Welcome and congratulations on your commitment to undertake the Ngöndro practice, the Four Foundations of the Path of Realization! This foundational practice is a profound step in your spiritual journey, and we are here to support you every step of the way.
When to Begin the Ngöndro?
Phakchok Rinpoche emphasizes the importance of the Four Foundations practice. Generally, students are advised to begin Ngöndro after several years of daily meditation practice. This prior experience provides glimpses of the empty and luminous nature of mind, preparing you for deeper practice.
Phakchok Rinpoche traditionally guides his students to this level of experience through one or both of the following methods, depending on the individual:
- Mind-Training Practice
- Path of Meditation (Mahamudra) Teachings
Consult with Rinpoche and the lineage lamas to determine the best method for your progression. This approach follows the tradition of Kyapjé Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, who taught that Ngöndro practice should be embraced with the experiential view of emptiness.
How to Begin?
To begin the Ngöndro, express your wish to Phakchok Rinpoche. This process involves making an offering and requesting the reading transmission (lung). Upon approval, you will receive the reading transmission of the Ngöndro text, connecting you to the lineage masters. This transmission can be received from Rinpoche or designated lamas within our sangha.
As Ngöndro is part of the Vajrayana path, it is essential to practice it under your teacher’s guidance. We provide all the necessary materials, teachings, and practical instructions to support you in beginning and completing your Ngöndro practice.
Preparing for Your Practice
We recommend reviewing all provided materials before starting the practices, focusing on those you will begin with to gain a comprehensive understanding. Remember, understanding deepens through actual practice. Don’t worry if it seems complicated at first—many practitioners have started in confusion and progressed successfully, so take heart!
Why Practice the Ngöndro?
Kyapjé Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche stated in his introduction to The Great Gate (Rangjung Yeshe Publications):
“When putting the Buddhist path into practice, all the paṇḍitas of India and the masters of Tibet agree that one must purify the obscurations and gather the accumulations. Due to the vastness of the Dharma teachings, one person is unable to practice all of them. For this reason, the essence of all the sutras and tantras were condensed into four things to think of, the four mind changings, and four things to practice, the preliminaries of four times one hundred thousand (ngöndro).”
The Four Foundations are the gateway to the Path of Realization. They enhance your experience of the view and cultivate positive inner conditions for the genuine practice of the three roots: guru, yidam, and ḍākinī. Each practice aids in transforming and purifying your body, speech, and mind, providing a stable foundation for more advanced practices leading to complete awakening.
Inspiration from the Masters
As inspiration, consider Sangyum Kunsang Dechen (Phakchok Rinpoche’s grandmother), the wisdom-consort of Kyapjé Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche. She completed the Ngöndro 12 times, and was repeatedly praised by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and Chatral Sangye Dorjé Rinpoche as a realized master. All great masters and practitioners incorporate Ngöndro every morning within their daily practice.
We are honored to support you in this significant and transformative journey. Welcome to the Path of Realization!
