Ngöndro can be translated as ‘to go before.’ Ngöndro practices are also called the four preliminary practices, or the four uncommon or extraordinary preliminaries. They generally precede one’s engagement in Yidam practices like Green Tara or Medicine Buddha. The Ngöndro we do at Dekeling consists of a set of 4 distinct practices, each of which helps the student cultivate the conditions, skills and perspectives for efficacy in moving to more advanced practices:
The four practices are
- Refuge and Bodhicitta (prostrations)
- Vajrasattva
- Mandala Offering
- Guru Yoga
Recordings
Introduction: 2023 October 19: Intro to Ngondro VIDEO
Class 1: Refuge and Bodhicitta: 2024 March 13: AUDIO and VIDEO
Class 2: Vajrasattva: 2024 March 27: AUDIO and VIDEO
Discussion: 2024 May 18: Ngondro AUDIO and VIDEO
Class 1 : Refuge and Bodhicitta
The initial phase of Kagyu Buddhist Ngöndro involves taking refuge in the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha) and generating the altruistic intention of bodhicitta, the aspiration to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. Practitioners reflect on the qualities of the Buddha, the teachings of the Dharma, and the supportive community of the Sangha, seeking refuge in their guidance and protection. Bodhicitta cultivation expands the practitioner’s compassionate motivation, aligning their spiritual journey with the aspiration to alleviate the suffering of all beings. This phase includes prostrations—a practice of bowing while reciting and maintaining a visualization.
Handouts
Homework
Print or digitally file the handouts above. You should spend some time exploring the Kagyu Refuge tree. This is the visualization you old while doing prostrations. It’s not likely that you’ll get the whole thing for some years, if at all. At least nurture the confidence that it’s there.
Do the readings in either the Torch of Certainty, if you own a copy, or in the Torch of True Meaning. Read the Introduction and the part about Refuge and Bodhicitta practice.
Explore your pecha (Tibetan style text) text and see how it syncs up to the handout ‘Refuge and Bodhicitta Line by Line…’ If you are using a different text, take the time to add your relevant page numbers to your copy of this handout, using the transliteration of the Tibetan to find it in your text.
Readings
Read pages 1-95 in the Torch of True Meaning (or the equivalent in Torch of Certainty. This is the introduction material and the instructions for Refuge and Bodhicitta. Reading will be less in the Vajrasattva class, so you could spread the intro out over this whole month or more. The e-book has spacious margins, so it’s not as much reading as it sounds like.)
Class 2 : Vajrasattva
In the second phase, practitioners focus on purification through the practice of Vajrasattva, the embodiment of the enlightened mind’s purity. Through visualization, recitation of mantra, and meditation, practitioners purify negative karma and obscurations accumulated through past actions, speech, and thoughts. The Vajrasattva practice allows practitioners to create the conditions for greater clarity, compassion, and realization on the path to enlightenment.
Handouts
Homework
Print all the handouts and download the file which is the correct pronunciation for the Vajrasattva Mantra. I usually also write it on a large 4×6 or so index card and break it into syllables as I hear it in the recordings. Recite this 100 times this month. By then you should be able to recite it by heart. It might take longer—but the best way to learn it is in big blocks of recitation. You can do this recitation and reduce your daily Shamatha for a few weeks if you need to make space for it.
Readings
Read in the Torch of True Meaning pages 96-114.
Class 3 : Mandala Offering
The third phase involves the practice of mandala offering, where practitioners offer the entire universe and all its contents, both physical and imagined. Through visualization and recitation, practitioners cultivate generosity, acknowledging the interdependence of all phenomena and the transient nature of worldly possessions. The mandala offering practice fosters an attitude of selflessness and abundance, paving the way for the accumulation of merit and the cultivation of positive qualities on the spiritual path.
Handouts
Homework
Readings
Class 4 : Guru Yoga
This final phase of Ngöndro focuses on the profound practice of guru yoga. In this practice, practitioners merge their mind with the enlightened mind of the guru, recognizing their essential nature as inseparable. Through visualization, meditation, and devotion, practitioners establish a deep connection with their spiritual guide, embodying the lineage blessings and wisdom. Guru yoga practice serves as the culmination of the Ngöndro sequence, leading practitioners to the realization of their own enlightened potential and the direct experience of ultimate reality.