Lineage Prayers

• Bodhicaryāvatāra Lineage Prayer by Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo

This supplication to the gurus of the lineage of transmission for Śāntideva's classic text down to Kunga Zangpo himself includes a request for the inspiration and blessings required to perfect the bodhisattva path.

• Prayer to the Lineage of the Bodhicaryāvatāra by Patrul Rinpoche

This prayer to the masters of the lineage of explanation for Bodhicaryāvatāra, from Patrul Rinpoche back through the generations as far as Śāntideva, and before him to Buddha Śākyamuni and Mañjuśrī, is also an aspiration to take the central message of the text to heart.

• Vines of Amṛta: A Prayer to the Lineage of the Bodhicaryāvatāra by Rago Choktrul Tupten Shedrup Gyatso

Following a very similar lineage, Rago Choktrul's text can be seen as an elaboration on Patrul Rinpoche's shorter prayer to the holders of Śāntideva's classic work.

• The Fount of Longevity—The Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik Lineage Prayer by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye

A lineage prayer for the practice of Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik ('chi med 'phags ma'i snying thig), the Heart-Essence of the Deathless Noble Tārā, a revelation of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo which is associated with longevity.

• The Lineage Prayer for the Natural Liberation of Grasping (Dzinpa Rangdrol) by Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje

A verse supplication to the lineage of the Natural Liberation of Grasping (Dzinpa Rangdrol), a famous cycle of Chöd (gcod) practice revealed by Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje (1800–1866).

• Prayer to the Gurus of the Chöd Lineage by Katok Situ Chökyi Gyatso

A simple prayer to the gurus of the lineage of Chöd practice according to the tradition of Katok (kaḥ thog) Monastery.

• Prayer to the Gurus of the Dzogchen Lineage by Dodrupchen Jigme Tenpe Nyima

Jigme Tenpe Nyima composed this prayer to the gurus of the Dzogchen lineage at the behest of Khenpo Damchö Özer (d. 1927?), one of the so-called 'four great khenpos of Dodrupchen Monastery'.

• Brief Dzogchen Lineage Prayer by Mipham Rinpoche

A four-line prayer to the gurus of the lineage of the Great Perfection, from Samantabhadra down to one's own root teacher.

• A Constant Stream of Blessings: A Prayer to the Eight Supreme Vidyādharas of India by Dodrupchen Jigme Trinle Özer

A prayer to the eight great vidyādharas of India who were entrusted with the Kagyé teachings.

• Invoking the Blessings of the Kagyü Lineage—‘Dorjechang Thungma’ by Bengar Jampal Zangpo

This famous prayer to the masters of the Kagyü (bka' brgyud) school by the 15th century master Jampal Zangpo remains popular to this day. More than just a simple supplication to the lineage, it also incorporates an instruction on Mahāmudrā meditation.

• Beautiful Clouds of Blessings: A Prayer to the Lineage Masters of the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse from the Great Perfection compiled by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche added several verses to an original prayer composed by one of Jigme Lingpa's direct disciples, in order to complete the list of lineage masters—from whom, as he says, he received great kindness—up to and including to himself.

• Supplication to the Lineage of the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse compiled by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

A collection of short prayers to all the key figures in the lineage of the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse (Longchen Nyingtik) compiled by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche for regular recitation in conjunction with any practice from the Longchen Nyingtik cycle.

• Supplement to the Longchen Nyingtik Lineage Prayer by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

In these addenda to the standard lineage prayer for Longchen Nyingtik (klong chen snying thig), which is known as The Continuous Shower of Blessings, Jamyang Khyentse highlights two versions of the lineage received by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo: the full transmission from Khenpo Pema Vajra and the transmission of realization from Jigme Gyalwe Nyugu.

• A Shower of Great Bliss: A Lineage Prayer for the Guru Yoga based on Vajrasattva by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

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 by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

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.

• Palchen Düpa Lineage Prayer by Jigme Lingpa

A short prayer to the lineage of Palchen Düpa, the wrathful yidam practice of Longchen Nyingtik, including supplementary verses composed by the Third Dodrupchen, Jigme Tenpe Nyima.

• The Continuous Shower of Blessings: A Prayer to the Lineage of the Great Perfection’s Heart-Essence of the Vast Expanse (Dzogpachenpo Longchen Nyingtik) revealed by Jigme Lingpa

This prayer to the lineage of Longchen Nyingtik is part of the original revelation and was supplemented by later authors. It includes an aspiration for successfully following the path.

• Prayer to the Lineage of Lumorab by Yeshe Dorje

A prayer invoking the lineage masters of Absé Lumorab (a bse klu mo rab), a Nyingma monastery in Nyarong, founded by Tertön Rangrik Dorjé in 1896. The monastery shares a close connection with Mindroling. Supplementary lines were later added by Jampal Dewé Nyima and Khyentsé Norbu (1904–1968).

• The Healing Medicine of Faith: A Prayer to the Lineage of the Peaceful Sādhana of Mañjuśrī by Khenchen Jigme Phuntsok

A supplication to the lineage for Peaceful Sādhana of Mañjuśrī, a practice which Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok composed spontaneously in a cave at Wutaishan.

• Mindrolling Lineage Prayer by Jetsün Mingyur Paldrön

A three-verse lineage supplication to three senior figures (and siblings) of Mindrolling—Pema Gyurme Gyatso (1686–1718), Gyalsé Rinchen Namgyal (1694–1754) and Jetsün Mingyur Paldrön herself.

• Prayer for the Land of Great Bliss Practice by Fourteenth Karmapa

A lineage prayer for the Accomplishing the Land of Great Bliss (bde chen zhing sgrub) cycle of practices based on the original Namchö (gnam chos) revelation of Tertön Mingyur Dorje (1645–1667) and compiled by Karma Chakme (1613–1678).

• A Stream of Blessing: Verses of Supplication to the Accomplished Holders of Mantra who Gained Realization in this Snowy Land of Tibet by Tashi Tobgyal

A well-known prayer to Guru Rinpoche's foremost disciples, the king Trisong Detsen and twenty-five of his subjects.

• Supplement to the Omniscient Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo’s Prayer to the Lineage of Parting from the Four Attachments by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

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

• Prayer to the Lineage of Parting from the Four Attachments by Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo

A prayer to the lineage of masters who held the instructions for the famous four-line teaching from the Buddha and Mañjuśrī down to Ngorchen's own guru, Sharchen Yeshe Gyaltsen (shar chen ye shes rgyal mtshan, 1359–1406).

• Rain of Siddhis: A Prayer to the Lineage of Rigdzin Düpa by Dodrupchen Jigme Tenpe Nyima

A prayer to the various masters of the lineage of Vidyādhara Assembly (rig 'dzin 'dus pa), the inner guru sādhana from the Longchen Nyingtik cycle revealed by Jigme Lingpa.

• The Flower of Faith: A Prayer to the Twenty-Five Founders of Buddha's Teachings in Tibet by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

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 Seed of Faith: A Prayer to the Sublime Ones by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

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.

• A Prayer to Kindle the Three Faiths, Addressed to the Seventeen Great Paṇḍitas of Glorious Nālandā by Fourteenth Dalai Lama

His Holiness himself identified seventeen of the most paṇḍitas associated with Nālandā Monastery (Nāgārjuna, Āryadeva, Buddhapālita, Bhāvaviveka, Candrakīrti, Śāntideva, Śāntarakṣita, Kamalaśīla, Asaṅga, Vasubandhu, Dignāga, Dharmakīrti, Ārya Vimuktisena, Haribhadra, Guṇaprabha, Śākyaprabha and Atiśa) and commissioned a thangka (scroll painting) depicting them. He then composed this prayer to accompany the image in 2001.

• Siṃhamukhā Lineage Prayer by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

A three-verse lineage prayer for the practice of the Lion-Faced Ḍākinī composed at the request of Trulshik Kunzang Pawo Dorje (1897–1962).

• The Prayer for the Wrathful Guru Takhyung Barwa from the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse by Namkha Tsewang Chokdrup

A prayer to the lineage of Takhyung Barwa, a revelation of Jigme Lingpa (1730–1798) that combines the practices of Hayagrīva, Garuḍa and Guru Drakpo, and is renowned for its capacity to subjugate negative forces and cure disease.

• The Swift Infusion of Blessings: A Lineage Prayer for the Single Mind Kīla Heart-Practice, Part of the 'Neck Pouch Dagger’ (Purba Gulkhukma) Cycle by Fourteenth Dalai Lama

His Holiness composed this lineage prayer for the Vajrakīla practice of Purba Gulkhukma, a revelation of Khenchen Jigme Phuntsok, on 23 July 1990.

• A Vajrakīla Lineage Prayer by Tertön Sogyal

Tertön Sogyal Lerab Lingpa wrote this prayer to the lineage of Vajrakīla, his yidam deity, during a break while on retreat.

• The Brief Ḍākinī Prayer by Dodrupchen Jigme Trinle Özer

A five-verse prayer to the ḍākinīs of the three kāyas and the root and lineage masters.

• The Source of Accomplishment, the Fruit of the Two-Fold Truth—A Prayer to the Wisdom Ḍākinī Dechen Gyalmo by Dodrupchen Jigme Trinle Özer

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.

• The Shower of Great Bliss: A Prayer to the Lineage of the Female Awareness-Holder (Yumka) by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

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.

• The Garland of Utpala Flowers: A Prayer to the Masters of the Lineage of Zabtik Drolchok by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

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.

• A Concise Lineage Prayer by Dudjom Rinpoche

A simple invocation of Dudjom Rinpoche's lineage masters, from the dharmakāya Padma Amitāyus down to his own root teacher.

• Prayers Series