Preliminaries

preliminary practices

ngondro (Tib); sngon ‘gro (Wyl)

The practices that prepare the mind for successful tantric meditation by removing hindrances and accumulating merit. These practices are found in all schools of Tibetan Buddhism and are usually done 100,000 times each; the four main practices are recitation of the refuge formula, mandala offerings, prostrations and Vajrasattva mantra recitation. The Gelug tradition adds five more: guru yoga, water bowl offerings, Damtsig Dorje purifying meditation, making tsatsas and the Dorje Khadro burning offering practice.

1. Prostration

2. Mandala offering

3. Refuge and bodhichitta

4. Water bowls

5. Guru-yoga

6. Vajrasattva 100-syllable mantra

7. Samayavajra mantra

8. Tsa-tsa

With a Stupa and private individual cabins, Land of Calm Abiding is a perfect setting to complete some or all of your Ngodro.