Sundays, 10:00am-12:00pm
Entering the Guru Yoga Practice of the Drikung Kagyu Fivefold Mahamudra Path
with Drupon Thinley Ningpo Rinpoche
Online and In-Person
Guru, embodiment of the great bliss of the three times,
all-pervasive and formless, beyond coming and going,
essence of the naturally present nature of the dharmakaya —
unchanging vajra exalted body, to you I pay homage.
— Kyobpa Jigten Sumgon
Having cultivated a strong connection to the blessing lineage through Refuge, purified obscurations through Vajrasattva, and accumulated vast merit through Mandala Offerings, we now stand ready to enter the final uncommon preliminary: Guru Yoga.
The co-emergent wisdom
which cannot be expressed
can be found nowhere.
It can only be realized
through ultimate devotion to the Guru
and through one’s own collection of virtue.
— Hevajra Tantra
The momentum, devotion, and spiritual power built through the dedication in the first three sections of the inner preliminaries now culminate in this practice. In the Drikung Kagyu tradition, Guru Yoga is far more than just the fourth preliminary—it is the jewel of ngöndro and the indispensable bridge transitioning us from preliminary training to the main practice of Fivefold Mahamudra. While some consider the practices of the Six Yogas of Naropa and others as the profound means to realize Mahamudra, Jigten Sumgon held that devotion is the only means for that realization. Through receiving the blessings of the guru and merging our mind with the enlightened wisdom of the lineage, the direct realization of Mahamudra becomes accessible.
The former gurus have taught
that the qualities of all of samsara and nirvana
certainly arise from from devotion to the excellent guru.
If one is without devotion, there is no chance.
— Kyobpa Jigten Sumgon
We invite you all to bring the strength of your commitment into this pivotal next phase as we step together toward the heart of the main practice.