and study Lamrim and understand the Dharma deeply,besides doing prostration,light offering,purification practice mandala offering,Guru Yoga and Migtsema.Dharma work is equally important for purification.
    Thank you Rinpoche for posting this video.May we have the merits to have Rinpoche’s precious teachings for a very long time.

    With care and respect always.

    Reply
47. 

    tsemtulku on Feb 14, 2012 at 5:12 pm

    Future tense is senseless. Wishes for the future is unsure. Be what you wish now. No one controls your body, speech and mind. So you don’t need to transform your body speech and mind in the future. Fortitude and tenacity is achievable now. if you don’t achieve it-then it is a choice. Pick the right choices. In real dharma with real dharma friends and real dharma work and real dharma environment, there is no future tense. We may not even be alive tomorrow. It is now. Your body, speech and mind is controlled by you..so don’t blame a third person that is fictitious. Don’t make your teacher a liar and Buddha not real..be here and now. Have the qualities now. You are in control of yourself. Your teacher is not a liar and there is a Buddha…Sarva Mangalam….Tsem Rinpoche

    Reply
48. 

    Sock Wan on Feb 14, 2012 at 3:09 pm

    Dear Rinpoche,
    thank you for this profound teaching. It made me realised what is the real purpose of having a Tantra practice. We do this practice because it is a very quick way to become enlightened so that we will be able to help and be of benefit to others.

    Since we are still human now I am very certain it is because we still have bad qualities in us, if we do not want to change ourselves to get rid of these bad qualities, what is the point of getting a tantra practice?

    Our Guru can only give us guidance and assignments to help us getting rid of our bad habituation, we have to follow the guidance and DO it in order to make it happens. It will take sometimes for us to transform, sometimes we get disheartened but we must not give up because our bad habituation is not going to bring us very far in our spiritual journey.

    Reply
49. 

    Ash Ng on Feb 14, 2012 at 4:16 am

    Rinpoche, thanks for taking time making this video to demonstrate the importance of the preliminaries practises to gain much needed merits, purifies past negatives committed karmas in order to receive higher trainings and initiations. It becomes much clearer now and crucial to build a strong foundation leading to a stable mind transformation which is the fundamentalism of Dharma practises. Appreciate Your care and kind effort to explain the significance of each preliminary practise. Oh by the way, it looks as if You are making a film, Tsem Tulku style 🙂

    Reply
50. 

    Koh Hee Peng on Feb 14, 2012 at 2:14 am

    Dear Rinpoche, the most important lesson that I have learnt from watching the video is that I should not have the wrong perception that my mind would transform within a short period of time without doing my homework / retreat – the 4 preliminary practices encompassing 100,000 times each of the following:-
    a) prostration + refuge;
    b) lamp offering (using lamps that last more than 8 to 12 hours with the motivation to open up our ignorance and to attain realisation that our mind is of the same as our yidam whom we offer the lamp offerings to);
    c) purification, either 100 syllable Vajrasattva or 35 confession Buddhas to purify our thoughts from the delusions (i.e. negative activities make us happy and dharma is a waste of time)
    d) Mandala offerings, offering everything that is precious to us, especially our attachments
    e) Guru Yoga of LAma Tsongkhapa daily and recite 100,000 times of Migtsema mantras.
    All of these preliminary practices have to be learnt and done correctly in order for the practices to bear fruits and as being advised by Rinpoche, one can choose to do certain dharma activities continuously that equate to the 4 preliminary practices with the loving, happy, smiling and compassionate mind.

    The 4 preliminary practices should be done in conjunction with practising lamrin / 3 principal path to ground ourselves with the realisation of death, impermanence, bodhicitta, and emptiness to push ourselves to do more with our lives, serving others tiredlessly, and never give up in our dharma practices, instead of indulging in the self-cherishing mind that lead us to anger, laziness, and other negative habituations.

    Only if one has done the 4 preliminary practices well, in conjunction with the practising of lamrin / 3 principal path and after being checked by one’s Guru time after time that one can then seek permission from the Guru to progress further to engage in tantric practices.

    Buddha Vajrayogini’s tantric practices is highly recommended as one who has practised very well can attain enlightenment within 1 lifetime. For those who are mediocre can attain enlightenment within 14 lifetimes and for those who practise the least would take rebirth over and over again to be near Buddha Vajrayogini’s teachings and practices.

    Thank you for sharing with us this wonderful teachings. Thank you.

    Reply
51. 

    Roselyn on Feb 13, 2012 at 9:11 am

    OHB! Oh Holy Buddha 🙂

    Dear Rinpoche, thanks for another wonderful Tsem style dharma teaching. One thing that I learnt from tis video is that to help others, by all means and ways, as long as you are able to reach out – it doesn’t matter how you look like on the outlook. It doesn’t matter how others think of you. As it will touch many, many hearts out there. Your sincerity and care.. that I truly respect.

    Reply
52. 

    Uncle Lai on Feb 12, 2012 at 6:19 pm

    Dear Rinpoche, Thank you very much for preparing and presenting the overview of tantric practice. I append below of my understanding of what I have read.
    When we want to do a concert or stage show there is a lot of preparation and organizing to do. Likewise if we want to do tantric practice there is a lot of homework and preparation to do.

    Firstly we have to stabalise the mind and purify our karma. To do this there are 4/5 preliminary traditional practices to do.

    !00K Prostration
    100K Butter lamps offering (each lasting 8 to 12 hrs.)
    100K Vajrasattva
    100K Mandala Offerings
    100K Guru Yoga & Migtzrma

    There is no short cut to this practice unless we can do sufficient dharma work equalvalent to the above.

    If we have completed these then we can look for our Yidam and do the higher tantric practice that is Vajra Yogini

    Reply
53. 

    abby on Feb 12, 2012 at 6:09 pm

    Thank you Rinpoche! This teaching is very very interesting! Dharma practice is FUN and EASY to start 🙂
    Thank you for the video again. More and more young people will interested in Dharma practice after they watch this video i believe. I’ll share this video to my friends.

    Reply
54. 

    henry ooi on Feb 12, 2012 at 3:24 pm

    Rinpoche’s example of “hiding and coming out” is hilarious yet leaves a big impact as one of the ways of how to transform the mind.
    Before we can receive and practice tantra, we have to purify our negative habits/karma. But even before that, receiving and keeping the Refuge Vows are very necessary.
    The traditional retreats or dharma work equivalence are necessary before we request for the initiation and practice of tantra. Along with this, reading Lamrim and practicing the Three Principle paths with One Guru, One Centre, One Practice is required. This is the general rule in Vajrayana practice.

    Reply
55. 

    Bean Lee on Feb 12, 2012 at 2:28 pm

    Nga go-tssodh-pa thuk-je-chhe Rinnpoche

    Reply
56. 

    Jamie Puon on Feb 12, 2012 at 1:41 pm

    Thank you very much for the teaching, from the video I have learned we need to put in effort in order to achieve higher attainment. 100,000 practices are like climbing rocky mountains. I am attending lamrim classes and applying patience when I can, but sometimes I forgot to.

    Reply
57. 

    Any Loke on Feb 12, 2012 at 1:51 am

    Dear Rinpoche, you’re really cute in the video and you understand so much that we need your teaching in a very in MTV type of teaching. Is so amazing that your teaching is now like Madonna transforming her music from trend to trend. Always prepared to reach the need of today’s world. Thank you so much to let us understand so much and hope there are more people benefiting themsleves

    Reply
58. 

    Nicholas on Feb 11, 2012 at 7:38 pm

    Dear Rinpoche,

    Thanks for this great teaching.
    Even if we meet the great teaching, great guru it doesn’t mean we will gain attainment in split second. It’s a wrong perception. We need to practice and prepare ourself.

    It’s very important to do preliminary retreats to prepare our mind, purify our karma and create receptive mind. This retreat is also to discipline ourselves to prepare us for higher practice.
    Even Lama Tsongkhapa retreated in cave with a group of students for 6 years doing 1mil plus of each of those retreat and after he finished he had a direct vision of Manjushri.

    We can do dharma work equivalent to the 4 retreats and if we do dharma works continuously we will purify our mind and collect tremendous merits.

    After we have complete the preliminary retreat we have stabilize ourselves in the practice of the 3 principles path (summarization of Lamrim text).
    With this whatever difficulties or obstacles we face in doing Dharma we will not give up the dharma practice and this show us the sign that we have clear sign of realizing death.

    It’s important Study up and learn up then we can so we get can get the most out of our practice.

    Thanks to Phillip Yong too for providing the link for us to be able to learn more on the 4 preliminary retreats.

    Thank you Rinpoche.

    Reply
59. 

    su an on Feb 11, 2012 at 1:06 pm

    Thank you Rinpoche for this overview on what proper Dharma practice entails. Another bell-ring-clear reminder to us that like everything else we do in life to succeed at something, we have to prepare, practice, start from the basics and work at it until we get it. The preliminary practices may sound like hard work now, but this would depend on how much and how quickly we want to achieve the end result i.e. higher practices, attainments, and ultimately… enlightenment. Coming into Dharma with the notion that it is some fantastic magic rainbow that will save us, without needing any effort on our part, with our laziness and attachments and all, will make us fall flat on our faces.

    Time to start building stamina for the 100,000 prostrations retreat =D

    Reply
60. 

    Choi Sheem on Feb 11, 2012 at 11:56 am

    Dearest Rinpoche,
    Thank you for the teaching in words and video on preliminary practices. I have went through it once and will go through again to understand better so that I am able to share with others.

    Reply
61. 

    Julia Tan on Feb 11, 2012 at 10:02 am

    Thank you Rinpoche for another fabulous teaching. I have watched the video a few times. I’m not fully understand. But this is what I get.

    The 4/5 preliminary practice are incredibly wonderful to ground our mind and to make our mind. Together with the power of retreat we will be prepared to do the higher level of practice after purifying our negative karma which had blocked our mind from doing it. To do the the sacred Vajra Yogini practice we need a very strong commitment. Before hand we need to train ourselves to have very strong perseverance. Because once we received the practice there will be no turning back or any reason to give up. We must stick to the practice until the end of our lives or many lives until we achieve enlightenment. 

    In the video Rinpoche also said that if we won’t be able to engage in the preliminary practice we could find dharma work that equivalent to it. Relevant dharma work which can also purify our negative karma, stable and ground our mind when we do it sincerely, happily and holding our vows purely. The merits that we accumulat by doing dharma work can be even more and faster. Of course it all depends on our mind, our motivation, our integrity again. 

    I remember Rinpoche told us before. Rinpoche used to refused go out of the monastery to teach. Rinpoche just wanted to find a place and do mediation to achieve attainments. But Rinpoche’s guru told Him that by raising fund, building the monastery, giving teachings and etc will be very very beneficial to countless people and hence many many times more merits will be accumulated than just doing meditation. 

    When we are doing dharma work we actually benefiting people that in touch with us. Dharma work can be in many forms and we can do it in any where any time. The 4/5 preliminary retreat are beautiful but I’ll choose to do dharma work, engage in my daily sadhana and study the Lamrim for now due to my working and family schedule. I pray and and I wish I will be able to be in dhamra full-time soon.

    Through Rinpoche’s compassion, Kechara has so many departments for students or whoever that would want to engage in dharma work, conveniently walk into any departments according what they like. Anyone can start doing dharma work in small or big scale at anytime any where. I think we should not have any excuses of not doing it. 

    Thank you.

    Reply
62. 

    Wendy Loh on Feb 11, 2012 at 5:16 am

    Dear Rinpoche,

    Thank you very much for the teachings. They are so clear, succinct, powerful and simple to understand. I guess everything in life boils down to taking action and doing it as it does require hard work, practice, commitment and dedication. To some people it may appear easy but this is not necessary so because we may not know how much this person has practiced in his / her past lives to achieve this level. For those who didn’t work that hard or did not generate enough merits to be involved in Dharma, then, it is time to work harder this life to create the causes to receive higher Tantric initiations. Understanding and intellectualizing is one thing, getting one’s act together is another. Like what Rinpoche said, we must do our homework. And in doing so, attitude is of utmost importance. We have to be responsible, keep our vows, be dedicated, committed and compassionate. And what I get from Rinpoche’s teachings is to do it now – just do it. All the tools are there i.e. the teachings on the 4 preliminaries, the Lamrim, the sacred teachings of Vajraogini and a wonderful Guru. We are totally “pampered”. So what are we waiting for? If one is serious about benefiting others, what is the best that we can offer them? Our enlightenment.

    Thank you.

    Sincerely,
    Wendy 🙂

    Reply
63. 

    skyong on Feb 11, 2012 at 4:49 am

    Thank you Rinpoche for making it easy for me to understand. I was surprised that there is an equivalent for each of the preliminary practices. It pique my interest. The preliminary practices were in my thought when first I heard about it from Rinpoche’s previous youtube and that there exist methods to actually purify our negative karma. It is really wonderful 🙂 100,000 is a big number but the ripening effect of negative karma is much more worst, even in ‘good’ human life. It is really worth it in my view ‘bang for the buck’ as not only bad karma is purify and obstacles removed, we will have the chance to develop more good qualities which create harmony, tolerance and wisdom to helps other people.

    Also it is not obvious to me but 3 principles path is a condensation of lamrim. Wow 🙂

    I can’t fathom and appreciate how powerful Tantra is because to even understand and practice everything in Lamrim is difficult enough. I dedicate all my merits to all sentient beings to be able to hear and open their minds to Dharma and may their suffering reduce and thus for them to able to help their fellow sentient beings. 🙂

    Reply
64. 

    Eric kksiow on Feb 10, 2012 at 7:26 pm

    if everyone want to get the Book, that’s Rinpoche mentionedi, u all can log in to this web site. http://www.snowlionpub.com/html/product_10554.html ( will like to share it with everyone ).

    Reply
65. 

    Jace Chong on Feb 10, 2012 at 7:13 pm

    Dear Rinpoche,

    Thanks for the precious teachings and thanks the team for the efforts to produce the video in a creative way!

    From the teachings, Rinpoche has kindly given us an overview of what we should prepare for our mind to have result. Dharma practice is not come by and listen and go home, it’s very extensive and it requires us to do our home works in order to get more result.

    We may not have the merits yet to receive higher teachings, we have too much bad karma to block us from Dharma, but this can be changed just like anything else as everything is impermanence. We ourselves need to put efforts to purify negative karma and collect merits to receive higher Dharma teachings.

    The prostrations, butterlamp offerings, vajrasattva mantra / 35 confessional buddha, and mandala offerings are the preliminaries. And along the way we need to study the Lamrim and the 3 principal paths.

    Personally, the toughest part in Dharma practice for me is the discipline to hold the commitment, which is a good thing for me as I can see where my weakness is. How strong I discipline myself to keep doing certain practice everyday shows how strong I want to have result in my practice.

    I want enlightenment so much as I want to end this repeating lifes and I can’t see people around me suffers every moment, I want to help others. The way to reach enlightenment that I can do now is the preliminary practice. Since there’s no other secular way to bring real happiness, so, I push myself to do more for others.

    I will do and continue to do whatever Rinpoche’s “prescription” for us for attainment in Dharma practice. Thank you Rinpoche so much for making the sacred Dharma easier to understand for people like me to practice.

    Reply
66. 

    justin cheah on Feb 10, 2012 at 3:36 pm

    Dear Rinpoche,

    Thank you for this simple and yet powerful teaching. Thank you for the CONSTANT CARE AND LOVE TO EVERYONE OF US.

    Just like what we need to prepare before doing bigger assignments or be successful in any of our daily activities, the preliminary practices is a platform and ground work we should start and master before getting into higher practices.

    It is crucial to have these preliminary retreats in order to prepare and discipline our mind so that we will be prepared for the higher practices. It is also the way for us to purify our negative karma in order for us to be able to receive the Dharma and Tantric practices.

    By the way, this is a very interesting video with different angles and backgrounds.

    Thank you again.

    justin cheah

    Reply
67. 

    Uncle Eddie on Feb 10, 2012 at 2:02 pm

    It is true that without these prelimary practices being grounded in our mindstream, many will have a high chance to give up the tantric practices, as predicted by Rinpoche. Mostly, many who practiced run for higher practices neglecting the preparatory stages of practice – without realising that the preliminary stages of practice leads to the main ingredients for a successful higher practice. Just as important, if not more, Rinpoche has recommended that if one based on good and honest reasons, one cannot engage in the preliminary/preparatory practices, then all the more, doing Dharma work in your own centre is even more important. Doing Dharma work can collect lots of merits which are essential for the attainments of a quicker success. Our Guru has also emphasized to treat Dharma Work as a spiritual practice and not as mundane work. Thanks to our Guru who is always inspirational and have a heart full of compassion for sentient beings, for showing us the way on how we could reach a successful higher attainment to benefit more beings.

    Reply
68. 

    sarahyap on Feb 10, 2012 at 7:52 am

    Dharma talk with showmanship lol! very nice idea, Rinpoche

    Rinpoche, Thank you for the teaching… thank you for paving our spiritual road by giving us knowledge which other wise would take years of study to realize (if we’re lucky…)

    We’re so lucky that Rinpoche practically light up the path of liberation right before our eyes. To ask for more before practicing these preliminaries would be like a hungry person ordering 10 bowls of noodles but refuse to eat even one…

    In this video, I have learned the preliminary practices that one must do before receiving higher practices (Tantra):
    1) 100,000 prostrations first – can be done together with refuge
    2) 100,000 butterlamp offerings – the ones that light 10-12 hours (not the tealight candles)
    3) 100,000 vajrasattvas and/or 35 confessional Buddhas
    4) 100,000 mandala offerings
    5) and depending on tradition, 100,000 guru yoga
    Generally, the reasons for doing all these preliminary practices prior to receiving higher practices is to train our minds, to get us ready for more ‘difficult’ practice. It is also to purify our negetive karma… why? because it is these negative karma that always propels us to have negative thoughts, make our mind unstable, make us lazy, not committed, have doubts, loose faith, etc… all of which, the qualities that will hinder us from gaining attainments when practice Tantra, and even harmful to our spiritual wellbeing.

    When I heard Rinpoche mentioned about ‘lowself esteem’ it made me think more. I suppose to a deluded person like me, sometimes when i see people that have lowself esteem… or even myself(sometimes i feel that way too)… we are deluded to think that perhaps the person is practicing humility or perhas just shy. However, when think about it further, it is actually our own fear of failure, it is our laziness for not wanting to work hard to be an acheiver, it is our denial and refusal to change, it is our desire to stay in our comfort zone, it is our selfishness through pushing away responsibility… and so many more.

    I want Tantric initiations… so I must practice sincerely, do more for Dharma, hold true to my vows and keep my samaya, to prepare myself for the most sacred initiation of Vajrayogini now.

    Thank you Rinpoche for teaching us… we respect our worldly teachers that give us knowledge in daily life… but to have the fortune to meet a Guru that teaches us the path to liberation… that actually practices the path to liberation as an example to the students, so that we can learn by example… is truly precious.

    Reply
69. 

    tsemtulku on Feb 10, 2012 at 5:44 am

    : I was 18 years old in Los Angeles when I first laid my unworthy eyes upon the holy presence and form of His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche….I had no doubts until today I met Heruka himself. Tsem Rinpoche

    Reply
70. 

    tsemtulku on Feb 10, 2012 at 5:43 am

    : First incredible explosion in my life was that I met H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche. The second incredible phenomena is I am still practicing 25 years on what He taught me and I kept my promises to Him. The third incredible ripening of positive karma is I was able to find Vajra Yogini and develop faith intense in Her. Tsem Rinpoche

    Reply
71. 

    tsemtulku on Feb 10, 2012 at 5:43 am

    Ripe, red, intoxicating, powerful and yet so reachable to help us overcome our desires that bind us to a place that does not truly exist. Exquisite Diamond Lady Vajra Yogini, with my hands in tense supplication, help me to discover you who really existed inside me…Tsem Rinpoche

    Reply
72. 

    Taras Zhukovskyi on Feb 10, 2012 at 3:56 am

    Thank you very-very much for your videos, Rinpoche! You gave me a lot of help and warm support during last two years through your videos and texts.

    Reply
73. 

    Steve Tobias on Feb 10, 2012 at 3:40 am

    Thank you for this great teaching Rinpoche. I really like the emphasis on preliminary practices. Prostrating hurt my knees for a little but I want to start again. The concept of merit can be difficult to truly understand in the sense of automatically wanting to accumulate merit. We have to look at the times where we felt a strong impact from meritorious acts, remember that result, and trust the lama.

    Imagine completing all the preliminaries before it’s too late in life, and then being able to start them a second time. My next retreat I’d simply like to do water bowl or butter lamp offerings and study in between. When death comes one doesn’t have to spin into despair. I would like to have the full meditation down to transform it into an opportunity for enlightenment. If the death process is scary now then it certainly will also be later.

    Reply
74. 

    Jc on Feb 10, 2012 at 2:33 am

    Dear Rinpoche,

    Thankyou for the message conveyed yesterday and this amazing video teaching. It touch our heart deeply. I spend whole night explain part by part to my mother who was currently visiting us.

    This quote ” we hide, come out, then not happy and hide again… ” what happen to us ? Who create the suffering ? Our own self. Who has to transform ? Our own self. How to solve the problem, Why it happen , When i can jump out of it, Where is the solution……..
    ( The 5 W’s & 1H )~ our own self. Instantly ~ Nothing to wait, i start my retreat today, i cross my hand sincerely =) and i will do it everyday…

    Sorry, My english so-so =P
    something deep in heart after the video

    我們的心常常為眼前的事起種種波動， 有時樂， 有時苦。
    若境界較大，心就有較大的起伏， 甚至失眠、 憂鬱、 躁鬱，起起伏伏， 覺得不安。
    然而，想想過往生活中的種種喜怒哀樂，現在那些情境在那裡？

    其實過去的，就像夢境一樣，似有實無； 為何執著？ 何谓执著？
    同理可知，眼前的境界也是虛妄不實，緣起緣滅， 「 境緣無好醜， 好醜由心起，
    心若不強求，妄情從何起。 」 ~ 修心

    若了知心境本來就虛妄不實，那不安的心念不也是虛妄不實？

    一燈能除千年暗； 一智能滅萬年愚； 师傅一语能解千世愁 ；

    ^-^ 千千世世，还在寻什么？

    Reply
75. 

    Li Kheng on Feb 10, 2012 at 12:34 am

    Dearest Rinpoche, Thank you for the clear and concise teaching conveyed through a channel that is suitable for our wandering minds: a video!

    From Rinpoche’s teaching, I understand that preliminary practices are vital to train and nurture our minds so that it becomes nimble, disciplined and have a natural tendency to practice Boddhicitta. Once this foundation is laid, we begin the journey towards achieving enlightenment in the swiftness and compassion of Vajrayogini.

    Rinpoche shared a few variations on how we can implement the practice. However, an important factor that remains consistent throughout all Rinpoche’s teachings and example is GURU DEVOTION. If we follow the kind instructions of our chosen Guru by upholding the 9 attitudes of devotion to the Guru, I trust that we will successfully complete the Lamrim, preliminary retreat and tantra practice.

    With this, I thank Rinpoche again for skillfully and compassionately making Dharma so possible for your students of this degenerate age. May we have the intelligence to recognize our luck and make sincere effort to start accumulating merits to always be close to our Guru and our Yidam.

    Reply
76. 

    Han on Feb 10, 2012 at 12:21 am

    Very powerful and interestingly filmed dharma teching by Rinpoche. Thank you Rinpoche for this incredible video.
    Tantra practice really is not something that you just show up and you will get the result
    , “YOU GOT TO GET READY FOR THE PRACTICE” this short yet profound teaching by Rinpoche gave the detail explaination of HOW TO BE READY.

    Rinpoche,this overview of Tantra practice definitely help in my future dharma journey, i will bear in mind to Study up, learn up and get the best!

    Will watch this great video again and again, thanks!

    Reply
    • 

      tsemtulku on Feb 10, 2012 at 2:08 am

      Dear Han, you understood correctly. You don’t just drop in on the teachings…YOU HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THE PRACTICE. That is the key, you have to prepare. TR

      Reply
77. 

    Grace Leong on Feb 10, 2012 at 12:10 am

    Dear Rinpoche,
    Thank you for this PRECIOUS teaching. I understand that in order to NOT FAIL in the path, I have to strive very hard to achieve a solid foundation in my course of study and practice .Only then will I be ready to take on the ultimate practice of the Queen of Buddha ,VAJRAYOGINI !! THANK YOU RINPOCHE FOR YOUR CONSISTENT AND ENDLESS KINDNESS AND COMPASSION.
    With folded hands , Grace

    Reply
78. 

    Adeline Woon on Feb 9, 2012 at 9:48 pm

    Finding one’s Guru (qualified one) is the best and only way to understand, realise the dharma and to gain higher spiritual attainments. But, this should not be an excuse for one to procrastinate in practicing or doing dharma for oneself and the benefit of others, i.e. don’t wait until one finds the Guru, then only start practicing. Dharma is vast and deep, but one should start doing it as soon as one learns it, even if it seen undharmic by picking rubbish on the street. One can feel lost and confused at times before meeting the Guru, but it might well be the same when the Guru is being found. One should practice calming the mind and to have awareness and mindfulness with what one is doing, always. Practicing dharma is no other than working on one’s mind, whether one meets the Guru or not, this has to be done. Always remember to pray for oneself and others to meet one’s Guru as soon as possible, because one still needs the Guru to guide one on the method(s) that suits one’s mind, for this is the only guarantee for one to improve on one’s practice and to be on the correct path of dharma.

    Thank you Rinpoche for this simple yet profound teaching.

    Reply
79. 

    Iwan Lindeboom on Feb 9, 2012 at 8:45 pm

    Dear Tsem Tulku Rinpoche,

    Thank you very much for this clear and direct teaching. Discipline has always been the hardest thing in my life and therefore in my practice as well. Probably that’s why it took me 20 years to have the feeling of a little bit of progression 🙂 It’s true,there are no excuses.
    On a certain point i will die and at that moment there is nobody to listen to my excuses. And still i find myself excusing every day.
    Very important for me are your words about studying. Do not just do the practice but know exactly what you are practicing and how.

    Hope we meet one day.

    With high regards,
    Iwan Lindeboom

    Reply
80. 

    Adeline on Feb 9, 2012 at 8:32 pm

    This teaching is to tell the future VY initiates to begin preparation for their Home Work.Take refuge vows and must hold the vows well,do the 4-5 preliminaries retreats and follow the Lamrim or the 3 principal paths,practice is not recitation it’s mind transformation as taught by Rinpoche in this video.Very well presented especially 3 out of the 5 preliminaries Rinpoche has demonstrated. I can never thank you enough for such a great teaching!

    Reply
81. 

    tsemtulku on Feb 9, 2012 at 8:15 pm

    From Keith: Tashi Delek Rinpoche I’ve just watched your latest video teaching -Cosmic Tantra. Thank you so much for the overview. It has answered some of my questions that I had about my preliminary practice and it inspires me to receive a higher teaching in the future. From now on I will put an extra effort to continue my preliminary practice. Please take care Rinpoche.

    Reply
82. 

    Naomi on Feb 9, 2012 at 7:16 pm

    Rinpoche, can we do the preliminary practices even if we do not have a guru yet? Or should we wait?

    Reply
    • 

      tsemtulku on Feb 9, 2012 at 7:29 pm

      Dear Naomi, Very good question. SURE YOU CAN..JUST MAKE YOUR GURU BUDDHA SHAKYAMUNI OR TSONGKAPA OR TARA OR ANY ENLIGHTENED BEING..have them be the focus of your practice..that is fine.

      Good luck. Tsem Rinpoche

      Reply
83. 

    Lourdes Metz on Feb 9, 2012 at 7:00 pm

    Thanks for your teachings. You are an inspiration to us all. May you be blessed and continue to teach the Dharma for eons! _/|\_

    Reply
84. 

    William on Feb 9, 2012 at 5:04 pm

    Thank you Rinpoche for the very informative and concise video on the preliminary practices before we could request for HYT. We also need to uphold our refuge vows in order for us to succeed.

    The 3 principles also needed to be practiced:
    1. Death/ Impermanence
    2. Bodhichita
    3. Understanding of emptiness

    then we can proceed to do the 4/5 preliminaries.

    Like what Rinpoche advised, it is better to do each preliminary by preliminary so as not to tax our body too much. And start with the refuge and prostration preliminary of 100,000 times.

    We must get ourself ready first before we can request for HYT. Just like we need to get our boat ready before we could set sail for a journey. The preliminary will take some time but as long as we have the determination and focused to the goal, it should not hinder us from achieving it.

    Again thank you for the teaching.
    With folded hands.

    Reply
85. 

    Ferry on Feb 9, 2012 at 5:01 pm

    Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this video.

    Reply
86. 

    May on Feb 9, 2012 at 4:35 pm

    I would need to ground my monkey mind down, prioritize our daily focus and make the decision to start on any of the 4 preliminary practices to eliminate the karma of laziness and negative perception of dharma to begin with and end with completing all 4 of the preliminaries before any thought of starting our next journey on any tantric practises. That is hard work but like Rinpoche said, enlightenment is not Easy either.

    A single mantra will not do the work for us to reach enlightenment. That is our own delusion if we think that. Instead enlightenment requires a lot of hard work, commitment, stable mind, Bodhichitta qualities, wisdom, understanding, studying, training and loads of patience, just like training for the Olympics.

    These qualities would need to be reflected in our dharma work as well to equal the amount of work required in the 4 preliminaries to attain the same result.

    Thank you, Rinpoche for the short and concise preview to any tantric preparation we would need for us to start practicing now.

    Reply
87. 

    patsy on Feb 9, 2012 at 4:05 pm

    Thank you, Rinpoche, for staying up so late and putting much effort to make these profound teachings interesting and easy to understand. In dharma, there is no short cut. We need to have a strong foundation before we can receive higher initiations. Thank you for showing us the method.

    Reply
88. 

    Philip Yong on Feb 9, 2012 at 3:45 pm

    Dear Rinpoche,

    Thank you for working tirelessly to create this video just so it is easier for silly us to understand and remember and to ignite the curiosity in us.

    In this video, it is very obvious that doing the preliminary retreats are important for us if we really want to receive Tantric practices especially Vajrayogini’s practice. As Rinpoche has explained before, tantric practices requires strict discipline. If we do not hold our tantric vows, it will not bear fruit. So if we are not discipline now to do the simple preliminary retreats, most likely we are not going to be discipline to hold the tantric vows in the future. We create the cause for us to either excel or fail.

    If we can do the preliminary retreats well and perfect, then it will be easier for us when we receive tantric practices.

    Rinpoche also said before the importance of having knowledge, especially of the Lamrim. This is so to stabilize our minds. When we have Dharma knowledge, we will fully understand our surroundings and not doubt our Guru or the teachings. This will lead us to further realizations of the 3 principle paths – renunciation, Bodhicitta and emptiness. Also with knowledge, we will not simply let go our sacred vows.

    In this video, I also learn that it is important to ‘surrender’ to the Dharma. Surrendering to the Dharma does not mean giving up our life literally but to give up our ego and attachments. It is when we ‘lower’ ourselves we understand the Dharma better. If we listen to the Dharma with ego and attachments, we will be selective. We will only select the teachings that suit us or we think will benefit us. When we are blinded by our ego and attachments, we do not realize that each and every teaching given to us by our Guru is of pure knowledge and of tremendous benefit.

    I also learn that Dharma work is not any ordinary ‘work’. It is instead a spiritual practice that will train us up/prepare us for future tantric practices. It is also for us to gain lots of merits to receive Vajrayogini practices in the future. How blessed are we to be able to do Dharma work!

    Thank you Rinpoche for this short but concise teaching.

    Philip Yong

    Below are some links which will help if any of you are interested to do the retreats as mentioned by Rinpoche in the video.

    Teaching on Prostrations
    Part 1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbMFtzTGgkE&feature=related
    Part 2 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Qon9lYJ_7M&feature=related

    The benefits of butterlamp offerings
    – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLpgVo1xc5Y&feature=plcp&context=C344b05cUDOEgsToPDskJoDOVirbuSBiaVMWr-85PU

    Mandala
    (Offering Practice & Mandala Offering by Tsem Tulku Rinpoche)
    – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFp3AvHXYxg&feature=plcp&context=C344b05cUDOEgsToPDskJoDOVirbuSBiaVMWr-85PU

    Guru Yoga
    (Teaching on Je Tsongkhapa’s Guru Yoga (Gaden Lhagyama))
    Part 1 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TLZeOfFqtw&feature=plcp&context=C344b05cUDOEgsToPDskJoDOVirbuSBiaVMWr-85PU
    Part 2 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW5jcT4qXss&feature=related

    Reply
    • 

      Thierry Janssens on Feb 9, 2012 at 5:55 pm

      Thank you so much Philip for the links. Great idea!

      Reply
    • 

      tsemtulku on Feb 9, 2012 at 6:09 pm

      Dear Phil, Thank you for including the links here for everyone. It’s very kind and helpful of you to do this…always thinking of others. I will include your helpful links above in the post. You would be a great researcher for my blog work. What I need. Tsem Rinpoche

      Reply
89. 

    Lim Han Nee on Feb 9, 2012 at 3:42 pm

    Thank you, Rinpoche, for showing us, in this video(which has been so carefully designed and tailored to suit our monkey minds), why we need to do the ‘homework’ – the retreats and preliminary practices or their equivalent in Dharma work – before we are ready to receive tantric initiations and Vajryogini’s Practice.

    We can see, from this excellent overview, why we need to be grounded and trained via the Preliminary practices and the study and practice of the Lamrim or The Three Principle Aspects of the Path, to be ready for Tantra. We also see here the importance of being loyal to one’s Guru.

    Holding of Vows is also emphasized here. We need to hold our Refuge vows and later our Tanric vows(when we are ready to receive them) for progress and for results in our practice and meditation.

    Thank you Team for this great video.

    Reply
90. 

    Thierry Janssens on Feb 9, 2012 at 2:49 pm

    Thank you Rinpoche for this very clear teaching, I am very fortunate to come to hear it, and I rejoice at this opportunity.
    I have tried to summarise my understanding of it here below and I have used the example of constructing a house as an image to illustrate it.

    When we come to dharma, we project that we will get powerful teachings.
    Yet, we do all the teaching and practices and then we feel no results. We don’t get immediate gratification, and we get frustrated, then we hide.
    The fact is: every teaching we must apply without being selective, every teaching and practice has a reason.
    Then, when we apply a mind of renunciation, a mind that is resilient, a mind that is constant, that persevere, we will get results, and then we come out of hiding more and more and we create a mindset for the practice of Dharma to be more powerful.

    We come to dharma and then we hide, then we expose ourselves, then we hide again, etc…
    This is because we came to Dharma with our problems and they are not going away as fast as we want, as fast as we expected. Is it the teaching that are wrong, or is it our expectations and our habituations that are wrong?

    We need to do our Dharma work seriously if we want results.
    It is like training as athletes, its takes months and months…
    Tantra has power, and many Guru have lots of realisations… but things are not as easy as saying the mantra, we must do our homework and prepare for the teachings and practices to work.

    Just as when we build a house, we must first do soil testing, then study and plan the proper foundations, and if the soil is weak, the foundation must be deeper, maybe the foundation work will be long and hard and expensive, but without it, if we build the house, the house will crack and collapse. The very house we built to be used as a refuge will fall upon us and hurt us.
    When the house is built, the foundations are not visible, and all we see is the house.
    We may see a beautiful house that someone else has built and we want the same house for ourselves, but we don’t want to build the foundations, how could this possibly work?

    We all have different soil quality, some of us have a better soil than others, we must be realistic and build the proper foundations or else efforts will be wasted and the house will be faulty and we have to start all over again, and we make the construction even more difficult to do because we did not start properly and we must make up for it.

    What are the foundations of the house:

    a. we must hold our vows, refuge vows to start with it.

    b. we must study and understand the vows deeply.

    c. we must do our retreats to prepare our mind and purify karma and create a cushion for our mind that is 100% ready to receive wisdom, just like a foundation for a house.

    4 retreats:

    PROSTRATIONS
    The first retreat to do is prostrations. 100,000 prostrations.
    We must learn how to do the prostrations properly, learn why you are doing it, why 100,000 times.

    BUTTER LAMPS
    the second retreat to do is the offering of 100.000 butter lamps.
    we should think that light illuminates the darkness (our ignorance) for us to see (wisdom). We offer this wisdom light to our yidam, to our personal affinity Buddha.
    We pray as the light illuminate darkness, may the darkness in my mind open up and may I receive the teachings that open up my mind to wisdom.

    PURIFICATION
    the third retreat is to purification practices: it can be the 35 confessional buddhas or vajrasattvas.
    the purpose is to remove all karma collected and that stops me, perverts me to think that Dharma is bad, useless, a waste of time, a social hobby.
    All this negative karma that makes me lazy, bitter, have low self-esteem I want it to be removed. When this is done properly, my mind will blossom in understanding the Dharma. And this will bring me closer to the most powerful person to the world for me: Vajrayogini.

    OFFERING THE MANDALA
    The fourth retreat is offering the mandala 100,000 times.
    The mandala contains the form, formless and desire realms of samsara and all six realms of existence, it contains everything powerful and beautiful, every thing I desire, everything I WANT, it contains every fruit, every plant, every animal, every country, buildings, superstar, businessman, cars, every gold and jewellery, every thing fabulous and precious is offered, I offer my attachment, my husband, dogs, children, house, holidays, career, I offer also the attainments I wish to gain, bodhicitta, renunciation, realisation of emptiness… I give it up for my enlightenment so that I can help others, as there is nothing more precious.

    the 4 retreats can be replaced by Dharma work as assigned by our Guru as an equivalent for modern day practitioners. Not that it is easier, because this is not correct to negotiate with the retreats and chose the easy ones, but it is more appropriate for some modern people. And what we need is the merit, not the retreat itself, the retreat is not the end, it is the merit we want.

    Just as in the old days there were a limited ways to build foundations, in our modern world there are modern ways, different but just as efficient.

    These are the 4 traditional retreats, however some traditions have 5 retreats, the additional one is the GURU YOGA.

    The retreats purify my mind so that I can see pure beings.

    Along the retreat, we must practice the lamrim, renunciation, impermanence, realisation of our personnal death. Death not as an intellectual understanding, but something that pushes us to do more for Dharma.

    I only have a limited time to build this house, I must start with the foundations today or else by the time of death for me, my house may not be ready. It is very late already.

    We must practice the 3 principal paths that sums up the lamrim: RENUNCIATION, death, impermanence, BODHICITTA and grounding of undestanding of SUNYATA.
    When we stabilise our mind with the three principal paths, then all our actions will be directed towards the Dharma and we will not give up Dharma practice.

    With grounded renunciation, bodhicitta and understanding of emptiness backed up by the 4 retreats, then one is ready to receive higher tantric teachings.

    I should not think that I am ready for tantra when I have done no preparation work. It is just like the house we want to build, we need the foundations to receive it. Sometimes we see buildings being built in the city and there are vast and deep foundations that sometimes take years, sometimes even 15 years because there are many obstacles arising during the making of them, yet, the construction continues and eventually a large building appears and the foundations are nowhere to be seen…

    We can and must continue practicing and improving the 3 principal paths in conjunction with a tantric practice.

    Tantra is not something we show up with, if we are not ready, we will get hurt because the practice is very powerful. Just like the house collapsing on us if it is not built properly.

    If we are fortunate to receive the tantra teachings, we must practice and catch up in whatever field necessary. We must or else it is like piloting an airplane without knowing how to, we lilely hurt ourselves and others, and we become a helpee instead of a helper.

    recapp:

    refuge
    prostrations
    butter lamps
    confessions
    mandala offering
    guru yoga
    tantra

    Then, when we are allowed to start the practice of Vajrayogini, we must read the “extremely secret Dakini of Naropa” written by Kyabje Pabongka. We must study it up and make the practice and we will get results. We must hold our tantric vows or else the meditation will hold no truth. We must be vigilant in our meditation and we will get enlightenment in a single life time, or in 14 lifetimes or worse, depending on how well we have applied all the above, how sincere we are at it, how consistent, how persistent and how well motivated we are.

    Just like making the foundations of a house is a dirty work, working in the mud, in the rain, it is necessary; we can’t jump immediately in the more glamorous work of decorating the house and put flowers in crystal vases with a nice background music. This must start with foundations, and before foundations, we must clear the land, cut the weed, remove any pollution on site, garbage and litter, plan, test the soil, get the right method for the foundation and get to work, dig in, make the site an apparent mess, pour concrete, put reinforcement bars, make sure drainage will divert the obstacles of rain, make sure there will be no land slide falling into the foundation ditch… And we do all this with a beautiful result in mind: the house, a refuge.

    Reply
    • 

      Andrew.Hibberd on Feb 26, 2012 at 3:36 pm

      wow the long way and the short way to happy is same distance

      Reply
91. 

    Jan Tewi on Feb 9, 2012 at 2:45 pm

    FYI: The book you mentioned (The Extremely Secret Practice of Naropa: Vajrayogini Practice and Commentary, by Pabongkha Dechen Nyingpo, tr. David Gonsalez, Snow Lion) is a restricted text, which the publisher will only sell to those who have had a Highest Yoga Tantra empowerment (and ideally, Naro Kacho Vajrayogini empowerment, commentary, and oral transmission). If your intention is to advise your students to buy or read this book even if they have not had a HYT empowerment, please contact Snow Lion to inform them.

    Reply
    • 

      tsemtulku on Feb 9, 2012 at 4:59 pm

      (Please take note, the Vajra Yogini book I mentioned in the video is to be read and studied by those who have Vajra Yogini’s initiation. If you do not, you are restricted from reading and or studying. But you may keep the book on your altar as part of the objects of offering to create powerful karmic affinity with the practice. That is permissable. Many Tibetans can go and purchase the commentary in Tibetan from the Monastery anytime. They don’t read it necessarily, but leave it on the shrine as a holy object to worship. Represents the speech of all Buddhas. Since most lay Tibetans can obtain the texts, why not non-Tibetans. I recommend everyone to have a book for the future, in case it goes out of print. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche {author} received direct communications with Vajra Yogini during his lifetime. He received direct advice on Her practice from Vajra Yogini Herself. Also his commentary comes from his direct realizations as a result of intense practice on this path. So his commentary is a combination of direct advice from Lady Vajra Yogini Herself and his personal meditative attainments-SUPER POWERFUL. It is by far no ordinary commentary. It is a must have commentary for serious practitioners and would be practitioners. We are fortunate this book is translated and available.

      Furthermore, Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche highly recommended this Yidam Vajra Yogini to be very effective for beings of the current degenerate age. Her practice due to our karmic situation will suit our temperaments and modern manifestations of the three old foes of ignorance, hatred and desire. He mentioned it would be highly appropriate to keep Vajra Yogini as our principal practice to gain enlightenment. Her practice would be more than enough and extremely appropriate for a time and place pervaded by mostly manifestations of desire during this time. Vajra Yogini is the Queen Buddha for overcoming desire as well as ignorance and hatred. We need to shop no further when we wisely adopt Vajra Yogini as our principal practice especially during the Kali Yuga degenerate age. I wish all of you well, deep practice and to be cared for by this highly unusual yet provocative Vajra Yogini tantric system. May you become Vajra Yogini. Tsem Rinpoche)

      Reply
      • 

        Andrew.Hibberd on Feb 26, 2012 at 3:21 pm

        http://www.holybooks.com/wp-content/uploads/A-Long-Sadhana-of-Vajrayogini.pdf,, you do not need to contact snow lion download it here dont read it and put it on your alter

        Reply
        • 

          Andrew.Hibberd on Feb 26, 2012 at 3:35 pm

          when the student is ready the scriptures appear

          Reply
92. 

    Mc on Feb 9, 2012 at 2:10 pm

    Thank you Rinpoche for putting so much effort into making this important teaching interesting. The Practice is something we have to keep working hard on. The importance of the Preliminary Practices becomes clear as we perform them because then our commitment and readiness (or lack off) to receive higher training becomes clear to us.

    Reply
93. 

    lewkwanleng on Feb 9, 2012 at 1:11 pm

    Thank you for coming out with the video and new “shooting styles”. There are so many times I heard people run to a center to get initiation and run to another center to get initiation, yet not getting the results.

    How can we learn Pure Maths if we don’t know addition/multiplication? We must do our homework! It is so simple yet we want a shortcut out of this.

    Reply
94. 

    elizabeth hurwitz on Feb 9, 2012 at 12:47 pm

    Dear Rinpoche, What a wonderful video. Thank you for your continual good efforts to share dharma with the world. A person could sense the lineage lamas throughout your talk. You gave me a very strong reminder of how incredibly lucky I am and how incredibly lucky all practitioners in this particular tradition really are. So so lucky. Gelek Rimpoche told me once that the number of people in the world who are vajrayana practitioners at any given time are less than one percent of one percent of the one percent of the world’s population. So the luck of encountering the teachings is mind boggling. The responsibility to really practice is a big responsibility. There’s a lot of vigelence involved — much more than I thought there was, say, 15 years ago.

    Recently, a few “old time”” “very senior” well admired students here have changed their minds about commitments to practice and to guru devotion. When that happens, the sangha goes through a bit of a shift as a goup. When that happens, it’s a reminder to me that I cannot take my practice for granted and think that it will just go smoothly. I can’t fool myself that I can get away with having a day that doesn’t require effort. Letting go of viewing the world in an ordinary manner is like joining AA — you work at it one day at a time, and you never underestimate the pull of samsara. The day I underestimate the power of practice and the work of practice is the day that I waste. And I can’t get that day back. And delusions use that little vacation as an opportunity to get stronger and mess with me more, Then I have to get back on the horse and work the practice the next day. And the next. Great video. Keep up the good work. With respect and warm wishes, Elizabeth Hurwitz

    Reply
95. 

    Sonny Gardner on Feb 9, 2012 at 12:34 pm

    Dearest Rinpoche, Thank you (and the skilled & helpful staff) for this wonderful video introduction and over-view of preliminary practices. Very useful knowledge, very informative and presented perfectly for our modern monkey minds. I plan to re-watch and take notes! My background is with the modern Neo-Pagan Earth Religions and devotional (Bhakti) Hindu Shakta Tantra, as I’ve always been attracted to Mother Kali / Mother Tara and The Goddess (Shakti) in Her many Divine forms. Since moving to Osaka, Japan 3 yrs ago I discovered (when seeking for Her in Japanese Buddhist tradition) that Dakini exists here in a variant form (Dakini-ten) where she is in a non-fierce form, seated on or attended by a fox. Anyway, would it be appropriate to adapt these introductory teachings and practices in re-starting my sadhana (which I’ve “hidden from” because of scheduling and, to be honest, out of sheer laziness and entropy for too long). I don’t see any problem in adapting these enlightening practices as a framework for advancing my sadhana, but is it ok for Ganesha, Shiva – Kali (and all) to be a part of this? Can They “assist” on the way to Vajra-Yogini? Thank You and Namaste.

    Reply
96. 

    Fang on Feb 9, 2012 at 11:38 am

    Dear Rinpoche,

    Thank you for yet another ‘out-of-the-box’ Dharma teaching. I love Rinpoche’s approach to sharing the most complex of teachings, and tailoring it to our level of understanding. I related to the example of months of rehearsals before a concert – all the tireless efforts for a final quality presentation and it’s all worthwhile.

    I look forward to more of Rinpoche’s dummy-proof way to Dharma. I promise to save up for a Lamrim this year and start reading it up.
    Thank you again, Rinpoche for keeping our heart, mind and eyes open from time to time.

    Much respect + care…

    Reply
97. 

    Victor Phang on Feb 9, 2012 at 11:02 am

    Dearest Rinpoche:
    Thank you very much for the teaching and guideline. I will continue doing my preliminary retreats accordingly until I’m READY to go for higher tantra practice. It is extremely important for us to be ready spiritually in order to gain the maximum fruitful result from higher practice. It is clear that I have to complete the following practices first before going further in my spiritual path…..
    100K x Prostration
    100K x Light offering
    100K x Vajrasattva
    100K x Mandala offering
    100K x Guru Yoga & Migtsema

    Although it’s challenging for me now but I believe with diligence and positive mindset, I can reach there sooner or later!
    Thank you very much for the wonderful guideline. Take good care 🙂
    With love,
    VP

    Reply
98. 

    Dave on Feb 9, 2012 at 10:26 am

    This is a wonderful teaching, but I feel somewhat disheartened as I feel no connection to the tantra. If I don’t want to engage in tantric practice, is my Sutra practice sufficient?

    Reply
    • 

      admin on Feb 9, 2012 at 10:34 am

      Dave, stay with your sutra practices. It is fine. You are fine. Relax and keep on your practice and gain attainments that are irreversible…Much luck to you. TR

      Reply
99. 

    MD on Feb 9, 2012 at 9:21 am

    Dear Rinpoche,
    brilliant Dharma practice explanation! Always I admire your teaching skills. Please, prolong your life for the benefit of all sentient beings and especially those who are ready to study and practice the Dharma right now. Thank you so much for sharing all your wisdom and knowledge with us.

    Reply
100. 

     Hui Keng on Feb 9, 2012 at 8:56 am

     This is the most wonderful introduction to highest yoga tantra teaching I ever got in my life. It is simply marvelous! Rinpoche elucidates the teaching in the most precise, clear, easy to understand and interesting manner. It comes from his passion, love and care for every single being. We are most fortunate and it touches me deeply. A ‘THANK YOU’ is not enough but to repay Rinpoche’s kindness means we have to practise his teaching immediately!

     Reply
101. 

     Yoke Fui on Feb 9, 2012 at 8:49 am

     Dear Rinpoche,
     Thank you for this incredible “overview” to prepare us for the higher tantric practices.

     The video is made out of your kind consideration to hold our short attention span. You always try to disseminate dharma in “fun” ways to benefit our monkey minds.

     Thank you to the Team that stayed up to produce this video !

     Reply
102. 

     Chris Haines on Feb 9, 2012 at 8:14 am

     I would just like to say thank you Rinpoche. This teaching is excellent and gives such good background information needed by all. Thank you so much Rinpoche for your magnificent teachings. You are such a great teacher that can appeal to regular people and Dharma practitioners.

     Reply
103. 

     Rodrigo Zuñiga on Feb 9, 2012 at 7:31 am

     I have a doubt Rimpoche-la, do I have to finish the 100000 postrations to initiate the second retreat?? and so on with the others?? or I can make the four retreats simultaneously … Great video and thank you for everything

     Reply
     • 

       tsemtulku on Feb 9, 2012 at 8:04 am

       Dear Rodrigo, You can do the four retreats simultaneously. But it would be better not to as it would overtax your body. Better to start on prostration and refuge simultaneously. The other retreats do afterwards. If you do all together, it’s not wrong or bad, just too much physical exertion for most bodies…that is all. I am so glad you will do the retreats. Let me know when you start and the progress. I will make offerings to Setrap for your success….I want you to be successful and then benefit and inspire many more people… I am very happy for you. TR

       Reply
       • 

         Konchog Yeshe on Feb 9, 2012 at 1:52 pm

         Please make offerings for me too Rinpoche. My ngondro is taking a long while and many obstacles have risen of course. Nonetheless I intend to finish before moving on to any HYT. Also I promised my Lamas I would finish my ngondro before moving to any HYT. Thank You!

         Reply
104. 

     Liz Fields on Feb 9, 2012 at 7:25 am

     Thank you so much for this teaching, i have learned so much from these recent videos you have posted. Like how we hide and then come out (again and again). if you want results it takes months, years, determination to transform, massive amount of efforts to transform the mind. Hard work is even in the dharma, not just in samsara. For instance it takes a martial arts master years to tone their body (both physically and mentally) so why do we say that dharma is easier? In reality it is not. Dharma takes hard work, effort ect as well.

     Reply
     • 

       tsemtulku on Feb 9, 2012 at 8:06 am

       Dear Liz Fields, I saw your posting. It is more than good enough. I am glad to hear your thoughts. I am happy you are going to your centre for practice. That is music to my ears. I hope you can do more to bring dharma to many more in your region. Must be tireless in it. Absorb the problems of others by bringing dharma to them no matter how difficult it is. TR

       Reply
105. 

     SP on Feb 9, 2012 at 7:12 am

     In the last scene of the video, Tsem Rinpoche is sitting in front of the picture of his previous life, that picture is given to Rinpoche by one of his teachers.

     Reply
106. 

     Plinio Tsai on Feb 9, 2012 at 6:59 am

     Excelent teachings! We have misconceptions – transform over night, such afflictive bhava…. we hide, come out, then not happy and hide again… you got do the home work if you want results! Months, years, a lot of effort, determination to transform the mind! Home work behind de scenes is the secret, it is the case for martial arts, for Dharma, for anything… but specially for the Dharma!

     Tsem-la that is the most funny Dharma images I ever had ahahahahhahaa

     Please, continue to display skifull means to teach the Dharma and have a long life!!!!

     Still think it is the most funny Dharma class and same time so deep! Thank you very much ! ahahahahaa

     Reply