The fourth and last part of the Ngondro, the Guru Yoga, deals mainly with the accumulation of wisdom and with our integration into the Karma Kagyu transmission lineage and the absorption of its full blessing. The first two practices emphasized purification, and the third developed inner wealth, but all this occurred while staying in our habitual forms as beings of flesh and blood.

Guru Yoga, is basically the Three Lights meditation preceded by a number of prayers. We open ourselves to the root-Lama Karmapa above us or to his form as Dorje Chang, knowing that they are one. In our lineage, the Lama is the most important aspect.

A thousand years ago, when Marpa visited Naropa for the second time, to bring the Six Doctrines back to Tibet, a huge blue, intensely radiating energy-field appeared at Naropa´s side. It was the Buddha Kye Dorje (skr. Hevajra) in union with Dagmema (skr. Nairatmya), Marpa´s yidam. They sparkled like a thousand suns and next to them, Naropa looked like any old Indian, not especially remarkable. Naropa then asked, "Who do you want to greet first?" Thinking, "I see Naropa every day, but this other one looks special," Marpa first welcomed Hevajra. Naropa said, "Mistake; in our lineage the Lama is always the most important." He then dissolved the whole power-field into light and drew it into his heart.

Whatever form we meditate on, whether Chenrezig, Diamond Mind, Dolma or Mahakala, all are different aspects of the Karmapa. Even the various teachers of our lineage, both Tibetans and Westerners, embody the activities of the Karmapa (at least as long they don´t make any special organizations of their own which cause confusion or directly harm people). We should not be regarded as individuals, but rather as more or less open channels to him.

The purpose of all Diamond Way practices is to bring us certitude about the timeless nature of mind. When we are able to recognize mind as being ever-present and inseparable from space itself, we can dissolve into a rainbow, here and now. As this certainty becomes unshakeable, all hindrances and sorrows fall away on their own. If we are not completely sure, however, doubt is most convincingly dispelled by regular use of our Karmapa meditation. It permits us to really experience our oneness with him. Having the Karmapa arise in front of us, purifying and blessing us, we can most convincingly merge with his awareness-space.

For detailed description see:
Ole Nydahl: Ngöndro. The four foundational Practices of Tibetan Buddhism. Blue Dolphin Publishing 1990 (ISBN 0-931892-23-6, pages 17-42).

With kind permission of Blue Dolphin Publishing.

Back to the glossary.