THE BLISSFUL PATH TO LIBERATION

Preliminary Practice recitations for

The Mahasandhi Teaching of

The Ultimately Profound Ratnasamanyasamgha:

"The Kncho Chidu"

"The Essence of the Three Jewels"

Extracted from the instruction text:

"The Adornment of the Guru's Thoughts"1

Namo guru padmakarya [Homage to Guru Padmakara!]

Those who have the positive karmic tendency and the karmic good fortune for
the profound path, if they intend to first commence upon the preliminary stages,
should know that there are two of them:

a) The two stages of the general preliminaries.

b) The particular preliminaries for the Mahasandhi.

The first of these:

The General Preliminaries

In this there are two stages:

a) General.
b) Specific.

The General [Stage of the General] Preliminaries

These are the supplications for blessing and the pacification of obstacles which are
recited at the commencement of all practice sessions.
 Knchok Chidu Preliminaries. Page 2

Sit with the key parts of the body straight upon a comfortable seat in a place of
solitude.
When expelling the dead breath three times, imagine that the bad karma and
obscurations of the body, speech and mind are purified.

Recite:

In space before me, upon a lotus sun and moon,

Is the indivisibility of Padmakara and my guru, as Rigdzin Jatsn
Nyingpo,
He wears a pandita's hat and the three monastic robes.{2a}
His hands hold up a vajra and phurba, a bright white A is at his nostrils.
Male and female wrathful deities are emanated within his rainbow
wings2,
He sits cross-legged, the three syllables adorning his three places,
Wisdom light-rays radiate and give blessings.

I supplicate the guru!

I supplicate the Dharmakaya guru!
I supplicate the guru!
I supplicate the Sambhogakaya guru!
I supplicate the guru!
I supplicate the Nirmanakaya guru!
I supplicate the precious guru, the union of all the perfect Refuges!
Bestow swiftly the supreme and general siddhis upon me!

Repeat the above as much as you can.{3b}

Then recite:

Hrh
I pray to Ogyen Lentro Lingpa3, to Bangriwa4,
Who is the manifestation of wisdom-power, that can appear as anythin,
From the natural, innately present, primordial purity,
And who is the holder of the Nyingma Guyhamantra5 teachings,

I pray to Rigdzin Jatsn Nyingpo, to Bangriwa,

Who first trained perfectly in the Sutras, Tantras and quintessential
instructions,
Who then accomplished the practice of the inseparability of uttpatikrama and
sampannakrama6,
And [finally] became a complete master of the true meaning!
 Knchok Chidu Preliminaries. Page 3

I pray to Ngakchang Hungnak Barwa7, to Bangriwa,

Who is Jinendra Padmasambhava's manifestation in the form of a monk,
Who appeared as the splendour of beings in the degenerate age,
And who defeated Rudra, the clinging to a self!

Due to the blessing of my having made this supplication,

May there fall a rain of temporary and ultimate siddhis,
May I become light, a rainbow-body, that has wisdom, love and power,
And may I and all others attain accomplishment within one mandala!8

This supplication composed by Rigdzin Jatsn Nyingpo has the greatest benefit and
purpose. Therefore recite it once, or three times, or so on.
Then focus your mind on the three syllables in his body's three places.
After repeating Om ah hum, rest in a nonreferential state.

The Second - the Specific - Stage of the General Preliminaries

This consists of three preliminaries:

a) The common preliminaries.

b) The uncommon preliminaries.
c) The special preliminary.

The first of those:

The Common Preliminaries

(i) The contemplation of the difficulty of obtaining the freedoms and wealths [of the
precious human existence], in order to exhort the mind to the dharma:

This [existence] of freedoms and wealths is extremely hard to obtain.

If a being who can attain his goals
Does not pursue benefit in his lifetime,
Where will he afterwards truly obtain this [existence]?
 Knchok Chidu Preliminaries. Page 4

(ii) The contemplation of death and impermanence:

The three existences are as impermanent as autumn clouds,

The births and deaths of beings are like the performance of a play,
The lifetimes of beings are like a flash of lightning in the sky,
Passing by as swiftly as a waterfall down a cliff.

(iii) The contemplation of karmic causes and results:

When the time has come and a king has to leave,

His possessions, family and friends will not follow him.
Wherever beings are, wherever they go,
Their karma follows them like their shadows.

(iv) The contemplation of the perniciousness of samsara:

Beings under the power of craving, becoming and ignorance,{3a}

Wander round and round, without comprehension, through the five kinds of
beings -
Devas, humans and the three lower existences -
Just like the turning of a potter's wheel.

The three existences are burning with the sufferings of aging and illness.
In this life, the fires of death are raging.
The unprotected come and go within existence, without understanding,
Like a bee flying round and round inside a jar.

You should diligently recite and meditate upon these stainless words of the Buddha.

The second [in the specific stage of the general preliminaries]:

The Uncommon Preliminaries

There are four of these, the first of which is the foundation for all the lesser and greater
yanas:

Taking Refuge

Upon the central anthers of a three levelled precious lotus

Upheld by rainbow clouds in the sky of a pure realm,
Is the embodiment of all the Buddhas -
Guru Padmakara - smiling within a mass of lights.
 Knchok Chidu Preliminaries. Page 5

He is encircled, upon the highest lotus level,

By the root, branch and lineage gurus;
Upon the middle lotus level, by the yidam deities of the four and six Tantras;
Upon the lowest lotus level, by the dakinis and wisdom-protectors.

[Extending] outwards into the four directions, are fully blossomed lotus stems.
Upon the front [lotus], there are Shakyamuni and the Buddhas of all directions
and times;
Upon the right-hand lotus, there are Avalokiteshvara and the bodhisattvas;
Upon the rear lotus, there are the scriptural and realised Dharmas in the form of
texts;
Upon the left-hand lotus, there is Shariputra encircled by the shravakas and
pratyekabuddhas.
Within the clouds, there are gods and goddesses making offerings.{3b}

Before these, I and all beings throughout space,

Take refuge from this time until enlightenment
With great veneration expressed by body, speech and mind.
.

Recite that supplication and then accumulate a number of repetitions of the following:

O h
I take refuge in all the sublime Refuges.

Having concluded, recite:

The guru is the buddha, the guru is the Dharma,

And the guru is also the Sangha.
The guru is the great glorious Heruka,
The all-creating king is the guru.
Lord who is the union of the three Jewels and Roots,
Guru Ratna, I take refuge in you.

Repeat that as much as you can.

There is the tradition that in accumulating repetitions of the preliminary practices, the
single line [of refuge] given above, is recited with each prostration, thus simultaneously
accomplishing a hundred thousand refuges and a hundred thousand prostrations.

At the conclusion of the session, recite:

White light-rays radiate from the sources of refuge.

The obscurations of myself and all other beings are purified, we melt into light,
We merge into the Refuges, the retinues are absorbed into the principals,
That then become the inexpressible, elaboration-free dharmadhatu.
 Knchok Chidu Preliminaries. Page 6

The second [of the uncommon preliminaries] is the development of bodhicitta which
transforms all activity into the path to enlightenment:

The Bodhicitta

All beings throughout space, who have all been my parents,

Wish for happiness but accomplish only suffering.
Without freedom, they wander through samsara. How piteous!
I must do whatever is necessary to liberate them!
For that reason, I shall fully accomplish {4a}
The two phases of the guru yoga's profound path.

Thinking in that way, accumulate repetions of this recitation:

In order that my parents, the six kinds of beings, who wander in Samsara,
Experiencing unendurable suffering, may attain Buddahood,
All develop the mind turned to the supreme enlightenment.

In between repetitions, practice the sending and taking visualisation as much as

you can.
Imagine that with your out-breath, all your accumulation of good karma, in the form of
light-rays that are like liquid moon, goes out to touch all beings so that they attain
happiness.
Imagine that together with your in-breaths, all the bad karma, obscurations and
sufferings of beings are completely drawn in to you in the form of a black mass that
merges into you, and is cleansed and purified away as soon as you think of the profound
path.
 Knchok Chidu Preliminaries. Page 7

Contemplate the four immeasurables and recite three or more times:

May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness,

May all beings be free of suffering and the causes of suffering,
May all never be apart from the perfect happiness that is free of suffering,
May all beings rest in the immeasurable neutrality that is free of bias,
attachment and aversion.

If you are doing a condensed form of the preliminaries as a regular practice, combine
the refuge and bodhicitta visualisations described above, and accumulate repetitions of
the terma-text verse that is a combination of the single line of refuge and the three
lines of bodhicitta9.{4b}

Having concluded, you can dissolve the Refuges and commence the Vajrasattva
practice.

The third [uncommon preliminary] is the meditation and mantra repetition of

Vajrasattva, which purifies one of bad karma and obscurations:

Vajrasattva

Recite:

Above the head of myself in my ordinary form,

Is the union of all the Buddha families, Vajrasattva, a body of light,
Shining white, holding a vajra and bell and adorned by jewels,
Cross-legged, smiling and loving.

At his heart, there is a H

encircled by the hundred syllables.
Amrita descends like a flow of milk.

From the crown of the head down to the soles of the feet
All illness, demons, bad karma and obscurations are purified.

I am like a crystal vase filled with yoghurt,

I am light, I am clarity and emptiness.10
 Knchok Chidu Preliminaries. Page 8

Repeat:

Om vajra satva samayam anuplaya

vajra satva tvenopatiha dho me bhava
sutoyo me bhava
supoyo me bhava
anurakto me bhava
sarvasiddhim me prayaccha
sarva karmasu ca me citta shreya kuru
h ha ha ha ha ho
bhagavn sarva tathgata
vajra m me muca
vajr bhava
mahsamaya sattva h

[Om Vajrasattva, protect my samaya,

Vajrasattva, uphold me, remain firmly within me,
Be perfectly pleased with me,
Care for me perfectly,
Be loving towards me,
Bestow all the siddhis upon me,
Make my mind good in all my actions,
Hum ha ha ha ha hoh,
Bhagavan, all the Tathagatas,
Vajra, do not desert me
Be a Vajra being!
Great Commitment-being! Ah Hum ]

When accumulating numbers of the mantra as a preliminary practice, imagine that

space is filled with a continuous succession of white lotus petals, and that on each petal
there is a Vajrasattva, each with a mantra-circle. Beneath them are all beings, one
under each Vajrasattva. Lights from the mantras in their hearts accomplish the two
benefits and gather in blessings. Visualise the descent of the amrita and the
purification as clearly described in the terma text11.{5a}

Having concluded, recite this praise:

Vajrasattva! Mahasattva!
All the Vajra tathagattas!
The primordial vajra! Samantabhadra!
Vajrasattva, I pay homage to you!
 Knchok Chidu Preliminaries. Page 9

Then recite:

Protector, due to ignorance,

I have broken my commitments!
Guru Protector give me refuge!
Lord Vajradhara!
The embodiment of compassion!
Lord of beings, I take refuge in you!

Due to that confession, by oneself and all beings, of transgressions of vows and
commitments:

Vajrasattva says, "Son of the Family, all beings, with you as their leader, are
purified, from this day onwards, of all bad karma and obscurations".
Lights from his body purifies all beings and myself of bad karma and
obscurations.
We are transformed into Vajrasattvas that merge into the Gurus above our
heads.
They all melt into light and merge into the principal Vajrasattva.
He also disappears, from the exterior inwards, and becomes emptiness.

In a brief regular practice, the above is unecessary. Instead, having recited the hundred
syllable mantra, it is enough to just recite;

Vajrasattva melts into light and merges with me.

The fourth [uncommon preliminary] is the mandala offering that swiftly completes the
accumulations:

The Mandala Offering

The visualisation of the assembly:

In the sky before me, in the centre of a ground of jewels,

Padmasambhava is seated upon a lion-throne, lotus, sun and moon.{5b}
Above him is Avalokiteshvara-Hemasagara12,
Above him is the primordial Buddha Prabhkshara13.
They are encircled by the mind, symbol and oral lineages,14
By the lineages of the dakini entrusted seal15, of the prophetic-empowerment16,
by the lineages of realisation and of meaning,
And an ocean of dakas and yoginis.
In the four directions around them are all the Buddhas,
Dharma, Sangha and wisdom Dharma-protectors.

Having imagined that, there is first the accumulations and purification:

 Knchok Chidu Preliminaries. Page 10

Imagine that yourself and all beings are correctly practicing the seven branch prayer in
unison:
Recite:

O h
I pay homage, within the vast expanse of non-duality,
To the Trikaya17 nature of all phenomena.
I offer with uncontrived equanimity, free of extremes.
I repent and confess not realising my own mind to be the Buddha.

I rejoice in the true nature, the self-knowing wisdom.

Turn the Dharma wheel of all-pervading, attachment-free enjoyment.
I pray that you remain in the inseparablity of samsara and nirvana.
I dedicate to the great naturally present dharmadhatu.
May the perfect bliss of the all-pervasive union be attained!18

Recite those pure seven [branches] any number of times.

Then for the actual mandala offering itself, [first] as generally done, practice in
accordance with the instruction text19 and offer the universally known thirty-seven
heaps, setting them out and making their individual visualisations. Recite:

O vajra bhumi h [Om vajra-ground ah hum] {6a}

The completely pure basis, the golden ground of great power.
O vajra rekhe h [Om vajra perimeter ah hum]
The completely encircling perimeter wall of iron mountains.
In the centre, the king of mountains, Sumeru,20
In the east Videha,
In the south, Jambudvipa,
In the west Godaniya,
In the north Utturakuru,
Deha and Videha,
Chamara and Upachamara
Dhata and Uttaramantrina,
Kurava and Kaurava,
The precious mountain, the wish-fulfilling tree,
The wish-granting cow, the spontaneous harvest,
The precious wheel, the precious jewel,
The precious queen, the precious minister,
The precious elephant, the precious unicorn,
The precious general, the vase of great treasures,
Th goddess of beauty, the goddess of garlands,
The goddess of song, the goddess of dance,
The goddess of flowers, the goddess of incense,
The goddess of light, the goddess of scents,
 Knchok Chidu Preliminaries. Page 11

The sun, the moon, the precious parasol,

The victory banner of total victory,
In the centre, the most perfect wealth and splendour of devas and humans, with
nothing lacking.

This is truly presented in numbers greater than those of the particles in the
universe of a trillion trillion worlds.

I offer it to the gurus, yidams, buddhas, bodhisattvas, dakas, dakinis, dharma

protectors and guardians.
Accept this with compassion for the benefit of beings!
Having accepted it, give your blessings!

Then make the offering to the Three jewels and the Three Roots in general, reciting as
many times as you can:

The ground, moistened with scent and sprinkled with flowers,

Adorned by Sumeru, the four continents, the sun and the moon,
I visualise it to be a Buddha realm and offer it.
Through this, may all beings enjoy the pure realms!

The specific mandala offering to the three kayas of the guru:

If you know and wish to practice [a mandala offering] as found in the

preliminaries for Mahasandhi meditation, then it is excellent and fitting to make an
offering using the prose and verses from "Vimalamitra's Dharmacharya: The
Flourishing Wish-Fulling Tree", one of the sections of "The Sky-Iron Vajra Practice for
Long Life"21.
Here I just follow the teachings as given [in Tsewang Norbu's instruction text]:

O h
The dharmadhatu mandala adorned by awareness,
I offer to the Dharmakaya Buddha Guru.

This mandala of my body adorned by its faculties,

I offer to the Sambhogakaya Guru.

This precious mandala adorned by gold and turquoises,

I offer to the Nirmanakaya Guru.22

When you are accumulating a hundred thousand repetitions, make that the principal
offering.{6b}

In conclusion recite:
 Knchok Chidu Preliminaries. Page 12

I pray that you accept this with compassion for the sake of beings.
I pray that having accepted it, you give your empowerment and blessing.

Guru ratna mandalakam nirytaymi

[Guru, I offer a precious mandala].

Lights radiate from the entire assembly to all beings.

They are purified of obscurations and they enter the pure realms.
The three Kayas23 and their retinues melt into light.
They dissolve into me so that the two accumulations become totally complete.

The third [of the specific stage of general preliminaries, the first and second having
been the common and uncommon preliminaries]

The Special Preliminary: The Guru Yoga

E ma ho
My body is a mass of light, Vajrayogini,
Bright fire and light, intense clarity and emptiness,
All directions and space an expanse of rainbow light-rays.
Above my head is the guru, Guru Chintamani24,
The lineage Gurus, Padmasambhava, Avalokiteshvara,
The Family-Lord Amitabha,
And all the Indian panditas and siddhas
Of the sutras, tantras, shastras, upadeshas25 and so on26.

You thus imagine the lineage gurus in a vertical column, one above the other, with the
three roots in a massed gathering around them, and the three syllables at the three
places of them all.
With single-minded, intense devotion, recite:

O h
Primordial Buddha Samantabhadramitabha27,
Lord of the realm of snow mountains, Kasarpani,
Padmakara, with the rainbow body that subdues all appearances and beings28,
{7a}
The remanifestation, great Rigdzin Jatsn Nyingpo29,
I pray to you, give me your blessings!

May I directly reach the naturally present, primordial purity,

Gain mastery of the path of Trek-ch and Tgal30,
Manifest the inseparability of wisdom and body,
And guide all endless beings with my emanations!

Accumulate a number of repetitions of this nine line prayer. If you are unable, due to
 Knchok Chidu Preliminaries. Page 13

present circumstances and so on, to do a hundred thousand repetitions, recite it as

much as you can, and you can instead accumulate repetitions of the following
recitation:

Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara, Padmasambhava, Songtsen Gampo,

Dhagpo Lharje, the crown-adornment of the Kagyu,
Jatsn Nyingpo, who is the emanation of all these and others,
I pray to you, give me your blessing!

Both of the above prayers are the words of the great Rogdzin [Jatsn Nyingpo] and
have an equally great blessing.
At the conclusion of the session, recite also other long and short lineage prayers which
are provided elsewhere.

If you are doing this [guru yoga] as a regular daily practice, you can now go on to the
practice of receiving the empowerments. If you are accumulating repetitions as a
preliminary practice, etc., now recite:

Through the power of my devotion,

The lineage gurus succesively melt into light,
Until the root guru [alone], shining with light,
Looks upon me with compassion and gives me his blessing.

Recite the seven line prayer:

H {7b}
In the north-west of Oddiyana,
Upon the stem and blossom of a lotus,
You have attained wonderful, supreme siddhi,
Renowned as Padmasambhava,
A multitude of dakinis encircle you as your entourage,
I pray that you come and give your blessing
That I may practice in the same way as you have.

Then recite these two mantras, first here as a devotional practice of supplication,
accumulating an equal number of both, such as a hundred thousand and so on:

O h vajra guru padma thod-phreng-rtsal vajra samaya ja siddhi phala

h

and:
O h vajra guru padma siddhi h

Having concluded that, receive the empowerments:

 Knchok Chidu Preliminaries. Page 14

White light, like a shooting star,

From the O at the forehead of Guru Chintamani,
Merges into my forehead, so that I receive the vase empowerment.
I am purified of physical obscurations, I ascend to the eighth bhumi, Achala31.
The seed for obtaining the Nirmanakaya result is planted.
I am empowered to meditate on the utpattikrama32: the Mahayoga.

Red light, like a candle flame, from the at the throat,

Merges into my throat and I obtain the secret empowerment,
I am purified of vocal obscurations, I ascend to Sadhumati33,
The interdependence for attaining the sambhogakaya result is arranged,
I am empowered to practice "self-blessing", the sampannakrama34 of the
Anuyoga.

Blue light, like incense smoke, from the h at the heart,

Megres into my heart, so that I receive the wisdom empowerment,{8a}
I am purified of mental obscurations, I ascend to the tenth bhumi,
Dharmamega35,
The ability to achieve the Dharmakaya result ripens within me,
I am empowered to meditate on the mandala-chakra of Ati.

Five lights, like a rainbow, from the five places36,

Merge into my five places, so that the great wisdom empowerment is received,
I am purified of physical, vocal and mental obscurations, I ascend to the
eleventh bhumi, Samantaprabh37.
I have the ability to attain the Svabhavavikaya.
I am empowered to meditate on the effortless, naturally present, primordial
purity.

The guru enters through my brahma-aperture and resides in the centre of my

heart.
Wisdom-amrita flows from him and fills my body.
He melts into the light of great bliss,
My three doors38 become inseparable from, of the same taste as his three
secrets39.

Maintain for as long as you can this uncontrived spaciousness of unspoiled, genuine
devotion.

In conclusion, recite:

Glorious, precious Root-Guru,

Remain forever, inseparable,
Upon the lotus anthers in my heart,
And bestow upon me the siddhis of body, speech and mind.
 Knchok Chidu Preliminaries. Page 15

And recite pure dedication and wishing prayers such as:

In all my lifetimes, may I never be apart from the true guru,

May I enjoy the splendour of the Dharma,
May I obtain all the qualities of the paths and bhumis,
And swiftly attain the state of Vajradhara.

Through this good action, may I and all beings

Swiftly attain the accomplishment of Padmasambhava
And swiftly bring every single being
To that same state.

May the glorious guru's lotus feet be steadfast,

May happiness arise throughout the extent of space,
May I and all others gather the accumulations, purify ourselves of obscurations,
And swiftly reach the level of Buddhahood40.

The second [of the preliminaries, the first having been the two stages of the general
preliminaries which have comprised the text so far]:

The Particular Preliminaries for the Mahasandhi

These uncommon preliminaries are as described in the instruction text41, within which
there is especially the guru yoga42:

My own body is appearance and emptiness, the nature of light.{8b}

Within it are the unobscured three channels and the five chakras.
In their centres there are: white Buddha Ttrengtsal and consort at the crown of
the head;
Red Padma Ttrengtsal and consort at the throat;
Blue Vajra Ttrengtsal and consort at the heart;
Yellow Ratna Ttrengtsal and consort at the navel;
And green Karma Ttrengtsal and consort at the secret place.

They hold [respectively] a wheel, vajra, jewel, lotus and vajra-cross,

And hold bells and wear the clothing of a chakravartin.
They are seated, in the posture of enjoyment, upon lotus and moon seats.

Teeming rainbow light-rays, rainbow spheres and rainbow spots,

The lights of the great natural presence that is primordially self-illuminating,
Invoke Oddiyana Ttrengtsal, so that he is drawn from space
And resides in the sky before me.

Invoke blessings by reciting the seven line supplication three times. Mentally offer the
outer, inner and secret offerings that are manifested from meditation and recite:
 Knchok Chidu Preliminaries. Page 16

Hr
I pray to great Oddiyana, Guru Padmasambhava
Who is the body, speech, mind, qualities and activity of all the gurus, yidams,
dakinis, buddhas, and bodhisattvas of the three times gathered together
into one, whose activity is the same as all theirs.
I pray that you ripen and liberate my body, speech and mind.

Thus recite intensely the supplication for the realisation of the true nature.{9a}
Having concluded that recite:

From the guru's body flows an amrita of blessings,

Pouring down as rainbows of the five colours,
That merge into my body and the deities of each chakra.
The great wisdom, the fundamental clarity, moves into my being,
The outer and inner gurus merge into their respective chakras.
The awareness that knows itself, the emptiness and clarity that is free of
identification,
The inseparability of the three kayas, is Guru Padmasambhava.

Rest in that meditative state.

It is sufficient to practice the "inner differentiation": the purification of the six

existences43, in the context of the other [Mahasandhi preliminary] teachings, but as this
particular practice is very profound and excellent for a daily regular practice, or a
practice that does not follow the complete instructions of the [terma] text, and so on,
do the following:

My own body appears as Vajrayogini.

Inside the avadhuti within the body, there is a blue h
Inside the rasana, there is a bright red , and inside the lalana a white O,
shining with light rays.
Their nature is primordially the three vajras44.

There is a white A at the crown of the head, a yellow Su at the throat,

A green N at the heart, a blue Tri at the navel,
A red Pre at the secret place, and a grey Du at the sole of [each] foot.
All the birth, karma and karmic latencies of the six realms
Are gathered into the six seed syllables.
A blaze of wisdom-fire from the three syllables
Instantly incinerates the six seed syllables.

O h mama koli samanta

[Om ah hum. I am perfectly noble]45
 Knchok Chidu Preliminaries. Page 17

Keeping silence recite that mantra seven hundred thousand times.{9b}

In conclusion recite "Pha" six times so that a wisdom wind comes from the three
syllables blowing the burnt ashes out through the anus and dispersing them.
Next recite:

Around the three syllables are mantra-circles of the hundred syllable mantra,
White, red and blue circles from which a flow of amrita descends
That washes away and removes the [remaining] fractions of stains.
My body becomes like a stainless crystal ball, like a rainbow,
I become a self-originated, primordial Buddha.

Recite the hundred syllables as much as you can, and there will appear the general
signs of becoming purified of bad karma and obscurations.
In brief, apply yourself to this practice with diligence, as the tantras describe countless
benefits that are derived from it, for example that the six realms will be easily purified,
and buddhahood swiftly achieved.

Through this, may the flow of activity of the profound path,

The Teachings of Shakyamuni, ever spread and increase,
And may all beings become followers of this Dharma
And become completely liberated!

This text was composed by the Vidyadhara of Padmasambhava Mantrayana,

Pema Gargyi Wangchuk46, at the retreat centre Tsadra Rinchendrak47, in response to the
request made by Lama Karma Tashi Geleg and Karma Sonam, who both aspire towards
that which is profound.

MAY GOODNESS INCREASE!

Translated by Peter Roberts. Scotland. July 1991.


1 N OTES

An instruction text by Tsewang Norbu, the eighteenth century head of the Kahtok Nyingma, and
holder of many transmissions, including the Knchok Chidu.
This preliminary instruction text by Kongtrul appears to predate the sadhana that he
compiled from the terma texts and his own two sadhana instruction texts. They appear to have
been written in this order: 1) Ngondro instructions; 2) Pemay Shalung Instruction text; 3) The
sadhana; 4) The shorter sadhana instruction text included in the Rinchen Terdz.
2 Jatsn Nyinpo is portrayed, as well as described in Tsewang Norbu's instruction text, which
has more visualisation descriptions than any of Kongtrul's commentaries, as having a
rainbow radiating from each shoulder.
3 The Terton name of Jatsn Nyingpo.
4 "The One from Bangri (Bang Mountain)", another of Jatsn Nyingpo's names.
5 "Secret-Mantra", i.e. the Vajrayana or Tantra.
6 The generation and completion phases.
7 "Mantra-Holder Bkack-Hum Blazing-Fire", another of Rigdzin Jatsn Nyingpo's names.
8 Only the first few words of the prayer are given in the text, which is usually found in
Knchok Chidu collections as a single page, in which the benefits are described in the colophon.
It is not in the Rinchen Terdz.
9 These lines were subsequently combined as a four line verse by Kongtrul for the Refuge and
Bodhicitta verse towards the beginning of the Knchok Chidu sadhana that he compiled from
the terma texts.
These lines occur in the terma text "The Sadhana of the Three Yogas and the
Generation Phase of the Mahayoga [yoga.gsum.gyi sgrub.thabs.dang.ma.h.
yo.ga'i.bskyed.rim, which is the fourteenth of the thirty-five texts that make up the Knchok
Chidu terma text as in the volume published by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
This five folio text and the following two folio "The Anu Yoga Completion Phase"
comprise the fourth of the eight chapters into which the Knchok Chidu terma is divided.
The text begins on page 205 (1b) in this way:

"Then as the fourth chapter is

"The teaching of the sadhana of the three yogas"
First there are three: refuge, gathering of accumulations and the hundred syllables,
The mandala, and the generation phase of the deity.
 The refuge:
O h
I take refuge in all the sublime Refuges.

The development of bodhicitta:

In order that my parents, the six kinds of beings, who wander in Samsara,
Experiencing unendurable suffering, may attain Buddahood,
All develop the mind turned to the supreme enlightenment."

(This is then followed by the seven branches, Vajrasattva, etc.)

10 This section, included in Kongtrul's Knchok Chidu sadhana, is from the Vajrasattva
visualisation that occurs on p.205 (2a) lines 2 - 5, of the terma text "The Sadhana of the Three
Yogas and the Generation Phase of the Mahayoga. See note 8.
11 The entire visualisation has in fact already been fully quoted above. Also see note 9.
12 Hemasagara (Tibetan: gangs-chen-mtsho) is a Buddha manifestation in which is located
realms and worlds. Our world is said to be upon one of a tier of lotuses that he holds. Here,
according to Tsewang Norbu's instruction text, the appearance of Avalokiteshvara in
sambhogakaya form has the identity of being Hemasagara.
13 Tibetan: mingyur ['od-mi-'gyur]: "Changeless Light". The primordial Buddha, is the
Dharmakaya form of Amitabha in which he is inseperable from Samantabhadra. According
to Tsewang Norbu's instruction text, he is a naked red buddha, seated in the vajra posture
with both hands in the meditation posture.
14 In the Mahayoga lineage for instance, there is first the mind-lineage of the Buddhas, from
the Dharmakaya Buddha to the sambhogakaya bodhisattvas; the sign-lineage of the
vidyadharas, from Vajrapani to a group of five beings, each from a different realm of
existence; and the oral-lineage of individuals, which is from King Indrabhuti to
Padmasambhava.
15 A teaching entrusted by Padmasambhava to dakinis, and written in dakini script, the
dakinis being charged with keeping the teaching concealed until the correct time and
thenceforward protecting its practitioners.
16 A transmission of teaching through Padmasambhava prophesying and thus empowering one
of his pupils to discover a teaching in the future.
17 The three kayas: Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya.
18 This is on page 1b-2a [204-205] of "The Sadhana of the Three Yogas and the Generation
Phase of the Mahayoga, where it precedes Vajrasattva. See note 9.
19 In Tsewang Norbu's instruction text, upon which Kongtrul is basing this text, the mandala
offering instructions are on pp.10b-13a (194-199), the actual mandala offering itself
 commencing on page 11b [196] in the generally available editions. The terma text does not
include a mandala offering, but only the seven branch prayer.
20 The text at this point does not actually give the rest of the mandala offering, only stating
"..etc.".
21 The second of the six volumes of Jatsn Nyinpo's termas, as published by Dilgo Khyentse
Rinpoche, is "The Long Life Practice, The Sky-Iron Vajra, The Gathering of All Siddhis"
(tshe-sgrub gnam-lcags rdo-rje dngos-grub kun-'dus) in 521 folios. It is comprised of a total
of 28 texts. This terma, and the other volumes apart from the Knchok Chidu, was discovered
in Jnpo Lung temple at Nyemo Lhari in Kongpo.
"The Flourishing Wish-fulfilling Tree" is the eighth text pp. 103-200, at 97 folios being
the longest text in the collection.
One of the two editions of Kongtrul's preliminary text that I have, has misspelt chos-spyod as chos-
brjod. Chos-spyod or Dharmacharya or "Dharma Activity" is a general title for a set of practices or
recitations that are regularly done.
22 Tsewang Norbu's instruction text and Kongtrul's sadhana have these verses followed
immediately by the offering mantra: Guru ratna ma alaka niry t a y mi [Guru, I offer
a precious mandala]. Here a supplication is interjected.
23 Nirmanakaya: Padmakara. Sambhogakaya: Avalokiteshvara. Dharmakaya:
Samantabhadra-Amitabha, who are the principal figures in the visualisation for the mandala
offering.
24 The "Wishfulfilling Jewel Guru", which is, according to Tsewang Norbu's instruction text,
Padmakara wearing the "cintamani costume" with both hands in the meditation mudra,
holding a wishfulfilling jewel. According to Gega Lama, he does not hold a khatvanga and is
seated in the vajra posture.
25 Essential practice instructions (Tib: man-ngag).
26 That visualisation recitation was composed by Jatsn Nyingpo.
27 Samantabhadramitabha is the name for the inseparability of the Dharmakaya Buddha
Samantabhadra from Amitabha, as a naked blue Buddha.
28 In the sadhana, between this line and the next is the line: "Yeshe Tsogyal and Nyangben
Tingdzin Zangpo,".
29 In the sadhana, this is followed by a succession of lineage gurus, that vary slightly in
different editions towards the end of the succession. An example: Dundul Lingpa, Longsal
Nyingpo, Dechen Lingpa, Tsewang Norbu, Trinl Shingta, Tuk-kyi Dorj Tsal, Pema
Nyinj, Yungdrung Lingpa, Khakyab Dorje, and the root and lineage gurus.
30 Trek-ch, literally "cutting through" is defined as a key practice in the Nyingma
 Mahasandhi teachings. It is said to be a teaching that can effortlessly liberate the lazy. It is
the spontaneous ground wisdom, a direct recognition through resting in the four liberations:
the primordial, the spontaneous, the naked and the final liberations. One Rests naturally in
the primordial purity of the dharmata, the nature of phenomena.
T-gal, literally "reaching the summit" is defined as a key practice in the Nyingma
Mahasandhi teachings. It is said to be a teaching that can, through effort, liberate the
diligent. In this there is the full accomplishment of the four appearances: the direct appearance
of the dharmata, the appearance of the increase of the appearance of experiences, the
appearance of the full development of awareness, and the appearance of the intellect-
transcending cessation of phenomena. Thus, through phenomenal appearances, the material is
transformed into the clear-light.
31 Tib: mi-g.yo-ba. ("The Unwavering").
32 Tib: bskyed-rim. The "generation phase" in which the visualisation of the deity is created.
33 Tib: legs-pa'i blo-gros. "Excellent intelligence". the ninth of the ten bodhisattva levels.
34 Tib: rdzogs-rim. "Completion phase".
35 Tib: chos-kyi-sprin. "Clouds of Dharma".
36 The five places: The forehead, (sometimes this is the crown of the head), the throat, the heart,
the navel and the secret region (genital area).
37 Tibetan: kun-tu-'od. "Total Light" or "Complete Illumination". This is the level of
Buddhahood. Note that there is also a system of twelve bhumis, in which this level is the
twelfth.
38 The body, speech and mind.
39 The guru's body, speech and mind. "Secret" because they are inconceivable to ordinary beings.
40 This last dedication prayer is not given in full, only the first few words, and is not in
Tsewang Norbu's instruction text, while the preceding ones are.
41 This instruction does not appear in Tsewang Norbu's instruction text, but is contained in
Jamgon Kongtrul's own sampannakrama instruction text.
42 In Jamgon Kongtrul's instruction text on the sampannakrama of the Knchok Chidu: "The
Liberation of the Three realms", this meditation is described on pages 7b - 8a [294-295], as
the introductory uncommon preliminary practice that precedes the actual uncommon
preliminaries themselves.
43 This is one of a sequence of preliminary sampannakrama practices given by Kongtrul in his
sampannakaram instruction text.
44 The Buddha Body, Speech and Mind.
45 Tentative translation, the ko being taken as kau. i.e. two naros instead of one. Kongtrul's
 sampannakrama commentary says that the mantra is only O h
46 Jamgon Kongtrul 1913-1999.
47 Kongtrul's retreat centre at Palpung monastery in Kham.