Termas

• A Prayer Recalling the Life and Liberation of the Precious Master Padmasambhava by Nyangrel Nyima Özer

This prayer in 26 verses recounts the major events of the life of Guru Padmasambhava, from his miraculous birth upon a lotus to his final departure from Tibet for the land of the rakṣasas. Upon recollecting each stage or episode in the Guru's life, the reader requests empowerment and blessings.

• The Abbreviated ‘Prayer in Seven Chapters’ by Nyangrel Nyima Özer

This brief Prayer in Seven Chapters (gsol 'debs le'u bdun ma) is said to have been discovered by the great tertön Nyangrel Nyima Özer at Samye Monastery.

• Accomplishing the Lama through the Seven Line Prayer: A Special Teaching from the Lama Sangdü by Guru Chökyi Wangchuk

The original revelation of the Seven-Line Prayer (tshig bdun gsol 'debs), which is the most famous and widely chanted of all invocations of Guru Padmasambhava, and which, according to later commentators, can be understood and practised on multiple levels.

• Ārya Mañjuśrī Tantra Citta—root text by Guru Chökyi Wangchuk

• The Quintessence of the Ārya Mañjuśrī Tantra (alternative translation) by Guru Chökyi Wangchuk

• The Prayer of the Ground, Path & Fruition – From the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse by Jigme Lingpa

This famous aspiration to realize the ground, path and fruition of the Great Perfection (rdzogs pa chen po) is part of the Longchen Nyingtik revelation of Jigme Lingpa.

• The Prayer to Guru Rinpoche for Attainments by Dodrupchen Jigme Trinle Özer

This four-line prayer is among the most popular of prayers to Guru Padmasambhava. In the colophon Jigme Trinle Özer records that it was spoken by the Guru himself during a visionary encounter.

• A Very Brief Barche Lamsel—The Prayer for Clearing Obstacles from the Path by Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje

This very short prayer to the three kāyas, the dharmakāya Amitābha, sambhogakāya Avalokiteśvara and nirmāṇakāya Guru Padmasambhava, for 'clearing obstacles from the path' (bar chad lam sel) was composed by the treasure-revealer Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje.

• Heart of Vajrasattva—The Heart of Confession, the King of Purification Practices, from 'The Immaculate Secret Vajrasattva' by Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje

This popular confessional liturgy, revealed as a terma (gter ma) by Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje, is structured around the short six-syllable mantra of Vajrasattva, oṃ vajra sattva hūṃ.

• ’The Lightning Bolt of Compassion’, a Short Sampa Lhundrupma—’Prayer that Spontaneously Fulfils All Wishes’ by Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje

The famous tertön (gter ston) Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje wrote this brief prayer to Guru Padmasambhava Tötreng Tsal for the spontaneous fulfilment of wishes (bsam pa lhun grub) at the request of his consort and son.

• Barché Lamsel—“The Prayer Which Removes All Obstacles from the Path” by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa

This famous prayer to Guru Padmasambhava for the elimination of all obstacles on the spiritual path is the outer practice of The Guru's Heart Practice of the Guru: Dispelling All Obstacles on the Path (bla ma'i thugs sgrub bar chad kun sel), a joint revelation of Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa and Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo.

• The Condensed Daily Practice for The Profound Essence of Tārā by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa

A very short version of the popular sādhana of Green Tārā for daily practice, arranged by Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche.

• The Essence of the Two Accumulations: The Ritual for the Condensed Outer Practice by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa

A short version of the popular sādhana of Green Tārā for daily practice, arranged by Jamgön Kongtrul.

• The Essence of the Two Accumulations: The Ritual for the Elaborate Outer Practice (Zabtik Drolchok) by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa

This popular sādhana of Green Tārā was revealed as a mind-terma by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa. Like the Chimé Phakmé Nyingtik, “The Heart Essence of the Sublime Lady of Immortality,” discovered by Jamyang Khyentsé Wangpo, the Zabtik Drolchok forms part of a larger yet to be revealed terma-cycle called Drolma Nyingtik, “The Heart Essence of Tārā.” According to Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, while Zabtik Drolchok belongs to kriyā or action tantras, it applies the view of niruttara-yoga or the highest yoga tantra. The elaborate and condensed ritual liturgies presented here were arranged for group and daily practice by Jamgön Kongtrul.

• The Prayer in Six Vajra Lines by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa

Popularly known as Dü Sum Sangye (Dus gsum sangs rgyas), this short prayer to Guru Padmasambhava was discovered as a treasure (gter ma) by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa. As indicated in the colophon, it was—and still is—regarded as especially pertinent for the current time.

• The Testament Prayer to Orgyen Rinpoche by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa

As stated in the colophon this prayer to the Guru of Oḍḍiyāna is extracted from a biography which Chokgyur Lingpa revealed as a treasure (gter ma) at Karmé Damchen Drak (karma'i dam can brag).

• The Wish-Fulfilling Tree: The Life-story of the Master of Uḍḍiyāna as found in Padmasambhava’s Sevenfold Cycle of Profundity by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa

This concise biography of the eighth-century master from Uḍḍīyana, Guru Padmasambhava, who established Buddhism in Tibet in the 8th century, was revealed in 1856 by the great treasure-revealer Chokgyur Lingpa as part of the Sevenfold Cycle of Profundity (zab pa skor bdun). The text consists of ten short chapters, each relating to a different aspect of the master’s life and activities.

• A Brief Prayer to the Precious Master Padmākara for Swiftly Fulfilling Wishes and Dispelling Obstacles by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

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 General Visualization for Prayers to Guru Rinpoche by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

These verses to be 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.

• Vajrakīlaya Prayer: A Rain of Accomplishments by Gyarong Khandro

A lineage prayer for Tsogyal's Whsipered Transmission of Kīlaya (mtsho rgyal snyan brgyud phur pa), which was revealed by Gyarong Khandro, together with Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö and Khandro Tsering Chödrön, from the Zadü (gza' bdud) cave at Khyungdrak Dorjei Yangdzong in the water-snake year (1953), and then transmitted by Jamyang Khyentse to Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche in the wood-sheep year (1955).

• A Concise Recitation of the Preliminary Practice according to the New Treasure of Dudjom by Dudjom Rinpoche

The root text of the Dudjom Tersar preliminary practices, including the outer preliminaries, i.e., the four contemplations that turn the mind from saṃsāra, and the innre preliminaries of taking refuge, generating bodhicitta, offering the maṇḍala, meditation on Vajrasattva, guru yoga and transference (phowa).

• The Benefits of the Vajra Guru Mantra and an Explanation of Its Syllables revealed by Karma Lingpa

Revealed as a 'treasure' (gter ma), this short text explains the benefits and significance of Guru Padmasambhava's famous twelve-syllable mantra oṃ āḥ hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ.

• The Means for Accomplishment called the Blazing Wheel revealed by Tulku Zangpo Drakpa

This terma (gter ma), which Tulku Zangpo Drakpa revealed and passed on to Rigdzin Gödem (1337–1408), presents a sūtra-like scenario in which Buddha Śākyamuni reveals a dhāraṇī for subduing enemies and demonic forces.

• Liberation Upon Hearing: The History of the Great Jarung Kashor Stūpa by Ngakchang Shakya Zangpo

In this famous history of the sacred stūpa of Boudhanāth, Guru Padmasambhava recounts the stūpa's origins. In response to a request from King Trisong Deutsen, he tells how a humble poultry-woman first extracted a promise from the king and then built the stūpa together with her four sons, who were all later reborn as prominent figures in the introduction of Buddhism to Tibet. Padmasambhava also describes the benefits to be gained from circumambulating the stūpa and making offerings before it, and concludes with a series of prophecies concerning the stūpa's restoration.

• Guru Padmasambhava

• Le'u Dünma