Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo Series

• The Essence of Nectar: Graduated Stages of the Path — Advice for Renunciant Meditators | Advice

These verses of advice for renunicant meditators (spong ba bsam gtan pa) cover the entire Buddhist path, from instructions on following a spiritual friend through to the most advanced generation and perfection phase practices.

• Biography of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo by Alak Zenkar Rinpoche | Biographies

Alak Zenkar summarizes the remarkable life and liberation of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820–1892), showing how he mastered the so-called 'eight great chariots of the practice lineage' (sgrub brgyud shing rta chen po brgyad) and received the seven special transmissions or 'descents' (bka' babs bdun). Zenkar Rinpoche also briefly summarizes Khyentse Wangpo's collected writings, which are divided into nine main categories.

• The Life of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo by Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche | Biographies

Translated from audio recordings of talks given in Lerab Ling, France on August 18 & 23, 1996.

• The Seed of Reasoning: Notes on the Five Great Logical Arguments of the Middle Way | Middle Way

A brief text summarizing the five great logical arguments of the Madhyamaka, or Middle Way: 1) the investigation of the cause: the Diamond Splinters; 2) the investigation of the result: refuting existent or non-existent effects; 3) the investigation of both: refuting the four permutations of arising; 4) the investigation of essential identity: ‘neither one nor many’; and 5) the logical argument of Great Interdependence.

• A Few Remarks: An Explanation of the Praise to Noble Mañjuśrī known as Glorious Wisdom’s Excellent Qualities | Mañjuśrī

A clear and concise commentary on the words of the most famous of praises to Mañjuśrī, Glorious Wisdom's Excellent Qualities (dPal ye shes yon tan bzang po), attributed to the Indian master Ācārya Vajrāyudha.

• Guide to the Practice of Narak Kong Shak | Confession

A simple guide to the practice known as Narak Kong Shak, or The Confession and Fulfilment that Empties the Hells from their Very Depths.

• The Vajra Lute: A Brief Fulfilment for the Guru Practice of Vidyādhara-Assembly | Longchen Nyingtik

A brief fulfilment (skong ba) practice to be recited as part of the gaṇacakra offering for the Longchen Nyingtik guru practice of Rigdzin Düpa (Vidyādhara Assembly).

• A Brief History of the Sacred Image of White Tārā by Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche | History

A brief history of the sacred image of Tārā, the Wish-Fulfilling Wheel (yid bzhin 'khor lo), in Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo’s residence, known as ‘The Garden of Immortality’ ('chi med grub pa'i dga' tshal), in Dzongsar Monastery, Derge, East Tibet.

• The History of the Hearing Lineage of the Profound and Secret Practice of Siṃhamukhā | Siṃhamukhā

Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo recounts the origin of the teachings of Siṃhamukhā and how they have been subsequently passed down to him. He closely follows the story associated with the lineage of Bari Lotsawa (ba ri lugs).

• A Shower of Great Bliss: A Lineage Prayer for the Guru Yoga based on Vajrasattva | Longchen Nyingtik

A lineage supplication for the Vajrasattva guru yoga known as Dorsem Ngön-ga (Abhirati Vajrasattva), which is part of the Longchen Nyingtik revelation.

• Source of Magnificent Blessing: A Prayer to the Lineage of the Secret Practice of the Great Compassionate One, Natural Liberation of Suffering | Longchen Nyingtik

A prayer to the holders of the lineage of Dukngal Rangdrol ('Natural Liberation of Suffering') from Amitāyus and Avalokiteśvara down to Jamyang Khyentse's own root teacher.

• Supplement to the Omniscient Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo’s Prayer to the Lineage of Parting from the Four Attachments | Lineage Prayers

Supplementary verses to be added to the prayer to the lineage of Parting from the Four Attachments composed by Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo (1382–1456).

• The Flower of Faith: A Prayer to the Twenty-Five Founders of Buddha's Teachings in Tibet | Nonsectarianism

A non-sectarian (ris med) prayer to 25 of the most important figures in Tibetan Buddhism, five for each of the five major traditions: Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyü, Kadam and Geluk.

• The Garland of Utpala Flowers: A Prayer to the Masters of the Lineage of Zabtik Drolchok | Tārā

A brief prayer to the lineage of Zabtik Drolchok, the practice of Green Tārā which was revealed as a mind terma by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa.

• The Seed of Faith: A Prayer to the Sublime Ones | Nonsectarianism

This brief prayer to the buddhas and bodhisattvas, learned and accomplished masters of India, and figures from all Tibetan traditions, reflects the author's famously nonsectarian approach.

• The Shower of Great Bliss: A Prayer to the Lineage of the Female Awareness-Holder (Yumka) | Lineage Prayers

A prayer to the lineage of Yumka Dechen Gyalmo (yum ka bde chen rgyal mo), or The Queen of Great Bliss, the peaceful ḍākinī sādhana from the Longchen Nyingtik cycle.

• Ambrosia for the Mind | Mind Training (Lojong)

Jamyang Khyentse composed this prayer for perfecting the Seven Points of Mind Training (blo sbyong don bdun ma) when he was in the presence of the famous Atiśa statue at the Tārā Temple in Nyethang (snye thang). The section headings were added by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

• Nectar of the Heart—An Experiential Song of Parting from the Four Attachments | Parting from the Four Attachments

This experiential song (nyams dbyangs) based on 'Parting from the Four Attachments' (zhen pa bzhi bral) was composed in the cave of Rangjung Dorje, where Mañjuśrī is said to have delivered the original teaching to the Sakya patriarch Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092–1158).

• A Profound Concentration of Nectar: Essentialized Stages of Visualization for the Preliminary Practices of the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse (Longchen Nyingtik) | Ngöndro

This guide to the stages of visualization for the Longchen Nyingtik preliminary practices (sngon 'gro) is, as Khyentse Wangpo himself puts it, "brief, clear and essential." Some of its instructions differ slightly from those given by Patrul Rinpoche, so that it represents a distinct commentarial tradition.

• Illuminating the Excellent Path to Omniscience: Notes on the Longchen Nyingtik Ngöndro | Ngöndro

This is a version of A Profound Concentration of Nectar, into which the root text of the Longchen Nyingtik preliminaries has been inserted. The text also includes several prayers that were not included in Jikmé Trinlé Özer’s original version.

• The Excellent Path to Enlightenment: A Brief Practice of the Preliminaries | Ngöndro

Sometimes referred to as the “short Longchen Nyingtik Ngöndro", this popular preliminary (sngon 'gro) liturgy by Jamyang Khyentse is remarkably concise.

• Short Maṇḍala Offering | Maṇḍala Offering

This four-line prayer is sometimes used for the accumulation of maṇḍala offerings in the Longchen Nyingtik tradition. Khenpo Ngawang Palzang, for example, recommends accumulating this prayer seventy thousand times (following thirty thousand recitations of the three-kāya maṇḍala from the Longchen Nyingtik).

• The Offering Clouds Of the Indestructible Ladies of Sound: Concise Garland of Offerings of the Sixteen Vajra Goddesses | Longchen Nyingtik

This concise offering practice in just four verses is a supplementary text for the guru practice of the Longchen Nyingtik.

• In Praise of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo | Praise

A four-line prayer to Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo composed by the master himself at the behest of Wangchuk Sengé of Nangso.

• Music to Delight the Ḍākinī: A Praise to the Deathless Mandāravā | Praise

Verses in praise of the eighth-century princess and ḍākinī Mandāravā, one of the principal consorts of Guru Padmasambhava.

• Prayer to Chökyi Wangpo, the Bodhisattva and Tamer of Beings | Prayers

Jamyang Khyentse wrote this twelve-line prayer to Patrul Rinpoche during the festival of Chökhor Düchen in 1860. The text identifies Patrul as an emanation of Śāntideva and the early Dzogchen adept Aro Yeshe Jungne, and praises his qualities of renunciation, bodhicitta and wisdom.

• Prayer to Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo | Prayers

A simple two-verse supplication prayer composed by the master himself, with the first verse elaborating on the literal meaning of his name.

• Prayer to Root and Lineage Masters, and the Assembly of Deity, Ḍākinīs and Dharma Protectors of the Sakya Lineage | Sakya

A two-verse prayer to all the gurus and deities of the Sakya tradition, invoking their inspiration and blessings to follow the path in the present and future lives.

• Prayer to Thangtong Gyalpo | Prayers

Khyentse Wangpo composed this five-verse supplication prayer to Thangtong Gyalpo at the request of the Eighth Sangye Nyentrul Rinpoche by combining and supplementing previous prayers.

• Prayer to the Siddha Virūpa | Prayers

A short, four-line prayer to invoke the blessings of the great adept Virūpa.

• Supplication to Lord Buddha together with the Sixteen Arhats | Sixteen Arhats

A simple four-line prayer to Buddha Śākyamuni and a retinue of the sixteen elders.

• The Sweet-Sounding Song that Fulfils All Aims: A Prayer to Noble Tārā Combined with Her Root Mantra | Tārā

This brief supplication to the saviouress Tārā incorporates and expands upon the literal meaning of the syllables of her root mantra (oṃ tāre tuttāre ture svāhā).

• Increasing Life and Vitality: A Practice for Freeing Lives | Saving Lives

This popular liturgy for saving the lives of animals includes practices of taking refuge and generating bodhicitta, as well as the recitation of mantras and dhārāṇīs, visualization, and prayers of auspiciousness, dedication and aspiration.

• The Rain of Virtue and Goodness: A Short Practice for Consecrating Representations of Enlightened Body, Speech and Mind | Consecration

This popular rite of consecration (rab gnas) includes the standard elements of bathing, drying, and dressing (for which it draws upon the Bodhicaryāvatāra), before inviting the wisdom deities, sealing them within the image, empowerment, opening of the eyes, transformation, offering and praise, and prayers to remain until the very ends of the aeon.

• Wisdom's Bestowal: A Way to Accumulate the Recitation of the Tantra 'Chanting the Names of Mañjuśrī' (Mañjuśrī Nāma Saṃgīti) | Mañjuśrī

For this 'means of recitation' (bklag thabs), which provides additional prayers and practices to be said before and after the root text of Chanting the Names of Mañjuśrī (Mañjuśrī-nāma-saṃgīti; 'jam dpal mtshan brjod), Khyentse Wangpo relied upon and adapted the writings of the great Sakya patriarchs Jetsün Drakpa Gyaltsen and Sakya Paṇḍita.

• A Beautiful and Wondrous Udumbara Garland: A Supplication and Summary of the Chronicles of Padma, The Life and Liberation of the Precious Guru of Uḍḍiyāna | Guru Rinpoche Prayers

This prayer beautifully summarizes the Padma Kathang (The Chronicles of Padma), one of the most famous and influential of Guru Padmasambhava's many biographies. It reveals how Guru Rinpoche manifests in an infinite variety of forms in order to protect and spread the Buddhadharma.

• A Brief Prayer to the Precious Master Padmākara for Swiftly Fulfilling Wishes and Dispelling Obstacles | Guru Rinpoche Prayers

This brief prayer to Guru Padmākara, which Khyentse Wangpo says came to him spontaneously, includes requests to dispel all obstacles and fulfil all wishes.

• The Chariot of the Vidyādharas: An Aspiration Prayer for Travelling to the Realm of Lotus Light | Guru Rinpoche Prayers

This poetic prayer relates the Lotus Light (padma 'od) pure realm of Guru Padmasambhava to the four visions of Dzogchen practice and contains the aspiration that we may all be reborn there, to advance through the four stages of a vidyādhara and swiftly reach the level of the Lake-born Guru himself.

• The General Visualization for Prayers to Guru Rinpoche | Guru Rinpoche Prayers

These verses to be recited before and after prayers to Guru Padmasambhava, especially the famous Prayer in Seven Chapters (le'u bdun ma), include the practices of taking refuge and arousing bodhicitta, a seven-branch offering, the generation and dissolution of a visualisation, and the dedication of merit.

• The Heart of Blessings: A Brief Anthology of Prayers to Guru Rinpoche and the Twenty-Five Disciples, the King and Subjects | Guru Rinpoche Prayers

This is a complete set of practices, including taking refuge, generating bodhicitta, visualization, invocation, seven-branch offering, heartfelt prayer—addressed to Guru Padmasambhava, his various manifestations and twenty-five disciples—mantra recitation, and dissolution.

• Turning Back Obstacles and Adverse Circumstances: A Prayer to Orgyen Rinpoche, Embodiment of All Sources of Refuge | Guru Rinpoche Prayers

A prayer to the Precious Guru of Oḍḍiyāna as the embodiment of all sources of refuge (skyabs gnas kun 'dus) in order to avert all forms of obstacle and hindrance, on the outer, inner and innermost (or 'secret') levels.

• Wish-Fulfilling Feast of Siddhis: An Aspiration Prayer to Orgyen Rinpoche, the Precious Master of Oddiyana | Guru Rinpoche Prayers

Written in 1850, this is a prayer to the guru, who is understood to be inseparable from Guru Padmasambhava and the true nature of mind, and an aspiration to be reborn in the Lotus Light pure realm, if not already liberated during this life or when clear light dawns at the moment of death.

• A Brief Practice of Paying Homage and Making Offerings to the Sixteen Elders | Sixteen Arhats

The longer of two ritual texts by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo featuring the sixteen arhats, both of which appear in recent editions of the extensive Nyingma Kama (bka' ma shin tu rgyas pa).

• Fast Track to Happiness and Peace: A Very Brief Meditation and Recitation of the Medicine Buddha | Medicine Buddha

A simple practice of visualization and mantra recitation for Bhaiṣajya Guru, the Buddha of Medicine, which appears in the Kriyā tantra section of the extended Nyingma Kama collection.

• The Essential Activity Manual for the Awesome Ones’ Assembly, the Heart Practice of Vidyādharas, from the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse | Longchen Nyingtik

This version of the Palchen Düpa sādhana was arranged by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo from the original revelation for daily use or for when the practice has to be done repeatedly in a single day, such as during a drupchen (sgrub chen). It is of a medium size, shorter than the full revelation but longer than the daily practice which Khyentse Wangpo also compiled.

• The Heart of Wish-Fulfilling Jewels: A Brief Practice for Paying Homage and Making Offerings to the Buddha together with his retinue of Arhats | Sixteen Arhats

The shorter of two ritual texts by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo featuring the sixteen arhats included in the extensive Nyingma Kama and elaborating on the famous text attributed to Śākyaśrībhadra.

• The Single Mudrā: A Daily Practice for the Awesome Ones’ Assembly (Palchen Düpa), the Heart Practice of the Awareness-Holders | Longchen Nyingtik

An abbreviated, daily practice of Palchen Düpa, the Awesome Ones' Assembly, which is the wrathful yidam practice of the Longchen Nyingtik cycle.

• The Single-Form Daily Practice from Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik (The Heart Essence of the Sublime Lady of Immortality) | Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik

Jamyang Khyentse composed this simple daily practice of Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik (The Heart Essence of the Sublime Lady of Immortality) at the request of Jamgön Kongtrul.

• The Visualization of the Four Goddesses of the Great Compassionate One, Natural Liberation of Suffering | Longchen Nyingtik

A description of the goddesses in the retinue of the Great Compassion One (Mahākaruṇika) according to the practice of Dukngal Rangdrol.

• A Glorious Garland of the Two Accomplishments: An Abridged Feast-Offering for the Female Practice of the Ḍākinī | Longchen Nyingtik

A concise gaṇacakra, or feast-offering, liturgy for the practice of Yumka Dechen Gyalmo, the Queen of Great Bliss, from the Longchen Nyingtik.

• Essence of Accomplishment: A Concise Feast-Offering to Noble Tārā | Tārā

This short Tārā feast-offering was composed for practitioners who wish to offer a simple gaṇacakra feast within a Tārā sādhana, such as the Zabtik Drolchok.

• Short Tsok Offering to the Powerful Lady Kurukullā | Tsok

A simple feast-offering text for use in conjunction with sādhanas related to the magnetizing deity of the lotus family, Kurukullā.

• Song and Dance to Delight the Ḍākas and Ḍākinīs: An Aspiration for the Sixfold Satisfaction of the Maṇḍala of the Feast-Gathering | Tsok

Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo composed this short aspiration prayer to be recited during the gaṇacakra. The prayer invokes the goal of the gaṇacakra, a six-fold satisfaction (tshim pa drug) of those assembled, i.e., the deities, teacher and vajra-brothers and sisters. Khyentse Wangpo dedicates one verse to each of these six satisfactions and concludes the prayer with an additional seventh verse of dedication.

• The Twenty-Eight Commitments from the Words of the Buddha | Samaya

These commonly cited verses of commitment (dam bca' ba) occur several times in the Precious Treasury of Revelations (rin chen gter mdzod) and are also to be found in the collected writings of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, Chokgyur Lingpa and Tertön Sogyal. The translation here is based on Mipham's commentary.