This teaching was given by His Holiness the Sakya Trichen on May 3, 2014, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A.

In this teaching, His Holiness explains about the preliminary practices, also known as Ngondro and their importance.

In our lives as human beings, many things are required of us, and we engage in many kinds of activities. But the most important thing we can do in our life is spiritual practice, which allows us to accomplish peace and happiness not only in this life but also in future lives.

www.sakyatradition.org

Preliminary Practices and Their Importance

In this weekend teaching, Lama Michel Rinpoche clearly explains the so-called Six Dharmas of Preparation. Before actually starting a meditation, Lam Rim or the Graduated Path to Enlightenment instructs us on how to prepare ourselves.  These Six Dharmas of Preparation are six preparatory practices that help us purify negativities and obstacles to our spiritual practice, accumulate merit and prepare our minds for meditation.
The six preliminaries are: cleaning the meditation room and setting up our altar, setting up offerings, sitting in the meditation posture, visualizing the merit field and supplicating the lineage masters, the unbroken line of teachers from Buddha Shakyamuni until one's personal masters for their blessings in the form of spiritual attainments.

4/4 The Six Dharmas of Preparation, Tibetan Buddhist teachings with Lama Michel Rinpoche

3/4 The Six Dharmas of Preparation, Tibetan Buddhist teachings with Lama Michel Rinpoche

2/4 The Six Dharmas of Preparation, Tibetan Buddhist teachings with Lama Michel Rinpoche

What about the Preliminary Exercises?
Is the preliminary practice stage essential?
What to do with resistance to undertaking this section of the path?
Where is the training in calm abiding (Samatha) in these exercises?

Dharma roadside dialogue

20240330_Dharma roadside dialogue #3 March. Extraordinary Preliminary practices

Body, speech and mind's attitude in the exercise of prostration.

Advice

About Prostrations

The Power of Regret: recalling all of our negative actions in the past motivated by ignorance, attachment or aversion. 
Power of Reliance: Taking Refuge in the Three Jewels, Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
The Power of Remedy: the mantra and visualization and mental focus on purification.
The Power of Restraint: or undertaking to refrain from creating negative karma (actions) in future.

20240525 Dharma roadside dialogue #5 The four transformative powers

20240525 Dharma roadside dialogue #5 May The four transformative powers

Recitation in Tibetan of the praise to the 35 Buddha for prostration.

Praise of the 35 Buddhas. Recitation For Prostrations

oṃ vajrasattvasamayam anupālaya vajrasattva tvenopatiṣṭha dṛḍho me bhava
sutoṣyo me bhava supoṣyo me bhava anurakto me bhava
sarvasiddhiṃ me prayaccha sarvakarmasu ca me cittaṃ śreyaḥ kuru hūṃ
ha ha ha ha hoḥ bhagavan sarvatathāgatavajra mā me muñca vajrī bhava mahāsamayasattva āḥā

Explanation of the 100 syllable mantra
By Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo  and Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye

Here is the translated meaning of the 100 syllables:

From om to ya means “Om Vajrasattva’s samaya.”
From manu to satva means “care for me, oh samaya!”
From tve to bhava means “satisfy me!”
From suto to bhava means “Fulfill me!”
From supo to bhava means “Make me fully develop!”
From anu to bhava means “Be loving to me!”
From sarva to yaccha means “Grant me all the siddhis!”
From sarva to me means “Make me master all activities!”
From chitta to tu means “Make my mind virtuous!”
From hung ha to hoh is the passionate laughter of vajra wisdom; the wish to translate that is the pursuit of fools.
From bhaga to ta means “of all the Blessed Thus-Gone Ones.”
From vajra to munca means “Vajra, do not forsake me!”
The words vajri and bhava mean “Make me vajra-like!”
From maha to ah means “Great samaya being, ah!”
This was according to Manjugosha [Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo].

Alternately, according to Guna [Jamgön Kongtrül] the first part is the same followed by this slight difference:
Make me master all activities!
Make my mind virtuous!
hung ha ha ha ha hoh!
Oh Blessed Vajra, all tathagatas, may you not forsake me!
Make me vajra-like!
Great samaya being, ah!

Translated by Erik Pema Kunsang

Dharma Sounds

Vajrasattva Hundred Syllable Mantra by Trungram Gyaltrul Rinpoche

Short introduction  by Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche about the 35 Buddhas practice. Given at the Natural bridge, VA USA Bodhi path in 2006.

35 Buddhas Teachings

Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche. Introduction to the 35 Buddhas Practice

A place where to find Dharma Teaching specialy from the Ngalso Ganden Nyengyu Lineage

Resident Dharma Teacher at the Bodhipath Buddhist Center in Natural Bridge, VA

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