The four uncommom foundations refer to the practices of refuge and prostrations, Vajrasattva, mandala offerings and guru yoga.

      1. Refuge & Prostrations

The Four Thoughts That Turn the Mind

When we do prostrations we first begin by thinking over each of the four thoughts or reminders of Buddhist practice [the four ordinary foundations]. The first reminder is our precious human birth. We have to think about how difficult it is to obtain a human life and how easy it is to lose this life. The second reminder concerns death and impermanence. For this we remember the five different ways that everything is impermanent. After this, we think about the third reminder concerning karma, and how actions will have specific consequences. With this contemplation we realize that it’s very important to do what is virtuous and give up what is non-virtuous. Finally, we think of all the suffering of samsara and this gives us a very strong wish to gain liberation.

Taking Refuge

We should first understand what it really means to take refuge, what the purpose of refuge is, and what are the benefits we can expect from taking refuge. Ordinarily, when we encounter pain, suffering, or fear, we wonder where we can look for protection against these. Sometimes we will look for this from our parents. Or we will look for this in worldly affairs. But these are not the answer because they can only help us for a short time. Only the Three Jewels of the Buddha, the dharma and the sangha can protect us from pain and help us gain liberation. They are the only thing that can really protect us, and they can help us in ways others cannot. The reason other beings cannot help us avoid suffering and truly protect us is that they have no control over their own suffering and have not reached liberation themselves. Only the Three Jewels are in a position to truly help us. This is why we take refuge in the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the dharma and the sangha.

But how do we take refuge in them? Do we think of them as the ones who can give us liberation and cure our suffering? No, we cannot expect them to do this for us because our liberation depends on us. We do, however, need someone to show us the way, that being the Buddha, who is our guide. We need a path, and this is the dharma. We also need friends to help us on the path, and this is the sangha. This is why we take refuge in the Buddha, the dharma and sangha.

To this three-fold general refuge there are three more refuges that are added in the Vajrayana tradition. These are known as the Three Roots. The first root is the guru or lama, who is the root of blessing. He or she is the one who shows us the path and gives us blessing. In general, the Buddha can do this, but we cannot meet the Buddha, so we have to rely on the lama to do that for us. We are able to meet a root guru and receive the teachings from him or her. So, as far as we are concerned, all of the Buddha’s teaching and all his blessings come to us through the root guru. He has the power to give us this and this is why we take refuge in the lama for the root of blessing in the Vajrayana.

The second root of the refuge is the root of spiritual accomplishments, which is the yidam. In general, we take refuge in the dharma as being the path through which we can achieve the ultimate fruition and in this way accomplish all the positive qualities. In the profound Vajrayana practice we take refuge in the dharma and we practise the dharma, but we do this in a particular form by practising yidam meditation. We practise yidam meditation both in the visualizing stage and the completion stage. Through this our ability to meditate gradually increases and becomes better and better.

With yidam practice we will be able to achieve the ordinary spiritual accomplishments which are qualities such as clairvoyance and various forms of deeper understanding in the short term. In the long term, we will be able to achieve the supreme spiritual accomplishment which is buddhahood. So the yidam can help us achieve the ultimate fruition. Outwardly taking refuge in the yidam means we choose to commit ourself to that particular practice. And once we’ve committed ourself to that, we are going to work on it until it brings us to the ultimate goal of enlightenment. This is why we take refuge in the yidam in the Vajrayana.

The third root of refuge is the root of activity, which corresponds to the protectors, the dakas, and the dakinis. Generally, we take refuge in the sangha as our companions on the path. These companions are important because they are the ones who help us follow the path correctly. They can stop us from falling into an incorrect path and thus remove the obstacles that might arise on our path. If we become too involved with pleasures, or meet with difficult circumstances, they can help us to avoid these difficulties in practice. They therefore make it easier for us to follow the true path.

The other aspects of the sangha are the dharma protectors, dakas and dakinis. We cannot see them directly, but they are the ones who can remove those subtle obstacles that might interrupt our life prematurely or cause difficulties for our body and mind. They will also eliminate obstacles that would interrupt our dharma activity. So in the Vajrayana they constitute one aspect of the sangha, and we therefore take refuge in the protectors and dakas and dakinis as the root of Buddha activity.

All the refuges are included in the Three Jewels and the Three Roots. But one could say that all these aspects are already contained in the Three Jewels in the form of the teacher, the path and the companions. They give us the blessings, the spiritual accomplishments, and remove the obstacles. But we could argue also that all these various aspects are contained within the guru. He, after all, is the one who can perform these functions for us. So it is said that the guru embodies all the aspects of the refuge.

In summary, we can say there are six sources of refuge, but more concisely there are three sources of refuge, or still more concisely there is one refuge, the guru who embodies all the other aspects. A more detailed explanation of refuge can be found in Gampopa’s “Jewel Ornament of Liberation” which has a very full explanation of the purpose of refuge, the source of refuge, and the benefits of practice that come from taking refuge.

Taking Refuge in the Practice

The taking of refuge in prostration practice involves creating the following visualization while reciting, “In front of me is a lake and in the centre a wish-fulfilling tree with a single root and trunk and five branches.” So one imagines all the things that are described in this recitation and takes refuge in the six sources of refuge. In the center is the root guru and then in the east, west, south, north and below are the five other aspects of refuge. One takes refuge physically, verbally, and mentally. Physically one does prostrations, verbally one recites the refuge prayer, and mentally one visualizes the refuge tree. One also develops the three aspects of faith: faith of listening, faith of aspiration and faith of confidence. One prays that all the aspects of refuge, which are the body, speech, mind, quality and action of the Buddha, will become manifest in one. So with this confidence one takes refuge in the six aspects of refuge.

Raising Bodhicitta

Taking refuge is immediately followed by the taking of the vow of bodhicitta. One generates the wish to reach buddhahood for the sake of all beings. One thinks that whatever one is going to do, whether it be the taking of refuge or any subsequent practice, one will do it to reach buddhahood in order to help all other beings reach enlightenment. So the second aspect of this practice is the resolution to reach enlightenment for the sake of all beings. The text says:

“Just as the previous sugatas generated the enlightened mind and gradually practised the discipline of bodhisattvas, likewise in order to benefit all sentient beings, I too generate the enlightened mind and with those same disciplines will pratice in the same gradual way.”

This means that we are following the examples of all the Buddhas of the past who at one time set their mind on reaching perfect enlightenment for the sake of all beings. Similarly, we are saying that we are making the same commitment by going through the five paths of accumulation, junction, insight, cultivation, and no more learning (buddhahood). At each of these levels the Buddhas did certain practices, behaved in a certain way, and performed certain actions to achieve enlightenment for the sake of other beings. When we make this same commitment, we think that from today onwards we are going to try to act in the same way as all the Buddhas did to achieve enlightenment. Once this is done all our actions become a cause for enlightenment. This is why we take the bodhisattva’s vow every day after we have taken refuge; to renew this commitment.

Rejoicing

After the bodhisattva vow we say, “Now my life has become fruitful, I have obtained an excellent human existence. I have entered the Buddha family and have become a Buddha disciple. Thus I make all the gods, demigods and the like rejoice.” Why do we rejoice? We rejoice because we have taken refuge and made a commitment to reach buddhahood for the sake of all beings. Once we have done this, everything we do becomes meaningful. We know that all our actions are beneficial, deeply meaningful, and once we have acknowledged this, we rejoice.

Why is it important to rejoice? If we do not really appreciate the value of what we are doing and are not happy about it, then when difficulties arise we may regret having taken the bodhisattva commitment. If we are not really truly aware of the goodness of what we are doing then when difficulties arise, little by little our enthusiasm for the practice, our faith, and our diligence will decrease. However, if we rejoice in the goodness of what we are doing, we will be aware of just how valuable our practice is and we will be very happy. Once we are in this state of mind, then whatever we are doing can only get better. We will want to do it more and more. It is not suitable to regret good things that one has done or is going to do. So the importance of rejoicing is that it will reinforce our interest in the practice and our desire to practise.

We should also invite other beings to rejoice in what we are doing. We are taking this commitment not on our own but in front of all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, deities, great sages, and realized beings. So we are asking them to witness our oath. They are witnessing this so that once we have taken this promise, we know that we can’t go back on it. We have to keep the promise very carefully and it would be really wrong to go against it. That is why we take this oath in the presence of so many witnesses in the practice.

The Visualization Stage

In the beginning of this practice we have to imagine the refuge tree and visualize all the deities in this visualization stage of the practice. This is the stage when we visualize things, we imagine things. In the final stage of the practice there is the completion stage when everything is dissolved into emptiness. The practice of visualizing something in a creation stage and later dissolving it in the completion stage is done in almost all Vajrayana practices.

We visualize the central branch of the refuge tree. Above the central branch is the lineage of the lamas. On the central branch is Vajradhara (Tib. Dorje Chang) who is on a moon disk, which is on a lotus. The text says Vajradhara sits on a sun and a moon because these two represent the union of skilful means (upaya) and understanding (prajna). However, in the instructions that are given in some books the sun is not mentioned, just the moon. So one can visualize either the sun and the moon or just the moon.

On the eastern branch (that is facing towards us) we visualize all the yidams. We can imagine the main yidam as being whoever we feel the most faith in or are most comfortable with. We imagine this yidam in the center surrounded by all the other yidams. For example, we can imagine in the center Dorje Palmo (Vajrayogini) or Drolma (Tara) surrounded by all the other yidams.

On the right branch (by this we mean the right of Dorje Chang which is actually our left) is the Buddha. He is sitting on a lion’s throne which is on a lotus and a moon disk. This is the Shakyamuni Buddha and he is surrounded by all the other Buddhas. When we visualize Buddha Shakyamuni, we imagine him as having a special crown on top of his head and the wheel of dharma (dharmachakra) on the soles of his feet. In general, it means we imagine him with all the special marks and signs of a Buddha. If we cannot imagine a whole lot of Buddhas around him, we can just visualize the Buddha by himself.

On the branch behind the tree, we imagine the dharma. By dharma we mean the realization of all the realized beings; that is the direct understanding of the true nature of phenomena. But since we have to visualize something, we visualize books which contain the teachings of the Buddha. We imagine books of the sutras and the tantras and imagine them with letters making their own sound so that each letter in the book actually resonates. So we can hear the sound of all the letters.

On the left (our right) branch are the three kinds of protectors representing the sangha. The sangha of the bodhisattvas are the realized sangha which are mainly represented by Manjushri, the bodhisattva embodying perfect knowledge; Chenrezig, the bodhisattva embodying compassion and love to help all beings; and Shariputra representing the Hinayana sangha.

On the branch below the yidams and lamas we imagine Mahakala in the center surrounded by all the other protectors. So in the front of the refuge tree we see the lamas, then below this the yidams, and below this the protectors. These three represent the Three Roots. Around and behind us are as many beings as can fit in all of space. In particular, we visualize our enemies and people who are causing us difficulties and troubles. We then visualize that all of these are together taking refuge and committing themselves to reach enlightenment for the sake of all beings. We are acting as the leader of all other beings when we are taking this refuge and generating bodhicitta motivation.

Dissolution

At the end of these prayers and meditation, we say, “Then the Refuge Field melts into light, dissolving inseparably into me.” Then we imagine that all of this has become one with us and that everything, oneself and the sources of refuge, dissolves into emptiness. Then we let our mind rest within this emptiness, and practice tranquillity meditation without thinking of anything in particular. Just letting our mind rest in emptiness.

At the end we then imagine that everything that was visualized in front of us dissolves into light and that this light is absorbed into us. At that point, we think that all the blessings of body, speech and mind of all the Buddhas are inseparable from us. We think that our mind and the mind of all these sources of refuge have become indivisible, inseparably merged. We have to have a very strong conviction that our mind and their mind is one. If we are convinced of this, it will change our mind. We will really feel something different and this is what makes meditation very clear. This is why it is very necessary to meditate with this conviction and this process is what is called the completion stage of meditation.

Using Tibetan

Usually we are reciting all these prayers in Tibetan because these Tibetan words are loaded with very many blessings caused by many, many lamas having practised these texts. So the words convey all the lamas’ blessings. A similar thing happened in Tibet at the beginning of the spreading of dharma there. The old mantras that came from India were in Sanskrit and they were not translated into Tibetan. This could have been done, but it was felt that the words had a special power of blessing because they had been recited by so many beings who had achieved realization in this way that they contained so much blessing. This was why the mantras such as “OM AH HUNG” or “OM TARA TUT TARA TURE SVAHA” have remained in Sanskrit.

Although we recite in Tibetan, we should study the meaning in English so that we can understand the meaning of our practice. However, when we recite the text, we receive the blessing from the words themselves. Some time in the future when people have achieved realization in the English context of practice, then at that time the English words will also be full of blessing and we can then use English in our practice. We should try to study these prayers when we are by ourselves. What we can do is take the phonetic transcription and see what part of the English text corresponds to what Tibetan words and try to understand the meaning of what we are doing. This way when we begin reciting in Tibetan we know the meaning of the words and exactly what these words are describing.

     2. The Meditation and Practice of Dorje Sempa

The Dorje Sempa (Skt. Vajrasattva) practice begins with the Kagyu lineage prayer. Immediately after that, we do the four ordinary foundations or preliminary practices; thinking on the four topics for turning the mind away from samsara. After that we do the refuge prayer and recitation. Then we resolve to reach enlightenment for the sake of all beings. And as we are doing this we try to think of the meaning of what we are reciting, and try to visualize all the relevant things as we go along.

In the Dorje Sempa practice we also take refuge to increase our faith and make it irreversible. We try to make it the kind of faith which is unshakeable by desire, anger, or stupidity. This is why we think of it again and again so that we develop irreversible faith and total confidence in the three jewels. By doing this practice every day, our faith, and our confidence in the three jewels becomes clearer and more and more stable.

Because there are many different paths it is very possible to stray into a mistaken one. It is said that refuge constitutes the protection against straying in the wrong path. When we take refuge, it helps us follow the path of the Buddha properly. Taking refuge will help us to go on the right path all the way to Buddhahood without straying on the way.

It is said that generating bodhicitta by committing ourselves to reaching enlightenment for the sake of all beings is a protection against falling into a lower path. We can follow the narrow path (Hinayana) of self-realization or the great path of the Mahayana. By engendering bodhicitta we can avoid falling into a lower path and follow the great path of the Mahayana. This is why we practice taking refuge and resolve to reach enlightenment for the sake of all beings. We do this again and again, so that we can follow the right path.

The goal of all practice is the accomplishment of Buddhahood. To accomplish Buddhahood, we need to develop genuine meditation. The goal of all Buddhist teachings is always to bring us to a point where we can develop true meditation.
The “Uttaratantra,” for example, expounds on seven vajra points; the first three are about the three jewels, then the fourth is about the Buddha essence, then the qualities of enlightenment and Buddha activity. The purpose of this work is to show us how all these qualities can be developed. So that it can lead us to a point where true meditation can really arise in us. Gampopa’s “Jewel Ornament of Liberation” begins with the four general preliminaries and then discusses refuge. Next it talks about bodhichitta, the way to develop the wish to reach enlightenment for the sake of all beings. Eventually, this book brings one to a point where one is able to understand the “Prajnaparamita” when we are able to have insight into the true nature of phenomena (dharmata). Then we come to the point where we can reach true meditation.

This is also the same purpose underlying the foundation or preliminary practices. They are intended to lead us to a point where we can develop true meditation. So all these teachings have the same goal. It is just that they go at it in different ways using different tools. Some teachings help us acquire knowledge and develop a conviction of the truth of the teachings so we are able to work on the path and eventually realize this meditation. Other teachings are based on the purification of obscurations that will automatically free the way for pure meditation.

In these preliminary practices we’ve seen how we could take refuge, how we could turn our mind to enlightenment for the sake of all beings. But now we have to try to develop true meditation. However, we will meet obstacles that will hinder our meditation. These obstacles are in the form of our harmful deeds that we have accumulated from all our past lives. Since beginningless time, we have acted in a negative way and the fruition of this is many obstacles to our practice that makes meditation difficult. We will also encounter obscurations that are the result of our previous negative habits and create emotional obscurations and cognitive obscurations. These previous actions create a very thick ignorance, which is preventing us from seeing the true nature of phenomena and preventing us from having clarity in our meditation. These obstacles continually disrupt our Shamatha and Vipashyana meditation by producing many thoughts and mental agitation. This is why we need to purify these impurities which are our harmful deeds and obscurations. If we can purify these, then our meditation will automatically increase and become clear and stable. The best way we can do this is with the Vajrayana practice of Dorje Sempa and the recitation of his mantra.

This meditation on Dorje Sempa is part of the preliminary practices, but it is also by itself a very exceptional practice because it is very profound and it brings very great benefits. It is beneficial because we all want to avoid pain and suffering at all costs. We don’t want to suffer physically or mentally. We all want to find happiness. We have to, however, acknowledge that suffering is not going to go away by itself. Happiness will not occur automatically, because it is the result of our previous actions. If we have acted in a negative way in the past, we will experience suffering now. And if we haven’t generated any virtuous actions in the past, that means we haven’t created any causal condition for happiness in the present. So even though we might be thinking, “I want happiness” if we have not planted the seed of happiness in our previous actions there will be no way in which we can experience happiness now. Also if we have created a causal condition for suffering with a negative action before, there is no way one can avoid that suffering presently.

There is however, a way out of this. Before we entered the path of dharma, we didn’t pay very much attention to our actions. So out of carelessness we acted in a very unskilful and unwholesome way. However, once we have entered the path of dharma, we can become much more attentive to our actions. So in the dharma we try to avoid doing negative things. But from time to time we will be overpowered by our desire, our anger, our jealously and so on and this will lead us into acting in an non-virtuous way.

So even though we are practicing Buddhist conduct from time to time we may still commit some of the ten non-virtuous actions, or we may even do one of the five actions which can bring an immediate result at death. This happens because we are not really in control of our mind yet. The Buddha said that it is not the earth, or the mountains, or the trees, which will experience the fruition of their actions. It is sentient beings who do. Whoever acts in a certain way, has to experience the result of their own actions. So we have to understand that it is quite important for us to stop the source of suffering, because the suffering which results from our negative actions will bring very painful results.

Also what we have to do is to try and prevent our previous negative actions from coming to fruition. The way we can stop this is to purify all our negative actions.21 If our negative actions mature, we will experience many obstacles, difficulties, sickness, and other unfavourable circumstances. Purifying impurities is especially important for our next life, because by not doing this they ripen into suffering in the three lower realms. Purification is also very important for our dharma practice because as long as we have negative karma there will be great impediments for our practice. The best way to purify this is through Dorje Sempa meditation and through the recitation of his mantra.

At one time or another we have also enjoyed great happiness where everything seems to be going right. We might get lost in pleasure so that we forget that we need to practice the dharma. This is a bad mistake because this kind of happiness will not go on forever. Because we had some positive karma in the past, we will experience happiness; but because we also have negative karma, we will experience suffering again. So even if happiness comes, we must remember that what we want to do is to stop the flow of suffering altogether though purification, and the best way to do this is the Dorje Sempa meditation and the recitation of his mantra.

In the preliminary practice of Dorje Sempa one recites 111,000 Dorje Sempa mantras. When we do this practice we must not just focus on the idea of doing as many mantras as possible. The mantras should be recited correctly. When we do this mediation, our body should be sitting in meditation posture, straight and firm and we should recite the hundred-syllable mantra with it being just audible, and not distorted. Our mind should focus clearly on the visualization of Dorje Sempa and on the flow of healing nectar (Skt. amrita) Visualising should be done as clearly as we can without distraction. From time to time in our meditation we can think or feel that whatever suffering we are experiencing is the result of our negative karma and we should have a very strong desire to purify it. We should very sincerely repent and regret and feel very great confidence in the fact that this Dorje Sempa meditation can truly purify us. So we can remember the four powers of purification and then do the meditation as correctly and sincerely as we can.

If we practice this way then the practice will definitely bear fruit, all our unskilful actions will be purified and there will be the signs of purification. But if we practice in a very casual way, just saying the words and letting our minds wander all over the place, we will derive only a small benefit because the mantra still has it own value, but we won’t derive the full benefit of the practice. So it is important to do the practice properly with as much concentration as we can.

A high lama cannot say, “Well, I’m a great bodhisattva and I can give you this practice so that you won’t have any more suffering. I can give you enlightenment and you never need to suffer ever again.” He or she cannot say this because that would be a lie. What the lama can say is that there is a Dorje Sempa practice of purification and if this practice is done properly, it can truly free us from all our impurities and bring about the ultimate realization of Buddhahood. We are all very fortunate because we can receive these teachings and then practice them. This is a very great opportunity because everything is impermanent, and there are always so many things to do in our worldly life, so we should take advantage of this life as much as we can to accomplish our purpose and to fulfil our own goals of purifying ourselves.

     3. The Instruction of the Mandala Offering

If we do the Dorje Sempa practice properly, all our impurities and obscurations will be removed and we will see the signs of this purification in us. We will see that our understanding is sharper, that our meditation is becoming clearer, and that our faith and devotion is increasing. Dorje Sempa practice removes the obstacles which are all the impurities that are present in us. For meditation to develop properly we need the direct causal condition for meditation to develop properly, which is the presence of a great amount of virtue and meritorious actions. According to the teachings of the sutras, this is done mainly through the practice of the six paramitas and takes a long time.

In the Vajrayana, however, the way to develop great virtue is through the practice of mandala offering. This practice is easy and brings very great fruition. We mentally offer all the various beautiful things that are present in the world to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas. Making this offering doesn’t mean the Buddhas and bodhisattvas will be pleased and in return give us virtue. Rather it means that because we put our mind in a certain disposition when we make offerings to the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, it fulfils our accumulation of virtue. So this practice is very easy to do and is a way to achieve a great accumulation of virtue very quickly.
With the preliminary practices we are trying to achieve the realization of Mahamudra because this is what can liberate us from samsara. What will make it possible for us to have that realization is the presence of a very great amount of virtue or meritorious actions. We need this because it is like the very strong positive energy that will make it possible for us to enter the dharma properly and not to be hindered by obstacles in our practice.

Also it will make it possible for true meditation to gradually arise in us. If we were to try to practice without a great amount of virtue to support us, we would find that our practice is reversible so that we might stop practicing after some time or be hindered by very difficult obstacles and that we couldn’t really develop any clarity of mediation. We need the support of this positive energy so that we can link with the realization of Mahamudra. The best way to do this very quickly is through mandala practice. In mandala practice we imagine that we offer the whole universe to our guru and to the other precious ones. Through this we generate a very great amount of virtue which provides us with the stock of positive energy that we need for our practice; for meditation to grow in us. So this accumulation is called the accumulation of conceptual reference which means that you still have reference to some object. It’s not beyond concepts or beyond the idea of self and so on.

The other aspect of the accumulations is the natural insight of wisdom when we are free from the dualistic concept of I and other. This non-conceptual accumulation means that whatever we are offering is no longer divided into subject, object, and the action of offering. So there is no longer any concepts of someone making offerings, someone receiving offerings, and offerings being made. When we are able to offer the true nature from within without any more conceptual separations, this is the second aspect of the accumulations. At the end of the [mandala] prayer we say that through the goodness of having offered the whole of the universe to our guru and to all the precious ones [visualized in front of us], we think that our own accumulations and those of all the other beings have become perfected. Once we’ve said that we visualize that the whole thing dissolves into light, comes into us, and that we become one with it.

     4. The Guru Yoga Practice

To develop true meditation we must have proper realization. For realization we need to purify all our harmful actions, impurities, and obscurations. To do this we practice Dorje Sempa meditation and his mantra. If one does this meditation and recites the mantra with genuine regret for all our wrong actions, we will be purified of not only the unskilful actions and impurities, but also of all the very fine traces that have been left since beginningless time from being in samsara. So all these can be purified by proper practice of Dorje Sempa meditation and mantra.

Once we have done this purification, we need to work on the direct cause for realizing meditation. This direct cause is the accumulation of a great amount of virtue, of positive spiritual energy that will make it possible for us to develop complete understanding. If we don't have a seed, we won’t have a flower. In the same way, if there is no causal condition for the meditation to grow, it will not grow. This is why we need to gather the accumulation of virtue. This has to be done by means of body, speech, and mind. This usually is done through the practice of the six paramitas. But on the special path of the Vajrayana, there is a very special way to do this by means of the offering of the mandala. This is the very best way to gather a very great amount of virtue very quickly.

Once we have done this practice; the cause for meditation to arise and for understanding to develop, then we need something that will make it come quickly and this is the practice of guru yoga. If we pray to our guru one-pointedly, then real devotion will arise in us. Once we have this real devotion, we will be able to receive the blessing of our root guru and all the lamas that have come before us. If we look at it from the viewpoint of the sutra path, we will be receiving all the blessings that have come from Buddha Shakyamuni, all the way down to us through all the various teachers that came after Buddha Shakyamuni. If we consider it from the viewpoint of the Vajrayana, we will be receiving the blessing of all the ones that have come from Dorje Chang, all the way down to us.

Guru yoga practice is the process of merging the minds and the blessings of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas with ours. It's like the merging of two rivers that become one river. So through the practice of guru yoga, our Shamatha meditation or Vipashyana meditation will arise quickly and very clearly due to the practice of guru yoga. Whether it is the creation stage or the completion stage, all of it becomes much clearer and comes much more quickly through this practice.