Samaya Series

• On the Importance of Avoiding Criticism of the Guru by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

This warning of the dangers of criticising a guru from whom one has received empowerment—and to whom one therefore has samaya commitments—was written in the wake of opposition to Jamyang Khyentse's decision to take a consort.

• The Lion's Roar of Definitive Meaning: A Difficult Point Concerning Samaya by Khenpo Yönten Gönpo

In this short piece of advice, written in verse, Dzogchen Khenpo Yönten Gönpo explores samaya from the definitive or ultimate perspective, according to which all commitments are perfectly maintained by realizing the true nature of phenomena.

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

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 the commentary by Ju Mipham (1846–1912).

• Dispeller of All Samaya Corruptions and Pollutions by Sherab Özer

This short practice of Vajrapāṇi in the form of Ucchuṣma is part of the treasure cycle The Essence of Liberation: Self-Liberation of the Wisdom Mind (grol thig dgongs pa rang grol). The text provides a short history of the practice, instructions on how it should be performed, a prophecy about the treasure-revealer, and instructions on the vase ritual.

• Root Downfalls of the Vajra Vehicle by Aśvaghoṣa

This version of Aśvaghoṣa’s text outlining the fourteen root downfalls of the Vajrayāna differs from the version in the Tengyur; in addition to some minor variations, it contains additional lines to facilitate the confession of all fourteen forms of transgression.

• Summary of the Root Downfalls of the Vajra Vehicle by Aśvaghoṣa

This short text, which is included in the Tengyur (Toh 2478), explains the fourteen root downfalls of the Vajrayāna and became an important source for later commentaries on the samaya commitments.

• A Brief Guide to Samaya Commitment by Lala Sonam Chödrup

In this brief guide to samaya (Tib. dam tshig), the author uses the example of receiving a Mañjuśrī empowerment to explain some of the most important commitments related to enlightened body, speech and mind.

• The Four Uncommon Samayas of the Great Perfection by Tsultrim Zangpo

Simple, pithy explanations of the four uncommon Dzogchen samayas: non-existence (or absence), evenness, spontaneous presence, and oneness.

• A Method of Purifying Samaya Violations by Relying on the Glorious Guru Vajrasattva by Mipham Rinpoche

A simple method of purifying impairments and breakages of samaya through the visualization and mantra recitation of Vajrasattva.

• Confession Series

• Empowerment Series

• Ucchuṣma Series

• Vajrasattva Series