ATIKOPA


Guru Yoga

To attain ultimate liberation

"Guru Yoga," also known as "Guru Yoga Practice," is a supreme method that allows us to attain ultimate liberation through absolute faith and devout reliance on our root guru.
Within Vajrayana, there are many different practices for people of varying capacities. However, all tantras and lineage teachings require connection with the root guru; otherwise, enlightenment cannot be attained. While Guru Yoga is one of the "uncommon preliminary practices," it is the essential key to all the main practices. Therefore, Guru Yoga is an extremely special and important practice.
When practicing Guru Yoga, one must rely on a virtuous guru with absolute devotion, allowing one's mind to unite with the guru's mind. Only in this way can the teachings and blessings of the lineage be integrated into one's own nature and become the fundamental driving force for spiritual attainment.
The scriptures record: "After practicing unwavering faith and devotion for six months, one attains the Vajradhara state." and "The realms of the five bhumis and ten paths are achieved through years of faith and devotion to the guru." Therefore, we must regard the guru as the Buddha and pray to the guru with utmost respect, faith, and devotion. In this way, the wisdom of realization will arise in our own mindstream.

Only by having complete devotion and unwavering faith, regarding the guru as the true Buddha, and praying fervently and respectfully for the guru's blessings, can one generate and realize the wisdom that is inseparable from the guru.
To view the Guru as inseparable from the Buddha, one must possess the following five awarenesses: 1. Awareness that the Guru is the Buddha. 2. Awareness that all the Guru's actions are the activities of the Buddha. 3. Awareness that, for oneself, the Guru's kindness is greater than that of the Buddha. 4. Awareness that the Guru, with his immense kindness and virtue, is the embodiment of all refuges. 5. Having awareness of these principles, if one prays sincerely, wisdom can arise and be realized within one's own mindstream without relying on other paths.

In the practice of Guru Yoga, there are two methods of visualization depending on the practitioner's capacity: one where the guru's image changes, and another where the image remains unchanged. For all highly accomplished practitioners, the guru's image does not need to be changed when practicing Guru Yoga. Other practitioners, if they do not initially transform the guru's image, will not perceive the guru as the Buddha, and therefore need to cultivate the transformation of the guru's image.

There are three types of visualization methods: overlapping visualization, the collection of precious treasures visualization, and circumambulation visualization.
To quickly receive blessings, one can practice the "collection of the jewel" visualization. When taking refuge and praying, one should practice the "overlapping visualization." When accumulating merit, one should practice the "circling visualization."
The "overlapping visualization method" involves visualizing all the lineage masters as if they were clustered together from top to bottom on a wish-fulfilling tree, during the practice of taking refuge or cultivating bodhicitta. This method of linking the blessings of all the lineage masters together is called the "overlapping" Guru Yoga visualization method.
The "Gem-Gathering Meditation" is a Guru Yoga visualization practice in the Vajrasattva practice that gathers all lineage masters into one Vajrasattva, making him inseparable from one's root guru.
The term "Vajrasattva" represents the embodiment of the lineage masters, all Buddhas, and the wrathful and peaceful deities that pervade all of space. It is a visualization that "integrates a hundred deities into one," "integrates all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas into one," and "integrates all deities into one."
The "circumambulation visualization method" involves visualizing all the lineage masters of Dzogchen, as well as the Three Roots and Dharma Protectors filling all of space, surrounding the deity Padmasambhava during practice. This is the "circumambulation" Guru Yoga visualization practice.


The practice is divided into sitting down and sitting between sitting sessions.
The proper way to take one's seat:

A、Clear Mandala visualization

The central deity is Guru Padmasambhava. The ugly demon woman in the charnel ground appears separately as the main deity and retinue, but in reality, their essence is also the Guru's unique great wisdom nature. Their bodies are endowed with auspicious marks, their speech with the merit of Sanskrit sounds, and their minds with the merit of wisdom, compassion, and power. They are no different from the central Guru and are the unique essence of great wisdom.

With utmost devotion, pray and recite the Seven-Line Prayer to Guru Rinpoche, while visualizing the Copper-Colored Auspicious Mountain as the refuge and the host descending like rolling clouds in the sky. In addition, all the gurus with whom you have a Dharma connection descend like vultures landing in a charnel ground. The immeasurable palace of the refuge and the assembly of deities of the host merge into it.
Guru Rinpoche, who descends from the Lotus Palace of the auspicious Copper-Colored Mountain, is the deity of the mandala. As we recite the supplication, we merge the mandala deity into the previously visualized samaya deity, making them one, the true Guru Padmasambhava. Then we begin the seven-limb purification offering ritual.

B、Seven-Limb Offering
In the Vajrayana tradition, the object of accumulating merit is the guru, who is considered the most supreme, most extraordinary, and most ultimate field of merit, as well as a subtle and sublime pure field of merit.
In the exoteric tradition, one needs to accumulate merit over countless eons; in the Vajrayana, however, practitioners attain perfection in an instant, primarily through the cultivation of merit and the purity of intention. "Pure intention" refers to the desire to benefit others and aspire to achieve the state of Vajradhara through union; this intention does not refer to great selfishness. "Pure offerings" rely on offerings made through the deity, mantra, samadhi, and illusory offerings. Therefore, all paths to accumulating merit are encompassed in the seven-limb pure offering.
The "Seven-Limb Offering" accumulates merit through three aspects: accumulating merit, purifying obscurations, and increasing good. Prostration and confession constitute the purification of obscurations. Rejoicing and dedication constitute the increasing of good. The remaining three constitute the accumulation of merit.


1、"Prostration"
"Prostration" is a method to subdue "pride." Pride is the thought that one is superior. Pride leads to the inability to see one's own faults and the merits of others. The antidote is "prostration." Therefore, we should refrain from vying for high positions, and even treat those who have broken vows and precepts with reverence, making them objects of our prostration and respect.
There are three levels of prostration: superior, intermediate, and inferior. The superior level of prostration is when one realizes that the object of prostration, the prostrator, and the act of prostration are inseparable; therefore, the superior level is prostration of understanding.
Those of intermediate level who practice this prostration prostrate before the immeasurable body manifests immeasurable heads, immeasurable heads manifest immeasurable tongues, and immeasurable tongues manifest immeasurable melodious sounds of praise.
The lowest level of respectful prostration involves three aspects: physical prostration, verbal praise, and mental reverence, with mental reverence being the most important. By visualizing and prostrating to the refuge field that fills the entire sky, and by prostrating to all monks who have broken vows and precepts, one shows respect to all people, whether good, bad, or of average character, without contempt or disdain.
The "Ksitigarbha Ten Wheels Sutra" states: "Whether one upholds the precepts or not... no matter how lowly my followers may be, hundreds of lay people cannot compare." This mainly means that all men and women who have not taken the precepts will continue to transmigrate in the cycle of rebirth. Even those who have taken the precepts, though they may have broken them, will attain the fruitions of Arhatship and Pratyekabuddhahood when the Buddha of Supreme Understanding descends. Therefore, one should cultivate faith and pure perception.


2、Offering
Offering is the antidote to greed and stinginess. Offering encompasses offerings to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and almsgiving to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The practice involves purifying the field of merit, purifying the mind, and purifying the offerings. When practitioners make offerings with a generous and magnanimous mind, they will not experience the predicament of poverty in this life or the next.
The classic text states: "Abandon all other offerings and make a true offering to the Guru." This proves that making offerings to the Guru, the lord of all mandalas, is the most supreme of all offerings.
The biography of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva records that "offerings as vast as the sky, for as long as the cycle of rebirth continues and until the end of time, are made with all the inner and outer secret offerings of the six sense objects of all Tathagatas, generating clouds of undefiled supreme bliss. Especially the offerings of the mind, which are the manifestation of the wish-fulfilling jewel of mind nature, are even more superior."
As the scriptures state, one should "make offerings of all things through the power of 'actual designation, visualization, and concentration.'" When making offerings, one must be sincere and earnest. Visualizing the offering is the same as offering physical goods. That is, all beautiful things we see can be offered sincerely to the Guru, the lineage masters, and the Three Jewels and Three Roots. If we cultivate the habit of offering in our daily lives, we can make offerings anytime, anywhere, continuously accumulating merit and virtue, which will then arise inexhaustibly.

C、Repentance
"Repentance" is a method to counteract anger and wrong views. Repentance of sins requires the presence of four antidotes: "external reliance," "aversion," "return," and "actual action." The "external reliance" antidote refers to visualizing the field of merit; the "internal reliance" antidote refers to taking refuge and generating bodhicitta; that is, "intention," without needing to recite refuge and bodhicitta verses. The "aversion" antidote refers to generating regret for the six doors of the purified sins. The "return" antidote refers to vowing never to commit the same sin again. The "actual action" antidote refers to the antidotes to all the aforementioned sins.


4、Giving Thanks
Rejoicing in the merits of others can subdue jealousy. When one hears, sees, or remembers others practicing virtuous deeds, without feeling resentment or jealousy, one can truly rejoice, and one's own mindstream will receive all the virtuous roots of others. Therefore, one should joyfully rejoice in all the virtuous roots, both defiled and undefiled, of the Buddha's disciples, Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Vidyadharas, and all other ordinary beings.

Regarding the conditioned and unconditioned roots of virtue, from the perspective of essence, all roots of virtue encompassed by ultimate truth are unconditioned roots of virtue; all roots of virtue included by conventional truth are conditioned roots of virtue. From the perspective of the path, all roots of virtue on the path of application and the path of accumulation are conditioned roots of virtue; all roots of virtue on the path of seeing and the path of cultivation are unconditioned roots of virtue. In terms of the root of virtue itself, all accumulations of merit are conditioned roots of virtue; all accumulations of wisdom are unconditioned roots of virtue. From the perspective of what is attained after entering samadhi, the samadhi of noble beings is unconditioned roots of virtue; all roots of virtue attained afterward are conditioned roots of virtue. From the perspective of supportive factors, all roots of virtue encompassed by similar and true wisdom are unconditioned roots of virtue; all roots of virtue not encompassed by similar and true wisdom are conditioned roots of virtue. The essence of all views and practices of Mahamudra, Dzogchen, and Madhyamaka attained after entering samadhi, which are non-dual and inseparable from existence and non-existence, are unconditioned roots of virtue. "Appearances" are conditioned roots of virtue.

We rejoice in all the virtuous roots of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the three times (past, present, and future), from their initial aspiration for enlightenment, through the accumulation of merit and wisdom, to their final attainment of Buddhahood, or their subsequent benefit to sentient beings after attaining their respective fruits. We also rejoice in all the virtuous roots accumulated by our disciples, the Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas, throughout the three times. Furthermore, we rejoice in all the virtuous roots of the Vidyadharas of the three times, from their initial aspiration for enlightenment, through the practice of the two stages of yoga, to their final attainment of their own fruits. Finally, we rejoice in all the virtuous roots of all sentient beings of the three times.
Therefore, "rejoicing in others' good deeds" means viewing the virtuous deeds of others without jealousy, but rather as something worthy of joy, necessary, and indispensable. The merit of rejoicing with a sincere and pure mind is equal to that of the person who actually performs the good deeds. Therefore, we should practice the Seven-Limb Offering in this way at all times and in all places.

5、Please turn the Wheel of Dharma.
"Please turn the wheel of Dharma" can counteract ignorance, delusion, and slander of the Dharma.
All Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Gurus, virtuous teachers, and all those who uphold the Dharma, for the benefit of all sentient beings, undertake the vast work of the Tathagata's lineage. However, due to the evil deeds and wrong views of the sentient beings they are meant to guide, they develop aversion to the Dharma and cease to preach it.
At this time, visualize yourself manifesting as Brahma, Indra, and other inconceivable forms, offering a thousand-spoked golden wheel and a right-spiraling white conch shell, just as Indra and Brahma offered to the Buddha to request the turning of the Dharma wheel, earnestly "beseeking to strike the Dharma drum, beseeching to blow the Dharma conch shell, beseeching to light the Dharma lamp, beseeching to raise the Dharma banner, beseeching to erect the Dharma flag."
Because of the differences in the nature, capacity, and inclinations of all sentient beings, the Dharma requested includes the outer three vehicles of Śrāvaka, Pratyekabuddha, and Bodhisattva; the inner three vehicles of Kriya, Charya, and Yoga; and the secret transformational three vehicles of Mahayoga, Anuyoga, and Atiyoga. In total, there are nine vehicles in sequence.


6、Please do not attain Nirvana.
"Please do not enter Nirvana" is a method to counteract disrespect for the guru and wrong views.
When bodhisattvas, disciples, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and vidyadharas are preparing to enter Nirvana and depart for other pure lands, they should visualize: gathering and offering all the perfect offerings from the heavens and the human realm, earnestly praying that they may remain in this world for a long time before entering Nirvana, and earnestly praying that they personally promise to remain in this world for countless eons. Similarly, earnestly praying that one's guru and vajra brothers and sisters may remain in this world for a long time is a key technique for removing one's own obstacles to longevity.


7、Dedication of Merit
"Dedication of merit" can counteract doubt. "All the good roots accumulated in the three lifetimes are dedicated to become the cause of bodhisattva practice." Based on this, no matter what kind of practice you do, from a major retreat to a minor recitation of a Buddha's name, you should dedicate the merit. Visualize the undefiled good roots of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and all the defiled good roots of all sentient beings as one, and dedicate the merit to all sentient beings, especially to the sick and the disease, the dead and those who caused their death.
If you don't dedicate the merits you accumulate, the blessings from your good deeds will quickly run out, and you might not even have a chance to ripen. If you remember to constantly dedicate the merits towards perfect enlightenment, all the way to Buddhahood, the roots of good deeds you accumulate will continuously grow, and you will experience boundless blessings.
Dedication of merit is extremely important. Since most virtuous deeds are infallible, only by generating Bodhicitta and dedicating the merit to all sentient beings can they generate great benefits. Otherwise, no matter how many virtuous deeds one performs, one cannot enter the path to liberation.
In dedicating merit, if one is aware that none of the self making the dedication, the object of the dedication, or the merit being dedicated is truly real and permanent, then not clinging to these three is the true and ultimate meaning of dedication. If one is not yet able to perform a pure and ultimate dedication, one can contemplate: "Just as the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the past dedicated their merits, so too do I dedicate mine." Dedicating merit in the way that the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas did will make the virtuous act exceptionally auspicious.


C、Focus on Prayer

"Focus" means to pray to the root guru from the depths of one's heart and practice the essence of the four vajras: body vajra, speech vajra, mind vajra, and wisdom vajra.
In Vajrayana Buddhism, the Guru is the fourth jewel, the lineage holder of the activities of all Buddhas, and the one who fully bestows all empowerments. Simply by single-mindedly praying to the Guru and practicing with sincere devotion and faith, one can easily attain the siddhis (spiritual attainments) in spiritual practice.
Through the blessings of this practice and prayer, the state of mind is integrated into the heart, allowing one to see the true nature of reality and generate signs of enlightenment, namely, the arising of compassionate Bodhicitta, faith, renunciation, and the wisdom to discern the Dharma. In this part, there may be two situations: some practitioners experience merit first, then enlightenment; others experience enlightenment first, then merit. Only the arising of the realization of the true nature of reality is the fruit of practice.
In daily life, one can practice Guru Yoga anytime, anywhere. Just like visualizing the refuge field, when walking, visualize the Guru on your right shoulder as the object of circumambulation. When sitting, visualize the Guru in the space above your head as the object of prayer. When eating, visualize the Guru in your throat as the object of offering. When sleeping, visualize the Guru at the heart chakra, encompassing all wisdom within it. When waking in the morning, visualize the Guru rising from the heart chakra along the central channel and settling on the great bliss chakra at the crown of your head. This is the key to transforming practice into the path at all times—eating, sleeping, walking, sitting, and so on.
Everything should be viewed with pure insight and transformed into the path. With reverence and faith in the Guru, transform the causes and effects of happiness and suffering into the path. When happiness arises, remember the Guru's kindness and pray sincerely. When suffering arises, transform it into the path with reverence and faith in the Guru. If you lack faith, reverence, etc., pray to the Guru, asking to acquire faith, reverence, etc.

"See all happiness and suffering as the nature of the Guru, and pray with reverence and faith." If we can practice in this way at any time and in any place, and regard all things and phenomena as the manifestation of Guru Padmasambhava and the Yidam, then all our actions will become virtuous.

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