The Fundamental Practices: A Modern Ngondro Guide

by Forty-Second Sakya Trizin, Sakya Trichen (Foreword by)

Overview

A wise and warm guide to the preliminary practices that lay the fundamental groundwork for traversing the path to buddhahood.

When we start on the transformational journey to enlightenment, we need a strong foundation in core Buddhist principles and practices to set us on the right track. The ngondro, or preliminary practices, are that very foundation; they not only prepare us for advanced practice but serve us in all we do. In this guide to the common and uncommon preliminary practices, His Holiness the Forty-Second Sakya Trizin, Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, expertly gives us the grounded, practical, and illuminating teachings we need to set out on the path to buddhahood. Newcomers and seasoned practitioners alike will find practical guidance and profound wisdom to support them through their exploration of the preliminary practices.

The common preliminary practices are the four thoughts that turn the mind away from the suffering of samsara and toward the Dharma: remembering the shortcomings of samsara, remembering the preciousness of a human rebirth, remembering impermanence, and remembering the law of karma. These teachings are shared among traditions and will accompany us all the way to buddhahood. The five uncommon preliminary practices are core to further Mahayana and Vajrayana practice: going for refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; developing bodhichitta, the enlightened mind; Vajrasattva practice, which clears negative karma; mandala offering, which will help us accumulate merit; and guru yoga, which facilitates our realization of the nature of mind.

By using this guide, we can develop a deeper understanding of what Dharma practice truly encompasses and how we can authentically engage in it. His Holiness the Forty-Second Sakya Trizin invites us to appreciate the profound significance of these preliminary practices and experience the transformative benefits they offer—for both ourselves and all sentient beings.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781614299554
Publisher:	Wisdom Publications MA
Publication date:	01/28/2025
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.50(d)

About the Author

His Holiness the Forty-Second Sakya Trizin, Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, holds the esteemed position of the forty-second Sakya throne holder within the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. He is renowned for his profound knowledge and the clarity of his teachings, making him one of the most well-regarded lineage holders in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. He hails from the acclaimed Khön family, known for producing successive generations of exceptional Buddhist masters. From a young age, His Holiness received extensive teachings, empowerments, and transmissions in both sutra and tantra from his father and numerous other esteemed teachers. After completing rigorous philosophical studies at Sakya College in India, he earned the kachupa degree. Embarking on meditation retreats from the age of twelve, including the Hevajra retreat, a key tantric practice within the Sakya school. With great humility, he travels extensively to offer teachings and empowerments to students worldwide upon their request.

His Holiness the Sakya Trichen is the revered forty-first throne holder of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism, which dates back to 1073. He is a member of the Khon family, who have been important teachers of Buddhism in Tibet since the eighth century. A brilliant master, he manifests profound wisdom and compassion, and his command of English renders his teachings particularly beneficial to students in the West. He was born in 1945 in Sakya, Tibet, and in 1959 escaped with tens of thousands of Tibetan people to India, where he continues to live and work tirelessly to rebuild the Sakya tradition. He has guided the establishment of over thirty monasteries in India and Nepal and has helped found Sakya centers around the world. His seat in North America is Tsechen Kunchab Ling in Walden, New York.

Read an Excerpt

Introduction

According to Buddhism, the true nature of the mind is primordially pure and unstained by defilements or afflictive emotions or obscurations. Another way to express this, in Buddhist terms, is to say that all of us possess buddha nature. At the moment, however, we cannot see the true nature of our minds. They are covered over with two kinds of obscurations: the obscuration of defilements and the obscuration of knowledge. Because the nature of the mind is primordially pure, we can attain buddhahood by removing these obscurations. This is why we engage in the spiritual practices that were taught by Buddha Shakyamuni and transmitted by his authentic disciples and teachers.

The practices described in this book, called ngöndro, or preliminary practices, are authentic, vast, and profound, and they will have enormous benefit for those who are ready to undertake them. It can be said that no one attains buddhahood except through these practices. These are the practices that were followed by all the buddhas to enlightenment and that were taught by Shakyamuni Buddha for the benefit of beings.

The preliminary practices are divided into two sets: the common and the uncommon. The common preliminary practices are the four thoughts that turn the mind away from samsara and toward the Dharma:

• remembering the shortcomings of samsara,

• remembering the preciousness of a human rebirth,

• remembering impermanence, and

• remembering the law of karma.

These thoughts are essential for motivating us to follow the path all the way to complete enlightenment. They will help us practice Dharma without any delay, with a strong sense of renunciation, and with profound effect. We don’t “finish” thinking about these four thoughts and then set them aside, like how one finishes the first grade and then moves on to the second grade. These thoughts will accompany us all the way to buddhahood. They are called common because they correspond to Buddhist teachings common to the Hinayana and the Mahayana; the order of presentation of these four can vary, but the meditations remain the same.

The uncommon preliminary practices are five: refuge, bodhichitta, Vajrasattva practice, mandala offering, and guru yoga. These practices correspond more particularly to the Mahayana and the Vajrayana. The uncommon preliminaries represent an indispensable practice on the path to enlightenment. In traditions such as the Sakya school’s Lamdré tradition, these preliminaries embody four key qualities: the unwavering flow of essential empowerment, unbroken blessing lineage, organized levels of oral instruction, and the ability to fulfill devotional aspirations. The initial step of going for refuge is paramount, serving as the foundation of all Dharma and distinguishing Buddhists from non-Buddhists. By seeking refuge, one enters the direct guidance of the Triple Gem—the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Progressing toward the higher path of seeking buddhahood for all sentient beings requires the cultivation of bodhichitta, the enlightened mind, as personal happiness poses a significant obstacle to enlightenment. Clearing negative karma and obscurations through practices like Vajrasattva purification is essential, alongside accumulating merit through practices like mandala offering. In Vajrayana practices, the guru plays a pivotal role, facilitating the realization of the nature of mind. Thus, these uncommon preliminaries serve as the fundamental groundwork for buddhahood.

Given the profound importance of both common and uncommon preliminaries on the path to buddhahood, I will be sharing insights on these topics in this book. Even for those not yet aspiring for liberation or buddhahood, many aspects discussed here offer valuable insights for leading a happier life, as Buddhism is ultimately a way of life. While some of the uncommon preliminaries of the Sakya school require prerequisite teachings from qualified teachers and may not be suitable for public dissemination, the content covered in this book is accessible to all, and some parts can even be practiced independently. Practical instructions are provided to support your practice, along with common questions related to ngöndro and general Dharma practice in the appendix, addressing concerns you may have. Don’t be deterred by technical details or Buddhist terminology; this book aims to inspire and encourage everyone, from beginners to seasoned practitioners, and even those yet to embark on the Buddhist path. It’s important to note that one doesn’t need to be skilled to begin practice; Dharma practice itself is what helps us improve. While it may seem daunting at first, taking the first step makes subsequent steps easier. Remember, practice makes perfect.

Throughout the exploration of these preliminary practices, my aspiration is that you will also develop a deeper understanding of what Dharma practice truly encompasses and how we can authentically engage in it. May you come to appreciate its profound significance and experience the transformative benefits it offers for both ourselves and all sentient beings.

All the authentic Buddhist teachings that we study and practice today—whether they are Hinayana, Mahayana, or Vajrayana—were taught by Shakyamuni Buddha, the fourth of one thousand buddhas that will manifest in our fortunate eon. His teachings were transmitted in a pure, unbroken lineage that began with his original disciples, who gathered in councils to recite the different discourses they had memorized after hearing the Buddha speak them. In this way, they preserved the teachings of Buddha and transmitted them to others. These discourses, called sutras, were later preserved in written form. All the major schools of Buddhism acknowledge this history of transmission and rely on it for the authenticity of the teachings.

In addition to the sutras, we are fortunate in the Tibetan tradition to have received the texts and teachings of the tantras, which form the basis of the Vajrayana, which we will be exploring more in depth in this book. Like the sutras, the tantras were taught by the Buddha, though they were kept and practiced in secret for hundreds of years. The teachings of the Vajrayana have also been transmitted from teacher to disciple in unbroken lineages that carefully preserve the authenticity of the teachings.

The teaching transmissions and the practice lineages of the Sakya have preserved the essential teachings of the sutras and tantras in a pure form and transmitted their blessings. These transmissions and lineages are like the channels through which the liberating waters of the authentic Buddhadharma, or Buddha’s teaching, flows. Because studying the great teachers inspires confidence in the teachings and is a source of blessing, the history of the Sakya school will be briefly described here. The great masters of the Sakya can stand as examples and as sources of blessing for all practitioners of Dharma.