The Guru Yoga for Tapihritsa

Appendix One of “The Oral Tradition from Zhang-Zhung”

by

John M. Reynolds

From the Primordial Buddha Kuntu Zangpo Himself down to Tapihritsa in the seventh century, the precepts of Dzogchen have been transmitted as Upadeshas or secret oral instructions (man-ngag) to only a single disciple at a time (gcig brgyud). Therefore, these precepts were kept supremely secret. However, it is said that Tapihritsa possessed prescience, or foreknowledge of the future, and therefore knew that a persecution of the Bonpos would occur in the next century. For this reason, he allowed Gyerpungpa to set down the precepts in writing in the language of Zhang-zhung using the sMar-yig script. In this way, the Zhang-zhung teachings of Dzogchen would not be lost to the humanity of future generations in this degenerate age when understanding of spirituality is limited and the powers of memory are weak. Moreover, Tapihritsa gave permission for his disciple to teach these precepts to more than a single disciple of his own.

Thus, in a real sense, with Tapihritsa and Gyerpungpa, the Dzogchen teachings entered into human history. Therefore, according to the Lopon, one visualizes Tapihritsa in the Guru Yoga practice not only because he exemplifies the Great Transfer, but because of his great kindness and benevolence in the revealing the Dzogchen precepts to his disciple and permitting him to set them down in writing.

The Guru Yoga (bla-ma'i rnal-'byor) for the Zhang-zhung Nyangyud is generally performed while the practitioner visualizes Tapihritsa in the sky in front of oneself, just as this master had originally appeared to Gyerpungpa when he revealed to the latter the transmissions for the Dzogchen precepts and the experiences in meditation of the previous masters in the lineage. By means of this visualization process, the practitioner creates a sacred space and a sacred time, repeating the archetypal actions of Gyerpungpa when he first requested and received the transmissions from his own enlightened master.

Again, according to the Lopon, to become a lineage-holder for the Zhang-zhung Nyan-gyud, there is no question that one must practice this Guru Yoga for Tapihritsa. The Guru Yoga is considered to be the single most important preliminary practice in the Dzogchen tradition. This luminous figure of the Guru as the archetypal wise child or eternal youth in the space above and in front of oneself in the sky is imagined to embody and encompass within his radiant form the essences of all the masters of the Dzogchen teachings. The principle here is one of integration and unification (rnal-'byor, Skt. yoga), that is to say, unification with the essence or the Nature of Mind of all these masters (bla-ma, Skt. guru).

The function of the Guru is to bestow the blessings (byin-brlabs) that represent a kind of spiritual energy of inspiration. Ultimately this spiritual energy emerged spontaneously out of the

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inexhaustible effulgence of the enlightened awareness and being of the Primordial Buddha Himself. It was then transmitted down through a lineage of realized adepts or Mahasiddhas to one's own master, much as electricity may be transmitted over power lines to the cities across the country side from its ultimate source at the generators high in the mountains. The master then communicates this spiritual energy to the practitioner, which in turn acts as a catalyst to awaken, open, and ripen the spiritual potential within the mind-stream of that individual (rgyud smin). In this way, the power of inspiration is infused into the very being of the practitioner and, indeed, this process is repeated every time one performs the Guru Yoga.

How to Practice the Guru Yoga

The Necessity of an Attitude of Devotion

How is one to do the practice? Finding a quiet place where one will not be disturbed, the practitioner should first cultivate intense faith and fervent devotion toward the Guru and his teachings. One should feel that one is actually sitting in the immediate physical presence of Tapihritsa, who in turn is identical with one's own personal Root Master or Tsawe Lama (rtsa-ba'i bla-ma). This is the master or spiritual teacher with whom one has close karmic links over many past lives and whom in this present life gives one the most important empowerments and explanations of the teachings (dbang khrid), including the direct introduction to one's own Mind (rig-pa ngo-sprod). Praying with great faith and fervent devotion, one asks for help and guidance by way of having revealed to oneself the short and quick path to enlightenment, which is Dzogchen.

It is with this sense of faith, reverence, devotion, and intimacy, while reciting the invocation, that one fixates the mind on the clear visualization of Tapihritsa in the open sky in front of oneself. One feels his actual presence there. One opens one's heart unreservedly to him and surrenders totally in a spirit of perfect trust. The blessings of the Guru Tapihritsa are like the light of the sun; they are shed impartially upon all. But in order to enjoy the delight of the warm sunshine, one must first step out of the dense cool darkness of the cave, which is one's own restricted selfish existence and ego consciousness.

This attitude of total devotion, openness, and surrender (mos-gus) in the context of the Guru Yoga practice cannot be emphasized enough. For it is just this emotional intensity, rather than intellectual comprehension, which fires and actualizes the Guru Yoga practice, making its realization concrete and effective and alive. This is no mere intellectual exercise, for it embodies concretely an intimate personal relationship. And as the master Jigmed Lingpa has said, the Guru Yoga is only effective when one's skin tingles and one's hair stands on end.

The Five-Point Sitting Position

Taking a comfortable seat, one assumes the five-point meditation position, thereby aligning the psychic channels in order to ensure that the prana, or the vital winds of psychic energy (rlung, Skt. vayu), flow smoothly and harmoniously within the body, so that distracting thoughts tend not to arise. [5] Consequently, the mind may more easily be tamed and controlled. This position, which represents the essential point of the body (lus gnad), is as follows:

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1. One sits in a cross-legged manner, which regulates and controls the activities of the vital winds in the lower part of the body, especially the Apana-vayu (thur-sel), the downward moving vital wind that is concerned with the activities of the lower digestive tract and the elimination of waste products such as urine and feces.2. The spine is held straight like an arrow, which keeps the joints and the muscles in alignment, as well as harmonizing the functions of the winds and channels in their proper places throughout the body, especially the Vyana-vayu (khyab-jug), or all-pervading vital wind, that enables the muscles to be moved. The four limbs of the body are held tight and firm, but not tense and never loose and flaccid.3. The hands are held in samadhi-mudra, the gesture of equipoise (mnyam-bzhag phyag-rgya), the left hand lying over the right hand. This gesture regulates and controls the activities of the internal organs of the body. It balances and harmonizes their functions, especially the Samana-vayu (me-mnyam), the heat-equalizing vital wind, concerned with bodily heat, metabolism, and digestion. In this gesture, the left hand rests on top of the right hand, the thumb of each hand pressing at the base of the ring fingers.4. The neck is bent forward just a little like an iron hook. This regulates and controls the activities of speech and other functions involving the throat such as swallowing, and especially the Udana-vayu (gyen-rgyu), the upward-moving vital wind, that regulates these operations.5. The shoulders are hunched a little like the wings of a vulture that can soar through the sky. This regulates and controls the activities of the vital winds in the torso or upper body, especially the Prana-vayu (srog-'dzin), which regulates respiration in the lungs and the circulation of blood from the heart.

Moreover, one's gaze is level and straight ahead, with the eyes open and focused on the space in front beyond the tip of the nose. The eyes are half closed and one avoids moving the eyes or blinking too much. This control of the gaze also serves to regulate the activities of the Prana-vayu and thus keep distracting thoughts from arising due to the unregulated and restless movements of this vital wind. Furthermore, the tongue floats and does not touch the palate. There is a space between the teeth in the mouth like one is softly sounding "Aaaah...." [6]

By sitting in this five-point meditation posture, one balances the physical body and harmonizes the movements and flow of the vital winds or psychic energies, thereby inhibiting the arising of distracting thoughts. One can also employ a meditation belt (sgom-thag) for additional support of the body in order to hold the position for long periods of time.

Sitting in this cross-legged position with the hands resting on the lap and the palms turned upward, with the left hand resting over the right and the thumbs of each hand pressing against the point at the base of the ring finger, one closes and seals temporarily the Klesha-nadi or psychic channel through which negative provocations of energy (gdon) might gain access to one's body from the external environment. According to the tradition of Tibetan shamanism, it is through these two channels of the right and left hands, extending from the tips of the ring fingers to the heart, that spirits might enter the body and come to possess the individual. By closing these two channels, the practitioner protects oneself when meditating.

When practicing being in the state of contemplation or the Natural State, the practitioner should simply relax into a condition of inaction or immobility of one's body, speech, and mind. Otherwise, the activities of one's mind and energy cause imbalances in the psychic channels and the vital winds and this, in turn, gives rise to distracting thoughts and feelings that disturb one's

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state of contemplation. In the context of the Dzogchen teachings, contemplation or samadhi refers not just to a calm state of mind (shamatha) or intense concentration and withdrawal from the senses (dhyana), but to being in the Natural State (rig-pa).

For this purpose there is a special body posture where the physical body is bound with the five mudras described above. Holding the body immobile limits physical activities that might disturb the vital winds and the psychic channels. Mind or consciousness is always associated with these subtle winds representing the movements of psychic energies. Mind (sems) and psychic energy (rlung) are linked together like a rider mounted on an unruly horse. If the vital winds are unbalanced, the mind or flow of thoughts becomes unbalanced and distractions arise into consciousness. Gentle deep breathing and maintaining silence renders these vital winds immobile. Without the movements of these winds, discursive thoughts do not arise. Concentration and fixation of awareness on some object of meditation bring about immobility of the mind. Therefore, these three immobilities (mi g.yo-ba gsum) of body, speech, and mind facilitate the practitioner remaining in the Natural State with a bright alert awareness. Therefore, it is said that this five-point position for meditation practice is very important.

The Nine Breathings for Purification

Then one performs the nine breathings for purification of one's vital winds and channels, which is generally known as taming or training the breath (rtsa 'dul), by breathing three times out each nostril while closing the opposite nostril with one's finger. This makes a total of six exhalations. For the last three exhalations, one breathes out both nostrils. Thus, the stale air (rlung ro) in the lungs, as well as all residual emotional defilements or impurities, are expelled from the body, so that one comes to feel cleansed and purified.

In the Buddhist system, the three principal channels are known as Rasana (ro-ma), which is on the right, Lalana (rkyang-ma), which is on the left, and Avadhuti (dbu-ma), which is in the center. In the Hindu system, they are called Pingala, Ida, and Sushumna respectively. The Avadhuti or central channel is visualized in the precise center of the body, not in the spinal column, but in front of it. These psychic channels (rtsa, Skt. nadi) represent potential pathways for the movements of psychic energy; they are subtle structures, not gross physical anatomy. Therefore, by visualizing or imagining them (dmigs-pa) one makes them actual and moves one's vital winds (rlung, Skt. vayu) through them. Thus, there exist in the Tantras, both Buddhist and Bonpo, a number of different systems for visualizing the three principal psychic channels. What visualization system the practitioner employs depends on how and where one is moving these psychic energies or winds.

One visualizes the central channel as deep azure in color like the bright clear sky, being situated in the middle of the body, beginning at the secret center, some four finger-widths below the navel, and extending to the aperture or opening at the crown of the head. This channel is straight like the shaft of an arrow and is the size of a hollow bamboo cane. In general, this central channel is said to have the four characteristics of being straight, shiny, hollow, and blue in color. Parallel to it on both sides are two smaller channels, which are like fine silk threads. The right-hand channel is white in color like crystal, and the left channel is red in color like powdered coral. They symbolize the cool white lunar masculine energy, which is like the moon, and the fiery red solar feminine energy, which is like the sun, respectively. In the Tantra system, the moon symbolizes semen, the male element, because it is white and the sun symbolizes menstrual

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blood, the female element, because it is red. This is the reverse of the symbolism in Western astrology. These channels and colors are the reverse in women.

The two side channels enter into the central channel at the Kunda or juncture of the three channels (rtsa gsum mdor) below the navel and this juncture resembles the Tibetan letter CHA. These three channels extend upward to the physical heart and then curve behind it and go to the spine and up through the neck. They join again at the Ag-tse, or joint of the spine and skull. Previously running in parallel to the central channel, they now go inside the skull case (klad phor) and arch over the membrane of the brain (klad sprin). These two side channels then turn down to the nostrils of the nose where they terminate. Inside the skull, the central channel widens a bit as its approaches the aperture at the top of the head, so that it comes to resemble a horn or a flower. Thus, it has been compared to the blue flower called spangs-rgyan (Gentiana stipitala Edjew.) which blooms in autumn. The mouth or upper extremity of the central channel extends out through the aperture at the crown of the skull. This is known as the aperture of Brahma (tshangs-pa'i bu-ga, Skt. brahmarandhra).

In particular, for men, using the left hand, one closes the right nostril with one's ring finger and inhales the fresh clean air through the left nostril and the left channel while visualizing that one is absorbing into oneself luminous light blue wisdom air (ye-shes kyi rlung). And one holds the breath a little. Then closing the left nostril with the thumb and opening the right nostril, one blows the stale polluted air (rlung-ro) out the right nostril and the right hand channel. One visualizes this stale air that is being expelled as light bluish-gray smoke, which represents the polluted residues of the negative emotion of anger.

Thereupon one changes nostrils and does just the opposite. Closing the left nostril with the thumb of the left hand, one inhales the wisdom air through the right nostril and holds the breath a little. Then opening the left nostril and closing the right nostril with the ring finger, one exhales the stale air while visualizing it to be light red smoke in color representing the polluted residues of the negative emotion of desire. Thereby each side is purified in this way alternatively three times. Women should proceed in exactly the opposite fashion, first purifying the left side for anger and then the right side for desire.

Then one inhales the clean luminous wisdom air through both nostrils simultaneously and, in the same way, proceeds to expel the stale polluted air, visualizing it as smoke of a dirty brown color representing the polluted residues of the negative emotion of confusion. This negative emotion or klesha is actually a mixture of the two principal passions, anger and desire, and is characterized by ignorance, confusion, indecision, and bewilderment. One visualizes this stale air being expelled through the hole in the top of one's head.

In each case, the inhalation is done slowly and gently, whereas the blowing out of the disturbances is done a bit more forcefully. Men begin by cleansing the right channel, whereas women begin by cleansing the left channel, because these two side channels are the reverse in men and women due to Tantric polarity. The white lunar channel, where the residues of anger accumulate, is on the right side in men and on the left side in women, whereas the red solar channel, where the residues of desire accumulate, is on the left side in men and on the right side in women.

Thus, while three times alternately exhaling the stale air of the white lunar channel on the right

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side of men and the left side of women, one should think that each time one expels negative energy, it has four characteristics associated with it:

1. anger (zhe-sdang, Skt. dvesha), as well as obstacles linked with the past in general,2. wind diseases, that is, diseases due to lack of vitality or imbalances in the Vayu or wind humor (rlung gi nad),3. the color of light blue smoke, and4. disturbances coming from male spirits (pho gdon).

Next, while three times alternately exhaling the stale air from the red solar channel on the left side of men and the right side of women, one should think that each time one expels negative energy, it also has four characteristics associated with it:

1. desire (`dod-chags, Skt. raga), as well as obstacles linked to the future;2. diseases due to imbalance in the Pitta or bile humor (mkhrispa'i nad),3. the color of light red smoke, and4. disturbances coming from female spirits (mo gdon).

Finally, one inhales and exhales three times through both nostrils. Here the fresh wisdom air goes into the central channel and the stale air is forcefully expelled from the top of one's head (actually both nostrils). The negative energy of confusion also has four characteristics:

1. confusion or bewilderment (gti-mug, Skt. moha), as well as obstacles linked to the present,2. diseases due to an imbalance in Kapha or the phlegm humor (bad-kan gyi nad),3. the color of dark brown smoke, and4. disturbances due to the Nagas or subterranean spirits (klu gdon).

The Four Phases of the Guru Yoga Practice

This process of the nine breathings represents the preliminary purification. The principal practice of the Guru Yoga is described in terms of four phases:

1. the visualization of the presence of the Guru in the sky in front of oneself and the reciting of the invocation,2. the receiving of purification from the Guru by way of the wisdom nectars,3. the receiving of the blessings of the Guru by way of the empowerments with the three lights, and4. the recitation of prayers and mantras.

Phase One: Visualization of the Guru

Then sounding the seed syllable Ah, the practitioner proceeds to visualize the Guru Tapihritsa in the sky in front of oneself above the crown of one's head. [7] In this case, Tapihritsa is transparent or translucent, his body being clear and empty like the rainbow, because he represents the inseparability of clarity and emptiness (gsal stong dbyer-med). He is pure white like a quartz crystal because he has been thoroughly purified of all obscurations and defilements (sgrib-med). He is entirely naked and unadorned because he is completely free of all discursive thoughts (rtog-med) and operations of mind pertaining to the thought process. And he is

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visualized as sitting in peaceful contemplation in the center of a rainbow sphere of light (thig-le) suspended in the sky because he has already attained the Body of Light of the Great Transfer ('pho-ba chenpo'i `od sku). This indicates that his nature is wisdom, primordial awareness, or gnosis (ye-shes).

But one should not visualize him as being flat and two-dimensional in aspect like a painting on the wall, but rather as three-dimensional, translucent, and immaterial like the rainbow appearing in the sky. One should feel that he is alive and actually present before one in space and that he sees the practitioner sitting there below him and looks down upon one with compassion and loving kindness. Therefore, this is a very personal encounter.

Furthermore, one should think that this luminous figure of Tapihritsa embodies the unification of all the Gurus and masters and all the lineages of transmission for Dzogchen that one has received in this present life and in all one's previous lifetimes. One proceeds to pray fervently with heart-felt devotion to this master, as if he is actually present before one, presenting offerings to him, including a Ganachakra Puja, whether these offerings are actually present or merely visualized in imagination. Finally one requests the blessings of the empowerments of the Body, the Speech, and the Mind of the Guru. [8]

Having visualized the Guru clearly in this way and fixating one's mind on him, one recites the invocation many times, or at least three times. For this purpose, the Lopon suggests the following verse of supplication:

"In the palace of great bliss on the crown of my head,Is my benevolent Root Guru to whom I pray;The Buddha as my own Mind is the precious Teacher:Please grant the blessing that I may recognize my own nature!" [9]

The pronunciation and interlinear translation is as follows:

CHYI-TSUK DE-WA CHEN-PO PHO-DRANG DU,In the palace of great bliss on the crown of my head,

DRIN-CHAN TSA WE LA-MA LA SOL-WA DEB, Is my benevolent Root Guru to whom I pray:

SANG-GYE SEM SU TON-PA RIN-PO-CHE,The Buddha as my own Mind is the precious Teacher:

RANG NGO RANG GI SHE-PAR JYIN GYI LOB.Please grant the blessing that I may recognize my own nature!

Phase Two: Purification with the Wisdom Nectars

In response to one's attitude of fervent devotion and opening oneself unreservedly to him, from the heart center of Guru Tapihritsa, one visualizes that there issues forth an effulgence of white light that spontaneously transforms into streams of the luminous white nectars of wisdom (ye-shes kyi bdud-rtsi). This flows and enters into the aperture at the crown of one's head and

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descending through the central channel, it comes to fill one's entire body. This luminous white nectar represents the wisdom of the Guru (bla-ma's ye-shes) and it washes away and cleanses all of one's sins and obscurations, including all the emotional defilements and karmic traces inherited from the immemorial past. One's body becomes thereby totally cleansed and purified, so that one's whole being is transformed into a suitable vessel, like a pure crystal vase filled with light, prepared for the receiving of the blessings and empowerments that the master will bestow. [10]

Phase Three: Receiving the Empowerments

At the conclusion of this process of purification, the practitioner is now well suited to receive the initiations and the transmission of the Dzogchen precepts. One sounds the syllables A OM HUM, signifying the dimensions of the body, speech, and mind of the individual. Again in response to one's cultivating intense faith and devotion, these syllables, in the form of luminous Tibetan letters, then appear spontaneously on the surface of the body at the three secret places or three secret doors (sgo gsum) of the Guru, that is to say, at his forehead, at his throat, and at his heart. [11] Thereupon rays of lights in their respective colors issue forth from these syllables and touch the three corresponding places on the surface of one's own body where these lights and their energies are absorbed.

In this way one receives and unifies with the knowledge and the wisdom (ye-shes) of the Body, Speech, and Mind of the Guru. In particular, from the white syllable A at the forehead of the Guru comes a brilliant white ray of light, which enters one's own forehead center. Thus all one's sins and obscurations of body are purified and one receives the empowerment and the spiritual attainments (or siddhis) of the Body of the Guru. One is now empowered to do the Kyerim (bskyed-rim) or visualization transformation practice and this indicates that one will eventually come to realize the Nirmanakaya or the bodily manifestation of enlightenment.

From the red syllable OM at the throat of the Guru comes a brilliant red ray of light, which enters one's own throat center. Thus all one's sins and obscurations of speech are purified and one receives the empowerment and the spiritual attainments of the Speech of the Guru. One is now empowered to do the Tsalung (rtsa-rlung) or mantra recitations and breathing practices (pranayama) and this indicates that one will eventually come to realize the Sambhogakaya or the energetic aspect of enlightenment.

From the blue syllable HUM at the heart of the Guru comes a brilliant blue ray of light, which enters one's own heart center. Thus all one's sins and obscurations of mind are purified and one receives the empowerment and spiritual attainments of the Mind of the Guru. One is now empowered to do the Dzogrim (rdzogs-rim) or the internal yoga practices for the realizing of the inseparability of bliss and emptiness and this indicates that one will eventually come to realize the Dharmakaya or the ultimate mind aspect of enlightenment.

Each of these lights dissolve and are absorbed into the locations or centers of one's own being, like pouring water into water, so that the Body, Speech, and Mind of the Guru merge with one's own body, speech, and mind. In this way the practitioner becomes both purified and empowered, accessing and assimilating into oneself the energies and capacities of the Body, Speech, and Mind of the Guru. This initiation and empowerment occurs at the culmination of the process of the visualization of the Guru. This connects the practitioner with all the masters in the lineages of

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the Dzogchen teachings and whenever the Guru Yoga exercise is repeated, it helps to maintain that connection or spiritual link.

Phase Four: Reciting Prayers

At this point, having received the empowerments and blessings of the Guru, one may recite "the Invocation to Tapihritsa," which is translated in the next section. One may recite this one time or as many times as one likes, while maintaining an attitude of faith, devotion, and intense longing for liberation and enlightenment.

As we have said, in the presence of the master, the practitioner develops a personal relationship with him and deliberately cultivates intense feelings of faith, trust, and fervent devotion. It is to this perfect master that one surrenders unreservedly and opens oneself up totally, like a small child before a loving parent. One prays with intense faith and devotion to the figure of the Guru, who, at the same time, is identical in essence with one's own Root Guru, and requests to receive the blessings of the empowerments and transmissions, so that one may practice and come to a genuine understanding of the real meaning of Dzogchen.

Indeed, according to the Lopon, Guru Yoga is regarded as the most effective means to maintain and enhance the transmissions that one has received previously. So, the Guru Yoga is not something that is done only once in the beginning like an initiation ceremony, but is a meditation practice that is performed repeatedly, at least once a day, or even at the beginning of each session of practice.

At the end of the recitations, the vision of the Guru in the sky dissolves into a mass of light. This light approaches the practitioner and merges into oneself. This moment of unification represents the real Guru Yoga, a true unio mystica or mystical union. Moreover, this visualization recapitulates and repeats the original mystical vision and ecstatic experience undergone by the Mahasiddha Gyerpungpa in Zhang-zhung so long ago. Thus, in this way, one enters into and remains in the lineage of the transmission, remaining in the condition of the sacred transcending profane space and time.

Conclusion: Dedication of Merit

At the conclusion of each session of practice, the Lopon has suggested that one should recite the following short verse of the dedication of merit and the commitment (bsngo smon):

"Whatever merit I have accumulated through the purity of my three gates,I now dedicate to the benefit of all the sentient beings of the three realms;Having purified all my negative karma and obscurations accumulated in all the three times,May I quickly come to attain the perfect Buddhahood of the Trikaya!" [12]

The pronunciation and interlinear translation is as follows:

GO SUM DAG-PE GE-WA GANG GYI-PA,Whatever merit I have accumulated through the purity of my three gates,

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KHAM SUM SEM-CHAN NAM KYI DON DU NGO,I now dedicate to the benefit of all the sentient beings of the three realms;

DU SUM SAG-PE LE DRIB KUN JYANG NE,Having purified all my negative karma and obscurations accumulated in all the three times,

KU SUM DZOG-PE SANG-GYE NYUR THOS SHOK.May I quickly come to attain the perfect Buddhahood of the Trikaya!

When one is in a retreat situation, there would normally be four or even six meditation sessions each day, such as in the early morning, before midday, in the late afternoon toward sunset, and in the evening before retiring. In the Dzogchen tradition, it is always necessary to at least perform the Guru Yoga at the beginning of each session of meditation practice. This keeps the practitioner inseparably linked and connected to the master and to the transmission, as well as to the contemplation of the Natural State to which the master has introduced to one directly. If one does not maintain this spiritual connection, then there could arise troubles with the Guardians for both the master and the disciple. It is said that the Guardians have little patience with abuse or neglect of the lineage of the teachings and of the practice.

According to the Bonpo tradition, it usually takes a continuous retreat of three months to complete the practice of all these preliminaries, each being done one hundred-thousand times. [131 But in terms of daily practice, one could perform all nine sections in sequence during the early morning session. Sitting down in meditation in the five-fold posture, one might run through each exercise in sequence. If possible, each is repeated three times or five times. And at the conclusion one makes the dedication of merit and the commitment to attain Buddha-hood as soon as possible. During the midday session, the mantras from the Ngondro text are again recited. [14]

The Invocation to Tapihritsa

As said, the Lopon has indicated that, in addition to the short verse of supplication given above, one may also recite the following "Invocation to Tapihritsa" (Ta-pi-hri-tsa'i gsol-'debs) while visualizing the Guru in the sky in front of oneself as decribed above and before proceeding to receive the empowerments from the master. This invocation is contained in the manuscript version of the rGyal-ba phyag-khrid collection and it is said to have been composed by Gyerpungpa himself. [15] This text embodies the essential meaning of Dzogchen and thus it is well suited for meditation practice while visualizing the resplendent form of Tapihritsa inside a rainbow sphere of light suspended in the sky in front of oneself.

The translation of the text is as follows:

EMAHO!O Nirmanakaya emanated from the Mind of Kuntu Zangpo! Your body color is a luminous white like crystal,Immaculate and of clear luster, and rays of light emanate from you into the ten directions.You are totally naked and without ornaments, signifying that you are the essence of the Primordial State.

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By virtue of your compassion and by means of the two knowledges, you continuously contemplate the benefit of all living beings.The nectar from the Hearts of all the Sugatas is Dzogchen, the Great Perfection, which is supreme among all teachings,The pinnacle among all the vehicles to enlightenment, and the essence of all Tantras, Agamas, and Upadeshas:From the Natural State, which is the (Primordial) Base, originates both the liberation that is Nirvana and the delusion that is Samsara; Whereupon, as sounds, lights, and rays, all the defects (of Samsara) and all the virtues (of Nirvana) become clearly visible (as visions). But once having cleared away everywhere all the darkness obscuring the minds of living beings (everything becomes clear),Then the Base, which is empty and without a source, is decisively understood to represent the Sole Path.Experiences and understanding become manifest (on the Path) and both Samsara and Nirvana are liberated into the Nature of Mind.And thus, the Trikaya of the Fruit becomes clearly visible (as visions), arrayed before one in the dimension of space.To you, O Tapihritsa, the protector of beings,I pray with single-minded devotionTo grant the blessing of conferring empowerment upon me and upon all other beingsFor the pacifying all our obscurations, outer, inner, and secret!When I am liberated from ignorance and from all grasping at the reality of delusions,My own inherent intrinsic Awareness will become manifest; and having finally realized the proper view and the conduct,At that very moment, please bestow upon me (the realization of)The actual meaning of the Primordial State that is empty, without a source, and totally transcending the intellect.To you, O Tapihritsa, our Lord who is the protector of beings, I pray - By virtue of your compassion, may you liberate my mind-stream from all entanglements within the six destinies of rebirth!

[Thus Gyerpung Nangzher Lodpo prayed to the Nirmanakaya Tapihritsa who is the visible embodiment (of all the Lineage Gurus). Good fortune! Virtue!] [16]

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