Sādhanas Series

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Mindrolling Vajrasattva

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A series of sādhanas (sgrub thabs) or 'means of attainment', arranged alphabetically by subject:

Acala

This simple sādhana of the deity Acala, the 'Immovable One'—here in his dark blue, genuflecting form—is described as a powerful antidote to obstacles including infectious disease.

Akṣobhya

A simple practice focusing on Buddha Akṣobhya (mi 'khrugs pa) for purifying karmic obscurations, especially those of the deceased.

Amitābha

Deciphered by the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, this sādhana of Amitābha is among the most famous revelations of Tertön Sogyal Lerab Lingpa.

Amitāyus

A brief daily sādhana of Amitāyus, the Buddha of Boundless Life, composed at the request of Jigme-la from the aristocratic Sampho (Samdrup Phodrang) family of Lhasa.

A short daily practice for longevity focusing on Amitāyus, which, in Kyabjé Düdjom Rinpoche's own words, distils "the many vast and profound longevity practices of the treasure tradition."

This concise instruction for accomplishing longevity (tshe sgrub) is said to be an abridgement of Thangtong Gyalpo's (1361–1485?) original sādhana. According to the colophon, Khyentse Wangpo composed the practice in a meditation cave used by Thangtong Gyalpo himself.

Avalokiteśvara

This brief sādhana of Avalokiteśvara in the form of Mahākāruṇika, The Great Compassionate One, incorporates instructions on examining the nature of mind according to the approach of Mahāmudrā. It is included within the Compendium of Sādhanas (sgrub thabs kun btus).

A daily sādhana of Dukngal Rangdrol (sdug bsngal rang grol), 'Natural Liberation of Suffering', the Avalokiteśvara practice from the Longchen Nyingtik that is either classed as a peaceful yidam or secret-level guru practice from the peaceful male-vidyādhara section of the cycle.

A very concise and simple practice of Four-Armed Avalokiteśvara, the Great Compassionate One (Mahākāruṇika; thugs rje chen po).

This simple practice of Avalokiteśvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, includes a visualisation to accompany the recitation of the six-syllable mantra, oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ, or, optionally, the seven-syllable mantra, oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ hrīḥ.

This sādhana of Mahākāruṇika, The Great Compassionate One, incorporates instructions on examining the nature of mind according to the approach of Mahāmudrā. It is included within the Compendium of Sādhanas (sgrub thabs kun btus).

A popular practice of Avalokiteśvara in his four-armed form, this sādhana was discovered by Rigdzin Gödemchen Ngödrup Gyaltsen as part of the Northern Treasures (byang gter) revelation.

Revealed during a vision in 1557, this is a sādhana of the five self-arisen Avalokiteśvara brothers ('phags pa rang byon mched lnga). These are four ancient statues associated with King Songtsen Gampo, i.e., Ārya Vati Zangpo, Ārya Bukham, Ārya Jamali, and Ārya Lokeśvara, as well as the self-visualization of Avalokiteśvara generated by the practitioner.

One of the most popular Avalokiteśvara liturgies in Tibet, this practice of visualization and mantra recitation for the Great Compassionate One (mahākāruṇika) is attributed to the great adept Thangtong Gyalpo.

Buddha Śākyamuni

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).

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.

Written for the Third Nyidrak Rinpoche, this liturgy takes Śākyaśrībhadra's text as its basis and adds a few verses at the beginning and end.

Ju Mipham composed this sādhana of Śākyamuni Buddha, or '[Śākya]muni-ritual' (thub chog), at the request of Orgyen Tendzin Norbu (1841–1900). Both the sādhana and its vast 'supporting teaching' known as The White Lotus (rgyab chos padma dkar po) are among the most popular of Mipham's works.

Dorje Drolö

A short daily practice of Guru Dorje Drolö composed at the request of some American students.

A short sādhana of Dorje Drolö, one of the wrathful manifestations of Padmasambhava, revealed as a terma at Paro Taktsang, Bhutan, in 1990.

Dükyi Shechen

A short daily practice of Dükyi Shechen (bdud kyi gshed chen)—The Great Demon-Slayer—from the Tukdrup Barche Kunsel (‘Dispelling All Obstacles’) cycle of the Chokling Tersar.

Guru Dewa Chenpo

This concise practice of Guru Dewa Chenpo (gu ru bde ba chen po), the Guru of Great Bliss, was revealed as a terma by Chokgyur Lingpa and transcribed by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye at Tsurpu Monastery.

Guru Drakpo

A short daily practice of Guru Drakpo, a wrathful form of Padmasambhava, here in his red, two-armed appearance.

Guru Loden Chokse

A practice for developing wisdom; it is focused on Guru Loden Chokse (blo ldan mchog sred), a form of Guru Padmasambhava, and incorporates two other deities associated with wisdom, the goddess Sarasvatī and the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī.

Guru Padmasambhava

In 1848, at the age of twenty-eight, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo had a vision in which he was blessed by Guru Rinpoche, who then dissolved into his heart. As a result, the root practice of Guru Tsokyé Nyingtik, the Heart-Essence of the Lake-Born Guru, arose in Khyentse Wangpo’s mind, and he immediately wrote down its activity manual.

Hayagrīva

This shorter, daily practice is adapted from the full sādhana of Hayagrīva's Play of the Three Realms (rta mgrin khams gsum rol pa), which itself belongs to the Assembly of Awesome Ones (Palchen Düpa) cycle within the Longchen Nyingtik.

A simple daily sādhana of Red Hayagrīva composed at the request of a disciple named Sonam Gyaltsen.

A sādhana of Hayagrīva, the wrathful form of the Natural Liberation of Suffering (Dukngal Rangdrol) practice of Avalokiteśvara, from the Longchen Nyingtik cycle.

Jambhala

Trulshik Adeu Rinpoche composed this short daily sādhana of White Jambhala for a student and patron.

A simple sādhana of Yellow Jambhala, deity of wealth.

Kagyé

A short daily practice of Kagyé (bka’ brgyad), the Eight Herukas.

Kurukullā

The first part of the Tidro (ti sgro) cycle to be revealed, this Kurukullā practice is—in Khenchen's own description—not entirely terma yet not entirely his own composition either.

A simple practice of Kurukullā, the female deity associated with magnetizing activity.

Lama Gongdü

A simple visualization and mantra recitation for the practice of Lama Gongdü revealed by the fourteenth-century tertön Sangye Lingpa (1340–1398).

Lama Sangdü

A short daily practice of Lama Sangdü (bla ma gsang ’dus)—the Guru who is the Embodiment of Secrets.

Gyurme Dorje compiled this ritual manual (las byang) for the Secret Embodiment of the Guru (bla ma gsang 'dus) revelation of Guru Chökyi Wangchuk (1212–1270) in order to facilitate elaborate offering practice on each tenth day of the lunar month at Mindrolling Monastery.

Mañjuśrī

Zenkar Rinpoche composed this sādhana when he was just fifteen years old at the request of his tutor. Its focus is Mañjuśrī, the embodiment of all the buddhas' wisdom.

This brief sādhana of Orange Mañjuśrī, which incorporates the famous Gang gi lodrö praise, was written for students in Bhutan.

The Sādhana of Peaceful Mañjuśrī, which Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok composed spontaneously while in the Cave of Nārāyaṇa at Wutaishan.

A concise and simple sādhana focused upon Mañjuśrī, the embodiment of all the buddhas' wisdom.

This terma revelation is a simple sādhana focusing on orange Mañjuśrī as a means to increase intelligence.

Mārīcī

Jamyang Khyentse composed this simple sādhana of the radiant goddess Mārīcī at the request of the cabinet minister Lukhangpa Tsewang Rabten (1895–1966).

A very brief sādhana of Mārīcī, goddess of the dawn, in the form known as Aśokakāntā-Mārīcī, who is golden and has one face and two hands.

Medicine Buddha

Taken from the visionary revelation known as the Net of Wisdom (ye shes drwa ba), this is a simple liturgy for meditating upon the Medicine Buddha (Bhaiṣajya Guru; sman bla).

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.

A brief sādhana of the Medicine Buddha (Bhaiṣajya Guru) with a special emphasis on pacifying the sickness and mental toxins of all beings.

Orgyen Menla

A very simple practice of Orgyen Menla (o rgyan sman bla), Guru Rinpoche as the Buddha of Medicine, consisting of visualization, mantra recitation and dedication of merit.

Peaceful & Wrathful Deities

This short daily practice of the peaceful and wrathful deities (zhi khro) takes the famous treasure revelations of the tertön Karma Lingpa (b. 14th C.) as its basis and is widely used within the Longchen Nyingtik tradition.

Prajñāpāramitā

A short practice of visualization and mantra recitation focused on the Great Mother (yum chen) Prajñāpāramitā in her golden, four-armed appearance.

Sarasvatī

This daily practice of Tārā Sarasvatī belongs to the Inner Female Practice (Yumka) of the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse (Longchen Nyingtik), A Treasure Vase Containing the Essence of Great Bliss, through which all enlightened activities are carried out based on the Twenty-One Tārās.

A simple sādhana of White Sarasvatī, the goddess of eloquence, to bring mastery of speech.

A simple practice of Sarasvatī including refuge, bodhicitta, deity visualisation, mantra recitation, praise and dedication of merit.

Siṃhamukhā

This daily 'hand-clapping' (thal rdeb) practice of the lion-faced ḍākinī Siṃhamukhā/Siṃhavaktrā (seng gdong ma) is particularly associated with the elimination of adversity, threats and dangers.

Sitātapatrā

In this sādhana arranged for daily recitation, Dudjom Rinpoche synthesizes the visualisations of earlier Sitātapatrā practices with the mantras and key passages from the dhāraṇī known as The Supreme Accomplishment of Sitātapatrā (Tōh. 591; gdugs dkar mchog grub ma).

To practise this short sādhana of the deity Sitātapatrā (gdugs dkar, “White Parasol”) is, in the words of the text itself, "to hold aloft an indestructible vajra sword that can avert disease, obstacles, black magic, evil spells and all oppressing forces." The sādhana is also said to be a swift means of travelling to Sukhāvatī, akin to flying on the back of a garuḍa.

A short means of accomplishment (sādhana) focused on the goddess Sitātapatrā in her two-armed form.

Takhyung Barwa

A short daily practice of Takhyung Barwa, the 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.

Tārā

A brief daily practice of The Heart-Essence of the Sublime Lady of Immortality, or Chimé Phakmé Nyingtik ('chi med 'phags ma'i snying thig), the popular long life sādhana discovered as a mind treasure by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo in 1855.

This brief text, which includes ter marks, is of uncertain origin, but the editors of the latest edition of Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö's writings included it on the basis that it is possibly a revelation of his and note that he encouraged his students to recite it during a period of frequent earthquakes.

A brief sādhana of White Tārā with a special focus on increasing longevity through purifying the potential for untimely death. It was composed for a lama from Dodrup named Tendzin.

This short sādhana of Red Tārā, who is associated with the activity of magnetizing, was composed at the request of Khandro Tsering Chödrön (1929–2011) and her sister Tsering Wangmo of the Lakar family.

This simple sādhana, which includes a feast offering, focuses on Ārya Tāra in blue-green form, surrounded by her retinue of twenty other forms.

Ucchuṣma

This short daily sādhana of Ucchuṣma (sme brtsegs) includes a simple visualization and mantra recitation. The practice is particularly associated with the purification of tantric commitments, or samaya.

A practice of Damdrip Nyepa Kunsel (dam grib nyes pa kun sel)—which derives from the revelations of Trengpo Sherab Özer (1518–1584)—based on the deity Ucchuṣma (sme brtsegs), with added preliminary and concluding sections and further instructions on purifying samaya defilements.

Vajrakīla

This short daily sādhana of Vajrakīla concentrates on the ultimate nature of the deity, which is one's very own awareness, beyond imagery and attributes.

A popular practice of Vajrakīla in standard form, consisting of refuge and bodhicitta, visualization, mantra recitation, dissolution, dedication of merit, and prayer for auspiciousness.

This simple sādhana of Vajrakīla, requested by Sogyal Rinpoche, contains, in the words of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche's colophon, 'the concentrated blessings of kama and terma'.

Jamyang Khyentse wrote this recitation guide (bklags thabs) for the Vajrakīla Root Tantra Section (phur pa rtsa dum) at the request of his master of ceremonies, Lama Chokden.

The concluding stages of the Purba Gulkhukma sādhana: offering, praise, receiving the attainments, dissolution, dedication of merit and words of auspiciousness.

This is the main text of the Purba Gulkhukma cycle of Vajrakīla practice, which Khenchen Jigme Phuntsok revealed at the Asura cave in Yangleshö, Nepal. It includes the empowerment, sādhana and gaṇacakra offering.

This brief Vajrakīla sādhana, complete with tsok offering, was revealed as a terma at Katok Monastery.

Vajrasattva

Khyentse Rinpoche composed this simple sādhana of Vajrasattva by adapting a section of the Tukdrup Sheldam Nyingjang (thugs sgrub zhal gdams snying byang), the root text of the Barche Kunsel revelation of Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa.

A simple practice of purification by means of Vajrasattva and consort, including recitation of the hundred-syllable and shorter, six-syllable mantras.

A very simple practice focusing on Vajrasattva and consort, transcribed from Jamyang Khyentse's own handwritten notes.

This short Vajrasattva sādhana, which incorporates the four powers as a means of purifying negative actions, obscurations and breakages of samaya, was composed spontaneously in April 1997. The translation also includes additional verses for refuge, bodhicitta, dedication and aspiration, as recited in Larung Gar.

Yamāntaka

A simple daily sādhana focused on Yamāntaka, the wrathful manifestation of Mañjuśrī.

Yangdak Heruka

A short daily practice of Yangdak Heruka composed in Lhodrak Kharchu at the request of a young Sogyal Rinpoche (1947–2019).

Yeshe Tsogyal

A very simple practice focusing on the ḍākinī Yeshe Tsogyal, composed for some of Rinpoche's American students.

Yumka Dechen Gyalmo

A simple, abbreviated version of the root Yumka Dechen Gyalmo sādhana, which is known as The Glorious Blissful Garland, arranged for daily practice.

Yumka Dechen Gyalmo (yum ka bde chen rgyal mo), the Queen of Great Bliss, is the peaceful ḍākinī practice from the Longchen Nyingtik cycle. It features Yeshe Tsogyal in the form of a wisdom ḍākinī.

Commentaries

This direct instruction on the perfection stage (rdzogs rim) practice for the Dorje Drolö form of Guru Padmasambhava includes the preparatory state of śamatha, and the main part, which is to generate the wisdom of vipaśyanā through view, meditation and action.

Vajraṇakhī

This short daily sādhana of the wrathful ḍākinī Vajraṇakhī (rdo rje sder mo) includes a simple visualization and mantra recitation. According to the colophon, Dudjom Rinpoche extracted the practice from 'The Profound Long-Life Practice of the Three Roots' (rtsa gsum tshe zab), which is part of the Sevenfold Profundity revelation of Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa (1829-1870).

Related Topics

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If you are unsure as to whether you are entitled to read or practice a particular text please consult a qualified lineage-holder.

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