Ngondro Commentary

“The Tibetan word ngondro means ‘to go before‘ or ‘preliminary,’ and these preliminary practices fall into two basic categories. The first, that of the outer preliminaries, common to both the Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhist paths, consists of contemplation of the four thoughts that turn the mind. Then there are the extraordinary preliminaries special to the Mahayana and Vajrayana paths: refuge, bodhicitta, mandala offerings, Vajrasattva purification, guru yoga, and transference of consciousness. The ngondro in Tibetan Buddhism establishes the foundation for the entire Vajrayana path—it is as fundamental to the practitioner’s development as the alphabet is to written language. Among the preliminaries of the various lineages, the Dudjom Tersar Ngondro of the Nyingma tradition—on which this commentary is based—is possibly the most concise. Written, then concealed in the eight century by Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche), it was intended for these times when few people have sufficient leisure to fully practice. H.H. Dudjom Lingpa (1835–1904) revealed this treasure; his incarnation, H.H. Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje (1904–1987), from whom I had the excellent fortune to receive these teachings, clarified the text and taught it widely throughout his life. The Dudjom Tersar Ngondro is an extremely powerful practice for turning the mind toward dharma, for purifying obscurations, and for bringing forth the qualities of realization. It enhance devotion to the dharma and receptivity to the highest level of teachings, the Great Perfection. For practitioners with receptive minds, the Great Perfection perspective can evolve from ngondro itself. The Dudjom Tersar Ngondro—succinct, unelaborate, and grounded in guru yoga—provides a superb means of opening the door to the nature of mind.”—His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche

“The Dudjom Tersar Ngondro—succinct, unelaborate, and grounded in guru yoga—provides a superb means of opening the door to the nature of mind. The Tibetan word ngondro means ‘to go before’ or ‘preliminary,’ and these preliminary practices fall into two basic categories. The first, that of the outer preliminaries, common to both the Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhist paths, consists of contemplation of the ‘four thoughts that turn the mind.’ Then there are the extraordinary preliminaries special to the Mahayana and Vajrayana paths: refuge, bodhicitta, mandala offerings, Vajrasattva purification, guru yoga, and transference of consciousness. As we undertake ngondro, we acquire certain skills that we will use again and again in Vajrayana practice. We learn to contemplate, to develop a visualization, to recite prayers and mantra, to perform prostrations and mandala offerings, to dissolve the visualization, and to rest in nonconceptual meditation. We begin our practice with pure motivation, follow the lineage instructions in each section, redirect our attention whenever it wanders, and close with the pure dedication of virtue to all sentient beings. In general, we learn how to meditate. The ngondro in Tibetan Buddhism establishes the foundation for the entire Vajrayana path—it is as fundamental to the practitioner’s development as the alphabet is to written language. Among the preliminaries of the various lineages, the Dudjom Tersar Ngondro of the Nyingma tradition—on which this commentary is based—is possibly the most concise. Written, then concealed in the eight century by Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche), it was intended for these times when few people have sufficient leisure to fully practice. H.H. Dudjom Lingpa (1835–1904) revealed this treasure; his incarnation, H.H. Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje (1904–1987), from whom I had the excellent fortune to receive these teachings, clarified the text and taught it widely throughout his life. Practice of the outer and the extraordinary preliminaries provides a strong foundation for spiritual development. The teachings on the four thoughts give rise to the renunciation of ordinary attachments and guide us toward what is beneficial. Refuge creates a sense of protection and blessing. Bodhicitta clarifies our motivation and arouses our compassion—we acknowledge our highest spiritual aspirations. Mandala offerings generate the accumulation of merit and the revelation of pristine awareness that we will need to fulfill our aspirations. Vajrasattva provides a method by which we can purify the obstacles to enlightenment—the mind’s poisons, habitual patterns, negative karma, and intellectual obscurations. Guru yoga enables us to receive the pure qualities of the lama’s realization. Transference of consciousness allows us to continue our path uninterrupted after this lifetime by finding rebirth in the pureland. Thus these are extremely powerful practices for turning the mind toward dharma, for purifying obscurations, and for bringing forth the qualities of realization. They enhance devotion to the dharma and receptivity to the highest level of teachings, the Great Perfection. For practitioners with receptive minds, the Great Perfection perspective can evolve from ngondro itself.”—His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche

Jane Tromge (Chagdud Khadro) met His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche in March 1978, married him in November 1979, and remained his devoted student for twenty-three years. At the time of her ordination as a lama in 1997, Rinpoche invested her as the future Spiritual Director of Chagdud Gonpa Brasil. Since Rinpoche’s Parinirvana in 2002, she has focused on maintaining the high caliber of Vajrayana training he had established. During her time with Chagdud Rinpoche, Khadro received constant training from him both in organizing dharma activities and in the teachings and practice of Vajrayana. She was among the collaborators for his autobiography Lord of the Dance and with his guidance, she compiled commentaries of his teachings on the Dudjom Tersar Ngondro, the Longsal Nyingpo Phowa, and the concise version of Apong Terton’s Red Tara. Formerly the managing editor of Padma Publishing in the United States, Khadro has edited many translations of Tibetan works. Chagdud Khadro has been tireless in upholding his legacy. She has guided the construction of a Zangdog Palri (Guru Rinpoche Pureland), works with translation and publishing of texts in Portuguese and Spanish, helped establish Sítio Esperança, a school and educational project in the state of Minas Gerais, and continued to support spiritual care for the dying and there caregivers. Khadro supervises the activities and teaches in all the Chagdud Gonpa Brasil centers and Chagdud Gonpa Hispanoamérica. She also teaches in Europe, United States and Australia.